Patterns of variation and co-ocurrence of native and exotic species of Amphipoda Latreille, 1816 (Crustacea) in south and southeastern Brazil estuaries

Orientador: Dr. Leonardo Sandrini NetoDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Campus Pontal do Paraná - Centro de Estudos do Mar, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Costeiros e Oceânicos. Defesa : Pontal do Paraná, 26/03/2020Inclui referências: p. 37-47Resumo: O agrupamento de organismos sésseis em substratos consolidados, conhecido como bioincrustação, fornece espaço adequado para animais epibiontes, como os anfípodas. A crescente substituição de habitat natural por construções portuárias fornece um ambiente homogêneo com baixa diversidade, e os navios internacionais que trafegam servem como vetores para espécies exóticas e oportunistas de Amphipoda. Existem estudos com Amphipoda nas costas sul e sudoeste do Brasil, mas eles se concentram principalmente em substratos naturais, e trabalhos anteriores nessa região com espécies exóticas em áreas portuárias não relataram ocorrência de Amphipoda. Portanto, as áreas afetadas pelos portos podem abrigar espécies introduzidas desconhecidas. Deste modo, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar padrões de distribuição e abundância de anfípodas nativos e exóticos/criptogênicos, coletados utilizando placas de assentamento durante as estações seca e chuvosa entre 2017 e 2018. As coletas foram realizadas em quatro baías distintas: Paranaguá e Babitonga com a presença de portos internacionais, e Cananéia e Guaratuba que não possuem portos. Entre as espécies nativas investigadas, Paracaprella pusilla foi a única presente em todas as baías e estações. Monocorophium acherusicum estava ausente na baía de Babitonga, mas presente no restante das baías, enquanto Stenothoe valida teve baixa ocorrência em todas as amostras. A abundância de anfípodas exóticos/criptogênicos foi positivamente relacionada às baías com portos internacionais, e a presença de machos, fêmeas, fêmeas ovígeras e juvenis de Elasmopus sp., S. gallensis e L. baconi sugere que essas espécies têm populações bem estruturadas, estabelecidas e reproduzindo em baías portuárias. Isso pode indicar que esses anfípodas introduzidos têm potencial invasivo para se espalhar ainda mais se não forem controlados. As baías de referência não apresentaram um número significativo de espécies exóticas, mas alguns indivíduos de S. gallensis e Apocorophium acutum encotrados nessas baías podem sinalizar o início de seu processo de introdução. Sugerimos que os esforços de manejo se concentrem nas baías mais afetadas e sejam observados os regulamentos para evitar dispersão para as áreas próximas. Palavras-chave: Anfípoda. Espécie exótica. Invasão. Substrato artificial. Placas de assentamento.Abstract: The assemblage of sessile organisms in marine hard substrate is known as biofouling, these organisms provide suitable space for epibiont animals such as Amphipods. The increasing replacement of natural habitat by port constructions offers a homogeneous environment with low diversity, and international ships passing serve as vectors for exotic and opportunistic Amphipoda species. There have been studies with Amphipoda on the south and southwestern coasts of Brazil, but they mainly focus on natural substrates, and previous work in this region with exotic species in port areas has not reported any Amphipoda. So port-affected areas could be harbouring unknown introduced species. Thus, this study aimed to assess the abundance and population structure of native and exotic/cryptogenic amphipods collected with settlement plates during the dry and rainy seasons between 2017 and 2018. Specimen collection was performed in four different bays: Paranaguá and Babitonga with the presence of international ports and Cananéia and Guaratuba without ports. Among the native species investigated, Paracaprella pusilla was the only one present in all bays and seasons, Monocorophium acherusicum was absent from Babitonga port bay, but present in the rest of the bays, and Stenothoe valida had very low presence across all samples. The high abundance of exotic/cryptogenic amphipods was positively correlated to bays with international ports, and the presence of males, females, ovigerous females and juveniles of Elasmopus sp., S. gallensis and L. baconi,suggests these species have well-structured populations currently established and reproducing in port bays. This could mean these introduced amphipods have invasive potential to spread even further if left unchecked. The reference bays did not have a significant number of exotic species, but the initial findings of some individuals of S. gallensis and Apocorophium acutum may signal the beginning of their introduction process. We suggest management efforts should focus on the more affected bays, and enforcing regulations to prevent further dispersal to nearby areas. Keywords: Amphipods. Exotic species. Invasion. Artificial substrate. Settlement plates

