Search

Frontiers in Marine Science 9, 958019 (2022). doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.958019 special issue: "Hearing Research in Cetaceans", Published by Frontiers Media, Lausanne

Evidence of hearing impairment was identified in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) on the basis of scanning electron microscopy. In addition, based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry, there were signs of unrelated cerebral toxoplasmosis. The six-year old individual live stranded on the Dutch coast at Domburg in 2016 and died a few hours later. The most significant gross lesion was multifocal necrosis and haemorrhage of the cerebrum. Histopathology of the brain revealed extensive necrosis and haemorrhage in the cerebrum with multifocal accumulations of degenerated neutrophils, lymphocytes and macrophages, and perivascular lymphocytic cuffing. The diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis was confirmed by positive staining of protozoa with anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Tachyzoites were not observed histologically in any of the examined tissues. Ultrastructural evaluation of the inner ear revealed evidence of scattered loss of outer hair cells in a 290 µm long segment of the apical turn of the cochlea, and in a focal region of ~ 1.5 mm from the apex of the cochlea, which was compatible with noise-induced hearing loss. This is the first case of concurrent presumptive noise-induced hearing loss and toxoplasmosis in a free-ranging harbour porpoise from the North Sea.

The B cell scaffold protein with ankyrin repeats (BANK1) is expressed primarily in B cells and with multiple but discrete roles in B cell signaling, including B cell receptor signaling, CD40-related signaling, and Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling. The gene for BANK1, located in chromosome 4, has been found to contain genetic variants that are associated with several autoimmune diseases and also other complex phenotypes, in particular, with systemic lupus erythematosus. Common genetic variants are associated with changes in BANK1 expression in B cells, while rare variants modify their capacity to bind efferent effectors during signaling. A BANK1-deficient model has shown the importance of BANK1 during TLR7 and TLR9 signaling and has confirmed its role in the disease. Still, much needs to be done to fully understand the function of BANK1, but the main conclusion is that it may be the link between different signaling functions within the B cells and they may act to synergize the various pathways within a cell. With this review, we hope to enhance the interest in this molecule. Yes

Morphometric analysis of the inner ear of mammals can provide information for cochlear frequency mapping, a species-specific designation of locations in the cochlea at which different sound frequencies are encoded. Morphometric variation occurs in the hair cells of the organ of Corti along the cochlea, with the base encoding the highest frequency sounds and the apex encoding the lowest frequencies. Changes in cell shape and spacing can yield additional information about the biophysical basis of cochlear tuning mechanisms. Here, we investigate how morphometric analysis of hair cells in mammals can be used to predict the relationship between frequency and cochlear location. We used linear and geometric morphometrics to analyze scanning electron micrographs of the hair cells of the cochleae in Parnell’s mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii) and Wistar rat (Rattus norvegicus) and determined a relationship between cochlear morphometrics and their frequency map. Sixteen of twenty-two of the morphometric parameters analyzed showed a significant change along the cochlea, including the distance between the rows of hair cells, outer hair cell width, and gap width between hair cells. A multiple linear regression model revealed that nine of these parameters are responsible for 86.9% of the variation in these morphometric data. Determining the most biologically relevant measurements related to frequency detection can give us a greater understanding of the essential biomechanical characteristics for frequency selectivity during sound transduction in a diversity of animals.

Combined_supplemental_materials-IJsseldijk_et_al for Challenges in the Assessment of Bycatch: Postmortem Findings in Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Retrieved From Gillnets by Lonneke L. IJsseldijk, Meike Scheidat, Marije L. Siemensma, Bram Couperus, Mardik F. Leopold, Maria Morell, Andrea Gröne and Marja J. L. Kik in Veterinary Pathology

