Habitat effect on spatio-temporal variability in size and density of the introduced alga <i>Caulerpa taxifolia</i>

Caulerpa taxifolia is an introduced green seaweed in the Mediterranean; it is a very fast-spreading species, is able to invade all kinds of substrata and causes regression of some seagrasses. C. taxifolia was investigated in a small bay of the northwestern Mediterranean, where it occupies 3 distinct habitat types: (1) at the edge of Posidonia oceanica, (2) within Cymodocea nodosa beds, and (3) on sand and cobbles. To provide a basis for further experimental investigations of the factors affecting its performance, a descriptive study was carried out at this site in which both size and density of blades were measured on 20 dates in all habitats from October 1994 to September 1996. Great temporal fluctuations within the same season were evident for both variables, despite the fact that high variability was found at small spatial and temporal scales (areas within each habitat and time within each season). However, habitat effect in combination with season was evident as a major factor affecting both length and density of blades, suggesting a positive effect of seagrasses on C. taxifolia. The greatest blade length was found in individuals at the edge of P. oceanica, while within C. nodosa beds, blade length was intermediate. Reduction of blade density occurred in spring in the sand and C. nodosa habitats, but not in the P. oceanica one. Patterns were similar throughout the 2 years. Experimental evidence is needed both to highlight mechanisms regulating this kind of interaction (nurse effect vs shade-induced changes) and to investigate whether it affects patterns of invasion and replacement of existing species with C. taxifolia in these habitats. The facilitative effect of seagrasses on the alga observed in the study is also likely to cause an indirect negative effect on seagrasses themselves

The Role of vegetative fragmentation in dispersal of the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia in the Mediterranean

This study evaluated the importance of fragmentation in the recruitment of the fast-spreading, introduced green alga Caulerpa taxifolia at the margins of beds of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. A multifactorial experiment was designed to test the hypotheses that there are seasonal differences in patterns of establishment of vegetative fragments, whether this process changes with depth and whether these patterns were consistent at different spatial and temporal scales. Our experimental approach consisted of dispersing drifting fragments of C. taxifolia along the margin of a bed of P. oceanica and recording the number of fragments established after 1 mo. The results show that a surprisingly large number of fragments become established in this habitat and that numbers varied in space and time: the probability of establishment of fragments was greatest during summer especially at the shallow sites, but smaller in spring and smallest in winter. Differences among areas were also found: a great variability in establishment of fragments depended on the site and time within season. Results indicate that dispersal by fragmentation can greatly contribute to a very wide spread of the alga in the Mediterranean. We predict that spread will be greatest during summer when a large proportion of fragments can re-attach to the substratum, even at shallow sites. Such information is important for the understanding of the ecology of this species and, with the help of hydrographic studies, in the prediction of its patterns of geographic dispersal

Areas of spatial overlap between common bottlenose dolphin, recreational boating, and small-scale fishery: management insights from modelling exercises

Background Sustainable management requires spatial mapping of both species distribution and human activities to identify potential risk of conflict. The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is a priority species of the European Union Habitat Directive, thus, to promote its conservation, the understanding of habitat use and distribution, as well as the identification and spatial trend of the human activities which may directly affect populations traits, is pivotal. Methods A MaxEnt modeling approach was applied to predict the seasonal (from April to September) habitat use of a small population of bottlenose dolphins in the north-western Sardinia (Mediterranean Sea) in relation to environmental variables and the likelihoods of boat and fishing net presence. Then, the overlapping areas between dolphin, fishing net and boat presence were identified to provide insights for the marine spatial management of this area. Results Three of the main factors influencing the seasonal distribution of bottlenose dolphins in the area are directly (boating and fishing) or indirectly (ocean warming) related to human activities. Furthermore, almost half of the most suitable area for dolphins overlapped with areas used by fishing and boating. Finally, relying on fishing distribution models, we also shed light on the potential impact of fishing on the Posidonia oceanica beds, a protected habitat, which received higher fishing efforts than other habitat types. Discussion Modelling the spatial patterns of anthropogenic activities was fundamental to understand the ecological impacts both on cetacean habitat use and protected habitats. A greater research effort is suggested to detect potential changes in dolphin habitat suitability, also in relation to ocean warming, to assess dolphin bycatch and the status of target fish species, and to evaluate sensitive habitats conditions, such as the Posidonia oceanica meadow

Valproic acid triggers erythro/megakaryocyte lineage decision through induction of GFI1B and MLLT3 expression

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Modeling macroalgal forest distribution at Mediterranean scale : present status, drivers of changes and insights for conservation and management

