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Abstract Background Megaoesophagus (ME), a disorder of the oesophagus characterized by diffuse oesophageal dilation and decreased peristalsis that may be congenital or acquired. Knowledge regarding the aetiology and prognosis for canine acquired ME is currently limited with most cases being idiopathic, which is a considerable problem to implement an appropriate treatment and a potential better prognosis. Case presentation A 7-year-old, neutered, female Spanish Water Dog was evaluated for progressive weight loss, chronic vomiting and regurgitation. The patient did not present other clinical signs. The contrast radiography in the cervical zone revealed oesophageal dilation. Eventually, the endoscopy revealed a marked dilation of the oesophagus. A surgery was conducted to insert a gastrotomy feeding tube. Initially, the patient response to this treatment was positive. However, the vomiting and regurgitation reappeared after 8 days. Due to the grim prognosis the owners elected to euthanize the patient. Necropsy revealed severe oesophageal dilation. The histopathological evaluation revealed moderate erosive catarrhal oesophagitis and gastritis. The skeletal muscular layer of the oesophagus showed moderate angular atrophy of some muscular fibres and a severe infiltrate of lymphocytes with marked tropism to autonomous neuronal bodies, some of which showed severe degenerative changes with absence of Nissl corpuscles, pyknotic nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm. The immunohistochemical study revealed that the majority of the infiltrate surrounding neuronal bodies were CD3 + T cells. These findings are consistent with an immune-mediated megaoesophagus. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate surrounding the oesophageal myenteric plexus in an adult dog with no other clinical signs or other myopathies. With these results, the authors hope to raise awareness in the diagnostic of canine ME and include an immune-mediated cause that lean to the establishment of appropriate treatment and improve prognosis of this condition.

Abstract Gene expression for Th1/Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IFN-ɣ), regulatory cytokines (TGF-β and IL-10) and the transcriptional factor FoxP3 was analyzed in the liver and hepatic lymph nodes (HLN) from sheep immunized with partially protective and non-protective vaccine candidates and challenged with Fasciola hepatica. FoxP3 T cells were also evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHQ). The most remarkable difference between the partially protected vaccinated (V1) group and the non-protected vaccinated (V2) group was a more severe expansion of FoxP3 T cells recorded by IHQ in both the liver and HLN of the V2 group as compared to the V1 group, whereas no differences were found between the V2 group and the infected control (IC) group. Similar results were recorded for FoxP3 gene expression although significant differences among V1 and V2 groups were only significant in the HLN, while FoxP3 gene expression was very similar in the V2 and IC groups both in the liver and HLN. No significant differences for the remaining cytokines were recorded between the V1 and V2 groups, but in the liver the V2 group shows significant increases of IFN-ɣ and IL-10 as compared to the uninfected control (UC) group whereas the V1 group did not. The lower expansion of FoxP3 T cells and lower increase of IFN-ɣ and IL-10 in the partially protected vaccinated group may be related with lower hepatic lesions and fluke burdens recorded in this group as compared to the other two infected groups. The most relevant change in regulatory cytokine gene expression was the significant increase of TGF-β in the liver of IC, V1 and V2 groups as compared to the UC group, which could be related to hepatic lesions.

The Parque Nacional La Campana (PNLC) was recently recognized for its high soil surface microbial richness. Here, we explored the microbial community structure in soil profiles from contrasting facing slopes where sclerophyllous forest (SF) and xerophytic shrubland (XS) develop. Soil physicochemical conditions (dry density, pH, and organic matter C and N isotopic soil signatures) were determined at three depths (5, 10, and 15 cm depths). Amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA and ITS1-5F) and specific quantification (qPCR bacteria, archaea and ammonia-oxidizing archaea, fungi) were used to profile the microbial community. Our results indicate that opposite slopes, with different vegetation types and soil conditions studied potentially explained the spatial variability of the microbial community composition, especially between sites than through soil depth. Discriminative taxa were observed to vary between sites, such as, C. nitrososphaera (ammonia-oxidizing archaea) and Sphingomonas, and bacteria associated with Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were predominant in SF and XS, respectively. Fungi affiliated with Humicola and Preussia were more abundant in SF, while Cladosporium and Alternaria were in XS. Higher ASV richness was observed in SF compared to XS, for both prokaryotes and fungi. Furthermore, SF showed a higher number of shared ASVs, while XS showed a decrease in unique ASVs in deeper soil layers. In XS, the genus DA101 (Verrucomicrobia) increases with soil depth, reaching higher levels in SF, while Kaistobacter shows the opposite trend. PNLC soils were a reservoir of redundant microbial functions related to biogeochemical cycles, including symbiotic and phytopathogenic fungi. In conclusion, as with the predominant vegetation, the structure and potential function of microbial life in soil profiles were associated with the contrasting the effect of facing slopes as toposequence effects.

Traumatic events are stressful episodes that exceed an individual’s coping resources and have been related to physical and mental health problems, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder. This study aims to compare the prison population and the general population in terms of trauma and psychopathological symptoms derived from exposure to traumatic events in the context of Ecuador. It is a descriptive-comparative and cross-sectional study. The study sample consisted of 99 incarcerated individuals and 84 persons from the general population of Ambato-Ecuador. The results indicate that persons from the pris-on population have experienced multiple traumas and re-victimization to a greater extent and present a higher percentage of PTSD and psychopathological symptoms than the general population. In that sense, it is a population that requires more significant intervention to reduce symptoms and prevent violent behavior.

Abstract Objectives: To compare the factors and facets of psychopathy based on criminal characteristics in a sample of women in prison. Material and method: Descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional study composed of a sample of 41 women incarcerated in the Ambato prison in Ecuador. In an individual session, the Hare Psychopathy Scale Revised was applied. Results: Recidivist women, with a juvenile criminal history and who are admitted to the maximum-security ward, have a higher score in the affective facet of the PCL-R. In addition, those women who are in the maximum-security pavilion have scored high in factor 2 (social deviance), mainly in the antisocial aspect. Discussion: This subgroup of women in prison is characterized by lack of remorse, emotional insensitivity, manipulation, inability to accept responsibility for their own actions, and superficial affection. Further expansion of the study of psychopathy in women is required.

In this review article, we aim to provide an overview of fasciolosis in ruminants. Diagnosis through new coprological methods (such as Flukefinder®, FLOTAC®, and Mini-FLOTAC®) remains the most suitable approach for farms. Regarding treatment, there is a scarcity of available drugs, and resistance to them has prompted new approaches (including drug combinations, enhanced metabolism, or the use of natural compounds) to address this issue. Additionally, several researchers have developed vaccines to control the disease, but their efficacy varies, and none are currently sufficient for commercial use. Further studies are needed to better understand all aspects discussed in this manuscript, with the goal of improving diagnosis, treatment, and disease control. It is important to note that this manuscript does not delve into in-depth knowledge of the discussed aspects; rather, it provides an overview of the different methodologies related to these three aspects of parasitic disease.

