The Relation Between Tourism, Local Development and Insularity： Case Study of Southern Aegean, Greece

Greece as a significant tourist destination showed a considerable increase （5.1%） in tourist arrivals in 2016, despite intense geopolitical upheaval, especially in the area of South-East Aegean. It is noteworthy that the main volume of tourism proceeds in Greece was generated by its insular regions, despite the intense problems faced by insularity, and by the insular Region of Southern Aegean in particular, despite the heavy refugee flows due to its geopolitical position. However, how is insularity affected by the new hyper-taxation of the islands through the increase of value added tax in insular local development and tourism？ Is insular economy strong enough to withstand the increased and intensely varying international challenges？ In this paper, after realistically depicting the official and published national tourism results for 2016, it is presented the immediate policy, institutional and destination management actions required in the Region of Southem Aegean so that it might be able to respond adequately to the new European or global tourism challenges, and act as the steam engine of the Greek tourism, pulling the broader Greek tourism development forward.

Effect of infarct location and volume on cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients with acute insular cerebral infarction

BACKGROUND The aging of the population has become increasingly obvious in recent years,and the incidence of cerebral infarction has shown an increasing trend annually,with high death and disability rates.AIM To analyze the effects of infarct location and volume on cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients with acute insular cerebral infarction.METHODS Between January 2020 and December 2023,we treated 98 cases of elderly acute insula,patients with cerebral infarction in the cerebral infarction acute phase(3-4 weeks)and for the course of 6 months in Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale(MoCA)for screening of cognition.Notably,58 and 40 patients were placed in the cognitive impairment group and without-cognitive impairment group,respec-tively.In patients with cerebral infarction,magnetic resonance imaging was used to screen and clearly analyze the MoCA scores of two groups of patients with different infarctions,the relationship between the parts of the infarction volume,and analysis of acute insula cognitive disorder in elderly patients with cerebral RESULTS The number of patients with cognitive impairment in the basal ganglia and thalamus was significantly higher than that without cognitive impairment(P<0.05).The total infarct volume in the cognitive impairment group was higher than that in the non-cognitive impairment group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The infarct volumes at different sites in the cognitive impairment group was higher than in the non-cognitive impairment group(P<0.05).In the cognitive impairment group,the infarct volumes in the basal ganglia,thalamus,and mixed lesions were negatively correlated with the total MoCA score,with correlation coefficients of-0.67,-0.73,and-0.77,respectively.CONCLUSION In elderly patients with acute insular infarction,infarction in the basal ganglia,thalamus,and mixed lesions were more likely to lead to cognitive dysfunction than in other areas,and patients with large infarct volumes were more likely to develop cognitive dysfunction.The infarct volume in the basal ganglia,thalamus,and mixed lesions was significantly negatively correlated with the MoCA score.

Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of Motor Cortex versus Insula Cortex on Chronic Post-Mastectomy Pain: Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) across cortical brain areas appears to improve various forms of pain, yet evidence of tDCS efficiency and ideal stimulation target is lacking. This study aimed to compare the add-on analgesic efficacy of concentric electrode transcranial direct current stimulation (CE-tDCS) stimulation over the primary motor cortex versus the insular cortex on the management of chronic postmastectomy pain. Method: Prospective randomized double-blind sham-controlled study enrolled eighty patients with chronic postmastectomy pain that were randomly assigned to four groups: active motor (AM), sham motor (SM), active insula (AI) and sham insula (SI) group, each received 5 sessions for 20-minute duration with 2 mA tDCS over the targeted area of the contralateral side of pain. Our primary outcome was VAS score, the secondary outcomes were VDS score, LANSS score and depression symptoms by HAM-D scores, assessment was done at 4 time points (prestimulation, after 5th session, 15th day and one month after the last session). Results: Both active tDCS groups (motor and insula) showed reduction of VAS (P Conclusion: Active tDCS stimulation either targeting the primary motor cortex or the insula cortex has add-on analgesic effect for controlling neuropathic chronic post mastectomy pain and the maximum effect was at 15 days after the last session.

