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Aquatic macroinvertebrates are an important component of biodiversity in stream Ecosystems. Conserving and enhancing freshwater biodiversity is important for maintaining ecosystem integrity and sustainability. This requires understanding how the composition of biological communities is influenced by environmental factors at different scales. Factors such as water chemistry, temperature, flow, and land use can all affect the distribution and abundance of different species in freshwater ecosystems. The North of Algeria has a complex hydrographic network, but the inventory of aquatic macroinvertebrates community remains incomplete. This study aimed at compiling an inventory of the macroinvertebrate inhabiting the aquatic ecosystems of each stations in Chréa National Park (province of Blida, Algeria). The results were used to answer two questions: (i) macroinvertebrate composition and richness in these protected ecosystems? (ii) Which taxon or group of taxa is the most dominant?. Different sampling methods (Surber, kick samplers and artificial substrate) were used depending on the characteristics of the sites chosen. The sampling was carried out during three months (February to April, 2021). It was analyzed and identified 1345 organisms belonging to 41 macroinvertebrate families. The system showed high richness and diversity of organisms in response to water quality. The presence of Leptophlebiidae, Baetidae, Heptageniidae and Chironomidae with high abundance of the families showed the potential as biological indicators of a clean ecosystem. To collect the samples, It was used a surber sampler 1 mm mesh every week, with six repetitions in each station, from February to April, 2021. After cleaning and removal of debris. we proceeded by a pre-sorting in morpho-species, then a sorting of the different taxa was carried out in the laboratory. the organisms were identified using a stereoscopic microscope and identification keys. The community structure including abundance, richness and composition was statistical different between stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ornate jobfishPristipomoides argyrogrammicusValenciennes 1832 occurs in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean, where it is harvested by small-scale coastal fisheries. Management of this species is hindered by lack of adequate biological data. We sampled a total of 113 individuals from the landings of local artisanal fishers on the island of Réunion (southwestern Indian Ocean), from March 2014 to March 2015. The relationships between two types of body length (total and standard length, cm) and total weight (g) were shown to be significant (p< 0.05). The length–weight relationship was described by a power function, with the scaling factor estimated to be 0.008 and the exponent 3.146. Age was determined using whole otoliths. The von Bertalanffy growth equation was estimated to be TLt= 30.68(1 – e−0.52(t)). Otolith morphometry variables (length, width and area) were significantly correlated with age estimates (p< 0.05). No significant difference in age estimates was observed between left and right otoliths used as predictors. Readings from observed age and the estimates from modelled age indicated relatively good agreement, suggesting the potential to use whole otoliths for age estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to characterize and compare the feeding ecology of the European eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) during the continental phase (i.e. yellow and silver) along a salinity gradient (i.e. lower, middle and upper) in six northern France estuaries (i.e. brackish water). The diet and stable isotopic (i.e. δ15N and δ13C values) compositions of eels collected with a fyke net in six estuaries (Slack, Wimereux, Liane, Canche, Authie and Somme estuaries) located along the French coast of the eastern English Channel per season over a year were described by combining gut content and stable isotope analyses. Eel guts were dominated by typical BW prey, Malacostraca and Actinopterygii (54% and 40%, respectively), with the gammare Gammarus zaddachi and the green crab Carcinus maenas (38% and 14%, respectively), and smaller yellow eels of A. anguilla and juvenile European flounder, Platichthys flesus (19% and 14%, respectively) being the most frequently found in their guts. The δ13C values of a majority of eels confirmed the sea- and brackish water-specific carbon resources. Dietary and isotopic niche revealed no clear change between total length, silvering stages and seasons, but a significant difference between salinity gradients and estuaries. Eels δ13C values showed significant enrichment from upper to lower along the estuaries while the δ15N values showed an inverse effect, with the lowest values in the lower part and highest in the upper part. Higher variability in δ13C values in larger estuaries suggested that eels feed on a wide range of food sources than in smaller estuaries. While eels in the smaller estuaries fed mainly on Actinopterygii prey, eels in the larger ones had a lower trophic level (i.e. δ15N values) and fed mainly on Malacostraca prey. This spatial difference in dietary and isotopic niche is discussed in relation to biological structure of eel and environmental variables., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Low back pain (LBP) remains one of the most common and incapacitating health conditions worldwide. Clinical guidelines recommend exercise programs after the acute phase, but clinical effects are modest when assessed at a population level. Research needs to determine who is likely to benefit from specific exercise interventions, based on clinical presentation. This study aimed to derive clinical prediction rules (CPRs) for treatment success, using a lumbar stabilization exercise program (LSEP), at the end of treatment and at six-month follow-up. The eight-week LSEP, including clinical sessions and home exercises, was completed by 110 participants with non-acute LBP, with 100 retained at the six-month follow-up. Physical (lumbar segmental instability, motor control impairments, posture and range of motion, trunk muscle endurance and physical performance tests) and psychological (related to fear-avoidance and home-exercise adherence) measures were collected at a baseline clinical exam. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to predict clinical success, as defined by ≥50% decrease in the Oswestry Disability Index. CPRs were derived for success at program completion (T8) and six-month follow-up (T34), negotiating between predictive ability and clinical usability. The chosen CPRs contained four (T8) and three (T34) clinical tests, all theoretically related to spinal instability, making these CPRs specific to the treatment provided (LSEP). The chosen CPRs provided a positive likelihood ratio of 17.9 (T8) and 8.2 (T34), when two or more tests were positive. When applying these CPRs, the probability of treatment success rose from 49% to 96% at T8 and from 53% to 92% at T34. These results support the further development of these CPRs by proceeding to the validation stage., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Estuaries serve as nursery grounds for many marine fish species. However, increasing human activities within estuaries and surrounding areas lead to significant habitat quality degradation for the juveniles. In recent years, plastic pollution has become a global environmental issue as plastic debris are found in all aquatic environments with potential adverse impacts on marine biota. Given the important ecological role of estuaries and implications of microplastics (MP) in ecosystems, here we assess the occurrence, number, size, and polymer types of MP ingested by wild and caged juvenile European flounder (Platichthys flesus). We deployed caged fish for 1 month at five sites in three estuaries in the eastern English Channel. The Seine estuary, heavily impacted by manmade modifications and one of the most contaminated estuaries in Europe, was compared to two smaller estuaries (Canche and Liane) less impacted by industrial activities. We found that juvenile flounders (7-9 cm) were vulnerable to plastic ingestion. Seventy-five percent of caged fish and 58% of wild caught fish had the presence of MP items in their digestive tract. Fibers (69%) dominated in the fish's digestive tract at all sites. An average of 2.04 ± 1.93 MP items were ingested by feral juvenile flounder and 1.67 ± 1.43 by caged juvenile flounder. For the caged fish, the three sites impacted by wastewater treatment plant (Liane, Le Havre harbor, and Rouen) were those with the highest percentage of individuals that has ingested MP items. Most of the isolated items were fibers and blue in color. Polymers identified by micro Raman spectroscopy were polycaprolactam, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyurethane. Although other environmental factors may have affected caged fish condition and mortality, we found no significant correlation with the number of ingested MP. However, the high occurrence of MP ingested by juvenile fish on nursery grounds raises concerns on their potential negative effects for fish recruitment success and population renewal. Finally, this study describes, for the first time, the feasibility of using caged juvenile fish as an assessing tool of MP contamination in estuarine nursery grounds.

