Archaeogenomic distinctiveness of the Isthmo-Colombian area

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Correction to: Changes in midge assemblages (Diptera Chironomidae) in an alpine lake from the Italian Western Alps: the role and importance of fish introduction

Hydrobiologia - Due to an unfortunate turn of events, some given names and family names were transposed in the original publication. The proper representation of the authors’ names and their...     

An alternative stereoselective synthesis of (R)- and (S)-Rosaphen® via asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation

We report an alternative synthesis of the two enantiomers of the floral fragrance Rosaphen?. The key intermediate 2-methyl-5-phenylpentanoic acid 3 is synthesized via asymmetric hydrogenation (ee up to 99%) in the presence of an in situ prepared ruthenium catalyst containing the chiral ferrocenyl phosphine Mandyphos-4.     

Extremely detoured migration in an inexperienced bird: interplay of transport costs and social interactions

We tagged two juvenile short‐toed eagles in southern Italian peninsula with GPS satellite transmitters. According to previous visual observations, two different migratory routes for Italian short‐toed eagles to reach Africa in autumn have been proposed: via Sicily and via Gibraltar. These routes include different over‐water distances to cross the Mediterranean Sea, and thus different proportions of flight modes (soaring–gliding vs flapping–gliding) with resulting different transport costs. Considering different scenarios of energy cost of transport, with flapping–gliding flight over water being more costly than flying over land using soaring–gliding flight, we predicted a maximum optimal detour of 1218 km. Both individuals reached Africa using the longest, detoured, route, avoiding the longest water crossing. To achieve this they began migrating northwards, keeping for ca 700 km a direction opposite to that followed by any other migrating bird from the Northern hemisphere in autumn. The comparison of optimal detour predictions with observed migratory tracks suggests that this migratory strategy prioritizes not only energy minimization, but also safety, given the mortality risk associated with the sea crossing. Finally, it is unlike that these inexperienced individuals followed such a complex route relying only on endogenous information and we therefore suggest, also on the basis of field observations, that social interactions (adult guidance) allow these individuals to learn the detoured route.     

Flexible tuning of departure decisions in response to weather in black redstarts Phoenicurus ochruros migrating across the Mediterranean Sea

Departure and stopover decisions are crucial for a successful migration. Such decisions are modulated by a complex interplay between endogenous (physiological state) and external factors, such as weather (e.g. wind) and geography (ecological barriers). In this study of the black redstart Phoenicurus ochruros, a short‐distance migrant passerine, we investigate the effect of weather, as gauged by tailwind and crosswind conditions, rainfall, temperature, and barometric pressure, on departures from a stopover site in the central Mediterranean Sea, off the western coast of Italy (Ventotene island), during both spring and autumn migration. We found that stopover duration was longer in birds arriving with lower fat stores, and that birds departed with generally favourable weather conditions (favourable tailwinds, weak or no crosswinds, low rainfall, high temperatures, and high pressure). However, the effects of weather on departure decisions were stronger in autumn: this could be related to 1) a seasonal difference in selection pressures for early arrival at the goal areas, that are expected to be stronger in spring than in autumn or 2) a difference in the residual extent of sea crossing since, in autumn, birds are confronted with a much longer non‐stop sea crossing (at least 300 km) than in spring (~50 km). In spring we also found males to leave the study site under less favourable tailwinds than females, and adults to leave with more favourable tailwinds than young. Our findings indicate that departure decisions are flexible and differently affected by weather in different seasons, either because of seasonal effects or because of different distances to be covered before reaching the next stopover site. Moreover, our study suggests that sex‐specific weather selectivity should be regarded among the proximate factors affecting differential spring migration of either sex.     

Use of omic approaches for characterizing microbiota from suppressive compost to control soil-borne plant pathogens

Abstract

Microbiomes composition, diversity, and variability into a collection of suppressive composts were investigated for effective biological control of soil-borne phytopathogens. Pyrosequencing resulted be a reliable and faster method for characterizing fungal and bacterial microbiomes into composts derived from a varied feedstock of different composition, origin and provenience. Differences in taxonomic structure assessed by bioinformatics analyses were related to feedstock origin. Green composts derived from agro-waste and agroindustrial co/byproducts provided the most varied microbiomes either related to suppression of Rhizoctonia damping-off in bean and Verticillium wilt in eggplant, either to control of Phytium damping-off in cucumber and Phytophthora root rot in tomato. On the other hand, composted municipal solid wastes and co-composted cow manure with household waste prevalently given a most specific microbiota related to suppression of Fusarium wilt in melon.     

Pro-Arrhythmic Potential of Oral Antihistamines (H1): Combining Adverse Event Reports with Drug Utilization Data across Europe

Background

There is appreciable utilisation of antihistamines (H₁) in European countries, either prescribed by physician and purchased by patients for self-medication. Terfenadine and astemizole underwent regulatory restrictions in ’90 because of their cardiac toxicity, but only scarce clinical data are available on other antihistamines.

Aim

To investigate the pro-arrhythmic potential of antihistamines by combining safety reports of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) with drug utilization data from 13 European Countries.

Methods

We identified signals of antihistamine arrhythmogenic potential by analyzing FAERS database for all cases of Torsades de Pointes (TdP), QT abnormalities (QTabn), ventricular arrhythmia (VA) and sudden cardiac death/cardiac arrest (SCD/CA). Number of cases ≥3 and disproportionality were used to define alert signals: TdP and QTabn identified stronger signals, whereas SCD/CA identified weaker signals. Drug utilization data from 2005 to 2010 were collected from administrative databases through health authorities and insurance.

Results

Antihistamines were reported in 109 cases of TdP/QT prolongation, 278 VA and 610 SCD/CA. Five agents resulted in stronger signals (cetirizine, desloratadine, diphenhydramine, fexofenadine, loratadine) and 6 in weaker signals (alimemazine, carbinoxamine, cyclizine, cyproeptadine, dexchlorpheniramine and doxylamine). Exposure to antihistamines with stronger signal was markedly different across European countries and was at least 40% in each Country. Cetirizine was >29 Defined Daily Doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID) in Norway, desloratadine >11 DID in France and loratadine >9 DID in Sweden and Croatia. Drugs with weaker signals accounted for no more than 10% (in Sweden) and in most European countries their use was negligible.

Conclusions

Some second-generation antihistamines are associated with signal of torsadogenicity and largely used in most European countries. Although confirmation by analytical studies is required, regulators and clinicians should consider risk-minimisation activities. Also antihistamines without signal but with peculiar use in a few Countries (e.g., levocetirizine) or with increasing consumption (e.g., rupatadine) deserve careful surveillance.     

Proteomic Analysis of the Ubiquitin Landscape in the Drosophila Embryonic Nervous System and the Adult Photoreceptor Cells

BackgroundUbiquitination is known to regulate physiological neuronal functions as well as to be involved in a number of neuronal diseases. Several ubiquitin proteomic approaches have been developed during the last decade but, as they have been mostly applied to non-neuronal cell culture, very little is yet known about neuronal ubiquitination pathways in vivo.Conclusions/SignificanceThese data cast light on the differential and common ubiquitination pathways between the embryonic and adult neurons, and hence will contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms by which neuronal function is regulated. The in vivo biotinylation methodology described here complements other approaches for ubiquitome study and offers unique advantages, and is poised to provide further insight into disease mechanisms related to the ubiquitin proteasome system.