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Abstract Springtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised. Despite covering all continents, most of the sample-level data come from the European continent (82.5% of all samples) and represent four habitats: woodlands (57.4%), grasslands (14.0%), agrosystems (13.7%) and scrublands (9.0%). We included sampling by soil layers, and across seasons and years, representing temporal and spatial within-site variation in springtail communities. We also provided data use and sharing guidelines and R code to facilitate the use of the database by other researchers. This data paper describes a static version of the database at the publication date, but the database will be further expanded to include underrepresented regions and linked with trait data.

This paper introduces a new method for identifying museum pests through the analysis of DNA present in settled dust. Traditionally, the identification of pests in cultural institutions such as museums and depositories has relied on insect trapping (monitoring). They give good results but need time (minimum spring until summer of one year for a complete survey) and face challenges related to the identification of small, rare, or damaged species. Our study presents a non-invasive approach that utilizes metabarcoding analysis of dust samples to identify pests and other arthropods at the species level. We collected dust samples with a handheld vacuum cleaner in summer 2023 from the six different floors of the Natural History Museum in Vienna and compared the results with the insect monitoring. We found over 359 different species of arthropods in the museum and could show how the diversity increases with the elevation of the building floor. This method could be used for rapid and cost-effective screening of pests before monitoring. But the interpretation of results is sometimes difficult (for Lepismatidae, for example), and it cannot replace a continuous monitoring of pests with traps. This investigation might present the highest indoor animal biodiversity ever found in a single building.

Fungi have always posed an unquestionable threat to heritage collections worldwide. Now, in a future of climate change, biological risk factors may have to be considered even more than before. Models and simulations to assess possible impacts a changing outdoor climate will have on indoor environments and, in turn, on biodeterioration are still underdeveloped and require a more substantial data basis. This study aimed at filling some of these knowledge gaps through a broad-based approach combining microclimatic and microbiological monitoring in four historic libraries in Austria with an uncontrolled indoor climate: Altenburg Abbey, Melk Abbey, Klosterneuburg Monastery and the Capuchin Monastery in Vienna. Data were generated from thermohygrometric sensors, cultivation-dependent air- and surface sampling and further surface dust sampling for cultivation-independent analyses. Results gave insights on the status quo of microbiological loads in the libraries and outdoor–indoor relationships. Influences of the geographic location and room-use on corresponding indoor fungal profiles were identified. Lower fungal diversities were found at the most rural site with the strongest climatic fluctuations and extreme values than in the most urban, sheltered library with a very stable climate. Further, the humidity-stabilizing potential of large collections of hygroscopic materials, such as books, was also examined. Implications for a sustainable approach to prevent future biodeterioration are discussed, supporting the long-term preservation of these valuable historic collections.

The skin beetle Reesa vespulae is regularly found beyond North America where it originated. The larvae cause considerable concern in museums, as they damage hides or furs in addition to being a special source of damage to collections of dried plants in herbaria or collections of insects and other zoological specimens. Reesa vespulae arrived in Europe in the mid-20th century and was associated mostly with stored food products, but over time, it has become recognised as a museum pest. Although it is still uncommon and may only be observed in a small fraction of museums, when the insect is found in large numbers, it can cause problems. Catches from blunder traps in Austrian museums and from an online database in the UK were used to track changing concern over the insect. As a single female beetle can continue to reproduce because the species is parthenogenetic, its presence can persist over long periods of time. Although small populations in museums are typically found in the adult form, the larval forms are more common where a site is infested by high numbers, perhaps because the larvae and adults must range more widely for food. Although R. vespulae can be controlled using pesticides, it is also possible to kill the larvae within infested materials through freezing or anoxia.

In late summer of 2023 bed bug (Cimex lectularius) infestations received much media attention especially from Paris Fashion Week (2023–09–25/2023–10–03). Concern in France has grown in recent years and the public may have been sensitised from the recent release of the report Les punaises de lit: impacts, prévention et lutte from the Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire. Additionally, families returning from summer travel for the start of the school year (2023–09–04) may have brought Cimex spp. with them. A belief, typically false, that they are associated with poor housekeeping and the commercial sensitivity of infestations makes quantitative data on the occurrence and frequency of the insects difficult to find. Often it was based on the number of consultations with physicians and enquiries about bed bugs. Our study has used Google search frequency (Google Trends) to assess the growth and spread of public interest. It found that concern over the Paris outbreak spread to neighbouring countries and was an inverse function of distance. Health issues are a popular topic in science journalism and articles with bad news, threat, continuity and geographic proximity helped generate considerable media activity such that the public perceptions of the problem were enhanced and suggests that government agencies need to collect well standardised data on bed bug occurrence. Google Trends proved a sensitive tool to follow the public concern over an insect that invokes considerable dread.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in societies across the globe. In many countries in Europe, national lockdowns during the spring of 2020 meant that museums were closed, and maintenance and housekeeping were at a minimum. We compared the insect monitoring data of 15 museums in and around Vienna between the years 2018 and 2022 to see potential effects of the two lockdowns (spring 2020 and winter 2020/21) on insect populations. In Vienna, these changes altered the presence of pests, most notably an increase in silverfish by late spring (March–May 2020). We also found increased numbers of other pest species (notably Tineola bisselliella and Attagenus sp.), though these changes were seen later (June–October 2020). Thylodrias contractus, although found only in one museum, appeared to show decreased numbers during 2020. Storage areas in some of the museums revealed no significant increase in insect catch during the COVID-19 related closures. Since there are rarely visitors in such spaces, the situation did not change much during the closures. Silverfish are shy insects, but they were able to range more freely during the closures in the mostly darkened rooms. The increase of Tineola bisselliella and Attagenus sp. could be a result of reduced cleaning in the first lockdown. In the second lockdown, no significant changes were found. Human activity from staff was much higher compared to the first closure; a second reason could be the time of year, as in the winter period, it is mainly larvae that are active. Increased insect populations remind us that even when museums are unoccupied, they still need monitoring for possible risks from pests. No damage to the objects from the pests was observed in the museums investigated.

