The Andes as a semi-permeable geographical barrier: Genetic connectivity between structured populations in a widespread spider.

Geographical barriers like mountain ranges impede genetic exchange among populations, promoting diversification. The effectiveness of these barriers in limiting gene flow varies between lineages due to each species' dispersal modes and capacities. Our understanding of how the Andes orogeny contributes to species diversification comes from well-studied vertebrates and a few arthropods and plants, neglecting organisms unable to fly or walk long distances. Some arachnids, such as Gasteracantha cancriformis, have been hypothesized to disperse long distances via ballooning (i.e. using their silk to interact with the wind). Yet, we do not know how the environment and geography shape its genetic diversity. Therefore, we tested whether the Andes contributed to the diversification of G. cancriformis acting as an absolute or semi-permeable barrier to genetic connectivity between populations of this spider at opposite sides of the mountain range. We sampled thousands of loci across the distribution of the species and implemented population genetics, phylogenetic, and landscape genetic analyses. We identified two genetically distinct groups structured by the Central Andes, and a third less structured group in the Northern Andes that shares ancestry with the previous two. This structure is largely explained by the altitude along the Andes, which decreases in some regions, possibly facilitating cross-Andean dispersal and gene flow. Our findings support that altitude in the Andes plays a major role in structuring populations in South America, but the strength of this barrier can be overcome by organisms with long-distance dispersal modes together with altitudinal depressions.

Las barreras geográficas como las cordilleras montañosas impiden el intercambio genético entre poblaciones, promoviendo la diversificación. La efectividad de estas barreras para limitar el flujo genético varía entre linajes debido a los modos y capacidades de dispersión de cada especie. Nuestra comprensión de cómo la orogenia de los Andes contribuye a la diversificación de especies proviene de vertebrados y algunos artrópodos y plantas bien estudiados, descuidando a los organismos incapaces de volar o caminar grandes distancias. Se ha hipotetizado que algunas arañas, como Gasteracantha cancriformis, se dispersan a grandes distancias mediante la técnica de "ballooning" (es decir, utilizando su seda para interactuar con el viento). Sin embargo, no sabemos cómo el entorno y la geografía han dado forma a su diversidad genética. Por lo tanto, probamos si los Andes contribuyeron a la diversificación de G. cancriformis actuando como una barrera absoluta o permeable para la conectividad genética entre poblaciones de esta araña en lados opuestos de la cordillera. Muestreamos miles de loci a través de la distribución de la especie e implementamos análisis de genética de poblaciones, filogenéticos y de genética del paisaje. Identificamos dos grupos genéticamente distintos estructurados por los Andes Centrales, y un tercer grupo menos estructurado en los Andes del Norte que comparte ascendencia con los dos anteriores. Esta estructura se explica en gran medida por la altitud a lo largo de los Andes, que disminuye en algunas regiones, posiblemente facilitando la dispersión y el flujo genético a través de los Andes. Nuestros hallazgos apoyan que la altitud en los Andes juega un papel importante en la estructuración de las poblaciones en América del Sur, pero la fuerza de esta barrera puede ser superada por organismos con modos de dispersión a larga distancia junto con depresiones altitudinales.

Female researchers are under-represented in the Colombian science infrastructure.

Worldwide women have increased their participation in STEM, but we are still far from reaching gender parity. Although progress can be seen at the bachelor's and master's level, career advancement of women in research still faces substantial challenges leading to a 'leaky pipeline' phenomenon (i.e., the continuous decrease of women's participation at advanced career stages). Latin America exhibits encouraging rates of women participation in research, but the panorama varies across countries and stages in the academic ladder. This study focuses on women's participation in research in natural sciences in Colombia and investigates career progression, leadership roles, and funding rates by analyzing data on scholarships, grants, rankings, and academic positions. Overall, we found persistent gender imbalances throughout the research ecosystem that were significant using classical statistical analyses. First, although women constitute >50% graduates from bachelors in natural sciences, <40% of researchers in this field are female. Second, women win <30% of research grants, and in turn, their scientific productivity is 2X lower than that of men. Third, because of the less research funding and output women have, their promotion to senior positions in academic and research rankings is slower. In consequence, only ~25% of senior researchers and full professors are women. Fourth, the proportion of women leading research groups and mentoring young scientist in Colombia is <30%. Our study deepens our understanding of gender gaps in STEM research in Colombia, and provides information to design initiatives that effectively target gender disparities by focusing on key areas of intervention, and then gradually building up, rather than tackling structural inequities all at once.

