Photoprotective mechanisms in Elysia species hosting Acetabularia chloroplasts shed light on host-donor compatibility in photosynthetic sea slugs.

Sacoglossa sea slugs have garnered attention due to their ability to retain intracellular functional chloroplasts from algae, while degrading other algal cell components. While protective mechanisms that limit oxidative damage under excessive light are well documented in plants and algae, the photoprotective strategies employed by these photosynthetic sea slugs remain unresolved. Species within the genus Elysia are known to retain chloroplasts from various algal sources, but the extent to which the metabolic processes from the donor algae can be sustained by the sea slugs is unclear. By comparing responses to high-light conditions through kinetic analyses, molecular techniques, and biochemical assays, this study shows significant differences between two photosynthetic Elysia species with chloroplasts derived from the green alga Acetabularia acetabulum. Notably, Elysia timida displayed remarkable tolerance to high-light stress and sophisticated photoprotective mechanisms such as an active xanthophyll cycle, efficient D1 protein recycling, accumulation of heat-shock proteins and α-tocopherol. In contrast, Elysia crispata exhibited absence or limitations in these photoprotective strategies. Our findings emphasize the intricate relationship between the host animal and the stolen chloroplasts, highlighting different capacities to protect the photosynthetic organelle from oxidative damage.

Proteomic analysis of the mucus of the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia crispata.

Elysia crispata is a tropical sea slug that can retain intracellular functional chloroplasts from its algae prey, a mechanism termed kleptoplasty. This sea slug, like other gastropods, secretes mucus, a viscous secretion with multiple functions, including lubrication, protection, and locomotion. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the mucus proteome of the sea slug E. crispata using gel electrophoresis and HPLC-MS/MS. We identified 306 proteins in the mucus secretions of this animal, despite the limited entries for E. crispata in the Uniprot database. The functional annotation of the mucus proteome using Gene Ontology identified proteins involved in different functions such as hydrolase activity (molecular function), carbohydrate-derived metabolic processes (biological processes) and cytoskeletal organization (cell component). Moreover, a high proportion of proteins with enzymatic activity in the mucus of E. crispata suggests potential biotechnological applications including antimicrobial and antitumor activities. Putative antimicrobial properties are reinforced by the high abundance of hydrolases. This study also identified proteins common in mucus samples from various species, supporting a common mechanism of mucus in protecting cells and tissues while facilitating animal movement. SIGNIFICANCE: Marine species are increasingly drawing the interest of researchers for their role in discovering new bioactive compounds. The study "Proteomic Analysis of the Mucus of the Photosynthetic Sea Slug Elysia crispata" is a pioneering effort that uncovers the complex protein content in this fascinating sea slug's mucus. This detailed proteomic study has revealed proteins with potential use in biotechnology, particularly for antimicrobial and antitumor purposes. This research is a first step in exploring the possibilities within the mucus of Elysia crispata, suggesting the potential for new drug discoveries. These findings could be crucial in developing treatments for severe diseases, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, and may lead to significant advances in medical research.

Prey species and abundance affect growth and photosynthetic performance of the polyphagous sea slug Elysia crispata.

Some sacoglossan sea slugs steal functional macroalgal chloroplasts (kleptoplasts). In this study, we investigated the effects of algal prey species and abundance on the growth and photosynthetic capacity of the tropical polyphagous sea slug Elysia crispata. Recently hatched sea slugs fed and acquired chloroplasts from the macroalga Bryopsis plumosa, but not from Acetabularia acetabulum. However, adult sea slugs were able to switch diet to A. acetabulum, rapidly replacing the great majority of the original kleptoplasts. When fed with B. plumosa, higher feeding frequency resulted in significantly higher growth and kleptoplast photosynthetic yield, as well as a slower relative decrease in these parameters upon starvation. Longevity of A. acetabulum-derived chloroplasts in E. crispata was over twofold that of B. plumosa. Furthermore, significantly lower relative weight loss under starvation was observed in sea slugs previously fed on A. acetabulum than on B. plumosa. This study shows that functionality and longevity of kleptoplasts in photosynthetic sea slugs depend on the origin of the plastids. Furthermore, we have identified A. acetabulum as a donor of photosynthetically efficient chloroplasts common to highly specialized monophagous and polyphagous sea slugs capable of long-term retention, which opens new experimental routes to unravel the unsolved mysteries of kleptoplasty.

