Rootstock effects on scion gene expression in maritime pine

Pines are the dominant conifers in Mediterranean forests. As long-lived sessile organisms that seasonally have to cope with drought periods, they have developed a variety of adaptive responses. However, during last decades, highly intense and long-lasting drought events could have contributed to decay and mortality of the most susceptible trees. Among conifer species, Pinus pinaster Ait. shows remarkable ability to adapt to different environments. Previous molecular analysis of a full-sib family designed to study drought response led us to find active transcriptional activity of stress-responding genes even without water deprivation in tolerant genotypes. To improve our knowledge about communication between above- and below-ground organs of maritime pine, we have analyzed four graft-type constructions using two siblings as rootstocks and their progenitors, Gal 1056 and Oria 6, as scions. Transcriptomic profiles of needles from both scions were modified by the rootstock they were grafted on. However, the most significant differential gene expression was observed in drought-sensitive Gal 1056, while in drought-tolerant Oria 6, differential gene expression was very much lower. Furthermore, both scions grafted onto drought-tolerant rootstocks showed activation of genes involved in tolerance to abiotic stress, and is most remarkable in Oria 6 grafts where higher accumulation of transcripts involved in phytohormone action, transcriptional regulation, photosynthesis and signaling has been found. Additionally, processes, such as those related to secondary metabolism, were mainly associated with the scion genotype. This study provides pioneering information about rootstock effects on scion gene expression in conifers.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (AGL2015-66048-C2-1-R; RTI2018-098015-B-I00), and by University of Alcalá (UAH-AE 2017-2).Peer reviewe

Modelización de las condiciones de transporte y conservación prolongada en frutas y hortalizas

Este documento se generó a partir de la VI Reunión de la Red Temática FRUTURA de CYTED realizada en la ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina del 26 al 30 de Setiembre de 2011. Organizado por el Laboratorio de Calidad y Postcosecha de Frutas y Hortalizas de la E.E.A. Balcarce del INTA, el programa de esta reunión se enmarcó dentro del principal objetivo de la Red, que es el desarrollo de un sistema integral de mejora de la calidad y seguridad de las frutas durante la manipulación, el transporte y la comercialización, mediante nuevas tecnologías de inspección y monitorización

Burden and risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa community-acquired pneumonia:a Multinational Point Prevalence Study of Hospitalised Patients

Pseudornonas aeruginosa is a challenging bacterium to treat due to its intrinsic resistance to the antibiotics used most frequently in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Data about the global burden and risk factors associated with P. aeruginosa-CAP are limited. We assessed the multinational burden and specific risk factors associated with P. aeruginosa-CAP. We enrolled 3193 patients in 54 countries with confirmed diagnosis of CAP who underwent microbiological testing at admission. Prevalence was calculated according to the identification of P. aeruginosa. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa-CAP. The prevalence of P. aeruginosa and antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa-CAP was 4.2% and 2.0%, respectively. The rate of P. aeruginosa CAP in patients with prior infection/colonisation due to P. aeruginosa and at least one of the three independently associated chronic lung diseases (i.e. tracheostomy, bronchiectasis and/or very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) was 67%. In contrast, the rate of P. aeruginosa-CAP was 2% in patients without prior P. aeruginosa infection/colonisation and none of the selected chronic lung diseases. The multinational prevalence of P. aeruginosa-CAP is low. The risk factors identified in this study may guide healthcare professionals in deciding empirical antibiotic coverage for CAP patients

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans – anteaters, sloths, and armadillos – have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with 24 domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, ten anteaters, and six sloths. Our dataset includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data-paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the south of the USA, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to its austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n=5,941), and Cyclopes sp. has the fewest (n=240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n=11,588), and the least recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n=33). With regards to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n=962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n=12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other datasets of Neotropical Series which will become available very soon (i.e. Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans dataset

Tratamiento empírico vs tratamiento basado en susceptibilidad para erradicar H. pylori: ¿es posible cambiar este paradigma usando métodos moleculares modernos?

Resumen: La infección por Helicobacter pylori es la enfermedad infecto-contagiosa más diseminada a nivel mundial, alcanzando una prevalencia del 50-80% en países en vías de desarrollo. La infección crónica es considerada como la principal causa de gastritis crónica, y se ha relacionado con otras enfermedades como úlcera péptica, linfoma de tejido linfoide asociado a mucosa gástrica y cáncer gástrico. El tratamiento más común son los esquemas de erradicación que utilizan tres o cuatros fármacos, entre ellos un inhibidor de la bomba de protones (IBP) y dos antibióticos, claritromicina y amoxicilina o metronidazol. El uso empírico de antibióticos para la erradicación de la bacteria ha propiciado una creciente resistencia a dichos fármacos, disminuyendo la eficacia de los esquemas y aumentando los costos para el paciente y para el sector salud. Es por esto que el desarrollo de métodos moleculares no invasivos de siguiente generación promete ser una herramienta que revolucione la terapéutica en H. pylori. La detección genotípica y fenotípica de resistencia a antibióticos de la bacteria permite brindar esquemas personalizados de tratamiento, disminuir costos e implementar un programa de administración de antibióticos.Los objetivos de esta revisión narrativa son analizar y comparar los métodos diagnósticos tradicionales y de siguiente generación para el diagnóstico de H. pylori, explicar los diversos factores asociados a falla de erradicación y puntualizar sobre el impacto de la creciente resistencia a antibióticos sobre la reversión y la prevención de enfermedades asociados a H. pylori. Abstract: Helicobacter pylori infection is the most widespread infectious-contagious disease worldwide, reaching a prevalence of 50-80% in developing countries. Chronic infection is considered the main cause of chronic gastritis and has been related to other diseases, such as peptic ulcer, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric cancer. The most common treatment is with eradication regimens that utilize three or four drugs, including a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and the antibiotics, clarithromycin and amoxycillin or metronidazole. Empiric antibiotic use for eradicating the bacterium has led to a growing resistance to those drugs, reducing regimen efficacy and increasing costs for both the patient and the healthcare sector. In such a context, the development of noninvasive next-generation molecular methods holds the promise of revolutionizing the treatment of H. pylori. The genotypic and phenotypic detection of the resistance of the bacterium to antibiotics enables personalized treatment regimens to be provided, reducing costs and implementing an antibiotic stewardship program.The aims of the present narrative review were to analyze and compare the traditional and next-generation methods for diagnosing H. pylori, explain the different factors associated with eradication failure, and emphasize the impact of the increasing antibiotic resistance on the reversal and prevention of H. pylori-associated diseases

Testing for functional convergence of temperate rainforest tree assemblages in Chile and New Zealand

An important tenet of biogeography and comparative ecology is that disjunct assemblages in similar physical environments are functionally more similar to each other than to assemblages from other environments. Temperate rainforests in South America, New Zealand and Australia share certain physiognomic similarities, but we are not aware of any statistical evidence that these disjunct plant assemblages share a distinctive suite of functional traits, or trait combinations. We compiled height, leaf, wood and reproductive traits from the 25 commonest arborescent species at Chilean and New Zealand sites matched for summer rainfall, summer maximum temperatures, and winter minimum temperatures. We then used multivariate tests of trait convergence. Tropical and subtropical assemblages served as out-groups. PERMANOVA showed convergence of trait centroids at the two temperate sites, where trees on average had denser wood and smaller leaves than trees at the (sub)tropical sites. Principal components analyses carried out separately on each assemblage showed that the Chilean and New Zealand assemblages were also the most similar pair in terms of trait relationships, although New Zealand also shared strong similarities with subtropical Argentina. The main axis of variation in both temperate assemblages ranged from small, short-lived understorey trees with soft leaves, to emergents with sclerophyllous leaves and fairly dense wood. However, the New Zealand assemblage was much richer in small trees with soft leaves than its Chilean counterpart; possible historical influences on this difference include conditions favouring radiation of small trees during the late Neogene in New Zealand, competition from Chusquea bamboos in Chile and the historical absence of browsing mammals from New Zealand. Environmental filtering has produced similar values of individual traits in Chile and New Zealand, but only partial convergence of functional trait combinations. As far as we know, this is the first study to statistically test whether disjunct tree assemblages on climatically matched sites are more functionally similar to each other than to assemblages from other environments.</p

Una nueva megaflora (maderas y hojas fósiles) del Mioceno del suroeste de la Patagonia

A new megaflora composed of fossil woods and leaves is described. The bearing sediments overlie the Santa Cruz Formation (early Miocene), making it one of the youngest fossil megafloras described from southern Patagonia. The fossil woods is carbonized and found as clasts within a conglomerate. It includes a few specimens representing Araucariaceae (Agathoxylon sp.), Podocarpaceae (Phyllocladoxylon sp.), Cupressaceae (Cupressinoxylon sp.) and two indeterminable angiosperms with anatomical features consistent with Nothofagaceae. Most leaves are assigned to Nothofagaceae while a few specimens are related to Lauraceae, Typhaceae, Leguminosae, and a conifer. The recovered assemblage suggests a temperate climate similar to that of northern Patagonia today, inhabited by extant relatives of the fossils described herein.Una nueva megaflora compuesta por maderas y hojas fósiles es presentada. Los sedimentos portadores sobreyacen a la Formación Santa Cruz (Mioceno inferior), por lo tanto es una de las megafloras más jóvenes del sur patagónico descripta. Las maderas fósiles están carbonizadas y se encuentran como clastos de un conglomerado. Están representadas por unos pocos especímenes de Araucariaceae (Agathoxylon sp.), Podocarpaceae (Phyllocladoxylon sp.), Cupressaceae (Cupressinoxylon sp.) y dos angiospermas no determinadas que poseen una anatomía consistente con la de las Nothofagaceae. Las hojas son en su mayoría asignadas a las Nothofagaceae, acompañadas por Lauraceae, Typhaceae, Leguminosae y una conifera. El conjunto de fósiles sugiere un clima templado similar al actual de la Patagonia norte, donde viven parientes vivos de los fósiles descriptos.Fil: Pujana, Roberto Roman. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Panti, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Cuitiño, José Ignacio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: García Massini, Juan Leandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Transferencia Tecnológica de Anillaco; ArgentinaFil: Mirabelli, Sebastian Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentin