Nonadditive effects of two contrasting introduced herbivores on the reproduction of a pollination-specialized palm.

Plant-animal interactions fall within a mutualism-antagonism continuum, exerting a wide range of effects on plant reproductive success. These effects become even more complex and diverse when several disparate animal species interact with the same plant species. Despite the increasing number of studies about the influence of herbivory on plant performance, the outcomes mediated by pollination and the combined impact of multiple herbivores on pollination-specialized plants are underexplored. In this study, we chose the Mediterranean dwarf palm Chamaerops humilis (Arecaceae) to illustrate the isolated and joint effect of two contrasting introduced herbivores, the palm borer Paysandisia archon (Lepidoptera, Castniidae) and feral goats, on pollinator abundance and plant reproductive success. To this aim, we monitored moth herbivory and goat herbivory in four palm populations in Mallorca (Balearic Islands) during 2019 and 2020. The effect of herbivory varied widely depending on both the herbivore and the pollinator species. Moth herbivory had a positive effect on pollinator abundance and fruit initiation, whereas goat herbivory had a negative effect on inflorescence production, pollinator abundance and fruit initiation. In addition, both herbivores exerted unexpected nonadditive effects on palm reproduction. Palms attacked by both herbivore species produced many more inflorescences (up to 18-fold) but had a lower fruit initiation success (close to zero) than unattacked palms or those attacked by a single herbivore species. Interestingly, only one of the two main pollinator species (the nitidulid beetle Meligethinus pallidulus) was impacted by herbivory. Our study highlights the need to investigate the possible nonadditive effects of all coexisting herbivores on plant performance, especially when establishing conservation plans and pest control strategies.

Cardiovascular risk factors associated with acute myocardial infarction and stroke in the MADIABETES cohort.

We aimed to develop two models to estimate first AMI and stroke/TIA, respectively, in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, by applying backward elimination to the following variables: age, sex, duration of diabetes, smoking, BMI, and use of antihyperglycemic drugs, statins, and aspirin. As time-varying covariates, we analyzed blood pressure, albuminuria, lipid profile, HbA1c, retinopathy, neuropathy, and atrial fibrillation (only in stroke/TIA model). Both models were stratified by antihypertensive drugs. We evaluated 2980 patients (52.8% women; 67.3 ± 11.2 years) with 24,159 person-years of follow-up. We recorded 114 cases of AMI and 185 cases of stroke/TIA. The factors that were independently associated with first AMI were age (≥ 75 years vs. < 75 years) (p = 0.019), higher HbA1c (> 64 mmol/mol vs. < 53 mmol/mol) (p = 0.003), HDL-cholesterol (0.90-1.81 mmol/L vs. < 0.90 mmol/L) (p = 0.002), and diastolic blood pressure (65-85 mmHg vs. < 65 mmHg) (p < 0.001). The factors that were independently associated with first stroke/TIA were age (≥ 75 years vs. < 60 years) (p < 0.001), atrial fibrillation (first year after the diagnosis vs. more than one year) (p = 0.001), glomerular filtration rate (per each 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 decrease) (p < 0.001), total cholesterol (3.88-6.46 mmol/L vs. < 3.88 mmol/L) (p < 0.001), triglycerides (per each increment of 1.13 mmol/L) (p = 0.031), albuminuria (p < 0.001), neuropathy (p = 0.01), and retinopathy (p = 0.023).

SPROUTY-2 represses the epithelial phenotype of colon carcinoma cells via upregulation of ZEB1 mediated by ETS1 and miR-200/miR-150.

SPROUTY-2 (SPRY2) is a modulator of tyrosine kinase receptor signaling with receptor- and cell type-dependent inhibitory or enhancing effects. Studies on the action of SPRY2 in major cancers are conflicting and its role remains unclear. Here we have dissected SPRY2 action in human colon cancer. Global transcriptomic analyses show that SPRY2 downregulates genes encoding tight junction proteins such as claudin-7 and occludin and other cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix adhesion molecules in human SW480-ADH colon carcinoma cells. Moreover, SPRY2 represses LLGL2/HUGL2, PATJ1/INADL and ST14, main regulators of the polarized epithelial phenotype, and ESRP1, an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) inhibitor. A key action of SPRY2 is the upregulation of the major EMT inducer ZEB1, as these effects are reversed by ZEB1 knock-down by means of RNA interference. Consistently, we found an inverse correlation between the expression level of claudin-7 and those of SPRY2 and ZEB1 in human colon tumors. Mechanistically, ZEB1 upregulation by SPRY2 results from the combined induction of ETS1 transcription factor and the repression of microRNAs (miR-200 family, miR-150) that target ZEB1 RNA. Moreover, SPRY2 increased AKT activation by epidermal growth factor, whereas AKT and also Src inhibition reduced the induction of ZEB1. Altogether, these data suggest that AKT and Src are implicated in SPRY2 action. Collectively, these results show a tumorigenic role of SPRY2 in colon cancer that is based on the dysregulation of tight junction and epithelial polarity master genes via upregulation of ZEB1. The dissection of the mechanism of action of SPRY2 in colon cancer cells is important to understand the upregulation of this gene in a subset of patients with this neoplasia that have poor prognosis.

