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Chitosan is a biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic, antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal natural polymer. In this study, chitin and chitosan were chemically isolated from the exoskeleton of invasive swimming crab Charybdis longicollis. In order to obtain the chitin, demineralization, deproteinization, and decolourization steps were applied to the samples. Chitosan was prepared from the isolated chitin by deacetylation at high temperatures. The chemical composition of chitin from C. longicollis was characterized by XRD and FTIR analysis. The yield of chitin extraction from dry crab shells was 25.78 %. The yield of chitosan produced from extracted chitin was 80.23 %. The experimental analyses revealed that the obtained chitin and chitosan could be used as biomaterial.

Fifteen years after the first capture of a specimen of Charybdis japonica in the Adriatic Sea, we report the collection of two more specimens near the port of Ravenna. This swimming crab, native from the North Western Pacific, has already proved its invasive capacity in New Zealand coastal waters. Its possible establishment in the northern Adriatic lagoons may represent a treat for the local Manila clam fishery and aquaculture activities., Petnaest godina nakon prvog ulova primjerka Charybdis japonica u Jadranskom moru, izvješta- vamo o prikupljanju još dva primjerka u blizini luke Ravenna. Ovaj rak porijeklom iz sjeverozapadnog Pacifika, već je dokazao svoju invazivnu sposobnost u obalnim vodama Novog Zelanda. Njegovo moguće nastanjenje u lagunama sjevernog Jadrana moglo bi predstavljati bojazan za lokalne aktivnosti u ribarstvu i akvakulturi školjke Ruditapes philippinarum.

Berberine hydrochloride is the main active ingredient of Coptis chinensis, which has demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against bacteria. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its effects is unclear in crabs. In this study, we used transcriptome sequencing to investigate the molecules involved in the therapeutic and defensive responses of Charybdis japonica infected with 105 colony-forming units (CFU)/L of Aeromonas hydrophila following treatment with berberine hydrochloride. A total of 5,409 differentially expressed genes were observed after exposure of C. japonicus for 72 h to 100 mg/L berberine hydrochloride, 100 mg/L berberine hydrochloride plus injection of 105 CFU/L A. hydrophila, and a control group injected with equal amount of physiological saline solution. Enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were involved in metabolism, cellular processes, signal transduction, and immune function. The transcriptomic results indicated that exposure to berberine hydrochloride activated glutathione metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid degradation, retinol metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, and the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 signaling pathway. Transcriptomic analysis and relative mRNA level analysis also identified acid hydrolase genes and phagosomal genes as key factors regulating the adaptation of acid berberine-infused C. japonicus to infection with A. hydrophila, Based on the ability of berberine hydrochloride to induce acid hydrolase and phagosomal gene expression, which can in turn remove bacteria, immersion in berberine hydrochloride may remove A. hydrophila and thus improve the survival of C. japonica. The results of this study provided a new scientific basis for the potential role of berberine hydrochloride in the immune mechanisms of crabs.

Sustainable development of the important economic species, Asian paddle crab (Charybdis japonica), has attracted attention in the coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, China. The commonly used round pots are almost nonselective, resulting in severe bycatch of juveniles. In this study, we explored a method to improve the size selectivity for C. japonica by mounting escape vents on the side panels of each pot. The selectivity of pots with escape vent sizes of 70 mm × 20 mm, 70 mm × 25 mm, 70 mm × 30 mm, and 70 mm × 35 mm was tested using a catch comparison method. The estimated minimum landing size (MLS) of carapace height (27 mm), according to the regulated MLS of carapace length (50 mm), was used as a reference point to explain the results. Significant increases in the size of crabs caught by pots were found with the enlargement of escape vent size (Kruskal–Wallis test, P < 0.01). The pots with 70 mm × 20 mm, 70 mm × 25 mm and 70 mm × 30 mm escape vents released nearly 50%, 75% and 95% of undersized individuals, respectively, and these three types of pots retained approximately 90% of legal-sized individuals compared with the control pots without escape vents. The pots with 70 mm × 35 mm escape vents released nearly all undersized individuals, but they also released most legal-sized individuals. Pots with an escape vent size of 70 mm × 30 mm were recommended for the sustainable development of C. japonica in the Yellow Sea of China. The results of this study reiterate the importance of carapace height for determining the size selectivity, which can serve as a reference to formulate management regulations in the coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, China.

Simple Summary Crabs within the family Portunidae are important marine species in both aquaculture and fishery sectors. The current aquaculture status of most portunids still relies on wild-caught fisheries due to the lack of essential knowledge regarding their reproductive biology and underlying governing mechanism. In the present study, we compared the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the different sexes of Portunus sanguinolentus based on their gonadal transcriptome profiles and subsequently contrasted them with the gonadal DEGs of Charybdis feriatus, the other member of the family Portunidae. In total, 40,964 DEGs between the ovaries and testes of P. sanguinolentus were uncovered, with 27,578 up-regulated and 13,386 down-regulated in females. After comparison, C. feriatus has approximately 63.5% of genes in common with P. sanguinolentus, with 62.6% showing similar expression patterns. Interestingly, the DMRT gene was specifically expressed in male P. sanguinolentus, while its homologous gene—doublesex (DSX)—was specifically expressed in male C. feriatus. The DEGs obtained from the gonadal transcriptome of P. sanguinolentus are a beneficial resource for future genetic and genomic research in P. sanguinolentus and its close species. The transcriptomic comparison analysis might provide references for better understanding the sex determination and differentiation mechanisms among portunids. Abstract Crabs within the family Portunidae are important marine species in both aquaculture and fishery sectors. The current aquaculture status of most portunids, however, still relies on wild-caught fisheries due to the lack of essential knowledge regarding their reproductive biology and underlying governing mechanism. With the advancement of sequencing technology, transcriptome sequencing has been progressively used to understand various physiological processes, especially on non-model organisms. In the present study, we compared the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between sexes of Portunus sanguinolentus based on their gonadal transcriptome profiles and subsequently contrasted them with the gonadal DEGs of Charybdis feriatus, the other member of Family Portunidae. In total, 40,964 DEGs between ovaries and testes were uncovered, with 27,578 up- and 13,386 down-regulated in females. Among those, some sex-related DEGs were identified, including a dmrt-like (DMRT) gene which was specifically expressed in males. C. feriatus has approximately 63.5% of genes common with P. sanguinolentus, with 62.6% showing similar expression patterns. Interestingly, the DMRT gene was specifically expressed in male P. sanguinolentus while its homologous gene—doublesex (DSX)—was specifically expressed in male C. feriatus. The DEGs obtained from the gonadal transcriptome of P. sanguinolentus are a beneficial resource for future genetic and genomic research in P. sanguinolentus and its close species. The transcriptomic comparison analysis might provide references for better understanding the sex determination and differentiation mechanisms among portunids.

