Emergence of community structure in terrestrial mammal-dominated ecosystems

We present a paper that combines empirical and theoretical research about the trophic organization of biological communities. Some regularities are observed in the analysis of the relationship between the trophic structure (how the species are distributed among a set of feeding groups) of a number of African large mammal communities and the type of ecosystem. Different types of ecosystems are characterized by specific patterns in the trophic structure of the mammal community. In order to explain the origin of these patterns, we propose a model defining the underlying dynamic of mammal-dominated ecosystems. The main aim of this study is to show that it is possible to obtain a dynamic explanation of those patterns. The model is shown to spontaneously define different types of structures in community organization, related to those observed. We propose a model that could help to explain the correlation between different environmental factors and the abundance or diversity of herbivores, and which establishes a general mechanism that makes it possible to understand how some rules constrain the assembly of the communities. In addition, the proposed model leads us to see how biological communities can operate in an integrated way, which allows for the acceptance of their changes on large time-scales as evolutionary. In summary, we suggest that communities are unitary structures with coherent properties that result from the self-organizing dynamic of the whole system.     

N-benzoyl-N'-alkylthioureas and their complexes with Ni(II), Co(III) and Pt(II) - crystal structure of 3-benzoyl-1-butyl-1-methyl-thiourea: activity against fungi and yeast

The thiourea derivatives of N-butylmethylamine (3-benzoyl-1-butyl-1-methyl-thiourea) (1), N-ethylisopropylamine (3-benzoyl-1-ethyl-1-isopropyl-thiourea) (2) and the corresponding complexes of 1 and 2 with Ni(II), Co(III) and Pt(II) have been synthesized. The compounds obtained were characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, UV-Vis and NMR) and mass spectrometry. Compound 1, crystallized in the triclinic space group. The antifungal activities of compounds 1 and 2 and their corresponding complexes against the fungus Penicillium digitatum and against the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were investigated. In general, fungal growth inhibition was higher with compound 1 and its complexes than with compound 2, except for the Co(III) complex of 2.     

Sequential changes in redox status and nitric oxide synthases expression in the liver after bile duct ligation

Bile duct ligation (BDL) in rats induces portal fibrosis. This process has been linked to changes in the oxidative state of the hepatic cells and in the production of nitric oxide. Our objective was to find possible temporal connections between hepatic redox state, NO synthesis and liver injury. In this work we have characterized hepatic lesions 17 and 31 days after BDL and determined changes in hepatic function, oxidative state, and NO production. We have also analyzed the expression and localization of inducible NO synthase (NOS2) and constitutive NO synthase (NOS3). After 17 and 31 days from ligature, lipid peroxidation is increased and both plasma concentration and biliary excretion of nitrite+nitrate are rised. 17 days after BDL both NOS2 and NOS3 are expressed intensely and in the same regions. 31 days after BDL, the expression of NOS2 remains elevated and is localized mostly in preserved hepatocytes in portal areas and in neighborhoods of centrolobulillar vein. NOS3 is localized in vascular regions of portal spaces and centrolobulillar veins and in preserved sinusoids and although its expression is greater than in control animals (34%), it is clearly lower (50%) than 17 days after BDL. The time after BDL is crucial in the study of NO production, intrahepatic localization of NOS isoforms expression, and cell type involved, since all these parameters change with time. BDL-induced, peroxidation and fibrosis are not ligated by a cause-effect relationship, but rather they both seem to be the consequence of common inductors.     

MAO activity in serotonergic endings of rat major cerebral arteries

The present work studies the existence of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in serotonergic endings present in rat major cerebral arteries. Enzymatic activity was appraised in vivo by serotonin (5-HT) accumulation or 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) disappearance with time after systemic administration of MAO inhibitors. Pargyline (75 mg/Kg, ip) brought about significant 5-HT increase and 5-HIAA decrease in major cerebral arteries 30 and 60 min after its administration. Clorgyline (75 mg/Kg, ip) also induced 5-HT enhancement and 5-HIAA decline in these arteries 30 and 60 min after its injection. However, treatment with deprenyl (75 mg/Kg, ip) only evoked a significant 5-HT increase at 60 min. When either clorgyline (5 mg/Kg, ip) or deprenyl (5 mg/Kg, ip) were administered 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels remained unaffected. Two weeks after performing electrolytical lesion of dorsal raphe nucleus and 60 min after clorgyline (75 mg/Kg, ip) injection 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels appeared significantly reduced in cerebral arteries and striatum when compared to sham-lesioned controls. These results suggest that MAO-A isoform acting on endogenous 5-HT is present in rat major cerebral arteries and is located in nerve endings of fibers arising from dorsal raphe nucleus.     

