Dietary Administration of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> Enhanced Growth Performance and Innate Immune Response of Siberian Sturgeon, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acipenser baerii</Emphasis>

We investigated the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum used as a dietary supplement on the growth performance and innate immune response in juvenile Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii. Juvenile fish (14.6 ± 2.3 g) were fed three experimental diets prepared by supplementing a basal diet with L. plantarum at different concentrations [1 × 10⁷, 1 × 10⁸ and 1 × 10⁹ colony-forming units (cfu) g^?1] and a control (non-supplemented basal) diet for 8 weeks. Growth performance indices were increased in fish fed the 1 × 10⁸ cfu g^?1 L. plantarum diet compared to the other groups. There was an increased innate immune response in fish fed the experimental diets. The highest levels of lysozyme activity, total immunoglobulin (IgM) and complement component 3 (C3) were observed in fish fed the diet containing L. plantarum at a concentration of 1 × 10⁸ cfu g^?1, but there was no significant difference in the level of complement component 4 (C4) in fish fed the experimental diets or the control diet. The present study underlying some positive effects (growth performance and immune indices) of dietary administration of L. plantarum at a concentration of 1 × 10⁸ cfu g^?1 in the Siberian sturgeon.     

Molecular Epidemiology of P. vivax in Iran: High Diversity and Complex Sub-Structure Using Neutral Markers,but No Evidence of Y976F Mutation at pvmdr1

BackgroundMalaria remains endemic at low levels in the south-eastern provinces of Iran bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the majority of cases attributable to P. vivax. The national guidelines recommend chloroquine (CQ) as blood-stage treatment for uncomplicated P. vivax, but the large influx of imported cases enhances the risk of introducing CQ resistance (CQR).ConclusionsThe contrasting low versus high diversity in the two sub-populations (K1 and K2) infers that a combination of local transmission and cross-border malaria from higher transmission regions shape the genetic make-up of the P. vivax population in south-eastern Iran. There was no molecular evidence of CQR amongst the local or imported cases, but ongoing clinical surveillance is warranted.     

Cyclophosphamide-Induced IN VIVO Sister Chromatid Exchanges (Sce) in MUS MUSCULUS. III. Quantitative Genetic Analysis

In vivo cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) were evaluated in females from five genetic strains of mice (C57BL/6J, C3H/S, 129/ReJ, BALB/c and DBA/2) and their F₁ hybrids. Baseline (noninduced) SCE values differ significantly among strains, 129/ReJ having the lowest and DBA/2 having the highest mean SCE per cell values. In general, the baseline SCE of a given F₁ is within the range of its corresponding parental strains or near the lower parental value. Furthermore, there is a genotype-dependent increase in mean SCEs per cell with CP dose. Strain differences in SCE induction are noted particularly at the two higher CP doses (4.50 and 45.0 mg/kg). In general, F₁ hybrids involving a strain with high induced SCEs and a strain with low induced SCEs exhibit mean SCE values that are closer to the value of the lower strain. F₁ s involving two strains with high SCEs or two strains with low SCEs yield SCEs not different from parental strains. The method of diallel cross analysis showed the order of dominance of these strains in SCE induction to be 129/ReJ BALB/c C3H/S DBA/2 C57BL/6J. These results support the involvement of predominantly nonadditive genetic factors as major gene(s) in SCE induction. In addition, involvement of random and independent events in SCE induction is suggested by the distribution of SCEs which follows a Poisson distribution.     

Front Cover

In most animals, competition for mating opportunities is higher among males, whereas females are more likely to provide parental care. In few species, though, these "conventional" sex roles are reversed such that females compete more strongly for matings and males provide most or all parental care. This "reversal" in sex roles is often combined with classical polyandry—a mating system in which a female forms a harem with several males. Here, we review the major hypotheses relating such role reversals to evolutionary and behavioural traits (anisogamy, phylogenetic history, sexy males, parental care, genetic paternity, trade‐off between mating and parenting, adult sex ratio) and to ecological factors (food supply, offspring predation). We evaluate each hypothesis in relation to coucals (Centropodinae), a group of nesting cuckoos of great interest for mating system and parental care theory. The black coucal (Centropus grillii) is the only known bird combining classical polyandry with altricial development of young, a costly trait with regard to parental care. Our long‐term study offers a unique possibility to compare the strongly polyandrous black coucal with a monogamous close relative breeding in the same area and habitat, the white‐browed coucal (C. superciliosus). We show that the evolution of sex roles in coucals and other animals has many different facets. Whereas phylogenetic constraints are important, confidence in genetic paternity is not. In combination with facilitating ecological conditions, adult sex ratios are key to understanding sex roles in coucals, shorebirds, and most likely also other animals. We plead for more studies including experimental tests to understand how biased adult sex ratios emerge and whether they drive sexual selection or vice versa. How do sex ratios and sexual selection interact and feedback on each other? Answers to these questions will be fundamental for understanding the evolution of sex roles in mating and parenting in coucals and other species.     

Lignans in flowering aerial parts of Linum species – Chemodiversity in the light of systematics and phylogeny

The aerial parts of 54 accessions representing 41 Linum species and four species of related genera were analysed for lignans by means of HPLC-ESI/MS–MS-UV/DAD. In total, 64 different lignans of the aryltetralin-, arylnaphthalene-, aryldihydronaphthalene-, dibenzylbutyrolactone-, and furofuran type were identified. According to their lignan profile, the Linum species can be divided in two groups accumulating as major lignan types either cyclolignans of the aryltetralin-series on one hand, or aryldihydronaphthalenes/arylnaphthalenes, on the other. Five of the investigated Linum species did not contain any detectable amounts of these lignans under the chosen analytical conditions. Furthermore, none of the lignans identified in Linum species was detectable in representatives of three related genera, namely, Reinwardtia (Linaceae, Linoideae), Hugonia and Indorouchera (Linaceae, Hugonioideae).The two species groups differing in the types of the dominating cyclolignans comprise representatives of the major taxonomic sections. Representatives of sections Syllinum, Cathartolinum and Linopsis accumulate mainly aryltetralins while those of sections Linum and Dasylinum were found to contain mainly aryldihydronaphthalenes/-naphthalenes. These phytochemical data correlate very well with a recent study on the molecular phylogeny of Linum/Linaceae, where a subdivision of Linum into two major clades comprising representatives of the two mentioned groups was found. Thus, the distribution of lignans apparently reflecting phylogenetic interrelations at the infrageneric level, a plausible scenario for the evolution of lignan biosynthesis in the genus Linum can now be presented.     

Differential expression of the FAK family kinases in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis synovial tissues

The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) family kinases, including FAK and proline-rich kinase 2 (Pyk)2, are the predominant mediators of integrin αvβ3 signaling events that play an important role in cell adhesion, osteoclast pathology, and angiogenesis, all processes important in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using immunohistochemical and western blot analysis, we studied the distribution of phospho (p)FAK, pPyk2, pSrc, pPaxillin and pPLCγ in the synovial tissue (ST) from patients with RA, osteoarthritis (OA) and normal donors (NDs) as well as in RA ST fibroblasts and peripheral blood differentiated macrophages (PB MΦs) treated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) or interleukin-1β (IL1β). RA and OA STs showed a greater percentage of pFAK on lining cells and MΦs compared with ND ST. RA ST fibroblasts expressed pFAK at baseline, which increased with TNFα or IL1β stimulation. Pyk2 and Src were phosphorylated more on RA versus OA and ND lining cells and MΦs. pPyk2 was expressed on RA ST fibrobasts but not in MΦs at baseline, however it was upregulated upon TNFα or IL1β activation in both cell types. pSrc was expressed in RA ST fibroblasts and MΦs at baseline and was further increased by TNFα or IL1β stimulation. pPaxillin and pPLCγ were upregulated in RA versus OA and ND lining cells and sublining MΦs. Activation of the FAK family signaling cascade on RA and OA lining cells may be responsible for cell adhesion and migration into the diseased STs. Therapies targeting this novel signaling pathway may be beneficial in RA.     

Modifications of membrane lipids in response to wounding of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves

Mechanical wounding of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves results in modifications of most membrane lipids within 6 hours. Here, we discuss the lipid changes, their underlying biochemistry, and possible relationships among activated pathways. New evidence is presented supporting the role of the processive galactosylating enzyme SENSITIVE TO FREEZING2 in the wounding response.