Shifts in circulating lymphocyte subsets in cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP): pathogenic role and diagnostic relevance

Cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) are usually lymphopenic and have lymphoid depletion evident in spleen and lymph nodes. In particular, the number of CD4+ lymphocytes in tissues decreases during the evolution of FIP lesions. This decrease is most likely due to increased lymphocyte apoptotic rate. In contrast, cats infected with the Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) develop a follicular hyperplasia in the peripheral lymph nodes. The current study was devised to evaluate the possible pathogenic role of shifts in circulating lymphocyte subsets in FIP. Peripheral blood from cats with FIP was evaluated and compared with peripheral blood from clinically healthy cats living in both FCoV-free and FCoV-endemic catteries. Blood from cats with diseases other than FIP was also examined in order to define the diagnostic relevance of the changes. Lymphocyte subsets were analysed by flow cytometry, using a whole blood indirect immunofluorescence technique and mAbs specific for feline CD5, CD4, CD8, CD21. The results of the current study suggest that cats recently infected with FCoV that do not develop the disease have a transient increase in T cells; cats from groups with high prevalence of FIP have a moderate but persistent decrease in T cell subsets; cats with FIP have a very severe decrease in all the subsets of lymphocytes. Moreover, during FIP many lymphocytes do not express any membrane antigen, most likely due to early apoptosis. Cats with diseases other than FIP also had decreased number of lymphocytes: as a consequence, the diagnostic relevance of these findings is very low. Nevertheless, the lack of flow cytometric changes had a high negative predictive value (NPV), thus allowing to exclude FIP from the list of possible diagnoses in cats with normal cytograms.     

Breeding parthenocarpic pickling cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.): Necessity,genetical possibilities,environmental influences and selection criteria

Summary Parthenocarpic pickling cucumbers have been selected after crossing pickling and slicing cucumbers. On the best lines 90% of the female flowers set fruit (up to 75 fruits per plant within six weeks). At declining daylength productivity decreased, mainly because of a reduced flower initiation and partly by a reduced parthenocarpic potential.The correlation between several selection criteria and the possibilities of preselection of young plants is discussed.     

Resistance in Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 1. The role of plant breeding in integrated control

Summary The role of plant breeding and particularly of host plant resistance in integrated control is discussed. Host plant resistance to insects and mites, especially to Tetranychus urticae is reviewed. A standard terminology for disease and pest resistance is recommended.     

Cannabinoids inhibit nitric oxide production in bone marrow derived feline macrophages

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection causes a widespread natural immunodeficiency syndrome in cats that is considered a suitable animal model for studying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and pathogenesis. Short term cultures of bone marrow derived feline macrophages stimulated with recombinant feline interferon-gamma (r-IFN-gamma) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were shown to produce nitric oxide. Feline macrophages were shown to express cannabinoid receptors, and nitric oxide production decreased after in vitro exposure to synthetic cannabinoid CP-55940. Both cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, were involved in this process, since the inhibition was reversed by selective cannabinoid antagonists for both of these receptors.     

The status of warning services for plant pests in Italy*

A survey of the present status of warning services for plant protection in Italy shows the lack of a national project, so that the different regional governments approach the question in different ways. In spite of this, some common characters are present: (1) most of the regions manage the warning service directly; (2) everywhere, the warning service interacts with research institutes, farmers’ associations, agrometeorological networks and other warning services; (3)‘indirect warning’ is the prevalent model of organization; geographical areas are divided into homogeneous subareas, where information useful for producing advice is collected and elaborated; warnings are then disseminated by different means of communication, and farmers comply with them autonomously; (4) warnings are usually prepared by a team of advisers, who meet periodically, analyse available information and elaborate suggestions for crop protection; (5) available information comes from field monitoring, weather stations, insect and spore traps, forecasting models for pests and diseases; unfortunately, forecasting models are not widespread; (6) the content of warnings is rather uniform, including information on crops, pests and diseases, suggestions for control strategies and, frequently, meteorological conditions and forecasts; (7) different means are used to disseminate warnings to farmers; usually several methods co‐exist: bulletins published in local newspapers, sent by mail or fax, displayed on notice boards or available via the Internet; placards; telephone messages; surveys on local TV or radio.     

Inheritance of parthenocarpy in pickling cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) and linkage with other characters

Summary The inheritance of parthenocarpy in the pickling cucumber has been studied with progenies of an incomplete diallel cross between lines with different degrees of parthenocarpy and with two sets of F₁, F₂ and B₁ of crosses between parthenocarpic and non-parthenocarpic lines. The inheritance of parthenocarpy could be explained by three independent, isomeric major genes with additive action, together with a non-allelic interaction of the homozygote-heterozygote type. Indications have been found for linkages between genes that govern parthenocarpy, femaleness and the spined/hairy fruit character. Consequences for breeding parthenocarpic varieties are discussed.     

α-Tomatine and other steroidal glycoalkaloids in fruits of tomato lines resistant to the glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westw.)

Summary The total steroidal alkaloid compositions of the mature-harvested fruits of the tomato cultivar Allround (Lycopersicon esculentum), of the species L. hirsutum glabratum, resistant to the glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum), and of four resistant lines were determined by capillary gas chromatography. The contents of -tomatine in the red-ripe fruits of Allround and in those of the lines were low (5 mg/kg fresh weight). The green-mature fruits of the wild species had a high content (3390 mg/kg fresh weight) of -tomatine. The total alkaloid profiles of Allround and of the lines were similar. Comparison of flame ionisation detector response with thermoionic detector response indicated that in addition to tomatidine, the aglycone of -tomatine, a small amount of one other steroidal alkaloid might be present in Allround and in the lines. The wild species contained five compounds which possibly are steroidal alkaloids.The safety level of -tomatine in tomatoes is discussed. It was concluded that, in respect of the glycoalkaloids of the mature-harvested fruits, the resistant tomato breeding lines are as safe for human cosumption as the standard cultivar.     

Resistance of Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 6. Comparison of near isogenic bitter and non-bitter varieties for resistance

Summary The bitter cucumber variety Improved Long Green did not differ in resistance to the twospotted spider mite from its near isogenic non-bitter mutant, the source of all non-bitter varieties. Four pairs of near isogenic bitter and non-bitter varieties gave similar results. Therefore any causal relation between bitterness and resistance is denied.     

Epidemiological study of the decline of BSE in Italy

In this paper, data derived from the national database of the Italian surveillance system for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) are used to describe the Italian epidemic of bse. Two data flows were established to collect the results of active and passive surveillance, and 25 regional laboratories were involved. The National Reference Centre (CEA) was in charge of the data analysis. Crude and age-standardised estimates of the prevalence and incidence of bse were obtained to describe the distribution of the disease in terms of the main risk factors (age, breed and herd size), year of birth, time of diagnosis and geographical location. The increased risk was calculated in terms of the incidence rate ratio. During the five years since January 2001, 128 cases of bse were identified in domestic cows and four were identified in imported cattle. All but one of the cases were detected through active surveillance. The risk of the disease was highest in dairy stock and in large herds. The northern regions of Italy had an incidence of bse 2.6 times higher than the southern regions. There was a clear decline in the age-standardised prevalence, from one positive case per 10,000 tests in 2001 to one per 100,000 tests in 2005.