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ThisstudyidentifiesthespecificsoftheEuropeanUnion'scybersecuritypolicyintermsofdominantapproachestoinformation(cyber)securitypolicy.EUinformationsecurityandinfrastructuresecuritypolicyhasbeenexaminedinconjunctionwiththedominantapproaches,demonstratedtodaybythemainstakeholdersincyberspacedevelopment.TheseapproachesaretwoconceptsthatdiffermainlyinviewsonInternetgovernance,nationalsovereigntyovercyberspace,andtheprincipledpositionontheneedtoformaspecialdomaininthefieldofinternationallawtocovercybersecurityissues.Ontheworldstage,RussiaandChinaarekeyfollowersandpromotersoftheideaofsovereignmanagementofcyberspaceresourcesandInternetgovernance,aswellastheformationofaspeciallegalregimeforinternationalinformationsecurity.TheyareopposedbytheUnitedStatesandanumberofdemocraciesintheWest. ThisstudyanalyzesthemainstrategicdocumentsofthesecondarylawoftheEuropeanUnioninthefieldofinformationsecurityandnetworksecurityinordertoidentifycompliancewithoneoftheapproaches.ThestudyreviewsanddiscussesindetailTheEU'sCybersecurityStrategyintheDigitalDecade,adoptedinlate2020,andrelateddocuments.WealsodeterminedtheproximityoftheEuropeanUnion'sapproachestotheWesternmodelofinformation(cyber)securityandanalyzedhowcybersecurityisbeingpromotedintheworld.WealsoconsideredtheinitiativesofthememberstatesoftheEuropeanUniontoactivelyinfluencethecourseofinternationalcooperationinthisarea,inparticular,takingintoaccounttheeventsandtrendsrelatedtotheactivitiesofleadingactorsattheUNlevel.Asaresult,wecanconcludethattheEUpolicyinthefieldofinformation(cyber)securityisbecomingmoredefinedandthattheEU'sconstructivepositiononthisissueisbeingactivelypromotedontheworldstage. The article was prepared within the framework of the project "EU Studies at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University" of the European Union program ERASMUS + in the direction of Jean Monnet Chair (№ 611478-EPP-1-2019-1-UA-EPPJMO-CHAIR). ; У цій статтівстановленоособливостіполітики Європейського Союзу у сфері безпеки кіберпростору з точки зору домінуючих підходів до політикиінформаційної (кібер) безпеки. Політику ЄС у сфері інформаційної безпеки та безпеки інфраструктури розглянуто у взаємозв'язку з домінуючими сьогодніпідходами, які демонструють головністейкхолдерирозвитку кіберпростору.Це дві концепції, які відрізняютьсяголовним чиномпоглядаминауправління інтернетом,національнийсуверенітетнад кіберпростором і принциповою позицією щодо необхідності формування спеціального домена у сфері міжнародного правазадля охоплення питань безпеки кіберпростору.Ключовими послідовникамий промоторами на світовій ареніідеї суверенного розпорядження ресурсами кіберпростору йуправлінняінтернетом, а також формування спеціального правового режиму міжнародної інформаційної безпеки є Росія та Китай. Їм опонують США і низка демократичних країн Заходу. У цьому дослідженні проведено аналіз основнихстратегічнихдокументів вторинного права Європейського Союзу у сфері інформаційної безпеки та безпеки мережна предмет виявлення відповідностіодному з підходів.Детальніше розглянуто"Стратегіюкібербезпекидля цифрової декади",прийняту наприкінці 2020 р. і пов'язані з нею документи.Встановлено близькість підходів Європейського Союзу до західної моделіінформаційної (кібер) безпеки, його активність щодо її просування в світі. Такожми розглянулиініціативидержав - членів Європейського Союзу щодо активноговпливу на перебіг процесів міжнародної співпраці у цій сфері, зокремаз урахуванням подій і тенденцій, пов'язаних іздіяльністю провідних акторів на рівні ООН. У підсумку можемо зробити висновок про усе більш чітке оформлення політики ЄС у сфері інформаційної (кібер) безпеки тапросуванняйого конструктивної позиції з цього питання на світовій арені. Статтю підготовлено в межах проєкту «Студії ЄС у ВНУ імені Лесі Українки» програми Європейського Союзу ERASMUS+ напряму Кафедра Жана Моне (№ 611478-EPP-1-2019-1-UA-EPPJMO-CHAIR).

