Elucidating the trophic role of Tapinoma ibericum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a potential predator of olive pests

Ants play a key role in improving the structure and function of local communities. They interact with plants, herbivores, predators and parasitoids and are able to change their trophic role in space and time. These features, however, make it difficult to establish the net trophic role of ants in agroecosystems. Here we aim to determine the isotopic enrichment and tissue incorporation rates in ants of the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex, which are found abundantly in olive orchards (i.e. T. ibericum), to determine their trophic role through stable isotopes analysis. We compared the isotopic signature of ants feeding on (1) natural diets, (2) experimental diets and (3) contrasting diets of ants inhabiting natural habitats and olive orchards with different management systems. Then, we contrasted our isotopic results on natural diets with the prey of ant foragers in olive orchards. Our results showed that (1) ants from olive orchards had an isotopic signature different from that of a hyper-predator; (2) the isotopic signature did not vary significantly amongst different management practices and (3) the diet of ants in nature varies greatly on preys according to resource availability, which may be reflected in isotopic signatures. Therefore, T. ibericum is a species that can potentially contribute to control olive pests without posing a risk to other natural enemies because commonly it is not a hyper-predator. The information presented here could be used by farmers and technicians to enhance local biological control planning and/or strategies in olive orchards.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Grant/ Award Number: AGL2009-0987

Listado de la artropodofauna del macizo de Sierra Nevada (Almería y Granada, España)

Descripción de los datos El presente artículo describe la versión 2.7 del conjunto de datos titulado “Checklist of the arthropod fauna of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range (Almería and Granada, Spain)” (Tinaut et al. 2022), el cual recoge las especies y subespecies de artrópodos citadas para el macizo de Sierra Nevada y otros taxones que, aún siendo minoría, han sido citados solamente hasta nivel de familia o género. Además, se aporta toda su información taxonómica correspondiente, en formato Darwin Core. Incluye 3953 registros representados como 6 clases, 33 órdenes, 268 familias, 1884 géneros y 3940 especies (de las cuales 169 son endemismos). Se han incluido además algunas especies cuya presencia no está totalmente confirmada (86) detallando esta información en el campo “taxon- Remarks”. Este y el resto de los campos utilizados del formato Darwin Core se detallan en la Tabla 1. Para su elaboración se ha utilizado como fuente primaria la obra “Los Insectos de Sierra Nevada. 200 años de historia” (Ruano et al. 2013) y ha sido completada con aquellos taxones citados en la bibliografía científica, con posterioridad a la edición de esta obra, o no incluidos en ella. Este listado está publicado en GBIF (https://doi.org/10.15470/nt5nsx) bajo licencia de Creative Commons Atribución No Comercial (CCBY- NC) 4.0. Parte de este material está presente en las colecciones del Departamento de Zoología de la Universidad de Granada y se puede consultar en https://ccz.ugr.es/.Presentamos un listado de la artropodofauna de Sierra Nevada (latitud 36.927 y 37.23; longitud -3.571 y -2.646) en el que se incluyen 3953 registros representados como 6 clases, 33 órdenes, 268 familias, 1884 géneros y 3940 especies (de las cuales 169 son endemismos), indicando la referencia bibliográfica de la cita y la información taxonómica correspondiente. La elaboración de este listado, y sus futuras actualizaciones, intentan paliar el desconocimiento que todavía existe sobre los artrópodos presentes en Sierra Nevada ofreciendo un recurso imprescindible para generar conocimiento sobre la biodiversidad entomológica de este macizo, así como para plantear estrategias de conservación adecuadas. La obra "Los Insectos de Sierra Nevada. 200 años de historia" (Ruano et al. 2013) ha sido la fuente primaria de citas y la hemos completado con aquellos taxones no incluidos en ella o aparecidos en la bibliografía científica con posterioridad. Los nombres científicos han sido validados en base a diferentes catálogos taxonómicos y el conocimiento de expertos y bajo criterios de coherencia, relevancia y actualidad. El listado está disponible en GBIF en formato Darwin Core (https://doi.org/10.15470/nt5nsx) y parte del material citado se encuentra depositado en las colecciones del Departamento de Zoología de la Universidad de Granada (https://ccz.ugr.es).We present a list of the arthropod fauna of Sierra Nevada (latitude 36.927 and 37.23; longitude -3.571 and -2.646) which includes 3953 records represented as 6 classes, 33 orders, 268 families, 1884 genera and 3940 species (of which 169 are endemic), indicating the bibliographic reference of the citation and the corresponding taxonomic information. The elaboration of this list, and its future updates, attempts to alleviate the lack of knowledge that still exists about the arthropods present in Sierra Nevada; offering an essential resource to generate knowledge about the entomological biodiversity of this massif, as well as to propose adequate conservation strategies. The work "Los Insectos de Sierra Nevada. 200 years of history" (Ruano et al. 2013) has been the primary source of citations and we have completed it with those taxa not included in it or appearing in the scientific literature later. The scientific names have been validated based on different taxonomic catalogues and the knowledge of experts and under criteria of coherence, relevance and timeliness. The list is available in GBIF in Darwin Core format (https://doi.org/10.15470/nt5nsx) and part of the material cited is deposited in the collections of the Zoology Department of the University of Granada (https://ccz.ugr.es/).Proyecto Smart Ecomountains (Ref. LifeWatch-2019-10-UGR-01_WP-1), subvencionado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y fondos FEDE

