Assessment of cetacean–fishery interactions in the marine food web of the Gulf of Taranto (Northern Ionian Sea,Central Mediterranean Sea)

Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries - The exploitation of fishery resources acts as a driving force on cetaceans both directly, by determining their fishing mortality or injury as by-catch...     

The circadian rhythm of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme is disrupted in ascitic liver cirrhosis

An increase in morning fasting levels of plasma (P) renin activity (RA), aldosterone (A) and serum (S) angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity has been demonstrated in ascitic cirrhotic patients (ACP). Since both PRA and PA change biorhythmically in their time structure, the relationship of SACE activity with the components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) was investigated in clinically healthy subjects (CHS) and ACP. Time-qualified data were chronobiologically analysed by means of the cosinor procedure to resolve and quantify the circadian rhythm (CR). The 24-hour mean levels of PRA, PA and SACE activity were found to be elevated in ACP as compared to CHS. The temporal variability of these analytes was found to be of periodic type along the 24-hour span in CHS, but not in ACP. The well-organized cyclicity in CHS is of relevant interest. PRA and PA cycles were found to phase in a clear antiparallelism with the SACE activity CR. The phase opposition may be, speculatively, related to the physiologic nature of ACE, whose activity is devoted to generate angiotensin II. The disappearance of SACE activity CR in ACP is in accordance with the abolition of PRA and PA cyclicity and suggests a role of liver in regulating the periodic time function of the RAAS and related components.     

Synthesis and structure–activity relationships of fibrate-based analogues inside PPARs

In an effort to develop safe and efficacious compounds for the treatment of metabolic disorders, new compounds based on a combination of clofibric acid, the active metabolite of clofibrate, and lipophilic groups derived from natural products chalcone and stilbene were synthesised. Some of them were found to be active at micromolar concentrations only on PPARα or PPARγ, while others were identified as dual agonists PPARα/γ.     

Sull'Attivazione Funzionale dei Semi Germinanti

Abstract

On the functional activation of germinanting seeds. Note V. Alcohol dehydrogenase activity. — The activity of alcohol dehydrogenase is determined by spettrophotometric method on acetone precipitates of dry and germinating seeds of leguminous and graminaceous plants.

The activity of alcohol dehydrogenase is present, even with remarkable different values, in all seeds and in their various parts, singularly examined.

During germination in aerobic conditions, after a first, not strong, increase, the alcohol dehydrogenase activity sensibly decreases.     

Osservazioni sulla Determinazione delle Ossidoreduttasi Piridiniche nelle Piante (Nota III)

Abstract

Remarks on determination of pyridine nucleotides-linked oxido-reductases in plants. — The optical density at 340 mμ NADH₂ or NADPH₂ suddenly decreases when NADH₂ or NADPH₂ is added to acetone precipitates of plant extracts.

This initial decrease varies according with the plant, the part used, the quantity of the precipitate and is always less than that which takes place with the corresponding extract.

The decrease in optical density-usually considered as a dehydrogenation of NADH₂ or NADPH₂ — does not seem in relation with oxigen uptake.

Indeed, when NADH₂ or NADPH₂ is added to an acetone precipitate in Warburg vessel there is a sudden change in pressure but the same happens when only water or buffer is added.

Without discussing, for the moment, the nature of this decrease in the optical density, we intend to emphasize its importance on the spectrophotometric determination at 340 mμ of NAD- or NADP-linked oxidoreductases.

In order to obtain sure and convincing results it is not sufficient, from our point of view, to consider only the changes in optical density at 340 mμ after the raction is started, but it is necessary to discuss each of them in the light of the phenomenon now reported.     

Methods in phenological mapping

Summary Phenological maps of flowering provide useful information about both spatial and temporal patterns of pollen emission, and their use could bring a substantial improvement of aerobiological forecasts. This paper presents a method for preparing flowering maps by computer on the basis of phenological data and topography. Data drawn from topographic maps are processed with the aid of an empirical model, based on the relationships between phenology and environment, for obtaining a phenological delay matrix. From this matrix it is possible to derive automatically various kinds of maps (chronological, synoptical and differential). An application is described, relating to the blooming patterns of a set of wild plants in a mountainous area of Northern Italy.     

Changes in the levels of ACTH and cortisol after passive exposure to cigarette smoke in smokers and non-smokers

Plasma ACTH and cortisol levels were studied in smokers and non smokers, (exposed or not to smoke of the environment), after passive exposure to cigarette smoking. Non smokers, usually not exposed to smoke, show a rise in both hormones, whereas smokers and non smokers commonly exposed to smoke don't show any change in ACTH and cortisol levels. These data suggest that nicotine acts as an acute stimulus on the hypophysis-adrenal axis even passively inhaled.