Transcriptome analysis of growth variation in early juvenile stage sandfish Holothuria scabra.

The sandfish Holothuria scabra is a high-value tropical sea cucumber species representing a major mariculture prospect across the Indo-Pacific. Advancements in culture technology, rearing, and processing present options for augmenting capture production, stock restoration, and sustainable livelihood activities from hatchery-produced sandfish. Further improvements in mariculture production may be gained from the application of genomic technologies to improve performance traits such as growth. In this study, we performed de novo transcriptome assembly and characterization of fast- and slow-growing juvenile H. scabra from three Philippine populations. Analyses revealed 66 unigenes that were consistently differentially regulated in fast-growing sandfish and found to be associated with immune response and metabolism. Further, we identified microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism markers potentially associated with fast growth. These findings provide insight on potential genomic determinants underlying growth regulation in early juvenile sandfish which will be useful for further functional studies.

Psychosocial impact of mobility assistive technology on people with neurological conditions.

INTRODUCTION: A wide range of products are available to assist mobility, and it is, therefore, of great importance to obtain empirical information regarding the expected impact of the use of these products based on outcome measures. People affected by neurological disorders often use products to assist mobility such as wheelchairs (both manual self-propelled wheelchairs and externally propelled chairs such as electric wheelchairs), walkers, walking sticks, etc. It is important to conduct an assessment of the psychosocial impact of these products on the lives of affected people. METHODS: We performed this assessment using the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) and a socio-demographic questionnaire. RESULTS: The results showed greater psychosocial benefits relating to the use of electric wheelchairs in comparison with walking sticks or manual, non-self-propelled chairs. Moreover, significant differences are present in the three subscales of the PIADS in relation to variables such as age, training in the use of assistive technology (AT) and funding. CONCLUSION: Therefore, we conclude that the use of AT should be promoted among this group as a way to improve their adaptability, competency and self-esteem, and to reduce limits on participation deriving from the physical and contextual barriers faced by this collective.Implications for rehabilitationAmong the assessment of different mobility AT displaying a higher score in the three subscales of the PIADS amongst people using electric wheelchairs than among those using non-self-propelled manual wheelchairs. On the other hand, we found that the walker has a significant score only in the competence subscale. Canes, for example the stick 4-p is significant in the three subscales, or the walking cane in terms of competence. Despite the fact that crutches and walking sticks obtained the lowest score in this study.Not only the assessment is necessary, but also the adjustment of AT to the person who is going to use it, as well as some training on how to use it. Only 23.8% of the participants received training in the use of their main assistive device in this study.The results seem to indicate that for elder users, the score on adaptability with the AT is lower. That may result in future lines of research in usability and improving in terms of the needs of end-users and these AT since a high percentage of people with neurological conditions are elder people.The application of specific scales such as PIADS that helps to measure the use and capacity of the AT prescribed to patients with neurological disease provides more informed clinical reasoning.

Maternal mismatches in farmed tilapia strains (Oreochromis spp.) in the Philippines as revealed by mitochondrial COI gene.

The introduction of genetically enhanced tilapia has significantly boosted the performance of Philippine aquaculture industry. While enhanced strains contribute to the increase in tilapia production, genetic characterization of present tilapia stocks is critical to maintain their quality and to ensure the genetic gains are sustained. To understand and determine the genetic relationship of the genetically enhanced strains produced in the Philippines, mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene using DNA barcoding approach was analyzed. Specimens representing 10 genetically enhanced strains (GIFT, FaST, GET-EXCEL, GST, SST, COLD, YY-male, GMT, Molobicus, and BEST), three red tilapia (Taiwan red, Florida red, and FAC-red), and two pure lines (initially identified as O. aureus and O. spilurus) were collected, sequenced, and identified using DNA barcoding. Results revealed that farmed tilapias consisted of four different Oreochromis species. As expected, COI could not distinguish individuals at the strain level but surprisingly, mismatch between the species of maternal origin and present-day offspring was observed. This particular result may pose a question on the genetic purity and integrity of the strains being distributed to farmers and suggests a re-evaluation of the effectiveness of major tilapia breeding centers in maintaining their stocks.

Autoionization reaction of phosgene (OCCl2) studied by electron paramagnetic resonance/spin trapping techniques.

The reaction of phosgene with nitrone spin traps was investigated using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)/spin trapping techniques. Evidence for the intermediacy of a carbamoyl monochloride intermediate was obtained. Isotopic substitution of 13C-phosgene was employed to verify the hyperfine coupling constant assignments. The implications of these observations on pulmonary damage caused by inhalation of phosgene are mentioned.

Manifestaçöes clínicas e radiográficas pulmonares na leptospirose benigna, durante surto epidêmico no Rio de Janeiro: algumas nótulas sobre a epidemia / Clinical and radiological pulmonary manifestations in mild leptospirosis during an epidemical outbreak in Rio de Janeiro: brief notes about the epidemic

Foram comunicados a Secretaria Estadual de Saúde 1.177 casos de leptospirose, durante o surto epidêmico que, de fevereiro a março de 1988, afligiu o Rio de Janeiro e o Grande Rio, por ocasiäo das chuvas torrenciais ocorridas nesse período. Algumas observaçöes parciais sobre as características gerais desta epidemia säo apresentadas no decorrer deste trabalho que analisa os aspectos clínico-radiológicos das alteraçöes respiratórias de 86 pacientes internados no Instituto Estadual de Infectologia Säo Sebastiäo (RJ). Excetuando-se um (forma grave que foi a óbito), todos tiveram o espectro leve ou moderado da doença. O exame radiográfico de tórax foi normal em 64 enfermos e 61 eram assintomáticos sob o ponto de vista clínico-respiratório. Em 25 casos, foram verificadas as seguintes alteraçöes clínicas: tosse produtiva (em 18), tosse seca (em sete), escarros hemáticos (em sete) e dor torácica (em cinco). Com relaçäo aos achados de ausculta pulmonar, predominou a presença de estertores creptantes e subcreptantes - em 10 doentes - e de murmúrio vesicular diminuído - em sete. Foram descritas alteraçöes na radiografia de tórax de 22 enfermos, assim classificadas: infiltrado retículo-nodular - nove casos; infiltrado intersticial - quatro casos; infiltrado alveolar - três casos; lesäo infiltrativa localizada - dois casos; infiltrado reticular - um caso; infiltrado nodular - um caso; infiltrado misto - um caso; e pulmäo de síndrome de angústia respiratória aguda - um caso...

Effect of tubulin binding and self-association on the near-ultraviolet circular dichroic spectra of colchicine and analogues.

Near-UV circular dichroic (CD) spectra of three colchicine analogues that differ at the C-10 position have been obtained in the presence and absence of tubulin. All three colchicine analogues show dramatic alterations in the low-energy near-UV CD band upon tubulin binding that cannot be mimicked by solvent, but in no event does the rotational strength of the CD band decrease to nearly zero as in the case of colchicine [Detrich, H. W., III, Williams, R. C., Jr., Macdonald, T. L., & Puett, D. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 5999-6005]. The effect of self-association of colchicine and one of the C-10 analogues, thiocolchicine, on the near-UV CD band was also investigated. A qualitative similarity was seen between the near-UV CD spectra of colchicine and thiocolchicine dimers and the spectra of these molecules bound to tubulin. These observations support the previous suggestion that ligands bound to the colchicine site on tubulin may be interacting with an aromatic amino acid in the colchicine binding site [Hastie, S. B., & Rava, R. P. (1989) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 110, 6993-7001].