Tests of species‐specific models reveal the importance of drought in postglacial range shifts of a Mediterranean‐climate tree: insights from integrative distributional, demographic and coalescent modelling and ABC model selection

Past climate change has caused shifts in species distributions and undoubtedly impacted patterns of genetic variation, but the biological processes mediating responses to climate change, and their genetic signatures, are often poorly understood. We test six species‐specific biologically informed hypotheses about such processes in canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis) from the California Floristic Province. These hypotheses encompass the potential roles of climatic niche, niche multidimensionality, physiological trade‐offs in functional traits, and local‐scale factors (microsites and local adaptation within ecoregions) in structuring genetic variation. Specifically, we use ecological niche models (ENMs) to construct temporally dynamic landscapes where the processes invoked by each hypothesis are reflected by differences in local habitat suitabilities. These landscapes are used to simulate expected patterns of genetic variation under each model and evaluate the fit of empirical data from 13 microsatellite loci genotyped in 226 individuals from across the species range. Using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), we obtain very strong support for two statistically indistinguishable models: a trade‐off model in which growth rate and drought tolerance drive habitat suitability and genetic structure, and a model based on the climatic niche estimated from a generic ENM, in which the variables found to make the most important contribution to the ENM have strong conceptual links to drought stress. The two most probable models for explaining the patterns of genetic variation thus share a common component, highlighting the potential importance of seasonal drought in driving historical range shifts in a temperate tree from a Mediterranean climate where summer drought is common.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134178/1/mec13804-sup-0001-Supinfo.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134178/2/mec13804.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134178/3/mec13804_am.pd

Total fatty acid quantification as an estimator of total body fat content in broilers fed unsaturated diets

An experiment was designed to determine the effect of dietary fat unsaturation level on the fat content of the body of broilers, measured as hydrolysed crude fat (CF) and total fatty acid (TFA) content. Ninety-six female broiler chickens were fed with 4 experimental diets (with 15, 34, 45 and 61 g of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)/kg of diet) for 6 weeks. As dietary PUFA increased from 15 to 61 g PUFA/kg the fat content of the animals decrease was 55% and 15% when measured as CF and TFA content respectively. As we did not find any differences between treatments in crude protein (CP) and ashes (A) content, the total chemical composition (CF, CP and A as a percentage of Dry Matter (DM)) was close to 100% in the animals fed the saturated diets, reaching only 80% when the dietary unsaturation level was maximum. When using TFA instead of CF, the total chemical composition was close to 95% of DM in all treatments.Une expérience a été effectuée pour déterminer l'effet du niveau de la graisse insaturée dans l'aliment sur le contenu de la graisse corporelle des poulets mesuré par la teneur en graisse brute hydrolysée (CF) et par la teneur en acides gras totaux (TFA). Quatrevingt seize femelles broilers ont été alimentés avec 4 régimes expérimentaux (contenant 15, 34, 45 ou 61 g d'acides gras polyinsaturés (PUFA)/kg d'aliment) pendant six semaines. Quand la teneur en PUFA du régime augmente de 15 à 61 g/kg l'engraissement des animaux diminue de 55% et 15% quand il est mesuré par la teneur en CF et TFA respectivement. Comme on n'a pas trouvé de différences entre les traitements pour la teneur en protéines brutes (CP) et en cendres (A), la composition totale chimique (CF, CP et A exprimés en pourcentages de la matière 265 4 'i iHfnTT'ii Tli*nm I sèche (DM)) était près de 100% chez les animaux alimentés avec le régime riche en AG saturés, et seulement de 80% quand le niveau d'insaturation du régime était maximal. En utilisant le TFA au lieu de CF, la composition totale chimique était près de 95 % de la DM pour les 4 traitements

Diversity in insect seed parasite guilds at large geographical scale: the roles of host specificity and spatial distance

