Search Results (133)

Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to hydric stress due to their permeable skin, biphasic life cycle, and strong dependence on aquatic and moist terrestrial environments. In the Northwestern Mediterranean Basin—one of Europe’s most climate-sensitive regions—the intensification of droughts associated with climate change poses a critical threat to amphibian populations. Increased aridification, either due to higher temperatures or to more frequent, prolonged, and severe drought episodes, can affect both aquatic and terrestrial life stages, directly altering breeding opportunities, larval development, post-metamorphic survival, and dispersal capacity. This review aims to gather and synthesize current knowledge on the ecological, physiological, and demographic impacts of drought on amphibians of the Northwestern Mediterranean across habitat types, including ephemeral ponds, permanent water bodies, lotic systems, and terrestrial landscapes, including a final section on possible mitigation actions. Drought-induced shifts in hydroperiod can drastically reduce reproductive success and accelerate larval development with fitness consequences while, on land, desiccation risk and habitat degradation could limit access to refugia and fragment populations by reducing structural connectivity. These environmental constraints are compounded by the interactions between drought and emerging infectious diseases. We discuss the current knowledge on how chytrid fungi (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans) and ranaviruses may respond to temperature and moisture regimes, and how drought may affect their transmission dynamics, host susceptibility, and pathogen persistence. In these cases, microbiome disruption, pollutant concentration, and increased contact rates between species may amplify disease outbreaks under dry conditions, but a better understanding of the multifactorial effects of drought on amphibian biology and disease ecology is needed for predicting species vulnerability, identifying high-risk populations, and guiding future conservation and management strategies in Mediterranean environments. Full article

Turbidite channels are final conduits for the transfer of terrigenous detritus to the deep-sea depositional systems. Studying their morphology and geometric parameters can provide information on density flow characteristics and sedimentary processes, making it an objective and quantitative way to differentiate the deep-sea deposits they feed, which are of special interest to the oil industry. In this work, the morphology is studied, the main geometric parameters are calculated, and the potential sedimentary fill of a turbiditic channel, the Columbretes Grande channel, located on the Ebro continental margin (NW Mediterranean Sea), is reconstructed and visualized in 3D. This complete morphometric analysis shows a concave and smooth channel indicating a profile in equilibrium with local evidence of erosion. Considering the height of the flanks (< 150 m), the existence of well-developed levees, the high sinuosity of some of its reaches, and the relatively low slopes, the channel can be classified as depositional. The sinuosity index is close to 2 in some courses, and the gentle slopes suggest that the fine-grained turbidity currents that episodically circulate in its interior reach the channel’s end. Full article

Here, we report the discovery of silica- and sulfur-enriched deposits forming on the seafloor off Zannone Island (western Mediterranean Sea), where hydrothermal activity is ongoing. Our multidisciplinary investigation reveals that these deposits form through the interplay between hydrothermal processes and microbial activity. The deposits result from a dynamic equilibrium involving microbial mediation, sedimentation, and episodic lithification, driven primarily by two mineralization pathways: silica and sulfur precipitation. This study provides new insights into the bio-sedimentary processes shaping authigenic crusts in shallow submarine hydrothermal settings, contributing to a broader understanding of mineralization in marine environments influenced by both geological and biological factors. Full article

This study addresses the challenges of characterizing aerosol optical depth (AOD) dynamics from satellite observations, which are often hindered by data gaps and variability. A long short-term memory (LSTM) network was trained on an extended AOD dataset from Sicily to capture temporal patterns. The trained model was then applied to AOD data from distinct geographical regions: Cluj-Napoca and the central Mediterranean Sea. While the LSTM effectively captured general seasonal trends, it tended to smooth extreme AOD events. To mitigate this, a post-processing algorithm was developed to enhance the representation of AOD peaks and valleys. This enhancement method refines the characterization of historical AOD, providing a more accurate representation of observed atmospheric variability, particularly in capturing high and low AOD episodes. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the hybrid approach in improving the characterization of AOD dynamics across different regions. Full article

Background: Individual nutrients are associated with cognitive performance, but there is less evidence on the relationship between overall dietary patterns and cognitive performance in midlife. Objective: To examine the relation between dietary patterns and cognitive performance in midlife adults within the Bogalusa Heart Study (BHS). Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2013–2016 cycle of the Bogalusa Heart Study, a life-course prospective cohort study, were used to generate diet quality scores, including the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI), the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI), and the Alternate Mediterranean Dietary Pattern (aMed), based on food frequency questionnaires. Cognitive scores assessing attention and processing, episodic memory, and executive function were generated through validated cognitive tests. Generalized linear and logistic regression models were fit with adjustment for potential confounders. Results: Of 1053 participants included in the analysis, the mean age was 48.18 (SD = 5.22) years; 38.94% were male; and 31.14% identified as Black. Higher diet quality scores were associated with a higher global cognitive score (P-trend = 0.01 for AHEI, 0.02 for HEI, and 0.04 for aMed) after adjusting for age, sex, race, employment, education, smoking status, total energy intake, physical activity, BMI, diabetes, and hypertension. In dichotomous outcome analyses, higher AHEI and aMed scores remained inversely associated with low cognition when adjusting for similar covariates (P-trend = 0.03 for AHEI, 0.03 for aMed), but the association was attenuated to non-significance for HEI. In joint effect analysis between employment and dietary patterns (P-interaction = 0.28 for AHEI, 0.01 for HEI, and 0.11 for aMed), unemployment with a lower quality diet was associated with lower cognitive performance (P-trend = 0.02 for AHEI, 0.02 for HEI, and 0.01 for aMed). Conclusions: A high-quality diet is associated with optimal cognitive performance among midlife adults, and unemployment status may influence this association. These findings suggest that dietary interventions during midlife may represent a public health strategy to preserve cognitive function and reduce future neurodegenerative disease burden, especially in disadvantaged populations. Full article

Current modern attention and concern about (human-driven) climate change has prompted much focus on the historical/archaeological relevance and role of (natural) climate change in the past. The topic is both relevant and important—and especially those short(er)-term events that perhaps helped trigger historically substantive change episodes. But, at the same time, initial, somewhat naïve enthusiasm has now run headlong into the limitations of the available data sources before the early modern era, and the many complications of establishing actual causal associations. These need to be, first, closely defined in terms of timing and effects, and then also, second, established as relevant to the specific human societies/civilizations and contexts in question. This paper seeks to highlight the need for appropriate care and rigorous method when seeking to associate climate and environmental events with the available ancient historical and archaeological evidence, and investigates three illustrative, problematic, cases from the Classical Mediterranean world. Full article

This study evaluated the long-term hydroclimatic trend through a reconstruction procedure of precipitation variability in central Greece (1657–2020), using eight tree-ring chronologies (Pinus sp. and Abies sp.). Through the combination of gridded climate datasets with tree-ring width (TRW) and earlywood width (EWW) chronologies, we created three precipitation reconstructions, (1) April–August (AMJJA) and (2) May–June (MJ) using TRW and (3) EWW chronologies, utilizing both measured and gridded precipitation data. Chronologies were standardized using ARSTAN, while principal component analysis (PCA) was used for the development of the reconstructions. Verification and calibration of the derived time series (split-period tests, RE > 0, R = 0.62–0.67) confirmed a strong reconstruction that explained 15%–45% of the variability in precipitation. The results revealed strong growth–precipitation relationships throughout spring–summer (AMJJA/MJ). Multi-decadal variability is captured by TRW chronologies, while higher-frequency signals are reflected by EWW. Significant time intervals (19.6-, 12.5-, and 2.2-year cycles) were found by spectral analysis, indicating climatic impacts on tree-ring chronologies. Extremely wet (e.g., 1885, 1913) and dry (e.g., 1894–1895) episodes were confirmed against regional paleoclimate data and were consistent among previous reconstructions (72%–92% agreement). Despite the fact that sample depth reduced after 1978, the EPS was constantly higher than the threshold (EPS > 0.85 post-1746), showing the reliability of the reconstruction. This study expanded the hydroclimatic record of the southeast Mediterranean and highlighted that tree-ring chronologies are reliable variables to predict the historical precipitation. Full article

