Characterization and genomic annotation of polymorphic EST‐SSR loci in Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp

In the present work, EST‐SSR (expressed sequence tag‐simple sequence repeat) loci were obtained by screening 45 000 ESTs from the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, which was available in a database of the ShEST (Shrimp EST Genome Project) consortium. Fifty‐two of 600 EST‐SSR loci were selected. From this total, 21 EST‐SSRs were polymorphic among 40 individuals and had their gene products ascribed. Two to 20 alleles per locus were detected and the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.15 to 0.86. Eight loci presented a significant heterozygote deficit after the Bonferroni correction, which was attributed to null alleles. Seven loci were able to have their protein products, molecular functions and biological processes determined. Our results are promising for future studies that relate the levels of these gene polymorphisms with different biological responses to stress in aquaculture.     

Development of a Chemosensor for the In Situ Monitoring of Thallium in the Water Network

Thallium is an emerging contaminant, which can be retained in scale encrustation within the pipeline and then released to drinking water. It is included in the Priority Pollutant List of the U.S. EPA. In this study, a sample from the water pipeline of Pietrasanta (Italy), affected by the contamination of thallium, is characterized by SEM-EDS, TGA, and FT-IR. Fluorescence spectroscopy is then proposed as the optimal technique for the detection of the contaminant. The functionality of a previously reported fluorescent calix[4]arene-based chemosensor is verified first on a standard solution of thallium nitrate and then on the sample under investigation. The quenching of the fluorescence of the sensor during the complexation of thallium is confirmed, identifying an ON-OFF sensor with high sensitivity, able to detect concentrations as low as 10^?6 M and with high potential of development for the in situ and fast monitoring of the pollutant in the water network.     

Molecular characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xiphinema brevicollum</Emphasis> (Nematoda: Longidoridae) from the Czech Republic

Populations of Xiphinema brevicollum occurring in the Czech Republic were described morphologically and molecularly. Published species-specific primer set BL18 and BV3 was used to amplify three populations of X. brevicollum from the Czech Republic. These primers were tested against 9 species of Xiphinema and 11 species of Longidorus. Amplification was also observed for X. inaequale, X. italiae and X. lambertii. Three additional markers, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, ribosomal D2/D3 expansion segment of the 28S gene and 18S gene, were amplified and sequenced for X. brevicollum, X. inaequale and X. lambertii belonging to X. americanum-group. Comparison of cox1 sequences of X. brevicollum from the Czech Republic with X. taylori from the Slovak Republic (accession number AM086702) suggested that these populations represent the same species.     

Integrated sustainability assessment of cropping systems with agro-ecological and economic indicators in northern Italy

The sustainability of agricultural systems is frequently evaluated with indicators, which are synthetic variables describing complex systems. Each indicator deals with one aspect of sustainability (e.g. nutrients, pesticides, energy), and therefore the result of a complete assessment usually includes several indicator values. These values are frequently presented separately, while an integrated evaluation could benefit from the calculation of a single sustainability index. The aim of this work was to integrate 15 economic and environmental indicator values into a global sustainability index (S_g) ranging from 0 to 1.To calculate the indicators, we used a large data set of cropping systems management for 131 fields cultivated with arable crops in northern Italy, obtained through periodic interviews with farmers over a 2-year period. The fields were chosen to represent the main cropping systems in the area (cereals and forages, on animal and cereal farms). The 15 indicators describe a large variety of sustainability aspects, i.e. the economic performance and the management of energy, nutrients, soil, and pesticides.The indicator values were first converted into a sustainability score (S_i; 0–1) applying continuous non-linear sustainability functions that use thresholds defining what is sustainable, unsustainable, or intermediate. We obtained 15 values of S_i per each field, which we aggregated into S_g using indicator-specific weights provided by different stakeholders. This procedure permits not only the single indicators evaluation, but also to combine indicators for an assessment of cropping systems at field level.Permanent meadows, due to good management of soil, pesticides and nutrients, obtained the highest S_g, even when different weights were used. Continuous rice obtained the lowest S_g (due to unsatisfactory soil management, low energy production, and high pest and weed pressure, which involved a large use of pesticides), while maize was intermediate, with good economic and energetic performance.The methodology allows a transparent, repeatable, sound, and quantitative evaluation of sustainability of agricultural systems. It can be easily expanded by adding other indicators, and can be tailored by changing the thresholds used to calculate S_i and the weights assigned by stakeholder groups.     