Revealing the polar lipidome, pigment profiles, and antioxidant activity of the giant unicellular green alga, Acetabularia acetabulum.

Marine algae are one of the most important sources of high-value compounds such as polar lipids, omega-3 fatty acids, photosynthetic pigments, or secondary metabolites with interesting features for different niche markets. Acetabularia acetabulum is a macroscopic green single-celled alga, with a single nucleus hosted in the rhizoid. This alga is one of the most studied dasycladalean species and represents an important model system in cell biology studies. However, its lipidome and pigment profile have been overlooked. Total lipid extracts were analyzed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (HILIC-HRMS), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant capacity of lipid extracts was tested using DPPH and ABTS assays. Lipidomics identified 16 polar lipid classes, corresponding to glycolipids, betaine lipids, phospholipids, and sphingolipids, with a total of 191 lipid species, some of them recognized by their bioactivities. The most abundant polar lipids were glycolipids. Lipid classes less studied in algae were identified, such as diacylglyceryl-carboxyhydroxymethylcholine (DGCC) or hexosylceramide (HexCer). The pigment profile of A. acetabulum comprised carotenoids (17.19%), namely cis-neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein and ß,ß-carotene, and chlorophylls a and b (82.81%). A. acetabulum lipid extracts showed high antioxidant activity promoting a 50% inhibition (IC50 ) with concentrations of 57.91 ± 1.20 µg · mL-1 (438.18 ± 8.95 µmol Trolox · g-1 lipid) in DPPH and 20.55 ± 0.60 µg · mL-1 in ABTS assays (918.56 ± 27.55 µmol Trolox · g-1 lipid). This study demonstrates the potential of A. acetabulum as a source of natural bioactive molecules and antioxidant compounds.

The Effectiveness of Anxiety Interventions for Young Children: A Meta-Analytic Review.

Anxiety symptoms and disorders are prevalent and impairing in young children and these symptoms often persist and worsen over time, indicating the need for efficacious interventions for this age group. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions targeting anxiety in younger children and to assess the potential moderators of outcome. The effect sizes from 24 trials were assessed based on a random effect model. The mean weighted effect size was found to be significant and moderate in magnitude. Moderators, including level of intervention, intervention approach, rater, and level of training of the provider/program facilitator, are assessed and discussed. Overall, the findings indicate that anxiety interventions are effective in reducing anxiety in young children, and targeted trials show particularly strong promise.

Photosynthetic Pigment and Carbohydrate Profiling of Fucus vesiculosus from an Iberian Coastal Lagoon.

Fucus vesiculosus is a brown seaweed with applications in the food, pharmaceutic, and cosmetic industries. Among its most valuable bioactive compounds are the pigment fucoxanthin and polysaccharides (e.g., fucoidans). In this study, we profiled the photosynthetic pigments and carbohydrates of F. vesiculosus from six locations along the Ílhavo Channel in the Iberian coastal lagoon of Ria de Aveiro, Portugal. Photosynthetic performance (Fv/Fm), pigment, and carbohydrate concentrations were similar between locations, despite differences in environmental factors, such as salinity and periods of exposure to desiccation. Concentration of total carbohydrates (neutral sugars + uronic acids) averaged 418 mg g-1 dw. Fucose was the second most abundant neutral sugar, with an average concentration of 60.7 mg g-1 dw, indicating a high content of fucoidans. Photosynthetic pigments included chlorophylls a and c, ß,ß-carotene, and the xanthophylls fucoxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, and zeaxanthin. Concentrations of fucoxanthin were higher than those reported for most brown macroalgae, averaging 0.58 mg g-1 dw (65% of total carotenoids). This study indicates that F. vesiculosus from Ria de Aveiro is a valuable macroalgal resource for aquaculture companies operating in the region, with considerable potential to yield high-value bioactive compounds.

