IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α gene polymorphisms in preeclampsia: a case-control study in a Mexican population.

OBJECTIVES: We focused our study on examining the genotype and allele frequency of IL-6 (rs1800795), TNF-α (rs1800629) and IL-10 (rs1800872) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) on preeclampsia (PE) diagnosed Mexican pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A case-control study was designed including 86 preeclampsia patients and 100 normotensives pregnancies from Women's Hospital of Culiacan, Mexico. Genotyping of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 was performed using TaqMan SNP Genotyping. RESULTS: Not significant association was found between development of PE and genotypic (p > 0.05) and allelic (p > 0.05) frequencies of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 SNPs. Genotype distributions of IL-6 (p = 0.599), TNF-α (p = 0.721) and IL-10 (p = 0.761) polymorphisms in the two groups were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. CONCLUSIONS: According to the findings, the IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 SNPs are not exponents of susceptibility to developing PE.

Population structure and genetic connectivity of the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) across nursery grounds from the Eastern Tropical Pacific: Implications for management and conservation.

Defining demographically independent units and understanding patterns of gene flow between them is essential for managing and conserving exploited populations. The critically endangered scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini, is a coastal semi-oceanic species found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters. Pregnant females give birth in shallow coastal estuarine habitats that serve as nursery grounds for neonates and small juveniles, whereas adults move offshore and become highly migratory. We evaluated the population structure and connectivity of S. lewini in coastal areas and one oceanic island (Cocos Island) across the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) using both sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region (mtCR) and 9 nuclear-encoded microsatellite loci. The mtCR defined two genetically discrete groups: one in the Mexican Pacific and another one in the central-southern Eastern Tropical Pacific (Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia). Overall, the mtCR data showed low levels of haplotype diversity ranging from 0.000 to 0.608, while nucleotide diversity ranged from 0.000 to 0.0015. More fine-grade population structure was detected using microsatellite loci where Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panama differed significantly. Relatedness analysis revealed that individuals within nursery areas were more closely related than expected by chance, suggesting that S. lewini may exhibit reproductive philopatric behaviour within the ETP. Findings of at least two different management units, and evidence of philopatric behaviour call for intensive conservation actions for this highly threatened species in the ETP.

Características de la Anidación de Lepidochelys olivacea (Testudinata: Cheloniidae) entre el 2010 y 2012 en Playa Tortuga Ojochal de Osa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica / Features Lepidochelys olivacea Nesting (Testudinata: Cheloniidae) between 2010 and 2012 in Playa Tortuga Ojochal, Osa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Resumen En las playas de arribada de Costa Rica el comportamiento de anidación y otros aspectos de la biología de Lepidochelys olivacea han sido ampliamente estudiados, pero existe poca información acerca de las playas de anidación solitaria en especial del Pacífico Sur. Por este motivo el objetivo del presente estudio es describir los aspectos relevantes del comportamiento de la anidación de L. olivacea en Playa Tortuga, Pacífico Sur de Costa Rica, durante tres temporadas de anidación (2010, 2011, 2012). Se dividió la playa en 14 sectores de 100m cada uno, a partir de esto se realizaron patrullajes todas noches durante los meses de julio a diciembre (2010) y de julio a enero (2011, 2012), con el fin de registrar el comportamiento de anidación de las tortugas y proteger sus nidadas. Las hembras observadas fueron identificadas mediante la aplicación de marcas metálicas en sus aletas posteriores, se registró el número de huevos, el sector de ubicación de las nidadas, la hora, datos biométricos ancho y largo curvo del caparazón (ACC-LCC), también se contabilizaron todas las nidadas efectivas (con o sin tortuga). Se logró marcar 100 hembras de L. olivacea, y se contabilizaron un total de 233 nidadas en Playa Tortuga. Se determinó una frecuencia de anidación de dos veces por temporada con un intervalo de reanidación de 14 a 20 días y para cuatro individuos se registró un período de remigración de un año. Se estimó para las tres temporadas una población total de 117 hembras y se determinó el período de agosto a setiembre como el pico de anidación. Con respecto a la biometría, se obtuvo un valor de LCC promedio de 69.91±1.05cm y un valor de ACC promedio de 70.476+/-1.767cm. Un total de 18 711 huevos fueron colectados y 9 858 neonatos fueron reclutados. Se ha comprobado a partir de las tres temporadas de monitoreo que Playa Tortuga debe de ser considerada como una playa de anidación de L. olivacea, a pesar de que que su población actual de hembras anidantes es reducida en comparación a otras playas del Pacífico Sur. El marcaje es una herramienta útil para la caracterización de la frecuencia e intervalo de reanidación.

Abstract Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) have been amply studied on Costa Rican beaches that experience mass nestings, "arribadas", both in their nesting behavior and other aspects of their biology; however, very little published information exists about beaches where the Olive Ridley is nesting in solitary form, especially along the Southern Pacific Coast. For this reason, the objective of this study is to describe relevant nesting aspects, such as number of nest per season and nesting sites of L. olivacea on the Tortuga Beach in the South Pacific of Costa Rica, during three nesting seasons (2010, 2011, 2012). The beach was divided into 14 sectors of 100m each. Beach patrols were conducted every night from July to December (2010) and July to January (2011, 2012), with the purpose of observing and recording nesting behavior in the turtles as well as to protect their nests. The females observed were identified by means of metal tags applied to their rear flippers. Other data collected included: number of eggs deposited, nest location, hour, biometric data (width and length taken along the curve of the carapace), and the total of nests laid (found with or without the turtle present). After three seasons, 100 females of Olive Ridley Sea Turtle were successfully marked, and a total of 233 nests were counted. The frequency of re-nesting of an individual during a season was of every 14 to 20 days and four individuals re immigrated to nest again over the period of one year. The total population of nesting females during these three years was estimated at 117. The peak nesting happens in September, more sea turtles visited the beach during this period in all the seasons reported. With respect to biometry, the average value of the LCC was 69.91±1.05cm and the average value of the WCC was 70.476+/-1.767cm. A total of 18 711 eggs were collected and 9 858 were successfully hatched. The Tortuga Beach was proven to be a nesting beach of the species L. olivacea; the population of nesting females on the beach can be considered significantly reduced in comparison with other nesting beaches of the same species along the Southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Furthermore, marking the turtles with metal tags has proven a useful tool towards the characterization of the nesting aspects of the sea turtles, such as the frequency and interval of re-nesting, and other variables such as the re immigration which requires a period of time greater than the time period of the study to date. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (Suppl. 1): 339-349. Epub 2015 April 01.

Aggressive mimicry coexists with mutualism in an aphid.

Understanding the evolutionary transition from interspecific exploitation to cooperation is a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Ant-aphid relationships represent an ideal system to this end because they encompass a coevolutionary continuum of interactions ranging from mutualism to antagonism. In this study, we report an unprecedented interaction along this continuum: aggressive mimicry in aphids. We show that two morphs clonally produced by the aphid Paracletus cimiciformis during its root-dwelling phase establish relationships with ants at opposite sides of the mutualism-antagonism continuum. Although one of these morphs exhibits the conventional trophobiotic (mutualistic) relationship with ants of the genus Tetramorium, aphids of the alternative morph are transported by the ants to their brood chamber and cared for as if they were true ant larvae. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses reveal that the innate cuticular hydrocarbon profile of the mimic morph resembles the profile of ant larvae more than that of the alternative, genetically identical nonmimic morph. Furthermore, we show that, once in the brood chamber, mimic aphids suck on ant larva hemolymph. These results not only add aphids to the limited list of arthropods known to biosynthesize the cuticular chemicals of their deceived hosts to exploit their resources but describe a remarkable case of plastic aggressive mimicry. The present work adds a previously unidentified dimension to the classical textbook paradigm of aphid-ant relationships by showcasing a complex system at the evolutionary interface between cooperation and exploitation.