Parque Nacional La Campana (PNLC) is recognized worldwide for its flora and fauna, rather than for its microbial richness. Our goal was to characterize the structure and composition of microbial communities (bacteria, archaea and fungi) and their relationship with the plant communities typical of PNLC, such as sclerophyllous forest, xerophytic shrubland, hygrophilous forest and dry sclerophyllous forest, distributed along topoclimatic variables, namely, exposure, elevation and slope. The plant ecosystems, the physical and chemical properties of organic matter and the soil microbial composition were characterized by massive sequencing (iTag-16S rRNA, V4 and ITS1-5F) from the DNA extracted from the soil surface (5 cm, n = 16). A contribution of environmental variables, particularly related to each location, is observed. Proteobacteria (35.43%), Actinobacteria (32.86%), Acidobacteria (10.07%), Ascomycota (76.11%) and Basidiomycota (15.62%) were the dominant phyla. The beta diversity (~80% in its axes) indicates that bacteria and archaea are linked to their plant categories, where the xerophytic shrub stands out with the most particular microbial community. More specifically, Crenarchaeote, Humicola and Mortierella were dominant in the sclerophyllous forest; Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria and Alternaria in the xerophytic shrubland; Solicoccozyma in the dry sclerophyllous forest; and Cladophialophora in the hygrophilous forest. In conclusion, the structure and composition of the microbial consortia is characteristic of PNLC’s vegetation, related to its topoclimatic variables, which suggests a strong association within the soil microbiome.

Fasciolosis is an important economic disease of livestock. There is a global interest in the development of protective vaccines since the current anthelmintic therapy is no longer sustainable. A better knowledge of the host–parasite interaction is needed to design effective vaccines. To date, few studies have evaluated host–parasite interaction by comparing infected and reinfected animals. The present study evaluates the microscopical hepatic lesions in sheep infected and reinfected with Fasciola hepatica during the acute and chronic stages of infection. The histopathological study revealed the presence of necrotizing foci (NF1) associated with larvae migration during the early stages of infection in the primoinfected (PI) and reinfected (RI) groups. In the late stages of infection of the PI group and at the early and late stages of infection in the RI groups, extensive necrotizing/hemorrhagic foci (NF2) were found in the vicinity of enlarged bile ducts, some containing adult flukes, suggesting parasites may have caused NF2 while feeding. The immunohistochemical study revealed an increase in Foxp3+ T cells in both PI and RI groups with respect to the UC group and in the infiltrates adjacent to NF1 in the RI groups with respect to the PI group, suggesting the F. hepatica induce Foxp3 T cell expansion to facilitate parasite survival. In addition, in both the PI and RI groups, and during acute and chronic stages of the infection, a poor expression of iNOS was found accompanied by a strong expression of CD163, suggesting a marked M2 activation of macrophages in the hepatic lesions, which may be related with healing processes, and it also may facilitate parasite survival. The main differences between PI and RI animals were the more severe infiltration of eosinophils and Foxp3+ T cells, whereas RI did not modify M2 activation of macrophages which occurs since the early stages of primoinfection.

Fasciola hepatica is distributed worldwide, causing substantial economic losses in the animal husbandry industry. Human fasciolosis is an emerging zoonosis in Andean America, Asia, and Africa. The control of the disease, both in humans and animals, is based on using anthelmintic drugs, which has resulted in increased resistance to the most effective anthelmintics, such as triclabendazole, in many countries. This, together with the concerns about drug residues in food and the environment, has increased the interest in preventive measures such as a vaccine to help control the disease in endemic areas. Despite important efforts over the past two decades and the work carried out with numerous vaccine candidates, none of them has demonstrated consistent and reproducible protection in target species. This is at least in part due to the high immunomodulation capacity of the parasite, making ineffective the host response in susceptible species such as ruminants. It is widely accepted that a deeper knowledge of the host-parasite interactions is needed for a more rational design of vaccine candidates. In recent years, the use of emerging technologies has notably increased the amount of data about these interactions. In the present study, current knowledge of host-parasite interactions and their implication in Fasciola hepatica vaccine development is reviewed.

AbstractIntroduction The clinical effect of domperidone against COVID-19 has been investigated in a double-blind phase III clinical trial (EudraCT number 2021-001228-17). Domperidone has shown in vitro antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and potential immudolatory properties through the stimulation of prolactin secretion.Patients and methods The efficacy of oral domperidone plus standard of care (SOC; n = 87) versus placebo plus SOC (n = 86) was evaluated in a 28-day randomized double-blind multicentre study in primary health care centres. A total of 173 outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 were included. Three daily doses of 10 mg (30 mg/day) of domperidone or placebo were administered for 7 days. Reduction of viral load on day 4 was the primary efficay endpoint. It was estimated in saliva samples by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), as the cycle thresholds detected ORF1ab, N Protein and S Protein genes.Results A significant reduction in the viral load was observed (p

Abstract The expression of proinflammatory (IL-1β, IFN-γ, TNF-α) and regulatory (IL-10, TGF-β, IL-4) cytokines, as well as the transcription factor FoxP3, was quantified in the liver and hepatic lymph node (HLN) of sheep primoinfected and reinfected with Fasciola hepatica at early (4, 8 and 16 days post-infection [dpi]) and late (100 dpi) stages. The liver exerted a Th2 immune response at very early stages after the primoinfection with F. hepatica that induced the downregulation of IFN-γ, followed by a Th1/Th2/Treg response although the late stages were characterised by the expression of Th1/Th2 immune mediators. Contrarily, in reinfected sheep a robust mixed Th1/Th2/Treg immune response was found at very early stages meanwhile at late stages we observed a Th2/Treg immune response overcoming the expression of Th1 immune mediators. However, the HLN displayed a completely different Th1/Th2/Treg expression profile compared to the liver. Primoinfections with F. hepatica in HLN induced a mixed Th1/Th2/Treg environment from early stages, establishing a Th2 immune response at a late stage. However, the reinfected sheep exerted a Th2 immune response at early stages led by the IL-4 expression in opposition to the Th1/Th2/Treg found in the liver, meanwhile at late stages the HLN of reinfected sheep exerted a mixed Th1/Th2/Treg immune response. This is the first work publishing the expression of immune mediators in the liver and HLN from reinfected sheep with F. hepatica. The study of the immune responses exerted by the natural host in the target organs directly implied in the development of F. hepatica are crucial to better understand the immunopathogenesis of the fasciolosis being a key factor to develop effective vaccines.

The present study offers valuable insights into the psychological impact of war on wounded ex-combatants. By examining negative cognitions about the self and the world as predictors of PTSD symptoms and the moderating role of perceived control and social integration, this study reveals the complexities of PTSD in a population that has been largely overlooked in previous research. Our findings indicate that the predictors of PTSD symptoms are not uniform and are influenced by the sociohistorical and political context in which ex-combatants are situated. Furthermore, the moderating effects of perceived control and social integration highlight the importance of addressing not only individual psychological factors, but also the social and contextual factors that can influence recovery from PTSD. These insights suggest that a more comprehensive approach is necessary in order to fully understand and address PTSD in this population.

