Home range of newborn blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus), as estimated using mark-recapture and acoustic telemetry

Coral Reefs - Sharks play important functional roles in coral reef ecosystems. Studying reef shark populations’ spatial ecology also contributes important data for effective conservation...     

Differential expression profiles of miRNA in the serum of sarcopenic rats

As the geriatric population and life expectancy increase, the interest in preventing geriatric diseases, such as sarcopenia, is increasing. However, the causes of sarcopenia are unclear, and current diagnostic methods for sarcopenia are unreliable. We hypothesized that the changes in the expression of certain miRNAs may be associated with the pathophysiology of sarcopenia. Herein, we analyzed the miRNA expression profiles in the blood of young (3-months-old) healthy rats, old sarcopenic (17-months-old) rats, and age-matched (17-months-old) control rats. The changes in miRNA expression levels were analyzed using Bowtie 2 software. A total of 523 miRNAs were detected in the rat serum. Using scatter plots and clustering heatmap data, we found 130 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in sarcopenic rats (>2-fold change) compared to the expression in young healthy and age-matched control rats. With a threshold of >5-fold change, we identified 14 upregulated miRNAs, including rno-miR-133b-3p, rno-miR-133a-3p, rno-miR-133c, rno-miR-208a-3p, and rno-miR434-5p among others in the serum of sarcopenic rats. A protein network map based on these 14 miRNAs identified the genes involved in skeletal muscle differentiation, among which Notch1, Egr2, and Myocd represented major nodes. The data obtained in this study are potentially useful for the early diagnosis of sarcopenia and for the identification of novel therapeutic targets for the treatment and/or prevention of sarcopenia.     

The biodiversity of lactic acid bacteria in Greek traditional wheat sourdoughs is reflected in both composition and metabolite formation

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from Greek traditional wheat sourdoughs manufactured without the addition of baker's yeast. Application of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of total cell protein, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR, DNA-DNA hybridization, and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, in combination with physiological traits such as fructose fermentation and mannitol production, allowed us to classify the isolated bacteria into the species Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus paralimentarius, and Weissella cibaria. This consortium seems to be unique for the Greek traditional wheat sourdoughs studied. Strains of the species W. cibaria have not been isolated from sourdoughs previously. No Lactobacillus pontis or Lactobacillus panis strains were found. An L. brevis-like isolate (ACA-DC 3411 t1) could not be identified properly and might be a new sourdough LAB species. In addition, fermentation capabilities associated with the LAB detected have been studied. During laboratory fermentations, all heterofermentative sourdough LAB strains produced lactic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol. Mannitol was produced from fructose that served as an additional electron acceptor. In addition to glucose, almost all of the LAB isolates fermented maltose, while fructose as the sole carbohydrate source was fermented by all sourdough LAB tested except L. sanfranciscensis. Two of the L. paralimentarius isolates tested did not ferment maltose; all strains were homofermentative. In the presence of both maltose and fructose in the medium, induction of hexokinase activity occurred in all sourdough LAB species mentioned above, explaining why no glucose accumulation was found extracellularly. No maltose phosphorylase activity was found either. These data produced a variable fermentation coefficient and a unique sourdough metabolite composition.     

Exploiting differences in caspase-2 and -3 S₂ subsites for selectivity: structure-based design, solid-phase synthesis and in vitro activity of novel substrate-based caspase-2 inhibitors

Several caspases have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD); however, existing caspase inhibitors lack the selectivity required to investigate the specific involvement of individual caspases in the neuronal cell death associated with HD. In order to explore the potential role played by caspase-2, the potent but non-selective canonical Ac-VDVAD-CHO caspase-2 inhibitor 1 was rationally modified at the P(2) residue in an attempt to decrease its activity against caspase-3. With the aid of structural information on the caspase-2, and -3 active sites and molecular modeling, a 3-(S)-substituted-l-proline along with four additional scaffold variants were selected as P(2) elements for their predicted ability to clash sterically with a residue of the caspase-3 S(2) pocket. These elements were then incorporated by solid-phase synthesis into pentapeptide aldehydes 33a-v. Proline-based compound 33h bearing a bulky 3-(S)-substituent displayed advantageous characteristics in biochemical and cellular assays with 20- to 60-fold increased selectivity for caspase-2 and ～200-fold decreased caspase-3 potency compared to the reference inhibitor 1. Further optimization of this prototype compound may lead to the discovery of valuable pharmacological tools for the study of caspase-2 mediated cell death, particularly as it relates to HD.     

Interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and lactic acid bacteria in sourdough

The aim of this study was to assess the interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and lactic acid bacteria that either form a stable consortium in Greek wheat sourdoughs (i.e. Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis and L. brevis) or occasionally constitute the secondary microbiota (i.e. Weissella cibaria, L. paralimentarius, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Enterococcus faecium). For this purpose, wheat dough was prepared by using strains of the above mentioned species either as single starters, or in combination of the yeast with each of the lactic acid bacteria strains. The determination of the metabolic products in sourdough samples was performed by HPLC analysis. Presence of lactic acid bacteria had no effect on S. cerevisiae final cell yield but affected negatively the maximum specific growth rate. Ethanol production was primarily affected negatively while the co-culture had a variable effect on glycerol production. On the other hand, the presence of S. cerevisiae favoured mannitol and acetic acid production, had a species-dependent effect on maximum specific growth rate and had no effect on final cfu/g sourdough and lactic acid production by the lactic acid bacteria and at the same time caused the depletion of glucose, fructose and maltose.     

Semen quality of 4480 young cancer and systemic disease patients: baseline data and clinical considerations

Background

Except for testicular cancer and Hodgkin’s disease, baseline data on semen quality in case of cancers as well as systemic pathologies of the young adult are scarce or based on low sample size.

Methods

Semen quality in patients having testicular cancer (TGCT, n?=?2315), Hodgkin’s disease (HD, n?=?1175), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL, n?=?439), leukemia (L, n?=?360), sarcoma (S, n?=?208), brain tumour (BT, n?=?40), Behcet’s disease (Behcet’s, n?=?68) or multiple sclerosis (MS, n?=?73) was studied and compared to that of 1448 fertile men candidates for sperm donation (CSD) and 208 partners of pregnant women (PPW). All samples were studied following the same methodology in a single laboratory. Post freezing and thawing semen characteristics were also studied.

Results

The percentage of normozoospermic men was only 37 % for L patients and lower than 60 % for TGCT, NHL, S and BT. The level of sperm production was differently decreased according to pathologies, the median total sperm count in TC and L patients being four times lower (p?<?0.01 when compared to CSD and PPW). The lowest percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa was found for L and BT patients (both, p?<?0.01 compared to CSD and PPW). The percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa was also reduced in cancer patients, especially in BT patients. Progressive motility after thawing in patients was about half that observed among candidates for sperm donation. In almost half of the semen of patients with testicular cancer or leukemia, the total number of motile spermatozoa per straw was less than 0.5?×?10⁶ compared to 4.3?×?10⁶ in CSD.

Conclusions

The present data confirm on large series the deleterious impact of various cancers of the young adult on semen quality, establishing thus baseline data for future studies. Owing to the post-thaw quality of the frozen straws, future fertility projects for the majority of the patients studied (in case there is no post-treatment recovery of spermatogenesis) should necessitate an ICSI to provide the best chance of paternity whatever the fertility check-up in the female partner.

     

Atomic Layer Deposition of Functional Layers for on Chip 3D Li‐Ion All Solid State Microbattery

Nowadays, millimeter scale power sources are key devices for providing autonomy to smart, connected, and miniaturized sensors. However, until now, planar solid state microbatteries do not yet exhibit a sufficient surface energy density. In that context, architectured 3D microbatteries appear therefore to be a good solution to improve the material mass loading while keeping small the footprint area. Beside the design itself of the 3D microbaterry, one important technological barrier to address is the conformal deposition of thin films (lithiated or not) on 3D structures. For that purpose, atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology is a powerful technique that enables conformal coatings of thin film on complex substrate. An original, robust, and highly efficient 3D scaffold is proposed to significantly improve the geometrical surface of miniaturized 3D microbattery. Four functional layers composing the 3D lithium ion microbattery stacking has been successfully deposited on simple and double microtubes 3D templates. In depth synchrotron X‐ray nanotomography and high angle annular dark field transmission electron microscope analyses are used to study the interface between each layer. For the first time, using ALD, anatase TiO₂ negative electrode is coated on 3D tubes with Li₃PO₄ lithium phosphate as electrolyte, opening the way to all solid‐state 3D microbatteries. The surface capacity is significantly increased by the proposed topology (high area enlargement factor – “thick” 3D layer), from 3.5 μA h cm^?2 for a planar layer up to 0.37 mA h cm^?2 for a 3D thin film (105 times higher).     

Morphological and Glucose Metabolism Abnormalities in Alcoholic Korsakoff's Syndrome: Group Comparisons and Individual Analyses

Background

Gray matter volume studies have been limited to few brain regions of interest, and white matter and glucose metabolism have received limited research attention in Korsakoff''s syndrome (KS). Because of the lack of brain biomarkers, KS was found to be underdiagnosed in postmortem studies.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Nine consecutively selected patients with KS and 22 matched controls underwent both structural magnetic resonance imaging and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography examinations. Using a whole-brain analysis, the between-group comparisons of gray matter and white matter density and relative glucose uptake between patients with KS and controls showed the involvement of both the frontocerebellar and the Papez circuits, including morphological abnormalities in their nodes and connection tracts and probably resulting hypometabolism. The direct comparison of the regional distribution and degree of gray matter hypodensity and hypometabolism within the KS group indicated very consistent gray matter distribution of both abnormalities, with a single area of significant difference in the middle cingulate cortex showing greater hypometabolism than hypodensity. Finally, the analysis of the variability in the individual patterns of brain abnormalities within our sample of KS patients revealed that the middle cingulate cortex was the only brain region showing significant GM hypodensity and hypometabolism in each of our 9 KS patients.

Conclusions/Significance

These results indicate widespread brain abnormalities in KS including both gray and white matter damage mainly involving two brain networks, namely, the fronto-cerebellar circuit and the Papez circuit. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the middle cingulate cortex may play a key role in the pathophysiology of KS and could be considered as a potential in vivo brain biomarker.     

Sur la stéréospécificité de la ribonucléoside-diphosphate-réductase: préparation de désoxyribonucléosides pyrimidiques deutérés

Methyl 2-deoxy-3,5,6-tri-O-p-nitrobenzoyl- -ribo-hexofuranoside was converted into the glycosyl halide which was then condensed with 2,4-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)-pyrimidine in the presence of mercuric chloride to give, after alkaline methanolysis, 1-(2-deoxy-β- -ribo-hexofuranosyl)uracil, in a yield too low for the reaction to be applied to deuterated compounds. Methyl 2-deoxy- -allofuranoside-2-d was degraded into methyl 2-deoxy- -arabinofuranoside-2-d. Its di-p-nitrobenzoate was converted into the glycosyl halide which was coupled with 2,4-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)-pyrimidine to give, after alkaline hydrolysis, deuterated deoxyuridine. Thiationammonolysis of a mixture of the 3′,5′-di-p-nitrobenzoates of the latter compound and its anomer gave the corresponding deoxycytidines. Comparison of the n.m.r. spectra of these compounds to that of deuterated deoxycytidine, prepared by the enzymic reduction of cytidine 5′-pyrophosphate with the Escherichia coli system in the presence of deuterium oxide confirmed that the substitution of a hydroxyl group by a hydrogen atom proceeds with retention of configuration.     

A prion protein epitope selective for the pathologically misfolded conformation

Conformational conversion of proteins in disease is likely to be accompanied by molecular surface exposure of previously sequestered amino-acid side chains. We found that induction of beta-sheet structures in recombinant prion proteins is associated with increased solvent accessibility of tyrosine. Antibodies directed against the prion protein repeat motif, tyrosine-tyrosine-arginine, recognize the pathological isoform of the prion protein but not the normal cellular isoform, as assessed by immunoprecipitation, plate capture immunoassay and flow cytometry. Antibody binding to the pathological epitope is saturable and specific, and can be created in vitro by partial denaturation of normal brain prion protein. Conformation-selective exposure of Tyr-Tyr-Arg provides a probe for the distribution and structure of pathologically misfolded prion protein, and may lead to new diagnostics and therapeutics for prion diseases.