A botanic garden as a tool to combine public perception of nature and life-science investigations on native/exotic plants interactions with local pollinators

Life-sciences are pointing towards an alarming worldwide pollinator decline. This decline proceeds along with overall biodiversity losses, even in the context of urban landscapes and human welfare. At the same time, social-sciences are arguing an increased distance from nature, experienced by citizens. The strong connection between the public good and pollinator sustainability, even in urban areas, is well-documented. However, usually basic and applied life-sciences tend to underestimate public perception of nature, which is better tackled by the fields of social-sciences. Therefore, more efforts are needed to link scientific questions and public 'perception' of nature. We designed a transversal project where research questions directly confront public concerns: i.e., even while addressing scientific knowledge gaps, our questions directly arise from public concerns. Social studies highlighted that appreciation of (exotic) plants is related to the impact they may have on the surrounding natural environment: therefore, we investigated links of native and exotic flowers to local pollinators. Other studies highlighted that scientific results need to link to everyday individual experience: therefore, we investigated pollination modes of the renown Salvia, native and exotic, largely used in cuisine and gardening. The botanic garden was the promoter of scientific questions addressed by the public, and also collated the results in a travelling exhibition. The exhibition, together with a dedicated catalogue, were especially designed to enlighten the wide public on the relationships that plants, native and exotic alike, establish with the surrounding world.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Do sample preparation techniques affect the relative abundance of Florisphaera profunda?

none6siWe investigated which method among smearing, settling, filtration, and random settling is the most accurate for determining the relative abundance of Florisphaera profunda. This species is included in paleoproductivity indices because it is one of the most important deep-water dwellers. Therefore, an accurate assessment of its relative abundance is key to monitoring variations in thermocline and nutricline depths. The low birefringence and flat polygonal shape of F. profunda may lead to inaccurate estimates of its relative abundance as it is poorly visible under light microscopy (LM), and different sample preparation may affect the number of specimens on each slide. We studied eight samples from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1209B (Shatsky Rise, NW Pacific) from the last 450 kyr. Each sample was prepared five times using each technique for a total of 160 slides. Through a rigorous analytical and statistical approach, we demonstrated the high reproducibility of each method and showed good agreement among techniques at low percentages of F. profunda. When the percentage of this species increases, the random settling technique differs from the others. Filtration and random settling preparation techniques were calibrated by spiking samples with microbeads. The ratio of microbeads observed in slides prepared using these two methods reflects bias due to loss of particles in the filtration technique. In addition, a hydrodynamic model for a fluttering and tumbling plate – such as F. profunda nannoliths – is proposed here along with calculated sinking velocities. These findings confirmed the efficiency of the long decantation time proposed for the random settling technique. The analysis of replicates, the validation with microbeads and the estimation of settling velocity of nannofossils in the tube convinced us that the higher relative abundance recorded by the random technique is not due to an imprecision of this method but, on the contrary, reflects the fact that it is more effective.openLupi, Claudia; Bordiga, Manuela; Sacchi, Roberto; Galinetto, Pietro; Beaufort, Luc; Cobianchi, MiriamLupi, Claudia; Bordiga, Manuela; Sacchi, Roberto; Galinetto, Pietro; Beaufort, Luc; Cobianchi, Miria

Tools to Tie: Flower Characteristics, VOC Emission Profile, and Glandular Trichomes of Two Mexican Salvia Species to Attract Bees

A plant can combine physical and chemical tools to interact with other organisms. Some are designed for pollinator attraction (i.e., colors and volatile organic compounds-VOCs); others can act to discourage herbivores (i.e., non-glandular trichomes). Few studies fully address available tools in a single species; notwithstanding, this information can be pivotal in understanding new interactions out of the home range. We characterized flower traits, emission profiles of constitutive compounds from flowers and leaves, micro-morphology of the glandular trichomes, and listed flower visitors of two Mexican bird-pollinated Salvia species (S. blepharophylla and S. greggii), growing in an Italian botanical garden. Flowers were highly variable in their morphometric characteristics. In both species, four trichome morphotypes with similar histochemistry and distribution were documented for leaves and flowers except the calyx abaxial side. The vegetative emission profiles were qualitatively more complex than the floral ones; however, common compounds occurring in high relative percentages were β-caryophyllene and germacrene D. Floral bouquets were dominated by limonene and β-pinene in S. greggii and by 1,8-cineole in S. blepharophylla. Two potential (non-bird) pollinators were especially abundant: small bees belonging to the genus Lasioglossum and large bees belonging to the species Xylocopa violacea. Our study highlights the plasticity of these plants, as well as tools that can be conveniently used to establish novel interactions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risk factors for stuttering: a secondary analysis of a large data base

