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Alien insects represent one of the most species rich groups of organisms introduced to Europe, with some responsible for adverse social-economic, human-health, biodiversity and ecosystem impacts. The impacts of invasive alien species, especially on island ecosystems, have been a hot topic of research worldwide. Cyprus is a Mediterranean island at the biogeographic crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe. This study presents the database of the alien insects of the island of Cyprus as a whole, created through an extensive review including grey literature and online sources. The Alien to Cyprus Entomofauna (ACE) triples the known number of alien insects and adds supplemental information to existing species. Data concerning a total of 349 alien insects are presented alongside an updated checklist and recommendations for informing management. The status of alien insects on the island, their origin, trophic guilds, establishment, pathways of introduction and impacts are discussed. Developing an alien species inventory for the island is challenging due to its geographic position and the increasing movement of people and goods leading to new species introductions. This publication constitutes an important first step towards providing information for effective actions to tackle invasive alien insects on Cyprus. The checklist and accompanying information can underpin understanding of the status and trends of alien species including providing information for risk assessments. ACE will continue to be maintained and updated as new records for Cyprus are made.

Daphniola dione sp. nov., a valvatiform hydrobiid gastropod from Western Greece, is described based on conchological, anatomical and molecular data. D. dione is distinguished from the other species of the Greek endemic genus Daphniola by a unique combination of shell and soft body character states and by a 7–13% COI sequence divergence when compared to congeneric species. The only population of D. dione inhabits a cave spring on Lefkada Island, Ionian Sea.

The aquatic snail genus Dianella (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae) has only two representatives in Greece: Dianella schlickumi Schütt, 1962 and Dianella thiesseana (Kobelt, 1878). D. schlickumi, a narrow endemic species to Lake Amvrakia (in Aitoloakarnania, western-central Greece), is considered as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct, sensu IUCN 2017). Our study confirmed its presence in Lake Amvrakia, where it had not been detected for more than 30 years. We document the unknown anatomical characters based on the D. schlickumi specimens. Moreover, the presence of D. thiesseana in the nearby lakes Trichonis and Lysimachia was also confirmed, while morphometric analyses enabled the discrimination between the two species. Redundancy Analysis revealed conductivity, dissolved oxygen and pH as the main environmental variables related to the above species’ distribution, shaping their community structure. Both Dianella species require urgent conservation measures to be enforced, due to their habitat degradation from human activities, which are limiting and fragmenting their range. For that purpose, effective management plans have to be elaborated and implemented at the mentioned lakes, focusing on the reduction of human pressures and on the improvement of their habitats.

Hydrobioid freshwater gastropods were collected from mainland and insular Greece. Several threatened taxa, such as Graecoanatolica vegorriticola, Pseudamnicola negropontina, Pseudamnicola pieperi, Pseudobithynia eubooensis and Pseudoislamia balcanica, were recorded from new localities. Trichonia trichonica, which has been considered extinct from its type locality for the last twenty eight years, was re-discovered, whereas the presence of Daphniola exigua, G. vegorriticola, Marstoniopsis graeca, P. pieperi and Pseudobithynia trichonis in their type localities was verified. The taxonomic status of P. negropontina and the newly discovered populations of G. vegorriticola was elucidated using COI sequence data. The new data recorded during this survey indicate that the IUCN status of some Greek endemic hydrobioids needs to be updated.

A new minute valvatiform species belonging to the genus Daphniola Radoman 1973, Daphniola eptalophos sp. n., from mountain Parnassos, Greece is described. The new species has a transparent valvatiform-planispiral shell, wide and open umbilicus, grey-black pigmented soft body and head and a black penis with a small colorless outgrowth on the left side near its base. A comparative table of shell dimensions and a key to the species known for this endemic genus for Greece are provided.

