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Background Lymphatic disorders such as protein‐losing enteropathy, plastic bronchitis, and chylothorax are important complications of the Fontan circulation and ultimately result in an increased risk of early death. Several European centers are now performing lymphatic procedures. The aim of this study is to map the extent of these lymphatic disorders and treatments provided across European pediatric cardiology centers. Methods and Results A survey was circulated to 49 European pediatric cardiology centers consisting of 37 questions including a mix of binary, categorical, and continuous variables. Thirty‐one centers (63%) participated in the study, performing a median of 250 (interquartile range, 178 ‐ 313) cardiopulmonary bypass procedures per year. Chylothorax emerged as the most prevalent lymphatic disorder followed by protein‐losing enteropathy and plastic bronchitis. The most common diagnostic investigation method was noncontrast magnetic resonance lymphangiography (52%). Eleven centers (35%) conducted lymphatic interventions with a median of 3 (interquartile range, 1 ‐ 4) procedures per year and 12 (interquartile range, 5 ‐ 15) interventions in total per center. Conclusions This study confirms the rarity of and variation in treatment approaches for lymphatic disorders across Europe. With at least 11 centers offering lymphatic interventions, the adoption of these procedures is on the rise in Europe. To improve the quality of care and treatment outcomes for these complex patients, it is crucial to consider evidence‐based lymphatic diagnostics, interventional lymphatic procedures, and the centralization of services in Europe.

Between 2018 and 2023, the Department of Environmental, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI) at the Polytechnic University of Turin (PoliTo) implemented a project to advance research and education on climate change monitoring, adaptation and mitigation solutions. As part of their communication efforts, DIATI partnered with Faber Teater to create the play “Cambiare il clima” (in Italian, this means “Change the Climate”).This involved a collaboration between DIATI researchers, communication officers, and Faber Teater. The documentary theater that resulted was premiered at Biennale Tecnologia in 2020 and performed at various venues in Northern Italy, targeting both the general public and students.

Background & Aims: Liver diseases resulting from chronic HBV infection are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Vaccines that elicit T-cell responses capable of controlling the virus represent a treatment strategy with potential for long-term effects. Here, we evaluated vaccines that induce the activity of type I natural killer T (NKT) cells to limit viral replication and license stimulation of conventional antiviral T-cells. Methods: Vaccines were prepared by conjugating peptide epitopes to an NKT-cell agonist to promote co-delivery to antigen-presenting cells, encouraging NKT-cell licensing and stimulation of T cells. Activity of the conjugate vaccines was assessed in transgenic mice expressing the complete HBV genome, administered intravenously to maximise access to NKT cell-rich tissues. Results: The vaccines induced only limited antiviral activity in unmanipulated transgenic hosts, likely attributable to NKT-cell activation as T-cell tolerance to viral antigens is strong. However, in a model of chronic hepatitis B involving transfer of naive HBcAg-specific CD8+ T cells into the transgenic mice, which typically results in specific T-cell dysfunction without virus control, vaccines containing the targeted HBcAg epitope induced prolonged antiviral activity because of qualitatively improved T-cell stimulation. In a step towards a clinical product, vaccines were prepared using synthetic long peptides covering clusters of known HLA-binding epitopes and shown to be immunogenic in HLA transgenic mice. Predictions based on HLA distribution suggest a product containing three selected SLP-based vaccines could give >90 % worldwide coverage, with an average of 3.38 epitopes targeted per individual. Conclusions: The novel vaccines described show promise for further clinical development as a treatment for chronic hepatitis B. Impact and Implications: Although there are effective prophylactic vaccines for HBV infection, it is estimated that 350–400 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis B, putting these individuals at significant risk of life-threatening liver diseases. Therapeutic vaccination aimed at activating or boosting HBV-specific T-cell responses holds potential as a strategy for treating chronic infection, but has so far met with limited success. Here, we show that a glycolipid-peptide conjugate vaccine designed to coordinate activity of type I NKT cells alongside conventional antiviral T cells has antiviral activity in a mouse model of chronic infection. It is anticipated that a product based on a combination of three such conjugates, each prepared using long peptides covering clusters of known HLA-binding epitopes, could be developed further as a treatment for chronic hepatitis B with broad global HLA coverage.

Findings of eosinophilic and lymphomonocytic inflammatory infiltrates in endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs) may help in myocardial disease diagnosis identification. Eosinophilic myocarditis (EM), a rare condition, is fatal if left untreated and has rarely been described in heart transplant recipients. An extensive work up is necessary to achieve an early etiological diagnosis; however, the underlying cause remains unexplained in nearly one-third of the patients. The cornerstone of treatment is corticosteroids, comprehensive therapy and heart failure management (including advanced mechanical support for fulminant myocarditis). We have described the case of a 17-year-old heart transplant recipient who presented with a cardiogenic shock. He was admitted to our intensive care unit and treated with inotropic drugs, such as milrinone, adrenaline, vasopressin, and levosimendan; the doses of these drugs were in accordance with our internal protocol. The patient underwent cardiac catheterization, coronarography, and right ventricular EMB. EMB revealed inflammatory lymphomonocytic and eosinophil granulocyte infiltrates; thus, steroid therapy was initiated, with complete recovery achieved after 15 days. Performing an early differential diagnosis among eosinophilic infiltration, acute cellular rejection (ACR), and possible chemotherapeutic damage is emerging as an important challenge. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a lymphomonocytic inflammatory infiltration with numerous eosinophilic granulocytes in the interstitium in a surviving heart transplant recipient.

Background: Stent implantation has become the preferred method of treatment for treating vessel stenosis in congenital heart diseases. The availability of covered stents may decrease complications and have an important role in the management of patients with complex anatomy. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the pre-mounted cobalt–chromium stent-graft-covered ePTFE Aortic BeGraft in a broad spectrum of vascular lesions. Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective results analysis of 107 implanted BeGraft stents between 2016 and 2022 in six different European centers. Results: One hundred and four patients with a mean age of thirteen years (range 1–70 years) and with the body weight of 56.5 kg (range 11–115 kg) underwent the BeGraft stent implantation. Stents were implanted in the following conditions: aortic coarctation (74 patients), RVOT dysfunction (12 patients), Fontan circulation (7 patients), and miscellaneous (11 subjects with complex CHD). All the stents were implanted successfully. The median stent diameter was 16 mm (range 7–24 mm), and the median length was 39 mm (range 19–49 mm). Major complications occurred in five subjects (4.7%). During a median follow-up of fourteen (1–70) months, stents’ re-dilatation was performed in five patients. Conclusions: The BeGraft stent can be used safely and effectively in a wide spectrum of congenital heart diseases. Whether these good results will be stable in the longer term still needs to be investigated in a follow-up given its recent introduction into clinical practice, in particular regarding stent fracture or neointimal proliferation.