The present work was designed to identify and characterize novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from Charybdis pancration (Steinh.) Speta, previously named Urginea maritima, is a Mediterranean plant, well-known for its biological properties in traditional medicine. Polypeptide-enriched extracts from different parts of the plant (roots, leaves and bulb), never studied before, were tested against two relevant pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. With the aim of identifying novel natural AMPs, peptide fraction displaying antimicrobial activity (the bulb) that showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) equal to 30 &micro, g/mL against the above mentioned strains, was analysed by high-resolution mass spectrometry and database search. Seventeen peptides, related to seven proteins present in the investigated database, were described. Furthermore, we focused on three peptides, which due to their net positive charge, have a better chance to be AMPs and they were investigated by molecular modelling approaches, in order to shed light on the solution properties of their equilibrium structures. Some of new detected peptides could represent a good platform for the development of new antimicrobials in the fight against antibiotic resistance phenomenon.

Hamid A, Wardiatno Y. 2018. Short Communication: Biological aspects of Charybdis anisodon (De Haan, 1850) in Lasongko Bay, Central Buton, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 1755-1762. Data on the biological aspects of Charybdis anisodon (De Haan, 1850) were still very limited. This study was aimed to determine the distribution of size, growth type, sex ratio and spawning season of C. anisodon in Lasongko Bay, Central Buton, Southeast Sulawesi. Crab collection was conducted from May 2013 to March 2014 using a crab gillnet. The carapace width of males and females C. anisodon ranged between 3.05-7.61 cm and 3.45-7.98 cm, respectively. Mann-Whitney test showed that width and length of carapace of males and females were significantly different (p

Background: The repair and outcomes of incisional abdominal wall hernias have not yet been benchmarked to allow comparison with recommended best practice in a South African context. This study aimed to address this deficit.Method: Patients who underwent an incisional hernia repair between December 2012 and December 2018 were analysed in respect to the following variables: demographics, comorbidities, indication for surgery, site, size, surgical approach, mesh usage, operating times, complications and 30-day mortality.Results: Of the cohort of 224 patients, 185 underwent elective repair. There were 152 open and 72 laparoscopic procedures, and 17 patients (8%) required a repeat operation with an overall in-hospital mortality rate of 6% (13). Eight patients developed an enteric leak. There were nine cardiovascular complications, 24 respiratory complications, 22 surgical site infections and 13 patients developed an acute kidney injury (AKI). There were 39 emergency operations. The emergency cohort were older than the elective with a higher rate of cardiovascular or surgical (CVS) complications and AKI. Eight patients developed an enteric leak. Mortality rates of were significantly higher in the emergency operation cohort compared to the elective group (18% vs 3%). The 13 in-hospital deaths were older, more likely to have undergone an emergency operation, to be diabetic (46% vs 10%), hypertensive (92% vs 33%), have a bowel anastomosis (39% vs 9%), experience an enteric leak (46% vs 1%) and require repeat operation than the patients who survived.Conclusion: Incisional abdominal wall hernias are difficult to manage as the patients often have several comorbidities which when coupled with an emergency operation leads to poor outcomes. Improving outcomes requires strategies that address comorbidities and shift the focus to elective rather than emergency repair.

