Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 associates with diverse symptoms, which can persist for months. While antiviral antibodies are protective, those targeting interferons ...and other immune factors are associated with adverse coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. Here we discovered that antibodies against specific chemokines were omnipresent post-COVID-19, were associated with favorable disease outcome and negatively correlated with the development of long COVID at 1 yr post-infection. Chemokine antibodies were also present in HIV-1 infection and autoimmune disorders, but they targeted different chemokines compared with COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies derived from COVID-19 convalescents that bound to the chemokine N-loop impaired cell migration. Given the role of chemokines in orchestrating immune cell trafficking, naturally arising chemokine antibodies may modulate the inflammatory response and thus bear therapeutic potential.
Determining the genetic population structure and intraspecific evolution of species is important for efficient management. Here we investigated 394 sequences of the mtDNA cyt b of the critically ...endangered European eel, Anguilla anguilla. We found 62 different haplotypes, among which 32 novel ones. All those sequences were grouped into 9 haplogroups on the basis of their frequency and links in the haplotype network. Two pairwise comparisons revealed significant genetic differentiation between regions. One comparison indicated small (ΦST = 0.02768; P = 0.0071) genetic differentiation between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. Another comparison indicated small (ΦST = 0.01144; P = 0.0440) genetic differentiation between eel samples caught in the Baltic Sea, the Curonian Lagoon and the Gulf of Riga and those captured in the North Sea. The results of the study are in agreement with the recent findings obtained using the mtDNA D-loop region as a molecular marker, indicating that although A. anguilla is considered a panmictic species the genetic structure of its population indicated by mtDNA markers could be characterized as a genetic mosaic.
The European eel is a highly migratory fish. After the reproduction in the Sargasso Sea early larval-stages start a passive ocean migration towards European and Mediterranean continental waters. ...After several years as yellow eels, mature adults change to silver stage and then start their return trip. The trajectory of their backward migration is unknown, because of low probability of capturing migrating individuals, having this capture never been reported in the Mediterranean. Recently, 8 silver eels were collected in the Strait of Sicily. Using literature information about possible individual route and speed, their geographical position was projected up to the spawning site during reproductive season. Despite using optimal and continuous migration swimming speed, none of the specimens may have been able to reach the Sargasso Sea in time for mating. Subsequently, to identify putative Mediterranean areas from which eels could have been reaching the spawning grounds on time, a backward scenario was postulated using the previous scientific assumptions. Our results suggests that just a small quota of Mediterranean silver males successfully reaches the Sargasso area, and only females from the westernmost and central parts of the basin could be able to fruitfully pond their eggs during the supposed spawning period.
This work proposes the experimentation of an innovative hydraulic dredge for clam fishing (Chamelea gallina) in the Adriatic Sea (Italy). This innovative gear aimed at increasing the selectivity of ...the typical hydraulic dredge used currently, while at the same reducing the impact on benthos through the conception, installation, and experimentation of innovative technological solutions, consisting mainly of a vibrating bottom panel on the dredge and a “warning device” on the dredge mouth. Comparative experiments of the traditional vs. the modified gear, employing two boats fishing in parallel on the northern coast of Abruzzi (Adriatic Sea) and contrasting the catch with both paired comparisons and through modelling, showed that the innovative hydraulic dredge retains fewer undersize clams while yielding similar amounts of commercial product, moreover of higher quality; at the same time, it takes on board less discard, and catches significantly less vagile fauna. In short, the innovative gear is gaining five times over a list of six parameters considered as positive and/or advantageous for the clam fishery. The results allow proposals of potential improvements to clam-fishing instruments to make the selection processes more effective while promoting a lower impacting fishery, which is essential for clam management.
Lobsters are important resources throughout the world's oceans, providing food security, employment, and a trading commodity. Whereas marine biologists generally focus on modern impacts of fisheries, ...here we explore the deep history of lobster exploitation by prehistorical humans and ancient civilizations, through the first half of the 20th century. Evidence of lobster use comprises midden remains, artwork, artefacts, writings about lobsters, and written sources describing the fishing practices of indigenous peoples. Evidence from archaeological dig sites is potentially biased because lobster shells are relatively thin and easily degraded in most midden soils; in some cases, they may have been used as fertilizer for crops instead of being dumped in middens. Lobsters were a valuable food and economic resource for early coastal peoples, and ancient Greek and Roman Mediterranean civilizations amassed considerable knowledge of their biology and fisheries. Before European contact, lobsters were utilized by indigenous societies in the Americas, southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand at seemingly sustainable levels, even while other fish and molluscan species may have been overfished. All written records suggest that coastal lobster populations were dense, even in the presence of abundant and large groundfish predators, and that lobsters were much larger than at present. Lobsters gained a reputation as "food for the poor" in 17th and 18th century Europe and parts of North America, but became a fashionable seafood commodity during the mid-19th century. High demand led to intensified fishing effort with improved fishing gear and boats, and advances in preservation and long-distance transport. By the early 20th century, coastal stocks were overfished in many places and average lobster size was significantly reduced. With overfishing came attempts to regulate fisheries, which have varied over time and have met with limited success.
The abundance, occurrence, biological features, growth and mortality parameters of the thornback ray, Raja clavata L. 1758 (Rajformes, Rajidae), coming from two contiguous areas of the Strait of ...Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea) were analysed in order to discriminate the stocks. The two investigated areas include bottoms off southern Sicily (I-G16) and bottoms further at large (O-G16). The density indexes, biomass indexes and occurrences were substantially lower in I-G16 than O-G16. On the contrary, the biological traits were more similar, although significant differences were detected in the sex ratio, in the median total length of all specimens, in the length frequency distribution, in the estimated maximum length and in the female length-weight slope parameter. The median length of fully mature specimens did not significantly differ between the two areas. The von Bertalanffy's asymptotic length and the ratio of total mortality/von Bertalanffy's curvature parameter suggest a total mortality higher in the I-G16 than the O-G16 populations. This article supports the hypothesis that the investigated populations, in spite of a similar original life cycle, have evolved in two distinct unit stocks as a consequence of the different fishing efforts and the low-intermingling rate between the two areas.
The abundance, occurrence, biological features, growth and mortality parameters of the thornback ray,
Raja clavata
L. 1758 (Rajformes, Rajidae), coming from two contiguous areas of the Strait of ...Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea) were analysed in order to discriminate the stocks. The two investigated areas include bottoms off southern Sicily (I-G16) and bottoms further at large (O-G16). The density indexes, biomass indexes and occurrences were substantially lower in I-G16 than O-G16. On the contrary, the biological traits were more similar, although significant differences were detected in the sex ratio, in the median total length of all specimens, in the length frequency distribution, in the estimated maximum length and in the female length-weight slope parameter. The median length of fully mature specimens did not significantly differ between the two areas. The von Bertalanffy’s asymptotic length and the ratio of total mortality/von Bertalanffy’s curvature parameter suggest a total mortality higher in the I-G16 than the O-G16 populations. This article supports the hypothesis that the investigated populations, in spite of a similar original life cycle, have evolved in two distinct unit stocks as a consequence of the different fishing efforts and the low-intermingling rate between the two areas.
Determining the genetic population structure and intraspecific evolution of species is important for efficient management. Here we investigated 394 sequences of the mtDNA cyt b of the critically ...endangered European eel, Anguilla anguilla. We found 62 different haplotypes, among which 32 novel ones. All those sequences were grouped into 9 haplogroups on the basis of their frequency and links in the haplotype network. Two pairwise comparisons revealed significant genetic differentiation between regions. One comparison indicated small genetic differentiation between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. Another comparison indicated small genetic differentiation between eel samples caught in the Baltic Sea, the Curonian Lagoon and the Gulf of Riga and those captured in the North Sea. The results of the study are in agreement with the recent findings obtained using the mtDNA D-loop region as a molecular marker, indicating that although A. anguilla is considered a panmictic species the genetic structure of its population indicated by mtDNA markers could be characterized as a genetic mosaic.
