Development of a Fully Protective Pandemic Avian Influenza Subunit Vaccine in Insect Pupae.

In this study, we pioneered an alternative technology for manufacturing subunit influenza hemagglutinin (HA)-based vaccines. This innovative method involves harnessing the pupae of the Lepidoptera Trichoplusia ni (T. ni) as natural biofactories in combination with baculovirus vectors (using CrisBio® technology). We engineered recombinant baculoviruses encoding two versions of the HA protein (trimeric or monomeric) derived from a pandemic avian H7N1 virus A strain (A/chicken/Italy/5093/99). These were then used to infect T. ni pupae, resulting in the production of the desired recombinant antigens. The obtained HA proteins were purified using affinity chromatography, consistently yielding approximately 75 mg/L of insect extract. The vaccine antigen effectively immunized poultry, which were subsequently challenged with a virulent H7N1 avian influenza virus. Following infection, all vaccinated animals survived without displaying any clinical symptoms, while none of the mock-vaccinated control animals survived. The CrisBio®-derived antigens induced high titers of HA-specific antibodies in the vaccinated poultry, demonstrating hemagglutination inhibition activity against avian H7N1 and human H7N9 viruses. These results suggest that the CrisBio® technology platform has the potential to address major industry challenges associated with producing recombinant influenza subunit vaccines, such as enhancing production yields, scalability, and the speed of development, facilitating the global deployment of highly effective influenza vaccines.

Low similarity between parasite communities of ten sympatric carangid species.

Host phylogeny and ecological convergence are two factors thought to influence the structure of parasite communities. The aims of this study were to determine the diversity of metazoan parasites of 10 sympatric fish species of the family Carangidae from the southeastern Gulf of California, and to analyze their similarity at infracommunity and component community levels, in order to determine if the host species, particularly those congeneric with similar ecological characteristics, exhibit similar assemblages of parasites. In total, 874 fish specimens were examined and 40 parasite species were identified. The component community was composed by 21 parasite species in Caranx caninus, 20 in C. caballus, 11 in C. vinctus, five in Chloroscombrus orqueta, four in Carangoides otrynter, seven in Hemicaranx leucurus, eight in Selene brevoortii, 14 in S. peruviana, and 11 in Trachinotus rhodopus. The metazoan parasite communities of C. vinctus, Ch. orqueta, H. leucurus, and S. brevoortii are reported here for the first time. The parasite communities of the remaining six carangid species have been reported from regions other than the Gulf of California. All fish species differed significantly regarding the diversity of their parasite infracommunities. This possibly is due to different patterns of habitat use among fish species, and because of the differential host specificity among parasite taxa. Nonetheless, when the analysis was restricted to common parasite species, some fish showed similar parasite infracommunities, particularly congeners of the genus Selene as well as C. caballus and C. vinctus. The component communities of species of Selene were highly similar (>65%), but the three species of Caranx were not. This result supports the hypothesis that congeneric fish species with similar ecological filters harbor similar parasite communities. However, the difference observed between C. caninus and C. caballus suggests that these species, despite being evolutionary and ecologically related, have different physiological or immunological characteristics (compatibility filters) that may result in different parasite communities.

In Vitro Evaluation of Postbiotics Produced from Bacterial Isolates Obtained from Rainbow Trout and Nile Tilapia against the Pathogens Yersinia ruckeri and Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida.

