4629 research outputs found
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La digestibilitat dels olis que utilitzem per cuinar: olis escalfats
No full textEl verge extra és l’oli més recomanable per a cuinar, tant en cru com a altes temperaturesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Knowledge gaps in research and control of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) infections
No full textPorcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) remains one of the most important pathogens in swine production, associated with a spectrum of clinical conditions collectively termed PCV2-associated diseases. Despite the remarkable success of vaccination programs, which have drastically reduced the incidence of systemic disease and reproductive disorders, PCV2 continues to circulate globally in both domestic and wild swine populations. Its high evolutionary rate, capacity for recombination, and broad host plasticity raise ongoing concerns regarding viral persistence and long-term control. This review synthesizes current knowledge and identifies critical research gaps that hinder the development of sustainable PCV2 control strategies. While vaccines effectively mitigate clinical disease, they do not fully prevent infection or virus shedding, thereby allowing continued circulation and genetic diversification. The biological consequences of this viral evolution—including potential impacts on cross-protection, virulence, and vaccine escape—remain insufficiently understood. Similarly, the role of host immunity, co-infections, and environmental or management factors in modulating disease outcomes is incompletely characterized. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying PCV2 pathogenesis, including immune modulation and determinants of subclinical versus clinical outcomes, is urgently needed. Diagnostic approaches have also evolved, with molecular techniques such as quantitative PCR largely replacing histopathology and immunohistochemistry. While highly sensitive, these methods cannot establish causal relationships between viral presence and disease, underscoring the need for integrated diagnostic frameworks. In addition, harmonized thresholds for viral load quantification and standardized serological assays to assess protective immunity are lacking, limiting comparability across studies and surveillance systems. Future priorities should include the development of next-generation vaccines capable of inducing sterilizing immunity, investigation of optimal vaccination schedules in the context of maternally derived antibodies, and exploration of innovative vaccine delivery platforms. Furthermore, integrated surveillance strategies combining molecular epidemiology, wildlife monitoring, and international data sharing will be essential to track viral evolution and detect potential vaccine breakthroughs. Addressing these knowledge gaps will require coordinated efforts across fundamental, applied, and translational research, aligned with the needs of veterinarians and the swine industry. Only through such an integrated agenda can the sector advance from disease control towards the long-term goal of PCV2 elimination.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Innovative vs. classical methods for drying heterotrophic Chlorella vulgaris: Impact on the nutritional properties, safety, sustainability and costs
Get PDFThe microalgae Chlorella vulgaris is an interesting emerging food source, but to compete with other alternative protein sources, production costs must be reduced. The drying process plays a critical role in production as it ensures product stabilization and quality preservation. However, drying is a cost-intensive process and different drying methods and drying parameters can significantly affect the composition and quality of the final product. This study analyzed the effects of the conventional drying methods freeze drying (FD) and spray drying (SprD) as well as the innovative drying methods solar drying (SolD), pulse combustion drying (PCD) and agitated thin film drying (ATFD) on the nutrient composition, the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the microbial count (total bacterial count, yeasts, molds, E. coli) as well as the environmental impact and production cost. Except for ATFD, showing changes in the carbohydrate and fiber content, the effects of drying methods on nutrient composition were minor. SprD was identified as having the greatest environmental impact and being the most cost-intensive, whereas SolD performed best, with only a slight reduction in vitamin B6 and some mineral elements compared to FD. PCD performed second best but needs improvement in terms of drying yield to reduce production costs.This research was funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program [Project ProFuture, grant agreement No 862980].info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Principales problemas sensoriales de las carnes y de los preparados de carne (III)