Research on penitentiary recidivism is an essential topic for the prevention of crime because, at the time of release, inmates with a high risk of committing crimes do not usually have the necessary tools to cope with the challenges of community life. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to identify criminal personality and psychopathological characteristics related to recidivism. The sample made up of 89 (n = 49 non-recidivists, n = 40 recidivists) inmates in a prison in Ecuador. The results showed that recidivist inmates, unlike non-recidivist inmates, present antisocial, borderline, and aggressive-sadistic personality, higher alcohol and drug dependence, and higher levels of physical aggression. From a criminal viewpoint, recidivist inmates commit more crimes against property; a larger proportion presented a history of juvenile delinquency and more disciplinary records in adult prison. Consequently, the results indicate the need to design and implement specific interventions to reduce recidivism in these offenders.

Taxonomic and functional microbial communities may respond differently to anthropogenic coastal impacts, but ecological quality monitoring assessments using environmental DNA and RNA (eDNA/eRNA) in response to pollution are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the utility of the co-occurrence network approach’s to comprehensively explore both structure and potential functions of benthic marine microbial communities and their responses to Cu and Fe fractioning from two sediment deposition coastal zones of northern Chile via 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. The results revealed substantial differences in the microbial communities, with the predominance of two distinct module hubs based on study zone. This indicates that habitat influences microbial co-occurrence networks. Indeed, the discriminant analysis allowed us to identify keystone taxa with significant differences in eDNA and eRNA comparison between sampled zones, revealing that Beggiatoaceae, Carnobacteriaceae, and Nitrosococcaceae were the primary representatives from Off Loa, whereas Enterobacteriaceae, Corynebacteriaceae, Latescibacteraceae, and Clostridiaceae were the families responsible for the observed changes in Mejillones Bay. The quantitative evidence from the multivariate analyses supports that the benthic microbial assemblages’ features were linked to specific environments associated with Cu and Fe fractions, mainly in the Bay. Furthermore, the predicted functional microbial structure suggested that transporters and DNA repair allow the communities to respond to metals and endure the interacting variable environmental factors like dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity. Moreover, some active taxa recovered are associated with anthropogenic impact, potentially harboring antibiotic resistance and other threats in the coastal zone. Overall, the method of scoping eRNA in parallel with eDNA applied here has the capacity to significantly enhance the spatial and functional understanding of real-time microbial assemblages and, in turn, would have the potential to increase the acuity of biomonitoring programs key to responding to immediate management needs for the marine environment.

Fasciola hepatica is a trematode parasite that infects animals and humans causing fasciolosis, a worldwide-distributed disease responsible for important economic losses and health problems. This disease is of growing public health concern since parasite isolates resistant to the current treatment (triclabendazole) have increasingly been described. F. hepatica infects its vertebrate host after ingestion of the encysted parasite (metacercariae), which are found in the water or attached to plants. Upon ingestion, newly excysted juveniles of F. hepatica (FhNEJ) emerge in the intestinal lumen and cross the intestinal barrier, reach the peritoneum and migrate to the biliary ducts, where adult worms fully develop. Despite the efforts made to develop new therapeutic and preventive tools, to date, protection against F. hepatica obtained in different animal models is far from optimal. Early events of host-FhNEJ interactions are of paramount importance for the infection progress in fasciolosis, especially those occurring at the host-parasite interface. Nevertheless, studies of FhNEJ responses to the changing host environment encountered during migration across host tissues are still scarce. Here, we set-up an ex vivo model coupled with quantitative SWATH-MS proteomics to study early host-parasite interaction events in fasciolosis. After comparing tegument and somatic fractions from control parasites and FhNEJ that managed to cross a mouse intestinal section ex vivo, a set of parasite proteins whose expression was statistically different were found. These included upregulation of cathepsins L3 and L4, proteolytic inhibitor Fh serpin 2, and a number of molecules linked with nutrient uptake and metabolism, including histone H4, H2A and H2B, low density lipoprotein receptor, tetraspanin, fatty acid binding protein a and glutathione-S-transferase. Downregulated proteins in FhNEJ after gut passage were more numerous than the upregulated ones, and included the heath shock proteins HSP90 and alpha crystallin, amongst others. This study brings new insights into early host-parasite interactions in fasciolosis and sheds light on the proteomic changes in FhNEJ triggered upon excystment and intestinal wall crossing, which could serve to define new targets for the prevention and treatment of this widespread parasitic disease.

The virus-to-prokaryote ratio (VPR) has been used in many ecosystems to study the relationship between viruses and their hosts. While high VPR values indicate a high rate of prokaryotes' cell lysis, low values are interpreted as a decrease in or absence of viral activity. Salar de Huasco is a high-altitude wetland characterized by a rich microbial diversity associated with aquatic sites like springs, ponds, streams and a lagoon with variable physicochemical conditions. Samples from two ponds, Poza Rosada (PR) and Poza Verde (PV), were analyzed by epifluorescence microscopy to determine variability of viral and prokaryotic abundance and to calculate the VPR in a dry season. In addition, to put Salar de Huasco results into perspective, a compilation of research articles on viral and prokaryotic abundance, VPR, and metadata from various Southern hemisphere ecosystems was revised. The ecosystems were grouped into six categories: high-altitude wetlands, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans and Antarctic lakes. Salar de Huasco ponds recorded similar VPR values (an average of 7.4 and 1.7 at PR and PV, respectively), ranging from 3.22 to 15.99 in PR. The VPR variability was associated with VA and chlorophyll a, when considering all data available for this ecosystem. In general, high-altitude wetlands recorded the highest VPR average (53.22 ± 95.09), followed by the Oceans, Southern (21.91 ± 25.72), Atlantic (19.57 ± 15.77) and Indian (13.43 ± 16.12), then Antarctic lakes (11.37 ± 15.82) and the Pacific Ocean (6.34 ± 3.79). Physicochemical variables, i.e., temperature, conductivity, nutrients (nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate) and chlorophyll a as a biological variable, were found to drive the VPR in the ecosystems analyzed. Thus, the viral activity in the Wetland followed similar trends of previous reports based on larger sets of metadata analyses. In total, this study highlights the importance of including viruses as a biological variable to study microbial temporal dynamics in wetlands considering their crucial role in the carbon budgets of these understudied ecosystems in the southern hemisphere.

Abstract In this work we report the protection found in a vaccination trial performed in sheep with two different vaccines composed each one by a cocktail of antigens (rCL1, rPrx, rHDM and rLAP) formulated in two different adjuvants (Montanide ISA 61 VG (G1) and Alhydrogel®(G2)). The parameters of protection tested were fluke burden, faecal egg count and evaluation of hepatic lesions. In vaccinated group 1 we found a significant decrease in fluke burden in comparison to both unimmunised and infected control group (37.2%; p = 0.002) and to vaccinated group 2 (Alhydrogel®) (27.08%; p = 0.016). The lower fluke burden found in G1 was accompanied by a decrease in egg output of 28.71% in comparison with the infected control group. Additionally, gross hepatic lesions found in vaccine 1 group showed a significant decrease (p = 0.03) in comparison with unimmunised-infected group. The serological study showed the highest level for both IgG1 and IgG2 in animals from group 1. All these data support the hypothesis of protection found in vaccine 1 group.

