Search

The purpose of this study is to examine how companies in developed and developing countries have designed and utilized their MCSs to support the accomplishment of their sustainability agenda. The developed country is represented by Sweden, meanwhile, the developing country is represented by Indonesia. This thesis utilized a qualitative approach to gain new insights on the topic. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with four companies in Sweden and Indonesia. These respondents had expertise and knowledge in sustainability practice, thus they expressed their perspectives on the implementation of MCS to support the sustainability agenda. The theoretical data is based on Malmi and Brown's MCS framework (2008). The MCS package includes five controls that can be utilized as an analytical tool to conduct a full study of the organization's sustainability strategy. The MCS package consists of cultural controls, planning controls, cybernetic controls, reward and compensation controls, and administrative controls. The Swedish companies (Duni Group and Rug Company) have different sustainability agendas. Duni Group focuses on environmental issues. Conversely, Rug Company has an equal focus on achieving environmental, social, and economic goals. As an Indonesian company representing a developing country, PHI and energy companies are prioritized to handle environmental issues due to the nature of their operations. Regardless of their approach and goals in their sustainability program, the four case companies demonstrate the implementation of management systems (MCS) to support their sustainability programs. Therefore, the distinction between the four companies in the case is not related to their country classification, whether in developed or developing countries. The integration of corporate sustainability agendas varies between companies in developed and developing countries. Despite these differences, all companies strive to align their sustainability strategi

Introduction. People with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) present motor alterations which can impact daily life tasks that require speed and/or accuracy of movement. Objective. A sub analysis of NCT01439022, aiming to estimate the extent to which two different exercise training protocols (global and handwriting upper limb exercise training) impact reaction time, travel speed, and accuracy in PwPD. Methods. Seventy PwPD, right-side dominant were randomised 1:1 into two six-month training protocol groups; 35 PwPD performed global exercise training and 35 performed specific training (handwriting upper limb exercise movements). Assessments of speed-accuracy and trade-off were carried out at baseline, after 3 and 6 months of training, and at a 12-month follow-up. The current study used data from a previous publication of a randomised controlled trial that included a 6-month self-managed community exercise programme for PwPD. For the present study we included only the participants who completed the Fitts’ task during the baseline assessment. Results. In the upper limb assessments, no main effects were found for the number of touches, but the exercise group showed a marginal increase over time on the left side. Error averages on the left side decreased significantly for the exercise group from baseline to 6 and 12 months. The exercise group also presented a lower Error CoV and the Reaction Time CoV increased on the right side. Significant findings for Fitts r on the left side indicated lower values for the exercise group, with improvements continuing at 12 months. Conclusion. We report the potential of global exercise interventions to facilitate improvements in reaction time and travel speed, as well as other motor control metrics, with lasting effects at 12 months, particularly on the non-dominant side.

The holobiont theory expands the notion of individual multicellular organisms as a community composed of a host and all its associated microorganisms. This concept has been extensively studied in the field of aquaculture, where increasing evidence has highlighted the importance of the host associated microorganisms in species fitness. Here, we focus our review on mollusc and crustacean species in which microbiota dysbiosis has recently been described in the context of various diseases, resulting in significant economic losses. Influencing the holobiont structure through the use of probiotics is a potential strategy that could improve the fitness or the robustness of cultivated species. We discuss here the possibility of developing microbiome targeted prophylactic approaches by promoting (1) methods to identify host microbial community that fosters good health status and (2) early life microbial education to favour long-term resistance to stress or disease. This review aims to inform the aquaculture industry about potential strategies in rearing practices to mitigate diseases and economic losses.

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas lives in microbe-rich marine coastal systems subjected to rapid environmental changes. It harbours a diversified and fluctuating microbiota that cohabits with immune cells expressing a diversified immune gene repertoire. In the early stages of oyster development, just after fertilization, the microbiota plays a key role in educating the immune system. Exposure to a rich microbial environment at the larval stage leads to an increase in immune competence throughout the life of the oyster, conferring a better protection against pathogenic infections at later juvenile/adult stages. This beneficial effect, which is intergenerational, is associated with epigenetic remodelling. At juvenile stages, the educated immune system participates in the control of the homeostasis. In particular, the microbiota is fine-tuned by oyster antimicrobial peptides acting through specific and synergistic effects. However, this balance is fragile, as illustrated by the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome, a disease causing mass mortalities in oysters worldwide. In this disease, the weakening of oyster immune defences by OsHV-1 µVar virus induces a dysbiosis leading to fatal sepsis. This review illustrates the continuous interaction between the highly diversified oyster immune system and its dynamic microbiota throughout its life, and the importance of this cross-talk for oyster health. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Sculpting the microbiome: how host factors determine and respond to microbial colonization’.

The sloughing off inflammatory dead tissue is characteristic of ulcers, which are open sores of the skin or mucous membrane. Peptic ulcers are erosive lesions on the stomach or duodenal lining. The drive of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Hibiscus sabdariffa aerial parts extracts against pylorus ligation-induced ulcers. The extracts were prepared by maceration using ethanol and double distilled water. In the treatment schedule, Groups A and B were considered negative and standard (Lansoprazole 8 mg/kg b. wt, p.o.) controls. Groups C, D, E, and F as low (200 mg/kg b. wt, p.o.) and high (400 mg/kg b. wt, p.o.) dose treatment groups, received EEHS and AEHS, respectively. Gastric content, pH, free and total acidity, ulcer index, and inhibition of ulcer (%) were assessed. Following administration of both extracts, measurements of stomach content, free and total acidity, and ulcer index decreased. Additionally, pH increased, and a greater percentage of ulcers were inhibited. It was discovered that the ethanolic extract had significantly higher anti-ulcer action than the aqueous extract.

Natural herbs and functional foods contain bioactive molecules capable of augmenting the immune system and mediating anti-viral functions. Functional foods, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary fibers, have been shown to have positive effects on gut microbiota diversity and immune function. The use of functional foods has been linked to enhanced immunity, regeneration, improved cognitive function, maintenance of gut microbiota, and significant improvement in overall health. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function, and disruptions to its balance have been linked to various health problems. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been shown to affect gut microbiota diversity, and the emergence of variants poses new challenges to combat the virus. SARS-CoV-2 recognizes and infects human cells through ACE2 receptors prevalent in lung and gut epithelial cells. Humans are prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection because their respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are rich in microbial diversity and contain high levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. This review article explores the potential use of functional foods in mitigating the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on gut microbiota diversity, and the potential use of functional foods as a strategy to combat these effects., Funding Agencies|Chettinad Academy of Research and Education(CARE),Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI),Kelambakkam, Chennai, India [004/Regr./AR-Research/2022-04]

Disease emergence is accelerating in response to human activity-induced global changes. Understanding the mechanisms by which host populations can rapidly adapt to this threat will be crucial for developing future management practices. Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) imposes a substantial and recurrent selective pressure on oyster populations (Crassostrea gigas). Rapid adaptation to this disease may arise through both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. In this study, we used a combination of whole exome capture of bisulfite-converted DNA, next-generation sequencing, and (epi)genome-wide association mapping, to show that natural oyster populations differentially exposed to POMS displayed signatures of selection both in their genome (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and epigenome (CG-context DNA methylation). Consistent with higher resistance to POMS, the genes targeted by genetic and epigenetic variations were mainly related to host immunity. By combining correlation analyses, DNA methylation quantitative trait loci, and variance partitioning, we revealed that a third of the observed phenotypic variation was explained by interactions between the genetic sequence and epigenetic information, ∼14% by the genetic sequence, and up to 25% by the epigenome alone. Thus, as well as genetic adaptation, epigenetic mechanisms governing immune responses contribute significantly to the rapid adaptation of hosts to emerging infectious diseases.

Polymicrobial diseases significantly impact the health of humans and animals but remain understudied in natural systems. We recently described the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS), a polymicrobial disease that impacts oyster production and is prevalent worldwide. Analysis of POMS-infected oysters on the French North Atlantic coast revealed that the disease involves co-infection with the endemic ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) and virulent bacterial species such asVibrio crassostreae. However, it is unknown whether consistentVibriopopulations are associated with POMS in different regions, howVibriocontribute to POMS, and how they interact with the OsHV-1 virus during pathogenesis. We resolved theVibriopopulation structure in oysters from a Mediterranean ecosystem and investigated their functions in POMS development. We find thatVibrio harveyiandVibrio rotiferianusare the predominant species found in OsHV-1-diseased oysters and show that OsHV-1 is necessary to reproduce the partition of theVibriocommunity observed in the field. By characterizing the interspecific interactions between OsHV-1,V. harveyiandV. rotiferianus, we find that onlyV. harveyisynergizes with OsHV-1. When co-infected, OsHV-1 andV. harveyibehave cooperatively by promoting mutual growth and accelerating oyster death.V. harveyishowed high virulence potential in oysters and dampened host cellular defenses, making oysters a more favorable niche for microbe colonization. We next investigated the interactions underlying the co-occurrence of diverseVibriospecies in diseased oysters. We found thatV. harveyiharbors genes responsible for the biosynthesis and uptake of a key siderophore called vibrioferrin. This important resource promotes the growth ofV. rotiferianus, a cheater that efficiently colonizes oysters during POMS without costly investment in host manipulation nor metabolite sharing. By connecting field-based approaches, laboratory infection assays and functional genomics, we have uncovered a

Background The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is one of the main cultivated invertebrate species worldwide. Since 2008, oyster juveniles have been confronted with a lethal syndrome known as the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS). POMS is a polymicrobial disease initiated by a primary infection with the herpesvirus OsHV-1 µVar that creates an oyster immunocompromised state and evolves towards a secondary fatal bacteremia. Results In the present article, we describe the implementation of an unprecedented combination of metabarcoding and metatranscriptomic approaches to show that the sequence of events in POMS pathogenesis is conserved across infectious environments. We also identified a core bacterial consortium which, together with OsHV-1 µVar, forms the POMS pathobiota. This bacterial consortium is characterized by high transcriptional activities and complementary metabolic functions to exploit host’s resources. A significant metabolic specificity was highlighted at the bacterial genus level, suggesting low competition for nutrients between members of the core bacteria. Conclusions Lack of metabolic competition between the core bacteria might favor complementary colonization of host tissues and contribute to the conservation of the POMS pathobiota across distinct infectious environments.

The magnitude of an epidemic depends on host susceptibility to the disease, a trait influenced by the genetic constitution of the host and its environment. While the genetic basis of disease susceptibility is often associated with immune capacities, environmental effects generally reflect complex physiological trade-offs. We suggest here that in the case of obligate pathogens whose proliferation depends on the cellular machinery of the host (e.g. viruses), disease susceptibility is directly influenced by host growth. To test our hypothesis, we focussed on a viral disease affecting an ecologically relevant model exploited worldwide, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Oysters originating from 3 lines with contrasting resistance to the disease were divided into 3 groups displaying different growth rates and acclimated to 3 food levels and 2 temperatures to generate different growth rates. These oysters were then exposed to the virus, and survival and viral shedding were measured. Finally, we developed a risk model to rank the relative importance of temperature, food, genetic selection and growth on disease-induced mortality. We found that increasing growth through temperature, food level or selection of fast-growing animals all increased mortality, especially in host populations where susceptible phenotypes dominated. Food provisioning was the most influential factor associated with higher viral shedding, followed by temperature, resistance phenotype and growth rate. We suggest that growth-forcing factors may promote the development of obligate intracellular pathogens and epidemic risk, thus opening up avenues for disease management based on the manipulation of host metabolism.

Disease emergence is accelerating with global changes. Understanding by which mechanisms host populations can rapidly adapt will be crucial for management practices. Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS) imposes a substantial and recurrent selective pressure on oyster populations, and rapid adaptation may arise through genetics and epigenetics. In this study, we used (epi)genome-wide association mapping to show that oysters differentially exposed to POMS displayed genetic and epigenetic signatures of selection. Consistent with higher resistance to POMS, the genes targeted included many genes in several pathways related to immunity. By combining correlation, DNA methylation quantitative trait loci, and variance partitioning, we revealed that a third of phenotypic variation was explained by interactions between the genetic and epigenetic information, ~14% by the genome, and up to 25% by the epigenome alone. Similar to genetically based adaptation, epigenetic mechanisms notably governing immune responses can contribute substantially to the rapid adaptation of hosts to emerging infectious diseases.

Transmissible cancer cell lines are rare biological entities giving rise to diseases at the crossroads of cancer and parasitic diseases. These malignant cells have acquired the amazing capacity to spread from host to host. They have been described only in dogs, Tasmanian devils and marine bivalves. The Mytilus trossulus Bivalve Transmissible Neoplasia 2 (MtrBTN2) lineage has even acquired the capacity to spread inter-specifically between marine mussels of the Mytilus edulis complex worldwide. To identify the oncogenic processes underpinning the biology of these atypical cancers we performed transcriptomics of MtrBTN2 cells. Differential gene expression, enrichment, protein-protein interaction network, and targeted analyses were used. Overall, our results suggests that the long-term evolution of MtrBTN2 has led to the accumulation of multiple cancerous traits. We also highlight that vertebrate and lophotrochozoan cancers share a large panel of common drivers, which supports the hypothesis of an ancient origin of oncogenic processes in bilaterians. TeaserMussel transmissible cancers teach us that cancerous process has a remote origin and that their long-term evolution has made them super-cancers.

Natural herbs and functional foods contain bioactive molecules capable of augmenting the immune system and mediating anti-viral functions. Functional foods, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary fibers, have been shown to have positive effects on gut microbiota diversity and immune function. The use of functional foods has been linked to enhanced immunity, regeneration, improved cognitive function, maintenance of gut microbiota, and significant improvement in overall health. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function, and disruptions to its balance have been linked to various health problems. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been shown to affect gut microbiota diversity, and the emergence of variants poses new challenges to combat the virus. SARS-CoV-2 recognizes and infects human cells through ACE2 receptors prevalent in lung and gut epithelial cells. Humans are prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection because their respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are rich in microbial diversity and contain high levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. This review article explores the potential use of functional foods in mitigating the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on gut microbiota diversity, and the potential use of functional foods as a strategy to combat these effects., Funding Agencies|Chettinad Academy of Research and Education(CARE),Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI),Kelambakkam, Chennai, India [004/Regr./AR-Research/2022-04]

Disease emergence is accelerating with global changes. Understanding by which mechanisms host populations can rapidly adapt will be crucial for management practices. Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS) imposes a substantial and recurrent selective pressure on oyster populations, and rapid adaptation may arise through genetics and epigenetics. In this study, we used (epi)genome-wide association mapping to show that oysters differentially exposed to POMS displayed genetic and epigenetic signatures of selection. Consistent with higher resistance to POMS, the genes targeted included many genes in several pathways related to immunity. By combining correlation, DNA methylation quantitative trait loci, and variance partitioning, we revealed that a third of phenotypic variation was explained by interactions between the genetic and epigenetic information, ~14% by the genome, and up to 25% by the epigenome alone. Similar to genetically based adaptation, epigenetic mechanisms notably governing immune responses can contribute substantially to the rapid adaptation of hosts to emerging infectious diseases.

