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Stefano Caneva,1 Marcella Ottonello,1 Elisa Torselli,1,2 Caterina Pistarini,3 Paola Spigno,1 Elena Fiabane1,4 1Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, ICS Maugeri Spa SB, Institute of Genoa Nervi, Genoa, Italy; 2Miller Institute for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, Genoa, Italy; 3Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, ICS Maugeri Spa SB, Scientific Institute of Pavia, Genoa, Italy; 4Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, ItalyCorrespondence: Caterina PistariniDepartment of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine, ICS Maugeri Spa SB, Institute of Pavia, Via Maugeri 4, Pavia, Genoa 27100, ItalyTel +39 010 30791250Fax +39 010 3079 1269Email caterina.pistarini@icsmaugeri.itPurpose: Cognitive impairment is common among patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, neuropsychological assessment is not usually included as routine practice in alcohol rehabilitation programs. The aim of this study was to describe qualitatively the cognitive deficits in early-detoxified AUD patients undergoing rehabilitation and to explore relevant associations with socio-demographic, clinical and psychological factors.Patients and Methods: Forty-one patients with a diagnosis of AUD were consecutively recruited from a residential rehabilitation hospital in Northern Italy. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Brief Neuropsychological Examination 2 (ENB-2). Anxiety, depression and severity of alcohol dependence were also evaluated using validated self-report questionnaires. Alcohol relapse was investigated 1 month after discharge.Results: Overall, 31.7% of AUD patients showed cognitive impairments according to the global score scale. However, 70.7% had an impaired performance on at least one test of the ENB-2, with particular regard to executive function, visuospatial and memory domains. Age, education and abstinence at admission were the most relevant factors associated with cognitive deficits in this clinical population.Conclusion: The detection of cognitive impairments is essential in order to adapt alcohol rehabilitation treatment to patients with cognitive deficits and enhance clinical outcomes.Keywords: neuropsychological functioning, alcohol use disorder, alcohol detoxification, rehabilitation, relapse

Increased interest towards traditional tomato varieties is fuelled by the need to rescue desirable organoleptic traits and to improve the quality of fresh and processed tomatoes in the market. In addition, the phenotypic and genetic variation preserved in tomato landraces represents a means to understand the genetic basis of traits related to health and organoleptic aspects and to breed them in modern varieties. In the frame of Horizon 2020, the TRADITOM project "Traditional tomato varieties and cultural practices: a case for agricultural diversification with impact on food security and health of European population" (http://traditom.eu/) aims to the collection, characterization and valorisation of European traditional tomato germplasm. The project has the long-term objective to understand biochemical and molecular factors underlying the typicality of traditional tomatoes, in the perspective to genetically improve them without losing quality traits and to eventually breed quality alleles into modern genetic backgrounds. As a part of the whole project collection of over 1500 accessions, this presentation describes the characterization of the main collections preserved in Italy, listing a total of over 430 samples. In two different phenotypic trials, the material has been scored for 18 qualitative variables and measured for further eight plant and fruit traits. Image analysis was conducted with the Tomato Analyzer software allowing for 15 morphometric and nine colorimetric parameters to be detected. A subset of the collection was subjected to metabolic profiling. The accessions showed a wide variability for most scored traits, including, for example, a 90-fold variation for fruit weight, 8-fold for locule number and >4-fold for the soluble solid and carotenoid content. Correlation and ANOVA statistics indicated distinctive differences among groups of accessions belonging to recognized typologies. The classification based on morphology was compared with genotypic data collected through 'genotyping by sequencing'.

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Si segnala, per la prima volta in Europa. un marciume basale di Osteospermum sp. da Sclerotinia sclerotiorum rinvenuto nei pressi di Napoli. Sono descritti i sintomi della malattia e le caratteristiche morfologiche del patogeno e vengono riportati i risultati di prove di inoculazione artificiale.

In the framework of a project for the conservation of local landraces threatened with extinction, we estimated genetic relationships and true cultivar identity of 7 and 25 accessions, respectively, of eggplant and pepper landraces from the Campania Region (Southern Italy). We used an integrated approach including SSR markers (15 for eggplant and 16 for pepper) and 9 morpho-agronomic biometric traits. Out of all the tested SSR markers, 5 and 7 markers showed polymorphism between landraces in eggplant and pepper, respectively, detecting 18 alleles in eggplant and 31 alleles in pepper. These markers generated the same genetic pattern for every accession of each investigated cultivar. Despite more markers may potentially detect polymorphism, these findings suggest an elevated genetic homogeneity between landraces. The morpho-agronomic traits investigated allowed only a partial discrimination of landraces and thus call for more detailed investigation.

Il presente studio ha valutato la potenzialità del sistema di refrigerazione passiva (Passive Refrigeration System PRS per la conservazione di alimenti altamente deperibili. Come campioni modello sono state prese in considerazione due verdure fresche, il finocchio e la scarola. Esse sono state conservate per 30 giorni a 0,5?C e 3,0?C. Il contenuto di polifenoli e l'attività antiossidante (DPPH) sono stati monitorati all'inizio della conservazione ed alla fine del trattamento considerato. La conservazione di finocchio e scarola a 0,5?C ha determinato una diminuzione del contenuto di composti fenolici e dell'attività antiossidante; un trend oscillante è stata osservato nel caso della conservazione effettuata a 3,0?C. In entrambi i casi, tuttavia, il sistema ha consentito un'ottima preservazione di alcuni polifenoli di interesse, analizzati tramite UPLC.