Identification of a lupus-susceptibility locus leading to impaired clearance of apoptotic debris on New Zealand Black chromosome 13.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic multi-organ autoimmune disease marked mainly by the production of anti-nuclear antibodies. Nuclear antigens become accessible to the immune system following apoptosis and defective clearance of apoptotic debris has been shown in several knockout mouse models to promote lupus. However, genetic loci associated with defective clearance are not well defined in spontaneously arising lupus models. We previously showed that introgression of the chromosome 13 interval from lupus-prone New Zealand Black (NZB) mice onto a non-autoimmune B6 genetic background (B6.NZBc13) recapitulated many of the NZB autoimmune phenotypes. Here, we show that B6.NZBc13 mice have impaired clearance of apoptotic debris by peritoneal and tingible-body macrophages and have narrowed down the chromosomal interval of this defect using subcongenic mice with truncated NZB chromosome 13 intervals. This chromosomal region (81-94 Mb) is sufficient to produce polyclonal B- and T-cell activation, and expansion of dendritic cells. To fully recapitulate the autoimmune phenotypes seen in B6.NZBc13 mice, at least one additional locus located in the centromeric portion of the interval is required. Thus, we have identified a novel lupus susceptibility locus on NZB chromosome 13 that is associated with impaired clearance of apoptotic debris.

[Baseline risk of Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Health Care Services by FINDRISC test, associated factors and clinical outcome after 18 months of follow-up]. / Riesgo basal de Diabetes Mellitus en Atención Primaria según cuestionario FINDRISC, factores asociados y evolución clínica tras 18 meses de seguimiento.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Health Care Services and diabetes incidence after 18 months of follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multicenter study, with a first cross-sectional phase, to estimate the risk of Diabetes using the FINRISC test in 261 patients without Diabetes Mellitus treated in Primary Health Care Services. A second phase was carried out to assess Diabetes incidence after 18 months of follow-up. RESULTS: 19.5% had an elevated risk of Diabetes Mellitus (FINDRISC score ≥15). The independent variables after adjusting for gender, which are not included in the FINDRISC test and were associated with increased risk of Diabetes, were low educational level and chronic ischemia of lower limbs. After 18 months of follow-up, 7.8% of patients with FINDRISC score ≥15 developed Diabetes versus 1.9% of patients with FINDRISC score <15. CONCLUSIONS: One out of five patients without Diabetes who are treated in Primary Care Health Services have a FINDRISC score ≥15, this being associated with low educational level and peripheral vascular disease, regardless of gender. The FINDRISC score ≥15 has a short-term association with a high risk of developing Diabetes Mellitus.

[Effectiveness of PRECEDE model for health education in metabolic control and reduction of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with diabetes type 2]. / Eficacia del modelo PRECEDE, de educación para la salud, en el control metabólico y de los factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of PRECEDE model for health education, in the metabolic control and the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors, in type 2 diabetic patients followed for over two years in primary health care services. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PRECEDE model for health education was used in 318 patients with type 2 diabetes, from five primary health care centres. The study was conducted during two years of monitoring. RESULTS: After two years of follow-up was observed decrease in diastolic and systolic pressures (p < 0.05), as well as in levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.05). Patients with good metabolic control (glycated hemoglobin A1c < 7% and LDL cholesterol < 100 mg/dl), increased from 9.9% to 16.8% (p < 0,05). On the other hand, 27% of patients improved their level of therapeutic adherence, and there was a decreased in the number of patients with microalbuminuria from 8.4% to 6.3% (p = 0.05). Finally, we found no differences in levels of glycated hemoglobin A1c, BMI and cardiovascular risk. Mortality after two years was 0.7%. DISCUSSION: PRECEDE model for health education is a useful method in the management of type 2 diabetes, that reduce the levels of blood pressure both systolic and diastolic, decrease the lipid levels, and improve the level of therapeutic adherence in type 2 diabetic patients, followed for two years.

