Functionalization of p-activated alcohols by trapping carbocations in pure water under smooth conditions

Acetic acid as catalyst in pure water was found to be an excellent reaction medium for the direct dehydrative functionalization of p-activated alcohols using a wide variety of interesting C-, P-, and S-centered nucleophiles, such as indoles, pyrrole, anilines, 1, 3-dicarbonyl compounds, diphenyl phosphite and pyridine-2-thiol. The smooth reaction conditions, along with high yields, short reaction times, clean reaction crudes, an easy product isolation procedure, plus the reusability of the catalyst and the use of no excess of nucleophiles, make this approach an atom economical, green and appealing method to efficiently trap carbocations in pure water, leading to new Csp3 X bonds (X = Csp2, Csp3, P and S)

Vision-threatening retinal abnormalities in chronic kidney disease stages 3 to 5

SUMMARY: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Retinal abnormalities are common in inherited and acquired renal disease. This study determined the prevalence of retinal abnormalities in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 to 5. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: One hundred fifty patients with CKD stages 3 to 5 and 150 age- and gender-matched hospital patients with CKD stages 1 to 2 underwent bilateral retinal photography. These images were reviewed for incidental abnormalities, microvascular (Wong and Mitchell classification) and diabetic retinopathy (Airlie House criteria), and macular degeneration (Seddon classification). RESULTS: Three (2%) patients with CKD stages 3 to 5 had retinal features characteristic of inherited renal disease (atrophy in Myopathy, Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, Stroke-like episodes [MELAS] syndrome; and 2 with drusen in dense deposit disease). Fifty-nine (39%) patients had moderate-severe microvascular retinopathy (hemorrhages, exudates, etc.) compared with 19 (13%) with CKD stages 1 to 2. Forty-one (28%) had moderate-severe diabetic retinopathy (microaneurysms, exudates, etc.) compared with 16 (11%) with CKD stages 1 to 2. Ten (7%) had severe macular degeneration (geographic atrophy, hemorrhage, exudates, membranes) compared with one (1%) with CKD stages 1 to 2. Renal failure was an independent risk factor for microvascular retinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration. Eleven (7.3%) patients with renal failure and one (0.7%) with CKD stages 1 to 2 had previously unrecognized vision-threatening retinal abnormalities that required immediate ophthalmologic attention. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal abnormalities are common in CKD stages 3 to 5, and are more severe and more likely to threaten vision than in hospital patients with CKD stages 1 to 2

Environmental drivers of distribution and reef development of the Mediterranean coral Cladocora caespitosa

Cladocora caespitosa is the only Mediterranean scleractinian similar to tropical reef-building corals. While this species is part of the recent fossil history of the Mediterranean Sea, it is currently considered endangered due to its decline during the last decades. Environmental factors affecting the distribution and persistence of extensive bank reefs of this endemic species across its whole geographic range are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the environmental response of C. caespitosa and its main types of assemblages using ecological niche modeling and ordination analysis. We also predicted other suitable areas for the occurrence of the species and assessed the conservation effectiveness of Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs) for this coral. We found that phosphate concentration and wave height were factors affecting both the occurrence of this versatile species and the distribution of its extensive bioconstructions in the Mediterranean Sea. A set of factors (diffuse attenuation coefficient, calcite and nitrate concentrations, mean wave height, sea surface temperature, and shape of the coast) likely act as environmental barriers preventing the species from expansion to the Atlantic Ocean and the Black Sea. Uncertainties in our large-scale statistical results and departures from previous physiological and ecological studies are also discussed under an integrative perspective. This study reveals that Mediterranean MPAs encompass eight of the ten banks and 16 of the 21 beds of C. caespitosa. Preservation of water clarity by avoiding phosphate discharges may improve the protection of this emblematic species.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [CTM2014-57949-R]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Role of deep sponge grounds in the Mediterranean Sea: a case study in southern Italy

