The last Charrua Indian; (Uruguay): analysis of the remains of Chief Vaimaca Perú.

Uruguay is the only Latin American country that at present lacks Native populations and little is known about its prehistoric populations. In the construction of National identity, the unique reference to Natives is about Charra Indians, one of the most important ethnic groups that lived in the territory and exterminated in the 1830s. In 1833, four survivors were taken to be exhibited and studied in France, becoming martyrs and a symbol of their nation. The skeletal remains of Chief Perú were preserved and studied mainly by Rivet1; these are the only remains certainly identified as belonging to a Charrúa. In 2002, the French government returned the remains to Uruguay, where they were buried with honours at the National Pantheon. Before the burial, we performed morphological studies as well as extracted samples for DNA analysis. Peru's morphology is coherent with the one of a nomadic warrior: robust body with strong muscular insertions, wounds, and healthy diet based mainly on meat. Here we show that metric and morphological data as well as maternal inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) hypervariable region I (HVRI) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), indicate a close relationship with Pampa-Patagonian Indians, and specially, with prehistoric Natives buried in mounds from eastern Uruguay. This last finding is particularly important to understand Uruguayan prehistory and history, raising the debate about who the mound builders were, and showing continuity between them, historic Charrúa Indians, and present populations

Cloning and heterologous expression of Lactobacillus reuteri uroporphyrinogen III synthase/methyltransferase gene (cobA/hemD): Preliminary characterization

Some strains of Lb. reuteri produce cobalamin (vitamin B12). Cobalamin biosynthesis relies on the sequential action of more than 25 enzymes in a complex metabolic pathway. We have cloned, expressed and characterized the gene in Lb. reuteri that codes for the S-adenosy L-methionine uroprophyrinogen III methyltransferase/synthase (CobA/HemD), a key bifunctional enzyme in the biosynthesis of cobalamin and other tetrapyrrols.Fil: Vannini, María Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Vera, José Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: de Valdéz, Graciela F.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Taranto, Maria Pia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Sesma, Fernando Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentin

Biodiversity and benthic megafaunal communities inhabiting the Formigas Bank (NE Azores)

The Formigas Bank is an offshore seamount located in the easternmost part of the Azores archipelago (northeast Atlantic). It rises from abyssal depths to the surface, including a small set of islets. The bank holds multiple nature conservation designations, including a Natura 2000 Special Area of Conservation, an OSPAR Marine Protected Area, a RAMSAR site and a Nature Reserve declared under the Azores network of protected areas. The protection is based on the presence of sublittoral biotopes of high conservation interest, and importance as feeding grounds, spawning and nursery areas for many marine species, including fish, cetaceans and turtles. Although some information exists on the sublittoral communities occurring on the seamount summit (e.g., infralittoral Cystoseira and Laminaria beds, circalittoral hydrarian and sponge gardens, rich pelagic fauna), virtually no information was available on the deep-sea communities inhabiting the seamount flanks. Therefore, during the MEDWAVES cruise, the flanks of the Formigas bank have been surveyed using multibeam sonar, an ROV and oceanographic profiles, with the objective to characterise deep-sea biodiversity and megafaunal communities as well as the environment where they occur. This communication will present results from the video annotations of the ten dives made on the seamount slopes between ~500m and ~1,500 m depth. Diverse communities of sedentary suspension-feeding organisms were observed, with more than 20 cold-water coral species (mainly octocorals) being recorded, as well as many different sponge morphotypes. Dense coral garden habitats and sponge grounds were identified on several occasions, confirming the presence of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) and of ecologically or biologically significant areas (EBSAs). Differences in the abundance and composition of these habitats between the northern and southern dive transects are interpreted as reflecting substrate and geomorphological differences, as well as the potential influence of the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). The new knowledge on deep-sea megafaunal communities reinforces the importance of this seamount as an area of high conservation interest

Cruise Summary Report - MEDWAVES survey. MEDiterranean out flow WAter and Vulnerable EcosystemS (MEDWAVES)

The MEDWAVES (MEDiterranean out flow WAter and Vulnerable EcosystemS) cruise targeted areas under the potential influence of the MOW within the Mediterranean and Atlantic realms. These include seamounts where Cold-water corals (CWCs) have been reported but that are still poorly known, and which may act as essential “stepping stones” connecting fauna of seamounts in the Mediterranean with those of the continental shelf of Portugal, the Azores and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. During MEDWAVES sampling has been conducted in two of the case studies of ATLAS: Case study 7 (Gulf of Cádiz-Strait of Gibraltar-Alboran Sea) and Case study 8 (Azores). The initially targeted areas in the Atlantic were: the Gazul Mud volcano, in the Gulf of Cádiz (GoC) area, included in the case study 7, and the Atlantic seamounts Ormonde (Portuguese shelf) and Formigas (by Azores), both part of the case study 8. In the Mediterranean the targeted areas were The Guadiaro submarine canyon and the Seco de los Olivos (also known as Chella Bank) seamount. Unfortunately it was not possible to sample in Guadiaro due to time constraints originated by adverse meteorological conditions which obligate us to reduce the time at sea focusing only in 4 of the 5 initially planned areas. MEDWAVES was structured in two legs; the first leg took place from the 21st September (departure from Cádiz harbour in Spain) to the 13th October 2016 (arrival in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal took place the 8th of October due to the meteorological conditions that obligated to conclude the first leg earlier as planned). during the Leg 1 sampling was carried out in Gazul, Ormonde and Formigas. The second leg started the 14th October (departure from Ponta Delgada) and finished the 26th October (arrival in Málaga harbour, Spain). MEDWAVES had a total of 30 effective sampling days, being 6 days not operative due to the adverse meteorological conditions experienced during the first leg which forced us to stay in Ponta Delgada from the 08th to the 13th October. During MEDWAVES the daily routine followed a similar scheme, depending of course on the weather and sea conditions. The main activity during the day, starting early in the morning (around 08:00 AM, once the night activities were finished), was the ROV deployment. Generally a single ROV dive of around 8 hours was performed, however in several occasions two dives were carried out in the same day (see General station list, Appendix II). After the ROV (and sometimes between two dives) the Box Corer and/or Van Veen Grab and/or Multicore was deployed. After these activities, during the night CTD-Rosette deployments and MB was conducted. Accordingly to this schema the scientific personnel worked in the day or in the night watch. A total of 215 sampling stations have been covered in MEDWAVES, using the following sampling gears: Multibeam echosounder, CTD-Rosette, LADCP, Box Corer, Van Veen Grab, Multicorer and a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Table 1 sumamrised the number of sampling stations conducted with each gear in each sampling zone. Additionally MB surveys have been conducted during the transits between area

A soy-based probiotic drink modulates the microbiota and reduces body weight gain in diet-induced obese mice

This work investigates the effect of a soy-based probiotic drink (Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707) on the fecal microbiota composition, body weight and inflammatory parameters in diet-induced obese mice. The probiotic group had a lower body weight until 9th week of the study, reduced area and diameter of adipocytes, and showed a significant increase of IL-6 and IL-10 compared to the obesite non-treated group. The intake of a high-fat diet results in an increase of Lactobacillus spp. while the probiotic drink positively modulates the intestinal microbiota by maintaining the population of microorganisms belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes and increases Bifidobacterium spp. Our study finds that the regular intake of this probiotic drink is able to reduce body weight gain and the size of adipocytes while modulating the fecal microbiota and the immune profile of animals, therefore acting in a beneficial manner in the control of obesity.Fil: de Carvalho Marchesin, Juliana. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Sbaglia Celiberto, Larissa. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Botinhon Orlando, Allan. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Ivo de Medeiros, Alexandra. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Pinto, Roseli Aparecida. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Sampaio Zuanon, José Antônio. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Spolidorio, Luis Carlos. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: dos Santos, Andrey. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Taranto, Maria Pia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Umbelino Cavallini, Daniela Cardoso. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasi

The hidden cold-water coral communities of the Ormonde seamount (Gorringe Bank): a world to explore, a world to discover

In September-October 2016 the oceanographic cruise MEDWAVES was conducted (in the frame of the ATLAS project H2020), in order to follow the path of the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) in the Atlantic from Cádiz to the Azores. MEDWAVES aimed to investigate the influence of the MOW in the community composition of benthic assemblages in several Atlantic geomorphological features. One of the targeted areas was the Ormonde seamount in the Atlantic Ocean, 160 nautical miles SW off Cape St. Vincent, Portugal. This seamount, together with the Gettysburg seamount, is part of a volcanic ridge named Gorringe that rises from 5,000 m to less than 80m depth, respectively representing the abyssal plain until the photic zone. Its panoply of marine life and environments increased the demand for conservation measures. Consequently, Gorringe bank is currently protected by the Habitats Directive and part of Natura 2000 network since 2015. Other protective measures include the intention to designate the Gorringe Bank,as part of the seamount complex Madeira-Tore, as new Portuguese MPA of large dimensions delimited in deep oceanic areas, under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive implementation. Given its ecological importance and location through the pass of the MOW, the Ormonde seamount was selected as one of the main target areas during the MEDWAVES cruise. Six ROV dives were conducted with the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) “Liropus” (IEO), covering the Northeast and North flanks of the seamount between 1,950 and 600 meters depth. As expected, the depth gradient revealed different benthic communities in the distinct depth zones. Ormonde seems to be a flourishing area for deep-sea sponges (e.g. Asconema sp.), present in high densities along with high species diversity. Scleractinian corals (e.g. Solenosmillia variabilis) as well as gorgonians (e.g. Viminella sp., Corallium tricolor) and black corals (e.g. Stichopathes sp.) were also present in the area displaying varying density patterns in the different flanks of the seamount. The depth gradient is also related with a vertical variation of the water masses, among others, the MOW, located between 500 and 1,400 m depth, with salinities from 35.6 to 36.4 and temperatures between 10 and 12°C. In this work we present the first characterization of the deep benthic megafauna communities of Ormonde and its potential relation to depth, substrate type and water masses