The bacterial effector HopZ1a acetylates MKK7 to suppress plant immunity

The Pseudomonas syringae type III secretion system translocates effector proteins into the host cell cytosol to suppress plant basal immunity. Effector HopZ1a suppresses local and sys- temic immunity triggered by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and effectors, through target acetylation. HopZ1a has been shown to target several plant proteins, but none fully substantiates HopZ1a-associated immune suppression. Here, we investigate Arabidopsis thaliana mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MKKs) as potential targets, focusing on AtMKK7, a positive regulator of local and systemic immunity. We analyse HopZ1a interference with AtMKK7 by translocation of HopZ1a from bacteria inoculated into Arabidopsis expressing MKK7 from an inducible promoter. Reciprocal pheno- types are analysed on plants expressing a construct quenching MKK7 native expression. We analyse HopZ1a–MKK7 interaction by three independent methods, and the relevance of acetylation by in vitro kinase and in planta functional assays. We demonstrate the AtMKK7 contribution to immune signalling showing MKK7- dependent flg22-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, MAP kinas (MAPK) activation and callose deposition, plus AvrRpt2-triggered MKK7-dependent signalling. Furthermore, we demonstrate HopZ1a suppression of all MKK7-dependent responses, HopZ1a–MKK7 interac- tion in planta and HopZ1a acetylation of MKK7 with a lysine required for full kinase activity. We demonstrate that HopZ1a targets AtMKK7 to suppress local and systemic plant immunity.RTI2018- 095069-B-I00, BIO2015-64391-R, UMA18-FEDERJA-070, FPU14/04233, XDB27040204, Universidad de Málaga-CBU

Pet ownership and health status of pets from immunocompromised children, with emphasis in zoonotic diseases

Q4Q4Artículo original205-210Objetive: To characterize pet ownership and pet health status in families of immunocompromised (IS) children, with emphasis in zoonotic diseases. Population and Methods: Families of IS children from two hospitals in San-tiago, Chile, were interviewed and their pets were evaluated by veterinary examination, coproparasitologic and skin dermatophytes test. In specifi c cases, other laboratory tests were performed in IS children or their relatives. Results: 47 out of 70 contacted families had pets, 42 participated in the study. Several risk factors for IS children were observed, as having a turtle as a pet and to clean cat or turtle faeces. Lack of adequate veterinary control, immunizations and deparasitation of pets were observed. Some animals showed zoonotic diseases or agents, as Brucella canis, Cryptosporidium sp, Giardia intestinalis, Toxocaracanis and scabies. 44% of dogs had ticks and 37% had fl eas, both potential vectors of infections. Conclusions: Our results suggest that policies to provide safer pet contact in IS children are needed

A Case Study of available methodology for the identification of Vulnerable Ecosystems/Habitats in bottom deep-sea fisheries: Possibilities to apply this method in the NAFO Regulatory Area in order to select Marine Protected Areas

Information is critical to Ecosystem Approach and to research about Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems/Habitats (VME/Hs), fishing impacts on habitats and ad-hoc management measures are high-priority. Therefore, this paper presents the ECOVUL/ARPA Interdisciplinary Approach, a case study of methodology for the identification of VME/Hs in order to advise on conservation measures such as marine protected areas (MPAs). By means of an interactive process involving Conventional Fisheries Science, Geomorphology, Sedimentology and Benthic Ecology, the methodology developed under the ECOVUL/ARPA project, has been useful in order to contribute to define practical criteria to the identification of VME/Hs, to improve the knowledge about VME/Hs distribution and the adverse impacts of bottom trawl fisheries and to produce high quality advice on habitat protection. Applying an interdisciplinary approach, the project identified the deep-water bottom trawl fishery footprint on the Hatton Bank Western slope (NEAFC Regulatory Area), mapped the main fishing grounds and related seabed habitats and studied the interactions between fishing and cold-water corals. This approach was used to suggest, with high level of precision, the spatial limits of an area closed to bottom fishing, as an essential conservation measure to protect the cold-water corals in the framework of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management. We present here the methods used, the main results obtained and discuss on the utility of this approach and the possibilities to apply it in the NAFO Regulatory Area, with the aim to advise on measures for reducing the interactions of bottom fishing with sensitive high-seas habitats and to contribute to implement the UNGA recommendations about habitat conservation

Inactivation of the Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 rhcJ gene abolishes nodulation outer proteins (Nops) secretion and decreases the symbiotic capacity with soybean

It has been postulated that nodulation outer proteins (Nops) avoid effective nodulation of Sinorhizobium fredii USDA257 to nodulate with American soybeans. S. fredii HH103 naturally nodulates with both Asiatic (non-commercial) and American (commercial) soybeans. Inactivation of the S. fredii HH103 gene rhcJ, which belongs to the tts (type III secretion) cluster, abolished Nop secretion and decreased its symbiotic capacity with the two varieties of soybeans. S. fredii strains HH103 and USDA257, that only nodulates with Asian soybeans, showed different SDS-PAGE Nop profiles, indicating that these strains secrete different sets of Nops. In coinoculation experiments, the presence of strain USDA257 provoked a clear reduction of the nodulation ability of strain HH103 with the American soybean cultivar Williams. These results suggest that S. fredii Nops can act as either detrimental or beneficial symbiotic factors in a strain-cultivar-dependent manner. Differences in the flavonoid-mediated expression of rhcJ with respect to nodA were also detected. In addition, one of the Nops secreted by strain HH103 was identified as NopA. [Int Microbiol 2006; 9(2):125-133

First absolute measurements of fast-ion losses in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

A new diagnostic technique that allows to obtain absolute fluxes of fast-ion losses measured with absolutely calibrated scintillator based fast-ion loss detectors (FILD) is presented here. First absolute fluxes of fast-ion losses have been obtained in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. An instrument function that includes the scintillator efficiency, collimator geometry, optical transmission and camera efficiency has been constructed. The scintillator response to deuterium ions in the relevant energy range of fast-ions has been characterized using a tandem accelerator. Absolute flux of neutral beam injection (NBI) prompt losses has been obtained in magnetohydrodynamic quiescent plasmas. The temporal evolution of the heat load measured with FILD follows that measured at the FILD entrance obtained with an Infra-Red camera looking at the FILD detector head. ASCOT simulations are in good agreement with the absolute heat load of NBI prompt losses measured with FILD.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad RYC-2011-09152, FIS2015-69362-P, ENE2012-31087EUROfusion Consortium PCIG11-GA-2012- 321455Comunidad Europea de la Energía Atómica 63305

Risk factors associated with moderate-to-severe renal dysfunction among heart transplant patients: results from the CAPRI study

[Abstract] The longer survival of patients with heart transplantation (HT) favors calcineurin inhibitor–related chronic kidney disease (CKD). It behoves to identify risk factors. At 14 Spanish centers, data on 1062 adult patients with HT (age 59.2 ± 12.3 yr, 82.5% men) were collected at routine follow-up examinations. Glomerular filtration rate, GFR, was estimated using the four-variable MDRD equation, and moderate-or-severe renal dysfunction (MSRD) was defined as K/DOQI stage 3 CKD or worse. Time since transplant ranged from one month to 22 yr (mean 6.7 yr). At assessment, 26.6% of patients were diabetic and 63.9% hypertensive; 53.9% were taking cyclosporine and 33.1% tacrolimus; and 61.4% had MSRD. Among patients on cyclosporine or tacrolimus at assessment, multivariate logistic regression identified male sex (OR 0.44), pre- and post-HT creatinine (2.73 and 3.13 per mg/dL), age at transplant (1.06 per yr), time since transplant (1.05 per yr), and tacrolimus (0.65) as independent positive or negative predictors of MSRD. It is concluded that female sex, pre- and one-month post-HT serum creatinine, age at transplant, time since transplant, and immunosuppression with cyclosporine rather than tacrolimus may all be risk factors for development of CKD ≥ stage 3 by patients with HT

Unraveling the real magnitude of illegal wildlife poisoning to halt cryptic biodiversity loss

Illegal wildlife poisoning is a global threat for biodiversity, yet the magnitude of its impact on ecosystems is largely underestimated as most of poisoning episodes remain undetected. Here, we conducted a large-scale field experiment to better understand the real dimension of the illegal wildlife poisoning in terms of composition and number of species and abundance of impacted individuals, as well as the ecological factors driving it. We used camera traps to monitor simulated poison baits placed in 25 study areas in SW Europe and applied Good–Turing theory to estimate the richness of species of the entire assemblage (observed plus undetected). We recorded 3095 individuals from 39 vertebrate species that consumed 94 % of the baits (N = 590). Yet, using sample completeness to estimate the entire species assemblage yielded a total of 47 species exposed to illegal poisoning. The observed assemblage included different trophic and functional groups (from lizards and snakes to apex species among birds and mammals), as well as a 38 % of threatened and near threatened species (according to Spanish and Portuguese vertebrate red list and UICN list). The size (weight) of the bait outstands as a reliable predictor of the number of species (0–8 species/bait, mean = 2) and individuals (0–99 individuals/bait, mean = 5) susceptible to poisoning. The habitat where the bait was placed modulated the abundance of individuals affected (greater in open than in closed habitats). Type of bait and habitat drove the compositional variation of species. Our approach enables uncover entire species assemblages prone to illegal poisoning and their ecological drivers associated, advancing the understanding of the impact of wildlife poisoning in ecosystemsThis work was supported by the project TOXICO funding by “BBVA FOUNDATION GRANTS TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TEAMS, CALL 2018”. WWF Spain and SEO/BirdLife provided access to the ANTíDOTO database of wildlife poisoning in Spain. The Ohio Wesleyan University supported with logistical material (5 camera-traps). JVLB was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (RYC-2015-18932; CGL2017-87528-R AEI/FEDER EU). JVLB and PMT were supported by a GRUPIN research grant from the Regional Government of Asturias (AYUD/2021/51314). In Portugal, this study was financed through the Sentinelas project funded by Fundo Ambiental – Minist´erio do Ambiente e da Aç˜ ao Clim´ atica. We are grateful to Instituto da Conservaçao ˜ da Natureza e das Florestas (ICNF), Principado de Asturias, Junta de Castilla y Leon, ´ Xunta de Galicia, Gobierno de Cantabria, Comunidad de Madrid, Junta de Andalucía, Picos de Europa National Park, Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, Cabaneros ˜ National Park and Monfragüe National Park for granted permission

Revista de Vertebrados de la Estación Biológica de Doñana

Descripción de un nuevo género y de una nueva especie Iberocypris palaciosi N.GEN.N.SO (Pisces, cyprinidae).Resultados de los censos d e aves acuáticas en Andalucía Occidental durante el invierno1978-79Interacciones en la alimentación de las larvas de dos especies de tritones. (Triturus marmoratus y Triturus boscai).Utilización del espacio en una comunidad de lacertidos del matorral mediterráneo en la Reserva Biológica de DoñanaMorfología dentaria de las liebres europeas (Lagomorpha, leporidae).El conejo, Oryctolagus cuniculus en Andalucía Occidental: Parámetros corporales y curva de crecimientoObservaciones de foca monje (Monachus monachus Herm.) en las costas del sureste de la Península Ibérica.Presencia de pejerrey Atherina (Hepsetia) boyeri, Risso 1810; Pisces ( Atherinidae) en la laguna de Zoñar (Córdoba, SO de España).Nuevas citas de la "loina" Chondrostoma (Machaerochilus) toxostoma arrigonis Stein. (pisces, cyprinidae) en EspañaRelativa subalimentación de Falco naumanni durante el periodo no reproductor en el valle del GuadalquivirComadrejas alimentandose de carroña.Agrupamientos de Alytes cisternasii bajo el mismo refugioDescripción de un nuevo género de quiróptero neotropical de la familia MolossidaeAlgunas notas sobre Platalea leucorodia en GaliciaInicidencia del murciélago hematófago Desmodus rotundus sobre los indígenas Yanomani de VenezuelaRitmo de actividad de algunos ratones de los llanos de Apure (Venezuela)Presencia del topillo campesino ibérico, Microtus arvalis asturianus Miller, 1908 en la meseta del DueroFalco columbarius EsmerejónCiconia ciconia CigüeñaNycticorax nycticorax MartinetePeer reviewe

Non-motor symptom burden in patients with Parkinson's disease with impulse control disorders and compulsive behaviours: results from the COPPADIS cohort.

The study was aimed at analysing the frequency of impulse control disorders (ICDs) and compulsive behaviours (CBs) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and in control subjects (CS) as well as the relationship between ICDs/CBs and motor, nonmotor features and dopaminergic treatment in PD patients. Data came from COPPADIS-2015, an observational, descriptive, nationwide (Spain) study. We used the validated Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease-Rating Scale (QUIP-RS) for ICD/CB screening. The association between demographic data and ICDs/CBs was analyzed in both groups. In PD, this relationship was evaluated using clinical features and treatment-related data. As result, 613 PD patients (mean age 62.47 ± 9.09 years, 59.87% men) and 179 CS (mean age 60.84 ± 8.33 years, 47.48% men) were included. ICDs and CBs were more frequent in PD (ICDs 12.7% vs. 1.6%, p < 0.001; CBs 7.18% vs. 1.67%, p = 0.01). PD patients had more frequent previous ICDs history, premorbid impulsive personality and antidepressant treatment (p < 0.05) compared with CS. In PD, patients with ICDs/CBs presented younger age at disease onset, more frequent history of previous ICDs and premorbid personality (p < 0.05), as well as higher comorbidity with nonmotor symptoms, including depression and poor quality of life. Treatment with dopamine agonists increased the risk of ICDs/CBs, being dose dependent (p < 0.05). As conclusions, ICDs and CBs were more frequent in patients with PD than in CS. More nonmotor symptoms were present in patients with PD who had ICDs/CBs compared with those without. Dopamine agonists have a prominent effect on ICDs/CBs, which could be influenced by dose

Calcifediol is superior to cholecalciferol in improving vitamin D status in postmenopausal women: a randomized trial

Vitamin D has shown to play a role in multiple diseases due to its skeletal and extraskeletal actions. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency has become a worldwide health issue. Few supplementation guidelines mention calcifediol treatment, despite being the direct precursor of calcitriol and the biomarker of vitamin D status. This 1-year, phase III-IV, double-blind, randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical trial assessed the efficacy and safety of calcifediol 0.266 mg soft capsules in vitamin D-deficient postmenopausal women, compared to cholecalciferol. Results reported here are from a prespecified interim analysis, for the evaluation of the study's primary endpoint: the percentage of patients with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels above 30 ng/ml after 4 months. A total of 303 patients were enrolled, of whom 298 were included in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. Patients with baseline levels of serum 25(OH)D <20 ng/ml were randomized 1:1:1 to calcifediol 0.266 mg/month for 12 months, calcifediol 0.266 mg/month for 4 months followed by placebo for 8 months, and cholecalciferol 25,000 IU/month for 12 months. At month 4, 35.0% of postmenopausal women treated with calcifediol and 8.2% of those treated with cholecalciferol reached serum 25(OH)D levels above 30 ng/ml (p < 0.0001). The most remarkable difference between both drugs in terms of mean change in serum 25(OH)D levels was observed after the first month of treatment (mean ± standard deviation change = 9.7 ± 6.7 and 5.1 ± 3.5 ng/ml in patients treated with calcifediol and cholecalciferol, respectively). No relevant treatment-related safety issues were reported in any of the groups studied. These results thus confirm that calcifediol is effective, faster, and more potent than cholecalciferol in raising serum 25(OH)D levels and is a valuable option for the treatment of vitamin D deficiency