Abstract: Nicotinic responses to endogenous acetylcholine and to exogenously applied agonists have been studied in the intact or denervated rat sympathetic neuron in vitro, by using the two-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique. Preganglionic denervation resulted in progressive decrease of the synaptic current (excitatory postsynaptic current, EPSC) amplitude, which disappeared within 24 h. These effects were accompanied by changes in ion selectivity of the nicotinic channel (nAChR). The extrapolated EPSC null potential (equilibrium potential for acetylcholine action, ESyn) shifted from a mean value of −15.9±0.7 mV, in control, to −7.4±1.6 mV, in denervated neurons, indicating a decrease of the permeability ratio for the main components of the synaptic current (PK/PNa) from 1.56 to 1.07. The overall properties of AChRs were investigated by applying dimethylphenylpiperazinium or cytisine and by examining the effects of endogenous ACh, diffusing within the ganglion after preganglionic tetanization in the presence of neostigmine. The null potentials of these macrocurrents (equilibrium potential for dimethylphenylpiperazinium action, EDMPP; and equilibrium potential for diffusing acetylcholine, EACh, respectively) were evaluated by applying voltage ramps and from current–voltage plots. In normal neurons, ESyn (−15.9±0.7 mV) was significantly different from EDMPP (−26.1±1.0) and EACh (−31.1±3.3); following denervation, nerve-evoked currents displayed marked shifts in their null potentials (ESyn=−7.4±1.6 mV), whereas the amplitude and null potential of the agonist-evoked macrocurrents were unaffected by denervation and its duration (EDMPP=−26.6±1.2 mV). It is suggested that two populations of nicotinic receptors, synaptic and extrasynaptic, are present on the neuron surface, and that only the synaptic type displays sensitivity to denervation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Although positive airway pressure (PAP) is effective for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in infants, there is a lack of data on caregivers' experiences administering PAP at home. Understanding caregivers' perspectives may change health care professionals approach to PAP initiation. Our study aimed to gain comprehensive insight into caregivers' beliefs, perceptions, and challenges associated with implementing PAP for infants with OSA, considering the transition from inpatient hospitalization to home., Methods: In this single-center prospective longitudinal study, caregivers of infants with OSA less than 12 months old who were initiated PAP during inpatient hospitalization underwent two semi-structured interviews over 3 months. The interview data were analyzed using directed content analysis, utilizing the health belief and socioecological models as theoretical frameworks. Data were coded and clustered into themes that reflected the evolving perspectives and experiences of caregivers., Results: Eight caregivers completed semi-structured interviews, revealing three key themes. First, despite initial negative attitudes towards the equipment, caregivers recognized PAP benefits and through self-efficacy and cues to action, were motivated to use PAP at home. Second, caregivers encountered various barriers to adherence; however, caregivers' self-efficacy improved with time and practice. Lastly, interpersonal, organizational, and community support enhanced adherence while lack thereof hindered implementation., Conclusion: Caregivers of infants with OSA understand the importance of PAP therapy. Providing family-centered care and targeted interventions helps caregivers maintain adherence to PAP for infants. By understanding the lived experiences of caregivers, health care professionals can better meet the needs of families and optimize the effectiveness of PAP., (© 2024 The Author(s). Pediatric Pulmonology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: To investigate the association of growth patterns with overweight/obesity and markers of metabolic syndrome in ex-premature adolescents; to assess the relationship between the increase (1 SD) in Z-score weight at term and at 2 years with outcomes in adolescents with or without intrauterine growth restriction; and to evaluate the association between the Cook criteria and overweight/obesity according to body mass index., Methods: Cohort, retrospective, analytical study. Population: adolescents born weighting<1,500 g., Results: One hundred twenty-seven adolescents (11.3 years) were included. There is an association between the 1 SD increase in the percentile ( Pc ) of weight at 40 weeks and at 2 years in the population with adequate birth weight (PCA) with insulin levels, resistance, and sensitivity at 11 years. Catch-up at 2 years was associated with significantly higher proportion of HDL value<41 (18.75 vs. 5.36 %) OR 4.08 95% CI (1.04-16.05) p=0.031. Overweight/obesity was associated with waist circumference index>0.5, HDL<41, and with blood pressure greater than Pc 90 for sex and height., Conclusions: In preterm infants, a 1 SD increase in weight Z score at 40 weeks and 2 years was predictive of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders in adolescence., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Introduction. Neonatal sepsis is often suspected in hospitalized newborn infants, but only in 25-30% of cases it is confirmed via a positive culture. Selecting the antibiotics based on local epidemiology favors their rational use and minimizes their side effects. Primary objective. To describe the prevalence of early- and late-onset sepsis with microorganism isolation and their clinical