Indo-Pacific Syllidae (Annelida,Phyllodocida) share an evolutionary history

The geographic distribution of three intriguing genera of Syllidae (Annelida, Phyllodocida), Alcyonosyllis, Paraopisthosyllis and Megasyllis, is restricted to the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. In this study new material of several species in all three genera is identified, and the distributions of the species and genera refined; four species of Alcyonosyllis were found to have increased ranges. Additionally, one new species of Paraopisthosyllis is described. Paraopisthosyllis pardus sp. nov. is characterized by having long bidentate bladed-chaetae, segments covered by small papillae, and a colour pattern consisting in dark red-brown antennae and dorsal cirri and several transversal dark red-brown lines per segment. The three genera share several striking morphological characteristics, such as alternation in the arrangement of dorsal cirri, wide segments with secondary annuli and bright, contrasting colour patterns. Alcyonosyllis species are found in association with other organisms, most noticeably anthozoans, whereas members of Paraopisthosyllis and Megasyllis are free living. Molecular information (sequences of DNA) from Alcyonosyllis species (including the type species, A. phili), and the type of Megasyllis (M. corruscans) is included herein for the first time in a phylogenetic analysis. A phylogenetic analysis performed through different methods (Maximum parsimony and Maximum likelihood) using sequences of three genes (18S, 16S and COI) reveals that all the three genera form a monophyletic group within Syllidae, with several synapomorphies, and a common ancestor probably from the Indo-Pacific. Their geographic distribution pattern, the relationships between these genera and the rest of syllids, and the symbiosis in Alcyonosyllis are discussed.     

Neonatal superior ovarian nerve transection disturbs the cyclic activity of the female rats

The neural pathway most related with ovarian steroidogenesis has been identified as the superior ovarian nerve (SON). This work constitutes the first study of the effects of early ovarian SON transection, which was performed in rats of 4 days of age (SON-t rats) to magnify the effects of the denervation. The rats were studied at the prepubertal (30 days), peripubertal (41 days) and adult cyclic in dioestrus (60 days) reproductive stages. The SON-t rats showed a delay of vaginal opening, a notable disruption of oestrous cyclicity, and a large number of corpora lutea. In all the stages, the circulating levels of FSH, prolactin and growth hormone were lower in SON-t rats than in controls, whereas LH did not vary. Serum androstenedione levels were higher in SON-t rats at 30 days and lower at 41 days, compared with control animals while no difference was observed at 60 days. Serum progesterone levels did not differ between control and SON-t, but serum oestradiol concentrations were higher in SON-t rats in all of the stages. At the peripubertal stage, there were fewer ovarian beta-adrenergic receptors in SON-t ovaries, associated with a rise in the ovarian content of norepinephrine, but no changes were observed in SON-t rats at 30 and 60 days with respect to the controls. The release of progesterone in vitro from luteal cell in SON-t rats at 60 days was reduced in basal condition and under ovine LH or FSH stimulation, when compared with control animals; while no difference was observed in presence of isoproterenol or androstenedione in the culture medium. In corpora lutea of SON-t rats at 60 days, no change was observed in the activity of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD), but the activity of 20alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20alpha-HSD) was reduced, suggesting abnormal luteolysis in spite of the large number of corpora lutea. The interruption of innervation at an early age by SON transection is very important in the regulation of ovarian development in prepubertal and cyclic rats. The functional changes observed in the ovary suggest a possible alteration in the hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis.     

Atheromatous plaque from human carotid artery: Potential involvement of the endothelin-1 and their receptors

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide that can modulate the behaviour of vascular smooth muscle cells and thus impact on the development of human atherosclerosis. Circulating plasma levels of ET-1 were measured from 82 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and 42 healthy controls. A significant increase was found in plasma levels of ET-1 in the patients compared to the controls. These circulating levels of ET-1 were greater in patients with diabetes or involvement of several territories. Gene expression of pre-proET-1 and its receptors ET_A and ET_B was analyzed in the atheromatous plaques from carotid arteries (n = 8) and the internal mammary artery (IMA) (n = 8). Our group observed an increase in pre-proET-1 and ET_A in IMA compared with the atheromatous plaques. Immunohistochemical studies in the atherosclerotic plaque showed that the expression of ET-1 was greater in the areas where the macrophages and lipid nucleus were located.Our findings in this group of patients with symptomatic vascular disease suggest that the endothelin system may play an important role in atherothrombosis.     

Impaired autophagy in Lafora disease

Lafora disease (LD) is a progressive, lethal, autosomal recessive, neurodegenerative disorder that manifests with myoclonus epilepsy. LD is characterized by the presence of intracellular inclusion bodies called Lafora bodies (LB), in brain, spinal cord and other tissues. More than 50 percent of LD is caused by mutations in EPM2A that encodes laforin. Here we review our recent findings that revealed that laforin regulates autophagy. We consider how autophagy compromise may predispose to LB formation and neurodegeneration in LD, and discuss future investigations suggested by our data.Key words: autophagy, glycogen metabolism, Lafora disease, laforin, malin, neurodegeneration     

The cell surface receptor G6b, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, binds heparin

The G6b gene, located in the human Major Histocompatibility Complex, encodes a receptor of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily. In this study, we show using a variety of techniques that the extracellular domain of the G6b protein, containing a single Ig-like domain, binds to heparin with high affinity. In an ELISA assay, this binding was displaceable with soluble heparin with an IC50 value of approximately 0.5 microg/ml. Other sulfated glycans showed weaker or no competition. The observed interaction between G6b and heparin is strongly salt dependent suggesting a mainly electrostatic interaction. Heparin might modulate the interaction of G6b with its as yet unidentified protein ligand.     

Aerial seed bank and dispersal traits in Anthemis chrysantha (Asteraceae), a critically endangered species

Mature plant density and fruit production were monitored in the main population of four successive cohorts of the endangered winter annual Anthemis chrysantha (Asteraceae) in southeastern Spain. Experiments were conducted with artificial rainfall and a wind tunnel to determine the temporal and spatial dispersal pattern of the species and the relationship with rain and wind.     

Safety of the Recombinant Cholera Toxin B Subunit, Killed Whole-Cell (rBS-WC) Oral Cholera Vaccine in Pregnancy

Introduction

Mass vaccinations are a main strategy in the deployment of oral cholera vaccines. Campaigns avoid giving vaccine to pregnant women because of the absence of safety data of the killed whole-cell oral cholera (rBS-WC) vaccine. Balancing this concern is the known higher risk of cholera and of complications of pregnancy should cholera occur in these women, as well as the lack of expected adverse events from a killed oral bacterial vaccine.

Methodology/Principal Findings

From January to February 2009, a mass rBS-WC vaccination campaign of persons over two years of age was conducted in an urban and a rural area (population 51,151) in Zanzibar. Pregnant women were advised not to participate in the campaign. More than nine months after the last dose of the vaccine was administered, we visited all women between 15 and 50 years of age living in the study area. The outcome of pregnancies that were inadvertently exposed to at least one oral cholera vaccine dose and those that were not exposed was evaluated. 13,736 (94%) of the target women in the study site were interviewed. 1,151 (79%) of the 1,453 deliveries in 2009 occurred during the period when foetal exposure to the vaccine could have occurred. 955 (83%) out of these 1,151 mothers had not been vaccinated; the remaining 196 (17%) mothers had received at least one dose of the oral cholera vaccine. There were no statistically significant differences in the odds ratios for birth outcomes among the exposed and unexposed pregnancies.

Conclusions/Significance

We found no statistically significant evidence of a harmful effect of gestational exposure to the rBS-WC vaccine. These findings, along with the absence of a rational basis for expecting a risk from this killed oral bacterial vaccine, are reassuring but the study had insufficient power to detect infrequent events.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00709410","term_id":"NCT00709410"}}NCT00709410     

Polychaete assemblages inhabiting intertidal soft bottoms associated with mangrove systems in Coiba National Park (East Pacific,Panama)

The Coiba National Park is located off the Pacific coast of Panama andincludes several small islands and a larger one which gives its name to the park. Anumber of rivers in Coiba Island have well developed mangrove systems attheir mouths and two of these were selected for the present study: SantaCruz and El Gambute. The first one comprises an assemblage of Rhizopora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa and Pellicierarhizoporae, and shows no evidence of recent human activity. The secondone is a smaller forest, solely composed of short Rhizoporamangle trees, and is recovering from the impact of human activities.During 1997, the tidal flats associated with each system were studied. Toasses the polychaete distribution within each tidal flat, three transects werearranged from the low to the upper intertidal level. Every transect hadthree sampling sites: the first one was adjacent to the low water level, thesecond one at an intermediate point, and the third one close to the highwater level and the mangrove line. At each site, three randomly chosensamples of sediment were taken for faunal study and a further one wascollected for sedimentology study.The polychaetes were identifiedto species or genus level. For each flat, a matrix summarizing the actualnumber of individuals of each species in every sample was created, andpopulation density, species richness and diversity were computed for eachsite. After matrix data had been transformed, a similarity analysis of thesamples was carried out.