Integrative taxonomy demonstrates the unexpected synonymy between two predatory mite species: Cydnodromus idaeus and C. picanus (Acari : Phytoseiidae)

Species of the mite family Phytoseiidae are well known as predators of mite pests all over the world. Their identification is thus of great interest for biological control. The specimens examined in this study belong to the species Cydnodromus idaeus (described from Brazil) and C. picanus (described from Chile). They were collected together on the same plant in Argentina. These species are mainly differentiated by the presence/absence of the dorsal solenostomes (gland openings) gd2. Some morphometric differences were observed between the Argentinian specimens and the type material of C. idaeus and C. picanus; however, they were not sufficient to support a species separation. Morphological and molecular analyses with two mtDNA (12S rRNA, CytB) and a nuclear DNA (ITS) marker showed no difference between Argentinian specimens with and without the solenostome gd2. Also, molecular differentiation between these latter specimens, C. picanus and C. idaeus, was very low, suggesting that all these individuals belong to the same species. Biological experiments confirm these results, as 75% of the progeny resulting from females with gd2 had gd2 present whereas all the descendants resulting from the females without gd2 had gd2 present too. The presence/absence of this solenostome seems thus to be variable within a species and cannot be used diagnostically. We conclude that all specimens from Argentina belong to C. idaeus and that C. picanus is a junior synonym of C. idaeus. The present results were unexpected as the presence/absence of solenostomes is used in Phytoseiidae identification keys and as one of a suite of diagnostic characters for discriminating between species. The consequences of these findings for the taxonomy of Phytoseiidae are discussed

Distinct Predictors of Clinical Response after Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation between Bipolar and Unipolar Disorders

International audienceBackground: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to be therapeutically effective for patients suffering from drug-resistant depression. The distinction between bipolar and unipolar disorders would be of great interests to better adapt their respective treatments. Methods: We aimed to identify the factors predicting clinical improvement at one month (M1) after the start of rTMS treatment for each diagnosis, which was preceded by a comparison of the patients’ clinical conditions. We used the data collected and the method employed in a previous publication on 291 patients. Results: Although the bipolar group had fewer responders, these patients seemed to better maintain their post-rTMS improvement on anxiety and perception of the severity of their illness than those in the unipolar group. For the bipolar group, young age coupled with low number of medications and high fatigue was shown to be the best combination for predicting improvement at M1. The duration of current depressive episode, which was previously demonstrated for whole group, combined with being attached was shown to favor clinical improvement among the patients in unipolar group. Conclusion: We were able to define a combination of specific factors related to each diagnosis for predicting the patients’ clinical response. This could be extremely useful to predict the efficacy of rTMS during routine clinical practice in neuromodulation services

Comparative study of doxorubicin-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles prepared by single and double emulsion methods

International audienc

Multimodal imaging of nanovaccine carriers targeted to human dendritic cells

Contains fulltext : 96126.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Dendritic cells (DCs) are key players in the initiation of adaptive immune responses and are currently exploited in immunotherapy against cancer and infectious diseases. The targeted delivery of nanovaccine particles (NPs) to DCs in vivo is a promising strategy to enhance immune responses. Here, targeted nanovaccine carriers were generated that allow multimodal imaging of nanocarrier-DC interactions from the subcellular to the organism level. These carriers were made of biodegradable poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) harboring superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIO) and fluorescently labeled antigen in a single particle. Targeted delivery was facilitated by coating the NPs with antibodies recognizing the DC-specific receptor DC-SIGN. The fluorescent label allowed for rapid analysis and quantification of specific versus nonspecific uptake of targeted NPs by DCs compared to other blood cells. In addition, it showed that part of the encapsulated antigen reached the lysosomal compartment of DCs within 24 h. Moreover, the presence of fluorescent label did not prevent the antigen from being presented to antigen-specific T cells. The incorporated SPIO was applied to track the NPs at subcellular cell organel level using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). NPs were found within endolysosomal compartments, where part of the SPIO was already released within 24 h. Furthermore, part of the NPs seemed to localize within the cytoplasm. Ex vivo loading of DCs with NPs resulted in efficient labeling and detection by MRI and did not abolish cell migration within collagen scaffolds. In conclusion, incorporation of two imaging agents within a single carrier allows tracking of targeted nanovaccines on a subcellular, cellular and possibly organism level, thereby facilitating rational design of in vivo targeted vaccination strategies