RESUMEN

Giant kelp and bull kelp forests are increasingly at risk from marine heatwave events, herbivore outbreaks, and the loss or alterations in the behavior of key herbivore predators. The dynamic floating canopy of these kelps is well-suited to study via satellite imagery, which provides high temporal and spatial resolution data of floating kelp canopy across the western United States and Mexico. However, the size and complexity of the satellite image dataset has made ecological analysis difficult for scientists and managers. To increase accessibility of this rich dataset, we created Kelpwatch, a web-based visualization and analysis tool. This tool allows researchers and managers to quantify kelp forest change in response to disturbances, assess historical trends, and allow for effective and actionable kelp forest management. Here, we demonstrate how Kelpwatch can be used to analyze long-term trends in kelp canopy across regions, quantify spatial variability in the response to and recovery from the 2014 to 2016 marine heatwave events, and provide a local analysis of kelp canopy status around the Monterey Peninsula, California. We found that 18.6% of regional sites displayed a significant trend in kelp canopy area over the past 38 years and that there was a latitudinal response to heatwave events for each kelp species. The recovery from heatwave events was more variable across space, with some local areas like Bahía Tortugas in Baja California Sur showing high recovery while kelp canopies around the Monterey Peninsula continued a slow decline and patchy recovery compared to the rest of the Central California region. Kelpwatch provides near real time spatial data and analysis support and makes complex earth observation data actionable for scientists and managers, which can help identify areas for research, monitoring, and management efforts.

Asunto(s)

Kelp , Macrocystis , Ecosistema , Kelp/fisiología , México , Bosques

RESUMEN

The kelp forests of southern South America are some of the least disturbed on the planet. The remoteness of this region has, until recently, spared it from many of the direct anthropogenic stressors that have negatively affected these ecosystems elsewhere. Re-surveys of 11 locations at the easternmost extent of Tierra del Fuego originally conducted in 1973 showed no significant differences in the densities of adult and juvenile Macrocystis pyrifera kelp or kelp holdfast diameter between the two survey periods. Additionally, sea urchin assemblage structure at the same sites were not significantly different between the two time periods, with the dominant species Loxechinus albus accounting for 66.3% of total sea urchin abundance in 2018 and 61.1% in 1973. Time series of Landsat imagery of the region from 1998 to 2018 showed no long-term trends in kelp canopy over the past 20 years. However, ~ 4-year oscillations in canopy fraction were observed and were strongly and negatively correlated with the NOAA Multivariate ENSO index and sea surface temperature. More extensive surveying in 2018 showed significant differences in benthic community structure between exposed and sheltered locations. Fish species endemic to the Magellanic Province accounted for 73% of all nearshore species observed and from 98-100% of the numerical abundance enumerated at sites. Fish assemblage structure varied significantly among locations and wave exposures. The recent creation of the Yaganes Marine Park is an important step in protecting this unique and biologically rich region; however, the nearshore waters of the region are currently not included in this protection. There is a general lack of information on changes in kelp forests over long time periods, making a global assessment difficult. A complete picture of how these ecosystems are responding to human pressures must also include remote locations and locations with little to no impact.

Asunto(s)

Cambio Climático , Peces/fisiología , Cadena Alimentaria , Macrocystis/fisiología , Océanos y Mares , Erizos de Mar/fisiología , Animales , América del Sur , Temperatura

RESUMEN

A revised version of Chapter F of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants is presented, incorporating amendments approved by the Fungal Nomenclature Session of the 11th International Mycological Congress held in San Juan, Puerto Rico in July 2018. The process leading to the amendments is outlined. Key changes in the San Juan Chapter F are (1) removal of option to use a colon to indicate the sanctioned status of a name, (2) introduction of correctability for incorrectly cited identifiers of names and typifications, and (3) introduction of option to use name identifiers in place of author citations. Examples have been added to aid the interpretation of new Articles and Recommendations, and Examples have also been added to the existing Art. F.3.7 concerning the protection extended to new combinations based on sanctioned names or basionyms of sanctioned names (which has been re-worded), and to Art. F.3.9 concerning typification of names accepted in the sanctioning works.

