Social information use by competitors: resolving the enigma of species coexistence in animals?

The competitive exclusion principle states that species limited by the same factors cannot share the same environment. Challenging this paradigm, empirical studies often report competitors’ coexistence in natural communities, which has long puzzled evolutionary ecologists. Theoretical studies on animal communities have conferred a prime role to the negative effects of interactions in explaining coexistence, but largely neglected the potential positive side of interactions. Here, we propose that living close to a competitor could have beneficial aspects because competitors may provide fitness-enhancing social information, which under some circumstances may counter the negative effects of competition, thus promoting coexistence. We use conceptual models and discuss factors influencing social information use and their influence on the outcome of competitors’ interaction in terms of coexistence probability. Finally, we discuss ecological and evolutionary implications of these processes and suggest exciting avenues for future research on animal communities.Trabajo financiado por: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Proyecto CGL2011-27561/BOS Gobierno de Extremadura. Ayuda TA13002 para María Deseada Parejo Mora Gobierno de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER. Ayuda GR15080peerReviewe

Derechos humanos y comics: un matrimonio est-éticamente bien avenido

The present paper is aimed at retrieving and justifying the use of comics, which, for the purposes of our research, shall be understood as a means of art whose narrative aspects is the product of a juxtaposition between pictures and linguistic images and the sequence of panels and pages. It is thus a valuable didactic tool in teaching about human rights and in human rights education.Este trabajo pretende rescatar y justificar el uso del cómic, en el sentido de Duncan y Smith, entendido como una forma de arte en la que todos los aspectos narrativos están representados mediante dibujos e imágenes lingüísticas encapsuladas en una secuencia yuxtapuesta de paneles y páginas, como una herramienta didáctica idónea para la educación en y la enseñanza de derechos humanos

La comunicación de los ensayos clínicos: la publicación open access

Los objetivos de este trabajo son conocer cuál es la situación actual de esta política europea, valorar si se están llevando a cabo políticas para su implementación y su grado de efectividad, así como su seguimiento por la comunidad científica

Tailoring the Band Gap in the ZnS/ZnSe System: Solid Solutions by a Mechanically Induced Self-Sustaining Reaction

The complete ZnSxSe1−x solid solution was successfully obtained by the mechanochemical process denoted as a mechanically induced self-sustaining reaction. Excellent control of the chemical stoichiometry of the solid solution was possible by adjusting the atomic ratio of the starting Zn/S/Se elemental mixture subjected to milling. A mixture of both wurtzite-2H (hexagonal) and zinc blende (cubic) structures was always obtained, although for a similar milling time the proportion of the zinc blende structure increased with the Se content in the solid solution. However, wurtzite was the major phase for S-rich compositions when milling was stopped just after ignition. It was demonstrated that milling induces the wurtzite-to-zinc blende phase transition. The 8H hexagonal polytype was also observed in samples subjected to long milling times. Variation of the lattice parameters for both structures with the x value in the solid solution presented an excellent linearity, confirming the validity of Vegard’s law. However, variation of the band-gap energy (Eg) with x was not perfectly linear, and a small bowing parameter of 0.34 was obtained. It was possible to tune the Eg value between those of the end members of the solid solution in a continuous manner by adjusting the stoichiometry of the solid solution. The morphology and crystalline domain size can also be controlled by adjusting, in this case, the postignition milling time of the mechanochemical process.Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) y Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación español (Programa Ramón y Cajal)-RYC-2013-1243

Ceramics and reflected light new pearlescent and iridescent techniques and colorimetric characterization

Los materiales cerámicos han abierto nuevos espacios de innovación en su aplicación en las envolventes de los edificios en los últimos años. Sin embargo, ha sido escasa la investigación en su relación con la vibración de la luz, la percepción visual y su integración en el paisaje. En esta investigación se estudia la producción y aplicación de piezas de gres porcelánico en un auditorio. El uso de un recubrimiento cerámico con un acabado irisado-nacarado con reflejo metálico responde a la intención de generar una piel vibrante en constante cambio frente a la luz natural y el entorno. Se ha diseñado un proceso de vitrificado y deposición de metales, a través de tres cocciones sucesivas. Se analizan las propiedades del esmaltado y los factores de microfisuración que refuerzan el irisado. Se ha hecho un análisis colorimétrico evaluando los colores goniocromáticos o iridiscentes, midiendo el factor de radiancia espectral de la luz.Recent years have witnessed the development of innovative applications for ceramic materials as building envelopes. However, little research has been conducted on the relationship between these materials and reflected light, visual perception and integration in the landscape. The aim of the present research was to study the production and application of porcelain stoneware panels in an auditorium. The idea behind using a ceramic coating with an iridescent, pearlescent finish and a metallic sheen was to create a vibrant, constantly changing surface that reflected the natural light and the environment. We designed a metal deposition and glazing process based on three successive firings, and analysed the glaze properties and microcracking factors that reinforced the iridescent lustre. We also performed a colorimetric analysis to assess the goniochromatic or iridescent colours, measuring the spectral radiance of the light

