BackgroundPeru is what Peruvian anthropologist Lupe Camino calls the “health axis” of the old Central Andean culture area stretching from Ecuador to Bolivia. In particular in the North of the country the traditional use of medicinal dates back as far as the first millennium B.C. Both healers, and the wider population, often buy their medicinal plants in local markets, but there is very little comparative information available about which plants are sold under which vernacular name at any given time, for which indication, and which dosage information and information about side effects is given by vendors. For this study we used two traditionally used species groups “Hercampuri” Gentianella spec. (Gentianaceae) and “Pasuchaca” Geranium spec. (Geraniaceae.), found in the Mercado Aviación in Lima, as small, clearly circumscribed plant group frequently used to treat symptoms of diabetes as a test case to study the taxonomy, indications, dosage, indicated side effects, and additional species used as admixtures and hypothesized that: 1. A wide variety of different species is sold under the same common name, and often several common names exist for one species. 2. There is no consistency in the dosage, or a relationship between dosage and species marketed under one name. 3. However, there is consistency in the knowledge about usage and side effects.MethodsSurveys focusing on medicinal plants sold and their properties were conducted at the Mercado Aviación in Lima in December 2012. Vouchers of all specimens were deposited at the National Herbarium of Peru.Results and conclusionsOur surveys in Mercado Aviación in Lima yielded four species of Gentianella, two of Geranium, and three additional species from three genera used as common additives that were sold as anti-diabetic. These results indicate that even in case of only a few plant species, used for a very clearly circumscribed application, patients run a considerable risk when purchasing their remedies in the market. The possible side effects in this case are the more serious because diabetes has to be treated long term, and as such the patients are ingesting possible toxic remedies over a long period of time. Much more control, and a much more stringent identification of the material sold in public markets, and entering the global supply chain via internet sales, would be needed.

The tropical Andes are a biodiversity hotspot, partly due to their rich and complex floristic composition. A fundamental question regarding this outstanding biodiversity is what role the Andean orogeny has played in species diversification. Ceroxylon is a genus of endemic Andean palms that stands out in the palm family (Arecaceae) due to its adaptation to cold, mountainous environments. Here, we reconstruct the biogeography and climatic preference of this lineage to test the hypothesis that Andean uplift allowed diversification by providing suitable habitats along climatic and elevational gradients. Ancestral areas were reconstructed under a model allowing for founder-event speciation and climatic niches were inferred from climatic variables at present-day occurrences of all species. Niche evolution in a phylogenetic framework was evaluated by testing differences between the climatic niches of clades. Our analyses identified four main clades, with a general pattern of diversification through geographical colonization from south to north after the Pliocene uplift of the northern Andes. Adaptation to low temperatures was conserved at the generic level, with climatic niche differentiation among clades along elevational temperature gradients. We conclude that the Neogene Andean uplift has facilitated the diversification of this iconic plant group via opportunities for geographical migration and separation within its climatic niche.

In this paper, the Natural Element Method (NEM) together with the alpha shapes and some extra numerical procedures are used in the simulation of hollow profiles, emphasizing on the simulation of the welding lines. Numerical results are compared with experimental ones, checking the accuracy of the method.

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ResumenEl factor de necrosis tumoral (TNF) es un importante mediador de las reacciones inflamatorias y parece jugar un rol central en la patogénesis de varias enfermedades inflamatorias crónicas incluyendo la periodontitis. Se ha demostrado que existen diferentes tasas de síntesis de TNF alfa in vitro e in vivo entre los individuos, por lo que puede asociarse con la presencia de cierto polimorfismo genético. El presente estudio tiene la finalidad de estudiar el grado de polimorfismo del gen TNF-alfa (-308G/A) en una muestra de pacientes peruanos adultos y analizar la relación con los procesos periodontales severos. Para el estudio se colectaron 81 muestras de sangre con anticoagulante EDTA de personas comprendidas entre 25 y 52 años (promedio 47.5 ± 7.4). De los cuales 11 son de personas con procesos periodontales severos (promedio 35.2 ± 2.3). Se encontró una frecuencia mayor del genotipo GG (alelo G para el gen TNF-alfa-308) del 82.86% en personas sanas y 63.63% en personas con procesos periodontales. Mientras que el genotipo AA (alelo A para el gen TNF-alfa-308) que se relaciona a un mayor incremento de síntesis de TNF-alfa, fue de 18.8%, siendo un valor no muy significativo según la prueba chi-cuadrado. Los resultados están de acuerdo a algunos trabajos que encuentran asociación directa entre el polimorfismo del gen TNF-alfa con los procesos periodontales, pero no con otros que si lo asocian. Dado que la periodontitis es considerada una enfermedad multifactorial se discute el polimorfismo de TNF-alfa -308 (G/A) en pacientes peruanos. AbstractThe tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is an important mediator of the inflammatory reactions; it seems to play a central roll in the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases including the periodontitis. It has been demonstrated that different rates exist from TNF alpha in vitro and in vivo between the individuals, so it can be associated with the presence of certain genetic polymorphism. The purpose of this investigation is to study the degree of polymorphism of the gene TNF-alpha (-308G/A) in samples of adult Peruvian patients and analyze the relationship with periodontal processes. For the study 81 blood samples with anticoagulant EDTA of people between 25 and 52 years were collected (47,5 average ± 7,4). 11 of them were people who had severe periodontal processes (average 35,2 ± 2,3). There was a greater frequency of genotype GG (G alele for the gene TNF-alpha-308) of the 82,86% in healthy people and 63,63% in people with periodontal processes. While the genotype AA (A alele for the gene TNF-alpha-308) that is related to a greater increase of TNF-alpha synthesis, was of 18,8%, this value was not very significant according to the chi-square test. The results are according to some works that find direct association between the polymorphism of the gene TNF-alpha with the periodontal processes, but not with others that do associate it. Since the periodontitis is considered a multifactorial disease the polymorphism of TNF-alpha -308 (G/A) in Peruvian patients is dis...