Search

The growing interest in vegetable proteins, namely those derived from lupins, has raised concerns over potential safety risks associated with these food products. Lupin serves as the main host for the mycotoxin-producing fungus called Diaporthe toxica. This species, which is associated with animal diseases, has been scarcely characterized. Recently, phomopsin-A (PHO-A), the main mycotoxin produced by D. toxica, was found to be harmful to humans. Therefore, this study aimed at characterizing D. toxica growth and spore formation both in vitro and on lupin samples. In addition, the production of PHO-A and alkaloids was investigated on lupin beans by using three different inoculation methods. Particularly, growth and spore production were evaluated on different media, while PHO-A and alkaloid production were determined by means of µSPE extraction followed by UHPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-MS/MS, respectively. The results have demonstrated differences in growth on different media, with potato and oat-flakes-based media being the best options. Conversely, D. toxica was not able to produce spores on agar media, but only on lupin beans. Moreover, a thorough analysis of PHO-A production revealed an increase over time, reaching values up to 1082.17 ppm after 21 days on artificially rehydrated samples. On the other side, the analysis of alkaloids revealed impressive results, as this species produced great quantities of the quinolizidine alkaloids (QA) that are normally present in lupin seeds such as lupanine, sparteine, multiflorine, and hydroxylupanine. On balance, considering these results, different metabolic pathways were demonstrated in D. toxica, which are not adequately described in the existing literature. These data are of paramount importance to deepen the knowledge about a fungal species that is important to ensure the safety of lupin and lupin-based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oilseed by-products (Cynara cardunculus and Camelina sativa) (CCCS) are rich in bioactive compounds. This study aimed to evaluate the health effects of consuming yogurt made from goat milk fed with CCCS industrial residues in adults. In this randomized, crossover clinical trial, 20 healthy adults (14F; 37.7 ± 14.2 years) consumed either yogurt made from goat milk fed with CCCS or regular goat yogurt (C) daily for 1 month in each phase. Anthropometric parameters and blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of each phase. CCCS yogurt consumption resulted in a significant fat mass reduction (−1.8% and −1.1 kg) and fat-free mass increase (+1.5% and +0.9 kg). Regarding blood parameters, a non-significant decrease in triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol was observed, particularly after the CCCS intervention. Moreover, creatinine levels exhibited an opposite trend (p = 0.023) after CCCS, decreasing in subjects aged ≤30 years (−0.03 mg/dL) and increasing in older subjects (+0.05 mg/dL). Regarding inflammatory parameters, a non-significant trend in increased IL-1ra levels was observed especially after CCCS yogurt consumption compared to the C yogurt (+56.9 vs. +19.1 pg/mL, respectively). The use of unconventional feed derived from oilseed by-products for dairy goat feeding may have potential possible beneficial effects on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer, a complex array of diseases, involves the unbridled proliferation and dissemination of aberrant cells in the body, forming tumors that can infiltrate neighboring tissues and metastasize to distant sites. With over 200 types, each cancer has unique attributes, risks, and treatment avenues. Therapeutic options encompass surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or a blend of these methods. Yet, these treatments face challenges like late-stage diagnoses, tumor diversity, severe side effects, drug resistance, targeted drug delivery hurdles, and cost barriers. Despite these hurdles, advancements in cancer research, encompassing biology, genetics, and treatment, have enhanced early detection methods, treatment options, and survival rates. Adenosine receptors (ARs), including A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 subtypes, exhibit diverse roles in cancer progression, sometimes promoting or inhibiting tumor growth depending on the receptor subtype, cancer type, and tumor microenvironment. Research on AR ligands has revealed promising anticancer effects in lab studies and animal models, hinting at their potential as cancer therapeutics. Understanding the intricate signaling pathways and interactions of adenosine receptors in cancer is pivotal for crafting targeted therapies that optimize benefits while mitigating drawbacks. This review delves into each adenosine receptor subtype's distinct roles and signaling pathways in cancer, shedding light on their potential as targets for improving cancer treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the food system has been faced with the significant problem of increasing food waste. Therefore, the feed industry, supported by scientific research, is attempting to valorise the use of discarded biomass as co-products for the livestock sector, in line with EU objectives. In parallel, the search for functional products that can ensure animal health and performances is a common fundamental goal for both animal husbandry and feeding. In this context, camelina cake (CAMC), cardoon cake (CC) and cardoon meal (CM), due valuable nutritional profile, represent prospective alternatives. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the antioxidant activity of CAMC, CC and CM following in vitro digestion using 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. Total phenolic content (TPC) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, actively involved in modulating antioxidant properties, were also studied. Further, a peptidomic analysis was adopted to substantiate the presence of bioactive peptides after in vitro digestion. The results obtained confirmed an interesting nutritional profile of CAMC, CC and CM and relevant antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activities. In particular, considering antioxidant profile, CM and CC revealed a significantly higher (10969.80 ± 18.93 mg TE/100 g and 10451.40 ± 149.17 mg TE/100 g, respectively; p < 0.05) ABTS value than CAMC (9511.18 ± 315.29 mg TE/100 g); a trend also confirmed with the FRAP assay (306.74 ± 5.68 mg FeSO4/100 g; 272.84 ± 11.02 mg FeSO4/100 g; 103.84 ± 3.27 mg FeSO4/100 g, for CC, CM and CAMC, respectively). Similar results were obtained for TPC, demonstrating the involvement of phenols in modulating antioxidant activity. Finally, CAMC was found to have a higher ACE inhibitory activity (40.34 ± 10.11%) than the other matrices. Furthermore, potentially bioactive peptides associated with ACE inhibitory, anti-hypertensive, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, antithrombotic, DPP-IV inhibitory and PEP-inhibitory activities were identified in CAMC. This profile was broader than that of CC and CM. The presence of such peptides corroborates the antioxidant and ACE profile of the sample. Although the data obtained report the important antioxidant profile of CAMC, CC, and CM and support their possible use, future investigations, particularly in vivo trials will be critical to evaluate and further investigate their effects on the health and performance of farm animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterococci are part of the natural flora of the gastrointestinal tract of mammals, including humans, birds and invertebrates. They can cause infection, mainly among hospitalized patients, as well as acquire and transfer antimicrobial resistance genes. The present study allowed the isolation of 98 Enterococcus (73.47% E. faecium, 23.47% E. faecalis, 3.06% E. avium) strains from 120-day-old healthy chickens that had never been treated with antimicrobials. Their antimicrobial resistance was evaluated by the agar disk diffusion method; high-level aminoglycoside (streptomycin and gentamicin) and vancomycin resistance were established using the microbroth dilution