A cryptic alien seaweed spreading in Mediterranean coastal lagoons.

1 - Introductions of exotic macroalgae have increased recently on European shores. Each introductioninvolves at least one vector of transfer. For macroalgae, the potential vectors are aquaculture(intentional or accidental introduction), fouling on hulls, ballast water, aquarium trading, fishingnets.2 - Coastal lagoons, including Venice and Thau Lagoon, developed into major hotspots of marinemacrophyte introductions in the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, in shallow lagoons and estuaries,eutrophication processes have resulted in the development of macroalgal biomass.3 - The most characteristic species of these macroalgal communities include members of the ulvophyceangenus Ulva L. In foliose Ulvales, simple morphology and anatomy, rampant convergence, remarkabledegrees of phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental factors tend to confound attempts atidentification and make cryptic introduction difficult to detect.4 - During a survey of macroalgal biodiversity in Venice Lagoon, among the pool of exotic speciesfound, there was an Ulva differing from the Atlantic and Mediterranean species in both vegetativeand reproductive features. Detailed observations consented us to identify the taxon as Ulva pertusaKjellman, previously reported in the Mediterranean only for Thau Lagoon

Identifying alien macroalgae through DNA barcoding: the case of Hypnea cornuta (Cystocloniaceae, Rhodophyta)

1 - Introduction of non-indigenous macroalgae has become a major topic in the last decades. Potential vectors are aquaculture, fouling on hulls, ballast water, aquarium trading, fishing nets.2 - Within a program of census of macroalgal alien species through DNA barcoding we found a population of previously unreported rhodophyte in Cape Peloro Lagoon and nearby marine coasts (north-eastern Sicily, Italy).3 - All collected individuals were identified as the alien species Hypnea cornuta based on morphological characters confirmed by the analysis of COI-5’ sequences

Predictors of unemployment status in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis: a single center experience

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of nontraumatic chronic neurological disability affecting young adults during their crucial employment years. Objectives: To evaluate patients and disease related factors associated to unemployment in a cohort of relapsing–remitting (RR) MS patients. Methods: We included RRMS patients with a follow-up of at least 1 year. We collected data about years of school education and employment status. Patients underwent a neuropsychological evaluation using the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS). Demographic and clinical predictors of unemployment were assessed through a multivariable stepwise logistic regression model. Results: We evaluated 260 consecutive RRMS patients. Employed patients were less frequently female (68.4% vs 83.3%, p = 0.006), less disabled (median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score: 2.0 (0–7.0) vs 2.5 (0–7.5), p < 0.001), with more years of school education (mean ± standard deviation (SD), years: 13.74 ± 0.30 vs 10.86 ± 3.47, p < 0.001). Female sex and a higher EDSS score resulted associated with a greater risk of unemployment (OR 3.510, 95% CI 1.654–7.448, p = 0.001; OR 1.366, 95% CI 1.074–1.737, p = 0.011, respectively), whereas a greater number of years of schooling and current disease-modifying therapy exposure resulted protective factors (OR 0.788, 95% CI 0.723–0.858, p < 0,001; OR 0.414, 95% CI 0.217–0.790, p = 0.008, respectively). Conclusions: Understanding work is pervasively influenced by consequences of MS, we confirmed the impact of demographic, physical, and cognitive factors on employment status in RRMS patients

A novel STK11 gene mutation (c.388dupG, p.Glu130Glyfs∗33) in a Peutz-Jeghers family and evidence of higher gastric cancer susceptibility associated with alterations in STK11 region aa 107-170

N

Tamoxifen in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a randomised controlled trial

Background Results from small randomised trials on tamoxifen in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are conflicting, We studied whether the addition of tamoxifen to best supportive care prolongs survival of patients with HCC. Methods Patients with any stage of HCC were eligible, irrespective of locoregional treatment. Randomisation was centralised, with a minimisation procedure accounting for centre, evidence of disease, and time from diagnosis. Patients were randomly allocated best supportive care alone or in addition to tamoxifen, Tamoxifen was given orally, 40 mg per day, from randomisation until death. Results 496 patients from 30 institutions were randomly allocated treatment from January, 1995, to January, 1997. Information was available for 477 patients. By Sept 15, 1997, 119 (50%) of 240 and 130 (55%) of 237 patients had died in the control and tamoxifen arms, respectively. Median survival was 16 months and 15 months (p=0.54), respectively, No differences were found within subgroups defined by prognostic variables. Relative hazard of death for patients receiving tamoxifen was 1.07 (95% CI 0.83-1.39). Interpretation Our findings show that tamoxifen is not effective in prolonging survival of patients with HCC

Photoactive bile salts with critical micellar concentration in the micromolar range

