A soil fungus confers plant resistance against a phytophagous insect by disrupting the symbiotic role of its gut microbiota.

Plants generate energy flows through natural food webs, driven by competition for resources among organisms, which are part of a complex network of multitrophic interactions. Here, we demonstrate that the interaction between tomato plants and a phytophagous insect is driven by a hidden interplay between their respective microbiotas. Tomato plants colonized by the soil fungus Trichoderma afroharzianum, a beneficial microorganism widely used in agriculture as a biocontrol agent, negatively affects the development and survival of the lepidopteran pest Spodoptera littoralis by altering the larval gut microbiota and its nutritional support to the host. Indeed, experiments aimed to restore the functional microbial community in the gut allow a complete rescue. Our results shed light on a novel role played by a soil microorganism in the modulation of plant-insect interaction, setting the stage for a more comprehensive analysis of the impact that biocontrol agents may have on ecological sustainability of agricultural systems.

Prevalence and severity of lower urinary tract symptoms in the third trimester of pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Pregnancy is a risk factor for urinary disorders, mainly in the third trimester. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are often underreported by health care professionals and significantly impact the quality of life of pregnant women. Our objective is to analyse lower urinary tract function during the third trimester of pregnancy and assess the impact of traditional risk factors for pelvic floor dysfunctions on bladder health in pregnant women. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a multicentre cross-sectional study. Third-trimester pregnant women aged 18 years or older anonymously filled in the "Italian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire for pregnant and postpartum women" questionnaire, validated for pelvic floor disorders in pregnancy and postpartum. RESULTS: A total of 927 pregnant patients completed the questionnaire. Among them, 97.3% complained of at least one urinary disorder. Frequency was the symptom reported most often (77.3%), whereas nocturnal enuresis was the least reported (17%). Despite the high prevalence of LUTS in our sample, only 13.4% reported that they negatively impact their quality of life. Overweight and obesity, advanced maternal age, smoking, family history of pelvic floor disorders and poor pelvic floor contraction capacity were confirmed to be risk factors for the onset of LUTS, even in our population. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary symptoms are extremely common in the third trimester and significantly affect the quality of life of pregnant women. Since overweight, obesity, smoking and reduced pelvic floor contractility emerged as modifiable risk factors for the development of these symptoms, prevention and adequate counselling are cornerstones of pregnancy care.

Does diet breadth affect the complexity of the phytophagous insect microbiota? The case study of Chrysomelidae.

Chrysomelidae is a family of phytophagous insects with a highly variable degree of trophic specialization. The aim of this study is to test whether species feeding on different plants (generalists) harbour more complex microbiotas than those feeding on a few or a single plant species (specialists). The microbiota of representative leaf beetle species was characterized with a metabarcoding approach targeting V1-V2 and V4 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA. Almost all the analysed species harbour at least one reproductive manipulator bacteria (e.g., Wolbachia, Rickettsia). Two putative primary symbionts, previously isolated only from a single species (Bromius obscurus), have been detected in two species of the same subfamily, suggesting a widespread symbiosis in Eumolpinae. Surprisingly, the well-known aphid symbiont Buchnera is well represented in the microbiota of Orsodacne humeralis. Moreover, in this study, using Hill numbers to dissect the components of the microbiota diversity (abundant and rare bacteria), it has been demonstrated that generalist insect species harbour a more diversified microbiota than specialists. The higher microbiota diversity associated with a wider host-plant spectrum could be seen as an adaptive trait, conferring new metabolic potential useful to expand the diet breath, or as a result of environmental stochastic acquisition conveyed by diet.

Disentangling phylogenetic relations and biogeographic history within the Cucujus haematodes species group (Coleoptera: Cucujidae).

