Chloroquine enhances human CD8+ T cell responses against soluble antigens in vivo

The presentation of exogenous protein antigens in a major histocompatibility complex class I–restricted fashion to CD8+ T cells is called cross-presentation. We demonstrate that cross-presentation of soluble viral antigens (derived from hepatitis C virus [HCV], hepatitis B virus [HBV], or human immunodeficiency virus) to specific CD8+ T cell clones is dramatically improved when antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) are pulsed with the antigen in the presence of chloroquine or ammonium chloride, which reduce acidification of the endocytic system. The export of soluble antigen into the cytosol is considerably higher in chloroquine-treated than in untreated DCs, as detected by confocal microscopy of cultured cells and Western blot analysis comparing endocytic and cytosolic fractions. To pursue our findings in an in vivo setting, we boosted groups of HBV vaccine responder individuals with a further dose of hepatitis B envelope protein vaccine with or without a single dose of chloroquine. Although all individuals showed a boost in antibody titers to HBV, six of nine individuals who were administered chloroquine showed a substantial CD8+ T cell response to HBV antigen, whereas zero of eight without chloroquine lacked a CD8 response. Our results suggest that chloroquine treatment improves CD8 immunity during vaccination

Biomasse in agricoltura. Caratterizzazione e utilizzo sostenibile.

Il concetto di qualità, per una biomassa, può assumere declinazioni diverse in funzione di quello che sarà il suo utilizzo. In termini generali, quando ci riferiamo ad una biomassa, il termine “qualità” deve assumere una connotazione quantitativa basata cioè su parametri misurabili dal momento che, quando se ne prevede la valorizzazione in ambiti agricoli o di altro tipo, essa perde il suo status di rifiuto per assumere quello di “prodotto”, di un bene cioè in grado di soddisfare un determinato bisogno. In tale senso possiamo fare riferimento a Kant che, nella Critica del Giudizio, affermava che “solo la conoscenza implica l’esistenza di un oggetto percepibile e una funzione, a priori, intrinseca e in grado di organizzare la percezione dell’oggetto”. Esempio: “il bello non è una proprietà delle cose, ma nasce dal rapporto tra le cose e noi e, precisamente, dal rapporto fra la loro immagine e il nostro sentimento”. Dal pensiero di Kant si origina il concetto di qualità nella storia contemporanea. Juran (1951) definisce la qualità come “idoneità all’uso” e, più di recente, possiamo fare riferimento alla norma UNI EN ISO 8402 (1995) che definisce la qualità “l’insieme delle proprietà e delle caratteristiche di un prodotto o servizio che gli conferiscono l’attitudine a soddisfare bisogni espressi o impliciti”. Applicato alle biomasse è quindi possibile attribuire ad esse un differente livello di qualità in base all’utilizzo che ne verrà fatto

A Circular Economy Model to Improve Phosphate Rock Fertiliser Using Agro-Food By-Products

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for the plant life cycle. The agricultural management of phosphorus is complicated by the inefficient use of phosphorus by plants, consequent environmental losses, and the rapid consumption of slowly renewed phosphate rock (PR). These issues represent a huge environmental burden and jeopardise food production. In this study, we proposed the combination of this fertiliser with food-processing by-products such as olive pomace, barley spent grain, and citrus pomace to increase phosphate rock solubility and the efficient use of P. Phosphate rock, by-products, and mixtures of phosphate rock and by-products were placed into litterbags and buried in sand. Periodically, one replicate per treatment was collected for the destructive measurement of total and water-soluble phosphorus. In parallel, pH, organic matter, and ash content were measured to investigate the mechanisms behind changes in P content. The mixtures’ P-release values ranged between 80% and 88%, whereas phosphate rock lost 23% of its P over 30 days. Phosphate rock showed a constant water-soluble P fraction at the four sampling times, whereas the mixtures exhibited a highly water-soluble P fraction that tended to decrease over time. Specifically, citrus pomace led to the significant and rapid release of phosphorus, barley spent grain maintained the highest water-soluble fraction over 30 days, and olive pomace was not the best-performing product but still performed better than pure phosphate rock. Moreover, the increased solubility of phosphate rock in mixtures was significantly (p < 0.001) ascribed to the reduction in pH. The results of this experiment are promising for in vivo trials and suggest the possibility of simple and easily achievable solutions for more sustainable production systems and effective P-fertilisation strategies. Proposing such easily applicable and inexpensive solutions can reduce the distance between research achievements and field applications

A Circular Economy Model to Improve Phosphate Rock Fertiliser Using Agro-Food By-Products

