How diverse are the mountain karst forests of Mexico?

Tropical forests on karstic relief (tropical karst forest) are among the most species-rich biomes. These forests play pivotal roles as global climate regulators and for human wellbeing. Their long-term conservation could be central to global climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation.

, an extraordinary new species of Annonaceae with flagelliflory.

Flagelliflory refers to the production of inflorescences exclusively on long, whip-like branches which emerge from the main trunk and extend along the ground or below it. It is the rarest type of cauliflory and only a few cases have been reported in the world. Here, a new species of Annonaceae with flagelliflory is described and illustrated.

Seed predation and potential seed dispersers of the narrow endemic (Zamiaceae).

In this study, we report the observation of potential seed dispersers of the endemic to Mexico and narrowly distributed (Zamiaceae). Camera traps were installed in front of two plants of and cone phenology until their maturity and disintegration was determined. The female cone of has a development of ten months, from the time it emerges until it disintegrates.

Historical and projected changes in hydrological and sediment connectivity under climate change in a tropical catchment of Mexico.

Hydrological and erosion dynamics are prone to change due to natural factors, human activities, or climate change. These changes are mainly related to modifications of land use and cover and can be assessed through the concept of connectivity, which analyzes how the spatial distribution of the elements facilitates runoff and sediment transport. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in hydrological and sediment connectivity over 42 years and projected under a climate change scenario in the tropical Santa Cruz catchment in Aquismón, S.

Association between physical activity and physical and functional performance in non-institutionalized Mexican older adults: a cohort study.

Background: Aging is an independent risk factor for deterioration in functional capacity. Some studies have reported that physical activity (PA) improves functional capacity and physical performance among older adults (OA). Thus the objective of the present study was to assess the longitudinal association between PA and functional and physical performance in non-institutionalized OA.

The Influence of Cannabis and Alcohol Use on Sexuality: An Observational Study in Young People (18-30 Years).

The consumption of cannabis and alcohol results in a variety of effects on the psychic functions of young users. Notwithstanding their widespread and prevalent use, the impact of these drugs on sexual health remains unknown. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyse the influence of alcohol and cannabis consumption on sexual function in young people.

The effects of a high-intensity exercise bout on landing biomechanics post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a quasi-experimental study.

Background: We aimed to examine the effect of a high-intensity exercise bout on landing biomechanics in soccer players who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and non-injured soccer players during a soccer-specific landing maneuver.

Methods: Eighteen soccer players who underwent ACLR and 18 normal soccer players were enrolled in this investigation (ACLR group; age, 26.11 ± 3.

Taxonomic updates in (Bignoniaceae): A new Mexican species and the re-establishment of the giant-leaved .

In this study, we analyzed the morphological affinities of the 24 species of based on detailed morphological studies and multivariate cluster analyses. Our results suggest that the genus includes six morphological groups that can be easily distinguished based on floral and fruits characteristics: group, group, group, group, group, and group. A new species from Mexico, , is described.

Connectivity and hydrological efficiency dynamics at active volcanoes, Mexico.

Connectivity is an emergent property that describes how complex topography favors or impedes sediment transfer processes. In active volcanic areas, high connectivity may lead to extremely efficient processes, such as lahars. The aim of the present study is to examine the behavior (activation-deactivation) of sub-basins affected by volcanic and anthropogenic processes by studying the changes in connectivity and hydrological efficiency.

The Contribution of Astrocyte Autophagy to Systemic Metabolism.

Autophagy is an essential mechanism to maintain cellular homeostasis. Besides its role in controlling the quality of cytoplasmic components, it participates in nutrient obtaining and lipid mobilization under stressful conditions. Furthermore, autophagy is involved in the regulation of systemic metabolism as its blockade in hypothalamic neurons can affect the central regulation of metabolism and impact body energy balance.

Sex differences and gonadal hormone regulation of brain cardiolipin, a key mitochondrial phospholipid.

Cardiolipin (CL) is a phospholipid that is almost exclusively located in the inner mitochondrial membrane of eukaryotic cells. As a result of its unique structure and distribution, CL establishes non-covalent bonds with a long list of proteins involved in ATP production, mitochondria biogenesis, mitophagy and apoptosis. Thus, the amount of CL, as well as its fatty acid composition and location, strongly impacts upon mitochondrial-dependent functions and therefore the metabolic homeostasis of different tissues.

Ups and downs: Genetic differentiation among populations of the Podocarpus (Podocarpaceae) species in Mesoamerica.

The biogeographical history of Mesoamerican cloud forests is complex, encompassing a diverse and heterogeneous mixture of species with temperate and tropical origins. The dynamic geological landscape and climate change from the Miocene to the Pleistocene affected the distributions and composition of cloud forests in the region, and contributed to divergence events at different time scales. We assessed genetic variation of 29 populations of P.

Notch signaling in astrocytes mediates their morphological response to an inflammatory challenge.

In the nervous system, Notch pathway has a prominent role in the control of neuronal morphology and in the determination of the astrocyte fate. However, the role of Notch in morphological astrocyte plasticity is unknown. Here, we have explored the role of Notch activity on the morphological reactivity of primary astrocytes in response to LPS, an inflammatory stimulus.

Landing Styles Influences Reactive Strength Index without Increasing Risk for Injury.

The aim was to determine which three landing styles - stiff (ST), self-selected (SS), or soft (SF) - exhibit safer landing mechanics and greater jumping performance. Thirty participants (age: 26.5±5.

Changes in connectivity and hydrological efficiency following wildland fires in Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico.

Fire modifies soil surface, and hence soil hydrological properties change after wildland fires. High fire severity causes partial or total removal of vegetation, reduction of soil aggregate stability and increased water repellency, which are associated with high runoff and erosion. The spatial connection among these runoff sources is an important factor to consider when evaluating fire-induced changes on hillslope and catchment hydrology, as fire generates connected areas of bare soil, which may increase hydrological connectivity and hence post-fire runoff and erosion.

[Breast tuberculosis: a case report].

We present a case of mastitis in a 45-year-old woman with no history of infection in other areas of the body, with unspecific clinical picture, imaging studies, and bacilloscopy. However, histological samples obtained by aspiration showed giant epithelial cells, necrosis, and granulomatous formations, which justified a clinical inclination toward tuberculosis. In the absence of confirmatory evidence of any lesions in other tissues, the existence of mastitis of torpid evolution is a clinical indication to suspect mammary tuberculosis, since the characteristics of the process usually lead to erroneous diagnoses with other breast tumors such as cancer.

Lipotoxic Effects of Palmitic Acid on Astrocytes Are Associated with Autophagy Impairment.

Obesity is associated with an increase in the brain levels of saturated free fatty acids, such as palmitic acid (PA). Previous studies have shown that PA exerts proinflammatory actions and reduces cell viability in astrocyte cultures. In this study, we have assessed whether an alteration in autophagy is involved in the effects of PA on astrocytes.

A jungle tale: Molecular phylogeny and divergence time estimates of the Desmopsis-Stenanona clade (Annonaceae) in Mesoamerica.

The predominantly Asian tribe Miliuseae (Annonaceae) includes over 37 Neotropical species that are mainly distributed across Mesoamerica, from southern Mexico to northern Colombia. The tremendous ecological and morphological diversity of this clade, including ramiflory, cauliflory, flagelliflory, and clonality, suggests adaptive radiation. Despite the spectacular phenotypic divergence of this clade, little is known about its phylogenetic and evolutionary history.

Reactive navigation in extremely dense and highly intricate environments.

Reactive navigation is a well-known paradigm for controlling an autonomous mobile robot, which suggests making all control decisions through some light processing of the current/recent sensor data. Among the many advantages of this paradigm are: 1) the possibility to apply it to robots with limited and low-priced hardware resources, and 2) the fact of being able to safely navigate a robot in completely unknown environments containing unpredictable moving obstacles. As a major disadvantage, nevertheless, the reactive paradigm may occasionally cause robots to get trapped in certain areas of the environment-typically, these conflicting areas have a large concave shape and/or are full of closely-spaced obstacles.

Developmental Sex Differences in the Metabolism of Cardiolipin in Mouse Cerebral Cortex Mitochondria.

Cardiolipin (CL) is a mitochondrial-specific phospholipid. CL content and acyl chain composition are crucial for energy production. Given that estradiol induces CL synthesis in neurons, we aimed to assess CL metabolism in the cerebral cortex (CC) of male and female mice during early postnatal life, when sex steroids induce sex-dimorphic maturation of the brain.

Phylogenetic analyses and morphological characteristics support the description of a second species of (Annonaceae).

Based on phylogenetic and morphological evidence, Escobar-Castellanos & Ortiz-Rodr., . (Annonaceae), a new species from the karst forest of southern Mexico, is described and illustrated.

4'-Chlorodiazepam modulates the development of primary hippocampal neurons in a sex-dependent manner.

The translocator protein 18kDa (TSPO) is located in the outer mitochondrial membrane and is involved in the cholesterol transport into the mitochondria and in the regulation of steroidogenesis and other mitochondrial functions. It is known that steroid hormones, such as estradiol, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone are neuroprotective and regulate neuritogenesis in the CNS by different mechanisms. However, the developmental effects of TSPO ligands in the CNS are not known.

Oestradiol synthesized by female neurons generates sex differences in neuritogenesis.

Testosterone produced by the foetal testis is converted by male neurons to oestradiol, which masculinizes neuronal morphology. Female neurons are known to synthesize oestradiol in absence of exogenous testosterone. However, the role of neuronal oestradiol on the differentiation of foetal female neurons is unknown.

A new species of Amphitecna (Bignoniaceae) endemic to Chiapas, Mexico.

Amphitecna loreae Ortiz-Rodr. & Burelo, sp. nov.