High-resolution bulked segregant analysis enables candidate gene identification for bacterial wilt resistance in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.).

Bacterial wilt, caused by Xanthomonas translucens pv. graminis (Xtg), is a serious disease of economically important forage grasses, including Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). A major QTL for resistance to Xtg was previously identified, but the precise location as well as the genetic factors underlying the resistance are yet to be determined. To this end, we applied a bulked segregant analysis (BSA) approach, using whole-genome deep sequencing of pools of the most resistant and most susceptible individuals of a large (n = 7484) biparental F2 population segregating for resistance to Xtg. Using chromosome-level genome assemblies as references, we were able to define a ~300 kb region highly associated with resistance on pseudo-chromosome 4. Further investigation of this region revealed multiple genes with a known role in disease resistance, including genes encoding for Pik2-like disease resistance proteins, cysteine-rich kinases, and RGA4- and RGA5-like disease resistance proteins. Investigation of allele frequencies in the pools and comparative genome analysis in the grandparents of the F2 population revealed that some of these genes contain variants with allele frequencies that correspond to the expected heterozygosity in the resistant grandparent. This study emphasizes the efficacy of combining BSA studies in very large populations with whole genome deep sequencing and high-quality genome assemblies to pinpoint regions associated with a binary trait of interest and accurately define a small set of candidate genes. Furthermore, markers identified in this region hold significant potential for marker-assisted breeding strategies to breed resistance to Xtg in Italian ryegrass cultivars more efficiently.

The assessment of emotion reactivity: The Italian validation of the Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale-Short Form (PERS-S).

Emotion reactivity refers to the activation, intensity and duration of emotional responses to internal or external stimuli. It can be differentiated from emotion regulation since the former is the very first response to an emotional trigger, and the latter can be defined as a tool for maintaining one's arousal in a window of tolerance. Since, to date, there are no Italian self-report measures able to evaluate individuals' emotional reactivity, this study aimed to contribute to the Italian validation of the Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale-Short Form (PERS-S). The PERS-S is an 18-item self-report measure answered on a 5-point Likert scale that generates six subscale scores and two composite scores, with higher scores indicating higher levels of reactivity. Data from 768 individuals showed that the PERS-S had good to excellent goodness of fit. The internal consistency was high, with an overall reliability coefficient (Cronbach's α) of .87 and .86 for the negative and positive general scales, respectively. The PERS-S also demonstrated appropriate convergent validity, showing significant correlations with conceptually related measures, and acceptable divergent validity, showing minimal correlations with unrelated constructs. Finally, we evaluated the Test-Retest Reliability by administering the PERS-S to the same sample twice, with a 2-week interval. The significant correlations between the two PERS-S administrations suggest temporal stability. The Italian version of the PERS-S will enrich the repertoire of self-report measures for investigating the development and risk factors of mental health disorders and may have practical applications in clinical settings.

Extended phenotypic characterization of a novel Helsmoortel-van der Aa syndrome case series.

The neurodevelopmental disorder known as Helsmoortel-van der Aa syndrome (HVDAS, MIM#616580) or ADNP syndrome (Orphanet, ORPHA:404448) is a multiple congenital anomaly (MCA) condition, reported as a syndrome in 2014, associated with deleterious variants in the ADNP gene (activity-dependent neuroprotective protein; MIM*611386) in several children. First reported in the turn of the century, ADNP is a protein with crucial functions for the normal development of the central nervous system and with pleiotropic effects, explaining the multisystemic character of the syndrome. Affected individuals present with striking facial dysmorphic features and variable congenital defects. Herein, we describe a novel case series of HVDAS Italian patients, illustrating their clinical findings and the related genotype-phenotype correlations. Interestingly, the cutaneous manifestations are also extensively expanded, giving an important contribution to the clinical characterization of the condition, and highlighting the relation between skin abnormalities and ADNP defects.

Mother, father, son and the Italian Law 40/2004. No 'delete' key.