Despite differences in historical contexts and issues to be addressed, the word together – as well as the words society, community, and the like – is a common thread of past and present concerns and ambitions in architecture. In recent years, together and togetherness have acquired even greater relevance due to the development and spread of participatory design. However, even when making the value of diversity explicit, a widespread tendency remains to consider the common good abstractly and generically. This article focuses on the contribution of Science and Technology Studies to such issues. In particular, the material-semiotic lines of insight of Actor-Network Theory and feminist technoscience complexify the implications of participation, broadening the range of actors that have to be accounted for and also multiplying situations that may destabilize predefined and unquestioned understandings of the common. In light of these stimuli, interesting pedagogical experiments in design studio courses inspired explorations of mine during a research stay in Berlin.

Abstract Alongside vaccines, antiviral drugs are becoming an integral part of our response to the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic. Nirmatrelvir—an orally available inhibitor of the 3‐chymotrypsin‐like cysteine protease—has been shown to reduce the risk of progression to severe COVID‐19. However, the impact of nirmatrelvir treatment on the development of SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific adaptive immune responses is unknown. Here, by using mouse models of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, we show that nirmatrelvir administration blunts the development of SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific antibody and T cell responses. Accordingly, upon secondary challenge, nirmatrelvir‐treated mice recruited significantly fewer memory T and B cells to the infected lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes, respectively. Together, the data highlight a potential negative impact of nirmatrelvir treatment with important implications for clinical management and might help explain the virological and/or symptomatic relapse after treatment completion reported in some individuals.

Multiple molecular features, such as activation of specific oncogenes (e.g., MYC, BCL2) or a variety of gene expression signatures, have been associated with disease course in diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL), although their relationships and implications for targeted therapy remain to be fully unraveled. We report that MYC activity is closely correlated with—and most likely a driver of—gene signatures related to oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) in DLBCL, pointing to OxPhos enzymes, in particular mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes, as possible therapeutic targets in high‐grade MYC‐associated lymphomas. In our experiments, indeed, MYC sensitized B cells to the ETC complex I inhibitor IACS‐010759. Mechanistically, IACS‐010759 triggered the integrated stress response (ISR) pathway, driven by the transcription factors ATF4 and CHOP, which engaged the intrinsic apoptosis pathway and lowered the apoptotic threshold in MYC‐overexpressing cells. In line with these findings, the BCL2‐inhibitory compound venetoclax synergized with IACS‐010759 against double‐hit lymphoma (DHL), a high‐grade malignancy with concurrent activation of MYC and BCL2. In BCL2‐negative lymphoma cells, instead, killing by IACS‐010759 was potentiated by the Mcl‐1 inhibitor S63845. Thus, combining an OxPhos inhibitor with select BH3‐mimetic drugs provides a novel therapeutic principle against aggressive, MYC‐associated DLBCL variants.

Background The aim of this study is to identify echocardiographic predictors of transient left ventricle dysfunction after pulmonary valve balloon dilatation (PVBD), in neonates with pulmonary valve stenosis (PVS) and atresia with intact septum (PAIVS) at birth. Methods The study includes patients admitted at the Bambino Gesù Children Hospital from January 2012 to January 2017. Clinical, echocardiographic and cardiac catheterization data before and after PVBD were retrospectively analyzed. Results Twenty-nine infants were included in the study (21 male and eight female). The median age was 5.8 ± 7.1 days. Eight patients developed transient LV dysfunction (three PAIVS and five PVS) and comparing data before and after the procedure, there was no difference in right ventricle geometrical and functional parameters except for evidence of at least moderate pulmonary valve regurgitation after PVBD. Conclusion Moderate to severe degree pulmonary valve regurgitation was significant associated to LV dysfunction (p < 0.05) in PVS and PAIVS patients.

The vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 relies on the world-wide availability of effective vaccines, with a potential need of 20 billion vaccine doses to fully vaccinate the world population. To reach this goal, the manufacturing and logistic processes should be affordable to all countries, irrespective of economical and climatic conditions. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are bacterial-derived vesicles that can be engineered to incorporate heterologous antigens. Given the inherent adjuvanticity, such modified OMVs can be used as vaccines to induce potent immune responses against the associated proteins. Here, we show that OMVs engineered to incorporate peptides derived from the receptor binding motif (RBM) of the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 elicit an effective immune response in vaccinated mice, resulting in the production of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) with a titre higher than 1:300. The immunity induced by the vaccine is sufficient to protect the animals from intranasal challenge with SARS-CoV-2, preventing both virus replication in the lungs and the pathology associated with virus infection. Furthermore, we show that OMVs can be effectively decorated with the RBM of the Omicron BA.1 variant and that such engineered OMVs induce nAbs against Omicron BA.1 and BA.5, as measured using the pseudovirus neutralization infectivity assay. Importantly, we show that the RBM438–509 ancestral-OMVs elicited antibodies which efficiently neutralize in vitro both the homologous ancestral strain, the Omicron BA.1 and BA.5 variants with a neutralization titre ranging from 1:100 to 1:1500, suggesting its potential use as a vaccine targeting diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants. Altogether, given the convenience associated with the ease of engineering, production and distribution, our results demonstrate that OMV-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines can be a crucial addition to the vaccines currently available.

Glacier surfaces are highly heterogeneous mixtures of ice, snow, light-absorbing impurities and debris material. The spatial and temporal variability of these components affects ice surface characteristics and strongly influences glacier energy and mass balance. Remote sensing offers a unique opportunity to characterize glacier optical and thermal properties, enabling a better understanding of different processes occurring at the glacial surface. In this study, we evaluate the potential of optical and thermal data collected from field and drone platforms to map the abundances of predominant glacier surfaces (i.e., snow, clean ice, melting ice, dark ice, cryoconite, dusty snow and debris cover) on the Zebrù glacier in the Italian Alps. The drone surveys were conducted on the ablation zone of the glacier on 29 and 30 July 2020, corresponding to the middle of the ablation season. We identified very high heterogeneity of surface types dominated by melting ice (30% of the investigated area), dark ice (24%), clean ice (19%) and debris cover (17%). The surface temperature of debris cover was inversely related to debris-cover thickness. This relation is influenced by the petrology of debris cover, suggesting the importance of lithology when considering the role of debris over glaciers. Multispectral and thermal drone surveys can thus provide accurate high-resolution maps of different snow and ice types and their temperature, which are critical elements to better understand the glacier’s energy budget and melt rates.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the number of episodes in the past 12 months as an indicator of the overall disease activity status in Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, patients were recruited from tertiary pediatric hospitals. Demographic data, main clinical symptoms of the episodes, treatment modalities, and genetic mutations were recorded. The patients were grouped as no episodes (Group 1), 1–4 episodes (Group 2), and more than 4 episodes (Group 3) according to the number of episodes in the past 12 months. The Pediatric Quality Life Inventory (PedsQL), the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), and the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (FACES) scores were compared between groups. Concurrent validity between the number of episodes and the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) was assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ).ResultsA total of 239 patients were included. There were 74 patients (31%) in Group 1, 99 (41.4%) in Group 2, and 66 (27.6%) in Group 3. Groups were similar according to age, age at diagnosis, gender, consanguinity, family history, history of amyloidosis, clinical symptoms, and in terms of allele frequency (p > 0.05). According to PROMs completed by parents, moderate correlations were found between the number of episodes and the PedsQL score (ρ = −0.48; 95% CI = −0.58 to −0.35, p < 0.001) and between the number of episodes and the Wong-Baker FACES score (ρ = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.35–0.57, p < 0.001).ConclusionThe number of episodes was positively and moderately correlated with patient- and parent-reported outcomes in our cohort. The number of episodes in patients with FMF can be used as a single measure to assess disease activity.

The upcoming Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) mission will provide sun-induced fluorescence (SIF) products at unprecedented spatial resolution. Thus, accurate calibration and validation (cal/val) of these products are key to guarantee robust SIF estimates for the assessment and quantification of photosynthetic processes. In this study, we address one specific component of the uncertainty budget related to SIF retrieval: the spatial representativeness of in situ SIF observations compared to medium-resolution SIF products (e.g., 300 m pixel size). Here, we propose an approach to evaluate an optimal sampling strategy to characterise the spatial representativeness of in situ SIF observations based on high-spatial-resolution SIF data. This approach was applied for demonstration purposes to two agricultural areas that have been extensively characterized with a HyPlant airborne imaging spectrometer in recent years. First, we determined the spatial representativeness of an increasing number of sampling points with respect to a reference area (either monocultural crop fields or hypothetical FLEX pixels characterised by different land cover types). Then, we compared different sampling approaches to determine which strategy provided the most representative reference data for a given area. Results show that between 3 and 13.5 sampling points are needed to characterise the average SIF value of both monocultural fields and hypothetical FLEX pixels of the agricultural areas considered in this study. The number of sampling points tends to increase with the standard deviation of SIF of the reference area, as well as with the number of land cover classes in a FLEX pixel, even if the increase is not always statistically significant. This study contributes to guiding cal/val activities for the upcoming FLEX mission, providing useful insights for the selection of the validation site network and particularly for the definition of the best sampling scheme for each site.

The term innovation is commonly considered synonymous with improvement. This particularly happens in liberal societies, whose economic dynamics are expressed both in the production of objects and in the design of new services. This meaning in fact has emerged in a productive and social context in which high technology is able to produce increasingly sophisticated instruments and devices that, although requiring a very high level of scientific knowledge, are offered for mass consumption. Moreover, most of the users can only partially understand their functioning.Today innovation seems to be a permanent imperative both at the level of companies and industries, and at the level of institutions, that widely use this term when reforming their services. However, even though the term is mostly used to feed the vicious circle of consumerism, it could also refer to shared design processes and practices capable of promoting unprecedented methods of social construction.

The COVID-19 pandemic is entering a new era with the approval of many SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. In spite of the restoration of an almost normal way of life thanks to the immune protection elicited by these innovative vaccines, we are still facing high viral circulation, with a significant number of deaths. To further explore alternative vaccination platforms, we developed COVID-eVax—a genetic vaccine based on plasmid DNA encoding the RBD domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Here, we describe the correlation between immune responses and the evolution of viral infection in ferrets infected with the live virus. We demonstrate COVID-eVax immunogenicity as means of antibody response and, above all, a significant T-cell response, thus proving the critical role of T-cell immunity, in addition to the neutralizing antibody activity, in controlling viral spread.

BackgroundDuring the last decade, remarkable progress with massive sequencing has been made in the identification of disease-associated genes for AIDs using next-generation sequencing technologies (NGS). An international group of experts described the ideal genetic screening method which should give information about SNVs, InDels, Copy Number Variations (CNVs), GC rich regions. We aimed to develop and validate a molecular diagnostic method in conjunction with the NGS platform as an inexpensive, extended and uniform coverage and fast screening tool which consists of nine genes known to be associated with various AIDs.MethodsFor the validation of basic and expanded panels, long-range multiplex models were setup on healthy samples without any known variations for MEFV, MVK, TNFRSF1A, NLRP3, PSTPIP1, IL1RN, NOD2, NLRP12 and LPIN2 genes. Patients with AIDs who had already known causative variants in these genes were sequenced for analytical validation. As a last step, multiplex models were validated on patients with pre-diagnosis of AIDs. All sequencing steps were performed on the Illumina NGS platform. Validity steps included the selection of related candidate genes, primer design, development of screening methods, validation and verification of the product. The GDPE (Gentera) bioinformatics pipeline was followed.ResultsAlthough there was no nonsynonymous variation in 21 healthy samples, 107 synonymous variant alleles and some intronic and UTR variants were detected. In 10 patients who underwent analytical validation, besides the 11 known nonsynonymous variant alleles, 11 additional nonsynonymous variant alleles and a total of 81 synonymous variants were found. In the clinical validation phase, 46 patients sequenced with multiplex panels, genetic and clinical findings were combined for diagnosis.ConclusionIn this study, we describe the development and validation of an NGS-based multiplex array enabling the “long-amplicon” approach for targeted sequencing of nine genes associated with common AIDs. This screening tool is less expensive and more comprehensive compared to other methods and more informative than traditional sequencing. The proposed panel offers advantages to WES or hybridization probe equivalents in terms of CNV analysis, high sensitivity and uniformity, GC-rich region sequencing, InDel detection and intron covering.

