Feeding habits of Aspitrigla cuculus (L., 1758) (red gurnard), Lepidotrigla cavillone (Lac., 1802) (large scale gurnard) and Trigloporus lastoviza (Brunn., 1768) (rock gurnard) around Cyclades and Dodecanese Islands (E. Mediterranean)

The feeding habits of the three most abundant gurnard species, red gurnard (Aspitrigla cuculus), large scale gurnard (Lepidotrigla cavillone) and rock gurnard (Trigloporus lastoviza) in the eastern Mediterranean (Dodecanese and Cyclades, Greece) are examined. The stomach contents of the gurnard specimens collected in April and September 1996 by bottom trawling were analyzed. The % frequency of occurrence, % number and % weight of prey types in the stomach contents were evaluated. By weight, Mysidacea and Decapoda dominated in the diet of the three species in both seasons, however the Index of Relative Importance, as well as the percentage frequency of occurrence varied. Rock gurnard presented the most diverse diet whereas the diet of large scale and red gurnard were more specialized. High overlap in terms of number was found between rock and large scale gurnard in May. Rock gurnard had the most divers diet in both seasons

First Occurrence Of The Tilapia Oreochromis Niloticus Niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) In Lesina Lagoon (Eastern Italian Coast)

Individuals of the tilapia species Oreochromis niloticus niloticus(Linnaeus, 1758) were caught in Lesina Lagoon during experimental sampling for the shrimp Penaeus kerathurus using fyke net traps from December 1999 to September 2000. The species O. niloticusis not native in Italian coastal waters, although attempts of tilapia culture in land-based aquaculture farms were occasionally carried out in the past. The number of individuals captured in the samples suggests a colonization of the area of Lesina lagoon. The highest catches were observed during July. In July, the individuals caught represented the 22.3±4.1 % of the total catch weight. Such colonization of a marine environment byO. niloticusniloticus is the first case reported for Italy. The occurrence of the species in Lesina lagoon is attributed to fish which escaped from fish farms in the area and entered the lagoon through the numerous streams and irrigation-drainage channels that outflow along the south coastline

Isolated descemetorhexis for anterior synechiolysis prior to endothelial keratoplasty - case report and technique.

To describe the utilization of descemetorhexis for reformation of the anterior chamber in eyes with central iridocorneal synechiae before endothelial keratoplasty (EK). A 71-year-old man with a history of trabeculectomy complicated by hypotony presented with bullous keratopathy in the presence of extensive iridocorneal synechiae and a flat anterior chamber. In order to proceed with EK, synechiolysis with the use of viscoelastic and scissors was attempted. Despite successful dissection of the peripheral strands, the pupillary margin of the iris remained attached to the endothelium. Therefore, descemetorhexis was performed to detach the Descemet membrane along with central synechiae and create sufficient space for safe EK at a later stage. Corneal clarity was restored by ultrathin Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty, leaving a fibrous membrane in the pupillary plane, which was excised 2 months later, allowing an improvement of best-corrected visual acuity to 0.5. Isolated descemetorhexis was successfully employed to reform the anterior chamber and proceed with EK in a case of bullous keratopathy and resistant iridocorneal synechiae. This stepwise approach may be considered in similar cases in order to avoid a more invasive treatment, ie, penetrating keratoplasty and synechiolysis

Corneal Neovascularization with Associated Lipid Keratopathy in a Patient with Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome Using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Machine.

To report a case of corneal neovascularization with secondary lipid keratopathy in a patient treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). A 49-year-old male had been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome 10 years ago and has been treated with the application of a CPAP machine during night sleep ever since. For the past year, the patient had been complaining for ocular irritation and excessive tearing of the left eye on awakening. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy revealed the presence of neovascularization and lipid exudation in the inferior third of the cornea of the left eye. Ocular patching during night sleep resulted in recession of the reported symptoms and shrinkage of the neovascularization, while the area of lipid exudation ceased to enlarge. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of corneal neovascularization in a patient using a CPAP machine for OSAHS

Inflammatory pseudotumor associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

SummaryBackgroundInflammatory pseudotumor is a relatively rare entity; originally identified in the lung, it has been described in multiple extrapulmonary anatomic locations.Case reportWe report on the unusual case of an inflammatory pseudotumor associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, which was initially mistaken for a renal malignancy both in clinical and radiological settings. We additionally present three brief reviews concerning: (1) infectious agents postulated to induce morphological changes of an inflammatory pseudotumor; (2) mycobacterial pseudotumors; and (3) distinction from inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the renal pelvis.ConclusionsThe present case highlights the diagnostic importance of PCR-based detection of mycobacterial DNA in granulomatous tissue responses. It is of crucial importance that clinicians are aware of this unusual manifestation of mycobacterial infection to ensure that pertinent laboratory evaluation is employed and appropriate treatment is administered in order to avoid potential clinical implications

Cube law, condition factor and weight-length relationships: history, meta-analysis and recommendations

This study presents a historical review, a meta-analysis, and recommendations for users about weight–length relationships, condition factors and relative weight equations. The historical review traces the developments of the respective concepts. The meta-analysis explores 3929 weight–length relationships of the type W = aLb for 1773 species of fishes. It shows that 82% of the variance in a plot of log a over b can be explained by allometric versus isometric growth patterns and by different body shapes of the respective species. Across species median b = 3.03 is significantly larger than 3.0, thus indicating a tendency towards slightly positive-allometric growth (increase in relative body thickness or plumpness) in most fishes. The expected range of 2.5 < b < 3.5 is confirmed. Mean estimates of b outside this range are often based on only one or two weight–length relationships per species. However, true cases of strong allometric growth do exist and three examples are given. Within species, a plot of log a vs b can be used to detect outliers in weight–length relationships. An equation to calculate mean condition factors from weight–length relationships is given as Kmean = 100aLb−3. Relative weight Wrm = 100W/(amLbm) can be used for comparing the condition of individuals across populations, where am is the geometric mean of a and bm is the mean of b across all available weight–length relationships for a given species. Twelve recommendations for proper use and presentation of weight–length relationships, condition factors and relative weight are given

Social cues in the expression of sequential alternative reproductive tactics in young males of the peacock blenny, Solaria pavo

Phenotypic change in response to variation in environmental cues has been widely documented in fish. Transitions in social dominance, in particular, have been shown to induce a rapid switch in reproductive phenotypes in many species. However, this effect has been mainly studied in adults and focused on behavioural transitions. The way social cues constraint the phenotypic development of juveniles remains poorly studied in fish. We tested the importance of social dominance and density in the phenotypic development of juveniles of the peacock blenny Solaria pavo. This species shows sequential male alternative reproductive tactics. In the first breeding season males can reproduce as nest-holders or as parasitic males (female-mimicking), or postpone reproduction; from the following season afterwards all males reproduce as nest-holders. Parasitic males have relatively larger testes that lack a testicular gland, present in the testes of nest-holders. The testicular gland is the main source of androgens in the testes and accordingly nest-holders have higher circulating androgen levels. In addition, exogenous androgen administration to parasitic males promotes the development of secondary sexual characters (SSC) only present in nest-holders such as a head crest and an anal gland. We raised juveniles under a high or low-density treatment and monitored social interactions for 1 month. No significant effect of density on the development of juvenile males was detected. However, within each replicate, the relative body size of juvenile males at the beginning of the experiment determined their dominance status, with dominant males developing towards the nest-holder morphotype. Dominant males engaged in more nest defence behaviour, showed larger testicular glands, had higher levels of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and testosterone (T) and developed more SSC, as compared to subordinate males. However, these effects of social dominance were moderated by body condition as only dominant males in good body condition developed SSC. The effect of social dominance and of the area of the testicular gland on the development of SSC was mediated by 11-KT and on the expression of nest defence behaviour by T. Interestingly, in spite of the higher androgen levels and more pronounced morphologic development of SSC in dominant individuals, gonadal development was independent of social dominance and most fish still had underdeveloped testis at the end of the experiment. In conclusion, social dominance promoted the development of the testicular gland, an increase in circulating androgen levels and the development of SSC, but did not promote testicular development. This suggests a dissociation of mechanisms underlying sexual maturation and the expression of male reproductive traits. This dissociation seems to be the key for the occurrence of female-mimicking males in this species, which are sexually mature despite lacking the SSC typical of nest-holdets. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.R&D Units Plurianual Program (R&D unit) from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [331/2001]; FCT [SFRH/BD/6502/2001]; [POCTI/BSE/38395/2001]; [PTDC/MAR/71351/2006]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tyrphostins reduce chemotherapy-induced intestinal injury in mice: assessment by a biochemical assay

Intestinal injury that results from chemotherapy belongs to the major factors of dose-limitation in tumour therapy. The tyrphostins AG1714 and AG1801 reduce cisplatin and 5-FU-induced small intestinal mucosal damage, using a quantitative biochemical assay. The assay is based on the determination of the enzymatic activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, a marker of the brush border epithelium of the small intestine