Whole genome sequences of two Salmonella Dublin strains harbour viaA, viaB and ompB loci of the Vi antigen

Here we report the genome sequence of two Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin, 03EB8736SAL and 03EB8994SAL, isolated from raw milk cheese and filter of milk respectively. Analysis of draft genomes of the two isolates reveals the presence of viaA, viaB and ompB loci of the Vi capsular polysaccharide antigen (Vi antigen)

New indirect evidence of Permian bi-modal volcanism from sediment petrology in the Orobic Basin (Central Southern Alps, Italy)

The Lower Permian Cabianca Volcanite (lower Collio Fm. Auct.), representing the filling of a large caldera, is dominantly acidic, as most coeval volcanics in the Southern Alps: intermediate rocks are rare and nearly irrelevant by volume (only two small andesite breccia pipes outcrop on the flanks of Mt. Cabianca). Subsurface data document the occurrence of an andesite body in the Novazza mine and a diatreme 2 km to the east (crossed by a prospection well), on the left Serio River valley. Out of the moat, Lower Permian pyroclastics outcrop along tens of kilometres, but intermediate rocks are unreported, except for the Val Pradini \u201cporfirite amigdalare\u201d in the west (Ornica). Permian volcanics and Variscan metamorphics are covered by Lower Permian sediments deposited in a transtensional basin, bound by steep faults and fringed by alluvial fans. The alluvial fan conglomerate of Val Sanguigno, north of Novazza, is dominated by andesitic clasts (cobbles-boulders), which reasonably derived from lavas that were outcropping beyond the southern boundary fault of the basin. Investigations of the petrographic composition of the alluvial fan conglomerates carried out east and west of Mt. Cabianca, allowed comparing the composition of the volcanic rocks preserved in the depocentre (Cabianca Caldera) with the volcanic rocks cropping out outside of it, recorded in the clasts of the alluvial fans at the borders of the Orobic Basin. In the eastern (Lake Barbellino) and central (Val Sanguigno) parts of the basin, conglomerates at the southern border of the basin contain abundant intermediate pebbles, and an increasing proportion of basement clasts to the west. Conglomerates from the northern margin of the basin (Ponteranica Conglomerate, Pizzo dei Tre Signori massif) mainly contain pebbles and cobbles of metamorphic basement, acidic welded tuffs and, subordinately, of grey-green volcanics. In both cases, microscope analysis of associated litharenites revealed significant quantities of intermediate to basic volcanic lithic fragments. Visual estimates suggest that basic to intermediate clasts represent 15 to 20% of the bulk volume. Petrographic composition of Lower Permian conglomerates confirms that Permian streams eroded both volcanic rocks and the Variscan basement, but documents that in the source area of the siliciclastics (i.e. highs bordering the basin) intermediate-basic volcanics were more abundant than in the Cabianca Volcanite. The relatively scarcer acidic pebbles in the conglomerate can be partly ascribed to the fact that they were still incoherent and reluctant to produce pebbles transportable over significant distance. Nevertheless, the high amount of basic-intermediate rocks documents that outside of the caldera these rocks were volumetrically abundant. This fact may be explained suggesting the existence of fractures and faults able to drive and trap basic-intermediate lavas documenting a clear bi-modal distribution of extrusives at the surface

Lithostratigraphy and facies architecture of a Lower Permian continental succession in Central Southern Alps (Orobic Basin, Italy)

The Lower Permian Pizzo del Diavolo Fm. of the Orobic Alps (Laghi Gemelli Gr., upper Collio Fm. Auct.) records, along an E-W area more than 50 km long, events that occurred in a complex continental depositional system, during semi-arid climatic condiitons and in a transtensional tectonic setting. This formation postdates intense volcanic activity and overlays parts of a large caldera and its vast surrounding areas, covered by dominating pyroclastic deposits interbedded with rare braid-plain and lacustrine sediments (Cabianca Volcanite). Post-volcanic sediment distribution reflects the existence of connected half-grabens, characterised by transverse sedimentary input (coarse-grained alluvial fans) evolving into fine-grained heterolitic deposits in the depocentre, hosting ephemeral playa-lakes. Field mapping of two marginal sectors of the Orobic Basin (Pizzo dei Tre Signori massif and Lake Barbellino area), coupled with facies analysis of the Pizzo del Diavolo Fm., led to the identification of significantly different sedimentary evolutions. At the eastern and western ends of the basin, the Pizzo del Diavolo Fm. consists of alluvial fan and floodplain facies associations that differ from the previously studied stratigraphic architecture described in the central part of the basin. The southern borders of the studied areas are characterised by coarse-grained, fining-upward alluvial fan deposits (Val Sanguigno Conglomerate) at their base. The petrographic composition of the conglomerates from the northern border of the basin (Ponteranica Conglomerate) indicates differences in the exposed and eroded rocks from the northern and southern highs, with changes along the basin borders, where conglomeratic units with dominating basement clasts (Mt. Aga Conglomerate) occur. Floodplain facies are similar all along the basin, even if with thickness changes (up to 700 metres in the western part). The stratigraphic architecture observed in the eastern and western sectors markedly differs from that described in the central part of the basin (where a well-organised succession of two fining-upward cycles is described), preventing a detailed correlation of the events across the basin. Also the relative abundance of facies in these three sectors of the basin is different: fine-grained sediments dominate in the central part, whereas coarser deposits occur to the west (Pizzo dei Tre Signori massif) and to the east (Lake Barbellino). The complex architecture of the basin, the difficulty in recognising events or trends that can be traced all across the basin and the different petrographic composition of conglomerates along the northern and southern margins of the basin suggest not only that tectonics controlled facies distribution and depositional environments but also the existence of sub-basins characterised by different evolutions within the greater Orobic Basin, further supporting the envisaged role of strike-slip tectonics

Effects of follower load and rib cage on intervertebral disc pressure and sagittal plane curvature in static tests of cadaveric thoracic spines

The clinical relevance of mechanical testing studies of cadaveric human thoracic spines could be enhanced by using follower preload techniques, by including the intact rib cage, and by measuring thoracic intervertebral disc pressures, but studies to date have not incorporated all of these components simultaneously. Thus, this study aimed to implement a follower preload in the thoracic spine with intact rib cage, and examine the effects of follower load, rib cage stiffening and rib cage removal on intervertebral disc pressures and sagittal plane curvatures in unconstrained static conditions. Intervertebral disc pressures increased linearly with follower load magnitude. The effect of the rib cage on disc pressures in static conditions remains unclear because testing order likely confounded the results. Disc pressures compared well with previous reports in vitro, and comparison with in vivo values suggests the use of a follower load of about 400 N to approximate loading in upright standing. Follower load had no effect on sagittal plane spine curvature overall, suggesting successful application of the technique, although increased flexion in the upper spine and reduced flexion in the lower spine suggest that the follower load path was not optimized. Rib cage stiffening and removal both increased overall spine flexion slightly, although with differing effects at specific spinal locations. Overall, the approaches demonstrated here will support the use of follower preloads, intact rib cage, and disc pressure measurements to enhance the clinical relevance of future studies of the thoracic spine

Effect of follower load on motion and stiffness of the human thoracic spine with intact rib cage

Researchers have reported on the importance of the rib cage in maintaining mechanical stability in the thoracic spine and on the validity of a compressive follower preload. However, dynamic mechanical testing using both the rib cage and follower load has never been studied. An in vitro biomechanical study of human cadaveric thoracic specimens with rib cage intact in lateral bending, flexion/extension, and axial rotation under varying compressive follower preloads was performed. The objective was to characterize the motion and stiffness of the thoracic spine with intact rib cage and follower preload. The hypotheses tested for all modes of bending were (i) range of motion, elastic zone, and neutral zone will be reduced with a follower load, and (ii) neutral and elastic zone stiffness will be increased with a follower load. Eight human cadaveric thoracic spine specimen (T1–T12) with intact rib cage were subjected to 5 Nm pure moments in lateral bending, flexion/extension, and axial rotation under follower loads of 0–400 N. Range of motion, elastic and neutral zones, and elastic and neutral zone stiffness values were calculated for functional spinal units and segments within the entire thoracic section. Combined segmental range of motion decreased by an average of 34% with follower load for every mode. Application of a follower load with intact rib cage impacts the motion and stiffness of the human cadaveric thoracic spine. Researchers should consider including both aspects to better represent the physiologic implications of human motion and improve clinically relevant biomechanical thoracic spine testing

Atomic scale investigation of silicon nanowires and nanoclusters

In this study, we have performed nanoscale characterization of Si-clusters and Si-nanowires with a laser-assisted tomographic atom probe. Intrinsic and p-type silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are elaborated by chemical vapor deposition method using gold as catalyst, silane as silicon precursor, and diborane as dopant reactant. The concentration and distribution of impurity (gold) and dopant (boron) in SiNW are investigated and discussed. Silicon nanoclusters are produced by thermal annealing of silicon-rich silicon oxide and silica multilayers. In this process, atom probe tomography (APT) provides accurate information on the silicon nanoparticles and the chemistry of the nanolayers

