Selenium Species and Their Distribution in Freshwater Fish from Argentina

The distribution and speciation of selenium (Se) in freshwater fish (muscle and liver tissue) from lakes in Argentina was investigated. Three introduced species, brown trout (Salmo trutta), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), and one native species, creole perch (Percichthys trucha), were investigated. Values for total selenium in muscle ranged from 0.66 to 1.61 μg/g, while in the liver, concentrations were much higher, from 4.46 to 73.71 μg/g on a dry matter basis. Separation of soluble Se species (SeCys₂, selenomethionine (SeMet), SeMeSeCys, selenite and selenate) was achieved by ion exchange chromatography and detection was performed by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. The results showed that in fish muscle, from 47 to 55 % of selenium was soluble and the only Se species identified was SeMet, which represented around 80 % of soluble Se, while in the liver, the amount of soluble Se ranged from 61 to 76 % and the percentage of species identified (SeMet and SeCys₂) was much lower and ranged from 8 to 17 % of soluble Se.     

Human Dietary Exposure to Uranium in Catalonia, Spain

The purpose of this study was to determine the daily dietary intake of uranium (U) by the general population of Catalonia, Spain. Uranium concentrations were measured in foods widely consumed by the population living in that autonomous community. Food samples were randomly acquired in 12 representative cities of Catalonia. The dietary intake of U was estimated for various age–gender groups: children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. Fish and seafood was the food group showing the highest U concentrations (0.090 μg/g of fresh weight (fw)), followed by dairy products (0.044 μg/g fw). In contrast, the lowest U levels were found in oils and fats (0.003 μg/g fw), while in tubers and milk, U was not detected in any sample. The estimated dietary intake of U for a standard male adult of 70 kg body weight living in Catalonia was 15.48 μg/day. According to the age/gender of the population, the highest dietary intake of U corresponded to children (20.32 μg/day), while senior females was the subgroup with the lowest U intake (10.04 μg/day). Based on the tolerable daily intake established for U, the current dietary intake of this metal by the general population of Catalonia should not mean health risks for any of the different age/gender groups of consumers.     

The mitochondrial oxoglutarate carrier: from identification to mechanism

The 2-oxoglutarate carrier (OGC) belongs to the mitochondrial carrier protein family whose members are responsible for the exchange of metabolites, cofactors and nucleotides between the cytoplasm and mitochondrial matrix. Initially, OGC was characterized by determining substrate specificity, kinetic parameters of transport, inhibitors and molecular probes that form covalent bonds with specific residues. It was shown that OGC specifically transports oxoglutarate and certain carboxylic acids. The substrate specificity combination of OGC is unique, although many of its substrates are also transported by other mitochondrial carriers. The abundant recombinant expression of bovine OGC in Escherichia coli and its ability to functionally reconstitute into proteoliposomes made it possible to deduce the individual contribution of each and every residue of OGC to the transport activity by a complete set of cys-scanning mutants. These studies give experimental support for a substrate binding site constituted by three major contact points on the even-numbered α-helices and identifies other residues as important for transport function through their crucial positions in the structure for conserved interactions and the conformational changes of the carrier during the transport cycle. The results of these investigations have led to utilize OGC as a model protein for understanding the transport mechanism of mitochondrial carriers.     

Elemental Concentration in Mealworm Beetle (Tenebrio molitor L.) During Metamorphosis

Mealworm beetles have been used in numerous experiments as bioindicators. The aim of our experiment was to study the elemental composition in three larvae, pupae and first and second generation adult stages during their life cycle. We selected 180 larvae from a genetically similar population and put them in three groups, in two boxes (60 larvae in each box). Larvae were fed with mashed potato made of the same quality and quantity of potato powder. Then, we selected 10 individuals from each stage to the elemental analysis, using the ICP-OES method. The following elements were analysed in the studied stages: Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Sr and Zn. The results of principal component analysis demonstrated that based on elemental composition, different stages were separated with each other, but in the cases of the three larvae stages, high overlap was found. The results of the GLM ANOVA showed significant differences between the different stages of metamorphosis-based elemental composition. Our results show that the calcium and magnesium were found in a relatively high concentration, while the iron and zinc may be essential elements during the metamorphosis. Our results also show that in insect, the concentration of sodium was higher than in the pupa which may cause by hemolymph. We also demonstrated that the metamorphosis has an effect on the concentration of elements. Our study shows that in the different stages of insects, there are significant changes in the elemental composition of different stages of insects during their metamorphosis.     

Formation of Hydroxysulphate Green Rust 2 as a Single Iron(II-III) Mineral in Microbial Culture

Although GR2(SO₄ ^2-) can be easily formed by abiotic synthesis, the biotic formation of hydroxysulphate as a single iron(II-III) mineral in microbial culture and its characterization was not achieved. This study was carried out to investigate the sole formation of GR2(SO₄ ^2-) during the reduction of γ-FeOOH by a dissimilatory iron-respiring bacterium, Shewanella putrefaciens CIP 8040^T. Reduction experiments were performed in a non-buffered medium devoid of organic compounds, with 25 mM of sulphate and with a range of lepidocrocite concentrations with H₂ as the electron donor under nongrowth conditions. The resulting biogenic solids, after iron-respiring activity, were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission Mössbauer spectroscopy (TMS) and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The sulphate has been identified as the intercalated anion by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). In addition, the structure of this sulphate anion was discussed. Our experimental study demonstrated that, under H₂ atmosphere, the biogenic solid was a GR2(SO₄ ^2-), as the sole iron(II-III) bearing mineral, whatever the initial lepidocrocite concentration. The crystals of the biotically formed GR2(SO₄ ^2-) are significantly larger than those observed for GR2(SO₄ ^2-) obtained through abiotic preparation, < 15 μ m diameter as against 0.5–4 μm, respectively.     

Decoding the mechanisms of gait generation in salamanders by combining neurobiology, modeling and robotics

Vertebrate animals exhibit impressive locomotor skills. These locomotor skills are due to the complex interactions between the environment, the musculo-skeletal system and the central nervous system, in particular the spinal locomotor circuits. We are interested in decoding these interactions in the salamander, a key animal from an evolutionary point of view. It exhibits both swimming and stepping gaits and is faced with the problem of producing efficient propulsive forces using the same musculo-skeletal system in two environments with significant physical differences in density, viscosity and gravitational load. Yet its nervous system remains comparatively simple. Our approach is based on a combination of neurophysiological experiments, numerical modeling at different levels of abstraction, and robotic validation using an amphibious salamander-like robot. This article reviews the current state of our knowledge on salamander locomotion control, and presents how our approach has allowed us to obtain a first conceptual model of the salamander spinal locomotor networks. The model suggests that the salamander locomotor circuit can be seen as a lamprey-like circuit controlling axial movements of the trunk and tail, extended by specialized oscillatory centers controlling limb movements. The interplay between the two types of circuits determines the mode of locomotion under the influence of sensory feedback and descending drive, with stepping gaits at low drive, and swimming at high drive.     

Environmental drivers of the bryophyte propagule bank and its comparison with forest-floor assemblage in Central European temperate mixed forests

Species richness, composition and abundance of the bryophyte diaspore bank of Central European temperate mixed forests were compared with the forest-floor bryophyte assemblage. The impact of environmental variables and anthropogenic disturbances, including tree species composition, stand structure, microclimate, light conditions, soil and litter properties, management history, and landscape properties, potentially influencing bryophyte diaspore bank assemblages were explored. Thirty-four, 70–100 years old mixed stands with differing tree species composition were examined in the ?rség National Park, Western Hungary. The diaspore bank was studied by soil collection and cultivation, and data were analysed by multivariate methods. Contrary to the forest-floor bryophyte assemblage, where substrate availability, tree species composition and stand structure were the most influential environmental variables, the composition and abundance of the diaspore bank was mainly affected by site conditions (microclimate, litter and soil properties). Species richness of the bryophyte diaspore bank was lower than that of the forest-floor bryophyte assemblage. Short-lived mosses (colonists, short-lived shuttles) were dominant in the diaspore bank, as opposed to the forest-floor bryophyte community, where perennial mosses dominated. In the studied forests, the importance of the bryophyte diaspore bank was relatively low in the regeneration and maintenance of the forest-floor bryophyte vegetation.     

Radiation-induced risks at low dose: moving beyond controversy towards a new vision

The paper recently published by Mothersill and Seymour (Radiat Environ Biophys 2013, doi: 10.1007/s00411-013-0472-y) is commented upon by emphasizing on the recommendation not to confound the fields of radiation protection and radiobiological science as a source of controversy. Instead, these authors are proposing a new vision which suggests novel lines of scientific investigations to be addressed. At the moment, these include moving beyond the conceptual approach of DNA alteration through energy deposition in cells, and exploring the striking parallel currently existing between the ongoing individual/population debate in radioecology and that for cells/tissues in radiobiology. These interesting issues are briefly discussed and supported.