The genome of the colonial hydroid Hydractinia reveals that their stem cells use a toolkit of evolutionarily shared genes with all animals.

Hydractinia is a colonial marine hydroid that shows remarkable biological properties, including the capacity to regenerate its entire body throughout its lifetime, a process made possible by its adult migratory stem cells, known as i-cells. Here, we provide an in-depth characterization of the genomic structure and gene content of two Hydractinia species, Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus and Hydractinia echinata, placing them in a comparative evolutionary framework with other cnidarian genomes. We also generated and annotated a single-cell transcriptomic atlas for adult male H. symbiolongicarpus and identified cell-type markers for all major cell types, including key i-cell markers. Orthology analyses based on the markers revealed that Hydractinia's i-cells are highly enriched in genes that are widely shared amongst animals, a striking finding given that Hydractinia has a higher proportion of phylum-specific genes than any of the other 41 animals in our orthology analysis. These results indicate that Hydractinia's stem cells and early progenitor cells may use a toolkit shared with all animals, making it a promising model organism for future exploration of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. The genomic and transcriptomic resources for Hydractinia presented here will enable further studies of their regenerative capacity, colonial morphology, and ability to distinguish self from nonself.

Hemichordate genomes and deuterostome origins.

Acorn worms, also known as enteropneust (literally, 'gut-breathing') hemichordates, are marine invertebrates that share features with echinoderms and chordates. Together, these three phyla comprise the deuterostomes. Here we report the draft genome sequences of two acorn worms, Saccoglossus kowalevskii and Ptychodera flava. By comparing them with diverse bilaterian genomes, we identify shared traits that were probably inherited from the last common deuterostome ancestor, and then explore evolutionary trajectories leading from this ancestor to hemichordates, echinoderms and chordates. The hemichordate genomes exhibit extensive conserved synteny with amphioxus and other bilaterians, and deeply conserved non-coding sequences that are candidates for conserved gene-regulatory elements. Notably, hemichordates possess a deuterostome-specific genomic cluster of four ordered transcription factor genes, the expression of which is associated with the development of pharyngeal 'gill' slits, the foremost morphological innovation of early deuterostomes, and is probably central to their filter-feeding lifestyle. Comparative analysis reveals numerous deuterostome-specific gene novelties, including genes found in deuterostomes and marine microbes, but not other animals. The putative functions of these genes can be linked to physiological, metabolic and developmental specializations of the filter-feeding ancestor.

The development and metamorphosis of the indirect developing acorn worm Schizocardium californicum (Enteropneusta: Spengelidae).

BACKGROUND: Enteropneusts are benthic marine invertebrates that belong to the deuterostome phylum Hemichordata. The two main clades of enteropneusts are defined by differences in early life history strategies. In the Spengelidae and Ptychoderidae, development is indirect via a planktotrophic tornaria larva. In contrast, development in the Harrimanidae is direct without an intervening larval life history stage. Most molecular studies in the development and evolution of the enteropneust adult body plan have been carried out in the harrimanid Saccoglossus kowalevskii. In order to compare these two developmental strategies, we have selected the spengelid enteropneust Schizocardium californicum as a suitable indirect developing species for molecular developmental studies. Here we describe the methods for adult collecting, spawning and larval rearing in Schizocardium californicum, and describe embryogenesis, larval development, and metamorphosis, using light microscopy, immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Adult reproductive individuals can be collected intertidally and almost year-round. Spawning can be triggered by heat shock and large numbers of larvae can be reared through metamorphosis under laboratory conditions. Gastrulation begins at 17 h post-fertilization (hpf) and embryos hatch at 26 hpf as ciliated gastrulae. At 3 days post-fertilization (dpf), the tornaria has a circumoral ciliary band, mouth, tripartite digestive tract, protocoel, larval muscles and a simple serotonergic nervous system. The telotroch develops at 5 dpf. In the course of 60 days, the serotonergic nervous system becomes more elaborate, the posterior coeloms develop, and the length of the circumoral ciliary band increases. At the end of the larval stage, larval muscles disappear, gill slits form, and adult muscles develop. Metamorphosis occurs spontaneously when the larva reaches its maximal size (ca. 3 mm), and involves loss and reorganization of larval structures (muscles, nervous system, digestive tract), as well as development of adult structures (adult muscles, tripartite body organization). CONCLUSIONS: This study will enable future research in S. californicum to address long standing questions related to the evolution of axial patterning mechanisms, germ layer induction, neurogenesis and neural patterning, the mechanisms of metamorphosis, the relationships between larval and adult body plans, and the evolution of metazoan larval forms.