Macroalgal forests are one of the most productive and valuable marine ecosystems, but yet strongly exposed to fragmentation and loss. Detailed large-scale information on their distribution is largely lacking, hindering conservation initiatives. In this study, a systematic effort to combine spatial data on Cystoseira C. Agardh canopies (Fucales, Phaeophyta) was carried out to develop a Habitat Suitability Model (HSM) at Mediterranean scale, providing critical tools to improve site prioritization for their management, restoration and protection. A georeferenced database on the occurrence of 20 Cystoseira species was produced collecting all the available information from published and grey literature, web data portals and co-authors personal data. Data were associated to 55 predictor variable layers in the (ASCII) raster format and were used in order to develop the HSM by means of a Random Forest, a very effective Machine Learning technique. Knowledge about the distribution of Cystoseira canopies was available for about the 14% of the Mediterranean coastline. Absence data were available only for the 2% of the basin. Despite these gaps, our HSM showed high accuracy levels in reproducing Cystoseira distribution so that the first continuous maps of the habitat across the entire basin was produced. Misclassification errors mainly occurred in the eastern and southern part of the basin, where large gaps of knowledge emerged. The most relevant drivers were the geomorphological ones, followed by anthropogenic variables proxies of pollution and urbanization. Our model shows the importance of data sharing to combine a large number of spatial and environmental data, allowing to individuate areas with high probability of Cystoseira occurrence as suitable for its presence. This approach encourages the use of this modeling tool for the prediction of Cystoseira distribution and for supporting and planning conservation and management initiatives. The step forward is to refine the spatial information of presence-absence data about Cystoseira canopies and of environmental predictors in order to address species-specific assessments.peer-reviewe

The evaluation of the fibromyalgia patients.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a rheumatic disease characterized by musculoskeletal pain, chronic diffuse tension and/or stiffness in joints and muscles, easy fatigue, sleep and emotional disturbances, and pressure pain sensitivity in at least 11 of 18 tender points. At present, there are no instrumental tests or specific diagnostic markers for FM; in fact, many of the existing indicators are significant for research purposes only. Many differential diagnoses may be excluded by an extensive clinical examination and patient history. Considering overlap of FM with other medical conditions, the treating physicians should be vigilant: chest-X-rays and abdominal ultrasonography are the first steps of general evaluation for all the patients with suspected FM. Functional neuroimaging methods have revealed a large number of supraspinal effects in FM, a disorder mediated by mechanisms that are essentially unknown. Many treatments are used in FM patients, but evaluating their therapeutic effects in FM is difficult because the syndrome is so multifaceted. To address the identification of core outcome domains, the Initiative on IMMPACT and OMERACT workshop convened a meeting to develop consensus recommendations for chronic pain clinical trials

Methodological problems on acupunture research in pain therapy

Western Medicine (WM) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) look like two deeply different worlds with different languages and pradygms, making TCM neither understandable nor plausible at a glance by western physicians. On the other hand, acupuncture has been used for thousands years and nowadays it is an essential part of the Chinese Health System, while neurophysiological and neurochemical effects of acupuncture proved in the past 20 years provide the evidence that it is not a placebo. This is of paramount importance, when we simply consider how helpful would be an effective, non pharmacologic treatment with low costs and negligeable side effects on socioeconomic point of view. The data available in the literature suggest that acupuncture is effective in several painful syndromes, but the evidence is still wake. However, the systematic reviews published so far clearly show a great variability of study design, methods of stimulation and acupoint selection, which behave like a strong bias and may lead to underscore acupuncture effects. In this regard, it is worth emphasizing that in many studies the acupoint selection is inappropriate according to both TCM and reflexological point of view; therefore, it resembles an arbitrary choice, rather than a potentially effective treatment. Further studies with more rigorous methods, accurate diagnosis (according to both WM and TCM) and proper acupoint selection are required to check the its real effectiveness

A case of chronic neuropathic pain treated with auricula injection of local anaesthetic

The case under discussion is that of a 69 years old woman, who has suffered from saphenus nerve neuralgia for about one and a half years. This illness has proved resistant to all the therapeutic treatments she has undergone. The case has been solved in just one session of a rarely used technique, not even well-documented in literature: the injection of local anaesthetic into some auricular points. After about one month of significant aggravation, the pain has disappeared and it has never reappeared throughout the 1-year follow up. The new denomination suggested for this technique is neural-auriculotherapy, which well summarizes the therapeutic branches from which it stems

Effect of Low- and High-Frequency Auricular Stimulation with Electro-Acupuncture on Cutaneous Microcirculation: A Cross-Over Study in Healthy Subjects

Background: The regulation of microcirculation depends on the dynamic interaction of different factors: the autonomic nervous system plays a pivotal role in the blood flow and acupuncture can modulate it, obtaining different results depending on the site, the frequency, and the intensity of the stimulation. Methods: 18 healthy subjects have been enrolled and have undergone two sessions of electroacupuncture stimulations: one session using high frequency and one with low frequency. Microcirculation has been monitored continuously during stimulation using the laser Doppler method. Results: The microcirculatory parameters have shown a significant difference between high and low-frequency stimulation, suggesting that low-frequency stimulation is more effective for obtaining a vasodilator effect. Discussion: Our results show that low-frequency stimulation can increase the cutaneous microcirculatory flux, without significantly modifying blood pressure and heart rate. The auricular stimulation causes an increase in the activity of the vagus nerve, increasing the cholinergic activity without acting on post-junctional muscarinic receptors. Conclusion: Auricular acupuncture has a significant impact on the regulation of microcirculation