Environmental DNA (eDNA) has been proposed as a powerful tool to detect and monitor cryptic, elusive, or invasive organisms. We recently demonstrated that honey constitutes an easily accessible source of eDNA. In this study, we extracted DNA from 102 honey samples (74 from Italy and 28 from 17 other countries of all continents) and tested the presence of DNA of nine honey bee pathogens and parasites (Paenibacillus larvae, Melissococcus plutonius, Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, Ascosphaera apis,Lotmaria passim, Acarapis woodi, Varroa destructor, and Tropilaelaps spp.) using qualitative PCR assays. All honey samples contained DNA from V. destructor, confirming the widespread diffusion of this mite. None of the samples gave positive amplifications for N. apis, A. woodi, and Tropilaelaps spp. M. plutonius was detected in 87% of the samples, whereas the other pathogens were detected in 43% to 57% of all samples. The frequency of Italian samples positive for P. larvae was significantly lower (49%) than in all other countries (79%). The co-occurrence of positive samples for L. passim and A. apis with N. ceranae was significant. This study demonstrated that honey eDNA can be useful to establish monitoring tools to evaluate the sanitary status of honey bee populations.

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Growing interest has been emerging on the need to monitor the genetic integrity of the European Apis mellifera subspecies that could be threatened by the human-mediated dispersion of non-native populations and lines. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages can provide useful information for this purpose. In this study, we took advantage of the environmental DNA (eDNA) contained in the honey, which can be analyzed to detect the main groups of mitotypes of the honey bees that produced it. In this study, we applied this eDNA to produce a distribution map all over the Italian peninsula and the two major islands (Sicily and Sardinia) of the following three honey bee mtDNA lineages: A, C and M. A total of 607 georeferenced honey samples, produced in all Italian regions, was analyzed to detect these lineages. The A lineage was widespread in Sicily, as expected, considering that A. m. siciliana carries the African lineage. Surprisingly, this lineage was also reported in about 14% of all other samples produced in almost all continental regions, and in Sardinia. The applied method obtained an updated distribution map of honey bee mtDNA lineages that could be useful to design policies for the conservation of Italian honey bee genetic resources.

Anaesthetics used during cancer surgery may influence tumour cells and immunological response. The aim of this study was to evaluate a potential influence of the anaesthetic method (inhaled anaesthetics versus total-intravenous anaesthesia using propofol) on recurrence-free and overall survival in glioblastoma patients. We retrospectively identified patients undergoing resection of contrast enhancing glioblastoma under general anaesthesia followed by standard adjuvant treatment between January 2010 and February 2017 at two University Hospitals. Matched pairs of patients receiving either balanced with volatile anaesthetics or total intravenous anaesthesia were generated according to the known prognostic factors (extent of resection, methyl-guanine-methyl-transferase (MGMT) promoter methylation, age, Karnofsky performance score). Groups were compared using chi-square and Whitney-Man-U test. Time to recurrence was calculated using Kaplan Meier estimates. Log Rank test was used to assess the influence of the anaesthetic method. One hundred and fifty-eight (79:79) patients were included. Groups showed no significant difference in recurrence-free (volatiles: 8.0 (95% CI 6.5-9.8) vs. propofol: 8.4 (95% CI 7.9-10.1) months; p = 0.54) or overall survival (propofol: 17.4 (95% CI 14.0-20.7) vs. volatiles: 16.9 (95% CI 13.9-20.1) months; p = 0.85). In contrast to potential beneficial effects in some other solid tumours, the choice of anaesthetic method had no impact on survival in patients with glioblastoma in a well-defined cohort.