Review: Assessment of completeness of reporting in intervention studies using livestock: an example from pain mitigation interventions in neonatal piglets

Accurate and complete reporting of study methods, results and interpretation are essential components for any scientific process, allowing end-users to evaluate the internal and external validity of a study. When animals are used in research, excellence in reporting is expected as a matter of continued ethical acceptability of animal use in the sciences. Our primary objective was to assess completeness of reporting for a series of studies relevant to mitigation of pain in neonatal piglets undergoing routine management procedures. Our second objective was to illustrate how authors can report the items in the Reporting guidElines For randomized controLled trials for livEstoCk and food safety (REFLECT) statement using examples from the animal welfare science literature. A total of 52 studies from 40 articles were evaluated using a modified REFLECT statement. No single study reported all REFLECT checklist items. Seven studies reported specific objectives with testable hypotheses. Six studies identified primary or secondary outcomes. Randomization and blinding were considered to be partially reported in 21 and 18 studies, respectively. No studies reported the rationale for sample sizes. Several studies failed to report key design features such as units for measurement, means, standard deviations, standard errors for continuous outcomes or comparative characteristics for categorical outcomes expressed as either rates or proportions. In the discipline of animal welfare science, authors, reviewers and editors are encouraged to use available reporting guidelines to ensure that scientific methods and results are adequately described and free of misrepresentations and inaccuracies. Complete and accurate reporting increases the ability to apply the results of studies to the decision-making process and prevent wastage of financial and animal resources.     

Growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi stimulated by lipids from a pine root exudate

Summary The content of fatty acids was analysed in an exudate from roots of pine seedlings grown axenically in vermiculite with a synthetic nutrient medium. The dominating fatty acdis were fewer in the exudate than in the roots. Unsaturated fatty acids were predominant. The total lipid fraction of the exudate promoted mycelial growth in two of the three ectomycorrhizal fungi tested.     

Morpho-colorimetric characterization by image analysis to identify diaspores of wild plant species

Digital images of ex situ germplasm stored in the Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR) were used for the application of image analysis techniques at the Stazione Sperimentale di Granicoltura per la Sicilia. The analysed accessions refer to 148 taxonomic units belonging to 102 genera and 47 families, typical of the Sardinian flora, and of the Mediterranean basin in general.The images of diaspores were acquired by a flatbed scanner and elaborated with a macro specially developed for the morphometric and colorimetric measurements. This method allowed carrying out a database for the characterization of autochthonous germplasm in entry to the bank and the realization of statistic classifiers for the discrimination of genera and species within the following families: Apiaceae, Boraginaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Cistaceae, Fabaceae and Scrophulariaceae. Such classifiers, based on the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) technique and checked by cross-validation, showed a performance included between 74.3% and 96.4%.In addition, for the genus Astragalus, it was possible to elaborate a classifier able to identify very similar taxa of a species complex, obtaining a performance between 83.7% and 100%. Such analysis proved the validity of the methodology also from the taxonomic point of view.Suggestions for subsequent methodological progress, which could offer applications in other research issues, such as ecological analysis, soil seed bank and archaeological botany are proposed.     

Genetic diversity and molecular fingerprinting of Prunus cerasus var. austera from central Italy

In central Italy, Prunus cerasus var. austera is cultivated as small stands or scattered trees in marginal areas for the production of jam and wine. Thanks to the healthy attributes of its products and its ability to grow in different environmental conditions, this variety has gained new interest in the development of marginal areas. We assessed the level of the genetic variability of P. cerasus var. austera germplasm from central Italy and identified a ‘core collection’ representative of the present genetic diversity. A total of 161 trees, morphologically identified as var. austera, and one tree, identified as var. caproniana were collected and genotyped by 14 SSRs. Two individuals provided by a commercial plant nursery, one of P. cerasus var. caproniana and one of P. cerasus var. austera, were used as control. Thirteen SSRs presented private alleles in austera. Seven individuals morphologically identified as austera revealed private alleles specific to caproniana. The PCoA and Bayesian clustering analysis showed a main genetic group including var. austera, while a second group included all the caproniana-like genotypes. A core collection of 31 trees (46% of austera genotypes) was selected. This study can be considered as a starting point for future investigations on this variety.     