RESUMEN

The vast and complex coast of the Magellan Region of extreme southern Chile possesses a diversity of habitats including fjords, deep channels, and extensive kelp forests, with a unique mix of temperate and sub-Antarctic species. The Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez archipelagos are the most southerly locations in the Americas, with the southernmost kelp forests, and some of the least explored places on earth. The giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera plays a key role in structuring the ecological communities of the entire region, with the large brown seaweed Lessonia spp. forming dense understories. Kelp densities were highest around Cape Horn, followed by Diego Ramírez, and lowest within the fjord region of Francisco Coloane Marine Park (mean canopy densities of 2.51 kg m-2, 2.29 kg m-2, and 2.14 kg m-2, respectively). There were clear differences in marine communities among these sub-regions, with the lowest diversity in the fjords. We observed 18 species of nearshore fishes, with average species richness nearly 50% higher at Diego Ramírez compared with Cape Horn and Francisco Coloane. The number of individual fishes was nearly 10 times higher at Diego Ramírez and 4 times higher at Cape Horn compared with the fjords. Dropcam surveys of mesophotic depths (53-105 m) identified 30 taxa from 25 families, 15 classes, and 7 phyla. While much of these deeper habitats consisted of soft sediment and cobble, in rocky habitats, echinoderms, mollusks, bryozoans, and sponges were common. The southern hagfish (Myxine australis) was the most frequently encountered of the deep-sea fishes (50% of deployments), and while the Fueguian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis) was the most abundant fish species, its distribution was patchy. The Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez archipelagos represent some of the last intact sub-Antarctic ecosystems remaining and a recently declared large protected area will help ensure the health of this unique region.

Asunto(s)

Biodiversidad , Biología Marina , Animales , Chile , Ecosistema , Peces , Kelp

RESUMEN

This article summarizes the key changes in the rules relating to the nomenclature of fungi made at the XIX International Botanical Congress in Shenzhen, China, in July 2017. Most significant was the decision to transfer decision-making on matters related only to the naming of fungi from International Botanical to International Mycological Congresses (IMCs). The rules relating to fungi are to be grouped together in a separate section of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN). The way in which the Fungal Nomenclature Session will operate at the upcoming IMC in Puerto Rico in 2018 is summarized and the timetable for new proposals is presented. In addition, approval for names included on lists of protected names to be protected against unlisted as well as known competing names were passed, as were some simplifications relating to the naming of pleomorphic fungi. From 1 January 2019, it will also be necessary to deposit details of lecto-, neo-, and epitypifications in one of the recognized repositories of fungal names in order for them to be validly published and to establish their priority. Various aspects relating to typifications were referred to a new Special Committee, with a separate Special Subcommittee charged with addressing the issue of using DNA sequences as types for all groups covered by the ICN. It is anticipated that the Shenzhen Code will be published in the first half of 2018.

RESUMEN

AIMS: The effect of feeding dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) or reduced-fat DDGS (RFDG) on ruminal methanogenesis and the rumen bacterial community of dairy cattle was evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Treatments were CONT, a diet with no distillers grains; DG, inclusion of 20% DDGS; rfDG, inclusion of 20% RFDG; and MIX, inclusion of 10% DDGS and 10% RFDG. Methane emission was measured; rumen bacterial community was evaluated by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Total methane production remained unaffected. However, feeding distillers grains tended to reduce methanogenesis per unit of feed intake, decreased the abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes and tended to increase Firmicutes. The abundance of Prevotellaceae positively correlated with feed intake; methane emission was positively correlated with the abundance of Prevotellaceae and was negatively correlated with the abundance of Succinivibrionaceae. CONCLUSIONS: DDGS or RFDG may reduce methanogenesis per unit of feed intake; shifts in the abundance of predominant ruminal bacterial families may influence methane formation, likely because of their role on hydrogen liberation and utilization pathways. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Replacing corn and soybean meal with DDGS or RFDG in dairy rations may reduce the proportion of dietary energy wasted as methane, without detrimental effects on the overall bacterial population.

Asunto(s)

Alimentación Animal/análisis , Bacterias/metabolismo , Metano/metabolismo , Rumen/microbiología , Animales , Bacterias/clasificación , Bacterias/genética , Bacterias/aislamiento & purificación , Biodiversidad , Bovinos/metabolismo , Bovinos/microbiología , Dieta/veterinaria , Grano Comestible/química , Grano Comestible/metabolismo , Grasas/análisis , Grasas/metabolismo , Femenino , Leche/metabolismo , Rumen/metabolismo , Glycine max/metabolismo , Zea mays/metabolismo