Adaptación al bilingüismo del material docente de prácticas de Zoología

El objetivo principal de este proyecto de innovación docente es la adaptación al bilingüismo, concretamente al inglés, del material de prácticas (presenciales y virtuales) de la asignatura de Zoología del grado de Biología. Este objetivo se enmarca dentro del actual proceso de internacionalización de la UGR, que en el caso concreto del grado de Biología se ha iniciado el curso académico 2021/2022 con algunas asignaturas impartidas en inglés. Aunque el bilingüismo en la asignatura de Zoología se ha retrasado hasta el curso 2022/2023.Universidad de Granad

Actualización del Museo Virtual de Zoología (II): ampliación de contenido y adaptación a diferentes tipos de pantallas y dispositivos

El proyecto de Innovación Docente Básico “Actualización del Museo Virtual de Zoología (II): ampliación de contenido y adaptación a diferentes tipos de pantallas y dispositivos” ha tenido por objetivos: 1. Adaptar la estructura informática al acceso desde dispositivos móviles con distinto tamaño de pantalla y permitir la edición de contenidos sin conocimientos de programación. 2. Ampliar y diversificar el contenido relacionado con cada una de las 300 especies incluidas en la web (videos, documentales, páginas webs especializadas, artículos y libros). - La adaptación de la estructura informática ha sido realizada por una empresa de consultores informáticos (julio-diciembre 2020). - Preparación de la editabilidad de las fichas del MVZ (diciembre 2020- mayo 2021), realizada por la misma empresa. - Simultáneamente el equipo del proyecto ha ido añadiendo las referencias del material sugerido en un documento Excel compartido. Todo ese material ha ido enlazando a la información ya disponible. Esta parte ha tardado más de lo esperado en realizarse por la dificultad en la búsqueda de los videos más relevantes en el aspecto docente, habiéndose extendido bastante en el tiempo (hasta febrero de 2022). - Volcado de la información ampliada en la estructura de la web (mayo 2021- marzo 2022). Todos los logros propuestos en el proyecto se han llevado a cabo y la evaluación de la herramienta ha sido satisfactoria, aunque siempre surgen cambios taxonómicos y novedades por corregir. Con la facilidad de la editabilidad de las fichas, estos cambios pueden realizarse por el personal técnico encargado de la colección. La aplicación práctica a la docencia de las asignaturas es muy importante, incluso se les recomienda a los alumnos el uso de la web para la preparación del examen práctico de las asignaturas de Zoología (grados Biología y Ciencias Ambientales) a través de PRADO.The project Update of the Virtual Museum of Zoology (II): expansion of content and adaptation to different types of screens and devices has had the following objectives: 1. To adapt the website structure so that it can be accessed from mobile devices with different screen sizes and to allow content editing without programming knowledge. 2. To expand and diversify the content related to each of the species included on the website (videos, specialised web pages, bibliography). - The adaptation of the website structure has been carried out by a company of IT consultants (July-December 2020). - Preparation of the editability of the VMZ data sheets (December 2020- May 2021) by the same company. - Simultaneously, the project team has been adding the references of the suggested material in a shared Excel document. All this material will be linked to the information already available. This part of the project has taken longer than expected due to the difficulty in finding the most relevant videos in the teaching aspect lasting until February 2022. - Uploading of the extended information in the web structure (May 2021- March 2022). All the goals proposed in the project have been achieved and the evaluation of the tool by the project team has been satisfactory, although there are always taxonomic changes and novelties to be corrected. With the ease of editing the cards, these changes can be made by the technical staff in charge of the collection. The practical application to teaching is very important, and students are even recommended to use the web for preparing the practical exam of the Zoology subjects (Biology and Environmental Sciences degrees) through PRADO.Unidad de calidad, innovación docente y prospectiva. Plan de Formación e Innovación Docente 2020-2022. Universidad de Granad

