Growing up in the deep-sea protected development in deep-sea invertebrates: A case study in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean

Marine invertebrates display a range of reproductive strategies, from external fertilization to several methods to protect the young. Both brooding or protected development of benthic species and direct development species (when juveniles born in a smaller version of its adult form) involves reducing the time that the larvae and/or juveniles spend in the plankton. The different forms of juvenile protection are often associated with the taxonomic group, although certain groups are much diversified in terms of their reproductive modes. However, the area where the species live also seems to play a key role. Several authors have indicated the unusual proportion of brooding species in the Southern Ocean, in particular in the southwestern Atlantic, including its adjacent deep-sea. The knowledge about the reproductive characteristics of most of the fauna in this area remains unknown. Proof of this are the great number of studies carried out in recent years, describing the reproductive features of several species (many also new), with some of them having many peculiarities about their biology.Fil: Teso, Silvia Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Martinez, Mariano Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Lauretta, Daniel Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Pastorino, Roberto Santiago Guido. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Urteaga, Diego Gaston. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Averbuj, Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Brogger, Martin Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Arrighetti, Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Rivadeneira, Pamela Ruth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Flores, Jonathan Nahuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Pertossi, Renata Micaela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez, Noelia Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Pacheco, Leonel Ivan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Di Luca, Javier Agustín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Sanchez Antelo, Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Risaro, Jessica Ayelen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Ciocco, Rocio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Penchaszadeh, Pablo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

Rare and low-frequency coding variants alter human adult height

Height is a highly heritable, classic polygenic trait with ~700 common associated variants identified so far through genome - wide association studies . Here , we report 83 height - associated coding variants with lower minor allele frequenc ies ( range of 0.1 - 4.8% ) and effects of up to 2 16 cm /allele ( e.g. in IHH , STC2 , AR and CRISPLD2 ) , >10 times the average effect of common variants . In functional follow - up studies, rare height - increasing alleles of STC2 (+1 - 2 cm/allele) compromise d proteolytic inhibition of PAPP - A and increased cleavage of IGFBP - 4 in vitro , resulting in higher bioavailability of insulin - like growth factors . The se 83 height - associated variants overlap genes mutated in monogenic growth disorders and highlight new biological candidates ( e.g. ADAMTS3, IL11RA, NOX4 ) and pathways ( e.g . proteoglycan/ glycosaminoglycan synthesis ) involved in growth . Our results demonstrate that sufficiently large sample sizes can uncover rare and low - frequency variants of moderate to large effect associated with polygenic human phenotypes , and that these variants implicate relevant genes and pathways

Genome-wide association identifies nine common variants associated with fasting proinsulin levels and provides new insights into the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Proinsulin is a precursor of mature insulin and C-peptide. Higher circulating proinsulin levels are associated with impaired β-cell function, raised glucose levels, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Studies of the insulin processing pathway could provide new insights about T2D pathophysiology. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We have conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association tests of ∼2.5 million genotyped or imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and fasting proinsulin levels in 10,701 nondiabetic adults of European ancestry, with follow-up of 23 loci in up to 16,378 individuals, using additive genetic models adjusted for age, sex, fasting insulin, and study-specific covariates. RESULTS: Nine SNPs at eight loci were associated with proinsulin levels (P < 5 × 10(-8)). Two loci (LARP6 and SGSM2) have not been previously related to metabolic traits, one (MADD) has been associated with fasting glucose, one (PCSK1) has been implicated in obesity, and four (TCF7L2, SLC30A8, VPS13C/C2CD4A/B, and ARAP1, formerly CENTD2) increase T2D risk. The proinsulin-raising allele of ARAP1 was associated with a lower fasting glucose (P = 1.7 × 10(-4)), improved β-cell function (P = 1.1 × 10(-5)), and lower risk of T2D (odds ratio 0.88; P = 7.8 × 10(-6)). Notably, PCSK1 encodes the protein prohormone convertase 1/3, the first enzyme in the insulin processing pathway. A genotype score composed of the nine proinsulin-raising alleles was not associated with coronary disease in two large case-control datasets. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified nine genetic variants associated with fasting proinsulin. Our findings illuminate the biology underlying glucose homeostasis and T2D development in humans and argue against a direct role of proinsulin in coronary artery disease pathogenesis

Ecos de la academia: Revista de la Facultad de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología - FECYT Nro 6