Recent progress in the taxonomy of flat bark beetles (Cucujidae), specifically, in the genus Cucujus, has revealed great diversity in subtropical Asia, but the seemingly well-known temperate and boreal taxa need further attention because of their conservation status. Here, we used an integrative approach using morphology, DNA, and species distribution modelling to disentangle phylogenetic relations, verify the number of species, and understand the historical biogeography of Palearctic and Nearctic Cucujus beetles, particularly the C. haematodes species group. Species distinctiveness was supported for C. cinnaberinus, but present-day C. haematodes turned out to be a species complex made up of separate lineages in the western, middle and eastern parts of its Palearctic range. Cucujus muelleri was a member of that complex, being sister to Asian C. haematodes. Moreover, C. haematodes caucasicus was found to be phylogenetically closely related to Italian C. tulliae, and both to be sister to European C. haematodes. North American C. clavipes clavipes and C. c. puniceus resulted to be enough divergent to be considered different species. Interestingly, western American C. puniceus turned out to be closely related to the C. haematodes complex, whereas eastern American C. clavipes constituted a separate lineage, being distantly related to both C. puniceus and C. cinnaberinus. These patterns suggest former trans-continental connections among the ancestors of extant flat bark beetle species. Moreover, a divergent lineage of C. cinnaberinus was found in Calabria, which should be regarded at the very least as a subspecies. The ancestor of C. hameatodes group originated in mid-Miocene, and next, ca. 6.2 Mya, a line leading to C. cinnaberinus had split. Speciation of the American lineages occurred during Pliocene (4.4 Mya for C. clavipes and 3.3 Mya for C. puniceus). Species classified as C. haematodes, C. tulliae and C. muelleri, as well as distinct lineages within C. cinnaberinus split during mid Pleistocene (ca. 1.5 Mya). A comparison of species climatic requirements and their present distribution allowed to identify glacial refugia in south-eastern areas of North America (C. clavipes), south-western areas of North America (C. puniceus), and the Mediterranean and Caspian Sea Basins (European Cucujus species), or south-eastern areas of Asia and the foothills of the central Asian mountains (eastern C. haematodes). Subsequent climatic changes in the Holocene forced these beetles to move their ranges northwards along the coasts of the Pacific (C. puniceus) or Atlantic (C. clavipes), north-eastwards to central, northern, and eastern Europe (C. cinnaberinus and European C. haematodes) or Siberia (Asian C. haematodes). The combined use of molecular, morphological and climatic data allows a comprehensive understanding of the phylogenetic relations and past distributions of Cucujus beetles, highlighting the complexity of C. haematodes species group evolution.

Multi-country investigation of the diversity and associated microorganisms isolated from tick species from domestic animals, wildlife and vegetation in selected african countries.

In many areas of Africa, recent studies highlighted the great impact of ticks on animal and human health throughout the continent. On the other hand, very limited information on the bacterial endosymbionts of the African ticks and their pattern of co-infections with other bacteria are found in literature, notwithstanding their pivotal role in tick survival and vector efficiency. Thus, we investigated the distribution of selected pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria in hard ticks collected from wild, domestic animals and from vegetation in various ecological zones in Africa and their co-occurrence in the same tick host. Overall, 339 hard ticks were morphologically identified as belonging to the genera Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Hyalomma, Haemaphysalis, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus. Molecular screening provided information on pathogens circulation in Africa, detecting spotted fever group rickettsiae, Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia ruminantium, Borrelia garinii, Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Coxiella burnetii. Furthermore, our work provides insights on the African scenario of tick-symbiont associations, revealing the presence of Coxiella, Francisella and Midichloria across multiple tick populations. Coxiella endosymbionts were the most prevalent microorganisms, and that with the broadest spectrum of hosts, being detected in 16 tick species. Francisella was highly prevalent among the Hyalomma species tested and correlated negatively with the presence of Coxiella, showing a potential competitive interaction. Interestingly, we detected a positive association of Francisella with Rickettsia in specimens of Hy. rufipes, suggesting a synergistic interaction between them. Finally, Midichloria was the most prevalent symbiont in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato from Egypt.

