Effects of coastal orientation and depth on the distribution of subtidal benthic assemblages

Copyright © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.A better understanding of biological systems can only be gained if we understand what processes are important and how they operate to determine the distribution of organisms. Coastal orientation and depth can influence environmental conditions, including the degree of water motion and availability of light, which in turn may influence the horizontal and vertical patterns of organism distribution. Here, we used a mixed-model design to examine the effects of coastal orientation and depth on the structure of benthic assemblages by comparing the abundance and distribution of macroalgae and invertebrates in shallow and deep waters on the opposing coasts of Sa˜o Miguel. Generally, coastal orientation had little influence on the distribution of most taxa. In contrast, significant differences were generally associated with depth, although patterns were spatially variable at the scale of locations. This study suggests that depth, and processes operating at the scale of location, but not at the scale of the coast, have an important influence on these assemblages, and that failure to recognise such a scale of variability may hamper our ability to better understand the processes that structure these communities

Reduced-risk insecticides in Neotropical stingless bee species: impact on survival and activity

Background: As honeybees are the main pollinator species subject to an intense research regarding effects of pesticides, other ecologically important native bee pollinators have received little attention in ecotoxicology and risk assessment of pesticides in general, and insecticides in particular, some of which are perceived as reduced-risk compounds. Here the impact of three reduced-risk insecticides – azadirachtin, spinosad, and chlorantraniliprole – was assessed in two species of stingless bees, Partamona helleri and Scaptotrigona xanthotrica, which are important native pollinators in Neotropical America. The neonicotinoid imidacloprid was used as a positive control.Results: Spinosad exhibited high oral and contact toxicities in adult workers of both species at the recommended label rates, with median survival times (LT50s) ranging from 1 to 4 h, whereas these estimates were below 15 min for imidacloprid. Azadirachtin and chlorantraniliprole exhibited low toxicity at the recommended label rates, with negligible mortality that did not allow LT50 estimation. Sublethal behavioral assessments of these two insecticides indicated that neither one of them affected the overall group activity of workers of the two species. However, both azadirachtin and chlorantraniliprole impaired individual flight take-off of P. helleri and S. xanthotrica worker bees, which may compromise foraging activity, potentially leading to reduced colony survival.Conclusion: These findings challenge the common perception of non-target safety of reduced-risk insecticides and bioinsecticides, particularly regarding native pollinator species.Keywords: behavioral impact; biopesticides; colony and individual level effects; native bee pollinators; sublethal effect

Concepção e desenvolvimento de sistemas biotecnológicos

In a simple and succinct form the authors intend to present the research and development activities that are being undertaken at the University of Minho in the area of biotechnology applied to the study, design, development and construction of equipment goods, which are being carried out together with important Iberian and European industrial companies. The projects are as follows: • Real time monitoring of beer fermentation using optical fiber sensors – MONI®TOR; • EggReady – Development of a prototype for a continuous industrial production of fried eggs, and • HealthyCream – Development of innovative dietetical solutions for the deli shop industry. These projects have been submitted and approved, and are all funded by the Portuguese National Strategic Reference Framework (QREN operational programmes 2007-2013). They are being developed with the following partner companies, all based in Portugal: UNICER Bebidas, S.A. – Innovation and Quality Department (Leça do Balio, Matosinhos); Derovo – Derivados de Ovos, S.A. (Pombal); Decorgel, S.A. (Trofa); Valinox – Indústrias Metalúrgicas, Lda. (Arouca), and the Departments of Biological Engineering (Braga) and Mechanical Engineering (Guimarães), School of Engineering, University of Minho.Pretende-se dar a conhecer, de uma forma simples e sucinta, os projectos de investigação e desenvolvimento que decorrem, actualmente, na Universidade do Minho, na área da biotecnologia aplicada ao estudo, concepção, projecto, desenvolvimento e construção de tecido industrial ibérico e europeu. Os projectos são: · Monitorização em tempo real da fermentação de cerveja na região do UV-Vis e IVPOC (SWNIR) com recurso a sondas de fibra óptica – MONI®TOR”; · EggReady - Protótipo para produção industrial, em contínuo, de ovos estrelados para consumo no canal HORECA, e · HealthyCream - Desenvolvimento de soluções dietéticas inovadoras para a indústria de pastelaria. Estes projectos foram submetidos e aprovados, sendo financiados pelo programa de incentivos do Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional Português, QREN (2007-2013). Estão a ser realizados em parceria com as empresas UNICER Bebidas, S.A. – Núcleo de Investigação e Desenvolvimento (Leça do Balio, Matosinhos); Derovo – Derivados de Ovos, S.A. (Pombal); Decorgel, S.A. (Trofa); Valinox – Indústrias Metalúrgicas, Lda. (Arouca), e os Departamentos de Engenharia Biológica (Braga) e Engenharia de Mecânica (Guimarães) da Escola de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho, todas estas instituições sediadas em Portugal

