Molecular forensics in the precious Mediterranean red coral, Corallium rubrum: testing DNA extraction and microsatellite genotyping using dried colonies

Corallium rubrum is an overharvested precious coral submitted to strong environmental pressures. The development of new management tools such as assignment tests is crucial to assess the origin of traded colonies and to reinforce existing regulations in order to ultimately reduce poaching. As a starting point, we test the feasibility of DNA extractions and PCR amplifications of ten microsatellites using dried tissues such as those that can be obtained from traded or seized colonies. We genotype the same ten colonies conserved in alcohol and after five drying periods (from 7 days to 8 months) as well as ten dried colonies coming from a seizure conducted in 2009. Estimating the rate of negative PCRs through time, PCR repeatability and frequencies of null alleles, we demonstrate that dried colonies can be successfully genotyped. This study opens new avenues for the conservation of C. rubrum and other precious corals.     

Gastric Duplication Cyst with Respiratory Epithelium: a Rare Entity

Gastric duplication cyst is an uncommon entity and management is principally surgical. Diagnosis is often delayed because of the non-specific nature of symptoms. The authors report one case of gastric duplication cyst incidentally diagnosed in a 23-year-old man. He had no specific symptoms but follow up of the unknown retro gastric mass showed an increase in size and cholelithiasis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was not useful for diagnosis but an endoscopic ultrasound suggested a GIST. The growing size of the mass led to a laparoscopic resection. Histopathology showed a gastric duplication cyst boarded with gastric and respiratory ciliated epithelium. This respiratory differentiation is extremely rare. Our patient is the 25^th case reported in the literature. The embryologic origin, diagnosis tools and treatment of those rare cysts are briefly reviewed.