Climate conditions in combination with the concentration of pollutants increase the human health stress and exacerbate systemic diseases. The city of Rhodes is a desirable tourist destination that is located in a sensitive climate region of the southeastern Aegean Sea in the Mediterranean region. In this work, hourly recordings from a mobile air quality monitoring system, which is located in an urban area of Rhodes city, are employed in order to measure the concentration of regulated pollutants (${\mathrm{S}\mathrm{O}}_2,{\mathrm{N}\mathrm{O}}_2,{\mathrm{O}}_3,{\mathrm{P}\mathrm{M}}_{10} \mathrm{a}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{d} {\mathrm{P}\mathrm{M}}_{2.5})$ and meteorological factors (pressure, temperature, and relative humidity). The air quality health index (AQHI) and the discomfort index (DI) are calculated to study the impact of air quality and meteorological conditions on human health. The analysis is conducted during a hot summer period, from 29 June to 14 July 2024. During the second half of the studied period, a heatwave episode occurred that affected the bioclimatic conditions over the city. The results show that despite the fact that the concentration of pollutants is lower than the pollutant thresholds (according to Directive 2008/50/EC), the AQHI and DI conditions degrade significantly over the heatwave days. In particular, the AQHI is classified in the “Moderate” class, and the DI indicates that most of the population suffers discomfort. The AQHI and DI simultaneously increase during the days of the heat episode, showing a possible negative synergy for the health risk. Finally, both the day maximum and night minimum temperature are increased (about 0.8 and 0.6 °C, respectively) during the heatwave days as compared to the whole studied period. Full article

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is the prototype and most common autoinflammatory disease that is particularly frequent in populations originating from the Mediterranean basin. It is characterized by episodes of recurrent inflammation lasting 2–3 days. Colchicine is the mainstay therapy, which decreases the number of attacks and eventually prevents amyloidosis, the most worrisome complication of uncontrolled FMF. It is an autosomal recessive disease. The high rate of MEFV gene mutations in specific populations has been discussed as the result of an evolutionary advantage. Tel-Hashomer criteria were the first set of criteria primarily designed for adults. Recently, the Eurofever/PRINTO group has validated a new set of classification criteria for FMF, including clinical and genetic variables. Colchicine intolerance is an important problem and limits the ability to reach an effective dose. In these groups of patients, adding an alternative biological treatment (anti IL-1 agents) is recommended. Several tools such as FMF50, AIDAI, ADDI, ISSF and MASIF have been proposed to evaluate and quantify the disease activity and organ damage. Ongoing research should clarify the exact mechanisms causing FMF attacks and phenotypic variabilities between the patients; further translational research requires the implementation of proteomics and epigenetics signatures to elucidate the pathogenesis. Full article

Background and Objectives: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a lifelong autoinflammatory disease characterized by episodes of fever and aseptic polyserositis. Commonly associated with vasculitis, FMF’s impact on microcirculation was investigated by examining nailfold capillaries using capillaroscopy. Materials and Methods: This study included 32 female and 28 male FMF patients diagnosed according to the Tel Hashomer and Yalçınkaya criteria and a control group of 20 female and 10 male age-matched cases. Demographic characteristics, medical history (abdominal pain, fever, chest pain, and joint pain), and physical examination findings of the cases were assessed. FMF gene mutations, acute-phase reactants, urine analysis, and spot urine protein/creatinine ratios were evaluated. Nailfold capillaries were examined via capillaroscopy by the same dermatology specialist. Results: There was no significant age or gender difference between groups. The most common symptoms in the case group were abdominal pain (81.7%) and joint pain (65%). Pathological findings in capillaroscopy, such as microhemorrhages and avascular areas, were significantly more frequent in the FMF case group (p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Physiological findings, including hairpin-shaped capillaries and shortened loops, were significantly more common in the control group (p = 0.001; p = 0.034). No significant relationships were found between kidney involvement, subclinical inflammation, presence of microhemorrhages and avascular areas in capillaroscopy, and disease duration. Additionally, no significant differences were observed in capillaroscopic findings between those with exon-10 mutations in the MEFV gene and those with non-exon-10 mutations. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study demonstrated secondary microvascular findings due to inflammation in FMF patients using capillaroscopy, a cost-effective and safe tool. Full article

