Aromatase expression is linked to estrogenic sensitivity of periurethral muscles in female rabbits

Beyond its role in the conversion of androgens to estrogens, the expression of aromatase could influence on the estrogenic signalling in targeted tissues. Considering the well‐defined biochemical and physiological differences between the pubococcygeus (Pcm) and bulbospongiosus (Bsm) muscles in female rabbits, it is presently hypothesized that the aromatase expression is differentially linked to the estrogen sensitivity of each muscle. To this end, serum estradiol levels and the aromatase expression, presence of ERα and ERβ and morphometry were evaluated in the Pcm and Bsm of female rabbits allocated in control, ovariectomized (OVX) and OVX treated with estradiol benzoate (OVX + EB) groups. Aromatase expression was high in the Pcm. Independently to serum estradiol, ovariectomy increased aromatase expression in the Pcm while decreased it in the Bsm. The EB treatment avoided the effect of ovariectomy only in the Pcm. The number of immunoreactive nuclei anti‐ERα and anti‐ERβ was high in the Pcm of OVX and OVX + EB rabbits, while those in the Bsm remained unchanged. The number of peripheral nuclei per fibre and the cross‐sectional area‐to‐myonucleus ratio were modified only in the Pcm. Our findings support aromatase expression in the Pcm, and Bsm of rabbits is differentially linked to estrogenic sensitivity of each muscle. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of Methods for Chemical Conjugation of an Influenza Peptide to Wild-Type and Cysteine-Mutant Virus-Like Particles Expressed in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas fluorescens</Emphasis>

Chemical conjugation of the influenza peptide antigen M2E to different variants of virus-like particles (VLPs) was investigated. Wild-type cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) and two novel cysteine mutants of CCMV, all expressed in Pseudomonas fluorescens, were utilized in this study. Two different conjugation schemes, primary amine-directed and cysteine-directed, were tested and compared. Both strategies were successfully used to attach M2E peptides to the surface of these VLPs. Ultimately, the cysteine-directed conjugation strategy using the CCMV cysteine mutant particles displayed key advantages over the primary amine-directed strategy.     

Gap-phase dynamics and coexistence of a long-lived pioneer and shade-tolerant tree species in the canopy of an old-growth coastal temperate rain forest of Chiloé Island, Chile

Aim A major question with regard to the ecology of temperate rain forests in south‐central Chile is how pioneer and shade‐tolerant tree species coexist in old‐growth forests. We explored the correspondence between tree regeneration dynamics and life‐history traits to explain the coexistence of these two functional types in stands apparently representing a non‐equilibrium mixture. Location This study was conducted in northern Chiloé Island, Chile (41.6° S, 73.9° W) in a temperate coastal rain forest with no evidence of stand disruption by human impact. Methods We assessed stand structure by sampling all stems within two 50 × 20 m and four 5 × 100 m plots. A 600‐m long transect, with 20 uniformly spaced sampling points, was used to quantify seedling and sapling densities, obtain increment cores, and randomly select 10 tree‐fall gaps. We used tree‐ring analysis to assess establishment periods and to relate the influences of disturbances to the regeneration dynamics of the main canopy species. Results Canopy emergent tree species were the long‐lived pioneer Eucryphia cordifolia and the shade‐tolerant Aextoxicon punctatum. Shade‐tolerant species such as Laureliopsis philippiana and several species of Myrtaceae occupied the main canopy. The stem diameter distribution for E. cordifolia was distinctly unimodal, while for A. punctatum it was multi‐modal, with all age classes represented. Myrtaceae accounted for most of the small trees. Most tree seedlings and saplings occurred beneath canopy gaps. Based on tree‐ring counts, the largest individuals of A. punctatum and E. cordifolia had minimum ages estimated to be > 350 years and > 286 years, respectively. Shade‐tolerant Myrtaceae species and L. philippiana had shorter life spans (< 200 years). Most growth releases, regardless of tree species, were moderate and have occurred continuously since 1750. Main conclusions We suggest that this coastal forest has remained largely free of stand‐disrupting disturbances for at least 450 years, without substantial changes in canopy composition. Release patterns are consistent with this hypothesis and suggest that the disturbance regime is dominated by individual tree‐fall gaps, with sporadic multiple tree falls. Long life spans, maximum height and differences in shade tolerance provide a basis for understanding the long‐term coexistence of pioneer and shade‐tolerant tree species in this coastal, old‐growth rain forest, despite the rarity of major disturbances.     

The small, the forgotten and the dead: highway impact on vertebrates and its implications for mitigation strategies

Roads affect wildlife in many ways, and probably the most conspicuous of these is by producing roadkills. In Mexico few studies have addressed this issue. In the present study, we look at the richness and abundance of vertebrate roadkills along a 14 km stretch of the Amozoc-Cantona-Perote highway, at the border of the states of Veracruz and Puebla and across two environments: shrubland and grassland. The highway was sampled on 34 days between June 2010 and March 2011. A total of 946 animals were recorded as killed by traffic, and belonged to 58 species. Ten of these are under some protection status by Mexican law. Diversity values for shrubland were D = 0.52 and for grassland D = 1.2, both with Bray–Curtis similarity values of I_bc = 0.12 and complementarity (C_AB) was 98.5. The most common roadkilled animals were rodents (genus Peromyscus). We estimate that 11,899 vertebrates are killed annually in this section of the highway. This study highlights the need for designing and applying policies and actions for road construction and maintenance that, together with driver’s education, will allow us to increase landscape connectivity and decrease wildlife roadkills.     

Non-Lévy Mobility Patterns of Mexican Me’Phaa Peasants Searching for Fuel Wood

We measured mobility patterns that describe walking trajectories of individual Me’Phaa peasants searching for and collecting fuel wood in the forests of “La Monta?a de Guerrero” in Mexico. These 1-day excursions typically follow a mixed pattern of nearly-constant steps when individuals displace from their homes towards potential collecting sites and a mixed pattern of steps of different lengths when actually searching for fallen wood in the forest. Displacements in the searching phase seem not to be compatible with Lévy flights described by power-laws with optimal scaling exponents. These findings, however, can be interpreted in the light of deterministic searching on heavily degraded landscapes where the interaction of the individuals with their fuel wood-scarce environment produces alternative searching strategies than the expected Lévy flights. These results have important implications for future management and restoration of degraded forests and the improvement of the ecological services they may provide to their inhabitants.     

Surgical alternatives in the treatment of hepatic hydatidosis]

Echinococcosis is an endemic zoonosis in the south of Chile, so we have the opportunity to treat many patients especially the liver location which is the most common situation of this disease. Hepatic hydatid cyst presents its own morbidity and mortality due its complications and associated with surgical procedures. Morbidity has rates between 11 and 86% and is related with previous surgical interventions, cysts complications, the necessity of perform additional procedures during surgery and the treatment of other disease locations. Mortality by otherwise has rates below 5%. But both, morbidity and mortality persist high in spite of technological advances and therapeutical improvement. The surgical treatment of hepatic hydatidosis can be divided in four phases: surgical area isolation, cysts evacuation, treatment of cyst complications (biliary tract rupture, hepatothoracic transit, etc.), and residual cavity treatment. For each one exist different alternatives. On the other hand, hydatid cyst surgery can be classified in conservative and resective procedures. In the first group we consider marsupialization, cystostomy, Knowsly or Posadas operation and cystojejunostomy. In the resective group we include pericystectomy, partial or subtotal cystectomy and the different types of hepatectomies. Finally, some other surgical procedures are under evaluation. These include the laparoscopic approach of liver echinoccosis with few studies in the field, but with hopeful results.     

Solid-state fermentation of Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki HD-73 maintains higher biomass and spore yields as compared to submerged fermentation using the same media

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering - To determine the growth kinetic parameters, substrate consumption and spore yields for Bacillus thuringiensis, liquid fermentation (SmF) and solid-state...