Disentangling and quantifying the relative cognitive impact of concurrent mixed neurodegenerative pathologies.

Neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer disease neuropathologic change (ADNC), Lewy body disease (LBD), limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic change (LATE-NC), and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) frequently coexist, but little is known about the exact contribution of each pathology to cognitive decline and dementia in subjects with mixed pathologies. We explored the relative cognitive impact of concurrent common and rare neurodegenerative pathologies employing multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, and level of education. We analyzed a cohort of 6,262 subjects from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center database, ranging from 0 to 6 comorbid neuropathologic findings per individual, where 95.7% of individuals had at least 1 neurodegenerative finding at autopsy and 75.5% had at least 2 neurodegenerative findings. We identified which neuropathologic entities correlate most frequently with one another and demonstrated that the total number of pathologies per individual was directly correlated with cognitive performance as assessed by Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR®) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We show that ADNC, LBD, LATE-NC, CVD, hippocampal sclerosis, Pick disease, and FTLD-TDP significantly impact overall cognition as independent variables. More specifically, ADNC significantly affected all assessed cognitive domains, LBD affected attention, processing speed, and language, LATE-NC primarily affected tests related to logical memory and language, while CVD and other less common pathologies (including Pick disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration) had more variable neurocognitive effects. Additionally, ADNC, LBD, and higher numbers of comorbid neuropathologies were associated with the presence of at least one APOE ε4 allele, and ADNC and higher numbers of neuropathologies were inversely correlated with APOE ε2 alleles. Understanding the mechanisms by which individual and concomitant neuropathologies affect cognition and the degree to which each contributes is an imperative step in the development of biomarkers and disease-modifying therapeutics, particularly as these medical interventions become more targeted and personalized.

Adaptive introgression of a visual preference gene.

Visual preferences are important drivers of mate choice and sexual selection, but little is known of how they evolve at the genetic level. In this study, we took advantage of the diversity of bright warning patterns displayed by Heliconius butterflies, which are also used during mate choice. Combining behavioral, population genomic, and expression analyses, we show that two Heliconius species have evolved the same preferences for red patterns by exchanging genetic material through hybridization. Neural expression of regucalcin1 correlates with visual preference across populations, and disruption of regucalcin1 with CRISPR-Cas9 impairs courtship toward conspecific females, providing a direct link between gene and behavior. Our results support a role for hybridization during behavioral evolution and show how visually guided behaviors contributing to adaptation and speciation are encoded within the genome.

Divergent warning patterns influence male and female mating behaviours in a tropical butterfly.

Traits under divergent ecological selection that also function during mating can be important in maintaining species boundaries. Few studies have considered mutual mate choice, where both males and females base mating decisions on the same trait. Wing colouration in Heliconius butterflies evolved as a warning signal but also functions as a mating cue. We investigated the contribution of visual preference to assortative mating in an aposematic butterfly Heliconius cydno in the context of reproductive isolation with its sympatric, visually distinct relative Heliconius melpomene. Heliconius cydno have conspicuous white bands on their forewings, whereas those of H. melpomene are red in colour. We predicted that both sexes of H. cydno contributed to assortative mating by exhibiting visual preference towards conspecific wing colouration. We analysed published and new data from preference experiments, in which males were presented with conspecific and H. melpomene females. We also recorded female responses and mating outcomes in choice experiments, involving conspecific males with either the original white or artificially painted red forewing bands. Both sexes of H. cydno responded more positively towards the conspecific colouration, and males strongly preferred females of its own colours. In contrast, male colouration did not predict mating outcomes in female choice experiments. As courtships are initiated by males in butterflies, our findings suggest that female visual preference might be of secondary importance in H. cydno. Our data also suggest that the contribution of visual preference to reproductive isolation might be unequal between H. cydno and its sympatric relative H. melpomene.

