Expression and localization of tubulin isotypes and its mRNAs during Thecaphora frezii developments.

Thecaphora frezii is a phytopathogenic fungus that infects Arachys hypogaea L. and produces peanut smut. It has three ontological stages teliospores, basidiospores, and hyphae. Microtubules are cellular structures that participate in various important cellular processes. In this work, we analyzed the presence and location of α-tubulin isotypes and enzymes that participate in tyrosination-detyrosination in the three stages of T. frezii. Although both tyrosinated and detyrosinated tubulin seem to be associated with a membrane fraction component that gives it a similar behavior to integral proteins, in the soluble cytosolic fraction, only detyrosinated tubulin was detected, not tyrosinated tubulin. The presence of α-tubulin was not detected using the monoclonal antibody DM1A as neither acetylated tubulin. The RNA-Seq analysis showed the presence of α, ß, and γ-tubulins and the genes that codes for tyrosine-tubulin ligase and cytosolic carboxypeptidase 1, enzymes that are involved in post-translational modification processes. These sequences showed a high percentage of identity and homology with Ustilago maydis, Thecaphora thlaspeos, and Anthracocystis flocculosa. This is the first report for tubulins subpopulations and the cellular distribution in T. frezii, which together with the data obtained by RNA-Seq contribute to the knowledge of the pathogen, which will allow the development of control strategies.

Expansion of the agricultural frontier in the largest South American Dry Forest: Identifying priority conservation areas for snakes before everything is lost.

Conservation planning relies on integrating existing knowledge, social-environmental contexts, and potential threats to identify gaps and opportunities for action. Here we present a case study on how priority areas for conservation can be determined using existing information on biodiversity occurrence and threats. Specifically, our goals are: (1) to model the ecological niche of twelve endemic snake species in the Dry Chaco Forest, (2) to quantify the impact of the deforestation rates on their distributions, (3) to propose high priority areas for conservation in order to improve the actual protected area system, and (4) to evaluate the influence of the human footprint on the optimization of selected priority areas. Our results demonstrate that Argentinian Dry Chaco represent, on average, ~74% of the distribution of endemic snake species and deforestation has reduced suitable areas of all snake species in the region. Further, the current protected areas are likely insufficient to conserve these species as only very low percentages (3.27%) of snakes' ranges occur within existing protected areas. Our models identified high priority areas in the north of the Chaco forest where continuous, well-conserved forest still exists. These high priority areas include transition zones within the foothill forest and areas that could connect patches of forest between the western and eastern Chaco forest. Our findings identify spatial priorities that minimize conflicts with human activities, a key issue for this biodiversity hotspot area. We argue that consultation with stakeholders and decision-makers are urgently needed in order to take concrete actions to protect the habitat, or we risk losing the best conservation opportunities to protect endemic snakes that inhabit the Argentinian Dry Chaco.

But they move! Vicariance and dispersal in southern South America: Using two methods to reconstruct the biogeography of a clade of lizards endemic to South America.

This study aims to identify events that modeled the historical biogeography of Phymaturus, using three methodologies: Spatial Analysis of Vicariance (VIP), Statistical Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis (S-DIVA), and Bayesian Binary Method MCMC (BBM). In order to assign areas for the Dispersal-Vicariance and the BBM analyses, we preferred not to use predefined areas, but to identify areas defined via an endemism analysis of Phymaturus species. The analyses were conducted using the same basic topology, which we obtained by constructing a metatree with two recent phylogenies, both morphology and molecular-based. This topology was also used to obtain time divergence estimates in BEAST, using more outgroups than for the metatree in order to get more accurate estimates. The S-DIVA analysis based on the metatree found 25 vicariance events, 20 dispersals and two extinctions; the S-DIVA analysis based on the BEAST tree yielded 30 vicariance events, 42 dispersal events and five extinctions, and the BBM analysis yielded 63 dispersal events, 28 vicariance events and 1 extinction event. According to the metatree analysis, the ancestral area for Phymaturus covers northern Payunia and southern Central Monte. A vicariant event fragmented the ancestral distribution of the genus, resulting in northern Payunia and southern Central Monte as ancestral area for the P. palluma group, and southern Payunia for the P. patagonicus group. The analysis based on the BEAST tree showed a more complex reconstruction, with several dispersal and extinction events in the ancestral node. The Spatial Analysis of Vicariance identified 41 disjunct sister nodes and removed 10 nodes. The barrier that separates the P. palluma group from the P. patagonicus group is roughly congruent with the southern limit of the P. palluma group. The ancestral range for the genus occupies a central position relative to the distribution of the group, which implies that the species must have migrated to the north (P. palluma group) and to the south (P. patagonicus group). To answer questions related to the specific timing of the events, a molecular clock for Phymaturus was obtained, using a Liolaemus fossil for calibration. The present contribution provides a hypothetical framework for the events that modeled the distribution of Phymaturus.

¿Qué información preoperatoria desean los padres de niños que serán operados? / What preoperative information do the parents of children undergoing surgery want?

