HST and VLT investigations of the fragments of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)

At least 16 fragments were detected in images of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) taken on 5 August 2000 with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and on 6 August with the Very Large Telescope (VLT). Photometric analysis of the fragments indicates that the largest ones have effective spherical diameters of about 100 meters, which implies that the total mass in the observed fragments was about 2 x 10(9) kilograms. The comet's dust tail, which was the most prominent optical feature in August, was produced during a major fragmentation event, whose activity peaked on UT 22.8 +/- 0.2 July 2000. The mass of small particles (diameters less than about 230 micrometers) in the tail was about 4 x 10(8) kilograms, which is comparable to the mass contained in a large fragment and to the total mass lost from water sublimation after 21 July 2000 (about 3 x 10(8) kilograms). HST spectroscopic observations during 5 and 6 July 2000 demonstrate that the nucleus contained little carbon monoxide ice (ratio of carbon monoxide to water is less than or equal to 0.4%), which suggests that this volatile species did not play a role in the fragmentation of C/1999 S4 (LINEAR).     

Environmental factors affecting productivity, indican content, and indigo yield in Polygonum tinctorium Ait., a subtropical crop grown under temperate conditions

Polygonum tinctorium Ait. is a herbaceous subtropical annual plant, belonging to the family Polygonaceae. Within the cells of its leaves P. tinctorium accumulates large amounts of a colorless glycoside, indican (indoxyl beta-d-glucoside), from which the blue dye indigo is synthesized. P. tinctorium is well-known in Japan, where it had been cultivated to produce natural indigo for textile dyeing, whereas it represents a potentially interesting new crop in Europe. To better understand the effects of environmental parameters on P. tinctorium crop production and indigo yield, field experiments were carried out in central Italy under temperate climate. Three lines were tested during the 2001 and 2002 growing seasons, and plant/leaf yields as well as indican contents were evaluated. The results showed that P. tinctorium grown in temperate climate conditions can be harvested three times a year. Yields of 82 and 120 t ha(-1) of fresh plant yield were obtained in 2001 and 2002, respectively. The contrasting weather conditions between the two years significantly affected biomass production, which was higher in the 2002 season, characterized by wet weather conditions. The cycle length from sowing to the last harvest was accomplished in 229-238 days when plants had accumulated 2017-2018 degrees C. Green leaves accounted for 40-45% by weight of fresh plant tissue and contained 11-20 g kg(-1) indican. The three lines did not significantly differ in the main productive parameters or in fresh leaf indican content (14.1 g kg(-1) mean value). Photosynthetic active radiation influences indican leaf production according to the model y = 0.0004x + 8.566 (P < 0.01, correlation coefficient = 0.818). Indican content ranged from 12 to 25 g kg(-1) of fresh leaves with PAR daily values from 10000 to 40000 mEinstein m(-2) (recorded in May and at the end of July-beginning of August, respectively). The results indicate that in nonlimiting rainfall conditions a very high indican content and a potentially high indigo yield can be obtained by cultivating P. tinctorium in this pioneer geographical area.     

Extractable iron and organic matter in the suspended insoluble material of fog droplets

In this work the formation and composition of aggregates between metals and organic material is studied in real fog samples. In a preliminary experiment it has been found that concentrated cloud samples form a yellow-brown precipitate in the presence of Fe(III). Standards of humic acids and fulvic acids co-precipitate with Fe(III), forming similar aggregates i.e. iron-humates (Fe-HA) and iron-fulvates (Fe-FA). By comparing the solubility properties of aggregates by extracting organic carbon (OC) in different pH conditions, it has been observed that fog droplet particulate samples are characterised by solubility properties more similar to those of Fe-HA than Fe-FA. Dilute alkaline solutions can also easily extract organic refractory substances that form aggregates with metals. The recoveries of the total extractable organic matter (accounting for 12% of total insoluble carbon and 15% of particulate mass) are similar to those of humic-like substances (HULIS) from particulate samples. The chromatographic behaviour and functional group characteristics measured in the alkali-extract fraction of precipitated aggregates with iron and in the insoluble particulate of fog samples, are those of humic-like material. Thus, soluble HULIS are able to interact with iron to form particulate, but the composition of a large fraction of insoluble organic carbon is still unknown. These findings have implications on the solubility and surface tension properties of fog droplets and can therefore potentially influence droplet formation, as well as cloud chemical and photochemical processes.     

Dissection of antioxidant activity of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) grains as evaluated by the new LOX/RNO method

Antioxidant activity (AA) of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) grains was studied using the innovative LOX/RNO method, able to simultaneously detect different antioxidant mechanisms, and the TEAC assay, one of the most widely used assays. Insoluble-bound and free-soluble phenols, hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds were extracted from eight different whole flour samples; extracts were analyzed for AA and their content in several antioxidants. The LOX/RNO method measured very high AA values, with the highest ones [850–1500 μmol Trolox eq./g whole flour (dry weight)] for insoluble-bound phenolic extracts, highly correlated to total phenolic (r = 0.761, P < 0.001) and ferulic acid (r = 0.816, P < 0.001) contents. Hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts showed lower AA [70-140 and 40–60 μmol Trolox eq./g (dry weight), respectively], highly correlated to flavonoid (r = 0.583, P < 0.01) and protein (r = 0.602, P < 0.01), as well as β-tocotrienol (r = 0.684, P < 0.05) contents, respectively. Interestingly, the LOX/RNO method suggests that insoluble-bound phenolic compounds may exert very strong synergistic interactions within the extract. Contrarily, the TEAC assay did not correlate to any antioxidant content, resulted unable to highlight differences among samples, measured much lower AA values and did not suggest synergism. The use of the LOX/RNO method is useful to unearth new properties of phytochemicals from durum wheat grains, potentially giving health benefits.     

