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Background: This study seeks to validate a radiological classification system of spontaneous upper urinary tract rupture (sUUTR) and to analyse its relationship with clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics of sUUTR. Methods: We analysed data from 66 patients with a computerised tomography (CT)-proven sUUTR treated with ureteral or nephrostomy catheter po-sitioning. Comorbidities were scored with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). All CT scans were reviewed by two experienced radiologists and one urologist, who classified sUUTR in (a) local spread, (b) free fluid and (c) urinoma. Interobserver agreement for radiological score was evaluated with the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Cohen’s Kappa analyses. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models verified the association between clinical variables and sUUTR severity. Results: The interobserver agreement for sUUTR classification was high among radiologists and between the radiologists and the urologist (all Kappa > 0.7), with an overall high interrater reliability (ICC 0.82). Local spread, free fluid and urinoma were found in 24 (36.4%), 39 (59.1%) and 3 (4.5%) cases, respectively. Patients with free fluid/urinoma had higher rate of CCI ≥ 1 than those with local spread (40.5% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.04). Intraoperative absence of urine extravasation was more frequently found in patients with local spread than those with free fluid/urinoma (66.7% vs. 28.6%, p < 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that local spread (OR 4.5, p < 0.01) was associated with absence of contrast medium extravasation during pyelography, after accounting for stone size, fever and CCI. Conclusions: The analysed sUUTR classification score had good inter/intra-reader reliability among radiologists and urologists. Absence of urine extravasation was five times more frequent in patients with local spread, making conservative treatment feasible in these cases.

Since 2015, a large-scale olive screening program for identifying sources of resistance to Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca ST53 (Xfp) was started under natural (field) and controlled conditions (greenhouse, GH) in Apulia (southern Italy). Approx. 100 genotypes including olive cultivars (from 15 different olive-growing countries) and breeding selections were planted in experimental plots located in the demarcated infected area, exposed to natural infections. The panel of tested plant material included also O. europaea subsp. cerasiformis, subsp. guanchica and var. sylvestris. Most of the experimental materials consisted of self-rooted plants propagated from the sources maintained at the World Olive Germplasm Bank and Breeding Program of IFAPA Córdoba (Spain). Sixty genotypes of the plant material under study were also evaluated in GH upon mechanical inoculations. Field trees were tested once a year and inspected for symptoms twice a year. Potted plants in the GH were monitored periodically to assess symptoms and host bacterial colonization. Under field conditions, symptoms usually began on the susceptible cultivars during the third year. Colonization was detected since the first year (incidence of 4-20%) and then progressed rapidly reaching values higher than 60% for most of the selections. For few selections, including Leccino, infections were in the range of 20%-40%. After 5 years, shoot dieback/desiccations were evident on trees belonging to all genotypes under testing, with scores ranging from 1 to 2.5 (on a scale 0-5), except only a few showing scores In the GH tests, within the 3 years of observations, symptoms of desiccations could be observed on the majority of the systemically-infected plants, with symptoms appearing at different times post-inoculation. Infection rates for the majority of the selections ranged from 50% to 89%. Overall, even if in some genotypes lower incidence of infections and longer asymptomatic periods were recorded, so far none displayed clear phenotypic traits of resistance (low prevalence, symptoms and bacterial population) similar to that observed in the resistant control (Leccino). The data collected from this large screening program showed that the occurrence of genetic traits conferring resistance to Xfp may be very limited in the olive germplasm, emphasizing the need to put in place all measures to restrain and limit its further spread in olive growing areas.

The efficacy of several natural and synthetic compounds to suppress populations of Philaenus spumarius, the predominant EU vector of Xylella fastidiosa, has been investigated in the past recent years. As for many other vector-borne diseases, control strategies aim also to reduce the feeding events and therefore the chances of transmission. In this context, we evaluated the use of different compounds in reducing the rate of bacterial transmission in olives either under filed conditions or confined conditions in cages. In fields located in the infected area of Apulia (southern Italy), we tested the use of kaolin. Healthy plants were sprayed for three consecutive years on a calendar basis with kaolin and imidacloprid (control product). Results showed that neither kaolin or imidacloprid protected plants from infections, however for both treatments a delay in the progression of the infections (n. of infected plants) and symptom severity were recorded compared to the untreated control plants. When kaolin was applied in cages, results were similar in that number of infected plants was lower for the treated plants than for the untreated plants. In cage trials, compounds tested included imidacloprid, acetamiprid, delthametrin, and phosmet. Experiments conducted in cages were set up using Xylella-infected spittlebugs (apprx. 15% of qPCR-positive specimens). Insects were released in the cages after 3, 7 and 15 days after treatment (DAT) and maintained for 3 days for the inoculation access period. High mortality rates were recorded with all insecticides except for phosmet that showed inconsistent results. At 3 DAT, no infections were recorded on the seedlings sprayed with neonicotinoids and delthamethrin. Low or no infections were recorded with neonicotinoids and delthamethrin at 7 and 15 DAT, while rates of infections were similar for phosmet-sprayed and untreated controls.

The increasing need for assessment and renovation of existing constructions yields the necessity to develop new approaches for old materials and products that are consistent with the requirements of current codes of practice. In this scenario this article focuses on two topics very common in old R.C. structures: the effect of low ribbing and of low concrete cover thickness on the anchorage length of bars. The aim of this article is to develop new formulations that are also consistent with the approach included in the forthcoming second generation of Eurocodes.