Coral research

Extracts from Clavularia viridis and also many other coral species convert arachidonic acid to the prostanoidpreclavulone-A via 8-( f )-hydroperoxy-5,ll,14( Z), QfEj-eicosatetraenoic acid. The carbocyclization is considered to occur from allene oxide and oxidopentadienyl cation intermediates. An enantioselective total synthesis of preclavulone-A was developed to assist the biosynthetic research. 

Adalat (Bayer Italia 1976) Anifed (Farmac. Formenti) Citilat (CD Coral (Drug Research) Nifedicor (Monsanto) Nifedin (Benedetti)... 

Mass spectrometric techniques for analysis of Th- U disequilibria were first developed to date corals for paleoclimate research (Edwards et al. 1987). Soon thereafter, workers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANE) developed methods for silicate analysis by TIMS (Goldstein et al. 1989). Typical TIMS analysis of MORE requires 0.5 to 1 gram of material in order have an analyzable load of 100 ng of Th. TIMS analyses of U and Th last 2-3 hrs and produce a precision of 0.5-2% (2a). SIMS techniques for measuring Th isotopes have also been developed (England et al. 1992 Layne and Sims 2000). Analysis of Ra and Pa isotopes by TIMS was developed in the early 1990 s significantly increasing the sensitivity over decay counting analysis (Volpe et al. 1993 Cohen and Onions 1993 Pickett et al. 1994 Chabaux et al. 1994). 

Vogel EW. 1985. The Drosphila somatic recombination and mutation assay (SRM) using the white-coral somatic eye color system. In Ashby J, de Serres FJ, et al., eds. Progress in mutation research. Vol. 5. Evaluation of short-term tests for carcinogens. Amsterdam, The Netherlands Elsevier Science Publishers, 313-317. 

In order to provide AMS analyses to the broad ocean sciences research community, the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility (NOSAMS) was established at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Massachusetts) in 1989. Studies performed there include identification of sources of carbon-bearing materials in the water column and sediment, dating of sedimentary samples, investigations of paleocirculation patterns (e.g., from observations of differences in 14C relative abundances in planktonic and benthic foraminifera, and coral cores and cross sections), as well as studies of modern oceanic carbon cycling and circulation. In fact, much that is known about advective and diffusive processes in the ocean comes from measurements of chemical tracers, such as 14C, rather than from direct measurements of water mass flow. 

Guilderson, T.P., D.P. Schrag, M. Kashgarian, and J. Southori. 1998. Radiocarbon variability in the western equatorial Pacific inferred from a high-resolution coral record from Nauru Island. Journal of Geophysical Research, C, Oceans 103(11) 24,641-24,650. 

Corals can still make their skeletons, but it s more difficult and they now are more sensitive to other stresses like pollution.The ocean will never become as acidic as the vinegar in your experiment dissolving the eggshell, but it may not always be basic enough for corals. Scientists are researching the complex interactions between the atmosphere, the ocean, and coral reefs so we can work to make sure corals have what they need to live and grow. 

Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reefs and Other Marine Calcifiers A Guide for Future Research, report of a workshop held 18-20 April 2005, St. Petersburg, FL, sponsored by NSF, NOAA, and the U.S. Geological Survey, 88 pp. 

Analyses by R. Nasini and R. Grassini indicated that boric acid entered into the composition of the brilliant coral red glazes on the Aretme vases (first century B.C. to first century A.D.) excavated at Arezzo (57, 76). Because of the seal, or impression, on the bottom, these vases were known as terra sigillata ware. Paul Diergart of the research staff of the Royal Porcelain Works in Berlin questioned these analyses, however (58). 

Caribbean coral Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae discovered by Fenical et al. [47], Pseudopterosin E, Fig. (3) is the one with the best pharmacological profile, combining low toxicity and potent antiinflammatory activity. In human neutrophils, pseudopterosin E inhibits degranulation and formation of Ieukotrienes [2], In 1991, phase I clinical trials were initiated with pseudopterosin E as a topical anti-inflammatory agent. Recently, novel anti-inflammatory natural products have been isolated from this Caribbean soft coral [48,49], Japanese researchers reported the isolation of a group of compounds designated helioporins A-E, which are related to the pseudopterosins [1],... 

To whom correspondence should be addressed. T. Nejat Veziroglu, Room 219, Engineering Bldg., Clean Energy Research Institute, University of Miami, 1251 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33124, U.S.A., e-mail Veziroglu miami.edu... 

Researchers are also exploring ways of using inorganic materials, especially those closely related to natural hone material, for artificial bone filling. Interpore International of Irvine, California, for example, received approval in 1992 for its hydroxyapatite-based hone substitute called Pro Osteon. The material is made from coral that has been heated to temperatures of about 2000°C to obtain hydroxyapatite (a primary component of coral) of 95 percent purity. The material is then formed into a scaffolding resembling natural bone, and this final product is irradiated with gamma rays to sterilize it. 

Rogers, C. S., Garrison, V., and Grober-Dunsmore, R., A fishy story about hurricanes and herbivory seven years of research on a reef in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands., Proc. Sthlnt. Coral Reef Sym., 1, 555, 1997. 

---