Proteomic fingerprinting enables quantitative biodiversity assessments of species and ontogenetic stages in Calanus congeners (Copepoda,Crustacea) from the Arctic Ocean

Species identification is pivotal in biodiversity assessments and proteomic fingerprinting by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry has already been shown to reliably identify calanoid copepods to species level. However, MALDI-TOF data may contain more information beyond mere species identification. In this study, we investigated different ontogenetic stages (copepodids C1–C6 females) of three co-occurring Calanus species from the Arctic Fram Strait, which cannot be identified to species level based on morphological characters alone. Differentiation of the three species based on mass spectrometry data was without any error. In addition, a clear stage-specific signal was detected in all species, supported by clustering approaches as well as machine learning using Random Forest. More complex mass spectra in later ontogenetic stages as well as relative intensities of certain mass peaks were found as the main drivers of stage distinction in these species. Through a dilution series, we were able to show that this did not result from the higher amount of biomass that was used in tissue processing of the larger stages. Finally, the data were tested in a simulation for application in a real biodiversity assessment by using Random Forest for stage classification of specimens absent from the training data. This resulted in a successful stage-identification rate of almost 90%, making proteomic fingerprinting a promising tool to investigate polewards shifts of Atlantic Calanus species and, in general, to assess stage compositions in biodiversity assessments of Calanoida, which can be notoriously difficult using conventional identification methods.     

Synthesis, characterization, and antitumor activity of new chloroethylamine platinum complexes.

A series of cis-bis-(2-chloroethylamine)platinum(II) and platinum(IV) complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and 1H and 195Pt NMR spectroscopic techniques. Complexes were tested in vitro against murine L1210 leukemia and human ovarian A2780 cell lines and in vivo against the L1210 leukemia model. Some of these complexes showed excellent antitumor activity in both systems. However, all were inactive against cisplatin-resistant A2780/CP cells.     

Origin of Maxillopoda

The Maxillopoda Dahl (1956) was defined primarily by a 5–6–5 body plan; that is, a head supporting five pairs and a thorax six pairs of appendages, and an abdomen of five segments, the first of which may bear a pair of genital limbs and the last of which, the telson, bears caudal rami. Representatives as diverse as ostracods, cirripeds, orstenocarids and skaracarids appear in the Cambrian, so we are dealing with a radiation that in the most part took place over 500 million years ago. A progenetic origin of the maxillopodans, from an ur-malacostracan stock, has been proposed (Newman, W. A. 1983. Crustacean phylogeny—Crustacean Issues, Vol. 1, pp. 105–119). However, new information, including the recently discovered Cambrian forms Skaracarida and Orstenocarida, the structure of spermatozoa, and preliminary results from the sequencing of ribosomal RNA, suggests that the Maxillopoda are more deeply rooted in the crustaceans than previously supposed, likely closer to the ur-crustacean than to the ur-malacostracan.     

Factors influencing the effectiveness of an attracticide formulation against the Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta

An attracticide formulation, LastCall?OFM, was tested against the Oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in replicated small plot field trials in apple, Malus domestica (Borkhausen), orchards in South‐eastern Pennsylvania, USA. Attracticide treatments were applied using a calibrated hand pump, and treated plots were compared to similar untreated plots. Male moth activity was monitored using virgin female‐baited traps, and the potential for reduction in mating activity was assessed using sentinel virgin females. A comparison of application rates showed that 1500 droplets per ha of the attracticide formulation was as effective as 3000 droplets per ha, and both application rates reduced captures in synthetic pheromone‐baited traps for prolonged periods. Droplets placed either at high or low positions within the canopy significantly reduced trap capture and mating with sentinel females. In addition, the only sentinel females that mated in the treated plots were located in the untreated portion of the tree canopy. Mate finding behaviour was equally disrupted by formulations with and without insecticide. Therefore, under the test conditions, the mechanism by which the attracticide formulation worked was by disruption of male orientation, and not by the removal of males due to insecticide poisoning. Two field cage experiments tested the impact of population density on the competitiveness of the attracticide formulation compared to virgin females. A significant proportion of males were captured in female‐baited traps at the highest female‐to‐droplet ratio tested. Equal proportions of males were captured in attracticide‐baited traps at male moth densities of 10, 20, 40, and 80 males per cage. These results clarify some of the factors influencing the effectiveness and possible mechanisms of an attracticide management tactic against the Oriental fruit moth.     

