Discrepancy between tumor response and hematologic response in a patient with thymoma and aplastic anemia treated with ciclosporin

Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) represents one of the most common paraneoplastic syndromes in patients with advanced thymoma. Ciclosporin is a very effective treatment in this condition, and it seems to have also a direct anti-cancer effect. We provide a case of radiological response of thymoma associated with the total absence of response of PRCA in a patient treated with ciclosporin. A 60-year-old man with advanced thymoma underwent first-line chemotherapy, achieving a partial disease response followed by 2 years of stable disease. After disease progression, the patient developed a PRCA, later expanded to platelets, and then he started therapy with ciclosporin, without any blood improvement. The CT revaluation after three months of ciclosporin therapy showed tumor shrinkage, although the inefficacy in the treatment of PRCA. The paper reports a case of dissociation between oncological and hematological response in a patient with thymoma-related PRCA, suggesting that the pathology of this condition deserves novel investigations. Further studies should be conducted to acquire more exhaustive knowledge and permit the integrated treatment of oncological and hematological conditions

New Mediterranean Marine biodiversity records

Based on recent biodiversity studies carried out in different parts of the Mediterranean, the following 19 species are included as new records on the floral or faunal lists of the relevant ecosystems: the green algae Penicillus capitatus (Maltese waters); the nemertean Amphiporus allucens (Iberian Peninsula, Spain); the salp Salpa maxima (Syria); the opistobranchs Felimida britoi and Berghia coerulescens (Aegean Sea, Greece); the dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus (central-west Mediterranean and Ionian Sea, Italy); Randall’s threadfin bream Nemipterus randalli, the broadbanded cardinalfish Apogon fasciatus and the goby Gobius kolombatovici (Aegean Sea, Turkey); the reticulated leatherjack Stephanolepis diaspros and the halacarid Agaue chevreuxi (Sea of Marmara, Turkey); the slimy liagora Ganonema farinosum, the yellowstripe barracuda Sphyraena chrysotaenia, the rayed pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata radiata and the Persian conch Conomurex persicus (south-eastern Kriti, Greece); the blenny Microlipophrys dalmatinus and the bastard grunt Pomadasys incisus (Ionian Sea, Italy); the brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey); the blue-crab Callinectes sapidus (Corfu, Ionian Sea, Greece). In addition, the findings of the following rare species improve currently available biogeographical knowledge: the oceanic pufferfish Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Malta); the yellow sea chub Kyphosus incisor (Almuñécar coast of Spain); the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus and the shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey)

New Mediterranean marine biodiversity records (December, 2013)

Based on recent biodiversity studies carried out in different parts of the Mediterranean, the following 19 species are included as new records on the floral or faunal lists of the relevant ecosystems: the green algae Penicillus capitatus (Maltese waters); the nemertean Am- phiporus allucens (Iberian Peninsula, Spain); the salp Salpa maxima (Syria); the opistobranchs Felimida britoi and Berghia coerulescens (Aegean Sea, Greece); the dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus (central-west Mediterranean and Ionian Sea, Italy); Randall’s threadfin bream Nemipterus randalli, the broadbanded cardinalfish Apogon fasciatus and the goby Gobius kolombatovici (Aegean Sea, Turkey); the reticulated leatherjack Stephanolepis diaspros and the halacarid Agaue chevreuxi (Sea of Marmara, Turkey); the slimy liagora Ganon- ema farinosum, the yellowstripe barracuda Sphyraena chrysotaenia, the rayed pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata radiata and the Persian conch Conomurex persicus (south-eastern Kriti, Greece); the blenny Microlipophrys dalmatinus and the bastard grunt Pomadasys incisus (Ionian Sea, Italy); the brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey); the blue-crab Callinectes sapidus (Corfu, Ionian Sea, Greece). In addition, the findings of the following rare species improve currently available biogeographical knowledge: the oceanic pufferfish Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Malta); the yellow sea chub Kyphosus incisor (Almuñécar coast of Spain); the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus and the shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey).peer-reviewe

Visual approach tactics by white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) under baited conditions and effects of cloud cover

Understanding white shark feeding habits and the influence of environmental factors on feeding is an important step for modelling its behaviour and making decisions about the management of aquatic habitats. To better understand what factors drive variation in shark feeding habits and decisions, we studied feeding and attack behaviour in Dyer Island Nature Reserve (South Africa) in two consecutive years. Specifically, we examined variation in approach patterns and preference using two types of bait (seal decoy and raw tuna) and asked whether these approach patterns and preferences were affected by changes in cloud cover. We found a significant association between approach type and sharks’ length such that large animals mainly performed vertical approaches, while smaller sharks preferred horizontal approaches. Horizontally-oriented approaches were the most often performed approaches. In addition, for the first approach, white sharks significantly preferred the seal-shaped decoy to the bait, but this preference disappeared with subsequent approaches. We observed effects of variation in cloud cover on both approach frequency and approach patterns. Approaches were more frequent as cloud cover increased, and we observed a transition from horizontally oriented approaches to vertically oriented approaches when cloud cover increased. As demonstrated for other environmental factors, cloud cover may affect the white shark’s ability to detect and approach a target, especially during the earliest stages of predation cycle. Keywords: behaviour, Carcharodon carcharias, cloud cover, Dyer Islan