When resilience is not enough: 2022 extreme marine heatwave threatens climatic refugia for a habitat-forming Mediterranean octocoral.

Climate change is impacting ecosystems worldwide, and the Mediterranean Sea is no exception. Extreme climatic events, such as marine heat waves (MHWs), are increasing in frequency, extent and intensity during the last decades, which has been associated with an increase in mass mortality events for multiple species. Coralligenous assemblages, where the octocoral Paramuricea clavata lives, are strongly affected by MHWs. The Medes Islands Marine Reserve (NW Mediterranean) was considered a climate refugia for P. clavata, as their populations were showing some resilience to these changing conditions. In this study, we assessed the impacts of the MHWs that occurred between 2016 and 2022 in seven shallow populations of the octocoral P. clavata from a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area. The years that the mortality rates increased significantly were associated with the ones with strong MHWs, 2022 being the one with higher mortalities. In 2022, with 50 MHW days, the proportion of total affected colonies was almost 70%, with a proportion of the injured surface of almost 40%, reaching levels never attained in our study site since the monitoring was started. We also found spatial variability between the monitored populations. Whereas few of them showed low levels of mortality, others lost around 75% of their biomass. The significant impacts documented here raise concerns about the future of shallow P. clavata populations across the Mediterranean, suggesting that the resilience of this species may not be maintained to sustain these populations face the ongoing warming trends.

El canvi climatic està impactant els ecosistemes arreu del planeta, i el Mar Mediterrani no n'és una excepció. Els esdeveniments climàtics extrems, com ara les onades de calor marines, estan augmentant en freqüència, extensió i intensitat en les darreres dècades, i estan sent associades a un increment dels esdeveniments de mortalitat massiva de múltiples espècies. El coral·ligen, on hi viu l'octocorall Paramuricea clavata, està altament afectat per les onades de calor marines. La Reserva Marina de les Illes Medes (NO del Mediterrani) es considerava un refugi climàtic per aquesta espècie, degut a que les seves poblacions mostraven certa resiliència a les condicions canviants. En aquest estudi hem avaluat els impactes de les onades de calor marines succeïdes entre els anys 2016 i 2022 a set poblacions someres de l'octocorall P. clavata, en una Àrea Marina Protegida del Mediterrani. Els anys en els quals les taxes de mortalitat van incrementar significativament s'associen amb els anys amb fortes onades de calor marines, sent el 2022 l'any amb la mortalitat més elevada. Al 2022, amb 50 dies d'onada de calor, la proporció total de colònies afectades va ser prop del 70%, amb un percentatge de superfície afectada de gairebé el 40%, arribant a valors mai observats en el lloc d'estudi des de que es va iniciar el seguiment d'aquestes poblacions. També hem observat variabilitat espacial entre les poblacions mostrejades. Mentre que algunes d'elles han mostrat poca mortalitat, altres han perdut al voltant del 75% de la seva biomassa. Els impactes documentats en aquest estudi mostren un futur preocupant de les poblacions someres de P. clavata arreu del Mediterrani, i això suggereix que la resiliència d'aquesta espècie podria no ser suficient per mantenir les seves poblacions en l'escenari d'escalfament que es preveu.

Marine Citizen Science and the Conservation of Mediterranean Corals: The Relevance of Training, Expert Validation, and Robust Sampling Protocols.

Marine Citizen Science (MCS) has emerged as a promising tool to enhance conservation efforts. Although the quality of volunteer data has been questioned, the design of specific protocols, effective training programs, and data validation by experts have enabled us to overcome these quality concerns, thus ensuring data reliability. Here, we validated the effectiveness of volunteer training in assessing the conservation status of Mediterranean coral species. We conducted a comparative analysis of data collected by volunteers with different levels of expertise, demonstrating improvements in data precision and accuracy with only one training session, thereby achieving values equivalent to those obtained by scientists. These outcomes align with the feedback received from volunteers through a qualitative survey. Finally, we analysed the data generated by volunteers and validated by experts using the developed protocol in the Coral Alert project from the Observadores del Mar MCS initiative. Our findings highlight the importance of proper training, expert validation, robust sampling protocols, and a well-structured platform to ensure the success of long-term MCS projects. Overall, our results stress the key role MCS plays in enhancing the conservation and management strategies designed to mitigate the ongoing environmental crisis.