Mineral dust from desert areas accounts for a large portion of aerosols globally, estimated at 3–4 billion tons per year. Aerosols emitted from arid and semi-arid areas, e.g., from parched lakes or rivers, are transported over long distances and have effects on a global scale, affecting the planet’s radiative balance, atmospheric chemistry, cloud formation and precipitation, marine biological processes, air quality, and human health. Desert dust transport takes place in the atmosphere as the result of a dynamical sequence beginning with dust uplift from desert areas, then followed by the long-range transport and terminating with the surface deposition of mineral dust in areas even very far from dust sources. The Mediterranean basin is characterized by frequent dust intrusion events, particularly affecting Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. Such events contribute to the increase in PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentration values, causing legal threshold values to be exceeded. In recent years, these events have shown a non-negligible increase in frequency and intensity. The present work reports the results of an analysis of the dust events that in recent years (2018–2023) affected the Mediterranean area and in particular central Italy, focusing on the more recurrent meteorological configurations leading to long-range transport and on the consequent increase in aerosol concentration values. A method for desert intrusion episodes identification has been developed using both numerical forecast model data and PM₁₀ observed data. A multi-year dataset has been analyzed by applying such an identification method and the resulting set of dust events episodes, affecting central Italy, has been studied in order to highlight their frequency on a seasonal basis and their interannual variability. In addition, a first attempt at a meteorological classification of desert intrusions has been carried out to identify the most recurrent circulation patterns related to dust intrusions. Understanding their annual and seasonal variations in frequency and intensity is a key topic, whose relevance is steeply growing in the context of ongoing climate change. Full article

Background and Objectives: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an inherited autoinflammatory disease characterized by recurrent febrile attacks and serosal inflammation. The goals of FMF treatment are to prevent acute attacks and the development of amyloidosis. This study aimed to investigate the benefit of switching to compressed colchicine tablets in patients with FMF who are resistant or intolerant to the pharmaceutical preparation of coated colchicine tablets in terms of attack frequency and side effects. Materials and Methods: Patients who developed resistance and intolerance under coated colchicine tablet treatment and, therefore, switched to compressed colchicine tablets were identified. The attack frequencies and drug-related side effects in patients using the two different pharmaceutical colchicine preparations were compared. Results: The mean age of the 172 patients treated with compressed tablets alone following coated tablets was 36.3 ± 11.4 years, and 75 (43.6%) were male. The most common genetic mutation was detected as M694V in 111 (64.5%) patients, and 36 (20.9%) of them were homozygous. A decrease in the daily colchicine dose was found after switching to compressed colchicine tablets in patients followed for 7 years (2.1 ± 0.7 mg vs. 1.7 ± 0.5 mg; p < 0.001). Episodes lasted for one to three days and then resolved spontaneously. After treatment with the compressed tablet form of colchicine, 129 (75%), 33 (19%), and 10 (6%) patients had 0–3, 4–6, and more than 7 attacks, respectively (p < 0.001). Diarrhea and aminotransferase elevation, the most common side effects in patients using coated colchicine tablets, decreased after using compressed colchicine tablets (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Compressed colchicine tablets were shown to be effective in patients who did not respond to coated colchicine therapy and those with pre-treatment intolerance to biological agents. Full article

