Timing of migration dates and detection of first wintering sites for the Turtle Dove in Northwest Africa

The identification of migration dates and wintering zones for migratory birds are key elements for the understanding of the Afro-Palearctic migration system. From 2015 to 2022, a large-scale survey of Turtle Doves Streptopelia turtur, a vulnerable species, was established in Northwest Africa, including Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. We monitored migration dates and wintering individuals using the line-transect method. We found that Turtle Doves arrived in the last week of March and left the North African region in mid-October. Compared with Morocco, Doves arrived significantly earlier in Algeria and Tunisia. Moreover, Doves were discovered wintering on nine Northwest African sites, from October to February, where individuals feed in groups. We found that the occurrence probability of wintering Turtle Doves decreased significantly with increasing temperature and rainfall. Birds wintered most often close to wetlands since the overwintering probability decreased with the increasing distance from the recording area to the nearest water body. These are the first and only detailed findings on the migration phenology of the globally vulnerable Turtle Dove in north western Africa.     

Development of a highly sensitive bacteria detection assay using fluorescent pH-responsive polymeric micelles

The detection and control of bacteria is extremely important in the safety of food products and health systems. The conventional microbiological methods based on culture enrichment techniques and plating procedures are highly sensitive and selective for bacterial detection but are expensive, cumbersome and time-consuming. Here we report the development of a simple and sensitive bioassay to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria by using self assembled pH-responsive polymeric micelles that have been bioconjugated to anti-E. coli (capturing agent). Poly(ethylene glycol-b-trimethylsilyl methacrylate), containing silicon moieties that can be cleaved under mildly acidic conditions, was synthesized and self-assembled into micelles, that were loaded with a fluorescent dye (1-methylpyrene). The polymer silicon protecting groups are used as a tool to remotely activate the dye release by means of pH. The high sensitivity of the newly developed bioassay, which is capable of detecting 15 bacteria per milliliter of solution, is due to an amplification effect generated by the optical signal of millions of fluorophores released from a single micelle upon attachment to a bacterium. Fluorescence probing involves the measurements of changes in the emission spectra, through the disappearance of the excimer band, which only occurs when the dye molecules are trapped within the polymeric micelles.     

Genotypes of Echinococcus Species from Cattle in Tanzania

Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus species. Tanzania is one of the endemic countries with cystic echinococcosis. This study focussed on identifying genotypes of Echinococcus spp. in Tanzania. We collected 7 cysts from cattle in Mwanza municipal (n=4) and Loliondo district (n=3). The cysts from Mwanza were all E. ortleppi and fertile. In contrast, the cysts from Loliondo were all E. granulosus sensu stricto and sterile. Two from the 4 cysts were a new haplotype of E. ortleppi (G5). These results can improve the preventive and control programs for humans and livestock in Tanzania. To our knowledge, this study is considered the first to identify the genotype and haplotype of Echinococcus spp. in Tanzania.     

Traffic and industrial activities around Riyadh cause the accumulation of heavy metals in legumes: A case study

The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of the continuously increasing anthropogenic activities around Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the accumulation of heavy metals in leguminous crops. This study determined whether four legume crops, Pisum sativum L., Vicia faba L., Glycine max and Vigna sinensis, could accumulate the heavy metals Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn in their leaves, pods and grains during the summer when grown under conditions with ambient air pollution from heavy traffic and industrial activities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The effect of the air pollution was examined by quantifying the protein and trace element Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn concentrations in the leaves, pods and grains of the four plant species. Analysis of the results indicated that air pollution significantly increased the heavy metal concentrations in the leaves, pods and grains. Toxic concentrations of the heavy metals were found in the plants grown at L3, L4 and L5. In conclusion, the air pollution increases as the traffic, industrial activities and population density increase.     

Role of heme oxygenases in sepsis-induced diaphragmatic contractile dysfunction and oxidative stress

Heme oxygenases (HOs), essential enzymes for heme metabolism, play an important role in the defense against oxidative stress. In this study, we evaluated the expression and functional significance of HO-1 and HO-2 in the ventilatory muscles of normal rats and rats injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Both HO-1 and HO-2 proteins were detected inside ventilatory and limb muscle fibers of normal rats. Diaphragmatic HO-1 and HO-2 expressions rose significantly within 1 and 12 h of LPS injection, respectively. Inhibition of the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in rats and absence of this isoform in iNOS(-/-) mice did alter sepsis-induced regulation of muscle HOs. Systemic inhibition of HO activity with chromium mesoporphyrin IX enhanced muscle protein oxidation and hydroxynonenal formation in both normal and septic rats. Moreover, in vitro diaphragmatic force generation declined substantially in response to HO inhibition both in normal and septic rats. We conclude that both HO-1 and HO-2 proteins play an important role in the regulation of muscle contractility and in the defense against sepsis-induced oxidative stress.     

Mutations in the gene PRRT2 cause paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia with infantile convulsions

Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Dyskinesia with Infantile Convulsions (PKD/IC) is an episodic movement disorder with autosomal dominant inheritance and high penetrance, but the causative gene is unknown. We have now identified four truncating mutations involving the PRRT2 gene in the vast majority (24/25) of well characterized families with PKD/IC. PRRT2 truncating mutations were also detected in 28 of 78 additional families. The PRRT2 gene encodes a proline-rich transmembrane protein of unknown function that has been reported to interact with the t-SNARE, SNAP25. PRRT2 localizes to axons but not to dendritic processes in primary neuronal culture and mutants associated with PKD/IC lead to dramatically reduced PRRT2 protein levels leading ultimately to neuronal hyperexcitability that manifests in vivo as PKD/IC.     

Macrophages, Nitric Oxide and microRNAs Are Associated with DNA Damage Response Pathway and Senescence in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background

Cellular senescence can be a functional barrier to carcinogenesis. We hypothesized that inflammation modulates carcinogenesis through senescence and DNA damage response (DDR). We examined the association between senescence and DDR with macrophage levels in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In vitro experiments tested the ability of macrophages to induce senescence in primary cells. Inflammation modulating microRNAs were identified in senescence colon tissue for further investigation.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Quantitative immunohistochemistry identified protein expression by colon cell type. Increased cellular senescence (HP1γ; P = 0.01) or DDR (γH2A.X; P = 0.031, phospho-Chk2, P = 0.014) was associated with high macrophage infiltration in UC. Co-culture with macrophages (ANA-1) induced senescence in >80% of primary cells (fibroblasts MRC5, WI38), illustrating that macrophages induce senescence. Interestingly, macrophage-induced senescence was partly dependent on nitric oxide synthase, and clinically relevant NO• levels alone induced senescence. NO• induced DDR in vitro, as detected by immunofluorescence. In contrast to UC, we noted in Crohn’s disease (CD) that senescence (HP1γ; P<0.001) and DDR (γH2A.X; P<0.05, phospho-Chk2; P<0.001) were higher, and macrophages were not associated with senescence. We hypothesize that nitric oxide may modulate senescence in CD; epithelial cells of CD had higher levels of NOS2 expression than in UC (P = 0.001). Microarrays and quantitative-PCR identified miR-21 expression associated with macrophage infiltration and NOS2 expression.

Conclusions

Senescence was observed in IBD with senescence-associated β-galactosidase and HP1γ. Macrophages were associated with senescence and DDR in UC, and in vitro experiments with primary human cells showed that macrophages induce senescence, partly through NO•, and that NO• can induce DDR associated with senescence. Future experiments will investigate the role of NO• and miR-21 in senescence. This is the first study to implicate macrophages and nitrosative stress in a direct effect on senescence and DDR, which is relevant to many diseases of inflammation, cancer, and aging.