415 results on '"Duque, E."'
Search Results
152. Dialogic gathering of films. Promoting meaningful online interactions during COVID-19 confinement.
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Padrós-Cuxart M, Rodrigues de Mello R, Ramis-Salas M, and Duque E
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- Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, COVID-19 prevention & control, COVID-19 psychology, Mass Media, Mental Health, Quarantine psychology, SARS-CoV-2
- Abstract
A broad body of scientific literature exists on the effects that COVID-19 related confinement has had on the population: mental health problems, isolation, and problems concerning cohesion and employment, among others. However, there is a gap in the literature on the actions that reverse some of the effects generated during lockdown. This article collects the results of a study conducted with 53 people participating in a dialogic gathering of films (DGF) that was held online during two months of confinement. The data from the survey show that the development of this DGF generated improvements in 1) personal welfare and attitudes concerning the management of confinement, 2) living together and online relationships, 3) motivation and creativity in the professional domain, and 4) openness to a diversity of perspectives and realities, which improves the understanding, argumentation and positioning in social, scientific and ethical debates., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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- 2021
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153. The Zero Violence Brave Club: A Successful Intervention to Prevent and Address Bullying in Schools.
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Roca-Campos E, Duque E, Ríos O, and Ramis-Salas M
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Bullying among peers in schools is a growing problem affecting children and adolescents from an early age worldwide. The consequences of bullying victimization in the emotional development of children and youth and their academic achievement are adverse for them and the rest of the school community, with its negative impact extending into the mid and long run. The Zero Violence Brave Club is implemented in schools in the framework of the Dialogic Model of Violence Prevention, a successful educational action according to the INCLUD-ED project [Strategies for inclusion and social cohesion in Europe from Education] (6th Framework Program of Research of the European Commission). The Zero Violence Brave Club has decreased peer bullying in schools by establishing and cultivating a culture of zero tolerance to violence in educational centers located in diverse socioeconomic and cultural contexts. This evidence-based intervention is grounded in the principle that only the person who denounces violence suffered by a peer and takes a stand always on the victim's side-and those who support her or him-against the aggressor can be considered brave. This article reports a qualitative study of the Zero Violence Brave Club as a successful intervention in seven schools in Spain. The schools are diverse in terms of public or private ownership, religious or lay background, and population served (different proportions of cultural minorities and students with special needs), challenging the misconception that the impact of educational interventions depends on the context. Interviews were conducted with teachers in the schools implementing the Zero Violence Brave Club in their class, using the communicative methodology of research. The results shed light on specific mechanisms through which the Zero Violence Brave Club prevents and responds to bullying in schools, such as emptying of social attractiveness any aggressive behaviors or attitudes. Benefits on mental health and psychological wellbeing are also reported., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Roca-Campos, Duque, Ríos and Ramis-Salas.)
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- 2021
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154. "Tell Someone," to Both Women and Men.
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Duque E, Melgar P, Gómez-Cuevas S, and López de Aguileta G
- Abstract
Contrary to an understanding of the struggle against gender violence as placing men and women in opposition to one another, victims have always been supported by both women and men. To prevent violence is important to know not only which message should be transmitted but also how the dialogue should unfold, and the characteristics of the people engaging in that dialogue. Because of the existing association between attraction and violence in our society, the unity of the language of ethics and the language of desire in such dialogue has become a key element in the struggle against gender violence. This study identifies the strong presence of communicative acts that unify these languages in the women (feminism) and men (New Alternative Masculinities) who are successful in this struggle. The opposition to violence that they defend guide their own desires, which are transmitted through their communicative acts to the people around them., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Duque, Melgar, Gómez-Cuevas and López de Aguileta.)
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- 2021
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155. Ranging behavior and the potential for territoriality in pair-living titi monkeys (Plecturocebus discolor).
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Van Belle S, Porter AM, Fernandez-Duque E, and Di Fiore A
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- Animals, Brazil, Callicebus, Female, Homing Behavior, Male, Pitheciidae, Territoriality
- Abstract
Patterns of ranging behavior and space use are key for evaluating current ideas about the evolution and maintenance of pair-living and sexual monogamy as they provide insights into the dispersion of females, the potential for territoriality, and whether males are limited to defending an area that can support only one female and her offspring. We examined ranging behavior and space use to evaluate the potential for territoriality in five groups of red titi monkeys (Plecturocebus discolor) during a 10-year study in Ecuadorian Amazonia. Mean home range size, calculated using a time-sensitive local convex hull estimation procedure, was 4.0 ± 1.4 ha. Annual home ranges of neighboring groups overlapped, on average, 0%-7%. Mean daily path length was 670 ± 194 m, resulting in defendability indices of 2.2-3.6 across groups. Groups visited, on average, 4 of 12 sections of their home range border area per day, but that was not more often than would be expected by chance, and intergroup encounters were infrequent. We did not find evidence of active monitoring for intruders in border areas, in that groups did not travel either faster or slower when at the border than when in central areas of their range. The absence of overt monitoring might be compensated for by engaging in loud calls, which the study groups did throughout their home ranges; these calls may serve as an advertisement of occupancy and a deterrent to intruding conspecifics. Our finding that red titis have a high potential for territoriality is consistent with several of the main hypotheses proposed to explain pair-living in mammals., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
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- 2021
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156. Color vision and niche partitioning in a diverse neotropical primate community in lowland Amazonian Ecuador.
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Veilleux CC, Kawamura S, Montague MJ, Hiwatashi T, Matsushita Y, Fernandez-Duque E, Link A, Di Fiore A, and Snodderly DM
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A recent focus in community ecology has been on how within-species variability shapes interspecific niche partitioning. Primate color vision offers a rich system in which to explore this issue. Most neotropical primates exhibit intraspecific variation in color vision due to allelic variation at the middle-to-long-wavelength opsin gene on the X chromosome. Studies of opsin polymorphisms have typically sampled primates from different sites, limiting the ability to relate this genetic diversity to niche partitioning. We surveyed genetic variation in color vision of five primate species, belonging to all three families of the primate infraorder Platyrrhini, found in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve in Ecuador. The frugivorous spider monkeys and woolly monkeys ( Ateles belzebuth and Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii , family Atelidae) each had two opsin alleles, and more than 75% of individuals carried the longest-wavelength (553-556 nm) allele. Among the other species, Saimiri sciureus macrodon (family Cebidae) and Pithecia aequatorialis (family Pitheciidae) had three alleles, while Plecturocebus discolor (family Pitheciidae) had four alleles-the largest number yet identified in a wild population of titi monkeys. For all three non-atelid species, the middle-wavelength (545 nm) allele was the most common. Overall, we identified genetic evidence of fourteen different visual phenotypes-seven types of dichromats and seven trichromats-among the five sympatric taxa. The differences we found suggest that interspecific competition among primates may influence intraspecific frequencies of opsin alleles. The diversity we describe invites detailed study of foraging behavior of different vision phenotypes to learn how they may contribute to niche partitioning., Competing Interests: None declared., (© 2021 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2021
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157. Creating Learning Environments Free of Violence in Special Education Through the Dialogic Model of Prevention and Resolution of Conflicts.
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Duque E, Carbonell S, de Botton L, and Roca-Campos E
- Abstract
Violence suffered by children is a violation of human rights and a global health problem. Children with disabilities are especially vulnerable to violence in the school environment, which has a negative impact on their well-being and health. Students with disabilities educated in special schools have, in addition, more reduced experiences of interaction that may reduce both their opportunities for learning and for building protective social networks of support. This study analyses the transference of evidence-based actions to prevent violence in schools - the dialogic model of prevention and resolution of conflicts (DMPRC) - in the context of a special school, and its impact on the reduction of violence, the creation of egalitarian relationships, and the prevention of bullying. A case study with a communicative approach was conducted including in-depth interviews and communicative focus groups with the diverse participants to analyze the process of transformation carried out in the school and the main actions that give students a voice in the management and creation of egalitarian non-violent relationships. The results show that the inclusion of the students' voices in the resolution and prevention of conflicts reduces violence, empowers special education students, strengthens friendship relationships, caring behavior, and active positioning among the community. The positive impact of the transference of the DMPRC to special schools contributes to students' well-being and healthy development by offering safe and protective educational spaces and quality emotional education, also contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals related to the elimination of all forms of violence in childhood., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Duque, Carbonell, de Botton and Roca-Campos.)
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- 2021
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158. MicroRNAs and fracture healing: Pre-clinical studies.
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Komatsu DE, Duque E, and Hadjiargyrou M
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- Cell Differentiation, Fracture Healing, Humans, Osteogenesis genetics, Fractures, Bone genetics, MicroRNAs genetics
- Abstract
During the past several years, pre-clinical experiments have established that microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs, serve as key regulatory molecules of fracture healing. Their easy modulation with agonists and antagonists make them highly desirable targets for future therapeutic strategies, especially for pathophysiologic fractures that either do not heal (nonunions) or are delayed. It is now well documented that these problematic fractures lead to human suffering and impairment of life quality. Additionally, financial difficulties are also encountered as work productivity decreases and income is reduced. Moreover, targeting miRNAs may also be an avenue to enhancing normal physiological fracture healing. Herein we present the most current knowledge of the involvement of miRNAs during fracture healing in pre-clinical studies. Following a brief description on the nature of miRNAs and of the fracture healing process, we present data from studies focusing specifically, on miRNA regulation of osteoblast differentiation and osteogenesis (within the context of known signaling pathways), chondrocytes, angiogenesis, and apoptosis, all critical to successful bone repair. Further, we also discuss miRNAs and exosomes. We hope that this manuscript serves as a comprehensive review that will facilitate basic/translational scientists in the orthopaedic arena to realize and further decipher the biological and future therapeutic impact of these small regulatory RNA molecules, especially as they relate to the molecular events of each of the major phases of fracture healing., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2021
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159. Moonstruck sleep: Synchronization of human sleep with the moon cycle under field conditions.