Abstract Background Fasciolosis is one of the most important parasitic diseases of livestock. The need for better control strategies gave rise to the identification of various vaccine candidates. The recombinant form of a member of the cysteine protease family, cathepsin L1 of Fasciola hepatica (FhCL1) has been a vaccine target for the past few decades since it has been shown to behave as an immunodominant antigen. However, when FhCL1 was used as vaccine, it has been observed to elicit significant protection in some trials, whereas no protection was provided in others. Methods In order to improve vaccine development strategy, we conducted a linear B-cell epitope mapping of FhCL1 in sheep vaccinated with FhCL1, FhHDM, FhLAP and FhPrx plus Montanide and with significant reduction of the fluke burden, sheep vaccinated with FhCL1, FhHDM, FhLAP and FhPrx plus aluminium hydroxide and with non-significant reduction of the fluke burden, and in unvaccinated-infected sheep. Results Our study showed that the pattern and dynamic of peptide recognition varied noticeably between both vaccinated groups, and that the regions 55–63 and 77–84, which are within the propeptide, and regions 102–114 and 265–273 of FhCL1 were specifically recognised only by vaccinated sheep with significant reduction of the fluke burden. In addition, these animals also showed significant production of specific IgG2, whereas none was observed in vaccinated-Aluminium hydroxide and in infected control animals. Conclusions We have identified 42 residues of FhCL1 that contributed to protective immunity against infection with F. hepatica in sheep. Our results provide indications in relation to key aspects of the immune response. Given the variable outcomes of vaccination trials conducted in ruminants to date, this study adds new insights to improve strategies of vaccine development.

Abstract Fasciola hepatica has been shown to have a high capacity for immunomodulation of the host response, making the development of protective vaccines extremely difficult. One of these immunomodulation mechanisms is the impairment of dendritic cells (DC) maturation and, therefore, suppression of antigenic presentation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathological changes as well as the characterization of two antigen presenting cells, DC (CD1b, CD83 and MHC-II positive) and follicular dendritic cells (FDC) (CNA.42, S100 and CD83 positive) by immunohistochemistry in the hepatic lymph nodes (HLN) and livers of sheep during the early stages of infection with F. hepatica [9 and 18 days post-infection (dpi)], compared with an uninfected group (UC) as a control. The results revealed a marked hyperplasia of HLN germinal centres at 9 and, in particular, 18 dpi, with respect to the UC group, with coincidental increased expression of CNA.42 in FDC of lymphoid follicles and CD1b in the DC of paracortical areas at 18 dpi. However, the expression of MHC-II and CD83 decreased at 9 and, particularly, at 18 dpi in HLN compared with that in the UC group. Since both markers are related to active presentation of antigens by DC and FDC, the results of the present study suggest that, despite the marked hyperplasia of HLN and increase in DC and FDC numbers during early stages of infection, the DC and FDC antigenic presentation capacity, as suggested by the expression of the markers MHC-II and CD83, is suppressed by the parasite. This suppression was not observed in the liver, probably because of the low number of DC. This is the first study of the immunophenotype of DCs and FDC in sheep infected with F. hepatica.

Coastal wetlands are ecosystems associated with intense carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) recycling, modulated by salinity and other environmental factors that influence the microbial community involved in greenhouse gases production and consumption. In this study, we evaluated the influence of environmental factors on GHG concentration and benthic microbial community composition in coastal wetlands along the coast of the semiarid region. Wetlands were situated in landscapes along a south-north gradient of higher aridity and lower anthropogenic impact. Our results indicate that wetlands have a latitudinal variability associated with higher organic matter content at the north, especially in summer, and higher nutrient concentration at the south, predominantly in winter. During our sampling, wetlands were characterized by positive CO2 μM and CH4 nM excess, and a shift of N2O nM excess from negative to positive values from the north to the south. Benthic microbial communities were taxonomically diverse with > 60 phyla, especially in low frequency taxa. Highly abundant bacterial phyla were classified into Gammaproteobacteria (Betaproteobacteria order), Alphaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria, including key functional groups such as nitrifying and methanotrophic bacteria. Generalized additive model (GAM) indicated that conductivity accounted for the larger variability of CH4 and CO2, but the predictions of CH4 and CO2 concentration were improved when latitude and pH concentration were included. Nitrate and latitude were the best predictors to account for the changes in the dissolved N2O distribution. Structural equation modeling (SEM), illustrated how the environment significantly influences functional microbial groups (nitrifiers and methane oxidizers) and their resulting effect on GHG distribution. Our results highlight the combined role of salinity and substrates of key functional microbial groups with metabolisms associated with both carbon and nitrogen, influencing dissolved GHG and their potential exchange in natural and anthropogenically impacted coastal wetlands.

Infection with the zoonotic trematode Fasciola hepatica, common in many regions with a temperate climate, leads to delayed growth and loss of productivity in cattle, while infection in sheep can have more severe effects, potentially leading to death. Previous transcriptomic analyses revealed upregulation of TGFB1, cell death and Toll-like receptor signalling, T-cell activation, and inhibition of nitric oxide production in macrophages in response to infection. However, the differences between ovine and bovine responses have not yet been explored. The objective of this study was to further investigate the transcriptomic response of ovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to F. hepatica infection, and to elucidate the differences between ovine and bovine PBMC responses. Sixteen male Merino sheep were randomly assigned to infected or control groups (n = 8 per group) and orally infected with 120 F. hepatica metacercariae. Transcriptomic data was generated from PBMC at 0, 2 and 16 weeks post-infection (wpi), and analysed for differentially expressed (DE) genes between infected and control animals at each time point (analysis 1), and for each group relative to time 0 (analysis 2). Analysis 2 was then compared to a similar study performed previously on bovine PBMC. A total of 453 DE genes were found at 2 wpi, and 2 DE genes at 16 wpi (FDR < 0.1, analysis 1). Significantly overrepresented biological pathways at 2 wpi included role of PKR in interferon induction and anti-viral response, death receptor signalling and RIG-I-like receptor signalling, which suggested that an activation of innate response to intracellular nucleic acids and inhibition of cellular apoptosis were taking place. Comparison of analysis 2 with the previous bovine transcriptomic study revealed that anti-inflammatory response pathways which were significantly overrepresented in the acute phase in cattle, including IL-10 signalling, Th2 pathway, and Th1 and Th2 activation were upregulated only in the chronic phase in sheep. We propose that the earlier activation of anti-inflammatory responses in cattle, as compared with sheep, may be related to the general absence of acute clinical signs in cattle. These findings offer scope for “smart vaccination” strategies for this important livestock parasite.

