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Volume 11
Issue 9
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Biology, Volume 11, Issue 9 (September 2022) – 122 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Methylphenidate (MPH) is frequently used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, not every patient clinically benefits from MPH to the same extent. In their study, Ulrich et al. applied machine learning techniques to clinical symptom scales to discern “Responders” from “Non-Responders” after 6 weeks of medication. Prior to treatment, a specific part of the brain’s salience network was hypo-connected with the putamen in the entire adult ADHD sample (N = 53), relative to 50 healthy controls. After treatment, connectivity changed almost to “normality” in Responders, but not in Non-Responders. Their findings are reminiscent of earlier positron emission tomography studies that suggest the modulation of dopaminergic brain regions for the successful treatment of ADHD with MPH. View this paper
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19 pages, 4112 KiB  
Article
Probiotic Adhesion to Skin Keratinocytes and Underlying Mechanisms
by Mariana Lizardo, Rui Miguel Magalhães and Freni Kekhasharú Tavaria
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1372; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091372 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3093
Abstract
The effects of probiotics on the skin are not yet well understood. Their topical application and benefits derived thereafter have recently been investigated. Improvements in different skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, acne, eczema, and psoriasis after their use have, however, been reported. [...] Read more.
The effects of probiotics on the skin are not yet well understood. Their topical application and benefits derived thereafter have recently been investigated. Improvements in different skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, acne, eczema, and psoriasis after their use have, however, been reported. One of the mechanisms through which such benefits are documented is by inhibiting colonization by skin pathogens. Bacterial adhesion is the first step for colonization to occur; therefore, to avoid pathogenic colonization, inhibiting adhesion is crucial. In this study, invasion and adhesion studies have been carried out using keratinocytes. These showed that Escherichia coli is not able to invade skin keratinocytes, but adhered to them. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Propioniferax innocua decreased the viable counts of the three pathogens under study. L. rhamnosus significantly inhibited S. aureus adhesion. P. innocua did not inhibit pathogenic bacteria adhesion, but when added simultaneously with S. aureus (competition assay) a significant adhesion reduction (1.12 ± 0.14 log10CFU/mL) was observed. Probiotic bacteria seem to use carbohydrates to adhere to the keratinocytes, while S. aureus uses proteins. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus showed promising results in pathogen inhibition in both in vitro and ex vivo experiments and can potentially be used as a reinforcement of conventional therapies for skin dysbiosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Contamination and Food Safety)
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12 pages, 1775 KiB  
Article
Non-Isolated Neural Tube Defects with Comorbid Malformations Are Responsive to Population-Level Folic Acid Supplementation in Northern China
by Xiaoyu Che, Jufen Liu, Gabriel L Galea, Yali Zhang, Nicholas D. E. Greene, Le Zhang, Lei Jin, Linlin Wang, Aiguo Ren and Zhiwen Li
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1371; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091371 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2888
Abstract
Objective: Comorbid congenital malformation of multiple organs may indicate a shared genetic/teratogenic causality. Folic acid supplementation reduces the population-level prevalence of isolated neural tube defects (NTDs), but whether complex cases involving independent malformations are also responsive is unknown. We aimed to describe the [...] Read more.
Objective: Comorbid congenital malformation of multiple organs may indicate a shared genetic/teratogenic causality. Folic acid supplementation reduces the population-level prevalence of isolated neural tube defects (NTDs), but whether complex cases involving independent malformations are also responsive is unknown. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of NTDs with comorbid malformations in a Chinese population and assess the impact of folic acid supplementation. Study Design: Data from five counties in Northern China were obtained between 2002 and 2021 through a population-based birth defects surveillance system. All live births, stillbirths, and terminations because of NTDs at any gestational age were recorded. NTDs were classified as spina bifida, anencephaly, or encephalocele. Isolated NTDs included spina bifida cases with presumed secondary malformations (hydrocephalus, hip dislocation, talipes). Non-isolated NTDs were those with independent concomitant malformations. Results: A total of 296,306 births and 2031 cases of NTDs were recorded from 2002–2021. A total of 4.8% of NTDs (97/2031) had comorbid defects, which primarily affected the abdominal wall (25/97), musculoskeletal system (24/97), central nervous system (22/97), and face (15/97). The relative risk of cleft lip and/or palate, limb reduction defects, hip dislocation, gastroschisis, omphalocele, hydrocephalus, and urogenital system defects was significantly greater in infants with NTDs than in the general population. Population-level folic acid supplementation significantly reduced the prevalence of both isolated and non-isolated NTDs. Conclusion: Epidemiologically, non-isolated NTDs follow similar trends as isolated cases and are responsive to primary prevention by folic acid supplementation. Various clinically-important congenital malformations are over-represented in individuals with NTDs, suggesting a common etiology. Full article
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16 pages, 4511 KiB  
Article
Identification and Functional Analysis of the Cell Proliferation Regulator, Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1) in Freshwater Pearl Mussel (Hyriopsis cumingii)
by Xuenan Li, Shangle Feng, He Wang, Xiaoya Shen, Yige Chen, Xingrong Xuan, Yuanshuai Fu, Zhiyi Bai and Wenjuan Li
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1369; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091369 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1916 | Correction
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) plays an important regulatory role in the regulation of growth, differentiation, and anabolism in a variety of cells. In this study, the full-length cDNA of the IGF1 gene was cloned from Hyriopsis cumingii, named HcIGF1. The [...] Read more.
