Effects of water movement on prey capture and distribution of reef corals

Coral reefs comprise a variety of microhabitats, each with a characteristic pattern of water movement. Variation in flow microhabitat is likely to influence the distribution and abundance of suspension feeders, including the corals. Water flow was measured concurrently with wave heights at 8 depths along the forereef slope in Salt River Canyon, St Croix, U.S.V.I. The greatest flow speeds occurred on the shallow forereef at 7 m depth, where oscillatory wave-induced flow reached speeds over 50 cm s^–1. From 7 m to at least 15 m depth, flow decreased and was primarily bidirectional. Below 15 m depth, flow decreased even further, to less than one fifth of that experienced by shallow corals, and was unidirectional. The relationship between particle capture by the corals Meandrina meandrites and Madracis decactis and water flow was studied in the field. Colony morphology and the resulting modification of flow influenced the relationship of flow to feeding success; prey capture by the branching Madracis colonies increased with flow, while that of the flat Meandrina colonies did not. Such relationships may contribute to differences in distribution of corals of divergent morphologies. In transect surveys from 7 to 45 m depth,; branching and mounding corals with tentacular feeding modes were most common in the shallow forereef habitats, and plating corals with small polyps (ciliary mucus feeders) were ubiquitous in the deeper zones.This paper was presented at the Fifth International Conference on Coelenterate Biology at Southampton, UK in July 1989. A synopsis appears in the Proceedings (Hydrobiologia 216/217: 247–248, 1991).This paper was presented at the Fifth International Conference on Coelenterate Biology at Southampton, UK in July 1989. A synopsis appears in the Proceedings (Hydrobiologia 216/217: 247–248, 1991).     

Use of a vaginal probiotic suppository and antibiotics to influence the composition of the endometrial microbiota

The aim of the present study was to determine the status of the endometrial microbiota in patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF) and to assess treatment strategies for nondominant Lactobacillus (NLD) cases. A total of 392 patients with RIF were enrolled in this prospective cohort study (UMIN-CTR 000038582) and underwent endometrial microbiota analysis. Patients diagnosed with NLD were treated with a combination of oral and vaginal probiotics or oral prebiotics and antibiotics. The outcome was evaluated through re-analysis of the endometrial microbiota following treatment, and the results are presented as cure rates. NLD represented 44.9 % of the total endometrial microbiota in patients with RIF. The most commonly detected bacterium was Gardnerella vaginalis. The cure rates in the oral probiotics + oral prebiotics, antibiotics, oral probiotics + oral prebiotics + antibiotics, vaginal probiotic suppository, and vaginal probiotic suppository + antibiotics groups were 29.5, 33.33, 33.33, 43.6, and 78.6 %, respectively. Significant improvements were noted in the vaginal probiotic suppository + antibiotics group. Moreover, we revealed that approximately half of patients with RIF had NLD. Thus, the combination of a vaginal probiotic suppository and antibiotics may represent an effective treatment for NLD cases.     

Patterns in marine hydrozoan richness and biogeography around southern Africa: implications of life cycle strategy

Aim To examine patterns of marine hydrozoan richness around southern Africa and to test the hypothesis that patterns of biogeography become weaker with increasing dispersal ability. Location The coastline of southern Africa from 21° S, 14° E to 28° S, 33° E, extending from the intertidal zone seawards a distance of 200 nautical miles. Methods Published and unpublished information on the distribution of marine Hydrozoa was entered as presence/absence data onto a gridded coastline of the region. A similarity matrix between the species composition of grid squares was constructed using the Bray–Curtis index and visualized using non-metric multidimensional scaling ordinations. Separate analyses were conducted, and compared, on the three major life cycle groupings: holoplanktic, meroplanktic and benthic. Results Over 450 species of marine Hydrozoa have been reported from the region, and species richness increases eastwards, in a manner at odds with the distribution of sampling effort. There was a significant correlation between the geographic structures of the resemblance matrices generated for the three life cycle groupings. In other words, all three groups showed similar patterns of biogeography around the region, and these were broadly similar to those reported by others. However, there were differences between them that reflect the resolution at which the data were examined. At a level of 40% similarity, there was no biogeographic structure to the holoplanktic fauna, the meroplanktic taxa were simply sub-divided into cool- and warm-temperate/subtropical elements, and in the case of benthic taxa, the cool-water fauna was further split into a southern Namaqua and a depauperate northern Namib component. Even at a resolution of 70% similarity, the holopelagic taxa could be separated only into cool-temperate and warm-temperate/subtropical faunas. Main conclusions Holoplanktic taxa show comparatively less biogeographic structure than meroplanktic taxa, which in turn show less clearly defined biogeographic structure than benthic taxa. It is suggested that this is related to the interaction between oceanography and dispersive-stage duration. The role that the Agulhas Current plays in influencing the Benguela Current fauna is highlighted. This study has implications for conservation planning exercises based on protecting representative biotopes in different biogeographic regions.     