characteristics. Population and method. Retrospective, cross-sectional study conducted between 01-01-2013 and 12-31-2017 in a public maternity center of Argentina in all hospitalized newborn infants with a diagnosis of early- and late-onset sepsis with microorganism isolation, and those re-admitted in their first month of life. Results. A total of 3322 newborn infants were admitted; 1296 were assessed for suspected early- onset sepsis; 25 had a positive culture (1.9%; rate: 0.86‰). Of these, 52% were born before 33 weeks of gestation. Microorganisms: Escherichia coli 5, Listeria monocytogenes 4, Streptococcus agalactiae (SGB) 3, Streptococcus pneumoniae 3. Also, 68% of late-onset sepsis cases (rate: 8.73‰) occurred in infants born before 33 weeks of gestation. Hospital-acquired microorganisms: coagulase-negative Staphylococcus 115, Staphylococcus aureus 47, Escherichia coli 30, Candida spp. 16, Enterococcus faecalis 13, Klebsiella pneumoniae 11, and Streptococcus agalactiae 10. In re-admissions: E. coli 11, S. aureus 12, SGB 3, and Haemophilus influenzae 3. Conclusions. During the study period, the frequency of early-onset sepsis was similar to international reports, with a predominance of E. coli and L. monocytogenes. The rate of late-onset sepsis showed a downward trend in the analyzed years, with a predominance of Gram-positive cocci., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Introduction. The degree of Dornic acidity (DA) is an indirect measure of milk contamination and quality. In freshly expressed milk, DA ranges between 1.0 and 4.0 (optimal). If DA is > 8.0 °D, it should be discarded. The correlation between DA in raw breast milk from internal donors (ID) and external donors (ED) based on storage time until pasteurization was assessed. Population and method. Retrospective, analytical study. Results. In 13 203 samples, DA was lower in IDs as of 14 days of storage: 2.92 (95% CI: 2.69-3.15) versus 4.01 (95% CI: 3.94-4.08), with a higher proportion of DA ≤ 4 °D (88% in IDs versus 76% in EDs); odds ratio: 2.30 (95% CI: 1.25-4.24). Conclusion. DA as of 14 days of storage was lower in IDs, with a higher prevalence of DA ≤ 4 °D. No correlation was observed between storage time and DA in ID samples., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatria.)

Exposure of human lung epithelial cells (A549 cell line) to the oxidant pollutant ozone (O 3 ) alters cell membrane currents inducing its decrease, when the cell undergoes to a voltage-clamp protocol ranging from -90 to +70mV. The membrane potential of these cells is mainly maintained by the interplay of potassium and chloride currents. Our previous studies indicated the ability of O 3 to activate ORCC (Outward Rectifier Chloride Channel) and consequently increases the chloride current. In this paper our aim was to understand the response of potassium current to oxidative stress challenge and to identify the kind potassium channel involved in O 3 induced current changes. After measuring the total membrane current using an intracellular solution with or without potassium ions, we obtained the contribution of potassium to the overall membrane current in control condition by a mathematical approach. Repeating these experiments after O 3 treatment we observed a significant decrease of I potassium . Treatment of the cells with Iberiotoxin (IbTx), a specific inhibitor of BK channel, we were able to verify the presence and the functionality of BK channels. In addition, the administration of 4-Aminopyridine (an inhibitor of voltage dependent K channels but not BK channels) and Tetraethylammonium (TEA) before and after O 3 treatment we observed the formation of BK oxidative post-translation modifications. Our data suggest that O 3 is able to inhibit potassium current by targeting BK channel. Further studies are needed to better clarify the role of this BK channel and its interplay with the other membrane channels under oxidative stress conditions. These findings can contribute to identify the biomolecular pathway induced by O 3 allowing a possible pharmacological intervention against oxidative stress damage in lung tissue., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Since the multifunctionality of transglutaminase 2 (TG2) includes extra- and intracellular functions, we investigated the effects of intracellular administration of TG2 inhibitors in three breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436 and MDA-MB-468, which are representative of different triple-negative phenotypes, using a patch-clamp technique. The first cell line has a highly voltage-dependent a membrane current, which is low in the second and almost absent in the third one. While applying a voltage protocol to responsive single cells, injection of TG2 inhibitors triggered a significant decrease of the current in MDA-MB-231 that we attributed to voltage-dependent K + channels using the specific inhibitors 4-aminopyridine and astemizole. Since the Kv10.1 channel plays a dominant role as a marker of cell migration and survival in breast cancer, we investigated its relationship with TG2 by immunoprecipitation. Our data reveal their physical interaction affects membrane currents in MDA-MB-231 but not in the less sensitive MDA-MB-436 cells. We further correlated the efficacy of TG2 inhibition with metabolic changes in the supernatants of treated cells, resulting in increased concentration of methyl- and dimethylamines, representing possible response markers. In conclusion, our findings highlight the interference of TG2 inhibitors with the Kv10.1 channel as a potential therapeutic tool depending on the specific features of cancer cells.

