Gene Expression in Human Hippocampus from Cocaine Abusers Identifies Genes which Regulate Extracellular Matrix Remodeling

The chronic effects of cocaine abuse on brain structure and function are blamed for the inability of most addicts to remain abstinent. Part of the difficulty in preventing relapse is the persisting memory of the intense euphoria or cocaine “rush”. Most abused drugs and alcohol induce neuroplastic changes in brain pathways subserving emotion and cognition. Such changes may account for the consolidation and structural reconfiguration of synaptic connections with exposure to cocaine. Adaptive hippocampal plasticity could be related to specific patterns of gene expression with chronic cocaine abuse. Here, we compare gene expression profiles in the human hippocampus from cocaine addicts and age-matched drug-free control subjects. Cocaine abusers had 151 gene transcripts upregulated, while 91 gene transcripts were downregulated. Topping the list of cocaine-regulated transcripts was RECK in the human hippocampus (FC = 2.0; p<0.05). RECK is a membrane-anchored MMP inhibitor that is implicated in the coordinated regulation of extracellular matrix integrity and angiogenesis. In keeping with elevated RECK expression, active MMP9 protein levels were decreased in the hippocampus from cocaine abusers. Pathway analysis identified other genes regulated by cocaine that code for proteins involved in the remodeling of the cytomatrix and synaptic connections and the inhibition of blood vessel proliferation (PCDH8, LAMB1, ITGB6, CTGF and EphB4). The observed microarray phenotype in the human hippocampus identified RECK and other region-specific genes that may promote long-lasting structural changes with repeated cocaine abuse. Extracellular matrix remodeling in the hippocampus may be a persisting effect of chronic abuse that contributes to the compulsive and relapsing nature of cocaine addiction

Diet composition of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L. 1758) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey

WOS: 000272379800020P>This study gives relevant information on the diet composition of the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) during the spawning period in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The stomach contents of 218 bluefin tuna were sampled from 2003 to 2006 during the fishing season (May-June) aboard purse seiners operating in the northern Levantine Sea off the coast of Turkey. Stomachs were removed from the fish soon after landing and kept frozen at -18 degrees C until analysis. Prey items were classified into large taxonomic categories and preserved in 70% ethanol. A total of 745 different prey specimens belonging to 47 taxa were identified, including 34 species of fish, 11 of squid, and two of crustaceans. The most important fish and cephalopod prey belonged to the families Myctophidae, Carangidae, Chauliodontidae, Paralepididae, and Octopoda. This study marks the observation of myctophid fish in the stomach contents of bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean Sea. The paper offers some new information of regional importance and compares the feeding habits of the species to other regions, bringing confirmation on the opportunistic feeding ecology of the species in the enclosed Mediterranean Sea, where bluefin tuna seasonally occur as a strong cohort. New information on the diet composition of T. thynnus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is revealed; the findings indicate that, depending on the abundance of the different prey species in the habitat, the dominant prey species can be distinctive.Research Fund of The University of IstanbulIstanbul University [BYP/2994]; BYP of ICCAT; Turkish Bluefin Tuna Farmers Association (OYID)This study was financially supported by the Research Fund of The University of Istanbul with the project number BYP/2994, BYP of ICCAT and the Turkish Bluefin Tuna Farmers Association (OYID). We are grateful to the fishing companies AKUADEM (Istanbul, Turkey), DARDANEL (Canakkale, Turkey), GROUP SAGUN (Antalya, Turkey) and AKTUNA (Istanbul, Turkey). We are also grateful to Gerry Scott (NOAA), Burcu Bilgin (Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs) and Elif Ozgur (Akdeniz University) for their help

A comparison of fatty acid, cholesterol and vitamin composition in sea bass [Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758)] and sea bream [Sparus aurata (Linnaeus, 1758)] from three cage farm areas: Antalya and Mugla (Turkey) and Iskele (Northern Cyprus)