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Casiraghi L, Spiousas I, Dunster GP, McGlothlen K, Fernández-Duque E, Valeggia C, and de la Iglesia HO
- Abstract
Before the availability of artificial light, moonlight was the only source of light sufficient to stimulate nighttime activity; still, evidence for the modulation of sleep timing by lunar phases is controversial. Here, we use wrist actimetry to show a clear synchronization of nocturnal sleep timing with the lunar cycle in participants living in environments that range from a rural setting with and without access to electricity in indigenous Toba/Qom communities in Argentina to a highly urbanized postindustrial setting in the United States. Our results show that sleep starts later and is shorter on the nights before the full moon when moonlight is available during the hours following dusk. Our data suggest that moonlight likely stimulated nocturnal activity and inhibited sleep in preindustrial communities and that access to artificial light may emulate the ancestral effect of early-night moonlight., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)
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- 2021
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160. "Your Friends Do Matter": Peer Group Talk in Adolescence and Gender Violence Victimization.
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Racionero-Plaza S, Duque E, Padrós M, and Molina Roldán S
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Research on gender violence has identified as one main component leading to gender violence a dominant socialization process which associates attractiveness to men who show violent behaviors and attitudes, while egalitarian and non-violent men are emptied of attractiveness. This is known as coercive dominant discourse. Starting from the evidence that the peer group is a main context of socialization in adolescence, quantitative data were collected from six classes of secondary education (14-15-year-old adolescents) to explore whether the coercive dominant discourse is displayed in social interactions in the peer group and, if so, how it influences attractiveness patterns and sexual-affective behavior in adolescence. The analyses reveal that the coercive dominant discourse is often reproduced in the peer group interactions, creating group pressure, and pushing some girls to violent relationships. Alternative ways of interaction are also reported, which allow a socialization leading to more freedom, less coercion, and more healthy relationships.
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- 2021
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161. Plant growth-stimulating rhizobacteria capable of producing L-amino acids.
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Pizarro-Tobias P, Ramos JL, Duque E, and Roca A
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- Crops, Agricultural microbiology, Phenylalanine chemistry, Phosphates metabolism, Plant Roots growth & development, Rhizosphere, Tryptophan chemistry, Crops, Agricultural growth & development, Phenylalanine metabolism, Plant Roots microbiology, Pseudomonas putida metabolism, Soil Microbiology, Tryptophan metabolism
- Abstract
Pseudomonas putida BIRD-1 is a microorganism that inhabits the rhizosphere and solubilizes phosphate and iron and produces indolacetic acid [Roca, A., Pizarro-Tobías, P., Udaondo, Z., Fernández, M., Matilla, M.A., Molina-Henares, M.A., et al. (2013) Analysis of plant growth-promoting properties encoded by the genome of the rhizobacterium Pseudomonas putida BIRD-1. Environ Microbiol 15: 780-794]. In this study, we generated mutant strains that are capable of producing the plant growth stimulating compounds L-tryptophan and L-phenylalanine. We prepared clones that overproduce L-tryptophan by first mutagenizing P. putida BIRD-1, then by selecting for clones in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of 5-fluoro-D,L-tryptophan. The production of this aromatic amino acid was confirmed by chemical analysis and cross-feeding experiments with auxotrophs. One of the mutants, named P. putida BIRD-1-12, was mutagenized again to isolate clones that are also able to grow in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of p-fluoro-D,L-phenylalanine. One of these resulting clones was then isolated and named BIRD-1-12F. Our analysis revealed that the strains that either overproduce L-tryptophan, or L-tryptophan and L-phenylalanine, excel at promoting the growth of a number of plant crops of agricultural interest., (© 2020 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2020
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162. Female university students' preferences for different types of sexual relationships: implications for gender-based violence prevention programs and policies.
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Ruiz-Eugenio L, Racionero-Plaza S, Duque E, and Puigvert L
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- Adolescent, Female, Gender-Based Violence prevention & control, Humans, Policy, Spain, Universities, Young Adult, Sexual Behavior psychology, Students psychology, Students statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: Gender-based violence among young women is a growing problem worldwide. The consequences of this victimization have been well reported in the scientific literature, among which negative health outcomes stand out. The factors influencing this problem are many; one highlighted by research is socialization into a dominant coercive discourse that associates sexual-affective attraction to males with violent attitudes and behaviors, while in turn, such discourse empties males with egalitarian behaviors from sexual attractiveness. This coercive discourse may be shaping the sexual preferences of female youth. The current paper explores young women's preferences for different types of sexual relationships and, more particularly, for what type of sexual affective relationships they coercively preferred men with violent attitudes and behavior., Methods: A quantitative, mixed-design vignette study was conducted with 191 college females in Spain. We focused the analysis only on responses about vignettes including narratives of men with violent attitudes and behaviors. In addition, we examined whether participants would report higher coerced preferences for violent men when asked about the coerced preferences of their female friends than when asked about their own preferences., Results: Only 28.95% of participants responded that their female friends would prefer a young man with violent behavior for a stable relationship, meanwhile 58.42% would do it for hooking up. When reporting about themselves, the difference was greater: 28.42% would prefer a young man with violent behavior for hooking up and just 5.78% for a stable relationship., Conclusions: The dominant coercive discourse that links attractiveness to people with violent attitudes and behaviors may be explaining the results obtained in this study. The findings can help eliminate the stereotype largely adopted by some intervention and prevention programs which assume that gender-based violence occurs mainly in stable relationships, considering that falling in love is the reason that lead women to suffer from violence. Our results can also support health professionals and others serving young women to enhance their identification of gender violence victimization, as well as our findings point to the need to include the evidence of gender violence in sporadic relationships in prevention programs and campaigns addressed to young women.
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- 2020
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163. Access to electric light is associated with delays of the dim-light melatonin onset in a traditionally hunter-gatherer Toba/Qom community.
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Casiraghi LP, Plano SA, Fernández-Duque E, Valeggia C, Golombek DA, and de la Iglesia HO
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- Adult, Argentina, Female, Humans, Male, Circadian Rhythm, Indians, South American, Lighting, Melatonin blood, Sleep
- Abstract
Key to the transition of humans from nomadic hunting-gathering groups to industrialized and highly urbanized societies was the creation of protected and artificially lit environments that extended the natural daylight hours and consolidated sleep away from nocturnal threats. These conditions isolated humans from the natural regulators of sleep and exposed them to higher levels of light during the evening, which are associated with a later sleep onset. Here, we investigated the extent to which this delayed timing of sleep is due to a delayed circadian system. We studied two communities of Toba/Qom in the northern region of Argentina, one with and the other without access to electricity. These communities have recently transitioned from a hunting-gathering subsistence to mixed subsistence systems and represent a unique model in which to study the potential effects of the access to artificial light on sleep physiology. We have previously shown that participants in the community with access to electricity had, compared to participants in the community without electricity, later sleep onsets, and shorter sleep bouts. Here, we show they also have a delayed dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO). This difference is present during the winter but not during the spring when the influence of evening artificial light is likely less relevant. Our results support the notion that the human transition into artificially lit environments had a major impact on physiological systems that regulate sleep timing, including the phase of the master circadian clock., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2020
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164. The role of renin-angiotensin system in patients with left ventricular assist devices.
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Briasoulis A, Ruiz Duque E, Mouselimis D, Tsarouchas A, Bakogiannis C, and Alvarez P
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- Heart Failure complications, Heart Failure metabolism, Humans, Hypertension complications, Hypertension metabolism, Myocardium metabolism, Myocardium pathology, Heart Ventricles metabolism, Heart-Assist Devices, Renin-Angiotensin System
- Abstract
End-stage heart failure is a condition in which the up-regulation of the systemic and local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) leads to end-organ damage and is largely irreversible despite optimal medication. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) can downregulate RAAS activation by unloading the left ventricle and increasing the cardiac output translating into a better end-organ perfusion improving survival. However, the absence of pulsatility brought about by continuous-flow devices may variably trigger RAAS activation depending on left ventricular (LV) intrinsic contractility, the design and speed of the pump device. Moreover, the concept of myocardial recovery is being tested in clinical trials and in this setting LVAD support combined with intense RAAS inhibition can promote recovery and ensure maintenance of LV function after explantation. Blood pressure control on LVAD recipients is key to avoiding complications as gastrointestinal bleeding, pump thrombosis and stroke. Furthermore, emerging data highlight the role of RAAS antagonists as prevention of arteriovenous malformations that lead to gastrointestinal bleeds. Future studies should focus on the role of angiotensin receptor inhibitors in preventing myocardial fibrosis in patients with LVADs and examine in greater details the target blood pressure for these patients.
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- 2020
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165. THz Fingerprints of Cement-Based Materials.
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Dolado JS, Goracci G, Duque E, Martauz P, Zuo Y, and Ye G
- Abstract
To find materials with an appropriate response to THz radiation is key for the incoming THz technology revolution. Unfortunately, this region of the electromagnetic spectra remains largely unexplored in most materials. The present work aims at unveiling the most significant THz fingerprints of cement-based materials. To this end transmission experiments have been carried out over Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and geopolymer (GEO) binder cement pastes in combination with atomistic simulations. These simulations have calculated for the first time, the dielectric response of C-S-H and N-A-S-H gels, the most important hydration products of OPC and GEO cement pastes respectively. Interestingly both the experiments and simulations reveal that both varieties of cement pastes exhibit three main characteristic peaks at frequencies around ~0.6 THz, ~1.05 THz and ~1.35 THz, whose origin is governed by the complex dynamic of their water content, and two extra signals at ~1.95 THz and ~2.75 THz which are likely related to modes involving floppy parts of the dried skeleton.
