Grantier Linda L, and Almeida Quincy J, and Vernon Philip A, and Johnson Andrew M, and Singarayer Rene, and Jog Mandar S

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although significant response time deficits (both reaction time and movement time) have been identified in numerous studies of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), few attempts have been made to evaluate the use of these measures in screening for PD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Receiver operator characteristic curves were used to identify cutoff scores for a unit-weighted composite of two choice response tasks in a sample of 40 patients and 40 healthy participan...

B Formby, and F Schmidt

B Formby, F SchmidtThe Rasmus Institute for Medical Research, Program in Reproductive Endocrinology, Santa Barbara, CA, USAObjective: To evaluate the efficacy of a combination of bioidentical combined 17&amp;beta;-estradiol and progesterone transdermal delivery system (lipophilic emulsion-type base) to relieve climacteric symptoms. The hormonal replacement was given during a period of 6 months at four different cyclic doses to mimic the normal ovary secretory pattern.Design: An open, randomized,...

Alan Diego Negretto, and André Marcelo Vieira Gomes, and Fernando Pistarini Gonçalves, and Huang Sheau Jiun, and Suel Abujamra, and Yoshitaka Nakashima

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a anatomia do buraco macular idiopático (BMI) a partir da tomografia de coerência óptica (OCT) e construir índice prognóstico que possa ser correlacionado com os resultados visuais e o fechamento anatômico. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo, no qual 22 olhos com BMI foram avaliados pelo OCT no pré-operatório da cirurgia do BMI. Foi criado o índice prognóstico do buraco macular (IPBM) que foi correlacionado com o resultado anatômico e a acuidade visual pós-operatória seis meses após a...

Raul S. Moreira, and Rúter Hiroce

Raquel Eduarda Trevisan Pistori, and Gustavo Gonzaga Henry-Silva, and José Francisco Vicente Biudes, and Antonio Fernando Monteiro Camargo

OBJECTIVE: Aquaculture generates social and economic benefits, but also causes impacts on the environment. One of the major impacts is the release of untreated effluents into rivers, reservoirs, and lakes, which can affect aquatic populations and communities. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that effluent from aquaculture favors the growth of the floating aquatic macrophyte Salvinia molesta; METHODS: The study was carried out in a non-impacted reservoir (NIR) and in another reservoir (IR)...

Ubiratan de Freitas, and Luis F. H. Niencheski, and Simoni Zarzur, and Rogério P. Manzolli, and João P. P. Vieira, and Leonardo C. Rosa

Atividades de cultivo de camarão tendem a aumentar a taxa de sedimentação de matéria orgânica nos corpos hídricos receptores de seus efluentes, devido à excessiva produção de produtos de excreção e sobras de ração. Dependendo das condições ambientais, o sistema pode não apresentar condições de autodepuração, gerando um grande acúmulo de nutrientes ao longo da camada sedimentar e intensificação do metabolismo bêntico levando, muitas vezes, o ambiente a um processo de eutrofização e possível situa...

Shvydka S., and Sarabeev V., and Estruch V. D., and Cadarso-Suárez C.

To reach ethically and scientifically valid mean abundance values in parasitological and epidemiological studies this paper considers analytic and simulation approaches for sample size determination. The sample size estimation was carried out by applying mathematical formula with predetermined precision level and parameter of the negative binomial distribution estimated from the empirical data. A simulation approach to optimum sample size determination aimed at the estimation of true value of th...

Mironiuk Waldemar

W referacie przedstawiono zagadnienia obliczeniowe stateczności okrętu szkolnego z zatopionym przedziałem okrętowym na pokładzie łodziowym. Omówiono algorytm obliczeń wysokości metacentrycznej i ramion prostujących z uwzględnieniem powierzchni swobodnej jako główne kryteria stateczności okrętu. Na podstawie wyników obliczeń przedstawionych w postaci tabelarycznej i graficznej sformułowano odpowiednie wnioski.

Kazuo Osada, and Fumihiko Nishio, and Keiji Higuchi

Fallen snow, snow drift and deposited snow on sea ice were collected in 1986 near Syowa Station, East Antarctica. Electroconductivity measurments of meltwater of the collected samples were performed at Syowa Station. The electroconductivities of the samples were mostly of order (10)^2μS/cm as follows; fallen snow (2.5-18μS/cm), snow drift under blizzard condition and deposited snow on sea ice (20-(10)^3μS/cm), part of them more than (10)^4μS/cm. From these measurments, it is pointed out that the...

