Induction, expression and characterisation of laccase genes from the marine-derived fungal strains Nigrospora sp. CBMAI 1328 and Arthopyrenia sp. CBMAI 1330

The capability of the fungi Nigrospora sp. CBMAI 1328 and Arthopyrenia sp. CBMAI 1330 isolated from marine sponge to synthesise laccases (Lcc) in the presence of the inducer copper (110 M) was assessed. In a liquid culture medium supplemented with 5 M of copper sulphate after 5 days of incubation, Nigrospora sp. presented the highest Lcc activity (25.2 UL1). The effect of copper on Lcc gene expression was evaluated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Nigrospora sp. showed the highest gene expression of Lcc under the same conditions of Lcc synthesis. The highest Lcc expression by the Arthopyrenia sp. was detected at 96 h of incubation in absence of copper. Molecular approaches allowed the detection of Lcc isozymes and suggest the presence of at least two undescribed putative genes. Additionally, Lcc sequences from the both fungal strains clustered with other Lcc sequences from other fungi that inhabit marine environments.M. Passarini was supported by Ph.D. grant from FAPESP (2008/06720-7), Sao Paulo, Brazil. The authors thank FAPESP for financial support (BIOTA-FAPESP grant 2010/50190-2 and FAPESP grant 2013/19486-0) and Roberto G.S. Berlinck and CEBIMAR for the support related to samples collecting. L.D. Sette thanks CNPq for Productivity Fellowships 304103/2013-6

TOXOPLASMOSE EM PEQUENOS ANIMAIS: REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

A toxoplasmose é uma doença de grande relevância por acometer mamíferos, aves, répteis, anfíbios e o homem. É causada pelo Toxoplasma gondii, protozoário intracelular.  Os felídeos são considerados como os únicos hospedeiros definitivos da doença. Todas as demais espécies acometidas são hospedeiros intermediários tendo o parasito nos músculo, sangue e leite. A prevalência em cães no estado de Santa Catarina varia em torno de 22,3 a 26%. As principais formas de transmissão são: ingestão de oocistos esporulados no ambiente,  solo, água e alimentos; ingestão de cistos teciduais em carnes e alimentos crus ou mal cozidos;  transfusões sanguíneas; infecção transplacentária, transplante de órgão, entre outros. Toxoplasmose normalmente é assintomática, porém em alguns casos o animal pode apresentar sintomas associados à sistema respiratório, digestório e fígado. O diagnóstico é realizado por método direto na identificação do parasito ou por método indireto pela detecção de anticorpos através do teste de ELISA (Ensaio Imunoenzimático Indireto) , RIFI (Reação de Imunofluorescência indireta) e HAI (Hemoaglutinação indireta) ou detecção de DNA por PCR (Reação em Cadeia de Polimerase). A prevenção é através da remoção das fezes dos felinos diariamente com o auxílio de luvas, lavar bem os alimentos, cozinhar adequadamente os alimentos, entre outras maneiras afim de precaver o aparecimento da doença

PERFIL HEMATOLÓGICO E BIOQUÍMICO DE UM ANIMAL SENIL - DISCUSSÃO DE ALTERAÇÕES

Devido ao crescente aumento da expectativa de vida dos animais domésticos bem como exponencial desenvolvimento da medicina veterinária, algumas enfermidades que anteriormente não eram observadas em pacientes senis passaram a ser diagnosticadas, tais como, neoplasias, doenças renais e hepáticas, alterações endócrinas e metabólicas, cardiopatias e afecções musculares. Através da utilização de exames laboratoriais clínicos foi possível a determinação destas afecções em animais idosos. Assim, uma canina fêmea, sem raça definida, com aproximadamente 10 anos, foi atendida na clínica veterinária “Cão Gatão” em Ouro – SC, o animal apresentava-se apático, desidratado, anoréxico e em processo de envelhecimento. Foi coletado da paciente uma amostra de sangue para posterior perfil hematológico completo, creatinina e ALT (Alanima Amino Transferase) no qual foi encaminhado para Unidade de Saúde Animal (UNISA) em Curitiba – PR para análise. Os resultados apresentados foram leucopenia por monocitopenia, no qual se concluiu que estava relacionado ao processo de envelhecimento por ocasionalmente desgaste medular. Era também esperado que os níveis de creatinina e ALT estivessem altos pelo paciente ser geriátrico e pudesse apresentar problemas renais e hepáticos

Characterization of Cholinesterases in Plasma of Three Portuguese Native Bird Species: Application to Biomonitoring

