Insights into an undescribed high-elevation lake (6,170 m a.s.l.) on Volcán Llullaillaco: A physical and microbiological view

1. High elevation lakes are extreme ecosystems and serve as sentinels of various global changes.
2. An expedition to Volcán Llullaillaco in 1996 discovered an unstudied high-elevation lake (6,170 m a.s.l.) that probably was formed as a result of the past eruptive events or climatic processes such as glacial retreat in the lake basin.
3. This article describes an initial physical characterization of the lake and its microbial communities derived from two sampling expeditions in 2013 and 2016.
4. The microbial community in the lake, with an area between 1.2 and 1.4 ha and a depth of 6.8 m, was dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Haloarchaea. In addition, 26 bacterial isolates were identified within the genera Subtercola, Xylophilus, Rhodanobacter, Mesorhizobium and Pseudomonas.
5. Lago Llullaillaco is one of the highest recorded lakes in the world, and this study highlights the unique microbial diversity of this aquatic ecosystem and the importance of its preservation to understand the complex biological processes under polyextreme conditions.

     

Endocannabinoid hydrolysis generates brain prostaglandins that promote neuroinflammation

Phospholipase A(2)(PLA(2)) enzymes are considered the primary source of arachidonic acid for cyclooxygenase (COX)-mediated biosynthesis of prostaglandins. Here, we show that a distinct pathway exists in brain, where monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) hydrolyzes the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol to generate a major arachidonate precursor pool for neuroinflammatory prostaglandins. MAGL-disrupted animals show neuroprotection in a parkinsonian mouse model. These animals are spared the hemorrhaging caused by COX inhibitors in the gut, where prostaglandins are instead regulated by cytosolic PLA(2). These findings identify MAGL as a distinct metabolic node that couples endocannabinoid to prostaglandin signaling networks in the nervous system and suggest that inhibition of this enzyme may be a new and potentially safer way to suppress the proinflammatory cascades that underlie neurodegenerative disorders.     

Selective logging of lowland evergreen rainforests in Chiloé Island, Chile: Effects of changing tree species composition on soil nitrogen transformations

Lowland evergreen rainforests in southern Chile growing on highly productive soils and accessible sites have been subjected to traditional and industrial logging of valuable timber trees. Old-growth rain forests in this area are characterized by highly conservative N cycles, which results in an efficient N use of ecosystems. We hypothesize that different logging practices, by changing forest structure and species composition, can alter the quantity and quality (i.e. C/N ratio) of litterfall and soil organic matter and soil microbial processes that determine N storage and availability. To test this hypothesis we investigated chemical properties, microbial N transformations, N fluxes and N storage in soils of lowland evergreen rainforests of Chiloé Island after 10 years since industrial selective logging (ISL) and in stands subjected to traditional selective logging (TSL) by landowners in small properties. We compared them to reference unlogged old-growth stands (OG) in the same area. Tree basal area was more reduced in the stands subjected to ISL than to TSL. Litterfall inputs were similar in both logging treatments as in OG stands. This was due to greater biomass of understory species after logging. In TSL understory tree species determined a higher litterfall C/N ratio than ISL. We found higher soil N availability and content of base cations in surface soils of logged forests than in OG. The litter horizon of OG forest had significantly higher rates of non-symbiotic N fixation than logged forests. In the ISL treatment there was a trend toward increasing soil denitrification and significantly higher NO₃–N/N_t ratio in spring waters, which led to a stronger δ¹⁵N signal in surface and deep soils. We conclude that massive understory occupation by the shade-intolerant native bamboo Chusquea quila in ISL led to enhanced litter quality (lower C/N ratios) relaxing the tightness of the N cycle, which increased soil N availability leading to a higher proportion of nitrate in spring waters and higher gaseous N losses. In contrast, under TSL a higher litterfall C/N ratio slowed decomposition and net N mineralization rates thus reducing the chances for N losses, and enhancing C and N storage in soil. We suggest that sustainable logging practices in these rain forests should be based on lower rates of canopy removal to enhance colonization of the understory by shade-tolerant trees, which are associated with a more efficient N cycle.     

Isolation of equine herpesvirus-2 from the lung of an aborted fetus.

