Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 4

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Campylopus, Paludella, Tortula, and Conocephalum, the fungal genera Agonimia, Buelliella, Entorrhiza, Filicupula, Poronia, and Sporisorium, the lichen genera Cladonia, Dibaeis, Lasallia, and Rhizocarpon

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p < 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p < 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p < 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p < 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice

A CENSUS OF THE MYCOLOGICAL HERBARIUM CAG: MACROMYCETES FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA

Sardinia is considered one of the hotspots for biodiversity in the Mediterranean basin and it is included in EU and IUCN conservation policies (1). This high level of Biodiversity is possibly found also for what concerns Kingdom Fungi. From the foundation of Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus in 1866 Patrizio Gennari has undertaken the collection and exchanges of exsiccata of plants, bryophytes, lichens, algae and fungi. Moreover P. Gennari himself writes in one of his works dated 1874 (2) that the dry collections of the Botanical Garden comprehends also specimens coming from the “Erbario Crittogamico Europeo” by Rabenhorst and from the “Erbario Crittogamico Italiano” by the “Società Crittogamologica Italiana". So inside the Herbarium CAG various historical collections was achieved: apart from Raberhorst - Fungi europaei and Erbario crittogamico italiano also Fungi Longobardiae exsiccati by Cavara (3) was acquired. At the present time the Herbarium Mycologicum Calaritanum was further enriched by over 3000 exsiccata of Macromycetes, some of which have been reported as treated species on several published papers (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). Mostly are coming from donations by Marco Contu, a Sardinian Mycologist of international fame who deserves the credit for the description of most of the various type species. A preliminary census that concerns the most recent collections is ongoing and this lead to a new organization of the data. The most represented phylum is Basidiomycota with roughly 3000 specimens and the most featured families are Tricholomataceae, Cortinariaceae, Agaricaceae and Amanitaceae and the most represented genus is Amanita. A major part of the collection, over 85%, comes from Sardinia. Is therefore of the uttermost importance to preserve this patrimony

Looking for Lepiota psalion Huijser & Vellinga (Agaricales, Agaricaceae)

Lepiota psalion is fully described based on a recent collection from Sardinia (Italy) and the holotype. NrITS- and nrLSU-based phylogeny demonstrates that sequences deposited in GenBank as “L. psalion” and generated from two Dutch and one Chinese collections are not conspecific with the holotype and represent two distinct, undescribed species. These species are here proposed as Lepiota recondita sp. nov. and Lepiota sinorecondita ad int

High-gamma oscillations in the motor cortex during visuo-motor coordination: A tACS interferential study

Background While the role of beta (∼20 Hz), theta (∼5 Hz) and alpha (∼10 Hz) oscillations in the motor areas have been repeatedly associated with defined properties of motor performance, the investigation of gamma (∼40–90 Hz) oscillatory activity is a more recent and still not fully understood component of motor control physiology, despite its potential clinical relevance for motor disorders. Objective/hypothesis We have implemented an online neuromodulation paradigm based on transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) of the dominant motor cortex during a visuo-motor coordination task. This approach would allow a better understanding of the role of gamma activity, as well as that of other oscillatory bands, and their chronometry throughout the task. Methods We tested the effects of 5 Hz, 20 Hz, 60 Hz (mid-gamma) 80 Hz (high-gamma) and sham tACS on the performance of a sample of right-handed healthy volunteers, during a custom-made unimanual tracking task addressing several randomly occurring components of visuo-motor coordination (i.e., constant velocity or acceleration pursuits, turns, loops). Results Data showed a significant enhancement of motor performance during high-gamma stimulation – as well as a trending effect for mid-gamma – with the effect being prominent between 200 and 500 ms after rapid changes in tracking trajectory. No other effects during acceleration or steady pursuit were found. Conclusions Our findings posit a role for high-frequency motor cortex gamma oscillations during complex visuo-motor tasks involving the sudden rearrangement of motor plan/execution. Such a “prokinetic” effect of high-gamma stimulation might be worth to be tested in motor disorders, like Parkinson's disease, where the switching between different motor programs is impaired

