Actividad diaria de forrajeo en Polybia diguetana Buysson 1905 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae)

It is important to study the foraging activity of Polistinae in order to understand their impact on ecosystems. In this work we describe the activity of one nest in post-emergence state of Polybia diguetana in relation to temperature and relative humidity. The study area is a university campus in Mérida, México, with warm sub - humid climate. Sampling were taken in the following dates of 2019: January 30 and 31, February 5 and 6 and April 9 and 10, the 9 it rained from 9:00 to 11:45 hours. A video lasting 3:40 min was taken every half an hour, beginning at 7:30 and finishing at 14:45. Eighty-three videos were recorded with an accumulated time of 308.5 minutes. When the video recording was beginning, temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%) were measured at a distance of 3 meters from the nest. Partial correlation analysis were carried out, with temperature and relative humidity as independent variables and wasp departures and arrivals frequencies as response variables, April 9th was excluded from this analysis for excluding the effect of the rain. In the rainy days the highest frequency of arrivals and departures was at 7:30, when the temperature was the highest and the humidity the lowest. In other days departure frequency was higher at 11:00 and arrivals at 14:00. Temperature was positively correlated to departures (r=0.21, p=0.05) and arrivals (r= 0.44, p<0.0001). Relative humidity was c orrelated to arrivals only (r=-0.27, p=0.01). Temperature was the main factor influencing foraging activity, and humidity did in lesser degree. The pattern was different in the rainy day, due to raises in humidity and the risk of being impacted by raindrops.Es importante estudiar la actividad de forrajeo de Polistinae para entender mejor su impacto en los ecosistemas. En este trabajo se describe la actividad de un nido en fase de post-emergencia de Polybia diguetana en relación a la temperatura y humedad relativa. El área de estudio fue un campus universitario en Mérida, México, con clima cálido subhúmedo. Se muestreó en las siguientes fechas de 2019: enero 30 y 31, febrero 5 y 6, y abril 9 y 10, el 9 llovió de 9:00 a 11:45 horas. Se tomó un video del nido de 3:40 min de duración cada media hora, iniciando a las 7:30 y finalizando a las 14:45 horas. En total fueron filmados 83 videos con una duración acumulada de 308,5 minutos. Se midió la temperatura (°C) y humedad relativa a tres metros del nido al iniciar cada video. Se realizaron análisis de correlación parcial con temperatura y humedad como variables independientes y frecuencias de despegues y aterrizajes como dependientes, el 9 de abril se excluyó del análisis por el posible efecto de la lluvia. En el día lluvioso los aterrizajes y despegues fueron más frecuentes a las 7:30 que hubo la temperatura más alta y la humedad relativa más baja; en los otros días los despegues fueron más frecuentes a las 11:00 y los aterrizajes a las 14:00. La temperatura se correlacionó positivamente tanto con los despegues (r=0,21, p=0,05) como con los aterrizajes (r =0,44, p<0,0001). La humedad relativa se correlacionó negativamente con los aterrizajes (r= -0,27, p=0,01). La temperatura fue el factor que más influyó las actividades de forrajeo, la humedad relativa lo hizo en menor medida. La presencia de lluvias modificó el patrón, tanto por el aumento en la humedad relativa como por el riesgo de impacto sobre las forrajeras

Environmental regulation of carbon isotope composition and crassulacean acid metabolism in three plant communities along a water availability gradient

