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Pheromone-mediated mating disruption (MD) represents an important tool to manage insect pests in agriculture and forestry. MD relies on the release of synthetic sex pheromones from dispensers in crops, interfering with mate finding and reproduction of a pest through both competitive and non-competitive mechanisms. MD programs primarily rely upon “passive” dispensers, used at high densities per hectare (200–3000 units∙ha−1). In addition to the labor required for their application, another disadvantage of “passive” dispensers is the continuous release of pheromones, regardless of the time of day or the pest flight activity. Aerosol delivery systems can overcome the drawbacks of passive dispensers as they are applied at far lower density (2–5 units∙ha−1) and they can be programmed to release pheromones at selected time intervals when the target pest is active. However, the mode of action of aerosol dispensers is still not well understood and there are concerns of whether they are as effective as passive dispensers. This review focuses on the history of aerosol dispensers, mode of action, and effectiveness on various crops; deployment strategies; and the movement of pheromone once released. Limitations of aerosols and challenges for future research and commercial use are discussed.

ObjectivesTo compare the clinical and histological response of supracrestal periodontal tissues to subgingival composite restorations versus natural root surfacesMaterial and methodsIn 29 subjects with a single tooth requiring subgingival restorations, a deep margin elevation (DME) procedure with composite resin was applied. Full-mouth plaque score (FMPS), full-mouth bleeding score (FMBS), and focal probing depth (PD) were measured at baseline, before DME, and after 3 months. The distance between the coronal marked (CM) point to the apical margin of the composite reconstruction (AMR), at baseline, and to the tip of the periodontal probe inserted to reach the bottom of the sulcus (APP), 3 months later, was measured. An all-around secondary flap, harvested to ensure the subsequent single-crown prosthetic rehabilitation was histologically processed. The histological inflammation degree was evaluated in areas of gingival tissues adjacent to the composite (group B) and adjacent to the natural surface of each single tooth (group A).ResultsSignificant FMPS, FMBS, and PD decreases were observed (p < 0.05). CM-AMR and CM-APP were significantly different (p < 0.05), suggesting an attachment gain after 3-months. The inflammation level of gingival tissue was similar in groups A and B (p > 0.05).ConclusionsFor the first time, this topic was clinically and histologically studied in humans. Subgingival restorations resulted compatible with gingival health, with levels similar to that of untreated root surfaces.Clinical relevanceDeep margin elevation procedure produces favorable clinical and histological outcomes allowing a routine utilization in reconstructive dentistry.

The management of parasites, insect pests and vectors requests development of novel, effective and eco-friendly tools. The development of resistance towards many drugs and pesticides pushed scientists to look for novel bioactive compounds endowed with multiple modes of action, and with no risk to human health and environment. Several natural products are used as alternative/complementary approaches to manage parasites, insect pests and vectors due to their high efficacy and often limited non-target toxicity. Their encapsulation into nanosystems helps overcome some hurdles related to their physicochemical properties, for instance limited stability and handling, enhancing the overall efficacy. Among different nanosystems, micro- and nanoemulsions are easy-to-use systems in terms of preparation and industrial scale-up. Different reports support their efficacy against parasites of medical importance, including Leishmania, Plasmodium and Trypanosoma as well as agricultural and stored product insect pests and vectors of human diseases, such as Aedes and Culex mosquitoes. Overall, micro- and nanoemulsions are valid options for developing promising eco-friendly tools in pest and vector management, pending proper field validation. Future research on the improvement of technical aspects as well as chronic toxicity experiments on non-target species is needed.