Springtails are omnipresent soil arthropods, vital for ecosystems. In the first global assessment of springtails, this study shows a 20-fold biomass difference between the tundra and the tropics, with distinct temperature-related patterns for diversity and metabolism that suggest climate change may restructure the functioning of soil biodiversity.

The abundance of insect and fungal pests under a changing climate may threaten historic interiors, libraries and museums, with warmer, potentially more humid winters. This work examines local and indoor climate, insects and fungi in a historic library near Vienna. It reveals a mostly dry and cool environment for the storage of books, but few visitors to induce changes. Temperature and relative humidity have been monitored for 12 months (2021-07/2022-07), with 14 monitors positioned insect traps (blunder traps and some pheromone traps). Fungi in air, on surfaces and in settled dust were also sampled. Winter temperatures in library cupboards and behind shelves were slightly warmer (~1 °C) and more humid than in the library environment. Over the last decade there have been infestations of the biscuit beetles (Stegobium paniceum) but since treatment with sulfuryl difluoride, Anthrenus sp. have dominated. Silverfish are also present, but only in one corner. Fungal outbreaks have also been found, but over five years fungi in air samples have shifted from Penicillium commune and P. chrysogenum to Aspergillus sp. The stable environment at Klosterneuburg is suitable for books, yet insects and mould present suggests vigilance remains necessary, as some microenvironments (e.g., cupboards) can be at risk and there may be materials with high water content, hygroscopic or of nutritional value.

Stored under optimal conditions, paper can last for hundreds of years; however, paper is also susceptible to numerous agents of deterioration as it is primarily made of cellulose fibre derived from plant cell walls. Paper is especially vulnerable under conditions with high temperature and humidity, which together can encourage mould growth and foster insect pests. Pest infestation is a common type of deterioration responsible for significant damage to paper and books. Endsheets prepared with red lead and sewn into traditional Chinese bookbindings are a historical method used to minimise insect damage to books in southern China. Samples of red-coloured papers from the Fung Ping Shan Library at the University of Hong Kong were assessed. Two types of so called wan nian hong papers (萬年紅紙), (1) damaged and (2) undamaged by insects, were analysed with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence detector. The chemical analyses reveal high concentrations of red lead (lead tetroxide, Pb3O4) in the undamaged papers, and only very few traces of lead in the damaged papers. The orange papers with insect feeding tunnels seem to have been only coloured in orange, and not treated with red lead as a biocide. These results are discussed and compared with modern treatment methods in the integrated pest management of books, archive, and library materials in (a) Europe and (b) Asia.

Viticulture is a perennial cropping system that provides large inter-row space as a non-crop habitat for a range of different taxa. Extensive vegetation management has been shown to increase biodiversity and ecosystem service provision in vineyards. Important soil ecosystem services are decomposition, nutrient cycling, and pest regulation provided by the mesofauna (e.g., Acari and Collembola). However, studies investigating the effects of inter-row management on soil mesofauna are scarce. We studied the effect of inter-row management intensity (complete vegetation cover, alternating vegetation cover, and bare ground) and local pedoclimatic conditions on Acari and Collembola in nine Austrian vineyards. Our results showed that the clay content of the soil was the most important factor and increased the abundances of both analyzed taxa. Complete and alternating vegetation cover increased their abundance in comparison to bare ground management. Higher soil respiration slightly contributed to higher abundances of those two taxa in both years. In conclusion, besides the positive effects of the clay content in the soil, complete and alternating vegetation cover are feasible management practices for increasing soil mesofauna in vineyards.

Zurich’s Urban Pest Advisory Service (UPAS) aims to survey, control and reduce hazards posed by pests. Records submitted to the UPAS may not exactly correlate with abundance but can reveal patterns of change. These reflect changes in species, public and media perceptions and the effects of climate and COVID-19, along with the effectiveness of new pest controls. Records for Blattodea and Plodia interpunctella declined in the period 1990–2022, while Cimex lectularius and Psocoptera increased. Summer has typically revealed the largest number of insects reported and Google searches show parallel seasonal variations. The Blattodea declined five-fold over time, likely due to better pest control methods (gel baits). Aedes albopictus, though rare, was the subject of media reports and awareness campaigns, which resulted in much public interest. Vespidae are abundant and have been reported in sufficient numbers to warrant an analysis of seasonal records, suggesting that July temperatures affect numbers. COVID-19 restrictions led to more frequent reports of rodents, pigeons, Zygentoma and Stegobium paniceum. The long-term reporting to the UPAS gives a useful indication of the changing concerns about pests in Zurich.

COVID-19 spread globally and, as there was little immunity, quarantine, isolation, and social distancing became widely practiced. As people were restricted to their homes in many countries, public venues, such as museums, galleries, and historic houses, were typically closed. This allowed insect abundance, under changed conditions, to be explored using traps from the Technical Museum, Schönbrunn Palace, Hofburg Museum, and Weltmuseum in Vienna. The trap contents reveal an increase in Lepisma saccharinum, the common silverfish, as well as in the Zygentoma Ctenolepisma longicaudatum and C. calvum at some museums. Other insects such as Tineola bisselliella, Anthrenus verbasci, and Attagenus smirnovi, though found in reasonable numbers, did not increase. Museum interiors were likely a little cooler and drier during lockdown, but this difference is too small to explain the increased silverfish activity. The larger rooms were certainly quieter, which allowed insects freedom to range more widely. Nevertheless, museums did not observe increased damage to collections from the larger numbers. The infestations during the closures suggest a need for low level cleaning and regular inspections, with an initial focus examining those areas frequented by insects in the past.

The webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) causes extensive and costly damage to fabrics, furnishings, and museum objects. It is best known from its presence in homes, museums, and historic properties, while infestations in office buildings are not as well understood. Offices typically have more frequent cleaning, fewer quiet habitats, less food availability, and fewer breeding environments for moths, which may explain the lower abundance. Nevertheless, they can be introduced with materials or by employees whose homes have a moth infestation. This study examines the distribution of different insect pests determined from pheromone traps set out in an unoccupied multi-floor office building in Switzerland. Tineola bisselliella dominated the insect catch but was mostly found in the aisles on the lower floors. The larger rooms tended to have a greater insect catch. Carpet beetles (Attagenus smirnovi) and silverfish (Zygentoma) were also found, although in smaller numbers, and often preferred the basement floors. The ghost silverfish (Ctenolepisma calvum) dominated the Zygentoma, even though it has been rare until recently in Switzerland. The study suggests the need for Integrated Pest Management within office buildings. In addition, in unoccupied buildings under renovation, with no obvious sources of food, insect pests still need monitoring.

A spectral investigation of triply ionized gold (Au iv ) has been carried out in the wavelength region of 500–2106 Å. The gold spectra were photographed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA, on a 10.7 m normal incidence vacuum spectrograph (NIVS) using a sliding spark source as well as on a 3 m NIVS at the Antigonish laboratory in Canada with a triggered spark source. Our analysis is theoretically supported by the pseudorelativistic Hartree–Fock (HFR) formalism with a superposition of configuration interactions implemented in Cowan's suite of codes. Radiative transition parameters are also calculated using the HFR+CPOL (core polarization effects) model and the multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock approach, and their comparisons are used to evaluate the transition rate data. All the previously reported levels of the 5 d ^8 , 5 d ^7 6 s , and 5 d ^7 6 p configurations are confirmed, except one, and three are newly established. The missing ^1 S _0 level of 5 d ^8 is now established at 55,277.8 cm ^−1 . A total of 981 observed lines (E1 type), classified to 1031 transitions, including 133 newly identified, enabled us to optimize 139 energy levels. Several astrophysically important transitions, forbidden (M1- and E2-type) lines of 5 d ^8 and 5 d ^7 6 s , are provided with their Ritz wavelengths and radiative parameters. A critically evaluated set of energy levels, observed and Ritz wavelengths along with their uncertainties, transition rates, and uniformly scaled intensities of Au iv lines have been presented. Also, large-scale atomic data to compute the opacity of Au iv in the kilonova ejecta have been supplemented in this work.

Using two independent theoretical methods based on the pseudo-relativistic Hartree–Fock (HFR) and the fully relativistic Multiconfigurational Dirac–Hartree–Fock (MCDHF) approaches, we computed the radiative parameters (transition probabilities and oscillator strengths) corresponding to the spectrum of quadruply ionized lutetium (Lu V). The agreement observed between both sets of results allowed us to deduce the radiative rates for a large amount of transitions in order to calculate the contribution of this ion to the opacity of kilonovae in their early phases, i.e., for T = 25,000 K. The results obtained were compared to previous data computed for other quadruply ionized lanthanide atoms, namely La V, Ce V, Pr V, Nd V and Pm V, in order to highlight the main contributors to the opacity among these ions under kilonovae conditions where the Vth spectra are predominant.

Ctenolepisma calvum was first described in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1910, and this island is probably the origin of this species. Later, it was also found in the Caribbean (Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago). Up until the present, it has only been identified within buildings (a synanthropic species), and its natural habitat is unknown. In 2007, it was discovered in Germany and was considered a neobiotic species of Lepismatidae in Europe. It has rapidly spread throughout Europe and beyond in recent years. This led us to analyze the available data of the first occurrences in Germany, Austria, and other European countries. Furthermore, we compared the spread inside of museums in Vienna (Austria) and Berlin (Germany). These museums have been monitored for a long period with sticky traps, representing the best source of information on the dispersion dynamics of Ctenolepisma calvum. We found a scattered occurrence of this species in 18 countries in Europe (including Russia and Ukraine). The first record for Poland has not previously been published; however, this species has been present there since 2014. Surprisingly, it was found in Hungary in 2003, but a record was only published online in 2021. Additionally, in Germany and Austria, where most data are available, the spread of the species does not follow any clear pattern. In museums in Berlin, the species has only been found in one location. In contrast, the species rapidly spread in museums in Vienna between 2014 and 2021, from four to 30 locations, and it is now a well-established species with occasional high abundance. We examined the spread of the species at three spatial scales: (i) Europe, (ii) national, and (iii) regional. Our observations indicate that it is possibly distributed with materials (packaging material, hygiene articles, paper, cardboard, and collection items). Little is yet known about the biology of this introduced pest. We describe its preferred habitat within buildings, its climate requirements, and its potential to act as a new museum pest in Central Europe. This species seems to thrive at room temperature in buildings. Further impact on the species due to climate change in the future is also discussed. We offer a simple morphological key and a detailed identification table to help correct species identification.

Climate change not only affects the biodiversity of natural habitats, but also the flora and fauna within cities. An increase in average temperature and changing precipitation, but additionally extreme weather events with heat waves and flooding, are forecast. The climate in our cities and, thus, also inside buildings is influenced by the changing outdoor climate and urban heat islands. A further challenge to ecosystems is the introduction of new species (neobiota). If these species are pests, they can cause damage to stored products and materials. Much cultural heritage is within buildings, so changes in the indoor climate also affect pests (insect and fungi) within the museums, storage depositories, libraries, and historic properties. This paper reviews the literature and presents an overview of these complex interactions between the outdoor climate, indoor climate, and pests in museums. Recent studies have examined the direct impact of climate on buildings and collections. The warming of indoor climates and an increased frequency or intensity of extreme weather events are two important drivers affecting indoor pests such as insects and fungi, which can severely damage collections. Increases in activity and new species are found, e.g., the tropical grey silverfish Ctenolepisma longicaudatum has been present in many museums in recent years benefitting from increased indoor temperatures.

Collembola are among the most abundant and diverse soil microarthropods, which are found in almost all (semi)terrestrial environments and often serve as model organisms in empirical studies. Diverse data collected on the biology and ecology of Collembola over the last century are waiting for synthesis studies, while developing technologies may facilitate generation of new knowledge. Collembola research in 2020 is entering the stage of global synthesis and in this opinion paper we address the main challenges that the community of collembologists is facing on this avenue. We first discuss the present status and social context of Collembola taxonomy and the potential use of novel technologies to describe new species. We then focus on aspects of community ecology, reviewing the processes of dispersal, environmental and biotic filtering, from the spatial scale of microhabitat to the globe. We also discuss the involvement of Collembola in ecosystem processes and which proxies, such as functional traits, can be used to predict the functional roles of species. Finally, we provide recommendations on how we can improve community data collection by using standard methods and better data handling practices. We call for (1) integrating morphological descriptions with high-resolution photographs and genetic barcodes for species descriptions and developing of user friendly software and machine learning approaches to facilitate deposition of structured taxonomic knowledge on web platforms; (2) multiscale studies on biodiversity distribution and community processes, especially including dispersal mechanisms; (3) recording and sharing functional, not only morphological, trait data in controlled experiments and field surveys; (4) knowledge synthesis and meta-analysis studies on the topics of ecosystem roles of Collembola, conservation of its diversity, feeding behaviour, protection mechanisms and dispersal of different Collembola species, and effects of land use and climate change on collembolan communities; (5) joint efforts in covering the gaps in Collembola knowledge, especially in underexplored regions (predominantly tropics and subtropics) using standard methodologies; (6) data sharing and its integration in open structured databases. We believe that Collembola studies could make use of new technologies and ongoing changes in society. To facilitate the progress across these research topics by 2040, we have established #GlobalCollembola, a distributed-effort community-driven initiative that aims to provide open and global data on Collembola taxonomic and genetic diversity, abundance, traits and literature and to coordinate global efforts in covering the key knowledge gaps.

We describe the atomic database of the xstar spectral modeling code, summarizing the systematic upgrades carried out in the past twenty years to enable the modeling of K-lines from chemical elements with atomic number Z≤30 and recent extensions to handle high-density plasmas. Such plasma environments are found, for instance, in the inner region of accretion disks round compact objects (neutron stars and black holes), which emit rich information about the system’s physical properties. Our intention is to offer a reliable modeling tool to take advantage of the outstanding spectral capabilities of the new generation of X-ray space telescopes (e.g., xrism and athena) to be launched in the coming years. Data curatorial aspects are discussed and an updated list of reference sources is compiled to improve the database provenance metadata. Two xstar spin-offs—the ISMabs absorption model and the uaDB database—are also described.

This paper presents an overview of the current status of the Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Centre (VAMDC) e-infrastructure, including the current status of the VAMDC-connected (or to be connected) databases, updates on the latest technological development within the infrastructure and a presentation of some application tools that make use of the VAMDC e-infrastructure. We analyse the past 10 years of VAMDC development and operation, and assess their impact both on the field of atomic and molecular (A&M) physics itself and on heterogeneous data management in international cooperation. The highly sophisticated VAMDC infrastructure and the related databases developed over this long term make them a perfect resource of sustainable data for future applications in many fields of research. However, we also discuss the current limitations that prevent VAMDC from becoming the main publishing platform and the main source of A&M data for user communities, and present possible solutions under investigation by the consortium. Several user application examples are presented, illustrating the benefits of VAMDC in current research applications, which often need the A&M data from more than one database. Finally, we present our vision for the future of VAMDC.

The main purpose of the Database on Rare Earths At Mons University (DREAM) is to provide the scientific community with updated spectroscopic parameters related to lanthanide atoms (Z = 57–71) in their lowest ionization stages. The radiative parameters (oscillator strengths and transitions probabilities) listed in the database have been obtained over the past 20 years by the Atomic Physics and Astrophysics group of Mons University, Belgium, thanks to a systematic and extensive use of the pseudo-relativistic Hartree-Fock (HFR) method modified for taking core-polarization and core-penetration effects into account. Most of these theoretical results have been validated by the good agreement obtained when comparing computed radiative lifetimes and accurate experimental values measured by the time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence technique. In the present paper, we report on the current status and developments of the database that gathers radiative parameters for more than 72,000 spectral lines in neutral, singly-, doubly-, and triply-ionized lanthanides.

