Recent jaguar records confirm the conservation value of the Baritú–Tariquía corridor between Argentina and Bolivia

Effective transboundary corridors play a crucial role in jaguar Panthera onca conservation. Local residents reported jaguar sightings along the Baritú–Tariquía Biological Corridor, which prompted us to carry out this camera-trap survey. We surveyed an area of 1,243 km2 across the corridor to confirm jaguar presence. We used 50 single camera stations, with cameras placed c. 5 km apart. We placed the cameras along trails, streams and mountain ridges. We recorded jaguars at seven sites across the Corridor; at least three different individuals were identified. These records confirm the presence of the jaguar in the Baritú–Tariquía Biological Corridor between Argentina and Bolivia, a trans-frontier area of the Austral Yungas facing multiple threats but hosting one of the southernmost jaguar populations. Conservation efforts in border regions can promote collaboration and synergies between agencies and other conservation stakeholders, with important implications for wide-ranging predators such as jaguars and their habitats

Are white-lipped peccaries from Argentinean Yungas looking to a promising future?

The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is considered a key species for its role as an ecosystem engineer. Given their important ecological function, there is a great concern in the scientific community regarding the many reports of disappearances or great abundance reductions throughout its distribution (from southern Mexico to northern Argentina). Based on an extensive survey effort, we report new data of presence of WLP after a period of no detections in the Argentine Yungas. The study was conducted in the Yungas ecoregion, provinces of Jujuy and Salta, Argentina. Data was collected from camera trap, direct sightings and footprints during 2013–2021. From a total of 30,186 trap nights, we obtained 8 WLP detections. There were no detections before 2017, while as of 2018 there was at least one camera trap record in each of the years. Additionally, opportunistic records were obtained yearly from 2019 to 2021. The period without detections could be related to a period of a population cycle, as suggested in different regions of America during the last century, being disease the most likely cause. These cycles generally follow a pattern of a rapid population decline, a period of absence or low abundance followed by slow population growth. We believe that if the trend continues and the number of detections increases, we could be facing the early stages of the increase phase in the WLP population cycle in the Argentine Yungas.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

An algorithm to represent inbreeding trees

Recent work has proven the existence of extreme inbreeding in a European ancestry sample taken from the contemporary UK population (Yengo et al., 2019). This result brings our attention again to a math problem related to inbreeding family trees and diversity. Groups with a finite number of individuals could give a variety of genetic relationships. In previous works (Caruso and Jarne, 2015; Caruso and Jarne, 2014; Jarne and Caruso, 2019), we have addressed the issue of building inbreeding trees for biparental reproduction using Markovian models. Here, we extend these studies by presenting an algorithm to generate and represent inbreeding trees with no overlapping generations. We explicitly assume a two-gender reproductory scheme, and we pay particular attention to the links between nodes. We show that even for a simple case with a relatively small number of nodes in the tree, there are a large number of possible ways to rearrange the links between generations. We present an open-source python code to generate the tree graph, the adjacency matrix, and the histogram of the links for each different tree representation. We show how this mapping reflects the difference between tree realizations, and how valuable information may be extracted upon inspection of these matrices. The algorithm includes a feature to average several tree realizations, obtain the connectivity distribution, and calculate the mean value and standard deviation. We used this feature to compare trees with a different number of generations and nodes. The code presented here, available in Git-Hub, may be easily modified to be applied to other areas of interest involving connections between individuals, extend the study to add more characteristics of the different nodes, etc.Instituto de Física de Líquidos y Sistemas Biológico

A novel promising laccase from the psychrotolerant and halotolerant Antarctic marine Halomonas sp. M68 strain

Microbial communities inhabiting the Antarctic Ocean show psychrophilic and halophilic adaptations conferring interesting properties to the enzymes they produce, which could be exploited in biotechnology and bioremediation processes. Use of cold- and salt-tolerant enzymes allows to limit costs, reduce contaminations, and minimize pretreatment steps. Here, we report on the screening of 186 morphologically diverse microorganisms isolated from marine biofilms and water samples collected in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica) for the identification of new laccase activities. After primary screening, 13.4 and 10.8% of the isolates were identified for the ability to oxidize 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and the dye azure B, respectively. Amongst them, the marine Halomonas sp. strain M68 showed the highest activity. Production of its laccase-like activity increased six-fold when copper was added to culture medium. Enzymatic activity-guided separation coupled with mass spectrometry identified this intracellular laccase-like protein (named Ant laccase) as belonging to the copper resistance system multicopper oxidase family. Ant laccase oxidized ABTS and 2,6-dimethoxy phenol, working better at acidic pHs The enzyme showed a good thermostability, with optimal temperature in the 40–50°C range and maintaining more than 40% of its maximal activity even at 10°C. Furthermore, Ant laccase was salt- and organic solvent-tolerant, paving the way for its use in harsh conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first report concerning the characterization of a thermo- and halo-tolerant laccase isolated from a marine Antarctic bacterium

People and jaguars: New insights into the role of social factors in an old conflict

