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The study of linguistic and cognitive strategies for spatial referencing has seen an increase in studies reported in the literature since the 1970s. This research has moved from formulating theorie...

Lionfish are successful invasive predators in the Caribbean region and inhabit a large range of habitats. Our study in the Caribbean has focused on the relationships between the biological characteristics of lionfish particularly their size, their activities and use of those different habitats. In this study, we observed a high number of lionfish individuals, focusing on the behavioural activities and biological traits in relation to different habitats and environmental characteristics. We monitored 793 individuals, recording their activities, biological traits, and habitat characteristics. Our results report that lionfish are not solitary, but frequently form groups for many activities. We provide evidence of differences between lionfish habitat use according to activity, and the size of individual fish. Considering the size is correlated with age, coral reefs appear to be the preferred habitat of older individuals, whereas the youngest lionfish use a diversity of habitats, ranging from mangroves to coral reefs. In addition, this study suggests that predation of lionfish is age-dependent strategy, and depends on time and the tone of the environment. Lionfish do not only use the head-down posture to catch prey but also horizontal and head-up postures. The youngest lionfish hunt mainly in dark areas and during the night while the older fish were observed hunting mostly during the day and in clear areas. These new aspects of lionfish ecology and behaviour are discussed in light of their invasive success.

∙ The Great Curassow (Crax rubra) plays a key role in the regeneration of Neotropical forests through seed dispersal and predation of several plant species. Due to poaching, habitat loss, and fragmentation, C. rubra is globally at risk, and has become rare or locally extinct throughout of its range. Viable populations may occur in southeastern Mexico, particularly in Los Chimalapas region, in the state of Oaxaca, but this has not yet been verified. Recently, camera traps have been used for ecological studies of cracids, and other birds in the understory of rain forests. Our aim was to document the occupancy, relative abundance, and activity patterns of C. rubra in the understory of a tropical rain forest in Los Chimalapas region, through data gathered from camera traps. We gathered data from 27 camera traps and used occupancy models to analyze the effect of microhabitat on the detection (the probability that at least one individual of a species will be detected, given that the species inhabits the area of interest) and occupancy (the probability that a randomly selected site or sampling unit contains at least one individual of the species) probabilities. The best model indicated that C. rubra detection probability was higher in sites with higher records of a potential predator, the margay (Leopardus wiedii). The occupancy probability of C. rubra was 0.94 (SE = 0.06), and its detection probability ranged from 0.08 (station with zero records of L. wiedii) to 0.79 (stations with 27 records of L. wiedii). This association may be due to L. wiedii tracking the abundance of a potential prey (i.e., C. rubra) or because both species select sites with similar structural components of vegetation. Other models showed lower support, such as those models linking the presence of C. rubra to other predators and human presence. The species was mainly recorded as solitary individuals and showed more frequent activity in the morning and afternoon. The presence of chicks and juveniles suggest that there are suitable conditions for the establishment of a reproductive population of C. rubra in the region. Los Chimalapas still has connections with both, conserved (i.e., Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve) and highly deforested areas (i.e., the Uxpanapa region), and should be a priority region for C. rubra conservation.Resumen ∙ Ocupación, abundancia relativa y patrón de actividad del Hocofaisán (Crax rubra) en el sureste de México El Hocofaisán (Crax rubra) juega un importante papel en la regeneración en los bosques Neotropicales a través de la dispersión y depredación de varias especies de plantas. Debido a la intensa cacería, pérdida de hábitat, y fragmentación, C. rubra está en riesgo y llega a ser rara o extirpada localmente en varias partes de su área de distribución. Se piensa que pueden encontrarse poblaciones viables en el sureste de México, particularmente en la región de Los Chimalapas, en el estado de Oaxaca, pero esto aún no ha sido verificado. Recientemente las trampas cámara han sido usadas para los estudios ecológicos de crácidos y otras aves en el sotobosque de los bosques tropicales. Nuestro objetivo fue documentar la ocupación, abundancia relativa y patrón de actividad de C. rubra en una selva alta en la región de Los Chimalapas, a través de datos generados por las trampas cámara. Obtuvimos datos de 27 sitios con trampas cámara y usamos los modelos de ocupación para analizar el efecto del microhábitat en las probabilidades de detección (probabilidad de que al menos un miembro de la especie sea registrado, dado que la especie habita el área de interés) y ocupación (probabilidad de que un sitio o unidad de muestreo seleccionado al azar contenga al menos un individuo de la especie). El mejor modelo indicó que la probabilidad de detección de C. rubra fue alta en sitios con más registros de un depredador potencial, el margay (Leopardus wiedii). La probabilidad de ocupación de C. rubra fue 0.94 (SE = 0.06) y la probabilidad de detección varió de 0.08 (sitios sin registros de L. wiedii) a 0.79 (sitios con 27 registros de L. wiedii). Esta asociación puede deberse a que L. wiedii sigue a una presa potencial abundante (i.e., C. rubra) o porque ambas especies seleccionan sitios con componentes estructurales similares de la vegetación. Otros modelos mostraron un soporte bajo, tales como aquellos donde la presencia de C. rubra está ligada a otros depredadores y a la presencia humana. La especie fue principalmente registrada como individuos solitarios y mostró actividad más frecuente en la mañana y tarde. La presencia de crías y jóvenes sugiere que hay condiciones adecuadas para el establecimiento de una población reproductiva de esta especie en la región. Los Chimalapas aún tiene conexión con áreas conservadas (i.e., Reserva de la Biosfera Selva El Ocote) y altamente deforestadas (i.e., Uxpanapa), y debe ser una región prioritaria para la conservación del C. rubra.