Vitamin B2-sensitised photooxidation of the ophthalmic drugs Timolol and Pindolol: kinetics and mechanism

The kinetics and mechanistic aspects of the riboflavin-photosensitised oxidation of the topically administrable ophthalmic drugs Timolol (Tim) and Pindolol (Pin) were investigated in water-MeOH (9:1, v/v) solution employing light of wavelength > 400 nm. riboflavin, belonging to the vitamin B(2) complex, is a known human endogenous photosensitiser. The irradiation of riboflavin in the presence of ophthalmic drugs triggers a complex picture of competitive reactions which produces the photodegradation of both the drugs and the pigment itself. The mechanism was elucidated employing stationary photolysis, polarographic detection of dissolved oxygen, stationary and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, and laser flash photolysis. Ophthalmic drugs quench riboflavin-excited singlet and triplet states. From the quenching of excited triplet riboflavin, the semireduced form of the pigment is generated, through an electron transfer process from the drug, with the subsequent production of superoxide anion radical (O(2)(*-)) by reaction with dissolved molecular oxygen. Through the interaction of dissolved oxygen with excited triplet riboflavin, the species singlet oxygen (O(2)((1)Delta(g))) is also generated to a lesser extent. Both O(2)(*-) and O(2)((1)Delta(g)) induce photodegradation of ophthalmic drugs, Tim being approximately 3-fold more easily photooxidisable than Pin, as estimated by oxygen consumption experiments.     

Structural characterization and cytostatic activity of chlorobischolylglycinatogold(III)

Based on the ability of bile acids for vectorializing the cytostatic activity of other agents, we have designed and synthesized a new bile acid cholylglycinato Au(III) complex, named Bamet-A1. It has been characterized by means of EA (elemental analysis), FT-IR, NMR, FAB-MS (fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry) and Vis-UV techniques. This characterization allowed us to propose a structure of the type [Au CG(O) CG(N,O) Cl] for the neutral complex, which has the composition C522H84N2O12AuCl and is very soluble in water, methanol, ethanol and DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide). The study in aqueous solution suggested a redox process for its transformation, which is accompanied by the appearance of colloidal gold phase. The behavior in 4 mM NaCl water (in order to mimic the cytoplasmatic fluid) was similar to that observed in water, while in a 150 mM NaCl (similar to extracellular fluid and serum), the apparition of a dark blue precipitate was observed. This complex displays fluorescence, which does not change when incubated with DNA obtained from E. coli. Bamet-A1 was found to inhibit the growth of a variety of cell lines. The cytostatic effect was mild against human hepatoma HepG2, mouse hepatoma Hepa 1-6, rat hepatoma McA RH-7777 and human colon adenocarcinoma LS-174T, and stronger against mouse sarcoma S180-II and mouse leukemia L-1210 cells. The appearance of colloidal Au during the process of hydrolysis under physiological conditions may explains the low cytostatic activity.     

Zap-70-independent Ca(2+) mobilization and Erk activation in Jurkat T cells in response to T-cell antigen receptor ligation

The tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 has been implicated as a critical intermediary between T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) stimulation and Erk activation on the basis of the ability of dominant negative ZAP-70 to inhibit TCR-stimulated Erk activation, and the reported inability of anti-CD3 antibodies to activate Erk in ZAP-70-negative Jurkat cells. However, Erk is activated in T cells receiving a partial agonist signal, despite failing to activate ZAP-70. This discrepancy led us to reanalyze the ZAP-70-negative Jurkat T-cell line P116 for its ability to support Erk activation in response to TCR/CD3 stimulation. Erk was activated by CD3 cross-linking in P116 cells. However, this response required a higher concentration of anti-CD3 antibody and was delayed and transient compared to that in Jurkat T cells. Activation of Raf-1 and MEK-1 was coincident with Erk activation. Remarkably, the time course of Ras activation was comparable in the two cell lines, despite proceeding in the absence of LAT tyrosine phosphorylation in the P116 cells. CD3 stimulation of P116 cells also induced tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLCgamma1) and increased the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors blocked CD3-stimulated Erk activation in P116 cells, while parental Jurkat cells were refractory to PKC inhibition. The physiologic relevance of these signaling events is further supported by the finding of PLCgamma1 tyrosine phosphorylation, Erk activation, and CD69 upregulation in P116 cells on stimulation with superantigen and antigen-presenting cells. These results demonstrate the existence of two pathways leading to TCR-stimulated Erk activation in Jurkat T cells: a ZAP-70-independent pathway requiring PKC and a ZAP-70-dependent pathway that is PKC independent.     

Challenges and Solutions in the Development of Genomic Biomarker Panels: A Systematic Phased Approach

In the post-genome era, high throughput gene expression profiling has been successfully used to develop genomic biomarker panels (GBP) that can be integrated into clinical decision making. The development of GBPs in the context of personalized medicine is a scientifically challenging and resource-intense process. It needs to be accomplished in a systematic phased approach to address biological variation related to a clinical phenotype (e.g. disease etiology, gender, etc.) and minimize technical variation (noise). Here we present the methodological aspects of GBP development based on the experience of the Cardiac Allograft Rejection Gene Expression Observation (CARGO) study, a study that lead to the development of a molecular classifier for rejection screening in heart transplant patients.     

Cardiac and vascular phenotypes in the apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse

Cardiovascular death is frequently associated with atherosclerosis, a chronic multifactorial disease and a leading cause of death worldwide. Genetically engineered mouse models have proven useful for the study of the mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases. The apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse has been the most widely used animal model of atherosclerosis because it rapidly develops severe hypercholesterolemia and spontaneous atherosclerotic lesions similar to those observed in humans. In this review, we provide an overview of the cardiac and vascular phenotypes and discuss the interplay among nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species, aging and diet in the impairment of cardiovascular function in this mouse model.