22 research outputs found
Systematics and diversity of Neotropical ants.
With a long history of more than 100 million years and about 14,000 described living species, ants are one of the most important and well-known groups of insects in the world. Ants are key elements in the structure and dynamics of terrestrial systems, especially in the tropics, as well as models in studies of evolution, ecology, and monitoring of disturbed ecosystems. For all this, it is essential to know their history and phylogeny, in order among other things, to have a solid base for their systematics and taxonomy. Within Aculeata ants appear to be the sister group of Apoidea, and the ancestor of the Formicidae may have inhabited the northern hemisphere during the early Cretaceous. Since then, and especially since the Eocene, ants have spread throughout the planet, occupying almost all environments from forests to deserts. The Neotropical region has 137 genera and around 3,100 species of ants. The Neotropics seem to have been the “cradle” and “museum” of the groups of ants, which would explain their great diversity and a high degree of endemisms. This review describes the current state of knowledge of ants in the Neotropical region from a systematic point of view, with a synopsis of all supraspecific taxa described to date. Critical genera, problems to be solved, and perspectives for the study of these insects are also presented
Stable inversion clines in a grasshopper species group despite complex geographical history
Chromosomal inversions are known to play roles in adaptation and differentiation in many species. They involve clusters of correlated genes (i.e., loci in linkage disequilibrium, LD) possibly associated with environmental variables. The grasshopper "species complex" Trimerotropis pallidipennis comprises several genetic lineages distributed from North to South America in arid and semi-arid high-altitude environments. The southernmost lineage, Trimerotropis sp., segregates for four to seven putative inversions that display clinal variation, possibly through adaptation to temperate environments. We analysed chromosomal, mitochondrial and genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data in 19 Trimerotropis sp. populations mainly distributed along two altitudinal gradients (MS and Ju). Populations across Argentina comprise two main chromosomally and genetically differentiated lineages: one distributed across the southernmost border of the "Andes Centrales," adding evidence for a differentiation hotspot in this area; and the other widely distributed in Argentina. Within the latter, network analytical approaches to LD found three clusters of correlated loci (LD-clusters), with inversion karyotypes explaining >79% of the genetic variation. Outlier loci associated with environmental variables mapped to two of these LD-clusters. Furthermore, despite the complex geographical history indicated by population genetic analyses, the clines in inversion karyotypes have remained stable for more than 20 generations, implicating their role in adaptation and differentiation within this lineage. We hypothesize that these clines could be the consequence of a coupling between extrinsic postzygotic barriers and spatially varying selection along environmental gradients resulting in a hybrid zone. These results provide a framework for future investigations about candidate genes implicated in rapid adaptation to new environments.Peer reviewe
Tifus murino en el cairo-valle ¿brote o condición endémica emergente?
En el Municipio de El Cairo Valle se reportó un brote de Tifus Murino, el cual habitualmente no se diagnostica en la región. Se presenta una serie de casos obtenidos del Sistema de Vigilancia Epidemiológica del Municipio de El Cairo, administrado por el Hospital Municipal
Variables físicas que explican la variabilidad de suelo aluvial y su comportamiento espacial
Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries
Background
Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres.
Methods
This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries.
Results
In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia.
Conclusion
This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries
Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries
Abstract
Background
Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres.
Methods
This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries.
Results
In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia.
Conclusion
This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries
A Species delimitation approach to uncover cryptic species in the South American fire ant decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae: Pseudacteon).
Sistemática y diversidad de las hormigas neotropicales
With a long history of more than 100 million years and about 14,000 described living species, ants are one of the most important and well-known groups of insects in the world. Ants are key elements in the structure and dynamics of terrestrial systems, especially in the tropics, as well as models in studies of evolution, ecology, and monitoring of disturbed ecosystems. For all this, it is essential to know their history and phylogeny, in order among other things, to have a solid base for their systematics and taxonomy. Within Aculeata ants appear to be the sister group of Apoidea, and the ancestor of the Formicidae may have inhabited the northern hemisphere during the early Cretaceous. Since then, and especially since the Eocene, ants have spread throughout the planet, occupying almost all environments from forests to deserts. The Neotropical region has 137 genera and around 3,100 species of ants. The Neotropics seem to have been the “cradle” and “museum” of the groups of ants, which would explain their great diversity and a high degree of endemisms. This review describes the current state of knowledge of ants in the Neotropical region from a systematic point of view, with a synopsis of all supraspecific taxa described to date. Critical genera, problems to be solved, and perspectives for the study of these insects are also presented.Con una larga historia de algo más de 100 millones de años y alrededor de 14.000 especies vivientes descritas, las hormigas son uno de los grupos de insectos más importantes y conocidos en el mundo. Las hormigas son elementos clave en la estructura y dinámica de los sistemas terrestres, en especial en los trópicos, así como herramienta en estudios de evolución y ecología, y monitoreo de ecosistemas perturbados. Por todo esto es indispensable conocer su historia y filogenia para, entre otras cosas, tener una sólida base de su sistemática y, finalmente, de su taxonomía. Dentro de Aculeata las hormigas parecen ser el grupo hermano de Apoidea y el ancestro de Formicidae pudo haber habitado el hemisferio norte a comienzos del Cretáceo. A partir de entonces, en especial del Eoceno, las hormigas se han diseminado por todo el planeta y ocupan casi todos los ambientes, desde bosques a desiertos. La región Neotropical comprende 137 géneros y alrededor de 3.100 especies. El Neotrópico parece haber sido “cuna” y “museo” de los grupos de hormigas, lo que explicaría su gran riqueza y alto grado de endemismos. Esta revisión muestra el estado actual de conocimiento de las hormigas en la región Neotropical desde el punto de vista sistemático, con una sinopsis de todos los taxones supraespecíficos descritos hasta la fecha. También se presentan géneros críticos, problemas por resolver y perspectivas para el estudio de estos insectos
Expansion of the geographic range of Cyatta abscondita Sosa‑Calvo et al., 2013 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
The presence of the recently described fungus-farming ant genus and species Cyatta abscondita is reported in the northwestern region of Misiones Province in Argentina. A single worker of C. abscondita was collected in a pitfall trap in a mature plantation of Pinus taeda in the Atlantic Forest biome. This finding expands the distribution of the genus and species, extending it farther south in the Neotropics.
Expansion of the geographic range of Cyatta abscondita Sosa‑Calvo et al., 2013 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
The presence of the recently described fungus-farming ant genus and species Cyatta abscondita is reported in the northwestern region of Misiones Province in Argentina. A single worker of C. abscondita was collected in a pitfall trap in a mature plantation of Pinus taeda in the Atlantic Forest biome. This finding expands the distribution of the genus and species, extending it farther south in the Neotropics.