1st International Fisheries Symposium -- MAR 24-27, 2013 -- Girne, CYPRUSHarlioglu, Ayse Gul/0000-0001-9478-6419WOS: 000380019500036In the present study the fatty acids, cholesterol and vitamin composition in farmed sea bass (8 fish per species per farm; weight range: 389.6-395.8 g, total length range: 297-316 mm) and sea bream (8 fish per species per farm; weight range: 386.8-391.7 g, total length range: 263-268 mm) from three cage farms (Iskele in northern Cyprus, Antalya and Mugla in Turkey) were compared during the harvesting period in June-July 2011. The results showed that the muscles of D. labrax and S. aurata farmed fish were rich in n-3 fatty acids, but with important differences. For example, the muscles of sea bass farmed in Iskele were rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Palmitic acid (C16:0) was the primary saturated fatty acid, and oleic acid (C18:1 n-9) the primary mono-unsaturated fatty acid in the muscle and liver samples of the cage-farmed sea bass and sea bream. There were no significant differences in the cholesterol content in the muscles of sea bream farmed in Iskele, Antalya or Mugla. In conclusion, the n-3/n-6 ratio in the muscle of farmed S. aurata and D. labrax is within the recommended limits for a healthy human diet, being very suitable for human nutrition.European Univ Lefke, Cyprus Marine Sci Fdn, World Sturgeon Conservat Soc, Prime Minist, Minist Foreign Affairs, Minst Agr, Turkish Republ No Cyprus, Nat Resources & Foo

Ovarian development of albacore (Thunnus alalunga Bonnaterre, 1788) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: a histological characterisation

In order to investigate the stages of oogenesis in the albacore Thunnus alalunga, 129 females (64.0. 83.5 cm fork length-FL) were captured by gill nets from April to August 2002-2008, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Based on histological examination of the ovaries, a total of seven ovarian developmental stages were identified: perinucleolar, lipid, early vitellogenesis, late vitellogenesis, migratory nucleus, pre-hydrated and hydrated. The monthly gonadosomatic index values and the results of the histological analysis indicated that the females mature in May. The spawning stage becomes predominant in June and reaches a maximum in July. The evidence reported here indicates that the size of females at first sexual maturity was lower for the Mediterranean albacore stock than for the Pacific and Atlantic stocks

Testes development and maturity classification of albacore (Thunnus alalunga (Bonaterre, 1788)) from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

The criteria of testicular maturity during the spawning season and for maturity rates are described according to age for 140 male albacore (Thunnus alalunga, Bonnaterre, 1788) sampled between April and August, 2002-2008 in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Histology of gonad samples was used to determine maturity status. Spermatogenesis and its relation to reproductive biology are reported. Fish ranged in fork length (FL) from 63 to 90 cm. The reproductive classes were based upon changes in the testicular morphology and stages of the germinative cells, i.e. immature, developing, maturing, spawning, and spent. Mature stages of testes including the smallest sample of a 63 cm male were observed from May to August of each year during the study. The reported evidence indicates that the size and age of first sexual maturity values of males of the Eastern Mediterranean population are nearly the same as in the Western Mediterranean population, but lower than in the Atlantic stock. The results of this histological investigation, conducted for the first time on this species in the Mediterranean Sea, will enable more precise future estimations for sustainability of the male albacore stock in the Eastern Mediterranean

Reproductive biology of little tunny, Euthynnus alletteratus (Rafinesque), from the north-eastern Mediterranean Sea

The study aimed at identifying spawning season and potential year classes reaching maturity in the north-eastern Mediterranean, an area where little information on tuna spawning is available. Gonads (60 ovaries and 36 testis) were obtained from little tunny, Euthynnus alletteratus. The fish were caught between November 2002 and May 2005 in the north-eastern Mediterranean Sea. The ovaries were histologically examined to determine the reproductive conditions and developmental stages of oocytes. Seven females sampled in May, July, and August were sexually mature (stage III or IV). The gonado-somatic index (GSI) indicated that spawning generally occurred between May and September. The most intensive spawning period was observed between July and August. The sex ratio was calculated as 1 : 1.7 M/F (total n = 96). The length and weight relationship was calculated with W = 0.038 L(2.77), ages from year I to IV being included in the analysis

Morphometric differentiation between two juvenile tuna species [Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Euthynnus alletteratus (Rafinesque, 1810)] from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

The main objective of this study was to analyse the differences in morphometric characteristics among specimens of Atlantic juvenile bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus [12.2-46.5 cm fork length (FL)] and juvenile little tuna Euthynnus alletteratus (14.1-26.4 cm FL). A total of 353 bluefin tuna (young of the year) and 288 little tuna (young of the year) were collected from the commercial hand line fisheries in the eastern Mediterranean Sea between July and October of 2011-2013 with three round-bent hook sizes (numbers 10, 12 and 14; Mustad 2315S). By using univariate and multivariate analysis, 11 morphometric characters were investigated. anova revealed highly significant differences (P < 0.001) for all morphometric parameters among the two species. The principal component analysis showed that the difference between the species resulted mainly from preanal length (LA), caudal fin hight (CC), snout length (SnL), eye diameter (ED) and postorbital length (PO). The stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that juveniles of the two tuna species were correctly classified, with a percentage of 99.2%. Length of pectoral fin (LP) was the strongest predictor in the discriminant functions