Exosomes in human semen carry a distinctive repertoire of small non-coding RNAs with potential regulatory functions

Semen contains relatively ill-defined regulatory components that likely aid fertilization, but which could also interfere with defense against infection. Each ejaculate contains trillions of exosomes, membrane-enclosed subcellular microvesicles, which have immunosuppressive effects on cells important in the genital mucosa. Exosomes in general are believed to mediate inter-cellular communication, possibly by transferring small RNA molecules. We found that seminal exosome (SE) preparations contain a substantial amount of RNA from 20 to 100 nucleotides (nts) in length. We sequenced 20–40 and 40–100 nt fractions of SE RNA separately from six semen donors. We found various classes of small non-coding RNA, including microRNA (21.7% of the RNA in the 20–40 nt fraction) as well as abundant Y RNAs and tRNAs present in both fractions. Specific RNAs were consistently present in all donors. For example, 10 (of ∼2600 known) microRNAs constituted over 40% of mature microRNA in SE. Additionally, tRNA fragments were strongly enriched for 5’-ends of 18–19 or 30–34 nts in length; such tRNA fragments repress translation. Thus, SE could potentially deliver regulatory signals to the recipient mucosa via transfer of small RNA molecules.     

Effect of Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia on the Concentrations of Glutamate and Related Amino Acids and Energy Metabolites in the Intact and Decorticated Rat Neostriatum

Abstract The glutamate (Glu) terminals in rat neostriatum were removed by a unilateral frontal decortication. One to two weeks later the effects of insulin-induced hypoglycemia on the steady-state levels of amino acids [Glu, glutamine (Gin), aspartate (Asp), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), tau-rine] and energy metabolites (glucose, glycogen, α-ketoglu-tarate, pyruvate, lactate, ATP, ADP, AMP, phosphocre-atine) were examined in the intact and decorticated neostriatum from brains frozen in situ. The changes in the metabolite levels were examined during normoglycemia, hypoglycemia with burst-suppression (BS) EEG, after 5 and 30 min of hypoglycemic coma with isoelectric EEG, and 1 h of recovery following 30 min of isoelectric EEG. In normoglycemia Glu decreased and Gin and glycogen increased significantly on the decorticated side. During the BS period no significant differences in the measured compounds were noted between the two sides. After 5 min of isoelectric EEG Glu, Gin, GABA, and ATP levels were significantly lower and Asp higher on the intact than on the decorticated side. No differences between the two sides were found after 30 min of isoelectric EEG. After 1 h of recovery from 30 min of isoelectric EEG Glu, Gin, and glycogen had not reached their control levels. Glu was significantly lower, and Gin and glycogen higher on the decorticated side. The Asp and GABA levels were not significantly different from control levels. The results indicate that the turnover of Glu is higher in the intact than in decorticated neostriatum during profound hypoglycemia.     

Color pan traps often catch less when there are more flowers around

When assessing changes in populations of species, it is essential that the methods used to collect data have some level of precision and preferably also good accuracy. One commonly used method to collect pollinators is colour pan traps, but this method has been suggested to be biased by the abundance of surrounding flowers. The present study evaluated the relationship between pan trap catches and the frequency of flowers on small (25 m²) and large (2–6 ha) spatial scales. If pan traps work well, one should assume a positive relationship, that is, more insects caught when they have more food. However, in contrast, we found that catches in pan traps were often negatively affected by flower frequency. Among the six taxa evaluated, the negative bias was largest in Vespoidea and Lepturinae, while there was no bias in solitary Apoidea (Cetoniidae, Syrphidae and social Apoidea were intermediate). Furthermore, red flowers seemed to contribute most to the negative bias. There was also a tendency that the negative bias differed within the flight season and that it was higher when considering the large spatial scale compared to the small one. To conclude, pan trap catches may suffer from a negative bias due to surrounding flower frequency and color. The occurrence and magnitude of the negative bias were context and taxon dependent, and therefore difficult to adjust for. Thus, pan traps seem less suited to evaluate differences between sites and the effect of restoration, when gradients in flower density are large. Instead, it seems better suited to monitor population changes within sites, and when gradients are small.     

Influence of predation risk on individual competitive ability and growth in Eurasian perch, Perca fluviatilis

We studied the potential influence of predation risk on the competitive ability and habitat use of foraging perch and the effect of these interactions on growth. Groups of four similar-sized young-of-the-year perch were in visual contact with a piscivorous perch during feeding. The fry had the choice of vegetation and open habitat, with food presented in the open habitat. Competitive ability, defined as proportion of prey attacks, varied between perch individuals and was unaffected by predation risk. The variation in proportion of prey attacks was affected by relative size within each replicate group, despite small size differences (±1 mm), with the largest individual being a better competitor than the smallest ones. The degree of boldness, measured as the proportion of time spent in the open habitat, was significantly related to both competitive ability and prey attack order. Observations of aggressive behaviour indicated a possible occurrence of interference competition, which may contribute to the appearance of different competitive abilities between individuals within a group of perch. A significant correlation was found between competitive ability and growth. Growth variation within groups was not affected by predation risk.