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Seed decay is one of the most important diseases of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) that has a negative impact on the market grade of soybeans. The disease is mainly caused by Diaporthe longicolla, along with other Diaporthe species. Screening of soybean seeds health status in Vojvodina Province, Serbia, showed cultural and morphological variability among isolates identified as D. longicolla. With the use of DNA sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α), the new species was determined. BLAST analysis showed 100% identity with D. pseudolongicolla (syn. D. novem) that was described in this study and its taxonomic revision is discussed. Pathogenicity trial showed that both species, D. longicolla and D. pseudolongicolla, are highly pathogenic on soybean stem and seed, causing 100% of stem wilting and more than 82% of seed decay.

A case of an intramedullary melanotic schwannoma located in the spinal cord at the T2-T3 level is described. The lesion occurred in a 44-year-old woman with a 10-year history of weakness and sensory numbness in both legs and feet. At operation the lesion appeared as a well-demarcated grey-brown intramedullary mass. Histologically, it was composed of interlacing bundles of spindle cells showing their cytoplasm filled with melanin. Among spinal cord neoplasms, melanotic schwannomas are rare tumours, which have apparently been reported only in three previous instances. The clinical, diagnostic and pathological features, as well as the possible aetiology of these rare tumours are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subterranean clover, growing in experimental plots in northern Italy, showed dwarfing, phyllody and leaf reddening. These symptoms were associated with Italian clover phyllody phytoplasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Current and Emerging Phythophthora: A Project for Harmonization of Detection and Identification methods at the European Level," by A. Haegi, S. Vitale, A. Belisario and L. Riccioni is presented.

Reports on the discovery of a new pathogen, Phomopsis longicolla on velvetleaf plants (Abutilon theophrasti) in Croatia. Collection of velvetleaf plants with cranker symptoms from sugarbeet and soybean fields; Extraction of DNA from monoconidial cultures and the ITS5 and ITS4; Confirmation of the morphological identification of isolates.

Coping with the end of life decision making process in ICU, its complexity adds a challenge for the healthcare team: how to report in the medical record the events and reasoning that led to withholding or withdrawing treatments shifting from intensive to palliative care. Each healthcare team must select the best approach for managing the decision-making process and the necessary rules to ensure a correct clinical history narrative, indicating who must write and what has to be written. Taking into account the team organization, the report may be written not necessarily by the ICU director, but also by a staff physician as a spokesperson in the individual case. Regardless of the variability of each case, four points must be necessarily recorded recalling them with the first four letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, D) for an easier memorization: A= Anamnesis (clinical summary); B= Balancing (remodulation of care); C= Collegiality (sharing of decisions); D= Dialogue (conversation with the patient and/or family members).

Importance: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a complete physical isolation has been worldwide introduced. The impossibility of visiting their loved ones during the hospital stay causes additional distress for families: in addition to the worries about clinical recovery, they may feel exclusion and powerlessness, anxiety, depression, mistrust in the care team and post-traumatic stress disorder. The impossibility of conducting the daily meetings with families poses a challenge for healthcare professionals., Objective: This paper aims to delineate and share consensus statements in order to enable healthcare team to provide by telephone or video calls an optimal level of communication with patient's relatives under circumstances of complete isolation., Evidence Review: PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts and Reviews of Effectiveness and the AHCPR Clinical Guidelines and Evidence Reports were explored from 1999 to 2019. Exclusion criteria were: poor or absent relevance regarding the aim of the consensus statements, studies prior to 1999, non-English language. Since the present pandemic context is completely new, unexpected and unexplored, there are not randomised controlled trials regarding clinical communication in a setting of complete isolation. Thus, a multiprofessional taskforce of physicians, nurses, psychologists and legal experts, together with some family members and former intensive care unit patients was established by four Italian national scientific societies. Using an e-Delphi methodology, general and specific questions were posed, relevant topics were argumented, until arriving to delineate position statements and practical checklist, which were set and evaluated through an evidence-based consensus procedure., Findings: Ten statements and two practical checklists for phone or video calls were drafted and evaluated; they are related to who, when, why and how family members must be given clinical information under circumstances of complete isolation., Conclusions and Relevance: The statements and the checklists offer a structured methodology in order to ensure a good-quality communication between healthcare team and family members even in isolation, confirming that time dedicated to communication has to be intended as a time of care., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