The spectrum of risk and concomitant factors in stuttering is generally thought to be wide and heterogeneous. However, only a few studies have examined these factors using information from large databases. We examined the data on 11,905 Swiss conscripts from 2003. All cases with high psychiatric screening scores indicating "caseness” for a psychiatric disorder were excluded, among them potential malingerers, so that 9,814 records remained. The analyses rely on self-reported information about stuttering in childhood, problems at birth, problems in school, mental disorders of parents and relatives, childhood adversity and socio-demographic information. Statistical modelling was done using logistic regression and path analysis models. Risk factors determined in the logistic regression include premature birth, probable attention deficit hyperactive disorder, alcohol abuse of the parents, obsessive-compulsive disorder in parents and relatives, having a disabled mother and having a parent from a foreign country. There is no overwhelmingly strong risk factor; all odds ratios are about 2 or below. In conclusion, large databases are helpful in revealing less obvious and less frequent risk factors for heterogeneous disorders such as stuttering. Obviously, not only secondary analyses, but also systematical large scale studies would be required to complete the complex epidemiological puzzle in stuttering. An extensive examination of young adults who were initially assessed in childhood might provide the most promising desig

Welfare and quality of farmed trout fed high plant protein diets. 2 innovative killing method effect on stress and quality indicators

AbstractThe fish stunning/slaughtering procedure has an important role both for the ethical aspect related to animal welfare and for the potential quality of the final products. Stressful harvest procedure and killing methods can negatively influence the post mortem biochemical processes with a consequent faster fish freshness loss. In particular, killing procedures causing a long agony are not humane and can shorten fish shelf life; others, more humane, can have risks for the consumers health (anaesthetics or chemical substances) or are not feasible in small/medium size fish industry (spiking and knocking). The aim of this study was to compare the traditional killing method (asphyxia - A) used for rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss) with an innovative stunning/slaughtering method (two-stage electric stun: 2s at a 500Hz electric field of 2.5V/cm and then 58s at a 50Hz electric field of 0.75V/cm - E), through the study of their effects on stress and quality indicators in fish fed with traditional fish meal..

A New Cage-Like Particle Adjuvant Enhances Protection of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine

Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is an acute viral disease that causes important economy losses. Vaccines with new low-cost adjuvants that stimulate protective immune responses are needed and can be assayed in a mouse model to predict their effectiveness in cattle. Immunostimulant Particle Adjuvant (ISPA), also known as cage-like particle adjuvant, consisting of lipid boxes of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, sterylamine, alpha-tocopherol, and QuilA saponin, was shown to enhance protection of a recombinant vaccine against Trypanosoma cruzi in a mouse model. Thus, in the present work, we studied the effects on the magnitude and type of immunity elicited in mice and cattle in response to a vaccine based on inactivated FMD virus (iFMDV) formulated with ISPA. It was demonstrated that iFMDV–ISPA induced protection in mice against challenge and elicited a specific antibody response in sera, characterized by a balanced Th1/Th2 profile. In cattle, the antibody titers reached corresponded to an expected percentage of protection (EPP) higher than 80%. EPP calculates the probability that livestock would be protected against a 10,000 bovine infectious doses challenge after vaccination. Moreover, in comparison with the non-adjuvanted iFMDV vaccine, iFMDV–ISPA elicited an increased specific T-cell response against the virus, including higher interferon gamma (IFNγ)+/CD8+ lymphocyte production in cattle. In this work, we report for first time that an inactivated FMDV serotype A vaccine adjuvanted with ISPA is capable of inducing protection against challenge in a murine model and of improving the specific immune responses against the virus in cattle.Fil: Bidart, Juan Esteban. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigacion En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Kornuta, Claudia Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigacion En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Gammella, Mariela Vanesa. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigacion En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Gnazzo, Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; ArgentinaFil: Soria, Ivana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigacion En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Langellotti, Cecilia Ana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigacion En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Mongini, Claudia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigacion En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Galarza, Roxana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Cuenca del Salado. Agencia de Extension Rural Chascomus.; ArgentinaFil: Calvinho, Luis Fernando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Lupi, Giuliana Antonella. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Quattrocchi, Valeria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigacion En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Marcipar, Iván Sergio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Zamorano, Patricia Ines. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigacion En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virologia E Innovaciones Tecnologicas.; Argentin