The Ancient Josefov Jewish Quarter in Prague： An Example of Urban Island

Our work concerns the study of the ancient Jewish Quarter Josefov, the urban center of Stare Meto, in Prague. This Quarter represents a well-defined urban fact, recognizable within the fabric of the historic city. Over the centuries, it has influenced the shape of the city and has become one of the most important and characteristic elements through its structure and spaces, its geography and its architecture （the Synagogue or the Jewish cemetery）. However, this quarter also represents a fundamental social fact for the city of Prague as it is born from and organized around a very strong and historically rooted cultural identity. This cultural identity is characterized by uses, social customs, and traditions of a Jewish community that has been part of the history of the city over the centuries, helping to create myths and legends around it. The aim of this research is to preserve and recognize that cultural identity, using a strategic vision that starts from the reconstruction of pieces of this cultural testimony via the recovery of small parts of the urban fabric in the center or on the edge of this urban island.

Blockage of the habenular nucleus can eliminate dyspnea induced by electrostimulation of the insular cortex

BACKGROUND： The insular cortex and habenular nucleus may be a regulatory center for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and dyspnea may be caused by insular cortex activity. The insular cortex is a cortical representation of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The habenular nucleus is a station for descending insular cortex activity. OBJECTIVE： Through actively stimulating the rat insular cortex, to observe rat respiratory movement, myoelectric activities of genioglossus, arterial partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide and acidity-alkalinity, and to verify a hypothesis that the insular cortex is a superior-position regulation center, and the habenular nucleus is an inferior-position nervous nuclei of the insular cortex in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： The randomized, controlled animal study was performed at the Laboratory of Electrophysiology, Department of Physiology, Norman Bathune College of Medicine, Jilin University, China from September 2004 to June 2008. MATERIALS： We used L-glutamic acid （Dingguo Biological Product Research Center, Beijing, China）, lidocaine hydrochloride （Seventh Pharmacy Co., Ltd., Wuxi, China）, electric stimulator （Nihon Kohden, Japan）, and an AVL-OPTI blood gas analyzer （AVL Scientific Co., Roswell, GA, USA）. METHODS： The insular cortex of healthy adult Wistar rats underwent electrostimulation and L-glutamic acid stimulation to record changes in the myoelectric activity of genioglossus and respiratory movement. Some rats were injected with lidocaine to block the habenular nucleus before electrostimulation or L-glutamic acid stimulation. L-glutamic acid and lidocaine were injected by microelectrodes embedded in nuclear groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Myoelectric activities of genioglossus, arterial partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide and acidity-alkalinity were measured following apnea in rats undergoing electrostimulation in the insular cortex and following blockade of the habenular nucleus. RESULTS： Following electrostimulation and L-glutamic acid stimulation, rats developed apnea or respiratory rhythm disorders. Simultaneously, the amplitude of myoelectric activity of the genioglossus was reduced （P 〈 0.01 ）, and the electromyogram integral was decreased （P 〈 0.01）. Arterial blood gas analysis showed arterial blood acidosis, a decrease in pH （P 〈 0.05）, and an increase in the negative value of alkaline reserve （P 〈 0.01）. Lidocaine in the habenular nuclear blocked respiratory and other index changes after insular cortex stimulation. CONCLUSION： Dyspnea induced by stimulating the insular cortex may require the habenular nucleus. Paralysis of the habenular nucleus can completely eliminate insular cortex stimulation-induced dyspnea.

Intraoperative diffusion tensor imaging predicts the recovery of motor dysfunction after insular lesions