AimThe enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway and laparoscopic approach had been proven beneficial for patients and should now be considered as a standard of care in colorectal surgery. Multimodal analgesia is the gold standard in the ERAS program with the use of thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA). Few data are available on Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks in laparoscopic colorectal surgery and ERAS pathway. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of TAP block compared to TEA in the management of postoperative pain and the impact on the recurrence of postoperative nausea, vomiting and ileus in laparoscopic colorectal surgery in the ERAS program.MethodFrom October 2014 to October 2016, 182 patients underwent elective colon surgical interventions in enhanced recovery after surgery pathway. The patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 (n = 92) and Group 2 (n = 91) who received TEA and TAP block, respectively, with a standardized postoperative analgesic regimen consisting of regular 1 g of paracetamol every 8 h and a rescue dose with intravenous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs infusion for both groups.ResultsNo differences were observed in baseline patient characteristics, clinical variables and surgical procedures between the two groups, as well as in the postoperative complications rate (p = 0.515) in accordance with Clavien–Dindo classification, 90-day mortality (p = 0.319), hospital stay (p = 0.469) and 30-day readmission rate (p = 0.711). Patients in the TAP block group showed lower postoperative nausea and vomiting rates (p = 0.025), as well as lower ileus (p = 0.031) and paraesthesia rates (p = 0.024). No differences were found in urinary retention (p = 0.157). Despite the “opioid-free” analgesia protocol in the TAP block group, pain intensity was comparable between the two groups (p = 0.651).ConclusionTAP block combined with an opioid-sparing analgesia in the setting of the laparoscopic colorectal surgery and ERAS program is feasible and effective in postoperative pain control.

Insect Chemical Ecology: From the Laboratory to the Field In this framework, the Special Issue “From Insect Pheromones to Mating Disruption: Theory and Practice” includes both laboratory and field studies on insect pheromones, as well as on mating disruption efficacy against insect pests of economic importance. Herein, the following topics have been covered: (a) Pheromone biology, with special reference to the various factors, often overlooked, affecting pheromone production in species of economic importance, including wood boring beetles, e.g., Lyctus africanus Lesne (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) [6]; a further focus has been provided on the citrophilous mealybug, Pseudococcus calceolariae (Maskell) (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae), assessing the potential negative impact of male multiple matings on mass trapping and mating disruption [7]. (b) Development of novel mating disruption tools and approaches. In particular, further research efforts are still needed to develop novel approaches to combat emerging pests, with special reference to invasive species, to fully clarify the mechanisms of action of MD-based control tools, to shed light on potential non-target effects, as well as to boost the efficacy of MD programs through the optimization of release geometries.

The Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera) encompasses a large group of parasitic wasps widely used in biocontrol programs of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea). Anagyrus vladimiri is a solitary parasitoid that attacks and develops on several mealybugs of economic importance. Thus, this species is widely used as a biocontrol agent of Planococcus spp. and Pseudococcus spp. A. vladimiri males and females show sexual dimorphism with regard to the antennal organization, in terms of shape and the development of antennomeres. Ultrastructural investigations of female antennae, carried out with scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy, revealed the presence of nine distinct antennomeres. The scape was enlarged and paddle-like, compared to the other antennomeres. The club (the apical antennomere) was mono-segmented and housed the highest number of sensilla. Eight morphologically different types of sensilla were described; sensilla trichoidea I, trichoidea II, chaetica I, chaetica II, grooved peg sensilla, campaniform sensilla, multiporous plate sensilla and multiporous basiconic sensilla. Ultrastructural investigations allowed for us to assign a specific function to each type of sensilla. The most abundant type of sensilla were sensilla trichoidea I and multiporous plate sensilla. We also found two types of sensilla (multiporous basiconic sensilla and sensilla chaetica II) that were present only on the females.

Food production is considered to be the main source of human impact on the environment and the concerns about detrimental effects of pesticides on biodiversity and human health are likely to lead to an increasingly restricted use of chemicals in agriculture. Since the first successful field trial, pheromone based mating disruption enabled sustainable insect control, which resulted in reduced levels of pesticide use. Organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments of agriculture and with the continuously growing public concern about use of pesticides, the main remaining challenge in increasing the safety of the global food production is to identify appropriate alternative mating disruption approaches for the numerous insect pests that do not rely on chemical communication. In the present study, we show for the first time that effective mating disruption based on substrate-borne vibrational signals can be achieved in the field. When disruptive vibrational signals were applied to grapevine plants through a supporting wire, mating frequency of the leafhopper pest Scaphoideus titanus dropped to 9 % in semi-field conditions and to 4 % in a mature vineyard. The underlying mechanism of this environmentally friendly pest-control tactic is a masking of the vibrational signals used in mate recognition and location. Because vibrational communication is widespread in insects, mating disruption using substrate vibrations can transform many open field and greenhouse based farming systems.