G. Gao, and G. Gao, and G. Gao, and J. Xia, and J. Yu, and J. Fan, and X. Zeng

<p><i>Skeletonema costatum</i> is a common bloom-forming diatom and encounters eutrophication and severe carbon dioxide (CO₂) limitation during red tides. However, little is known regarding the role of phosphorus (P) in modulating inorganic carbon acquisition in <i>S. costatum</i>, particularly under CO₂ limitation conditions. We cultured <i>S. costatum</i> under five phosphate levels (0.05, 0.25, 1, 4, 10&thinsp;µmol&thinsp;L⁻¹) and then treated it with tw...

Zulfikar Zulfikar, and Dedi Soedharma, and Zulfigar Yasin, and Aileen Tan Shau Hwai

The objective of the research are: (1) to analyze the water quality condition of water circulation system at laboratory and (2) to measure the growth (length and height) and survival rate of Caulastrea furcata which was fragmented at the laboratory. The water quality condition at the laboratory showed that every parameter has normal value in which organism can live and grow. Natural feed such as Copepoda and Nannoclhoropsis were also cultured at the laboratory as food for the coral. Transplantat...

Vijay Pratap Singh, and Preeti Thakur, and Bidita Khandelwal

Background: According to World Health Report 2002, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) will be the largest cause of death and disability by 2020 in India. In 2020, 2.6 million Indians are predicted to die due to coronary heart disease, which constitutes 54.1% of all CVD deaths. Nearly half of these deaths are likely to occur in young and middle-aged individuals (30-69 years). We undertook this study with objectives to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile in asymptomatic individuals with moderate ...

José Franco Monsrea, and Miriam del Ruby Tun Cobos, and José Ricardo Hernández Gómez, and Lidia Esther del Socorro Serralta Peraza

Resumen INTRODUCCIÓN El bajo peso al nacer ha constituido un enigma para la ciencia a través de los tiempos. Múltiples han sido los trabajos de investigación realizados con respecto a las causas que lo producen y los efectos que provoca. El bajo peso al nacer es un indicador que permite predecir la probabilidad de sobrevivencia de un niño. De hecho, existe una relación exponencial entre el déficit de peso, la edad gestacional y la mortalidad perinatal. La regresión logística múltiple es uno de...

Prashanth, M.S.

Freshwater fish Cirrhinus mrigala were exposed to lethal concentration (5 mg/L) for 1,2,3,4 days and sublethal concentration (1 mg/L) for 1,7,14,21 days of cypermethrin to examine the enzymes activity, in functionally three different tissues namely, gill, liver and muscle. Activities of Aspartate aminotransferase (AAT), Alanine aminotransferase (AlAT) and Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) increased in all the tissues with increase in exposure time. But in sublethal concentration at 14 and 21 day, a ...

Metta Rahmadiana, and Eirini Karyotaki, and Jan Passchier, and Pim Cuijpers, and Wouter van Ballegooijen, and Supra Wimbarti, and Heleen Riper

Background: There is an increasing prevalence of mental health problems among university student populations. In Indonesia, treatment rates are low among university students because of the high cost of treatment, stigma and the limited availability of mental care services. Internet-based interventions have been found to be effective in treating anxiety and depression in Western countries. However, little is known about the effectiveness of Internet-based interventions in low- and middle-income c...

R. Nolasco, and I. Gomes, and L. Peteiro, and R. Albuquerque, and T. Luna, and J. Dubert, and S. E. Swearer, and H. Queiroga

Abstract Marine larval dispersal is a complex biophysical process that depends on the effects of species biology and oceanography, leading to logistical difficulties in estimating connectivity among populations of marine animals with biphasic life cycles. To address this challenge, the application of multiple methodological approaches has been advocated, in order to increase confidence in estimates of population connectivity. However, studies seldom account for sources of uncertainty associated ...

Ya-nan Wang, and Zhao-hua Chen, and Wei-chang Chen

Abstract Purpose To identify the expression profile of novel microRNAs (miRNAs) in colon cancer and evaluate their clinical applicability. Methods Differences in the expression of serum miRNAs in patients with colon cancer and healthy controls were identified using miRNA microarrays. Differentially expressed miRNAs were verified via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using sera from 50 patients with colon cancer and 44 healthy controls. These miRNAs were also verified in a double-blind va...