Insular lesions remain surgically challenging because of the need to balance aggressive resection and functional protection. Motor function deficits due to corticospinal tract injury are a common complication of surgery for lesions adjacent to the internal capsule and it is therefore essential to evaluate the corticospinal tract adjacent to the lesion. We used diffusion tensor imaging to evaluate the corticospinal tract in 89 patients with insular lobe lesions who underwent surgery in Chinese PLA General Hospital from February 2009 to May 2011. Postoperative motor function evaluation revealed that 57 patients had no changes in motor function, and 32 patients suffered motor dysfunction or aggravated motor dysfunction. Of the affected patients, 20 recovered motor function during the 6-12-month follow-up, and an additional 12 patients did not recover over more than 12 months of follow-up. Following reconstruction of the corticospinal tract, fractional anisotropy comparison demonstrated that preoperative, intraoperative and follow-up normalized fractional anisotropy in the stable group was higher than in the transient deficits group or the long-term deficits group. Compared with the transient deficits group, intraoperative normalized fractional anisotropy significantly decreased in the long-term deficits group. We conclude that intraoperative fractional anisotropy values of the corticospinal tracts can be used as a prognostic indicator of motor function outcome.

An early evaluation of translocation actions for endangered plant species on Mediterranean islands

In situ conservation is widely considered a primary conservation strategy. Plant translocation, specifically, represents an important tool for reducing the extinction risk of threatened species. However, thus far, few documented translocations have been carried out in the Mediterranean islands. The CareMediflora project, carried out on six Mediterranean islands, tackles both short-and long-term needs for the insular endangered plants through in situ and ex situ conservation actions. The project approach is based on using ex situ activities as a tool to improve in situ conservation of threatened plant species.Fifty island plants(representing 45 taxa) were selected for translocations using common criteria.During the translocations, several approaches were used, which differed in site selection method, origin of genetic material, type of propagative material, planting method, and more. Although only preliminary data are available, some general lessons can be learned from the experience of the CareMediflora project. Among the factors restricting the implementation of translocations, limited financial resources appear to be the most important. Specific preliminary management actions, sometimes to be reiterated after translocation, increase the overall cost, but often are necessary for translocation success. Translocation using juvenile/reproductive plants produces better results over the short term,although seeds may provide good results over the long run(to be assessed in the future). Regardless,plant translocation success can only be detected over long periods; therefore, proper evaluation of plant translocations requires a long-term monitoring protocol. Care-Mediflora project represents the first attempt to combine the existing approaches in a common plant conservation strategy specifically focusing on the Mediterranean islands.

Role of 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

In the present study, electrical stimulation to the rat insular cortex induced apnea or respiratory disturbance, reduced amplitude of genioglossal electromyogram, and decreased electromyogram integrals. In addition, arterial blood gas analysis showed arterial blood acidosis, reduced pH values, increased alkali reserve negative values, decreased peripheral blood 5-hydroxytryptamine content, and increased 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells. Following lidocaine injection to block the habenular nucleus, abnormalities in breath, genioglossal electromyogram, and blood gas values disappeared, and peripheral blood 5-hydroxytryptamine content returned to levels prior to electric stimulation. However, 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells remained high. The results suggested that 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in Purkinje cells did not correlate with ventilation function involving insular cortex and habenular nucleus.

Impairment of LTP in insular cortex is correlated to resilience and vulnerability to chronic stress for PTSD

OBJECTIVE Exposure to stressful events can be differently perceived by individuals depending on the level of stress resilience or vulnerability.The neural processes that underlie such clinical y and social y important differences are largely unknown.As insula cortex is important in emotional processing,we have examined whether the changes in synaptic plasticity in the insula cortex involved in stress resilience or vulnerability.METHODS Mice were divided into two groups:control and stress group.Stress group was treated by foot electric shock twice daily(0.8 mA,2 s,ten times in 1 min) in continuous two weeks.Then we used fear conditioning test to detect re-experiencing of traumatic experience,open field test to detect avoidance,pre-pulse inhibition experiment to detect hyper arousal.The changes of synaptic plasticity in the insular cortex were recorded by the multiple channels electrophysiology and whole cell patch.RESULTS According to the behavioral scores,it was divided into resilient and vulnerable group.In the fear conditioning test,the vulnerable group showed the significant freezing time decreased than that of the resilient group(P<0.01).In the open field test,the time that enter the center zone of vulnerable group is increased than that resilient group(P<0.01);In the pre-pulse inhibition experiment,there are not significant difference of PPI value in both groups(P=0.4239).And then electrophysiological experiments are performed to detect the synaptic plasticity of the insular cortex.Compared with the resilient group,the LTP level was decreased(P<0.05) and the mEPSC was increased(P<0.01) in vulnerable group.CONCLUSION The impairment of synaptic plasticity in the insular cortex may be one of the neural mechanisms for the vulnerability to chronic stress.

