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Forest wildflowers bloom earlier as Europe warms: lessons from herbaria and spatial modelling
(2022)
Today plants often flower earlier due to climate warming. Herbarium specimens are excellent witnesses of such long-term changes. However, the magnitude of phenological shifts may vary geographically, and the data are often clustered. Therefore, large-scale analyses of herbarium data are prone to pseudoreplication and geographical biases.
We studied over 6000 herbarium specimens of 20 spring-flowering forest understory herbs from Europe to understand how their phenology had changed during the last century. We estimated phenology trends with or without taking spatial autocorrelation into account.
On average plants now flowered over 6 d earlier than at the beginning of the last century. These changes were strongly associated with warmer spring temperatures. Flowering time advanced 3.6 d per 1°C warming. Spatial modelling showed that, in some parts of Europe, plants flowered earlier or later than expected. Without accounting for this, the estimates of phenological shifts were biased and model fits were poor.
Our study indicates that forest wildflowers in Europe strongly advanced their phenology in response to climate change. However, these phenological shifts differ geographically. This shows that it is crucial to combine the analysis of herbarium data with spatial modelling when testing for long-term phenology trends across large spatial scales.
Purpose: The treatment with a cochlear implant (CI) is the gold standard in therapy of patients with profound hearing loss or deafness. Successful hearing rehabilitation with a CI is a complex, multi-stage process. In medicine, “Clinical Practice Guidelines” (CPG) are widely accepted for the standardization of such processes. These are supplemented by medical registries in which data regarding the treatment can be collected and evaluated. The aim of this paper is to identify currently existing CI-related CPGs and registries in Europe.
Methods: Between 01/2021 and 06/2021, 42 countries on the European continent, including the United Kingdom, Russia and Turkey, were screened using an internet search (search engine: Google) and a key word search in the Pubmed database. Search terms were the respective country name combined with the following terms: “Cochlear Implant”, “CI”, “Cochlear implant clinical practice guideline”, “CI Guideline”, “Cochlear Implant Registry”, “CI Registry”, “Ear nose throat society”. The internet search was conducted in English as well as in the corresponding national language. The objective was to identify a CI-related CPG or registry.
Results: A CPG was found in 16 of 42 (38%) countries. In terms of population, this accounts for 645 million out of 838 million people (77%). A registry existed in 4 of the 42 (10%) countries assessed. This corresponds to 102 million out of 838 million (12%) people. In total, 4 out of 42 countries (10%) had both a CPG and a registry.
Conclusion: Our work shows numerous efforts in Europe to standardize CI care at the national level. While most people in Europe already live in countries with a CPG, this is not the case for CI registries. European-wide consensus on CPGs or registries does not yet exist. The present study thus provides a first assessment of the distribution of CI-related CPGs and registries.
Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses major challenges to health-care systems worldwide. This pandemic demonstrates the importance of timely access to intensive care and, therefore, this study aims to explore the accessibility of intensive care beds in 14 European countries and its impact on the COVID-19 case fatality ratio (CFR).
Methods: We examined access to intensive care beds by deriving (1) a regional ratio of intensive care beds to 100,000 population capita (accessibility index, AI) and (2) the distance to the closest intensive care unit. The cross-sectional analysis was performed at a 5-by-5 km spatial resolution and results were summarized nationally for 14 European countries. The relationship between AI and CFR was analyzed at the regional level.
Results: We found national-level differences in the levels of access to intensive care beds. The AI was highest in Germany (AI = 35.3), followed by Estonia (AI = 33.5) and Austria (AI = 26.4), and lowest in Sweden (AI = 5) and Denmark (AI = 6.4). The average travel distance to the closest hospital was highest in Croatia (25.3 min by car) and lowest in Luxembourg (9.1 min). Subnational results illustrate that capacity was associated with population density and national-level inventories. The correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation of ICU accessibility and COVID-19 CFR (r = − 0.57; p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Geographical access to intensive care beds varies significantly across European countries and low ICU accessibility was associated with a higher proportion of COVID-19 deaths to cases (CFR). Important differences in access are due to the sizes of national resource inventories and the distribution of health-care facilities relative to the human population. Our findings provide a resource for officials planning public health responses beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic, such as identifying potential locations suitable for temporary facilities or establishing logistical plans for moving severely ill patients to facilities with available beds.
