Datos morfológicos y moleculares de <i>Leucochloridium (Papilloleucochloridium) pulchrum</i> (Trematoda: Leucochloridiidae), registrado por primera vez en la Argentina

The members of the genus Leucochloridium (Trematoda, Leucochloridiidae) are cosmopolitan parasites from both the cloaca and bursa of Fabricius of birds, mainly Passeriformes. In South America three species of this genus have been reported: Leucochloridium (Neoleucochloridium) flavum Travassos, 1922 from Brazil and Venezuela, L. (Leucochloridium) parcum Travassos, 1922 and L. (Papilloleucochloridium) pulchrum Fernandes, 1970 from Brazil. No molecular data from leucochloridiids in the Southern hemisphere have been published so far. The aim of this work is to increase the knowledge of the helminth diversity of Jacana jacana in Argentina with a combined morphological and molecular approach. Two specimens of J. jacana were captured in Formosa province, Argentina, and nine digeneans were recovered from the cloaca of one of them. DNA was extracted and the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase 1 (CO1) was sequenced for two specimens. Digeneans were identified as L. (P.) pulchrum through morphological study. These specimens differed from the original description of L. (P.) pulchrum by the smaller size of testes and the presence of minute spines in the anterior region of the tegument. The most similar CO1 sequences on GenBank are those of Urogonimus macrostomus (Leucochloridiidae) from Passer domesticus in western Canada which differed by a 21% from L. (P.) pulchrum. Our study expands the geographic range of Neotropical Leucochloridium species with both morphological and molecular data that will be useful for future works on regional diversity and life cycles. This finding constitutes the second report of this species since its original description, and the first record of the genus Leucochloridium for Argentina.Los miembros del género Leucochloridium (Trematoda, Leucochloridiidae) son parásitos cosmopolitas de la cloaca y bolsa de Fabricio de aves, principalmente Paseriformes. En Sudamérica se han reportado tres especies de este género: Leucochloridium (Neoleucochloridium) flavum Travassos, 1922 en Brasil y Venezuela, L. (Leucochloridium) parcum Travassos, 1922 y L. (Papilloleucochloridium) pulchrum Fernandes, 1970 en Brasil. Hasta el momento, no se han realizado trabajos con enfoques moleculares sobre los leucoclorididos en el hemisferio sur. El objetivo de este trabajo es ampliar el conocimiento de la diversidad de los helmintos de Jacana jacana, con nuevos datos morfológicos, geográficos y moleculares de L. (P.) pulchrum. Dos especímenes de J. jacana fueron capturados en la provincia de Formosa, Argentina, disecados en el campo y nueve digeneos fueron recuperados de la cloaca de uno de ellos. En dos digeneos se extrajo ADN y se generó la secuencia de código de barras de citocromo c oxidasa 1 (CO1). Los digeneos se identificaron como L. (P.) pulchrum por sus caracteres morfológicos. A diferencia de la descripción original, estos especímenes tienen testículos más pequeños y tegumento con pequeñas espinas en la región anterior. Las secuencias más similares de CO1 en GenBank son las de Urogonimus macrostomus (Leucochloridiidae) de Passer domesticus en el oeste de Canadá, que difieren en un 21% de L. (P.) pulchrum. Estos datos amplían el rango geográfico de especies neotropicales de Leucochloridium y serán útiles para futuros trabajos sobre diversidad regional y ciclos de vida. Este hallazgo constituye el segundo registro de la especie desde su descripción original y el primer registro del género Leucochloridium para Argentina.Asociación Parasitológica ArgentinaFacultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Phylogenetic position of Diplostomum spp. from New World herons based on complete mitogenomes, rDNA operons, and DNA barcodes, including a new species with partially elucidated life cycle

Diplostomum ardeae Dubois, 1969 has seldom been reported since its description from the great blue heron (Ardea herodias L., 1758) in the USA. Sequences obtained in this study from the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase 1 (CO1) in diplostomids from black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax (L., 1758)) in Puerto Rico matched data from D. ardeae from A. herodias in the type region. We also obtained DNA barcodes from morphologically similar diplostomids from a rufescent tiger heron (Tigrisoma lineatum (Boddaert, 1783)) and from metacercariae from eye lenses of Trachelyopterus galeatus (Linnaeus, 1766) from the Paraná River basin in Argentina and Brazil, respectively. Barcodes matched (97–100% identity) in these South American adult and larval specimens as well as in recently published sequences from metacercariae from 11 other siluriform fishes from the same region. Barcodes from the South American species, which we describe as Diplostomum lunaschiae n. sp., differed from those of D. ardeae by 7.2–9.8%, and the new species differs from D. ardeae in its size, pharynx:oral sucker length ratio, egg:body length ratio, and distribution of vitellaria. As in prior phylogenetic analysis of CO1 sequences, both D. ardeae and D. lunaschiae n. sp. were not associated with Diplostomum. In more character-rich analyses of nuclear rDNA and of mitochondrial genomes, D. ardeae was an early divergent member of clades of species of Diplostomum. Consequently, we continue to consider D. ardeae and D. lunaschiae n. sp. members of Diplostomum, in contrast to recent suggestions that these species may belong to a different genus.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Datos morfológicos y moleculares de <i>Leucochloridium (Papilloleucochloridium) pulchrum</i> (Trematoda: Leucochloridiidae), registrado por primera vez en la Argentina

