Search Results (3,198)

Stored-product insects threaten global food security, yet the environmental mechanisms governing their responses to climate change remain poorly understood. Existing pest distribution projections rarely integrate diurnal thermal variability with agricultural land use. Here, we show that diurnal thermal variability, together with agricultural land use, is a major determinant of habitat suitability for three globally important Callosobruchus pests across the Middle East. Using optimized species distribution models integrating climate, topography, and cropland under contrasting CMIP6 climate scenarios, we demonstrate that mean diurnal temperature range and cropland consistently emerge as the strongest predictors across all species, revealing the importance of daily thermal fluctuations beyond mean warming alone. Under the low-emission scenario (SSP1-2.6), suitable habitat by mid-century expands substantially for C. chinensis and C. phaseoli, while remaining little changed overall for C. maculatus, for which comparable local expansion and contraction largely offset one another; under the high-emission scenario (SSP5-8.5), gains are reduced, and localized contractions occur, particularly for C. chinensis and C. maculatus, the latter shifting to a slight net loss in total suitable area. Persistent climatic refugia remain along Mediterranean and Red Sea coastal regions, whereas habitat losses are concentrated in the northern Gulf lowlands and Zagros foothills. Our findings identify diurnal thermal variability as an overlooked dimension of stored-product pest ecology and show that integrating agricultural landscapes with climate projections can improve forecasts of future pest risk, providing a framework for climate-informed surveillance, biosecurity, and adaptation. Full article

The Greek seas have hosted a diversity of sharks and rays since antiquity, with Aristotle providing the earliest detailed descriptions in his History of Animals, while the first modern documented record dates back to 1858. Despite this long history of attention and the acceleration of research on elasmobranchs over the past two decades, information on their spatial distribution remains fragmented, with most studies focusing on biological and fisheries-related parameters at low taxonomic and/or spatial resolution. This is concerning given that over 50% of Mediterranean chondrichthyans are now threatened with extinction. The present study reconstructs the distribution of extant species in the Greek seas by integrating published literature, mass and social media, biodiversity platforms, citizen science programs, research projects, and national datasets. Although records were compiled from 1858 onwards, only those starting from 1942 contained sufficiently precise locality information to be georeferenced. The review yielded 5596 spatial presence records of initially 67 species; however, after data validation, 62 species were confirmed: 33 shark species, 28 batoid species, and 1 chimaera species, of which 54.8% were from research programs, 30.5% were from published research, and 14.4% were from citizen science and were previously unpublished. These records enrich knowledge of threatened and data-deficient taxa and may serve as a useful baseline for future analyses and distribution modeling, as well as for informing marine spatial planning and conservation prioritization efforts in the eastern Mediterranean. Full article

Cryptomeria japonica var. sinensis Miquel (Chinese cedar) is an ecologically and economically vital evergreen conifer endemic to China. Renowned for its rapid growth and superior timber quality, the species has evolved from a traditional forestry resource into a multifaceted model species for phytochemistry and biotechnology. This review synthesizes recent advancements in its biology, chemical profiling, industrial utilization, and molecular breeding. Taxonomically and morphologically distinct from the Japanese variety, Chinese cedar exhibits robust physiological plasticity and complex transcriptomic responses to abiotic stresses. Phytochemically, the tree is a prolific reservoir of volatile essential oils, complex terpenoids, and flavonoids. These bioactive secondary metabolites demonstrate potent antimicrobial, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, driving broad applications in modern pharmacology and sustainable agrochemicals. Industrially, the timber is increasingly utilized in the fabrication of advanced engineered structural composites and circular bioenergy production. Concurrently, breakthrough biotechnological platforms including a chromosome-level reference genome assembly, multi-omics, somatic embryogenesis, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing have advanced molecular breeding, accelerating the targeted development of climate-resilient and non-pollen-producing (hypoallergenic) elite cultivars. However, as global climate change and historical habitat fragmentation severely threaten ancient wild populations, this review advocates for integrated in situ and ex situ conservation strategies. By identifying critical research gaps in translational pharmacology, precision gene editing, and comparative genomics, this review provides a comprehensive foundation for understanding the biology, phytochemistry, biotechnology, and utilization of this invaluable botanical resource, offering a strategic roadmap for its sustainable management and commercial valorization. Full article

Peanut root-knot nematode (RKN) disease caused by Meloidogyne hapla is among the most destructive soil-borne diseases threatening peanut production worldwide. We isolated Trichoderma harzianum strain Snef3255 from peanut rhizosphere soil, which exhibited high virulence against second-stage juveniles, with a mortality rate of 86.08%. Field trials demonstrated that TC and TS provided control efficacies of 70.85% and 61.88%, respectively, while boosting peanut yields by 18.15% and 13.61%. We report a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of T. harzianum Snef3255 using Oxford Nanopore, Illumina and high-throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) sequencing data. This assembly comprised seven chromosomes (40,811,729 bp) with a BUSCO completeness of 99.31%. A total of 13,611 protein-coding genes were predicted. Systematic comparative genomic analysis of T. harzianum Snef3255 with other Trichoderma species was performed, and putative functional gene clusters were investigated. Furthermore, we identified two candidate secreted proteins, ThCP1 and ThLysM1, and screened their interacting proteins in peanut, respectively. This study demonstrated the potential of Snef3255 as a biocontrol agent for peanut RKN disease and provided a genomic basis for understanding Trichoderma–peanut interactions. Full article

The Tawny-throated Dotterel is a migratory species listed as “near threatened” in Chile and distributed across diverse ecosystems in South America. However, little is known about its nesting behavior in arid desert ecosystems, where it may utilize certain sporadic vegetation strata for nesting. The Atacama Desert, located between southern Peru and northern Chile, is described as the driest and oldest desert on the planet. Nevertheless, during extraordinary periods of rainfall, this arid zone experiences flowering—primarily in the spring—which can provide an optimal breeding niche for some birds. In this article, we report, for the first time, the discovery of an Tawny-throated Dotterel nest during a “flowering desert” period. The nest was monitored using a camera trap. The egg-incubation frequency observed in our study was mainly distributed during the night, while the adult spent a significant fraction of the day on nesting activities and self-maintenance. Future studies are needed to determine whether this area is indeed a periodic nesting area for the Tawny-throated Dotterel, which would strengthen the designation of this part of the Atacama Desert as a potential conservation area. Full article

Lake Sofia, located in the mountains of northern Madagascar (1100 m a.s.l.), has experienced increased sediment loads over the past century, which have adversely affected its biodiversity and reduced its lifespan. Lake Sofia provides critical ecosystem services and is an important habitat for threatened species, e.g., the critically endangered Madagascar Pochard (Aythya innotata). Suggested causes of the high sediment load in Lake Sofia are water erosion, wind erosion, and the stirring of mud from the bottom of the lake by recently introduced tilapia (Oreochromis spp.). Using publicly available weather reanalysis, satellite data, land cover data, soil data, and elevation data, we attribute high turbidity levels in Lake Sofia to water erosion, which explains over 90% of the variance in lake turbidity. Wind erosion was not significant, and tilapia did not contribute to sediment influx. Increased precipitation and decreased vegetation cover in agricultural areas contributed most to increased erosion risk, whereas lavaka (erosion gullies) contributed less. Erosion risk over crop lands has increased by 2% annually and is expected to increase further because of climate change and expected increased precipitation intensity. The erosion model identifies areas most at risk to be targeted for interventions, and is applicable to other catchments in Madagascar and elsewhere. Full article

Background: Subungual malignant melanoma (SMM) is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening neoplasm that frequently mimics benign nail disorders, particularly onychomycosis. Although misdiagnosis of SMM as fungal infection is well documented, laboratory-confirmed coexistence of onychomycosis and melanoma within the same nail unit is exceedingly rare and remains insufficiently characterized in the literature. Methods: A two-patient case series is presented in which both individuals underwent comprehensive clinical evaluation, nail unit biopsy, histopathologic examination with special staining, and molecular and/or mycologic testing. Longitudinal follow-up was obtained to evaluate clinical course and outcomes. Results: Both patients presented with chronic hallux nail dystrophy and laboratory-confirmed onychomycosis. In each case, fungal infection was confirmed, however, persistent symptoms prompted subsequent biopsies, that revealed malignant melanoma. In Case 1, a 71-year-old man with Candida parapsilosis onychomycosis underwent an initial nail unit biopsy demonstrating at least melanoma in situ with ulceration. Repeat biopsy confirmed invasive melanoma with an approximate Breslow thickness of 1.0 mm, while final pathology following partial hallux amputation revealed residual ulcerated melanoma with a Breslow thickness of 2.1 mm, negative margins, and negative sentinel lymph nodes, consistent with Stage IIB disease. In Case 2, an 88-year-old woman with dermatophytic onychomycosis consistent with Trichophyton species had an initial fragmented biopsy demonstrating invasive subungual melanoma with an estimated Breslow thickness of 0.6 mm. Final pathology following distal hallux amputation confirmed residual acral melanoma with a Breslow thickness of 0.6 mm, no ulceration, a mitotic rate of less than 1/mm², and negative margins, consistent with pT1a disease. Factors contributing to delayed melanoma recognition differed between cases: prior trauma, delayed intervention, and chronic ulceration complicated Case 1, whereas treatment for presumed onychomycosis without improvement delayed suspicion in Case 2. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that positive mycologic results do not exclude concurrent melanoma and underscore the potential for diagnostic anchoring bias, supporting early biopsy consideration in refractory or atypical nail dystrophy. Full article

Adult deep neck infection (DNI) is a potentially life-threatening condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Contemporary large-scale data characterizing long-term microbial evolution and clinical outcome trends in adult DNI remain limited. This study aimed to investigate temporal changes in bacterial pathogens, treatment strategies, and clinical outcomes of adult DNI across an 18-year period. This is a retrospective multicenter cohort study using the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) and a de-identified nationwide database from Taiwan’s largest medical system. Hospitalized adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with DNI from 2006 to 2023 were identified and stratified into two consecutive 9-year epochs (Epoch 1: 2006–2014, n = 5512; Epoch 2: 2015–2023, n = 6551). Demographics, comorbidities, treatment modalities, disease severity, and microbiological profiles were analyzed. Bacterial isolates were evaluated at genus and species levels, with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) assessed separately. Among 12,063 adult DNI patients (Epoch 1: n = 5512; Epoch 2: n = 6551), antibiotic-only treatment increased (77.3% to 83.2%) and surgical intervention decreased (22.7% to 16.9%). Descending necrotizing mediastinitis decreased markedly (2.7% to 0.7%) and in-hospital mortality declined (7.7% to 6.4%). Poly-microbial infections increased substantially (45.3% to 53.7%). Among facultative anaerobic and aerobic isolates, the Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG) emerged as a clinically important pathogen. Among anaerobes, Prevotella displaced Peptostreptococcus as the dominant genus, with Peptostreptococcus micros (Parvimonas micra) and Prevotella buccae emerging as prominent species. Over 18 years, adult DNI in Taiwan demonstrated significant improvements in clinical outcomes, with marked reductions in mediastinitis and in-hospital mortality. Concurrently, poly-microbial infections increased, and the SAG, Peptostreptococcus micros (Parvimonas micra), Prevotella, and anaerobic organisms emerged as clinically important pathogens, underscoring the need for empiric antibiotic regimens providing broad aerobic and anaerobic coverage. Although microbiological profiles vary geographically, these findings provide a contemporary evidence base to guide empiric antibiotic selection, inform surgical decision-making, and identify high-risk adult patients with DNI. Full article

The rising prevalence of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance in human pathogenic mycoplasmas, such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma genitalium, threatens global public health. Mutations in 23S rRNA and quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDR) have compromised the first-line therapies, creating an urgent clinical need for alternatives. Consequently, novel antimicrobial agents (pleuromutilins, novel tetracyclines, topoisomerase inhibitors) have become a top research priority. However, standardized in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) methodologies for mycoplasmas remain underdeveloped compared to typical bacteria. Key challenges include the lack of a cell wall, slow growth kinetics, and fastidious culture requirements, which invalidate standard colony-counting and susceptibility testing protocols. This review evaluates current in vitro PK/PD models, quantification techniques, and key indices, highlighting the potential of adapting the methodological frameworks established in veterinary mycoplasma research (e.g., Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae) to human mycoplasma species. We specifically analyze the utility of propidium monoazide (PMA)-qPCR for viability assessment and hollow-fiber infection models (HFIM) configured for small-cell retention. We conclude that harmonizing these methodologies through a One Health approach is critical for optimizing dosing regimens, reducing resistance, and accelerating the development of novel antimicrobial agents for human use. Full article

