The broadcast spawning Caribbean shipworm,Teredothyra dominicensis (Bivalvia,Teredinidae), has invaded and become established in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Teredinids, commonly referred to as shipworms, are wood-boring bivalves estimated to cause over one billion dollars’ worth of damage to submerged wooden structures per annum. This paper reports the detection and establishment of the Caribbean shipworm Teredothyra dominicensis (Bivalvia, Teredinidae) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Identification was confirmed using an integrative taxonomical approach combining morphology, morphometry and molecular markers (COI-5P and 18S), thus improving both the taxonomic resolution and tractability of this invasive species. Sequence comparisons between indigenous Caribbean and Mediterranean specimens were at least 99 % identical. Wooden panels placed at the site of discovery were infested exclusively by T. dominicensis with specimens of varying size and age, indicating multiple settlement events and the presence of breeding populations in the region. Anatomical and behavioural observations confirm the species as a broadcast spawner with larvae undergoing planktotrophic development, thus distribution range is potentially extensive. Of the possible introduction vectors, transport via ballast water is proposed as the most likely. The establishment of breeding populations of a tropical teredinid in the Mediterranean is of considerable concern as tropical species are particularly destructive and degrade wood more rapidly than the species currently found in the region. This threat is likely to increase in severity due to global warming, as increases in temperature and salinity may lead to an increase in the distribution range, development rate and boring activity of teredinids.     

Acute effect of an amino acid mixture in the rat glycemic profile

Amino acid mixtures (AAM) are protein substitutes used for phenylketonuria treatment, but their metabolic effects have not been well characterized. The objective of this study was to compare the acute glycemic response to free amino acids (free AA) from AAM with the response to intact protein (iProtein). Male Wistar rats (n = 14) were administered by gavage a bolus of free AA (n = 7) or iProtein as albumin (n = 7) containing equivalent amounts of nitrogen. Blood glucose and insulin levels were measured at baseline and 15, 30, 60 and 120 minutes later, when gut GLP-1 content and pancreatic insulin, GLP-1 receptor and Ki67 expression were quantified at 120 minutes time point. After AAM, glucose area under the curve (free AA vs iProtein; P < 0.01), serum insulin levels at 120 minutes (free AA vs iProtein; P < 0.05), colon GLP-1 content (free AA vs iProtein; P < 0.01), pancreatic GLP-1 receptor (free AA vs iProtein; P < 0.01) and insulin expression (free AA vs iProtein; p < 0.01) were significantly lower as compared with iProtein. AAM increased Ki67 expression in pancreatic islets (free AA vs iProtein; P < 0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that acute response to AAM differs from iProtein and is characterized by a lower glucose excursion, along with a decrease in gut GLP-1 and pancreatic GLP-1 receptor and insulin. This data suggests the modulation of glycemia by free AA is mediated by the incretin axis.     

Population Dynamics and Diet of the Madamango Sea Catfish Cathorops spixii (Agassiz, 1829) (Siluriformes: Ariidae) in a Tropical Bight in Southeastern Brazil

The madamango sea catfish, Cathorops spixii (Siluriformes: Ariidae), is often among the most abundant fishes on the South American Atlantic coast. In the present study, conducted in shallow, non-estuarine coastal areas of Caraguatatuba Bight in southeastern Brazil, collections of this species, the most abundant member of the ichthyofauna, included primarily medium-sized individuals, indicating that the area may play a specific role in their development. Although studies of the local ichthyofauna have been much neglected, the area is economically important and its ecological significance is undervalued. This study primarily treats habitat use by C. spixii, assessing certain population parameters and the dietary composition. Monthly samples were taken from August 2003 through October 2004, with three trawls in two areas, corresponding to depths of about 1 to 4 m. The catfish showed two main peaks of abundance in the area, in April/May and July 2004. A mode around 9 cm SL persisted through time, and the entrance of younger recruits peaked from January to April. The low estimate for body-growth parameters (K = 0.16) corroborates some K-strategist characteristics of the species. The asymptotic length was 27.3 cm SL and total mortality (Z) was 1.01 yr⁻¹. Cathorops spixii showed an omnivorous feeding habit, preying mainly upon polychaetes, copepods and bivalves, with considerable seasonality in its diet.     

Cross-reactivity between herpes simplex virus glycoprotein B and a 63,000-dalton varicella-zoster virus envelope glycoprotein.

Cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies recognizing both herpes simplex virus (HSV) glycoprotein B and a major 63,000-dalton varicella-zoster virus (VZV) envelope glycoprotein were isolated and found to neutralize VZV infection in vitro. None of the other VZV glycoproteins was recognized by any polyclonal anti-HSV serum tested. These results demonstrate that HSV glycoprotein B and the 63,000-dalton VZV glycoprotein share antigenic epitopes and raise the possibility that these two proteins have a similar function in infection.     

