Effect of Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: scelionidae) density on control of Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: noctuidae) egg masses upon release in a maize field.

The impact of releasing different densities (0, 6, 9 and 12 adult females m-2) of the egg parasitoid Telenomus remus Nixon on maize plants artificially infested with Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) egg masses (one m-2) was evaluated. Egg masses were pinned in the mid-rib of the plant 36 days after planting. One egg mass contained approximately 65 eggs. The experimental design was in a randomized complete block design with five replications (16 m2 plots). There was a significant effect on percentage of parasitism egg masses. The highest parasitism values were verified in plots where 9 or 12 females of T. remus m-2 were released, respectively, 74 and 88.3 %. The relationship between percentage of parasitized egg masses and parasitoid densities was quadratic (Y = 16.8 + 9.98 X - 0.35 X2, r2 = 0.99). The natural occurrence of Trichogramma spp. was relatively constant over the egg masses fixed on maize plants (52.5%). However, the average T. remus parasitism on the eggs of a mass was much higher, representing 80.4% while the parasitism was only 21.3% in the case of Trichogramma. The presence of both parasitoids was responsible for up to 97.5% of parasitism, obtained from plots with a released density of 12 T. remus female m-2

Rotating Electromagnetic Waves in Toroid-Shaped Regions

Electromagnetic waves, solving the full set of Maxwell equations in vacuum, are numerically computed. These waves occupy a fixed bounded region of the three dimensional space, topologically equivalent to a toroid. Thus, their fluid dynamics analogs are vortex rings. An analysis of the shape of the sections of the rings, depending on the angular speed of rotation and the major diameter, is carried out. Successively, spherical electromagnetic vortex rings of Hill's type are taken into consideration. For some interesting peculiar configurations, explicit numerical solutions are exhibited.Comment: 27 pages, 40 figure

Single-Center-Single-Blinded Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of a Nutraceutical Containing Boswellia Serrata, Bromelain, Zinc, Magnesium, Honey, Tyndallized Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Casei to Fight Upper Respiratory Tract Infection and Otitis Media

Some nutraceuticals have been studied as supportive treatment for fighting upper respiratory tract infection and middle ear disease. Our study aims at evaluating the effect of a specific oral supplementation in the treatment of pediatric otits media. The subjects were randomly assigned by the physician (single-blinded study) to one of three groups: Control Group (CG), Treatment Group 1 (TG1), or Treatment Group 2 (TG2). Both TG were treated with Flogostop Duo (for 20 days—TG1 or 30 days—TG2) in combination with the standard treatment, while CG underwent standard treatment only. The standard treatment was nasal aerosol with Fluticasone and Mucolytic, and nasal washing with hypertonic solution. All patients were analyzed by otoscopy, impedance, fibroscopy, and pure auditory test at the baseline (T0), after 20 days (T1) and 35 days (T2). 120 children were included in the study, 40 in the CG, 40 in the TG1, and 40 in the TG2. Both TG1 and TG2 presented statistically significant differences with respect to controls in otoscopy, impedance, fibroscopy, and PTA at T2. The otoscopy improved at T2 with statistically significant value only in TG2. The impedance and fibroscopy improved at T1 both in TG1 and TG2 compared to CG. A statistically significant improvement was observed in TG2 at T2 in comparison to both CG and TG1. Statistically significant differences were observed in PTA at T2 only compared with controls. This study confirmed the efficacy of nutraceutical as supporting therapy in the upper respiratory tract infection in children. In particular, the supplement containing Boswellia serrata and Bromelain, which are molecules with strong anti-inflammatory and pain-control capacities, could add the benefit without the adverse effects which are related to NSAID us

Il follow up del bambino con ipoacusia permanente

I programmi di identificazione precoce delle ipoacusie infantili permette di intraprendere rapidamente l’iter riabilitativo e protesico appropriato; nonostante ciò appare ancora elevato il numero di pazienti che non aderiscono al programma terapeutico. L’obiettivo di questo articolo è presentare i risultati di un’analisi strategica che prende in considerazione i punti di forza, i punti di debolezza, le opportunità e i rischi del processo di follow up audiologico/protesico/linguistico di bambini affetti da ipoacusia bilaterale permanente. Il follow up in questione, coinvolgendo bambini piccoli, implica il coinvolgimento di professionisti specializzati e inseriti in un team multidisciplinare e una gestione plurisettoriale complessa e prolungata. Nell’ambito del progetto finanziato dal Ministero della Salute Italiano CCM 2013 denominato “Programma regionale di identificazione, intervento e presa in carico precoci per la prevenzione dei disturbi comunicativi nei bambini con deficit uditivo” lo scopo di quest’analisi è stata quella di offrire delle raccomandazioni per armonizzare i criteri di valutazione dei risultati terapeutici e trarre spunto da questi per successivamente fornire delle linee guida riguardanti le metodiche più adeguate nella valutazione del bambino con ipoacusia permanente

Human Herpesvirus-8 Infection Leads to Expansion of the Preimmune/Natural Effector B Cell Compartment

BACKGROUND: Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) is the etiological agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and of some lymphoproliferative disorders of B cells. Most malignancies develop after long-lasting viral dormancy, and a preventing role for both humoral and cellular immune control is suggested by the high frequency of these pathologies in immunosuppressed patients. B cells, macrophages and dendritic cells of peripheral lymphoid organs and blood represent the major reservoir of HHV-8. Due to the dual role of B cells in HHV-8 infection, both as virus reservoir and as agents of humoral immune control, we analyzed the subset distribution and the functional state of peripheral blood B cells in HHV-8-infected individuals with and without cKS. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Circulating B cells and their subsets were analyzed by 6-color flow cytometry in the following groups: 1- patients HHV-8 positive with classic KS (cKS) (n = 47); 2- subjects HHV-8 positive and cKS negative (HSP) (n = 10); 3- healthy controls, HHV-8 negative and cKS negative (HC) (n = 43). The number of B cells belonging to the preimmune/natural effector compartment, including transitional, pre-naïve, naïve and MZ-like subsets, was significantly higher among HHV-8 positive subjects, with or without cKS, while was comparable to healthy controls in the antigen-experienced T-cell dependent compartment. The increased number of preimmune/natural effector B cells was associated with increased resistance to spontaneous apoptosis, while it did not correlate with HHV-8 viral load. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results indicate that long-lasting HHV-8 infection promotes an imbalance in peripheral B cell subsets, perturbing the equilibrium between earlier and later steps of maturation and activation processes. This observation may broaden our understanding of the complex interplay between viral and immune factors leading HHV-8-infected individuals to develop HHV-8-associated malignancies