Phylogeny, historical biogeography and diversification rates in an economically important group of Neotropical palms: Tribe Euterpeae.

Tribe Euterpeae is an economically and ecologically important group of Neotropical palms (Arecaceae). Some species are hyperdominant in the Neotropics, and many constitute a good source of revenue. To reconstruct the biogeographical history and diversification of the Euterpeae, we inferred a robust dated molecular phylogenetic hypothesis including 82% of the species sequenced for five DNA regions (trnD-trnT, CISP4, WRKY6, RPB2, and PHYB). Ancestral range was estimated using all models available in BioGeoBEARS and Binary State Speciation and Extinction analysis was used to evaluate the association of biome and inflorescence type with diversification rates. All intergeneric relationships were resolved providing insight on the taxonomic controversy of Jessenia, Euterpe and Prestoea. Three widely distributed Neotropical species were non-monophyletic, inviting a revision of species circumscriptions. The Euterpeae started its diversification in the mid Eocene (40 Mya), with most species-level divergence events occurring in the last 10 million years. Four colonization events from Central to South America were inferred. Different diversification rates were associated with biomes. Lowland rainforest was inferred as the ancestral biome of Euterpeae, attesting to the importance of lowland adapted lineages on the assembly of the montane flora. The two-fold higher speciation rate for montane taxa (compared with lowland rainforest taxa) was contemporaneous to the Andean orogenic uplift. The specialized beetle pollination of Oenocarpus with its hippuriform (horsetail shape) inflorescence was not associated with diversification rates in Euterpeae.

Up and Down the Blind Alley: Population Divergence with Scant Gene Flow in an Endangered Tropical Lineage of Andean Palms (Ceroxylon quindiuense Clade: Ceroxyloideae).

Given the geographical complexity of the Andes, species distributions hold interesting information regarding the history of isolation and gene flow across geographic barriers and ecological gradients. Moreover, current threats to the region's enormous plant diversity pose an additional challenge to the understanding of these patterns. We explored the geographic structure of genetic diversity within the Ceroxylon quindiuense species complex (wax palms) at a regional scale, using a model-based approach to disentangle the historical mechanisms by which these species have dispersed over a range encompassing 17° of latitude in the tropical Andes. A total of 10 microsatellite loci were cross-amplified in 8 populations of the 3 species comprising the C. quindiuense complex. Analyses performed include estimates of molecular diversity and genetic structure, testing for genetic bottlenecks and an evaluation of the colonization scenario under approximate Bayesian computation. We showed that there was a geographical diversity gradient reflecting the orogenetic pattern of the northern Andes and its end at the cordilleras facing the Caribbean Sea. A general pattern of diversity suggests that the cordilleras of Colombia have served as historical recipients of gene flow occurring only scantly along the northern Andes. We provided evidence of important isolation between the largest populations of this complex, suggesting that both historical constraints to dispersal but also current anthropogenic effects might explain the high levels of population structuring. We provide a list of advisable measures for conservation stakeholders.

LA PALMA AMARGA (Sabal mauritiiformis, Arecaceae) EN SISTEMAS PRODUCTIVOS DEL CARIBE COLOMBIANO: ESTUDIO DE CASO EN PIOJÓ, ATLÁNTICO / The Bitter Palm (Sabal mauritiiformis, Arecaceae) in Productive Systems of the Colombian Caribbean: A Case Study in Piojó, Atlántico