No full textContinuamos en este artículo con la serie sobre los problemas sensoriales que pueden presentar las carnes y los preparados de carne, en cuanto al color y su estabilidad en la carne fresca.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Optimizing Hydrogen Production Through Efficient Organic Matter Oxidation Performed by Microbial Electrolysis Cells
Get PDFMicrobial electrolysis cells (MECs) represent a pioneering technology for sustainable hydrogen production by leveraging bioelectrochemical processes. This study investigates the performance of a single-chamber cathodic MEC, where a cation exchange membrane separates the electrically active bioanode from the cathode. The system was constantly fed with a synthetic carbonaceous solution, employing a working potential of +0.3 V vs. SHE and an organic loading rate of 2 gCOD/Ld with a hydraulic retention time of 0.3 d. Notably, no methanogenic activity was detected, likely due to the establishment of an alkaline pH in the cathodic chamber. Under these conditions, the system exhibited good performance, achieving a current density of approximately 115 A/m3 and a hydrogen production rate of 1.28 m3/m3d. The corresponding energy consumption for hydrogen production resulted in 6.32 kWh/Nm3 H2, resulting in a slightly higher energetic cost compared to conventional electrolysis; moreover, an average energy efficiency of 85% was reached during the steady-state condition. These results demonstrate the potential of MECs as an effective and sustainable approach for biohydrogen production by helping the development of greener energy solutions.The authors gratefully acknowledge the Italian National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (Istituto Nazionale per l’Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, INAIL) for financial support of this research, in the frame of national Call BRiC 2022, Piano Attività di Ricerca 2022/2024, (ID64). The author M.C.M., received funding from the Spanish Ministry of Universities through the José Castillejo grant for the mobility of faculty and researchers in foreign higher education and research institutions (Grant No. CAS22/00078).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Resultats de les noves varietats de triticale
No full textLes varietats amb un millor comportament productiu al litoral de Girona tant en l’assaig tractat com sense tractar amb fungicida han estat VALEROSO, RGT COPLAC, RGT BELLOTAC i LG RELAMPAGO amb cinc anys de dades. A la zona de l’interior de Girona s’han observat diferències significatives en producció amb sis anys, essent les varietats RGT COPLAC, VALEROSO, LG RELAMPAGO, VIVACIO i BIKINI les més productives. La varietat TRIMOUR ha estat la més sensible a cendrosa, mentre que VIVACIO i BONDADOSO ho han estat a rovell groc. BONDADOSO, RGT COPLAC i VIVACIO han obtingut els continguts en proteïna més elevats.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Biological control agents: mechanisms of action, selection, formulation and challenges in agriculture
Get PDFThe increasing global population has intensified the demand for food production, both in quantity and quality. To meet this challenge and prevent crop diseases, chemical pesticides have been widely used. However, their negative effects on human health and the environment have driven the search for sustainable alternatives. In this context, microbial-based biopesticides, particularly Trichoderma and Bacillus, have emerged as key biocontrol agents in agroecosystems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of their agricultural significance, focusing on their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and biotechnological advancements aimed at optimizing their performance. Trichoderma spp. act primarily through mycoparasitism, nutrient competition, and antibiosis, while Bacillus spp. employ mechanisms such as lipopeptide production, lytic enzymes, siderophores, and the activation of induced systemic resistance (ISR). Unlike traditional reviews that primarily describe their biological functions, this work offers a structured framework for their application, addressing key factors such as selection criteria for effective biocontrol agents, formulation strategies, product stability, viability, and regulatory challenges in commercial agriculture. Additionally, recent studies on genetic enhancement, including CRISPR-based modifications, are examined to improve their adaptability, metabolic activity, and effectiveness in pathogen control across diverse agricultural systems. By integrating biological, technological, and practical perspectives, this review aims to bridge the gap between scientific advancements and real-world agricultural applications, contributing to the development of scalable and sustainable disease management strategies.The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. The authors acknowledge the Biotechnology Research Center of Ecuador (CIBE) for supporting founding, Project CIBE-5-2023.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Mixed management in growing and finishing pigs: impacts on social behavior and judgment bias