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for the plant life cycle. The agricultural management of phosphorus is complicated by the inefficient use of phosphorus by plants, consequent environmental losses, and the rapid consumption of slowly renewed phosphate rock (PR). These issues represent a huge environmental burden and jeopardise food production. In this study, we proposed the combination of this fertiliser with food-processing by-products such as olive pomace, barley spent grain, and citrus pomace to increase phosphate rock solubility and the efficient use of P. Phosphate rock, by-products, and mixtures of phosphate rock and by-products were placed into litterbags and buried in sand. Periodically, one replicate per treatment was collected for the destructive measurement of total and water-soluble phosphorus. In parallel, pH, organic matter, and ash content were measured to investigate the mechanisms behind changes in P content. The mixtures’ P-release values ranged between 80% and 88%, whereas phosphate rock lost 23% of its P over 30 days. Phosphate rock showed a constant water-soluble P fraction at the four sampling times, whereas the mixtures exhibited a highly water-soluble P fraction that tended to decrease over time. Specifically, citrus pomace led to the significant and rapid release of phosphorus, barley spent grain maintained the highest water-soluble fraction over 30 days, and olive pomace was not the best-performing product but still performed better than pure phosphate rock. Moreover, the increased solubility of phosphate rock in mixtures was significantly (p < 0.001) ascribed to the reduction in pH. The results of this experiment are promising for in vivo trials and suggest the possibility of simple and easily achievable solutions for more sustainable production systems and effective P-fertilisation strategies. Proposing such easily applicable and inexpensive solutions can reduce the distance between research achievements and field applications

Assessment of addition of biochar to filtering mixtures for potential water pollutant removal

Green roofs are used increasingly to alleviate peaks of water discharge into the sewage systems in urban areas. Surface runoff from roofs contain pollutants from dry and wet deposition, and green roofs offer a possibility to reduce the amounts of pollutants in the water discharged from roofs by degradation and filtering. These pollutants would otherwise enter wastewater treatments plants and ultimately end up in sewage sludge that is spread on agricultural soils. The most common substrates used in green roofs have limited capacity for filtration and sorption. Also, more sustainable alternatives are sought, due to the high carbon footprint of these materials. Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by pyrolysis of biomass, and several types of biochar have been described as good sorbents and filter materials. Biochar is also a light and carbon negative material, which may fulfill other desired criteria for new green roof substrates. We here report on an experiment where two types of biochar, produced from olive husks at 450 °C or from forest waste at 850 ° C were mixed with volcanic rock or peat, and tested for retention capacity of phenanthrene and six heavy metals in a column experiment with unsaturated gravimetric water flow lasting for 3 weeks. The results suggest that biochar as a component in green roof substrates perform better than traditional materials, concerning retention of the tested pollutants, and that different types of biochar have different properties in this respect

Monitoring of Soil Copper Concentrations in Different Organic Farms over a Three-Year Period in Apulia, South-Eastern Italy

Copper is considered as a cornerstone of grapevine downy mildew and olive fly management in Apulian organic farms in particular and in the Mediterranean area in general. In this work we studied the influence of soil properties, cultural practices, and pest management strategies on copper concentrations and accumulation in organic vineyards and olive groves of Apulia (south-eastern Italy). In 2005, 2006, and 2007 about 70 soil samples were collected from 13 organic olive groves and vineyards at 0-0.2 m and 0.2-0.4 m depths in five Apulian organic farms representing a wide range of soils physicochemical properties. Results of physical and chemical analyses, carried out in 2005 and 2007, highlighted notable differences between soil samples in terms of total carbonate, clay, and organic matter contents, while pH values were very similar. Copper input in 2004, 2005, and 2006 ranged from 7.6 to 46.8 kg/ha. Total copper concentrations, determined in 2005, 2006, and 2007 with ICP-OES, showed a moderate Cu accumulation, higher in the shallow layer than in the subsoil and in vineyards than in olive groves in all the sampled farms and for both sampling layers. Cu accumulation increased with increasing copper-based treatments number and application rates, and also with increasing pHH2O, clay, and organic matter. Copper availability was higher in the shallow layer than in the subsoil and in vineyards than in olive groves especially in 0-0.2 m layer. Results showed that copper has a medium accumulation in Apulian soils, therefore regulations limiting its use (i.e. CR 473/2002) should be rigorously applied and its alternatives use should be encouraged in order to minimize possible long term effects on soils

Total sulphur contents over a three-year period in different organic vineyards of Apulia region, South-Eastern Italy