Expression of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is characterized by extreme variability within and between taxa and its sensitivity to environmental variation. In this study, we determined seasonal fluctuations in CAM photosynthesis with measurements of nocturnal tissue acidification and carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of bulk tissue and extracted sugars in three plant communities along a precipitation gradient (500, 700, and 1,000 mm year−1) on the Yucatan Peninsula. We also related the degree of CAM to light habitat and relative abundance of species in the three sites. For all species, the greatest tissue acid accumulation occurred during the rainy season. In the 500 mm site, tissue acidification was greater for the species growing at 30% of daily total photon flux density (PFD) than species growing at 80% PFD. Whereas in the two wetter sites, the species growing at 80% total PFD had greater tissue acidification. All species had values of bulk tissue δ13C less negative than −20‰, indicating strong CAM activity. The bulk tissue δ13C values in plants from the 500 mm site were 2‰ less negative than in plants from the wetter sites, and the only species growing in the three communities, Acanthocereus tetragonus (Cactaceae), showed a significant negative relationship between both bulk tissue and sugar δ13C values and annual rainfall, consistent with greater CO2 assimilation through the CAM pathway with decreasing water availability. Overall, variation in the use of CAM photosynthesis was related to water and light availability and CAM appeared to be more ecologically important in the tropical dry forests than in the coastal dune

Complement component C4 structural variation and quantitative traits contribute to sex-biased vulnerability in systemic sclerosis

Altres ajuts: Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), "A way of making Europe".Copy number (CN) polymorphisms of complement C4 play distinct roles in many conditions, including immune-mediated diseases. We investigated the association of C4 CN with systemic sclerosis (SSc) risk. Imputed total C4, C4A, C4B, and HERV-K CN were analyzed in 26,633 individuals and validated in an independent cohort. Our results showed that higher C4 CN confers protection to SSc, and deviations from CN parity of C4A and C4B augmented risk. The protection contributed per copy of C4A and C4B differed by sex. Stronger protection was afforded by C4A in men and by C4B in women. C4 CN correlated well with its gene expression and serum protein levels, and less C4 was detected for both in SSc patients. Conditioned analysis suggests that C4 genetics strongly contributes to the SSc association within the major histocompatibility complex locus and highlights classical alleles and amino acid variants of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DPB1 as C4-independent signals

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Actividad diaria de forrajeo en Polybia diguetanaBuysson 1905 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae)

It is important to study the foraging activity of Polistinae in order to understand their impact on ecosystems. In this work we describe the activity of one nest in post-emergence state of Polybia diguetanain relation to temperature and relative humidity. The study area is a university campus in Mérida, México, with warm sub -humid climate. Sampling were taken in the following dates of 2019: January 30 and 31, February 5 and 6 and April 9 and 10, the 9 it rained from 9:00 to 11:45 hours. A video lasting 3:40 min was taken every half an hour, beginning at 7:30 and finishing at 14:45. Eighty-three videos were recorded with an accumulated time of 308.5 minutes. When the video recording was beginning, temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%) were measured at a distance of 3 meters from the nest. Partial correlation analysis were carried out, with temperature and relative humidity as independent variables and wasp departures and arrivals frequencies as response variables, April 9th was excluded from this analysis for excluding the effect of the rain. In the rainy days the highest frequency of arrivals and departures was at 7:30, when the temperature was the highest and the humidity the lowest. In other days departure frequency was higher at 11:00 and arrivals at 14:00. Temperature was positively correlated to departures (r=0.21, p=0.05) and arrivals (r= 0.44, p<0.0001). Relative humidity was c orrelated to arrivals only (r=-0.27, p=0.01). Temperature was the main factor influencing foraging activity, and humidity did in lesser degree. The pattern was different in the rainy day, due to raises in humidity and the risk of being impacted by raindropsEs importante estudiar la actividad de forrajeo de Polistinae para entender mejor su impacto en los ecosistemas. En este trabajo se describe la actividad de un nido en fase de post-emergencia de Polybia diguetanaen relación a la temperatura y humedad relativa. El área de estudio fue un campus universitario en Mérida, México, con clima cálido subhúmedo. Se muestreó en las siguientes fechas de 2019: enero 30 y 31, febrero 5 y 6, y abril 9 y 10, el 9 llovió de 9:00 a 11:45 horas. Se tomó un video del nido de 3:40 min de duración cada media hora, iniciando a las 7:30 y finalizando a las 14:45 horas. En total fueronfilmados 83 videos con una duración acumulada de 308,5 minutos. Se midió la temperatura (°C) y humedad relativa a tres metros del nido al iniciar cada video. Se realizaron análisis de correlación parcial con temperatura y humedad como variables independientes y frecuencias de despegues y aterrizajes como dependientes, el 9 de abril se excluyó del análisis por el posible efecto de la lluvia. En el día lluvioso los aterrizajes y despegues fueron más frecuentes a las 7:30 que hubo la temperatura más alta y lahumedad relativa más baja; en los otros días los despegues fueron más frecuentes a las 11:00 y los aterrizajes a las 14:00. La temperatura se correlacionó positivamente tanto con los despegues (r=0,21, p=0,05) como con los aterrizajes (r =0,44, p<0,0001).La humedad relativa se correlacionó negativamente con los aterrizajes (r= -0,27, p=0,01). La temperatura fue el factor que más influyó las actividades de forrajeo, la humedad relativa lo hizo en menor medida. La presencia de lluvias modificó el patrón, tanto por el aumento en la humedad relativa como por el riesgo de impacto sobre las forrajeras

