Colores urbanos: Mariposas (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) de Bogotá Región (Colombia)

We carried out an inventory of the butterflies occurring in eight green areas of socio-environmental importance for the city of Bogotá and its region (Cundinamarca, Colombia). We found 45 species belonging to four families, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae. The greatest richness was provided by the Nymphalidae family with 23 species, most of which are pronophilines, typical of high mountain ecosystems. Colias dimera, Dione glycera  and Vanessa virginiensis were the more widely distributed species. It is argued that urbanization, as a modeling factor of the urban-regional landscape, is affecting the diversity and distribution of butterflies of Bogotá-Region.En el mundo las áreas urbanas están en continua expansión, generando paisajes fragmentados a nivel local y regional, los cuales configuran territorios heterogéneos con áreas naturales remanentes y espacios verdes diseñados. Los inventarios de biodiversidad en las ciudades han sido propuestos como una herramienta útil para evaluar el estado de su biodiversidad y para el diseño de estrategias de conservación de la fauna y flora en estos ambientes. Las mariposas han sido uno de los grupos taxonómicos más usados en los inventarios de biodiversidad urbana. En este estudio se realizó un inventario de las mariposas presentes en ocho áreas verdes de importancia socio-ambiental para la ciudad de Bogotá y su región (Colombia). Se encontraron 45 especies pertenecientes a cuatro familias, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae y Hesperiidae. La mayor riqueza en el continuo ciudad-región la aportó la familia Nymphalidae con 23 especies, de las cuales la mayoría son pronophilinos propios de los ecosistemas altoandinos suramericanos. Las especies Colias dimera Boisduval, 1836, Dione glycera (C. & R. Felder, 1861) y Vanessa virginiensis (Drury, [1773]) fueron las mariposas con más amplia distribución. Se plantea que la urbanización como factor modelador del paisaje urbano-regional está afectando la riqueza y distribución de mariposas de Bogotá-Región

Effetti diretti di shock termici su due specie afidiche (Acyrthosiphon pisum e Macrosiphum euphorbiae) e sull’imenottero parassitoide Aphidius ervi

La capacità degli organismi viventi di rispondere ai cambiamenti climatici e gli aspetti genetici interessati a queste risposte hanno enormi implicazioni pratiche in settori come la selvicoltura e l’agricoltura. Nel presente studio sono stati indagati gli effetti diretti di uno stress termico (esposizione per 30 minuti alla temperatura di 40°C) sulla sopravvivenza di mummie e parassitoidi adulti di Aphidius ervi e sulla sopravvivenza e fecondità in due distinte specie di afidi (Acyrthosiphon pisum e Macrosiphum euphorbiae, entrambe ospiti di A. ervi) La sopravvivenza di M. euphorbiae in seguito allo shock termico applicato è del tutto simile a quella di A. pisum (80% circa). A 24 ore dal trattamento, la capacità riproduttiva degli afidi sopravvissuti risulta essere simile al controllo per A. pisum, mentre in M. euphorbiae è ridotta del 60% circa. A 48 ore dallo shock termico non si registrano differenze di produttività tra controlli e afidi sperimentali sopravvissuti. La sopravvivenza delle femmine adulte di A. ervi è decisamente più bassa rispetto a quella dei due afidi: alla temperatura di 40°C la sopravvivenza degli adulti è del 20% circa, mentre alla stessa temperatura la sopravvivenza delle mummie è del 89% circa

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)

Influenza del fungo Trichoderma longibrachiatum (ceppo MK1) sul comportamento e sullo sviluppo di Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur (Hemiptera: Miridae)

