Preliminary results on population dynamics and host plants of

This work dealt with Hyalesthes obsoletus, which is the only known vector of Bois noir disease in grapevine. Investigation centered on its flight activity and occurrence on bindweed and stinging nettle and, to a lesser extent, hedge bindweed and dead-nettle in North-Eastern Italy. The survey underlined the importance of bindweed in the insect lifecycle in Northern Italy, where only data from stinging nettle had previously been recorded. H. obsoletus nymphs were found for the first time on the roots of dead-nettle, which proved to be a new host plant. The first observation in Italy of nymphs on hedge bindweed roots was also recorded

Diversity of grapevine yellows in Germany

Research Not

Widespread somatosensory sensitivity in naturally occurring canine model of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA)-associated pain is a leading cause of disability. Central sensitization (CS), as a result of OA, is recognized as an important facet of human patients' chronic pain and has been measured in people using quantitative sensory testing (QST) testing. The spontaneous canine OA model has been suggested as a good translational model, but CS has not been explored in this model. In this study, QST was performed on dogs with and without spontaneous hip or stifle OA to determine whether OA is associated with CS in this model. Mechanical (von Frey and blunt pressure) and thermal (hot and cold) sensory thresholds obtained in dogs with chronic OA-associated pain (n = 31) were compared with those of normal dogs (n = 23). Dogs were phenotyped and joint-pain scored, and testing was performed at the OA-affected joint, cranial tibial muscle, and dorsal metatarsal region. QST summary data were evaluated using mixed-effect models to understand the influence of OA status and covariates, and dogs with OA and control dogs were compared. The presence of OA was strongly associated with hyperalgesia across all QST modalities at the index joint, cranial tibial muscle, and metatarsal site. Mechanical QST scores were significantly moderately negatively correlated with total joint-pain scores. The spontaneous canine OA model is associated with somatosensory sensitivity, likely indicative of CS. These data further validate the canine spontaneous OA model as an appropriate model of the human OA pain condition

Aspectos econômico-produtivos da atividade leiteira em sistemas de produção de base familiar na região noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul.

A Região Noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul representa um importante pólo de produção leiteira e, a qual está, em grande parte, baseada em unidades familiares. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar, analisar e discutir aspectos econômico-produtivos desses sistemas de produção, com enfoque na pecuária leiteira. Interagindo com as famílias de agricultores participantes do Programa Rede Leite, tem-se acompanhado várias unidades produtivas, observando e realizando registros. Nesse estudo, analisaram-se dados provenientes de 29 propriedades, caracterizadas por 18 indicadores econômico-produtivos, utilizando-se como ferramenta a estatística multivariada. Identificou-se a formação de dois tipos básicos de sistemas de produção, diferenciados principalmente pela área total da propriedade, que, por sua vez, condiciona diferenças em outras variáveis. Os agricultores dispõem de variadas estratégias produtivas em função das condições e recursos próprios do sistema. A identificação e caracterização dos tipos de sistemas de produção nos permitem gerar proposições no sentido de melhorar os processos produtivos e conferir maior sustentabilidade

Strategien zur Regulation der Schwarzfäule (Guignardia bidwellii) im ökologischen Weinbau

Die Schwarzfäule tritt in einigen deutschen Weinbaugebieten flächendeckend auf und kann gravierende Ertragsausfälle verursachen. Um die Produktionssicherheit im ökologischen Weinbau zu gewährleisten, wurde ein Kooperationsprojekt mit der Zielsetzung initiiert, Informationen über die Biologie des Schadpilzes zu erarbeiten und Strategien zur Prävention und Bekämpfung der Krankheit unter den spezifischen Bedingungen des ökologischen Weinbaus zu entwickeln. Die Biologie des Schaderregers und seiner Interaktionen mit der Rebe wurde in Hinblick auf die Fruchtkörperentwicklung, die Sporenbildung und den Infektionsprozess eingehend untersucht und in Beziehung zu Witterungsbedingungen und Bewirtschaftungsparametern gesetzt. Die Ergebnisse bilden eine Grundlage für die Einschätzung des Infektionsrisikos und die Entwicklung von Entscheidungshilfen für den Rebschutz. Traditionelle und „pilzwiderstandsfähige“ Rebsorten wurden hinsichtlich ihrer Anfälligkeit für die Schwarzfäule charakterisiert, wodurch den Winzern Informationen für die Auswahl weniger Anfälliger Sorten zum Anbau in Befallsgebieten zur Verfügung stehen. Befallenes Rebholz und befallene Ranken wurden als bedeutende Quellen des Primärinokulums der Schwarzfäule identifiziert. Das Entfernen befallener Blätter bei Laubarbeiten erwies sich als Möglichkeit, das Infektionsrisiko für die Trauben zu reduzieren. Aus einer Vielzahl von Mikroorganismen, Pflanzenextrakten, Pflanzenschutz- und –stärkungsmitteln wurden wirksame Agenzien selektiert und im Freiland unter Praxisbedingungen geprüft. Die Kombination von Pflanzenschutzmitteln auf der Basis von Schwefel und Kupfer war besonders wirksam. Wurde, abhängig vom Entwicklungsstadium und dem Infektionsrisiko, das Kupfer mit Gesteinsmehl ersetzt, ließ sich der Kupferaufwand erheblich reduzieren. Im Gegensatz zu Gewächshausversuchen war die Wirkung saponinhaltiger Pflanzenextrakte im Freiland unzureichend. Bei entsprechender Formulierung zur Verbesserung der Regenfestigkeit könnte das große Potential dieser Pflanzenextrakte jedoch genutzt werden. Aufgrund der Ergebnisse des Forschungsprojekts stehen dem ökologischen Weinbau Informationen als Grundlage eines umfassenden Managementkonzepts für die Schwarzfäule zur Verfügung

Subjective Sleep Quality Deteriorates Before Development of Painful Temporomandibular Disorder

There is good evidence that poor sleep quality increases risk of painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD). However little is known about the course of sleep quality in the months preceding TMD onset, and whether the relationship is mediated by heightened sensitivity to pain. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was administered at enrollment into the OPPERA prospective cohort study. Thereafter the Sleep Quality Numeric Rating Scale was administered every three months to 2,453 participants. Sensitivity to experimental pressure pain and pinprick pain stimuli was measured at baseline and repeated during follow-up of incident TMD cases (n=220) and matched TMD-free controls (n=193). Subjective sleep quality deteriorated progressively, but only in those who subsequently developed TMD. A Cox proportional hazards model showed that risk of TMD was greater among participants whose sleep quality worsened during follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio=1.73, 95% confidence limits: 1.29, 2.32). This association was independent of baseline measures of sleep quality, psychological stress, somatic awareness, comorbid conditions, non-pain facial symptoms and demographics. Poor baseline sleep quality was not significantly associated with baseline pain sensitivity or with subsequent change in pain sensitivity. Furthermore the relationship between sleep quality and TMD incidence was not mediated via baseline pain sensitivity nor change in pain sensitivity

Sensitive lipid biomarker detection for tuberculosis in late Neanderthal skeletons from Subalyuk Cave, Hungary

Skeletal remains of two Neanderthal individuals, a 25-35 year-old woman and a 3-4 year-old child, were discovered in a Subalyuk Cave in North-Eastern Hungary. Radiocarbon dating of the female and child remains revealed an age of 39,732-39,076 and 36,117-35,387 cal BP, respectively. Paleopathological studies of these Neanderthal remains revealed probable evidence of skeletal mycobacterial infection, including in the sacrum of the adult specimen and the endocranial surface of the child's skull. Application of PCR amplification to the juvenile cranium and a vertebra gave a positive result (IS6110) for tuberculosis, backed up by spoligotyping. Lipid biomarker analyses of the same two specimens revealed definitive signals for C32 mycoserosates, a very characteristic component of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). A vertebra from the adult provided weak evidence for mycocerosate biomarkers. The correlation of probable skeletal lesions with characteristic amplified DNA fragments and a proven lipid biomarker points to the presence of tuberculosis in these Neanderthals. In particular, the closely similar biomarker profiles, for two distinct juvenile cranial and vertebral bones, strengthen this diagnosis. </p

Central Processing of Noxious Somatic Stimuli in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome Compared With Healthy Controls

To compare a central analgesic mechanism known as diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) using somatic test stimuli and somatic conditioning stimuli, (CS) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy controls