The use of antibiotics in aquaculture leads to the proliferation of multidrug-resistant bacteria, and an urgent need for developing new alternatives to prevent and control disease has, thus, arisen. In this scenario, postbiotics represent a promising tool to achieve this purpose; thus, in this study, isolation and selection of bacteria to further produce and evaluate their postbiotics antibacterial activity against fish pathogens was executed. In this respect, bacterial isolates from rainbow trout and Nile tilapia were obtained and tested in vitro against Yersinia ruckeri and Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida. From 369 obtained isolates, 69 were selected after initial evaluation. Afterwards, additional screening was carried out by spot-on-lawn assay to finally select twelve isolates; four were identified as Pediococcus acidilactici, seven as Weissella cibaria, and one as Weissella paramesenteroides by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization, time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Selected bacteria were used to obtain postbiotic products to test their antagonistic activity through coculture challenge and broth microdilution assays. The influence of incubation time prior to postbiotic production on antagonistic behavior was also recorded. Two isolates identified as W. cibaria were able to significantly reduce (p < 0.05) A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida's growth in the coculture challenge up to 4.49 ± 0.05 Log CFU/mL, and even though the reduction in Y. ruckeri was not as effective, some inhibition on the pathogen's growth was reported; at the same time, most of the postbiotic products obtained showed more antibacterial activity when obtained from broth cultures incubated for 72 h. Based on the results obtained, the preliminary identification of the isolates that expressed the highest inhibitory activity was confirmed by partial sequencing as W. cibaria. Through our study, it can be concluded that postbiotics produced by these strains are useful to inhibit the growth of the pathogens and could, thereby, be applicable in further research to develop suitable tools as feed additives for disease control and prevention in aquaculture.

Prevalence of joint hypermobility, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and orthostatic hypotension in school-children. / Prevalencia de la hipermovilidad articular, el síndrome de taquicardia postural (POTS) y la hipotensión ortostática en escolares.

INTRODUCTION: Children with joint hypermobility, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and orthostatic hypotension report autonomic symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, and palpitations. It is unclear if there is a pathophysiological link between connective tissue disorders and autonomic symptoms. There is no published data on the prevalence of disorder at the community level. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of joint hypermobility, orthostatic hypotension, and postural or thostatic tachycardia syndrome in children. SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship bet ween joint hypermobility, orthostatic hypotension, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Participants aged 10 to 18 years were selected from public schools in three Colombian cities. The surveys included historical questions on the incidence of dizziness, nausea, headache, tremor, blurred vision, vertigo, anxiety, near syncope and syncope, sweating, palpitations triggered by standing in the two months prior to the investigation. Each of these signs and symptoms was also assessed during the recumbency (10 minutes) and standing (2, 5 and 10 minutes) phases of the investigation. HR and BP measurements were obtained at the same intervals. Joint mobility was measured with a mechanical goniometer and assessed with the Beighton score. RESULTS: Prevalence of joint hyperlaxity: 87 of 306 (28.4%). Prevalence of orthostatic hypotension: 5 of 306 (1.6%). Prevalen ce of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: 6 of 306 (2.0%). Of 87 children with joint hyperlaxi ty, only 1 child had joint hyperlaxity at the same time as postural hypotension (1.2%) (p = 0.6735), and 1 child had joint hyperlaxity and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome simultaneously (1.2%) (p = 0.5188). CONCLUSION: Children with joint hyperlaxity did not have a higher prevalence of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and orthostatic hypotension. It seems unlikely that con nective tissue disorders are responsible for most cases of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and orthostatic hypotension in the community. Of note, the pathophysiology of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and orthostatic hypotension requires further investigation.

Short-Term Temporal Patterns in Herbivore Beetle Assemblages in Polyculture Neotropical Forest Plantations.

Although insect herbivorous communities in tropical forests are known to exhibit strong seasonality, few studies have systematically assessed temporal patterns of variation in community structure and plant-herbivore interactions in early successional arboreal communities. We assessed seasonal and interannual variation of the diversity and composition of herbivorous beetles and the tree-herbivore network in a recently established polyculture forest plantation, during the dry and the rainy seasons of 2012 and of 2013. Species richness was similar between years, while the ecological diversity was higher in 2012. Comparing seasons, no differences were found in 2012, whereas in 2013, the species richness and ecological diversity were higher during the dry season. The species composition differed radically across years and seasons. Moreover, a quantitative nested pattern was consistently found across both temporal scales, more influenced by species densities. We found temporal changes in the species strength, whereas connectance and interaction evenness remained stable. Rapid temporal changes in the structural complexity of recently established polyculture plantations and the availability and quality of the trophic resources they offer may act as drivers of beetle diversity patterns, promoting rapid variation in herbivore composition and some interacting attributes. Nonetheless, network structure, connectance, and interaction evenness remained similar, suggesting that reorganizations in the distribution of species may determine the maintenance of the patterns of interaction. Further work assessing long-term temporal dynamics of herbivore beetle assemblages are needed to more robustly relate diversity and interaction patterns to biotic and abiotic factors and their implications in management programs.

