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Mexico has a wealth of plant genetic resources, including Capsicum species. In southern Mexico, specifically in the western part of the Yucatan Peninsula, Maya farmers have preserved a great diversity of chilli pepper landraces of C. annuum, C. frutescens and C. chinense. However, the morphological diversity, capsaicinoid content, conservation status and potential use of these species have not been studied. To fill this gap and generate information to support the conservation and use of these species, we characterized the phenotypic diversity and capsaicinoid content for nine chilli pepper landraces from the western Yucatan Peninsula by assessing 15 quantitative and 39 qualitative traits for 10 plants of each landrace. For quantitative variables, two groups of chilli pepper landraces were obtained by principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Group I was formed by Rosita, Bobo, Dulce, Xcat'ik1, Xcat'ik2 and Verde landraces; Group II included the Maax, Bolita and Pico Paloma landraces. For qualitative variables, three groups of chilli pepper landraces were obtained; Group I included Dulce, Bobo, Xcat'ik1, Xcat'ik2 and Verde landraces, Group II only included the Rosita landrace, and Group III included Maax, Bolita and Pico Paloma landraces. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array (UPLC-PDA) quantification of capsaicinoids indicated higher values in landraces Rosita (14,062.3 μg/g D.W), Bolita (5928.1 μg/g D.W), Maax (3438.4 μg/g D.W) and Pico Paloma (3138.9 μg/g D.W). The Yucatan chilli pepper landraces provide valuable diverse germplasm for morphological characteristics and capsaicinoid content that can be used in breeding and conservation programmes.

A new cyclic heptapeptide, ectyoplasin (1), was isolated from a methanol extract of the sponge Ectyoplasia ferox. The planar structure of 1, cyclo(-Leu1-Asn2-Ala3-Val4-Thr5-Pro6-Gly7-), was determined by one and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Its absolute stereochemistry was solved by Marfey’s method. The in vitro assays show that ectyoplasin (1) possess significant cytotoxic activity (2.9 − 23.5 µM) against the cell lines, DU-145 (human prostate cancer), Jurkat (human T-cell acute leukaemia), MM144 (human multiple myeloma), HeLa (human cervical carcinoma) and CADO-ES1 (human Ewing’s sarcoma). The DU-145 cell line showed apoptotic cell death in response to ectyoplasin (1) treatment.

Salt marshes are ecosystems of significant ecological importance for coastal stability and fundamental roles in marine ecosystems. Salt marshes are declining due to anthropogenic and natural causes including sea level rise. Coastal restoration efforts have increased worldwide, but many fail in long-term coastal stability. We used a naturally occurring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) to test whether survival and early growth of the salt marsh grass Sporobolus pumilus (formerly Spartina patens) improved under simulated salt marsh conditions. Using a tidal mesocosm bench, we grew inoculated plants with varying AMF treatments under simulated tidal regimes to determine if AMF could aid in establishment of healthy Sporobolus communities. Rhizome-derived S. pumilus had greater survival and grew faster than seed-derived plants. Plants inoculated with propagated AMF consistently outperformed both sterile and native sediment controls in terms of plant survival and growth. Use of rhizome-derived Sporobolus inoculated with propagated Funneliformis geosporum showed the most promise in producing successful plant populations for salt marsh restoration. This may be due to plant life stage and improved plant nutrient status, allowing rhizome-derived plants to grow more quickly than seed-derived plants. Using these plants in future large-scale restoration may increase re-establishment of salt marsh ecosystems.

Background and aims Glycerol kinase deficiency (GKD) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by hyperglycerolemia and glyceroluria, which could be misdiagnosed as a moderate to severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). We aimed to describe four novel cases of GKD, to complete a systematic review of all cases of isolated GKD published so far, and to develop a suspicion clinical diagnostic score for GKD. Methods We reported four cases with suspicion of GKD and compared their phenotype with 584 males with triglycerides (TG) > 300 mg/dL, selected as control group (HTG non-GKD). The GK gene was sequenced in all cases. Lipoprotein particle concentrations were measured in all cases with GKD. The systematic review involved a PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus databases search to identify anthropometric and biochemical characteristics of all described cases with GKD. Results The systematic review retrieved a total of 15 articles involving 39 subjects with GKD. GKD cases reported a history of high TG levels resistant to lipid-lowering therapy. Compared to GKD subjects (n = 43), HTG non-GKD subjects (n = 584) showed significantly higher BMI, total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and gamma-glutamyltransferase, significantly lower HDL cholesterol and TG, and higher prevalence of diabetes. The proposed diagnostic score was significantly higher in GKD than in HTG non-GKD subjects. Conclusions This is the first systematic review that compiles all GKD cases reported to date including 4 novel cases, and examine the differential GKD phenotype compared to other types of HTG. The proposed score would have a broad utility in clinical practice to avoid unwarranted lipid lowering treatment in GKD patients.

Background Neonatal infections with Cronobacter sakazakii have recently been associated with the consumption of expressed human milk. Study Aims (1) To evaluate whether human milk has antimicrobial capacity against C. sakazakii and (2) to determine the stability of its capacity when it is subjected to various treatments. Methods The antimicrobial capacity of human milk against C. sakazakii was evaluated using an observational, cross-sectional, comparative design. Mature human milk samples ( N = 29) were subjected to different treatments. After incubation at 37°C for 72 hr, samples were compared with fresh milk on the stability of their antimicrobial capacity. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed. Results In fresh milk, counts of C. sakazakii were reduced by 47.26% ( SD = 6.74) compared to controls. In treated milk, reductions were: refrigeration at 4°C for 72 hr ( M = 33.84, SD = 13.84), freezing at –20°C for 1, 2, and 3 months ( M = 40.31, SD = 9.10; M = 35.96, SD = 9.39; M = 26.20, SD = 13.55, respectively), Holder pasteurization ( M = 23.56, SD = 15.61), and human milk bank treatment with ( M = 14.37, SD = 18.02) and without bovine fortifier ( M = 3.70, SD = 23.83). There were significant differences ( p < .05) between fresh and treated milk. Conclusions Human milk has antimicrobial capacity against C. sakazakii. However, its capacity is negatively influenced by common preservation and hygienization methods. Milk should be stored refrigerated for a maximum of 72 hr or frozen for a short period of time.

