New findings of terrestrial arthropods from the Azorean Islands.

The knowledge on taxonomic diversity of arthropods is key to better understanding the biodiversity patterns and processes and guiding sustainable conservation strategies and practices. In the Azores, terrestrial arthropods are relatively well-inventoried following the publication of comprehensive checklists that have been regularly updated. Nevertheless, every year, new species are found as a result of new arrivals to the Archipelago and from addressing specific taxonomic lacunae.

Flower Visitation through the Lens: Exploring the Foraging Behaviour of with a Computer Vision-Based Application.

To understand the processes behind pollinator declines and for the conservation of pollination services, we need to understand fundamental drivers influencing pollinator behaviour. Here, we aimed to elucidate how wild bumblebees interact with three plant species and investigated their foraging behaviour with varying flower densities. We video-recorded in 60 × 60 cm quadrats of , , and in urban areas of Terceira (Azores, Portugal).

Examination of the Effect of Dimethyl Trisulfide in Acute Stress Mouse Model with the Potential Involvement of the TRPA1 Ion Channel.

Polysulfides are endogenously produced in mammals and generally associated with protective functions. Our aim was to investigate the effect of dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) in a mouse model of acute stress. DMTS activates transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channels and leads to neuropeptide release, potentially that of substance P (SP).

The BALA project: A pioneering monitoring of Azorean forest invertebrates over two decades (1999-2022).

Globally, there is a concerning decline in many insect populations, and this trend likely extends to all arthropods, potentially impacting unique island biota. Native non-endemic and endemic species on islands are under threat due to habitat destruction, with the introduction of exotic, and potentially invasive, species, further contributing to this decline. While long-term studies of plants and vertebrate fauna are available, long-term arthropod datasets are limited, hindering comparisons with better-studied taxa.

Effects of a short-term temperature increase on arthropod communities associated with pastures.

The impact of climate change on islands is expected to cause dramatic consequences on native biodiversity. However, limited data are available for arthropod communities in island agroecosystems. In this study, we simulate a small-scale climatic change (average of +1.

Plant growers' environmental consciousness may not be enough to mitigate pollinator declines: a questionnaire-based case study in Hungary.

Background: Pesticides are one of the most important anthropogenic-related stressors. In times of global pollinator decline, the role of integrated farming and urban gardens in supporting wild pollinators is becoming increasingly important. We circulated an online questionnaire to survey plant protection practices among Hungarian farmers and garden owners with a particular emphasis on pollinator protection.

Development of Capsaicin-Containing Analgesic Silicone-Based Transdermal Patches.

Transdermal therapeutic systems (TTSs) enable convenient dosing in drug therapy. Modified silicone-polymer-based patches are well-controlled and cost-effective matrix diffusion systems. In the present study, we investigated the substance release properties, skin penetration, and analgesic effect of this type of TTS loaded with low-dose capsaicin.

DNA metabarcoding of gut contents reveals key habitat and seasonal drivers of trophic networks involving generalist predators in agricultural landscapes.

Background: Understanding the networks of trophic interactions into which generalist predators are embedded is key to assessing their ecological role of in trophic networks and the biological control services they provide. The advent of affordable DNA metabarcoding approaches greatly facilitates quantitative understanding of trophic networks and their response to environmental drivers. Here, we examine how key environmental gradients interact to shape predation by Lycosidae in highly dynamic vegetable growing systems in China.

Investigation of the Role of the TRPA1 Ion Channel in Conveying the Effect of Dimethyl Trisulfide on Vascular and Histological Changes in Serum-Transfer Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases. Its therapy is often challenging, even in the era of biologicals. Previously, we observed the anti-inflammatory effects of garlic-derived organic polysulfide dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS).

Irreproducibility in searches of scientific literature: A comparative analysis.

Repeatability is the cornerstone of science, and it is particularly important for systematic reviews. However, little is known on how researchers' choice of database, and search platform influence the repeatability of systematic reviews. Here, we aim to unveil how the computer environment and the location where the search was initiated from influence hit results.

Associations between carabid beetles and fungi in the light of 200 years of published literature.

Describing and conserving ecological interactions woven into ecosystems is one of the great challenges of the 21 century. Here, we present a unique dataset compiling the biotic interactions between two ecologically and economically important taxa: ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and fungi. The resulting dataset contains the carabid-fungus associations collected from 392 scientific publications, 129 countries, mostly from the Palearctic region, published over a period of 200 years.

Spatio-temporal distribution patterns of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in a fine-scale agricultural landscape based on geostatistical analysis.

A detailed knowledge on the spatial distribution of pests is crucial for predicting population outbreaks or developing control strategies and sustainable management plans. The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, is one of the most destructive pests of cruciferous crops worldwide. Despite the abundant research on the species's ecology, little is known about the spatio-temporal pattern of P.