RESUMEN

Global modeling efforts indicate semiarid regions dominate the increasing trend and interannual variation of net CO2 exchange with the atmosphere, mainly driven by water availability. Many semiarid regions are expected to undergo climatic drying, but the impacts on net CO2 exchange are poorly understood due to limited semiarid flux observations. Here we evaluated 121 site-years of annual eddy covariance measurements of net and gross CO2 exchange (photosynthesis and respiration), precipitation, and evapotranspiration (ET) in 21 semiarid North American ecosystems with an observed range of 100 - 1000 mm in annual precipitation and records of 4-9 years each. In addition to evaluating spatial relationships among CO2 and water fluxes across sites, we separately quantified site-level temporal relationships, representing sensitivity to interannual variation. Across the climatic and ecological gradient, photosynthesis showed a saturating spatial relationship to precipitation, whereas the photosynthesis-ET relationship was linear, suggesting ET was a better proxy for water available to drive CO2 exchanges after hydrologic losses. Both photosynthesis and respiration showed similar site-level sensitivity to interannual changes in ET among the 21 ecosystems. Furthermore, these temporal relationships were not different from the spatial relationships of long-term mean CO2 exchanges with climatic ET. Consequently, a hypothetical 100-mm change in ET, whether short term or long term, was predicted to alter net ecosystem production (NEP) by 64 gCm(-2) yr(-1). Most of the unexplained NEP variability was related to persistent, site-specific function, suggesting prioritization of research on slow-changing controls. Common temporal and spatial sensitivity to water availability increases our confidence that site-level responses to interannual weather can be extrapolated for prediction of CO2 exchanges over decadal and longer timescales relevant to societal response to climate change.

Asunto(s)

Ciclo del Carbono , Cambio Climático , Sequías , Dióxido de Carbono/análisis , Clima Desértico , México , Fotosíntesis , Estaciones del Año , Sudoeste de Estados Unidos

RESUMEN

At small spatial and temporal scales, genetic differentiation is largely controlled by constraints on gene flow, while genetic diversity across a species' distribution is shaped on longer temporal and spatial scales. We assess the hypothesis that oceanographic transport and other seascape features explain different scales of genetic structure of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera. We followed a hierarchical approach to perform a microsatellite-based analysis of genetic differentiation in Macrocystis across its distribution in the northeast Pacific. We used seascape genetic approaches to identify large-scale biogeographic population clusters and investigate whether they could be explained by oceanographic transport and other environmental drivers. We then modelled population genetic differentiation within clusters as a function of oceanographic transport and other environmental factors. Five geographic clusters were identified: Alaska/Canada, central California, continental Santa Barbara, California Channel Islands and mainland southern California/Baja California peninsula. The strongest break occurred between central and southern California, with mainland Santa Barbara sites forming a transition zone between the two. Breaks between clusters corresponded approximately to previously identified biogeographic breaks, but were not solely explained by oceanographic transport. An isolation-by-environment (IBE) pattern was observed where the northern and southern Channel Islands clustered together, but not with closer mainland sites, despite the greater distance between them. The strongest environmental association with this IBE pattern was observed with light extinction coefficient, which extends suitable habitat to deeper areas. Within clusters, we found support for previous results showing that oceanographic connectivity plays an important role in the population genetic structure of Macrocystis in the Northern hemisphere.

Asunto(s)

Genética de Población , Macrocystis/genética , Alaska , California , Canadá , Ecosistema , Flujo Génico , Genotipo , México , Repeticiones de Microsatélite , Modelos Genéticos , Océano Pacífico , Filogeografía , Movimientos del Agua

RESUMEN

Hippidions were equids with very distinctive anatomical features. They lived in South America 2.5 million years ago (Ma) until their extinction approximately 10 000 years ago. The evolutionary origin of the three known Hippidion morphospecies is still disputed. Based on palaeontological data, Hippidion could have diverged from the lineage leading to modern equids before 10 Ma. In contrast, a much later divergence date, with Hippidion nesting within modern equids, was indicated by partial ancient mitochondrial DNA sequences. Here, we characterized eight Hippidion complete mitochondrial genomes at 3.4-386.3-fold coverage using target-enrichment capture and next-generation sequencing. Our dataset reveals that the two morphospecies sequenced (H. saldiasi and H. principale) formed a monophyletic clade, basal to extant and extinct Equus lineages. This contrasts with previous genetic analyses and supports Hippidion as a distinct genus, in agreement with palaeontological models. We date the Hippidion split from Equus at 5.6-6.5 Ma, suggesting an early divergence in North America prior to the colonization of South America, after the formation of the Panamanian Isthmus 3.5 Ma and the Great American Biotic Interchange.

