Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “TIDES”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Demonstration of HIV TIDES--Tailored interventions for the management of depressive symptoms in HIV-infected individuals.

Depression has been reported as one of the biggest health problems experienced by persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). HIV TIDES is an interactive program designed specifically for the management of depressive symptoms in this population. The main functions of this system include (1) assessing current level of depressive symptoms, (2) providing reinforcement messages for positive thoughts and health behaviors, (3) suggesting tailored strategies for depression prevention, and (4) presenting information for depression treatment. HIV TIDES is expected to be operated by individuals with minimum computer experience.

Depression↗

Biological activities of prymnesin-2 isolated from a red tide alga Prymnesium parvum.

Previously we isolated prymnesin-1 (PRM1) and prymnesin-2 (PRM2) as the major hemolytic and ichthyotoxic agents in the red tide organism Prymnesium parvum and disclosed the structure of PRM2 as a novel glycoside with unusual multiple functionality. PRM2 caused 50% hemolysis of a 1% suspension of dog red blood cells at 0.5 nM. The potency exceeded that of plant saponin by 50000 times. The lethality of PRM2 on freshwater fish Tanichthys albonubes was comparable to that of brevetoxin and also the ichthyotoxicity was markedly enhanced by Ca2+ and by a slight elevation of pH: LC50 in a Ca2+ free medium (pH 7.0) was 300 nM and in the presence of 2 mM Ca2+ (pH 8.0) was 3 nM. The hemolytic activity of PRM2 was not affected by Ca2+ but was markedly affected by blood cell origin. Also, the observation of competitive inhibition by the PRM2 analogues allowed us to assume the presence of a specific binding site on the blood cell surface.

Animals↗

Absolute configuration at C14 and C85 in prymnesin-2, a potent hemolytic and ichthyotoxic glycoside isolated from the red tide alga Prymnesium parvum.

Prymnesin-2 is a potent red tide toxin characterized by a highly oxidized C(90) carbon chain and multiple functional groups. Succeeding the assignment of the relative stereochemistry in the polycyclic-ether segment, the absolute configurations of two chiral centers in linear chain parts were elucidated. The configuration at C14 bearing an amino group was determined to be S by using a chiral anisotropic reagent and that at chlorinated C85 to be S by fluorimetric chiral HPLC comparison between a degradation product and synthetic references.

Animals↗

Improved protonation, collision-induced decomposition efficiency and structural assessment for 'red tide' brevetoxins employing nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry.

Brevetoxins are a group of natural neurotoxins found in blooms of red tide algae. Previous electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) studies show that all brevetoxins have high affinities for sodium ions, and they form abundant sodium adduct ions, [M + Na]+, in ES-MS, even when trace contamination is the only source of sodium ions. Attempts to obtain informative product ions from the collision-induced decomposition (CID) of [M + Na]+ brevetoxin precursor ions resulted only in uninformative sodium ion signals, even under elevated collision energies. In this study, a nano-ES-MS approach was developed wherein ammonium fluoride was used to form cationic [M + NH4]+ adducts of brevetoxin-2 and brevetoxin-3; a significant increase in the abundance of protonated brevetoxin molecules [M + H]+ also resulted, whereas the abundance of sodium adducts of brevetoxins [M + Na]+ was observed to decrease. Under CID, both [M + NH4]+ and [M + H]+ gave similar, abundant product ions and thus underwent the same types of fragmentation. This indicated that ammonium ions initially attached to brevetoxins forming [M + NH4]+ easily lose neutral ammonia in a first step in the gas phase, leaving protonated brevetoxin [M + H]+ to readily undergo further fragmentation under CID.

Animals↗

Producing mechanism of an algicidal compound against red tide phytoplankton in a marine bacterium gamma-proteobacterium.

