The key role of public health in renovating Italian biomedical doctoral programs.

Background: A key renovation of doctoral programs is currently ongoing in Italy. Public health and its competencies may play a pivotal role in high-level training to scientific research, including interdisciplinary and methodological abilities.

Methods: As a case study, we used the ongoing renovation of the Clinical and Experimental Medicine doctoral program at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.

The Irish Public Discourse on Covid-19 at the Intersection of Legislation, Fake News and Judicial Argumentation.

This paper aims to perform a multi-level analysis of the Irish public discourse on Covid-19. Despite widespread agreement that Ireland's response was rapid and effective, the country's journey through the pandemic has been no easy ride. In order to contain the virus, the Government's emergency legislation imposed draconian measures including the detention and isolation of people deemed to be even "a potential source of infection" and a significant extension of 's power of arrest.

Predation on within Hedges in the Agricultural Landscape.

The invasive feeds and reproduces on various cultivated and wild fruits and moves between agricultural and semi-natural habitats. Hedges in agricultural landscapes play a vital role in the population development of , but also harbor a diverse community of natural enemies. We investigated predation by repeatedly exposing cohorts of pupae between June and October in dry and humid hedges at five different locations in Switzerland.

Inflection point in climatic suitability of insect pest species in Europe suggests non-linear responses to climate change.

Climate change and globalization affect the suitable conditions for agricultural crops and insect pests, threatening future food security. It remains unknown whether shifts in species' climatic suitability will be linear or rather non-linear, with crop exposure to pests suddenly increasing when a critical temperature threshold is crossed. Moreover, uncertainty of forecasts can arise because of the modelling approach based either on species distribution data or on physiological measurements.

The economic impact of Drosophila suzukii: perceived costs and revenue losses of Swiss cherry, plum and grape growers.

Background: Drosophila suzukii can lead to substantial damages in horticultural production. In this article we analyze revenue losses and cost increases due to D. suzukii as perceived of Swiss cherry, plum and grape growers.

Seventh BMC ecology image competition: the winning images.

The seventh BMC Ecology competition attracted entries from talented ecologists from around the world. Together, they showcase the beauty and diversity of life on our planet as well as providing an insight into the biological interactions found in nature. This editorial celebrates the winning images as selected by the Editor of BMC Ecology and senior members of the journal's editorial board.

The Potential for Decision Support Tools to Improve the Management of Root-Feeding Fly Pests of Vegetables in Western Europe.

Several important vegetable crops grown outdoors in temperate climates in Europe can be damaged by the root-feeding larvae of Diptera ( , Delia floralis, , , , ). Knowledge of pest insect phenology is a key component of any Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy, and this review considers the methods used to monitor and forecast the occurrence of root-feeding flies as a basis for decision-making by growers and the ways that such information can be applied. It has highlighted some current management approaches where such information is very useful for decision support, for example, the management of with insecticidal sprays and the management of all of these pests using crop covers.

Crop and forest pest metawebs shift towards increased linkage and suitability overlap under climate change.

Global changes pose both risks and opportunities to agriculture and forestry, and biological forecasts can inform future management strategies. Here, we investigate potential land-use opportunities arising from climate change for these sectors in Europe, and risks associated with the introduction and establishment of novel insect pests. Adopting a metaweb approach including all interaction links between 126 crops and forest tree species and 89 black-listed insect pest species, we show that the metawebs shift toward increased numbers of links and overlap of suitable area under climate change.

BMC ecology image competition 2018: the winning images.

The sixth BMC Ecology Image Competition received more than 145 photographs from talented ecologists around the world, showcasing the amazing biodiversity, natural beauty and biological interactions found in nature. In this editorial, we showcase the winning images, as selected by our guest judge, Professor Zhigang Jiang from the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with help from the journal's editorial board. Enjoy!

Management strategies against Drosophila suzukii: insights into Swiss grape growers choices.

Background: In 2017, we investigated measures adopted by Swiss grape growers in response to Drosophila suzukii by conducting a survey presenting information obtained from 372 growers on 1708 vineyards.

Results: We found the strategies adopted to be heterogeneous and largely dependent on grape variety (table vs. wine grapes).

Spotted Wing Drosophila in Sweet Cherry Orchards in Relation to Forest Characteristics, Bycatch, and Resource Availability.

Forest vegetation is essential for the population development of the spotted wing drosophila (SWD). Yet, little is known of how the structure of surrounding forest areas influence the abundance of SWD within orchards. In this work, we use data from a field trial at five sites in Switzerland to analyse the relationship between the extent of forest area, its edge density, and its distance from the orchard with the occurrence of SWD in sweet cherry orchards in a Bayesian hierarchical model.

BMC ecology image competition 2017: the winning images.

For the fifth year, BMC Ecology is proud to present the winning images from our annual image competition. The 2017 edition received entries by talented shutterbug-ecologists from across the world, showcasing research that is increasing our understanding of ecosystems worldwide and the beauty and diversity of life on our planet. In this editorial we showcase the winning images, as chosen by our Editorial Board and guest judge Chris Darimont, as well as our selection of highly commended images.

Economic Impact of the Introduction and Establishment of Drosophila suzukii on Sweet Cherry Production in Switzerland.

First detected in Switzerland in 2011, the invasive , spotted wing drosophila, has caused recurring costs for growers of berries and fruit. Recommended management approaches rely on a set of methods, tailored to suit crop requirements under the prevailing local conditions. Control of represents a substantial economic burden for growers, in terms of material, equipment, new infrastructure and extra labour.

BMC Ecology Image Competition 2016: the winning images.

The 2016 BMC Ecology Image Competition marked another celebration of the astounding biodiversity, natural beauty, and biological interactions documented by talented ecologists worldwide. For our fourth annual competition, we welcomed guest judge Dr. Matthew Palmer of Columbia University, who chose the winning image from over 140 entries.

Mucosal Manifestations in the Edentulous Maxilla with Implant Supported Prostheses: Clinical Results from a Well-Maintained Patient Cohort.

Background: Prostheses in the edentulous maxilla affect the mucosa.

Purpose: To evaluate mucosal alterations with implant supported fixed prostheses (FDP) and overdentures (IOD).

Material And Methods: Patients receiving prostheses during a time period of 10 years were recruited.

Cross-generational effects of temperature on flight performance, and associated life-history traits in an insect.

Nongenetic parental effects may affect offspring phenotype, and in species with multiple generations per year, these effects may cause life-history traits to vary over the season. We investigated the effects of parental, offspring developmental and offspring adult temperatures on a suite of life-history traits in the globally invasive agricultural pest Grapholita molesta. A low parental temperature resulted in female offspring that developed faster at low developmental temperature compared with females whose parents were reared at high temperature.

Molecular genetics and genomics generate new insights into invertebrate pest invasions.

Invertebrate pest invasions and outbreaks are associated with high social, economic, and ecological costs, and their significance will intensify with an increasing pressure on agricultural productivity as a result of human population growth and climate change. New molecular genetic and genomic techniques are available and accessible, but have been grossly underutilized in studies of invertebrate pest invasions, despite that they are useful tools for applied pest management and for understanding fundamental features of pest invasions including pest population demographics and adaptation of pests to novel and/or changing environments. Here, we review current applications of molecular genetics and genomics in the study of invertebrate pest invasions and outbreaks, and we highlight shortcomings from the current body of research.

Worldwide population genetic structure of the oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta), a globally invasive pest.

Background: Invasive pest species have large impacts on agricultural crop yields, and understanding their population dynamics is important for ensuring food security. The oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta is a cosmopolitan pest of stone and pome fruit species including peach and apple, and historical records indicate that it has invaded North and South America, Europe, Australia and Africa from its putative native range in Asia over the past century.

Results: We used 13 microsatellite loci, including nine newly developed markers, to characterize global population structure of G.

A myosin-Va tail fragment sequesters dynein light chains leading to apoptosis in melanoma cells.

Previous studies proposed that myosin-Va regulates apoptosis by sequestering pro-apoptotic Bmf to the actin cytoskeleton through dynein light chain-2 (DLC2). Adhesion loss or other cytoskeletal perturbations would unleash Bmf, allowing it to bind and inhibit pro-survival Bcl2 proteins. Here, we demonstrated that overexpression of a myosin-Va medial tail fragment (MVaf) harboring the binding site for DLC2 dramatically decreased melanoma cell viability.

Two distinct genomic regions, harbouring the period and fruitless genes, affect male courtship song in Drosophila montana.

Acoustic signals often have a significant role in pair formation and in species recognition. Determining the genetic basis of signal divergence will help to understand signal evolution by sexual selection and its role in the speciation process. An earlier study investigated quantitative trait locus for male courtship song carrier frequency (FRE) in Drosophila montana using microsatellite markers.

Sexual and postmating reproductive isolation between allopatric Drosophila montana populations suggest speciation potential.

Background: Widely distributed species with populations adapted to different environmental conditions can provide valuable opportunities for tracing the onset of reproductive incompatibilities and their role in the speciation process. Drosophila montana, a D. virilis group species found in high latitude boreal forests in Nearctic and Palearctic regions around the globe, could be an excellent model system for studying the early stages of speciation, as a wealth of information concerning this species' ecology, mating system, life history, genetics and phylogeography is available.

No evidence for increased extinction proneness with decreasing effective population size in a parasitoid with complementary sex determination and fertile diploid males.

Background: In species with single locus complementary sex determination (sl-CSD), the sex of individuals depends on their genotype at one single locus with multiple alleles. Haploid individuals are always males. Diploid individuals are females when heterozygous, but males when homozygous at the sex-determining locus.

Structured populations of the oriental fruit moth in an agricultural ecosystem.

Intercontinental trade has led to multiple introductions of invasive pest species at a global scale. Molecular analyses of the structure of populations support the understanding of ecological strategies and evolutionary patterns that promote successful biological invasions. The oriental fruit moth, Grapholita (= Cydia) molesta, is a cosmopolitan and economically destructive pest of stone and pome fruits, expanding its distribution range concomitantly with global climate warming.

Inbreeding in a natural population of the gregarious parasitoid wasp Cotesia glomerata.

Inbreeding occurs in numerous animal and plant species. In haplodiploid hymenopterans with the widespread single locus complementary sex determination, the frequency of diploid males, which are produced at the expense of females, is increased under inbreeding. Diploid males in species of bees, ants and wasps are typically either unviable or effectively sterile and thus impose a severe genetic load on populations.

A microsatellite linkage map for Drosophila montana shows large variation in recombination rates, and a courtship song trait maps to an area of low recombination.

Current advances in genetic analysis are opening up our knowledge of the genetics of species differences, but challenges remain, particularly for out-bred natural populations. We constructed a microsatellite-based linkage map for two out-bred lines of Drosophila montana derived from divergent populations by taking advantage of the Drosophila virilis genome and available cytological maps of both species. Although the placement of markers was quite consistent with cytological predictions, the map indicated large heterogeneity in recombination rates along chromosomes.