Motility of zooxanthellae isolated from the Red Sea soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens (Cnidaria)

Unicellular dinoflagellate algae are among the best examples of organisms that exhibit biological clocks. This study examined the effect of light regime on rhythmicity of motility in the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp., freshly isolated from the soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens (Ehrenberg). Freshly isolated algal cells, placed under a 12-h L:12-h D cycle, exhibited motility with a diel rhythm. This motility occurred only during the period of illumination and lasted 8-9 h, with a peak at 2.5-4 h after lights on. Algal cells placed in an inverted light regime inverted their motility pattern. The response to the L/D regime was very precise, and even a 1-h shift backward or forward affected initiation of motility and time of its maximal peak. When placed in either constant light or dark, algal motility ceased until the L/D cycle was restored. These findings suggest that the rhythm is entrained by light cues and is not due to an endogenous circadian rhythm. Further, we provide evidence that the presence of juvenile hosts does not affect the algal motility pattern. These results offer the first evidence for the lack of impact by the host on rhythmicity of motility of free-living algal cells. The motility pattern found in freshly isolated algae may indicate the presence of light-induced diel rhythmicity in yet-to-be described free-living Symbiodinium.     

The proliferative phase underpins endometrial development: Altered cytokine profiles in uterine lavage fluid of women with idiopathic infertility

Endometrial gland development occurs during the proliferative phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle, laying the foundation for the subsequent receptive, secretory phase when pregnancy is established. Idiopathic infertility has been rarely investigated with respect to the proliferative phase endometrium. We investigated whether gland development and/or altered secretion of cytokines during the proliferative phase is associated with infertility. Area of the glandular epithelium (GE) was measured in proliferative phase endometrial tissue collected from fertile (n = 18) and infertile (n = 14) women. Cytokines were measured in proliferative phase uterine lavage of fertile (n = 15) and infertile (n = 15) women. Immunohistochemistry determined cellular localisation of transforming growth factor alpha (TGFα) and interferon gamma (IFNγ) in proliferative phase endometrial tissue. For statistical analysis the cohort was divided into women <35 years and ⩾35 years. There were no significant differences in GE area of infertile and fertile women. C-C motif chemokine 11 (P = 0.048), TGFα (P = 0.049), IFNγ (P = 0.033) and interleukin-1 alpha (P = 0.047) were significantly elevated in uterine lavage from infertile women <35 years compared to fertile but not in women ⩾35 years. TGFα and IFNγ localised predominantly to GE in both the fertile and infertile endometrium. The potential impact of this altered proliferative phase environment on subsequent receptivity is discussed.     

Decay-accelerating factor promotes endometrial cells proliferation and motility under ovarian hormone stimulation

The intent of the study was to explore the elevating expression of decay-accelerating factor(DAF) exerts influence on biological behaviors of endometrial stromal cells except in classical immunology on the basis of bioinformatic statistics and clinical miscarriages findings suggesting its potential role in the establishment of endometrial receptivity. We confirmed that DAF locates on the cellular surface of endometrial epithelium and stroma. By using plasmid transfection to down-regulate DAF expression in primary endometrial stromal cells(ESCs), we discovered that DAF expression in ESCs increases in response to estradiol and progesterone stimulation in dose- and time-dependent manners; moreover, tamoxifen and RU486 stimulations to block estrogen receptors(ERs) and progesterone receptors(PRs) respectively result in reduced DAF mRNA and protein, and it is more obvious to block PRs. Meanwhile, knocked-down DAF in ESCs weakens the proliferation, migration and invasion of endometrial cells. Cell cycle analysis showed knocked-down DAF accumulates cells in S phase and diminishes cells in G0/G1 phase, which substantiates DAF mediates endometrial cells proliferation. In conclusion, DAF is a potential molecule involving in endometrial cellular proliferation and motility to verify up-expressed DAF during the WOI may facilitate endometrial physiobiological behavior changes, which shed light on DAF function and potential role in the endometrial receptivity establishment.     

The Hydra small ubiquitin‐like modifier

SUMO is a protein posttranslational modifier. SUMO cycle components are believed to be conserved in all eukaryotes. Proteomic analyses have lead to the identification a wealth of SUMO targets that are involved in almost every cellular function in eukaryotes. In this article, we describe the characterization of SUMO Cycle components in Hydra, a Cnidarian with an ability to regenerate body parts. In cells, the translated SUMO polypeptide cannot conjugate to a substrate protein unless the C‐terminal tail is cleaved, exposing the di‐Glycine motif. This critical task is done by SUMO proteases that in addition to SUMO maturation are also involved in deconjugating SUMO from its substrate. We describe the identification, bioinformatics analysis, cloning, and biochemical characterization of Hydra SUMO cycle components, with a focus on SUMO and SUMO proteases. We demonstrate that the ability of SUMO proteases to process immature SUMO is conserved from Hydra to flies. A transgenic Hydra, expressing a SUMO‐GFP fusion protein under a constitutive actin promoter, is generated in an attempt to monitor the SUMO Cycle in vivo as also to purify and identify SUMO targets in Hydra. genesis 51:619–629. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Intérêt de la TEP/TDM dans le diagnostic de la carcinose péritonéale : à propos d’une observation

PET/CT is a significant examination recognized in the detection of tumors and their metastases. Through a rare case of peritoneal carcinomatosis complicating an endometrial carcinoma, the authors discuss utility of FDG-PET/CT in the diagnosis and follow-up of this disease.