INT reduction is a valid proxy for eukaryotic plankton respiration despite the inherent toxicity of INT and differences in cell wall structure

The reduction of 2-para (iodophenyl)-3(nitrophenyl)-5(phenyl) tetrazolium chloride (INT) is increasingly being used as an indirect method to measure plankton respiration. Its greater sensitivity and shorter incubation time compared to the standard method of measuring the decrease in dissolved oxygen concentration, allows the determination of total and size-fractionated plankton respiration with higher precision and temporal resolution. However, there are still concerns as to the method’s applicability due to the toxicity of INT and the potential differential effect of plankton cell wall composition on the diffusion of INT into the cell, and therefore on the rate of INT reduction. Working with cultures of 5 marine plankton (Thalassiosira pseudonana CCMP1080/5, Emiliania huxleyi RCC1217, Pleurochrysis carterae PLY-406, Scrippsiella sp. RCC1720 and Oxyrrhis marina CCMP1133/5) which have different cell wall compositions (silica frustule, presence/absence of calcite and cellulose plates), we demonstrate that INT does not have a toxic effect on oxygen consumption at short incubation times. There was no difference in the oxygen consumption of a culture to which INT had been added and that of a replicate culture without INT, for periods of time ranging from 1 to 7 hours. For four of the cultures (T. pseudonana CCMP1080/5, P. carterae PLY-406, E. huxleyi RCC1217, and O. marina CCMP1133/5) the log of the rates of dissolved oxygen consumption were linearly related to the log of the rates of INT reduction, and there was no significant difference between the regression lines for each culture (ANCOVA test, F = 1.696, df = 3, p = 0.18). Thus, INT reduction is not affected by the structure of the plankton cell wall and a single INT reduction to oxygen consumption conversion equation is appropriate for this range of eukaryotic plankton. These results further support the use of the INT technique as a valid proxy for marine plankton respiration

Are the health messages in schoolbooks based on scientific evidence? A descriptive study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most textbooks contains messages relating to health. This profuse information requires analysis with regards to the quality of such information. The objective was to identify the scientific evidence on which the health messages in textbooks are based.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The degree of evidence on which such messages are based was identified and the messages were subsequently classified into three categories: Messages with high, medium or low levels of evidence; Messages with an unknown level of evidence; and Messages with no known evidence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>844 messages were studied. Of this total, 61% were classified as messages with an unknown level of evidence. Less than 15% fell into the category where the level of evidence was known and less than 6% were classified as possessing high levels of evidence. More than 70% of the messages relating to "Balanced Diets and Malnutrition", "Food Hygiene", "Tobacco", "Sexual behaviour and AIDS" and "Rest and ergonomics" are based on an unknown level of evidence. "Oral health" registered the highest percentage of messages based on a high level of evidence (37.5%), followed by "Pregnancy and newly born infants" (35%). Of the total, 24.6% are not based on any known evidence. Two of the messages appeared to contravene known evidence.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Many of the messages included in school textbooks are not based on scientific evidence. Standards must be established to facilitate the production of texts that include messages that are based on the best available evidence and which can improve children's health more effectively.</p

On the buildup of massive early-type galaxies at z<~1. I- Reconciling their hierarchical assembly with mass-downsizing

Several studies have tried to ascertain whether or not the increase in abundance of the early-type galaxies (E-S0a's) with time is mainly due to major mergers, reaching opposite conclusions. We have tested it directly through semi-analytical modelling, by studying how the massive early-type galaxies with log(M_*/Msun)>11 at z~0 (mETGs) would have evolved backwards-in-time, under the hypothesis that each major merger gives place to an early-type galaxy. The study was carried out just considering the major mergers strictly reported by observations at each redshift, and assuming that gas-rich major mergers experience transitory phases of dust-reddened, star-forming galaxies (DSFs). The model is able to reproduce the observed evolution of the galaxy LFs at z<~1, simultaneously for different rest-frame bands (B, I, and K) and for different selection criteria on color and morphology. It also provides a framework in which apparently-contradictory results on the recent evolution of the luminosity function (LF) of massive, red galaxies can be reconciled, just considering that observational samples of red galaxies can be significantly contaminated by DSFs. The model proves that it is feasible to build up ~50-60% of the present-day mETG population at z<~1 and to reproduce the observational excess by a factor of ~4-5 of late-type galaxies at 0.8<z<1 through the coordinated action of wet, mixed, and dry major mergers, fulfilling global trends that are in general agreement with mass-downsizing. The bulk of this assembly takes place during ~1 Gyr elapsed at 0.8<z<1. The model suggests that major mergers have been the main driver for the observational migration of mass from the massive-end of the blue galaxy cloud to that of the red sequence in the last ~8 Gyr.(Abridged)Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics; 21 pages, 8 figures. Minor corrections included, shortened title. Results and conclusions unchange