Strain MS-02-063, gamma-proteobacterium, isolated from a coast area of Nagasaki, Japan, produced a red pigment which belongs to prodigiosin members. This pigment, PG-L-1, showed potent algicidal activity against various red tide phytoplanktons in a concentration-dependent manner. An understanding of a mechanism of PG-L-1 production by this marine bacterium may yield important new insights and strategies for preventing blooms of harmful flagellate algae in natural marine environments. Therefore, we analyzed the mechanisms of PG-L-1 production. In our previous study, the pigment production by this marine bacterium was completely inhibited at 1.56 microg/ml of erythromycin or 3.13 microg/ml of chloramphenicol, while minimal inhibitory concentrations for cell growth of erythromycin and chloramphenicol against this bacterium were >100 and 25 microg/ml, respectively. It is interesting to note that the ability of the pigment production in erythromycin-treated bacterium recovered by an addition of homoserine lactone. In fact, the pigment production was inhibited by beta-cyclodextrin that inhibits autoinducer activities by a complex with N-acyl homoserine lactones. N-acyl homoserine lactones with autoinducer activities are ubiquitous bacterial signaling molecules that regulate gene expression in a cell density dependent process known as quorum sensing. Therefore, it was suggested that PG-L-1 produced by strain MS-02-063 is controlled by the homoserine lactone quorum sensing. It is speculated that this quorum sensing is involved in the production of algicidal agents of other marine bacteria. This bacterium and other algicidal bacteria might be concerned in regulating the blooms of harmful flagellate algae through the quorum sensing system.

Animals↗

Impacts of man-made landscape features on numbers of estuarine waterbirds at low tide.

The potential impact of human disturbance on wintering waterbirds using intertidal mudflats was considered by relating their numbers to the presence of nearby footpaths, roads, railroads, and towns. Data were obtained for six English estuaries from the Wetland Bird Survey Low Tide Count scheme. Counts were undertaken monthly from November to February, and data were available for an average of 2.8 years per estuary for the period 1992-1993 to 1999-2000. Count sections and the positions of man-made landscape features were mapped using a GIS. Generalized linear models tested whether bird numbers varied according to the estuary, month, area, whether or not the section bordered water, and the proportion of each section within a specified distance of each landscape feature. In addition, the proximity of sections to the nearest footpath access point was considered. Numbers of six of nine species, northern shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), red knot (Calidris canutus), dunlin (Calidris alpina), black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata) and common redshank (Tringa totanus), were significantly lower where a footpath was close to a count section, while those of brant (Branta bernicla) were greater. Northern shelduck, black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola), dunlin, and black-tailed godwit numbers were reduced close to railroads and those of common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula), black-bellied plover, and Eurasian curlew close to roads. Common ringed plover numbers were greater close to towns. The relative distances to which species were affected by footpaths corresponded to published information concerning their flight distances in response to human disturbance. The study provided evidence that sustained disturbance associated with footpaths, roads, and railroads reduced local habitat quality for waterbirds and the carrying capacity of estuaries.

Animals↗

Energy gradients for the homeostatic control of brain ECF composition and for VT signal migration: introduction of the tide hypothesis.

The present paper enlightens a new point of view on brain homeostasis and communication, namely how the brain takes advantage of different chemical-physical phenomena such as pressure waves, and temperature and concentration gradients to allow the renewal of the extra-cellular fluid (i.e., the homeostasis of the brain internal milieu) as well as some forms of intercellular communications (Volume Transmission) at an energy cost much lower than the classical synaptic transmission (the prototype of Wiring Transmission). In particular, the possible functional meaning of the intracranial pressure waves is discussed in the frame of the so called "tide hypothesis" which maintains that the pressure waves, created by the cardiac pump, modulate the cerebro-spinal fluid flow from and towards the subarachnoid space as well as towards and from the Virchow-Robin spaces. These fluid push-pull movements favor both the migration of signals and the extra-cellular fluid renewal, especially in the cerebral cortex.

Animals↗

Novel sulfated polysaccharide derived from red-tide microalga Gyrodinium impudicum strain KG03 with immunostimulating activity in vivo.