BACKGROUND: Brewer's spent grain (BSG) has been employed to investigate the use of hemicellulosic and cellulosic sugars in Acetone‐Butanol‐Ethanol (ABE) fermentation. A dilute‐acid pretreatment was conducted, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis at different solid loads (10–15–20% DM) and ABE fermentation by Clostridium beijerinckii DSM 6422. Operation at solid loadings higher than 15% DM (60.1 g L⁻¹ of total sugars, 1.03 g phenolic/L) makes the development of a detoxification step necessary. RESULTS: The higher butanol and ABE concentrations for the pretreatment liquor were obtained when activated carbon was used as the detoxification agent (11.5 ± 0.1 g L⁻¹ butanol, 16.2 ± 0.2 g L⁻¹ ABE, 95.1% sugar uptake), whereas the sequential activated carbon and overliming detoxification strategy was the most effective for 15% DM enzymatic hydrolysates (11.6 ± 0.2 g L⁻¹ butanol, 18.3 ± 0.3 g L⁻¹ ABE, 89.6% sugar uptake). CONCLUSION: The overall yield, taking into account the pretreatment liquor and enzymatic hydrolysate, was 99.8 g butanol/kg BSG and 146.5 g ABE/kg BSG, improving the results without detoxification by more than 40%. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

Viral encephalopathy and retinopathy caused by nervous necrosis virus (NNV), is one of the most threatening viral diseases affecting marine fish worldwide. In vitro propagation of NNV strains is essential for the design of effective control measures. In the present study we analysed both the susceptibility and the permissiveness of five fish cell lines (E-11, GF-1, SAF-1, DLB-1, and SaB-1) to three NNV strains (one RGNNV, one SJNNV, and one reassortant RGNNV/SJNNV). E-11 and DLB-1 were demonstrated to be highly susceptible to NNV strains, with average adsorption efficiency (AE) values higher than 90%. SAF-1 also showed high susceptibility (AE 88%), whereas GF-1 can be regarded as moderately susceptible (AE around 50%). On the contrary, SaB-1 can be considered a poorly susceptible cell line (AE values below 20%). E-11 and GF-1 cell lines provided the highest production rates for RGNNV and RG/SJ (around 103) and both cell lines can be regarded as fully permissive for these viral types. However, the SJNNV production rate in GF-1 was only 17.8 and therefore this cell line should be considered semi-permissive for this genotype. In SAF-1 cells, moderate viral replication was recorded but differences in intracellular and extracellular production suggest that viral progeny was not efficiently released. In DLB-1 and SaB-1 the final viral titres obtained in E-11 were lower than those of the inoculum. However, RNA1 synthesis values seem to indicate that RGNNV replication in DLB-1 and SAF-1 could have been underestimated, probably due to a poor adaptation of the virus grown in these cell lines to E-11. Based on all these results, E-11 seems to be the most appropriate cell for in vitro culture of RGNNV, SJNNV, and reassortant strains.

Funding: This work was supported by grants from the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, Spain, and the ERDF (RTI2018-093503-B-100); the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA-602322); and from the Junta de Andalucía (grant number P20_00134). P.G.-G. is ‘FPU fellow’ from the Ministerio de Universidades, Spain. A.H.-G. is supported by the “Plan Propio de Investigación” from the University of Granada. S.L.-H. is supported by the “garantía juvenil” program. E.B.-C. is supported by the Consejería de Salud, Junta de Andalucía, Spain., Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is a vital lipophilic molecule that is endogenously synthesized in the mitochondria of each cell. The CoQ biosynthetic pathway is complex and not completely characterized, and it involves at least thirteen catalytic and regulatory proteins. Once it is synthesized, CoQ exerts a wide variety of mitochondrial and extramitochondrial functions thank to its redox capacity and its lipophilicity. Thus, low levels of CoQ cause diseases with heterogeneous clinical symptoms, which are not always understood. The decreased levels of CoQ may be primary caused by defects in the CoQ biosynthetic pathway or secondarily associated with other diseases. In both cases, the pathomechanisms are related to the CoQ functions, although further experimental evidence is required to establish this association. The conventional treatment for CoQ deficiencies is the high doses of oral CoQ10 supplementation, but this therapy is not effective for some specific clinical presentations, especially in those involving the nervous system. To better understand the CoQ biosynthetic pathway, the biological functions linked to CoQ and the pathomechanisms of CoQ deficiencies, and to improve the therapeutic outcomes of this syndrome, a variety of animal models have been generated and characterized in the last decade. In this review, we show all the animal models available, remarking on the most important outcomes that each model has provided. Finally, we also comment some gaps and future research directions related to CoQ metabolism and how the current and novel animal models may help in the development of future research studies., Consejería de Salud, Junta de Andalucía, Ministerio de Universidades, Spain, Muscular Dystrophy Association MDA-602322, Universidad de Granada, European Regional Development Fund RTI2018-093503-B-100, Junta de Andalucía P20_00134

Bioindicator species are commonly used as proxies to help identify the ecological effects of oil spills and other stressors. However, the utility of taxa as bioindicators is dependent on understanding their trophic niche and life history characteristics, as these factors mediate their ecological responses. Seaside sparrows (Ammospiza maritima) and marsh rice rats (Oryzomys palustris) are two ubiquitous terrestrial vertebrates that are thought to be bioindicators of oil spills in saltmarsh ecosystems. To improve the utility of these omnivorous taxa as bioindicators, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis to quantify their trophic niches at saltmarshes in coastal Louisiana with differing oiling histories. We found that rats generally had lower trophic positions and incorporated more aquatic prey relative to seaside sparrows. The range of resources used (i.e.,trophic niche width) varied based on oiling history. Seaside sparrows had wider trophic niches than marsh rice rats at unoiled sites, but not at oiled sites. Trophic niche widths of conspecifics were less consistent at oiled sites, although marsh rice rats at oiled sites had wider trophic niches than rats at unoiled sites. These results suggest that past oiling histories may have imparted subtle, yet differing effects on the foraging ecology of these two co-occurring species. However, the temporal lag between initial oiling and our study makes identifying the ultimate drivers of differences between oiled and unoiled sites challenging. Even so, our findings provide a baseline quantification of the trophic niches of sympatric seaside sparrows and marsh rice rats that will aid in the use of these species as indicators of oiling and other environmental stressors in saltmarsh ecosystems.

Northern Tamandua Tamandua mexicana is one of the most common roadkill species encountered on Costa Rican highways. Ten roadkill Northern Tamanduas were collected along different roads in Costa Rica and moved to a veterinary facility where appendicular radiologic studies were undertaken. The number of fractures present in each individual varied from zero to five (mean=2.6), with only one animal sustaining no fractures at all. Most fractures were present in the humerus (31%), followed by the ulna and ilium (both 19%), whilst the cranial portion of the body represented the highest number of fractures (61%). These data can contribute, not only to establishing causes of animal-road-mortalities, but also to the future understanding and decision-making of clinical actions for animals injured on the roads.

