European eel (Anguilla anguilla) survival modeling based on a 22-year capture-mark-recapture survey of a Mediterranean subpopulation.

Since the 1980s, the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has declined by over 90% in recruitment across its European and North African distribution area. This diadromous fish spawns at sea and migrates into continental waters, where it grows for three to more than 30 years, depending on habitat conditions and location. During their growth, different habitat use tactics can locally influence the life-history traits of eels, including their survival rates. Thus, the spatio-temporal dimension of this species is crucial for management. Based on a rare Mediterranean long-term survey of more than 20 years (2001-2022) in an artificial drainage canal connected to a vast brackish lagoon (the Vaccarès lagoon), we aimed to study the dynamics of one subpopulation's life-history traits. We used Bayesian multistate capture-mark-recapture (CMR) models to assess the temporal variability in survival and abundance at both seasonal and inter-annual scales, considering life-stage structure. High survival rates and low detection probabilities were found for the undifferentiated and female yellow stages. In contrast, female silver eels exhibited lower survival rates and higher capture probabilities. Estimating detection probabilities and survival rates enabled accurate assessment of relative abundance across different life stages and time periods. Our findings indicated a substantial decrease in the abundance of undifferentiated and female yellow eels in the early 2000s, whereas the abundance of female silver eels remained consistently low yet stable throughout the study period. Considering the life stage seemed essential to study the dynamics of the eel during its continental growing period. The present results will provide key elements to propose and implement suitable sustainable environmental management strategies for eel conservation.

Prevalence and genetic diversity of Blastocystis sp. among autochthonous and immigrant patients in Italy.

The prevalence of Blastocystis sp., its genetic diversity and the distribution of circulating subtypes (STs) were molecularly investigated in a cohort of autochthonous and immigrant patients with gastrointestinal symptoms hospitalized over the period February 2022-June 2023 at the Policlinico Ospedaliero-Universitario "Riuniti", Foggia, in Southern Italy. The population variables, including patient geographical origin, gender and age classes were reported. Out of the 927 investigated patients, 36 (3.9%) were positive for Blastocystis sp. A statistically significant association with African origin and age classes >18 years old was found. ST1 (allele 4), ST2 (alleles 9, 13), ST3 (alleles 34, 36) and ST4 (allele 92) were the subtypes detected with a different distribution between autochthonous and immigrant patients. Co-infections with enteric protozoa such as Giardia duodenalis and Dientamoeba fragilis, pathogenic bacteria as Clostridioides difficile, Campylobacter jejuni and Aeromonas sp. and viral infections such as Norovirus were found in 33% of cases. This is the first study of Blastocystis sp., its circulating subtypes and allele variability among patients with different geographical origin in an area of Southern Italy, in the Central Mediterranean, characterized by high immigrant pressure. These results provide baseline data to better investigate a potential interaction between Blastocystis sp. and other risk factors in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.

Role of land-cover and WUI types on spatio-temporal dynamics of fires in the French Mediterranean area.

This work aims at assessing, in the French Mediterranean area, the spatio-temporal trends of fires, including their causes, at fine scale (communities), comparing different periods between 1993 and 2017. These trends were compared to those of land-cover and wildland-urban interface (WUI) which were coupled with a spatial analysis of the ignitions in order to highlight the main drivers and preferential areas. Fire density was highly variable among communities, hotspots being located mostly close to big cities but spatially varying in time in contrast to fire occurrence and burned area. A decrease in the unknown cause proportion and a variation of the cause frequency were highlighted among periods, criminal fires being the most frequent and deleterious, especially before 2009, as well as those due to negligence during private activities, mostly after 2009. Land cover classes significantly varied among periods, artificialized and natural areas presenting a reversed trend compared with agricultural areas. Natural areas were the most affected by ignitions (60%), regardless of the period; this trend is slowly decreasing. WUI represented ∼30% of the study area, the different types varying spatially (denser clustered types mostly located in the South-East) and showed an increase over time, especially for both clustered types but with high variability among communities. Half of the ignitions occurred in WUI, with "very dense clustered" and "scattered" types being the most affected, especially in 2009. Better understanding the spatio-temporal evolution of fires and of their causes should allow refining the fire policies in terms of awareness raising, firefighting means, and land management.

