Environmental cues and constraints affecting the seasonality of dominant calanoid copepods in brackish, coastal waters: a case study of Acartia, Temora and Eurytemora species in the south-west Baltic

Information on physiological rates and tolerances helps one gain a cause-and-effect understanding of the role that some environmental (bottom–up) factors play in regulating the seasonality and productivity of key species. We combined the results of laboratory experiments on reproductive success and field time series data on adult abundance to explore factors controlling the seasonality of Acartia spp., Eurytemora affinis and Temora longicornis, key copepods of brackish, coastal and temperate environments. Patterns in laboratory and field data were discussed using a metabolic framework that included the effects of ‘controlling’, ‘masking’ and ‘directive’ environmental factors. Over a 5-year period, changes in adult abundance within two south-west Baltic field sites (Kiel Fjord Pier, 54°19′89N, 10°09′06E, 12–21 psu, and North/Baltic Sea Canal NOK, 54°20′45N, 9°57′02E, 4–10 psu) were evaluated with respect to changes in temperature, salinity, day length and chlorophyll a concentration. Acartia spp. dominated the copepod assemblage at both sites (up to 16,764 and 21,771 females m−3 at NOK and Pier) and was 4 to 10 times more abundant than E. affinis (to 2,939 m−3 at NOK) and T. longicornis (to 1,959 m−3 at Pier), respectively. Species-specific salinity tolerance explains differences in adult abundance between sampling sites whereas phenological differences among species are best explained by the influence of species-specific thermal windows and prey requirements supporting survival and egg production. Multiple intrinsic and extrinsic (environmental) factors influence the production of different egg types (normal and resting), regulate life-history strategies and influence match–mismatch dynamics

Tracking seasonal changes in North Sea zooplankton trophic dynamics using stable isotopes

Trophodynamics of meso-zooplankton in the North Sea (NS) were assessed at a site in the southern NS, and at a shallow and a deep site in the central NS. Offshore and neritic species from different ecological niches, including Calanus spp., Temora spp. and Sagitta spp., were collected during seven cruises over 14 months from 2007 to 2008. Bulk stable isotope (SI) analysis, phospholipid-derived fatty acid (PLFA) compositions, and δ 13CPLFA data of meso-zooplankton and particulate organic matter (POM) were used to describe changes in zooplankton relative trophic positions (RTPs) and trophodynamics. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that the RTPs of zooplankton in the North Sea vary spatially and seasonally, in response to hydrographic variability, with the microbial food web playing an important role at times. Zooplankton RTPs tended to be higher during winter and lower during the phytoplankton bloom in spring. RTPs were highest for predators such as Sagitta sp. and Calanus helgolandicus and lowest for small copepods such as Pseudocalanus elongatus and zoea larvae (Brachyura). δ 15NPOM-based RTPs were only moderate surrogates for animals’ ecological niches, because of the plasticity in source materials from the herbivorous and the microbial loop food web. Common (16:0) and essential (eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA and docosahexaenoic acid, DHA) structural lipids showed relatively constant abundances. This could be explained by incorporation of PLFAs with δ 13C signatures which followed seasonal changes in bulk δ 13CPOM and PLFA δ 13CPOM signatures. This study highlighted the complementarity of three biogeochemical approaches for trophodynamic studies and substantiated conceptual views of size-based food web analysis, in which small individuals of large species may be functionally equivalent to large individuals of small species. Seasonal and spatial variability was also important in altering the relative importance of the herbivorous and microbial food webs

Heterogeneity of prodromal Parkinson symptoms in siblings of Parkinson disease patients

A prodromal phase of Parkinson’s disease (PD) may precede motor manifestations by decades. PD patients’ siblings are at higher risk for PD, but the prevalence and distribution of prodromal symptoms are unknown. The study objectives were (1) to assess motor and non-motor features estimating prodromal PD probability in PD siblings recruited within the European PROPAG-AGEING project; (2) to compare motor and non-motor symptoms to the well-established DeNoPa cohort. 340 PD siblings from three sites (Bologna, Seville, Kassel/Goettingen) underwent clinical and neurological evaluations of PD markers. The German part of the cohort was compared with German de novo PD patients (dnPDs) and healthy controls (CTRs) from DeNoPa. Fifteen (4.4%) siblings presented with subtle signs of motor impairment, with MDS-UPDRS-III scores not clinically different from CTRs. Symptoms of orthostatic hypotension were present in 47 siblings (13.8%), no different to CTRs (p = 0.072). No differences were found for olfaction and overall cognition; German-siblings performed worse than CTRs in visuospatial-executive and language tasks. 3/147 siblings had video-polysomnography-confirmed REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), none was positive on the RBD Screening Questionnaire. 173/300 siblings had <1% probability of having prodromal PD; 100 between 1 and 10%, 26 siblings between 10 and 80%, one fulfilled the criteria for prodromal PD. According to the current analysis, we cannot confirm the increased risk of PD siblings for prodromal PD. Siblings showed a heterogeneous distribution of prodromal PD markers and probability. Additional parameters, including strong disease markers, should be investigated to verify if these results depend on validity and sensitivity of prodromal PD criteria, or if siblings’ risk is not elevated