A Systematic Review on Opuntia (Cactaceae; Opuntioideae) Flower-Visiting Insects in the World with Emphasis on Mexico: Implications for Biodiversity Conservation.

Opuntia spp. are cacti with high ecological, economic and conservation interest in semiarid environments, particularly in Mexico. We conducted a systematic search of the existing peer-reviewed literature about the state of knowledge of pollination ecology on these plants. We documented the most studied Opuntia species worldwide with an emphasis on Mexico. We found that only 15% of Opuntia species described have been investigated so far, and studies were mainly focused on comprehension of the biology of a single species. Despite the economic and cultural importance of Opuntia, there is a significant lack of knowledge about the flower-visiting insects and their taxonomic identity. We provide a checklist of the insect species associated with Opuntia spp. Through a circular network, we visualize the complex Opuntia flower-visiting insect relationship, and we detected a set of key species constituting the generalist core of the networks constructed. Since pollination is crucial for crop production, a better understanding of ecological interactions would inform management measures to strengthen biodiversity and agriculture sustainability as well as productivity in arid and marginal lands. Further research on pollination ecology is needed to improve the conservation status of the insects associated with Opuntia species.

Screening of New Potential Probiotics Strains against Photobacterium damselae Subsp. piscicida for Marine Aquaculture.

On intensive fish farms, 10% of the population dies exclusively from pathogens, and Photobacterium damselae subsp. Piscicida (Ph. damselae subsp. Piscicida), the bacteria causing pasteurellosis in marine aquaculture, is one of the major pathogens involved. The objective of this study was to obtain new probiotic strains against pasteurellosis in order to limit the use of chemotherapy, avoiding the environmental repercussions generated by the abusive use of these products. In this study, 122 strains were isolated from the gills and intestines of different marine fish species and were later evaluated in vitro to demonstrate the production of antagonistic effects, the production of antibacterial substances, adhesion and growth to mucus, resistance to bile and resistance to pH gradients, as well as its harmlessness and the dynamic of expression of immune-related genes by real-time PCR after administration of the potential probiotic in the fish diet. Only 1/122 strains showed excellent results to be considered as a potential probiotic strain and continue its characterization against Ph. damselae subsp. piscicida to determine its protective effect and elucidating in future studies its use as a possible probiotic strain for marine aquaculture.

Diversity Patterns of Tropical Epigeal Beetle Assemblages Associated with Monoculture and Polyculture Plantations with Big-Leaf Mahogany.

Although commercial forest plantations have experienced a major growth in the tropics over the past decades, little attention has been paid to their role in the conservation of epigeal arthropod communities. We studied diversity patterns of the epigeal beetle community in monoculture and polyculture forest plantations with big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla). Likewise, we explored the existence of indicator species of each plantation type. Our findings highlight that each plantation type promotes multiple impacts on diversity patterns. We found that monocultures positively influenced overall beetle species richness and ecological diversity. When broken down by guild, both predator and decomposer species richness were similar between monoculture and polyculture, whereas for beetle diversity we found contrasting responses by guild: decomposer diversity was greater in monoculture whereas predator diversity was higher in polyculture. In addition, species composition differed between monoculture and polyculture, except for the predator guild. Species turnover was the main component explaining beta diversity patterns at all levels, indicating that each plantation type promotes biologically distinct epigeal assemblages. Few superabundant heliophile species dominated the beetle community structure; moreover, monocultures had a composition skewed towards heliophile species whereas polyculture favored umbrophile species. These patterns could be attributed to differences in habitat complexity between plot types, namely differences in tree cover. Additionally, indicator species only were identified in polycultures, reflecting their higher spatial complexity. Monoculture and polyculture plantations with big-leaf mahogany are complementary agroecosystems for preserving diverse epigeal beetle communities and should be considered valuable tools for conservation purposes in the tropics.