Assessing temporal and geographic contacts across the Adriatic Sea through the analysis of genome-wide data from Southern Italy.

Southern Italy was characterised by a complex prehistory that started with different Palaeolithic cultures, later followed by the Neolithization and the demic dispersal from the Pontic-Caspian Steppe during the Bronze Age. Archaeological and historical evidences point to a link between Southern Italians and the Balkans still present in modern times. To shed light on these dynamics, we analysed around 700 South Mediterranean genomes combined with informative ancient DNAs. Our findings revealed high affinities of South-Eastern Italians with modern Eastern Peloponnesians, and a closer affinity of ancient Greek genomes with those from specific regions of South Italy than modern Greek genomes. The higher similarity could be associated with a Bronze Age component ultimately originating from the Caucasus with high Iranian and Anatolian Neolithic ancestries. Furthermore, extremely differentiated allele frequencies among Northern and Southern Italy revealed putatively adapted SNPs in genes involved in alcohol metabolism, nevi features and immunological traits.

Prediction of spring flows using nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) neural network models.

In the Mediterranean area, climate changes have led to long and frequent droughts with a drop in groundwater resources. An accurate prediction of the spring discharge is an essential task for the proper management of the groundwater resources and for the sustainable development of large areas of the Mediterranean basin. This study shows an unprecedented application of non-linear AutoRegressive with eXogenous inputs (NARX) neural networks to the prediction of spring flows. In particular, discharge prediction models were developed for 9 monitored springs located in the Umbria region, along the carbonate ridge of the Umbria-Marche Apennines. In the modeling, the precipitation was also considered as an exogenous input parameter. Good performances were achieved for all the springs and for both short-term and long-term predictions, passing from a lag time equal to 1 month (R2 = 0.9012-0.9842, RAE = 0.0933-0.2557) to 12 months (R2 = 0.9005-0.9838, RAE = 0.0963-0.2409). The forecasting sensitivity to changes in the temporal resolution, passing from weekly to monthly, was also assessed. The good results achieved recommend the use of the NARX network for spring discharge prediction in other areas characterized by karst aquifers.

Groundwater level prediction in Apulia region (Southern Italy) using NARX neural network.

In the Mediterranean area, the high water demand frequently leads to an excessive exploitation of the water resource, which involves a qualitative degradation of the freshwaters stored in coastal karst aquifers, as a result of phenomena such as sea saltwater intrusion. In this study, the NARX network was used to predict the daily groundwater level fluctuation for 76 monitored wells located on the Apulian territory. A preliminary analysis on reference wells was performed in order to assess the impact on the groundwater level prediction of two input parameters, rainfall and evapotranspiration, and the sensitivity to changes of training algorithm and input time delay. Based on the findings of the preliminary analysis, a comprehensive regional analysis and extensive sub-regional analyses were performed, proving the reliability of the NARX-BR network for the groundwater level prediction in wells located on different hydrogeological structures. The accurate results obtained for the Apulia region suggest the NARX network application for groundwater level prediction in other areas affected by groundwater resource management issues.

Staff Perception of Respect for Human Rights of Users and Organizational Well-being: A Study in Four Different Countries of the Mediterranean Area.

