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The products VitiBioSap 458 Plus® (VBS458) and VitiBioSap ES Plus® (VBSES) based on essential oil mixture, Cu++ (3.5%), Zn++ (1%) and the MicroSap® component (Patent N°EP3071039–28.09.2016), were assayed in vivo against Erwinia amylovora (Ea),the etiological agent of the bacterial fire blight. Detached flowers andimmature fruitlets of pear were pre-treated with VBS458 (1-2%) or VBSES (2-3%), and inoculated with an Ea aqueous suspension (ca. 106 CFU/ml); the disease incidence was evaluated within 6 days after the inoculation. Moreover, the population dynamics of an Ea rifampicin resistant mutant strain (Ea 273R1) was evaluated up to 4 days on detached apple flowers, pre-treated with the above products. In addition, at each detection time, the flowers were fixed in 5% glutaraldehyde solution, dehydrated in ethanol and processed by Critical Point Dryer. The samples, after gold sputter coating, were observed by Philips SEM 515 scanning electron microscope at 20kV. Sterile distilled water (SDW) and streptomycin sulphate (STR) were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. In VBSES- and VBS458-treated pear flowers, the disease incidence was significantly reduced (12-30% and 12-50%, respectively) compared to that detected in SDW-treated flowers (88-100%). In pear fruitlets treated with the products, the disease incidence resulted between 19% and 46%, similar to that on STR-treated pears (30%). Furthermore, the Ea population was significantly lowered in VBSES- and VBS458-treated apple flowers, in comparison to that of SDW-treated control samples.

Ad oggi le batteriosi delle piante sono gestite mediante strategie integrate di lotta chimica (metalli pesanti ed induttori di resistenza) e biologica (microrganismi antagonisti). Gli oli essenziali (OE) sono miscele complesse di composti altamente volatili, ottenute per distillazione in corrente di vapore di piante officinali e manifestanti spesso attività antimicrobica; il sottoprodotto di questo processo è l’idrolato, che contiene molecole bioattive idrosolubili a basse concentrazioni (< 0,1%) (Di Vito et al., 2019). In questo studio è stata valutata l’attività antibatterica in vitro di diversi OE ed idrolati nei confronti di differenti specie batteriche fitopatogene. Alcuni OE ed idrolati selezionati sono stati saggiati in vivo contro Erwinia amylovora (Ea).Le prove in vitro hanno rilevato un’attività battericida degli OE e degli idrolati testati anche a basse concentrazioni, tuttavia le prove in vivo non hanno confermato questi risultati. Verosimilmente l’inefficacia di OE/idrolati in vivo potrebbe essere dovuta alla modalità di somministrazione. Per saggiare questa ipotesi sarà necessario eseguire ulteriori indagini usando diverse formulazioni/emulsioni degli antimicrobici naturali considerati.

We report in the present study the occurrence of contracting defensive behaviour in three treefrogs of the genus Phyllomedusa: P. azurea, P. iheringii and P. tetraploidea. It consisted of limbs bent close to the body, dorsum arched with the head towards the belly, and eyes partially closed. This behaviour was previously unreported for P. iheringii and P. tetraploidea and it seems to be a passive defensive strategy against snakes or other predators, characteristic of phyllomedusine frogs. Fil: Borteiro, Claudio. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo; Uruguay Fil: Baldo, Juan Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; Argentina Fil: Kunz, Tobias Saraiva. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Perez, Renata. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Petry Eltz, Rodrigo. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Kolenc, Francisco. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo; Uruguay

Deleterious variants in collagen genes are the most common cause of hereditary connective tissue disorders (HCTD). Adaptations of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics/Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP) criteria are still lacking. A multidisciplinary team was set up for developing specifications of the ACMG/AMP criteria for COL1A1, COL1A2, COL2A1, COL3A1, COL5A1, COL5A2, COL11A1, COL11A2 and COL12A1, associated with various forms of HCTD featuring joint hypermobility, which is becoming one of the most common reasons of referral for molecular testing in this field. Such specifications were validated against 209 variants, and resulted effective for classifying as pathogenic and likely pathogenic null alleles without downgrading of the PVS1 level of strength and recurrent Glycine substitutions. Adaptations of selected criteria reduced uncertainties on private Glycine substitutions, intronic variants predicted to affect the splicing, and null alleles with a downgraded PVS1 level of strength. Segregation and multigene panel sequencing data mitigated uncertainties on non-Glycine substitutions by the attribution of one or more benignity criteria. These specifications may improve the clinical utility of molecular testing in HCTD by reducing the number of variants with neutral/conflicting interpretations. Close interactions between laboratory and clinicians are crucial to estimate the a priori utility of molecular test and to improve medical reports.

The essential oils (EOs) of Origanum compactum and Satureja montana chemotyped (CT) at carvacrol, two Thymus vulgaris CT at thujanol and thymol, and Hydrolates (Hys) of S. montana and Citrus aurantium var. amara were chosen for studying their bactericidal efficacy against few phytobacterial pathogens. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were found by microdilution assay. The essential oils of O. compactum (MBC 0.06% v/v), T. vulgaris CT thymol (MBC 0.06% v/v), and Hy of C. aurantium (MBC 6.25% v/v) resulted in being the most effective against Erwinia amylovora; thus, they were used as starting concentrations for ex vivo assays. Despite the great in vitro effectiveness, the disease incidence and the population dynamic ex vivo assays showed no significant results. On the other hand, EO of O. compactum and Hy of C. aurantium (at 0.03% and 4.5% v/v, respectively) showed resistance induction in tomato plants against Xanthomonas vesicatoria infections; both treatments resulted in approximately 50% protection. In conclusion, EOs and Hys could be promising tools for agricultural defense, but further studies will be necessary to stabilize the EOs emulsions, while Hys application could be an effective method to prevent bacterial diseases when used as resistance inducer by pre-transplantation treatment at roots.

In this study, the in vitro effects of different Se concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, and 100 mg kg−1) from different Se forms (sodium selenite, sodium selenate, selenomethionine, and selenocystine) on the development of a Fusarium proliferatum strain isolated from rice were investigated. A concentration-dependent effect was detected. Se reduced fungal growth starting from 10 mg kg−1 and increasing the concentration (15, 20, and 100 mg kg−1) enhanced the inhibitory effect. Se bioactivity was also chemical form dependent. Selenocystine was found to be the most effective at the lowest concentration (5 mg kg−1). Complete growth inhibition was observed at 20 mg kg−1 of Se from selenite, selenomethionine, and selenocystine. Se speciation analysis revealed that fungus was able to change the Se speciation when the lowest Se concentration was applied. Scanning Electron Microscopy showed an alteration of the fungal morphology induced by Se. Considering that the inorganic forms have a higher solubility in water and are cheaper than organic forms, 20 mg kg−1 of Se from selenite can be suggested as the best combination suitable to inhibit F. proliferatum strain. The addition of low concentrations of Se from selenite to conventional fungicides may be a promising alternative approach for the control of Fusarium species.

Truffles in the genus Tuber are hypogeus fungi that have a worldwide distribution. Despite this, knowledge about their diversity in the Middle East is very limited. In recent years, large quantities of truffles have been imported from Iran for being sold in Italy. While analyzing certain commercial batches of T. aestivum from Iran, we found some ascomata that resembled T. excavatum but had macro- and micromorphological features that were distinct from this species. They were subglobose, or depressed to slightly irregular, with a conspicuous basal cavity, grayish brown, brown, or pinkish gray, with a minutely papillose peridium. The gleba was pinkish gray in youth, brown at maturity, marbled with cream branched veins. Ascospores were broadly ellipsoid, with an irregular reticulum and distinctive long crests along the longitudinal axis, up to 9 µm high. Analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences showed that these specimens form a monphyletic and well-supported taxon within the Excavatum clade. Morphological and molecular analyses supported the proposal of the new species T. iranicum.

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of microencapsulation with soy milk as a carrier, conducted by spray-drying, on three mixed cultures of functional vaginal lactobacilli, Lactobacillus crispatus (BC1, BC3, and BC4) and Lactobacillus gasseri BC9, that could be further exploited as an adjunct in health foods. The i) physicochemical properties (using scanning electronic microscopy), ii) viability of encapsulated bacteria over time, and iii) functional features of powders containing the encapsulated bacteria were characterised considering different storage conditions. All microbial mixtures exhibited high viability for 90 d of storage, regardless of the storage conditions. All microencapsulated microbial combinations, excluding L. crispatus BC3 + L. gasseri BC9, exhibited hydrophobicity values exceeding 60%. Moreover, regardless of the considered combination, the in vitro digestion results exhibited a more significant decrease in cell viability for non-encapsulated microbial combinations than that of the encapsulated strains.

Sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea) are ecologically important organisms for their bioturbation and alkalinization activities of the seabed. These species are extensively fished as they are considered luxury food. Sea cucumbers are also relevant for biomedical studies and the production of bioactive compounds. A few initiatives are recently evaluating sea cucumbers as novel aquaculture species. The aim of this study was to provide morphological and genetic information useful for the identification of Holothuria polii, the white spot sea cucumber (a common species of the Mediterranean Sea). We generated the complete sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome of this species and combined it with a detailed ossicle characterization of the sequenced specimen by scanning electron microscopic analysis. Ossicles (known also as sclerites) are anatomical features that can discriminate Holothuroidea species, including the closely related ones of the genus Holothuria. The complete mitochondrial genome was assembled, functionally annotated and then used to evaluate the phylogenetic relationship of H. polii against the other few Holothuroidea species for which the whole mtDNA was available. The 15,907 bp H. polii mtDNA sequence has the same gene order already reported for H. scabra, H. forskali and other species of the same class. Cox1 and 16S gene sequences were informative for species identification across the genus and could be used for the authentication of commercialized Holothuria spp. The mitochondrial genome sequence presented here provides the basis to a future analysis of the variability of H. polii populations in the Mediterranean region.

The adventures of a future urologist in the first world war: Medical lieutenant michele pavone and the liberation of Udine

The only active compounds able to control phytoplasmas are the antibiotic oxytetracyclines and the direct and fast screening of new antimicrobials compounds on media is very complicated due to the difficulty to culture phytoplasmas. A simple and reliable screening method to evaluate the effects of antimicrobial compounds on phytoplasmas by an ex-vivo approach was developed. By the use of scanning electron microscopy in parallel with molecular tools the direct activity of tetracyclines on phytoplasmas was verified.