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has emerged in recent years as a point of significant innovation in the medical field but is also controversial from a bioethical and legal standpoint. In the Italian context, this matter is regulated by Law 40/2004, which specifically requires that informed consent should be obtained from both members of a couple before proceeding with any ART procedure. This consent is deemed irrevocable at the moment of egg fertilization. Recently, a ruling by the Italian Constitutional Court on this matter elicited controversy. The decision permitted embryo transfer even in a case of parental separation, notwithstanding the father's explicit opposition. The Court emphasized the priority of the woman's psychophysical health over the man's, highlighting the traumatic consequences of interrupting the undertaken path. As a result, both the man's right to self-determination regarding the decision to become a father and the need for informed consent at every stage of medical procedures have been downplayed. Moreover, the extensive utilization of procedures like embryo cryopreservation, with associated parental implications, particularly concerning the time frame and the actuality of informed consent, is posing challenges to the initial application framework of Law 40/2004. The objective of this Commentary is to scrutinize and discuss the issues mentioned above.

Education needs in palliative care and advance care planning of Italian residents in neurology: an online survey.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Most neurological diseases have a chronic and progressive clinical course, with patients living for extended periods with complex healthcare needs. Evidence from other countries suggests that palliative care (PC) is insufficiently integrated in the care of these patients. This study aims to identify PC and advance care planning (ACP) knowledge and the perceived preparedness of Italian residents in neurology. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional online survey of physicians attending the 36 Italian neurology residency programmes. RESULTS: Of 854 residents, 188 (22%) participated. Their mean age was 28.4 ± 2.0 years; 49% were women; 45% were from the north, 23% from the centre and 32% from the south of Italy. Few residents (6%) reported that a teaching course in PC was part of the graduate programme, and 3% of the postgraduate programme. During their residency, 9% of participants received PC training, and 18% ACP training. Only 13% reported to have participated in the ACP process, half within their neurology residency programme. Residents considered PC support very/extremely important in all the pre-specified clinical situations, with values ranging between 78% and 96%. Over 70% of residents revealed education needs, particularly concerning ACP. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm the need for improving PC training in the graduate and postgraduate curriculum. This, together with collaboration and joint training of neurology and PC, is essential to improve the quality and continuity of care and respond to the complex needs of people with neurological disorders causing severe disability.

Best practices, errors, and perspectives of half a century of plant translocation in Italy.

Conservation translocations are becoming common conservation practice, so there is an increasing need to understand the drivers of plant translocation performance through reviews of cases at global and regional levels. The establishment of the Italian Database of Plant Translocation (IDPlanT) provides the opportunity to review the techniques used in 186 plant translocation cases performed in the last 50 years in the heart of the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot. We described techniques and information available in IDPlanT and used these data to identify drivers of translocation outcomes. We tested the effect of 15 variables on survival of translocated propagules as of the last monitoring date with binomial logistic mixed-effect models. Eleven variables significantly affected survival of transplants: life form, site protection, material source, number of source populations, propagation methods, propagule life stage, planting methods, habitat suitability assessment, site preparation, aftercare, and costs. The integration of vegetation studies in the selection of suitable planting sites significantly increased the success of translocation efforts. Although posttranslocation watering had a generally positive effect on translocation outcome, other aftercare techniques did not always increase transplant survival. Finally, we found that how funds were spent appeared to be more important than the actual amount spent. Plant translocations in Italy and in the Mediterranean area should account for the complexity of speciation, gene flow, and plant migrations that has led to local adaptations and has important implications for the choice and constitution of source material.