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) plays an important regulatory role in the regulation of growth, differentiation, and anabolism in a variety of cells. In this study, the full-length cDNA of the IGF1 gene was cloned from Hyriopsis cumingii, named HcIGF1. The expression level of HcIGF1 in six tissues (adductor muscle, foot, hepatopancreas, gill, mantle, and gonad) was determined. In addition, the localization of HcIGF1 in the mantle was analyzed by in situ hybridization, and finally the function of HcIGF1 was explored by RNA interference and prokaryotic expression. The results showed that the amino acid sequence contained a typical IIGF structural domain. The phylogenetic tree showed that HcIGF1 clustered with other marine bivalve sequences. Quantitative real-time PCR and in situ hybridization analysis showed that HcIGF1 was expressed in all tissues. The highest expression was in the foot and the lowest was in the mantle. In the mantle tissue, the hybridization signal was mainly concentrated in the outer mantle. After RNA interference, the expression of IGF1 was found to be significantly decreased (p < 0.05), and its related genes IGF1R, AKT1, and cyclin D2 were downregulated, while MAPK1 were upregulated. The recombinant HcIGF1 protein was purified and its growth-promoting effect was investigated. The results showed that the recombinant HcIGF1 protein could significantly promote the proliferative activity of the mantle cells of mussels, with the best proliferative effect at 12.5 μg/mL. The results of this study provide a new method to solve the problem of weak proliferation of shellfish cells in vitro and lay the foundation for further understanding of the growth regulation mechanism of H. cumingii, as well as a better understanding of the physiological function of IGF1 in mollusks. Full article
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10 pages, 2686 KiB  
Article
A Mouse Model of Neurodegeneration Induced by Blade Penetrating Stab Wound to the Hippocampus
by Bao-Dong He, Chang-Mei Liu and Zhao-Qian Teng
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1365; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091365 - 18 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3187
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is closely associated with the later development of neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases which are still incurable. Although various animal TBI models have been generated, they usually have weaknesses in standardization, survivability and/or reproducibility. In the present study, we investigated [...] Read more.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is closely associated with the later development of neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases which are still incurable. Although various animal TBI models have been generated, they usually have weaknesses in standardization, survivability and/or reproducibility. In the present study, we investigated whether applying a blade penetrating stab wound to the hippocampus would create an animal model of cognitive deficits. Open-field, Morris water maze and Barnes maze tests were used to evaluate the animal behaviors. The immunofluorescence staining of NeuN, GFAP, IBA1, and TUNEL was conducted to analyze the changes in neurons, astrocytes, and microglia, as well as cell death. Mice with a hippocampal blade stab injury (HBSI) displayed the activation of microglia and astrocytes, inflammation, neuronal apoptosis, and deficits in spatial learning and memory. These findings suggest that HBSI is an easy approach to generate a reliable in vivo model of TBI to capture hemorrhage, neuroinflammation, reactive gliosis, and neural death, as well as cognitive deficits observed in human patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Era in Neuroscience)
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13 pages, 607 KiB  
Article
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over the Primary Motor Cortex in Improving Postural Stability in Healthy Young Adults
by Jinqian Hou, Michael A. Nitsche, Longyan Yi, Zhaowei Kong and Fengxue Qi
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1370; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091370 - 17 Sep 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2788
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) is of increasing interest to improve motor performance in healthy adults and patients with respective deficits. This study aimed to examine whether tDCS over M1 can improve static and dynamic postural stability [...] Read more.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) is of increasing interest to improve motor performance in healthy adults and patients with respective deficits. This study aimed to examine whether tDCS over M1 can improve static and dynamic postural stability in young healthy adults. Seventeen healthy participants (mean age = 25.14 ± 2.50 (standard deviation, SD) years) received sham and anodal tDCS (2 mA) over the vertex at the Cz electrode position for 15 min. Static and dynamic postural stability were evaluated before and immediately after tDCS. The center of pressure (COP) sway area (COPSA) and COP maximum displacements to medio-lateral (COPML) and antero-posterior directions (COPAP) were used to evaluate static postural stability. The anterior–posterior stability index (APSI), medial–lateral stability index (MLSI), vertical stability index (VSI), dynamic postural stability index (DPSI), and time to stabilization (TTS) in forward (FL), 45° anterior lateral (LL), and 45° anterior medial (ML) direction landing, as well as the Y-balance composite score (YBTCS) were used to assess dynamic postural stability. The results showed that the LL-TTS (p = 0.044), non-dominant leg COPSA (p = 0.015), and YBTCS (p < 0.0001) were significantly improved in the real stimulation as compared with the sham stimulation session, and anodal tDCS significantly changed dominant leg COPAP (p = 0.021), FL-APSI (p < 0.0001), FL-TTS (p = 0.008), ML-TTS (p = 0.002), non-dominant leg YBTCS (p < 0.0001), and dominant leg YBTCS (p = 0.014). There were no significant differences in all obtained balance values in the sham stimulation session, except for non-dominant leg YBTCS (p = 0.049). We conclude that anodal tDCS over M1 has an immediate improving effect on static postural stability and dynamic performance in young healthy adults. This makes tDCS a promising adjuvant rehabilitation treatment to enhance postural stability deficits in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers of Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity for Health and Human Performance)
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11 pages, 8564 KiB  
Brief Report
Status and Analysis of Artificial Breeding and Management of Aquatic Turtles in China
by Xiaoyou Hong, Xiaoyan Zhang, Xiaoli Liu, Yakun Wang, Lingyun Yu, Wei Li, Fangcan Chen and Xinping Zhu
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1368; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091368 - 17 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2348
Abstract
China is a major country in turtle cultivation and has a long history of artificial breeding of turtles. In this study, a census and statistical analysis of artificially domesticated aquatic turtles in 15 provinces of China were conducted. The results showed that 29 [...] Read more.
China is a major country in turtle cultivation and has a long history of artificial breeding of turtles. In this study, a census and statistical analysis of artificially domesticated aquatic turtles in 15 provinces of China were conducted. The results showed that 29 species were aquatic turtles native to China, accounting for approximately 9% of the world’s total, and a large number of exotic aquatic turtles are also domesticated in China. The present situation of artificial breeding and protection of aquatic turtles in major provinces of China is shown, and existing problems are also put forward, with suggestions for the protection and management of aquatic turtles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation Biology)
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15 pages, 2236 KiB  
Article
Comparative Effect of Three Different Exercise Intensities in Combination with Diazoxide on Contraction Capacity and Oxidative Stress of Skeletal Muscle in Obese Rats
by Mariana Gómez-Barroso, Manuel A. Vargas-Vargas, Donovan J. Peña-Montes, Christian Cortés-Rojo, Alfredo Saavedra-Molina, Elizabeth Sánchez-Duarte, Alain R. Rodríguez-Orozco and Rocío Montoya-Pérez
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1367; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091367 - 17 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1816
Abstract
Obesity is a chronic disease that impairs skeletal muscle function, affects the ability to contract, and promotes the development of fatigue. For this reason, the study of treatments that seek to reduce the harmful effects of obesity on muscle tissue has been deepened. [...] Read more.
Obesity is a chronic disease that impairs skeletal muscle function, affects the ability to contract, and promotes the development of fatigue. For this reason, the study of treatments that seek to reduce the harmful effects of obesity on muscle tissue has been deepened. Diazoxide treatment and various exercise protocols have been proposed to protect skeletal muscle against oxidative stress and its effects. However, the intensity and duration of exercise combined with diazoxide that would obtain the best results for improving skeletal muscle function in obese rats is unknown. To this end, this study evaluated the effects of three different exercise intensities combined with diazoxide on contraction capacity, resistance to fatigue, markers of oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, ROS, and glutathione redox status of skeletal muscle. The results showed that treatments with diazoxide and exercise at different intensities improved muscle contraction capacity by reducing oxidative stress during obesity, with the best results being obtained with low-intensity exercise in combination with diazoxide. Therefore, these results suggest that diazoxide and low-intensity exercise improve muscle function during obesity by decreasing oxidative stress with the same efficiency as a moderate-intensity exercise protocol. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Responses to Exercise in Obese Subjects)
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11 pages, 6037 KiB  
Article
Detecting Intestinal Goblet Cells of the Broadgilled Hagfish Eptatretus cirrhatus (Forster, 1801): A Confocal Microscopy Evaluation
by Alessio Alesci, Simona Pergolizzi, Serena Savoca, Angelo Fumia, Angelica Mangano, Marco Albano, Emmanuele Messina, Marialuisa Aragona, Patrizia Lo Cascio, Gioele Capillo and Eugenia Rita Lauriano
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1366; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091366 - 17 Sep 2022
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 2793
Abstract
The fish intestine operates as a complicated interface between the organism and the environment, providing biological and mechanical protections as a result of a viscous layer of mucus released by goblet cells, which serves as a barrier against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, [...] Read more.
The fish intestine operates as a complicated interface between the organism and the environment, providing biological and mechanical protections as a result of a viscous layer of mucus released by goblet cells, which serves as a barrier against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, and contributes to the functions of the immune system. Therefore, goblet cells have a role in preserving the health of the body by secreting mucus and acting as sentinels. The ancient jawless fish broadgilled hagfish (Eptatretus cirrhatus, Forster, 1801) has a very basic digestive system because it lacks a stomach. By examining the presence, localization, and co-localization of 5-HT, TLR2, iNOS, and Piscidin1, this study intends to provide insight into the potential immune system contributions arranged by the gut goblet cells of broadgilled hagfish. Our results characterize intestinal goblet cells of broadgilled hagfish, for the first time, with the former antibodies, suggesting the hypothesis of conservation of the roles played by these cells also in primitive vertebrates. Moreover, this study deepens the knowledge about the still little-known immune system of hagfish. Full article
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20 pages, 2481 KiB  
Article
The Role of Two Linear β-Glucans Activated by c-di-GMP in Rhizobium etli CFN42
by Daniel Pérez-Mendoza, Lorena Romero-Jiménez, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez-Carvajal, María J. Lorite, Socorro Muñoz, Adela Olmedilla and Juan Sanjuán
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1364; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091364 - 17 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2178
Abstract
Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) have been implicated in a variety of functions that assist in bacterial survival, colonization, and host–microbe interactions. Among them, bacterial linear β-glucans are polysaccharides formed by D-glucose units linked by β-glycosidic bonds, which include curdlan, cellulose, and the new described [...] Read more.
Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) have been implicated in a variety of functions that assist in bacterial survival, colonization, and host–microbe interactions. Among them, bacterial linear β-glucans are polysaccharides formed by D-glucose units linked by β-glycosidic bonds, which include curdlan, cellulose, and the new described Mixed Linkage β-Glucan (MLG). Bis-(3′,5′)-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is a universal bacterial second messenger that usually promote EPS production. Here, we report Rhizobium etli as the first bacterium capable of producing cellulose and MLG. Significant amounts of these two β-glucans are not produced under free-living laboratory conditions, but their production is triggered upon elevation of intracellular c-di-GMP levels, both contributing to Congo red (CR+) and Calcofluor (CF+) phenotypes. Cellulose turned out to be more relevant for free-living phenotypes promoting flocculation and biofilm formation under high c-di-GMP conditions. None of these two EPS are essential for attachment to roots of Phaseolus vulgaris, neither for nodulation nor for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. However, both β-glucans separately contribute to the fitness of interaction between R. etli and its host. Overproduction of these β-glucans, particularly cellulose, appears detrimental for symbiosis. This indicates that their activation by c-di-GMP must be strictly regulated in time and space and should be controlled by different, yet unknown, regulatory pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 18th SEFIN Meeting and 1st Spanish-Portuguese Congress on Beneficial Plant-Microorganism Interactions)
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12 pages, 530 KiB  
Article
Incident Chlamydia trachomatis Infection in a High School Population
by M. Jacques Nsuami, Wato Nsa, Catherine L. Cammarata, David H. Martin and Stephanie N. Taylor
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1363; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091363 - 17 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1988
Abstract
Prospective cohort studies of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are logistically impractical owing to time and expenses. In schools, students are readily available for school-related follow-ups and monitoring. Capitalizing on the logistics that society already commits to ensure regular attendance of adolescents in school, [...] Read more.
Prospective cohort studies of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are logistically impractical owing to time and expenses. In schools, students are readily available for school-related follow-ups and monitoring. Capitalizing on the logistics that society already commits to ensure regular attendance of adolescents in school, a school-based STI screening in New Orleans made it possible to naturally observe the occurrence of chlamydia and to determine its incidence among 14–19-year-old adolescents. Among participants screened repeatedly, we calculated incidence rates, cumulative incidence, and incidence times. Male (n = 3820) and female (n = 3501) students were observed for 6251 and 5143 person-years, respectively, during which 415 boys and 610 girls acquired chlamydia. Incidence rates per 100 person-years were 6.6 cases for boys and 11.9 cases for girls. In multivariable analysis, the adjusted hazard ratio was 5.34 for boys and 3.68 for girls if the student tested positive for gonorrhea during follow-up, and 2.76 for boys and 1.59 for girls if at first participation the student tested positive for chlamydia, and it increased with age among boys but not among girls. In joinpoint trend analysis, the annual percentage change in the incidence rate was 6.6% for boys (95% CI: −1.2%, 15.1%) and 0.1% for girls (95% CI: −5.3%, 5.7%). Annual cumulative incidence was 5.5% among boys and 8.6% among girls. Median incidence time was 9.7 months for boys and 6.9 months for girls. Our findings can be used to refine assumptions in mathematical modeling and in cost analysis studies of C. trachomatis infection, and provide strong evidence in support of annual chlamydia screening for adolescent boys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue School-Based STD Screening)
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12 pages, 2603 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Ski Attitude for the In-Flight Aerodynamic Performance of Ski Jumping
by Lianzhong Cao, Youcai Guo, Xiong Li, Long Chen, Xin Wang and Tianyu Zhao
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1362; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091362 - 17 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2029
Abstract
The control and adjustment of in-flight attitudes are critical to enlarging the flight distance of ski jumping. As one of the most important gears, the skis provide sufficient lift and drag forces for the athletes, and thus their in-flight attitudes should be optimized [...] Read more.
The control and adjustment of in-flight attitudes are critical to enlarging the flight distance of ski jumping. As one of the most important gears, the skis provide sufficient lift and drag forces for the athletes, and thus their in-flight attitudes should be optimized to improve flight performance. Here, the lift-to-drag ratio of a ski jumping ski is optimized with/without a constraint of lift capacity. The ski attitude is defined by three Eulerian angles and the resulting aerodynamic characteristics are predicted by Kriging models, which are established based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data. The surrogated models are dynamically updated in the optimization process to ensure their accuracy. Our results find that the optimization of the lift-to-drag ratio should be constrained by a certain lift capacity to be more practical. The angle of attack of the ski dominates the optimal lift-to-drag ratio at different lift levels while the yaw and roll angles are almost independent of the constraint once the required lift coefficient surpasses 0.6. This thus suggests that the athletes should focus on the angle of attack when modifying the ski attitude in the flight, which may reduce the difficulties in their in-flight decision makings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological, Physiological, and Biomechanical Determinants of Human Performance Optimization)
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10 pages, 1552 KiB  
Article
GPX3 Overexpression in Cumulus Cells Entails a Poor Prognosis for Uterine Implantation of Morphotype A Embryos
by Ignacio Bejarano, Mónica Dorado-Silva, Helia Sarmiento-Soto, Nuria Álvarez-Sánchez, Patricia Judith Lardone, Juan Miguel Guerrero, Pascual Sánchez-Martín and Antonio Carrillo-Vico
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1361; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091361 - 16 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1925
Abstract
Morphological embryo quality is an accurate prognostic tool for the success of assisted reproduction implantation, although complete certainty cannot be guaranteed. The transcriptome of the cumulus cells could be monitored as a faithful reflex of the physiological state of the oocytes, given the [...] Read more.
