Search

Effectively managing energy and power consumption is crucial to the success of the design of any computing system, helping mitigate the efficiency obstacles given by the downsizing of the systems while also being a valuable step towards achieving green and sustainable computing. The quality of energy and power management is strongly affected by the prompt availability of reliable and accurate information regarding the power consumption for the different parts composing the target monitored system. At the same time, effective energy and power management are even more critical within the field of devices at the edge, which exponentially proliferated within the past decade with the digital revolution brought by the Internet of things. This manuscript aims to provide a comprehensive conceptual framework to classify the different approaches to implementing run-time power monitors for edge devices that appeared in literature, leading the reader toward the solutions that best fit their application needs and the requirements and constraints of their target computing platforms. Run-time power monitors at the edge are analyzed according to both the power modeling and monitoring implementation aspects, identifying specific quality metrics for both in order to create a consistent and detailed taxonomy that encompasses the vast existing literature and provides a sound reference to the interested reader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PhD graduates are dealing with a lack of opportunities regarding long-term careers: the chances of eventually obtaining a stable position in university are hardly higher than a few per cent and slimmer when geographical constraints are set. The current scenario prospects a panoply of professional destinations for PhD graduates beyond university walls, but the doctoral education system is still primarily designed as a preparatory phase for an academic career and academic employment remains the preferred option for the majority. The concrete risks of this situation are connected to over-skilling, lack of recognition and problems in transferring skills during transitions from university to other workplaces. The article focuses on one underestimated dimension of these processes: the tacit knowledge implicitly acquired in HE institutions and structuring a peculiar 'academic habitus' which plays a crucial role in terms of unexpected difficulties as well as unexplored learning potential. Doctoral training may represent a strategic place where students can begin to interpret the complex issues involved in transition processes not as signs of inadequacy or lack of preparation, but as challenges engaging one's agency in dealing with a different organisational habitus. Individual strategies are, in fact, essential in making a difference when a disorienting dilemma emerges and they configure a proper meta-competence to be developed and fostered. More broadly the article argues that, in order to sustain the potential of PhD graduates' knowledge it is necessary to overcome a reductionist and instructional perspective in approaching learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Thermography may provide useful data during competitions with sled dogs for rapid clinical screening during activity. The results of this study showed a significant increase in post-competition ocular temperature of both eyes, regardless of the length of the race. Superficial body temperatures also increased after competition, but it was particularly affected by environmental and subjective factors. Competitions involving sled dogs are rapidly growing and body temperature assessment could represent a prompt and non-invasive method of screening for potential pathological conditions during or after activity. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate if thermography is able to monitor the pre- and post-competition ocular and superficial body temperature variations during a sled dog competition. It subsequently compared the data relating to the ocular temperatures in different race types: mid-distance (30 km) and sprint (≤16 km). Results showed a statistically significant increase in post-competition ocular temperature of both eyes, regardless of the length of the race. The relative increase in the temperatures of the other body surfaces was lower than the expected values, probably due to the influence of environmental and subjective factors such as the type of coat of the Siberian Husky or subcutaneous fat. Infrared thermography has therefore proved to be useful method in sled dog competition conditions for screening superficial temperature variations, as the investigation is normally conducted in an external environment and often in demanding work conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-quantum cryptosystems based on QC-MDPC codes are designed to mitigate the security threat posed by quantum computers to traditional public-key cryptography. The polynomial inversion is the core operation of key generation in such cryptosystems and the adoption of ephemeral keys imposes the execution of key generation for each session. To this end, there is a need for efficient and scalable hardware implementations of the binary polynomial inversion operation to support the key generation primitive across a wide range of computational platforms. This manuscript proposes an efficient and scalable architecture implementing the binary polynomial inversion at the hardware level. Our solution can deliver a performance-optimized implementation for the large polynomials used in post-quantum code-based cryptosystems and for each FPGA of the mid-range Xilinx Artix-7 family. The effectiveness of the proposed solution was validated by means of the BIKE and LEDAcrypt post-quantum QC-MDPC cryptosystems as representative use cases. Compared to the C11- and the optimized AVX2-based software implementations of LEDAcrypt, instances of the proposed architecture targeting the Artix-7 200 FPGA show an average performance improvement of 31.7 and 2.2 times, respectively. Moreover, the proposed architecture delivers a performance improvement up to 18.1 and 21.5 times for AES-128 and AES-192 security levels, respectively, compared to the BIKE hardware implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. In western medicine, the diaphragm is the main inspiratory muscle. It is involved in the postural control of the trunk and contributes to balance performance. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the diaphragm represents a gateway between the lower and upper parts of the body, and it regulates the descending and ascending functions of the whole organism. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of acupuncture on diaphragm function. Methods. A proof-of-concept, prospective, controlled, pilot trial in healthy volunteers. Respiratory rate, inspired volume, diaphragm excursion, and thickening were measured during tidal and maximal breathing at baseline and after sham or real acupuncture. Acupuncture was performed on Yanglingquan (GB34), Tai Chong (LV3), Danzhong (CV17), Geshu (BL17), and Geguan (BL46). Results. Ten participants were enrolled (6 males, weight 71 ± 12 kg, height 173 ± 9 cm, BMI 21 ± 1.3 kg/m2). During tidal breathing, tidal volume, diaphragm displacement, and end-expiratory diaphragm thickness did not change with sham or real acupuncture as compared to baseline; thickening ratio was 43.5 ± 16.6 vs. 31.3 ± 14.9 (sham) vs. 30.8 ± 15.3% (baseline), p = 0.1066. During breaths at vital capacity, the acupuncture group, as compared to both baseline and sham acupuncture, had a trend toward a larger tidal volume (3840 ± 690 vs. 3110 ± 880 vs. 3230 ± 750 ml, p = 0.1247) and showed a significantly higher thickening ratio (270.6 ± 136.4 vs. 172.4 ± 57.4 vs. 188.6 ± 41.7%, p = 0.0414). Conclusions. Acupuncture significantly influenced diaphragm function in healthy volunteers, improving its inspiratory thickening fraction during breaths at vital capacity, as compared to no or sham acupuncture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fermented food is strongly connected with the territory of origin and tradition. • Multi-omics profiling unveils the microbial signature of food typicalities. • Machine learning and data mining are crucial to harness fermentation processes. • Biotechnology can fill the gap between traditional and industrial fermentation. • Preserving local functional microbial consortia guarantees global food security. Omics tools offer the opportunity to characterize and trace traditional and industrial fermented foods. Bioinformatics, through machine learning, and other advanced statistical approaches, are able to disentangle fermentation processes and to predict the evolution and metabolic outcomes of a food microbial ecosystem. By assembling microbial artificial consortia, the biotechnological advances will also be able to enhance the nutritional value and organoleptics characteristics of fermented food, preserving, at the same time, the potential of autochthonous microbial consortia and metabolic pathways, which are difficult to reproduce. Preserving the traditional methods contributes to protecting the hidden value of local biodiversity, and exploits its potential in industrial processes with the final aim of guaranteeing food security and safety, even in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Odonata are considered among the most endangered freshwater faunal taxa. Their DNA‐based monitoring relies on validated reference data sets that