Artisanal Sonoran cheese (Cocido cheese): an exploration of its production process, chemical composition and microbiological quality.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to explore and document the production process of artisanal Cocido cheese and to determine its chemical composition and microbiological quality, considering samples from six dairies and four retailers. RESULTS: Cocido cheese is a semi-hard (506-555 g kg-1 of moisture), medium fat (178.3-219.1 g kg-1 ), pasta filata-type cheese made from raw whole cow's milk. The production process is not standardized and therefore the chemical and microbiological components of the sampled cheeses varied. Indicator microorganisms significantly decreased (P < 0.05) during the processing of Cocido cheese. Salmonella spp. were not found during the production process, and both Listeria monocytogenes and staphylococcal enterotoxin were absent in the final cheeses. CONCLUSION: This study provides more information on one of the most popular artisanal cheeses with high cultural value and economic impact in northwestern Mexico. In view of the foregoing, good manufacturing practices need to be implemented for the manufacture of Cocido cheese. Also, it is of utmost importance to make sure that the heat treatment applied for cooking the curd ensures a phosphatase-negative test, otherwise it would be necessary to pasteurize milk. Nevertheless, since Cocido cheese is a non-ripened, high-moisture product, it is a highly perishable product that could present a health risk if not properly handled. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Assessing Health Literacy in Urban Patients With Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators and Pacemakers.

Functional health literacy (FHL) has become an increasingly prevalent topic of discussion in patient health and well-being. Although FHL has been studied in a variety of populations, it has not been investigated in patients with pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).The purpose of this study was to evaluate FHL in a primarily older, urban-dwelling ICD/pacemaker population. A secondary objective was to compare 2 commonly used instruments for assessing FHL.A convenience sample of 116 patients was recruited from an urban ICD/pacemaker clinic. Participants were asked to complete the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA) followed by the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults to assess reading comprehension and numeracy. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between FHL and patient descriptors.The population was 68 ± 13 years of age, and 62.7% were men. The sample was ethnically diverse: 37.1% white, 39.7% Hispanic, and 22.4% African American; 77.4% of the population reported finishing high school. Of the 109 completing the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults, 60.6% had adequate FHL, 10.1% had marginal FHL, and 29.4% had inadequate FHL. The presence of coexisting chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension was associated with inadequate/marginal FHL (P = .007, P = .004, and P = .02, respectively). Of the 113 completing STOFHLA, 67.3% had adequate FHL, 7.1% had marginal FHL, and 25.7% had inadequate FHL. The presence of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension was also associated with inadequate/marginal FHL as assessed by STOFHLA (P = .009, P = .02, and P = .004, respectively).In this older, urban, ICD/pacemaker population, approximately 40% had inadequate/marginal FHL. These results warrant further investigation of FHL in other cardiovascular populations.

Application of analytic hierarchy process in a waste treatment technology assessment in Mexico.

The high per capita generation of solid waste and the environmental problems in major rural communities of Ensenada, Baja California, have prompted authorities to seek alternatives for waste treatment. In the absence of a selection methodology, three technologies of waste treatment with energy recovery (an anaerobic digester, a downdraft gasifier, and a plasma gasifier) were evaluated, taking the broader social, political, economic, and environmental issues into considerations. Using the scientific literature as a baseline, interviews with experts, decision makers and the community, and waste stream studies were used to construct a hierarchy that was evaluated by the analytic hierarchy process. In terms of the criteria, judgments, and assumptions made in the model, the anaerobic digester was found to have the highest rating and should consequently be selected as the waste treatment technology for this area. The study results showed low sensitivity, so alternative scenarios were not considered. The methodology developed in this study may be useful for other governments who wish to assess technologies to select waste treatment.

Conserved Noncoding Elements Evolve Around the Same Genes Throughout Metazoan Evolution.

Conserved noncoding elements (CNEs) are DNA sequences located outside of protein-coding genes that can remain under purifying selection for up to hundreds of millions of years. Studies in vertebrate genomes have revealed that most CNEs carry out regulatory functions. Notably, many of them are enhancers that control the expression of homeodomain transcription factors and other genes that play crucial roles in embryonic development. To further our knowledge of CNEs in other parts of the animal tree, we conducted a large-scale characterization of CNEs in more than 50 genomes from three of the main branches of the metazoan tree: Cnidaria, Mollusca, and Arthropoda. We identified hundreds of thousands of CNEs and reconstructed the temporal dynamics of their appearance in each lineage, as well as determining their spatial distribution across genomes. We show that CNEs evolve repeatedly around the same genes across the Metazoa, including around homeodomain genes and other transcription factors; they also evolve repeatedly around genes involved in neural development. We also show that transposons are a major source of CNEs, confirming previous observations from vertebrates and suggesting that they have played a major role in wiring developmental gene regulatory mechanisms since the dawn of animal evolution.

Retrospective Analysis of the Ventilatory Workload Kinetic Index during Stability and Crisis in Patients with Asthma and COPD in a Monitored Program.

To assess ventilatory evolution through the Ventilatory Workload Kinetic Index (VWKI) in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during stability and exacerbation. Retrospective analysis. Conducted at the Padre Alberto Hurtado Hospital, Santiago, Chile. Ten patients with asthma and fifty-five with COPD participated. Sixty-five clinical records were reviewed. The VWKI in stability and exacerbation of these patients was extracted. When analyzing the baseline with the peak in both asthma and COPD, there was a significant increase in the VWKI. Similarly, the loads, translations, and supports significantly increased from the baseline to the peak. However, in the loads, there were no changes in airway resistance for asthma or in cough for COPD. Likewise, the supports for asthma and COPD showed no changes in the O2. The VWKI determined ventilatory issues in outpatients and made locating the greatest compromise in loads, translations, or supports possible.

Comparison of distance covered, physiological cost, and perceived exertion in four six-minute walk test protocols.

Objective: There is evidence that indicates that the Walked Distance (WD) in the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) would be sensitive to the type of track and encouragement. The aim of study was compared the impact of track type and verbal encouragement provided in the 6MWT on WD, physiological cost, perceived exertion, and gait efficiency in healthy young adults unfamiliar with the test. Method: WD, heart rate, subjective sensation of dyspnea (SSD), and fatigue (SSF) were measured in four 6MWT protocols: i) 30 m linear track and protocolized encouragement (LT + PE), ii) 30 m linear track and constant encouragement (LT + CE), iii) 81 m elliptical track and protocolized encouragement (ET + PE), and iv) 81 m elliptical track and constant encouragement (ET + CE). In addition, the Gait Efficiency Index (GIE) associated with physiological cost, dyspnea and fatigue was calculated and compared between the different protocols. Results: The WD was significantly higher in the ET + CE protocol. The percentage of the heart rate reserve used (%HRRu) at minute 6 was higher in the ET + CE protocol. The SSD and SSD had difference in startup time between the protocols. The GEI was higher in %HRRu, SSD, and SSF for the ET + CE protocol. Conclusion: The ET + CE protocol showed a significant increase in WD during the 6MWT in healthy young adults. Although it obtained the highest physiological cost, it did not present perceptual differences when entering cardiopulmonary assessment windows relevant to a more efficient test for the participant. It is advisable to discuss, based on the findings, the fundamental objective of the 6MWT and national and international recommendations to achieve a result as close as possible to the real maximal effort.