Ecos de la academia, Revista de la Facultad de Educación Ciencia y Tecnología es una publicación científica de la Universidad Técnica del Norte, con revisión por pares a doble ciego que publica artículos en idioma español, quichua, portugués e inglés. Se edita con una frecuencia semestral con dos números por año.En ella se divulgan trabajos originales e inéditos generados por los investigadores, docentes y estudiantes de la FECYT, y contribuciones de profesionales de instituciones docentes e investigativas dentro y fuera del país, con calidad, originalidad y relevancia en las áreas de ciencias sociales y tecnología aplicada.Modelos multidimensionales del bienestar en contextos de enseñanza- aprendizaje: una revisión sistemática. Nuevas tendencias para el área académica de la Publicidad en la zona 1 del Ecuador. Propuesta de un curso de escritura académica bajo la base de modelos experienciales. Aproximación al estudio de las emociones. Seguimiento a egresados y graduados para actualizar el perfil de egreso y profesional. Impacto de la Gerencia de Calidad en el clima organizacional en Educación Básica. Comunicación efectiva del gerente educativo orientada al manejo de conflictos en el personal docente. Meritocracia: Democratización o exclusión en el acceso a la educación superior en Ecuador. Asertividad y desempeño académico en estudiantes universitarios. La creatividad en la formación profesional. Aspectos metodológicos en el proceso de enseñanza- aprendizaje de la gimnasia en estudiantes de Educación Física. English Language Learning Interaction through Web 2.0 Technologies. La sistematización de la práctica educativa y su relación con la metodología de la investigación. El ozono y la oxigenación hiperbárica: una vía para mejorar la recuperación en lesiones deportivas. La labor tutorial: Independencia del aprendizaje en el contexto universitario. Motivación hacia la profesión docente en la Enseñanza Secundaria. El uso académico de Facebook y WhatsApp en estudiantes universitarios... La educación superior en Ecuador: situación actual y factores de mejora de la calidad. El Proyecto de Investigación “Imbabura Étnica”

Evidence of Inbreeding Depression on Human Height

WOS:000306840400001Peer reviewe

A genome-wide association search for type 2 diabetes genes in African Americans.

African Americans are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes (T2DM) yet few studies have examined T2DM using genome-wide association approaches in this ethnicity. The aim of this study was to identify genes associated with T2DM in the African American population. We performed a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) using the Affymetrix 6.0 array in 965 African-American cases with T2DM and end-stage renal disease (T2DM-ESRD) and 1029 population-based controls. The most significant SNPs (n = 550 independent loci) were genotyped in a replication cohort and 122 SNPs (n = 98 independent loci) were further tested through genotyping three additional validation cohorts followed by meta-analysis in all five cohorts totaling 3,132 cases and 3,317 controls. Twelve SNPs had evidence of association in the GWAS (P<0.0071), were directionally consistent in the Replication cohort and were associated with T2DM in subjects without nephropathy (P<0.05). Meta-analysis in all cases and controls revealed a single SNP reaching genome-wide significance (P<2.5×10(-8)). SNP rs7560163 (P = 7.0×10(-9), OR (95% CI) = 0.75 (0.67-0.84)) is located intergenically between RND3 and RBM43. Four additional loci (rs7542900, rs4659485, rs2722769 and rs7107217) were associated with T2DM (P<0.05) and reached more nominal levels of significance (P<2.5×10(-5)) in the overall analysis and may represent novel loci that contribute to T2DM. We have identified novel T2DM-susceptibility variants in the African-American population. Notably, T2DM risk was associated with the major allele and implies an interesting genetic architecture in this population. These results suggest that multiple loci underlie T2DM susceptibility in the African-American population and that these loci are distinct from those identified in other ethnic populations

Diversity and reproductive aspects in sea stars (Asteroidea: Echinodermata) from the deep benthos of Argentina (up to 3500 m depth)