Eficacia del modelo PRECEDE, de educación para la salud, en el control metabólico y de los factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 / Effectiveness of PRECEDE model for health education in metabolic control and reduction of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with diabetes type 2

Objetivo: Evaluar el modelo PRECEDE como educación diabetológica, a medio (un año) y largo plazo (dos años), valorando los cambios en el riesgo cardiovascular (RCV) y en los factores de riesgo cardiovasculares de mayor importancia en los pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 (hipertensión arterial, obesidad y lípidos), respecto a los valores iniciales previos a la intervención educativa. Material y métodos: La población a estudiar se compuso de un total de 318 pacientes diagnosticados de diabetes tipo 2, a los que se sometió a una educación diabetológica mediante el modelo PRECEDE. El estudio se llevó a cabo durante dos años de seguimiento. Resultados: Al final de los dos años de seguimiento se observó la disminución de la tensión arterial diastólica (TAD) y la tensión arterial sistólica (TAS) (p < 0,05), así como de los niveles de colesterol total y colesterol LDL (p < 0,05). Los pacientes con buen control metabólico global (hemoglobina glucosilada A1c (HbA1c) < 7% y colesterol LDL < 100 mg/dl), aumentaron del 9,9 al 16,8% (p < 0,05), y un 27% de los pacientes mejoraron el nivel de cumplimiento terapéutico. Por otro lado, disminuyó el número de pacientes con microalbuminuria del 8,4 al 6,3% (p = 0,05). No se encontraron diferencias en los niveles de HbA1c, el índice de masa corporal (IMC) y el RCV. La mortalidad a los dos años fue del 0,7%. Discusión: La educación diabetológica basada en el modelo PRECEDE es un método útil en el tratamiento integral del paciente con diabetes tipo 2, al contribuir a disminuir los niveles de la tensión arterial tanto sistólica como diastólica y mejorar el perfil lipídico y el diferencial positivo entre los pacientes que incrementan su nivel de cumplimiento terapéutico y el de los que lo empeoran (AU)

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of PRECEDE model for health education, in themetabolic control and the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors, in type 2 diabeticpatients followed for over two years in primary health care services.Materials and methods. PRECEDE model for health education was used in 318 patientswith type 2 diabetes, from fi ve primary health care centres. The study was conductedduring two years of monitoring.Results. After two years of follow-up was observed decrease in diastolic and systolicpressures (p < 0.05), as well as in levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol (p <0.05). Patients with good metabolic control (glycated hemoglobin A1c < 7% and LDLcholesterol < 100 mg/dl), increased from 9.9% to 16.8% (p < 0,05). On the other hand,27% of patients improved their level of therapeutic adherence, and there was a decreasedin the number of patients with microalbuminuria from 8.4% to 6.3% (p = 0.05). Finally, wefound no differences in levels of glycated hemoglobin A1c, BMI and cardiovascular risk.Mortality after two years was 0.7%.Discussion. PRECEDE model for health education is a useful method in the managementof type 2 diabetes, that reduce the levels of blood pressure both systolic and diastolic,decrease the lipid levels, and improve the level of therapeutic adherence in type 2diabetic patients, followed for two years(AU)

[Factors associated to influenza vaccination in people over 60 years seen in primary care]. / Factores asociados a la vacunación de la gripe en individuos mayores de 60 años atendidos en Atención Primaria.

INTRODUCTION: The improvement in the vaccination levels against influenza depend on the knowledge had on why the target population rejects vaccination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive and cross-sectional study on influenza vaccination prevalence in people over 59 years, in the assigned quota of a Primary Health Center during the year 2005 campaign. RESULTS: A total of 557 individuals were analyzed of these, 57.8% (n = 322) had received the influenza vaccine, while 42.2% (n = 235) were not vaccinated during the study period. The main reasons for rejection of vaccination were no colds and fear a worsening of baseline conditions. DISCUSSION: Rejection of the influenza vaccination is not due to scientific reasons, and therefore vaccination levels can improve through better information.

Factores asociados a la vacunación de la gripe en individuos mayores de 60 años atendidos en Atención Primaria / Factors associated to infl uenza vaccination in people over 60 years seen in Primary Care

Introducción: Comparar niveles de péptido urinario tipo B (BNP) en orina según la presencia de disfunción sistólica ventricular izquierda e investigar su valor diagnóstico en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca (IC). Introducción: La mejora en los niveles de vacunación frente a la gripe pasa por conocer los motivos por los cuales la población diana rechaza la vacunación. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo y transversal acerca de la prevalencia de la vacunación antigripal en personas mayores de 59 años, en un cupo de un Centro de Salud del Área 4 de Madrid durante la campaña del año 2005. Resultados: Se analizó un total de 557 individuos. El 57,8% (n = 322) había recibido la vacuna antigripal, mientras que el 42,2% (n = 235) no fueron vacunados durante el periodo de estudio. Los principales motivos para el rechazo de la vacunación fueron la ausencia de catarros y el temor a un empeoramiento del estado basal. Discusión: El rechazo a la vacunación de la gripe no se debe a razones científicas, y por lo tanto los niveles de vacunación pueden mejorar mediante una mejora de la información (AU)