[Aim]: Host specificity within plant-feeding insects constitutes a fascinating example of natural selection that promotes inter-specific niche segregation. If specificity is strong, composition of local plant parasitic insect guilds is largely dependent on the presence and prevalence of the preferred hosts. Alternatively, if it is weak or absent, historic and stochastic demographic processes may drive the structuring of insect communities. We assessed whether the species composition of acorn feeding insects (Curculio spp. guilds) and their genetic variation change geographically according to the local host community. [Location]: An 800 km transect across California, USA. [Methods]: We used DNA taxonomy to detect potential Curculio cryptic speciation and assessed intra-specific genetic structure among sampling sites. We monitored larval performance on different hosts, by measuring the weight of each larva upon emerging from the acorn. Our phylogenetic and spatial analyses disentangled host specificity and geographical effects on Curculio community composition and genetic structure. [Results]: DNA taxonomy revealed no specialized cryptic species. Californian Curculio spp. were sister taxa that did not segregate among Quercus species or, at a deeper taxonomic level, between red and white oaks. Curculio species turnover and intra-specific genetic differentiation increased with geographical distance among localities irrespective of local oak species composition. Moreover, larval performance did not differ among oak species or acorn sizes when controlling for the effect of the locality. [Main conclusions]: Historical processes have contributed to the structuring of acorn weevil communities across California. Trophic niche overlapped among species, indicating that ecologically similar species can co-exist. Acorn crop inter-annual variability and unpredictability in mixed oak forests may have selected against narrow specialization, and facilitated co-existence by means of an inter-specific time partitioning of the resources. Wide-scale geographical records of parasitic insects and their host plants are necessary to understand the processes underlying species diversity.This work was financed by the projects: CONSOLIDER-MONTES CSD2008-00040 MICINN, PII1C09-0256-9052JCCM and ESF, AGL2014-54739-R (MINECO), PPII-2014-01-PJCCM ESF and CGL2008-00095 ⁄ BOS (MICINN). A.M.was funded by a Juan de la Cierva contract and R.B. by acontract of the Atracción de Talento Investigador Programme (Gobierno de Extremadura TA13032). J.O. wasfunded by Severo Ochoa (SEV-2012-0262) and Ramón y Cajal (RYC-2013-12501) research fellowships.Peer reviewe

Necrotizing Sarcoid Granulomatosis: A Disease Not to be Forgotten

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown aetiology characterised by the appearance of noncaseifying epithelioid granulomas in the affected organs, most commonly the lungs, skin, and eyes (Iannuzzi et al. 2007). Necrotizing Sarcoid Granulomatosis (NGS) is a rare and little-known form of disease, which also presents nodular lung lesions, and it shares pathologic and clinical findings with sarcoidosis, where the presence of necrosis may lead to misdiagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), leading to a consequent delay in treatment of the underlying entity (Chong et al. 2015). ,is is exactly what happened with the two cases that we present here

Role of fibroblast growth factor-23 in calcinosis in women with systemic sclerosis

Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex disorder of unknown etiology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) serum levels in women with SSc compared with healthy controls and to examine a possible association between FGF-23 serum levels with the presence of calcinosis in SSc patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in San Cecilio Hospital, Granada (Spain) from November 2017 to May 2019. Sixty-two women with SSc and 62 age and sex matched healthy controls were included in this study. FGF-23 serum concentration was evaluated by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: There was no significant difference in FGF-23 levels between SSc patients and healthy controls (78.2 ± 60.5 vs. 80.3 ± 56.3 pg/mL, p= 0.662). Regarding the characteristics of the disease, we found a relationship between the values of FGF-23 and the presence of calcinosis. The levels of FGF-23 are higher in patients suffering from calcinosis (p= 0.028). Conclusion: We observed the presence of higher levels of serum FGF-23 in SSc female patients with calcinosis. Therefore, FGF-23 could be a possible therapeutic target for future treatments

Expression of a barley cystatin gene in maize enhances resistance against phytophagous mites by altering their cysteine-proteases

Phytocystatins are inhibitors of cysteine-proteases from plants putatively involved in plant defence based on their capability of inhibit heterologous enzymes. We have previously characterised the whole cystatin gene family members from barley (HvCPI-1 to HvCPI-13). The aim of this study was to assess the effects of barley cystatins on two phytophagous spider mites, Tetranychus urticae and Brevipalpus chilensis. The determination of proteolytic activity profile in both mite species showed the presence of the cysteine-proteases, putative targets of cystatins, among other enzymatic activities. All barley cystatins, except HvCPI-1 and HvCPI-7, inhibited in vitro mite cathepsin L- and/or cathepsin B-like activities, HvCPI-6 being the strongest inhibitor for both mite species. Transgenic maize plants expressing HvCPI-6 protein were generated and the functional integrity of the cystatin transgene was confirmed by in vitro inhibitory effect observed against T. urticae and B. chilensis protein extracts. Feeding experiments impaired on transgenic lines performed with T. urticae impaired mite development and reproductive performance. Besides, a significant reduction of cathepsin L-like and/or cathepsin B-like activities was observed when the spider mite fed on maize plants expressing HvCPI-6 cystatin. These findings reveal the potential of barley cystatins as acaricide proteins to protect plants against two important mite pests