Introducción: Los padres sienten miedo y ansiedad antes de la cirugía de un hijo(a), lo que dificulta su preparación para la cirugía. Estos sentimientos podrían ser aliviados con adecuada información preoperatoria. Objetivo: Determinar las necesidades de información preoperatoria de los padres de niños que serán operados electivamente. Pacientes y método: Se encuestó a padres de pacientes pediátricos sometidos a cirugía electiva. Se registraron variables demográficas de los padres. Se evaluó la información preoperatoria que recibieron o desearían haber recibido en cuanto a contenidos, medios, oportunidad, lugar e informante. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva. Resultados: Ciento trece padres fueron encuestados, y más del 80% de ellos desea recibir información preoperatoria sobre la anestesia, la cirugía, el ayuno previo, los medicamentos y las complicaciones anestésicas, la monitorización, el manejo de la vía venosa, el manejo del dolor, la alimentación postoperatoria, el control de ansiedad, la sala de hospitalización y la de recuperación, y la entretención en recuperación. La mayoría desea ser informado verbalmente, 1 a 2 semanas antes y no el día de la cirugía; que el informante sea el cirujano en su consulta. Además, desean información a través de folletos, vídeos o talleres de simulación. Conclusiones: Los padres necesitan información preoperatoria completa de la anestesia, la cirugía y los cuidados postoperatorios, entregada verbalmente y en forma anticipada.

Introduction: Parents feel fear and anxiety before surgery is performed on their child, and those feelings could obstruct their preparation for the surgery. Preoperative information could relieve those feelings. Objective: To determine the preoperative information needs of parents of children undergoing elective surgery. Patients and method: A study was conducted on the parents of children who underwent elective surgery. Demographic data of parents were recorded. Preoperative information received or would like to have received was assessed in terms of contents, methods, opportunity, place and informant. Descriptive statistics were used. Results: Thirteen hundred parents were surveyed. More than 80% of them want preoperative information about anaesthesia, surgery, preoperative fasting, drugs and anaesthetic complications, monitoring, intravenous line management, pain treatment, postoperative feeding, anxiety control, hospitalisation room, recovery room, and entertainment in recovery room. Most want to be informed verbally, one to two weeks in advance and not on the same day of surgery. The informant should be the surgeon and in his office. In addition, they want information through leaflets, videos and simulation workshops, or guided tours. Conclusions: Parents need complete preoperative information about anesthesia, surgery and postoperative care, received verbally and in advance.

[What preoperative information do the parents of children undergoing surgery want?]. / Qué información preoperatoria desean los padres de niños que serán operados?

INTRODUCTION: Parents feel fear and anxiety before surgery is performed on their child, and those feelings could obstruct their preparation for the surgery. Preoperative information could relieve those feelings. OBJECTIVE: To determine the preoperative information needs of parents of children undergoing elective surgery. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A study was conducted on the parents of children who underwent elective surgery. Demographic data of parents were recorded. Preoperative information received or would like to have received was assessed in terms of contents, methods, opportunity, place and informant. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: Thirteen hundred parents were surveyed. More than 80% of them want preoperative information about anaesthesia, surgery, preoperative fasting, drugs and anaesthetic complications, monitoring, intravenous line management, pain treatment, postoperative feeding, anxiety control, hospitalisation room, recovery room, and entertainment in recovery room. Most want to be informed verbally, one to two weeks in advance and not on the same day of surgery. The informant should be the surgeon and in his office. In addition, they want information through leaflets, videos and simulation workshops, or guided tours. CONCLUSIONS: Parents need complete preoperative information about anesthesia, surgery and postoperative care, received verbally and in advance.

Simultaneous parameters identifiability and estimation of an E. coli metabolic network model.

This work proposes a procedure for simultaneous parameters identifiability and estimation in metabolic networks in order to overcome difficulties associated with lack of experimental data and large number of parameters, a common scenario in the modeling of such systems. As case study, the complex real problem of parameters identifiability of the Escherichia coli K-12 W3110 dynamic model was investigated, composed by 18 differential ordinary equations and 35 kinetic rates, containing 125 parameters. With the procedure, model fit was improved for most of the measured metabolites, achieving 58 parameters estimated, including 5 unknown initial conditions. The results indicate that simultaneous parameters identifiability and estimation approach in metabolic networks is appealing, since model fit to the most of measured metabolites was possible even when important measures of intracellular metabolites and good initial estimates of parameters are not available.

In Vitro Propagation of Muña-Muña (Clinopodium odorum (Griseb.) Harley).

A micropropagation protocol was developed which may assist in the safeguarding and augmentation of dwindling natural populations of Clinopodium odorum (Griseb.) Harley, a critically and endangered medicinal plant. Factors affecting culture initiation bud sprouting and growth, rooting, and acclimatization were studied, using nodal segments of in vitro germinated seedling as primary explants on six media supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0.5-1.5 and 2-Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) (0.5-1.5). Best results for culture initiation with sustainable multiplication rates (100%) were obtained on WP medium without any growth regulator. WP with the addition of 0.5 : 1 or 0.5 : 1.5) of BAP and NAA promoted a higher elongation; however, the optimum number of nodes were obtained in plantlets grown on 1/2 MS with the addition of 1 : 1.5 of BAP and NAA. Culture of sectioned individual nodes transferred to the media with different rates of BAP and NAA 1/2 MS-9 (1.5 : 1.5), SH-8 (1.5 : 1.0), and 1/2 B5-4 (1.0 : 0.5) media resulted in no proliferated shoots. The in vitro plants were successfully acclimatized garden soil and sand (2 : 1) in the greenhouse, with over 90% survival rate. The in vitro-grown plants could be transferred to ex vitro conditions and the efficacy in supporting ex vitro growth was assessed, with a view to develope longer-term strategies for the transfer and reintroduction into natural habitats.