Lack of Association between Polymorphism in ABCC2 Gene and Response to Antiepileptic Drug Treatment in Croatian Patients with Epilepsy

Despite advances in antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy, about one-third of patients with epilepsy are resistant to drug treatment. Functional impact of polymorphisms in drug-efflux transporter genes may contribute to multidrug resistance theory. Studies on ABCB1 gene gave contradictory results and available data suggest that this polymorphism may not directly cause altered P-glycoprotein (Pgp) transport activity but may be associated with one or more causal variants in the stretch of linkage disequilibrium or is caused by multiple gene polymorphisms. Genetic polymorphisms also occur frequently in other transmembrane transport systems including the multidrug resistance proteins (MRPs, ABCC2). The aim of this research was to investigate the possible association of ABCC2 gene polymorphisms G1249A in exon 10 and C24T in exon 1 with the development of drug resistance. This cross-sectional study is a part of ongoing pharmacogenomic study of epilepsy in Croatian population. All patients enrolled in the study had an established diagnosis of partial complex epilepsy with or without secondary generalization with non lesional brain MRI with epilepsy protocol and have been suffering for more than two years. They were divided into two groups. The first group comprised 52 patients refractory to the current therapy, while the second group consisted of 45 patients with well-controlled seizures. Our data did not identify any significant association between genetic polymorphisms of exon 1 (24C>T) and exon 10 (1249G<A) of ABCC2 gene or any combined effect in response to AED treatment and development of drug resistance in patients with partial complex epilepsy. Statistical significant difference was not found in genotype based analysis, allele frequency, haplotype and combined genotype analysis

Variants of ESR1, APOE, LPL and IL-6 loci in young healthy subjects: association with lipid status and obesity

Findings BMI was increased (>25) in 22% of young healthy subjects. Increased cholesterol values (>5.0 mmol/L) were found in 23% of subjects, LDL-C (>3.0 mmol/L) in 23%, triglycerides (>1.7 mmol/L) in 11% of subjects. We found statistically significant differences in subjects' weight (p = 0.015), BMI (p = 0.023), and waist-hip ratio (WHR) (p = 0.015) in regard to their diet type; subjects with Mediterranean diet had the lowest values compared to those on continental and mixed diet. Significant associations were found for: LPL genetic polymorphic variant and abdominal obesity (p = 0.013), APO epsilon4 allele and hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.003), and ESR1-TA long allele and hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.011). ----- Background Human obesity is a multifactorial syndrome influenced also by genetic factors. Among gene variants found to be involved in body weight regulation and development of obesity, particular attention has been paid to polymorphisms in genes associated with obesity-related metabolic disorders. We explored the association of genetic polymorphisms of: estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1-TA repeats); interleukin-6 (IL-6 G-174C); apolipoprotein E (APO epsilon2, epsilon3, epsilon4); lipoprotein lipase Pvu II (LPL P+/-), with clinical variables: gender, age, body mass index (BMI), diet type and biological variables: triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, CRP, homocysteine, urate, and glucose in 105 healthy young subjects (20-35 yrs) of Croatian origin. ----- Methods Genotyping of IL-6, LPL was performed by PCR-RFLP, of APOE by real-time PCR, and of ESR1 by PCR and capillary electrophoresis. Association analyses were performed of alleles and genotypes with biological variables. ----- Conclusion ESR-1, LPL, and APO E genetic polymorphic variants could represent predictive genetic risk markers for obesity-related metabolic disorders in young healthy subjects. Mediterranean type of diet is also an important protective factor against abdominal obesity

REMISSION IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH DRD2 RS1800497 AND DAT1 RS28363170 GENETIC VARIANTS IN MALE SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS AFTER 6-MONTHS MONOTHERAPY WITH OLANZAPINE

