First record of Aplysia dactylomela (Opisthobranchia: Aplysiidae) from the Egadi Islands (western Sicily)

The alien mollusc Aplysia dactylomela is recorded for the first time from the Egadi Islands marine protected area (western Sicily). This species has been widely reported in the Mediterranean and has established populations in Sicily. The presence of a few specimens let us suppose that its occurrence in this area is a recent event and that soon new populations will be sighted in the whole Egadi Islands and on the western and southern coasts of Sicil

Citizens and scientists work together to monitor marine alien macrophytes

The introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) is an ongoing phenomenon which has been pointed out as a major threat to biodiversity at different levels. NIS may in time become invasive (Invasive Alien Species “IAS”) and may cause biodiversity loss and ecosystem service changes. The Mediterranean Sea is an important hotspot for marine NIS (ca. 1,000 such species recorded to date. To reduce the risk of future IAS introduction and to better understand their invasive potential and spread dynamics, monitoring and surveillance plans are required. The creation of permanent alarm systems and public awareness campaigns are crucial for reducing the risk of IAS introduction. Since intensive monitoring programs could be very expensive, citizen science, involving citizens (e.g. tourists, fishermen, divers) in the collection of data, could be a useful tool for providing data on IAS, that would otherwise be impossible to collect because of limitations on time and resources. Citizen science is having an increasing success worldwide. Citizen science projects has rapidly and enormously increased in recent years, also thanks to the wide availability of mobile technologies and internet access that enable an easy and cheap way to communicate, share and interchange data. The value of citizen science has been widely recognized. Of course, in order to be used for scientific purposes and management decisions, the collected data need appropriate quality assurance measures such as validation and verification by taxonomic experts. We report on the experience of two citizen science projects: the Project “Caulerpa cylindracea – Egadi Islands” and the Project “Invasive Algae”, included within the “Seawatchers” platform

A first snapshot of sandy-beach amphipod (Crustacea) assemblage in a Marine Protected Area, Favignana Island (central Mediterranean Sea)

The aim of this study is to compile a preliminary first check-list of Amphipoda species from beaches of Favignana Island (Sicily, Italy), and contribute to the knowledge relating to the distribution of this taxon in the Mediterranean Sea. Five amphipod species, belonging to two families (Talitridae and Hyalidae), have been collect in the island. The supralittoral assemblage appears to contain three main biogeographical categories: Atlanto-Mediterranean species, Mediterranean endemic species and cosmopolitan species

An additional record of Kyphosus vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) (Osteichthyes, Kyphosidae) from Sicily clarifies the confused situation of the Mediterranean kyphosids

The lowfin chub, Kyphosus vaigiensis, is reported for the first time off Favignana Island, Sicily, central Mediterranean Sea. The specimen was identified on the basis of morphometric and meristic characters as well as mitochondrial DNA sequences (COI and 16S-rDNA). Two, perhaps three, Kyphosus species - K. bigibbus, K. sectatrix and K. vaigiensis - have been occasionally recorded in the Mediterranean. These species occur both in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions but it is likely they entered the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. However, it is unclear whether they have established reproductive native populations in the Mediterranean

Lymphatic endothelium stimulates melanoma metastasis and invasion via MMP14-dependent Notch3 and b1-integrin activation

Lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis correlate with poor clinical outcome in melanoma. However, the mechanisms of lymphatic dissemination in distant metastasis remain incompletely understood. We show here that exposure of expansively growing human WM852 melanoma cells, but not singly invasive Bowes cells, to lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC) in 3D co-culture facilitates melanoma distant organ metastasis in mice. To dissect the underlying molecular mechanisms, we established LEC co-cultures with different melanoma cells originating from primary tumors or metastases. Notably, the expansively growing metastatic melanoma cells adopted an invasively sprouting phenotype in 3D matrix that was dependent on MMP14, Notch3 and β1-integrin. Unexpectedly, MMP14 was necessary for LEC-induced Notch3 induction and coincident β1-integrin activation. Moreover, MMP14 and Notch3 were required for LEC-mediated metastasis of zebrafish xenografts. This study uncovers a unique mechanism whereby LEC contact promotes melanoma metastasis by inducing a reversible switch from 3D growth to invasively sprouting cell phenotype

Stem cells and new intervention measures as emerging therapy in cardiac surgery

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) presents a great burden for elderly patients, their caregivers, and health systems. Structural and functional alterations of vessels accumulate throughout life, culminating in increased risk of developing CVD. Several inflammatory pathway are involved in vascular ageing. The growing elderly population worldwide highlights the need to understand how aging promotes CVD in order to develop new strategies to confront this challenge. In this review we analyzed the role of stem cells and new intervention measures as emerging drugs for vascular aging

Power, Proximity, and Physiology: Does Income Inequality and Racial Composition Amplify the Impacts of Air Pollution on Life Expectancy in the United States?

This study advances research at the intersection of environmental degradation, social stratification, and population health in the United States. Expanding the theoretical principles of power, proximity, and physiology, we hypothesize that the harmful effect of fine particulate matter on life expectancy is greater in states with higher levels of income inequality and larger black populations. To test our hypothesis, we use two-way fixed effects regression analysis to estimate the effect of a three-way interaction between fine particulate matter, income share of the top ten percent, and the percent of the population that is black on state-level average life expectancy for all US states and the District of Columbia (2000–2014). The findings support our hypothesis: the estimated effect of the three-way interaction on average life expectancy is negative and statistically significant, net of various socioeconomic and demographic controls. Using post-estimation techniques, we visually illustrate that the harmful effect of fine particulate matter on life expectancy is especially pronounced in states with both very high levels of income inequality and very large black populations. We conclude by summarizing the theoretical and substantive implications of our findings, the limitations of the study, and potential next steps in this evolving area of interdisciplinary research

Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin Therapy for Children Aged 3 to <12 Years With Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 2 or 3 Infection.

Currently, the only approved hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment for children aged <12 years is pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. In an open-label study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin for 12 weeks in children aged 3 to <12 years chronically infected with genotype 2 or for 24 weeks in patients with genotype 3. Patients aged 3 to <6 years weighing <17 kg received sofosbuvir 150 mg, and patients aged 3 to <6 years weighing ≥17 kg and all patients aged 6 to <12 years received sofosbuvir 200 mg once daily. Intensive pharmacokinetic sampling conducted in each age group confirmed the appropriateness of sofosbuvir doses. For all patients, ribavirin dosing was determined by baseline weight (up to 1,400 mg/day, two divided doses). The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after therapy (SVR12). Fifty-four patients were enrolled (41 aged 6 to <12 years and 13 aged 3 to <6 years). Most were treatment naïve (98%) and infected perinatally (94%). All but one patient achieved SVR12 (53/54, 98%; 95% confidence interval, 90%-100%). The patient who did not achieve SVR12 was a 4-year-old who discontinued treatment after 3 days because of "abnormal drug taste." The most commonly reported adverse events in patients aged 6 to <12 years were vomiting (32%) and headache (29%), and those in patients aged 3 to <6 years were vomiting (46%) and diarrhea (39%). One 3-year-old patient had a serious adverse event of accidental ribavirin overdose requiring hospitalization for monitoring; this patient completed treatment and achieved SVR12. Conclusion: Sofosbuvir plus ribavirin was well tolerated and highly effective in children aged 3 to <12 years with chronic HCV genotype 2 or 3 infection

Circulating Levels of Ferritin, RDW, PTLs as Predictive Biomarkers of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Risk after Cardiac Surgery in Extracorporeal Circulation

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is the most common arrhythmia after cardiac surgery in conventional extracorporeal circulation (CECC), with an incidence of 15-50%. The POAF pathophysiology is not known, and no blood biomarkers exist. However, an association between increased ferritin levels and increased AF risk, has been demonstrated. Based on such evidence, here, we evaluated the effectiveness of ferritin and other haematological parameters as POAF risk biomarkers in patients subjected to cardiac surgery. We enrolled 105 patients (mean age = 70.1 +/- 7.1 years; 70 men and 35 females) with diverse heart pathologies and who were subjected to cardiothoracic surgery. Their blood samples were collected and used to determine hematological parameters. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters were also evaluated. The data obtained demonstrated significantly higher levels of serum ferritin, red cell distribution width (RDW), and platelets (PLTs) in POAF patients. However, the serum ferritin resulted to be the independent factor associated with the onset POAF risk. Thus, we detected the ferritin cut-off value, which, when >= 148.5 ng/mL, identifies the subjects at the highest POAF risk, and with abnormal ECG atrial parameters, such as PW indices, and altered structural heart disease variables. Serum ferritin, RDW, and PTLs represent predictive biomarkers of POAF after cardiothoracic surgery in CECC; particularly, serum ferritin combined with anormal PW indices and structural heart disease variables can represent an optimal tool for predicting not only POAF, but also the eventual stroke onset