Get PDFIntensive pig production practices may shape cognition and behavior. We evaluated whether repeated regrouping (mixing) and gender (gilts vs. barrows) affect social interactions, fear-related responses, and affective state. A total of 96 growing pigs were separated into two treatments: control—pigs that were mixed once during the growing–finishing period; and social stress—pigs that were mixed thrice during the growing–finishing period. Social and non-social behaviors were directly noted, and four behavioral tests were conducted: open field, novel object, couples, and judgment bias tests. The statistical analysis compared gender and treatment, and p-values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. Females stayed longer in the test pen entrance area during the novel object test and barrows spent more time at the feeder and defecated more during the couples’ test. With regard to the judgment bias test, females took longer to be considered trained in the discriminatory learning task and presented a “pessimistic judgment” during the ambiguous cue. Our results suggest that gender influences judgment bias in pigs and can influence social and non-social behavior, which may reflect a negative affective state with implications for their welfare and management.This study was funded by the Spanish Program of Research (MICYN) with the code AGL2017-88849-R. This project also received financial support in form of scholarships by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)—grant number: 311414/2023-0.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
CmFUL1 was potentially involved in fruit elongation in melon
Get PDFMelon (Cucumis melo L.) is a fruit crop in the world; fruit size and fruit shape are major traits for melon quality. Fruit length is a crucial indicator affecting fruit size and shape, but few genes regulating this trait have been identified. Here, we identified the transcription factor CmFUL1 (FRUITFULL) as a candidate for regulating fruit length using genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) and phylogenetic analysis. CmFUL1 is mainly expressed during flower and ovary development by tissue-specific expression. Transcriptional analysis revealed that CmFUL1 expression levels exhibited a negative correlation with fruit length across diverse melon germplasm. Furthermore, functional characterization demonstrated that CmFUL1 acts as a negative regulator of fruit elongation, CR-Cmful1 mutants generated by CRISPR-Cas9 showing enhanced longitudinal fruits. This repressive role was evolutionarily conserved, as heterologous overexpression of CmFUL1 in tomato consistently inhibited fruit elongation. Collectively, the results suggested that CmFUL1 is a candidate gene involved in regulating fruit length in melon, and provided genetic resources for molecular breeding of melon.This research was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (32172581), Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS-ASTIP-2025-ZFRI), Agriculture Research System of China (CARS-25-2025-G6), the Henan Special Funds for Major Science and Technology (2211001T10400), Henan Province Science and Technology Research Project (252102110298), and International Cooperation projects of Henan Province of Science and Technology (242102520045).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Hyperspectral imaging and predictive microbiology for the non-invasive evaluation of the growth probability of Staphylococcus aureus in sliced dry-cured ham
Get PDFThis work aimed to explore the potential of a non-invasive approach, consisting of the use of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) together with predictive microbiology, for dry-cured ham safety evaluation. The growth probability of Staphylococcus aureus in salt-reduced or not sliced dry-cured ham stored at room temperature and the effect of image preprocessing on this evaluation were analysed. To this end, predictive models for aw were developed (RMSEP = 0.013) and later used to calculate aw chemical images, aw frequency polygons and predicted aw at different percentiles, which were later used as predictive microbiology model inputs. This innovative approach showed no differences in product aw between salting groups and in the associated growth probability of S. aureus. Due to the high variability of aw between samples inside the same salting batch, the growth probability of S. aureus ranged from 19 to 46 % when using pH and aw values at percentile 75th. Image preprocessing was able to remove image artifacts (specular highlights and fat streaks), and the different image preprocessing thresholds used did not influence the predicted aw values at different percentiles.This work was supported by the Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnologico e Industrial, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades of Spain (CDTI, Safeham, IDI-20210280), the Consolidated Research Groups by the Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca of the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR, 2021 SGR 00461 and 2021 SGR 00468) and CERCA Program of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Eva Torres-Baix is the recipient of an industrial doctorate fellowship awarded by AGAUR (2018 DI 007).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio