Species diversity and mycotoxin production by members of the Fusarium tricinctum species complex associated with Fusarium head blight of wheat and barley in Italy.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a global cereal disease caused by a complex of Fusarium species. In Europe, the main species responsible for FHB are F. graminearum, F. culmorum and F. poae. However, members of the F. tricinctum species complex (FTSC) have become increasingly important. FTSC fusaria can synthesize mycotoxins such as moniliformin (MON), enniatins (ENNs) and several other biologically active secondary metabolites that could compromise food quality. In this study, FTSC isolates primarily from Italian durum wheat and barley, together with individual strains from four non-graminaceous hosts, were collected to assess their genetic diversity and determine their potential to produce mycotoxins in vitro on rice cultures. A multilocus DNA sequence dataset (TEF1, RPB1 and RPB2) was constructed for 117 isolates from Italy and 6 from Iran to evaluate FTSC species diversity and their evolutionary relationships. Phylogenetic analyses revealed wide genetic diversity among Italian FTSC isolates. Among previously described FTSC species, F. avenaceum (FTSC 4) was the most common species in Italy (56/117 = 47.9%) while F. tricinctum (FTSC 3), and F. acuminatum (FTSC 2) accounted for 11.1% (13/117) and the 8.5% (10/117), respectively. The second most detected species was a new and unnamed Fusarium sp. (FTSC 12; 32/117 = 19%) resolved as the sister group of F. tricinctum. Collectively, these four phylospecies accounted for 111/117 = 94.9% of the Italian FTSC collection. However, we identified five other FTSC species at low frequencies, including F. iranicum (FTSC 6) and three newly discovered species (Fusarium spp. FTSC 13, 14, 15). Of the 59 FTSC isolates tested for mycotoxin production on rice cultures, 54 and 55 strains, respectively, were able to produce detectable levels of ENNs and MON. In addition, we confirmed that the ability to produce bioactive secondary metabolites such as chlamydosporol, acuminatopyrone, longiborneol, fungerin and butanolide is widespread across the FTSC.

Causal agents of Fusarium head blight of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) in central Italy and their in vitro biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.

Durum wheat samples harvested in central Italy (Umbria) were analyzed to: evaluate the occurrence of the fungal community in the grains, molecularly identify the Fusarium spp. which are part of the Fusarium head blight (FHB) complex and characterize the in vitro secondary metabolite profiles of a subset of Fusarium strains. The Fusarium genus was one of the main components of the durum wheat fungal community. The FHB complex was composed of eight species: Fusarium avenaceum (61%), F. graminearum (22%), F. poae (9%), F. culmorum (4%), F. proliferatum (2%), F. sporotrichioides (1%), F. sambucinum (0.5%) and F. langsethiae (0.5%). F. graminearum population was mainly composed of the 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotype, while, F. culmorum population was composed of the 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotype. In vitro characterization of secondary metabolite biosynthesis was conducted for a wide spectrum of substances, showing the mycotoxigenic potential of the species complex. F. avenaceum strains were characterized by high enniantin and moniliformin production. F. graminearum strains were in prevalence deoxynivalenol producers. F. poae strains were characterized by a high biosynthesis of beauvericin like the F. sporotrichioides strain which was also found to be a high T-2/HT-2 toxins producer. Production of aurofusarin, butenolide, gibepyrone D, fusarin C, apicidin was also reported for the analyzed strains.

Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal pain in workers.

Background: The serum level of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) has been suggested as a biological marker of stress. Aims: To assess the association between serum DHEA-S, psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal (MS) pain in university workers. Methods: The study population included voluntary workers at the scientific departments of the University of Trieste (Italy) who underwent periodical health surveillance from January 2011 to June 2012. DHEA-S level was analysed in serum. The assessment tools included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and a modified Nordic musculoskeletal symptoms questionnaire. The relation between DHEA-S, individual characteristics, pain perception and psychological factors was assessed by means of multivariable linear regression analysis. Results: There were 189 study participants. The study population was characterized by high reward and low effort. Pain perception in the neck, shoulder, upper limbs, upper back and lower back was reported by 42, 32, 19, 29 and 43% of people, respectively. In multivariable regression analysis, gender, age and pain perception in the shoulder and upper limbs were significantly related to serum DHEA-S. Effort and overcommitment were related to shoulder and neck pain but not to DHEA-S. The GHQ score was associated with pain perception in different body sites and inversely to DHEA-S but significance was lost in multivariable regression analysis. Conclusions: DHEA-S was associated with age, gender and perception of MS pain, while effort-reward imbalance dimensions and GHQ score failed to reach the statistical significance in multivariable regression analysis.

Diaminodiphenylmethane Sensitization in north-eastern Italy from 1996 to 2012.

BACKGROUND: 4,4'-Diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) is an aromatic amine used as a hardener, insulator and anticorrosive. Exposure implies risk of being sensitized and developing contact dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of contact sensitization to DDM among patients with contact dermatitis and the role of occupational exposure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1996 to 2012, 24 056 consecutive patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis were patch tested in north-eastern Italy. Individual characteristics were collected through a standardized questionnaire in eight departments of dermatology and occupational medicine. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of DDM sensitization was 2.5% (n = 599) with a decreasing trend in considered years. Trieste area had the higher prevalence of sensitization (3.2%). Mechanics and chemical industry workers had a significant higher risk of being sensitized to DDM. CONCLUSION: DDM sensitization is decreasing in years and is associated with some occupational exposures.

Healthcare workers and skin sensitization: north-eastern Italian database.

BACKGROUND: Working in healthcare is regarded as a risk factor for occupational skin disease. Workers are exposed to disinfectants, soaps, detergents and latex and need to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly. AIMS: To investigate the association between healthcare work and patch test reactions to various potential sensitizers in a population of contact dermatitis patients in various dermatology and occupational medicine units in north-eastern Italy. METHODS: Patients with suspected allergic dermatitis underwent patch testing. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted by age and sex, were calculated for healthcare workers (HCWs), using white-collar workers as control group. RESULTS: HCWs represented 14% of the sample of 19088 patients (68% women, 32% men). Among HCWs, both sexes had a higher risk of developing hand/forearm dermatitis (females: OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.8-2.5; males: OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.1). HCWs had an increased risk of sensitization to formaldehyde (OR 1.65; 95% CI 1.2-2.3) and to p-phenylenediamine (OR 1.6; CI 1.1-2.3). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests a significant association between healthcare work, hand/forearm dermatitis and sensitization to formaldehyde and p-phenylenediamine.

[Musculoskeletal pain and perceived stress in civil servants]. / Sintomatologia osteoarticolare e stress in lavoratori del pubblico impiego.

UNLABELLED: «Muskuloskeletal pain and perceived stress in civil servants¼. BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pain is the most important symptom reported in many occupations causing disability and long-term sick absence. Epidemiological research has linked this symptom to physical activities in the workplace but also to psychosocial factors, than can increase pain perception. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate pain perception, psychosocial factors and stress in 413 workers in hospitals compared to 294 white collar workers at University of Trieste. METHODS: The study population included workers who underwent periodical health surveillance from 20th of January, 2011 to 20th of June 2012. Psychosocial factors were evaluated using the Siegrist Effort Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, and depression and anxiety by means of the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Pain perception in different body sites was reported on a visual numeric scale 0-10. The relation between pain perception in different body sites, individual characteristics, work tasks and psychosocial/psychological factors was assessed by means of multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The study population was characterized by low Effort and good Reward. In the multivariate linear regression pain perception was significantly related to age, to female sex in neck (OR=1.63; CI95% 1.13-2.34) and shoulder (OR=2.18; CI95% 1.49-3.2) pain and to Effort in all sites while occupational exposure as health care workers was significantly associated to higher pain in upper limbs (OR=1.76; CI95% 1.11-2.8) and low back (OR=1.73; CI95% 1.21-2.49). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that psychosocial factors can have an important role in pain perception in all body sites suggesting the need to consider these factors together with physical exposures in workplaces.

Biosynthesis of beauvericin and enniatins in vitro by wheat Fusarium species and natural grain contamination in an area of central Italy.

Contamination of wheat grain by beauvericin (BEA) and enniatins (ENs) is a global emerging mycotoxicological food problem. In this study, strains of Fusarium avenaceum (FA), Fusarium poae (FP), Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium sporotrichioides, all potential BEA and EN producers, isolated from 162 grain samples of durum and soft wheat harvested in 2009 and 2010 collected in an area of central Italy, were preliminarily screened for the presence of the esyn1 gene, encoding the multifunctional enzyme enniatin-synthetase for the detection of potential hexadepsipeptide-producing isolates. All positive isolates were tested for their ability to biosynthesize BEA and ENs in vitro. In addition, all wheat samples were investigated for the natural presence of BEA and ENs (ENA, ENA1, ENB, ENB1). All FA and FP strains resulted to be positive for the presence of the esyn1 gene. All FA strains showed the ability to biosynthesize ENs in vitro but not BEA. Conversely, all FP strains resulted to be BEA producers and some of them co-biosynthesized ENs. A remarkable presence of "emerging" mycotoxins was found in the grains, particularly ENs. Co-contamination by BEA and ENs also occurred. This study gives an important contribution to assess the risk posed by mycotoxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins in food.

Natural co-occurrence of mycotoxins in wheat grains from Italy and Syria.