On the dynamics of the adenylate energy system: homeorhesis vs homeostasis.

Biochemical energy is the fundamental element that maintains both the adequate turnover of the biomolecular structures and the functional metabolic viability of unicellular organisms. The levels of ATP, ADP and AMP reflect roughly the energetic status of the cell, and a precise ratio relating them was proposed by Atkinson as the adenylate energy charge (AEC). Under growth-phase conditions, cells maintain the AEC within narrow physiological values, despite extremely large fluctuations in the adenine nucleotides concentration. Intensive experimental studies have shown that these AEC values are preserved in a wide variety of organisms, both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Here, to understand some of the functional elements involved in the cellular energy status, we present a computational model conformed by some key essential parts of the adenylate energy system. Specifically, we have considered (I) the main synthesis process of ATP from ADP, (II) the main catalyzed phosphotransfer reaction for interconversion of ATP, ADP and AMP, (III) the enzymatic hydrolysis of ATP yielding ADP, and (IV) the enzymatic hydrolysis of ATP providing AMP. This leads to a dynamic metabolic model (with the form of a delayed differential system) in which the enzymatic rate equations and all the physiological kinetic parameters have been explicitly considered and experimentally tested in vitro. Our central hypothesis is that cells are characterized by changing energy dynamics (homeorhesis). The results show that the AEC presents stable transitions between steady states and periodic oscillations and, in agreement with experimental data these oscillations range within the narrow AEC window. Furthermore, the model shows sustained oscillations in the Gibbs free energy and in the total nucleotide pool. The present study provides a step forward towards the understanding of the fundamental principles and quantitative laws governing the adenylate energy system, which is a fundamental element for unveiling the dynamics of cellular life

Monitoring an Alien Invasion: DNA Barcoding and the Identification of Lionfish and Their Prey on Coral Reefs of the Mexican Caribbean

BACKGROUND: In the Mexican Caribbean, the exotic lionfish Pterois volitans has become a species of great concern because of their predatory habits and rapid expansion onto the Mesoamerican coral reef, the second largest continuous reef system in the world. This is the first report of DNA identification of stomach contents of lionfish using the barcode of life reference database (BOLD). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We confirm with barcoding that only Pterois volitans is apparently present in the Mexican Caribbean. We analyzed the stomach contents of 157 specimens of P. volitans from various locations in the region. Based on DNA matches in the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) and GenBank, we identified fishes from five orders, 14 families, 22 genera and 34 species in the stomach contents. The families with the most species represented were Gobiidae and Apogonidae. Some prey taxa are commercially important species. Seven species were new records for the Mexican Caribbean: Apogon mosavi, Coryphopterus venezuelae, C. thrix, C. tortugae, Lythrypnus minimus, Starksia langi and S. ocellata. DNA matches, as well as the presence of intact lionfish in the stomach contents, indicate some degree of cannibalism, a behavior confirmed in this species by the first time. We obtained 45 distinct crustacean prey sequences, from which only 20 taxa could be identified from the BOLD and GenBank databases. The matches were primarily to Decapoda but only a single taxon could be identified to the species level, Euphausia americana. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This technique proved to be an efficient and useful method, especially since prey species could be identified from partially-digested remains. The primary limitation is the lack of comprehensive coverage of potential prey species in the region in the BOLD and GenBank databases, especially among invertebrates

Composition, potential emissions and agricultural value of pig slurry from Spanish commercial farms

