Interspecific Hybridization Increased in Congeneric Flatfishes after the Prestige Oil Spill

Marine species with relatively low migratory capacity are threatened by habitat alterations derived from human activities. In November 2002 the tanker Prestige sank off the Spanish northwest coast releasing 70,000 tons of fuel and damaging biota in the area. Despite efforts to clean the damaged areas, fuel remnants have affected marine species over the last nine years. This study is focused on two flatfish, Lepidorhombus boscii (four-spotted megrim) and L. whiffiagonis (megrim), whose spawning areas are located at the edge of the continental platform. We have analyzed megrim samples from North Spanish and French waters obtained before and after the oil spill. Genotypes at the nuclear marker 5S rDNA indicate a significant increase in interspecific hybridization after the Prestige accident, likely due to forced spawning overlap. The mitochondrial D-Loop region was employed for determining the direction of hybrid crosses, which were most frequently L. boscii female x L. whiffiagonis male. Reduced ability of L. boscii females to select conspecific mates would explain such asymmetric hybridization. To our knowledge this is the first time that increased hybridization between fish species can be associated to an oil spill. These results illustrate the potential long-term effect of petrol wastes on wild fish species

When a parent suffers ABI: Investigation of emotional distress in children

Primary objective: To investigate the type of emotional and behavioural impact that having a parent with a severe acquired brain injury (ABI) has on children during the first period of adjustment. Methods and procedure: The study involved 25 couples in which one of the spouses was affected by ABI, and their 35 children (3\u201314 years). The children attended three sessions with a psychologist aimed at identifying their spontaneous playing and relational behaviour by means of a grid created on the basis of ICD-10 criteria. Both members of each parental couple attended a session with the psychologist, and were administered the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the 36-item Health Survey and the Caregiver Burden Inventory. Results: 63% of the children showed signs of emotional suffering, the presence of which was underestimated by their parents on the basis of the psychologist\u2019s assessments. The variables that correlated most closely with the children\u2019s psychological condition were related to the quality of their parents\u2019 relationship. Conclusions: Our findings confirm the need for early interventions aimed at both parents and their children in order to investigate the children\u2019s emotional-affective situation, and favour an understanding of their discomfort by their parents