In this paper, some life-history estimates concerning the females of the Mediterranean hake Merluccius merluccius (L., 1758), i.e. the parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function (L sub( ...proportional to ), K, and t sub(0)), the maximum-ever lengths (L sub(mx-e)), and the lengths at full maturity (L sub(mst)) were gathered from the pertinent literature and used to derive 5 growth performance indexes (K, iota ', RL=L sub(mst)/ L sub( proportional to ), t sub(50%) and omega ). The original datasets (n=70) and the corresponding growth performance indexes were organized and analyzed by various geographical units (GFCM's geographical sub-area, GSA; GFCM's statistical division, GD; and biological province, BP). The parameter distribution resulted to be normal only for the growth performance indexes K and RL; a significant relationship correlation was detected between K and t sub(50)%, between iota ' and omega , and between K and omega . The examination of the available historical data showed a scattered and unbalanced geographical distribution by GSA (e.g. 13 of 20 GSAs had less than 5 datasets each), a variability which was higher intra-GSA than inter-GSAs (as evidenced by the box-plots) and no clear geographical trend. GD and BP presented similar patterns, with significant geographical effects only in the RL. Present results suggest that, even if geographical effects are expected, they are obscured by the uncertainty of the original parameters, especially those related to the von Bertalanffy growth function (vBGF). Consequently, growth performance indexes should be used (and interpreted) with caution.Original Abstract: U ovom radu, iznesene su neke procjene rasta koji se odnosi na zenke sredozemnog oslica (Merluccius merluccius L., 1758) tj. parametara rasta von Bertalanffy-eve jednadzbe rasta (L sub( proportional to ), K, i t sub(0)), maksimalna duzina ikad postignuta (L sub(mx-e)), te duzina u punoj zrelosti (L sub(mst)), a koji su prikupljeni iz literature i koristeni za dobivanje 5 razlicitih indeksa rasta (K, iota ', RL=L sub(mst)/L sub( proportional to ), t sub(50%) i omega ). Originalni setovi (n = 70) i odgovarajuci indeksi rasta su organizirani / sistematizirani i analizirani prema razlicitim geografskim jedinicama (GFCM-a zemljopisno pod-podrucje, GSA, GFCM-a statisticka podjela, GD, te bioloska pokrajina, BP). Parametar raspodjele rezultirao je normalno samo za izvedbe rasta indeksa K i RL; znacajna korelacija povezanosti je utvrdena izmedu K i t sub(50%),, izmedu iota 'i omega , te izmedu K i omega . Pregled dostupnih povijesnih podataka pokazao je rasprsenu i neujednacenu geografsku raspodjelu po GSA (npr. 13 preko 20 GSAs imali su manje od 5 skupova podataka svaki), vise varijabilnosti unutar GSA od medudjelovanja GSAs (o cemu svjedoci okvir box-plotova) i nejasan geografski trend. GD i BP prikazuju slicne obrasce, sa znacajnim geografskim ucincima samo u RL. Trenutni rezultati pokazuju da, cak i ako su geografski ucinci ocekivani, oni su prikriveni nesigurnoscu izvornih parametara, posebno onih koje se odnose na rast prikazan von Bertalanffy-evom funkcijom (vBGF), pa stoga performanse rasta indeksa treba koristiti (i interpretirati) s oprezom.
Stock identification of Raja clavata L Bottari, Teresa; Rinelli, Paola; Bianchini, Marco L ...
Hydrobiologia,
02/2013, Letnik:
703, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The abundance, occurrence, biological features, growth and mortality parameters of the thornback ray, Raja clavata L. 1758 (Rajformes, Rajidae), coming from two contiguous areas of the Strait of ...Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea) were analysed in order to discriminate the stocks. The two investigated areas include bottoms off southern Sicily (I-G16) and bottoms further at large (O-G16). The density indexes, biomass indexes and occurrences were substantially lower in I-G16 than O-G16. On the contrary, the biological traits were more similar, although significant differences were detected in the sex ratio, in the median total length of all specimens, in the length frequency distribution, in the estimated maximum length and in the female length-weight slope parameter. The median length of fully mature specimens did not significantly differ between the two areas. The von Bertalanffy's asymptotic length and the ratio of total mortality/von Bertalanffy's curvature parameter suggest a total mortality higher in the I-G16 than the O-G16 populations. This article supports the hypothesis that the investigated populations, in spite of a similar original life cycle, have evolved in two distinct unit stocks as a consequence of the different fishing efforts and the low-intermingling rate between the two areas.
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