[EN] Pig slurry is a valuable fertilizer for crop production but at the same time its management may pose environmental risks. Slurry samples were collected from 77 commercial farms of four animal categories (gestating and lactating sows, nursery piglets and growing pigs) and analyzed for macronutrients, micronutrients, heavy metals and volatile fatty acids. Emissions of ammonia (NH3) and biochemical methane potential (BMP) were quantified. Slurry electrical conductivity, pH, dry matter content and ash content were also determined. Data analysis included an analysis of correlations among variables, the development of predictionmodels for gaseousemissions and the analysis of nutritional content of slurries for crop production. Descriptive information is provided in this work and shows a wide range of variability in all studied variables. Animal category affected some physicochemical parameters, probably as a consequence of different slurry management and use of cleaning water. Slurries from gestating sows and growing pigs tended to be more concentrated in nutrients, whereas the slurry from lactating sows and nursery piglets tended to be more diluted. Relevant relationships were found among slurry characteristics expressed in fresh basis and gas emissions. Predictivemodels using on-farmmeasurable parameterswere obtained forNH3 (R2 = 0.51) andCH4 (R2 = 0.76), which suggests that BMP may be estimated in commercial farms from easily determined slurry characteristics. Finally, slurry nutrient composition was highly variable. Therefore, complete analyses of slurries should be performed for an effective and environmental friendly land application.This project was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL2011-30023) and the Valencian Government (ACOMP/2013/118). We thank the BABEL Project, Building Academic Bonds between Europe and Latin America. Erasmus Mundus Programme Action 2 for PhD fellowships. The translation of this paper was funded by the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Spain.Antezana-Julian, WO.; Blas, CD.; García-Rebollar, P.; Rodríguez, C.; Beccaccia, A.; Ferrer Riera, P.; Cerisuelo, A.... (2016). Composition, potential emissions and agricultural value of pig slurry from Spanish commercial farms. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems. 104(2):159-173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-016-9764-3S1591731042Aarnink AJA, Verstegen MWA (2007) Nutrition, key factor to reduce environmental load from pig production. Livest Sci 109(1–3):194–203Abubaker J, Risberg K, Jönsson E, Dahlin A S, Cederlund H, Pell M (2015) Short-term effects of biogas digestates and pig slurry application on soil microbial activity. Appl Environ Soil Sci. Article ID 658542: 1–15Adekunle KF, Okolie JA (2015) A review of biochemical process of anaerobic digestion. Adv Biosci Biotechnol 6:205–212Angelidaki I, Alves M, Bolzonella D, Borzacconi L, Campos JL, Guwy J, Kalyuzhnyi S, Jenicek P, Van Lier JB (2009) Defining the biomethane potential (BMP) of solid organic wastes and energy crops: a proposed protocol for batch assays. Water Sci Technol 59(5):927–934Antezana W, Calvet S, Beccaccia A, Ferrer P, De Blas C, García-Rebollar P, Cerisuelo A (2015) Effects of nutrition on digestion efficiency and gaseous emissions from slurry in growing pigs: III. Influence of varying the dietary level of calcium soap of palm fatty acids distillate with or without orange pulp supplementation. Anim Feed Sci Technol 209:128–136APHA (2005) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. Centennial, BaltimoreBai ZH, Qin W, Chen Q, Oenema O, Zhang FS (2014) Changes in pig production in china and their effects on nitrogen and phosphorus use and losses. Environ Sci Technol 48:12742–12749Beccaccia A, Ferrer P, Ibáñez MA, Estellés F, Rodríguez C, Moset V, De Blas C, Calvet S, García-rebollar P (2015) Relationships among slurry characteristics and gaseous emissions at different types of commercial spanish pig farms. Span J Agric Res 13(1):1–15Conn KL, Topp E, Lazarovits G (2007) Factors influencing the concentration of volatile fatty acids, ammonia, and other nutrients in stored liquid pig manure. J Environ Qual 36(2):440–447Diacono M, Montemurro F (2010) Long-term effects of organic amendments on soil fertility. A review. Agron Sustain Dev 30:401–422. doi: 10.1051/agro/2009040Díez JA, Hernaiz P, Muñoz MJ, Torre A, Vallejo A (2006) Impact of pig slurry on soil properties, water salinization, nitrate leaching and crop yield in a four-year experiment in Central Spain. Soil Use Manag 20(4):444–450Dourmad J-Y, Jondreville C (2007) Impact of nutrition on nitrogen, phosphorus, Cu and Zn in pig manure, and on emissions of ammonia and odours. Livest Sci 112(3):192–198EUROSTAT (2015) Pig farming sector—statistical portrait. Pig Farming in the European Union: considerable variations from one member state to another. Statistics in Focus 15/2014. Author: Pol Marquer, Teresa Rabade, Roberta Forti ISSN:2314-9647, Catalogue number: KS-SF-14-015-EN-NFangueiro D, Lopes C, Surgy S, Vasconcelos E (2012a) Effect of the pig slurry separation techniques on the characteristics and potential availability of N to plants in the resulting liquid and solid fractions. Biosyst Eng 113(2):187–194Fangueiro D, Ribeiro H, Vasconcelos E, Coutinho J, Cabral F (2012b) Influence of animal slurries composition and relative particle size fractions on the C and N mineralization following soil incorporation. Biomass Bioenergy 47:50–51Ferrer P, Cambra-López M, Cerisuelo A, Peñaranda D, Moset V (2014) The use of agricultural substrates to improve methane yield in anaerobic co-digestion with pig slurry: effect of substrate type and inclusion level. Waste Manag 34:196–203Galassi G, Colombini S, Malagutti L, Crovetto GM, Rapetti L (2010) Effects of high fibre and low protein diets on performance, digestibility, nitrogen excretion and ammonia emission in the heavy pig. Anim Feed Sci Technol 161:3–4Gopalan P, Jensen PD, Batstone DJ (2013) Anaerobic digestion of swine effluent: impact of production stages. Biomass Bioenergy 48:121–129Hernández D, Fernández JM, Plaza C, Polo A (2007) Water-soluble organic matter and biological activity of a degraded soil amended with pig slurry. Sci Total Environ 378:101–103Hernández D, Polo A, Plaza C (2013) Long-term effects of pig slurry on barley yield and N use efficiency under semiarid mediterranean conditions. Eur J Agron 44:47–86Hristov AN, Oh J, Lee C, Meinen R, Montes F, Ott T, Firkins J, Rotz A, Dell C, Adesogan A, Yang W, Tricarico J, Kebreab E, Waghorn G, Dijkstra J, Oosting S (2013) Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in livestock production—A review of technical options for non-CO2 emissions. In: Gerber PJ, Henderson B, Makkar HPS (eds) FAO Animal Production and Health Paper No. 177. FAO, RomeIguácel F, Yagüe MR, Betrán J, Orús F (2011) Ensayos de Fertilización Con Purín Porcino, En Cereales de Invierno de Secano, Dirección General de Desarrollo Rural, Centro de Transferencia Agroalimentaria, Gobierno de Aragón. Informe Técnico 226:15Jarret G, Cerisuelo A, Peu P, Martinez J, Dourmad JY (2012) Impact of pig diets with different fibre contents on the composition of excreta and their gaseous emissions and anaerobic digestion. Agric Ecosyst Environ 160:51–58Jouany JP (1982) Volatile fatty acid and alcohol determination in digestive contents, silage juices, bacterial cultures and anaerobic fermentor contents. Sci Alimen 2:131–144Krupa SV (2003) Effects of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) on terrestrial vegetation: a review. Environ Pollut 124(2):179–221Mantovi P, Fumagalli L, Beretta GP, Guermandi M (2006) Nitrate leaching through the unsaturated zone following pig slurry applications. J Hydrol 316:1–4Martínez-Suller L, Azzellino A, Provolo G (2008) Analysis of livestock slurries from farms across Northern Italy: relationship between indicators and nutrient content. Biosyst Eng 99(4):540–552Moral R, Moreno-Caselles J, Perez-Murcia MD, Perez-Espinosa A, Rufete B, Paredes C (2005a) Characterisation of the organic matter pool in manures. Bioresour Technol 96(2):153–158Moral R, Perez-Murcia MD, Perez-Espinosa A, Moreno-Caselles J, Paredes C (2005b) Estimation of nutrient values of pig slurries in Southeast Spain using easily determined properties. Waste Manag 25(7):719–725Moral R, Perez-Murcia MD, Perez-Espinosa A, Moreno-Caselles J, Paredes C, Rufete B (2008) Salinity, organic content, micronutrients and heavy metals in pig slurries from South-Eastern Spain. Waste Manag 28(2):367–371Morazán H, Alvarez-Rodriguez J, Seradj AR, Balcells J, Babot D (2015) Trade-offs among growth performance, nutrient digestion and carcass traits when feeding low protein and/or high neutral-detergent fiber diets to growing-finishing pigs. Anim Feed Sci Technol 207:168–180Moset V, Cambra-López M, Estellés F, Torres AG, Cerisuelo A (2012) Evolution of chemical composition and gas emissions from aged pig slurry during outdoor storage with and without prior solid separation. Biosyst Eng 111(1):2–10Ndegwa PM, Vaddella VK, Hristov N, Joo HS (2009) Measuring concentrations of ammonia in ambient air or exhaust air stream using acid traps.  