Tamoxifen-inducible gene targeting in mice with estrogen receptor-dependent Cre (CreER) recombinase has enormously advanced vascular biology research. However, CreER activation under the control of vascular endothelial promoters causes off-target effects that impair the vascularization of the retina, a widely used model to study the molecular and cellular mechanisms of angiogenesis. Although ubiquitously expressed CreER is als...

The quality of post-disaster data directly impacts the reliability of empirical fragility curves. Many seismic studies rely on estimated, rather than measured, ground motion intensity due to the limited number of recording stations. However, this study utilizes a unique database of over 7,817 buildings surveyed near 37 ground motion stations in the prefectures of Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures following the 2011 Great...

Purpose This study examined physiological and perceptual parameters related to cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) in the fingers and toes of people with paraplegia and compared them with responses observed in able-bodied individuals. Methods Seven participants with paraplegia and seven able-bodied individuals participated in a randomized matched-controlled study involving left-hand and -foot immersion in cold water (8 ± 1 °C) fo...

Mosquitoes are a threat worldwide since they are vectors of important pathogens and parasites such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and West Nile. The residual toxicity of several commercial mosquito larvicides was evaluated for the control of Culex pipiens pipiens under controlled laboratory and semi-field conditions during late spring and summer of 2013. The evaluation included six different active ingredient formulations,...

During the early stage of biological invasions, interactions occur between native and non-native species that do not share an evolutionary history. This can result in ecological naïveté, causing native species to exhibit maladaptive behavioural responses to novel enemies, leading to negative consequences for individual fitness and ecosystem function. The behavioural response of native to non-native species during novel encount...

Biomass is defined as organic matter from living organisms represented in all kingdoms. It is recognized to be an excellent source of proteins, polysaccharides and lipids and, as such, embodies a tailored feedstock for new products and processes to apply in green industries. The industrial processes focused on the valorization of terrestrial biomass are well established, but marine sources still represent an untapped resource....

Anthropogenic activity can increase water turbidity, changing fish behaviour by reducing visibility. The spread of invasive species is also facilitated by human activity, further increasing the pressure on native species. In two experiments, we measured the foraging efficiency, risk perception and inter-individual consistency of risk-taking (personality variation in boldness) of an invasive species, the Nile tilapia ( Oreochro...

The variation of the smaller size fraction of zooplankton was investigated during a two-year period in a brackish deep and anoxic coastal lake of western Greece (Aitoliko), along with the specific environmental characteristics of this ecosystem. The zooplanktonic community comprised a relatively small number of taxa and it was dominated by brackish-water calanoid copepods (Paracartia latisetosa, Calanipeda aquaedulcis) and in...

An updated inventory of alien marine species from coastal and offshore waters of Cyprus is presented. Records were compiled based on the existing scientific and grey literature, including HCMR database of Mediterranean alien species, technical reports, scientific congresses, academic dissertations, and websites, as well as on unpublished/personal observations. The listed species were classified in one of five categories: estab...