Sepia officinalis

Microdevices that offer hyperglycemia monitoring and controllable drug delivery are urgently needed for daily diabetes management. Herein, a theranostic separable double-layer microneedle (DLMN) patch consisting of a swellable GelMA supporting base layer for glycemia sensing and a phase-change material (PCM) arrowhead layer for hyperglycemia regulation has been fabricated. The Cu-TCPP(Fe)/glucose oxidase composite and 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine coembedded in the supporting base layer permit a visible color shift at the base surface in the presence of glucose via a cascade reaction, allowing for the in situ detection of glucose in interstitial fluid...

The antioxidant effect of cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis ) ink (CFI) was analysed in the present study. A model system consisting of minced seabream ( Sparus aurata ) muscle and different concentrations of an aqueous extract of CFI was subjected to a heat (50 °C) treatment for 12 days. The effects of the CFI content and the heating time on lipid oxidation (conjugated diene (CD), conjugated triene (CT), and peroxide values and fluorescent compound formation), hydrolysis (free fatty acid content) development, and changes in the fatty acid (FA) profile (polyene index (PI), unsaturated FA content, ω3/ω6 ratio) were determined...

Cuttlefish swim using jet propulsion, taking a small volume of fluid into the mantle cavity before it is expelled through the siphon to generate thrust. Jet propulsion swimming has been shown to be more metabolically expensive than undulatory swimming, which has been suggested to be due to the lower efficiency of jet propulsion. The whole cycle propulsive efficiency of cephalopod molluscs ranges from 38-76%, indicating that in some instances jet propulsion can be relatively efficient. Here, we determined the hydrodynamics of hatchling and juvenile cuttlefish during jet propulsion swimming to understand the characteristics of their jets, and whether their whole cycle propulsive efficiency changes during development...

Among natural radionuclides, 210 Po is the major contributor to the radiation dose received by marine organisms. In cephalopods, 210 Po is concentrated in the digestive gland, which contains over 90% of the whole-body burden of the nuclide. Although previous studies showed that 210 Po was taken up independently of 210 Pb, its parent nuclide, very little is known about the factors influencing its levels in cephalopods. To the best of our knowledge, no studies investigated 210 Po levels in different species at the same time...

Although the egg capsule plays a crucial role in the embryonic development of cephalopods, its ability to protect embryos from Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is unknown. Our study evaluated the photoprotection mechanisms of S. officinalis to UV-B radiation and estimated the ability of the black capsule to act as a physical shield against it. Embryos with and without capsule and juveniles were exposed to four experimental UVB conditions for 55 days. The effects of different UVB doses were evaluated in terms of morphological abnormalities and differences in gene expression between each group...

The discovery of a pufferfish specimen (Tetraodontidae) inside a frozen cuttlefish, purchased by a fishmonger, and caught in the Eastern Central Atlantic (FAO 34) is reported. The consumer, who reported this case to FishLab (Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa) for investigation, was a student of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pisa. He recognized the Tetraodontidae because he attended practical lessons on fish morphological identification during the course of food inspection and was aware of the risks to human health linked to the Tetrodotoxin (TTX)...

Microplastics (μPs) represent an emerging problem for the marine environment given their wide bioavailability for all aquatic organisms, from zooplankton to top predators. This work aimed to evaluate a method of extracting microplastics from the gastrointestinal tract of 122 Sepia officinalis caught from the Adriatic Sea (along Abruzzo region coasts) to measure its quantity in a poorly investigated species. The extraction method used for gastrointestinal content was performed using 10% potassium hydroxide...

BACKGROUND:  Menopause is a physiological event that marks the end of a woman's reproductive stage in life. Vasomotor symptoms and changes in mood are among its most important effects. Homeopathy has been used for many years in treating menopausal complaints, though clinical and pre-clinical research in this field is limited. Homeopathy often bases its prescription on neuropsychiatric symptoms, but it is unknown if homeopathic medicines (HMs) exert a neuroendocrine effect that causes an improvement in vasomotor symptoms and mood during menopause...

Many cephalopods escape detection using camouflage1 . This behaviour relies on a visual assessment of the surroundings, on an interpretation of visual-texture statistics2-4 and on matching these statistics using millions of skin chromatophores that are controlled by motoneurons located in the brain5-7 . Analysis of cuttlefish images proposed that camouflage patterns are low dimensional and categorizable into three pattern classes, built from a small repertoire of components8-11 . Behavioural experiments also indicated that, although camouflage requires vision, its execution does not require feedback5,12,13 , suggesting that motion within skin-pattern space is stereotyped and lacks the possibility of correction...

Structural biological hard tissues fulfill diverse tasks: protection, defence, locomotion, structural support, reinforcement, buoyancy. The cephalopod mollusk Spirula spirula has a planspiral, endogastrically coiled, chambered, endoskeleton consisting of the main elements: shell-wall, septum, adapical-ridge, siphuncular-tube. The cephalopod mollusk Sepia officinalis has an oval, flattened, layered-cellular endoskeleton, formed of the main elements: dorsal-shield, wall/pillar, septum, siphuncular-zone. Both endoskeletons are light-weight buoyancy devices that enable transit through marine environments: vertical (S...

Melanins represent a diverse collection of pigments with a variety of structures and functions. One class of melanin, eumelanin, is recognizable to most as the source of the dark black color found in cephalopod ink. Sepia officinalis is the most well-known and sought-after source of non-synthetic eumelanin, but its harvest is limited by the availability of cuttlefish, and its extraction from an animal source brings rise to ethical concerns. In recent years, these limitations have become more pressing as more applications for eumelanin are developed-particularly in medicine and electronics...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) commonly found in marine environments. Their bioaccumulation can cause harm to aquatic organisms, including invertebrates, particularly during the early stages of embryonic development. In this study, we evaluated, for the first time, the patterns of PAH accumulation in both capsule and embryo of common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis). In addition, we explored the effects of PAHs by analysing the expression profiles of seven homeobox genes [i...

Once they reach the aquatic environment, microplastics (MPs) are accidentally ingested by aquatic biota, thus entering the food chain with possible negative effects. The present study investigated, for the first time, MP presence in cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis ) eggs and their association with embryonic development. Cuttlefish eggs were sampled from four different sites along the Marche region (Senigallia, Ancona, Numana, and San Benedetto del Tronto). Embryo and hatchling biometric parameters were evaluated and the internal structural integrity was examined through histological analysis...

Between 1948 and 1965, the Canari asbestos mine (Corsica, France) discharged 11 million tonnes of serpentinite rubble into the sea. This study, therefore, aims to assess the environmental and health risks associated with contamination of potentially toxic elements using bioindicators (seagrass and fish) in the areas bordering the former mine within the perimeter of the Cap Corse and Agriate Marine Natural Park. The results and multivariate statistical analyses of the potentially toxic elements, made it possible to identify a concentration gradient, a model of bioaccumulation, and the occurrence of different groups, thus reflecting a spatial variation of the contamination...

The circular muscles surrounding the mantle cavity of European cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) generate the mechanical power to compress the cavity, forcing a jet of water out of the funnel propelling the animal during jet propulsion swimming. During ontogeny, jetting frequency decreases in adults compared to juveniles, and this is expected to be reflected in the contractile properties of the locomotory muscles. To develop greater insight into how the locomotion of these animals is powered during ontogeny, we determined the mechanical properties of bundles of muscle fascicles during isometric, isotonic and cyclic length changes in vitro, at two life stages: juveniles and adults...

Ocean warming and acidification have been shown to elicit deleterious effects on cephalopod mollusks, especially during early ontogeny, albeit effects on behavior remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate, for the first time, the effect of end-of-the-century projected levels of ocean warming (W; + 3 °C) and acidification (A; 980 µatm p CO2 ) on Sepia officinalis hatchlings' exploratory behavior and ability to camouflage in different substrate complexities (sand and black and white gravel). Cuttlefish were recorded in open field tests, from which mobility and exploratory avoidance behavior data were obtained...

Assessing organic matter fluxes and species interactions in food webs is of main interest to understand the ecological functioning in bays and estuaries characterised by a wide diversity of primary producers and consumers. Demersal fish and cephalopod assemblages were studied across a network of 24 shallow subtidal stations in the bay of Saint-Brieuc for their diversity, stable isotope compositions and stomach contents. The community was composed of 21 taxa, eight species accounting for 94.4% of the total abundance...

Cuttlebone, the endoskeleton of cuttlefish, offers an intriguing biological structural model for designing low-density cellular ceramics with high stiffness and damage tolerance. Cuttlebone is highly porous (porosity ∼93%) and lightweight (density less than 20% of seawater), constructed mainly by brittle aragonite (95 wt%), but capable of sustaining hydrostatic water pressures over 20 atmospheres and exhibits energy absorption capability under compression comparable to many metallic foams (∼4.4 kJ/kg). Here we computationally investigate how such a remarkable mechanical efficiency is enabled by the multiscale structure of cuttlebone...

In shallow water, downwelling light is refracted from surface waves onto the substrate creating bands of light that fluctuate in both time and space, known as caustics. This dynamic illumination can be a visual hindrance for animals in shallow underwater environments. Animals in such habitats may have evolved to use polarization vision for discriminating objects while ignoring the variations in illumination caused by caustics. To explore this possibility, crabs ( Carcinus maenas ) and cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis ), both of which have polarization vision, were presented with moving stimuli overlaid with caustics...

The bioaccumulation of mercury (Hg) in marine organisms through various pathways has not yet been fully explored, particularly in cephalopods. This study utilises radiotracer techniques using the isotope 203 Hg to investigate the toxicokinetics and the organotropism of waterborne inorganic Hg (iHg) and dietary inorganic and organic Hg (methylHg, MeHg) in juvenile common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. The effect of two contrasting CO2 partial pressures in seawater (400 and 1600 μatm, equivalent to pH 8.08 and 7...