In this paper in legal theory, defended at the KU Leuven Faculty of Law, the new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and its potential customary international law (CIL) status are analysed through MARTTI KOSKENNIEMI’s legal philosophy. Special attention goes to the concepts of ‘the political’ and ‘the legal’ in this context. This research is supported by a small empirical project with a qualitative analysis of more than 200 statements by Austria, the EU, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, the P5, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. Through a short contextualising of this new treaty within the existing legal framework of nuclear disarmament, some particularities are highlighted. Special attention goes to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and frustrations surrounding the diverging interpretations of its article VI are named as the foremost catalyst for the new TPNW. It quickly becomes clear that ‘political’ and ‘legal’ fall short as used concepts. A conceptual framework by HANS MORGENTHAU is introduced. He talks of two types of interstate conflict: Disputes, which concern legal conflicts justiciable before a court, and Tensions, which are underlying political conflicts between States which result from clashing State interests. Disputes are about enforcing the law, while Tensions are about transforming the law. The nuclear ban treaty is framed as a third flashpoint in attempts to move (political) Tensions surrounding a perceived slowness of nuclear disarmament to a (legal and justiciable) Dispute. The Nuclear Weapons Advisory Opinion from 1996 and the Marshall Islands Case from 2016 are shortly discussed as the first two flashpoints in this movement. Already it is clear that the TPNW is different from these first two flashpoints because it is a (law-creating) treaty. That is why this paper makes a conceptual difference between the TPNW-as-Dispute, referring to the potential for a CIL status to be enforced before the ICJ, and the TPNW-as-Tension. The latter refers to the influence the TPNW might have on political Tensions and its potential to transform the law for those States consenting to it. First, the TPNW’s potential to attain CIL status is discussed, partly supported by the qualitative empirical analysis which is part of this paper. It is concluded that this potential is not only very limited to non-existent, but also that this route would revive the same dilemmas for international law as the 1996 Nuclear Weapons Advisory Opinion. Finally, a short analysis is made of the TPNW in the realm of Tensions. Here it is noticed that the TPNW differs from the NPT in the sense that the latter’s article VI contained an important indeterminacy. The fact that multiple interpretations of this article were possible enabled its universality. Only because different States could interpret this article in a different way were they able to join it and remain true to their political and moral interests at the same time. This allowed for political Tensions within the NPT while both sides referred to the same article VI NPT. It is concluded that the TPNW was designed for States to join after political consensus about nuclear weapons and their role was attained. It remains to be seen when or if such consensus will arise. Published in frame of third place for Jura Falconis master thesis prize. Under scientific supervision of Prof. Dr. Gleider Hernández. ispartof: Jura Falconis vol:59 issue:1 pages:170-231 status: Published online

Between Scylla and Charybdis As the deaths from Covid-19 have mounted, many patients with cancer struggle to process the case fatality rate in the context of all the other statistics their oncologi...

Published online: 8 May 2023 There has been longstanding friction between international law and international security, with the Law of the Sea being no exception. Where once, states had wide latitude to utilise freedom of the seas to engage in commerce and colonialism, such freedom is now more restricted. While freedom of navigation is imperative for global commerce, the question arises as to how such freedom can be best protected from insecurity. The research question therefore is to determine whether the tension between maritime security and freedom of navigation can be reconciled. To answer this question, this paper will analyse the legal and security framework of maritime security and freedom of navigation. Through this analyisis, the author will suggest a mechanism whereby maritime security can be improved to protect the freedom of navigation of seafaring states without compromising the sovereignty of coastal states. The Law of the Sea’s interaction with maritime security is vital in this area, particularly in relation to maritime terrorism. Relevant aspects of international law such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code are reviewed. The conclusion is that absolute freedom of the seas is impractical, and regulation and enforcement are vital to ensure the safe enjoyment of freedom of navigation. Notably, supporting state maritime patrols is a key method of protecting freedom of navigation from maritime insecurity while preventing the erosion of state sovereignty.

Here, we report the recent capture (October, November 2021) of the following three non-indigenous species (NIS) from the Indo-Pacific in the Mediterranean Sea: the fishes Naso annulatus and Scatophagus argus and the brachyuran Charybdis (Charybdis) natator. The record of the white margin unicorn fish N. annulatus from the island of Malta represents the first for this species from the basin. Both the spotted scat S. argus and the ridged swimming crab C. natator were found in Egyptian waters, in localities significantly far from ones previously reported. Possible vectors of introduction for these three NIS to the Mediterranean locations in question include Lessepsian migration, ship-mediated transport, aquarium release, and are briefly discussed., peer-reviewed

The Indo-Pacific swimming crab Charybdis hellerii (A. Milne-Edwards, 1867) is native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean, and occurs as an invasive species along the Eastern American coast, where it was probably introduced in ballast water. The present study evaluated the osmoregulation and salinity tolerance of C. hellerii in Paranaguá Bay, Paraná, Brazil, an estuary under the constant threat of introduction of non-native species. The crabs were abruptly submitted to salinities of 10, 20, 30 (control), and 40 PSU for 24h. Hemolymph osmolality showed either an increase or a decrease following the changes in water salinity, presenting a pattern of hyper-osmoconformation. Muscle water content was stable at salinities from 20 to 40 PSU, and increased after exposure to 10 PSU indicating cellular swelling. At 10 PSU a physiological limit was reached, indicated by the failure of the capacity to regulate tissue water content. Although adult C. hellerii tolerate a wide range of salinities for 24 h, its osmoregulatory ability indicates a possible advantage for its establishment in estuarine waters with salinities

No abstract available.

The swimming crab, Charybdis (Goniohellenus) longicollis Leene, 1938, is a Lessepsian migrant into the Mediterranean and little is known about its biology in Iskenderun Bay, north-eastern Mediterranean, Turkey. The size of crabs, sex-ratio and spawning period of this species was defined from 951 specimens in order to understand their reproduction and development in the North-Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The crabs were found to occur throughout the year. Carapace width (CW) ranged between 7.22 to 100.60 mm and total weight ranged from 1.34 to 164.09 g. Male-female sex ratio was 0.6:1. Highest gonado-somatic index (GSI) was seen in March and September for females and in May for males. Ovigerous females were present throughout the year, with peak spawning activity in July and September. The CW of the ovigerous female crabs ranged between 23.71 and 95.93 mm. In winter months, GSI of males and females decreased. However, spawning season of C. (G.) longicolis in Yumurtalik Cove was observed throughout the year. © 2019, Indian Council of Agricultural Research. All rights reserved. Firat University Scientific Research Projects Management Unit This study was supported by Cukurova University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (Project