Incidence evaluation of <i>Crypticerya multicicatrices</i>and <i>Maconellicoccus hirsutus</i>in Colombian Seaflower Biosphere Reserve

An evaluation of the incidence of Crypticerya multicicatrices and Maconellicoccus hirsutus in Colombian Seaflower Biosphere Reserve in San Andrés, Providence and Santa Catalina islands, from mid-August to mid-November 2012 was made. 38 locations were sampled, and 34% of sites tested show an incidence of C. multicicatrices oscillating between a range of 80%-100%, 24% with 40%-80% of incidence, 18% between 10%-40% and 24% with a range of 0%-10%. The occurrence of M. hirsutus fluctuated between 0.5% and 17%. There were seven genera of ants associated C. multicicatrices and 94 hosts of this agriculturally important insect and we found high incidence of associated sooty mold in C. multicicatrices hosts. Observations also contained some developmental stages of C. multicatrices.

Extracellular Levels of 5HT and 5HIAA Increase after an Inflammatory Process in the Rat’s Insular Cortex

Serotonin (5HT) in the central nervous system has been associated with pain processing and modulation. The insular cortex (IC) plays an important role in the development and perception of the inflammatory and chronic pain. The role of the serotoninergic system in IC has not been completely studied. We used micro-dialysis in freely moving rats to determine the extracellular release of 5HT and its main metabolite (5HIAA) in the IC during an inflammatory process. Results showed an increase of extracellular levels of 5HT and 5HIAA in the IC during carrageenan-induced inflammation and this augmentation correlates with a decrease of behavioral mechanonociceptive response. Furthermore, the exogenous administration of 5HT and 5HIAA in the IC increases the nociceptive response. Our current data imply that the serotoninergic system in the IC participates in the long-term pain process.

Memory Trace for Fear Extinction:Fragile yet Reinforceable

Fear extinction is a biological process in which learned fear behavior diminishes without anticipated reinforcement,allowing the organism to re-adapt to ever-changing situations.Based on the behavioral hypothesis that extinction is new learning and forms an extinction memory,this new memory is more readily forgettable than the original fear memory.The brain’s cellular and synaptic traces underpinning this inherently fragile yet reinforceable extinction memory remain unclear.Intriguing questions are about the whereabouts of the engram neurons that emerged during extinction learning and how they constitute a dynamically evolving functional construct that works in concert to store and express the extinction memory.In this review,we discuss recent advances in the engram circuits and their neural connectivity plasticity for fear extinction,aiming to establish a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamic competition between fear and extinction memories in adaptive control of conditioned fear responses.

Evolution of personality and locomotory performance traits during a late Pleistocene island colonization in a tree frog

Recent empirical and theoretical studies suggest that personality and locomotory performance traits linked to dispersal abilities are crucial components of the dispersal syndromes,and that they can evolve during range expansions and colonization processes.Island colonization is one of the best characterized processes in dispersal biogeography,and its implication in the evolution of phenotypic traits has been investigated over a wide range of temporal scales.However,the effect of island colonization on personality and performance traits of natural populations,and how these traits could drive island colonization,has been little explored.Noteworthy,no studies have addressed these processes in the context of late Pleistocene range expansions.Here,we investigated the contribution of island colonization triggered by postglacial range expansions to intraspecific variation in personality and locomotory performance traits.We compared boldness,exploration,jumping performance,and stickiness abilities in populations from 3 equidistant areas of the Tyrrhenian tree frog Hyla sarda,2 from the main island(Corsica Island),and 1 from the recently colonized island of Elba.Individuals from Elba were significantly bolder than individuals from Corsica,as they emerged sooner from a shelter(P=0.028),while individuals from Corsica showed markedly higher jumping and stickiness performance(both P<0.001),resulting as more performing than those of Elba.We discuss these results in the context of the major microevolutionary processes at play during range expansion,including selection,spatial sorting,founder effects,and their possible interaction with local adaptation processes.