En este trabajo se determina la relación entre tasas de interés y el número de créditos agrícolas otorgados a los productores del Municipio Rangel, estado Mérida, Venezuela. La investigación es de campo, cuantitativa, descriptiva, correlacional y causal. En una población de 17 instituciones vinculadas con la producción agrícola, compuesta por 7 estratos, se seleccionó una muestra aleatoria estratificada de tamaño 13 usando el criterio de afijación proporcional, de las cuales sólo 7 aplican tasa de interés. Se determina que existe relación inversa entre la tasa de interés y el número de créditos agrícolas otorgados en el Municipio Rangel (r = -0,835). La tasa de interés explica en un 69,8% la cantidad de créditos aprobados. Se presenta una elasticidad de la demanda de crédito algo mayor que las variaciones en la tasa de interés. En el año 2015, aumenta la elasticidad cuando se seleccionan las instituciones ubicadas en el municipio Rangel, sin Cooperativa “La Parameña” (una institución atípica). FOMDES, FONDAS y el Banco del Tesoro tienen tasas de interés sociales, sin embargo, no se están beneficiando de la Ley de la Demanda.

Background Delayed central conduction times in the auditory brainstem have been observed in Mexico City (MC) healthy children exposed to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and ozone (O 3 ) above the current United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) standards. MC children have α synuclein brainstem accumulation and medial superior olivary complex (MSO) dysmorphology. The present study used a dog model to investigate the potential effects of air pollution on the function and morphology of the auditory brainstem. Methodology Twenty-four dogs living in clean air v MC, average age 37.1 ± 26.3 months, underwent brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) measurements. Eight dogs (4 MC, 4 Controls) were analysed for auditory brainstem morphology and histopathology. Results MC dogs showed ventral cochlear nuclei hypotrophy and MSO dysmorphology with a significant decrease in cell body size, decreased neuronal packing density with regions in the nucleus devoid of neurons and marked gliosis. MC dogs showed significant delayed BAEP absolute wave I, III and V latencies compared to controls. Conclusions MC dogs show auditory nuclei dysmorphology and BAEPs consistent with an alteration of the generator sites of the auditory brainstem response waveform. This study puts forward the usefulness of BAEPs to study auditory brainstem neurodegenerative changes associated with air pollution in dogs. Recognition of the role of non-invasive BAEPs in urban dogs is warranted to elucidate novel neurodegenerative pathways link to air pollution and a promising early diagnostic strategy for Alzheimer's Disease.

The margay, Leopardus wiedii, and the ocelot, L. pardalis, are sympatric species through their distribution areas. Some studies indicate that L. pardalis exerts a strong influence on other smaller felids. Our goal in this study was to estimate the density and activity patterns of these felid species in two vegetation types at Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, southwestern Mexico. We expected that L. pardalis had a high density relative to other felids due to its ecological plasticity, as well as segregation in the activity pattern between species. We placed camera traps in 22 sites in the semi-evergreen forest and 22 sites in the cloud forest, from July 2014 to June 2015. We estimated density using the Cormack-Jolly-Seber probabilistic model with the program MARK and assessed the degree of activity overlapping between species by the coefficient of overlapping Δ1 in the program R. We recorded low abundance of L. pardalis (8.3 individuals) and a higher abundance of L. wiedii (51.5 individuals). The density of both species was 7.8 individuals /100 km2 and 81 individuals/100 km2, respectively. Both species displayed predominantly nocturnal activity. The overlap coefficient between species in the semi-evergreen forest was high (Δ1 = 0.75, CI = 0.63–0.90). Factors such as differences in vegetation type and the presence of a large number of transient individuals may influence the density of Leopardus. The lower density of L. pardalis and the high conservation status of the cloud forest may contribute to the higher density of L. wiedii in Sierra Norte of Oaxaca. Our results suggested that both species showed a highly overlapping activity pattern, and the activity pattern of the margay is seemingly unaffected by the presence of the ocelot. We provided information about density and activity of medium-sized felids, as well as on the factors that may potentially affect these patterns in mountain tropical forests.

The placenta plays a major role in embryo-fetal defects and intrauterine growth retardation after maternal alcohol consumption. Our aims were to determine the oxidative status and cellular and molecular oxidative stress effects on uterine myometrium and trophoblast-decidual tissue following perigestational alcohol intake at early organogenesis. CF-1 female mice were administered with 10% alcohol in drinking water for 17 days prior to and up to day 10 of gestation. Control females received ethanol-free water. Treated mice had smaller implantation sites compared to controls (p

