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Abstract Mussels form extensive beds in rocky intertidal habitats on temperate seashores worldwide. They are foundation species because their beds host many invertebrates. Mussels and their associated species differ taxonomically among biogeographic regions, but all mussel beds exhibit similar structural and functional properties. Therefore, we investigated if rocky-intertidal mussel beds from around the globe host associated communities that are functionally similar despite their underlying taxonomic differences. We gathered datasets on the abundance of invertebrates found in rocky-intertidal mussel beds from the eastern and western boundaries of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans from both hemispheres and, then, we compared their taxonomic and functional properties. Taxonomic composition differed markedly among coasts when analyzed at the taxonomic resolution reported by the surveys (often species). However, taxonomic groups with similar ecologies (28 groups including barnacles, decapods, gastropods, polychaetes, etc.) were more universally present in mussel beds. Concomitantly, functional categories of trophic level, body type, and mobility were almost always present on all studied coasts. These taxonomic groups and trait categories, however, showed regional patterns based on their relative abundances. Overall, the ability of mussel beds to host a core community type based on taxonomic groups and functional traits emphasizes their importance for biodiversity and community functioning, making them critical organisms to preserve.

In the past decade, noble gases have emerged as highly promising neuroprotective agents. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of argon neuroprotection in rodent models of cerebral ischemia. The objective of the present pre-clinical study was to confirm the neuroprotective effect of argon in a non-human primate model of endovascular ischemic stroke. Thirteen adult Macaca mulatta were subjected to a focal cerebral ischemia induced by a transient (90 min) middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). The monkeys were randomly allocated to a control group (n = 8) and an argon group (n = 5). Pre-mixed gas (40-60 oxygen-argon) was applied 30 min after the onset of tMCAO to 30 min after reperfusion. Infarct volumes were measured from the MRI scans conducted 1 hour and 1 month after the reperfusion. A clinical neurological assessment was performed 24 hours and 1 month after tMCAO. Our results show that Argon dramatically reduced ischemic core volume after ischemia compared to the control group with a long-lasting improvement of post-stroke infarct volume at 1 month. In addition, the neurological scale suggests a better prognosis in argon-treated animals without reaching the significance threshold. These pre-clinical results in gyrencephalic non-human primates support the potential use of this therapeutic approach for future clinical studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: At the time of the study GF was the Air Liquide director of early drug development but did not participate in study conduction or data analysis.VL and BT share together with institutions (CNRS, AMU and Air Liquide) the property of patent (EP3791886B1 and US11717635B2), which partly cover the research of the present study. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.