Halogenase Genes in Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Gene Clusters of Microcystis (Cyanobacteria): Sporadic Distribution and Evolution

Cyanobacteria of the genus Microcystis are known to produce secondary metabolites of large structural diversity by nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) pathways. For a number of such compounds, halogenated congeners have been reported along with nonhalogenated ones. In the present study, chlorinated cyanopeptolin- and/or aeruginosin-type peptides were detected by mass spectrometry in 17 out of 28 axenic strains of Microcystis. In these strains, a halogenase gene was identified between 2 genes coding for NRPS modules in respective gene clusters, whereas it was consistently absent when the strains produced only nonchlorinated corresponding congeners. Nucleotide sequences were obtained for 12 complete halogenase genes and 14 intermodule regions of gene clusters lacking a halogenase gene or containing only fragments of it. When a halogenase gene was found absent, a specific, identical excision pattern was observed for both synthetase gene clusters in most strains. A phylogenetic analysis including other bacterial halogenases showed that the NRPS-related halogenases of Microcystis form a monophyletic group divided into 2 subgroups, corresponding to either the cyanopeptolin or the aeruginosin peptide synthetases. The distribution of these peptide synthetase gene clusters, among the tested Microcystis strains, was found in relative agreement with their phylogeny reconstructed from 16S–23S rDNA intergenic spacer sequences, whereas the distribution of the associated halogenase genes appears to be sporadic. The presented data suggest that in cyanobacteria these prevalent halogenase genes originated from an ancient horizontal gene transfer followed by duplication in the cyanobacterial lineage. We propose an evolutionary scenario implying repeated gene losses to explain the distribution of halogenase genes in 2 NRPS gene clusters that subsequently defines the seemingly erratic production of halogenated and nonhalogenated aeruginosins and cyanopeptolins among Microcystis strains

Lack of Phylogeographic Structure in the Freshwater Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa Suggests Global Dispersal

Background : Free-living microorganisms have long been assumed to have ubiquitous distributions with little biogeographic signature because they typically exhibit high dispersal potential and large population sizes. However, molecular data provide contrasting results and it is far from clear to what extent dispersal limitation determines geographic structuring of microbial populations. We aimed to determine biogeographical patterns of the bloom-forming freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. Being widely distributed on a global scale but patchily on a regional scale, this prokaryote is an ideal model organism to study microbial dispersal and biogeography. Methodology/Principal Findings : The phylogeography of M. aeruginosa was studied based on a dataset of 311 rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences sampled from six continents. Richness of ITS sequences was high (239 ITS types were detected). Genetic divergence among ITS types averaged 4% (maximum pairwise divergence was 13%). Preliminary analyses revealed nearly completely unresolved phylogenetic relationships and a lack of genetic structure among all sequences due to extensive homoplasy at multiple hypervariable sites. After correcting for this, still no clear phylogeographic structure was detected, and no pattern of isolation by distance was found on a global scale. Concomitantly, genetic differentiation among continents was marginal, whereas variation within continents was high and was mostly shared with all other continents. Similarly, no genetic structure across climate zones was detected. Conclusions/Significance : The high overall diversity and wide global distribution of common ITS types in combination with the lack of phylogeographic structure suggest that intercontinental dispersal of M. aeruginosa ITS types is not rare, and that this species might have a truly cosmopolitan distribution

Biodiversity inventories in high gear: DNA barcoding facilitates a rapid biotic survey of a temperate nature reserve

Comprehensive biotic surveys, or ‘all taxon biodiversity inventories’ (ATBI), have traditionally been limited in scale or scope due to the complications surrounding specimen sorting and species identification. To circumvent these issues, several ATBI projects have successfully integrated DNA barcoding into their identification procedures and witnessed acceleration in their surveys and subsequent increase in project scope and scale. The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario partnered with the rare Charitable Research Reserve and delegates of the 6th International Barcode of Life Conference to complete its own rapid, barcode-assisted ATBI of an established land trust in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Food, education and research: Towards a sustainable future

Educating young people to active citizenship is becoming a priority to make better informed choices and promote sustainable behaviours. Food system information provides a good example, because the way we eat is linked to our health and the one of Planet. In Italian schools, the number of available food education modules is growing. However, most of them stress purely nutritional aspects and focus on the food system is relatively sparse. This paper presents an innovative way of teaching and develop global citizenship competences through food with a project called "We, Food, Our Planet"