La palma Sabal mauritiiformis es un recurso importante en el Caribe colombiano debido al uso de sus hojas para techar. Para evaluar el estado de sus poblaciones en Piojó (Atlántico), uno de los municipios más productores de hojas, se estudió la densidad y la estructura poblacional de la palma. Se establecieron 16 parcelas de 0,1 ha, en los tres sistemas de uso de suelo más comunes en la zona: ganadería (6), cultivos (5) y rastrojo (5). Se encontró que la palma amarga constituye un recurso silvestre, muy resistente y capaz de adaptarse a ambientes perturbados pues está incorporada en sistemas productivos de cultivos, rastrojos y ganadería, donde las prácticas de manejo influyen en la densidad y estructura de sus poblaciones. La palma es muy resistente y capaz de adaptarse a ambientes perturbados. El área estudiada incluyó 5349 individuos distribuidos en cuatro categorías de tamaño. Los rastrojos (3620 ± 2808 individuos/hectárea) y los cultivos (5612 ± 3361 ind/ha) presentaron más individuos y mejores estructuras poblacionales que las áreas de ganadería (1488 ± 827 ind/ha), en las cuales se encontraron poblaciones más deterioradas por efecto del pisoteo y el forrajeo. La prevalencia de individuos en algunas clases de tamaño refleja las condiciones de manejo actual e histórico; actividades como el pastoreo o las quemas, sin una apropiada planificación, pueden comprometer el desarrollo de las poblaciones de la palma y la futura disponibilidad del recurso.

The palm Sabal mauritiiformis is an important resource in the Colombian Caribbean, as its leaves are used for thatching. In order to assess the status of its populations in Piojó (Atlántico department), one of the major leaf producers in the region, palm population structure was studied by randomly establishing 16 sample plots of 0.1 ha in the three major use areas where the palm occurs:: pastures (6), crops (5) and fallows (5). We found that the bitter palm is a heavily exploited wild resource and management practices impact population structure. The bitter palm is a resilient species, easily adaptable to disturbed environments. The studied plots included 5349 individuals, distributed in four size categories. Fallows (3620 ± 2808 individuals/ha) and crops (5612 ± 3361 ind/ha) had more individuals and population structures that reflect a better condition than pastures (1488 ± 827 ind/ha), which had a population structure with discontinuous distributions due to trampling and foraging. Prevalence of individuals in certain size classes reflects current and historical management conditions; activities such as grazing or removal of vegetation by burning, without proper planning, can jeopardize the development of populations and future resource availability.

[Pollination ecology of three sympatric species of Oenocarpus (Arecaceae) in the Colombian Amazon]. / Ecología de la polinización de tres especies de Oenocarpus (Arecaceae) simpátricas en la Amazonia Colombiana.

The understanding of pollination mechanisms is vital for developing management and conservation actions of economically important species. In order to understand the pollination mechanisms of the promising palms in the genus Oenocarpus (Arecaceae), we studied floral morphology and biology, of three sympatric species in the Colombian Amazon: O. bataua, O. balickii and O. minor. During the period 2010-2012 we made direct and continuous observations of inflorescences (visitors, pollinators, and reproductive success) of the three species in every development phase. We determined the association of the palms with their floral visitors through a complex or interaction network, whereas specificity or preference of the insects for each individual palm was assessed through paired similarity analysis, similarity analysis (ANOSIM), and ordering analysis based on nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMSD). The three species flowered throughout the year; their inflorescences have long rachillae that hang close to each other from a short rachis, and they bear flowers in dyads or triads. Inflorescences are protandrous, thermogenic; anthesis takes place during daytime but pollination is nocturnal. We recorded 79 species of insects, mainly beetles, 33 of which visited O. balickii, 63 visited O. bataua, and 33 visited 0. minor. Although they shared some visitors, their abundance during the pistillate phase, as well as their pollen loads showed that only a few species of Curculionidae and Nitidulidae are the principal pollinators of the three studied species. Differences in network structure between staminate and pistillate phases, as well as difference in abundance found with the ANOSIM and NMSD similarity tests, suggest a high specificity of pollinators, leading to reproductive isolation among.the three species. Because all pollinating beetles were found to develop their life cycles within the inflorescences, we hypothesize the occurrence of a specialized system of mutual dependence between each of this three Oenocarpus species and their pollinators. This specialization assures a year-round availability of the pollinators.

