Role of magnetic resonance spectroscopy in differential diagnosis of solitary pulmonary lesions

PURPOSEThe aim of our study was to evaluate the availability of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for the differentiation of benign or malignant pulmonary nodules and masses.METHODSA total of 59 patients (45 male, 14 female) with pulmonary nodules and masses were included in this prospective study. MRS was applied to the pulmonary lesions of the patients and choline levels were determined. Afterwards CT-guided percutaneous needle biopsy was performed. According to the biopsy results, pulmonary lesions were benign in 25 patients and malignant in 34 patients.RESULTSCholine levels were significantly higher in malignant lesions compared with benign lesions (p 1.65 µmol/g compared to those with choline levels ≤1.65 µmol/g (p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONMRS is a noninvasive method that can be used in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules and masses

New Mediterranean biodiversity records (October 2015)

The Collective Article “New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records” of the Mediterranean Marine Science journal offers the means to publish biodiversity records in the Mediterranean Sea. The current article has adopted a country-based classification and the countries are listed according to their geographic position, from west to east. New biodiversity data are reported for 7 different countries, although one species reported from Malta is new for the entire Mediterranean basin, and is presumably also present in Israel and Lebanon (see below, under Malta). Italy: the rare native fish Gobius kolombatovici is first reported from the Ionian Sea, whilst the alien jellyfish Rhopilema nomadica and the alien fish Oplegnathus fasciatus are first reported from the entire country. The presence of O. fasciatus from Trieste is concomitantly the first for the entire Adriatic Sea. Finally, the alien bivalve Arcuatula senhousia is reported for the first time from Campania (Tyrrhenian Sea). Tunisia: a bloom of the alien crab ortunus segnis is first reported from the Gulf of Gabes, where it was considered as casual. Malta: the alien flatworm Maritigrella fuscopunctata is recorded in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time, on the basis of 25 specimens. At the same time, web searches include possible unpublished records from Israel and Lebanon. The alien crab P. segnis, already mentioned above, is first formally reported from Malta based on specimens collected in 1972. Concomitantly, the presence of Callinectes sapidus in Maltese waters is excluded since based on misidentifications. Greece: the Atlantic northern brown shrimp Penaeus atzecus, previously known from the Ionian Sea from sporadic records only, is now well established in Greek and international Ionian waters. The alien sea urchin Diadema setosum is reported for the second time from Greece, and its first record from the country is backdated to 2010 in Rhodes Island. The alien lionfish Pterois miles is first reported from Greece and concomitantly from the entire Aegean Sea. Turkey: the alien rhodophyte Antithamnion hubbsii is first reported from Turkey and the entire eastern Mediterranean. New distribution data are also provided for the native fishes Alectis alexandrina and Heptranchias perlo. In particular, the former record consists of a juvenile measuring 21.38 mm total length, whilst the latter by a mature male. Cyprus: the rare native cephalopod Macrotritopus defilippi, and the alien crab Atergatis roseus, sea slug Plocamopherus ocellatus and fish Cheilodipterus novemstriatus are first recorded from the entire country. Lebanon: the alien crabs Actaea savignii and Matuta victor, as well as the alien fish Synanceia verrucosa, are first recorded from the entire country. In addition, the first Mediterranean record of A. savignii is backdated to 2006, whilst the high number of M. victor specimens observed in Lebanon suggest its establishment in the Basin. The Atlantic fishes Paranthias furcifer and Seriola fasciata, and the circumtropical Rachycentron canadum, are also first reported from the country. The P. furcifer record backdates its presence in the Mediterranean to 2007, whilst S. fasciata records backdate its presence in the eastern Mediterranean to 2005. Finally, two of these latter species have been recently ascribed to alien species, but all three species may fit the cryptogenic category, if not a new one, better.peer-reviewe

Planning for conservation in the Mediterranean Sea : an ecoregional approach

Our study demonstrates that setting conservation targets for each Mediterranean ecoregion, can lead to outcomes more comprehensive in the representation of the Mediterranean biodiversity overcoming the great variability in availability of biodiversity and socioeconomic data among countries.peer-reviewe

Effects of Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors on Fucalean Brown Seaweeds Across Different Spatial Scales in the Mediterranean Sea

