Gene expression differences consistent with water loss reduction underlie desiccation tolerance of natural Drosophila populations

BACKGROUND

Climate change is one of the main factors shaping the distribution and biodiversity of organisms, among others by greatly altering water availability, thus exposing species and ecosystems to harsh desiccation conditions. However, most of the studies so far have focused on the effects of increased temperature. Integrating transcriptomics and physiology is key to advancing our knowledge on how species cope with desiccation stress, and these studies are still best accomplished in model organisms.

RESULTS

Here, we characterized the natural variation of European D. melanogaster populations across climate zones and found that strains from arid regions were similar or more tolerant to desiccation compared with strains from temperate regions. Tolerant and sensitive strains differed not only in their transcriptomic response to stress but also in their basal expression levels. We further showed that gene expression changes in tolerant strains correlated with their physiological response to desiccation stress and with their cuticular hydrocarbon composition, and functionally validated three of the candidate genes identified. Transposable elements, which are known to influence stress response across organisms, were not found to be enriched nearby differentially expressed genes. Finally, we identified several tRNA-derived small RNA fragments that differentially targeted genes in response to desiccation stress.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our results showed that basal gene expression differences across individuals should be analyzed if we are to understand the genetic basis of differential stress survival. Moreover, tRNA-derived small RNA fragments appear to be relevant across stress responses and allow for the identification of stress-response genes not detected at the transcriptional level.

Endovenous laser ablation of saphenous veins - favorable clinical results confirm theoretical advantages of the 1940nm diode laser

INTRODUCTION

Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) is a recognized alternative to surgical treatment of varicose veins, although an optimal laser generator and its settings still remain a matter of debate. The aim of our study was to correlate clinical results with the theoretical advantage of the 1940nm diode laser characterized by high absorption of heat in a thin layer of coagulated tissue.

METHODS

From 1/2010 to 12/2021 EVLA was performed in a total of 3529 consecutive patients with varicose veins and ultrasonographically documented superficial venous reflux of lower extremities. Three types of laser were used successively with the wavelengths of 1064 nm, 1470 nm and 1940 nm, respectively. All patients were prospectively enrolled in our registry. An early postoperative followup visit was scheduled including an assessment of venous closure; additional visits were performed only in case of complications.

RESULTS

The success of venous closure did not differ (p=0.054) between the three laser types and was over 98%. The catheterbased method made it possible to perform multiple ablations in one procedure the trend was 1.08, 1.31 and 1.62. In 2021 the number of ablations per patient with the laser DL Tethys 1940 nm was 1.79. With this laser it was possible to reduce the total energy applied to one half (8 W, 5080 J/cm). The postoperative course of patients treated using the 1940nm laser was smoother - no other but the early followup visit was needed in 95.6% cases (p.

Distinct subcellular autophagy impairments in induced neurons from Huntington’s disease patients

Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG expansions in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Modelling Huntington's disease is challenging, as rodent and cellular models poorly recapitulate the disease as seen in ageing humans. To address this, we generated induced neurons through direct reprogramming of human skin fibroblasts, which retain age-dependent epigenetic characteristics.

Huntington's disease induced neurons (HD-iNs) displayed profound deficits in autophagy, characterized by reduced transport of late autophagic structures from the neurites to the soma. These neurite-specific alterations in autophagy resulted in shorter, thinner and fewer neurites specifically in HD-iNs. CRISPRi-mediated silencing of HTT did not rescue this phenotype but rather resulted in additional autophagy alterations in control induced neurons, highlighting the importance of wild-type HTT in normal neuronal autophagy.

In summary, our work identifies a distinct subcellular autophagy impairment in adult patient derived Huntington's disease neurons and provides a new rationale for future development of autophagy activation therapies.

