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Tiago Marques and Carolina Marques thank partial support by CEAUL (funded by FCT through the project UIDB/00006/2020). Aims The present study is the first attempt to grasp the scale and richness of marine biological invasions in Macaronesia. We pioneered a comprehensive non-native species (NNS), inventory in the region to determine their diversity patterns and native distribution origins. NNS were defined here as the result of both introductions and range expansions. We also used statistical modelling to examine relationships among NNS richness, anthropogenic activities, demographic and geographical variables across Macaronesia. Location Macaronesia. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted for marine NNS records in Macaronesia, registering the first record's location and year from 1884 to 2020. We used univariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate differences and similarities in community composition. By applying a Generalized Linear Model (GLM), we tested hypotheses regarding NNS richness as a function of anthropogenic activities, demographic and geographical variables. Results A total of 144 marine non-native species (NNS) were recorded for the whole of Macaronesia. The highest NNS richness was registered in the Canary Islands (76 NNS), followed by the Azores (66 NNS), Madeira (59 NNS) and finally Cabo Verde (18 NNS). Some differences amongst archipelagos were observed, such as the high number of non-native macroalgae in the Azores, fishes in the Canary Islands and tunicates in Cabo Verde. Overall, macroalgae, tunicates and bryozoans were the predominant taxonomic groups in the Macaronesian archipelagos. Madeira and Canary Islands were the archipelagos with more similarity in marine NNS, and Cabo Verde the most divergent. Finally, GLM suggested that non-native richness patterns across Macaronesia were dependent on the considered archipelago and strongly affected by (1) minimum distance to the mainland, (2) the total number of ports and marinas and (3) total marinas area (km2). Conclusions The model results and NNS listing in the present study will likely raise the awareness and response regarding marine NNS in the whole Macaronesia region, serving as a baseline for future research as well as implementing and enforcing regulations related to the introduction of marine NNS in oceanic islands. Publisher PDF

Ctenophores are fragile gelatinous organisms whose diversity and distribution are relatively unknown. For the first time, the occurrence of four planktonic species, namely Ocyropsis crystallina, Eurhamphaea vexilligera, Cestum veneris, and Beroe sp., was reported from Madeira archipelago waters (NE subtropical Atlantic). This report represents the northernmost records in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean for O. crystallina and E. vexilligera.

Ocean acidification, due to the increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere and its absorption by the oceans, affects many aspects of marine calcifying organisms' biology, including reproduction. Most of the available studies on low pH effects on coral reproduction have been conducted on tropical species under controlled conditions, while little information is reported for either tropical or temperate species in the field. This study describes the influence of decreasing pH on sexual reproduction of the temperate non-zooxanthellate colonial scleractinian Astroides calycularis, transplanted in four sites along a natural pH gradient at the underwater volcanic crater of Panarea Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). The average pH values of each site (range: pHTS 8.07–7.40) match different scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for the end of the century. After 3 months under experimental conditions, the reproductive parameters of both oocytes and spermaries (abundance, gonadal index, and diameters) seem to be unaffected by low pH. However, a delay in spermary development in the pre-fertilization period and a persistence of mature oocytes in the fertilization period were observed in the most acidic site. Furthermore, no embryos were found in colonies from the two most acidic sites, suggesting a delay or an interruption of the fertilization process due to acidified conditions. These findings suggest a negative effect of low pH on A. calycularis sexual reproduction. However, long-term experiments, including the synergistic impact of pH and temperature, are needed to predict if this species will be able to adapt to climate change over the next century.

