Latin America multidisciplinary research on heat shock proteins and cell stress: proceedings of the first conference of the Latin America Chapter of the Cell Stress Society International

The First Conference of the Latin America Chapter of the Cell Stress Society International (CSSI) organized by CSSI was held in Montevideo, Uruguay, on March 11–14, 2014. The Latin America Chapter of the CSSI (LAC-CSSI) was established at the Workshop on the Molecular Biology of the Stress Response, Porto Alegre, Brazil, May 2012. The chapter’s first meeting took place in the beautiful city of Montevideo and was chaired by the first (LAC-CSSI) elected president Professor María Bausero. Forty-two invited speakers presented their work to more than 100 scientists. The first day of the conference was dedicated to an introductory program for students, young investigators, and participants new to the field of molecular chaperones and the stress response. These seminars were held in the Pasteur Institute of Montevideo and the Faculty of Sciences of the University of the Republic. These institutions were carefully selected to give foreign participants a broad view of the diversity of students and institutions doing research in Uruguay, as well as an opportunity for direct interaction with our scientists and students. Invited speakers for the seminar series were Dr. Wolfgang Schumann, Dr. Cristina Bonorino, Dr. Antonio De Maio, Dr. Ian Brown, Dr. Rafael Radi, Dr. Daniel Ciocca, and Dr. Celia Quijano. The remaining days of the conference took place at the Sheraton Hotel in Montevideo, and the scientific sessions are discussed below.     

The International Atomic Energy Agency action plan on radiation protection of patients and staff in interventional procedures: Achieving change in practice

IntroductionThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organized the 3rd international conference on radiation protection (RP) of patients in December 2017. This paper presents the conclusions on the interventional procedures (IP) session.Material and methodsThe IAEA conference was conducted as a series of plenary sessions followed by various thematic sessions. “Radiation protection of patients and staff in interventional procedures” session keynote speakers presented information on: 1) Risk management of skin injuries, 2) Occupational radiation risks and 3) RP for paediatric patients. Then, a summary of the session-related papers was presented by a rapporteur, followed by an open question-and-answer discussion.ResultsSixty-seven percent (67%) of papers came from Europe. Forty-four percent (44%) were patient studies, 44% were occupational and 12% were combined studies. Occupational studies were mostly on eye lens dosimetry. The rest were on scattered radiation measurements and dose tracking. The majority of patient studies related to patient exposure with only one study on paediatric patients. Automatic patient dose reporting is considered as a first step for dose optimization. Despite efforts, paediatric IP radiation dose data are still scarce. The keynote speakers outlined recent achievements but also challenges in the field. Forecasting technology, task-specific targeted education from educators familiar with the clinical situation, more accurate estimation of lens doses and improved identification of high-risk professional groups are some of the areas they focused on.ConclusionsManufacturers play an important role in making patients safer. Low dose technologies are still expensive and manufacturers should make these affordable in less resourced countries. Automatic patient dose reporting and real-time skin dose map are important for dose optimization. Clinical audit and better QA processes together with more studies on the impact of lens opacities in clinical practice and on paediatric patients are needed.     

Advances in ecological genomics in forest trees and applications to genetic resources conservation and breeding

Forest trees are an unparalleled group of organisms in their combined ecological, economic and societal importance. With widespread distributions, predominantly random mating systems and large population sizes, most tree species harbour extensive genetic variation both within and among populations. At the same time, demographic processes associated with Pleistocene climate oscillations and land‐use change have affected contemporary range‐wide diversity and may impinge on the potential for future adaptation. Understanding how these adaptive and neutral processes have shaped the genomes of trees species is therefore central to their management and conservation. As for many other taxa, the advent of high‐throughput sequencing methods is expected to yield an understanding of the interplay between the genome and environment at a level of detail and depth not possible only a few years ago. An international conference entitled ‘Genomics and Forest Tree Genetics’ was held in May 2016, in Arcachon (France), and brought together forest geneticists with a wide range of research interests to disseminate recent efforts that leverage contemporary genomic tools to probe the population, quantitative and evolutionary genomics of trees. An important goal of the conference was to discuss how such data can be applied to both genome‐enabled breeding and the conservation of forest genetic resources under land use and climate change. Here, we report discoveries presented at the meeting and discuss how the ecological genomic toolkit can be used to address both basic and applied questions in tree biology.     

Life in the Universe Paris,November 19–21, 1979

A conference on Life in the Universe, organized by the Council of Europe, and held in Paris, November 19 to 21, 1979, brought together more than 100 scientists from different fields. The aim of this conference was to promote scientific cooperation in Europe, in conjunction with other countries, in fields related to the problem of Life in the Universe. Our knowledge concerning this problem was reviewed in three different sessions. The first session was devoted to the question of planetary evolution; the second session was devoted to the question of the origin and evolution of life, and the third session was devoted to the problem of evolution of intelligence and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The Drake formula was the keynote of the conference. Each session tried to estimate some of the parameters of this formula, in order to examine the question: how many extraterrestrial civilizations with a level of technology at least equal to ours may be present in the universe? Even if no definite answer is given to this question, this meeting pointed out the need for more research.     

The genomic basis of eco‐evolutionary dynamics

Recent recognition that ecological and evolutionary processes can operate on similar timescales has led to a rapid increase in theoretical and empirical studies on eco‐evolutionary dynamics. Progress in the fields of evolutionary biology, genomics and ecology is greatly enhancing our understanding of rapid adaptive processes, the predictability of adaptation and the genetics of ecologically important traits. However, progress in these fields has proceeded largely independently of one another. In an attempt to better integrate these fields, the centre for ‘Adaptation to a Changing Environment’ organized a conference entitled ‘The genomic basis of eco‐evolutionary change’ and brought together experts in ecological genomics and eco‐evolutionary dynamics. In this review, we use the work of the invited speakers to summarize eco‐evolutionary dynamics and discuss how they are relevant for understanding and predicting responses to contemporary environmental change. Then, we show how recent advances in genomics are contributing to our understanding of eco‐evolutionary dynamics. Finally, we highlight the gaps in our understanding of eco‐evolutionary dynamics and recommend future avenues of research in eco‐evolutionary dynamics.     

Report on the 31st Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference (SFTIC)

The 31st Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference was held 14–16 June 2011 in Biloxi, MS, USA. This marks 60 years of biennial technical conferences supported by the Southern Forest Tree Improvement Committee. The theme of the conference was tree improvement opportunities and challenges in the economy emerging around cellulosic biomass, bioproducts, and biofuels. Invited speakers from the industry, academia, and government challenged scientists and students to employ robust technologies for developing and deploying improved trees for the emerging biomass markets as well as for the existing forest products markets. Opportunities for integrating genomics into breeding and selection programs and somatic embryogenesis into deployment practices look promising for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda); the main industrial forest tree in the southeastern USA. Advances in enabling technologies such as DNA sequencing and genotyping open new opportunities for accelerating and achieving tree improvement in all forest tree species. Of the 109 attendees, 47 were first time conference participants and 27 were students, an encouraging sign for the future of forest genetics and tree improvement.     

Cancer Immunotherapy 2005: Mainz, Germany, 12–13 May 2005

Cancer Immunotherapy 2005 was the third international meeting organized by the Association for Immunotherapy of Cancer (AIC). About 200 participants were attracted by the excellent scientific program that consisted of overview lectures from 25 international speakers in the plenary auditorium and four guided poster sessions during both days of the meeting. The first day of the symposium mainly focused on experience with, and new perspectives in, antibody therapy. On the second day of the meeting, organized as a joint conference together with the Combined Research Grant “Mechanisms of Tumor Defense and Therapeutic Intervention” funded by the German Research Council, the participants had the chance to gain deeper insights into the principles of antigen processing and the regulation of immune responses. Further topics that were discussed mainly in the poster sessions and in the special lecture given by M. Nishimura (Chicago, USA), were “cellular therapies” and “vaccination against cancer”. The lectures selected for this report aim to provide an overview of the complete scientific program and give an impression of the lively atmosphere that could be felt from the first until the last session of CIMT 2005. C.M. Britten and C. Gouttefangeas contributed equally to this report.     

Fewer invited talks by women in evolutionary biology symposia

Lower visibility of female scientists, compared to male scientists, is a potential reason for the under‐representation of women among senior academic ranks. Visibility in the scientific community stems partly from presenting research as an invited speaker at organized meetings. We analysed the sex ratio of presenters at the European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB) Congress 2011, where all abstract submissions were accepted for presentation. Women were under‐represented among invited speakers at symposia (15% women) compared to all presenters (46%), regular oral presenters (41%) and plenary speakers (25%). At the ESEB congresses in 2001–2011, 9–23% of invited speakers were women. This under‐representation of women is partly attributable to a larger proportion of women, than men, declining invitations: in 2011, 50% of women declined an invitation to speak compared to 26% of men. We expect invited speakers to be scientists from top ranked institutions or authors of recent papers in high‐impact journals. Considering all invited speakers (including declined invitations), 23% were women. This was lower than the baseline sex ratios of early‐mid career stage scientists, but was similar to senior scientists and authors that have published in high‐impact journals. High‐quality science by women therefore has low exposure at international meetings, which will constrain Evolutionary Biology from reaching its full potential. We wish to highlight the wider implications of turning down invitations to speak, and encourage conference organizers to implement steps to increase acceptance rates of invited talks.     

When the Cell Stress Society International became South American: meeting report of the IX International Workshop on the Molecular Biology of Stress Responses

The International Workshop on the Molecular Biology of the Stress Response organized by the Cell Stress Society International was held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on May 27–30, 2012, as part of the development of the Latin American Chapter of the Society, a superb initiative headed by Drs. Antonio De Maio and Larry Hightower. The meeting took place in the wonderful facilities of the Pontifícia Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) and was warmly chaired by Professor Cristina Bonorino. Thirty-four invited speakers presented their work to more than 200 scientists and, even more importantly, to 150 registered students, who were the main beneficiaries of the meeting. The first day of the workshop was dedicated to an educational program for students, young investigators, and participants who were unfamiliar with the field of molecular chaperones and the stress response. Speakers in this pre-workshop were Dr. Harm Kampinga, Dr. Lea Sistonen, Dr. Larry Hightower, Dr. Ivor Benjamin, Dr. Daniel Ciocca, and Dr. Linda Hendershot. Then, the scientific sessions discussed below followed.     

Evolutionary dynamics of the leaf phenological cycle in an oak metapopulation along an elevation gradient

It has been predicted that environmental changes will radically alter the selective pressures on phenological traits. Long‐lived species, such as trees, will be particularly affected, as they may need to undergo major adaptive change over only one or a few generations. The traits describing the annual life cycle of trees are generally highly evolvable, but nothing is known about the strength of their genetic correlations. Tight correlations can impose strong evolutionary constraints, potentially hampering the adaptation of multivariate phenological phenotypes. In this study, we investigated the evolutionary, genetic and environmental components of the timing of leaf unfolding and senescence within an oak metapopulation along an elevation gradient. Population divergence, estimated from in situ and common‐garden data, was compared to expectations under neutral evolution, based on microsatellite markers. This approach made it possible (1) to evaluate the influence of genetic correlation on multivariate local adaptation to elevation and (2) to identify traits probably exposed to past selective pressures due to the colder climate at high elevation. The genetic correlation was positive but very weak, indicating that genetic constraints did not shape the local adaptation pattern for leaf phenology. Both spring and fall (leaf unfolding and senescence, respectively) phenology timings were involved in local adaptation, but leaf unfolding was probably the trait most exposed to climate change‐induced selection. Our data indicated that genetic variation makes a much smaller contribution to adaptation than the considerable plastic variation displayed by a tree during its lifetime. The evolutionary potential of leaf phenology is, therefore, probably not the most critical aspect for short‐term population survival in a changing climate.     

Report on the ILAR International Workshop on the Development of Science-based Guidelines for Laboratory Animal Care

The Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Academies hosted a meeting in November 2003 in Washington, DC, titled "International Workshop on the Development of Science-based Guidelines for Laboratory Animal Care." The purpose of the workshop was to bring together experts from around the world to assess the available scientific knowledge that can have an impact on the current and pending guidelines for laboratory animal care. Platform presentations focused on a variety of issues, from information exchange on mechanisms for the development of regulations across different countries and cultures, to data-based scientific studies on the effects of environmental enrichment on research outcomes. In the discussion sessions, participants were tasked with addressing the current scientific literature on the specific session topics; identifying gaps in the current knowledge in order to encourage future research endeavors; and assessing the effects of current and proposed regulations on facilities, research, and animal welfare. Participants had ample opportunities to share research outcomes and viewpoints in the multiple breakout sessions. Summaries of all breakout sessions were presented in the general session. On the final day of the workshop during the point/counterpoint session, a diverse group of speakers presented their cases for and against harmonization of standards. Although some of the speakers had serious reservations about harmonization, most of the panel members supported some form of harmonization. A positive outcome of the workshop was the opportunity for scientists and veterinarians from many countries to begin a dialogue with a goal of understanding the basis for the differences in regulatory approaches in laboratory animal care and the hope of continuing discussions on ways to work together toward some type of harmonization.     

Episodes in insect evolution

This article derives from a society-wide symposium organized by Timothy Bradley and Adriana Briscoe and presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology in Boston, Massachusetts. David Grimaldi provided the opening presentation in which he outlined the major evolutionary events in the formation and subsequent diversification of the insect clade. This presentation was followed by speakers who detailed the evolutionary history of specific physiological and/or behavioral traits that have caused insects to be both ecologically successful and fascinating as subjects for biological study. These include a review of the evolutionary history of the insects, the origins of flight, osmoregulation, the evolution of tracheal systems, the evolution of color vision, circadian clocks, and the evolution of eusociality. These topics, as covered by the speakers, provide an overview of the pattern and timing of evolutionary diversification and specialization in the group of animals we know as insects.     

Sequence Thyself: Personalized Medicine and Therapies for the Future: 2012 Yale Healthcare Conference

Now in its 8th year, the Yale Healthcare Conference has arguably come upon its most exciting and dramatic time within the U.S. health care system. Dynamic speakers from all over the country came together in April 2012 at Yale University to question, debate, creatively think, and examine challenges within health care organizations and institutions. One of the most prominent issues concerned the aftermath of sequencing the human genome and the explosion of information concerning gene polymorphisms and biomarkers in health and disease. Clinicians, scientists, and pharmaceuticals are looking to innovative individually tailored treatments for patients. During the conference breakout session, speakers Thomas Lynch, MD, director of the Yale Cancer Center and physician-in-chief of the Smilow Cancer Hospital, and Zen Chu, MBA, co-founder of Accelerated Medical Ventures and entrepreneur-in-residence at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, provided enriching discussion on the delivery of science and genetic care of the individual.     

Differentiation in habitat response in taxodium distichum,taxodium mucronatum,platanus occidentalis,and liquidambar styraciflua from the United States and Mexico

Summary Habitat specialization in populations of three broadly distributed trees includes adaptive differentiation to day length and temperature. Low sensitivity to environmental cues is the adaptive strategy of the southernmost populations (from northeastern Mexico). Early cessation of growth and sensitivity to the environment is adaptive for the northernmost populations (southern Illinois). Intermediate responses characterize trees of Texas. In a comparison under four photoperiod-temperature conditions, the Mexico plants were adapted to the longest growing season. Under out-of-doors conditions in central Texas, these trees from Mexico continue to demonstrate adaptive strategies different from those of Texas or Illinois trees. Stipule production and leaf area inPlatanus showed modifications correlated with latitude. Northernmost trees had the smallest leaves and did not produce stipules under 12-h day lengths and 24–15 °C temperatures. The Mexico trees had stipules under each of the four experimental conditions. The results suggest that populations of deciduous trees in a given climate are selected toward convergence in some responses to that climate. As a result, populations of the three trees resemble each other in behavior in a given ecosystem. Research funds were provided by a grant from the U.S. Forest Service and from National Science Foundation Grant GB-6097. I acknowledge help of David S. May and George J. Williams.     

Workshop on "What do you need to know about doing cell biology experiments in space?"

The "What do you need to know about doing cell biology experiments in space?" workshop represented a continued international collaboration between cell culture hardware developers and scientists, partly due to the enhanced collaboration in space life sciences spurred on by the International Space Life Sciences Working Group. The workshop was organized into three sessions. The first session provided an overview of the general effects of space flight, including definition of the microgravity environment, the radiation environment, and issues surrounding mass transport. The session concluded with an important overview of using space centrifuges as Earth gravity (1-g) controls, including understanding the contribution of inertial shear forces. The second session described existing and planned hardware facilities developed to support cell culture research, ranging from small hand-held hardware to breadbox-sized Shuttle middeck hardware to complete facility racks. Hardware designed for use on the Shuttle, ISS, and in free flyers was described. The third session provided advice from experienced space flight cell biology principal investigators to new investigators in the field. This special issue of the Journal of Gravitational Physiology includes externally peer-reviewed papers from all three sessions.