What Do Studies of Insect Polyphenisms Tell Us about Nutritionally-Triggered Epigenomic Changes and Their Consequences?

Many insects are capable of remarkable changes in biology and form in response to their environment or diet. The most extreme example of these are polyphenisms, which are when two or more different phenotypes are produced from a single genotype in response to the environment. Polyphenisms provide a fascinating opportunity to study how the environment affects an animal’s genome, and how this produces changes in form. Here we review the current state of knowledge of the molecular basis of polyphenisms and what can be learnt from them to understand how nutrition may influence our own genomes

EVALUACIÓN DE LA CALIDAD DE FRUTO DE LA LIMA TAHITI ( Citrus latifolia, Tanaka) SOBRE DOS PORTAINJERTOS DIFERENTES

En de la citricultura, la especie que esta teniendo un aumento sustancial en lo que respecta a la demanda y la superficie plantada, es la lima Tahití. El objetivo del trabajo fue estudiar la influencia de dos diferentes portainjertos sobre la calidad del fruto de la lima tahití (Citrus latifolia, Tanaka) Para el experimento se utilizó un plantel de lima tahití sobre dos portainjertos diferentes, Citrange C35 (Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. x Citrus sinensis(L.) Osbeck) y mandarina Suen kat (C. reticulata var. austera (Swingle)), implantado en el Campo Experimental de la FCA/ UNA, ubicado a 125 msnm, con las siguientes coordenadas, 25º27´ y 57º 27´ O. El suelo clasificado como Rhodic paleaudult. El diseño experimental utilizado fue el enteramente al azar con dos tratamiento compuesto por las dos especies de porta injertos, mandarina y Citrange C35 , y cuatro repeticiones. Se cosecharon 20 frutos por tratamiento en el laboratorio se midieron los siguientes puntos, altura, diámetro y peso del fruto, porcentaje jugo y cáscara, sólido solubles y acidez. Los resultados mostraron la influencia de los portainjertos sobre la calidad organoléptica del fruto de la lima tahiti. Los máximos valores en cuanto al diámetro, altura y peso del fruto, porcentaje de gabazo se observaron en frutos producidos sobre Citrange C35 , el mayor porcentaje de jugo se produjo sobre la mandarina Suen kat. En relación a sólido soluble y acidez no hubo diferencia significativa entre los portainjertos

Polyfunctional T cell responses in children in early stages of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection contrast with monofunctional responses of long-term infected adults

Background: Adults with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi exhibit a poorly functional T cell compartment, characterized by monofunctional (IFN-γ-only secreting) parasite-specific T cells and increased levels of terminally differentiated T cells. It is possible that persistent infection and/or sustained exposure to parasites antigens may lead to a progressive loss of function of the immune T cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: To test this hypothesis, the quality and magnitude of T. cruzi-specific T cell responses were evaluated in T. cruzi-infected children and compared with long-term T. cruzi-infected adults with no evidence of heart failure. The phenotype of CD4+ T cells was also assessed in T. cruzi-infected children and uninfected controls. Simultaneous secretion of IFN-γ and IL-2 measured by ELISPOT assays in response to T. cruzi antigens was prevalent among T. cruzi-infected children. Flow cytometric analysis of co-expression profiles of CD4+ T cells with the ability to produce IFN-γ, TNF-α, or to express the co-stimulatory molecule CD154 in response to T. cruzi showed polyfunctional T cell responses in most T. cruzi-infected children. Monofunctional T cell responses and an absence of CD4+TNF-α+-secreting T cells were observed in T. cruzi-infected adults. A relatively high degree of activation and differentiation of CD4+ T cells was evident in T. cruzi-infected children. Conclusions/Significance: Our observations are compatible with our initial hypothesis that persistent T. cruzi infection promotes eventual exhaustion of immune system, which might contribute to disease progression in long-term infected subjects.Fil: Albareda, María Cecilia. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: de Rissio, Ana María. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Tomas, Gonzalo. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Serjan, Alicia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, María Gabriela. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Viotti, Rodolfo Jorge. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Fichera, Laura Edith. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Esteva, Mónica Inés. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Potente, Daniel Fernando. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Armenti, Alejandro. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Tarleton, Rick L.. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Laucella, Susana Adriana. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Metabolism within the tumor microenvironment and its implication on cancer progression: an ongoing therapeutic target

