Evolution of High Trophic Diversity Based on Limited Functional Disparity in the Feeding Apparatus of Marine Angelfishes (f. Pomacanthidae)

The use of biting to obtain food items attached to the substratum is an ecologically widespread and important mode of feeding among aquatic vertebrates, which rarely has been studied. We did the first evolutionary analyses of morphology and motion kinematics of the feeding apparatus in Indo-Pacific members of an iconic family of biters, the marine angelfishes (f. Pomacanthidae). We found clear interspecific differences in gut morphology that clearly reflected a wide range of trophic niches. In contrast, feeding apparatus morphology appeared to be conserved. A few unusual structural innovations enabled angelfishes to protrude their jaws, close them in the protruded state, and tear food items from the substratum at a high velocity. Only one clade, the speciose pygmy angelfishes, showed functional departure from the generalized and clade-defining grab-and-tearing feeding pattern. By comparing the feeding kinematics of angelfishes with wrasses and parrotfishes (f. Labridae) we showed that grab-and-tearing is based on low kinematics disparity. Regardless of its restricted disparity, the grab-and-tearing feeding apparatus has enabled angelfishes to negotiate ecological thresholds: Given their widely different body sizes, angelfishes can access many structurally complex benthic surfaces that other biters likely are unable to exploit. From these surfaces, angelfishes can dislodge sturdy food items from their tough attachments. Angelfishes thus provide an intriguing example of a successful group that appears to have evolved considerable trophic diversity based on an unusual yet conserved feeding apparatus configuration that is characterized by limited functional disparity

Repeated BCG treatment of mouse bladder selectively stimulates small GTPases and HLA antigens and inhibits single-spanning uroplakins

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite being a mainstay for treating superficial bladder carcinoma and a promising agent for interstitial cystitis, the precise mechanism of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) remains poorly understood. It is particularly unclear whether BCG is capable of altering gene expression beyond its well-recognized pro-inflammatory effects and how this relates to its therapeutic efficacy. The objective of this study was to determine differentially expressed genes in the mouse bladder following repeated intravesical BCG therapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Mice were transurethrally instilled with BCG or pyrogen-free on days 1, 7, 14, and 21. Seven days after the last instillation, urothelia along with the submucosa was removed and amplified ds-DNA was prepared from control- and BCG-treated bladder mucosa and used to generate suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Plasmids from control- and BCG-specific differentially expressed clones and confirmed by Virtual Northern were then purified and the inserts were sequenced and annotated. Finally, chromatin immune precipitation combined with real-time polymerase chain reaction assay (ChIP/Q-PCR) was used to validate SSH-selected transcripts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Repeated intravesical BCG treatment induced an up regulation of genes associated with antigen presentation (B2M, HLA-A, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB2, HLA-E, HLA-G, IGHG, and IGH) and representatives of two IFNγ-induced small GTPase families: the GBPs (GBP1, GBP2, and GBP5) and the p47GTPases (IIGTP1, IIGTP2, and TGTP). Genes expressed in saline-treated bladders but down-regulated by BCG included: the single-spanning uroplakins (UPK3a and UPK2), SPRR2G, GSTM5, and RSP 19.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Here we introduced a hypothesis-generator approach to determine key genes involved in the urothelium/sumbmucosa responses to BCG therapy. Urinary bladder responds to repeated BCG treatment by up-regulating not only antigen presentation-related genes, but also GBP and p47 small GTPases, both potentially serving to mount a resistance to the replication of the <it>Mycobacterium</it>. It will be of tremendous future interest to determine whether these immune response cascades play a role in the anti-cancer effects exerted by BCG.</p

Healthy dietary indices and risk of depressive outcomes : a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