are often lacking or do not cover important biogeographical centres of diversification. This study presents the results of a DNA barcoding campaign on Odonata, based on the standard 658‐bp 5′ end region of the mitochondrial COI gene, involving the collection of 812 specimens (409 of which barcoded) from peninsular Italy and its main islands (328 localities), belonging to all the 88 species (31 Zygoptera and 57 Anisoptera) known from the country. Additional BOLD and GenBank data from Holarctic samples expanded the data set to 1,294 DNA barcodes. A multi‐approach species delimitation analysis involving two distance (OT and ABGD) and four tree‐based (PTP, MPTP, GMYC and bGMYC) methods was used to explore these data. Of the 88 investigated morphospecies, 75 (85%) unequivocally corresponded to distinct molecular operational units, whereas the remaining ones were classified as 'warnings' (i.e. showing a mismatch between morphospecies assignment and DNA‐based species delimitation). These results are in contrast with other DNA barcoding studies on Odonata showing up to 95% of identification success. The species causing warnings were grouped into three categories depending on if they showed low, high or mixed genetic divergence patterns. The analysis of haplotype networks revealed unexpected intraspecific complexity at the Italian, Palearctic and Holarctic scale, possibly indicating the occurrence of cryptic species. Overall, this study provides new insights into the taxonomy of odonates and a valuable basis for future DNA and eDNA‐based monitoring studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and human activities are impacting species distribution, and thus, tracking species movements is a key aspect for their conservation and for understanding their biology. Among the bumblebees that are changing distribution, one of the most striking cases of a fast and natural range expansion is the eastern Mediterranean Bombus haematurus. Here we report the first Italian records of this species, with observations from the N-E Italy at a distance of 332 Km from the edge of the historical distribution. These are the westernmost known occurrences of this species and they are not far from a large series of records in several Central European countries of recent colonization. Here, we also obtained and made publicly available the reference COI barcode sequence of Bombus haematurus and shown that is significantly different from other similar species at this genetic marker. Coupling morphology, field-data and genetic identity should greatly improve the efficiency of tracking species movements and therefore also their knowledge in both recently colonized and historical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses articles within the issue on topics including career prospects for doctor of philosophy degree graduates, nature of postdoctoral research employment, and well-being of postdoctoral research at Dutch research universities.

Food trade globalization and the growing demand for selected food varieties have led to the intensification of adulteration cases, especially in the form of species substitution and mixing with cheaper taxa. This phenomenon has huge economic impact and sometimes even public health implications. DNA barcoding represents a well-proven molecular approach to assess the authenticity of food items, although its use is hampered by analytical constraints and timeframes that are often prohibitive for the food market. To address such issues, we have introduced a new technology, named NanoTracer, that allows for rapid and naked-eye molecular traceability of any food and requires limited instrumentation and cost-effective reagents. Moreover, unlike sequencing, this method can be used to identify not only the substitution of a fine ingredient, but also its dilution with cheaper ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food trade globalization and the growing demand for selected food varieties have led to the intensification of adulteration cases, especially in the form of species substitution and mixing with cheaper taxa. This phenomenon has huge economic impact and sometimes even public health implications. DNA barcoding represents a well-proven molecular approach to assess the authenticity of food items, although its use is hampered by analytical constraints and timeframes that are often prohibitive for the food market. To address such issues, we have introduced a new technology, named NanoTracer, that allows for rapid and naked-eye molecular traceability of any food and requires limited instrumentation and cost-effective reagents. Moreover, unlike sequencing, this method can be used to identify not only the substitution of a fine ingredient, but also its dilution with cheaper ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the genetic background of complex behavioral traits, showing multigenic control and extensive environmental effects, is a challenging task. Among such traits, migration is known to show a large additive genetic component. Yet, the identification of specific genes or gene regions explaining phenotypic variance in migratory behavior has received less attention. Migration ultimately depends on seasonal cycles, and polymorphism at phenological candidate genes may underlie variation in timing of migration or other aspects of migratory behavior. In this study of a Nearctic-Neotropical migratory songbird, the Wilson's warbler ( Cardellina pusilla), we investigated the association between polymorphism at two phenological candidate genes, Clock and Adcyap1, and two aspects of the migratory phenotype, timing of spring migration through a stopover site and inferred latitude of the breeding destination. The breeding destination of migrating individuals was identified using feather deuterium ratio ( δ2H), which reliably reflects breeding latitude throughout the species' western breeding range. Ninety-eight percent of the individuals were homozygous at Clock, and the rare heterozygotes did not deviate from homozygous migration phenology. Adcyap1 was highly polymorphic, and allele size was not significantly associated with migration date. However, Adcyap1 allele size significantly positively predicted the inferred breeding latitude of males but not of females. Moreover, we found a strong positive association between inferred breeding latitude and Adcyap1 allele size in long-distance migrating birds from the northern sector of the breeding range (western Canada), while this was not the case in short-distance migrating birds from the southern sector of the breeding range (coastal California). Our findings support previous evidence for a role of Adcyap1 in shaping the avian migratory phenotype, while highlighting that patterns of phenological candidate gene-phenotype associations may be complex, significantly varying between geographically distinct populations and even between the sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrative taxonomy, a multi-disciplinary approach adding modern techniques to traditional morphology-based methods (e.g. molecular and morphological criteria), can play an important role in bioinvasion research to identify introduced taxa, discover pathways of introduction and inform authorities to control and prevent future introductions. The present study is the first on introduced populations of Callosciurus, Asiatic tree squirrels, known as potentially invasive species in Europe (Italy, Belgium and France). We combined molecular (mitochondrial DNA markers: CoxI, D-loop) and morphometric analysis on skulls, comparing them to the widest morphological and molecular datasets ever assembled for Callosciurus. Squirrels collected in Italy and Belgium share the same haplotypes and skull characteristics, but are conspicuously different from the French population in Antibes. Genetic data revealed close similarity between French squirrels and Pallas's squirrels, Callosciurus erythraeus, from Taiwan, China. Italian and Belgian squirrels formed an independent taxonomic lineage in genetic analyses, whose taxonomic rank needs further investigation. The morphological and morphometric characteristics of these 2 populations are, however, similar to known specimens assigned to Callosciurus erythraeus. These results may indicate a common origin for the populations found in Belgium and Italy. In contrast, French specimens suggest an independent introduction event of squirrels originating from Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, food science has greatly developed, turning from the consideration of food as mere source of energy to a growing awareness on its importance for health and particularly in reducing the risk of diseases. Such vision led to an increasing attention towards the origin and quality of raw materials as well as their derived food products. The continuous advance in molecular biology allowed setting up efficient and universal omics tools to unequivocally identify the origin of food items and their traceability. In this review, we considered the application of a genomics approach known as DNA barcoding in characterizing the composition of foodstuffs and its traceability along the food supply chain. Moreover, metabolomics analytical strategies based on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectroscopy (MS) were discussed as they also work well in evaluating food quality. The combination of both approaches allows us to define a sort of molecular labelling of food that is easily understandable by the operators involved in the