Este artículo contiene 14 páginas, 8 figuras, 3 tablas.Algal habitat-forming forests composed of fucalean brown seaweeds (Cystoseira, Ericaria, and Gongolaria) have severely declined along the Mediterranean coasts, endangering the maintenance of essential ecosystem services. Numerous factors determine the loss of these assemblages and operate at different spatial scales, which must be identified to plan conservation and restoration actions. To explore the critical stressors (natural and anthropogenic) that may cause habitat degradation, we investigated (a) the patterns of variability of fucalean forests in percentage cover (abundance) at three spatial scales (location, forest, transect) by visual estimates and or photographic sampling to identify relevant spatial scales of variation, (b) the correlation between semi-quantitative anthropogenic stressors, individually or cumulatively (MA-LUSI index), including natural stressors (confinement, sea urchin grazing), and percentage cover of functional groups (perennial, semi-perennial) at forest spatial scale. The results showed that impacts from mariculture and urbanization seem to be the main stressors affecting habitat-forming species. In particular, while mariculture, urbanization, and cumulative anthropogenic stress negatively correlated with the percentage cover of perennial fucalean species, the same stressors were positively correlated with the percentage cover of the semi-perennial Cystoseira compressa and C. compressa subsp. pustulata. Our results indicate that human impacts can determine spatial patterns in these fragmented and heterogeneous marine habitats, thus stressing the need of carefully considering scale-dependent ecological processes to support conservation and restoration.This study was supported by the European Union’s EASME (Executive Agency for Small and Medium Enterprise) and EMFF (European Maritime and Fisheries fund) as part of the project AFRIMED, “Algal Forest Restoration in the Mediterranean Sea” (under grant agreement no. 789059), http:// afrimed-project.eu/.Peer reviewe

Algues brunes marines de la mer Égée Est et des Dardanelles. II. Ectocarpaceae, Chordariaceae et Scytosiphonaceae.

Cet article énumère 31 espèces de Phaeophyceae (1 Ectocarpaceae, 24 Chordariaceae et 6 Scytosiphonaceae) des Dardanelles et la côte Égéenne de Turquie. Quatre espèces sont signalées pour la première fois pour la côte de Turquie et de la Mer Égée : Kuckuckia spinosa (Kützing) Kornmann, Botrytella micromora Bory, Petrospongium sp. et Hecatonema terminale (Kützing) Kylin. Pour chaque espèce l\u27auteur précise la distribution géographique, la morphologie et l\u27écologie.This paper reports 31 species of Phaeophyceae (1 Ectocarpaceae, 24 Chordariaceae and 6 Scytosiphonaceae) from the Dardanelles and the Aegean coast of Turkey. Four species are reported for the first time from the coast of Turkey and the Aegean Sea: Kuckuckia spinosa (Kützing) Kornmann, Botrytella micromora Bory, Petrospongium sp. and Hecatonema terminale (Kützing) Kylin. Notes on geographical distribution, morphology and ecology are given for each species.</p

Lophosiphonia obscura and Polysiphonia sukatarii sp. nov. (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from mesohaline Lake Bafa, Turkey

Species discovery is facilitated by the application of molecular tools and the exploration of poorly studied habitats. Recent surveys in Bafa Lake, Turkey, which experienced a transition from oligo- to mesohaline conditions during the last 40 years, led to the finding of two species of the genera Lophosiphonia and Polysiphonia. Our molecular and morphological study showed that one of the species corresponded to L. obscura, while the other differs from previously described Polysiphonia species and is proposed as P. sukatarii sp. nov. The new species differs from related congeners by a rbcL sequence divergence >= 5.8% and is morphologically distinguished by having four pericentral cells and trichoblasts arranged several segments apart. Lophosiphonia obscura, and its closely related species L. hemisphaerica comb. nov. and L. boldii comb. nov., have been previously found in similar habitats in Europe and Atlantic North America. Along with its record from Bafa Lake, P. sukatarii sp. nov. has been discovered in open shore algal turfs from the Canary Islands, suggesting that it is a euryhaline species with probably a wide distribution. Our work highlights that poorly studied habitats still harbour undiscovered species and additional surveys are necessary to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the macroalgal diversity.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) [114Y249]; Xunta de Galicia 'Axudas de apoio a etapa de formacion posdoutoral' [ED481D/ 2017/011]; Xunta de Galicia 'Talento Senior' [03IN858A2019-1630129]This research was supported by Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) [Project no: 114Y249]. PDT was supported by Xunta de Galicia 'Axudas de apoio a etapa de formacion posdoutoral' [grant ED481D/ 2017/011]; and 'Talento Senior' [grant 03IN858A2019-1630129]

Investigation of CYP2D6 Gene Polymorphisms in Turkish Population.

Pharmacogenetics is interested in the variable response to drugs depending on the genetic constitution of an individual. Depending on the genetic variation in individuals known as polymorphism; leads to differences in the types of proteins, enzymes or receptors that play a role in the elimination of drugs. Investigation of the correlation between the genotype with phenotype changes in drug metabolism is among the most important topics of today. CYP2D6 gene polymorphisms show clinical efficiency in the use of especially antidepressants, neuroleptics, antiarrhythmic, antihypertensive, beta blocker, and morphine derivatives. Poor metabolizers have been shown to demonstrate adverse drug reactions to these drugs. The plasma concentrations tend to increase inducing side effects after using a standard dose in poor metabolizers. The ratio of poor metabolizers in Caucasians is 5-10%, whereas 3.4-3.8% of the Turkish population. The allele frequencies of CYP2D6 *2, *3, *4 and *10 were found in 35%, 6%, 10% and 26% respectively in 200 healthy controls. The ratio of poor metabolizers in our population revealed as 1%. Genotyping of CYP2D6 is very important for determining a better genotype-phenotype relation