Para contar con un protocolo eficiente y poder producir inulina en un futuro, se establecieron las condiciones experimentales para obtener cultivos artificiales de las lineas vegetales de Dahlia sp. A1, A2, P1, P2 y ENN con el objetivo de obtener brotes, callos, cultivos de celulas y raices en suspension con diferentes combinaciones de reguladores de crecimiento vegetal y condiciones ambientales. Los explantes usados fueron yemas axilares. Con estos se obtuvieron brotes y plantas completas en todas las line as. La linea P1 fue la mas rapida, necesito de 7 dias de incubacion para responder al medio MS sin reguladores de crecimiento vegetal. Los callos se obtuvieron con explantes de tallos despues de 10 dias con 0.5 mg/L de bencilaminopurina (BAP) y 1 mg/L de acido indolacetico (AIA). Los cultivos en suspension de callos se lograron con l a agitacion a 88 rpm y las mismas combinaciones de reguladores del crecimiento de las plantas que se obtuvieron para la formacion del callo . La induccion de tuberizacion y form acion de raices fueron con 5 mg/L de BAP, 0.5 mg/L de AIA, 80 g/L sacarosa y 0.2 mg/L BAP mas 60 g/L sacarosa, respectivamente. El tiempo de respuesta y la calidad de los brotes, callos y raices que obtuvimos de Dalhia sp. m o stra ro n condiciones experimenta les favorables para iniciar los experimentos para la estimulacion de inulina

In Caribbean reefs, the lionfish Pterois volitans is an invasive species that causes severe negative ecological effects, especially as this crepuscular predator consumes very diverse prey. Lionfish...

Mesocarnivores play an important ecological role in terrestrial communities. However, there is little information on the abundance of most of these species, which is essential for establishing conservation strategies. The aim of this study was to estimate the population density and temporal variation of species of mesocarnivores in two types of vegetation in southeastern Mexico, and to evaluate the relationship between abundance of each species with vegetation characteristics, human presence, predators, and prey. Using camera traps, we sampled from July 2014–June 2015 and estimated density through the random encounters model, obtaining 640 independent records of 11 species of mesocarnivores. Density in all species did not differ significantly between seasons, although Conepatus semistriatus, Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii, and Mustela frenata showed significant differences between vegetation types and were present in high densities. We found a positive relationship between abundance of C. s...

The prevalent and increasing situations such as the expansion of areas for agricultural use, livestock raising and hunting represent the most complex issues for the conservation of wild species. Mammals of the Order Carnivora are key species in ecosystems because they respond differently to changes in habitat. This study explored the species richness and composition of trophic guilds of the assemblage of the Order Carnivora in an area adjacent to Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. From February 2014 to February 2015, 10 stations with camera traps were set within the sub-evergreen tropical forest near water bodies, roads and trails. The structure of the carnivorous assemblage was evaluated through the species richness and trophic guild of species. The recording efficiency of traps was evaluated through the latency to first detection (LTD). A total of 76 photographic records were obtained for eight species of the Order Carnivora, as well as direct observations of three additional species, so the assemblage recorded was composed of 11 species. Four trophic guilds were identified: carnivores (5 species), omnivores (4), insectivores (1), and frugivores (1). The Order consists of two species of large predators (Panthera onca and Puma concolor) and three generalist species (Urocyon cinereoargenteus, Puma yagouaroundi, and Procyon lotor). P. concolor and Leopardus wiedii displayed a low LTD (

Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with an important proportion of endemism mainly because of the convergence of the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic regions, which generate great diversity and species turnover at different spatial scales. However, most of our knowledge of the Mexican ant biota is limited to a few well-studied taxa, and we lack a comprehensive synthesis of ant biodiversity information. For instance, most of the knowledge available in the literature on Mexican ant fauna refers only to species lists by states, or is focused on only a few regions of the country, which prevents the study of several basic and applied aspects of ants, from diversity and distribution to conservation. Our aims in this data paper are therefore (1) to compile all the information available regarding ants across the Mexican territory, and (2) to identify major patterns in the gathered data set and geographic gaps in order to direct future sampling efforts. All records were obtained from raw data, including both unpublished and published information. After exhaustive filtering and updating information and synonyms, we compiled a total of 21,731 records for 887 ant species distributed throughout Mexico from 1894 to 2018. These records were concentrated mainly in the states of Chiapas (n = 6,902, 32.76%) and Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (n = 4,329, 19.92%), which together comprise half the records. The subfamily with the highest number of records was Myrmicinae (n = 10,458 records, 48.12%), followed by Formicinae (n = 3,284, 15.11%) and Ponerinae (n = 1,914, 8.8%). Most ant records were collected in the Neotropical region of the country (n = 12,646, 58.19%), followed by the Mexican transition zone (n = 5,237, 24.09%) and the Nearctic region (n = 3,848, 17.72%). Native species comprised 95.46% of the records (n = 20,745). To the best of our knowledge, this is the most complete data set available to date in the literature for the country. We hope that this compilation will encourage researchers to explore different aspects of the population and community research of ants at different spatial scales, and to aid in the establishment of conservation policies and actions. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using its data for publications or teaching events.

Notwithstanding their specialized herbivorous diet, leaf-cutting ants opportunistically exploit temporary resources such as insect or vertebrate carcasses. We report on the first case of attine workers, Atta cephalotes (L.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), foraging on the scar tissues of a living vertebrate, a wounded female Baird's tapir, Tapirus bairdii (Gill) (Mammalia: Perissodactyla: Tapiridae). We put forward 2, not mutually exclusive, hypotheses to explain such behavior: (1) utilization by the leaf-cutting ants of these tissues as a resource that provides rare essential nutrients, and (2) opportunistic sampling of polymicrobial communities associated with the skin of the wounded animal in search of new strains of their associated actinobacteria.

