Submarine and coastal karstic groundwater discharges along the Southwestern Mediterranean coast of Turkey

A 120 km-long part of the southwestern coast of Turkey, with well-developed karst terrain in contact with the sea, has been investigated by systematic diving surveys to determine the submarine groundwater discharges (SGDs). The physical, chemical and isotopic data have been used to determine the rate of the fresh groundwater end member (FEM) and its temporal dynamics. About 150 SGDs have been detected by diving surveys employed mostly up to a depth of 30 m below sea level (bsl). Among those, 15 SGDs are in the form of coastal or submarine caves with entrances ranging between sea surface and 40 m bsl. The FEM contribution in SGDs ranges from a few percent to more than 80%. Stable isotope data suggest a range of mean recharge area elevations extending from the coast to more than 1,000 m inland. In many of the SGDs, the FEMs are characterized by tritium-based residence times ranging from recent to several decades. Hypothetical geochemical calculations of mixing between freshwater and seawater end members reveal that more than 45% of freshwater contribution is required for karst development in the SGDs. Models suggest a threshold pH of 7.6 or lower for the carbonate rock dissolution. © 2010 Springer-Verlag

The Function Biomedical Informatics Research Network Data Repository

The Function Biomedical Informatics Research Network (FBIRN) developed methods and tools for conducting multi-scanner functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. Method and tool development were based on two major goals: 1) to assess the major sources of variation in fMRI studies conducted across scanners, including instrumentation, acquisition protocols, challenge tasks, and analysis methods, and 2) to provide a distributed network infrastructure and an associated federated database to host and query large, multi-site, fMRI and clinical datasets. In the process of achieving these goals the FBIRN test bed generated several multi-scanner brain imaging data sets to be shared with the wider scientific community via the BIRN Data Repository (BDR). The FBIRN Phase 1 dataset consists of a traveling subject study of 5 healthy subjects, each scanned on 10 different 1.5 to 4 Tesla scanners. The FBIRN Phase 2 and Phase 3 datasets consist of subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder along with healthy comparison subjects scanned at multiple sites. In this paper, we provide concise descriptions of FBIRN’s multi-scanner brain imaging data sets and details about the BIRN Data Repository instance of the Human Imaging Database (HID) used to publicly share the data

Brain-Performance Correlates of Working Memory Retrieval in Schizophrenia: A Cognitive Modeling Approach

Correlations of cognitive functioning with brain activation during a sternberg item recognition paradigm (SIRP) were investigated in patients with schizophrenia and in healthy controls studied at 8 sites. To measure memory scanning times, 4 response time models were fit to SIRP data. The best fitting model assumed exhaustive serial memory scanning followed by self-terminating memory search and involved one intercept parameter to represent SIRP processes not contributing directly to memory scanning. Patients displayed significantly longer response times with increasing memory load and differed on the memory scanning, memory search, and intercept parameters of the best fitting probability model. Groups differed in the correlation between the memory scanning parameter and linear brain response to increasing memory load within left inferior and left middle frontal gyrus, bilateral caudate, and right precuneus. The pattern of findings in these regions indicated that high scanning capacity was associated with high neural capacity among healthy subjects but that scanning speed was uncoupled from brain response to increasing memory load among schizophrenia patients. Group differences in correlation of the best fitting model's scanning parameter with a quadratic trend in brain response to increasing memory load suggested inefficient or disordered patterns of neural inhibition among individuals with schizophrenia, especially in the left perirhinal and entorhinal cortices. The results show at both cognitive and neural levels that disordered memory scanning contributes to deficient SIRP performance among schizophrenia patients

The origin of the fluids circulating over the Amik Basin (Turkey) and their relationships with the Dead Sea Fault

The Amik Basin is an asymmetrical composite transtensional basin developed between the seismically active left-lateral Dead Sea Fault (DSF) splays and the left-lateral oblique-slip Karasu Fault segment during neotectonic period. The relationship between the DSF and the East Anatolian Fault Zone is important as it represents a triple junction between Arabian Plate, African Plate and Anatolian Block in which the Amik Basin developed. The basin was formed on a pre-Miocene basement consisting of two rock series: Paleozoic crustal units with a Mesozoic allochthonous ophiolitic complex and ~1300 m thick Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene sedimentary sequence. Plio-Quaternary sediments and Quaternary volcanics unconformably overlie the deformed and folded Miocene beds. Quaternary alkali-basaltic volcanism, derived from a metasomatized asthenospheric or lithospheric mantle, is most probably related to the syn-collisional transtensional strike-slip deformation in the area. Active faults in the region have the potential to generate catastrophic earthquakes (M>7). Nineteen samples of cold and thermal groundwaters have been collected over the Amik Basin area for dissolved gas analyses as well as two samples from the gas seeps, and one bubbling gas from a thermal spring Samples were analysed for their chemical and isotopic (He, C) composition. On the basis of their chemical composition, three main groups can be recognized. Most of the dissolved gases (16; Group I) collected from springs or shallow wells (< 150 m depth), contain mainly atmospheric gasses with very limited H2 (< 80 ppm) and CH4 (1– 2700 ppm) contents and minor concentrations of CO2 (0.5–11.2 %). The isotopic composition of Total Dissolved Carbon evidences a prevailing organic contribution with possible dissolution of carbonate rocks. However the CO2-richest sample shows a small but significant deep (probably mantle) contribution which is also evidenced by its He isotopic composition. Further three samples, taken from the northern part of the basin close to Quaternary volcanic outcrops and main tectonic structures, also exhibit a small mantle He contribution (Fig. 1). The two dissolved gases (Group II) collected from deep boreholes (> 1200 m depth) are typical of hydrocarbon reservoirs being very rich in CH4 (> 78 %) and N2 (> 13%). The water composition of these samples is also distinctive of saline connate waters (Cl- and B-rich, SO4-poor). Isotopic composition of methane (δ13C ~ -65‰) indicates a biogenic origin while He-isotopic composition points to a prevailing crustal signature for one (R/Ra 0.16) of the sites and a small mantle contribution for the other (R/Ra 0.98) (Fig. 1). The three free gas samples (Group III), taken at two sites within the ophiolitic basement west of the basin, have the typical composition of gas generated by low temperature serpentinisation processes with high hydrogen (37–50 %) and methane (10–61 %) concentrations. While all three gases show an almost identical δD-H2 of ~ -750‰, two of them display an isotopic composition of methane (δ13C ~ -5‰; δD ~ -105‰) and a C1/[C2+C3] ratio (~100) typical of abiogenic hydrocarbons and a significant contribution of mantle-type helium (R/Ra: 1.33). The composition of these two gasses is comparable to that of the gasses issuing in similar geologic conditions (Chimera-Turkey, Zambales-Philippine and Oman ophiolites). The gas composition of the other site evidences a contribution of a crustal (thermogenic) component (δ13C-CH4 ~ -30‰; δD-CH4 ~ -325‰; C1/[C2+C3] ~ 3000). Such crustal contribution is also supported by higher N2 contents (40% instead of 2%) and lower He-isotopic composition (R/Ra 0.07) (Fig. 1). These first results highlight contributions of mantle-derived volatiles possibly drained towards shallow levels by the DSF and other parallel structures crossing the basin showing a tectonic control of the fluids circulating within the Basin

Razvoj i in vitro vrednovanje puferiranog bioadhezivnog vaginalnog gela za miješane vaginalne infekcije