The aggregation behavior of bile salts is strongly dependent on the number of hydroxyl groups. Thus, cholic acid (CA), with three hydroxyls, starts forming aggregates at 15 mM, while deoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic or ursodeoxycholic acids, with two hydroxyls, start aggregating at 5-10 mM; for lithocholic acid, with only one hydroxyl group, aggregation is observed at lower concentration (2-3 mM). Here, the singular self-assembling properties of dansyl and naproxen derivatives of CA (3 beta-Dns-CA and 3 beta-NPX-CA, respectively) have been demonstrated on the basis of their photoactive properties. Thus, the emission spectra of 3 beta-Dns-CA registered at increasing concentrations (25-140 mu M) showed a remarkable non-linear enhancement in the emission intensity accompanied by a hypsochromic shift of the maximum and up to a three-fold increase in the singlet lifetime. The inflection point at around 50-70 mu M pointed to the formation of unprecedented assemblies at such low concentrations. In the case of 3 beta-NPX-CA, when the NPX relative triplet lifetime was plotted against concentration, a marked increase (up to two-fold) was observed at 40-70 mu M, indicating the formation of new 3 beta-NPX-CA assemblies at ca. 50 mu M. Additional evidence supporting the formation of new 3 beta-Dns-CA or 3 beta-NPX-CA assemblies at 40-70 mu M was obtained from singlet excited state quenching experiments using iodide. Moreover, to address the potential formation of hybrid assemblies, 1 : 1 mixtures of 3 beta-Dns-CA and 3 beta-NPX-CA (2-60 mu M, total concentration) were subjected to steady-state fluorescence experiments, and their behavior was compared to that of the pure photoactive derivatives. A lower increase in the emission was observed for 3 beta-NPX-CA in the mixture, while a huge increase was experienced by 3 beta-Dns-CA in the same concentration range (up to 60 mu M total). A partial intermolecular energy transfer from NPX to Dns, consistent with their reported singlet energies, was revealed, pointing to the formation of extremely fluorescent hybrid assemblies at 5-10 mu M (total concentration). The morphology of the entities was investigated by means of confocal microscopy. At 90 mu M, 3 beta-Dns-CA showed disperse assemblies in the mu m range.Financial support from the Spanish Government (Grants SEV-2012-0267 and CTQ2012-38754-C03-03) and the Generalitat Valenciana (Prometeo Program) is gratefully acknowledged.Gómez Mendoza, M.; Marín García, ML.; Miranda Alonso, MÁ. (2016). Photoactive bile salts with critical micellar concentration in the micromolar range. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 18(18):12976-12982. https://doi.org/10.1039/c6cp00813eS1297612982181

Current status and trends of biological invasions in the Lagoon of Venice, a hotspot of marine NIS introductions in the Mediterranean Sea

This paper provides an updated account of the occurrence and abundance of non-indigenous species (NIS) in an area of high risk of introduction: the Lagoon of Venice (Italy). This site is a known hotspot of NIS introductions within the Mediterranean Sea, hosting all the most important vectors of introduction of marine NIS—shipping, recreational boating, shellfish culture and live seafood trade. The recent literature demonstrates that the number of NIS in Venice is continuously changing, because new species are being introduced or identified, and new evidence shows either an exotic origin of species previously believed to be native, or a native origin of formerly believed ‘‘aliens’’, or demonstrates the cryptogenic nature of others. The number of NIS introduced in the Venetian lagoon currently totals 71, out of which 55 are established. This number exceeds those displayed by some nations like Finland, Portugal or Libya. Macroalgae are the taxonomic group with the highest number of introduced species (41 % of NIS): the most likely vector for their introduction is shellfish culture. The source region of NIS introduced to Venice is mainly represented by other Mediterranean or European sites (76 %). The Lagoon of Venice represents a sink but also a source of NIS in the Mediterranean Sea, as it is the site of first record of several NIS, which have since further spread elsewhere.This paper provides an updated account of the occurrence and abundance of non-indigenous species (NIS) in an area of high risk of introduction: the Lagoon of Venice (Italy). This site is a known hotspot of NIS introductions within the Mediterranean Sea, hosting all the most important vectors of introduction of marine NIS-shipping, recreational boating, shellfish culture and live seafood trade. The recent literature demonstrates that the number of NIS in Venice is continuously changing, because new species are being introduced or identified, and new evidence shows either an exotic origin of species previously believed to be native, or a native origin of formerly believed "aliens", or demonstrates the cryptogenic nature of others. The number of NIS introduced in the Venetian lagoon currently totals 71, out of which 55 are established. This number exceeds those displayed by some nations like Finland, Portugal or Libya. Macroalgae are the taxonomic group with the highest number of introduced species (41 % of NIS): the most likely vector for their introduction is shellfish culture. The source region of NIS introduced to Venice is mainly represented by other Mediterranean or European sites (76 %). The Lagoon of Venice represents a sink but also a source of NIS in the Mediterranean Sea, as it is the site of first record of several NIS, which have since further spread elsewhere