Sulphur (S) is one of the most important pillars of pest control in organic viticulture. In organic vineyards, sulphur is used mainly for the control of grapevine powdery mildew. Grapevine is widely grown organically in Apulian farms. The objective of the work was to evaluate total sulphur concentrations with ICP-OES in four Apulian organic vineyard over a three-year period. Total sulphur contents were determined also in other fields such as olive groves and a pasture where no sulphur had been used. The highest values were found in the organic vineyard where the smallest quantities of sulphur were used. No relationship was found between sulphur applications and its effective accumulations. A decrease of S concentrations was observed in the vineyard where the highest quantity of sulphur was used in 2005 and 2006 growing seasons whereas an increase was observed in the field where relatively low quantities had been applied. Furthermore, total S concentrations were higher in the control fields where no sulphur-based treatments had been performed. Results obtained indicated that many factors must be taken into account while considering sulphur turnover, the most important of which are soil management, climate and crop growth pattern. A positive correlation was found between total S concentrations and organic matter contents. Our results, although confined into a relatively short period of time, underlined the urgent need for further investigations to follow sulphur long-term dynamics in the Mediterranean soils

Chemical Composition and In Vitro Activity of Plant Extracts from Ferula communis and Dittrichia viscosa against Postharvest Fungi

F. communis and D. viscosa are perennial Mediterranean weeds that have been used for different therapeutic purposes in traditional pharmacopeia. Plant extracts were obtained from air dried D. viscosa young shoots (DvA) and F. communis aerial part (FcA) and roots (FcR) with n-hexane. The chemical compositions of the extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, LC-MS (ESI) and LC-Q-TOF techniques. Two sesquiterpene lactones (inuviscolide, tomentosin) and three sesquiterpene acids (costic acid, hydroxycostic acid, ilicic acid) were identified from the D. viscosa extract, while in F. communis extracts three daucane sesquiterpenes (acetoxyferutinin, oxojaeskeanadioyl anisate, fertidin) and one coumarin (ferulenol) derivates were found. Biological activities of plant extracts were studied in in vitro experiments on the colonies and conidia of Botryotinia fuckeliana, Penicillium digitatum, P. expansum, Monilinia laxa, M. fructigena and Aspergillus spp. Extracts showed varying degree of antifungal activities on colony growth and conidia germination. The extract from FcA showed the least effect, while DvA extract had the strongest fungitoxic effects. FcR extract presented a fungitoxic effect on the colony growth, but it was not able to inhibit the conidia germination. These distinctions can be attributed to the differences in chemical composition of plant extracts

Compost tea supplied by partial root-zone drying irrigation affected growth and productivity of eggplants and cucumbers grown in succession

Partial root-zone drying irrigation techniques and application of compost tea are practices that, when used separately, have demonstrated beneficial effects on crop productivity in organic farming, with efficient use of natural resources. The aim of this work was to investigate effects of the combination of applying compost tea and using partial root-zone drying irrigation on the growth of eggplants (Solanum melongena L.) and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) grown in succession, on the quantity and quality of the fruits produced, and on soil nutrients after the two growing seasons. The objective was to assess how the two factors, irrigation technique and fertilising method, and the combination of the two, influenced the parameters investigated. Application of compost tea via partial root-zone drying irrigation resulted in well-developed plants and high yields with good quality fruit for both eggplants and cucumbers and did not lead to depletion of soil nutrients, compared with the use commercial organic fertilizers or standard irrigation. Most of the investigated parameters were affected by the interaction of the two factors, though the yield of both crops was more affected by the irrigation technique, while the fertilising approach had a greater effect on the quality of the cucumber fruit. Nevertheless, the combination of compost tea with partial root-zone drying irrigation resulted in competitive performance against the other treatments, whilst reducing the use of resources. The findings showed the effectiveness of applying compost tea by partial root-zone drying irrigation and this was recommended for organic agriculture systems

Metabolic and genetic patterns of soil microbial communities in response to different amendments under organic farming system

In the organic farming system plant production mostly depends on the decomposition of soil organic matter through the activity of the microbial biomass, which is able to provide significant quantities of essential nutrients for plant growth. The aim of this work was to compare the persistence of microbial heterotrophic metabolism along decimal dilutions of soil treated with different organic amendments, by using Biolog EcoPlate™. The amount of the different amendments was adjusted in order to meet the N requirement of tomato crop. The Biolog results were used to draw a binomial matrix of data by setting all the positive results to 1 and all the negative results to 0. The occurrence of the microbial oxidation of each Biolog Ecoplates™ C source was calculated as probability ‘p’ on the binomial set of data for each dilution. In terms of persistence of C sources utilization by soil microflora, along decimal soil dilutions, the treatments can be roughly divided in 3 different categories: the worst performing (control), the intermediate performing (biochar), and the best performing (biochar added to an organic fertilizer, the organic fertilizer alone and 3 composts). Biolog positive wells at the dilution 10− 4 were used to carry out a molecular characterization of bacterial communities by 16S fingerprinting, through the H′ Shannon diversity index. Microbial communities utilizing cellulose and hemicelluloses as C source changed their species composition in response to the different amendments. In particular, amendments with biochar, regardless of the application of organic fertilizers, brought to the highest diversity of cellulose degrading bacteria