How mountains and elevations shape the spatial distribution of beetles in Peninsular Malaysia.

This study was conducted to assess the spatial distribution of beetles in mountain ecosystems and their elevational diversity. Malaise, pitfall and light traps were used to collect beetles from nine different mountains in Malaysia from September 2014 to September 2016, where from Gunung Angsi, Gunung Belumut, Gunung Basor and Gunung Tebu samples were collected at 500 m and 1000 m (above sea level) elevations, while beetles were sampled at 500 m, 1000 m and 1500 masl from Gunung Benom, Gunung Inas, Cameron Highland, Gunung Besar Hantu and Gunung Basor. In this study, 9628 beetles belonging to 879 different species were collected with highest representation from family Staphylinidae and Carabidae. Chamah Highland had the highest beetle diversity followed by Gunung Benom, Gunung Inas, Cameron Highland, Gunung Belumut, and Gunung Basor. Chamah Highland was different to all mountains on abundance and species richness. The highest species richness was observed at 1000 m, followed by 500 m and 1500 m. We identified characteristic species associated with habitat conditions at Gunung Benoum and Gunung Inas mountains, according to INDVAL values. The beetle diversity of the sampled mountains showed multiple alpha and beta patterns according to type of mountain ecosystem and elevation, providing guidelines for the scientific community to underpin conservation efforts in Malaysia.

Human influenza A virus causes myocardial and cardiac-specific conduction system infections associated with early inflammation and premature death.

AIMS: Human influenza A virus (hIAV) infection is associated with important cardiovascular complications, although cardiac infection pathophysiology is poorly understood. We aimed to study the ability of hIAV of different pathogenicity to infect the mouse heart, and establish the relationship between the infective capacity and the associated in vivo, cellular and molecular alterations. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated lung and heart viral titres in mice infected with either one of several hIAV strains inoculated intranasally. 3D reconstructions of infected cardiac tissue were used to identify viral proteins inside mouse cardiomyocytes, Purkinje cells, and cardiac vessels. Viral replication was measured in mouse cultured cardiomyocytes. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) were used to confirm infection and study underlying molecular alterations associated with the in vivo electrophysiological phenotype. Pathogenic and attenuated hIAV strains infected and replicated in cardiomyocytes, Purkinje cells, and hiPSC-CMs. The infection was also present in cardiac endothelial cells. Remarkably, lung viral titres did not statistically correlate with viral titres in the mouse heart. The highly pathogenic human recombinant virus PAmut showed faster replication, higher level of inflammatory cytokines in cardiac tissue and higher viral titres in cardiac HL-1 mouse cells and hiPSC-CMs compared with PB2mut-attenuated virus. Correspondingly, cardiac conduction alterations were especially pronounced in PAmut-infected mice, associated with high mortality rates, compared with PB2mut-infected animals. Consistently, connexin43 and NaV1.5 expression decreased acutely in hiPSC-CMs infected with PAmut virus. YEM1L protease also decreased more rapidly and to lower levels in PAmut-infected hiPSC-CMs compared with PB2mut-infected cells, consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction. Human IAV infection did not increase myocardial fibrosis at 4-day post-infection, although PAmut-infected mice showed an early increase in mRNAs expression of lysyl oxidase. CONCLUSION: Human IAV can infect the heart and cardiac-specific conduction system, which may contribute to cardiac complications and premature death.

Is Celiac Disease Testing Necessary in Functional Abdominal Disorders? A Study in Predominantly Latino Children.

