69 research outputs found
Distribution of Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Procaccini in the Mediterranean Sea
The Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Procaccini has been reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea along the coast of South Turkey. This NIS is actively expanding into the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Sea. In this paper, we present an overview of the current distribution of this alga in the Mediterranean Sea, based on relevant scientific publications, grey literature and personal observations. New records from the Sicilian coast (Italy) are also reported. Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla was found over a wide range of environmental conditions (depth, light and substratum), suggesting a broad ecological plasticity of this alga which makes it a poten- tial threat for the Mediterranean benthic communities. In this respect, artificial structures, often linked to harbours and maritime traffic, seem to provide suitable habitats for this NIS. Since maritime traffic is intense in the Mediterranean Sea, further expansion of C. taxifolia var. distichophylla in this region is to be expected. For this reason, it is very important to build up an overview on the current distribution of the species and its possible pattern of colonisation in relation to environmental conditions, as well as in view of future climate change scenarios
The Marine Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea in a Changing Climate: The Impact of Biological Invasions
The Mediterranean Sea, one of the most complex marine ecosystems, is inhabited by a rich and diverse biota which is disproportionate to its dimensions. It is currently affected by different pressures, mainly driven by human activities such as climate change and bioinvasions. This Sea, also due to its geographic position (wedged between the temperate climate of central Europe and the arid climate of northern Africa), seems to be one of the regions most susceptible to global climate change. The increased rates of introduction and spread of marine alien species may represent a supplementary stress factor to Mediterranean marine native biota already challenged by climatic abnormalities. The Suez Canal is considered to be the main vector of introduction of nonâindigenous marine species into the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the dramatically accelerating rate of such introductions and due to the sheer magnitude of shipping traffic, the Mediterranean Sea may be considered as a true hotspot of marine bioinvasions. The complexity of interactions between native and invasive species and the associated resulting impacts make environmental management of such an issue particularly difficult. A collaboration between researchers, resource management agencies and policy makers is called for to bolster the effectiveness of invasive species management procedures
The first record of the white-spotted Australian jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata von Lendenfeld, 1884 from Maltese waters (Western Mediterranean) and from the Ionian coast of Italy
The occurrence of the white-spotted Australian jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata Lendenfeld, 1884, an Indo-Pacific scyphozoan
species mainly restricted to the Levantine Basin, is hereby reported for the first time from Maltese waters (western
Mediterranean) and from the Ionian coast of Italy. Considerations on possible vectors of introduction of the jellyfish species
to this part of the Mediterranean are made.peer-reviewe
Effects of Caulerpa cylindracea on marine biodiversity
The Mediterranean sea is an important hotspot for alien species. Following habitat
loss, Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are considered to be amongst the most serious
threats to biodiversity and natural ecosystem functioning. Among the IAS recorded
in the Mediterranean sea, Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder, introduced from Australia
and New Caledonia, has raised serious concern due to its negative impact on native
communities.peer-reviewe
Are the saltwater oysters Pinctada radiata and P. fucata synonyms or different species? : the case of some Mediterranean populations
The earliest reported alien species that entered the Mediterranean after only nine
years from the opening of the Suez Canal was âMeleagrinaâ sp. This was subsequently
identified as the Gulf pearl-oyster, Pinctada radiata (Leach, 1814). Thereafter, an
increasing series of records of this species followed. Nowadays it can be considered a
well-established species throughout the Mediterranean basin.peer-reviewe
Tapping into hard-to-get information : the contribution of citizen science campaigns for updating knowledge on range-expanding, introduced and rare native marine species in the Malta-Sicily Channel
Considerable research effort has recently been invested into the reporting of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) within the Mediterranean Sea, with speciesâ first records from the Basin holding most prestige within the biological community. This invariably leads to a discard of secondary, unpublished records, which represent a vast repository of information. This study documents a total of 49 unpublished records (represented by 89 individuals) of nine Atlantic range-expanding and introduced species, as well as rarely-reported native and cryptogenic species, within the Malta-Sicily Channel, gleaned through citizen science efforts conducted on the islands of Malta and Sicily. The study also represents the second record of Pomadasys incisus (Bowdich, 1825) from Maltese waters, as well as the second record of Selene dorsalis (Gill, 1863) from the Mediterranean.peer-reviewe
Risk of aortic dissection in patients with ascending aorta aneurysm: a new biological, morphological, and biomechanical network behind the aortic diameter
Thoracic aortic aneurysm represents a deadly condition, particularly when it evolves into rupture and dissection. Proper surgical timing is the key to positively influencing the survival of patients with this pathology. According to the most recent guidelines, ascending aorta size â„ 55 mm and a rate of growth â„ 0.5 cm per year are the most important factors for surgical indication. Nevertheless, a lot of evidence show that aortic ruptures and dissections might occur also in small size ascending aorta. In this review, we sought to analyze a new biological and morphological network behind the aortic diameter that need to be considered in order to identify the portion of patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm who are at increased risk of aortic complications, despite current aortic guidelines not advising surgical intervention in this group
Further spread of the venomous jellyfish Rhopilema nomadica Galil, Spannier & Ferguson, 1990 (Rhizostomeae, Rhizostomatidae) in the western Mediterranean
The present paper documents the further spread of the venomous scyphomedusa Rhopilema nomadica Galil, Spannier & Ferguson, 1990,
which first appeared in the Mediterranean off the Israeli coast in the mid-1970s. This report provides the northernmost and westernmost
record of the species in the Mediterraneanâfrom the eastern coast of the Italian island of Sardiniaâbased on a new record of the species
within the Sicily Channel (Aegadian Islands) and provides evidence of its further establishment within Tunisian coastal waters.peer-reviewe
miRNA-Driven Regulation of Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Differs among Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms
thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) represent a serious health concern, as they are associated
with early aortic dissection and rupture. TAA formation is triggered by genetic conditions, in particular Marfan syndrome (MFS) and bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). During the aneurysmatic process, aortic
endothelial cells can undergo endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndâMT) with consequent
phenotypic and functional alterations. we previously documented that MFS TAA is characterized by
miR-632âdriven EndâMT exacerbation, whereas in BAV aortopathy, the occurrence of this process
remains still controversial. we investigated the EndâMT process and the underlined regulatory
mechanisms in BAV, TAV and MFS TAA tissues. gene expression and immunohistochemical analysis
were performed in order to analyze some important miRNAs and genes characterizing EndâMT. we
documented that BAV endothelium maintains the expression of the endothelial homeostasis markers,
such as ERG, CD31 and miR-126-5p, while it shows lower levels of miR-632 and mesenchymal
markers compared with MFS. Interestingly, we also found higher levels of miR-632 in MFS patientsâ
blood. our findings definitively demonstrate that the EndâMT process does not characterize BAV
that, among the other TAAs, better maintains the endothelial features. In addition, our results suggest
miR-632 as a promising diagnostic/prognostic factor in MFS aortopathy
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