Feeding habits and their implications for the conservation of the endangered semiaquatic frog Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) in a northwestern Patagonian pond

Feeding habits and their implications for the conservation of the endangered semiaquatic frog Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) in a northwestern Patagonian pond. Atelognathus patagonicus (Gallardo, 1962) is an endemic frog species whose distribution is restricted to an endorheic pond system in basaltic basins in the northwest of the Argentinean Patagonia. Atelognathus patagonicus has two morphotypes: aquatic and littoral. This study presents data on the diet of A. patagonicus in Laguna del Burro, in Neuquén Province. Digestive tracts were analyzed for 20 specimens: 17 of the aquatic form and 3 of the littoral form. Diversity and trophic niche breadth, and index of relative importance (IRI) were calculated for the aquatic form. Nine food categories were found in the stomachs and intestine with the most important being Odonate naiads (Rhionaeschna sp.; IRI% = 86.57) and amphipod crustaceans (Hyalella sp.; IRI% = 12.89). There was not a statistically significant correlation between snout-vent length and mouth width of the frogs and mean prey lengths. For the littoral form of A. patagonicus, 25 prey categories were found, and all preys were adult terrestrial arthropods. Conclusions about the feeding habits of Atelognathus patagonicus and their implications for the design of conservation programs for the species are also given

Seasonal trophic activity of the aquatic morphotype of Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) and prey availability in the littoral benthos of a permanent pond in Argentinean Patagonia

Estudamos a dieta do morfótipo aquático de Atelognathus patagonicus com base em indivíduos coletados na lagoa Laguna Verde (Laguna Blanca National Park, Neuquén, Argentina). O conteúdo gastrointestinal de 35 indivíduos pós-metamórficos (novembro de 2003 a abril de 2006) foi correlacionado com a composição do bentos em seu micro-habitat. O número, o tamanho, a ocorrência e a importância relativa das presas, a diversidade da dieta, a amplitude do nicho trófico e a eletividade foram estimados para cada estação do ano. A dieta consistiu de artrópodes aquáticos. A composição do bentos e da dieta (número e ocorrência de organismos na dieta) foram dominadas pelo anfípode Hyalella sp. A importância relativa (IRI) de Hyalella sp. na dieta foi maior que 99% no verão e no outono e de 100% no inverno e na primavera. Diptera e Copepoda no verão e Dytiscidae e Ostracoda no outono tiveram valores sazonais de IRI < 0,2%. A amplitude do nicho trófico foi muito baixa no verão e no outono e nula (= 0) no inverno e na primavera. O número médio de presas por indivíduo foi maior na primavera (19) e menor no inverno (4). Os anuros continuaram a se alimentar no inverno, mesmo após o congelamento da superfície da lagoa. Há uma correspondência entre o principal item alimentar desses anuros e sua presença no bentos.The diet of the aquatic morphotype of Atelognathus patagonicus was studied in frogs collected from the Laguna Verde pond (Laguna Blanca National Park, Neuquén, Argentina). The content of 35 gastrointestinal tracts of post-metamorphic specimens from November 2003 to April 2006 was related to the composition of the benthos in their microhabitat. Number, size, occurrence and relative importance of preys, diversity of the diet, trophic niche breadth and electivity were estimated for each season of the year. The diet consisted of aquatic arthropods. The composition of both the benthos and the food (number and occurrence of organisms in the diet) were dominated by the amphipod Hyalella sp. The relative importance (IRI) of Hyalella sp. in the diet was over 99% in summer and autumn, and 100% in winter and spring. Diptera and Copepoda in summer, and Dytiscidae and Ostracoda in autumn, had seasonal IRI values < 0.2%. Trophic niche breadth was very low in summer and autumn, and null (= 0) in winter and spring. The mean number of preys per individual was highest in spring (19 preys/frog) and lowest in winter (4 preys/frog). Frogs continued with their trophic activity in winter, even when the surface of the pond was frozen. There is a correspondence between the frogs' main food item and its presence in the benthos

Hacia la conservación de la rana acuática de Laguna Blanca

La implementación de medidas de conservación sobre una especie, requiere la identificación de las amenazas sobre su biología, ecología y distribución. Este es el caso de la rana de Laguna Blanca, una especie en peligro de extinción

New precepts for the city-planning regulations of Vista Alegre neighbourhood in Santiago de Cuba