Barriers and facilitators to access sexual and reproductive health services among young migrants in Tarapacá, Chile: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Chile has become a destination country for immigrants from Latin America, including youth. Guaranteeing access and use of sexual and reproductive health services for young migrants is crucial because of their overlapping experiences of transitioning to a new country and to adulthood. However, the existing evidence shows barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare among young migrant populations. In this context, the main objective of this article is to identify the barriers and facilitators that young migrants experience to access sexual and reproductive healthcare in the Tarapacá region of Chile. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in the Tarapacá region of Chile. Semi-structured interviews with 25 young migrants from Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador, as well as 10 health workers, were carried out. The interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Universidad del Desarrollo (#2019-22). RESULTS: Young migrants face barriers linked to structural shortcomings within the healthcare system, which may be similar to those faced by the local population. Barriers are also derived from reductionist sexual and reproductive health approaches, which prioritise the prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV, with a predominantly heteronormative focus. The prevailing narratives from the health system are those of risk and lack of control and self-care among young people, and they are exacerbated in the case of migrants. Young migrants, especially from the Caribbean, are stereotyped as over-sexualised and liberal in comparison to the local population and believed to be engaging in riskier sexual behaviours that should be kept under check. This may translate into experiences of discrimination and mistreatment when receiving care. Facilitators include good-quality information and community-level interventions. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a limited approach to the sexual and reproductive health of young migrants in Chile, severely hampering their reproductive and sexual rights. Policies and initiatives must work towards removing structural barriers, changing narratives, and empowering young migrants regarding their sexual and reproductive health.

Parallel shifts in flight-height associated with altitude across incipient Heliconius species.

Vertical gradients in microclimate, resource availability, and interspecific interactions are thought to underly stratification patterns in tropical insect communities. However, only a few studies have explored the adaptive significance of vertical space use during the early stages of reproductive isolation. We analysed flight-height variation across speciation events in Heliconius butterflies, representing parallel colonizations of high-altitude forest. We measured flight-height in wild H. erato venus and H. chestertonii, parapatric lowland and mountain specialists, respectively, and found that H. chestertonii consistently flies at a lower height. By comparing our data to previously published results for the ecologically equivalent H. e. cyrbia (lowland) and H. himera (high altitude), we found that the species flying closest to the ground are those that recently colonized high-altitude forests. We show that these repeated trends largely result from shared patterns of ecological selection producing parallel trait-shifts in H. himera and H. chestertonii. Although our results imply a signature of local adaptation, we did not find an association between resource distribution and flight-height in H. e. venus and H. chestertonii. We discuss how this pattern may be explained by variations in forest structure and microclimate. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of behavioural adjustments during early divergence mediated by altitude-shifts.

Recombinant p40 Protein Promotes Expression of Occludin in HaCaT Keratinocytes: A Brief Communication.

