Ecological correlates of Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) breeding occurrence in Sardinia (Italy).

Capsule Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos in Sardinia are clustered across the main mountain ranges of the island, with a preference for undisturbed and homogeneous inland habitats. Aims To analyse habitat preferences of the Golden Eagle in Sardinia, Italy, at the landscape and home range spatial scales. Methods Landscape scale habitat preferences were analysed using the 10 × 10 km Universal Transverse Mercator grid and the home range scale was based on the spatial distribution of breeding territories. Generalized linear models were fitted with three different sets of environmental predictors (topographic, bioclimatic and land use variables) to analyse the spatial distribution of Golden Eagles with a case-control design. Results Eagles showed a preference for rugged and elevated areas, characterized by a certain degree of humidity and surrounded by areas of forest. The distribution of Golden Eagles on this Mediterranean island was negatively affected by the occurrence of arable farmland and coastal areas, as well as by the effects of habitat fragmentation. Conclusions The results of this study could contribute to future management strategies and conservation projects aimed to protect this species, and may be used to identify the most suitable conservation areas for this and other competing species, such as the Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata, which is currently the subject of a reintroduction project in Sardinia

Investigating Plant–Bird Co-Occurrence Patterns in Mediterranean Wetlands: Can They Reveal Signals of Ecosystem Connectivity?

Interspecific biotic interaction is believed to be a fundamental phenomenon in ecology. However, despite the increasing efforts, interaction mechanisms are still not clearly understood. We compiled a database of 323 birds and 844 vascular plants in 30 wetlands from Sardinia. This was complemented with seed dispersal features and plant structures (suitability for nesting), and with site-level traits, such as wetland surface area, distance from the sea, percentage of open water, protection level, and number of human impacts. The percentage of non-random co-occurrences was then measured, and the relative importance of each trait in determining it was modelled. We found that non-random co-occurrences among sites decreased with the site extent and increase with the percentage of open water, bird zoochory was positively correlated with co-occurrences, nesting birds showed higher rates of co-occurrence than non-nesting birds, and plants with habits suitable for nesting displayed more co-occurrences than the rest of the plants. These results are a small contribution to the complex topic of species co-occurrence and connectivity within an ecosystem. Species co-occurrence is a promising but debatable approach that may provide insightful clues to species interactions within ecological systems

An Automatic Sensing Test Procedure for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

An Automatic Sensing Test procedure (AST) for evaluating the sensing performances of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) is presented in this paper. AST is based on the Sensitivity Test described by the Standard CEI EN 45502-2-1 for pacemakers and consists of determining the ICD sensing thresholds at different heartbeat frequencies. Consequently, an extensive evaluation of ICD sensing performances can be achieved. AST has been implemented by means of virtual instruments developed in the Labview environment and has been validated experimentally through several tests. These have been performed inside an anechoic RF chamber. Such an environment guarantees proper shielding against external electromagnetic interferences, thus ensuring reliability and repeatability of the tests. The discussion of the results highlights the usefulness of the proposed procedure

Mechanical dispersion as a predictor of arrhythmic death in patients with ischaemic and non-ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction

Background: Arrhythmic death is a leading cause of mortality among patients with ischaemic and non-ischaemic heart failure. Solid evidence shows that, among high-risk patients with left ventricular dysfunction, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) is a cost-effective treatment in the primary and secondary prevention of life threatening ventricular arrhythmia. The decision to implant an ICD should take into account several factors including clinical history, NYHA class, left ventricular ejection fraction and life expectancy. Myocardial strain assessed using speckle tracking echocardiography represents a novel tool to quantify global and regional myocardial function. It has been recently shown that mechanical dispersion is a predictor of ventricular arrhythmias in patients after myocardial infarction. Purpose: The aim of our study was to evaluate the correlation between myocardial strain and ventricular arrhythmias in patients treated with ICD in primary or secondary prevention. Methods: We recruited 48 patients with ischaemic and non-ischaemic dilative cardiomyopathy (39 male, 9 female), middle aged (63.7 years), implanted with ICD or CRT-D in primary (34 pts) or secondary (14 pts) prevention. Each patient underwent clinical examination, ECG, transthoracic echocardiography with the analysis of traditional and speckle tracking parameters (Global Longitudinal Strain GLS, Mechanical Dispersion MD) and periodical device interrogation before and after device implantation. The average follow-up was 34.6 months. Results: During the follow-up, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias occurred in 16 patients (events group). No statistical difference in terms of age, gender, cardiovascular risk factors and etiology of the myocardial disfunction were observed. Furthermore, echocardiographic traditional parameters (LVEF) and wall motion score index were comparable between the two groups before and after device implantation. In univariate analysis there were no difference in terms of GLS (p=0,58), but there was a significant correlation with MD (SD time to peak 112.7±33 msec vs 68.5±30.8 msec, p=0.0001), supported also by ROC curve analysis (r=-0,56, p=0.0001). The correlation between arrhythmic events and MD was confirmed in both ischaemic and non-ischaemic patients (r=0.61, p=0.001 e r=0.48, p=0.0178). A MD value ≥103 msec has been found to be a good predictor of ventricular sustained arrhythmias in the two groups (ischaemic pts: log rank p=0.012, Ki square 6.0 - non ischaemic pts: log rank p=0.015, Ki square 5.885). Conclusions: Mechanical dispersion evaluated using speckle tracking technique is a valid technique for risk stratification of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with dilative ischaemic or non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy

Connectivity between the Algerian population of Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus and those of the Mediterranean basin

In the Mediterranean basin, Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus constitute a metapopulation with natal and breeding dispersal among colonies. However, the rate of exchange between European and North African colonies remains poorly known. In this paper, we document the wintering and breeding of European flamingos in Algeria and provide the first post-fledging dispersal data for flamingos born in Algeria. At breeding colonies in Algeria, most ringed birds (99.4% of 835 birds) originated from north-western Mediterranean colonies (397 individuals born in France, 369 in Spain, 57 in Sardinia and seven in continental Italy), but there were also four from Turkey (the first evidence of natal dispersal from a north-eastern Mediterranean colony to Algeria) and one from Algeria. Among the 860 fledglings ringed in Algeria in 2006 and 2009, 619 different individuals were resighted from August 2006 to September 2010 in a total of 980 resightings. A large proportion (73%) of these birds was observed at North African sites, while the remaining ones reached both north-western (168 birds) and north-eastern (three birds) Mediterranean wetlands, suggesting extensive interchange between colonies from both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.Peer Reviewe

Morphometric versus genetic variation in the Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus in Italy

CapsuleThe Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus from breeding sites in Italy has little genetic variability in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene but shows morphological variation suggesting isolation of some populations.AimsTo investigate the morphometric and genetic trait variation of Eurasian Reed Warbler populations at a large temporal and spatial scale.MethodsWe analysed morphometric traits and the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene of samples collected over 25 years, from populations at seven sites across the Italian peninsula and islands.ResultsWhile we found no genetic differences, we detected significantly smaller body sizes in individuals breeding in Sicily and Sardinia compared to those from mainland Italy. There were also significant body size differences between two Sicilian populations: one larger breeding on the southern coast and the other smaller at an inner highland site.ConclusionThe morphometric data, together with the site fidelity of individuals, are consistent with there being isolation of some populations. Specifically, our results are consistent with an example of polyphenism, morphological plasticity, in the populations of the main Italian islands, Sicily and Sardinia

Muscle MRI findings in patients with an apparently exclusive cardiac phenotype due to a novel LMNA gene mutation

Abstract The case of a family in which several members displayed conduction defects inherited as a dominant trait is reported. The proband was a young woman with a 1st degree atrio-ventricular block and high serum creatine kinase. Several members of the family featured cardiologic symptoms. All adult family members were clinically evaluated and blood tests including serum creatine-kinase levels, standard and Holter ECG, echocardiogram and muscle MRI were performed. LMNA gene analysis was carried out and a novel missense mutation consisting in substitution of exon 4 c.799 T/C, p.Tyr267His was revealed. The mutation was present in seven family members, five of whom displayed cardiac defects alone with no involvement of the skeletal muscle. In all mutated individuals muscle MRI featured a pattern of skeletal muscle involvement similar to that observed in autosomal dominant Emery Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, suggesting that even patients bearing a LMNA gene mutation associated to an apparently selective cardiac phenotype may present subclinical skeletal muscle involvement

Cardiac and muscle imaging findings in a family with X-linked Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy.

The following is a report on a large family with 5 males affected by the X-linked recessive form of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy with mutation in the STA gene. A detailed longitudinal cardiological evaluation and muscle imaging studies allowed for the assessment of intrafamilial variability of cardiac and muscle involvement. Long term cardiological follow up in the 5 affected males and in 7 female carriers revealed different degrees of severity, ranging from tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome and variable biatrial and left ventricle dilatation, to an episode of isolated symptomatic sustained ventricular tachycardia requiring a device implantation. Muscle imaging in the affected males showed involvement of the soleus and medial head of gastrocnemius on leg muscles and variable involvement on thigh muscles that have not been previously reported. In some cases, imaging showed clear signs of muscle involvement even when no overt signs of weakness could be detected during clinical examination

Cardiac and muscle imaging findings in a family with X-linked Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy

The following is a report on a large family with 5 males affected by the X-linked recessive form of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy with mutation in the STA gene. A detailed longitudinal cardiological evaluation and muscle imaging studies allowed for the assessment of intrafamilial variability of cardiac and muscle involvement. Long term cardiological follow up in the 5 affected males and in 7 female carriers revealed different degrees of severity, ranging from tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome and variable biatrial and left ventricle dilatation, to an episode of isolated symptomatic sustained ventricular tachycardia requiring a device implantation. Muscle imaging in the affected males showed involvement of the soleus and medial head of gastrocnemius on leg muscles and variable involvement on thigh muscles that have not been previously reported. In some cases, imaging showed clear signs of muscle involvement even when no overt signs of weakness could be detected during clinical examination