food sector: producers, distributors, and consumers. Current technologies based on digital information systems such as web platforms and smartphone apps can facilitate the adoption of such molecular labelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the ever-increasing energy-efficiency requirements for the computing platforms at the edge, precision tuning techniques highlight the possibility of improving the efficiency of floating-point computations by selectively lowering the precision of intermediate operations without affecting the accuracy of the final result. Recent trends also demonstrated the possibility of successfully employing fixed-point computations in place of floating-point ones to further optimize the efficiency in the high-performance computing (HPC) domain. However, the use of integer functional units to support the execution of fixed-point operations in embedded platforms can severely degrade the energy-delay product (EDP). This work presents a cost-effective architecture to efficiently support fixed-point computations in embedded systems with two goals. On the one hand, it allows replacing the floating-point computations, with meaningful area and EDP improvements. On the other hand, it can complement the FPU, providing flexibility in selecting the best arithmetic for the target applications depending on their accuracy and performance requirements. Experimental results were collected from a representative set of floating-point-intensive applications executed on six variants of the baseline system-on-chip (SoC). We compared the efficiency of different floating- and fixed-point architectures in terms of accuracy, area, and EDP. Our fixed-point solution demonstrated a 0.651 EDP, normalized with respect to a SoC that featured a binary32 FPU, while achieving a negligible accuracy loss, i.e., 0.0003% on average (0.004% peak), compared to binary32 execution. In contrast, a SoC employing the integer functional units for fixed-point execution reports a 1.796 normalized EDP to achieve the same accuracy loss. Compared to the baseline SoC implementing only the integer units, the proposed architecture shows an area overhead limited to 4%, while the SoC featuring binary32 floating-point hardware support requires 32% more resources. • Substituting floating-point with fixed-point computations optimizes efficiency. • Supporting fixed-point operations via integer functional units decreases efficiency. • Fixed-point hardware support enables precision tuning in embedded systems. • Fixed-point hardware support saves area over FPU implementations. • Negligible accuracy loss considering a set of floating-point-intensive benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety and quality depend on raw material characteristics and on the chemical, physical and biotechnological processes adopted during food transformation. Since a huge number of microorganisms are involved in food production, foodstuffs should be considered as complex matrices where any microbial component has a precise role and evolves in response to physical and chemical composition of food. Moreover, knowing the dynamics of microbial community involved in a food supply chain it is useful to reduce food spoilage, enhance the industrial processes and extend product shelf-life. In a more comprehensive vision, a precise understanding of the metabolic activity of microorganisms can be used to drive biotransformation steps towards the improvement of quality and nutritional value of food. High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) technologies are nowadays an emerging and widely adopted tool for microbial characterization of food matrices. Differently from traditional culture-dependent approaches, HTS allows the analysis of genomic regions of the whole biotic panel inhabiting and constituting food ecosystems. Our intent is to provide an up-to-date review of the principal fields of application of HTS in food studies. In particular, we devoted major attention to the analysis of food microbiota and to the applied implications deriving from its characterization in the principal food categories to improve biotransformation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated DNA barcoding effectiveness to characterize honeybee pollen pellets, a food supplement largely used for human nutrition due to its therapeutic properties. We collected pollen pellets using modified beehives placed in three zones within an alpine protected area (Grigna Settentrionale Regional Park, Italy). A DNA barcoding reference database, including rbcL and trnH-psbA sequences from 693 plant species (104 sequenced in this study) was assembled. The database was used to identify pollen collected from the hives. Fifty-two plant species were identified at the molecular level. Results suggested rbcL alone could not distinguish among congeneric plants; however, psbA-trnH identified most of the pollen samples at the species level. Substantial variability in pollen composition was observed between the highest elevation locality (Alpe Moconodeno), characterized by arid grasslands and a rocky substrate, and the other two sites (Cornisella and Ortanella) at lower altitudes. Pollen from Ortanella and Cornisella showed the presence of typical deciduous forest species; however in samples collected at Ortanella, pollen of the invasive Lonicera japonica, and the ornamental Pelargonium x hortorum were observed. Our results indicated pollen composition was largely influenced by floristic local biodiversity, plant phenology, and the presence of alien flowering species. Therefore, pollen molecular characterization based on DNA barcoding might serve useful to beekeepers in obtaining honeybee products with specific nutritional or therapeutic characteristics desired by food market demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diaphragm dysfunction is common in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. The application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and the varying end-expiratory lung volume cause changes in diaphragm geometry. We aimed to assess the impact of the level of PEEP and lung inflation on diaphragm thickness, thickening fraction and displacement. Methods: An observational study in a mixed medical and surgical ICU was conducted. The patients underwent a PEEP-titration trial with the application of three random levels of PEEP: 0 cmH2O (PEEP0), 8 cmH2O (PEEP8) and 15 cmH2O (PEEP15). At each step, the indices of respiratory effort were assessed, together with arterial blood and diaphragm ultrasound; end-expiratory lung volume was measured. Results: 14 patients were enrolled. The tidal volume, diaphragm displacement and thickening fraction were significantly lower with higher levels of PEEP, while both the expiratory and inspiratory thickness increased with higher PEEP levels. The inspiratory effort, as evaluated by the esophageal pressure swing, was unchanged. Both the diaphragm thickening fraction and displacement were significantly correlated with inspiratory effort in the whole dataset. For both measurements, the correlation was stronger at lower levels of PEEP. The difference in the diaphragm thickening fraction during tidal breathing between PEEP 15 and PEEP 0 was negatively related to the change in the functional residual capacity and the change in alveolar dead space. Conclusions: Different levels of PEEP significantly modified the diaphragmatic thickness and thickening fraction, showing a PEEP-induced decrease in the diaphragm contractile efficiency. When using ultrasound to assess diaphragm size and function, the potential effect of lung inflation should be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the utility of the core barcode regions ( matK and rbcL) and the plastid intergenic spacer trnH- psbA to distinguish between Thymus spp. This is a taxonomically complex group that has been investigated so far mainly using morphological approaches. Thirty-six samples representing nine different morphospecies were collected and used for molecular analysis. The three markers showed clear amplification and sequencing. However, the genetic variation and the resulting haplotype networks showed that only Thymus capitatus forms a well-defined 'barcoding gap' compared with the other taxa. The identification problems observed in the other Thymus spp. may be related to reduced gene flow among populations, resulting in high intraspecific and low interspecific genetic variation. This situation does not permit the definition of species-specific barcodes. A second hypothesis suggests that morphological traits used for the delimitation of Thymus spp. do not reflect real biological and molecular species boundaries. If this is the case, the taxonomy of Thymus should be revised through extensive sampling and analyses with different tools (i.e. molecular variability, morphology, geographical distribution, etc.) to define the natural units at the species level. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Food safety and quality are nowadays a major concern. Any case of food alteration, especially when reported by the media, has a great impact on public opinion. There is an increasing demand for the improvement of quality controls, hence addressing scientific research towards the development of reliable molecular tools for food analysis. DNA barcoding is a widely used molecular-based system, which can identify biological specimens, and is used for the identification of both raw materials and processed food. In this review the results of several researches are critically analyzed, in order to exploit the effectiveness of DNA barcoding in food traceability, and to delineate some best practices in the application of DNA barcoding throughout the industrial pipeline. The use of DNA barcoding for food safety and in the identification of commercial fraud is also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Nowadays, molecular techniques are widespread tools for the identification of biological entities. However, until very few years ago, their application to taxonomy provoked intense debates between traditional and molecular taxonomists. To prevent every kind of disagreement, it is essential to standardize taxonomic definitions. Along these lines, we introduced the concept of Integrated Operational Taxonomic Unit (IOTU). IOTUs come from the concept of Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) and paralleled the Molecular Operational Taxonomic Unit (MOTU). The latter is largely used as a standard in many molecular-based works (even if not always explicitly formalized). However, while MOTUs are assigned solely on molecular variation criteria, IOTUs are identified from patterns of molecular variation that are supported by at least one more taxonomic characteristic. Methodology/Principal Findings: We tested the use of IOTUs on the widest DNA barcoding dataset of Italian echolocating bats species ever assembled (i.e. 31 species, 209 samples). We identified 31 molecular entities, 26 of which corresponded to the morphologically assigned species, two MOTUs and three IOTUs. Interestingly, we found three IOTUs in Myotis nattereri, one of which is a newly described lineage found only in central and southern Italy. In addition, we found a level of molecular variability within four vespertilionid species deserving further analyses. According to our scheme two of them (i.e. M. bechsteinii and Plecotus auritus) should be ranked as unconfirmed candidate species (UCS). Conclusions/Significance: From a systematic point of view, IOTUs are more informative than the general concept of OTUs and the more recent MOTUs. According to information content, IOTUs are closer to species, although it is important to underline that IOTUs are not species. Overall, the use of a more precise panel of taxonomic entities increases the clarity in the systematic field and has the potential to fill the gaps between modern and traditional taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Paradoxornis webbianus and Paradoxornis alphonsianus naturally occur in South–East Asia. Due to a recent introduction, a mixed population currently occurs in northern Italy. A preliminary phylogeographic analysis using samples from Italy and China found little genetic differentiation between the two taxa and revealed the existence of two molecular lineages, sympatric in some part of China, that do not correspond to the morphological classification. Possible taxonomic changes and preliminary inferences on the relationships between Chinese and the Italian populations and on the likely provenance of the founders introduced in Italy are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate identification of infections is critical for effective treatment in intensive care units (ICUs), yet current diagnostic methods face limitations in sensitivity and specificity, alongside cost and accessibility issues. Consequently, there is a pressing need for a marker that is economically feasible, rapid, and reliable. Presepsin (PSP), also known as soluble CD14 subtype (sCD14-ST), has emerged as a promising biomarker for early sepsis diagnosis. PSP, derived from soluble CD14, reflects the activation of monocytes/macrophages in response to bacterial infections. It has shown potential as a marker of cellular immune response activation against pathogens, with plasma concentrations increasing during bacterial infections and decreasing post-antibiotic treatment. Unlike traditional markers such as procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP), PSP specifically indicates monocyte/macrophage activation. Limited studies in critical illness have explored PSP's role in sepsis, and its diagnostic accuracy varies with threshold values, impacting sensitivity and specificity. Recent meta-analyses suggest PSP's diagnostic potential for sepsis, yet its standalone effectiveness in ICU infection management remains uncertain. This review provides a comprehensive overview of PSP's utility in ICU settings, including its diagnostic accuracy, prognostic value, therapeutic implications, challenges, and future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe cancer pain substantially affects patients' quality of life, increasing the burden of the disease and reducing the disability-adjusted life years. Although opioid analgesics are effective, they may induce opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OIBD). Oxycodone/naloxone combination therapy has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate opioid-induced constipation (OIC) while providing effective pain relief. This review provides an updated analysis of the literature of the last decade regarding the use of oxycodone/naloxone in the management of severe cancer pain. Through a comprehensive search of databases, studies focusing on the efficacy, safety, and patient experience of oxycodone/naloxone's prolonged release in severe cancer pain management were identified. Furthermore, the literature discusses the mechanism of action of naloxone in mitigating OIC without compromising opioid analgesia. Overall, the evidence suggests that oxycodone/naloxone combination therapy offers a valuable option for effectively managing severe cancer pain while minimizing opioid-induced constipation, thereby improving patients' quality of life. However, further research is needed to optimize dosing regimens, evaluate long-term safety, and assess patient outcomes in diverse cancer populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floral deception has been observed in several genera in angiosperms, but is most common in the Orchidaceae. Pollination mechanisms in food deceptive plants are often difficult to assess, as visitation frequency by insects requires numerous hours of field observations to ascertain. Here, for the first time, we describe in detail and validate a simple and effective method that extends previous approaches to increase the effectiveness of pollination studies of food deceptive orchids. We used an orchid of southwest Australia, Diuris brumalis (Orchidaceae), that visually mimics model plants belonging to the genus Daviesia (Faboideae). Arrays of orchid flowers were placed and moved systematically in proximity to model plants, resulting in rapid attraction of the pollinators of D. brumalis. We compared pollinaria removal (as an indicator of pollination success) in naturally growing orchids with pollinaria removal in arrays of orchid flowers in the same sites. We showed that the proposed method greatly enhances pollinator attractiveness in food deceptive systems with very low pollination rates, and we compared its efficiency with other similar methods. The approach can be used for observing pollinator behavioural patterns and confirming effective pollinators for food deceptive species with low insect visitation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective identification and management in the early stages of sepsis are critical for achieving positive outcomes. In this context, neutrophil-reactive intensity (NEUT-RI) emerges as a promising and easily interpretable parameter. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of NEUT-RI in diagnosing sepsis and to evaluate its prognostic significance in distinguishing 28-day mortality outcomes. Materials: This study is a secondary, retrospective, observational analysis. Clinical data upon ICU admission were collected. We enrolled septic patients and a control group of critically ill patients without sepsis criteria. The patients were divided into subgroups based on renal function for biomarker evaluation with 28-day outcomes reported for septic and non-septic patients. Results: A total of 200 patients were included in this study. A significant difference between the "septic" and "non-septic" groups was detected in the NEUT-RI plasma concentration (53.80 [49.65–59.05] vs. 48.00 [46.00–49.90] FI, p < 0.001, respectively). NEUT-RI and procalcitonin (PCT) distinguished between not complicated sepsis and septic shock (PCT 1.71 [0.42–12.09] vs. 32.59 [8.83–100.00], <0.001 and NEUT-RI 51.50 [47.80–56.30] vs. 56.20 [52.30–61.92], p = 0.005). NEUT-RI, PCT, and CRP values were significantly different in patients with "renal failure". NEUT-RI and PCT at admission in the ICU in the septic group were higher in patients who died (58.80 [53.85–73.10] vs. 53.05 [48.90–57.22], p = 0.005 and 39.56 [17.39–83.72] vs. 3.22 [0.59–32.32], p = 0.002, respectively). Both NEUT-RI and PCT showed a high negative predictive value and low positive predictive value. Conclusions: The inflammatory biomarkers assessed in this study offer valuable support in the early diagnosis of sepsis and could have a possible role in anticipating the outcome. NEUT-RI elevation appears particularly promising for early sepsis detection and severity discrimination upon admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Optimal pain control with limited muscle weakness is paramount for a swift initiation of physical therapy and early discharge. Fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) has been recommended since it offers good pain control with a low risk of motor block. Pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block with lateral femoral cutaneous block (LFCN) has been proposed as an effective alternative to FICB that offers better pain control with a considerably lower risk of motor block. We aimed to compare the aforementioned blocks and determine which one yielded the lowest numeric rating scale (NRS) score. Methods: We designed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty. The primary outcome was the NRS score at 6, 12, and 24 hours. The secondary outcomes were total opioid consumption, time to first PRN opioid, and time to first postoperative ambulation. Results: 52 patients were recruited, (13 PENG plus LFCN, 39 FICB). PENG plus LCFN resulted in a lower NRS at all three-time points (mean difference and 95%CI at 6 h 0.378 [-0.483; 1.240], at 12 h 0.336 [-0.378; 1.050], and at 24 h 0.464 [0.013; 0.914] P = 0.02). Moreover, less PRN opioids were requested in the PENG plus LCFN vs. FICB group (0 [0;7.5] vs 60 [15;80] milligrams of morphine equivalents, P = 0.001). No delay in the first ambulation or initiation of physical rehabilitation was reported in either group. Conclusions: PENG plus LCFN seems to offer better pain control and lead to less PRN opioids. Neither block hindered physical therapy nor ambulation. These results need to be confirmed with a larger prospective and randomized study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat fragmentation affects biodiversity, but with unclear effects on pollinators and their interactions with plants in anthropized landscapes. Islands could serve as open air laboratories, suitable to disentangle how land‐use alteration impacts pollination ecology. In Maldive islands we investigated how pollinator richness, plant‐pollinator interactions and pollination efficiency are influenced by the green area fragmentation (i.e., gardens and semi‐natural patches). Moreover, we considered the mediating role of pollinator body size and the plant trait of being invasive in shaping interactions. To do this, we surveyed pollinator insects from 11 islands representing a gradient of green area fragmentation. A DNA metabarcoding approach was adopted to identify the pollen transported by pollinators and characterize the plant‐pollinator interactions. We found that intermediate levels of green area fragmentation characterized pollinator communities and increased their species richness, while decreasing interaction network complexity. Invasive plants were more frequently found on pollinator bodies than native or exotic noninvasive ones, indicating a concerningly higher potential for pollen dispersal and reproduction of the former ones. Intriguingly, pollinator body size mediated the effect of landscape alteration on interactions, as only the largest bees expanded the foraging diet in terms of plant richness in the transported pollen at increasing fragmentation. In parallel, the pollination efficiency increased with pollinator species richness in two sentinel plants. This study shows that moderate landscape fragmentation of green areas shapes many aspects of the pollination ecosystem service, where despite interactions being less complex and mediated by pollinator body size, pollinator insect biodiversity and potential plant reproduction are supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female promiscuity can function to acquire both direct and indirect benefits from their social mate and extra‐pair males. In many raptor species, intense mate‐feeding significantly contributes to female energy requirements before and during egg laying. Moreover, females may use mate‐feeding effort to assess male quality. In this study of the lesser kestrel Falco naumanni, we aimed at experimentally manipulating the female's perception of mate quality by providing females with extra food during egg laying, and evaluated the occurrence of extra‐pair paternity in food‐supplemented and control broods by parentage analyses. No extra‐pair offspring (EPO) was found among 19 food‐supplemented broods, whereas EPO occurred in five out of 17 control broods. No significant differences in morphological traits, body condition and reproductive success were found between faithful and unfaithful females. However, clutches containing EPO were laid later in the breeding season. Moreover, un‐cuckolded males had longer tarsi than cuckolded ones, indicating larger body size. Hence, extra food provisioning and early breeding reduced the occurrence of EPO in lesser kestrels. In addition, we confirmed the occurrence of intraspecific brood parasitism, as five nestlings were not the offspring of the brooding female. The results of our food‐provisioning experiment support the idea that mate‐feeding ability is a reliable indicator of male quality, and are in accordance with the hypothesis that male mate‐feeding behaviour is a sexually selected trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA barcoding is well-known to support morphological species identification and it can be helpful for unveiling unexpected populations divergence patterns, especially in the context of the impacts on species posed by global change. In this note, we provided the first Italian record of the alpine mining bee Andrena allosa Warncke, 1975, confirmed with DNA barcoding. In addition, genetic identification of a specimen of Andrena praecox (Scopoli 1753) from western Italy pointed to an unexpected intraspecific genetic structuring at COI DNA barcoding region, with sequences from the Italian and the western sector of its global distribution differing 2.22% (p-dist) from populations of the eastern sector. Given the relevance of these records and of the genetic identity of bee populations from Italy, we argue that implementing molecular surveys in bee monitoring would surely contribute to the conservation of these important pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization and the expansion of human activities foster radical ecosystem changes with cascading effects also involving host‐pathogen interactions. Urban pollinator insects face several stressors related to landscape and local scale features such as green habitat loss, fragmentation and availability reduction of floral resources with unpredictable effects on parasite transmission. Furthermore, beekeeping may contribute to the spread of parasites to wild pollinators by increasing the number of parasite hosts. Here we used DNA‐based diagnostics tools to evaluate how the occurrence of parasites, namely microsporidians (Nosema spp.), trypanosomatids (Crithidia spp.) and neogregarines (Apicystis bombi), is shaped by the above‐mentioned stressors in two bumblebee species (i.e. Bombus terrestris and Bombus pascuorum). Infection rates of the two species were different and generally higher in B. terrestris. Moreover, they showed different responses towards the same ecological variables, possibly due to differences in body size and foraging habits supposed to affect their susceptibility to parasite infection. The probability of infection was found to be reduced in B. pascuorum by green habitat fragmentation, while increased along with floral resource availability. Unexpectedly, B. terrestris had a lower parasite richness nearby apiaries maybe due to the fact that parasites are prone to be transmitted among the most abundant species. Our finding supports the need to design proper conservation measures based on species‐specific knowledge, as suggested by the variation in the parasite occurrence of the two species. Moreover, conservation policies aiming at safeguarding pollinators through flower planting should consider the indirect effects of these measures for parasite transmission together with pollinator biodiversity issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of sepsis is often difficult and belated, substantially increasing mortality in affected patients. Its early identification allows for us to choose the most appropriate therapies in the shortest time, improving patients' outcomes and eventually their survival. Since neutrophil activation is an indicator of an early innate immune response, the aim of the study was to evaluate the role of Neutrophil-Reactive Intensity (NEUT-RI), which is an indicator of their metabolic activity, in the diagnosis of sepsis. Data from 96 patients consecutively admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were retrospectively analyzed (46 patients with and 50 without sepsis). Patients with sepsis were further divided between sepsis and septic shock according to the severity of the illness. Patients were subsequently classified according to renal function. For the diagnosis of sepsis, NEUT-RI showed an AUC of >0.80 and a better negative predictive value than Procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (87.4% vs. 83.9% and 86.6%, p = 0.038). Unlike PCT and CRP, NEUT-RI did not show a significant difference within the "septic" group between patients with normal renal function and those with renal failure (p = 0.739). Similar results were observed among the "non-septic" group (p = 0.182). The increase in NEUT-RI values could be useful in the early ruling-out of sepsis, and it does not appear to be influenced by renal failure. However, NEUT-RI has not proved to be efficient in discriminating the severity of sepsis at the time of admission. Larger, prospective studies are needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of alien invasive plants