This study aimed to investigate the Diaporthe species associated with Phomopsis stem canker of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) in Serbia. The significant increase in sunflower and soybean ( Glycine max [L.] Merr.) cultivation may have created the bridge favorable conditions for the distribution of Diaporthe species in this region. The present study identified five Diaporthe species on sunflower: D. gulyae , D. helianthi , D. pseudolongicolla , D. stewartii , and the newly identified D. riccionae based on morphological, molecular, and pathogenic characteristics. The research emphasizes the importance of effective inoculation methods and evaluates the aggressiveness of isolates. Sunflower plants were inoculated using the stem wound method, while seeds of sunflower and soybean were inoculated using the standard seed method. Most of the tested isolates demonstrated high aggressiveness, resulting in more than 80% premature wilting of sunflower plants. Additionally, this research examined the aggressiveness of Diaporthe species on sunflower seeds, highlighting D. stewartii and D. pseudolongicolla as common pathogens of both sunflower and soybean. The most aggressive species on seeds was D. stewartii , causing seed decay of up to 100% in sunflower and 97% in soybean. The findings suggest the development of resilient sunflower genotypes through breeding programs and the implementation of strategies to manage cross-contamination risks between sunflower and soybean crops. Furthermore, this study provides insights into the interactions between Diaporthe species and the seeds of sunflower and soybean. Future research will enhance our understanding of the impact of Diaporthe species on sunflower and soybean., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Using morphological and cultural characteristics for identification, 36 Fusarium isolates were recovered from diseased roots, stems, and seeds of soybean from several localities throughout Vojvodina Province, Serbia. Based on molecular characterization, 12 Fusarium species were identified: F. acuminatum , F. avenaceum , F. commune , F. equiseti , F. graminearum , F. incarnatum , F. oxysporum , F. proliferatum , F. solani , F. sporotrichioides , F. subglutinans , and F. tricinctum . The elongation factor 1-α-based phylogeny grouped the isolates into 12 well-supported clades, but polymorphisms among sequences in some clades suggested the use of the species complex concept: (i) F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC)- F. incarnatum and F. equiseti ; (ii) F. oxysporum species complex (FOSC)- F. oxysporum ; (iii) F. solani species complex (FSSC)- F. solani ; and (iv) F. acuminatum / F. avenaceum / F. tricinctum species complex (FAATSC)- F. acuminatum , F. avenaceum , and F. tricinctum . Pathogenicity tests showed that the most aggressive species causing soybean seed rot were F. sporotrichioides , F. graminearum , FIESC, and F. avenaceum . Furthermore, F. subglutinans , FSSC, and F. proliferatum showed a high percentage of pathogenicity on soybean seeds (80 to 100%), whereas variability in pathogenicity occurred within isolates of F. tricinctum . FOSC, F. commune , and F. acuminatum had the lowest pathogenicity. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the characterization of Fusarium species on soybean in Serbia. This study provides valuable information about the composition of Fusarium species and pathogenicity that will be used in further research on soybean resistance to Fusarium -based diseases., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Background: Despite being previously considered as congenital lesions, recent studies agree to classify cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM) as acquired forms with clear correlations with other pathological affections of the central nervous system (CNS). In addition, a special subgroup, notably known as de novo CCMs (dnCCM), are associated in a significant number of cases with developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) and, in other cases, with Radiotherapy treatments., Methods: A mini-series of 4 patients with clinical history characterized by developing dnCCM is reported. In three patients, the dnCCM was associated with the presence of an isolated DVA. In one case, no DVA was detected, but the patient underwent brain radiotherapy. In three cases, the dnCCM was clinically symptomatic, and the patients were submitted to a surgical procedure for lesion removal. In one case, the dnCCM was detected during MRI follow-up., Results: Adding a review of the literature, we describe 47 patients who presented dnCCMs. The most common presentation is a sporadic CCM with a DVA, and the onset presentation was bleeding in 4 out of 47 cases (8.5%). Bleeding of dnCCM was observed in 9 out of 47 cases (19%), and the choice treatment was surgical in 24 out of 47 cases (51%)., Conclusions: We present our series with a review of the recent literature and discuss the "de novo" cavernous malformation pathogenesis. A throughout review of recent literature is reported to clarify the predisposing factors that may lead to dnCCM development in patients carrying specific genetic and molecular features. Considering the high risk of bleeding, strict follow-up and aggressive treatment should be evaluated in dnCCM management.

