Growth Factors and Steroid Mediated Regulation of Cytoskeletal Protein Expression in Serum-Deprived Primary Astrocyte Cultures

In this research we aimed to investigate the interactions between growth factors (GFs) and dexamethasone (DEX) on cytoskeletal proteins GFAP and vimentin (VIM) expression under different experimental conditions. Condition I: 24 h pretreatment with bFGF, subsequent 72 h switching in serum-free medium (SFM) and final addition of GFs, alone or by two in the last 24 h, after a prolonged (60 h) DEX treatment. Condition II: 36 h pretreatment with DEX (with bFGF in the last 24 h), followed by SFM for 60 h and final addition for 24 h with growth factors alone or two of them togheter. Western blot analysis data showed a marked GFAP expression in cultures submitted to Condition I comparing results to untreated or treated controls. VIM expression was instead significantly reduced after GFs addition in the last 24 h of 60 h DEX treatment, respect to control DEX-pretreated ones. Referring data to untreated controls, VIM expression was significantly enhanced after GFs addition. GFAP showed also a significant increase in astrocytes submitted to Condition II, respect to untreated or treated control cultures. VIM expression was up and down regulated under Condition II. Collectively, our findings evidence an interactive dialogue between GFs and DEX in astroglial cultures, co-pretreated with DEX and bFGF, regulating cytoskeletal network under stressfull conditions. Special issue article in honor of Dr. Anna Maria Giuffrida-Stella.     

Magnesium Supplementation did not Affect the Increasing Bone Zinc Concentration in Rats Given Excess Calcium as Carbonate

We investigated the effect of magnesium supplementation on zinc distribution in rats given excess calcium as carbonate. Rats were given a control diet (5 g/kg calcium and 0.5 g/kg magnesium), a high calcium diet (HC, 25 g/kg calcium and 0.5 g/kg magnesium) or the high calcium diet supplied with magnesium (HCM, 25 g/kg calcium and 2.5 g/kg magnesium) for 4 weeks. Calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide were used for increasing these mineral concentrations in diets. Although feed intake did not differ among the groups, the excess calcium suppressed feed efficiency, irrespective of dietary magnesium concentration. Femoral magnesium concentration was lower in the HC group than in the control and the HCM groups. Femoral zinc concentration was higher in the HC group and the HCM group than in the control group. The zinc concentration in the kidney was lower in the HC group and the HCM group than in the control group. The excess calcium did not affect zinc concentration in plasma and other tissues such as the liver, testis, and spleen, irrespective of dietary magnesium. These results suggest that the increasing bone zinc and the decreasing renal zinc do not result from magnesium insufficiency in rats given excess calcium as carbonate.     

Selected airborne allergenic fungal spores and meteorological factors in Szczecin,Poland, 2004–2006

Airborne fungal spore concentrations in Szczecin, Poland, were studied between 2004 and 2006 with the objective of determining a seasonal variation in the concentrations of selected fungal spore types in relation to meteorological parameters. The presence of spores of five taxa, namely, Cladosporium, Ganoderma, Alternaria, Leptosphaeria and Didymella, was recorded using a volumetric method (Hirst type). Fungal spores were present in the air in large numbers during the summer, with the highest concentrations recorded mainly in June, July and August. The peak concentrations of two of the studied spore types, Ganoderma and Alternaria, occurred in August, while the concentrations of Cladosporium, Leptosphaeria and Didymella spores were the highest in July. Multiple regression analysis was performed for three fungal seasons—2004, 2005 and 2006. Spore concentration was found to be positively correlated with the minimum temperature. For some spore types, there was also a significant correlation between concentrations, relative humidity and rain.     

Short-term variation of nutritive and metabolic parameters in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Temora longicornis</Emphasis> females (Crustacea,Copepoda) as a response to diet shift and starvation

Changes in fatty acid patterns, digestive and metabolic enzyme activities and egg production rates (EPR) were studied in the small calanoid copepod Temora longicornis. Female copepods were collected in spring 2005 off Helgoland (North Sea). In the laboratory one group of copepods was fed with the cryptophycean Rhodomonas baltica for a period of 3 days. Another group of copepods was maintained without food. According to the fatty acid patterns, animals from the field were feeding on a more detrital, animal-based and to a minor extent to a diatom-based diet. Under laboratory conditions, females rapidly accumulated fatty acids such as 18:4 (n-3), 18:3 (n-3) and 18:2 (n-6) which are specific of R. baltica. Diatom-specific fatty acids such as 16:1 (n-7) were strongly reduced. In fed animals the activities of digestive and metabolic enzymes remained constant and egg production rates were highest on day 2. Starving animals, in contrast, showed significantly reduced faecal pellet production and EPR. Proteolytic enzyme activity decreased rapidly within 24 h and remained at a low level until the end of the experiment. Citrate synthase decreased continuously as well. T. longicornis rapidly reacts to dietary changes and food depletion. It has limited energy stores and, thus, strongly depends on continuous food supply.     

Modeling the spontaneous initiation of the polymerization of methyl methacrylate

The mechanism of the spontaneous initiation of the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was investigated theoretically. The six minimum energy paths (MEP) of the possible reactions were calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) in conjunction with the B3LYP functional and 6-31G* basis set. The Diels-Alder initiation mechanism (path (I) and path (II)) with remarkably high energy barriers is not applicable to MMA. Four favorable paths were found (path (III), path (IV), path (V) and path (VI)), which are supporting the Flory mechanism. Path (V) has the lowest active energy. Therefore this path is considered as the main path for the spontaneous polymerization of MMA. Figure The mechanism of the spontaneous initiation of the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was investigated theoretically. The six minimum energy paths (MEP) of the possible reactions were calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) in conjunction with the B3LYP functional and 6-31G* basis set.     

Mortality of vertebrates on a road crossing the Biebrza Valley (NE Poland)

Mortality of vertebrates was monitored on a local road running across Poland’s Biebrza River Valley during 2 years (August 2005–July 2006). On the basis of distance from the river and surrounding habitats, the road (of total length 2,510 m) was divided into three stretches. The road was monitored on foot by two people every month, over a few consecutive days. A total of 1,892 road kills representing at least 47 species were found. Of these, 90.7% were amphibians, 4.2% mammals, 3.1% birds and 2.0% reptiles. Most (70%) of the amphibians were anurans, with the common toad, common frog and moor frog among them together accounting for 82% of the total. Mortality among amphibians differed between months, most anurans dying in May and August, while a majority of Urodela are lost in October. The peaks in mortality were connected with the migration of adult amphibians in spring and juveniles in summer and autumn. The number of amphibians killed was greatest on the (wettest) stretch adjacent to the river and decreased with distance from it. Mortality among birds was highest in July—probably in association with the dispersal of young individuals. Among recorded mammalian road kills, there was a prevalence of small rodents (mainly voles) and insectivores (mainly shrews). Medium-sized mammals were found only accidentally. Mortality in general was conditioned by the number of anurans killed.     

Toward an Integrated Understanding of Pesticide Use Intensity in Costa Rican Vegetable Farming

Understanding the factors that influence the adoption of synthetic pesticides has to date overshadowed explanations of variation in pesticide intensity. I conducted a survey of vegetable farmers in Northern Cartago and the Ujarrás Valley, Costa Rica, in 2003–2004 with the goal of explaining differences in pesticide intensity with reference to socioeconomic, political economic, and agroecological characteristics and relationships. Using ordinary least squares regression models, this paper explores the factors that influence pesticide use intensity in potato and squash production. Results indicate that many variables strongly influence pesticide intensity, including variables related to the farmer, farm household, political-economic relationships, the biophysical environment, and agroecological relationships. Conclusions discuss the need for an integrated approach to adequately understand pesticide intensity and potential policy interventions including agroecological education and extension, increased enforcement of pesticide residue limits in the national market, and land reform to allow for longer fallow periods.

Müller Glia as an Active Compartment Modulating Nervous Activity in the Vertebrate Retina: Neurotransmitters and Trophic Factors

Müller cells represent the main type of glia present in the retina interacting with most, if not all neurons in this tissue. Müller cells have been claimed to function as optic fibers in the retina delivering light to photoreceptors with minimal distortion and low loss [Franze et al (2007) Proc Natl Acad Sci 104:8287–8292]. Most of the mediators found in the brain are also detected in the retinal tissue, and glia cells are active players in the synthesis, release, signaling and uptake of major mediators of synaptic function. Müller glia trophic factors may regulate many different aspects of neuronal circuitry during synaptogenesis, differentiation, neuroprotection and survival of photoreceptors, Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) and other targets in the retina. Here we review the role of several transmitters and trophic factors that participate in the neuron-glia loop in the retina. Special issue article in honor of Dr. Ricardo Tapia.     

The liquid-ordered phase in sphingomyelincholesterol membranes as detected by the discrimination by oxygen transport (DOT) method

Membranes made from binary mixtures of egg sphingomyelin (ESM) and cholesterol were investigated using conventional and saturation-recovery EPR observations of the 5-doxylstearic acid spin label (5-SASL). The effects of cholesterol on membrane order and the oxygen transport parameter (bimolecular collision rate of molecular oxygen with the nitroxide spin label) were monitored at the depth of the fifth carbon in fluid- and gel-phase ESM membranes. The saturation-recovery EPR discrimination by oxygen transport (DOT) method allowed the discrimination of the liquid-ordered (l _o), liquid-disordered (l _d), and solid-ordered (s _o) phases because the bimolecular collision rates of the molecular oxygen with the nitroxide spin label differ in these phases. Additionally, oxygen collision rates (the oxygen transport parameter) were obtained in coexisting phases without the need for their separation, which provides information about the internal dynamics of each phase. The addition of cholesterol causes a dramatic decrease in the oxygen transport parameter around the nitroxide moiety of 5-SASL in the l _o phase, which at 50 mol% cholesterol becomes ∼5 times smaller than in the pure ESM membrane in the l _d phase, and ∼2 times smaller than in the pure ESM membrane in the s _o phase. The overall change in the oxygen transport parameter is as large as ∼20-fold. Conventional EPR spectra show that 5-SASL is maximally immobilized at the phase boundary between regions with coexisting l _d and l _o phases or s _o and l _o phases and the region with a single l _o phase. The obtained results all _owed for the construction of a phase diagram for the ESM-cholesterol membrane.