Air pollution represents one of the main risks for both environment and human health. The rapid urbanization has been leading to a continuous release of harmful manmade substances into the atmosphere which are associated to the exacerbation of several pathologies. The skin is the main barrier of our body against the external environment and it is the main target for the outdoor stressors. Among the pollutants, Ozone (O 3 ) is one of the most toxic, able to initiate oxidative reactions and activate inflammatory response, leading to the onset of several skin conditions. Moreover, skin is daily subjected to the activity of Ultraviolet Radiation which are well known to induce harmful cutaneous effects including skin aging and sunburn. Even though both UV and O 3 are able to affect the skin homeostasis, very few studies have investigated their possible additive effect. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the effect of the combined exposure of O 3 and UV in inducing skin damage, by exposing human skin explants to UV alone or in combination with O 3 for 4-days. Markers related to inflammation, redox homeostasis and tissue structure were analyzed. Our results demonstrated that O 3 is able to amplify the UV induced skin oxinflammation markers., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: International publications estimate a 7 %-17 % latex sensitization (LS) prevalence among health care workers, but values in Argentina are unknown., Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of latex sensitization and allergy among residents of a children's hospital using the immediate-reading prick test and to assess associated risk factors in this population., Population and Methods: Cross-sectional study. Residents, trainers, and Chief residents of the Departments of Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Surgery and Intensive Care were included between June and October 2017. All of them were administered a questionnaire (assessing atopic diseases and other risk factors) and underwent the immediatereading prick test. Total and latex-specific immunoglobulin E levels were determined in a subgroup of individuals (first- and fourth-year residents, surgical specialties, and intensive care)., Results: A total of 113 participants were included. LS prevalence was 7.96 % (95 % confidence interval: 3.70-14.58); 4 participants were allergic to latex. A history of latex-related symptoms (LRS) was significantly associated with a positive result in the immediate-reading prick test (p = 0.0196; odds ratio: 6.13; 95 % confidence interval: 1.44-26.04). There was no association between LS and the year of the residency program., Conclusions: The observed LS prevalence was 7.9 %. There was a significant relation between a history of LRS and a positive result in the immediate-reading prick test., Competing Interests: None, (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

K + channels of the alveolar epithelium control the driving force acting on the ionic and solvent flow through the cell membrane contributing to the maintenance of cell volume and the constitution of epithelial lining fluid. In the present work, we analyze the effect of the Cl - channel inhibitors: (4-[(2-butyl-6,7-dichloro-2-cyclopentyl-2,3-dihydro-1-oxo-inden-5-yl)oxy] butanoic acid (DCPIB) and 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid (9-AC) on the total current in a type II pneumocytes (A549 cell line) model by patch clamp, immunocytochemical, and gene knockdown techniques. We noted that DCPIB and 9-AC promote the activation of K conductance. In fact, they significantly increase the intensity of the current and shift its reversal potential to values more negative than the control. By silencing outward rectifier channel in its anoctamin 6 portion, we excluded a direct involvement of Cl - ions in modulation of I K and, by means of functional tests with its specific inhibitor spadin, we identified the TREK-1 channel as the presumable target of both drugs. As the activity of TREK-1 has a key role for the correct functioning of the alveolar epithelium, the identification of DCPIB and 9-AC molecules as its activators suggests their possible use to build new pharmacological tools for the modulation of this channel., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The role of glutamate in quantal release at the cytoneural junction was examined by measuring mEPSPs and afferent spikes at the posterior canal in the intact frog labyrinth. Release was enhanced by exogenous glutamate, or dl-TBOA, a blocker of glutamate reuptake. Conversely, drugs acting on ionotropic glutamate receptors did not affect release; the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPA-R) blocker CNQX decreased mEPSP size in a dose-dependent manner; the NMDA-R