Infection of sandflies by a cat naturally infected with Leishmania infantum

Despite the recent reports of feline leishmaniosis from Southern Europe, cats are still regarded as unusual Leishmania hosts. A cat found chronically infected with Leishmania was submitted to xenodiagnosis. After being sedated, the animal was exposed to the bite of 100 laboratory-reared Phlebotomus perniciosus in a fine net cage for 90 min. Four out of 19 blood-fed sandflies (21%) showed motile promastigotes at the dissection. Parasites cultured from cat's lymph node and an infected fly were identical at PCR-RFLP genotyping and identified as Leishmania infantum MON-1, the main zymodeme responsible for human and canine leishmaniosis in Southern Europe. This is the first evidence of transmissibility of feline parasites to a proven vector, suggesting that cats may represent an additional domestic reservoir for L. infantum.     

Resistance traits and AFLP characterization of diploid primitive tuber-bearing potatoes

Worldwide, a variety of pathogens negatively affect potato production, resulting in an estimated 22% annual yield reduction. Wild Solanum species represent a unique gene pool where all the traits necessary to improve the cultivated potato can be found. Therefore, breeding efforts for improved disease resistance and research aimed at characterizing wild germplasm have been extensively made. In this paper, sources of resistance to Phytophthora infestans, Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, Fusarium solani and Globodera spp. have been investigated in several clones of two Solanum species originating from Central Mexico (S. bulbocastanum and S. cardiophyllum). Interestingly, we found sources of combined resistance to late blight and bacterial soft rot. This is an important finding considering that the development of resistant potato varieties has been hindered by the scarcity of resistant germplasm. In addition, we explored molecular differences within and between the two species generating AFLP fingerprints. By means of six primer pair combinations, we found 13 and 16 putative species-specific AFLP markers for S. bulbocastanum and S. cardiophyllum, respectively, and a bounty of markers useful for mapping, MAS, and cloning purposes. The phenotypic and molecular information associated to S. bulbocastanum and S. cardiophyllum for designing strategies of assisted selection are discussed.     

Synthesis of antioxidants in wheat sprouts

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts from wheat (Triticum aestivum) sprout powder were analyzed to determine its reduction and antioxidant activities. Mean and standard deviation of five independent samples were reported. The results showed that the micromoles of potassium ferricyanide reduced by aqueous and ethanolic extracts corresponding to 1 g of sprout powder (80.6 +/- 11.2 and 9.7 +/- 1.8, respectively) were higher than that reduced by 1 mg of other reducing compounds: ascorbic acid, rutin, quercetin, and reduced gluthatione (4.8 +/- 0.7, 3.8 +/- 1.2, 4.8 +/- 1.7, and 1.6 +/- 0.4, respectively). In addition, the oxygen superoxide scavenging activity performed by sprout extracts (from 1 g of powder) is comparable to that shown by 10 mg of antioxidant pure compounds (rutin and quercetin). Biochemical analysis of the sprout extracts shows that the antioxidant activity is mainly due to reducing glycoside and polyphenolic compounds.     

Latent infection of potato tubers byPseudomonas solanacearum

Strains ofPseudomonas solanacearum differed in their ability to infect tubers of different resistant potato clones grown in infested soil. When eight resistant clones (Solanum phureja orS.phureja ×S. tuberosum hybrids) were grown at 24–28°C in soil infested with a race 1 or a race 3 strain of the bacterium, relatively few plants had wilt symptoms at harvest, but 26.7% and 9.2% of the tubers harvested from plants infected with the race 1 and race 3 strains, respectively, carried latent infections. Some infected clones never yielded diseased tubers, however. The development of symptoms above ground was not correlated with the incidence of tuber infection in any particular clone. No tuber infection occurred in tolerant or resistant clones grown in infested soil at cool (12–22°C) temperatures. Tubers were inoculated directly in an attempt to evaluate the ability of bacteria to multiply in these tissues at different temperatures. Highly virulent strains ofP. solanacearum survived in susceptible tubers in higher numbers and for longer periods than in resistant ones. Low temperature (4°C) had a deleterious effect on survival of the bacterium in tubers, but did not completely eliminate the pathogen even after 40 days.     

Urban BTEX Spatiotemporal Exposure Assessment by Chemometric Expertise

Normative regulations on benzene in fuels and urban management strategies are expected to improve air quality. The present study deals with the application of self-organizing maps (SOMs) in order to explore the spatiotemporal variations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene levels in an urban atmosphere. Temperature, wind speed, and concentration values of these four volatile organic compounds were measured after passive sampling at 21 different sampling sites located in the city of Trieste (Italy) in the framework of a multi-year long-term monitoring program. SOM helps in defining pollution patterns and changes in the urban context, showing clear improvements for what concerns benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene concentrations in air for the 2001–2008 timeframe.     

Different responses to root infection with endophytic microorganisms of vitis vinifera L. cv. pinot blanc grown on calcareous soil

One‐year‐old rooted cuttings of Vitis vinifera L. cv. “Pinot blanc”; grafted on “Kober 5BB”; hybrid rootstock were grown in pots containing a calcareous soil. Before potting, the roots were treated by a suspension of the siderophore producing bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens, other Pseudomonas spp., and some unidentified microorganisms. The tested bacteria were endophytic microorganisms from maize and they were chosen according to their ability to produce fluorescent pigments. The shoot growth was checked every ten days, and leaf blades, sampled about 80 days after bud burst, were analyzed for chlorophyll and mineral element concentration. Chlorosis rating was checked by visual screening in order to control the effect of the treatments on the chlorosis. At the end of the growing cycle dry matter and iron (Fe) partitioning were analyzed. The most significant findings of the trial were: a) the tested microorganisms did not improve significantly lime‐tolerance of the tested plants; b) the microorganisms were able to modify phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and Fe mineral nutrition of the vines.     

Serum Protein Fraction in Mature Horses and Relationship With Metabolic and Hematological Parameters

This study was conducted to determine the effect of age on serum protein fractions and their relationship with metabolic and hematological profiles in mature horses. Twenty-five mature Italian Saddle horses (mean age 13.6 ± 4.8 years) fed the same diet (grass hay and concentrate) were stratified according to age as first maturity, M1 (≤10 years old); second maturity, M2 (>10 and <15 years old); and old, O (>15 years), to be monitored every 28 days for a continuous period of 140 days. Horses in group O had higher plasma protein and thiol concentrations and white blood cell and neutrophil counts than the other two groups. Serum α₂-globulin concentrations were positively correlated with total plasma cholesterol (r = 0.514; P < .001), alkaline phosphatase (r = 0.430; P < .001), aspartate aminotransferase (r = 0.339; P < .001), ceruloplasmin (r = 0.321; P < .001), glutamic pyruvate transaminase (r = 0.444; P < .001), reactive oxygen metabolites (r = 0.426; P < .001), and blood neutrophil counts (r = 0.344; P < .01), and negatively with plasma bilirubin (r = −0.522; P < .001) and creatinine (r = −0.400; P < .001). These results suggest differences in hematological and metabolic profile in Italian Saddle horses after 15 years of age, resulting mainly from changes in plasma proteins and inflammatory mediators. The α₂-globulins fraction seems a quick but reliable marker of an inflammatory situation that, successively, should be better investigated with specific metabolites or enzymes.     

Effects of afforestation with four unmixed plant species on the soil–water interactions in a semiarid Mediterranean region (Sicily, Italy)

Purpose

An assessment of the effect of plant cover on the properties of four afforested soils in central Sicily was performed with the aim of discriminating among them after 60?years of afforestation.

Materials and methods

Chemical and biochemical soil analyses were coupled to fast field cycling (FFC) NMR relaxation investigations in order to monitor surface interactions of water in water-saturated soils.

Results and discussion

The traditional soil analyses revealed that the most stable soil properties such as soil texture and pH are not affected by 60?years of afforestation. Soils developed under eucalyptus trees showed larger amounts of hydrophilic organic matter as compared to the soils under pines and cypresses. FFC-NMR relaxometry data revealed that water, partitioned in clay-, loam-, and sand-type pores, showed longitudinal relaxation time values affected by the interactions with the soluble carbon content.

Conclusions

The results of the present study evidenced the potential of FFC-NMR relaxometry in differentiating the effect of diverse plant cover on chemical and hydrological properties of soils developed on the same parent material. In fact, in contrast with the traditional physicochemical and biochemical soil characterizations, which were unable to reveal differences among soils afforested with different plant species, FFC-NMR was capable of monitoring differences in water dynamics as affected by the presence of the most soluble soil organic material.