Tolerance Patterns and Transcriptomic Response to Extreme and Fluctuating Salinities across Populations of the Intertidal Copepod Tigriopus californicus.

AbstractPopulations that tolerate extreme environmental conditions with frequent fluctuations can give valuable insights into physiological limits and adaptation. In some estuarine and marine ecosystems, organisms must adapt to extreme and fluctuating salinities, but not much is known about how varying salinities impact local adaptation across a wide geographic range. We used eight geographically and genetically divergent populations of the intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus to test whether northern populations have greater tolerance to low salinity stresses, as they experience greater precipitation and less evaporation. We used a common-garden experiment approach and exposed all populations to acute low (1 and 3 ppt) and high (110 and 130 ppt) salinities for 24 h and to a fluctuation between baseline salinity and moderate low (7 ppt) and high (80 ppt) salinities for over 49 h. We also performed RNA sequencing at several time points during the fluctuation between baseline and salinity of 7 ppt to understand the molecular basis of divergence between two populations with differing physiological responses. We present these novel findings: (1) acute low salinity conditions caused more deaths than high salinity; (2) molecular processes that elevate proline levels increased in salinity of 7 ppt, which contrasts with other physiological studies in T. californicus that mainly associated accumulation of proline with hyperosmotic stress; and (3) tolerance to a salinity fluctuation did not follow a latitudinal trend but was instead governed by a complex interplay of factors, including population and duration of salinity stress. This highlights the importance of including a wider variety of environmental conditions in empirical studies to understand local adaptation.

Successful Treatment of Recurrent Pulmonary Mucormycosis in a Renal Transplant Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background. We describe the unusual case of a recently transplanted cadaveric renal transplant recipient who presented with recurrent pulmonary mucormycosis. Case Report. An 18-year-old man with end stage renal disease secondary to congenital renal agenesis status after cadaveric kidney transplant 4 months before presented with acute onset of fever, hemoptysis, and back pain. The patient underwent an emergent left lower lobectomy due to the critical nature of his illness. He was also treated with amphotericin with resolution of his symptoms. One week later, he had evidence of recurrent disease on imaging with a surgical site infection. He underwent reexploration with evacuation of an empyema and debridement of a surgical site infection. He was continued on IV antifungal therapy with isavuconazonium and amphotericin. Radiographic clearance of disease with three months of treatment was apparent with no evidence of recurrence at seven-month follow-up. Discussion. Opportunistic infections in solid organ transplant patients represent a significant source of morbidity and mortality. Most patients are treated with prophylactic anti-infective agents. However, rare infections such as pulmonary mucormycosis remain a risk. The transplant physician must be aware of these uncommon infections and their treatment strategies, including the management of uncommon recurrent disease.

Reappraisal of lymphatic mapping for midgut neuroendocrine patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that midgut neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) often develop alternative lymphatic drainage owing to lymphatic obstructions from extensive mesenteric lymphadenopathy, making intraoperative lymphatic mapping mandatory. We hypothesize that this innovative approach needs a longer term validation. METHODS: We updated our results by reviewing 303 patients who underwent cytoreduction from November 2006 to October 2011. Of these patients, 112 had lymphatic mappings and 98 were for midgut NET primaries. Among them, 77 mappings were for the initial cytoreduction and 35 were for reexploration and further cytoreduction. The operative findings, pathology reports, and long-term surgical outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: Lymphatic mapping changed traditional resection margins in 92% of patients. Of the 35 patients who underwent reexploration without initial mapping, 19 (54%) showed a recurrence at or near the anastomotic sites. In contrast, none of the 112 mapped patients had shown signs of recurrence in a 1- to 5-year follow-up. Additionally, 20 of 45 ileocecal valves (44.4%) were spared in patients whose tumors were at the terminal ileum that, traditionally, would call for a right hemicolectomy. CONCLUSION: With a longer follow-up, lymphatic mapping has proven to be a safe and effective way to prevent local recurrences and preserve the ileocecal valve for selected patients.

Imagens em guias alimentares como recursos para a educação alimentar em aulas de ciências: reflexões a partir de uma análise visual / Food guides images as resources for food education in science classes: reflections from a visual analysis

A presença de imagens em materiais didáticos e seus diversos usos em contextos de ensino-aprendizagem vêm sendo discutidos pela pesquisa em educação em ciências. Diante da importância e uso frequente dessas imagens e das escassas discussões promovidas em torno do seu uso como ferramenta didática no contexto do ensino de ciências, o presente trabalho se propõe a contribuir na ampliação dessas discussões. Elegemos o tema alimentação, que está presente de forma marcante no debate contemporâneo e nos currículos. Para tal, alguns guias alimentares usados como recurso didático em um curso de formação continuada de professores foram analisados para ressaltar os limites e as possibilidades do uso dessas imagens para a educação alimentar de alunos do ensino fundamental. A análise demonstrou contradições e questões que abrangem os contextos sociais e culturais de produção e leitura dessas imagens, cuja relevância é inquestionável para as práticas educativas no ensino de ciências.

Effects of protein restriction during gestation and lactation on cell proliferation in the hippocampus and subventricular zone: functional implications. Protein restriction alters hippocampal/SVZ cell proliferation.

There is no consensus about the effects of protein restriction on neurogenesis and behavior. Here, for the first time, we evaluated the effects of protein restriction during gestation and lactation, on the two major neurogenic regions of the adult brain, the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone (SVZ), simultaneously. We also assessed different types of behavior relevant to each region. After mating, pregnant Wistar rats were divided into a control group (CG) that received a normal diet (20% protein); and a protein-restriction group (PRG) that received a low-protein diet (8% protein). After birth, the same diets were provided to the mother and pups until weaning, when some rats were analyzed and others received a normal-protein diet until adulthood. Different sets of rats were used for cellular and behavioral studies in juvenile or adult age. Brains were processed for immunohistochemistry anti-BrdU, anti-Ki67, or anti-pHisH3. Juvenile and adult rats from distinct litters also underwent several behavioral tests. Our data show that early protein restriction results in a reduction of hippocampal progenitors and deficits in object recognition during adult life. Moreover, longer periods of immobility in the tail suspension and in the forced swimming tests revealed that PRG rats show a depressive behavior at 21 days of age (P21) and in adulthood. Furthermore, we suggest that despite the reduced number/proliferation of neural stem cells (B and/or E cells) in SVZ there is a compensatory mechanism in which the progenitors (types C and A cells) proliferate in a higher rate, without affecting olfactory ability in adulthood.

The gene bolA regulates dacA (PBP5), dacC (PBP6) and ampC (AmpC), promoting normal morphology in Escherichia coli.

The gene bolA has been shown to trigger the formation of osmotically stable round cells when overexpressed in stationary phase. We show that in poor growth conditions bolA is essential for normal cell morphology in stationary phase and under conditions of starvation. During exponential growth bolA promotes round morphology through a mechanism that is strictly dependent on the two main Escherichia colid,d-carboxypeptidases, PBP5 and PBP6. The results show that bolA controls the levels of transcription of dacA (PBP5), dacC (PBP6) and ampC (AmpC), a class C beta-lactamase, thus connecting for the first time penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) and beta-lactamases at the level of gene regulation. Furthermore, PBP5 and PBP6 are shown to be independently regulated and to have distinct effects on the peptidoglycan layer. The evidence presented demonstrates that bolA is a regulator of cell wall biosynthetic enzymes with different roles in cell morphology and cell division.