Habitat fragmentation and population features differently affect fruit predation, fecundity and offspring performance in a non-specialist gypsum plant

The effects of habitat fragmentation on plant populations are complex, as it might disrupt many ecological processes, including plant reproduction and plant-animal interactions. Gypsum specialist plants may be resilient to fragmentation due to their evolutionary history in fragmented landscapes, but the effects on non-specialist plants occurring in gypsum are unknown. We conducted a study focusing on different aspects of the reproductive cycle of Astragalus incanus subsp. incanus, a plant facultatively linked to gypsum soils. We focused on plant fecundity and pre-dispersal predation, obtained from field observations, and offspring performance, assessed in a common garden. Beyond fragment size and connectivity, we also considered habitat quality, population size and density and plant size as predictors. Fragment size and connectivity had no effect on plant fecundity, but jointly determined fruit predation, while fragment size was positively related to offspring growth. Population density, rather than population size, had a positive effect on predation but negatively affected plant fecundity and offspring performance. Habitat quality reduced both plant fecundity and predation incidence. In this non-specialist species, habitat fragmentation, population features and habitat quality affect different facets of plant performance. Predation was the only process clearly affected by fragmentation variables, fecundity mainly depended on population features and offspring performance and was better explained by mother plant identity. Our results show the need to consider habitat and population features together with fragment size and connectivity in order to assess the effects of fragmentation. Importantly, these effects can involve different aspects of plant reproduction, including plant-animal interactions.

Landscape effects on pollination networks in Mediterranean gypsum islands

Habitat fragmentation is a major driver of global change that has operated historically on Mediterranean ecosystems. However, more needs to be understood about how fragmentation influences ecological interactions, particularly pollination. Gypsum outcrops are historically fragmented Mediterranean habitats and settings for the evolution of many endangered soil-specialist plants with narrow ranges. In this study, we aimed to determine how fragmentation (area and connectivity) affects: (i) pollinator community composition and (ii) structural properties of pollination networks; and whether there are differences in the effects of fragmentation on: (iii) the number of interactions and visits among pollinator functional groups; and (iv) the number of interactions and specialisation degree between soil-specialist and soil-generalist plants. We characterised the degree of fragmentation and the pollination network structures in 12 gypsum habitat fragments embedded in a cropland matrix during two consecutive years. We found significant relationships between fragmentation and network structure. The effects of fragmentation differed among pollinator functional groups, but not between soil-specialist and soil-generalist plants, in terms of number of interactions. However, the relatively higher pollinator specialisation of soil-specialist plants suggested greater dependence on pollinators. Inter-annual variations in the network structures demonstrated the importance of temporal replication. The observed patterns related to the landscape structure and pollination at both the network and species levels provide insights into the key ecological processes in gypsum islands. These findings may help to identify the potential drivers of species persistence, especially for endangered soil-specialist plants with narrow ranges in a changing scenario with exacerbated habitat fragmentation.

[Pheochromocytoma giant cystic: a case report]

The giant cystic pheochromocytoma is a rare adrenal tumor in the predominantly asymptomatic course; so many cases are not diagnosed until the time of surgery. The simple mobilization of the tumor is associated with the passage to the blood of large amounts of catecholamines and high morbidity and mortality. So the surgery itself and perioperative management are a huge challenge. This article describes the case of a malignant giant pheochromocytoma (35 cm) which occupied the entire right abdomen. Even with the preoperative diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, pharmacological blockade preoperative and intraoperative measures, the patient died shortly before the end of surgery.

Effects of season and population size on pollination and reproductive output in a Mediterranean shrub

Pollinator guilds may change throughout extended flowering periods, affecting plant reproductive output, especially in seasonal climates. We hypothesised a seasonal shift in pollinator guild and an autumn reduction in pollinator abundance, especially in small and sparse populations. We recorded pollinator identity, abundance and behaviour in relation to flower density from plant to population throughout the extended flowering of Ononis tridentata. We evaluated female reproductive output by recording pollination success and pre-dispersal seed predation in eight populations of contrasting size and density. Offspring quality was also characterised through seed weight and germination. A diverse guild of insects visited O. tridentata in spring, while only Apis mellifera was observed in autumn. Visitation frequency did not vary seasonally, but the number of flowers per foraging bout was lower, and seeds were heavier and had a higher germination rate in autumn. Plant and neighbourhood flowering display were not related to pollinator visitation frequency or behaviour. However, the rate of fertilised ovules, seed set and autumn flowering display size were positively related to population density. The maintenance of pollination in autumn enhances the reproductive performance of O. tridentata due to higher quality of autumn seed, and to a large reduction in seed predator pressure. We also suggest that observed changes in pollinator behaviour could be one of the processes behind seasonal variation in seed performance, since geitonogamous crosses were less likely to occur in autumn.

Sperm whale long-range echolocation sounds revealed by ANTARES, a deep-sea neutrino telescope

Despite dedicated research has been carried out to adequately map the distribution of the sperm whale in the Mediterranean Sea, unlike other regions of the world, the species population status is still presently uncertain. The analysis of two years of continuous acoustic data provided by the ANTARES neutrino telescope revealed the year-round presence of sperm whales in the Ligurian Sea, probably associated with the availability of cephalopods in the region. The presence of the Ligurian Sea sperm whales was demonstrated through the real-time analysis of audio data streamed from a cabled-to-shore deep-sea observatory that allowed the hourly tracking of their long-range echolocation behaviour on the Internet. Interestingly, the same acoustic analysis indicated that the occurrence of surface shipping noise would apparently not condition the foraging behaviour of the sperm whale in the area, since shipping noise was almost always present when sperm whales were acoustically detected. The continuous presence of the sperm whale in the region confirms the ecological value of the Ligurian sea and the importance of ANTARES to help monitoring its ecosystems.

Listening to the Deep: live monitoring of ocean noise and cetacean acoustic signals

The development and broad use of passive acoustic monitoring techniques have the potential to help assessing the large-scale influence of artificial noise on marine organisms and ecosystems. Deep-sea observatories have the potential to play a key role in understanding these recent acoustic changes. LIDO (Listening to the Deep Ocean Environment) is an international project that is allowing the real-time long-term monitoring of marine ambient noise as well as marine mammal sounds at cabled and standalone observatories. Here, we present the overall development of the project and the use of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) techniques to provide the scientific community with real-time data at large spatial and temporal scales. Special attention is given to the extraction and identification of high frequency cetacean echolocation signals given the relevance of detecting target species, e.g. beaked whales, in mitigation processes, e.g. during military exercises.

[Incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in the health area of Navalmoral de la Mata (Caceres, Spain) between 2000 and 2009]

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has changed in our area and whether it has been influenced by the growing immigrant population.

POPULATION AND METHODS

From 2000 to 2009, a prospective population-based study was conducted in the population aged over 15 years old and was compared with a study carried out from 1994 to 1998 in the health area of Campo Arañuelo. The distribution of Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) and age and sex were analyzed and compared with European rates for the standard population, both for the total population and for the local population.

RESULTS

From 2000 to 2009, IBD was diagnosed in 73 patients (36 men and 37 women). CD was diagnosed in 25 patients (34.2%), UC in 46 (63.0%) and there were two cases (2.8%) of indeterminate colitis (IC), which were excluded from the analysis. The mean annual incidence of CD was 5.70 per 100,000 inhabitants (5.79 in men and 5.60 in women). The annual incidence of UC was 11.47 per 100,000 inhabitants (10.79 in men and 12.17 in women). The incidence of UC was significantly higher than that of CD. The UC/CD ratio was 1.87. The mean age of patients with CD was 31.44 ± 15.81 years (range: 15 to 79 years), which was significantly lower than that for patients with UC: 43.26 ± 18.63 years (range: 15 to 85 years), with a difference of 11.82 years (confidence interval [CI]: 3.05-20.59 years). No immigrants were diagnosed. The incidence related to the total population aged between 15 and 64 years old was 5.74 per 100,000 inhabitants per year (95% CI: 3.43-8.04) in CD and 9.48 per 100,000 inhabitants per year (CI: 5.63-13.32) in UC. The incidence related to the local population aged between 15 and 64 years old was 5.90 per 100,000 inhabitants per year (95% CI: 3.52-8.28) in CD and 9.75 (CI: 5.80-13.70) in UC.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of UC in our area is one of the highest in Spain. Although this incidence is lower than that from 1994 to 1998, this decrease is not significant. The number of CD cases has not increased. Both diseases affect men and women equally. CD is diagnosed in earlier ages than UC. Exclusion of immigrants from the study increases these rates but not significantly.