method. The highest percentages of resistant isolates were detected with quinupristin–dalfopristin (88.78%), rifampicin (64.29%), tetracyclines (45.92%), and enrofloxacin (41.84%). High percentages of susceptible strains were found with teicoplanin (100%), amoxicillin–clavulanic acid (97.96%), nitrofurantoin (94.90%), ampicillin (92.86%), chloramphenicol (90.82%), and linezolid (88.78%). About 60% of the strains were classified as MDR (multidrug-resistant). Moreover, PCR was carried out to investigate genes encoding for tetracyclines resistance determinants: tet(M), tet(L), tet(O), tet(K), and Int-Tn. Genes were detected in 68 (69.38%) strains: 36 were shown to be resistant with the agar disk diffusion method, while 28 were intermediate, and 2 were susceptible. The present study showed that chickens never treated with antimicrobials potentially harbor enterococci having phenotypic and genotypic characters of antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overexpression of CK1δ has been associated to the development of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, making ligands of this protein very promising drug candidates for the treatment these diseases and/or pharmacological tools for their study. A screening campaign of an in-house adenine derivative library revealed that some compounds are able to inhibit the CK1δ enzyme isoform with IC50 in the low µM range. Molecular docking analyses were performed at a X-ray structure of the enzyme, leading to the rational design of novel di- and tri-substituted adenines that were synthesized and characterized. Biological evaluation demonstrated that the new compounds are endowed with moderate CK1δ inhibitory activity. In particular, the 2-amino-9-benzyladenine (12) and its 8-bromo derivative 14, tested at a concentration of 40 µM, inhibited the enzyme leaving a residual activity of about 35% and 42%, respectively. Docking studies provided an interpretation of these data, with suggestions for a further development of these compounds to achieve more potent CK1δ inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary supplements based on tannin extracts or essential oil compounds (EOC) have been repeatedly reported as a promising feeding strategy to reduce the environmental impact of ruminant husbandry. A previous batch culture screening of various supplements identified selected mixtures with an enhanced potential to mitigate ruminal methane and ammonia formation. Among these, Q-2 (named after quebracho extract and EOC blend 2, composed of carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol) and C-10 (chestnut extract and EOC blend 10, consisting of oregano and thyme essential oils and limonene) have been investigated in detail in the present study with the semi-continuous rumen simulation technique (Rusitec) in three independent runs. For this purpose, Q-2 and C-10, dosed according to the previous study, were compared with a non-supplemented diet (negative control, NC) and with one supplemented with the commercial EOC-based Agolin® Ruminant (positive control, PC). Results: From d 5 to 10 of fermentation incubation liquid was collected and analysed for pH, ammonia, protozoa count, and gas composition. Feed residues were collected for the determination of ruminal degradability. On d 10, samples of incubation liquid were also characterised for bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and 26S ribosomal large subunit gene amplicons. Regardless of the duration of the fermentation period, Q-2 and C-10 were similarly efficient as PC in mitigating either ammonia (−37% by Q-2, −34% by PC) or methane formation (−12% by C-10, −12% by PC). The PC was also responsible for lower feed degradability and bacterial and fungal richness, whereas Q-2 and C-10 effects, particularly on microbiome diversities, were limited compared to NC. Conclusions: All additives showed the potential to mitigate methane or ammonia formation, or both, in vitro over a period of 10 d. However, several differences occurred between PC and Q-2/C-10, indicating different mechanisms of action. The pronounced defaunation caused by PC and its suggested consequences apparently determined at least part of the mitigant effects. Although the depressive effect on NDF degradability caused by Q-2 and C-10 might partially explain their mitigation properties, their mechanisms of action remain mostly to be elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compute the one-loop corrections to gg → up to order in the dimensional-regularization parameter. We apply the projector method to compute polarized amplitudes, which generalize massless helicity amplitudes to the massive case. We employ a semi-numerical strategy to evaluate the scattering amplitudes. We express the form factors through scalar integrals analytically, and obtain separately integration by parts reduction identities in compact form. We integrate numerically the corresponding master integrals with an enhanced implementation of the Auxiliary Mass Flow algorithm. Using a numerical fit method, we concatenate the analytic and the numeric results to obtain fast and reliable evaluation of the scattering amplitude. This approach improves numerical stability and evaluation time. Our results are implemented in the Mathematica package TTH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable-forage production is globally increasing, especially in marginal areas where the edaphic conditions for plant growth are not optimal. Soil salinization influences the symbiotic interaction between alfalfa and rhizobia. The efficiency of different symbiotic pairs (Sinorhizobium meliloti—Medicago sativa) was evaluated in relation to NaCl application (100 mM) on two different alfalfa cultivars (Marina and Etrusca) and 21 S. meliloti strains isolated in Algeria. At 100 mM NaCl, it was observed that there was a higher variability of plant dry weight compared to the control. The strains able to improve plant growth at 100 mM NaCl were different and specific for each alfalfa cultivar, highlighting that (symbiont) G × (host) G interaction is magnified under stressed (saline) conditions (E). Three strains were then identified as candidate inoculants for M. sativa cv Marina and used for an in-field experiment with induced stress (no irrigation), together with S. meliloti GR4 (a highly competitive strain). In-field experiments, showed a high variability, and a significant difference of plant biomass was observed only for those inoculated with S. meliloti GR4. Obtained results suggest that multiple traits should be considered for inoculant-strain selection, and for an efficient translation from lab to field, it requires extensive comprehension of the mechanisms driving G × G × E interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Transitioning to sustainable food systems includes the reuse of agricultural by-products as alternative feed ingredients in farms with the aim to increase animal efficiency while reducing the environmental footprint. Olive oil pomace is a waste product obtained during olive oil milling, and its chemical composition makes it a suitable source of fiber, fat, protein and polyphenol in the diet of lactating cows. The inclusion of olive oil pomace in the dairy cow diet did not impair nutrient degradability at the rumen level and animal performances and increased the amount of milk polyunsaturated fatty acids. In this study, the milk protein content from cows fed with a diet supplemented with olive oil pomace was considered; a simulation of gastrointestinal digestion was used to obtain peptides from milk proteins. The peptides were characterized for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and for their ability to induce differentiation and reduce proliferation in human colon cancer cells. No significant differences were detected between peptides derived from cows fed with a commercial diet; therefore, milk from cows fed with olive oil pomace can be safely used in humans, having nutritional features like (if not superior) traditional milk, but it can be obtained with less use of hay. Animal feeding through the reuse of agro-industrial by-products in one of the ultimate goals of sustainable agriculture. Olive oil pomace (OOP) produced as a waste product during olive oil milling has been used as an ingredient in the diet for Holstein lactating cows. Recent findings have shown no decrease in animal performance, feed intake or detrimental effect on rumen microbiota. In contrast, an improvement in C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids has been observed. In this work, the milk protein content from cows fed a commercial diet (CON) or an experimental one supplemented with OOP was determined and compared, and the peptides derived from the simulated gastrointestinal digestion of raw milk were analyzed. After fractionation via RP-HPLC, peptides were characterized for their biological activity on different cell lines. The ability to reduce both the intracellular ROS content and the expression of inflammatory markers, such as Cyclooxygenase, isoenzyme 2 (COX-2) and inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS), as well as the remarkable properties to induce cell differentiation and to slow down the proliferation of human intestinal cancer cells, enable us to define them as bioactive peptides. In spite of there being no observed significant difference between the healthy activity of CON and OOP peptides, the results allow us to broaden the knowledge about the biological activity of these bioactive peptides and to confirm that agro-industrial by-products may be successfully incorporated into the feeding strategy of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the number of patients with neurodegenerative pathologies is estimated at over one million, with consequences also on the economic level. Several factors contribute to their development, including overexpression of A2A adenosine receptors (A2AAR) in microglial cells and up-regulation and post-translational alterations of some casein kinases (CK), among them, CK-1δ. The aim of the work was to study the activity of A2AAR and CK1δ in neurodegeneration using in-house synthesized A2A/CK1δ dual anta-inhibitors and to evaluate their intestinal absorption. Experiments were performed on N13 microglial cells, which were treated with a proinflammatory CK cocktail to simulate an inflammatory state typical of neurodegenerative diseases. Results showed that the dual anta-inhibitors have the ability to counteract the inflammatory state, even if compound 2 is more active than compound 1. In addition, compound 2 displayed an important antioxidant effect similar to the reference compound ZM241385. Since many known kinase inhibitors are very often unable to cross lipid bilayer membranes, the ability of A2A/CK1δ double anta-inhibitors to cross the intestinal barrier was investigated by an everted gut sac assay. HPLC analysis revealed that both compounds are able to cross the intestinal barrier, making them promising candidates for oral therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofilms represent an evolutionary form of life, which translates from life in free-living cells to a community lifestyle. In natural habitats, biofilms are a multispecies complex, where synergies or antagonisms can be established. For example, Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas fluorescens are associated with a dual-species biofilm that is widespread in dairy plants. In food plants, multiple strategies are devised to control biofilms, including natural compounds such as essential oils (EOs). In this respect, this study evaluated the effectiveness of Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. (TEO) and Cinnamomum zeylanicum (CEO) against a dual-species biofilm of L. monocytogenes and P. fluorescens, mimicking dairy process conditions. Based on Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations results, the EOs concentration (10 µL/mL) was chosen for the antibiofilm assay at 12°C on polystyrene (PS), and stainless-steel surfaces for 168 h, using a Ricotta-based model system as culture medium. Biofilm biomass was assessed by crystal violet staining, and the planktonic and sessile cells were quantified in terms of Log CFU/cm2. Results showed that CEO displayed the greatest antibiofilm activity, reducing significantly (P<0.05) P. fluorescens and L. monocytogenes sessile cells of about 2.5 and 2.8 Log CFU/cm2 after 72 h, respectively. However, L. monocytogenes gained the protection of P. fluorescens, evading CEO treatment and showing a minimal sessile cell reduction of 0.7 Log CFU/cm2 after 72 h. Considering the outcome of this study, CEO might have promising perspectives for applications in dairy facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we consider signal-background interference effects in Higgs-mediated diphoton production at the LHC. After reviewing earlier works that show how to use these effects to constrain the Higgs boson total decay width, we provide predictions beyond NLO accuracy for the interference and related observables, and study the impact of QCD radiative corrections on the Higgs width determination. In particular, we use the so-called soft-virtual approximation to estimate interference effects at NNLO in QCD. The inclusion of these effects reduces the NNLO prediction for the total Higgs cross-section in the diphoton channel by about 1.7%. We study in detail the impact of QCD corrections on the Higgs-boson line-shape and its implications for the Higgs boson width extraction. In particular, we find that the shift of the Higgs resonance peak arising from interference effects gets reduced by about 30% with respect to the NLO prediction. Assuming an experimental resolution of about 150 MeV on interference-induced modifications of the Higgs-boson line-shape, our NNLO analysis shows that one could constrain the Higgs-boson total width to about 10–20 times its Standard Model value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a screening of a chemical library of A2A adenosine receptor (AR) antagonists, a series of di- and tri-substituted adenine derivatives were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit the activity of the enzyme casein kinase 1 delta (CK1δ) and to bind adenosine receptors (ARs). Some derivatives, here called "dual anta-inhibitors", demonstrated good CK1δ inhibitory activity combined with a high binding affinity, especially for the A2AAR. The N6-methyl-(2-benzimidazolyl)-2-dimethyamino-9-cyclopentyladenine (17, IC50 = 0.59 μM and KiA2A = 0.076 μM) showed the best balance of A2AAR affinity and CK1δ inhibitory activity. Computational studies were performed to simulate, at the molecular level, the protein–ligand interactions involving the compounds of our series. Hence, the dual anta-inhibitor 17 could be considered the lead compound of new therapeutic agents endowed with synergistic effects for the treatment of chronic neurodegenerative and cancer diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Ayurvedic literature has demonstrated the healing properties of ghee when used systemically and topically. Ghee possesses regenerative properties that can heal wounds, and therefore, the study aimed to compare different types of Tunisian ghee (traditional and industrial cow, goat and sheep) for their wound healing activity. Comparison of the ghee was achieved by studying their antioxidant activity, oxidative stability, fatty acids and vitamin composition analysis, as well as their ability to stimulate dermal fibroblast migration and wound healing process. This study indicates that this Tunisian product with high antioxidant capacity rich in vitamins A and E could improve fibroblast migration, suggesting thus an application as a healing element in an ointment base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin aging is a complex biological process. Skin aspect is considered as a sign of well‐being and of beauty. In view of this, noninvasive and/or minimally invasive anti‐aging strategies were developed. Adenosine, a well‐known nucleoside, may play a role in skin rejuvenation. Adenosine receptors belong to the G protein‐coupled receptors superfamily and are divided into four subtypes: A1, A2A, A2B, and A3. The adenosine receptors expressed by skin are mainly