Contribution of Lianas to Plant Area Index and Canopy Structure in A Panamanian Forest

Lianas are an important component of tropical forests, where they reduce tree growth, fecundity, and survival. Competition for light from lianas may be intense; however, the amount of light that lianas intercept is poorly understood. We used a large-scale liana-removal experiment to quantify light interception by lianas in a Panamanian secondary forest. We measured the change in plant area index (PAI) and forest structure before and after cutting lianas (for 4 yr) in eight 80 m × 80 m plots and eight control plots (16 plots total). We used ground-based LiDAR to measure the 3-dimensional canopy structure before cutting lianas, and then annually for 2 yr afterwards. Six weeks after cutting lianas, mean plot PAI was 20% higher in control vs. liana removal plots. One yr after cutting lianas, mean plot PAI was ~17% higher in control plots. The differences between treatments diminished significantly 2 yr after liana cutting and, after 4 yr, trees had fully compensated for liana removal. Ground-based LiDAR revealed that lianas attenuated light in the upper- and middle-forest canopy layers, and not only in the upper canopy as was previously suspected. Thus, lianas compete with trees by intercepting light in the upper- and mid-canopy of this forest

Estudio del pleuston y bafon de las lagunas de Chascomus y Yalca

Se estudia la mesofauna asociada a la vegetación flotante y sumergida en las lagunas del epígrafe, realizándose un análisis cuali y cuantitativo de la misma y del sustrato, así como también su variación estacional. Se describe el método utilizado en la obtención de las muestras y extracción de la mesofauna, así como también se pone de manifiesto el criterio seguido para la selección de las “asociaciones vegetales” que sirven de sustrato a la fauna en cuestión. Tres asociaciones flotantes fueron seleccionadas y se individualizaron con el nombre de la especie dominante: Ricciocarpus natans; Azolla filiculoides y Salvinia rotundi- folia; siendo dos las sumergidas: Ceratophyllum demersum y Potamogetón striatus. Se describe cada asociación respecto de su extensión, permanencia y fluctuaciones a lo largo de un año calendario, así como también se da a conocer la lista de presencias de las distintas taxias discriminadas por asociación. Se analizan los pleustontes y bafontes de cada asociación, y sus posibles relaciones interespecíficas y con el sustrato, demostrándose la existencia de especies caracterizantes en cada uno de los mismos, siendo algunas exclusivas; se analizan, además, mediante correlaciones, las relaciones predator-presa y animal sustrato en cada asociación. La aplicación del índice de diversidad específica pone de manifiesto la madurez de las distintas asociaciones flotantes consideradas y la mayor o menor influencia del sustrato como elemento morigerador de los agentes externos en relación con el ciclo anual de los componentes de su mesofauna, evidenciándose en dos de ellos un comportamiento estacional similar al del plancton. De las consideraciones de estas poblaciones y sus relaciones con el ambiente acuático se propone dividir al pleuoton en: eupleuston y hemipleuston y un extrapleuston: pseudopleuston.In the Chascomús and Yalca lagoons, the mesofauna associated with floating and submerged vegetation was studied through a cualitative- quantitative analysis which also included the substratum and the seasonal variations. After a description of the sampling technique employed and the method of extraction of mesofauna, there follow-s an explanation of the criterium adopted in selecting the “vegetable associations’’ which act as a subtratum for the analysed fauna. Three floating associations each named after the dominant species, were selected: Ricciocarpus natans, Azolla filiculoides and Salvinia rotundifolia; two submerged associations were also studied: Ceratophillum demersum and Potamogetón stria- tus. Each association is described in relation to extensión, permanency and fluctuation through a whole calender year, and a list of presences of different taxias discriminated by association is presented. In each association an analysis of the “pleustontes” and ‘ bafontes” and of their interespecific relations as well as those related to the substratum, which have shown the existence of species characteristic of each substratum, some of them exclusive. Furthermore, through correlations, each association was determined the relationships predator-prey and animal-substratum. The application of the “Índex of specific diversity” has shown the maturity of the different floating associations and the greater or lesser influence of the substratum as a moderating element of external agents related to annual cycle of the constituents in the meso- fauna. In two of them a seasonal behavior, similar to that of plankton, has been evinced. From a consideration of these populations and their relation-ships to the acqueos environmets, it is proposed to divide pleuston into: eupleuston, hemipleuston and a extrapleuston: pseudopleuston

Estudio ecológico sobre una población domiciliaria de Triatoma infestans klug de la Provincia Biogeográfica Chaqueña

