Gustatory function of sensilla chaetica on the labial palps and antennae of three tortricid moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

In adult Lepidoptera the labial palps are best known for their role in CO2 detection, but they can also bear sensilla chaetica which function is unknown. The number and distribution of sensilla chaetica in labial palps was studied using a bright field microscope. To determine if these sensilla have a gustatory function, we performed single sensillum electrophysiology recordings from palp and antennal sensilla of adult moths of Cydia pomonella (L.), Grapholita molesta (Busck) and Lobesia botrana (Denis and Shieffermüller). Each sensillum was stimulated with 3 doses of one of four test stimulus (sucrose, fructose, KCl and NaCl). Overall, responses (spikes/s−1) increased with dose, and were higher in the palps than in the antennae, and higher to sugars than to salts. With sugars the response increased with concentration in the palp but not in the antenna. With salts there was a drop in response at the intermediate concentration. The number and position of sensilla chaetica on labial palps was variable among individuals. Sensilla were located in the most exposed areas of the palp. Differences in sensilla distribution were detected between species. Such differences among species and between palps and antenna suggest that taste sensilla on the palps have an unforeseen role in adaptation.CA was supported by a Ph.D. fellowship BES-2017-081131 from the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain) joint financing by the European Social Fund. This study was supported by research grants AGL2016-77373-C2-2-R MINECO and PID2019-107030RB-C22 MICINN

A combination of metallomics and metabolomics studies to evaluate the effects of metal interactions in mammals. Application to Mus musculus mice under arsenic/cadmium exposure

Metals interactionsArsenicCadmiumMetallomicsMetabolomicsMus musculusMass spectrometryArsenic and cadmium are toxic metals of environmental significance with harmful effects on man. To study the toxicological and biochemical effects of arsenic/cadmium in mammals a combined metallomic and metabolomic approach has been developed, complemented with the measurement of biochemical parameters in blood and histopathological evaluation of liver injury in mice Mus musculus under exposure to both xenobiotics. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) was combined with affinity chromatography (AF) and ICP-MS detection using species unspecific isotopic dilution analysis (SUID) to characterize the biological effects of As/Cd on selenium containing proteins in the bloodstream of exposed mice. On the other hand, both direct infusion mass spectrometry (DIMS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) provided information about changes in metabolites caused by metals. The results show that As/Cd exposure produces interactions in the distribution of both toxics between organs and plasma of mice and antagonistic interactions with selenium containing proteins in the bloodstream. Interplay with essential metabolic pathways, such as energy metabolism and breakdown of membrane phospholipids were observed, which are more pronounced under As/Cd exposure. In addition, heavy metal and metalloid causes differential liver injury, manifested by steatosis (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD) and infiltration of blood cells into the space of Disse. Biological significance This work presents new contributions in the study of arsenic/cadmium interactions in mice Mus musculus under controlled exposure. With the combination of metallomic and metabolomic approaches the traffic of As and Cd from liver to kidney by means of blood was observed and excretion of As (as arsenic metabolites) or Cd (as MTCd) is inhibited with the simultaneous administration of As/Cd, and these toxic elements have important influence in the levels of seleno-proteins in the plasma. In addition, the metabolomic approach reveals inhibition of different metabolic cycles such as tricarboxylic acid and phospholipid degradation that causes membrane damage and apoptosis that is histopathologically confirmed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Environmental and structural proteomics.The authors thank the projects CTM2012-38720-G03-01 (Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad-Spain), P08-FQM-03554 and P09-FQM-04659 (Consejeria de Innovacion, Andalusian government). Miguel Angel Garcia Sevillano thanks the Ministerio de Educacion for a predoctoral scholarship

La valoración acústica en los proyectos de rehabilitación de teatros. El ejemplo andaluz

Se presentan algunos de los resultados obtenidos en el marco del Plan de Rehabilitación de Teatros de Andalucía, en el que, desde 1987, hemos trabajado como consultores acústicos de la Junta de Andalucía, sobre un total de 35 teatros. Las salas que estudiamos son el Teatro Villamarta de Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), el Gran Teatro de Córdoba, el Teatro Isabel la Católica de Granada y el Gran Teatro de Huelva. Ponencia presentada II Congreso Iberoamericano de Acústica. II Jornadas Iberoamericanas de Ultrasonidos. II Congreso Ibérico de Acústica. EAA Symposium on Architectural Acoustic. Madrid, 2000.This paper presents some of the results obtained in the mark of the Plan of Rehabilitation of Theaters of Andalucía, where we have worked as acoustic consultants of the Junta de Andalucía, from 1987, on a total of 35 theaters. The rooms we study are the Villamarta Theater in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), the Great Theater of Córdoba, the Isabel the Catholic Theater in Granada and the Great Theater of Huelva

Construcción génica que codifica para el citocromo c y procedimiento de obtención

Construcción génica que codifica para el citocromo c y procedimiento de obtención. Se describe una construcción génica que comprende (i) una primera secuencia de ácido nucleico que comprende una secuencia de nucleótidos que codifica para un cito cromo c, y (ii) una segunda secuencia de ácido nucleico que comprende una secuencia de nucleótidos que codi fica para un péptido señal; en donde el extremo 5’ de di cha primera secuencia de ácido nucleico está unido al ex tremo 3’ de dicha segunda secuencia de ácido nucleico. Dicha construcción génica puede ser utilizada para cons truir vectores útiles para transformar, junto con un vec tor que comprende los genes necesarios para la madura ción del citocromo c, una célula hospedadora y producir citocromo c.Españ

Integrative epigenomics in Sjögren´s syndrome reveals novel pathways and a strong interaction between the HLA, autoantibodies and the interferon signature

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and damage of exocrine salivary and lacrimal glands. The etiology of SS is complex with environmental triggers and genetic factors involved. By conducting an integrated multi-omics study, we confirmed a vast coordinated hypomethylation and overexpression effects in IFN-related genes, what is known as the IFN signature. Stratified and conditional analyses suggest a strong interaction between SS-associated HLA genetic variation and the presence of Anti-Ro/SSA autoantibodies in driving the IFN epigenetic signature and determining SS. We report a novel epigenetic signature characterized by increased DNA methylation levels in a large number of genes enriched in pathways such as collagen metabolism and extracellular matrix organization. We identified potential new genetic variants associated with SS that might mediate their risk by altering DNA methylation or gene expression patterns, as well as disease-interacting genetic variants that exhibit regulatory function only in the SS population. Our study sheds new light on the interaction between genetics, autoantibody profiles, DNA methylation and gene expression in SS, and contributes to elucidate the genetic architecture of gene regulation in an autoimmune population

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality