Chitosan nanocarriers-mediated delivery of double-stranded RNA "in planta"

Agriculture is currently facing numerous challenges: the rapid rise of the world population, the consequent growth in food demand, the global decrease in crop yield. Particularly regarding the last issue, climate change is worsening the environmental stresses that commonly affect crops, and the use of resources – such as fertilizers and pesticides – is highly inefficient and pollutant. In this context, research is looking for new approaches to improve crop productivity by more efficient and environmentally friendly practices. It has been shown that nanomaterials are suitable for the development of cutting-edge technologies with the aim of improving the delivery of bioactive substances on plants and to promote their resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Among organic polymers, chitosan, if used in the nanoscale form, shows both properties; it can induce biological responses concerning plant defense against diseases and pathogen attack, and it is particularly suitable as a carrier for several molecules. Another innovative method for the defense of crops is the exploitation of the spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) based on the activation of the so-called RNA-interference (RNAi). It involves exogenous double stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) targeting an essential pathogen gene, which trigger the RNAi pathway leading to the translational repression by degradation of target homologous mRNAs. In our case, the research aimed to verify the feasibility of dsRNA distribution on plant surface by means of functionalized chitosan nanoparticles (CH-NPs), thus allowing the protection of the doping agent and its efficient delivery. Here we show the preliminary results regarding the characterization of CH-NPs, their loading with dsRNAs and their interaction with the leaf surface of Nicotiana benthamiana plants. The effects of the dose-dependent distribution were analyzed by confocal microscopy upon incorporation of a fluorescent probe

La poésie amoureuse de Quevedo

Les études ici réunies s'attachent à montrer comment la poésie amoureuse de Quevedo, tout en puisant dans la tradition pétrarquiste, s'en démarque aussi par un travail formel sur le sonnet, l'émergence du ton propre à la satire, la réactivation de certains mythes ou figures symboliques et enfin par l'inscription de la tension amoureuse au coeur de l'écriture.The studies in this collection aim to show how Quevedo’s love poetry, whilst drawing from Petrarchist tradition, also features formal study of the sonnet, the emergence of a specific satirical tone, the revival of certain myths or symbolic figures and finally includes amorous tension at the heart of the writing

Enti religiosi e riforma del Terzo settore

La recente riforma del Terzo settore portata a compimento con l’approvazione dei decreti legislativi 117/2017 (Codice del Terzo settore), 112/2017 (Impresa sociale) e 111/2017 (5 X mille) ha disegnato per gli “enti religiosi civilmente riconosciuti” una “disciplina speciale” che li sottrae in parte dal regime comune previsto per gli Enti del Terzo settore e per l’Impresa sociale e li sottopone comunque ad obblighi e benefici propri della nuova disciplina. Il volume raccoglie i contributi del Convegno di studi “Enti religiosi e riforma del Terzo settore” organizzato nel maggio 2018 dal Dipartimento di Scienze giuridiche della sede di Piacenza dell’Università Cattolica del Sacro cuore e analizza gli aspetti più rilevanti della materia: impatto della riforma sull’attività degli enti delle confessioni religiose; definizione del concetto di “enti religiosi civilmente riconosciuti”, modalità di implementazione delle nuove regole e loro impatto sui principi generali dell’ordinamento canonico e nei rapporti tra Stato e confessioni religiose; “regime speciale” del ramo Terzo settore e impresa sociale degli enti religiosi civilmente riconosciuti