A randomized, double-blind study comparing the efficacy and safety of trazodone once-a-day and venlafaxine extended-release for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder.

This double-blind, randomized study evaluated the efficacy and safety of trazodone OAD (once-a-day) in comparison with venlafaxine XR (extended-release) in 324 patients (166 trazodone and 158 venlafaxine) with major depressive disorder (MDD). The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean change from baseline in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) at week 8. Both treatments were effective in reducing the HAM-D-17 total score at week 8 vs. baseline (intent-to-treat: trazodone -12.9, venlafaxine -14.7; per protocol: trazodone -15.4, venlafaxine -16.4). Patients in the venlafaxine group achieved better results after 8 weeks, whereas the trazodone group achieved a statistically significant reduction in HAM-D-17 following only 7 days of treatment. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were dizziness and somnolence in the trazodone group, and nausea and headache in the venlafaxine group. Most AEs were mild-to-moderate in severity. This study confirmed that both venlafaxine XR and trazodone OAD may represent a valid treatment option for patients with MDD.

Attenuation of nitrates, antibiotics and pesticides from groundwater using immobilised microalgae-based systems.

Groundwater pollution by nitrates and organic microcontaminants (OMCs) such as pesticides and antibiotics has increased in recent years due to the intensification of agriculture and livestock activities. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, the suitability of using microalgae immobilised in different materials (luffa sponge and polyurethane foam) to attenuate nitrates, antibiotics (sulfacetamide, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole), pesticides (bromacil, atrazine, diuron, bentazone, and mecoprop) from groundwater in two operational modes (batch and continuous-feeding). The results from the batch experiments show that OMC kinetic removal rates ranged from 0.01 to 0.18 d-1, with half-lives from 4 to 69 days. Immobilised microalgae in luffa and foam materials in the batch study was found to enhance the attenuation of selected OMCs from 36% to 51%, on average, after 10 operational days. Microalgae reactors in continuous-feeding operational mode out performed batch mode in terms of OMC removal (65% vs. 50%, on average) at a hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 8 days, whereas nitrate removal was greater in the batch experiments (81 vs. 48%, on average). OMC attenuation showed a high HRT dependence, but immobilised reactors were more resilient to the decrease in HRT. Further studies are needed, including the assessment of transformation products as well as the scale-up of the system to check the feasibility of the technology. Nevertheless, we expect our assay to be the starting point for the applicability of immobilised-microalgae-based systems for the treatment of polluted groundwater.

Psychopathological consequences after a terrorist attack: an epidemiological study among victims, the general population, and police officers.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To assess the prevalence and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression and anxiety disorders other than PTSD, among three samples with different level of exposure to the March 11, 2004 terrorist attacks in Madrid. METHOD: We sampled three groups of persons-those injured in the attacks, the residents of Alcala de Henares, and police officers involved with the rescue effort-with different exposure to the March 11, 2004 terrorist attacks, using random sampling from comprehensive censuses of all three groups. In person interviews were conducted with all three groups between 5 and 12 weeks after March 11, 2004. Questionnaire included assessment of socio-demographic characteristics, of PTSD using the Davidson trauma scale, and of a range of psychiatric illnesses using the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI). RESULTS: The overall sample included 127 persons injured in the attack, 485 residents of Alcalá de Henares, and 153 policemen involved in rescue. Of all three groups 57.5%, 25.9% and 3.9% of persons, respectively, reported symptoms consistent with any assessed psychiatric disorder. The use of psychoactive medication before March 11, 2004 was consistently the main predictor of PTSD and major depression among those injured and of major depression and anxiety disorders others than PTSD among residents of Alcala. CONCLUSIONS: There was a substantial burden of psychological consequences of the March 11, 2004 terrorist attacks two months after the event. Persons with prior mental illness are at higher risk of post-event psychopathology, across groups of exposure.

Assessment of sexual functioning in depressed patients treated with mirtazapine: a naturalistic 6-month study.

