Effect of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi on soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr. growth and yield

The soybean is a crop of economic importance and has a great number of potential pests which cause significant economic losses. The entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and Metarhizium robertsii are important biological control agents, which can live as endophytes within plants and causes no apparent damage to the host. The aims of this study were to assess whether the entomopathogenic fungi B. bassiana, M. manisopliae and M. robertsii are able to colonize soybean plants as endophytes by using different inoculation techniques; and assess if these fungi produce any effect on the growth and yield of soybean plants under field conditions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of three inoculation methods (foliar spray, seed immersion and root immersion) to establish fungal entomopathogens as endophytes. Percentage of recovery for the different fungal strains was higher after 7 days of inoculation, through the organ that was in direct contact with the fungus during the inoculation. B. bassiana LPSc 1098 inoculated by leaf aspersion was the most successful strain. It was also demonstrated for the first time that inoculation with B. bassiana promoted the growth and increased the yield of soybean plants under filed conditions, with no adverse effects observed in the inoculated plants.Fil: Russo, M.L.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; ArgentinaFil: Pelizzari, Silvia Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Vianna, María Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; ArgentinaFil: Allegrucci, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; ArgentinaFil: Cabello, Marta Noemí. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; ArgentinaFil: Toledo, Andrea Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Mourelos, Cecilia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Scorsetti, Ana Clara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; Argentin

Support to SMEs - Increasing research and innovation in SMEs and SME development. Final report. Work package 2

Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF)

Biologically driven cut-off definition of lymphocyte ratios in metastatic breast cancer and association with exosomal subpopulations and prognosis

High neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) are respectively associated with systemic inflammation and immune suppression and have been associated with a poor outcome. Plasmatic exosomes are extracellular vesicles involved in the intercellular communication system that can exert an immunosuppressive function. Aim of this study was to investigate the interplay between the immune system and circulating exosomes in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). A threshold capable to classify patients according to MLR, NLR and PLR, was computed through a receiving operator curve analysis after propensity score matching with a series of female blood donors. Exosomes were isolated from plasma by ExoQuick solution and characterized by flow-cytometry. NLR, MLR, PLR and exosomal subpopulations potentially involved in the pre-metastatic niche were significantly different in MBC patients with respect to controls. MLR was significantly associated with number of sites at the onset of metastatic disease, while high levels of MLR and NLR were found to be associated with poor prognosis. Furthermore, exosomal subpopulations varied according to NLR, MLR, PLR and both were associated with different breast cancer subtypes and sites of distant involvement. This study highlights the nuanced role of immunity in MBC spread, progression and outcome. Moreover, they suggest potential interaction mechanisms between immunity, MBC and the metastatic niche

Sotorasib in KRASp.G12C mutated advanced NSCLC: Real-world data from the Italian expanded access program

Background: Sotorasib showed a significant improvement of progression free survival (PFS), safety and quality of life over docetaxel in patients with KRASp.G12C-mutated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) within the CodeBreak-200 study. Here we report real-world efficacy and tolerability data from NSCLC patients who received sotorasib within the Italian expanded access program (EAP). Methods: Sotorasib (960 mg, orally, once daily) was available on physician request for KRASp.G12C mutant advanced NSCLC patients. Clinical-pathological and molecular data were collected from the Italian ATLAS real-world registry. Patients underwent CT-scan and responses were evaluated by RECIST criteria. Efficacy and tolerability outcomes have been assessed. Results: A total of 196 advanced NSCLC patients were treated across 30 Italian centers. Median age was 69 years old (range 33-86). Most patients were male (61 %), former (49 %) or current smokers (43 %), with ECOG-PS 0/1 (84 %) and adenocarcinoma subtype (90 %). 45 % and 32 % of patients received sotorasib in 2nd and 3rd line, respectively. Overall, response rate was 26 % and the median duration of response was 5.7 months (95 % CI: 4.4-7.0). Median PFS and OS were 5.8 months (95 % CI: 5 - 6.5) and 8.2 months (95 % CI: 6.3 - 9.9). Grade 3-4 TRAEs occurred in 16.5 % of patients, with Grade >= 3 liver enzyme increase and TRAEs-related discontinuation reported in 12 % and 4.6 % of cases. Conclusion: Real-world data from the Italian EAP confirm the tolerability and effectiveness of sotorasib in patients with KRASp.G12C-mutated advanced NSCLC and highlight the value of the national ATLAS network as source of real-world evidence driving the clinical management of NSCLC patients

The Use of PRISM (Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure) in Patients Affected by Chronic Cutaneous Ulcers

PRISM (Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure) is a nonverbal visualization instrument. The authors chose to use this tool to avoid the limitation of the other tests for the assessment of quality of life by using interview methods that depend on the cognitive and cultural level of the patient. The aim of the study was to assess the impact on the quality of life of different types of chronic wounds using the PRISM test

The Italian Version of the Five-Word Test: A Simple Diagnostic Test for Dementia due to Alzheimer's Disease in Routine Clinical Practice

Background. The five-word test (FWT) is a neuropsychological tool (derived from the Grober and Buschke paradigm), measuring hippocampal memory trace consolidation. The study aimed to validate the test for the Italian language and to verify its ability to discriminate patients affected by mild cognitive impairment and dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease from healthy matches. Methods. 217 subjects (127 controls, 47 MCI due to AD, and 43 AD) underwent neuropsychological evaluation. The Spearman rank coefficient (ρ) was used to assess the correlation between immediate (IRS), delayed (DRS), and total score (TRS) of the FWT and correspondent matches of a specific short story test, while receiving operator characteristic (ROC) curves were built to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of both. Results. Correlation between almost all the scores was significant in all the diagnostic subgroups; the ROC curves of the two tests were not statistically different. A TRS of the FWT with a cut-off of ≤9/10 could accurately discriminate AD patients (sensitivity: 97%, specificity: 94%) and MCI due to AD (sensitivity: 76%, specificity: 68%) from control matches. Conclusion. FWT is a simple and valid test of hippocampal memory which appears recommendable in routine clinical practice

Immunotherapy in NSCLC Patients with Brain Metastases

Approximately 40% of unselected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients develop brain metastases (BMs) during their disease, with considerable morbidity and mortality. The management of BMs in patients with NSCLC is a clinical challenge and requires a multidisciplinary approach to gain effective intracranial disease control. Over the last decade, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a game-changer in the treatment landscape of advanced NSCLC, with significant improvements in survival outcomes, although patients with BMs are mostly underrepresented in randomized clinical trials. Moreover, the safety and activity of ICIs and radiotherapy combinations compared with single-agent or sequential modalities is still under evaluation to establish the optimal management of these patients. The aim of this review is to summarize the state-of-the-art of clinical evidence of ICIs intracranial activity and the main challenges of incorporating these agents in the treatment armamentarium of NSCLC patients with BMs

Game, gaming, gamification. Promuovere consapevolezza, didattica attiva e responsabilità di consumo dei videogiochi

Il contributo si inserisce nel libro Cittadinanza onlife: è il ripensamento del digitale a scuola attorno all’educazione allo spirito critico e alla responsabilità. La proposta nasce da due testi quadro (la legge 92 sull’Educazione civica e il Curriculum di Educazione Civica Digitale), due progetti di formazione di istituti scolastici (l’IIS L. Einaudi di Chiari e l’ICS E. Curiel di Paullo-Tribiano) e soprattutto 74 autori tra insegnanti ― dalla scuola dell’infanzia alla secondaria di ii grado ―, dirigenti scolastiche e formatori del Centro di Ricerca sull’Educazione ai Media, all’Innovazione e alla Tecnologia (CREMIT) dell’Università Cattolica. Perchè il gaming e la gamification sono così importanti all'interno della nostra società? Come si relazionano all'interno dell'apprendimento e della Scuola Primaria? Le autrici riflettono circa la consapevolezza di docenti e bambini circa l'uso del gaming e il suo inserimento all'interno di una didattica attiva, ponendo anche una riflessione sull'uso del videogioco proposto dallo studioso Gee (2003

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Response to First-Line Treatment Predicts Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer: First Clues for A Cost-Effective and Dynamic Biomarker

Background: Elevated plasmatic lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels are associated with worse prognosis in various malignancies, including metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Nevertheless, no data are available on the prognostic role of LDH as a dynamic biomarker during first-line treatment in unselected MBC. Methods: We reviewed data of 392 women with MBC to evaluate the association between LDH variation after 12 weeks of first-line treatment and survival. The prognostic impact was tested by multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results: Plasmatic LDH was confirmed as an independent prognostic factor in MBC. Patients who maintained elevated LDH levels after 12 weeks of first-line treatment experienced worse progression-free survival (PFS, HR 2.88, 95% CI: 1.40-5.89, p = 0.0038) and overall survival (OS, HR 2.61, 95% CI 1.16-5.86, p = 0.02) compared to patients with stable normal LDH levels, even after adjustment for other prognostic factors. Notably, LDH low-to-high variation emerged as an unfavorable prognostic factor for PFS (HR 3.96, 95% CI 2.00-7.82, p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Plasmatic LDH and its variation during first-line treatment predict PFS and OS in MBC, providing independent prognostic information. It would be worthwhile to prospectively evaluate the association between LDH variation and therapeutic benefit in MBC, and explore how it may affect treatment strategies