Muhammad Muddassir, and Mehmood Ali Noor, and Awais Ahmed, and Fahad Aldosari, and Muhammad Ahmed Waqas, and Muhammad Abubakar Zia, and Muhammad Mubushar, and Abu-ul-Hassan Zuhaibe, and Muhammad Waqas Jalip

Food security for human beings on globe is becoming increasingly important on a worldwide level. Factors responsible for low fish production are lack of information, poor fisheries extension services, feed adulteration, low water quality, high construction cost and non-availability of irrigation water. The present study was designed to investigate the adoption level of recommended fish production practices by the fish farmers in district Hafizabad. The data were collected from 135 fish farmers o...

Tim Wijgerde, and Pauke Schots, and Eline Van Onselen, and Max Janse, and Eric Karruppannan, and Johan A. J. Verreth, and Ronald Osinga

Summary Many scleractinian coral species host epizoic acoelomorph flatworms, both in aquaculture and in situ. These symbiotic flatworms may impair coral growth and health through light-shading, mucus removal and disruption of heterotrophic feeding. To quantify the effect of epizoic flatworms on zooplankton feeding, we conducted video analyses of single polyps of Galaxea fascicularis (Linnaeus 1767) grazing on Artemia nauplii in the presence and absence of symbiotic flatworms. 18S DNA analysis re...

Mirna H. R. Seleghim, and Simone P. Lira, and Miriam H. Kossuga, and Tatiana Batista, and Roberto G. S. Berlinck, and Eduardo Hajdu, and Guilherme Muricy, and Rosana M. da Rocha, and Gislene G. F. do Nascimento, and Marcio Silva, and Eli F. Pimenta, and Otávio H. Thiemann, and Glaucius Oliva, and Bruno C. Cavalcanti, and Claudia Pessoa, and Manoel O. de Moraes, and Fabio C. S. Galetti, and Celio L. Silva, and Ana O. de Souza, and Solange Peixinho

Herein we present the results of a screening with 349 crude extracts of Brazilian marine sponges, ascidians, bryozoans and octocorals, against 16 strains of susceptible and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, one yeast (Candida albicans), Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, three cancer cell lines MCF-7 (breast), B16 (murine melanoma ) and HCT8 (colon), and Leishmania tarentolae adenine phosphoribosyl transferase (L-APRT) enzyme. Less than 15% of marine sponge crude extracts displayed antibacterial act...

Masako Nakamura, and Masaya Morita, and Haruko Kurihara, and Satoshi Mitarai

Summary Ocean acidification is an ongoing threat for marine organisms due to the increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. Seawater acidification has a serious impact on physiologic processes in marine organisms at all life stages. On the other hand, potential tolerance to external pH changes has been reported in coral larvae. Information about the possible mechanisms underlying such tolerance responses, however, is scarce. In the present study, we examined the effects of acidified seawater on t...

Robinson M. Maia, and Carlos W. N. Moura, and Vanderson S. Bispo, and João L. A. Santos, and Rafael S. Santana, and Humberto R. Matos

O excesso de óxido nítrico (NO) produzido por indução da enzima óxido nítrico sintase (iNOS) participa do desenvolvimento de inúmeras desordens que conduzem à perda da homeostasia. O estresse oxidativo gerado pelo aumento da produção endógena de NO pode levar a efeitos de toxidade induzida, tais como peroxidação lipídica, nitração de proteínas e danos ao DNA. Compostos que sejam capazes de sequestrar o radical NO podem diminuir a toxicidade das espécies reativas de nitrogênio (RNS), atuando na m...

Zohreh Ghorbani, and Seyed Morteza Shamshirgaran, and Samad Ghaffari, and Parvin Sarbakhsh, and Farzad Najafipou, and Nayyereh Aminisani

Background and Objective: There is remarkable alteration in hypertension prevalence and awareness, and their correlates among various geographic locations and ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to report hypertension prevalence, awareness, and its correlates as well as hypertension treatment, and control among Azari people aged 35 years and older. Materials and Methods: The pilot phase of the Azar Cohort Study; a state level of a nationwide PERSIAN cohort study was conducted in Khameneh ci...

Tägil Magnus, and Sturesson Anna-Lena, and Johnsson Pia, and Sandqvist Gunnel, and Geborek Pierre

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rheumatic diseases commonly affect joints and other structures in the hand. Surgery is a traditional way to treat hand problems in inflammatory rheumatic diseases with the purposes of pain relief, restore function and prevent progression. There are numerous measures to choose from, and a combination of outcome measures is recommended. This study evaluated if instruments commonly used in rheumatologic clinical practice are suitable to measure outcome of hand s...

