The Mayan Tropical Rainforest: An Uncharted Reservoir of Tritrophic Host-Fruit Fly-Parasitoid Interactions

Over a two–year period, we surveyed natural areas of the Mayan rainforest in Quintana Roo, Mexico. We found 11 species of Anastrepha Schiner (Diptera: Tephritidae) infesting 25 species of fruits belonging to ten plant families. We report the first records of 10 host plant species of the genus Anastrepha, which include the first report of a plant family (Putranjivaceae) serving as host of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) infesting Drypetes lateriflora (Sw.) Krug and Urb. (Putranjivaceae). Pouteria reticulata (Engl.) Eyma (Sapotaceae) was found, for the first time, to be infested by Anastrepha serpentina (Wiedemann) and by a new undescribed species of Anastrepha. We also report Casimiroa microcarpa Lundell (Rutaceae) as a possible ancestral host for the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew), in Central America. The family Sapotaceae was the best-represented host group with three fruit fly species recovered: A. serpentina, an economically-important species, found in eight host plants, and A. hamata and A. sp. (new species). We recorded six species of koinobiont parasitoids: Doryctobracon areolatus Szepligeti, Utetes (Bracanastrepha) anastrephae Viereck, Opius hirtus Fisher, and Doryctobracon zeteki Musebeck, (all Braconidae), and Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brethés) and Odontosema anastrephae Borgmeier, (both Figitidae). All these parasitoid species represent at least a new report for their host plants. Of the whole parasitoid community, D. areolatus was the most important parasitoid species with 52.7% of presence in 12 host plant species, parasitizing six fruit fly species. The interaction between fruit flies and their parasitoids with host plants depends on fruit availability, which is crucial for the survival of each of these species. Conserving the landscape of the Mayan rainforest is important not only for species conservation, but also for the maintenance of fruit fly host plants in orchard agroecosystems in southeastern Mexico

REVISION DE LA FAMILIA ROPALOMERIDAE (DIPTERA) EN MEXICO

A taxonomic revisión of the family Ropalomeridae is presented, based on the analysis of specimens from 14 States of México. R. latiforceps sp. nov. is described with specimens from México and Panamo, R. xanthops Williston is synonymized with Ropalomera femorata (Fabricius), and Lenkokroeberia chryserea Prado is recorded by the first time for the country. In addition, we provide new data on the distribution of Willistoniella pleuropunctata (Wiedemann), Kroeberia fuliginosa Lindner, and Mexicoa mexicana Steyskal. Distinguishing characters for all known genera and species are keyed and illustrated.Se hace un estudio taxonómico de la familia Ropalomendae basado en el análisis de material procedente de 14 estados de México. Se describe Ropalomera latiforceps sp. nov. con material de México y Panamá, R. xanthops Williston es sinonimizada con Ropalomera femorata (Fabricius), y por primera ocasión en el país se registra a Lenkokroeberia chryserea Prado. Además se provee nueva información sobre la distribución de Willistoniella pleuropunctata (Wiedemann), Kroeberia fuliginosa Lindner, y Mexicoa mexicana Steyskal. Los caracteres distintivos de cada una de las especies citadas son ilustrados y se anexa una clave para su separación

Cambra system in patients awaiting hematopoietic progenitor cell transplant and high caries risk

Recent times have witnessed a significant increase in the number of patients affected by problems related to oncological treatment Aims of this study is to evaluate dental affectation among patients awaiting hematopoietic progenitor cell transplant (HPCT), and they showed high caries risk, so it should establish a protocol prior to transplantation. The study included 72 patients due for HPCT. Clinical and radiological explorations were performed and oral photos taken. The amount of caries, missing teeth and fillings were registered for each patient. CAO, DMFS and Restoration Indices were calculated. 83% of patients presented caries. 48 patients (67%) had lost at least one tooth. Only 32 patients (44%) had received some sort of conservative treatment. The average CAO index value obtained was 10.37. The DMFS index showed an average of 27.06 affected surfaces. Of the 72 patients studied, 40 (56%) showed a restoration index value of zero. These patients presented a high number of carious teeth and a low restoration index. The presence of so many possible septic foci in an individual, who will later become susceptible to infection, highlights the importance of preventative treatment and bucco-dental restoration within this patient population. These patients with a high caries risk can be treated with CAMBRA system

Pasado y futuro del clima

Los Programas Marco Euratom contemplaron, entre sus temas de investigación, el análisis del cambio climático como base de predicción para evaluar los riesgos en la seguridad de los depósitos de residuos radiactivos, derivados de alteraciones climáticas venideras. Todo parece indicar que el proceso actual de cambio climático no tiene retroceso posible y que habrá que esperar un periodo temporal geológico para acercarse de nuevo a las condiciones que había antes de la revolución industrial. Con todo, parece imprescindible el intento de corrección del impacto del cambio climático, procurando un aterrizaje suave en la nueva situación; quizá ello sólo sea posible siguiendo una receta elemental a base de concienciación social, energías renovables, energía nuclear, y con nuevos proyectos de investigación que permitan determinar cómo se ha registrado la influencia antrópica desde el siglo xix

