Fitness benefits of trypsin proteinase inhibitor expression in Nicotiana attenuata are greater than their costs when plants are attacked.

BACKGROUND: The commonly invoked cost-benefit paradigm, central to most of functional biology, explains why one phenotype cannot be optimally fit in all environments; yet it is rarely tested. Trypsin proteinase inhibitors (TPIs) expression in Nicotiana attenuata is known to decrease plant fitness when plants compete with unattacked conspecifics that do not produce TPIs and also to decrease the performance of attacking herbivores. RESULTS: In order to determine whether the putative benefits of TPI production outweigh its cost, we transformed N. attenuata to silence endogenous TPI production or restore it in a natural mutant that was unable to produce TPIs. We compared the lifetime seed production of N. attenuata genotypes of the same genetic background with low or no TPI to that of genotypes with high TPI levels on which M. sexta larvae were allowed to feed freely. Unattacked low TPI-producing genotypes produced more seed capsules than did plants with high TPI levels. Caterpillar attack reduced seed capsule production in all genotypes and reversed the pattern of seed capsule production among genotypes. M. sexta larvae attacking genotypes with high TPI activity consumed more TPI, less protein, and move later to the young leaves. Larval masses were negatively correlated (R(2 )= 0.56) with seed capsule production per plant. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that the fitness benefits of TPI production outweigh their costs in greenhouse conditions, when plants are attacked and that despite the ongoing evolutionary interactions between plant and herbivore, TPI-mediated decreases in M. sexta performance translates into a fitness benefit for the plant

An Analysis of ALMA Deep Fields and the Perceived Dearth of High-z Galaxies

Deep, pencil-beam surveys from ALMA at 1.1-1.3mm have uncovered an apparent absence of high-redshift dusty galaxies, with existing redshift distributions peaking around $z\sim1.5-2.5$. This has led to a perceived dearth of dusty systems at $z>4$, and the conclusion, according to some models, that the early Universe was relatively dust-poor. In this paper, we extend the backward evolution galaxy model described by Casey et al. (2018) to the ALMA regime (in depth and area) and determine that the measured number counts and redshift distributions from ALMA deep field surveys are fully consistent with constraints of the infrared luminosity function (IRLF) at $z<2.5$ determined by single-dish submillimeter and millimeter surveys conducted on much larger angular scales ($\sim1-10$deg$^{2}$). We find that measured 1.1-1.3mm number counts are most constraining for the measurement of the faint-end slope of the IRLF at $z4$. Recent studies have suggested that UV-selected galaxies at $z>4$ may be particularly dust-poor, but we find their millimeter-wave emission cannot rule out consistency with the Calzetti dust attenuation law even by assuming relatively typical, cold-dust ($T_{\rm dust}\approx30\,$K) SEDs. Our models suggest that the design of ALMA deep fields requires substantial revision to constrain the prevalence of $z>4$ early Universe obscured starbursts. The most promising avenue for detection and characterization of such early dusty galaxies will come from future ALMA 2mm blank field surveys covering a few hundred arcmin$^{2}$ and the combination of existing and future dual-purpose 3mm datasets.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Evaluating the Impact of Post-Emergence Weed Control in Honeybee Colonies Located in Different Agricultural Surroundings

The honeybee Apis mellifera is exposed to agricultural intensification, which leads to an improved reliance upon pesticide use and the reduction of floral diversity. In the present study, we assess the changes in the colony activity and the expression profile of genes involved in xenobiotic detoxification in larvae and adult honeybees from three apiaries located in agricultural environments that differ in their proportion of the crop/wild flora. We evaluated these variables before and after the administration of a mixture of three herbicides during the summer season. The expression of several cytochrome P450 monooxygenases decreased significantly in larvae after post-emergence weed control and showed significant differences between apiaries in the case of honeybee workers. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that colonies located in the plot near to a wetland area exhibited a different relative gene expression profile after herbicide application compared with the other plots. Moreover, we found significant positive correlations between pollen collection and the pesticide detoxification genes that discriminated between plots in the PCA. Our results suggest that nutrition may modify herbicide impact on honeybees and that larvae are more harmed than adults in agroecosystems, a factor that will alter the colonies’ population growth at the end of the blooming period.Instituto de Ingeniería RuralFil: Macri, Ivana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Ingeniería Rural; Argentina.Fil: Vásquez, Diego E. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales; ArgentinaFil: Vásquez, Diego E. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Pagano, Eduardo A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Cátedra de Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Pagano, Eduardo A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Zavala, Jorge A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Zavala, Jorge A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Cátedra de Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Farina, Walter M. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales; ArgentinaFil: Farina, Walter M. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Macri, Ivana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales; ArgentinaFil: Macri, Ivana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; Argentin

Desarrollo de simulador de negocios en la industria de sensores: estrategia y toma de decisiones

El presente reporte tiene como objetivo documentar las decisiones, análisis, aprendizajes y reflexiones que se obtuvieron a través del simulador de negocios CAPSIM. Este simulador pone a cargo de un equipo de trabajo multidisciplinario una empresa dedicada a la fabricación y venta de sensores. El equipo debe tomar decisiones sobre sus departamentos de finanzas, producción, mercadotecnia, diseño y desarrollo a partir del análisis de la situación de la industria, la cual se reporta en el Courier anual

