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This paper summarises the evolution of UNESCO's Ecohydrology programme during the last 25 years within the different phases of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) but focuses particularly on its implementation during IHP-VIII phase, from 2014 to 2021. The Ecohydrology programme is steered by a Scientific Advisory Committee composed of internationally well-known scientists from all over the world, which promote strategic directions and new scientific dimensions, design activities to be undertaken, as well as program execution, and communication of scientific advances and lessons learnt within the programme. It also especially takes advantage of the considerable and essential contribution of members of the UNESCO Water Family, in particular from water Centres and Chairs dedicated to ecohydrology. The paper also describes the major milestones obtained during the eight years of implementation, going through the major activities organized in the framework of the dissemination of the concept within different scientific networks, international conferences, trainings, workshop, publications as well as major innovative trends the programme accounted for. The COVID-19 outbreak greatly impacted the execution of the programme during 2020 and 2021 as major international events and activities were cancelled or postponed. One of the programme's responses was the organization of the Ecohydrology Online Open Courses (EH OOC) on a dedicated platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notwithstanding the fact that the 12th international congress of autoimmunity (AUTO12) was held virtual this year, the number of the abstracts submitted and those presented crossed the thousand marks. Leading investigators and researchers from all over the world presented the latest developments of their research in the domain of autoimmunity and its correlation with various diseases. In terms of mechanisms of autoimmunity, an update on the mechanisms behind the association of autoimmunity with systemic diseases focusing on hyperstimulation was presented during AUTO12. In addition, a new mechanism of ASIA syndrome caused by an intrauterine contraceptive device was revealed demonstrating a complete resolution of symptoms following device removal. In regard to the correlation between autoimmunity and neurogenerative diseases, the loss of structural protein integrity as the trigger of immunological response was shown. Schizophrenia as well, and its correlation to pro-inflammatory cytokines was also addressed. Furthermore, and as it was said AUTO12 virtual due to COVID-19 pandemic, various works were dedicated to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 in terms of autoimmune mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis, treatment and complications of COVID-19. For instance, the correlation between autoimmunity and the severity of COVID-19 was viewed. Moreover, the presence and association of autoantibodies in COVID-19 was also demonstrated, as well as the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases. Finally, immune-mediated reactions and processes secondary to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was displayed. Due to the immense importance of all of the topics addressed and while several hundreds of works were presented which cannot be summed up in one paper, we aimed hereby to highlight some of the outstanding abstracts and presentations during AUTO12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]