Properties of monovalent nickel complexes with tetraaza-macrocyclic ligands in aqueous solutions

The effects of N-alkylation on the redox potential of the couples NiLⁱ²⁺/NiLⁱ⁺, L = tetraaza-14-membered-macrocyclic ligands, and on the properties of the monovalent nickel complexes in aqueous solutions are reported for 14 complexes. The spectra and lifetimes of the NiLⁱ⁺ complexes are reported. The self-exchange rates for the couples NiLⁱ²⁺/NiLⁱ⁺ were determined. Two of the ligands were synthesized for the first time for this study. Cyclic voltammetry and pulse radiolysis were used. The results point out that: (i) N-alkylation always shifts the redox potential to a less cathodic one; this effect stems to a large degree from the decrease in the solvation energy of the complex caused by the N-alkylation of the ligand. (ii). The lifetime of the monovalent complexes is not linearly related to the redox potential of the NiLⁱ²⁺/NiLⁱ⁺ couples. (iii) The NiLⁱ⁺ complexes exist in several isomeric forms; the rate of the isomerization depends on the structure of the ligand. (iv) Different isomers of NiLⁱ⁺ may be formed when the complex NiLⁱ²⁺ is reduced by different reagents; therefore, the pulse-radiolytically formed NiLⁱ⁺ complexes might have different properties than those formed electrochemically.     

Substance P-related antagonists inhibit vasopressin and bombesin but not 5′-3-O-(thio) triphosphate-stimulated inositol phosphate production in swiss 3T3 cells

The substance P (SP) analogues [DArg¹, DPhe⁵, DTrp^7,9, Leu¹¹] SP (AntD) and [Arg⁶, DTrp^7,9, MePhe⁸] SP (6–11) (AntG) inhibit the action of many different neuropeptides including SP. These analogues might be useful in the treatment of small cell lung cancer but their mechanism of action is unclear. Here, we analyzed the effect of AntD and AntG on neuropeptide vs. guanosine 5′-3-O-(thio) triphosphate (GTPγS) stimulated inositol phosphate generation in permeabilized Swiss 3T3 cells. AntD inhibited vasopressin and bombesin stimulated inositol phosphate formation (IC₅₀ of 0.75 μM and 2 μM, respectively). Similarly, AntG inhibited vasopressin-stimulated inositol phosphate generation with an IC₅₀ of 1 μM. Strikingly, neither AntD up to 10 μM nor AntG up to 20 μM was able to inhibit GTPγS-stimulated inositol phosphate generation. Dose-response curves of neuropeptide-induced inositol phosphate generation were dramatically displaced to the right by either 10 μM AntD or 20 μM AntG. However, neither antagonist affected the dose response of GTPγS-stimulated inositol phosphate generation. Furthermore, 20 μM AntD had no effect on AIF^?₄-induced inositol phosphates in COS-1 cells transfected with G_αq. AntD inhibited [³H]vasopressin binding competitively in intact Swiss 3T3 cells and both AntD and AntG inhibited [³H]vasopressin binding in Swiss 3T3 and rat liver membranes. Scatchard analysis revealed that AntD inhibited vasopressin binding by reducing receptor affinity without affecting receptor number in both intact and membrane preparations of Swiss 3T3 cells. The results strongly suggest that SP analogues AntD and AntG block the action of the Ca²⁺ mobilizing neuropeptides at the receptor level, rather than inhibiting G protein-stimulated inositol phosphate production. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Isolation of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (serotype Ab) from diverse species of estuarine fish

Two significant fish kills occurred in the Pamlico River estuary (North Carolina, USA), one in December 1981 and January 1982, and the other in June 1982. The first involved only the southern flounder(Paralichthys lethostigma). Histopathologic examination of morbid and moribund flounder revealed extensive sloughing and necrosis of the mucosa of the pyloric caeca and intestine, and inflammation of the submucosa of the pyloric caeca. Brain and internal organ homogenates from morbid and moribund flounder were assayed on CHSE-214 cells, and a virus was isolated. Virus titers ranged from8.4 · 10² to 6.3 · 10⁷ TCID₅₀ per gram of tissue. Cross-plaque neutralization assays indicated that the southern flounder virus was infectious pancreatic necrosis virus serotype Ab. Immersion challenge showed the isolate is only slightly virulent for fry of brook trout(Salvelinus fontinalis). The second fish kill involved the southern flounder and six other species: hogchoker(Trinectes maculatus), Atlantic silverside(Menidia menidia), spot(Leiostomus xanthurus), Atlantic croaker(Micropogon undulatus), silver perch(Bairdiella chrysura), and striped mullet(Mugil cephalus). Virus was isolated from southern founder, hogchoker, Atlantic silverside, and spot. Neutralization assays indicated that the four isolates were nearly identical; however, the diversity of species affected suggests that the virus might not have been the specific cause of mortality.     

Cancer mortality among immigrant populations in Ontario, 1969 through 1973.

Ontario is home to a sizeable, recently established immigrant population whose cancer mortality has until now remained unexamined. The province''s six largest immigrant groups (British, Italian, German, Dutch, Polish and Soviet) were investigated to compare their cancer mortality experience with that prevailing in Ontario and in their countries of birth for the period 1969 through 1973. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed from data from Statistics Canada and the World Health Organization (for 1971) for five sites of cancer. The rates of death from stomach cancer were significantly higher for the immigrant groups (except the Germans) than for the Canadian-born (SMRs 158.6 to 256.1) and were significantly lower for the immigrants (except the Dutch) than for the populations of their countries of birth (SMRs 26.5 to 72.9). The rates of death from colorectal cancer and cancer of the breast tended to be lower among the immigrants. Most male immigrants had high rates of death from lung cancer relative to the Canadian-born, whereas their female counterparts had relatively low rates. For most of the immigrant groups the rates of death from prostate cancer closely resembled those prevailing in the country of birth. Displacement of cancer mortality experience towards that in Ontario was most evident for Polish immigrants. It may have been too soon to see trends among the more recent immigrants (Italian, German and Dutch), who, for the most part, had not yet reached the age of highest cancer risk. Ontario should provide a valuable resource for further studies of lifestyle and environmental determinants of cancer.     

Inactivation of polioviruses and coxsackieviruses in surface water.

Inactivation rates of polioviruses 1 and 3 and coxsackieviruses A-13 and B-1 were determined in situ in the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, using membrane dialysis chambers. Inactivation of the viruses was exponential, and the rates of inactivation were apparently affected principally by the water temperature. Stability of the viruses in river water differed, with poliovirus 1 and coxsackie B-1 being most stable. Typically 1-log reductions of infectivity at water temperatures ranging between 23 and 27 degrees C required 25 h for poliovirus 1, 19 h for poliovirus 3, and 7 h for coxsackie virus A-13. At water temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees C, the log reduction times for poliovirus 1 and coxsackievirus B-1 were 46 and 58 h, respectively. Results obtained with labeled poliovirus 1 and coxsackievirus B-1 and with infectious ribonucleic acid indicate that inactivation was due to damage to viral ribonucleic acid. Virus-inactivation rates were also affected by heat sterilization of river water, indicating the presence of a heat-labile or volatile inactivating factor. The inactivating factor in Rio Grande water was apparently present at a constant concentration over a 1-year period.