A typical country house located in an endemic chagasic area (La Batea, Córdoba,Argentina), was completely demolished on order lo look primarily upon the numerical level achieved by triatomines population as well as to establish distribution patterns and habitat preference. Furthermore, some emergent population parameters and attributes were studied, such as density, fecundity, age, structure and sex ratio. Triatoma infestans was the only well established resident population species in thedomestic boundary, even though very few individuals belonging to the congeneric T. guasayana were detected in coexistence with the former species. A low degree of egg's parasitism by microhymenoptera was found. Ninety six sample units were taken during demolition in the bedroom’s walls in ordor to count number of eggs per unit and calculation of a dispersión index. Three removal methods for relative estimates were tested before the demolition took place, which were compared with values obtained from direct counting while demolition. Our results show a high degree of crowding and different habitat preference fornymphs, adults and oviposition microhabitats. T. infestaos population seems to be still well below the carrying capacity of the environment. The use of a feeding index, to calculate number of bites per day and person, required to satisfy “vinchucas” feeding needs, alowed us to postulate T. infestaos domestic population haven't yet developed an intensive intraspecific competition. This is so because the studied population would be undergoing an expansión stage of growing.A typical country house located in an endemic chagasic area (La Batea, Córdoba,Argentina), was completely demolished on order lo look primarily upon the numerical level achieved by triatomines population as well as to establish distribution patterns and habitat preference. Furthermore, some emergent population parameters and attributes were studied, such as density, fecundity, age, structure and sex ratio. Triatoma infestans was the only well established resident population species in thedomestic boundary, even though very few individuals belonging to the congeneric T. guasayana were detected in coexistence with the former species. A low degree of egg's parasitism by microhymenoptera was found. Ninety six sample units were taken during demolition in the bedroom’s walls in ordor to count number of eggs per unit and calculation of a dispersión index. Three removal methods for relative estimates were tested before the demolition took place, which were compared with values obtained from direct counting while demolition. Our results show a high degree of crowding and different habitat preference fornymphs, adults and oviposition microhabitats. T. infestaos population seems to be still well below the carrying capacity of the environment. The use of a feeding index, to calculate number of bites per day and person, required to satisfy “vinchucas” feeding needs, alowed us to postulate T. infestaos domestic population haven't yet developed an intensive intraspecific competition. This is so because the studied population would be undergoing an expansión stage of growing

Categorización de los énfasis de los proyectos de investigación en malaria financiados por Colciencias durante 1995-2005

Objetivo Identificar los principales objetivos y énfasis de los proyectos de investigación en malaria financiada por Colciencias entre 1995 y 2005.Métodos Para la identificación del énfasis de los proyectos de investigación en malaria se utilizó el sistema de clasificación en investigación en salud desarrollado por la Colaboración de Investigación Clínica de Gran Bretaña: “Health Research Classification System” (HRCS).Resultados Se encontró que la investigación en malaria durante este periodo tiene énfasis en determinantes y causas, las principales ciudades beneficiadas con la financiación de proyectos de investigación en malaria son instituciones pertenecientes a Bogotá, Medellín y Cali.Conclusiones Estos proyectos permitieron el fortalecimiento en núcleos de investigación en malaria en las líneas de biología molecular, producción de vacunas, identificación de resistencia a antimaláricos y estudios relacionados con el cambio climático; algunos de sus resultados con capacidad de afectar políticas en malaria y formación de recurso humano.Objective To identify the main focus of research projects on malaria funded by Colciencias between 1995 and 2005.Methodology The Health Research Classification System (HRCS), developed by The UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC), was used for identifying the emphasis of research works on Malaria.Results During this period, research on malaria was mainly directed to etiology; the main cities benefited by the funding of research projects on malaria are institutions from Bogotá, Medellín and Cali.Conclusions These type of projects improve the strengthening of malaria research centers in areas such as molecular biology, production of vaccines, identification of resistance to antimalarial treatment, and climate change; some of the results obtained can affect policies and training of human resources on malaria

Symbiosis, Parasitism and Bilingual Cognitive Control: A Neuroemergentist Perspective

Interest in the intersection between bilingualism and cognitive control and accessibility to neuroimaging methods has resulted in numerous studies with a variety of interpretations of the bilingual cognitive advantage. Neurocomputational Emergentism (or Neuroemergentism for short) is a new framework for understanding this relationship between bilingualism and cognitive control. This framework considers Emergence, in which two small elements are recombined in an interactive manner, yielding a non-linear effect. Added to this is the notion that Emergence can be captured in neural systems using computationally inspired models. This review poses that bilingualism and cognitive control, as examined through the Neuroemergentist framework, are interwoven through development and involve the non-linear growth of cognitive processing encompassing brain areas that combine and recombine, in symbiotic and parasitic ways, in order to handle more complex types of processing. The models that have sought to explain the neural substrates of bilingual cognitive differences will be discussed with a reinterpretation of the entire bilingual cognitive advantage within a Neuroemergentist framework incorporating its neural bases. It will conclude by discussing how this new Neuroemergentist approach alters our view of the effects of language experience on cognitive control. Avenues to move beyond the simple notion of a bilingual advantage or lack thereof will be proposed

Significant reduction in abundance of peridomestic mosquitoes (Culicidae) and Culicoides midges (Ceratopogonidae) after chemical intervention in western São Paulo, Brazil

Background: We assessed the impact of two sand fly insecticide interventions (insecticide spraying and insecticide-impregnated dog collars) on the peridomestic abundance and distribution of mosquitoes (Culicidae) and biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) in western São Paulo (Brazil) in a long-term (42-month) evaluation. Both of these dipteran groups are vectors of diseases of medical and veterinary relevance to humans and domestic animals in Brazil. Methods: The interventions in the 3-arm stratified randomised control trial were: pheromone + insecticide (PI) (chicken roosts were sprayed with microencapsulated lambda-cyhalothrin; pheromone lure has no effect on the Diptera pests studied here); dog-collars (DC) (dogs fitted with deltamethrin-impregnated collars); and control (C) (unexposed to pyrethroids) were extended by 12 months. During that time, adult mosquitoes and midges were sampled along 280 households at three household locations (inside human dwellings, dog sleeping sites and chicken roosts). Results: We collected 3145 culicids (9 genera, 87.6% Culex spp.) distributed relatively uniformly across all 3 arms: 41.9% at chicken roosts; 37.7% inside houses; and 20.3% at dog sleeping sites. We collected 11,464 Culicoides (15 species) found mostly at chicken roosting sites (84.7%) compared with dog sleeping sites (12.9%) or houses (2.4%). Mosquitoes and Culicoides were most abundant during the hot and rainy season. Increased daytime temperature was marginally associated with increased mosquito abundance (Z = 1.97, P = 0.049) and Culicoides abundance (Z = 1.71, P = 0.087). There was no significant association with daily average rainfall for either group. Household-level mosquito and midge numbers were both significantly reduced by the PI intervention 56% [incidence rate ratio, IRR = 0.54 (95% CI: 0.30–0.97), P ≤ 0.05] and 53% [IRR = 0.47 (95% CI: 0.26–0.85), P ≤ 0.05], respectively, compared to the control intervention. The abundance of both dipteran groups at dog sleeping sites was largely unaffected by the PI and DC interventions. The PI intervention significantly reduced abundance of mosquitoes inside houses (41%) and at chicken roosting sites (48%) and reduced midge abundance by 51% in chicken roosting sites. Conclusions: Sprayed insecticide at chicken roosting sites reduced the abundance of mosquitoes and midges at the peridomestic level while dog collars had no effect on numbers for any group

FOXD1 mutations are related to repeated implantation failure, intra-uterine growth restriction and preeclampsia

Background: Human reproductive disorders consist of frequently occurring dysfunctions including a broad range of phenotypes affecting fertility and women's health during pregnancy. Several female-related diseases have been associated with hypofertility/infertility phenotypes, such as recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Other occurring diseases may be life-threatening for the mother and foetus, such as preeclampsia (PE) and intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). FOXD1 was defined as a major molecule involved in embryo implantation in mice and humans by regulating endometrial/placental genes. FOXD1 mutations in human species have been functionally linked to RPL's origin. Methods: FOXD1 gene mutation screening, in 158 patients affected by PE, IUGR, RPL and repeated implantation failure (RIF), by direct sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Plasmid constructs including FOXD1 mutations were used to perform in vitro gene reporter assays. Results: Nine non-synonymous sequence variants were identified. Functional experiments revealed that p.His267Tyr and p.Arg57del led to disturbances of promoter transcriptional activity (C3 and PlGF genes). The FOXD1 p.Ala356Gly and p.Ile364Met deleterious mutations (previously found in RPL patients) have been identified in the present work in women suffering PE and IUGR. Conclusions: Our results argue in favour of FOXD1 mutations' central role in RPL, RIF, IUGR and PE pathogenesis via C3 and PlGF regulation and they describe, for the first time, a functional link between FOXD1 and implantation/placental diseases. FOXD1 could therefore be used in clinical environments as a molecular biomarker for these diseases in the near future. Recurrent pregnancy loss, Preeclampsia, Intra-uterine growth restriction, FOXD1. © 2019 The Author(s)