A Study of Arca noae (Linnaeus, 1758) in Elounda Bay, Crete, Eastern Mediterranean

There is growing interest about marine bivalve aquaculture globally, not only for the market value of the goods produced, but also for the socio-economic and environmental services that this activity can provide. Arca noae is an endemic Mediterranean bivalve of commercial value, whose previously undescribed population in Elounda Bay we studied in terms of its structure and reproduction, while constructing a timeseries of the basic environmental parameters of the bay, thus, gaining fundamental knowledge for the potential future exploitation of the species in the area. We found a variable spatial distribution of arks in the study area, with local high peaks in the population density, consisting of smaller size individuals, in comparison to other areas. Because of protandry of the species, human pressure on this population could have a strong negative effect, by targeting the limited numbers of large females in the study area. The reproduction pattern was similar to the reports from other Mediterranean locations. The abiotic conditions in Elounda Bay differed from those in the adjacent coastal zone, confirming that the Bay is a unique semi-enclosed marine area in the island of Crete

A Study of <i>Arca noae</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) in Elounda Bay, Crete, Eastern Mediterranean

There is growing interest about marine bivalve aquaculture globally, not only for the market value of the goods produced, but also for the socio-economic and environmental services that this activity can provide. Arca noae is an endemic Mediterranean bivalve of commercial value, whose previously undescribed population in Elounda Bay we studied in terms of its structure and reproduction, while constructing a timeseries of the basic environmental parameters of the bay, thus, gaining fundamental knowledge for the potential future exploitation of the species in the area. We found a variable spatial distribution of arks in the study area, with local high peaks in the population density, consisting of smaller size individuals, in comparison to other areas. Because of protandry of the species, human pressure on this population could have a strong negative effect, by targeting the limited numbers of large females in the study area. The reproduction pattern was similar to the reports from other Mediterranean locations. The abiotic conditions in Elounda Bay differed from those in the adjacent coastal zone, confirming that the Bay is a unique semi-enclosed marine area in the island of Crete

Serum Concentrations and Dietary Intake of Vitamin B₁₂ in Children and Adolescents on Metformin: A Case–Control Study

The International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) recommends metformin (MET) use for metabolic disturbances and hyperglycemia, either in combination with insulin therapy or alone. A caveat of MET therapy has been suggested to be biochemical vitamin B12 deficiency, as seen mainly in studies conducted in adults. In the present case–control study, children and adolescents of different weight status tiers on MET therapy for a median of 17 months formed the cases group (n = 23) and were compared with their peers not taking MET (n = 46). Anthropometry, dietary intake, and blood assays were recorded for both groups. MET group members were older, heavier, and taller compared with the controls, although BMI z-scores did not differ. In parallel, blood phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations were lower in the MET group, whereas MCV, Δ4-androstenedione, and DHEA-S were higher. No differences were observed in the HOMA-IR, SHBG, hemoglobin, HbA1c, vitamin B12, or serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations between groups. Among those on MET, 17.4% exhibited vitamin B12 deficiency, whereas none of the controls had low vitamin B12 concentrations. Participants on MET therapy consumed less energy concerning their requirements, less vitamin B12, more carbohydrates (as a percentage of the energy intake), and fewer fats (including saturated and trans fats) compared with their peers not on MET. None of the children received oral nutrient supplements with vitamin B12. The results suggest that, in children and adolescents on MET therapy, the dietary intake of vitamin B12 is suboptimal, with the median coverage reaching 54% of the age- and sex-specific recommended daily allowance. This low dietary intake, paired with MET, may act synergistically in reducing the circulating vitamin B12 concentrations. Thus, caution is required when prescribing MET in children and adolescents, and replacement is warranted

Architecture and performance of the KM3NeT front-end firmware

The KM3NeT infrastructure consists of two deep-sea neutrino telescopes being deployed in the Mediterranean Sea. The telescopes will detect extraterrestrial and atmospheric neutrinos by means of the incident photons induced by the passage of relativistic charged particles through the seawater as a consequence of a neutrino interaction. The telescopes are configured in a three-dimensional grid of digital optical modules, each hosting 31 photomultipliers. The photomultiplier signals produced by the incident Cherenkov photons are converted into digital information consisting of the integrated pulse duration and the time at which it surpasses a chosen threshold. The digitization is done by means of time to digital converters (TDCs) embedded in the field programmable gate array of the central logic board. Subsequently, a state machine formats the acquired data for its transmission to shore. We present the architecture and performance of the front-end firmware consisting of the TDCs and the state machine

KM3NeT front-end and readout electronics system: hardware, firmware, and software

he KM3NeT research infrastructure being built at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea will host water-Cherenkov telescopes for the detection of cosmic neutrinos. The neutrino telescopes will consist of large volume three-dimensional grids of optical modules to detect the Cherenkov light from charged particles produced by neutrino-induced interactions. Each optical module houses 31 3-in. photomultiplier tubes, instrumentation for calibration of the photomultiplier signal and positioning of the optical module, and all associated electronics boards. By design, the total electrical power consumption of an optical module has been capped at seven Watts. We present an overview of the front-end and readout electronics system inside the optical module, which has been designed for a 1-ns synchronization between the clocks of all optical modules in the grid during a life time of at least 20 years

KM3NeT front-end and readout electronics system: hardware, firmware, and software

The KM3NeT research infrastructure being built at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea will host water-Cherenkov telescopes for the detection of cosmic neutrinos. The neutrino telescopes will consist of large volume three-dimensional grids of optical modules to detect the Cherenkov light from charged particles produced by neutrino-induced interactions. Each optical module houses 31 3-in. photomultiplier tubes, instrumentation for calibration of the photomultiplier signal and positioning of the optical module, and all associated electronics boards. By design, the total electrical power consumption of an optical module has been capped at seven Watts. We present an overview of the front-end and readout electronics system inside the optical module, which has been designed for a 1-ns synchronization between the clocks of all optical modules in the grid during a life time of at least 20 year