Introducción: En vista de la alta prevalencia del cáncer de próstata en la población venezolana y la ausencia de un patrón genético conocido en relación a la expresión de las enzimas Glutatión S-transferasas, se estudió la relación entre la expresión de un polimorfismo nulo de estas enzimas y la presencia de cáncer de adenocarcinoma prostática Métodos: Se incluyen 100 individuos para el muestreo no probabilístico, 50 pacientes con diagnóstico de adenocarcinoma de próstata comprobado mediante biopsia y 50 controles con hiperplasia prostática benigna demostrada mediante tacto y corroborada por ultrasonido transrectal, provenientes de los principales hospitales del país, se procedió a tomar muestra de sangre y mediante reacción de cadena de polimerasa, se determinó la presencia o ausencia de los genes para las enzimas Glutatión S-transferasa Mu 1 (GST M) y glutatión S-transferasa theta 1 (GST T1). Resultados: se logró evidenciar que el genotipo nulo se encontró en 40 y 24% de los pacientes mientras que para los controles fue de 38% y 22% respectivamente, demostrando que en la población venezolana estudiada no existen diferencias significativas entre casos y controles. Conclusiones: No se pudo demostrar una diferencia significativa entre los dos grupos estudiados. Recomendaciones: A pesar de nuestros hallazgos, se necesitan estudios futuros con muestras de mayor tamaño para dilucidar la posible asociación entre este patrón enzimático con el riesgo de presentar cáncer de próstata.

This paper aimed at implementing a treatment system for polluted water with textile dyes, starting with a photocatalytic decomposition process using sunlight as a source of energy and continuing with a bacterial biodegradation process, in order to reach degradation percentages higher than those obtained using only one of the processes mentioned above. When water treatment with the dye in the combined system was over, an acute ecotoxicity test was performed to make sure that toxic metabolites were not produced due to biodegradation. Solophenyl Blue azoic dye, and Erionyl Blue and Terasil Blue anthraquinone dye-colored solutions were treated with the Pd/Al 80 Ce 10 Zr 10 catalyst in a solar collector for the photocatalytic process. On the other hand, the waste dye, which was obtained from photocatalysis with a bacterial consortium from polluted areas by metals and hydrocarbons in aerobic conditions, was inoculated for biodegradation. Biodegradation was obtained for the dyes after both processes as 90.91% for the Solophenyl Blue azoic dye, and 87.80% and 87.94%, respectively, for the Erionyl Blue and Terasil Blue anthraquinone dyes. After the degradation processes, it was proven, via an ecotoxicity test with Daphnia magna , that toxic metabolites had not been produced.

The health risks of Emilio Portes Gil&rsquo, s population, for the exposition to the Atoyac River pollution in the State of Puebla, was evaluated. The objective was to determine the concentration of nine heavy metals by ingesting water from wells and spri ngs. The chronic daily water intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk index (CRI) in adults, teenagers, and children were estimated. The results showed that the concentration of Fe, Al, Ni, and Pb in some of the samples exceeded the recommended standards for human consumption and was significantly higher in the dry season. The hazard index (HI), due to the collective intake of metals, was higher in children (&gt, 50% compared to adults), due to the consumption of spring water in the dry season. Risk of noncancerous diseases was not detected in the long term, since the indices did not exceed the unit (reference value). The carcinogenic risk from oral exposure to Cr (CRIchildren = 3.2 &times, 10&minus, 4), was greater than the acceptable limit (1 &times, 6) in the water spring, and Cr and Pb were the main metals that contributed to the potential health risk of the inhabitants. The study showed the risks by the intake of polluted water from the sources of supply in the region, and that the risk is higher in the dry season (&gt, 100% compared with rainy season).

Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) is an extremely rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by insensitivity to pain, inability to sweat and intellectual disability. CIPA is caused by mutations in the neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 1 gene (NTRK1) that encodes the high-affinity receptor of nerve growth factor (NGF). Patients with CIPA lack the primary afferents and sympathetic postganglionic neurons leading to lack of pain sensation and the presence of anhidrosis, respectively. Herein, we conducted a genomic analysis of 4,811 genes and 18,933 variants, including 54 mutations of NTRK1 in a high-altitude indigenous Ecuadorian patient with CIPA. As results, the patient presented 87.8% of Native American ancestry, 6.6% of African ancestry and 5.6% of European ancestry. The mutational analysis of the kinase domain of NTRK1 showed two pathogenic mutations, rs80356677 (Asp674Tyr) and rs763758904 (Arg602*). The genomic analysis showed 68 pathogenic and/or likely pathogenic variants in 45 genes, and two variants of uncertain significance in CACNA2D1 (rs370103843) and TRPC4 (rs80164537) genes involved in the pain matrix. The GO enrichment analysis showed 28 genes with relevant mutations involved in several biological processes, cellular components and molecular functions. In addition, the protein-protein interaction (PPi) networking analysis showed that NTRK1, SPTBN2 and GRM6 interact with several proteins of the pain matrix. In conclusion, this is the first time that a study associates genomic, ancestral and networking data in a high-altitude Native American Ecuadorian patient with consanguinity background in order to better understand CIPA pathogenesis.

A diversity of arthropods (myrmecophiles) thrives within ant nests, many of them unmolested though some, such as the specialized Eucharitidae parasitoids, may cause direct damage to their hosts. Ants are known to discriminate between nestmates and non-nestmates, but whether they recognize the strength of a threat and their capacity to adjust their behavior accordingly have not been fully explored. We aimed to determine whether Ectatomma tuberculatum ants exhibited specific behavioral responses to potential or actual intruders posing different threats to the host colony and to contribute to an understanding of complex ant-eucharitid interactions. Behavioral responses differed significantly according to intruder type. Ants evicted intruders that represented a threat to the colony's health (dead ants) or were not suitable as prey items (filter paper, eucharitid parasitoid wasps, non myrmecophilous adult weevils), but killed potential prey (weevil larvae, termites). The timing of detection was in accordance with the nature and size of the intruder: corpses (a potential source of contamination) were detected faster than any other intruder and transported to the refuse piles within 15 min. The structure and complexity of behavioral sequences differed among those intruders that were discarded. Workers not only recognized and discriminated between several distinct intruders but also adjusted their behavior to the type of intruder encountered. Our results confirm the previously documented recognition capabilities of E. tuberculatum workers and reveal a very fine-tuned intruder discrimination response. Colony-level prophylactic and hygienic behavioral responses through effective removal of inedible intruders appears to be the most general and flexible form of defense in ants against a diverse array of intruders. However, this generalized response to both potentially lethal and harmless intruders might have driven the evolution of ant-eucharitid interactions, opening a window for parasitoid attack and allowing adult parasitoid wasps to quickly leave the natal nest unharmed.

El abastecimiento de agua representa actualmente un problema, dada la sobreexplotación de los mantos freáticos y la contaminación de los cuerpos de agua superficiales, por lo que es de suma importancia encontrar alternativas de suministro. La captación de agua de lluvia en zonas con escasez o déficit de agua potable se considera una de las opciones más viables para el abastecimiento del vital líquido, algunos de los sistemas más utilizados para tal propósito son los jagüeyes. El Parque Estatal General Lázaro Cárdenas del Río mejor conocido como “Flor del Bosque” ubicado al Oriente de la Ciudad de Puebla y catalogado como Área Natural Protegida, cuenta con jagüeyes que permiten almacenaragua proveniente de la lluvia. En este trabajo de investigación se determinaron los principales parámetros fisicoquímicos y microbiológicos del agua almacenada en cuatro jagüeyesde “Flor del Bosque”, de acuerdo a la normatividad mexicana correspondiente; con el objetivo deestablecer su calidad y así determinar silos usos que se ledan como abrevadero y riegoforestalno representan un riesgo para la flora y fauna del parque.Se analizaron muestras compuestas de cada jagüey, endos temporadas de secas y dos de lluvias, entre noviembre de 2011 y octubre de 2012.El agua de los cuatro jagüeyes presenta importante contaminación microbiológica por huevos de helminto, Fasciola hepática, coliformes fecales (180 UFC) y totales(475 UFC), lo que representa un riesgo a la salud de la flora y fauna; así como gran cantidad de sólidos sedimentables y suspendidos. Dado que estos sistemas se instalaron para contar con agua para el riego de las zonas boscosas y como abrevadero de los animales que ahí habitan, sería recomendable que antes de utilizarla se le diera un tratamiento apropiado, además de que se sugiere mejorar su diseño o construcción para que sea apta para los usos planeados.

Dada la importancia de conservar las aéreas naturales protegidas, y considerandoquelas actividades antropogénicas pueden afectar a los vegetales y el y suelo en el Parque Estatal “Flor del Bosque”, se propuso como objetivo del trabajo analizar la concentración de seis metales pesados tóxicos (Cr, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb), en hojas de ocho especies vegetales (Quercusmexicano, Quercusrugosa, Juniperus deppeana, Juniperus fláccida, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus globulus, Mimosa malacophylla y Euforbiáceas) y muestras de suelo agrupadas en cuatro zonas diferentes (pino, encino, eucalipto y pastizales) dentro del área de estudio, para lo cual se colectaron muestras de vegetales durante un año y de suelo en época de lluvias y de estiaje. Las muestras se trataron bajo lo establecido por la normatividad mexicana para cuantificar metales. Cabe destacar que los seis metales analizados (Cr, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni y Pb), se encontraron en todas especies de vegetales y en la fracción total del suelo, mientras que en la fracción disponible del suelo el Cr no fue detecta blen ninguna zona, indicando que no será fácilmente adquirible por las plantas mediante las raíces. Se encontró una elevada correlación entre Cr-Cu en la mayoría de los vegetales indicando una fuente común. Las concentraciones de los metales están dentro de los límites permisibles para no causar una fitotoxicidad, pero estos se pueden seguir acumulando en raíz, tallo, hojas y causar un daño a vegetales y un deterioro del área natural protegida “Flor del Bosque Puebla”.

We compared abundance and activity patterns of medium-sized felids in the neotropics. We used 29 camera traps to record species in the region of Los Chimalapas, Oaxaca, Mexico, during 2011–2013. We estimated population size with the capture-recapture model (Cormack-Jolly-Seber model). We assessed the differences in activity patterns between species through the Mardia-Watson-Wheeler test. Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii, and Puma yagouaroundi were recorded by cameras. The population size of L. wiedii was high in comparison with L. pardalis, which presented a medium abundance compared to other regions. Puma yagouaroundi individuals were relatively rare, likely due to a difference in habitat selection. We provide evidence that in the southeastern region of Mexico there is a significant L. wiedii population despite the presence of L. pardalis.

En este trabajo se presenta un relato contemporáneo titulado Teria, escrito por Víctor Cata en diidxazá, lengua zapoteca de la planicie costera del sureste de Oaxaca. Teria es la narración de una práctica ritual mortuoria de los zapotecos del Istmo en la cual se aprecia la continuidad y la preocupación de los zapotecos por escribir y narrar en su propio idioma. A través de este texto contemporáneo se muestran algunos de los retos que enfrenta la implementación del Alfabeto Popular para la escritura del Zapoteco del Istmo que, a pesar de tener una tradición larga de uso desde 1956, sigue presentando desafíos para quienes lo escriben y enseñan. Dichos retos están relacionados con la definición mismade lo que constituye una palabra en diidxazá. Este trabajo considera algunos criterios que pudieran permitir la homologación de la constitución de la palabra ortográfica —es decir de la unidad escrita entre dos espacios— para efectos de facilitar la creación literaria contemporánea en diidxazá y la difusión de textos como Teria. Para este propósito, se define el concepto de palabra ortográfica enconjunto con los conceptos de palabra fonológica y palabra gramatical.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of verb classes in Juchitan Zapotec, an Otomanguean language belonging to the Zapotec branch of Zapotecan, following the four-class system of verbal classification laid out in earlier work by Terrence Kaufman. Our analysis, based on a thorough review of over two thousand Juchitan Zapotec verbs, confirms the applicability of the four-class system to Juchitan Zapotec data, improving over previous analyses of verbal morphology in the language and adding to the evidence that this system can be applied throughout the Zapotecan family (including Chatino); further, our study stresses the relevance of data-driven rather than theory-driven linguistic analyses.

This study provides information about relative abundance, herd size, activity pattern, and occupancy of ungulates at Los Chimalapas, southeastern Mexico, one of the last refuges inhabited by two conservation priority ungulate species:Tapirus bairdiiandTayassu pecari. For three years, four species of ungulates were recorded using camera traps:T. bairdii,T. pecari,Mazama temama, andTayassu tajacu, involving an effort of 8529 trap-days and 839 records.T. pecariwas found to be highest in relative abundance, whileT. tajacu’s abundance was lowest. Populations were composed principally of adults, but there were records of offspring for all four species. The herd size was smaller compared to other populations ofT. tajacuandT. pecari. Occupancy models were used to analyze the presence of the species in the region and showed thatM. temamaandT. bairdiihad a high occupancy probability. In comparison, the occupancy probability ofT. pecariwas low. This study shows that ungulate populations are still breeding, and have higher possibility of permanence, in Los Chimalapas, Southeastern Mexico. The region is an important area for the conservation ofT. bairdiiandT. pecari, both disappeared from some other areas of the southeast.

Inflammation is a key event that is closely associated with the pathophysiology of frailty. The relationship of genetic polymorphisms into inflammatory cytokines with frailty remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between VNTR polymorphisms of the IL-4 and IL-1RN genes with the risk of frailty. We included a sample of 630 community-dwelling elderly aged 70 and older. Both IL-4 and IL-1RN VNTR polymorphisms were genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Mean age was 77.7 years (SD = 6.0) and 52.5 % were women. The participants classified as frail were more likely to be older, had lower MMSE score (p 0.001), and had more disability for IADL (p 0.001) and ADL (p 0.001). Genotypic and allelic frequencies for the IL-4 VNTR polymorphism did not show significant differences between study groups (p 0.05). However, we just observed a significant difference in the allelic frequencies for the A2 allele of the IL-1RN VNTR polymorphism between frail and nonfrail groups (OR 1.84, 95 % CI 1.08-3.12, p = 0.02). In addition, we analyzed the combined effect of the IL-4 and IL-1RN VNTR polymorphisms and their possible association with frailty, where the combined IL-4 (low) -IL-1Ra (high) genotype was identified as a marker of risk to frailty syndrome (OR 7.86, 95 % CI 1.83-33.69, p = 0.006). Our results suggest that both A2 allele and the combined IL-4 (low) -IL-1Ra (high) genotype might be genetic markers of susceptibility to frailty in Mexican elderly.

The ATP-gated P2X4 and P2X7 receptors are cation channels, co-expressed in excitable and non-excitable cells and play important roles in pain, bone development, cytokine release and cell death. Although these receptors interact the interacting domains are unknown and the functional consequences of this interaction remain unclear. Here we show by co-immunoprecipitation that P2X4 interacts with the C-terminus of P2X7 and by fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments that this receptor-receptor interaction is driven by ATP. Furthermore, disrupting the ATP-driven interaction by knocking-out P2X4R provoked an attenuation of P2X7-induced cell death, dye uptake and IL-1β release in macrophages. Thus, P2X7 interacts with P2X4 via its C-terminus and disrupting the P2X7/P2X4 interaction hinders physiological responses in immune cells.

Ant parasitoidism has been reported in seven of the 26 recognized species of the mite genus Macrodinychus (Machrodynichidae). Macrodynichus sellnicki, previously reported as a parasitoid of the invasive ant Nylanderia fulva in Colombia, is now reported, in the same region, as attacking a native host, Ectatomma sp. 2 (E. ruidum complex). The mite develops within the protective silk cocoon of an Ectatomma pupa and waits for the emergence of the young ant before leaving the cocoon, unmolested. Overall nest prevalence was relatively high (34.6% of the 52 nests containing cocoons) but pupae prevalence was low (4.0%, n = 1401 cocoons). Mite life-history (parasite or parasitoid) was context dependent, shifting according to the intensity of the attack on a same host. Contrary to the strictly parasitoidic association of M. sellnicki with N. fulva, single mite attacks against E. ruidum did not result in host killing and solitary M. sellnicki (78.6% of the cases) behaved as parasites. However, in 21.4% of the attacks (0.9% of all available host pupae) more than one mite was involved and behaved as parasitoids, draining the host of its internal fluids and killing it. This is the first association of a macrodinychid mite with a species of the subfamily Ectatomminae, and the first ant associated mite for which such a context dependent life-style shift is described.

