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Cheese produced from fresh, stored or heat pretreated (65°C for 15 s) milk subjected to pasteurisation (72°C or 77°C for 15 s) was studied for chemical characteristics and proteolysis after 4 and 21 days of storage. Antioxidant activity was higher in cheese from fresh milk than in cheese from stored and heat pretreated milk. Malondialdehyde content as an index of lipid oxidation increased in cheese made with pretreated and preserved milk than in cheese made with fresh milk. Antioxidant activity and lipid oxidation were not significantly affected by pasteurisation temperature. Proteolysis increased during cheese maturation regardless of milk heat treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidative stability of milk and dairy products is a very interesting topic for the dairy industry due to the growing demand for foods containing bioactive compounds with positive health effects. The aim was to evaluate the oxidative stability of milk intended for cheese production. The effect of storage time, heat pre-treatment, and milk pasteurization temperature on the characteristics of milk and cheese was investigated. The cheese samples were produced with pasteurized milk at both 72 and 77 °C for a time of 15 s using three types of milk: raw fresh milk processed within 48 h of milking, raw stored milk processed within 96 h, and thermized milk that was heat-treated upon arrival at the dairy and processed within 96 h of milking. In total, three repetitions were carried out for each type of milk and pasteurization. Samples of milk before and after pasteurization and cheese at 14 days of storage were analyzed. Antioxidant activity decreased from starting milk to milk after pasteurization to final cheese. The longer storage time of the milk had significant effects on the antioxidant stability of the cheese (64.95 vs. 59.05% of antioxidant activity). Thermization of the milk further reduced the stability of the cheese (54.05% of antioxidant activity). The greater antioxidant stability of fresh milk and cheeses produced with fresh milk is the first result that encourages the production of cheese from a milk that best preserves its original characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the physicochemical, textural, and sensory properties of high-moisture meat analogues (HMMA) prepared with hempseed protein concentrate (HPC), in combination with wheat gluten (WG), and chickpea protein concentrate (CPC), were investigated. The results showed that the protein materials exhibited different behaviours during processing and cooking. Mixing HPC with WG resulted in higher texturization than WG alone. HMMA samples in the ratio of 90:10 (HPC:WG) had superior hardness, resilience, chewiness and cutting strength compared to other HMMA in the present study. It was found that the HMMA with higher HPC content had good acceptability in terms of the sensorial attributes, hardness and chewiness. However, when two HMMA from 50:50 (HPC:WG) and 50:50 (HPC:CPC) were compared, both samples exhibited satisfactory sensory properties and reasonable physicochemical and textural properties. Therefore, formulations with 50:50 (HPC:WG) extruded at 65% moisture content (MC) and 700 rpm, and 50:50 (HPC:CPC) extruded at 65% MC and 600 rpm are recommended for the preparation of HMMA with good physico-chemical, textural and sensory properties. • Meat analogues based on hempseed and gluten, as well as hempseed and chickpea. • Hempseed and wheat gluten resulted in better texturization than wheat gluten alone. • Increasing hempseed protein increased the hardness, chewiness and cutting strength. • Mixing two proteins improved physico-chemical properties of the meat analogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative substrates for peat replacement are requested for growing potted ornamental plants in horticulture. A multivariate exploratory data analysis was proposed here with the aim to understand the complexity of plant response to different substrates. Twenty-four substrates were tested by mixing increasing doses (30, 50, 70%, v/v) of eight different composts, instead of peat, with a fixed inert material (30%, v/v). The eight composts were obtained by composting different residual organic materials (mixed compost) or a single material (green compost): (C1) green pruning wastes (70%) + urban sludge (30%); (C2) grape stalk (70%) + urban sludge (30%); (C3) olive mill wastes; (C4) differentiated collection of organic wastes (DOW); (C5) green pruning wastes; (C6) dairy industry wastes (50%) + green pruning wastes (50%); (C7) DOW (35%) + urban mud (30%) + green pruning wastes (35%); (C8) DOW (35%) + urban mud (30%) + grape stalk (35%). The effect of selected physical and chemical characteristics of prepared substrates (55 variables) on ornamental rosemary cultivation has been evaluated by principal components analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (CA) and a non-hierarchical CA ( k -means clustering). Results indicate that the proposed composts can be used as growing media but the best peat substitution dose is highly depending on the type of composted organic wastes. Most suitable substrates for rosemary growth contained C1, C5 or C6 composts up to 70% rate, C7 compost at 30% and 50% rates, C2 or C8 compost only at 30%. Multivariate analysis proved to be a relevant tool when evaluating comparatively many substrates and a wide number of variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the effect of using frozen curd on the chemical characteristics and oxidative modifications of Mozzarella cheese. Samples of Buffalo Mozzarella cheese with different frozen curd contents (0%, 5%, 20% and 50% w/w) were produced in three dairies and analysed after 1 and 9 days. Spectra of Mozzarella samples also were acquired by near‐infrared spectyoscopy. By increasing the frozen curd content, the fat content and antioxidant activity of the Mozzarella cheese were reduced. During storage, the increase in moisture content and the reduction in fat and protein content occurred. The redox potential of Mozzarella was positive and increased over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk and dairy products can have variable contents of antioxidant compounds that contribute to counteract the oxidation of lipids and proteins during processing and storage. The content of active antioxidant compounds is closely linked to their protection by oxidation. Freezing is one of the factors that can reduce antioxidant activity. Freezing of milk or curd is frequently used in case of the seasonality of milk production and/or seasonal increased demand for some products. In this paper, the effect of using frozen curd on the oxidative stability of buffalo Mozzarella cheese was evaluated. Samples of buffalo Mozzarella with different frozen curd content (0%, 5%, 20%, and 50%) were produced and analyzed at one and nine days. Mozzarella cheese with higher frozen curd content had a significant increase in redox potential parallel to the decrease in antioxidant activity, showing less protection from oxidation. Lipid and protein oxidation, expressed respectively by malondialdehyde and carbonyl content, increased significantly with increasing frozen curd. At nine days, carbonyls significantly increased while malondialdehyde content did not vary, showing that during storage, fat was more protected from oxidation than protein. The average carbonyl levels were comparable to those of some cooked cheeses, and the malondialdehyde levels were even lower. The results of this study stimulate the investigation of new strategies to decrease the oxidative damage in cheeses produced in the presence of factors decreasing oxidative stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Glass Matrix Fertilizer and Compost did not affect plant growth and total biomass compared with control for the 'Knock Out®' rose. • In 'The Fairy' rose, Compost led to increased fresh and dry biomass compared with Glass Matrix Fertilizer. • Glass Matrix Fertilizer showed higher concentrations of B, Mn, Cu, Zn in plant tissues compared with control and Compost. The production of ornamental potted plants usually involves high inputs of agrochemicals. However, high sustainability is now key to nursery production through the re-use of organic and inorganic waste material. The new European Waste Directives introduced ambitious goals to transform waste disposal from a need into an opportunity in order to create an economy capable of safeguarding the environment and promoting social awareness (Directive EU 2018/851). In this work, two different rose cultivars, the shrub 'Knock Out®' and the groundcover rose 'The Fairy', were grown using one of two waste products as growing media components and nutrition sources: i) a glass matrix-based fertilizer (GMF) added to the control substrate at a rate of 2 g L−1, and ii) a compost (CMP) derived from urban refuse, in partial replacement of the peat used for the control growing media (20 % v v−1). The effects on physico-chemical characteristics of the substrate on plant growth, tissue characteristics and plant mineral nutrition were assessed after a cultivation cycle of 330 days, from spring 2011 to spring 2012. Neither of the two treatments affected the substrate's physical properties compared with the control. However, the content of essential nutrients, Al, Na and heavy metals increased, with some concerns regarding trace heavy metals, especially in relation to the compost. The two cultivars responded differently to the treatments, in terms of growth and tissue characteristics, compared with the control. GMF resulted in a higher availability of essential nutrients, Al, Na and heavy metals. In the GMF treatment, the root-to-shoot ratio was 1.6 times higher than both the control and CMP treatment in 'The Fairy' rose. Chlorophyll content was on average -17.12 % in GMF, compared with the control and CMP treatment, in 'Knock Out®' rose. CMP induced biomass accumulation, but with unexpected effects on the specific leaf area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mozzarella di Bufala Campana is a pasta filata cheese with a Protected Designation of Origin whose specifications require the use of fresh milk, forbidding the use of frozen curds. The goal is to develop a routine analysis to identify frozen curd presence. The Buffalo Mozzarella samples were analysed by the near‐infrared analytical technique, and the spectral data were processed through an artificial neural network. The results make it possible to identify the use of frozen curd in samples of Buffalo Mozzarella for up to 9 days of storage. The model reported very high accuracy either in training (0.5% of bad prediction) or in tests (6.8% of bad prediction). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to develop a non-chemical method such as grafting effective against well-known artichoke soil borne diseases, an anatomical study of union formation in artichoke grafted onto selected wild and cultivated cardoon rootstocks, both resistant to Verticillium wilt, was performed. The cardoon accessions Belgio (cultivated cardoon) and Sardo (wild cardoon) were selected as rootstocks for grafting combinations with the artichoke cv. Romolo. Grafting experiments were carried out in the autumn and spring. The anatomical investigation of grafting union formation was conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on the grafting portions at the 3rd, 6th, 10th, 12th day after grafting. For the autumn experiment only, SEM analysis was also performed at 30d after grafting. A high affinity between artichoke scion and cardoon rootstocks was observed, with some genotype differences in healing time between the two bionts. SEM images of scion/rootstock longitudinal sections revealed the appearance of many interconnecting structures between the two grafting components just 3d after grafting, followed by a vascular rearrangement and a callus development during graft union formation. De novo formation of many plasmodesmata between scion and rootstock confirmed their high compatibility, particularly in the globe artichoke/wild cardoon combination. Moreover, the duration of the early-stage grafting process could be influenced not only by the scion/rootstock compatibility, but also by the seasonal conditions, being favored by lower temperatures and a reduced light/dark photoperiod. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objective of this work was to study the use of four composts, obtained by agro-industrial, urban and green wastes, as growing media components onRosmarinus officinalisL. Substrates were obtained by mixing each compost with peat in different proportions. Main physical and chemical characteristics of prepared substrates have been compared and, at the end of growing cycle, the biometric survey on main growing parameters and plant nutritional status was performed. The obtained results showed that substrates with 30% compost have main physical and chemical parameters comparable with those of the control. Best quality plants have been obtained substituting peat with 30% of compost, except with the olive mill compost. At the end, the green pruning compost can be recommended as growing media component (up to 50%) for the growth of Rosmarinus officinalisL., being able to determine high quality plants, together with an implemented plant nutrient efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The goal of the present study is to verify the efficacy of stellate ganglion block (SGB) in the treatment of facial pain that can be found in different pathological syndromes, and also to examine whether the efficacy is dependent upon when this therapy is administered. Patients. Fifty patients (divided into two randomized groups) with facial pain caused by traumas, iatrogenic issues, herpes zoster, or neurological pathologies participated in this study. Design and Interventions. The first group (N = 25) was treated with SGB produced by 10 administrations of 10 mg of levobupivacaine given every other day, followed by one administration per month for 6 months thereafter. The second group was treated with the drugs tramadol 100 mg/day and gabapentin 1800 mg/day orally for 6 months; during the 7th month they were given SGB therapy using the same methodology as that described for the first group. Results. Before treatment, the mean visual analog scale (VAS) pain score for the first group was 8.89; after the 10th block treatment it was just 0.2, and it remained at that reduced level for the 6th and 12th months. Before treatment, the mean VAS pain score for the second group was 8.83; after the 20th day on medication it was reduced to 4.1, after 6 months it was 5.7 and after 12 months it was 4.9. Conclusions. Our results indicate that patients must be treated with SGB therapy precociously to receive its full benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of different concentrations of growth regulators and sucrose on anthocyanin production in cell suspension cultures of Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne (Nyssaceae) was described for the first time and qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated. Anthocyanin production was significantly greater in the presence of kinetin, compared to benzyladenine, with the greatest concentration observed in the presence of 2 μM kinetin. No significant differences in anthocyanin production were observed when comparing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid to α-naphthaleneacetic acid, except when using 2 μM, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, which resulted in greater anthocyanin production. High sucrose concentration enhanced the production of anthocyanins. Based on the absence of anthocyanin production in the dark, we concluded that light was essential for stimulating anthocyanin production. The optimised medium consisted of: 2 μM kinetin, 2 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 292 mM sucrose. HPLC/DAD and HPLC/MS analyses revealed that the main anthocyanin was Cy 3-O-galactoside and that the minor derivative was Cy 3-O-glucoside. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]