Larval and juvenile development of dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus reared in mesocosms.

The larval development of the dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus up to the benthic juvenile stage is described in detail to establish a reference for their larval identification. Development is described in terms of ontogenetic changes in morphology, growth, pigmentation, fin structure and skeletal structure. Larvae were reared in mesocosms at a mean temperature of 24·3° C, salinity of 36·5, dissolved oxygen of 6·4 mg l(-1) and pH of 8·2. Newly hatched larvae had an estimated total length (LT ) of 2·3 mm. On the second day post hatching the yolk was almost fully absorbed with traces of the oil globule still present, the eyes were already pigmented and mouth and gut functional. At this stage the cranial skeletal elements for feeding and breathing (mouth and gills) and the pectoral-fin support were already present. About 50% of the observed larvae had food in their guts. Pigmentation was very characteristic, consisting of two large chromatophores visible on the edge of the primordial fin, close to the midpoint of the post-anal region of the body and over the midgut and hindgut and post-anal portion of the body. At 2·9 mm LT the emergence of the second dorsal-fin spine, characteristic of the Epinephilinae, was clearly visible. The pre-flexion stage started in larva of 3·2 mm LT . At 5·5 mm LT the larvae possessed posterior preopercular angle spines, and the dorsal and pelvic spines presented serrated edges and were pigmented. The water surface-tension-related death of the yolk sac and pre-flexion larvae described in the rearing of several other grouper species did not occur during E. marginatus culture. Notochord flexion, with initial ossification of the caudal-fin supporting elements, started at 6·6 mm LT . At this stage the major melanophores, preopercular, dorsal and pelvic spines and mandibular teeth were already present. Transformation of larvae into juveniles occurred when larvae averaged 13·8 mm LT . Juveniles with a mean LT of 20·1 mm started to settle and most of them were benthic with a mean LT of 26·8 mm.

Predictions of sardine and the Portuguese continental shelf ecosystem dynamics under future fishing, forced-biomass and SST scenarios.

We used the Ecopath with Ecosim ecosystem model to assess the future effects of multiple stressors on sardine and the Portuguese continental shelf ecosystem. We assessed individual and combined impacts of changes in sardine fishing pressure, biomass of sardine competitors and predators and sea surface temperature (SST). This study demonstrated that the greatest impact on sardine stock is caused by projected SST rise whose effect is dominant and detrimental to sardine stock regardless of other conditions, including sardine fishing at maximum sustainable yield (FMSY). The largest impact on ecosystem stability, maturity and diversity of flows was observed under the forced-biomass scenarios that simulate changes in biomass of sardine predators and competitors. Moreover, these stressors alongside FMSY are projected to play an important role in the future evolution of the sardine stock. Results presented in this study can assist long-term and strategic management of the Iberian sardine stock.

[Disseminated aspergillosis after intra-articular corticosteroid infiltrations]. / Aspergillose disséminée à point de départ articulaire après infiltrations.

Bone and joint infections due to Aspergillus are rare and occur more commonly in immunosuppressed patients. We report the case of an 84-year-old woman who developed septic arthritis caused by Aspergillus fumigatus after corticosteroid infiltration. This patient had presented with arthritis of the left knee for several months but no microorganism had been found despite numerous arthrocenteses. This arthritis was resistant to treatment by numerous corticosteroid infiltrations. During an arthroscopy, analysis of the synovial fluid yielded A. fumigatus. Thereafter, other explorations showed disseminated aspergillosis with osteo-articular destruction, blood and urinary dissemination. A systemic treatment by voriconazole associated to intra-articular injections and surgical debridement was initiated but the patient died. Septic arthritis caused by A. fumigatus is very rare but must be considered as a differential diagnosis of septic arthritis after corticosteroid infiltration. Their complications can be very important and destructive.

Born small, die young: Intrinsic, size-selective mortality in marine larval fish.

