Sampling Scarab Beetles in Tropical Forests: The Effect of Light Source and Night Sampling Periods

Light traps have been used widely to sample insect abundance and diversity, but their performance for sampling scarab beetles in tropical forests based on light source type and sampling hours throughout the night has not been evaluated. The efficiency of mercury-vapour lamps, cool white light and ultraviolet light sources in attracting Dynastinae, Melolonthinae and Rutelinae scarab beetles, and the most adequate period of the night to carry out the sampling was tested in different forest areas of Costa Rica. Our results showed that light source wavelengths and hours of sampling influenced scarab beetle catches. No significant differences were observed in trap performance between the ultraviolet light and mercury-vapour traps, whereas these two methods caught significantly more species richness and abundance than cool white light traps. Species composition also varied between methods. Large differences appear between catches in the sampling period, with the first five hours of the night being more effective than the last five hours. Because of their high efficiency and logistic advantages, we recommend ultraviolet light traps deployed during the first hours of the night as the best sampling method for biodiversity studies of those scarab beetles in tropical forests

Genetics and genomic medicine in Argentina

A historical summary of genetics and genomic medicine in Argentina. We go through the achievements and difficulties in the implementation of genetic and genomic services both in academia and health care.Fil: Vishnopolska, Sebastián Alexis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Turjanski, Adrian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Herrera Piñero, Mariana. Banco Nacional de Datos Genéticos; ArgentinaFil: Groisman, Boris. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud “Dr. C. G. Malbrán”; ArgentinaFil: Liascovich, Rosa. Red Nacional de Anomalías Congénitas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Chiesa, Ana Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergada". Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergada". Fundación de Endocrinología Infantil. Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergada"; ArgentinaFil: Marti, Marcelo Adrian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentin

La utilització dels sistemes de control electrònic monitorat a la població penada a Catalunya

http://cejfe.gencat.cat/web/.content/home/publicacions/butlleti_invesbreu/invesbreu43.pdfLa present recerca té per objecte l'estudi de la utilització dels sistemes de control electrònic monitorat a la població penada a Catalunya. L'interès en la realització d'aquest estudi deriva de la constatació, per una banda, de l'existència d'una àmplia oferta de sistemes tecnològics, en constant desenvolupament i millora, que permeten un seguiment i control dels individus en la comunitat, i per altra banda, de la progressiva incorporació d'aquestes tecnologies en la legislació penal i penitenciària.Esta investigación quiere estudiar la utilización que se ha hecho de los sistemas de control electrónico monitorado en la población penada en Catalunya. El interés por la realización de este estudio viene por la constatación que existe una amplia oferta de sistemas tecnológicos en constante desarrollo y mejora que permiten un seguimiento y control de los individuos en la comunidad, y por otro lado, la progresiva incorporación de estas tecnologías en la legislación penal y penitenciaria

Clinical Outcomes of a Zika Virus Mother-Child Pair Cohort in Spain

BACKGROUND: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has been associated with congenital microcephaly and other neurodevelopmental abnormalities. There is little published research on the effect of maternal ZIKV infection in a non-endemic European region. We aimed to describe the outcomes of pregnant travelers diagnosed as ZIKV-infected in Spain, and their exposed children. METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study of nine referral hospitals enrolled pregnant women (PW) who travelled to endemic areas during their pregnancy or the two previous months, or those whose sexual partners visited endemic areas in the previous 6 months. Infants of ZIKV-infected mothers were followed for about two years. RESULTS: ZIKV infection was diagnosed in 163 PW; 112 (70%) were asymptomatic and 24 (14.7%) were confirmed cases. Among 143 infants, 14 (9.8%) had adverse outcomes during follow-up; three had a congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), and 11 other potential Zika-related outcomes. The overall incidence of CZS was 2.1% (95%CI: 0.4-6.0%), but among infants born to ZIKV-confirmed mothers, this increased to 15.8% (95%CI: 3.4-39.6%). CONCLUSIONS: A nearly 10% overall risk of neurologic and hearing adverse outcomes was found in ZIKV-exposed children born to a ZIKV-infected traveler PW. Longer-term follow-up of these children is needed to assess whether there are any later-onset manifestations