Climate change increasingly threatens Mediterranean ornamental horticulture and green infrastructure through elevated temperatures, prolonged drought conditions, soil salinity, and more frequent extreme weather events. As a result, plant growth, phenology and landscape sustainability are significantly affected. This systematic review aimed to identify and qualitatively synthesize the available evidence on the responses of ornamental plants and their production and end use systems to climate-related stress, with emphasis on Mediterranean native species and their potential contribution to climate-resilient landscaping. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with PRISMA 2020. An adapted Population–Exposure–Outcome framework was used to operationalize the overarching review question and guide eligibility assessment. Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection were systematically searched for peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 1 January 2001 and 31 May 2026. Eligible publications examined ornamental plants, floricultural species, or native and endemic taxa with potential ornamental or landscape use and addressed climate-related stressors, plant resilience, adaptation strategies, cultivation or propagation practices, green-infrastructure applications, or related ecological trade-offs in Mediterranean-relevant contexts. Two reviewers independently assessed titles, abstracts, and full texts using predefined eligibility criteria. The review used a structured qualitative narrative synthesis organized into thematic domains to systematically identify, select, and synthesize the available evidence. Meta-analysis was not undertaken because of substantial heterogeneity in plant material, environmental stressors, study designs, and reported outcomes. A total of ninety studies were included and organized into five domains: climate stress and plant responses (n = 14), native Mediterranean ornamental species (n = 21), adaptation and resilience strategies (n = 16), urban landscaping and green infrastructure (n = 25), and ecological risks and invasive species (n = 14). The review revealed that several native Mediterranean plants possess morphological, physiological, or ecological characteristics associated with tolerance to drought, salinity, and other climate-related stresses, supporting their potential use in sustainable ornamental horticulture. Water-efficient irrigation, alternative water sources and substrates, nursery preconditioning, non-microbial biostimulants, and genotype or physiological screening showed adaptation potential, but their effectiveness depended on species, genotype, intervention intensity, and application context. Evidence remained limited for compound stresses, combined interventions, nursery-to-landscape transfer, long-term field performance, commercial scalability, and environmental trade-offs. Overall, climate-resilient ornamental horticulture requires the integration of plant selection, propagation, production, controlled stress screening, landscape validation, and ecological-risk assessment. This review proposes an evidence-to-application framework to support research, nursery production, landscape planning, and the responsible deployment of climate-adapted ornamental plants. Full article

Most species within the genus Nicrophorus (Staphylinidae: Silphinae: Necrophorini) overwinter as adults during cold months. However, species that were once widely distributed, such as the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus Olivier, experience different overwintering conditions, altered by increasing climate variability, making cold periods less predictable. In this study, we determined the mean super-cooling point of Oklahoma N. americanus to be −1.98 °C, a value that suggests that beetles rely on behavioral avoidance of freezing soils rather than on physiological freeze tolerance or super-cooling. We conducted a series of field experiments in Oklahoma to test the effects of habitat and burial depth on the overwintering survival of N. americanus. Correlations were found between burial depth and the survival of beetles. Highly fluctuating winter temperatures and periods without precipitation increased mortality rates, with adults emerging from overwintering much earlier than previously documented. As climates become warmer and more variable, with temperature fluctuations and altered precipitation patterns, populations of the federally designated threatened N. americanus are at risk of extirpation. Full article

The stable production of crops such as corn, wheat, soybeans, and canola is increasingly threatened by widespread pest infestations. Conventional manual pest surveys are hampered by low operational efficiency, subjective assessment bias, and delayed feedback, thereby impeding their ability to satisfy the demands of precision agriculture. To address these challenges, we proposes an intelligent pest detection framework based on EfficientNet and Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) for fast and accurate field pest identification. EfficientNet is adopted as the lightweight attention-embedded backbone to extract hierarchical features, and multi-scale detection plus hierarchical FPN fusion are integrated to improve recognition performance for tiny, inconspicuous pests. The experimental results on 37 common pest species in field crops showed that the proposed model achieves a mean average precision at Intersection-over-Union (IoU) threshold 0.5 (mAP@0.5) of 98.89%, 1.57% average recognition error rate, and with an average inference time of merely 0.048 s per image, balancing outstanding detection accuracy and real-time performance. Furthermore, this approach delivers a lightweight, reliable, and automated monitoring solution for field pest surveillance, thereby facilitating data-driven, precise pest management and advancing the practice of sustainable, green precision agriculture. Full article

Plant anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum spp., is a class of significant diseases that severely threatens global crop production. Traditional management strategies, including chemical control, are hindered by inherent limitations such as the frequent emergence of pathogen resistance, low pesticide utilization efficiency, high environmental residue risks, and inconsistent field efficacy. Moreover, achieving further improvements in control efficacy is constrained by the complex biological characteristics of Colletotrichum species, particularly their hemibiotrophic lifestyle and latent infection strategies. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a potential approach for the management of anthracnose. This review summarizes the research progress of various nanomaterials in the control of plant anthracnose. It analyzes the proposed multi-mechanism modes of action of nanomaterials tailored to the specific infection traits of Colletotrichum. Particular emphasis is placed on analyzing the theoretical mechanisms and preliminary in vitro evidence of nano-enabled controlled-release systems in addressing asymptomatic latent infections and achieving targeted, precise delivery. However, it must be emphasized that most current findings are derived from laboratory or controlled-environment studies, and the actual field-scale effectiveness, long-term environmental behavior, and multi-trophic safety of many nanomaterials remain insufficiently confirmed. Building upon these insights, this review thoroughly evaluates the critical challenges facing the agricultural field application of nanomaterials, such as ecotoxicity, formulation stability, scalable industrial production, and regulatory gaps. This review aims to provide objective theoretical support and technical references for achieving safe, efficient, and sustainable nano-enabled green management of plant anthracnose. Full article

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a severe, sight-threatening corneal infection caused by free-living amoebae widely distributed in soil, natural waters, and domestic or recreational water systems. Following entry into the corneal microenvironment, disease develops within a redox conflict in which host-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) may contribute to parasite control while simultaneously promoting inflammation and tissue injury. Acanthamoeba responds through an adaptable defense network involving superoxide dismutases, catalase, thioredoxin- and glutathione-dependent systems, peroxiredoxins, and mitochondrial mechanisms. However, most mechanistic evidence derives from in vitro trophozoite studies, whereas the contribution of individual redox pathways to mature cyst survival and persistence in the infected cornea remains poorly defined. This review critically integrates evidence on host oxidative and nitrosative responses, parasite antioxidant adaptation, bidirectional redox crosstalk, and redox-modulating therapeutic strategies. Current data support neither indiscriminate suppression nor uncontrolled amplification of reactive species. Instead, future interventions should achieve spatially, temporally, and stage-specifically controlled redox modulation that weakens parasite defenses while preserving corneal integrity and essential innate immune functions. Progress will require causal validation of redox targets, separate assessment of trophozoites and mature cysts, long-term excystation and regrowth assays, evaluation across clinical isolates and genotypes, and parallel assessment of host-cell toxicity in clinically relevant corneal models. Full article

Effective conservation of the Near Threatened (NT) black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis) requires standardized frameworks for organizing multi-scale biodiversity data. This study proposes the Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBV) system as an optimal structure for archiving and sharing biodiversity data such as Habitat Suitability Index (HSI). Developed by the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), the EBV framework is an emerging system offering a robust solution for standardizing data exchange. Based on 483,592 valid location records of 106 black-necked cranes using satellite telemetry, we apply species distribution models and demonstrate how the multi-dimensional EBV architecture accommodates distinct life-stage preferences: breeding sites favor mid-elevations modulated by temperature; migration staging relies on precipitation regimes; and wintering grounds are driven by moisture availability and the avoidance of human-modified landscapes. The EBV NetCDF (Network Common Data Form) format functions as a self-describing hypercube that captures spatial, temporal, and life-stage dimensions while ensuring metadata transparency. This integration facilitates critical applications, including the identification of priority conservation areas and climate vulnerability assessments, thereby bridging the gap between species-specific modeling and global biodiversity monitoring standards. Full article