13 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.524, Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) are an abundant class of suspended organic particles, mainly formed by polysaccharides, which play important roles in biogeochemical and ecological processes in the ocean. In this study we investigated horizontal and vertical TEP distributions (within the euphotic layer, including the upper surface) and their short-term variability along with a suite of environmental and biological variables in four distinct regions of the Southern Ocean. TEP concentrations in the surface (4 m) averaged 102.3 ± 40.4 μg XG eq. L and typically decreased with depth. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration was a better predictor of TEP variability across the horizontal (R = 0.66, p < 0.001) and vertical (R = 0.74, p < 0.001) scales than prokaryotic heterotrophic abundance and production. Incubation experiments further confirmed the main role of phytoplankton as TEP producers. The highest surface TEP concentrations were found north of the South Orkney Islands (144.4 ± 21.7 μg XG eq. L), where the phytoplankton was dominated by cryptophytes and haptophytes; however, the highest TEP:Chl a ratios were found south of these islands (153.4 ± 29.8 μg XG eq (μg Chl a), compared to a mean of 79.3 ± 54.9 μg XG eq (μg Chl a) in the whole cruise, in association with haptophyte dominance, proximity of sea ice and high exposure to solar radiation. TEP were generally enriched in the upper surface (10 cm) respect to 4 m, despite a lack of biomass enrichment, suggesting either upward transport by positive buoyancy or bubble scavenging, or higher production at the upper surface by light stress or aggregation. TEP concentrations did not present any significant cyclic diel pattern. Altogether, our results suggest that photobiological stress, sea ice melt and turbulence add to phytoplankton productivity in driving TEP distribution across the Antarctic Peninsula area and Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through projects PEGASO (CTM2012-37615) and BIOGAPS (CTM2016-81008-R) to RS. MZ was supported by a FPU predoctoral fellowship (FPU13/04630) from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture

A microwave assisted hydrothermal pretreatment technology has been developed to recover fermentable sugars from brewer’s spent grain. Microwave hydrothermal pretreatment is considered as a greener pretreatment, as no acid or alkali are used as catalysts. An experimental design was planned to analyze the effect of pretreatment conditions (temperature and time). The objective was to maximize hemicellulosic sugar recovery in the liquid fraction and glucose recovery in enzymatic hydrolysis (referred to untreated BSG), as well as to minimize inhibitors in the liquid fraction to ensure ABE (acetone, butanol and ethanol) fermentability. Optimal conditions were 192.7 °C and 5.4 min, resulting in 64% hemicellulosic sugar recovery, 70% glucose recovery in enzymatic hydrolysate and 2.4 g/L total inhibitors. The liquid fraction obtained under optimal conditions was fermented with Clostridium beijerinckii, reaching a butanol concentration as low as 1 g/L. The butanol concentration could be improved by operating at higher solid loadings in pretreatment, which would increase fermentable sugar concentration. Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated BSG yielded a sugar solution, which was also fermented, resulting in a butanol concentration and overall yield of 8.3 g/L and 46 kg/t BSG, respectively.

An annotated checklist of recorded species of Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) from inland aquatic habitats in Ecuador (including the Galapagos) is provided. We revised all published records, evaluated the validity of each taxon and provided short taxonomic and biogeographical remarks for each taxon. A total of 34 valid species grouped into 23 genera was found. Presently, all attempts to analyze distributional patterns of cladocerans in Ecuador are premature due to the scarcity of adequate information. Current achievements in the inventory of cladocerans, information gaps and recommendations for future studies on cladoceran taxonomy in Ecuador are discussed.

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV), the causative agent of viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER), is one of the most threatening viruses affecting marine and freshwater fish species worldwide. Senegalese sole is a promising fish species in Mediterranean aquaculture but also highly susceptible to NNV and VER outbreaks, that puts its farming at risk. The development of vaccines for aquaculture is one of best tools to prevent viral spread and sudden outbreaks, and virus inactivation is the simplest and most cost-effective method available. In this work, we have designed two inactivated vaccines based on the use of formalin or binary ethylenimine (BEI) to inactivate a reassortant NNV strain. After vaccination, the BEI-inactivated vaccine triggered the production of specific IgM-NNV antibodies and stimulated innate and adaptive immune responses at transcriptional level (rtp3, mx, mhcii and tcrb coding genes). Moreover, it partially improved survival after an NNV in vivo challenge, reducing the mid-term viral load and avoiding the down-regulation of immune response post-challenge. On the other hand, the formalin-inactivated vaccine improved the survival of fish upon infection without inducing the production of IgM-NNV antibodies and only stimulating the expression of herc4 and mhcii genes (in head-kidney and brain, respectively) during the vaccination period, this suggests that other immune-related pathways may be involved in the partial protection provoked. Although these vaccines against NNV showed encouraging results, further studies are needed to improve sole protection and to fully understand the underlying immune mechanism.

Infections represent an important problem in neonates because of the high mortality. An increase in neonatal infections has been found in Cuban hospitals in recent years. The aim of this study was to provide evidence on the clinical and microbiological behavior of Gram-negative bacilli that cause neonatal infections in hospitals of Havana, Cuba. It was carried out as a descriptive cross-sectional investigation from September 2017 to July 2018 in The Tropical Medicine Institute “Pedro Kouri” (IPK). Sixty-one Gram-negative bacilli isolated from neonates with infections in six Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospitals of Havana were analyzed for their species and antimicrobial susceptibility. Late-onset infections were more common than early-onset ones and included urinary tract infection in the community (87%) and sepsis in hospitals (63.3%). Catheter use (47%) and prolonged stay (38%) were the most frequent risk factors. Species of major pathogens were Escherichia coli (47%) and Klebsiella spp. (26%). The isolated Gram-negative bacilli showed high resistance rates to third-generation cephalosporins, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin, while being more susceptible to carbapenems, fosfomycin, colistin and amikacin. The present study revealed the clinical impact of Gram-negative bacilli in neonatology units in hospitals of Havana. Evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibilities to the isolates from neonates is necessary for selection of appropriate empirical therapy and promotion of the rational antibiotic use.

The viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is the causative agent of an important disease in freshwater and marine fishes. Its diagnosis officially relies on the isolation of the virus in cell culture and its identification by serological or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodologies. Nowadays, reverse transcription real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is the most widely employed technique for the detection of this virus and some studies have reported the validation of RT-qPCR procedures for the detection, typing, and quantification of VHSV isolates. However, although the efficacy of this technique is not in doubt, it can be cumbersome and even impractical when it comes to processing large numbers of samples, a situation in which cross-contamination problems cannot be ruled out. In the present study, we have designed and validated a macroarray for the simultaneous detection, typing, and quantification of VHSV strains. Its analytical sensitivity (5–50 TCID50/mL), analytical specificity (intra and intergroup), efficiency (E = 100.0–101.1) and reliability (repeatability and reproducibility with CV &lt, 5%, and standard curves with R2 &lt, 0.95) with strains from any VHSV genotype have been widely demonstrated. The procedure is based on the ‘binary multiplex RT-qPCR system (bmRT-qPCR)’ previously reported by the same team, applied to arrays of 96-well PCR strip tubes plates, which can be stored at −25 °C for three months and up to one year before their use, without significant loss of efficiency.

Sugarcane straw (SCS) was pretreated with dilute sulfuric acid assisted by microwave to magnify fermentable sugars and to minimize the concentration of inhibitors in the hydrolysates. The optimum conditions for maximum recovery of sugars were 162 °C and 0.6% (w/v) H2SO4. The low level of inhibitors, such as acetate (2.9 g/L) and total phenolics (1.4 g/L), in the SCS slurry from the pretreatment stage allowed the enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation steps to occur without detoxification. Besides consuming the total sugar content (31.0 g/L), Clostridium beijerinckii Br21 was able to use acetate from the SCS hydrolysate, to give butyric acid at high conversion factor (0.49 g of butyric acid /g of sugar). The optimized pretreatment conditions spared acid, time, and the detoxification stage, making bio-butyric acid production from SCS extremely attractive.

The effects of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) and Rhizobium inoculation on nodulation, nitrogen fixation and plant growth of common bean (cv. Red Guama, Phaseolus vulgaris) plants were investigated in growth chambers. Plants were exposed to: Fe3O4 NPs (2000 mg/L) (T1), Rhizobium inoculation (T2) and Fe3O4 NPs + Rhizobium inoculation (T3); non-treated plants were considered as controls. Harvested 35-day-old treated plants showed improved symbiotic performance including increased nitrogenase activity (51.2–90.7%), nodule leghaemoglobin (44.8–80.9%) and iron content (83.4–84.2%), number of active nodules per plant (58.7–122%) and nodule dry weight (40.2–70.6%). This resulted in enhanced symbiotic nitrogen fixation,and increased shoot (26.5–50.2%) and root (24.1–48.2%) total nitrogen content in treated plants in comparison with the controls. The best result was obtained using treatment T3. Furthermore, Fe3O4 NPs were taken up by bean plants in treatments T1 and T3, and these accumulated in their organs, including in nodules. All treatments led to an increase in root (51.9–79.8%) and shoot (27.5–52.7%) lengths, in leaf area (10.9–16.8%) and in root (10.1–17.8%), stem (9.8–12.7%) and leaf dry weight (8–17.3%) compared to control plants. Thus applied treatments have the potential to improve common bean plant growth through enhancement of nodulation and nitrogen fixation during vegetative growth.This study also provides strong evidence that the presence Fe3O4 NPs in nodules improves the symbiotic performance between Rhizobium (leguminosarum CF1 strain) and the common bean plant, due to enhanced nodulation and nitrogen fixation.

The work was supported by the following grants: NIH-AG045223 and NIH-AI137198 to L.S.; the Swiss National Science Foundation, grant 310030_182528 to C.H.; Telethon GGP17094 and the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC; 19903) to F.F.; Sigrid Juselius Foundation to K.A.; NIH T32 DK007110 to S.C.; NIH-AI103338 and NIH-AI138552 to G.L.; NIH K12 GM102779/BETTR program to R.F.; Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC 2019-23084) to U.G.; The Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases ZIG AR041181-11) to W.L.T. and M.G. European Union H2020 ERA project (No. 667824 -EXCELLtoINNOV) to M.V., Tryptophan catabolism is a major metabolic pathway utilized by several professional and non-professional antigen presenting cells to maintain immunological tolerance. Here we report that 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenamine (3-HKA) is a biogenic amine produced via an alternative pathway of tryptophan metabolism. In vitro, 3-HKA has an anti-inflammatory profile by inhibiting the IFN-γ mediated STAT1/NF-κΒ pathway in both mouse and human dendritic cells (DCs) with a consequent decrease in the release of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, most notably TNF, IL-6, and IL12p70. 3-HKA has protective effects in an experimental mouse model of psoriasis by decreasing skin thickness, erythema, scaling and fissuring, reducing TNF, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and IL-17 production, and inhibiting generation of effector CD8+ T cells. Similarly, in a mouse model of nephrotoxic nephritis, besides reducing inflammatory cytokines, 3-HKA improves proteinuria and serum urea nitrogen, overall ameliorating immune-mediated glomerulonephritis and renal dysfunction. Overall, we propose that this biogenic amine is a crucial component of tryptophan-mediated immune tolerance., Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), European Commission 310030_182528, Fondazione Telethon GGP17094, Fondazione AIRC per la ricerca sul cancro 19903, Sigrid Juselius Foundation, United States Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA T32 DK007110 K12 GM102779, Fondazione AIRC per la ricerca sul cancro AIRC 2019-23084, National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA, NIH National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases (NIAMS) ZIG AR041181-11, European Union H2020 ERA project 667824 NIH-AG045223 NIH-AI137198 NIH-AI103338 NIH-AI138552

Background: Regulatory CD4+ T cells (Tregs) exhibit functional alterations in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a key regulator of Treg development and function. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether the expression of functionally relevant TGF-β-regulated molecules is altered in Tregs from patients with MS. Methods: Expression of nine Treg markers was analyzed by multi-color flow cytometry in CD4+ T cells and Treg subpopulations of 31 untreated MS patients and age- and sex-matched healthy donors (HDs). Correlations between Treg marker expression and clinical variables were sought. Results: Expression of the transcription factor Helios, which defines thymic-derived Tregs, was decreased in this Treg subpopulation. The frequency of peripherally generated Tregs was increased in patients with MS, particularly in patients with progressive MS. Low frequencies of thymic-derived Tregs were associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesion-burden and a high relapse rate. Four surface markers associated with TGF-β signaling (ABCA1, BTLA, DNAM-1, and GARP) were differentially expressed on Tregs from patients with MS and HDs. Expression levels of CD73, CD103, ABCA1, and PAR2 showed strong correlations with disease severity. Conclusion: We have identified novel markers abnormally expressed on Tregs from patients with MS that could detect patients with severe disease.

In the Gulf of Mexico, the bulk of published studies for sea turtles have focused on northern (United States) waters where economic resources are centered, with fewer studies in the southern portion of the basin, resulting in significant knowledge gaps in these underrepresented areas. Similarly, publications on adult sea turtles are dominated by research on females that come ashore to nest and can be readily studied (e.g., through the collection of biological samples and the application of satellite-telemetry devices), whereas information on adult male sea turtles is scarce. The goal of this paper is to begin filling these knowledge gaps by synthesizing available data on adult male sea turtles in the southern Gulf of Mexico. We used satellite-telemetry, boat- and drone-based surveys, and stranding records combined with ocean circulation modeling to better understand the spatial distribution of male loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles in the southern Gulf of Mexico. These spatially explicit analyses will provide context for opportunistically collected data on male sea turtles and better contribute to the management and restoration of sea turtle populations that use the Gulf of Mexico. Moreover, this synthesis can serve as a launching point for directed studies on male sea turtles in this region.

We surveyed Spartina saltmarsh sediment rhizosphere fungal communities at three saltmarshes and two timepoints in coastal Nova Scotia. Based on ITS2 Illumina miSeq rDNA data and multivariate analysis, neither sediment zone nor collection period correlated with fungal ASV richness, but collection site did. However, Shannon diversity indicated that sediment zone played a significant role in fungal diversity. For unweighted and weighted UniFrac distance, site was the major factor driving beta-diversity, with sediment zone and collection period having smaller roles. Sediment type and saltmarsh plant species may play important roles in structuring rhizosphere fungal assemblages, here dominated by ascomycetes. To our knowledge, our study is the first to assess fungal sediment communities in saltmarshes in Atlantic Canada using metabarcoding. It provides a biodiversity analysis of sediment fungi in a poorly studied but highly important ecosystem and points to their roles in nutrient cycling, blue carbon, coastal stability and coastal restoration. Our work will inform ongoing saltmarsh restoration in Atlantic Canada.

Producción Científica, The integral valorization of potential sugars (cellulosic and hemicellulosic) from spentcoffee grounds (SCG), a lignocellulosic residue, is proposed in this work. With this aim,the microwave assisted dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment has been optimized, leading toa hemicellulosic sugar recovery in the pretreatment liquid (HSR L ) and an enzymatichydrolysis yield of 79 and 98%, respectively, at 160.47 ºC and 1.5% H 2 SO 4 .Moreover, the complete digestibility of cellulose (enzymatic hydrolysis yield = 100%)was also discovered for non-pretreated SCG, which is very interesting. Secondly, theproduction of biobutanol, an advanced biofuel, is also proposed from pretreated SCGenzymatic hydrolysate and pretreatment liquid achieved under optimal conditions.These were fermented by Clostridium beijerinckii , yielding 95 kg butanol/t SCG (drymatter) and 151 kg acetone-butanol-ethanol/t SCG (dry matter)., junta de Castilla y Leon y EU-FEDER (VAG028G19, CLU 2017-09, UIC 129)

Vertebrate axial skeletal patterning is controlled by co-linear expression of Hox genes and axial level-dependent activity of HOX protein combinations. MEIS transcription factors act as co-factors of HOX proteins and profusely bind to Hox complex DNA; however, their roles in mammalian axial patterning remain unknown. Retinoic acid (RA) is known to regulate axial skeletal element identity through the transcriptional activity of its receptors; however, whether this role is related to MEIS/HOX activity remains unknown. Here, we study the role of Meis in axial skeleton formation and its relationship to the RA pathway in mice. Meis elimination in the paraxial mesoderm produces anterior homeotic transformations and rib mis-patterning associated to alterations of the hypaxial myotome. Although Raldh2 and Meis positively regulate each other, Raldh2 elimination largely recapitulates the defects associated with Meis deficiency, and Meis overexpression rescues the axial skeletal defects in Raldh2 mutants. We propose a Meis-RA-positive feedback loop, the output of which is Meis levels, that is essential to establish anterior-posterior identities and patterning of the vertebrate axial skeleton. This research was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PGC2018-096486-B-I00), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (RD16/ 0011/0019) and by the Comunidad de Madrid (S2017/BMD3875). The Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III is supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades and the Pro Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). A.C.L.-D. was the recipient of a Formación Personal Investigador fellowship from the Ministerio de Economı́a y Competitividad (BES-2013-064374). Sí

A transcription factor gradient conveys positional information in the vertebrate limb bud., The positional information theory proposes that a coordinate system provides information to embryonic cells about their position and orientation along a patterning axis. Cells interpret this information to produce the appropriate pattern. During development, morphogens and interpreter transcription factors provide this information. We report a gradient of Meis homeodomain transcription factors along the mouse limb bud proximo-distal (PD) axis antiparallel to and shaped by the inhibitory action of distal fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Elimination of Meis results in premature limb distalization and HoxA expression, proximalization of PD segmental borders, and phocomelia. Our results show that Meis transcription factors interpret FGF signaling to convey positional information along the limb bud PD axis. These findings establish a new model for the generation of PD identities in the vertebrate limb and provide a molecular basis for the interpretation of FGF signal gradients during axial patterning.

The authors thank Mariah Carmichael for her English editorial assistance., Introduction: The global prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing rapidly, especially in low- and middle-income countries and has a high number of associated comorbidities. Plasmatic concentrations of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) have been shown to be elevated in T2D subjects in cross-sectional studies. However, the effect of lifestyle community-based interventions on BCAA and RBP4 concentrations has not yet been analyzed. Material and methods: The Feel4Diabetes study is a school and community-based intervention that identified 360 European families with a high risk of developing T2D according to the FINDRISC questionnaire. Families were randomized in control and intervention groups were followed-up from 2016 to 2018. In the Spanish families, the concentration of BCAA and RBP4 was determined in 266 subjects (115 control and 151 intervention group) that attended the three time-point assessments by colorimetric and ELISA reaction, respectively. Results: Baseline BCAA levels showed positive correlations with the FINDRISC score and glucose impairment (baseline glucose, insulin, and glycated hemoglobin), body mass index, and body weight. The participants receiving the community-based intervention showed a significant decrease in glycated hemoglobin and BCAA levels compared to the control group (p = 0.011 and p < 0.001, respectively). However, baseline RBP4 did not show significant correlations with anthropometric and glycemic parameters, and no significant change was observed in anthropometric parameters and RBP4 concentrations throughout the follow-up. Conclusion: A community-based intervention on lifestyle led to a significant reduction in BCAA levels regardless of weight loss. These findings suggest that this interventional approach could be promising in T2D prevention., Gobierno de Aragón B14-7R, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness PI15/01983 PI18/01777, European Union (EU), CIBERCV, Instituto de Salud Carlos III

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:21:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-01-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Benthic macroinvertebrates are organisms that are recognized as water quality bio-indicators. A wide variety of indices and metrics have been shown to respond to a variety of anthropogenic impacts, usually under a general condition of environmental impairment. The absence of a clear distinction in the relations between specific pollutants and biotic variables is very common and can lead to biased interpretation of biomonitoring. The aims of this research were to test taxonomic and non-taxonomic responses to specific environmental conditions instead to general conditions. For this purpose, we estimated the theoretical toxicity by comparing toxicity values published by EPA with metal concentrations in water and sediments. Then we tested the responses of biological variables to toxicity and other environmental conditions using the linear mixed effects models approach. We generated 32 models considering 24 different biological metrics and indices that were grouped in five levels. Taxonomic and abundance metrics were best predictor than functional or tolerance-based indexes. The strongest model was that which considered subfamily taxonomic resolution responding to Al_w and Cr_s. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia de Sorocaba/ICT UNESP, Avenida Três de Março, 51, Aparecidinha Programa de Graduação em Gestão Ambiental Faculdade de Tecnologia do Estado de São Paulo/FATEC, Rua Dr. João Vieira de Camargo, 104 Universidade Federal de São Carlos/UFSCar, Rodovia João Leme dos Santos, SP 264, Km 110, Itinga Instituto Nacional de Limnología/INALI, Ciudad Universitaria, Paraje El Pozo Catalan Institute for Water Research/ICRA, Carrer Emili Grahit 101 Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biologia Universidade de São Paulo/USP, Rua do Matão, 321, Butantã Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia de Sorocaba/ICT UNESP, Avenida Três de Março, 51, Aparecidinha FAPESP: 2012/11890-4 FAPESP: 2012/16420-6 FAPESP: 2013/03494-4 FAPESP: 2013/08272-0 FAPESP: 2014/22581-8

