Chondrichthyans (sharks, rays and chimeras) are a fascinating and highly vulnerable group of early branching gnathostomes. However, they remain comparatively poorly sampled from the point of view of molecular resources, with deep water taxa being particularly data deficient. The development of long-read sequencing technologies enables the analysis of phylogenetic relationships through a precise and reliable assembly of complete mtDNA genomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGene flow shapes spatial genetic structure and the potential for local adaptation. Among marine animals with nonmigratory adults, the presence or absence of a pelagic larval stage is thought to be a key determinant in shaping gene flow and the genetic structure of populations. In addition, the spatial distribution of suitable habitats is expected to influence the distribution of biological populations and their connectivity patterns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe pencil cardinal Epigonus denticulatus is a small deep-water fish inhabiting continental slopes usually between 300 and 600 m depth. We report the first record of E. denticulatus in the Azores archipelago, where one specimen was found floating by fisherman off Faial island.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiabetol Metab Syndr
December 2020
Introduction: Adult-onset autoimmune diabetes (AID) has two different phenotypes: classic type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), with insulin requirement just after diagnosis, and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). The purpose of this study is to characterize patients with AID followed on a tertiary centre, comparing classic T1DM and LADA.
Methods: We collected data from patients with diabetes and positive islet autoantibodies, aged 30 years old and over at diagnosis.
Background: The American Diabetes Association proposed two subcategories for type 1 diabetes mellitus: type 1A or immune-mediated diabetes (IDM) and type 1B or idiopathic diabetes. The absence of β-cell autoimmune markers, permanent insulinopenia and prone to ketoacidosis define the second category, whose pathogenesis remains unclear. Only a minority of patients fall into this category, also designated non-immune-mediated (NIDM), which is considered by several authors similar to type 2 diabetes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe presence of the opal chimaera, Chimaera opalescens, is reported for the first time in the deep waters of the Azores, with the capture of four specimens by fishermen and the video recording of an additional five individuals. Species identification was supported by the 646 bp sequenced fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I. Because C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep
March 2020
Summary: Pituitary infections, particularly with fungus, are rare disorders that usually occur in immunocompromised patients. Cushing's syndrome predisposes patients to infectious diseases due to their immunosuppression status. We report the case of a 55-year-old woman, working as a poultry farmer, who developed intense headache, palpebral ptosis, anisocoria, prostration and psychomotor agitation 9 months after initial diabetes mellitus diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSharks are a diverse group of mobile predators that forage across varied spatial scales and have the potential to influence food web dynamics. The ecological consequences of recent declines in shark biomass may extend across broader geographic ranges if shark taxa display common behavioural traits. By tracking the original site of photosynthetic fixation of carbon atoms that were ultimately assimilated into muscle tissues of 5,394 sharks from 114 species, we identify globally consistent biogeographic traits in trophic interactions between sharks found in different habitats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPopulation genetic studies of species inhabiting the deepest parts of the oceans are still scarce and only until recently we started to understand how oceanographic processes and topography affect dispersal and gene flow patterns. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial population genetic structure of the bathyal bony fish Coryphaenoides mediterraneus, with a focus on the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition. We used nine nuclear microsatellites and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene from 6 different sampling areas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKnowledge of the mechanisms limiting connectivity and gene flow in deep-sea ecosystems is scarce, especially for deep-sea sharks. The Portuguese dogfish (Centroscymnus coelolepis) is a globally distributed and near threatened deep-sea shark. C.
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