La bioerosión como indicador paleoecológico: icnoasociación Fossichnus solus Nielsen, Nielsen & Bromley y Oichnus simplex Bromley en la plataforma continental peruana

La sistemática icnofósil a escala macro y sus aplicaciones en las reconstrucciones ecológicas son ampliamente conocidas, pero poco se ha investigado sobre icnofósiles a escala microscópica, sobre todo acerca de trazas fósiles de bioerosión sobre testas de foraminíferos. Sin embargo, investigaciones realizadas en los últimos años han reportado una gran variedad de trazas en foraminíferos, tanto de ambientes antiguos como modernos (Nielsen et al., 2003), destacando la importancia de establecer la icnotaxonomía de estas estructuras de bioerosión como la única forma de poder avanzar en el conocimiento de su génesis y el de sus aplicaciones en las reconstrucciones paleoecológicas. En este trabajo se dan a conocer estructuras de bioerosión en testas de foraminíferos bentónicos en ambientes deficitarios de oxigeno de la plataforma continental peruana. Sedimentos biogénicos y detríticos superficiales del Holoceno reciente (695 años) ubicados frente a la plataforma continental externa frente al Callao, presentan una asociación de foraminíferos bentónicos característicos de zonas de mínima oxigenación, (Gutiérrez et al, 2006. Morales et al, 2006). En esta asociación testas de Bolivina seminuda y Cassidulina limbata entre otras, ocurren a lo largo del testigo con estructuras regulares, simétricas, superficiales y/o profundas que afectan de manera progresiva las diferentes capas de la testa. Ranuras circulares afectan capas superficiales y agujeros circulares a ovalados penetran totalmente la pared, ambas han sido reconocidas como icnofósiles, y parecen ser parte de una actividad orgánica secuencial, las primeras reconocidas como Fossichnus solus Nielsen, Nielsen & Bromley, 2003, probablemente representen el inicio de la actividad predadora y la segunda como Oichnus simplex Bromley, 1981 la predación propiamente dicha. F. solus y O. simplex ocurren entre los 184 y 277 mbnm. Su sistemática, y ambiente son presentados a fin de conocer sobre los procesos que han influido en la distribución e interacción de los organismos que ocasionaron estas trazas. Las muestras estudiadas fueron colectadas en mayo del año 2004 por el IMARPE durante el crucero “Paleo-1” a bordo del BIC José Olaya. Este trabajo ha sido realizado en el marco del Proyecto GR-8 “Geología de la Plataforma continental del Perú” de la Dirección de Geología Regional del INGEMMET y el proyecto PALEOPECES “Registros Oceanográficos de alta resolución en sedimentos laminados de la Zona de Mínimo Oxígeno del Perú Central” del IMARPE

Variation in perceived collective efficacy among adolescent basketball players across 4-month competitive season.