deserves strong and applied attention by conservation biologists, because it is regarded as one of the main causes of loss of native biodiversity. Herbivore species may be involved in the dispersal of invasive plants through zoochory. The Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus is an invasive species in Europe, which has been introduced from North America and has shown a rapid spread in newly colonized areas. Crested porcupine Hystrix cristata mainly feed on this species (seeds and tubers) during its flowering period (i.e., late summer, early autumn) and it is suggested to be responsible for its spread through endozoochory. In this paper, the germination rate of the Jerusalem artichoke from faecal pellets of crested porcupines was analysed. Faecal pellets, collected between September and November 2016, were left to germinate at environmental conditions in sterile potting soil. After two weeks, germinated seedlings were genetically identified through DNA barcoding analyses. We reported the first case of endozoochory by the crested porcupine. The results showed a low germination rate (i.e., 16.7% out of 12 excrements), possibly because the digestive tract of crested porcupines affects the propagule viability. Despite this, the Jerusalem artichoke is showing a rapid and alarming increasing trend in our study area, suggesting that a potential role by wildlife may have been occurred. Given the high invasive potential of this plant species, further researches are required to assess and quantify the potential role of herbivores as dispersal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant exposures are among the most frequently reported cases to poison control centres worldwide. This is a growing condition due to recent societal trends oriented towards the consumption of wild plants as food, cosmetics, or medicine. At least three general causes of plant poisoning can be identified: plant misidentification, introduction of new plant-based supplements and medicines with no controls about their safety, and the lack of regulation for the trading of herbal and phytochemical products. Moreover, an efficient screening for the occurrence of plants poisonous to humans is also desirable at the different stages of the food supply chain: from the raw material to the final transformed product. A rapid diagnosis of intoxication cases is necessary in order to provide the most reliable treatment. However, a precise taxonomic characterization of the ingested species is often challenging. In this review, we provide an overview of the emerging DNA-based tools and technologies to address the issue of poisonous plant identification. Specifically, classic DNA barcoding and its applications using High Resolution Melting (Bar-HRM) ensure high universality and rapid response respectively, whereas High Throughput Sequencing techniques (HTS) provide a complete characterization of plant residues in complex matrices. The pros and cons of each approach have been evaluated with the final aim of proposing a general user's guide to molecular identification directed to different stakeholder categories interested in the diagnostics of poisonous plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowers have many traits to appeal to pollinators, including ultraviolet (UV) absorbing markings, which are well‐known for attracting bees at close proximity (e.g., <1 m). While striking UV signals have been thought to attract pollinators also from far away, if these signals impact the plant pollinia removal over distance remains unknown. Here, we report the case of the Australian orchid Diuris brumalis, a nonrewarding species, pollinated by bees via mimicry of the rewarding pea plant Daviesia decurrens. When distant from the pea plant, Diuris was hypothesized to enhance pollinator attraction by exaggeratedly mimicking the floral ultraviolet (UV) reflecting patterns of its model. By experimentally modulating floral UV reflectance with a UV screening solution, we quantified the orchid pollinia removal at a variable distance from the model pea plants. We demonstrate that the deceptive orchid Diuris attracts bee pollinators by emphasizing the visual stimuli, which mimic the floral UV signaling of the rewarding model Daviesia. Moreover, the exaggerated UV reflectance of Diuris flowers impacted pollinators' visitation at an optimal distance from Da. decurrens, and the effect decreased when orchids were too close or too far away from the model. Our findings support the hypothesis that salient UV flower signaling plays a functional role in visual floral mimicry, likely exploiting perceptual gaps in bee neural coding, and mediates the plant pollinia removal at much greater spatial scales than previously expected. The ruse works most effectively at an optimal distance of several meters revealing the importance of salient visual stimuli when mimicry is imperfect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way urbanization shapes the intraspecific variation of pollinator functional traits is little understood. However, this topic is relevant for investigating ecosystem services and pollinator health. Here, we studied how urbanization affects the functional traits of workers in two bumblebee species (Bombus terrestris and B. pascuorum) sampled in 37 sites along a gradient of urbanization in North Italy (an area of 1800 km2 including the metropolitan context of Milan and other surrounding capital districts). Namely, we investigated the effect of land use composition, configuration, air temperature, flower resource abundance, and air pollutants on the variation of traits related to flight performance and of stress during insect development (i.e., wing size, wing shape and size fluctuating asymmetry). The functional traits of the two bumblebees responded idiosyncratically to urbanization. Urban temperatures were associated with smaller wing sizes in B. pascuorum and with more accentuated fluctuating asymmetry of wing size in B. terrestris. Moreover, flower abundance correlated with bigger wings in B. terrestris and with less asymmetric wing size in B. pascuorum. Other traits did not vary significantly, and other urban variables played minor effects. These species-specific variation patterns highlight that environmental stressor linked to urbanization negatively impact the traits related to flight performance and development stability of these syntopic bumblebees, with possible consequences on the pollination service they provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization gradients influence both landscape and climate and provide opportunity for understanding how plants and pollinators respond to artificially driven environmental transitions, a relevant aspect for the ecosystem service of pollination.Here, we investigated several aspects of pollination along an urbanization gradient in landscape and climate. We quantified wild hoverfly and bee abundances with trapping, standing crop of nectar with spectrophotometer, and the pollen transported by flower visitors with DNA metabarcoding, in 40 independent sites from semi‐natural to built‐up areas in Northern Italy. Direct and indirect effects were fitted considering landscape and climate variables.Linear and nonlinear relationships were detected along the urbanization gradient. Pollinator abundances increased quadratically and peaked at 22% of impervious cover with an 81% growth, and they decreased with green‐patch distance by 37% and urban park largeness by 60%. This indicates that pollinators are more abundant at intermediate levels of urbanization. Climatically, pollinators diminished by up to 46% in areas with low spring–summer temperature seasonality: urban areas likely posing thermic stress. Furthermore, the sugar mass available in nectar increased by 61% with impervious cover and by 79% with precipitations, indicating that city nectars were less consumed or flowers more productive. Furthermore, the species richness of pollen decreased by 32% in highly urbanized areas, and contained a high incidence of exotic plants, hinting for anthropized, simplified plant communities.Synthesis and applications. Urbanization influences pollinator abundances, nectar resources and transported pollen in direct and indirect ways. Pollinators are negatively affected by a thermally harsh climate in highly urbanized areas with isolated green areas and large parks. Suburban landscapes demonstrated the highest pollinator presence. In the city core, flowers contained more nectary sugar in association with more precipitations, while pollinators collected pollen from a small number of plants, mainly exotic. These findings highlight the strong influence of urban landscape and climate on pollinators and plants, showing that cities are heterogenous realities. Patterns from this study will serve as basis for pollinator‐friendly planning, mitigation and management of urban landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of the present work is to evaluate the efficacy of a DNA barcoding approach as a tool for the recognition of commercial kitchen spices belonging to the Lamiaceae family that are usually sold as enhancers of food flavor. A total of 64 spices samples, encompassing six different genera (i.e. Mentha, Ocimum, Origanum, Salvia, Thymus and Rosmarinus) were processed with a classical DNA barcoding approach by amplifying and sequencing four candidate barcode regions (rpoB, rbcL, matK and trnH-psbA) with universal primers. Results suggest that the non-coding trnH-psbA intergenic spacer is the most suitable marker for molecular spices identification followed by matK, with interspecific genetic distance values ranging between about 0% to 7% and 0% to 5%, respectively. Both markers were almost invariably able to distinguish spices species from closest taxa with the exclusion of samples belonging to the genus Oregano. Moreover, in a context of food traceability the two markers are useful to identify commercial processed spice species (sold as dried plant material). We also evaluated the potential benefits of a multilocus barcode approach over a single-marker and although the most suitable combination was the matK+trhH-psbA, the observed genetic distances values were very similar to the discriminatory performance of the trnH-psbA. Finally, this preliminary work provide clear evidences that the efficacy of a DNA barcoding approach to the recognition of commercial spices is biased by the occurrence of taxonomic criticisms as well as traces of hybridization events within the family Lamiaceae. For this reason, to better define a more practical and standardized DNA barcoding tool for spices traceability, the building of a dedicated aromatic plants database in which all species and cultivars are described (both morphologically and molecularly) is strongly required. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The plant exposures are one of the most frequent poisonings reported to poison control centres. The diagnosis of intoxicated patients is usually based on the morphological analysis of ingested plant portions; this procedure requires experience in systematic botany, because the plant identification is based on few evident traits. The objective of this research is to test DNA barcoding approach as a new universal tool to identify toxic plants univocally and rapidly. Five DNA barcode regions were evaluated: three cpDNA sequences (trnH-psbA, rpoB and matK) and two nuclear regions (At103 and sqd1). The performance of these markers was evaluated in three plant groups: (1) a large collection of angiosperms containing different toxic substances, (2) congeneric species showing different degrees of toxicity and (3) congeneric edible and poisonous plants. Based on assessments of PCR, sequence quality and resolution power in species discrimination, we recommend the combination of plastidial and nuclear markers to identify toxic plants. Concerning plastidial markers, matK and trnH-psbA showed consistent genetic variability. However, in agreement with CBOL Plant Working Group, we selected matK as the best marker, because trnH-psbA showed some problems in sequences sizes and alignments. As a final and relevant observation, we also propose the combination of matK with a nuclear marker such as At103 to distinguish toxic hybrids form parental species. In conclusion, our data support the claim that DNA barcoding is a powerful tool for poisonous plant identifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marmora's Warbler (Curruca sarda) and Balearic Warbler (C. balearica) are allopatric sibling species and were recently split mostly based on morphological and ethological characteristics. Here we provide the first phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses of this species complex to support the taxonomic status of C. sarda and C. balearica in light of integrative taxonomy. We sampled the two taxa in most of their breeding ranges and we sequenced three mitochondrial and one nuclear gene region. All C. balearica individuals had private haplotypes for the four markers and formed monophyletic clades. Genetic distances between the two taxa were comparable with those found between other species belonging to the Curruca genus. Furthermore, most of the genetic variance was expressed at the interspecific level, rather than between different populations within taxa or between individuals within populations. Our results strongly support the current taxonomic status of these two warblers as distinct species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• DNA barcoding identifies insect species in raw and processed insect-based novel food. • DNA metabarcoding depicts the microbiota of raw and processed insect-based novel food. • A "core microbiota" characterizes food products depending on the insect. • DNA metabarcoding can be a useful tool for insect-based novel food quality assessment. Traceability, quality and safety of edible insects are important both for the producers and the consumers. Today, alongside the burst of edible insects in western countries, we are facing a gap of knowledge of insect microbiota associated with the microbial ecosystems of insect-based products. In this context, High-Throughput DNA Sequencing (HTS) techniques can give insight into the carryover of insect microbiota into final food products. In this study, we investigated the microbiota composition of insect-based commercial food products, applying HTS techniques coupled with bioinformatic analysis. The work aimed to analyse the microbiota variability of different categories of some insect-based commercial food products made of A. domesticus (house cricket), T. molitor (mealworm beetle), and A. diaperinus (lesser mealworm or litter beetle) , including commercial raw materials and processed food items, purchased via e-commerce from different companies. Our data revealed that samples cluster per insect species based on microbiota profile and preliminary results suggested that a small number of prevalent bacteria formed a "core microbiota" characterizing the products depending on the insect. This microbial signature can be recognized despite the different food processing levels, rearing conditions and selling companies. Furthermore, differences between raw and processed food made of the same insect or similar product produced by different companies was found. These results support the application of HTS analysis for studying the composition of insect-based commercial food products in a wider perspective, for food traceability and food quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic macroinvertebrates are a primary component of freshwater ecosystems and one of the most threatened by anthropogenic pressures. Among them, dragonflies are a charismatic group of growing scientific and social interest. However, little is known about the natural history of several species. One paradigmatic example is the declining Orthetrum nitidinerve, a Western Mediterranean endemic anisopteran. We reviewed published and new data on this species, addressing distribution, autecology, and conservation (with a focus on Italy), and provide its first genetic characterization and phylogenetic placement within the genus. In Italy, the species is known from 50 sites so far (only 17 breeding populations) located in Sardinia and Sicily (1841–2019, only 22 from 1990 onward). Records from continental Italy are due to misidentification. The flight period in Italy spans between May and September. Habitat consists of permanent freshwater (mostly helocrene sources, seepages, and small brooks), slow-flowing, shallow, with muddy bottom deposits at elevation from the sea level up to 1000 m asl. All the breeding populations are found in open and sunny landscapes, almost invariably in extensive pasturelands. The species has strongly declined in Sicily, whereas several large populations still occur in Sardinia. The major threats identified so far are agriculture and grazing intensification or abandonment and drought/source desiccation determined by water overexploitation and climate change. The first ever provided mitochondrial COI barcode and ITS nuclear sequences allowed a first tentative phylogenetic placement of the species as a sister group of the O. brunneum/O. lineostigma lineage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the high risk of going unnoticed, cryptic species represent a major challenge to biodiversity assessments, and this is particularly true for taxa that include many such species, for example, bats. Long‐eared bats from the genus Plecotus comprise numerous cryptic species occurring in the Mediterranean Region and present complex phylogenetic relationships and often unclear distributions, particularly at the edge of their known ranges and on islands. Here, we combine Species Distribution Models (SDMs), field surveys and molecular analyses to shed light on the presence of a cryptic long‐eared bat species from North Africa, Plecotus gaisleri, on the islands of the Sicily Channel, providing strong evidence that this species also occurs in Europe, at least on the islands of the Western Mediterranean Sea that act as a crossroad between the Old Continent and Africa. Species Distribution Models built using African records of P. gaisleri and projected to the Sicily Channel Islands showed that all these islands are potentially suitable for the species. Molecular identification of Plecotus captured on Pantelleria, and recent data from Malta and Gozo, confirmed the species' presence on two of the islands in question. Besides confirming that P. gaisleri occurs on Pantelleria, haplotype network reconstructions highlighted moderate structuring between insular and continental populations of this species. Our results remark the role of Italy as a bat diversity hotspot in the Mediterranean and also highlight the need to include P. gaisleri in European faunal checklists and conservation directives, confirming the usefulness of combining different approaches to explore the presence of cryptic species outside their known ranges—a fundamental