Papulosis bowenoide en niña con VIH: presentación de un caso / Bowenoid papulosis in a girl with HIV: presentation of a case

La presencia de verrugas anogenitales en niños es una situación controvertida, ya que las vías de acceso del virus del papiloma humano (HPV) al área anogenital infantil pueden ser la perinatal, a partir de lesiones en el canal del parto,la transmisión por auto o heteroinoculacióndes de verrugas vulgares en las manos de los propios niños, familiares o cuidadores, y por abuso sexual. Por ello, para llegar a un correcto diagnóstico y tratamiento es importante contar con una buena historia clínica. Presentamos el caso de una paciente en edad escolar, de sexo femenino, que tras un abuso sexual, presentó una infección por elvirus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) y desarrolló una papulosis bowenoide.

The presence of anogenital warts in childrenis a controversial situationsincethepaths of human papillomavirus (HPV) in a child´sanogenitalareamay be acquiredperinatally, fromlesions in thebirth canal oracquiredviaauto orheteroinoculationfromcommonwartsonthehands of childrenthemselves, familymembersorcaregivers and fromthegenitals of adultsduring sexual abuse. Hencetheimportance of a goodhistorytoreach a correct diagnosis and treatment.Wereportthe case of a femalepatient,whoafterbeingsexuallyabused, developed HIV and a bowenoidpapulosis.

Ecología de la polinización de tres especies de Oenocarpus (Arecaceae) simpátricas en la Amazonia Colombiana / Pollination ecology of three sympatric species of Oenocarpus (Arecaceae) in the Colombian Amazon

The understanding of pollination mechanisms is vital for developing management and conservation actions of economically important species. In order to understand the pollination mechanisms of the promising palms in the genus Oenocarpus (Arecaceae), we studied floral morphology and biology, of three sympatric species in the Colombian Amazon: O. bataua, O. balickii and O. minor. During the period 2010-2012 we made direct and continuous observations of inflorescences (visitors, pollinators, and reproductive success) of the three species in every development phase. We determined the association of the palms with their floral visitors through a complex or interaction network, whereas specificity or preference of the insects for each individual palm was assessed through paired similarity analysis, similarity analysis (ANOSIM), and ordering analysis based on non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMSD). The three species flowered throughout the year; their inflorescences have long rachillae that hang close to each other from a short rachis, and they bear flowers in dyads or triads. Inflorescences are protandrous, thermogenic; anthesis takes place during daytime but pollination is nocturnal. We recorded 79 species of insects, mainly beetles, 33 of which visited O. balickii, 63 visited O. bataua, and 33 visited O. minor. Although they shared some visitors, their abundance during the pistillate phase, as well as their pollen loads showed that only a few species of Curculionidae and Nitidulidae are the principal pollinators of the three studied species. Differences in network structure between staminate and pistillate phases, as well as difference in abundance found with the ANOSIM and NMSD similarity tests, suggest a high specificity of pollinators, leading to reproductive isolation among the three species. Because all pollinating beetles were found to develop their life cycles within the inflorescences, we hypothesize the occurrence of a specialized system of mutual dependence between each of this three Oenocarpus species and their pollinators. This specialization assures a year-round availability of the pollinators. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (1): 35-55. Epub 2015 March 01.