Background: Symptomatic remission is an achievable goal in the treatment of schizophrenia. The type of antipsychotic medication and particular genetic variants of the dopaminergic system might be associated with remission. Potential pharmacogenetic markers of the treatment response to antipsychotic medication are missing. This study assessed the possible association between dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD2 rs1800497) and dopamine transporter (DAT1 rs28363170) gene variants with symptomatic remission in schizophrenia. Subjects and methods: Olanzapine (5-20 mg/d) monotherapy was administered for 6 months to 150 male Caucasian subjects with schizophrenia. Remission was evaluated according to "Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group" criteria. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP. Results: Symptomatic remission was found in 31% of patients. DRD2 rs1800497 and DAT1 rs28363170 gene variants were not significantly associated with symptomatic remission. The limitations are a relatively small sample size of patients with schizophrenia (N=150), especially of group with symptomatic remission (N=45). However, the study had moderate but adequate sample sizes for most of the comparisons. Only two dopaminergic polymorphisms were analyzed, and plasma concentration of olanzapine was not determined. Conclusion: These results revealed a lack of association between DRD2 rs1800497 and DAT1 rs28363170 genetic variants and symptomatic remission in male patients treated with olanzapine, suggesting that these genetic variants could not be used to predict symptomatic remission to olanzapine monotherapy. Negative results should be further confirmed or rejected in the larger samples, including haplotype analyses, to detect clinically useful and easy obtainable pharmacogenetic markers that might predict therapeutic response or remission in schizophrenia

Do estádio para o estúdio: representação do corpo masculino e virilidade na capa da revista Placar

Essa pesquisa analisa como ocorreram as mudanças de representação do corpo masculino veiculado na capa da revista Placar. Há 30 anos, as imagens desses corpos dialogavam com representações de homens em atividade, atualmente, essa representação se torna estética, planejada e organizada no sentido de serem imagens de estúdios. Percebe-se a relação do corpo masculino sem máculas, afastado das relações de sofrimento e dor e a reconfiguração da masculinidade e virilidade

INTEGRATION OF COMPLEMENTARY BIOMARKERS IN PATIENTS WITH FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS: RESEARCH PROTOCOL OF A PROSPECTIVE FOLLOW UP STUDY

In this project, we recruited a sample of 150 patients with first episode of psychosis with schizophrenia features (FEP) and 100 healthy controls. We assessed the differences between these two groups, as well as the changes between the acute phase of illness and subsequent remission among patients over 18-month longitudinal follow-up. The assessments were divided into four work packages (WP): WP1- psychopathological status, neurocognitive functioning and emotional recognition; WP2- stress response measured by saliva cortisol during a stress paradigm; cerebral blood perfusion in the resting state (with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and during activation paradigm (with Transcranial Ultrasonography Doppler (TCD); WP3-post mortem analysis in histologically prepared human cortical tissue of post mortem samples of subjects with schizophrenia in the region that synaptic alteration was suggested by WP1 and WP2; WP4- pharmacogenetic analysis (single gene polymorphisms and genome wide association study (GWAS). We expect that the analysis of these data will identify a set of markers that differentiate healthy controls from patients with FEP, and serve as an additional diagnostic tool in the first episode of psychosis, and prediction tool which can be then used to help tailoring individualized treatment options. In this paper, we describe the project protocol including aims and methods and provide a brief description of planned post mortem studies and pharmacogenetic analysis

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN POLYMORPHISMS IN THE SOLUTE CARRIER FAMILY 6 MEMBER 3 AND THE MYELIN BASIC PROTEIN GENE AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Background: Previous research showed inconsistent results concerning a possible association between solute carrier family 6 member 3 (SLC6A3) gene polymorphisms and dopamine symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Several studies also indicate that the myelin basic protein (MBP) gene is of importance in the etiology of several psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation of distinct SLC6A3 and MBP gene polymorphisms with PTSD and whether SLC6A3 and MBP genotypes contribute to PTSD symptom severity. Subjects and methods: The study included 719 individuals who had experienced war trauma in the South Eastern Europe (SEE). Genotypes of variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism within the SLC6A3 gene were assessed in 696 participants, and the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs12458282 located within the MBP gene region was genotyped in a total of 703 subjects. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, the Clinical Administrated PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), were used for data collection. Results: No significant differences concerning the investigated SLC6A3 and MBP polymorphisms was identifiable between PTSD and non PTSD participants. Also we could not detect significant influence of these distinct SLC6A3 and MBP alleles on the severity of PTSD symptoms (CAPS) or BSI scores. However, the results of MBP rs12458282 within the patients with lifetime PTSD may point to a possible correlation of the major allele (T) with elevated CAPS scores. Conclusions: Our results do not support an association of the analysed SLC6A3 and MBP gene polymorphisms with PTSD in war traumatized individuals. We found that there is a possibility for a correlation of the T allele rs12458282 within the MBP gene with higher CAPS scores in lifetime PTSD patients which would need to be tested in a sample providing more statistical power