Choline transport in Fusarium graminearum A 3 5

Fusarium graminearum A 3/5 possesses a high affinity system (Km = 32 +/- 8 microM; mean +/- SE) for uptake of choline, which was shown to be energy-dependent and constitutive. The maximum rate of choline uptake by this system was repressed by ammonia and glucose, showing a three-fold increase in maximum activity after nitrogen (2 h) or carbon (4 h) starvation. The system was highly specific for choline with only dimethylethanolamine (Ki = 198 +/- 29 microM), betaine aldehyde (Ki = 95 +/- 14 microM) and chlorocholine (Ki = 352 +/- 40 microM) acting as competitive inhibitors. Hemicholinium-3 acted as a mixed (non-competitive) inhibitor (KIES = 1.9 +/- 0.6 microM; KIE = 3.6 +/- 1.9 microM).     

Extracellular peptidases of insect-associated fungi and their possible use in biological control programs and as pathogenicity markers

This review deals with characteristics of peptidases of fungi whose life cycles are associated with insects to varying degrees. The review examines the characteristic features of the extracellular peptidases of entomopathogenic fungi, the dependence of the specificity of these peptidases on the ecological characteristics of the fungi, and the role of peptidases in the development of the pathogenesis. Data on the properties and physiological role of hydrolytic enzymes of symbiotic fungi in “fungal gardens” are also considered in detail. For the development of representations about mechanisms of control over populations of insect pests, special attention is given to analysis of possibilities of genetic engineering for the creation of entomopathogens with enhanced virulence. Clarification of the role of fungi and their secreted enzymes and careful environmental studies are still required to explain their significance in the composition of the biota and to ensure widespread adoption of these organisms as effective biological control agents. The systematization and comparative analysis of the existing data on extracellular peptidases of insect-associated fungi will help in the planning of further work and the search for markers of pathogenesis and symbiosis.     

Prunus necrotic ringspot virus isolates in stone fruit germplasm accessions and cultivars in Israel

Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) was detected in almonds, plum and apricot germplasm accessions and local almond cultivars in Israel. PNRSV was widespread both in wild and cultivated almond trees and uncommon in wild apricots and plums. The possible variation among the PNRSV isolates was initially evaluated by restriction analysis of PCR products representing the CP gene with the endonuclease RsaI and followed by nucleotide sequence analysis of selected isolates. It was concluded that all 13 isolates belong to group PV96, the largest cluster of PNRSV isolates, described previously. Two PNRSV isolates, one from a plum accession and one from an almond cultivar, were found to be distinct members of group PV96 with unique nucleotide modifications not found in other documented isolates of this virus. However, no PNRSV isolate typical to a specific host and/or to the Middle East region could be identified. This study expands the body of data on variability of PNRSV isolates and highlights the importance of assessing the virus status of germplasm collections by applying reliable diagnostic and differentiating methods.     

Rhizobium meliloti inoculation of alfalfa selected for tolerance to acid,aluminum-rich soils

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) growth and nodulation in acid soil is reduced because the plant and its bacterial symbiontRhizobium meliloti cannot tolerate acid, aluminum-rich soil. A study was conducted to determine if a relatively acid-tolerant alfalfa germplasm combined with a relatively acid-tolerantR. meliloti strain could overcome these limitations. In a light room study, an acid-tolerant alfalfa germplasm inoculated with a more acid-tolerantR. meliloti strain produced greater top growth, nodule number and weight, and acetylene reduction values in an unlimed soil (pH 4.6) than the same germplasm inoculated with a relatively acid-sensitiveR. meliloti strain or an acid-sensitive germplasm inoculated with either a relatively acid-tolerant or acid-sensitiveR. meliloti strain.     

In vitro tuberization in white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir)

Nodal cuttings of white yam were induced to produce microtubers on a MS-revised medium supplemented with various concentrations of sucrose, 20 mgl^–1 L-cysteine, 0.5 mgl^–1 kinetin and 0.7% agar. The frequency of tuberization was affected by the daylength, which is optimal at 12 and 16 h of light depending on the sucrose concentration. The microtubers were planted in a seed bed and grown to maturity. The importance of in vitro tuberization of yam as a means of international germplasm distribution or exchange as well as for the propagation of planting material is discussed.