Non-classical circulating monocytes expressing high levels of microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 tag an aberrant IFN-response in systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex disease that affects the connective tissue, causing fibrosis. SSc patients show altered immune cell composition and activation in the peripheral blood (PB). PB monocytes (Mos) are recruited into tissues where they differentiate into macrophages, which are directly involved in fibrosis. To understand the role of CD14+ PB Mos in SSc, a single-cell transcriptome analysis (scRNA-seq) was conducted on 8 SSc patients and 8 controls. Using unsupervised clustering methods, CD14+ cells were assigned to 11 clusters, which added granularity to the known monocyte subsets: classical (cMos), intermediate (iMos) and non-classical Mos (ncMos) or type 2 dendritic cells. NcMos were significantly overrepresented in SSc patients and showed an active IFN-signature and increased expression levels of PTGES, in addition to monocyte motility and adhesion markers. We identified a SSc-related cluster of IRF7+ STAT1+ iMos with an aberrant IFN-response. Finally, a depletion of M2 polarised cMos in SSc was observed. Our results highlighted the potential of PB Mos as biomarkers for SSc and provided new possibilities for putative drug targets for modulating the innate immune response in SSc.This work was supported by the grant P18-RT-4442 funded by Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades, Junta de Andalucía. “Red de Investigación Cooperativa Orientada a Resultados en Salud'' (RICOR, RD21/0002/003). 115565. LBC was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Juan de la Cierva Incorporación' program (Grant ref. IJC2018-038026-I, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501,100,011,033), which includes FEDER funds. MAH is a recipient of a Miguel Servet fellowship (CP21/00132) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation). GV-M was funded by the Grant PRE2019-087586 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501,100,011,033 and by “ESF Investing in your future”.Peer reviewe

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in patients with liver disease in eastern China

The role of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii in the pathogenesis of liver disease has recently gained much interest. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in patients with liver disease from three cities in Shandong and Henan provinces, China. A case–control study was conducted from December 2014 to November 2015 and included 1142 patients with liver disease and 1142 healthy controls. Serum samples were collected from all individuals and were examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies. Information on the demographics, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the participants was collected from the medical records and by the use of a questionnaire. The prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG was 19·7% in patients with liver disease compared with 12·17% in the controls. Only 13 patients had anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies compared with 12 control individuals (1·14% vs. 1·05%, respectively). The highest seroprevalence was detected in patients with liver cancer (22·13%), followed by hepatitis patients (20·86%), liver cirrhosis patients (20·42%), and steatosis patients (20%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that consumption of raw meat (odds ratio (OR) = 1·32; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·01–1·71; P = 0·03) and source of drinking water from wells (OR = 1·56; 95% CI 1·08–2·27; P = 0·01) were independent risk factors for T. gondii infection in liver disease patients. These findings indicate that T. gondii infection is more likely to be present in patients with liver disease. Therefore, efforts should be directed toward health education of populations at high risk of T. gondii infection and measures should be taken to protect vulnerable patients with liver disease

The cold-sensing ion channel TRPM8 regulates central and peripheral clockwork and the circadian oscillations of body temperature

[Abstract] Aim: Physiological functions in mammals show circadian oscillations, synchronized by daily cycles of light and temperature. Central and peripheral clocks participate in this regulation. Since the ion channel TRPM8 is a critical cold sensor, we investigated its role in circadian function. Methods: We used TRPM8 reporter mouse lines and TRPM8-deficient mice. mRNA levels were determined by in situ hybridization or RT-qPCR and protein levels by immunofluorescence. A telemetry system was used to measure core body temperature (Tc). Results: TRPM8 is expressed in the retina, specifically in cholinergic amacrine interneurons and in a subset of melanopsin-positive ganglion cells which project to the central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. TRPM8-positive fibres were also found innervating choroid and ciliary body vasculature, with a putative function in intraocular temperature, as shown in TRPM8-deficient mice. Interestingly, Trpm8-/- animals displayed increased expression of the clock gene Per2 and vasopressin (AVP) in the SCN, suggesting a regulatory role of TRPM8 on the central oscillator. Since SCN AVP neurons control body temperature, we studied Tc in driven and free-running conditions. TRPM8-deficiency increased the amplitude of Tc oscillations and, under dim constant light, induced a greater phase delay and instability of Tc rhythmicity. Finally, TRPM8-positive fibres innervate peripheral organs, like liver and white adipose tissue. Notably, Trpm8-/- mice displayed a dysregulated expression of Per2 mRNA in these metabolic tissues. Conclusion: Our findings support a function of TRPM8 as a temperature sensor involved in the regulation of central and peripheral clocks and the circadian control of Tc.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España); RT2018-099995-B100Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España); AEI/10.13039/501100011033Generalitat Valenciana; PROMETEO/2021/031Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital (España); BES-2011-04706