Effect of systemic administration of essential oils and main components on honeybee survival

Controlling bee diseases with non contaminant products is a challenge in apicultural research. Essential oils and their main components have been widely studied as alternative treatments for honeybee pathologies [1, 2, 3]. However, there is little information about prolonged systemic administration. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in laboratory assays, the effect of long term consumption of essential oils and main components. Oils were obtained by hydrodistillation from Laurus nobilis, Cinnamomun zeylanicum, Origanum vulgare, Rosmarinus officinalis and Eucalyptus spp. and were analyzed by gas chromatography. The main components administered were 1,8-cineol, β-myrcene, cinnamic aldehyde, carvacrol and α-phellandrene. Substances were administered ad libitum to newly emerged bees at concentrations of 0; 333; 3,333 and 6,666 ppm, on sucrose syrup, throughout 11-18 days. Mortality and substances consumption were measured daily. Survival analysis was performed using Gehan-Breslow test and pairwise multiple comparisons between survival curves (a= 0, 05). Substances consumption was analyzed using one way ANOVA. Bees that received cinnamon oil showed a lower survival than control at concentrations higher than 333 ppm (pvalues<0.001 ). Consumption of cinnamic aldehyde, the main component of this oil (79.3%), also caused lower survival at the same concentrations (p-values<0.001). Eucalyptus oil caused a lower survival rate when it was administered at 6,666 ppm, although 1,8 cineol, its main component (63.5%), was not toxic for bees at any concentration. Carvacrol, a main component of many oregano essential oils, showed toxic effects at 3,333 and 6,666 ppm. Essential oils did not cause differences in consumption rate (p= 0.275) while main components solutions, except for carvacrol, were less consumed than control at the three concentrations. Treatments did not cause dysentery to bees. Our results contribute to understanding the effect of repeated systemic doses of these substances, which is important to design long term pharmacological studies and treatments development

Slow relaxation in weakly open vertex-splitting rational polygons

The problem of splitting effects by vertex angles is discussed for nonintegrable rational polygonal billiards. A statistical analysis of the decay dynamics in weakly open polygons is given through the orbit survival probability. Two distinct channels for the late-time relaxation of type 1/t^delta are established. The primary channel, associated with the universal relaxation of ''regular'' orbits, with delta = 1, is common for both the closed and open, chaotic and nonchaotic billiards. The secondary relaxation channel, with delta > 1, is originated from ''irregular'' orbits and is due to the rationality of vertices.Comment: Key words: Dynamics of systems of particles, control of chaos, channels of relaxation. 21 pages, 4 figure

Validity and reliability of a sensor based electronic spinal mobility index for Axial Spondyloarthritis

Objective: To evaluate the validity and reliability of inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors in the assessment of spinal mobility in axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods: A repeated measures study design involving 40 participants with axSpA was used. Pairs of IMU sensors were used to measure the maximum range of movement at the cervical and lumbar spine. A composite IMU score was defined by combining the IMU measures. Conventional metrology and physical function assessment were performed. Validation was assessed considering the agreement of IMU measures with conventional metrology and correlation with physical function. Reliability was assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: The composite IMU score correlated closely (r=0.88) with the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI). Conventional cervical rotation and lateral flexion tests correlated closely with IMU equivalents (r=0.85,0.84). All IMU movement tests correlated strongly with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) whilst this was true for only some of the BASMI tests. The reliability of both conventional and IMU tests (except for chest expansion) ranged from good to excellent. Test-retest ICCs for individual conventional tests varied between 0.57 and 0.91, in comparison to a range from 0.74 to 0.98 for each of the IMU tests. Each of the composite regional IMU scores had excellent test-retest reliability (ICCs 0.94-0.97), comparable to the reliability of the BASMI (ICC 0.96). Conclusion: Cervical and lumbar spinal mobility measured using wearable IMU sensors is a valid and reliable assessment in multiple planes (including rotation), in patients with a wide range of axSpA severity

Synthetic Conjugates of Ursodeoxycholic Acid Inhibit Cystogenesis in Experimental Models of Polycystic Liver Disease