Abstract Background Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) is an important clinical occurrence seen in common diseases, such as gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs or colic in horses. Limited data is available on the use of methylene blue in veterinary medicine for intestinal ischemia-reperfusion. The present study aimed to compare the hemodynamic, histopathological, and immunohistochemical effects of two doses of methylene blue in two rabbit model groups In one group, 5 mg/kg IV was administered, and in another, 20 mg/kg IV was administered following a constant rate infusion (CRI) of 2 mg/kg/h that lasted 6 h. All the groups, including a control group had intestinal ischemia-reperfusion. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using caspase-3. Results During ischemia, hemodynamic depression with reduced perfusion and elevated lactate were observed. During reperfusion, methylene blue (MB) infusion generated an increase in cardiac output due to a positive chronotropic effect, an elevation of preload, and an intense positive inotropic effect. The changes in heart rate and blood pressure were significantly greater in the group in which methylene blue 5 mg/kg IV was administered (MB5) than in the group in which methylene blue 20 mg/kg IV dose was administered (MB20). In addition, lactate and stroke volume variations were significantly reduced, and vascular resistance was significantly elevated in the MB5 group compared with the control group and MB20 group. The MB5 group showed a significant decrease in the intensity of histopathological lesion scores in the intestines and a decrease in caspase-3 areas, in comparison with other groups. Conclusions MB infusion produced improvements in hemodynamic parameters in rabbits subjected to intestinal IR, with increased cardiac output and blood pressure. An MB dosage of 5 mg/kg IV administered at a CRI of 2 mg/kg/h exhibited the most protective effect against histopathological damage caused by intestinal ischemia-reperfusion. Further studies with MB in clinical veterinary pathologies are recommended to fully evaluate these findings.

Resumen: Objetivo: Estudiar si en pacientes mayores de 65 años con tratamientos antihipertensivos e hipolipemiantes los cambios de fármacos bioequivalentes con diferente apariencia se asocian a un aumento de errores de uso y pérdida de adherencia al tratamiento. Diseño: Estudio observacional, longitudinal, prospectivo, de cohorte de 1 año de seguimiento entre el 1 de enero de 2013 y el 31 de diciembre de 2014. Emplazamiento: Centros de Salud de la Comunidad de Madrid. Participantes: Pacientes ≥ 65 años con diagnóstico de HTA (CIAP K86) y/o dislipidemia (CIAP T93) en tratamiento con enalapril y/o amlodipino y/o simvastatina. Mediciones principales: Se recogieron mediante entrevista en consulta variables sociodemográficas (edad, sexo, nivel de estudios), clínicas, adherencia (test de Morisky-Green y recuento directo), errores de medicación (número y tipo), cambios de fármacos y número, parámetros bioquímicos (colesterol total, colesterol HDL, colesterol LDL, triglicéridos) y variable combinada (error y/o adherencia). Se realizaron 5 visitas: una basal y 4 trimestrales. Resultados: Se incluyeron 274 pacientes, edad media 72 (6,6) años, 47,8% mujeres. Presentaron algún cambio de medicamento 134 pacientes (48,9%), con una mediana de cambios de 3 (RIQ 1-5) y máximo de 11. El riesgo de presentar algún error o disminuir la adherencia estaba aumentado en expuestos a cambios en todas las visitas con RR 1,14 (1,16-1,69) al año de seguimiento. El error más frecuente fue la pérdida de dosis. Por cada cambio la probabilidad de un evento combinado aumenta en un 41%. Conclusiones: Los cambios realizados entre fármacos bioequivalentes con diferente apariencia podrían aumentar el número de errores de medicación y disminuir la adherencia. Habría que realizar más estudios para valorar en qué medida afecta al control de la enfermedad.No se contempla el apartado intervención por tratarse de un estudio observacional. Abstract: Objective: To study whether the changes in bioequivalent drugs with different appearances are associated with an increase in lack of adherence and medication use errors, in patients > 65 years old treated with antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications. Design: Observational longitudinal prospective cohort study with a one-year follow-up period between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2014. Location: Primary Healthcare Centres in the Community of Madrid. Participants: Patients ≥ 65 years-old with a diagnosis of hypertension and/or dyslipidaemia receiving treatment with Enalapril and/or Amlodipine and/or Simvastatin. Main measurements: Variables collected during a Primary Care consultation by means of a personal interview were: sociodemographic (age, gender, level of education), clinical variables, adherence (Morisky-Green test and direct counting), medication errors (number and type), medication changes and number, analytical (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides) and combined variable (error and/or adherence). There were 1 baseline and 4 quarterly visits. Results: The study included 274 patients with a mean age 72 (6.6) years, of whom 47.8% were female. Some medication changes were observed in 134 patients (48.9%), with a median of 3 (IQR 1-5) and a maximum of 11 changes. The risk of presenting with a medication use error or decreased adherence was increased in patients exposed to changes in all visits with RR 1.14 (1.16-1.69) at one year of follow-up. The most frequent error was the loss of dose. For each change in medication, the probability of a combined event increases by 41%. Conclusions: The changes made in bioequivalent drugs with different appearance could increase the number of medication use errors and decrease the adherence. More studies should be carried out to assess how much this affects the control of the disease.The intervention section is not considered because it is an observational study. Palabras clave: Isoapariencia, Medicamentos genéricos, Hipertensión, Dislipidemia, Cumplimiento, Adherencia, Error medicación, Keywords: Medication appearance, Generic drugs, Hypertension, Dyslipidaemia, Compliance, Adherence, Medication error

Fasciola hepatica is a trematode parasite responsible for major economic losses in livestock production, and is also a food-borne zoonotic agent in developing rural regions. For years, the immunoregulatory mechanisms employed by the parasite have hampered efforts to develop a successful vaccine candidate. Given that a comprehensive understanding of the immune response to infection is needed, we investigated the gene expression changes in ovine hepatic lymph nodes after experimental infection with F. hepatica. Lymph nodes from uninfected and infected animals were processed for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) at 16 weeks post-infection. Comparison of groups revealed 5,132 differentially-expressed genes (DEGs). An inhibition of pro-inflammatory pathways, which has previously been described during fasciolosis, was evident in our data. However, other signals previously identified in ruminant peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or liver tissue, such as activation of TGF-β or apoptosis-related pathways were not detected. We found inhibition of some key immunological pathways, including natural killer (NK) cell activity and IgE-mediated signaling. These may point to additional some as yet unrecognized mechanisms employed by the parasite to evade the host immune response. Understanding these, and leveraging information from this and other omics studies, will be important for the development of future vaccine prototypes against this parasite.

The strong seasonal variability in physical-chemical conditions of the Eastern South Pacific Ocean creates an ideal setting to study spatiotemporal distribution of key marine microbial communities. We herein report a nearly 4-year-long time series of the variability in amoA gene counts of ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (betaproteobacteria, bAOB) by quantitative PCR, GI.1a Thaumarchaeota and MG-II Euryarchaeota by CARD-FISH, and the picoplanktonic community by flow cytometry for this area. During spring-summer, non-photosynthetic picoplankton such as MG-II Euryarchaeota and GI.1a Thaumarchaeota peaked at the surface and deeper waters, respectively. General AOA and bAOB achieved higher abundances at the oxycline mainly in summer (up to 105–104amoA copies mL–1). Generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS) indicated that season and depth account for 19–46% of variations in the abundance of the groups studied, particularly GI.1a Thaumarchaeota and AOA. The oxygen and nitrite concentration were statistically meaningful predictors for the studied groups. GAMLSS models indicate that ammonia oxidizing assemblage’s variability is coupled with ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate variations. Our results indicate that microbial abundances fluctuation is associated with upwelling variability and oxygen-deficient water conditions that shape the substrates availability and metabolic response of marine microbes, including keystone ammonia oxidizing assemblages and their ecological interactions. Overall, our results support planktonic nitrification activity and its contribution to nitrous oxide excess production in the time series off Concepción and the ecological dynamics regarding AOA and bAOB in coastal waters.

