Agonistic interactions with asymmetric body size in two adult-age groups of the annual killifish Millerichthys robustus (Miller & Hubbs, 1974)

In this study, the author evaluated two adult age groups of the Mexican rivulus Millerichthys robustus with body size asymmetries to determine the strategies used by an annual killifish during agonistic interactions of different ontogenetic stages. To achieve this goal, the author first characterized the ethogram of agonistic interactions of M. robustus composed of seven behavioural units in males and five behavioural units in females. The author then analysed agonistic interaction strategies used by males and females with body size asymmetries in two groups of different adult ages that represent different ontogenetic stages: (a) just after sexual maturity was reached, at 5 weeks of age, and (b) near natural death, at 24 weeks of age. The agonistic behaviour patterns of M. robustus were compatible with the logic of mutual assessment. Large males had an advantage during their interactions in both age groups, winning all of the encounters. Nonetheless, there was more aggression in 5-week-old fish encounters. In addition, small 24-week-old fish were more aggressive than small 5-week-old fish. These changing strategies may be because of the cost–benefits required during a fight at each ontogenetic stage. In the female encounters, size did not predict winners, as both small and large fish won a similar number of encounters, and some contests remained unresolved regardless of age group. There was a tendency for small females of any age to risk more than males in fights to maintain reproductive fitness.     

Ionic liquid-based microwave-assisted extraction of lipid and eicosapentaenoic acid from Nannochloropsis oceanica biomass: experimental optimization approach

Journal of Applied Phycology - Lipids and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) compounds from Nannochloropsis oceanica biomass were extracted using a combination of ionic liquids (ILs) and...     

Evolutionary history of the reef fish Anisotremus interruptus (Perciformes: Haemulidae) throughout the Tropical Eastern Pacific

The Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) is a dynamic coastal environment characterized by a complex system of oceanic processes and discontinuous rocky habitats. These features, in conjunction with the ecological and physiological characteristics of Anisotremus interruptus, might limit gene flow and shape the evolutionary history of the species. In this study, we investigate the evolutionary history of the reef fish A. interruptus (and its Atlantic sister species A. surinamensis) throughout its range in the TEP, using two mitochondrial (cox1 and cytb) and two nuclear markers (S7 and RAG1). We found three genetic groups of A. interruptus with recent divergence times from the Galapagos Archipelago, Revillagigedo Archipelago, the continental TEP, and A. surinamensis the sister specie from the Atlantic. The haplotype mtDNA networks show A. surinamensis in a central position with respect to Pacific genetic haplogroups, whereas nDNA networks show mixed haplotypes between the four genetic groups. In the species tree, A. surinamensis appears as the sister species of all the Pacific samples and the Galapagos Archipelago population emerges as a genetically distinctive group. The samples from the Revillagigedo Archipelago also constitute a genetic distinctive group, closely related to the continental samples. Continental individuals do not show significant genetic structure and exhibit a population expansion during the Pleistocene. The sandy gaps of the TEP not appear to act as barriers isolating populations of A. interruptus, whereas the open sea gap between the oceanic islands and the continental coast do.     

First description of color variations in the annual killifish Millerichthys robustus,and preliminary observations about its geographical distribution

Millerichthys robustus is the only annual killifish distributed in America with phenotypic color variations, not yet described. Accordingly, we first describe the color pattern in both sexes to define its phenotypical variations. We then analyze the frequency of these phenotypes on a geographical scale, in four localities that represent opposite points of Millerichthys’s distribution in the Mexican southeast. Color analysis based on the RGB system allowed us to define five-color phenotypes in males continuously distributed in various perceptual units between two extreme colors (yellow-red): yellow, moderate orange, dark orange, strong orange and red. These color patterns found in M. robustus could be attributed to melanin, carotenoid, and pteridine pigments. The orange phenotypes was present in all localities studied. The yellow phenotype was present only in northeastern and northwestern locations, and the red phenotype was present only in northern populations. Female color variations were observed in the number of ocelli (from 1 to 15) at the base of the caudal peduncle and dorsal region. Ocelli have been associated with anti-predator functions because they resemble the eyes of vertebrates, thus shifting the target of predator attacks to less vital body parts. Females with 3 ocelli were the most frequent phenotype, and females with 13–15 ocelli occurred only in the northern populations. We concluded that male and female of M. robustus are not randomly distributed along their distribution range, which suggest that color phenotypes may react differently to biotic and abiotic factors that probably determine their distribution and frequency within the studied population.

     

Are There Gender Differences in Coronary Artery Disease? The Malaysian National Cardiovascular Disease Database – Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (NCVD-PCI) Registry

Objectives

To assess whether gender differences exist in the clinical presentation, angiographic severity, management and outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

The study comprised of 1,961 women and 8,593 men who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and were included in the Malaysian NCVD-PCI Registry from 2007–2009. Significant stenosis was defined as ≥70% stenosis in at least one of the epicardial vessels.

Results

Women were significantly older and had significantly higher rates of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic renal failure, new onset angina and prior history of heart failure whereas smokers and past history of myocardial infarction were higher in men. In the ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) cohort, more women were in Killip class III-IV, had longer door-to-balloon time (169.5 min. vs 127.3 min, p<0.052) and significantly longer transfer time (300.4 min vs 166.3 min, p<0.039). Overall, women had significantly more left main stem (LMS) disease (1.3% vs 0.6%, p<0.003) and smaller diameter vessels (<3.0 mm: 45.5% vs 34.8%, p<0.001). In-hospital mortality rates for all PCI, STEMI, Non-STEMI (NSTEMI) and unstable angina for women and men were 1.99% vs 0.98%, Odds ratio (OR): 2.06 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.40 to 3.01), 6.19% vs 2.88%, OR: 2.23 (95% CI: 1.31 to 3.79), 2.90% vs 0.79%, OR: 3.75 (95% CI: 1.58 to 8.90) and 1.79% vs 0.29%, OR: 6.18 (95% CI: 0.56 to 68.83), respectively. Six-month adjusted OR for mortality for all PCI, STEMI and NSTEMI in women were 2.18 (95% CI: 0.97 to 4.90), 2.68 (95% CI: 0.37 to 19.61) and 2.66 (95% CI: 0.73 to 9.69), respectively.

Conclusions

Women who underwent PCI were older with more co-morbidities. In-hospital and six-month mortality for all PCI, STEMI and NSTEMI were higher due largely to significantly more LMS disease, smaller diameter vessels, longer door-to-balloon and transfer time in women.     

Synthesis and Antiviral Activity of Some C2-, C4-, and C6-Substituted Pyrazolo[3,4-D]Pyrimidine Acyclonucleosides with the Alkylating Chains of ACV,HBG, and ISO-DHPG

A useful route to obtain trisubstituted pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines 14–17 is described. Those later were coupled with the alkylating agents 18–20 as in ACV, HBG, and iso-DHPG to give, after deprotection, the desired acylonucleosides 33–44. Almost all of the new compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects against the replication of various DNA viruses in culture.     

Highly Sensitive Spectrofluorimetric Method for Determination of Certain Aminoglycosides in Pharmaceutical Formulations and Human Plasma

A simple, reliable, highly sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for determination of certain aminoglycosides namely amikacin sulfate, tobramycin, neomycin sulfate, gentamicin sulfate, kanamycin sulfate and streptomycin sulfate. The method is based on the formation of a charge transfer complexes between these drugs and safranin in buffer solution of pH 8. The formed complexes were quantitatively extracted with chloroform under the optimized experimental conditions. These complexes showed an excitation maxima at 519–524 nm and emission maxima at 545–570 nm. The calibration plots were constructed over the range of 4–60 pg mL⁻¹ for amikacin, 4–50 pg mL⁻¹ for gentamicin, neomycin and kanamycin, 4–40 pg mL⁻¹ for streptomycin and 5–50 pg mL⁻¹ for tobramycin. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of the cited drugs in dosage forms. The proposed method was validated according to ICH and USP guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness. The high sensitivity of the proposed method allowed determination of amikacin and gentamicin in spiked and real human plasma.Key words: aminoglycosides, dosage forms, human plasma, safranin, spectrofluorimetry     

The Role of Initiator tRNAi met in Fidelity of Initiation of Protein Synthesis

The proper arrangement of amino acids in a protein determines its proper function, which is vital for the cellular metabolism. This indicates that the process of peptide bond formation requires high fidelity. One of the most important processes for this fidelity is kinetic proofreading. As biochemical experiments suggest that kinetic proofreading plays a major role in ensuring the fidelity of protein synthesis, it is not certain whether or not a misacylated tRNA would be corrected by kinetic proofreading during the peptide bond formation. Using 2-layered ONIOM (QM/MM) computational calculations, we studied the behavior of misacylated tRNAs and compared the results with these for cognate aminoacyl-tRNAs during the process of peptide bond formation to investigate the effect of nonnative amino acids on tRNAs. The difference between the behavior of initiator tRNA_i ^met compared to the one for the elongator tRNAs indicates that only the initiator tRNA_i ^met specifies the amino acid side chain.     

Synthesis of Novel Peptidyl Adenosine Antibiotic Analogs

A small library of peptidyl adenosine antibiotic analogs was synthesized, under the Pilot Scale Library Program of the NIH Roadmap initiative, from 2′,3′-O-isoproylideneadenosine-5′-carboxylic acid 2 in excellent yield. The coupling of the amino terminus of L-2-aminophenylbutyric methyl ester to a free 5′-carboxylic acid moiety of 2 followed by sodium hydroxide treatment led to carboxylic acid analog 4. Hydrolysis of this latter gave unprotected nucleoside analog 5. Intermediate 4 served as the precursor for the preparation of novel peptidyl adenosine analogs 6–18 in good yields and high purity through peptide coupling reactions to diverse amine derivatives. No marked anticancer and antimalaria activity was noted on preliminary cellular testing; however these analogs should be useful candidates for other types of biological activity.