Asunto(s)

ADN Mitocondrial/genética , Equidae/clasificación , Fósiles , Genoma Mitocondrial , Animales , Secuencia de Bases , Equidae/genética , Evolución Molecular , América del Norte , Filogenia , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , América del Sur

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to test the feasibility of an investigational dual-channel next-generation endorectal coil (NG-ERC) in vivo, to quantitatively assess signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and to get an impression of image quality compared with the current clinically available single-loop endorectal coil (ERC) for prostate magnetic resonance imaging at both 1.5 and 3 T. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was approved by the institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. In total, 8 consecutive patients with prostate cancer underwent a local staging magnetic resonance examination with the successive use of both coils in 1 session (4 patients at 1.5 T and 4 other patients at 3 T). Quantitative comparison of both coils was performed for the apex, mid-gland and base levels at both field strengths by calculating SNR profiles in the axial plane on an imaginary line in the anteroposterior direction perpendicular to the coil surface. Two radiologists independently assessed the image quality of the T2-weighted and apparent diffusion coefficient maps calculated from diffusion-weighted imaging using a 5-point scale. Improvement of geometric distortion on diffusion-weighted imaging with the use of parallel imaging was explored. Statistical analysis included a paired Wilcoxon signed rank test for SNR and image quality evaluation as well as κ statistics for interobserver agreement. RESULTS: No adverse events were reported. The SNR was higher for the NG-ERC compared with the ERC up to a distance of approximately 40 mm from the surface of the coil at 1.5 T (P < 0.0001 for the apex, the mid-gland, and the base) and approximately 17 mm (P = 0.015 at the apex level) and 30 mm at 3 T (P < 0.0001 for the mid-gland and base). Beyond this distance, the SNR profiles of both coils were comparable. Overall, T2-weighted image quality was considered better for NG-ERC at both field strengths. Quality of apparent diffusion coefficient maps with the use of parallel imaging was rated superior with the NG-ERC at 3 T. CONCLUSIONS: The investigational NG-ERC for prostate imaging outperforms the current clinically available ERC in terms of SNR and is feasible for continued development for future use as the next generation endorectal coil for prostate imaging in clinical practice.

Asunto(s)

Aumento de la Imagen/instrumentación , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética/instrumentación , Magnetismo/instrumentación , Neoplasias de la Próstata/patología , Transductores , Anciano , Diseño de Equipo , Análisis de Falla de Equipo , Estudios de Factibilidad , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Variaciones Dependientes del Observador , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Sensibilidad y Especificidad

RESUMEN

The present study assesses the population prevalence of DSM-IV disorders among native and immigrant children living in low socio-economic status (SES) inner-city neighborhoods in the Netherlands. In the first phase of a two-phase epidemiological design, teachers screened an ethnically diverse sample of 2041 children aged 6-10 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In the second phase, a subsample of 253 children was psychiatrically examined, while their parents were interviewed. In addition, teachers completed a short questionnaire about 10 DSM-IV items. Prevalence was estimated using the best-estimate diagnosis based on parent, child and teacher information. Projected to the total population, 11% of the children had one or more impairing psychiatric disorders, which did not differ between native and non-native children. In the total group a clear relationship was observed between the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and gender, parental psychopathology, peer problems and school problems, but not among all ethnic groups separately. This study suggests that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among non-treated minority and native children in low SES inner-city neighborhoods does not materially differ. However, associated mechanisms may be influenced by ethnicity.

Asunto(s)

Emigración e Inmigración , Etnicidad/psicología , Trastornos Mentales/etnología , Población Urbana/estadística & datos numéricos , Trastornos de Ansiedad/diagnóstico , Trastornos de Ansiedad/epidemiología , Trastornos de Ansiedad/etnología , Ansiedad de Separación/diagnóstico , Ansiedad de Separación/epidemiología , Ansiedad de Separación/etnología , Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/diagnóstico , Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/epidemiología , Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/etnología , Déficit de la Atención y Trastornos de Conducta Disruptiva/diagnóstico , Déficit de la Atención y Trastornos de Conducta Disruptiva/epidemiología , Déficit de la Atención y Trastornos de Conducta Disruptiva/etnología , Trastorno Bipolar/diagnóstico , Trastorno Bipolar/epidemiología , Trastorno Bipolar/etnología , Niño , Trastornos de la Conducta Infantil/diagnóstico , Trastornos de la Conducta Infantil/epidemiología , Trastornos de la Conducta Infantil/etnología , Trastorno de la Conducta/diagnóstico , Trastorno de la Conducta/epidemiología , Trastorno de la Conducta/etnología , Comparación Transcultural , Estudios Transversales , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/diagnóstico , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/epidemiología , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/etnología , Emigración e Inmigración/estadística & datos numéricos , Etnicidad/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Humanos , Control Interno-Externo , Masculino , Tamizaje Masivo , Trastornos Mentales/diagnóstico , Trastornos Mentales/epidemiología , Marruecos/etnología , Países Bajos , Determinación de la Personalidad , Factores Socioeconómicos , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/diagnóstico , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/epidemiología , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/etnología , Suriname/etnología , Turquía/etnología