Mejores prácticas, errores y perspectivas tras medio siglo de reubicaciones botánicas en Italia Resumen Las reubicaciones son una práctica cada vez más común en la conservación, por lo que hay una necesidad creciente por entender los factores del desempeño de las reubicaciones botánicas por medio de la revisión de casos regionales y globales. La creación de la Italian Database of Plant Translocation (IDPlanT) proporciona una oportunidad para revisar las técnicas usadas para los casos de reubicación de 186 plantas realizados durante los últimos cincuenta años en el centro del punto caliente de biodiversidad mediterránea. Describimos las técnicas y la información disponible en IDPlanT y usamos estos datos para identificar los factores involucrados en los resultados de las reubicaciones. Usamos modelos logísticos binomiales de efectos mixtos para analizar el efecto de 15 variables sobre la supervivencia de los propágulos reubicados a partir de la última fecha de monitoreo. Once de las variables afectaron de manera significativa la supervivencia de las plantas: forma de vida, protección del sitio, fuente de materiales, cantidad de poblaciones originarias, método de propagación, etapa de vida del propágulo, método de siembra, evaluación de idoneidad del hábitat, preparación del sitio, cuidados posteriores y costos. La integración de los estudios botánicos a la selección de los sitios idóneos para plantar aumentó el éxito de los esfuerzos de reubicación. Aunque el riego posterior a la reubicación tuvo un efecto positivo general sobre el resultado, las otras técnicas de cuidado posterior no siempre incrementaron la supervivencia de la planta reubicada. Por último, descubrimos que parece ser más importante cómo se utilizan los fondos que la cantidad actual empleada. Las reubicaciones botánicas en Italia y en el área del Mediterráneo deben considerar lo complejo de la especiación, el flujo génico y la migración botánica que han derivado en adaptaciones locales y que han tenido implicaciones importantes para la elección y constitución del material de origen.

Epidemiology, Characteristics of Disease, and Unmet Needs of Patients with Generalized Pustular Psoriasis: A Large Italian Delphi Consensus.

INTRODUCTION: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare and chronic, debilitating skin condition characterized, in its acute flare phase, by clinically severe and potentially life-threatening systemic manifestations. Data on GPP are still scanty, particularly in Europe and at a national level. The aim of this study was to provide expert indications on several disease-related and patient-related aspects of GPP, with specific focus to the Italian context. METHODS: We conducted an iterative eDelphi study following the recommended criteria for reporting methods and results. After a thorough bibliographic review aimed to identify unknown or controversial issues in GPP, the following areas were investigated through a few specific questions/statements for each area: (1) disease epidemiology; (2) disease characteristics, with specific interest toward GPP flares; (3) diagnosis and diagnostic delay; (4) GPP treatment; (5) GPP patient journey and use of healthcare resources in Italy; (6) unmet needs and quality of life. An Executive Board of 9 principal investigators revised and approved the topics to be examined and overviewed the whole project. A total of 35 experts from different Italian areas, including 34 board-certified Italian dermatologists and 1 representative of patients' associations, took part in the study. RESULTS: A high agreement in responses from Italian experts emerged during two eDelphi iterations on - among several other aspects - GPP prevalence and incidence in Italy, use of European Rare and Severe Psoriasis Expert Network diagnostic criteria, flare frequency and duration, best diagnostic and care pathway, and main unmet needs of Italian patients. On the other hand, a broad spectrum of treatments (of different drug classes) was reported both in the acute and chronic phases of GPP, and no consensus on the issue was thus achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Consensus findings from this Delphi study of GPP experts may be useful to fill gaps of knowledge and improve awareness of this rare disease, as well as to help clinical and public health management of GPP in Italy.

The Italian registry of therapeutic apheresis in SISTRA: Year of activity 2022.

Therapeutic apheresis refers to a group of extracorporeal blood processing procedures used in the treatment of a variety of systemic diseases. These complex procedures are burdened by adverse reactions related to both procedures and underlying medical conditions. Given the importance of centralizing the collection and the analysis of information on therapeutic apheresis, the Italian National Blood Center (NBC), at the request of the Italian Scientific Society of Hemapheresis and Cell Manipulation (SIdEM), implemented the Italian Registry of Therapeutic Apheresis (IRTA) including it in the Information System of Transfusion Services (SISTRA), coordinated by the NBC. In 2022, a total of 34,702 therapeutic apheresis procedures was carried out in 8,781 patients, including paediatric patients, with an average of 3.9 procedures per patient. The 2022 IRTA data indicate that the patient with hematological and/or neurological disorders mainly turns to the apheresis centers. These results confirm the IRTA data from years 2020 and 2021. In the hematological field, the apheresis centers supply hematopoietic stem cells collection for autologous transplantation as well as mononuclear cell collection for extracorporeal photopheresis. With regard to the neurological field, myasthenia, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and Guillain-Barré syndrome along with other neurological pathologies related to immune disorders are the most treated. In conclusion, this manuscript presents 2022 activity data of IRTA providing institutions and scientific societies with a wide range of information including type and number of therapeutic procedures, adverse events and patients' outcome.

A cross-sectional study on performance evaluation in Italian standardbred horses' real-time PCR-positive for Theileria equi.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory myopathy and perivasculitis have been recently described in horses with chronic equine piroplasmosis (EP). These alterations may be linked to poor performances. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence for EP in clinically healthy Italian Standardbred (IS) racehorses and to compare laboratory parameters and performance metrics between positive and negative horses. Real-time PCR was applied for the detection of T. equi and B. caballi positivity. Haematology parameters, blood chemistry results, subjective muscle mass scores, and performance metrics were compared between PCR-positive and -negative horses. RESULTS: This cross-sectional study included 120 well-trained IS racehorses and was performed over a two-years period. The prevalence of T. equi was 36.3%, whereas all samples were negative for B. caballi. Red blood cells count, haemoglobin concentration, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase activities were significantly higher in PCR-positive horses, whereas blood urea nitrogen, globulin concentration and globulin-to-albumin ratio were significantly lower in PCR-positive horses compared to PCR-negative ones. Nonetheless, all values fell within the physiological range. The best racing time, which was selected as the most representative of the performance metrics at the principal component analysis, was not affected by PCR positivity, the muscle mass score or the training yard. The best racing time was significantly better in horses with a mild or no signs of muscular atrophy, within the PCR-positive group. The muscle mass score was associated with the training yard in PCR-negative horses. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of T. equi was high in IS racehorses in southern Italy. The absence of obvious changes in haematological and biochemical parameters, as well as performance metrics in positive horses, highlights the need for specific diagnostic tests to identify chronically infected horses.

Capsicum chinense Jacq.-derived glutaredoxin (CcGRXS12) alters redox status of the cells to confer resistance against pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV-I).

KEY MESSAGE: The CcGRXS12 gene protects plants from cellular oxidative damage that are caused by both biotic and abiotic stresses. The protein possesses GSH-disulphide oxidoreductase property but lacks Fe-S cluster assembly mechanism. Glutaredoxins (Grxs) are small, ubiquitous and multi-functional proteins. They are present in different compartments of plant cells. A chloroplast targeted Class I GRX (CcGRXS12) gene was isolated from Capsicum chinense during the pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) infection. Functional characterization of the gene was performed in Nicotiana benthamiana transgenic plants transformed with native C. chinense GRX (Nb:GRX), GRX-fused with GFP (Nb:GRX-GFP) and GRX-truncated for chloroplast sequences fused with GFP (Nb:Δ2MGRX-GFP). Overexpression of CcGRXS12 inhibited the PMMoV-I accumulation at the later stage of infection, accompanied with the activation of salicylic acid (SA) pathway pathogenesis-related (PR) transcripts and suppression of JA/ET pathway transcripts. Further, the reduced accumulation of auxin-induced Glutathione-S-Transferase (pCNT103) in CcGRXS12 overexpressing lines indicated that the protein could protect the plants from the oxidative stress caused by the virus. PMMoV-I infection increased the accumulation of pyridine nucleotides (PNs) mainly due to the reduced form of PNs (NAD(P)H), and it was high in Nb:GRX-GFP lines compared to other transgenic lines. Apart from biotic stress, CcGRXS12 protects the plants from abiotic stress conditions caused by H2O2 and herbicide paraquat. CcGRXS12 exhibited GSH-disulphide oxidoreductase activity in vitro; however, it was devoid of complementary Fe-S cluster assembly mechanism found in yeast. Overall, this study proves that CcGRXS12 plays a crucial role during biotic and abiotic stress in plants.

