102,204 research outputs found
Use of chlorophyll a fluorescence for evaluating senescence in leafy vegetables
No full textThe aim of this work is to evaluate leaf senescence rate via chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements and with the JIP test. Lettuce
(Lactuca sativa L.) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) vegetables were stored at 4 or 8 °C. The performance index (PIABS) was the
only index that immediately changed, even after one day of storage. The cumulative respiration was higher at higher storage
temperature (8 °C). At the end of storage, the cumulative respiration was 318 and 398 mg CO2/100 g FW for lettuce and spinach,
respectively. The data from the induction curves were correlated with cumulated respiration. A multivariate regression model showed
a satisfactory predictive ability with a R2 in validation of 0.67 and a standard error in prediction (RMSEP) of 170 mg CO2/ 100 g FW
corresponding to the CO2 emission of 3.5 days at 4 °C and of 2.1 days at 8 °C
Malattie batteriche: pasteurellosi aviari (Colera aviare, infezioni da O. rhinotracheale, infezione da R. anatipestifer)
No full text
Specific nutritional problems in acute kidney injury, treated with non-dialysis and dialytic modalities
No full textPatients who develop AKI, especially in the intensive care
unit (ICU), are at risk of protein–energy malnutrition,which
is a major negative prognostic factor in this clinical condition.
Despite the lack of evidence from controlled trials
of its effect on outcome, nutritional support by the enteral
(preferentially) and/or parenteral route appears clinically indicated
in most cases of ICU-acquired AKI, independently
of the actual nutritional status of the patient, in order to prevent
deterioration in the nutritional state with all its known
complications. Extrapolating from data in other conditions,
it seems intrinsically unlikely that starvation of a catabolic
patient is more beneficial than appropriate nutritional support
by an expert team with the skills to avoid the potential
complications of the enteral and parenteral nutrition
methodologies. By the same token, it is ethically impossible
to conduct a trial in which the control group undergoes
prolonged starvation. The primary goals of nutritional support
in AKI, which represents a well-known inflammatory
and pro-oxidative condition, are the same as those for other
critically ill patients with normal renal function, i.e. to ensure
the delivery of adequate nutrition, to prevent protein–
energy wasting with its attendant metabolic complications,
to promote wound healing and tissue repair, to support immune
system function, to accelerate recovery and to reduce
mortality. Patients with AKI on RRT should receive a basic
intake of at least 1.5 g/kg/day of protein with an additional
0.2 g/kg/day to compensate for amino acid/protein
loss during RRT, especially when daily treatments and/or
high efficiecy modalities are used. Energy intake should
consist of no more than 30 kcal non-protein calories or
1.3 × BEE (Basal Energy Expenditure) calculated by the
Harris–Benedict equation, with ∼30–35% from lipid, as
lipid emulsions. For nutritional support, the enteral route
is preferred, although it often needs to be supplemented
through the parenteral route in order to meet nutritional
requirement
Dalla sabbia allo sviluppo immobiliare, passando per Piazza Affari. La biografia imprenditoriale di Giuseppe Cabassi (1929-1992)
No full textIl saggio ricostruisce, sulla base sia di fonti archivistiche che orali e documentarie, la biografia imprenditoriale di Giuseppe Cabassi (1929-1992); partito da una solida base famigliare, al termine del suo lungo percorso – durante il quale aveva concluso una sbalorditiva serie di affari con tutti, dai brasseurs d’affaires degli anni ’80 agli Agnelli (di cui era stato il principale socio privato), e durante il quale la perenne mancanza di liquidi, dilatata anche dai costosi progetti innovativi di cui si innamorava, lo aveva fatto impigliare in non poche grane giudiziarie e finanziarie (da cui uscì indenne) – l’ex proprietario della chiatta Charleston lasciava una conglomerata che, pur ridimensionata, vantava beni immobili per circa 2.000 miliardi di lire e altre attività per 700 miliardi di fatturato (e che in futuro non tanto lontano avrebbe dato la possibilità ad alcuni suoi eredi di partecipare, seppure in forma indiretta, ad uno dei suoi tanti progetti, quello della nuova fiera di Milano)
Changes in the pyruvic acid content correlates with phenotype traits in onion clones
No full textConsumer demand is oriented toward onion cultivars with lower pungency, and the pyruvic acid content of onions is highly correlated with their pungency. Therefore, breeding programmes might be based on the pyruvic acid content of the parental bulbs. The present study was performed using 97 onion clones with the aim of correlating the pyruvic acid levels with phenotype traits in the different genotypes used in breeding programmes. The onion bulbs were provided from the breeding company with blind labels, and four bulbs were individually analysed for each clone. A comparison between the spectrophotometric and HPLC determination of pyruvic acid was also carried out and showed an excellent linear regression with an R 2 = 0.951. The pyruvic acid was studied in correlation with tunic colours, pungency and precocity, and the highest correlation coefficient was found for red skinned onions. The lowest pyruvate content was found in white onions, with 6.5 μmol g -1 FW, whereas higher values (8.4-8.5 μmol g -1 FW) were observed in yellow and red onions. The chemical analyses were compared with panel taste assessments. The results confirmed that the pungency and pyruvic acid content were positively and significantly correlated (P<0.0001),even when the coefficient resulted in a relatively low value (r = 0.515). The precocity trait was associated with pyruvate content: precocious onions, in particular, showed lower pungency
Decomposition of organic residues in soil: experimental technique and spectroscopic approach Organic Geochemistry,33.2002,327-345
No full textDRIFT (diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform) spectroscopy was used to follow the early transformations that take place after the incorporation of organic materials in soil. Alfalfa (A), dried maize (DM), laboratory-composted maize (CM), and two commercial composts (YWC and MWC) confined into fiberglass bags were incubated in sand with and without planting with lettuce. DRIFT spectra of these materials before and after incubations were correlated with CO 2-C evolution and mass, carbon and nitrogen balances. Spectra obtained by successive subtractions allowed us to distinguish between the main classes of biochemical compounds (cellulose, lignin, polypeptides, pectins) and to study their degradation during incubation. Quantitative spectroscopic determination of lignin showed a relative enrichment in the incubated materials. This experimental approach can be applied to studies on the degradation pathway of green manure materials like A, DM and CM but seems less appropriate for commercial composts
Cloning and gene expression analysis of the phospholipase C in wounded spinach leaves during postharvest storage
No full textMembrane destabilization in plant cells can be caused by mechanical injuries, pathogen attacks, environment
stresses or senescence. Wounds represent vulnerable points that may lead to severe damage and
can compromise organ survival rates. Loss of membrane integrity is often associated with lipid peroxidation
or degradation of phospholipids. This work focuses on the isolation of phospholipase C (PLC) in
spinach leaves and the investigation of its role in membrane destabilization during leaf senescence and
after wounding.
Degenerate primers were used to amplify a 270 bp fragment with RT-PCR and a full length SoPLC
mRNA was isolated using a RACE approach. The mRNA was 2290 bp in length and contained an open
reading frame of 1765 bp. The predicted amino acid sequence showed high similarity with PLC2 and
PLC7 of Arabidopsis. Gene expression analyses showed that SoPLC was down-regulated by wounds and
up-regulated by detached induced senescence.
Membrane integrity was evaluated by lipid peroxidation and HPLC phospholipid analyses. Phospholipase
C (PLC) and D (PLD) enzyme activities were determined in detached leaves incubated in the dark at
4 or 20◦C. Lipid peroxidation and enzymatic activities were mainly affected by senescence and temperature
rather than wounds. Lipid peroxidation did not change at 4 ◦C with TBARS values ranging from 3
to 4 nmol g−1 FW. Leaves incubated at 20 ◦C showed an increase of TBARS from 4 to 12 nmol g−1 FW. PLC
and PLD enzymatic activities in leaves incubated at 20 ◦C significantly increased after seven days with
higher values in wounded leaves (3300 pKatmg−1 prot) compared with control (550 pKatmg−1 prot.)
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