This study investigated the role of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent and an abandoned coastal landfill as pathways for microplastics (MPs) input into the marine environment. MPs were first analyzed in raw sewage influent, sludge and effluent samples, and their fate was studied along a distance gradient from the WWTP in three matrices: surface water, sediments and wild mussels. All suspected MPs were characterized according to their polymer nature using micro-Raman spectroscopy. The investigated WWTP had an estimated daily discharge of 227 million MPs. MPs were found in all matrices with a decreasing abundance from the effluent. Strong MPs abundances (higher than those found near the WWTP effluent) were observed in the vicinity of the coastal landfill suggesting its importance as a MPs entry route into the marine coastal environment. Our study supports the idea that blue mussels are a promising sentinel species for MPs (<200 μm)., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The inter-annual variability of the fish and macrocrustacean spring community on an intertidal sandy beach near the Canche estuary (North of France) was studied from 2000 to 2013 based on weekly spring sampling over an 11-year period. Twenty-eight species representing 21 families were collected during the course of the study. The community was dominated by a few abundant species accounting for > 99% of the total species densities. Most individuals caught were young-of-the-year indicating the importance of this ecosystem for juvenile fishes and macrocrustaceans. Although standard qualitative community ecology metrics (species composition, richness, diversity, evenness and similarity) indicated notable stability over the study period, community structure showed a clear change since 2009. Densities of P. platessa, P. microps and A. tobianus decreased significantly since 2009, whereas over the period 2010-2013, the contribution of S. sprattus to total species density increased 4-fold. Co-inertia and generalised linear model analyses identified winter NAO index, water temperature, salinity and suspended particular matter as the major environmental factors explaining these changes. Although the recurrent and dense spring blooms of the Prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis globosa is one of the main potential threats in shallow waters of the eastern English Channel, no negative impact of its temporal change was detected on the fish and macrocrustacean spring community structure.

Background and Objective: Hospital admissions due to exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a major impact on disease progression and costs. We hypothesized that a 1-year integrated care (IC) programme comprising two components (patient-centred education+case management) would be effective in preventing COPD-related hospitalizations., Methods: This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study. Data were retrieved both from an administrative database in the province of Quebec (Canada), and from the medical records at two hospitals in Montreal. One hundred and eighty-nine COPD patients were randomly selected from registers at these centres, from 2004 to 2006. Patients in the intervention group underwent a programme comprising two components: patient -centred education-involving three group sessions of self-management education that included one motivational interview and instruction in the use of a written action plan; and case management-involving scheduled follow-up visits with access to a call centre. The intervention group was compared with a group receiving usual care (UC). The main outcome was COPD-related re-hospitalizations, with length of hospital stay and emergency department (ED) visits being secondary outcomes., Results: Logistic regression analysis with adjustment for covariates showed that there was a lower probability of re-hospitalization over the follow-up year in the IC group compared with the UC group (odds ratio 0.44; 95% confidence interval 0.23-0.85). Subgroup analyses revealed that the IC programme prevented more COPD-related hospitalizations in women compared with men. There were no significant between-group differences in length of hospital stay or number of ED visits., Conclusions: An IC programme combining self-management education and case-management can decrease rates of COPD-related hospitalizations, particularly among women., (© 2012 The Authors. Respirology © 2012 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.)

