Efficient text fingerprinting via Parikh mapping

AbstractWe consider the problem of fingerprinting text by sets of symbols. Specifically, if S is a string, of length n, over a finite, ordered alphabet Σ, and S′ is a substring of S, then the fingerprint of S′ is the subset φ of Σ of precisely the symbols appearing in S′. In this paper we show efficient methods of answering various queries on fingerprint statistics. Our preprocessing is done in time O(n|Σ|lognlog|Σ|) and enables answering the following queries: (1)Given an integer k, compute the number of distinct fingerprints of size k in time O(1).(2)Given a set φ⊆Σ, compute the total number of distinct occurrences in S of substrings with fingerprint φ in time O(|Σ|logn)

Agonistic interactions between the honeybee (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) and the European wasp (<i>Vespula germanica</i>) reveal context-dependent defense strategies

Predator–prey relationships between sympatric species allow the evolution of defense behaviors, such as honeybee colonies defending their nests against predatory wasps. We investigated the predator–prey relationship between the honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) and the European wasp (Vespula germanica) by evaluating the effectiveness of attack and defense behaviors, which have coevolved in these sympatric species, as well as the actual damage and disturbance caused to the colonies under attack. Attack and defense behaviors were recorded in front of the hive to observe attacks at the hive entrance (68 attacks in 279 h) and at ground level on isolated and weakened honeybees close to the hive (465 attacks in 32 h). We found that V. germanica attacked the hive entrance infrequently due to the low success rate of this strategy and instead preferred a specialized attack method targeting adult honeybees at ground level, demonstrating opportunistic scavenger behavior. Individual honeybees usually responded effectively to an attack by recruiting an average of two nestmates, causing the wasp to flee, whereas collective balling behavior was only observed on four occasions. V. germanica does not appear to disrupt the foraging activity of the colonies under attack. We found that agonistic events supported by other nestmates were typically the most intense ones, involving physical combat and prolonged attacks at the entrance to the hive. These observations support the hypothesis that A. mellifera ligustica can adapt its behavior to match the severity of the threat and the context of the attack

POPULATION DYNAMICS AND SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF THAUMASTOCORISPEREGRINUSIN EUCALYPTUSPLANTATIONS IN SARDINIA (ITALY)

Thaumastocoris peregrinusis a eucalyptus pest native to Australia. It is currently the only species belonging to theThaumastocoridae family in Europe. In Italy, it was reported for the first time in Latium in 2011, whereas in Sardinia itwas detected in January 2015 on a Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantation located in the south of the island. Our researchteam carried out a monitoring program for two-years in order to verify its geographical distribution, the main periods ofinfestation, the flight peaks of the adults and to also detect the presence of unhatched eggs on leaves. During the firstyear, the occurrence of adults of T. peregrinuswas verified by yellow sticky traps placed in twelve areas distributedthroughout the island where Eucalyptus plantations were located. In the second year, the population dynamics and theoccurrence of eggs on leaves were evaluated only in three representative study areas, already included in the previousmonitoring program, located in the north, centre and south of the island, respectively. Field surveys showed thepresence of T. peregrinusin all the monitored locations. The highest adult population was observed from late summer toinitial autumn, with a significant increase in adults caught by yellow sticky traps from August, which reached its peakin September and gradually decreased in the following months. The presence of eggs of T. peregrinuson leaves fromJune to December also indicates that the insect is currently well established in the region

PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE SPATIO-TEMPORAL VARIABILITYOF GLYCASPIS BRIMBLECOMBEI(HEMIPTERA PSYLLIDAE) POPULATIONSFROM A THREE-YEAR MONITORING PROGRAM IN SARDINIA (ITALY)

The red gum lerp psyllid Glycaspis brimblecombeiis an invasive insect species worldwide. Prolonged attacksby this psyllid may cause both direct and indirect damages to Eucalyptustrees, such as plant weakening, developmentalreductions and phylloptosis, resulting in death within 2-3 years. After the first report in Campania (Italy) in 2010 onEucalyptus camaldulensis trees, it quickly spread to all surrounding central-southern regions of Italy. In Sardinia, G.brimblecombeiwas first recorded in 2011, and is currently found throughout the island. From 2013 to 2015 amonitoring program was carried out in 11 locations throughout Sardinia in order to estimate the density pattern of bothits adults and preimaginal stages, as well as the general population trend of G. brimblecombeiover the years. Ananalysis of G. brimblecombei population abundance showed an almost stable level of infestation over the years, and aseasonal pattern with a population peak in the summer. However, an earlier peak of population abundance was detectedin 2015 compared to the previous years. A spatial heterogeneity of the level of infestation was observed throughout theisland, highlighting the potential effects of environmental conditions in regulating the populations of both G.brimblecombeiand its natural enemies