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

All-cause mortality in the cohorts of the Spanish AIDS Research Network (RIS) compared with the general population: 1997Ł2010

Abstract Background: Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has produced significant changes in mortality of HIVinfected persons. Our objective was to estimate mortality rates, standardized mortality ratios and excess mortality rates of cohorts of the AIDS Research Network (RIS) (CoRIS-MD and CoRIS) compared to the general population. Methods: We analysed data of CoRIS-MD and CoRIS cohorts from 1997 to 2010. We calculated: (i) all-cause mortality rates, (ii) standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and (iii) excess mortality rates for both cohort for 100 personyears (py) of follow-up, comparing all-cause mortality with that of the general population of similar age and gender. Results: Between 1997 and 2010, 8,214 HIV positive subjects were included, 2,453 (29.9%) in CoRIS-MD and 5,761 (70.1%) in CoRIS and 294 deaths were registered. All-cause mortality rate was 1.02 (95% CI 0.91-1.15) per 100 py, SMR was 6.8 (95% CI 5.9-7.9) and excess mortality rate was 0.8 (95% CI 0.7-0.9) per 100 py. Mortality was higher in patients with AIDS, hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection, and those from CoRIS-MD cohort (1997. Conclusion: Mortality among HIV-positive persons remains higher than that of the general population of similar age and sex, with significant differences depending on the history of AIDS or HCV coinfection

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Efficient and selective enzymatic synthesis of N-acetyl-lactosamine in ionic liquid: a rational explanation

Room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) can affect enzyme activity in some enzyme-catalyzed reactions, however the effects of these cosolvents on the enzymes are not clearly understood. Using β-galactosidase from Thermus thermophilus HB27 (TTP0042), we found an important change from the classical regioselectivity of the transglycosylation reaction with this enzyme. The enzyme increases N-acetyl-D-lactosamine synthesis (Galβ[1→4]GlcNAc) when RTILs are used instead of the traditional self-condensated products. To understand the possible effect of these liquids on the synthetic behavior of the enzyme, we performed a molecular interaction study by surface plasmon resonance. The KD value obtained for this interaction could mean that ILs bind to β-galactosidase through non specific interactions characterized by very fast kinetics and millimolar affinity. Then, several reactions were performed, increasing the concentration of the IL. As a result, a dependence on the IL's concentration was found for transglycosylation products. We hypothesize that ILs might induce conformational changes in the enzyme, which would modify the enzymatic activity and regioselectivity. These structural modifications were confirmed in the secondary and tertiary structures of the protein by circular dichroism and fluorescence studies, respectively. Molecular modeling confirms this hypothesis and shows that the enzyme becomes more flexible in an IL–water mixture and that it allows stabilization of the GlcNAc molecule in the active centre of the enzyme, in order to develop a new product according to the original regioselectivity of the reaction.This work has been supported by four research projects, three of the MICINN (‘‘Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacio´n’’), CTQ2009-11801, BIO2010-18875 and MAT 2008-02542; and one of the Complutense University GR35/10-A-950247 This work has been supported by four research projects, three of the MICINN (‘‘Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacio´n’’), CTQ2009-11801, BIO2010-18875 and MAT 2008-02542; and one of the Complutense University GR35/10-A-950247. Manuel Sandoval thanks a PhD fellowship granted by Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica.Peer reviewe