Background Inconsistent reporting of outcomes in clinical trials of women with Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) hinders comparison of findings and the reliability of evidence synthesis. A core outcome set (COS) can address this issue as it defines a minimum set of outcomes that should be reported in all clinical trials on the condition. The aim of this study was to develop a consensus-based COS for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in PGP during pregnancy and postpartum for use in research and clinical practice. Methods A systematic review of previous studies on PGP and semi-structured interviews with women were undertaken to identify all outcomes that were reported in prior studies and that are relevant to those experiencing the condition. Key stakeholders (clinicians, researchers, service providers/policy makers and individuals with PGP) then rated the importance of these outcomes for including in a preliminary PGP-COS using a 3-round Delphi study. The final COS was agreed at a face-to-face consensus meeting. Results Consensus was achieved on five outcomes for inclusion in the final PGP-COS. All outcomes are grouped under the "life impact" domain and include: pain frequency, pain intensity/severity, function/disability/activity limitation, health-related quality of life and fear avoidance. Conclusion This study identified a COS for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in pregnancy-related and postpartum-related PGP in research and clinical settings. It is advocated that all trials, other non-randomised studies and clinicians in this area use this COS by reporting these outcomes as a minimum. This will ensure the reporting of meaningful outcomes and will enable the findings of future studies to be compared and combined. Future work will determine how to measure the outcomes of the PGP-COS. Core outcome set registration This PGP-COS was registered with COMET (Core Outcome Measures for Effectiveness Trials) in January 2017 (http://www.comet-initiative.org/studies/details/958). ; Funding Agencies|Belgian Chiropractic Union Research Fund; European Centre for Chiropractic Research Excellence

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic with severe consequences for afflicted individuals and the society as a whole. The biology and infectivity of the virus has been intensively studied in order to gain a better understanding of the molecular basis of virus-host cell interactions during infection. It is known that SARS-CoV-2 binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) via its spike protein. Priming of the virus by specific proteases leads to viral entry via endocytosis and to the subsequent steps in the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2. Sphingosine and ceramide belong to the sphingolipid family and are abundantly present in cell membranes. These lipids were recently shown to interfere with the uptake of virus particles of SARS-CoV-2 into epithelial cell lines and primary human nasal cells in culture. The mechanisms of action were partly different, as sphingosine blocked, whilst ceramide facilitated viral entry. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) is vital for the generation of ceramide and functional inhibition of ASM by drugs like amitriptyline reduced SARS-CoV-2 entry into the epithelial cells. Recent data indicates that serum level of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a prognostic factor for COVID-2 severity. Further, stimulation of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) might also constrain the hyper-inflammatory conditions linked to SARS-CoV-2. Here, we review recent exciting findings regarding sphingolipids in the uptake of SARS-CoV-2 and in the course of COVID-19 disease. More studies are required on the mechanisms of action and the potential use of antidepressant drugs and sphingolipid modifiers in SARS-CoV-2 infections and in the treatment of the more serious and fatal consequences of the disease. ; Funding: Magnus Ehrnrooth Foundation; Liv and Halsa Foundation; Finska Lakaresallskapet; Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters; Minerva Foundation; European Union, H2020-MSCA-RISE-2016 [73479]; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research CouncilEuropean ...

The present research which originates from the author's PhD dissertation awarded at the School of Politics of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2019, explores the comparative evolution of rural development policies and Local Action Groups (LAGs) in the United Kingdom (Argyll and the Islands LAG—Scotland and Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways LAG—England) and in Italy (Delta 2000 LAG—Emilia-Romagna Region and Capo Santa Maria di Leuca LAG—Puglia Region) in a multi-level governance framework. LAGs and in particular their public–private local partnerships have become common practice in the governance of rural areas. This governance operates within the European Union LEADER approach as a tool designed to generate the development of rural areas at local level. In order to establish the implications of the LAG practices, the following main objectives for this research have been established: (1) to explore the utility of EU strategies for rural development ; (2) to explain how LAGs structure, institutional arrangements and working are positioned in the layers of MLG framework ; (3) to carry out a comparative evaluation of the LAGs working in the different nations and their subnational contexts. Some significant findings from the case studies are summarized in relation to these themes: the key characteristics and the outcomes associated with the LAG working mechanisms and what do we draw about the emergence, operation and performance of local partnerships. The core argument of the research is that the partnership approach has given the rural development actors a governance platform to help increase beneficial interactions and economic activity in each of these LAGs, but it is the bottom-up leadership of key local actors, seizing opportunities provided by the EU funding, which have been the most important factors for the LAG successes.