Morphological embryo quality is an accurate prognostic tool for the success of assisted reproduction implantation, although complete certainty cannot be guaranteed. The transcriptome of the cumulus cells could be monitored as a faithful reflex of the physiological state of the oocytes, given the molecular crosstalk between both types of cells. Here, we compare the expression of specific genes related to oocyte competence, such as hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2), cell division control protein 42 (CDC42), connexin 43 (CX43), and glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3), in cumulus cells from implanted versus non-implanted embryos in 25 women, using RT-qPCR. After embryo transfer, two cohorts were differentiated: the pregnant group (women with the implantation of 100% of embryos transferred) versus the non-pregnant group (with an absence of embryo implantation), aiming to compare the possible differential expression of the selected genes in the cumulus cells of embryos from each group. HAS2, CDC42 and CX43 did not reveal differential expression between the two cohorts. However, GPX3 showed significantly reduced expression in the cumulus belonging to the pregnant group. Interestingly, even cumulus cells belonging only to morphotype A embryos showed a significantly lower expression of GPX3 in the pregnancy group. GPX3 overexpression in cumulus cells could be a poor prognostic indicator of implantation, discriminating beyond the capacity of the morphokinetic score. Unveiling the cumulus transcriptome could improve successful implantation in assisted reproduction treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Developmental and Reproductive Biology)
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12 pages, 1749 KiB  
Article
Neurogenesis during Brittle Star Arm Regeneration Is Characterised by a Conserved Set of Key Developmental Genes
by Anna Czarkwiani, Jack Taylor and Paola Oliveri
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1360; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091360 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2880
Abstract
Neural regeneration is very limited in humans but extremely efficient in echinoderms. The brittle star Amphiura filiformis can regenerate both components of its central nervous system as well as the peripheral system, and understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this ability is key for [...] Read more.
Neural regeneration is very limited in humans but extremely efficient in echinoderms. The brittle star Amphiura filiformis can regenerate both components of its central nervous system as well as the peripheral system, and understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this ability is key for evolutionary comparisons not only within the echinoderm group, but also wider within deuterostomes. Here we characterise the neural regeneration of this brittle star using a combination of immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and Nanostring nCounter to determine the spatial and temporal expression of evolutionary conserved neural genes. We find that key genes crucial for the embryonic development of the nervous system in sea urchins and other animals are also expressed in the regenerating nervous system of the adult brittle star in a hierarchic and spatio-temporally restricted manner. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Evolution of Regeneration)
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19 pages, 4812 KiB  
Article
Simulation and Techno-Economical Evaluation of a Microalgal Biofertilizer Production Process
by Juan Miguel Romero-García, Cynthia Victoria González-López, Celeste Brindley, José María Fernández-Sevilla and Francisco Gabriel Acién-Fernández
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1359; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091359 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3073
Abstract
Due to population growth in the coming years, an increase in agricultural production will soon be mandatory, thus requiring fertilizers that are more environmentally sustainable than the currently most-consumed fertilizers since these are important contributors to climate change and water pollution. The objective [...] Read more.
Due to population growth in the coming years, an increase in agricultural production will soon be mandatory, thus requiring fertilizers that are more environmentally sustainable than the currently most-consumed fertilizers since these are important contributors to climate change and water pollution. The objective of this work is the techno-economic evaluation of the production of biofertilizer concentrated in free amino acids from microalgal biomass produced in a wastewater treatment plant, to determine its economic viability. A process proposal has been made in six stages that have been modelled and simulated with the ASPEN Plus simulator. A profitability analysis has been carried out using a Box–Behnken-type response surface statistical design with three factors—the cost of the biomass sludge, the cost of the enzymes, and the sale price of the biofertilizer. It was found that the most influential factor in profitability is the sale price of the biofertilizer. According to a proposed representative base case, in which the cost of the biomass sludge is set to 0.5 EUR/kg, the cost of the enzymes to 20.0 EUR/kg, and the sale price of the biofertilizer to 3.5 EUR/kg, which are reasonable costs, it is concluded that the production of the biofertilizer would be economically viable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microalgae Biotechnology)
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12 pages, 1697 KiB  
Article
Evidence of Orientation-Dependent Early States of Prion Protein Misfolded Structures from Single Molecule Force Spectroscopy
by Andrea Raspadori, Valentina Vignali, Anna Murello, Gabriele Giachin, Bruno Samorì, Motomasa Tanaka, Carlos Bustamante, Giampaolo Zuccheri and Giuseppe Legname
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091358 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2524
Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the presence of oligomers and amyloid fibrils. These are the result of protein aggregation processes of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into amyloidal forms denoted as prions or PrPSc. We employed atomic [...] Read more.
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the presence of oligomers and amyloid fibrils. These are the result of protein aggregation processes of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into amyloidal forms denoted as prions or PrPSc. We employed atomic force microscopy (AFM) for single molecule pulling (single molecule force spectroscopy, SMFS) experiments on the recombinant truncated murine prion protein (PrP) domain to characterize its conformations and potential initial oligomerization processes. Our AFM-SMFS results point to a complex scenario of structural heterogeneity of PrP at the monomeric and dimer level, like other amyloid proteins involved in similar pathologies. By applying this technique, we revealed that the PrP C-terminal domain unfolds in a two-state process. We used two dimeric constructs with different PrP reciprocal orientations: one construct with two sequential PrP in the N- to C-terminal orientation (N-C dimer) and a second one in the C- to C-terminal orientation (C-C dimer). The analysis revealed that the different behavior in terms of unfolding force, whereby the dimer placed C-C dimer unfolds at a higher force compared to the N-C orientation. We propose that the C-C dimer orientation may represent a building block of amyloid fibril formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Interactions with Their Molecular Environment at the Crossroad between Theory and Experiments)
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16 pages, 2816 KiB  
Article
Copepods as Indicators of Different Water Masses during the Northeast Monsoon Prevailing Period in the Northeast Taiwan
by Yan-Guo Wang, Li-Chun Tseng, Rou-Xin Sun, Xiao-Yin Chen, Peng Xiang, Chun-Guang Wang, Bing-Peng Xing and Jiang-Shiou Hwang
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091357 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2404
Abstract
During this research, the average surface temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH were 24.65 ± 1.53 (°C), 34.21 ± 0.07 (PSU), 6.85 ± 0.18 (mg/L), and 8.36 ± 0.03, respectively. Based on these environmental parameters, stations were arranged into three groups. Group A [...] Read more.
