Genetic variation of toll-like receptor genes and infection by Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis in Holstein-Friesian cattle

Toll-like receptors (TLR) are membrane proteins that play a key role in innate immunity, by recognizing pathogens and subsequently activating appropriate responses. Mutations in TLR genes are associated with susceptibility to inflammatory and infectious diseases in humans. In cattle, 3 members of the TLR family, TLR1, TLR2, and TLR4, are associated with Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis infection, although the extent of this association for the TLR1 and TLR4 receptors has not yet been determined. Moreover, the causal variant in the TLR2 gene has not yet been unequivocally established. In this study, 24 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the bovine TLR1, TLR2, and TLR4 genes were selected from the literature, databases, and in silico searches, for a population-based genetic association study of a Spanish Holstein-Friesian sample. Whereas previous results regarding the TLR1 gene were not corroborated, a risk haplotype was detected in TLR2; however, its low frequency indicates that this detected association should be interpreted with caution. In the case of the TLR4 gene, 3 tightly linked SNP were found to be associated with susceptibility to M. avium ssp. paratuberculosis infection. Moreover, one of these SNP, the SNP c.-226G > C, which is localized in the 5′UTR region of the TLR4 gene, has been reported to be able to alter TLR4 expression, raising the possibility that this mutation may contribute to the response of the individual to infection.     

Evaluation of primary models to describe the growth of Pichia anomala and study of temperature, NaCl, and pH effects on its biological parameters by response surface methodology

Tolerance of Pichia anomala, a strain of yeast associated with olive fermentation, to salt, temperature, and pH was studied in yeast-malt-peptone-glucose medium using a nonfactorial central composite experimental design with three repetitions in the center to account for pure error. Modified Gompertz, logistic, Richards-Stannard, and Baranyi-Roberts models were used to determine maximum specific growth rate (micro(max)) and lag phase period (lambda) from the growth curves (primary models). All models produced a good fit (significant at P < 0.05), but the graphical and statistical analyses of the data indicated that the modified Gompertz and Richards-Stannard models were the most appropriate. The biological parameters obtained with the diverse models were fitted to a response surface secondary model. A significant decrease in micro(max) was observed as temperature decreased and salt increased. A significant increase in lambda was observed as temperature (linear and quadratic effects) and pH decreased and as salt content increased. Effects of interactions were complex and depended on models. Validation revealed acceptable errors and bias in micro(max) and lambda values obtained in independent experiments. Validation growth curves were best reproduced by using the values of micro(max) and lambda predicted by the response surface from the modified Gompertz and Richards-Stannard models. Results from this study can be applied to table olive fermentation or storage and for production of table olives as refrigerated commercial products without the use of preservatives or pasteurization.     

Evolution of fatty acid contents in Garnacha and Viura musts during fermentation and the aging of wine

 The evolution of fatty acids during the fermentation of Vitis vinífera var. Garnacha and var. Viura musts as well as during the aging of the rosé and white wines produced from the said musts was studied. In Garnacha must, practically all the fatty acids were consumed, with the exception of the medium-chain fatty acids, by the time that 50% of the sugar was used up. During the second half of fermentation 80.1% of the fatty acids were consumed, with 28.8% of the remaining fatty acids being used up during aging. In Viura must, the total fatty acid concentration declined 46.9% during the first half of fermentation (first 50% of sugar), most noteworthy was the high consumption of unsaturated large-chain fatty acids (72.3%); during the second half of fermentation, 77.2% of the fatty acids were used, with high consumption of the large-chain saturated and unsaturated acids. During the aging of wine, medium-chain fatty acids were excreted and a small amount of unsaturated acids was consumed. Received: 3 March 1997 / Revised version: 21 July 1997     

Provitamin A carotenoids in table olives according to processing styles, cultivars, and commercial presentations

The concentration of provitamin A carotenoids in table olives was determined. Only -carotene was found in all commercial presentations. -carotene was also present in final products containing carrots. Concentrations of -carotene, referring to 100 g edible portion, ranged from an average of 197 to 1,387 g in green olives, from 37 to 726 g in directly brined olives and from 39 to 333 in ripe (darkened by oxidation) olives. Thus, some commercial presentations of table olives can be considered reasonable sources of provitamin A. Several groups were formed within elaboration styles and cultivars, according to commercial presentations. Their averages and other statistical estimations are also given. These results may be used by the industry as a source of information for nutritional labelling or by nutritionists to estimate provitamin A intakes in diets that include table olives.     

Efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water to inactivate Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus on plastic and wooden kitchen cutting boards

This study evaluated the efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW; 64.1 mg/liter of active chlorine) to reduce populations of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes on plastic and wooden kitchen cutting boards. Its effectiveness was compared with that of a sodium hypochlorite solution (NaClO; 62.3 mg/liter of active chlorine). Inoculated portions of cutting boards were rinsed in either NEW or NaClO solutions, or deionized water (control). Plastic boards were rinsed for 1 min and wooden boards for 1 and 5 min. After each treatment, the surviving population of each strain was determined on the surface and in the soaking water. No significant difference (P > or = 0.05) was found between the final populations of each strain with regard to the treatment solutions (NEW or NaClO). However, a significant difference (P < or = 0.05) was revealed between surface materials after 1 min of washing. Whereas in plastic boards the initial bacterial populations were reduced by 5 log CFU/50 cm2, in wooden cutting boards they underwent a reduction of <3 log CFU/50 cm2. A 5-min exposure time yielded reductions of about 4 log CFU/50 cm2. The surviving populations of all bacteria in NEW and NaCIO washing solutions were <1 log CFU/ml after soaking both surfaces. This study revealed that NEW treatment is an effective method for reducing microbial contamination on plastic and wooden cutting boards. NEW efficacy was comparable to that of NaCIO, with the advantage of having a larger storage time.     

Cold-induced ethylene in relation to chilling injury and chilling sensitivity in the non-climacteric fruit of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.)

Zucchini is a non-climacteric fruit which is harvested immature on reaching about 18 cm in length. In the present paper we compare fruit quality parameters in different zucchini cultivars with the production of ethylene and the expression of two ethylene biosynthesis genes (CpACS1 and CpACO1) throughout postharvest storage at 4, 12 and 20 °C. In fruit stored at 12 or 20° ethylene production and expression of CpACS1 and CpACO1 genes remained very low throughout the whole storage period. Ethylene production was also low at 4 °C, but was induced rapidly upon transfer to 20 °C for a minimum of 4 h. The expression of both CpACS1 and CpACO1 genes was also induced by storage at 4 °C. This cold-induced ethylene is not necessary for triggering chilling injury (CI) symptoms in zucchini, since they were already evident in the cold chambers before rewarming of the fruit and, therefore, before the burst of ethylene. However, the level of the cold-induced ethylene was lower in those cultivars that were more tolerant to CI, and it fell in response to temperature conditioning treatments that alleviate CI symptoms.     

Use of 1-acetoxypinoresinol to authenticate Picual olive oils

Picual olive oils may represent 25% of the world olive oil production. This monovarietal oil is highly valued from a nutritional viewpoint because of its high content of monounsaturated acid and polyphenols. This study reports a method to authenticate virgin olive oils of the Picual variety. The method was based on the very low content of the lignan 1-acetoxypinoresinol in these oils. The compound, as well as the other phenolic substances, was extracted from oil by using N,N -dimethylformamide (DMF), the extract was washed with hexane and nitrogen was bubbled into the solution. The identification and quantification of the lignan used HPLC to separate, followed by UV, electrochemical, fluorescence and mass spectrometry detection or gas chromatography (GC) coupled to a mass spectrometry detector. UV detection offered low sensitivity and peaks coeluting with 1-acetoxypinoresinol were also observed. Mass spectrometry detection clearly discriminated between olive oils of Picual variety and other Spanish varieties. However, lignans show a very high response to fluorescence excitation, this detector is cheaper than mass spectrometry detectors and therefore it was considered as more appropriate for industrial uses. Thus, the latter method allowed discrimination between thirty-eight Picual olive oils and eight oils of the Hojiblanca, Cornicabra, Empeltre and Arbequina varieties. The paper also demonstrated the possibility of analysing all the phenolic compounds in virgin olive oil by fluorescence. Using this technique an easy methodology to authenticate Picual olive oils was developed.     

Muscular and Molecular Pathology Associated with SPATA5 Deficiency in a Child with EHLMRS

Mutations in the SPATA5 gene are associated with epilepsy, hearing loss and mental retardation syndrome (EHLMRS). While SPATA5 is ubiquitously expressed and is attributed a role within mitochondrial morphogenesis during spermatogenesis, there is only limited knowledge about the associated muscular and molecular pathology. This study reports on a comprehensive workup of muscular pathology, including proteomic profiling and microscopic studies, performed on an 8-year-old girl with typical clinical presentation of EHLMRS, where exome analysis revealed two clinically relevant, compound-heterozygous variants in SPATA5. Proteomic profiling of a quadriceps biopsy showed the dysregulation of 82 proteins, out of which 15 were localized in the mitochondrion, while 19 were associated with diseases presenting with phenotypical overlap to EHLMRS. Histological staining of our patient’s muscle biopsy hints towards mitochondrial pathology, while the identification of dysregulated proteins attested to the vulnerability of the cell beyond the mitochondria. Through our study we provide insights into the molecular etiology of EHLMRS and provide further evidence for a muscle pathology associated with SPATA5 deficiency, including a pathological histochemical pattern accompanied by dysregulated protein expression.     

Exploring the dynamics of the efficiency in the Italian hospitality sector. A regional case study

This paper introduces a methodology to describe and compare the economic relative performance of the hospitality sector of the Italian regions during the period 2000–2004. Dynamics of the hospitality sector of each region is represented by the evolution of its economic efficiency. The investigation involves the following steps: a static Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to estimate the pure economic efficiency; two different notions of distances between time series and hierarchical clustering techniques are used to classify the economies in the sample. By using a correlation-based distance, three main clusters are detected, while two clusters are identified when the average distance is used. The trend patterns, identified by employing the correlation distance, can be interpreted in terms of exogenous factors that influence the economic efficiency of the group of regions, causing shocks picked up by the high volatility as well as structural breaks. By employing the average distance, one infers information on the cluster that have had similar efficiency values over the period under analysis. This efficiency can be also interpreted in terms of a particular type of hospitality management as well as the firm structure. Following the analysis, some policy and management implications are presented.     

Tax evasion behavior using finite automata: Experiments in Chile and Italy

In this paper, we use a Moore Automata with Binary Stochastic Output Function in order to capture the extensive decision regarding tax evasion made by subjects in experiments run in Chile and Italy. Firstly, we show how an hypothesis about subject behavior is converted into an automaton, and how we compute the probabilities of evading for every state of an automaton. We use this procedure in order to look for the automaton which is able to anticipate the highest number of decisions made by the subjects during the experiments. Finally, we show that automata with few states perform better than automata with many states, and that the bomb-crater effect described in Mittone (2006) is a well identified pattern of behavior in a subset of subjects.