Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) from the rising sun (Far East Asia): phylogeny, systematics, and distribution

Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) is a diverse family with around 700 species being widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and Africa. These animals fulfill key ecological functions and provide important services to humans. Unfortunately, populations have declined dramatically over the last century, rendering Unionidae one of the world’s most imperiled taxonomic groups. In Far East Asia (comprising Japan, Korea, and Eastern Russia), conservation actions have been hindered by a lack of basic information on the number, identity, distribution and phylogenetic relationships of species. Available knowledge is restricted to studies on national and sub-national levels. The present study aims to resolve the diversity, biogeography and evolutionary relationships of the Far East Asian Unionidae in a globally comprehensive phylogenetic and systematic context.We reassessed the systematics of all Unionidae species in the region, including newly collected specimens from across Japan, South Korea, and Russia, based on molecular (including molecular species delineation and a COI + 28S phylogeny) and comparative morphological analyses. Biogeographical patterns were then assessed based on available species distribution data from the authors and previous reference works.We revealed that Unionidae species richness in Far East Asia is 30% higher than previously assumed, counting 43 species (41 native + 2 alien) within two Unionidae subfamilies, the Unioninae (32 + 1) and Gonideinae (9 + 1). Four of these species are new to science, i.e. Beringiana gosannensis sp. nov., Beringiana fukuharai sp. nov., Buldowskia kamiyai sp. nov., and Koreosolenaia sitgyensis gen. & sp. nov. We also propose a replacement name for Nodularia sinulata, i.e. Nodularia breviconcha nom. nov. and describe a new tribe (Middendorffinaiini tribe nov.) within the Unioninae subfamily. Biogeographical patterns indicate that this fauna is related to that from China south to Vietnam until the Mekong River basin. The Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and the Korean Peninsula were identified as areas of particularly high conservation value, owing to high rates of endemism, diversity and habitat loss. The genetically unique species within the genera Amuranodonta, Obovalis, Koreosolenaia gen. nov., and Middendorffinaia are of high conservation concern

α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone directly increases the plasma calcitonin level and involves calcium metabolism in goldfish

Abstract The effects of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) on calcium metabolism were examined with goldfish. The scales on the left side of goldfish bodies were removed to allow the regeneration of scales under anesthesia. Thereafter, the influences of α-MSH injection (low dose: 0.1 μg/g body weight; high dose: 1 μg/g body weight) on plasma calcitonin (calcium-regulating hormone) and the calcium content of the scales were investigated. Ten days after removing the scales, we measured the plasma calcitonin and calcium content of both regenerating scales on the left side and ontogenic scales on the right side. At both doses of α-MSH injection, plasma calcitonin concentrations in the α-MSH-treated group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The mRNA expressions of α-MSH-receptors were detected in the ultimobranchial glands (secretory organ of calcitonin), indicating that α-MSH directly functions in ultimobranchial glands and promotes calcitonin secretion. Furthermore, we found that the calcium content of regenerating scales in α-MSH-treated goldfish was higher than that in control goldfish, while the calcium content of ontogenic scales on the right side was significantly decreased by α-MSH injection. There was a significant co-relationship between plasma calcitonin and the calcium content of regenerating scales. The mRNA expression of calcitonin receptors in regenerating scales was remarkably higher than that in ontogenic scales. These results imply that calcitonin functions to promote scale regeneration resulting from the inhibition of bone resorption because calcitonin suppresses osteoclastic activity. Thus, we are the first to demonstrate the interaction between α-MSH and calcitonin in teleosts

Abstract 1122‐000009: Impact of RNF213 p.R4810K Variant on Endovascular Therapy Outcome for Acute Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke

Introduction: The ring finger protein 213 gene (RNF213) has been identified as a susceptibility gene for moyamoya disease, and the p.R4810K polymorphism as a founder variant commonly found in East Asian patients. 1  A recent large case‐control study including over 46,958 Japanese subjects reported that the RNF213 p.R4810K variant was a strong risk factor for Japanese cerebral infarction: the variant was found in 5.2% of patients with non‐cardioembolic stroke and in 2.1% of healthy controls. 2   Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is a standard treatment for acute ischemic stroke due to occlusion of the internal carotid artery and M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery, but in East Asians, about 15–25% of LVOs for which MT was performed were reportedly caused by intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD). 3  RNF213 p.R4810K variant may be involved to some extent in ICAD‐related LVO of Asian patients undergoing MT. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of RNF213 p.R4810K variant on EVT for anterior circulation LVO stroke. Methods: Of the consecutive ischemic stroke patients from 2011 to 2021 seen in our institute, patients who underwent EVT for acute occlusion of the intracranial ICA or M1 segment of MCA and signed a consent form for RNF213 genotyping were included. Outcomes were instant re‐occlusion, final modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) ≥2b reperfusion, early re‐occlusion, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0–2 at 90 days. Instant re‐occlusion was defined as occurrence of re‐occlusion during the procedure, whereas early re‐occlusion as re‐occlusion detected on magnetic resonance angiography within 2 weeks after confirmation of successful reperfusion at the end of the procedure. 4 Results: Of the 277 patients (128 women [46.2%]; median age, 76 years) analyzed, 10 (3.6%) patients had the RNF213 p.R4810K variant. The variant carriers were younger (67 years vs. 76 years, P<0.01), more frequently received angioplasty (40.0% vs. 12.0%, P<0.01), and more frequently had intracranial atherosclerotic disease‐related LVO as a cause of acute LVO (70.0% vs. 8.6%, P<0.01) than non‐carriers. The variant carriers showed higher rates of instant re‐occlusion (40.0% vs. 5.6%, P<0.01), but there were no statistically significant inter‐group differences for the final mTICI ≥2b reperfusion rate between carriers and non‐carriers (100.0% vs. 81.6%, P = 0.22). Early re‐occlusion was more frequent in the variant carriers than non‐ carriers (60.0% vs. 0.4%, P<0.01) with no intergroup difference in the rate of repeated EVT (67.7% vs. 100.0%, P = 0.71). There were no statistically significant inter‐group differences for achievement of mRS score 0–2 (60.0% vs. 51.7%, P = 0.75) Conclusions: Both instant and early re‐occlusion were more frequent in the RNF213 p.R4810K variant carriers who had received EVT for acute anterior circulation LVO than in the non‐carriers. Potential impact of RNF213 polymorphism status on EVT outcomes was clarified

Impact of the RNF213 p.R4810K Variant on Endovascular Therapy for Large‐Vessel Occlusion Stroke

Background We investigated the impact of the ring finger protein 213 p.R4810K variant, a founder variant for moyamoya disease in East Asians, on endovascular therapy outcomes in patients with acute anterior‐circulation large‐vessel occlusion stroke in comparison with noncarriers. Methods Of the consecutive patients with ischemic stroke admitted to our institute from 2011 to 2021, patients who underwent endovascular therapy for acute occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery or M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery were included. Outcomes were instant reocclusion, final modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction reperfusion ≥2b, and early reocclusion. Instant reocclusion was defined as the occurrence of reocclusion during the procedure, and early reocclusion was defined as reocclusion detected on magnetic resonance angiography within 2 weeks after the confirmation of successful reperfusion. Results Of the 277 patients analyzed (128 women; median age, 76 years), 10 patients (3.6%) carried the ring finger protein 213 p.R4810K variant. Variant carriers were younger (P=0.01) and more frequently had intracranial atherosclerotic disease‐related large‐vessel occlusion as a cause of acute large‐vessel occlusion (P<0.001) compared with noncarriers. Variant carriers showed a higher rate of instant reocclusion (70.0% versus 5.6%; P<0.001), but there were no significant intergroup differences in the final modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction ≥2b reperfusion rate between carriers and noncarriers (100.0% versus 81.6%, respectively; P=0.22). Early reocclusion was more frequent in variant carriers compared with noncarriers (60.0% versus 0.4%; P<0.001). Conclusions Instant and early reocclusions were more frequent in variant carriers who underwent endovascular therapy for acute anterior‐circulation large‐vessel occlusion compared with noncarriers

Search for intermediate-mass black hole binaries in the third observing run of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo

International audienceIntermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) span the approximate mass range 100−105 M⊙, between black holes (BHs) that formed by stellar collapse and the supermassive BHs at the centers of galaxies. Mergers of IMBH binaries are the most energetic gravitational-wave sources accessible by the terrestrial detector network. Searches of the first two observing runs of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo did not yield any significant IMBH binary signals. In the third observing run (O3), the increased network sensitivity enabled the detection of GW190521, a signal consistent with a binary merger of mass ∼150 M⊙ providing direct evidence of IMBH formation. Here, we report on a dedicated search of O3 data for further IMBH binary mergers, combining both modeled (matched filter) and model-independent search methods. We find some marginal candidates, but none are sufficiently significant to indicate detection of further IMBH mergers. We quantify the sensitivity of the individual search methods and of the combined search using a suite of IMBH binary signals obtained via numerical relativity, including the effects of spins misaligned with the binary orbital axis, and present the resulting upper limits on astrophysical merger rates. Our most stringent limit is for equal mass and aligned spin BH binary of total mass 200 M⊙ and effective aligned spin 0.8 at 0.056 Gpc−3 yr−1 (90% confidence), a factor of 3.5 more constraining than previous LIGO-Virgo limits. We also update the estimated rate of mergers similar to GW190521 to 0.08 Gpc−3 yr−1.Key words: gravitational waves / stars: black holes / black hole physicsCorresponding author: W. Del Pozzo, e-mail: [email protected]† Deceased, August 2020