During this research, the average surface temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH were 24.65 ± 1.53 (°C), 34.21 ± 0.07 (PSU), 6.85 ± 0.18 (mg/L), and 8.36 ± 0.03, respectively. Based on these environmental parameters, stations were arranged into three groups. Group A represents stations located around Keelung Island with the relative highest average dissolved oxygen, lowest average temperature, and pH values. Instead, the lowest average dissolved oxygen and highest average temperature, salinity, and pH values were recorded at the offshore stations. Keelung Island area was charged by cold water masses, which were driven by the Northeast monsoon, and stations in group C were affected by the Kuroshio Current. Kueishan Island area was mainly affected by mixed water masses resulting from the Kuroshio intrusion and monsoon-derived cold water. In this study, a total of 108 copepod species were identified, with an average abundance of 774.24 ± 289.42 (inds. m−3). Most species belong to the orders Calanoida and Poecilostomatoida, with an average relative abundance (RA) of 62.96% and 30.56%, respectively. Calanoid copepodites were the most dominant group, with a RA of 28.06%. This was followed by Paracalanus aculeatus, with a RA of 18.44%. The RA of Clausocalanus furcatus and Canthocalanus pauper was 4.80% and 3.59%, respectively. The dominant species P. aculeatus, C. pauper, Paracalanus parvus, and Temora turbinata were positively correlated with dissolved oxygen and negatively correlated with temperature in the surface waters. pH showed a negative correlation with P. parvus and T. turbinata, while the temperature was negatively correlated with these two dominant species. Indicator species were selected by an indicator value higher than 50%. Temora turbinata, Calanopia elliptica, C. pauper, Euchaeta concinna, Temora discaudata, Acartia pacifica, Macrosetella gracilis, Corycaeus speciosus, and P. parvus were considered as monsoonal cold water indicator species in Group A. Indicator copepod species for the Kuroshio Current were Farranula concinna, Copilia mirabilis, Candacia aethiopica, Corycaeus agilis, Farranula gibbula and Acrocalanus monachus in the study area. Paracandacia truncata, Oncaea clevei, P. aculeatus, and Centropages furcatus were considered suitable indicators for mixed water masses. Full article
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21 pages, 1056 KiB  
Article
The Multistage 20-m Shuttle Run Test for Predicting VO2Peak in 6–9-Year-Old Children: A Comparison with VO2Peak Predictive Equations
by João Paulo Brito, Christophe Domingos, Ana Fátima Pereira, João Moutão and Rafael Oliveira
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1356; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091356 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2109
Abstract
This study aimed (i) to verify if using and carrying a portable gas analyzer (PGA) constrained the performance of school children on the multistage 20-m shuttle run test (20mSRT), (ii) to verify which peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) predictive equations have greater [...] Read more.
This study aimed (i) to verify if using and carrying a portable gas analyzer (PGA) constrained the performance of school children on the multistage 20-m shuttle run test (20mSRT), (ii) to verify which peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) predictive equations have greater agreement with VO2peak values measured by direct oximetry using the 20mSRT. The study participants were 130 children ((67 boys (age 7.76 ± 0.97 years) and 63 girls (age 7.59 ± 0.91 years)), who performed two randomized trials of the 20mSRT with and without a PGA. Twenty-two predictive equations predicted the VO2peak values through the performance of the test with and without a PGA. Without a PGA, lower values of maximal speed (MS), total laps (TL), and total time (TT) were found for girls than for boys with a PGA. Only six equations were considered to correctly predict VO2peak. In general, higher MS, TL, and TT values were found with the use of a PGA. The predicted VO2peak values from the 20mSRT varied significantly among the published predictive equations. Therefore, we suggest that the six equations that presented satisfactory accuracy could be practically used to examine cardiorespiratory fitness in schools and in research with large populations when direct measurement of VO2peak is not feasible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Biological Underlying Processes of Physical Exercise Benefits)
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10 pages, 671 KiB  
Guidelines
Good Anesthesia Practice for Fish and Other Aquatics
by Aurora Brønstad
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1355; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091355 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5400
Abstract
Fish and other aquatic animals represent a significant number of species with diverse physiology, size, and housing condition needs. Anesthesia may be necessary for several husbandry procedures as well as treatment of diseases, surgery, or experimental procedures. Choice of drugs and detailed procedures [...] Read more.
Fish and other aquatic animals represent a significant number of species with diverse physiology, size, and housing condition needs. Anesthesia may be necessary for several husbandry procedures as well as treatment of diseases, surgery, or experimental procedures. Choice of drugs and detailed procedures for anesthesia must be adapted to the species in question—there is no “one size fits all” solution. However, there are some basic principles that apply for good anesthetic practice of all animals. These principles include the preparations of animals, personnel, facilities and equipment, monitoring animals under anesthesia, as well as post-anesthetic care to be sure that animals are not lost in the recovery phase. Good anesthesia practice also includes the competence and commitment of personnel involved. Based on professional judgement, key factors will be the focus of this text. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anaesthetics and Analgesics Used in Aquatic Animals)
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14 pages, 2682 KiB  
Article
Modeling the Resistance Evolution to Insecticides Driven by Lepidopteran Species Competition in Cotton, Soybean, and Corn Crops
by José B. Malaquias, Cláudia P. Ferreira, Francisco de S. Ramalho, Wesley A. C. Godoy, Jéssica K. S. Pachú, Celso Omoto, Dyrson de O. A. Neto, Fernando E. O. Padovez and Luciana Barboza Silva
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1354; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091354 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2397
Abstract
Intra- and interspecific competition is considered a fundamental phenomenon in ecology. It acts as one of the most powerful selective forces that drives ecological diversity, the spatiotemporal distribution of organisms, fitness, and evolutionary aspects. Spodoptera frugiperda and Helicoverpa armigera are devastating pests and [...] Read more.
Intra- and interspecific competition is considered a fundamental phenomenon in ecology. It acts as one of the most powerful selective forces that drives ecological diversity, the spatiotemporal distribution of organisms, fitness, and evolutionary aspects. Spodoptera frugiperda and Helicoverpa armigera are devastating pests and can co-occur in systems consisting of multiple agricultural crops and compete for food resources. Insecticide resistance in populations of these species has been a major threat to the sustainability of agroecosystems. No study to date has shown the effect of intra- and interspecific competition as a selective pressure agent on the evolution of insecticide resistance in lepidopteran pests in an experimental and theoretical way. Our study developed a parameterized computational model with experimental results for S. frugiperda and H. armigera competition. We simulated the behavior of heterozygous individuals with a competition capacity 100% equal to homozygous individuals resistant (100 RR) or susceptible to insecticides (00 RR), and intermediate between them (50 RR). Competition involving strains of these insect species can accelerate the evolution of their resistance to insecticides in agricultural crops. We found that competitive processes can result in a high probability of competitive exclusion for individuals with the susceptibility allele of these lepidopteran species. The results of this study are of paramount importance for understanding the impact of ecological factor competition on the evolution of insecticide resistance in lepidopteran pests, which until now has been neglected in these types of evolutionary dynamics studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ecology)
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13 pages, 5081 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Mandibular Condyle Morphologic Relation before and after Orthognathic Surgery in Class II and III Malocclusion Patients Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography
by Raluca Roman, Oana Almășan, Mihaela Hedeșiu, Mihaela Băciuț, Simion Bran, Daiana Popa, Alina Ban and Cristian Dinu
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1353; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091353 - 14 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2339
Abstract
This study aimed at evaluating the mandibular condyle position changes before and after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery in class II and III malocclusion patients. CBCT scans from patients who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery were analyzed: Le Fort I osteotomy and bilateral sagittal split osteotomy [...] Read more.
