Co-feeding of live feed and inert diet from first-feeding affects Artemia lipid digestibility and retention in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) larvae

The present study intended to evaluate the effects of early introduction of inert diet in lipid digestibility and metabolism of sole, while larval feed intake, growth and survival were also monitored. Solea senegalensis larvae were reared on a standard live feed regime (ST) and co-feeding regime with inert diet (Art R). Trials using sole larvae fed with Artemia enriched with two different lipid emulsions, containing glycerol tri [1-14C] oleate (TAG) and L-3-phosphatidylcholine-1,2-di-[1-14C] oleoyl (PL), were performed at 9 and 17 days after hatching (DAH) to study lipid utilization. Co-feeding did not affect sole survival rates (ST 59.1 ± 15.9 %; Art R 69.56 ± 9.3 %), but was reflected in significantly smaller final weight at 16 DAH (ST 0.71 ± 0.20; Art R 0.48 ± 0.14 mg). Higher feed intake was observed in sole larvae fed on Artemia enriched with labeled PL at 9 DAH but not at 17 DAH. At 17 DAH, the smaller larvae (Art R treatment) ingested proportionally more Artemia in weight percentage, independently of enrichment. At 9 DAH lipid digestibility was equal among treatments and higher than 90%, while at 17 DAH it was higher in ST treatment (around 73 %) compared to the Art R group (around 66 %). Lipid retention efficiency at 9 DAH was higher in the Art R treatment, reaching values of 50 %, while these values almost duplicated at 17 DAH, ranging up to 80 % in both treatments without significant differences. These results show that co-feeding of live feed and inert diet from first-feeding in Senegalese sole has a toll in terms of growth and lipid digestibility but does not seem to compromise lipid metabolic utilization

Allergenic Lipid Transfer Proteins from Plant-Derived Foods Do Not Immunologically and Clinically Behave Homogeneously: The Kiwifruit LTP as a Model

BACKGROUND: Food allergy is increasingly common worldwide. Tools for allergy diagnosis measuring IgE improved much since allergenic molecules and microarrays started to be used. IgE response toward allergens belonging to the same group of molecules has not been comprehensively explored using such approach yet. OBJECTIVE: Using the model of lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) from plants as allergens, including two new structures, we sought to define how heterogeneous is the behavior of homologous proteins. METHODS: Two new allergenic LTPs, Act d 10 and Act c 10, have been identified in green (Actinidia deliciosa) and gold (Actinidia chinensis) kiwifruit (KF), respectively, using clinically characterized allergic patients, and their biochemical features comparatively evaluated by means of amino acid sequence alignments. Along with other five LTPs from peach, mulberry, hazelnut, peanut, mugwort, KF LTPs, preliminary tested positive for IgE, have been immobilized on a microarray, used for IgE testing 1,003 allergic subjects. Comparative analysis has been carried out. RESULTS: Alignment of Act d 10 primary structure with the other allergenic LTPs shows amino acid identities to be in a narrow range between 40 and 55%, with a number of substitutions making the sequences quite different from each other. Although peach LTP dominates the IgE immune response in terms of prevalence, epitope recognition driven by sequence heterogeneity has been recorded to be distributed in a wide range of behaviors. KF LTPs IgE positive results were obtained in a patient subset IgE positive for the peach LTP. Anyhow, the negative results on homologous molecules allowed us to reintroduce KF in patients' diet. CONCLUSION: The biochemical nature of allergenic molecule belonging to a group of homologous ones should not be taken as proof of immunological recognition as well. The availability of panels of homologous molecules to be tested using microarrays is valuable to address the therapeutic intervention

Lichen rehydration in heavy metal polluted environments: Pb modulates the oxidative response of both Ramalina farinacea thalli and its isolated microalgae

