Global and 3D Spatial Assessment of Neuroinflammation in Rodent Models of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). T cells play a key role in the progression of neuroinflammation in MS and also in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) animal models for the disease. A technology for quantitative and 3 dimensional (3D) spatial assessment of inflammation in this and other CNS inflammatory conditions is much needed. Here we present a procedure for 3D spatial assessment and global quantification of the development of neuroinflammation based on Optical Projection Tomography (OPT). Applying this approach to the analysis of rodent models of MS, we provide global quantitative data of the major inflammatory component as a function of the clinical course. Our data demonstrates a strong correlation between the development and progression of neuroinflammation and clinical disease in several mouse and a rat model of MS refining the information regarding the spatial dynamics of the inflammatory component in EAE. This method provides a powerful tool to investigate the effect of environmental and genetic forces and for assessing the therapeutic effects of drug therapy in animal models of MS and other neuroinflammatory/neurodegenerative disorders.     

Population structure and residency of whale sharks Rhincodon typus at Utila,Bay Islands,Honduras

There were 479 reported whale shark Rhincodon typus encounters between 1999 and 2011 at the island of Utila, which forms part of the Meso‐American Barrier Reef System (MBRS) in the western Caribbean Sea. The majority of R. typus were found to feed on small bait fish associated with various tuna species. Ninety‐five individual R. typus, ranging from 2 to 11 m total length (L_T), were identified through their unique spot patterns. A significant male bias (65%) was present. There was no significant difference between the mean ± s.d . L_T of female (6·66 ± 1·65 m) and male (6·25 ± 1·60 m) R. typus. Most R. typus were transient to Utila, with 78% sighted only within a single calendar year, although some individuals were sighted in up to 5 years. Mean residency time was modelled to be 11·76 days using maximum likelihood methods.     

Nymphal feeding habits of Perla madritensis Rambur 1842 (Plecoptera: Perlidae)

The diet of Perla madritensis, endemic species of the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula, is described for the first time by means of a study carried out in north-western Spain. As other species of the genus Perla, this taxon behaves mainly as predator, with Chironomidae, followed by Baetidae, being the most abundant prey in its gut. Shifts in diet composition were detected in relation to size in this species, with smaller prey being replaced by larger ones such as Simuliidae and Leptophlebiidae when the nymphs become larger.     

Immobilization of Oenococcus oeni in lentikats® to develop malolactic fermentation in wines

Entrapment of Oenococcus oeni into a polymeric matrix based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (Lentikats®) was successfully used to get a better development of malolactic fermentation (MLF) in wine. The incubation of immobilized cells in a nutrient medium before starting the MLF, did not improve the degradation of malic acid. In only one day, 100% of conversion of malic acid was achieved using a high concentration of immobilized cells (0.35 g gel/ml of wine with a cell‐loading of 0.25 mg cells/mg of gel). While a low concentration of 0.21 g gel/ml of wine (cell‐loading of 0.25 mg cells/mg of gel) needed 3 days to get a reduction of 40%. The entrapped cells could be reused through six cycles (runs of 3 days), retaining 75% of efficacy for the conversion of malic acid into lactic acid. The immobilized cells in PVA hydrogels gave better performance than free cells because of the increase of the alcohol toleration. Consequently, the inhibitory effect of ethanol for developing MLF could be reduced using immobilized cells into PVA hydrogels. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2013     

No Association between Low Birth Weight and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Early Adulthood: Evidence from S?o Paulo,Brazil

Background

A growing literature suggests that low birth weight increases the risk of poor health outcomes in adulthood. We tested this hypothesis among young adults living in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Methods and Findings

To identify the effects of low birth weight on young adulthood outcomes, a medical assessment of 297 individuals born between 1977 and 1989 was conducted at a primary care unit in São Paulo State, Brazil. We analyzed body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, fasting glucose and total cholesterol levels using linear and logistic regressions. Low birth was negatively associated with BMI (β = −2.0, 95% CI: −3.69, −0.27, p = 0.02), fasting glucose levels (β = −1.9, 95% CI: −3.9, −0.07, p = 0.05), waist-hip ratio (β = −0.03, 95% CI: −0.07, −0.01, p = 0.10), systolic blood pressure (β = −3.32, 95% CI: −7.60, 0.96, p = 0.12), and total cholesterol levels (β = −3.19, 95% CI: −16.43, 10.05, p = 0.636). Low birth weight was also associated with lower odds of young adults being overweight and obese, but neither association was statistically significant. Weight gain in the first 12 months of life was associated with higher adult BMI (β = 0.79, 95% CI: −0.0455, 1.623, p = 0.064) and blood pressure (β = 2.79, 95% CI: 0.22, 5.35, p = 0.034). No associations were found between low birth weight and early life (catch-up) growth.

Conclusions

Low birth weight was not associated with poor health outcomes among young adults in Brazil. These results appear inconsistent with the original Barker hypothesis, but will need to be corroborated in larger samples with longer follow-ups to allow a more general evaluation of the validity of the hypothesis in low and middle income countries.     