This work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Spain, and the ERDF (RTI2018-093503-B-100); the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA-602322); the University of Granada (grant reference 'UNETE', UCE-PP2017-06) (L.C.L.) and the National Institute of Health (NIH, United States) P01 HD080642-01 (C.M.Q.). A.H.-G. and P.G.-G. are `FPU fellows' from the Ministerio de Universidades, Spain. E.B.-C. was supported by the Junta de Andalucia. U.B.A. was supported by the Erasmus+ Program., Abnormalities of one carbon, glutathione and sulfide metabolisms have recently emerged as novel pathomechanisms in diseases with mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the mechanisms underlying these abnormalities are not clear. Also, we recently showed that sulfide oxidation is impaired in Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) deficiency. This finding leads us to hypothesize that the therapeutic effects of CoQ10, frequently administered to patients with primary or secondary mitochondrial dysfunction, might be due to its function as cofactor for sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQOR), the first enzyme in the sulfide oxidation pathway. Here, using biased and unbiased approaches, we show that supraphysiological levels of CoQ10 induces an increase in the expression of SQOR in skin fibroblasts from control subjects and patients with mutations in Complex I subunits genes or CoQ biosynthetic genes. This increase of SQOR induces the downregulation of the cystathionine β-synthase and cystathionine γ-lyase, two enzymes of the transsulfuration pathway, the subsequent downregulation of serine biosynthesis and the adaptation of other sulfide linked pathways, such as folate cycle, nucleotides metabolism and glutathione system. These metabolic changes are independent of the presence of sulfur aminoacids, are confirmed in mouse models, and are recapitulated by overexpression of SQOR, further proving that the metabolic effects of CoQ10 supplementation are mediated by the overexpression of SQOR. Our results contribute to a better understanding of how sulfide metabolism is integrated in one carbon metabolism and may explain some of the benefits of CoQ10 supplementation observed in mitochondrial diseases., Spanish Government, European Union (EU) RTI2018-093503-B-100, Muscular Dystrophy Association MDA-602322, University of Granada UCE-PP2017-06, United States Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA P01 HD080642-01, Junta de Andalucia, Erasmus+ Program

Producción Científica, In this study, an innovative approach is proposed for the integral valorization of all sugars (cellulosic and hemicellulosic) contained in a lignocellulosic residue, as is brewer's spent grain (BSG), through the production of an advanced biofuel such as biobutanol. For this purpose, the whole slurry obtained in the microwave assisted dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment under optimized conditions (147 °C, 2 min and 1.26% H2SO4) at a biomass loading as high as 15% (w/v) was enzymatically hydrolyzed without previous solid-liquid separation and the highly concentrated solution of sugars recovered was fermented to butanol by Clostridium beijerinckii after detoxification with activated charcoal. In this way, all sugars (pentoses and hexoses) contained in BSG could be fermented using a single bioreactor, leading to 11 g/L of butanol and 16 g/L of ABE, which correspond with butanol and ABE yields of 0.21 and 0.32 g/g, respectively. The mass balance revealed then an overall yield of 91 kg butanol/t BSG and 138 kg ABE/t BSG could be reached., Junta de Castilla y León y EU-FEDER (VA010P17, CLU 2017-09, UIC 129).

Simple Summary Replication studies are frequently based on viral production, which provides limited information to understand certain processes. Therefore, to discover which failures in the viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) replication cycle might be involved in the differences in its virulence on fish, a different approach has been taken. Our results have demonstrated that adsorption and morphogenesis are the steps most involved in the modulation of virulence, although failures in the synthesis step were also observed. As a potential application of our results, we believe that this kind of knowledge relating in vivo virulence to in vitro markers could help reduce the need for experimental infections in animals, representing a step forward in ethical issues. Abstract The viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV), a single-stranded negative-sense RNA novirhabdovirus affecting a wide range of marine and freshwater fish species, is a main concern for European rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fish farmers. Its genome is constituted by six genes, codifying five structural and one nonstructural proteins. Many studies have been carried out to determine the participation of each gene in the VHSV virulence, most of them based on genome sequence analysis and/or reverse genetics to construct specific mutants and to evaluate their virulence phenotype. In the present study, we have used a different approach with a similar aim: hypothesizing that a failure in any step of the replication cycle can reduce the virulence in vivo, we studied in depth the in vitro replication of VHSV in different cell lines, using sets of strains from different origins, with high, low and moderate levels of virulence for fish. The results demonstrated that several steps in the viral replication cycle could affect VHSV virulence in fish, including adsorption, RNA synthesis and morphogenesis (including viral release). Notably, differences among strains in any step of the replication cycle were mostly strain-specific and reflected only in part the in vivo phenotype (high and low virulent). Our data, therefore, support the need for further studies aimed to construct completely avirulent VHSV recombinants targeting a combination of genes rather than a single one in order to study the mechanisms of genes interplay and their effect on viral phenotype in vitro and in vivo.

International audience; Oceanic dispersal characterizes the early juvenile life‐stages of numerous marine species of conservation concern. This early stage may be a ‘critical period’ for many species, playing an overriding role in population dynamics. Often, relatively little information is available on their distribution during this period, limiting the effectiveness of efforts to understand environmental and anthropogenic impacts on these species. Here we present a simple model to predict annual variation in the distribution and abundance of oceanic‐stage juvenile sea turtles based on species’ reproductive output, movement and mortality. We simulated dispersal of 25 cohorts (1993–2017) of oceanic‐stage juveniles by tracking the movements of virtual hatchling sea turtles released in a hindcast ocean circulation model. We then used estimates of annual hatchling production from Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys kempii (n = 3), green Chelonia mydas (n = 8) and loggerhead Caretta caretta (n = 5) nesting areas in the northwestern Atlantic (inclusive of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and eastern seaboard of the U.S.) and their stage‐specific mortality rates to weight dispersal predictions. The model's predictions indicate spatial heterogeneity in turtle distribution across their marine range, identify locations of increasing turtle abundance (notably along the U.S. coast), and provide valuable context for temporal variation in the stranding of young sea turtles across the Gulf of Mexico. Further effort to collect demographic, distribution and behavioral data that refine, complement and extend the utility of this modeling approach for sea turtles and other dispersive marine taxa is warranted. Finally, generating these spatially‐explicit predictions of turtle abundance required extensive international collaboration among scientists; our findings indicate that continued conservation of these sea turtle populations and the management of the numerous anthropogenic activities that operate in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean will require similar international coordination.

