Ganglion-specific splicing of TRPV1 underlies infrared sensation in vampire bats.

Vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) are obligate blood feeders that have evolved specialized systems to suit their sanguinary lifestyle. Chief among such adaptations is the ability to detect infrared radiation as a means of locating hotspots on warm-blooded prey. Among vertebrates, only vampire bats, boas, pythons and pit vipers are capable of detecting infrared radiation. In each case, infrared signals are detected by trigeminal nerve fibres that innervate specialized pit organs on the animal's face. Thus, vampire bats and snakes have taken thermosensation to the extreme by developing specialized systems for detecting infrared radiation. As such, these creatures provide a window into the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying evolutionary tuning of thermoreceptors in a species-specific or cell-type-specific manner. Previously, we have shown that snakes co-opt a non-heat-sensitive channel, vertebrate TRPA1 (transient receptor potential cation channel A1), to produce an infrared detector. Here we show that vampire bats tune a channel that is already heat-sensitive, TRPV1, by lowering its thermal activation threshold to about 30 °C. This is achieved through alternative splicing of TRPV1 transcripts to produce a channel with a truncated carboxy-terminal cytoplasmic domain. These splicing events occur exclusively in trigeminal ganglia, and not in dorsal root ganglia, thereby maintaining a role for TRPV1 as a detector of noxious heat in somatic afferents. This reflects a unique organization of the bat Trpv1 gene that we show to be characteristic of Laurasiatheria mammals (cows, dogs and moles), supporting a close phylogenetic relationship with bats. These findings reveal a novel molecular mechanism for physiological tuning of thermosensory nerve fibres

Fat-to-glucose interconversion by hydrodynamic transfer of two glyoxylate cycle enzyme genes

The glyoxylate cycle, which is well characterized in higher plants and some microorganisms but not in vertebrates, is able to bypass the citric acid cycle to achieve fat-to-carbohydrate interconversion. In this context, the hydrodynamic transfer of two glyoxylate cycle enzymes, such as isocytrate lyase (ICL) and malate synthase (MS), could accomplish the shift of using fat for the synthesis of glucose. Therefore, 20 mice weighing 23.37 +/- 0.96 g were hydrodinamically gene transferred by administering into the tail vein a bolus with ICL and MS. After 36 hours, body weight, plasma glucose, respiratory quotient and energy expenditure were measured. The respiratory quotient was increased by gene transfer, which suggests that a higher carbohydrate/lipid ratio is oxidized in such animals. This application could help, if adequate protocols are designed, to induce fat utilization for glucose synthesis, which might be eventually useful to reduce body fat depots in situations of obesity and diabete

Risk of Invasive Fungal Infections in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia treated with Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors – A Case-Control Propensity Score Matched Analysis

Background: Prior reports have suggested a possible increase in the frequency of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) with use of a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) for treatment of chronic lymphoid malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but precise estimates are lacking. We aim to characterize the prevalence of IFIs among patients with CLL, for whom BTKi are now the first line recommended therapy. Methods: We queried TriNetX, a global research network database, to identify adult patients with CLL using the ICD-10 codes (C91.1) and laboratory results. We performed a case-control propensity score-matched analysis to determine IFIs events by BTKi use. We adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, and clinical risk factors associated with an increased risk of IFIs. Results: Among 5,358 matched patients with CLL, we found an incidence of 4.6% of IFIs in patients on a BTKi vs. 3.5% among patients with CLL not on a BTKi at five years. Approximately 1% of patients with CLL developed an IFI while on a BTKi within this period. Our adjusted IFI event analysis found an elevated rate of Pneumocytis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) (0.5% vs. 0.3%, p = 0.02) and invasive candidiasis (3.5% vs 2.7%, p = 0.012) with the use of a BTKi. The number needed to harm for patients taking a BTKi was 120 and 358 for invasive candidiasis and PJP, respectively. Conclusions: We found an adjusted elevated rate of PJP and invasive candidiasis with BTKi use. The rates are however low with a high number needed to harm. Additional studies stratifying other IFIs with specific BTKi are required to identify at-risk patients and preventive, cost-effective interventions

Rendimiento Hidropónico de la Arveja con Cebada y Trigo en la Producción de Germinados