This article describes the application of an analytical method for the detection of 25 mycotoxins in wheat grain based on simultaneous extraction using matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) followed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, a hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer (QTrap®). Information Dependent Acquisition (IDA), an extra confirmation tool for samples that contain the target mycotoxins, was used. The analysis of 40 Syrian and 46 Italian wheat grain samples interestingly showed that Syrian samples were mainly contaminated with ochratoxin A and aflatoxins, whereas Italian samples with deoxynivalenol and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol. Emerging Fusarium mycotoxins were predominant in Italian samples compared to the Syrian. Among the analysed samples, only one was found containing zeralenone with level above the maximum European recommended concentration (100 ppb). These results confirm that climatic differences between Syria and Italy, both in Mediterranean basin, play a key role in the diversity of fungal genera and mycotoxins in wheat grains.

[Cutaneous allergy in construction workers]. / Allergie cutanee in un gruppo di lavoratori edili.

Nine hundred building trade workers and 4372 office workers (from a database of 16267 patients) with suspected allergic dermatitis, underwent patch tests. The associations between patch test results and occupations were assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. As expected, building trade work was significantly associated with chromium sensitization (OR 1.55; 95% IC 1.22-1.97), a well known occupational hapten in this occupational group. An increased risk for epoxy resin sensitization (OR 3.80; 95% IC 2.11-6.86) and thiuram mix sensitization (OR 1.69; 95% IC 1.07-2.65) was also found in the construction workers. Epoxy resin is a strong skin sensitizer widely used in building trade, while thiuram mix is often present as an additive in the rubber gloves used by construction workers. These findings suggest that effective measures to prevent allergic contact dermatitis are needed in the construction workers.

First Report of Root and Collar Rot by Phytophthora cryptogea on Sweet Cherry in Italy.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivation has increased in Italy and ≈30,000 ha are now in production. In the spring of 2006, a disease survey was conducted in orchards of central Italy. Decline symptoms of Prunus avium 'Durone' grafted on wild rootstocks of Prunus avium consisted of reduced tree vigor, yellowing of leaves, and development of root and collar rot. A reddish brown discoloration of the inner bark and wood was observed on symptomatic trees. Symptoms were recorded in three cherry orchards seasonally submitted to soil saturation conditions. In one orchard, symptoms were observed on approximately 30% of 170 surveyed trees. A Phytophthora species was consistently isolated on PARPH-V8 medium (2) from collar lesions of five cherry trees over nine trees randomly chosen among symptomatic trees in the three orchards. Colonies (20) were isolated and all appeared fluffy on potato dextrose agar and did not grow at 35°C. The morphological characteristics fit the descriptions of Phytophthora cryptogea Pethybr. & Lafferty (1). Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacers region of isolates shared 100% homology with P. cryptogea (GenBank Accession Nos. EF418948.1, EF418943.1, and EF153671.1). Pathogenicity of two P. cryptogea isolates (AN1 and AN2, Accession Nos. EF661576 and EF661577, respectively) was tested by soil infestation in a growth chamber at 22°C using 15 1-year-old rooted seedlings of wild rootstock of Prunus avium for each isolate. Noninoculated seedlings (15) were used as negative controls. The inoculum was produced by growing isolates on autoclaved millet grains moistened with V8 juice for 4 weeks. Each plant was inoculated with 30 cm3 of inoculum per liter of soil. Each seedling was randomly assigned to isolates AN1, AN2, or the noninoculated control and arranged in a complete random design. All plants were flooded for 24 h every 2 weeks for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, all inoculated seedlings showed crown wilting and root rot. Control plants showed no symptoms. Percentage of necrotic lateral roots expressed as dry weight (±SE) was 19.9 ± 0.6, 17.5 ± 0.2, and 4.4 ± 0.5, respectively, for seedlings inoculated with isolates AN1, AN2, and controls (analysis of variance F = 7.48, P < 0.01). Values of inoculated seedlings were significantly different from the control plants with the Tukey Post-Hoc test. No difference in virulence was observed between the two isolates. P. cryptogea was always reisolated from the roots of inoculated plants. Although pathogenicity of P. cryptogea on sweet cherry has been reported in the United States and other European countries (3,4), to our knowledge, this is the first record of P. cryptogea on sweet cherry orchards in Italy. The presence of P. cryptogea in cherry orchards is of significant concern because of its aggressiveness to this host and woody hosts such as apple, apricot, peach, walnut, and kiwi. References: (1) D. C Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro. Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1996. (2) A. J. Ferguson and S. N. Jeffers. Plant Dis. 83:1129, 1999. (3) T. Tomidis and T. Sotiropoulos. N. Z. J. Crop Hortic. Sci. 31:355, 2003. (4) W. F. Wilcox and S. M. Mircetich. Phytopathology 75:1451, 1985.