The high-sulfate-containing exopolysaccharide p-KG03 is produced by the red-tide microalga Gyrodinium impudicum strain KG03. The immunostimulatory effects of this sulfated exopolysaccharide were investigated by isolating peritoneal macrophages from mice 10 or 20 days after they had received a single dose of p-KG03 (100 or 200 mg/kg body weight). The cytotoxicity of the isolated macrophages for B16 tumor cells was tested, as B16 tumor cells are sensitive to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitric oxide. The activities of natural killer cells from the p-KG03-treated mice against YAC-1 mouse lymphoma cells were also tested. The nonspecific immune functions mediated by natural killer cells and macrophages were increased by treatment with p-KG03 in vivo. These results suggest that p-KG03 has immunostimulatory effects and enhances the tumoricidal activities of macrophages and NK cells in vivo. In addition, p-KG03 treatment increased the plaque-forming cell response to sheep red blood cells, as well as the levels of IgM and IgG Exposure to p-KG03 also increased the production by macrophages of cytokines, such as interleukins -1beta and -6, and TNF-alpha. This is the first report of a marine microalgal sulfated polysaccharide having immunostimulatory activities. The p-KG03 polysaccharide may be useful for the development of biotechnological and pharmaceutical products that incorporate bioactive marine exopolysaccharides.

Animals↗

Gene expression in Florida red tide dinoflagellate Karenia brevis: analysis of an expressed sequence tag library and development of DNA microarray.

Karenia brevis (Davis) is the dinoflagellate responsible for nearly annual red tides in the Gulf of Mexico. Although the mechanisms regulating the growth and toxicity of this problematic organism are of considerable interest, little information is available on its molecular biology. We therefore constructed a complementary DNA library from which to gain insight into its expressed genome and to develop tools for studying its gene expression. Large-scale sequencing yielded 7001 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs), which clustered into 5280 unique gene groups. The vast majority of genes expressed fell into a low-abundance class, with the highest expressed gene accounting for only 1% of the total ESTs. Approximately 29% of genes were found to have similarity to known sequences in other organisms after BLAST similarity comparisons to the GenBank public protein database using a cutoff of P < 10e(-4). We identified for the first time in a dinoflagellate a suite of conserved eukaryotic genes involved in cell cycle control, intracellular signaling, and the transcription and translation machinery. At least 40% of gene clusters displayed single nucleotide polymorphisms, suggesting the presence of multiple gene copies. The average GC content of ESTs was 51%, with a slight preference for G or C in the third codon position (53.5%). The ESTs were used to develop an oligonucleotide microarray containing 4629 unique features and 3462 replicate probes. Microarray labeling has been optimized, and the microarray has been validated for probe specificity and reproducibility. This is the first information to be developed on the expressed genome of K. brevis and provides the basis from which to begin functional genomic studies on this harmful algal bloom species.

Animals↗

Molecular analysis of ribosomal RNA gene of red tide algae obtained from the seto inland sea.

Eleven clones from five species of the planktonic microalgae, (Chattonella antiqua, Chattonella marina, Heterosigma akashiwo, Alexandrium catenella, and Scrippsiella trochoidea), which were collected from the Seto Inland Sea in Japan and from Thailand, were subjected to nucleotide sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) of their ribosomal RNA genes. After amplification by polymerase chain reaction using degenerated primers, whole-nucleotide sequences for the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA gene of 11 microalgae were analyzed. Phylogenic tree analysis using these nucleotide sequences showed each species located in a cluster corresponding to its morphological classification. The nucleotide sequence data for Chattonella spp. suggest that multiple clones of both Chattonella antiqua and Chattonella marina are present in the Seto Inland Sea and that red tide blooms of Chattonella spp. in different years may have contained different clones.

Journal Article↗

Lower airway smooth muscle contraction induced by Ptychodiscus brevis (red tide) toxin.

Ptychodiscus brevis toxin (PBTX) is produced by the organism Ptychodiscus brevis. This toxin causes a phenomenon that has come to be known as Florida red tide. It also stimulates neuronal sodium channels, resulting in activation of the cholinergic and adrenergic nerve endings of the autonomic nervous system in upper airway smooth muscle and rat vas deferens, respectively, as previously reported. It is the cholinergic stimulating action that has been implicated as a possible "triggering" event in bronchial asthma. This article concerns the investigation of whether PBTX may also affect lower airways and by what mechanism any contractile response to PBTX in lower airways may be induced. PBTX was found to elicit contractions in isolated canine lower airway smooth muscle. The threshold concentration was 0.15 microgram/ml, the peak response occurred at 6.0 micrograms/ml, and the concentration causing half-maximal response of the group was 0.57 microgram/ml. Pharmacologic analysis demonstrated that atropine (10(-6) mol/L) blocked the response to both PBTX and acetylcholine, tetrodotoxin (10(-7) mol/L) blocked the response to PBTX but not to acetylcholine, and verapamil (10(-5) mol/L) blocked the response to PBTX and reduced the response to acetylcholine. Four consecutive contractile responses to PBTX (3 micrograms/ml) produced rapid tachyphylaxis. The fourth contraction was 60% less than the initial response. A fifth response to PBTX after exposure to indomethacin (2.8 X 10(-6) mol/L) was increased and resulted in a contraction that was only 25% less than the initial response. The exogenous addition of prostaglandins (PG), PGE1 and PGE2, to indomethacin-treated lower airway strips selectively suppressed the contractile response to PBTX. Other PGs tested (PGA2, PGB2, PGD2, PGF2 alpha and PGI2) did not affect the PBTX response. These results indicate that PBTX produces spasm in lower airway smooth muscle and that it does this by stimulation of sodium channels in the cholinergic nerve fibers. The results also demonstrate a rapid reduction in the contractile response to PBTX. The results also demonstrate that the reduction is mediated by PGs of the E series.

Acetylcholine↗

In vitro red tide toxin effects on human bronchial smooth muscle.

Airborne Ptychodiscus brevis toxin (PBTX), produced by Ptychodiscus brevis (Florida red tide), induces cough, rhinorrhea, watery eyes, and sneezing in normal individuals and wheezing in subjects with asthma. The mechanism of PBTX-induced contractile response has been investigated by the authors in vitro in dog and rat tissue. PBTX stimulates neuronal sodium channels, resulting in activation of autonomic cholinergic and adrenergic nerve endings in canine upper and lower airway smooth muscle and in rat vas deferens, respectively. This article concerns the investigation of the effect and mechanism of action of PBTX on human airways in order to determine the unique role of the toxin in the pathogenesis of asthma. PBTX elicited contractions of isolated human airway smooth muscle with a threshold concentration of 0.1 micrograms/ml, very similar to values obtained in canine lower airways. Pharmacologic analysis demonstrated that atropine (10(-6) mol/L) blocked the response to both PBTX and acetylcholine; tetrodotoxin (10(-7) mol/L) blocked PBTX but not acetylcholine; and verapamil (10(-5) mol/L) attenuated but neostigmine (10(-8) mol/L) potentiated the response to PBTX. Other selected blockers did not affect the PBTX response. These data indicate that PBTX produces contraction of human lower airway smooth muscle via stimulation of cholinergic nerve fiber sodium channels. The concept that PBTX triggers asthma through this mechanism is strengthened by these results.

Acetylcholine↗

Changing the tide: an Internet/video exercise and low-fat diet intervention with middle-school students.

The rising tide of obesity erodes the health of youths and many times results in adult obesity. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effectiveness of an eight-session health promotion/transtheoretical model Internet/video-delivered intervention to increase physical activity and reduce dietary fat among low-income, culturally diverse, seventh-grade students. Those who completed more than half the sessions increased exercise, t (103) = -1.99, p = .05, and decreased the percentage of dietary fat, t (87) = 2.73, p = .008. Responses to the intervention by stage of change, race, and income are examined.

Adolescent↗

Differential responses of stress proteins, antioxidant enzymes, and photosynthetic efficiency to physiological stresses in the Florida red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis.