Kestrels rely on two different types of social information from conspecifics when choosing breeding habitats

La información social, que es aquella extraída del comportamiento y éxito de otros individuos, puede determinar la elección de hábitat de reproducción. Además, las señales, que han evolucionado para transmitir información, podrían también constituir una fuente de información social comunicando la calidad de sus portadores. Aquí, primero comprobamos experimentalmente si una especie de ave rapaz, el cernícalo vulgar (Falco tinnunculus), usa información social proporcionada por el éxito de los congéneres para elegir sus sitios de reproducción, y después aportamos la primera evidencia correlativa del uso de la coloración del plumaje de los con específicos como otra fuente de información social en este contexto. Para ello estudiamos el impacto de una manipulación del éxito reproductor local de con específicos a escala de parche sobre la selección de hábitat durante 2 años consecutivos. Además recogimos información sobre la coloración del plumaje de los individuos durante un año y analizamos la relación con la elección de hábitat al año siguiente. Nuestros resultados muestran que los cernícalos usan el éxito de reproducción de los congéneres en sus decisiones de emigración y que podrían fijarse en la coloración del plumaje de las hembras como señal de calidad de las hembras residentes para las decisiones tanto de emigración como de inmigración. Por tanto, parece que esta especie puede usar ambas fuentes de información, el éxito de los congéneres y las señales que indican calidad, en su elección de hábitat.Breeding habitat selection is strongly influenced by social information, which is that extracted from the behaviour and performance of other individuals. Also, signals shaped by selection to convey information may be used by unintended receivers as a particular form of social information that has been neglected in a breeding habitat selection context so far. Here, we first tested experimentally whether Eurasian kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) rely on social information provided by conspecifics’ performance by studying the impact of patch scale manipulations of the local reproductive success of conspecifics on their habitat selection during two consecutive years. Second, we provide correlative evidence for the use of plumage coloration of conspecifics as a potential source of social information in the same context of breeding habitat choice in the species. For this purpose, we collected information on individual plumage colouration during one year and analysed its relationship with the habitat choices of individuals in the following year. Our results show that Eurasian kestrels rely on conspecific breeding performance during their emigration decisions, and might rely on female plumage colouration as a signal of resident females’ quality for emigration and immigration decisions. That is, both sources of information, conspecific performance and signals indicating quality, may be used in habitat selection decisions by this species.• Fondo Social Europeo. Beca doctoral para Nadia Silva • Fondo Social Europeo. Contrato I3P-doctores, para María Deseada Parejo Mora • Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia y Fondos FEDER. Proyecto CGL2005-04654/BOS • Gobierno de Extremadura. Contrato TA13002, para María Deseada Parejo MorapeerReviewe

Coronary Artery Disease and Prognosis of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Our aim was to determine the prognostic impact of coronary artery disease (CAD) on heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) mortality and readmissions. From a prospective multicenter registry that included 1831 patients hospitalized due to heart failure, 583 had a left ventricular ejection fraction of <40%. In total, 266 patients (45.6%) had coronary artery disease as main etiology and 137 (23.5%) had idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and they are the focus of this study. Significant differences were found in Charlson index (CAD 4.4 ± 2.8, idiopathic DCM 2.9 ± 2.4, p < 0.001), and in the number of previous hospitalizations (1.1 ± 1, 0.8 ± 1.2, respectively, p = 0.015). One-year mortality was similar in the two groups: idiopathic DCM (hazard ratio [HR] = 1), CAD (HR 1.50; 95% CI 0.83-2.70, p = 0.182). Mortality/readmissions were also comparable: CAD (HR 0.96; 95% CI 0.64-1.41, p = 0.81). Patients with idiopathic DCM had a higher probability of receiving a heart transplant than those with CAD (HR 4.6; 95% CI 1.4-13.4, p = 0.012). The prognosis of HFrEF is similar in patients with CAD etiology and in those with idiopathic DCM. Patients with idiopathic DCM were more prone to receive heart transplant.This research was funded by CIBERCV I and supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. L.V. is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain (CM20/00104 and ).S

A comparative study of the function of heterospecific vocal mimicry in European passerines