Astaxanthin extracted from Red Crab Charybdis edwardsii was assayed for antioxidant activity viz., total antioxidant, reducing power, hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging assay, and DPPH free radicals scavenging activity. Final concentration of astaxanthin was quantified to be 49.05 µg g using the standard astaxanthin. The antioxidant activity was found to be 60 , hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity showed 89 inhibition, whereas 1,1 diphenyl 2 picrylhydrazl DPPH activity showed 86 of scavenging activity. Present investigation proves that the astaxanthin from C. edwardsii acts as a promising antioxidant source, which can be used in food, pharmacological and aquaculture sectors Anandakumar Arunkumar | Gnanakkan Ananthan | Rajaram Murugan "Antioxidant Activity of astaxanthin isolated from Charybdis Edwardsii (Leene and Buitendijk ,1949) from Pazhayar, Southeast Coast of India" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-2 | Issue-5 , August 2018, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd15762.pdf

The management of heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) in real-world practice remains a debating issue, while the number of HF patients with AF increase dramatically. While it is unclear if rhythm or rate control therapy is more beneficial and under which circumstances, anticoagulation therapy is the cornerstone of the AF-HF patients' approach. Vitamin-K antagonists were the gold-standard during the past, but currently their usage is limited in specific conditions. Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have gained ground during the last ten years and considered as gold-standard of a wide spectrum of HF phenotypes. The current manuscript aims to review the current literature regarding the indications and the optimal choice and usage of NOACs in HF patients with AF.

Patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) while taking antithrombotic therapy have relatively larger hematomas and more significant hematoma expansion, leading to poorer clinical outcome when compared to ICH patients without antithrombotic therapy. Treatment is therefore aimed at improving hemostasis by use of hemostatic (reversal) therapies in the hopes of reducing or preventing hematoma expansion. Hemostatic therapies however, are not without potential (thrombotic) risk. This thesis describes the challenge to sail between Scylla and Charybdis; between risk of hematoma expansion due to antithrombotic therapy and potential complications of hemostatic therapy.We describe clinical outcome after ICH according to concomitant antithrombotic therapy use and explore evidence for hemostatic therapies in the literature. Then outcome after vitamin K antagonist-associated ICH according to reversal therapy is described in sever ICH as well as clinical practice and timing of reversal therapy in the Netherland. Finally, we focus on antiplatelet therapy (AP)-associated ICH and investigate the effect of platelet transfusion on clinical outcome of patients in a randomized controlled trial.

Patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) while taking antithrombotic therapy have relatively larger hematomas and more significant hematoma expansion, leading to poorer clinical outcome when compared to ICH patients without antithrombotic therapy. Treatment is therefore aimed at improving hemostasis by use of hemostatic (reversal) therapies in the hopes of reducing or preventing hematoma expansion. Hemostatic therapies however, are not without potential (thrombotic) risk. This thesis describes the challenge to sail between Scylla and Charybdis; between risk of hematoma expansion due to antithrombotic therapy and potential complications of hemostatic therapy. We describe clinical outcome after ICH according to concomitant antithrombotic therapy use and explore evidence for hemostatic therapies in the literature. Then outcome after vitamin K antagonist-associated ICH according to reversal therapy is described in sever ICH as well as clinical practice and timing of reversal therapy in the Netherland. Finally, we focus on antiplatelet therapy (AP)-associated ICH and investigate the effect of platelet transfusion on clinical outcome of patients in a randomized controlled trial.

Patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) while taking antithrombotic therapy have relatively larger hematomas and more significant hematoma expansion, leading to poorer clinical outcome when compared to ICH patients without antithrombotic therapy. Treatment is therefore aimed at improving hemostasis by use of hemostatic (reversal) therapies in the hopes of reducing or preventing hematoma expansion. Hemostatic therapies however, are not without potential (thrombotic) risk. This thesis describes the challenge to sail between Scylla and Charybdis; between risk of hematoma expansion due to antithrombotic therapy and potential complications of hemostatic therapy. We describe clinical outcome after ICH according to concomitant antithrombotic therapy use and explore evidence for hemostatic therapies in the literature. Then outcome after vitamin K antagonist-associated ICH according to reversal therapy is described in sever ICH as well as clinical practice and timing of reversal therapy in the Netherland. Finally, we focus on antiplatelet therapy (AP)-associated ICH and investigate the effect of platelet transfusion on clinical outcome of patients in a randomized controlled trial.

Berberine hydrochloride is an isoquinoline alkaloid, which has antitumoral, antibacterial, and antiviral activities in vivo and in vitro. Charybdis japonica is one of the main economic species of crab in Southeast Asia. We studied the molecular mechanism of oxidative stress in berberine hydrochloride-treated C. japonica infected with Aeromonas hydrophila. C. japonica were infected with A. hydrophila after being submerged in different concentrations (0, 100, 200, and 300 mg/L) of berberine hydrochloride for 48 h. The full-length cDNA of Prx6 and the ORFs of Prx5 and PXL2A were cloned. Prx6 and PXL2A each have one conserved domain, Cys44, and Cys81. The Prx5 conserved domain contains three important Cys loci, Cys75, Cys100, and Cys76. Prx6 was different from Prx5 and PXL2A in the Peroxiredoxin family. The transcription levels of PXL2A infected with A. hydrophila were all higher than the control. The transcription levels of C. japonica were further increased by adding berberine hydrochloride and were increased the highest at a concentration of 300 mg/L. The activities of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in the hepatopancreas of berberine hydrochloride-treated C. japonica infected with A. hydrophila were significantly increased compared with those only infected with A. hydrophila and the control group. The glutathione transferase activity in the hepatopancreas was significantly increased in berberine hydrochloride-treated C. japonica. The results of this study provide a new understanding of the potential role of berberine hydrochloride on the oxidative stress mechanisms of C. japonica.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-26T19:22:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-03-01. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-31T13:03:58Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 S0001-37652015000100219.pdf: 2276631 bytes, checksum: e42779c579b2b96b68ec714aa0aaa423 (MD5) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Invasões biológicas marinhas são processos naturais acelerados pelas atividades humanas e o siri Charybdis hellerii é um exemplo de espécies invasoras distribuídas pelo mundo. Este estudo avaliou a variação de cor em C. hellerii e sua relação com o sexo, tamanho e maturidade sexual desses indivíduos, e comparou a eficiência de um programa de edição de imagem de licença livre com um programa disponível comercialmente. A cor dos indivíduos foi analisada usando imagem digital padronizada. O padrão de cor variou significantemente com o tamanho; indivíduos pequenos e imaturos são mais escuros que indivíduos maiores e maduros. Os abdomens das fêmeas mudaram morfologicamente e na cor de acordo com a maturidade sexual, tornando-se mais largos e de cor alaranjada. Não houve diferença estatística nos valores de cor entre machos e fêmeas, e machos imaturos não mostraram diferenças morfológicas e de cor em seus abdomens. Este estudo ressalta as possíveis relações da cor e estado fisiológico do sistema reprodutivo o que pode ajudar futuramente em estudos comportamentais, evitando a necessidade de dissecar e/ou remover indivíduos da natureza para avaliar a maturidade sexual. O programa livre obteve a mesma eficiência na análise de imagem digital em relação ao programa comercial amplamente conhecido. A marine biological invasion is a natural process accelerated by human activities, and the crab Charybdis hellerii is an example of a globally widespread invasive species. This study evaluated color variation in C. hellerii and its relationship to the sex, size and sexual maturity of these crabs, and compared the efficiency of a freeware digital image-editing program with a commercially available program. The color of the individuals was analyzed using standardized digital images. The color pattern varied significantly with size; smaller and immature individuals were darker than larger and mature ones. The female abdomen changed in morphology and color with sexual maturity, becoming wider and orange-colored. There was no statistical difference in the color values between males and females and immature males did not show morphological or color differences in their abdomen. This study highlights the possible relationships of the color and physiological state of the reproductive system, which could help in future studies of behavior, avoiding the need to dissect and/or remove individuals from nature for assessment of sexual maturity. The freeware program showed the same efficiency in digital image analysis as a widely known commercial program. Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia para Recursos Amazônicos (PPGCTRA), Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia (ICET), Rua Nossa Senhora do Rosário, 3863, 69103-128 Itacoatiara, AM, Brasil Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Centro de Aquicultura, Instituto de Estudos Avançados do Mar, Departamento de Biologia Aplicada, Laboratório de Morfologia de Invertebrados, Campus de Jaboticabal, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, 14884-900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Instituto Oceanográfico (IOUSP), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica (DOB), Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-120 São Paulo, SP, Brasil Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Centro de Aquicultura, Instituto de Estudos Avançados do Mar, Departamento de Biologia Aplicada, Laboratório de Morfologia de Invertebrados, Campus de Jaboticabal, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, 14884-900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil CNPq: 301240/2006-0 CNPq: 308215/2010-9 FAPESP: 2005/04707-5 FAPESP: 2010/50188-8

We study whether CEO political ideology affected how S&P 500 firms reacted to the Covid-19 pandemic, an exogenous shock to demand and supply. We hypothesize that conservative CEOs are more likely to adopt shareholder-friendly than employee-friendly reactions to the pandemic. Hence, they should be more likely to downsize their workforce while maintaining dividends. In contrast, other CEOs should be less likely to meet dividend expectations and less likely to downsize. We find confirmation of this hypothesis. We also find that CEOs used the dividend forecasts for 2020 as their benchmark rather than the 2019 dividends to make their dividend decision.

Although Belgian politics has experienced numerous political conflicts in the post-war period, the Brussels political system has, since 1989, remained relatively stable. This has led some scholars to suggest that Brussels may be experiencing a depolarization of its traditional linguistic cleavages. In this article, we analyze the possible realignment of these divisions and the possible emergence of an identity based on the urban territory. We trace the development of the public administrations at sub-state level in Brussels post 1989 and add new data on the often neglected elite-level bureaucrats and their individual attachment perceptions. This topic is most relevant as the organization and functioning of the public administrations have proven to be one of the major politically and socially divisive issues of the power-sharing agreement. The article draws on published and unpublished documents and interviews with 20 elite-level bureaucrats from four distinct public administrations operating in Brussels. The findings suggest that a regional urban attachment is emerging among the bureaucratic elite; however, this attachment would not prove robust if either community were to feel threatened. The likelihood of unintended policy making, which would have unintended consequences, is quite high given that the bureaucratic elite do not have confidence in the administrative structures of the city. The findings should be of interest to those interested in identification perceptions and to those studying other more fragile environments in and around Europe’s borders that may one day consider adopting the Brussels approach to conflict management.

The two-spot swimming crab Charybdis bimaculata (Miers, 1886) is an important decapod species in the benthic ecosystem of Korean waters. In this study, we determined its complete mitochondrial genome by the combination of NGS analysis using MiSeq platform and PCR-based cloning method. The circular mitochondrial genome of C. bimaculata was 15,714 bp in length in which the standard set of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes were encoded. Phylogenic analysis showed that C.bimaculata is most closely related to Charybdis feriata. The complete mitogenome sequence information of C. bimaculata would provide useful data for the conservation of their population in the Pacific ocean.

