Smooth golden fleece and prickly golden fleece as potential new vegetables for the ready-to-eat production chain

Smooth golden fleece (Urospermum dalechampii (L.) F.W. Schmidt) and prickly golden fleece (Urospermum picroides (L.) Scop. ex F.W. Schmid) are two wild edible plants used in traditional cuisine and folk medicine. In this research, the domestication of both species was tested for the first time using a floating system and two plant densities (412 and 824 plants m−2) to evaluate yield and quality. Some quality traits were also compared in cultivated plants and wild ones gathered in grasslands. The results show that both species are suitable for cultivation, although prickly golden fleece showed highest total phenols (132 mg 100 g−1 fresh weight—f.w.) and total antioxidant activity (0.19 mg 100 g−1 f.w.). At low sowing density, smooth golden fleece showed a nitrate content of about 7200 mg kg−1 f.w., 38% higher than plants of the same species grown at high density and plants of prickly golden fleece. These results suggest that high density can be used to optimize yield in two harvests. By permitting modulation of nutrients and a product without soil residues, the floating system used in this study proved suitable for growing U. dalechhampii and U. picroides as new vegetables for the ready-to-eat production chain

Ampelographic and Molecular Characterisation of Aglianico Accessions (Vitis vinifera L.) Collected in Southern Italy

To characterise 31 different Aglianico accessions randomly collected in Southern Italy, 30 ampelographicdescriptors, 13 SSRs and 10 AFLP primer combinations were analysed. An appreciable variation ofampelographic descriptors was revealed mainly by mature leaf traits, while very few variations wererecorded for shoot and berry traits. Similarly, all SSR loci revealed molecular monomorphism and AFLPswith a very high genetic similarity (Dice coefficient) among all the accessions considered. One of the aimsof this study was to clarify the genetic assessment of Aglianico Nero and Aglianico del Vulture Nero,since they are registered as two different cultivars with distinct varietal codes at the Italian Register ofGrape Varieties. Registered Aglianico Nero and Aglianico del Vulture Nero were included in the analyses,compared and used as reference material. Our plants showed that all the accessions tested, independentfrom the biotype, and the two registered cultivars belong to the same genotype, suggesting that, as reportedby the Vitis International Variety Catalogue, a case of synonymy occurred between Aglianico Nero andAglianico del Vulture Nero. These cultivars could therefore be considered as a single cultivar. Moreover,the AFLP data revealed a partial match between morphological and molecular data, showing that theAFLP molecular method was able to discriminate between different accessions belonging to the samecultivar

Focus on cardiologic findings in 30 children with PANS/PANDAS. an italian single-center observational study

Objective: Cardiac involvement in PANS has not been clarified relying on the scientific literature available until today. It is known that streptococcal infections play a role in the etiology of a great number of diseases including Sydenham chorea and rheumatic fever, among others. Based on the suspected pathogenesis of PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections) reported in the medical literature, we decided to investigate the cardiologic involvement in children with a recent PANS/PANDAS diagnosis. Methods: The study population satisfies PANS (1) and PANDAS (2) criteria of diagnoses. Cardiologic assessment was performed through clinical examination, electrocardiography, and echocardiography. Results: In the selected pediatric population, a significant number of children presented mitral valve involvement, systolic murmurs and electrocardiographic abnormalities. High ASLOT levels did not seem to be associated to a cardiac involvement. Conclusions: Often PANS is difficult to diagnose because it is little known by physicians and most of the cardiologic findings described in this study are common among the healthy pediatric population. Also, ASLOT levels seems not to be predictive of cardiac involvement. Furthermore, the existence of PANDAS as a clinical entity is associated with a group of anti-neuronal autoantibodies found in Sydenham chorea is still controversial. We recommend a complete cardiologic evaluation in those children who meet the PANS/PANDAS diagnostic criteria

Inter-varietal structural variation in grapevine genomes

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the world's most important crop plants, which is of large economic value for fruit and wine production. There is much interest in identifying genomic variations and their functional effects on inter-varietal, phenotypic differences. Using an approach developed for the analysis of human and mammalian genomes, which combines high-throughput sequencing, array comparative genomic hybridization, fluorescent in�situ hybridization and quantitative PCR, we created an inter-varietal atlas of structural variations and single nucleotide variants (SNVs) for the grapevine genome analyzing four economically and genetically relevant table grapevine varieties. We found 4.8 million SNVs and detected 8% of the grapevine genome to be affected by genomic variations. We identified more than 700 copy number variation (CNV) regions and more than 2000 genes subjected to CNV as potential candidates for phenotypic differences between varieties. � 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal � 2016 John Wiley & Sons Lt

Dosing and clinical outcomes of ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis in a real-world setting: Interim results of the Italian observational study (ROMEI)

Background: Myelofibrosis (MF) significantly impacts patients’ overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QOL). This prospective study analyzed ruxolitinib dosing patterns and associated clinical outcomes in patients with MF over 12 months. Methods: ROMEI, a multicenter, observational, ongoing study, enrolled 508 adult patients with MF treated with ruxolitinib. For the current interim analysis, eligible patients with baseline platelet values were categorized into two groups based on ruxolitinib starting dosage: as expected (AsEx, n = 174) and lower than expected (LtEx, n = 132); ruxolitinib dose changes, interruptions and time to permanent discontinuation were analyzed, along with symptoms response, health-related QOL scores, spleen response, OS, and safety. Results: Forty-three percent of patients started at a lower-than-expected dose. Both groups showed reduction in average daily ruxolitinib doses over 12 months. Symptoms response rate was similar in both groups at week 48 (40.8% AsEx vs 40.9% LtEx). The AsEx group demonstrated higher spleen response rates at both 24 weeks (50.0% vs 30.2%) and 48 weeks (57.7% vs 45.8%) with a shorter median time to first response (3.3 vs 11.1 months, p =.019) when compared to the LtEx group. Both groups showed upward trends in health-related QOL values. Estimated median OS was not reached for the AsEx group versus 4.7 years in the LtEx group (p =.014). Adverse events were reported in 87.4% and 84.9% of patients in the AsEx and LtEx groups, respectively. Conclusions: The ROMEI study demonstrated the importance of optimal ruxolitinib dosage in patients with MF for maximum effectiveness and improved OS, with manageable safety

Harmonization and validation of diagnostic protocols for the detection of grapevine viruses covered by phytosanitary rules

The Italian Ministry of Agriculture funded in 2009 the “ARNADIA” Project, aimed at producing validated reference diagnostic protocols for the control and monitoring of plant pathogens of phytosanitary interest and, among them, grapevine viruses. In this framework, the “Working group ARNADIA – grapevine viruses (WG)”, composed of eight universities and research bodies, three accredited private laboratories, one plant health service and one association of grapevine nurseries, was established. The aim of the WG was to produce referenced and validated serological and molecular protocols allowing for the harmonization of diagnosis of eight grapevine viruses: Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1, 2, 3, (GLRaV 1, 2, 3) Grapevine virus A (GVA), Grapevine virus B (GVB), Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) and Grapevine fleck virus (GFkV). Specifically, 122 grapevine samples (varieties, rootstocks and “pools” of five plants, of which only one infected) were analyzed by ELISA, using 25 antisera from three commercial companies (Agritest, Bioreba, Sediag) and multiplex RTPCR protocols. ELISA proved to be a highly effective technique, comparable to the molecular method, although the latter turned out, as expected, to be more efficient for some viruses and on some specific samples (rootstocks and “pool”)

Principal behaviors and practices that support the development of a standards-based instructional system

This qualitative study sought to identify the common behaviors and practices of principals in high achieving standards-based schools. Three schools were examined in the study. These schools were selected from a ten county area and had demonstrated consistent and unusual growth on the Academic Performance Index (API). The practices of principals were identified through a phenomenological study of the experiences of successfully implementing a standards-based instructional system. Principals were interviewed individually, and focus groups of teachers were interviewed separately. Both groups were asked about the principal behaviors and practices that led the school to achieve academic success. Principals and teachers across the three sites identified similar practices including high expectations of students and staff, planning and goal setting based on student achievement data, frequent monitoring of student achievement, teacher collaboration, principal classroom visits, principal visibility on campus, principal accessibility, and a school culture that promoted trust and team work

Principal behaviors and practices that support the development of a standards-based instructional system

This qualitative study sought to identify the common behaviors and practices of principals in high achieving standards-based schools. Three schools were examined in the study. These schools were selected from a ten county area and had demonstrated consistent and unusual growth on the Academic Performance Index (API). The practices of principals were identified through a phenomenological study of the experiences of successfully implementing a standards-based instructional system. Principals were interviewed individually, and focus groups of teachers were interviewed separately. Both groups were asked about the principal behaviors and practices that led the school to achieve academic success. Principals and teachers across the three sites identified similar practices including high expectations of students and staff, planning and goal setting based on student achievement data, frequent monitoring of student achievement, teacher collaboration, principal classroom visits, principal visibility on campus, principal accessibility, and a school culture that promoted trust and team work