Direct measurement of energy fluxes from mitochondria into cytoplasm in permeabilized cardiac cells <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ:</Emphasis> some evidence for mitochondrial interactosome

The aim of this study was to measure energy fluxes from mitochondria in isolated permeabilized cardiomyocytes. Respiration of permeabilized cardiomyocytes and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured in presence of MgATP, pyruvate kinase – phosphoenolpyruvate and creatine. ATP and phosphocreatine concentrations in medium surrounding cardiomyocytes were determined. While ATP concentration did not change in time, mitochondria effectively produced phosphocreatine (PCr) with PCr/O₂ ratio equal to 5.68 ± 0.14. Addition of heterodimeric tubulin to isolated mitochondria was found to increase apparent Km for exogenous ADP from 11 ± 2 μM to 330 ± 47 μM, but creatine again decreased it to 23 ± 6 μM. These results show directly that under physiological conditions the major energy carrier from mitochondria into cytoplasm is PCr, produced by mitochondrial creatine kinase (MtCK), which functional coupling to adenine nucleotide translocase is enhanced by selective limitation of permeability of mitochondrial outer membrane within supercomplex ATP Synthasome-MtCK-VDAC-tubulin, Mitochondrial Interactosome.     

Locomotor Activity of Captive Greenfinches Involves Two Different Behavioural Traits

Activity budgets of animals often show consistent differences between individuals across time, which qualifies them as personality traits. In the case of captive birds, locomotor activity can be divided into two major components – frequency of hopping and flapping flight bouts, which may conceive different information about individual condition. This idea was tested in a 2*2 factorial experiment in wild‐caught captive greenfinches (Carduelis chloris), injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or temporarily exposed to an image of a predator. We predicted that LPS injection would reduce both types of activity via induction of sickness syndrome and that predator image treatment would either increase or decrease different components of activity. Both behavioural traits were similarly consistent in time over a 10‐d period but the correlations between them depended on measurement context. LPS treatment reduced flapping and hopping frequencies and total locomotor activity. Exposure to the predator image had no effect on flapping frequency, but it decreased hopping frequency and total locomotor activity among the birds that were initially most active. The effects of both treatments on behaviour were relatively long‐lasting, that is, detectable at least 87 h after LPS injection and 44 h after exposure to the predator image. Our findings demonstrate the existence of two components of locomotor activity that responded similarly to the physiological but differently to the psychological stressor. The distinction between such components thus increases the information content of activity recordings of caged birds, which is likely to reveal novel aspects of covariation between different aspects of stress responsiveness and other performance parameters.     

Why do phytoplankton species composition and “traditional” water quality parameters indicate different ecological status of a large shallow lake?

Long-term data on phytoplankton species composition in large and shallow Lake Võrtsjärv indicated a sharp deterioration of the ecological status at the end of the 1970s. The more traditional water quality indicators, such as the concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a, phytoplankton biomass, and Secchi depth, failed to capture this tipping point or even showed an improvement of the status at that time. As the shift coincided with a large increase of the lake’s water level (WL), we hypothesized that direct effect of the changing WL on traditional water quality indicators might have blurred the picture. We removed statistically the direct effect of the WL and the seasonality from the traditional water quality indicators in order to minimize the effects of natural variability. The average of the standardised water quality indicators, used as a proxy for the ecological status, distinguished a period of fast eutrophication in the first half of the 1970s (not captured by the phytoplankton species index), a fast improvement at the end of the 1970s (when the species index showed deterioration) followed by a continuous deterioration trend (when the species index remained rather constant). The causes of this inconsistency are discussed in the light of the alternative stable states theory and the priority of biotic indicators stipulated by the EU Water Framework Directive.     

Nationwide Health Data Management System: a novel approach for integrating biomarker measurements with comprehensive health records in large populations studies

The nation-wide electronic health record database acts as an interoperable repository of health data obtained throughout citizen contacts with health care providers. This system improves accessibility for citizens and researchers to health data with the ability to assign context to disease development. In that system, individual patients who are members of the large population-based health database can be assessed as individuals or as a population in prospective studies of prospective diseases.     

Individual consistency and covariation of measures of oxidative status in greenfinches

Oxidative stress results from a mismatch between production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the organism's capacity to mitigate their damaging effects by building up sufficient antioxidant protection and/or repair mechanisms. Because ROS production is a universal consequence of cellular metabolism and immune responses, evolutionary animal ecologists have become increasingly interested in involvement of oxidative stress as a proximate mechanism responsible for the emergence of trade-offs related to the evolution of life-history and signal traits. Among the most practical problems pertinent to ecological research on oxidative stress is finding a combination of biomarkers of oxidative status that can be applied to typical wild animal models such as small birds, mammals, and reptiles. This study describes covariation and individual consistency of eight parameters of oxidative status in a small passerine bird, wild-caught captive greenfinch (Carduelis chloris). We measured two markers of plasma antioxidant potential--total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and oxygen radical absorbance (OXY)--and concentrations of one lipophilic (carotenoids) and two hydrophilic (uric acid and ascorbate) antioxidants in plasma. We also measured total glutathione (GSH) concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in erythrocytes. Oxidative damage was assessed on the basis of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Plasma carotenoids, TAC, and erythrocyte GSH showed significant individual consistency over an 8-d period, indicating that those variables reflected more persistent differences between individuals than plasma OXY, MDA, and uric acid. We did not detect any strong or moderate correlations between the studied parameters, which suggests that all of these biomarkers contain potentially unique information. Injection of a synthetic mimetic of SOD and catalase--EUK-134--did not affect any of the parameters of oxidative status. Capability of phagocytes to produce oxidative burst was not associated with MDA, indicating that under our experimental conditions, ROS production by phagocytes was not a strong determinant of oxidative damage. Altogether these findings suggest that attempts to characterize oxidative balance should use a wide range of biomarkers, and further studies of oxidative status in wild animals may benefit from the experimental induction of oxidative stress.     