Since reprogramming energy metabolism is considered a new hallmark of cancer, tumor metabolism is again in the spotlight of cancer research. Many studies have been carried out and many possible therapies have been developed in the last years. However, tumor cells are not alone. A series of extracellular components and stromal cells, such as endothelial cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages and tumor-infiltrating T cells, surround tumor cells in the so-called tumor microenvironment. Metabolic features of these cells are being studied in deep in order to find relationships between metabolism within the tumor microenvironment and tumor progression. Moreover, it cannot be forgotten that tumor growth is able to modulate host metabolism and homeostasis, so that tumor microenvironment is not the whole story. Importantly, the metabolic switch in cancer is just a consequence of the flexibility and adaptability of metabolism and should not be surprising. Treatments of cancer patients with combined therapies including anti-tumor agents with those targeting stromal cell metabolism, anti-angiogenic drugs and/or immunotherapy are being developed as promising therapeutics.Mª Carmen Ocaña is recipient of a predoctoral FPU grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. Supported by grants BIO2014-56092-R (MINECO and FEDER), P12-CTS-1507 (Andalusian Government and FEDER) and funds from group BIO-267 (Andalusian Government). The "CIBER de Enfermedades Raras" is an initiative from the ISCIII (Spain). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript

Production of American lettuce cultivars under different colored shade nets

Email: [email protected] (autor de correspondencia)Shading nets are used to reduce the amount of radiant energy reaching crops. The objective of the work was to compare the influence of black and red shading nets on the production of nine American lettuce cultivars in the Autumn period under the conditions of the Central Department of Paraguay. The experiment was carried out in the Experimental Field of the Departmental Agronomic Center (CAD) in the Municipality of Julián Augusto Saldívar. The treatments consisted of the combination of two types of shading netting (red with 35% shade and black with 35% shade) and nine cultivars of American lettuce (Julia, Dora, Angelina, Tainá, Sun Valley, Betty, Lucy Brown, Mara, and Serena) totaling 18 treatments. The experiment consisted in a complete randomized block design, arranged in split blocks 2×9 (the color of shading netting was considered the main plot, and the lettuce cultivars as the secondary plot) with four repetitions. Each experimental unit consisted of four crop rows with seven plants. Plant diameter, plant height, head diameter and height, commercial number of leaves per plant, fresh mass, and commercial productivity were evaluated. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, and when differences were found, the means were compared by the Scott-Knott test at 5% probability. The results indicate that using the red netting with the Serena and Dora cultivars provides greater fresh mass and commercial production.Las mallas de sombra se utilizan para reducir la cantidad de energía radiante que llega a los cultivos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue comparar la influencia de las mallas sombreadoras negras y rojas en la producción de nueve cultivares de lechuga americana en el período otoñal en las condiciones del Departamento Central del Paraguay. El experimento se realizó en el Campo Experimental del Centro Agronómico Departamental (CAD), en el municipio de Julián Augusto Saldívar. Los tratamientos consistieron en una combinación de dos tipos de malla sombra (roja con 35% de sombra y negra con 35% de sombra) y nueve cultivares de lechuga americana (Julia, Dora, Angelina, Tainá, Sun Valley, Betty, Lucy Brown, Mara y Serena) totalizando 18 tratamientos. El diseño experimental fue en franjas en bloques completos al azar de 2×9 (las mallas de color fueron consideradas la parcela principal y los cultivares la parcela secundaria) y cuatro repeticiones. Cada unidad experimental constó de cuatro hileras de cultivo, con siete plantas. Se evaluó diámetro de planta, altura de planta, diámetro y altura de cabeza, número comercializable de hojas por planta, masa fresca y rendimiento comercializable. Los resultados fueron sometidos a análisis de varianza y, cuando se encontraron diferencias significativas, se usó la prueba de Scott-Knott al 5% de probabilidad para la comparación de medias. Los resultados indican que el uso de la red roja con los cultivares Serena y Dora proporciona mayor producción de masa fresca y comercializable.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPrograma Paraguayo para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología. Proyectos de investigación y desarroll

Efecto de herbicidas preemergentes aplicados mediante riego por goteo en el cultivo de cebolla trasplantada