Objective: To assess the effects of a self-management program on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and morbidity commonly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)., Methods: A total of 57 outpatients with stable COPD received four weeks of self-management education, while 45 patients received usual care. Patients were evaluated at baseline, at three months and one year following the educational intervention. The primary outcome variable was HRQoL measured by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The secondary outcome variables were number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations for exacerbation., Results: The intervention group's HRQoL improved significantly at three months (total score A = -5.0 [P = 0.006]) and 12 months (total score A = -6.7 [P < 0.001]), as evidenced by decreased scores on the SGRQ. In contrast, the SGRQ scores increased significantly in the control group at three months (total score A = +3.7 [P = 0.022]) and 12 months (total score A = +3.4 [P = 0.032]). Global impact appeared to be responsible for the change in the intervention group. Moreover, in the intervention group, the number of hospitalizations dropped from 0.7⁄person⁄year to 0.3⁄person⁄year (P = 0.017), and emergency room visits dropped from 1.1 person⁄year to 0.2⁄person⁄year (P = 0.002), while subjects in the control group did not experience any significant decreases in these parameters., Conclusions: A planned education program improved HRQoL while decreasing the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in patients with stable COPD; this improvement persisted at 12 months.

Objectives: Surveillance programmes for occupational asthma should reduce the severity of asthma both at the time of diagnosis and after removal from exposure as well as costs related to functional impairment. The aim of this study was to compare the severity and cost of diisocyanate-induced occupational asthma in workers participating in a surveillance programme and in twice the number of workers diagnosed after being referred by their physician., Methods: Answers to a self-administered questionnaire led to possible referral for further assessment that included methacholine testing and specific inhalation challenges as the gold standard for confirming occupational asthma. Results Of the 2897 workers who participated, 182 (6.3%) had a positive questionnaire. 79/182 (43%) were referred for further medical assessment and 20 had confirmed occupational asthma by specific inhalation testing. At the time of diagnosis, the 20 screened subjects had a mean PC(20) of 3.35 mg/ml as compared to 1.50 mg/ml (p = 0.05) in the 66 controls. Two years after diagnosis and removal from exposure, the 20 subjects screened had a mean PC(20) of 4.81 mg/ml compared to 1.67 mg/ml (p = 0.03) in controls. Clinical remission occurred in 34% of the screened group compared to 16% of the control group (p = 0.02). The median costs for functional impairment were $C11,900 in screened subjects and $C19,600 in controls (p = 0.04)., Conclusions: Subjects with occupational asthma screened by a medical surveillance programme have a better outcome both at the time of diagnosis and 2 years after removal from exposure, with lower compensation costs compared to controls.

Background: Exercise training may have the potential to improve post-thrombotic syndrome, a frequent, chronic complication of deep venous thrombosis. We conducted a randomized controlled two-centre pilot trial to assess the feasibility of a multicentre-based evaluation of a six-month exercise training program to treat post-thrombotic syndrome and to obtain preliminary data on the effectiveness of such a program., Methods: Patients were randomized to receive exercise training (a six-month trainer-supervised program) or control treatment (an education session with monthly phone follow-ups). Levels of eligibility, consent, adherence and retention were used as indicators of study feasibility. Primary outcomes were change from baseline to six months in venous disease-specific quality of life (as measured using the Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study Quality of Life [VEINES-QOL] questionnaire) and severity of post-thrombotic syndrome (as measured by scores on the Villalta scale) in the exercise training group versus the control group, assessed by t tests. Secondary outcomes were change in generic quality of life (as measured using the Short-Form Health Survey-36 [SF-36] questionnaire), category of severity of post-thrombotic syndrome, leg strength, leg flexibility and time on treadmill., Results: Of 95 patients with post-thrombotic syndrome, 69 were eligible, 43 consented and were randomized, and 39 completed the study. Exercise training was associated with improvement in VEINES-QOL scores (exercise training mean change 6.0, standard deviation [SD] 5.1 v. control mean change 1.4, SD 7.2; difference 4.6, 95% CI 0.54 to 8.7; p = 0.027) and improvement in scores on the Villalta scale (exercise training mean change -3.6, SD 3.7 v. control mean change -1.6, SD 4.3; difference -2.0, 95% CI -4.6 to 0.6; p = 0.14). Most secondary outcomes also showed greater improvement in the exercise training group., Interpretation: Exercise training may improve post-thrombotic syndrome. It would be feasible to definitively evaluate exercise training as a treatment for post-thrombotic syndrome in a large multicentre trial.