Paleolimnological reconstruction of the trophic state in Lake Balaton (Hungary) using Cladocera remains

The sediment of Lake Balaton (Hungary) provides important information about the lake’s history, particularly with regard to eutrophication. In this study, we used fossil pigment analysis and subfossil Cladocera remains preserved in a dated sediment core to identify trophic stages from ~250 bc to present. Dates of the most recent eutrophic events are in good agreement with previously published data. In general, the abundance and diversity of the Cladocera community increased with eutrophication and decreased with oligotrophication. The sediments of Lake Balaton were characterised by Chydoridae remains, of which Alona species were the most abundant. Of these, Alona quadrangularis and Alona affinis accounted for 40 and 20% of the total Cladocera remains, respectively. The trophic state of Lake Balaton varied between mesotrophic and eutrophic regimes. Seven different trophic periods were identified in Lake Balaton on the basis of Sedimentary Pigment Degradation Unit (SPDU) content of the sediment. Eutrophic states were (1) from ~250 to ~30 bc, (3) between ~300 and ~590 ad, (5) between 1834 and 1944 and (7) from the 1960s until present. Mesotrophic states were (2) ~30 bc to ~300 ad, (4) 590–1834, (6) 1944–1960s. Discriminant analysis of the cladoceran data confirmed these historic events, except for the short mesotrophic episode between 1944 and 1960. The first stage of eutrophication of Lake Balaton (~250 to ~30 bc) was characterised by extensive macrophyte vegetation, as indicated by the increasing abundance of vegetation-associated Cladocera species (Eurycercus lamellatus, Sida crystallina, Pleuroxus sp.). Intensification of eutrophication was identified since the 1980s, reflected by a high abundance of Bosmina species. The most significant planktivorous fish of Lake Balaton was the Sabre carp (Pelecus cultratus), and when its number decreased, the abundance of Bosmina species increased. This study shows that Cladocera are responsive to trophic state changes, underlining their importance as a tool for the assessment of lake eutrophication.     

Up-regulation of microRNA-155 in macrophages contributes to increased tumor necrosis factor {alpha} (TNF{alpha}) production via increased mRNA half-life in alcoholic liver disease

Activation of Kupffer cells (KCs) by gut-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Toll-Like Receptors 4 (TLR4)-LPS-mediated increase in TNFα production has a central role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. Micro-RNA (miR)-125b, miR-146a, and miR-155 can regulate inflammatory responses to LPS. Here we evaluated the involvement of miRs in alcohol-induced macrophage activation. Chronic alcohol treatment in vitro resulted in a time-dependent increase in miR-155 but not miR-125b or miR-146a levels in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, alcohol pretreatment augmented LPS-induced miR-155 expression in macrophages. We found a linear correlation between alcohol-induced increase in miR-155 and TNFα induction. In a mouse model of alcoholic liver disease, we found a significant increase in both miR-155 levels and TNFα production in isolated KCs when compared with pair-fed controls. The mechanistic role of miR-155 in TNFα regulation was indicated by decreased TNFα levels in alcohol-treated macrophages after inhibition of miR-155 and by increased TNFα production after miR-155 overexpression, respectively. We found that miR-155 affected TNFα mRNA stability because miR-155 inhibition decreased whereas miR-155 overexpression increased TNFα mRNA half-life. Using the NF-κB inhibitors, MG-132 or Bay11-7082, we demonstrated that NF-κB activation mediated the up-regulation of miR-155 by alcohol in KCs. In conclusion, our novel data demonstrate that chronic alcohol consumption increases miR-155 in macrophages via NF-κB and the increased miR-155 contributes to alcohol-induced elevation in TNFα production via increased mRNA stability.     

