Identification of Biomarkers of Mercury Contamination in Brachyplatystoma filamentosum of the Madeira River,Brazil, Using Metalloproteomic Strategies

Biological Trace Element Research - Predator fish can accumulate high levels of mercury, which qualifies them as potential indicators of this toxic metal. The predatory species Brachyplatystoma...     

Low sodium isocyanurate concentrations as a substitute to medium autoclaving in plant tissue culture

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) - An optimization for a medium sterilization method, capable of substituting autoclaving, was developed using low concentrations of sodium isocyanurate...     

Cardiovascular and ventilatory interactions in the facultative air-breathing teleost Pangasianodon hypophthalmus

Journal of Comparative Physiology B - All vertebrates possess baroreceptors monitoring arterial blood pressure and eliciting reflexive changes in vascular resistance and heart rate in response to...     

Sensible heat transfer and thermal windows in Dasyprocta leporina (Mammalia,Rodentia)

This study aimed to evaluate the diurnal variation of the sensible heat transfer in red-rumped agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina) bred in captivity in a semi-arid environment. In addition, we seek to identify thermal windows by infrared thermography during the daytime period (07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 14:00, and 16:00). The body surface temperature was higher in the pinna (36.84 ± 0.11 °C), followed by the hind limbs (36.55 ± 0.11 °C). These body regions were primarily responsible for heat loss by radiation (which was 10.13 ± 1.17 W m^?2 and 11.19 ± 1.17 W m^?2, respectively), and acted like biological thermal windows. Heat transfer by convection was more intense in the body trunk and hind limbs at all times of the day. Thus, sensible heat transfer is important for maintaining homeothermy in red-rumped agouti in hot environments. In conclusion, these rodents use specialized body regions (pinna and hind limbs) for heat transfer.     

Biogeography of Aegagropila linnaei (Cladophorophyceae,Chlorophyta): a widespread freshwater alga with low effective dispersal potential shows a glacial imprint in its distribution

Aim Aegagropila linnaei is a freshwater macroalga that is generally regarded as a rare species. It is apparently absent from large but seemingly suitable areas of the Northern Hemisphere, implying a limited dispersal potential and an imprint of Pleistocene glaciations in its biogeography. However, despite the popularity of its enigmatic lake ball‐form, detailed biogeographical studies of A. linnaei have never been conducted. The main means of reproduction of A. linnaei is fragmentation and akinetes are not formed, supporting the assumption of limited dispersal capacity. The aim of this study was to reconstruct the biogeography of A. linnaei, and to identify possible refugia during glaciations, as well as to evaluate dispersal potential by quantitative desiccation experiments. Location Palaearctic. Methods The current distribution of A. linnaei was inferred from herbarium specimens, literature data and recent field observations. All herbarium specimens were morphologically re‐examined. Desiccation experiments were performed with vegetative filaments of three isolates of A. linnaei, as no specialized resistant stages are known. For comparison, the widespread freshwater algae Cladophora glomerata and Rhizoclonium sp. were included. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal DNA sequences were generated and a ribotype network was constructed. Results Aegagropila linnaei was recorded from 283 locations in freshwater and brackish environments. The majority of locations were in central and northern Europe in previously glaciated areas. Desiccation experiments showed that A. linnaei is very susceptible to desiccation. Based on ITS sequences of 34 samples, five different ribotypes were identified. Four of these ribotypes had a restricted distribution. Aegagropila linnaei represents a single species with little genetic variation (0.1–0.5%). Main conclusions This is the most comprehensive study of this species so far, reporting many new locations and tackling several taxonomic problems. Few additional finds were made from North America, and the origin of A. linnaei is inferred to be in Asia. The highest density of its present‐day locations is in previously glaciated areas in Europe, where glacial ice‐dammed lakes might have functioned as refugia. Low effective long‐distance dispersal capacity is inferred, based on high susceptibility to desiccation and its modes of dispersal.     

Oral exfoliative cytology in the diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of conventional oral exfoliative cytology as a diagnostic tool in paracoccidioidomycosis. STUDY DESIGN: Cytologic smears and incisional biopsies were obtained from 10 patients with a clinical suspicion and oral manifestations of paracoccidioidomycosis. Cytologic smears and sections of the incisional biopsy underwent methenamine silver staining for fungi according to the Gomori-Grocott method. The dry glass slides were examined at 400 or 1,000 x magnification, and the presence and shape of yeasts of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were investigated. RESULTS: Yeasts of the fungus P brasiliensis were clearly identified in cytologic smears and sections from incisional biopsies in all cases analyzed (100.0%). CONCLUSION: Cytology of oral samples proved an effective diagnostic method for the detection of paracoccidioidomycosis in humans.     

Interaction between endophytic bacteria from citrus plants and the phytopathogenic bacteria Xylella fastidiosa, causal agent of citrus-variegated chlorosis

AIMS: To isolate endophytic bacteria and Xylella fastidiosa and also to evaluate whether the bacterial endophyte community contributes to citrus-variegated chlorosis (CVC) status in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osbeck cv. Pera). METHODS AND RESULTS: The presence of Xylella fastidiosa and the population diversity of culturable endophytic bacteria in the leaves and branches of healthy, CVC-asymptomatic and CVC-symptomatic sweet orange plants and in tangerine (Citrus reticulata cv. Blanco) plants were assessed, and the in vitro interaction between endophytic bacteria and X. fastidiosa was investigated. There were significant differences in endophyte incidence between leaves and branches, and among healthy, CVC-asymptomatic and CVC-symptomatic plants. Bacteria identified as belonging to the genus Methylobacterium were isolated only from branches, mainly from those sampled from healthy and diseased plants, from which were also isolated X. fastidiosa. CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro interaction experiments indicated that the growth of X. fastidiosa was stimulated by endophytic Methylobacterium extorquens and inhibited by endophytic Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This work provides the first evidence of an interaction between citrus endophytic bacteria and X. fastidiosa and suggests a promising approach that can be used to better understand CVC disease.     

3-Amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole induces apoptosis and necrosis with activation of different caspases in rat splenocytes

A dietary carcinogen, 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) at 20 microM activates caspase-3-like proteases as an apoptotic marker in rat splenocytes. The present study demonstrated 100 microM Trp-P-1 induced necrosis with activation of caspase-3-like proteases. The activation in necrosis and apoptosis resulted from the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-8, respectively. Thus, Trp-P-1 induces apoptosis and necrosis with the activation of different caspases.