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Abstract: A pilot project aimed at testing roe enhancement strategies based on offshore Paracentrotus lividus cultures was conducted off the south‐east coast of Italy (Apulia Region). Adult sea urchins were reared in sea cages located 700 m offshore at a depth of 12 m for 3 months. The animals were fed once a week on two formulated diets, prepared mixing nutrients with agar 20 g/Kg and differing only in terms of the protein source: anchovy flour (Diet A) or krill flour (Diet K). At the end of the rearing trial, the gonad somatic index of sea urchins fed on formulated diets significantly exceeded that of wild sea urchins. Total FAA content in the gonads of wild sea urchins and Diet A‐fed sea urchins was similar, whereas in Diet K‐fed sea urchins it was significantly higher. In terms of fatty acids, the gonads contained SFAs, MUFAs and PUFAs. In visual and sensory assessment of gonads by panel test and electronic nose, the gonads of reared sea urchins were rated as being of better size, while no differences were recorded for coloration, taste and odour. This study shows that under these experimental conditions, commercial‐grade Paracentrotus lividus roe enhancement can be achieved after 3 months in sea cages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epithelial cells are shed into milk during lactation, and although they generally reflect the cellular charcteristics of terminally differentiated luminal cells, previously the detection of more primitive cells was described in human milk where a cell population of epithelial lineage was detected expressing markers typical of progenitor cells. In this investigation, we report the development of flow cytometry analysis to allow mul-tiparametric assessment of mammary epithelial cells observed in milk. Cells collected from milk samples of 10 healthy dairy cows were directly analyzed for 6 different markers: CD45, CD49f, cytokeratin 14, cyto-keratin 18, presence of nucleus, and cell viability. Milk samples were collected in 3 different periods of lactation: early lactation (EL = d 0-30), mid-lactation (ML = d 90-120), and late lactation (LL = 210-250). Here we identify the differential expression of precursor or differentiated cell markers (or both) in mammary epithelial cells present in bovine milk. Myoepithelial cells, as indicated by cells staining positively for cytokeratin 14+/cytokeratin 18-, were observed to increase from EL to LL with a high correlation with nuclear staining inferring potential proliferative activity. Furthermore, a significant increase in CD49f+ and cytokeratin 14+/cy-tokeratin 18+ positive cells was observed in LL. This assay is a sensitive approach for evaluating the variations in the frequency and features of living epithelial cells, whose reciprocal balance may be significant in understanding mammary gland cellular function throughout lactation. These observations suggest that mammary epithelial cell immunophenotypes could be investigated as biomarkers for mammary gland function in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The algal polysaccharide agar has long been used as a food binder due to its structure, rheological behaviour, stability and interactions - properties that help to generate firm, round, disk-shaped pellets that may be used in recirculating sea urchin-rearing systems. Three algae-based diets ( Ulva lactuca, Gracilaria gracilis, Cystoseira sp.) containing 3% and 6% agar were tested on the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus in order to examine the effect of varying percentages of agar on pellet stability in water and sea urchin gonad growth. The kinetics of water absorption and solute leaching of pellets were measured by immersing quadruplicate samples of the pellets in water for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days. Our results show that the pellets had good water stability, were readily consumed by sea urchins and the presence of agar did not hamper sea urchin gonad growth. Animals fed Ulva-containing pellets reached a more advanced gametogenic stage with respect to animals fed Cystoseira- and Gracilaria-containing pellets. Moreover, the presence of agarase activity in the digestive system indicated that agar may be an energy source. Pellets are relatively low cost and easy to prepare and store. They may represent a useful resource for rearing sea urchins under intensive conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to characterize the insoluble and soluble dietary fiber present in Argentine and Italian artichoke (Cynara scolymus) by-products by comparing chemical analysis and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Non-edible bracts of Argentine (AR) and Italian (Benevento (BN) and Sicily (SC)) artichoke cultivars were employed. The soluble and insoluble dietary fibers were extracted by physical procedures and determined by chemical, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and chemometric analysis (principal components analysis, PCA). No differences in total dietary fiber content between AR and SC samples were observed, although they both showed higher values than BN. With respect to insoluble fiber, this fraction represents 82.5%, 63.5%, and 55.2% of the total dietary fiber for BN, SC and AR, respectively. Fibers from AR presented different compositions and structures, as determined by ATR-FTIR, compared to those of the Italian cultivars (BN and SC). Comparing the results of dietary fiber measured by ezymogravimetric assay with those obtained by ATR-FTIR and PCA, we conclude that it is possible to discriminate samples that contain different kinds of fiber using ATR-FTIR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossa cheese samples were ripened for 90 days in two different pits and analysed to evaluate the influence of the environment on the chemical and nutritional characteristics. The significant changes were recorded only for certain parameters, particularly the contents of fatty acids and volatile molecules. In the fatty acid profiles, the sum of monounsaturated fatty acids showed a significant decrease in the mature cheeses due to a strong decrease in oleic acid. Even the sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the