11 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables, supporting information https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14307, Length–weight relationships (LWRs) were estimated for 36 mesopelagic fish species collected from the equatorial and tropical Atlantic encompassing several oceanographic regions: oligotrophic, equatorial, Cape Blanc, Cape Verde and the Canary Islands. The sample was composed of myctophids (25 species), gonostomatids (5), sternoptychids (3), stomiids (2) and phosichthyids (1). The species were clustered according to body shape: “short‐deep” (sternoptychids), “elongate” (gonostomatids, stomiids and some phosichthyids) and “fusiform” (myctophids and some phosichthyids). Three types of weight and LWRs were considered: wet weight (WW ), eviscerated wet weight (eWW ) and eviscerated dry weight (eDW ). The study demonstrated that most species present a positive allometric growth, independent of the weight used. However, the allometric value varied in 40–50% of species depending on the type of weight considered. Significant variations linked to fish morphology were found in the relationship between the slope and intercept of the LWR equation. Significant differences were also noted in the water content linked to fish body shape. Based on the distributions of several species we compare their fitness between oceanographic regions using the relative condition factor (K rel). Except for Diaphus brachycephalus (oligotrophic vs. equatorial waters) and Lampanyctus alatus (equatorial, Cape Blanc, Cape Verde and the Canary Islands), no regional significant differences were observed in the species analysed, This research was sponsored by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad through the project CTM2012-39587-C04-03, With the funding support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S), of the Spanish Research Agency (AEI)

Fullerenes are carbon nanomaterials that have awaken a strong interest due to their adsorption properties and potential applications in many fields. However, there are some gaps of information about their effects and bioconcentration potential in the aquatic biota. In the present work, freshwater biofilms and snails (Radix sp.) were exposed to fullerene C60 aggregates, at concentrations in the low μg/L order, in mesocosms specifically designed to mimic the conditions of a natural stream. The bioconcentration factors of C60 fullerene and its main transformation product, [6,6]C60O epoxide, were studied to the mentioned organisms employing analyses by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Our results show that C60 fullerene and its [6,6]C60O present a low bioconcentration factor (BCF) to biofilms: BCFC60 = 1.34 ± 0.95 L/kgdw and BCFC60O = 1.43 ± 0.72 L/kgdw. This suggests that the sorption of these aggregates to biota may be less favoured than it would be suggested by its hydrophobic character. According to our model, the surface of fullerene aggregates is saturated with [6,6]C60O molecules, which exposes the polar epoxide moieties in the surface of the aggregates and decreases their affinity to biofilms. In contrast, freshwater snails showed a moderate capacity to actively retain C60 fullerenes in their organism (BAFC60 = 2670 ± 3070 L/kgdw; BAFC60O = 1330 ± 1680 L/kgdw), probably through ingestion. Our results indicate that the bioaccumulation of these carbon nanomaterials can be hardly estimated using their respective octanol-water partition coefficients, and that their colloidal properties, as well as the feeding strategies of the tested organism, play fundamental roles. © 2019 Elsevier Inc., This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the project NANO-transfer (ERA-NET SIINN PCIN-2015-182-CO2-01) and by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Consolidated Research Groups “2014 SGR 418 – Water and Soil Quality Unit” and “2014 SGR 291 – ICRA”). Lúcia H.M.L.M. Santos acknowledges the Juan de la Cierva program (IJCI-2017-32747) and Julio C. López-Doval thanks the program Juan de la Cierva from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (IJCI-2015-23644). Appendix A

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a frequent opportunistic pathogen in immunosuppressed patients, which can be involved in kidney allograft dysfunction and rejection. In order to study the pathophysiology of HCMV renal diseases, we concentrated on the impact of HCMV infection on human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells. Our aim was to develop a model of infection of HK-2 cells by using the viral strain TB40/E, that contains the extended cell tropism of clinical isolates and the efficient viral multiplication in cell culture of laboratory-adapted strains. We observed that HK-2 cells can be infected by HCMV and expressed viral antigens, but they do not produce extracellular viral particles. We then studied the interplay of HCMV with ciliogenesis and autophagy. Primary cilium (PC) is a stress sensor important to maintain renal tissue homeostasis that projects from the apical side into the lumen of tubule cells. PC formation and length were not modified by HCMV infection. Autophagy, another stress response process critically required for normal kidney functions, was inhibited by HCMV in HK-2 cells with a reduction in the autophagic flux. HCMV classically induces an enlargement of infected cells in vivo and in vitro, and we observed that HCMV infection led to an enlargement of the HK-2 cell volume. Our results constitute therefore an excellent starting point to further explore the role of these mechanisms in renal cells dysfunction. Fil: López Giuliani, Ana C.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina Fil: Hernández, Eva. Centre D'etudes de Saclay; Francia Fil: Tohmé Chapini, María Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentina Fil: Taisne, Clémence. Centre D'etudes de Saclay; Francia Fil: Roldan, Julieta Suyay. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; Argentina Fil: García Samartino, Clara. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; Argentina Fil: Lussignol, Marion. Centre D'etudes de Saclay; Francia Fil: Codogno, Patrice. Sorbonne University; Francia Fil: Colombo, María Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentina Fil: Esclatine, Audrey. Centre D'etudes de Saclay; Francia Fil: Delgui, Laura Ruth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentina

Four cyclic octapeptides, squamins C–F, were isolated from the seeds of Annona globiflora Schltdl. These compounds share part of their amino acid sequence, -Pro-Met(O)-Tyr-Gly-Thr-, with previously reported squamins A and B. Their structures were determined using NMR spectroscopic techniques together with quantum mechanical calculations (QM-NMR), ESI-HRMS data and a modified version of Marfey's chromatographic method. All compounds showed cytotoxic activity against DU-145 (human prostate cancer) and HeLa (human cervical carcinoma) cell lines. Clearly, A. globiflora is an important source of bioactive molecules, which could promote the sustainable exploitation of this undervalued specie., This work was supported by the Government of the State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Veracruz Council for Scientific Research and Technological Development [COVEICyDET, grant number 14 1953/2021], and by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2019-109476RB-C21). This study made use of the CESGA and SGAI-CSIC supercomputing facilities. We thank G. Jones for English text edition, funded by Cabildo de Tenerife, TFinnova Program supported by MEDI and FDCAN.

Background and purpose Although the causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) remain partially unknown, environmental and genetic factors are thought to play a role in its aetiopathogenesis. Hypovitaminosis D, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infections have been described as possible MS triggers. Our aim was to analyse the possible link between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and viruses in patients with MS. Methods We included 482 patients with MS in a 2-year study. Serum samples were collected to analyse 25(OH)D levels and, according to sample availability, antibody titres against EBV and HHV-6 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. DNA was extracted from blood in order to analyse EBV and HHV-6 viral load by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and to genotype MS-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3135388, rs2248359 and rs12368653) when possible. Results The 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher in the first semester of the year than in the second. Carriers of the risk allele rs2248359-C showed lower 25(OH)D levels than non-carriers. For EBV, viral load was significantly higher when 25(OH)D levels were low, demonstrating an inverse correlation between 25(OH)D levels and EBV load. Conclusions The 25(OH)D levels could be involved in the regulation of EBV replication/reactivation in patients with MS.