Mortality during the early stages is a major cause of the natural variations in the size and recruitment strength of marine fish populations. In this study, the relation between the size-at-hatch and early survival was assessed using laboratory experiments and on field-caught larvae of the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus). Larval size-at-hatch was not related to the egg size but was significantly, positively related to the diameter of the otolith-at-hatch. Otolith diameter-at-hatch was also significantly correlated with survival-at-age in fed and unfed larvae in the laboratory. For sardine larvae collected in the Bay of Biscay during the spring of 2008, otolith radius-at-hatch was also significantly related to viability. Larval mortality has frequently been related to adverse environmental conditions and intrinsic factors affecting feeding ability and vulnerability to predators. Our study offers evidence indicating that a significant portion of fish mortality occurs during the endogenous (yolk) and mixed (yolk /prey) feeding period in the absence of predators, revealing that marine fish with high fecundity, such as small pelagics, can spawn a relatively large amount of eggs resulting in small larvae with no chances to survive. Our findings help to better understand the mass mortalities occurring at early stages of marine fish.

A syndrome of acute zinc loss. Cerebellar dysfunction, mental changes, anorexia, and taste and smell dysfunction.

Oral administration of the amino acid histidine to six patients with progressive systemic sclerosis produced anorexia, taste ans smell dysfunction, changes in mentation, and cerebellar dysfunction in each patient; these changes were associated with significant decreases in serum zinc concentration and significant increases in urinary zinc excretion. Administration of zinc ion, even with continued histidine administration, returned each of the signs and symptoms to or toward normal within 8 to 24 hours in each patient at the same time that correction of the serum zinc concentration occurred. The signs and symptoms noted constitute a syndrome related to acute zinc loss.

A mini-invasive technique for axillary lymphadenectomy in early breast cancer: a study of 15 patients.

Axillary lymphadenectomy is the major cause of morbidity reported in breast surgery, but remains the gold standard in breast cancer staging procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate if endoscopic lymphadenectomy, preceded by fat suction, could reduce morbidity and hospitalization, giving better aesthetic results, while conserving the same oncologic radicality as the traditional open technique. We studied 15 cases of breast cancer with tumour diameter < or = 25 mm, N0. The subjects underwent endoscopic lymphadenectomy. We removed an average of 15.5 node/patient, the volume of lymphorrea was 580 ml, the drainage was kept up for 5 days, the mean length of hospitalization was 6 days. One seroma (4.6%) was found. No shoulder restriction has been reported and aesthetic results were excellent. The follow-up will demonstrate if this technique can reduce the incidence of lymphoedema.

Antilipolytic activity of tiadenol-nicotinate in isolated fat cells: a comparison with its parent drugs.

Tiadenol-nicotinate is an ester in which two molecules of nicotinic acid are linked to one molecule of tiadenol. In the present study the antilipolytic activity of tiadenol-nicotinate was evaluated in isolated rat fat cells and a direct comparison was made with the parent drugs. Basal lipolysis was not affected by tiadenol-nicotinate or by nicotinic acid, but it was reduced by a high concentration of tiadenol (10(-3) M) alone or associated with a double concentration of nicotinic acid. Tiadenol-nicotinate (10(-5)-10(-3) M) was very effective in antagonizing the lipolytic action of epinephrine (10(-6) M) and of theophylline (3 X 10(-4) M). The latter drugs were equally sensitive to the inhibitory effect of tiadenol, while nicotinic acid reduced the action of theophylline more than the effect of the catecholamine. Neither of the parent drugs was as effective as tiadenol-nicotinate at this level. However, nicotinic acid potentiated the antilipolytic effect of tiadenol, thus making it possible to reach an inhibitory effect quantitatively similar to or even higher than the effect of tiadenol-nicotinate. These results show that tiadenol-nicotinate is a potent antilipolytic agent in vitro and that its effect may be due to hydrolysis of the ester and release of the parent drugs. The possible therapeutic value of tiadenol-nicotinate is discussed.

Bis-arenoxypropanolamines as potential beta-adrenolytics: a reinvestigation.

A number of symmetrical as well as asymmetrical bis-arenoxypropanolamines have been synthesized and evaluated for their beta-adrenolytic properties. The pharmacological characterization of these compounds was performed in vitro by direct studies (3H-dihydroalprenolol was used as the specific ligand for beta-receptors), and by determining the beta-blocking capacity on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced increased heart rate (isolated guinea-pig atrium); and in vivo by evaluating the antagonism on ISO-induced hypotension and tachycardia, as well as the intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA) on reserpinized and vagotomized rats. The best result was observed with the simplest derivative, i.e. the bis-phenoxypropanolamine compound, which shows in vitro and in vivo potencies almost comparable to propranolol and, moreover, significant bronchodilating activity.

Bivalent ligand type beta-adrenolytics related to practolol.

The synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of a number of symmetrical bivalent ligand type beta-adrenolytics related to practolol are reported. The best results have been observed with N,N'-bis[3-[2-hydroxy-3-[1-methylethyl)amino]propoxy]phenyl] ethanediamide.

[Adrenal angioma simulating pheochromocytoma]. / Angioma surrenalico simulante un feocromocitoma.

The authors report a case of adrenal angioma (a rare benign mesenchymal tumour) which was diagnosed by chance ("incidentaloma") and whose clinical and instrumental characterisation led to the hypothesis of a pheochromocytoma. The various diagnostic methods used are analysed together with results and the possible causes of their erroneous interpretation.

Flavone and xanthone derivatives related to fluoroquinolones.

A number of flavone and xanthone derivatives bearing some characteristic features of fluoroquinolones such as the fluorine atom and an ortho piperazine ring are described. The new compounds have been tested for possible cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities. Cytotoxicity of both groups of compounds is rather poor, while the antibacterial activity is restricted to xanthones.

Modulation of cholinergic profile of acetylcholine through its cyclovinylogues.

The o-, m- and p-acetoxymethyl-N,N,N-trimethylbenzenemethanaminium iodide (2a-c) as cyclovinilogues of acetylcholine are described. This structural modification allows to modulate the cholinergic activity of the natural neurotransmitter along the sequence: agonist----partial agonist----antagonist, which is referred to meta (2b), para (2c) and ortho (2a) regioisomers, respectively.

Calcium antagonists: vinylogues and bivalent ligands related to nifedipine.

The synthesis and the pharmacological properties of some vinylogues and bivalent ligands related to nifedipine are described.

[A case of epithelial cyst of the spleen]. / Un caso di cisti splenica epiteliale.

The Authors report a rare case of an epithelial cyst of the spleen treated successfully by splenectomy. The nomenclature, the diagnostic techniques and the therapeutic principles are discussed.

[Gastric neoplasia in pregnancy: report of a case]. / Neoplasia gastrica in gravidanza: case report.

CASE REPORT: Gastric cancer in a 29 years old pregnant woman. A total of 109 cases were collected in the whole from 1916 to 1988; to these, we add one new case of a 29 years old pregnant woman observed in 1993 in Verona University Surgical Sciences Department. DISCUSSION: Cancer of the digestive tract during pregnancy is really rare and has poor prognosis. The diagnosis during pregnancy is difficult because the symptoms are frequently masked by factors related to the normal first trimester in pregnancy. X-ray are often restricted. Gastroendoscopy is applied to pregnant women only when evident symptoms are present such as: severe anemia, jaundice and weight loss. The incidence of inoperable cases is elevated such as the mortality in the operated cases. The whole survival rate after three years is 21%. CONCLUSION: Gastric cancer in pregnancy has a poor prognosis. The possible reasons are: delayed detection, low differentiation degree, restricted therapeutic approach because of pregnancy, personal factors as the patients' desire for a child, religious, ethical considerations.

X-ray fluorescence determination of bromine traces in pharmaceutical formulations containing sodium diclofenac.

The X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) on solid samples is applied to the organic bromine impurities assay on pharmaceutical formulations of sodium diclofenac (DCF). A wide range of Br contents (7-1564 ppm) in the tablets is obtained, depending on manufacturer source and batch preparation. As the impurities concern only the sodium diclofenac employed, and the presence of Br might be a toxicity index arising from the synthetic procedure, the assay of each DCF batch is suggested.