step to informing conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way pollinators gather resources may play a key role for buffering their population declines. Social pollinators like bumblebees could adjust their foraging after significant workforce reductions to keep provisions to the colony optimal, especially in terms of pollen diversity and quantity. To test what effects a workforce reduction causes on the foraging for pollen, commercially-acquired colonies of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris were allowed to forage in the field and they were experimentally manipulated by removing half the number of workers. For each bumblebee, the pollen pellets were taxonomically identified with DNA metabarcoding of the ITS2 region followed by a statistical filtering based on ROC curves to filter out underrepresented OTUs. Video cameras and network analyses were employed to investigate changes in foraging strategies and behaviour. After filtering out the false-positives, HTS metabarcoding yielded a high plant diversity in the pollen pellets; for plant identity and pollen quantity traits no differences emerged between samples from treated and from control colonies, suggesting that plant choice was influenced mainly by external factors such as the plant phenology. The colonies responded to the removal of 50% of their workers by increasing the foraging activity of the remaining workers, while only negligible changes were found in diet breadth and indices describing the structure of the pollen transport network. Therefore, a consistency in the bumblebees' feeding strategies emerges in the short term despite the lowered workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the nutrition transition, women in sub-Sahara Africa are a critical target group from a nutrition standpoint, and they experience significant discrimination in food production. Food-based, women-centered strategies are recommended to address nutrient gaps, and to educate and empower women. In this context, local natural resources, such as neglected and underutilized plant species (NUS), may contribute to adding nutritional value, enriching diet diversity, and ensuring nutrition security. The aim of the current narrative review is to investigate the nutritional status of the sub-Saharan African population and the potential role of local agriculture strategies in improving food production and diet diversity and in expanding income-generating activities for women. The nutritional properties of the most important regional NUS are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction is presented to the article “ Masquerading as pea plants: behavioural and morphological evidence for mimicry of multiple models in an Australian orchid.” which appeared in the March 14, 2019 issue.

Abstract It is estimated that about 7000 plant species and a large number of cultivars and varieties have been cultivated for consumption in human history. However, <0.5% of these currently provide the majority of human food energy needs worldwide (e.g., rice, wheat, maize, and potato). Global issues such as climate change, diffusion of pests, and resistance to agrochemical treatments are posing great concern about the sustainable cultivation of these major staples, especially in equatorial and tropical countries, such as Sub Saharan Africa. In addition, most of these regions contain malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, and the sum of such problems create serious implications at social, political, and economic levels. A possible solution relies on the exploitation of plant biodiversity and particularly on the so-called NUS (Neglected and Underutilized Species). These plants are traditionally grown in their centres of origin and continue to be maintained by sociocultural preferences, however they remain inadequately documented and neglected by formal research and conservation programs. Although they are important in terms of micronutrients and the ability to grow in harsh conditions, these species are falling into disuse due to agronomic, genetic, economic, and cultural reasons. To promote and spread their cultivation at the global scale, along with knowledge on their suitability for human nutrition, reliable identification systems are necessary to guarantee adequate authenticity along the entire supply chain and distribution network. A precise identification of the different species and their varieties is fundamental both to retrieve information on their origin and authenticate the raw materials (i.e., seeds, leaves and fruit) and related processed products that can be distributed at the local or global scale. DNA-based techniques can help achieve this mission. In particular, the DNA barcoding approach has gained a role of primary importance due to its universality and versatility. Here, we discuss the advantages in using DNA barcoding for the identification of some of the most representative NUS species, as well as their traceability and conservation of cultural practices around them. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • A few crops provide the majority of human food energy needs worldwide. • Green Revolution caused problems to environmental sustainability and nutrition. • NUS (Neglected and Underutilized Species) cultivation is more sustainable. • NUS are rich in micronutrients but are poorly documented. • DNA barcoding could help promote cultivation, awareness and use of NUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims While there is increasing recognition of Batesian floral mimicry in plants, there are few confirmed cases where mimicry involves more than one model species. Here, we test for pollination by mimicry in Diuris (Orchidaceae), a genus hypothesized to attract pollinators via mimicry of a range of co-occurring pea plants (Faboideae). Methods Observations of pollinator behaviour were made for Diuris brumalis using arrays of orchid flowers. An analysis of floral traits in the co-flowering community and spectral reflectance measurements were undertaken to test if Di. brumalis and the pea plants showed strong similarity and were likely to be perceived as the same by bees. Pollen removal and fruit-set were recorded at 18 sites over two years to test if fitness of Di. brumalis increased with the abundance of the model species. Key Results Diuris brumalis shares the pollinator species Trichococolletes capillosus and T. leucogenys (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) with co-flowering Faboideae from the genus Daviesia. On Di. brumalis, Trichocolletes exhibited the same stereotyped food-foraging and mate-patrolling behaviour that they exhibit on Daviesia. Diuris and pea plants showed strong morphological similarity compared to the co-flowering plant community, while the spectral reflectance of Diuris was similar to that of Daviesia spp. Fruit-set and pollen removal of Di. brumalis was highest at sites with a greater number of Daviesia flowers. Conclusions Diuris brumalis is pollinated by mimicry of co-occurring congeneric Faboideae species. Evidence for mimicry of multiple models, all of which share pollinator species, suggests that this may represent a guild mimicry system. Interestingly, Di. brumalis belongs to a complex of species with similar floral traits, suggesting that this represents a useful system for investigating speciation in lineages that employ mimicry of food plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual and species traits may determine the functional relationships between predators and their prey, with clear consequences for the ecosystem services potentially associated with predation. Bats are well-known potential deliverers of ecosystem services in agroecosystems through predation of pest arthropods that may affect crop production. Here we test the role of individual and prey traits in shaping the dietary habits of the Savi's pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii), a common bat species that frequently occurs in agroecosystems across the Mediterranean area, assessing diet composition and trait-based biases through molecular tools and multivariate testing techniques. DNA metabarcoding identified 173 distinct prey taxa in bats sampled in the Vesuvius National Park (Southern Italy). The diet was strongly dominated by pest insects associated with agricultural areas, which covered 57% of the overall prey diversity, some representing major pests of high economic relevance. The multivariate analyses detected strong relationships between diet composition, sampling date, and individual bat body conditions. Larger bats consumed larger prey items, and prey consumed later in the season (August) were smaller than those eaten in early summer (July) and were typical of less natural habitats. Hypsugo savii is potentially an important pest suppressor in the agroecosystems of the Mediterranean region and the functional relationships between the traits of individual bats and their prey set the basis for a quantitative assessment of the associated ecosystem service. We also remark on the value of bat diet studies in aiding the surveillance of arthropod species relevant to agriculture, human health, and biodiversity conservation. • A common insectivorous bat preys on a wide range of agricultural pests. • Over half of bat prey diversity is composed of pest arthropods. • Prey size differs according to bat size and time of year. • Common bats sample comprehensively arthropod richness in farmland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]