High mountain areas above the alpine zone are, despite the low-temperature conditions, inhabited by evolutionary and functionally differing organism groups. We compared the abundance and species richness of vascular plants, oribatid mites, springtails, spiders, and beetles, as well as bacterial and methanogenic archaeal prokaryotes (only abundance), at 100 m vertical intervals from 2,700–3,400 m in the Central Alps. We hypothesized that the less mobile microarthropods and microorganisms are more determined by and respond in similar ways to soil properties as do vascular plants. In contrast, we expected the more mobile surface-dwelling groups to forage also in places devoid of vegetation and thus to show patterns that deviate from that of vascular plants. Surprisingly, the observed patterns were diametrically opposed to our expectations: soil-living oribatid mites and springtails showed high individual numbers at high elevations, even where vascular plants barely occurred. Springtails also showed a rather constant species richness throughout the entire gradient. In contrast, patterns of surface-dwelling organisms and of archaeal prokaryotes did not differ significantly from vascular plants, because of either comparable climate sensitivity or their dependency on vegetated habitats. This study may serve as a baseline to estimate the risks of biodiversity losses in response to climate change across different biotic ecosystem components and to explore the potential and limitations of vascular plants as proxy for other organism groups that are far more challenging to monitor.

Insect pests are responsible for substantial damage to museum objects, historic books and in buildings like palaces or historic houses. Different wood boring beetles (Anobium punctatum, Hylotrupes bajulus, Lyctus sp. or introduced species), the biscuit beetle (Stegobium paniceum), the cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne), different Dermestides (Attagenus sp., Anthrenus sp., Dermestes sp., Trogoderma sp.), moths like the webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella), Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) and booklice (Psocoptera) can damage materials, objects or building parts. They are the most common pests found in collections in central Europe, but most of them are distributed all over the world. In tropical countries, termites, cockroaches and other insect pests are also found and result in even higher damage of wood and paper or are a commune annoyance in buildings. In this short review, an introduction to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in museums is given, the most valuable collections, preventive measures, monitoring in museums, staff responsible for the IPM and chemical free treatment methods are described. In the second part of the paper, the most important insect pests occurring in museums, archives, libraries and historic buildings in central Europe are discussed with a description of the materials and object types that are mostly infested and damaged. Some information on their phenology and biology are highlighted as they can be used in the IPM concept against them.

A new set of oscillator strengths and transition probabilities for EUV spectral lines of seven times ionized tungsten (W VIII) is reported in the present paper. These results have been obtained using the pseudo-relativistic Hartree-Fock (HFR) method combined with a semi-empirical optimization of the radial parameters minimizing the discrepancies between computed energy levels and available experimental data. The final physical model considered in the calculations has been chosen further to a detailed investigation of the configuration interaction in this atomic system characterized by complex configurations of the type 4f145s25p5, 4f145s25p4nl, 4f145s5p6, 4f135s25p6, 4f135s25p5nl and 4f125s25p6nl (nl = 5d, 6s).

Calculated radiative transition probabilities and oscillator strengths are reported for 392 lines of neutral lanthanum (La I) atom in the spectral range from the near ultraviolet to the mid infrared. They were obtained using two different theoretical methods based on the pseudo-relativistic Hartree–Fock (HFR) and the fully relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock (MCDHF) approaches, both including the most important intravalence and core-valence electron correlations. The quality of these radiative parameters was assessed through detailed comparisons between the results obtained using different physical models and between our theoretical results and the experimental data, where available. Of the total number of La I lines listed in the present work, about 60% have gf- and gA-values determined for the first time.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien is one of the largest fine arts collections worldwide, comprising the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Austrian Theater Museum, the Museum of Ethnology, all placed in Vienna, and Schloß Ambras in Tirol. We present results from up to 10 years of insect pest monitoring in different collections and the implementation of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) concept. The Kunsthistorisches Museum was the first museum in Vienna to introduce such a concept. We also present specific insect pest problems such as a biscuit beetle (Stegobium paniceum) infestation of paintings lined with starch paste backings (linings) or the webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) infestation at the Museum of Carriages, both repeatedly occurring problems in the museum. With the help of the insect pest monitoring programs, these and other problems were found and the infested objects treated, usually with anoxia (nitrogen).

Biscuit beetle (Stegobium paniceum) and webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) cause much damage to museum objects. Some objects and materials are very attractive to these two pest species and objects are often re-infested after treatment. For some years parasitoid wasps have been used in biological pest control to treat and reduce infestations of stored product pests in food processing facilities. Their application in museums is still new and in a research stage. Results from five different museums in Germany and Austria and their application are presented. Lariophagus distinguendus wasps were released against Stegobium paniceum in the municipal library Augsburger Stadtarchiv (Germany), the Ethnological Museum in Berlin (Germany) and the Picture Gallery in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (Austria). Trichogramma evanescens were released against Tineola bisselliella in the Technisches Museum in Vienna (Austria) and in the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum in Munich (Germany). Results show that for active biscuit beetle infestations good results can be expected using the Lariophagus distinguendus in museums. Active clothes moth infestations are harder to treat but with a very regular and long-term exposure to the wasps, the clothes moth population can be reduced over the years. We see the application of parasitoid wasps as part of an Integrated Pest Management concept that should be used besides regular insect monitoring and other preventive measures. Difficulties, limitations and research needs in the application of parasitoid wasps in museums are discussed.