The occurrence of the alien Charybdis (Gonioinfradens) paucidentatus is reported from Santorini Island after repeated underwater surveys carried out in 2014-2015. The findings constitute the first record of an Indo-Pacific brachyuran in the south-central Aegean Sea, showing the successful expansion of this portunid recently introduced into the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The article describes religious policy of the Soviet government concerning the Protestant communities on the basis of archival materials. Two different models of Soviet policy in the field of religion are analyzed, using the activities of the Commissioner of the Council for Religious Affairs in the Donetsk region in relation to Pentecostals and Adventists as an example. Ukrainian SSR was the "Bible belt" of the Soviet Union. Donetsk region was characterized by high percentage of Protestant communities in general and Adventist communities in particular. Most of the Adventist communities in the region were officially registered, and their members did not show significant dissident inclinations. Therefore, the case of Adventists serves as an example of the more tolerant Soviet religious policy, far from the usual stereotypes about repression and atheism. A slightly harsher attitude by the Soviet authorities can be observed towards the Pentecostal community. After the events of 1945, when the Soviet government forced Pentecostals and Baptists to unite, all Pentecostal communities automatically joined the ranks of opposition. Still, during 1965-1991, some registered Pentecostals made contact with the Soviet authorities. Unregistered communities remained a big problem for the Commissioner and were persecuted until liberalization of religious policy in the late 1980s. The authors pay particular attention to the examples of the way Pentecostal and Adventist regional leaders balanced the necessity to maintain friendly relationship with the authorities and the desire to worship God. It was this kind of controversy that became the main issue of the activities of Protestant religious organizations in the late USSR.

Nadia Terranova, a writer from Messina, one of the five finalists for the Strega Prize 2019 with her novel Addio fantasmi (2018), wrote for children and young adults Bruno il bambino che imparò a volare (2012), Le nuvole per terra (2015), Casca il mondo (2016) and the very recent Omero è stato qui (2019), a collection of fairy tales born from the memory of the author, whose writing is rooted in a land of light and transit – that of the Strait of Messina – capable of giving rise to a fruitful and composite imaginary. The paper intends to deepen the poetry of the writer, who alternates a narrative production for adults with a writing aimed at children, well aware of the need to deliver to readers, to all readers, a literature that promotes culture, art but also of “political” reflection. Particular attention will be paid to the “dangerous girls” who inhabit the author’s stories: from the myth of Scylla and Charybdis, which is told through childhood reminiscences in Omero è stato qui to the most intimate thoughts of Beatrix Potter, Emily Dickinson and Jane Austen contained in the imaginary diaries of Caro Diario ti scrivo… (2011), until the translations of the comic adaptations of the Austen novels published by Marvel-Panini Comics (2013, 2014), we look at the image of a writer who returns to childhood and who turns to it (a love affair, in fact) interweaving masterfully, in the personal creative process, memories, myths, women literary models.

Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) has the potential to reduce the risks of mortality and hospitalisation in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, real-world data indicate that many patients with HFrEF do not receive optimised GDMT, which involves several different medications, many of which require up-titration to target doses. There are many challenges to implementing GDMT, the most important being patient-related factors (comorbidities, advanced age, frailty, cognitive impairment, poor adherence, low socioeconomic status), treatment-related factors (intolerance, side-effects) and healthcare-related factors that influence availability and accessibility of HF care. Accordingly, international disparities in resources for HF management and limited public reimbursement of GDMT, coupled with clinical inertia for treatment intensification combine to hinder efforts to provide GDMT. In this review paper, authors aim to provide solutions based on available evidence, practical experience, and expert consensus on how to utilise evolving strategies, novel medications, and patient profiling to allow the more comprehensive uptake of GDMT. Authors discuss professional education, motivation, and training, as well as patient empowerment for self-care as important tools to overcome clinical inertia and boost GDMT implementation. We provide evidence on how multidisciplinary care and institutional accreditation can be successfully used to increase prescription rates and adherence to GDMT. We consider the role of modern technologies in advancing professional and patient education and facilitating patient-provider communication. Finally, authors emphasise the role of novel drugs (especially sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors), and a tailored approach to drug management as evolving strategies for the more successful implementation of GDMT. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This chapter provides a historical overview of the efforts for international cooperation in pursuit of financial stability. We argue that there are two fundamental threats likely to undermine the actions of an international lender of last resort (ILOLR): debtor moral hazard and creditor moral hazard. During the Pax Britannica years, the Bank of England and the Bank of France were de facto ILOLR and managed to contain both types of moral hazard. In the interwar years, the League of Nations developed new forms of last-resort loans but failed to prevent the Great Depression because of the lack of cooperation between top capital-exporting countries. Since its establishment in 1944, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has granted various credit facilities conditioned on the recipient countries accepting macroeconomic stabilization. The financial globalization process that started in the 1980s has exacerbated creditor moral hazard. This issue, largely overlooked by the IMF, should be a major source of concern for policy makers.

The management of heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) in real-world practice remains a debating issue, while the number of HF patients with AF increase dramatically. While it is unclear if rhythm or rate control therapy is more beneficial and under which circumstances, anticoagulation therapy is the cornerstone of the AF-HF patients' approach. Vitamin-K antagonists were the gold-standard during the past, but currently their usage is limited in specific conditions. Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have gained ground during the last ten years and considered as gold-standard of a wide spectrum of HF phenotypes. The current manuscript aims to review the current literature regarding the indications and the optimal choice and usage of NOACs in HF patients with AF. © 2021 JGC All rights reserved; www.jgc301.com

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) with a weak estrogen-like activity in fish that is found ubiquitously in aquatic environments. However, there has been little study about BPA on the endocrine disrupting effects of crab. In the present study, cDNA of vasa was cloned and characterized in the Charybdis japonica . Histological structures of testis and expression patterns of vasa gene in the testis of C. japonica after treatment with BPA were investigated. Results: The cDNA of vasa is composed of 3051 bp with a 2166 bp open reading frame encoding 721 AA. The deduced amino acid sequence contained eight conserved domains of the DEAD-box protein family. The tissue distribution showed that vasa mRNA was specifically expressed in ovary and testis. Histologically, the sperm cells were decreased in number and an acellular zone was seen in the testis. The transcript level of vasa gradually increased with a significant difference between the experimental and control groups. After BPA exposure with 0.50 and 1.00 mg/L for 1, 3, 6 and 9 d, the expression levels of vasa increased. Conclusion: These findings suggest that BPA can increase the expression level of vasa mRNA and influence the development of the testis in C. japonica .

Charybdis annulata (Fabricius, 1798) is a common portunid crab species found on rocky shore habitat. It mostly prefers coral reef and algal assemblage area as living and foraging habitats. During the study on brachyuran crab diversity of Saurashtra coast, Gujarat, India, we came across the presence of color polymorphism in the species. Total 62 specimens were collected from the field and two color morphs- orange morph and brown morph were identified. The differences in the morphological characteristic were recorded properly on the basis of detail observation of both the morphs. The orange morph shows specific micro habitat preference while the brown morph utilizes wide range of micro habitats.

This article introduces the way in which Jerome comments on the Minor Prophets. It is clear that his exegesis is characterized by his classical education as well as by very different exegetical schools. This article should be understood as a first step in investigating the contribution of the patristic interpretation of the Bible to a contemporary exegesis., Vulgata in Dialogue. A Biblical On-Line Review, Bd. 4 (2020)

The complete mitochondrial genome of Charybdis natator (family Portunidae) was obtained using Illumina and Sanger dideoxy sequencing. This genome was a typically circular molecule with a length of 15,664 bp and encoded 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. The overall base composition of this mitogenome was 34.00% for A, 11.06% for G, 36.36% for T, and 18.58% for C, respectively, with a higher A + T content (70.36%). The gene composition and arrangement were accordant to the closely published species. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that C. natator had the closest relationship with C. japonica.

Sergey Chernysh,* Natalia Gordya,* Dmitry Tulin, Andrey Yakovlev Laboratory of Insect Biopharmacology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: The aim of this study is to improve the anti-biofilm activity of antibiotics. We hypothesized that the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) complex of the host’s immune system can be used for this purpose and examined the assumption on model biofilms. Methods: FLIP7, the AMP complex of the blowfly Calliphora vicina containing a combination of defensins, cecropins, diptericins and proline-rich peptides was isolated from the hemolymph of bacteria-challenged maggots. The complex interaction with antibiotics of various classes was studied in biofilm and planktonic cultures of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii by the checkerboard method using trimethyl tetrazolium chloride cell viability and crystal violet biofilm eradication assays supplemented with microscopic analysis. Results: We found that FLIP7 demonstrated: high synergy (fractional inhibitory concentration index