Charge, orbital and spin ordering phenomena in the mixed valence manganite (NaMn3+(3))(Mn3+(2)Mn4+(2))O12.

Mixed-valence manganites with the ABO3 perovskite structure display a variety of magnetic and structural transitions, dramatic changes of electrical conductivity and magnetoresistance effects. The physical properties vary with the relative concentration of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in the octahedral corner-sharing network, and the proportion of these two cations is usually changed by doping the trivalent large A cation (for example, La3+) with divalent cations. As the dopant and the original cation have, in general, different sizes, and as they are distributed randomly in the structure, such systems are characterized by local distortions that make it difficult to obtain direct information about their crystallographic and physical properties. On the other hand, the double oxides of formula AA'3Mn4O12 contain a perovskite-like network of oxygen octahedra centred on the Mn cations, coupled with an ordered arrangement of the A and A' cations, whose valences control the proportion of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in the structure. The compound investigated in this work, (NaMn3+(3))(Mn3+(2)Mn4+(2))O12, contains an equal number of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in the octahedral sites. We show that the absence of disorder enables the unambiguous determination of symmetry, the direct observation of full, or nearly full, charge ordering of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in distinct crystallographic sites, and a nearly perfect orbital ordering of the Mn3+ octahedra.

Solvent switching of intramolecular energy transfer in bichromophoric systems: photophysics of (2,2'-bipyridine)tetracyanoruthenate(II)/pyrenyl complexes.

The supramolecular systems [Ru(Pyr(n)bpy)(CN)(4)](2-) (n = 1, 2), where one and two pyrenyl units are linked via two-methylene bridges to the [Ru(bpy)(CN)(4)](2-) chromophore, have been synthesized. The photophysical properties of these systems, which contain a highly solvatochromic metal complex moiety, have been investigated in water, methanol, and acetonitrile. In all solvents, prompt and efficient singlet-singlet energy transfer takes places from the pyrene to the inorganic moiety. Energy transfer at the triplet level, on the other hand, is dramatically solvent dependent. In water, the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) emission of the Ru-based chromophore is completely quenched, and rapid (200 ps for n = 1) irreversible triplet energy transfer to the pyrene units is detected in ultrafast spectroscopy. In acetonitrile, the MLCT emission is practically unaffected by the presence of the pyrenyl chromophore, implying the absence of any intercomponent triplet energy transfer. In methanol, triplet energy transfer leads to an equilibrium between the excited chromophores, with considerable elongation of the MLCT lifetime. The investigation of the [Ru(Pyr(n)bpy)(CN)(4)](2-) systems in methanol provided a very detailed and self-consistent picture: (i) The initially formed MLCT state relaxes toward equilibrium in 0.5-1.3 ns (n = 1, 2), as monitored both by ultrafast transient absorption and by time-correlated single photon counting. (ii) The two excited chromophores decay with a common lifetime of 260-450 ns (n = 1, 2), as determined from the decay of MLCT emission (slow component) and of the pyrene triplet absorption. (iii) These equilibrium lifetimes are fully consistent with the excited-state partition of 12-6% MLCT (n = 1-2), independently measured from preexponential factors of the emission decay. Altogether, the results demonstrate how site-specific solvent effects can be used to control the direction of intercomponent energy flow in bichromophoric systems.

Photophysics of pyridylporphyrin Ru(II) adducts: heavy-atom effects and intramolecular decay pathways.

Eight adducts between different pyridylporphyrins and ruthenium complexes, MPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)(CO)], c-DPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)(CO)](2), TrPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)(CO)](3), TPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)(CO)](4), (MPyP)(2)[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)], [c-DPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)]](2), MPyP[RuCl(2)(CO)(3)], and [c-DPyP[RuCl(2)(CO)(2)]](2), have been investigated. The results show that in all the adducts the porphyrin singlet is quenched, to a greater or lesser extent, relative to the parent-free molecule. This study provides insight into the mechanisms of singlet quenching in the adducts. Two mechanisms for singlet quenching, both related to the "heavy-atom effect" of the ruthenium center and experimentally distinguishable by transient spectroscopy, are examined. Enhanced intersystem crossing within the porphyrin chromophore is demonstrated for the series of adducts MPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)(CO)], c-DPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)(CO)](2), TrPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)(CO)](3), and TPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)(CO)](4), where a nice correlation is observed between the magnitude of the effect and the number of ruthenium centers attached to the pyridylporphyrin chromophore. Singlet-triplet energy transfer from the pyridylporphyrin chromophore to the ruthenium center(s) is an additional efficient quenching channel for adducts containing ruthenium centers with weak field ligands and low triplet energies, such as (MPyP)(2)[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)] and [c-DPyP[RuCl(2)(DMSO)(2)]](2).