We assessed the relationships between site size, habitat quality, landscape factors (fragmentation, landscape diversity) and species richness in communities of Collembola in 50 small dry grassland habitat patches in an agricultural landscape of eastern Austria. Grasslands in that region were once widespread and extensive, but have become increasingly fragmented and isolated. We hypothesized that dry grassland springtails species richness is significantly correlated with site variables (soil properties, habitat quality) and that the size of grassland sites is positively correlated with species richness. We used pitfall traps in 50 dry grasslands in differently structured agricultural landscapes and tested total abundance and three species richness measures: (1) the number of dry grassland specialist species, (2) total number of dry grassland species and (3) overall species richness. In the multivariate correlation models, we found that all species richness measures were significantly related to the plant species richness, a shape parameter of the sites, soil properties such as humus, temperature, sand and gravel content and the landscape variable reflecting isolation (distance to the nearest large dry grassland area). This landscape variable indicates that neighbouring grasslands are influencing the species richness of the sites. This may be a result of passive wind dispersal across the landscape or historic connection of the small sites with much larger dry grasslands. The size of the site did not show any significant correlation with total, dry grassland specialist, dry grassland generalist or generalist species richness. The small size of Collembola might explain these findings, because they have high population densities even in small patches.

Earlier beam-foil measurements have targeted 4s-4p intercombination transitions in the Zn-, Ga- and Ge-like ions of Nb (Z=41), Mo (Z=42), Rh (Z=44), Ag (Z=47) and I (Z=53). At the time, the spectra were calibrated with literature data on prominent lines in the Cu- and Zn-like ions. Corresponding literature data on the intercombination transitions in Ga- and Ge-like ions were largely lacking, which caused some ambiguity in the line identifications. We review the (mostly computational) progress made since. We find that a consistent set of state-of-the-art computations of Ga- and Ge-like ions would be highly desirable for revisiting the beam-foil data and the former line identifications for the elements from Kr (Z=36) to Xe (Z=54). We demonstrate that the literature data for these two isoelectronic sequences are insufficient, and we contribute reference computations in the process. We discuss the option of electron beam ion trap measurements as an alternative to the earlier use of classical light sources, beam-foil interaction and laser-produced plasmas, with the example of Xe (Z=54).

A new set of radiative decay parameters (oscillator strengths, transition probabilities) for spectral lines in triply ionized thulium (Tm IV) has been obtained within the framework of the pseudo-relativistic Hartree-Fock (HFR) approach. The effects of configuration interaction and core-polarization have been investigated in detail and the quality of the results has been assessed through a comparison between different HFR physical models. The spectroscopic data listed in the present paper cover electric dipole as well as magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole transitions in a wide range of wavelengths from extreme ultraviolet to near infrared.

La barrera sonora está ante todo en el orden del tiempo. Pero yo pienso, antes de que nuestra propia carne nos envuelva, en la barrera tegumentosa de un vientre ajeno. Luego, el pudor sexual, la presencia o la amenaza de la castración que no son disociables de la barrera de la vestimenta. No el cuerpo, sino ciertas partes del cuerpo, no las más personales sino, con toda seguridad, las más distintas, que se sustraen a la curiosidad de los otros. Entonces, es preciso suponer una especie de sonido ahogado que es como el sexo de la música; en este sentido Marin Marais decide convertirse en virtuoso del bajo de viola aunque tenga que pasar por encima del cuerpo de su maestro. Sin duda, se puede formar una suerte de sonido ahogado mediante el pianoforte o el violonchelo; pero, en nuestros días, en el caso del clavicémbalo y de la viola de gamba funciona como si una colgadura, un tapiz o una barrera nos separasen de los sonidos ahogados, y los ahogan