BACKGROUND: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are among the most common causes of consultation in general pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology. The Rome IV criteria recommend testing for celiac disease (CD) in children with irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea (IBS-D) and leaves testing in cases of other FAPDs to the practitioner's discretion. These recommendations were based on a single study that showed a 4-fold increase of CD among patients with IBS in Italy. It is unclear if these findings can be extrapolated to other populations. Understanding whether those results are reproducible in areas with different racial/ethnic backgrounds can optimize patient care. AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of CD in a sample of children consulting for FAPDs to a tertiary care center in Miami. METHODS: The charts of all pediatric patients consulting for FAPDs from January 2016 to November 2019 at the University of Miami were reviewed. Demographics, diagnosis, and CD testing for each child were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-one children with FAPDs and celiac testing were seen. Mean age of 12.89 years, girls 61.34%. 84 (46.40%) had a diagnosis of IBS and 97 (53.59%) had a diagnosis of other FAPD. One of 181 children with FAPDs (0/84 with IBS and 1/97 with other FAPDs) had positive CD serological testing and EGD confirmation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the prevalence of CD among children with FAPDs is similar to the community prevalence. This data questions the benefit of testing all children FAPDS (including IBS) for CD. Studies with larger sample size and various racial/ethnic makeup should be done to confirm our findings.

The impact of incorporating toilet-training status in the pediatric Rome IV criteria for functional constipation in infant and toddlers.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of functional constipation (FC) is based on the Rome criteria. The last edition of the criteria (Rome IV) for infants and toddlers modified the criteria to differentiate toilet-trained (TT) and non-toilet-trained (NTT) children. These changes have not been validated. We aimed to understand the impact of adding toilet training to the diagnostic criteria and to assess the prevalence of FC. METHODS: Parents of infants and toddlers from six outpatient clinics (four public, two private) located in three geographically dispersed cities in Colombia completed validated questionnaires to diagnose functional gastrointestinal disorders according to Spanish version of Rome IV criteria (QPGS-IV). RESULTS: A total of 1334 children (24.4 months ±15.0) participated: 482 (36%) TT and 852 (64%) NTT. The prevalence of FC was 21.1%. The prevalence increased with age, 0-1 years 7.7%; 2 years 18.2%; 3 years 23.7%; and 4 years 37.2%. TT vs NTT for FC 41.9% vs 9.3%, respectively (OR 7.06, 95% CI 5.26-9.47, P < .0001). TT more likely to report ≥ 3 criteria (OR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.41-4.21, P = .0015). 18.3% of TT had episodes of fecal incontinence that met the frequency required by Rome for FC (≤1 episode/week). However, 87.1% had fecal incontinence less often. 7.4% of them characterized as large quantity. CONCLUSION: We found no changes in the prevalence of FC using the Rome IV criteria vs Rome III. TT children are more likely to have FC. Study suggests that changes in Rome IV criteria were potentially clinically relevant and to have adequate face validity. Future studies should confirm our findings.

Mexico ants: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface.

Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with an important proportion of endemism mainly because of the convergence of the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic regions, which generate great diversity and species turnover at different spatial scales. However, most of our knowledge of the Mexican ant biota is limited to a few well-studied taxa, and we lack a comprehensive synthesis of ant biodiversity information. For instance, most of the knowledge available in the literature on Mexican ant fauna refers only to species lists by states, or is focused on only a few regions of the country, which prevents the study of several basic and applied aspects of ants, from diversity and distribution to conservation. Our aims in this data paper are therefore (1) to compile all the information available regarding ants across the Mexican territory, and (2) to identify major patterns in the gathered data set and geographic gaps in order to direct future sampling efforts. All records were obtained from raw data, including both unpublished and published information. After exhaustive filtering and updating information and synonyms, we compiled a total of 21,731 records for 887 ant species distributed throughout Mexico from 1894 to 2018. These records were concentrated mainly in the states of Chiapas (n = 6,902, 32.76%) and Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (n = 4,329, 19.92%), which together comprise half the records. The subfamily with the highest number of records was Myrmicinae (n = 10,458 records, 48.12%), followed by Formicinae (n = 3,284, 15.11%) and Ponerinae (n = 1,914, 8.8%). Most ant records were collected in the Neotropical region of the country (n = 12,646, 58.19%), followed by the Mexican transition zone (n = 5,237, 24.09%) and the Nearctic region (n = 3,848, 17.72%). Native species comprised 95.46% of the records (n = 20,745). To the best of our knowledge, this is the most complete data set available to date in the literature for the country. We hope that this compilation will encourage researchers to explore different aspects of the population and community research of ants at different spatial scales, and to aid in the establishment of conservation policies and actions. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using its data for publications or teaching events.

[Nutrition and gastronomy in Canarias]. / Nutrición y gastronomía en Canarias.

INTRODUCTION: Objectives: part of the cultural and social identity of a population is its gastronomy. Currently, the extensive offering of processed meals, the influence from different cuisines, and "fashionable trends" (such as the various "foodie" trends) has led to confusion amongst consumers and the abandonment of traditional recipes. Deep dive in the study of gastronomy, its evolution and the nutritional consequences. Methods: bibliographic search in relation to the subject in Google and other manual searches. Results: the gastronomy of the Canarian Community is characterized by its sobriety and by having simple recipes, with dishes made with few ingredients. The consumption of food per capita stands above the national average. They consume more non-alcoholic beverages (mineral water, juices and soft drinks), dairy products and derivatives, oils and fats, legumes, sugars and sweets, however the consumption of fruits and vegetables is slightly lower than the national average. Other food groups remain around the national average. As a result, this change in their dietary habits, together with physical inactivity has favoured an increase in obesity and diabetes. Conclusions: the link between nutrition, gastronomy and territory can help alleviate the health problems derived from poor food choices in the Canary Islands.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Objetivos: la gastronomía forma parte de la identidad cultural y social de una población. La gran variedad y abundantes ofertas de alimentos procesados y de otras zonas, así como la moda foodie, entre otras, han ocasionado confusión en el consumidor, lo que ha provocado el abandono del recetario tradicional. Nuestro objetivo es profundizar en el estudio de la gastronomía y de su evolución y la implicación nutricional que se deriva. Métodos: búsqueda bibliográfica relacionada con el tema a través de Google y otros medios manuales. Resultados: la gastronomía de Canarias se caracteriza por su sobriedad y por poseer un recetario sencillo, con platos elaborados con pocos ingredientes. Registra un consumo per cápita en alimentación por encima de la media nacional. Se consumen más bebidas no alcohólicas (agua mineral, zumos y néctares), lácteos y derivados, aceites y grasas, legumbres, azúcares y dulces; sin embargo, el consumo de frutas es inferior y, sobre todo, el de verduras. El resto de alimentos se encuentra alrededor de la media. El cambio en el modelo alimentario ha favorecido, junto a la inactividad física, al aumento de la obesidad y de la diabetes. Conclusiones: la sinergia entre nutrición, gastronomía y territorio puede ayudar a paliar los problemas de salud derivados de una elección alimentaria errónea en Canarias.

Nutrición y gastronomía en Canarias / Nutrition and gastronomy in Canarias

Objetivos: la gastronomía forma parte de la identidad cultural y social de una población. La gran variedad y abundantes ofertas de alimentos procesados y de otras zonas, así como la moda foodie, entre otras, han ocasionado confusión en el consumidor, lo que ha provocado el abandono del recetario tradicional. Nuestro objetivo es profundizar en el estudio de la gastronomía y de su evolución y la implicación nutricional que se deriva. Métodos: búsqueda bibliográfica relacionada con el tema a través de Google y otros medios manuales. Resultados: la gastronomía de Canarias se caracteriza por su sobriedad y por poseer un recetario sencillo, con platos elaborados con pocos ingredientes. Registra un consumo per cápita en alimentación por encima de la media nacional. Se consumen más bebidas no alcohólicas (agua mineral, zumos y néctares), lácteos y derivados, aceites y grasas, legumbres, azúcares y dulces; sin embargo, el consumo de frutas es inferior y, sobre todo, el de verduras. El resto de alimentos se encuentra alrededor de la media. El cambio en el modelo alimentario ha favorecido, junto a la inactividad física, al aumento de la obesidad y de la diabetes. Conclusiones: la sinergia entre nutrición, gastronomía y territorio puede ayudar a paliar los problemas de salud derivados de una elección alimentaria errónea en Canarias