Dimethyl Trisulfide Diminishes Traumatic Neuropathic Pain Acting on TRPA1 Receptors in Mice.

Pharmacotherapy of neuropathic pain is still challenging. Our earlier work indicated an analgesic effect of dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), which was mediated by somatostatin released from nociceptor nerve endings acting on SST receptors. Somatostatin release occurred due to TRPA1 ion channel activation.

Local management and landscape structure determine the assemblage patterns of spiders in vegetable fields.

Both field- and landscape-scale factors can influence the predator communities of agricultural pests, but the relative importance and interactions between these scales are poorly understood. Focusing on spiders, an important taxon for providing biological control, we tested the influence of field- and landscape-scale factors on structuring the spider communities in a highly dynamic brassica agroecosystem. We found that local factors (pesticide-use and crop type) and forested landscape significantly influenced the abundance and species richness of spiders, whilst grassland patches significantly affected the spider species richness.

Small molecule somatostatin receptor subtype 4 (sst) agonists are novel anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug candidates.

We provided strong proof of concept evidence that somatostatin mediates potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions via its receptor subtype 4 (sst) located both at the periphery and the central nervous system. Therefore, sst agonists are promising novel drug candidates for neuropathic pain and neurogenic inflammation, but rational drug design was not possible due to the lack of knowledge about its 3-dimensional structure. We modeled the sst receptor structure, described its agonist binding properties, and characterized the binding of our novel small molecule sst agonists (4-phenetylamino-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives) using an in silico platform.

TRPA1 Ion Channel Determines Beneficial and Detrimental Effects of GYY4137 in Murine Serum-Transfer Arthritis.

Modulation of nociception and inflammation by sulfide in rheumatoid arthritis and activation of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) ion channels by sulfide compounds are well documented. The present study aims to investigate TRPA1-mediated effects of sulfide donor GYY4137 in K/BxN serum-transfer arthritis, a rodent model of rheumatoid arthritis. TRPA1 and somatostatin sst4 receptor wild-type (WT) and knockout mice underwent K/BxN serum transfer and were treated daily with GYY4137.

The impact of cover crops on the predatory mite Anystis baccarum (Acari, Anystidae) and the leafhopper pest Empoasca onukii (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae) in a tea plantation.

Background: Empoasca onukii, the tea green leafhopper, is a key pest of tea whose control often requires the extensive use of insecticides. As a predator of the tea green leafhopper, the mite Anystis baccarum is a potential biological control agent worldwide, though little is known about how intercropping cover crops can impact its suppressing effect on E. onukii.

Virulence of Two Entomophthoralean Fungi, and , to Their Conspecific () and Heterospecific () Aphid Hosts.

and (phylum Entomophthoromycota) are important fungal pathogens on cereal aphids, and . Here, we evaluated and compared for the first time the virulence of these two fungi, both produced in cadavers, against the two aphid species subjected to the same exposure. Two laboratory bioassays were carried out using a method imitating entomophthoralean transmission in the field.

Effects of sulfide and polysulfides transmitted by direct or signal transduction-mediated activation of TRPA1 channels.

Hydrogen sulfide (H S) is a gaseous mediator in various physiological and pathological processes, including neuroimmune modulation, metabolic pathways, cardiovascular system, tumour growth, inflammation and pain. Now the hydrogen polysulfides (H S ) have been recognised as signalling molecules modulating ion channels, transcription factors and protein kinases. Transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels can be activated by mechanical, thermal or chemical triggers.

Role of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 Ion Channel and Somatostatin sst4 Receptor in the Antinociceptive and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Sodium Polysulfide and Dimethyl Trisulfide.

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) non-selective ligand-gated cation channels are mostly expressed in primary sensory neurons. Polysulfides (POLYs) are Janus-faced substances interacting with numerous target proteins and associated with both protective and detrimental processes. Activation of TRPA1 in sensory neurons, consequent somatostatin (SOM) liberation and action on sst4 receptors have recently emerged as mediators of the antinociceptive effect of organic trisulfide dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS).

Phenological changes of the most commonly sampled ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) species in the UK environmental change network.

Despite the important roles ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) play in ecosystems, the highly valued ecosystem services they provide, and ample descriptive documentation of their phenology, the relative impact of various environmental factors on carabid phenology is not well studied. Using the long-term pitfall trap capture data from 12 terrestrial Environmental Change Network (ECN) sites from the UK, we examined how changing climate influenced the phenology of common carabids, and the role particular climate components had on phenological parameters. Of the 28 species included in the analyses, 19 showed earlier start of their activity.