Abundance and Size of Gulf Shrimp in Louisiana's Coastal Estuaries following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacted Louisiana''s coastal estuaries physically, chemically, and biologically. To better understand the ecological consequences of this oil spill on Louisiana estuaries, we compared the abundance and size of two Gulf shrimp species (Farfantepeneus aztecus and Litopeneus setiferus) in heavily affected and relatively unaffected estuaries, before and after the oil spill. Two datasets were used to conduct this study: data on shrimp abundance and size before the spill were available from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Data on shrimp abundance and size from after the spill were independently collected by the authors and by LDWF. Using a Before-After-Control-Impact with Paired sampling (BACIP) design with monthly samples of two selected basins, we found brown shrimp to become more abundant and the mean size of white shrimp to become smaller. Using a BACIP with data on successive shrimp year-classes of multiple basins, we found both species to become more abundant in basins that were affected by the spill, while mean shrimp size either not change after the spill, or increased in both affected and unaffected basins. We conclude that following the oil spill abundances of both species increased within affected estuaries, whereas mean size may have been unaffected. We propose two factors that may have caused these results: 1) exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may have reduced the growth rate of shrimp, resulting in a delayed movement of shrimp to offshore habitats, and an increase of within-estuary shrimp abundance, and 2) fishing closures established immediately after the spill, may have resulted in decreased fishing effort and an increase in shrimp abundance. This study accentuates the complexities in determining ecological effects of oil spills, and the need of studies on the organismal level to reveal cause-and-effect relationships of such events.     

Proteomic and cytokine plasma biomarkers for predicting progression from colorectal adenoma to carcinoma in human patients

In the present study, we screened proteomic and cytokine biomarkers between patients with adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer (CRC) in order to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind turmorigenesis and tumor progression in CRC. To this end, we performed comparative proteomic analysis of plasma proteins using a combination of 2DE and MS as well as profiled differentially regulated cytokines and chemokines by multiplex bead analysis. Proteomic analysis identified 11 upregulated and 13 downregulated plasma proteins showing significantly different regulation patterns with diagnostic potential for predicting progression from adenoma to carcinoma. Some of these proteins have not previously been implicated in CRC, including upregulated leucine‐rich α‐2‐glycoprotein, hemoglobin subunit β, Ig α‐2 chain C region, and complement factor B as well as downregulated afamin, zinc‐α‐2‐glycoprotein, vitronectin, and α‐1‐antichymotrypsin. In addition, plasma levels of three cytokines/chemokines, including interleukin‐8, interferon gamma‐induced protein 10, and tumor necrosis factor α, were remarkably elevated in patients with CRC compared to those with adenomatous polyps. Although further clinical validation is required, these proteins and cytokines can be established as novel biomarkers for CRC and/or its progression from colon adenoma.     

G protein beta gamma subunits inhibit nongenomic progesterone-induced signaling and maturation in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Evidence for a release of inhibition mechanism for cell cycle progression

Progesterone-induced maturation of Xenopus oocytes is a well known example of nongenomic signaling by steroids; however, little is known about the early signaling events involved in this process. Previous work has suggested that G proteins and G protein-coupled receptors may be involved in progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation as well as in other nongenomic steroid-induced signaling events. To investigate the role of G proteins in nongenomic signaling by progesterone, the effects of modulating Galpha and Gbetagamma levels in Xenopus oocytes on progesterone-induced signaling and maturation were examined. Our results demonstrate that Gbetagamma subunits, rather than Galpha, are the principal mediators of progesterone action in this system. We show that overexpression of Gbetagamma inhibits both progesterone-induced maturation and activation of the MAPK pathway, whereas sequestration of endogenous Gbetagamma subunits enhances progesterone-mediated signaling and maturation. These data are consistent with a model whereby endogenous free Xenopus Gbetagamma subunits constitutively inhibit oocyte maturation. Progesterone may induce maturation by antagonizing this inhibition and therefore allowing cell cycle progression to occur. These studies offer new insight into the early signaling events mediated by progesterone and may be useful in characterizing and identifying the membrane progesterone receptor in oocytes.     

Direct Inhibition of Pumilo Activity by Bam and Bgcn in Drosophila Germ Line Stem Cell Differentiation

The fate of stem cells is intricately regulated by numerous extrinsic and intrinsic factors that promote maintenance or differentiation. The RNA-binding translational repressor Pumilio (Pum) in conjunction with Nanos (Nos) is required for self-renewal, whereas Bam (bag-of-marbles) and Bgcn (benign gonial cell neoplasm) promote differentiation of germ line stem cells in the Drosophila ovary. Genetic analysis suggests that Bam and Bgcn antagonize Pum/Nos function to promote differentiation; however, the molecular basis of this epistatic relationship is currently unknown. Here, we show that Bam and Bgcn inhibit Pum function through direct binding. We identified a ternary complex involving Bam, Bgcn, and Pum in which Bam, but not Bgcn, directly interacts with Pum, and this interaction is greatly increased by the presence of Bgcn. In a heterologous reporter assay to monitor Pum activity, Bam, but not Bgcn, inhibits Pum activity. Notably, the N-terminal region of Pum, which lacks the C-terminal RNA-binding Puf domain, mediates both the ternary protein interaction and the Bam inhibition of Pum function. These studies suggest that, in cystoblasts, Bam and Bgcn may directly inhibit Pum/Nos activity to promote differentiation of germ line stem cells.     

The Utility of Thoracic Ultrasound in Patients with Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia

Thoracic ultrasound (TUS) is an easy-to-use imaging modality that aids physicians in the differential diagnosis of respiratory diseases. However, no data exist on the TUS findings of acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) or their clinical utility in patients with AEP. Thus, we performed an observational study on TUS findings and their clinical utility for follow-up in patients with AEP. We prospectively screened patients who visited the emergency department for acute respiratory symptoms at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in South Korea between February 2014 and July 2014. Of them, patients suspected to have AEP underwent an etiological investigation, including flexible bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage and TUS, and we evaluated TUS findings and serial changes on TUS during the treatment course compared with those from chest radiographs. In total, 22 patients with AEP were identified. The TUS examinations reveled that all patients exhibited multiple diffuse bilateral B-lines and lung sliding, with (n = 5) or without pleural effusion, which was consistent with alveolar-interstitial syndrome. B-line numbers fell during the course of treatment, as the lines became thinner and fainter. A-lines were evident in 19 patients on day 7 of hospitalization, when B-lines had disappeared in 13 patients, and all pleural effusion had resolved. All patients exhibited complete ultrasonic resolution by day 14, along with clinicoradiological improvement. Chest radiographs of five patients taken on day 7 seemed to show complete resolution, but several abnormal B-lines were evident on TUS performed the same day. As a result, our data show common TUS findings of AEP and suggest that AEP may be included as a differential diagnosis when multiple diffuse bilateral B-lines with preserved lung sliding are identified on a TUS examination in patients with acute symptoms, and that TUS is a useful modality for evaluating the treatment response in patients with AEP.     

Differential effects of circadian typology on sleep-related symptoms,physical fatigue and psychological well-being in relation to resilience

Various physiological and psychological functions are influenced by circadian typology (CT), which was reported to be related to resilience. However, few studies have assessed the effects of CT in relation to resilience. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of CT on sleep-related symptoms, physical fatigue and psychological well-being in relation to resilience. The present study included a total of 1794 healthy hospital employees, and they completed the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire, Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version. Subjects with evening type showed lower sleep quality, more daytime sleepiness and physical fatigue than neither types and morning types. Additionally, evening types were more depressed and anxious and reported a poorer quality of life. CT was found to be a significant predictor of sleep quality, but CT was minimally associated with physical fatigue and psychological well-being in the regression analysis. Instead, resilience was substantially related to all of the variables measured. In conclusion, CT independently predicts sleep quality, but the effects of CT on physical fatigue and psychological well-being are negligible compared to those of resilience.     

Systemic Administration of Lipopolysaccharide Induces Cyclooxygenase-2 Immunoreactivity in Endothelium and Increases Microglia in the Mouse Hippocampus

In this study, we observed the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on neurodegeneration and immune response in the hippocampus. LPS is a gram-negative bacterial cell surface proteoglycan and known as a bacterial endotoxin. For this, we investigated the optimal concentration of LPS influencing the ICR mouse hippocampus to measure the LPS receptor, e.g., toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), expression in mouse hippocampal homogenates. TLR4 expression was significantly and prominently increased in the hippocampal homogenates of the LPS (1 mg/kg)-treated group. Next, we examined pro-inflammatory response in the hippocampus using cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2, a marker for inflammatory response) immunohistochemistry after LPS treatment. COX-2 immunoreactivity was significantly increased in the endothelium of blood vessels in the hippocampus 6 h after LPS treatment, judging from double immunofluorescence study with platelet-derived endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1, a marker for endothelial cells): it decreased 12 h and disappeared 24 h after LPS treatment. In addition, the ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1)-immunoreactive (⁺) microglia were morphologically activated in the mouse hippocampus after LPS treatment. At 24 h after LPS treatment, Iba-1⁺ microglia of activated forms were abundant in the hippocampus. However, NeuN (a neuron-specific soluble nuclear antigen)⁺ neurons were not significantly changed in the hippocampus after LPS treatment. Fluoro-jade B (a marker for neuronal degeneration)⁺ cells were not detected in the hippocampus at any time after LPS treatment. In addition, there were no significant differences in permeability of blood–brain barriers at any time points after LPS treatment. In brief, our results indicate that intraperitoneal administration of 1 mg/kg LPS effectively induces LPS receptor (TLR4) expression in the hippocampus, and the treatment increases corticosterone levels, inflammation in the blood vessels, and microglial activation in the hippocampus without any neuronal damage.     

Proteomic analysis of growth phase-dependent proteins of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important human pathogen that causes a variety of diseases, such as pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, otitis media, and sinusitis, in both adults and children. The global pattern of growth phase-dependent protein expression of S. pneumoniae during in vitro culture was analyzed using 2-DE combined with MALDI-TOF MS and LC/ESI-MS/MS. Several protein production patterns were observed at four time points throughout the growth stage, although some protein levels did not change significantly. We focused on the switch in protein expression at the transition from log growth phase to stationary phase. Proteins that were significantly induced or repressed at this point are likely to be involved in central intermediary metabolism, amino acid synthesis, nucleotide, and fatty acid metabolism, cell wall synthesis, protein degradation, and stress responses. This global expression profiling approach has revealed previously unrecognized relationships between proteins in the life of this pathogen.     

Methanol and other VOC fluxes from a Danish beech forest during late springtime

In-canopy mixing ratio gradients and above-canopy fluxes of several volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured using a commercial proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) in a European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest in Denmark. Fluxes of methanol were bidirectional: Emission occurred during both day and night with highest fluxes (0.2 mg C m⁻² h⁻¹) during a warm period; deposition occurred dominantly at daytime. Confirming previous branch-level measurements on beech, the forest’s monoterpene emissions (0–0.5 mg C m⁻² h⁻¹), and in-canopy mixing ratios showed a diurnal cycle consistent with light-dependent emissions; a result contrasting temperature-only driven emissions of most conifer species. Also emitted was acetone, but only at ambient temperatures exceeding 20°C. Slow deposition dominated at lower temperatures. Our in-canopy gradient measurements contrast with earlier results from tropical and pine forest ecosystems in that they did not show this beech ecosystem to be a strong sink for oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs). Instead, their gradients were flat and only small deposition velocities (<0.2 cm s⁻¹) were observed to the onsite soil. However, as methanol soil uptake was consistent and possibly related to soil moisture, more measurements are needed to evaluate its soil sink strength. In turn, as canopy scale fluxes are net fluxes with stomatal emissions from photosynthesizing leaves potentially affecting non-stomatal oxygenated VOC uptake, only independent, controlled laboratory experiments may be successful in separating gross fluxes.