Objectives: part of the cultural and social identity of a population is its gastronomy. Currently, the extensive offering of processed meals, the influence from different cuisines, and "fashionable trends" (such as the various "foodie" trends) has led to confusion amongst consumers and the abandonment of traditional recipes. Deep dive in the study of gastronomy, its evolution and the nutritional consequences. Methods: bibliographic search in relation to the subject in Google and other manual searches. Results: the gastronomy of the Canarian Community is characterized by its sobriety and by having simple recipes, with dishes made with few ingredients. The consumption of food per capita stands above the national average. They consume more non-alcoholic beverages (mineral water, juices and soft drinks), dairy products and derivatives, oils and fats, legumes, sugars and sweets, however the consumption of fruits and vegetables is slightly lower than the national average. Other food groups remain around the national average. As a result, this change in their dietary habits, together with physical inactivity has favoured an increase in obesity and diabetes. Conclusions: the link between nutrition, gastronomy and territory can help alleviate the health problems derived from poor food choices in the Canary Islands

Coleoptera in the Canopy of the Cloud Forest From Tlanchinol in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico.

We describe the biodiversity, seasonal variation, and the possible edge effect of Coleoptera found in the canopy of the cloud forest in Tlanchinol in the state of Hidalgo. The coleopterans were collected by means of three fogging events during the dry season and another three during the rainy season in three sites of the forest: the edge, an intermediate, and an internal site. In total, 3,487 coleopterans were collected, belonging to 325 morphospecies from 52 families. The family with the largest number of morphospecies and abundance was Staphylinidae, followed by Curculionidae and Chrysomelidae. Species richness and abundance were higher in the dry season than in the rainy season. The biodiversity analyses, however, suggest that the rainy season showed the highest biodiversity levels, mainly because of the pronounced dominance of some species in the dry season. Species composition was different between the dry and rainy seasons. The internal site showed the lowest biodiversity compared with the intermediate and edge sites. The main edge effect detected was that species composition in the edge site differed from the intermediate and internal sites. Species composition did not differ significantly between the two latter sites. These results suggest that the study zone had a considerable level of biodiversity of Coleoptera and that it was very likely in a well-preserved condition, which supports the findings of another study previously performed in the same site using flight intercept traps.

Diversity and deadwood-based interaction networks of saproxylic beetles in remnants of riparian cloud forest.

We studied the saproxylic beetle community inhabiting deadwood in remnants of riparian cloud forests in "La Antigua" basin, in central Veracruz (Mexico). We assessed the influence of deadwood features (tree species, trunk position, trunk diameter, trunk volume and decomposition stages) on saproxylic beetle diversity. In order to assess the stability of beetle species-deadwood interactions, we also analyzed the ecological networks structure. A total of 63 deadwood trunks, belonging to four tree species, were sampled by standardized hand-collection throughout well-preserved remnants of riparian cloud forest. We found that tree species and deadwood decay stage are the main drivers that determine the diversity and stability of saproxylic beetle species interactions. Our results indicate that Quercus corrugata is the main tree species in terms of maintaining the significantly highest saproxylic beetle diversity, but with no stable interactions (saproxylic beetle-deadwood). A nested network structure was detected for Clethra mexicana and Liquidambar styraciflua, with a pool of core (generalist) saproxylic beetle species. We observed that beetle diversity from the early and late deadwood stages comprises distinct assemblages and the four stages of decomposition showed a nested network structure. During deadwood succession, community composition and guilds changed among networks; the early successional stage had more specialized xylophagous beetles, while other guilds (mycophagous, saprophagous and zoophagous) arrive later and become the core species in the advanced stages of decomposition networks. Heliscus tropicus (Passalidae) is a key species constituting the core of all of the networks and could be considered an ecosystem engineer in cloud forests. By exploring links between saproxylic beetles and deadwood characteristics, we can further our understanding of species interaction in order to develop management strategies oriented towards the protection of species and their habitats in this threatened ecosystem.

Mutation S110L of H1N1 Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin: A Potent Determinant of Attenuation in the Mouse Model.

