Survey on the presence of floating microplastics, trace metals and metalloids in seawater from Southern Italy to the United States of America.

The presence of microplastics (MPs), trace metals (TM) and metalloids (Ms) in surface seawater is a severe emerging issue of global concern. Information about the distribution of these pollutants is often lacking, and large-scale studies come with uncertainties because of difficult comparisons of results obtained using different methods to collect and process data. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of microplastics (MPs), trace metals (TM) and metalloids (Ms) in surface seawater during two transatlantic sampling campaigns, covering approximately 17,000 nautical miles.

Resolving a guanine-quadruplex structure in the SARS-CoV-2 genome through circular dichroism and multiscale molecular modeling.

The genome of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is made up of a single-stranded RNA fragment that can assume a specific secondary structure, whose stability can influence the virus's ability to reproduce. Recent studies have identified putative guanine quadruplex sequences in SARS-CoV-2 genome fragments that are involved in coding for both structural and non-structural proteins. In this contribution, we focus on a specific G-rich sequence referred to as RG-2, which codes for the non-structural protein 10 (Nsp10) and assumes a guanine-quadruplex (G4) arrangement.

Exploiting the interaction between halloysite and charged PNAs for their controlled release.

The design and development of nanomaterials that could be used in nanomedicine are of fundamental importance to obtain smart nanosystems for the treatment of several diseases. Halloysite, because of its interesting features, represents a suitable nanomaterial for the delivery of different biologically active species. Among them, peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) have attracted considerable attention in recent decades for their potential applications in both molecular antisense diagnosis and as therapeutic agents, although up to now, the actual clinical applications have been very limited.

New Insight on Archaeological Metal Finds, Nails and Lead Sheathings of the Punic Ship from Battle of the Egadi Islands.

The wreck of the Punic ship exhibited at the Archaeological Park of Lilybaeum (Marsala, Italy) is a unique example in the world. In this paper, the investigation of some metal finds (30 nails and 3 fragments of sheathings) belonging to the wreck of the Punic ship is reported. Portable X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy allowed us to identify the elements and compounds constituting them and make some deductions about their composition.

Diversity and composition of the microbiome associated with eggs of the Southern green stinkbug, Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

Although microbial communities of insects from larval to adult stage have been increasingly investigated in recent years, little is still known about the diversity and composition of egg-associated microbiomes. In this study, we used high-throughput amplicon sequencing and quantitative PCR to get a better understanding of the microbiome of insect eggs and how they are established using the Southern green stinkbug Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) as a study object.

In vivo efficacy of verteporfin loaded gold nanorods for combined photothermal/photodynamic colon cancer therapy.

The high incidence of cancer recurrences and the frequent occurrence of multidrug resistance often stem from a poorly selective and inefficient antineoplastic therapy, responsible for the onset of undesired side effects as well. A combination of minimal-invasive approaches could thus be a useful strategy to surmount these shortcomings, achieving a safe and solid cancer therapy. Herein, a multi-therapeutic nanotool was designed by merging the photothermal properties of gold nanorods (AuNRs) with the photodynamic activity of the photosensitizer verteporfin.

Betalains: colours for human health.

In the last years, the use of natural phytochemical compounds as protective agents in the prevention and treatment of obesity and the related-metabolic syndrome has gained much attention worldwide. Different studies have shown health benefits for many vegetables such and their pigments collectively referred as betalains. Betalains exert antioxidative, anti-inflammation, lipid lowering, antidiabetic and anti-obesity effects.

Nectar-Inhabiting Bacteria Affect Olfactory Responses of an Insect Parasitoid by Altering Nectar Odors.

Floral nectar is ubiquitously colonized by a variety of microorganisms among which yeasts and bacteria are the most common. Microorganisms inhabiting floral nectar can alter several nectar traits, including nectar odor by producing microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). Evidence showing that mVOCs can affect the foraging behavior of insect pollinators is increasing in the literature, whereas the role of mVOCs in altering the foraging behavior of third-trophic level organisms such as insect parasitoids is largely overlooked.

Contrasting reproductive traits of competing parasitoids facilitate coexistence on a shared host pest in a biological control perspective.

Background: Interspecific competition in insect parasitoids is an important ecological phenomenon that has relevant implications for biological pest control. To date, interspecific intrinsic (=larval) competition has been intensively studied, while investigations on extrinsic (=adult) competition have often lagged behind. In this study we examined the role played by parasitoid reproductive traits and host clutch size on the outcome of extrinsic competition between Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) and Ooencyrtus telenomicida (Vassiliev), two egg parasitoids of the pest Nezara viridula (L).

Prodrug based on halloysite delivery systems to improve the antitumor ability of methotrexate in leukemia cell lines.

The prodrug approach, as well as the development of specific systems able to deliver a chemotherapeutic agent in the target site, decreasing the side effects often associated with its administration, are still a challenging. In this context, both methotrexate drug molecules (MTX) and biotin ligand moieties, whose receptors are overexpressed on the surface of several cancer cells, were loaded on halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) to develop nanomaterial based on multifunctional and "smart" delivery systems. To highlight the crucial role played by biotin, carrier systems based on HNTs and MTX were also synthetized.

Root vacuolar sequestration and suberization are prominent responses of spp. rootstocks during salinity stress.

Understanding the mechanisms of stress tolerance in diverse species is needed to enhance crop performance under conditions such as high salinity. Plant roots, in particular in grafted agricultural crops, can function as a boundary against external stresses in order to maintain plant fitness. However, limited information exists for salinity stress responses of woody species and their rootstocks.

Multiple climate-driven cascading ecosystem effects after the loss of a foundation species.

Climate change is evolving so fast that the related adverse effects on the environment are becoming noticeable. Thus, there is an urgent need to explore and understand the effects generated by multiple extreme climatic events (MECEs) on marine ecosystem functioning and the services provided. Accordingly, we combined long-term in-situ empirical observations in the Mediterranean Sea with a mesocosm manipulation to investigate the concurrence of increasing temperature and hypoxia events.

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanomaterial Based on Halloysite and Hectorite Clay Minerals Covalently Bridged.

Halloysite is an aluminosilicate clay with a predominantly hollow tubular structure (HNTs) able to act as a nanocontainer for the encapsulation of several chemicals. However, HNTs possess low affinity for metal ions in their pristine form and they need to be modified for improving their adsorption capabilities. Therefore, to overcome this issue herein we report a straightforward approach for the covalent modification of the external surface of halloysite nanotubes with hectorite clay.

Biodiversity and oenological attitude of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated in the Montalcino district: biodiversity of S. cerevisiae strains of Montalcino wines.

The biodiversity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied in the Montalcino area (Italy). Two wineries were involved in the study, which compared the genotypic and oenological characteristics of the S. cerevisiae strains isolated in spontaneous fermentations.

Long-term monitoring of soil bulk density and erosion rates in two Prunus Persica (L) plantations under flood irrigation and glyphosate herbicide treatment in La Ribera district, Spain.

Early season fruit production for the northern European market is highly intensive in fertilization, machinery, irrigation and the use of herbicides. Those conditions increase the soil losses and soil compaction and threaten the Sustainable Goals for Development of the United Nations by 2030. Long-term soil erosion measurements are necessary to determine the sustainability of agriculture managements.

Past, Present and Future Perspectives on Halloysite Clay Minerals.

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), clay minerals belonging to the kaolin groups, are emerging nanomaterials which have attracted the attention of the scientific community due to their interesting features, such as low-cost, availability and biocompatibility. In addition, their large surface area and tubular structure have led to HNTs' application in different industrial purposes. This review reports a comprehensive overview of the historical background of HNT utilization in the last 20 years.

Can Mating Disruption Be a Possible Route to Control Plum Fruit Moth in Mediterranean Environments?

Control of the plum fruit moth, Treitschke (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), has been mainly based on the use of chemical insecticides, which can cause undesirable side effects, leading to a growing interest towards alternative sustainable strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the mating disruption technique on infestation in plum orchards, by comparing the number of male captures in pheromone-baited traps, and evaluating the damage to fruits in plots treated with the pheromone dispersers and in control plots. The study was carried out in 2012 and 2014 in three organic plum orchards, on the cultivars Angeleno, Friar, President and Stanley.

New Mussel Inspired Polydopamine-Like Silica-Based Material for Dye Adsorption.

A straightforward and economic procedure has been developed for the synthesis of a new polydopamine-like silica-based material that has been obtained by oxidation of catechol with KIO followed by reaction with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane. All techniques adopted for characterization showed that the obtained material is rich in different functional groups and the morphological analyses revealed dimensions in the nanometric range. The hybrid material has been characterized by several techniques showing its polydopamine-like nature, and preliminary observations for dye adsorption have been reported.

Straightforward preparation of highly loaded MWCNT-polyamine hybrids and their application in catalysis.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were easily and efficiently functionalised with highly cross-linked polyamines. The radical polymerisation of two bis-vinylimidazolium salts in the presence of pristine MWCNTs and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a radical initiator led to the formation of materials with a high functionalisation degree. The subsequent treatment with sodium borohydride gave rise to the reduction of imidazolium moieties with the concomitant formation of secondary and tertiary amino groups.

GAMLSS for high-variability data: an application to liver fibrosis case.

This article aims to provide rigorous and convenient statistical models for dealing with high-variability phenomena. The presence of discrepance in variance represents a substantial issue when it is not possible to reduce variability before analysing the data, leading to the possibility to estimate an inadequate model. In this paper, the application of Generalized Additive Model for Location, Scale and Shape (GAMLSS) and the use of finite mixture model for GAMLSS will be proposed as a solution to the problem of overdispersion.

Pistachio Consumption Alleviates Inflammation and Improves Gut Microbiota Composition in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

High-fat diet (HFD) induces inflammation and microbial dysbiosis, which are components of the metabolic syndrome. Nutritional strategies can be a valid tool to prevent metabolic and inflammatory diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if the chronic intake of pistachio prevents obesity-associated inflammation and dysbiosis in HFD-fed mice.

Do Infestation Rely on Specific Plum Fruit Features?

The effective control of the plum fruit moth, (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) still represents a difficult challenge for organic plum farming. Little information is available on the susceptibility of plum cultivars to this moth pest. We investigated the roles of several fruit parameters (i.

Essential Oil Composition of and in Vitro Biological Activity on Two Drug-Resistant Models.

Drug resistance is a major obstacle in antibiotic and antitumor chemotherapy. In response to the necessity to find new therapeutic strategies, plant secondary metabolites including essential oils (EOs) may represent one of the best sources. EOs in plants act as constitutive defenses against biotic and abiotic stress, and they play an important role in the pharmacology for their low toxicity, good pharmacokinetic and multitarget activity.

Prospects of herbivore egg-killing plant defenses for sustainable crop protection.

Due to a growing demand of food production worldwide, new strategies are suggested to allow for sustainable production of food with minimal effects on natural resources. A promising alternative to the application of chemical pesticides is the implementation of crops resistant to insect pests. Plants produce compounds that are harmful to a wide range of attackers, including insect pests; thus, exploitation of their natural defense system can be the key for the development of pest-resistant crops.

The gut microbiota of larvae of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Oliver (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Background: The red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the major pests of palms. The larvae bore into the palm trunk and feed on the palm tender tissues and sap, leading the host tree to death. The gut microbiota of insects plays a remarkable role in the host life and understanding the relationship dynamics between insects and their microbiota may improve the biological control of insect pests.