Las estrellas de mar son organismos que habitan en todo tipo de fondos marinos y se encuentran distribuidos en las diferentes regiones del mundo. Poseen gran variedad de formas y tamaños; son depredadores, carroñeros e incluso filtradores pasivos y tienen distintos mecanismos reproductivos y de incubación. Con el objetivo de estudiar la diversidad de estrellas de mar presentes en aguas profundas del Mar Argentino, comprender mejor su reproducción y analizar la distribución de especies; se estudiaron 940 ejemplares siendo la mayoría del cañón submarino Mar del Plata, mientras que otros prevenían de aguas de plataforma del área frente a Mar del Plata y la zona del Banco Burdwood. Se identificaron 178 ejemplares correspondientes a la familia Astropectinidae, distribuidas en 5 géneros y 6 especies, 3 de las cuales son una novedad. Otros 24 ejemplares de la familia Asteriidae fueron identificados no solo como una nueva especie sino también un nuevo género. Para la familia Pterasteridae se encontraron 28 especímenes de Diplopteraster clarki, mientras que otros 710 corresponden a la especie Ctenodiscus australis. Tres géneros de la familia Astropectinidae ampliaron su distribución tanto geográfica como batimétricamente y particularmente para el género Plutonaster, se obtuvo el primer registro en aguas del Atlántico Sudoccidental. La familia Asteriidae amplía su distribución geográfica, Diplopteraster clarki y Ctenodiscus australis extienden su distribución batimétrica. Esta última especie también presenta un nuevo registro geográfico. En los estudios de reproducción realizados para Ctenodiscus australis se describieron distintos estadios de desarrollo en oocitos y embriones, incluso en un mismo ejemplar, estas y otras pruebas de un tipo de desarrollo directo y aperiódico fueron registradas. La reproducción de Bernasconiaster pipi mostró el mismo tipo de desarrollo que C. australis, pero con algunas particularidades en la liberación de oocitos y la incubación de sus embriones. En Diplopteraster clarki las gónadas de las hembras también se encontraron en distintos estadios, mientras que los machos estaban en el mismo. Un ejemplar hermafrodita fue observado en D. clarki y en B. pipi. La fauna de Asteroidea del cañón submarino Mar del Plata está representada principalmente por el orden Paxillosida, y para todos los géneros estudiados se amplió la distribución. Los estudios de reproducción muestran que los ejemplares analizados presentan reproducción aperiódica con desarrollo directo y cuidado parental.Sea stars inhabit diverse sea bottoms and are distributed in all regions around the globe. They present a great variety of shapes and sizes, and are predators, scavengers and passive filter feeders. Moreover, they have different reproductive modes as well as brooding strategies. In order to analyze the deep-sea water Asteroidea diversity from Argentina, to study its reproduction, and to evaluate the distribution of the species, a total of 940 specimens were examined. Most of them were collected in the Mar del Plata submarine canyon, and a few others from off the coast of Mar del Plata and from Burdwood Bank. Among the Astropectinidae, five genera and six species, three of them new to science were identified based on 178 specimens. In addition, a new genus and new species of the family Asteriidae were described based on 24 specimens. Finally, the families Pterasteridae and Ctenosdiscidae were represented by only a single species each. The former includes 28 specimens of Diplopteraster clarki, whereas the latter includes 710 specimens of Ctenodiscus australis. For three genera of Astropectinidae, both the geographic and bathymetric distributions have been extended. In particular, the genus Plutonaster has been recorded for the first time from the Southwest Atlantic. The geographic distribution of the family Asteriidae has also been extended. Moreover, the bathymetric distributions of Diplopteraster clarki and Ctenodiscus australis have also been extended, for the latter species a new geographic record has been reported as well. Ctenodiscus australis exhibits different oocytes and embryo development stages, even in a single brooding specimen. This and other observed evidence support direct development and aperiodic reproduction for the species. Bernasconiaster pipi shows the same type of development; but differing in certain aspects such as the liberation of the oocytes as well as the brood incubation. In Diplopteraster clarki, the female gonads also were at different oocytes stages while male gonads were all at the same stage. A hermaphrodite specimen was registered for both Diplopteraster clarki and Bernasconiaster pipi. The Asteroidea from the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon is represented mainly by the order Paxillosida.Fil: Rivadeneira, Pamela Ruth. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina

Different effects of subchronic exposure to low concentrations of the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos in a freshwater gastropod