Female reproductive output in a Mediterranean shrub: effects from inflorescence to population

Inflorescence effects have been poorly studied, in spite of the functional relevance of the inflorescence in fruit and seed ecology. The present study focused on the effects of inflorescence size and phenology, and flower position within the inflorescence, in relation to fruit and seed production of the Mediterranean shrub Ononis fruticosa. Variability in fruit and seed production, seed weight and germination were estimated and modelled. Results confirmed that the most important predictors in seed production were inflorescence flowering time and flower position within the inflorescence. Thus, the number of mature seeds per fruit was higher in earlier inflorescences and in basal positions. On the other hand, predation was higher in fruits in basal positions. In fact, seed predation seemed to be the most important factor controlling final seed production. Models at the plant level suggested a negative incidence of geitonogamous pollination and resource limitation, which were also observed at the fruit level. This study confirmed the relevance of inflorescence effects on the reproductive output of O. fruticosa. Although the underlying processes could not be identified, our results provide several hypotheses for future experimental studies.

Induction of apoptosis in prostate tumor PC-3 cells and inhibition of xenograft prostate tumor growth by the vanilloid capsaicin

Capsaicin, the pungent ingredient of hot chilli pepper, has been recently shown to induce apoptosis in several cell lines through a not well known mechanism. Here, we investigated the role of the vanilloid capsaicin in the death regulation of the human cancer androgen-resistant cell line PC-3. Capsaicin inhibited the growth of PC-3 with an IC(50) of 20 microM cells and induced cell apoptosis, as assessed by flow cytometry and nuclei staining with DAPI. Capsaicin induced apoptosis in prostate cells by a mechanism involving reactive oxygen species generation, dissipation of the mitochondrial inner transmembrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) and activation of caspase 3. Capsaicin-induced apoptosis was not reduced by the antagonist capsazepine in a dose range from 0.1 microM to 20 microM, suggesting a receptor-independent mechanism. To study the in vivo effects of capsaicinoids, PC-3 cells were grown as xenografts in nude mice. Subcutaneous injection of either capsaicin or capsazepine (5 mg/kg body weight) in nude mice suppressed PC-3 tumor growth in all tumors investigated and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. Our data show a role for capsaicin against androgen-independent prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and suggest that capsaicin is a promising anti-tumor agent in hormone-refractory prostate cancer, which shows resistance to many chemotherapeutic agents.

Looking into flowering time in almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill) D. A. Webb): the candidate gene approach

Blooming time is one of the most important agronomic traits in almond. Biochemical and molecular events underlying flowering regulation must be understood before methods to stimulate late flowering can be developed. Attempts to elucidate the genetic control of this process have led to the identification of a major gene (Lb) and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) linked to observed phenotypic differences, but although this gene and these QTLs have been placed on the Prunus reference genetic map, their sequences and specific functions remain unknown. The aim of our investigation was to associate these loci with known genes using a candidate gene approach. Two almond cDNAs and eight Prunus expressed sequence tags were selected as candidate genes (CGs) since their sequences were highly identical to those of flowering regulatory genes characterized in other species. The CGs were amplified from both parental lines of the mapping population using specific primers. Sequence comparison revealed DNA polymorphisms between the parental lines, mainly of the single nucleotide type. Polymorphisms were used to develop co-dominant cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers or length polymorphisms based on insertion/deletion events for mapping the candidate genes on the Prunus reference map. Ten candidate genes were assigned to six linkage groups in the Prunus genome. The positions of two of these were compatible with the regions where two QTLs for blooming time were detected. One additional candidate was localized close to the position of the Evergrowing gene, which determines a non-deciduous behaviour in peach.

Metronomic therapy with cyclophosphamide induces rat lymphoma and sarcoma regression, and is devoid of toxicity

BACKGROUND

Our aim was to investigate the clinical efficacy and toxicity of metronomic administration of low-dose cyclophosphamide (Cy) in lymphoma and sarcoma rat tumour models.

METHODS

Adult inbred rats were challenged with lymphoma TACB and sarcoma E100 s.c. on day 0. Animals were divided into two groups: group I, control, injected with saline three times a week; and group II, treated with Cy 10 mg/kg three times a week, from day 10 until the tumour was non-palpable, or 5 mg/kg three times a week from day 7. Tumours were measured and animals were weighed twice weekly. Periodic blood samples were taken for determination of urea, creatinine, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase and haematological parameters.

RESULTS

The administration of low-dose Cy eradicated established rat lymphomas and sarcomas; there was neither metastatic growth nor recurrence at primary sites for 100% of the lymphomas and 83% of the sarcomas. In addition, the treatment did not cause weight loss, and was devoid of haematological, cardiac, hepatic and renal toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Metronomic administration of Cy at low doses on a thrice weekly schedule to already grown rat lymphomas and sarcomas demonstrated itself to be a successful antitumour therapy that did not cause weight loss and was devoid of haematological, cardiac, hepatic and renal toxicity.

Effect of different levels of NADH availability on metabolite distribution in Escherichia coli fermentation in minimal and complex media

A range of intracellular NADH availability was achieved by combining external and genetic strategies. The effect of these manipulations on the distribution of metabolites in Escherichia coli was assessed in minimal and complex medium under anoxic conditions. Our in vivo system to increase intracellular NADH availability expressed a heterologous NAD+-dependent formate dehydrogenase (FDH) from Candida boidinii in E. coli. The heterologous FDH pathway converted 1 mol formate into 1 mol NADH and carbon dioxide, in contrast to the native FDH where cofactor involvement was not present. Previously, we found that this NADH regeneration system doubled the maximum yield of NADH from 2 mol to 4 mol NADH/mol glucose consumed. In the current study, we found that yields of greater than 4 mol NADH were achieved when carbon sources more reduced than glucose were combined with our in vivo NADH regeneration system. This paper demonstrates experimentally that different levels of NADH availability can be achieved by combining the strategies of feeding the cells with carbon sources which have different oxidation states and regenerating NADH through the heterologous FDH pathway. The general trend of the data is substantially similar for minimal and complex media. The NADH availability obtained positively correlates with the proportion of reduced by-products in the final culture. The maximum theoretical yield for ethanol is obtained from glucose and sorbitol in strains overexpressing the heterologous FDH pathway.

Electropherotypes of rotaviral RNA from cases of infantile diarrhea in Uruguay

Electropherotypes of human rotavirus isolates from infants with acute diarrhea belonging to two populations with different clinical features were determined. Thirteen electropherotypes were identified in total 69 isolates; 46 (66.6%) isolates had long RNA migration patterns and 23 (33.3%) isolates had short migration pattern. One of the long-pattern electropherotypes (47.82% of the total electropherotypes) was predominant. It was detected in both populations almost throughout the whole period of the study, while other electropherotypes were found only occasionally. The co-circulation of long and short electropherotypes was not frequent.

[Resistance to antibiotics in clinical isolates of the genus Enterococcus]

The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of resistance in 114 clinical strains of enterococci. Identification was made using PASCO dehydrated panels and by the conventional method of Facklam and found the following: 92.1% E. faecalis, 7% E. faecium and 0.9% E. avium. The antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the PASCO system, and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin, teicoplanin, gentamicin and streptomycin were determined by the agar dilution method. All the strains were susceptible to vancomycin and teicoplanin. We detected resistance to ampicillin in 4.4% of isolates, to penicillin in 6%, to tetracycline in 41.2%, to rifampicin in 12.3%, to chloramphenicol in 23.7%, to erythromycin in 66.7%, to ciprofloxacin in 53.5%, to gentamicin to a high level in 43.9%, and to streptomycin to a high level in 57%. E. faecium was associated with high-level resistance to gentamicin. E. faecium was more resistant than E. faecalis to quinolones, rifampicin, penicillin and ampicillin, and showed similar susceptibility to tetracycline and chloramphenicol. However, E. faecalis was more resistant than E. faecium to aminoglycosides, mainly to gentamicin.

[Sib-sib correlations of cardiovascular risk factors: the Cuenca study]

To analyze the sib-sib correlation of the cardiovascular risk factors.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD

A cross-sectional study was made in 115 sibling pairs. Sociodemographic variables, weight, height, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and fasting plasma total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, apo A-I, apo B and Lp(a) concentrations. Partial correlation coefficients adjusted for age and body mass index for plasmatic lipid and lipoprotein levels in sibling pairs showed positive values range from 0.27 for triglyceride to 0.53 for apo B/apo A-I ratio (p < 0.005). Likewise, the intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.20 to 0.48. Both coefficient were higher in brother-brother pairs than in sister-sister pairs. The Quetelet index coefficients were slightly lower than lipid coefficients, and showed similar values among the different kinds of sibling pairs. Blood pressure coefficients were low (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

An association for lipid and lipoprotein plasma concentrations has been evidenced in sibling pairs. This association is stronger in brother-brother pairs than in sister-sister pairs. This fact could indicate a sex linked heredability of lipid and lipoprotein levels. A weaker association for body mass index has been observed. Sib-sib aggregation of blood pressure levels is not significant.