Ecology of the collapse of Rapa Nui society

Collapses of food producer societies are recurrent events in prehistory and have triggered a growing concern for identifying the underlying causes of convergences/divergences across cultures around the world. One of the most studied and used as a paradigmatic case is the population collapse of the Rapa Nui society. Here, we test different hypotheses about it by developing explicit population dynamic models that integrate feedbacks between climatic, demographic and ecological factors that underpinned the sociocultural trajectory of these people. We evaluate our model outputs against a reconstruction of past population size based on archaeological radiocarbon dates from the island. The resulting estimated demographic declines of the Rapa Nui people are linked to the long-term effects of climate change on the island's carrying capacity and, in turn, on the 'per-capita food supply'

Applications and perspectives of plant gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9

Los avances en materia de genética y biotecnología introducen una dimensión novedosa en la utilización de herramientas de edición génica en plantas. En el presente trabajo se relevaron 164 publicaciones científicas que aplicaron CRISPR-Cas9 en el mejoramiento genético vegetal desde 2013 hasta 2020. En la mayor parte de los trabajos publicados se modificaron los siguientes cultivos: arroz, tomate, Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica sp., maíz, soja, tabaco, trigo y papa. Los caracteres modificados mediante CRISPR-Cas9 fueron, en orden de importancia: (i) tolerancia a estreses bióticos, (ii) aumento de la calidad y valor nutricional, (iii) mejoras en los componentes de rendimiento, arquitectura de planta y longitud de ciclo, (iv) tolerancia a estreses abióticos y (v) tolerancia a herbicidas. Los resultados confirman que los avances son vertiginosos y que la técnica es promisoria, sin embargo, es necesario un enfoque multidisciplinario que contemple, además, la percepción pública, lo cual resultará beneficioso para productores, consumidores y ambiente.Advances in genetics and biotechnology introduce a novel dimension in the use of gene editing tools in plants. In the present work, 164 scientific publications that applied CRISPR-Cas9 in plant genetic improvement from 2013 to 2020 were surveyed. In most of the published works, the following crops were modified: rice, tomato, Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica sp., corn, soybeans, tobacco, wheat and potatoes. The traits modified by CRISPR-Cas9 were, in order of importance: (i) tolerance to biotic stresses, (ii) increased quality and nutritional value, (iii) improvements in yield components, plant architecture and cycle length, (iv) tolerance to abiotic stresses and (v) tolerance to herbicides. The results confirm that the advances are vertiginous and that the technique is promising, however, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary that also contemplates public perception, which will be beneficial for producers, consumers and the environment.Fil: Salerno, Juan Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina. Universidad de Morón; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador; ArgentinaFil: Kandus, Mariana Virginia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina. Universidad de Morón; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador; ArgentinaFil: Lima, Natacha Salomé. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: González Pla, Florencia Paula. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; ArgentinaFil: Prada, Arturo. Universidad de Cádiz; EspañaFil: Almorza, David. Universidad de Cádiz; EspañaFil: Michel Fariña, Juan Jorge. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentin

Aplicaciones y perspectivas de la edición génica de plantas mediante CRISPR-Cas9 = Applications and perspectives of plant gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9

Los avances en materia de genética y biotecnología, introducen una dimensión novedosa en la utilización de herramientas de edición génica en plantas. En el presente trabajo se relevaron 164 publicaciones científicas que aplicaron CRISPR-Cas9 en el mejoramiento genético vegetal desde 2013 hasta 2020. En la mayor parte de los trabajos publicados se modificaron los siguientes cultivos: arroz, tomate, Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica sp., maíz, soja, tabaco, trigo y papa. Los caracteres modificados mediante CRISPR-Cas9 fueron, en orden de importancia: (i) tolerancia a estreses bióticos, (ii) aumento de la calidad y valor nutricional, (iii) mejoras en los componentes de rendimiento, arquitectura de planta y longitud de ciclo, (iv) tolerancia a estreses abióticos y (v) tolerancia a herbicidas. Los resultados confirman que los avances son vertiginosos y que la técnica es promisoria, sin embargo, es necesario un enfoque multidisciplinario que contemple, además, la percepción pública, lo cual resultará beneficioso para productores, consumidores y ambiente.Advances in genetics and biotechnology introduce a novel dimension in the use of gene editing tools in plants. In the present work, 164 scientific publications that applied CRISPR-Cas9 in plant genetic improvement from 2013 to 2020 were surveyed. In most of the published works, the following crops were modified: rice, tomato, Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica sp., corn, soybeans, tobacco, wheat and potatoes. The traits modified by CRISPR-Cas9 were, in order of importance: (i) tolerance to biotic stresses, (ii) increased quality and nutritional value, (iii) improvements in yield components, plant architecture and cycle length, (iv) tolerance to abiotic stresses and (v) tolerance to herbicides. The results confirm that the advances are vertiginous and that the technique is promising, however, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary that also contemplates public perception, which will be beneficial for producers, consumers and the environment.Instituto de GenéticaFil: Salerno, Juan Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Genética; ArgentinaFil: Salerno, Juan Carlos. Universidad de Morón; ArgentinaFil: Salerno, Juan Carlos. Universidad del Salvador; ArgentinaFil: Kandus, Mariana Virginia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Genética; ArgentinaFil: Kandus, Mariana Virginia. Universidad de Morón; ArgentinaFil: Kandus, Mariana Virginia. Universidad del Salvador; ArgentinaFil: Lima, Natacha Salomé. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Lima, Natacha Salomé. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: González Pla, Florencia Paula. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica; ArgentinaFil: Prada, Arturo. Universidad de Cádiz. Facultad de Medicina; EspañaFil: Almorza, David. Universidad de Cádiz. Facultad de Ciencias del Trabajo; EspañaFil: Fariña, Juan Jorge Michel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; Argentin

The serum metabolome mediates the concert of diet, exercise, and neurogenesis, determining the risk for cognitive decline and dementia

Introduction: Diet and exercise influence the risk of cognitive decline (CD) and dementia through the food metabolome and exercise-triggered endogenous factors, which use the blood as a vehicle to communicate with the brain. These factors might act in concert with hippocampal neurogenesis (HN) to shape CD and dementia. Methods: Using an in vitro neurogenesis assay, we examined the effects of serum samples from a longitudinal cohort (n = 418) on proxy HN readouts and their association with future CD and dementia across a 12-year period. Results: Altered apoptosis and reduced hippocampal progenitor cell integrity were associated with exercise and diet and predicted subsequent CD and dementia. The effects of exercise and diet on CD specifically were mediated by apoptosis. Discussion: Diet and exercise might influence neurogenesis long before the onset of CD and dementia. Alterations in HN could signify the start of the pathological process and potentially represent biomarkers for CD and dementia

Temporal relationships between maternal metabolic parameters with neonatal adiposity in women with obesity differ by neonatal sex : Secondary analysis of the DALI study

To investigate the importance of time in pregnancy and neonatal sex on the association between maternal metabolic parameters and neonatal sum of skinfolds. This was a longitudinal, secondary analysis of the vitamin D and lifestyle intervention for gestational diabetes mellitus study, conducted in nine European countries during 2012 to 2015. Pregnant women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) of ≥29 kg/m were invited to participate. We measured 14 maternal metabolic parameters at three times during pregnancy: <20 weeks, 24 to 28 weeks, and 35 to 37 weeks of gestation. The sum of four skinfolds assessed within 2 days after birth was the measure of neonatal adiposity. In total, 458 mother-infant pairs (50.2% female infants) were included. Insulin resistance (fasting insulin and HOMA-index of insulin resistance) in early pregnancy was an important predictor for boys' sum of skinfolds, in addition to fasting glucose and maternal adiposity (leptin, BMI and neck circumference) throughout pregnancy. In girls, maternal lipids (triglycerides and fatty acids) in the first half of pregnancy were important predictors of sum of skinfolds, as well as fasting glucose in the second half of pregnancy. Associations between maternal metabolic parameters and neonatal adiposity vary between different periods during pregnancy. This time-dependency is different between sexes, suggesting different growth strategies