This study identifies stress proteins and antioxidant enzymes that may play a role in the survival strategies of the Florida red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis. Heat shock protein 60 (Hsp 60), mitochondrial small heat shock protein (mitosHsp), chloroplastic small heat shock protein (chlsHsp), Mn superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Fe SOD were first identified by Western blotting. The induction of these proteins in laboratory cultures in response to elevated temperatures, hydrogen peroxide, lead, or elevated light intensities was next assessed. In parallel, F(V)/F(M), a measurement of photosynthetic efficiency and common proxy of cellular stress, was determined. Hsp 60, Fe SOD, and Mn SOD were induced following exposure to elevated temperatures, hydrogen peroxide, or lead. MitosHsp responded only to heat, whereas chlsHsp responded only to H(2)O(2)-induced stress. The expression of stress proteins and antioxidant enzymes appears to be a more sensitive indicator of heat or chemically induced stresses than F(V)/F(M). However, F(V)/F(M) decreased significantly in response to elevated light intensities that did not induce the expression of stress proteins. These results identify for the first time stress proteins and antioxidant enzymes in K. brevis, provide evidence for differential sensitivity of cellular organelles to various sources of stress, and confirm the presence of conserved stress responses observed across phyla in a dinoflagellate.

Animals↗

Isolation and characterization of light-dependent hemolytic cytotoxin from harmful red tide phytoplankton Chattonella marina.

Chattonella marina (C. marina), a raphidophycean flagellate, is a causative organism of red tide, and highly toxic to fish. In this study, we found that the cell-free methanol extract prepared from this flagellate exhibited potent hemolytic activity against rabbit erythrocytes. Interestingly, the hemolytic activity of the extract was absolutely light-dependent, and no hemolytic activity was detected in the dark even at very high concentration. Gel filtration chromatography of the methanol extract on a column of Sephadex LH-20 revealed that the extract contained hemagglutinin as well as hemolytic agents, and the substances responsible for these activities were separately eluted. These results suggest that the hemagglutinating and hemolytic activities were derived from distinct compounds. The hemolytic fraction obtained after gel filtration (F4) caused marked inhibition of the growth of C. marina itself and other species of phytoplanktons. Furthermore, F4 showed a potent cytotoxicity toward various mammalian cultured cell lines including human tumor cells (HeLa cells) in a dose-dependent manner. The cytotoxicity was also light-dependent, and no cytotoxic effect was exhibited in any cell lines tested in the dark. After further purification procedures via preparative thin-layer chromatography and subsequent HPLC, a major hemolytic agent was obtained as highly purified form. Since the methanol extracts prepared from other raphidophycean flagellates such as Heterosigma akashiwo, Olisthodiscus luteus, and Fibrocapsa japonica showed light-dependent hemolytic activity toward rabbit erythrocytes, it was suggested that the light-dependent hemolytic agents commonly exist at least in these raphidophycean flagellates.

Animals↗

New details from the complete life cycle of the red-tide dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans (Ehrenberg) McCartney.

Noctilucid protozoans are among the dinoflagellates that cause red tides. Sexual reproduction may occur in this group, as they sometimes undergo gametogenesis. However, the life cycle, in particular the developmental process after gamete fusion, has not been fully elucidated. We have been able to maintain clonal cultures of Noctiluca scintillans throughout the whole life cycle and have revealed new details of various stages. In trophont populations, a small fraction of cells spontaneously transform into gametogenic cells, which undergo two successive nuclear divisions, without cellular division, probably corresponding to meiosis. The products of nuclear division migrate to the cell surface with a small amount of cytoplasm, and there further synchronously divide 6-8 times, during which the division products are connected by thin cytoplasmic bridges. Thus, numerous gametes with a semi-spindle body shape are released from the mother cell ghost. They retain two flagella that differ in length and motion, as is typical of dinoflagellates. The presence of longitudinal and transverse grooves indicates that dinoflagellate-like characteristics are conserved in the gametes, although they are not present in the specialized trophonts. Zygotes with four flagella result from the fusion of two isogametes. The zygotes change shape from spindle to spherical, with a reduction in flagellar number. The developing cell acquires a tentacle and crust, similar to large trophonts, and begins to develop a cytoplasmic network, thus completing the transformation into a miniscule trophont. These early trophonts grow to maturity as cell size increases. Our observations of the life cycle of N. scintillans may provide clues for understanding the evolutionary origin of noctilucae.