Drosophila Evolution over Space and Time (DEST): A New Population Genomics Resource

Drosophila melanogaster is a leading model in population genetics and genomics, and a growing number of whole-genome data sets from natural populations of this species have been published over the last years. A major challenge is the integration of disparate data sets, often generated using different sequencing technologies and bioinformatic pipelines, which hampers our ability to address questions about the evolution of this species. Here we address these issues by developing a bioinformatics pipeline that maps pooled sequencing (Pool-Seq) reads from D. melanogaster to a hologenome consisting of fly and symbiont genomes and estimates allele frequencies using either a heuristic (PoolSNP) or a probabilistic variant caller (SNAPE-pooled). We use this pipeline to generate the largest data repository of genomic data available for D. melanogaster to date, encompassing 271 previously published and unpublished population samples from over 100 locations in >20 countries on four continents. Several of these locations have been sampled at different seasons across multiple years. This data set, which we call Drosophila Evolution over Space and Time (DEST), is coupled with sampling and environmental metadata. A web-based genome browser and web portal provide easy access to the SNP data set. We further provide guidelines on how to use Pool-Seq data for model-based demographic inference. Our aim is to provide this scalable platform as a community resource which can be easily extended via future efforts for an even more extensive cosmopolitan data set. Our resource will enable population geneticists to analyze spatiotemporal genetic patterns and evolutionary dynamics of D. melanogaster populations in unprecedented detail.

Endovenous laser ablation of saphenous vein - mid-term results confirm permanent closure and possibility to treat more lesions in one procedure

INTRODUCTION

Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) is a common alternative to surgical treatment of varicose veins. The aim of our study was to demonstrate that laser occlusion is durable, that we can treat all patients in a one day setting, even with veins >10mm in diameter, and that multiple EVLAs can be done at the same time.

METHODS

In the period from 1/2017 to 12/2019 EVLA was performed in a total of 1551 consecutive patients with varicose veins and ultrasonographically documented venous reflux. The mid-term results were evaluated in a group of patients operated from 1/2017 to 6/2017 (316 pts.). We compared a risk group that consisted of patients with veins >10mm in diameter (40 pts.) with a control group (the remaining 276 pts.). Patients with veins >10mm are traditionally considered as candidates for conventional surgery.

RESULTS

The catheter-based method enabled us to perform more ablations in one procedure. In 2019 we performed 1.44 EVLA procedures per patient. There was only one postoperative follow-up visit, indicating an uncomplicated postoperative course, in 87.5% of patients of the risk group. In the control group 100% of patients had only one follow-up visit including ultrasound examination, showing an uncomplicated postoperative course (p.

Stress response, behavior, and development are shaped by transposable element-induced mutations in Drosophila

Most of the current knowledge on the genetic basis of adaptive evolution is based on the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Despite increasing evidence for their causal role, the contribution of structural variants to adaptive evolution remains largely unexplored. In this work, we analyzed the population frequencies of 1,615 Transposable Element (TE) insertions annotated in the reference genome of Drosophila melanogaster, in 91 samples from 60 worldwide natural populations. We identified a set of 300 polymorphic TEs that are present at high population frequencies, and located in genomic regions with high recombination rate, where the efficiency of natural selection is high. The age and the length of these 300 TEs are consistent with relatively young and long insertions reaching high frequencies due to the action of positive selection. Besides, we identified a set of 21 fixed TEs also likely to be adaptive. Indeed, we, and others, found evidence of selection for 84 of these reference TE insertions. The analysis of the genes located nearby these 84 candidate adaptive insertions suggested that the functional response to selection is related with the GO categories of response to stimulus, behavior, and development. We further showed that a subset of the candidate adaptive TEs affects expression of nearby genes, and five of them have already been linked to an ecologically relevant phenotypic effect. Our results provide a more complete understanding of the genetic variation and the fitness-related traits relevant for adaptive evolution. Similar studies should help uncover the importance of TE-induced adaptive mutations in other species as well.

Catheter laser ablation of superficial veins of the lower extremities in the symptomatic treatment of venous reflux comparison of the immediate results of two types of laser

INTRODUCTION

Catheter-Based Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) is a commonly used alternative to surgical treatment of varicose veins. Recently, catheterization methods have proved to be methods of choice due to the preference of patients who value minimal invasiveness. Research of EVLA currently focuses on optimization of the procedure, which includes study of the benefits of the individual types of laser generators and the wavelengths used. In this observational study we compared our early results in a non-selected population of consecutive patients treated with two different types of lasers.