Polymicrobial diseases significantly impact the health of humans and animals but remain understudied in natural systems. We recently described the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS), a polymicrobial disease that impacts oyster production and is prevalent worldwide. Analysis of POMS-infected oysters on the French North Atlantic coast revealed that the disease involves co-infection with the endemic ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) and virulent bacterial species such asVibrio crassostreae. However, it is unknown whether consistentVibriopopulations are associated with POMS in different regions, howVibriocontribute to POMS, and how they interact with the OsHV-1 virus during pathogenesis. We resolved theVibriopopulation structure in oysters from a Mediterranean ecosystem and investigated their functions in POMS development. We find thatVibrio harveyiandVibrio rotiferianusare the predominant species found in OsHV-1-diseased oysters and show that OsHV-1 is necessary to reproduce the partition of theVibriocommunity observed in the field. By characterizing the interspecific interactions between OsHV-1,V. harveyiandV. rotiferianus, we find that onlyV. harveyisynergizes with OsHV-1. When co-infected, OsHV-1 andV. harveyibehave cooperatively by promoting mutual growth and accelerating oyster death.V. harveyishowed high virulence potential in oysters and dampened host cellular defenses, making oysters a more favorable niche for microbe colonization. We next investigated the interactions underlying the co-occurrence of diverseVibriospecies in diseased oysters. We found thatV. harveyiharbors genes responsible for the biosynthesis and uptake of a key siderophore called vibrioferrin. This important resource promotes the growth ofV. rotiferianus, a cheater that efficiently colonizes oysters during POMS without costly investment in host manipulation nor metabolite sharing. By connecting field-based approaches, laboratory infection assays and functional genomics, we have uncovered a

Background The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is one of the main cultivated invertebrate species worldwide. Since 2008, oyster juveniles have been confronted with a lethal syndrome known as the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS). POMS is a polymicrobial disease initiated by a primary infection with the herpesvirus OsHV-1 µVar that creates an oyster immunocompromised state and evolves towards a secondary fatal bacteremia. Results In the present article, we describe the implementation of an unprecedented combination of metabarcoding and metatranscriptomic approaches to show that the sequence of events in POMS pathogenesis is conserved across infectious environments. We also identified a core bacterial consortium which, together with OsHV-1 µVar, forms the POMS pathobiota. This bacterial consortium is characterized by high transcriptional activities and complementary metabolic functions to exploit host’s resources. A significant metabolic specificity was highlighted at the bacterial genus level, suggesting low competition for nutrients between members of the core bacteria. Conclusions Lack of metabolic competition between the core bacteria might favor complementary colonization of host tissues and contribute to the conservation of the POMS pathobiota across distinct infectious environments.

The magnitude of an epidemic depends on host susceptibility to the disease, a trait influenced by the genetic constitution of the host and its environment. While the genetic basis of disease susceptibility is often associated with immune capacities, environmental effects generally reflect complex physiological trade-offs. We suggest here that in the case of obligate pathogens whose proliferation depends on the cellular machinery of the host (e.g. viruses), disease susceptibility is directly influenced by host growth. To test our hypothesis, we focussed on a viral disease affecting an ecologically relevant model exploited worldwide, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Oysters originating from 3 lines with contrasting resistance to the disease were divided into 3 groups displaying different growth rates and acclimated to 3 food levels and 2 temperatures to generate different growth rates. These oysters were then exposed to the virus, and survival and viral shedding were measured. Finally, we developed a risk model to rank the relative importance of temperature, food, genetic selection and growth on disease-induced mortality. We found that increasing growth through temperature, food level or selection of fast-growing animals all increased mortality, especially in host populations where susceptible phenotypes dominated. Food provisioning was the most influential factor associated with higher viral shedding, followed by temperature, resistance phenotype and growth rate. We suggest that growth-forcing factors may promote the development of obligate intracellular pathogens and epidemic risk, thus opening up avenues for disease management based on the manipulation of host metabolism.

Transmissible cancer cell lines are rare biological entities giving rise to diseases at the crossroads of cancer and parasitic diseases. These malignant cells have acquired the amazing capacity to spread from host to host. They have been described only in dogs, Tasmanian devils and marine bivalves. The Mytilus trossulus bivalve transmissible neoplasia 2 (MtrBTN2) lineage has even acquired the capacity to spread inter-specifically between marine mussels of the Mytilus edulis complex worldwide. To identify the oncogenic processes underpinning the biology of these atypical cancers we performed transcriptomics of MtrBTN2 cells. Differential expression, enrichment, protein–protein interaction network, and targeted analyses were used. Overall, our results suggest the accumulation of multiple cancerous traits that may be linked to the long-term evolution of MtrBTN2. We also highlight that vertebrate and lophotrochozoan cancers could share a large panel of common drivers, which supports the hypothesis of an ancient origin of oncogenic processes in bilaterians.

Natural herbs and functional foods contain bioactive molecules capable of augmenting the immune system and mediating anti-viral functions. Functional foods, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary fibers, have been shown to have positive effects on gut microbiota diversity and immune function. The use of functional foods has been linked to enhanced immunity, regeneration, improved cognitive function, maintenance of gut microbiota, and significant improvement in overall health. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function, and disruptions to its balance have been linked to various health problems. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been shown to affect gut microbiota diversity, and the emergence of variants poses new challenges to combat the virus. SARS-CoV-2 recognizes and infects human cells through ACE2 receptors prevalent in lung and gut epithelial cells. Humans are prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection because their respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are rich in microbial diversity and contain high levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. This review article explores the potential use of functional foods in mitigating the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on gut microbiota diversity, and the potential use of functional foods as a strategy to combat these effects., Funding Agencies|Chettinad Academy of Research and Education(CARE),Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI),Kelambakkam, Chennai, India [004/Regr./AR-Research/2022-04]

Natural herbs and functional foods contain bioactive molecules capable of augmenting the immune system and mediating anti-viral functions. Functional foods, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary fibers, have been shown to have positive effects on gut microbiota diversity and immune function. The use of functional foods has been linked to enhanced immunity, regeneration, improved cognitive function, maintenance of gut microbiota, and significant improvement in overall health. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function, and disruptions to its balance have been linked to various health problems. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been shown to affect gut microbiota diversity, and the emergence of variants poses new challenges to combat the virus. SARS-CoV-2 recognizes and infects human cells through ACE2 receptors prevalent in lung and gut epithelial cells. Humans are prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection because their respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are rich in microbial diversity and contain high levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. This review article explores the potential use of functional foods in mitigating the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on gut microbiota diversity, and the potential use of functional foods as a strategy to combat these effects., Funding Agencies|Chettinad Academy of Research and Education(CARE),Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI),Kelambakkam, Chennai, India [004/Regr./AR-Research/2022-04]