Combined effect of marine heatwaves and light intensity on the cellular stress response and photophysiology of the leather coral Sarcophyton cf. glaucum.

Marine heatwaves (MHW) are threatening tropical coral reef ecosystems, leading to mass bleaching events worldwide. The combination of heat stress with high irradiance is known to shape the health and redox status of corals, but research is biased toward scleractinian corals, while much less is known on tropical symbiotic soft corals. Here, we evaluated the cellular stress response and the photophysiological performance of the soft coral Sarcophyton cf. glaucum, popularly termed as leather coral, under different global change scenarios. Corals were exposed to different light intensities (high light, low light, ∼662 and 253 µmol photons m-2 s-1) for 30 days (time-point 1) and a subsequent MHW simulation was carried out for 10 days (control 26 vs 32 °C) (time-point 2). Subsequently, corals were returned to control temperature and allowed to recover for 30 days (time-point 3). Photophysiological performance (maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), a measure of photosynthetic activity; dark-level fluorescence (F0), as a proxy of chlorophyll a content (Chl a); and zooxanthellae density) and stress biomarkers (total protein, antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, ubiquitin, and heat shock protein 70) were assessed in corals at these three time-points. Corals were especially sensitive to the combination of heat and high light stress, experiencing a decrease in their photosynthetic efficiency under these conditions. Heat stress resulted in bleaching via zooxanthellae loss while high light stress led to pigment (Chl a) loss. This species' antioxidant defenses, and protein degradation were particularly enhanced under heat stress. A recovery was clear for molecular parameters after 30 days of recovery, whereby photophysiological performance required more time to return to basal levels. We conclude that soft corals distributed along intertidal areas, where the light intensity is high, could be especially vulnerable to marine heatwave events, highlighting the need to direct conservation efforts toward these organisms.

Light modulates the lipidome of the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia timida.

Long-term kleptoplasty, the capability to retain functional stolen chloroplasts (kleptoplasts) for several weeks to months, has been shown in a handful of Sacoglossa sea slugs. One of these sea slugs is Elysia timida, endemic to the Mediterranean, which retains functional chloroplasts of the macroalga Acetabularia acetabulum. To understand how light modulates the lipidome of E. timida, sea slug specimens were subjected to two different 4-week light treatments: regular light and quasi-dark conditions. Lipidomic analyses were performed by HILIC-HR-ESI-MS and MS/MS. Quasi-dark conditions caused a reduction in the amount of essential lipids for photosynthetic membranes, such as glycolipids, indicating high level of kleptoplast degradation under sub-optimal light conditions. However, maximum photosynthetic capacities (Fv/Fm) were identical in both light treatments (≈0.75), showing similar kleptoplast functionality and suggesting that older kleptoplasts were targeted for degradation. Although more stable, the phospholipidome showed differences between light treatments: the amount of certain lipid species of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) decreased under quasi-dark conditions, while other lipid species of phosphatidylcholine (PC), PE and lyso-PE (LPE) increased. Quasi-dark conditions promoted a decrease in the relative abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids. These results suggest a light-driven remodelling of the lipidome according to the functions of the different lipids and highlight the plasticity of polar lipids in the photosynthetic sea slug E. timida.

Food shaped photosynthesis: Photophysiology of the sea slug Elysia viridis fed with two alternative chloroplast donors.

