First report in Italy of the dusky sap beetle, Carpophilus lugubris, a new potential pest for Europe

Following a report submitted by a beekeeper to Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, in Padua province (Borgoricco, Veneto, NE Italy), the authors discovered in April 2011 several specimens of the dusky sap beetle Carpophilus lugubris Murray 1864 (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae) on the bottom board of some beehives. At a later time (May 2012), an isolated specimen was also collected within a Natural Reserve in Belluno province (Feltre, Veneto, NE Italy). These specimens represent the first known records of this species in Italy or Europe as a whole. This is also the first record of the species associated with beehives. This discovery led us to review the available bionomical and faunistic data for this widespread Nearctic and Neotropical species. C. lugubris is a recognized pest of corn, therefore is very important monitoring its possible dispersal into cornfields, beehives, and other agricultural regions of NE Italy and southern Europe over the next few years.     

Deoxynivalenol and T-2 Toxin in Raw Feeds for Horses

In all, 72 samples of raw materials for equine feed were collected from farms located in different parts of northern Italy, and the presence of deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2 toxin was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. DON was detected in 38.9% of the samples tested, at levels ranging from 0.2 to 1.9 mg/kg. Maize was found to have the highest concentrations of DON, whereas barley was found to be the most commonly contaminated grain (73.3%). T-2 toxin was found in maize and rice bran at levels ranging from 12 to 102 μg/kg, with an overall incidence of 12.3% in the samples analyzed. In almost all the samples, T-2 toxin was found only in combination with DON. The occurrence of contamination observed in this survey, especially the presence of DON, is noteworthy. The levels detected are not very high, but even long-term exposure to low doses of these mycotoxins may represent a threat to horse health.     

Susceptibility to scrapie and disease phenotype in sheep: cross-PRNP genotype experimental transmissions with natural sources

It has long been established that the sheep Prnp genotype influences the susceptibility to scrapie, and some studies suggest that it can also determine several aspects of the disease phenotype. Other studies, however, indicate that the source of infection may also play a role in such phenotype. To address this question an experiment was set up in which either of two different natural scrapie sources, AAS from AA₁₃₆ Suffolk and VVC from VV₁₃₆ Cheviot sheep, were inoculated into AA₁₃₆, VA₁₃₆ and VV₁₃₆ sheep recipients (n = 52). The immunohistochemical (IHC) profile of disease-associated PrP (PrP^d) accumulation in the brain of recipient sheep was highly consistent upon codon 136 homologous and semi-homologous transmission, but could be either similar to or different from those of the inoculum donors. In contrast, the IHC profiles were highly variable upon heterologous transmission (VVC to AA₁₃₆ and AAS to VV₁₃₆). Furthermore, sheep of the same Prnp genotype could exhibit different survival times and PrP^d profiles depending on the source of infection, and a correlation was observed between IHC and Western blot profiles. It was found that additional polymorphisms at codons 112 or 141 of AA₁₃₆ recipients resulted in a delayed appearance of clinical disease or even in protection from infection. The results of this study strongly suggest that the scrapie phenotype in sheep results from a complex interaction between source, donor and recipient factors, and that the Prnp genotype of the recipient sheep does not explain the variability observed upon codon 136 heterologous transmissions, arguing for other genetic factors to be involved.     

The potential role of leptin and adiponectin in obesity: a comparative review

Leptin and adiponectin are adipokines produced by the white adipose tissue. The adipokines have been shown to be valuable quantitative markers of adiposity in dogs. Leptin positively correlates with body condition score (BCS) in dogs, regardless of age, sex and breed, and is influenced by feeding state, pharmacological treatment and thyroid gland activity. Conversely, adiponectin negatively correlates with body fat mass and is therefore more abundant in lean animals. The implication of leptin and adiponectin in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome is well established in humans, but currently lacking in dogs. Additional studies are necessary to demonstrate their potential usefulness for monitoring the progression of obesity-related diseases and response to treatment. To date, measurement of canine leptin and adiponectin has been used in experimental studies only, whereas bodyweight and BCS are considered the first-approach parameters for the routine assessment of body fat content in obese dogs.     

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of the Main Fruits,Tubers and Legumes Traditionally Consumed in the Andean Regions of Ecuador as a Source of Health-Promoting Compounds

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Thirteen fruits, eight legumes and three tubers consumed in the Andean regions of Ecuador were studied to determine their bioactive compounds, organic acids,...     

Elimination of in vitro bacterial contaminants in shoot cultures of ‘MRS 2/5’ plum hybrid by the use of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melia azedarach</Emphasis> extracts

The antimicrobial activity of leaf and callus extracts of Melia azedarach was tested on in vitro shoot cultures of the peach rootstoch ‘MRS 2/5’ (Prunus cerasifera × Prunus spinosa) that were heavily contaminated with Sphingomonas paucimobilis (Sp) and Bacillus circulans (Bc). The extracts were filter-sterilised and added at 0%, 1%, 5%, 10% and 20% to a modified Murashige and Skoog proliferation medium previously autoclave-sterilised. Up to about 17% shoots died with 10–20% extract, except for Sp-contaminated shoots, whose survival was reduced to 50% after treatment with 20% extract. No shoots died with 1% to 5% supplement. The undiluted leaf extract showed bactericidal activity on plated Sp and Bc isolates. The homogenates of shoots randomly collected from treated cultures were processed for bacterial colony counting. Thus the 10% supplement was the best treatment for ridding Bc-contaminated cultures of bacteria (although 5% had a similar bactericidal effect), and allowing shoot growth and proliferation comparable to controls at the fifth subculture on a standard medium, while 20% extract was needed to eliminate Sp, and could induce higher growth and proliferation rates in surviving shoots than in untreated cultures. Callus extract was ineffective. The bactericidal activity of the leaf extract seemed attributable to a synergistic effect of azadirachtin with other unidentified compounds present in the extract.     

Seasonal Abundance of Particle-Phase Organic Pollutants in an Urban/Industrial Atmosphere

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); their derivatives nitro, and methyl-PAHs; n-alkanes; and organic acids were investigated in the aerosol samples collected during two field campaigns conducted at three sampling stations in an industrialized city in southern Italy. The main sources affecting the atmosphere and its toxicity were investigated by means of the diagnostic ratios of: specific particulate-phase PAHs, marker compounds among nitro-PAHs, alkanes, and acids, the dominant wind direction, daily and seasonal abundance of carcinogenic organic substances. The potential importance of the non-regulated pollutants to assess the air quality was confirmed; in fact the carcinogenic organic compounds showed to have scarce correlation with particulate matter (PM) concentration. An exceptionally high variability of toxic compounds at a daily scale was due to meteorological condition causing periods of extremely high pollution levels.     

The insertion of the Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolC gene in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) affects plant architecture and endogenous auxin and abscisic acid levels

In the present paper we report on the effects of the insertion of the Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolC gene in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L., formerly Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivar Tondino. Several transgenic lines were successfully obtained, between which two clones, rolC1 and rolC3, were chosen for the analysis of morpho-productive traits as well as of the endogenous levels of auxin and abscisic acid. Consistent with the known phenotypic effect of this gene, the transformed tomato plants were significantly shorter than the corresponding controls. On the other hand, even if yield was not affected by the transformation in terms of average number of fruits produced, fruit weight was significantly lower in the transgenics with respect to the controls. Therefore, insertion of the rolC gene does not lead to an improvement in plant productivity.