Faunistic Composition, Ecological Properties and Zoogeographical Composition of the Family Elateridae (Coleoptera) of the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey

The focus of this study was to understand the faunistic composition, ecological properties and zoogeographical composition of Elateridae (Coleoptera) of the Central Anatolian region. 72 species belonging to seven subfamilies and 25 genera were identified. The major part of the Elateridae fauna of the Central Anatolian region is formed by the subfamilies Elaterinae and Cardiophorinae. The genus Cardiophorus was the most species-rich genus. The species composition of the Elateridae fauna of the Central Anatolian region is partially consistent with known Elateridae fauna of Turkey. The Central Anatolian region shares most species with the European part of the Western Palaearctic as does the Elateridae fauna of Turkey. Detailed localities of nine species are given for the first time for Turkey, with emphasis on the Central Anatolian region

Estación Experimental de Aula Dei. Memoria anual 2014

67 Pags.Esta memoria recoge la actividad científica de la Estación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD-CSIC) durante el año 2014, conteniendo información específica sobre las siguientes actividades de la EEAD-CSIC: Publicaciones (ISI y no ISI; Actas de congresos; Libros y Capítulos de Libro), Transferencia tecnológica, Tesis, Congresos, Cursos, Seminarios, Estancias, Actividades de cultura científica, Eventos. Incluye, además, un informe de financiación, directorio del personal en activo durante el año y tabla-resumen de las estadísticas relacionadas con los procesos técnicos y servicios de la Unidad Técnica de Biblioteca y Documentación.Peer reviewe

Alterations in Energy/Redox Metabolism Induced by Mitochondrial and Environmental Toxins: A Specific Role for Glucose-6-Phosphate-Dehydrogenase and the Pentose Phosphate Pathway in Paraquat Toxicity

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a multifactorial disorder with a complex etiology including genetic risk factors, environmental exposures, and aging. While energy failure and oxidative stress have largely been associated with the loss of dopaminergic cells in PD and the toxicity induced by mitochondrial/environmental toxins, very little is known regarding the alterations in energy metabolism associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and their causative role in cell death progression. In this study, we investigated the alterations in the energy/redox-metabolome in dopaminergic cells exposed to environmental/mitochondrial toxins (paraquat, rotenone, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium [MPP+], and 6-hydroxydopamine [6-OHDA]) in order to identify common and/or different mechanisms of toxicity. A combined metabolomics approach using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and direct-infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DI-ESI-MS) was used to identify unique metabolic profile changes in response to these neurotoxins. Paraquat exposure induced the most profound alterations in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) metabolome. 13C-glucose flux analysis corroborated that PPP metabolites such as glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, glucono-1,5-lactone, and erythrose-4-phosphate were increased by paraquat treatment, which was paralleled by inhibition of glycolysis and the TCA cycle. Proteomic analysis also found an increase in the expression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), which supplies reducing equivalents by regenerating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) levels. Overexpression of G6PD selectively increased paraquat toxicity, while its inhibition with 6-aminonicotinamide inhibited paraquat-induced oxidative stress and cell death. These results suggest that paraquat “hijacks” the PPP to increase NADPH reducing equivalents and stimulate paraquat redox cycling, oxidative stress, and cell death. Our study clearly demonstrates that alterations in energy metabolism, which are specific for distinct mitochondiral/environmental toxins, are not bystanders to energy failure but also contribute significant to cell death progression

Assessment of metabolic changes in the striatum of a rat model of parkinsonism: An in vivo 1H MRS study

Degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta in Parkinson's disease induces an abnormal activation of the glutamatergic neurotransmission system within the basal ganglia network and related structures. The aim of this study was to use proton MRS to show metabolic changes in the striatum of 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats, a rodent animal model of Parkinson's disease. Animals were examined before and after extensive lesioning of the nigral dopaminergic neurons and after acute administration of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. No significant alterations in glutamate concentrations, assessed by the MR signal dominated by glutamate with minor contributions from glutamine and γ-aminobutyric acid, could be measured. The total choline/total creatine ratio was found to be reduced in the striatum of the ipsilateral hemisphere. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Contribution à l'étude des coléoptères de Guyane : tome 8

This paper analyzes the Coleoptera part of the first global checklist of insects from French Guiana, up to the end of 2013, published online in the French species database TAXREF (http://inpn.mnhn.fr). We describe the level of knowledge by family, the pace of description and compare it with other insect Orders. We also focus on characterizing the patterns in the taxonomical work currently concerning this beetles fauna. Excluding erroneous or dubious records, 5 830 species of Coleoptera are reported in 1852 genera belonging to 71 families. Currently at least 28% of the species are only known from French Guiana or from the Guiana shield region. Since Linné, the average rate of description has been of 23 species per year, but it has been increasing recently, reaching 84 species on average these last five years. Based on a sample of recent taxonomic and faunistic articles covering 625 added species for French Guiana, 47% came from new country records and 53% from the description of new species. The rate of faunistic progress (new species or new records) is of about 150 species per year (84 new species + 66 new country records) during the last five years. More than 65% of these faunal novelties came from non-professional entomologists and 73% of the holotypes of new species were collected by amateur entomologists. A rough extrapolation of the potential number of species using two independent methods yields a likely estimate of 28 000 to 29 000 species (overall between 20 000 and 39 000). Therefore, between 70 and 80% of the species remains to be recorded and, in a best-case scenario, at least 100 years would be needed to achieve a complete biotic survey. Although no family is exhaustively inventoried, the most popular ones are the best studied (Longhorns, Scarabs and Tiger beetles). The most in need of study are the largest families that have fewer taxonomists focusing on them (e.g. Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae and Staphylinidae) and the numerous small families which received no particular attention. These results and the fundamental role played by non-professional entomologists in collecting and describing species are discussed to explain why, unlike the general worldwide trend, there is no decline in beetles taxonomy concerning French Guiana