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TIMETABLE FOR CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT (TEST 02) - FOR SEMESTER II 2025/2026
(DICT, 2026-06-16) HEAD OF EXAMINATION
Taxonomic and functional variation of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) diversity in pioneer black pine and secondary broad-leaved Karst forests
(Elsevier B.V, 2026-05-05) Giovanni Bacaro; Federica Fonda; Miris Castello; Fredrick Ojija; Valentina Olmo; Gaia Foltran; Simona Maccherin; Emilia Pafumi; Giorgio Colombetta; Pietro Brandmayr
Carabid beetles are widely used as bioindicators because they respond rapidly to changes in near-ground
microclimate, litter and understory structure, and habitat continuity. In the Classical Karst of the North Adriatic region, forest management is shaped by two concurrent trajectories: the aging of Pinus nigra stands established during late 19th-century afforestation and the recovery of secondary thermophilous broad-leaved forests.
Pine plantations, although now old and prone to biotic and abiotic disturbances, have played an important role in
shaping present forest ecosystems, and their future is currently debated. To evaluate the effectiveness of pioneer
pine plantations in reconstructing forest conditions, we assessed differences in carabid species composition and
functional structure between the two forest types using long-term pitfall-trap data collected across multiple sites
and years. We quantified taxonomic diversity through richness-based comparisons, rarefaction and additive
partitioning, and examined compositional turnover using β-diversity contribution metrics and ordination with
permutation-based testing. Functional structure was evaluated using distance-based functional diversity indices,
functional rarefaction based on expected Rao’s Q and decomposition of functional α-β-γ components, and a
ternary framework separating dominance, functional diversity and redundancy. Finally, we used indicatororiented analyses (species-level and trait-informed) to identify taxa associated with each forest type. Overall,
broad-leaved and pine stands showed limited divergence in mean richness and in conventional functional
indices, whereas clearer differences emerged in turnover, site uniqueness and diagnostic species subsets. Functional rarefaction indicated that expected functional diversity may differ even when aggregate indices appear
similar. Overall, results support the contribution of black pine stands to the maintenance of forest grounddwelling biodiversity and functional structure in karst forests and suggest that conversion strategies should
prioritise continuity of microhabitat conditions and microclimatic buffering rather than assuming that replacement by broad-leaved stands will automatically increase biodiversity
Electrosorptive removal and recovery of phosphorus via flow electrode capacitive deionization using carbon black and activated carbon electrodes
(Elsevier Ltd, 2026) Tserea M.H.; Alphonce F.N.; Lameck A.S.
In this study, activated carbon (AC) and carbon black (CB) were tested as flowable electrode (FE)
materials for removing and recovering phosphorus from synthetic wastewater. Experiments used
the flow capacitive deionization (FCDI) system under short-circuited closed-cycle (SCC) conditions.
Phosphorus removal was evaluated under different operational parameters, including applied
voltage, solution flow rate, solution pH, phosphorus concentration, and electrode dosage.
Applied voltage and solution pH had the greatest impact on removal efficiency among other
parameters. Maximum phosphorus removal efficiencies were 83.74 ± 1.30% with AC and 90.45
± 1.12% with CB, corresponding to adsorption capacities of 8.76 mg/g and 9.26 mg/g.
Physisorption on carbon particles was negligible compared to electrosorption. Electrode regeneration
by short-circuiting achieved recovery efficiencies of 68.06 ± 0.46% for AC and 85.46
± 0.74% for CB. Generally, CB performed better than AC in both removal and recovery, highlighting
its promise as an effective FE material. These results exhibit the potential of FCDI as a
sustainable technology for phosphorus-rich wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery
Photochromic and fluorescence switching behavior of triazole-functionalized fulgimides: Experimental and theoretical study
(Journal of Luminescence, 2026-05-11) Khamis Nassor Ally; Melkizedeck Hiiti Tsere; Said Ali Vuai; Azaria Stephano Lameck; Leyla Oztürk; Mahmut Kos
Integrating photochromism and fluorescence switching within a single molecular platform remains a central
challenge in the development of light-regulated functional materials. Here, we report a structure-encoded design
strategy based on the direct covalent incorporation of a 1,2,4-triazole unit into the imide framework of fulgimides, yielding three new photoresponsive molecules (4E–6E). Experimentally, all compounds exhibit photochromism based on the interconversion between open and closed forms. This is accompanied by large visiblerange spectral contrast and reversible fluorescence ON/OFF switching under alternating UV and visible light.
The open-ring forms are strongly emissive, while photoinduced cyclization produces systematic fluorescence
quenching (20–40%) governed by intramolecular energy transfer to the conjugated closed-ring core. Density
functional and time-dependent DFT calculations quantitatively reproduce the observed experimental absorption
behavior and reveal pronounced π-delocalization and HOMO-LUMO gap narrowing upon ring closure, establishing clear structure–property relationships. Among the series, compound 6E shows the most favorable electronic and optical characteristics. These results identify triazole-imide coupling as a generalizable molecular
engineering route for multifunctional organic photo-switches and advance their potential for optical memory,
sensing, and adaptive photonic applications.
Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of lumpy skin disease virus detected in Tanzania between 2023 and 2024
(Open Veterinary Journal, 2026-06-05) Niima P.B.; Mzula A.D.; Wambura P.N.; Shirima G.M.
Background: Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a double-stranded DNA virus of the genus Capripoxvirus, causes Lumpy
skin disease in cattle, leading to significant economic and production losses. In Tanzania, information on the molecular
epidemiology of LSDV is limited, as its circulation has only been investigated in the Tanga, Pwani, and Rukwa regions.
Aim: This study aimed to characterize circulating LSDV strains in Dodoma, Arusha, Manyara, Kigoma, Mwanza,
and Mara regions, which are densely populated with cattle in Tanzania, to understand genetic diversity in these areas.
Methods: Blood and skin biopsy samples (n = 33 each) were collected from nine districts in Tanzania. Molecular
detection was performed by targeting the P32 gene, and genetic variability was assessed by amplifying and sequencing
the G protein-coupled chemokine receptor (GPCR) gene. Nucleotide sequences were translated into amino acid
sequences using the ExPASy Translate tool, and then both nucleotide and amino acid sequences were aligned, followed
by phylogenetic analysis.
Results: Of the 33 blood and 33 skin biopsy samples tested, 20 skin biopsy and 3 blood samples were polymerase chain
reaction-positive for LSDV based on the GPCR gene. Multiple sequence alignment revealed nucleotide substitutions
(A→C) at positions 10 and 34 and an amino acid substitution (T→P) at position 12 in some Tanzania field isolates,
while others exhibited unique amino acid signatures at positions A11, T12, T34, S99, and P199. Phylogenetic analysis
demonstrated that the LSDV isolates obtained from Tanzania clustered closely with one another, as well as with
reference strains from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Eurasia. Additionally, the Tanzania field isolates formed a different
cluster from most reference vaccine strains, suggesting notable genetic variation between circulating field viruses
and vaccine-derived strains. However, an exception was observed with the Kenya vaccine strains (KP663708 and
KJ818282), which clustered closely with the Tanzania field isolates, indicating a close genetic relationship with these
particular vaccine strains.
Conclusion: Tanzanian LSDV isolates are genetically similar to the reference strains but distinct from most vaccine
strains, confirming the circulation of wild-type viruses and highlighting the need for targeted control measures,
including monitoring emerging variants and regulating animal movement.