The ability of epithelial barriers to perform as the first defense line against external damage derives from tight junctions, protein complexes that block microorganisms through the paracellular space. Indeed, disturbances of barrier permeability caused by bacterial metabolites and other inflammatory stimuli are the consequence of changes in protein expression in these complexes. Postbiotics, molecules derived from bacteria with beneficial effects on the host, improve barrier function through the activation of survival pathways in epithelial cells. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG secretes the muramidase p40, which protects intestinal barriers through an EGFR-dependent pathway. In this work, we cloned, expressed, and purified the recombinant p40 protein from L. rhamnosus GR-1 to evaluate its effect on cell viability, cell cytotoxicity, TEER, and protein levels of tight junctions, as well as EGFR activation via Western blot on HaCaT keratinocytes subjected to LPS. We found a novel mutation at residue 368 that does not change the structure of p40. Our protein also reduces the LPS-induced increase in cell cytotoxicity when it is added prior to this stimulus. Furthermore, although LPS did not cause changes in barrier function, p40 increased TEER and occludin expression in HaCaT, but unlike previous work with p40 from LGG, we found that recombinant p40 did not activate EGFR. This suggests that recombinant p40 enhances epithelial barrier function through distinct signaling pathways.

Caracterización sociodemográfica y alimentaria de personas vegetarianas chilenas en el año 2022

Actualmente, en Chile se ha evidenciado un aumento de la población vegetariana, sin embargo, existen escasos datos sociodemográficos, por lo cual, el objetivo del presente estudio es caracterizar, según antecedentes sociodemográficos y alimentarios a personas vegetarianas chilenas en el año 2022. Se utilizó el paradigma cuantitativo y el diseño metodológico fue no experimental, descriptivo, exploratorio de corte transversal. Se aplicó una encuesta de caracterización mediante Google Forms a 504 personas y para el análisis de la información se utilizó el programa SPSS v. 24. El 85,7% declaró ser de género femenino, la edad promedio fue 26,3 ± 5,7 años, 45,5% de los encuestados se declararon ovolactovegetarianos, seguido por vegetarianos estrictos (38,7%) y la principal motivación fue principios animalistas (68,7%). El 87,8% cursó educación superior y el 36,5% correspondió al área de salud. El principal motivo de asistencia al nutricionista fue el asesoramiento con un 80%. Se destacó que la población vegetariana consideró que es fundamental la asistencia a un profesional nutricionista para practicar este estilo de vida de forma óptima, por lo que es fundamental que los profesionales de salud se involucren en conocer a esta población, con el objetivo de otorgar una atención más cercana e integral. Finalmente, la presente investigación corresponde al primer estudio que permite caracterizar a la población vegetariana en Chile.

Currently, in Chile there has been an increase in the vegetarian population; however, there are few sociodemographic data, therefore, the objective of this study is to characterise, according to sociodemographic and dietary background, Chilean vegetarians in the year 2022. The quantitative paradigm was used and the methodological design was non-experimental, descriptive, exploratory cross-section. A characterisation survey was applied using Google Forms to 504 people and SPSS v. 24. 85.7% declared to be female, the average age was 26.3 ± 5.7 years, 45.5% of those surveyed declared themselves lacto-ovo vegetarians, followed by strict vegetarians (38.7%) and the main motivation was animalistic principles (68.7%). 87.8% attended higher education and 36.5% corresponded to the health area. The main reason for helping the nutritionist was the advice with 80%. It was highlighted that the vegetarian population considered that it is essential to assist a professional nutritionist in practising this lifestyle optimally, so it is essential that health professionals get involved in getting to know this population, with the aim of providing closer and more comprehensive care. Finally, this research corresponds to the first study that allows characterising the vegetarian population in Chile.

Cognitive symptoms progress with limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy stage and co-occurrence with Alzheimer disease.

Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic change (LATE-NC) is a neuropathologic entity characterized by transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43-kDa (TDP-43)-immunoreactive inclusions that originate in the amygdala and then progress to the hippocampi and middle frontal gyrus. LATE-NC may mimic Alzheimer disease clinically and often co-occurs with Alzheimer disease neuropathologic change (ADNC). This report focuses on the cognitive effects of isolated and concomitant LATE-NC and ADNC. Cognitive/neuropsychological, neuropathologic, genetic, and demographic variables were analyzed in 28 control, 31 isolated LATE-NC, 244 isolated ADNC, and 172 concurrent LATE-NC/ADNC subjects from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center. Cases with LATE-NC and ADNC were significantly older than controls; cases with ADNC had a significantly higher proportion of cases with at least one APOE ε4 allele. Both LATE-NC and ADNC exhibited deleterious effects on overall cognition proportional to their neuropathological stages; concurrent LATE-NC/ADNC exhibited the worst overall cognitive effect. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined an independent risk of cognitive impairment for progressive LATE-NC stages (OR 1.66; p = 0.0256) and ADNC levels (OR 3.41; p < 0.0001). These data add to the existing knowledge on the clinical consequences of LATE-NC pathology and the growing literature on the effects of multiple concurrent neurodegenerative pathologies.