BACKGROUND: The perception by mental health service staff of respect for users' rights is a fundamental component of organizational well-being. The objective of this work is to examine how cultural differences and the working context can influence the perception of respect for users' rights in mental health professionals in the Mediterranean area. METHODS: An observational survey carried out in four different mental health networks in four countries of the Mediterranean area (Tunisia, North-Macedonia, Italy, Palestine). Each invited participant fulfilled a format on socio-demographic information and coded the Well-Being at Work and Respect Right Questionnaire (WWRR). All data were encrypted and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The Games-Howell post-hoc test was used to assess differences between countries. The Games-Howell test does not assume equal variances and sample sizes. Eta-squared (η2) was used as a measure of effect size in the ANOVA (η2 around 0.01, 0.06, and 0.14 are considered small, medium, and large, respectively). RESULTS: The sample included 590 professionals working in the mental health field. The four countries showed statistically significant differences with regards to the quality rights assessment tool. Participants from Italy reported, on average, the highest scores across the questions. There were also differences across the countries about the perception of the impact of available resources on the effectiveness of care (η2 = 0.106). CONCLUSION: Our findings offer a useful insight into the perception of the quality of mental health services, especially from a users' rights point of view.

Principal Component Analysis of the Well-Being at Work and Respect for Human Rights Questionnaire (WWRRR) in the Mediterranean Region.

BACKGROUND: The Well-Being at Work and Respect for human Rights Questionnaire (WWRR) was conceived based on the hypothesis that the perception of respect for users' rights is an essential element of well-being in the workplace in healthcare. The objective of the study is to examine the principal components of the WWRR. METHODS: A random sample representative of a set of professionals working in three different healthcare networks in Tunisia, North-Macedonia, and Italy was enrolled (n=426). Each professional completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic data and the WWRR. The WWRR consists of six items on beliefs about: satisfaction at work, users' satisfaction, organization at work, respect of users' and staff human rights, adequacy of resources. A seventh item assesses the perceived needs of personnel. Correlation between the items was evaluated by analysing the principal components with Varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization (which included all components with an Eigen value> 1). RESULTS: A single factor covered over 50% of the variance, all the items of the questionnaire were closely related and compose a single factor. Tunisia presented some differences regarding the item about the human rights of staff. CONCLUSION: Satisfaction with the respect for the rights of users is strongly correlated with the other factors that are part of the concept of the organizational well-being of health care providers. The WWRR provides a means of measuring this important and often neglected dimension.

A Two-Year Bio-Agronomic and Chemotaxonomic Evaluation of Wild Sicilian Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) Berries and Leaves.

A collection of nine Myrtus communis samples from different localities of Sicily was evaluated. Morphological traits and production characteristics have been chosen as parameters to arrange the samples into homogeneous groups and to identify the best biotypes for possible future agro-industrial exploitation. The plant material has been subjected to taxonomic characterization from biometric and phytochemical perspectives. Myrtle berries and leaves have been analyzed for their content in metabolites, applying a cascade extraction protocol for M. communis leaves and a single hydroalcoholic extraction for berries, whereas hydrodistillation procedures have been applied to obtain the essential oils from berries and leaves. The analyses of non-volatile components were carried out by LC-UV-DAD-ESI-MS. All the extracts were characterized by the presence of numerous polyphenols, namely highly hydroxylated flavonols such as quercetin and myricetin; and ellagic acid detected in all samples. In addition, myrtle berries contained nine different anthocyanins, namely delphinidin, petunidin, cyanidin and malvidin derivatives. The essential oils (EOs) were analyzed by a combination of GC-FID and GC/MS. A total of 33 and 34 components were fully characterized with the predominance of α-pinene, myrtenyl acetate, linalool, 1,8-cineole and linalyl acetate. All phytochemical profiles were subjected to cluster analyses, which allowed subdividing the myrtle samples in different chemical groups.

Evaluation of the air pollution in a Mediterranean region by the air quality index.

The increasing expansion of the cities together with activities carried out on the environment by men have contributed to the deterioration of air quality. Air quality index measures how much air is free from pollution. Being aware of the healthiness of the breathed air is a right for the people. Public authorities must constantly inform the population on air quality status. Even though several pollutants are monitored by the air quality monitoring networks, providing a significant amount of data, their interpretation and presentation to the population by the public authorities is a difficult task. Some countries, for several years, have adopted evaluation procedures through daily indices that succinctly describe the air quality status in different areas of the city. The use of an index which is able to give a simple and quick information to the population represents a possible solution for the public authorities. Concerning a Mediterranean area, it has not yet been possible to adopt a single indicator to be used for informing the population. In this work, the air quality status is highlighted by the air quality index (AQI) whose purpose is to inform, in a simple and immediate way, the population. Analyzing the AQI's trend from 2013 to 2015, it was possible to assess the air quality status, obtaining an overall scenario for the purpose of protecting human health and the ecosystems. We point out that this kind of research could be applied to every region or municipality.

Diagnosis of celiac disease and applicability of ESPGHAN guidelines in Mediterranean countries: a real life prospective study.

BACKGROUND: We assessed how the diagnosis of Celiac Disease (CD) is made and how the new ESPGHAN guidelines can be applied in children from countries with different resources. METHODS: A real life prospective study was performed in 14 centres of 13 different Mediterranean countries. Participants were asked to apply the usual diagnostic work-up for CD according to their diagnostic facilities. RESULTS: There were 1974 patients enrolled in the study, mean age 4 years, 10 months; 865 male, 1109 female. CD was confirmed in 511 (25.9%) and was unconfirmed in 1391 (70.5%) patients; 14 patients were diagnosed as having CD according to the new ESPGHAN guidelines, 43 patients were classified as having potential CD. In all participating countries the diagnosis of CD relied on histology of duodenal biopsy; in 5 countries, HLA, and in one country endomysial antibodies (EMA) were not available. Symptoms did not add a significant increase to the pre-test probability of serological tests. The positive predictive value of tissue transglutaminase type 2 (tTG) antibodies performed with different kits but all corresponding to those recommended by ESPGHAN was 96.1% (95% CI 94-97.9%) in presence of tTG > 10xULN. In 135 patients with tTG >10xULN, HLA genotyping was performed and in all it was compatible with CD. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that CD diagnosis still relies on intestinal biopsy in the Mediterranean area. New ESPGHAN criteria are not applicable in 5 countries due to lack of resources needed to perform HLA genotyping and, in one country, EMA assay. Further simplification of the new ESPGHAN guidelines might be made according to what preliminarily the present results suggest if confirmed by new prospective studies.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: genetic subtypes in the Sardinian population.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is characterised by great variability of genetic subtypes. This study aimed to assess the genetic subtypes of CMT disease in the Sardinian population. Genetic screening was performed for CMT cases (CMT1, CMT2, and hereditary neuropathy with susceptibility to pressure palsies [HNPP]). A total of 1,043 subjects (119 index cases) were evaluated. In CMT1 index cases (69/119; 58%), PMP22 duplication at 17p11.2 was the most frequent genetic diagnosis (60/69; 87%), followed by mutations in the GJB1 gene (5/69; 7.2%), in the SH3TC2 gene (3/69; 4.4%) and PMP22 Gly107Val point mutation (1/69; 1.4%). The CMT2 group (24/119; 20.1%) comprised 10/24 (41.6%) patients carrying MPZ gene Ser44Phe mutation, 6/24 (25%) with mutations in MFN2 and HSPB1, and 1/24 (4.2%) in GJB1 and LRSAM1. In the HNPP group (26/119; 21.9%), the majority of patients reported the PMP22 deletion (25/26; 96.2%). Further studies are needed to comprehend the overall picture of the disease in Mediterranean area.

Risk of Zika virus transmission in the Euro-Mediterranean area and the added value of building preparedness to arboviral threats from a One Health perspective.