This study aimed at evaluating the mandibular condyle position changes before and after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery in class II and III malocclusion patients. CBCT scans from patients who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery were analyzed: Le Fort I osteotomy and bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO). Both condyles were independently assessed for their largest anterior and posterior joint spaces, smallest medial joint spaces, and condyle angles concerning the transverse line. In the sagittal plane, the minimum size of the anterior and posterior joint spaces was measured. In the coronal plane, the smallest medial joint space was measured. The position of the condyle within the glenoid fossa was determined before and after surgery. A total of 56 TMJs from 28 patients were studied. Following orthognathic surgery, the anterior and posterior space in class II increased. Postoperatively, the anterior joint space in class III decreased. In 42.85% of malocclusion class II patients and 57.14% of malocclusion class III patients, the pre-and post-surgical position of the condyle changed, the condyle was anteriorly positioned (42.85%) in class II patients and centrically positioned (71.4%) in class III patients. Significant changes in the joint space, condylar position, and condyle angle were found in the class II and class III subjects. Full article
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11 pages, 2576 KiB  
Article
Dental Paleobiology in a Juvenile Neanderthal (Combe-Grenal, Southwestern France)
by María Dolores Garralda, Steve Weiner, Baruch Arensburg, Bruno Maureille and Bernard Vandermeersch
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1352; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091352 - 14 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2623
Abstract
Combe-Grenal site (Southwest France) was excavated by F. Bordes between 1953 and 1965. He found several human remains in Mousterian levels 60, 39, 35 and especially 25, corresponding to MIS 4 (~75–70/60 ky BP) and with Quina Mousterian lithics. One of the fossils [...] Read more.
Combe-Grenal site (Southwest France) was excavated by F. Bordes between 1953 and 1965. He found several human remains in Mousterian levels 60, 39, 35 and especially 25, corresponding to MIS 4 (~75–70/60 ky BP) and with Quina Mousterian lithics. One of the fossils found in level 25 is Combe-Grenal IV, consisting of a fragment of the left corpus of a juvenile mandible. This fragment displays initial juvenile periodontitis, and the two preserved teeth (LLP4 and LLM1) show moderate attrition and dental calculus. The SEM tartar analysis demonstrates the presence of cocci and filamentous types of bacteria, the former being more prevalent. This result is quite different from those obtained for the two adult Neanderthals Kebara 2 and Subalyuk 1, where more filamentous bacteria appear, especially in the Subalyuk 1 sample from Central Europe. These findings agree with the available biomedical data on periodontitis and tartar development in extant individuals, despite the different environmental conditions and diets documented by numerous archeological, taphonomical and geological data available on Neanderthals and present-day populations. New metagenomic analyses are extending this information, and despite the inherent difficulties, they will open important perspectives in studying this ancient human pathology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Paleontology in the 21st Century)
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14 pages, 2461 KiB  
Review
Molecular Mechanism of Blood Pressure Regulation through the Atrial Natriuretic Peptide
by Takeshi Tokudome and Kentaro Otani
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1351; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091351 - 14 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3938
Abstract
Natriuretic peptides, including atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), have cardioprotective effects and regulate blood pressure in mammals. ANP and BNP are hormones secreted from the heart into the bloodstream in response to increased preload and [...] Read more.
Natriuretic peptides, including atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), have cardioprotective effects and regulate blood pressure in mammals. ANP and BNP are hormones secreted from the heart into the bloodstream in response to increased preload and afterload. Both hormones act through natriuretic peptide receptor 1 (NPR1). In contrast, CNP acts through natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2) and was found to be produced by the vascular endothelium, chondrocytes, and cardiac fibroblasts. Based on its relatively low plasma concentration compared with ANP and BNP, CNP is thought to function as both an autocrine and a paracrine factor in the vasculature, bone, and heart. The cytoplasmic domains of both NPR1 and NPR2 display a guanylate cyclase activity that catalyzes the formation of cyclic GMP. NPR3 lacks this guanylate cyclase activity and is reportedly coupled to Gi-dependent signaling. Recently, we reported that the continuous infusion of the peptide osteocrin, an endogenous ligand of NPR3 secreted by bone and muscle cells, lowered blood pressure in wild-type mice, suggesting that endogenous natriuretic peptides play major roles in the regulation of blood pressure. Neprilysin is a neutral endopeptidase that degrades several vasoactive peptides, including natriuretic peptides. The increased worldwide clinical use of the angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor for the treatment of chronic heart failure has brought renewed attention to the physiological effects of natriuretic peptides. In this review, we provide an overview of the discovery of ANP and its translational research. We also highlight our recent findings on the blood pressure regulatory effects of ANP, focusing on its molecular mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiac Peptides-Current Physiology, Pathophysiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Clinical Application)
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17 pages, 3816 KiB  
Article
SGCNCMI: A New Model Combining Multi-Modal Information to Predict circRNA-Related miRNAs, Diseases and Genes
by Chang-Qing Yu, Xin-Fei Wang, Li-Ping Li, Zhu-Hong You, Wen-Zhun Huang, Yue-Chao Li, Zhong-Hao Ren and Yong-Jian Guan
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1350; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091350 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2196
Abstract
Computational prediction of miRNAs, diseases, and genes associated with circRNAs has important implications for circRNA research, as well as provides a reference for wet experiments to save costs and time. In this study, SGCNCMI, a computational model combining multimodal information and graph convolutional [...] Read more.
Computational prediction of miRNAs, diseases, and genes associated with circRNAs has important implications for circRNA research, as well as provides a reference for wet experiments to save costs and time. In this study, SGCNCMI, a computational model combining multimodal information and graph convolutional neural networks, combines node similarity to form node information and then predicts associated nodes using GCN with a distributive contribution mechanism. The model can be used not only to predict the molecular level of circRNA–miRNA interactions but also to predict circRNA–cancer and circRNA–gene associations. The AUCs of circRNA—miRNA, circRNA–disease, and circRNA–gene associations in the five-fold cross-validation experiment of SGCNCMI is 89.42%, 84.18%, and 82.44%, respectively. SGCNCMI is one of the few models in this field and achieved the best results. In addition, in our case study, six of the top ten relationship pairs with the highest prediction scores were verified in PubMed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Models for Clinical Decision Support)
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19 pages, 8290 KiB  
Article
Muting Bacterial Communication: Evaluation of Prazosin Anti-Quorum Sensing Activities against Gram-Negative Bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, and Serratia marcescens
by Abrar K. Thabit, Khalid Eljaaly, Ayat Zawawi, Tarek S. Ibrahim, Ahmed G. Eissa, Samar S. Elbaramawi, Wael A. H. Hegazy and Mahmoud A. Elfaky
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1349; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091349 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 2889
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) controls the production of several bacterial virulence factors. There is accumulative evidence to support that targeting QS can ensure a significant diminishing of bacterial virulence. Lessening bacterial virulence has been approved as an efficient strategy to overcome the development of [...] Read more.