Looking for Lepiota psalion Huijser & Vellinga (Agaricales, Agaricaceae)

Lepiota psalion is fully described based on a recent collection from Sardinia (Italy) and the holotype. NrITS- and nrLSU-based phylogeny demonstrates that sequences deposited in GenBank as “L. psalion” and generated from two Dutch and one Chinese collections are not conspecific with the holotype and represent two distinct, undescribed species. These species are here proposed as Lepiota recondita sp. nov. and Lepiota sinorecondita ad int

A multidisciplinary approach to tackling invasive species: barcoding, morphology, and metataxonomy of the leafhopper Arboridia adanae

Abstract The leafhopper genus Arboridia includes several species that feed on Vitis vinifera and cause leaf chlorosis. We report the first alien Arboridia infestation in Italy in 2021 in an Apulian vineyard. To confirm the taxonomic status of the species responsible for crop damage, and reconstruct its demographic history, we barcoded individuals from Apulia together with Arboridia spp. from Crete (Greece), A. adanae from Central Turkey and other specimens of the presumed sister species, A. dalmatina from Dalmatia (Croatia). Molecular phylogenies and barcoding gap analysis identified clades not associated with sampling locations. This result is incongruent with classical specimen assignment and is further supported by morphological analyses, which did not reveal significant differences among the populations. Therefore, we propose A. dalmatina as a junior synonym of A. adanae, which would become the only grapevine-related Arboridia species in the eastern Mediterranean. To further characterise A. adanae evolution, we performed a molecular clock analysis that suggested a radiation during the Pleistocene glaciations. Finally, to assess whether the Apulian individuals carried microorganisms of agricultural relevance, we sequenced their bacterial microbiota using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing identifying three phytopathogens not generally associated with Arboridia activities as well as Wolbachia in one Apulian haplogroup. We discuss the agricultural implications of this infestation

Shallow Whole-Genome Sequencing of <i>Aedes japonicus</i> and <i>Aedes koreicus</i> from Italy and an Updated Picture of Their Evolution Based on Mitogenomics and Barcoding.

Aedes japonicus and Aedes koreicus are two invasive mosquitoes native to East Asia that are quickly establishing in temperate regions of Europe. Both species are vectors of arboviruses, but we currently lack a clear understanding of their evolution. Here, we present new short-read, shallow genome sequencing of A. japonicus and A. koreicus individuals from northern Italy, which we used for downstream phylogenetic and barcode analyses. We explored associated microbial DNA and found high occurrences of Delftia bacteria in both samples, but neither Asaia nor Wolbachia. We then assembled complete mitogenomes and used these data to infer divergence times estimating the split of A. japonicus from A. koreicus in the Oligocene, which was more recent than that previously reported using mitochondrial markers. We recover a younger age for most other nodes within Aedini and other Culicidae. COI barcoding and phylogenetic analyses indicate that A. japonicus yaeyamensis, A. japonicus amamiensis, and the two A. koreicus sampled from Europe should be considered as separate species within a monophyletic species complex. Our studies further clarify the evolution of A. japonicus and A. koreicus, and indicate the need to obtain whole-genome data from putative species in order to disentangle their complex patterns of evolution

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 4

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Campylopus, Paludella, Tortula, and Conocephalum, the fungal genera Agonimia, Buelliella, Entorrhiza, Filicupula, Poronia, and Sporisorium, the lichen genera Cladonia, Dibaeis, Lasallia, and Rhizocarpon

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 4

Gavrylenko, L. М., Ravera, S., Vizzini, А., Cogoni, А., Aleffi, М., Assini, S., Bergamo Decarli, G., Bonini, I., von Brackel, W., Cheli, F., Darmostuk, V., Fačkovcová, Z. Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 4. Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 4. Italian Botanist. - С. 76-86