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Abstract Exosomes play a role in tissue/organ development and differentiation. Retinoic acid induces differentiation of P19 cells (UD-P19) to P19 neurons (P19N) that behave like cortical neurons and express characteristic neuronal genes such as NMDA receptor subunits. Here we report P19N exosome-mediated differentiation of UD-P19 to P19N. Both UD-P19 and P19N released exosomes with characteristic exosome morphology, size, and common protein markers. P19N internalized significantly higher number of Dil-P19N exosomes as compared to UD-P19 with accumulation in the perinuclear region. Continuous exposure of UD-P19 to P19N exosomes for six days induced formation of small-sized embryoid bodies that differentiated into MAP2-/GluN2B-positive neurons recapitulating RA-induction of neurogenesis. Incubation with UD-P19 exosomes for six days did not affect UD-P19. Small RNA-seq identified enrichment of P19N exosomes with pro-neurogenic non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as miR-9, let-7, MALAT1 and depleted with ncRNAs involved in maintenance of stem cell characteristics. UD-P19 exosomes were rich with ncRNAs required for maintenance of stemness. P19N exosomes provide an alternative method to genetic modifications for cellular differentiation of neurons. Our novel findings on exosomes-mediated differentiation of UD-P19 to P19 neurons provide tools to study pathways directing neuron development/differentiation and develop novel therapeutic strategies in neuroscience. Graphical Abstract

The porcellanid crab Lissoporcellana demani Dong & Li, 2014 is reported for the first time from southeast Africa, based on material collected from trawls off Mozambique during the International Indian Ocean Expedition in 1963-1964. Lissoporcellana demani has been known only from the western Pacific, and the present specimens greatly extend the previously known distribution range of this species to the western Indian Ocean. Illustrations of a specimen are provided. Morphological variations of L. demani and characters distinguishing it from closely related congeneric species are discussed.

High concentrations of carotenoids are protective against cardiometabolic risk traits (CMTs) in adults and children. We recently showed in non-diabetic Mexican American (MA) children that serum α-carotene and β-carotene are inversely correlated with obesity measures and triglycerides and positively with HDL cholesterol and that they were under strong genetic influences. Additionally, we previously described a Pediatric Metabolic Index (PMI) that helps in the identification of children who are at risk for cardiometabolic diseases. Here, we quantified serum lycopene and β-cryptoxanthin concentrations in approximately 580 children from MA families using an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-photodiode array and determined their heritabilities and correlations with CMTs. Using response surface methodology (RSM), we determined two-way interactions of carotenoids and PMI on Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (ISI). The concentrations of lycopene and β-cryptoxanthin were highly heritable [h2 = 0.98, P = 7 × 10–18 and h2 = 0.58, P = 1 × 10–7]. We found significant (P ≤ 0.05) negative phenotypic correlations between β-cryptoxanthin and five CMTs: body mass index (− 0.22), waist circumference (− 0.25), triglycerides (− 0.18), fat mass (− 0.23), fasting glucose (− 0.09), and positive correlations with HDL cholesterol (0.29). In contrast, lycopene only showed a significant negative correlation with fasting glucose (− 0.08) and a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol (0.18). Importantly, we found that common genetic influences significantly contributed to the observed phenotypic correlations. RSM showed that increased serum concentrations of α- and β-carotenoids rather than that of β-cryptoxanthin or lycopene had maximal effects on ISI. In summary, our findings suggest that the serum carotenoids are under strong additive genetic influences and may have differential effects on susceptibility to CMTs in children.

We have recently reported that serum concentrations of α-carotene (AC) and β-carotene (BC) are under strong genetic influences and were correlated with obesity and other cardio-metabolic traits in Mexican American (MA) children. Our previously developed Pediatric Metabolic Index (PMI) correlates with insulin resistance (IR) after adjusting for age and sex using lipid and adiposity data from Mexican children. A PMI score > 2.0 predicts metabolic abnormalities including IR (i.e., HOMA-IR). Yet data on other MA children with PMI > 2 with normal IR and PMI < 2 with high IR, suggest a role for additional factors in determining insulin sensitivity (IS). In this study, we aimed to assess interactions between carotenoids and the PMI in predicting IS as measured by Matsuda index using the surface-response analysis (SRA). Four different carotenoids, namely, AC, BC, lycopene (Lyc), and β-cryptoxanthin (CX) from ∼590 children enrolled in the San Antonio Family Assessment of Metabolic Risk Indicators in Youth (SAFARI) study were measured by mass spectrometry. Glucose and insulin levels were measured after oral glucose tolerance test and IS index (ISI) was calculated using Matsuda method. SRA was used to determine two-way interactions of serum carotenoids and PMI on ISI. The computer programs SOLAR and STATISTICA 7.0 were used for statistical analysis. The SRA showed an increase in ISI in children with PMI scores between 2 to 4. This effect was modified in the presence of lower serum AC and BC levels; and, interactions between these two carotenoids and PMI had maximal effect on ISI. Conversely, MA children with moderate PMI scores can have substantial improvement in their IS with higher serum AC and BC levels. In contrast, there was a minimal surface response to Lyc and CX serum levels. Notably, despite an optimal PMI, children with lower concentrations of AC and BC showed less IS. In summary, we found that interactions between carotenoids with PMI may predict IS in MA children. Disclosure S. Mummidi: None. J. Hernandez-Ruiz: None. V.S. Farook: None. L. Reddivari: None. A. Diaz-Badillo: None. S.P. Fowler: None. R.G. Resendez: None. F. Akhtar: None. D. Lehman: None. C. Jenkinson: None. R. Arya: None. J.L. Lynch: Board Member; Self; American Academy of Pediatrics. Consultant; Self; Novo Nordisk Inc. Research Support; Self; Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, National Institutes of Health, Novo Nordisk Inc., Pediatric Diabetes Consortium. R.A. DeFronzo: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Elcelyx Therapeutics, Inc., Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Novo Nordisk Inc. Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc. Speaker's Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk Inc. D.E. Hale: None. J. Blangero: None. J.C. Lopez-Alvarenga: None. R. Duggirala: None. J.K. Vanamala: None. Funding National Institutes of Health (R01HD049051, R01AI119131, HD049051-5S1, HD041111, DK053889, DK042273, DK047482, P01HL45522, MH59490, M01-RR-01346), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Fund; National Institute of Food and Agriculture (2009-55200-05197)

Curcumin has been shown to have anti malarial activity, but poor bioavailability and chemical instability has hindered its development as a drug. We have bound curcumin to chitosan nanoparticles to improve its bioavailability and chemical stability. We found that curcumin bound to chitosan nanoparticles did not degrade that rapidly in comparison to free curcumin when such particles were incubated in mouse plasma in vitro at room temperature. The uptake of bound curcumin from chitosan nanoparticles by mouse RBC was much better than from free curcumin. Oral delivery of curcumin bound chitosan nanoparticles to normal mice showed that they can cross the mucosal barrier intact and confocal microscopy detected the nanoparticles in the blood. Curcumin loaded chitosan nanoparticles when delivered orally improved the bioavailability of curcumin in the plasma and RBC. While mice infected with a lethal strain of Plasmodium yoelii (N-67) died between 8 and 9 days post infection, feeding of chitosan nanoparticles alone made them to survive for five more days. Feeding 1 mg of native curcumin to infected mice per day for seven days resulted in survival of one third of mice but under the same condition when 1 mg of curcumin bound to chitosan nanoparticles was fed all the mice survived. Like chloroquine, curcumin inhibited parasite lysate induced heme polymerization in vitro in a dose dependent manner and curcumin had a lower IC 50 value than chloroquine. We believe that binding of curcumin to chitosan nanoparticles increases its chemical stability and enhances its bioavailability when fed to mice. In vitro data suggest that it can inhibit hemozoin synthesis which is lethal for the parasite.

The increasing incidence of hospital-acquired infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens, host toxicity, the poor efficacy of drugs and high treatment costs has drawn attention to the potential of natural products as antifungals in mucocutaneous infections and combinational therapies. Moreover, cellular and subcellular targets for these compounds may provide better options for the development of novel antifungal therapies. Eugenol, methyl eugenol and estragole are phenylpropanoids found in essential oil. They are known to possess pharmacological properties including antimicrobial activity. Induction of oxidative stress characterized by elevated levels of free radicals and an impaired antioxidant defence system is implicated as a possible mechanism of cell death. An insight into the mechanism of action was gained by propidium iodide cell sorting and oxidative stress response to test compounds in Candida albicans. The extent of lipid peroxidation (LPO) of cytoplasmic membranes was estimated to confirm a state of oxidative stress. Activity levels of primary defence enzymes and glutathione were thus further determined. Whereas these compounds cause fungal cell death by disrupting membrane integrity at minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), sub-MIC doses of these compounds significantly impair the defence system in C. albicans. The study has implications for understanding microbial cell death caused by essential oil components eliciting oxidative stress in Candida. The formation of membrane lesions by these phenylpropanoids thus appears to be the result of free radical cascade-mediated LPO.

Natural isopropyl cresols have been reported to have antifungal activity. This work is an attempt to examine thymol and carvacrol against 111 fluconazole-sensitive and -resistant Candida isolates. Insight into the mechanism of action was elucidated by flow cytometric analysis, confocal imaging and ergosterol biosynthesis studies. The susceptibility tests for the test compounds were carried out in terms of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), disc diffusion assays and time-kill curves against all Candida isolates by employing standard protocols. Propidium iodide (PI) cell sorting has been investigated by flow cytometric analysis and confocal imaging. Haemolytic activity on human erythrocytes was studied to exclude the possibility of further associated cytotoxicity. Both compounds were found to be effective to varying extents against all isolates, including the resistant strains. In contrast to the fungistatic nature of fluconazole, our compounds were found to exhibit fungicidal nature. Significant impairment of ergosterol biosynthesis was pronouncedly induced by the test entities. Negligible cytoxicity was observed for the same compounds. Furthermore, it was observed that the positional difference of the hydroxyl group in carvacrol slightly changes its antifungal activity. Carvacrol and thymol show strong fungicidal effect against all of the Candida isolates. The mechanisms of action of these natural isopropyl cresols appear to originate from the inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis and the disruption of membrane integrity.

Larval development of Menaethiops bicornis Alcock, 1895 was carried out under laboratory conditions during 1996 from an ovigerous female to the second zoeal stage at room temperature, 27- 29 °C, with a salinity of seawater at 35-37 ‰ and pH 7.9. The larvae are illustrated, described and also compared with the laboratory reared larvae of M. nodulosus described by Ghory and Siddiqui (2002) from Pakistan.

A freshwater atyid Caridina weberi sumatrensis is being reported for the first time from Sindh waters. This report from Karachi is evidently at the margin of its range., Bir tatl› su atyid’i Caridina weberi sumatrensis Sindh sular›ndan ilk kez rapor edilmektedir. Karaçi’den yap›lan bu kay›t türün da¤›l›m alan›n›n kenar›ndad›r.

The range extension of a diogenid species, Diogenes karwarensis, is reported up to the Persian Gulf, and another diogenid species, Dardanus tinctor, an important faunal component of the area, is described in detail.

The present information is based on the study of the first zoeal stages of Uca urvillei and Uca annulipes. The ovigerous females of Uca urvillei and Uca annulipes were collected from Sandspit on 13 July 2002. Larvae were hatched on 20 July 2002 and 24 July 2002 respectively, at room temperature 30-32 °C, in filtered seawater of a salinity of 35%o-37%o and pH 7.8. The first zoeae of 2 species from the Pakistan coast are described and illustrated, and a comparison is made between these 2 species of Uca obtained from the Pakistan coast and Uca tangeri studied by Paula from the Portuguese coast.

The increasing incidence of hospital-acquired infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens, host toxicity, the poor efficacy of drugs and high treatment costs has drawn attention to the potential of natural products as antifungals in mucocutaneous infections and combinational therapies. Moreover, cellular and subcellular targets for these compounds may provide better options for the development of novel antifungal therapies. Eugenol, methyl eugenol and estragole are phenylpropanoids found in essential oil. They are known to possess pharmacological properties including antimicrobial activity. Induction of oxidative stress characterized by elevated levels of free radicals and an impaired antioxidant defence system is implicated as a possible mechanism of cell death. An insight into the mechanism of action was gained by propidium iodide cell sorting and oxidative stress response to test compounds in Candida albicans. The extent of lipid peroxidation (LPO) of cytoplasmic membranes was estimated to confirm a state of oxidative stress. Activity levels of primary defence enzymes and glutathione were thus further determined. Whereas these compounds cause fungal cell death by disrupting membrane integrity at minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), sub-MIC doses of these compounds significantly impair the defence system in C. albicans. The study has implications for understanding microbial cell death caused by essential oil components eliciting oxidative stress in Candida. The formation of membrane lesions by these phenylpropanoids thus appears to be the result of free radical cascade-mediated LPO.

The increasing incidence of drug-resistant pathogens and host toxicity of existing antifungals attracts attention toward the efficacy of natural products as antifungals in mucocutaneous infections and combinational therapies. The composition and antifungal activity of the essential oil obtained from Ocimum sanctum (OSEO) was studied. On GC-MS analysis, OSEO showed a high content of methyl chavicol (44.63%) and linalool (21.84%). Antifungal activity of OSEO and its two main constituents was determined against sixty clinical and five standard laboratory isolates of Candida. OSEO, methyl chavicol and linalool showed inhibitory activity toward all tested strains. The mechanism of their fungicidal action was assessed by studying their effect on the plasma membrane using flow cytometry, confocal imaging and determination of the levels of ergosterol, a fungal-specific sterol. Propidium iodide rapidly penetrated a majority of yeast cells when they were treated with OSEO concentrations just above MIC, implying that fungicidal activity resulted from extensive lesions of the plasma membrane. OSEO and its components also caused a considerable reduction in the amount of ergosterol. The present study indicates that OSEO, methyl chavicol and linalool have significant antifungal activity against Candida, including azole-resistant strains, advocating further investigation for clinical applications in the treatment of fungal infections.

The early developmental stages of the Pisidae crab, Doclea muricata (Herbst, 1788), and the Epialtidae crab, Acanthonyx limbatus (A. Milne Edwards, 1862), from Pakistan are described for the first time. Zoeae I and II of Doclea muricata and Acanthonyx limbatus were obtained from field-collected ovigerous females that were kept under laboratory conditions. These larval stages are described, illustrated, and compared with those of earlier studies of known species of the genera. The larval stages of these 2 species can be differentiated by the presence of spines on the posterolateral angles of abdominal somites 3-5 and a pair of lateral spines on the telson furca in A. limbatus, whereas these spines are absent in D. muricata. As the present study was based only on early larval stages, complete information about the development of these species will be needed in the future.