METHODS

In the period from February 2010 to June 2017, EVLA was performed in a total of 1747 consecutive patients (74% were female) with venous reflux. The average vein width was 8.5 mm (525 mm). Our study sought to compare a more economical 1470nm diode laser (DL) generator (Velas 2, China) - used to operate on 630 patients - with a Nd-Yag crystal generator (Fotona - Slovenia) used in 1117 patients. All operations were performed using the same methodology, in an outpatient setting, in one specialized center. All procedures were completed in local tumescent anesthesia under peroperative ultrasound control. Postoperative sonography was performed in all patients.

RESULTS

The results did not show a statistically significant difference in early closure rates (98.8% for Nd-Yag versus 99.8 for DL p-ns). Early recurrence was observed in 9 patients (15 vein segments) and managed successfully with early re-intervention and closure in all cases. The causes of incomplete closure included mainly the known risk factors (anticoagulation therapy, history of varicophlebitis). There was no correlation with larger venous diameter. In 6 patients, thrombus prolapse was observed in the deep femoral vein lumen. All cases were successfully cured after a week of low-molecular-weight heparin therapy. Only one case of low-risk pulmonary embolism was reported in a patient who failed to follow the regime recommendations.

CONCLUSION

This evidence did not show a significant difference in closure reliability and the amount of complications of the endovenous laser ablation of large and small saphenous vein with a 1060nm Nd-Yag crystal compared to the more economical 1470nm diode laser generator.

Cool Headed Individuals Are Better Survivors: Non-Consumptive and Consumptive Effects of a Generalist Predator on a Sap Feeding Insect

Non-consumptive effects (NCEs) of predators are part of the complex interactions among insect natural enemies and prey. NCEs have been shown to significantly affect prey foraging and feeding. Leafhopper's (Auchenorrhyncha) lengthy phloem feeding bouts may play a role in pathogen transmission in vector species and also exposes them to predation risk. However, NCEs on leafhoppers have been scarcely studied, and we lack basic information about how anti-predator behaviour influences foraging and feeding in these species. Here we report a study on non-consumptive and consumptive predator-prey interactions in a naturally co-occurring spider-leafhopper system. In mesocosm arenas we studied movement patterns during foraging and feeding of the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus in the presence of the spider predator Tibellus oblongus. Leafhoppers delayed feeding and fed much less often when the spider was present. Foraging movement pattern changed under predation risk: movements became more frequent and brief. There was considerable individual variation in foraging movement activity. Those individuals that increased movement activity in the presence of predators exposed themselves to higher predation risk. However, surviving individuals exhibited a 'cool headed' reaction to spider presence by moving less than leafhoppers in control trials. No leafhoppers were preyed upon while feeding. We consider delayed feeding as a "paradoxical" antipredator tactic, since it is not necessarily an optimal strategy against a sit-and-wait generalist predator.

Rapid genotyping of genetically modified laboratory animals from whole blood samples without DNA preparation

A new, rapid method is described which permits the genotyping of genetically modified animals from a microlitre volume of whole blood samples via one step polymerase chain reaction amplification. The major advantage of the presented method is the exclusion of a DNA preparation step, which significantly reduces the time expenditure and work load of the genetic testing. Pilot studies indicate, that this method is efficient and applicable also on tissue biopsies and larger amount of blood providing a rapid and reliable new technique over conventional genotyping approaches.

Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin increases the sensitivity of resistant ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line A2780cis to cisplatin

Ovarian carcinoma is the leading cause of death among gynecological neoplasms in the world. The chemoresistance is a major obstacle in the effective treatment of ovarian and other cancers. We evaluated the effects of Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GEL) alone and in combination with cisplatin in cisplatin resistant ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line. Our results showed Akt depletion and S-phase arrest of A2780cis cells after GEL treatment. Combined exposure of A2780cis cells to GEL and cisplatin resulted in greater than additive cytotoxic effect.

Neural differentiation potentiated by the leukaemia inhibitory factor through STAT3 signalling in mouse embryonal carcinoma cells

LIF is a cytokine playing a key role in the regulation of self-renewal and maintenance of undifferentiated state in mouse ES cells. The response of pluripotent cells to LIF is mediated mainly by the STAT3 and ERK signalling pathways. Recently, we have shown that LIF potentiated retinoic acid-induced neural differentiation of pluripotent mouse embryonal carcinoma P19 cells. Here we demonstrate that pro-neural effects of LIF and partially also of retinoic acid are abolished by inhibition of the JAK2->STAT3 signalling pathway. In contrast, inhibition of the MEK1->ERK signalling pathway does not exhibit any effect. These results suggest that in neurogenic regions, cooperative action of LIF and other neuro-differentiation-inducing factors, such as retinoic acid, may be mediated by the STAT3 signalling pathway.

Induction of cytotoxicity and ssDNA breaks by 9-bromo-5-morpholino-tetrazolo[1,5-c]quinazoline in tumor cells cultured in vitro

9-Bromo-5-morpholino-tetrazolo[1,5-c]quinazoline (BMTQ) acted cytotoxically on murine leukemia cell line L1210 and human colon carcinoma cells Caco-2. We found the two highest concentrations of BMTQ (149.2 and 74.6 microM) induced an acute cytotoxic effect, however other tested concentrations (<74.6 microM) manifested a concentration/dependent and time/dependent cytotoxic effect. The sensitivity of murine leukemia cells L1210 and human colon carcinoma cells Caco-2 was expressed in the same order. The cytotoxicity of BMTQ was not accompanied by changes of the cell cycle profile. Following the cytotoxicity-related effects of BMTQ we observed the induction of ssDNA breaks after BMTQ treatment. All the concentrations of BMTQ increased the level of ssDNA breaks 1.3-2.9 times (after 2 h of treatment) and 1.6-2.8 times (after 4 h of treatment) in Caco-2 cells compared to the control. No apoptotic DNA fragmentation induced by BMTQ in Caco-2 cells was recorded.

Determination of phenytoin in plasma by molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) using phenytoin as template and methacrylamide as the functional monomer was prepared. The selectivity was measured by comparing capacity factors of phenytoin and other structurally related compounds. The polymer was evaluated as a selective sorbent in molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE). Several washing solvents were tested to study their ability to disrupt the non-specific interactions occurring between the sample and the polymer matrix and the role of water in the recognition process was also investigated. It was shown that the key step of successful sample extraction is the right choice of the washing solvent. Plasma samples spiked with phenytoin were analyzed by the MISPE methodology developed in this work. Method validation (intra- and inter-day precision, recovery, specificity) was carried out. The calibration curve showed good linearity in the 2.5-40 microg/ml range corresponding to therapeutically relevant plasma levels. The intra- and inter-day precision values were below the 15% limit established for bioanalytical methods. The results showed that the method could be successfully applied for the determination of phenytoin in plasma samples.

[Cholestasis caused by chronic pancreatitis in childhood. Surgical treatment and genetic analysis]

Authors report two cases of childhood chronic pancreatitis, causing severe symptoms and common bile duct stenosis with cholestasis. Both patients had to be operated on. Chronic pancreatitis with calcification led to significant common bile duct stenosis in a 13 years old girl. After ERCP a double bypass procedure was performed (Wirsungo-jejunostomy and hepatico-jejunostomy). During 42 months follow-up the patient remained pain- and symptom-free gaining 16 kilograms. In a 9 years old girl severe stenosis of the intrapancreatic common bile duct and a small duct type chronic pancreatitis with extensive fibrosis was found. Treatment was Roux-en-Y hepatico-jejunostomy. Thirty-four months after the operation she is symptom-free with normal enzyme parameters. Authors report results of genetic investigations performed on registered chronic pancreatitis children and their families in Hungary, including the two operated cases. Two of the 5 patients were hereditary type, despite negative family history. Cationic trypsinogen gene R122H (R117H) mutation were detected in both patients. Chronic non-hereditary pancreatitis is a very rare disease in childhood but may cause severe secondary conditions requiring surgery.

Immunoassay-based determination of phenobarbital using size-exclusion chromatography

The measurement of the anti-epileptic drug phenobarbital from serum samples combining immunoassay and size-exclusion chromatography is presented. The immunoreaction is based on the competitive binding of the analyte (unlabelled phenobarbital) and the fluorescent-labelled phenobarbital to anti-phenobarbital antibodies. Mixing of the reagents and the immunoreaction takes place in a flow system. The products are separated on-line on a short gel chromatographic column and the fluorescence intensity of the marker is measured. The calibration curve shows good linearity in the range 5-80 microg/ml, corresponding to therapeutically relevant serum levels. Intra-day precision values are between 7.32 and 9.48%; the accuracy is between 0.97 and 9.43%. Inter-day precision and accuracy measured on 6 different days fall between 5.38 and 10.05% and -8.27 and -4.97%, respectively. The results obtained with the proposed method show a good correlation with those of other methods (radioimmunoassay and fluorescence polarisation immunoassay) already established in clinical laboratories.

Inhibitory neurogenic modulation of histamine-induced cutaneous plasma extravasation in the pigeon

The neurohumoral modulation of the permeability increasing effect of histamine was studied in pigeon skin. Substances were administered through plasmapheresis capillaries inserted into the dorsal wing skin and the protein contents of the perfusates were determined by a quantitative method. The vascular labelling technique was also utilized to histologically identify leaky blood vessels. In the innervated skin histamine evoked a significant, dose-dependent plasma extravasation which was markedly augmented by the coadministration of a specific galanin receptor antagonist, galanin-1-16-bradykinin-2-9-amide (M35). Chronic cutaneous denervation per se resulted in a significant elevation of the permeability-enhancing effect of histamine. In the denervated skin this response was not affected by M35 but was significantly inhibited by galanin. It is concluded that in the normally innervated skin endogenous galanin may exert a neurogenic tonic inhibitory effect on histamine-induced plasma leakage. It is suggested that sensory nerves possess not only pro-inflammatory, but also anti-inflammatory (inhibitory) sensory-efferent functions.

[Distal crural bypass as a limb salvage procedure--case report]

The authors present a case of a patient with a progredient moist gangrene of the right foot. In this patient, amputation of the lower limb was indicated because of an unfavourable angiographic finding, after unsuccessful conservative treatment. With regard to the fact, that the patient had undergone amputation of the other lower limb in the crus, revision of the posterior tibial artery was decided. Preoperative angiography did not confirm the previous unfavourable angiographic finding. After the implantation of a distal crural venous bypass (posterior tibial artery--supramalleolar part), healing of the extremity occurred in a relatively short time period. The authors agree with the opinion that distal crural and pedal bypasses cannot be always indicated on the basis of routinely performed angiography. Revision of crural arteries and possible preoperative angiography can change the situation and lead to the salvage of the limb.

Determination of deramciclane and N-desmethylderamciclane in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using off-line robotic sample pretreatment

A rapid and highly sensitive LC-MS-MS method using deuterium-labelled internal standards was developed and evaluated for the simultaneous determination of deramciclane and its pharmacologically active metabolite (N-desmethylderamciclane). The sample preparation based on liquid-liquid extraction was carried out with an off-line robotic system. Evaluation of this analytical method shows that samples can be assayed with acceptable accuracy and precision in the 0.1 to 50 ng/ml concentration range for both compounds. The method was applied for the quantitative determination of deramciclane and its metabolite in human plasma samples during a food interaction pharmacokinetic study.

Food interaction pharmacokinetic study of cordaflex 20 mg retard filmtablet in healthy volunteers

