University of Pavia

Northeastern Patagonia is a recognized vulnerable region for wind erosion and desertification. Identifying dust emission sources in the coastal regions of Argentine Patagonia is crucial to understanding micronutrient transport to the Southern Atlantic Ocean. This study proposes an innovative integrated approach combining species distribution modelling and optical satellite images of the land surface to identify potential dust emission hotspots related to wind erosion. To test the approach, we selected a study area in an endorheic basin in the southwestern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. We identified the source of particulate matter emission using MODIS Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD-MAIAC) values above a threshold of 0.06, which was validated by fieldwork and served as the dependent variable in the model. As explanatory variables, we derived several satellite-based products such as the Aridity Index, and Soil Organic Carbon, as well as topographic indices like Vertical Distance to the Drainage Network and land cover. The applied MaxEnt model shows an acceptable performance with Receiver Operating Characteristic curve integrals of 0.75. For further validation, the trained model was transferred to a neighboring region. The most significant variables were Soil Organic Carbon, Vertical Distance to the Drainage Network, and Landcover. The results indicate that the most susceptible areas generating dust/salt plumes in the studied endorheic basin are the depressions and lowlands where fine sediments accumulate. The results yield valuable information for the proper management of Eastern Argentinian lowland areas and support general soil and water conservation practices and planning.

Mining activities can significantly alter surface and groundwater systems. Therefore, sustainable water resources management has become a central requirement and strategic necessity for responsible mining. This requires tools capable of characterizing water sources, flow paths, and contaminant dynamics to support informed and responsible decision-making. Stable and radioactive isotopes are powerful tracers of the origin, age, movement, and transport of water and its constituents, as well as indicators of the water-rock interactions affecting groundwater and surface water quality. This paper reviews publications from 2022 to 2024 that discuss advancements in isotopic techniques and their applications, with the goal to promote the adoption of integrated isotopic and geochemical methods in mining-related assessments. The review is organized into three sections: 1) the understanding of hydro(geo)logical circuits: water sources and circulation, mixing processes, hydro(geo)logical alteration, river-groundwater interactions and groundwater age; 2) the assessment of mining-related contamination processes: contamination by S or by N compounds, discrimination between mining and other contamination sources, the use of minor and trace element isotopes, the salinity issues, and the identification of gas production and exchange; and 3) the application of isotope approaches for monitoring the impact of mining and assessing remediation measures, whether natural or engineered. Finally, the intrinsic strengths and weaknesses, as well as the external opportunities and limitations to the application of isotopic approaches are discussed. The review summarizes the commonly encountered sources and processes in mining settings and provides graphical outputs to assist with interpreting new experimental data, highlighting environmental isotopes as “sustainable investigation tools”. • Isotopic approaches in mining-related settings are assessed with a SWOT analysis • Graphical outputs to assist with interpreting new experimental data are provided • Environmental isotopes represent fully-fledged “sustainable investigation tools”

Pregnancy in women with cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a distinct clinical condition, as the physiological adaptations of pregnancy may interact with underlying cardiac pathology in variable and sometimes unpredictable ways. Consequently, maternal and foetal risk cannot be assumed a priori and requires structured, patient- and disease-specific assessment. The new ESC guidelines on cardiovascular disease and pregnancy incorporate updated evidence following the 2018 version. The contents span from models of multidisciplinary care (the Pregnancy Heart Team, PHT), pre-pregnancy counselling, and pregnancy-related risk assessment, to novel recommendations that are both shared by all pregnancies in women with CVD and specific to each distinct disease. Due to limited prospective or randomized studies largely prevented by ethical reasons, most recommendations are based on evidence level C. This document provides a concise synthesis of innovations in shared management strategies and disease-specific pathways in pregnancy of women with known CVD. It also acknowledges that not all clinical scenarios can be fully captured by guideline-based recommendations. Beyond guidelines, and primarily because approximately 50% of recommendations are Level C evidence, there is considerable decision-making margin for cardiovascular specialists to adhere recommendations. For rare unpredictable complications/events the limited available evidence does not allow recommendations to be made. Looking to the future, the expectation is that AI, which is already generating data and models of care in pregnancy, can help support widespread access to PHT, both in hospitals equipped with the necessary requirements and remotely to all healthcare facilities serving pregnant women with CVDs.

The transition toward plant-forward diets is driving interest in sustainable, nutrient-rich food sources, with edible mushrooms emerging as promising alternatives. Hericium erinaceus mycelium, traditionally valued in Chinese medicine, is gaining recognition for its potential in food applications. This study evaluates the proteomic and metabolomic profiles of four strains of H. erinaceus mycelia collected in Italy, namely He1, He2, He4, and He5. MS proteomics and NMR metabolomics allowed the identification of 2180 proteins and 31 metabolites, revealing a rich nutritional composition. Functional analyses highlighted key pathways involved in protein synthesis and energy metabolism. Notably, strain-specific differences in amino acids, organic acids, and sugars profiles suggest opportunities for targeted strain selection to optimize nutritional profiles. These findings support the development of H. erinaceus mycelium as a sustainable, functional ingredient for novel food products, aligning with consumer demand for healthier and more environmentally conscious dietary options. • Proteomics and NMR metabolomics were applied to study Hericium erinaceus mycelium • We identified 2180 proteins and 31 metabolites across four different Italian strains • Strain-specific profiles and differences suggest targeted nutritional applications • Findings support use of H. erinaceus mycelium as a novel food ingredient

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.