Phenological characteristics of different winegrape cultivars in Central Italy

Statistical models based on temperature accumulation are used to estimate grapevine phenology (e.g. bud break, flowering) through summation of daily heat requirements calibrated from a base temperature and a given date. This study was designed to define the grapevine agro-phenological behaviour through analysis of potential trends of some principal phenological phenomena, such as flowering, harvest, and berry sugar levels at harvest. The data utilized were recorded over a 13-year period (2000-2012) for different grape varieties in the Umbria wine region in central Italy. Moreover, to determine the more important relationships between meteorological variables and recorded data, partial least-squares regressions were carried out. The trend analysis for berry sugar accumulation shows increasing degrees during the study period that were linked more to the 'Grechetto' cultivar than to the 'Chardonnay' and 'Merlot' cultivars, and then to 'Cabernet'. The statistical model that was focused on the study of the relationships between mean annual berry sugar levels and meteorological variables showed that mean maximum temperatures in April and July are the most important predictive variables for berry sugar accumulation, through their positive influence on berry sugar degree

Paleogenomic and ancient DNA

Introduction The DNA is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic information necessary for RNA and protein biosynthesis. DNA extracted from past samples (teeth, bones, faeces, etc.) is defined ancient DNA (aDNA) and needs, to preserve, low level of oxygen, fast decrease in water content and, above all, according to the Arrhenius equation, low temperature. From 1985 (first aDNA extracted from a mummy) with the introduction of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) several studies of paleogenomic were born, but it is essential to identify some possible errors such as fragmentations, contaminations and post-mortal mutations [1]. The applications of the paleogenomic are: evolutionary biology, population studies, studies of the pathogens and microorganism. Materials and methods We report 3 cases studied by the Division of Paleopathology of Pisa: a) Ferrante I, king of Naples (1431-1494). The natural mummy showed round white formations of the pelvis infiltrating the abdominal wall ( 1a-b). b) Maria of Aragon (1503-1568). The well-preserved artificial mummy had a small peduncolate arborescence neoformation in the right inguinal region. c) Andean female mummy (so-called ‘Fi9’) dated 10th–11th century A.D by radiocarbonium analyses. The natural young mummy presented a marked megavisceral syndrome characterized by megacolon, megaoesophagus and cardiomegaly. It was possible to perform complete autopsies and collect tissue samples utilized for histological analyses and DNA extraction. Results a) Histology performed on the round formations confirmed the diagnosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma. Amplification of aDNA highlighted a point mutation of the codon 12 in K-Ras oncogene responsible for the cancer [2] (fig. 1c). b) Macroscopic and histological aspects seemed peculiar of condyloma acuminatum, a papillomavirus-induced squamous lesion also called “venereal wart”. Molecular study revealed the presence of HPV 18, a virus with high oncogenic potential. Automated sequencing of several clones revealed 100% similarity sequences of both HPV 18 and JC9813 DNA, a putative novel HPV with low oncogenic potential [3] (fig. 2c) c) Analysis of the gut microbiome (paleofeces, descending, transverse and ascending colon) underlined the massive presence of Clostridiceae. Sequences homologous to HPVs in the mummified gut (descending colon) was particularly surprising. It was detected also the Tripanosoma cruzi; by comparing a partial sequence homologous to the large ribosomal subunit alpha of the presumptive ancient T. cruzi with modern strains, we suggest that this pathogen may have a more remote origin than previously expected. We also found sequences associated with putative beta-lactamases, penicillin-binding proteins, resistance to fosfomycin, chloramphenicol, aminoglycosides, macrolides, sulfa, quinolones, tetracycline and vancomycin, and multi-drug transporters [4] (fig. 3c). Conclusion a) The alimentary “environment” of the Neapolitan court of the XV century, with its abundance of natural alimentary alkylating agents (red smoked meat), well explains the acquired mutation of K-Ras. b) This represented the first molecular diagnosis of HPV in mummies. HPV is a very old virus that evolved together with man. c) Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacillus and Pseudomonas sequences were identified in the mummified gut, opening the opportunity to investigate possible mechanisms by which these bacteria are preserved. The detection of sequences homologous to those of pathogens such as T. cruzi and HPV indicate their presence in the Americas prior to European colonization. The presence of antibiotic-resistance genes in an 11th century pre-Columbian Andean mummy is intriguing as antibiotics were introduced recently. The presence of beta-lactam antibiotic resistance is certainly not unexpected in any culture, as would be in the case of resistance to any natural rather than a semi- or completely synthetic antibiotic as a result of exposure to natural antibiotic-producing microbiota originating from the environment (e.g. soil); however, vancomycin, particularly, was discovered more than 50 years ago, and vancomycin-resistance genes have been mainly implicated with the increased use of this antibiotic. The presence of antibiotic-resistance genes in the ancient human gut microbiome clearly indicates that these genes pre-date therapeutical use of these compounds and that they are not necessarily associated to a selective pressure of antibiotics use. Identification of pathogens and antibiotic-resistance genes in ancient human specimens will aid in the understanding of the evolution of pathogens as a way to treat and prevent diseases caused by bacteria, microbial eukaryotes and viruses. References Willerslev E, Cooper A. Review paper. Ancient Dna. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences. 2005; 272(1558):3– 16. Marchetti A, Pellegrini S, Bevilacqua G, Fornaciari G. K-RAS mutation in the tumour of Ferrante I of Aragon, King of Naples. The Lancet; 1996, May 4;347(9010):1272. Fornaciari G, Zavaglia K, Ciranni R. Human papillomavirus in a 16th century mummy. The Lancet; 2003, Oct 3, vol 362. Santiago-Rodriguez TM, Fornaciari G, Luciani S, Dowd SE, Toranzos GA, Marota I, Cano RJ. Gut Microbiome of an 11th Century A.D. PreColumbian Andean Mummy. PLoS One, 2015 Sep 30;10(9)

The Role of Water in Vapor-fed Proton-Exchange-Membrane Electrolysis

Water-vapor fed electrolysis, a simplified single-phase electrolyzer using a proton exchange membrane electrode assembly, achieved >100 mA/cm2 performance at <1.7 V, the best for water-vapor electrolysis to date, and was tested under various operating conditions (temperature and inlet relative humidity (RH)).To further probe the limitations of the electrolyzer, a mathematical model was used to identify the overpotentials, local water activity, water content values, and temperature within the cell at these various conditions. The major limitations within the water-vapor electrolyzer are caused by a decreased water content within the membrane phase, indicated by increased Ohmic and mass transport losses seen in applied voltage breakdowns. Further investigations show the water content (λ, mole of water/mole of sulfonic acid) can decrease from 13 at low current densities down to 6 at high current densities. Increasing the temperature or decreasing RH exacerbates this dry-out effect. Using our mathematical model, we show how these mass transport limitations can be alleviated by considering the role of water as both a reactant and a hydrating agent. We show that low cathode RH can be tolerated as long as the anode RH remains high, showing equivalent performance as symmetric RH feeds

MULTICUBE: Multi-objective design space exploration of multi-core architectures

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Применение метода контрольных возмущений для определения характерных узлов присоединения комплексной нагрузки при расчетах динамической устойчивости

Рассматривается влияние способа замещения комплексной нагрузки на характер электромеханических переходных процессов в электрических системах (ЭС) от действия больших возмущений. Показано, что установить общие рекомендации относительно способа замещения нагрузки в сложных ЭС затруднительно. Предлагается для опреде­ления характерных узлов нагрузки, оказывающих существенное влияние на характер динамического перехода, применять известный метод контрольных возмущений. Приводятся результаты сравнительных расчетов с использованием предлагаемой методики

Syphilis at the Crossroad of Phylogenetics and Paleopathology

The origin of syphilis is still controversial. Different research avenues explore its fascinating history. Here we employed a new integrative approach, where paleopathology and molecular analyses are combined. As an exercise to test the validity of this approach we examined different hypotheses on the origin of syphilis and other human diseases caused by treponemes (treponematoses). Initially, we constructed a worldwide map containing all accessible reports on palaeopathological evidences of treponematoses before Columbus's return to Europe. Then, we selected the oldest ones to calibrate the time of the most recent common ancestor of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, T. pallidum subsp. endemicum and T. pallidum subsp. pertenue in phylogenetic analyses with 21 genetic regions of different T. pallidum strains previously reported. Finally, we estimated the treponemes' evolutionary rate to test three scenarios: A) if treponematoses accompanied human evolution since Homo erectus; B) if venereal syphilis arose very recently from less virulent strains caught in the New World about 500 years ago, and C) if it emerged in the Americas between 16,500 and 5,000 years ago. Two of the resulting evolutionary rates were unlikely and do not explain the existent osseous evidence. Thus, treponematoses, as we know them today, did not emerge with H. erectus, nor did venereal syphilis appear only five centuries ago. However, considering 16,500 years before present (yBP) as the time of the first colonization of the Americas, and approximately 5,000 yBP as the oldest probable evidence of venereal syphilis in the world, we could not entirely reject hypothesis C. We confirm that syphilis seems to have emerged in this time span, since the resulting evolutionary rate is compatible with those observed in other bacteria. In contrast, if the claims of precolumbian venereal syphilis outside the Americas are taken into account, the place of origin remains unsolved. Finally, the endeavor of joining paleopathology and phylogenetics proved to be a fruitful and promising approach for the study of infectious diseases

The Italian arm of the PREPARE study: an international project to evaluate and license a maternal vaccine against group B streptococcus.

BACKGROUND: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis in infants, with long term neurodevelopmental sequelae. GBS may be associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and preterm birth. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) is currently the only way to prevent early-onset disease (presenting at 0 to 6 days of life), although it has no impact on the disease presenting over 6 days of life and its implementation is challenging in resource poor countries. A maternal vaccine against GBS could reduce all GBS manifestations as well as improve pregnancy outcomes, even in low-income countries. MAIN BODY: The term "PREPARE" designates an international project aimed at developing a maternal vaccination platform to test vaccines against neonatal GBS infections by maternal immunization. It is a non-profit, multi-center, interventional and experimental study (promoted by the St George University of London. [UK]) with the aim of developing a maternal vaccination platform, determining pregnancy outcomes, and defining the extent of GBS infections in children and mothers in Africa. PREPARE also aims to estimate the protective serocorrelates against the main GBS serotypes that cause diseases in Europe and Africa and to conduct two trials on candidate GBS vaccines. PREPARE consists of 6 work packages. In four European countries (Italy, UK, Netherlands, France) the recruitment of cases and controls will start in 2020 and will end in 2022. The Italian PREPARE network includes 41 centers. The Italian network aims to collect: GBS isolates from infants with invasive disease, maternal and neonatal sera (cases); cord sera and GBS strains from colonized mothers whose infants do not develop GBS infection (controls). SHORT CONCLUSION: PREPARE will contribute information on protective serocorrelates against the main GBS serotypes that cause diseases in Europe and Africa. The vaccine that will be tested by the PREPARE study could be an effective strategy to prevent GBS disease