the A1 and A2A subtypes. In the hypodermis, adenosine through the A1 receptor stimulates lipogenesis and adipogenesis. In the dermis, adenosine through the A2A receptor subtype stimulates collagen production. Moreover, the nucleoside increases new DNA synthesis and subsequently protein synthesis in dermal cells. Activation of adenosine receptors by interacting with various skin layers may induce a decrease in the amount of wrinkles, roughness, dryness, and laxity. This article has reviewed the mechanisms through which adenosine modulates biological mechanisms in the skin tissues and the effect of preparations containing adenosine or its derivatives on the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compute mixed QCD-electroweak corrections to the neutral-current Drell-Yan production of a pair of massless leptons in the high invariant mass region. Our computation is fully differential with respect to the final state particles. At relatively low values of the dilepton invariant mass, mℓℓ ∼ 200 GeV, we find unexpectedly large mixed QCD-electroweak corrections at the level of −1%. At higher invariant masses, mℓℓ ∼ 1 TeV, we observe that these corrections can be well approximated by the product of QCD and electroweak corrections. Hence, thanks to the well-known Sudakov enhancement of the latter, they increase at large invariant mass and reach e.g. −3% at mℓℓ = 3 TeV. Finally, we note that the inclusion of mixed corrections reduces the theoretical uncertainty related to the choice of electroweak input parameters to below the percent level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased resistance of bacteria to antimicrobials, as well as the growing interest in innovative and sustainable alternatives to traditional food additives, are driving research towards the use of natural food preservatives. Among these, hydrolates (HYs) have gained attention as "mild" alternatives to conventional antimicrobial compounds. In this study, the response of L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 exposed to increasing concentrations of Coridothymus capitatus HY (CHY) for 1 h at 37 °C was evaluated by means of Phenotype Microarray, modelling the kinetic data obtained by inoculating control and treated cells into GEN III microplates, after CHY removal. The results revealed differences concerning the growth dynamics in environmental conditions commonly encountered in food processing environments (different carbon sources, pH 6.0, pH 5.0, 1–8% NaCl). More specifically, for treated cells, the lag phase was extended, the growth rate was slowed down and, in most cases, the maximum concentration was diminished, suggesting the persistence of stress even after CHY removal. Confocal Laser Scanner Microscopy evidenced a diffuse aggregation and suffering of the treated cells, as a response to the stress encountered. In conclusion, the treatment with HY caused a stressing effect that persisted after its removal. The results suggest the potential of CHY application to control L. monocytogenes in food environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The A2A adenosine receptor (A2AAR) is one of the four subtypes activated by nucleoside adenosine, and the molecules able to selectively counteract its action are attractive tools for neurodegenerative disorders. In order to find novel A2AAR ligands, two series of compounds based on purine and triazolotriazine scaffolds were synthesized and tested at ARs. Compound 13 was also tested in an in vitro model of neuroinflammation. Some compounds were found to possess high affinity for A2AAR, and it was observed that compound 13 exerted anti-inflammatory properties in microglial cells. Molecular modeling studies results were in good agreement with the binding affinity data and underlined that triazolotriazine and purine scaffolds are interchangeable only when 5- and 2-positions of the triazolotriazine moiety (corresponding to the purine 2- and 8-positions) are substituted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analytical expressions of the mixed QCD-EW corrections to on-shell Z boson inclusive production cross section at hadron colliders are presented, together with computational details. The results are given in terms of polylogarithmic functions and elliptic integrals. The impact on the prediction of the Z boson production total cross section is discussed, comparing different proton parton density sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preservation of genetic variability of autochthonous poultry breeds is crucial in global biodiversity. A recent report revealed small breed size and potential risk of extinction of all native Italian poultry breeds; therefore, a correct assessment of their genetic diversity is necessary for a suitable management of their preservation. In this work, we provided an overview of the contribution to poultry biodiversity of some Italian autochthonous breeds reared in conservation centers devoted to local biodiversity preservation. The level of genetic diversity, molecular kinship, inbreeding, contribution to overall genetic diversity, and rate of extinction of each breed were analyzed with a set of 14 microsatellite loci in 17 autochthonous chicken breeds. To evaluate genetic variability, total number (Na), and effective number (Ne) of alleles, observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity, and F (Wright's inbreeding coefficient) index were surveyed. The contribution of each analyzed breed to genetic diversity of the whole dataset was assessed using MolKin3.0; global genetic diversity and allelic richness contributions were evaluated. All the investigated loci were polymorphic; 209 alleles were identified (94 of which private alleles). The average number of alleles per locus was 3.62, and the effective number of alleles was 2.27. The Ne resulted lower in all breeds due to the presence of low-frequency alleles that can be easily lost by genetic drift, thus reducing the genetic variability of the breeds, and increasing their risk of extinction. The global molecular kinship was 27%, the average breed molecular kinship was 53%, and the mean inbreeding rate 43%, with a self-coancestry of 78%. Wright's statistical analysis showed a 41% excess of homozygous due to breed genetic differences (34%) and to inbreeding within the breed (9%). Genetic variability analysis showed that 11 breeds were in endangered status. The contribution to Italian poultry genetic diversity, estimated as global genetic diversity, and ranged from 30.2 to 98.5%. In conclusion, the investigated breeds maintain a unique genetic pattern and play an important role in global Italian poultry biodiversity, providing a remarkable contribution to genetic variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of rustic cattle is desirable to face challenges brought on by climate change. Maremmana (MA) and Aubrac (AU) are rustic cattle breeds that can be successfully used for sustainable production. In this study, correlations between two rearing systems (feedlot and grazing) and the rumen microbiota, the lipid composition of rumen liquor (RL), and the growth performance of MA and AU steers were investigated. Bacterial community composition was characterized by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, and the RL lipid composition was determined by measuring fatty acid (FA) and the dimethyl acetal profiles. The main factor influencing bacterial community composition was the cattle breed. Some bacterial groups were positively correlated to average daily weight gain for the two breeds (i.e., Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, Fibrobacter and Succiniclasticum in the rumen of MA steers, and Succinivibrionaceae UCG-002 in the rumen of AU steers); despite this, animal performance appeared to be influenced by short chain FAs production pathways and by the presence of H2 sinks that divert the H2 to processes alternative to the methanogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the leading colour and light fermionic planar two-loop corrections for the production of two photons and a jet in the quark-antiquark and quark-gluon channels. In particular, we