Temporal relationships between maternal metabolic parameters with neonatal adiposity in women with obesity differ by neonatal sex : secondary analysis of the DALI study

Objectives: To investigate the importance of time in pregnancy and neonatal sex on the association between maternal metabolic parameters and neonatal sum of skinfolds. Methods: This was a longitudinal, secondary analysis of the vitamin D and lifestyle intervention for gestational diabetes mellitus study, conducted in nine European countries during 2012 to 2015. Pregnant women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) of ≥29 kg/m2 were invited to participate. We measured 14 maternal metabolic parameters at three times during pregnancy: <20 weeks, 24 to 28 weeks, and 35 to 37 weeks of gestation. The sum of four skinfolds assessed within 2 days after birth was the measure of neonatal adiposity. Results: In total, 458 mother‐infant pairs (50.2% female infants) were included. Insulin resistance (fasting insulin and HOMA‐index of insulin resistance) in early pregnancy was an important predictor for boys' sum of skinfolds, in addition to fasting glucose and maternal adiposity (leptin, BMI and neck circumference) throughout pregnancy. In girls, maternal lipids (triglycerides and fatty acids) in the first half of pregnancy were important predictors of sum of skinfolds, as well as fasting glucose in the second half of pregnancy. Conclusions: Associations between maternal metabolic parameters and neonatal adiposity vary between different periods during pregnancy. This time‐dependency is different between sexes, suggesting different growth strategies

Evaluation of the genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of Melissa officinalis in mice

Melissa officinalis (L.) (Lamiaceae), a plant known as the lemon balm, is native to the east Mediterranean region and west Asia. Also found in tropical countries, such as Brazil, where it is popularly known as “erva-cidreira” or “melissa”, it is widely used in aqueous- or alcoholic-extract form in the treatment of various disorders. The aim was to investigate in vivo its antigenotoxicity and antimutagenicity, as well as its genotoxic/mutagenic potential through comet and micronucleus assaying. CF-1 male mice were treated with ethanolic (Mo-EE) (250 or 500 mg/kg) or aqueous (Mo-AE) (100 mg/kg) solutions of an M. officinalis extract for 2 weeks, prior to treatment with saline or Methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) doses by intraperitoneal injection. Irrespective of the doses, no genotoxic or mutagenic effects were observed in blood and bone-marrow samples. Although Mo-EE exerted an antigenotoxic effect on the blood cells of mice treated with the alkylating agent (MMS) in all the doses, this was not so with Mo-AE. Micronucleus testing revealed the protector effect of Mo-EE, but only when administered at the highest dose. The implication that an ethanolic extract of M. officinalis has antigenotoxic/antimutagenic properties is an indication of its medicinal relevance

Modeling Natural Anti-Inflammatory Compounds by Molecular Topology

One of the main pharmacological problems today in the treatment of chronic inflammation diseases consists of the fact that anti-inflammatory drugs usually exhibit side effects. The natural products offer a great hope in the identification of bioactive lead compounds and their development into drugs for treating inflammatory diseases. Computer-aided drug design has proved to be a very useful tool for discovering new drugs and, specifically, Molecular Topology has become a good technique for such a goal. A topological-mathematical model, obtained by linear discriminant analysis, has been developed for the search of new anti-inflammatory natural compounds. An external validation obtained with the remaining compounds (those not used in building up the model), has been carried out. Finally, a virtual screening on natural products was performed and 74 compounds showed actual anti-inflammatory activity. From them, 54 had been previously described as anti-inflammatory in the literature. This can be seen as a plus in the model validation and as a reinforcement of the role of Molecular Topology as an efficient tool for the discovery of new anti-inflammatory natural compounds