Quorum sensing (QS) controls the production of several bacterial virulence factors. There is accumulative evidence to support that targeting QS can ensure a significant diminishing of bacterial virulence. Lessening bacterial virulence has been approved as an efficient strategy to overcome the development of antimicrobial resistance. The current study aimed to assess the anti-QS and anti-virulence activities of α-adrenoreceptor prazosin against three virulent Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonades aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, and Serratia marcescens. The evaluation of anti-QS was carried out on a series of in vitro experiments, while the anti-virulence activities of prazosin were tested in an in vivo animal model. The prazosin anti-QS activity was assessed on the production of QS-controlled Chromobacterium violaceum pigment violacein and the expression of QS-encoding genes in P. aeruginosa. In vitro tests were performed to evaluate the prazosin effects on biofilm formation and production of extracellular enzymes by P. aeruginosa, P. mirabilis, and S. marcescens. A protective assay was conducted to evaluate the in vivo anti-virulence activity of prazosin against P. aeruginosa, P. mirabilis, and S. marcescens. Moreover, precise in silico molecular docking was performed to test the prazosin affinity to different QS receptors. The results revealed that prazosin significantly decreased the production of violacein and the virulent enzymes, protease and hemolysins, in the tested strains. Prazosin significantly diminished biofilm formation in vitro and bacterial virulence in vivo. The prazosin anti-QS activity was proven by its downregulation of QS-encoding genes and its obvious binding affinity to QS receptors. In conclusion, prazosin could be considered an efficient anti-virulence agent to be used as an adjuvant to antibiotics, however, it requires further pharmacological evaluations prior to clinical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bacterial Biofilms in Complex Infection Environments: Challenges and Novel Therapeutic Perspectives)
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14 pages, 675 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Nitrogen Fertilisation on the Anatomical Properties of the Populus alba L. Clone ‘Villafranca’ Juvenile Wood
by Iva Ištok, Nenad Potočić, Bogoslav Šefc and Tomislav Sedlar
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1348; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091348 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1553
Abstract
This study investigates the effect of nitrogen fertilisation on the anatomical properties of the juvenile wood of the Populus alba L. clone ‘Villafranca’ from an experimental trial near the Drava River in Croatia. Nitrogen was applied for two consecutive years, and the immediate [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effect of nitrogen fertilisation on the anatomical properties of the juvenile wood of the Populus alba L. clone ‘Villafranca’ from an experimental trial near the Drava River in Croatia. Nitrogen was applied for two consecutive years, and the immediate and potential post-treatment effects were investigated. The correlation between annual ring width (ARW) and individual wood anatomical properties was also examined. The fertilisation effect was confirmed after the first year of nitrogen application for all wood anatomical properties except the vessel lumen area (VLA). Fibre length (FL) was reduced, and double cell wall thickness (DCWT), ray area (RA), and cell wall area (CWA) increased. In contrast, the vessel lumen diameter (VLD) and vessel lumen area changed inconsistently between treatments. The second year of nitrogen application was determined to be effective for FL only. Due to the insignificant results in the second year of the application of nitrogen, the post-fertilisation effect of nitrogen fertilisation was not confirmed. Full article
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15 pages, 2376 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Gut Bacterial Communities of Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen) Reared on Different Food Plants
by Qian Wang, Yusheng Liu and Xiangchu Yin
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1347; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091347 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2107
Abstract
Locusts, in particular Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen), have been associated with major damages in agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry in China. At present, L. migratoria manilensis has been largely domesticated, being considered an edible insect in China. Feeding variety is one of the [...] Read more.
Locusts, in particular Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen), have been associated with major damages in agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry in China. At present, L. migratoria manilensis has been largely domesticated, being considered an edible insect in China. Feeding variety is one of the main characteristics of L. migratoria manilensis. It has been demonstrated that microorganisms inhabiting the insect gut impact nutrition, development, defense, and reproduction of the insect host. The aim of the present study was to search for the adaptation mechanism of L. migratoria manilensis feeding on four different food plants (goosegrass, maize leaves, soybean leaves, and pakchoi) and explore changes in the gut bacterial community structure of the insect at the fifth instar nymph stage. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla, whereas Kluyvera, Enterobacter, Pseudocitrobacter, Klebsiella, Cronobacter, Citrobacter, Lactococcus, and Weissella were the dominant genera in the gut of L. migratoria manilensis. Principal component analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) revealed significant differences in the gut microbiota structure of L. migratoria manilensis fed on different food plants. Moreover, functional prediction analysis revealed that metabolic and cellular processes were the most enriched categories. Within the category of metabolic processes, the most enriched pathways were carbohydrate transport and metabolism; amino acid transport and metabolism; translation, ribosomal structure, and biogenesis; cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis; inorganic ion transport and metabolism; and energy production and conversion. Collectively, the present results revealed that the structure of gut bacterial communities in L. migratoria manilensis fed on different food plants is impacted by food plants, which may play an essential part in the adaptation of the host. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Microbiology)
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14 pages, 6941 KiB  
Article
BioTEA: Containerized Methods of Analysis for Microarray-Based Transcriptomics Data
by Luca Visentin, Giorgia Scarpellino, Giorgia Chinigò, Luca Munaron and Federico Alessandro Ruffinatti
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1346; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091346 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2455
Abstract
Tens of thousands of gene expression data sets describing a variety of model organisms in many different pathophysiological conditions are currently stored in publicly available databases such as the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and ArrayExpress (AE). As microarray technology is giving way to [...] Read more.
