A new alien species in the Mediterranean? On the presence of Sirpus monodi Gordon, 1953 (Brachyura, Pirimelidae) in Greece

Sirpus monodi, first described from West Africa (Dakar, Senegal) and later reported from Mauritania and Congo, has now been found in the eastern Mediterranean. This work reports on its occurrence in two Greek localities

The expression and development of teachers' capacities within two learning communities : a participant-observer case study

The learning community model has been an integral component of teacher development in Ontarian schools and beyond. This research was conducted to understand how teachers' personal capacity and professional, interpersonal, and organizational competencies are developed and expressed within this context. Nineteen elementary teachers and administrators participated in the study from November through January 2007. A qualitative case study methodology was used to investigate the role ofteachers' capacities and competencies in learning communities. Combined data sources from semistructured interviews, research journals, and document review were used to gather data about teachers' capacities and competencies. The study included 3 phases of analysis. In the final phase the analysis provided 3 qualities of the teachers at Jude and Mountain Schools (pseudonyms): identification as professionals, investment in others, and institutional affiliation that may explain how they differed from other educators. The data revealed these three themes, which provided an understanding of educators at Jude and Mountain Schools as dedicated professionals pushing practices to contribute to school life and address student learning needs, and as teachers who reflected on practices to continue expanding their skills. Teachers were heavily invested in creating a caring culture and in students' and team members' learning. Educators actively participated in solving problems and coplanning throughout the school levels and beyond, assumed collective responsibility for all pupils, and focused on generating school-wide consistent practices. These qualities and action patterns revealed teachers who invested time and effort in their colleagues, who committed to develop as professionals, and who affiliated closely with every aspect of school living

A new alien crab for the Mediterranean Sea: Xanthias lamarckii (H. Milne Edwards, 1834) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Xanthidae)

A single specimen of Xanthias lamarckii was collected on March 2013 from the shallow waters of Chtenia, a rocky islet near Rhodes Island, south-eastern Aegean Sea. The occurrence of this Indo-West Pacific species is reported for the first time in the Mediterranean waters and documents the ongoing process of biological invasion of the basin. The vector of introduction of X. lamarckii is unknown so far, waiting for future information on establishment and spread of the species in its new environment

Macrophthalmus graeffei A. Milne Edwards, 1873 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Macrophthalmidae): a new Indo-Pacific guest off Rhodes Island (SE Aegean Sea, Greece)

A new alien crab, the macrophthalmid Macrophthalmus graeffei, is reported from the eastern coastline of Rhodes Island. The species, of Indo-West Pacific origin, is known from muddy sediments up to about 80 m depth. In the Mediterranean, its presence has been observed along Levantine coasts as well as along the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea.Macrophthalmus graeffei increases to twelve the number of alien brachyurans present in the Hellenic SE Aegean Sea, ten of them having Indo-Pacific origin

Amígdalo-hipocampectomía selectiva guiada por endoscopia: estudio anatómico en cadáver, vías seguras de abordaje y comparación con las técnicas tradicionales

