Experimentació amb grans primats

Treball presentat a l'assignatura de Deontologia i Veterinària Legal (21223

Tourist development and efficient water management. An opportunity for sustainable tourism in the Costa Brava (Girona)

La solución a la crisis económica actual pasa por el establecimiento de un nuevo paradigma de gestión sostenible de los recursos. El turismo depende de la disponibilidad de agua, de la misma manera que el agua condiciona los usos que el turista hace del territorio. Las restricciones de agua o la falta de la misma pueden afectar la imagen de los destinos turísticos, perjudicando su desarrollo socioeconómico. Sin embargo, los distintos episodios de sequías acaecidos en los últimos años en el litoral mediterráneo peninsular y las predicciones climáticas, señalan que estos fenómenos serán cada vez más recurrentes y muestran claramente la necesidad de introducir cambios sustanciales en las estrategias de gestión de los recursos hídricos. La sostenibilidad económica, social y ambiental del turismo debe acompañarse de una gestión eficiente de los recursos hídricos. El objetivo del presente artículo es determinar cuáles son los factores relacionados con la oferta turística que determinan el consumo de agua en la Costa Brava (Girona). La hipótesis inicial de este trabajo parte de que el consumo de agua viene determinado no sólo por el número de usuarios conectados a la red de suministro sino que es necesario tener en cuenta otros aspectos sociales y territoriales como la tipología urbano turística para comprender y mejorar la gestión del agua en los municipios turísticos del litoral mediterráneo.The establishment of a new paradigm of sustainable resource management must be one of the solutions to the current economic crisis. Tourism depends on the availability of water, in the same way that water determines the uses that tourists develop on the territory. Water restrictions, or the lack of water, can affect the image of tourist destinations, damaging their socioeconomic development. However, the different episodes of drought occurred in recent years in the peninsular Mediterranean coastline and climate predictions, which indicate that these phenomena will increase, clearly show the need for substantial changes in management strategies of water resources. The economic, social and environmental sustainability of tourism should be accompanied by an efficient management of water resources. The main goal of this work is to identify the factors related to tourism that determine water consumption in the Costa Brava (Girona). The hypothesis is that not only the number of users connected to the water supply network determines water consumption. Actually, it is necessary to consider other social and territorial aspects for understanding and improving water management in tourist municipalities over the Mediterranean coast

Adaptació cinematogràfica de l'obra teatral Els Tres porquets : uneix-te a l'aventura

Projecte audiovisual que consisteix en l'adaptació cinematogràfica de l'obra de teatre infantil Els Tres porquets: uneix-te a l'aventura, exhibida a Sabadell i Barcelona durant el 2013. És un treball individual que forma part d'un projecte col·lectiu tutoritzat per la professora Belén Monclús. Es complementa amb el Treball de Fi de Grau d'Albert Gorina, que és un projecte que adapta la mateixa obra al mitjà televisiu.Proyecto audiovisual que consiste en la adaptación cinematográfica de la obra de teatro infantil Els Tres porquets: uneix-te a l'aventura, exhibida en Sabadell y Barcelona durante el 2013. Es un trabajo individual que forma parte de un proyecto colectivo tutorizado por la profesora Belén Monclús. Se complementa con el Trabajo de Fin de Grado de Albert Gorina, que es un proyecto que adapta la misma obra al medio televisivo.Audiovisual project consisting in the film adaptation of the play Els Tres porquets: uneix-te a l'aventura, illustrated in Sabadell and Barcelona during 2013. It is an individual project which is part of a collective project supervised by Professor Belén Monclús. The project is complemented with Albert Gorina's Final Degree Project, which adapts the same play to television

Environmentally driven transcriptomic and metabolic changes leading to color differences in “Golden Reinders” apples

Apple is characterized by its high adaptation to diverse growing environments. However, little is still known about how different environments can regulate at the metabolic or molecular level specific apple quality traits such as the yellow fruit peel color. In this study, changes in carotenoids and chlorophylls, antioxidants as well as differences in the transcriptome were investigated by comparing the peel of “Golden Reinders” apples grown at different valley and mountain orchards. Mountain environment favored the development of yellow color, which was not caused by an enhanced accumulation of carotenoids but rather by a decrease in the chlorophyll content. The yellow phenotype was also associated to higher expression of genes related to chloroplast functions and oxidative stress. Time-course analysis over the last stages of apple development and ripening, in fruit from both locations, further revealed that the environment differentially modulated isoprenoids and phenylpropanoid metabolism and pointed out a key role for H2O2 in triggering apple peel degreening. Overall, the results presented herein provide new insights into how different environmental conditions regulate pigment and antioxidant metabolism in apple leading to noticeable differences in the apple peel colorinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Switching from a protease inhibitor-based regimen to a dolutegravir-based regimen : a randomized clinical trial to determine the effect on peripheral blood and ileum biopsies from antiretroviral therapy-suppressed human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals

Background: Optimization of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) can impact the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoir. We evaluated the effect on the HIV reservoir in peripheral blood and ileum biopsies in patients switching from boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r)-based therapy to dolutegravir (DTG)-based therapy. Methods: Impact of Integrase-inhibitor DOlutegravir On the viral Reservoir (INDOOR) is a phase 4 open-label clinical trial that randomly included 42 HIV type 1-infected individuals on effective cART: 20 who switched from PI/r-based to DTG-based cART (switch group), and 22 who remained in PI/r-based regimens (control group). We analyzed blood and ileum biopsies to quantify episomal, total, and integrated HIV DNA, cell-associated HIV RNA, residual plasma viremia, T-cell subsets, cell activation, and inflammation markers. Results: There were no related adverse events or treatment discontinuations due to drug intolerance. The HIV reservoir was consistently larger in ileal than in peripheral CD4(+) T cells in both groups (P <.01). Residual viremia in plasma decreased in the switch group (P =.03). However, we did not observe significant longitudinal changes in low-level viral replication, total and integrated HIV reservoir, HIV transcription, T-cell maturation subsets, immunoactivation markers, inflammatory soluble proteins, or cellular markers of latently infected cells. Conclusions: The INDOOR study is the first evaluation of changes in HIV reservoir size in ileum biopsies and in peripheral blood in individuals switched from PI/r- to DTG-based cART. Although this switch was safe and well tolerated, it had no impact on a large array of immunological and inflammatory markers or on HIV reservoir markers in peripheral or in ileal CD4(+) T cells

Hypatia I: a multi-generational and multi-disciplinary crew of female analog astronauts dedicated to space research, scientific outreach, and promotion of female role models in space careers

The low representation of women (~33%) in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers is extremely concerning and cultivates male-dominant cultures across a variety of academic and professional disciplines. In Spain, only 39% of national projects are led by women, thus evidencing the so-called “leaking pipeline”, that is, the tendency of women and other underrepresented groups to eventually abandon STEM-related fields. This social disequilibrium is particularly strong in the international space sector, where women represent less than ~20% of the workforce. The Hypatia I mission —a multi-generational and multi-disciplinary crew of 9 female scientists— seeks to help address this problem. In April 2023, the Hypatia I crew will participate in a two-week Martian analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station (Utah, United States) with the goal of (i) performing high-quality space-related research in a simulation environment, (ii) conducting outreach and science communication activities, and most importantly, (iii) promoting female role models in STEM-related fields and inspiring future generations of scientists, particularly young girls interested in space career

A combined strategy involving Sanger and 454 pyrosequencing increases genomic resources to aid in the management of reproduction, disease control and genetic selection in the turbot (Scophtalmus maximus)

Background Genomic resources for plant and animal species that are under exploitation primarily for human consumption are increasingly important, among other things, for understanding physiological processes and for establishing adequate genetic selection programs. Current available techniques for high-throughput sequencing have been implemented in a number of species, including fish, to obtain a proper description of the transcriptome. The objective of this study was to generate a comprehensive transcriptomic database in turbot, a highly priced farmed fish species in Europe, with potential expansion to other areas of the world, for which there are unsolved production bottlenecks, to understand better reproductive- and immune-related functions. This information is essential to implement marker assisted selection programs useful for the turbot industry [...]

Satisfacción laboral y COVID-19: el caso del sector de los cruceros

Tourism sector labour market is normally a subject of discussion due to the characteristics of the sector, which involves long hours of work and low wages, resulting in unsatisfied workers and a high level of turnover. The main objective of this work is to know the level of approval of the employee experience in the cruise sector and how it has changed after the pandemic of COVID-19. It also looks at the motivations of cruise ship employees. In addition, it is aimed to know the existence in this sense of differences between employees based on their origin, job position, salary and other relevant variables. The methodology used in the research combines quantitative analysis statistics based on a survey to employees who work on cruise ships for long periods, and qualitative analysis through semi-structured face to face interviews to workers at the time of disembarking at the port. Results show that, in general, employees are satisfied, including satisfaction towards the pandemics management. However, there are some elements that need to be improved, as they highlight the low wages and the difficult working conditions on cruise ships, since 70.36% of workers remain on board for more than 7 months, 93.21% work 7 days per week and 87.14% work more than 9 hours a day. It is concluded that the cruise industry needs to implement reforms in the working conditions in order to improve and optimize the employee experience. It’s relevant that, especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic, procedures and protocols have been implemented and have been useful to improve this situation.El empleo en el sector turístico es habitualmente objeto de debate, ya que se caracteriza por una elevada intensidad horaria y bajas remuneraciones, lo que, a menudo, origina empleados insatisfechos y una alta rotación. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es conocer el nivel de satisfacción de la experiencia de empleado en el sector cruceros y cómo se ha modificado tras la pandemia de COVID-19. También analiza las motivaciones que tienen los empleados de cruceros. Además, se pretende conocer la existencia en este sentido de diferencias entre empleados en función de su origen, puesto de trabajo, nivel salarial y otras variables relevantes. La metodología empleada combina análisis cuantitativo, a partir de una encuesta a empleados a bordo de cruceros durante largas temporadas, y análisis cualitativo, realizado sobre los resultados de entrevistas semiestructuradas a trabajadores de forma presencial en el momento de desembarcar en puerto. Los resultados indican que, en general, los empleados del sector se muestran satisfechos, incluida la gestión de la pandemia. No obstante, existen elementos a mejorar, pues advierten de los bajos salarios y de la dureza de las condiciones laborales en los cruceros, ya que el 70,36% de los trabajadores permanecen embarcados más de 7 meses, el 93,21% trabajan los 7 días de la semana y el 87,14% realizan jornadas de más de 9 horas. Se concluye que el sector debería realizar reformas en las condiciones laborales para mejorar la experiencia de empleado. Resulta relevante que, precisamente a causa de la pandemia de COVID-19, se han implementado procedimientos y protocolos que han servido para mejorarla