Few therapeutic options are available to treat COVID-19. The KEAP1/NRF2 pathway, the major redox-responsive pathway, has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19 as it regulates redox homeostasis and inflammation that are altered during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we characterized the effects of NRF2-agonist Sulfodyne ® , a stabilized natural Sulforaphane, in cellular and animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In pulmonary or colonic epithelial cell lines, Sulfodyne ® elicited a more efficient inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication than NRF2-agonists DMF and CDDO. This antiviral activity was not dependent on NRF2 but was associated with the regulation of several metabolic pathways, including the inhibition of ER stress and mTOR signaling, which are activated during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sulfodyne ® also decreased SARS-CoV-2 mediated inflammatory responses by inhibiting the delayed induction of IFNB1 and type I IFN-stimulated genes in infected epithelial cell lines and by reducing the activation of human by-stander monocytes recruited after SARS-CoV-2 infection. In K18-hACE2 mice infected with SARS-CoV-2, Sulfodyne ® treatment reduced both early lung viral load and disease severity by fine-tuning IFN-beta levels. Altogether, these results provide evidence for multiple mechanisms that underlie the antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities of Sulfodyne ® and pinpoint Sulfodyne ® as a potent therapeutic agent against pathogenic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Early pregnancy Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is associated with major brain damage in fetuses, leading to microcephaly in 0.6-5.0% of cases, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown., Methods: To understand the kinetics of ZIKV infection during fetal development in a nonhuman primate model, four cynomolgus macaque fetuses were exposed in utero through echo-guided intramuscular inoculation with 10 3 PFU of ZIKV at 70-80 days of gestation, 2 controls were mock inoculated. Clinical, immuno-virological and ultrasound imaging follow-ups of the mother/fetus pairs were performed until autopsy after cesarean section 1 or 2 months after exposure (n = 3 per group)., Results: ZIKV was transmitted from the fetus to the mother and then replicate in the peripheral blood of the mother from week 1 to 4 postexposure. Infected fetal brains tended to be smaller than those of controls, but not the femur lengths. High level of viral RNA ws found after the first month in brain tissues and placenta. Thereafter, there was partial control of the virus in the fetus, resulting in a decreased number of infected tissue sections and a decreased viral load. Immune cellular and humoral responses were effectively induced., Conclusions: ZIKV infection during the second trimester of gestation induces short-term brain injury, and although viral genomes persist in tissues, most of the virus is cleared before delivery., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The characterization of vaccine distribution to relevant tissues after in vivo administration is critical to understanding their mechanisms of action. Vaccines based on mRNA lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are now being widely considered against infectious diseases and cancer. Here, we used in vivo imaging approaches to compare the trafficking of two LNP formulations encapsulating mRNA following intramuscular administration: DLin-MC3-DMA (MC3) and the recently developed DOG-IM4. The mRNA formulated in DOG-IM4 LNPs persisted at the injection site, whereas mRNA formulated in MC3 LNPs rapidly migrated to the draining lymph nodes. Furthermore, MC3 LNPs induced the fastest increase in blood neutrophil counts after injection and greater inflammation, as shown by IL-1RA, IL-15, CCL-1, and IL-6 concentrations in nonhuman primate sera. These observations highlight the influence of the nature of the LNP on mRNA vaccine distribution and early immune responses., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The fight against COVID-19 requires mass vaccination strategies, and vaccines inducing durable cross-protective responses are still needed. Inactivated vaccines have proven lasting efficacy against many pathogens and good safety records. They contain multiple protein antigens that may improve response breadth and can be easily adapted every year to maintain preparedness for future seasonally emerging variants., Methods: The vaccine dose was determined using ELISA and pseudoviral particle-based neutralization assay in the mice. The immunogenicity was assessed in the non-human primates with multiplex ELISA, neutralization assays, ELISpot and intracellular staining. The efficacy was demonstrated by viral quantification in fluids using RT-qPCR and respiratory tissue lesions evaluation., Results: Here we report the immunogenicity and efficacy of VLA2001 in animal models. VLA2001 formulated with alum and the TLR9 agonist CpG 1018™ adjuvant generate a Th1-biased immune response and serum neutralizing antibodies in female BALB/c mice. In male cynomolgus macaques, two injections of VLA2001 are sufficient to induce specific and polyfunctional CD4 + T cell responses, predominantly Th1-biased, and high levels of antibodies neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 infection in cell culture. These antibodies also inhibit the binding of the Spike protein to human ACE2 receptor of several variants of concern most resistant to neutralization. After exposure to a high dose of homologous SARS-CoV-2, vaccinated groups exhibit significant levels of protection from viral replication in the upper and lower respiratory tracts and from lung tissue inflammation., Conclusions: We demonstrate that the VLA2001 adjuvanted vaccine is immunogenic both in mouse and NHP models and prevent cynomolgus macaques from the viruses responsible of COVID-19., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Bat sarbecovirus BANAL-236 is highly related to SARS-CoV-2 and infects human cells, albeit lacking the furin cleavage site in its spike protein. BANAL-236 replicates efficiently and pauci-symptomatically in humanized mice and in macaques, where its tropism is enteric, strongly differing from that of SARS-CoV-2. BANAL-236 infection leads to protection against superinfection by a virulent strain. We find no evidence of antibodies recognizing bat sarbecoviruses in populations in close contact with bats in which the virus was identified, indicating that such spillover infections, if they occur, are rare. Six passages in humanized mice or in human intestinal cells, mimicking putative early spillover events, select adaptive mutations without appearance of a furin cleavage site and no change in virulence. Therefore, acquisition of a furin site in the spike protein is likely a pre-spillover event that did not occur upon replication of a SARS-CoV-2-like bat virus in humans or other animals. Other hypotheses regarding the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 should therefore be evaluated, including the presence of sarbecoviruses carrying a spike with a furin cleavage site in bats., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have devastating consequences on health and economy, even after the approval of safe and effective vaccines. Waning immunity, the emergence of variants of concern, breakthrough infections, and lack of global vaccine access and acceptance perpetuate the epidemic. Here, we demonstrate that a single injection of an adenoassociated virus (AAV)-based COVID-19 vaccine elicits at least 17-month-long neutralizing antibody responses in non-human primates at levels that were previously shown to protect from viral challenge. To improve the scalability of this durable vaccine candidate, we further optimized the vector design for greater potency at a reduced dose in mice and non-human primates. Finally, we show that the platform can be rapidly adapted to other variants of concern to robustly maintain immunogenicity and protect from challenge. In summary, we demonstrate this class of AAV can provide durable immunogenicity, provide protection at dose that is low and scalable, and be adapted readily to novel emerging vaccine antigens thus may provide a potent tool in the ongoing fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests J.M.W. is a paid advisor to and holds equity in Scout Bio and Passage Bio; he holds equity in Surmount Bio; he also has sponsored research agreements with Amicus Therapeutics, Biogen, Elaaj Bio, Janssen, Moderna, Passage Bio, Regeneron, Scout Bio, Surmount Bio, and Ultragenyx, which are licensees of Penn technology. L.H.V. and J.M.W. are inventors on patents that have been licensed to various biopharmaceutical companies and for which they may receive payments. L.H.V. is a paid advisor to Novartis, Akouos, and Affinia Therapeutics and serves on the Board of Directors of Affinia, Addgene, and Odylia Therapeutics. L.H.V. holds equity in Akouos and Affinia and receives sponsored research funding from Albamunity, to which he is an unpaid consultant. L.H.V. is co-founder and an employee of Ciendias Bio, a biotechnology company that pursues the development of AAV-based vaccines. L.H.V. further is a listed inventor on various gene transfer technologies, including some relevant to AAVCOVID. L.H.V. is a scientific advisory board member to Akouos, and board member of Affinia Therapeutics, companies of which he is a co-founder. U.B., N.Z. and L.H.V. are listed inventors on several patent applications on the described technologies., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has exemplified that rigorous evaluation in large animal models is key for translation from promising in vitro results to successful clinical implementation. Among the drugs that have been largely tested in clinical trials but failed so far to bring clear evidence of clinical efficacy is favipiravir, a nucleoside analogue with large spectrum activity against several RNA viruses in vitro and in small animal models. Here, we evaluate the antiviral activity of favipiravir against Zika or SARS-CoV-2 virus in cynomolgus macaques. In both models, high doses of favipiravir are initiated before infection and viral kinetics are evaluated during 7 to 15 days after infection. Favipiravir leads to a statistically significant reduction in plasma Zika viral load compared to untreated animals. However, favipiravir has no effects on SARS-CoV-2 viral kinetics, and 4 treated animals have to be euthanized due to rapid clinical deterioration, suggesting a potential role of favipiravir in disease worsening in SARS-CoV-2 infected animals. To summarize, favipiravir has an antiviral activity against Zika virus but not against SARS-CoV-2 infection in the cynomolgus macaque model. Our results support the clinical evaluation of favipiravir against Zika virus but they advocate against its use against SARS-CoV-2 infection., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a reemerging mosquito-borne alphavirus responsible for numerous outbreaks. Chikungunya can cause debilitating acute and chronic disease. Thus, the development of a safe and effective CHIKV vaccine is an urgent global health priority. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the live-attenuated CHIKV vaccine VLA1553 against WT CHIKV infection by using passive transfer of sera from vaccinated volunteers to nonhuman primates (NHP) subsequently exposed to WT CHIKV and established a serological surrogate of protection. We demonstrated that human VLA1553 sera transferred to NHPs conferred complete protection from CHIKV viremia and fever after challenge with homologous WT CHIKV. In addition, serum transfer protected animals from other CHIKV-associated clinical symptoms and from CHIKV persistence in tissue. Based on this passive transfer study, a 50% micro-plaque reduction neutralization test titer of ≥ 150 was determined as a surrogate of protection, which was supported by analysis of samples from a seroepidemiological study. In conclusion, considering the unfeasibility of an efficacy trial due to the unpredictability and explosive, rapidly moving nature of chikungunya outbreaks, the definition of a surrogate of protection for VLA1553 is an important step toward vaccine licensure to reduce the medical burden caused by chikungunya.

Non-human primates (NHPs) are particularly relevant as preclinical models for SARS-CoV-2 infection and nuclear imaging may represent a valuable tool for monitoring infection in this species. We investigated the benefit of computed X-ray tomography (CT) and [ 18 F]-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) to monitor the early phase of the disease in a large cohort (n = 76) of SARS-CoV-2 infected macaques. Following infection, animals showed mild COVID-19 symptoms including typical lung lesions. CT scores at the acute phase reflect the heterogeneity of lung burden following infection. Moreover, [ 18 F]-FDG PET revealed that FDG uptake was significantly higher in the lungs, nasal cavities, lung-draining lymph nodes, and spleen of NHPs by 5 days postinfection compared to pre-infection levels, indicating early local inflammation. The comparison of CT and PET data from previous COVID-19 treatments or vaccines we tested in NHP, to this large cohort of untreated animals demonstrated the value of in vivo imaging in preclinical trials., Competing Interests: No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article exist., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

The impact of treatment on the risk of lymphoma in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unclear. Here, we aimed to assess if the risk of lymphoma differs according to the type of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi), comparing monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies to the soluble TNF receptor. We used B cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF)-transgenic (Tg) mice as a model of autoimmunity-associated lymphoma. Six-month-old BAFF-Tg mice were treated with TNFi for 12 months. Histological examination of the spleen, assessment of the cellular composition of the spleen by flow cytometry and assessment of B cell clonality were performed at euthanasia. Crude mortality and incidence of lymphoma were significantly higher in mice treated with monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies compared to both controls and mice treated with the soluble TNF receptor, even at a high dose. Flow cytometry analysis revealed decreased splenic macrophage infiltration in mice treated with monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies. Overall, this study demonstrates, for the first time, that a very prolonged treatment with monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies increase the risk of lymphoma in B cell-driven autoimmunity. These data suggest a closer monitoring for lymphoma development in patients suffering from B cell-driven autoimmune disease with long-term exposure to monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies., (© 2021 British Society for Immunology.)

Respiratory pathogens represent a great burden for humanity and a potential source of new pandemics, as illustrated by the recent emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In recent decades, biotechnological advances have led to the development of numerous innovative therapeutic molecules and vaccine immunogens. However, we still lack effective treatments and vaccines against many respiratory pathogens. More than ever, there is a need for a fast, predictive, preclinical pipeline, to keep pace with emerging diseases. Animal models are key for the preclinical development of disease management strategies. The predictive value of these models depends on their ability to reproduce the features of the human disease, the mode of transmission of the infectious agent and the availability of technologies for monitoring infection. This review focuses on the use of non-human primates as relevant preclinical models for the development of prevention and treatment for human respiratory infections., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)