Although heterospecific vocal imitation is well documented in passerines, the evolutionary correlates of this phenomenon are poorly known. Here, we studied interspecific variation in vocal mimicry in a comparative study of 241 European songbirds. We tested whether vocal mimicry is a mode of repertoire acquisition or whether it resulted from imperfect song learning. We also investigated the effect of the degree of contact with the vocal environment (with species having larger ranges, abundance, or being long lived having a higher degree of mimicry) and a possible link with cognitive capacity (an overall larger brain in species with mimicry). Finally, we determined the potential evolutionary role of vocal mimicry in different interspecific contexts, predicting that mimicry may affect the intensity of brood parasitism, predation, or degree of hybridization. While controlling for research effort and phylogenetic relationships among taxa, we found that effect sizes for intersong interval, brain size, breeding dispersal, abundance, age-dependent expression of repertoires, and predation risk reached a level that may indicate evolutionary importance. Vocal mimicry seems to be a consequence of song continuity rather than song complexity, may partially have some cognitive component but may also be dependent on the vocal environment, and may attract the attention of predators. However, estimates of sexual selection and interspecific contacts due to brood parasitism and hybridization varied independently of vocal mimicry. Therefore, mimicry may have no function in female choice for complex songs and may be weakly selected via interspecific associations. These findings provide little evidence for vocal mimicry having evolved to serve important functions in most birds

Zalypsis has in vitro activity in acute myeloid blasts and leukemic progenitor cells through the induction of a DNA damage response

[EN]Although the majority of patients with acute myeloid leukemia initially respond to conventional chemotherapy, relapse is still the leading cause of death, probably because of the presence of leukemic stem cells that are insensitive to current therapies. We investigated the antileukemic activity and mechanism of action of zalypsis, a novel alkaloid of marine origin. The activity of zalypsis was studied in four acute myeloid leukemia cell lines and in freshly isolated blasts taken from patients with acute myeloid leukemia before they started therapy. Zalypsis-induced apoptosis of both malignant and normal cells was measured using flow cytometry techniques. Gene expression profiling and western blot studies were performed to assess the mechanism of action of the alkaloid. Zalypsis showed a very potent antileukemic activity in all the cell lines tested and potentiated the effect of conventional antileukemic drugs such as cytarabine, fludarabine and daunorubicin. Interestingly, zalypsis showed remarkable ex vivo potency, including activity against the most immature blast cells (CD34(+) CD38(-) Lin(-)) which include leukemic stem cells. Zalypsis-induced apoptosis was the result of an important deregulation of genes involved in the recognition of double-strand DNA breaks, such as Fanconi anemia genes and BRCA1, but also genes implicated in the repair of double-strand DNA breaks, such as RAD51 and RAD54. These gene findings were confirmed by an increase in several proteins involved in the pathway (pCHK1, pCHK2 and pH2AX). The potent and selective antileukemic effect of zalypsis on DNA damage response mechanisms observed in acute myeloid leukemia cell lines and in patients' samples provides the rationale for the investigation of this compound in clinical trials

Synergistic DNA-damaging effect in multiple myeloma with the combination of zalypsis, bor tezomib and dexamethasone

Despite new advances in multiple myeloma treatment and the consequent improvement in overall survival, most patients relapse or become refractory to treatment. This suggests that new molecules and combinations that may further inhibit important survival pathways for these tumor cells are needed. In this context, zalypsis is a novel compound, derived from marine organisms, with a powerful preclinical anti-myeloma effect based on the sensitivity of malignant plasma cells to DNA-damage induction; and it has already been tested in a phase I/II clinical trial in multiple myeloma. We hypothesized that the addition of this compound to the combination of bortezomib plus dexamethasone may improve efficacy with acceptable toxicity. The triple combination demonstrated strong synergy and higher efficacy compared with double combinations; not only in vitro, but also ex vivo and, especially, in in vivo experiments. The triple combination triggers cell death, mainly through a synergistic induction of DNA damage and a decrease in the nuclear localization of nuclear factor kappa B. Our findings support the clinical evaluation of this combination for relapsed and refractory myeloma patients.This work was in part funded by the Spanish ISCIII-FIS (PI 15/0067 and PI15/02156) and FEDER, the Spanish RTICC (RD12/0036/0058), "Asociación Española Contra el Cancer" (AECC, GCB120981SAN), the regional Council from “Castilla y León” (GRS 1175/A/15 and FIC335U14) and a research grant from Pharmamar SAU. MMS were also supported by the Network of Centers for Regenerative Medicine and Cellular Therapy from Castilla y León, Spain. A-A López-Iglesias was supported by a grant from the Spanish Society of Hematology and Hemotherapy.Peer Reviewe