Current Strategies and Future Outlook for Managing the Neotropical Tomato Pest Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) in the Mediterranean Basin.

The invasion of new regions by exotic pests has been more than ever a critical issue that warrants coordinated international actions to manage established populations and prevent further spreading. Invasive insects can undermine the ecological equilibrium of both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Moreover, increasing temperatures due to climatic change exacerbate this problem by allowing pests to further reach regions previously considered unsuitable. The tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera) is an exotic pest native to Peru that has spread beyond Neotropical America. In Europe, its occurrence was reported in Spain in 2006, and thereafter, it has spread throughout the Mediterranean Basin and further into Africa and part of Asia. While T. absoluta can cause losses to tomato production all over the globe, the differences in each invaded region (e.g., climate, vegetation) may affect its population dynamics and, consequently, management protocols. Therefore, the main intent of this forum paper is to explore how European growers and researchers are dealing with T. absoluta in the Mediterranean area. As for many other invasive pests, the best approach has been the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM). Specifically, the integration of biological control agents (e.g., mirid predators and egg parasitoids), microbial insecticides (i.e., Bacillus thuringiensis), selective chemical insecticides, and sex pheromone-based control has proven adequate, especially in tomato greenhouses. Nonetheless, some of the challenges ahead include the development of resistant tomato cultivars, the management of wild vegetation and companion plants to optimize the conservation of natural enemies and their effectiveness at the crop level, the management of insecticide resistance, and the improvement of sex pheromone-based tactics.

Treatment of the Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome with autologous in vitro cultured vaginal tissue: descriptive study of long-term results and patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluating sexual function and quality of life (QoL) in patients treated with a modified Abbé-McIndoe technique using in vitro cultured autologous vaginal mucosa. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome. POPULATION: From 2006 to 2016, 39 women affected by Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS) underwent vaginoplasty at our centre using a modified Abbé-McIndoe technique with in vitro cultured autologous vaginal tissue. METHODS: For each patient, vaginal tissue was obtained by full-thickness biopsy of the vaginal vestibule. Following enzymatic dissociation, cells were cultured for 2-3 weeks before the transplant. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Each patient completed two validated questionnaires to quantify sexual function and QoL: the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), administered at 12, 36, and 60 months, and the Psychological General Well Being Index (PGWBI) administered at 0, 6, and 36 months after surgery. RESULTS: Twelve months after surgery, 29 patients were engaging in regular sexual activity. The FSFI test results showed a satisfactory sexual function compared to the general population, with median values of 25.85 (range 4.6-30.5) at 12 months, 27.2 (range 4.4-33.6) at 36 months, and 29.6 (range 23.9-33.6) at 60 months. The PGWBI questionnaire showed a median score of 420.5 (range 108-540) before surgery, and 459 (range 252-533) at the 60-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginoplasty performed with the use of autologous vaginal tissue, besides ensuring a long-term satisfying sex life, helps in achieving an improvement in QoL that is maintained over time. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Vaginoplasty using in vitro vaginal tissue ensures a satisfactory sexual function and improves quality of life.

Modalities for assessing the nutritional status in patients with diabetes and cancer.

Epidemiological data have shown that an increased body mass index (BMI) is associated with a higher risk of various cancers, especially in obese diabetic patients. However, oncologic patients often present nutritional alterations that can worsen their prognosis. The aim of this review is to propose the use of cheaper and easy to use tools to assess the nutritional status of patients with cancer with altered glucose metabolism. Based on a literature review, we propose anthropometric measures to classify the degree of malnutrition. Moreover, the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group's performance index (ECOG) are useful to assess the functional status of the body; the achievement of nutritional needs can be analysed with the PG-SGA questionnaire, while the quality of life can be investigated using the DTSQ, SF36, EQ-5D questionnaires and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System. Pre-albumin dosage and lymphocyte count are proposed as nutritional parameters. The degree of hydration can be evaluated through the Bio-Impedance Test (BIA), and energy intake through the dairy food diary, which considers the type of nutrition and the consistency of the meals. It is possible to use a score for each tool used, which is useful to plan an adequate nutritional intervention.

Reproductive interference and fecundity affect competitive interactions of sibling species with low mating barriers: experimental and theoretical evidence.

When allopatric species with incomplete prezygotic isolation come into secondary contact, the outcome of their interaction is not easily predicted. The parasitoid wasp Encarsia suzannae (iES), infected by Cardinium inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), and its sibling species E. gennaroi (EG), not infected by bacterial endosymbionts, may have diverged because of the complementary action of CI and asymmetric hybrid incompatibilities. Whereas postzygotic isolation is now complete because of sterility of F1 hybrid progeny, prezygotic isolation is still incipient. We set up laboratory population cage experiments to evaluate the outcome of the interaction between ES and EG in two pairwise combinations: iES vs EG and cured ES (cES, where Cardinium was removed with antibiotics) vs EG. We also built a theoretical model aimed at exploring the role of life-history differences and asymmetric mating on competitive outcomes. In three of four cages in each treatment, ES dominated the interaction. We found evidence for reproductive interference, driven by asymmetric mating preferences, that gave a competitive edge to ES, the species that better discriminated against heterospecifics. However, we did not find the fecundity cost previously shown to be associated with Cardinium infection in iES. The model largely supported the experimental results. The finding of only a slight competitive edge of ES over EG in population cages suggests that in a more heterogeneous environment the species could coexist. This is supported by evidence that the two species coexist in sympatry, where preliminary data suggest reproductive character displacement may have reinforced postzygotic isolation.

D-mannose: a promising support for acute urinary tract infections in women. A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Urinary tract infections still represent a significant bother for women and result in high costs to the health system. D-mannose is a simple sugar; it seems able to hinder bacteria adhesion to the urothelium. The present study aimed to determine whether D-mannose alone is effective in treating acute urinary tract infections in women and its possible utility in the management of recurrences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a pilot study, performed between April 2014 and July 2015 at Department of Gynaecological Obstetrics and Urologic Sciences of "Sapienza" University of Rome. A D-mannose compound was administered twice daily for 3 days and then once a day for 10 days. Changes in patients' symptoms, the therapeutic effects and changes in quality of life (QoL) were evaluated clinically and using a specifically validated questionnaire (UTISA). After described treatment, patients were randomized in receiving or not prophylaxis in the next 6 months. RESULTS: Mean UTISA scores recorded after completing the treatment, compared with baseline scores, showed a significant improvement of the majority of symptoms (p < 0.05). D-mannose seemed to have had a significant positive effect on UTIs' resolution and QoL improvement (p = 0.0001). As prophylactic agent administered for 6 months, it showed promising results (4.5% vs. 33.3% recurrences in treated and untreated patients respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that D-mannose can be an effective aid in acute cystitis management and also a successful prophylactic agent in a selected population; however, more studies will certainly be needed to confirm the results of our pilot study.

Secondary Cytoreduction in Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Single-Institution Experience.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to observe the role of secondary cytoreductive surgery in platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer (OC) patients. METHODS: We collected data of patients affected by recurrent OC treated between 1995 and 2013. Inclusion criteria were: invasive epithelial OC histologically documented, cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy at first-line treatment with evidence of complete response to treatment, disease-free interval <6 months, and no concomitant neoplasia. Patients considered susceptible of cytoreductive surgery (group A) were compared with a historical series of patients with similar characteristics but not eligible for surgery (group B). RESULTS: Of 122 platinum-resistant patients, 18 met the inclusion criteria for the study and were enrolled. They were compared with a historical series of 18 patients not surgically treated with analogous clinical and pathological features. The most frequent sites of relapse included pelvic and aortic lymph nodes (39 %), peritoneum (33 %), bowel (28 %), and pelvis (22 %). A low rate of intraoperative and postoperative complications was reported. No deaths were recorded. Overall survival was significantly longer in cytoreductive group when compared with the control group (P = 0.035). Median overall survival was 44 months. Estimated 5-year overall survival rates were 57 versus 23.5 % for groups A and B, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery could represent a useful adjunct to chemotherapy in the management of platinum-resistant recurrent OC patients, carefully selected, in highly selected centers. Larger prospective trials are needed to further confirm our experience.

Glycaemic load versus carbohydrate counting for insulin bolus calculation in patients with type 1 diabetes on insulin pump.

AIMS: To evaluate feasibility and effectiveness on short-term blood glucose control of using glycaemic load counting (GLC) versus carbohydrate counting (CC) for prandial insulin dosing in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: Nine T1D patients on insulin pump, aged 26-58 years, HbA1c 7.7 ± 0.8 % (61 ± 8.7 mmol/mol), participated in this real-life setting study. By a crossover design, patients were randomised to calculate their pre-meal insulin dose based on the insulin/glycaemic load ratio (GLC period) or the insulin/carbohydrate ratio (CC period) for 1 week, shifting to the alternate method for the next week, when participants duplicated their first week food plan. Over either week, a blind subcutaneous continuous glucose monitoring was performed, and a 7-day food record was filled in. RESULTS: Total daily insulin doses (45 ± 10 vs. 44 ± 9 I.U.; M ± SD, p = 0.386) and basal infusion (26 ± 7 vs. 26 ± 8 I.U., p = 0.516) were not different during GLC and CC periods, respectively. However, the range of insulin doses (difference between highest and lowest insulin dose) was wider during GLC, with statistical significance at dinner (8.4 ± 6.2 vs. 6.0 ± 3.9 I.U., p = 0.041). Blood glucose iAUC after lunch was lower, albeit not significantly, during GLC than CC period (0.6 ± 8.6 vs. 3.4 ± 8.2 mmol/l∙3 h, p = 0.059). Postprandial glucose variability, evaluated as the maximal amplitude after meal (highest minus lowest glucose value), was significantly lower during GLC than CC period at lunch (4.22 ± 0.28 vs. 5.47 ± 0.39 mmol/l, p = 0.002) and dinner (3.89 ± 0.33 vs. 4.89 ± 0.33, p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Calculating prandial insulin bolus based on glycaemic load counting is feasible in a real-life setting and may improve postprandial glucose control in people with T1D.

A CHO/fibre diet reduces and a MUFA diet increases postprandial lipaemia in type 2 diabetes: no supplementary effects of low-volume physical training.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a supervised physical training added to a healthy diet-rich in either carbohydrate and fibre (CHO/fibre) or monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA)-on postprandial dyslipidaemia, an independent cardiovascular risk factor particularly relevant in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Participants were forty-five overweight/obese subjects with T2D, of both genders, in good blood glucose control with diet or diet+metformin, with normal fasting plasma lipids. According to a parallel groups 2 × 2 factorial design, participants were randomized to an 8-week isoenergetic intervention with a CHO/fibre or a MUFA diet, with or without a supervised low-volume aerobic training programme. The main outcome of the study was the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) of lipid concentrations in the plasma chylomicron+VLDL lipoprotein fraction, isolated by preparative ultracentrifugation (NCT01025856). Body weight remained stable during the trial in all groups. Physical fitness slightly improved with training (VO2 peak, 16 ± 4 vs. 15 ± 3 ml/kg/min, M ± SD, p < 0.05). Postprandial triglyceride and cholesterol iAUCs in plasma and chylomicron+VLDL fraction decreased after the CHO/fibre diet, but increased after the MUFA diet with a significant effect for diet by two-way ANOVA (p < 0.05). The addition of exercise training to either dietary intervention did not significantly influence postprandial lipid response. A diet rich in carbohydrates and fibre reduced postprandial triglyceride-rich lipoproteins compared with a diet rich in MUFA in patients with T2D. A supervised low-volume physical training did not significantly influence these dietary effects.

A karyological study of the genus Pnigalio Schrank (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): assessing the taxonomic utility of chromosomes at the species level.

We provide a karyological study of 12 species of the genus Pnigalio in an attempt to evaluate the taxonomic utility of karyotypes at the species level. For all species of Pnigalio examined the number of chromosome was 2n=12. Karyotype formulae presented mainly metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes, although a pair of acrocentrics or subtelocentrics, shorter than biarmed chromosomes, was present in some species. The analysis of karyotypes of Pnigalio showed frequent but not general interspecific variability of the chromosome traits. Although most of the studied species revealed concordance between morphological and karyological characters (centromeric index and relative length), two other categories have been identified: morphologically distinct species without reciprocal differences in karyotype structure, and morphologically similar species that strongly differ in chromosomal characters.

A prospective phase II study of topotecan (Hycamtin®) and cisplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility, toxicity and activity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) using cisplatin and topotecan in patients affected by locally advanced cervical cancer (IB2-IIIB). METHODS: Patients with histologically confirmed FIGO stage IB2-IIIB uterine cervical cancer were treated with topotecan 0.75 mg/m(2)/day (days 1-3) followed by cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) (day 1), every 21 days for three consecutive cycles. After the last cycle of chemotherapy, within 3 or 4 weeks, patients underwent radical surgery with lymph node dissection. RESULTS: In the years 2007-2010, 46 women were enrolled into the study. Hematologic toxicity was the most relevant side effect. Thirty-eight patients (82.6%) underwent radical surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and were assessable for pathologic responses; surgery was not performed in 8 (17.4%) non-responder patients or with progression disease. Objective pathological response was recorded in 34 patients (89.5%); 6 patients (15.8%) achieved a complete response (CR), 28 (73.7%) patients achieved a partial response (PR); stable disease (SD) occurred in 2 patients (5.3%) with IIA initial disease and progression disease (PD) was registered in 2 patients (5.3%) with IIIB initial disease. The cumulative 2-year progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the 46 enrolled patients in the study were 70% and 81%, respectively; the 2-year PFS and OS of the 38 operated patients were respectively 79% and 95%. CONCLUSIONS: The cisplatin-topotecan combination seems to be feasible and with an acceptable toxicity profile and a promising response rate for the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Phase II and III studies are needed to compare this combination with other platinum-based chemotherapeutic associations.

Thieno[3,2-c]pyrazoles: a novel class of Aurora inhibitors with favorable antitumor activity.

A novel series of 3-amino-1H-thieno[3,2-c]pyrazole derivatives demonstrating high potency in inhibiting Aurora kinases was developed. Here we describe the synthesis and a preliminary structure-activity relationship, which led to the discovery of a representative compound (38), which showed low nanomolar inhibitory activity in the anti-proliferation assay and was able to block the cell cycle in HCT-116 cell line. This compound demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetic properties and good efficacy in the HL-60 xenograft tumor model.

Rickettsia symbionts cause parthenogenetic reproduction in the parasitoid wasp Pnigalio soemius (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

Bacteria in the genus Rickettsia are intracellular symbionts of disparate groups of organisms. Some Rickettsia strains infect vertebrate animals and plants, where they cause diseases, but most strains are vertically inherited symbionts of invertebrates. In insects Rickettsia symbionts are known to have diverse effects on hosts ranging from influencing host fitness to manipulating reproduction. Here we provide evidence that a Rickettsia symbiont causes thelytokous parthenogenesis (in which mothers produce only daughters from unfertilized eggs) in a parasitoid wasp, Pnigalio soemius (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Feeding antibiotics to thelytokous female wasps resulted in production of progeny that were almost all males. Cloning and sequencing of a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene amplified with universal primers, diagnostic PCR screening of symbiont lineages associated with manipulation of reproduction, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that Rickettsia is always associated with thelytokous P. soemius and that no other bacteria that manipulate reproduction are present. Molecular analyses and FISH showed that Rickettsia is distributed in the reproductive tissues and is transovarially transmitted from mothers to offspring. Comparison of antibiotic-treated females and untreated females showed that infection had no cost. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA and gltA gene sequences placed the symbiont of P. soemius in the bellii group and indicated that there have been two separate origins of the parthenogenesis-inducing phenotype in the genus Rickettsia. A possible route for evolution of induction of parthenogenesis in the two distantly related Rickettsia lineages is discussed.

Feminization and the collapse of haplodiploidy in an asexual parasitoid wasp harboring the bacterial symbiont Cardinium.

Cardinium is a bacterial symbiont infecting many species of arthropods, and is associated with manipulation of host reproduction. Cardinium is the causal agent of asexual reproduction, or thelytoky, in the chalcidoid parasitoid wasp Encarsia hispida. Feeding antibiotics to the infected adult females results in uninfected male offspring. Here, we show that these males are diploid. Diploid males are extremely unusual in the large hymenopteran superfamily Chalcidoidea, and, to our knowledge, have never before been associated with symbiont infection in this group. These findings indicate that at least in E. hispida, diploidy restoration is a necessary condition but not sufficient to elicit female development. Cardinium is required to feminize diploid male embryos and thus must interact with elements of the host sex determination system. In addition, our data suggest that Cardinium is necessary for the fertility of E. hispida; antibiotic curing of Cardinium reduces offspring production of adult females.

Molecular characterization of closely related species in the parasitic genus Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene.

The genus Encarsia Förster includes parasitoid species that are effective natural enemies of whitefly and armoured scale insect agricultural pests. Within this genus, several species groups have been recognized on the basis of morphological similarity, although their monophyly appears uncertain. It is often difficult to separate morphologically similar species, and there is evidence that some species could in fact be complexes of cryptic species. Their correct identification is fundamental for biological control purposes. Recently, due to unreliability of morphological characters, molecular techniques have been investigated to identify markers that differentiate closely related species. In this study, DNA variation in an approximately 900 bp segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was examined by both sequencing and PCR-RFLP. Two pairs of species that are difficult to distinguish morphologically were analysed: Encarsia formosa Gahan and Encarsialuteola Howard, belonging to the luteola group, and two populations of Encarsiasophia (Girault & Dodd) from Pakistan and Spain, belonging to the strenua group, recently characterized as cryptic species. High sequence divergence and species-specific restriction patterns clearly differentiate both species pairs. Parsimony analysis of the nucleotide sequences was also performed, including Encarsiahispida De Santis (luteola group) and Encarsia protransvena Viggiani (strenua group). Two monophyletic clades supporting the two groups of species considered were resolved. The results of this study support the use of the COI gene as a useful marker in separating species of Encarsia, for which morphological differences are subtle. Moreover, the COI gene appears potentially useful for understanding phylogenetic relationships in this genus.

Interspecific host discrimination and within-host competition between Encarsia formosa and E. pergandiella (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), two endoparasitoids of whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae).

Interspecific host discrimination and within-host competition between Encarsia formosa Gahan and Encarsia pergandiella (Howard), two endoparasitoids of whiteflies, were studied under laboratory conditions. Interspecific host discrimination was studied at two time intervals (0 h and 72 h after the first species had oviposited). Parasitized and unparasitized Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) hosts were accepted for oviposition at the same rate by the two parasitoid species. Host type did not affect the handling time of the two parasitoids. The outcome of within-host competition was investigated after females of the two species parasitized the hosts at various time intervals. In four treatments, E. pergandiella was allowed to oviposit 0, 24, 48 and 72 h after E. formosa while in the other two, E. formosa was allowed to oviposit 0 and 72 h after E. pergandiella. In four of these treatments: E. formosa following E. pergandiella at 0 and 72 h, and E. pergandiella following E. formosa at 0 and 24 h, E. pergandiella prevailed. In the host discrimination experiment (72 h interval), 20% of E. pergandiella eggs were killed by E. formosa females. Interspecific ovicide was also observed in the within-host competition experiment, in which 6% of 72-h-old E. pergandiella eggs were killed by E. formosa females.

Selective Influence and Response Time Cumulative Distribution Functions in Serial-Parallel Task Networks.

We analyze sets of mental processes, some of which are concurrent and some of which are sequential, under the assumption that the processes are partially ordered, that is, arranged in a directed acyclic network. Information about the process arrangement can be discovered by examining the effects on response time of selectively influencing process durations. Previous work has mainly focused on analyses of mean response times. Here we consider analyses based on cumulative distribution functions, for one of the major classes of directed acyclic networks, serial-parallel networks. When two processes are selectively influenced, patterns in the cumulative distribution functions can be used to test whether the processes are sequential or concurrent and whether the task network has AND gates or OR gates. Cumulative distribution functions are potentially more informative than means, and some previous results for means are shown to follow from our results for cumulative distribution functions. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Response time distributions: some simple effects of factors selectively influencing mental processes.

When hypotheses about mental processing are tested with response times, inferences are often based on means, and occasionally on variance or skewness. Calculations on entire distributions of response times are more informative and can be conveniently carried out. Recently investigators have been updating procedures primarily based on means (such as additive factors tests) to procedures employing entire distribution functions. In one such advance, Nozawa and Townsend upgraded earlier tests of whether factors selectively influence serial or parallel processes, and whether parallel processes enter AND gates or OR gates. We discuss generalizations of the tests to complex arrangements of processes in networks. Results for a particularly difficult network, the Wheatstone bridge, are presented here. We use simulations to demonstrate the feasibility of the tests, and the possibility of mimicking.