Hydrolysis of fish oil by hyperactivated rhizomucor miehei lipase immobilized by multipoint anion exchange

Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML) is greatly hyperactivated (around 20‐ to 25‐fold toward small substrates) in the presence of sucrose laurate. Hyperactivation appears to be an intramolecular process because it is very similar for soluble enzymes and covalently immobilized derivatives. The hyperactivated enzyme was immobilized (in the presence of sucrose laurate) on cyanogen bromide‐activated Sepharose (very mild covalent immobilization through the amino terminal residue), on glyoxyl Sepharose (intense multipoint covalent immobilization through the region with the highest amount of Lys residues), and on different anion exchangers (by multipoint anionic exchange through the region with the highest density of negative charges). Covalent immobilization does not promote the fixation of the hyperactivated enzyme, but immobilization on Sepharose Q retains the hyperactivated enzyme even in the absence of a detergent. The hydrolysis of fish oils by these hyperactivated enzyme derivatives was sevenfold faster than by covalently immobilized derivatives and three and a half times faster than by the enzyme hyperactivated on octyl‐Sepharose. The open structure of the hyperactivated lipase is fairly exposed to the medium, and no steric hindrance should interfere with the hydrolysis of large substrates. These new hyperactivated derivatives seem to be more suitable for hydrolysis of oils by RML immobilized inside porous supports. In addition, the hyperactivated derivatives are fairly stable against heat and organic cosolvents. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011     

Aquatic Oligochaeta in Italy, with special reference to Naididae

We present a list of Italian freshwater and marine Oligochaeta in the families Lumbriculidae, Haplotaxidae, Tubificidae, Naididae, Propappidae, Criodrilidae, and Lumbricidae, representing 57 genera and 130 species. Published data reflect the incomplete knowledge of the Italian oligochaete fauna, restricted to certain geographical areas. Subterranean aquatic and marine fauna are of particular interest as these have been studied the least. We provide a comprehensive review of the Naididae including, for the first time, southern Italy and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The distribution of species is discussed and taxonomic problems arising from the morphological variability of Italian material are examined.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies and effects of vanadium in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Vanadium uptake by whole cells and isolated cell walls of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied. When orthovanadate was added to wild-type S. cerevisiae cells growing in rich medium, growth was inhibited as a function of the VO₄ ^3- concentration and the growth was completely arrested at a concentration of 20 mM of VO₄ ^3- in YEPD. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to obtain structural and dynamic information about the cell-associated paramagnetic vanadyl ion. The presence of EPR signals indicated that vanadate was reduced by whole cells to the vanadyl ion. On the contrary, no EPR signals were detected after interaction of vanadate with isolated cell walls. A mobile and an immobile species associated in cells with small chelates and with macromolecular sites, respectively, were identified. The value of rotational correlation time _r indicated the relative motional freedom at the macromolecular site. A strongly immobilized vanadyl species bound to polar sites mainly through coulombic attractions was detected after interaction of VO²⁺ ions with isolated cell walls.     

Plasticity in male mating behavior modulates female life history in fruit flies

In many species, intense male-male competition for the opportunity to sire offspring has led to the evolution of selfish reproductive traits that are harmful to the females they mate with. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, males modulate their reproductive behavior based on the perceived intensity of competition in their premating environment. Specifically, males housed with other males subsequently transfer a larger ejaculate during a longer mating compared to males housed alone. Although the potential fitness benefits to males from such plasticity are clear, its effects on females are mostly unknown. Hence, we tested the long-term consequences to females from mating with males with distinct social experiences. First, we verified that competitive experience influences male mating behavior and found that males housed with rivals subsequently have shorter mating latencies and longer mating durations. Then, we exposed females every other day for 20 days to males that were either housed alone or with rivals, and subsequently measured their fitness. We found that females mated to males housed with rivals produce more offspring early in life but fewer offspring later in life and have shorter lifespans but similar intrinsic population growth rates. These results indicate that plasticity in male mating behavior can influence female life histories by altering females’ relative allocation to early versus late investment in reproduction and survival.     

Great Apes in the Giardino Zoologico of Rome (1910-1998): An Overview

This work reviews nearly 90 years of ape keeping and housing at the Giardino Zoologico in Rome, and offers an overview of the scientific research carried out on these primates. It may thus contribute to a better historical knowledge of primate zoo management in Italy. Furthermore, particular attention is paid to morphological aspects in orangutan physical development that should deserve further research.     

Overview of therapeutic options for cystic echinococcosis

Surgical excision of echinococcal cyst has long been considered the only effective treatment for echinococcosis. However, the remarkable advances in imaging techniques, particularly ultrasound, made during the past 25 years have greatly facilitated diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Today, chemotherapy and percutaneous treatments have become widely available. A major step forward in management of the disease came in 2001, when the WHO International Working Group on Echinococcosis (WHO-IWGE) came to a consensus by developing a standardized classification of ultrasound images in cystic echinococcosis. Thus, the most appropriate treatment for patients affected by this serious and sometimes life-threatening disease may now be chosen. An overview of the three main therapeutic options for abdominal- and particularly hepatic-cystic echinococcosis is presented, with focus on the indications and contraindications of each one. Data from long-term follow-up studies are also discussed, with emphasis on the resulting stage-specific criteria for treatment.     

Justified concern or exaggerated fear: the risk of anaphylaxis in percutaneous treatment of cystic echinococcosis-a systematic literature review

Percutaneous treatment (PT) emerged in the mid-1980s as an alternative to surgery for selected cases of abdominal cystic echinococcosis (CE). Despite its efficacy and widespread use, the puncture of echinococcal cysts is still far from being universally accepted. One of the main reasons for this reluctance is the perceived risk of anaphylaxis linked to PTs. To quantify the risk of anaphylactic reactions and lethal anaphylaxis with PT, we systematically searched MEDLINE for publications on PT of CE and reviewed the PT-related complications. After including 124 publications published between 1980 and 2010, we collected a total number of 5943 PT procedures on 5517 hepatic and non-hepatic echinococcal cysts. Overall, two cases of lethal anaphylaxis and 99 reversible anaphylactic reactions were reported. Lethal anaphylaxis occurred in 0.03% of PT procedures, corresponding to 0.04% of treated cysts, while reversible allergic reactions complicated 1.7% of PTs, corresponding to 1.8% of treated echinococcal cysts. Analysis of the literature shows that lethal anaphylaxis related to percutaneous treatment of CE is an extremely rare event and is observed no more frequently than drug-related anaphylactic side effects.