La amigdalo-hipocampectomía selectiva es una técnica quirúrgica descrita en 1973, utilizada en el tratamiento de la epilepsia temporomesial refractaria y que presenta, en casos seleccionados, resultados comparables con la lobectomía temporal anterior en términos de disminución del número de crisis, ofreciendo una tasa menor de secuelas funcionales y una mejor calidad de vida. A pesar de los grandes avances en la utilización del endoscopio en neurocirugía, en el campo de la cirugía de la epilepsia la endoscopia ha sido poco utilizada, limitándose su aplicación fundamentalmente a cirugía de desconexión con finalidad paliativa. Hipotesis de trabajo El presente estudio se propone definir los criterios anatómicos y morfo-estructurales para la realización de una amigdalo-hipocampectomía selectiva mediante un abordaje guiado por endoscopia al sistema ventricular supratentorial. Metodología El trabajo de investigación se ha desarrollado íntegramente en el laboratorio de anatomía de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Miguel Hernandez (UMH) de San Juan de Alicante. En la fase preliminar se ha llevado a cabo un estudio de fibra blanca sobre 4 hemisferios cerebrales preparados mediante método Klinger para disección de fibra blanca, con el fin de describir la anatomía relevante para el abordaje quirúrgico a estudio. Posteriormente, el proyecto se ha llevado a cabo sobre 5 especímenes de cabeza cadavérica humana conservadas en formol y con irrigación del árbol vascular mediante silicona coloreada. Se ha realizado un total de 10 abordajes quirúrgicos sobre los 10 hemisferios disponibles de los 5 especímenes. Resultados Se describe la amigdalohipocampectomia selectiva guiada por endoscopia, incluyendo la descripción de la anatomía de la sustancia blanca involucrada y la anatomía endoscópica intraventricular desde el punto de vista del abordaje. El punto craneal de acceso ideal para el abordaje está ubicado 4.1 cm superior al inion (punto X), 4.3 cm respecto a la línea media (punto Y), 1.1 cm respecto a la sutura lambdoidea pasante por el mismo plano sagital del punto Y (punto J). El abordaje a estudio permite acceso al techo del atrio ventricular. Referenciar el endoscopio mediante neuronavegador permite alcanzar el ventrículo sin dificultad en todos los especímenes. El ángulo de orientación del endoscopio ha de ser latero-medial con una orientación de unos 10º hacia la línea media (ángulo medial) y supero-inferior, con una orientación de unos 35º hacia la línea órbito-meatal (ángulo vertical). La eminencia colateral constituye la referencia que se dirige hacia la punta del cuerno temporal, donde gira suavemente hacia medial y constituye el receso uncal, que es el marcador de la transición amígdala-hipocampo. La resección ha de ser realizada mediante técnica bimanual: mientras un cirujano utiliza el endoscopio, otro realiza el procedimiento quirúrgico. Pueden utilizarse bien instrumentos de disección, coagulación y aspiración tradicionales en microcirugía, bien un aspirador ultrasónico, lo que, como descrito en otros abordajes para la AHS, simplifica la técnica quirúrgica. Los datos estadísticos sugieren que una corta distancia de trabajo y una talla ventricular aumentada se relacionan con una mayor facilidad del procedimiento. Conclusiones En el presente trabajo de investigación se describe la amígdalo-hipocampectomía selectiva intraventricular asistida por endoscopio mediante abordaje posterior al cuerno temporal. Los resultados sugieren que se trata de un procedimiento factible y fiable en espécimen cadavérico humano.El abordaje a estudio produce un traumatismo mínimo comparado con otras técnicas, sobre sustancia blanca y otras áreas elocuentes.Selective amygdalohippocampectomy is a surgical technique described in 1973, used in the treatment of refractory temporomesial epilepsy which presents, in selected cases, comparable results with anterior temporal lobectomy in terms of reduction in the number of seizures, offering a lower rate of functional sequelae and a better quality of life. Despite the great advances in the use of the endoscope in neurosurgery, in the field of epilepsy surgery, endoscopy has been rarely used, limiting its applications mainly to disconnection surgery for palliative purposes. Work hypothesis The present study aims to define the anatomical and morpho-structural criteria for performing a selective amygdalohippocampectomy through an endoscopy-guided approach to the supratentorial ventricular system. Methodology The research work has been developed entirely in the anatomy laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine of the Miguel Hernandez University (UMH) of San Juan de Alicante. In the preliminary phase, a white fiber study was carried out on 4 cerebral hemispheres prepared using the Klinger method for white fiber dissection, in order to describe the relevant anatomy for the surgical approach under study. Subsequently, the project has been carried out on 5 specimens of human cadaveric head preserved in formalin and with irrigation of the vascular tree using colored silicone. A total of 10 surgical approaches have been performed on the 10 available hemispheres of the 5 specimens. Results Selective endoscopy-guided amygdalohippocampectomy is described, including a description of the anatomy of the involved white matter and intraventricular endoscopic anatomy from the approach point of view. The ideal cranial access point for the approach is located 4.1 cm superior to the inion (point X), 4.3 cm relative to the midline (point Y), 1.1 cm relative to the lambdoid suture at the passing point through the same sagittal plane of point Y ( point J). The approach under study allows access to the roof of the ventricular atrium. Referencing the endoscope by means of a neuronavigator allows reaching the ventricle without difficulty in all specimens. The angle of orientation of the endoscope must be lateral-medial with an orientation of about 10º towards the midline (medial angle) and superior-inferior, with an orientation of about 35º towards the orbital-meatal line (vertical angle). The collateral eminence constitutes the landmark that goes towards the tip of the temporal horn, where it turns smoothly medially and constitutes the uncal notch, which is the marker of the amygdala-hippocampus transition. The resection must be performed using a "four hands" technique: while one surgeon uses the endoscope, another performs the surgical procedure. Either traditional dissection, coagulation, and aspiration instruments can be used in microsurgery, or an ultrasonic aspirator, which, as described in other approaches for selective amygdalohippocampectomy, simplifies the surgical technique. Statistical data suggest that a short working distance and an increased ventricular size are associated with a more straightforward of the procedure. Conclusions The present research work describes the surgical technique for endoscopical assisted selective intraventricular amygdalohippocampectomy through a posterior approach to the temporal horn. The results suggest that it is a feasible and reliable procedure in a human cadaver specimen. The approach under study produces minimal trauma compared to other techniques, on white matter and other eloquent areas

