An extremely rare serovar of Salmonella enterica (Yopougon) discovered in a Western Whip Snake (Hierophis viridiflavus) from Montecristo Island, Italy: case report and review.

Reptiles, including snakes, can be asymptomatically infected with multiple pathogen microorganisms, including Salmonella spp., which is considered an important concern for public and animal health. Small and uninhabited isles are quite ecologically different from mainland and represent interesting fields of study, to discover unexpected biological and microbiological aspects of their wild inhabitants. This work reports the presence of the very rare Salmonella enterica serovar Yopougon, isolated in a carcass of a native wild snake (Hierophis viridiflavus) from an Italian uninhabited island of Mediterranean Sea, Montecristo. To our knowledge, S. enterica serovar Yopougon was previously isolated only once 34 years earlier in Ivory Coast, from a human fecal sample. In the present study, we present the genomic characterization of the new isolate, the phylogenetic comparison with the previously isolated S. enterica serovar Yopougon strain of human origin and with other sequences available in public databases. In addition, an extensive review of available data in the literature and from our case history is provided. Our finding represents an example of the ability of some pathogens to travel for very long distances within their hosts and then to infect others, even from different taxa.

Macular degeneration: peculiar sunlight exposure in an agricultural worker.

BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure to sunlight, in particular to blue light (wavelength of 380-550 nm), is a risk factor for several pathologies, including chronic retinal photochemical damage and, more specifically, age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Moreover, in addition to the effect of blue light, there is evidence about the role of near ultraviolet light (UV-A) as a risk factor for AMD since, given the wavelength, a precise "turning point" between effect and no effect is not definable. METHODS AND RESULTS: This work reports the case of a woman employed in the agricultural sector from 15 to 25 years of age, with no significant occupational exposure to other risk factors for AMD, who later developed this pathology. The case is of particular interest given that she worked as a "mondina", a task involving the transplanting of young rice seedlings into water-flooded fields and manual weed control. This practice, although replaced by the introduction of pesticides, entailed the exposure to sunlight reflection on the water surface in addition to direct exposure to natural light. CONCLUSION: This brief case-report points out that occupational exposure to the short wavelength component of visible light and UV-A deserve further attention regarding preventive measures and the adoption of adequate personal protective equipment, in particular in productive sectors involving lengthy eye exposure to solar radiation and to the reflectance of surrounding surfaces. Furthermore, the cases of AMD and cataract should receive a complete and accurate occupational anamnesis for a more proper recognition of the possible role of occupational solar radiation exposure in the induction of the disease.

Rheological, Mechanical and Morphological Characterization of Fillers in the Nautical Field: The Role of Dispersing Agents on Composite Materials.

Coatings have a fundamental role in covering the external surface of yachts by acting both as protective and aesthetic layers. In particular, fillers represent the essential layer from the point of view of mechanical properties and consist of a polymeric matrix, different extenders and additives, and dispersing agents, with the latter having the role to provide good extender-matrix compatibility. In the present work, the effects of dispersing agents with an ionic or steric action on the interactions between hollow glass microspheres and an epoxy-polyamide resin are evaluated. Un-crosslinked filler materials are studied via rheological tests, whereas the mechanical and morphological properties of the crosslinked samples are assessed. The results clearly indicate that steric dispersing agents provide a much greater compatibility effect compared to ionic ones, owing to their steric hindrance capability, thus leading to better-performing filler materials with a less-marked Payne effect, which is here proved to be an efficient tool to provide information concerning the extent of component interactions in nautical fillers. To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the first attempt to deeply understand the role of dispersing agents, which are until now empirically used in the preparation of fillers.