ABSTRACTWe studied the distribution of fungal endophytes of grapevine (Vitis viniferaL.) plants in a subalpine area of northern Italy, where viticulture is of high economic relevance. We adopted both cultivation-based and cultivation-independent approaches to address how various anthropic and nonanthropic factors shape microbial communities. Grapevine stems were harvested from several locations considering organic and integrated pest management (IPM) and from the cultivars Merlot and Chardonnay. Cultivable fungi were isolated and identified by internal-transcribed-spacer sequence analysis, using a novel colony-PCR method, to amplify DNA from fungal specimens. The composition of fungal communities was assessed using a cultivation-independent approach, automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA). Multivariate statistical analysis of both culture-dependent and culture-independent data sets was convergent and indicated that fungal endophytic communities in grapevines from organically managed farms were different from those from farms utilizing IPM. Fungal communities in plants of cv. Merlot and cv. Chardonnay overlapped when analyzed using culture-dependent approaches but could be partially resolved using ARISA fingerprinting.

Small ruminant lentivirus infections in goats affect both production and animal welfare. This represents a threat to the qualitative and quantitative growth of goat farming, recently observed in mountainous regions such as the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol (Italy). To monitor and eradicate the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus in this goat population, a compulsory eradication campaign was launched, based on a strict census of small ruminants and yearly serological testing of all animals, followed by the consequent culling of seropositive individuals. The campaign succeeded in completely eliminating cases of clinical disease in goats, while drastically reducing the seroprevalence at the herd as well as individual animal level. The serological outcome of the introduced control measures was determined using commercially available ELISA kits, demonstrating their suitability for use in this type of campaign, aimed at reducing seroprevalence as well as clinical manifestations of these infections. However, this clear success is diminished by the failure to achieve a complete eradication of these viruses. The reasons leading to the observed tailing phenomenon and the occurrence of new infections in already sanitised flocks are discussed and implementation of further measures are proposed.

Caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1) infection is associated with clinical manifestations related to animal age, with high mortality in kids and infertility in adults. Given the scarcity of research about the epidemiological situation of this infection in Brazilian flocks, we aimed to conduct a cross-sectional descriptive study to detect antibodies against CpHV-1 in goats in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Fifty-five male and female goats — kids and adult — were assessed in this study. Blood serum was analyzed by a commercial ELISA kit to detect antibodies against CpHV-1, which had not been used in Brazil before. No animals were reactive. Brazil lacks information about CpHV-1 infection in goat flocks. Continuing the study is crucial to understand the epidemiological situation of the disease and establish protocols for infection control.

ATTRACTING women into science-and keeping them there-is important across all scientific disciplines, but it could be particularly important in the veterinary field because of the high proportion of women entering the veterinary profession and because the way scientific careers are structured tends not to favour veterinary clinicians (of either sex) aiming to reach a senior level. It has long been argued that a 'glass ceiling' exists for women working in science, engineering and technology; in a government-commissioned report called 'SET fair' published in 2002, scientist and peer Baroness Greenfield memorably likened their career structure to a 'leaky pipe' in which 'at each level of seniority, fewer women than men make it to the next level' (VR, December 7, 2002, vol 151, p 681). If the proportion of women entering the veterinary profession is higher than in other disciplines, and research career structures present specific obstacles for veterinary researchers anyway, where are the leading veterinary scientists of the future to come from? These thoughts are prompted by an article in the The Guardian last week by Jenny Gristock, a researcher and freelance science writer. Headlined bluntly 'Why aren't there more women in science? The industry structure is sexist', her article is not specifically concerned with veterinary science, but is well worth reading nonetheless. 1 The article was prompted by an editorial in New Scientist, 2 commenting on a study published in The BMJ which had looked at trends in female first-authorship of papers published in high impact medical journals between 1994 and 2014. This had found that, while the representation of women among first authors of research papers was higher in 2014 than 20 years before, this had levelled out and, for some of the journals, was going down. This, despite the fact that female representation in the medical profession had increased substantially over the same 20-year period. 3 Although such findings usually result in calls to encourage more women to take up science, the situation is, as Dr Gristock points out, rather more complicated than that. Indeed, she points out, there are more