Characterization of a pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus isolated from a fatal case patient (F-IAV), showed the presence of three different mutations; potential determinants of its high pathogenicity that were located in the polymerase subunits (PB2 A221T and PA D529N) and the hemagglutinin (HA S110L). Recombinant viruses containing individually or in combination the polymerase mutations in the backbone of A/California/04/09 (CAL) showed that PA D529N was clearly involved in the increased pathogenicity of the F-IAV virus. Here, we have evaluated the contribution of HA S110L to F-IAV pathogenicity, through introduction of this point mutation in CAL recombinant virus (HA mut). The HA S110L protein has similar pH stability, comparable mobility, and entry properties both in human and mouse cultured cells that wild type HA. The change HA S110L leads to a non-significant trend to reduce the replication capacity of influenza virus in tissue culture, and HA mut is better neutralized than CAL virus by monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against HA from CAL strain. In addition, recombinant viruses containing HA S110L alone or in combination with polymerase mutations considerably increased the LD50 in infected mice. Characterization of the lungs of HA mut infected animals showed reduced lung damage and inflammation compared with CAL infected mice. Accordingly, lower virus replication, decreased presence in bronchioli and parenchyma and lower leukocytes and epithelial infected cells were found in the lungs of HA mut-infected animals. Our results indicate that, mutation HA S110L constitutes a determinant of attenuation and suggest that its interaction with components of the respiratory tract mucus and lectins, that play an important role on influenza virus outcome, may constitute a physical barrier impeding the infection of the target cells, thus compromising the infection outcome.

Temporal Shifts and Cactus-Beetle Networks in an Intertropical Semiarid Zone in Mexico.

Cactus-dominated semiarid scrubland covers 40% of Mexican territory. This ecosystem is highly dynamic and undergoes drastic changes caused by seasonality. These temporal changes influence saprophagous insect communities associated with Cactaceae species. In this study, we analyzed the beetle community associated with decayed cactus species at the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve in central Mexico. We compared the diversity and composition of beetle communities in rainy and dry seasons; moreover, the network architecture of cactus-beetle interactions was examined. High dominance and abundance were detected in rainy assemblages, whereas the dry season had less abundance but more ecological diversity. A nested structure was found between individual cactus species and beetle species, as well as in an intrapopulation network between fragments of the columnar cacti Isolatocereus dumortieri (Scheidw.) Backeb. (Cactaceae), and beetle species for both seasons (rainy and dry). This finding shows more generalist than specialist beetle species inhabiting cactus species. Further research is still needed to understand whether the presence of these beetle species is determined by microhabitat conditions or the abundance of prey associated with decayed cacti. This is the first step in untangling the complex interactions among cactus-beetle species involved in the decomposition process of cacti in semiarid environments. This study provides evidence of temporal shifts in abundance and diversity patterns of these beetles associated with decayed cacti; furthermore, we did not detect an influence of seasonality on the structure of cactus-beetle interactions.

Populations and assemblages living on the edge: dung beetles responses to forests-pasture ecotones.

Edge effects alter insect biodiversity in several ways. However, we still have a limited understanding on simultaneous responses of ecological populations and assemblages to ecotones, especially in human modified landscapes. We analyze edge effects on dung beetle populations and assemblages between livestock pastures and native temperate forests (Juniperus and pine-oak forests (POFs)) to describe how species abundances and assemblage parameters respond to edge effects through gradients in forest-pasture ecotones. In Juniperus forest 13 species avoided the ecotones: six species showed greater abundance in forest interior and seven in pasturelands, while the other two species had a neutral response to the edge. In a different way, in POF we found five species avoiding the edge (four with greater abundance in pastures and only one in forest), two species had a neutral response, and two showed a unimodal pattern of abundance near to the edge. At the assemblage level edge effects are masked, as species richness, diversity, functional richness, functional evenness, and compositional incidence dissimilarity did not vary along forest-pasture ecotones. However, total abundance and functional divergence showed higher values in pastures in one of the two sampling localities. Also, assemblage similarity based on species' abundance showed a peak near to the edge in POF. We propose that conservation efforts in human-managed landscapes should focus on mitigating current and delayed edge effects. Ecotone management will be crucial in livestock dominated landscapes to conserve regional biodiversity and the environmental services carried out by dung beetles.