Animals↗

Effects of solar ultraviolet radiation on photosynthesis of the marine red tide alga Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae).

In order to assess the short- and long-term impacts of UV radiation (UVR, 280-400nm) on the red tide alga, Heterosigma akashiwo, we exposed the cells to three different solar radiation treatments (PAB: 280-700nm, PA: 320-700nm, P: 400-700nm) under both solar and artificial radiation. A significant decrease in the effective quantum yield (Y) during high irradiance periods (i.e., local noon) was observed, but the cells partially recovered during the evening hours. Exposure to high irradiances for 15, 30, and 60min under a solar simulator followed by the recovery (8h) under dark, 9 and 100micromolphotonsm(-2)s(-1) of PAR, highlighted the importance of the irradiance level during the recovery period. Regardless the radiation treatments, the highest recovery (both in rate and total Y) was found at a PAR irradiance of 9micromolphotonsm(-2)s(-1), while the lowest was observed at 100micromolphotonsm(-2)s(-1). In all experiments, PAR was responsible for most of the observed inhibition; nevertheless, the cells exposed only to PAR had the highest recovery in any condition, as compared to the other radiation treatments. In long-term experiments (10 days) using semi-continuous cultures, there was a significant increase of UV-absorbing compounds (UV(abc)) per cell from 1.2 to >4x10(-6)microgUV(abc)cell(-1) during the first 3-5 days of exposure to solar radiation. The highest concentration of UV(abc) was found in samples exposed in the PAB as compared to PA and P treatments. Growth rates (mu) mimic the behavior of UV-absorbing compounds, and during the first 5 days mu increased from <0.2 to ca. 0.8, and stayed relatively constant at this value during the rest of the experiment. The inhibition of the Y decreased with increasing acclimation of cells. All our data indicates that H. akashiwo is a sensitive species, but was able acclimate relatively fast (3-5 days) synthesizing UV-absorbing compounds and thus reducing any impact either on photosystem II or on growth.

Chlorophyll↗

Microbial modulation in the biomass and toxin production of a red-tide causing alga.

The effect of S10, a strain of marine bacteria isolated from sediment in the Western Xiamen Sea, on the growth and paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) production in the alga Alexandrium tamarense (A. tamarense) was studied under controlled experimental conditions. The results of these experiments have shown that the growth of A. tamarense is obviously inhibited by S10 at high concentrations, however no evident effect on its growth was observed at low concentrations. Its PSP production was also inhibited by S10 at different concentrations, especially at low concentrations. The toxicity of this strain of A. tamarense is about (0.95-12.14) x 10(-6) MU/cell, a peak toxicity value of 12.14 x 10(-6) MU/cell appeared on the 14th day, after which levels decreased gradually. The alga grew well in conditions of pH 6-8 and salinities of 20-34 per thousand. The toxicity of the alga varied markedly at different pH and salinity levels. Toxicity decreased as pH increased, while it increased with salinity and reached a peak value at a salinity of 30 per thousand, after which it declined gradually. S10 at a concentration of 1.02 x 10(9) cells/ml inhibited growth and the PSP production of A. tamarense at different pH and salinity levels. S10 had the strongest inhibitory function on the growth of A. tamarense under conditions of pH 7 and a salinity of 34 per thousand. The best inhibitory effect on PSP production by A. tamarense was at pH 7, this inhibitory effect on PSP production did not relate to salinity. Interactions between marine bacteria and A. tamarense were also investigated using the flow cytometer technique (FCM) as well as direct microscope counting. S10 was identified as being a member of the genus Bacillus, the difference in 16S rDNA between S10 and Bacillus halmapalus was only 2%. The mechanism involved in the inhibition of growth and PSP production of A. tamarense by this strain of marine bacteria, and the prospect of using it and other marine bacteria in the bio-control of red-tides was discussed.

Animals↗