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The transferability of hydraulic microhabitat selection models among rivers has been largely debated. It can influence management decisions such as restoration measures or environmental flow definitions. We updated microhabitat selection models for 258 macroinvertebrate taxa, with 141 species, collected in 2128 Surber or Hess samples during 91 surveys (sites × dates) distributed in eleven small streams to large rivers of Germany and France. We compared microhabitat selection for four hydraulic variables, developed using mixed-effects models that account for the overdispersion of observed abundance, partly due to spatial aggregation. Models based on bed shear stress, water column velocity and Froude number showed comparable results and were stronger than models for water depth. For these velocity-related variables, 61–78% of models were significant and revealed variable response forms among taxa. The explanatory power of "average" microhabitat selection models, with response forms common to all surveys, was 78–83% of the explanatory power of more detailed models with variable response forms. Significant associations with biological traits such as locomotion, relation to substrate or food types suggested that microhabitat selection results from general biological processes. Our results indicate a high degree of transferability and can be useful in many basic and applied ecological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater macroinvertebrates are a diverse group and play key ecological roles, including accelerating nutrient cycling, filtering water, controlling primary producers, and providing food for predators. Their differences in tolerances and short generation times manifest in rapid community responses to change. Macroinvertebrate community composition is an indicator of water quality. In Europe, efforts to improve water quality following environmental legislation, primarily starting in the 1980s, may have driven a recovery of macroinvertebrate communities. Towards understanding temporal and spatial variation of these organisms, we compiled the TREAM dataset (Time seRies of European freshwAter Macroinvertebrates), consisting of macroinvertebrate community time series from 1,816 river and stream sites (mean length of 19.2 years and 14.9 sampling years) of 22 European countries sampled between 1968 and 2020. In total, the data include >93 million sampled individuals of 2,648 taxa from 959 genera and 212 families. These data can be used to test questions ranging from identifying drivers of the population dynamics of specific taxa to assessing the success of legislative and management restoration efforts., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Owing to a long history of anthropogenic pressures, freshwater ecosystems are among the most vulnerable to biodiversity loss 1 . Mitigation measures, including wastewater treatment and hydromorphological restoration, have aimed to improve environmental quality and foster the recovery of freshwater biodiversity 2 . Here, using 1,816 time series of freshwater invertebrate communities collected across 22 European countries between 1968 and 2020, we quantified temporal trends in taxonomic and functional diversity and their responses to environmental pressures and gradients. We observed overall increases in taxon richness (0.73% per year), functional richness (2.4% per year) and abundance (1.17% per year). However, these increases primarily occurred before the 2010s, and have since plateaued. Freshwater communities downstream of dams, urban areas and cropland were less likely to experience recovery. Communities at sites with faster rates of warming had fewer gains in taxon richness, functional richness and abundance. Although biodiversity gains in the 1990s and 2000s probably reflect the effectiveness of water-quality improvements and restoration projects, the decelerating trajectory in the 2010s suggests that the current measures offer diminishing returns. Given new and persistent pressures on freshwater ecosystems, including emerging pollutants, climate change and the spread of invasive species, we call for additional mitigation to revive the recovery of freshwater biodiversity., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Europe has experienced a substantial increase in non-indigenous crayfish species (NICS) since the mid-20th century due to their extensive use in fisheries, aquaculture and, more recently, pet trade. Despite relatively long invasion histories of some NICS and negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, large spatio-temporal analyses of their occurrences are lacking. Here, we used a large freshwater macroinvertebrate database to evaluate what information on NICS can be obtained from widely applied biomonitoring approaches and how usable such data is for descriptions of trends in identified NICS species. We found 160 time-series containing NICS between 1983 and 2019, to infer temporal patterns and environmental drivers of species and region-specific trends. Using a combination of meta-regression and generalized linear models, we found no significant temporal trend for the abundance of any species (Procambarus clarkii, Pacifastacus leniusculus or Faxonius limosus) at the European scale, but identified species-specific predictors of abundances. While analysis of the spatial range expansion of NICS was positive (i.e. increasing spread) in England and negative (significant retreat) in northern Spain, no trend was detected in Hungary and the Dutch-German-Luxembourg region. The