ratio between the sums of saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased after ripening in both pits. HP-SPME-GC/MS analysis allowed the identification of 77 volatile compounds that increased in the cheese samples during ripening. The results of this study indicated that there are substantial differences between the chemical and chemical/physical parameters, and certain fatty acids of the just curdled cheese samples and the cheese ripened in the two pits showed different geological- geochemical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field trial conducted on the melon cultivar Huanghemi irrigated with saline water was carried out in Minqin County in the 2-year period, 2007 and 2008. In three irrigation treatments, different saline water concentrations were applied, that is 0.8 g l−1 (Control C), 2 g l−1 (Treatment S1) and 5 g l−1 (Treatment S2), reproducing the natural groundwater concentration in the county. The electrical conductivity of the saline water was as follows: 1.00, 2.66 and 7.03 dS m−1, respectively. The aims of the study were (i) to monitor water consumption and water potential, (ii) assess, during the whole crop cycle, some growth parameters and their relations for estimating the morpho-functional plant response irrigated with saline water and (iii) determine the ion concentration in different plant tissues to evaluate which mechanism the plant activates in the presence of high salt concentrations. Under salinity stress, the plants sustained the concentration of Ca, Mg and K, but at a level not sufficient to limit the Na adsorption. Therefore, the melon yield decreased and it was determined by a displacement of the ratio K/Na and by a lower [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Planetary nebulae (PNe) are powerful tracers of evolved stellar populations. Among the 3000 known PNe in the Galaxy, about 600 are located within the 520 square-degree area covered by the VVV survey. The VVV photometric catalogue provides an important new dataset for the study of PNe, with high-resolution imaging in five near-infrared bands. Aims. There are various colour-colour diagrams that can be obtained from the VVV filters. We investigate the location of PNe in these diagrams and the separation from other types of objects. This includes the new Y-J vs. Z-Y diagram. Methods. Aperture photometry of known PNe in the VVV area was retrieved from source catalogues. Care was taken to minimise any confusion with field stars. The colours of the PNe we are determined for (H-Ks), (J-H), (Z-Y), and (Y-J), and compared to stars and to other types of emission line objects. Cloudy photo-ionisation models were used to predict colours for typical PNe. Results. We present near-infrared photometry for 353 known PNe. The best separation from other objects is obtained in the (H-Ks) vs. (J-H) diagram. We calculated the emission-line contribution to the in-band flux based on a model for NGC 6720: we find that this is highest in the Z and Y bands at over 50%, lower in the J band at 40%, and lowest in the H and Ks bands at 20%. A new view of PNe in the wavelength domain of the Z and Y bands is shown. Photo-ionisation models are used to explore the observed colours in these bands. The Y band is shown to be dominated by He i 1.083 μm and Heii 1.012 μm, and colours involving this band are very sensitive to the temperature of the ionizing star. Conclusions. The VVV survey represents a unique dataset for studying crowded and obscured regions in the Galactic plane. The diagnostic diagrams presented here allow one to study the properties of known PNe and to uncover objects not previously classified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative packaging system has been developed, based on natural gels, that has shown the peculiar characteristic to strongly increase the shelf life of water buffalo Mozzarella cheese. To explain the mechanism of action of the gel, measurements of Ca and Na in the cheese and in the storage liquid were carried out, together with pH determination. A correlation has been found between the constant level of Ca and pH in the cheese and the prolongation of nutritional characteristics; in fact, both parameters diminish significantly in the absence of gel. At the same time, the weight of the cheese in gel remained constant for as long as 30 d. Confocal laser microscopy gave direct evidence of the persistent physical structure of proteins and lipids of Mozzarella when stored in gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degree of milling of flour of soft wheat is carried out in order to estimate the degree of sifting of the flourmill. Milling technology affects the percentage of damaged starch that it is one of the factors responsible for the rheological-qualitative behaviour of flour during bread-making. In this report we have estimated the distribution of particle dimensions by laser scattering characterised by greater accuracy compared with traditional sieve systems and the percentage of damaged starch by X-ray diffraction techniques. In particular, one variety has been split into fractions by sieves and analysed for further information. The results suggest that there is no clear correlation between the particle size distribution and percentage of damaged starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innovative packaging systems described in the present work, based on natural gels, have been shown to increase the shelf life of the Mozzarella cheese, without adding any chemical substance and without thermal procedures. Physical, physicochemical, microbiological, analytical, and mechanical analyses were used to monitor the quality of the cheese as a function of storage type and storage time. In particular, microbiological analysis confirmed that the characteristics of the Mozzarella cheese stored at 4°C in gel are maintained for more than 15 d, whereas samples stored in the mother solution lost important characteristics after 5 d. A penetration test (texture) confirmed that the Mozzarella cheese preserved in the gel maintained mechanical properties similar to those of the fresh product, even after storage for 30 d at 4°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]