High density SNP array and reanalysis of genome sequencing uncovers CNVs associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in KOLF2.1J iPSCs.

The KOLF2.1J iPSC line was recently proposed as a reference iPSC to promote the standardization of research studies in the stem cell field. Due to overall good performance differentiating to neural cell lineages, high gene editing efficiency, and absence of genetic variants associated to neurological disorders KOLF2.1J iPSC line was particularly recommended for neurodegenerative disease modeling. However, our work uncovers that KOLF2.1J hPSCs carry heterozygous small copy number variants (CNVs) that cause DTNBP1, JARID2 and ASTN2 haploinsufficiencies, all of which are associated with neurological disorders. We further determine that these CNVs arose in vitro over the course of KOLF2.1J iPSC generation from a healthy donor-derived KOLF2 iPSC line and affect the expression of DNTBP1, JARID2 and ASTN2 proteins in KOLF2.1J iPSCs and neural progenitors. Therefore, our study suggests that KOLF2.1J iPSCs carry genetic variants that may be deleterious for neural cell lineages. This data is essential for a careful interpretation of neural cell studies derived from KOLF2.1J iPSCs and highlights the need for a catalogue of iPSC lines that includes a comprehensive genome characterization analysis.

Gain and loss of function variants in EZH1 disrupt neurogenesis and cause dominant and recessive neurodevelopmental disorders.

Genetic variants in chromatin regulators are frequently found in neurodevelopmental disorders, but their effect in disease etiology is rarely determined. Here, we uncover and functionally define pathogenic variants in the chromatin modifier EZH1 as the cause of dominant and recessive neurodevelopmental disorders in 19 individuals. EZH1 encodes one of the two alternative histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferases of the PRC2 complex. Unlike the other PRC2 subunits, which are involved in cancers and developmental syndromes, the implication of EZH1 in human development and disease is largely unknown. Using cellular and biochemical studies, we demonstrate that recessive variants impair EZH1 expression causing loss of function effects, while dominant variants are missense mutations that affect evolutionarily conserved aminoacids, likely impacting EZH1 structure or function. Accordingly, we found increased methyltransferase activity leading to gain of function of two EZH1 missense variants. Furthermore, we show that EZH1 is necessary and sufficient for differentiation of neural progenitor cells in the developing chick embryo neural tube. Finally, using human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural cultures and forebrain organoids, we demonstrate that EZH1 variants perturb cortical neuron differentiation. Overall, our work reveals a critical role of EZH1 in neurogenesis regulation and provides molecular diagnosis for previously undefined neurodevelopmental disorders.

Parallel evolution of behavior, physiology, and life history associated with altitudinal shifts in forest type in Heliconius butterflies.

Parallel evolution of morphological traits is widely reported, providing evidence for the role of local conditions in driving adaptive divergence. Comparatively, fewer studies have tested for parallelism in behavior, and it is less clear to what extent heritable behavioral shifts contribute to adaptive divergence. We exploit repeated incipient speciation across altitudinal gradients to explore behavior and physiology in Heliconius butterflies adapted to high-elevation. We performed common garden experiments with H. chestertonii, a high-altitude specialist from the Colombian Cordillera Occidental, and H. erato venus, a low-elevation proxy for the ancestral population, and compared our results to existing data for an equivalent Ecuadorian taxa-pair. Using broad-scale climatic data, we show that both pairs diverge across similar ecological gradients, confirmed using localized data loggers in the ranges of H. chestertonii and H. e. venus. We further show that H. chestertonii and H. e. venus have divergent activity patterns, attributable to different responses to microclimate, and life histories. Finally, we provide evidence for parallelism in these traits with H. himera and H. e. cyrbia. We propose that this is a result of selection associated with independent colonizations of high-altitude forests, emphasizing the importance of heritable behavioral and physiological adaptations during population divergence and speciation.

Geography shapes the microbial community in Heliconius butterflies.

Heliconius butterflies are an ideal organism for studying ecology, behavior, adaptation, and speciation. These butterflies can be found in various locations and habitats in Central and South America, where they encounter and interact with different sources of pollen, nectar, and host plants. However, there is limited knowledge on how geographic and habitat variations affect the microbiota of these insects, and whether microbial associates play a role in their ability to exploit different habitats. To date, research on the microbial communities associated with Heliconius has mainly focused on host phylogenetic signal in microbiomes or microbiome characterization in specific communities of butterflies. In this study, we characterized the microbiomes of several species and populations of Heliconius from distant locations that represent contrasting environments. We found that the microbiota of different Heliconius species is taxonomically similar but vary in abundance. Notably, this variation is associated with a major geographic barrier-the Central Cordillera of Colombia. Additionally, we confirmed that this microbiota is not associated with pollen-feeding. Therefore, it seems likely that geography shapes the abundance of microbiota that the butterfly carries, but not the taxonomic diversity of the microbial community. Based on the current evidence, the bacterial microbiota associated with Heliconius does not appear to play a beneficial role for these butterflies.

Repair Bond Strength of Aged Composite Resins Using Different Surface Treatment Protocols.

This study evaluated shear bond strength (SBS) of thermally aged composite resins repaired using different surface protocols. Four-hundred composite resin samples were made using the following materials (100 samples per material): Filtek Z350XT (FXT); Spectra Smart (SSM); IPS Empress Direct (EDI); and Forma (FOR). Each group's samples were then divided into 10 groups (n = 10 samples per group): G1: no surface treatment; G2: phosphoric acid-etching + universal-adhesive (PU); G3: surface roughening + PU (RPU); G4: RPU + silane (RPSU); G5: surface roughening + hydrofluoric acid-etching + universal adhesive (RHU); G6: RHU + silane (RHSU); G7: dry sandblast + PU (DsPU); G8: DsPU + silane (DsPSU); G9: wet sandblast + PU (WsPU); and G10: WsPU + silane (WsPSU). G1 was freshly repaired, and G2 to G10 were thermally aged before repair. Specimens were tested for SBS, and the failure type was observed with a magnifying loupe. Representative images were obtained using a scanning electronic microscope. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc tests (P = .05). Differences were detected among different surface treatments and among different composite resins with equal surface treatments (P < .05). SBS means ranged from 10.48 (FOR:G2) to 20.70 (FXT:G7). The highest SBS values were seen in G7 to G10 (P > .05), while lowest values were generally observed for G2. G1 showed higher results compared to G2 (P < .05), except for EDI (P > .05). Most failures corresponded with cohesive type. In general, thermally aged composite resin presented a decreased repair bond strength potential when no additional surface treatment was applied. Sandblasting improved the SBS of repaired aged composite resins.

Neuron-glia interaction at the receptor level affects olfactory perception in adult Drosophila.

Some types of glia play an active role in neuronal signaling by modifying their activity although little is known about their role in sensory information signaling at the receptor level. In this research, we report a functional role for the glia that surround the soma of the olfactory receptor neurons (OSNs) in adult Drosophila. Specific genetic modifications have been targeted to this cell type to obtain live individuals who are tested for olfactory preference and display changes both increasing and reducing sensitivity. A closer look at the antenna by Ca2+ imaging shows that odor activates the OSNs, which subsequently produce an opposite and smaller effect in the glia that partially counterbalances neuronal activation. Therefore, these glia may play a dual role in preventing excessive activation of the OSNs at high odorant concentrations and tuning the chemosensory window for the individual according to the network structure in the receptor organ.

