A multidisciplinary analytical framework to delineate spawning areas and quantify larval dispersal in coastal fish

Assessing larval dispersal is essential to understand the structure and dynamics of marine populations. However, knowledge about early-life dispersal is sparse, and so is our understanding of the spawning process, perhaps the most obscure component of biphasic life cycles. Indeed, poorly known species-specific spawning modality and species-specific early-life traits, as well as the high spatio-temporal variability of the oceanic circulation experienced during larval drift, hamper our ability to appraise the realized connectivity of coastal fishes. Here, we propose an analytical framework which combines Lagrangian modelling, network theory, otolith analyses and biogeographical information to pinpoint and characterize larval sources which are then grouped into discrete spawning areas. Such well-delineated larval sources allow improving the quantitative evaluations of both dispersal scales and connectivity patterns. To illustrate its added value, our approach is applied to two case-studies focusing on Diplodus sargus and Diplodus vulgaris in the Adriatic sea. We evidence robust correlations between otolith geochemistry and modelled spawning areas to assess their relative importance for the larval replenishment of the Apulian coast. Our results show that, contrary to D. sargus, D. vulgaris larvae originate from both eastern and western Adriatic shorelines. Our findings also suggest that dispersal distances and dispersal surfaces scale differently with the pelagic larval duration. Furthermore, 30.8% of D. sargus larvae and 23.6% of D. vulgaris larvae of the Apulian populations originate from Marine protected area (MPA), exemplifying larval export from MPAs to surrounding unprotected areas. This flexible multidisciplinary framework, which can be adjusted to any coastal fish and oceanic system, exploits the explanatory power of a dispersal model, fine-tuned and backed-up by observations, to provide more reliable scientific basis for the management and conservation of marine ecosystems.

Simultaneous Determination of Eight β-Lactam Antibiotics, Amoxicillin, Cefazolin, Cefepime, Cefotaxime, Ceftazidime, Cloxacillin, Oxacillin, and Piperacillin, in Human Plasma by Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Ultraviolet Detection

A simple and rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method using UV detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of eight β-lactam antibiotics in human plasma, including four penicillins, amoxicillin (AMX), cloxacillin (CLX), oxacillin (OXA), and piperacillin (PIP), and four cephalosporins, cefazolin (CFZ), cefepime (FEP), cefotaxime (CTX), and ceftazidime (CAZ). One hundred-microliter samples were spiked with thiopental as an internal standard, and proteins were precipitated by acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid. Separation was achieved on a pentafluorophenyl (PFP) column with a mobile phase composed of phosphoric acid (10 mM) and acetonitrile in gradient elution mode at a flow rate of 500 μl/min. Detection was performed at 230 nm for AMX, CLX, OXA, and PIP and 260 nm for CFZ, FEP, CTX, and CAZ. The total analysis time did not exceed 13 min. The method was found to be linear at concentrations ranging from 2 to 100 mg/liter for each compound, and all validation parameters fulfilled international requirements. Between- and within-run accuracy errors ranged from -5.2% to 11.4%, and precision was lower than 14.2%. This simple method requires small-volume samples and can easily be implemented in most clinical laboratories to promote the therapeutic drug monitoring of β-lactam antibiotics. The simultaneous determination of several antibiotics considerably reduces the time to results for clinicians, which may improve treatment efficiency, especially in critically ill patients.

Validation of a simple HPLC-UV method for rifampicin determination in plasma: Application to the study of rifampicin arteriovenous concentration gradient

In clinical practice, rifampicin exposure is estimated from its concentration in venous blood samples. In this study, we hypothesized that differences in rifampicin concentration may exist between arterial and venous plasma. An HPLC-UV method for determining rifampicin concentration in plasma using rifapentine as an internal standard was validated. The method, which requires a simple protein precipitation procedure as sample preparation, was performed to compare venous and arterial plasma kinetics after a single therapeutic dose of rifampicin (8.6 mg/kg i.v, infused over 30 min) in baboons (n=3). The method was linear from 0.1 to 40 μg mL(-1) and all validation parameters fulfilled the international requirements. In baboons, rifampicin concentration in arterial plasma was higher than in venous plasma. Arterial Cmax was 2.1±0.2 fold higher than venous Cmax. The area under the curve (AUC) from 0 to 120 min was ∼80% higher in arterial plasma, indicating a significant arteriovenous concentration gradient in early rifampicin pharmacokinetics. Arterial and venous plasma concentrations obtained 6h after rifampicin injection were not different. An important arteriovenous equilibration delay for rifampicin pharmacokinetics is reported. Determination in venous plasma concentrations may considerably underestimate rifampicin exposure to organs during the distribution phase.

Simultaneous determination of three carbapenem antibiotics in plasma by HPLC with ultraviolet detection

A simple, precise and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method using ultraviolet (UV) detection has been developed for simultaneous determination of carbapenem antibiotics: imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem in human plasma. Samples were spiked with ceftazidime as internal standard and proteins were precipitated by acetonitrile. Separation was achieved on a C8 column with a mobile phase composed of phosphate buffer 0.1M (pH 6.8) and methanol in gradient elution mode. Detection was performed at 298 nm. Calibration curves were linear from 0.5 to 80 mg/L for each compound, with correlation coefficients over 0.997. Intra- and inter-day validation studies showed accuracy between -4.5 and 8.1% and precision below 10.4%. Mean recoveries were 82.2, 90.8 and 87.7% for imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem, respectively. This method provides a useful tool for the therapeutic drug monitoring of carbapenems.

Utilisation hors recommandations des médicaments innovants et coûteux en pédiatrie

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to analyze in a pediatric hospital the use of expensive drugs as part of the new activity-based system (T2A) of funding for French public hospitals. We identified and analyzed the therapeutic use of these drugs in indications not included in the expert recommendations issued to accompany this change, with the goal of proposing specific pediatric recommendations.

METHOD

Analysis of prescriptions from May through September 2005 showed that 259 patients received expensive drugs subject to special reimbursement. The computerized prescription system enabled us to monitor and validate prescriptions daily. Indications for these expensive drugs were ranked by relevance.

RESULTS

The prescriptions analyzed covered 26 expensive drugs. Among the 344 "patient-drugs", 80% were expensive drugs for an accepted therapeutic use, 5% for a pertinent therapeutic use (under evaluation), and 15% for "off-label" uses (2% "not approved" and 13% for indications not considered by the recommendations).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that some therapeutic uses not approved by the official recommendations are nevertheless justified. Gathering data from other pediatric hospitals is essential to determine the need for pediatric clinical trials.