The monitoring of coastal evolution (coastline and associated geomorphological features) caused by episodic and persistent processes associated with climatic and anthropic activities is required for coastal management decisions. The availability of open access, remotely sensed data with increasing spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions, is promising in this context. The coastline of Northern Tunisia is currently showing geomorphic process, such as increasing erosion associated with lateral sedimentation. This study aims to investigate the potential of time-series optical data, namely Landsat (from 1985–2019) and Google Earth^® satellite imagery (from 2007 to 2023), to analyze shoreline changes and morphosedimentary and geomorphological processes between Cape Serrat and Kef Abbed, Northern Tunisia. The Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) was used to quantify the multitemporal rates of shoreline using two metrics: the net shoreline movement (NSM) and the end-point rate (EPR). Erosion was observed around the tombolo and near river mouths, exacerbated by the presence of surrounding dams, where the NSM is up to −8.31 m/year. Despite a total NSM of −15 m, seasonal dynamics revealed a maximum erosion in winter (71% negative NSM) and accretion in spring (57% positive NSM). The effects of currents, winds, and dams on dune dynamics were studied using historical images of Google Earth^®. In the period from 1994 to 2023, the area is marked by dune face retreat and removal in more than 40% of the site, showing the increasing erosion. At finer spatial resolution and according to the synergy of field observations and photointerpretation, four key geomorphic processes shaping the coastline were identified: wave/tide action, wind transport, pedogenesis, and deposition. Given the frequent changes in coastal areas, this method facilitates the maintenance and updating of coastline databases, which are essential for analyzing the impacts of the sea level rise in the southern Mediterranean region. Furthermore, the developed approach could be implemented with a range of forecast scenarios to simulate the impacts of a higher future sea-level enhanced climate change. Full article

Drought is a widespread natural hazard resulting from an extended period of reduced rainfall, with significant socioeconomic and ecological consequences. Drought severity can impact food security globally due to its high spatial and temporal coverage. The primary objective of this paper consists of a comparative spatiotemporal analysis of environmental extremes (drought/wetness) through the estimation of a twelve-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI₁₂) between three distinct vulnerable agricultural regions in the Mediterranean basin (i.e., Spain, Lebanon and Tunisia), under a climate change environment in the last 38 years (1982–2020). The added value of this paper lies in the simultaneous estimation of temporal and spatial variability of drought and wetness periodic events, paying special attention to the geographical patterns of these extremes both in annual and interannual (seasonal) time scales. The results indicated that Spain and Tunisia (western Mediterranean) exhibit similar patterns over the studied period, while Lebanon demonstrates contrasting trends. Comparing the two extreme dry hydrological years, the Spanish study area faced the highest drought intensity, areal extent and duration (SPI₁₂ = −1.18; −1.84; 28–78%; 9–12 months), followed by the Lebanese (SPI₁₂ = −1.28; −1.39; 37–50%; 7–12 months) and the Tunisian ones (SPI₁₂ = −1.05; −1.08; 10–34%; 8 months). Concerning the wettest hydrological years, the Lebanese study domain has recorded the highest SPI₁₂ values, areal extent and duration (SPI₁₂ = 1.58; 2.28; 66–83%; 8–11 months), followed by the Tunisian (SPI₁₂ = 1.55; 1.79; 49–73%; 7–10 months) and Spanish one (SPI₁₂ = 1.07; 1.99; 21–73%; 4–11 months). The periodicity of drought/wetness episodes is about 20 years in Spanish area and 10 years in the Lebanese area (for drought events), whereas there seems no periodicity in the Tunisian one. Understanding the spatial distribution of drought is crucial for targeted mitigation strategies in high-risk areas, potentially avoiding broad, resource-intensive measures across entire regions. Full article

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder in the Western world. Between the years 2010 and 2019, the global prevalence of AF rose from 33.5 million to 59 million, highlighting the importance of developing equitable treatments for patients. The disease is associated with symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction. In addition, AF increases the risk of developing a stroke and heart failure. Despite new insights into risk factors that can lead to the development of AF, the success of current treatments is suboptimal. Numerous risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, have been associated with the development and progression of AF. As these can be lifestyle-related risk factors, lifestyle modification may be a solution to reduce AF-related symptoms as well as episodes. Research results show that certain dietary changes can reduce AF and numerous risk factors for AF. Increasing attention is being given to Mediterranean and whole, plant-based eating patterns, which emphasize eating grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts, while excluding most—or all—animal products. Hence, what are the beneficial aspects of a Mediterranean and plant-based diet which consists mainly of unprocessed foods? In the current review, we discuss the outcomes of diet-based treatments. Moreover, other diet-related treatments, brought up by patient initiatives, are highlighted. These patient-initiated studies include L-glutamine and electrolytes as options to manage AF. Also, we highlight the emerging importance of valuing patient needs and a quality-of-life-centered approach to medicine. As indicated by recent studies and patient experiences, citizen science can create inclusive solutions that lead to patient empowerment and a holistic approach for AF management. Full article