Two new species of Edmockfordia García Aldrete (Psocodea, ‘Psocoptera’, Epipsocidae), from Valle del Cauca,Colombia, and description of the female E. chiquibulensis García Aldrete

Two new species of Edmockfordia García Aldrete, from Valle del Cauca, Colombia, and the female of Edmockfordia chiquibulensis García Aldrete, are described and illustrated. A key to the species of Edmockfordia is included; the genus was previously known only from Belize. The genus is re-diagnosed to include female characters. The distribution of the genus is considerably widened, from Belize to northeastern South America.     

Molecular taxonomic identification in the absence of a ‘barcoding gap’: a test with the endemic flora of the Canarian oceanic hotspot

We use a comprehensive subset of Canarian angiosperms corresponding to 23 families, 35 genera and 60 Canarian endemic taxa to test whether this flora is suitable to taxonomic identification with the two proposed plant DNA barcode sequences and whether these sequences may reveal the existence of cryptic species overlooked by morphology. The rate of discrimination success between the insular congeneric samples using the rbcL+matK combination and a ‘character‐based’ approach (where we use only the combination of nucleotide positions in an alignment that allows unambiguous species identification) is higher (82.29%) than that obtained with the ‘distance‐based’ approach (80.20%) used by the CBOL Plant Working Group in 2009 and also when compared with tests conducted in other floras. This suggests that the molecular identification of the Canarian endemic flora can be achieved as successfully as in other floras where the incidence of radiation is not as relevant. The facts that (i) a distance‐based criterion was unable to discriminate between congeneric and conspecific comparisons and (ii) only the character‐based discrimination criterion resolved cases that the distance‐based criterion did not, further support the use of a character discrimination approach for a more efficient DNA barcoding of floras from oceanic islands like the Canaries. Thus, a barcoding gap seems not to be necessary for the correct molecular characterization of the Canarian flora. DNA barcodes also suggest the possible existence of cryptic taxa to be further investigated by morphology and that the current taxonomic status of some of the taxa analysed may need revision.     

Determinants of Performance of Health Systems Concerning Maternal and Child Health: A Global Approach

Aims

To assess the association of social determinants on the performance of health systems around the world.

Methods

A transnational ecological study was conducted with an observation level focused on the country. In order to research on the strength of the association between the annual maternal and child mortality in 154 countries and social determinants: corruption, democratization, income inequality and cultural fragmentation, we used a mixed linear regression model for repeated measures with random intercepts and a conglomerate-based geographical analysis, between 2000 and 2010.

Results

Health determinants with a significant association on child mortality(<1year): higher access to water (βa Quartile 4(Q4) vs Quartile 1(Q1) = -6,14; 95%CI: -11,63 to -0,73), sanitation systems, (Q4 vs Q1 = -25,58; 95%CI: -31,91 to -19,25), % measles vaccination coverage (Q4 vs Q1 = -7.35; 95%CI: -10,18 to -4,52), % of births attended by a healthcare professional (Q4 vs Q1 = -7,91; 95%CI: -11,36 to -4,52) and a % of the total health expenditure (Q3 vs Q1 = -2,85; 95%CI: -4,93 to -0,7). Ethnic fragmentation (Q4 vs Q1 = 9,93; 95%CI: -0.03 to 19.89) had a marginal effect. For child mortality<5 years, an association was found for these variables and democratization (not free vs free = 11,23; 95%CI: -0,82 to 23,29), out-of-pocket expenditure (Q1 vs Q4 = 17,71; 95%CI: 5,86 to 29,56). For MMR (Maternal mortality ratio), % of access to water for all the quartiles, % of access to sanitation systems, (Q3 vs Q1 = -171,15; 95%CI: -281,29 to -61), birth attention by a healthcare professional (Q4 vs Q1 = -231,23; 95%CI: -349,32 to -113,15), and having corrupt government (Q3 vs Q1 = 83,05; 95%CI: 33,10 to 133).

Conclusions

Improving access to water and sanitation systems, decreasing corruption in the health sector must become priorities in health systems. The ethno-linguistic cultural fragmentation and the detriment of democracy turn out to be two factors related to health results.     

Below-ground herbivory limits induction of extrafloral nectar by above-ground herbivores

Background and Aims Many plants produce extrafloral nectar (EFN), and increase production following above-ground herbivory, presumably to attract natural enemies of the herbivores. Below-ground herbivores, alone or in combination with those above ground, may also alter EFN production depending on the specificity of this defence response and the interactions among herbivores mediated through plant defences. To date, however, a lack of manipulative experiments investigating EFN production induced by above- and below-ground herbivory has limited our understanding of how below-ground herbivory mediates indirect plant defences to affect above-ground herbivores and their natural enemies.Methods In a greenhouse experiment, seedlings of tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) were subjected to herbivory by a specialist flea beetle (Bikasha collaris) that naturally co-occurs as foliage-feeding adults and root-feeding larvae. Seedlings were subjected to above-ground adults and/or below-ground larvae herbivory, and EFN production was monitored.Key Results Above- and/or below-ground herbivory significantly increased the percentage of leaves with active nectaries, the volume of EFN and the mass of soluble solids within the nectar. Simultaneous above- and below-ground herbivory induced a higher volume of EFN and mass of soluble solids than below-ground herbivory alone, but highest EFN production was induced by above-ground herbivory when below-ground herbivores were absent.Conclusions The induction of EFN production by below-ground damage suggests that systemic induction underlies some of the EFN response. The strong induction by above-ground herbivory in the absence of below-ground herbivory points to specific induction based on above- and below-ground signals that may be adaptive for this above-ground indirect defence.     

Stimulation of the proline cycle and anthraquinone accumulation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rubia tinctorum</Emphasis> cell suspension cultures in the presence of glutamate and two proline analogs

Anthraquinone biosynthesis in Rubia tinctorum L. involves different metabolic routes. Chorismic acid, the end-product of the shikimate pathway, becomes the branch point between primary and secondary metabolism. It has been proposed that the proline cycle could be coupled with the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), since the NADP⁺ generated by proline reduction from glutamate could act as a cofactor of the first enzymes of the PPP. This pathway generates erythrose-4-phosphate, the substrate of the shikimate pathway. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of the addition of glutamate and two proline analogs, azetidine-2-carboxylic acid and thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (T4C), on the PPP, the proline cycle, and anthraquinone production in R. tinctorum cell suspension cultures. The addition of 5 mM of glutamate enhanced both anthraquinone (up to 30%) and total phenolic content (12%), which correlated well with proline accumulation. Only the addition of 200 μM of T4C resulted in an increase in anthraquinone production, which was accompanied by a rise in the proline content. Neither the addition of glutamate nor proline analogs resulted in the induction of PPP, so this route was not a limiting factor as a carbon donor to the shikimate pathway.     

Effect of acid lactic bacteria isolated from faeces of healthy dogs on growth parameters and aflatoxin B<Subscript>1</Subscript> production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus</Emphasis> species in vitro

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of Enterococcus faecium and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis isolated from faeces of healthy dogs on (i) lag phase, (ii) growth rate, and (iii) aflatoxin B₁ production by Aspergillus section Flavi on in vitro assays. Thirteen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates were used as antagonist microorganisms. Antagonistic activity was assayed against four potentially aflatoxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi isolates: A. flavus (AF210 and AF281), A. parasiticus (AP245) and A. parasiticus (NRRL 2999). In general, the longest lag phases of Aspergillus isolates were obtained with E. faecium GJ40. Respecting the growth rate, no significant reduction was found in this parameter in the interaction assays with A. flavus and antagonist isolates respecting the control. While in A. parasiticus a significant reduction in growth rate was only observed in the interaction among reference strain and E. faecium MF5 isolate (p < 0.05). In general, AFB₁ production was reduced by most of the LAB isolates assayed, except for E. faecium GJ18, GJ20, MF3 and MF4. This study provides the first data about the antiaflatoxigenic activity of autochthonous LAB isolated from dog faeces.     

Does plant richness influence animal richness?: the mammals of Catalonia (NE Spain)

Although it has long been held that plant diversity must influence animal diversity, the nature of this relationship remains poorly understood at large spatial scales. We compare the species richness patterns of vascular plants and mammals in north‐eastern Spain using a 100‐km² grain size to examine patterns of covariation. We found that the total mammal richness pattern, as well as those of herbivores and carnivores considered separately, only weakly corresponded to the pattern of plants. Rather, mammal richness was best described by climatic variables incorporating water inputs, and after adding these variables to multiple regression models, plant and mammal richness were virtually independent. We conclude that the observed association, although weak, is explained by shared responses of both groups to climate, and thus, plant richness has no influence on the richness pattern of Catalan mammals.     

Pines and oaks in the restoration of Mediterranean landscapes of Spain: New perspectives for an old practice — a review

Pines have been extensively used for land restoration in the Mediterranean basin and in other parts of the world, since the late 19^th century. The theoretical basis supporting pine utilisation was its stress-tolerant and pioneer features, and their attributed role of facilitating the development of late-successional hardwoods in the long-term. In the present work, the use of pines and hardwoods in forest restoration is discussed in the frame of the current disturbance regime and social demands for Mediterranean forests. Large pine plantations have recently disappeared because of their sensitivity to fire (e.g., Pinus nigra) or because of the short fire-intervals (e.g., Pinus halepensis). Combined pine and oak plantations are proposed for degraded land restoration on the basis of the complementary features of both groups of species. Seeding and containerised seedling plantation, soil amendments and plantation techniques to reduce transplant shock are evaluated for reforestation under water-stressing conditions, on the basis of several experiments performed in eastern Spain. Both P. halepensis and Quercus ilex are tested.