ULTRASONOGRAPHIC LOCALIZATION OF A CAUDAL VENA CAVA THROMBUS IN A DOG WITH LEISHMANIASIS

A dog with visceral leishmaniasis developed rear limb edema, and distension of the caudal epigastric veins. Glomerular disease with nephrotic syndrome and hypercoagulable state was diagnosed. Sonographically there was massive thrombosis of the caudal vena cava.     

Unraveling the life history of successful invaders

Despite considerable current interest in biological invasions, the common life-history characteristics of successful invaders remain elusive. The widely held hypothesis that successful invaders have high reproductive rates has received little empirical support; however, alternative possibilities are seldom considered. Combining a global comparative analysis of avian introductions (>2700 events) with demographic models and phylogenetic comparative methods, we show that although rapid population growth may be advantageous during invasions under certain circumstances, more generally successful invaders are characterized by life-history strategies in which they give priority to future rather than current reproduction. High future breeding expectations reduce the costs of reproductive failure under uncertain conditions and increase opportunities to explore the environment and respond to novel ecological pressures.     

The Bioactive Potential of Trawl Discard: Case Study from a Crinoid Bed Off Blanes (North-Western Mediterranean)

Although knowledge of the bioactive compounds produced by species inhabiting coastal waters is increasing, little is known about the bioactive potential produced by marine species occupying deeper habitats with high biodiversity and productivity. Here, we investigate about the bioactive potential of molecules produced by species that inhabit the crinoid beds, a poorly known essential fish habitat affected by trawling, wherein large amounts of commercial and noncommercial species are discarded. Based on a trawl survey conducted in 2019, 14% of the 64 species discarded on crinoid beds produce molecules with some type of bioactive potential, including; soft corals (Alcyonium palmatum); tunicates (Ascidia mentula); bony fish, such as horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus); European hake (Merluccius merluccius); and chondrichthyans, such as small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula). In addition, 16% of the discarded species had congeneric species that produce compounds with bioactive potential, indicating that such species might also possess similar types of bioactive molecules. Molecules with antioxidant, antitumour, antihypertensive, and antibacterial properties were the most frequent, which could provide the basis for future research aiming to discover new marine-based drugs and compounds for other human uses. Among all species or genera that produce compounds with bioactive potential, 68% presented medium or high vulnerability to trawling. Results show that the discarded catch contains many species, which produce different bioactive compounds that represent an added-value resource. These results highlight the importance of manage properly crinoid beds, to ensure that species that produce molecules with bioactive potential inhabiting these habitats are protected.     

Managing forests for climate change mitigation

Forests currently absorb billions of tons of CO2 globally every year, an economic subsidy worth hundreds of billions of dollars if an equivalent sink had to be created in other ways. Concerns about the permanency of forest carbon stocks, difficulties in quantifying stock changes, and the threat of environmental and socioeconomic impacts of large-scale reforestation programs have limited the uptake of forestry activities in climate policies. With political will and the involvement of tropical regions, forests can contribute to climate change protection through carbon sequestration as well as offering economic, environmental, and sociocultural benefits. A key opportunity in tropical regions is the reduction of carbon emissions from deforestation and degradation.     

Apes save tools for future use

Planning for future needs, not just current ones, is one of the most formidable human cognitive achievements. Whether this skill is a uniquely human adaptation is a controversial issue. In a study we conducted, bonobos and orangutans selected, transported, and saved appropriate tools above baseline levels to use them 1 hour later (experiment 1). Experiment 2 extended these results to a 14-hour delay between collecting and using the tools. Experiment 3 showed that seeing the apparatus during tool selection was not necessary to succeed. These findings suggest that the precursor skills for planning for the future evolved in great apes before 14 million years ago, when all extant great ape species shared a common ancestor.     

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate uptake by marine phytoplankton

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) accounts for most of the organic sulfur fluxes from primary to secondary producers in marine microbial food webs. Incubations of natural communities and axenic cultures with radio-labeled DMSP showed that dominant phytoplankton groups of the ocean, the unicellular cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus and diatoms, as well as heterotrophic bacteria take up and assimilate DMSP sulfur, thus diverting a proportion of plankton-produced organic sulfur from emission into the atmosphere.     

Impact features on Stardust: implications for comet 81P/Wild 2 dust

Particles emanating from comet 81P/Wild 2 collided with the Stardust spacecraft at 6.1 kilometers per second, producing hypervelocity impact features on the collector surfaces that were returned to Earth. The morphologies of these surprisingly diverse features were created by particles varying from dense mineral grains to loosely bound, polymineralic aggregates ranging from tens of nanometers to hundreds of micrometers in size. The cumulative size distribution of Wild 2 dust is shallower than that of comet Halley, yet steeper than that of comet Grigg-Skjellerup.     

Immune Status and Hepatic Antioxidant Capacity of Gilthead Seabream Sparus aurata Juveniles Fed Yeast and Microalga Derived β-glucans

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with β-glucans extracted from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and microalga (Phaeodactylum tricornutum) on gene expression, oxidative stress biomarkers and plasma immune parameters in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) juveniles. A practical commercial diet was used as the control (CTRL), and three others based on CTRL were further supplemented with different β-glucan extracts. One was derived from S. cerevisiae (diet MG) and two different extracts of 21% and 37% P. tricornutum-derived β-glucans (defined as Phaeo21 and Phaeo37), to give a final 0.06% β-glucan dietary concentration. Quadruplicate groups of 95 gilthead seabream (initial body weight: 4.1 ± 0.1 g) were fed to satiation three times a day for 8 weeks in a pulse-feeding regimen, with experimental diets intercalated with the CTRL dietary treatment every 2 weeks. After 8 weeks of feeding, all groups showed equal growth performance and no changes were found in plasma innate immune status. Nonetheless, fish groups fed β-glucans supplemented diets showed an improved anti-oxidant status compared to those fed CTRL at both sampling points (i.e., 2 and 8 weeks). The intestinal gene expression analysis highlighted the immunomodulatory role of Phaeo37 diet after 8 weeks, inducing an immune tolerance effect in gilthead seabream intestine, and a general down-regulation of immune-related gene expression. In conclusion, the results suggest that the dietary pulse administration of a P. tricornutum 37% enriched-β-glucans extract might be used as a counter-measure in a context of gut inflammation, due to its immune-tolerant and anti-oxidative effects.