Antinociceptive effect of the C-terminus of murine S100A9 protein on experimental neuropathic pain

The synthetic peptide identical to the C-terminus of murine S100A9 protein (mS100A9p) has antinociceptive effect on different acute inflammatory pain models. In this study, the effect of mS100A9p was investigated on neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in rats. Hyperalgesia, allodynia, and spontaneous pain were assessed to evaluate nociception. These three signs were detected as early as 2 days after sciatic nerve constriction and lasted for over 14 days after CCI. Rats were treated with different doses of mS100A9p by intraplantar, oral, or intrathecal routes on day 14 after CCI, and nociception was evaluated 1h later. These three routes of administration blocked hyperalgesia, allodynia and spontaneous pain. The duration of the effect of mS100A9p depends on the route used and phenomenon analyzed. Moreover, intraplantar injection of mS100A9p in the contralateral paw inhibited the hyperalgesia on day 14 days after CCI. The results obtained herein demonstrate the antinociceptive effect of the C-terminus of murine S100A9 protein on experimental neuropathic pain, suggesting a potential therapeutic use for it in persistent pain syndromes, assuming that tolerance does not develop to mS100A9p.     

On-line near infrared monitoring of glycerol-boosted anaerobic digestion processes: evaluation of process analytical technologies

A study of NIR as a tool for process monitoring of thermophilic anaerobic digestion boosted by glycerol has been carried out, aiming at developing simple and robust Process Analytical Technology modalities for on-line surveillance in full scale biogas plants. Three 5 L laboratory fermenters equipped with on-line NIR sensor and special sampling stations were used as a basis for chemometric multivariate calibration. NIR characterisation using Transflexive Embedded Near Infra-Red Sensor (TENIRS) equipment integrated into an external recurrent loop on the fermentation reactors, allows for representative sampling, of the highly heterogeneous fermentation bio slurries. Glycerol is an important by-product from the increasing European bio-diesel production. Glycerol addition can boost biogas yields, if not exceeding a limiting 5-7 g L(-1) concentration inside the fermenter-further increase can cause strong imbalance in the anaerobic digestion process. A secondary objective was to evaluate the effect of addition of glycerol, in a spiking experiment which introduced increasing organic overloading as monitored by volatile fatty acids (VFA) levels. High correlation between on-line NIR determinations of glycerol and VFA contents has been documented. Chemometric regression models (PLS) between glycerol and NIR spectra needed no outlier removals and only one PLS-component was required. Test set validation resulted in excellent measures of prediction performance, precision: r(2) = 0.96 and accuracy = 1.04, slope of predicted versus reference fitting. Similar prediction statistics for acetic acid, iso-butanoic acid and total VFA proves that process NIR spectroscopy is able to quantify all pertinent levels of both volatile fatty acids and glycerol.     

Structural and Quantitative Comparison of Cerebrospinal Fluid Glycoproteins in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients and Healthy Individuals

Glycoproteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are altered in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients compared to control individuals. We have utilized albumin depletion prior to 2D gel electrophoresis to enhance glycoprotein concentration for image analysis as well as structural glycoprotein determination without glycan release using mass spectrometry (MS). The benefits of a direct glycoprotein analysis approach include minimal sample manipulation and retention of structural details. A quantitative comparison of gel-separated glycoprotein isoforms from twelve AD patients and twelve control subjects was performed with glycoprotein-specific and total protein stains. We have also compared glycoforms in pooled CSF obtained from AD patients and control subjects with mass spectrometry. One isoform of alpha1-antitrypsin showed decreased glycosylation in AD patients while another glycosylated isoform of an unassigned protein was up-regulated. Protein expression levels of alpha1-antitrypsin were decreased, while the protein levels of apolipoprotein E and clusterin were increased in AD. No specific glycoform could be specifically assigned to AD.     

The diatom flora of the Salton Sea, California

We report on diatom species of the Salton Sea, a highly saline (43 g l^–1) inland lake in California. We identified and photographed all diatom taxa encountered in the phytoplankton and benthos of the Salton Sea and its immediate tributaries. Ninety-four taxa were distinguished based on their morphological features using light- and electron microscopy. In the Salton Sea, there are four general categories of diatom assemblages related to their habitats: (1) A planktonic assemblage composed of Chaetoceros muelleri var. subsalsum, Cyclotella choctawhatcheeana, Cyclotella sp., Cylindrotheca closterium, Pleurosigma ambrosianum, Thalassionema sp.; (2) a benthic assemblage with diatoms that live on the bottom (e.g. genera Caloneis, Diploneis, Entomoneis, Gyrosigma, Plagiotropis, Pleurosigma, Surirella and Tryblionella), or in algal mats (Proschkinia bulnheimii, several species of Navicula and Seminavis gracilenta); (3) an epiphytic community attached to the macroscopic green algae which grow on the rocks and other hard surfaces near shore (e.g. Achnanthes brevipes, Licmophora ehrenbergii, Tabularia parva); and (4) a freshwater assemblage composed of species that get washed in by the rivers and other inflows discharging into the Sea (e.g. Achnanthidium minutissimum, Cocconeis pediculus, Cyclotella atomus, C. scaldensis, Nitzschia elegantula, T. weissflogii). The most striking feature of the phytoplankton is the abundance of species formerly known only from marine environments; this is not surprising given the high salinity and the peculiar history of the lake.     

Patterns of MUC1 tissue expression defined by an anti-MUC1 cytoplasmic tail monoclonal antibody in breast cancer.