Funding: N.C. was funded by a doctoral grant (SFRH/BD/146881/2019) awarded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). S.S. was supported by Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação, Tecnologia e Inovação (ARDITI) research fellowship in the scope of the H2020 project GoJelly. P.P. was funded by a PhD grant ref. M3.1.a/F/065/2015 by Fundo Regional de Ciência e Tecnologia (FRCT) and the program AÇORES 2020. A post-doctoral research fellowship by ARDITI (ARDITI–M1420-09-5369-FSE-000002) supported J.G.M. F.G. was endorsed by a post-doctoral research fellowship granted by ARDITI in the framework of project RAGES (ARDITI-RAGES-2019-001). R.F. was supported by the funding from project INTERWHALE (PTDC/CCI-COM/0450/2020) by FCT. Doctoral fellowships were financially supported S.C. by ARDITI (ARDITI-M1420-09-5369-FSE-000002). R.S. was supported by a research fellowship in the framework of project PLASMAR+(MAC2/1.1a/347). J.C.-C. is funded by national funds through FCT under the Scientific Employment Stimulus—Institutional Call—[CEECINST/00098/2018]. This work was partially funded by MIMAR+(MAC2/4.6.d/249) in the INTERREG MAC 2014–2020 Programme framework. This study also had the support of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, through the strategic project (UIDB/04292/2020) granted to MARE UI&IUIDB/04292/2020. Finally, the present paper benefited from underwater surveys during the expedition ‘MARE@Porto Santo 20200 conducted by MARE-Madeira. Current trends in the global climate facilitate the displacement of numerous marine species from their native distribution ranges to higher latitudes when facing warming conditions. In this work, we analyzed occurrences of a circumtropical reef fish, the spotfin burrfish, Chilomycterus reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1958), in the Madeira Archipelago (NE Atlantic) between 1898 and 2021. In addition to available data sources, we performed an online survey to assess the distribution and presence of this species in the Madeira Archipelago, along with other relevant information, such as size class and year of the first sighting. In total, 28 valid participants responded to the online survey, georeferencing 119 C. reticulatus sightings and confirming its presence in all archipelago islands. The invasiveness of the species was screened using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. Five assessments rated the fish as being of medium risk of establishing a local population and becoming invasive. Current temperature trends might have facilitated multiple sightings of this thermophilic species in the Madeira Archipelago. The present study indicates an increase in C. reticulatus sightings in the region. This underlines the need for updated comprehensive information on species diversity and distribution to support informed management and decisions. The spread of yet another thermophilic species in Madeiran waters provides further evidence of an ongoing tropicalization, emphasizing the need for monitoring programs and the potential of citizen science in complementing such programs. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Ocean acidification, due to the increase of carbon dioxide (CO

Mass mortality events involving marine taxa are increasing worldwide. The long-spined sea urchin Diadema africanum is considered a keystone herbivore species in the northeastern Atlantic due to its control over the abundance and distribution of algae. After a first registered mass mortality in 2009, another event off the coasts of Madeira archipelago affected this ecologically important species in summer 2018. This study documented the 2018 D. africanum mass mortality event, and the progress of its populations on the southern coast of Madeira island. A citizen science survey was designed targeting marine stakeholders to understand the extent and intensity of the event around the archipelago. Underwater surveys on population density prior, during and after the mass mortality, permitted an evaluation of the severity and magnitude of the event as well as urchin population recovery. A preliminary assessment of causative agents of the mortality was performed. The event was reported in the principal islands of the archipelago reducing the populations up to 90%. However, a fast recovery was registered during the following months, suggesting that the reproductive success was not compromised. Microbiological analyses in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, during and after the event, was not conclusive. Nevertheless, the bacteria Aeromonas salmonicida, or the gram-negative bacteria, or the interaction of different types of bacteria may be responsible for the disease outbreak. Further studies are needed to assess the role of pathogens in sea urchin mass mortalities and the compound effects that sea urchins have in local habitats and ecological functioning of coastal marine ecosystems. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment alters seawater carbonate chemistry, thus threatening calcifying organisms such as corals. Coral populations at carbon dioxide vents are natural acidification experiments that mimic organism responses to seawater pH values projected for 2100. Even if demographic traits are paramount information to assess ecological relationships and habitat suitability, population dynamics studies on corals thriving under acidified conditions are lacking. Here, we investigate the demography and reproduction of populations of the solitary, symbiotic, temperate coral Balanophyllia europaea naturally living along a pH gradient at a Mediterranean CO2 vent. Gametogenesis and larval production were unaffected while recruitment efficiency collapsed at low and variable pH, contributing to coral abundance decline and suggesting that life stages between larval release and early polyp growth are hindered by acidification. Exploring these processes is crucial to assess coral fate in the forthcoming acidified oceans, to preserve coral ecosystems and the socioeconomic services they provide.

The threat posed by invasive non-native species worldwide requires a global approach to identify which introduced species are likely to pose an elevated risk of impact to native species and ecosystems. To inform policy, stakeholders and management decisions on global threats to aquatic ecosystems, 195 assessors representing 120 risk assessment areas across all six inhabited continents screened 819 non-native species from 15 groups of aquatic organisms (freshwater, brackish, marine plants and animals) using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. This multi-lingual decision-support tool for the risk screening of aquatic organisms provides assessors with risk scores for a species under current and future climate change conditions that, following a statistically based calibration, permits the accurate classification of species into high-, medium-and low-risk categories under current and predicted climate conditions. The 1730 screenings undertaken encompassed wide geographical areas (regions, political entities, parts thereof, water bodies, river basins, lake drainage basins, and marine regions), which permitted thresholds to be identified for almost all aquatic organismal groups screened as well as for tropical, temperate and continental climate classes, and for tropical and temperate marine ecoregions. In total, 33 species were identified as posing a 'very high risk' of being or becoming invasive, and the scores of several of these species under current climate increased under future climate conditions, primarily due to their wide thermal tolerances. The risk thresholds determined for taxonomic groups and climate zones provide a basis against which area-specific or climate-based calibrated thresholds may be interpreted. In turn, the risk rankings help decision-makers identify which species require an immediate 'rapid' management action (e.g. eradication, control) to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts, which require a full risk assessment, and which are to be restricted or banned with regard to importation and/or sale as ornamental or aquarium/fishery enhancement. (c) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)., Cefas Science Excellence fund; [TKP2020-NKA-16], This study is dedicated to our co-author, the late Prof. Olaf Weyl, whose sudden passing during field work in November 2020 was received by us with great sadness. This study represents a contribution to the term of reference 'd' (Advance knowledge base to further develop indicators to evaluate the status and impact of non-indigenous species in marine environments) of the ICES working group on Introductions and Transfers of Marine Organisms. The participation of GHC was supported by the Cefas Science Excellence fund. AW and AF were supported by TKP2020-NKA-16 project.

Seagrass meadows are globally recognized as important coastal habitats due to the various ecological functions and ecosystem services they provide. Substantial global decline of seagrass habitats has been recorded over the last decades, underlining the need for extensive studies, including monitoring and mapping these habitats across their distributional range. Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson is the only seagrass species reported in the archipelago of Madeira (NE Atlantic) and systematic or reliable information of its occurrence is very scarce and mostly anecdotal. This study reports the discovery of a yearly-persistent patch of C. nodosa in the southeast coast of Madeira and provides insights into key ecological and biological aspects (e.g. density, leaf length, associated fauna and flora). Seasonal monitoring surveys over a 3-year period, indicate that (1) the patch has increased in size and shoot density over the study period, and (2) leaf lengths follow a typical seasonal pattern over the year. Accounts of past destruction of seagrass meadows in the island, underline the importance of continuous monitoring of the patch and adjacent areas to reveal how the current seagrass patch develops (i.e. patch continuity and/or disappearance), if it integrates a larger meadow and whether anthropogenic pressures as coastal development and/or associated terrigenous sediment runoff events will affect its resilience.

The precipitation of calcium carbonate was carried out in the presence of the intraskeletal organic matrix (OM) extracted from Mediterranean corals. They were diverse in growth form and trophic strategy, Balanophyllia europaea and Leptopsammia pruvoti—solitary corals, only the first zooxanthellate coral—and Cladocora caespitosa and Astroides calycularis—colonial corals, only the first zooxanthellate coral. The results showed that, although the OM marked differences among species, the diverse influence over the calcium carbonate precipitation was evident only for B. europaea. This OM was the most prone to favor the precipitation of aragonite in the absence of magnesium ions, according to overgrowth and solution precipitation experiments. In artificial seawater, where magnesium ions were present, this OM, as well the one from A. calycularis, precipitated mainly a form of amorphous calcium carbonate different from that obtained with SOM from L. pruvoti or C. caespitosa. The amorphous calcium carbonate from B. europaea was the most stable upon heating up to 100 °C and was the one that mainly converted into aragonite instead of magnesium calcite after heating at 300 °C. All this indicated a higher control of B. europaea OM over the calcium carbonate polymorphism than the other species. The influence of SOMs over precipitate morphology turned out to be also species related. In conclusion, this comparative study has shown that the influence of OM on in vitro precipitation of calcium carbonate was not related to the coral ecology, solitary vs colonial and zooxanthellate vs nonzooxanthellate, and suggested that the coral control over biomineralization process was species specific and encoded in coral genes.

