Enhancing the quality and safety of Nocellara del Belice green table olives produced using the Castelvetrano method

The Castelvetrano method is the most widely used among the various table olive processing styles in Sicily. After debittering, the product is stored at low temperatures to prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms. In an effort to enhance the production process, yeast isolates underwent genotypic characterization and technological screening. The screening process identified two yeast strains Candida norvegica OC10 and Candida boidinii LC1, which can grow at low temperatures and tolerate high pH values (up to 10) and salinity [10% (w/v)]. During the monitoring period, the inoculated trials showed limited presence of spoilage/pathogenic microorganisms. Additionally, the yeasts limited oxidative phenomena and softening of the drupes. The organic compounds detected were higher in the inoculated trials than in the control, and cold storage induced aromatic decay, which was less pronounced in the trial inoculated with C. norvegica. Sensory analysis revealed that the inoculated trials scored higher in sweetness, hardness and crispness.

Maiorca wheat malt: A comprehensive analysis of physicochemical properties, volatile compounds, and sensory evaluation in brewing process and final product quality

This study explores the potential of Maiorca wheat malt as an alternative ingredient in beer production, investigating its impact on the brewing process and beer quality at different recipe contents (50 %, 75 %, 100 %). The study encompasses a comprehensive analysis of key malt parameters, revealing Maiorca malt's positive influence on maltose, glucose, filterability, extract, free amino nitrogen, and fermentability. Notably, the malt exhibited heightened levels of α-amylase and β-amylase enzymes compared to conventional commercial malt. Furthermore, the analysis of aroma compounds and subsequent sensory evaluations unveiled a significant correlation between the proportion of Maiorca malt in the formulation and intensified estery, fruity, malty, honey, complemented by a reduction in attributes such as aromatic compounds, phenolic, yeasty, sulfury, oxidized, and solvent-like odors. This research underscores the favorable contribution of Maiorca wheat malt to enhancing both the brewing process and final beer quality, highlighting its potential as an innovative ingredient in brewing practices.

Technological and Organoleptic Parameters of Craft Beer Fortified with Powder of the Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom Pleurotus eryngii

Beer is one of the oldest and most popular alcoholic beverages and is currently consumed worldwide. The various components used in the brewing process have a physiological impact on the consumer and current research aims to improve its technological and functional properties through the addition of natural compounds (plants or mushrooms). In this work, the addition of two different amounts (5 and 10 g/L) of Pleurotus eryngii var. eryngii in powder form added at different production stages (PRE and POST alcoholic fermentation) showed the improvement in yeast viability during the alcoholic fermentation, increased the alcoholic content, and improved the sensorial profile. Regarding the organoleptic profile in the experimental samples, cocoa/chocolate and mushroom aromas were found and the samples PRE10 and POST5 received the best ratings with respect to all evaluated parameters.

Ethical Use and Impact of Participatory Approaches to Research in Post-Disaster Environments: An Australian Bushfire Case Study

This paper presents a case study of Beyond Bushfires, a large, multisite, mixed method study of the psychosocial impacts of major bushfires in Victoria, Australia. A participatory approach was employed throughout the study which was led by a team of academic investigators in partnership with service providers and government representatives and used on-site visits and multiple methods of communication with communities across the state to inform decision-making throughout the study. The ethics and impacts of conducting and adapting the approach within a post-disaster context will be discussed in reference to theories and models of participatory health research. The challenges of balancing local interests with state-wide implications will also be explored in the description of the methods of engagement and the study processes and outcomes. Beyond Bushfires demonstrates the feasibility of incorporating participatory methods in large, post-disaster research studies and achieving rigorous findings and multilevel impacts, while recognising the potential for some of the empowering aspects of the participatory experience to be reduced by the scaled-up approach.

Effects of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from amniotic fluid and platelet-rich plasma gel on severe decubitus ulcers in a septic neonatal foal

This paper documents the treatment of severe decubitus ulcers with amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells and platelets rich plasma (PRP) gel in a septic neonatal foal. The colt needed 25 days of hospitalization: during this period ulcers were treated for 15 days with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) plus PRP, PRP gel alone, or aloe gel. Healing was faster using MSCs+PRP, and at 7 months an ulcer treated with aloe gel was still not completely healed.