Background Resting cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in striatum and thalamus is increased in medicated patients with psychosis, but whether this is caused by treatment or illness pathology is unclear. Specifically, effects of partial dopamine agonism, sex, and clinical correlates on rCBF are sparsely investigated. We therefore assessed rCBF in antipsychotic-naïve psychosis patients before and after aripiprazole monotherapy and related findings to sex and symptom improvement. Methods We assessed rCBF with the pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (PCASL) sequence in 49 first-episode patients (22.6 ± 5.2 years, 58% females) and 50 healthy controls (HCs) (22.3 ± 4.4 years, 63% females) at baseline and in 29 patients and 49 HCs after six weeks. RCBF in striatum and thalamus was estimated with a region-of-interest (ROI) approach. Psychopathology was assessed with the positive and negative syndrome scale. Results Baseline rCBF in striatum and thalamus was not altered in the combined patient group compared with HCs, but female patients had lower striatal rCBF compared with male patients (p = 0.009). Treatment with a partial dopamine agonist increased rCBF significantly in striatum (p = 0.006) in the whole patient group, but not significantly in thalamus. Baseline rCBF in nucleus accumbens was negatively associated with improvement in positive symptoms (p = 0.046), but baseline perfusion in whole striatum and thalamus was not related to treatment outcome. Conclusions The findings suggest that striatal perfusion is increased by partial dopamine agonism and decreased in female patients prior to first treatment. This underlines the importance of treatment effects and sex differences when investigating the neurobiology of psychosis., Background Resting cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in striatum and thalamus is increased in medicated patients with psychosis, but whether this is caused by treatment or illness pathology is unclear. Specifically, effects of partial dopamine agonism, sex, and clinical correlates on rCBF are sparsely investigated. We therefore assessed rCBF in antipsychotic-naïve psychosis patients before and after aripiprazole monotherapy and related findings to sex and symptom improvement. Methods We assessed rCBF with the pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (PCASL) sequence in 49 first-episode patients (22.6 ± 5.2 years, 58% females) and 50 healthy controls (HCs) (22.3 ± 4.4 years, 63% females) at baseline and in 29 patients and 49 HCs after six weeks. RCBF in striatum and thalamus was estimated with a region-of-interest (ROI) approach. Psychopathology was assessed with the positive and negative syndrome scale. Results Baseline rCBF in striatum and thalamus was not altered in the combined patient group compared with HCs, but female patients had lower striatal rCBF compared with male patients (p = 0.009). Treatment with a partial dopamine agonist increased rCBF significantly in striatum (p = 0.006) in the whole patient group, but not significantly in thalamus. Baseline rCBF in nucleus accumbens was negatively associated with improvement in positive symptoms (p = 0.046), but baseline perfusion in whole striatum and thalamus was not related to treatment outcome. Conclusions The findings suggest that striatal perfusion is increased by partial dopamine agonism and decreased in female patients prior to first treatment. This underlines the importance of treatment effects and sex differences when investigating the neurobiology of psychosis.

Natural herbs and functional foods contain bioactive molecules capable of augmenting the immune system and mediating anti-viral functions. Functional foods, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary fibers, have been shown to have positive effects on gut microbiota diversity and immune function. The use of functional foods has been linked to enhanced immunity, regeneration, improved cognitive function, maintenance of gut microbiota, and significant improvement in overall health. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function, and disruptions to its balance have been linked to various health problems. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been shown to affect gut microbiota diversity, and the emergence of variants poses new challenges to combat the virus. SARS-CoV-2 recognizes and infects human cells through ACE2 receptors prevalent in lung and gut epithelial cells. Humans are prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection because their respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are rich in microbial diversity and contain high levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. This review article explores the potential use of functional foods in mitigating the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on gut microbiota diversity, and the potential use of functional foods as a strategy to combat these effects., Funding agency:Chettinad Academy of Research and Education(CARE),Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI),Kelambakkam, Chennai, India 004/Regr./AR-Research/2022-04

Natural herbs and functional foods contain bioactive molecules capable of augmenting the immune system and mediating anti-viral functions. Functional foods, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary fibers, have been shown to have positive effects on gut microbiota diversity and immune function. The use of functional foods has been linked to enhanced immunity, regeneration, improved cognitive function, maintenance of gut microbiota, and significant improvement in overall health. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function, and disruptions to its balance have been linked to various health problems. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been shown to affect gut microbiota diversity, and the emergence of variants poses new challenges to combat the virus. SARS-CoV-2 recognizes and infects human cells through ACE2 receptors prevalent in lung and gut epithelial cells. Humans are prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection because their respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are rich in microbial diversity and contain high levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. This review article explores the potential use of functional foods in mitigating the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on gut microbiota diversity, and the potential use of functional foods as a strategy to combat these effects., Funding Agencies|Chettinad Academy of Research and Education(CARE),Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI),Kelambakkam, Chennai, India [004/Regr./AR-Research/2022-04]

Webpages disappear online rapidly. When something like a crisis event occurs, it is very important to retrieve and preserve all web pages related to that event before they disappear in an effort to record their digital history. Web archiving is a technology that enables storing webpages in a format called WARC (Web ARChive). WARC records save all the pertinent information required to replay the webpage as it was online, such as the HTML data, files, and ads. The goal of this project is to implement a web archiving system that can archive a large number of web pages depending on user input. To solve this task, we have implemented two main scripts using Python due to its known scripting capabilities, and a user interface to provide a recording and replaying functionality to our system. The first script’s purpose is to go through user-given websites and archive them in the Web ARChive (WARC) format, with one WARC file per website. It is capable of accepting a URL and a collection name to direct the archived URL to, using various Python libraries and packages to do so like pywb and subprocess, as well as waiting between URLs to not overload a server with requests, avoiding being blocked by the target website(s). It operates by reading URLs from a given text file and utilizes multithreading for an overall faster performance during archival. The second script’s purpose is to replay WARC files, showing the archived webpage(s) as it initially was before archival. It is capable of accepting a WARC file (.warc or .warc.gz) inputted by the user to be displayed using the webbrowser library on the user’s own web browser. Similar Python libraries are used in this script in its implementation. The user interface was created using Node.js and React and is based on pywb’s WebUI, serving to provide the user with an easier way to use the afore- mentioned scripts. A Flask script then used to link the UI and scripts for together, allowing for greater usability, with the functions the sc

Background Resting cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in striatum and thalamus is increased in medicated patients with psychosis, but whether this is caused by treatment or illness pathology is unclear. Specifically, effects of partial dopamine agonism, sex, and clinical correlates on rCBF are sparsely investigated. We therefore assessed rCBF in antipsychotic-naïve psychosis patients before and after aripiprazole monotherapy and related findings to sex and symptom improvement. Methods We assessed rCBF with the pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (PCASL) sequence in 49 first-episode patients (22.6 ± 5.2 years, 58% females) and 50 healthy controls (HCs) (22.3 ± 4.4 years, 63% females) at baseline and in 29 patients and 49 HCs after six weeks. RCBF in striatum and thalamus was estimated with a region-of-interest (ROI) approach. Psychopathology was assessed with the positive and negative syndrome scale. Results Baseline rCBF in striatum and thalamus was not altered in the combined patient group compared with HCs, but female patients had lower striatal rCBF compared with male patients (p = 0.009). Treatment with a partial dopamine agonist increased rCBF significantly in striatum (p = 0.006) in the whole patient group, but not significantly in thalamus. Baseline rCBF in nucleus accumbens was negatively associated with improvement in positive symptoms (p = 0.046), but baseline perfusion in whole striatum and thalamus was not related to treatment outcome. Conclusions The findings suggest that striatal perfusion is increased by partial dopamine agonism and decreased in female patients prior to first treatment. This underlines the importance of treatment effects and sex differences when investigating the neurobiology of psychosis., Background Resting cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in striatum and thalamus is increased in medicated patients with psychosis, but whether this is caused by treatment or illness pathology is unclear. Specifically, effects of partial dopamine agonism, sex, and clinical correlates on rCBF are sparsely investigated. We therefore assessed rCBF in antipsychotic-naïve psychosis patients before and after aripiprazole monotherapy and related findings to sex and symptom improvement. Methods We assessed rCBF with the pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (PCASL) sequence in 49 first-episode patients (22.6 ± 5.2 years, 58% females) and 50 healthy controls (HCs) (22.3 ± 4.4 years, 63% females) at baseline and in 29 patients and 49 HCs after six weeks. RCBF in striatum and thalamus was estimated with a region-of-interest (ROI) approach. Psychopathology was assessed with the positive and negative syndrome scale. Results Baseline rCBF in striatum and thalamus was not altered in the combined patient group compared with HCs, but female patients had lower striatal rCBF compared with male patients (p = 0.009). Treatment with a partial dopamine agonist increased rCBF significantly in striatum (p = 0.006) in the whole patient group, but not significantly in thalamus. Baseline rCBF in nucleus accumbens was negatively associated with improvement in positive symptoms (p = 0.046), but baseline perfusion in whole striatum and thalamus was not related to treatment outcome. Conclusions The findings suggest that striatal perfusion is increased by partial dopamine agonism and decreased in female patients prior to first treatment. This underlines the importance of treatment effects and sex differences when investigating the neurobiology of psychosis.