Background: Some Sacoglossa sea slugs steal and integrate chloroplasts derived from the algae they feed on into their cells where they continue to function photosynthetically, a process termed kleptoplasty. The stolen chloroplasts - kleptoplasts - can maintain their functionality up to several months and support animal metabolism. However, chloroplast longevity can vary depending on sea slug species and algal donor. In this study, we focused on Elysia viridis, a polyphagous species that is mostly found associated with the macroalga Codium tomentosum, but that was reported to eat other macroalgae, including Chaetomorpha sp. Methods: We have investigated the changes in E. viridis physiology when provided with the two different food sources to evaluate to which extent the photosynthetic and photoprotective mechanisms of the algae chloroplasts matched those of the plastids once in the animal cells. To perform the study, we rely on the evaluation of chlorophyll a variable fluorescence to study the photophysiological state of the integrated kleptoplasts and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to study variations in the photosynthetic pigments. Results: We observed that the photosynthetic efficiency of E. viridis is lower when fed with Chaetomorpha. Also, significant differences were observed in the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) abilities of the sea slugs. While sea slugs fed with C. tomentosum react similarly to high-light stress as the alga, E. viridis hosting Chaetomorpha chloroplasts were unable to properly recover from photoinhibition or perform a functional xanthophyll cycle (XC). Conclusions: Our results showed that, even if the sea slugs fed with the two algae show photosynthetic activities like the respective algal donors, not all the photoprotective mechanisms present in Chaetomorpha can be maintained in E. viridis. This indicates that the functionality of the kleptoplasts does not depend solely on their origin but also on the degree of compatibility with the animal species integrating them.

Sea slugs known as Sacoglossa (also called "solar-powered sea slugs") have a fascinating ability to steal and use chloroplasts from the algae they eat. This process is called kleptoplasty. These stolen chloroplasts, also called kleptoplasts, can remain functional for several months and help the sea slugs with their metabolism by performing photosynthesis like plants. However, the time of chloroplast maintenance can vary depending on the species of sea slug and the type of algae they feed on. In this study, we focused on a species called Elysia viridis, which eats various types of algae, including Codium tomentosum and Chaetomorpha sp. These two algae have different characteristics when it comes to photosynthesis and protection against excessive light. We investigated how the physiology of E. viridis changed when it was given these two different food sources. Our results show that sea slugs had similar photosynthetic activities to their respective food alga. However, not all photoprotective mechanisms of Chaetomorpha algae could be maintained in E. viridis. This suggests that the functionality of the stolen chloroplasts depends not only on their source but also on how well they match the sea slug species that incorporate them.

Kleptoplasty: Getting away with stolen chloroplasts.

Kleptoplasty, the process by which a host organism sequesters and retains algal chloroplasts, is relatively common in protists. The origin of the plastid varies, as do the length of time it is retained in the host and the functionality of the association. In metazoa, the capacity for long-term (several weeks to months) maintenance of photosynthetically active chloroplasts is a unique characteristic of a handful of sacoglossan sea slugs. This capability has earned these slugs the epithets "crawling leaves" and "solar-powered sea slugs." This Unsolved Mystery explores the basis of chloroplast maintenance and function and attempts to clarify contradictory results in the published literature. We address some of the mysteries of this remarkable association. Why are functional chloroplasts retained? And how is the function of stolen chloroplasts maintained without the support of the algal nucleus?

Aposymbiotic Specimen of the Photosynthetic Sea Slug Elysia crispata.

Elysia crispata is a sacoglossan sea slug that retains intracellular, functional chloroplasts stolen from their macroalgal food sources. Elysia crispata juveniles start feeding on the algae following metamorphosis, engulfing chloroplasts and turning green. In laboratory-reared animals, we report one juvenile "albino" specimen unable to retain chloroplasts. Within 6 weeks post-metamorphosis, the aposymbiotic sea slug was significantly smaller than its chloroplast-bearing siblings. This evidence highlights that chloroplast acquisition is required for the normal development of E. crispata.

Sea Slug Mucus Production Is Supported by Photosynthesis of Stolen Chloroplasts.

A handful of sea slugs of the order Sacoglossa are able to steal chloroplasts-kleptoplasts-from their algal food sources and maintain them functionally for periods ranging from several weeks to a few months. In this study, we investigated the role of kleptoplast photosynthesis on mucus production by the tropical sea slug Elysia crispata. Animals reared for 5 weeks in quasi dark (5 µmol photons m-2 s-1) showed similar growth to those under regular light (60-90 µmol photons m-2 s-1), showing that kleptoplast photosynthesis was not relevant for growth when sea slugs were fed ad libitum. However, when subjected to short-term desiccation stress, animals reared under regular light produced significantly more mucus. Furthermore, the carbohydrate content of secreted mucus was significantly lower in slugs limited in the photosynthetic activity of their kleptoplasts by quasi-dark conditions. This study indicates that photosynthesis supports the synthesis of protective mucus in kleptoplast-bearing sea slugs.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict kidney survival at baseline in patients with C3 glomerulopathy.

Background: C3 glomerulopathy is a rare and heterogeneous complement-driven disease. It is often challenging to accurately predict in clinical practice the individual kidney prognosis at baseline. We herein sought to develop and validate a prognostic nomogram to predict long-term kidney survival. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter observational cohort study in 35 nephrology departments belonging to the Spanish Group for the Study of Glomerular Diseases. The dataset was randomly divided into a training group (n = 87) and a validation group (n = 28). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to screen the main predictors of kidney outcome and to build the nomogram. The accuracy of the nomogram was assessed by discrimination and risk calibration in the training and validation sets. Results: The study group comprised 115 patients, of whom 46 (40%) reached kidney failure in a median follow-up of 49 months (range 24-112). No significant differences were observed in baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria or total chronicity score of kidney biopsies, between patients in the training versus those in the validation set. The selected variables by LASSO were eGFR, proteinuria and total chronicity score. Based on a Cox model, a nomogram was developed for the prediction of kidney survival at 1, 2, 5 and 10 years from diagnosis. The C-index of the nomogram was 0.860 (95% confidence interval 0.834-0.887) and calibration plots showed optimal agreement between predicted and observed outcomes. Conclusions: We constructed and validated a practical nomogram with good discrimination and calibration to predict the risk of kidney failure in C3 glomerulopathy patients at 1, 2, 5 and 10 years.

Coinoculation impact on plant growth promotion: a review and meta-analysis on coinoculation of rhizobia and plant growth-promoting bacilli in grain legumes.

Coinoculation of symbiotic N2-fixing rhizobia and plant growth-promoting Bacillus on legume seeds can increase crop productivity. We collected highly resolved data on coinoculation of rhizobia and bacilli on 11 grain legume crops: chickpea, common bean, cowpea, faba bean, groundnut, lentil, mung bean, pea, pigeon pea, soybean, and urad bean to verify the magnitude of additive effects of coinoculation in relation to single inoculation of rhizobia on plant growth and yield of grain legumes. Coinoculation of rhizobia and bacilli on legume seeds and/or soil during sowing significantly increased nodulation, nitrogenase activity, plant N and P contents, and shoot and root biomass, as well as the grain yield of most grain legumes studied. There were however a few instances where coinoculation decreased plant growth parameters. Therefore, coinoculation of rhizobia and Bacillus has the potential to increase the growth and productivity of grain legumes, and can be recommended as an environmental-friendly agricultural practice for increased crop yields.

Updated Trends on the Biodiscovery of New Marine Natural Products from Invertebrates.

From 1990-2019, a total of 15,442 New Marine Natural Products from Invertebrates (NMNPIs) were reported. The 2010s saw the most prolific decade of biodiscovery, with 5630 NMNPIs recorded. The phyla that contributed most biomolecules were the Porifera (sponges) (47.2%, 2659 NMNPIs) and the Cnidaria (35.3%, 1989 NMNPIs). The prevalence of these two phyla as the main sources of NMNPIs became more pronounced in the 2010s. The tropical areas of the Pacific Ocean yielded more NMNPIs, most likely due to the remarkable biodiversity of coral reefs. The Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot (BH) was the most relevant area for the biodiscovery of NMNPIs in the 2010s, accounting for nearly one-third (1819 NMNPIs) of the total and surpassing the top BH from the 1990s and the 2000s (the Sea of Japan and the Caribbean Islands, respectively). The Chinese exclusive economic zone (EEZ) alone contributed nearly one-quarter (24.7%) of all NMNPIs recorded during the 2010s, displacing Japan's leading role from the 1990s and the 2000s. With the biodiscovery of these biomolecules steadily decreasing since 2012, it is uncertain whether this decline has been caused by lower bioprospecting efforts or the potential exhaustion of chemodiversity from traditional marine invertebrate sources.

Longitudinal change in proteinuria and kidney outcomes in C3 glomerulopathy.

