Background: eosinophilic esophagitis is an esophageal disorder characterized by esophageal and/or upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms, and by dense esophageal eosinophilia associated with a normal gastric and duodenal mucosa. Prevalently reported in children, eosinophilic esophagitis has recently been reported with increased frequency also in adults. Aims: the purpose of this study was to report our experience with eosinophilic esophagitis in Italy, since there are only very few series of such patients in our country. Patients and methods: we retrospectively reviewed the histological data of consecutive patients with a diagnosis of esophagitis or reflux disease in the period September 2004-September 2008. Eosinophils were counted where they appeared most numerous in the biopsy, with a cutoff > 15 eosinophils in more than one high-power field as diagnostic of eosinophilic esophagitis. Patients were excluded if gastric or duodenal biopsies showed a prominent eosinophilic infiltrate. Results: twenty two patients (14 adults, 8 children, age range 2-59 years) were identified according to the above criteria. The average eosinophil count was 86/ high-power field (range 31-150), associated with other pathologic features (eosinophilic microabscesses eosinophil degranulation, basal zone hyperplasia, papillary elongation). The main clinical complaints were dysphagia, food impaction, and heartburn, and endoscopic findings consisted of mucosal thickening and inelasticity, longitudinal shearing, rings, and white specks, without difference between adults and children for both clinical and endoscopic variables. Conclusions: eosinophilic esophagitis is not rare in Italy, and displays clinical, endoscopic, and pathologic features similar to those described in other countries.

Thyrinteina arnobia, é umas das mais importantes lagartas desfolhadoras de eucalipto no Brasil. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar o desenvolvimento e a reprodução desse lepidóptero em folhas de goiabeira (Psidium guajava) e Eucalyptus grandis, na 15º geração, após criar essa espécie por 14 gerações em folhas de goiabeira. T. arnobia apresentou menor período larval, maior viabilidade de lagartas e de pupas, maior peso pupal, maior número de ovos totais por fêmea e viabilidade de ovos e menor longevidade de fêmeas com folhas de goiabeira. Além disso, teve melhor desempenho e reprodução com P. guajava, do que com folhas de E. grandis, mostrando que esse inseto pode ser criado com folhas de goiabeira em laboratório.

Thyrinteina arnobia, is one of the most important defoliating caterpillars of Eucalyptus in Brazil The objective of this work was to evaluate the development and the reproduction of feeding on leaves of guava (Psidium guajava) or Eucalyptus grandis in the 15th generation, after rearing this species for 14 genrations on guava leaves. T. arnobia showed shorter larval period, better viability of caterpillars and pupae, heavier pupae, higher number of eggs per female, better egg viability and shorter longevity of females in guava leaves than in Eucalyptus leaves. The better development and reproduction with P. guajava showed that this insect could be reared in laboratory with guava leaves.

Avaliou-se a predação de ninfas de Podisus maculiventris sobre ovos de Ephestia kuehniella parasitados (em fase de pupa) ou não por Trichogramma brassicae. Esses ovos foram colados em cartelas retangulares e oferecidos às ninfas de P. maculiventris como alimento. Esse Pentatomidae só atingiu a fase adulta quando se alimentou de ovos não parasitados desse Pyralidae, indicando que os mesmos podem ser usados como hospedeiro alternativo para criação desse predador. Ninfas de P. maculiventris que receberam ovos parasitados morreram antes do quarto estádio. Em teste de escolha, ninfas desse predador mostraram preferência por ovos não parasitados em vez de por aqueles parasitados que continham em seu interior uma pupa de T. brassicae. Esses resultados mostram que é possível associar o uso de P. maculiventris com liberações de T. brassicae em programas de controle de lepidópteros pragas,

Predation by Podisus maculiventris nymphs, a predatory pentatomid, was evaluated with eggs of the flour moth Ephestia kuehniella (Pyralidae), parasitised or not by Trichogramma brassicae (pupae stage). Eggs of this pyralid were glued on rectangular cardboard and presented to nymphs of P. maculiventris as food. The pentatomid successfully reached adult stage when feeding on unparasitised eggs, indicating that flour moth eggs can be used as a factitious food for rearing this predator. Pentatomid nymphs that received only parasitised eggs died before reaching fourth instar. In choice tests, P. maculiventris showed a preference for preying on unparasitised eggs of E. kuehniella rather than those containing pupae of T. brassicae. These results show that it is possible to combine the use of P. maculiventris with releases of T. brassicae in control programs of lepidopteran pests.