In-situ testing of innovative marine instrumentation for nutrients, heavy metals and pH in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard Islands

Marine ecosystems are integral part of fundamental environmental functions that support life on Earth like climate control, erosion prevention and absorption of carbon dioxide. Oceans contribute to economical activities too with the following prosperity, social welfare, and increase in life quality. Nevertheless, several marine environments also in the European framework show increasing challenges to tackle like the loss of biodiversity and habitats, pollution and impacts due to climate change. For Italy and for Europe a growing environmental interest and awareness in both the public and private sectors is combined with a common strategic goal to ensure sustainable development and the continuity of economic activities. In order to achieve this goal and to improve the competitiveness of Italy and the EU, new technologies and methods for monitoring the marine environment are required

Possibilities of integration of monitoring requirements by other EU and national legislation

Deliverable 1.3 provides inventory of legal regulations, initiatives, developed projects and technologies having potential influence on sensors design processes. Report focus on possible integration of monitoring requirements by other EU and national legislation. Structure of the report consist of: 1. Inventory of EU directives bringing legal regulations providing requirements for having potential influence on sensors design and measurement methodology in reference to parameters demanded, spatial and temporal resolution of data and availability of information for potential users, 2. Inventory of conventions adopted by European Countries, approaching to reach and keep Good Environmental Status, having impact on monitoring processes and fostering development of technical infrastructure, 3. Analysis of national legislation implementing EU directives and representing approach to develop appropriate infrastructure for monitoring duties 4. Inventory of projects developing technologies having potential influence on sensors design, measurement and monitoring methodologies. 5. Inventory of innovative technologies, initiatives and ongoing policy developing processes as source of requirements for perspective technology development These identified items are drivers of new technologies development processes. Sensors, as a part of bigger systems and infrastructures interoperating each other have to conform regulations formulated in legal acts in the context of parameters measured, condition of operation, interaction with environment as object of examination, transmission protocols and data collections terminating data acquisition, processing, storage and information extraction and exchange processes. Objectives The objective of the report is to provide inventory of regulations, directive and conventions having potential influence on sensors design, measurement and monitoring methodologies development having potential influence on sensors design processes. Rationale New developments in the field of technology, measurement and monitoring methodologies, policy and law regulations, possibilities and demands for integration of monitoring requirements by other EU and national legislation, and interoperability challenges are factors determining perspectives of sensors development. Report on regulations, directive and conventions having potential influence on sensors design will include the analysis of possibilities of integration sensor's functionality to meet monitoring requirements and to help to distinguish sensitive or vulnerable areas where monitoring is necessary according to identified ecosystem properties

Environmental factors influence the rate of human herpesvirus type 8 infection in a population with high incidence of classic Kaposi sarcoma

High prevalence of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) infection has been reported on the island of Sardinia. Among emigrants from Sardinia, rates of HHV-8 infection are lower than they are in Sardinia and are similar to those observed in the local population. Thus, environmental factors seem to play a relevant role in affecting the prevalence of HHV-8 infection

assessment of cortisol and dhea concentrations in griffon vulture gyps fulvus feathers to evaluate its allostatic load

AbstractThe use of a non-invasive approach to collect biological samples from natural populations represents a great means of gathering information while avoiding handling animals. Even if corticosterone is the main glucocorticoid investigated in birds, there has been observed a proportional direct link between corticosterone and cortisol concentrations. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) can be produced by the adrenal cortex and should have prominent antiglucocorticoid properties also in birds. The aim of this study was to verify if there is any difference in the cortisol and DHEA feather concentrations between clinically normal and physiologically compromised Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) through the non-invasive approach of collecting moulted feathers without having to pluck them from the bird. The study was carried out using 8 physiologically compromised (PC) Griffons and 9 clinically normal Griffons considered as the control (CTRL) group that were necropsied or from the wildlife rehabilitation centre. Primary and secondary covert feathers were either collected directly from the birds' cage floors, or, in the case of dead Griffons, they were plucked off the animals. The results, obtained by RIA, revealed that both cortisol (P<0.01) and DHEA (P<0.05) feather concentrations were higher in the PC than in the CTRL group. No difference was observed by comparing the cortisol/DHEA ratio between the two evaluated groups (P=0.15). Pearson's correlation coefficients showed no correlation between feather hormone concentrations in the PC group (r=0.01, P=0.96) while a positive correlation in the CTRL group (r=0.65, P=0.006) was observed. In conclusion, our study reveals that moulted feathers can be a non-invasive and an interesting tool to evaluate the allostatic load of wild birds and they allowed better understanding the relationship between hormones of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and the physiological status of the birds