In the alarming context of risk of Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission in the Euro-Mediterranean area, there is a need to examine whether capacities to detect, diagnose and notify ZIKV infections in the region are in place and whether ongoing capacity-building initiatives are filling existing gaps.The MediLabSecure network, created in 2014, comprises 55 laboratories of virology and medical entomology and 19 public health institutions in 19 countries in the Balkans, North-Africa, the Middle-East and the Black Sea regions. It aims to set up awareness, risk assessment, monitoring and control of emerging and re-emerging vector-borne viruses. We here examine the actions and strategies that MediLabSecure has been implementing and how they will contribute to the prevention and control of the ZIKV threat in the Euro-Mediterranean area.Capacity-building for arbovirus diagnostics is a major objective of the project and follows a methodological rather than disease-driven approach. This enables the implementation of laboratory trainings on techniques that are common to several arboviruses, including ZIKV, and putting into action appropriate diagnostic tools in the target region.Moreover, by its One Health approach and the interaction of its four sub-networks in human virology, animal virology, medical entomology and public health, MediLabSecure is fostering intersectoral collaboration, expertise and sharing of information. The resulting exchanges (methodological, communication and operational) across disciplines and across countries, dedicated research on intersectoral collaboration and increasing diagnostic capacities are providing new paths and tools to public health professionals to face emerging viral threats such as a ZIKV epidemic in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Organic aerosol molecular composition and gas-particle partitioning coefficients at a Mediterranean site (Corsica).

Molecular speciation of atmospheric organic matter was investigated during a short summer field campaign performed in a citrus fruit field in northern Corsica (June 2011). Aimed at assessing the performance on the field of newly developed analytical protocols, this work focuses on the molecular composition of both gas and particulate phases and provides an insight into partitioning behavior of the semi-volatile oxygenated fraction. Limonene ozonolysis tracers were specifically searched for, according to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data previously recorded for smog chamber experiments. A screening of other oxygenated species present in the field atmosphere was also performed. About sixty polar molecules were positively or tentatively identified in gas and/or particle phases. These molecules comprise a wide range of branched and linear, mono and di-carbonyls (C3-C7), mono and di-carboxylic acids (C3-C18), and compounds bearing up to three functionalities. Among these compounds, some can be specifically attributed to limonene oxidation and others can be related to α- or ß-pinene oxidation. This provides an original snapshot of the organic matter composition at a Mediterranean site in summer. Furthermore, for compounds identified and quantified in both gaseous and particulate phases, an experimental gas/particle partitioning coefficient was determined. Several volatile products, which are not expected in the particulate phase assuming thermodynamic equilibrium, were nonetheless present in significant concentrations. Hypotheses are proposed to explain these observations, such as the possible aerosol viscosity that could hinder the theoretical equilibrium to be rapidly reached.

TFR2-related hereditary hemochromatosis as a frequent cause of primary iron overload in patients from Central-Southern Italy.

OBJECTIVE: Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is a common Mendelian disorder of iron metabolism. Eighty percent of northern Europeans descendant HH patients carry the same mutation (p.C282Y) in the HFE gene. Simultaneously, due to a founder effect, its frequency varies considerably between different populations. In Central-Southern Italy the prevalence of p.C282Y mutation is low and in several patients the disease has different causes. Four additional rarer forms have been described. Type 3 HH has been reported in about 50 families and no more than 30 TFR2 pathogenic mutations have been globally identified. The aim of this study is to assess the TFR2 role in non-HFE HH pathogenesis. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: TFR2 sequence analysis was performed on 45 Italian patients without HFE mutations. RESULTS: This study revealed TFR2 biallelic pathogenic mutations in 7/45 (15.6%) individuals. Moreover monoallelic TFR2 deleterious defects (18%) or polymorphisms with unclear meaning (36%) were identified. Besides, we recognized 10 novel variants and 9 described changes. CONCLUSION: We believe this to be the largest series of type 3 HH patients described so far. Present findings support the hypothesis of a main role of the TFR2 gene in HH pathogenesis in those regions, such as Central-Southern Italy, where the p.C282Y frequency is low.