La comprensión de los mecanismos de polinización son de gran importancia para el desarrollo de planes de manejo y acciones de conservación de las especies de importancia económica. Con el objeto de conocer los mecanismos de polinización de palmas promisorias del género Oenocarpus (Arecaceae), se estudió la morfología, la biología floral, los visitantes, los polinizadores y éxito reproductivo de tres especies simpátricas en la Amazonía colombiana: O. bataua, O. balickii y O. minor. Durante el período 2010-2012 realizamos observaciones directas durante las fases de desarrollo de las inflorescencias en las tres especies. Se determinó la asociación de las palmas con sus visitantes florales a través de una red compleja, mientras que la especificidad o la preferencia de los insectos por cada palma individual se evaluó mediante el análisis similitud pareada, análisis de similitud (ANOSIM), un análisis de ordenación a partir del escalamiento multidimensional no métrico (NMSD). Las tres palmas florescen todo el año; sus inflorescencias contienen raquilas que cuelgan de un raquis corto, y presentan flores agrupadas en díadas o tríadas. Las inflorescencias son protandras, termogénicas; la antesis tiene lugar durante el día, pero la polinización es nocturna. Se registraron 79 especies de insectos, principalmente coleópteros, 33 de los cuales visitaron O. balickii, 63 a O. bataua y 33 a O. minor. Aunque compartían algunos visitantes, su abundancia en la fase pistilada, así como la carga de polen mostró que sólo unas pocas especies de Curculionidae y Nitidulidae son los polinizadores de las tres especies. Las diferencias en la estructura de la red entre las fases estaminadas y pistiladas, así como la diferencia en la abundancia encontrada con las pruebas de similitud ANOSIM y NMSD, sugieren una alta especificidad de polinizadores, lo que lleva a un aislamiento reproductivo entre las tres especies. Debido a que se encontró que todas las especies de coleópteros polinizadores desarrollan su ciclo de vida dentro de las inflorescencias de cada palma, se sugiere la presencia de un sistema especializado y de mutua dependencia entre los polinizadores y las especies de Oenocarpus. Esta especialización garantiza la disponibilidad de polinizadores durante todo el año.

Juvenile resilience and adult longevity explain residual populations of the Andean wax palm Ceroxylon quindiuense after deforestation.

Wax palms are an important element of the cloud forests in the tropical Andes. Despite heavy deforestation, the density of adults seems to be similar in deforested pastures as in forests. We aimed to infer the mechanisms responsible for this apparent resilience in pastures and we tested two hypotheses to explain it: 1) adult palms survived in pastures because they were spared from logging, and 2) adults occurred in pastures through the resilience of large juvenile rosettes, which survived through subterranean meristems and later developed into adults. For this purpose, we characterized the demographic structure of C. quindiuense in a total of 122 plots of 400 m(2) in forests and pastures at two sites with contrasted land use histories in Colombia and Peru. Additionally, we implemented growth models that allowed us to estimate the age of individuals at four sites. These data were combined with information collected from local land managers in order to complete our knowledge on the land use history at each site. At two sites, the presence of old individuals up to 169 years and a wide age range evidenced that, at least, a portion of current adults in pastures were spared from logging at the time of deforestation. However, at the two other sites, the absence of older adults in pastures and the narrow age range of the populations indicated that individuals came exclusively from rosette resilience. These interpretations were consistent with the land use history of sites. In consequence, the combination of the two hypotheses (spared individuals and rosette resilience) explained patterns of C. quindiuense in pastures on a regional scale. Regeneration through subterranean meristems in palms is an important, yet overlooked mechanism of resilience, which occurs in a number of palm species and deserves being integrated in the conceptual framework of disturbance ecology.

Características clínico-epidemiológicas del fenómeno de lucio en la cátedra de dermatología del hospital de clínicas de Asunción-Paraguay. Estudio de 8 años / No disponible