A geroscience approach for Parkinson's disease: Conceptual framework and design of PROPAG-AGEING project

Advanced age is the major risk factor for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), but to date the biological relationship between PD and ageing remains elusive. Here we describe the rationale and the design of the H2020 funded project “PROPAG-AGEING”, whose aim is to characterize the contribution of the ageing process to PD development. We summarize current evidences that support the existence of a continuum between ageing and PD and justify the use of a Geroscience approach to study PD. We focus in particular on the role of inflammaging, the chronic, low-grade inflammation characteristic of elderly physiology, which can propagate and transmit both locally and systemically. We then describe PROPAG-AGEING design, which is based on the multi-omic characterization of peripheral samples from clinically characterized drug-naïve and advanced PD, PD discordant twins, healthy controls and "super-controls", i.e. centenarians, who never showed clinical signs of motor disability, and their offspring. Omic results are then validated in a large number of samples, including in vitro models of dopaminergic neurons and healthy siblings of PD patients, who are at higher risk of developing PD, with the final aim of identifying the molecular perturbations that can deviate the trajectories of healthy ageing towards PD development

Early downregulation of hsa-miR-144-3p in serum from drug-naïve Parkinson’s disease patients

Advanced age represents one of the major risk factors for Parkinson’s Disease. Recent biomedical studies posit a role for microRNAs, also known to be remodelled during ageing. However, the relationship between microRNA remodelling and ageing in Parkinson’s Disease, has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to unravel the relevance of microRNAs as biomarkers of Parkinson’s Disease within the ageing framework. We employed Next Generation Sequencing to profile serum microRNAs from samples informative for Parkinson’s Disease (recently diagnosed, drug-naïve) and healthy ageing (centenarians) plus healthy controls, age-matched with Parkinson’s Disease patients. Potential microRNA candidates markers, emerging from the combination of differential expression and network analyses, were further validated in an independent cohort including both drug-naïve and advanced Parkinson’s Disease patients, and healthy siblings of Parkinson’s Disease patients at higher genetic risk for developing the disease. While we did not find evidences of microRNAs co-regulated in Parkinson’s Disease and ageing, we report that hsa-miR-144-3p is consistently down-regulated in early Parkinson’s Disease patients. Moreover, interestingly, functional analysis revealed that hsa-miR-144-3p is involved in the regulation of coagulation, a process known to be altered in Parkinson’s Disease. Our results consistently show the down-regulation of hsa-mir144-3p in early Parkinson’s Disease, robustly confirmed across a variety of analytical and experimental analyses. These promising results ask for further research to unveil the functional details of the involvement of hsa-mir144-3p in Parkinson’s Disease

Early downregulation of hsa-miR-144-3p in serum from drug-naïve Parkinson’s disease patients

open101siThis work was supported by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (Grant number 634821, PROPAG-AGING).Advanced age represents one of the major risk factors for Parkinson’s Disease. Recent biomedical studies posit a role for microRNAs, also known to be remodelled during ageing. However, the relationship between microRNA remodelling and ageing in Parkinson’s Disease, has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to unravel the relevance of microRNAs as biomarkers of Parkinson’s Disease within the ageing framework. We employed Next Generation Sequencing to profile serum microRNAs from samples informative for Parkinson’s Disease (recently diagnosed, drug-naïve) and healthy ageing (centenarians) plus healthy controls, age-matched with Parkinson’s Disease patients. Potential microRNA candidates markers, emerging from the combination of differential expression and network analyses, were further validated in an independent cohort including both drug-naïve and advanced Parkinson’s Disease patients, and healthy siblings of Parkinson’s Disease patients at higher genetic risk for developing the disease. While we did not find evidences of microRNAs co-regulated in Parkinson’s Disease and ageing, we report that hsa-miR-144-3p is consistently down-regulated in early Parkinson’s Disease patients. Moreover, interestingly, functional analysis revealed that hsa-miR-144-3p is involved in the regulation of coagulation, a process known to be altered in Parkinson’s Disease. Our results consistently show the down-regulation of hsa-mir144-3p in early Parkinson’s Disease, robustly confirmed across a variety of analytical and experimental analyses. These promising results ask for further research to unveil the functional details of the involvement of hsa-mir144-3p in Parkinson’s Disease.openZago E.; Dal Molin A.; Dimitri G.M.; Xumerle L.; Pirazzini C.; Bacalini M.G.; Maturo M.G.; Azevedo T.; Spasov S.; Gomez-Garre P.; Perinan M.T.; Jesus S.; Baldelli L.; Sambati L.; Calandra Buonaura G.; Garagnani P.; Provini F.; Cortelli P.; Mir P.; Trenkwalder C.; Mollenhauer B.; Franceschi C.; Lio P.; Nardini C.; Adarmes-Gomez A.; Azevedo T.; Bacalini M.G.; Baldelli L.; Bartoletti-Stella A.; Bhatia K.P.; Marta B.-T.; Boninsegna C.; Broli M.; Dolores B.-R.; Calandra-Buonaura G.; Capellari S.; Carrion-Claro M.; Cilea R.; Clayton R.; Cortelli P.; Molin A.D.; De Luca S.; De Massis P.; Dimitri G.M.; Doykov I.; Escuela-Martin R.; Fabbri G.; Franceschi C.; Gabellini A.; Garagnani P.; Giuliani C.; Gomez-Garre P.; Guaraldi P.; Hagg S.; Hallqvist J.; Halsband C.; Heywood W.; Houlden H.; Huertas I.; Jesus S.; Jylhava J.; Labrador-Espinosa M.A.; Licari C.; Lio P.; Luchinat C.; Macias D.; Macri S.; Magrinelli F.; Rodriguez J.F.M.; Massimo D.; Maturo M.G.; Mengozzi G.; Meoni G.; Mignani F.; Milazzo M.; Mills K.; Mir P.; Mollenhauer B.; Nardini C.; Nassetti S.A.; Pedersen N.L.; Perinan-Tocino M.T.; Pirazzini C.; Provini F.; Ravaioli F.; Sala C.; Sambati L.; Scaglione C.L.M.; Schade S.; Schreglmann S.; Spasov S.; Strom S.; Tejera-Parrado C.; Tenori L.; Trenkwalder C.; Turano P.; Valzania F.; Ortega R.V.; Williams D.; Xumerle L.; Zago E.Zago E.; Dal Molin A.; Dimitri G.M.; Xumerle L.; Pirazzini C.; Bacalini M.G.; Maturo M.G.; Azevedo T.; Spasov S.; Gomez-Garre P.; Perinan M.T.; Jesus S.; Baldelli L.; Sambati L.; Calandra Buonaura G.; Garagnani P.; Provini F.; Cortelli P.; Mir P.; Trenkwalder C.; Mollenhauer B.; Franceschi C.; Lio P.; Nardini C.; Adarmes-Gomez A.; Azevedo T.; Bacalini M.G.; Baldelli L.; Bartoletti-Stella A.; Bhatia K.P.; Marta B.-T.; Boninsegna C.; Broli M.; Dolores B.-R.; Calandra-Buonaura G.; Capellari S.; Carrion-Claro M.; Cilea R.; Clayton R.; Cortelli P.; Molin A.D.; De Luca S.; De Massis P.; Dimitri G.M.; Doykov I.; Escuela-Martin R.; Fabbri G.; Franceschi C.; Gabellini A.; Garagnani P.; Giuliani C.; Gomez-Garre P.; Guaraldi P.; Hagg S.; Hallqvist J.; Halsband C.; Heywood W.; Houlden H.; Huertas I.; Jesus S.; Jylhava J.; Labrador-Espinosa M.A.; Licari C.; Lio P.; Luchinat C.; Macias D.; Macri S.; Magrinelli F.; Rodriguez J.F.M.; Massimo D.; Maturo M.G.; Mengozzi G.; Meoni G.; Mignani F.; Milazzo M.; Mills K.; Mir P.; Mollenhauer B.; Nardini C.; Nassetti S.A.; Pedersen N.L.; Perinan-Tocino M.T.; Pirazzini C.; Provini F.; Ravaioli F.; Sala C.; Sambati L.; Scaglione C.L.M.; Schade S.; Schreglmann S.; Spasov S.; Strom S.; Tejera-Parrado C.; Tenori L.; Trenkwalder C.; Turano P.; Valzania F.; Ortega R.V.; Williams D.; Xumerle L.; Zago E

The Relevance of Marine Chemical Ecology to Plankton and Ecosystem Function: An Emerging Field

Marine chemical ecology comprises the study of the production and interaction of bioactive molecules affecting organism behavior and function. Here we focus on bioactive compounds and interactions associated with phytoplankton, particularly bloom-forming diatoms, prymnesiophytes and dinoflagellates. Planktonic bioactive metabolites are structurally and functionally diverse and some may have multiple simultaneous functions including roles in chemical defense (antipredator, allelopathic and antibacterial compounds), and/or cell-to-cell signaling (e.g., polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) of diatoms). Among inducible chemical defenses in response to grazing, there is high species-specific variability in the effects on grazers, ranging from severe physical incapacitation and/or death to no apparent physiological response, depending on predator susceptibility and detoxification capability. Most bioactive compounds are present in very low concentrations, in both the producing organism and the surrounding aqueous medium. Furthermore, bioactivity may be subject to synergistic interactions with other natural and anthropogenic environmental toxicants. Most, if not all phycotoxins are classic secondary metabolites, but many other bioactive metabolites are simple molecules derived from primary metabolism (e.g., PUAs in diatoms, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in prymnesiophytes). Producing cells do not seem to suffer physiological impact due to their synthesis. Functional genome sequence data and gene expression analysis will provide insights into regulatory and metabolic pathways in producer organisms, as well as identification of mechanisms of action in target organisms. Understanding chemical ecological responses to environmental triggers and chemically-mediated species interactions will help define crucial chemical and molecular processes that help maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functionality

The beneficial effect of testing: An event-related potential study

The enhanced memory performance for items that are tested as compared to being restudied (the testing effect) is a frequently reported memory phenomenon. According to the episodic context account of the testing effect, this beneficial effect of testing is related to a process which reinstates the previously learnt episodic information. Few studies have explored the neural correlates of this effect at the time point when testing takes place, however. In this study, we utilized the ERP correlates of successful memory encoding to address this issue, hypothesizing that if the benefit of testing is due to retrieval-related processes at test then subsequent memory effects (SMEs) should resemble the ERP correlates of retrieval-based processing in their temporal and spatial characteristics. Participants were asked to learn Swahili-German word pairs before items were presented in either a testing or a restudy condition. Memory performance was assessed immediately and 1-day later with a cued recall task. Successfully recalling items at test increased the likelihood that items were remembered over time compared to items which were only restudied. An ERP subsequent memory contrast (later remembered vs. later forgotten tested items), which reflects the engagement of processes that ensure items are recallable the next day were topographically comparable with the ERP correlate of immediate recollection (immediately remembered vs. immediately forgotten tested items). This result shows that the processes which allow items to be more memorable over time share qualitatively similar neural correlates with the processes that relate to successful retrieval at test. This finding supports the notion that testing is more beneficial than restudying on memory performance over time because of its engagement of retrieval processes, such as the re-encoding of actively retrieved memory representations. © 2015 Bai, Bridger, Zimmerand Mecklinger

Looking for love in the student experience

This chapter represents an early attempt to engage and think with the ethos that underpins the Manifesto for a Post-Critical Pedagogy (Hodgson et al. 2017), specifically from a sociology of education perspective. The Manifesto is an exhortation to move beyond the critical by also celebrating what we may love and therefore wish to preserve in education. With this in mind, the author undertakes a re-examination of the literature on the university student experience in the UK. They argue that, outside pedagogical research on students, there are three overlapping but somewhat distinct literatures, each of which focuses primarily on social inequalities, aspects of marketization, or geographies, in relation to higher education. It appears that there are gaps in each of these bodies of scholarship, with some dimensions of identity underrepresented in the first, surprisingly little empirical work in the second, while the third has attracted minimal attention to date. Furthermore, it seems that there is little to love in our current understanding of the student experience as the overwhelming focus is on dysfunctions in and around UK higher education. Applying the tenets of a Post-Critical Pedagogy does suggest that widening our scope would allow for an extension of the literature and a more positive appreciation of the UK student experience. At the same time, though, there may be some aspects of the Manifesto that require minor revisions