Available therapeutic options against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) are limited because of the high level of resistance to other antimicrobial classes including polymyxins. The double-carbapenem regimen has been recently considered a possible therapeutic strategy. In the present study, we evaluated the in vitro bactericidal and synergistic activity of a double-carbapenem regimen consisting of ertapenem plus high-dose meropenem in a series of patients with healthcare-associated CR-Kp infections in whom the use of colistin was not indicated because of potential nephrotoxicity and/or resistance. In vitro synergy was evaluated using checkerboard and killing studies. A total of 15 patients were included in the study, with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock found in two (13.3%), five (33.3%) and one (6.7%) patients, respectively. Overall, the clinical/microbiological response was 12/15 (80%). Synergy was observed in 11/14 (78.6%) isolates using the checkerboard method whereas in killing studies 12/14 (85.7%) and 14/14 (100%) strains were synergistic and bactericidal at 24 h at concentrations of 1 × MIC MEM+1 × MIC ERT and 2 × MEM+1 × MIC ERT, respectively, with a significant decrease of log CFU/mL compared with other combinations (p

Recent research studies have shown that the intra-skeletal organic matrix of corals contains lipids. This communication reports their characterization and their influence on calcium carbonate precipitation. In addition, their potential role in coral's biomineralization is discussed.

Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and consequent ocean acidification (OA) are projected to have extensive consequences on marine calcifying organisms, including corals. While the effects of OA on coral calcification are well documented, the response of reproduction is still poorly understood since no information are reported for temperate corals. Here we investigate for the first time the influence of OA on sexual reproduction of the temperate azooxanthellate solitary scleractinian Leptopsammia pruvoti transplanted along a natural pCO2 gradient at a Mediterranean CO2 vent. After 3 months, future projection of pH levels did not influence the germ cell production, gametogenesis and embryogenesis in this azooxanthellate coral. These findings suggest that reproductive potential may be quite tolerant to decreasing pH, with implications for ecosystem function and services in a changing ocean.

Journal of Infection - In Press.Proof corrected by the author Available online since mercredi 9 novembre 2016

Transplant recipients are at high risk of infections caused by multidrug resistant microorganisms. Due to the limited therapeutic options, innovative antimicrobial combinations against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae causing severe infections are necessary. A 61-year-old woman with a history of congenital solitary kidney underwent renal transplantation. The postoperative course was complicated by nosocomial pneumonia due to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and pan-sensitive Escherichia coli, successfully treated with antimicrobial therapy. On postoperative day 22, diagnosis of surgical site infection and nosocomial pneumonia with concomitant bacteremia due to a Klebisella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producer E coli was made. The patient was treated with the double-carbapenem regimen (high dose of meropenem plus ertapenem) and a potent synergistic and bactericidal activity of this un-conventional therapeutic strategy was observed in vitro. Despite a microbiological response with prompt negativity of blood cultures, the patient faced a worse outcome because of severe hemorrhagic shock. The double-carbapenem regimen might be considered as a rescue therapy in those subjects, including transplant recipients, in whom previous antimicrobial combinations failed or when colistin use might be discouraged. Performing in vitro synergy testing should be strongly encouraged in cases of infections caused by pan-drug resistant strains, especially in high-risk patients.

The reproduction of scleractinian corals is a fundamental process for maintaining their populations and is essential for understanding the corals’ ecology. However, it has been described in less than 30 % of known species. The majority of these studies were carried out in the tropics. In the Mediterranean, data are limited to historical observation by Lacaze- Duthier and more recent in-deep research on reproductive biology of Balanophyllia europaea , Leptopsammia pruvoti , Cladocora caespitosa, Astroides calycularis , Caryophyllia inornata and the invasive species Oculina patagonica . The Mediterranean Sea is characterized by marked seasonal patterns of seawater temperature that is driven by photoperiod and solar radiation, distinctive of temperate latitudes. Temperature and photoperiod are some of the environmental factors that infl uence organisms at all structural levels by controlling their physiological and reproductive processes. Climate change is leading to variations of environmental factors such as temperature, which could affect the population biology of corals by reducing their reproductive effi ciency, as confi rmed by several studies. This chapter focuses on analyzing the studies on sexual reproduction of Mediterranean scleractinians, integrating current understanding of the potential impacts of environmental changes on corals’ reproductive output. Investigating how reproductive processes are affected by changing environmental conditions under different future scenarios of stress levels (in mesocosm or in fi eld experiments), could help to identify important processes that may have been overlooked in the past