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of food consumption on the pharmacokinetics of Cordaflex 20 mg retard filmtablet in healthy volunteers through measuring nifedipine plasma levels by an HPLC-ED method both after fasting and food ingestion. The food interaction pharmacokinetic study of Cordaflex 20 mg retard filmtablet was carried out in 12 healthy male volunteers treated with a single dose of the preparation both after fasting and after food ingestion, in a crossover design allowing 1 week of wash-out period between the 2 treatments. Nifedipine concentration of plasma samples were determined by an isocratic HPLC-ED method [Horvai et al. 1994] with robotic sample processing [Horváth et al. 1995, 1996]. The pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC0-infinity, AUC0-t, Cmax, MRT) were analyzed by calculating 90% confidence interval for logarithmic transformed test/reference ratio values, and Schuirmann's statistical tests, the tmax and HVD values were analyzed by Wilcoxon's nonparametric statistical test. The above statistical tests of the present food interaction study indicated significant differences for each one of the respective pharmacokinetic parameter pairs calculated for treatments after fasting and after food ingestion. On the basis of the above findings and also by comparing the mean pharmacokinetic curves, it was evident, that, in agreement with the data of literature [Kleinbloesem et al. 1993, Schall et al. 1994], food ingestion increased the relative bioavailability and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax). Considering the average of the parameter values and also the respective statistical tests, it was also apparent that the time to maximum plasma concentration (tmax), the mean residence time (MRT), and the half-value duration (HVD) all decreased significantly upon the effect of food ingestion.

Human bioequivalence study of a new nifedipine containing retard filmtablet after single and repeated administration

A clinical pharmacokinetic bioequivalence study with two retard filmtablet preparations, both containing 20 mg of nifedipine (CAS 219829-25-4) was carried out. The investigated test preparation was Cordaflex 20 mg retard filmtablet. The pharmacokinetic parameters were determined after single and repeated administration in 15 and 16 healthy male volunteers, respectively, in open, randomised studies of cross-over design. Plasma levels of nifedipine were determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection using a robotic sample preparation technique. Statistical comparison of the pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC0-infinity, AUCss, tau tmax, Cmax, Css,min, Css,av, MRT, etc.) calculated from plasma concentration-time curves by ANOVAlog, confidence interval, Schuirman's, Westlake's, Anderson's and Wilcoxon's tests, furthermore the comparison of the clinical results did not show any significant difference between the two preparations. It is concluded that the two preparations are bioequivalent after repeated administration.

Sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of nifedipine in dog plasma using an automated sample preparation system with laboratory robot

Nifedipine, a calcium-channel blocking drug was analysed in dog plasma after oral dosing with two different formulations. Sample preparation was automated with a laboratory robot. Quantitative determination of the drug was performed on a reversed-phase HPLC system with electrochemical detection (ED) using an internal standard. Validation of the analytical method showed that the system is well suited for pharmacokinetic studies on dogs. The assay was linear in the range 1-50 ng/ml. Inter-day and intra-day variability were between 6.43-18.15% C.V. and 1.57-5.53% C.V., respectively.

[Comparative human pharmacokinetic studies of 20 mg nifedipine-containing Cordaflex and Adalat film coated retared tablets]

Comparative pharmacokinetic studies have been carried out with two 20 mg nifedipine active substance-containing retard film coated tablets, Cordaflex produced by EGIS Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. and Adalat of Bayer AG. The pharmacokinetic parameters and the relative bioavailability were determined in 15 and 16 healthy male volunteers, respectively after single and repeated administration in open, randomized cross over study. The plasma concentration of nifedipine was determined by HPLC-ED method, using laboratory robot for automated sample preparation. On the basis of graphical and statistical comparison of the pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC0-infinity, AUCss,0-tau, tmax, Cmax, Css,min, Css,av, MRT, etc.) calculated from the time-plasma concentration curve, moreover on the basis of clinical results, there was no significant difference between the two preparations. In conclusion, the relative bioavailability of Cordaflex and Adalat 20 mg retard tablets did not show significant difference after single and repeated administration.

Liposome flow injection immunoassay: implications for sensitivity, dynamic range, and antibody regeneration

We have developed a liposome-based flow injection immunoassay (FIIA) system for quantitation of a clinical analyte, theophylline. With very minor changes in assay format, this procedure can also be used for the quantitation of anti-theophylline. Automated sequential analyses were performed at room temperature with picomole sensitivity and a day-to-day coefficient of variation of less than 5% for aqueous solutions. The system components include liposomes that contain fluorophores in their aqueous centers and an immobilized-antibody reactor column. The immunoreactor was regenerated hundreds of times over 3 months of continuous use with no measurable loss of antibody activity. The two assay formats studied produced distinct dynamic ranges for their respective analytes. The special advantages of using flow injection analysis for immunoassays and of using liposomes in FIIA are discussed.