Discovery of an Italian slow worm (Anguis veronensis Pollini, 1818) population on a Western Mediterranean Island confirmed by genetic analysis

The genus Anguis is known to be mainly continental in the Mediterranean area, and accordingly it has never been recorded in Western Mediterranean islands. Here we report for the first time the presence of the slow worm in a Western Mediterranean island, the Ile Sainte-Marguerite from Lérins archipelago (southeastern France). The molecular analysis of ND2 and PRLR genes assigned the specimens to A. veronensis Pollini, 1818 and showed that they are genetically related to the mainland population from Les Mayons, in mainland France.

Persistence, Isolation and Diversification of a Naturally Fragmented Species in Local Refugia: The Case of <i>Hydromantes strinatii</i>

<div><p>The study of the European plethodontid salamander <i>Hydromantes strinatii</i> using allozyme and mitochondrial markers showed a strong geographical genetic structure. This was likely the outcome of different evolutionary mechanisms leaving their signature despite the effects of the genetic drift due to the low population size typical of this species. Two highly divergent clades were identified in the eastern and central-western part of the range, with further geographic sub-structure. Nuclear and mitochondrial markers substantially recovered the same population groups but were conflicting in reconstructing their relationships. This apparent incongruence highlighted the action of different mechanisms such as secondary contacts and incomplete lineage sorting in originating the observed genetic variation. The troglophilic habit of this species provided the opportunity to show the importance of caves as local refugia in maintaining the genetic diversity through the persistence of local populations. Accordingly, high nucleotide and haplotype diversity, strong geographic genetic structuring and lack of expansion were evidenced. This signature was found in the populations from the Ligurian and Maritime Alps, in agreement with the complex orography and paleoclimatic history of this Mediterranean hotspot.</p></div

Median joining haplotype network based on the 194 mitochondrial concatenated sequences of cytb and ND2 genes.

<p>The size of the circles is proportional to the frequency of each haplotype. Haplotypes are connected by distances proportional to mutational steps with the small grey circles representing missing haplotypes. The seven haplogroups are congruent to the seven sub-clades recovered by phylogenetic analysis; the two main clades A and B are separated by 62 mutational steps.</p

Sampling localities.

<p>Sampling localities with their codes (indicating the species, S = <i>H</i>. <i>strinatii</i>, and the first two letters from the collecting cave/locality), coordinates, number of individuals analysed using allozymes (N_nc) and mtDNA markers (N_mt), and the recovered haplotypes. Samples belonging to the collection of the Zoological Museum “La Specola” of Florence (Italy) are indicated by *, the others were collected in field work.</p><p>Sampling localities.</p

Distribution map of the 30 sampling sites of <i>Hydromantes strinatii</i>.

<p>Colours denote the seven sub-clades recovered by phylogenetic analyses, with the exception of black populations that were included in allozyme analysis only.</p

Genetic variability parameters calculated over the 33 allozyme loci scored in <i>H</i>. <i>strinatii</i>.

<p>For each sample are reported: the mean (N_a) and effective (N_E) number of alleles; the allelic richness (A_R); the observed (H_o) and expected heterozygosity (H_e); the percentage of polymorphic loci according to the 99% criterion (P₉₉).</p><p>Genetic variability parameters calculated over the 33 allozyme loci scored in <i>H</i>. <i>strinatii</i>.</p

Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA).

<p>Hierarchical subdivision of genetic variance among the population groups identified based on mitochondrial (seven groups) and allozyme data (five groups).</p><p>Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA).</p

Phylogenetic relationships between mtDNA haplotypes.

<p>The tree shows the results for Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) analyses. Posterior probability and bootstrap values are reported on each tree node. Both phylogenetic reconstructions showed the occurrence of two main clades A and B, subdivided respectively into four (A1, A2, A3, A4) and three (B1, B2, B3) sub-clades.</p

Assignment of <i>H</i>. <i>strinatii</i> individuals based on allozyme data.

<p>Assignment test of specimens (one per column) to the K = 5 clusters identified by the software STRUCTURE based on the 33 scored allozyme loci. Specimens with admixed genomes are identified by columns showing different colours proportional to the percentage of the genome assigned to each of the 5 clusters.</p

A case of figurate urticaria by etanercept

Etanercept is a competitive inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) a polypeptide hormone, involved in the development of the immune system, in host defense and immune surveillance. Even if the etanercept mechanism of action is not completely understood, it is supposed that it negatively modulates biological responses mediated by molecules (cytokines, adhesion molecules, or proteinases) induced or regulated by TNF. For this reason, it is widely used in the treatment of immunologicals diseases, such as rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic active, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. Etanercept has a good tolerability profile. Adverse events related to skin are rare, arising usually in about 5% of patients treated with anti-TNF α. In this scenario, we describe a case of figurate urticaria arose after the re-administration of etanercept in a patient affected by psoriasis and hepatitis B. A 65-year-old man, affected by psoriasis, was hospitalized in September 2014 to the Regional Center for the treatment of psoriasis and Biological Drugs of Second University of Naples for progressive extension of psoriatic skin lesions. The laboratory analysis detected positivity for hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigens. For this reason, it was administered to him lamivudine 100 mg/die about 30 days before to start etanercept treatment. The etanercept therapy has resulted in a progressive improving of skin manifestations, and the patient decided individually to stop the therapy. Afterwards, for worsening of the psoriatic lesions, he was again hospitalized and treated with the same therapeutic schedule (lamivudine followed by etanercept). Ten days after the start of therapy, the patient showed the onset of urticarial rash. Due to this, the treatment with lamivudine and etanercept was suspended and the patient′s clinical conditions improved. It is probably that immunological disorders due to etanercept therapy and HBV infection could explain the onset of figurate urticaria in our patient. In this contest, the post-marketing surveillance confirms its important role in the monitoring of drugs tolerability and effectiveness