Species identification of small pelagic fish schools by means of hydroacoustics in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

  Reliable biomass estimates by means of hydroacoustics largely depend on the correct identification of acoustic targets. Data collected during five summer acoustic surveys (2004-2008) in the North Aegean Sea (Greece) were analyzed to explore effective discrimination of small pelagic fish schools according to the species they belong. Discriminant Function Analyses (DFA) using bathymetric, energetic and morphometric school descriptors as explanatory variables were applied per research cruise as well as to pooled data from all surveys. Results revealed that the schools can be successfully classified into the five species considered (anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus, sardine Sardina pilchardus, round sardinella Sardinella aurita, blue whiting Micromessistius poutassou, and Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus). The percentage of correct classifications in terms of number of schools was higher in the analyses of the annual cruises (75.6%-95.36%) than in the analysis of pooled data (≈72%). This is because of (i) the lower number of species, as well as (ii) the reduced intraspecific variability, occurring in each separate cruise. Significant differences were detected among school descriptors for the different species, revealing discrete aspects of schooling behaviour for each species. The benefit of the specific approach is that the classification functions of the DFAs can be used to classify a larger set of schools, which has not been possible to assign to specific species. Overall the approach constitutes an objective, more automated and less time consuming procedure for the analysis of acoustic data and can contribute to the improvement of biomass estimates in the area

Σύγκριση ποιότητας ζωής σχετιζόμενη με την υγεία και ψυχικής υγείας παιδιών και εφήβων από Συρία και Αφγανιστάν στην Ελλάδα