The members of the genus Leucochloridium (Trematoda, Leucochloridiidae) are cosmopolitan parasites from both the cloaca and bursa of Fabricius of birds, mainly Passeriformes. In South America three species of this genus have been reported: Leucochloridium (Neoleucochloridium) flavum Travassos, 1922 from Brazil and Venezuela, L. (Leucochloridium) parcum Travassos, 1922 and L. (Papilloleucochloridium) pulchrum Fernandes, 1970 from Brazil. No molecular data from leucochloridiids in the Southern hemisphere have been published so far. The aim of this work is to increase the knowledge of the helminth diversity of Jacana jacana in Argentina with a combined morphological and molecular approach. Two specimens of J. jacana were captured in Formosa province, Argentina, and nine digeneans were recovered from the cloaca of one of them. DNA was extracted and the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase 1 (CO1) was sequenced for two specimens. Digeneans were identified as L. (P.) pulchrum through morphological study. These specimens differed from the original description of L. (P.) pulchrum by the smaller size of testes and the presence of minute spines in the anterior region of the tegument. The most similar CO1 sequences on GenBank are those of Urogonimus macrostomus (Leucochloridiidae) from Passer domesticus in western Canada which differed by a 21% from L. (P.) pulchrum. Our study expands the geographic range of Neotropical Leucochloridium species with both morphological and molecular data that will be useful for future works on regional diversity and life cycles. This finding constitutes the second report of this species since its original description, and the first record of the genus Leucochloridium for Argentina.Los miembros del género Leucochloridium (Trematoda, Leucochloridiidae) son parásitos cosmopolitas de la cloaca y bolsa de Fabricio de aves, principalmente Paseriformes. En Sudamérica se han reportado tres especies de este género: Leucochloridium (Neoleucochloridium) flavum Travassos, 1922 en Brasil y Venezuela, L. (Leucochloridium) parcum Travassos, 1922 y L. (Papilloleucochloridium) pulchrum Fernandes, 1970 en Brasil. Hasta el momento, no se han realizado trabajos con enfoques moleculares sobre los leucoclorididos en el hemisferio sur. El objetivo de este trabajo es ampliar el conocimiento de la diversidad de los helmintos de Jacana jacana, con nuevos datos morfológicos, geográficos y moleculares de L. (P.) pulchrum. Dos especímenes de J. jacana fueron capturados en la provincia de Formosa, Argentina, disecados en el campo y nueve digeneos fueron recuperados de la cloaca de uno de ellos. En dos digeneos se extrajo ADN y se generó la secuencia de código de barras de citocromo c oxidasa 1 (CO1). Los digeneos se identificaron como L. (P.) pulchrum por sus caracteres morfológicos. A diferencia de la descripción original, estos especímenes tienen testículos más pequeños y tegumento con pequeñas espinas en la región anterior. Las secuencias más similares de CO1 en GenBank son las de Urogonimus macrostomus (Leucochloridiidae) de Passer domesticus en el oeste de Canadá, que difieren en un 21% de L. (P.) pulchrum. Estos datos amplían el rango geográfico de especies neotropicales de Leucochloridium y serán útiles para futuros trabajos sobre diversidad regional y ciclos de vida. Este hallazgo constituye el segundo registro de la especie desde su descripción original y el primer registro del género Leucochloridium para Argentina.Asociación Parasitológica ArgentinaFacultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY OF COMMUNITIES OF DACTYLOGYRUS SPP. IN WILD AND FARMED GOLDFISH CARASSIUS AURATUS

Species composition and diversity of dactylogyrids were compared on gills of wild and cultured goldfish (silver crucian carp) Carassius auratus from 3 naturally populated lakes and 3 stocked aquaculture ponds in the Hubei province of China to examine the differences in the gill parasite community between these natural and farmed waters. Of the 7 Dactylogyrus spp. detected, all were found in lakes and 5 in ponds, with Dactylogyrus inexpectatus and Dactylogyrus anchoratus being absent from ponds. No significant correlation was found between the species richness and habitat area or host size, nor was there a significant difference in mean species richness between lakes (0.41-0.65) and ponds (0.30-0.76). Brillouin&#39;s diversity in lakes (0.049-0.067) was higher than that in ponds (0.024-0.046), but not significantly so. Although the diversity of parasite communities was higher in wild goldfish, higher mean abundance of some Dactylogyrus spp. was found in cultured goldfish. Based on Bray-Curtis similarity, it was difficult to differentiate parasite communities in lakes from those in ponds at the infracommunity level, whereas the 3 lakes and Guanqiao pond differed markedly from the remaining 2 ponds at the component community level. Although infracommunities differed among waterbodies, no effects of fish length or waterbody type were found on infracommunity or component community structure. Together, these results suggest that abundance and species richness of Dactylogyrus spp. on goldfish in lakes and farm ponds are influenced by habitat-specific environmental factors.</p

The fables of pity: Rousseau, Mandeville and the animal-fable

Copyright @ 2012 Edinburgh University PressPrompted by Derrida’s work on the animal-fable in eighteenth-century debates about political power, this article examines the role played by the fiction of the animal in thinking of pity as either a natural virtue (in Rousseau’s Second Discourse) or as a natural passion (in Mandeville’s The Fable of the Bees). The war of fables between Rousseau and Mandeville – and their hostile reception by Samuel Johnson and Adam Smith – reinforce that the animal-fable illustrates not so much the proper of man as the possibilities and limitations of a moral philosophy that is unable to address the political realities of the state

Phylogenetic position of Diplostomum spp. from New World herons based on complete mitogenomes, rDNA operons, and DNA barcodes, including a new species with partially elucidated life cycle

Diplostomum ardeae Dubois, 1969 has seldom been reported since its description from the great blue heron (Ardea herodias L., 1758) in the USA. Sequences obtained in this study from the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase 1 (CO1) in diplostomids from black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax (L., 1758)) in Puerto Rico matched data from D. ardeae from A. herodias in the type region. We also obtained DNA barcodes from morphologically similar diplostomids from a rufescent tiger heron (Tigrisoma lineatum (Boddaert, 1783)) and from metacercariae from eye lenses of Trachelyopterus galeatus (Linnaeus, 1766) from the Paraná River basin in Argentina and Brazil, respectively. Barcodes matched (97–100% identity) in these South American adult and larval specimens as well as in recently published sequences from metacercariae from 11 other siluriform fishes from the same region. Barcodes from the South American species, which we describe as Diplostomum lunaschiae n. sp., differed from those of D. ardeae by 7.2–9.8%, and the new species differs from D. ardeae in its size, pharynx:oral sucker length ratio, egg:body length ratio, and distribution of vitellaria. As in prior phylogenetic analysis of CO1 sequences, both D. ardeae and D. lunaschiae n. sp. were not associated with Diplostomum. In more character-rich analyses of nuclear rDNA and of mitochondrial genomes, D. ardeae was an early divergent member of clades of species of Diplostomum. Consequently, we continue to consider D. ardeae and D. lunaschiae n. sp. members of Diplostomum, in contrast to recent suggestions that these species may belong to a different genus.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Intercontinental distributions, phylogenetic position and life cycles of species of Apharyngostrigea (Digenea, Diplostomoidea) illuminated with morphological, experimental, molecular and genomic data

When subjected to molecular study, species of digeneans believed to be cosmopolitan are usually found to consist of complexes of species with narrower distributions. We present molecular and morphological evidence of transcontinental distributions in two species of Apharyngostrigea Ciurea, 1924, based on samples from Africa and the Americas. Sequences of cytochrome c oxidase I and, in some samples, internal transcribed spacer, revealed Apharyngostrigea pipientis (Faust, 1918) in Tanzania (first known African record), Argentina, Brazil, USA and Canada. Sequences from A. pipientis also match previously published sequences identified as Apharyngostrigea cornu (Zeder, 1800) originating in Mexico. Hosts of A. pipientis surveyed include definitive hosts from the Afrotropic, Neotropic and Nearctic, as well as first and second intermediate hosts from the Americas, including the type host and type region. In addition, metacercariae of A. pipientis were obtained from experimentally infected Poecilia reticulata, the first known record of this parasite in a non-amphibian second intermediate host. Variation in cytochrome c oxidase I haplotypes in A. pipientis is consistent with a long established, wide-ranging species with moderate genetic structure among Nearctic, Neotropic and Afrotropic regions. We attribute this to natural dispersal by birds and find no evidence of anthropogenic introductions of exotic host species. Sequences of CO1 and ITS from adult Apharyngostrigea simplex (Johnston, 1904) from Egretta thula in Argentina matched published data from cercariae from Biomphalaria straminea from Brazil and metacercariae from Cnesterodon decemmaculatus in Argentina, consistent with previous morphological and life-cycle studies reporting this parasite—originally described in Australia—in South America. Analyses of the mitochondrial genome and rDNA operon from A. pipientis support prior phylogenies based on shorter markers showing the Strigeidae Railliet, 1919 to be polyphyletic.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y MuseoCentro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Apophallus microsoma N. SP. from Chicks Infected with Metacercariae from Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch ) and Review of the Taxonomy and Pathology of the Genus Apophallus (Heterophyidae)

Metacercariae of an unidentified species of Apophallus Luhe, 1909 are associated with overwinter mortality in coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum, 1792), in the West Fork Smith River, Oregon. We infected chicks with these metacercariae in order to identify the species. The average size of adult worms was 197 x 57 μm, which was 2 to 11 times smaller than other described Apophallus species. Eggs were also smaller, but larger in proportion to body size, than in other species of Apophallus. Based on these morphological differences, we describe Apophallus microsoma n. sp. In addition, sequences from the cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene from Apophallus sp. cercariae collected in the study area, which are likely conspecific with experimentally cultivated A. microsoma, differ by >12% from those we obtained from Apophallus donicus (Skrjabin and Lindtrop, 1919) and from Apophallus brevis Ransom, 1920. The taxonomy and pathology of Apophallus species is reviewed.Keywords: Mortality, St. Lawrence River, Life cycle, Parasite, Perch Perca flavescens, Trematoda, Yellow perch, Brevis, Oregon, Nanophyetus salmincol

Structure and mechanism of monoclonal antibody binding to the junctional epitope of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein.

Lasting protection has long been a goal for malaria vaccines. The major surface antigen on Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites, the circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), has been an attractive target for vaccine development and most protective antibodies studied to date interact with the central NANP repeat region of PfCSP. However, it remains unclear what structural and functional characteristics correlate with better protection by one antibody over another. Binding to the junctional region between the N-terminal domain and central NANP repeats has been proposed to result in superior protection: this region initiates with the only NPDP sequence followed immediately by NANP. Here, we isolated antibodies in Kymab mice immunized with full-length recombinant PfCSP and two protective antibodies were selected for further study with reactivity against the junctional region. X-ray and EM structures of two monoclonal antibodies, mAb667 and mAb668, shed light on their differential affinity and specificity for the junctional region. Importantly, these antibodies also bind to the NANP repeat region with equal or better affinity. A comparison with an NANP-only binding antibody (mAb317) revealed roughly similar but statistically distinct levels of protection against sporozoite challenge in mouse liver burden models, suggesting that junctional antibody protection might relate to the ability to also cross-react with the NANP repeat region. Our findings indicate that additional efforts are necessary to isolate a true junctional antibody with no or much reduced affinity to the NANP region to elucidate the role of the junctional epitope in protection

Association of Accelerometry-Measured Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Events in Mobility-Limited Older Adults: The LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) Study.

BACKGROUND:Data are sparse regarding the value of physical activity (PA) surveillance among older adults-particularly among those with mobility limitations. The objective of this study was to examine longitudinal associations between objectively measured daily PA and the incidence of cardiovascular events among older adults in the LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) study. METHODS AND RESULTS:Cardiovascular events were adjudicated based on medical records review, and cardiovascular risk factors were controlled for in the analysis. Home-based activity data were collected by hip-worn accelerometers at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24&nbsp;months postrandomization to either a physical activity or health education intervention. LIFE study participants (n=1590; age 78.9±5.2 [SD] years; 67.2% women) at baseline had an 11% lower incidence of experiencing a subsequent cardiovascular event per 500&nbsp;steps taken per day based on activity data (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.96; P=0.001). At baseline, every 30&nbsp;minutes spent performing activities ≥500&nbsp;counts per minute (hazard ratio, 0.75; confidence interval, 0.65-0.89 [P=0.001]) were also associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events. Throughout follow-up (6, 12, and 24&nbsp;months), both the number of steps per day (per 500&nbsp;steps; hazard ratio, 0.90, confidence interval, 0.85-0.96 [P=0.001]) and duration of activity ≥500&nbsp;counts per minute (per 30&nbsp;minutes; hazard ratio, 0.76; confidence interval, 0.63-0.90 [P=0.002]) were significantly associated with lower cardiovascular event rates. CONCLUSIONS:Objective measurements of physical activity via accelerometry were associated with cardiovascular events among older adults with limited mobility (summary score &gt;10 on the Short Physical Performance Battery) both using baseline and longitudinal data. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01072500