The Inclusion of Chitosan in Poly-ε-caprolactone Nanoparticles: Impact on the Delivery System Characteristics and on the Adsorbed Ovalbumin Secondary Structure

This report extensively explores the benefits of including chitosan into poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanoparticles (NPs) to obtain an improved protein/antigen delivery system. Blend NPs (PCL/chitosan NPs) showed improved protein adsorption efficacy (84%) in low shear stress and aqueous environment, suggesting that a synergistic effect between PCL hydrophobic nature and the positive charges of chitosan present at the particle surface was responsible for protein interaction. Additionally, thermal analysis suggested the blend NPs were more stable than the isolated polymers and cytotoxicity assays in a primary cell culture revealed chitosan inclusion in PCL NPs reduced the toxicity of the delivery system. A quantitative 6-month stability study showed that the inclusion of chitosan in PCL NPs did not induce a change in adsorbed ovalbumin (OVA) secondary structure characterized by the increase in the unordered conformation (random coil), as it was observed for OVA adsorbed to chitosan NPs. Additionally, the slight conformational changes occurred, are not expected to compromise ovalbumin secondary structure and activity, during a 6-month storage even at high temperatures (45°C). In simulated biological fluids, PCL/chitosan NPs showed an advantageous release profile for oral delivery. Overall, the combination of PCL and chitosan characteristics provide PCL/chitosan NPs valuable features particularly important to the development of vaccines for developing countries, where it is difficult to ensure cold chain transportation and non-parenteral formulations would be preferred.     

Study of tensiometric properties,microbiological and collagen content in nile tilapia skin submitted to different sterilization methods

Tissue bioengineering development is a global concern and different materials are studied and created to be safe, effective and with low cost. Nile Tilapia skin had shown its biological potential as covers for the burn wound. This study evaluates the tilapia skin histological, collagen properties and tensiometric resistance, after treatment by different sterilization methods. Tilapia skin samples were submitted to two sterilization processes: (1) chemical, which consisted in two 2% chlorhexidin baths, followed by sequential baths in increasing glycerol concentrations; and (2) radiation, when glycerolized skin samples were submitted to gamma radiation at 25, 30 and 50 kGy. Microscopic analyzes were performed through Haematoxylin–eosin and Picrosirius Red under polarized light. For tensiometric analysis, traction tests were performed. Glycerol treated skin presented a discrete collagen fibers disorganization within the deep dermis, while irradiated skin did not show any additional change. Throughout the steps of chemical sterilization, there was a higher proportion of collagen with red/yellow birefringence (type I) in the skin samples up to the first bath in chlorhexidin, when compared to samples after the first two glycerol baths (P < 0.005). However, there was no difference in relation to total collagen between groups. In irradiated skin, there was a larger total collagen preservation when using until 30 kGy (P < 0.005). Tensiometric evaluation did not show significant differences in relation to maximum load in the groups studied. We concluded that chemical and radiation (25 and 30 kGy) are efficient methods to sterilize Nile Tilapia skin without altering its microscopic or tensiometric characteristics.     

Genomic prediction applied to high-biomass sorghum for bioenergy production

The increasing cost of energy and finite oil and gas reserves have created a need to develop alternative fuels from renewable sources. Due to its abiotic stress tolerance and annual cultivation, high-biomass sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) shows potential as a bioenergy crop. Genomic selection is a useful tool for accelerating genetic gains and could restructure plant breeding programs by enabling early selection and reducing breeding cycle duration. This work aimed at predicting breeding values via genomic selection models for 200 sorghum genotypes comprising landrace accessions and breeding lines from biomass and saccharine groups. These genotypes were divided into two sub-panels, according to breeding purpose. We evaluated the following phenotypic biomass traits: days to flowering, plant height, fresh and dry matter yield, and fiber, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin proportions. Genotyping by sequencing yielded more than 258,000 single-nucleotide polymorphism markers, which revealed population structure between subpanels. We then fitted and compared genomic selection models BayesA, BayesB, BayesCπ, BayesLasso, Bayes Ridge Regression and random regression best linear unbiased predictor. The resulting predictive abilities varied little between the different models, but substantially between traits. Different scenarios of prediction showed the potential of using genomic selection results between sub-panels and years, although the genotype by environment interaction negatively affected accuracies. Functional enrichment analyses performed with the marker-predicted effects suggested several interesting associations, with potential for revealing biological processes relevant to the studied quantitative traits. This work shows that genomic selection can be successfully applied in biomass sorghum breeding programs.     

Racial Differences in Relative Skeletal Muscle Mass Loss During Diet‐Induced Weight Loss in Women

Objective

It is unclear whether there are race‐specific differences in the maintenance of skeletal muscle during energy restriction. Changes in relative skeletal muscle index (RSMI; limb lean tissue divided by height squared) were compared following (1) diet alone, (2) diet + aerobic training, or (3) diet + resistance training.

Methods

Overweight, sedentary African American (AA; n = 72) and European American (EA; n = 68) women were provided an 800‐kcal/d diet to reduce BMI < 25 kg/m². Regional fat‐free mass was measured with dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. Steady‐state VO₂ and heart rate responses during walking were measured.

Results

AA women had greater RSMI and preserved RSMI during diet alone, while RSMI was significantly reduced among EA women (EA women –3.6% vs. AA women + 1.1%; P < 0.05). Diet + resistance training subjects retained RSMI (EA women + 0.2% vs. AA women + 1.4%; P = 50.05), whereas diet + aerobic training subjects decreased RSMI (EA women –1.4% vs. AA women –1.5%; P < 0.05). Maintenance of RSMI was related to delta walking ease and economy.

Conclusions

Compared with AA women, EA women are less muscular and lose more muscle during weight loss without resistance training. During diet‐induced weight loss, resistance training preserves skeletal muscle, especially among premenopausal EA women. Maintenance of muscle during weight loss associates with better ease and economy of walking.