blocker d-AP5 at concentrations <200 µM did not affect mEPSP size, either in the presence or absence of Mg and glycine. In isolated hair cells, glutamate did not modify Ca currents. Instead, it systematically reduced the compound delayed potassium current, IKD, whereas the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-II inverse agonist, (2S)-2-amino-2-[(1S,2S)-2-carboxycycloprop-1-yl]-3-(xanth-9-yl)propanoic acid (LY341495), increased it. Given mGluR-II decrease cAMP production, these finding are consistent with the reported sensitivity of IKD to protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated phosphorylation. LY341495 also enhanced transmitter release, presumably through phosphorylation-mediated facilitation of the release machinery. The observed enhancement of release by glutamate confirms previous literature data, and can be attributed to activation of mGluR-I that promotes Ca release from intracellular stores. Glutamate-induced reduction in the repolarizing IKD may contribute to facilitation of release. Overall, glutamate exerts both a positive feedback action on mGluR-I, through activation of the phospholipase C (PLC)/IP 3 path, and the negative feedback, by interfering with substrate phosphorylation through G i/0 -coupled mGluRs-II/III. The positive feedback prevails, which may explain the increase in overall rates of release observed during mechanical stimulation (symmetrical in the excitatory and inhibitory directions). The negative feedback may protect the junction from over-activation., (Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The lung tissue is one of the main targets of oxidative stress due to external sources and respiratory activity. In our previous work, we have demonstrated in that O 3 exposure alters the Cl - current-voltage relationship, with the appearance of a large outward rectifier component mainly sustained by outward rectifier chloride channels (ORCCs) in human lung epithelial cells (A549 line). In the present study, we have performed patch clamp experiments, in order to identify which one of the O 3 byproducts (4hydroxynonenal (HNE) and/or H 2 O 2 ) was responsible for chloride current change. While 4HNE exposition (up to 25 μM for 30' before electrophysiological analysis) did not reproduce O 3 effect, H 2 O 2 produced by glucose oxidase 10 mU for 24 hr before electrophysiological analysis mimicked O 3 response. This result was confirmed treating the cell with catalase (CAT) before O 3 exposure (1,000 U/ml for 2 hr): CAT was able to rescue Cl - current alteration. Since CAT is regulated by Nrf2 transcription factor, we pre-treated the cells with the Nrf2 activators, resveratrol and tBHQ. Immunochemical and immunocytochemical results showed Nrf2 activation with both substances that lead to prevent OS effect on Cl - current. These data bring new insights into the mechanisms involved in OS-induced lung tissue damage, pointing out the role of H 2 O 2 in chloride current alteration and the ability of Nfr2 activation in preventing this effect., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The post-transductional elaboration of sensory input at the frog semicircular canal has been studied by correlating the effects of drugs that interfere with phosphorylation processes on: (i) potassium conductances in isolated hair cell and (ii) transmitter release at the cytoneural junction in the intact labyrinth. At hair cells, delayed potassium currents (IKD) undergo voltage- and time-dependent inactivation; inactivation removal requires ATP, is sensitive to kinase blockade, but is unaffected by exogenous application of cyclic nucleotides. We report here that forskolin, an activator of endogenous adenylyl cyclase, enhances IKD inactivation removal in isolated hair cells, but produces an overall decrease in IKD amplitude consistent with the direct blocking action of the drug on several families of K channels. In the intact labyrinth, forskolin enhances transmitter release, consistent with such depression of K conductances. Kinase blockers - H-89 and KT5823 - have been shown to reduce IKD inactivation removal and IKD amplitude at isolated hair cells. In the labyrinth, the effects of these drugs on junctional activity are quite variable, with predominant inhibition of transmitter release, rather than the enhancement expected from the impairment of K currents. The overall action of forskolin and kinase inhibitors on K conductances is similar (depression), but they have opposite effects on transmitter release: this indicates that some intermediate steps between the bioelectric control of hair cell membrane potential and transmitter release are affected in opposite ways and therefore are presumably regulated by protein phosphorylation., (Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)