Introducción: El Fenómeno de Lucio (FL), reacción cutánea grave y distintiva mediada por inmunocomplejos, es una afección cutánea necrosante que ocurre en pacientes portadores de Lepra no nodular [1]. La forma difusa de lepra se produce en aquellos pacientes con poca o nula resistencia a la infección. La literatura revisada muestra inadecuado uso de esta definición. Muchos autores identifican como FL las reacciones vasculonecróticas que ocurren en formas distintas a la Lepra difusa [2]. Objetivos: General: Conocer las características epidemiológicas y clínicas del FL en el Hospital de Clínicas de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción (HC, FCM-UNA). Específicos:1. Establecer las características epidemiológicas de la población en estudio; 2. Describir el número y características clínicas del FL; 3. Describir el tipo de tratamiento impartido y evolución. Material y Método: Diseño: Retrospectivo, observacional de corte transversal. El estudio se lleva a cabo en la Cátedra de Dermatología del HC, FCM-UNA, entre enero de 2003 y octubre de 2011. Criterios de inclusión: Todos los pacientes con Leprorracciones de tipo FL diagnosticados clínicamente y con confirmación anatomopatológica. Criterios de exclusión: Pacientes con Lepra que no hagan leprorreacción de tipo FL o que no tengan confirmación anatomo-patológica. Fuentes de información: Historias clínicas de pacientes con diagnóstico clínico de lepra, con reacciones tipo FL. Resultados: El total de pacientes con lepra del HC, FCM-UNA fue de 311, y de éstos, 52 (16.8%) presentaron leprorreacciones de los cuales 8 fueron de tipo FL(2.5% del total y 15.4% de las leprorreacciones). Predominio de pacientes de sexo masculino procedentes del medio urbano. La mayor franja etaria afectada es la de 70 a 80 años, presentando esta reacción previa al tratamiento antibacilar y por ende representando el debut de su enfermedad de base. El IB osciló de 1 a 6+. En la mayoría de los casos se inició tratamiento MB-OMS y prednisona, con buena evolución. El óbito fue el desenlace en uno de los casos. Conclusiones: Varios autores llaman FL a las reacciones vasculonecróticas (VN) que se presentan en otras formas de la lepra diferentes a la forma difusa, debido a que reacciones VN se describen en pacientes MB con formas diferentes a la lepra difusa (reacciones tipo II: eritema nodoso leproso o ENL), por lo que presentamos este estudio de pacientes con criterios estrictos, clínicos y anatomopatológicos de FL. Es de presentación infrecuente y el diagnóstico diferencial debe incluir vasculitis y vasculopatías de otras etiologías para hacer un diagnóstico correcto, evitando retrasos en el tratamiento y desenlaces fatales (AU)

Introduction: Lucio phenomenon (LP), severe and distinctive skin reaction mediated by immune complexes, is a necrotizing skin condition that occurs in patients with non nodular leprosy [1]. The diffuse form of leprosy occurs in patients with little or no resistance to infection. The literature reviewed shows improper use of this definition. Many authors have identified as LP, vasculonecrotic reactions (VN) that occur in non diffuse leprosy [2]. Objectives: General: To determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the LP at the Clinicas Hospital of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción (CH, FMC-NUA). Specific: 1. To establish the epidemiological characteristics of the study population, 2. Describe the number and clinical characteristics of LP; 3. Describe the type of treatment given and outcome. Methods: Design: Retrospective, observational, cross-sectional. The study was conducted at the Department of Dermatology of CH, FMC-NUA, between January 2003 and October 2011. Inclusion criteria: All patients with LP diagnosed clinically and with pathologic confirmation. Exclusion Criteria: Patients with Leprosy reactions different from LP and without tanatomo-pathological confirmation. Information sources: Clinical records of patients with clinical diagnosis of leprosy with LP. Results: The total number of leprosy patients was 311, and of these, 52 presented reactions and 8 were LP (2,5%). Predominance of male patients from the urban environment. Most affected age group was between 70 and 80 years, with this reaction before antibacilartreatment and thus represents the debut of their underlying disease. The BI was between 1 and 6+. In most cases, treatment was begun with MB-WHO and prednisone, with good evolution. The death was the outcome in one case. Conclusions: Several authors call LP to other vasculonecrotic reactions (VN) that occur in other forms of leprosy than the diffuse form, because VN reactions are described in MB patients with different forms of leprosy diffuse (type II reactions: eryhthemanodosum), so we present this study of patients with strict criteria, clinical and pathological of LP Presentation is uncommon and differential diagnosis should include vasculitis and vascular disease of other etiologies for making a correct diagnosis, avoiding delays in treatment and fatal outcomes (AU)