An acid buffering bioadhesive vaginal (ABBV) gel was developed for the treatment of mixed vaginal infections. Different bioadhesive polymers were evaluated on the basis of their bioadhesive strength, stability and drug release properties. Bioadhesion and release studies showed that guar gum, xanthan gum and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose K4M formed a good combination of bioadhesive polymers to develop the ABBV gel. Mono sodium citrate was used as an acid buffering agent to provide acidic pH (4.4). The drugs clotrimazole (antifungal) and metronidazole (antiprotozoal as well as antibacterial) were used in the formulation along with Lactobacillus spores to treat mixed vaginal infections. The ex vivo retention study showed that the bioadhesive polymers hold the gel for 12-13 hours inside the vaginal tube. Results of the in vitro antimicrobial study indicated that the ABBV gel had better antimicrobial action than the commercial intravaginal drug delivery systems and retention was prolonged in an ex vivo retention experiment.U radu je opisan razvoj puferiranog biodhezivnog vaginalnog (acid buffering bioadhesive vaginal, ABBV) gela za terapiju miješanih vaginalnih infekcija. Ispitani su različiti bioadhezivni polimeri procijenjena su njihova bioadhezivna svojstva, stabilnost i sposobnost oslobađanja ljekovite tvari. Guar guma, ksantan guma i hidroksipropilmetilceluloza K4M tvore dobru kombinaciju za ABBV gel. Mono natrijev citrat upotrebljen je kao puferirajuća tvar koja omogućava blago kiseli pH (4,4), a kao ljekovite tvari upotrebljeni su klotrimazol (antimikotik) i metronidazol (antiprotozoik i antibakterijsko sredstvo), zajedno sa sporama Lactobacillus. Pripravci su upotrebljeni u terapiji miješanih vaginalnih infekcija. Pokusi ex vivo pokazali su da se bioadhezivni gel zadržava u vagini 12-13 sati. Rezultati in vitro ispitivanja ukazuju na to da ABBV gel ima bolje antibakterijsko djelovanje i dulje zadržavanje od intravaginalnog sustava koji je dostupan na tržištu

Measuring quality of life in Duchenne muscular dystrophy : a systematic review of the content and structural validity of commonly used instruments

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an inherited X-linked neuromuscular disorder. A number of questionnaires are available to assess quality of life in DMD, but there are concerns about their validity. This systematic review aimed to appraise critically the content and structural validity of quality of life instruments for DMD. Five databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library) were searched, with supplementary searches in Google Scholar. We included articles with evidence on the content and/or structural validity of quality of life instruments in DMD, and/or instrument development. Evidence was evaluated against the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) criteria. Fifty five articles featured a questionnaire assessing quality of life in DMD. Forty instruments were extracted and 26 underwent assessment. Forty-one articles contained evidence on content or structural validity (including 37 development papers). Most instruments demonstrated low quality evidence and unsatisfactory or inconsistent validity in DMD, with the majority not featuring direct validation studies in this population. Only KIDSCREEN received an adequate rating for instrument design and a satisfactory result for content validity based on its development, yet, like the majority of PROMs, the measure has not been directly validated for use in DMD. Further research is needed on the validity of quality of life instruments in DMD, including content and structural validity studies in this population

European candidaemia is characterised by notable differential epidemiology and susceptibility pattern: Results from the ECMM Candida III study.

The objectives of this study were to assess Candida spp. distribution and antifungal resistance of candidaemia across Europe. Isolates were collected as part of the third ECMM Candida European multicentre observational study, conducted from 01 to 07-07-2018 to 31-03-2022. Each centre (maximum number/country determined by population size) included ∼10 consecutive cases. Isolates were referred to central laboratories and identified by morphology and MALDI-TOF, supplemented by ITS-sequencing when needed. EUCAST MICs were determined for five antifungals. fks sequencing was performed for echinocandin resistant isolates. The 399 isolates from 41 centres in 17 countries included C. albicans (47.1%), C. glabrata (22.3%), C. parapsilosis (15.0%), C. tropicalis (6.3%), C. dubliniensis and C. krusei (2.3% each) and other species (4.8%). Austria had the highest C. albicans proportion (77%), Czech Republic, France and UK the highest C. glabrata proportions (25-33%) while Italy and Turkey had the highest C. parapsilosis proportions (24-26%). All isolates were amphotericin B susceptible. Fluconazole resistance was found in 4% C. tropicalis, 12% C. glabrata (from six countries across Europe), 17% C. parapsilosis (from Greece, Italy, and Turkey) and 20% other Candida spp. Four isolates were anidulafungin and micafungin resistant/non-wild-type and five resistant to micafungin only. Three/3 and 2/5 of these were sequenced and harboured fks-alterations including a novel L657W in C. parapsilosis. The epidemiology varied among centres and countries. Acquired echinocandin resistance was rare but included differential susceptibility to anidulafungin and micafungin, and resistant C. parapsilosis. Fluconazole and voriconazole cross-resistance was common in C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis but with different geographical prevalence