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Otoliths are important structures for balance and hearing of fish and constitute a useful tool in fisheries science. This study provides, for the first time in the Mediterranean, information on the otolith morphometrics of Dentex maroccanus, collected from the South Aegean Sea, and enriches the existing information on its age and growth by sex. The otolith shape variables examined showed a more circular to square otolith shape, related to the body size. Significant differences between sexes were detected for the otolith Area, Diameter, Perimeter, and Radius. Exponential regressions were used to examine the relationship of the otolith variables with total body length, from which five showed a strong correlation (Diameter, Width, Radius, Area, and Perimeter). The eviscerated weight–length relationship exhibited an isometric growth for both sexes, whereas when total weight was applied, a positive allometric growth was found for females. Sagittal otolith readings revealed four age groups for females and five for males. A Bhattacharya method was used for age validation. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were as follows: L∞ = 23.08, k = 0.27, t0 = −1.93 for females and L∞ = 24.07, k = 0.24, t0 = −2.26 for males. This research offers valuable biological information for Dentex maroccanus useful in fisheries science.

European hake, Merluccius merluccius L. 1758, is a highly valuable demersal fish species exploited in both the east Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. Changes in the size-at-maturity of this species have been reported in various geographic areas. Size-at-maturity is a key parameter in fishery management. Our main goal was to study the trend of the size-at-maturity of European hake in the eastern Ionian Sea (Central Mediterranean) over the last five decades. Utilizing a multi-decadal series of data for various environmental variables, we employed multivariate analyses and non-additive modeling in an attempt to identify shifts in the climatic environment of the eastern Ionian Sea and whether the maturation of the hake population could be affected by these changes. The analyses used suggest a plausible environmental regime shift in the study area in the late 1990s/early 2000s. The decrease in size-at-maturity that was detected in the last two decades may, thus, be associated with environmental changes. However, as many fish stocks already experience fishery-induced evolution, further investigation is necessary to determine whether this environmental effect is an additional stressor on a possibly already fishery-impacted population. The outcomes of this study highlight the importance of investigating the relationship between fish reproductive traits and altered environmental conditions, as the latter are generally ignored during assessments, affecting the robustness of fishery management.

Background: The role of the nasal epithelium in the induction of a proper cytokine response in normal subjects and subjects with allergic rhinitis is still not completely elucidated. Methodology: We aimed to compare nasal epithelial immune responses in allergic rhinitis patients of different ages compared to healthy volunteers. Primary nasal epithelial cells from 47 subjects (33 normal and 17 with allergic rhinitis) were collected and cultured. Their unstimulated supernatants were analysed for 21 cytokines and chemokines. Statistical analysis was performed with the R statistical software and the RStudio interface. Results: Differences of the spontaneous release of epithelial cytokines and chemokines were noticed between the two study groups. The levels of GMCSF, MIP1A, MIP1B, IL28A, TNFA, CCL5 were significantly lower in the allergic rhinitis group compared to healthy volunteers’ group, independent of age. Most differences were noticed in the younger allergic rhinitis group (0-12 years old). Conclusions: Despite the cross-sectional nature of the study and the limited number of subjects, allergic rhinitis appears to be associated with dysfunction of cytokine and chemokine spontaneous release from nasal epithelial cells which may represent an abnormal innate immunity maturation pattern.

Background/Aims The measurement of infliximab trough levels (IFX-TLs) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is performed to optimize treatment. However, the association between the development of adverse events (AEs) and IFX-TLs has not been sufficiently studied thus far. To investigate the possible association of IFX-TLs with AEs in Greek patients with IBD receiving maintenance treatment with IFX. Methods A retrospective analysis of the registry data of the Gastroenterology Department of the University Hospital of Heraklion, from IBD patients with at least one available IFX-TL measurement during the years 2016 to 2017 was conducted. AEs reported 4 months before and 4 months after the measured IFX-TLs were recorded. The IFX-TLs of patients with or without AEs were compared. Results Of a total of 83 IBD patients (61 Crohn’s disease [73%]; 52 men [63%]; mean age ± standard deviation, 43.3 ± 16.0 years), 147 measurements of IFX-TLs were available (median 4.69 μg/mL [1.32–9.16]), and 99 AEs (67.3%, 14 severe) were registered. The median IFX-TL of patients with AEs was 5.79 μg/mL (1.36–10.25), higher than the median IFX-TL of patients without AEs (3.40 μg/mL [1.30–5.92]), but the difference was not significant (P=0.97). The presence of infections or dermatologic reactions was not correlated with IFX-TLs. There was no difference in the prevalence of the total AEs (66.7% vs. 73.3%, P=0.77) or in the analysis of AEs by group between patients with IFX-TLs ≥ 15 μg/mL and patients with IFX-TLs < 15 μg/mL. Conclusions IFX-TLs are not significantly associated with the development of AEs in IBD patients receiving maintenance treatment with IFX.