Digestive Duet: Midgut Digestive Proteinases of Manduca sexta Ingesting Nicotiana attenuata with Manipulated Trypsin Proteinase Inhibitor Expression

The defensive effect of endogenous trypsin proteinase inhibitors (NaTPIs) on the herbivore Manduca sexta was demonstrated by genetically altering NaTPI production in M. sexta's host plant, Nicotiana attenuata. To understand how this defense works, we studied the effects of NaTPI on M. sexta gut proteinase activity levels in different larval instars of caterpillars feeding freely on untransformed and transformed plants. Methodology/ Principal Findings Second and third instars larvae that fed on NaTPI-producing (WT) genotypes were lighter and had less gut proteinase activity compared to those that fed on genotypes with either little or no NaTPI activity. Unexpectedly, NaTPI activity in vitro assays not only inhibited the trypsin sensitive fraction of gut proteinase activity but also halved the NaTPI-insensitive fraction in third-instar larvae. Unable to degrade NaTPI, larvae apparently lacked the means to adapt to NaTPI in their diet. However, caterpillars recovered at least part of their gut proteinase activity when they were transferred from NaTPI-producing host plants to NaTPI-free host plants. In addition extracts of basal leaves inhibited more gut proteinase activity than did extracts of middle stem leaves with the same protein content. Conclusions/ Significance Although larvae can minimize the effects of high NaTPI levels by feeding on leaves with high protein and low NaTPI activity, the host plant's endogenous NaTPIs remain an effective defense against M. sexta, inhibiting gut proteinase and affecting larval performance

Fatal Human Infection with Rickettsia rickettsii, Yucatán, Mexico

The first fatal Rickettsia rickettsii infection was diagnosed in the southwest of Mexico. The patient had fever, erythematous rash, abdominal pain, and severe central nervous system involvement with convulsive crisis. The diagnosis of R. rickettsii infection was established by immunohistochemistry and specific polymerase chain reaction

Evaluación socioeconómica de daños ambientales por contaminación del río Atoyac en México

La contaminación registrada en el río Atoyac es alarmante y se registra como uno de los cuerpos de agua más contaminados del México. La población afectada revela la presencia de enfermedades que van desde afectaciones gastrointestinales hasta cáncer. Las descargas de aguas residuales industriales y municipales sin tratar, y la ausencia del cumplimiento de las normas de descarga, explican los elevados niveles de contaminación. Este trabajo investiga los daños que provoca la contaminación del río Atoyac siguiendo la metodología de la matriz de Leopold et al. (1971). Luego de identificar y cuantificar los daños, se han estimado los costos aplicando el método del costo de daños (Dickie, 2003), con el objeto de estimar el costo real de los impactos provocados por las descargas de agua sin tratar. El crecimiento desorganizado y la ausencia de regulación de la actividad económica y urbana están inhibiendo hasta ahora el desarrollo de la región, en vista de que la contaminación del río Atoyac está provocado una contracción en la producción agrícola, ganadera, pesquera y turística, así como pérdida del bienestar general de la población, al experimentar afectaciones a la salud, disminución de los ingresos familiares, reducción de actividades recreativas, e incluso ya se observa el fenómeno de migración por causas ambientales. El valor de los daños sociales y económicos para el año 2005 se ha estimado en $483 361 423 pesos, cifra que representa de forma aproximada el límite mínimo de los beneficios de la reducción de la contaminación. Asimismo, suministra información relevante para el diseño y análisis de un estudio de costo-beneficio de proyectos de tratamiento de aguas residuales, que permita al mismo tiempo desarrollar una política de resarcimiento del daño sobre el ambiente y la población

Enterorragia masiva en paciente con enfermedad de Von Hippel Lindau

The Von Hippel Lindau disease is an autosomic-dominant neoplasia syndrome produced by a delection or mutation of tumor suppressor gene of chromosome 3p25. It was descripted by the German pathologist Arvid Lindau and the ophthalmologist Eugene Von Hippel, and it is considered also one of 7 000 hereditary disorders known up to the present. Our patient was submitted to a genetic study in 1990 to determine, who relatives had suffered this syndrome (by making a genealogical tree). As the antecedent was taking an operation of renal carcinoma made a year before, and this time, the patient is admitted cause presented a massive enterorrhagia, which motivated a research about him and a surgical intervention as well. The histological study demonstrated the existence of a methastasis of Clear-Cell renal carcinoma, which is a characteristic lesion, when Occurs this Syndrome.La enfermedad de Von Hippel Lindau es un síndrome neoplásico autosómico-dominante provocado por la delección o mutación del gen tumor supresor del cromosoma 3p25. Fue descrito por el oftalmólogo alemán Eugen Von Hippel y el patólogo Arvid Lindau y es uno de los 7 000 trastornos hereditarios conocidos en la actualidad. Nuestro paciente fue estudiado genéticamente en el año 1990 para determinar qué familiares padecían el síndrome mediante la confección de un árbol genealógico, el antecedente fue una operación de un carcinoma renal hace un año aproximadamente y en esta oportunidad ingresa por presentar una enterorragia masiva que motivó su estudio y la intervención quirúrgica. El resultado histológico fue una metástasis de un carcinoma renal de células claras, lesión característica de este síndrome