Throughout its range in Latin America, the jaguar Panthera onca is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and by conflict as a result of coexistence with people. This Near Threatened species is a top predator, and is often illegally hunted. Understanding people's attitudes and perceptions and the factors that could influence them is crucial for the conservation of this species. In this study we assess how knowledge, attitudes and perceptions among people in northern Argentina regarding jaguars vary depending on their level of education, age and occupation. We interviewed 810 people living in and around 10 protected areas in northern Argentina. Positive perceptions and attitudes towards the jaguar were associated with economic benefits that people may receive from the species' presence, such as income from tourism. Unexpectedly, higher levels of formal education were not associated with more positive attitudes and perceptions. Negative attitudes and perceptions towards the species were determined by fear; people see jaguars as a threat to their lives. This study shows that the socio-economic factors that affect the level of tolerance towards jaguars are not related only to economic losses. Our findings provide information for the design, implementation and evaluation of jaguar conservation projects in Argentina.Fil: Caruso, María Flavia. Administración de Parques Nacionales. Delegación Regional del Noroeste; Argentina. Jaguares En El Límite; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta; ArgentinaFil: Perovic, Pablo Gastón. Jaguares En El Límite; Argentina. Administración de Parques Nacionales. Delegación Regional del Noroeste; ArgentinaFil: Tálamo, Andrés. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Trigo, Carolina Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Andrade Díaz, María S.. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Marás, Gustavo Arnaldo. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Saravia, Diego. Universidad Nacional de Salta; ArgentinaFil: Sillero-Zubiri, Claudio. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. The Recanati-Kaplan Centre; Reino Unido. Born Free Foundation; Reino UnidoFil: Altrichter, Mariana. Prescott college; Estados Unido

Metabolic inflexibility is a feature of women with polycystic ovary syndrome and is associated with both insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism

Context: Metabolic inflexibility, ie, the impaired ability of the body to switch from fat to carbohydrate oxidation under insulin-stimulated conditions, is associated with insulin resistance. This alteration in metabolic plasticity can lead to organ dysfunction and is considered a key issue among the abnormalities of the metabolic syndrome. It is still unknown whether this phenomenon occurs in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Objective: Our objective was to examine whether metabolic inflexibility is a feature of PCOS women and whether hyperandrogenism may contribute to this phenomenon. Design and Patients: Eighty-nine Caucasian women with PCOS were submitted to hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Respiratory exchange ratios were evaluated at baseline and during hyperinsulinemia by indirect calorimetry to quantify substrate oxidative metabolism. Total testosterone was measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and free testosterone by equilibrium dialysis. Setting: Outpatients were seen in a tertiary care academic center. Main Outcome Measure: Metabolic flexibility was assessed by the change in respiratory quotient upon insulin stimulation. Results: Sixty-five of the 89 PCOS women(73%) had increased serum free testosterone, 68 (76%) were insulin resistant, and 62 (70%) had an impaired metabolic flexibility. Comparison of hyperandrogenemic and normoandrogenemic women showed that the 2 subgroups were of similar age but differed in terms of several anthropometric and metabolic features. In particular, hyperandrogenemic women had greater body mass index (32.9 +/- 1.0 vs 24.7 +/- 0.9 kg/m(2), P < .001) and lower glucose utilization during the clamp (9.2 +/- 0.4 vs 10.9 +/- 0.7 mg/kg fat-free mass . min, P < .023) and metabolic flexibility (0.09 +/- 0.06 vs 0.12 +/- 0.01, P < .014). In univariate analysis, metabolic flexibility was associated with several anthropometric, endocrine, and metabolic features. In multivariate analysis, this feature was directly associated with baseline respiratory quotient and insulin sensitivity and inversely with free testosterone and free fatty acids concentrations under insulin suppression (R-2 = 0.634, P < .001). Conclusions: Metabolic inflexibility is a feature of PCOS women. Both insulin resistance and androgen excess might contribute to this abnormality

Are white-lipped peccaries from Argentinean Yungas looking to a promising future?

The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is considered a key species for its role as an ecosystem engineer. Given their important ecological function, there is a great concern in the scientific community regarding the many reports of disappearances or great abundance reductions throughout its distribution (from southern Mexico to northern Argentina). Based on an extensive survey effort, we report new data of presence of WLP after a period of no detections in the Argentine Yungas. The study was conducted in the Yungas ecoregion, provinces of Jujuy and Salta, Argentina. Data was collected from camera trap, direct sightings and footprints during 2013–2021. From a total of 30,186 trap nights, we obtained 8 WLP detections. There were no detections before 2017, while as of 2018 there was at least one camera trap record in each of the years. Additionally, opportunistic records were obtained yearly from 2019 to 2021. The period without detections could be related to a period of a population cycle, as suggested in different regions of America during the last century, being disease the most likely cause. These cycles generally follow a pattern of a rapid population decline, a period of absence or low abundance followed by slow population growth. We believe that if the trend continues and the number of detections increases, we could be facing the early stages of the increase phase in the WLP population cycle in the Argentine Yungas.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse