Gender Disparities in Quality of Life Outcomes Among Kidney Stone Formers.

Purpose: This study investigates gender-based disparities in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes among kidney stone patients and explores potential contributing factors. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records at the University of Rochester Medical Center was conducted on 2199 new urolithiasis patients who completed the Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life Questionnaire (WISQOL) standardized on a 0 to 100 scale. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Statistical analyses included univariate tests, chi-squared tests, and multivariate linear regression. Results: Of the 2199 kidney stone patients, 1085 (49.3%) were women. Women reported significantly lower quality of life (QoL) scores compared with men (71.6 vs 80.7; p < 0.001), and this persisted across all domains, including social impact (80.2 vs 86.9; p < 0.001), emotional impact (67.3 vs 77.1; p < 0.001), disease impact (67.3 vs 77.1; p < 0.001), and impact vitality (62.6 vs 72.9; p < 0.001). Female gender was identified as an independent predictor of diminished QoL scores, along with younger age, symptomatic status, number of surgeries, and presence of a psychosocial comorbidity. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that women with kidney stones experience lower HRQOL compared with men, even accounting for clinical and demographic factors. Although this study provides preliminary insights, additional research is needed to validate these findings in broader and more varied populations.

Clinician overconfidence in visual estimation of the posthepatectomy liver remnant volume: A proximal source of liver failure after major hepatic resection?

BACKGROUND: Post-hepatectomy liver failure is a source of morbidity and mortality after major hepatectomy and is related to the volume of the future liver remnant. The accuracy of a clinician's ability to visually estimate the future liver remnant without formal computed tomography liver volumetry is unknown. METHODS: Twenty physicians in diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, and hepatopancreatobiliary surgery reviewed 20 computed tomography scans of patients without underlying liver pathology who were not scheduled for liver resection. We evaluated clinician accuracy to estimate the future liver remnant for 3 hypothetical major hepatic resections: left hepatectomy, right hepatectomy, and right trisectionectomy. The percent-difference between the mean and actual computed tomography liver volumetry (mean percent difference) was tested along with specialty differences using mixed-effects regression analysis. RESULTS: The actual future liver remnant (computed tomography liver volumetry) remaining after a hypothetical left hepatectomy ranged from 59% to 75% (physician estimated range: 50%-85%), 23% to 40% right hepatectomy (15%-50%), and 13% to 29% right trisectionectomy (8%-39%). For right hepatectomy, the mean future liver remnant was overestimated by 95% of clinicians with a mean percent difference of 22% (6%-45%; P < .001). For right trisectionectomy, 90% overestimated the future liver remnant by a mean percent difference of 25% (6%-50%; P < .001). Hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons overestimated the future liver remnant for proposed right hepatectomy and right trisectionectomy by a mean percent difference of 25% and 34%, respectively. Based on years of experience, providers with <10 years of experience had a greater mean percent difference than providers with 10+ years of experience for hypothetical major hepatic resections, but was only significantly higher for left hepatectomy (9% vs 6%, P = .002). CONCLUSION: A clinician's ability to visually estimate the future liver remnant volume is inaccurate when compared to computed tomography liver volumetry. Clinicians tend to overestimate the future liver remnant volume, especially in patients with a small future liver remnant where the risk of posthepatectomy liver failure is greatest.

Design of a Tension Infiltrometer with Automated Data Collection Using a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System.

This study highlights the importance of water infiltration in hydrological basin management, emphasizing its role in water services, water quality regulation, and temporal patterns. To measure this crucial function, this study introduces a portable and user-friendly tension infiltrometer designed for easy assembly and data collection. The tension infiltrometer, based on the 2009 design by Spongrová and Kechavarzi, offers a comprehensive characterization of the soil properties related to water flow. It eliminates the influence of preferential flow, providing accurate data. Additionally, it accommodates changes in pore size distribution within the soil, which is crucial for understanding water movement. This study discusses the challenges associated with traditional infiltration measurement tools, like double-ring infiltrometers and single rings, which are not easily transported and can lead to inaccuracies. In response, the proposed infiltrometer simplifies data collection, making it accessible to a broader range of users. This study also explores the use of the VL53L0X distance sensor in the infiltrometer, providing an innovative solution for measuring the water column height. The system's user interface allows real-time data collection and analysis, significantly reducing the processing time compared to that of the manual methods. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential for advancement in hydrological basin management using user-friendly instrumentation and automated data collection, paving the way for improved research and decision making in environmental services, conservation, and restoration efforts within these ecosystems.

Abundance of Dendroctonus frontalis and D. mexicanus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) along altitudinal transects in Mexico: Implications of climatic change for forest conservation.

Bark beetle infestations have historically been primary drivers of stand thinning in Mexican pine forests. However, bark beetle impacts have become increasingly extensive and intense, apparently associated with climate change. Our objective was to describe the possible association between abundance of bark beetle flying populations and the occurrence of given value intervals of temperature, precipitation and their balance, in order to have a better comprehension of the climatic space that might trigger larger insect abundances, an issue relevant in the context of the ongoing climatic change. Here, we monitored the abundance of two of the most important bark beetle species in Mexico, Dendroctonus frontalis and D. mexicanus. We sampled 147 sites using pheromone-baited funnel traps along 24 altitudinal transects in 11 Mexican states, from northwestern Chihuahua to southeastern Chiapas, from 2015 to 2017. Through mixed model analysis, we found that the optimum Mean Annual Temperatures were 17°C-20°C for D. frontalis in low-elevation pine-oak forest, while D. mexicanus had two optimal intervals: 11-13°C and 15-18°C. Higher atmospheric Vapor Pressure Deficit (≥ 1.0) was correlated with higher D. frontalis abundances, indicating that warming-amplified drought stress intensifies trees' vulnerability to beetle attack. As temperatures and drought stress increase further with projected future climatic changes, it is likely that these Dendroctonus species will increase tree damage at higher elevations. Pine forests in Mexico are an important source of livelihood for communities inhabiting those areas, so providing tools to tackle obstacles to forest growth and health posed by changing climate is imperative.

Carbohydrate ligand engagement with CD11b enhances differentiation of tumor-associated myeloid cells for immunotherapy of solid cancers.

BACKGROUND: Efforts to modulate the function of tumor-associated myeloid cell are underway to overcome the challenges in immunotherapy and find a cure. One potential therapeutic target is integrin CD11b, which can be used to modulate the myeloid-derived cells and induce tumor-reactive T-cell responses. However, CD11b can bind to multiple different ligands, leading to various myeloid cell functions such as adhesion, migration, phagocytosis, and proliferation. This has created a major challenge in understanding how CD11b converts the differences in the receptor-ligand binding into subsequent signaling responses and using this information for therapeutic development. METHODS: This study aimed to investigate the antitumor effect of a carbohydrate ligand, named BG34-200, which modulates the CD11b+ cells. We have applied peptide microarrays, multiparameter FACS (fluorescence-activated cell analysis) analysis, cellular/molecular immunological technology, advanced microscopic imaging, and transgenic mouse models of solid cancers, to study the interaction between BG34-200 carbohydrate ligand and CD11b protein and the resulting immunological changes in the context of solid cancers, including osteosarcoma, advanced melanoma, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). RESULTS: Our results show that BG34-200 can bind directly to the activated CD11b on its I (or A) domain, at previously unreported peptide residues, in a multisite and multivalent manner. This engagement significantly impacts the biological function of tumor-associated inflammatory monocytes (TAIMs) in osteosarcoma, advanced melanoma, and PDAC backgrounds. Importantly, we observed that the BG34-200-CD11b engagement triggered endocytosis of the binding complexes in TAIMs, which induced intracellular F-actin cytoskeletal rearrangement, effective phagocytosis, and intrinsic ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule I) clustering. These structural biological changes resulted in the differentiation in TAIMs into monocyte-derived dendritic cells, which play a crucial role in T-cell activation in the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS: Our research has advanced the current understanding of the molecular basis of CD11b activation in solid cancers, revealing how it converts the differences in BG34 carbohydrate ligands into immune signaling responses. These findings could pave the way for the development of safe and novel BG34-200-based therapies that modulate myeloid-derived cell functions, thereby enhancing immunotherapy for solid cancers.

Botryoid-type of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the proximal and mid ureter in an adult woman.

We report a unique case of botryoid-type embryonal RMS of the proximal and mid ureter in a pregnant 29-year-old woman. The ureteral polyp consisted of a malignant small blue round cell tumor with a myxoid background and contained evidence of foci of immature cartilage and aggregates of epithelial cells reminiscent of hair follicle. Immunohistochemical stains for myogenin and desmin confirmed skeletal muscle, or rhabdomyoblastic, differentiation. The compact epithelial cell fragments reminiscent of hair follicle differentiation were positive for p40. Treatment included 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy (vincristine, actinomycin and cyclophosphamide (VAC). No recurrent or metastatic disease was identified post-surgery.