This research presents a study of environmental monitoring at different sampling sites from the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Toluca (MAVT) Mexico by means of moss samples. The selected sampling sites included urban, transitional and natural protected areas. The mosses were obtained in two campaigns within two periods of the year: rainy-season and dry-cold-season. During the sampling, seven species of moss were identified, among them: Leskea angustata (Tayl.) and Fabronia ciliaris (Brid.) were the most abundant. One sample of each species was analyzed by SEM in order to determine their morphology. After that, the samples were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and total X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRFS) in order to determine the metals concentration. The results indicate that the Urban Region was significantly impacted by pollution compared to the natural protected Areas. The cluster statistical analysis results indicated that the sampling sites with the highest concentration of metals are located in the urban areas. Enrichment factors show that As, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb, Se, Cs, and Sb are highly enriched mainly by anthropogenic sources.

Agave lechuguilla is a common plant of Northern Mexico that can be used as feedstock in the context of a biorefinery without competition for food use. In this work, the production of fermentable sugars from this biomass has been studied for the first time using dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment. An experimental design and response surface methodology were applied with temperature (160–200 °C) and acid concentration (0.5–1.5% w/v) chosen as factors. The pretreatment conditions were expressed in a combined severity factor, which ranged from −0.75 to 2.38. According to an optimization criterion that maximizes hemicellulosic sugar recovery in the prehydrolysate and glucose recovery by enzymatic hydrolysis, optimal conditions for acid pretreatment of agave were found to be 180 °C and 1.24% (w/v) H2SO4 at 10% biomass loading. These optimal conditions yielded 87% hemicellulosic sugar recovery and 68 g glucose/100 g glucose in raw agave. The whole slurry resulting from acid pretreatment of agave at optimal conditions was enzymatically saccharified yielding a sugar solution that was co-fermented by the ethanologenic Escherichia coli MM160. This process configuration allowed the fermentation of all sugars in raw A. lechuguilla in a single step reaching an ethanol yield of 73.3%.

Saltmarshes are highly productive ecosystems that provide nursery and refuge habitat for animals, buffer storm-wave effects, and stabilize coastlines. Unfortunately, saltmarshes are in decline due to several cumulative stressors. Beneficial root-associated fungi are known to colonize >80% of land plants, but are understudied in intertidal zones. We examined arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the roots of 2 dominant saltmarsh cordgrasses, Spartina patens (Saltmarsh Hay) and Spartina alterniflora (Smooth Cordgrass) (Poaceae), in the Minas Basin, NS, Canada. We collected 9 sediment cores at the beginning, middle, and end of the 2016 growing season (May–September) for each plant species (n = 54). We examined AMF root colonization using microscopy and fungal-DNA barcoding. Smooth Cordgrass had an AMF root colonization rate of 9%, while Saltmarsh Hay exhibited a higher AMF root colonization rate of 68%. We identified 1 AMF species, Funneliformis geosporum (Glomeraceae), in both host-plant species. We present the first Spartina spp. (cordgrasses) AMF root-colonization data for northeastern North America north of Connecticut, which may aid saltmarsh restoration efforts in Nova Scotia.

Although mitochondria dysfunction is related to multiple diseases, no in vivo studies are available on mitochondrial respiration in animal parkinsonian models. Our aim is to analyze in vivo mitochondrial respiration, which reflects changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics more precisely than in vitro mitochondrial preparations. These experiments can be carried out in zebrafish embryos, which were treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) from 24 to 72 hours postfertilization (hpf). A reduction in electron transfer system capacity, ATP turnover, and increased proton leak were observed at 72 hpf in MPTP-treated embryos. These changes were followed by a significant oxidative stress due to inhibition in antioxidative defense and autophagy impairment. After removing MPTP from the treatment at 72 hpf, these bioenergetic deficiencies persisted up to 120 hpf. The administration of melatonin to zebrafish embryos at 72 hpf, when mitochondrial dysfunction is already present, restored the respiratory capacity and ATP production, reduced oxidative stress, and normalized autophagy after 48 h. Melatonin also counteracted mortality and embryonic malformations due to MPTP. Our results confirm for the first time the efficacy of melatonin in restoring parkinsonian phenotypes in animals.

Packed bed clogging and channeling derived from the accumulation of biomass still represent technical challenges to be addressed in gas biofiltration in order to enable a more cost-effective performance under long-term operation. In the present study, multiple feast-famine strategies were assessed, for the first time, in two alternate biofilters and compared with a standard continuous biofilter using CH4 as the model carbon source. The robustness of the biofilters towards increasing famine periods, the decrease of the irrigation frequency and air deprivation was evaluated. The alternate biofilters, where the lowest average pressure drops were recorded, exhibited higher CH4 elimination capacities (by 27.2 ± 6.4%) and mineralizations (by 18.3 ± 8.6%) than the standard biofilter (CH4 elimination capacities and mineralizations of 10.3 ± 3.6 g m−3 h−1 and 79.7 ± 20.8%, respectively), along with the lowest recovery period so far reported in biofiltration after pollutant supply resumption (1.5 ± 0.0 h). Metagenomics analysis revealed a significant shift in the structure of the microbial population induced by the feast-famine regimes, which favoured the occurrence of Planctomycetes and Proteobacteria phyla. Type I/II methanotroph ratios in the alternate units were 7.5 times higher than those found in the control unit, Methylomonas becoming the most resilient genus under feast/famine operation. The current work represents a scaled-down study that demonstrates the feasibility of applying feast-famine strategies at full-scale to increase the performance of biofilters under long-term operation and the lifespan of the packed bed.

This study evaluated the possibility of using rapeseed straw hemicellulosic hydrolysate as a fermentation medium for xylitol production. Two yeast strains, namely Debaryomyces hansenii and Candida guilliermondii, were used for this bioconversion process and their performance to convert xylose into xylitol was compared. Additionally, different strategies were evaluated for the hydrolysate detoxification before its use as a fermentation medium. Assays in semi-defined media were also performed to verify the influence of hexose sugars on xylose metabolism by the yeasts. C. guilliermondii exhibited higher tolerance to toxic compounds than D. hansenii. Not only the toxic compounds present in the hydrolysate affected the yeast's performance, but glucose also had a negative impact on their performance. It was not necessary to completely eliminate the toxic compounds to obtain an efficient conversion of xylose into xylitol, mainly by C. guilliermondii (YP/S = 0.55 g/g and 0.45 g/g for C. guilliermondii and D. hansenii, respectively).