Seasonal analysis of the generation and composition of solid waste: potential use--a case study.

Ensenada health officials lack pertinent information on the sustainable management of solid waste, as do health officials from other developing countries. The aims of this research are: (a) to quantify and analyze the household solid wastes generated in the city of Ensenada, Mexico, and (b) to project biogas production and estimate generation of electrical energy. The characterization study was conducted by socioeconomic stratification in two seasonal periods, and the biogas and electrical energy projections were performed using the version 2.0 Mexico Biogas Model. Per capita solid waste generation was 0.779 ± 0.019 kg per person per day within a 98 % confidence interval. Waste composition is composed mainly of food scraps at 36.25 %, followed by paper and cardboard at 21.85 %, plastic at 12.30 %, disposable diapers at 6.26 %, and textiles at 6.28 %. The maximum capacity for power generation is projected to be 1.90 MW in 2019. Waste generated could be used as an intermediate in different processes such as recycling (41.04 %) and energy recovery (46.63 %). The electrical energy that could be obtained using the biogas generated at the Ensenada sanitary landfill would provide roughly 60 % of the energy needed for street lighting.

Household hazardous wastes as a potential source of pollution: a generation study.

Certain domestic wastes exhibit characteristics that render them dangerous, such as explosiveness, flammability, spontaneous combustion, reactivity, toxicity and corrosiveness. The lack of information about their generation and composition hinders the creation of special programs for their collection and treatment, making these wastes a potential threat to human health and the environment. We attempted to quantify the levels of hazardous household waste (HHW) generated in Mexicali, Mexico. The analysis considered three socioeconomic strata and eight categories. The sampling was undertaken on a house-by-house basis, and hypothesis testing was based on differences between two proportions for each of the eight categories. In this study, HHW comprised 3.49% of the total generated waste, which exceeded that reported in previous studies in Mexico. The greatest quantity of HHW was generated by the middle stratum; in the upper stratum, most packages were discarded with their contents remaining. Cleaning products represent 45.86% of the HHW generated. Statistical differences were not observed for only two categories among the three social strata. The scarcity of studies on HHW generation limits direct comparisons. Any decrease in waste generation within the middle social stratum will have a large effect on the total amount of waste generated, and decrease their impact on environmental and human health.

The embryology, metamorphosis, and muscle development of Schizocardium karankawa sp. nov. (Enteropneusta) from the Gulf of Mexico.

Schizocardium karankawa sp. nov. has been collected from subtidal muds of the Laguna Madre, Texas, and the Mississippi coast, Gulf of Mexico. The Texas population is reproductive from early February to mid-April. Gametes are liberated by a small incision in a gonad. Oocyte germinal vesicle breakdown is increased in the presence of sperm, and the highest fertilization success was in the artificial seawater Jamarin U. Manually dechorionated embryos develop normally. Development was asynchronous via a tornaria larva, metamorphosis and maintained to the juvenile worm 6 gill-pore stage. Phalloidin-labeled late-stage tornaria revealed retractor muscles that connect the pericardial sac with the apical tuft anteriorly, the oesophagus ventrally, and muscle cells of the early mesocoels. The muscle development of early juvenile worms began with dorso-lateral trunk muscles, lateral trunk bands, and sphincters around the gill pores and anus. Adult worms are characterized by a stomochord that bifurcates anteriorly into paired vermiform processes, gill bars that extend almost the entire dorsal to ventral branchial region resulting in a narrow ventral hypobranchial ridge, and an elaborate epibranchial organ with six zones of discrete cell types. The trunk has up to three rows of liver sacs, and lateral gonads. The acorn worm evo-devo model species Saccoglossus kowalevskii, Ptychodera flava, and Schizocardium californicum are phylogenetically distant with disparate life histories. S. karnakawa from S. californicum are phylogenetically close, and differences between them that become apparent as adult worms include the number of gill pores and hepatic sacs, and elaborations of the heart-kidney-stomochord complex. An important challenge for evolutionary developmental biology is to form links from phylogenetically distant and large-scale differences to phylogenetically close and small-scale differences. This description of the embryology, development, and adult morphology of S. karankawa permits investigations into how acorn worm development evolves at fine scales.

The genome of the colonial hydroid Hydractinia reveals their stem cells utilize a toolkit of evolutionarily shared genes with all animals.

Hydractinia is a colonial marine hydroid that exhibits remarkable biological properties, including the capacity to regenerate its entire body throughout its lifetime, a process made possible by its adult migratory stem cells, known as i-cells. Here, we provide an in-depth characterization of the genomic structure and gene content of two Hydractinia species, H. symbiolongicarpus and H. echinata, placing them in a comparative evolutionary framework with other cnidarian genomes. We also generated and annotated a single-cell transcriptomic atlas for adult male H. symbiolongicarpus and identified cell type markers for all major cell types, including key i-cell markers. Orthology analyses based on the markers revealed that Hydractinia's i-cells are highly enriched in genes that are widely shared amongst animals, a striking finding given that Hydractinia has a higher proportion of phylum-specific genes than any of the other 41 animals in our orthology analysis. These results indicate that Hydractinia's stem cells and early progenitor cells may use a toolkit shared with all animals, making it a promising model organism for future exploration of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. The genomic and transcriptomic resources for Hydractinia presented here will enable further studies of their regenerative capacity, colonial morphology, and ability to distinguish self from non-self.

Functional Classification Spaces according to walking speed in self-sufficient Chilean older adults: A complement to the Periodic Physical Examination.

Introduction: Walking speed is related to functionality in daily activities. Preventive Medicine Examination of the Chilean older adults is a vital prevention program for Chilean community- dwelling older adults. However, this evaluation does not include speed in its battery of tests. Objective: To evaluate the functional classification spaces for threshold, reference, and categorization val-ues of self- selected and maximum walking speed applied to self- sufficient older adults. Methods: Seventy- two self- sufficient older adults participated in this observational, exploratory, and cross- sectional study. Each participant was asked to walk naturally and then at full speed for three minutes. Through a dispersion graph between self- selected walking speed (axis "x") and maximum walking speed (axis "y"), functional classification spaces were constructed according to documented values for i) thresholds of basic functionality, ii) referential for the instrumental spectrum and iii) functional categorization for "household walker" (< 0.4 meters per second, m/s), "limited community ambulator" (0.40 to 0.80 m/s), "community ambulator" (0.81 to 1.3 m/s), and "cross street safely" (> 1.3 m/s). The relative frequency (%) of older adults who meet each established quadrant was determined. Results: The threshold was reached by 100% of the participants (basic daily activities). About 80% of the older adults have a functional classification space below the reference limit (instrumental and advanced daily activities). It was also found that 81% of women and 69% of men are "efficient in the community", and 31% of men and 14% of women reach the minimum value for "effec-tive street crossing" (advanced daily activities). Conclusions: The exploration of functional classification spaces according to self- selected walking speed and maximum walking speed applied to a group of self- sufficient older adults reveals that this pop-ulation is at risk of deteriorating instrumental and advanced activities of daily living.

Introducción: La velocidad de marcha se relaciona con la funcionalidad en actividades cotidianas. El Examen de Medicina Preventiva del Adulto Mayor es un hito relevante en la prevención de adultos mayores chilenos de la comunidad. Sin embargo, no incorpora a la velocidad dentro de su batería de pruebas. Objetivo: Evaluar una propuesta complementaria al Examen de Medicina Preventiva del Adulto Mayor según Espacios de Clasificación Funcional para valores umbrales, referenciales y de categorización de velocidad de marcha confortable y máxima aplicada a personas mayores autovalentes. Métodos: Participaron en este estudio observacional, exploratorio y transversal 72 adultos mayores autovalentes. Se solicitó a cada participante caminar naturalmente y luego a máxima velocidad durante 3 minutos. A través de un gráfico de dispersión entre velocidad de mar-cha confortable (eje “x”) y máxima (eje “y”), se construyeron Espacios de Clasificación Funcional según valores documentados para i) umbrales de funcionalidad básica, ii) referenciales para el espectro instrumental y iii) categorización funcional para actividades “dentro del hogar” (< 0,4 m/s), “limitadas en la comunidad” (0,40 a0,80 m/s), “eficiente en la comunidad” (0,81 a1,3 m/s) y “cruce seguro de calles” (> 1,3 m/s). Se determinó la frecuencia relativa (%) de adultos mayores que cumplen con cada cuadrante establecido. Resultados: El umbral fue sobrepasado por el 100% de los participantes (actividades cotidianas básicas). Cerca del 80% de los participantes presenta un Espacio de Clasificación Funcional bajo el límite de referencia (actividades cotidianas instrumentales y avanzadas). El 81% de las mujeres y el 69% de los hombres, se encuentran dentro del Espacio de Clasificación Funcional “eficiente en la comuni-dad”. El 31% de los hombres y el 14% de las mujeres alcanzan el valor mínimo para el “cruce efectivo de calles” (actividades coti-dianas avanzadas). Conclusiones: La exploración de Espacios de Clasificación Funcional según de velocidad de marcha confortable y máxima aplicada a un grupo de adultos mayores clasificados como autovalentes, resulta en individuos con riesgo para desarrollar actividades instrumentales y avanzadas.

Why Is the Grass the Best Surface to Prevent Lameness? Integrative Analysis of Functional Ranges as a Key for Dairy Cows' Welfare.

Lameness is a painful clinical condition of the bovine locomotor system that results in alterations of movement. Together with mastitis and infertility, lameness is the main welfare, health, and production problem found in intensive dairy farms worldwide. The clinical assessment of lameness results in an imprecise diagnosis and delayed intervention. Hence, the current approach to the problem is palliative rather than preventive. The five main surfaces used in free housing systems in dairy farms are two natural (grass and sand) and three artificial (rubber, asphalt, and concrete). Each surface presents a different risk potential for lameness, with grass carrying the lowest threat. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the flooring type influences on cows' movement capabilities, using all the available information relating to kinematics, kinetics, behavior, and posture in free-housed dairy cows. Inspired by a refurbished movement ecology concept, we conducted a literature review, taking into account kinematics, kinetics, behavior, and posture parameters by reference to the main surfaces used in free housing systems for dairy cows. We built an integrative analysis of functional ranges (IAFuR), which provides a combined welfare status diagram for the optimal (i.e., within the upper and lower limit) functional ranges for movement (i.e., posture, kinematics, and kinetics), navigation (i.e., behavior), and recovery capacities (i.e., metabolic cost). Our analysis confirms grass' outstanding clinical performance, as well as for all of the movement parameters measured. Grass boosts pedal joint homeostasis; provides reliable, safe, and costless locomotion; promotes longer resting times. Sand is the best natural alternative surface, but it presents an elevated metabolic cost. Rubber is an acceptable artificial alternative surface, but it is important to consider the mechanical and design properties. Asphalt and concrete surfaces are the most harmful because of the high traffic abrasiveness and loading impact. Furthermore, IAFuR can be used to consider other qualitative and quantitative parameters and to provide recommendations on material properties and the design of any surface, so as to move towards a more grass-like feel. We also suggest the implementation of a decision-making pathway to facilitate the interpretation of movement data in a more comprehensive way, in order to promote consistent, adaptable, timely, and adequate management decisions.