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used for pest control on a number of food crops in many parts of the world. In recent years, there has been an important decrease in the number of organisms of Planorbarius corneus. Since the presence of pesticides in the water can be one of the reasons for this decrease, it is very important to study the effect of subchronic exposure to environmental concentrations of pesticides on these organisms. The aim of the present work was to investigate different effects of the subchronic exposure to low concentrations of the organophosphate chlorpyrifos in P. corneus and the possibility to use these as biomarkers. To this end, we have exposed the organisms to 0.4 and 5μgL-1 of chlorpyrifos for 14 days and recorded the number of egg masses, the number of eggs per mass, the number of eggs without embryo, the time for hatching, and the % of hatching and survival. We have also determined the activities of cholinesterases, carboxylesterases and glutathione S-transferase in whole organism soft tissue and in the gonads. A 14 days exposure to 0.4μgL-1 caused an increase in the number of egg masses without eggs and a decrease in carboxylesterases measured with p-nitrophenyl butyrate. However the exposure to 5μgL-1 also caused an increase in the time for hatching, a decrease in the % of hatching and survival and also inhibition of cholinesterases and carboxylesterases with p-nitrophenyl acetate and butyrate. In contrast, the glutathione S-transferase has not been modified with the tested concentrations. We concluded that when P. corneus exposed to chlorpyrifos for 14 days, the CES determined with p-nitrophenyl butyrate proved to be the most sensitive biomarker. However, exposure to environmental concentrations showed a decrease in the reproduction ability which could cause a decrease in the number of organisms of this species. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.Fil: Rivadeneira, Pamela Ruth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Agrelo, Macarena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Otero, Sofía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Kristoff, Gisela. 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; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; Argentin

Acute expousure of the freshwater snail Planorbarius corneus to an environmental concentration os chlorpyrifos: Recovery studies of enzime activities in gonads and affects on reproduction

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide widely used in a variety of food crops in Argentina and other countries. In a previous work we have reported that subchronic exposure to an environmental concentration of chlorpyrifos caused severe effects on reproduction of the freshwater hermaphrodite gastropod Planorbarius corneus. The aim of the present work was to study the effects of chlorpyrifos on the reproduction of this adult snail after an acute (2 days) exposure. Also B-esterase activities (cholinesterases and carboxylesterases) were measured in the gonads to study the possible link of the biochemical responses to the reproduction effects. Snails were exposed during 2 days to 5 µg L -1 of chlorpyrifos. Control and solvent control (acetone) groups were included in the bioassays. After the 2 days of exposure, some snails per group were used to measured enzyme activities and the other snails were transferred to water. Then, the bioassay was continued for 14 days. Snails were fed once a week. During the 14 days in water, the number of egg masses was registered and for each egg mass, the number of egg masses without eggs, the number of eggs per mass, the time for hatching, the hatchings and the survival of the offspring were counted. After the 2 days of exposure and after 14 days in water, snailswere placed on ice, the shells were removed and gonad homogenates were realized. Supernatant fraction (8 for each time and for each group) was used to measure cholinesterase and carboxylesterase activities and protein content. After an acute exposure 5 µg L -1 of chlorpyrifos caused a decrease on cholinesterase activity using acetylthiocholine as substrate (50 %) and carboxylesterase activities (26 % using p-nitrophenylacetate as substrate and 40 % using p-nitrophenylbutyrate) in gonads. After 14 days in water, no recovery ofcholinesterase activity was observed. However carboxylesterases measured with both substrates returned to control values. Regarding to reproduction effects, only an increase in the number of egg masses without eggs was observed. Recovery of carboxylesterases in gonads could be related to the lower effects observed onreproduction in compare with the subchronic exposure. After 14 days of exposure, 5 µg L-1 of chlorpyrifos has produced a strongly decrease in B-esterase activities and severe effects on reproduction as the decreases in the % of hatching and survival of the offspring ant the increases in egg masses without eggs and in the time of hatching. Exposures to environmental concentrations of chlorpyrifos caused different toxic effects on the reproduction of Planorbarius corneus depending on the time of exposure.Fil: Rivadeneira, Pamela Ruth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Agrelo, Macarena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Kristoff, Gisela. 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

Aboral brooding in the deep water sea star Ctenodiscus australis Lütken, 1871 (Asteroidea) from the Southwestern Atlantic

Different stages of development and growth were found in the dorsal surface under the paxillae of Ctenodiscus australis. The maximum number of broods found per specimen was 73 and in some cases different stages were observed on the same female. Oocytes were present in females of all months sampled and were diverse in size (120–850 µm in diameter). Continuous presence and variation in size and stage were also observed in the broods. The typical developmental stage resembles a modified brachiolaria. All these observations suggest continuous reproduction in this deep water species and it also provides new information about reproduction in the Ctenodiscidae family.Fil: Rivadeneira, Pamela Ruth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Brogger, Martin Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Penchaszadeh, Pablo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin