La vegetazione degli stagni della zona di Olbia (Sardegna nord-orientale)

Abstract

Vegetation of the ponds in the zone of Olbia (northeast Sardinia). – The present paper contains a study on the vegetation of the ponds and marshes in the neighbourhood of Olbia. The following well determined associations have been ascertained: Chaetomorpho-Ruppietum, Salicornietum fruticosae, Arthrocnemeto-Limoniastretum monopetali, Juncetum maritimi, Scirpetum maritimi, Caricetum divisae, Schoeneto-Plantaginetum crassifoliae. Furthermore, some other consociations have been observed (with: Pholiurus incurvas and Triglochin bulbosum; Juncus subulatus; Scirpus setaceus and Spergularia rubra; Agropyrum elongatum and Spartina juncea).

The authors have also taken into consideration the present distribution of the vegetation in relation to the modifications due to the fact that this area has been reclaimed.     

Alcune specie e varietà nuove per la flora della Sardegna

Abstract

New species for Flora of Sardinia. — The Author remarks the presence of new species for Sardinia with some observations on the distribution and habitat.     

Bovine herpesvirus type 4 infection modulates autophagy in a permissive cell line

Bovine herpesvirus type 4 (BoHV‐4), like other herpesviruses, induces a series of alterations in the host cell that modify the intracellular environment in favor of viral replication, survival and spread. This research examined the impact of BoHV‐4 infection on autophagy in BoHV‐4 infected Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells. Protein extracts of BoHV‐4 infected and control MDBK cells were subjected to Western blot. The concentrations of the autophagy and apoptosis‐related proteins Beclin 1, p21, PI3 kinase, Akt1/2, mTOR, phospho mTOR, p62 and the light chain three (LC3) were normalized to the actin level and expressed as the densitometric ratio. Western blot analysis of virus‐infected cells revealed that autophagic degradation pathway was induced in the late phase of BoHV‐4 infection. After 48 h post‐infection the protein LC3II, which is essential for autophagy was found to be markedly increased, while infection of MDBK cells with BoHV‐4 resulted in a depletion of p62 levels. Becline 1, PI3 kinase, Akt1/2 and p21 expression increased between 24 and 48 h post‐infection. Surprisingly, mTOR and its phosphorylated form, which are negative regulators of autophagy, also increased after 24 h post‐infection. In conclusion, our findings suggest that BoHV‐4 has developed mechanisms for modulation of autophagy that are probably part of a strategy designed to enhance viral replication and to evade the immune system. Additional studies on the relationship between autophagy and BoHV‐4 replication and survival, in both lytic and latent replication phases, are needed to understand the role of autophagy in BoHV‐4 pathogenesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 1529–1535, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The organization of somatosensory cortex in the short-tailed opossum ( Monodelphis domestica )

The organization of neocortex in the short-tailed opossum ( Monodelphis domestica ) was explored with multiunit microelectrode recordings from middle layers of cortex. Microelectrode maps were subsequently related to the chemoarchitecture of flattened cortical preparations, sectioned parallel to the cortical surface and processed for either cytochrome oxidase (CO) or NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd) histochemistry. The recordings revealed the presence of at least two systematic representations of the contralateral body surface located in a continuous strip of cortex running from the rhinal sulcus to the medial wall. The primary somatosensory area (S1) was located medially while secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) formed a laterally located mirror image of S1. Auditory cortex was located in lateral cortex at the caudal border of S2, and some electrode penetrations in this area responded to both auditory and somatosensory stimulation. Auditory cortex was outlined by a dark oval visible in flattened brain sections. A large primary visual cortex (V1) was located at the caudal pole of cortex, and also consistently corresponded to a large chemoarchitecturally visible oval. Cortex just rostral and lateral to V1 responded to visual stimulation, while bimodal auditory/visual responses were obtained in an area between V1 and somatosensory cortex. The results are compared with brain organization in other marsupials and with placentals and the evolution of cortical areas in mammals is discussed.     

In situ identification and localization of bacteria associated with Gyrodinium instriatum (Gymnodiniales,Dinophyceae) by electron and confocal microscopy

The presence of intracellular bacteria in the dinoflagellate Gyrodinium instriatum Freudenthal & Lee has previously been described but the bacterial flora associated with this species has not been characterized. In this study, new results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and in situ hybridization using several bacterial group-specific oligonucleotide probes are presented. The long-term association of endocytoplasmic and endonuclear bacteria with G. instriatum has been confirmed. All endonuclear and most of the endocytoplasmic bacteria labelled were identified as belonging to the betaproteobacteria. Large clusters of Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides (CFB) were labelled and observed in the cytoplasm of the dinoflagellate cells, but were absent from the nucleus. Gammaproteobacteria were only observed outside the dinoflagellates. No alphaproteobacteria were detected either free-living or intracellular. Empirical observation of intracellular CFB reflected a degradation process of moribund dinoflagellate cells, whereas the systematic colonization of dinoflagellate nucleoplasm by betaproteobacteria suggested a true symbiotic relationship. Natural colonization may have occurred, perpetuated by vertical transmission of intracellular bacteria to the dinoflagellate daughter cells, via a pool of bacteria sequestered within the nucleus. Dividing bacteria were observed in the nucleus and equilibrium may be maintained by release of endonuclear bacteria to the cytoplasm through nuclear envelope constrictions.     

Characterization of the Topography and Wettability of English Weed Leaves and Biomimetic Replicas

The topography and wettability of the underside of English weed （Oxalis pes-caprae） leaves and of their biomimetic replicas are investigated. Polyvinyl siloxane molds were cast from the leaves and then filled with an epoxy pre-polymer to produce replicas. The particular topographical structures of leaves and replicas were evaluated by optical microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy （SEM） analysis. The static wettability of leaves and replicas was assessed by contact angle measurements, while the dynamic wettability was characterized by estimating contact angle hysteresis and studying the dynamic behavior of impacting water droplets. A smooth glass slip and its replica were used as control surfaces. The replica moulding method used was able to transfer the characteristic pattern of irregular 100 μm - 200 μm × 60 μm convex papillae interspersed with stomata of the original leaf to the epoxy replicas. The static contact angle of 143°± 3° and the contact angle hysteresis of 2~ indicate that the underside of the English weed leaf is close to superhydrophobic. The lower contact angles （130° ± 4°） and higher hysteresis （31°） observed for the replica when compared with the original leaves were associated to an inaccurate replication of the chemistry and structures of the three-dimensional wax projections covering the plant surface. Also, trichomes in the original leaves could not be accurately reproduced due to their flexibility and fragility. Differences in wetting behavior were also evident from droplet impact experiments, with rebound regimes prevailing in the original leaves and regimes characterized by higher adhesion and larger dissipation predominating in the replicas. Nevertheless, the morphological features of the leaf transferred to the replica were sufficient to promote a clear hydrophobic behavior of the replica when compared with the smooth epoxy reference surface.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of tetracyclic fluoroquinolones as antibacterial and anticancer agents

A simple and efficient synthesis of 6-fluoro-4-oxopyrido[2,3-a]carbazole-3-carboxylic acids (13a–e) and a structurally related 6-fluoro-4-oxothieno[2′,3′:4,5]pyrrolo[3,2-h]quinoline (13f) was achieved via Stille arylation of 7-chloro-6-fluoro-8-nitro-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylate and a subsequent microwave-assisted phosphite-mediated Cadogan reaction. The new compounds were tested for their in vitro antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity. The ability of 13a–f to inhibit the activity of DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV was also investigated. The thieno isostere (13f) emerged as the most active antibacterial, while the 9-fluoro derivative (13e) was the most potent against multidrug-resistant staphylococci. Compounds 13a, 13c–f displayed growth inhibition against MCF-7 breast tumor and A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells coupled with an absence of cytotoxicity toward normal human-derm fibroblasts (HuDe). Compound 13e was the most active anticancer against MCF-7 cells, with greater potency than ellipticine (IC₅₀ 0.8 and 1.6 μM, respectively). The most active compounds in this series show promise as dual acting anticancer and antibacterial chemotherapeutics.     

Microbe removal in secondary effluent by filtration

A study was carried out to assess the efficiency of filtration in reducing microbial contamination in municipal secondary effluent. After primary and secondary treatments, the wastewater underwent filtration through sand/hydroanthracite filters. A total of 20 samplings were made, each consisting of two instant samples (secondary effluent and filtered effluent). Each of the 40 samples was tested for: total and faecal coliforms,Escherichia coli, enterococci and somatic coliphages. The mean concentrations detected in the secondary effluent were in the order of 5 log for the total and faecal coliforms, 4 log for enterococci andEscherichia coli, and approx. 3 log for the coliphages. The filtration showed a higher efficacy in the reduction of feacal coliforms,Escherichia coli and in particular total coliforms. The results obtained for enterococci and coliphages were significanty lower. Filtration alone was not enough to reduce the bacterial indicators to within Italian legal limits, and showed a poor capacity to abate coliphages. However, by performing the filby-products and a consequent reduction in the chemical risk for the general population.