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Two species of Encarsia (E. aseta and E. sophia) were identified as parasitoids of Aleuroclava sp, probably A. aucubae. The occurrence of Encarsia aseta is recorded for the first time in Europe. The phenology of both, pest and parasitoids, is under study [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediterranean Diet (Med Diet) is one of the healthiest dietary patterns. We aimed to verify the effects of weaning (i.e., the introduction of solid foods in infants previously fed only with milk) using adult foods typical of Med Diet on children eating habits, and on the microbiota composition. A randomized controlled clinical trial on 394 healthy infants randomized in a 1:1 ratio in a Med Diet group weaned with fresh; seasonal and tasty foods of Med Diet and control group predominantly weaned with industrial baby foods. The primary end point was the percentage of children showing a good adherence to Med Diet at 36 months. Secondary end points were mother’s changes in adherence to Med Diet and differences in children gut microbiota. At 36 months, children showing a good adherence to Med Diet were 59.3% in the Med Diet group and 34.3% in the control group (p < 0.001). An increase in adherence to the Med Diet was observed in the mothers of the Med Diet group children (p < 0.001). At 4 years of age children in the Med Diet group had a higher gut microbial diversity and a higher abundance of beneficial taxa. A Mediterranean weaning with adult food may become a strategy for early nutritional education, to develop a healthy microbiota, to prevent inflammatory chronic diseases and to ameliorate eating habits in children and their families.

Purpose: We evaluated the relationship between renal biopsy changes and preoperative and postoperative renal scans in 29 male and 14 female infants with prenatal severe hydronephrosis and unilateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction. We also verified on immunohistochemical studies glomerular changes, degeneration of the epithelium of the proximal tubules, interstitial fibrosis and inflammation and apoptotic nuclei., Materials and Methods: In the children, all with prenatal diagnosis of hydronephrosis, ureteropelvic junction obstruction was diagnosed with 99mtechnetium mercaptoacetyltriglycine renal scan performed in all patients at ages 4 to 6 weeks to establish baseline differential renal function. All patients underwent renal biopsies at the time of pyeloplasty. The biopsy samples were examined with histological and immunohistochemical methods for antigens associated with apoptosis, such as clusterin, CD95, TDAG51 and bcl-2. Renograms were performed 3 months after surgical repair., Results: The male-to-female ratio was 2.1:1. There was no difference between males and females in regard to baseline differential renal function of the affected kidney. All biopsy samples confirmed degeneration of the epithelium of the proximal tubules, interstitial focal fibrosis was found in 4 samples, mild chronic inflammation with lymphoid aggregates in 4 and focal Bowman's space dilatation in 1. No specimen demonstrated apoptotic nuclei as confirmed by immunohistochemical study which showed the presence of bcl-2 and absence of CD95, TDAG51 and clusterin, probably because there was no dysplasia in the samples examined., Conclusions: These results indicate absence of apoptosis in the kidney with preoperative uptake less than 40% and minimal histological changes.

Glutathione (GSH), a major extracellular antioxidant, has been found in high concentrations in the epithelial lining fluid of the lower respiratory tract. The GSH concentrations in nasal fluid, in normal and pathologic conditions, were investigated and found to be very low. A GSH aerosol (600 mg daily for 10 days) increased GSH levels in the nasal mucosa and induced a statistically significant improvement in nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, and ear fullness. Thus, GSH administered by aerosol could be a means of defending the epithelial respiratory cells against a toxic oxidant.

The investigation on steroidic fraction of Uncaria tomentosa, commonly called Una de gato, showed the presence of beta-sitosterol (60%), stigmasterol, and campesterol. The percentage of sterols have been carried out by GLC. The spectroscopic data 1H-NMR and MS of the three compounds are also reported, with the beta-sitosterol as the main sterol. Preliminary pharmacological investigations prove a moderate antiinflammatory activity.