Εισαγωγή: Η ποιότητα ζωής ορίζεται ως η υποκειμενική αντίληψη του ατόμου για τη θέση του στη ζωή, σε συνάρτηση με το πλαίσιο των αξιών και των πολιτισμικών χαρακτηριστικών της κοινωνίας στην οποία ζει, των προσωπικών στόχων, προσδοκιών, κριτηρίων αξιολόγησης, καθώς και των ενδιαφερόντων και ανησυχιών του. Τα τελευταία χρόνια η Ευρώπη έχει δεχθεί μεγάλο αριθμό προσφύγων εκ των οποίων ένα μεγάλο ποσοστό εγκλωβίζεται στην Ελλάδα μιας και αποτελεί χώρα υποδοχής Σύμφωνα με την Ύπατη Αρμοστεία του ΟΗΕ σε μέτρηση του 2019, 70,8 εκατομμύρια άνθρωποι, έχουν αναγκαστεί να εγκαταλείψουν τις εστίες τους. Στον αριθμό αυτό περιλαμβάνονται περίπου 25,9 εκατομμύρια πρόσφυγες όπου πάνω από το 50% του αριθμού είναι παιδιά πολλά από αυτά κατάγονται από χώρες όπως η Συρία και το Αφγανιστάν. Ένας μικρός αριθμός ερευνών έχει μελετήσει την Ποιότητα Ζωής (ΠΖ) των προσφύγων και πολύ μικρότερος την ΠΖ των παιδιών και των εφήβων. Σκοπός: Η Σύγκριση Ποιότητας Ζωής Σχετιζόμενης με την Υγεία (ΠΖΣχΥ) των παιδιών και των εφήβων από το Αφγανιστάν και τη Συρία που διαμένουν με τις οικογένειές τους σε αυτόνομα διαμερίσματα στην Αθήνα. Μεθοδολογία: Το δείγμα αποτέλεσαν 120 παιδιά και έφηβοι οικογενειών προσφύγων και αιτούντων άσυλο, 60 από Αφγανιστάν και 60 από Συρία, ηλικίας 9 έως 18 ετών. Για τη διεξαγωγή της έρευνας τα παιδιά & οι έφηβοι συμπλήρωσαν το ερωτηματολόγιο αξιολόγησης της Ποιότητας Ζωής που σχετίζεται με την Υγεία, KIDSCREEN 52 σε Αραβικά και Φαρσί.. Καθώς επίσης και το ερωτηματολόγιο δυνατοτήτων και δυσκολιών SDQ στα Φαρσί και στα Αραβικά. Οι κοινωνικοί λειτουργοί συμπλήρωσαν ερωτηματολόγιο σχετικά με τα κοινωνικό-δημογραφικά στοιχεία των γονιών και των παιδιών τους. Αποτελέσματα: Βρέθηκαν διαφορές στην ΠΖΣχΥ μεταξύ των παιδιών που προέρχονται από τη Συρία και των παιδιών που προέρχονται από το Αφγανιστάν στις διαστάσεις όπως αυτονομία (Συρία M=73, Αφγανιστάν M=62,8, p=0,009), σχέσεις με οικογένεια (Συρία M=86,5, Αφγανιστάν Μ=72, p=0,001) και οικονομικούς πόρους (Συρία Μ=46,8, Αφγανιστάν Μ=31,5, p=0,001). Καθώς επίσης βρέθηκαν διαφορές μεταξύ των παιδιών των δύο εθνικοτήτων σε εσωτερικευμένα και εξωτερικευμένα προβλήματα όπως, προβλήματα διαγωγής (Συρία M=3,5, Αφγανιστάν M=4,4, p=0,019) και προ-κοινωνική συμπεριφορά (Συρία M=8,2, Αφγανιστάν M=8,8, p=0,021). Ακόμα, το 19,3% των παιδιών από τη Συρία είχαν αναφερόμενο πρόβλημα υγείας ενώ το αντίστοιχο ποσοστό των παιδιών από το Αφγανιστάν ήταν σημαντικά χαμηλότερο (6,7%). Συμπεράσματα: Οι δύο συγκρινόμενες ομάδες των παιδιών και τον εφήβων από το Αφγανιστάν και τη Συρία παρουσιάζουν διαφορές τόσο στην ποιότητα ζωής τους όσο και στα εσωτερικευόμενα και εξωτερικευόμενα προβλήματα. Τα ευρήματα θα μπορούσαν να φανούν χρήσιμα στην εφαρμογή προγραμμάτων για την βελτίωση της ποιότητας ζωής των παιδιών από Συρία και Αφγανιστάν την ευκολότερη πρόσβασή τους στην εκπαίδευση καθώς και προγραμμάτων υγείας που να στοχεύουν στην προσωπική και κοινωνική ανάπτυξη των παιδιών και επομένως της σχετικής με την υγεία ποιότητας ζωής τους.Quality of life is defined as the subjective perception of the individual for its their place in life, in relation to the context of the values and cultural characteristics of the society, and the personal goals, expectations, evaluation criteria, interests and concerns (WHO, 2001). The perception about one’s health includes feelings about physical and psychological characteristics, as well as the relationships with other people. The number of refugee flows in Europe always increased rapidly, with many of them trapped in Greece as a host country. According to the UNHCR in 2019, 70.8 million people have been forced to flee their homes. This number includes about 25.9 million refugees, more than 50% of whom are children, many of whom come from countries such as Syria and Afghanistan. A small number of studies have investigated the quality of life of refugees an much less children and adolescents. Objective: Compare health-related quality of life (HrQoL) of children and adolescents from Afghanistan and Syria were living who live in (the) apartments in Athens. The sample consisted of 120 children and adolescents from refugee families and asylum seekers. Specifically, 60 children from Afghanistan and 60 children from Syria, aged 9 to 18. For the conduction of the survey the Kidscreen 52 Questionnaire translated into Arabic and Farsi was applied. Furthermore the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) translated into Arabic and Farsi was applied. Finally, the social workers completed a questionnaire that contained questions about the socio-demographic data of children and their parents. The SPSS 22.0 statistical program was used for the analysis. Results: There were differences in Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between children from Syria and children from Afghanistan in dimensions such as autonomy (Syria M=73,5, Afghanistan M=62,8, p=0.009), family relationships (Syria M=86, Afganistan M=72, p=0.001) and financial resources (Syria M=46,8, Afganistan M=31,5, p=0.001). As well as differences were found between children of both nationalities in internalized and externalized problems such as behavioral problems (Syria M=3,5, Afganistan M=4,4, p=0.019) and pre-social behavior (Syria M=8,2, Afganistan M=8,8, p=0.021). In addition, 19.3% of children in Syria had a health problem, while the corresponding percentage of children in Afghanistan was significantly lower and equal to (6.7%). Conclusions: The findings could be useful in implementing programs to improve the quality of life of children from Syria and Afghanistan, their easier access to education as well as health programs aimed at the personal and social development of children and therefore Health-related quality of life

Towards a strategy for the recovering of the Mediterranean monk seal in the Adriatic-Ionian Basin

Occasional but recurrent sightings indicate that the endangered Mediterranean monk seal is still present in most of its historical range within the Adriatic-Ionian region in the central Mediterranean Sea. However, in most of the adjacent countries, the species' abundance and distribution are practically unknown. An actively reproducing sub-population with a minimum of 25 adult/sub-adult seals lives in the Greek central Ionian Sea. The latter can form a nucleus from which the entire Adriatic-Ionian Basin could be re-colonized if adequate conservation measures are implemented throughout the area and in a coordinated manner. We examine the historical presence in the region as a baseline for providing a benchmark for conservation. We further look into the species' habitat availability, possibilities for a rapid population assessment and various parameters that are considered crucial for its conservation, such as the existence of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), corridors for connectivity purposes as well as needs for raising public awareness. We recommend a series of interlinked actions within the framework of a conservation strategy the implementation of which will ensure the conditions for maintaining ecologically, demographically, and genetically viable sub-populations of this species emblematic for the entire Mediterranean Sea. To achieve this goal, a coalition of partners from this area is required in order to adopt the strategy and jointly implement the measures required

a4a short research project: Stock assessment of Hellenic Small Pelagic Stocks

With the objective of applying the a4a methods to real life situations the JRC held a Workshop on stock assessment for the Hellenic small pelagic stocks in the Aegean Sea (JRC, Italy) between the 4th and 7th of May 2015. The main objectives were to compare assessment models and incorporate environmental indices into stock forecasts.JRC.G.3-Maritime affair

Applying a two-stage Bayesian dynamic model to a short lived species, the anchovy in the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean). Comparison with an Integrated Catch at Age stock assessment model.

Two different stock assessment models were applied to the North Aegean Sea anchovy stock (Eastern Mediterranean Sea): an Integrated Catch at age Analysis and a Bayesian two-stage biomass based model. Commercial catch data over the period 2000-2008 as well as acoustics and Daily Egg Production Method estimates over the period 2003-2008 were used. Both models results were consistent, indicating that anchovy stock is exploited sustainably in relation to an exploitation rate reference point. Further, the stock biomass appears stable or increasing. However, the limitations in age-composition data, potential problems related to misinterpretation of age readings along with the existence of missing values in the survey data seem to favour the two-stage biomass method, which is based on a simplified age structure.

Surgery for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is an inherited disorder with variable expressivity, resulting in asymmetric septal hypertrophy and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO). Symptoms are similar to those of aortic stenosis and are due to LV diastolic dysfunction and myocardial ischemia in the absence of epicardial coronary narrowing. Goals of treatment include symptomatic control, resolution of hemodynamic abnormalities and their sequelae, reduction of sudden cardiac death risk and screening of family members. Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction at rest is a predictor of severe symptoms, heart failure, and death. The majority of patients are managed medically, predominantly with b-blockers and calcium channel blockade.Disopyramide, a negative inotrope, can be used in cases with persistently high resting gradients. To prevent sudden cardiac death, implantable cardioverterdefibrillators are used aggressively