Herbigation has several advantages, such as the reduction of drift, the operator’s exposure to the product, and the reduction of costs associated with weed management. This work was carried out in the Department of Caaguazú, Paraguay, during the period from March to October 2018, to evaluate the efficacy of different doses of pre-emergent herbicides applied via irrigation water in the transplanted onion crop. The experimental design used was the randomized complete blocks with arrangement in divided plots (5>5), where the main plot consisted of the herbicides (Flumioxazin, Oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, Trifluralin and S-metolachlor) and the subplots of the doses of Flumioxazin (0, 15, 25, 35 and 45 g a.i. ha-1), Oxyfluorfen (0, 240, 312, 384 and 456 g a.i. ha-1); Pendimethalin (0, 800, 1,000, 1,200 and 1,400 g a.i. ha-1); Trifluralin (0, 576, 768, 960 and 1,152 g a.i. ha-1) and S-metolachlor (0, 480, 960, 1,440 and 1,920 g a.i.ha-1) with four repetitions. The weeds with the highest relative importance were: Digitaria horizontalis, Richardia brasiliensis, Galinsoga parviflora, Bidens pilosa, Amaranthus spinosus and Portulaca oleracea. Herbicides in the studied doses applied through irrigation water were effective on sensitive species and did not cause symptoms of phytotoxicity on onion crops until 21 DAA. The evaluated doses of Oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, Trifluralin and S-metolachlor did not affect the bulb yield in the transplanted onion crop.La herbigación presenta varias ventajas como la reducción de la deriva y  exposición del operador al producto, la disminución de los costos  asociados al manejo de malezas. Este trabajo fue realizado en el Departamento de Caaguazú, Paraguay, durante el periodo de marzo a octubre de 2018, con el objetivo de evaluar la eficacia de diferentes dosis de herbicidas preemergentes aplicados vía agua de riego en el cultivo de cebolla trasplantada. El diseño experimental utilizado fue bloques completos al azar con arreglo en parcelas divididas (5>5), donde la parcela principal estuvo constituida por los herbicidas (Flumioxazin, Oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, Trifluralin y S-metolachlor) y las subparcelas por las dosis  de Flumioxazin (0, 15, 25, 35 y 45 g i.a. ha-1), Oxyfluorfen (0, 240, 312, 384 y 456 g i.a. ha-1); Pendimethalin (0, 800, 1.000, 1.200 y 1.400 g i.a. ha-1); Trifluralin (0, 576, 768, 960 y 1.152 g i.a. ha-1) y S-metolachlor (0, 480, 960, 1.440 y 1.920 g i.a. ha-1) con cuatro repeticiones. Las malezas con mayor importancia relativa fueron: Digitaria horizontalis, Richardia brasiliensis, Galinsoga parviflora, Bidens pilosa, Amaranthus spinosus y Portulaca oleracea. Los herbicidas en las dosis estudiadas aplicados mediante el agua de riego fueron eficaces sobre las especies sensibles y no causaron síntomas de fitotoxicidad sobre el cultivo de cebolla hasta los 21 DDA. Las dosis evaluadas de oxyfluorfen, pendimethalin,  trifluralin y s-metolachlor no afectaron el rendimiento de bulbos del cultivo de cebolla trasplantada

Reporte de Pecari tajacu y Procyon lotor con anomalías cromáticas en el Estado de Guerrero, México

Este trabajo documenta el primer registro de anomalías cromáticas en el pecarí de collar (Pecari tajacu) y el tercero en el mapache (Procyon lotor) para México. Los hallazgos se realizaron durante el monitoreo realizado entre el 2009 y el 2021, utilizando cámaras-trampa, principalmente en la ecorregión de la Sierra Madre del Sur del estado de Guerrero, México. Procyon lotor fue registrado entre el 5 de noviembre y el 1 de diciembre de 2019, en vegetación riparia de bosque tropical caducifolio (17°47’35”N, 98°39’59”W, 1134 m de altitud). Mientras que Pecari tajacu se registró el 7 de junio y el 22 de julio del 2021 en una brecha saca cosecha abandonada (17°38’12”N, 100°40’50”W; 1532 m de altitud)

Allelopathy and cytotoxicity of Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronq extract in vegetable species

Allelopathic and cytotoxic effects inform possible changes due to changes in growth and can be studied using different plant species. The objective of this work was to evaluate the allelopathic and cytotoxic effect of the aqueous extract of Conyza bonariensis on horticultural species. The experiment was carried out in the Phytotechnics Laboratory at Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil. Lettuce seeds (Vera) and melon seeds (Ouro) were evaluated in germination tests and phytotoxicity. C. bonariensis leaves, stalk, and flowers were selected and placed in a drying oven at 60 °C for 72 h and then weighed for extract aqueous at concentrations of 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10%. Were evaluated germination test (%), germination speed index (GSI), primary root and shoot length of seedlings. For the cytotoxicity test, the onion model was in five concentrations 0, 0.5; 1; 1.5, and 2% where the mitotic index and cell numbers in the cell division phases (prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase) were evaluated. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, and the means compared using Scott-Knott test at 5% probability. The results showed that C. bonariensis aqueous extract did not affect germination, germination speed index, and shoot length in melon, but showed phytotoxic effect on seedlings with decreasing root length. The aqueous extracts of C. bonariensis inhibited seed germination and primary root development and shoot length in lettuce. Chromosome disorganization on the equatorial plane during metaphase and chromosome breakage was observed in the mitotic process of onion roots in C. bonariensis aqueous extract concentrations. Higher concentrations of the extract have allelopathic activity with inhibitory action of cell division

Search for the Z Boson Decay to ττμμ in Proton-Proton Collisions at √s = 13 TeV

The first search for the boson decay to ⁢⁢⁢ at the CERN LHC is presented, based on data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb−1. The data are compatible with the predicted background. For the first time, an upper limit at the 95% confidence level of 6.9 times the standard model expectation is placed on the ratio of the →⁢⁢⁢ to →4⁢ branching fractions. Limits are also placed on the six flavor-conserving four-lepton effective-field-theory operators involving two muons and two tau leptons, for the first time testing all such operators

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND: Disorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021. METHODS: We estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined. FINDINGS: Globally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer. INTERPRETATION: As the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed