Freqüència de postes mixtes en el gènere Parus

La inspecció rutinària de 1000 caixes niu des de 1985 a 1990 en dues àrees de Catalunya va resultar en un total de 7 postes mixtes de mallerengues d'un total de 1245 postes (0,56%). Les postes mixtes es van detectar entre Parus cristatus i Parus ater (5,71%), Parus major i Parus caeruleus (0,99%), i entre Parus caeruleus i Parus ater (0,14%). Aquest fenomen probablement es relaciona amb la intensa competició per les caixes niu i podria tenir implicacions en les futures hibridacions d'aquestes espècies

Toxic neurofilamentous axonopathies accumulation of neurofilaments and axonal degeneration

A number of neurotoxic chemicals induce accumulation of neurofilaments in axonal swellings that appear at varying distances from the cell body. This pathology is associated with axonal degeneration of different degrees. The clinical manifestation is most commonly that of a mixed motor-sensory peripheral axonopathy with a disto-proximal pattern of progression, as in cases of chronic exposure to n-hexane and carbon disulphide. It has been demonstrated that protein adduct formation is a primary molecular mechanism of toxicity in these axonopathies, but how this mechanism leads to neurofilament accumulation and axonal degeneration remains unclear. Furthermore, little is known regarding the mechanisms of neurofilamentous axonopathy caused by 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile, an experimental toxin that induces proximal axon swelling that is strikingly similar to that found in early amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here, we review the available data and main hypotheses regarding the toxic axonopathies and compare them with the current knowledge of the biological basis of neurofilament transport. We also review recent studies addressing the question of how these axonopathies may cause axonal degeneration. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the toxic axonopathies may provide insight into the relationship between neurofilament behaviour and axonal degeneration, hopefully enabling the identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention. Because neurofilament abnormalities are a common feature of many neurodegenerative diseases, advances in this area may have a wider impact beyond toxicological significanc

Anisorrectricilia en el Pinsà Fringilla coelebs

Es quantifica la presència d'anisorrectricilia en el pinsà. Des de 1985 fins 1991 es van examinar un total de 1.800 ocells capturats a la comarca d'Osona. Quatre ocells presentaven 13 rectrius i un en tenia 11, la qual cosa suposa un percentatge de 0,28%

Resultats del cens i anàlisi de l'hàbitat de l'última població de mussol comú (Athene noctua) del Lluçanès (Catalunya central)

Little Owl population is decreasing in Catalonia since last twenty years. In Central Catalonia, there is only one relative great Little Owl population, in Vic Plain, with more than hundred breeding pairs. Near the little town of Prats de Lluçanès, about twenty kilometres from Vic, there is a little population of Owls remaining from the last fifty years period of continuously decreasing. In this paper we expose the results of a standardized census, and the habitat analysis of the places that we?ve found the owls. The census results have shown the very little population of 6-7 breeding pairs that still liv there, in the most agricultural habitats. This population of Little Owls has chosen the more agricultural and urban land, leaving the forest and the semi-forested areas, mainly to avoid Tawny Owl pressure. The statistics show us the significatively choose of the more open, agricultural and urban areas for live and breed.La situación actual de las poblaciones de mochuelo común en las comarcas centrales de Cataluña es muy precaria, y la población de la Plana de Vic la es la única que tiene todavía un número elevado de parejas reproductoras que hacen que todavía sea viable. Desde hace ya unas décadas, existe una pequeña población de mochuelos comunes cerca del núcleo de la población de Prats de Lluçanès, resultante de la recesión que ha sufrido la especie en el Lluçanès en los últimos cincuenta años. En este trabajo se ha censado con detalle esta población relictual de mochuelos cercana a la extinción con una metodología estandarizada, y se ha analizado el hábitat donde viven estos búhos, comparándolo con el hábitat presente en el Lluçanès y en la Plana de Vic. Los resultados de los censos han dado como resultado que sobreviven 6-7 parejas probablemente reproductoras de mochuelo común en Prats de Lluçanès, y se da ya por extinguido desde hace unas décadas en el resto de los municipios de esta comarca natural. Analizando el hábitat donde viven estos mochuelos, se ha comprobado que han seleccionado significativamente las zonas con mayor porcentaje de espacios agrarios y urbanizados y han rehuidoLa situació actual de les poblacions de mussol comú a les comarques centrals de Catalunya és molt precària, i és només la població de la plana de Vic la que té encara un nombre elevat de parelles reproductores que fan que encara sigui viable. Des de ja fa unes dècades, existeix una petita població de mussols comuns vora el nucli de la població de Prats de Lluçanès, resultant de la recessió que ha patit l?espècie al Lluçanès en els últims cinquanta anys. En aquest treball s?ha censat amb detall aquesta població relictual de mussols propera a l?extinció, amb una metodologia estandarditzada i s?ha analitzat l?hàbitat on viuen aquests mussols, comparant-lo amb l?hàbitat present al Lluçanès i a la plana de Vic. Els resultats dels censos han donat com a resultat que sobreviuen 6-7 parelles probablement reproductores de mussol comú a tot el Lluçanès, i es dóna ja per extingit des de fa unes dècades a la resta dels municipis d?aquesta comarca natural. Analitzant l?hàbitat on viuen aquests mussols, s?ha comprovat que han seleccionat significativament les zones amb més percentatge d?espais agraris i urbanitzats i han defugit clarament dels espais semiforestals o forestals

Anàlisi, calibratge i posta en marxa d’un banc d’assaig de cavitació amb finalitats docents

El departament de Mecànica de Fluids disposa d’un banc d’assaig amb un venturi que es vol aprofitar per a l’estudi de pèrdues de càrrega i cavitació. En el treball, s’avaluen les condicions de funcionament del banc d’assaig i es calibra a partir d’un anàlisi de resultats realitzat amb tres metodologies diferents: un estudi teòric, un anàlisi experimental i una simulació amb Ansys Fluent. Un cop calibrat, es recullen les aplicacions del banc d’assaig i es plantegen nous dissenys de l’element a fi que s’adapti millor a les característiques buscades pel departament. Finalment, es contemplen les finalitats docents del projecte i es crea l’estructura de la pràctica que es realitzarà amb el banc d’assaig estudiat

Assessment of cochlear toxicity in response to chronic 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile in mice reveals early and reversible functional loss that precedes overt histopathology

The peripheral auditory and vestibular systems rely on sensorineural structures that are vulnerable to ototoxic agents that cause hearing loss and/or equilibrium deficits. Although attention has focused on hair cell loss as the primary pathology underlying ototoxicity, evidence from the peripheral vestibular system indicates that hair cell loss during chronic exposure is preceded by synaptic uncoupling from the neurons and is potentially reversible. To determine if synaptic pathology also occurs in the peripheral auditory system, we examined the extent, time course, and reversibility of functional and morphological alterations in cochleae from mice exposed to 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) in drinking water for 2, 4 or 6 weeks. Functionally, IDPN exposure caused progressive high- to low-frequency hearing loss assessed by measurement of auditory brainstem response wave I absolute thresholds and amplitudes. The extent of hearing loss scaled with the magnitude of vestibular dysfunction assessed behaviorally. Morphologically, IDPN exposure caused progressive loss of outer hair cells (OHCs) and synapses between the inner hair cells (IHCs) and primary auditory neurons. In contrast, IHCs were spared from ototoxic damage. Importantly, hearing loss consistent with cochlear synaptopathy preceded loss of OHCs and synapses and, moreover, recovered if IDPN exposure was stopped before morphological pathology occurred. Our observations suggest that synaptic uncoupling, perhaps as an early phase of cochlear synaptopathy, also occurs in the peripheral auditory system in response to IDPN exposure. These findings identify novel mechanisms that contribute to the earliest stages of hearing loss in response to ototoxic agents and possibly other forms of acquired hearing loss

The Fifth International Little Owl Symposium, 4–6 February 2011, Vic, Catalonia (Spain)

The First International Little Owl Symposium took place in Champ–sur–Marne (France) in November 2000, organized by the International little owl Working Group (ILOWG). It was the first international meeting regarding a sole owl species in Europe. Since then, efforts have been made to improve our knowledge and develop management plans for little owl conservation, and every new advance has been shared among all of us, owl researchers and owl friends, at regular international meetings. The Fifth Symposium gave continuity to the series of previous meetings held in France, England and Belgium. The most recent meeting was held in Herzele, Flanders, and the highlight was the presentation of the latest little owl monograph of Van Nieuwenhuyse et al., 2008. This meeting demonstrated the need to promote future gatherings of researchers.The First International Little Owl Symposium took place in Champ–sur–Marne (France) in November 2000, organized by the International little owl Working Group (ILOWG). It was the first international meeting regarding a sole owl species in Europe. Since then, efforts have been made to improve our knowledge and develop management plans for little owl conservation, and every new advance has been shared among all of us, owl researchers and owl friends, at regular international meetings. The Fifth Symposium gave continuity to the series of previous meetings held in France, England and Belgium. The most recent meeting was held in Herzele, Flanders, and the highlight was the presentation of the latest little owl monograph of Van Nieuwenhuyse et al., 2008. This meeting demonstrated the need to promote future gatherings of researchers.The First International Little Owl Symposium took place in Champ–sur–Marne (France) in November 2000, organized by the International little owl Working Group (ILOWG). It was the first international meeting regarding a sole owl species in Europe. Since then, efforts have been made to improve our knowledge and develop management plans for little owl conservation, and every new advance has been shared among all of us, owl researchers and owl friends, at regular international meetings. The Fifth Symposium gave continuity to the series of previous meetings held in France, England and Belgium. The most recent meeting was held in Herzele, Flanders, and the highlight was the presentation of the latest little owl monograph of Van Nieuwenhuyse et al., 2008. This meeting demonstrated the need to promote future gatherings of researchers

Transient alteration of the vestibular calyceal junction and synapse in response to chronic ototoxic insult in rats

Aquest article conté una errata annexadaOtotoxicity is known to cause permanent loss of vestibule function through degeneration of sensory hair cells (HCs). However, functional recovery has been reported during washout after chronic ototoxicity, although the mechanisms underlying this reversible dysfunction are unknown. Here, we study this question in rats chronically exposed to the ototoxic compound 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN). Pronounced alterations in vestibular function appeared before significant loss of HCs or stereociliary coalescence became evident by ultrastructural analyses. This early dysfunction was fully reversible if the exposure was terminated promptly. In cristae and utricles, the distinct junctions formed between type I HCs (HCI) and calyx endings were completely dismantled at these early stages of reversible dysfunction, and completely rebuilt during washout. Immunohistochemical observations revealed loss and recovery of the junction proteins CASPR1 and tenascin-C and RT-PCR indicated that their loss was not due to decreased gene expression. KCNQ4 was mislocalized during intoxication and recovered control-like localization after washout. At early stages of the intoxication, the calyces could be classified as showing intact or lost junctions, indicating that calyceal junction dismantlement is triggered on a calyx-by-calyx basis. Chronic toxicity also altered the presence of ribeye, PSD-95 and GluA2 puncta in the calyces. These synaptic alterations varied between the two types of calyx endings (formed by calyx-only or dimorphic afferents) and some persisted at the end of the washout period. The present data reveal new forms of plasticity of the calyx endings in adult mammals, including a robust capacity for rebuilding the calyceal junction. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the phenomena involved in progressive vestibular dysfunction and its potential recovery during and after ototoxic exposure

Les colònies de Pardal Roquer (Petronia petronia) a la comarca d'Osona: estat de la població i requeriments ecològics

Aquest treball analitza la informació disponible sobre el Pardal Roquer a la comarca d'Osona. Es van recopilar les observacions de l'espècie des de l'any 1983 fins al 2006, procedents de l'activitat ornitològica de 12 ornitòlegs del Grup de Naturalistes d’Osona i el Grup d’Anellament Calldetenes-Osona. A més, es van realitzar censos específics per detectar l'espècie en zones on no hi havia suficient informació disponible. Amb aquesta informació es va realitzar la cartografia sobre la distribució de les colònies de cria i de les agrupaciones hivernals del Pardal Roquer a tota la comarca. De l'anàlisis de les dades es va concloure que la població de l’especie a l'àrea d'estudi s'estima entre els 415 i 950 individus, els quals utilitzen principalment espais agrícoles, preferentment aquells on hi ha nius d'Abellerol (54% de les colònies) o edificis antics (26% de les colònies) amb cobertura de vegetació baixa (51,4%) o mitjana (28,6%) i de tipus climàtic mediterrani humit o continental. L'espècie actualment no està amenaçada, però requereix de mesures de gestió i conservació dels seus hàbitats, fonamentalment el manteniment de murs de pedra, marges i talussos, i edificis antics. La pèrdua de llocs adequats per a la nidificació de l'espècie lligada a la urbanització del territori, apareix como una amenaça destacable per a l'espècie a la Plana de Vic