Activation of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 in GABAergic Neurons in the Rostral Anterior Insular Cortex Contributes to the Analgesia Following Common Peroneal Nerve Ligation

The rostral agranular insular cortex(RAIC)has been associated with pain modulation.Although the endogenous cannabinoid system(eCB)has been shown to regulate chronic pain,the roles of eCBs in the RAIC remain elusive under the neuropathic pain state.Neuropathic pain was induced in C57BL/6 mice by common peroneal nerve(CPN)ligation.The roles of the eCB were tested in the RAIC of ligated CPN C57BL/6J mice,glutamatergic,or GABAergic neuron cannabinoid receptor 1(CB1R)knockdown mice with the whole-cell patch-clamp and pain behavioral methods.The E/I ratio(amplitude ratio between mEPSCs and mIPSCs)was significantly increased in layer V pyramidal neurons of the RAIC in CPN-ligated mice.Depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition but not depolarization-induced suppression of excitation in RAIC layer V pyramidal neurons were significantly increased in CPN-ligated mice.The analgesic effect of ACEA(a CB1R agonist)was alleviated along with bilateral dorsolateral funiculus lesions,with the administration of AM251(a CB1R antagonist),and in CB1R knockdown mice in GABAergic neurons,but not glutamatergic neurons of the RAIC.Our results suggest that CB1R activation reinforces the function of the descending pain inhibitory pathway via reducing the inhibition of glutamatergic layer V neurons by GABAergic neurons in the RAIC to induce an analgesic effect in neuropathic pain.

Nestedness in insular floras:spatiotemporal variation and underlying mechanisms

Aims Nestedness is a characteristic of insular metacommunity structure.Relatively few studies,however,have attempted to evaluate temporal changes in nestedness,or elucidate the mechanisms underlying nestedness.I evaluated both spatial and temporal patterns of nestedness in the insular floras of four archipelagoes of small islands in the Bahamas and the potential underlying environmental gradients.Methods The NODF(a nestedness metric based on overlap and decreasing fill)and the matrix temperature measure,T,were used to quantify nestedness in insular floras on small islands near Abaco,Andros,Great Exuma and the Exuma Cays,Bahamas.Two different null models were employed for each nestedness measure.Six environmental variables were evaluated in relation to nestedness by ordering islands according to gradients and recalculating NODF scores.Important Findings All archipelagoes were significantly nested.Nestedness among sites contributed more to overall nestedness than did nestedness among species.NODF scores varied among archipelagoes,but were surprisingly constant over time.Ordering islands by vegetated area yielded the highest nestedness scores for three archipelagoes;ordering islands by protection from exposure yielded the highest nestedness score for one archipelago.Nestedness scores varied little over time even though species compositions changed,indicating that extinctions occurred in a deterministic manner.The relative importance of area suggests extinction is an important mechanism in producing nestedness.Attempting to determine the relative importance of immigrations or extinctions requires some assumptions,however,and both processes are likely cumulative in most cases.

Insular Cortex is Critical for the Perception, Modulation,and Chronification of Pain

An increasing body of neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies of the brain suggest that the insular cortex（IC） integrates multimodal salient information ranging from sensation to cognitive-affective events to create conscious interoception. Especially with regard to pain experience, the IC has been supposed to participate in both sensory-discriminative and affective-motivational aspects of pain. In this review, we discuss the latest data proposing that subregions of the IC are involved in isolated pain networks： the posterior sensory circuit and the anterior emotional network. Due to abundant connections with other brain areas, the IC is likely to serve as an interface where cross-modal shaping of pain occurs. In chronic pain,however, this mode of emotional awareness and the modulation of pain are disrupted. We highlight some of the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes of the pain modulation system that contribute to the transition from acute to chronic pain in the IC.

Low diversity,little genetic structure but no inbreeding in a high-density island endemic pit-viper Gloydius shedaoensis

Island species and their ecosystems play an important role in global biodiversity preservation,and many vulnerable island species are conservation priorities.Although insular habitat likely facilitates the species diversification process,it may also aggravate the fragility of these species with high risk of inbreeding.The Shedao pit-viper Gloydius shedaoensis is an island endemic species with an extremely high population density,which has been categorized as vulnerable in the IUCN(International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)Red List.We collected 13,148 SNP(Single Nucleotide Polymorphism)from across its genome and examined its genetic diversity and demographic history.The Shedao pit-viper has a low genetic diversity but shows no sign of inbreeding.Furthermore,population genetic structure analysis,including the neighbor-joining tree,principal coordinate analysis,clustering,and spatial autocorrelation,revealed a general lack of spatial structure.Only the isolation by distance residues suggested a weak patchiness.Overall,the population is nearly panmictic and gene flow is evenly distributed across the island.A large number of individuals,small size of the island,and the lack of population structure likely all contribute to the lack of inbreeding in this species.We also detected signs of male-biased dispersal,which likely is another inbreeding avoidance strategy.Historical demographic analysis suggested that the historical population size and distribution of the species are much larger than their current ones.The multiple transgressive–regressive events since the Late Pleistocene are likely the main cause of the population size changes.Taken together,our results provide a basic scientific foundation for the conservation of this interesting and important species.

Ictal semiology,functional anatomy and multimodal diagnostic in patients with insular epilepsies

Background:The insula is a hidden part in the cerebral cortex.Insular epilepsy is underrecognized and it bears a special risk for misdiagnosis with regard to nonepileptic seizures or wrong localization of epileptic seizures.Case presentations:The manuscript describes 2 cases with ictal semiology of paresthesia and pain followed by hyperkinetic movements,noninvasive findings of source localization and/or invasive SEEG exploration.Conclusion:Magnetic source imaging,ictal SPECT as noninvasive and invasive recordings with depth electrodes(SEEG)can provide important preoperative information for the involvement of insular and periinsular regions in focal pharmacoresistant epilepsies.The optimal use of these methods presupposes extensive knowledge of ictal semiology and other clinical characteristics.The clinical localization hypothesis can be optimally proofed by SEEG exploration.

Axonal degeneration in the anterior insular cortex is associated with Alzheimer’s co-pathology in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

Background:Axons,crucial for impulse transmission and cellular trafficking,are thought to be primary targets of neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease(PD)and dementia with Lewy bodies(DLB).Axonal degeneration occurs early,preceeding and exceeding neuronal loss,and contributes to the spread of pathology,yet is poorly described outside the nigrostriatal circuitry.The insula,a cortical brain hub,was recently discovered to be highly vulnerable to pathology and plays a role in cognitive deficits in PD and DLB.The aim of this study was to evaluate morphological features as well as burden of proteinopathy and axonal degeneration in the anterior insular sub-regions in PD,PD with dementia(PDD),and DLB.Methods:α-Synuclein,phosphorylated(p-)tau,and amyloid-βpathology load were evaluated in the anterior insular(agranular and dysgranular)subregions of post-mortem human brains(n=27).Axonal loss was evaluated using modified Bielschowsky silver staining and quantified using stereology.Cytoskeletal damage was comprehensively studied using immunofluorescent multi-labelling and 3D confocal laser-scanning microscopy.Results:Compared to PD and PDD,DLB showed significantly higherα-synuclein and p-tau pathology load,argyrophilic grains,and more severe axonal loss,particularly in the anterior agranular insula.Alternatively,the dysgranular insula showed a significantly higher load of amyloid-βpathology and its axonal density correlated with cognitive performance.p-Tau contributed most to axonal loss in the DLB group,was highest in the anterior agranular insula and significantly correlated with CDR global scores for dementia.Neurofilament and myelin showed degenerative changes including swellings,demyelination,and detachment of the axon-myelin unit.Conclusions:Our results highlight the selective vulnerability of the anterior insular sub-regions to various converging pathologies,leading to impaired axonal integrity in PD,PDD and DLB,disrupting their functional properties and potentially contributing to cognitive,emotional,and autonomic deficits.