compute the interference of the two-loop amplitudes with the corresponding tree level ones, summed over colours and polarisations. Our calculation uses the latest advancements in the algorithms for integration-by-parts reduction and multivariate partial fraction decomposition to produce compact and easy-to-use results. We have implemented our results in an efficient C++ numerical code. We also provide their analytic expressions in Mathematica format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation of genetic resource cryobanks provides a crucial link between in situ and ex situ techniques to improve the efficiency of conservation programs. Aim of the present review is to describe all the activities developed for the implementation of the first Italian Semen Cryobank of Autochthonous Chicken and Turkey Breeds. These activities can be classified into three main topics: (1) identification of species-specific semen freezing/thawing reference procedures; (2) drafting Standard Operative Procedures (SOP) for the implementation of the semen cryobank; (3) storage of semen doses from Italian chicken and turkey breeds to establish the cryobank. Several trials have been developed to identify a specie-specific semen cryopreservation protocol for chickens and turkeys. The major results are reviewed and a final reference protocol described. Taking into consideration the FAO guidelines for cryoconservation of animal genetic resources, SOP were drafted with the aim to provide technical guidance and logistical support on the choice of priority breeds, selection of birds for semen production, infrastructures and storage sites, birds and semen management, cryopreservation process and doses traceability. Lastly, the Italian Semen Cryobank was created. A total of 112 semen doses from 22 cockerels of three breeds, and 74 doses from 12 turkey males of three breeds were stored in the Cryobank. Breed specific semen quality parameters assessed before and after cryopreservation are reported. The described activities provide information and tools useful for the implementation of semen cryobanking in avian species and might be transferred also to other species after appropriate adaptations. Implementation of the first Italian Semen Cryobank of Autochthonous Chicken and Turkey Breeds Drafting Standard Operative Procedures provides technical guidance and logistical support on the design and establishment of the cryobank Semen cryobank is a precious genetic reservoir and could be useful to safeguard genetic variability in small population in vivo conserved [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reuse of by-products from the agro-industry in animal feeding is desirable to increase the sustainability of the productions. Hazelnut skin is a by-product of the food industry and due to the high content in crude fat and phenolic compounds can be potentially used in ruminants' diet. In this study, we characterised and compared the microbial communities of rumen digesta (RD) from lambs fed a diet supplied with hazelnut skin vs. a control diet. Microbial DNA was extracted and high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons was performed. Six genera ([Eubacterium] nodatum group, Acidaminococcus, Dialister, Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-002, Megasphaera, and Olsenella) showed a positive correlation with the concentration of C18:1 t10, and their relative abundance was higher in the RD from lambs fed the control diet, compared to the RD from lambs fed the diet supplied with hazelnut skin. The results suggest that the relative abundance of microorganisms correlated to C18:1 t10 production in the rumen of animals fed a concentrate-based diet can be reduced by the administration of hazelnut skin. A diet with hazelnut skin affected the microbial community in the rumen of lambs The relative abundance of the genus Dialister decreased with hazelnut skin Administration of hazelnut skin can be a strategy to reduce the C18:1 t10/t11 ratio [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The livestock sector constitutes 14.5% of global green-house gas (GHG) emissions and soil and water pollution due to nitrogen excretion. Methane and nitrogen excretions in ruminants can be mitigated by specific feeding strategies, and tannins reduce methanogenesis and ammonia syntheses. In our study, two kinds of condensed tannins (Mimosa and Gambier) and two kinds of hydrolysable tannins (Chestnut and Tara) were added (4 g/100 g DM) to a basal feed (barley: 48 g/100 g DM, wheat bran: 23 g/100 g DM, dehydrated alfalfa hay:15 g/100 g DM, soybean meal: 10 g/100 g DM and molasses: 2 g/100 g DM), inoculated with rumen fluid and fermented for 24 h. The methane, ammonia, fatty acid and plasmalogen lipid profile were determined. The results confirmed that tannins are an important family of heterogeneous compounds whose effect on rumen metabolism is strongly linked to their different characteristics. Chestnut tannin extract was shown to be a good compromise. It improved the sustainability of ruminant rearing by decreasing methanogenesis (control feed 0.159 vs chestnut feed 0.137 mmol/L rumen fluid; p =.0326), ammonia production (control feed 248 vs chestnut feed 179 mg/L rumen fluid; p <.0001) and enhancing acetate synthesis (production rate: chestnut 68.68% vs 49.64% of control). Tannin extracts from trees and shrubs can be used to modulate rumen fermentation. The positive effect of chestnut tannin extract was demonstrated on methane and ammonia production. Tannins showed no protective action on C18:2 trans 11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the preventive effects of the oral administration of chestnut tannins (Castanea sativa) together with its potential metabolic effect on calf diarrhoea. Forty Italian Friesian female calves were included and divided into Group C (control group) and Group T (tannin-treated group). From the third day of life (T0) for the following 56 days (T56), calves from Group C received 2 L of warm water, while 10 g of chestnut tannin powder extract were added to Group T. Calves were weighed at birth and at T56. Daily faecal score evaluation was performed according to the literature. The age at diarrhoea onset (TDE) and the duration of the diarrhoeic episode were recorded. Blood methaemoglobin and liver enzymes were evaluated weekly starting from T0 to T56 by spectrophotometer and clinical chemistry analysis, respectively. The t-Student and chi-square tests were performed. The TDE was higher (p =.04) in Group T than in Group C (12.0 ± 8.2 and 7.7 ± 3.8 days, respectively). There were no differences for ADG between the groups. Group C spent 24.4% of the whole period with diarrhoea, whereas Group T experienced diarrhoea for 18.9% of the period (p =.001). All the blood and serum analytes were within physiological values. The administration of tannins in calves from the third day of life seemed to delay the onset of diarrhoea by almost four days, suggesting effective preventive action of chestnut tannins. The oral administration of chestnut tannins in calves seemed to delay the onset of diarrhoea by almost four days, thus showing a preventive effect. The oral administration of chestnut tannins may lead to a better and shorter recovery of the calf, thus decreasing the use of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical predictions for t t ¯ b b ¯ production are of crucial importance for t t ¯ H measurements in the H → b b ¯ channel at the LHC. To address the large uncertainties associated with the modelling of extra QCD radiation in t t ¯ b b ¯ events, in this paper we present a calculation of pp → t t ¯ b b ¯ j at NLO QCD. The behaviour of NLO corrections is analysed in a variety of observables, and to assess theoretical uncertainties we use factor- two rescalings as well as different dynamic scales. In this context, we propose a systematic alignment of dynamic scales that makes it possible to disentangle normalisation and shape uncertainties in a transparent way. Scale uncertainties at NLO are typically at the level of 20–30% in integrated cross sections, and below 10% for the shapes of distributions. The kinematics of QCD radiation is investigated in detail, including the effects of its recoil on the objects of the t t ¯ b b ¯ system. In particular, we discuss various azimuthal correlations that allow one to characterise the QCD recoil pattern in a precise and transparent way. In general, the calculation at hand provides a variety of precise benchmarks that can be used to validate the modelling of QCD radiation in t t ¯ b b ¯ generators. Moreover, as we will argue, pp → t t ¯ b b ¯ j at NLO entails information that can be used to gain insights into the perturbative convergence of the inclusive t t ¯ b b ¯ cross section beyond NLO. Based on this idea, we address the issue of the large NLO K-factor observed in σ t t ¯ b b ¯ , and we provide evidence that supports the reduction of this K-factor through a mild adjustment of the QCD scales that are conventionally used for this process. The presented 2 → 5 NLO calculations have been carried out using OpenLoops 2 in combination with Sherpa and Munich. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tannins were recently evaluated as feed additives in order to increase antioxidant compounds in animal diet, mainly to enhance resistance to lipid oxidation in meat. Rabbit meat is one of the most susceptible animal products, thus the main aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of tannins to elongate shelf life of rabbit meat. Ninety hybrid rabbits were fed with three different diets: basal diet (control, C) and basal diet supplemented with 0.3% or 0.6% of tannins mix. Meat samples were refrigerated as raw at 4°C up to 11 days and analysed both as raw and cooked for physical‐chemical characteristics, fatty acids profile, lipid oxidation and antioxidant capacity. Results showed that dietary tannins affected meat colour of raw samples (mostly yellowness). Lipid peroxidation (TBARS) of raw samples was lower in tannins group than C group; a further inhibition of peroxidation was showed also in cooked samples only by the highest dose of tannins mix. Moreover, antioxidant capacity (ABTS) of raw samples increased with the percentage of tannins. In conclusion, supplementation with 0.6% of tannins mix seems to positively affect the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant capacity of meat without modifying the intrinsic characteristics of rabbit meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral ischemia is the second most common cause of death and a major cause of disability worldwide. Available therapies are based only on anticoagulants or recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. Extracellular adenosine increases during ischemia and acts as a neuroprotective endogenous agent mainly by activating adenosine A1 receptors (A1Rs) which control calcium influx, glutamate release, membrane potential, and metabolism. Accordingly, in many experimental paradigms it has been already demonstrated that the stimulation of A1R with full agonists is able to reduce ischemia‐related structural and functional brain damage; unfortunately, cardiovascular side effects and desensitization of A1R induced by these compounds have strongly limited their exploitation in stroke therapy so far. Among the newly emerging compounds, A1R partial agonists could be almost free of side effects and equally effective. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of two A1R partial agonists, namely 2′‐dCCPA and 3′‐dCCPA, in in vitro and ex vivo experimental models of cerebral ischemia. Within the experimental paradigm of oxygen‐glucose deprivation in vitro in human neuroblastoma (SH‐SY5Y) cells both A1R partial agonists increased cell viability. Considering the high level of expression of A1Rs in the hippocampus and the susceptibility of CA1 region to hypoxia, we performed electrophysiological experiments in this subfield. The application of 7 min of oxygen‐glucose deprivation constantly produces an irreversible synaptic failure in all the C57Bl/6 mice hippocampal slices evaluated; both tested compounds allowed a significant recovery of synaptic transmission. These findings demonstrate that A1R and its partial agonists are still of interest for cerebral ischemia therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruminants derived products have a prominent role in diets and economy worldwide; therefore, the capability to control the rumen microbial ecosystem, for ameliorating their quality, is of fundamental importance in the livestock sector. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with chestnut and quebracho tannins on microbial community and fatty acid profile, in the rumen fluid of dairy ewes. Multivariate analysis of PCR-DGGE profiles of rumen microbial communities showed a correlation among the presence of chestnut or quebracho in the diet, the specific Butyrivibrio group DGGE profiles, the increase in 18:3 cis9, cis12, and cis15; 18:2 cis9 and cis12; 18:2 cis9 and trans11; 18:2 trans11 and cis15; and 18:1 trans11 content, and the decrease in 18:0 concentration. Phylogenetic analysis of DGGE band sequences revealed the presence of bacteria representatives related to the genera Hungatella, Ruminococcus, and Eubacterium and unclassified Lachnospiraceae family members, suggesting that these taxa could be affected by tannins presence in the diets. The results of this study showed that tannins from chestnut and quebracho can reduce the biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids through changes in rumen microbial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of diets containing corn silages (whole ear or high cut whole plant corn silages, WECS and HCCS, respectively) on fatty acid composition of back fat and the weight loss of thighs during the seasoning process were examined in Italian heavy pigs (from 90 to 160 kg of live weight). Two trials were conducted in the same farm, following an identical experimental protocol. In both trials, a control diet, based on dry corn, barley, wheat, extracted soybean meal, wheat bran and supplement (47, 23, 10, 9, 8 and 3% dry matter (DM), respectively) was compared with a diet containing 30% DM of WECS (trial 1) or 20% DM of HCCS (trial 2) in substitution of bran and part of the corn. The initial fresh weight of thighs was very homogeneous between the two trials and only at the end of seasoning the hams from pigs fed the corn silage diets were slightly lighter (of about 0.5 kg, p<.05). The dietary inclusion of corn silages determined a significant increase of the saturated fraction of the back fat (from 40.6 to 41.9%, p<.05), mainly due to the increase of the C 18:0 fatty acid (from 14.3 to 15.2%, p<.05). Overall, the calculated iodine value was favourable for the fat of pigs fed silages (62.63 vs. 64.24, p=.05). In conclusion, feeding corn silages to heavy pigs has limited impact on seasoning ham losses and can slightly improve backfat quality, in terms of fatty acid composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standard NACE MR0175 (ISO 15156) requires a maximum hardness value of 23 HRC for 13Cr-4Ni-(Mo) steel grade for sour service, requiring a double tempering heat treatment at temperature in the range 648-691 °C for the first tempering and 593-621 °C for the second tempering. Difficulties in limiting alloy hardness after the tempering of forged mechanical components (F6NM) are often faced. Variables affecting the thermal behavior of 13Cr-4Ni-(Mo) during single and double tempering treatments have been studied by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, X-ray diffraction measurements, dilatometry, and thermo-mechanical simulations. It has been found that relatively low Ac1 temperatures in this alloy induce the formation of austenite phase above 600 °C during tempering, and that the formed, reverted austenite tends to be unstable upon cooling, thus contributing to the increase of final hardness via transformation to virgin martensite. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the Ac1 temperature as much as possible to allow the tempering of martensite at the temperature range required by NACE without the detrimental formation of virgin martensite upon final cooling. Attempts to do so have been carried out by reducing both carbon (<0.02% C) and nitrogen (<100 ppm) levels. Results obtained herein show final hardness below NACE limits without an unacceptable loss of mechanical strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Olive oil pomace from milling agro-industry is suitable in dairy cow feeding. • Olive oil pomace in dairy cow feeding increases milk quality. • The use of olive milling by-products in animal feeding is a circular economy example. • Olive pomace as feed ingredient do not affect dairy cow performances. • Olive oil pomace from two-phase milling contains molecules useful for rumen modulation. The use of alternative feed ingredients from the Agro-industry could be an efficient tool to improve the sustainability of dairy cow production. Since the richness in polyphenols, olive oil pomace (OOP), produced during olive oil milling, seems a promising by-product to ameliorate milk's nutritional value. The aim of this study was to test the use of OOP produced by means of a new technology (biphasic with stone deprivation) in dairy cow feeding strategy to evaluate the effect on animal performances, rumen microbiota, biohydrogenation processes and milk quality by a multidisciplinary approach. Forty multiparous Italian-Friesian dairy cows, at middle lactation, were randomly allotted into two homogenous groups and fed respectively a commercial diet (CON) and the experimental diet (OOPD) obtained by adding OOP to CON as partial replacement of maize silage. The two diets were formulated to be isoproteic and isoenergetic. The same diets were tested also in an in vitro trial aimed to evaluate their rumen degradability (% DEG). The dietary supplementation with OOP did not affect DM intake, rumen % DEG and milk production. The milk's nutritional quality was improved by increasing several important functional fatty acids (FA s; i.e., linoleic acid, conjugated linoleic acid, oleic acid, vaccenic acid). This finding was related to a decrease in rumen liquor biohydrogenation rate of unsaturated FAs. The stochiometric relation between volatile FA production in the rumen and methanogenesis suggested that OOP lowers the methane potential production (CON = 0.050 mol/L vs OOPD = 0.024 mol/L, SEM = 0.005, P = 0.0011). Rumen microbiota and fungi community did not be strongly altered by OOP dietary inclusion because few bacteria were affected at the genus level only. Particularly, Acetobacter , Prevotellaceae_ UCG-004, Prevotellaceae_ UCG-001, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes , Lachnospira , Acetitomaulatum , Lachnospiraceae _NK3A20 group were more abundant with OOPD condition (P < 0.05). Data reported in this study confirm that the use of OOP in dairy cow feeding can be an interesting strategy to improve milk nutritional quality increasing functional FA content without compromising the rumen degradability of the diet or causing strong perturbation of rumen ecosystem and maintaining animal performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trial was performed with 80 laying hens belonging to two Tuscan autochthonous breeds: 40 birds of the Mugellese (MU) breed and 40 of the White Leghorn (WL) breed.The animals were allotted to 4 groups of individually caged 20 hens each: two groups were fed on a commercial diet and worked as the control groups (MUC and WLC); the other two groups received the same diet, integrated with 2 g of chestnut tannin (CT) extract per kg of diet (MUT and WLT).A sample of 70 eggs were randomly collected and analysed for cholesterol content, fatty acid (FA) profile, weight, thickness of shell and colour of yolk.Physical parameters, including yolk colour, and indices of egg quality were not affected by the treatments.The concentration of unsaturated FAs increased, whereas cholesterol was significantly decreased: −17% in WLT and −9% in MUT. Dietary supplementation with CT extract resulted in a modification of lipid composition, towards a more healthy quality of eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Non-nucleoside agonists of adenosine receptors were analysed at the A2A adenosine receptor to simulate and compare their possible binding modes. The docking studies were performed by using different arrangements of the binding cavity and various docking tools. Mutagenesis results reported in literature were used as reference data for the assessment of the different ligand arrangements observed in this study. The results suggest four possible binding modes, two of which appear compatible with an agonist activity and in agreement with the mutagenesis data. This study provides useful information for the design of new simplified compounds presenting agonist activity at the A2A adenosine receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acids (FAs), tocopherols and retinoids were analysed in raw milk and cheese from six commercial sheep flocks monitored from early lactation in winter to late lactation in summer. In winter, animals received concentrate and forage indoors; in early spring, animals grazed part-time on cultivated or natural valley grasslands; and from mid spring on, animals were kept outdoors constantly on mountain natural pastures. Mountain grazing in late lactation significantly increased the amount of healthy desirable unsaturated FAs such as C18:1t11 (VA), C18:2c9t11 (RA), C18:2t11c13, C18:3c9c12c15 (ALA) and C20:5c5c8c11c14c17 (EPA), and those of α-tocopherol and α-tocotrienol of milk and cheese. Stepwise discriminant analysis was applied to classify cheese samples according to seasonal feeding management. The multivariate approach was able to discriminate beyond doubt mountain cheeses from those of indoor feeding and part-time valley grazing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Diagncstico y Evaluacicn Psicolcgica is the property of Asociacion Iberoamericana de Diagnostico y Evaluacion Psicologica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the present study, we have hypothesized that replacing barley with high proportions of dried citrus pulp in a concentrate-based diet for lambs could increase the intake of unsaturated fatty acids and could reduce the rate of the ruminal biohydrogenation of PUFA, with a consequent improvement of the intramuscular fatty acid composition. To test this hypothesis, 26 Comisana lambs were divided into 3 groups and for 56 d were fed a barley-based concentrate diet (CON; 8 lambs) or 2 diets in which barley was replaced with 24% (CIT24; 9 lambs) or 35% (CIT35; 9 lambs) dried citrus pulp. An overall improvement of the fatty acid composition of LM from lambs fed citrus pulp-containing diets was found. The PUFA/SFA ratio was lower (P < 0.05) in the LM from lambs in the CON group compared with both the CIT24 and CIT35 groups. The thrombogenic index was lower (P < 0.05) in meat from lambs fed the CIT35 diet compared with those fed the CON diet. The CIT35 diet increased the proportion of C20:5 n-3 in the LM (P < 0.05), whereas the CIT24 diet enhanced that of C22:6 n-3 (P < 0.05) compared with the CON diet. Some of these results might be explained considering that feeding the CIT24 and CIT35 diets increased the intake of total fatty acids (P < 0.05) and of C18:3 n-3 (P < 0.01) compared with feeding the CON treatment. On the other hand, phenolic compounds present in citrus pulp could have inhibited the ruminal biohydrogenation of PUFA. This is supported by the fact that regardless of the level of inclusion in the diet, citrus pulp increased the proportion of rumenic acid (P < 0.001) in LM compared with the CON diet. The plasma from lambs fed both CIT24 and CIT35 diets had a greater percentage of vaccenic acid (VA; P < 0.001) compared with that from lambs fed the CON diet, and the CIT35 diet increased the proportion of rumenic acid in plasma compared with the CON treatment (P < 0.05). In the ruminal fluid, stearic acid (SA) tended to decrease, and the sum of CLA tended to increase (P = 0.09) with increasing level of citrus pulp in the diets. Furthermore, the SA/(SA + VA) ratio tended to be lower (P = 0.10) in the ruminal fluid from lambs fed the CIT35 diet compared with that of the CON group. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that replacing barley with citrus pulp in the diet of growing lambs improves intramuscular fatty acid composition and underline the need for specific studies to clarify the mechanisms by which feeding citrus pulp affects the fatty acid metabolism in ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stoned olive pomace (SOP), which represents approximately 50% of the conversion process of olives to olive oil, is largely not utilised and creates costs for its disposal and has negative environmental impacts. In vitro trial experiments were employed to study the effect of feeds integrated with this bio-waste, which is rich in polyphenols, on rumen biohydrogenation, using sheep rumen liquor as inoculum. Results: Fatty acid (FA) analysis and a polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) approach aimed at characterising the microbial community indicated that including SOP in feeds at the level of 50 g/kg and 90 g/kg induced changes in the FA profile and microbial populations. The simultaneous decrease of Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus and accumulation of vaccenic acid was observed. A depression in the populations of Neisseria weaveri, Ruminobacter amylophilus and other unclassified bacteria related to members of the Lachnospiraceae and Pasteurellaceae families was detected, suggesting that these microbial groups may be involved in rumen biohydrogenation. Conclusions: Supplementation of feeds with SOP alters the rumen bacterial community, including bacteria responsible for the hydrogenation of vaccenic acid to stearic acid, thereby modifying the FA profile of the rumen liquor. Hence, a use of SOP aimed to produce meat or dairy products enriched in functional lipids can be hypothesised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in vitro trial was carried out to study the effects of Quebracho tannins extract (QE) on fatty acid profile of rumen solid adherent bacteria (SAB) during the fermentation of diets supplemented with soybean or linseed oil, as sources of linoleic (LA; 18:2 n-6) and α- linolenic acid (α-LNA; 18:3 n-3), respectively. Two control diets were prepared using a basal mixture of grass hay [760 g/kg on dry matter (DM)], soybean meal (55 g/kg DM), barley meal (130 g/kg DM), vitamin mineral premix (20 g/kg DM) and 35 g/kg DM of soybean (SOC diet) or linseed oil (LOC diet) as lipid supplement. Other two diets (SOCT and LOCT) were obtained by integrating SOC and LOC with QE (49 g/kg DM). The results confirmed that Quebracho tannins may be an effective method for reducing in SAB the biohydrogenation of LA (17.3 vs 34.5 g/100 g of fatty acid in SOC and SOCT, respectively) and LNA (10.7 vs 21.4 g/100 g of fatty acid in LOC and LOCT, respectively), but not for increasing the rumen accumulation of cis9, trans11 18:2 (0.77 vs 0.32 g/100 g of fatty acid in SOC and SOCT, respectively; 0.51 vs 0.43 g/100 g of fatty acid in LOC and LOCT, respectively) and trans11 18:1 (6.15 vs 3.64 g/100 g of fatty acid in SOC and SOCT, respectively; 5.53 vs 4.47 g/100 g of fatty acid in LOC and LOCT, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anticancer activity of isofuranodiene, extracted from Smyrnium olusatrum, was evaluated in human breast adenocarcinomas MDA-MB 231 and BT 474, and Caucasian prostate adenocarcinoma PC 3 cell lines by MTS assay. MTS assay showed a dosedependent growth inhibition in the tumor cell lines after isofuranodiene treatment. The best antiproliferative activity of the isofuranodiene was found on PC 3 cells with an IC50 value of 29 µM, which was slightly less than the inhibition against the two breast adenocarcinoma cell lines with IC50 values of 59 and 55 µM on MDA-MB 231 and BT 474, respectively. Hoechst 33258 assay was performed in order to study the growth inhibition mechanism in prostate cancer cell line; the results indicate that isofuranodiene induces apoptosis. Overall, the understudy compound has a good anticancer activity especially towards the PC 3. On the contrary, it is less active on Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) and human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) appearing as a good candidate as a potential natural anticancer drug with low side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Study of the role of bacteria in rumen lipid metabolism. • Application for the first time of a canonical correlation analysis in rumen. • The multivariate approach allows to simplify a complex system of rumen. • Different breeds did not show the same lipid metabolism. • This study opens a new path in the study of rumen metabolism. The rumen is characterised by a complex microbial ecosystem, which is particularly active in lipid metabolism. Several studies demonstrated a role of diet and breed on bacterial community profile, with the effect on metabolic pathways. Despite the knowledge achieved on metabolism and the bacterial profile, little is known about the relationship between individual bacteria and metabolic pathways. Therefore, a multivariate approach was used to search for possible relationships between bacteria and products of several pathways. The correlation between rumen bacterial community composition and rumen lipid metabolism was assessed in 40 beef steers (20 Maremmana and 20 Aubrac) reared with the same system and fed the same diet. A canonical discriminant analysis combined with a canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was performed to explore this correlation. The variables showing a Pearson correlation higher than 0.6 as absolute value and significant were retained for CCA considering the relationship of bacterial composition with several metabolic pathways. The results indicated that some bacterial genera could have significant impacts on the presence of several fatty acids. However, the relationship between genera and fatty acid changes according to the breed, demonstrating that the metabolic pathways change according to the host genetic background, related to breed evolution, although there is also an intra-breed genetic background which should not be ignored. In Maremmana, Succiniclasticum and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group showed a high positive correlation with dimethylacetals (DMA s) DMA C13:0 , DMA C14:0 , DMA C14:0iso , DMA C15:0 , DMA C15:0iso , and DMA C18:0. Prevotellaceae_UCG-003 correlates with C18:3c9c12c15 and C18:1t11, while Fibrobacter and Succiniclasticum correlate with C18:2c9t11 and Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group correlates with C18:1c12. Prevotellaceae_UCG-003, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010, and Oribacterium showed a positive correlation with C13:0iso, and C17:0. Conversely, in Aubrac, Treponema_2 and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group correlated with DMA C14:0iso , DMA C16:0iso , DMA C17:0iso , while Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group and Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group correlated with DMA C18:1t11 , DMA C14:0 , DMA C18:1c12. Acetitomaculum correlated with C18:2c9c12, C18:1c12, C18:1c13, C18:1t12 and Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group with C18:1t6-8 and C18:1t9. Saccharofermentas , Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010 and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group correlated with C18:2c9t11 while, Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 and Ruminococcus_1 correlated with C14:0iso, C15:0, C15:0iso, C17:0. Saccharofermentans , Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010 correlated with C13:1c12 and C16:0iso. These results lead to hypothesise a possible association between several metabolic pathways and one or a few bacterial genera. If these associations are confirmed by further investigations that verify the causality of a bacterial genus with a particular metabolic process, it will be possible to deepen the knowledge on the activity of the rumen population in lipid metabolism. This approach appears to be a promising tool for uncovering the correlation between bacterial genera and products of rumen lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]