Objectives: To describe demographic, clinical and therapeutic findings of a large cohort of patients with JIA-associated uveitis in a nationwide referral pediatric rheumatology and uveitis center in Northern Italy.Methods: Retrospective study of 125 patients with JIA-associated uveitis followed from 2009 to 2019. Demographic and rheumatologic features including JIA ILAR classification, age at onset, and laboratory data were recorded. Ocular findings collected were: anatomic location of uveitis, laterality, type, recurrence rate, visual acuity, ocular complications, and local therapy. Systemic therapy with conventional and biologic immunosuppressants, occurrence of adverse events, and duration of treatments were recorded.Results: One hundred and twenty-five patients with JIA-associated uveitis were followed for a meantime of 9.2 (±1.7) years. Oligoarticular JIA was present in 92.8% of patients and anterior uveitis in 96%. The most common ocular complications recorded in our sample were posterior synechiae (37.6%), cataract (20.8%), band keratopathy (19.2%), glaucoma (7.2%), and macular edema (5.6%). Conventional immunosuppressants were used in 75.2% of patients with a mean duration of 9.1 years (±5.4), while biologics were administered in 47.2% of them for a period of 5.4 years. Adverse events (AE) were seen in 23% of patients being treated with Methotrexate, in 10.4% of patients treated with Adalimumab, in 38.5% of patients in therapy with Infliximab, and in 14.3% of patients being treated with Tocilizumab. No AE were reported in patients treated with Golimumab, Certolizumab, Abatacept and Rituximab.Conclusions: An aggressive treatment approach for patients with JIA-associated uveitis ensured a low number of ocular complications with a good safety profile.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a devastating disease with a dismal prognosis. Therapeutic interventions are largely ineffective. A better understanding of the pathophysiology is required. Ion channels contribute substantially to the “hallmarks of cancer.” Their expression is dysregulated in cancer, and they are “misused” to drive cancer progression, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Ion channels are located in the cell membrane at the interface between the intracellular and extracellular space. They sense and modify the tumor microenvironment which in itself is a driver of PDAC aggressiveness. Ion channels detect, for example, locally altered proton and electrolyte concentrations or mechanical stimuli and transduce signals triggered by these microenvironmental cues through association with intracellular signaling cascades. While these concepts have been firmly established for other cancers, evidence has emerged only recently that ion channels are drivers of PDAC aggressiveness. Particularly, they appear to contribute to two of the characteristic PDAC features: the massive fibrosis of the tumor stroma (desmoplasia) and the efficient immune evasion. Our critical review of the literature clearly shows that there is still a remarkable lack of knowledge with respect to the contribution of ion channels to these two typical PDAC properties. Yet, we can draw parallels from ion channel research in other fibrotic and inflammatory diseases. Evidence is accumulating that pancreatic stellate cells express the same “profibrotic” ion channels. Similarly, it is at least in part known which major ion channels are expressed in those innate and adaptive immune cells that populate the PDAC microenvironment. We explore potential therapeutic avenues derived thereof. Since drugs targeting PDAC-relevant ion channels are already in clinical use, we propose to repurpose those in PDAC. The quest for ion channel targets is both motivated and complicated by the fact that some of the relevant channels, for example, KCa3.1, are functionally expressed in the cancer, stroma, and immune cells. Only in vivo studies will reveal which arm of the balance we should put our weights on when developing channel-targeting PDAC therapies. The time is up to explore the efficacy of ion channel targeting in (transgenic) murine PDAC models before launching clinical trials with repurposed drugs.

We aimed to evaluate the effect of a combination of natural products on parameters related to inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress in a cohort of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients with Serum Amyloid A amyloidosis, in a non-randomized, 24-week open-label interventional study. Morinda citrifolia (anti-atherosclerotic-AAL), omega-3 (anti-inflammatory-AIC), and extract with Alaskan blueberry (antioxidant-AOL) were given to patients with FMF-related biopsy-proven AA amyloidosis. Patients were >18 years and had proteinuria (>3500 mg/day) but a normal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Arterial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), and serum biomarkers asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), pentraxin (PTX3), malondialdehyde (MDA), Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were studied at baseline and after 24 weeks of treatment. A total of 67 FMF-related amyloidosis patients (52 male (77.6%); median age 36 years (range 21–66)) were enrolled. At the end of a 24-week treatment period with AAL, AIC, and AOL combination therapy, ADMA, MDA, PTX3, hsCRP, cholesterol, and proteinuria were significantly decreased compared to baseline, while CuZn-SOD, GSH-Px, and FMD levels were significantly increased. Changes in inflammatory markers PTX3, and hsCRP were negatively correlated with FMD change, and positively correlated with decreases in proteinuria, ADMA, MDA, cholesterol, and CIMT. Treatment with AAL, AIC and AOL combination for 24 weeks were significantly associated with reduction in inflammatory markers, improved endothelial functions, and oxidative state. Efficient control of these three mechanisms can have long term cardiovascular and renal benefits for patients with AA amyloidosis.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains underestimated in familial Mediterranean fever-associated AA amyloidosis (FMF-AA). We aimed to compare early markers of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in FMF-AA with a homozygous M694V mutation (Group 1 = 76 patients) in the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene and in patients with other genotypes (Group 2 = 93 patients). Measures of increased risk for future CVD events and endothelial dysfunction, including flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), pentraxin-3 (PTX3), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) as a marker of atherosclerotic vascular disease were compared between groups. The frequency of clinical FMF manifestations did not differ between the two groups apart from arthritis (76.3% in Group 1 and 59.1% in Group 2, p < 0.05). FMD was significantly lower in Group 1 when compared with Group 2 (MD [95% CI]: −0.6 [(−0.89)–(−0.31)]). cIMT, FGF23, and PTX3 levels were higher in Group 1 (cIMT MD [95% CI]: 0.12 [0.08–0.16]; FGF23 MD [95% CI]: 12.8 [5.9–19.6]; PTX3 MD [95% CI]: 13.3 [8.9–17.5]). In patients with FMF-AA, M694V homozygosity is associated with lower FMD values and higher cIMT, FGF23, and PTX3 levels, suggesting increased CVD risk profiles. These data suggest that a genotype–phenotype association exists in terms of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in patients with FMF-AA.

The importance of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in neutrophil function has been intensely studied. However, the role of the intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i) which is closely linked to the intracellular Ca2+ regulation has been largely overlooked. The [Na+]i is regulated by Na+ transport proteins such as the Na+/Ca2+-exchanger (NCX1), Na+/K+-ATPase, and Na+-permeable, transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) channel. Stimulating with either N-formylmethionine-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLF) or complement protein C5a causes distinct changes of the [Na+]i. fMLF induces a sustained increase of [Na+]i, surprisingly, reaching higher values in TRPM2−/− neutrophils. This outcome is unexpected and remains unexplained. In both genotypes, C5a elicits only a transient rise of the [Na+]i. The difference in [Na+]i measured at t = 10 min after stimulation is inversely related to neutrophil chemotaxis. Neutrophil chemotaxis is more efficient in C5a than in an fMLF gradient. Moreover, lowering the extracellular Na+ concentration from 140 to 72 mM improves chemotaxis of WT but not of TRPM2−/− neutrophils. Increasing the [Na+]i by inhibiting the Na+/K+-ATPase results in disrupted chemotaxis. This is most likely due to the impact of the altered Na+ homeostasis and presumably NCX1 function whose expression was shown by means of qPCR and which critically relies on proper extra- to intracellular Na+ concentration gradients. Increasing the [Na+]i by a few mmol/l may suffice to switch its transport mode from forward (Ca2+-efflux) to reverse (Ca2+-influx) mode. The role of NCX1 in neutrophil chemotaxis is corroborated by its blocker, which also causes a complete inhibition of chemotaxis.

The increasing amount of continuous time series of solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) and vegetation indices (e.g. Photochemical Reflectance Index, PRI) acquired with high temporal (sub-minute) frequencies is foreseen to allow tracking of the structural and physiological changes of vegetation in a variety of ecosystems. Coupled with observations of CO2, water, and energy fluxes from eddy covariance flux towers, these measurements can bring new insights into the remote monitoring of ecosystem functioning. However, continuously changing solar-view geometry imposes directional effects on diurnal cycles of the fluorescence radiance in the observation direction (F) and PRI, controlled by structural and biochemical vegetation properties. An improved understanding of these variations can potentially help to disentangle directional responses of vegetation from physiological ones in the continuous long-term optical measurements and, therefore, allow to deconvolve the physiological information relevant to ecosystem functioning. Moreover, this will also be useful for better interpreting and validating F and PRI satellite products (e.g., from the upcoming ESA FLEX mission).Many previous studies focused on the characterization of reflectance directionality, but only a handful of studies investigated directional effects on F and vegetation indices related to plant physiology. The aim of this study is to contribute to the understanding of red (F687) and far-red (F760) fluorescence and PRI anisotropy based on field spectroscopy data and simulations with the Soil-Canopy Observation of Photochemistry and Energy fluxes (SCOPE) model. We present an extensive dataset of multi-angular measurements of F and PRI collected at canopy level with a high-resolution instrument (FloX, JB Hyperspectral Devices UG, Germany) over different ecosystems: Mediterranean grassland, alfalfa, chickpea and rice.We found, that F760 and F687 directional responses of horizontally homogeneous canopies are characterized by higher values in the backscatter direction with a maximum in the hotspot and lower values in the forward scatter direction. The PRI exhibited similar response due to its sensitivity to sunlit-shaded canopy fractions.As confirmed by radiative transfer forward simulations, we show that in the field measurements leaf inclination distribution function controls the shape of F and PRI anisotropic response (bowl-like/dome-like shapes), while leaf area index and the ratio of leaf width to canopy height affect the magnitude and the width of the hotspot. Finally, we discuss the implications of off-nadir viewing geometry for continuous ground measurements. F observations under oblique viewing angles showed up to 67 % difference compared to nadir observations, therefore, we suggest maintaining nadir viewing geometry for continuous measurements of F and vegetation indices. Alternatively, a correction scheme should be developed and tested against multi-angular measurements to properly account for anisotropy of canopy F and PRI observations. The quantitative characterization of these effects in varying illumination geometries for different canopies that was performed in this study will also be useful for the validation of remote sensing F and PRI products at different spatial and temporal scales.

Background: Aim of this study was to search for any difference in the outcome of patients with adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) treated with anakinra (ANK) in relation with the interval between disease onset and the start of anti-interleukin(IL)-1 treatment and according with the different lines of ANK treatment.Patients and Methods: One hundred and forty-one AOSD patients treated with ANK have been retrospectively assessed. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were analyzed in the frequency of ANK effectiveness, primary or secondary inefficacy to ANK and rate of resolution of clinical and laboratory AOSD manifestations after 3, 6, and 12 months since ANK treatment according with different lines of treatment and different times between AOSD onset and start of ANK.Results: No significant differences were identified in the ANK effectiveness and frequency of primary or secondary inefficacy for patients starting ANK within 6 months (p = 0.19, p = 0.14, and p = 0.81, respectively) or 12 months (p = 0.37, p = 0.23, and p = 0.81, respectively) since AOSD onset compared with patients starting ANK thereafter; no significant differences were identified in ANK effectiveness and primary or secondary inefficacy according with different lines of ANK treatment (p = 0.06, p = 0.19, and p = 0.13, respectively). Patients starting ANK within 6 and 12 months since AOSD onset showed a significantly quicker decrease of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein than observed among patients undergoing ANK treatment after 6 and 12 months. The number of swollen joints at the 3 month follow-up visit was significantly lower among patients undergoing ANK within 6 months since AOSD onset (p = 0.01), while no significance was identified at the 6 and 12 month assessments (p = 0.23 and p = 0.45, respectively). At the 3 and 6 month visits, the number of swollen joints was significantly higher among patients previously treated with conventional and biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) compared with those formerly treated only with conventional DMARDs (p < 0.017).Conclusions: Clinical and therapeutic outcomes are substantially independent of how early ANK treatment is started in AOSD patients. However, a faster ANK effectiveness in controlling systemic inflammation and resolving articular manifestations may be observed in patients benefiting from IL-1 inhibition as soon as after disease onset.

Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is a well-known diagnostic tool for the investigation and treatment of myocardial diseases and remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of myocarditis. Due to its invasiveness, with a complication rate ranging from 1 to 15%, its role in the diagnostic work-up of pediatric heart failure is not well established. The aim of this review is to define the role of EMB as diagnostic technique in the work up of children presenting with severe left ventricular dysfunction with the support of our center experience.