Tens of thousands of gene expression data sets describing a variety of model organisms in many different pathophysiological conditions are currently stored in publicly available databases such as the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and ArrayExpress (AE). As microarray technology is giving way to RNA-seq, it becomes strategic to develop high-level tools of analysis to preserve access to this huge amount of information through the most sophisticated methods of data preparation and processing developed over the years, while ensuring, at the same time, the reproducibility of the results. To meet this need, here we present bioTEA (biological Transcript Expression Analyzer), a novel software tool that combines ease of use with the versatility and power of an R/Bioconductor-based differential expression analysis, starting from raw data retrieval and preparation to gene annotation. BioTEA is an R-coded pipeline, wrapped in a Python-based command line interface and containerized with Docker technology. The user can choose among multiple options—including gene filtering, batch effect handling, sample pairing, statistical test type—to adapt the algorithm flow to the structure of the particular data set. All these options are saved in a single text file, which can be easily shared between different laboratories to deterministically reproduce the results. In addition, a detailed log file provides accurate information about each step of the analysis. Overall, these features make bioTEA an invaluable tool for both bioinformaticians and wet-lab biologists interested in transcriptomics. BioTEA is free and open-source. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Differential Gene Expression and Coexpression)
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15 pages, 3283 KiB  
Article
Mendelian Randomization and GWAS Meta Analysis Revealed the Risk-Increasing Effect of Schizophrenia on Cancers
by Kai Yuan, Weichen Song, Zhe Liu, Guan Ning Lin and Shunying Yu
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1345; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091345 - 12 Sep 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4190
Abstract
The causal relationship between cancer and Schizophrenia (SCZ) remains controversial. Some researchers have found that SCZ is a cancer-preventive factor in cohort studies or meta-analyses, whereas others have found the opposite. To understand more about this issue, we used two-sample Mendelian randomization (2SMR) [...] Read more.
The causal relationship between cancer and Schizophrenia (SCZ) remains controversial. Some researchers have found that SCZ is a cancer-preventive factor in cohort studies or meta-analyses, whereas others have found the opposite. To understand more about this issue, we used two-sample Mendelian randomization (2SMR) on available GWAS summary results to evaluate potential genetic connections between SCZ and 13 cancers. We discovered that the genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia lead to an increasing risk of breast cancer (odds ratio [OR] per log-odds increase in schizophrenia risk: 1.049, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.023–1.075; p = 0.00012; FDR = 0.0017), ovarian cancer (OR, 1.326; 95% CI, 1.267–1.387; p = 0.0007; FDR = 0.0045), and thyroid cancer (OR, 1.575; 95% CI, 1.048–2.365; p = 0.0285; FDR = 0.123). Secondly, we performed a meta-analysis based on the GWAS summary statistics of SCZ and the three significant cancers. Next, we associated genetic variants to genes using two gene mapping strategies: (a) positional mapping based on genomic proximity and (b) expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping based on gene expression linkage across multiple tissues. As a result, we identified 114 shared loci and 437 shared genes in three groups, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis shows that the most enriched biological pathways are related to epigenetic modification. In addition, we noticed that SCZ would affect the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (OR, 1.095; 95% CI, 1.006–1.191; p = 0.0354; FDR = 0.177), which may further affect the level of estrogen and the risk of the above three cancers. In conclusion, our findings under the 2SMR assumption provide crucial insights into the risk-increasing effect of SCZ on three cancers’ risk. Furthermore, these results may provide insights into understanding the genetic predisposition and underlying biological pathways of comorbid SCZ and cancers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Single Cell Omics and Integrative Biology: Selected Papers from ICBCB 2022)
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21 pages, 3203 KiB  
Article
Identification of Putative Neuropeptides That Alter the Behaviour of Schistosoma mansoni Cercariae
by Conor E. Fogarty, Saowaros Suwansa-ard, Phong Phan, Donald P. McManus, Mary G. Duke, Russell C. Wyeth, Scott F. Cummins and Tianfang Wang
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091344 - 12 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2395
Abstract
Elucidating the infectivity of Schistosoma mansoni, one of the main etiological agents of human schistosomiasis, requires an improved understanding of the behavioural mechanisms of cercariae, the non-feeding mammalian infective stage. This study investigated the presence and effect of cercariae-derived putative neuropeptides on [...] Read more.
Elucidating the infectivity of Schistosoma mansoni, one of the main etiological agents of human schistosomiasis, requires an improved understanding of the behavioural mechanisms of cercariae, the non-feeding mammalian infective stage. This study investigated the presence and effect of cercariae-derived putative neuropeptides on cercarial behaviour when applied externally. Cercariae were peptidomically analysed and 11 neuropeptide precursor proteins, all of which were specific to the Schistosoma genus and most of which highly expressed in the cercarial stage, were identified in cercariae for the first time. Protein–protein interaction analysis predicted the interaction of various neuropeptide precursors (e.g., Sm-npp-30, Sm-npp-33, Sm-npp-35) with cercarial structural proteins (e.g., myosin heavy chain and titin). In total, nine putative neuropeptides, selected based on their high hydrophobicity and small size (~1 kilodalton), were tested on cercariae (3 mg/mL) in acute exposure (1 min) and prolonged exposure (360 min) behavioural bioassays. The peptides AAYMDLPW-NH2, NRKIDQSFYSYY-NH2, FLLALPSP-OH, and NYLWDTRL-NH2 stimulated acute increases in cercarial spinning, stopping, and directional change during active states. However, only NRKIDQSFYSYY-NH2 caused the same behavioural changes at a lower concentration (0.1 mg/mL). After prolonged exposure, AAYMDLPW-NH2 and NYLWDTRL-NH2 caused increasing passive behaviour and NRKIDQSFYSYY-NH2 caused increasing body-first and head-pulling movements. These findings characterise behaviour-altering novel putative neuropeptides, which may inform future biocontrol innovations to prevent human schistosomiasis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host-Parasite Interactions: Trends in Molecular Ecology)
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20 pages, 1693 KiB  
Review
Virulence Characteristics and Emerging Therapies for Biofilm-Forming Acinetobacter baumannii: A Review
by Karma G. Dolma, Rachana Khati, Alok K. Paul, Mohammed Rahmatullah, Maria de Lourdes Pereira, Polrat Wilairatana, Bidita Khandelwal, Chamma Gupta, Deepan Gautam, Madhu Gupta, Ramesh K. Goyal, Christophe Wiart and Veeranoot Nissapatorn
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1343; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091343 - 12 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3918
Abstract
Acinetobacter species is one of the most prevailing nosocomial pathogens with a potent ability to develop antimicrobial resistance. It commonly causes infections where there is a prolonged utilization of medical devices such as CSF shunts, catheters, endotracheal tubes, and similar. There are several [...] Read more.
Acinetobacter species is one of the most prevailing nosocomial pathogens with a potent ability to develop antimicrobial resistance. It commonly causes infections where there is a prolonged utilization of medical devices such as CSF shunts, catheters, endotracheal tubes, and similar. There are several strains of Acinetobacter (A) species (spp), among which the majority are pathogenic to humans, but A. baumannii are entirely resistant to several clinically available antibiotics. The crucial mechanism that renders them a multidrug-resistant strain is their potent ability to synthesize biofilms. Biofilms provide ample opportunity for the microorganisms to withstand the harsh environment and further cause chronic infections. Several studies have enumerated multiple physiological and virulence factors responsible for the production and maintenance of biofilms. To further enhance our understanding of this pathogen, in this review, we discuss its taxonomy, pathogenesis, current treatment options, global resistance rates, mechanisms of its resistance against various groups of antimicrobials, and future therapeutics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bacterial Biofilms in Complex Infection Environments: Challenges and Novel Therapeutic Perspectives)
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