Caracterización físico-química de maíz (Zea mays L.) criollo (azul y rojo) del Estado de México

Objective: To evaluate the physical and chemical characteristics of the creole corn (blue and red) from the Estado de México. Design / methodology / approach: Size (mm), hectoliter weight (kg/Hl-1), color and aw were evaluated on blue and red creole corn. Besides, moisture, ash, ethereal extract, and protein content were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed to assess possible significant differences using the Tukey test (p <0.05). Results: Red creole corn had lower moisture and higher protein and ethereal extract contents also it was larger and had higher hectoliter weight therefore the flour yield of red corn could be higher than in blue corn. Study limitations / implications: Biological activity of the evaluated creole corn kernels is necessary for it use as a functional food. Findings / Conclusions: Red corn had better physicochemical characteristics than blue cornObjetivo: Evaluar las caracterísicas físicas y químicas de maíz criollo azul y rojo del Estado de México. Diseño/metodología/aproximación: Para la caracterización físicoquímica del maíz criollo azul y rojo, las variables que se evaluaron fueron tamaño (mm), peso hectolítrico (kg/Hl-1), color (escala LAB) así como la  actividad de agua (aw). Además se realizó un análisis químico proximal determinando humedad, cenizas, extracto etéreo y proteína. Se realizó un análisis estadístico para evaluar las posibles diferencias significativas utilizando la prueba de Tukey (p<0.05). Resultados: El maíz rojo tuvo menor valor de humedad, mayor contenido de extracto etéreo y proteína que el maíz azul, además tiene mayor tamaño y peso hectolítrico lo que lo hace buen candidato para la obtención de harina. Limitaciones del estudio/implicaciones: La determinación de la actividad biológica es necesaria para poder recomendar el uso de estos maíces criollos como alimentos funcionales. Hallazgos/conclusiones: El maíz rojo tiene mejores características físicoquímicas que el maíz azul

Enhancement of ligninolytic enzymes production and decolourising activity in Leptosphaerulina sp. by co–cultivation with Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus terreus

This work investigated fungal co‒culture as inducer of ligninolytic enzymes and decolourising activity in the Colombian strain Leptosphaerulina sp., an ascomycete white-rot fungus isolated from lignocellulosic material. Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, Trichoderma viride, Fusarium sp. and Penicillium chrysogenum were tested as Leptosphaerulina sp. inducers. The best fungal combinations in terms of enzyme production, fungal growth and decolourising activity were selected from solid media experiments. Response surface methodology (RSM) was utilised to optimise enzyme production and decolourising activity in liquid media. Solid media assays evidenced T. viride and A. terreus as the best Leptosphaerulina sp. inducers. The RSM identified a triple co‒culture inoculated with T. viride (1000 µL) and A. terreus (1000 µL) into a 7‒day culture of Leptosphaerulina sp. as the best treatment. This triple combination significantly improved ligninolytic enzymes production and Reactive Black 5 dye removal when compared to the Leptosphaerulina sp. monoculture and previously used chemical inducers. These results demonstrated the potential of fungal co‒culture as an environmentally‒friendly method to enhance Leptosphaerulina sp. enzymes production and decolourising activity

Non-nociceptive roles of opioids in the CNS: opioids' effects on neurogenesis, learning, memory and affect.

Mortality due to opioid use has grown to the point where, for the first time in history, opioid-related deaths exceed those caused by car accidents in many states in the United States. Changes in the prescribing of opioids for pain and the illicit use of fentanyl (and derivatives) have contributed to the current epidemic. Less known is the impact of opioids on hippocampal neurogenesis, the functional manipulation of which may improve the deleterious effects of opioid use. We provide new insights into how the dysregulation of neurogenesis by opioids can modify learning and affect, mood and emotions, processes that have been well accepted to motivate addictive behaviours