Distribution of tuna larvae between Madagascar and the Equator, Indian Ocean

A total of 433 plankton tows, made in the Indian Ocean between the equator and Madagascar, were examined for the presence of scombrid larvae. In order of abundance, those found were : #Katsuwonus pelamis$(73$ (15%), #Auxis$sp. (7$ (2%), #Acanthocybium solandri (O.6%), #Thunnus obesus$(0.3$ (0.3%). The distribution and abundance of larvae were examined in terms of temperature and salinity data collected concurrently. Ranges of both parameters were well within normal limits of larval occurrence. Larvae of #K. pelamis and #T. albacares were most abundant during the summer season. #K. pelamis were scarce at temperatures lower than 24°C, but salinity conditions showed no effect. For #T. albacares temperatures below 27°C correlated with low abundance, and high temperatures and salinities correlated with high abundance. (Résumé d'auteur

Identification and mutational analyses of phosphorylation sites of the calcineurin-binding protein CbpA and the identification of domains required for calcineurin binding in Aspergillus fumigatus.

Calcineurin is a key protein phosphatase required for hyphal growth and virulence in Aspergillus fumigatus, making it an attractive antifungal target. However, currently available calcineurin inhibitors, FK506 and cyclosporine A, are immunosuppressive, limiting usage in the treatment of patients with invasive aspergillosis. Therefore, the identification of endogenous inhibitors of calcineurin belonging to the calcipressin family is an important parallel strategy. We previously identified the gene cbpA as the A. fumigatus calcipressin member and showed its involvement in hyphal growth and calcium homeostasis. However, the mechanism of its activation/inhibition through phosphorylation and its interaction with calcineurin remains unknown. Here we show that A. fumigatus CbpA is phosphorylated at three distinct domains, including the conserved SP repeat motif (phosphorylated domain-I; PD-I), a filamentous fungal-specific domain (PD-II), and the C-terminal CIC motif (Calcipressin Inhibitor of Calcineurin; PD-III). While mutation of three phosphorylated residues (Ser208, Ser217, Ser223) in the PD-II did not affect CbpA function in vivo, mutation of the two phosphorylated serines (Ser156, Ser160) in the SP repeat motif caused reduced hyphal growth and sensitivity to oxidative stress. Mutational analysis in the key domains in calcineurin A (CnaA) and proteomic interaction studies confirmed the requirement of PxIxIT motif-binding residues (352-NIR-354) and the calcineurin B (CnaB)-binding helix residue (V371) for the binding of CbpA to CnaA. Additionally, while the calmodulin-binding residues (442-RVF-444) did not affect CbpA binding to CnaA, three mutations (T359P, H361L, and L365S) clustered between the CnaA catalytic and the CnaB-binding helix were also required for CbpA binding. This is the first study to analyze the phosphorylation status of calcipressin in filamentous fungi and identify the domains required for binding to calcineurin

Do western Atlantic bluefin tuna spawn outside of the Gulf of Mexico? Results from a larval survey in the Atlantic Ocean in 2013

In 2013, a larval survey was conducted north and east of the Bahamas aboard the NOAA Ship NANCY FOSTER. Sampling areas were selected based on larval habitat model predictions, and daily satellite analysis of surface temperature and ocean color. Samples were collected at 97 stations, and 18 larval BFT (Thunnus thynnus) were found at 9 stations. Six of these stations came from oceanographically complex regions characterized by cyclonic and anticyclonic gyres. Larvae ranged in size from 3.22mm to 7.58 mm, corresponding to approximately 5-12 days in age. Analysis of satellite derived surface currents and CTD data suggest that these larvae were spawned and retained in this area. Larval habitat models show areas of high predicted abundance extending east to 650 W, but the actual extent of spawning in this area remains unknown.En prens

Infection after fracture fixation: Current surgical and microbiological concepts

One of the most challenging complications in trauma surgery is infection after fracture fixation (IAFF). IAFF may result in permanent functional loss or even amputation of the affected limb in patients who may otherwise be expected to achieve complete, uneventful healing. Over the past decades, the problem of implant related bone infections has garnered increasing attention both in the clinical as well as preclinical arenas; however this has primarily been focused upon prosthetic joint infection (PJI), rather than on IAFF. Although IAFF shares many similarities with PJI, there are numerous critical differences in many facets including prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Admittedly, extrapolating data from PJI research to IAFF has been of value to the trauma surgeon, but we should also be aware of the unique challenges posed by IAFF that may not be accounted for in the PJI literature.This review summarizes the clinical approaches towards the diagnosis and treatment of IAFF with an emphasis on the unique aspects of fracture care that distinguish IAFF from PJI. Finally, recent developments in anti-infective technologies that may be particularly suitable or applicable for trauma patients in the future will be briefly discussed

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: Spatially resolving the environmental quenching of star formation in GAMA galaxies

We use data from the Sydney-AAO Multi-Object Integral Field Spectrograph (SAMI) Galaxy Survey and the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey to investigate the spatially-resolved signatures of the environmental quenching of star formation in galaxies. Using dust-corrected measurements of the distribution of Hα emission we measure the radial profiles of star formation in a sample of 201 star-forming galaxies covering three orders of magnitude in stellar mass (M∗M∗; 108.1-1010.95 M⊙) and in 5th nearest neighbour local environment density (Σ5; 10−1.3- 102.1 Mpc−2). We show that star formation rate gradients in galaxies are steeper in dense (log10(Σ5/Mpc2) > 0.5) environments by 0.58 ± 0.29 dex re−1 in galaxies with stellar masses in the range 1010 1.0). These lines of evidence strongly suggest that with increasing local environment density the star formation in galaxies is suppressed, and that this starts in their outskirts such that quenching occurs in an outside-in fashion in dense environments and is not instantaneous