average invasion velocity varied among countries, ranging from 30 km/year in England to 90 km/year in Hungary. The average invasion velocity gradually decreased over time in the long term, with declines being fastest in the Dutch-German-Luxembourg region, and much slower in England. Considering that NICS pose a substantial threat to aquatic biodiversity across Europe, our study highlights the utility and importance of collecting high resolution (i.e. annual) biomonitoring data using a sampling protocol that is able to estimate crayfish abundance, enabling a more profound understanding of NICS impacts on biodiversity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Gam-COVID-Vac is the world's first registered vector vaccine against COVID-19 based on a combination of two heterologous adenoviruses. It was chosen by the Republic of San Marino as the main tool in its vaccination campaign, which started on 25 February 2021. Our aim was to build up on the ROCCA study, focused on the older population, by describing adverse effects following immunisation (AEFIs) rates and characteristics in all age groups for the first time in a real-world context., Methods: An active surveillance study on recipients of at least one dose of the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine was conducted. Participants were administered online questionnaires through live/phone interviews with physicians, by e-mail or by scanning a QR code at different points in time after the first dose: one week (Q1) one month (Q2), and three months (Q3) between March and August 2021., Findings: Overall, 6190 vaccine recipients were recruited. Mean age was 52·4 ± 18·2 years. After the first dose, systemic reactions were reported by 57·5% of the participants, while injection site reactions were reported by 46·7%. The most common AEFIs were pain at the injection site, fatigue and headache. Grade 3 or 4 AEFIs were reported by 0·8% and 0·3% of the participants, respectively. After the second dose, systemic reactions were reported by 63·1% of the participants, while injection site reactions by 54·7%. The most common AEFIs were malaise, pain at injection site and myalgia. Grade 3 or 4 AEFIs were reported by 2·7% and 1·1% of the participants, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed younger age, being a woman and food allergies are risk factors for more severe AEFIs., Interpretation: Our results confirm a good tolerability profile for the population aged 18 and over providing useful data for vaccination campaigns ongoing in countries planning to use Gam-COVID-Vac., Funding: None., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Background: In August 2020, Sputnik V was registered as Gam-COVID-Vac by the Russian Ministry of Health, and since December 2020 it has been distributed in 61 countries worldwide. On 25 February 2021, the Republic of San Marino started its vaccination campaign, which includes Sputnik V. Our aim was to describe the adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) with this vaccine through participant-based active surveillance in the country., Methods: Beginning from 4 March to 8 April 2021, a nationwide study was conducted on San Marino's population aged 18-89 years who received one or two doses of Sputnik V. E-questionnaire dissemination occurred through e-mails, QR-codes or live/phone interviews ~7 days after the first and second vaccine dose. A descriptive analysis was conducted to quantify AEFI incidence on both occasions, stratifying results by type and severity of symptoms., Findings: Mean age of the 2558 vaccine recipients was 66±14 years. First-dose AEFI incidence was 53.3% (systemic reactions at 42.2%), while second-dose AEFI incidence was 66.8% (systemic reactions at 50.4%) ( n  = 1288). In general, 76.0% of two-dose recipients reported some AEFIs after either vaccine dose, and 2.1% suffered severe reactions; in 60- to 89-year-olds ( n  = 1021), AEFI incidence was 70.0%, with 53.0% of subjects describing systemic reactions and 0.8% reporting severe symptoms. The most frequent symptoms were local pain, asthenia, headache and joint pain., Interpretation: Our results, albeit preliminary, suggest that Sputnik V has a high tolerability profile in the population aged ≥60 years in terms of short-term AEFIs., Funding: None., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. All co-authors have seen and agree with the contents of the manuscript and there is no financial interest to report. We certify that the submission is original work and is not under review at any other publication. The lead author affirms that this manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study being reported; that no important aspects of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned (and, if relevant, registered) have been explained., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Leptocerina is an endemic Afrotropical genus of Trichoptera, with 19 species documented but only five partially described at the larval stage. The first description of Leptocerina pauliani (Ross 1957) larva by Marlier Marlier (1982) included very few illustrations, making comparisons with other species challenging. I present a revised description of the L. pauliani larval stage, using specimens collected from the River Marsouins in La Réunion Island. I apply a focus stacking approach for emphasizing coloration patterns and providing a detailed description of larval characters. Criteria for distinguishing L. pauliani from the other species of Leptocerina already described or partially described for the larval stage are discussed.

The aim of this work was t o construct a score issued from a machine learning system with self-improvement capacity able to predict the fate of an ART embryo incubated in a time lapse monitoring (TLM) system. A retrospective study was performed. For the training data group, 110 couples were included and, 891 embryos were cultured. For the global setting data group, 201 couples were included, and 1186 embryos were cultured. No image analysis was used; morphokinetic parameters from the first three days of embryo culture were used to perform a logistic regression between the cell number and time. A score named DynScore was constructed, the prediction power of the DynScore on blastocyst formation and the baby delivery were tested via the area under the curve (AUC) obtained from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). In the training data group, the DynScore allowed the blastocyst formation prediction (AUC = 0.634, p < 0.001), this approach was the higher among the set of the tested scores. Similar results were found with the global setting data group (AUC = 0.638, p < 0.001) and it was possible to increase the AUC of the DynScore with a regular update of the prediction system by reinforcement, with an AUC able to reach a value above 0.9. As only the best blastocysts were transferred, none of the tested scores was able to predict delivery. In conclusion, the DynScore seems to be able to predict the fate of an embryo. The reinforcement of the prediction system allows maintaining the predictive capacity of DynScore irrespective of the various events that may occur during the ART process. The DynScore could be implemented in any TLM system and adapted by itself to the data of any ART center. Abbreviations: ART: assisted reproduction technology; TLM: time lapse monitoring system; AUC: area under the curve; ROC: receiver operating characteristic; eSET: elective single embryo transfer; AIS: artificial intelligence system; KID: known implantation data; AMH: anti-Müllerian hormone; BMI: body mass index; WHO: World Health Organization; c-IVF: conventional in-vitro fertilization; ICSI: intracytoplasmic sperm injection; PNf: pronuclear formation; D3: day 3; D5: day 5; D6: day 6; GnRH: gonadotrophin releasing hormone; FSH: follicle stimulating hormone; LH: luteinizing hormone; hCG: human chorionic gonadotropin; PVP: polyvinyl pyrrolidone; PNf: time of pronuclear fading; tx: time of cleavage to x blastomeres embryo; ICM: inner cell mass; TE: trophectoderm; NbCell t : number of cells at t time; FIFO: first in first out; TD: training data group; SD: setting data group; R: real world.

Dispersal is an essential process in population and community dynamics, but is difficult to measure in the field. In freshwater ecosystems, information on biological traits related to organisms' morphology, life history and behaviour provides useful dispersal proxies, but information remains scattered or unpublished for many taxa. We compiled information on multiple dispersal-related biological traits of European aquatic macroinvertebrates in a unique resource, the DISPERSE database. DISPERSE includes nine dispersal-related traits subdivided into 39 trait categories for 480 taxa, including Annelida, Mollusca, Platyhelminthes, and Arthropoda such as Crustacea and Insecta, generally at the genus level. Information within DISPERSE can be used to address fundamental research questions in metapopulation ecology, metacommunity ecology, macroecology and evolutionary ecology. Information on dispersal proxies can be applied to improve predictions of ecological responses to global change, and to inform improvements to biomonitoring, conservation and management strategies. The diverse sources used in DISPERSE complement existing trait databases by providing new information on dispersal traits, most of which would not otherwise be accessible to the scientific community.

Growth regulator insecticides with juvenoid activity can affect the development and reproduction of non-target organisms such as crustaceans. In this perspective, our previous studies revealed deleterious effects of the juvenoid fenoxycarb at 5 μg L -1 on the embryogenesis and at 50 μg L -1 on the reproductive behavior of the amphipod Gammarus fossarum. In the present study, to determine whether data generated with one amphipod species can be extended to other gammarid species, we tested the effects of a 5 μg L -1 fenoxycarb exposure on three European amphipod species: G. fossarum, Gammarus roeseli, and Echinogammarus longisetosus. We exposed individually 60 freshly fertilized females to fenoxycarb throughout the entire oogenesis/embryogenesis cycle (i.e., 19 days). In newborn individuals from exposed embryos, we measured both pigmentation and lipid reserve impairments while in exposed females, we observed reproductive behavior. At 5 μg L -1 fenoxycarb, reproductive behavior was only altered in G. fossarum. This study demonstrates the variability of the toxic response among the three gammaridae species, underlining the need for acquiring data with a broad phylogenetic representation to better predict toxic effects on freshwater ecosystems.

The morphology of the larvae of three French species of Psychomyiinae: Psychomyia pusilla, Metalype fragilis and Paduniella vandeli are described. A set of characters on the head, the prothorax, and the anal prolegs makes it possible to identify the larvae of the fourth and fifth instars. A brief study of the world distribution of the genera Psychomyia, Metalype, and Paduniella is presented. An examination of the larvae of these three genera from literature data and personal observations offered us the possibility to test the validity of the set of characters obtained for the three French species. A key (with comments) of the three genera is provided.