Long-Chain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Have Developmental Effects on the Crop Pest,the Cabbage White Butterfly Pieris rapae

Nutritional enhancement of crops using genetic engineering can potentially affect herbivorous pests. Recently, oilseed crops have been genetically engineered to produce the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at levels similar to that found in fish oil; to provide a more sustainable source of these compounds than is currently available from wild fish capture. We examined some of the growth and development impacts of adding EPA and DHA to an artificial diet of Pieris rapae, a common pest of Brassicaceae plants. We replaced 1% canola oil with EPA: DHA (11:7 ratio) in larval diets, and examined morphological traits and growth of larvae and ensuing adults across 5 dietary treatments. Diets containing increasing amounts of EPA and DHA did not affect developmental phenology, larval or pupal weight, food consumption, nor larval mortality. However, the addition of EPA and DHA in larval diets resulted in progressively heavier adults (F _{4, 108} = 6.78; p = 0.011), with smaller wings (p < 0.05) and a higher frequency of wing deformities (R = 0.988; p = 0.001). We conclude that the presence of EPA and DHA in diets of larval P. rapae may alter adult mass and wing morphology; therefore, further research on the environmental impacts of EPA and DHA production on terrestrial biota is advisable.     

Degradation of phenanthrene by Novosphingobium sp. HS2a improved plant growth in PAHs-contaminated environments

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - At the same time that the European Union (EU) policy recommend to direct efforts towards reductions of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)...     

Influence of Nematode Parasitism,Body Size,Temperature, and Diel Period on the Flight Capacity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sirex noctilio</Emphasis> F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae)

Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) is a woodwasp of pine trees that has recently invaded and established in North American forests. Although S. noctilio has had a limited impact in North America to date, there is some concern that it could have a significant impact on pine plantations, especially in the southeastern U.S.A. Moreover, there are few data on the flight capacity of male S. noctilio. We found no association between parasitism by D. siricidicola and whether or not S. noctilio initiated flight on the flight mill. Male wasps that were parasitized by nematodes were heavier than non-parasitized males, but there was no significant difference in mass between parasitized and non-parasitized females. We also examined the flight capacity of male and female S. noctilio in relation to nematode parasitism, body mass, temperature (for only males), and diel period. Body mass, temperature, and diel period affected flight in S. noctilio such that wasps were generally observed to fly faster, farther, and more frequently if they were heavier, flying at warmer temperatures, and flying during the photoperiod. The fact that nematode-parasitized male wasps were found to fly farther than the non-parasitized males is consistent with the hypothesis that nematode parasitism does not negatively affect the flight capacity of S. noctilio.     

A highly standardized and characterized human platelet lysate for efficient and reproducible expansion of human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells

BackgroundHuman platelet lysate (hPL) represents a powerful alternative to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for human mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC) expansion. However, the large variability in hPL sources and production protocols gives rise to discrepancies in product quality, characterization and poor batch-to-batch standardization.MethodshPL prepared with more than 200 donors (200+DhPL) or with five donors (5DhPL) were compared in terms of growth factor (GF) contents and biochemical analysis. A multiple protein assay and proteomic analysis were performed to further characterize 200+DhPL batches. We also compared the phenotypic and functional characteristics of bone marrow (BM)-hMSCs grown in 200+DhPL versus FBS+basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).ResultsBy contrast to 5DhPL, industrial 200+DhPL displayed a strong standardization of GF contents and biochemical characteristics. We identified specific plasmatic components and platelet-released factors as the most relevant markers for the evaluation of the standardization of hPL batches. We used a multiplex assay and proteomic analysis of 200+DhPL to establish a proteomic signature and demonstrated the robust standardization of batches. 200+DhPL was shown to improve and standardize BM-hMSC expansion compared with FBS+bFGF. The levels of expression of BM-hMSC membrane markers were found to be much more homogeneous between batches when cells were cultured in 200+DhPL. BM-hMSCs cultured in parallel under both conditions displayed similar adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation potential and immunosuppressive properties.ConclusionsWe report a standardization of hPL and the importance of such standardization for the efficient amplification of more homogeneous and reproducible cell therapy products.     

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-guided salvage radiotherapy in prostate cancer

AimTo analyse the efficacy and toxicity of postprostatectomy SRT in patients with a BCR evaluated with mpMRI.BackgroundMultiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has the ability to detect the site of pelvic recurrence in patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP). However, we do not know the oncological outcomes of mpMRI-guided savage radiotherapy (SRT).ResultsLocal, lymph node, and pelvic bone recurrence was observed in 13, 4 and 2 patients, respectively. PSA levels were significantly lower in patients with negative mpMRI (0.4 ng/mL [0.4]) vs. positive mpMRI (2.2 ng/mL [4.1], p = 0.003). Median planning target volume doses in patients with visible vs. non-visible recurrences were 76 Gy vs. 70 Gy. Overall, mean follow-up was 41 months (6–81). Biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS) at 3 years was 82.3% and 82.5%, respectively, for the negative and positive mpMRI groups (p = 0.800). Three-year rates of late grade ≥2 urinary and rectal toxicity were 14.8% and 1.9%, respectively; all but one patient recovered without sequelae.ConclusionSRT to the macroscopic recurrence identified by mpMRI is a feasible and well-tolerated option. In this study, there were no differences in bRFS between MRI-positive and MRI-negative patients, indicating effective targeting of MRI-positive lesions.     

Robertsonian rearrangements and pericentric inversions in Scaridae fish (Perciformes)

The parrotfishes (family Scaridae) are comprised of the subfamilies Sparisomatinae and Scarinae. They are important agents of marine bioerosion, which rework the substrate with their beaklike jaws. Despite their importance, there are no published cytogenetic data on this group. We made cytogenetic analyses of Sparisoma axillare (Sparisomatinae) and Scarus trispinosus [corrected] (Scarinae) from the Brazilian coast. Differentiation in the diploid number in S. axillare compared to the basal karyotype of the Perciformes apparently occurred due to a Robertsonian fusion, combined with pericentric inversions. S. trispinosus [corrected] presented a conserved diploid number, but showed considerable structural karyotypic changes, resulting mainly from pericentric inversions. The Ag-NOR sites were unique and located on the short arm of the 1st subtelocentric pair in both species (possibly homeologous), corresponding to the 11th pair in S. axillare and the 9th pair in S. trispinosus [corrected] The constitutive heterochromatin is reduced in these species and is distributed in centromeric and pericentromeric regions in most of the chromosomes. The low fundamental number compared to the Scarus genus suggests a more basal condition for Sparisoma. The chromosome formula in S. trispinosus [corrected] was more diversified, deriving from large-scale pericentric inversions. Karyotypic evolution patterns observed for these representatives of the Sparisomatinae and Scarinae subfamilies, added to new data from a larger number of species, would allow us to determine if there is a tendency among the Sparisomatinae for centric fusion events.     

Immunodominant Francisella tularensis antigens identified using proteome microarray

Stimulation of protective immune responses against intracellular pathogens is difficult to achieve using non-replicating vaccines. BALB/c mice immunized by intramuscular injection with killed Francisella tularensis (live vaccine strain) adjuvanted with preformed immune stimulating complexes admixed with CpG, were protected when systemically challenged with a highly virulent strain of F. tularensis (Schu S4). Serum from immunized mice was used to probe a whole proteome microarray in order to identify immunodominant antigens. Eleven out of the top 12 immunodominant antigens have been previously described as immunoreactive in F. tularensis. However, 31 previously unreported immunoreactive antigens were revealed using this approach. Twenty four (50%) of the ORFs on the immunodominant hit list belonged to the category of surface or membrane associated proteins compared to only 22% of the entire proteome. There were eight hypothetical protein hits and eight hits from proteins associated with different aspects of metabolism. The chip also allowed us to readily determine the IgG subclass bias, towards individual or multiple antigens, in protected and unprotected animals. These data give insight into the protective immune response and have potentially important implications for the rational design of non-living vaccines for tularemia and other intracellular pathogens.