Amino acids composition of Teucrium nutlet proteins and their systematic significance

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Plant species are considered as a good source of dietary proteins, although the nutritional quality of proteins depends on their amino acid composition. In this work the protein content and amino acid composition of nutlets of 21 Teucrium taxa (Lamiaceae) from Spain were analysed and their nutritional quality was compared with the minimum values established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In addition, the amino acid composition was evaluated as a chemical character to clarify the taxonomic complexity in this genus. METHODS: Amino acid content of nutlets was determined after derivatization with diethyl ethoxymethylenemalonate by high-performance liquid chromatography. Previously, nutlets samples were hydrolysed and incubated in an oven at 110 degrees C for 24 h. KEY RESULTS: The protein content was variable, ranging from 6.4 % in T. dunense to 43.8 % in T. algarbiense. According to the FAO values all taxa contain satisfactory amounts of leucine, threonine and valine and are deficient in lysine. The similarity analysis of Teucrium taxa using amino acid composition data did not clearly reflect the infrageneric classification of this genus. CONCLUSIONS: Annual species, such as T. spinosum, T. aristatum and T. resupinatum showed a better balanced amino acid composition. The dendrogram partly matched with the karyological complexity of Teucrium. No correlation between amino acid composition and habitat has been observed, showing that Teucrium nutlet amino acid composition may not be strongly influenced by the environment.     

CRM197 (nontoxic diphtheria toxin): effects on advanced cancer patients

Purpose: Many years ago, diphtheria toxin (DT) showed antitumor activity in mice and in humans, but it was unclear whether this depended on the toxicity of the molecule only or on its strong inflammatory-immunological property as well. To deal with this open question, we planned to treat a group of cancer patients with cross-reacting material 197 (CRM197). CRM197 is a nontoxic mutant of DT that shares the immunological properties of the native molecule and its ability to bind to heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), the specific cell-membrane receptor for DT that is often overexpressed in cancer. Methods: 25 outpatients with various advanced tumors who were refractory to standard therapies (23 subjects) or had refused, in whole or in part, conventional therapies (2 subjects) were treated with CRM197 injected subcutaneously in the abdominal wall, on alternate days, for 6 days. Three different dosages (1.7, 2.6, or 3.5 mg/day) were used according to the patients degree of immunological reactivity to DT/CRM197 (none, moderate, or high). Results: After the first administration of CRM197, a significant increase in the number of circulating neutrophils and in the serum level of TNF- was detected. Toxicities were minimal. Only patients with delayed-type hypersensitivity to DT/CRM197 had irritating skin reactions in the injection sites and a flu-like syndrome with fever. Pharmacokinetics showed a mean peak concentration (12.7 ng/ml) 12 h after the first injection and a mean half-life of 18.1 h. There were two complete and one partial responses (metastatic breast carcinoma, neuroblastoma, and metastatic breast carcinoma) lasting 4, 45+, and 15 months, respectively. Six cases of stable disease, lasting from 1 to 15 months, were also recorded. Conclusions: CRM197 injected subcutaneously elicited an inflammatory-immunological reaction, caused tolerable toxicities, was absorbed to a good extent into the circulatory system, and exerted some degree of biological antitumor activity. A possible role of neutrophils and TNF- in the mode of action of the molecule is hypothesized.     

Blood chemistry in relation to nutrition and ectoparasite load in Wilson’s storm-petrels<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Oceanites oceanicus</Emphasis>

Haematology and plasma biochemistry values are useful tools for ecological research, providing information on the physiological state and adaptation of individuals to their habitat, changes in nutritional state of birds, body condition, the level of parasite infestation, etc. We studied the effect of stress factors on haematological and plasma biochemistry values in adult and nestling Wilsons storm petrels Oceanites oceanicus (Aves, Procellariiformes). We measured packed cell volume, triglyceride levels, plasma protein levels, plasma hue and plasma corticosterone of nestlings and breeding adults at King George Island, South Shetland Islands. We used a snow storm as a natural experiment to test what effect starvation has on the stress response of nestlings. In particular, we predicted that: (1) plasma protein concentrations and plasma hue reflect ectoparasite load, (2) triglycerides and hue reflect the nutritional state, and (3) corticosterone levels increase with ectoparasite load and starvation. In line with our predictions, plasma triglycerides were higher in nestlings than adults, indicating a resorptive nutritional state in nestlings, during which dietary fat is deposited in adipose tissues. In adults, plasma triglycerides were positively correlated with body mass. Corticosterone levels increased in response to handling in adults, while we did not find a stress response in nestlings in good condition. However, nestlings sampled after their nests had been blocked by a snow storm showed a stress response in excess of that of adults. In nestlings sampled after the snow storm, corticosterone peak levels were positively correlated with the infestation intensity of the ectoparasite Philoceanus robertsi (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera), suggesting that the stress response is increased when more stressors act at the same time. In adults, plasma hue and proteins decreased with increasing ectoparasite load.     

Nest size and hatchling sex ratio in chinstrap penguins

Variation in the sex ratio at hatching in the chinstrap penguin Pygoscelis antarctica was investigated, using molecular sexing to test predictions of sex allocation theory. The sex ratio was slightly male-biased (0.54) but did not differ significantly from parity. The proportion of males increased with nest size, an estimator of parental quality in chinstrap penguins. High-quality parents were able to produce and rear a higher proportion of male offspring, the more costly sex in this slightly sexually dimorphic species. Our results may be in agreement with Trivers and Willards (1973) argument on biases in the offspring sex ratio being contingent on parental condition or quality.     

Context-dependent honest begging in Cory’s shearwaters (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Calonectris diomedea</Emphasis>): influence of food availability

A key question in parent-offspring conflict is if provisioning is controlled primarily by parents or by their offspring, and how this interaction is mediated behaviourally. We recorded the vocalisations of chicks of Corys shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) during feeding sessions in a season with abundant food. Corys shearwater chicks conveyed information about their body condition through begging, and parents were responsive to the level of solicitation. In order to test experimentally for the effects of saturation on begging, we supplemented chicks food. Observational and experimental data both indicated that satiated chicks did not beg, and consequently no feeding occurred. Adults decreased their attendance following the decreased demand of supplemented chicks. We compare the results with data from a poor breeding season. The data suggest that only during the good season was variation in begging large enough to be detected and to serve as a reliable signal to the parents. Our results are in line with the predictions of a recent model indicating that begging signals were most informative to the parents in a context when there was a class of satiated individuals which stand to gain no benefit from the resource (and hence will refrain from signalling).     

Biofouling on the walls of a spent nuclear fuel pool with radioactive ultrapure water

Microbial activity in spent nuclear fuel pools which contain ultrapure and radioactive water has been previously observed. The aim of the present research was to isolate and identify the microorganisms attached to the nuclear pool wall of a Spanish nuclear power plant. Amplification of 16S rDNA fragments from the culturable microorganisms by PCR using universal primers for the domain 'Bacteria', followed by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis analysis revealed the presence of six different bacteria. The complete gene for 16S rDNA of each one was sequenced and identified as belonging to three different phylogenetic groups, viz. beta-Proteobacteria, Actinomycetales and the Bacillus/Staphylococcus group. A fungus was also found and identified as Aspergillus fumigatus by sequencing the D2 region of the large subunit rDNA gene. The isolation of these microorganisms in oligotrophic and radioactive conditions is of great interest due to the possibility of their use in bioremediation processes of radionuclide-contaminated environments.