Flow velocities were measured on the Plator rock glacier in the Central Italian Alps using a correlation image analysis algorithm on orthophotos acquired by drones between the years 2016 and 2020. The spatial patterns of surface creep were then compared to the Bulk Creep Factor (BCF) spatial variability to interpret the rock glacier dynamics as a function of material properties and geometry. The rock glacier showed different creep rates in the rooting zone (0.40–0.90 m/y) and in the frontal zone (>4.0 m/y). Close to the rock glacier front, the BCF assumed the highest values, reaching values typical of rock glaciers experiencing destabilisation. Conversely, in the rooting zone the small rates corresponded to lowest BCFs, about five times smaller than in the frontal zone. The Plator rock glacier revealed a substantial advancement from 1981 to 2020 and distinct geomorphological features typical of rock glaciers exhibiting destabilising processes. Given the fast-moving phase, the advancement of both the front line and the front toe of the rock glacier, and the contrasting spatial distribution in the BCFs, the Plator could be considered a destabilised rock glacier.

Ice cores from mid-latitude mountain glaciers provide detailed information on past climate conditions and regional environmental changes, which is essential for placing current climate change into a longer term perspective. In this context, it is important to define guidelines and create dedicated maps to identify suitable areas for future ice-core drillings. In this study, the suitability for ice-core drilling (SICD) of a mountain glacier is defined as the possibility of extracting an ice core with preserved stratigraphy suitable for reconstructing past climate. Morphometric and climatic variables related to SICD are selected through literature review and characterization of previously drilled sites. A quantitative Weight of Evidence method is proposed to combine selected variables (i.e. slope, local relief, temperature and direct solar radiation) to map the potential drilling sites in mid-latitude mountain glaciers. The method was first developed in the European Alps and then applied to the Asian High Mountains. Model performances and limitations are discussed and first indications of new potential drilling sites in the Asian High Mountains are provided. Results presented here can facilitate the selection of future drilling sites especially on unexplored Asian mountain glaciers towards the understanding of climate and environmental changes.

The island of Venice, with more than thirty churches closed, is now a case of national interest. The vocation of reuse of these buildings would naturally be that of exhibition spaces. Even this vocation would coincide with the destiny of Venice: an open-air museum. After the physic and photographical mapping of these places, it seems possible that they become spaces of immaterial production. A return to the productive Venice, as in the nineteenth century, to prospect a real change of paradigm, able to innervate the entire urban system. The investigated hypothesis of reuse moves not only within linguistic and spatial constraints dictated by the architecture, but also within legal constraints: land-use plans, the legal regime of the public domain, the protection of cultural heritage and the protection of the destination to Catholic cult.

Precision medicine (PM) is an emerging data-driven health care approach that integrates phenotypic, genomic, epigenetic, and environmental factors unique to an individual. The goal of PM is to facilitate diagnosis, predict effective therapy, and avoid adverse reactions specific for each patient. The forefront of PM is in oncology; nonetheless, it is developing in other fields of medicine, including rheumatology. Recent studies on elucidating the genetic architecture of polygenic and monogenic rheumatological diseases have made PM possible by enabling physicians to customize medical treatment through the incorporation of clinical features and genetic data. For complex inflammatory disorders, the prevailing paradigm is that disease susceptibility is due to additive effects of common reduced-penetrance gene variants and environmental factors. Efforts have been made to calculate cumulative genetic risk score (GRS) and to relate specific susceptibility alleles for use of target therapies. The discovery of rare patients with single-gene high-penetrance mutations informed our understanding of pathways driving systemic inflammation. Here, we review the advances in practicing PM in patients with primary systemic vasculitides (PSVs). We summarize recent genetic studies and discuss current knowledge on the contribution of epigenetic factors and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in disease progression and treatment response. Implementation of PM in PSVs is a developing field that will require analysis of a large cohort of patients to validate data from genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, and epigenomics studies for accurate disease profiling. This multi-omics approach to study disease pathogeneses should ultimately provide a powerful tool for stratification of patients to receive tailored optimal therapies and for monitoring their disease activity.

Background: Anakinra (ANA) is an effective treatment choice in patients with adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD). Variables affecting treatment survival include loss of efficacy or adverse events, but also the decision to discontinue treatment after long-term clinical remission.Objectives: Aims of this study were: (i) to assess the drug retention rate (DRR) of ANA during a long-term follow-up looking for any difference related to the line of biologic treatment, the concomitant use of conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (cDMARDs) and the different type of AOSD (systemic versus chronic articular); (ii) to identify predictive factors of lack of efficacy, loss of efficacy, and ANA withdrawal owing to long-term remission.Methods: AOSD patients classified according with Yamaguchi criteria and treated with ANA were retrospectively enrolled in 18 Italian tertiary Centers. Demographic, laboratory, clinical and therapeutic data related to the start of ANA (baseline), the 3-month assessment and the last follow-up visit while on ANA treatment were retrospectively collected and statistically analyzed.Results: One hundred and forty-one AOSD patients (48 males, 93 females) treated with ANA for a mean period of 35.96 ± 36.05 months were enrolled. The overall DRR of ANA was 44.6 and 30.5% at the 60- and 120-month assessments, respectively, with no significant differences between: (i) biologic naïve patients and those previously treated with other biologics (log-rank p = 0.97); (ii) monotherapy and concomitant use of cDMARDs (log-rank p = 0.45); (iii) systemic and chronic articular types of AOSD (log-rank p = 0.67). No variables collected at baseline could predict primary inefficacy, while the number of swollen joints at baseline was significantly associated with secondary inefficacy (p = 0.01, OR = 1.194, C.I. 1.043–1.367). The typical AOSD skin rash was negatively related with ANA withdrawal owing to long-term remission (p = 0.03, OR = 0.224, C.I. 0.058–0.863).Conclusion: Long-term DRR of ANA has been found excellent and is not affected by different lines of biologic treatment, concomitant use of cDMARDs, or type of AOSD. The risk of losing ANA efficacy increases along with the number of swollen joints at the start of therapy, while the typical skin rash is a negative predictor of ANA withdrawal related to sustained remission.

