PCR and RFLP analyses based on the ribosomal protein operon

Differentiation and classification of phytoplasmas have been primarily based on the highly conserved 16S rRNA gene. RFLP analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences has identified 31 16S rRNA (16Sr) groups and more than 100 16Sr subgroups. Classification of phytoplasma strains can, however, become more refined and specific if moderately conserved genes, such as the ribosomal protein (rp) genes, are used as genetic markers. The use of additional genetic markers enhances the resolving power of phytoplasma classification. This chapter describes the methodology of detection, differentiation, and classification of phytoplasma strains based on rp gene sequences. RFLP analysis of amplicons obtained by group- or subgroup-specific rp gene-based primers is used for finer differentiation of phytoplasma strains within a given group or subgroup. The rp gene-based classification not only readily resolves 16Sr subgroups within a given 16Sr group, but also provides finer differentiation of closely related phytoplasma strains. Many individual 16Sr subgroups can be further differentiated into two or more distinct rp subgroups.

Multi-technique study of a ceramic archaeological artifact and its content

In this paper we report the results of a study performed with different physical and chemical methods on a ceramic vase originally attributed to the I century CE. The joint use of infrared spectroscopic analysis and laser techniques, as well as pyrolysis-gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and thermoluminescence, allowed us to characterize the vase material and its content. The chemical data were combined with morphological and stylistic examinations of the object and helped in defining its actual geographical and chronological pertinence.

Micropropagation and maintenance of phytoplasmas in tissue culture

Maintenance of phytoplasma strains in tissue culture is achievable for all strains transmitted to periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), and also for other naturally infected plant host species. Shoots of 1-3 cm length are grown in a solid medium containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) micro- and macroelements and 0.12 mg/L benzylaminopurine. The continued presence of phytoplasmas in infected shoots of periwinkle that have been maintained in micropropagation for up to 20 years can be shown by diagnostic methods such as nested PCR tests using the 16S rDNA gene (see Chapters 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,and 26 for phytoplasma diagnostic methods).

KRAS mutational status affects oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy independently from basal mRNA ERCC-1 expression in metastatic colorectal cancer patients

Background:

In this study, we evaluated the possibility that KRAS mutational status might be predictive of oxaliplatin (OXA) efficacy. We also explored the role of excision repair cross complementing group-1 (ERCC-1).

Methods:

Ninety anti-epidermal growth factor receptor-naive advanced colorectal cancer patients were retrospectively analysed. In all patients KRAS mutational status was assessed. In 60 patients mRNA ERCC-1 expression was also investigated. Response rate (RR) and progression-free survival (PFS) after FOLFOX-6±bevacizumab were evaluated according to KRAS status and mRNA ERCC-1 expression.

Results:

Among 90 patients 47% wild-type (wt) and 53% mutated (mt) KRAS tumours were found. Response rate was 26% in the wt KRAS group, whereas it was 56% in the mt KRAS group; the difference is statistically significant in the total sample (P=0.008) and when only patients receiving FOLFOX-6±bevacizumab as first-line are considered (P=0.01). Progression-free survival was longer in mt than in wt KRAS patients over all patients (10 vs 8 months, respectively, P=0.001) and in those treated as first-line (10 vs 8 months, respectively, P=0.0069). Mt KRAS patients experienced a longer survival (24 vs 18 months; P=0.01). ERCC-1 mRNA expression was not found to correlate with FOLFOX activity in our analysis.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that activating mutation of KRAS oncogene may predict response to OXA. Basal expression of ERCC-1 mRNA does not explain the high efficacy of FOLFOX-6 in mt KRAS patients.

Identification and phenology of Hyalesthes obsoletus (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cixiidae) nymphal instars

Urtica dioica and Convolvulus arvensis are the main host plants of Hyalesthes obsoletus and play an important role in the epidemiology of Bois noir of grapevines. The earliest survey, which was carried out to compare the phenology of nymphal instars on U. dioica and C. arvensis, had highlighted some problems in the identification of the instars. Therefore, the correct identification of nymphs to species and instar level became a preliminary aim of this research. Adults and nymphs attributable to H. obsoletus were collected during 2008-2010 in three flatland vineyard habitats of northern Italy on U. dioica, C. arvensis and Artemisia verlotorum. Nymphs and morphologically identified adults of H. obsoletus were submitted to molecular identification. Morphometric and morphological studies were carried out on nymphs collected in the field or obtained in laboratory rearings. Molecular methods not only confirmed the identity of adults, but also allowed the assignment of the nymphs to this species. Morphometric and morphological characteristics (e.g. body and head-thoracic lengths, number of thoracic pits) showed the existence of five nymphal instars. Morphometric differences between newly hatched and older first-instar nymphs were observed. A key to distinguish the five instars was proposed. Evident differences between H. obsoletus nymphs studied here and elsewhere were identified. According to differences in adult-flight period, an earlier phenology of nymphs on C. arvensis than on U. dioica was observed. In particular, the typical overwintering instar was the second on U. dioica and the third on C. arvensis.

PI3K keeps the balance between metabolism and cancer

Epidemiological studies have established a positive correlation between cancer and metabolic disorders, suggesting that aberrant cell metabolism is a common feature of nearly all tumors. To meet their demand of building block molecules, cancer cells switch to a heavily glucose-dependent metabolism. As insulin triggers glucose uptake, most tumors are or become insulin-dependent. However, the effects of insulin and of other similar growth factors are not only limited to metabolic control but also favor tumor growth by stimulating proliferation and survival. A key signaling event mediating these metabolic and proliferative responses is the activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinases (PI3K) pathway. In this review, we will thus discuss the current concepts of tumor metabolism and the opportunity of PI3K-targeted therapies to exploit the "sweet tooth" of cancer cells.

Genome drafts of four phytoplasma strains of the ribosomal group 16SrIII

By applying a coverage-based read selection and filtration through a healthy plant dataset, and a post-assembly contig selection based on homology and linkage, genome sequence drafts were obtained for four phytoplasma strains belonging to the 16SrIII group (X disease clade), namely Vaccinium Witches' Broom phytoplasma (647 754 nt in 272 contigs), Italian Clover Phyllody phytoplasma strain MA (597 245 nt in 197 contigs), Poinsettia branch-inducing phytoplasma strain JR1 (631 440 nt in 185 contigs) and Milkweed Yellows phytoplasma (583 806 nt in 158 contigs). Despite assignment to different 16SrIII subgroups, the genomes of the four strains were similar, comprising a highly conserved core (92-98 % similar in their nucleotide sequence among each other over alignments about 500 kb in length) and a minor strain-specific component. As far as their protein complement was concerned, they did not differ significantly in their basic metabolism potential from the genomes of other wide-host-range phytoplasmas sequenced previously, but were distinct from strains of other species, as well as among each other, in genes encoding functions conceivably related to interactions with the host, such as membrane trafficking components, proteases, DNA methylases, effectors and several hypothetical proteins of unknown function, some of which are likely secreted through the Sec-dependent secretion system. The four genomes displayed a group of genes encoding hypothetical proteins with high similarity to a central domain of IcmE/DotG, a core component of the type IVB secretion system of Gram-negative Legionella spp. Conversely, genes encoding functional GroES/GroEL chaperones were not detected in any of the four drafts. The results also indicated the significant role of horizontal gene transfer among different 'Candidatus Phytoplasma' species in shaping phytoplasma genomes and promoting their diversity.

Tecnology innovation related to comfort on commercial vehicles

The scope of this article is to show the Iveco activity in terms of comfort improvement in all its product Portfolio, focusing on innovation research and realization of tools to get better the life of the driver on commercial vehicles. Comfort related to the ergonomics, thermal, vibrational comfort and after-treatment system in order to improve the life of driver and passengers. It is to remember that Commercial vehicles have different use from a car. For example an heavy truck cabin is not only a place where to drive 8 hours a day, but it is at the same time, an office, a place where to eat, where to sleep and to have a rest. The effort in the last 10 years of Iveco is to improve the comfort of the life of the drivers, utilizing continuous research in standards and innovative systems in order to increase the security and life improvement, focusing also on worldwide legislation as a partner in European committees for health and safety.

Influence of genetic and environmental factors in peripheral arterial disease natural history: Analysis from six years follow up

BACKGROUND

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a disease affecting million of patients worldwide. Though traditional cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with the development of PAD, the possible existence of an inherited genetic predisposition to PAD has been investigated in few familial aggregation studies. A link between genetics and PAD may open new avenues for the prevention of this morbid and mortal disorder.

AIM

The aim of this study is to investigate a possible role of some genetic determinant involving into coagulation and homocysteine metabolism in the progression of PAD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We follow one-hundred patients affected by PAD for six years. We evaluated Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) two times; first at the time of recruitment and then after six years, in order to assess the progression of disease. Genotypes for the genes of Factor V Leiden, Prothrombin or Factor II G20210A, Cystathionine Beta-Synthase 844ins68bp and Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase C677T was ascertained after taking blood samples. Chi-square test was performed to determinate the possible correlation of these genes and the most common environmental factors in the progression of PAD.

RESULTS

Genetic disorders resulting in high level of homocysteina or thrombophilic phenotype are not so frequent. None among the genetic factors we considered were correlated with PAD.

CONCLUSION

PAD is a chronic disease whose course can be slowed down especially with the control of environmental risk factors. Genetic analyses are not useful to determine the disease progression or its tendency to remain stable.

Bacterial carriage and respiratory tract infections in subjects > or = 60 years during an influenza season: implications for the epidemiology of community acquired pneumonia and influenza vaccine effectiveness

INTRODUCTION

During the 2010/11 influenza season an epidemiological prospective cohort active study was organized, to evaluate etiologic role due to the main bacteria and viruses causing Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) and Influenza like-illness (ILl) in elderly and to explore the role of the bacterial nose-pharingeal carriage in subjects with respiratory tract infections.

METHODS

An integrated active surveillance of a cohort of adults aged > or = 60 y based on a double prospective and retrospective mechanisms of capture of ILl and CAP cases was organized. Samples were collected from all ILI and CAP prospectively identified. The samples were be tested by multiplex PCR for detection of the main respiratory bacteria and viruses.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The study population amounted to 2,551 adults. During the 2010/11 influenza season, the ILl cumulative incidence was 4.2%, that was twice higher than that calculated by regional sentinel-based Influenza surveillance system during the 2010/11 season in the elderly (2.2%). Among 45 patients with ILI of which had been collected the swab, 17 (37.8%) were positive for influenza viruses and 2 (4.4%) for RSV, 6 (13.3%) patients carried Streptococcus pn and 6 (13.3%) Haemophilus in. In the same period, 7 CAP cases were observed; 3 cases were prospectively identified and samples were collected, while 4 cases were retrospectively detected. The CAP cumulative incidence was 0,3%. The influenza vaccine effectiveness in prevention of laboratory-confirmed influenza emerged by our study was 61%, in condition of good antigenic matching between vaccine and circulating strains observed during the 2010/11. These data contribute to better defining the epidemiological picture of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, fundamental information in light of the recent introduction of new vaccines for prevention of pneumonia in the elderly, including 13-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine.

Improving the protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae with the new generation 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

The wide use of the 7-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV7) determined, during the last decade, a dramatic decline in the incidence of Invasive Pneumococcal Diseases (IPD) in infants and children, and also among the non-vaccinated population through the phenomenon known as "herd protection". Furthermore a significant reduction of some non-IPD, such as Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) and Acute Otitis Media (AOM) was reported among the pediatric population. At the same time, the high vaccination coverage rates reached with PCV7 contributed to modify the ecology of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp), favoring the emergence of some serotypes not included in PCV7 and involved in IPD (replacement phenomenon), thus partially affecting the positive effects of the pediatric immunization programs. To remedy these shortcomings, a new generation of conjugate vaccines, with an enlarged antigenic spectrum of activity than PCV7, has been available since 2010. In particular, the 13-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13) has been authorized for active prevention of IPD, CAP and AOM in infants and children aged between 6 months and 5 years. More recently, in September 2011, the European Medicine Agency extended the indication for its use to include active immunization of adults aged > or = 50 years for the prevention of IPD, thus opening new interesting opportunities to improve the control of pneumococcal disease among the entire population. The most interesting results from clinical trials using PCV13 in both children and adults are reported and discussed in details.

IGF-1 deficiency in combination with a low basic hBD-2 and hBD-3 gene expression might counteract malignant transformation in pleomorphic adenomas in vitro

This study investigated the IGF-1-influence on oncological relevant genes in pleomorphic adenomas. Therefore A64-tumor cells were stimulated by recombinant IGF-1. After RNA-extraction, transcript levels of hBD-1, hBD-2, hBD-3, DEFA1/3, DEFA4, S100A4, Psoriasin, DOC-1, EGF, EGFR, and IGFR were analyzed by qRT-PCR at t = 0, 4, 8, 24, 48, and 72 hr. The gene-products were visualized by immunostaining. A64-tumor-cells were deficient for hBD-1 and IGF-1. IGF-1 downregulates hBD-2 and hBD-3 without influencing hBD-1-expression. IGF-1 only slightly affects DEFA1/3-, DEFA4-, S100A4-, Psoriasin-, DOC-1-, EGF-, EGFR-, and IGFR-gene-expression. IGF-1-deficiency combined with low basic hBD-2-gene-expression and hBD-3-gene-expression might counteract, whereas hBD-1-deficiency promotes malignant transformation in pleomorphic adenomas.

Study on ticks and tick-borne zoonoses in public parks in Italy

A survey on tick density and on tick-borne zoonoses was carried out in four public parks in the outskirts of Imola (northern Italy) from June to October 2006. All stages of Ixodes ricinus and only larvae of Riphicephalus sanguineus were recovered by dragging, performed on 100-m transects. Almost all ticks (99%) were harvested in one park. I. ricinus density (nymphs/100 m(2) ) ranged from 0 in park L to 6.3 in park F. Nymphs and adults of I. ricinus were subjected to PCR for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. and Rickettsia spp. The observed prevalences were 38.3% for Bartonella henselae, 5.2% for Bartonella clarridgeiae, 10.4% for B. burgdorferi s. l., 2.6% for Rickettsia helvetica and 13% for Rickettsia monacensis, respectively. No DNA of A. phagocytophilum was found. Acarological risks (AR) were calculated as probabilities of collecting at least one infected nymph per transect. The AR values calculated for the various zoonotic agents were 11.4% for R. helvetica, 27.7% for B. clarridgeiae, 49.7% for B. burgdorferi s. l., 57.2% for R. monacensis and 90.4% for B. henselae, respectively. In this study, B. clarridgeiae was for the first time identified in I. ricinus ticks.

'Candidatus Phytoplasma convolvuli', a new phytoplasma taxon associated with bindweed yellows in four European countries

Plants of Convolvulus arvensis exhibiting symptoms of undersized leaves, shoot proliferation and yellowing, collectively defined as bindweed yellows, were sampled in different regions of Europe and assessed for phytoplasma infection by PCR amplification using phytoplasma universal rRNA operon primer pairs. Positive results were obtained for all diseased plants. RFLP analysis of amplicons comprising the16S rRNA gene alone or the16S rRNA gene and 16-23S intergenic spacer region indicated that the detected phytoplasmas were distinguishable from all other previously described rRNA gene sequences. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences derived from seven selected phytoplasma strains (BY-S57/11, BY-S62/11, BY-I1015, BY-I1016, BY-BH1, BY-BH2 and BY-G) showed that they were nearly identical (99.9-100% gene sequence similarity) but shared less than 97.5% similarity with comparable sequences of other phytoplasmas. Thus, BY phytoplasmas represent a new taxon whose closest relatives are stolbur phytoplasma strains and 'Candidatus Phytoplasma fragariae' with which they share 97.2% and 97.1% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that bindweed yellows phytoplasma strains collectively represent a distinct lineage within the phytoplasma clade and share a common ancestor with previously published or proposed 'Candidatus Phytoplasma' taxa within a major branch including aster yellows and stolbur phytoplasmas. On the basis of unique 16S rRNA gene sequences and biological properties that include a single host plant species and a geographical distribution limited to parts of Europe, the bindweed yellows (BY) phytoplasmas represent a coherent but discrete taxon, 'Candidatus Phytoplasma convolvuli', with strain BY-S57/11 (GenBank accession no. JN833705) as the reference strain.

Impact of influenza during the post-pandemic season: epidemiological picture from syndromic and virological surveillance

INTRODUCTION

Following the observation that 1 or 2 pandemic peak due to the circulation ofAHINlv had occurred in most countries and in most World Health Organization (WHO) Regions, WHO declared on August 10"h, 2010 that the world was moving into the post-pandemic period, whose surveillance presents considerable interest both from epidemiological and clinical point of view. We described the epidemiological picture emerged from syndromic and virological surveillance during the post-pandemic season in Liguria, Italy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An Emergency Department Syndrome surveillance system, based on data collected at "San Martino" and IRCCS "G. Gaslini" Liguria Regional Reference University Hospitals for adults and children is active since July 2007. Monitored syndromes include "Influenza-Like Illness" (ILl) and "Low Respiratory Tract Infections" (LRTI). The Ligurian Regional Reference laboratory for Influenza virological surveillance and diagnosis offers rapid detection of influenza viruses by real-time and block RT-PCR, viral culture and genetic characterization by entire sequence analysis of haemagglutinin- and neuraminidase-coding regions in accordance with the international standards established by the global laboratory network.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The integration of syndromic surveillance system and laboratory surveillance for rapid detection and characterization of the disease responsible agent represented a specific and sensitive tool for influenza surveillance. The post-pandemic season was characterized by early onset and by the heaviest impacts for ILI and LRTI among the recent epidemic seasons. In contrast to the picture observed during the pandemic season, the 2010/11 winter was characterized by the intensive circulation of pandemic AH1N1v coupled with sustained activity due to influenza B and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Antigenic and molecular characterization of influenza strains confirmed the good matching between circulating and 2010/11 vaccine viruses.