Islands harbour evolutionary and ecologically unique biota, which are currently disproportionately threatened by a multitude of anthropogenic factors, including habitat loss, 2568 Biodivers Conserv (2018) 27:2567-2586 1 3 invasive species and climate change. Native forests on oceanic islands are important refugia for endemic species, many of which are rare and highly threatened. Long-term monitoring schemes for those biota and ecosystems are urgently needed: (i) to provide quantitative baselines for detecting changes within island ecosystems, (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and management actions, and (iii) to identify general ecological patterns and processes using multiple island systems as repeated 'natural experiments'. In this contribution, we call for a Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS) for monitoring the remaining native island forests, using bryophytes, vascular plants, selected groups of arthropods and vertebrates as model taxa. As a basis for the GIMS, we also present new, optimized monitoring protocols for bryophytes and arthropods that were developed based on former standardized inventory protocols. Effective inventorying and monitoring of native island forests will require: (i) permanent plots covering diverse ecological gradients (e.g. elevation, age of terrain, anthropogenic disturbance); (ii) a multiple-taxa approach that is based on standardized and replicable protocols; (iii) a common set of indicator taxa and community properties that are indicative of native island forests' welfare, building on, and harmonized with existing sampling and monitoring efforts; (iv) capacity building and training of local researchers, collaboration and continuous dialogue with local stakeholders; and (v) long-term commitment by funding agencies to maintain a global network of native island forest monitoring plots.

An epizootic has been reported in Fiorinia externa populations in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and NewJersey. Infected insects have profuse sclerotial masses enclosing their bodies. The most commonly isolated microorganism from infected F. externa was Colletotrichum sp. A morphological and molecular characterization of this fungus indicated that it is closely related to phytopathogenic C. acutatum isolates. Isolates of Colletotrichum sp. from F. externa in areas of the epizootic were similar genetically and were named Colletotrichum acutatum var. fioriniae var. nov, based on our findings. In vitro and in planta mating observed between isolates of C. acutatum var. fioriniae could serve as a possible source of genetic variation and might give rise to new biotypes with a propensity to infect insects. Only one other strain, C. gloeosporioides f. sp. ortheziidae, has been reported to show entomopathogenic activity.

Objectives To assess the efficacy of desmopressin nasal spray compared with diclofenac given intramuscularly in patients with acute renal colic caused by urolithiasis. Patients and methods The study included 61 patients randomized into three different groups; group A received desmopressin (40 µg, nasal spray), group B diclofenac (75 mg) intramuscularly and group C, both desmopressin and diclofenac. Pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale (a 10‐cm horizontal scale ranging from ‘no pain’ to ‘unbearable pain’) at baseline, 10, 20 and 30 min after administering the treatments. Results On admission, the pain level was the same in all three groups. At 10 min the pain decreased in all groups to a level that was not significantly different. At 20 min groups B and C had similar mean pain levels (3.7), whereas in group A it was 5.0. At 30 min, groups B and C scored 2–3, and group A 5.6. All three treatments were equally effective at 10 and 20 min but at 30 min there was a stabilization/slight increase in pain level in group A. Conclusions Desmopressin has several advantages, e.g. ease of administration, simplicity of delivery and apparent lack of side‐effects, which makes it suitable for ambulatory use. Desmopressin acts rapidly and seems to be effective in both single and combined therapy with diclofenac; it decreases the need for a second treatment and increases the analgesic effect of diclofenac. Some patients responded well to desmopressin, with rapid and complete pain relief. These results indicate that desmopressin may be used to treat renal colic either alone or combined, increasing the analgesic effect of other drugs. More studies are needed to validate and confirm the results; it would also be useful to determine factors that may identify the subgroup of patients who respond quickly and with almost complete pain relief.

A fungal epizootic in populations of Fiorinia externa Ferris (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) infesting hemlock trees, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière (Pinales: Pinaceae) in forests of the Northeastern US has been recently detected. The current known distribution of the epizootic spans 36 sites in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut. Colletotrichum acutatum Simmonds var. fioriniae Marcelino and Gouli var. nov. inedit. (Phyllachorales: Phyllachoraceae) was the most prevalent fungus recovered from infected scales. Bioassays indicated that this C. acutatum variety is highly pathogenic to F. externa. Mortality rates of >90 and >55% were obtained for F. externa crawlers and settlers, respectively. Significantly lower mortality levels, ≤ 22%, were obtained when three other species of insects were assayed. C. gleosporioides has also been shown to have pathogenic activity towards a scale insect. The data suggest that C. acutatum var. fioriniae from F. externa epizootics in the US, and the previously reported C. gloeosporioides f. sp. ortheziidae causing Orthezia praelonga epizootics in Brazil, may constitute distinct biotypes of Colletotrichum that have attained the ability to infect insects in addition to the commonly reported plant hosts.

Stands of eastern hemlock [(Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière] in the northeastern United States are in decline, in part from the attack of elongate hemlock scale, Fiorinia externa Ferris (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). From 2001 to the present, a natural epizootic has been observed in populations of F. externa. Initially discovered at the Mianus River Gorge Preserve in Bedford, New York, the epizootic has also been detected in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut. Understanding and assessing the identity of the pathogenic micro‐organisms responsible for this natural mortality is crucial for developing biological controls for this pest. We have isolated and taxonomically and genetically identified entomopathogens, phytopathogens and endophytic fungi associated with F. externa. Isolates of the following were obtained: Colletotrichum sp., Lecanicillium lecanii, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhiziopsis microspora, Myriangium sp., Mycosphaerella sp. anamorph, Nectria sp., Botrytis sp., Phialophora sp. and Fusarium sp.