Early amniotomy after cervical ripening for induction of labor: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE DATA: Timing of artificial rupture of membranes (ie, amniotomy) in induction of labor is controversial, because it has been associated not only with shorter labors, but also with fetal nonreassuring testing, at times necessitating cesarean delivery. The aim of this systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized trials was to evaluate the effectiveness of early amniotomy vs late amniotomy or spontaneous rupture of membranes after cervical ripening. STUDY: The search was conducted with the use of electronic databases from inception of each database through February 2019. Review of articles included the abstracts of all references that were retrieved from the search. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Selection criteria included randomized clinical trials that compared early amniotomy vs control (ie, late amniotomy or spontaneous rupture of membranes) after cervical ripening with either Foley catheter or prostaglandins at any dose. The primary outcome was the incidence of cesarean delivery. The summary measures were reported as summary relative risk with 95% of confidence interval with the use of the random effects model of DerSimonian and Laird. RESULTS: Four trials that included 1273 women who underwent cervical ripening with either Foley catheter or prostaglandins and then were assigned randomly to either early amniotomy, late amniotomy, or spontaneous rupture of membranes (control subjects) were included in the review. Women who were assigned randomly to early amniotomy had a similar risk of cesarean delivery (31.1% vs 30.9%; relative risk, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-1.56) compared with control subjects and had a shorter interval from induction to delivery of approximately 5 hours (mean difference, -4.95 hours; 95% confidence interval, -8.12 to -1.78). Spontaneous vaginal delivery was also reduced in the early amniotomy group, but only 1 of the included trials reported this outcome (67.5% vs 69.1%; relative risk, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.93). No between-group differences were reported in the other obstetrics or perinatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: After cervical ripening, routine early amniotomy does not increase the risk of cesarean delivery and reduces the interval from induction to delivery.

Developmental stages and gut microenvironments influence gut microbiota dynamics in the invasive beetle Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is a highly polyphagous invasive beetle originating from Japan. This insect is highly resilient and able to rapidly adapt to new vegetation. Insect-associated microorganisms can play important roles in insect physiology, helping their hosts to adapt to changing conditions and potentially contributing to an insect's invasive potential. Such symbiotic bacteria can be part of a core microbiota that is stably transmitted throughout the host's life cycle or selectively recruited from the environment at each developmental stage. The aim of this study was to investigate the origin, stability and turnover of the bacterial communities associated with an invasive population of P. japonica from Italy. Our results demonstrate that soil microbes represent an important source of gut bacteria for P. japonica larvae, but as the insect develops, its gut microbiota richness and diversity decreased substantially, paralleled by changes in community composition. Notably, only 16.75% of the soil bacteria present in larvae are maintained until the adult stage. We further identified the micro-environments of different gut sections as an important factor shaping microbiota composition in this species, likely due to differences in pH, oxygen availability and redox potential. In addition, P. japonica also harboured a stable bacterial community across all developmental stages, consisting of taxa well known for the degradation of plant material, namely the families Ruminococcacae, Christensenellaceae and Lachnospiraceae. Interestingly, the family Christensenallaceae had so far been observed exclusively in humans. However, the Christensenellaceae operational taxonomic units found in P. japonica belong to different taxonomic clades within this family.

Recalibration of the insect evolutionary time scale using Monte San Giorgio fossils suggests survival of key lineages through the End-Permian Extinction.

Insects are a highly diverse group of organisms and constitute more than half of all known animal species. They have evolved an extraordinary range of traits, from flight and complete metamorphosis to complex polyphenisms and advanced eusociality. Although the rich insect fossil record has helped to chart the appearance of many phenotypic innovations, data are scarce for a number of key periods. One such period is that following the End-Permian Extinction, recognized as the most catastrophic of all extinction events. We recently discovered several 240-million-year-old insect fossils in the Mount San Giorgio Lagerstätte (Switzerland-Italy) that are remarkable for their state of preservation (including internal organs and soft tissues), and because they extend the records of their respective taxa by up to 200 million years. By using these fossils as calibrations in a phylogenomic dating analysis, we present a revised time scale for insect evolution. Our date estimates for several major lineages, including the hyperdiverse crown groups of Lepidoptera, Hemiptera: Heteroptera and Diptera, are substantially older than their currently accepted post-Permian origins. We found that major evolutionary innovations, including flight and metamorphosis, appeared considerably earlier than previously thought. These results have numerous implications for understanding the evolution of insects and their resilience in the face of extreme events such as the End-Permian Extinction.

