Transmitochondrial embryonic stem cells containing pathogenic mtDNA mutations are compromised in neuronal differentiation

Objectives:  Defects of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) cause a series of rare, mainly neurological disorders. In addition, they have been implicated in more common forms of movement disorders, dementia and the ageing process. In order to try to model neuronal dysfunction associated with mitochondrial disease, we have attempted to establish a series of transmitochondrial mouse embryonic stem cells harbouring pathogenic mtDNA mutations. Materials and methods: Transmitochondrial embryonic stem cell cybrids were generated by fusion of cytoplasts carrying a variety of mtDNA mutations, into embryonic stem cells that had been pretreated with rhodamine 6G, to prevent transmission of endogenous mtDNA. Cybrids were differentiated into neurons and assessed for efficiency of differentiation and electrophysiological function. Results:  Neuronal differentiation could occur, as indicated by expression of neuronal markers. Differentiation was impaired in embryonic stem cells carrying mtDNA mutations that caused severe biochemical deficiency. Electrophysiological tests showed evidence of synaptic activity in differentiated neurons carrying non-pathogenic mtDNA mutations or in those that caused a mild defect of respiratory activity. Again, however, neurons carrying mtDNA mutations that resulted in severe biochemical deficiency had marked reduction in post-synaptic events. Conclusions:  Differentiated neurons carrying severely pathogenic mtDNA defects can provide a useful model for understanding how such mutations can cause neuronal dysfunction

The spider fauna from Uruguay River islands : understanding its role in a biological corridor

Biological corridors are connections which link habitats in a regional scale, allowing the gene flow between populations. The Uruguay River comprises riverside and insular riparian forests along subtropical to temperate zones passing through different biogeographic provinces. The aim of this study was to characterise the spider fauna from the Uruguay River islands highlighting their connection role for the spider community of riparian forest. Spiders were studied from surveys in a fluvial island of the southern course of the river with nine campaigns being carried out from September 2007 to September 2009. Three complementary collecting methods were used: G-Vac, night hand collecting and pitfall traps. A total of 58 samples were taken in each campaign. A total of 33 families, 145 species/morphospecies and 8 guilds were registered. Theridiidae and space web weavers showed the highest abundance and species richness. Web weavers were predominant in the spider community evidencing the importance of the forest vegetation heterogeneity in spider diversity. Fifteen species have been recorded for the first time for Uruguay. Additional data of previous surveys in the northern islands of the river were analysed and compared. Several species confirm the role of the Uruguay River as a biological corridor from the upper to lower course of the river. The riparian forests from the islands constitute a southernmost intromission of Paranaense biota between Chaco and Pampa regions along the river. The results obtained are an important input for the conservation of these areas. Knowing the biodiversity, as well as its dynamics and the flow of biota that exists in these environments, would allow planning the management from a regional point of view

Araneae, Deinopidae, Deinopis amica Schiapelli and Gerschman, 1957 : first record for Uruguay and distribution map

This is the first record for the species Deinopis amica and for the family Deinopidae in Uruguay. The present study expands the known distribution of the species to the lower Uruguay River. Data on natural history of the species is provided

Las arañas Mygalomorphae del Uruguay : clave para familias, géneros y especies

En este artículo se presenta una clave para el reconocimiento de familias, géneros y especies de arañas del infraorden Mygalomorphae encontradas en Uruguay. Asimismo, se indica por primera vez la presencia de cuatro especies de Mygalomorphae para el país. Adicionalmente se brinda información biológica sintética acerca de las familias presentes en Uruguay. Abstract This paper includes a key for the recognition of families, genera and species of spiders of the infraorder Mygalomorphae found in Uruguay. The presence of four species is reported for the fi rst time for the country. Additionally we give brief biological information about the families present in Uruguay

Non-destructive determination of fat content in green hams using ultrasound and X-rays

[EN] This work addresses the use of ultrasound (US) and medical dual energy X-ray absorptiometry methods to predict the fat content in green pork hams. Ultrasonic velocity (õ) and X-ray absorption were measured in 78 green hams. An increase in the fat content involved an increase in õ and a decrease in the X-ray attenuationmeasured at 2 °C.Models developed to predict the fat content fromthe ultrasonic velocity or X-ray parameters provided errors of 2.97% and 4.65%, respectively. The combination of both US and X-ray technologies did not improve prediction accuracy. These models allowed green hams to be classified into three levels of fatness, with 88.5% and 65.4% of the hams correctly classified when using models based on ultrasonic and X-ray parameters, respectively. Therefore, US and X-rays emerge as useful quality control technologies with which to estimate the fat content in green pork hamsThis work was supported by the spanish Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA) (contracts n. RTA2010-00029-CO4-01/02) and by Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV) through the FPI grant given to Marta de Prados (SP-1.2011-S1-2757).Prados Pedraza, MD.; Fulladosa, E.; Gou, P.; Muñoz, I.; García Pérez, JV.; Benedito Fort, JJ. (2015). Non-destructive determination of fat content in green hams using ultrasound and X-rays. Meat Science. 104:37-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.01.015S374310

One Health – an Ecological and Evolutionary Framework for tackling Neglected Zoonotic Diseases

Understanding the complex population biology and transmission ecology of multihost parasites has been declared as one of the major challenges of biomedical sciences for the 21st century and the Neglected Zoonotic Diseases (NZDs) are perhaps the most neglected of all the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Here we consider how multihost parasite transmission and evolutionary dynamics may affect the success of human and animal disease control programmes, particularly neglected diseases of the developing world. We review the different types of zoonotic interactions that occur, both ecological and evolutionary, their potential relevance for current human control activities, and make suggestions for the development of an empirical evidence base and theoretical framework to better understand and predict the outcome of such interactions. In particular, we consider whether preventive chemotherapy, the current mainstay of NTD control, can be successful without a One Health approach. Transmission within and between animal reservoirs and humans can have important ecological and evolutionary consequences, driving the evolution and establishment of drug resistance, as well as providing selective pressures for spill‐over, host switching, hybridizations and introgressions between animal and human parasites. Our aim here is to highlight the importance of both elucidating disease ecology, including identifying key hosts and tailoring control effort accordingly, and understanding parasite evolution, such as precisely how infectious agents may respond and adapt to anthropogenic change. Both elements are essential if we are to alleviate disease risks from NZDs in humans, domestic animals and wildlife

Integrative pathway enrichment analysis of multivariate omics data

Multi-omics datasets represent distinct aspects of the central dogma of molecular biology. Such high-dimensional molecular profiles pose challenges to data interpretation and hypothesis generation. ActivePathways is an integrative method that discovers significantly enriched pathways across multiple datasets using statistical data fusion, rationalizes contributing evidence and highlights associated genes. As part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, which aggregated whole genome sequencing data from 2658 cancers across 38 tumor types, we integrated genes with coding and non-coding mutations and revealed frequently mutated pathways and additional cancer genes with infrequent mutations. We also analyzed prognostic molecular pathways by integrating genomic and transcriptomic features of 1780 breast cancers and highlighted associations with immune response and anti-apoptotic signaling. Integration of ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data for master regulators of the Hippo pathway across normal human tissues identified processes of tissue regeneration and stem cell regulation. ActivePathways is a versatile method that improves systems-level understanding of cellular organization in health and disease through integration of multiple molecular datasets and pathway annotations

Free radical generation by skeletal muscle of adult and old mice: effect of contractile activity

Oxidative modification of cellular components may contribute to tissue dysfunction during aging. In skeletal muscle, contractile activity increases the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS). The question of whether contraction-induced ROS generation is further increased in skeletal muscle of the elderly is important since this influences recommendations on their exercise participation. Three different approaches were used to examine whether aging influences contraction-induced ROS generation. Hind limb muscles of adult and old mice underwent a 15-min period of isometric contractions and we examined ROS generation by isolated skeletal muscle mitochondria, ROS release into the muscle extracellular fluid using microdialysis techniques, and the muscle glutathione and protein thiol contents. Resting skeletal muscle of old mice compared with adult mice showed increased ROS release from isolated mitochondria, but no changes in the extracellular levels of superoxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical activity or muscle glutathione and protein thiol contents. Skeletal muscle mitochondria isolated from both adult and old mice after contractile activity showed significant increases in hydrogen peroxide release compared with pre-contraction values. Contractions increased extracellular hydroxyl radical activity in adult and old mice, but had no significant effect on extracellular hydrogen peroxide or nitric oxide in either group. In adult mice only, contractile activity increased the skeletal muscle release of superoxide. A similar decrease in muscle glutathione and protein thiol contents was seen in adult and old mice following contractions. Thus, contractile activity increased skeletal muscle ROS generation in both adult and old mice with no evidence for an age-related exacerbation of ROS generation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72706/1/j.1474-9726.2006.00198.x.pd

Contribution of spores to the ability of Clostridium difficile to adhere to surfaces.

Clostridium difficile is the commonest cause of hospital-acquired infection in the United Kingdom. We characterized the abilities of 21 clinical isolates to form spores; to adhere to inorganic and organic surfaces, including stainless steel and human adenocarcinoma cells; and to germinate. The composition of culture media had a significant effect on spore formation, as significantly more spores were produced in brain heart infusion broth (Student's t test; P = 0.018). The spore surface relative hydrophobicity (RH) varied markedly (14 to 77%) and was correlated with the ability to adhere to stainless steel. We observed no correlation between the ribotype and the ability to adhere to steel. When the binding of hydrophobic (DS1813; ribotype 027; RH, 77%) and hydrophilic (DS1748; ribotype 002; RH, 14%) spores to human gut epithelial cells at different stages of cell development was examined, DS1813 spores adhered more strongly, suggesting the presence of surface properties that aid attachment to human cells. Electron microscopy studies revealed the presence of an exosporium surrounding DS1813 spores that was absent from spores of DS1748. Finally, the ability of spores to germinate was found to be strain and medium dependent. While the significance of these findings to the disease process has yet to be determined, this study has highlighted the importance of analyzing multiple isolates when attempting to characterize the behavior of a bacterial species