DEPREDATION OF A SHINY COWBIRD Molothrus bonariensis BY A COMMON BOA (Boa constrictor) IN MANABÍ, ECUADOR

We present a sightseen of a juvenile Common Boa Boa constrictor preying on an individual of Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis. The event occurred in Manabí, Ecuador and lasted almost two hours since the attack started until the prey was completely swallowed and the Boa started to move.&nbsp

Molecular phylogenetics of the Pristimantis lacrimosus species group (Anura: strabomantidae)

The genus Pristimantis is one of the most diverse vertebrates along the Neotropics. However, their phylogeny is not yet conclusive and they have been placed in different groups according to their genetic and morphological characteristics. In this study, a genetic analysis of the species group Pristimantis lacrimosus was carried out. This group is composed of 25 species that inhabit the Neotropics and are characterized by being bromeliads...El género Pristimantis es uno de los vertebrados más diversos a lo largo del Neotrópico. Sin embargo, su filogenia aun no es concluyente y se les ha posicionado en distintos grupos de acuerdo con sus caracteres genéticos y morfológicos. En este estudio, se realizó un análisis genético del grupo de especies Pristimantis lacrimosus. Este grupo está compuesto por 25 especies que habitan en el neotrópico y se caracterizan por ser bromelícolas..

Measurements of industrial emissions of alkenes in Texas using the solar occultation flux method

Solar occultation flux (SOF) measurements of alkenes have been conducted to identify and quantify the largest emission sources in the vicinity of Houston and in SE Texas during September 2006 as part of the TexAQS 2006 campaign. The measurements have been compared to emission inventories and have been conducted in parallel with airborne plume studies. The SOF measurements show that the hourly gas emissions from the large petrochemical and refining complexes in the Houston Ship Channel area and Mount Belvieu during September 2006 corresponded to 1250 +/- 180 kg/h of ethene and 2140 +/- 520 kg/h of propene, with an estimated uncertainty of about 35%. This can be compared to the 2006 emission inventory value for ethene and propene of 145 +/- 4 and 181 +/- 42 kg/h, respectively. On average, for all measurements during the campaign, the discrepancy factor is 10.2(+ 8,-5) for ethene and 11.7(+ 7,-4) for propene. The largest emission source was Mount Belvieu, NE of the Houston Ship Channel, with ethene and propene emissions corresponding to 440 +/- 130 kg/h and 490 +/- 190 kg/h, respectively. Large variability of propene was observed from several petrochemical industries, for which the largest reported emission sources are flares. The SOF alkene emissions agree within 50% with emissions derived from airborne measurements at three different sites. The airborne measurements also provide support to the SOF error budget

The Recently Identified P2Y-Like Receptor GPR17 Is a Sensor of Brain Damage and a New Target for Brain Repair

Deciphering the mechanisms regulating the generation of new neurons and new oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells of the central nervous system, is of paramount importance to address new strategies to replace endogenous damaged cells in the adult brain and foster repair in neurodegenerative diseases. Upon brain injury, the extracellular concentrations of nucleotides and cysteinyl-leukotrienes (cysLTs), two families of endogenous signaling molecules, are markedly increased at the site of damage, suggesting that they may act as “danger signals” to alert responses to tissue damage and start repair. Here we show that, in brain telencephalon, GPR17, a recently deorphanized receptor for both uracil nucleotides and cysLTs (e.g., UDP-glucose and LTD4), is normally present on neurons and on a subset of parenchymal quiescent oligodendrocyte precursor cells. We also show that induction of brain injury using an established focal ischemia model in the rodent induces profound spatiotemporal-dependent changes of GPR17. In the lesioned area, we observed an early and transient up-regulation of GPR17 in neurons expressing the cellular stress marker heat shock protein 70. Magnetic Resonance Imaging in living mice showed that the in vivo pharmacological or biotechnological knock down of GPR17 markedly prevents brain infarct evolution, suggesting GPR17 as a mediator of neuronal death at this early ischemic stage. At later times after ischemia, GPR17 immuno-labeling appeared on microglia/macrophages infiltrating the lesioned area to indicate that GPR17 may also acts as a player in the remodeling of brain circuitries by microglia. At this later stage, parenchymal GPR17+ oligodendrocyte progenitors started proliferating in the peri-injured area, suggesting initiation of remyelination. To confirm a specific role for GPR17 in oligodendrocyte differentiation, the in vitro exposure of cortical pre-oligodendrocytes to the GPR17 endogenous ligands UDP-glucose and LTD4 promoted the expression of myelin basic protein, confirming progression toward mature oligodendrocytes. Thus, GPR17 may act as a “sensor” that is activated upon brain injury on several embryonically distinct cell types, and may play a key role in both inducing neuronal death inside the ischemic core and in orchestrating the local remodeling/repair response. Specifically, we suggest GPR17 as a novel target for therapeutic manipulation to foster repair of demyelinating wounds, the types of lesions that also occur in patients with multiple sclerosis

Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Exerts Potent Immune Modulatory Activities in a Murine Model

Background: Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), a highly attenuated strain of vaccinia virus, has been used as vaccine delivery vector in preclinical and clinical studies against infectious diseases and malignancies. Here, we investigated whether an MVA which does not encode any antigen (Ag) could be exploited as adjuvant per se. Methodology/Principal Findings: We showed that dendritic cells infected in vitro with non-recombinant (nr) MVA expressed maturation and activation markers and were able to efficiently present exogenously pulsed Ag to T cells. In contrast to the dominant T helper (Th) 1 biased responses elicited against Ags produced by recombinant MVA vectors, the use of nrMVA as adjuvant for the co-administered soluble Ags resulted in a long lasting mixed Th1/Th2 responses. Conclusions/Significance: These findings open new ways to potentiate and modulate the immune responses to vaccin

Quantification of NO2 and SO2 emissions from the Houston Ship Channel and Texas City industrial areas during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study

In August-September 2006, as part of the Second Texas Air Quality Study, NO2 and SO2 emissions from the Houston Ship Channel and Texas City industrial areas were quantified using mobile mini-differential optical absorption spectroscopy instruments. The measured NO2 emissions from the Houston Ship Channel and Texas City industrial areas were 2542 and 452 kg h(-1), respectively, yielding NOx emissions 70% and 43%, respectively, above the reported inventory values. Quantified SO2 emissions from the Houston Ship Channel area were 1749 kg h(-1) and were found to be 34% above the values reported in the inventory. Short-term variability of NO2 and SO2 emissions was found at the Houston Ship Channel. On 31 August 2006, a plume was detected at the HSC during three consecutive measurements, yielding a HCHO flux of 481 kg h(-1). This event has been mainly attributed to photochemical production