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) information offers a deep insight into the plant physiological status by reason of the close relationship it has with the photosynthetic activity. The unmanned aerial systems (UAS)-based assessment of solar induced ChlF (SIF) using non-imaging spectrometers and radiance-based retrieval methods, has the potential to provide spatio-temporal photosynthetic performance information at field scale. The objective of this manuscript is to report the main advances in the development of UAS-based methods for SIF retrieval with non-imaging spectrometers through the latest scientific contributions, some of which are being developed within the frame of the Training on Remote Sensing for Ecosystem Modelling (TRuStEE) program. Investigations from the Universities of Edinburgh (School of Geosciences) and Tasmania (School of Technology, Environments and Design) are first presented, both sharing the principle of the spectroradiometer optical path bifurcation throughout, the so called ‘Piccolo-Doppio’ and ‘AirSIF’ systems, respectively. Furthermore, JB Hyperspectral Devices’ ongoing investigations towards the closest possible characterization of the atmospheric interference suffered by orbital platforms are outlined. The latest approach focuses on the observation of one single ground point across a multiple-kilometer atmosphere vertical column using the high altitude UAS named as AirFloX, mounted on a specifically designed and manufactured fixed wing platform: ‘FloXPlane’. We present technical details and preliminary results obtained from each instrument, a summary of their main characteristics, and finally the remaining challenges and open research questions are addressed. On the basis of the presented findings, the consensus is that SIF can be retrieved from low altitude spectroscopy. However, the UAS-based methods for SIF retrieval still present uncertainties associated with the current sensor characteristics and the spatio-temporal mismatching between aerial and ground measurements, which complicate robust validations. Complementary studies regarding the standardization of calibration methods and the characterization of spectroradiometers and data processing workflows are also required. Moreover, other open research questions such as those related to the implementation of atmospheric correction, bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) correction, and accurate surface elevation models remain to be addressed.

SUMMARY Trust has been variously defined by behavioral scientists and not very thoroughly investigated. In this study trust was defined as an expectancy held by an individual that the behavior of another person or a group would be altruistic and personally beneficial. An attempt was made, using this conceptual definition, to identify some personality and behavioral correlates of trust. Seven interpersonal relations groups with approximately 10 male and female undergraduates per group were studied with use of the Janis and Field self-esteem inventory, Schutz's FIRO-B scale, and the Rotter internal-external scale. It was discovered that a trusted person is one who is highly influential, has an internal locus of control, a low need to control others, high self-esteem, and is open to being influenced by others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were: (i) the mapping of asbestos cement roofs in an urban area; and (ii) the development of a spectral index related to the roof weathering status. Aerial images were collected through the Multispectral Infrared and Visible Imaging Spectrometer (MIVIS) sensor, which acquires data in 102 channels from the visible to the thermal infrared spectral range. An image based supervised classification was performed using the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) algorithm. The SAM was trained through a set of pixels selected on roofs of different materials. The map showed an average producer’s accuracy (PA) of 86% and a user’s accuracy (UA) of 89% for the asbestos cement class. A novel spectral index, the “Index of Surface Deterioration” (ISD), was defined based on measurements collected with a portable spectroradiometer on asbestos cement roofs that were characterized by different weathering statuses. The ISD was then calculated on the MIVIS images, allowing the distinction of two weathering classes (i.e., high and low). The asbestos cement map was handled in a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to supply the municipalities with the cadastral references of each property having an asbestos cement roof. This tool can be purposed for municipalities as an aid to prioritize asbestos removal, based on roof weathering status.

This study evaluates the potential of airborne remote sensing images to detect water stress in maize. Visible and near infrared CASI (Itres Research Ltd., Calgary, AL, Canada) and thermal AHS-160 (Sensytech Inc., Beverly, MA, USA) data were acquired at three different times during the day on a maize field (Zea mays L.) grown with three different irrigation treatments. An intensive field campaign was also conducted concurrently with image acquisition to measure leaf ecophysiological parameters and the leaf area index. The analysis of the field data showed that maize plants were experiencing moderate to severe water stress in rainfed plots and a weaker stress condition in the plots with a water deficit imposed between stem elongation and flowering. Vegetation indices including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) computed from the CASI images, sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (F760) and canopy temperature (Tc) showed different performances in describing the water stress during the day. During the morning overpass, NDVI was the index with the highest discriminant power due to the sensitivity of NDVI to maize canopy structure, affected by the water irrigation treatment. As the day progressed, processes related to heat dissipation through plant transpiration became more and more important and at midday Tc showed the best performances. Furthermore, Tc retrieved from the midday image was the only index able to distinguish all the three classes of water status. Finally, during the afternoon, PRI and F760 showed the best performances. These results demonstrate the feasibility to detect water stress using thermal and optical airborne data, pointing out the importance of careful planning of the airborne surveys as a function of the specific aims of the study.

Background: Interleukin (IL)-1 plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD).Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of anakinra (ANA) and canakinumab (CAN) in a large group of AOSD patients.Methods: Data on clinical, serological features, and concomitant treatments were retrospectively collected at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months from AOSD patients (Yamaguchi criteria) referred by 18 Italian centers. Pouchot’s score was used to evaluate disease severity.Results: One hundred forty patients were treated with ANA; 4 were subsequently switched to CAN after ANA failure. The systemic pattern of AOSD was identified in 104 (74.2%) of the ANA-treated and in 3 (75%) of the CAN-treated groups; the chronic-articular type of AOSD was identified in 48 (25.8%) of the ANA-treated and in 1 (25%) of the CAN-treated groups. Methotrexate (MTX) was the most frequent disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) used before beginning ANA or CAN [91/140 (75.8%), 2/4 (50%), respectively]. As a second-line biologic DMARD therapy in 29/140 (20.7%) of the patients, ANA was found effective in improving all clinical and serological manifestations (p < 0.0001), and Pouchot’s score was found to be significantly reduced at all time points (p < 0.0001). No differences in treatment response were identified in the ANA-group when the patients were stratified according to age, sex, disease pattern or mono/combination therapy profile. ANA primary and secondary inefficacy at the 12-month time point was 15/140 (10.7%) and 11/140 (7.8%), respectively. Adverse events (AEs) [mainly represented by in situ (28/47, 59.5%) or diffuse (12/47, 25.5%) skin reactions and infections (7/47, 14.8%)] were the main causes for discontinuation. Pouchot’s score and clinical and serological features were significantly ameliorated at all time points (p < 0.0001) in the CAN-group, and no AEs were registered during CAN therapy. Treatment was suspended for loss of efficacy only in one case (1/4, 25%).Conclusion: This is the largest retrospective observational study evaluating the efficacy and safety of IL-1 inhibitors in AOSD patients. A good response was noted at 3 months after therapy onset in both the ANA- and CAN-groups. Skin reaction may nevertheless represent a non-negligible AE during ANA treatment.

This paper presents a method for mapping the nitrogen (N) status in a maize field using hyperspectral remote sensing imagery. An airborne survey was conducted with an AISA Eagle hyperspectral sensor over an experimental farm where maize (Zea mays L.) was grown with two N fertilization levels (0 and 100 kg N ha−1) in four replicates. Leaf and canopy field data were collected during the flight. The nitrogen (N) status has been estimated in this work based on the Nitrogen Nutrition Index (NNI), defined as the ratio between the leaf actual N concentration (%Na) of the crop and the minimum N content required for the maximum biomass production (critical N concentration (%Nc)) calculated through the dry mass at the time of the flight (Wflight). The inputs required to calculate the NNI (i.e., %Na and Wflight) have been estimated through regression analyses between field data and remotely sensed vegetation indices. MCARI/MTVI2 (Modified Chlorophyll Absorption Ratio Index/Modified Triangular Vegetation Index 2) showed the best performances in estimating the %Na (R2 = 0.59) and MTVI2 in estimating the Wflight (R2 = 0.80). The %Na and the Wflight were then mapped and used to compute the NNI map over the entire field. The NNI map agreed with the NNI estimated using field data through traditional destructive measurements (R2 = 0.70) confirming the potential of using remotely sensed indices to assess the crop N condition. Finally, a method to derive a pixel based variable rate N fertilization map was proposed as the difference between the actual N content and the optimal N content. We think that the proposed operational methodology is promising for precision farming since it represents an innovative attempt to derive a variable rate N fertilization map based on the actual crop N status from an aerial hyperspectral image.

Sun-Induced fluorescence at 760 nm (F760) is increasingly being used to predict gross primary production (GPP) through light use efficiency (LUE) modeling, even though the mechanistic processes that link the two are not well understood. We analyzed the effect of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) availability on the processes that link GPP and F760 in a Mediterranean grassland manipulated with nutrient addition. To do so, we used a combination of process-based modeling with Soil-Canopy Observation of Photosynthesis and Energy (SCOPE), and statistical analyses such as path modeling. With this study, we uncover the mechanisms that link the fertilization-driven changes in canopy nitrogen concentration (N%) to the observed changes in F760 and GPP. N addition changed plant community structure and increased canopy chlorophyll content, which jointly led to changes in photosynthetic active radiation (APAR), ultimately affecting both GPP and F760. Changes in the abundance of graminoids, (%graminoids) driven by N addition led to changes in structural properties of the canopy such as leaf angle distribution, that ultimately influenced observed F760 by controlling the escape probability of F760 (Fesc). In particular, we found a change in GPP−F760 relationship between the first and the second year of the experiment that was largely driven by the effect of plant type composition on Fesc, whose best predictor is %graminoids. The P addition led to a statistically significant increase on light use efficiency of fluorescence emission (LUEf), in particular in plots also with N addition, consistent with leaf level studies. The N addition induced changes in the biophysical properties of the canopy that led to a trade-off between surface temperature (Ts), which decreased, and F760 at leaf scale (F760leaf,fw), which increased. We found that Ts is an important predictor of the light use efficiency of photosynthesis, indicating the importance of Ts in LUE modeling approaches to predict GPP.

The interest of the scientific community on the remote observation of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has increased in the recent years. In this context, hyperspectral ground measurements play a crucial role in the calibration and validation of future satellite missions. For this reason, the European cooperation in science and technology (COST) Action ES1309 OPTIMISE has compiled three papers on instrument characterization, measurement setups and protocols, and retrieval methods (current paper). This study is divided in two sections; first, we evaluated the uncertainties in SIF retrieval methods (e.g., Fraunhofer line depth (FLD) approaches and spectral fitting method (SFM)) for a combination of off-the-shelf commercial spectrometers. Secondly, we evaluated how an erroneous implementation of the retrieval methods increases the uncertainty in the estimated SIF values. Results show that the SFM approach applied to high-resolution spectra provided the most reliable SIF retrieval with a relative error (RE) ≤6% and F687 and F760, respectively. Furthermore, although the SFM was the least affected by an inaccurate definition of the absorption spectral window (RE = 5%) and/or interpolation strategy (RE = 15–30%), we observed a sensitivity of the SIF retrieval for the simulated training data underlying the SFM model implementation.

The linearity and scale-dependency of ecosystem biodiversity and productivity relationships (BPRs) have been under intense debate. In a changing climate, monitoring BPRs within and across different ecosystem types is crucial, and novel remote sensing tools such as the Sentinel-2 (S2) may be adopted to retrieve ecosystem diversity information and to investigate optical diversity and productivity patterns. But are the S2 spectral and spatial resolutions suitable to detect relationships between optical diversity and productivity? In this study, we implemented an integrated analysis of spatial patterns of grassland productivity and optical diversity using optical remote sensing and Eddy Covariance data. Across-scale optical diversity and ecosystem productivity patterns were analyzed for different grassland associations with a wide range of productivity. Using airborne optical data to simulate S2, we provided empirical evidence that the best optical proxies of ecosystem productivity were linearly correlated with optical diversity. Correlation analysis at increasing pixel sizes proved an evident scale-dependency of the relationships between optical diversity and productivity. The results indicate the strong potential of S2 for future large-scale assessment of across-ecosystem dynamics at upper levels of observation.

This paper reviews the currently available optical sensors, their limitations and opportunities for deployment at Eddy Covariance (EC) sites in Europe. This review is based on the results obtained from an online survey designed and disseminated by the Co-cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action ESO903—“Spectral Sampling Tools for Vegetation Biophysical Parameters and Flux Measurements in Europe” that provided a complete view on spectral sampling activities carried out within the different research teams in European countries. The results have highlighted that a wide variety of optical sensors are in use at flux sites across Europe, and responses further demonstrated that users were not always fully aware of the key issues underpinning repeatability and the reproducibility of their spectral measurements. The key findings of this survey point towards the need for greater awareness of the need for standardisation and development of a common protocol of optical sampling at the European EC sites.