Mygalomorphae spider community of the Natural Reserve Sierra del Tigre, Tandilia, Buenos Aires, Argentina

We documented the specific richness, abundance and activity of the Mygalomorph spider community in the Natural Reserve Sierra del Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina. This hilly ecosystem is home for many endemic species and rich in native fauna and flora. Spider abundance was sampled monthly from May 2011 - May 2012 by hand capture and pitfall traps. The species recorded in the study area were Actinopus sp. 1 (Actinopodidae), Grammostola vachoni Schiapelli y Gerschman, 1960; Plesiopelma longisternale Schiapelli y Gerschman, 1942 and Catumiri argentinense (Mello-Leitão, 1941) (Theraphosidae). Grammostola vachoni was the dominant species in hand capture and Actinopus sp. 1 in pitfall traps. The seasonal variation, diversity, and abundance of the mygalomorph community are analyzed and discussed here. The Mygalomorphae of the Tandilia system comprises an important group of sedentary and cryptozoic spiders that seem to be dependent on habitat type and environmental factors.En el presente trabajo se analizó la riqueza específica, abundancia y actividad de la comunidad de arañas Mygalomorphae en la Reserva Natural Sierra del Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Este ecosistema serrano alberga numerosas especies endémicas y es rico en fauna y flora nativa. La abundancia de arañas se muestreó mensualmente desde mayo de 2011 a mayo de 2012, mediante recolección manual y trampas de caída. Las especies registradas en el área de estudio fueron Actinopus sp. 1 (Actinopodidae), Grammostola vachoni Schiapelli y Gerschman, 1960; Plesiopelma longisternale Schiapelli y Gerschman, 1942 y Catumiri argentinense (Mello-Leitão, 1941) (Theraphosidae). Grammostola vachoni resultó la especie dominante en la recolección manual y Actinopus sp. 1 en trampas de caída. Se discuten y analizan la variación estacional, diversidad y abundancia de la comunidad de migalomorfas. Las Mygalomorphae del sistema de Tandilia comprenden un grupo importante de arañas sedentarias y criptozoicas que parecen depender del tipo de ambiente y factores ambientales.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Mygalomorphae spider community of the Natural Reserve Sierra del Tigre, Tandilia, Buenos Aires, Argentina

We documented the specific richness, abundance and activity of the Mygalomorph spider community in the Natural Reserve Sierra del Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina. This hilly ecosystem is home for many endemic species and rich in native fauna and flora. Spider abundance was sampled monthly from May 2011 - May 2012 by hand capture and pitfall traps. The species recorded in the study area were Actinopus sp. 1 (Actinopodidae), Grammostola vachoni Schiapelli y Gerschman, 1960; Plesiopelma longisternale Schiapelli y Gerschman, 1942 and Catumiri argentinense (Mello-Leitão, 1941) (Theraphosidae). Grammostola vachoni was the dominant species in hand capture and Actinopus sp. 1 in pitfall traps. The seasonal variation, diversity, and abundance of the mygalomorph community are analyzed and discussed here. The Mygalomorphae of the Tandilia system comprises an important group of sedentary and cryptozoic spiders that seem to be dependent on habitat type and environmental factors.En el presente trabajo se analizó la riqueza específica, abundancia y actividad de la comunidad de arañas Mygalomorphae en la Reserva Natural Sierra del Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Este ecosistema serrano alberga numerosas especies endémicas y es rico en fauna y flora nativa. La abundancia de arañas se muestreó mensualmente desde mayo de 2011 a mayo de 2012, mediante recolección manual y trampas de caída. Las especies registradas en el área de estudio fueron Actinopus sp. 1 (Actinopodidae), Grammostola vachoni Schiapelli y Gerschman, 1960; Plesiopelma longisternale Schiapelli y Gerschman, 1942 y Catumiri argentinense (Mello-Leitão, 1941) (Theraphosidae). Grammostola vachoni resultó la especie dominante en la recolección manual y Actinopus sp. 1 en trampas de caída. Se discuten y analizan la variación estacional, diversidad y abundancia de la comunidad de migalomorfas. Las Mygalomorphae del sistema de Tandilia comprenden un grupo importante de arañas sedentarias y criptozoicas que parecen depender del tipo de ambiente y factores ambientales.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

