Mechanical interaction of the egg parasitoid Anastatus bifasciatus (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) with artificial substrates and its host egg

Egg parasitoids play an important role in biological control of pest species attacking and killing their hosts at an early stage of their development. During the antagonistic coevolution with their hosts, egg parasitoids have developed a great ability to locate their host using chemical cues. A considerable amount of literature is available on this topic, while nothing is known about a possible adaptation of egg parasitoids to topography and mechanical properties of egg surface features and its shape when attaching to the host egg for oviposition. In the present investigation, the attachment ability of adults of both sexes of the egg parasitoid Anastatus bifasciatus (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) to artificial (polishing paper, flat glass, glass beads as dummies of the host egg) and natural surfaces (eggs of Halyomorpha halys and Nezara viridula, both Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), with different roughness and wettability, was measured using centrifugal force tester and traction force experiments. The parasitoid attachment devices and the egg surfaces were examined under cryo scanning electron microscope, wettability and roughness of natural and artificial substrates were characterised. We detected differences in the attachment devices and attachment ability of the two sexes. The collected data revealed a special ability of the female to attach to the eggs of the host species, thus suggesting an adaptation of the A. bifasciatus female to the surface features of the eggs during oviposition

Short-term reproducibility of nocturnal non-dipping pattern in recently diagnosed essential hypertensives.

Objective: To investigate in a selected population of patients with a recently diagnosed essential hypertension the short-term intrasubject variability of diurnal changes in blood pressure (BP). Methods: Two hundred and eight consecutive, recently diagnosed, never treated essential hypertensives (119 men, 89 women, 46 ± 12 years) underwent 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) twice within 3 weeks. Dipping pattern was defined as a reduction in average systolic and diastolic BP at night greater than 10% compared to average daytime values. Results: 177 subjects (85%) showed no change in their diurnal variations in BP. Of the 159 subjects who had a dipping pattern on first ABPM, 134 (90.6%) confirmed this type of profile on the second ABPM, while 15 (9.4%) showed a non-dipping pattern. Of the 59 subjects who had a non-dipping pattern on the first ABPM, 43 (72.2%) confirmed their initial profile on the second ABPM, while 16 (28.8%) did not. Conclusion: These findings indicate that short-term reproducibility of diurnal changes in BP in early phases of untreated essential hypertension, characterized by a large prevalence of dipping pattern, is overall satisfactory. However, our study underlines that also in this particularly selected population of hypertensives the definition of non-dipping status on the basis of a single ABPM remains unreliable in about one-third of patients

p53 mutations in L3-loop zinc-binding domain, DNA-ploidy, and S phase fraction are independent prognostic indicators in colorectal cancer: A prospective study with a five-year follow-up

p53 gene alterations are among the most common events observed in colorectal cancer, and are accompanied frequently by DNA aneuploidy and high proliferative activity. The prognostic significance of such mutations remains controversial. We prospectively evaluated the prognostic significance of p53 mutations, DNA-ploidy, and S phase fraction (SPF) in a consecutive series of 160 colorectal cancer patients (median follow-up 71 months). Tumor DNA was screened for p53 mutations by PCR/single-strand conformational polymorphism/sequencing. DNA-ploidy and SPF were assessed by DNA flow cytometry. p53 mutations were detected in 68 of 160 (42.5%) cases. In 56% (38 of 68) of these, p53 mutations were found in conserved areas of the gene and in 44% (30 of 68 cases) outside the conserved regions. Eighteen of the 68 cases (26%) had mutations in the L3 loop, 11 of 68 (16%) in the L1 loop-sheet-\u3b1 helix motif, and 39 of 68 (58%) outside L3 and loop-sheet-\u3b1 helix. Seventy-five percent of the cases (120 of 160) showed DNA aneuploidy, whereas 18% of these (22 of 120) were multiclonal. The major independent predictors for both disease relapse and death were advanced Dukes' stage, p53 mutations affecting L3 loop, DNA-aneuploid tumors, and high SPF (>18.5%). Our results show that mutations in L3 functional domain, more than any mutations, are important biological indicators to predict the outcome of patients indicating that these mutations have biological relevance in terms of colorectal cancer disease course

Skeptical Look at the Clinical Implication of Metabolic Syndrome in Childhood Obesity

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined by a cluster of several cardio-metabolic risk factors, specifically visceral obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose metabolism, which together increase risks of developing future cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). This article is a narrative review of the literature and a summary of the main observations, conclusions, and perspectives raised in the literature and the study projects of the Working Group of Childhood Obesity (WGChO) of the Italian Society of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (ISPED) on MetS in childhood obesity. Although there is an agreement on the distinctive features of MetS, no international diagnostic criteria in a pediatric population exist. Moreover, to date, the prevalence of MetS in childhood is not certain and thus the true value of diagnosis of MetS in youth as well as its clinical implications, is unclear. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the pathogenesis and current role of MetS in children and adolescents with particular reference to applicability in clinical practice in childhood obesity