The Mediterranean spongofauna is relatively well-known for habitats shallower than 100 m, but, differently from oceanic basins, information upon diversity and functional role of sponge grounds inhabiting deep environments is much more fragmentary. Aims of this article are to characterize through ROV image analysis the population structure of the sponge assemblages found in two deep habitats of the Mediterranean Sea and to test their structuring role, mainly focusing on the demosponges Pachastrella monilifera Schmidt, 1868 and Poecillastra compressa (Bowerbank, 1866). In both study sites, the two target sponge species constitute a mixed assemblage. In the Amendolara Bank (Ionian Sea), where P. compressa is the most abundant species, sponges extend on a peculiar tabular bedrock between 120 and 180 m depth with an average total abundance of 7.3 +/- 1.1 specimens m(-2) (approximately 230 gWW m(-2) of biomass). In contrast, the deeper assemblage of Bari Canyon (average total abundance 10.0 +/- 0.7 specimens m(-2), approximately 315 gWW m(-2) of biomass), located in the southwestern Adriatic Sea between 380 and 500 m depth, is dominated by P. monilifera mixed with living colonies of the scleractinian Madrepora oculata Linnaeus, 1758, the latter showing a total biomass comparable to that of sponges (386 gWW m(-2)). Due to their erect growth habit, these sponges contribute to create complex three-dimensional habitats in otherwise homogenous environments exposed to high sedimentation rates and attract numerous species of mobile invertebrates (mainly echinoderms) and fish. Sponges themselves may represent a secondary substrate for a specialized associated fauna, such zoanthids. As demonstrated in oceanic environments sponge beds support also in the Mediterranean Sea locally rich biodiversity levels. Sponges emerge also as important elements of benthic-pelagic coupling in these deep habitats. In fact, while exploiting the suspended organic matter, about 20% of the Bari sponge assemblage is also severely affected by cidarid sea urchin grazing, responsible to cause visible damages to the sponge tissues (an average of 12.1 +/- 1.8 gWW of individual biomass removed by grazing). Hence, in deep-sea ecosystems, not only the coral habitats, but also the grounds of massive sponges represent important biodiversity reservoirs and contribute to the trophic recycling of organic matter

The Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: Estimates, Patterns, and Threats

The Mediterranean Sea is a marine biodiversity hot spot. Here we combined an extensive literature analysis with expert opinions to update publicly available estimates of major taxa in this marine ecosystem and to revise and update several species lists. We also assessed overall spatial and temporal patterns of species diversity and identified major changes and threats. Our results listed approximately 17,000 marine species occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. However, our estimates of marine diversity are still incomplete as yet—undescribed species will be added in the future. Diversity for microbes is substantially underestimated, and the deep-sea areas and portions of the southern and eastern region are still poorly known. In addition, the invasion of alien species is a crucial factor that will continue to change the biodiversity of the Mediterranean, mainly in its eastern basin that can spread rapidly northwards and westwards due to the warming of the Mediterranean Sea. Spatial patterns showed a general decrease in biodiversity from northwestern to southeastern regions following a gradient of production, with some exceptions and caution due to gaps in our knowledge of the biota along the southern and eastern rims. Biodiversity was also generally higher in coastal areas and continental shelves, and decreases with depth. Temporal trends indicated that overexploitation and habitat loss have been the main human drivers of historical changes in biodiversity. At present, habitat loss and degradation, followed by fishing impacts, pollution, climate change, eutrophication, and the establishment of alien species are the most important threats and affect the greatest number of taxonomic groups. All these impacts are expected to grow in importance in the future, especially climate change and habitat degradation. The spatial identification of hot spots highlighted the ecological importance of most of the western Mediterranean shelves (and in particular, the Strait of Gibraltar and the adjacent Alboran Sea), western African coast, the Adriatic, and the Aegean Sea, which show high concentrations of endangered, threatened, or vulnerable species. The Levantine Basin, severely impacted by the invasion of species, is endangered as well

Global Diversity of Ascidiacea

The class Ascidiacea presents fundamental opportunities for research in the fields of development, evolution, ecology, natural products and more. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge regarding the global biodiversity of the class Ascidiacea, focusing in their taxonomy, main regions of biodiversity, and distribution patterns. Based on analysis of the literature and the species registered in the online World Register of Marine Species, we assembled a list of 2815 described species. The highest number of species and families is found in the order Aplousobranchia. Didemnidae and Styelidae families have the highest number of species with more than 500 within each group. Sixty percent of described species are colonial. Species richness is highest in tropical regions, where colonial species predominate. In higher latitudes solitary species gradually contribute more to the total species richness. We emphasize the strong association between species richness and sampling efforts, and discuss the risks of invasive species. Our inventory is certainly incomplete as the ascidian fauna in many areas around the world is relatively poorly known, and many new species continue to be discovered and described each year

The Sepioidea (Cephalopoda, Mollusca) fauna of the Aegean Sea: comparison with the neighbouring seas and notes on their diet composition

Intensive samplings carried out in the Aegean Sea revealed the presence of 3 sepiid and 10 sepiolid species. A checklist of the Mediterranean Sepioidea is presented, as well as their distribution in the Mediterranean territorial areas and the Black Sea. The faunal comparison of the Mediterranean areas showed that the number of species decreases from the west to the east, while in the Black Sea, no sepioid species exist. In terms of zoogeographical categories, the Atlanto-Mediterranean species dominate in all Mediterranean areas followed by the endemic species. Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831 is a Lessepsian migrant while only one species, Stoloteuthis leucoptera (Verrill, 1878), has a cosmopolitan distribution. The diet of the 13 sepioid species is mainly based on Crustacea and Pisces