78 research outputs found
Fungal pathogens associated with grapevine trunk diseases in young vineyards in Sicily
After the first report of grapevine decline caused by Botryosphaeriaceae in
Sicily in 2007, epidemiological studies carried out in mature vineyards until 2011 confirmed
the widespread occurrence of “Botryosphaeria dieback” and the “Esca complex”
disease. Dieback symptoms were also recently observed in two young vineyards in
Partanna and Castellammare del Golfo in western Sicily (Trapani province). Declining
vines were inspected for grapevine trunk disease (GTD) symptoms, and were uprooted
and submitted for analyses. Fungal isolates were collected and identified using culturing
and molecular analyses. One isolate per identified species was inoculated to three
grapevine shoots to evaluate pathogenicity and fulfil Koch’s postulates. Several GTD
Botryosphaeriaceae pathogens in the genera Cadophora, Ilyonectria, Neonectria, Phaeoacremonium
and Phaeomoniella were isolated from the symptomatic young vines. Artificial
inoculation confirmed the pathogenicity of these fungi. In addition, virulence
variability was observed among the isolates, with P. chlamydospora causing the largest
lesions. The different species were associated with specific symptoms and/or host vine
parts, especially in the roots and around the grafting areas. Several fungi associated
with Petri disease and black foot were shown to be responsible of young vine decline
Thyroid function, autoimmunity and nodules in hematological malignancies
Objective Hematological malignancies encompass a large spectrum of disease entities whose treatment by chemo/radiotherapy could lead to thyroid complications. To the best of our knowledge, no study has simultaneously addressed thyroid function, autoimmunity and nodularity. Therefore, we decided to conduct one.Materials and methods We evaluated 82 Caucasian patients (36 women and 46 men), who were treated at our Oncology division for hematological malignancies (multiple myeloma, chronic myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphatic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and polycythemia vera) and compared them with a control group of 104 patients. Patients who had received or were receiving external head/neck radiotherapy were excluded. All oncological patients and control individuals underwent thyroid ultrasonography and thyroid function and autoimmunity tests.Results A lower prevalence of enlarged thyroid and nodules were found in patients with respect to controls. The rate of thyroid nodules was the highest in multiple myeloma and polycythemia vera, and the lowest in chronic lymphatic leukemia. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients had the smallest thyroid nodules while men with multiple myeloma the biggest ones. No patient had hypothyroidism, while 5.6% of patients had subclinical hyperthyroidism. In contrast, within the control group the rates of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, overt and subclinical, were 3.8%, 20.2%, 0% and 0% respectively. Moreover, the overall rate of thyroid autoantibody positiveness in patients was significantly lower than controls.Conclusion In our experience, we found a significantly lower prevalence of thyroid abnormalities in hematologic patients who underwent chemotherapy, but not radiotherapy, with respect to controls. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2015;59(3):236-4
Effect of the Combined Treatments with LC2017 and Trichoderma atroviride Strain I-1237 on Disease Development and Defense Responses in Vines Infected by Lasiodiplodia theobromae
Grapevine trunk diseases constitute one of the major problems for viticulture worldwide,
with Botryosphaeria dieback considered as one of the most important of these diseases. In this work,
we aimed to (i) evaluate the effect of the combination of two products, Esquive® (a Trichoderma-based
product) and LC2017 (a low-copper-based product), in the control of Lasiodiplodia theobromae, by
evaluating the internal lesion length caused by inoculation of this pathogen on greenhouse kept
grapevines of cvs Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional and, (ii) investigating their elicitor
effect on plant defense responses, through the analysis of the expression of a set of genes. The
pathogen was always re-isolated from the infected tissues and was able to cause wood discoloration.
Touriga Nacional exhibited longer lesions than Cabernet Sauvignon, and the application of both
products did not appear to reduce lesion length when compared to LC2017 applied alone. The elicitor
effect of LC2017 on plant defense was confirmed by gene expression analysis, and no significant
differences were found between plants treated with LC2017 and with both products. Moreover, a
specific response related to the cultivar was verified, but this apparently unique interaction between
product, cultivar and pathogen remains to be further investigatedinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Resezioni polmonari limitate “intenzionali” versus lobectomie nel trattamento dei tumori polmonari periferici non microcitomi allo stadio IA
Scopo del presente studio è valutare, attraverso l’analisi retrospettiva della nostra casistica e la revisione della letteratura, se le resezioni polmonari limitate siano equivalenti alla lobectomia nel trattamento dei tumori polmonari non microcitomi (NSCLC) periferici allo stadio IA (T1N0M0), in termini di radicalità oncologica, sopravvivenza e tasso di recidive locali, regionali e sistemiche.Viene inoltre preso in considerazione l’impatto delle resezioni limitate, rispetto alle resezioni lobari, sulla funzionalità polmonare postoperatoria.
Pazienti e metodi. Abbiamo analizzato una serie consecutiva di 36 pazienti, 28 uomini e 8 donne, di età compresa fra 61 e 81 anni (media 73 anni), sottoposti ad intervento chirurgico, nel periodo compreso fra gennaio 2000 e dicembre 2003, per NSCLC periferici T1N0M0; sono state effettuate 11 resezioni limitate e 25 lobectomie. Sono state analizzate comparativamente sopravvivenza e recidive (follow-up 3-5 anni), nonché le prove di funzionalità respiratoria ad un anno dall’intervento.