Vista Alegre neighbourhood constitutes a place of significant patrimonial value of Santiago de Cuba. From its genesis, in 1907, it developed urban-architectural particularities that revealed its transcendency like an avant-garde project for its time and place whose practice transformed it into the most important city-planning experience in the XX century in the city.However, in the last decades a growing deterioration of the urban image has been observed in Vista Alegre that has put in danger its integrity like residential group of high environmental value.The present article offers a different look to this problem, starting from the formulation of new urban regulations for Vista Alegre neighbourhood, focused toward the protection of its built patrimony. The upgrade and reformulation of them constituted the main contribution of this urban investigation.El reparto Vista Alegre constituye un sitio de significativos valores patrimoniales de Santiago de Cuba. Desde su génesis, en 1907, desarrolló particularidades urbano-arquitectónicas que revelaron su trascendencia como un proyecto vanguardista para su tiempo y lugar cuya praxis lo convirtió en la experiencia urbanística más importante del siglo XX en la ciudad.Sin embargo, en las últimas décadas se ha observado un creciente deterioro de la imagen urbana en Vista Alegre que ha puesto en peligro su integridad como conjunto residencial de altos valores ambientales. El presente artículo ofrece una mirada diferente a esta problemática, a partir de la formulación de nuevas regulaciones urbanas para el reparto Vista Alegre, enfocado hacia la protección de su patrimonio construido. La actualización y reformulación de las mismas constituyó el principal aporte de esta investigación urbana

Potential use of composts and vermicomposts as low-cost adsorbents for dye removal: an overlooked application

The use of composts and vermicomposts as adsorbents is an important topic of study in the field of environmental remediation. These materials are rich in organic matter and have functional groups that can interact with organic and inorganic compounds. They also contain microorganisms that can promote biodegradation of organic substances. Composts that cannot be used for agronomic purposes (owing to e.g. low nutrient levels or phytotoxicity) may be valuable for soil remediation or pollutant removal. In this review, we discuss papers on this topic, with the objective of drawing attention to the potential use of composts/vermicomposts and to recommend further investigation on this subject. Few published studies have investigated the use of composts/vermicomposts to remove dyes and other coloured compounds. However, preliminary results show that these materials are potentially good adsorbents, at least comparable to other low-cost adsorbents, and that, in general, basic dyes are more efficiently removed than direct, reactive or acid dyes. The results of the works reviewed also show that dye removal takes place by adsorption mechanisms, in most studies following a Langmuir model, and that the kinetics of removal are fast and follow a pseudo-second order model. However, there remain several uncertainties regarding this application. For example, very few dyes have been studied so far, and little is known about the influence of the properties of composts/vermicomposts on the dye removal process. Moreover, the possible use of compost/vermicompost to enhance biodegradation processes has not been explored. All these questions should be addressed in future research.Postprint (author's final draft

Towards improving the sustainability of bioplastics: Process modelling and life cycle assessment of two separation routes for 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid

Within the framework of an economy excessively dependent on fossil resources, the concept of sustainable development, aimed at obtaining environmentally friendly consumer goods, has given rise to the development of biorefineries. These facilities are based on the production of biofuels and platform chemicals from the most abundant raw material on the planet: biomass. The use of biomass such as wood or lignocellulosic residues makes it possible to seize opportunities offered by the implementation of renewable feedstocks, which in many cases can be embedded within the perspective of circular economy, through the exploitation of residual fractions. Among the multiple basic chemicals that can be obtained from biomass, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) has a great potential, as it is the precursor of poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) polymer, which is considered a feasible substitute for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). The purpose of this study is the simulation and environmental analysis of two separation routes for FDCA production with the objective of identifying the environmental hotspots at an early stage of the process design. The present study addresses the modelling of FDCA production from hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) by heterogeneous catalysis using commercial Aspen Plus® V9 software. Two different downstream separation options resulting in purified FDCA were simulated: crystallization (Scenario A) and distillation (Scenario B). The estimation of the mass and energy balances were considered in the development of the data inventories required to conduct Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA-assisted decision making identifies the conceptual configuration that would eventually lead to the least environmental burden. In the case of Scenario A, the stage with the highest environmental burden was the reaction unit, due to the use of HMF. In Scenario B, on the other hand, the separation stages contributed most to the impact due to their high energy demand. The combination of process simulation and LCA allowed acquiring a detailed vision of the process, through the analysis of the sensitivity of the environmental profile to different process parameters. The operating pressure in flash and distillation units for both scenarios affects plant operation by influencing total energy consumption and FDCA production. The sensitivity of environmental outcomes to these parameters was also studied, resulting in small variations. Thus, the results of this assessment provide strategic information of the early decision-making process on potential configurations for industrial-scale FDCA productionThis research was supported by EnzOx2 BBI JU-Project [grant agreement No 720297]. The authors belong to the Galician Competitive Research Group GRC ED431C 2017/29 and to the CRETUS Strategic Partnership [ED431E 2018/01]. All these programs are co-funded by FEDER (EU)S

BECCS based on bioethanol from wood residues: Potential towards a carbon-negative transport and side-effects