Low-grade inflammatory state causes the development of the principal chronic-degenerative pathologies related with ageing. Consequently, it is required a better comprehension of the physiologic origins and the consequences of the low-grade inflammatory state for the identification of 1) the basic mechanisms that lead to the chronic inflammatory state and, after that, to the progression toward the pathologies and 2) the parallel identification of the prognostic biomarkers typical of these passages. These biomarkers could bring to several improvements in the health quality, allowing an early diagnosis and more effective treatments for: a) the prevention strategies on the healthy population, to assure a healthy longevity and b) the identification of personalized treatment in patients, to assure the benefit of the therapy. For the identification of these biomarkers it is necessary to consider that the ageing processes produce alterations of the physiologic systems and that these modifications compromise the communications between these networks: this state constitutes an obstacle for an appropriate physiologic homeostasis, that plays a fundamental role for the safeguard of the health. It is also to be considered that immune senescence affects both men and women, but it does it in different ways: a sexual dimorphism of immune pathways in the setting of immune response homeostasis is normally present, as we previously underlined. Therefore we hypothesize that, in order to prevent the development of the chronic-degenerative pathologies related with ageing, it is important to identify "Biomarkers of Homeostasis " specific for each gender: these are biologic molecules that should be measurable in a practical and no-invasive way and whose variations can quantify the male and female risk of losing the physiologic system homeostatic capacity. This competence is not only critical in the control of inflammation, but it is also prognostic for the passages from low-grade inflammatory state to the chronic inflammation and to the progression toward the degenerative pathologies. Beginning from the actual results, our intent is 1) to discuss and underline the importance of these new research perspectives in the definition of ageing gender-specific clinical "Biomarkers of Homeostasis" and 2) to propose homeostasis biomarkers, already present in the research results.

The use of muscle flaps is now accepted as a method for coverage of infected wounds. To obtain complete eradication of infection following hip arthroplasty surgery is combined with antibiotic treatment. Aggressive debridment to remove devitalized tissue followed by vastus lateralis muscle flap transposition may improve the likelihood of success in certain challenging cases. We report two cases of prosthetic joint infection treated by aggressive debridment and vastus lateralis transposition with associated appropriate antibiotic therapy. Complete recovery of functional status was observed.

Global climate changes, driven by increasing temperature and pCO2, negatively affect marine ecosystem and mainly calcifying organisms. The reproduction of the zooxanthellate coral, Balanophyllia europaea, varied significantly along a latitudinal gradient of temperature and solar radiation. The warmer populations showed a lower reproductive efficiency due to the inhibition of the zooxanthellae photosynthesis, leading less available energy for reproduction. On the contrary, the B. europaea population, naturally living along a pCO2 gradient, did not show differences in oocytes development, production and morphology, probably by reallocating additional energy due to increasing of photosynthetic efficiency of zooxanthellae under pCO2 conditions. Increasing pCO2 negatively influenced spermaries production and development in L. pruvoti, causing a delayed in fertilization process, probably due to the lack of zooxanthellae involving in a lack of additional energy available for coral. The effects of high temperature, pCO2 and their interaction were tested on two symbiotic tropical corals, Fungia granulosa (solitary) and Pocillopora verrucosa (colonial). F. granulosa showed negative effects only in interaction treatment, while P. verrucosa showed decreased photosynthetic efficiency, increased bleaching tissue and mortality in all treatments. The more sensitivity of P. verrucosa could be explained by lower tissue thickness, making it more exposed and vulnerable to external environmental conditions. To investigate the role of intra-skeletal organic matrix in coral biomineralization, four Mediterranean species with different trophic strategy and growth form were selected. B. europaea organic matrix presented stronger control and higher independence from the crystallization environment than the other corals. Shell features of clam Chamelea gallina varied along a latitudinal gradient of temperature and solar radiation. Shells from the warmest and the most irradiated population were ~30% lighter due to thinner and more porous shells. No variation was observed in shell polymorphism at the nanoscale level, indicating no effects of environmental parameters on its composition and crystallography.