Detección e identificación rápida de Campylobacter fetus en el ganado bovino mediante métodos moleculare. [Resumen].

Campylobacter fetus es una bacteria que afecta a un amplio rango de huéspedes animales. Se identifican tres subespecies: C. fetus subsp. fetus, que causa abortos esporádicos en ovinos y bovinos; C. fetus subsp. testudinum, que infecta reptiles y puede infectar humanos; y C. fetus subsp. venerealis, que causa la campylobacteriosis genital bovina, una enfermedad de distribución mundial con transmisión venérea, que provoca infertilidad crónica y abortos. Debido a su carácter microaerofílico y requerimientos nutricionales específicos, C. fetus es una bacteria lábil y difícil de aislar en el laboratorio, con tiempos de crecimiento largos, por lo que las herramientas moleculares son una buena alternativa para detectarla rápidamente en muestras de campo. En este trabajo se realiza un relevamiento de la presencia de C. fetus mediante una metodología molecular de identificación, y aislamiento bacteriano. Se analizaron 540 muestras de raspaje prepucial y de mucus vaginal de bovinos de 53 establecimientos. Se aplicaron metodologías bacteriológicas y se obtuvieron aislamientos en aproximadamente 2% de las muestras y 9% de los establecimientos. Paralelamente, las muestras fueron organizadas en pooles y analizadas mediante un método de PCR en Tiempo Real basado en el gen 16S desarrollado en nuestro laboratorio. Los casos positivos fueron confirmados mediante secuenciación del gen 16S. Los resultados de ambas metodologías son coincidentes en todos los casos en que el cultivo fue positivo, encontrándose dos muestras en las cuales el resultado del PCR en Tiempo Real es positivo pero las cepas no pudieron ser aisladas, lo cual sustenta la hipótesis de que el método de PCR en Tiempo Real, además de tener la ventaja de su rapidez, es más sensible que los basados en cultivo. Los genomas de las cepas aisladas serán secuenciados para realizar estudios de genómica comparativa que aportarán información valiosa para desarrollar nuevas estrategias de control de la enfermedad

Accurate and fast identification of Campylobacter fetus in bulls by real-time PCR targeting a 16S rRNA gene sequence.

Campylobacter fetus is an important animal pathogen that causes infectious infertility, embryonic mortality and abortions in cattle and sheep flocks. There are two recognized subspecies related with reproductive disorders in livestock: Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus (Cff) and Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv). Rapid and reliable detection of this pathogenic species in bulls is of upmost importance for disease control in dairy and beef herds as they are asymptomatic carriers. The aim of the present work was to assess the performance a real-time PCR (qPCR) method for the diagnosis of Campylobacter fetus in samples from bulls, comparing it with culture and isolation methods. 520 preputial samples were both cultured in Skirrow?s medium and analyzed by qPCR. The estimated sensitivity of qPCR was 90.9% (95% CI, 69.4%?100%), and the specificity was 99.4% (95% CI, 98.6% - 100%). The proportion of C. fetus positive individuals was 2.1% by isolation and 2.5% by qPCR. Isolates were identified by biochemical tests as Cfv (n = 9) and Cff (n = 2). Our findings support the use of qPCR for fast and accurate detection of C. fetus directly from field samples of preputial smegma of bulls. The qPCR method showed to be suitable for massive screenings because it can be performed in pooled samples without losing accuracy and sensitivity

Economic impacts of marine ecological change: Review and recent contributions of the VECTORS project on European marine waters

Marine ecological change is likely to have serious potential economic consequences for coastal economies all over the world. This article reviews the current literature on the economic impacts of marine ecological change, as well as a number of recent contributions to this literature carried out under the VECTORS project. We focus on three main types of change, namely invasive alien species; outbreak-forming species, such as jellyfish and toxic algae; and gradual changes in species distribution and productivity. The case studies available in the literature demonstrate that the impacts of invasions and outbreaks on fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism can potentially amount to several tens of millions of dollars each year in some regions. Moreover, stated preference studies suggest a substantial impact on coastal tourism and non-use values that is likely not visible in case studies of specific outbreak events. Climate-driven gradual changes in distribution and productivity of commercial fish stocks will have an impact on fisheries, although these impacts are likely to be overshadowed by much larger changes in prices of seafood and fuel

Challenges in the harmonisation of global integrated assessment models: A comprehensive methodology to reduce model response heterogeneity

Harmonisation sets the ground to a solid inter-comparison of integrated assessment models. A clear and transparent harmonisation process promotes a consistent interpretation of the modelling outcomes divergences and, reducing the model variance, is instrumental to the use of integrated assessment models to support policy decision-making. Despite its crucial role for climate economic policies, the definition of a comprehensive harmonisation methodology for integrated assessment modelling remains an open challenge for the scientific community. This paper proposes a framework for a harmonisation methodology with the definition of indispensable steps and recommendations to overcome stumbling blocks in order to reduce the variance of the outcomes which depends on controllable modelling assumptions. The harmonisation approach of the PARIS REINFORCE project is presented here to layout such a framework. A decomposition analysis of the harmonisation process is shown through 6 integrated assessment models (GCAM, ICES-XPS, MUSE, E3ME, GEMINI-E3, and TIAM). Results prove the potentials of the proposed framework to reduce the model variance and prese

Where is the EU headed given its current climate policy? A stakeholder-driven model inter-comparison

Recent calls to do climate policy research with, rather than for, stakeholders have been answered in non-modelling science. Notwithstanding progress in modelling literature, however, very little of the scenario space traces back to what stakeholders are ultimately concerned about. With a suite of eleven integrated assessment, energy system and sectoral models, we carry out a model inter-comparison for the EU, the scenario logic and research questions of which have been formulated based on stakeholders' concerns. The output of this process is a scenario framework exploring where the region is headed rather than how to achieve its goals, extrapolating its current policy efforts into the future. We find that Europe is currently on track to overperforming its pre-2020 40% target yet far from its newest ambition of 55% emissions cuts by 2030, as well as looking at a 1.0–2.35 GtCO2 emissions range in 2050. Aside from the importance of transport electrification, deployment levels of carbon capture and storage are found intertwined with deeper emissions cuts and with hydrogen diffusion, with most hydrogen produced post-2040 being blue. Finally, the multi-model exercise has highlighted benefits from deeper decarbonisation in terms of energy security and jobs, and moderate to high renewables-dominated investment needs