Indagine su Henosepilachna elaterii (Rossi) (=Epilachna chrysomelina (F.)) e Raphidopalpa foveicollis (Lucas) in meloneti biologici della Sicilia occidentale.

Investigations on Henosepilachna elaterii (Rossi) and Raphidopalpa foveicollis (Lucas) in an organic cultivation of winter melon in western Sicily. A study on H. elaterii and R. Foveicollis, serious pests of winter melon, was conducted in two organic melon fields of the western Sicily. Dynamics of population and infestation levels were investigated. In addition, the possible influence of mulching on R. Foveicollis infestation has been taken into account. Our results showed that H. elaterii occurred only in one field from the beginning of June and it infested 60% of the plants in the mid-July, then the pest population density dropped to about 10%. R. foveicollis occurred in both locations from the beginning of June and reached high levels of population density around the mid-June; then the pest density rapidly decreased in the two following weeks. Adults were found in the traps and the peak catches occurred in mid-June. A greater number of catches was found in the traps placed between the rows and the greater number of individuals has been detected on plants of the not mulched plots. The percentage of plants with damaged leaves ranged from 68.7% to 100% on mulched plots and 93.3% to 100% on not mulched plots. In conclusion, the damages inflicted by R. foveicollis are counterbalanced by the rapid growing rate of the plant occurring during June. Hence, this pest may cause serious injuries only in case of heavy infestation on winter melon seedlings. Similarly, the damage caused by H. elaterii is usually not heavy even if presence of high levels of infestation

THE COMPLEX INTERPLAY BETWEEN VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY AND DIABETES

It has been recently highlighted the link between vitamin D and metabolic and immunological pro- cesses, which established its role as an essential component of human health preservation. Vitamin D has been defined as natural immune modulators, and through the activation of its receptors (VDRs), it regulates calcium metabolism, cellular growth, proliferation and apoptosis, and other immunological functions. In this setting, vita- min D has also been reported to influence glucose regulation via effects on insulin secretion and action. Vitamin D deficiency is strongly associated with obesity mostly due to the storage of vitamin D in adipose tissue because of its lipophilic properties. The decrease in vitamin D levels may occur through several mechanisms such as a decrease in the calcium concentration, an increase in PTH, or a direct effect of vitamin D on worsening insulin resistance and secretion, augmenting the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, retrospective analysis and observational studies demonstrated high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with type 1 diabetes and suggested a contributory role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, specially with certain allelic variations of the VDR. Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and early childhood decreased the risk of autoimmune dia- betes and perhaps, even after the onset of diabetes, it may improve glycemic control. In addition, in subjects that are affected by a high risk of developing diabetes (impaired fasting glucose and/or glucose tolerance, possibly without obesity) vitamin D supplementation could be helpful on the prevention of type 2 diabete

Unique Structure and Stability of HmuY, a Novel Heme-Binding Protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Infection, survival, and proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in humans depend on their capacity to impair host responses and acquire nutrients in a hostile environment. Among such nutrients is heme, a co-factor for oxygen storage, electron transport, photosynthesis, and redox biochemistry, which is indispensable for life. Porphyromonas gingivalis is the major human bacterial pathogen responsible for severe periodontitis. It recruits heme through HmuY, which sequesters heme from host carriers and delivers it to its cognate outer-membrane transporter, the TonB-dependent receptor HmuR. Here we report that heme binding does not significantly affect the secondary structure of HmuY. The crystal structure of heme-bound HmuY reveals a new all-β fold mimicking a right hand. The thumb and fingers pinch heme iron through two apical histidine residues, giving rise to highly symmetric octahedral iron co-ordination. The tetrameric quaternary arrangement of the protein found in the crystal structure is consistent with experiments in solution. It shows that thumbs and fingertips, and, by extension, the bound heme groups, are shielded from competing heme-binding proteins from the host. This may also facilitate heme transport to HmuR for internalization. HmuY, both in its apo- and in its heme-bound forms, is resistant to proteolytic digestion by trypsin and the major secreted proteases of P. gingivalis, gingipains K and R. It is also stable against thermal and chemical denaturation. In conclusion, these studies reveal novel molecular properties of HmuY that are consistent with its role as a putative virulence factor during bacterial infection

Valutazione del metodo “attract and kill” con eco-trap nel controllo della mosca delle olive Bactrocera oleae Gmelin.

Il lavoro è stato svolto in quattro aziende a conduzione biologica della Sicilia occidentale avvalendosi delle risorse finanziarie istituite dal MiPAF, con il “Fondo per lo sviluppo dell’agricoltura biologica e di qualità” ed in ambito regionale dall’attuazione da parte del Servizio IV dell’Assessorato Regionale Agricoltura e Foreste del “Progetto di Sviluppo dell’Agricoltura biologica in Sicilia” sottoprogetto “Gestione fitosanitaria dell’agrosistema olivo”. Vengono riportati i dati inerenti l’efficacia del metodo “attract and kill” nei confronti delle infestazioni della mosca delle olive. In ciascuna delle quattro aziende, tre situate in zone collinari (indicate con A, B e C) e una a livello del mare (indicata con D), sono state individuate delle parcelle di 2ha in A e B, seguite nel 2006 e nel 2007, e di 100 piante in B e C, seguite nel 2008, dove sono state poste delle eco-trap (Vioryl) così distribuite: azienda A tesi con 100 trappole/ha, azienda B tesi 1 con 100 trappole/ha e tesi 2 con 150 trappole /ha, aziende C e D tesi con 1 trappola/pianta. Per tutte le tesi sono state predisposte parcelle testimone e in tutte le parcelle sono state poste trappole a feromone in numero di 3/ha. Inoltre, sono stati rilevati i livelli di infestazione attraverso campionamenti settimanali di 100 drupe/ha per ciascuna parcella. I risultati ottenuti mostrano che nelle aziende A e B il numero di catture è sempre stato maggiore sul testimone rispetto alle tesi. Nell’azienda C, il numero di catture iniziate nella I decade di agosto,è stato superiore sulla tesi sino alla fine di settembre e da questa data in poi, sul testimone. Nell’azienda D, le catture sono state rilevate solo sulla tesi dalla fine di agosto sino a fine settembre e quasi esclusivamente sul testimone da inizio ottobre sino alla raccolta. L’infestazione attiva nel 2006 nelle aziende A e B ha mostrato valori sul testimone quasi sempre superiori a quelli della tesi, con andamento decrescente nell’azienda B. Nel 2007 nell’azienda A l’infestazione è stata quasi assente, mentre nell’azienda B è stata simile sulle due tesi ma sempre inferiore a quella sul testimone. Nel 2008, l’infestazione attiva rilevata nell’azienda C e nell’azienda D è stata sempre inferiore sulla tesi rispetto al testimone con valori, però, nettamente più bassi nell’azienda D. E’ da rilevare che i livelli di infestazione registrati sulle tesi con eco-trap non si sono discostati in modo apprezzabile da quelli rilevati sui testimoni