Myopericytoma of the ureter Incidental finding of a benign slowly growing tumor.

We present a unique case of a 6 cm, incidental, ureteral myopericytoma which was initially believed to be an ovarian tumor with mass effect, causing hydroureteronephrosis. A 75-year-old woman presented with a three-month history of postprandial cramps and heartburn. A right distal ureterectomy with en-bloc resection of the mass was performed. Histologically, a well-circumscribed, cellular proliferation of uniform, cytologically bland, spindle cells was identified that had a multilayered, concentric growth pattern around numerous blood vessels. Immunohistochemically, the spindle lesional cells stained strongly and diffusely with antibodies against smooth muscle actin and failed to stain for pancytokeratin and S100 protein.

BG34-200 Immunotherapy of Advanced Melanoma.

High levels of myeloid-derived cells are characteristic of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of advanced melanoma. These cells interact with tumor cells to suppress the development of antitumor immune responses, regulate tumor metastasis, and drive cancer's resistance to virtually all types of therapy. Therefore, methods to disrupt tumor-associated myeloid cell function are actively being sought to find a cure. Our team has recently developed a plant-derived carbohydrate molecule, BG34-200, that modulates tumor-associated myeloid cells by targeting the cell surface receptor CD11b. In this study, we found that BG34-200 IV administration could significantly inhibit tumor growth and improve survival in B16F10 mice with advanced melanoma. Our data supported a model that the entry of BG34-200 into circulating melanoma tumor-associated inflammatory monocytes (TAIMs) could trigger a sequential immune activation: the BG34-200+ TAIM subsets migrated to tumor and differentiated into monocyte-derived dendritic cells (mo-DCs); then, the BG34-200+ mo-DCs migrated to tumor draining lymph nodes, where they triggered the generation of tumor-antigen-specific T cells. Based upon these results, we combined BG34-200 treatment with adoptive transfer of TdLN-derived T cells to treat advanced melanoma, which significantly improved animal survival and helped tumor-free survivors be resistant to a second tumor-cell challenge. The scientific findings from this study will allow us to develop new technology and apply BG34-200-based immunotherapy to patients with advanced melanoma who have not responded to current standard of care therapies with and without immunotherapy.

Dummy regression to predict dry fiber in Agave lechuguilla Torr. in two large-scale bioclimatic regions in Mexico.

Agave lechuguilla Torr., of the family Agavaceae, is distributed from southwestern United States to southern Mexico and is one of the most representative species of arid and semiarid regions. Its fiber is extracted for multiple purposes. The objective of this study was to generate a robust model to predict dry fiber yield (Dfw) rapidly, simply, and inexpensively. We used a power model in its linear form and bioclimatic areas as dummy variables. Training, generation (80%) and validation (20%) of the model was performed using machine learning with the package 'caret' of R. Using canonical correlation analysis (CCA), we evaluated the relationship of Dwf to bioclimatic variables. The principal components analysis (PCA) generated two bioclimatic zones, each with different A. lechuguilla productivities. We evaluated 499 individuals in four states of Mexico. The crown diameter (Cd) of this species adequately predicts its fiber dry weight (R2 = 0.6327; p < 0.05). The intercept (ß0), slope [lnCd (ß1)], zone [(ß2)] and interaction [lnCd:Zona (ß3)] of the dummy model was statistically significant (p < 0.05), giving origin to an equation for each bioclimatic zone. The CCA indicates a positive correlation between minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio 6) and Dwf (r = 0.84 and p < 0.05). In conclusion, because of the decrease in Bio 6 of more than 0.5°C by 2050, the species could be vulnerable to climate change, and A. lechuguilla fiber production could be affected gradually in the coming years.

A unique case of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma seeding after biopsy.

We report a unique case for a 1.5 cm Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma (ChRCC) tumor recurrence on the posterior abdominal wall along the renal tumor biopsy tract. This case presented on follow up at 4.5 years after radical nephrectomy T1bN0M0. Pathology was confirmed to be a chRCC with later excision of the mass. We believe the recurrence in this case is due to tumor seeding after multiple Renal Tumor biopsies (RTB) performed before surgery, as the tumor was located along the RTB tract.

How to Extract Climate Variability from Tree-Rings.

Tree rings have been used to reconstruct climatological variables in many locations around the world. Moreover, tree-rings can provide valuable insights into climatic variability of the last few centuries and, in some areas, several millennia. Despite the important development, that dendrochronology has had in recent decades to study the dendroclimatic potential of a large number of species present in different ecosystems, much remains to be done and explored. In addition to this, in the last few years more people (students, teachers and researchers) around the world are interested in implementing this science to extend the timeline of climate information backwards and understand how climate has changed on scales of decades, centuries or millennia. Therefore, the objective of this work is to describe the general aspects and basic steps needed to conduct a tree-ring climate reconstruction, from site selection and field sampling to laboratory methods and data analysis. In this method's video and manuscript, the general basis in tree-ring climatic reconstructions is explained so newcomers and students can use it as an available guide into this field of research.

Patency for autologous vein is superior to cadaveric vein in portal-mesenteric venous reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Portal venous reconstruction (PVR) is often needed during resection of hepatopancreato-biliary (HPB) malignancies. Primary repair (PR), autologous vein (AV), or cryopreserved cadaveric vein (CCV) are frequently utilized, however relative patency is not well studied. METHODS: All patients undergoing PVR between 2007-2019 at our center were identified. 3-year primary patency (PP), overall survival (OS), and survival-adjusted patency (SAP) were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards modeling. RESULTS: One-hundred-twenty patients were identified with a median follow-up of 11 months. PR, AV, and CCV reconstruction were used in 28 (23%), 35 (29%), and 57 (48%) patients, respectively, with two (7%), four (11%), and 29 (51%) thromboses, respectively. 3-year PP was greater for both primary repair (90%) and AV (83%) compared to CCV (33%, both p<0.001). On multivariable analysis, CCV had worse 3-year PP (HR 7.89, p=0.005) and SAP (HR 2.09, p=0.02) compared to PR; AV reconstruction had equivalent oncologic and patency-related outcomes to PR (p>0.4 for both comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Primary patency for PR and AV reconstruction is superior to CCV for PVR during resection of HPB malignancies. AV conduit should be the preferred choice of reconstruction when PR is not achievable. Surgeons should only use CCV when factors preclude PR/AV reconstruction.

E-Cigarette-Associated Endothelial Damage: A Potential Mechanism for Erectile Dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have increased in popularity as a potentially less harmful alternative to tobacco smoking; however, the literature suggests "vaping" can cause endothelial damage, which can adversely affect erectile function. While there is a known link between smoking cigarettes and erectile dysfunction (ED), the effect of e-cigs on erectile function has been understudied. OBJECTIVES: To review the evidence for e-cig use causing endothelial dysfunction, to explore endothelial dysfunction as a potential mechanism for ED, and to determine if there is literature to support e-cigs as a cause of ED. METHODS: A literature review was performed to identify publications pertaining to e-cig consumption and ED. Publications regarding e-cig consumption and vascular or endothelial damage were also included. The search was conducted through PubMed, MEDLINE database, the Cochrane Library Central Search, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. We identified 40+ publications for review, including 6 clinical trials and 3 basic science studies. RESULTS: The literature suggests that e-cig use induces oxidative stress, including the direct formation of reactive oxygen species and hydroxyl radicals, leading to endothelial damage. Endothelial dysfunction is a potential mechanism for ED, but there is a paucity of studies evaluating the relationship between e-cig use and ED. CONCLUSION: E-cig use may cause ED in men, but more studies, specifically clinical trials, are needed to establish a relationship between e-cigs and ED. E-cig-induced endothelial dysfunction is a potential mechanism for ED that is worth exploring further. Pincus J, Sandoval V, Dick B, et al. E-Cigarette-Associated Endothelial Damage: A Potential Mechanism for Erectile Dysfunction. Sex Med Rev 2022;10:168-173.

Self-Induced Trauma to the Genitalia: a Review of the Literature and Management Schemes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Self-induced genital trauma is rare, and prompt and evidence-based early intervention can improve the urinary and sexual function of these complex patients. This review has surveyed current literature and treatment trends to evaluate the clinical approach to managing genital trauma. RECENT FINDINGS: A literature review was performed regarding self-induced genitalia trauma and trauma management between 2000 and 2019 using MEDLINE® database, the Cochrane Library® Central Search, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. In total, 42 articles were considered relevant and included in this review. Self-induced trauma can be appropriately managed with a multidisciplinary approach. Treatment goals are to preserve urinary, sexual, and reproductive function. Specific evaluation includes mechanism of injury, imaging, and determining the extent of injury and surgical repair, if indicated. Due to the rarity of these injuries and their emergent nature, much of the management is based on retrospective data. Further research is needed to improve long-term functional outcomes in trauma patients.

Sperm DNA fragmentation index and high DNA stainability do not influence pregnancy success after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI%) and high DNA stainability (HDS%) to influence the chance of achieving pregnancy in couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. DESIGN: A retrospective study evaluating couples that underwent an ICSI cycle between 2009 - 2018. SETTING: High-volume reproductive center. PATIENTS: Consecutive couples who underwent an ICSI cycle and had a semen analysis with subsequent DFI% and HDS% testing, evaluated by Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA). INTERVENTIONS: Measurement of DFI% and HDS% prior to ICSI cycle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: To determine whether DFI% or HDS% of sperm was predictive of the number of ICSI cycles until the first clinical intrauterine pregnancy. RESULTS: A total of 550 couples who underwent 1050 ICSI cycles were analyzed. Of those, a total of 330 couples achieved pregnancy. As expected, in couples that achieved pregnancy, females were younger (33.7 ± 3.6 years vs 35.3 ± 3.4 years; p < 0.001) and underwent fewer cycles (2 [1-2] vs 2 [1-3]; p =0.001). Importantly, the DFI% and HDS% were similar between couples who achieved pregnancy (DFI% = 12.9 [8-20]; HDS% = 9.3 [6.1-14.6]) and couples who did not (DFI% =12.2 [7.1-20.2]; HDS% = 9.1 [6.7-14]). A multivariable-adjusted analysis evaluating female age at the first cycle was negatively associated with pregnancy (OR = 0.827, 95% CI: 0.778 - 0.879; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Neither DFI nor HDS at baseline influence the chances of a couple to achieve pregnancy after ICSI. Increased female age and couples who underwent more ICSI cycles were associated with lower chances of achieving pregnancy.

Using Tree-Rings to Reconstruct Fire History Information from Forested Areas.

Annual tree-ring patterns are a source of ecological and environmental information including the history of fires in forested areas. Tree-ring based fire histories include three fundamental phases: field collection, laboratory methods (preparation and dating), and data analysis. Here we provide step-by-step instructions and issues to consider, including the process for selecting the study area, sampling sites, plus how and which fire-scarred trees to sample. In addition, we describe fire-scar sample preparation and dating which are done in the laboratory. Finally, we describe basic analysis and relevant results, including examples from studies that have reconstructed fire history patterns. These studies allow us to understand the historical fire frequency, changes in those frequencies related to anthropogenic factors, and analyzes of how climate influences fire occurrence over time. The description of these methods and techniques should provide a greater understanding of fire history studies that will benefit researchers, educators, technicians, and students interested in this field. These detailed methods will allow new researchers to this field, a resource to start their own work and achieve greater success. This resource will provide a greater integration of tree-ring aspects within other studies and lead to a better understanding of natural processes with forested ecosystems.

Morphostructural Characterization of the Black Creole Goat Raised in Central Mexico, a Currently Threatened Zoogenetic Resource.

In order to evaluate the morphostructural variability of the Black Creole goat (BCG), the present study was carried out in a population of 226 animals from eight localities and 14 morphometric variables were taken. Descriptive statistics for the variables were obtained and 10 of these presented variation coefficients of less than 10%. The degree of harmony in the morphology of the population was determined by the number of positive correlations with significant differences (p < 0.05), including a correlation test using Spearman's method. In order to reduce the matrix of variables, a principal components analysis was performed, and it was evaluated based on Kaiser's criteria (eigenvalue > 1). Finally, a hierarchical analysis of conglomerates using Ward's method was performed using the Euclidean distance to evaluate the distances among localities. Morphometric variables were also included to visualize the relationship among the localities and their average per variable. The results showed that the animals evaluated presented a certain degree of homogeneity and maintained a highly harmonic model. The BCG population showed a high aptitude for milk production, which confirmed the zootechnical purpose of the breed. The BCG populations evaluated maintain similar morphostructural profiles specific to them that can distinguish this population from other animal breeds.