The effects of two different light intensities on the production and behavioural traits of Italian heavy pigs

Eighty Italian heavy pigs having an initial body weight of about 75 kg were allotted to two experimental groups: a low light intensity group (LL), in which pigs received the lowest level of illumination mandatory in piggeries (40 lux) and a high light intensity group (HL), in which pigs were exposed to a higher level of illumination (80 lux). For both groups the light phase lasted 12 hours per day. Pigs were slaughtered at about 160 kg body weight. Light intensity showed to have no effects on the growth traits, carcass parameters or neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio of heavy. With the exception of drinking (more frequently observed among LL pigs; P < 0.01) and sternal recumbency (more frequently observed among pigs belonging to HL group; P < 0.01), the behavioural observations, carried out on 20 pigs per group, indicated that light intensity did not affect the main behavioural traits of pigs. Agonistic interactions were significantly higher (P < 0.05) among pigs receiving a lower level of illumination (40 lux; LL group) and pigs exposed to the higher level of illumination (80 lux; HL group) showed a tendency (P < 0.1) towards a higher proportion of tactile social interactions. Our results confirm that a proper illumination level can be included among environmental conditions having a positive effect in order to preserve swine welfare.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of a commercial ear antiseptic containing chlorhexidine and Tris–EDTA

Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of a commercial ear antiseptic containing chlorhexidine 0.15% and Tris–EDTA (Otodine^®) were determined by broth microdilution for 150 isolates representing the most common pathogens associated with canine otitis. The microorganisms were classified into three groups according to their levels of susceptibility. The most susceptible group included Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Malassezia pachydermatis, Streptococcus canis and Corynebacterium auriscanis, which were generally killed by 1 : 64 dilution of the antiseptic product (MBC = 23/0.8 μg/mL of chlorhexidine/Tris–EDTA). The most resistant organism was Proteus mirabilis, which survived up to 1 : 8 dilution of the product (MBC = 375/12 μg/mL). Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus displayed intermediate MBCs ranging between 188/6 and 47/1.5 μg/mL. Interestingly, S. pseudintermedius was more susceptible than S. aureus, and no significant difference was observed between meticillin‐resistant and meticillin‐susceptible isolates within each species, indicating that antiseptic use is unlikely to co‐select for meticillin resistance. Although the concentrations required for killing (MBCs) varied considerably with microorganism type, the combination of chlorhexidine 0.15% and Tris–EDTA was active against all the pathogens most commonly involved in canine otitis.     

Should the domestic buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) be considered in the epidemiology of Bovine Herpesvirus 1 infection?

Only limited information is available on the epidemiology and pathogenesis of Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) in domestic buffalos. In this study, a virulent BoHV-1 field strain isolated from cattle was inoculated into buffaloes to evaluate their susceptibility to the virus and to investigate the establishment of viral latency through clinical, virological and serological investigations. Latency was also studied by attempting viral reactivation using pharmacological induction. Six of seven male, 5 months old buffaloes were intranasally inoculated with BoHV-1; the other animal was kept as negative control. The animals were clinically monitored during the post-infection (P.I.) and the post-pharmacological induction (P.P.) periods. During these periods, nasal and rectal swabs, and blood samples, with and without anticoagulant, were collected at 2–3 day intervals. On culling the animals, 206 days P.I., their trigeminal ganglia and tonsils were collected. No clinical signs referable to BoHV-1 were observed throughout the experimental period. However, seropositivity was detected in all infected animals within day 20 P.I., using BoHV-1 glycoprotein E and glycoprotein B competitive ELISAs (IDEXX) and virus neutralisation test. In real-time PCR (RT-PCR), five of these animals were positive, at least once, for nasal or rectal swabs, during the P.I. period. The sixth infected animal was found positive only in the trigeminal ganglia after culling. Ganglia were also positive for two other animals. Virus isolation in permissive cell-lines was successful for a part of the RT-PCR positive samples. The detected viruses were confirmed by genetic analysis as identical to the inoculated strain. No evidence of infection was observed in the negative control. This study represents the first experimental transmission of BoHV-1 in buffaloes, confirming their susceptibility to infection and their possible role as host/reservoirs of BoHV-1.