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the associations pea-barley and pea-wheat in six ratios (0/100, 20/80, 40/60, 60/40, 80/20, 100/0) of hydroponics on the percentage of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein, height of the plant, and on the yield of green fodder, dry matter, organic matter and crude protein. A randomized factorial 2 x 6 (ratio x association) with 5 replicates per treatment was used. The percentage of dry matter and yield of green fodder were statistically similar in pea-barley and pea-wheat associations. The percentages of organic matter and crude protein were affected by the association and the level of legume/grass ratio. The average percentage of crude protein in both associations was 22.37%. The proportion of legume/grass did not affect plant height.El estudio tuvo por objetivo determinar el efecto de las asociaciones arveja-cebada y arveja-trigo en seis proporciones (0/100, 20/80, 40/60, 60/40, 80/20, 100/0) de cultivos hidropónicos sobre el porcentaje de materia seca, materia orgánica y proteína cruda, y altura de planta, así como en la producción de forraje verde, materia seca, materia orgánica y proteína cruda. Se utilizó un arreglo factorial al azar de 2 x 6 (asociación x proporción) con 5 repeticiones por tratamiento. El porcentaje de materia seca y rendimiento de forraje verde fue estadísticamente similar en las asociaciones arveja-cebada y arveja-trigo. Los porcentajes de materia orgánica y proteína cruda fueron afectados por la asociación y por el nivel de proporción leguminosa/gramínea. El porcentaje promedio de proteína cruda de ambas asociaciones fue de 22.37%. La proporción de leguminosa/gramínea no afectó la altura de planta del cultivo hidropónico

Brighter-colored paper wasps (Polistes dominula) have larger poison glands

Introduction Aposematism is a defense system against predators consisting of the toxicity warning using conspicuous coloration. If the toxin production and aposematic coloration is costly, only individuals in good physical condition could simultaneously produce abundant poison and striking coloration. In such cases, the aposematic coloration not only indicates that the animal is toxic, but also the toxicity level of individuals. The costs associated with the production of aposematic coloration would ensure that individuals honestly indicate their toxicity levels. In the present study, we examine the hypothesis that a positive correlation exists between the brightness of warning coloration and toxicity level using as a model the paper wasp (Polistes dominula). Results We collected wasps from 30 different nests and photographed them to measure the brightness of warning coloration in the abdomen. We also measured the volume of the poison gland, as well as the length, and the width of the abdomen. The results show a positive relationship between brightness and poison-gland size, which remained positive even after controlling for the body size and abdomen width. Conclusion The results suggest that the coloration pattern of these wasps is a true sign of toxicity level: wasps with brighter colors are more poisonous (they have larger poison glands)

Manifestations faded gradually replacement of alfalfa ("Medicado sativa L.") by barley ("Hordeum vulgare L.") sprount in portions of Guinea pigs ("Cavia porcellus L.") in the stage of growth

El experimento fue conducido en el Centro de Producción de Cuyes de la Universidad Nacional de Huancavelica con el objetivo de evaluar la utilización de cuatro niveles (0, 25, 50 y 75%) de cebada hidropónica (CH) en substitución de la alfalfa en la alimentación de cuyes machos y hembras de la Línea Perú, en la fase de crecimiento, en número de 72, con 18 días de edad y 175 g de PV inicial medio confinados durante 42 días. Las raciones experimentales isoproteícas, fueron ofrecidos a los animales a voluntad y divididos en dos porciones (8 y 17 h). Fue utilizado el diseño experimental completamente aleatorizado y los tratamientos distribuidos en esquema factorial 2x4 (sexo x niveles de cebada hidropónica) con tres repeticiones por tratamiento, constituido cada unidad experimental por tres cuyes. Existió reducción lineal para machos en el consumo de MS en g/día y g/kg0.75 con el aumento de los niveles de substitución, este comportamiento también fue verificado para el consumo de PC (g/día). Hubo efecto cúbico para el consumo de PC por los cuyes hembras, en g/día, en g/kg0.75 y en %PV. La substitución de la alfalfa por la CH afectó la conversión alimenticia, cuyo comportamiento fue cuadrático y cúbico para machos y hembras, respectivamente. La CH influyó de forma cúbica sobre el peso final y ganancia de peso diario en los cuyes machos y hembras. Se concluye que es posible substituir la alfalfa por la CH hasta el nivel de 75% en cuyes hembras. El nivel de 25% de substitución proporciona las mejores ganancias de peso y pesos finales en cuyes machos y hembras en crecimiento, lo que pone de manifiesto el efecto positivo de la inclusión de la CH en la ración de cuyes en crecimiento.The experiment was conducted at the Center for Guinea Pig Production, National University of Huancavelica in order to evaluate the use of four levels (0, 25, 50 and 75%) of hydroponic barley (CH) in substitution of alfalfa in the feeding male and female guinea pigs of Peru line, in the growth phase, in number of 72, with 18 days of age and 175 g of initial PV means confined for 42 days. Isoproteic the experimental diets were offered ad libitum to the animals and divided in to two portions (8 and 17 h). It was used the completely randomized design and treatments distributed in factorial scheme 2x4 (sex x levels hydroponic barley) with three replicates per treatment, each experimental unit consists of three guinea pigs. Linear reduction existed for males MS consumption in g / g / day kg 0.75 with increasing substitution levels, this behavior was also verified for PC consumption (g / day). There was a cubic effect for consumption by the female guinea pigs PC in g / day, in g / kg0.75 and in % PV. The substitution of CH alfalfa affected by feed conversion, whose behavior was quadratic and cubic for males and females, respectively. The CH influenced cubical on final weight and daily weight gain in male and female guinea pigs. We conclude that it is possible to replace the CH alfalfa to the level of 75% in female guinea pigs. The level of 25% substitution provides the best weight gain and final weights in males and females growing guinea pigs, which shows the positive effect of the inclusion of CH in the ration of growing guinea pigs