384 ISOLATION OF MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS FROM WHARTON'S JELLY, CORD BLOOD, AND AMNIOTIC FLUID IN THE HORSE

The effect of orthopedic injuries on the health of racehorse and racing financials can be dramatic. Bearing this in mind, there is naturally a great interest in new possible treatments for orthopedic injuries. In this study we evaluated equine amniotic fluid (AF), cord blood (CB), and Wharton’s jelly (WJ) as alternative sources of primitive, multipotent stem cells. All chemicals were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA) unless otherwise stated. Samples were recovered at labor from 7 standardbred mares with ages between 6 and 15 years. Wharton’s jelly was incubated with collagenasis at 37°C for at least 2 hr. The resulting cell suspension was centrifuged, and the cell pellet was resuspended in culture medium (DMEM and TCM-199, 1:1) plus 10% FBS (GIBCO®, Invitrogen Corporation, Carlsbad, CA, USA), 100 IU mL-1 penicillin, and 100 μg mL-1 streptomycin). Amniotic fluid and CB were diluted 1:1 in PBS medium supplemented with antibiotic solution and centrifuged for 15 min at 300 x g. The pellet was resuspended in 5 mL of culture medium, placed on 5 mL of 70% Percoll solution, and centrifuged at 1200 x g for 30 min. The interface layer was then aspirated and resuspended in culture medium. All the cell lineages were washed seeded into 25 cm2 flasks and cultured in a 5% CO2 incubator at 38.5°C. Medium was refreshed after 48 h and then twice a week. Adherent fibroblast-like cells were tested for their differentiation potential at passage 3. Chondrogenic differentiation was performed using a micromass culture technique, whereas osteogenic differentiation was induced in monolayer culture (Mizuno H and Hyakusoku H 2003 J. Nippon Med. Sch. 70, 300-306). Evidence for differentiation was made via morphological, biochemical, and cytological evaluations. Sample volume was 15-55 mL for AF, 10-60 mL for CB, and 5-12.6 g for WJ. In 4 out of 6 (66.7%) AF, 5 out of 5 (100%) CB, and 6 out of 7 (85.7%) WJ samples, colonies with the classical mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) morphology of adherent fibroblastoid spindle-shaped cells growing in a monolayer were observed. Undifferentiated cells have been passaged up to 8 times, population-doubling times (DT) were calculated for a subset of cell passages, and data were analyzed by ANOVA (Statistica for Windows, Stat Soft Inc., Tulsa, OK, USA). In all samples, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between DT of all passages. The DT was greater (P < 0.05) forCB (2.6 ± 1.3 d) than for AF (2.1 ± 0.8 d) and WJ (1.9 ± 0.5 d). By passage 8, the cells had undergone 39.1 ± 1.2 cell-doubling numbers in AF, 35.1 ± 2.7 in CB, and 37.4 ± 2.0 in WJ. A spheroid structure and positive Alcian blue staining of matrix glycosaminoglycans illustrated chondrogenesis. Cellular morphology and positive von Kossa staining, as well as alkaline phosphatase activity, confirmed osteogenesis. Based on the results obtained, WJ, CB, and for the first time in the horse, AF represent alternative sources of stem cells. Their differentiation into osteocytes and chondrocytes demonstrated that equine MSC from these samples can be induced to form multiple cell types, which underlies their value for regenerative medicine in injured horses.

Physical mapping of rDNA genes, (TTAGGG)n telomeric sequence and other karyological features in two earthworms of the family Lumbricidae (Annelida: Oligochaeta)

A cytogenetical study was carried out on the chromosomes and nuclear DNA amounts of the terrestrial earthworms Octodrilus complanatus and Eisenia foetida (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae). Chromosomes were studied using Giemsa staining, banding methods and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with two repetitive DNA probes [rDNA and (TTAGGG)n]. rDNA FISH and silver staining consistently identified one chromosome pair per spread in both species. The telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n hybridized with termini of all the chromosomes in both earthworms. Flow cytometry DNA assays showed that O. complanatus and E. foetida had different nuclear DNA contents (2C value=1.72 and=1.40 pg, respectively) but very similar base composition in their genomes.

Heat-shock proteins in sea urchin embryos. Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation

The production of heat-shock proteins in sea urchin embryos is accompanied by the appearance at the polysomal level of their relative mRNAs, as shown by their translation in a cell-free system; thus suggesting that the regulation of their production occurs at a transcriptional level. The mechanism for the inhibition of the bulk protein synthesis and for its reversal on the other hand should be looked for at a posttranscriptional level, since both these phenomena occur also in the presence of actinomycin D. The heat-shock proteins produced as early as at the mesenchyme blastula stage persist within the embryo at least till the pluteus stage.