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: First, to investigate whether non-Western children in the Netherlands are less likely to be treated for behavioral problems than Western children; second, to examine whether discrepancies in treatment status are related to differences in level of problem behavior and impairment. METHOD: The study included 2,185 children of the four largest ethnic groups in the Netherlands, namely, 684 Dutch, 702 Moroccan, 434 Turkish, and 365 Surinamese children from grades three to five of elementary school. Teachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and five DSM-IV items on externalizing problems. In addition, they provided information on the treatment status of the child. RESULTS: Moroccan boys displayed more problem behavior, Turkish boys less problem behavior, and Surinamese boys similar rates of problem behavior compared with Dutch boys. No difference in problem behavior was found between Western and non-Western girls. Adjusted for age, level of problem behavior, and impairment, Moroccan and Turkish children and Surinamese girls were less likely to receive treatment for problem behavior. CONCLUSIONS: The higher treatment thresholds of non-Western children compared with Western children in the Netherlands could not be explained by differences in level of problem behavior or impairment. Detection of behavioral problems in non-Western children should receive more attention.

Asunto(s)

Síntomas Conductuales/etnología , Síntomas Conductuales/terapia , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Marruecos/etnología , Países Bajos/epidemiología , Países Bajos/etnología , Oportunidad Relativa , Riesgo , Suriname/etnología , Turquía/etnología

RESUMEN

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) plays a key role in orchestrating the complex events involved in inflammation and immune response. The presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the promoter region of the TNFa gene has been associated with a number of diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of polymorphisms at positions -238 (G/A) and -308 (G/A) at the TNFalpha promoter, and its association to the outcome of different clinical forms of leprosy. Furthermore, the bacteriological index (BI) was evaluated among genotyped multibacillary (MB) patients in order to investigate the possible influence of each polymorphism on the bacterial load. This study included a total of 631 leprosy patients being 401 MB and 230 paucibacillary (PB), that was further separated according to its ethnicity (Afro- and Euro-Brazilians). The combination of SNPs in haplotypes generated three different arrangements: TNFG-G, TNFG-A and TNFA-G. In spite of the marked differences observed in the frequency of the haplotypes along the ethnic groups, no statistical differences were observed in haplotype frequencies between MB and PB patients. The BI analyses showed a lower bacteriological index among the -308 carriers, while the BI of the -238 carriers was higher. Although no significance has been achieved in this analysis regarding the influence of the polymorphisms to the development of the clinical outcome, it seems that in a different stage (among the MB patients) the polymorphisms could contribute to the degree of severity observed.

Asunto(s)

Lepra/genética , Mycobacterium leprae/crecimiento & desarrollo , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/genética , Población Negra , Brasil , ADN/química , ADN/genética , Femenino , Haplotipos , Humanos , Lepra/inmunología , Lepra/microbiología , Masculino , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas , Análisis de Regresión , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/inmunología , Población Blanca

RESUMEN

The frequency of five different single nucleotide polymorphisms of the promoter interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene (-3575, -2849, 2763, -1082, -819) was compared between two healthy populations, one originating from the Netherlands and one from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 321 Caucasian Dutch individuals and 293 Brazilians, grouped as Afro-Brazilians and Euro-Brazilians, were genotyped using PCR-RFLP. The frequencies of the genotypes in the Brazilian population were different (P<0.05) from the frequencies in the Dutch population in all but one (-2763) genotype. The comparison of genotype frequencies between Afro- and Euro-Brazilians did not demonstrate any differences. The haplotype combination of the most-distant three polymorphisms showed strong linkage disequilibrium. All eight possible combinations were observed in Brazilians, but only seven in Dutch Caucasians. The haplotype frequencies were also significantly different between Brazilians when compared with Dutch and also between Euro-Brazilians and Dutch. No differences were observed in haplotype frequencies between Afro-Brazilians and Euro-Brazilians. The -3575T/-2849G/-2763C is more frequent, while the AAA haplotype was much less represented in the Brazilian than in the Dutch population. The haplotype TAC, which was described in African-Americans, was observed only in Brazilians, almost exclusively among those of European origin. The results corroborate the data indicating that the Brazilian population exhibits a genetic admixture of Africans, Europeans, and Amerindians, and the data may serve as a background for clinical and immunological studies involving the IL-10 locus.

