Preface—evaluating the response of critical zone processes to human impacts with sediment source fingerprinting

Journal of Soils and Sediments -     

CONGENITAL DISLOCATION OF THE DEEP DIGITAL FLEXOR TENDON ASSOCIATED WITH HYPOPLASIA OF THE SUSTENTACULUM TALI IN A THOROUGHBRED COLT

An 11-month-old Thoroughbred colt was presented with a hard swelling at the proximal third of the right 4th metatarsal bone. A medial dislocation of the deep digital flexor tendon ( flexor digitorum profundus ) was also observed on the same leg. On the plantaroproximal-plantarodistal projection of the calcaneus, there was flattening and shortening of the sustentaculum tali. The smooth bony proliferation at the proximal third of the right 4th metatarus was compatible with a chronic splint bone fracture. This report describes a medial deep digital flexor dislocation associated with hypoplasia of the sustentaculum tali .     

Effect of weight loading on the coronary band interstitial fluid pressure in horses

Interstitial fluid pressures, as a possible function of limb load, were measured at 2 sites within the digital coronary dermis of both cranial digits in 10 standing horses. Fluid pressure changes and digital load measurements were simultaneously detected and recorded by use of, respectively, modified wick-in-needle and force plate transducers coupled to a microcomputer. Mean pressures, recorded at limb loads between 50 and 80 kg, were 2.29 +/- 3.17 mm of Hg at the toe and 2.49 +/- 5.91 mm of Hg at the heel. Mean pressures, recorded between 150 and 180 kg, were 5.01 +/- 5.23 mm of Hg at the toe and 1.28 +/- 7.69 mm of Hg at the heel. These data indicate that, in the static limb, no statistically significant change in interstitial fluid pressure occurs at loads up to 180 kg.     

Digital semiological anesthesia in horses: technique and elements of interpretation

Digital semiological anesthesia in horses: Technique and elements of interpretation. Semiological anesthesia of the pes is used during examinations for lameness in horses. Recent research data on the distal digital, distal interphalangeal articular, and podotrochlear intrathecal nerve blocks indicate that they are less than specific when considered in isolation. They should be used in combination to localize pain in the pes. A positive response to anesthesia of the distal interphalangeal articulation could also indicate that the source of the pain was in the podotrochlear apparatus or the dorsal part of the sole. Podotrochlear anesthesia also anesthetizes the dorsal part of the sole and, later, the distal interphalangeal joint. Distal digital anesthesia affects a large palmar area of the hoof and extends dorsally. Overall, basic research provides little support for the practical uses of semiological blocks.     

Ecdysteroid receptor docking suggests that dibenzoylhydrazine-based insecticides are devoid of any deleterious effect on the parasitic wasp Psyttalia concolor (Hym. Braconidae)

BACKGROUND: The moulting accelerating compounds (MACs) or ecdysteroid agonists represent a selective group of insecticides acting upon binding to the ecdysteroid receptor (EcR) and leading to lethal premature moulting in larval stages and aborted reproduction in adults. Psyttalia concolor Szèpl. is a useful parasitic wasp attacking important tephritid pests such as the medfly and olive fruit fly. RESULTS: Contact and oral exposure in the laboratory of female parasitic wasps to the dibenzoylhydrazine‐based methoxyfenozide, tebufenozide and RH‐5849 did not provoke negative effects. No mortality and no reduction in beneficial capacity were observed. The ligand‐binding domain (LBD) of the EcR of P. concolor was sequenced, and a homology protein model was constructed which confirmed a cavity structure with 12 α‐helices, harbouring the natural insect moulting hormone 20‐hydroxyecdysone. However, a steric clash occurred for the MAC insecticides owing to a restricted extent of the ligand‐binding cavity of the PcLBD‐EcR, while they did dock well in that of susceptible insects. CONCLUSIONS: The insect toxicity assays demonstrated that MACs are selective for P. concolor. The modelling/docking experiments are indications that these insecticides do not bind with the LBD‐EcR of P. concolor and support the theory that they show no biological effects in the parasitic wasp. These data may help in explaining the compatible use of MACs together with parasitic wasps in IPM programmes. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Lobarin from the Sumatran lichen, Stereocaulon halei