INTRODUCTION: The association between a change in proteinuria over time and its impact on kidney prognosis has not been analysed in complement component 3 (C3) glomerulopathy. This study aims to investigate the association between the longitudinal change in proteinuria and the risk of kidney failure. METHODS: This was a retrospective, multicentre observational cohort study in 35 nephrology departments belonging to the Spanish Group for the Study of Glomerular Diseases. Patients diagnosed with C3 glomerulopathy between 1995 and 2020 were enrolled. A joint modelling of linear mixed-effects models was applied to assess the underlying trajectory of a repeatedly measured proteinuria, and a Cox model to evaluate the association of this trajectory with the risk of kidney failure. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 85 patients, 70 C3 glomerulonephritis and 15 dense deposit disease, with a median age of 26 years (range 13-41). During a median follow-up of 42 months, 25 patients reached kidney failure. The longitudinal change in proteinuria showed a strong association with the risk of this outcome, with a doubling of proteinuria levels resulting in a 2.5-fold increase of the risk. A second model showed that a ≥50% proteinuria reduction over time was significantly associated with a lower risk of kidney failure (hazard ratio 0.79; 95% confidence interval 0.56-0.97; P < 0.001). This association was also found when the ≥50% proteinuria reduction was observed within the first 6 and 12 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The longitudinal change in proteinuria is strongly associated with the risk of kidney failure. The change in proteinuria over time can provide clinicians a dynamic prediction of kidney outcomes.

Efecto de la recuperación activa en la potencia pico y el lactato después de protocolos de sprints repetidos, realizados en cicloergómetros: una revisión sistemática / Active Recovery Effect in the Peak Power and the Lactate, after Repeated Sprints Pro- tocols, Executed in Cycloergometer: A Systemic Review / Efeito da recuperação ativa sobre a potência de pico e o lactato depois de repetidos protocolos de Sprints realizados em cicloergómetros: uma revisão sistemática

Introducción: La recuperación activa se ha utilizado en actividades físicas de alta demanda energética como los sprints repetidos en cicloergómetros. Objetivo: Analizar el efecto de la recuperación activa en la potencia pico y el lactato, después de protocolos de sprints repetidos, hechos en un cicloergómetro. Materiales: Las fuentes bibliográficas consultadas fueron las bases de datos electrónicas Pubmed y Web of Science. Método: Se evaluó la calidad de los nueve artículos incluidos para lectura completa, utilizando la escala PEDro. Resultados: La efectividad de la recuperación activa para los sprints repetidos (SR) con menor disminución de la potencia pico se presentó en tres estudios con tiempos de recuperación de 20 min, 4 min y 45 s, realizando 3 o 4 SR con porcentaje de cadencia de pedaleo de 40% y 28% VO2máx o entre 60 y 70 rpm. Los 9 estudios analizados no presentaron diferencias significativas (p > 0,05) en el comportamiento del lactato en cuanto a la recuperación activa con los protocolos que realizaron. No obstante, se presentan diferencias significativas (p = 0,001) entre la recuperación activa y otros métodos de recuperación. Conclusión: Se deben considerar las características de la población para los protocolos analizados con diferencias en los tiempos de recuperación activa y ejecución del sprint, así como la cantidad de SR realizados y los porcentajes de cadencia de pedaleo.

Introduction: active recovery has been used in physical activities from high energetic claim as repeated sprints on cycloergometer. Objectives: analyse the active recovery effect in peak power and the lactate after repeated sprints protocols, executed on cycloergometer. A systematized bibliography was developed. Material: The bibliography sources were looked up from electronic databases Pubmed and Web of Science. Methods: The quality from the nine articles includes was evaluated for a whole reading. Using PEDro the protocols analysed showed active recovery timing difference and sprint execution, thus as the repeated sprints quantity executed and the assigned pedalling cadence percentage. Results: The effectiveness of the active recovery for the repeated sprints (RS) with a less decrease from the peak power presented in three different trials with recovery times from 20 minutes, 4 minutes, 45 seconds. Execute 3 or 4 RS with pedalling cadence percentage of 40 and 28 VO2max or between 60 and 70 rpm. The nine analysed trials did not show significant differences (p > 0.05) in the lactate performance concerning to the active recovery with the executed protocols. However, it presented significant differences (p = 0.001) between the active recovery and other recovery techniques. Conclusions: It should consider the population characteristics for the analysed protocols with differences between the AR timing and sprint execution, like the quantity of RS executed and the pedalling cadence percentage.

Introdução: A recuperação ativa tem sido utilizada em atividades físicas exigentes em termos energéticos, tais como repetidos Sprints em cicloergómetros. Objetivo: Analisar o efeito da recuperação ativa sobre a potência de pico e o lactato depois de repetidos protocolos de Sprint realizados num cicloergómetro. Materiais: As fontes bibliográficas consultadas foram as bases de dados electrónicas Pubmed e Web of Science. Método: A qualidade dos nove artigos incluídos para leitura completa foi avaliada utilizando a escala PEDro. Resultados: A eficácia da recuperação ativa para Sprints repetidos (SR) com menor diminuição da potência de pico foi apresentada em três estudos com tempos de recuperação de 20 min, 4 min e 45 s, realizando 3 ou 4 SR com uma percentagem de cadência de pedalagem de 40 % e 28 % de VO2max ou entre 60 e 70 rpm. Os 9 estudos analisados não mostraram diferenças significativas (p > 0,05) no comportamento do lactato em termos de recuperação ativa com os protocolos que rea- lizaram. No entanto, houve diferenças significativas (p = 0,001) entre a recuperação ativa e outros métodos de recuperação. Conclusão: As características da população devem ser consideradas para os protocolos analisados com diferenças nos tempos de recuperação ativa e execução de Sprints, bem como o número de SR realizados e as percentagens de cadência de pedalagem.

Pigment and Fatty Acid Heterogeneity in the Sea Slug Elysia crispata Is Not Shaped by Habitat Depth.

Long-term retention of functional chloroplasts in animal cells occurs only in sacoglossan sea slugs. Analysis of molecules related to the maintenance of these organelles can provide valuable information on this trait (kleptoplasty). The goal of our research was to characterize the pigment and fatty acid (FA) composition of the sea slug Elysia crispata and their associated chloroplasts that are kept functional for a long time, and to quantify total lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid contents, identifying differences between habitats: shallow (0-4 m) and deeper (8-12 m) waters. Specimens were sampled and analyzed after a month of food deprivation, through HPLC, GC-MS and colorimetric methods, to ensure an assessment of long-term kleptoplasty in relation to depth. Pigment signatures indicate that individuals retain chloroplasts from different macroalgal sources. FA classes, phospholipid and glycolipid contents displayed dissimilarities between depths. However, heterogeneities in pigment and FA profiles, as well as total lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid amounts in E. crispata were not related to habitat depth. The high content of chloroplast origin molecules, such as Chl a and glycolipids after a month of starvation, confirms that E. crispata retains chloroplasts in good biochemical condition. This characterization fills a knowledge gap of an animal model commonly employed to study kleptoplasty.

Characteristics of patients who had deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression from among 116,890 inpatients with major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to evaluate the characteristics of patients and the pattern and rate of use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for major depressive disorder (MDD) in the United States. METHODS: Data from the 2012-2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) included 116,890 patients. Patient variables included age, gender, race, median household income, insurance, primary diagnosis, primary procedure, length of stay, and total cost. Hospital variables included ownership, location, teaching status, bed size, and geographic region. RESULTS: Patients who received DBS for MDD were primarily high- income White females with private insurance. The mean age was 49.1 years (SD 7.85). The length of inpatient stay was 1 to 1.6 days. Total cost was highest in the West and lowest in the Northeast. Deep brain stimulation was mostly used by private nonprofit urban teaching hospitals in the South region of the United States. CONCLUSIONS: Deep brain stimulation was used in .03% of the total inpatient population with a primary diagnosis of MDD. If efficacy is established in definitive trials, DBS could fill a need for patients with treatment-resistant depression who do not respond to standard therapeutics or electro-convulsive therapy.