Patagonian fjords and channels in southern Chile are heterogeneous ecosystems characterized by the interaction of estuarine and marine waters influencing physical-chemical conditions and biological assemblages. Besides salinity, microbial communities from estuarine and marine origin are naturally subjected to changing organic matter quality and variable nutrient concentrations. In this study, we tackle the response of the bacterial community from estuarine and marine origins associated with two size classes (13C were determined over 5 and 15 days after PDE addition. Our results showed that the active marine bacteria were richer and more diverse than their estuarine counterparts, and were dominated by Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, respectively. PDE addition in both the fractions and the sample origin resulted in an enrichment throughout the incubation of Rhodobacteracea and Cryimorphaceae families, whereas Epsilonproteobacteria (Arcobacteraceae) were mainly favored in the estuarine experiments. Picoplankton abundance increased with time, but higher cell numbers were found in PDE treatments in both size classes (>2 × 105 cell mL−1). In all the experiments, DOC concentration decreased after eight days of incubation, but shifts in δ13C organic matter composition were greater in the estuarine experiments. Overall, our results indicate that despite their different origins (estuarine versus marine), microbial communities inhabiting the fjord responded to PDE with a faster effect on marine active bacteria.

Abstract Background The peritoneal cell populations (PCP) are thought to play a crucial role during the early immune response in Fasciola hepatica infection while newly excysted juveniles (NEJ) are migrating in the peritoneal cavity (PC) towards the liver. In this study, we aimed to determine the immunophenotypes of the PCP and to analyse the dynamics of the recruitment of the PCP during the early and late stage of the infection in sheep infected with F. hepatica. Methods Thirty-seven sheep were divided into three groups: Group 1 (n = 20) and 2 (n = 10) were challenged with F. hepatica, Group 3 (n = 7) was not infected and remained as uninfected control (UC). After the slaughtering, peritoneal lavages were carried out to isolate peritoneal cell populations at 1, 3, 9 and 18 days post-infection (dpi) for Group 1 and at 14 weeks post-infection (wpi) for Group 2 and 3. Flow cytometry was conducted to assess the dynamics of peritoneal cavity cell populations. Results TCD4 cells showed a significant decrease at 1 and 18 dpi when compared to UC; no statistical differences were detected for TCD8 and WC1+γδ during the early stage of the infection with respect to the UC. CD14 cells exhibited a decreasing trend, with a significant decrease at 9 and 18 dpi when compared to the UC. The dynamics of MHCII and CD83 cells showed a similar increasing pattern from 3 to 18 dpi. During the chronic stage, both TCD4 and TCD8 cells showed no significant differences when compared to the UC, although a slight but statistically significant higher level of WC1+γδ cells was observed. A lower percentage of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) was detected with respect to the UC. Conclusions The recruitment of the lymphocytes subsets did not show a significant increase during the course of the infection and only WC1+γδ cells displayed a significant increase at the chronic stage. For the CD14, a decreasing trend was observed during the early stage, which was statistically significant at the chronic stage of the infection. Peritoneal CD83 and MHCII cells developed an increasing trend during the early stage of infection, and showed a significant decrease at the late stage of the infection.

Abstract Background The majority of vaccination studies against infection with F. hepatica in a natural host have been conducted at the late stage of the infection when the host's immune response is already immunomodulated by the parasite towards a Th2 non-protective response. This study was aimed at analysing the dynamic of the cell populations present in peritoneal liquid and the production of free radicals by the peritoneal leukocytes in infected and vaccinated sheep with recombinant cathepsin L1 of F. hepatica (rFhCL1) in early stages of the infection. Methods Forty-five sheep were divided into three groups: Group 1 remained as negative control (n = 5), Group 2 (n = 20) was challenged with F. hepatica and Group 3 (n = 20) was vaccinated with rFhCL1 and challenged with F. hepatica. After the slaughtering, peritoneal lavages were carried out at 1, 3, 9 and 18 days post-infection (dpi) to isolate peritoneal cell populations. Flow cytometry was conducted to assess levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO). Results There was a significant increase in the total number of leukocytes at 9 and 18 dpi in infected and vaccinated groups. Production of H2O2 was significantly increased in peritoneal granulocytes in both infected and vaccinated groups. Production of nitric oxide showed a significant rise in the granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages in infected and vaccinated sheep. The NO production by granulocytes at 3 and 9 dpi was significantly higher in the vaccinated than in the infected animals. Conclusions Experimental infection induced an increase in the total number of leukocytes within the abdominal cavity at 9 and 18 dpi, being more noticeable in vaccinated animals. Production of H2O2 occurred mainly in granulocytes of vaccinated and infected animals. Production of NO was incremented in vaccinated and non-vaccinated animals in all peritoneal cells. Vaccinated animals produced significant higher level of H2O2 and NO than infected animals.

Abstract The expression of T regulatory cells (Foxp3), regulatory (interleukin [IL]-10 and transforming growth factor beta [TGF-β]) and proinflammatory (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin [IL]-1β) cytokines was quantified using real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in the liver of sheep during early stages of infection with Fasciola hepatica (1, 3, 9, and 18 days post-infection [dpi]). Portal fibrosis was also evaluated by Masson’s trichrome stain as well as the number of Foxp3+ cells by immunohistochemistry. Animals were divided into three groups: (a) group 1 was immunized with recombinant cathepsin L1 from F. hepatica (FhCL1) in Montanide adjuvant and infected; (b) group 2 was uniquely infected with F. hepatica; and (c) group 3 was the control group, unimmunized and uninfected. An overexpression of regulatory cytokines of groups 1 and 2 was found in all time points tested in comparison with group 3, particularly at 18 dpi. A significant increase of the number of Foxp3+ lymphocytes in groups 1 and 2 was found at 9 and 18 dpi relative to group 3. A progressive increase in portal fibrosis was found in groups 1 and 2 in comparison with group 3. In this regard, group 1 showed smaller areas of fibrosis than group 2. There was a significant positive correlation between Foxp3 and IL-10 expression (by immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR) just as between portal fibrosis and TGF-β gene expression. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines increased gradually during the experience. These findings suggest the induction of a regulatory phenotype by the parasite that would allow its survival at early stages of the disease when it is more vulnerable.