Riley Stuart A, and Williams Elizabeth A, and Bury Jonathan P, and Croucher Lisa J, and Corfe Bernard M

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Markers of crypt cell proliferation are frequently employed in studies of the impact of genetic and exogenous factors on human colonic physiology. Human studies often rely on the assessment of tissue acquired at endoscopy. Modulation of cell proliferation by bowel preparation with oral laxatives may confound the findings of such studies, but there is little data on the impact of commonly used bowel preparations on markers of cell proliferation.</p> <p>Methods...

Girardi Enrico, and Mugerwa Michael, and Baseke Joy, and Mayanja-Kizza Harriet, and Carrara Stefania, and Goletti Delia, and Toossi Zahra

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tuberculosis (TB) is the most frequent co-infection in HIV-infected individuals still presenting diagnostic difficulties particularly in developing countries. Recently an assay based on IFN-gamma response to <it>M. tuberculosis </it>RD1 peptides selected by computational analysis was developed whose presence is detected during active TB disease. Objective of this study was to investigate the response to selected RD1 peptides in HIV-1-infected subjects with or...

Ahmed A. Farag, and Amr S. Ismail, and M.A. Migahed

Recovery shrimp waste protein (RSWP) was extracted, characterized and tested their inhibition effects as a corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in 1 M HCl solution using different electrochemical techniques. The results have been shown that the corrosion rate decreases with increasing inhibitor concentration. To verify the morphology of RSWP film formed on the carbon steel surface, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used. The inhibition mechanism of the extracted RSWP is discussed in terms o...

R. Balasubramanian, and Anirbid Sircar, and P. Sivakumar, and K. Anbarasu

This study investigates the production of biodiesel from activated sludge of milk processing plant as a low cost feedstock. The method involves lipid extraction, refining and optimization of biodiesel from activated sludge under laboratory conditions. These results were scaled up to a pilot plant was analyzed. In the laboratory study, the sludge yielded 18.81 wt% of crude lipid. It is degummed and dewaxed to get refined oil that is used for the production of biodiesel. The optimal reaction param...

Noha Kamal, and Nahla Sadek

Computer-based systems that aid users in judgment and evaluation the navigation efficiency were developed. The effect of the dredging processes for many activities on the river stability at the second reach, which extends from Esna to Naga Hamady barrage in the river Nile, was analyzed. Rating curves downstream Esna Barrage using statistical model Minitab 16 for before and after dredging the navigational path were estimated. The significant changes in water levels just after dredging was occurre...

Artur Wdowiak, and Paweł A. Mazurek, and Anita Wdowiak, and Iwona Bojar

Objectives Abnormalities in the timing and course of spermatozoa capacitation and hyperactivation underlie common pathologies related to male infertility. Recent data shows that low frequency electromagnetic waves may influence cell membrane potential and permeability. It is therefore possible that low frequency electromagnetic waves could affect the maturation and motility processes of spermatozoa. The 43-kHz wave generator was used for modeling the impact of environmental exposure to low frequ...

Ignacio Jáuregui-Lobera

On November 13, 2017, the submarine ARA San Juan sailed from Ushuaia, Southern end of Patagonia, to Mar del Plata, about 1,500 kilometers to the North. It carried out control tasks in the exclusive economic zone of Argentina, given the constant presence of fleets dedicated to illegal fishing in the area. here were 44 crew members on the submarine (43 men and one woman). Two days later, on November 15, the submarine reported its last known position, facing the Gulf of San Jorge (South of Puerto ...

Arturo Mora-Olivo, and Thomas F. Daniel, and Mahinda Martínez

Se registra por primera vez la presencia de la maleza acuática Hygrophila polysperma en México. Se proporcionan datos sobre su historia en América, morfología y distribución en Tamaulipas. Se incluye una clave para distinguirla de H. costata, una planta nativa de México. Finalmente, se discute la amenaza que representa esta planta introducida para los ambientes acuáticos artificiales y naturales en nuestro país.<br>The presence in Mexico of the aquatic weed Hygrophila polysperma is reported for ...

O. Petrucci, and M. Polemio

A study of the effects of human modification of a coastal plain mainly involving land reclamation and flood protection is proposed. The approach involves historical, geomorphological and hydrological data as a whole, taking into account the equilibrium of rivers, plains and coastal areas. <br><br> The test area, a telling example of profound economic and social transformation of a coastal plain, is the <i>Piana di Sibari</i> (Calabria, southern Italy), subject to major human modifications over t...