With depression being the psychiatric disorder incurring the largest societal costs in developed countries, there is a need to gather evidence on the role of nutrition in depression, to help develop recommendations and guide future psychiatric health care. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the link between diet quality, measured using a range of predefined indices, and depressive outcomes. Medline, Embase and PsychInfo were searched up to 31st May 2018 for studies that examined adherence to a healthy diet in relation to depressive symptoms or clinical depression. Where possible, estimates were pooled using random effect meta-analysis with stratification by observational study design and dietary score. A total of 20 longitudinal and 21 cross-sectional studies were included. These studies utilized an array of dietary measures, including: different measures of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and Alternative HEI (AHEI), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and the Dietary Inflammatory Index. The most compelling evidence was found for the Mediterranean diet and incident depression, with a combined relative risk estimate of highest vs. lowest adherence category from four longitudinal studies of 0.67 (95% CI 0.55-0.82). A lower Dietary Inflammatory Index was also associated with lower depression incidence in four longitudinal studies (relative risk 0.76; 95% CI: 0.63-0.92). There were fewer longitudinal studies using other indices, but they and cross-sectional evidence also suggest an inverse association between healthy diet and depression (e.g., relative risk 0.65; 95% CI 0.50-0.84 for HEI/AHEI). To conclude, adhering to a healthy diet, in particular a traditional Mediterranean diet, or avoiding a pro-inflammatory diet appears to confer some protection against depression in observational studies. This provides a reasonable evidence base to assess the role of dietary interventions to prevent depression.Peer reviewe

Trophic ecology of demersal fishes from the Pacific shelf off central Mexico

Trophic interactions among ten fish species from the Pacific shelf of central Mexico were studied through the analysis of stomach contents: Cynoscion phoxocephalus Jordan and Gilbert, 1882; Diodon hystrix Linnaeus, 1758; Diodon holocanthus Linnaeus, 1758; Prionotus ruscarius Gilbert and Starks, 1904; Synodus sp., Cyclopsetta querna (Jordan and Bollman, 1890); Gymnothorax ecuatorialis (Hildebrand, 1946); Lutjanus guttatus (Steindachner, 1869); Lutjanus peru (Nichols and Murphy, 1922); and Syacium latifrons Jordan and Gilbert, 1882. Fishes were caught during 1998 by seasonal trawling at depths of 20-80 m. In total, 937 stomachs were examined and the prey grouped into 106 items. An index of relative importance of prey was estimated for each predator. The main prey were crustaceans, which were the most important prey of all predators except D. hystrix, Synodus sp., and C. querna. Mollusks were the main prey for D. hystrix and Synodus sp., while fish were the main prey of C. querna. Diodon histryx had the highest value of niche breadth followed by P. ruscarius and D. holocanthus. Niche breadth was not equal among predators, ranging from 3 to 0.3. Overlap among species was low, and the main overlap was not among species from the same genus. The same species from different years exhibited remarkable changes in diet. � 2005 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami

Trophic ecology of demersal fishes from the Pacific shelf off central Mexico

Trophic interactions among ten fish species from the Pacific shelf of central Mexico were studied through the analysis of stomach contents: Cynoscion phoxocephalus Jordan and Gilbert, 1882; Diodon hystrix Linnaeus, 1758; Diodon holocanthus Linnaeus, 1758; Prionotus ruscarius Gilbert and Starks, 1904; Synodus sp., Cyclopsetta querna (Jordan and Bollman, 1890); Gymnothorax ecuatorialis (Hildebrand, 1946); Lutjanus guttatus (Steindachner, 1869); Lutjanus peru (Nichols and Murphy, 1922); and Syacium latifrons Jordan and Gilbert, 1882. Fishes were caught during 1998 by seasonal trawling at depths of 20-80 m. In total, 937 stomachs were examined and the prey grouped into 106 items. An index of relative importance of prey was estimated for each predator. The main prey were crustaceans, which were the most important prey of all predators except D. hystrix, Synodus sp., and C. querna. Mollusks were the main prey for D. hystrix and Synodus sp., while fish were the main prey of C. querna. Diodon histryx had the highest value of niche breadth followed by P. ruscarius and D. holocanthus. Niche breadth was not equal among predators, ranging from 3 to 0.3. Overlap among species was low, and the main overlap was not among species from the same genus. The same species from different years exhibited remarkable changes in diet. © 2005 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami

The daily market for funds in Europe. What has changed with the emu?

Centro de Informacion y Documentacion Cientifica (CINDOC). C/Joaquin Costa, 22. 28002 Madrid. SPAIN / CINDOC - Centro de Informaciòn y Documentaciòn CientìficaSIGLEESSpai

Interest rate determination in the interbank market

Centro de Informacion y Documentacion Cientifica (CINDOC). C/Joaquin Costa, 22. 28002 Madrid. SPAIN / CINDOC - Centro de Informaciòn y Documentaciòn CientìficaSIGLEESSpai