Purpose: The aims of our retrospective study investigated the role of immune system in glioblastoma (GBM), which is the most aggressive primary brain tumor in adults characterized by a poor prognosis. The recurrence rate remains high, probably due to "immune-desert" tumor microenvironment (TME) making GBM hidden from the anti-tumoral immune clearance. Considering this, we aimed to create a panel of prognostic markers from blood and tumor tissue correlating with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS)., Methods: Firstly, we analyzed the inflammatory markers NLR and PLR as the ratio of the absolute neutrophil count and absolute platelet count by the absolute lymphocyte count respectively, collected at different time points in the peripheral blood of 95 patients. Furthermore, in 31 patients of the same cohort, we analyzed the formalin-fixed paraffin embedded samples to further compare the impact of circulating and inflammatory markers within the TME., Results: Patients aged < 60 years and with methylated MGMT showed better OS. While, pre-chemotherapy Systemic Inflammatory Index (SII) < 480 was related to a better OS and PFS, we observed that only CD68+macrophage and CD66b+neutrophils expressed in vascular/perivascular area (V) showed a statistically significant prognostic role in median OS and PFS., Conclusions: Thus, we underscored a role of SII as predictive value of response to STUPP protocol. Regarding the TME-related markers, we suggested to take into consideration for future studies with new immunotherapy combinations, each component relating to expression of immune infiltrating subsets., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Abstract: Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma (EAH) is a rare hamartoma characterized by a benign proliferation of eccrine glands and vascular structures in the dermis. These tumors rarely regress spontaneously, so surgical excision of the involved tissue is required when pain or enlargement occurs. Here, the authors report the clinical case of a patient affected by an extremely painful EAH with the atypical localization at the last phalanx of the thumb of the right hand with involvement of nail matrix and nail bed. This report aims to emphasize the application of Mohs micrographic surgery for the treatment of painful EAH in a very difficult area at potential risk of amputation while preserving the maximum anatomical integrity and function of the damaged area. These results can pave the way for the use of Mohs micrographic surgery for very carefully selected benign neoplasms when their surgical removal is required., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Common bunt of durum wheat (DW), Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (Desf.) Husn., is caused by the two closely related fungal species belonging to Tilletia genus (Tilletiales, Exobasidiomycetes, Ustilaginomycotina): Tilletia laevis Kühn (syn. T. foetida (Wallr.) Liro.) and T. caries (DC) Tul. (syn. T. tritici (Bjerk.) G. Winter). This is one of the most devastating diseases in wheat growing areas worldwide, causing considerable yield loss and reduction of wheat grains and flour quality. For these reasons, a fast, specific, sensitive, and cost-effective method for an early diagnosis of common bunt in wheat seedlings is urgent. Several molecular and serological methods were developed for diagnosis of common bunt in wheat seedlings but at late phenological stages (inflorescence) or based on conventional PCR amplification, with low sensitivity. In this study, a TaqMan Real Time PCR-based assay was developed for rapid diagnosis and quantification of T. laevis in young wheat seedlings, before tillering stage. This method, along with phenotypic analysis, was used to study conditions favoring pathogen infection and to evaluate the effectiveness of clove oil-based seed dressing in controlling the disease. The overall results showed that: i) the Real Time PCR assay was able to quantify T. laevis in young wheat seedlings after seed dressing by clove oil in different formulations, greatly reducing times of analysis. It showed high sensitivity, detecting up to 10 fg of pathogen DNA, specificity and robustness, allowing to directly analyze crude plant extracts and representing a useful tool to speed up the tests of genetic breeding for disease resistance; ii) temperature was a critical point for disease development when using wheat seeds contaminated by T. laevis spores; iii) at least one of the clove oil-based formulations tested was able to efficiently control wheat common bunt, suggesting that clove oil dressing could represent a promising tool for managing the disease, especially in sustainable farming., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Valente, Orzali, Manetti, Magnanimi, Matere, Bergamaschi, Grottoli, Bechini, Riccioni and Aragona.)

In the last years the legal weight of the sick person's autonomy has been increasingly promoted, and many countries have today legislations allowing euthanasia and/or assisted suicide within the law. Even though assisted suicide could cause discomfort to the sick person, it has been often preferred, in order to balance the right of doctors to have respected their ethical and deontological principles with that of sick people to put an end to their suffering. In line with the need to keep in balance the deontological rules of medicine and the rights of sick people, it would be appropriate to shift from the current legal framework considering physician assisted suicide as an obligation for the doctor, having the conscientious objection as an exception, to another that does not envisage physician assisted suicide as an obligation of the doctor considering a "conscientious willingness" as an exception.

The fast and continued progress of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and the drastic reduction of its costs have boosted new and unpredictable developments in the field of plant pathology. The cost of whole-genome sequencing, which, until few years ago, was prohibitive for many projects, is now so affordable that a new branch, phylogenomics, is being developed. Fungal taxonomy is being deeply influenced by genome comparison, too. It is now easier to discover new genes as potential targets for an accurate diagnosis of new or emerging pathogens, notably those of quarantine concern. Similarly, with the development of metabarcoding and metagenomics techniques, it is now possible to unravel complex diseases or answer crucial questions, such as "What's in my soil?", to a good approximation, including fungi, bacteria, nematodes, etc. The new technologies allow to redraw the approach for disease control strategies considering the pathogens within their environment and deciphering the complex interactions between microorganisms and the cultivated crops. This kind of analysis usually generates big data that need sophisticated bioinformatic tools (machine learning, artificial intelligence) for their management. Herein, examples of the use of new technologies for research in fungal diversity and diagnosis of some fungal pathogens are reported.

Background: In early 2020, the Italian Society of Anesthesia Analgesia Resuscitation and Intensive Care (SIAARTI) published clinical ethics recommendations for the allocation of intensive care during COVID-19 pandemic emergency. Later the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) invited SIAARTI and the Italian Society of Legal and Insurance Medicine to prepare a draft document for the definition of triage criteria for intensive care during the emergency, to be implemented in case of complete saturation of care resources., Methods: Following formal methods, including two Delphi rounds, a multidisciplinary group with expertise in intensive care, legal medicine and law developed 12 statements addressing: (1) principles and responsibilities; (2) triage; (3) previously expressed wishes; (4) reassessment and shifting to palliative care; (5) collegiality and transparency of decisions. The draft of the statements, with their explanatory comments, underwent a public consultation opened to Italian scientific or technical-professional societies and other stakeholders (i.e., associations of citizens, patients and caregivers; religious communities; industry; public institutions; universities and research institutes). Individual healthcare providers, lay people, or other associations could address their comments by e-mail., Results: Eight stakeholders (including scientific societies, ethics organizations, and a religious community), and 8 individuals (including medical experts, ethicists and an association) participated to the public consultation. The stakeholders' agreement with statements was on average very high (ranging from 4.1 to 4.9, on a scale from 1-full disagreement to 5-full agreement). The 4 statements concerning triage stated that in case of saturation of care resources, the intensive care triage had to be oriented to ensuring life-sustaining treatments to as many patients as possible who could benefit from them. The decision should follow full assessment of each patient, taking into account comorbidities, previous functional status and frailty, current clinical condition, likely impact of intensive treatment, and the patient's wishes. Age should be considered as part of the global assessment of the patient., Conclusions: Lacking national guidelines, the document is the reference standard for healthcare professionals in case of imbalance between care needs and available resources during a COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, and a point of reference for the medico-legal assessment in cases of dispute.

Since the lockdown because of the pandemic, family members have been prohibited from visiting their loved ones in hospital. While it is clearly complicated to implement protocols for the admission of family members, we believe precise strategic goals are essential and operational guidance is needed on how to achieve them. Even during the pandemic, we consider it a priority to share strategies adapted to every local setting to allow family members to enter intensive care units and all the other hospital wards.