Bluetongue virus serotypes 1 and 4 in red deer, Spain

We studied the potential of red deer as bluetongue maintenance hosts and sentinels. Deer maintained detectable bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 4 RNA for 1 year after the virus was cleared from livestock. However, the virus was not transmitted to yearlings. BTV serotype 1 RNA was detected in red deer immediately after its first detection in cattle.This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Natural, Rural and Marine Environment (RASVE 274/2007, and an agreement between Organismo Autónomo de Parques Nacionales (OAPN), Dirección General de Recursos Agricolas y Ganaderos (DGRAG), and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC). F.R.-F. is supported by a postdoctoral contract of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Spanish government.Peer Reviewe

EOMYIDS FROM THE RIBESALBES-ALCORA BASIN (EARLY MIOCENE, IBERIAN PENINSULA) AND THEIR BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC AND PALAEOECOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS.

Two species of the family Eomyidae are identified in the Early Miocene localities of the Araia d’Alcora outcrop (Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin, Iberian Peninsula): Ligerimys florancei and Ligerimys ellipticus. The first is rarer than the second, which is one of the most abundant mammals in the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin assemblages. Due to its abundance, we are able to describe its variability in dental morphology, showing characteristics never previously observed, including the presence of a mesoloph or other features previously described only in ancient assemblages of this species, such as the presence of the anteroloph, which appears in younger assemblages in the Araia sequence. Furthermore, based on the eomyids, we divide the record of the Campisano Ravine section into two long local biozones, depending on the species present. In addition, each local biozone is divided into two smaller sub-biozones, depending on the abundance of each species. We retrospectively compare and correlate the assemblages studied here with other Ligerimys assemblages from the other basins in the Iberian Peninsula. We classify these sites based on the abundance and species of the genus Ligerimys. Additionally, we discuss the palaeoecological preferences of these specie

Propiedades geométricas y mecánicas del bloque hueco de concreto fabricado en el área de Tuxtla Gutiérrez (Chiapas, Mex.)

Se presentan los resultados de una serie de pruebas para la caracterización geométrica y mecánica de bloques de concreto -de 8 fabricantes- y del mortero utilizados en mampostería en la región de Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Los ensayos en laboratorio se realizaron de acuerdo con normas y protocolos de organismos mexicanos. Los resultados de las muestras analizadas revelan que la altura de los bloques es muy variable y difiere de la estándar, mientras que las demás dimensiones y espesores de pared cumplen la normativa. La resistencia a compresión de las probetas del mortero de pega es buena (4 veces superior a lo exigido). La absorción total de agua de los bloques es mayor que el máximo permitido (12 %) en la mitad de casos ensayados, pero el peso volumétrico no alcanza, en ningún caso, el mínimo exigido (1700 kg/m³). La resistencia a compresión de piezas individuales y de pilas de bloques hechas con mortero tipo I es muy inferior a la de la normativa (60 kg/cm² y 50 kg/cm² respectivamente). La calidad y resistencia deficiente que han mostrado las piezas ensayadas advierten la necesidad de regulación y control local del proceso de fabricación de los bloques

Agronomic characterization of pigmented native corn populations (Zea mays L.)

ABSTRACT Objective: We performed the agronomical characterization of 52 pigmented corn populations from the state of Coahuila in order to identify those with outstanding agronomical potential and also to establish the genetic background of a breeding program focused in the improvement of varieties with grain yield potential, adaptation capacity to the regional production conditions and of superior nutritional and bioactive contents. Design/methodology: Through an incomplete block design in an alpha lattice arrangement, we evaluated two experiments in two representative locations of the southeastern agricultural area of Coahuila: a) Yellow populations, mostly from Tuxpeño, Ratón and Tuxpeño Norteño races and b) Anthocyanic populations (blue, red and purple), mainly represented by Cónico Norteño, Elotes Cónicos and Ratón races. Results: The results showed a contrasting environmental effect between locations, with differences in grain yield up to 78 %; a 25 days’ difference in flowering, 53 cm in plant height and up to 8 plants without ear; this performance was due to the agricultural potential of each location. We observed that in both locations the yellow populations outstanding by their superior performance were: from the Tuxpeño race: COAH068, COAH089, COAH177 and COAH215, and Celaya race: COAH075. The outstanding anthocyanin populations were: Ratón race: COAH23 and COAH203, Elotes Cónicos race: COAH246 and COAH019, and Elotes Occidentales race: COAH021. Also we found populations with adaptation to a location. Conclusions: We consider that among the diversity of the pigmented corn from Coahuila there are populations of superior agronomic expression that could be used as the genetic background to improve the production and the nutritional quality of the grain and the food products that can be derived from them.Objective: To characterize agronomically 52 populations of pigmented native corn (Zea mays L.) from Coahuila, Mexico, in order to identify varieties with outstanding agronomic potential and to establish an improvement program with potential for grain yield, with the ability to adapt, and superior nutritional bioactive content. Design/Methodology: Two experiments were evaluated through an incomplete block design in lattice alpha arrangement, in two localities that are representative of the agricultural area of southeastern Coahuila: a) Yellow populations, mostly of Tuxpeño, Ratón and Tuxpeño Norteño; and b) Anthocyanin populations (blue, red and purple), represented primarily by Cónico Norteño, Elotes Cónicos and Ratón. Results: There is an environmental effect that contrasts between localities, with differences in grain yield of up to 78%; 25 days of difference in flowering, 53 cm in plant height, and up to seven plants without cobs. The response was product of the agricultural potential in each locality. The outstanding yellow populations due to their superior yield expression in both localities were the landraces Tuxpeño: COAH068, COAH089, COAH177 and COAH215, and Celaya: COAH075. The outstanding anthocyanin populations were Ratón: COAH23 and COAH203; Elotes Cónicos: COAH246 and COAH019; and Elotes Occidentales: COAH021; in addition, the study found populations adapted to a locality. Conclusion: Among the diversity of the pigmented native corn in Coahuila, there are populations with superior agronomic expression that can be the basis for improving the production, the nutritional quality of the grain, and therefore, of its byproducts