Alcohol use disorder's complexity arises from genetic and environmental factors, with alcohol metabolism genes and neurotransmitter pathways being critical. This study aims to analyze synaptic plasticity gene expression changes in individuals with AUD in order to study their contribution to AUD development and to identify potential biomarkers of treatment response. RNA was extracted from whole peripheral blood (20 patients, 10 healthy controls), before and after treatment (Qiagen AllPrep RNA/DNA Mini Kit), and the gene expression of 84 genes related to neuroplasticity was studied using the RT2 Profiler for Human Synaptic Plasticity RT-PCR Array (PAHS-126ZA, Qiagen), comparing AUD patients to control and responders to non-responders. The potential prognostic/predictive biomarkers were searched using machine learning models. A total of 35 dysregulated genes were found in AUD patients. EPHB2, EGR, and AKT1 were increased, while TIMP1, NCAM1, and GRM2 were decreased. Responders showed distinct gene expression profiles at baseline. After treatment, the expression of 57 genes was normalized, while NCAM1, GRM2, and BDNF showed the most significant recovery. EGR4, INHBA, and NCAM1 emerged as potential biomarkers to predict treatment success. These results indicate that gene profiles in peripheral blood can serve as prognostic markers for the prognosis and treatment of AUD, although further validation is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The study of epigenetics has improved our understanding of mechanisms underpinning gene‐environment interactions and is providing new insights in the pathophysiology of respiratory allergic diseases. We reviewed the literature on DNA methylation patterns across different tissues in asthma and/or rhinitis and attempted to elucidate differentially methylated loci that could be used to characterize asthma or rhinitis. Although nasal and bronchial epithelia are similar in their histological structure and cellular composition, genetic and epigenetic regulation may differ across tissues. Advanced methods have enabled comprehensive, high‐throughput methylation profiling of different tissues (bronchial or nasal epithelial cells, whole blood or isolated mononuclear cells), in subjects with respiratory conditions, aiming to elucidate gene regulation mechanisms and identify new biomarkers. Several genes and CpGs have been suggested as asthma biomarkers, though research on allergic rhinitis is still lacking. The most common differentially methylated loci presented in both blood and nasal samples are ACOT7, EPX, KCNH2, SIGLEC8, TNIK, FOXP1, ATPAF2, ZNF862, ADORA3, ARID3A, IL5RA, METRNL and ZFPM1. Overall, there is substantial variation among studies, (i.e. sample sizes, age groups and disease phenotype). Greater variability of analysis method detailed phenotypic characterization and age stratification should be taken into account in future studies.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common chronic liver disease that is closely associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Circulating cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) and global DNA methylation, expressed as circulating levels of 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine, are increasingly used to monitor chronic inflammatory diseases of several etiologies. This study attempts to investigate the serum levels of circulating cf-DNA and 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine in HBeAg-negative patients with chronic infection (carriers) and chronic hepatitis B (CHB), as well as their changes after treatment initiation in CHB. Methods: Serum samples from a total of 61 HBeAg-negative patients (30 carriers and 31 CHB patients) were included in order to quantify the levels of circulating cf-DNA and 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine. In addition, serum samples from 17 CHB patients in complete virological and biochemical remission after initiation of treatment with a nucleos(t)ide analogue were included. Results: Circulating cf-DNA concentration was significantly increased after the initiation of treatment (15 vs. 10 ng/mL, p = 0.022). There was a trend in higher mean levels of circulating 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine in carriers compared to CHB patients (211.02 vs. 175.66 ng/mL, p = 0.089), as well as a trend in increasing 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine levels after treatment initiation in CHB patients compared to pre-treatment levels (215 vs. 173 ng/mL, p = 0.079). Conclusions: Both circulating levels of cf-DNA and 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine might be useful biomarkers in order to monitor liver disease activity and response to antiviral treatment in HBeAg-negative chronic HBV patients, but further studies are essential in order to validate these intriguing findings.