Estimulador Coclear: Prototipo de evaluación y emulación

En el presente trabajo se expone el diagrama en bloque de un diseño electrónico que permite emular el funcionamiento de un estimulador coclear o comúnmente conocido como implante coclear con fines investigativos. Dado a la versatilidad de su diseño permite emular y probar en tiempo real múltiples estrategias de estimulación coclear, tanto las actualmente conocidas (CIS, etc.) como cualquier variante nueva

Induction of CD36 and Thrombospondin-1 in Macrophages by Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 and Its Relevance in the Inflammatory Process

Inflammation is part of a complex biological response of vascular tissue to pathogens or damaged cells. First inflammatory cells attempt to remove the injurious stimuli and this is followed by a healing process mediated principally by phagocytosis of senescent cells. Hypoxia and p38-MAPK are associated with inflammation, and hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) has been detected in inflamed tissues. We aimed to analyse the role of p38-MAPK and HIF-1 in the transcriptional regulation of CD36, a class B scavenger receptor, and its ligand thrombospondin (TSP-1) in macrophages and to evaluate the involvement of this pathway in phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils. We have also assessed HIF-1α, p38-MAPK and CD36 immunostaining in the mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Results show that hypoxia increases neutrophil phagocytosis by macrophages and induces the expression of CD36 and TSP-1. Addition of a p38-MAPK inhibitor significantly reduced the increase in CD36 and TSP-1 expression provoked by hypoxia and decreased HIF-1α stabilization in macrophages. Transient transfection of macrophages with a miHIF-1α-targeting vector blocked the increase in mRNA expression of CD36 and TSP-1 during hypoxia and reduced phagocytosis, thus highlighting a role for the transcriptional activity of HIF-1. CD36 and TSP-1 were necessary for the phagocytosis of neutrophils induced by hypoxic macrophages, since functional blockade of these proteins undermined this process. Immunohistochemical studies revealed CD36, HIF-1α and p38-MAPK expression in the mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. A positive and significant correlation between HIF-1α and CD36 expression and CD36 and p38-MAPK expression was observed in cells of the lamina propria of the damaged mucosa. Our results demonstrate a HIF-1-dependent up-regulation of CD36 and TSP-1 that mediates the increased phagocytosis of neutrophils by macrophages during hypoxia. Moreover, they suggest that CD36 expression in the damaged mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease depends on p38-MAPK and HIF-1 activity

Urinary transferrin pre-emptively identifies the risk of renal damage posed by subclinical tubular alterations

Nephrotoxicity is an important limitation to the clinical use of many drugs and contrast media. Drug nephrotoxicity occurs in acute, subacute and chronic manifestations ranging from glomerular, tubular, vascular and immunological phenotypes to acute kidney injury. Pre-emptive risk assessment of drug nephrotoxicity posesman urgent need of precision medicine to optimize pharmacological therapies and interventional procedures involving nephrotoxic products in a preventive and personalized manner. Biomarkers of risk have been identified in animal models, and risk scores have been proposed, whose clinical use is abated by their reduced applicability to specific etiological models or clinical circumstances. However, our present data suggest that the urinary level of transferrin may be indicative of risk of renal damage, where risk is induced by subclinical tubular alterations regardless of etiology. In fact, urinary transferrin pre-emptively correlates with the subsequent renal damage in animal models in which risk has been induced by drugs and toxins affecting the renal tubules (i.e. cisplatin, gentamicin and uranyl nitrate); whereas transferrin shows no relation with the risk posed by a drug affecting renal hemodynamics (i.e. cyclosporine A). Our experiments also show that transferrin increases in the urine in the risk state (i.e. prior to the damage) precisely as a consequence of reduced tubular reabsorption. Finally, urinary transferrin pre-emptively identifies subpopulations of oncological and cardiac patients at risk of nephrotoxicity. In perspective, urinary transferrin might be further explored as a wider biomarker of an important mechanism of predisposition to renal damage induced by insults causing subclinical tubular alterations

Urinary transferrin pre-emptively identifies the risk of renal damage posed by subclinical tubular alterations

Nephrotoxicity is an important limitation to the clinical use of many drugs and contrast media. Drug nephrotoxicity occurs in acute, subacute and chronic manifestations ranging from glomerular, tubular, vascular and immunological phenotypes to acute kidney injury. Pre-emptive risk assessment of drug nephrotoxicity poses an urgent need of precision medicine to optimize pharmacological therapies and interventional procedures involving nephrotoxic products in a preventive and personalized manner. Biomarkers of risk have been identified in animal models, and risk scores have been proposed, whose clinical use is abated by their reduced applicability to specific etiological models or clinical circumstances. However, our present data suggest that the urinary level of transferrin may be indicative of risk of renal damage, where risk is induced by subclinical tubular alterations regardless of etiology. In fact, urinary transferrin pre-emptively correlates with the subsequent renal damage in animal models in which risk has been induced by drugs and toxins affecting the renal tubules (i.e. cisplatin, gentamicin and uranyl nitrate); whereas transferrin shows no relation with the risk posed by a drug affecting renal hemodynamics (i.e. cyclosporine A). Our experiments also show that transferrin increases in the urine in the risk state (i.e. prior to the damage) precisely as a consequence of reduced tubular reabsorption. Finally, urinary transferrin pre-emptively identifies subpopulations of oncological and cardiac patients at risk of nephrotoxicity. In perspective, urinary transferrin might be further explored as a wider biomarker of an important mechanism of predisposition to renal damage induced by insults causing subclinical tubular alterations.Research from the authors’ laboratory supporting part of the information incorporated into this article was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI14/01776, DT15S/00166, PI15/01055 and PI17/01979, and Retic RD016/0009/0025, REDINREN), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (IPT-2012-0779-010000), Junta de Castilla y León (Consejería de Sanidad, BIO/SA20/14, BIO/SA66/15; and Consejería de Educación, SA359U14), and FEDER funds

250-Year reconstruction of pollarding events reveals sharp management changes in Iberian ash woodlands

Producción CientíficaTree pollarding was a dominant management strategy of European forests for centuries creating open agroforestry landscapes with important cultural and environmental values. This traditional practice has been widely abandoned in last decades with a subsequent impact in terms of biodiversity and cultural loss. Central Spain hosts the largest and best-preserved area of pollarded narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.) woodlands in Europe. The main aim of this research is to obtain rigorous historical records of pollarding frequency to get adequate information for traditional ash management. We used dendrochronological techniques to evaluate temporal changes of pollarding frequency and rotation length. We analysed the stand level synchrony and the effect of land property on pollarding activity from 322 trees growing in eight pollard stands in Central Spain. Pollarding events were unequivocally identified at tree level by a characteristic change in growth pattern. We identified 2426 tree-level pruning events with the first event dated in 1777. Historical pruning recurrence ranged between 5 and 10 years with higher pollarding frequency on private lands. Pruning events within each site were synchronous, suggesting the existence of a rotational schema within each stand. Pruning frequency decreased drastically in the 1970s matching with the depopulation of rural areas and the general abandonment of traditional practices. Pollarding practices have recovered in recent decades although with lower intensity and lacking the synchronic historical patterns. Providing technical and economic support to make this traditional activity profitably would have strong environmental revenue due the multiple ecosystem services provided by pollarded ashes.iuFOR Institute Unit of Excellence" of the University of Valladolid, funded by the Junta de Castilla y León and co-financed by the European Union (ERDF "Europe drives our growth") project (CLU-2019-01)Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de Investigación - MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 project PROWARM (PID2020-118444GA-100),(IJC2019-040571-I),(grant PRE2018-084106)Junta de Castilla y León, projects, (VA171P20) and (IR2020-1-UVA08)Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCL

M1 Macrophages Activate Notch Signalling in Epithelial Cells: Relevance in Crohn's Disease

Background: The Notch signalling pathway plays an essential role in mucosal regeneration, which constitutes a key goal of Crohn's disease (CD) treatment. Macrophages coordinate tissue repair and several phenotypes have been reported which differ in the expression of surface proteins, cytokines and hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). We analysed the role of HIFs in the expression of Notch ligands in macrophages and the relevance of this pathway in mucosal regeneration. Methods: Human monocytes and U937-derived macrophages were polarized towards the M1 and M2 phenotypes and the expression levels of HIF-1α, HIF-2α, Jagged 1 (Jag1) and delta-like 4 (Dll4) were evaluated. The effects of macrophages on the expression of hairy and enhancer of split-1 (HES1, the main target of Notch signalling) and intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP, enterocyte marker) in epithelial cells in co-culture were also analysed. Phenotype macrophage markers and Notch signalling were evaluated in the mucosa of CD patients. Results: M1 macrophages were associated with HIF-1-dependent induction of Jag1 and Dll4, which increased HES1 protein levels and IAP activity in co-cultured epithelial cells. In the mucosa of CD patients a high percentage of M1 macrophages expressed both HIF-1α and Jag1 while M2 macrophages mainly expressed HIF-2α and we detected a good correlation between the ratio of M1/M2 macrophages and both HES1 and IAP protein levels. Conclusion: M1, but not M2, macrophages are associated with HIF-1-dependent induction of Notch ligands and activation of epithelial Notch signalling pathway. In the mucosa of chronic CD patients, the prevalence of M2 macrophages is associated with diminution of Notch signalling and impaired enterocyte differentiation. Key Words: MacrophagesCrohn's diseasemucosal healingNotch signallin