This paper addresses the problem of maintaining safety during training in Reinforcement Learning (RL), such that the safety constraint violations are bounded at any point during learning. In a variety of RL applications the safety of the agent is particularly important, e.g. autonomous platforms or robots that work in proximity of humans. As enforcing safety during training might severely limit the agent's exploration, we propose here a new architecture that handles the trade-off between efficient progress and safety during exploration. As the exploration progresses, we update via Bayesian inference Dirichlet-Categorical models of the transition probabilities of the Markov decision process that describes the environment dynamics. This paper proposes a way to approximate moments of belief about the risk associated to the action selection policy. We construct those approximations, and prove the convergence results. We propose a novel method for leveraging the expectation approximations to derive an approximate bound on the confidence that the risk is below a certain level. This approach can be easily interleaved with RL and we present experimental results to showcase the performance of the overall architecture.

Background Chimeras are genetically mixed entities resulting from the fusion of two or more conspecifics. This phenomenon is widely distributed in nature and documented in a variety of animal and plant phyla. In corals, chimerism initiates at early ontogenic states (larvae to young spat) and results from the fusion between two or more closely settled conspecifics. When compared to genetically homogenous colonies (non-chimeras), the literature has listed ecological and evolutionary benefits for traits at the chimeric state, further positioning coral chimerism as an evolutionary rescue instrument. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this suggestion remain unknown. Results To address this question, we developed field monitoring and multi-omics approaches to compare the responses of chimeric and non-chimeric colonies acclimated for 1 year at 10-m depth or exposed to a stressful environmental change (translocation from 10- to 2-m depth for 48h). We showed that chimerism in the stony coral Stylophora pistillata is associated with higher survival over a 1-year period. Transcriptomic analyses showed that chimeras lose transcriptomic plasticity and constitutively express at higher level (frontload) genes responsive to stress. This frontloading may prepare the colony to face at any time environmental stresses which explain its higher robustness. Conclusions These results show that chimeras are environmentally robust entities with an enhanced ability to cope with environmental stress. Results further document the potential usefulness of chimeras as a novel reef restoration tool to enhance coral adaptability to environmental change, and confirm that coral chimerism can be an evolutionary rescue instrument.

A parasite’s lifestyle is characterized by a critical dependency on its host for feeding, shelter and/or reproduction. The ability of parasites to exploit new host species can reduce the risk associated with host dependency. The number of host species that can be infected by parasites strongly affects their ecological and evolutionary dynamics along with their pathogenic effects on host communities. However, little is known about the processes and the pathways permitting parasites to successfully infect alternative host species, a process known as host shift. Here, we tested whether molecular plasticity changes in gene expression and in molecular pathways could favor host shift in parasites. Focusing on an invasive parasite, Tracheliastes polycolpus, infecting freshwater fish, we conducted a transcriptomic study to compare gene expression in parasites infecting their main host species and two alternative host species. We found 120 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between parasites infecting the different host species. A total of 90% of the DEGs were identified between parasites using the main host species and those using the two alternative host species. Only a few significant DEGs (seven) were identified when comparing parasites from the two alternative host species. Molecular pathways enriched in DEGs and associated with the use of alternative host species were related to cellular machinery, energetic metabolism, muscle activity and oxidative stress. This study strongly suggests that molecular plasticity is an important mechanism sustaining the parasite’s ability to infect alternative hosts.

Ecosystems worldwide are suffering from climate change. Coral reef ecosystems are globally threatened by increasing sea surface temperatures. However, gene expression plasticity provides the potential for organisms to respond rapidly and effectively to environmental changes, and would be favored in variable environments. In this study, we investigated the thermal stress response in Pocillopora coral colonies from two contrasting environments by exposing them to heat stress. We compared the physiological state, bacterial and Symbiodiniaceae communities (using 16S and ITS2 metabarcoding), and gene expression levels (using RNA-Seq) between control conditions and heat stress (the temperature just below the first signs of compromised health). Colonies from both thermal regimes remained apparently normal and presented open and colored polyps during heat stress, with no change in bacterial and Symbiodiniaceae community composition. In contrast, they differed in their transcriptomic responses. The colonies from Oman displayed a more plastic transcriptome, but some genes had a higher basal expression level (frontloading) compared to the less thermotolerant colonies from New Caledonia. In terms of biological functions, we observed an increase in the expression of stress response genes (including induction of tumor necrosis factor receptors, heat shock proteins, and detoxification of reactive oxygen species), together with a decrease in the expression of genes involved in morpho-anatomical functions. Gene regulation (transcription factors, mobile elements, histone modifications and DNA methylation) appeared to be overrepresented in the Oman colonies, indicating possible epigenetic regulation. These results show that transcriptomic plasticity and frontloading can be co-occurring processes in corals confronted with highly variable thermal regimes.

Background The interaction of organisms with their surrounding microbial communities influences many biological processes, a notable example of which is the shaping of the immune system in early life. In the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, the role of the environmental microbial community on immune system maturation – and, importantly, protection from infectious disease – is still an open question. Results Here, we demonstrate that early life microbial exposure durably improves oyster survival when challenged with the pathogen causing Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS), both in the exposed generation and in the subsequent one. Combining microbiota, transcriptomic, genetic, and epigenetic analyses, we show that the microbial exposure induced changes in epigenetic marks and a reprogramming of immune gene expression leading to long-term and intergenerational immune protection against POMS. Conclusions We anticipate that this protection likely extends to additional pathogens and may prove to be an important new strategy for safeguarding oyster aquaculture efforts from infectious disease.

Le projet DIVAQUAVAI a pour objectif au-delà d’acquérir un certain nombre d’équipements qui viendront renforcer les moyens expérimentaux de la station Ifremer de Vairao au bénéfice de l’ensemble des partenaires publics et privés du site, de proposer des développements zootechniques d’un poisson herbivore Siganus argenteus (communément appelé poisson lapin ou « marava ») à des fins d’aquaculture de restauration. Le projet permettra des développements aquacoles inédits sur S. argenteus pour lequel les méthodes de nutrition standards ne sont pas applicables, et aussi de proposer à terme des ensemencements en milieu lagonaire pour essayer de contrecarrer le shift algal sévissant lors des épisodes de blanchissement corallien. En effet, le souhait est d’apporter dans le cadre de DIVAQUAVAI, la preuve que les réensemencements d’espèces produites en aquaculture pourraient, en sus de restaurer des stocks d’espèces en déclin dans les lagons, aider l’écosystème récifal à résilier face au changement climatique qu’il subit.