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- 2020
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166. Developing robust protein analysis profiles to identify bacterial acid phosphatases in genomes and metagenomic libraries.
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Udaondo Z, Duque E, Daddaoua A, Caselles C, Roca A, Pizarro-Tobias P, and Ramos JL
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- Acid Phosphatase genetics, Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial genetics, Metagenome genetics, Metagenomics, Phylogeny, Acid Phosphatase analysis, Acid Phosphatase classification, Bacteria genetics, Bacteria metabolism, Genome, Bacterial genetics
- Abstract
Phylogenetic analysis of more than 4000 annotated bacterial acid phosphatases was carried out. Our analysis enabled us to sort these enzymes into the following three types: (1) class B acid phosphatases, which were distantly related to the other types, (2) class C acid phosphatases and (3) generic acid phosphatases (GAP). Although class B phosphatases are found in a limited number of bacterial families, which include known pathogens, class C acid phosphatases and GAP proteins are found in a variety of microbes that inhabit soil, fresh water and marine environments. As part of our analysis, we developed three profiles, named Pfr-B-Phos, Pfr-C-Phos and Pfr-GAP, to describe the three groups of acid phosphatases. These sequence-based profiles were then used to scan genomes and metagenomes to identify a large number of formerly unknown acid phosphatases. A number of proteins in databases annotated as hypothetical proteins were also identified by these profiles as putative acid phosphatases. To validate these in silico results, we cloned genes encoding candidate acid phosphatases from genomic DNA or recovered from metagenomic libraries or genes synthesized in vitro based on protein sequences recovered from metagenomic data. Expression of a number of these genes, followed by enzymatic analysis of the proteins, further confirmed that sequence similarity searches using our profiles could successfully identify previously unknown acid phosphatases., (© 2020 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2020
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167. The evolution of pair-living, sexual monogamy, and cooperative infant care: Insights from research on wild owl monkeys, titis, sakis, and tamarins.
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Fernandez-Duque E, Huck M, Van Belle S, and Di Fiore A
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- Animals, Biological Evolution, Cooperative Behavior, Mating Preference, Animal, Pair Bond, Platyrrhini physiology
- Abstract
"Monogamy" and pair bonding have long been of interest to anthropologists and primatologists. Their study contributes to our knowledge of human evolutionary biology and social evolution without the cultural trappings associated with studying human societies directly. Here, we first provide an overview of theoretical considerations, followed by an evaluation of recent comparative studies of the evolution of "social monogamy"; we are left with serious doubts about the conclusions of these studies that stem from the often poor quality of the data used and an overreliance on secondary sources without vetting the data therein. We then describe our field research program on four "monogamous" platyrrhines (owl monkeys, titis, sakis, and tamarins), evaluate how well our data support various hypotheses proposed to explain "monogamy," and compare our data to those reported on the same genera in comparative studies. Overall, we found a distressing lack of agreement between the data used in comparative studies and data from the literature for the taxa that we work with. In the final section, we propose areas of research that deserve more attention. We stress the need for more high-quality natural history data, and we urge researchers to be cautious about the uncritical use of variables of uncertain internal validity. Overall, it is imperative that biological anthropologists establish and follow clear criteria for comparing and combining results from published studies and that researchers, reviewers, and editors alike comply with these standards to improve the transparency, reproducibility, and interpretability of causal inferences made in comparative studies., (© 2020 American Association of Physical Anthropologists.)
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- 2020
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168. How the Psychology of Education Contributes to Research With a Social Impact on the Education of Students With Special Needs: The Case of Successful Educational Actions.
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Duque E, Gairal R, Molina S, and Roca E
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One current challenge in the psychology of education is identifying the teaching strategies and learning contexts that best contribute to the learning of all students, especially those whose individual characteristics make their learning process more difficult, as is the case for students with special needs. One main theory in the psychology of education is the sociocultural approach to learning, which highlights the key role of interaction in children's learning. In the case of students with disabilities, this interactive understanding of learning is aligned with a social model of disability, which looks beyond individual students' limitations or potentialities and focuses on contextual aspects that can enhance their learning experience and results. In recent years, the interactive view of learning based on this theory has led to the development of educational actions, such as interactive groups and dialogic literary gatherings, that have improved the learning results of diverse children, including those with disabilities. The aim of this paper is to analyze the social impact achieved by a line of research that has explored the benefits of such successful educational actions for the education of students with special needs. National and European research projects based on the communicative methodology of research have been conducted. This methodology entails drawing on egalitarian dialogue with the end-users of research - including teachers, students with and without disabilities, students' relatives and other community members - to allow an intersubjective creation of knowledge that enables a deeper and more accurate understanding of the studied reality and its transformative potential. This line of research first allowed the identification of the benefits of interactive learning environments for students with disabilities educated in mainstream schools; later, it allowed the spreading of these actions to a greater number of mainstream schools; and more recently, it made it possible to transfer these actions to special schools and use these actions to create shared learning spaces between mainstream and special schools. The improvement of the educational opportunities for a greater number and greater diversity of students with special needs evidences the social impact of research based on key contributions of the psychology of education., (Copyright © 2020 Duque, Gairal, Molina and Roca.)
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- 2020
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169. Sexual dimorphism in the loud calls of Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae): evidence of sexual selection?
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Garcia de la Chica A, Huck M, Depeine C, Rotundo M, Adret P, and Fernandez-Duque E
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- Acoustics, Animals, Argentina, Female, Male, Pair Bond, Aotidae physiology, Sex Characteristics, Vocalization, Animal
- Abstract
Primates use different types of vocalizations in a variety of contexts. Some of the most studied types have been the long distance or loud calls. These vocalizations have been associated with mate defense, mate attraction, and resource defense, and it is plausible that sexual selection has played an important role in their evolution. Focusing on identified individuals of known sex and age, we evaluated the sexual dimorphism in a type of loud calls (hoots) in a population of wild owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) in Argentina. We found evidence of sexual dimorphism in call structure, with females and males only emitting one type of call, each differing in dominant frequency and Shannon entropy. In addition, both age-related and sex-specific differences in call usage were also apparent in response to the removal of one group member. Future acoustic data will allow us to assess if there are individual characteristics and if the structure of hoot calls presents differences in relation to the social condition of owl monkeys or specific sex responses to variants of hoot calls' traits. This will provide deeper insights into the evolution of vocal mechanisms regulating pair bonding and mate choice strategies in this and other primate species.
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- 2020
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170. High-quality genome-scale metabolic modelling of Pseudomonas putida highlights its broad metabolic capabilities.
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Nogales J, Mueller J, Gudmundsson S, Canalejo FJ, Duque E, Monk J, Feist AM, Ramos JL, Niu W, and Palsson BO
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- Carbon metabolism, Genome, Bacterial, Models, Biological, Nitrogen metabolism, Pseudomonas putida genetics, Metabolic Networks and Pathways genetics, Pseudomonas putida metabolism
- Abstract
Genome-scale reconstructions of metabolism are computational species-specific knowledge bases able to compute systemic metabolic properties. We present a comprehensive and validated reconstruction of the biotechnologically relevant bacterium Pseudomonas putida KT2440 that greatly expands computable predictions of its metabolic states. The reconstruction represents a significant reactome expansion over available reconstructed bacterial metabolic networks. Specifically, iJN1462 (i) incorporates several hundred additional genes and associated reactions resulting in new predictive capabilities, including new nutrients supporting growth; (ii) was validated by in vivo growth screens that included previously untested carbon (48) and nitrogen (41) sources; (iii) yielded gene essentiality predictions showing large accuracy when compared with a knock-out library and Bar-seq data; and (iv) allowed mapping of its network to 82 P. putida sequenced strains revealing functional core that reflect the large metabolic versatility of this species, including aromatic compounds derived from lignin. Thus, this study provides a thoroughly updated metabolic reconstruction and new computable phenotypes for P. putida, which can be leveraged as a first step toward understanding the pan metabolic capabilities of Pseudomonas., (© 2019 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2020
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171. The versatility of Pseudomonas putida in the rhizosphere environment.
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Molina L, Segura A, Duque E, and Ramos JL
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- Bacterial Proteins genetics, Bacterial Proteins metabolism, Biodegradation, Environmental, Biofilms growth & development, Chemotaxis, Plant Development, Plants microbiology, Pseudomonas putida genetics, Pseudomonas putida growth & development, Pseudomonas putida metabolism, Soil Microbiology, Symbiosis, Pseudomonas putida physiology, Rhizosphere
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This article addresses the lifestyle of Pseudomonas and focuses on how Pseudomonas putida can be used as a model system for biotechnological processes in agriculture, and in the removal of pollutants from soils. In this chapter we aim to show how a deep analysis using genetic information and experimental tests has helped to reveal insights into the lifestyle of Pseudomonads. Pseudomonas putida is a Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) that establishes commensal relationships with plants. The interaction involves a series of functions encoded by core genes which favor nutrient mobilization, prevention of pathogen development and efficient niche colonization. Certain Pseudomonas putida strains harbor accessory genes that confer specific biodegradative properties and because these microorganisms can thrive on the roots of plants they can be exploited to remove pollutants via rhizoremediation, making the consortium plant/Pseudomonas a useful tool to combat pollution., (© 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2020
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172. Testing the weekend effect hypothesis: Time of day and lunar phase better predict the timing of births in laboratory-housed primates than day of week.
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Hopper LM, Fernandez-Duque E, and Williams LE
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- Animal Husbandry, Animals, Aotidae physiology, Female, Macaca mulatta physiology, Saimiri physiology, Time Factors, Animals, Laboratory physiology, Moon, Parturition physiology, Primates physiology
- Abstract
The weekend effect hypothesis proposes that captive primates are more likely to give birth during times of low disturbance and reduced staff activity. The hypothesis specifically predicts that laboratory-housed primates will be more likely to give birth during the weekend than weekdays when staff activity is reduced. To date, support for the weekend effect hypothesis has been mixed and based on studies with relatively few subjects. To further examine the hypothesis, we analyzed the birthing patterns of three genera of laboratory-housed primates: squirrel monkeys (Saimiri species, N = 2,090 births), owl monkeys (Aotus species, N = 479 births), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta, N = 2,047 births). Contrary to predictions derived from the weekend effect hypothesis, the frequencies of births during weekends for all taxa were not significantly different from rates that would be expected by chance. However, while there was no variance across days of the week, all three taxa gave birth at nighttime, when staff was absent. This parallels reports of births in wild and captive monkeys, both diurnal and nocturnal, which are more likely to give birth during the night; plausibly a time when the environmental and social disturbance is lowest and the mother is safest to bond with her newborn infant. As all births occurred at night, we also explored the relationship between the lunar cycle and the timing of births timing. While the diurnal primates (i.e., Saimiri and Macaca) were no more likely to give birth on "bright" nights than "dark" nights, owl monkeys (Aotus) had a much higher frequency of births on bright nights than darker ones, and at rates that deviated from chance. Our data provide a more detailed understanding on how the environment may influence captive monkey births but do not support the oft-cited weekend effect hypothesis., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
- Published
- 2019
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173. Twenty-first-century chemical odyssey: fuels versus commodities and cell factories versus chemical plants.
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Ramos JL and Duque E
- Subjects
- Biotechnology trends, Metabolic Engineering trends, Biofuels microbiology, Biotechnology methods, Lignin metabolism, Metabolic Engineering methods, Starch metabolism
- Abstract
The harmful effects of pollution from the massive and widespread use of fossil fuels have led various organizations and governments to search for alternative energy sources. To address this, a new energy bioprocess is being developed that utilizes non-edible lignocellulose - the only sustainable source of organic carbon in nature. In this mini-review, we consider the potential use of synthetic biology to develop new-to-nature pathways for the biosynthesis of chemicals that are currently synthesized using classical industrial approaches. The number of industrial processes based on starch or lignocellulose is still very modest. Advances in the area require the development of more efficient approaches to deconstruct plant materials, better exploitation of the catalytic potential of prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes and the identification of new and useful genes for product synthesis. Further research and progress is urgently needed in order for government and industry to achieve the major milestone of transitioning 30% of the total industry to renewable sources by 2050., (© 2019 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.)
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- 2019
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174. The diversity of population responses to environmental change.
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Colchero F, Jones OR, Conde DA, Hodgson D, Zajitschek F, Schmidt BR, Malo AF, Alberts SC, Becker PH, Bouwhuis S, Bronikowski AM, De Vleeschouwer KM, Delahay RJ, Dummermuth S, Fernández-Duque E, Frisenvaenge J, Hesselsøe M, Larson S, Lemaître JF, McDonald J, Miller DAW, O'Donnell C, Packer C, Raboy BE, Reading CJ, Wapstra E, Weimerskirch H, While GM, Baudisch A, Flatt T, Coulson T, and Gaillard JM
- Subjects
- Animals, Biodiversity, Demography, Female, Male, Models, Biological, Population Dynamics, Stochastic Processes, Birds, Climate Change, Extinction, Biological
- Abstract
The current extinction and climate change crises pressure us to predict population dynamics with ever-greater accuracy. Although predictions rest on the well-advanced theory of age-structured populations, two key issues remain poorly explored. Specifically, how the age-dependency in demographic rates and the year-to-year interactions between survival and fecundity affect stochastic population growth rates. We use inference, simulations and mathematical derivations to explore how environmental perturbations determine population growth rates for populations with different age-specific demographic rates and when ages are reduced to stages. We find that stage- vs. age-based models can produce markedly divergent stochastic population growth rates. The differences are most pronounced when there are survival-fecundity-trade-offs, which reduce the variance in the population growth rate. Finally, the expected value and variance of the stochastic growth rates of populations with different age-specific demographic rates can diverge to the extent that, while some populations may thrive, others will inevitably go extinct., (© 2018 The Authors Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2019
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175. Initiation of feeding by four sympatric Neotropical primates (Ateles belzebuth, Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii, Plecturocebus (Callicebus) discolor, and Pithecia aequatorialis) in Amazonian Ecuador: Relationships to photic and ecological factors.
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Snodderly DM, Ellis KM, Lieberman SR, Link A, Fernandez-Duque E, and Di Fiore A
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- Animals, Atelinae classification, Ecuador, Female, Fruit growth & development, Male, Photic Stimulation, Pitheciidae classification, Seasons, Sunlight, Sympatry, Time Factors, Atelinae physiology, Ecology, Feeding Behavior physiology, Pitheciidae physiology, Trees physiology, Tropical Climate
- Abstract
We examined photic and ecological factors related to initiation of feeding by four sympatric primates in the rain forest of Amazonian Ecuador. With rare exceptions, morning activities of all taxa began only after the onset of nautical twilight, which occurred 47-48 min before sunrise. The larger spider and woolly monkeys, Ateles belzebuth and Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii, left their sleeping trees before sunrise about half the time, while the smaller sakis and titi monkeys, Pithecia aequatorialis and Plecturocebus (formerly Callicebus) discolor, did not emerge until sunrise or later. None of the four taxa routinely began feeding before sunrise. Pithecia began feeding a median 2.17 h after sunrise, at least 0.8 h later than the median feeding times of the other three taxa. The early movement of Ateles and Lagothrix, and late initiation of feeding by Pithecia are consistent with temporal niche partitioning. Among most New World primate species, all males and many females, have dichromatic color vision, with only two cone photopigments, while some females are trichromats with three cone photopigments. Current evidence indicates that the dichromats have a foraging advantage in dim light, which could facilitate utilization of twilight periods and contribute to temporal niche partitioning. However, in our study, dichromatic males did not differentially exploit the dim light of twilight, and times of first feeding bouts of female Ateles and Lagothrix were similar to those of males. First feeding bouts followed a seasonal pattern, occurring latest in May-August, when ripe fruit abundance and ambient temperature were both relatively low. The most frugivorous taxon, Ateles, exhibited the greatest seasonality, initiating feeding 1.4 h later in May-August than in January-April. This pattern may imply a strategy of conserving energy when ripe fruit is scarcer, but starting earlier to compete successfully when fruit is more abundant. Lower temperatures were associated with later feeding of Ateles (by 26 min / °C) and perhaps Pithecia, but not Lagothrix or Plecturocebus. The potential for modification of temporal activity patterns and temporal niche partitioning by relatively small changes in temperature should be considered when predicting the effects of climate change., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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- 2019
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176. Ranging behavior and potential for territoriality in equatorial sakis (Pithecia aequatorialis) in Amazonian Ecuador.
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Van Belle S, Porter A, Fernandez-Duque E, and Di Fiore A
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- Animals, Anthropology, Physical, Ecuador, Female, Male, Homing Behavior physiology, Pitheciidae physiology, Territoriality
- Abstract
Objectives: Territoriality refers to the consistent defense of an area within the home range (HR) against intrusions of conspecifics. It implies exclusive space use with low degree of overlap among neighboring groups, high site fidelity, specific ranging behavior such as high mobility relative to HR size and frequent visits of territory borders, and monitoring behavior. We examined ranging behavior and use of space to evaluate territoriality in Pithecia aequatorialis in Ecuador., Materials and Methods: Between 2005 and 2015, we monitored one main study group continuously and five additional groups for shorter periods (5 months to 2.5 years) at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, in eastern Ecuador. We scored the location of the study groups at 20 min intervals during, on average, 5 days per month. We estimated saki HRs and core areas (CAs) using the fixed kernel density method (95 and 50%, respectively)., Results: The average HR size was 57 ha and the average CA 14 ha. The degree of overlap between HRs of neighboring groups was low (2-9%). For the main study group, the average overlap between annual HRs was 82%. Mean daily path length across groups was 1,151 m; the defensibility index varied between 1.1 and 2.3 (values >1 are suggestive of territoriality), and the fractional monitoring rate varied between 0.06 and 0.15 (values >0.08 are suggestive of territoriality). Groups did not visit their HR borders (100 m inner buffer) more often than would be expected by chance. Travel speed and directness were comparable between the borders and the centers of groups' HRs., Discussion: Our multiyear study suggests that equatorial sakis show low degree of range overlap and high site fidelity and have the potential to be territorial, given their high mobility relative to HR size that allows for frequent border monitoring. Nevertheless, their movement patterns in border areas did not reveal evidence for monitoring behavior., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
- Published
- 2018
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177. Duetting Patterns of Titi Monkeys (Primates, Pitheciidae: Callicebinae) and Relationships with Phylogeny.