J Environ Qual 38(2):647–653Nicholson FA, Chambers BJ, Williams JR, Unwin RJ (1999) Heavy metal contents of livestock feeds and animal manures in England and Wales. Bioresour Technol 70(1):23–31Olusegun OS (2014) Influence of NPK 15-15-15 Fertilizer and Pig Manure on Nutrient Dynamics and Production of Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata L. Walp. Am J Agric For 2(6):267Parera i Pous J, Olivé D, Mallol Nabot C, Torrijos NC (2010) Adaptación Del Uso de La Conductividad Eléctrica (CE) Para Determinar de Forma Rápida El Contenido En Nutrientes Del Purín Porcino En Catalunya. International Workshop on Anaerobic Digestion of Slaughterhouse Waste, pp 67–76Patience JF, Gould SA, Koehler D, Corrigan B, Elsbernd A, Holloway CL (2015) Super-dosed phytase improves rate and efficiency of gain in nursery pigs. Anim Ind Rep AS 661:98Penha HG, Menezes JF, Silva CA, Lopes G, Carvalho CA, Ramos SJ, Guilherme LRG (2015) Nutrient accumulation and availability and crop yields following long-term application of pig slurry in a Brazilian Cerrado soil. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 101(2):259–269Popovic O, Jensen LS (2012) Storage temperature affects distribution of carbon, VFA, ammonia, phosphorus, copper and zinc in raw pig slurry and its separated liquid fraction. Water Res 46(12):3849–3858Provolo G, Martínez-Suller L (2007) In situ determination of slurry nutrient content by electrical conductivity. Bioresour Technol 98(17):3235–3242Sánchez M, González JL (2005) The fertilizer value of pig slurry. I. Values depending on the type of operation. Bioresour Technol 96(10):1117–1123SAS Institute (2008) SAS/STAT User´s guide, v 9.3. SAS Institute Inc., CarySchoumans OF, Chardon WJ, Bechmann ME, Gascuel-Odoux C, Hofman G, Kronvang B, Rubæk HG, Ulén B, Dorioz JM (2014) Mitigation options to reduce phosphorus losses from the agricultural sector and improve surface water quality: a review. Sci Total Environ 468–469:1255–1266Schröder JJ, Cordell D, Smit AL, Rosemarin A (2010) Sustainable use of phosphorus. Plant Research International Wageningen UR. Report 357Scotford IM, Cumby TR, White RP, Carton OT, Lorenz F, Hatterman U, Provolo G (1998) Estimation of the nutrient value of agricultural slurries by measurement of physical and chemical properties. J Agric Eng Res 71(3):291–305Snoek DJW, Johannes DS, Ogink NWM, Koerkamp PWGG (2014) Sensitivity analysis of mechanistic models for estimating ammonia emission from dairy cow urine puddles. Biosyst Eng 121:12–24Suresh A, Choi HL, Oh DI, Moon OK (2009) Prediction of the nutrients value and biochemical characteristics of swine slurry by measurement of EC—electrical conductivity. Bioresour Technol 100:4683–4689Thygesen O, Triolo JM, Sommer SG (2012) Indicators of physical properties and plant nutrient content of animal slurry and separated slurry. Biol Eng Trans 5(3):123–135Triolo JM, Sommer SG, Møller HB, Weisbjerg MR, Jiang XY (2011) A new algorithm to characterize biodegradability of biomass during anaerobic digestion: influence of lignin concentration on methane production potential. Bioresour Technol 102:9395–9402Van Duivenbooden N, de Wit CT, Van Keulen H (1996) Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium relations in five major cereals reviewed in respect to fertilizer recommendations using simulation modelling. Fertil Res Wagening 44:37–49Viguria M, Sanz-Cobeña A, López DM, Arriaga H, Merino P (2015) Ammonia and greenhouse gases emission from impermeable covered storage and land application of cattle slurry to bare soil. Agric Ecosyst Environ 199:261–271Villamar CA, Canuta T, Belmonte M, Vidal G (2012) Characterization of swine wastewater by toxicity identification evaluation methodology (TIE). Water Air Soil Pollut 223(1):363–369Villamar CA, Rodríguez DC, López D, Peñuela G, Vidal G (2013) Effect of the generation and physical–chemical characterization of swine and dairy cattle slurries on treatment technologies. Waste Manage Res 31(8):820–828Villar MC, Petrikova V, Díaz-Raviña M, Carballas T (2004) Recycling of organic wastes in burnt soils: combined application of poultry manure and plant cultivation. Waste Manage 24(4):365–370Webb J, Menzi H, Pain BF, Misselbrook TH, Dämmgen U, Hendriks H, Döhler H (2005) Managing ammonia emissions from livestock production in Europe. Environ Pollut 135:399–406Webb J, Broomfield M, Jones S, Donovan B (2014) Ammonia and odour emissions from UK pig farms and nitrogen leaching from outdoor pig production. Sci Total Environ 470:865–875Weiland P (2010) Biogas production: current state and perspectives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 85:849–860Yagüe MR, Bosch-Serra AD, Boixadera J (2012) Measurement and estimation of the fertiliser value of pig slurry by physicochemical models: usefulness and constraints. Biosyst Eng 111(2):206–216Zhang W, Wei Q, Wu S, Qi D, Li W, Zuo Z, Dong R (2014) Batch anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure with dewatered sewage sludge under mesophilic conditions. Appl Energy 128:175–18