Nicholas W. Mitiukov

On the basis of previously published author’s works about biographies of individual ships, considered Russian-Spanish ship’s exchange as an aspect of naval cooperation between Russia and Spain. There is offer a periodization of this process. The first period (1810-1820-s.) associated with the sale for the Spanish fleet the Russian Baltic Fleet at the end of the Napoleonic wars, that reasons were on the needing to regain the Spanish colonies in Latin America. On two parties there were purchased f...

Airton Santo Tararam, and Yoko Wakabara

The fauna of Spartina alterniflora from upper and lower shore levels has been monthly studied, from August 1981 to July 1982, in the Cananeia estuarine region, southern coast of São Paulo State, Brazil (25º02'S - 47º56'W). Biological samples were obtained by quadrats from two transects parallel to the water level. The mean density for the upper transect was 3,230 ind/m² and 2,403 ind/m² for the lower transect. Isopoda was the dominant group at both belts, Polychaeta was present consistently at l...

A. Sluijs, and P. K. Bijl, and S. Schouten, and U. Röhl, and G.-J. Reichart, and H. Brinkhuis

A brief (~150 kyr) period of widespread global average surface warming marks the transition between the Paleocene and Eocene epochs, ~56 million years ago. This so-called "Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum" (PETM) is associated with the massive injection of ¹³C-depleted carbon, reflected in a negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE). Biotic responses include a global abundance peak (acme) of the subtropical dinoflagellate <i>Apectodinium</i>. Here we identify the PETM in a marine sedime...

G. Trommer, and M. Siccha, and E. J. Rohling, and K. Grant, and M. T. J. van der Meer, and S. Schouten, and U. Baranowski, and M. Kucera

This study investigates the response of Red Sea circulation to sea level and insolation changes during termination II and across the last interglacial, in comparison with termination I and the Holocene. Sediment cores from the central and northern part of the Red Sea were investigated by micropaleontological and geochemical proxies. The recovery of the planktic foraminiferal fauna following high salinities during marine isotopic stage (MIS) 6 took place at similar sea-level stand (~50 m below pr...

V. Masson, and P. Le Moigne, and E. Martin, and S. Faroux, and A. Alias, and R. Alkama, and S. Belamari, and A. Barbu, and A. Boone, and F. Bouyssel, and P. Brousseau, and E. Brun, and J.-C. Calvet, and D. Carrer, and B. Decharme, and C. Delire, and S. Donier, and K. Essaouini, and A.-L. Gibelin, and H. Giordani, and F. Habets, and M. Jidane, and G. Kerdraon, and E. Kourzeneva, and M. Lafaysse, and S. Lafont, and C. Lebeaupin Brossier, and A. Lemonsu, and J.-F. Mahfouf, and P. Marguinaud, and M. Mokhtari, and S. Morin, and G. Pigeon, and R. Salgado, and Y. Seity, and F. Taillefer, and G. Tanguy, and P. Tulet, and B. Vincendon, and V. Vionnet, and A. Voldoire

SURFEX is a new externalized land and ocean surface platform that describes the surface fluxes and the evolution of four types of surfaces: nature, town, inland water and ocean. It is mostly based on pre-existing, well-validated scientific models that are continuously improved. The motivation for the building of SURFEX is to use strictly identical scientific models in a high range of applications in order to mutualise the research and development efforts. SURFEX can be run in offline mode (0-D o...

Diedrich Cajus G., and Scheer Udo

A diverse vertebrate fauna, dominated by shark teeth, is recorded from conglomerates within the limestones of the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Burgsteinfurt Formation of northwestern Germany. The conglomerate beds comprise carbonatic, glauconitic and phosphate nodules, as well as Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous extraclasts. The Burgsteinfurt Formation conglomerates contain fining-upwards parasequences 2–20 cm in thickness, interpreted as tempestite layers within a unit formed by larger-scale M...

Ovodas Donatas, and Česnulevičius Algimantas

Badania semiotycznych aspektów litewskich wojskowych map żeglugi powietrznej bazowały na semantycznej, graficznej i informacyjnej analizie treści tych map. Celem analizy semantycznej było określenie na ile tradycyjne symbole kartograficzne stosowane na mapach nawigacji lotniczej są zgodne z wymogami języka kartograficznego oraz zasadami stosowania znaków kartograficznych. Powyższe analizy przeprowadzono w sposób kompleksowy, informacje zebrano za pomocą ankiet, przeprowadzając wywiady w różnych ...

