Phylogenetic position of “Cochranella” megista (Anura: Centrolenidae) and first records for Ecuador

“Cochranella” megista is an Endangered and rarely encountered species of glass frog that, until now, had been only registered in the Colombian Andes. Here we report this species for the first time in Ecuador, expanding its known distribution ca. 530 km south of its original range. Additionally, we include C. megista in a molecular phylogeny for the first time and unambiguously place the species in the genus Nymphargus, resulting in a new combination. Habitat in both countries is fragmented and is threatened by mining concessions and agriculture

A Hybrid of Metabolic Flux Analysis and Bayesian Factor Modeling for Multiomic Temporal Pathway Activation.

The growing availability of multiomic data provides a highly comprehensive view of cellular processes at the levels of mRNA, proteins, metabolites, and reaction fluxes. However, due to probabilistic interactions between components depending on the environment and on the time course, casual, sometimes rare interactions may cause important effects in the cellular physiology. To date, interactions at the pathway level cannot be measured directly, and methodologies to predict pathway cross-correlations from reaction fluxes are still missing. Here, we develop a multiomic approach of flux-balance analysis combined with Bayesian factor modeling with the aim of detecting pathway cross-correlations and predicting metabolic pathway activation profiles. Starting from gene expression profiles measured in various environmental conditions, we associate a flux rate profile with each condition. We then infer pathway cross-correlations and identify the degrees of pathway activation with respect to the conditions and time course using Bayesian factor modeling. We test our framework on the most recent metabolic reconstruction of Escherichia coli in both static and dynamic environments, thus predicting the functionality of particular groups of reactions and how it varies over time. In a dynamic environment, our method can be readily used to characterize the temporal progression of pathway activation in response to given stimuli

Phylogenetic position of “Cochranella” megista (Anura: Centrolenidae) and first records for Ecuador

“Cochranella” megista é uma perereca-de-vidro ameaçada e raramente encontrada, que até o momento só havia sido registrada nos Andes colombianos. Relatamos aqui a presença dessa espécie pela primeira vez no Equador, expandindo sua distribuição conhecida para cerca de 530 km ao sul de sua área de distribuição original. Adicionalmente, incluímos C. megista em uma filogenia molecular pela primeira vez e alocamos inequivocamente a espécie no gênero Nymphargus, resultando em uma nova combinação. O habitat em ambos os países é fragmentado e está ameaçado pelas concessões mineiras e pela agricultura.“Cochranella” megista is an Endangered and rarely encountered species of glass frog that, until now, had been only registered in the Colombian Andes. Here we report this species for the first time in Ecuador, expanding its known distribution ca. 530 km south of its original range. Additionally, we include C. megista in a molecular phylogeny for the first time and unambiguously place the species in the genus Nymphargus, resulting in a new combination. Habitat in both countries is fragmented and is threatened by mining concessions and agriculture

Finding a shadow in the dark: rediscovery of Fugler’s Shadow Snake (Emmochliophis fugleri Fritts & Smith, 1969) after 54 years, with comments on its conservation status, distribution, and the tribe Diaphorolepidini

Herein we report the second known record of Emmochliophis fugleri Fritts & Smith, 1969, present the first color images of the species, extend its known distribution and elevational range, provide the snout–vent and tail lengths of the holotype, and demonstrate that the condition of fused prefrontals is an unreliable diagnostic character for the genus Diaphorolepis. Considering the rarity of this snake as well as the imminent threat that mining poses to the Río Manduriacu Reserve, we recommend a conservation status of Critically Endangered for E. fugleri.

Pangolin distribution and conservation status in Bangladesh

<div><p>Asian pangolins are a highly-threatened species group, mainly due to the perceived medicinal value of their scales. Increased demand from China has resulted in pangolins being the most trafficked mammal in the world. Three pangolin species are reported to occur in Bangladesh: <i>Manis pentadactyla</i>, <i>M</i>. <i>crassicaudata</i>, and <i>M</i>. <i>javanica</i>. No peer-reviewed studies exist detailing these species’ current distribution or status within Bangladesh. A literature review was conducted resulting in the clarification of conflicting reports and misidentified observations and specimen records. In this paper, we also report the current status of pangolins (<i>Manis</i> spp.) in Bangladesh based on semi-structured interviews, camera trapping, media queries, and field surveys employing traditional ecological knowledge and non-randomized transect surveys. Ethnozoological knowledge pertaining to the natural history of <i>M</i>. <i>pentadactyla</i> is also reported from experienced Mro tribal hunters. The critically endangered <i>M</i>. <i>pentadactyla</i> was verified to occur in northwest, northeast, and southeast Bangladesh in natural and degraded habitats. Interviews with the Mro tribe in the southeast indicate that pangolin populations there were likely extirpated in 2014 due to skilled commercial collection beginning in 2010. Evidence of extant <i>M</i>. <i>crassicaudata</i> and <i>M</i>. <i>javanica</i> populations remain unverified and questionable, and historical records of <i>M</i>. <i>crassicaudata</i> and <i>M</i>. <i>javanica</i> are likely a result of misidentification.</p></div

Map of Bangladesh pangolin occurrences.

<p>All currently known Pangolin occurrences in Bangladesh are contained in this dot locality map. Labels correspond to numbers within <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175450#pone.0175450.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a> and <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175450#pone.0175450.s007" target="_blank">S7 File</a>.</p

Pangolin occurrence media query results.

<p>Pangolin occurrence media query results.</p

<i>Manis pentadactyla</i> burrow.

<p>Illustration of <i>Manis pentadactyla</i> burrow with barrier. Figure is not drawn to scale.</p

Mechanisms of clonal evolution in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

© 2015 Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited. All Rights Reserved. Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can often be traced to a pre-leukemic clone carrying a prenatal genetic lesion. Postnatally acquired mutations th