Our aim was to determine the pattern of expression of MUC1 mucin cytoplasmic tail (MUC1 CT) in breast carcinoma. A total of 98 invasive breast adenocarcinoma tumor samples were assayed by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. The pattern of reaction was classified as membrane, cytoplasmic, or mixed. Subcellular fractions were prepared after SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The antibodies employed were anti-MUC1 CT (CT2 monoclonal antibody, MAb) and C595 MAb against the extracellular MUC1 core protein. With the CT2 MAb, IHC showed a high percentage of positive staining in 93% of specimens, with membrane staining the most common pattern observed. C595 MAb was reactive in 73% of specimens. Similar percentages of membrane and cytoplasmic staining were found, mainly in a mixed pattern. Western blotting showed different bands. With the CT2 MAb, the membrane fraction showed the most intense reaction; a strong band of reaction was detected at approximately <30 kD. With the C595 MAb, in most cases a double band at 200 kD was found. In breast epithelium, the pattern of MUC1 CT expression may constitute an indicator of MUC1 production because it does not depend on glycosylation. The pattern and extension of MUC1 CT positivity do not vary according to the histopathological subtype of the tumor.     

Lactobacillus salivarius A3iob Reduces the Incidence of Varroa destructor and Nosema Spp. in Commercial Apiaries Located in the Northwest of Argentina

Lactobacillus salivarius A3iob was administered to productive colonies belonging to commercial apiaries of small beekeepers (around 30–50 hives each one), from four departments of the province of Jujuy (Argentina): Yala, Tilquiza, El Carmen, and Los Alisos. The incidence of Varroa destructor and Nosema spp., before and after winter, was monitored during 2 years of study (2014–2015). Depending on the geographical location of each apiary and the application time, a monthly dose of the bacteria (10⁵ CFU/mL) reduced the levels of varroasis between 50 and 80%. Interestingly, L. salivarius A3iob cells remitted the percentage of the mites to undetectable values in an apiary treated with flumethrin (at Yala, Yungas region).

On the other hand, the spore levels of Nosema spp. in the lactobacilli-treated colonies also depended on the apiary and the year of application, but a significant decrease was mainly observed in the post-winter period. However, at Rivera (El Carmen’s department), no significant changes were detected in both parameters.

These results obtained after 2 years of work suggest that delivering L. salivarius A3iob cells to the bee colonies can become a new eco-friendly tool to cooperate with the control of these bees’ pests.

     

The phlebotomine fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Guaraí, state of Tocantins,with an emphasis on the putative vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in rural settlement and periurban areas

Phlebotomine sandflies were captured in rural settlement and periurban areas of the municipality of Guaraí in the state of Tocantins (TO), an endemic area of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). Forty-three phlebotomine species were identified, nine of which have already been recognised as ACL vectors. Eleven species were recorded for the first time in TO. Nyssomyia whitmani was the most abundant species, followed by Evandromyia bourrouli, Nyssomyia antunesi and Psychodopygus complexus. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index and the evenness index were higher in the rural settlement area than in the periurban area. The evaluation of different ecotopes within the rural area showed the highest frequencies of Ev. bourrouli and Ny. antunesi in chicken coops, whereas Ny. whitmani predominated in this ecotope in the periurban area. In the rural settlement area, Ev. bourrouli was the most frequently captured species in automatic light traps and Ps. complexus was the most prevalent in Shannon trap captures. The rural settlement environment exhibited greater phlebotomine biodiversity than the periurban area. Ps. complexus and Psychodopygus ayrozai naturally infected with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis were identified. The data identified Ny. whitmani as a potential ACL vector in the periurban area, whereas Ps. complexus was more prevalent in the rural environment associated with settlements.     

Radiotherapy setup displacements in breast cancer patients: 3D surface imaging experience

Aim

In this study, we intend to compare two different setup procedures for female breast cancer patients.

The role of landscape change and paleoclimatic events in shaping the evolutionary history of the Polioptila gnatcatchers (Passeriformes,Polioptilidae) with emphasis on species associated with open habitats

We conducted a large‐scale phylogenetic and biogeographical inference of the Poliptila gnatcatchers and investigated the evolutionary history of two closely related neotropical bird species linked to open habitats, Polioptila dumicola and Polioptila plumbea. A Bayesian inference was employed based on the NADH subunit 2 gene to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship of the gnatcatchers, and ancestral area reconstructions were estimated using BioGeoBEARS. For the phylogeographic analysis, we analyzed two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome b and ND2, of 102 individuals from P. dumicola and P. plumbea distributed throughout the complete range of both species. To reconstruct the dates related to the splitting events, we included a subset of sequences from the nuclear gene beta‐fibrinogen intron‐7. A striking result was the recovery of the sister relationship between the lineages of P. dumicola /plumbea and the paraphyly among the subspecies of P. plumbea: the first group was formed by P. dumicola, P. p. plumbea, P. p. parvirostris, P. p. atricapilla and P. lactea, occurring mainly on the Brazilian shield; while the second group consisted of lineages from north of the Amazon, west of the Andes, and Central America, and included P. maior, P. p. cinericia, P. p. bilineata and P. p. innotata. Significant phylogeographic structure was evident within lineages attributed to P. plumbea, with high levels of differentiation in the well‐defined clades according to all phylogenetic analyses. Our biogeographic analyses support distinct evolutionary histories related to founder events and vicariance, occurring during the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene. Several dispersal episodes between North/Central America and South America led to the establishment of populations which became differentiated due to landscape changes, such as the establishment of riverine barriers, the uplift of the Andes and the formation of the Panama Isthmus.