ALBERT

Description: The effect of vitamin D 3 in oral solution (VD 3 ) and vitamin D 3 -loaded nanocapsules (NC-VD 3 ) was analysed in animals with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis (AR). For this purpose, we evaluated scores for arthritis, thermal hyperalgesia and paw oedema, as well as histological analyses and measurements of the activity of the ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (E-NTPDase) and ecto-adenosine deaminase (E-ADA) enzymes in rat lymphocytes. Haematological and biochemical parameters were also determined. The doses administered were 120 UI/day of VD 3 and 15.84 UI/day of NC-VD 3 . Fifteen days after the induction of AR, the groups were treated for 15 days with vitamin D 3 . The results demonstrated that VD 3 was able to reduce arthritis scores, thermal hyperalgesia and paw oedema in rats with CFA-induced arthritis. However, treatment with NC-VD 3 did not reduce arthritis scores. The histological analyses showed that both formulations were able to reduce the inflammatory changes induced by CFA. The activity of E-NTPDase in rat lymphocytes was higher in the AR compared with the control group, while the activity of E-ADA was lower. This effect was reversed after the 15-day treatment. Data from this study indicates that both forms of vitamin D 3 seem to contribute to decreasing the inflammatory process induced by CFA, possibly altering the activities of ectoenzymes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Significance Paragraph The effects promoted by both formulations of vitamin D 3 , either in oral solution or nanoencapsulated form, strongly suggests the softening of the inflammatory process induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), possibly altering the E-NTPDase and E-ADA activities. However, it is known that vitamin D has a beneficial effect on the modulation of the immune system components responsible for the inflammatory process. Moreover, the establishment of responses to treatment with vitamin D 3 may provide an alternative for inhibiting the proinflammatory response, assisting in our understanding of the immunopathology of this disease and possibly improving the signs and symptoms that hinder the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Highlights: Evaluation of the effects on the E-NTPDase and E-ADA activities in an animal model of induced arthritis. Two formulations of vitamin D 3 were used: form oral solution and nanoencapsulated. Vitamin D 3 seems to contribute to the inflammatory process induced by CFA. Vitamin D 3 possibly alters the E-NTPDase and E-ADA activities. Vitamin D 3 may be an alternative supplementary treatment for chronic arthritis.

Description: The interplay between sediment deposition patterns, organic matter type and the quantity and quality of reactive mineral phases determines the accumulation, speciation and isotope composition of pore water and solid phase sulfur constituents in marine sediments. Here, we present the sulfur geochemistry of siliciclastic sediments from two sites along the Argentine continental slope--a system characterized by dynamic deposition and reworking, which result in non-steady state conditions. The two investigated sites have different depositional histories but have in common that reactive iron phases are abundant and that organic matter is refractory--conditions that result in low organoclastic sulfate reduction rates. Deposition of reworked, isotopically light pyrite and sulfurized organic matter appear to be important contributors to the sulfur inventory, with only minor addition of pyrite from organoclastic sulfate reduction above the sulfate-methane transition (SMT). Pore-water sulfide is limited to a narrow zone at the SMT. The core of that zone is dominated by pyrite accumulation. Iron monosulfide and elemental sulfur accumulate above and below this zone. Iron monosulfide precipitation is driven by the reaction of low amounts of hydrogen sulfide with ferrous iron and is in competition with the oxidation of sulfide by iron (oxyhydr)oxides to form elemental sulfur. The intervals marked by precipitation of intermediate sulfur phases at the margin of the zone with free sulfide are bordered by two distinct peaks in total organic sulfur. Organic matter sulfurization appears to precede pyrite formation in the iron-dominated margins of the sulfide zone, potentially linked to the presence of polysulfides formed by reaction between dissolved sulfide and elemental sulfur. Thus, SMTs can be hotspots for organic matter sulfurization in sulfide-limited, reactive iron-rich marine sedimentary systems. Furthermore, existence of elemental sulfur and iron monosulfide phases meters below the SMT demonstrates that in sulfide-limited systems metastable sulfur constituents are not readily converted to pyrite but can be buried to deeper sediment depths. Our data show that in non-steady state systems, redox zones do not occur in sequence but can reappear or proceed in inverse sequence throughout the sediment column, causing similar mineral alteration processes to occur at the same time at different sediment depths.

Description: A continuous 10-m-long section consisting of roughly two thirds Ethmodiscus rex (a diatom) and one third mixed planktonic foraminifera was identified in a core from 3800 m depth at 9°S on the Indian Ocean's 90°E Ridge. Radiocarbon dates place the onset of deposition of this layer at 〉30,000 years B.P. and its termination at close to 11,000 years B.P. However, precise dating of the foraminifera from the Ethmodiscus layer itself proved to be impossible owing to the presence of secondary calcite presumably precipitated from the pore waters. During the Holocene, high calcium carbonate content ooze free of diatoms was deposited at this locale. As the site currently lies beneath the pathway taken by upper ocean waters entering the Indian Ocean from the Pacific (via the Indonesian Straits), it appears that during glacial time, thermocline waters moving along this same path provided the silica and other nutrients required by these diatoms.

Description: The marine fungus Microascus brevicaulis strain LF580 is a non-model secondary metabolite producer with high yields of the two secondary metabolites scopularide A and B, which exhibit distinct activities against tumour cell lines. A mutant strain was obtained using UV mutagenesis, showing besides higher production levels faster growth and differences in pellet formation. Comparative proteomics were applied to gain deeper understanding of the regulation of production and of the physiology of this fungus and its mutant. For this purpose, an optimised protein extraction protocol was established. Here, we show the first proteome study of a marine fungus. In total, 4759 proteins were identified. The central metabolic pathway of LF580 could be mapped by using KEGG pathway analysis and GO annotation. Using iTRAQ labelling, 318 proteins were shown to be significantly regulated in the mutant strain: 189 were down- and 129 upregulated. Proteomics are a powerful tool for the understanding of regulatory aspects: The differences on proteome level could be attributed to a limited nutrient availability in wild type strain due to a strong pellet formation. This information can be applied to optimisation on strain and process level. The linkage between nutrient limitation and pellet formation in the non-model fungus M. brevicaulis is in consensus with the knowledge on model organisms like Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum.

Description: Since ice-free areas in Antarctica are predicted to increase by up to 25% before the end of this century, lichens such as the genus Placopsis will be important colonizers of these newly available grounds and will still be present in later successional stages of the lichen community. The main symbionts of Placopsis species are examined for 56 specimens collected from the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica using molecular (fungal and algal nrITS, fungal RPB1, algal rbcL sequences) and morphological methods. The specimens were collected from soils with different deglaciation times. Eight uni-algal photobiont cultures were obtained and analysed from two specimens. Placopsis antarctica and P. contortuplicata proved to be monophyletic and are sister species, only the former producing vegetative diaspores (soredia). Both share the same photobiont pool and are lichenized with two closely related species, Stichococcus antarcticus and S. allas. Two haplotypes of S. antarcticus are restricted to areas deglaciated for more than 5000 years and the volcanic Deception Island indicating a shift in the photobionts of Placopsis in the course of the soil and lichen community development. These photobiont haplotypes exhibit different ecological preferences, possibly leading to adaptation of the symbiotic entity to changing environmental conditions.