Over the last decades the inhibition of plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity has been widely used as a biomarker to diagnose organophosphate and carbamate exposure. Plasma ChE activity is a useful and non-invasive method to monitor bird exposure to anticholinesterase compounds; nonetheless several studies had shown that the ChE form(s) present in avian plasma may vary greatly among species. In order to support further biomonitoring studies and provide reference data for wildlife risk-assessment, plasma cholinesterase of the northern gannet (Morus bassanus), the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) and the grey heron (Ardea cinerea) were characterized using three substrates (acetylthiocholine iodide, propionylthiocholine iodide, and S-butyrylthiocholine iodide) and three ChE inhibitors (eserine sulphate, BW284C51, and iso-OMPA). Additionally, the range of ChE activity that may be considered as basal levels for non-exposed individuals was determined. The results suggest that in the plasma of the three species studied the main cholinesterase form present is butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Plasma BChE activity in non-exposed individuals was 0.48±0.11 SD U/ml, 0.39±0.12 SD U/ml, 0.15±0.04 SD U/ml in the northern gannet, white stork and grey heron, respectively. These results are crucial for the further use of plasma BChE activity in these bird species as a contamination bioindicator of anti-cholinesterase agents in both wetland and marine environments. Our findings also underscore the importance of plasma ChE characterization before its use as a biomarker in biomonitoring studies with birds

Rinistachya hilleri gen. et sp. nov.(Sphenophyllales), from the upper Devonian of South Africa

A rich and diverse plant assemblage has been excavated from latest Devonian (Famennian) black shales of the Witpoort Formation (Witteberg Group) at Waterloo Farm, close to the city of Grahamstown (South Africa). Several specimens of a new sphenopsid have been collected. The description of this as a new taxon, here named Rinistachya hilleri, gen. et sp. nov., provides an important addition to the scarce early record of the group. Rinistachya hilleri presents a novel architecture that include apparently plesiomorphic characters, reminiscent of the organisation of the Iridopteridales (including the production of two types of laterals at one node, the location of fertile parts in loose whorls on lateral branches and an organisation of the fertile parts in which they branch several times before bearing distally elongate sporangia). Other characters unambiguously nest Rinistachya within the Sphenopsida (including presence of planate and slightly webbed ultimate appendages and lateral strobili made of successive whorls of fertile leaves with fertile parts located at their axil). This provides strong support for a close relationship between Sphenopsida and Iridopteridales. Rinistachya furthermore represents the first record of a Devonian sphenopsid from Gondwana and extends the known distribution of the Sphenopsida from the tropics to very high palaeolatitudes. It is a new sphenopsid with a peculiar organisation. The new taxon allows better characterization of the initial evolutionary radiation at the base of the group

Reactivating vocabularies in the elderly

AbstractQuality of memory and sleep decline with age, but the mechanistic interactions underlying the memory function of sleep in older adults are still unknown. It is widely assumed that the beneficial effect of sleep on memory relies on reactivation during Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and targeting these reactivations by cue re-exposure reliably improves memory in younger participants. Here we tested whether the reactivation mechanism during sleep is still functional in old age by applying targeted memory reactivation (TMR) during NREM sleep in healthy adults over 60 years. In contrast to previous studies in young participants, older adults’ memories do not generally benefit from TMR during NREM sleep. On an individual level, a subgroup of older adults still profited from cueing during sleep. These improvers tended to have a better sleep efficiency than non-improvers. In addition, the oscillatory results resembled those obtained in younger participants, involving increases in theta (~6Hz) and spindle (~13 Hz) power for remembered and gained words in a later time windows. In contrast, non-improvers showed no increases in theta activity and even strongly reduced spindle power for later gained vs. lost words. Our results suggest that reactivations during sleep might lose their functionality for memory in some older adults, while this mechanism is still intact in a subgroup of participants. Further studies need to examine more closely the determinants of preserving the memory function of sleep during healthy aging.Grant informationThe study was supported by grant of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) No. 100014_162388. T.S. is supported by a grant of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) No. P2ZHP1_164994.AbbreviationsN1 and N2Stage 1 and 2 sleepSWSSlow-wave sleepSWAslow-wave activityREMRapid eye movement sleepTSTTotal sleep timeTMRtargeted memory reactivation</jats:sec

Hypnotische Suggestionen vertiefen den Schlaf. Eine EEG-Studie im Schlaflabor

Cordi MJ, Schlarb A, Rasch B. Hypnotische Suggestionen vertiefen den Schlaf. Eine EEG-Studie im Schlaflabor. Deutsche Zeitschrift für zahnärztliche Hypnose. 2015;1:14-21