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a ubiquitous cyanotoxin showing increasing incidence worldwide. CYN has been classified as a cytotoxin and, among its toxic effects, its immunotoxicity is scarcely studied. This work investigates for the first time the influence of oral CYN exposure (18.75; 37.5 and 75 µg/kg b.w./day, for 28 days) on the mRNA expression of selected interleukin (IL) genes (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α), Interferon gamma (IFN-γ)) in the thymus and the spleen of male and female rats, by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Moreover, their serum levels were also measured by a multiplex-bead-based immunoassay, and a histopathological study was performed. CYN produced immunomodulation mainly in the thymus of rats exposed to 75 μg CYN/kg b.w./day in both sexes. However, in the spleen only IL-1β and IL-2 (males), and TNF-α and IFN-γ (females) expression was modified after CYN exposure. Only female rats exposed to 18.75 μg CYN/kg b.w./day showed a significant decrease in TNF-α serum levels. There were no significant differences in the weight or histopathology in the organs studied. Further research is needed to obtain a deeper view of the molecular mechanisms involved in CYN immunotoxicity and its consequences on long-term exposures.

Fasciolosis is an important economic disease of livestock. There is a global interest in the development of protective vaccines since current anthelmintic therapy is no longer sustainable. A better knowledge of the host-parasite interaction is needed for the design of effective vaccines. The present study evaluates the microscopical hepatic lesions in sheep immunized with a partially protective vaccine (VAC1), a non-protective vaccine (VAC2), and an infected control group (IC). The nature of granulomatous inflammation associated with degeneration of adult flukes found in the VAC1 group was characterized by immunohistochemistry. Hepatic lesions (fibrous perihepatitis, chronic tracts, bile duct hyperplasia, infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes and plasma cells) were significantly less severe in the VAC1 group than in the IC group. Dead adult flukes within bile ducts were observed only in the VAC1 group and were surrounded by a severe granulomatous inflammation composed by macrophages and multinucleate giant cells with a high expression of lysozyme, CD163 and S100 markers, and a low expression of CD68. Numerous CD3+ T lymphocytes and scarce infiltrate of FoxP3+ Treg and CD208+ dendritic cells were present. This is the first report describing degenerated flukes associated to a severe granulomatous inflammation in bile ducts in a F. hepatica vaccine trial.

In Ecuador, as in the rest of Latin America, the problem of insecurity is undeniable. Although there are surveys in the country that measure the perception of insecurity or victimization, there is no instrument that measures fear of crime. This research was aimed at the structural validation of a scale to measure the fear of crime from the psychosocial perspective. To validate this theoretical model, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted. A total of 298 students from the city of Ambato, Ecuador, participated in the study. The average age was 21.28 years (SD = 1.62). Results showed satisfactory psychometric and structural properties of the scale. Furthermore, two theoretical models of fear of crime were developed: a first order factor and a second order factor. Results confirm the relevance of the second order model for explaining the psychosocial construction of the fear of crime.

Propyl-propanethiosulfinate (PTS) is a component of Allium essential oils. This organosulfur molecule can be used as a feed additive to decrease the appearance of bacterial resistances caused by the residues of antibiotics. In previous in vitro genotoxicity studies, contradictory results were reported for PTS. In this work, the in vivo genotoxicity of PTS in male and female rats was assessed for the first time, following OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) guidelines. After oral administration (doses: 5.5, 17.4, and 55.0 mg/kg PTS body weight), a combination of the micronucleus (MN) assay (OECD 474) in bone marrow and the standard and enzyme-modified comet assay (OECD 489) was performed. After necropsy, histopathological studies were also carried out. The results did not show the in vivo genotoxicity of PTS at any doses assayed, revealed by the absence of increased MN, and DNA strand breaks or oxidative DNA damage in the standard and enzyme-modified comet assays. The histopathological study revealed that only the highest dose tested (55.0 mg/kg) in the liver and all dose groups in the stomach presented minimal pathological lesions in the organs studied. Consequently, the present work confirms that PTS is not genotoxic at the doses assayed, and it is a promising natural alternative to synthetic preservatives and antibiotics in animal feed.

La entomoftoromicosis es un tipo de micosis subcutánea en el cual se incluyen la basidiobolomicosis y la conidiobolomicosis; esta última es causada principalmente por Conidiobolus coronatus, un hongo saprobio que habita el suelo en países tropicales y genera una afección rinofacial que compromete los tejidos blandos de la cara, los senos paranasales y la orofaringe, y tiene la capacidad de deformar el rostro en personas sin inmunodeficiencia aparente. La infección tiene un curso crónico con tendencia a la formación de granulomas que se pueden observar en el estudio histopatológico. Se presenta el caso de un agricultor de 28 años con un cuadro clínico de tumefacción rinofacial, obstrucción nasal y escurrimiento posterior, de seis meses de evolución, a quien se le diagnosticó conidiobolomicosis a partir de un cultivo de tejido después de múltiples biopsias de tejidos del área facial. El paciente recibió tratamiento antifúngico con anfotericina B y posteriomente con itraconazol, con lo cual su mejoría fue notable, por lo que no requirió tratamiento quirúrgico. El tratamiento con itraconazol se extendió por un año, al cabo del cual no había evidencia de recaída. Dada la poca frecuencia de esta enfermedad, no hay una estrategia de tratamiento establecida; sin embargo, el uso de azoles, como el itraconazol, se señala cada vez más en los diferentes reportes de caso, haya habido tratamiento quirúrgico adyuvante o no. En este reporte de caso se describe, además, la respuesta clínica y terapéutica a largo plazo de esta micosis infrecuente en Colombia.

Salar de Huasco is a wetland in the Andes mountains, located 3800 m above sea level at the Chilean Altiplano. Here we present a study aimed at characterizing the viral fraction and the microbial communities through metagenomic analysis. Two ponds (H0 and H3) were examined in November 2015. Water samples were processed using tangential flow filtration to obtain metagenomes from which the DNA fraction of the sample was amplified and sequenced (HiSeq system, Illumina). The ponds were characterized by freshwater and the viral-like particles to picoplankton ratio was 12.1 and 2.3 for H0 and H3, respectively. A great number of unassigned viral sequences were found in H0 (55.8%) and H3 (32.8%), followed by the family Fuselloviridae 20.8% (H0) and other less relatively abundant groups such as Microviridae (H0, 11.7% and H3, 3.3%) and Inoviridae (H3, 2.7%). The dominant viral sequences in both metagenomes belong to the order Caudovirales, with Siphoviridae being the most important family, especially in H3 (32.7%). The most important bacteria phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in both sites, followed by Cyanobacteria (H0). Genes encoding lysogenic and lytic enzymes (i.e., recombinases and integrases) were found in H0 and H3, indicating a potential for active viral replication at the time of sampling; this was supported by the presence of viral metabolic auxiliary genes at both sites (e.g., cysteine hydrolase). In total, our study indicates a great novelty of viral groups, differences in taxonomic diversity and replication pathways between sites, which contribute to a better understanding of how viruses balance the cycling of energy and matter in this extreme environment.