Akonni TruTip? and Qiagen? Methods for Extraction of Fetal Circulating DNA - Evaluation by Real-Time and Digital PCR

Due to the low percentage of fetal DNA present in maternal plasma (< 10%) during early gestation, efficient extraction processes are required for successful downstream detection applications in non-invasive prenatal diagnostic testing. In this study, two extraction methods using similar chemistries but different workflows were compared for isolation efficiency and percent fetal DNA recovery. The Akonni Biosystems TruTip technology uses a binding matrix embedded in a pipette tip; the Circulating Nucleic Acids Kit from Qiagen employs a spin column approach. The TruTip method adds an extra step to decrease the recovery of DNA fragments larger than 600 bp from the sample to yield an overall higher percentage of smaller molecular weight DNA, effectively enriching for fetal DNA. In this evaluation, three separate extraction comparison studies were performed - a dilution series of fragmented DNA in plasma, a set of clinical maternal samples, and a blood collection tube time point study of maternal samples. Both extraction methods were found to efficiently extract small fragment DNA from large volumes of plasma. In the amended samples, the TruTip extraction method was ~15% less efficient with overall DNA recovery, but yielded an 87% increase in % fetal DNA relative to the Qiagen method. The average percent increase of fetal DNA of TruTip extracted samples compared to the Qiagen method was 55% for all sets of blinded clinical samples. A study comparing extraction efficiencies from whole blood samples incubated up to 48 hours prior to processing into plasma resulted in more consistent % fetal DNA recoveries using TruTip. The extracted products were tested on two detection platforms, quantitative real-time PCR and droplet digital PCR, and yielded similar results for both extraction methods.     

Quantification of Anti‐Addictive Alkaloids Ibogaine and Voacangine in In Vivo‐ and In Vitro‐Grown Plants of Two Mexican Tabernaemontana Species

Tabernaemontana alba and Tabernaemontana arborea are Apocynaceae species used in Mexican traditional medicine for which little phytochemical information exists. In this study, preliminary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of different organs obtained from wild plants of both species identified a total of 10 monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) and one simple indole alkaloid, nine of which were reported for the first time in these species. Furthermore, callus cultures were established from T. alba leaf explants and regeneration of whole plants was accomplished via somatic embryogenesis. The anti‐addictive MIAs ibogaine and voacangine were then quantified by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection in wild plants of both species, as well as greenhouse‐grown plants, in vitro‐grown plantlets and embryogenic callus of T. alba. Ibogaine and voacangine were present in most samples taken from the whole plants of both species, with stem and root barks showing the highest concentrations. No alkaloids were detected in callus samples. It was concluded that T. alba and T. arborea are potentially viable sources of ibogaine and voacangine, and that these MIAs can be produced through somatic embryogenesis and whole plant regeneration of T. alba. Approaches to increase MIA yields in whole plants and to achieve alkaloid production directly in cell cultures are discussed.     

Endurance Exercise Enhances the Effect of Strength Training on Muscle Fiber Size and Protein Expression of Akt and mTOR

Reports concerning the effect of endurance exercise on the anabolic response to strength training have been contradictory. This study re-investigated this issue, focusing on training effects on indicators of protein synthesis and degradation. Two groups of male subjects performed 7 weeks of resistance exercise alone (R; n = 7) or in combination with preceding endurance exercise, including both continuous and interval cycling (ER; n = 9). Muscle biopsies were taken before and after the training period. Similar increases in leg-press 1 repetition maximum (30%; P<0.05) were observed in both groups, whereas maximal oxygen uptake was elevated (8%; P<0.05) only in the ER group. The ER training enlarged the areas of both type I and type II fibers, whereas the R protocol increased only the type II fibers. The mean fiber area increased by 28% (P<0.05) in the ER group, whereas no significant increase was observed in the R group. Moreover, expression of Akt and mTOR protein was enhanced in the ER group, whereas only the level of mTOR was elevated following R training. Training-induced alterations in the levels of both Akt and mTOR protein were correlated to changes in type I fiber area (r = 0.55–0.61, P<0.05), as well as mean fiber area (r = 0.55–0.61, P<0.05), reflecting the important role played by these proteins in connection with muscle hypertrophy. Both training regimes reduced the level of MAFbx protein (P<0.05) and tended to elevate that of MuRF-1. The present findings indicate that the larger hypertrophy observed in the ER group is due more to pronounced stimulation of anabolic rather than inhibition of catabolic processes.     

Metabolite Profiling of Anti‐Addictive Alkaloids from Four Mexican Tabernaemontana Species and the Entheogenic African Shrub Tabernanthe iboga (Apocynaceae)

Ibogaine and other ibogan type alkaloids present anti‐addictive effects against several drugs of abuse and occur in different species of the Apocynaceae family. In this work, we used gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and principal component analysis (PCA) in order to compare the alkaloid profiles of the root and stem barks of four Mexican Tabernaemontana species with the root bark of the entheogenic African shrub Tabernanthe iboga. PCA demonstrated that separation between species could be attributed to quantitative differences of the major alkaloids, coronaridine, ibogamine, voacangine, and ibogaine. While T. iboga mainly presented high concentrations of ibogaine, Tabernaemontana samples either showed a predominance of voacangine and ibogaine, or coronaridine and ibogamine, respectively. The results illustrate the phytochemical proximity between both genera and confirm previous suggestions that Mexican Tabernaemontana species are viable sources of anti‐addictive compounds.