Seed germination response to temperature for a range of international populations of Conyza canadensis

Conyza canadensis is a surface‐germinating ruderal facultative winter annual with recruitment that is highly susceptible to changes in microsite conditions. A key adaptive characteristic for a facultative winter annual species, like C. canadensis, is germination response to temperature. The objective of this study was to determine the germination response to temperature for C. canadensis seed sourced from regions around the world with differing climates and, by doing so, gain insight into the role that seed germination biology plays in the adaptiveness and weediness of facultative winter annual weeds. Seed was sourced from populations in Málaga, Spain, Hertfordshire, UK, Shiraz, Iran and southern Ontario, Canada, and grown out in a common garden under controlled conditions to produce seed for this study. These seeds were then subjected to temperatures from 6.5 to 20°C at 1.5°C increments using a thermogradient plate. Cumulative daily germination counts for 30 days were recorded. Results indicated that temperature and source location had a significant effect on germination response. Estimated base germination temperature ranges were significantly different among the populations [Ontario (8–9.5°C), Iran (9.5–11°C), Spain (12.5–14°C), UK (11–12.5°C)], as were accumulated growing degree days (GDDs; d°C) required to reach 50% germination. For three of the four populations, estimated base germination temperature range values were below those previously reported in the literature. These differences are most likely rapid evolutionary adaptations to local climate and highlight the potential C. canadensis has to be problematic as a native and invasive species.     

Southern Ocean iron enrichment experiment: carbon cycling in high- and low-Si waters

The availability of iron is known to exert a controlling influence on biological productivity in surface waters over large areas of the ocean and may have been an important factor in the variation of the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide over glacial cycles. The effect of iron in the Southern Ocean is particularly important because of its large area and abundant nitrate, yet iron-enhanced growth of phytoplankton may be differentially expressed between waters with high silicic acid in the south and low silicic acid in the north, where diatom growth may be limited by both silicic acid and iron. Two mesoscale experiments, designed to investigate the effects of iron enrichment in regions with high and low concentrations of silicic acid, were performed in the Southern Ocean. These experiments demonstrate iron's pivotal role in controlling carbon uptake and regulating atmospheric partial pressure of carbon dioxide.     

The surface composition and temperature of asteroid 21 Lutetia as observed by Rosetta/VIRTIS

The Visible, InfraRed, and Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on Rosetta obtained hyperspectral images, spectral reflectance maps, and temperature maps of the asteroid 21 Lutetia. No absorption features, of either silicates or hydrated minerals, have been detected across the observed area in the spectral range from 0.4 to 3.5 micrometers. The surface temperature reaches a maximum value of 245 kelvin and correlates well with topographic features. The thermal inertia is in the range from 20 to 30 joules meter(-2) kelvin(-1) second(-0.5), comparable to a lunarlike powdery regolith. Spectral signatures of surface alteration, resulting from space weathering, seem to be missing. Lutetia is likely a remnant of the primordial planetesimal population, unaltered by differentiation processes and composed of chondritic materials of enstatitic or carbonaceous origin, dominated by iron-poor minerals that have not suffered aqueous alteration.     

Coinfection of Leishmania chagasi with Toxoplasma gondii, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) in cats from an endemic area of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis

The aim of the present study was to determine the coinfection of Leishmania sp. with Toxoplasma gondii, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) in a population of cats from an endemic area for zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis. An overall 66/302 (21.85%) cats were found positive for Leishmania sp., with infection determined by direct parasitological examination in 30/302 (9.93%), by serology in 46/302 (15.23%) and by both in 10/302 (3.31%) cats. Real time PCR followed by amplicon sequencing successfully confirmed Leishmania infantum (syn Leishmania chagasi) infection. Out of the Leishmania infected cats, coinfection with FIV was observed in 12/66 (18.18%), with T. gondii in 17/66 (25.75%) and with both agents in 5/66 (7.58%) cats. FeLV was found only in a single adult cat with no Leishmania infection. A positive association was observed in coinfection of Leishmania and FIV (p<0.0001), but not with T. gondii (p>0.05). In conclusion, cats living in endemic areas of visceral leishmaniasis are significantly more likely to be coinfected with FIV, which may present confounding clinical signs and therefore cats in such areas should be always carefully screened for coinfections.     

Concentration of Lamellar Bodies and the Lecithin/Sphingomyelin Ratio in Equine Amniotic Fluid at the Time of Delivery

Veterinary Research Communications -