A team shared belief in its capability to organize and execute some actions required to achieve given performance level is referred as collective efficacy. Collective efficacy in sports appears to be dependent on the interactions and organized dynamics between the players within the team, their competences, including physical competence, organization, structure and strategies. It is directly related to team performance potential. In the present study we examined the changes of perceived collective efficacy among young basketball players and 10 to 17 years across a 4-month competitive season, accounting for variation by age group since youth sports are generally organized by competitive age groups. Based on the repeated measures across 4 months in the range of age observed, we explored the trends of perceived collective efficacy among this sample players. Sixty-five adolescent male basketball players aged 13,7 (9,5 to 17,3) years at baseline were considered. Collective Efficacy Questionnaire for Sports (CEQS) was used to assess players´ perception of collective efficacy. The adolescent basketball players had high CEQS scores. Except for persistence, all CEQS factors did not vary by age group. However, no distinct trend of differences between age group was present. The CEQS factors remained high after 4-months competitive season exposure, except for ability where there was a systematic decrease for players scores at end-season.  A negative trend of change was apparent for persistence, preparation and unity as players were closer to late adolescence years. The results in this study highlight the importance for coaches and practitioners to consider environment and context influence on young basketball players´ collective efficacy perception.La creencia compartida de un equipo en su capacidad de organización y ejecución de acciones necesarias para alcanzar datos niveles de desempeño es referida como eficacia colectiva. La eficacia colectiva en el deporte parece depender de interacciones y dinámicas organizadas entre jugadores dentro de un equipo, sus competencias, incluyendo habilidades físicas, organización, estructura y estrategias. Está directamente relacionada con el potencial de rendimiento del equipo. En el presente estudio, examinamos los cambios en la eficacia colectiva percibida entre jóvenes jugadores de baloncesto de 10 a 17 años en cuatro meses de la temporada de competición, considerando la variación por grupo de edad así como generalmente las competiciones de jóvenes se organizan. Basado en medidas repetidas en cuatro meses en la amplitud de las edades observadas, exploramos las tendencias de la eficacia colectiva percibida entre los jugadores de esa muestra. Sesenta y cinco adolescentes jugadores de baloncesto del sexo masculino, con edad de 13,7 (9,5 a 17,3) años en la primera colecta fueron considerados. El Cuestionario de Eficacia Colectiva en los Deportes (CEQS) fue utilizado para medir la percepción de eficacia colectiva de los jugadores. Los jugadores tuvieron altas puntuaciones en el CEQS. Con excepción de la persistencia, todos los factores del CEQS no variaron de acuerdo con el grupo de edad. Sin embargo, ninguna tendencia distinta entre los grupos estuvo presente. Los factores del CEQS permanecieron elevados después de cuatro meses de exposición a la temporada competitiva, excepto por la habilidad donde hubo un descenso sistemático para las puntuaciones de los jugadores al final de la temporada. Una tendencia negativa de alteración fue aparente para persistencia, preparación y unión cuando jugadores estaban cerca de los últimos años de la adolescencia. Los resultados de este estudio destacan la importancia para los entrenadores y técnicos considerar el ambiente y la influencia del contexto en la percepción de eficacia colectiva en adolescentes jugadores de baloncesto.A crença compartilhada de uma equipe em sua capacidade de organização e execução de ações necessárias para atingirem dados níveis de desempenho é referida como eficácia coletiva. A eficácia coletiva no esporte parece ser dependente de interações e dinâmicas organizadas entre jogadores dentro de uma equipe, suas competências, incluindo competências físicas, organização, estrutura e estratégias. Está diretamente relacionada ao potencial de desempenho da equipe. No presente estudo, examinamos as alterações na eficácia coletiva percebida entre jovens jogadores de basquetebol de 10 a 17 anos em quatro meses da temporada de competição, considerando a variação por grupo etário assim como geralmente as competições de jovens são organizadas. Baseado em medidas repetidas em quatro meses na amplitude das idades observadas, exploramos as tendências da eficácia coletiva percebida entre os jogadores dessa amostra. Sessenta e cinco adolescentes jogadores de basquetebol do sexo masculino, com idade de 13,7 (9,5 a 17,3) anos na primeira coleta foram considerados. O Questionário de Eficácia Coletiva nos Esportes (CEQS) foi utilizado para mensurar a percepção de eficácia coletiva dos jogadores. Os jogadores tiveram altas pontuações no CEQS. Com exceção da persistência, todos os fatores do CEQS não variaram de acordo com o grupo etário. Contudo, nenhuma tendência distinta entre os grupos esteve presente. Os fatores do CEQS permaneceram elevados após quatro meses de exposição à temporada competitiva, exceto pela habilidade onde houve um decréscimo sistemático para as pontuações dos jogadores no final da temporada. Uma tendência negativa de alteração foi aparente para persistência, preparação e união quando jogadores estavam próximos dos últimos anos da adolescência. Os resultados desse estudo destacam a importância para treinadores e técnicos considerarem o ambiente e a influência do contexto na percepção de eficácia coletiva em adolescentes jogadores de basquetebol

Foraminifera as health bioindicators in nearshore and offshore Brazilian coral reef sediments