Using several monitoring techniques to measure the rock mass deformation in the Montserrat Massif

Montserrat Mountain is located near Barcelona in Catalonia, at the north-east corner of Spain, and its massif is formed by conglomerate interleaved by siltstone/sandstone with steep slopes very prone to rock falls. The increasing visitor's number in the monastery area, reaching 2.4 million per year, has pointed out the risk derived from rock falls for this building area and also for the terrestrial accesses, both roads and rack railway. A risk mitigation plan is currently been applied for 2014-2016 that contains monitoring testing and implementation as a key point. The preliminary results of the pilot tests carried out during 2014 are presented, also profiting from previous sparse experiences and data, and combining 4 monitoring techniques under different conditions of continuity in space and time domains, which are: displacement monitoring with Ground-based Synthetic Aperture Radar and characterization at slope scale, with an extremely non uniform atmospheric phase screen because of the stepped topography and atmosphere stratification; Terrestrial Laser Scanner surveys quantifying frequency for unnoticed activity of small rock falls, and monitoring rock block displacements over 1cm; monitoring of rock joints with a wireless net of sensors; and tentative surveying for singular rocky needles with Total Station

Degradabilidad ruminal de forrajes y alimentos concentrados y estimación del consumo

The aim of this study was to determine the kinetic parameters of in situ degradation of dry matter (MS), crude protein (PC) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) of four single or mixed forages: 1) alfalfa; 2) alfalfa-red clover; 3) alfalfa-dactylis; 4) oats, and two concentrates: cotton paste and ground barley, as well the estimation of the DM consumption of these forages using three cattle with ruminal fistula. Five grams of sample were incubated for 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours for forages and 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 hours for concentrates. The zero time (t0) was used to calculate the soluble fraction. The potential and effective degradability at the 2, 5 and 8%/h passages rates of the MS, PC and NDF were different for forages and concentrates. The constant degradation rates (c) of the PC of the association alfalfa-dactylis, oats (fodder), cotton paste and ground barley indicate that these resources had good potential for ruminant diet use. Due to the effective degradability of the PC at the rates of 2, 5 and 8%/h, the forages alone or associated and the concentrates under study can be classified as feeds of high nutritional quality.El objetivo del estudio fue determinar los parámetros cinéticos de la degradación in situ de la materia seca (MS), proteína cruda (PC) y fibra detergente neutro (FDN) de cuatro forrajes o mezclas de forrajes: 1) alfalfa; 2) alfalfa-trébol rojo; 3) alfalfa-dactylis; 4) avena, y de dos concentrados: pasta de algodón y cebada molida, así como estimar el consumo de MS de estos forrajes utilizando tres bovinos con fístula ruminal. Se incubaron 5 g de muestra durante 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72 y 96 horas para los forrajes y de 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 y 48 horas para los concentrados. El tiempo cero (t0) fue utilizado para el cálculo de la fracción soluble. La degradabilidad potencial y efectiva a las tasas pasajes de 2, 5 y 8%/hora de la MS, PC y FDN fueron diferentes para los forrajes y alimentos concentrados. Las tasas constantes de degradación (c) de la PC de la asociación alfalfa-dactylis, avena (forraje), pasta de algodón y cebada molida es indicativo que estos recursos tienen un buen potencial para su utilización en la dieta de los rumiantes. La degradabilidad efectiva obtenida de la PC a las tasas de pasajes de 2, 5 y 8%/h permite clasificar a los forrajes solos o asociados y a los concentrados en estudio como alimentos de alta calidad nutricional

Gravitational waves in dynamical spacetimes with matter content in the Fully Constrained Formulation

The Fully Constrained Formulation (FCF) of General Relativity is a novel framework introduced as an alternative to the hyperbolic formulations traditionally used in numerical relativity. The FCF equations form a hybrid elliptic-hyperbolic system of equations including explicitly the constraints. We present an implicit-explicit numerical algorithm to solve the hyperbolic part, whereas the elliptic sector shares the form and properties with the well known Conformally Flat Condition (CFC) approximation. We show the stability andconvergence properties of the numerical scheme with numerical simulations of vacuum solutions. We have performed the first numerical evolutions of the coupled system of hydrodynamics and Einstein equations within FCF. As a proof of principle of the viability of the formalism, we present 2D axisymmetric simulations of an oscillating neutron star. In order to simplify the analysis we have neglected the back-reaction of the gravitational waves into the dynamics, which is small (<2 %) for the system considered in this work. We use spherical coordinates grids which are well adapted for simulations of stars and allow for extended grids that marginally reach the wave zone. We have extracted the gravitational wave signature and compared to the Newtonian quadrupole and hexadecapole formulae. Both extraction methods show agreement within the numerical errors and the approximations used (~30 %).Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in PR

Phenotypic correlations between production characteristics in the Huacaya alpaca

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar correlaciones fenotípicas entre peso corporal de la alpaca a la esquila (PCE), peso de vellón sucio (PVS), peso de vellón limpio (PVL), rendimiento de la fibra al lavado (RFL), diámetro medio de las fibras (DMF), longitud de fibra (LF), número de rizos (NR), incidencia de fibras meduladas (IM), peso corporal de la alpaca al parto (PCP) y peso de la cría al nacimiento (PCC). Se trabajó con 185 alpacas Huacaya, blancas, de 1 a 7 años de edad, del Centro Experimental de Camélidos Sudamericanos Lachocc de la Universidad Nacional de Huancavelica, durante los años 2007 y 2008. Las correlaciones fenotípicas fueron: PVS-PVL = 0.99, PVS-LF = 0.55, PVS-DMF = 0.52, PVS-PCE = 0.41, PVL-LF = 0.57, PVL-DMF = 0.54, PVL-PCE = 0.43 (p&lt;0.01). El peso de vellón no presentó antagonismo con las principales características relacionadas a la producción de fibra, y por la alta interrelación entre el peso de vellón sucio y el diámetro de fibra se puede usar como criterio de selección en un programa de mejoramiento genético que esté orientado a la producción de fibra.The aim of the present study was to determine phenotypic correlations between body weight of the alpaca at shearing (PCE), greasy fleece weight (PVS), clean fleece weight (PVL), performance of the fibre Andalusia wash (RFL), mean diameter of the fibre (DMF), fibre length (LF), number of loops (NR), incidence of spinal cord fibres (IM), body weight at parturition (PCP) and body weight of calf at birth (PCC). The study considered 185 white Huacaya alpacas, 1 to 7 years old, from the Lachocc Experimental Center of South American Camelids, Universidad Nacional de Huancavelica, in 2007 and 2008. The phenotypic correlations were: PVS-PVL = 0.99, PVS-LF = 0.55, PVS-DMF = 0.52, PVS-PCE = 0.41, PVL-LF = 0.57, PVL-DMF = 0.54, PVL-PCE = 0.43 (p&lt;0.01). Fleece weight does not show any interference with main characteristics related to fibre production, and due to the high interrelation between dirty fleece weight and diameter of fibre, it can be used as a valid criterion for selection in a genetic improvement programme aimed at fibre production