DNA Methylation Characteristics of Primary Melanomas with Distinct Biological Behaviour

In melanoma, the presence of promoter related hypermethylation has previously been reported, however, no methylation-based distinction has been drawn among the diverse melanoma subtypes. Here, we investigated DNA methylation changes associated with melanoma progression and links between methylation patterns and other types of somatic alterations, including the most frequent mutations and DNA copy number changes. Our results revealed that the methylome, presenting in early stage samples and associated with the BRAF^V600E mutation, gradually decreased in the medium and late stages of the disease. An inverse relationship among the other predefined groups and promoter methylation was also revealed except for histologic subtype, whereas the more aggressive, nodular subtype melanomas exhibited hypermethylation as well. The Breslow thickness, which is a continuous variable, allowed for the most precise insight into how promoter methylation decreases from stage to stage. Integrating our methylation results with a high-throughput copy number alteration dataset, local correlations were detected in the MYB and EYA4 genes. With regard to the effects of DNA hypermethylation on melanoma patients'' survival, correcting for clinical cofounders, only the KIT gene was associated with a lower overall survival rate. In this study, we demonstrate the strong influence of promoter localized DNA methylation changes on melanoma initiation and show how hypermethylation decreases in melanomas associated with less favourable clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we establish the methylation pattern as part of an integrated apparatus of somatic DNA alterations.     

You Don’t See What I See: Individual Differences in the Perception of Meaning from Visual Stimuli

Everyone has their own unique version of the visual world and there has been growing interest in understanding the way that personality shapes one’s perception. Here, we investigated meaningful visual experiences in relation to the personality dimension of schizotypy. In a novel approach to this issue, a non-clinical sample of subjects (total n = 197) were presented with calibrated images of scenes, cartoons and faces of varying visibility embedded in noise; the spatial properties of the images were constructed to mimic the natural statistics of the environment. In two experiments, subjects were required to indicate what they saw in a large number of unique images, both with and without actual meaningful structure. The first experiment employed an open-ended response paradigm and used a variety of different images in noise; the second experiment only presented a series of faces embedded in noise, and required a forced-choice response from the subjects. The results in all conditions indicated that a high positive schizotypy score was associated with an increased tendency to perceive complex meaning in images comprised purely of random visual noise. Individuals high in positive schizotypy seemed to be employing a looser criterion (response bias) to determine what constituted a ‘meaningful’ image, while also being significantly less sensitive at the task than those low in positive schizotypy. Our results suggest that differences in perceptual performance for individuals high in positive schizotypy are not related to increased suggestibility or susceptibility to instruction, as had previously been suggested. Instead, the observed reductions in sensitivity along with increased response bias toward seeing something that is not there, indirectly implicated subtle neurophysiological differences associated with the personality dimension of schizotypy, that are theoretically pertinent to the continuum of schizophrenia and hallucination-proneness.     

Differential scanning calorimetry study of glycerinated rabbit psoas muscle fibres in intermediate state of ATP hydrolysis

Background  

Thermal denaturation experiments were extended to study the thermal behaviour of the main motor proteins (actin and myosin) in their native environment in striated muscle fibres. The interaction of actin with myosin in the highly organized muscle structure is affected by internal forces; therefore their altered conformation and interaction may differ from those obtained in solution. The energetics of long functioning intermediate states of ATP hydrolysis cycle was studied in muscle fibres by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).     

Aerial powdering of bees inside mobile cages and the extent of neonicotinoid cloud surrounding corn drillers

Sudden losses of bees have been observed in spring during maize sowing. The death of bees has been correlated with the use of neonicotinoid‐coated seed and the toxic particulates emitted by pneumatic drilling machines. The contamination of foragers in flight over the ploughed fields has been hypothesized. The airborne contamination has been proven, both with bees inside fixed cages around the field and in free flight near the driller. A new trial involving mobile cages has been established and consists of making rapid passes with single bees inside cages fixed to an aluminium bar. The bar was moved by two operators at different distances from the working drilling machine. A single pass was shown as sufficient to kill all the bees exposed to exhaust air on the emission side of the drill, when bees were subsequently held in high relative humidity. The extent of toxic cloud around driller was evaluated at the height of 0.5, 1.8 and 3.5 m and proved to be about 20 m in diameter, with an ellipsoidal shape. The shape may be influenced by working speed of the drill and environmental parameters, and is easily shown by adding talc powder to the seed in the machine hopper. A new driller equipment was evaluated consisting of two tubes inclined towards the soil that direct the exhaust air towards the ground. The survival rate of the bees was not substantially increased using the modified drill and was lower than 50%. Chemical analyses show up to 4000 ng of insecticide in single bees with an average content around 300 ng. Similar quantities were observed at increased distances from the modified or unmodified drillers. This new evaluation of bee mortality in the field is an innovative biological test to verify the hypothetical efficiency (or not) of driller modifications.