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Adret P, Dingess KA, Caselli CB, Vermeer J, Martínez JM, Luna Amancio JC, van Kuijk SM, Hernani Lineros LM, Wallace RB, Fernandez-Duque E, and Di Fiore A
- Abstract
Long-range vocal communication in socially monogamous titi monkeys is mediated by the production of loud, advertising calls in the form of solos, duets, and choruses. We conducted a power spectral analysis of duets and choruses (simply "duets" hereafter) followed by linear discriminant analysis using three acoustic parameters-dominant frequency of the combined signal, duet sequence duration, and pant call rate-comparing the coordinated vocalizations recorded from 36 family groups at 18 sites in Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Our analysis identified four distinct duetting patterns: (1) a donacophilus pattern, sensu largo , characteristic of P. donacophilus , P. pallescens , P. olallae , and P. modestus ; (2) a moloch pattern comprising P. discolor , P. toppini , P. aureipalatii , and P. urubambensis ; (3) a torquatus pattern exemplified by the duet of Cheracebus lucifer ; and (4) the distinctive duet of P. oenanthe , a putative member of the donacophilus group, which is characterized by a mix of broadband and narrowband syllables, many of which are unique to this species. We also document a sex-related difference in the bellow-pant phrase combination among the three taxa sampled from the moloch lineage. Our data reveal a presumptive taxonomic incoherence illustrated by the distinctive loud calls of both P. urubambensis and P. oenanthe within the donacophilus lineage, sensu largo . The results are discussed in light of recent reassessments of the callicebine phylogeny, based on a suite of genetic studies, and the potential contribution of environmental influences, including habitat acoustics and social learning. A better knowledge of callicebine loud calls may also impact the conservation of critically endangered populations, such as the vocally distinctive Peruvian endemic, the San Martin titi, P. oenanthe .
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- 2018
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178. Are olfactory traits in a pair-bonded primate under sexual selection? An evaluation of sexual dimorphism in Aotus nancymaae.
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Spence-Aizenberg A, Williams LE, and Fernandez-Duque E
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- Animals, Anthropology, Physical, Behavior, Animal physiology, Bodily Secretions physiology, Female, Male, Sex Characteristics, Aotidae physiology, Pair Bond, Scent Glands physiology, Smell physiology
- Abstract
Objectives: Sexual selection has seemingly influenced chemical communication in numerous non-human primates, although it is unclear whether it has influenced strictly pair-living and pair-bonded taxa. The physical similarities between male and female owl monkeys suggest that disruptive selection has not played a role in this taxon. However, given their nocturnality, olfactory traits may show differing patterns of sexual selection than visual traits. If sexual selection has influenced chemical communication in owl monkeys, we expect larger scent glands and greater scent-marking in females given the high degree of paternal care, as has been proposed for callitrichines., Materials and Methods: We evaluated sex differences in the qualitative and quantitative descriptions of the subcaudal and perianal glandular regions of captive male (n = 39) and female (n = 36) owl monkeys (A. nancymaae), and in the olfactory behaviors performed within breeding pairs (n = 16)., Results: Males had larger areas of secretion retained in the hairs covering the subcaudal gland, and females had more and darker secretion than males covering the perianal region. Males inspected the genital region of their partners more frequently than females did, but the sexes did not differ much in other investigative and marking behaviors., Discussion: The observed sex differences and variation in olfactory traits are consistent with the hypothesis that sexual selection has influenced chemical communication in owl monkeys, with males having larger subcaudal glands and spending more time investigating odors. Still, sex differences in monogamous owl monkeys were less extreme than those in other, non-monogamous, taxa., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
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- 2018
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179. Ruminal metagenomic libraries as a source of relevant hemicellulolytic enzymes for biofuel production.
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Duque E, Daddaoua A, Cordero BF, Udaondo Z, Molina-Santiago C, Roca A, Solano J, Molina-Alcaide E, Segura A, and Ramos JL
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- Animals, Bacteria chemistry, Bacteria genetics, Bacteria isolation & purification, Bacterial Proteins chemistry, Bacterial Proteins genetics, Cattle, Cloning, Molecular, Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases chemistry, Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases genetics, Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases metabolism, Enzyme Stability, Glycoside Hydrolases chemistry, Glycoside Hydrolases genetics, Metagenomics, Open Reading Frames, Polysaccharides metabolism, Saccharum chemistry, Saccharum metabolism, Bacteria enzymology, Bacterial Proteins metabolism, Biofuels analysis, Glycoside Hydrolases metabolism, Rumen microbiology
- Abstract
The success of second-generation (2G) ethanol technology relies on the efficient transformation of hemicellulose into monosaccharides and, particularly, on the full conversion of xylans into xylose for over 18% of fermentable sugars. We sought new hemicellulases using ruminal liquid, after enrichment of microbes with industrial lignocellulosic substrates and preparation of metagenomic libraries. Among 150 000 fosmid clones tested, we identified 22 clones with endoxylanase activity and 125 with β-xylosidase activity. These positive clones were sequenced en masse, and the analysis revealed open reading frames with a low degree of similarity with known glycosyl hydrolases families. Among them, we searched for enzymes that were thermostable (activity at > 50°C) and that operate at high rate at pH around 5. Upon a wide series of assays, the clones exhibiting the highest endoxylanase and β-xylosidase activities were identified. The fosmids were sequenced, and the corresponding genes cloned, expressed and proteins purified. We found that the activity of the most active β-xylosidase was at least 10-fold higher than that in commercial enzymatic fungal cocktails. Endoxylanase activity was in the range of fungal enzymes. Fungal enzymatic cocktails supplemented with the bacterial hemicellulases exhibited enhanced release of sugars from pretreated sugar cane straw, a relevant agricultural residue., (© 2018 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.)
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- 2018
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180. Chemical composition of glandular secretions from a pair-living monogamous primate: Sex, age, and gland differences in captive and wild owl monkeys (Aotus spp.).
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Spence-Aizenberg A, Kimball BA, Williams LE, and Fernandez-Duque E
- Subjects
- Age Factors, Animal Communication, Animals, Argentina, Bodily Secretions chemistry, Bodily Secretions metabolism, Ecosystem, Female, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry veterinary, Male, Pheromones metabolism, Sex Factors, Smell, Aotidae physiology, Pheromones chemistry, Scent Glands metabolism
- Abstract
Broadening our knowledge of olfactory communication in strictly monogamous systems can inform our understanding of how chemosignals may facilitate social and reproductive behavior between the sexes. Compared to other social and mating systems, relatively little is known about olfactory communication in strictly monogamous non-human primates. Furthermore, platyrrhines are not well represented in chemical analyses of glandular secretions. We conducted semi-quantitative headspace gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to investigate the chemical components of glandular secretions from the subcaudal and pectoral glands of a strictly pair-living platyrrhine, the owl monkey (Aotus spp.). In this study, the first chemical analysis of a wild platyrrhine population, our goals were to (1) conduct a robust analysis of glandular secretions from both captive and wild owl monkey populations and (2) identify whether biologically relevant traits are present in glandular secretions. We also compared and contrasted the results between two Aotus species in different environmental contexts: wild Aotus azarae (N = 33) and captive A. nancymaae (N = 104). Our findings indicate that secretions from both populations encode sex, gland of origin, and possibly individual identity. These consistent patterns across species and contexts suggest that secretions may function as chemosignals. Our data also show that wild A. azarae individuals are chemically discriminated by age (adult or subadult). Among the captive A. nanycmaae, we found chemical differences associated with location, possibly caused by dietary differences. However, there was no noticeable effect of contraception on the chemical profiles of females, nor evidence that closely related individuals exhibit more similar chemical profiles in A. nancymaae. Overall, our data suggest that glandular secretions of both wild and captive Aotus convey specific information. Future studies should use behavioral bioassays to evaluate the ability of owl monkeys to detect signals, and consider whether odor may ultimately facilitate social and sexual relationships between male and female owl monkeys., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
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- 2018
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181. The role of intragroup agonism in parent-offspring relationships and natal dispersal in monogamous owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) of Argentina.
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Corley MK, Xia S, and Fernandez-Duque E
- Subjects
- Aging, Animals, Aotidae genetics, Argentina, Ecosystem, Female, Male, Parenting, Sex Factors, Aggression, Animal Distribution, Aotidae physiology
- Abstract
Agonistic behaviors are common in many group-living taxa and may serve a variety of functions, ranging from regulating conflicts over reproduction to defending food resources. However, high rates of agonism are not expected to occur among close relatives or individuals in established mating relationships, which are characteristics of monogamous groups. To contribute to our understanding of agonism within socially monogamous groups, we collected behavioral and demographic data from Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) in the Gran Chaco of Argentina over 14 years. We examined factors related to age, sex, kinship, and behavioral context to evaluate predictions of the hypotheses that agonism functions to regulate dispersal and that it mediates competition for food and/or mates. Intragroup agonism was relatively rare: the group rate was approximately one event every three and a half hours. Rates of agonism were generally similar for both sexes, but there were marked differences among age categories. Agonism performed by adults was more frequently directed at subadults than at younger offspring. In contrast, agonistic interactions involving infants were very rare. Among interactions between adults and subadults, adults were much more frequently the actors than the recipients, suggesting that agonism from adults may influence natal dispersal of subadults. Agonistic events were most frequent during foraging, but also occurred more frequently than expected during bouts of social behavior. Overall, our results suggest that agonism in owl monkeys serves as a mechanism for regulating dispersal, and also likely plays a role in mediating mating and feeding competition., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
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- 2017
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182. Hormonal correlates of development and natal dispersal in wild female owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) of Argentina.
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Corley M, Valeggia C, and Fernandez-Duque E
- Subjects
- Animals, Animals, Wild, Argentina, Feces chemistry, Female, Gonadal Steroid Hormones analysis, Male, Reproduction physiology, Sexual Maturation physiology, Animal Distribution physiology, Aotidae growth & development, Aotidae metabolism, Gonadal Steroid Hormones metabolism
- Abstract
Pair-living and socially monogamous primates typically do not reproduce before dispersing. It is currently unclear whether this reproductive suppression is due to endocrine or behavioral mechanisms. Cooperatively breeding taxa, like callitrichids, may forego reproduction in natal groups because they reap inclusive fitness benefits and/or they are avoiding inbreeding. However, neither of these benefits of delayed reproduction appear to adequately explain the lack of reproduction prior to leaving the natal group in pair-living monogamous species. In this study, we determined whether wild Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) in the Argentinean Chaco establish reproductive maturity prior to dispersing. We utilized 635 fecal extracts to characterize reproductive hormone profiles of 11 wild juvenile and subadult females using enzyme immunoassays. Subadult females showed hormone profiles indicative of ovulatory cycling and had mean PdG and E1G concentrations approximately five times higher than juveniles. Contrary to expectations from the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis, female owl monkeys do not delay puberty, but rather commence ovarian cycling while residing in their natal group. Still, subadults appear to have a period during which they experience irregular, non-conceptive cycles prior to reproducing. Commencing these irregular cycles in the natal group may allow them to develop a state of suspended readiness, which could be essential to securing a mate, while avoiding costs of ranging solitarily. Our results indicate that reproductive suppression in female owl monkeys is not due to endocrine suppression. We suggest that adults likely use behavioral mechanisms to prevent subadults from reproducing with unrelated adult males in their natal group., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2017
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183. Identification and elucidation of in vivo function of two alanine racemases from Pseudomonas putida KT2440.
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Duque E, Daddaoua A, Cordero BF, De la Torre J, Antonia Molina-Henares M, and Ramos JL
- Subjects
- Bacterial Proteins genetics, Bacterial Proteins metabolism, Computational Biology methods, Gene Deletion, Genotype, Mutation, Phenotype, Pseudomonas putida ultrastructure, Alanine Racemase genetics, Alanine Racemase metabolism, Pseudomonas putida enzymology, Pseudomonas putida genetics
- Abstract
The genome of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 contains two open reading frames (ORFs), PP_3722 and PP_5269, that encode proteins with a Pyridoxal phosphate binding motif and a high similarity to alanine racemases. Alanine racemases play a key role in the biosynthesis of D-alanine, a crucial amino acid in the peptidoglycan layer. For these ORFs, we generated single and double mutants and found that inactivation of PP_5269 resulted in D-alanine auxotrophy, while inactivation of PP_3722 did not. Furthermore, as expected, the PP_3722/PP_5269 double mutant was a strict auxotroph for D-alanine. These results indicate that PP_5269 is an alr allele and that it is the essential alanine racemase in P. putida. We observed that the PP_5269 mutant grew very slowly, while the double PP_5269/PP_3722 mutant did not grow at all. This suggests that PP_3722 may replace PP_5269 in vivo. In fact, when the ORF encoding PP_3772 was cloned into a wide host range expression vector, ORF PP_3722 successfully complemented P. putida PP_5269 mutants. We purified both proteins to homogeneity and while they exhibit similar K
M values, the Vmax of PP_5269 is fourfold higher than that of PP_3722. Here, we propose that PP_5269 and PP_3722 encode functional alanine racemases and that these genes be named alr-1 and alr-2 respectively., (© 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)- Published
- 2017
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184. Green biofuels and bioproducts: bases for sustainability analysis.
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Ramos JL, García-Lorente F, Valdivia M, and Duque E
- Subjects
- Biofuels, Biotechnology methods, Green Chemistry Technology methods, Waste Management methods
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- 2017
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185. The pangenome of the genus Clostridium.
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Udaondo Z, Duque E, and Ramos JL
- Subjects
- Bacterial Proteins genetics, Bacterial Proteins metabolism, Clostridium classification, Clostridium metabolism, Metabolic Networks and Pathways, Multilocus Sequence Typing, Phylogeny, Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases genetics, Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases metabolism, S-Adenosylmethionine metabolism, Clostridium genetics, Genome, Bacterial
- Abstract
The pangenome for the genus Clostridium sensu stricto, which was obtained using highly curated and annotated genomes from 16 species is presented; some of these cause disease, while others are used for the production of added-value chemicals. Multilocus sequencing analysis revealed that species of this genus group into at least two clades that include non-pathogenic and pathogenic strains, suggesting that pathogenicity is dispersed across the phylogenetic tree. The core genome of the genus includes 546 protein families, which mainly comprise those involved in protein translation and DNA repair. The GS-GOGAT may represent the central pathway for generating organic nitrogen from inorganic nitrogen sources. Glycerol and glucose metabolism genes are well represented in the core genome together with a set of energy conservation systems. A metabolic network comprising proteins/enzymes, RNAs and metabolites, whose topological structure is a non-random and scale-free network with hierarchically structured modules was built. These modules shed light on the interactions between RNAs, proteins and metabolites, revealing biological features of transcription and translation, cell wall biosynthesis, C1 metabolism and N metabolism. Network analysis identified four nodes that function as hubs and bottlenecks, namely, coenzyme A, HPr kinases, S-adenosylmethionine and the ribonuclease P-protein, suggesting pivotal roles for them in Clostridium., (© 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2017
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186. Impending extinction crisis of the world's primates: Why primates matter.
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Estrada A, Garber PA, Rylands AB, Roos C, Fernandez-Duque E, Di Fiore A, Nekaris KA, Nijman V, Heymann EW, Lambert JE, Rovero F, Barelli C, Setchell JM, Gillespie TR, Mittermeier RA, Arregoitia LV, de Guinea M, Gouveia S, Dobrovolski R, Shanee S, Shanee N, Boyle SA, Fuentes A, MacKinnon KC, Amato KR, Meyer AL, Wich S, Sussman RW, Pan R, Kone I, and Li B
- Subjects
- Animals, Cercopithecidae, Ecosystem, Extinction, Biological
- Abstract
Nonhuman primates, our closest biological relatives, play important roles in the livelihoods, cultures, and religions of many societies and offer unique insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and the threat of emerging diseases. They are an essential component of tropical biodiversity, contributing to forest regeneration and ecosystem health. Current information shows the existence of 504 species in 79 genera distributed in the Neotropics, mainland Africa, Madagascar, and Asia. Alarmingly, ~60% of primate species are now threatened with extinction and ~75% have declining populations. This situation is the result of escalating anthropogenic pressures on primates and their habitats-mainly global and local market demands, leading to extensive habitat loss through the expansion of industrial agriculture, large-scale cattle ranching, logging, oil and gas drilling, mining, dam building, and the construction of new road networks in primate range regions. Other important drivers are increased bushmeat hunting and the illegal trade of primates as pets and primate body parts, along with emerging threats, such as climate change and anthroponotic diseases. Often, these pressures act in synergy, exacerbating primate population declines. Given that primate range regions overlap extensively with a large, and rapidly growing, human population characterized by high levels of poverty, global attention is needed immediately to reverse the looming risk of primate extinctions and to attend to local human needs in sustainable ways. Raising global scientific and public awareness of the plight of the world's primates and the costs of their loss to ecosystem health and human society is imperative.
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- 2017
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187. Delayed Dispersal and Immigration in Equatorial Sakis (Pithecia aequatorialis): Factors in the Transition from Pair- to Group-Living.
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Porter AM, Grote MN, Isbell LA, Fernandez-Duque E, and Di Fiore A
- Subjects
- Animals, Female, Grooming, Male, Pitheciidae psychology, Reproduction, Territoriality, Behavior, Animal, Pitheciidae physiology, Social Behavior
- Abstract
Saki monkeys (Pithecia spp.) live in pairs and small groups, sometimes with more than 1 same-sex adult. Previous studies have not been able to distinguish additional, unrelated adults from adult-sized offspring, but both can influence social relationships and mating strategies, albeit in different ways. In this study, we documented the immigration of an adult male equatorial saki (P. aequatorialis) into a group following the departure of the previous resident male. At immigration, the group contained an adult female, her 5-year-old (adult age) and 1.5-year-old daughters, and her 1-month-old infant. We used nearest neighbor, approach, grooming, playing, aggression, and copulation data to describe the social dynamics between the immigrant male and the 2 adult females. In the 12 months following his arrival, the immigrant male tended to be closer to and groom the adult daughter more than the mother, but he mated with both females. Both females interacted more with the immigrant male than with each other, and both females eventually reproduced. These observations provide evidence that in equatorial sakis, adult offspring may delay dispersal and reproduce within their natal group, thus transitioning from groups of reproductive pairs to groups with more than 1 reproductive adult of the same sex., (© 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.)
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- 2017
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188. Genetic and functional characterization of a novel meta-pathway for degradation of naringenin in Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1.
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Maria Marin A, de la Torre J, Ricardo Marques Oliveira A, Barison A, Satie Chubatsu L, Adele Monteiro R, de Oliveira Pedrosa F, Maltempi de Souza E, Wassem R, Duque E, and Ramos JL
- Subjects
- Biodegradation, Environmental, Herbaspirillum enzymology, Herbaspirillum genetics, Mixed Function Oxygenases genetics, Mixed Function Oxygenases metabolism, Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Flavanones metabolism, Herbaspirillum metabolism
- Abstract
In this study, a random mutant library of Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1 was constructed by Tn5 insertion and a mutant incapable of utilizing naringenin as a carbon source was isolated. The Tn5 transposon was found to be inserted in the fdeE gene (Hsero_1007), which encodes a monooxygenase. Two other mutant strains in fdeC (Hsero_1005) and fdeG (Hsero_1009) genes coding for a dioxygenase and a putative cyclase, respectively, were obtained by site-directed mutagenesis and then characterized. Liquid Chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS analyses of culture supernatant from the fdeE mutant strain revealed that naringenin remained unaltered, suggesting that the FdeE protein is involved in the initial step of naringenin degradation. LC-MS/MS analyses of culture supernatants from the wild-type (SmR1) and FdeC deficient mutant suggested that in H. seropedicae SmR1 naringenin is first mono-oxygenated by the FdeE protein, to produce 5,7,8-trihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one, that is subsequently dioxygenated and cleaved at the A-ring by the FdeC dioxygenase, since the latter compound accumulated in the fdeC strain. After meta-cleavage of the A-ring, the subsequent metabolic steps generate oxaloacetic acid that is metabolized via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This bacterium can also modify naringenin by attaching a glycosyl group to the B-ring or a methoxy group to the A-ring, leading to the generation of dead-end products., (© 2016 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2016
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189. Analysis of the core genome and pangenome of Pseudomonas putida.
