Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Haiyan Wu, Balakrishnan Prithiviraj, Zhijun Tan
Summary: This study evaluated the neurotoxicity and chronic toxicology of Saxitoxin (STX) on Caenorhabditis elegans. It found that STX does not cause lethal effects on the worms but does induce substantial oxidative stress, with a dose-responsive relationship. The lifespan, productivity, and body size of the worms were all influenced by STX exposure.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sebastian Hoess, Marie-Theres Rauchschwalbe, Hendrik Fueser, Walter Traunspurger
Summary: The effects of 1-μm polystyrene (PS) beads on the reproduction of Caenorhabditis elegans in freshwater sediments were studied using a standardized protocol for toxicity testing. The results showed that the body burdens of PS beads in the nematodes differed between sediments, but not significantly. The ECx-values for C. elegans' reproduction varied among different sediments and were higher than values reported for water exposure, indicating that microplastic reduces food availability and affects reproduction in benthic ecosystems.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rong Zhou, Ru Liu, Weixin Li, Yixuan Wang, Xiang Wan, Ninghui Song, Yue Yu, Jiaming Xu, Yuanqing Bu, Aiguo Zhang
Summary: The study revealed that the toxic effects of atrazine on Caenorhabditis elegans were concentration-dependent, leading to changes in body length, lifespan, intestinal ROS levels, locomotion behavior, and brood size. Additionally, atrazine may influence the biological activities of nematodes by modulating the mtUPR pathway.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gefei Huang, Yiming Ma, Dongying Xie, Cunmin Zhao, Lin Zhu, Guangshan Xie, Pengfei Wu, Wei Wang, Zhongying Zhao, Zongwei Cai
Summary: Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to ecosystems. While the adverse effects of microplastics have been extensively studied, the toxicity of nanoplastics remains unclear, particularly at the protein level. This study used quantitative proteomics to investigate the proteome dynamics in a soil nematode exposed to 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs). The results showed that exposure to PS-NPs led to differential expression of proteins related to various cellular processes, and these changes were consistent with the observed phenotypic defects. Overall, this study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicity of nanoplastics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tong Pan, Elizabeth A. Ronan, X. Z. Shawn Xu
Summary: A new study shows that the heat-sensing neuron AFD is responsible for attracting the parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis to human body heat, using unknown neural mechanisms. Interestingly, this same neuron also plays a role in thermotaxis in the nematode C. elegans.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Dan Su, Liangming Chen, Xiaohao Du, Mei Liu, Long Jin
Summary: The nematode connectome neural network (NCNN) is a modified convolutional neural network structure that uses the connectome of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as the connection pattern. It improves the accuracy and computational efficiency of image classification. Experimental results on multiple datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed NCNN model.
APPLIED SOFT COMPUTING
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Satish Kumar Rajasekharan, Chaitany Jayprakash Raorane, Jintae Lee
Summary: This study presents a straightforward, rapid, eco-friendly, and efficient method for isolating nematode eggs and synchronizing nematode stages. The method involves using bacterial or fungal feed chunks to lure nematodes, and then gently washing the consumed feed to collect the eggs. The protocol proves to be a reliable, simple means of separating eggs from adults and inducing the synchronization of nematodes.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Nicholas Osborne, Charles Leahy, Yoon-Kwang Lee, Paula Rote, Byoung-Joon Song, James P. Hardwick
Summary: Fatty acids play a vital role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and influencing various cellular processes. The CYP4 Omega hydroxylase gene family metabolizes different types of fatty acids. The CYP4V2 gene is important in the progression of metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Nakul Sridhar, Apresio Kefin Fajrial, Rachel L. Doser, Frederic J. Hoerndli, Xiaoyun Ding
Summary: Caenorhabditis elegans is an important genetic model for neuroscience studies, but most studies are limited in obtaining both high-resolution microscopy imaging and behavior analysis in the same set of animals. In this paper, a novel microfluidic device using surface acoustic waves is presented to temporarily immobilize worms, allowing for non-invasive analysis of behavior and high-resolution imaging. This device enables longitudinal analysis of animal motility and subcellular morphological changes during development and aging.
Article
Neurosciences
Adam J. Iliff, Can Wang, Elizabeth A. Ronan, Alison E. Hake, Yuling Guo, Xia Li, Xinxing Zhang, Maohua Zheng, Jianfeng Liu, Karl Grosh, R. Keith Duncan, X. Z. Shawn Xu
Summary: The ability to sense airborne sound extends beyond vertebrates and arthropods to include invertebrates as well, suggesting convergent evolution of auditory capabilities in the animal kingdom. The discovery challenges the conventional view that invertebrates are insensitive to sound and highlights the unexpected role of nAChRs in mechanosensation. Animals without ears should not be automatically presumed to be sound insensitive.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Weiwei Sun, Han Liu, Aijun Qiao, Ting Jiang, Jianghui Li, Long Wang, Ling Yang, Huicong Huang, Xiumei Yan, Baolong Yan
Summary: The study found that certain environmental pollutants induce the accumulation of a specific protein in nematodes, forming "rod-like" structures that can be used to evaluate the toxicity of environmental contaminants. By generating transgenic nematodes, this monitoring method can be implemented more conveniently.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rotimi Yemi Fasimoye, Rosie Elizabeth Barker Spencer, Eva Soto-Martin, Peter Eijlers, Haitem Elmassoudi, Sarah Brivio, Carolina Mangana, Viktorija Sabele, Radoslava Rechtorikova, Marius Wenzel, Bernadette Connolly, Jonathan Pettitt, Berndt Mueller
Summary: Spliced leader trans-splicing is essential for gene expression in many eukaryotes. This study characterizes the molecules associated with Caenorhabditis elegans major spliced leader snRNP (SL1 snRNP) and identifies a novel protein, SNA-3, that is involved in SL1 trans-splicing. SNA-3 interacts with other factors involved in RNA metabolism and may play a role in coordinating trans-splicing with target pre-mRNA transcription or in the processing of the trans-splicing reaction product.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Anum Bashir, Yu Sun, Xun Yu, Xiaowen Sun, Lin Li
Summary: The study identified specific nematicidal activities of PrpF03 protein in Pseudomonas syringae, which showed lethal effects on Caenorhabditis elegans. PrpF03 was found to block the circulation of the 2-methyl citrate cycle in C. elegans, leading to gut damage and ultimately killing the nematode. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of phytopathogenic P. syringae against nematodes and could potentially help in developing nematode pest control agents in agriculture.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Catia Igreja, Tobias Loschko, Alejandra Schaefer, Radhika Sharma, Shiela Pearl Quiobe, Elbin Aloshy, Hanh Witte, Ralf J. Sommer
Summary: The detection, manipulation and purification of proteins are crucial in modern life sciences studies. The introduction of the ALFA-tag provides a novel epitope tag for nematode research with a wide range of applications, such as super-resolution microscopy and immunoprecipitation. This study successfully demonstrates the utilization of ALFA-tagging in nematode model organisms, leading to high-resolution protein expression and successful pulldown experiments.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Claudia P. Gonzalez-Hunt, Anthony L. Luz, Ian T. Ryde, Elena A. Turner, Olga R. Ilkayeva, Dhaval P. Bhatt, Matthew D. Hirschey, Joel N. Meyer
Summary: The study found that young adult Caenorhabditis elegans showed resistance to rotenone exposure for 24 and 48 hours, with upregulation of mitochondrial complexes II and V. Results indicated that exposure to rotenone induced the glyoxylate pathway in C. elegans, along with metabolic restructuring of cellular bioenergetic pathways.
Article
Neurosciences
Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro, Marcell Valandro Soares, Aline Franzen da Silva, Marina Lopes Machado, Fabiane Bicca Obetine Baptista, Tassia Limana da Silveira, Leticia Priscilla Arantes, Felix Alexandre Antunes Soares
Summary: The study showed that rutin can maintain the function of neurons and reduce degeneration in a Huntington's disease model. Rutin may achieve this by regulating antioxidant enzymes and other chaperones, demonstrating its potential neuroprotective role.
NUTRITIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Guilherme F. Marchezini, Anisio M. Lacerda, Gisele L. Pappa, Wagner Meira, Debora Miranda, Marco A. Romano-Silva, Danielle S. Costa, Leandro Malloy Diniz
Summary: This paper proposes a new framework for modeling counterfactual reasoning in scenarios with latent variables. The framework utilizes multivariate regression and considers both observed and latent variables to provide deterministic answers to counterfactual queries. Experimental results show that the model learns individual factors that align with counterfactual queries supported by medical literature.
DATA MINING AND KNOWLEDGE DISCOVERY
(2022)
Review
Psychology, Developmental
Renata Maria Silva Santos, Camila Guimaraes Mendes, Debora Marques Miranda, Marco Aurelio Romano-Silva
Summary: This review aimed to understand the association between screen time and attention of children with typical development. Most studies found associations between screen time and attention in children, with only one study reporting that children with more screen time performed better in an attention task. The findings suggest that exposure to excessive screen time in children can be associated with attention problems.
DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcell Valandro Soares, Juliana Mesadri, Debora Farina Goncalves, Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro, Aline Franzen da Silva, Fabiane Bicca Obetine Baptista, Roger Wagner, Cristiane Lenz Dalla Corte, Felix Alexandre Antunes Soares, Daiana Silva Avila
Summary: The study investigated the neurotoxic effects of toluene using a Caenorhabditis elegans model, finding a reduction in neuron fluorescence and morphologic alterations, especially in dopaminergic neurons, after exposure to toluene. The study also suggested that mitochondria may be involved in toluene-induced neurotoxicity, leading to irreversible dopaminergic neuronal death and neurobehavioral impairments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gustavo Richter Vaz, Mariana Correa Falkembach Carrasco, Matheus Monteiro Batista, Paula Alice Bezerra Barros, Meliza da Conceicao Oliveira, Ana Luiza Muccillo-Baisch, Virginia Campello Yurgel, Francesca Buttini, Felix Alexandre Antunes Soares, Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro, Flavia Fachel, Helder Ferreira Teixeira, Juliana Bidone, Patricia Diaz de Oliveira, Fabio Sonvico, Cristiana Lima Dora
Summary: This study developed omega-3 fatty acid nanoemulsions loaded with CUR and QU for the treatment of brain diseases. The formulations prepared by two different methods exhibited good stability and similar incorporation of CUR and QU. High-pressure homogenization (HPH) was found to be advantageous, and the obtained CQ NE showed potential for sustained release. Toxicity studies showed that the formulations were not toxic for Caenorhabditis elegans. The developed omega-3 fatty acid nanoemulsions have the potential to enhance the nose-to-brain permeation of CUR and QU for improved treatment efficacy.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
P. C. Stibbe, L. B. Ianiski, C. Weiblen, A. F. Maciel, M. L. Machado, T. L. da Silveira, F. A. A. Soares, J. M. Santurio, M. P. Soares, D. I. B. Pereira, L. A. Sangioni, S. de Avila Botton
Summary: The objective of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effects and toxicity of agricultural fungicides mefenoxam and pyraclostrobin against Pythium insidiosum. The results showed that both compounds had inhibitory effects on the pathogenic oomycete without causing toxicity in vitro and in vivo models. Further studies on pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and pharmacological interactions are necessary for evaluating their potential use in the clinical management of pythiosis.
LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Debora F. Goncalves, Tamie Duarte, Joao V. P. Foletto, Leahn R. Senger, Nilda B. V. Brabosa, Felix A. A. Soares, Cristiane L. Dalla Corte
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by movement disorders and loss of dopaminergic neurons. Mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular energy imbalance are common markers found in PD. This study used a fruit fly model to investigate the changes in energetic pathways and mitochondrial functions during aging in a PD model.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jonas Jardim de Paula, Rachel E. R. P. Paiva, Nathalia Gualberto Souza-Silva, Daniela Valadao Rosa, Fabio Luis de Souza Duran, Roney Santos Coimbra, Danielle de Souza Costa, Pedro Robles Dutenhefner, Henrique Soares Dutra Oliveira, Sarah Teixeira Camargos, Herika Martins Mendes Vasconcelos, Nara de Oliveira Carvalho, Juliana Batista da Silva, Marina Bicalho Silveira, Carlos Malamut, Derick Matheus Oliveira, Luiz Carlos Molinari, Danilo Bretas de Oliveira, Jose Nelio Januario, Luciana Costa Silva, Luiz Armando De Marco, Dulciene Maria de Magalhaes Queiroz, Wagner Meira, Geraldo Busatto, Debora Marques Miranda, Marco Aurelio Romano-Silva
Summary: People recovered from mild COVID-19 may experience respiratory and neurological issues, as well as cognitive impairment. A study found that approximately one-quarter of mild COVID-19 individuals exhibited a specific visuoconstructive deficit, which correlated with changes in brain imaging and upregulation of immune markers. These findings suggest that neuroinflammation may contribute to cognitive impairment in a significant portion of the population, highlighting the need for comprehensive assessment and rehabilitation.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Caroline Gurvich, Natalie Thomas, Abdul-Rahman Hudaib, Tamsyn E. Van Rheenen, Elizabeth H. X. Thomas, Eric J. Tan, Erica Neill, Sean P. Carruthers, Philip J. Sumner, Marco Romano-Silva, Kiymet Bozaoglu, Jayashri Kulkarni, Susan L. Rossell
Summary: This study explores the relationship between cognitive subgroups in bipolar-schizophrenia spectrum disorders and telomere length, and finds that shorter telomeres are associated with the severely impaired cognitive subgroup.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Gabriel Urbanin, Wagner Meira, Alexandre Serpa, Danielle de Souza Costa, Leonardo Baldacara, Ana Paula da Silva, Rafaela Guatimosim, Anisio Mendes Lacerda, Eduardo Araujo Oliveira, Andre Braule, Marco Aurelio Romano-Silva, Antonio Geraldo da Silva, Leandro Malloy-Diniz, Gisele Pappa, Debora Marques Miranda
Summary: Investigated the relationship between social and working characteristics and reports of appropriate protective behavior in Brazil, finding that social determinants have a significant impact on behavior and revealing common patterns of protective behavior. Understanding context determinants helps to identify facilitators and constraints in implementing public policies.
JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thayanara Cruz da Silva, Tassia Limana da Silveira, Luiza Venturini dos Santos, Leticia Priscila Arantes, Rodrigo Pereira Martins, Felix Alexandre Antunes Soares, Cristiane Lenz Dalla Corte
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of adenosine on the behaviors, morphology, survival after stress conditions, and oxidative stress response pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans. The results showed that adenosine modulated the defecation rate, pharyngeal pumping rate, locomotion, and stress response pathways in the worms. Furthermore, adenosine had modulatory effects on oxidative stress response signaling.
NEUROCHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gabrielle Chequer de Castro Paiva, Daniel Augusto Ferreira e Santos, Julia Silva Jales, Marco Aurelio Romano-Silva, Debora Marques de Miranda
Summary: This clinical trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online parent training model as a complementary treatment for ADHD and ODD. The study will compare the effects of standard care, face-to-face parent training, and online parent training on externalizing symptoms, quality of life, parental stress, and parenting style. The trial intends to verify the feasibility of this new online intervention model in the Brazilian context.
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jonas J. de Paula, Fabio L. S. Duran, Geraldo Busatto, Debora M. Miranda, Marco A. Romano-Silva
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Aline Franzen da Silva, Larissa Marafiga Cordeiro, Marcell Vallandro Soares, Danielle Coradini Zamberlan, Fabiane Bicca Obetine Baptista, Tassia Limana da Silveira, Marina Lopes Machado, Leticia Priscilla Arantes, Yanier Nunez-Figueredo, Estael Ochoa Rodriguez, Felix Alexandre Antunes Soares
Summary: A new multi-target molecule, JM-20, has been discovered with potential neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anxiolytic activity. Studies using a C. elegans model have shown that JM-20 affects worm development and behavior, potentially through modulation of the GABAergic system.
Article
Rehabilitation
Lidiane Aparecida Fernandes, Marco Aurelio Romano-Silva, Lucas Savassi Figueiredo, Juliana Otoni Parma, Tercio Apolinario-Souza, Guilherme Menezes Lage
Summary: Differences in motor performance between hands are related to inhibitory connections between homologous parts of the cerebral hemispheres, and modulation of the dominant and non-dominant primary motor cortex can alter manual performance asymmetries.