A combined strategy involving Sanger and 454 pyrosequencing increases genomic resources to aid in the management of reproduction, disease control and genetic selection in the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)

Background: Genomic resources for plant and animal species that are under exploitation primarily for human consumption are increasingly important, among other things, for understanding physiological processes and for establishing adequate genetic selection programs. Current available techniques for high-throughput sequencing have been implemented in a number of species, including fish, to obtain a proper description of the transcriptome. The objective of this study was to generate a comprehensive transcriptomic database in turbot, a highly priced farmed fish species in Europe, with potential expansion to other areas of the world, for which there are unsolved production bottlenecks, to understand better reproductive- and immune-related functions. This information is essential to implement marker assisted selection programs useful for the turbot industry. Results: Expressed sequence tags were generated by Sanger sequencing of cDNA libraries from different immunerelated tissues after several parasitic challenges. The resulting database (“Turbot 2 database”) was enlarged with sequences generated from a 454 sequencing run of brain-hypophysis-gonadal axis-derived RNA obtained from turbot at different development stages. The assembly of Sanger and 454 sequences generated 52,427 consensus sequences (“Turbot 3 database”), of which 23,661 were successfully annotated. A total of 1,410 sequences were confirmed to be related to reproduction and key genes involved in sex differentiation and maturation were identified for the first time in turbot (AR, AMH, SRY-related genes, CYP19A, ZPGs, STAR FSHR, etc.). Similarly, 2,241 sequences were related to the immune system and several novel key immune genes were identified (BCL, TRAF, NCK, CD28 and TOLLIP, among others). The number of genes of many relevant reproduction- and immune-related pathways present in the database was 50–90% of the total gene count of each pathway. In addition, 1,237 microsatellites and 7,362 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were also compiled. Further, 2,976 putative natural antisense transcripts (NATs) including microRNAs were also identified Conclusions: The combined sequencing strategies employed here significantly increased the turbot genomic resources available, including 34,400 novel sequences. The generated database contains a larger number of genes relevant for reproduction- and immune-associated studies, with an excellent coverage of most genes present in many relevant physiological pathways. This database also allowed the identification of many microsatellites and SNP markers that will be very useful for population and genome screening and a valuable aid in marker assisted selection programs.The current work was granted by the Spanish Government thanks to a Consolider Project (Project Aquagenomics, ref. CDS2007-0002) and to projects AGL2006-13158-C03 and AGL2009-13282-C01 and C02. LR was supported by an Aquagenomics postdoctoral contract and BGP was supported by an Isidro Parga Pondal research fellowship from the Xunta de Galicia (Spain).S

COVID-19 Follow-App. Mobile App-Based Monitoring of COVID-19 Patients after Hospital Discharge: A Single-Center, Open-Label, Randomized Clinical Trial

COVID-19; App; PneumoniaCOVID-19; App; PneumòniaCOVID-19; App; NeumoníaIntroduction: In the midst of a pandemic, apps can be used to provide close follow-up, ensure that patients are monitored at home, avoid excessive pressure on medical facilities, prevent the movement of people (both patients and health professionals), and reduce the risk of infection. Objective: To adapt and validate the use of a smartphone application for outpatient follow-up of COVID-19 patients after hospital discharge. Methods: We conducted an open-label clinical trial at Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, Spain. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to be followed by the Farmalarm app or by their primary care center. The primary endpoint was the reduction in the need for in-person return visits. Results: From 31 March to 4 May 2020, 150 patients were enrolled in the study at hospital discharge: 74 patients were randomized to the experimental group, and 76 to the control group. All patients in the control group and all except for six in the experimental group completed the study. During hospitalization, before study inclusion, all but 4 (97.3%) had viral pneumonia, 91 (60.7%) required supplemental oxygen, and 16 (10.7%) required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. COVID-19–related return visits to the emergency department were significantly higher in the control group (7.9% vs. 0%; p = 0.028) in the per-protocol analysis. Telephone consultations with the emergency department were performed by 12 (15.8%) patients in the control group and 0 (0%) in the experimental group (p < 0.001). Satisfaction with outpatient monitoring was rated higher by the experimental group (5 vs. 4 points; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Following COVID-19 hospital discharge, home follow-up via a mobile app was effective in reducing in-person return visits without undermining patient satisfaction or perception of health, compared with standard follow-up