Epigenetic regulation of the non-canonical Wnt pathway in acute myeloid leukemia

Wnt5a is a member of the Wnt family of proteins that signals through the non-canonical Wnt ⁄ Ca2+pathway to suppress cyclin D1. Deregulation of this pathway has been found in animal models suggesting that it acts as tumour suppressor in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although DNA methylation is the main mechanism of regulation of the canonical Wnt pathway in AML, the role of WNT5A abnormalities has never been evaluated in this clinical setting. The methylation status of WNT5A promoter–exon 1 was analyzed by methylation-specific PCR and sequencing in eleven AML-derived cell lines and 252 AML patients. We observed WNT5A hypermethylation in seven cell lines and in 43% (107 ⁄ 252) of AML patients. WNT5A methylation was associated with decreased WNT5A expression (P < 0.001) that was restored after exposure to 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine. Moreover, WNT5A hypermethylation correlated with upregulation of CYCLIN D1 expression (P < 0.001). Relapse (15% vs 37%, P < 0.001) and mortality (61% vs 79%, P = 0.004) rates were lower for patients in the non-methylated group. Disease-free survival and overall survival at 6 and 7 years, respectively, were 60% and 27% for unmethylated patients and 20% and 0% for hypermethylated patients (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.04, respectively). Interestingly, significant differences were also observed when the analysis was carried out according to cytogenetic risk groups. We demonstrate that WNT5A, a putative tumor suppressor gene in AML, is silenced by methylation in this disease and that this epigenetic event is associated with upregulation of CYCLIN D1 expression and confers poor prognosis in patients with AML

Patients with Crohn's disease have longer post-operative in-hospital stay than patients with colon cancer but no difference in complications' rate

BACKGROUNDRight hemicolectomy or ileocecal resection are used to treat benign conditions like Crohn's disease (CD) and malignant ones like colon cancer (CC).AIMTo investigate differences in pre- and peri-operative factors and their impact on post-operative outcome in patients with CC and CD.METHODSThis is a sub-group analysis of the European Society of Coloproctology's prospective, multi-centre snapshot audit. Adult patients with CC and CD undergoing right hemicolectomy or ileocecal resection were included. Primary outcome measure was 30-d post-operative complications. Secondary outcome measures were post-operative length of stay (LOS) at and readmission.RESULTSThree hundred and seventy-five patients with CD and 2,515 patients with CC were included. Patients with CD were younger (median = 37 years for CD and 71 years for CC (P &lt; 0.01), had lower American Society of Anesthesiology score (ASA) grade (P &lt; 0.01) and less comorbidity (P &lt; 0.01), but were more likely to be current smokers (P &lt; 0.01). Patients with CD were more frequently operated on by colorectal surgeons (P &lt; 0.01) and frequently underwent ileocecal resection (P &lt; 0.01) with higher rate of de-functioning/primary stoma construction (P &lt; 0.01). Thirty-day post-operative mortality occurred exclusively in the CC group (66/2515, 2.3%). In multivariate analyses, the risk of post-operative complications was similar in the two groups (OR 0.80, 95%CI: 0.54-1.17; P = 0.25). Patients with CD had a significantly longer LOS (Geometric mean 0.87, 95%CI: 0.79-0.95; P &lt; 0.01). There was no difference in re-admission rates. The audit did not collect data on post-operative enhanced recovery protocols that are implemented in the different participating centers.CONCLUSIONPatients with CD were younger, with lower ASA grade, less comorbidity, operated on by experienced surgeons and underwent less radical resection but had a longer LOS than patients with CC although complication's rate was not different between the two groups

Near-intrinsic energy resolution for 30-662 keV gamma rays in a high pressure xenon electroluminescent TPC

We present the design, data and results from the NEXT prototype for Double Beta and Dark Matter (NEXT-DBDM) detector, a high-pressure gaseous natural xenon electroluminescent time projection chamber (TPC) that was built at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It is a prototype of the planned NEXT-100 136Xe neutrino-less double beta decay (0νββ) experiment with the main objectives of demonstrating near-intrinsic energy resolution at energies up to 662 keV and of optimizing the NEXT-100 detector design and operating parameters. Energy resolutions of ∼1% FWHM for 662 keV gamma rays were obtained at 10 and 15 atm and ∼5% FWHM for 30 keV fluorescence xenon X-rays. These results demonstrate that 0.5% FWHM resolutions for the 2459 keV hypothetical neutrino-less double beta decay peak are realizable. This energy resolution is a factor 7-20 better than that of the current leading 0νββ experiments using liquid xenon and thus represents a significant advancement. We present also first results from a track imaging system consisting of 64 silicon photo-multipliers recently installed in NEXT-DBDM that, along with the excellent energy resolution, demonstrates the key functionalities required for the NEXT-100 0νββ searc

The impact of stapling technique and surgeon specialism on anastomotic failure after right?sided colorectal resection: an international multicentre, prospective audit

Aim There is little evidence to support choice of technique and configuration for stapled anastomoses after right hemicolectomy and ileocaecal resection. This study aimed to determine the relationship between stapling technique and anastomotic failure. Method Any unit performing gastrointestinal surgery was invited to contribute data on consecutive adult patients undergoing right hemicolectomy or ileocolic resection to this prospective, observational, international, multicentre study. Patients undergoing stapled, side?to?side ileocolic anastomoses were identified and multilevel, multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to explore factors associated with anastomotic leak. Results One thousand three hundred and forty?seven patients were included from 200 centres in 32 countries. The overall anastomotic leak rate was 8.3%. Upon multivariate analysis there was no difference in leak rate with use of a cutting stapler for apical closure compared with a noncutting stapler (8.4% vs 8.0%, OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.54–1.53, P = 0.72). Oversewing of the apical staple line, whether in the cutting group (7.9% vs 9.7%, OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.52–1.46, P = 0.60) or noncutting group (8.9% vs 5.7%, OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.46–4.23, P = 0.55) also conferred no benefit in terms of reducing leak rates. Surgeons reporting to be general surgeons had a significantly higher leak rate than those reporting to be colorectal surgeons (12.1% vs 7.3%, OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.04–2.64, P = 0.04). Conclusion This study did not identify any difference in anastomotic leak rates according to the type of stapling device used to close the apical aspect. In addition, oversewing of the anastomotic staple lines appears to confer no benefit in terms of reducing leak rates. Although general surgeons operated on patients with more high?risk characteristics than colorectal surgeons, a higher leak rate for general surgeons which remained after risk adjustment needs further exploration