Myocarditis is an inflammatory and autoimmune cardiovascular disease that causes dilated myocardiopathy and is responsible for high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cortistatin is a neuropeptide produced by neurons and cells of the immune and vascular systems. Besides its action in locomotor activity and sleep, cortistatin inhibits inflammation in different experimental models of autoimmune diseases. However, its role in inflammatory cardiovascular disorders is unexplored. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of cortistatin in a well-established preclinical model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM).We induced EAM by immunization with a fragment of cardiac myosin in susceptible Balb/c mice. Cortistatin was administered i.p. starting 7, 11 or 15 days after EAM induction. At day 21, we evaluated heart hypertrophy, myocardial injury, cardiac inflammatory infiltration and levels of serum and cardiac inflammatory cytokines, cortistatin and autoantibodies. We determined proliferation and cytokine production by heart draining lymph node cells in response to cardiac myosin restimulation.Systemic injection of cortistatin during the effector phase of the disease significantly reduced its prevalence and signs of heart hypertrophy and injury (decreased the levels of brain natriuretic peptide) and impaired myocardial inflammatory cell infiltration. This effect was accompanied by a reduction in self-antigen-specific T-cell responses in lymph nodes and in the levels of cardiomyogenic antibodies and inflammatory cytokines in serum and myocardium. Finally, we found a positive correlation between cardiac and systemic cortistatin levels and EAM severity.Cortistatin emerges as a new candidate to treat inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy.

Peribullar sinuses of harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena are parasitized with high prevalence by the nematode Stenurus minor. The effect of S. minor on the hearing ability of this species is still undetermined. Here, we review the occurrence of S. minor in the inner ear of harbour porpoises recovered from strandings in the North and Baltic Seas. In particular, we present the results from ears collected in German and Danish waters from 2002 to 2016 and from Dutch waters from 2010 to 2016. While the prevalence of S. minor in pterygoid and peribullar sinuses and tympanic cavity was high in harbour porpoises (66.67% in our cases), its prevalence in the cochlea was rare. Only 1 case out of 129 analysed by either histology, electron microscopy or immunofluorescence showed the presence of a nematode parasite morphologically consistent with S. minor at the most basal portion of the right cochlea. This individual also had severe haemorrhage along the right cochlear spiral, which was likely caused by ectopic S. minor migration. Although this animal might have had impaired hearing in the right ear, it was otherwise in good body condition with evidence of recent feeding. These findings highlight the need to study the effect of parasites on hearing, and other pathological changes that might impair appropriate processing of acoustic information.

A intervenção interdisciplinar universitária em regiões de alta vulnerabilidade da Baixada Santista, além de contribuir para o fortalecimento do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), evidencia o sofrimento enfrentado pelo agente comunitário de saúde (ACS) em seu dia a dia, advindo de solicitações dos munícipes. Estas resultantes da exclusão e violência social em que vivem acrescidas de condições de trabalho insalubres e baixa remuneração. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar a sistematização de uma experiência de intervenção por meio de um projeto de extensão universitária, trazendo elementos que potencializem as ações dos agentes comunitários de saúde da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) na Baixada Santista. Para este estudo qualitativo, foram analisados os diários de campo dos encontros semanais, a partir da percepção de professores e alunos, referentes ao período de agosto de 2010 a junho de 2011. A organização e análise dos dados tiveram como referência a Teoria Fundamentada nos dados. Os resultados indicaram a necessidade de acolhimento de experiências dos ACSs, ampliando a compreensão dos dilemas vividos por estes profissionais e consequentemente dos impasses de implementação do SUS e da ESF. Além disso, o incentivo ao processo de educação continuada baseada em uma práxis que promova os projetos de vida pessoais e profissionais dos ACSs. The interdisciplinary intervention by the university in areas of high vulnerability of Santos, besides contributing to the strengthening of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS), highlights the suffering faced by community health agents (CHA) in their routines, coming from requests from citizens. These result from social exclusion and the violence in which they live, as well as unhealthy working conditions and low pay. The purpose of this article is to present an experience of systematic intervention through a university extension project, bringing elements that enhance the actions of community health agents of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in Santos. For this qualitative study we analyzed the field diaries of weekly meetings, from the perspective of teachers and students, for the period from August 2010 to June 2011. Data’s organization and analysis were based on the Grounded Theory. The results indicated the need of gathering the CHA experiences, broadening the understanding of the dilemmas faced by these professionals and consequently the impasses of implementing SUS and the FHS. Moreover, continued education should be encouraged, based upon a praxis able to promote CHA’s personal and professional projects.

"La Xina avui" : China es ya un actor de primer orden en una escena internacional en la que está introduciendo nuevos principios y retos. Para comprender a este país desde su propia cultura e historia, la UIB organiza el curso de verano "La Xina avui", entre el 4 y el 19 de julio.