Ahe atoll and pearl oyster aquaculture in the Tuamotu archipelago

This study quantifies benthic nutrient fluxes and sedimentation rates in the Ahe Atoll lagoon (French Polynesia), in two stations located under pearl oyster frames, and two control stations away from the pearl culture facility. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen fluxes ranged between 2 and 35 mu mol N m(-2) h(-1) and Soluble Reactive Phosphorus varied between -3 and 8.2 mu mol P m(-2) h(-1). Particulate sedimentation rates beneath the oysters were approximately five times higher than in the control zone and the percentage of small particles (<= 63 mu m) were about the twice. In contrast, sediment composition was similar under and outside the direct influence of oyster frames. In this ecosystem, where primary production is dependent on the available nitrogen, our study revealed that, while highly variable, benthic fluxes could sometimes contribute up to 28% of the nitrogen demand for primary production

Impact of an Education Program on Ibd Patient’s Skills: Results of A Randomized Controlled Multicenter Study (Ecipe)

International audienceBackgroundA better patient’s knowledge on their Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) could improve its outcome and quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess if an education program improves IBD patients’ skills as regards to their disease.MethodsThe GETAID group conducted a prospective multicenter randomized controlled study. IBD patients were included at diagnosis, or after a significant event in the disease course. Patients were randomized between “educated” or control groups for 6 months. Education was performed by trained healthcare professionals. A psycho-pedagogic score (ECIPE) was evaluated by a “blinded” physician at baseline and after 6 and 12 months (M6 and M12). The primary endpoint was the increase of ECIPE score at M6 of more than 20%.Results263 patients were included in 19 centers (Male:40%; Median age:30.8; CD:73%). 133 patients were randomized in the educated group, and 130 in the control group. The median relative increase of the ECIPE score at M6 was higher in the educated group as compared to the control group (16.7%(0-42.1%) vs 7%(0-18.8%) respectively p=0.0008). The primary endpoint was met in 46% vs 24% of the patients in the educated and control groups respectively (p=0.0003). A total of 92 patients met the primary endpoint. In multivariate analysis, predictors of an increase of at least 20% of the ECIPE score were randomization in the educated group (OR=2.59) and no previous surgery (OR=1.92).ConclusionThese findings support the set-up of education programs in centers involved in the management of IBD patients

Affinities of sponges (Porifera) of the Marquesas and Society Islands, French Polynesia

This article reports on a survey of sponges from the higher-island reefs and slopes of the Marquesas and Society Islands archipelagos, French Polynesia, recording presence/absence and an estimate of local abundance at 109 sites from six and eight islands within each archipelago, respectively. Sponge distributions within archipelagos were relatively homogeneous, showing some differential patterns in affinities between north-south islands, and approximately one-third of the fauna apparently endemic to these archipelagos, but between-archipelago comparisons showed large heterogeneity, with only four of the 75 species shared between both archipelagos. The fauna of the Marquesas Islands (with sites consisting mostly of rocky slopes) was dominated by species in order Poecilosclerida and showed a range of taxonomic diversity similar to that of the remote fauna of the Hawaiian Islands. By comparison, the sponge fauna of the Society Islands sites was dominated by species of order Dictyoceratida, reflecting predominance of coral reef and lagoon sites and associated phototrophic feeding strategies. Parsimony and multivariate statistical analyses comparing French Polynesian sponge faunas with others in the southwestern Pacific showed closest nested faunal similarities between the (Marquesas Islands + Society Islands), (((Tonga + Fiji) + Vanuatu) + New Caledonia), and (North Great Barrier Reef + South Great Barrier Reef) but no or very low similarity between more geographically isolated faunas such as Palau and the collective Great Barrier Reef