The contribution of the Middle Triassic fossil assemblage of Monte San Giorgio to insect evolution.

The Triassic represents a critical period for understanding the turnover of insect fauna from the Paleozoic to the Mesozoic following the end-Permian mass extinctions (EPME); however, fossil deposits from the Early-Middle Triassic are scarce. The exceptionally preserved 239 million-year-old fossil insect fauna recorded at Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland), including 248 fossils representing 15 major insect clades is presented here. Besides the exceptional features, including their small size and excellent preservation, the fossils have importance in the evolutionary history of the group. The taxonomic and ecological diversity recovered, including both freshwater (dragonflies and caddisflies) and terrestrial taxa (true bugs and wasps), demonstrates that complex environments sustained a paleocommunity dominated by monurans (thought not to have survived the EPME), midges, and beetles. Interestingly, a blattodean-like fossil bearing an external ootheca was also found, important for understanding Paleozoic roachoids to extant cockroaches' transition and the evolution of maternal brood care. Moreover, the youngest and first complete specimen of †Permithonidae and the oldest sawfly fossils were discovered. Finally, round-shaped bodies, compatible with seminal capsules or lycophyte spores, were found on the abdomens of several midge-like individuals. If these are spores, non-seed-bearing plants could have been the first entomophilous plants rather than gymnosperms, as recently supposed. Altogether, these fossils contribute substantially to understanding insect evolution and Paleozoic-Mesozoic faunal turnover.

Rediscovery of a lost semi-aquatic Leaf Beetle in the Hula Valley, Israel (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Donaciinae).

Between 1951-1958, most of the Hula Lake and its surrounding swamps in the Upper Jordan River (Rift) Valley of Israel were drained with the supposed purposes to eliminate malaria and to reclaim land for agriculture; both reasons later proved to be unnecessary decisions. With the paucity of biological knowledge of the Hula region, especially its aquatic invertebrates, accurate assessment of the environmental damage from this drainage is still being realized. Based on natural history museum collection specimen records, the pre-drainage presence of some aquatic insect species has been verified. Among these was Donaciabicolora, a member of a semi-aquatic subfamily (Donaciinae) of Leaf Beetles (Chrysomelidae) and whose Israeli populations were thought to have gone extinct because of the drainage of the Hula and other locations. Recently this species was rediscovered in two populations. However, the molecular identification of two of these recently collected specimens from one population revealed that the identity of this species is actually Donaciasimplex. In this work, the re-discovery of this species is detailed, and its conservation importance discussed.

Prevalence and severity of bowel disorders in the third trimester of pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Bowel-related disorders are common conditions associated with pregnancy and are a cause of significant distress and healthcare burden. However, there is a lack of data in the literature about these disorders. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate bowel dysfunctions during the third trimester of pregnancy in a large cohort of women using the validated bowel domain of the Italian version of the Pelvic Floor Questionnaire for Pregnant and Postpartum Women. STUDY DESIGN: This was a secondary analysis of a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted in hospitals in Italy and Italian-speaking Switzerland. Women in the third trimester of pregnancy were asked to complete the Italian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire for Pregnant and Postpartum Women. RESULTS: During the study period, 927 pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy responded to the questionnaire and were included in the analysis. Overall bowel dysfunctions were reported by 29.6% of patients. Constipation was reported by 66.6% of pregnant women, whereas symptoms of obstructed defecation were reported by 49.9% of patients. In contrast, urgency was reported by 41.1% of patients. Incontinence to flatus and incontinence to stool were reported by 45.1% and 2.8% of patients, respectively. Moreover, age >35 years, familiarity with pelvic floor disorders, nicotine abuse, and pelvic floor contraction inability were identified as independent risk factors for at least 1 bowel symptom. CONCLUSION: Bowel symptoms are extremely common in the third trimester of pregnancy and can greatly affect a patient's quality of life; therefore, bowel symptoms deserve to be investigated and managed properly. The use of validated questionnaires represents a precious tool to investigate functional symptoms that could be very frequent and disabling in this particular period of life for women.

Corrections and Additions to Descriptions of Some Species of the Subgenus Orthocladius s. str. (Diptera, Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae).

The larvae of some species of the subgenus Orthocladius s. str. (Diptera, Chironomidae) are here described for the first time with corrections and additions to the descriptions of adult males and pupal exuviae. The identification of larvae is generally not possible without association with pupal exuviae and/or adult males, so the descriptions here are based only on reared material or on pupae with the associated larval exuviae. Usually, Chironomidae larvae can be separated on the basis of morphometric characters, the most discriminant ones are: (1) the ratio between the width of median tooth of mentum (Dm) and the width of the first lateral tooth (Dl) = mental ratio (DmDl), (2) the ratio between the length of the first antennal segment (A1) and the combined length of segments 2-5 (A2-5) = antennal ratio (AR). The shape of mandible, maxilla, and other body parts are almost identical in all the species considered in this study. The larva of Orthocladius (Symposiocladius) lignicola is very characteristic and can be separated by the shape of mentum and the larvae of all the known species of Symposiocladius are characterized by the presence of large Lauterborn organs on antennae and of tufts of setae on abdominal segments. The larvae of Orthocladius (Orthocladius) oblidens and Orthocladius (Orthocladius) rhyacobius can be distinguished from other species basing on their large Dm and to each other by AR. A principal component analysis was carried out using 5 characters: (1) Dm, (2) Dl, (3) length of A1, (4) width of A1 (A1W), (5) combined length of segments 2-5 (A2-5). The most discriminant characters were Dm and A1, confirming that DmDl and AR can be used to separate species at larval stage, but the large superposition of morphometric characters in different species confirms that association with pupal exuviae is in any case needed to identify larvae. In future perspective, the development of reference DNA barcodes from specimens identified by specialists is recommended since possibly the best tool for larvae identification, but association of barcodes with morphotypes is in any case fundamental.

Curation of a reference database of COI sequences for insect identification through DNA metabarcoding: COins.

DNA metabarcoding is a widespread approach for the molecular identification of organisms. While the associated wet-lab and data processing procedures are well established and highly efficient, the reference databases for taxonomic assignment can be implemented to improve the accuracy of identifications. Insects are among the organisms for which DNA-based identification is most commonly used; yet, a DNA-metabarcoding reference database specifically curated for their species identification using software requiring local databases is lacking. Here, we present COins, a database of 5' region cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences (COI-5P) of insects that includes over 532 000 representative sequences of >106 000 species specifically formatted for the QIIME2 software platform. Through a combination of automated and manually curated steps, we developed this database starting from all COI sequences available in the Barcode of Life Data System for insects, focusing on sequences that comply with several standards, including a species-level identification. COins was validated on previously published DNA-metabarcoding sequences data (bulk samples from Malaise traps) and its efficiency compared with other publicly available reference databases (not specific for insects). COins can allow an increase of up to 30% of species-level identifications and thus can represent a valuable resource for the taxonomic assignment of insects' DNA-metabarcoding data, especially when species-level identification is needed https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.19130465.v1.

European and Mediterranean Myzocallidini Aphid Species: DNA Barcoding and Remarks on Ecology with Taxonomic Modifications in An Integrated Framework.

The genus Myzocallis Passerini (Hemiptera, Aphididae, Calaphidinae, Myzocallidini) is a rather primitive group of aphids currently comprising 45 species and 3 subspecies, subdivided into ten subgenera, three of them having a West Palaearctic distribution. The majority of the species inhabit Fagales plants and some of them are considered pests. Despite their ecological interest and the presence of some taxonomic controversies, there are only a few molecular studies on the group. Here, the main aims were to develop a DNA barcodes library for the molecular identification of West Palaearctic Myzocallis species, to evaluate the congruence among their morphological, ecological and DNA-based delimitation, and verify the congruence of the subgeneric subdivision presently adopted by comparing the results with those obtained for other Panaphidini species. These study findings indicate that Myzocallis (Agrioaphis) leclanti, originally described as a subspecies of M. (A.) castanicola and M. (M.) schreiberi, considered as a subspecies of M. (M.) boerneri, should be regarded at a rank of full species, and the subgenera Agrioaphis, Lineomyzocallis, Neomyzocallis, Pasekia were elevated to the rank of genus, while Myzocallis remain as such.

Prevalence and severity of sexual disorders in the third trimester of pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Female sexual function in pregnancy is an under-investigated topic by care providers. This study aimed to investigate the sexual function and the impact of traditional risk factors for pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) during the third trimester of pregnancy. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a multicentre cross-sectional study conducted in eight hospitals in Italy and Italian-speaking Switzerland. Women at the third trimester of pregnancy aged 18 years and over completed the Italian-PFQPP questionnaire anonymously. RESULTS: 927 patients in the third trimester of pregnancy answered the questionnaire. 29.5% of women reported reduced or absent sexual activity. The less reported symptom was coital incontinence (1.3%), while painful intercourses was the most frequent one (50.3%). Nicotine abuse was associated with traumatic sexual intercourses, impaired vaginal sensibility, and negative impact on sexual life and well-being. Familiarity for pelvic floor disorder resulted as a risk factor for coital incontinence (OR=3.61). CONCLUSIONS: Sexual symptoms, with pain during intercourses being the most widely reported, are extremely common in the third trimester of pregnancy and can greatly affect quality of life. Familiarity for pelvic floor disorders and nicotine abuse resulted as significant risk factors for at least one sexual symptom.

Unsupervised machine learning and geometric morphometrics as tools for the identification of inter and intraspecific variations in the Anopheles Maculipennis complex.

Geometric morphometric analysis was combined with two different unsupervised machine learning algorithms, UMAP and HDBSCAN, to visualize morphological differences in wing shape among and within four Anopheles sibling species (An. atroparvus, An. melanoon, An. maculipennis s.s. and An. daciae sp. inq.) of the Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy. Specifically, we evaluated: (1) wing shape variation among and within species; (2) the consistencies between groups of An. maculipennis s.s. and An. daciae sp. inq. identified based on COI sequences and wing shape variability; and (3) the spatial and temporal distribution of different morphotypes. UMAP detected at least 13 main patterns of variation in wing shape among the four analyzed species and mapped intraspecific morphological variations. The relationship between the most abundant COI haplotypes of An. daciae sp. inq. and shape ordination/variation was not significant. However, morphological variation within haplotypes was reported. HDBSCAN also recognized different clusters of morphotypes within An. daciae sp. inq. (12) and An. maculipennis s.s. (4). All morphotypes shared a similar pattern of variation in the subcostal vein, in the anal vein and in the radio-medial cross-vein of the wing. On the contrary, the marginal part of the wings remained unchanged in all clusters of both species. Any spatial-temporal significant difference was observed in the frequency of the identified morphotypes.  Our study demonstrated that machine learning algorithms are a useful tool combined with geometric morphometrics and suggest to deepen the analysis of inter and intra specific shape variability to evaluate evolutionary constrains related to wing functionality.

Prevalence and severity of pelvic floor disorders in pregnant and postpartum women.

OBJECTIVE: This multicenter study aimed to evaluate risk factors, prevalence and severity of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) as well as their consequences on women's emotional well-being, using a questionnaire validated specifically for pregnancy and postpartum. METHODS: Prospective study conducted in eight teaching hospitals in Italy and Italian-speaking Switzerland. Pregnant and postpartum women completed the Italian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire for Pregnancy and Postpartum anonymously. Prevalence of, severity of, and risk factors for PFDs were evaluated for all the four domains considered: bladder, bowel, prolapse, and sexual function. RESULTS: A total of 2007 women were included: 983 of the patients were bothered by at least one kind of PFD: bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction were more frequently reported. There were no significant differences in PFD prevalence between pregnancy and postpartum, except for bladder disorders, which were more prevalent in pregnancy. Familiarity for PFDs, pelvic floor contraction inability, cigarette smoking, body mass index more than 25 (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters), and age more than 35 years were confirmed risk factors for the development of PFDs during pregnancy and postpartum. CONCLUSION: Almost half of the women included in the study suffered from PFD-related symptoms with important consequences on quality of life. Validated questionnaires are fundamental in early diagnosis and treatment of PFDs.