Mediterranean Food By-products as a Valuable Source of Bioactive Compounds with Health Properties.

Recently, considerable attention has been focused on the recovery and re-use of waste plant matrices as promising sources of bioactive compounds with health effects. As the Mediterranean diet involves the consumption of great amounts of fruits and vegetables, large quantities of agro-food by-products are generated, causing economic and environmental problems. Such by-products contain a great variety of bioactive compounds whose potential health benefits include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-- cancer, antimicrobial, hypoglycemic, antidepressant, cardio- and neuro-protective activities. Therefore, in this review, by-products from the most common fruits and vegetables processed in the Mediterranean area, such as tomato, olive, citrus fruit, almond, pomegranate, carob, date, and grape, were taken into account, pointing out the content of bioactive ingredients in extracts obtained from different parts of plants, fruits, and vegetables. Furthermore, studies performed to assess the beneficial effects of extracts obtained from Mediterranean agro-food by-products were reviewed, highlighting the potential benefits of waste plant matrices re-usage in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic fields.

Vertebrate Pollination of Angiosperms in the Mediterranean Area: A Review.

For a long time, it was considered that entomogamy was the only pollination mechanism in the Mediterranean area. However, data recorded in this review prove that ornithogamy and saurogamy also take place. With the exception of the nectarivorous Cinnyris osea (Nectariniidae) which pollinates the mistletoe Picosepalus acaciae in Israel, all birds responsible for the pollination of several plant species in this area are primarily insectivorous, sedentary, or migrating passerine birds, particularly Sylvia atricapilla, S. melanocephala, Phylloscopus collibita and Parus caeruleus. They contribute, together with insects, to the pollination of Anagyris foetida, three species of Scrophularia with big flowers, Rhamnus alaternus, Brassica oleracea, and some other plants. The lacertid lizard Podarcis lilfordi acts as a pollinating agent on several W Mediterranean islands, where it effectively pollinates Euphorbia dendroides, Cneorum tricocum, and presumably Rosmarinus officinalis and Chrithmum maritimum. The flowers of some other plant species are visited by birds or by Podarcis species in the Mediterranean area, where they could also contribute to their pollination.

Epidemiology of muscular dystrophies in the Mediterranean area.

The Mediterranean countries are distinguished with their peculiar genetic pool and diversities. Recessive diseases often present with their own founder mutations. In some instances this is shared with neighboring populations. Dominant disorders in the area are increasingly recognized as health care providing systems and technology improve. Among muscular dystrophies Duchenne and Becker types constitute the major fraction in almost all societies. This is followed by various forms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Congenital dystrophies and other related rare types are a matter of recognition. The identification and registry of facio-scapulo-humeral and myotonic dystrophies vary in different states.

Anthemissect.Hiorthia (Asteraceae) on Kriti Island, Greece: high ploidy levels and a new species.

A morphological and karyological investigation of the Anthemissect.Hiorthia representatives of Kriti (Greece) revealed that three different species are found on the island, all endemic, and each characterised by a different ploidy level based on the haploid series of x = 9. Anthemisabrotanifolia, the species with the widest distribution, is tetraploid with 2n = 4x = 36. A.samariensis, a local endemic of the Lefka Ori, was found being decaploid, with 2n = 10x = 90, the highest number ever recorded in Anthemis. The recently discovered population on Mt. Kedros (south-central Kriti) is morphologically distinct from all the Anthemis entities growing on Kriti; it also differs from the variable and widespread A.cretica group. It is here described as a new species, A.pasiphaes Goula & Constantinidis. It is a hexaploid, with 2n = 6x = 54. All chromosome numbers are reported for the first time. Polyploidy might have acted as a reproductive barrier among these perennial species, complementing isolation by spatial distance and evolutionary divergence. Further, it might have contributed adaptation advantages to these three predominately mountain species.