UNLABELLED: Antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction is a frequent side effect which may greatly contribute to treatment non compliance. Mirtazapine has a pharmacological profile expected to result in a lack of sexual dysfunction. The main purpose of this 6-month open-label study was to evaluate the effects of mirtazapine on sexual function of a sample of depressed patients. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for major depression or adjustment disorder with depressed mood or with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, sexually active prior to the episode, were treated with mirtazapine (15-60 mg/day). Effectiveness was assessed using the 17-item Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAM-D-17), the Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAM-A) and the clinical global impression (severity and improvement) scales (CGI). Sexual function was evaluated with the psychotropic-related sexual dysfunction questionnaire (PRSexDQ) which detects clinical changes in sexual dysfunction. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients (61.5%) were experiencing sexual dysfunction at baseline. A return to normal sexual functioning was observed in 27 of 38 (71.1%) patients completing the study. Significant reductions in mean total PRSexDQ scores were detected at day 90 and endpoint and only four patients withdrew or required dose reduction due to mirtazapine-induced sexual dysfunction. A total of 37 patients (47.4%) achieved complete remission of depression (HAM-D-17 score

Remission in major depression with two antidepressant mechanisms: results from a naturalistic study.

BACKGROUND: Since remission should be the goal of the treatment of depression, the aims of this study were to evaluate the rate of remission obtained with SSRIs in routine clinical practice and to assess alternative treatments with a combined mechanism of action. METHODS: The study involved a prospective naturalistic 6-month follow-up of 44 consecutive unipolar depressed (DSM-IV) outpatients. After 6 weeks of treatment with a SSRI, patients were classified as remitted (HAM-D-17 score <==7), partial responders (>/=50% reduction in HAM-D-17 score but still higher than 7) and non-responders. In case of non-response, an antidepressant with noradrenergic action (NaA) was added to the ongoing SSRI treatment or were switched to venlafaxine in monotherapy when NaA was contraindicated. RESULTS: At 6 weeks, eight patients (18.1%) achieved full remission, nine patients (20.5%) were partial responders and 27 (61.4%) non responders. At the end of follow-up 31.8% (n=14) of the initial sample remained remitted with SSRIs, whereas 96.2% (26/27) of previous non-responders experienced remission with the alternative treatment. Non-responders to SSRIs in monotherapy were significantly more likely to show melancholic features and to have higher HAM-D-17 scores and lower GAF scores than remitted patients with SSRIs. LIMITATIONS: the observational and naturalistic design of the study determines inherent limitations. CONCLUSIONS: this study showed a low remission rate with SSRIs in the long-term treatment of more severe and melancholic depression, and the benefit of using treatments with a combined mechanism of action.

Efficacy of venlafaxine in major depression resistant to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

INTRODUCTION: Some studies suggest that venlafaxine, due to its pharmacodynamic characteristics, could be an effective drug in depression, resistant to other antidepressive agents. This investigation explores the efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine in major depression, resistant to a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). METHODS: A multicenter naturalistic study was performed during 6 months and included those patients diagnosed of major depression according to the criteria of DSM-IV who had a minimum score of 18 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and who had not responded to previous treatment with a SSRI at therapeutic doses for a minimum of 4 weeks. The assessment of efficacy was performed with the HAM-D scale, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the Global Clinical Impression (GCI). Tolerability was evaluated by recording the adverse reactions and with the GCI score on overall drug tolerability. RESULTS: A total of 69 patients, of which 59 were evaluable for efficacy (they had fulfilled at least 4 weeks of treatment), were included. About 81% of all of them obtained a reduction of at least 50% in the HAM-D, 74% were considered as "quite improved" or "very improved" in the GCI and 69% met both criteria. The mean dose of venlafaxine used was 170.4 (S.D.=43.8) mg. Of the 21 patients who did not complete the 6 months of treatment, 3 were due to lack of efficacy, 6 due to adverse effects and 12 for other reasons. About 89.2% of side effects were considered as mild or moderate. CONCLUSION: The results of our study support the efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine in patients suffering from depression who have not responded to SSRI treatment.