Factors affecting the efficiency of molecular species delimitation in a species-rich insect family.

In the context of global biodiversity loss, molecular species delimitation approaches can be very useful for accelerating species discovery through DNA taxonomy and inventory through DNA metabarcoding. In this study, the effect of some intrinsic factors on the efficiency of various single-marker species delimitation methods (fixed and variable nucleotide distance thresholds, ABGD, ASAP, GMYC, mPTP) was tested on more than 90 empirical data sets, derived from a set of 7,237 COI sequences attributed to 542 leaf beetles species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The considered factors were: (i) the number of haplotypes per species (as a proxy for genetic diversity), (ii) the geographic distance among conspecific collection localities (as a proxy of sampling width), (iii) the difficulty related to morphological identification of species, and (iv) the taxonomic rank. Distance-based methods, with on average more than 70% of match with morphological identification, outperformed those relying on phylogenetic trees, with less than 59%. A high number of haplotypes per species was found to have a negative effect on delimitation efficiency, whereas large geographic distances within species had a positive effect. All methods delimitations (except for GMYC) were significantly affected by the presence of species that are difficult to be identified, decreasing their efficiency. Finally, the only method influenced by the taxonomic rank of the data set was GMYC, showing lower efficiency in data sets at the genus than at higher levels. The observed biases we highlighted affecting efficiency could be accounted for when developing input data sets for species delimitation analyses to obtain a more reliable representation of biological diversity.

Pregnancy after Whipple procedure: a new case and review of the literature.

Background: Whipple procedure is a complex operation usually performed to treat periampullary neoplasms. There are only four case reports of five pregnancies after Whipple procedure, with limited evidence about how to manage pregnancy after this surgery.Case: A 28-year-old gravida 5 Para 2022 presented to our hospital at 20 weeks with worsening depression. She had a history of Whipple for a solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas followed by two pregnancies. In the first, she underwent successful induction of labor at 38 weeks for pregestational diabetes. In her second pregnancy, she had multiple admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis. She was scheduled for induction of labor at 35 weeks but given unstable lie, underwent cesarean delivery.Conclusion: Women with a history of Whipple procedure generally have successful pregnancies with the most common antenatal complications including diabetes mellitus, abdominal pain and pancreatitis/cholangitis.

Phylogeography and species distribution modelling of Cryptocephalusbarii (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): is this alpine endemic species close to extinction?

The alternation of glacial and interglacial cycles of the Quaternary period contributed in shaping the current species distribution. Cold-adapted organisms experienced range expansion and contraction in response to the temperature decrease and increase, respectively. In this study, a fragment of the mitochondrial marker COI was used to investigate the phylogeography of Cryptocephalusbarii, a cold-adapted alpine leaf beetle species endemic of Orobie Alps, northern Italy. The relationships among populations, their divergence time, and the most probable migration model were estimated and are discussed in light of the Pleistocene climate oscillations. Through a species distribution modelling analysis, the current habitat suitability was assessed and the distribution in a future global warming scenario predicted. The main divergence events that led to the actual population structure took place from ~750,000 to ~150,000 years ago, almost following the pattern of the climate oscillations that led to the increase of the connections between the populations during cold periods and the isolation on massifs in warm periods. The most supported migration model suggests that the species survived to past adverse climatic conditions within refugia inside and at the limit of the actual range. The species distribution modelling analysis showed that C.barii is extremely sensitive to air temperature variations, thus the increase of temperature caused by global warming will reduce the suitable areas within the species range, leading to its possible extinction in the next 50 years. Cryptocephalusbarii is a representative case of how cold adapted and limited distributed species have been and could be affected by climate change, that highlights the implementation of conservation actions.