Multiproject–multicenter evaluation of automatic brain tumor classification by magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Contains fulltext : 75361.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)14 p

Analyzing factors that influence the folk use and phytonomy of 18 medicinal plants in Navarra

BACKGROUND: This article analyzes whether the distribution or area of use of 18 medicinal plants is influenced by ecological and cultural factors which might account for their traditional use and/or phytonymy in Navarra. This discussion may be helpful for comparative studies, touching as it does on other ethnopharmacological issues: a) which cultural and ecological factors affect the selection of medicinal plants; b) substitutions of medicinal plants in popular medicine; c) the relation between local nomenclature and uses. To analyze these questions, this paper presents an example of a species used for digestive disorders (tea and camomile: Jasonia glutinosa, J. tuberosa, Sideritis hyssopifolia, Bidens aurea, Chamaemelum nobile, Santolina chamaecyparissus...), high blood pressure (Rhamnus alaternus, Olea europaea...) or skin diseases (Hylotelephium maximum, H. telephium, Anagallis arvensis, A. foemina). METHODS: Fieldwork began on January 2004 and continued until December 2006. During that time we interviewed 505 informants in 218 locations in Navarra. Information was collected using semi-structured ethnobotanical interviews, and we subsequently made maps using Arc-View 8.0 program to determine the area of use of each taxon. Each map was then compared with the bioclimatic and linguistic map of Navarra, using the soil and ethnographic data for the region, and with other ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies carried out in Europe. RESULTS: The results clearly show that ecological and cultural factors influence the selection of medicinal plants in this region. Climate and substrate are the most important ecological factors that influence the distribution and abundance of plants, which are the biological factors that affect medicinal plant selection. CONCLUSION: The study of edaphological and climatological factors, on the one hand, and culture, on the other, can help us to understand why a plant is replaced by another one for the same purposes, either in the same or in a different area. In many cases, the cultural factor means that the use of a species is more widespread than its ecological distribution. This may also explain the presence of synonyms and polysemies which are useful for discussing ethnopharmacological data