Pseudobatos horkelii, Brazilian Guitarfish

The Brazilian Guitarfish (Pseudobatos horkelii) is a small (to 138 cm total length) shark-like ray that occurs in the Southwest Atlantic from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to northern Argentina. It is demersal on soft substrates of the continental shelf inshore to 150 m depth. It is captured in intense and largely unmanaged commercial and artisanal demersal trawl, gillnet, longline, and beach seine fisheries throughout its geographic range. There are three estimates of population reduction. First, in Rio Grande do Sul, total landings increased from 842 t in 1975 to 1,804 t in 1984 and then declined continuously to 157 t in 2001, the equivalent of a >99% reduction over three generations (55.5 years). Second, the average research trawl catch-per-unit-effort of Brazilian Guitarfish in southern Brazil over the years 1993 to 1999 was 17% of that observed during 1975 to 1986, also the equivalent of a >99% reduction over three generations. Fisheries remain intense and unmanaged there. Third, in Uruguay, this guitarfish is captured frequently in gillnets and longlines, is landed, and is sometimes targeted, and it is also captured in artisanal trawl fisheries. Catches from research trawls there in the 1980s and early 1990s were on average around 1,400 kg/hr, and between 2013 and 2017 were only 480 kg/hr, the equivalent of a >92% reduction over three generations. In Argentina, it is suspected that intense and inadequately managed gillnet fishing pressure has led to declines in abundance there as well. Overall, due to intense and inadequately managed fishing pressure throughout its range, and steep population declines, it is inferred that the Brazilian Guitarfish has undergone a population reduction of >80% over the past three generations (55.5 years), and it is assessed as Critically Endangered A2bd.Fil: Pollom, R.. University Fraser Simon; CanadáFil: Barreto, R.. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao Da Biodiversidade; BrasilFil: Charvet, P.. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Chiaramonte, Gustavo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia". Estación Hidrobiológica de Puerto Quequén (sede Quequén); ArgentinaFil: Cuevas, J. M.. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Herman, K.. Georgia Aquarium; Estados UnidosFil: Martins, M. F.. Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande.; BrasilFil: Montealegre Quijano, S.. Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Motta, F.. Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Paesch, L.. Dirección Nacional de Recursos Acuáticos; UruguayFil: Rincon, G.. Universidade Federal Do Maranhao.; Brasi

Preclinical development of a vaccine against oligomeric alpha-synuclein based on virus-like particles

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive and currently incurable neurological disorder characterised by the loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and the accumulation of aggregated alpha-synuclein (a-syn). Oligomeric a-syn is proposed to play a central role in spreading protein aggregation in the brain with associated cellular toxicity contributing to a progressive neurological decline. For this reason, a-syn oligomers have attracted interest as therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative conditions such as PD and other alpha-synucleinopathies. In addition to strategies using small molecules, neutralisation of the toxic oligomers by antibodies represents an attractive and highly specific strategy for reducing disease progression. Emerging active immunisation approaches using vaccines are already being trialled to induce such antibodies. Here we propose a novel vaccine based on the RNA bacteriophage (Qbeta) virus-like particle conjugated with short peptides of human a-syn. High titres of antibodies were successfully and safely generated in wild-type and human a-syn over-expressing (SNCA-OVX) transgenic mice following vaccination. Antibodies from vaccine candidates targeting the C-terminal regions of a-syn were able to recognise Lewy bodies, the hallmark aggregates in human PD brains. Furthermore, antibodies specifically targeted oligomeric and aggregated a-syn as they exhibited 100 times greater affinity for oligomeric species over monomer a-syn proteins in solution. In the SNCA-OVX transgenic mice used, vaccination was, however, unable to confer significant changes to oligomeric a-syn bioburden. Similarly, there was no discernible effect of vaccine treatment on behavioural phenotype as compared to control groups. Thus, antibodies specific for oligomeric a-syn induced by vaccination were unable to treat symptoms of PD in this particular mouse model.</p

Label-free aptasensor for p24-HIV protein detection based on graphene quantum dots as an electrochemical signal amplifier

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is still considered a pandemic, and the detection of p24-HIV protein has an important role in the early diagnosis of HIV in adults and newborns. The accessibility of these trials depends on the price and execution difficulty of the method, which can be reduced using electrochemical methods by using enzymeless approaches, disposable and accurate devices. In this work, graphene quantum dots were acquired by a simple synthesis and employed as an electrochemical signal amplifier and support for the aptamer immobilization through a feasible and stable modification of disposable screen-printed electrodes. The device has been easily assembled and used to detect p24-HIV protein without the interference of similar proteins or sample matrix. Using the best set of experimental conditions, a linear correlation between analytical signal and log of p24-HIV concentration from 0.93 ng mL−1 to 93 μg mL−1 and a limit of detection of 51.7 pg mL−1 were observed. The developed device was applied to p24 determination in spiked human serum and provided distinct levels of signal for positive and negative samples, successfully identifying real samples with the target protein. This sensor is a step towards the development of point-of-care devices and the popularization of electrochemical methods for trials and diagnostics of relevant diseases