Depuis la première convention de collaboration en 2016 (AQUASANA), les travaux d’accompagnement technique au développement des filières aquacoles polynésiennes se sont concentrés sur la résolution des problèmes de pathogènes inhérents à la maîtrise de ces élevages. Cette priorisation a entraîné par la force des choses un ralentissement des travaux de nature plus zootechniques qui consistent notamment à optimiser les référentiels de production (écloserie et grossissement) dans un objectif de fiabilisation et de réduction des coûts. Dans ce contexte, cette convention, sera exclusivement dédiée aux travaux d’accompagnement en zootechnie priorisés par la DRM. Les trois filières aquacoles concernées pour de tels besoins sont la crevette bleue, le Paraha peue, et le bénitier

Background: The interaction of organisms with their surrounding microbial communities influences many biological processes, a notable example of which is the shaping of the immune system in early life. In the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, the role of the environmental microbial community on immune system maturation — and, importantly, protection from infectious disease — is still an open question. Results: Here, we demonstrate that early life microbial exposure durably improves oyster survival when challenged with the pathogen causing Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS), both in the exposed generation and in the subsequent one. Combining microbiota, transcriptomic, genetic, and epigenetic analyses, we show that the microbial exposure induced changes in epigenetic marks and a reprogramming of immune gene expression leading to long-term and intergenerational immune protection against POMS. Conclusions: We anticipate that this protection likely extends to additional pathogens and may prove to be an important new strategy for safeguarding oyster aquaculture efforts from infectious disease, Funding agencies:LabEx "CeMEB" through the Environmental Epigenomics Platform ANR-10-LABX-04-01LabEx "TULIP" ANR-10-LABX-41University of Perpignan Via Domitia ED305Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) ANR-14-CE19-0023

Background: The interaction of organisms with their surrounding microbial communities influences many biological processes, a notable example of which is the shaping of the immune system in early life. In the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, the role of the environmental microbial community on immune system maturation — and, importantly, protection from infectious disease — is still an open question. Results: Here, we demonstrate that early life microbial exposure durably improves oyster survival when challenged with the pathogen causing Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS), both in the exposed generation and in the subsequent one. Combining microbiota, transcriptomic, genetic, and epigenetic analyses, we show that the microbial exposure induced changes in epigenetic marks and a reprogramming of immune gene expression leading to long-term and intergenerational immune protection against POMS. Conclusions: We anticipate that this protection likely extends to additional pathogens and may prove to be an important new strategy for safeguarding oyster aquaculture efforts from infectious disease, Funding agencies:LabEx "CeMEB" through the Environmental Epigenomics Platform ANR-10-LABX-04-01LabEx "TULIP" ANR-10-LABX-41University of Perpignan Via Domitia ED305Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) ANR-14-CE19-0023

Le projet DIVAQUAVAI a pour objectif au-delà d’acquérir un certain nombre d’équipements qui viendront renforcer les moyens expérimentaux de la station Ifremer de Vairao au bénéfice de l’ensemble des partenaires publics et privés du site, de proposer des développements zootechniques d’un poisson herbivore Siganus argenteus (communément appelé poisson lapin ou « marava ») à des fins d’aquaculture de restauration. Le projet permettra des développements aquacoles inédits sur S. argenteus pour lequel les méthodes de nutrition standards ne sont pas applicables, et aussi de proposer à terme des ensemencements en milieu lagonaire pour essayer de contrecarrer le shift algal sévissant lors des épisodes de blanchissement corallien. En effet, le souhait est d’apporter dans le cadre de DIVAQUAVAI, la preuve que les réensemencements d’espèces produites en aquaculture pourraient, en sus de restaurer des stocks d’espèces en déclin dans les lagons, aider l’écosystème récifal à résilier face au changement climatique qu’il subit.

Depuis la première convention de collaboration en 2016 (AQUASANA), les travaux d’accompagnement technique au développement des filières aquacoles polynésiennes se sont concentrés sur la résolution des problèmes de pathogènes inhérents à la maîtrise de ces élevages. Cette priorisation a entraîné par la force des choses un ralentissement des travaux de nature plus zootechniques qui consistent notamment à optimiser les référentiels de production (écloserie et grossissement) dans un objectif de fiabilisation et de réduction des coûts. Dans ce contexte, cette convention, sera exclusivement dédiée aux travaux d’accompagnement en zootechnie priorisés par la DRM. Les trois filières aquacoles concernées pour de tels besoins sont la crevette bleue, le Paraha peue, et le bénitier

Background Chimeras are genetically mixed entities resulting from the fusion of two or more conspecifics. This phenomenon is widely distributed in nature and documented in a variety of animal and plant phyla. In corals, chimerism initiates at early ontogenic states (larvae to young spat) and results from the fusion between two or more closely settled conspecifics. When compared to genetically homogenous colonies (non-chimeras), the literature has listed ecological and evolutionary benefits for traits at the chimeric state, further positioning coral chimerism as an evolutionary rescue instrument. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this suggestion remain unknown. Results To address this question, we developed field monitoring and multi-omics approaches to compare the responses of chimeric and non-chimeric colonies acclimated for 1 year at 10-m depth or exposed to a stressful environmental change (translocation from 10- to 2-m depth for 48h). We showed that chimerism in the stony coral Stylophora pistillata is associated with higher survival over a 1-year period. Transcriptomic analyses showed that chimeras lose transcriptomic plasticity and constitutively express at higher level (frontload) genes responsive to stress. This frontloading may prepare the colony to face at any time environmental stresses which explain its higher robustness. Conclusions These results show that chimeras are environmentally robust entities with an enhanced ability to cope with environmental stress. Results further document the potential usefulness of chimeras as a novel reef restoration tool to enhance coral adaptability to environmental change, and confirm that coral chimerism can be an evolutionary rescue instrument.

A parasite’s lifestyle is characterized by a critical dependency on its host for feeding, shelter and/or reproduction. The ability of parasites to exploit new host species can reduce the risk associated with host dependency. The number of host species that can be infected by parasites strongly affects their ecological and evolutionary dynamics along with their pathogenic effects on host communities. However, little is known about the processes and the pathways permitting parasites to successfully infect alternative host species, a process known as host shift. Here, we tested whether molecular plasticity changes in gene expression and in molecular pathways could favor host shift in parasites. Focusing on an invasive parasite, Tracheliastes polycolpus, infecting freshwater fish, we conducted a transcriptomic study to compare gene expression in parasites infecting their main host species and two alternative host species. We found 120 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between parasites infecting the different host species. A total of 90% of the DEGs were identified between parasites using the main host species and those using the two alternative host species. Only a few significant DEGs (seven) were identified when comparing parasites from the two alternative host species. Molecular pathways enriched in DEGs and associated with the use of alternative host species were related to cellular machinery, energetic metabolism, muscle activity and oxidative stress. This study strongly suggests that molecular plasticity is an important mechanism sustaining the parasite’s ability to infect alternative hosts.

Background The interaction of organisms with their surrounding microbial communities influences many biological processes, a notable example of which is the shaping of the immune system in early life. In the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, the role of the environmental microbial community on immune system maturation – and, importantly, protection from infectious disease – is still an open question. Results Here, we demonstrate that early life microbial exposure durably improves oyster survival when challenged with the pathogen causing Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS), both in the exposed generation and in the subsequent one. Combining microbiota, transcriptomic, genetic, and epigenetic analyses, we show that the microbial exposure induced changes in epigenetic marks and a reprogramming of immune gene expression leading to long-term and intergenerational immune protection against POMS. Conclusions We anticipate that this protection likely extends to additional pathogens and may prove to be an important new strategy for safeguarding oyster aquaculture efforts from infectious disease.

Ecosystems worldwide are suffering from climate change. Coral reef ecosystems are globally threatened by increasing sea surface temperatures. However, gene expression plasticity provides the potential for organisms to respond rapidly and effectively to environmental changes, and would be favored in variable environments. In this study, we investigated the thermal stress response in Pocillopora coral colonies from two contrasting environments by exposing them to heat stress. We compared the physiological state, bacterial and Symbiodiniaceae communities (using 16S and ITS2 metabarcoding), and gene expression levels (using RNA-Seq) between control conditions and heat stress (the temperature just below the first signs of compromised health). Colonies from both thermal regimes remained apparently normal and presented open and colored polyps during heat stress, with no change in bacterial and Symbiodiniaceae community composition. In contrast, they differed in their transcriptomic responses. The colonies from Oman displayed a more plastic transcriptome, but some genes had a higher basal expression level (frontloading) compared to the less thermotolerant colonies from New Caledonia. In terms of biological functions, we observed an increase in the expression of stress response genes (including induction of tumor necrosis factor receptors, heat shock proteins, and detoxification of reactive oxygen species), together with a decrease in the expression of genes involved in morpho-anatomical functions. Gene regulation (transcription factors, mobile elements, histone modifications and DNA methylation) appeared to be overrepresented in the Oman colonies, indicating possible epigenetic regulation. These results show that transcriptomic plasticity and frontloading can be co-occurring processes in corals confronted with highly variable thermal regimes.

Background: The interaction of organisms with their surrounding microbial communities influences many biological processes, a notable example of which is the shaping of the immune system in early life. In the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, the role of the environmental microbial community on immune system maturation — and, importantly, protection from infectious disease — is still an open question. Results: Here, we demonstrate that early life microbial exposure durably improves oyster survival when challenged with the pathogen causing Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS), both in the exposed generation and in the subsequent one. Combining microbiota, transcriptomic, genetic, and epigenetic analyses, we show that the microbial exposure induced changes in epigenetic marks and a reprogramming of immune gene expression leading to long-term and intergenerational immune protection against POMS. Conclusions: We anticipate that this protection likely extends to additional pathogens and may prove to be an important new strategy for safeguarding oyster aquaculture efforts from infectious disease, Funding agencies:LabEx "CeMEB" through the Environmental Epigenomics Platform ANR-10-LABX-04-01LabEx "TULIP" ANR-10-LABX-41University of Perpignan Via Domitia ED305Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) ANR-14-CE19-0023

Background: The interaction of organisms with their surrounding microbial communities influences many biological processes, a notable example of which is the shaping of the immune system in early life. In the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, the role of the environmental microbial community on immune system maturation — and, importantly, protection from infectious disease — is still an open question. Results: Here, we demonstrate that early life microbial exposure durably improves oyster survival when challenged with the pathogen causing Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS), both in the exposed generation and in the subsequent one. Combining microbiota, transcriptomic, genetic, and epigenetic analyses, we show that the microbial exposure induced changes in epigenetic marks and a reprogramming of immune gene expression leading to long-term and intergenerational immune protection against POMS. Conclusions: We anticipate that this protection likely extends to additional pathogens and may prove to be an important new strategy for safeguarding oyster aquaculture efforts from infectious disease, Funding agencies:LabEx "CeMEB" through the Environmental Epigenomics Platform ANR-10-LABX-04-01LabEx "TULIP" ANR-10-LABX-41University of Perpignan Via Domitia ED305Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) ANR-14-CE19-0023

Background: The interaction of organisms with their surrounding microbial communities influences many biological processes, a notable example of which is the shaping of the immune system in early life. In the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, the role of the environmental microbial community on immune system maturation — and, importantly, protection from infectious disease — is still an open question. Results: Here, we demonstrate that early life microbial exposure durably improves oyster survival when challenged with the pathogen causing Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS), both in the exposed generation and in the subsequent one. Combining microbiota, transcriptomic, genetic, and epigenetic analyses, we show that the microbial exposure induced changes in epigenetic marks and a reprogramming of immune gene expression leading to long-term and intergenerational immune protection against POMS. Conclusions: We anticipate that this protection likely extends to additional pathogens and may prove to be an important new strategy for safeguarding oyster aquaculture efforts from infectious disease, Funding agencies:LabEx "CeMEB" through the Environmental Epigenomics Platform ANR-10-LABX-04-01LabEx "TULIP" ANR-10-LABX-41University of Perpignan Via Domitia ED305Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) ANR-14-CE19-0023

Lately two models explaining secondary RNA formation have been proposed: 1, the aberrant RNA model hypothesizing that the presence of stable, aberrant RNA fragments can induce siRNA amplification, and 2, the RISC trigger model hypothesizing that dwell time of miRNA/siRNA loaded RISC can determine whether siRNA amplification is initiated. Prior studies have found the strength of cleavage fragment base pairing to be a good predictor of the direction of siRNA spreading, but a possible causal relationship was never tested experimentally1. We used artificially constructed miR173 (amiR173) mutants with differences in binding affinity between the miRNA and target, specifically differentiating the affinity between the 3’-end of the miRNA and the 5’-fragment of mRNA and vice versa. This was done to test the hypothesis that binding affinity between miRNA:target would be a good predictor of which cleavage fragment (CF) is used by RDR6 to create siRNA precursors. We find that solely changing the binding affinity, in our case, is insufficient to provoke a clear indication of siRNA amplification from the opposite CF. However, our findings do not reject the RISC trigger model, as other factors may determine which CFs are used as a substrate for making siRNA precursors.

Lately two models explaining secondary RNA formation have been proposed: 1, the aberrant RNA model hypothesizing that the presence of stable, aberrant RNA fragments can induce siRNA amplification, and 2, the RISC trigger model hypothesizing that dwell time of miRNA/siRNA loaded RISC can determine whether siRNA amplification is initiated. Prior studies have found the strength of cleavage fragment base pairing to be a good predictor of the direction of siRNA spreading, but a possible causal relationship was never tested experimentally1. We used artificially constructed miR173 (amiR173) mutants with differences in binding affinity between the miRNA and target, specifically differentiating the affinity between the 3’-end of the miRNA and the 5’-fragment of mRNA and vice versa. This was done to test the hypothesis that binding affinity between miRNA:target would be a good predictor of which cleavage fragment (CF) is used by RDR6 to create siRNA precursors. We find that solely changing the binding affinity, in our case, is insufficient to provoke a clear indication of siRNA amplification from the opposite CF. However, our findings do not reject the RISC trigger model, as other factors may determine which CFs are used as a substrate for making siRNA precursors.

Introduction Nutrient deficiency and immune and inflammatory disturbances in early life may compromise neurodevelopment and be implicated in the aetiology of psychiatric disorders. However, current evidence is limited by its predominantly observational nature. COpenhagen Prospective Study on Neuro-PSYCHiatric Development (COPSYCH) is a research alliance between Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC) and Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research with the overall aim to investigate effects of prenatal and early life exposures on neurodevelopment at 10 years. COPSYCH will investigate the impact of prenatal n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) and high-dose vitamin D supplementation on neurodevelopment reflected by brain development, neurocognition and psychopathology. Moreover, the neurodevelopmental impact of early life exposures such as infections, low grade inflammation and the gut microbiome will be scrutinised. Methods and analysis COPSYCH is based on the prospective and ongoing COPSAC2010 birth cohort of 700 mother–child pairs. Randomised controlled trials of supplementation with n-3 LCPUFA and/or high-dose vitamin D or placebo in the third trimester were embedded in a factorial 2×2 design (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01233297 and NCT00856947). This unique cohort provides deep phenotyping data from 14 previous clinical follow-up visits and exposure assessments since birth. The ongoing 10-year visit is a 2-day visit. Day 1 includes a comprehensive neurocognitive examination, and assessment of psychopathological dimensions, and assessment of categorical psychopathology. Day 2 includes acquisition of brain structural, diffusion and functional sequences using 3 Tesla MRI. Study outcomes are neurocognitive, psychopathological and MRI measures. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Danish National Committee on Health Research Ethics and The Danish Data Prot

Introduction Nutrient deficiency and immune and inflammatory disturbances in early life may compromise neurodevelopment and be implicated in the aetiology of psychiatric disorders. However, current evidence is limited by its predominantly observational nature. COpenhagen Prospective Study on Neuro-PSYCHiatric Development (COPSYCH) is a research alliance between Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC) and Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research with the overall aim to investigate effects of prenatal and early life exposures on neurodevelopment at 10 years. COPSYCH will investigate the impact of prenatal n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) and high-dose vitamin D supplementation on neurodevelopment reflected by brain development, neurocognition and psychopathology. Moreover, the neurodevelopmental impact of early life exposures such as infections, low grade inflammation and the gut microbiome will be scrutinised. Methods and analysis COPSYCH is based on the prospective and ongoing COPSAC2010 birth cohort of 700 mother–child pairs. Randomised controlled trials of supplementation with n-3 LCPUFA and/or high-dose vitamin D or placebo in the third trimester were embedded in a factorial 2×2 design (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01233297 and NCT00856947). This unique cohort provides deep phenotyping data from 14 previous clinical follow-up visits and exposure assessments since birth. The ongoing 10-year visit is a 2-day visit. Day 1 includes a comprehensive neurocognitive examination, and assessment of psychopathological dimensions, and assessment of categorical psychopathology. Day 2 includes acquisition of brain structural, diffusion and functional sequences using 3 Tesla MRI. Study outcomes are neurocognitive, psychopathological and MRI measures. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Danish National Committee on Health Research Ethics and The Danish Data Prot

Harold Merle,1 Laurence Béral,2 Maxime Rocher,3 Mitta Pierre,1 Albert Jean-Charles,1 Odile Béra,4 Laurie-Anne Rosamont,4 Pierre-Yves Robert,3 Agnes Lézin4 1Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Martinique, Fort de France, French West Indies, France; 2Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Guadeloupe, Pointe à Pitre, French West Indies, France; 3Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Limoges, France; 4Department of Genetics, University Hospital of Martinique, Fort de France, French West Indies, FranceCorrespondence: Harold Merle, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Martinique, Hôpital Pierre Zobda Quitman, BP 632, Martinique, Fort de France, 97261 Cedex, French West Indies, France, Tel +596 596 552 251, Fax +596 596 758 447, Email harold.merle@chu-martinique.frPurpose: To evaluate how the HLA genotype is associated to the polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in a population of patients of Afro-Caribbean descent.Methods: Forty-seven patients were diagnosed with PCV. The number of control patients was 457. All affected patients and control patients were of Afro-Caribbean descent and natives to Martinique. HLA typing was based on blood sample, using the polymerase chain reaction technique. Comparison of HLA alleles between the 2 groups was done using chi-2 test, odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval using Woolf’s method. The Bonferroni correction was considered significant when p-value ≤ 0.05. Alleles frequency was analyzed for DRB1 and DQB1 locus.Results: HLA-DRB1&ast;13 allele was significantly associated to PCV (OR = 2.02, CI = [1.3; 3.13], p = 0.003). In group DRB1, the Bonferroni correction significance threshold was < 0.004. HLA-DQB1&ast;04 allele was significantly associated to PCV (OR = 3.5, CI = [1.48; 8.3], p = 0.006). In group DQB1, the Bonferroni correction significance threshold was < 0.006.Conclusion: Two HLA alleles are positively associated to PCV. The possible associatio

Objective: The study aimed to determine the outcomes and prognostic factors of vitrectomy, subretinal injection of tissue-plasminogen activator and gas tamponade in macular hemorrhage (MaH) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or retinal arterial macroaneurysm (RAM). Methods: The study design utilized a multicentric retrospective case series design of consecutive patients undergoing surgery between 2014 and 2019. Results: A total of 65 eyes from 65 patients were included in the study. Surgery was performed after a mean period of 7.1 days. Displacement of MaH was achieved in 82% of the eyes. Mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 20/500 to 20/125 at month(M)1 and M6 (p < 0.05). At M6, BCVA worsening was associated with an older age at diagnosis (p = 0.0002) and higher subretinal OCT elevation of MaH (p = 0.03). The use of treat and extend (TE) (OR = 16.7, p = 0.001) and small MaH fundus size (OR = 0.64 and 0.74 for horizontal and vertical fundus size, p < 0.05) were predictive of a higher likelihood of obtaining a countable BCVA at M1. Baseline BCVA was predictive of postoperative BCVA (p < 0.05). Retinal detachment and MaH recurrence occurred in 3% and 9.3% of cases at M6. Conclusion: MaH surgery stabilizes or improves BCVA in 85% of cases. Younger age at diagnosis, better baseline BCVA figures, smaller subretinal MaH height and use of TE regime were predictive of the best postoperative outcomes.

Palynomorphs from the Toarcian and Aalenian Djigiat Formation of Karachay-Cherkessia in the Kuban River Basin (North Caucasus, southwest Russian Federation) are reported for the first time. Five samples carefully selected for their biostratigraphical content were studied to document the palynological assemblages. Four samples (1, 2, 3, 4) were collected from pieces of rock with key index ammonite specimens, and sample 5 comprises fragments of ammonite shells from a sideritic concretion. Three of these samples (4, 2 and 1) yielded relatively abundant and diverse aquatic microplankton (acritarchs, dinoflagellate cysts, prasinophytes and zygnematalean algae) and terrestrial palynomorphs (pollen and spores); the remaining two samples (3 and 5) were less productive and contained fewer than 50 palynomorph specimens. The study of the dinoflagellate assemblages provided characteristic and key information. These are the uppermost Toarcian Nannoceratopsis Assemblage and the uppermost Toarcian to lowermost Aalenian Parvocysta Suite Assemblage. The former is overwhelmingly dominated by Nannoceratopsis with sparse numbers of the Parvocysta suite, and the latter yielded more diverse and common specimens of Parvocysta and its relatives. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the Parvocysta suite migrated from the Boreal Realm further south into Laurasia during the Toarcian. Certain dinoflagellate cysts such as Mancodinium semitabulatum and Scriniocassis spp., which are typical of Europe and much of Greater Laurasia are absent. Composition of the pollen and spores proved relatively out to be monotonous, and cannot be subdivided. However, in general, the composition of the assemblages of spores and pollen is consistent with the Toarcian–Aalenian transition.