The diphenyl ether, lobarin (1) (syn. lobariol carboxylic acid) related to lobaric acid was isolated for the first time as a natural product along with five known compounds from Stereocaulon halei, a fruticose lichen collected in Indonesia. The structure of lobarin was elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis and its most stable conformers were determined by molecular mechanic dynamic calculations. A marked superoxide anion scavenging was found for compound 1 while no cytotoxicity on the B16 murine melanoma and HaCaT human keratinocyte cell lines was observed.     

Evaluation of five serological tests for the diagnosis of porcine brucellosis in French Polynesia

Porcine brucellosis due to Brucella suis biovar 1 raises important issues for pig breeders in French Polynesia. In this region, the disease is enzootic, spreads silently and engenders economic losses in infected farms as well as sporadic human cases. While serological tests are essential in surveillance and control programmes of animal diseases, to date none of the available tests have been shown to be reliable enough to be used as a gold standard in routine individual diagnosis of porcine brucellosis. Few studies about the estimation of the sensitivity and the specificity of porcine brucellosis screening tests have been published, none of them dealing with French Polynesia. The studied population included 1,595 pigs from French Polynesia. Five tests were evaluated: Rose Bengal test, fluorescence polarisation assay, indirect ELISA, and two competitive ELISAs (C-ELISA). The sensitivity and the specificity of each test were estimated. C-ELISA₂ was the most sensitive test (Se C-ELISA₂?=?0.954 [0.889; 0.992] 95 % credibility interval (CrI)) while both C-ELISA and Rose Bengal test (RBT) were the most specific ones (Sp C-ELISA₁?=?0.856 [0.806; 0.915] 95 % CrI; Sp C-ELISA₂?=?0.849 [0.817; 0.879] 95 % CrI; Sp RBT?=?0.853 [0.812; 0.898] 95 % CrI).     

Anticancer Alkaloid Lamellarins Inhibit Protein Kinases

Lamellarins, a family of hexacyclic pyrrole alkaloids originally isolated from marine invertebrates, display promising anti-tumor activity. They induce apoptotic cell death through multi-target mechanisms, including inhibition of topoisomerase I, interaction with DNA and direct effects on mitochondria. We here report that lamellarins inhibit several protein kinases relevant to cancer such as cyclin-dependent kinases, dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation activated kinase 1A, casein kinase 1, glycogen synthase kinase-3 and PIM-1. A good correlation is observed between the effects of lamellarins on protein kinases and their action on cell death, suggesting that inhibition of specific kinases may contribute to the cytotoxicity of lamellarins. Structure/activity relationship suggests several paths for the optimization of lamellarins as kinase inhibitors.     

Marine Anticancer Agents: An Overview with a Particular Focus on Their Chemical Classes

The marine environment is a rich source of biologically active molecules for the treatment of human diseases, especially cancer. The adaptation to unique environmental conditions led marine organisms to evolve different pathways than their terrestrial counterparts, thus producing unique chemicals with a broad diversity and complexity. So far, more than 36,000 compounds have been isolated from marine micro- and macro-organisms including but not limited to fungi, bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae, sponges, corals, mollusks and tunicates, with hundreds of new marine natural products (MNPs) being discovered every year. Marine-based pharmaceuticals have started to impact modern pharmacology and different anti-cancer drugs derived from marine compounds have been approved for clinical use, such as: cytarabine, vidarabine, nelarabine (prodrug of ara-G), fludarabine phosphate (pro-drug of ara-A), trabectedin, eribulin mesylate, brentuximab vedotin, polatuzumab vedotin, enfortumab vedotin, belantamab mafodotin, plitidepsin, and lurbinectedin. This review focuses on the bioactive molecules derived from the marine environment with anticancer activity, discussing their families, origin, structural features and therapeutic use.