Amphimela raydahensis sp. nov. is described from Garf Raydah Nature Reserve (Abha, Asir Province), southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This species was collected using black light traps at different elevations dominated by cacti and wild olive trees. This is the first confirmed species of Amphimela known from the Arabian Peninsula.

In Mediterranean countries, olive tree pruning residue represents an abundant source of energy biomass, still largely unexploited for lack of cost-effective harvesting technology. The authors tested two industrial pruning harvesters, capable of overcoming the limits of lighter units appeared in the past years. One of the machines was designed for application to a powerful farm tractor, whereas ...

This work proposes the biorefining of eucalyptus residues (ER), wheat straw (WS) and olive tree pruning (OP) combining hydrothermal pretreatment (autohydrolysis) with acid post-hydrolysis of the liquid fraction and enzymatic hydrolysis of the solid fraction towards maximal recovery of monosaccharides from those lignocellulose materials. Autohydrolysis of ER, WS and OP was performed under non-is...

Allergic reactions to mannitol have been reported rarely, despite its widespread use as a drug and as a food excipient. This is the first case report in which oral mannitol induces an immediate type hypersensitivity as a drug excipient, in a 42 year old man affected by rhinitis to olive tree pollen. Unusual and undervalued risk factors for mannitol hypersensitivity are examined.

Medicinal plants are an important source of substances which are claimed to induce anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The leaves of the olive tree (Oleaeur opaea) have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times and research has suggested that olive leaf extracts have antimicrobial and antimutagenic properties. In this study, Olive leaf aqueous extracts were screened for their ...

Considerable concerns about bisphenol A (BPA) as a potential endocrine disruptor remain controversial among dentists and patients due to the study of Olea et al. (1). Their study has frequently been mentioned in scientific papers as well as in the mass media, popular journals, and books. When I read the paper, I was shocked to find unscientific data related to high performance liquid chromatogr...

The Mediterranean diet appears to be associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular and Alzheimer's diseases. Olive products (mainly olive oil and table olives) are important components of the Mediterranean diet. Olives contain a range of phenolic compounds; these natural antioxidants may contribute to the prevention of these chronic conditions. C...

Cell suspensions of Olea europaea var. Galega Vulgar grown in batch culture with 0.5% (w/v) glucose were able to transport D-[(14)C]glucose according to Michaelis-Menten kinetics associated with a first-order kinetics. The monosaccharide carrier exhibited high affinity (K(m) approximately 50 micro M) and was able to transport D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, D-xylose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose and 3...

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is widely known for its strong tendency for alternate bearing, which severely affects the fruit yield from year to year. Microarray based gene expression analysis using RNA from olive samples (on-off years leaves and ripe-unripe fruits) are particularly useful to understand the molecular mechanisms influencing the periodicity in the olive tree. Thus, we carried...

Using enzyme polymorphism at IO loci , genetic variation was analysed in both wi ld and cuiti vated olive growing around the Mediterranean Basin. Twenty five and 21 alle1es were observed in the 333 wild olive trees analysed and in the culti ved materia1 (418 trees) respectively. Twenty one of these alleles were common to the two forms. In addition, in most the situations of sympatry between wil...