Improving the energy performance of existing buildings is one of the main strategies defined by the European Union to reduce global energy costs. Amongst the actions to be carried out in buildings to achieve this objective is working with passive measures adapted to each type of climate. To assist designers in the process of finding appropriate solutions for each building and location, different tools have been developed and since the implementation of building information modeling (BIM), it has been possible to perform an analysis of a building's life cycle from an energy perspective and other types of analysis such as a comfort analysis. In the case of Spain, the first BIM environment tool has been implemented that deals with the global analysis of a building's behavior and serves as an alternative to previous methods characterized by their lack of both flexibility and information offered to designers. This paper evaluates and compares the official Spanish energy performance evaluation tool (Cypetherm) released in 2018 using a case study involving the installation of sunlight control devices as part of a building refurbishment. It is intended to determine how databases and simplifications affect the designer's decision-making. Additionally, the yielded energy results are complemented by a comfort analysis to explore the impact of these improvements from a users' wellbeing viewpoint. At the end of the process the yielded results still confirm that the simulation remains far from reality and that simulation tools can indeed influence the decision-making process. ; This research was funded by the University of Alicante, with a grant financed to promote the integration of junior researchers in research teams, and it was also supported by a grant from the Networks-I3CE Programme for research in university of the Institute of Education Sciences of the University of Alicante (2020–21). Ref.: 4978.

The lack of accessibility on websites can result in people with disabilities not accessing information online. Therefore, this research aims to create a process model for continuous web accessibility testing by adapting and customizing three methodologies: Deming cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act), Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM), and Total Quality Management. The process model is composed of four phases. The first phase (Plan) allows defining the accessibility problem, its importance, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) against which it will be evaluated. In addition, determine the current situation of the websites, the potential causes of accessibility problems, classify the success criteria by principles, guidelines, and levels of conformity, to elaborate the solution plan and the action plan. The second phase (Do) allows the execution of the action plan to correct the accessibility problems. In this phase, we should perform continuous testing with automatic evaluation tools, end-users, and experts to corroborate that the changes have had an effect. The third phase (Check) allows measuring compliance and non-compliance with the defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This phase also explains the reasons for non-compliance. The fourth and last phase (Act) documents the solutions learned for inclusion in future developments. It was tested using a case study to determine the viability of the process model, which allowed corroborating its functionality and applicability. In future work, we plan to adapt the process model to different workgroups, develop accessible mobile applications, and comply with web accessibility in electronic documents. ; This work was supported by the Catholic University of Cuenca; the EduTech project (609785-EPP-1-2019-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP) co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and the project "Development of IoT systems for people with disabilities" (PID2019-111196RB-I00) of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

The Unmanned Systems Research Laboratory (USRL) of the Cyprus Institute is a new mobile exploratory platform of the EU Research Infrastructure Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research InfraStructure (ACTRIS). USRL offers exclusive Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-sensor solutions that can be deployed anywhere in Europe and beyond, e.g., during intensive field campaigns through a transnational access scheme in compliance with the drone regulation set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the research, innovation, and training. UAV sensor systems play a growing role in the portfolio of Earth observation systems. They can provide cost-effective, spatial in-situ atmospheric observations which are complementary to stationary observation networks. They also have strong potential for calibrating and validating remote-sensing sensors and retrieval algorithms, mapping close-to-the-ground emission point sources and dispersion plumes, and evaluating the performance of atmospheric models. They can provide unique information relevant to the short- and long-range transport of gas and aerosol pollutants, radiative forcing, cloud properties, emission factors and a variety of atmospheric parameters. Since its establishment in 2015, USRL is participating in major international research projects dedicated to (1) the better understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions, (2) the profiling of aerosol optical properties in different atmospheric environments, (3) the vertical distribution of air pollutants in and above the planetary boundary layer, (4) the validation of Aeolus satellite dust products by utilizing novel UAV-balloon-sensor systems, and (5) the chemical characterization of ship and stack emissions. A comprehensive overview of the new UAV-sensor systems developed by USRL and their field deployments is presented here. This paper aims to illustrate the strong scientific potential of UAV-borne measurements in the atmospheric sciences and the need for their integration in Earth observation networks.

Modelling ecosystem services (ES) has become a new standard for the quantification and assessment of various ES. Multiple ES model applications are available that spatially estimate ES supply on the basis of land-use/land-cover (LULC) input data. This paper assesses how different input LULC datasets affect the modelling and mapping of ES supply for a case study on Terceira Island, the Azores (Portugal), namely: (1) the EU-wide CORINE LULC, (2) the Azores Region official LULC map (COS.A 2018) and (3) a remote sensing-based LULC and vegetation map of Terceira Island using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. The InVEST model suite was applied, modelling altogether six ES (Recreation/Visitation, Pollination, Carbon Storage, Nutrient Delivery Ratio, Sediment Delivery Ratio and Seasonal Water Yield). Model outcomes of the three LULC datasets were compared in terms of similarity, performance and applicability for the user. For some InVEST modules, such as Pollination and Recreation, the differences in the LULC datasets had limited influence on the model results. For InVEST modules, based on more complex calculations and processes, such as Nutrient Delivery Ratio, the output ES maps showed a skewed distribution of ES supply. Yet, model results showed significant differences for differences in all modules and all LULCs. Understanding how differences arise between the LULC input datasets and the respective effect on model results is imperative when computing model-based ES maps. The choice for selecting appropriate LULC data should depend on: 1) the research or policy/decision-making question guiding the modelling study, 2) the ecosystems to be mapped, but also on 3) the spatial resolution of the mapping and 4) data availability at the local level. Communication and transparency on model input data are needed, especially if ES maps are used for supporting land use planning and decision-making. ; The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union, under the programme Pilot Project — Mapping and ...

Meaningful assessment of pesticide fate in soils and plants is based on fate models that represent all relevant processes. With mechanistic models, these processes can be simulated based on soil, substance, and plant properties. We present a mechanistic model that simulates pesticide uptake from soil and investigate how it is influenced, depending on the governing uptake process, by root and substance properties and by distributions of the substance and water in the soil profile. A new root solute uptake model based on a lumped version of the Trapp model (Trapp, 2000)was implemented in a coupled version of R-SWMS-ParTrace models for 3-D water flow and solute transport in soil and root systems. Solute uptake was modeled as two individual processes: advection with the transpiration stream and diffusion through the root membrane. We set up the model for a FOCUS scenario used in the European Union (EU) for pesticide registration. Considering a single vertical root and advective uptake only, the root hydraulic properties could be defined so that water and substance uptake and substance fate in soil showed a good agreement with the results of the 1D PEARL model, one of the reference models used in the EU for pesticide registration. Simulations with a complex root system and using root hydraulic parameters reported in the literature predicted larger water uptake from the upper root zone, leading to larger pesticide uptake when pesticides are concentrated in the upper root zone. Dilution of root water concentrations at the top root zone with water with low pesticide concentration taken up fromthe bottom of the root zone leads to larger uptake of solute when uptake was simulated as a diffusive process. This illustrates the importance of modeling uptake mechanistically and considering root and solute physical and chemical properties, especially when root-zone pesticide concentrations are non-uniform.

International audience ; The Unmanned Systems Research Laboratory (USRL) of the Cyprus Institute is a new mobile exploratory platform of the EU Research Infrastructure Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research InfraStructure (ACTRIS). USRL offers exclusive Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-sensor solutions that can be deployed anywhere in Europe and beyond, e.g., during intensive field campaigns through a transnational access scheme in compliance with the drone regulation set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the research, innovation, and training. UAV sensor systems play a growing role in the portfolio of Earth observation systems. They can provide cost-effective, spatial in-situ atmospheric observations which are complementary to stationary observation networks. They also have strong potential for calibrating and validating remote-sensing sensors and retrieval algorithms, mapping close-to-the-ground emission point sources and dispersion plumes, and evaluating the performance of atmospheric models. They can provide unique information relevant to the short- and long-range transport of gas and aerosol pollutants, radiative forcing, cloud properties, emission factors and a variety of atmospheric parameters. Since its establishment in 2015, USRL is participating in major international research projects dedicated to (1) the better understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions, (2) the profiling of aerosol optical properties in different atmospheric environments, (3) the vertical distribution of air pollutants in and above the planetary boundary layer, (4) the validation of Aeolus satellite dust products by utilizing novel UAV-balloon-sensor systems, and (5) the chemical characterization of ship and stack emissions. A comprehensive overview of the new UAV-sensor systems developed by USRL and their field deployments is presented here. This paper aims to illustrate the strong scientific potential of UAV-borne measurements in the atmospheric sciences and the need for their integration in Earth observation networks.

Meaningful assessment of pesticide fate in soils and plants is based on fate models that represent all relevant processes. With mechanistic models, these processes can be simulated based on soil, substance, and plant properties. We present a mechanistic model that simulates pesticide uptake from soil and investigate how it is influenced, depending on the governing uptake process, by root and substance properties and by distributions of the substance and water in the soil profile. A new root solute uptake model based on a lumped version of the Trapp model (Trapp, 2000) was implemented in a coupled version of R-SWMS-ParTrace models for 3-D water flow and solute transport in soil and root systems. Solute uptake was modeled as two individual processes: advection with the transpiration stream and diffusion through the root membrane. We set up the model for a FOCUS scenario used in the European Union (EU) for pesticide registration. Considering a single vertical root and advective uptake only, the root hydraulic properties could be defined so that water and substance uptake and substance fate in soil showed a good agreement with the results of the 1D PEARL model, one of the reference models used in the EU for pesticide registration. Simulations with a complex root system and using root hydraulic parameters reported in the literature predicted larger water uptake from the upper root zone, leading to larger pesticide uptake when pesticides are concentrated in the upper root zone. Dilution of root water concentrations at the top root zone with water with low pesticide concentration taken up from the bottom of the root zone leads to larger uptake of solute when uptake was simulated as a diffusive process. This illustrates the importance of modeling uptake mechanistically and considering root and solute physical and chemical properties, especially when root-zone pesticide concentrations are non-uniform.

This thesis reports the results obtained during three years of industrial doctorate project established between Medi-nova, a private company with primary business in the agricultural, veterinary, and zootechnical sector, and the University of Parma under the supervision of Professor Ruggero Bettini. This research focused on the design and development of formulations for artificial insemination of suites at a low environmental impact. Considering that pig production is one of the leading food supply chains, it is imperative to take urgent measures to reduce antibiotic use in animal husbandry and rethink integrated agriculture on an organic basis. Moreover, the European Union based on welfare laws has called for participation in developing strategies to abolish castration on pig farms with approaches that do not change the perception and acceptability of the meat product to consumers while remaining within the parameters of animal welfare. The formulations in the present project are powder blends used for the preparation of extender solutions for the conservation of pig semen. The research was focused on antibiotic resistance, considered one of the greatest threats to health and food security globally. The study was carried out proposing substances alternative to antibiotics, exploring the concentrations and toxicity directly with the seminal cells thanks to the computerized system of analysis CASA which is a system for precise, repetitive, and automatic evaluation of the sperm parameters: motility, concentration, morphology, vitality, and acrosome reaction, as well as by studying the capability of said substances to control the bacterial growth in the diluted semen. Antibacterial substances such as sulphonamides, short chain lipopeptides, and enzymes were explored. The obtained results allowed to propose a new product realized under the concepts of pharmaceutical development. The tests of accelerated stability were carried out, and the industrialization of the product is in progress.

In croplands, the adoption of certain management practices may increase soil organic carbon (SOC) levels. In this study, we evaluated the short-term impact of crop stover management and the interaction between crop stover and irrigation method on SOC change in a continuous maize (Zea mays L.) system in Spain. Four years after the beginning of the experiment, total SOC and C fractions (particulate organic matter carbon, POM-C; and mineral-associated organic matter carbon, Min-C) contents, SOC stocks and SOC stock changes were measured in four different soil layers (0−5, 5−10, 10−25 and 25−50 cm) in an experiment with two irrigation methods (sprinkler and flood) and three stover management systems (conventional tillage with all the stover incorporated, CT; no-tillage maintaining the stover, NTr; and no-tillage removing the stover, NT). Stover management resulted in significant differences in SOC and POM-C but not in Min-C. In particular, NT reduced SOC and POM-C contents compared with CT and NTr (about 10 and 60 %, respectively). After 4 years, SOC change was not affected by the interaction between stover management and irrigation. Concurrently, both CT and NT showed SOC losses, reaching 0.11 and 1.22 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in CT and NT, respectively. However, NTr showed SOC gains at a rate of 0.09 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Consequently, the removal of crop stover has been demonstrated as a detrimental strategy to store SOC in the short-term in irrigated continuous maize systems. ; The authors wish to thank Eva Medina and Estela Luna for laboratory and field assistance and Jorge Lampurlanés for statistical advice. Financial support of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (Grant AGL2013-49062-C4-4-R), the Spanish State Agency for Research (AEI) (Grant AGL2017-84529-C3-1-R) and the European Union (FEDER funds) is gratefully acknowledged

Maternal effects on offspring growth can impact survival and evolution of natural and domesticated populations. Genetic correlation estimates often support a negative relationship between direct and maternal effects. However, the genetic underpinnings whereby this antagonism operates are unclear. In pigs, sow feeding status and body composition condition piglet development and growth. We hypothesized that variants in genes impacting these traits may be causative of maternal influences that could be antagonistic to the direct effects for piglet growth. A recessive missense mutation (C>T) in the porcine leptin receptor (LEPR) gene (rs709596309) has been identified as the possible causal polymorphism for increased feed intake and fatness. Using data from a Duroc line, we show that the TT sows exerted a negative impact on the body weight of their offspring at the end of the growing period of similar extent to the positive direct effect of the TT genotype over each individual. Thus, TT pigs from TT dams were about as heavy as CC and CT (C-) pigs from C-dams, but TT pigs from C-dams were around 5% heavier than C-pigs from TT dams. In contrast, body composition was only influenced by LEPR direct effects. This antagonism is due to a higher propensity of TT pigs for self-maintenance rather than for offspring investment. We show that TT pigs consumed more feed, favored fatty acid uptake over release, and produced lighter piglets at weaning than their C-counterparts. We conclude that LEPR underlies a transgenerational mechanism for energy distribution that allocates resources to the sow or the offspring according to whether selective pressure is exerted before or after weaning. ; The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and European Union Regional Development Funds (grants AGL2015–65846-R and RTI2018-101346-B-I00; https://www.ciencia.gob.es) and Selección Batallé (https://www.batalle.com).

Tese de mestrado, Microbiologia Aplicada, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2020 ; Grapevine is one of the most important fruit crops worldwide. In 2019, over 7.4 million hectares of the world cultivated area were dedicated to viticulture, resulting in the production of 77.8 million tonnes of grapes (International Organisation of Vine and Wine, 2020 report). However, the cultivated species Vitis vinifera L., widely used for berry and wine production, is highly susceptible to the pathogenic oomycete Plasmopara viticola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Berl. & De Toni, the causal agent of the grapevine downy mildew disease. This disease is one of the most devastating causing up to 75% of grape loss in one season and important economic losses. Nowadays, the method used to control P. viticola relies on multiple applications of chemical fungicides which have a negative impact on the environment as they accumulate in the soil and water. In Europe alone, 68 thousand tonnes of fungicides were used in 2003, but recently the European Union has established a goal to lower the usage of such chemicals in viticulture. Therefore, there is a need to develop new and more sustainable strategies to control downy mildew disease. The use of beneficial microorganisms with biocontrol capabilities, such as the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), has been pointed out as a viable alternative. With this study we intended to investigate the effect of AMF colonization on the expression of P. viticola effectors during infection of grapevine. Grapevine plants (V. vinifera cv Cabernet Sauvignon) were inoculated with the mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and root AMF colonization rate and plant growth were assessed. The percentage of root colonization was 10% and mycorrhizal grapevine plants showed a significantly higher shoot biomass compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. Four months post-mycorrhizal inoculation, plants were infected with the pathogen P. viticola. Pathogenicity effectors genes belonging to the RxLR group were ...