1. The objective of this study was to obtain a biogeographical perspective on the hoverfly genus Merodon (Diptera, Syrphidae) based on data from 32 islands in the Aegean and Ionian archipelagoes vis-a-vis the adjacent mainland. In this part of the world, the genus comprises 57 species, out of more than 160 species described worldwide.2. The importance of eco-geographical variables (area, elevation, distance to the nearest island and distance to the nearest mainland) and the species-area relationship (SAR) were studied in order to explain patterns of species richness. All tests supported the dynamic equilibrium concept.3. The area and distance to closest island were found to be the most important drivers of species richness on the Aegean and Ionian archipelagoes. Out of three SAR models evaluated in this study, the exponential function fitted our data best. It was found that a power model with no intercept value (C = 1) performed even better by using symbolic regression for non-linear equation optimisation.4. The cluster and null-model analyses performed to detect inter-island similarities and origins of the insular Merodon fauna indicated a clear influence of colonisation history of the species on different islands. 5. The results imply that the current distributions of Merodon species in the study area exhibit the combined effects of historical and present-day processes.

The clinical use of doxorubicin, an effective chemotherapeutic is hampered by the development of irreversible cardiotoxicity. Here we test time-frequency analysis of heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) for early detection of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Experiments were conducted in adult male Wistar rats treated for 15 days with doxorubicin (DOXO, total dose 15 mg kg(-1), i.p.) or saline (CONT). DOXO rats exhibited cardiotoxicity confirmed by histological examination without developing heart failure as estimated by echocardiography. However, HR variability increase reflected subtle microscopic changes of cardiac toxicity in DOXO rats. The results recommend time-frequency analysis of HRV for early detection of doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy.

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