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is gaining broad interest as an effective strategy to go beyond carbon neutrality. So far, most of the work on BECCS focused on power systems, while its application to the transport sector has received much less attention. To contribute to filling this gap, this work investigates the potential of BECCS as a carbon-negative strategy in the transport sector by applying process modelling and life cycle assessment (LCA) to bioethanol production from lignocellulosic waste. The process was analyzed following a cradle-to-wheel approach, i.e., from biomass growth to the combustion of biofuel in the cars, assuming that the CO2 emitted in the fermentation and cogeneration units is captured, compressed and transported to be stored permanently in geological sites. Several scenarios differing in the bioethanol-gasoline blends (10–85% bioethanol) were considered for a functional unit of 1 km of distance travelled, comparing with fossil-based gasoline. Our results show that blends above 85% (ethanol/gasoline) could have the potential to deliver a net-negative emissions balance of −2.74 kg CO2 eq per 100 km travelled and up to −5.05 kg CO2 eq per 100 km using a low carbon electricity source. The final amount of net CO2 removal is highly dependent on the carbon intensity of the electricity and the heating utilities. Biofuels blends could, however, lead to burden-shifting in eutrophication, ozone depletion and formation, toxicity, land use, and water consumption. This work highlights the potential of BECCS in the transport sector, and the need to analyze impacts beyond climate change in future studies to avoid shifting burdens to other categoriesThis contribution was supported by the European project iFermenter (Grant Agreement 790507). S. Bello, G. Feijoo and M.T. Moreira belong to the Galician Competitive Research Group GRC ED431C 2017/29 and to the CRETUS Strategic Partnership (ED431E 2018/01). All these programs are co-funded by FEDER (EU)S

Oral glucose-stimulated growth hormone (GH) test in adult GH deficiency patients and controls: potential utility of a novel test

[Abstract] Context. The diagnosis of adult GH deficiency requires confirmation with a GH stimulation test. Oral glucose (OG) administration affects GH secretion, initially decreasing and subsequently stimulating GH secretion. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic efficacy and safety of a long OG test (LOGT) as a stimulus of GH secretion for the diagnosis of adult GH deficiency (AGHD). Design. Prospective experimental cross-sectional study. Settings. The study was conducted at the Endocrinology department of the University Hospital of a Coruña, Spain. Participants and methods. We included 60 (40 women) AGHD patients (15) and controls (45) paired 1:3, of similar age, sex and BMI. The area under the curve (AUC) and peak were calculated for GH. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the different groups. ROC curve analyses were used. p-Values < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Interventions. The intervention consisted of orally administering 75 g oral glucose administration; GH was obtained every 30 min for a total of 300 min. Main outcome measurement. Peak GH area under receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) following LOGT. Results. Peak GH (μg/L) levels were lower in the AGHD patients (0.26 ± 0.09) than in the controls (4.00 ± 0.45), p < 0.001. After LOGT, with the ROC plot analysis the best peak GH cut-point was 1.0 μg/L, with 100% sensitivity, 78% specificity, ROC-AUC of 0.9089 and 81.82% accuracy. There were no relevant adverse events during any of the LOGT. Conclusions. The LOGT could be a cheap, safe, convenient and effective test for the diagnosis of AGHD.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI13/00322Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI16/00884Xunta de Galicia; 10CSA916014P

Agricultura de precisión: programación del riego en tiempo real

[EN] The use of new tools for irrigation planning is an increasingly widespread practice. This step is essential in order to make this practice sustainable, both in the environmental and economical aspects. It is important to provide students the knowledge of these tools and make them competent in its use. An innovative approach has been proposed that integrates the use of a free public web server that guides the student in the calculation of the theoretical plant water needs. Furthermore, this result is associated with the assessment of soil water moisture by means of the probes called Frequency Domain Reflectometry (FDR). This device helps to adjust time and frequency irrigation. It is emphasized that this innovative methodology does not provide a unique and objective solution, which allows an assessment that is based on a compared and agreed result by groups of students, which encourages collaborative work. In addition, this methodology is aimed at bringing together a range of knowledge to develop capabilities in a real environment. This link with facilitates understanding of the calculation process and increases the interest of the students.[ES] La utilización de las nuevas tecnologías en la planificación del riego es una práctica cada vez más extendida con el fin de hacer esta práctica sostenible tanto en el ámbito medioambiental como en el económico. Es imprescindible transmitir al alumnado la existencia de este tipo de herramientas y hacerles competentes en su uso. Se ha planteado una metodología que integre el uso de un servidor web público y gratuito que orienta al alumno en el cálculo de las necesidades de riego teóricas. Adicionalmente se asocia este resultado al análisis del contenido de la humedad del suelo mediante el uso de sondas denominadas Frequency Domain Reflectometry (FDR). Este último dispositivo permite ajustar el tiempo de riego y la frecuencia del mismo. Se destaca que esta innovadora metodología no proporciona un solución única y pero sí objetiva, lo cual permite realizar una evaluación que se basa en un resultado contrastado y consensuado por grupos de alumnos, lo cual impulsa el trabajo colaborativo. Además esta metodología está dirigida a aglutinar una serie de conocimientos en capacidades a desarrollar un ámbito real. Esta vinculación con la práctica directa facilita la visualización del proceso de cálculo y aumenta satisfactoriamente el interés del alumnado.Martínez Gimeno, M.; Jiménez Bello, MÁ.; Manzano Juarez, J.; Mendoza Ballesteros, MT. (2016). Agricultura de precisión: programación del riego en tiempo real. En In-Red 2016. II Congreso nacional de innovación educativa y docencia en red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2016.2016.4396OC