A comparative morphological study of the epiandrous apparatus in mygalomorph spiders (Araneae, Mygalomorphae)

Many adult male spiders have silk glands which are not associated with the spinnerets. They occur on the anterior margin of the genital furrow and are used during the building of the sperm web and sperm droplet induction. These epiandrous glands exit the body through ducts which lead to specialized spigots. In the taxon Mygalomorphae, the presence of epiandrous spigots is just reported for a couple of species but their morphology has not been investigated. In this paper we provide a detailed study of the ultrastructure morphology of eighteen species belonging to eight families using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We describe and present images of the epiandrous spigots above the genital opening. Also, we compare the morphology of spigots between families and describe the epiandrous glands through histology.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Inhalation of the prodrug PI3K inhibitor CL27c improves lung function in asthma and fibrosis

PI3K activation plays a central role in the development of pulmonary inflammation and tissue remodeling. PI3K inhibitors may thus offer an improved therapeutic opportunity to treat non-resolving lung inflammation but their action is limited by unwanted on-target systemic toxicity. Here we present CL27c, a prodrug pan-PI3K inhibitor designed for local therapy, and investigate whether inhaled CL27c is effective in asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. Mice inhaling CL27c show reduced insulin-evoked Akt phosphorylation in lungs, but no change in other tissues and no increase in blood glycaemia, in line with a local action. In murine models of acute or glucocorticoid-resistant neutrophilic asthma, inhaled CL27c reduces inflammation and improves lung function. Finally, inhaled CL27c administered in a therapeutic setting protects from bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis, ultimately leading to significantly improved survival. Therefore, local delivery of a pan-PI3K inhibitor prodrug reduces systemic on-target side effects but effectively treats asthma and irreversible pulmonary fibrosis

Enzymatic activity of HPGD in Treg cells Suppresses Tconv cells to maintain adipose tissue homeostasis and prevent metabolic dysfunction

Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are important for preventing autoimmunity and maintaining tissue homeostasis, but whether Treg cells can adopt tissue- or immune-context-specific suppressive mechanisms is unclear. Here, we found that the enzyme hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (HPGD), which catabolizes prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) into the metabolite 15-keto PGE2, was highly expressed in Treg cells, particularly those in visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ)-induced HPGD expression in VAT Treg cells, and consequential Treg-cell-mediated generation of 15-keto PGE2 suppressed conventional T cell activation and proliferation. Conditional deletion of Hpgd in mouse Treg cells resulted in the accumulation of functionally impaired Treg cells specifically in VAT, causing local inflammation and systemic insulin resistance. Consistent with this mechanism, humans with type 2 diabetes showed decreased HPGD expression in Treg cells. These data indicate that HPGD-mediated suppression is a tissue- and context-dependent suppressive mechanism used by Treg cells to maintain adipose tissue homeostasis.Lisa Schmidleithner, Yasser Thabet, Eva Schonfeld, Maren Kohne, Daniel Sommer ... Simon C. Barry ... et al

Sexual Behavior of mygalomorph spiders when simplicity becomes complex, an update of the last 21 years

A generally common impression seems to be that the mygalomorphs have simple repertoires of behaviours, but many authors have concluded that this traditional portrayal of mygalomorph behaviours is misleading. An increasing number of studies of reproductive behaviour of mygalomorphs have revealed intricate and complex mechanisms of communication employed by this group. Our objective was to provide a synthetic treatment of the literature published in the last 21 years about sexual behaviour of mygalomorph spiders, in order to contribute in improving our understanding on the widespread and unique behaviours they exhibit. We provide a brief introduction to reproductive behaviour of mygalomorph spiders, and then examine some of the general patterns of courtship and mating behaviours known on some mygalomorph families.Fil: Ferretti, Nelson Edgardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Pompozzi, Gabriel Alejandro. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Copperi, Sofia. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Alda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Perez Miles, Fernando. Universidad de la Republica; Urugua