76 research outputs found
Insights on a Hierarchical MFI Zeolite: A Combined Spectroscopic and Catalytic Approach for Exploring the Multilevel Porous System down to the Active Sites
Reproduction of the azooxanthellate coral Caryophyllia inornata is not affected by temperature along an 850 km gradient on the Western Italian coast
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted that ocean surface
temperature will rise of 0.6–2.0◦C by 2100. Ocean warming is expected to produce
strong impacts on marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, affecting their physiological
events including reproductive processes. To date, relatively few studies have examined
the effects of climate change on the reproductive success of temperate corals
and even less in the azooxanthellate ones. This study examined the reproductive
output of the azooxanthellate Mediterranean coral Caryophyllia inornata along a wide
latitudinal gradient of seawater temperature and solar radiation. A total of 260 samples,
collected from five populations along the Western Italian coast, have been analyzed
through histological techniques. The intriguing aspects characterizing all populations
of C. inornata along the latitudinal gradient are a strong male-biased sex ratio and
the presence of embryos in all stages of development throughout the year in females,
males, and sexually inactive individuals. This peculiarity could suggest a mixed strategy
of sexual and asexual reproduction in this species as has been observed for some
anemones of the genus Actinia. Fecundity and spermary abundance (i.e., the number
of reproductive elements per body volume unit), gonadal index (i.e., the percentage of
body volume occupied by the germ cells) and fertility (i.e., the number of embryos per
body volume unit) in females, males and sexually inactive individuals were unrelated
to solar radiation and temperature along the latitudinal gradient. These results suggest
that the reproduction in C. inornata is not affected by increasing solar radiation and
temperature. The lack of zooxanthellae could make this species less dependent on
these environmental parameters, as previously hypothesized for another azooxanthellate
species, Leptopsammia pruvoti, investigated along the same gradient
Low and variable pH decreases recruitment efficiency in populations of a temperate coral naturally present at a CO2 vent
Atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment alters seawater carbonate chemistry, thus threatening calcifying
organisms such as corals. Coral populations at carbon dioxide vents are natural acidification experiments that
mimic organism responses to seawater pH values projected for 2100. Even if demographic traits are paramount
information to assess ecological relationships and habitat suitability, population dynamics studies on corals
thriving under acidified conditions are lacking. Here, we investigate the demography and reproduction of popu-
lations of the solitary, symbiotic, temperate coral Balanophyllia europaea naturally living along a pH gradient at a
Mediterranean CO2 vent. Gametogenesis and larval production were unaffected while recruitment efficiency
collapsed at low and variable pH, contributing to coral abundance decline and suggesting that life stages
between larval release and early polyp growth are hindered by acidification. Exploring these processes is crucial
to assess coral fate in the forthcoming acidified oceans, to preserve coral ecosystems and the socioeconomic ser-
vices they provide
Decreasing pH impairs sexual reproduction in a Mediterranean coral transplanted at a CO2 vent
Ocean acidification, due to the increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere and its absorption by the oceans, affects many aspects of marine calcifying organisms' biology, including reproduction. Most of the available studies on low pH effects on coral reproduction have been conducted on tropical species under controlled conditions, while little information is reported for either tropical or temperate species in the field. This study describes the influence of decreasing pH on sexual reproduction of the temperate non-zooxanthellate colonial scleractinian Astroides calycularis, transplanted in four sites along a natural pH gradient at the underwater volcanic crater of Panarea Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). The average pH values of each site (range: pHTS 8.07–7.40) match different scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for the end of the century. After 3 months under experimental conditions, the reproductive parameters of both oocytes and spermaries (abundance, gonadal index, and diameters) seem to be unaffected by low pH. However, a delay in spermary development in the pre-fertilization period and a persistence of mature oocytes in the fertilization period were observed in the most acidic site. Furthermore, no embryos were found in colonies from the two most acidic sites, suggesting a delay or an interruption of the fertilization process due to acidified conditions. These findings suggest a negative effect of low pH on A. calycularis sexual reproduction. However, long-term experiments, including the synergistic impact of pH and temperature, are needed to predict if this species will be able to adapt to climate change over the next century
Genome sequencing and population genomic analyses provide insights into the adaptive landscape of silver birch
Silver birch (Betula pendula) is a pioneer boreal tree that can be induced to flower within 1 year. Its rapid life cycle, small (440-Mb) genome, and advanced germplasm resources make birch an attractive model for forest biotechnology. We assembled and chromosomally anchored the nuclear genome of an inbred B. pendula individual. Gene duplicates from the paleohexaploid event were enriched for transcriptional regulation, whereas tandem duplicates were overrepresented by environmental responses. Population resequencing of 80 individuals showed effective population size crashes at major points of climatic upheaval. Selective sweeps were enriched among polyploid duplicates encoding key developmental and physiological triggering functions, suggesting that local adaptation has tuned the timing of and cross-talk between fundamental plant processes. Variation around the tightly-linked light response genes PHYC and FRS10 correlated with latitude and longitude and temperature, and with precipitation for PHYC. Similar associations characterized the growth-promoting cytokinin response regulator ARR1, and the wood development genes KAK and MED5A.Peer reviewe
Suicide prevention for youth - a mental health awareness program: lessons learned from the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) intervention study
Background: The Awareness program was designed as a part of the EU-funded Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) intervention study to promote mental health of adolescents in 11 European countries by helping them to develop problem-solving skills and encouraging them to self-recognize the need for help as well as how to help peers in need. Methods: For this descriptive study all coordinators of the SEYLE Awareness program answered an open-ended evaluation questionnaire at the end of the project implementation. Their answers were synthesized and analyzed and are presented here. Results: The results show that the program cultivated peer understanding and support. Adolescents not only learned about mental health by participating in the Awareness program, but the majority of them also greatly enjoyed the experience. Conclusions: Recommendations for enhancing the successes of mental health awareness programs are presented. Help and cooperation from schools, teachers, local politicians and other stakeholders will lead to more efficacious future programs
Drug suicide: a sex-equal cause of death in 16 European countries
Background: There is a lack of international research on suicide by drug overdose as a preventable suicide method. Sex- and age-specific rates of suicide by drug self-poisoning (ICD-10, X60-64) and the distribution of drug types used in 16 European countries were studied, and compared with other self-poisoning methods (X65-69) and intentional self-injury (X70-84).Methods: Data for 2000-04/05 were collected from national statistical offices. Age-adjusted suicide rates, and age and sex distributions, were calculated.Results: No pronounced sex differences in drug self-poisoning rates were found, either in the aggregate data (males 1.6 and females 1.5 per 100,000) or within individual countries. Among the 16 countries, the range (from some 0.3 in Portugal to 5.0 in Finland) was wide. 'Other and unspecified drugs' (X64) were recorded most frequently, with a range of 0.2-1.9, and accounted for more than 70% of deaths by drug overdose in France, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain. Psychotropic drugs (X61) ranked second. The X63 category ('other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system') was least frequently used. Finland showed low X64 and high X61 figures, Scotland had high levels of X62 ('narcotics and hallucinogens, not elsewhere classified') for both sexes, while England exceeded other countries in category X60. Risk was highest among the middle-aged everywhere except in Switzerland, where the elderly were most at risk.Conclusions: Suicide by drug overdose is preventable. Intentional self-poisoning with drugs kills as many males as females. The considerable differences in patterns of self-poisoning found in the various European countries are relevant to national efforts to improve diagnostics of suicide and appropriate specific prevention. The fact that vast majority of drug-overdose suicides came under the category X64 refers to the need of more detailed ICD coding system for overdose suicides is needed to permit better design of suicide-prevention strategies at national level
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Author Correction: Genome sequencing and population genomic analyses provide insights into the adaptive landscape of silver birch.
In the version of this article initially published, there was a mistake in the calculation of the nucleotide mutation rate per site per generation: 1 × 10−9 mutations per site per generation was used, whereas 9.5 × 10−9 was correct. This error affects the interpretation of population-size changes over time and their possible correspondence with known geological events, as shown in the original Fig. 4 and supporting discussion in the text, as well as details in the Supplementary Note. Neither the data themselves nor any other results are affected. Figure 4 has been revised accordingly. Images of the original and corrected figure panels are shown in the correction notice
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