Pattern of Hard Seed Breakdown in Some Annual Self-Reseeding Legumes under Mediterranean Field Conditions

In the last decade a new generation of annual pasture legumes was released and introduced in the seed market for the Australian ley systems. In Sardinia (Italy), despite good agronomic performances in the first year, several of these new varieties showed low autumn re-establishment, reducing their competitiveness against native species and depressing any attempt for a long term pasture improvement (Porqueddu et al. 2010). Hardseedness may influence legume persistence. A study on the pattern of hard seed breakdown on some self-reseeding annual pasture legumes was carried out

Investigation of Trypanosoma-induced vascular damage sheds insights into Trypanosoma vivax sequestration

Multiple blood-borne pathogens infecting mammals establish close interactions with the host vascular endothelium as part of their life cycles. In this work, we investigate differences in the interactions of three Trypanosoma species: T. brucei, T. congolense and T. vivax with the blood vasculature. Infection with these species results in vastly different pathologies, including different effects on vascular homeostasis, such as changes in vascular permeability and microhemorrhages. While all three species are extracellular parasites, T. congolense is strictly intravascular, while T. brucei is capable of surviving both extra- and intravascularly. Our knowledge regarding T. vivax tropism and its capacity of migration across the vascular endothelium is unknown. In this work, we show for the first time that T. vivax parasites sequester to the vascular endothelium of most organs, and that, like T. congolense, T. vivax Y486 is largely incapable of extravasation. Infection with this parasite species results in a unique effect on vascular endothelium receptors including general downregulation of ICAM1 and ESAM, and upregulation of VCAM1, CD36 and E-selectin. Our findings on the differences between the two sequestering species (T. congolense and T. vivax) and the non-sequestering, but extravasating, T. brucei raise important questions on the relevance of sequestration to the parasite’s survival in the mammalian host, and the evolutionary relevance of both sequestration and extravasation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Apicomplexa diffusion in tissue samples from slaughtered sheep in Sardinia (Italy)

Sheep breeding plays in Sardinia a major role for the economy of the island with over than 3 millions of animals raised mostly with extensive methods. The results of the present work allow us to conclude that N. caninum did not constitute a health problem for the sheep coming from the monitored districts

Quality Legume-Based Forage Systems for Contrasting Environments: COST Action 852

Agricultural systems that reduce environmental degradation, sustain agricultural productivity and economic viability, maintain stable rural communities, enhance the quality of life and respond to increasing demand for livestock products are promoted in developed countries. Though major challenges exist, forage legumes, adapted to a wide range of soil types, climatic conditions and management systems, will become increasingly important components of sustainable agricultural production systems in Europe. Temporal and spatial variation in legume performance often occurs. Compared to pure grass systems, legume-based systems may lead to increased N losses. To what extent ruminants can use the protein from forage legumes, and whether there are differences among species and cultivars are unknown. To improve reliability and the range of forage legumes, we must understand the constraints of environment, the reasons for divergence between species potential and actual performance and the most efficient way to use the herbage. The COST Action 852 - Quality legume-based forage systems for contrasting environments was set up to help resolve some of these questions

\u3cem\u3ePiptatherum miliaceum (L.)\u3c/em\u3e Coss: A Mediterranean Native Perennial Grass with Potential Use for Bioenergy

In Mediterranean regions, the development of a bioenergy sector is restricted by the scarce availability of species and varieties suitable to cultivation in rainfed environments, where summer drought affects plant survival (Scordia et al., 2014). Native perennial grasses that survive summer drought in a dormant or semi-dormant state may represent potential bioenergy crops. Nevertheless, the native germplasm of Mediterranean perennial grasses is unexplored for bioenergy production, except for giant reed, and little investigated also for other uses, as forage production. Smilo grass (Piptatherum miliaceum (L.) Coss) is a native species growing in marginal environments and it is palatable up to flowering stage. Its high aboveground biomass production suggests the alternative use as bioenergy plant when its palatability decreases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of variability in dry matter yield, biomass partitioning among organs and feedstock quality for bioenergy uses in Sardinian native smilo grass populations

Association between HindIII (rs320) variant in the lipoprotein lipase gene and the presence of coronary artery disease and stroke among the Saudi population

Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) is known to be a key enzyme for lipid metabolism specifically in an enzymatic glycoprotein which provide tissues without fatty-acids and eliminates triglycerides (TG) by the circulation. Mutations in LPL were proven to cause alteration in fractions within lipoprotein, causing the development of atherosclerosis which predispose to weakening coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke. We examined the linkage between genetic variant HindIII in LPL on lipoprotein fractions, stroke occurrences and CAD. In this case-control study, we have recruited 315 CAD cases and 205 age-matched controls. A total of 520 genomic DNA was digested with the purified PCR products for restriction fragment length polymorphism with HindIII restriction enzyme. The distribution of genotypes in a decreasing order were TT, 148 (47%), GT 135 (42.9%) and GG 32 (10.2%) in CAD groups of the study while the pattern in controls were GT 91 (44.4%), TT 86 (42%) and GG 28 (13.7%). None of all the allele or genotype frequencies were found to be significant in our study (p greater than 0.05), while the biochemical levels for both TG and LDL-c were shown to be prone in CAD patients when compare with the controls. Furthermore, the occurence of strokes were more in CAD groups vs. controls: 72 (22.9%) vs. 7 (3.4%) [p 0.000]. This could indicate the influence of HindIII variant on plasma lipid levels, and the possibility of considering it a risk factor for atherosclerosis leading to CAD and stroke occurrence

Annual Clovers Around the World: Current Status and Future Prospects

This paper reviews the distribution and importance of annual clover (Trifolium) species for pasture and fodder production systems globally. Of the 158 recorded annual Trifolium species, 65.2% are endemic to the Mediterranean basin and surrounding areas, 14.6% to sub-Saharan Africa, 17.7% to the United States of America and 2.5% to Chile. Fourteen species have been commercialised, while other endemic and naturalised annual clovers are also utilised. Key species for self-regenerating pastures include T. subterraneum, T. michelianum and T. respinatum var. resupinatum, while major dual-purpose grazing and fodder species include T. incarnatum, T. vesiculosum, T. alexandrinum and T. respinatum var. majus. Less important commercial species include T. hirtum, T. squarrosum, T. nigrescens and T. cherleri. Australian scientists have also recently domesticated T. glanduliferum, T. spumosum, T. purpureum and T. dasyurum. The areas sown to annual clovers may increase in future years, due to increasing nitrogen (N) fertiliser costs, environmental concerns with N runoff. Climate change brings new challenges and opportunities for annual clovers. The forage plant genetic resource centres will be crucial for developing new adapted cultivars

Lack of association between serum immunoreactivity and Chlamydia pneumoniae detection in the human aortic wall

Only a few studies have focused the attention on the relation between elevated anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) antibodies and the detection of CP in the arterial wall. The aim of our study is thus to investigate the relationship between immune response to CP and detection of CP in the aortic walls of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm

Commissioning of the new AGS MMPS transformers

The Brookhaven AGS Main Magnet Power Supply (MMPS) is a thyristor control supply rated at 5500 Amps. +/-9000 Volts. The peak magnet power is 50 MWatts. The power supply is fed from a motor/generator manufactured by Siemens. During rectify and invert operation the P Bank power supplies are used. During the flattops the F Bank power supplies are used. The P Bank power supplies are fed from two 23 MVA transformers and the F Bank power supplies are fed from two 5.3 MYA transformers. The fundamental frequency of the F Bank power supplies is 1440 Hz, however the fundamental frequency of the P banks was 720 Hz. It was very important to reduce the ripple during rectify to improve polarized proton operations. For this reason and also because the original transformers were 45 years old we replaced these transformers with new ones and we made the fundamental frequency of both P and F banks 1440 Hz. This paper will highlight the major hurdles that were involved during the installation of the new transformers. It will present waveforms while running at different power levels up to 6MW full load. It will show the transition from the F-Bank power supplies to the P-Banks and also show the improvements in ripple made on the P-Bank power supplies

Higher Yield and Fewer Weeds in Four-Species Grass/Legume Mixtures Than in Monocultures: Results from the First Year at 20 Sites of Cost Action 852

Utilisation of grass/legume mixtures instead of grass monocultures is a sensible alternative for low input, efficient agricultural systems that reduce production costs, promote environmental policy and maintain a living countryside. Consequently, widely adapted forage legumes will become increasingly important. Instability of simple grass / legume mixtures with only one grass and one legume species is a major problem (Wachendorf et al., 2001). An experiment was established in 39 sites in Europe, Australia and Canada within COST Action 852 to: (1) assess the benefits of grass / legume mixtures in terms of forage production, (2) test whether the combination of fast and slow-growing species improves the stability of the mixtures and (3) assess response patterns over a large environmental gradient