Essential fatty acids composition and oxidative stability of frozen minced carp meat

This study aimed to introduce minced common carp (Cyprinus caprio L.) meat as a nutritional valuable by-product from carp filleting. This research was focused on fatty acid composition and considered its sensitivity to oxidation during frozen storage (-20 degrees C). Additionally, copper chloride was used to magnify possible oxidation reactions. A better understanding of minced carp meat quality and deterioration during frozen storage could help to promote the usage of this underestimated by-product. The utilization of this by-product for human consumption could be a useful way to increase the carp aquaculture economy and sustainability. The fatty acid profile showed a favorable content of essential fatty acids, as well as a beneficial ratio of omega-3/omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, during 4 months of frozen storage (-20 degrees C), no significant changes were detected in fatty acid composition. Negligible changes were observed in the oxidation of lipids and proteins. The nutritional value and storage stability of minced carp meat was shown

Pheromone Analyses of the Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) Cryptic Species Complex

The South American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) cryptic species complex is presently one of the most studied pest models in terms of speciation and population mating compatibility. The improvement of pest-control techniques has strongly relied on successful implementation of laboratory strains into wild populations. Pheromone communication plays an important role in the mating process in the South American fruit fly. Therefore, the main goal of the present study was to investigate the pheromone composition of 7 different populations, originating from geographically distant locations in Brazil and Argentina. Fourteen volatile compounds were identified in calling male emanations by GC×GC/TOF-MS and the data obtained were subsequently analyzed by multivariate statistics. The pheromone composition varied both quantitatively and qualitatively among the studied populations. These results will serve as the basis for further electrophysiological analyse

Effects of individualized instruction and traditional instruction in music on the attitudes toward music of fifth grade children in an inner city minority school

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of two instructional strategies on attitude toward music of fifth grade children in an inner-city school. The two instructional strategies used in the study were Traditional, defined as total class music instruction and Individualized, defined as individual and small group music instruction. The subjects were 110 fifth grade students in one black inner-city minority school. It was anticipated that differences between the Traditional and Individualized groups would show up in the results of the music attitude scale, but not in the results of the achievement tests given. No significant differences were found between groups on any of the measures administered and one reason was thought to be the short time period of the study.Education, College o

Lack of phosphatidylglycerol inhibits chlorophyll biosynthesis at multiple sites and limits chlorophyllide reutilization in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803.

The negatively charged lipid phosphatidylglycerol (PG) constitutes up to 10% of total lipids in photosynthetic membranes and its deprivation in cyanobacteria is accompanied by chlorophyll (Chl) depletion. Indeed, radioactive labeling of the PG depleted DeltapgsA mutant of Synechocystis 6803, which is not able to synthesize PG, proved inhibition of Chl biosynthesis due to restriction on the formation of 5-aminolevulinic acid and protochlorophyllide. Although the mutant accumulated chlorophyllide, the last Chl precursor, we demonstrated that it originated from dephytylation of existing Chl and not from the block in the Chl biosynthesis. The lack of de novo produced Chl under PG depletion was accompanied by a significantly weakened biosynthesis of both monomeric and trimeric photosystem I (PSI) complexes, though the decrease in cellular content was manifested only for the trimeric form. However, our analysis of DeltapgsA mutant, which lacked trimeric PSI due to the absence of the PsaL subunit, suggested that the virtually stability of monomeric PSI is a result of disintegration of PSI trimers. Interestingly, the loss of trimeric PSI was accompanied by accumulation of monomeric PSI associated with the newly synthesized CP43 subunit of Photosystem II. We conclude that the absence of PG results in the inhibition of Chl biosynthetic pathway, which impairs synthesis of PSI despite the accumulation of chlorophyllide released from the degraded Chl-proteins. Based on the knowledge about the role of PG in prokaryotes we hypothesize that the synthesis of Chl and PSI complexes are co-located in a membrane microdomain requiring PG for integrity

Extracellular Adenosine Mediates a Systemic Metabolic Switch during Immune Response

<div><p>Immune defense is energetically costly, and thus an effective response requires metabolic adaptation of the organism to reallocate energy from storage, growth, and development towards the immune system. We employ the natural infection of Drosophila with a parasitoid wasp to study energy regulation during immune response. To combat the invasion, the host must produce specialized immune cells (lamellocytes) that destroy the parasitoid egg. We show that a significant portion of nutrients are allocated to differentiating lamellocytes when they would otherwise be used for development. This systemic metabolic switch is mediated by extracellular adenosine released from immune cells. The switch is crucial for an effective immune response. Preventing adenosine transport from immune cells or blocking adenosine receptor precludes the metabolic switch and the deceleration of development, dramatically reducing host resistance. Adenosine thus serves as a signal that the “selfish” immune cells send during infection to secure more energy at the expense of other tissues.</p></div

Immune response to parasitoid wasp intrusion.

<p>(A) Progressive stages of the response. The wasp egg is recognized by plasmatocytes (green, Hml>GFP) within 2 hpi. Lamellocytes, labeled by the Msn>GFP marker appear in circulation (<24 hpi) and start to encapsulate the egg. At 48 hpi, the egg is fully encapsulated by a multilayer of immune cells and melanized (original image of encapsulation published in [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002135#pbio.1002135.ref039" target="_blank">39</a>]). (B) Number of lamellocytes per larva in control (con, grey) and infected (inf, black) larvae at 18 and 24 hpi. Each dot represents an individual larva; the horizontal lines indicate mean. (C) Percentage of host larvae with melanized wasp eggs (black, left column, mean 42%) and surviving host adults (black, right column, mean 38%) against winning wasp larvae and adults (hatched columns). Values are mean ± standard error of measurement (SEM). (D) Pupation of infected larvae (<i>n</i> = 316) was significantly delayed compared to control larvae (<i>n</i> = 344). Log-rank survival analysis (<i>p</i> < 0.0001).</p

Gene expression during immune response of <i>w</i> larvae measured by q-PCR.

<p>(A) Reciprocal changes in mRNA expression of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase enzymes in the fat body. (B) Summary of significant changes in expression of glycolytic and citrate cycle enzymes in the hemocytes, lymph gland, and fat body (see <a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002135#pbio.1002135.s004" target="_blank">S3</a>–<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002135#pbio.1002135.s006" target="_blank">S5</a> Figs for corresponding graphs). Heat map indicates a tendency of glycolytic genes to increase in immune cells and to decrease in fat body. (C) Expression of trehalose transporter Tret1-1 in the fat body. (D) Expression of GLUT1, TreT1-1, and trehalase in the circulating hemocytes and lymph gland. All graphs except (B) show mean values of expression relative to <i>Rp49</i> ± SEM from three independent experiments; grey columns: control larvae, black columns: infected larvae; asterisks indicate significant changes (tested by two-way ANOVA).</p

Metabolic changes and developmental effects of AdoR deficiency.

<p>(A) Incorporation of ¹⁴C-glucose into lipids and proteins is reduced upon infection in <i>w</i> but not in <i>adoR</i> larvae. Arrows indicate infection-induced changes. For statistical analysis, see <a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002135#pbio.1002135.s003" target="_blank">S2 Fig</a>. (B) Relative distribution of ¹⁴C in the hemolymph (white), immune cells (circulating hemocytes, dark blue; lymph gland, light blue), and the remaining body parts (brain with imaginal discs—brown; carcass, i.e., all the remnants after dissecting all other presented tissues—red; gut—light red; fat body—pink). Arrows indicate increasing ¹⁴C in hemolymph (black dashed arrow) of <i>w</i> at 6 hpi at the expense of brain+discs (brown arrow) and fat body (pink arrow); these changes are missing in <i>adoR</i>. Increase in hemolymph and in immune cells (blue arrow) of <i>w</i> at 18 hpi at the expense of all other tissues is smaller in <i>adoR</i> (less in immune cells and more in the rest). Legends below graphs show percentages in body parts. For detailed analysis, see <a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002135#pbio.1002135.s010" target="_blank">S9 Fig</a> and <a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002135#pbio.1002135.s011" target="_blank">S10</a> Fig. (C) Growth of the wing imaginal discs is delayed by infection in <i>w</i> (unpaired <i>t</i> test <i>p</i> < 0.0001) but not in <i>adoR</i> larvae (<i>p</i> = 0.06). Each dot represents measured area of an individual disc at 18 hpi; horizontal lines indicate mean. (D) Pupation is delayed upon infection in <i>w</i> larvae (<i>n</i> = 316, control and 344, infected) but not in <i>adoR</i> larvae (<i>n</i> = 310, control and 293, infected). The rates were compared using Log-rank survival analysis; the <i>p</i> values are: <i>w</i> < 0.0001; <i>adoR</i> = 0.74; <i>w</i> control versus <i>adoR</i> control = 0.053; <i>w</i> control versus <i>adoR</i> infected = 0.054. (E) Nutrient contents in the hemolymph and whole larval lysates. Values are mean ± SEM of four experiments. Circulating trehalose in <i>adoR</i> does not form the 6 hpi peak of <i>w</i>; arrows show increase and no change (ns), respectively, when levels of infected <i>adoR</i> are compared between time points. Tissue trehalose show smaller differences for <i>adoR</i> and glycogen shows similar pattern to <i>w</i>. Asterisks show statistical significance when compared between infected and control animals at indicated time points (black for <i>w</i>, red for <i>adoR</i>). Tested by two-way ANOVA; for statistical analysis, see <a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002135#pbio.1002135.s003" target="_blank">S2 Fig</a>.</p

Effects of blocking signaling through <i>adoR</i> on immune response.

<p>(A) Increase in circulating glucose level during infection is suppressed in the <i>adoR</i> mutant. Values are mean ± SEM of four experiments; black asterisks—comparison of <i>w;</i> red “ns” (not significant)—comparison of <i>adoR;</i> tested by two-way ANOVA. (B) Number of lamellocytes based on cell morphology and a lamellocyte-specific MSNF9>GFP marker. <i>adoR</i> larvae contain fewer lamellocytes than <i>w</i> or <i>MSN</i> controls. High-glucose diet (12%-glu) increases lamellocyte number in <i>adoR</i> larvae. Each dot represents lamellocyte count per larva, the lines are mean values; tested by unpaired <i>t</i> test. (C) <i>adoR</i> mutation significantly reduces the host resistance to parasitoid wasp as assessed from frequency of melanized eggs (<i>adoR</i>—13% versus <i>w</i>—42%; <i>n</i> = 100 <i>Drosophila</i> larvae per genotype in five experiments), emerged adult flies (<i>adoR</i>—12% versus <i>w</i>—38%; <i>n</i> = 310 for <i>adoR</i>, 316 for <i>w</i>, in three experiments). Values are mean ± SEM; tested by unpaired <i>t</i> test. (D) High-glucose diet (12%-glu) significantly increases circulating glucose both in uninfected <i>w</i> and <i>adoR</i> larvae and in infected <i>adoR</i> larvae (graph with <i>w</i> does not show statistical significance). Values are mean ± SEM of three experiments; tested by two-way ANOVA. In all panels, statistical significance of differences is indicated as *<i>p</i> < 0.05; ** <i>p</i> < 0.005; *** <i>p</i> < 0.0005; and ns, not significant.</p