Sediment phosphorus release in phytoplankton dominated versus macrophyte dominated shallow lakes: importance of oxygen conditions

Increased discharges of organic matter from different sources in Morales Stream, one of the main tributaries of the Matanza-Riachuelo River, caused not only an increase in its primary production but also drastic changes in the composition of its sediments, thus favoring eutrophication processes. An in situ study was carried out in order to assess the effects of an organic point source contamination (from intensive cattle rearing) on the sediments of Morales Stream. Surface water and sediment samples were analysed to determine the chemical characteristics of the water–sediment system. The amounts and forms of sediment phosphorus were determined using the `EDTA method' (Golterman, 1996) at two sites of the stream having different nutrient loads. The increase in the organic load of Morales Stream waters influences the dynamics of sediment P, producing two main effects: (1) an increase in the organic matter amount of the sediment that leads to an increase in the amount of P associated to organic fractions, which may be released by bacterial activity under anoxic conditions; and (2) a decrease in the concentration of P in the fraction bound to iron. Morales Stream sediments may act as a potential source of P, which can release this nutrient to water under the reducing conditions originated by uncontrolled discharges of organic residues to this water body.     

Lipase action on some non-triglyceride substrates

Approaches for improving methodologies of kinetic resolution of enantiomers as well as of regioselective protection of functional groups of complex chiral molecules involving lipase-catalytic reactions are highlighted. Decyclization of hemiacetals by lipase as well as exclusive pathways of lipase-catalyzed derivatization of prostanoids are brought out. Lipase-triggered cascade-reactions are noticed.     

Carotenoid-based plumage coloration is not affected by vitamin E supplementation in male greenfinches

Carotenoid-based colours have become an important model of honest signalling as carotenoids are suggested to play vital roles in several physiological functions including antioxidants and immunostimulators, while they are also required for sexual displays. However, it has been recently suggested that carotenoid-based signals may be used mainly as reflectors of the systems that prevent their oxidation (mainly the amount of other non-pigmented antioxidants) rather than the antioxidative properties of carotenoids themselves. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of simultaneous supplementation of carotenoids and an uncoloured antioxidant—vitamin E—on the coloration of growing tail feathers in captive male greenfinches (Carduelis chloris chloris L.). While carotenoid supplementation enhanced the coloration of the feathers, manipulation of dietary vitamin E had no effect. Thus, our results do not support the idea that carotenoids are mainly used as indicators of the abundance of other antioxidants.     

Altered renal morphology in transgenic mice with cholecystokinin overexpression

Although cholecystokinin is a regulatory peptide with a predominant role in the brain and the gastrointestinal tract, there is an increasing evidence for its role in the kidney. The aim of this study was to reveal morphological changes in the structure of kidney of mice with cholecystokinin overexpression by means of light, transmission and scanning electron microscope, and atomic force microscopy. Using immunohistochemistry the expression of important basement membrane proteins collagen IV, laminin and fibronectin, as well the distribution of cholecystokinin-8 in the renal structures was evaluated. The altered morphology of kidneys of mice with cholecystokinin overexpression was seen by all microscopic techniques used. The renal corpuscles were relatively small with narrow capsular lumen. The basement membranes of renal tubules were thickened and the epithelial cells were damaged, which was more pronounced for distal tubules. Characteristic feature was the increased number of vesicles seen throughout the epithelial cells of proximal and especially in distal tubules reflecting to the enhanced cellular degeneration. The relative expression of laminin but not collagen IV in the glomerular basement membrane was higher than in the tubular basement membranes. The content of fibronectin, in opposite, was higher in tubular membranes. Cholecystokinin-8 was clearly expressed in the glomeruli, in Bowman’s capsule, in proximal and distal tubules, and in collecting ducts. Ultrastructural studies showed irregularly thickened glomerular basement membranes to which elongated cytopodia of differently shaped podocytes were attached. As foot processes were often fused the number of filtration pores was decreased. In conclusion, cholecystokinin plays important role in renal structural formation and in functioning as different aspects of urine production in mice with cholecystokinin overexpression are affected-the uneven glomerular basement membrane thickening, structural changes in podocytes and in filtration slits affect glomerular filtration, while damaged tubular epithelial cells and changed composition of thickened tubular basement membranes affect reabsorption.     

Identification of the origin of an Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) population in a recently recolonized river in the Baltic Sea

The founder event in a recently recolonized salmon population in the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland) was investigated. To identify the origin of the founders, four wild populations and two hatchery stocks were analysed using six microsatellite loci. The results of assignment tests and factorial correspondence analysis suggest that the initial recolonizers of the river Selja originated from the geographically nearest (7 km) wild population (river Kunda) but as the result of stocking activities, interbreeding between recolonizers and hatchery individuals has occurred in subsequent years. Although the hatchery releases are outnumbering the wild salmon recruitment in the Baltic Sea at present, our results suggest that the native populations may still have an important role in colonization processes of the former salmon rivers.