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Little attention is paid to prosody in second language (L2) instruction, but computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) offers learners solutions to improve the perception and production of L2 suprasegmentals. In this study, we extend with acoustic analysis a previous research showing the effectiveness of self-imitation training on prosodic improvements of Japanese learners of Italian. In light of the increased degree of correct match between intended and perceived pragmatic functions (e.g., speech acts), in this study, we aimed at quantifying the degree of prosodic convergence towards L1 Italian speakers used as a model for self-imitation training. To measure convergence, we calculated the difference in duration, F0 mean, and F0 max syllable-wise between L1 utterances and the corresponding L2 utterances produced before and after training. The results showed that after self-imitation training, L2 learners converged to the L1 speakers. The extent of the effect, however, varied based on the speech act, the acoustic measure, and the distance between L1 and L2 speakers before the training. The findings from perceptual and acoustic investigations, taken together, show the potential of self-imitation prosodic training as a valuable tool to help L2 learners communicate more effectively.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are promoted as biofertilizers due to potential benefits in crop productivity, and macro- and microelement uptake. However, crop response to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation is context-dependent, and AMF diversity and field establishment and persistence of inoculants can greatly contribute to variation in outcomes. This study was designed to test the hypotheses that multiple and local AMF inoculants could enhance alfalfa yield and fatty acids (FA) compared to exotic isolates either single or in the mixture. We aimed also to verify the persistence of inoculated AMF, and which component of the AMF communities was the major driver of plant traits. Therefore, a field experiment of AMF inoculation of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) with three single foreign isolates, a mixture of the foreign isolates (FMix), and a highly diverse mixture of local AMF (LMix) was set up. We showed that AMF improved alfalfa yield (+ 68%), nutrient (+ 147% N content and + 182% P content in forage), and FA content (+ 105%). These positive effects persisted for at least 2 years post-inoculation and were associated with enhanced AMF abundance in roots. Consortia of AMF strains acted in synergy, and the mixture of foreign AMF isolates provided greater benefits compared to local consortia (+ 20% forage yield, + 36% forage N content, + 18% forage P content, + 20% total FA in forage). Foreign strains of Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus irregularis persisted in the roots of alfalfa 2 years following inoculation, either as single inoculum or as a component of the mixture. Among inoculants, F. mosseae BEG12 and AZ225C and the FMix exerted a higher impact on the local AMF community compared with LMix and R. irregularis BEG141. Finally, the stimulation of the proliferation of a single-taxa ( R. irregularis cluster1) induced by all inoculants was the main determinant of the host benefits. Crop productivity and quality as well as field persistence of inoculated AMF support the use of mixtures of foreign AMF. On the other hand, local mixtures showed a lower impact on native AMF. These results pave the way for extending the study on the effect of AMF mixtures for the production of high-quality forage for the animal diet.

Background Increasing zinc (Zn) concentrations in crops is important for alleviation of human Zn deficiency. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) contribute to plant Zn uptake, but their contribution to Zn in the edible portion of crops has not yet been investigated. This study aimed to quantify the mycorrhizal pathway of Zn uptake into grain of wheat and barley under varying soil Zn availabilities. Bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) and barley ( Hordeum vulgare ) were grown in pots with a hyphal compartment containing 65 Zn. Plants were inoculated with Rhizophagus irregularis and grown at three soil Zn concentrations. Radioactive Zn in grain and straw was measured and the contribution of AMF to Zn uptake was calculated. Results The mycorrhizal pathway of Zn uptake contributed up to 24.3% of total above-ground Zn in wheat, and up to 12.7% of that Zn in barley. The greatest contribution by the mycorrhizal pathway was observed in barley at the lowest Zn addition, and in wheat at the highest one. In addition, grain yield of bread wheat was increased by AMF. Conclusions These results suggest that AMF have a substantial role in uptake of Zn into cereals, and the proportional contribution by the MPU is dependent on plant species, as well as available soil Zn.

This study investigated the occurrence of 12 pharmaceuticals (PhCs) in surface water in Central Italy, aiming to improve the estimation of the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) by normalizing the loads to the number of inhabitants of the drainage system in rural, periurban, and urban areas. We performed two sampling campaigns assessing the concentration of PhCs (measured environmental concentration (MEC)) in surface water and in effluent from a wastewater treatment plant. The reliability of PEC calculated by the refined formula was assessed and compared to the ratio obtained by the unrefined formula. MECs of diclofenac, estradiol, estrone, ibuprofen, metformin, naproxen, sulfamethoxazole, atenolol, carbamazepine, and dehydro-erythromycin were significantly higher in urban than in periurban and rural areas, and increases were 12-, 3600-, 256-, 33-, 18-, 120-, 10-, 5-, 2-, and 1-fold, respectively. Refinement of PEC improved estimation of PhC concentrations for all areas, especially for the urban one. The environmental risk was predicted as low for atenolol, carbamazepine, erythromycin, metformin, and naproxen; low/medium for diclofenac and ibuprofen; and high for clarithromycin, estradiol, estrone, and sulfamethoxazole. Overall, the highest risk was posed by PhCs in effluent, while a progressively decreasing risk was estimated for urban, periurban, and rural areas.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) promote crop growth and yield by increasing N and P uptake and disease resistance, but the role of field AMF inoculation on the uptake of micronutrients, such as Fe and Zn, and accumulation in plant edible portions is still not clarified. Therefore, we studied the effect of field inoculation with Rhizophagus irregularis in an organic system on 11 old genotypes and a modern variety of bread wheat. Inoculation increased root colonization, root biomass and shoot Zn concentration at early stage and grain Fe concentration at harvest, while it did not modify yield. Genotypes widely varied for shoot Zn concentration at early stage, and for plant height, grain yield, Zn and protein concentration at harvest. Inoculation differentially modified root AMF community of the genotypes Autonomia B, Frassineto and Bologna. A higher abundance of Rhizophagus sp., putatively corresponding to the inoculated isolate, was only proved in Frassineto. The increase of plant growth and grain Zn content in Frassineto is likely linked to the higher R. irregularis abundance. The AMF role in increasing micronutrient uptake in grain was proved. This supports the introduction of inoculation in cereal farming, if the variable response of wheat genotypes to inoculation is considered.

• We investigated the functional significance of extraradical mycorrhizal networks produced by geographically different isolates of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) species Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices. • A two-dimensional experimental system was used to visualize and quantify intact extraradical mycelium (ERM) spreading from Medicago sativa roots. Growth, phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) nutrition were assessed in M. sativa plants grown in microcosms. • The AMF isolates were characterized by differences in extent and interconnectedness of ERM. Phenotypic fungal variables, such as total hyphal length, hyphal density, hyphal length per mm of total or colonized root length, were positively correlated with M. sativa growth response variables, such as total shoot biomass and plant P content. • The utilization of an experimental system in which size, growth rate, viability and interconnectedness of ERM extending from mycorrhizal roots are easily quantified under realistic conditions allows the simultaneous evaluation of different isolates and provides data with a predictive value for selection of efficient AMF.

Inoculation of crop plants by non-native strains of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi as bio-enhancers is promoted without clear evidence for symbiotic effectiveness and fungal persistence. To address such gaps, the forage legume Medicago sativa was inoculated in an agronomic field trial with two isolates of Funneliformis mosseae differing in their nuclear rDNA sequences from native strains. The inoculants were traced by PCR with a novel combination of the universal fungal NS31 and Glomeromycota-specific LSUGlom1 primers which target the nuclear rDNA cistron. The amplicons were classified by restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing. The two applied fungal inoculants were successfully traced and discriminated from native strains in roots sampled from the field up to 2 yr post inoculation. Moreover, field inoculation with inocula of non-native isolates of F. mosseae appeared to have stimulated root colonization and yield of M. sativa. Proof of inoculation success and sustained positive effects on biomass production and quality of M. sativa crop plants hold promise for the role that AM fungal inoculants could play in agriculture.

Deepfakes are viral ingredients of digital environments, and they can trick human cognition into misperceiving the fake as real. Here, we test the neurocognitive sensitivity of 25 participants to accept or reject person identities as recreated in audio deepfakes. We generate high-quality voice identity clones from natural speakers by using advanced deepfake technologies. During an identity matching task, participants show intermediate performance with deepfake voices, indicating levels of deception and resistance to deepfake identity spoofing. On the brain level, univariate and multivariate analyses consistently reveal a central cortico-striatal network that decoded the vocal acoustic pattern and deepfake-level (auditory cortex), as well as natural speaker identities (nucleus accumbens), which are valued for their social relevance. This network is embedded in a broader neural identity and object recognition network. Humans can thus be partly tricked by deepfakes, but the neurocognitive mechanisms identified during deepfake processing open windows for strengthening human resilience to fake information. By contrasting brain responses to deepfake and natural speaker identities, this study reveals neural sensitivity in the reward-related nucleus accumbens when exposed to natural but not to deepfake identities.

The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on yield and quality was investigated on a set of seven bread wheat genotypes with varying years of release, including five old genotypes and two modern varieties. A two-year field trial was conducted in central Italy under rainfed conditions. The effect of AM fungal seed coating was proved by assessing the AM fungal root colonization and studied on agronomic and quality traits, and in particular on gluten-forming proteins and grain mineral composition. AMF seed coating led to a general yield improvement in old genotypes (+24%). Concerning the effects on grain quality, while modern genotypes showed an increase in protein content (+16%), in the old ones an improvement of gluten quality was observed, with an increased proportion of HMW-GS from +17% to +92%. The gluten index results were mostly influenced by HMW-GS allelic configuration and amount, showing a significant correlation with gliadin-to-glutenin ratio and HMW-GS to LMW-GS. Concerning mineral uptake, AM fungal treatment determined a general increase in P content, which was more marked in the modern group (+44%). Furthermore, AMF significantly increased mean Fe concentration in Verna (+53%) and Bologna (+45%). Finally, phytate content did not increase with AMF, without affecting mineral bioavailability.

The question of whether tillers are a burden or a resource in durum wheat is of concern in the variable Mediterranean climates. The contribution of tillers to grain yield was investigated in commercial cultivars differing in time to anthesis, tillering and spike size, in response to three sowing dates:mid-autumn (recommended), winter, and early spring. The thermal time of phenological phases was calculated, and yield-components and floret production were analysed separately in main culm and tillers. Tiller spikes showed higher spikelet abortion coupled to lower spikelet fertility and mean kernel weight, so that grain yield was 40-60% lower than in main culm spikes. Despite this, tillers contributed 35 to 50% to plant yield. The sowing date affected tiller number rather than one tiller yield. In winter sowings (December), lower main culm yield was fully compensated by increased tiller yield, whereas shifts of sowing date to early spring (February) reduced tillering, which caused a yield loss ranging from 12 to 20%. Cultivars differed in one tiller yield rather than in tiller number, and higher grain yield of tillers was primarily due to increased grain recovery. A more equal partitioning of resources within main culm and tillers corresponded to better yield stability across sowing dates. Starting from this, we suggest that early anthesis, a long stem elongation phase, a high primordium initiation-rate and small spikes, could be positive traits for durum wheat yield stability in changing environments, since they allow plants directing more time and resources to floret production and grain filling both in main culm and tiller spikes. From a methodological point of view, our results show that the number of fertile florets per spike is highly correlated with the average floret number of five given spikelets.