Neocleous Kyriacos, and Christofe Andreas, and Agapiou Athos, and Evagorou Evagoras, and Themistocleous Kyriacos, and Hadjimitsis Diofantos

Atmospheric corrosion is one of the main factors leading to performance deterioration of reinforced concrete buildings; and, hence, periodic structural condition monitoring is required to assess and repair the adverse effects of corrosion. However, this can become a cumbersome and expensive task to undertake for large populations of buildings, scattered in large urban areas. To optimize the use of available resources, appropriate tools are required for the assessment of corrosion risk of reinfor...

Djordjević Vidosava B., and Lazarević Dušan, and Ćosić Vladan, and Knežević Marinela Z., and Djordjević Vidosava B., and Stojanović Ivana, and Djorgevič Vladimir

Kratak sadržaj Uvod: Moždani neurotrofički faktor (BDNF) i azot-mono- ksid (NO) imaju višestruke uloge u toku razvoja mozga i u adultnom CNS. Kako su metabolizam BDNF i NO pore- mećeni u shizofreniji, ovi marked su simultano mereni u krvi obolelih od shizofrenije i procenjivana je njihova dijag- nostička tačnost.

Donghua Yue, and Xingyi Zhang, and Jun Zhou, and You-He Zhou

Artificial muscles transformed by fishing lines or sewing thread, have distinguished advantages, e. g., fast, scalable, nonhysteretic, and long-life, which have been proposed by Haines et al. [Science 343, 868 (2014)]. In this paper, we present a geometrical model to predict the effective Young’s modulus of the basic structure that is twisted by three fishing lines with the same diameter. Moreover, series of experiments are carried out to verify the present model, and it is found the theoretical...

M. McNabb, and E. Chukwu, and H. Salami, and O. Ojo, and F. Jega

D.L. Richards, and K. Layne, and S. Fantahun, and A. Adams, and C. Campbell

B. Prager, and J. Bernardo, and S. Krishna

Alessandro Graziano Mudadu, and Giuseppa Lorenzoni, and Anna Maria Bazzoni, and Riccardo Bazzardi, and Giuseppe Tedde, and Igor Arras, and Giovanna Sanna, and Cinzia Santucciu, and Edoardo Marongiu, and Sebastiano Virgilio

This work reports the first communication relating to the presence of yessotoxins in Mytilus galloprovincialis from coastal mussel farms (Sardinia, western Mediterranean) detected during 2008 and 2013 through a monitoring programme. The paper emphasizes how the changes both in yessotoxin permitted limits and used methods, established by legislation, have influenced the interpretation of the obtained results. Consequently, the samples that resulted negative during 2008 would have been positive un...

Mathilde Jeanbille, and Jérôme Gury, and Robert Duran, and Jacek Tronczynski, and Jean-François Ghiglione, and Hélène Agogué, and Olfa Ben Saïd, and Olfa Ben Saïd, and Didier DEBROAS, and Najwa Taïb, and Cédric Garnier, and Jean-Christophe Auguet

Benthic microorganisms are key players in the recycling of organic matter and recalcitrant compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coastal sediments. Despite their ecological importance, the response of microbial communities to chronic PAH pollution, one of the major threats to coastal ecosystems, has received very little attention. In one of the largest surveys performed so far on coastal sediments, the diversity and composition of microbial communities inhabiting both chronically...

Jeanne Zaouali, and Hechmi Missaoui

In this note we describe the dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) fishery off Tunisian waters (central Mediterranean). Dolphinfish is fished from late August to early December, with the main catches in September-October, using fish aggregation devices and surrounding nets. A total of 260 boats are devoted to this fishery along the whole Tunisian coast, with an average annual catch of around 300 metric tonnes. The main fishing areas and ports are located on the central-eastern coast, which concentra...

Alejandro Ibáñez, and Markus Menke, and Galo Quezada, and Gustavo Jiménez-Uzcátegui, and Stefan Schulz, and Sebastian Steinfartz

Background Chemical signals are widely used in the animal kingdom, enabling communication in various social contexts, including mate selection and the establishment of dominance. Femoral glands, which produce and release waxy secretions into the environment, are organs of central importance in lizard chemical communication. The Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is a squamate reptile with a lek-mating system. Although the lekking behaviour of marine iguanas has been well-studied, ...