During the summer 2010, an asymptomatic plant of Cestrum nocturnum, grown in a nursery of Anacapri municipality (province of Naples, Campania region), was found infected by potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd). This further occurrence of PSTVd in Cestrum nocturnum confirms that the plants belonging to the Cestrum genus could represent a potential reservoir of PSTVd. Consequently, to contain the disease, the sanitary inspections must necessarily be extended to the species belonging to this genus. Some epidemiological aspects, as well as the main actions to be taken to prevent the spread of the disease caused by PSTVd, are also discussed. A brief reference of the current legislation in the European Community concerning the quarantine organisms concludes this note.

Un'indagine condotta su piante di peperoncino dolce interessate da giallume necrotico delle foglie ed estese necrosi sui frutti, coltivate in Campania in ambienti protetti, ha messo in evidenza la presenza di isolati di tipo A di Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) come agente eziologico responsabile delle alterazioni osservate. L'infezione virale è risultata associata alla diffusa presenza dell'insetto vettore Frankliniella occidentalis. In prove di inoculazione meccanica tali isolati sono stati controllati efficacemente dal gene Sw-5 della linea di pomodoro resistente "Stevens". Alcuni aspetti epidemiologici legati alla diffusione degli isolati di tipo A in colture ortive e ornamentali vengono affrontati e discussi brevemente.

The structure of legume seed protein is considered in relation to the poor nutritional quality of legume seeds. Various biotechnological applications to improve seed nutritional quality are reviewed, such as the construction of modified and hybrid genes containing new methionine codons or the identification and utilization of plant genes coding for protein of high nutritional value. Plant proteins are an important component of the human diet and in some countries they represent the major part of food protein available to the population. Legume seeds contain a high level of proteins, which unfortunately has an unbalanced amino acid composition. Although they are rich in lysine and other essential amino acids, sulphurated amino acids, such as cystine and methionine, are present in very low amounts, thus affecting the biological value of the seeds. It is known that seed amino acid content is related to the structure of seed proteins, which represent the major constituents of the seed.

The case Norín Catrimán et al. (leaders, members and activist of the Mapuche indigenous people) v. Chile, judgment of 29 May 2014, concerns criminal proceedings involving traditional authorities or members of the Mapuche indigenous people, and activists working to defend the rights of this people. Criminal proceedings were brought against them for events that occurred in 2001 and 2002 as a result of which they were convicted as perpetrators of offenses that were categorized as terrorism. In Norín Catrimán, the IACtHR holds Chile internationally responsible for several violations of the ACHR, as the violation of political rights as enshrined in Art. 23. The IACtHR considered that, in the given circumstances, the imposition of ancillary penalties, which affected the right to vote, direct participation in public affairs, and access to public office, of an absolute and perpetual nature or for a fixed but prolonged term (15 years), was contrary to the principle of proportionality of the punishment and amounted to a serious impairment of political rights. In the remedial measures, a crucial role is played by the adoption of all the administrative, judicial, or any other type of measures required to overturn all aspects of the criminal judgments. These measures were recently adopted by the Chilean judicial authorities.

The soil mulching is an important agricultural practice for increasing crop productivity and earliness. Mulching can be made with natural or synthetic materials. The common films being used these days are usually made of low density polyethylene (LDPE), but its disposal can represent a serious environmental and economic problem. The biodegradable mulching can overcome these problems. Two experiments were carried out comparing the effects of biodegradable and LDPE mulching films on yield and quality of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) grown in two environments (open-field vs. greenhouse). In both the environments a randomized complete block design was adopted. The treatments composed of no-mulched crop (control), soil covered by 15 microns black biodegradable film (MB15) and soil covered by 50 microns black LDPE film. The results showed that MB15 was able to maintain discrete technical proprieties until the end of cycle, especially in greenhouse, assuring a sufficient heating of soil, similar to LDPE. The soil heating promoted crop development. Furthermore, earliness was increased (84 in greenhouse vs. 99 days in open air) in greenhouse. The early production of zucchini grown on MB15 was similar to the one in LDPE production in greenhouse. The total marketable yield of plants grown on both films was not different but it was lower in open air. The biodegradable film significantly improved fruits quality, with higher values of firmness and total soluble solid than fruits grown on LDPE.

Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), the red-necked longhorn beetle is native to eastern Asia, where it is an important wood-borer of fruit and ornamental species of the genus Prunus. A. bungii is a quarantine pest in the European Union, following its accidental introduction and establishment in Germany and Italy, and is currently included in the list of priority pests. To confirm its infestations in outbreak areas, adult or larval specimens are needed to perform morphological or molecular analyses. The presence of A. bungii larvae inside the attacked trees makes the collection of specimens particularly difficult. Thus, we present two diagnostic protocols based on frass analysis with real-time PCR (probe and SYBR Green). The results obtained show that a non-invasive approach for detecting the presence of this harmful invasive pest can be a reliable and accurate alternative diagnostic tool in phytosanitary surveys, as well as to outline a sustainable pest management strategy.

The old Annurca apple cultivar (Malus domestica), particularly appreciated for its peculiar flavor and crispy flesh, was studied in order to preserve its ancient germplasm. Twelve clones of Annurca were analyzed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Two out of 30 RAPD primers and nine out of ten SSR primers were able to discriminate all the clones analyzed. Data were confirmed by measuring DNA content using flow cytometry. The results provide a good procedure to improve germplasm field management, in order to removing redundant material in the Annurca collection. This represents an efficient way to create a data bank in order to preserve the genetic variability of the Annurca cultivar.