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Submitted by Timóteo Tadashi Watanabe (timoteo.watanabe@unesp.br) on 2020-02-28T16:39:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 tese corrigida - timoteo tadashi watanabe.pdf: 8295236 bytes, checksum: 02cc9e4dc3afb822611566474d1f6831 (MD5) Rejected by Ana Paula Santulo Custódio de Medeiros null (asantulo@rc.unesp.br), reason: Solicitamos que realize uma nova submissão seguindo as orientações abaixo: - Títulos diferentes: o título da capa, página de rosto, ficha catalográfica e folha de aprovação devem ser idênticos. Se o título correto for o da folha de aprovação, alterar os outros títulos, inclusive o do metadados do repositório. Se o título foi alterado durante a defesa, deve constar na folha de aprovação a alteração do título (solicitar à Seção de Pós-Graduação). - Ata da defesa: não colocar. O correto é: Capa, página de rosto, ficha catalográfica e folha de aprovação. - Agradecimento CAPES: a CAPES publicou uma portaria na qual determina como deve ser colocado o agradecimento. A frase deve estar no capítulo "Agradecimentos" e deve ser exatamente esta: "O presente trabalho foi realizado com apoio da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Código de Financiamento 001”. Agradecemos a compreensão. on 2020-02-28T19:38:37Z (GMT) Submitted by Timóteo Tadashi Watanabe (timoteo.watanabe@unesp.br) on 2020-03-02T13:42:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 tese timoteo tadashi watanabe_2-merged.pdf: 8089424 bytes, checksum: 07d304c0aae74fb8e122cc7d9dd5b046 (MD5) Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Ap. Puerta Buzzá (dripuerta@rc.unesp.br) on 2020-03-05T14:16:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 watanabe_tt_dr_rcla_par.pdf: 748918 bytes, checksum: 94b203fb64b307c5361c53bc6d00b2a6 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2020-03-05T14:16:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 watanabe_tt_dr_rcla_par.pdf: 748918 bytes, checksum: 94b203fb64b307c5361c53bc6d00b2a6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020-01-28 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Espécies invasoras são comuns no mundo e causam diversos impactos à fauna local. Com o aumento do tráfego naval e do uso da água de lastro, aumentam as chances de propagação de espécies aquáticas invasoras, sendo o siri Charybdis hellerii um exemplo deste processo, ao redor do mundo. Diversos estudos foram conduzidos aumentando o conhecimento de características que favorecem a invasão deste siri, como longo período larval, alimentação onívora, crescimento rápido e estocagem de espermatozoides. Apesar dos estudos já efetuados, pouco se conhece sobre o sistema reprodutor e o comportamento reprodutivo desta espécie, bem como se ela segue o padrão mais comum já descrito para a família Portunidae. Nas espécies nativas do gênero Callinectes os índices hepatossomáticos e gonadossomáticos apresentaram pouca variação. Os vasos deferentes possuem células tipicamente secretórias. A região anterior (AVD) é responsável por compactar e formar os espermatóforos. Região média (MVD) onde a maior parte dos espermatóforos formados é armazenada. Na região posterior (PVD) não é encontrado espermatóforos, somente secreção glicoproteica. A presença de grande quantidade de bolsas laterais na MVD e PVD auxilia na produção de fluido seminal. Deste modo, em Callinectes as espécies seguem o padrão esperado para formadores de plug espermático. No caso de C. hellerii os índices gonadossomáticos e hepatossomáticos foram sempre baixos e praticamente não houve variação nem por classe de tamanho ou por sazonalidade. Os espermatóforos também são formados na AVD, porém a maioria dos espermatóforos é armazenada na região distal da AVD. Os espermatóforos não possuem parede, somente uma película mucosa que sofrem deiscência em água do mar, após passar pelo gonópodo. Todas as células dos vasos deferentes são secretórias, porém a composição da secreção é mais similar à espécies que não são formadoras de plug. Este padrão exclusivo dentro de Portunidae pode ser explicado ao analisarmos o sistema reprodutor feminino. Nas fêmeas não foi encontrado em nenhum momento plug espermático. O receptáculo seminal mantém o mesmo volume independente do estágio ovariano e são encontrados somente espermatozoides livres no lúmen. Os espermatozoides são encontrados imersos em secreção rica em polissacarídeos ácidos, encontrados somente após a cópula. A cópula de C. hellerii ocorre em estágio intermuda e as fêmeas são capazes de copular com mais de um macho antes da ovulação. Deste modo o sistema reprodutor de C. hellerii é diferente do padrão mais comum registrado em Portunidae e mais similar à subfamília Thalamitinae. As características reprodutivas comportamentais e morfológicas refletem na variabilidade genética da prole, no qual há a confirmação de poliandria em C. hellerii. Essas características vêm a aumentar a variabilidade genética da prole, o que é mais uma característica dentre as já conhecidas para a espécie que conferem uma maior vantagem adaptativa e favorece a colonização de novas áreas. Invasive species are a common occurrence in the world and they cause several impacts to the local fauna. With the increasing naval traffic (consequently also increasing the use of ballast water), the potential of spread of aquatic invasive species rise, as the swimming crab Charybdis hellerii an example of this process around the world. Several studies were conducted increasing the knowledge of characteristics that favors the invasor of this crab, such as long larval period, omnivorous diet, rapid growth and sperm storage. Despite these studies, little is known abou the reproductive system of this species, as well if it has the most common pattern described to Portunidae. In the native species of the genus Callinectes the hepatosomatic and gonadosomatic índices had little variation. The vas deferens has typical secretory cells. The anterior region (AVD) is responsible to compact and form the spermatophores. The median region (MVD) is where the most of the spermatophores is stored. In the posterior region (PVD) there is no spermatophores, only glycoproteic secretion. The large quantity of outpockets in the MVD and PVD aid in the production of the seminal fluid. Thus, in Callinectes the species follows the expected patern of sperm plug producer. In the case of C. hellerii the gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic índices were Always low and there was barely any variation among size class or between seasons. The spermatophores are also formed in the AVD; however most of the spermatophores are stored in the distal portion of the AVD. The spermatophores have no wall, only a mucous pellicle that suffers dehiscence in seawater, after going through the gonopod. All the cells of the vas deferens are secretory; however the secretion composition is more similar to species that does not form sperm plug. This exclusive pattern in Portunidae could be explained as we analyse the female reproductive system. The sperm plug was not found in the females. The seminal receptacle has the same volume regardless of the ovarian stage and only free spermatozoa are found inside the lumen. The spermatozoa are found immersed in secretion rich in acid polysaccharides, which are only found after the copula. The mating in C. hellerii occurs in intermolt stage and the females are capable to mate with more than one male before ovulation. Thus, the reproductive system of C. hellerii is different from the most common pattern described for Portunidae and more similar to the subfamily Thalamitinae. The reproductive behavior and morphological characteristics reflects in the genetic of the offspring, which confirms the polyandry in C. hellerii. These characteristics increases the genetic variability which is another characteristic among others already described to the species that provides more adaptative advantage and favors the colonization of new áreas. CAPES: 001. FAPESP: 05/04707-5.

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PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A significant proportion of stroke patients is treated with anticoagulants for secondary stroke prevention. Often, in such patients, stroke physicians are required to make difficult clinical decisions when confronted with the dilemma to choose between the risk of thromboembolism and the risk of bleeding. This article focuses on three common anticoagulant-related situations, where the stroke physician needs to find the delicate balance between the two risks.RECENT FINDINGS: Three typical case vignettes are presented and the associated dilemmas are discussed: a patient with an anticoagulant-related intracranial hemorrhage: would you restart anticoagulation?, an anticoagulated patient with a previous stroke because of atrial fibrillation is scheduled for an elective polyp removal: how would you handle anticoagulation perioperatively?, and a patient presents with an ischemic stroke because of atrial fibrillation: how soon would you start anticoagulation for secondary stroke prevention? The article summarizes the related literature and discusses the pros and cons of each choice.SUMMARY: The available evidence is limited; we need to individualize our approach according to the specific characteristics of our patients, and share the decision process with our patients and their proxies, taking strongly into consideration their values and preferences.