Influence of seasonality on the presence of okadaic acid associated with species: A four-year study in Sardinia (Italy).

In Sardinia (Italy), bivalve molluscs production plays an important role in the trade balance. Diarrhoetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), an intoxication caused by the ingestion of bivalve molluscs that have accumulated high levels of Okadaic acid (OA), may represent a serious risk for the public health and a remarkable economic loss for the producers. Aim of this work was to improve knowledge about the repeatability of OA accumulation phenomena in various seasons trying to understand whether or not there was a trend.

LRRK2 Modulates the Exocyst Complex Assembly by Interacting with Sec8.

Mutations in LRRK2 play a critical role in both familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). Up to date, the role of LRRK2 in PD onset and progression remains largely unknown. However, experimental evidence highlights a critical role of LRRK2 in the control of vesicle trafficking, likely by Rab phosphorylation, that in turn may regulate different aspects of neuronal physiology.

Recent findings of paralytic shellfish toxins linked to the genus Alexandrium Halim in Mediterranean mollusc production areas.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning is a human intoxication syndrome associated with the consumption of seafood that has been contaminated with paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), a group of natural neurotoxic alkaloids produced by marine dinoflagellates, including some Alexandrium species. This study presents findings of PSTs in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) during 2018-2019 in several mollusc production areas of Sardinia (Italy, western Mediterranean). Investigations of the presence and abundance of PST-producing microalgal species in marine water and of the toxins associated with shellfish were carried out concomitantly.

Bacterial and Viral Investigations Combined with Determination of Phytoplankton and Algal Biotoxins in Mussels and Water from a Mediterranean Coastal Lagoon (Sardinia, Italy).

Calich Lagoon is a Mediterranean coastal lagoon located along the northwestern coast of Sardinia (Italy). The connection to marine and fresh water determines the high productivity of this coastal lagoon. Despite its great potential and the presence of natural beds of bivalve mollusks (), the lagoon has not yet been classified for shellfish production.

Phylogenetic analysis of porcine circovirus type 2 in Sardinia, Italy, shows genotype 2d circulation among domestic pigs and wild boars.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is associated with multi-factorial syndromes, commonly known as porcine-circovirus-associated diseases, which cause severe economic losses in the swine industry worldwide. Four genotypes (PCV2a, PCV2b, PCV2c, and PCV2d) have been identified. Lately, the prevalence of PCV2d has been increasing in many countries, thereby prefiguring a global replacement of PCV2b.

Interaction of historical and modern Sardinian African swine fever viruses with porcine and wild-boar monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages.

African swine fever (ASF) is a contagious viral disease of wild and domestic pigs that is present in many parts of Africa, Asia and Europe, including Sardinia (Italy). Deletions in the EP402R and B602L genes have been found in almost all ASF virus (ASFV) strains circulating in Sardinia from 1990 onwards, and modern Sardinian strains (isolated after 1990) might have acquired some selective advantage compared to historical ones (isolated before 1990). Here, we analysed the host cell responses of wild boars and domestic pigs upon infection with virus variants.

Detection of Species and Associated Okadaic Acid in Farmed Shellfish: a Two-year Study from The Western Mediterranean Area.

Introduction: Diarrhoetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), an alimentary intoxication known to lead to intestinal symptoms, and caused by toxins produced by some dinoflagellates (including several ), represents a serious threat to public health. The aim of this paper was to provide information about the occurrence and abundance of potentially toxic harmful algal species causing DSP, and the associated concentration of okadaic acid (OA) toxins. The departing assumption was that in the study area there was an increase in the presence both of species and OA and its derivates that could result in a risk to the health of seafood consumers.

Yessotoxin detection in bivalve molluscs: A case study from coastal mussel farms (Sardinia, Italy).

This work reports the first communication relating to the presence of yessotoxins in from coastal mussel farms (Sardinia, western Mediterranean) detected during 2008 and 2013 through a monitoring programme. The paper emphasizes how the changes both in yessotoxin permitted limits and used methods, established by legislation, have influenced the interpretation of the obtained results. Consequently, the samples that resulted negative during 2008 would have been positive until August 2013 and negative from September 2013 up to now, and the samples that were positive in 2013 would have been positive in 2008 and negative nowadays, according to Regulation currently in force.

Interaction of porcine monocyte-derived dendritic cells with African swine fever viruses of diverse virulence.

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease for which there is no vaccine. The ASF virus (ASFV) can infect dendritic cell (DC), but despite the critical role these cells play in induction of adaptive immunity, few studies investigated their response to ASFV infection. We characterized the in vitro interactions of porcine monocyte-derived DCs (moDC) with a virulent (22653/14), a low virulent (NH/P68) and an avirulent (BA71V) ASFV strain.

Correction: Occurrence of Harmful Algal Species and Shellfish Toxicity in Sardinia (Italy).

[This corrects the article on p. 6095 in vol. 5, PMID: 28058244.

LRRK2 affects vesicle trafficking, neurotransmitter extracellular level and membrane receptor localization.

The leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene was found to play a role in the pathogenesis of both familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). LRRK2 encodes a large multi-domain protein that is expressed in different tissues. To date, the physiological and pathological functions of LRRK2 are not clearly defined.

LRRK2 and vesicle trafficking.

Mutations in LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) (also known as PARK8 or dardarin) are responsible for the autosomal-dominant form of PD (Parkinson's disease). LRRK2 mutations were found in approximately 3-5% of familial and 1-3% of sporadic PD cases with the highest prevalence (up to 40%) in North Africans and Ashkenazi Jews. To date, mutations in LRRK2 are a major genetic risk factor for familial and sporadic PD.

Bcl2-A1 interacts with pro-caspase-3: implications for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Expression of mutant SOD1 typical of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) induces the expression of Bcl2-A1, a member of the Bcl2 family of proteins, specifically in motor neurons of transgenic mice. In this work, we have used immortalized motor neurons (NSC-34) and transgenic mice expressing mutant SOD1 to unravel the molecular mechanisms and the biological meaning of this up-regulation. We report that up-regulation of Bcl2-A1 by mutant SOD1 is mediated by activation of the redox sensitive transcription factor AP1 and that Bcl2-A1 interacts with pro-caspase-3 via its C-terminal helix α9.

Antimicrobial susceptibilities and population structure of Staphylococcus epidermidis associated with ovine mastitis.

Intramammary infections are a serious problem for dairy sheep farms, and Staphylococcus epidermidis is one of the main etiological agents of ovine mastitis. In this work, 131 S. epidermidis isolates, collected from 2201 dairy Sarda sheep belonging to 14 flocks with high somatic cell count scores, were studied.

Apoptotic mechanisms in mutant LRRK2-mediated cell death.

Mutations in the gene coding for leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) cause autosomal-dominant Parkinson's disease. The pathological mutations have been associated with an increase of LRRK2 kinase activity, although its physiological substrates have not been identified yet. The data we report here demonstrate that disease-associated mutant LRRK2 cell toxicity is due to mitochondria-dependent apoptosis.

Increasing incidence of multiple sclerosis in the province of Sassari, northern Sardinia.

Sardinia is a high-risk area for multiple sclerosis (MS), with prevalence rates of 150 per 100,000 population. The study included 689 MS patients (female-male ratio 2.6) with disease onset between 1965 and 1999 in the province of Sassari.