Altres ajuts: Suported by IKERBASQUE, Basque foundation for Science (M.J. Perugorria and J.M. Banales), Spain; "Junta de Castilla y Leon" (J.J.G. Marin: SA06P17); "Diputación Foral Gipuzkoa" (J.M. Banales: DFG15/010, DFG16/004; M.J. Perugorria: DFG18/114, DFG19/081), BIOEF (Basque Foundation for Innovation and Health Research: EiTB Maratoia BIO15/CA/016/BD to J.M. Banales), Department of Health of the Basque Country (J.M. Banales: 2017111010; M.J. Perugorria: 2019111024), and Euskadi RIS3 (J.M. Banales: 2016222001, 2017222014, and 2018222029; 2019222054); La Caixa Scientific Foundation (J.M. Banales: HR17-00601); "Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer" (AECC Scientific Foundation, to J.M. Banales and J.J.G. Marin); and "Centro Internacional sobre el Envejecimiento", Spain (J.J.G. Marin: OLD-HEPAMARKER, 0348-CIE-6-E). A. Santos-Laso by the Basque Government (PRE_2018_2_0195), and Pui Y. Lee-Law by the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL; Sheila Sherlock Award). Basque Government (F.P. Cossío: IT-324-07). I. Rivilla had a postdoctoral contract from the Donostia International Physics Center.Background and Aims: Polycystic liver diseases (PLDs) are genetic disorders characterized by progressive development of symptomatic biliary cysts. Current surgical and pharmacological approaches are ineffective, and liver transplantation represents the only curative option. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and histone deacetylase 6 inhibitors (HDAC6is) have arisen as promising therapeutic strategies, but with partial benefits. Approach and Results: Here, we tested an approach based on the design, synthesis, and validation of a family of UDCA synthetic conjugates with selective HDAC6i capacity (UDCA-HDAC6i). Four UDCA-HDAC6i conjugates presented selective HDAC6i activity, UDCA-HDAC6i #1 being the most promising candidate. UDCA orientation within the UDCA-HDAC6i structure was determinant for HDAC6i activity and selectivity. Treatment of polycystic rats with UDCA-HDAC6i #1 reduced their hepatomegaly and cystogenesis, increased UDCA concentration, and inhibited HDAC6 activity in liver. In cystic cholangiocytes UDCA-HDAC6i #1 restored primary cilium length and exhibited potent antiproliferative activity. UDCA-HDAC6i #1 was actively transported into cells through BA and organic cation transporters. Conclusions: These UDCA-HDAC6i conjugates open a therapeutic avenue for PLDs

The molecular basis and biologic significance of the β-dystroglycan-emerin interaction

β-dystroglycan (β-DG) assembles with lamins A/C and B1 and emerin at the nuclear envelope (NE) to maintain proper nuclear architecture and function. To provide insight into the nuclear function of β-DG, we characterized the interaction between β-DG and emerin at the molecular level. Emerin is a major NE protein that regulates multiple nuclear processes and whose deficiency results in Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD). Using truncated variants of β-DG and emerin, via a series of in vitro and in vivo binding experiments and a tailored computational analysis, we determined that the β-DG–emerin interaction is mediated at least in part by their respective transmembrane domains (TM). Using surface plasmon resonance assays we showed that emerin binds to β-DG with high affinity (KD in the nanomolar range). Remarkably, the analysis of cells in which DG was knocked out demonstrated that loss of β-DG resulted in a decreased emerin stability and impairment of emerin-mediated processes. β-DG and emerin are reciprocally required for their optimal targeting within the NE, as shown by immunofluorescence, western blotting and immunoprecipitation assays using emerin variants with mutations in the TM domain and B-lymphocytes of a patient with EDMD. In summary, we demonstrated that β-DG plays a role as an emerin interacting partner modulating its stability and function

Caracterización de la actividad enzimática del jugo gástrico de pulpo, Octopus vulgaris y de choco, Sepia officinalis a distintos pH. Digestibilidad in vitro de distintas dietas, con jugo gástrico de pulpo