Abundancia altitudinal de Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) en relación a variables climáticas en Hidalgo, México

Los descortezadores Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) son un grupo de coleópteros estrechamente ligado a las masas forestales y son una de las plagas más dañinas en México, ocasionando que la cobertura forestal se reduzca considerablemente. Adicionalmente factores como el cambio climático, favorecen el aumento en las poblaciones de escarabajos descortezadores del género Dendroctonus. Por lo anterior es conveniente conocer la variación poblacional de descortezadores, particularmente de Dendroctonus frontalis, cuyas poblaciones dependen de la variabilidad climática que influye en su abundancia. Teniendo como hipótesis que la altitud y las variables ambientales afectan el comportamiento en la abundancia de D. frontalis, se planteó como objetivo estimar la variación espacio-temporal de poblaciones de D. frontalis en bosques de pino a diferentes altitudes. El estudio se realizó en la comunidad de Durango, Zimapán, Hidalgo, México. Se utilizó un diseño experimental de parcelas apareadas con dos tratamientos, de feromona y testigo. Se colocaron siete trampas con ambos tratamientos en un rango de 1 568 a 2 117 m.s.n.m. para determinar la abundancia altitudinal de D. frontalis. El muestreo se llevó a cabo de enero a diciembre 2015. Se obtuvo una relación positiva entre la abundancia de D. frontalis y el gradiente altitudinal y respecto a la abundancia de D. frontalis y la temperatura se observó una relación moderada, pero no significativa; de la misma forma para la precipitación media anual. La relación con la temperatura media máxima y el balance de precipitación de primavera/verano fueron estadísticamente significativos. Se presentó una tendencia positiva en la abundancia de D. frontalis de acuerdo al índice anual de aridez, por lo cual se espera que con el aumento de las temperaturas el estrés en la vegetación de los bosques sea mayor, favoreciendo el incremento de las poblaciones de escarabajos descortezadores.

The bark beetles Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) are a group of coleoptera closely linked to forest masses, and one of the most harmful pests in Mexico, causing the forest cover to be considerably reduced. Additionally factors such as climate change, favor the increase in populations of bark beetles of the genus Dendroctonus. Taking as a hypothesis that altitude and environmental variables affect the behavior in the abundance of D. frontalis, the objective was to estimate the temporary-spatial variation of D. frontalis populations in pine forests at different altitudes. The study was conducted in the community of Durango, Zimapán, Hidalgo, Mexico. An experimental design of paired plots with two treatments was used, pheromone and control. Seven traps were placed with both treatments in a range of 1 568 to 2 117 m.a.s.l. to determine the altitudinal abundance of D. frontalis. The sampling was realized from January to December 2015. A positive relationship was observed between the abundance of D. frontalis and the altitudinal gradient. About the abundance of D. frontalis and the temperature, a moderate but not significant relationship was observed in the same way for the average annual precipitation. The relation with the maximum average temperature and the spring summer precipitation balance were statistically significant. There was a positive trend on the abundance of D. frontalis according to the annual aridity index, which is why it is expected that the increase of temperatures the stress in the vegetation of the forests will be greater, favoring the increase of bark beetles populations.

Systemic administration of ß-glucan of 200 kDa modulates melanoma microenvironment and suppresses metastatic cancer.

Converting an immunosuppressive melanoma microenvironment into one that favors the induction of antitumor immunity is indispensable for effective cancer immunotherapy. In the current study we demonstrate that oat-derived ß-(1-3)-(1-4)-glucan of 200 kDa molecular size (BG34-200) previously shown to mediate direct interaction with macrophages could alter the immune signature within melanoma microenvironment. Systemic administration of BG34-200 resulted in reversion of tolerant melanoma microenvironment to an immunogenic one that allows M1-type activation of macrophages, the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines including IFN-γ, TNF-α, CXCL9, and CXCL10, and enhanced IRF1 and PD-L1 expression. In turn, BG34-200 induced a superior antitumor response against primary and lung metastatic B16F10 melanoma compared to untreated controls. The enhanced tumor destruction was accompanied with significantly increased tumor infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as well as elevated IFN-γ in the tumor sites. Systemic administration of BG34-200 also provoked systemic activation of tumor draining lymph node T cells that recognize antigens naturally expressing in melanoma (gp100/PMEL). Mechanistic studies using CD11b-knockout (KO), CD11 c-DTR transgenic mice and nude mice revealed that macrophages, DCs, T cells and NK cells were all required for the BG34-200-induced therapeutic benefit. Studies using IFN-γ-KO transgenic mice showed that IFN-γ was essential for the BG34-200-elicited antitumor response. Beyond melanoma, the therapeutic efficacy of BG34-200 and its immune stimulating activity were demonstrated in a mouse model of osteosarcoma. Together, BG34-200 is highly effective in modulating antitumor immunity. Our data support the potential therapeutic use of this novel immune modulator in the treatment of metastatic melanoma.