Does fin damage allow discrimination among wild,escaped and farmed Sparus aurata (L.) and Dicentrarchus labrax (L.)?

The present study compares fin damages in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) according to their wild, escaped or farmed origins. In addition, the potential applicability of fin condition indices (Fin Erosion Index ‘FEI’ and Fin Splitting Index ‘FSI’) as identification tools is discussed. Farmed seabream fins evidenced more erosion and splitting (FEI ± SD: 2.1 ± 0.3; FSI ± SD: 1.9 ± 0.6) than wild seabream fins (FEI: 0.8 ± 0.6; FSI: 1.2 ± 0.9), a result of farming conditions in open‐sea cages. Escaped seabream fin erosion was between that of farmed and wild seabream (FEI: 1.6 ± 0.4), which could indicate that fins in farmed fish recover over time from farming abrasions once they are in the wild. However, the fins of escaped seabream seem to be weaker than those of the wild fish, and therefore might be more susceptible to suffer other types of erosion such as splitting or nipping (FSI: 2.3 ± 0.7). No significant differences were found in seabass FEI according to their origins, although wild seabass presented significantly more split caudal fins (FSI: 3.3 ± 2.8) than the farmed seabass (FSI: 1.2 ± 1.1) and escapees (FSI: 2.5 ± 1.6). Therefore, FEI for seabream could be used as tools not only to distinguish between wild and farmed fish, but also to identify recent escapees, improving further assessments on the contribution of seabream escapees in fishery landings. However, the healing potential of damaged fins must be considered for the proper identification of escapees. Use of fin condition indices from both species could be helpful for aquaculture management, to assess fish welfare in fish farms stocks, and improve the knowledge of handling, stock densities and open‐sea cage environment conditions.     

Vitamins K interact with N-terminus α-synuclein and modulate the protein fibrillization in vitro. Exploring the interaction between quinones and α-synuclein

In the last decades, a series of compounds, including quinones and polyphenols, has been described as having anti-fibrillogenic action on α-synuclein (α-syn) whose aggregation is associated to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Most of these molecules act as promiscuous anti-amyloidogenic agents, interacting with the diverse amyloidogenic proteins (mostly unfolded) through non-specific hydrophobic interactions. Herein we investigated the effect of the vitamins K (phylloquinone, menaquinone and menadione), which are 1,4-naphthoquinone (1,4-NQ) derivatives, on α-syn aggregation, comparing them with other anti-fibrillogenic molecules such as quinones, polyphenols and lipophilic vitamins. Vitamins K delayed α-syn fibrillization in substoichiometric concentrations, leading to the formation of short, sheared fibrils and amorphous aggregates, which are less prone to produce leakage of synthetic vesicles. In seeding conditions, menadione and 1,4-NQ significantly inhibited fibrils elongation, which could be explained by their ability to destabilize preformed fibrils of α-syn. Bidimensional NMR experiments indicate that a specific site at the N-terminal α-syn (Gly31/Lys32) is involved in the interaction with vitamins K, which is corroborated by previous studies suggesting that Lys is a key residue in the interaction with quinones. Together, our data suggest that 1,4-NQ, recently showed up by our group as a potential scaffold for designing new monoamine oxidase inhibitors, is also capable to modulate α-syn fibrillization in vitro.     

Abscisic acid mediates hydrogen peroxide production in peanut induced by water stress

Peanut plants exposed to water stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) accumulated abscisic acid (ABA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), the increase being significant at 12 and 24 h after addition, respectively. To address the question whether the increase in H₂O₂ production was related to ABA accumulation, the peanut leaves were pretreated with ABA biosynthesis inhibitor (sodium tungstate) and then exposed to water stress. Under these conditions, a decrease of ABA and H₂O₂ content were found after 12 h. The addition of 100 μM ABA restored H₂O₂ content reaching values similar to those under water stress at 12 h. We concluded that ABA accumulation is the first signal that triggers the H₂O₂ generation in peanut during first 12 h but its subsequent production is partially ABA-independent.     

Population Composition and Ectoparasite Prevalence on Bats (Sturnira ludovici; Phyllostomidae) in Forest Fragments and Coffee Plantations of Central Veracruz,Mexico

Studies comparing the abundance of frugivorous bats in shade‐coffee plantations and forest fragments report contradictory results, and have not taken into account the landscape context in which coffee plantations are immersed. Variables of population composition such as abundance, sex proportion, and reproductive condition, together with biological tags (i.e., bat fly prevalence), can provide information about spatiotemporal dynamics of habitats used by bats. In the central part of Veracruz, Mexico, we compared population variables and ectoparasite prevalence of the highland yellow‐shouldered bat (Sturnira ludovici) in two landscapes, one dominated by shade‐coffee plantations and another by forest fragments. Comparing these attributes between these two landscapes will increase our knowledge about the role of this agro‐ecosystem in the conservation of this species, which is an important seed disperser of cloud forest vegetation. Total abundance and proportion of females was greater in forest fragments than in coffee plantations, whereas the percentage of reproductive females and bat fly prevalence was similar between landscapes. Our results show that landscapes with forest fragments harbor the greatest abundance of S. ludovici, but shade‐coffee plantations also are utilized by S. ludovici and likely adjacent forest remnants provide enough food resources for this species and other frugivores. Moreover, this study provides more evidence documenting the importance of preserving the last cloud forest fragments in the central region of Veracruz, Mexico, and suggests that using shade‐coffee plantations to connect forest fragments may be an effective way of maintaining populations of S. ludovici and likely other volant frugivores.     

Proliferation of fibroblasts and endothelial cells is enhanced by treatment with Phyllocaulis boraceiensis mucus

Previously, mucus of some molluscs has been studied as a potential source of new natural compounds capable of inducing cell proliferation and of remodelling tissue. Here, the focus of the study is possible use of mucus released by Phyllocaulis boraceiensis – a compound inducing cell proliferation and enhancing collagen synthesis in dermal fibroblasts and inducing proliferation human endothelial cell cultures. Fibroblasts treated with P. boraceiensis mucus at concentrations below 0.012 μg/μl developed high rates of proliferation, as evaluated using MTT assay; the proliferative effect was dose‐dependent. Production and secretion of extracellular matrix components and collagen type I fibres were enhanced after 24 h of treatment, revealing a hormesis effect, biphasic dose response – low dose for proliferation yet toxic at high dose. No significant change in proliferation was observed in treated endothelial cells and production of lipid polyunsaturated free radicals was low in both cell types. Treatment with P. boraceiensis mucus produced pronounced changes in fibroblast cell number and morphology, and in quantities of well‐ordered collagen deposition. These results support the premise that Phyllocaulis boraceiensis mucus demonstrates proliferative properties in cells involved in the healing process.     

Apoptosis through Bcl-2/Bax and Cleaved Caspase Up-Regulation in Melanoma Treated by Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary treatment involving selective accumulation of boron carriers in a tumor followed by irradiation with a thermal or epithermal neutron beam. The neutron capture reaction with a boron-10 nucleus yields high linear energy transfer (LET) particles, alpha and ⁷Li, with a range of 5 to 9 µm. These particles can only travel very short distances and release their damaging energy directly into the cells containing the boron compound. We aimed to evaluate proliferation, apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) modifications of B16F10 melanoma and normal human melanocytes after BNCT. The amounts of soluble collagen and Hsp47, indicating collagen synthesis in the ECM, as well as the cellular markers of apoptosis, were investigated. BNCT decreased proliferation, altered the ECM by decreasing collagen synthesis and induced apoptosis by regulating Bcl-2/Bax in melanoma. Additionally, BNCT also increased the levels of TNF receptor and the cleaved caspases 3, 7, 8 and 9 in melanoma. These results suggest that multiple pathways related to cell death and cell cycle arrest are involved in the treatment of melanoma by BNCT.     

Vector Competence of American Mosquitoes for Three Strains of Zika Virus

In 2015, Zika virus (ZIKV; Flaviviridae; Flavivirus) emerged in the Americas, causing millions of infections in dozens of countries. The rapid spread of the virus and the association with disease outcomes such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and microcephaly make understanding transmission dynamics essential. Currently, there are no reports of vector competence (VC) of American mosquitoes for ZIKV isolates from the Americas. Further, it is not clear whether ZIKV strains from other genetic lineages can be transmitted by American Aedes aegypti populations, and whether the scope of the current epidemic is in part facilitated by viral factors such as enhanced replicative fitness or increased vector competence. Therefore, we characterized replication of three ZIKV strains, one from each of the three phylogenetic clades in several cell lines and assessed their abilities to be transmitted by Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Additionally, laboratory colonies of different Culex spp. were infected with an American outbreak strain of ZIKV to assess VC. Replication rates were variable and depended on virus strain, cell line and MOI. African strains used in this study outcompeted the American strain in vitro in both mammalian and mosquito cell culture. West and East African strains of ZIKV tested here were more efficiently transmitted by Ae. aegypti from Mexico than was the currently circulating American strain of the Asian lineage. Long-established laboratory colonies of Culex mosquitoes were not efficient ZIKV vectors. These data demonstrate the capacity for additional ZIKV strains to infect and replicate in American Aedes mosquitoes and suggest that neither enhanced virus replicative fitness nor virus adaptation to local vector mosquitoes seems likely to explain the extent and intensity of ZIKV transmission in the Americas.