Effect of Tocilizumab vs Standard Care on Clinical Worsening in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is threatening billions of people worldwide. Tocilizumab has shown promising results in retrospective studies in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia with a good safety profile

TIPIT: A randomised controlled trial of thyroxine in preterm infants under 28 weeks' gestation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Infants born at extreme prematurity (below 28 weeks' gestation) are at high risk of developmental disability. A major risk factor for disability is having a low level of thyroid hormone which is recognised to be a frequent phenomenon in these infants. At present it is unclear whether low levels of thyroid hormone are a cause of disability, or a consequence of concurrent adversity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We propose an explanatory multi-centre double blind randomised controlled trial of thyroid hormone supplementation in babies born below 28 weeks' gestation. All infants will receive either levothyroxine or placebo until 32 weeks' corrected gestational age. The primary outcome will be brain growth. This will be assessed by the width of the sub-arachnoid space measured using cranial ultrasound and head circumference at 36 weeks' corrected gestational. The secondary outcomes will be (a) thyroid hormone concentrations measured at increasing postnatal age, (b) status of the hypothalamic pituitary axis, (c) auxological data between birth and 36 weeks' corrected gestational age, (d) thyroid gland volume, (e) volumes of brain structures (measured by magnetic resonance imaging), (f) determination of the extent of myelination and white matter integrity (measured by diffusion weighted MRI) and brain vessel morphology (measured by magnetic resonance angiography) at expected date of delivery and (g) markers of morbidity including duration of mechanical ventilation and chronic lung disease.</p> <p>We will also examine how activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis modulates the effects of thyroid supplementation. This will contribute to decisions about which confounding variables to assess in large-scale studies.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN89493983</p

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 12

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1

Pediatric DXA: clinical applications

Normal bone mineral accrual requires adequate dietary intake of calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients; hepatic and renal activation of vitamin D; normal hormone levels (thyroid, parathyroid, reproductive and growth hormones); and neuromuscular functioning with sufficient stress upon the skeleton to induce bone deposition. The presence of genetic or acquired diseases and the therapies that are used to treat them can also impact bone health. Since the introduction of clinical DXA in pediatrics in the early 1990s, there has been considerable investigation into the causes of low bone mineral density (BMD) in children. Pediatricians have also become aware of the role adequate bone mass accrual in childhood has in preventing osteoporotic fractures in late adulthood. Additionally, the availability of medications to improve BMD has increased with the development of bisphosphonates. These factors have led to the increased utilization of DXA in pediatrics. This review summarizes much of the previous research regarding BMD in children and is meant to assist radiologists and clinicians with DXA utilization and interpretation

Dai balconi ai parchi urbani: buone pratiche per un giardinaggio consapevole

Prodotto nell’ambito del progetto LIFE15 GIE/IT/001039 “Alien Species Awareness Program”(ASAP), è un opuscolo di tipo tecnico-pratico che intende fornire alcune informazioni di base sulle piante esotiche invasive presenti in Italia nonché, seguendo le buone pratiche dettate nel Codice di condotta definito nell’ambito della Convenzione di Berna, proporre un numero non esaustivo di specie native da utilizzare in alternativa alle piante esotiche invasive inserite nella Lista di Rilevanza Unionale e per le quali vi è divieto di importazione, commercio, possesso, riproduzione, trasporto, utilizzo e rilascio in natura. E’ indirizzato a tutti coloro che sono coinvolti direttamente o indirettamente nella produzione, commercializzazione e impiego delle piante ornamentali: aziende florovivaistiche importatori di piante e tutti coloro che svolgono un ruolo nella progettazione e realizzazione di aree verdi quali gli Architetti paesaggisti, i Dottori Forestali, i Dottori Agronomi e a tutti gli appassionati di giardinaggio. La scelta di utilizzare specie autoctone nel verde urbano risponde anche all’esigenza di garantire una migliore tutela e conservazione della biodiversità negli spazi urbani

Geographical and temporal distribution of SARS-CoV-2 clades in the WHO European Region, January to June 2020

We show the distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) genetic clades over time and between countries and outline potential genomic surveillance objectives. We applied three genomic nomenclature systems to all sequence data from the World Health Organization European Region available until 10 July 2020. We highlight the importance of real-time sequencing and data dissemination in a pandemic situation, compare the nomenclatures and lay a foundation for future European genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2