Paleobiological inferences on middle Eocene native ungulates from South America: Functional morphological analysis of Notostylops and Notopithecus.

Eocene early-diverging representatives of South American extinct notungulates are traditionally considered to have been "generalists" and "non-specialized" in terms of the appendicular skeleton and locomotor behavior, as is the case with the notostylopid Notostylops, a middle Eocene iconic taxon from Patagonia (Argentina). However, they are mainly known from dental remains, and associated cranial and postcranial elements are scarce. The discovery of a nearly complete specimen attributed to N. murinus allows us to: (1) increase the knowledge of the anatomy of its appendicular skeleton; (2) identify isolated bones from several collections and suggest different taxonomic interpretations for published specimens; (3) perform a biomechanical and functional study using functional morphological analysis to infer its paleoecological attributes (e.g. posture, locomotor habit, estimated speed, and body mass); and (4) establish morphofunctional comparisons, based on possible functional ranges, with other extinct early-diverging notoungulates from the middle Eocene, such as the Notopithecid Notopithecus. Our evidence suggests that Notostylops was a medium-sized mammal (8.5-20 kg), which could achieve a dynamic digitigrade posture that allowed a scansorial secondary locomotor habit and a speed of up to 50 km/h. However, Notopithecus was a small-sized mammal (0.6-1.4 kg) with a plantigrade posture both in a static and dynamic context, terrestrial habits, and a speed of up to 35 km/h. Therefore, we conclude that these Eocene notoungulates show different locomotor capabilities, which can be associated with early niche diversifications, clearly contrasting with the "all-generalists" paradigmatic view.

A cellular and molecular analysis of SoxB-driven neurogenesis in a cnidarian.

Neurogenesis is the generation of neurons from stem cells, a process that is regulated by SoxB transcription factors (TFs) in many animals. Although the roles of these TFs are well understood in bilaterians, how their neural function evolved is unclear. Here, we use Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus, a member of the early-branching phylum Cnidaria, to provide insight into this question. Using a combination of mRNA in situ hybridization, transgenesis, gene knockdown, transcriptomics, and in vivo imaging, we provide a comprehensive molecular and cellular analysis of neurogenesis during embryogenesis, homeostasis, and regeneration in this animal. We show that SoxB genes act sequentially at least in some cases. Stem cells expressing Piwi1 and Soxb1, which have broad developmental potential, become neural progenitors that express Soxb2 before differentiating into mature neural cells. Knockdown of SoxB genes resulted in complex defects in embryonic neurogenesis. Hydractinia neural cells differentiate while migrating from the aboral to the oral end of the animal, but it is unclear whether migration per se or exposure to different microenvironments is the main driver of their fate determination. Our data constitute a rich resource for studies aiming at addressing this question, which is at the heart of understanding the origin and development of animal nervous systems.

Transcription factor AP2 controls cnidarian germ cell induction.

Clonal animals do not sequester a germ line during embryogenesis. Instead, they have adult stem cells that contribute to somatic tissues or gametes. How germ fate is induced in these animals, and whether this process is related to bilaterian embryonic germline induction, is unknown. We show that transcription factor AP2 (Tfap2), a regulator of mammalian germ lines, acts to commit adult stem cells, known as i-cells, to the germ cell fate in the clonal cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus Tfap2 mutants lacked germ cells and gonads. Transplanted wild-type cells rescued gonad development but not germ cell induction in Tfap2 mutants. Forced expression of Tfap2 in i-cells converted them to germ cells. Therefore, Tfap2 is a regulator of germ cell commitment across germ line-sequestering and germ line-nonsequestering animals.

Relation among body mass index, waist-hip ratio, and pulmonary functional residual capacity in normal weight versus obese Chilean children: A cross-sectional study. / Relación de los índices de masa corporal y cintura-cadera con la capacidad residual funcional pulmonar en niños chilenos obesos versus normopeso: un estudio transversal.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is associated with a rapid decrease in ventilatory function. The most common way of assessing nutritional status and measuring abdominal fat and hips are the body mass index (BMI) and the waist-hip ratio (WHR). There is scarce evidence suggesting their relation to functional residual capacity (FRC). Our objective was to determine the relation among BMI, WHR, and FRC in obese children in the city of Talca, Chile. POPULATION AND METHODS: Male and female children were recruited (6-12 years). Weight, height, BMI, WHR, and pulmonary function were assessed; the latter with body plethysmography. Depending on data distribution, Student's t test or the Mann-Whitney U test were used for independent samples, while Pearson's or Spearman's r test was used to establish the correlation between WHR and FRC. RESULTS: Children were divided into normal weight (n = 18) and obese (n = 18). A significant reduction in FRC (p = 0.025) was reported in obese children, while a reverse association was observed between WHR and FRC, which was moderate in normal weight children (s = -0.489; p = 0.03) and high in obese children (r = -0.681; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Obese children showed a lower FRC compared to normal weight children, which, in turn, was associated with WHR. These results are indicative of the systemic effects caused by obesity on children's ventilatory function and the need to use body fat distribution indicators at an early age.

Introducción. La obesidad está asociada a un descenso acelerado de la función ventilatoria. Las formas más frecuentes de evaluar el estado nutricional y medir la grasa abdominal y las caderas son el índice de masa corporal (IMC) y el índice cintura-cadera (ICC). Existe escasa evidencia que sugiera su relación con la capacidad residual funcional (CRF). Nuestro objetivo fue determinar la relación entre el IMC, el ICC y la CRF en niños obesos de la ciudad de Talca, Chile. Población y métodos. Se reclutaron niños de ambos sexos (6-12 años). Se evaluaron peso, talla, IMC, ICC y función pulmonar a través de pletismografía corporal. Dependiendo de la distribución de los datos, se utilizó la prueba t de Student o U de Mann-Whitney para muestras independientes y, la prueba r de Pearson o Spearman para establecer la correlación entre ICC y CRF. Resultados. Los niños se dividieron en normopeso (n= 18) y obesos (n= 18). Se reportó una disminución significativa de la CRF (p= 0,025) en niños obesos y una relación inversa entre ICC y CRF, la cual fue moderada en niños normopeso (s= -0,489; p= 0,03) y alta en obesos (r= -0,681; p= 0,001). Conclusiones. Los niños obesos mostraron una menor CRF respecto de los normopeso, que, a su vez, se relacionó con el ICC. Estos resultados indican efectos sistémicos que produce la obesidad en la función ventilatoria en niños y la necesidad de incorporar indicadores de distribución de grasa corporal a temprana edad.

Placenta, Pericarp, and Seeds of Tabasco Chili Pepper Fruits Show a Contrasting Diversity of Bioactive Metabolites.

Chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) is one of the most important horticultural crops worldwide, and its unique organoleptic properties and health benefits have been established for centuries. However, there is little knowledge about how metabolites are distributed throughout fruit parts. This work focuses on the use of liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-HRMS) to estimate the global metabolite profiles of the pericarp, placenta, and seeds of Tabasco pepper fruits (Capsicum frutescens L.) at the red mature stage of ripening. Our main results putatively identified 60 differential compounds between these tissues and seeds. Firstly, we found that pericarp has a higher content of glycosides, showing on average a fold change of 5 and a fold change of 14 for terpenoids when compared with other parts of the fruit. While placenta was the richest tissue in capsaicinoid-related compounds, alkaloids, and tocopherols, with a 35, 3, and 7 fold change, respectively. However, the seeds were richer in fatty acids and saponins with fold changes of 86 and 224, respectively. Therefore, our study demonstrates that a non-targeted metabolomic approach may help to improve our understanding of unexplored areas of plant metabolism and also may be the starting point for a detailed analysis in complex plant parts, such as fruits.