Abstrac

Foraminifera on coral reefs of Brazil: the FOCO project

Abstrac

Polypodium leucotomos targets multiple aspects of oral carcinogenesis and it is a potential antitumor phytotherapy against tongue cancer growth

Peer reviewe

Treetop: A Shiny-based application and R package for extracting forest information from LiDAR data for ecologists and conservationists

Individual tree detection (ITD) and crown delineation are two of the most relevant methods for extracting detailed and reliable forest information from LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) datasets. However, advanced computational skills and specialized knowledge have been normally required to extract forest information from LiDAR.The development of accessible tools for 3D forest characterization can facilitate rapid assessment by stakeholders lacking a remote sensing background, thus fostering the practical use of LiDAR datasets in forest ecology and conservation. This paper introduces the treetop application, an open-source web-based and R package LiDAR analysis tool for extracting forest structural information at the tree level, including cutting-edge analyses of properties related to forest ecology and management.We provide case studies of how treetop can be used for different ecological applications, within various forest ecosystems. Specifically, treetop was employed to assess post-hurricane disturbance in natural temperate forests, forest homogeneity in industrial forest plantations and the spatial distribution of individual trees in a tropical forest.treetop simplifies the extraction of relevant forest information for forest ecologists and conservationists who may use the tool to easily visualize tree positions and sizes, conduct complex analyses and download results including individual tree lists and figures summarizing forest structural properties. Through this open-source approach, treetop can foster the practical use of LiDAR data among forest conservation and management stakeholders and help ecological researchers to further understand the relationships between forest structure and function.The authors thank Nicholas L. Crookston for co‐developing the web‐LiDAR treetop tool, and the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions on the first version of the manuscript. This study is based on the work supported by the Department of Defence Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) under grants No. RC‐2243, RC19‐1064 and RC20‐1346 and USDA Forest Service (grand No. PRO00031122

Polypodium leucotomos targets multiple aspects of oral carcinogenesis and it is a potential antitumor phytotherapy against tongue cancer growth

Introduction: Oral cancer refers to malignant tumors, of which 90% are squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). These malignancies exhibit rapid progression, poor prognosis, and often mutilating therapeutical approaches. The determination of a prophylactic and/or therapeutic antitumor role of the polyphenolic extract Polypodium leucotomos(PL) would be relevant in developing new tools for prevention and treatment.Methods: We aimed to determine the antitumor effect of PL by treating OSCC cell lines with PL metabolites and evaluating its action during OSCC progression in vivo.Results: PL treatment successfully impaired cell cycling and proliferation, migration, and invasion, enhanced apoptosis, and modulated macrophage polarization associated with the tumoral immune-inflammatory response of tongue cancer cell lines (TSCC). PL treatment significantly decreased the expression of MMP1 (p < 0.01) and MMP2 (p < 0.001), and increased the expression of TIMP1 (p < 0.001) and TIMP2 (p < 0.0001) in these cells. The mesenchymal-epithelial transition phenotype was promoted in cells treated with PL, through upregulation of E-CAD (p < 0.001) and reduction of N-CAD (p < 0.05). PL restrained OSCC progression in vivo by inhibiting tumor volume growth and decreasing the number of severe dysplasia lesions and squamous cell carcinomas. Ki-67 was significantly higher expressed in tongue tissues of animals not treated with PL(p < 0.05), and a notable reduction in Bcl2 (p < 0.05) and Pcna (p < 0.05) cell proliferation-associated genes was found in dysplastic lesions and TSCCs of PL-treated mice. Finally, N-cad(Cdh2), Vim, and Twist were significantly reduced in tongue tissues treated with PL.Conclusion: PL significantly decreased OSCC carcinogenic processes in vitro and inhibited tumor progression in vivo. PL also appears to contribute to the modulation of immune-inflammatory oral tumor-associated responses. Taken together, these results suggest that PL plays an important antitumor role in processes associated with oral carcinogenesis and may be a potential phytotherapeutic target for the prevention and/or adjuvant treatment of TSCC