A CANDIDATE GENE ASSOCIATION STUDY OF FKBP5 AND CRHR1 POLYMORPHISMS IN RELATION TO WAR-RELATED POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly frequent and disabling psychiatric condition among war-affected populations. TheFK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene and the corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) gene have previously been implicated in an elevated risk of peritraumatic dissociation and PTSD development. Our aim was to investigate the association between FKBP5 and CRHR1 genotypes and PTSD diagnosis and severity among individuals who were affected by the Balkan wars during the 1990s. Subjects and methods: This study included participants with current PTSD, remitted PTSD and healthy volunteers (N=719, 487 males), who were recruited between 2013 and 2015 within the framework of the South Eastern Europe (SEE) - PTSD Study. Psychometric methods comprised the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), the Clinician Administrated PTSD Scale (CAPS), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). FKBP5 rs1360780 and CRHR1 rs17689918 genotypes were determined using a KASP genotyping assay. Results: Tests for deviation from Hardy Weinberg equilibrium showed no significant results. Logistic and linear regression was used to examine the associations between the FKBP5 SNP rs1360780 and the CRHR1 SNP rs17689918 with PTSD diagnosis and severity, as well as general psychiatric symptom severity, separately for current and remitted PTSD patients. There were nominally significant associations under a dominant model between the rs1360780 C allele and PTSD diagnosis as well as symptom severity, which however, were not significant anymore after Bonferroni adjustment (????=0.002). For CRHR1 rs17689918 no significant associations were detected. Conclusion: We found nominally, but not Bonferroni corrected significant associations between the FKBP5 polymorphism rs1360780 and PTSD susceptibility among individuals affected by the Balkan wars. For elucidating this gene’s real resilience/ vulnerability potential, environmental influences should be taken into account

ROLE OF THE ALLELIC VARIATION IN THE 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE RECEPTOR 1A (HTR1A) AND THE TRYPTOPHAN HYDROXYLASE 2 (TPH2) GENES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PTSD

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress related disorder which can occur in an individual after exposure to a traumatic event. It most commonly co-occurs with depression. The two disorders share not only overlapping symptoms, but also genetic diathesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the two serotonergic candidate genes 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1A (HTR1A) and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) in the pathogenesis of PTSD and comorbid psychopathology. Subjects and methods: 719 (487 males, 232 females) participants who had experienced war-related trauma between 1991 and 1999 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Croatia were included in the study. The Sociodemographic questionnaire, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were used to collect clinical data. The SNPs rs6295 (HTR1A), rs11178997 and rs1386494 (TPH2) were investigated for their association with PTSD and comorbid psychopathology. Results: A nominal significant association was found between the BSI total score in Lifetime PTSD with the SNP rs6295 of the HTR1A gene. The best result was seen in the dominant model (P=0.018), with the minor allele (C) being the risk allele. Several BSI subscores were also associated with the minor (C) allele in Lifetime PTSD. No association was found for the TPH2 SNPs rs11178997 and rs1386494 in relation to PTSD or comorbid psychopathology. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that rs6295 in the HTR1A gene may contribute to the psychopathology of PTSD

THE ROLE OF TAQI DRD2 (RS1800497) AND DRD4 VNTR POLYMORPHISMS IN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex stress related disorder, that follows a severe traumatic experience, characterized with an intense sense of terror, fear, and helplessness. The aim of this study is to identify associations of genetic variations within candidate genes DRD2 and DRD4 with various PTSD related phenotypes. PTSD lifetime and PTSD current subjects were analyzed separately, each of them were analyzed in a Case/Control design, as well as regarding BSI and CAPS within cases only. Subjects and methods: 719 (487 male, 232 female) participants who had experienced war-related trauma between 1991 and 1999 in Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kosovo and Croatia were included in the study. Sociodemographic questionnaire, Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were used to collect clinical data. Results: The DRD2 rs1800497 variant and a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) located in exon three of DRD4 were investigated for association with PTSD. In case control analyses we did not identify any significant associations. Within the PTSD current patients, we identified an association of DRD2 rs1800497 with BSI in the genotypic and the recessive model with the T allele as the risk allele. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that rs1800497 of DRD2 gene is involved in pathogenesis of PTSD