I funghi del genere Trichoderma sono noti per la loro attività antagonista nei confronti dei patogeni delle piante. L’effetto sugli insetti fitofagi e sui loro nemici naturali sono invece meno noti. In questo lavoro viene descritto l’effetto della colonizzazione radicale di Solanum lycopersicum (varietà San Marzano nano) da parte di Trichoderma longibrachiatum (ceppo MK1) sul comportamento e sullo sviluppo del miride predatore Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur (Hemiptera: Miridae), un predatore zoofitofago largamente utilizzato per il controllo biologico di fitofagi delle piante orticole e in particolare del pomodoro. L’attrattività delle piante di pomodoro colonizzate da T. longibrachiatum nei confronti di M. pygmaeus è stata studiata con diversi test a scelta, in cui due piante venivano esposte a 10 femmine adulte del predatore all’interno di una scatola di plexiglass (70x40x40 cm). Dopo 24 ore veniva rilevato il numero di predatori presenti su ognuna delle due piante messe a confronto. In particolare è stata confrontata la scelta tra: a) una pianta colonizzata da Trichoderma e una non (controllo), entrambe non infestate; b) una pianta colonizzata da Trichoderma e un controllo, entrambe infestate dall’afide Macrosiphum euphorbiae; c) due piante controllo, una non infestata e l’altra infestata da M. euphorbiae. Sono state fatte 10 repliche per ogni combinazione. Il tasso di riproduzione di M. pygmaeus su piante colonizzate da T. longibrachiatum e su piante controllo, non colonizzate dal fungo, è stato determinato mettendo una singola pianta in una scatola di plastica trasparente (22 by 15 by 40 cm) assieme a 10 femmine adulte e 5 maschi adulti di M. pygmaeus. I predatori venivano rimossi dopo 4 giorni e dopo ulteriori 10 giorni venivano contate le neanidi del predatore presenti sulla pianta e la loro età. Le piante infestate da M. euphorbiae sono risultate significativamente più attrattive delle piante non infestate nei confronti della femmina adulta di M. pygmaeus. In assenza di afidi, le piante colonizzate da T. longibrachiatum sono risultate più attrattive delle piante controllo, tuttavia la differenza si è annullata se le piante erano infestate da afidi. Non sono state osservate differenze nel numero di neanidi di M. pygmaeus emerse da piante con o senza T. longibrachiatum. Su queste ultime, però lo sviluppo è risultato più veloce. Infatti su entrambi i tipi di piante sono state trovate neanidi di prima e seconda età ma, la percentuale di neanidi di seconda età era significativamente più elevata sulle piante colonizzate da T. longibrachiatum. Possiamo concludere che M. pygmaeus preferisce le piante colonizzate da T. longibrachiatum in assenza di prede. Questo preferenza si annulla in presenza degli afidi. Inoltre il fungo, attraverso la pianta, svolge un’azione favorevole sullo sviluppo del predatore a causa del comportamento zoo-fitofago di quest’ultimo

Predation by Macrolophus pygmaeus (Hemiptera: Miridae) on Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera: Aphididae): Influence of prey age/size and predator's intraspecific interactions

Macrolophus pygmaeus (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an important predator of pests of horticultural crops and here its ability as a predator of Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is addressed for the fi rst time. The percentage predation of the different aphid instars and the number partially consumed were studied. Our results, obtained using choice and no-choice tests, revealed that M. pygmaeus caught and consumed more young than later instars of A. pisum, which confi rms results of previous studies using other species of aphids. We also studied the interactions between predators (male/female) foraging in the same patch. When the prey/predator ratio is kept constant at 10 : 1 the average percentage of aphids completely consumed by individual females or males does not change with increase in the number of foraging predators. However, the number of partially consumed aphids decreased when females shared the same patch. In contrast, there was an increase in the number of aphids partially consumed when two males shared the same patch. The results were discussed in terms of potential predator foraging strategies since intraspecifi c competition is a key factor modulating the dynamics of prey-predator systems

data set Trotta et al., 2014

data experimentally collected in lab on Aphidius ervi developed in the host Acyrthosiphon pisu

Tomato belowground-aboveground interactions: Trichoderma longibrachiatum affects the performance of Macrosiphum euphorbiae and its natural antagonists.

Below ground and above ground plant–insect–microorganism interactions are complex and regulate most of the developmental responses of important crop plants such as tomato. We investigated the influence of root colonization by a nonmycorrhizal plant-growth-promoting fungus on direct and indirect defenses of tomato plant against aphids. The multitrophic system included the plant Solanum lycopersicum (‘San Marzano nano’), the root-associated biocontrol fungus Trichoderma longibrachiatum strain MK1, the aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae (a tomato pest), the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi, and the aphid predator Macrolophus pygmaeus. Laboratory bioassays were performed to assess the effect of T. longibrachiatum MK1, interacting with the tomato plant, on quantity and quality of volatile organic compounds (VOC) released by tomato plant, aphid development and reproduction, parasitoid behavior, and predator behavior and development. When compared with the uncolonized controls, plants whose roots were colonized by T. longibrachiatum MK1 showed quantitative differences in the release of specific VOC, better aphid population growth indices, a higher attractiveness toward the aphid parasitoid and the aphid predator, and a quicker development of aphid predator. These findings support the development of novel strategies of integrated control of aphid pests. The species specific or strain-specific characteristics of these below ground–above ground interactions remain to be assessed

Durvalumab alone and durvalumab plus tremelimumab versus chemotherapy in previously untreated patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (DANUBE): a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial

Background: Survival outcomes are poor for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma who receive standard, first-line, platinum-based chemotherapy. We assessed the overall survival of patients who received durvalumab (a PD-L1 inhibitor), with or without tremelimumab (a CTLA-4 inhibitor), as a first-line treatment for metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Methods: DANUBE is an open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial in patients with untreated, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma, conducted at 224 academic research centres, hospitals, and oncology clinics in 23 countries. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. We randomly assigned patients (1:1:1) to receive durvalumab monotherapy (1500 mg) administered intravenously every 4 weeks; durvalumab (1500 mg) plus tremelimumab (75 mg) administered intravenously every 4 weeks for up to four doses, followed by durvalumab maintenance (1500 mg) every 4 weeks; or standard-of-care chemotherapy (gemcitabine plus cisplatin or gemcitabine plus carboplatin, depending on cisplatin eligibility) administered intravenously for up to six cycles. Randomisation was done through an interactive voice–web response system, with stratification by cisplatin eligibility, PD-L1 status, and presence or absence of liver metastases, lung metastases, or both. The coprimary endpoints were overall survival compared between the durvalumab monotherapy versus chemotherapy groups in the population of patients with high PD-L1 expression (the high PD-L1 population) and between the durvalumab plus tremelimumab versus chemotherapy groups in the intention-to-treat population (all randomly assigned patients). The study has completed enrolment and the final analysis of overall survival is reported. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02516241, and the EU Clinical Trials Register, EudraCT number 2015-001633-24. Findings: Between Nov 24, 2015, and March 21, 2017, we randomly assigned 1032 patients to receive durvalumab (n=346), durvalumab plus tremelimumab (n=342), or chemotherapy (n=344). At data cutoff (Jan 27, 2020), median follow-up for survival was 41·2 months (IQR 37·9–43·2) for all patients. In the high PD-L1 population, median overall survival was 14·4 months (95% CI 10·4–17·3) in the durvalumab monotherapy group (n=209) versus 12·1 months (10·4–15·0) in the chemotherapy group (n=207; hazard ratio 0·89, 95% CI 0·71–1·11; p=0·30). In the intention-to-treat population, median overall survival was 15·1 months (13·1–18·0) in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab group versus 12·1 months (10·9–14·0) in the chemotherapy group (0·85, 95% CI 0·72–1·02; p=0·075). In the safety population, grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 47 (14%) of 345 patients in the durvalumab group, 93 (27%) of 340 patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab group, and in 188 (60%) of 313 patients in the chemotherapy group. The most common grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse event was increased lipase in the durvalumab group (seven [2%] of 345 patients) and in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab group (16 [5%] of 340 patients), and neutropenia in the chemotherapy group (66 [21%] of 313 patients). Serious treatment-related adverse events occurred in 30 (9%) of 345 patients in the durvalumab group, 78 (23%) of 340 patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab group, and 50 (16%) of 313 patients in the chemotherapy group. Deaths due to study drug toxicity were reported in two (1%) patients in the durvalumab group (acute hepatic failure and hepatitis), two (1%) patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab group (septic shock and pneumonitis), and one (<1%) patient in the chemotherapy group (acute kidney injury). Interpretation: This study did not meet either of its coprimary endpoints. Further research to identify the patients with previously untreated metastatic urothelial carcinoma who benefit from treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, either alone or in combination regimens, is warranted. Funding: AstraZeneca