Introduction: The improvement in the vaccination levels against influenza depend on the knowledge had on why the target population rejects vaccination. Materials and methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study on influenza vaccination prevalence in people over 59 years, in the assigned quota of a Primary Health Center during the year 2005 campaign. Results: A total of 557 individuals were analyzed of these, 57.8% (n = 322) had received the influenza vaccine, while 42.2% (n = 235) were not vaccinated during the study period. The main reasons for rejection of vaccination were no colds and fear a worsening of baseline conditions. Discussion: Rejection of the influenza vaccination is not due to scientific reasons, and therefore vaccination levels can improve through better information (AU)

Soluble vascular endothelial-cadherin levels correlate with clinical and biological aspects of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is an iatrogenic complication of ovarian stimulation, and the pathophysiological mechanisms that trigger the syndrome remain unknown. HCG increases serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations, and VEGF modulates transendothelial permeability via endothelial adherens junctions, a downstream target for VEGF signalling. We examined whether women with severe OHSS have altered serum levels of soluble vascular endothelial (sVE)-cadherin. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, case-control study of 28 women with severe OHSS and 34 women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for IVF without developing OHSS. We collected serum samples from both groups on the day of ovum retrieval (Day 0), and on Days 3, 6, 9 and 15. Samples were assayed for sVE-cadherin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Women with severe OHSS had significantly higher levels of sVE-cadherin than patients without OHSS (P = 0.001). sVE-cadherin serum levels decreased with clinical improvement; however, they did not reach normal levels in the resolution phase. A positive correlation was demonstrated between sVE-cadherin and serum estradiol levels at the time of HCG administration (r = 0.621; P < 0.001). Serum sVE-cadherin levels were more closely chronologically correlated with corpus luteum function than with biological and clinical aspects of severe OHSS. CONCLUSIONS: sVE-cadherin may be involved in the pathogenesis of severe OHSS and may possibly serve as an indicator of corpus luteum function after COH.

Valoración del fenotipo neoangiogénico y linfangiogénico en lesiones preneoplásicas y primarias de cáncer de pulmón / No disponible

No disponible

Is selective screening for gestational diabetes mellitus worthwhile everywhere?

We assessed if selective screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) as recommended by the Fourth Workshop on GDM is worthwhile in our centre. Detection is performed using universal screening in three pregnancy periods using the tests recommended by the first three Workshops. We have analysed the prevalence of low-risk characteristics for GDM in the 917 women delivering in the centre in 1992 and in the whole cohort of 1635 women with GDM delivering between 1986 and 1998. The rate of women with all low risk characteristics was 7.0% among the general pregnant population and 1.3% in the cohort of women with GDM (p<0.001). We conclude that in our population, selective screening of GDM is reliable in identifying women at low risk of GDM, but since only a negligible subset of the pregnant population would not need to be screened, adherence to these guidelines would make the screening policy unnecessarily complicated.

Inhibition of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity does not affect the secretion rate of apolipoproteins B and AI by CaCo-2 cells.

It is believed that the major mechanisms by which hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors lower plasma cholesterol levels are by inducing hepatic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity and by decreasing apolipoprotein B (apoB) secretion by the liver. However, the intestine is also an important cholesterogenic organ and the possibility that this class of drugs may alter lipoprotein secretion by the intestine has not been fully studied. The purpose of the present study was to examine the possible role of cholesterol in regulating apoB secretion by the intestine by testing if the suppression of cholesterol synthesis by the reductase inhibitor lovastatin affected the secretion of apoB by CaCo-2 human intestinal cells. Differentiated post-confluent CaCo-2 cells were incubated for 24-72 h in serum-free medium in the presence or absence of 5 microM lovastatin, and the secretion rate of lipids, as well as apoB and apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) into the medium, was measured. Lovastatin markedly inhibited the incorporation of [1-14C]acetate into cholesterol for at least 48 h, lowered the content of esterified cholesterol in cells, and reduced their rate of cholesterol secretion. However, under basal conditions lovastatin had no effect on the secretion rate of apoB. After stimulation of apoB secretion by addition of 0.8 mM oleic acid to the medium, lovastatin did not alter apoB secretion in the first 2 days of incubation, but reduced the content of apoB in media from the 3rd day by 30%. This could not be explained by an increase in the rate of LDL degradation. Furthermore, supplementation with mevalonic acid only reversed about one-half of the effect of lovastatin, suggesting that this effect was at least parly nonspecific or unrelated to inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis. There was also no specific effect of lovastatin on apoAI secretion. When cells were cultured with [1-14C]acetate for 24 or 72 h, the specific activity of cholesterol in medium at the end of the incubation was the same as in cells, suggesting that cholesterol used for lipoprotein secretion was in equilibrium with bulk cellular cholesterol and was not from a segregated compartment derived from newly synthesized cholesterol. This may explain why apoB secretion by CaCo-2 cells was unaffected by inhibition of cholesterol synthesis with lovastatin.