Siddiqui, Feroz Akhtar, Komai, Tomoyuki (2008): A New Species Of The Hermit Crab Genus Pagurus (Decapoda: Anomura: Paguridae) From Pakistan. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 56 (2): 317-325, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5340641, {"references":["Fabricius, J. C. 1775. Systema Entomologiae, sistens insectorum classes, ordines, genera, species, adiectis synonymis, locis, descriptionibus, observationibus. Officinia Libraria Kortii, Flensburgi et Lipsinae. xxxii + 832 pp.","Forest, J., 1978. Sur deux pagurides nouveaux de l'Atlantique tropical africain: Pagurus laurentae et Paguristes cyanops spp. nov. Bulletin du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, serie 3, Zoologie, 356: 525-538.","Haig, J. & E. E. Ball, 1988. Hermit crabs from northern Australia and eastern Indonesian waters (Crustacea Decapoda: Anomura: Paguroidea) collected during the 1975 Alpha Helix Expedition. Records of the Australian Museum, 40: 151-196.","Knowlton, N. & D. K. Mills, 1992. The systematic importance of colour and colour pattern: evidence for complexes of sibling species of snapping shrimp (Caridea: Alpheidae: Alpheus) from the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Panama. Proceedings of the San Diego Society of Natural History, 18: 1-5.","Komai, T., 2003. Identities of Pagurus japonicus (Stimpson, 1858) and P. similis (Ortmann, 1892), with description of a new species of Pagurus. Zoosystema, 25(3): 377-411.","Komai, T. & M. Imafuku, 1996. Redescription of Pagurus lanuginosus with the establishment of a neotype, and description of a new closely related species (Decapoda: Anomura: Paguridae). Journal of Crustacean Biology, 16: 782-796.","Komai, T. & M. Osawa, 2001. A new distinctive species of pagurid hermit crab (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) from Japan. Zoological Science, 18(9): 1291-1301.","Komai, T. & M. Osawa, 2006. A review of the Pagurixus boninensis species group, with descriptions of six new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Paguridae). Zootaxa, 1214: 1-107.","Komai, T. & D. L. Rahayu, 2004. Redescription of Pagurus moluccensis Haig & Ball, 1988 and description of a new species of Pagurus from Indonesia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Paguridae). The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 52(1): 183-200.","Komai, T. & M. Takeda, 2006. A review of the pagurid hermit crab (Decapoda: Anomura: Paguroidea) fauna of the Sagami Sea and Tokyo Bay, central Japan. Memoirs of the National Science Museum, Tokyo, 41: 71-144.","McLaughlin, P. A., 2003. Illustrated key to families and genera of the superfamily Paguroidea (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura), with diagnoses of genera of Paguridae. Memoirs of Museum Victoria, 60(1): 111-144.","Rahayu, D. L. & J. Forest, 1999. Sur le statut de Calcinus gaimardii H. Milne Edwards (Decapoda, Anomura, Diogenidae) et description de deux especes nouvelles. Zoosystema, 21: 463-472.","Sankolli, K. N., 1962. On a new species of hermit crab Pagurus kulkarnii sp. nov. (Anomura: Paguridae). Journal of the Zoological Society of India, 13: 136-142.","Siddiqui, F. A. & Q. B. Kazmi, 2003. A checklist of marine anomurans (Crustacea: Decapoda) of Pakistan, northern Arabian Sea. Memoirs of Museum Victoria, 60(1): 87-89.","Siddiqui, F. A., Q. B. Kazmi & P. A. McLaughlin, 2004. Review of the Pakistani species of Diogenes Dana 1851 (Decapoda Anomura Paguroidea Diogenidae). Tropical Zoology, 17(7): 155-200.","Trimizi, N. M. & F. A. Siddiqui, 1982. The marine fauna of Pakistan: 1. Hermit crabs (Crustacea, Anomura). University Grants Commission, Sector H-9: Islamabad, 108 pp., 45 figs."]}

Abstract Paguristes perspicax wird erstmals aus dem nördlichen Arabisch See (bei Karachi) gemeldet und ausführlich beschrieben. Die Variationsbreite wird diskutiert.

Fruhere Studien von Shenoy haben gezeigt, das der Lebenszyklus von Pagurus kulkarnii nur 3 Zoea Stadien und ein Glaucothoe Stadium umfassen. Wir haben die vollstandige Zoea Entwicklung im Laboratorium verfolgt. Vier Zoea Stadien und 1 Glaucothoe Stadium konnten festgestellt werden. Ein Individuum durchlief ein weiteres, drittes Zoea Stadium. Die Larvalstadien werden kurz beschrieben und mit fruheren Befunden verglichen.