A lionfish (Pterois miles) invasion has begun in the Mediterranean Sea

Until now, few sightings of the alien lionfish Pterois miles have been reported in the Mediterranean and it was questionable whether the species could invade this region like it has in the western Atlantic. Here, we present evidence from divers and fishermen that lionfish have recently increased in abundance and within a year colonised almost the entire south eastern coast of Cyprus, likely due to sea surface warming. At least 23 different fish are reported of which 6 were removed. Groups of lionfish exhibiting mating behaviour have been noted for the first time in the Mediterranean. Managers need this information and should alert stakeholders to the potential ecological and socio-economic impacts that may arise from a lionfish invasion. Actions could involve incentives to engage divers and fishermen in lionfish removal programmes, as these have worked well at shallow depths in the Caribbean. Given that the Suez Canal has recently been widened and deepened, measures will need to be put in place to help prevent further invasion

Gene Expression in Human Hippocampus from Cocaine Abusers Identifies Genes which Regulate Extracellular Matrix Remodeling

The chronic effects of cocaine abuse on brain structure and function are blamed for the inability of most addicts to remain abstinent. Part of the difficulty in preventing relapse is the persisting memory of the intense euphoria or cocaine “rush”. Most abused drugs and alcohol induce neuroplastic changes in brain pathways subserving emotion and cognition. Such changes may account for the consolidation and structural reconfiguration of synaptic connections with exposure to cocaine. Adaptive hippocampal plasticity could be related to specific patterns of gene expression with chronic cocaine abuse. Here, we compare gene expression profiles in the human hippocampus from cocaine addicts and age-matched drug-free control subjects. Cocaine abusers had 151 gene transcripts upregulated, while 91 gene transcripts were downregulated. Topping the list of cocaine-regulated transcripts was RECK in the human hippocampus (FC = 2.0; p<0.05). RECK is a membrane-anchored MMP inhibitor that is implicated in the coordinated regulation of extracellular matrix integrity and angiogenesis. In keeping with elevated RECK expression, active MMP9 protein levels were decreased in the hippocampus from cocaine abusers. Pathway analysis identified other genes regulated by cocaine that code for proteins involved in the remodeling of the cytomatrix and synaptic connections and the inhibition of blood vessel proliferation (PCDH8, LAMB1, ITGB6, CTGF and EphB4). The observed microarray phenotype in the human hippocampus identified RECK and other region-specific genes that may promote long-lasting structural changes with repeated cocaine abuse. Extracellular matrix remodeling in the hippocampus may be a persisting effect of chronic abuse that contributes to the compulsive and relapsing nature of cocaine addiction

Diet composition of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L. 1758) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey

WOS: 000272379800020P>This study gives relevant information on the diet composition of the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) during the spawning period in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The stomach contents of 218 bluefin tuna were sampled from 2003 to 2006 during the fishing season (May-June) aboard purse seiners operating in the northern Levantine Sea off the coast of Turkey. Stomachs were removed from the fish soon after landing and kept frozen at -18 degrees C until analysis. Prey items were classified into large taxonomic categories and preserved in 70% ethanol. A total of 745 different prey specimens belonging to 47 taxa were identified, including 34 species of fish, 11 of squid, and two of crustaceans. The most important fish and cephalopod prey belonged to the families Myctophidae, Carangidae, Chauliodontidae, Paralepididae, and Octopoda. This study marks the observation of myctophid fish in the stomach contents of bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean Sea. The paper offers some new information of regional importance and compares the feeding habits of the species to other regions, bringing confirmation on the opportunistic feeding ecology of the species in the enclosed Mediterranean Sea, where bluefin tuna seasonally occur as a strong cohort. New information on the diet composition of T. thynnus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is revealed; the findings indicate that, depending on the abundance of the different prey species in the habitat, the dominant prey species can be distinctive.Research Fund of The University of IstanbulIstanbul University [BYP/2994]; BYP of ICCAT; Turkish Bluefin Tuna Farmers Association (OYID)This study was financially supported by the Research Fund of The University of Istanbul with the project number BYP/2994, BYP of ICCAT and the Turkish Bluefin Tuna Farmers Association (OYID). We are grateful to the fishing companies AKUADEM (Istanbul, Turkey), DARDANEL (Canakkale, Turkey), GROUP SAGUN (Antalya, Turkey) and AKTUNA (Istanbul, Turkey). We are also grateful to Gerry Scott (NOAA), Burcu Bilgin (Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs) and Elif Ozgur (Akdeniz University) for their help

A comparison of fatty acid, cholesterol and vitamin composition in sea bass [Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758)] and sea bream [Sparus aurata (Linnaeus, 1758)] from three cage farm areas: Antalya and Mugla (Turkey) and Iskele (Northern Cyprus)

1st International Fisheries Symposium -- MAR 24-27, 2013 -- Girne, CYPRUSHarlioglu, Ayse Gul/0000-0001-9478-6419WOS: 000380019500036In the present study the fatty acids, cholesterol and vitamin composition in farmed sea bass (8 fish per species per farm; weight range: 389.6-395.8 g, total length range: 297-316 mm) and sea bream (8 fish per species per farm; weight range: 386.8-391.7 g, total length range: 263-268 mm) from three cage farms (Iskele in northern Cyprus, Antalya and Mugla in Turkey) were compared during the harvesting period in June-July 2011. The results showed that the muscles of D. labrax and S. aurata farmed fish were rich in n-3 fatty acids, but with important differences. For example, the muscles of sea bass farmed in Iskele were rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Palmitic acid (C16:0) was the primary saturated fatty acid, and oleic acid (C18:1 n-9) the primary mono-unsaturated fatty acid in the muscle and liver samples of the cage-farmed sea bass and sea bream. There were no significant differences in the cholesterol content in the muscles of sea bream farmed in Iskele, Antalya or Mugla. In conclusion, the n-3/n-6 ratio in the muscle of farmed S. aurata and D. labrax is within the recommended limits for a healthy human diet, being very suitable for human nutrition.European Univ Lefke, Cyprus Marine Sci Fdn, World Sturgeon Conservat Soc, Prime Minist, Minist Foreign Affairs, Minst Agr, Turkish Republ No Cyprus, Nat Resources & Foo

Ovarian development of albacore (Thunnus alalunga Bonnaterre, 1788) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: a histological characterisation

In order to investigate the stages of oogenesis in the albacore Thunnus alalunga, 129 females (64.0. 83.5 cm fork length-FL) were captured by gill nets from April to August 2002-2008, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Based on histological examination of the ovaries, a total of seven ovarian developmental stages were identified: perinucleolar, lipid, early vitellogenesis, late vitellogenesis, migratory nucleus, pre-hydrated and hydrated. The monthly gonadosomatic index values and the results of the histological analysis indicated that the females mature in May. The spawning stage becomes predominant in June and reaches a maximum in July. The evidence reported here indicates that the size of females at first sexual maturity was lower for the Mediterranean albacore stock than for the Pacific and Atlantic stocks