Attività anti-ischemica della Naringenina e coinvolgimento di canali del Potassio Calcio-attivati a larga conduttanza mitocondriali

L’indagine sperimentale eseguita ci ha permesso di verificare l’efficacia anti-ischemica del flavonoide Naringenina e di correlare tale effetto al coinvolgimento di canali BK espressi a livello mitocondriale. I risultati mostrano, dunque, una interessante meccanismo farmacodinamico della Naringenina, responsabile dell’effetto cardioprotettivo in modo sinergico, se non addirittura predominante, rispetto alle proprietà antiossidanti già ben note per i flavonoidi del genere Citrus. Tali conclusioni concordano perfettamente con i risultati ottenuti da precedenti studi sperimentali (Moonkyu et al., 2007)

Update of marine alien species in Hellenic waters

The list of marine alien species in Hellenic waters is updated taking into account new findings (published and unpublished data). According to the present work, the number of these species has increased from 90 (known until end 2003) to 128. Most of them are zoobenthic species followed by fish and macroalgae. An interannual analysis revealed an important increase of alien species during the last years. The study of their geographic distribution showed that their majority is present in the southeastern Aegean. More than 55% of them are well established, while about 40% are casual records. Their main pathway of introduction seems to be the Suez Canal followed by shipping, whereas the Straits of Gibraltar, aquaculture and the Straits of Dardanelles appear to play a less important role in their invasion of Hellenic waters. These findings are discussed considering environmental and anthropogenic factors

Gonioinfradens paucidentatus (A. Milne Edwards, 1861) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Portunidae): a new alien crab in the Mediterranean Sea

The first record for the Mediterranean Sea of the Red Sea/Indo-Pacific portunid Gonioinfradens paucidentatus (red swimming crab) is documented. A detailed description of the specimens collected at Rodos Island (southeastern Aegean Sea) is given, while possible introduction vectors of the species in the area are discussed

Indicators for the Sea-floor Integrity of the Hellenic Seas under the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive: establishing the thresholds and standards for Good Environmental Status

A data set of 625 samples of benthic macroinvertebrates collected from the Hellenic Seas (Ionian and Aegean) was used to establish thresholds and reference standards for two of the indicators addressing the descriptors of Sea-floor Integrity under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD): species diversity and richness and the ratio of sensitive species to tolerant species. The dataset was categorised according to the baseline ecological status assessment of the respective water bodies under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Species diversity and richness were characterised using the Shannon diversity and species richness indices, respectively, and were analysed for three pre-defined substrate types, three depth zones and three sample-size categories, and the significant categories were statistically validated. Good Environmental Status (GEnS) threshold and reference values were established for the valid combinations of categories denoted as ‘ecotypes’ through the use of a boxplot and an analysis of variance. The limitations and specifications for an overall GEnS assessment using the above indices are highlighted based on the WFD experience. For the ratio of sensitive species to tolerant species, the BENTIX index classification scale is proposed for GEnS assessment, and an integrated approach to the assessment of diversity and species richness is suggested. Finally, the regionality of the tested indices in relation to the two Mediterranean sub-regions, including the Hellenic area, was tested

Spatial and temporal variation of soft-bottom peracarid (Crustacea: Peracarida) infauna in the Canakkale Strait (Turkey)

The biodiversity and distribution of soft-bottom peracarid crustaceans were analyzed in the south part of Canakkale Strait, a very important biological corridor between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Samples were collected seasonally from 11 coastal stations at depths ranging from 10 to 22 m. Moreover, qualitative samples were collected in summer from 7 stations (40 - 83 m depth) located in the middle part of the Strait. A total of 110 species were identified. Amphipods were the dominant group both in terms of species richness and abundance. Apocorophium acutum, Phtisica marina and Microdeutopus versiculatus were the most abundant species. A large number of rare species was recorded, leading to very low similarity values among stations. Six different feeding types were detected, with surface deposit feeders being the dominant one in the area. Significant differences in abundances and assemblage structure were detected along the eastern and western coasts of the Strait that could be attributed to food supply and sediment composition, depending on bottom current velocities. Possible relations of peracarids with the hydrological regime of the area are also discussed