Does sexual conflict contribute to the evolution of novel warning patterns?

Why warning patterns are so diverse is an enduring evolutionary puzzle. Because predators associate particular patterns with unpleasant experiences, an individual's predation risk should decrease as the local density of its warning pattern increases, promoting pattern monomorphism. Distasteful Heliconius butterflies are known for their diversity of warning patterns. Here, we explore whether interlocus sexual conflict can contribute to their diversification. Male Heliconius use warning patterns as mating cues, but mated females may suffer costs if this leads to disturbance, favouring novel patterns. Using simulations, we show that under our model conditions drift alone is unlikely to cause pattern diversification, but that sexual conflict can assist such a process. We also find that genetic architecture influences the evolution of male preferences, which track changes in warning pattern due to sexual selection. When male attraction imposes costs on females, this affects the speed at which novel pattern alleles increase. In two experiments, females laid fewer eggs with males present. However, although males in one experiment showed less interest in females with manipulated patterns, we found no evidence that female colouration mitigates sex-specific costs. Overall, male attraction to conspecific warning patterns may impose an unrecognized cost on Heliconius females, but further work is required to determine this experimentally.

Amyloid-Based Albumin Hydrogels.

Amyloid fibrils may serve as building blocks for the preparation of novel hydrogel materials from abundant, low-cost, and biocompatible polypeptides. This work presents the formation of physically cross-linked, self-healing hydrogels based on bovine serum albumin at room temperature through a straightforward disulfide reduction step induced by tris (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine hydrochloride. The structure and surface charge of the amyloid-like fibrils is determined by the pH of the solution during self-assembly, giving rise to hydrogels with distinct physicochemical properties. The hydrogel surface can be readily functionalized with the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin and supports cell adhesion, spreading, and long-term culture. This study offers a simple, versatile, and inexpensive method to prepare amyloid-based albumin hydrogels with potential applications in the biomedical field.

Guía de práctica clínica para el tratamiento de la rinosinusitis crónica: versión completa / Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis: full version

La rinosinusitis (RS) se define como la inflamación de la nariz y los senos paranasales con dos o más síntomas como bloqueo/obstrucción/congestión o secreción nasal (goteo nasal anterior/posterior) más dolor/presión facial y/o reducción o pérdida del sentido del olfato. Adicional, se tienen en cuenta los hallazgos objetivos como la presencia de pólipos nasales y/o descarga mucopurulenta en meato medio y/o edema u obstrucción de la mucosa en el meato medio en la endoscopia nasal. Se pueden considerar o no, los cambios tomográficos como cambios mucosos en el complejo osteomeatal y la mucosa de los senos paranasales. Se reconoce que los síntomas tienen alta sensibilidad, pero baja especificidad, de ahí la necesidad de hallazgos objetivos.

Rhinosinusitis (RS) is defined as inflammation of the nose and sinuses with two or more symptoms such as blockage/obstruction/congestion or nasal discharge. with two or more symptoms such as nasal blockage/obstruction/congestion or nasal discharge (anterior/posterior runny nose) plus facial pain/pressure and/or reduction or loss of the sense of smell. sense of smell. In addition, objective findings such as the presence of nasal polyps and/or nasal presence of nasal polyps and/or mucopurulent discharge from the middle meatus and/or edema or mucosal obstruction or mucosal obstruction in the middle meatus on nasal endoscopy. Tomographic changes may or may not tomographic changes may or may not be considered as mucosal changes in the osteomeatal complex and mucosal osteomeatal complex and the mucosa of the paranasal sinuses. It is recognized that the symptoms symptoms have high sensitivity but low specificity, hence the need for objective findings. findings.