Lichens are adapted to desiccation/rehydration and accumulate heavy metals, which induce ROS especially from the photobiont photosynthetic pigments. Although their mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance are still to be unravelled, they seem related to symbionts' reciprocal upregulation of antioxidant systems. With the aim to study the effect of Pb on oxidative status during rehydration, the kinetics of intracellular ROS, lipid peroxidation and chlorophyll autofluorescence of whole Ramalina farinacea thalli and its isolated microalgae (Trebouxia TR1 and T. TR9) was recorded. A genetic characterization of the microalgae present in the thalli used was also carried out in order to assess possible correlations among the relative abundance of each phycobiont, their individual physiological responses and that of the entire thallus. Unexpectedly, Pb decreased ROS and lipid peroxidation in thalli and its phycobionts, associated with a lower chlorophyll autofluorescence. Each phycobiont showed a particular pattern, but the oxidative response of the thallus paralleled the TR1's, agreeing with the genetic identification of this strain as the predominant phycobiont. We conclude that: (1) the lichen oxidative behaviour seems to be modulated by the predominant phycobiont and (2) Pb evokes in R. farinacea and its phycobionts strong mechanisms to neutralize its own oxidant effects along with those of rehydration

Innovation, low energy buildings and intermediaries in Europe: systematic case study review

As buildings throughout their lifecycle account for circa 40% of total energy use in Europe, reducing energy use of the building stock is a key task. This task is, however, complicated by a range of factors, including slow renewal and renovation rates of buildings, multiple non- coordinated actors, conservative building practices, and limited competence to innovate. Drawing from academic literature published during 2005-2015, this article carries out a systematic review of case studies on low energy innovations in the European residential building sector, analysing their drivers. Specific attention is paid to intermediary actors in facilitating innovation processes and creating new opportunities. The study finds that qualitative case study literature on low energy building innovation has been limited, particularly regarding the existing building stock. Environmental concerns, EU, national and local policies have been the key drivers; financial, knowledge and social sustainability and equity drivers have been of modest importance; while design, health and comfort, and market drivers have played a minor role. Intermediary organisations and individuals have been important through five processes: (1) facilitating individual building projects, (2) creating niche markets, (3) implementing new practices in social housing stock, (4) supporting new business model creation, and (5) facilitating building use post construction. The intermediaries have included both public and private actors, while local authority agents have acted as intermediaries in several cases

Unveiling novel genes upregulated by both rhBMP2 and rhBMP7 during early osteoblastic transdifferentiation of C2C12 cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We set out to analyse the gene expression profile of pre-osteoblastic C2C12 cells during osteodifferentiation induced by both rhBMP2 and rhBMP7 using DNA microarrays. Induced and repressed genes were intercepted, resulting in 1,318 induced genes and 704 repressed genes by both rhBMP2 and rhBMP7. We selected and validated, by RT-qPCR, 24 genes which were upregulated by rhBMP2 and rhBMP7; of these, 13 are related to transcription (<it>Runx2, Dlx1, Dlx2, Dlx5, Id1, Id2, Id3, Fkhr1, Osx, Hoxc8, Glis1, Glis3 </it>and <it>Cfdp1</it>), four are associated with cell signalling pathways (<it>Lrp6, Dvl1, Ecsit </it>and <it>PKCδ</it>) and seven are associated with the extracellular matrix (<it>Ltbp2, Grn, Postn, Plod1, BMP1, Htra1 </it>and <it>IGFBP-rP10</it>). The novel identified genes include: <it>Hoxc8, Glis1, Glis3, Ecsit, PKCδ, LrP6, Dvl1, Grn, BMP1, Ltbp2, Plod1, Htra1 </it>and <it>IGFBP-rP10</it>.</p> <p>Background</p> <p>BMPs (bone morphogenetic proteins) are members of the TGFβ (transforming growth factor-β) super-family of proteins, which regulate growth and differentiation of different cell types in various tissues, and play a critical role in the differentiation of mesenchymal cells into osteoblasts. In particular, rhBMP2 and rhBMP7 promote osteoinduction <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>, and both proteins are therapeutically applied in orthopaedics and dentistry.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Using DNA microarrays and RT-qPCR, we identified both previously known and novel genes which are upregulated by rhBMP2 and rhBMP7 during the onset of osteoblastic transdifferentiation of pre-myoblastic C2C12 cells. Subsequent studies of these genes in C2C12 and mesenchymal or pre-osteoblastic cells should reveal more details about their role during this type of cellular differentiation induced by BMP2 or BMP7. These studies are relevant to better understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying osteoblastic differentiation and bone repair.</p

Strengthening insights into host responses to mastitis infection in ruminants by combining heterogeneous microarray data sources

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene expression profiling studies of mastitis in ruminants have provided key but fragmented knowledge for the understanding of the disease. A systematic combination of different expression profiling studies via meta-analysis techniques has the potential to test the extensibility of conclusions based on single studies. Using the program Pointillist, we performed meta-analysis of transcription-profiling data from six independent studies of infections with mammary gland pathogens, including samples from cattle challenged <it>in vivo </it>with <it>S. aureus</it>, <it>E. coli</it>, and <it>S. uberis</it>, samples from goats challenged <it>in vivo </it>with <it>S. aureus</it>, as well as cattle macrophages and ovine dendritic cells infected <it>in vitro </it>with <it>S. aureus</it>. We combined different time points from those studies, testing different responses to mastitis infection: overall (common signature), early stage, late stage, and cattle-specific.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of affected genes showed that the four meta-analysis combinations share biological functions and pathways (e.g. protein ubiquitination and polyamine regulation) which are intrinsic to the general disease response. In the overall response, pathways related to immune response and inflammation, as well as biological functions related to lipid metabolism were altered. This latter observation is consistent with the milk fat content depression commonly observed during mastitis infection. Complementarities between early and late stage responses were found, with a prominence of metabolic and stress signals in the early stage and of the immune response related to the lipid metabolism in the late stage; both mechanisms apparently modulated by few genes, including <it>XBP1 </it>and <it>SREBF1</it>.</p> <p>The cattle-specific response was characterized by alteration of the immune response and by modification of lipid metabolism. Comparison of <it>E. coli </it>and <it>S. aureus </it>infections in cattle <it>in vivo </it>revealed that affected genes showing opposite regulation had the same altered biological functions and provided evidence that <it>E. coli </it>caused a stronger host response.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This meta-analysis approach reinforces previous findings but also reveals several novel themes, including the involvement of genes, biological functions, and pathways that were not identified in individual studies. As such, it provides an interesting proof of principle for future studies combining information from diverse heterogeneous sources.</p

European and multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of atopic dermatitis highlights importance of systemic immune regulation

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin condition and prior genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 71 associated loci. In the current study we conducted the largest AD GWAS to date (discovery N = 1,086,394, replication N = 3,604,027), combining previously reported cohorts with additional available data. We identified 81 loci (29 novel) in the European-only analysis (which all replicated in a separate European analysis) and 10 additional loci in the multi-ancestry analysis (3 novel). Eight variants from the multi-ancestry analysis replicated in at least one of the populations tested (European, Latino or African), while two may be specific to individuals of Japanese ancestry. AD loci showed enrichment for DNAse I hypersensitivity and eQTL associations in blood. At each locus we prioritised candidate genes by integrating multi-omic data. The implicated genes are predominantly in immune pathways of relevance to atopic inflammation and some offer drug repurposing opportunities.</p

A case-only study to identify genetic modifiers of breast cancer risk for BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers

Breast cancer (BC) risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers varies by genetic and familial factors. About 50 common variants have been shown to modify BC risk for mutation carriers. All but three, were identified in general population studies. Other mutation carrier-specific susceptibility variants may exist but studies of mutation carriers have so far been underpowered. We conduct a novel case-only genome-wide association study comparing genotype frequencies between 60,212 general population BC cases and 13,007 cases with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. We identify robust novel associations for 2 variants with BC for BRCA1 and 3 for BRCA2 mutation carriers, P &lt; 10−8, at 5 loci, which are not associated with risk in the general population. They include rs60882887 at 11p11.2 where MADD, SP11 and EIF1, genes previously implicated in BC biology, are predicted as potential targets. These findings will contribute towards customising BC polygenic risk scores for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers