Biodiversity recovery of Neotropical secondary forests

Old-growth tropical forests harbor an immense diversity of tree species but are rapidly being cleared, while secondary forests that regrow on abandoned agricultural lands increase in extent. We assess how tree species richness and composition recover during secondary succession across gradients in environmental conditions and anthropogenic disturbance in an unprecedented multisite analysis for the Neotropics. Secondary forests recover remarkably fast in species richness but slowly in species composition. Secondary forests take a median time of five decades to recover the species richness of old-growth forest (80% recovery after 20 years) based on rarefaction analysis. Full recovery of species composition takes centuries (only 34% recovery after 20 years). A dual strategy that maintains both old-growth forests and species-rich secondary forests is therefore crucial for biodiversity conservation in human-modified tropical landscapes. Copyright © 2019 The Authors, some rights reserved

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

Plan de Exportación - Tequila Design

En este periodo se continuó con la elaboración del plan de exportación para la empresa Tequila Design, que desea comercializar internacionalmente un tequila envasado en botellas de vidrio personalizadas. El objetivo del proyecto fue investigar a fondo la competencia directa e indirecta dentro del mercado de Estados Unidos y de México, e indagar las leyes de Estados Unidos para saber si se podrá ingresar el producto al país o no. De igual forma, se consideró explorar mercados en Latinoamérica y Asia para elegir otras oportunidades de exportación y realizar un costeo logístico para calcular el total de las operaciones en otros países

Plan de exportación - Tequila Design

Este proyecto consistió en elaborar un plan de exportación para la empresa Tequila Design, que envasa su producto en botellas de vidrio personalizadas. El objetivo fue realizar una investigación sobre la posibilidad de exportar el producto a Estados Unidos, específicamente al estado de California

Developmental Programming: Does Prenatal Steroid Excess Disrupt the Ovarian VEGF System in Sheep?1

Prenatal testosterone (T), but not dihydrotestosterone (DHT), excess disrupts ovarian cyclicity and increases follicular recruitment and persistence. We hypothesized that the disruption in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) system contributes to the enhancement of follicular recruitment and persistence in prenatal T-treated sheep. Impact of T / DHT treatments from days 30-90 of gestation on VEGFA, VEGFB, and their receptor (VEGFR-1 (FLT1), VEGFR-2 (KDR), and VEGFR-3 (FLT4)) protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry on fetal day 90, 140, 22 weeks, 10 months (postpubertal), and 21 months (adult) of age. Arterial morphometry was performed in fetal day 140 and postpubertal ovaries. VEGFA and VEGFB expression were found in granulosa cells at all stages of follicular development with increased expression in antral follicles. VEGFA was present in theca interna, while VEGFB was present in theca interna / externa, and stromal cells. All 3 receptors were expressed in the granulosa, theca, and stromal cells during all stages of follicular development. VEGFR-3 increased with follicular differentiation with the highest level seen in the granulosa cells of antral follicles. None of the members of the VEGF family or their receptor expression were altered by age, or prenatal T / DHT treatments. At fetal day 140, area, wall thickness, and wall area of arteries from the ovarian hilum were larger in prenatal T- and DHT-treated females, suggestive of early androgenic programming of arterial differentiation. This may facilitate increased delivery of endocrine factors and thus indirectly contribute to the development of multifollicular phenotype.Fil: Ortega, Hugo Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Veiga-Lopez, A.. University of Michigan; Estados UnidosFil: Sreedharan, S.. University of Michigan; Estados UnidosFil: Velázquez, Melisa María del Luján. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Salvetti, Natalia Raquel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Padmanabhan, Vasantha. University of Michigan; Estados Unido

Involvement of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in Staphylococcus aureus chronically infected bovine mammary glands during active involution

The aim of this study was to characterize the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and ‐− 9 and their inhibitors (TIMP-1 and -2) in mammary tissue of dairy cows with naturally occurring chronic S. aureus intramammary infections (IMI) during active involution. Moreover, the gelatinolytic activity of MMP-2 and -9 in mammary secretions was evaluated. Cows in late lactation that were either uninfected or with chronic naturally acquired S. aureus IMI were included in this study. Protein expression of MMP-2 and -9 in mammary tissues was significantly higher in S. aureus-infected than uninfected quarters at day 14 and 21 of involution. Protein expression of TIMP-1 and -2 was significantly higher in S. aureus-infected than uninfected quarters at day 7, 14 and 21 of involution. The MMP-2/TIMP-1, MMP-2/TIMP-2, MMP-9/TIMP-1 and MMP-9/TIMP-2 ratios were significantly higher in S. aureus-infected compared with uninfected quarters at day 14 of involution. The MMP-2 activity was significantly higher in mammary secretions from S. aureus-infected compared with uninfected quarters at day 1, 2, 7 and 14 of involution. The MMP-9 activity was significantly higher in mammary secretions from infected quarters compared with uninfected quarters at day 7, 14 and 21 of involution. The increased expression of MMP-2 and -9 in mammary tissue as well as the high levels of activity observed in mammary secretion from infected quarters compared with uninfected quarters during active involution, strongly suggests that these gelatinases could contribute to degradation of mammary tissue components during chronic S. aureus IMI. The MMPs/TIMPs imbalance could lead to greater proteolysis and potentially more damage to mammary tissue in S. aureus-infected quarters.EEA RafaelaFil: Beccaría, Camila. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Beccaría, Camila. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Velázquez, Natalia S. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; Argentina.Fil: Velázquez, Natalia S. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Chervaz, Victoria. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Pirola, Silvana I. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Pirola, Silvana I. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Baravalle, Celina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Baravalle, Celina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Renna, María Sol. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Renna, María Sol. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Calvinho, Luis Fernando. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Clínicas; Argentina.Fil: Calvinho, Luis Fernando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Dallard, Bibiana Elisabet. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Dallard, Bibiana Elisabet. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; Argentin

SUMOylation controls Hu antigen R posttranscriptional activity in liver cancer

International audienceThe posttranslational modification of proteins critically influences many biological processes and is a key mechanism that regulates the function of the RNA-binding protein Hu antigen R (HuR), a hub in liver cancer. Here, we show that HuR is SUMOylated in the tumor sections of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in contrast to the surrounding tissue, as well as in human cell line and mouse models of the disease. SUMOylation of HuR promotes major cancer hallmarks, namely proliferation and invasion, whereas the absence of HuR SUMOylation results in a senescent phenotype with dysfunctional mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Mechanistically, SUMOylation induces a structural rearrangement of the RNA recognition motifs that modulates HuR binding affinity to its target RNAs, further modifying the transcriptomic profile toward hepatic tumor progression. Overall, SUMOylation constitutes a mechanism of HuR regulation that could be potentially exploited as a therapeutic strategy for liver cancer