First comprehensive contribution to medical ethnobotany of Western Pyrenees

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An ethnobotanical and medical study was carried out in the Navarre Pyrenees, an area known both for its high biological diversity and its cultural significance.</p> <p>As well as the compilation of an ethnopharmacological catalogue, a quantitative ethnobotanical comparison has been carried out in relation to the outcomes from other studies about the Pyrenees. A review of all drugs used in the area has also been carried out, through a study of the monographs published by the institutions and organizations responsible for the safety and efficacy of medicinal plants (WHO, ESCOP, and the E Commission of the German Department of Health) in order to ascertain the extent to which the Navarre Pyrenees ethnopharmacology has been officially evaluated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fieldwork was carried out over two years, from November 2004 to December 2006. During that time we interviewed 88 local people in 40 villages. Information was collected using semi-structured ethnobotanical interviews and the data was analyzed using quantitave indexes: Ethnobotonicity Index, Shannon-Wiener's Diversity, Equitability and The Informant Consensus Factor. The official review has been performed using the official monographs published by the WHO, ESCOP and the E Commission of the German Department of Health.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The ethnobotanical and medical catalogue of the Navarre Pyrenees Area comprises 92 species, of which 39 have been mentioned by at least three interviewees. The quantitative ethnobotany results show lower values than those found in other studies about the Pyrenees; and 57.6% of the Pyrenees medical ethnobotany described does not figure in documents published by the above mentioned institutions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results show a reduction in the ethnobotanical and medical knowledge in the area of study, when compared to other studies carried out in the Pyrenees. Nevertheless, the use of several species that may be regarded as possible sources for pharmacological studies is reported here such as the bark of <it>Sambucus nigra</it>, the roots of <it>Fragaria vesca</it>, or the leaves of <it>Scrophularia nodosa</it>. These species are not currently approved by the WHO, ESCOP and the E Commission of the German Department of Health, institutions that, apart from encouraging the greater use of plants for medicinal purposes, may help in the design of development plans for these rural areas by validating their traditional medicine.</p

Identification of Candidate Parkinson Disease Genes by Integrating Genome-Wide Association Study, Expression, and Epigenetic Data Sets

Importance Substantial genome-wide association study (GWAS) work in Parkinson disease (PD) has led to the discovery of an increasing number of loci shown reliably to be associated with increased risk of disease. Improved understanding of the underlying genes and mechanisms at these loci will be key to understanding the pathogenesis of PD. / Objective To investigate what genes and genomic processes underlie the risk of sporadic PD. / Design and Setting This genetic association study used the bioinformatic tools Coloc and transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) to integrate PD case-control GWAS data published in 2017 with expression data (from Braineac, the Genotype-Tissue Expression [GTEx], and CommonMind) and methylation data (derived from UK Parkinson brain samples) to uncover putative gene expression and splicing mechanisms associated with PD GWAS signals. Candidate genes were further characterized using cell-type specificity, weighted gene coexpression networks, and weighted protein-protein interaction networks. / Main Outcomes and Measures It was hypothesized a priori that some genes underlying PD loci would alter PD risk through changes to expression, splicing, or methylation. Candidate genes are presented whose change in expression, splicing, or methylation are associated with risk of PD as well as the functional pathways and cell types in which these genes have an important role. / Results Gene-level analysis of expression revealed 5 genes (WDR6 [OMIM 606031], CD38 [OMIM 107270], GPNMB [OMIM 604368], RAB29 [OMIM 603949], and TMEM163 [OMIM 618978]) that replicated using both Coloc and TWAS analyses in both the GTEx and Braineac expression data sets. A further 6 genes (ZRANB3 [OMIM 615655], PCGF3 [OMIM 617543], NEK1 [OMIM 604588], NUPL2 [NCBI 11097], GALC [OMIM 606890], and CTSB [OMIM 116810]) showed evidence of disease-associated splicing effects. Cell-type specificity analysis revealed that gene expression was overall more prevalent in glial cell types compared with neurons. The weighted gene coexpression performed on the GTEx data set showed that NUPL2 is a key gene in 3 modules implicated in catabolic processes associated with protein ubiquitination and in the ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic process in the nucleus accumbens, caudate, and putamen. TMEM163 and ZRANB3 were both important in modules in the frontal cortex and caudate, respectively, indicating regulation of signaling and cell communication. Protein interactor analysis and simulations using random networks demonstrated that the candidate genes interact significantly more with known mendelian PD and parkinsonism proteins than would be expected by chance. / Conclusions and Relevance Together, these results suggest that several candidate genes and pathways are associated with the findings observed in PD GWAS studies