Asunto(s)

Interleucina-10/genética , África/etnología , Alelos , Brasil , Etnicidad/genética , Europa (Continente)/etnología , Femenino , Frecuencia de los Genes , Genotipo , Haplotipos , Humanos , Masculino , Mutación , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas , España

RESUMEN

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms within the genes coding for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-10 have been associated with several infectious diseases. To determine whether such polymorphisms are associated with leprosy, genotyping was performed at the -308 and -238 positions of the promoter of the TNF-alpha gene in 210 and 191 patients with multibacillary (MB) leprosy, respectively; 90 and 79 patients with paucibacillary (PB) leprosy; and 92 control subjects. For the -592 and -819 positions within the promoter of the IL-10 gene, 143 patients with MB leprosy, 79 patients with PB leprosy, and 62 control subjects were included in the analysis. TNF2 allele frequency was significantly higher among control subjects than among all patients with leprosy or in the MB group (P<.05 and P<.01). For the IL-10 gene, the frequency of the homozygous -819TT genotype was significantly higher among patients than among control subjects. These data indicate that a relationship exists between TNF-alpha and IL-10 promoter polymorphisms and the development of PB leprosy.

Asunto(s)

Interleucina-10/genética , Lepra/genética , Polimorfismo Genético , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/genética , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Alelos , Femenino , Frecuencia de los Genes , Humanos , Interleucina-10/metabolismo , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/metabolismo

RESUMEN

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms within the genes coding for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-10 have been associated with several infectious diseases. To determine whether such polymorphisms are associated with leprosy, genotyping was performed at the -308 and -238 positions of the promoter of the TNF-alpha gene in 210 and 191 patients with multibacillary (MB) leprosy, respectively; 90 and 79 patients with paucibacillary (PB) leprosy; and 92 control subjects. For the -592 and -819 positions within the promoter of the IL-10 gene, 143 patients with MB leprosy, 79 patients with PB leprosy, and 62 control subjects were included in the analysis. TNF2 allele frequency was significantly higher among control subjects than among all patients with leprosy or in the MB group (P smaller.05 and P smaller.01). For the IL-10 gene, the frequency of the homozygous -819TT genotype was significantly higher among patients than among control subjects. These data indicate that a relationship exists between TNF-alpha and IL-10 promoter polymorphisms and the development of PB leprosy.

Asunto(s)

Masculino , Femenino , Humanos , Adulto , Persona de Mediana Edad , Anciano , Adolescente , Alelos , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa , Frecuencia de los Genes , Lepra , Polimorfismo Genético , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas

RESUMEN

The physical growth of children under 5 years of age was studied in relation to patterns of nutrition, morbidity, and health care utilization in three remote villages of tropical Ecuador. Age-specific comparisons of height and weight to growth curves from reference populations (US National Child Health Survey) indicated moderate to severe stunting in the population of male and female children. Examination of height-weight relationships as a measure of recent nutritional status provided little evidence that male children were underweight for their height. However, the observation that female children fell between the 3rd and 50th centile channels of the reference population in their height-weight relationship suggested moderate wasting in addition to substantial stunting. Endemic parasitism and a high rate of diarrheal illnesses were detected in the study population and were likely contributing agents to the stunting observed in male and female children. No dichotomy in the incidence of diarrhea was detected between male and female children, and if the episode was mild it was typical not to treat the illness, regardless of sex. In more severe cases, female children were more frequently taken to traditional healers. However, when familial self-treatment or local clinics were used, male children were more likely to be the beneficiary. Thus it seems possible that this advantage, along with the cultural practice of investing more of the family's resources in male children, may be responsible for the wasting detected in young females. Tropical conditions, chronic undernutrition, compromised cellular immunity, and inadequate health care services were likely causes of the high morbidity and mortality of children under age 5. Community-based programs of health promotion and disease prevention appear to offer the best potential as intervention strategies in these villages.