This study describes the isolation of equine herpesvirus-2 (EHV-2) from the lung of an aborted equine fetus in Argentina. The isolated virus was confirmed as EHV-2 by indirect immunofluorescence using a rabbit anti-EHV-2 polyclonal antiserum and by virus-neutralization test using an equine polyclonal antibody against EHV-2. Restriction endonuclease DNA fingerprinting with BamHI also confirmed the identity of the virus as EHV-2. Furthermore, viral nucleic acid was detected by polymerase chain reaction from the original lung sample and from the DNA obtained from cells infected with the virus isolate. This work constitutes the first reported isolation of EHV-2 from an aborted equine fetus. The presence of EHV-2 in the lung of the aborted fetus would indicate that this virus is capable of crossing the placental barrier. However, no cause-effect relationship was established between the EHV-2 isolate and the abortion.     

Starch Digestion in Infants: An Update of Available In Vitro Methods—A Mini Review

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Complementary feeding starts at around six months of age because neither breast milk nor formula assure the proper nutrition of infants. Therefore, along...     

Interaction between jasmonic and gibberellic acids on in vitro tuberization of potato plantlets

Summary A reverse of the delaying effect of gibberellic acid (GA₃) was observed in in vitro tuberization of potato plantlets when the medium contained 0.8×10⁻⁵ M jasmonic acid (JA). The promoting effect of JA seemed to be correlated with the initial absence of growing roots, probably through direct activity of JA in microtuber-producing buds in the stoloniferous shoots. This is based on the fact that JA did not inhibit root growth a posteriori. Endogenous gibberellins (GAs) synthesized by roots did not interfere with the previous activity of JA in tuberization. The absence of a JA promoting-effect on tuberization of previously-rooted plantlets could be related to the capacity of potato roots to synthesize endogenous GAs which might antagonize the JA effect on buds of stoloniferous shoots.     

Wildlife translocation: the conservation implications of pathogen exposure and genetic heterozygosity

Background  

A key challenge for conservation biologists is to determine the most appropriate demographic and genetic management strategies for wildlife populations threatened by disease. We explored this topic by examining whether genetic background and previous pathogen exposure influenced survival of translocated animals when captive-bred and free-ranging bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) were used to re-establish a population that had been extirpated in the San Andres Mountains in New Mexico, USA.     

Development of a bioacoustic sensor for the early detection of Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier)

The Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier) is one of the worst pests for palms, since it can completely destroy the plant. Its early detection is very difficult and when the action of the pest is discovered, normally it is too late for recovering the plant. Bioacoustic sensors provide a good alternative for early detection of this pest because larvae activity is audible while they excavate tunnels to feed. This work describes the different stages for the development of an original electronic device based on acoustic sensors for early detection of Red Palm Weevil larvae in the interior of palms. This device is based on characteristic frequencies possibly related to their feeding activity. The performed tests have demonstrated that is possible to detect two week old larvae activity studying the sound intensity around 2250 Hz in palms infested only with 5 individuals under controlled environmental conditions. The activity of other insects artificially situated in the interior of palms did not affect the response of the device, possibly because they produce different frequencies (in the range 5–7 kHz). Future work will be aimed at assessing the infestation levels.     

Filamentous fungi in wrapped forages determined with different sampling and culturing methods

The use of wrapped forage bales with high dry‐matter (DM) content implies risk of fungal growth inside the wrapping, and impaired feed quality. Since fungi may be unevenly distributed in bales, the method of sampling can influence the outcome of the analysis. Three common sampling methods for detection of fungi in wrapped forage were compared: direct plating of visible mouldy patches on bale surfaces (Method I), direct plating of pieces of foliage from drilled core samples (Method II) and quantitative analysis dilution series of drilled core samples (Method III). All samples were cultured on two media at two temperatures. Samples were collected from 124 farms in Sweden and Norway. Using Methods I, II and III, fungi were detected on 52%, 77% and 56% of the farms respectively. Fifty‐two fungal species were identified using a combination of culturing and molecular methods. The most predominant species were Arthrinium spp., found on 55% of the farms, followed by Penicillium roqueforti at 48% of the farms. Incubation at 25°C resulted in higher numbers of all genera, except Aspergillus, compared to incubation at 37°C. The different methods of sampling and culturing did not identify the same fungal species within the same bale. Analysing one bale per farm resulted in detection of less than half the number of species compared to analysing three bales. Of the sampling and culturing methods compared, direct plating of drilled core samples cultivated at malt extract agar at 25°C performed best in terms of qualitative analysis of fungi species.     

Sorghum Pasta and Noodles: Technological and Nutritional Aspects

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Sorghum is a major cereal crop with various agronomic advantages, contains health-promoting compounds and is gluten-free. There is a growing tendency to use...