Following basal stem rot in young oil palm plantings

The PCR primer GanET has previously been shown to be suitable for the specific amplification of DNA from Ganoderma boninense. A DNA extraction and PCR method has been developed that allows for the amplification of the G. boninense DNA from environmental samples of oil palm tissue. The GanET primer reaction was used in conjunction with a palm-sampling programme to investigate the possible infection of young palms through cut frond base surfaces. Ganoderma DNA was detected in frond base material at a greater frequency than would be expected by comparison with current infection levels. Comparisons are made between the height of the frond base infected, the number of frond bases infected, and subsequent development of basal stem rot. The preliminary results suggest that the development of basal stem rot may be more likely to occur when young lower frond bases are infected

"Baumeister". Architettura urbana tra cultura accademica e cultura politecnica. Riflessioni e linee possibili per una ricerca - "Baumeister". Urban architecture between academic culture and polytechnic culture. Thoughts and possible research lines

il contributo esamina le linee di diffusione di una prassi edilizia "raisonnable", in particolare tra Torino e Milano tra 1870 e 1930, con riferimenti alla cultura architettonica italiana ed europea. The paper examines the diffusion lines of a " raisonnable " building practices , particularly between Turin and Milan between 1870 and 1930, with references to Italian and European architectural culture

Role of serotonergic neurons in the Drosophila larval response to light

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Drosophila </it>larval locomotion consists of forward peristalsis interrupted by episodes of pausing, turning and exploratory behavior (head swinging). This behavior can be regulated by visual input as seen by light-induced increase in pausing, head swinging and direction change as well as reduction of linear speed that characterizes the larval photophobic response. During 3^rdinstar stage, <it>Drosophila </it>larvae gradually cease to be repelled by light and are photoneutral by the time they wander in search for a place to undergo metamorphosis. Thus, <it>Drosophila </it>larval photobehavior can be used to study control of locomotion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We used targeted neuronal silencing to assess the role of candidate neurons in the regulation of larval photobehavior. Inactivation of DOPA decarboxylase (Ddc) neurons increases the response to light throughout larval development, including during the later stages of the 3^rdinstar characterized by photoneutral response. Increased response to light is characterized by increase in light-induced direction change and associated pause, and reduction of linear movement. Amongst Ddc neurons, suppression of the activity of corazonergic and serotonergic but not dopaminergic neurons increases the photophobic response observed during 3^rdinstar stage. Silencing of serotonergic neurons does not disrupt larval locomotion or the response to mechanical stimuli. Reduced serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) signaling within serotonergic neurons recapitulates the results obtained with targeted neuronal silencing. Ablation of serotonergic cells in the ventral nerve cord (VNC) does not affect the larval response to light. Similarly, disruption of serotonergic projections that contact the photoreceptor termini in the brain hemispheres does not impact the larval response to light. Finally, pan-neural over-expression of 5-HT1A_Droreceptors, but not of any other 5-HT receptor subtype, causes a significant decrease in the response to light of 3^rdinstar larvae.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data demonstrate that activity of serotonergic and corazonergic neurons contribute to the control of larval locomotion by light. We conclude that this control is carried out by 5-HT neurons located in the brain hemispheres, but does not appear to occur at the photoreceptor level and may be mediated by 5-HT1A_Droreceptors. These findings provide new insights into the function of 5-HT neurons in <it>Drosophila </it>larval behavior as well as into the mechanisms underlying regulation of larval response to light.</p

Increased levels of hyaluronic acid in bronchoalveolar lavage from patients with interstitial lung diseases, relationship with lung function and inflammatory cells recruitment

Purpose: Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) are characterized by inflammation and fibrosis. It described the role of hyaluronic acid (HA) as an immune-regulator. It is not known if HA contributes to the recruitment of inflammatory cells associated with ILD. If this hypothesis was correct, then concentrations of HA in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) should correlate with the severity of ILD. Methods: We collected BAL from 22 ILD patients and 15 control subjects. We determined HA and cytokine levels by ELISA. In vitro chemotaxis assays were performed by using a transwell system. Results: We found that ILD patients showed a significant increase in HA, IL-6 levels and the amount of cells in BAL compared to control subjects. We detected a significant positive correlation between HA and IL-6 levels (r = 0.53 and p < 0.001) and an inverse relationship between HA levels and diffusion capacity (r = -0.59, p < 0.01). In vitro, HA induced migration of macrophages and monocytes through a CD44-dependent process. BAL from patients with ILD stimulated macro-phage migration and this was abrogated by hyaluronidase. Conclusions: Our results support the hypothesis that HA contributes to the recruitment of monocytes towards the alveolar space, leading to exacerbation of lung inflammation in ILD patients.Fil: Ernst, Glenda. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Hospital María Ferrer; ArgentinaFil: Jancic, Carolina Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Auteri, Santiago. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Hospital María Ferrer; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez Moncalvo, Juan. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Hospital María Ferrer; ArgentinaFil: Galíndez, Fernando. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Hospital María Ferrer; ArgentinaFil: Grynblat, Pedro. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Hospital María Ferrer; ArgentinaFil: Hajos, Silvia Elvira. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; Argentin

OPTIMIZATION OF OENOLOGICAL PRACTICES TO REDUCE BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS IN WINE

L’ocratossina e le ammine biogene sono due metaboliti biologici che possono essere ritrovati nei vini. Il primo di questi contaminanti è stato studiato recentemente per la sua elevata tossicità sebbene non sia rintracciabile frequentemente nei vini. Le ammine biogene sono presenti in ogni tipo di vino in differenti concentrazioni, oltretutto, alcune di loro, ad alte concentrazioni, possono causare reazioni allergiche. Gli obiettivi di questo PhD riguardano tre differenti aspetti. Indagare metodi biologici di per la decontaminazione di ocratossina A durante la vinificazione; in particolare lo studio si è focalizzato sull’uso di un ceppo Lactobacillus plantarum utilizzato come starter malolattico. Valutare la presenza di Lactobacillus spp., isolati da mosto e vino, in grado di produrre ammine biogene, usando tecniche molecolari come la reazione a catena della polimerasi (PCR) per rilevare i geni codificanti gli enzimi responsabili della sintesi di questi composti. Testare la capacità di un L. plantarum di effettuare la malolattica effettuando l’inoculo in differenti fasi della vinificazione e valutare il trend delle ammine biogene già presenti nel mosto.Two of the major biological metabolites present in wine are the ochratoxin and the biogenic amines. The first of these contaminants was studied in recent decades because of its toxicity in humans, although its presence is not frequent in wines. The biogenic amines are present in every types of wine in different concentration, and some of them, in high concentrations, can cause allergenic reactions in humans. The objectives of this PhD regard three different aspects. Investigate the biological methods to reduce ochratoxin A in wine during winemaking; in particular the study is focused to use a Lactobacillus plantarum strain as malolactic starter. Investigate the presence of Lactobacillus spp., isolated from must and wine, able to produce the amines, using molecular techniques as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the genes that encode for the enzymes responsible of the synthesis of these compounds. Test the ability of a L. plantarum to perform MLF in relationship with inoculation time and assess the trend of biogenic amines already present in must