Methodology for Olive Pruning Windrow Assessment Using 3D Time-of-Flight Camera

The management of olive pruning residue has shifted from burning to shredding, laying residues on soil, or harvesting residues for use as a derivative. The objective of this research is to develop, test, and validate a methodology to measure the dimensions, outline, and bulk volume of pruning residue windrows in olive orchards using both a manual and a 3D Time-of-Flight (ToF) camera. Trees were pruned using trunk shaker targeted pruning, from which two different branch sizes were selected to build two separate windrow treatments with the same pruning residue dose. Four windrows were built for each treatment, and four sampling points were selected along each windrow to take measurements using both manual and 3D ToF measurements. Windrow section outline could be defined using a polynomial or a triangular function, although manual measurement required processing with a polynomial function, especially for high windrow volumes. Different branch sizes provided to be significant differences for polynomial function coefficients, while no significant differences were found for windrow width. Bigger branches provided less bulk volume, which implied that these branches formed less porous windrows that smaller ones. Finally, manual and 3D ToF camera measurements were validated, giving an adequate performance for olive pruning residue windrow in-field assessment

Implementación y evaluación de webs didácticas para la docencia universitaria presencial

This paper presents a teaching innovation project which has followed others successfully conducted in the past. This project dealt with the development of the online campus of the University of Murcia, Spain. More specifically, we designed didactic websites bearing in mind preset teaching, technical and pedagogical criteria, and implemented them in the teaching and assessment of different subjects. Fourteen teachers and four students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Murcia (Spain) collaborated in this study. Didactic websites were used in 17 subjects taught in 21 classes in six undergraduate courses. Overall, 639 students benefited from the use of didactic websites. Results showed that teachers assessed didactic websites positively because these fostered independence, autonomy and self-management in teaching, while students regarded didactic websites as useful and suitable instruments for self-regulation of their learning processes.Este trabajo es el resultado de un proyecto de innovación docente que es continuación de otros realizados exitosamente en cursos anteriores. Esta experiencia de innovación educativa, realizada para el desarrollo del Campus Virtual de la Universidad de Murcia, ha consistido en el diseño de Webs didácticas para la docencia, teniendo en cuenta unos criterios didácticos, técnicos y pedagógicos preestablecidos, que ha concluido con la implementación real con asignaturas y la evaluación de las mismas por parte del profesorado y estudiantes.Los participantes en el proyecto han sido catorce profesores y cuatro estudiantes/colaboradores vinculados a la Facultad de Educación de la Universidad de Murcia. Todos han participado en la implementación de las webs didácticas en diecisiete asignaturas, impartidas a veinte grupos de estudiantes de seis titulaciones diferentes, lo que da un total de seiscientos treinta y nueve estudiantes.Los resultados se presentan desde la perspectiva del profesorado, que evalúa las webs positivamente, ya que ha fomentado su independencia, autonomía y capacidad de autogestión de la docencia; y desde la perspectiva de los estudiantes, que en términos globales las valoran como muy útiles y válidas para la autorregulación de sus aprendizajes

On the components of the unstable set of isolated invariant sets

The aim of this note is to shed some light on the topological structure of the unstable set of an isolated invariant set K. We give a bound on the number of essential quasicomponents of the unstable set of K in terms of the homological Conley index of K. The proof relies on an explicit pairing between Čech homology classes and Alexander–Spanier cohomology classes that takes the form of an integral.Depto. de Álgebra, Geometría y TopologíaFac. de Ciencias MatemáticasTRUEMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidadespu

Proteomic analysis of goat milk kefir: profiling the fermentation-time dependent protein digestion and identification of potential peptides with biological activity

Kefir is a fermented dairy product, associated to health benefits because of being a probiotic and due to the presence of molecules with biological activity. In this work, we have profiled the peptide composition of goat milk kefir at three different fermentation times using a peptidomics approach, in order to study changes in peptide concentrations and patterns of protein digestion throughout the fermentation time. We identified 2328 unique peptides corresponding to 22 protein annotations, with a maximum of peptides found after 24 h fermentation. We established different digestion patterns according to the nature of the proteins, and quantified the changes in the peptides appearing in all the fermentation times. We also identified 11 peptides that matched exactly to sequences with biological activity in databases, almost all of them belonging to caseins. This is the most comprehensive proteomic analysis of goat milk kefir to date