Language revitalization aims at reversing language shift. This chapter seeks to expand knowledge about ongoing efforts to sustain the use of languages by means of a study that goes beyond the relatively limited number of often cited case studies that have been reported in the relevant literature, and endeavors to document the diversity of efforts around the world for the purposes of comparative analysis. The authors report on the results of a pilot of the Global Survey of Language Revitalization Efforts carried out by Recovering Voices (National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian) in collaboration with the Linguistics Department at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. This survey is, to their knowledge, the first attempt at analyzing revitalization comparatively across cultural and geographic contexts to shed light on correlations among variables that foster positive outcomes in language revitalization—and on correlations that may represent challenges.

Dexmedetomidine is an imidazole derivative, with high affinity for α2 adrenergic receptors, used for sedation, analgesia and adjuvant anaesthesia. In this study, an analytical method for the quantification of dexmedetomidine in dried blood spots was developed, validated and applied. The drug was extracted from dried blood spot by liquid extraction; the separation was carried out by ultra high-resolution liquid chromatography in reverse phase coupled to tandem mass spectrometry method. An X Select cyano 5 μm HSS column (2.1 X 150 mm, Waters) and a mobile phase composed of 0.1% formic acid: acetonitrile [50:50 v/v], were used. The test was linear over the concentration range of 50 to 2000 pg/mL. The coefficients of variation for the intra and interday trials were less than 15%. The drug was stable under the conditions tested. The method was successfully applied for the quantification of 6 patients, aged 0 to 2 years, with classification ASA I, who underwent ambulatory surgeries, receiving a dose of 1 μg/Kg dexmedetomidine IV. The drug concentrations in the different sampling times were in the range of 76 to 868 pg/mL.

The understory has received little attention in studies of tropical forest birds. However, the growing use of camera traps for the study of vertebrates such as mammals has prompted studies on the diversity of terrestrial birds or birds with limited flying capacity. In this study we present an analysis of the diversity of understory birds in a perennial tropical forest of the Chimalapas region, in southeastern Mexico. We collected 967 independent bird records comprising 10 orders, 15 families, 22 genera, and 27 species with a total sampling effort of 8,529 trap-days. The effective number of species indicated the presence of 31 species while Clench's species accumulation model indicated 32, suggesting that over 15% of the species remain to be recorded. Although we did not register all the species potentially present in the understory, bird diversity was higher than in other studies using camera traps. Crax rubra, Tinamus major, and Geotrygon montana were the most abundant species recorded. We obtained records for small-sized (Anthracothorax prevostii, Leptotila plumbeiceps, and Zentrygon albifacies) and migratory (Hylocichla mustelina) species, highlighting the potential of camera traps for their study.

Gastrointestinal parasites of wild birds in a tropical riverine urban ecosystem in Heredia, Costa Rica. In urban ecosystems, rivers provide various ecosystem services, among them, serving as interurban bio logical corridor, allowing birds to move and shelter in the middle of the city. However, high levels of pollution expose them, and even humans, to several health problems. Hence the importance of performing environmental diagnoses that allows to identify alterations and mitigate them in a timely manner. This study provides a first diagnosis of the parasitic situation of wild birds along the Pirro river which is located in an urban environment, fragmented and with high levels of surface water pollution. The sampling was carried out at the upper and middle part of the Pirro river in Heredia, Costa Rica. Mist-nets were used to capture the birds, and a general objective exam (GOE) was conducted in order to evaluate their nutritional and hydration state, as well as their physical state. In addition, stool samples were collected in order to characterize the gastrointestinal parasites (GPI). This procedure was carried out on 158 birds, belonging to 30 species, three PGI groups were identified: protozoa, nematodes and cestodes. The highest percentages of infection were represented by coccidia, with 97.6 %, followed by nematodes and cestodes with 2.4 %. Within the group of coccidios, it was possible to identify Eimeria spp., Isospora spp., in the nematodes: at the Strongylida group level and at the Capillaria spp., and for the cestodes: Choanotaenia spp. GOE resulted regular-to-good in all individuals captured, however, a general linear model was used to identify that the oral cavity and the state of the plumage could be the more linked variables with the percentage of infection by gastrointestinal parasites in birds, due to the fact that the oral cavity is the bird’s main route of ingestion, as well as the state of the plumage shows its vigor. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 788-798. Epub 2018 June 01. Parásitos gastrointestinales de aves silvestres en un ecosistema urbano ribereño tropical en Heredia, Costa Rica. En los ecosistemas urbanos, los ríos brindan diversos servicios ecosistémicos, entre ellos, servir como corredor lógico biológico interurbano, permitiendo el tránsito y refugio de las aves en medio de la ciudad. Sin embargo, los altos niveles de contaminación los exponen, e incluso a los humanos, a varios problemas de salud. De allí la importancia de realizar diagnósticos ambientales que permitan identificar alteraciones y mitigarlas oportunamente. Este estudio proporciona un primer diagnóstico de la situación parasitaria de las aves silvestres a lo largo del río Pirro, que se encuentra en un entorno urbano, fragmentado y con altos niveles de contaminación de las aguas superficiales. Los muestreos se realizaron en la parte alta y media del río Pirro en Heredia, Costa Rica. Para la captura de las aves se utilizaron redes de niebla y se les realizó un examen objetivo general (GOE) para evaluar su estado nutricional y de hidratación, así como su estado físico. Además, se recolectaron muestras de heces para caracterizar los parásitos gastrointestinales (GPI). Este procedimiento se realizó en 158 aves, pertenecientes a 30 especies, se identificaron tres grupos PGI: protozoos, nematodos y cestodos. Los mayores porcentajes de infección estuvieron representados por coccidios, con un 97,6%, seguido de nematodos y cestodos con un 2,4%. Dentro del grupo de los coccidios, fue posible identificar Eimeria spp., Isospora spp., en los nematodos: a nivel del grupo Strongylida y a nivel de Capillaria spp., y para los cestodos: Choanotaenia spp. El GOE resultó regular a bueno en todos los individuos capturados, sin embargo, se utilizó un modelo lineal general para identificar que la cavidad oral y el estado del plumaje podrían ser las variables más vinculadas con el porcentaje de infección por parásitos gastrointestinales en las aves, debido a que la cavidad oral es la principal vía de ingestión del ave, así como el estado del plumaje muestra su vigor. Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas

The Atoyac River crosses the metropolitan area of Puebla-Tlaxcala in Mexico and presents a state of pollution that has been scarcely studied. In 2016, the water quality of the river was evaluated based on physicochemical and bacteriological parameters, under the guidelines established for the Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL) for Aquatic Life Protection (ALP) and Agricultural Irrigation (AI). The sampling sites were the Covadonga Dam, the Echeverría Dam, and an irrigation canal. Water from wells and a spring in the Emilio Portes Gil (EPG) population that uses Atoyac water for agricultural irrigation was also analyzed. The data obtained from the river were compared with the 2011 data published in the declaration of classification of Atoyac and Xochiac or Hueyapan and its tributaries. There was a notable increase in hemical oxygen demand (COD) (49%) and in heavy metals with varying percentages. The anoxic condition of the river (mean 1.47 mg of O2/L) with large populations of coliform bacteria was demonstrated, 11 pathogenic members of the Enterobacteriaceae were found, and high organic pollution concentrations were shown, particularly during droughts. Irrigation and well water was contaminated with fecal bacteria (104–549 NMP/100 mL), which included pathogens.

[Perez, Gabriela; Bello, Marilyn; Matilde Garcia, Maria; Bello, Rafael] Cent Univ Marta Abreu Las Villas, Dept Comp Sci, Santa Clara, Cuba. [Bello, Marilyn; Napoles, Gonzalo; Vanhoof, Koen] Hasselt Univ, Fac Business Econ, Hasselt, Belgium.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has a considerable impact on human health and is a major challenge in drug safety assessments. DILI is a frequent cause of liver injury and a leading reason for post-approval drug regulatory actions. Considerable variations in the expression levels of both cytochrome P450 (CYP) and conjugating enzymes have been described in humans, which could be responsible for increased susceptibility to DILI in some individuals. We herein explored the feasibility of the combined use of HepG2 cells co-transduced with multiple adenoviruses that encode drug-metabolising enzymes, and a high-content screening assay to evaluate metabolism-dependent drug toxicity and to identify metabolic phenotypes with increased susceptibility to DILI. To this end, HepG2 cells with different expression levels of specific drug-metabolism enzymes (CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, GSTM1 and UGT2B7) were exposed to nine drugs with reported hepatotoxicity. A panel of pre-lethal mechanistic parameters (mitochondrial superoxide production, mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS production, intracellular calcium concentration, apoptotic nuclei) was used. Significant differences were observed according to the level of expression and/or the combination of several drug-metabolism enzymes in the cells created ad hoc according to the enzymes implicated in drug toxicity. Additionally, the main mechanisms implicated in the toxicity of the compounds were also determined showing also differences between the different types of cells employed. This screening tool allowed to mimic the variability in drug metabolism in the population and showed a highly efficient system for predicting human DILI, identifying the metabolic phenotypes associated with increased DILI risk, and indicating the mechanisms implicated in their toxicity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00204-017-2036-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

"Los profesores tenemos presente que nuestros estudiantes son muy diversos en cuanto a sus gustos, preferencias, situación socioeconómica, cultura, así como la forma de recibir la información y procesarla, lo que nos permite reflexionar sobre la forma de llevar a cabo las actividades de enseñanza y aprendizaje en el salón de clases. Es por ello por lo que este trabajo describe una experiencia en donde se identifican los estilos de aprendizaje, de acuerdo al modelo de Richard Felder, de las cinco categorías polares, en los estudiantes del cuarto nivel del mapa curricular, lo cual equivale al séptimo y octavo semestre, que cursan la unidad de aprendizaje Liderazgo y Desarrollo Profesional de la carrera de Ingeniería en Sistemas Computacionales que se ofrece en la Escuela Superior de Cómputo (ESCOM) del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN). Para realizar la presente investigación se realizó un estudio descriptivo, de corte cuantitativo, con una muestra intencional de alumnos; y para conocer los estilos de aprendizaje de los estudiantes, fue aplicado, mediante la técnica de recuperación de información de campo, el instrumento de la entrevista, el cual se realizó a los tres grupos.Los resultados obtenidos con mayor porcentaje fueron el activo, el intuitivo, visuales y secuenciales, sugiriendo a cada estilo algunas estrategias de aprendizaje."