Niveles séricos de la adipomioquina irisina en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica

[Abstract] Background. Irisin is an adipomyokine with claimed anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects. This hormone has been insufficiently studied in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Objective. To perform an exploratory analysis of serum irisin levels in patients undergoing different CKD treatments. Method. Following a cross-sectional design, we estimated serum levels of irisin in 95 patients with CKD managed conservatively (advanced CKD), with peritoneal dialysis (PD) or with haemodialysis, and compared our findings with a control group of 40 healthy individuals. We investigated the correlations between serum irisin and demographic, clinical, body composition and metabolic variables. Results. Irisin levels were lower in all the CKD groups than in the control group. The univariate analysis revealed limited correlations between irisin, on the one hand, and fat (but not lean) mass, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and plasma albumin and bicarbonate, on the other. The multivariate analysis confirmed that advanced CKD patients managed conservatively (difference 111.1 ng/mL), with PD (25.9 ng/mL) or haemodialysis (61.4 ng/mL) (all p < .0005) presented lower irisin levels than the control group. Furthermore, PD patients presented higher serum levels of irisin than those on haemodialysis (difference 39.4 ng/mL, p = .002) or those managed conservatively (24.4 ng/mL, p = .036). The multivariate analysis also identified plasma bicarbonate (B = 3.90 per mM/l, p = .001) and GFR (B = 1.89 per mL/min, p = .003) as independent predictors of irisin levels. Conversely, no adjusted correlation between irisin and body composition markers was found. Conclusions. Serum irisin levels are low in patients with CKD and show a consistent correlation with GFR and plasma bicarbonate levels. PD patients present higher levels of irisin than those managed conservatively or with haemodialysis. Our study confirms a general inconsistency of the association between serum irisin levels, on the one hand, and body composition and metabolic markers, on the other.[Resumen] Antecedentes. La irisina es una adipomioquina con posibles efectos antiobesidad y antidiabéticos. Esta hormona ha sido insuficientemente estudiada en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) avanzada. Objetivo. Realizar un análisis exploratorio de los niveles séricos de irisina en pacientes con diferentes modalidades de tratamiento de la ERC. Método. Según diseño transversal, estimamos niveles de irisina en 95 pacientes con ERC manejados conservadoramente (ERCA), con diálisis peritoneal (DP) o con hemodiálisis, comparándolos con un grupo control de 40 individuos sanos. También investigamos las correlaciones entre irisina sérica y variables demográficas, clínicas, metabólicas y de composición corporal. Resultados. Los niveles de irisina fueron más bajos en cualquier grupo de pacientes que en los controles. El análisis univariante desveló correlaciones moderadas entre irisina, por un lado, y masa grasa (pero no magra), filtrado glomerular (GFR) y albúmina y bicarbonato plasmático, por otro. El análisis multivariante confirmó que los pacientes con ERCA (diferencia 111,1 ng/mL), en DP (25,9 ng/mL) o hemodiálisis (61,4 ng/mL) (todos p < 0,0005) presentaban niveles ajustados más bajos de irisina que los controles. Asimismo, los pacientes en DP presentaban niveles más altos de la hormona que los de hemodiálisis (diferencia 39,4 ng/mL; p = 0,002) o ERCA (24,4 ng/mL; p = 0,036). El análisis multivariante también identificó bicarbonato plasmático (B = 3,90 por mM/L; p = 0,001) y GFR (B = 1,89 por mL/min; p = 0,003) como predictores independientes de los niveles de irisina. Por el contrario, no observamos correlación ajustada entre irisina y marcadores de composición corporal. Conclusiones. Los niveles de irisina son bajos en pacientes con ERC, y muestran correlación consistente con GFR y bicarbonato plasmático. Los pacientes en DP presentan niveles más altos de irisina que los manejados conservadoramente o con hemodiálisis. Nuestro estudio confirma una inconsistencia general en los análisis de asociación entre irisina sérica, por un lado, y marcadores metabólicos y de composición corporal, por otro.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI10/00088Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI13/00322Xunta de Galicia; IN845B-2010/187Xunta de Galicia; 10CSA916014PRXunta de Galciia; CN2012/31