Use, experience and perspectives of high-density EEG among Italian epilepsy centers: a national survey.

INTRODUCTION: High-density EEG (hdEEG) is a validated tool in presurgical evaluation of people with epilepsy. The aim of this national survey is to estimate diffusion and knowledge of hdEEG to develop a network among Italian epilepsy centers. METHODS: A survey of 16 items (and 15 additional items) was distributed nationwide by email to all members of the Italian League Against Epilepsy and the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 104 respondents were collected from 85 centers, 82% from the Centre-North of Italy; 27% of the respondents had a hdEEG. The main applications were for epileptogenic focus characterization in the pre-surgical evaluation (35%), biomarker research (35%) and scientific activity (30%). The greatest obstacles to hdEEG were economic resources (35%), acquisition of dedicated personnel (30%) and finding expertise (17%). Dissemination was limited by difficulties in finding expertise and dedicated personnel (74%) more than buying devices (9%); 43% of the respondents have already published hdEEG data, and 91% of centers were available to participate in multicenter hdEEG studies, helping in both pre-processing and analysis. Eighty-nine percent of respondents would be interested in referring patients to centers with established experience for clinical and research purposes. CONCLUSIONS: In Italy, hdEEG is mainly used in third-level epilepsy centers for research and clinical purposes. HdEEG diffusion is limited not only by costs but also by lack of trained personnel. Italian centers demonstrated a high interest in educational initiatives on hdEEG as well as in clinical and research collaborations.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Chemsex: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Chemsex has been defined until now as the use of specific psychoactive substances during sexual activities in men who have sex with men (MSM) contexts to facilitate, enhance, and prolong the experience. Many studies have investigated this phenomenon in specific communities, such as MSM, or have explored the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of chemsex in an Italian group and describe its main characteristics. Additionally, the study aimed to suggest prevention strategies addressing the risks associated with drug use. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study. The survey was conducted among 1,828 individuals residing in Italy. Data were collected through a self-completed online survey consisting of 44 questions. RESULTS: 248 people (13.6%) disclosed that they had practiced chemsex, 89 of which (35.9%) were female. Moreover, 13 people (5%) defined themselves as addicted to chemsex; 173 people (69.8%) would like to have more information about the risks related to chemsex, and 79 people (31.8%) would like to talk about this to a professional working in the addiction field. DISCUSSION: The prevalence found in our Italian survey is consistent with findings from other studies. Notably, our survey reveals the presence of chemsex among women. Our results emphasize the necessity for a more comprehensive understanding of chemsex, highlighting the significance of engaging specialized services such as addiction units, STD outpatient clinics, and mental health services. These healthcare facilities can effectively share information and implement risk prevention campaigns focused on chemsex.

Characterization of dry-cured ham microbiota at 12 months of seasoning obtained from different rearing strategies using 16S rRNA profiling.

In this study, we investigated the microbiota of 72 Italian ham samples collected after 12 months of seasoning. The hams were elaborated from pigs fed different rearing methods, including the traditional restricted medium protein diet chosen as control (C group); restrictive low protein diet (LP group); two ad libitum high-protein diet groups (HP9M group: slaughter at 9 months of age; HP170 group: slaughter at 170 kg). A multi-amplicon 16S metabarcoding approach was used, and a total of 2845 Amplicon Sequence Variants were obtained from the 72 ham samples. Main phyla included: Firmicutes (90.8%), Actinobacteria (6.2%), Proteobacteria (2.7%), and Bacteroidota (0.12%). The most common genera were Staphylococcus, Tetragenococcus, and Brevibacterium. Shannon index for α-diversity was found statistically significant, notably for the HP9M group, indicating higher diversity compared to C. PERMANOVA test on ß-diversity showed significant differences in rearing methods between HP170 and C, HP170 and LP, and HP9M vs. C. All three rearing methods revealed associations with characteristic communities: the HP9M group had the highest number of associations, many of which were due to spoilage bacteria, whereas the LP group had the highest number of seasoning-favourable genera.

Are we ready to bridge classification systems? A comprehensive review of different reporting systems in thyroid cytology.

The evaluation of thyroid lesions is common in the daily practice of cytology. While the majority of thyroid nodules are benign, in recent decades, there has been increased detection of small and well-differentiated thyroid cancers. Combining ultrasound evaluation with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is extremely useful in the management of thyroid nodules. Furthermore, the adoption of specific terminology, introduced by different thyroid reporting systems, has helped effectively communicate thyroid FNAC diagnoses in a clear and understandable way. In 1996, the Papanicolaou Society thyroid cytological classification was introduced. This was followed in 2005 by the first Japanese and then in 2007 by the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, which subsequently underwent two revisions. Other international thyroid terminology classifications include the British, Italian, Australasian and other Japanese cytology systems. This review covers similarities and differences among these cytology classification systems and highlights key points that unify these varied approaches to reporting thyroid FNAC diagnoses.

Exploring the sources of variation of electrical conductivity and total and differential somatic cell count in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes.

In the buffalo dairy sector, a huge effort is still needed to improve mastitis prevention, detection, and management. Electrical conductivity (EC) and total somatic cell count (SCC) are well-known indirect indicators of mastitis. Differential somatic cell count (DSCC), which represents the proportion of neutrophils and lymphocytes on the total SCC, is instead a novel phenotype collected in the dairy cattle sector in the last lustrum. As little is known about this novel trait in dairy buffalo, in the present study we explored the nongenetic factors affecting DSCC, as well as EC and total somatic cell score (SCS), in the Italian Mediterranean buffalo. The data set used for the analysis included 14,571 test-day (TD) records of 1,501 animals from 6 herds, and climatic information of the sampling locations. The original data were filtered to exclude animals with less than 3 TD per lactation and, for the investigated traits, outliers beyond 4 standard deviations. In the statistical model we included the fixed effects of herd (6 classes), days in milk (DIM; 10 classes of 30 d, with the last being an open class until 360 d), parity (6 classes, from 1 to 6+), year-season of calving (11 classes, from summer 2019 to winter 2021/2022), year-season of sampling (9 classes, from spring 2020 to spring 2022), production level (4 classes based on quartiles of average milk yield by herd), and temperature-humidity index (THI; 4 classes based on quartiles, calculated using the average temperature and relative humidity of the 5 d before sampling). Average EC, SCS, and DSCC vary across herds. Considering DIM, greater EC values were observed at the beginning and the end of lactation; SCS was slightly lower, but DSCC was greater around the lactation peak. Increased EC, SCS, and DSCC levels with increasing parity were reported. Year-season calving and year-season sampling only slightly affected the variation of the investigated traits. Milk of high-producing buffaloes was characterized by lower EC and SCS mean values, nevertheless it had slightly greater DSCC percentages. Buffaloes grouped in the highest THI classes (classes 3 and 4) showed, on average, greater EC, SCS, and DSCC in comparison to the lower classes, especially to class 2. Results of the present study represent a preliminary as well as necessary step for the possible future inclusion of EC, SCS, or DSCC in breeding programs aimed to improve mastitis resistance in dairy buffaloes.

Response characterization and target site mechanism study in glyphosate-resistant populations of Lolium multiflorum L. from Brazil.

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) is an invasive species widely spread in croplands worldwide. The intensive use of glyphosate has resulted in the selection of resistance to this herbicide in Italian ryegrass. This work characterized the response to glyphosate of Italian ryegrass populations from the South and Southwest regions of Paraná, Brazil. A total of 44 Italian ryegrass populations were collected in farming areas, and were classified for glyphosate resistance with 75% of populations resistant to gloyphosate. Of these, 3 resistant (VT05AR, MR20AR and RN01AR) and three susceptible (VT07AS, MR05AS and RN01AS) of these populations were selected to determine the resistance level and the involvement of the target site mechanisms for glyphosate resistance. Susceptible populations GR50 ranged from 165.66 to 218.17 g.e.a. ha-1 and resistant populations from 569.37 to 925.94, providing RI ranging from 2.88 and 4.70. No mutation in EPSPS was observed in the populations, however, in two (MR20AR and RN02AR) of the three resistant populations, an increase in the number of copies of the EPSPs gene (11 to 57×) was detected. The number of copies showed a positive correlation with the gene expression (R2 = 0.86) and with the GR50 of the populations (R2 = 0.81). The increase in EPSPS gene copies contributes to glyphosate resistance in Italian ryegrass populations from Brazil.

Identification, Pathogenicity, and Fungicide Sensitivity of Colletotrichum Species Associated with Anthracnose on Italian Ryegrass in Southwestern China.

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) is widely cultivated as an important forage worldwide because of its high nutritional value and good palatability. Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum species was a common and new emerging disease of Italian ryegrass. In this study, 88 Colletotrichum isolates were collected from diseased leaves of Italian ryegrass planting regions in Sichuan, Chongqing and Guizhou provinces of southwestern China between 2019 and 2022. By pure culture technique, 15 representative single-spore isolates were obtained for further study. Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis coupled with morphological features showed that these isolates were finally identified as six new record species: C. cereale of the C. graminicola species complex, C. fioriniae and C. nymphaeae of the C. acutatum species complex, C. boninense and C. citricola of the C. boninense species complex, and C. nageiae. Pathogenicity tests indicated that all species could induce anthracnose symptoms; of these, C. cereale was more invasive than other species, followed by C. fioriniae, C. nageiae, C. citricola and C. boninense; C. nymphaeae was weakest pathogenic to Italian ryegrass plants (P ≤ 0.05). Fungicide sensitivity assays showed that iprodione, propineb and oxime·tebuconazole had strong inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of six Colletotrichum species; in addition, azoxystrobin and fludioxonil also significantly inhibited the mycelial growth of C. nymphaeae and C. fioriniae, respectively. These results provide the basis for the diagnosis and detection in the field, pathogen identification and management of anthracnose on Italian ryegrass.

The role of lexical and prosodic characteristics of mothers' child-directed speech for the early vocabulary development of Italian children with cochlear implants.

BACKGROUND: Variability in the vocabulary outcomes of children with cochlear implants (CIs) is partially explained by child-directed speech (CDS) characteristics. Yet, relatively little is known about whether and how mothers adapt their lexical and prosodic characteristics to the child's hearing status (before and after implantation, and compared with groups with normal hearing (NH)) and how important they are in affecting vocabulary development in the first 12 months of hearing experience. AIMS: To investigate whether mothers of children with CIs produce CDS with similar lexical and prosodic characteristics compared with mothers of age-matched children with NH, and whether they modify these characteristics after implantation. In addition, to investigate whether mothers' CDS characteristics predict children's early vocabulary skills before and after implantation. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A total of 34 dyads (17 with NH, 17 with children with CIs; ages = 9-32 months), all acquiring Italian, were involved in the study. Mothers' and children's lexical quantity (tokens) and variety (types), mothers' prosodic characteristics (pitch range and variability), and children's vocabulary skills were assessed at two time points, corresponding to before and 1 year post-CI activation for children with CIs. Children's vocabulary skills were assessed using parent reports; lexical and prosodic characteristics were observed in semi-structured mother-child interactions. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Results showed that mothers of children with CIs produced speech with similar lexical quantity but lower lexical variety, and with increased pitch range and variability, than mothers of children with NH. Mothers generally increased their lexical quantity and variety and their pitch range between sessions. Children with CIs showed reduced expressive vocabulary and lower lexical quantity and variety than their peers 12 months post-CI activation. Mothers' prosodic characteristics did not explain variance in children's vocabulary skills; their lexical characteristics predicted children's early vocabulary and lexical outcomes, especially in the NH group, but were not related to later language development. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Our findings confirm previous studies on other languages and support the idea that the lexical characteristics of mothers' CDS have a positive effect on children's early measures of vocabulary development across hearing groups, whereas prosodic cues play a minor role. Greater input quantity and quality may assist children in the building of basic language model representations, whereas pitch cues may mainly serve attentional and emotional processes. Results emphasize the need for additional longitudinal studies investigating the input received from other figures surrounding the child and its role for children's language development. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject Mothers' CDS is thought to facilitate and support language acquisition in children with various language developmental trajectories, including children with CIs. Because children with CIs are at risk for language delays and have acoustic processing limitations, their mothers may have to produce a lexically simpler but prosodically richer input, compared to mothers of children with NH. Yet, the literature reports mixed findings and no study to our knowledge has concurrently addressed the role of mothers' lexical and prosodic characteristics for children's vocabulary development before implantation and in the first 12 months of hearing experience. What this study adds to the existing knowledge The study shows that mothers of children with CIs produce input of similar quantity but reduced variety, and with heightened pitch characteristics, compared to mothers of children with NH. There was also a general increase in mothers' lexical quantity and variety, and in their pitch range, between sessions. Only their lexical characteristics predicted children's early vocabulary skills. Their lexical variety predicted children's expressive vocabulary and lexical variety only in the NH group. What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? These findings expand our knowledge about the effects of maternal input and may contribute to the improvement of early family-centred intervention programmes for supporting language development in children with CIs.

Evaluation and management of chronic anorectal and pelvic pain syndromes: Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR) position statement.

Chronic pelvic pain is a hidden issue which needs to involve many different usually uncoordinated specialists. For this reason there is a risk that treatments, in the absence of well-defined pathways, common goals, and terminology, may be poorly effective. The aim of the present paper is to summarize the evidence on anorectal pelvic pain, offering useful evidence-based practice parameters for colorectal surgeons' daily activity. Analysis of chronic anorectal and pelvic pain syndromes, the diagnostic and clinical optimal needs for evaluation, and the innumerable low evidence treatments and therapeutic options currently available suggests that a multimodal individualized management of pain may be the most promising approach. The limited availability of dedicated centers still negatively affects the applicability of these principles.

The Italian version of Edinburgh Handedness Inventory: Translation, transcultural adaptation, and validation in healthy subjects.

Lateralization is a key aspect of brain architecture and handedness is its primary manifestation. The Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI) and the laterality quotient (LQ) assess the direction and consistency of handedness and require translation and cross-cultural adaptation to guarantee construct validity. We developed a standardized Italian EHI version. The developed Italian version was tested on 202 Italian subjects, classified into three hand types based on their LQs: right, mixed, and left. The frequency of left-handedness in Italians and other populations was compared to previous data. LQs from the twenty- and the ten-item original inventories were also compared. We conducted a factorial analysis. Mcdonald's Omega tested internal consistency. The prevalence of left-handedness was 6.4%, consistent with prior findings in Italian samples and other EHI translations. Age was the only socio-demographic variable that significantly affected the LQ. The internal consistency of the Italian EHI was excellent. Handedness is a feature of several cognitive functions and some neuropsychological diseases; it is influenced by socio-demographic and cultural factors and the instrument used to assess it. To provide a consistent and comparable evaluation of the construct, we recommend using this validated Italian translation of the EHI.