Risultati. La sopravvivenza a 3 e 5 anni è stata pari all’88% ed all’82% nel gruppo dei pazienti sottoposti a resezioni limitate, al 93% e all’88% nel gruppo dei pazienti sottoposti a lobectomia. Si è verificata una recidiva locale (9%) nel primo gruppo, una (4%) nel secondo. Ad un anno dall’intervento si sono osservati un moderato decremento del volume espiratorio
forzato in 1 secondo (FEV1) e della capacitĂ di diffusione per monossido di carbonio (DLCO) nei pazienti sottoposti a resezione lobare, e un sostanziale mantenimento dei parametri funzionali preoperatori, eccezion fatta per la
DLCO, nei pazienti sottoposti a resezione limitata.
Conclusioni. La nostra circoscritta esperienza, in accordo con le tendenze attuali della letteratura, indica che l’intervento di resezione polmonare
limitata, in pazienti selezionati, con NSCLC periferici allo stadio IA, rappresenta una valida alternativa alla lobectomia in termini di sopravvivenza e
tasso di recidiva, determinando altresì un minor decremento della funzionalità polmonare postoperatoria. La segmentectomia può essere dunque considerata,
in tali casi, procedura chirurgica di scelta, anche in pazienti in grado di tollerare una resezione maggior
In planta Activity of Novel Copper(II)-Based Formulations to Inhibit the Esca-Associated Fungus Phaeoacremonium minimum in Grapevine Propagation Material
Ruolo della timectomia nel trattamento della miastenia gravis: considerazioni e casistica personale
L’effetto terapeutico della timectomia sul decorso clinico della
miastemia gravis è ancora quanto mai controverso. Infatti, mentre la
chirurgia è ormai universalmente accettata per i timomi, il suo ruolo
è ancora discutibile in pazienti con miastenia gravis.
La via chirurgica di elezione per la timectomia totale è rappre -
sentata dalla sternotomia mediana. Altre metodologie chirurgiche
includono l’accesso cervicale e la sternotomia parziale. Queste tecni -
che, seppure con alterne fortune, hanno mostrato risultati eccellenti
nella exeresi del timo. PiĂą recentemente la timectomia toracoscopica
video-assistita è stata proposta come una tecnica meno invasiva e
parimenti efficace per l’asportazione di quest’organo ed il trattamento
della miastenia gravis.
Scopo del presente lavoro è quello di riferire l’esperienza degli
Autori in tema di timectomia, analizzando i dati riportati dalla lette -
ratura internazionale sulla mortalitĂ operatoria, le eventuali compli -
canze e i risultati estetici delle diverse tipologie di accesso chirurgico
The protective effect of bergamot oil extract on lecitine-like oxyLDL receptor-1 expression in balloon injury-related neointima formation.
Lectin-like oxyLDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) has recently been suggested to be involved in smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and neointima formation in injured blood vessels. This study evaluates the effect of the nonvolatile fraction (NVF), the antioxidant component of bergamot essential oil (BEO), on LOX-1 expression and free radical generation in a model of rat angioplasty. Common carotid arteries injured by balloon angioplasty were removed after 14 days for histopathological, biochemical, and immunohistochemical studies. Balloon injury led to a significant restenosis with SMC proliferation and neointima formation, accompanied by increased expression of LOX-1 receptor, malondialdehyde and superoxide formation, and nitrotyrosine staining. Pretreatment of rats with BEO-NVF reduced the neointima proliferation together with free radical formation and LOX-1 expression in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that natural antioxidants may be relevant in the treatment of vascular disorders in which proliferation of SMCs and oxyLDL-related endothelial cell dysfunction are involved
Hypophosphatemia as Unusual Cause of ARDS in Cushing’s Syndrome Secondary to Ectopic CRH Production. A Case Report
Hypophosphatemia is an unusual cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We describe a hypophosphatemia-related ARDS case report of a 50-year-old woman with ACTH dependent Cushing's syndrome secondary to ectopic CRH production. The patient clinically showed hypotension tachypnea and increasing dyspnea. Laboratory data showed carbohydrate intolerance, severe hypokalemia, and hypophosphatemia. Arterial blood gases measurement revealed hypocapnia and elevation in bicarbonate values. Chest X-ray showed diffuse bilateral alveolar infiltrates similar to acute pulmonary edema and Kerley's striae. Chest CT scan evidenced diffuse ground glass opacification, bilateral patchy consolidation, and fibrosis, compatible with the recovery phase of ARDS. Clinical symptoms and laboratory examinations supported the diagnosis of ARDS. The patient was managed with supplemental potassium, octreotide, and oxygen therapy. Hypophosphatemia was managed by treating the underlying disorder. Successive surgical removal of the adrenal gland led to complete resolution of Cushing's syndrome. In conclusion, although rare and associated with specific risk factors, hypophosphatemia should be suspected in patients who develop unexplained ARDS
Management of grapevine trunk diseases: knowledge transfer, current strategies and innovative strategies adopted in Europe
Since the early 1990s, grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) have posed threats for viticulture. Esca complex, Eutypa- and Botryosphaeria- diebacks, mostly detected in adult vineyards, are currently responsible for considerable economic losses in the main vine-growing areas of the world. Other GTDs, such as Petri- (Esca complex) and Black-foot diseases, are emerging problems in grapevine nurseries (resulting in grafting failures and/or loss of saleable plants) and in young vineyards. The impacts of GTDs in modern viticulture depend on several factors, some related to their complexity, and others linked to host plant characteristics, changes in vineyard management and to the scarcity of simple tools for their control. For these reasons control of GTDs remains difficult, also depending on knowledge transfer from research to field and vice versa. This paper outlines the main preventive and curative techniques currently applied, scientifically tested or not that have resulted from the outcomes of “Winetwork”, a European Union funded project with special emphasis on the promising and innovative approaches.
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