The kinorhynch fauna from Portugal has been explored, yielding a new species of the genus Setaphyes (Kinorhyncha: Allomalorhagida). This is the first description of an allomalorhagid species from Portugal. Specimens of the new species were collected at a subtidal muddy beach in Alvor, a village located in the southernmost region of Portugal. Setaphyes algarvensis sp. nov. may be distinguished from its congeners by a unique arrangement of the setae: paired paradorsal setae on segments 2–7 and 9, paradorsal seta on segment 8 unpaired, laterodorsal setae on segments 2–3 and 6–9 in males and 2–9 in females, paralateral setae on segment 1, lateroventral setae on segments 2–10 (two pairs on segment 5), ventrolateral setae on segment 1 in males and 1–3 in females, and ventromedial setae on segments 3–9 in males and 4–9 in females. The diagnostic features of Setaphyes algarvensis sp. nov. are discussed from a comparative perspective with the congener species. Additionally, morphometric analyses of selected features, namely the total trunk length and the relation between the total trunk length and the length of lateral terminal spines, turned out to be useful to distinguish between the new species and Setaphyes kielensis (its most similar congener).
In this study, the thallus-forming Laboulbeniomycetes (Herpomycetales and Laboulbeniales) from Denmark are presented as an illustrated monograph. Sixteen species and one genus are newly described based on morphology and ecology (host association). The new genus is named Tanmaurkiella Santam. gen. nov. and includes two species: T. pselaphi Santam. gen. et sp. nov. (type species) and T. huggertii Santam. gen. et sp. nov., both on Pselaphus heisei Herbst, 1792 (Col. Staphylinidae Pselaphinae). The other 14 new species are Amorphomyces ventricosus Santam. sp. nov. on Myrmecocephalus concinnus (Erichson, 1839) (Col. Staphylinidae Aleocharinae), Cantharomyces papillatus Santam. sp. nov. on Bledius terebrans (Schiødte, 1866) (Col. Staphylinidae Oxytelinae), Cryptandromyces cryptophagi Santam. sp. nov. on Cryptophagus distinguendus Sturm, 1845 (Col. Cryptophagidae), Cryptandromyces danicus Santam. sp. nov. on Euconnus wetterhallii (Gyllenhal, 1813) (Col. Staphylinidae Scydmaeninae), Dimeromyces oculatus Santam. sp. nov. on Longitarsus luridus (Scopoli, 1763) (Col. Chrysomelidae), Euphoriomyces enghoffii Santam. sp. nov. on Leiodes rugosa Stephens, 1829 (Col. Leiodidae), Euphoriomyces smicri Santam. sp. nov. on Smicrus filicornis (Fairmaire & Laboulbène, 1855) (Col. Ptiliidae), Laboulbenia inexpectata Santam. sp. nov. on Acupalpus exiguus Dejean, 1829 (Col. Carabidae), Laboulbenia pygidicola Santam. sp. nov. on Syntomus truncatellus (Linnaeus, 1761) (Col. Carabidae), Monoicomyces brachiatus Santam. sp. nov. on Atheta sodalis (Erichson, 1837) and Ocyusa picina (Aubé, 1850) (Col. Staphylinidae Aleocharinae), Monoicomyces crassicaulis Santam. sp. nov. on Oxypoda elongatula Aubé, 1850 (Col. Staphylinidae Aleocharinae), Monoicomyces reboleirae Santam. sp. nov. on Gnypeta carbonaria (Mannerheim, 1830) (Col. Staphylinidae Aleocharinae), Monoicomyces validus Santam. sp. nov. on Atheta vestita (Gravenhorst, 1806), Aleochara grisea Kraatz, 1856, and Geostiba circellaris (Gravenhorst, 1806) (Col. Staphylinidae Aleocharinae), and Stigmatomyces thoracochaetae Santam. sp. nov. on Thoracochaeta brachystoma (Stenhammer, 1855) (Diptera Sphaeroceridae). The total number of laboulbeniaceous species from Denmark rises from 29 to 195, which means that 166 are here reported as new country records. Among these, Kainomyces isomali Thaxt. deserves special mention as it is a new European record. The same applies to nine species which are reported here for the first time after their original description. For this study, an intensive sampling programme has been realized, with 429 Danish localities screened including around 1900 collections with fungi. Two new synonymies are established: Laboulbenia acupalpi Speg. (Spegazzini 1915a) syn. nov. for Laboulbenia stenolophi Speg. (Spegazzini 1914), and Monoicomyces oxytelis Huldén (Huldén 1983) syn. nov. for Monoicomyces invisibilis Thaxt. (Thaxter 1900). The new combination Peyritschiella oxyteli (Cépède & F.Picard) Santam. comb. nov. is proposed for Rheophila oxyteli Cépède & F.Picard including neotypification, and delimitation of Peyritschiella protea Thaxt. is incorporated. Lectotypes for Laboulbenia polyphaga Thaxt. and Symplectromyces vulgaris (Thaxt.) Thaxt. are designated. Nineteen species are illustrated here with photographs for the first time. Three species: Eumonoicomyces papuanus Thaxt., Peyritschiella protea, and Stigmatomyces euconni F.Picard, which were reported from Denmark in the literature should be removed from the Danish Funga. We have examined the following types of Thaxter from FH (Farlow Herbarium, Harvard University Herbaria): Asaphomyces cholevae Thaxt., Dimorphomyces myrmedoniae Thaxt., Eumonoicomyces papuanus, Laboulbenia polyphaga, Peyritschiella protea, Rhadinomyces pallidus Thaxt., and Symplectromyces vulgaris. Ceratomyces pyrenaeus Santam. is newly recorded from USA, and this is also a new record from the American continent. Description of the genus Cryptandromyces Thaxt. has been emended to incorporate the new species here described. Morphology of the antheridium in Eumonoicomyces papuanus is studied, and the status of the genus Eumonoicomyces Thaxt. vis-à-vis Monoicomyces Thaxt. is discussed. Identification keys are provided for genera and species. In support of the additional aim of this work to serve as a reference for the study of Laboulbeniomycetes fungi in Europe, we include maps and the Appendix 1 for comparison of the known species in the ten most diverse, better studied, European countries.
Two new species of cheilostomate bryozoans are described from material preserved in museums: Cradoscrupocellaria severoi sp. nov., from Iberian Mediterranean waters, and Setosella margaritae sp. nov., from shallow waters along the Atlantic coast of Europe. Moreover, the Mediterranean species Setosella cyclopensis Rosso, Di Martino & Gerovasileiou, 2020 is reported in Iberian waters for the first time.
Fossils assigned to the predominantly deep-sea asteroid family Benthopectinidae Verrill, 1894 are described and their affinities reappraised. Detailed comparative morphology of ambulacrals, adambulacrals and marginal ossicles has revealed that only some extinct taxa fall within the morphological range of the modern representatives of the family. These include Jurapecten hessi Gale, 2011, J. infrajurensis sp. nov. (both Jurassic), J. dhondtae sp. nov. (Upper Cretaceous) and Nearchaster spinosus (Blake, 1973) comb. nov. (Lower Oligocene). A new Late Cretaceous genus, Punkaster gen. nov. (P. spinifera gen. et sp. nov. and P. ruegenensis gen. et sp. nov.), appears to be a highly derived benthopectinid. A possible benthopectinid is described from the Upper Triassic (Carnian) of China. Other described records are distantly related to, but convergent in gross morphology with, benthopectinids. Thus, Plesiastropecten hallovensis Peyer, 1944 is here referred to the Jurassic spinulosidan family Plumasteridae Gale, 2011 and Xandarosaster hessi Blake, 1984 is interpreted as Spinulosida Perrier, 1884 incertae sedis. The mid-Cretaceous Alkaidia sumralli Blake & Reid, 1998 is reassigned to the Forcipulatida (Zorocallina). The “fossil benthopectinid” of Spencer & Wright in Moore (1966) is shown to belong to the goniopectinid genus Chrispaulia Gale, 2005, of which two new Cretaceous species are described, C. wrightorum sp. nov. and C. spinosa sp. nov. Finally, we consider Henricia? venturana Durham & Roberts, 1948 to be an indeterminate asteroid.
New species, revision, and phylogeny of Ronzotherium Aymard, 1854 (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae)
(2021)
Ronzotherium is one of the earliest Rhinocerotidae in Europe, which first appeared just after the Eocene/Oligocene transition (Grande Coupure), and became extinct at the end of the Oligocene. It is a large-sized rhinocerotid, with a special position in the phylogeny of this group, as being one of the earliest-branching true Rhinocerotidae. However, its intra-generic systematics has never been tested through computational phylogenetic methods and it is basically unknown. Its taxonomical history has gone through numerous complications, and thus we aim to provide here a complete revision of this genus, through phylogenetic methods. After a re-examination of all type specimens (five supposed species) as well as of most well-preserved specimens from all over Europe and ranging through the complete Oligocene epoch, we performed a parsimony analysis to test the position of some problematic specimens. According to our results, five species can be distinguished, Ronzotherium velaunum (type species), R. filholi, R. elongatum and R. romani as well as a new species: R. heissigi sp. nov. We also drastically re-interpret its anatomy and show that the ‘short-limbed’ “Diaceratherium” massiliae, described from Southern France, can be considered as a junior synonym of R. romani. Finally, we exclude the Asian species “Ronzotherium” orientale and “Ronzotherium” brevirostre from Ronzotherium and we consider R. kochi as a junior synonym of R. filholi.
APPEAL‐1: A pan‐European survey of patient/caregiver perceptions of peanut allergy management
(2020)
Background: Peanut allergy (PA) is associated with marked quality‐of‐life (QoL) impairment. However, data are lacking on the experience and impact of living with PA from the perspectives of persons with PA (PwPA) and their caregivers. Allergy to Peanuts imPacting Emotions And Life study 1 (APPEAL‐1) was a pan‐European survey investigating these perspectives. This first of two articles reports clinical characteristics of PwPA and PA management practices.
Methods: APPEAL‐1 was a quantitative, online survey conducted in eight European countries, developed by eight representatives of patient advocacy groups and five healthcare professionals and researchers. Eligible participants included adults with PA and parents/caregivers of PwPA who responded by self‐report and provided proxy‐report for the PwPA under their care. Data were summarized using nonweighted descriptive statistics.
Results: Of 1846 completed/analysed questionnaires, 528 were from adults with PA (self‐report); 437 by proxy for children with PA (34 aged 0‐3 years, 287 aged 4‐12 years, 116 aged 13‐17 years) and 881 from parents/caregivers (self‐report). Of PwPA (N = 965), 95% reported diagnosis by healthcare professionals, mostly by clinical history and peanut‐specific allergy testing. Rates of allergic rhinitis, asthma and other food allergies in PwPA were 50%, 42% and 79%, respectively. Only 31% of PwPA received HCP advice/support following their worst allergic reaction, and 28% had not been prescribed an adrenaline auto‐injector. Results were similar by country but varied by age group.
Conclusions: The APPEAL‐1 findings contribute to greater understanding of PA impact on PwPA, caregivers and family members and the need for improved PA management across Europe.
With a growing Muslim population, many European countries need to integrate Muslims into their societies. One aspect that can hinder successful integration are substantial differences in human values. This is because such values are consequential for attitudes as well as behavior. We compare basic human values between Muslim immigrants and non-Muslim natives in four European countries with distinct immigration histories and integration politics: Belgium, France, Germany, and Sweden. For most insightful comparisons, we contrast values of Muslim immigrants with those of Christian natives as well as those of non-religious natives. We employ data of more than 50,000 individuals based on the first eight waves of the European Social Survey. Our findings reveal significant differences in value priorities between Muslims, Christians and non-religious individuals in all four countries. Amongst other things, Muslim immigrants score particularly high in conservation values (security and tradition/conformity). At the same time, they also score higher in self-transcendence values (benevolence as well as universalism). While many of these findings are in line with theory and previous research, the higher score in universalism is unexpected. A potential explanation is the combination of religious traditionalism and discrimination experiences. In other words, religious traditions are associated with more conservative views, but being subject to marginalization can still result in an appreciation of equal opportunities. We find only limited support for differences in hedonism. Religiosity correlates with values of tradition/conformity for Muslim immigrants as well as for Christian natives. Thus, accounting for religiosity renders differences in these values between Muslims and other groups statistically insignificant. While most of these findings hold in all countries, differences are most pronounced in Sweden and lower in the other three countries, which is also true after accounting for differences in socio-economic status and religiosity between the three groups. This suggests that a combination of a country's history of diversity and national integration policies either encourages the convergence of values or leads to a solidification of value differences between groups. We discuss these political and social implications of our findings.