Copepods are important suppliers of bioreactive compounds for marine bacteria through fecal pellet production, sloppy feeding, and the excretion of dissolved compounds. However, the interaction between copepods and bacteria in the marine environment is poorly understood. We determined the nitrogen and phosphorus compounds excreted by copepods fed with two natural size-fractionated diets (

Hydrothermal systems are ideal to understand how microbial communities cope with challenging conditions. Lirima, our study site, is a polyextreme, high-altitude, hydrothermal ecosystem located in the Chilean Andean highlands. Herein, we analyze the benthic communities of three nearby springs in a gradient of temperature (42−72 °C represented by stations P42, P53, and P72) and pH, and we characterize their microbial diversity by using bacteria 16S rRNA (V4) gene metabarcoding and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries (bacteria and archaea). Bacterial clone libraries of P42 and P53 springs showed that the community composition was mainly represented by phototrophic bacteria (Chlorobia, 3%, Cyanobacteria 3%, at P42; Chlorobia 5%, and Chloroflexi 5% at P53), Firmicutes (32% at P42 and 43% at P53) and Gammaproteobacteria (13% at P42 and 29% at P53). Furthermore, bacterial communities that were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding were characterized by an overall predominance of Chloroflexi in springs with lower temperatures (33% at P42), followed by Firmicutes in hotter springs (50% at P72). The archaeal diversity of P42 and P53 were represented by taxa belonging to Crenarchaeota, Diapherotrites, Nanoarchaeota, Hadesarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, and Euryarchaeota. The microbial diversity of the Lirima hydrothermal system is represented by groups from deep branches of the tree of life, suggesting this ecosystem as a reservoir of primitive life and a key system to study the processes that shaped the evolution of the biosphere.

In high altitude environments, extreme levels of solar radiation and important differences of ionic concentrations over narrow spatial scales may modulate microbial activity. In Salar de Huasco, a high-altitude wetland in the Andean mountains, the high diversity of microbial communities has been characterized and associated with strong environmental variability. Communities that differed in light history and environmental conditions, such as nutrient concentrations and salinity from different spatial locations, were assessed for bacterial secondary production (3H-leucine incorporation, BSP) response from short-term exposures to solar radiation. We sampled during austral spring seven stations categorized as: a) source stations, with recently emerged groundwater (no-previous solar exposure); b) stream running water stations; c) stations connected to source waters but far downstream from source points; and d) isolated ponds disconnected from ground sources or streams with a longer isolation and solar exposure history. Very high values of 0.25 µE m-2 s-1, 72 W m-2 and 12 Wm-2 were measured for PAR, UVA, and UVB incident solar radiation, respectively. The environmental factors measured formed two groups of stations reflected by PCA analyses (near to groundwater sources and isolated systems) where isolated ponds had the highest BSP and microbial abundance (35 microalgae taxa, picoeukaryotes, nanoflagellates and bacteria) plus higher salinities and PO43- concentrations. BSP short-term response (4 h) to solar radiation was measured by 3H-Leucine incorporation under four different solar conditions: full sun, no UVB, PAR, and dark. Microbial communities established in waters with the longest surface exposure (e.g. isolated ponds) had the lowest BSP response to solar radiation treatments, and thus were likely best adapted to solar radiation exposure contrary to ground source waters. These results support our light history (solar exposure) hypothesis where the more isolated the community is from ground water sources, the better adapted it is to solar radiation. We suggest that factors other than solar radiation (e.g., salinity, PO43-, NO3-) are also important in determining microbial productivity in heterogeneous environments such as the Salar de Huasco.

Consumption of soy products has increased greatly due to their beneficial health effect. However, soy does not contain vitamin B12 (B12), an important water-soluble vitamin vital to prevent severe pathologies, some of which are irreversible. In this study a novel soymilk beverage containing a compound with B12 activity-producer strain (Lactobacillus reuteri CRL 1098) to prevent the pathologies caused by a B12-deficient diet was evaluated using an experimental murine model. Pregnant females were divided into four groups. Besides the B12-deficient and the control group, the animals in the remaining two groups received non-fermented soymilk and soymilk fermented with L. reuteri CRL 1098 from the end of gestation to weaning. At the end of the trials, females and their corresponding offspring were sacrificed to determine haematological, immunological and histological parameters. The results showed that the administration of fermented soymilk prevented the development of all symptoms observed as a consequence of nutritional B12 deficiency both in females mice and in their respective offspring. The design of soybean-based functional food bio-fortified with vitamin using a lactobacilli strain able to produce compounds with B12 activity constitutes an interesting alternative therapy to prevent vitamin deficiency.

Este trabajo se propone describir las características de personalidad existentes en una muestra de reclusos y compararlas con una muestra de la población general en Ecuador. Para ello, en una sesión individual, se les administró a los participantes los siguientes instrumentos: el inventario clínico multiaxial de Millon-III (MCMI-III), la escala de impulsividad de Barratt (BIS-11) y el cuestionario de agresión de Buss y Perry (BPAQ). Los resultados mostraron que existen diferencias significativas entre los reclusos y la población general en todas las medidas. En la población reclusa predominan características autoinformadas de personalidad de tipo antisocial y paranoide, además de mayores niveles de agresividad e impulsividad que en la población general. Respecto a la presencia de psicopatología, aparecen indicadores de afectación psíquica como la ansiedad, los cuadros delirantes y la dependencia a sustancias y al alcohol.

In recent years, our group has been studying the microbial communities of the water column associated with the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) off northern Chile and Peru, trying to understand who the main players are in the OMZ biogeochemical cycles and which metabolic strategies they are using. For that, we are combining flow cytometry, molecular techniques and biogeochemical approaches. Most of our work, so far, has focused on microbes capable of doing oxygenic photosynthesis, such as the cyanobacteria, and those involved in the nitrogen cycle, such as the denitrifying, nitrifying and anammox bacteria. We have also started to look at the more general microbial abundance and diversity. In each case, we are finding that the OMZ holds distinct microbial communities, either from a phylogenetic or a functional perspective. In this presentation we will give a summary of our main results.El los último años, nuestro grupo ha estado estudiando las comunidades microbianas de la columna de agua asociada a la zona de mínima de oxígeno (ZMO) frente al norte de Chile y Perú, tratando de entender quienes son los principales involucrados en los ciclos biogeoquímicos de la ZMO y que estrategias metabólicas están utilizando. Para ellos, combinamos técnicas de citometría de flujo, moleculares y aproximaciones biogeoquímicas. La mayor parte de nuestro trabajo, hasta el momento, se ha focalizado en los microbios capaces de realizar fotosíntesis oxigénica, como las cianobacterias, y aquellos involucrados en el ciclo del nitrógeno, como las bacterias desnitrificantes, nitrificantes y anammox. También hemos comenzado a investigar la abundancia y diversidad microbiana en general. En cada caso, estamos encontrando que la ZMO alberga comunidades microbianas propias, ya sea desde una perspectiva filogenética o funcional. En este trabajo presentaremos un resumen de nuestros principales resultados.

Abstract In Ecuador, as in the rest of Latin America, the problem of insecurity is undeniable. Although there are surveys in the country that measure the perception of insecurity or victimization, there is no instrument that measures fear of crime. This research was aimed at the structural validation of a scale to measure the fear of crime from the psychosocial perspective. To validate this theoretical model, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted. A total of 298 students from the city of Ambato, Ecuador, participated in the study. The average age was 21.28 years (SD = 1.62). Results showed satisfactory psychometric and structural properties of the scale. Furthermore, two theoretical models of fear of crime were developed: a first order factor and a second order factor. Results confirm the relevance of the second order model for explaining the psychosocial construction of the fear of crime.