The family Tephritidae (Diptera) includes species that are highly invasive and harmful to crops. Due to globalization, international trade, and human displacement, their spread is continuously increasing. Unfortunately, the control of tephritid flies is still closely linked to the use of synthetic insecticides, which are responsible for detrimental effects on the environment and human health. Recently, research is looking for alternative and more eco-friendly tools to be adopted in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. In this regard, essential oils (EOs) and their main compounds represent a promising alternative to chemical insecticides. EOs are made up of phytoconstituents formed from the secondary metabolism of many plants and can act as attractants or toxics, depending on the dose. Because of this unique characteristic, EOs and their main constituents are promising tools that can be used both in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programs and in the “lure and kill” technique, exploiting the attractiveness of the product in the former case and its toxicity in the latter. In this article, current knowledge on the biological and behavioral effects of EOs and their main constituents on tephritid fruit flies is reviewed, mainly focusing on species belonging to the Anastrepha, Bactrocera, Ceratitis, and Zeugodacus genera. The mechanisms of action of EOs, their real-world applications, and challenges related to their use in IPM are critically discussed.

Cutaneous myiasis is a severe worldwide medical and veterinary issue. In this trial the essential oil (EO) of the Andean medicinal plant species Clinopodium nubigenum (Kunth) Kuntze was evaluated for its bioactivity against the myiasis-inducing blowfly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera Calliphoridae) and compared with that of the well-known medicinal plant species Lavandula angustifolia Mill. The EOs were analysed and tested in laboratory for their oviposition deterrence and toxicity against L. sericata adults. The physiology of EO toxicity was evaluated by enzymatic inhibition tests. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the EOs were tested as well. At 0.8 μL cm-2, both EOs completely deterred L. sericata oviposition up to 3 hours. After 24 h, the oviposition deterrence was still 82.7% for L. angustifolia and the 89.5% for C. nubigenum. The two EOs were also toxic to eggs and adults of L. sericata. By contact/fumigation, the EOs, the LC50 values against the eggs were 0.07 and 0.48 μL cm-2 while, by topical application on the adults, LD50 values were 0.278 and 0.393 μL per individual for C. nubigenum and L. angustifolia EOs, respectively. Inhibition of acetylcholine esterase of L. sericata by EOs (IC50 = 67.450 and 79.495 mg L-1 for C. nubigenum and L. angustifolia, respectively) suggested that the neural sites are targets of the EO toxicity. Finally, the observed antibacterial and antifungal properties of C. nubigenum and L. angustifolia EOs suggest that they could also help prevent secondary infections.

The growing interest in the development of green pest management strategies is leading to the exploitation of essential oils (EOs) as promising botanical pesticides. In this respect, nanotechnology could efficiently support the use of EOs through their encapsulation into stable nanoformulations, such as nanoemulsions (NEs), to improve their stability and efficacy. This technology assures the improvement of the chemical stability, hydrophilicity, and environmental persistence of EOs, giving an added value for the fabrication of natural insecticides effective against a wide spectrum of insect vectors and pests of public and agronomical importance. Carlina acaulis (Asteraceae) root EO has been recently proposed as a promising ingredient of a new generation of botanical insecticides. In the present study, a highly stable C. acaulis-based NE was developed. Interestingly, such a nanosystem was able to encapsulate 6% (w/w) of C. acaulis EO, showing a mean diameter of around 140 nm and a SOR (surfactant-to-oil ratio) of 0.6. Its stability was evaluated in a storage period of six months and corroborated by an accelerated stability study. Therefore, the C. acaulis EO and C. acaulis-based NE were evaluated for their toxicity against 1st instar larvae of the European grapevine moth (EGVM), Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a major vineyard pest. The chemical composition of C. acaulis EO was investigated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) revealing carlina oxide, a polyacetylene, as the main constituent. In toxicity assays, both the C. acaulis EO and the C. acaulis-based NE were highly toxic to L. botrana larvae, with LC50 values of 7.299 and 9.044 µL/mL for C. acaulis EO and NE, respectively. The C. acaulis-based NE represents a promising option to develop highly stable botanical insecticides for pest management. To date, this study represents the first evidence about the insecticidal toxicity of EOs and EO-based NEs against this major grapevine pest.