Intensive culture of marine species has been increasing in many countries, such as Japan, Norway, Spain, France, and Greece. Recent research to improve the quality and quantity of aquatic animals production by understanding the process of feeding (ingestion, digestion, and absorption), with emphasis on the digestive enzymatic capabilities is important in order to understand metabolic processes and reduce costs and time on the development of such diets. The impetus to increase knowledge about suitable inert diets to partially or totally replace live feed would reduce this expensive part of the operation, particularly in new potential species, such as the octopus, Octopus vulgaris, and the cuttlefi sh, Sepia offi cinalis, which are two of the most promising cephalopods for large-scale culture. This work is divided into two parts: (1) Enzymatic characterization, by determination of protease activity of the gastric juice at pH ranges from 2 to 12, since this is the major responsible of digestion processes, and (2) In vitro evaluation of several prepared diets, as well as a selection of several natural animal protein sources, by means of a pH-Stat system The results of Part 1 showed that the digestive enzyme activity in total proteases from the gastric juice was higher at pH 7 and 9, therefore being a more alkaline digestion for these species. Total proteases activity was higher at pH 8, while the tripsin activity was higher at pH 7, for both species. For Part 2, the natural diets (natural or liophylized squid, blue whiting and mussel) promoted the highest digestibility, with the highest value being attained with liophylized squid (49%). From the prepared diets, based on raw blue whiting paste, those diets agglutinated with gelatine delivered the highest digestibility. The use of soy protein, as well as heating gelatine as agglutinants, promoted poor digestibility

Model-independent search for CP violation in D0→K−K+π−π+ and D0→π−π+π+π− decays

A search for CP violation in the phase-space structures of D0 and View the MathML source decays to the final states K−K+π−π+ and π−π+π+π− is presented. The search is carried out with a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 collected in 2011 by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. For the K−K+π−π+ final state, the four-body phase space is divided into 32 bins, each bin with approximately 1800 decays. The p-value under the hypothesis of no CP violation is 9.1%, and in no bin is a CP asymmetry greater than 6.5% observed. The phase space of the π−π+π+π− final state is partitioned into 128 bins, each bin with approximately 2500 decays. The p-value under the hypothesis of no CP violation is 41%, and in no bin is a CP asymmetry greater than 5.5% observed. All results are consistent with the hypothesis of no CP violation at the current sensitivity

Measurement of the Bs0→J/ψKS0B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0 branching fraction

The $B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0$ branching fraction is measured in a data sample corresponding to 0.41$fb^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. This channel is sensitive to the penguin contributions affecting the sin2$\beta$ measurement from $B^0\to J/\psi K_S^0$ The time-integrated branching fraction is measured to be $BF(B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0)=(1.83\pm0.28)\times10^{-5}$. This is the most precise measurement to date

Measurement of the CP-violating phase \phi s in Bs->J/\psi\pi+\pi- decays

Measurement of the mixing-induced CP-violating phase phi_s in Bs decays is of prime importance in probing new physics. Here 7421 +/- 105 signal events from the dominantly CP-odd final state J/\psi pi+ pi- are selected in 1/fb of pp collision data collected at sqrt{s} = 7 TeV with the LHCb detector. A time-dependent fit to the data yields a value of phi_s=-0.019^{+0.173+0.004}_{-0.174-0.003} rad, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. No evidence of direct CP violation is found.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures; minor revisions on May 23, 201

Search for the lepton-flavor-violating decays Bs0→e±μ∓ and B0→e±μ∓

A search for the lepton-flavor-violating decays Bs0→e±μ∓ and B0→e±μ∓ is performed with a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0  fb-1 of pp collisions at √s=7  TeV, collected by the LHCb experiment. The observed number of Bs0→e±μ∓ and B0→e±μ∓ candidates is consistent with background expectations. Upper limits on the branching fractions of both decays are determined to be B(Bs0→e±μ∓)101  TeV/c2 and MLQ(B0→e±μ∓)>126  TeV/c2 at 95% C.L., and are a factor of 2 higher than the previous bounds