Determination of picotamide in human plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of picotamide in human plasma and urine is described. After addition of an internal standard (bamifylline), the plasma and urine samples were subjected to liquid—liquid extraction and clean-up procedures. The final extracts were evaporated to dryness and the resulting residues were reconstituted in 100 μl of methanol—water (50:50, v/v) and chromatographed on a LiChrosorb RP-SELECT B reversed-phase column coupled to an ultraviolet detector monitored at 230 nm. Chromatographic analysis takes about 10 min per sample. The assay was linear over a wide range and has a limit of detection of 0.005 and 0.1 μg/ml in plasma and urine, respectively. It was selective for picotamide, accurate and robust and thus suitable for routine assays after therapeutic doses of picotamide.     

Correction to: Population genomic structure of the black coral Antipathella subpinnata in Mediterranean Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems

Coral Reefs - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-021-02120-y     

Quantifying Spatial Genetic Structuring in Mesophotic Populations of the Precious Coral Corallium rubrum

While shallow water red coral populations have been overharvested in the past, nowadays, commercial harvesting shifted its pressure on mesophotic organisms. An understanding of red coral population structure, particularly larval dispersal patterns and connectivity among harvested populations is paramount to the viability of the species. In order to determine patterns of genetic spatial structuring of deep water Corallium rubrum populations, for the first time, colonies found between 58–118 m depth within the Tyrrhenian Sea were collected and analyzed. Ten microsatellite loci and two regions of mitochondrial DNA (mtMSH and mtC) were used to quantify patterns of genetic diversity within populations and to define population structuring at spatial scales from tens of metres to hundreds of kilometres. Microsatellites showed heterozygote deficiencies in all populations. Significant levels of genetic differentiation were observed at all investigated spatial scales, suggesting that populations are likely to be isolated. This differentiation may by the results of biological interactions, occurring within a small spatial scale and/or abiotic factors acting at a larger scale. Mitochondrial markers revealed significant genetic structuring at spatial scales greater then 100 km showing the occurrence of a barrier to gene flow between northern and southern Tyrrhenian populations. These findings provide support for the establishment of marine protected areas in the deep sea and off-shore reefs, in order to effectively maintain genetic diversity of mesophotic red coral populations.     

Low connectivity and declining genetic variability along a depth gradient in Corallium rubrum populations

This study examines the possible effect of depth on the connectivity and genetic variability in red coral (Corallium rubrum; Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) populations. Patterns of genetic structuring along a depth gradient (from 20 to 70 m) were investigated in two locations of the western Mediterranean coast (northern Catalan and eastern Ligurian Seas) using 10 microsatellite loci. Strong patterns of genetic structuring among the samples were found both within and between the two study sites. In both locations, consistent patterns of reduction in genetic variability along the depth gradient were also observed, suggesting that depth has an important role in determining the patterns of genetic structure in Corallium rubrum. Moreover, a threshold in connectivity was observed among the samples collected across 40–50 m depth, supporting the hypothesis that discrete shallow- and deep-water red coral populations occur. This finding has major implications for management strategies and the conservation of commercially exploited deep red coral populations.     

The Colonisation of Human-made Structures by the Invasive Alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides in the North Adriatic Sea (NE Mediterranean)

Human-made structures, such as groynes, breakwaters, seawalls, pier pilings and floating pontoons, are becoming common features of the landscape in urbanised coastal and estuarine areas. Despite this tendency few studies have focused on their ecology or on their potential impacts on natural assemblages of organisms. When artificial structures are introduced in areas with little or no hard substrata, they not only provide novel habitats, which enables the colonisation of sandy areas by hard-bottom dwelling species, but they can also provide suitable habitats for exotic species. Along the north-east coast of Italy, sandy shores are protected from erosion by a line of breakwaters, which runs almost uninterrupted for about 300 km. These structures provide habitat for a variety of macroalgae and invertebrates and also for the invasive green alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate patterns of distribution of this alga on breakwaters in Cesenatico. In particular, we compared the density of thalli, biomass, length and degree of branching of C. fragile ssp. tomentosoides between the landward and the seaward sides of breakwaters, to test the hypothesis that sheltered habitats (landward) represent more suitable habitats than exposed habitats (seaward). In general, the landward side of breakwaters supported greater numbers of thalli of C. fragile ssp. tomentosoides than seaward sides. Thalli grew longer and more branched in sheltered habitats, leading to an overall larger biomass of the alga on the landward side of breakwaters. The presence of sheltered human-made hard substrata in the vicinity of major trading ports and sources of eutrophication could enhance the dispersal of invasive species across regional and geographic scales. Thus, the effects of artificial structures and introduced species on coastal assemblages cannot be evaluated separately, but their synergistic nature should be considered in planning strategies for conservation of biodiversity in coastal habitats.     

Brain cholecystokinin depletion in rats with acute liver failure

A decrease of both hypothalamic and cortical CCK occurred in the brain of rats killed 8 hours after hepatic artery ligation following portocaval anastomosis. Brain CCK depletion was not reproduced by exogenously provoked hyperammonemia nor by insulin-induced hypoglycemia, thus suggesting a central mechanism for the derangement of the CCKergic system in the course of acute liver failure.     

Genetic structuring of the temperate gorgonian coral (Corallium rubrum) across the western Mediterranean Sea revealed by microsatellites and nuclear sequences

In the past decades, anthropogenic disturbance has increased in marine costal habitats, leading to dramatic shifts in population size structure of various marine species. In the temperate region, the gorgonian coral (Corallium rubrum) is one of the major disturbed species, mostly owing to the exploitation of its red skeleton for jewellery purposes. Red coral is a gonocoric species inhabiting subtidal rocky habitats in the Mediterranean and neighbouring Atlantic coasts. In order to investigate the spatial genetic structuring of C. rubrum, five microsatellite markers and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) sequences were analysed in 11 samples from the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Phylogenetic reconstructions obtained from ITS-1 sequences analysis showed that samples from Minorca and Sardinia islands were the most divergent while the three samples from the Tuscan archipelago (Argentario, Giannutri and Elba) appeared genetically homogeneous. Both markers revealed a strong structuring over large spatial scales (though to a different extent) with no isolation by distance pattern. Microsatellite-based F(ST) estimates appeared much smaller than ITS-based estimates and not significantly correlated, likely due to microsatellite allele size homoplasy typical of these highly polymorphic loci. Our study shows that the absence of clear patterns of genetic structuring over large spatial scales together with strong genetic structuring should be interpreted with caution because such patterns may hide underlying small-scale genetic structuring. Our results further confirm that effective larval dispersal in red coral is highly restricted in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, suggesting that an increase of anthropogenic disturbance could aggravate the disappearance of red coral, not only along the Mediterranean coasts but also, and with more intensity, in the main Mediterranean islands.