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Udaondo Z, Molina L, Segura A, Duque E, and Ramos JL
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- Carbon metabolism, Membrane Transport Proteins metabolism, Open Reading Frames, Pseudomonas putida metabolism, Biological Transport genetics, Energy Metabolism genetics, Genome, Bacterial genetics, Membrane Transport Proteins genetics, Pseudomonas putida genetics
- Abstract
Pseudomonas putida are strict aerobes that proliferate in a range of temperate niches and are of interest for environmental applications due to their capacity to degrade pollutants and ability to promote plant growth. Furthermore solvent-tolerant strains are useful for biosynthesis of added-value chemicals. We present a comprehensive comparative analysis of nine strains and the first characterization of the Pseudomonas putida pangenome. The core genome of P. putida comprises approximately 3386 genes. The most abundant genes within the core genome are those that encode nutrient transporters. Other conserved genes include those for central carbon metabolism through the Entner-Doudoroff pathway, the pentose phosphate cycle, arginine and proline metabolism, and pathways for degradation of aromatic chemicals. Genes that encode transporters, enzymes and regulators for amino acid metabolism (synthesis and degradation) are all part of the core genome, as well as various electron transporters, which enable aerobic metabolism under different oxygen regimes. Within the core genome are 30 genes for flagella biosynthesis and 12 key genes for biofilm formation. Pseudomonas putida strains share 85% of the coding regions with Pseudomonas aeruginosa; however, in P. putida, virulence factors such as exotoxins and type III secretion systems are absent., (© 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2016
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190. Pseudomonas putida as a platform for the synthesis of aromatic compounds.
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Molina-Santiago C, Cordero BF, Daddaoua A, Udaondo Z, Manzano J, Valdivia M, Segura A, Ramos JL, and Duque E
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- Bacterial Proteins genetics, Bacterial Proteins metabolism, Industrial Microbiology, Pseudomonas putida genetics, Cinnamates metabolism, Flavoring Agents metabolism, Phenylalanine biosynthesis, Phenylethyl Alcohol metabolism, Pseudomonas putida metabolism
- Abstract
Aromatic compounds such as l-phenylalanine, 2-phenylethanol and trans-cinnamate are aromatic compounds of industrial interest. Current trends support replacement of chemical synthesis of these compounds by 'green' alternatives produced in microbial cell factories. The solvent-tolerant Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E strain was genetically modified to produce up to 1 g l-1 of l-phenylalanine. In order to engineer this strain, we carried out the following stepwise process: (1) we selected random mutants that are resistant to toxic phenylalanine analogues; (2) we then deleted up to five genes belonging to phenylalanine metabolism pathways, which greatly diminished the internal metabolism of phenylalanine; and (3) in these mutants, we overexpressed the pheAfbr gene, which encodes a recombinant variant of PheA that is insensitive to feedback inhibition by phenylalanine. Furthermore, by introducing new genes, we were able to further extend the diversity of compounds produced. Introduction of histidinol phosphate transferase (PP_0967), phenylpyruvate decarboxylase (kdc) and an alcohol dehydrogenase (adh) enabled the strain to produce up to 180 mg l-1 2-phenylethanol. When phenylalanine ammonia lyase (pal) was introduced, the resulting strain produced up to 200 mg l-1 of trans-cinnamate. These results demonstrate that P. putida can serve as a promising microbial cell factory for the production of l-phenylalanine and related compounds.
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- 2016
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191. Transparency, usability, and reproducibility: Guiding principles for improving comparative databases using primates as examples.
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Borries C, Sandel AA, Koenig A, Fernandez-Duque E, Kamilar JM, Amoroso CR, Barton RA, Bray J, Di Fiore A, Gilby IC, Gordon AD, Mundry R, Port M, Powell LE, Pusey AE, Spriggs A, and Nunn CL
- Subjects
- Animals, Anthropology, Physical, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Primates, Reproducibility of Results, Databases, Factual standards, Metadata standards, Research standards
- Abstract
Recent decades have seen rapid development of new analytical methods to investigate patterns of interspecific variation. Yet these cutting-edge statistical analyses often rely on data of questionable origin, varying accuracy, and weak comparability, which seem to have reduced the reproducibility of studies. It is time to improve the transparency of comparative data while also making these improved data more widely available. We, the authors, met to discuss how transparency, usability, and reproducibility of comparative data can best be achieved. We propose four guiding principles: 1) data identification with explicit operational definitions and complete descriptions of methods; 2) inclusion of metadata that capture key characteristics of the data, such as sample size, geographic coordinates, and nutrient availability (for example, captive versus wild animals); 3) documentation of the original reference for each datum; and 4) facilitation of effective interactions with the data via user friendly and transparent interfaces. We urge reviewers, editors, publishers, database developers and users, funding agencies, researchers publishing their primary data, and those performing comparative analyses to embrace these standards to increase the transparency, usability, and reproducibility of comparative studies., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
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- 2016
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192. An international workshop to launch P.A.I.R., a program on Aotus integrated research.
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Perea-Rodriguez JP, Fernandez-Duque E, Corley M, and Spence-Aizenberg A
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- Animals, Humans, Anthropology, Physical education, Anthropology, Physical organization & administration, Aotidae, Research education, Research organization & administration
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- 2016
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193. Fundamental problems with the cooperative breeding hypothesis. A reply to Burkart & van Schaik.
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Thornton A, McAuliffe K, Dall SR, Fernandez-Duque E, Garber PA, and Young AJ
- Abstract
The cooperative breeding hypothesis (CBH) states that cooperative breeding, a social system in which group members help to rear offspring that are not their own, has important socio-cognitive consequences. Thornton & McAuliffe (2015; henceforth T&M) critiqued this idea on both conceptual and empirical grounds, arguing that there is no reason to predict that cooperative breeding should favour the evolution of enhanced social cognition or larger brains, nor any clear evidence that it does. In response to this critique, Burkart & van Schaik (2016 henceforth B&vS) attempt to clarify the causal logic of the CBH, revisit the data and raise the possibility that the hypothesis may only apply to primates. They concede that cooperative breeding is unlikely to generate selection pressures for enhanced socio-cognitive abilities, but argue instead that the CBH operates purely through cooperative breeding reducing social or energetic constraints. Here, we argue that this revised hypothesis is also untenable because: (1) it cannot explain why resources so released would be allocated to cognitive traits per se rather than any other fitness-related traits, (2) key assumptions are inconsistent with available evidence and (3) ambiguity regarding the predictions leaves it unclear what evidence would be required to falsify it. Ultimately, the absence of any compelling evidence that cooperative breeding is associated with elevated cognitive ability or large brains (indeed data suggest the opposite is true in non-human primates) also casts doubt on the capacity of the CBH to explain variation in cognitive traits.
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- 2016
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194. Ancestral sleep.
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de la Iglesia HO, Moreno C, Lowden A, Louzada F, Marqueze E, Levandovski R, Pilz LK, Valeggia C, Fernandez-Duque E, Golombek DA, Czeisler CA, Skene DJ, Duffy JF, and Roenneberg T
- Subjects
- Humans, Light, Melatonin, Photoperiod, Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep
- Abstract
While we do not yet understand all the functions of sleep, its critical role for normal physiology and behaviour is evident. Its amount and temporal pattern depend on species and condition. Humans sleep about a third of the day with the longest, consolidated episode during the night. The change in lifestyle from hunter-gatherers via agricultural communities to densely populated industrialized centres has certainly affected sleep, and a major concern in the medical community is the impact of insufficient sleep on health [1,2]. One of the causal mechanisms leading to insufficient sleep is altered exposure to the natural light-dark cycle. This includes the wide availability of electric light, attenuated exposure to daylight within buildings, and evening use of light-emitting devices, all of which decrease the strength of natural light-dark signals that entrain circadian systems [3]., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
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- 2016
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195. Social monogamy in wild owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) of Argentina: the potential influences of resource distribution and ranging patterns.
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Fernandez-Duque E
- Subjects
- Animals, Argentina, Environment, Female, Male, Animal Distribution, Aotidae physiology, Homing Behavior, Pair Bond, Social Behavior
- Abstract
Using published and new data from a population of monogamous owl monkeys in the Argentinean Chaco, I examine the hypothesis that social monogamy is a default social system imposed upon males because the spatial and/or temporal distribution of resources and females makes it difficult for a single male to defend access to more than one mate. First, I examine a set of predictions on ranging patterns, use of space, and population density. This first section is followed by a second one considering predictions related to the abundance and distribution of food. Finally, I conclude with a section attempting to link the ranging and ecological data to demographic and life-history parameters as proxies for reproductive success. In support of the hypothesis, owl monkey species do live at densities (7-64 ind/km(2) ) that are predicted for monogamous species, but groups occupy home ranges and core areas that vary substantially in size, with pronounced overlap of home ranges, but not of core areas. There are strong indications that the availability of food sources in the core areas during the dry season may be of substantial importance for regulating social monogamy in owl monkeys. Finally, none of the proxies for the success of groups were strongly related to the size of the home range or core area. The results I present do not support conclusively any single explanation for the evolution of social monogamy in owl monkeys, but they help us to better understand how it may function. Moreover, the absence of conclusive answers linking ranging, ecology, and reproductive success with the evolution of social monogamy in primates, offer renewed motivation for continuing to explore the evolution of monogamy in owl monkeys., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
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- 2016
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196. Age and sex-specific mortality of wild and captive populations of a monogamous pair-bonded primate (Aotus azarae).
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Larson SM, Colchero F, Jones OR, Williams L, and Fernandez-Duque E
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- Animals, Argentina, Bayes Theorem, Female, Life Expectancy, Male, Pair Bond, Reproduction, Sex Characteristics, Texas, Animals, Zoo physiology, Aotidae physiology, Longevity
- Abstract
In polygynous primates, a greater reproductive variance in males have been linked to their reduced life expectancy relative to females. The mortality patterns of monogamous pair-bonded primates, however, are less clear. We analyzed the sex differences in mortality within wild (NMales = 70, NFemales = 73) and captive (NMales = 25, NFemales = 29) populations of Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae), a socially and genetically monogamous primate exhibiting biparental care. We used Bayesian Survival Trajectory Analysis (BaSTA) to test age-dependent models of mortality. The wild and captive populations were best fit by the logistic and Gompertz models, respectively, implying greater heterogeneity in the wild environment likely due to harsher conditions. We found that age patterns of mortality were similar between the sexes in both populations. We calculated life expectancy and disparity, the latter a measure of the steepness of senescence, for both sexes in each population. Males and females had similar life expectancies in both populations; the wild population overall having a shorter life expectancy than the captive one. Furthermore, captive females had a reduced life disparity relative to captive males and to both sexes in the wild. We interpret this pattern in light of the hazards associated with reproduction. In captivity, where reproduction is intensely managed, the risks associated with gestation and birth are tempered so that there is a reduction in the likelihood of captive females dying prematurely, decreasing their overall life disparity., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
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- 2016
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197. Can colour vision re-evolve? Variation in the X-linked opsin locus of cathemeral Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae azarae).
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Mundy NI, Morningstar NC, Baden AL, Fernandez-Duque E, Dávalos VM, and Bradley BJ
- Abstract
Background: Do evolutionary specializations lead to evolutionary constraint? This appears plausible, particularly when specialization leads to loss of complex adaptations. In the owl monkey lineage, nocturnality clearly arose from a diurnal ancestor. This behavioural shift was accompanied by morphological changes in the eye and orbit and complete loss of colour vision via missense mutations in the gene encoding the short-wave sensitive visual pigment (SWS opsin). Interestingly, at least one subspecies of owl monkey, Azara's owl monkey (Aotus azarae azarae), has regained activity in daylight. Given that all primate species that are active in daylight, including primarily diurnal species and species that are active during both day and night, have at least dichromatic colour vision, it seems reasonable to propose that dichromacy would be adaptive in A. a. azarae. With a disabled SWS opsin, the main avenue available for Azara's owl monkeys to re-evolve colour vision is via a polymorphism in the intact X-linked opsin locus, which commonly occurs in other New World monkeys. To examine this possibility we assayed variation in the X-linked opsin of A. a. azarae, focusing on the three exons (3, 4 and 5) that control spectral sensitivity., Results: We found low opsin genetic variation on a population level, and no differences at the three main sites that lead to variation in spectral sensitivity in the opsins of other New World monkeys. Two rare alleles with single amino acid variants are segregating in the population, but previous functional studies indicate that these are unlikely to affect spectral sensitivity., Conclusions: Genetic constraint on the re-evolution of colour vision is likely operating in Azara's owl monkey, which may affect the niche that this subspecies is able to occupy.
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- 2016
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198. Demography and life history of wild red titi monkeys (Callicebus discolor) and equatorial sakis (Pithecia aequatorialis) in Amazonian Ecuador: A 12-year study.
- Author
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Van Belle S, Fernandez-Duque E, and Di Fiore A
- Subjects
- Animals, Demography, Ecuador, Female, Longevity, Male, Seasons, Sexual Behavior, Animal, Social Behavior, Species Specificity, Homing Behavior, Pitheciidae physiology, Reproduction
- Abstract
We investigated demographic patterns and life history traits from several groups of red titi monkeys (Callicebus discolor) and equatorial sakis (Pithecia aequatorialis) monitored throughout the first 12 years (November 2003 through May 2015) of an ongoing research project in the Yasuní National Park and Biosphere Reserve, Ecuador. The saki groups ranged in size between two and six individuals, comprising either one adult male and one adult female or multiple adult-sized males or females, plus immatures. Deviations from a pair-living structure resulted when two different daughters of the resident female grew up and successfully reproduced in their natal group and when an adult-sized male temporarily immigrated into the group when it already contained an adult male. The titi groups also ranged in size between two and six individuals, but almost exclusively lived in groups with one adult individual of each sex. No titi offspring were observed to breed in their natal groups, and both male and female offspring dispersed when they were between 2.1 and 5.0 years old. In both titi and saki groups, vacant breeding positions resulting from the disappearance of an adult group member were promptly occupied by immigrants of the same sex as the disappeared group member. We recorded nine saki and 28 titi births. Eighty-three percent of the titi births occurred between September and January, suggesting reproductive seasonality. The mean interbirth interval after an infant survived its first 6 months was 21.3 ± SE 1.9 months (N = 3) for sakis and 14.5 ± SE 1.5 months (N = 14) for titis. Saki infant survival was 70%, and juvenile survival 57%. Titi infant survival was 88%, and juvenile survival was 53%. This 12-year study provides important insights into the functioning and maintenance of pair-living and social monogamy in two little-known platyrrhine species., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
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- 2016
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199. Specific Gene Loci of Clinical Pseudomonas putida Isolates.
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Molina L, Udaondo Z, Duque E, Fernández M, Bernal P, Roca A, de la Torre J, and Ramos JL
- Subjects
- Environmental Microbiology, Genes, Bacterial, Genetic Loci, Humans, Multilocus Sequence Typing, Pseudomonas Infections microbiology, Pseudomonas putida classification, Pseudomonas putida genetics
- Abstract
Pseudomonas putida are ubiquitous inhabitants of soils and clinical isolates of this species have been seldom described. Clinical isolates show significant variability in their ability to cause damage to hosts because some of them are able to modulate the host's immune response. In the current study, comparisons between the genomes of different clinical and environmental strains of P. putida were done to identify genetic clusters shared by clinical isolates that are not present in environmental isolates. We show that in clinical strains specific genes are mostly present on transposons, and that this set of genes exhibit high identity with genes found in pathogens and opportunistic pathogens. The set of genes prevalent in P. putida clinical isolates, and absent in environmental isolates, are related with survival under oxidative stress conditions, resistance against biocides, amino acid metabolism and toxin/antitoxin (TA) systems. This set of functions have influence in colonization and survival within human tissues, since they avoid host immune response or enhance stress resistance. An in depth bioinformatic analysis was also carried out to identify genetic clusters that are exclusive to each of the clinical isolates and that correlate with phenotypical differences between them, a secretion system type III-like was found in one of these clinical strains, a determinant of pathogenicity in Gram-negative bacteria.
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- 2016
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200. Understanding butanol tolerance and assimilation in Pseudomonas putida BIRD-1: an integrated omics approach.
- Author
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Cuenca Mdel S, Roca A, Molina-Santiago C, Duque E, Armengaud J, Gómez-Garcia MR, and Ramos JL
- Subjects
- Acetate-CoA Ligase genetics, Acetate-CoA Ligase metabolism, Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenases genetics, Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenases metabolism, Bacterial Proteins genetics, Bacterial Proteins metabolism, Proteomics, Pseudomonas putida enzymology, Pseudomonas putida genetics, Butanols metabolism, Pseudomonas putida metabolism
- Abstract
Pseudomonas putida BIRD-1 has the potential to be used for the industrial production of butanol due to its solvent tolerance and ability to metabolize low-cost compounds. However, the strain has two major limitations: it assimilates butanol as sole carbon source and butanol concentrations above 1% (v/v) are toxic. With the aim of facilitating BIRD-1 strain design for industrial use, a genome-wide mini-Tn5 transposon mutant library was screened for clones exhibiting increased butanol sensitivity or deficiency in butanol assimilation. Twenty-one mutants were selected that were affected in one or both of the processes. These mutants exhibited insertions in various genes, including those involved in the TCA cycle, fatty acid metabolism, transcription, cofactor synthesis and membrane integrity. An omics-based analysis revealed key genes involved in the butanol response. Transcriptomic and proteomic studies were carried out to compare short and long-term tolerance and assimilation traits. Pseudomonas putida initiates various butanol assimilation pathways via alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases that channel the compound to central metabolism through the glyoxylate shunt pathway. Accordingly, isocitrate lyase - a key enzyme of the pathway - was the most abundant protein when butanol was used as the sole carbon source. Upregulation of two genes encoding proteins PPUBIRD1_2240 and PPUBIRD1_2241 (acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and acyl-CoA synthetase respectively) linked butanol assimilation with acyl-CoA metabolism. Butanol tolerance was found to be primarily linked to classic solvent defense mechanisms, such as efflux pumps, membrane modifications and control of redox state. Our results also highlight the intensive energy requirements for butanol production and tolerance; thus, enhancing TCA cycle operation may represent a promising strategy for enhanced butanol production., (© 2015 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.)
- Published
- 2016
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