The IBdata Web System for Biological Collections: Design Focused on Usability

The software design process must put users at the core of the process to enable them to meet their specific objectives effectively, efficiently, and successfully. Thus, a software design for a computing system to consult biological collections guided by the concept of usability will result in an effective and efficient biodiversity informatics tool. Here, we introduce IBdata, a web system to consult biological collections, developed using a design approach based on the architecture of three layers: database, business rules, and user interface. The user interface design was guided by the concept of usability focused on four core concepts: simplicity, adaptability, guide the user through the journey, and feedback. The IBdata web system that we developed is composed of three modules (query, capture and editing, and administration), permitting it to query a database with about 1.7 million specimen records. Biodiversity data query systems must be effective and efficient and should meet the user’s expectations. Software design methodologies play a central role in achieving these goals, and, in this context, interface design techniques that put the user at the core of development are valuable, as in the development of the IBdata web system

Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation improves reproductive outcomes in women of the POSEIDON IV group

Background: The decrease in ovarian reserve has become one of the main causes of infertility. Recent studies have sought to improve the reproductive outcomes of these women through adjuvant treatments. In patients undergoing assisted reproduction treatments, exogenous Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or prasterone acts as a precursor to testosterone in the follicular fluid, which increases steroidogenesis and the number of primary and antral follicles. Methods: A quantitative, quasi-experimental case series study was carried out in the clinical area of assisted reproduction from August 2021 to March 2022. All women included were over 34 years and categorized as POSEIDON IV. They were supplemented with 100 mg of DHEA one month prior to the follicular capture. Data was collected from the records of the patients who met the inclusion criteria, including the antral follicle count on the first three days of the menstrual period before the supplementation and one month after. Finally, the number of metaphase II oocytes and blastocysts obtained were analyzed. Results: There were 22 women underwent controlled ovarian stimulation; there was a difference in antral follicle count from 5±2.1 SD to 8.23​±4.29 SD (p=0.004) and MII oocytes 3.25±2.31 to 4.53±3.27 (p=0.04) before DHEA and after DHEA, respectively. Conclusions: DHEA or prasterone supplementation can be used as an adjuvant treatment in women of the POSEIDON IV group one month before the ovarian stimulation to improve their reproductive outcome

El género Elaphrothrips buffa, 1909 (Insecta, Thysanoptera, Tubulifera) en América Central, discusión del concepto de especie y descripción de especies nuevas para Costa Rica

Se analiza el concepto de especie dentro del género Elaphrothrips, así como los problemas de criterios taxonómicos relacionados a este grupo. Además, se discuten las variaciones morfológicas del mismo y se presentan las características de los grupos de especies en el género. Se revisó el material de Elaphrothrips que ha sido recolectado y se describen tres especies nuevas procedentes de material recolectado en Costa Rica pero depositado en la colección del Senckenberg Museum en Alemania

Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae) en huertos de aguacate en Nayarit, México

Se realizó un trabajo para identificar y cuantificar las especies de Phlaeothripidae asociadas a cultivares de aguacate en Nayarit, México. Los resultados permitieron identificar un total de 10 especies, dos en Idolothripinae y ocho en Phlaeothripinae. La especie más representativa fue Haplothrips gowdeyi. Asimismo, se presenta información sobre las localidades y datos de recolecta y acerca de los géneros y cada una de las especies encontradas

Synthesis and characterization of a-Fe2O3 nanoparticles showing potential applications for sensing quaternary ammonium vapor at room temperature

P-Type and n-Type metal oxide semiconductors are widely used in the manufacture of gas sensing materials, due to their excellent electronic, electrical and electrocatalytic properties. Hematite (?-Fe2O3) compound has been reported as a promising material for sensing broad types of gases, due to its affordability, good stability and semiconducting properties. In the present work, the efficient and easy-To-implement sol-gel method has been used to synthesize ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs). The TGA-DSC characterizations of the precursor gel provided information about the phase transformation temperature and the mass percentage of the hematite NPs. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data analyses indicated the formation of two iron oxide phases (hematite and magnetite) when the NPs are subjected to thermal treatment at 400 °C. Meanwhile, only the hematite phase was determined for thermal annealing above 500 °C up to 800 °C. Besides, the crystallite size shows an increasing trend with the thermal annealing and no defined morphology. A clear reduction of surface defects, associated with oxygen vacancies was also evidenced when the annealing temperature was increased, resulting in changes on the electrical properties of hematite NPs. Resistive gas-sensing tests were carried out using hematite NPs + glycerin paste, to detect quaternary ammonium compounds. Room-Temperature high sensitivity values (S r ?4) have been obtained during the detection of 1/41 mM quaternary ammonium compounds vapor. The dependence of the sensitivity on the particle size, the mass ratio of NPs with respect to the organic ligand, changes in the dielectric properties, and the electrical conduction mechanism of gas sensing was discussed

Extraction of 2′-O-apiosyl-6′-O-crotonic acid-betanin from the ayrampo seed (Opuntia soehrensii) cuticle and its use as an emitting layer in an organic light-emitting diode

The molecule 2′-O-apiosyl-6′-O-crotonic acid-betanin (called Achkiy) was obtained after an ecofriendly and low-cost purification process of the extract from the ayrampo seed cuticle. Results from EDS give us an idea of the organic elements present in the ayrampo cuticle layer composed of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. Further characterization analysis of ayrampo extract by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry (FTIR) corroborated the presence of characteristic functional groups corresponding to carboxyl, carbonyls, hydroxyls and secondary amines. On the other hand, we have confirmed by absortion peak the glucose, apiosyl, crotonic acid and betanin at 227 nm, 276 nm, 291 nm and 534 nm bands respectively. Mass Spectrometry (MS) characterization was used finally to identify the electroactive Achkiy molecule. This molecule was tested in an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) achieving a luminance of 4.8 Cd m$^{−2}$ when bias voltage of 16.5 V and a current of 34.1 mA was applied. In addition, the irradiance generated by the Achkiy layer reaches a value of ≈ 113.3 μW m$^{−2}$ emitting light with a λ ≈ 390.10 nm. These preliminary results report an interesting molecule extracted from a natural pigment wich emits light in the blue region

A pilot study applying the plant Anchored Hybrid Enrichment method to New World sages (Salvia subgenus Calosphace; Lamiaceae)

We conducted a pilot study using Anchored Hybrid Enrichment to resolve relationships among a mostly Neotropical sage lineage that may have undergone a recent evolutionary radiation. Conventional markers (ITS, trnL-trnF and trnH-psbA) have not been able to resolve the relationships among species nor within portions of the backbone of the lineage. We sampled 12 representative species of subgenus Calosphace and included one species of Salvia´s s.l. closest relative, Lepechinia, as outgroup. Hybrid enrichment and sequencing were successful, yielding 448 alignments of individual loci with an average length of 704. bp. The performance of the phylogenomic data in phylogenetic reconstruction was superior to that of conventional markers, increasing both support and resolution. Because the captured loci vary in the amount of net phylogenetic informativeness at different phylogenetic depths, these data are promising in phylogenetic reconstruction of this group and likely other lineages within Lamiales. However, special attention should be placed on the amount of phylogenetic noise that the data could potentially contain. A prior exploration step using phylogenetic informativeness profiles to detect loci with sites with disproportionately high substitution rates (showing "phantom" spikes) and, if required, the ensuing filtering of the problematic data is recommended. In our dataset, filtering resulted in increased support and resolution for the shallow nodes in maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees resulting from concatenated analyses of all the loci. Additionally, it is expected that an increase in sampling (loci and taxa) will aid in resolving weakly supported, short deep internal branches.Fil: Fragoso Martínez, Itzi. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México. Institute Of Biology Of Unam;Fil: Salazar, Gerardo A.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Martínez Gordillo, Martha. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Magallón, Susana. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Sánchez-Reyes, Luna. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Moriarty Lemmon, Emily. Florida State University; Estados UnidosFil: Lemmon, Alan R.. Florida State University; Estados UnidosFil: Sazatornil, Federico David. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Granados Mendoza, Carolina. Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica; México. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Méxic

Rediscovery of Chloraea multilineolata (Orchidaceae, Chloraeinae), an endangered Peruvian species

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Desde su publicación, en 1941, Chloraea multilineolata no había sido registrada y sus reportes en la literatura subsecuente se basaron en determinaciones erróneas. En este trabajo se estudió la identidad taxonómica de varias poblaciones de una especie de Chloraea registradas durante el trabajo de campo llevado a cabo entre 2016 y 2019 en el sur de Perú. Métodos: Se estudiaron material fresco y registros fotográficos de las poblaciones de Chloraea recientemente descubiertas y se compararon con los protólogos de todas las especies peruanas de este género, su material tipo, literatura taxonómica y ejemplares de Chloraea o fotografías digitales disponibles en herbarios peruanos y extranjeros. Resultados clave: Se determinó que las poblaciones estudiadas representan a C. multilineolata. Se presenta una descripción actualizada de la especie basada en material fresco y en el protólogo. Además, se incluyen láminas fotográficas a color, un dibujo lineal del perianto, información sobre su hábitat y un mapa de su distribución conocida. Así mismo, se da a conocer una evaluación de su riesgo de extinción usando las categorías y criterios de la Lista Roja de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN). Conclusiones: Chloraea multilineolata es endémica de los departamentos peruanos de Apurímac, Ayacucho y Cusco, y restringe su presencia a los valles interandinos secos, localizados entre 2000 y 2900 m de altitud. Solo una de las cinco localidades conocidas se encuentra en un área natural protegida (Área de Conservación Regional Choquequirao); la evaluación del estado de conservación de la especie indica que debe considerársele En Peligro de Extinción.Background and Aims: Since its publication, in 1941, Chloraea multilineolata had not been recorded again and the reports of this species in subsequent literature were based on erroneous identifications. In this work, the taxonomic identity of several populations of Chloraea species recorded during recently fieldwork carried on during 2016 and 2019 in southern Peru was studied. Methods: Fresh material and photographic records of the several recently discovered populations of Chloraea were studied and compared with protologues, original material, taxonomic literature, and specimens of Chloraea or digital images of them deposited in Peruvian and foreign herbaria. Key results: The studied populations were determined to represent C. multilineolata. An updated description of the species based on fresh material and the protologue is presented. In addition, color photographic plates illustrating its vegetative and floral morphology, a line drawing of the perianth, information on its habitat, and a map of its known distribution are included, as well as an assessment of its extinction risk using the categories and criteria of the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Conclusions: Chloraea multilineolata is endemic to the Peruvian departments of Apurímac, Ayacucho, and Cusco, being restricted to dry inter-Andean valleys between 2000 and 2900 m elevation. Only one of the five known localities is in a protected natural area (Área de Conservación Regional Choquequirao) and the assessment of its conservation status indicates that it should be considered as Endangered

Direct Polyphenol Attachment on the Surfaces of Magnetite Nanoparticles, Using Vitis vinifera, Vaccinium corymbosum, or Punica granatum

This study presents an alternative approach to directly synthesizing magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) in the presence of Vitis vinifera, Vaccinium corymbosum, and Punica granatum derived from natural sources (grapes, blueberries, and pomegranates, respectively). A modified co-precipitation method that combines phytochemical techniques was developed to produce semispherical MNPs that range in size from 7.7 to 8.8 nm and are coated with a ~1.5 nm thick layer of polyphenols. The observed structure, composition, and surface properties of the MNPs@polyphenols demonstrated the dual functionality of the phenolic groups as both reducing agents and capping molecules that are bonding with Fe ions on the surfaces of the MNPs via –OH groups. Magnetic force microscopy images revealed the uniaxial orientation of single magnetic domains (SMDs) associated with the inverse spinel structure of the magnetite (Fe3O4). The samples’ inductive heating (H0 = 28.9 kA/m, f = 764 kHz), measured via the specific loss power (SLP) of the samples, yielded values of up to 187.2 W/g and showed the influence of the average particle size. A cell viability assessment was conducted via the MTT and NRu tests to estimate the metabolic and lysosomal activities of the MNPs@polyphenols in K562 (chronic myelogenous leukemia, ATCC) cells

New and noteworthy species of the genus Epidendrum (Orchidaceae, Laeliinae) from the Área de Conservación Privada La Pampa del Burro, Amazonas, Peru

Fourteen species of the genus Epidendrum, recently collected in the Área de Conservación Privada La Pampa del Burro (ACPPB), five of them new to science (Epidendrum echinatiantherum sp. nov., E. imazaense sp. nov., E. parvireflexilobum sp. nov., E. rosulatum sp. nov., and E. ochrostachyum sp. nov.), are described and illustrated. The other species include a new record for Peru (E. acrobatesii) and four for the department of Amazonas (E. brachyblastum, E. forcipatum, E. mavrodactylon, and E. tridens). Epidendrum enantilobum is here considered a synonym of Epidendrum brachyblastum. The type locality of Epidendrum cryptorhachis, originally stated as Ecuador, Guayabamba, is corrected to indicate that it refers to the valley of Guayabamba, Rodríguez de Mendoza, Amazonas, Peru. Our results show the need to continue conducting botanical exploration in the ACPPB as a baseline for subsequent studies, including a full inventory of the orchid diversity