Agricultural land use curbs exotic invasion but sustains native plant diversity at intermediate levels.

Unveiling the processes driving exotic plant invasion represent a central issue in taking decisions aimed at constraining the loss of biodiversity and related ecosystem services. The invasion success is often linked to anthropogenic land uses and warming due to climate change. We studied the responses of native versus casual and naturalised exotic species richness to land uses and climate at the landscape level, relying on a large floristic survey undertaken in North - Eastern Italy. Both climate and land use drove exotic species richness. Our results suggest that the success of plant invasion at this scale is mainly due to warm climatic conditions and the extent of urban and agricultural land, but with different effects on casual and naturalized exotic species. The occurrence of non-linear trends showed that a small percentage of extensive agricultural land in the landscape may concurrently reduce the number of exotic plant while sustaining native plant diversity. Plant invasion could be potentially limited by land management, mainly focusing on areas with extensive agricultural land use. A more consciousness land management is more and more commonly required by local administrations. According to our results, a shift of intensive to extensive agricultural land, by implementing green infrastructures, seems to be a win-win solution favouring native species while controlling the oversimplification of the flora due to plant invasion.

A novel transnational fresh oocyte donation (TOD) program based on transport of frozen sperm and embryos.

STUDY QUESTION: What is the clinical efficacy of an oocyte donation program based on the transportation of frozen semen and embryos between two countries? SUMMARY ANSWER: The transnational oocyte donation program is efficient and reliable and it could provide a first-line strategy to overcome the lack of donors in some countries. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: While there is increasing need for donated oocytes, in many countries the availability of donors is still insufficient to cover the therapeutic demands, and patients are referred abroad for treatment. Since embryo cryopreservation is reliable and efficient, we propose a strategy based on frozen embryos instead of frozen oocytes to satisfy the increasing demand for cross border oocyte donation. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This is a retrospective cohort study including 630 patients treated from December 2015 to July 2017. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Infertile women were treated with elective vitrified-thawed embryo shipping and embryo transfer (ET) between two IVF clinics, one in Spain and one in Italy. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: A total of 2617 embryos were created for the 630 patients and the survival rate after warming was 98.5%. After the first ET the live birth rate (LBR) was 30.6%. In 476 patients (75.5%), embryos were transferred at the cleavage stage (Day 2 or 3) and the LBR was 29.2%. Vitrified blastocysts were available for 154 patients (24.5%) and the LBR was 35%. Among patients who did not achieve a pregnancy after the first frozen ET (FET), 92.5% had at least one frozen embryo for successive procedures. 213 patients underwent a second FET. The LBR at the second FET was 30%. The cumulative LBR at the end of the observation period was 39.3%. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The study design was retrospective. A direct comparison with vitrified oocyte donors cycle and subsequent fresh ET would have permitted to compare this strategy versus the current standard based on vitrified gametes. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The LBR found in our study is more than acceptable and seems to be higher than what reported with vitrified oocytes. The transnational fresh oocyte donation program may have several advantages over the shipment of vitrified oocytes: similarly to the fresh oocyte donation program it allows for personalized care in oocyte recipient, which is provided by assigning a flexible number of oocytes, and at the same time it maintains the benefit of a frozen ART program permitting scheduling flexibility. The TOD program is efficient and may be proposed as a first-line strategy for distance and inter-countries oocyte donation programs. STUDY FUNDING, COMPETING INTEREST(S): None. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NA.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and MTHFR 1298A > C gene polymorphism.

INTRODUCTION: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is related to unhealthy habits, mainly to unfavorable dietary profiles. MTHFR gene encodes MethyleneTetraHydroFolate Reductase, a regulatory enzyme whose polymorphisms are associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. Among polymorphisms, C677T, a thermolabile form, but not A1298C, thermostable, was associated with fatty liver and insulin resistance. AIM: to investigate if NAFLD, in subjects referred for nutritional assessment and counselling, has any difference of prevalence and severity when associated with isolated MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and hyperhomocysteinemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 94 subjects, age 55.65 ± 15.43 years, BMI 27.88 ± 5.17 kg/m2, 26 with MTHFR Wild type genotype (1298AA) and 68 with MTHFRA1298C single polymorphism were studied: of them, 35 were homozygous (MTHFR1298CC), 33 were heterozygous (MHTFR 1298AC). Insulin resistance was assessed by HOMA-IR, NAFLD by UltraSound Brigh-Liver-Score (BLS). RESULTS: MTHFR subgroups (wild and A1298C single polymorphism) were not different for age, gender, dietary profile and BMI. In NAFLD, MTHFR 1298AC (heterozygous) vs. homozygous wild genotype (MTHFR 1298AA) patients had more severe NAFLD (BLS: 1.12 ± 1.14 vs. 0.54 ± 0.76, p < 0.029), greater insulin resistance (HOMA 3.20±2.35 vs. 2.12 ± 1.12; p < 0.036), higher AST and gammaGT. CONCLUSIONS: MTHFR1298AC gene heterozygous polymorphisms can be weakly predictive for NAFLD severity. This mutation occurs frequently in populations with low prevalence of overall mortality and of atherosclerosis-associated disease: it could have maintained and maintain its persistence by an heterozygosis advantage mechanism, within significant adherence to healthy nutritional profiles. Interactions of nutrition, genetics and health are a part of the aging process throughout the life span and a greater consideration to the genetic characteristics of populations and individuals is warranted.