Ecological Aspects and Conservation of Wild Grapevine Populations in the S.W. of the Iberian Peninsula

Populations of wild grapevine, Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi, were discovered in S.W. of the Iberian Peninsula over the last years. Location, ecological aspects, sanitary characteristics, including the ELISA test to detect specific virus attack, are described. In vitro propagation and conservation are also considered. The paper also contains a global description of female and male individuals. This material could be used to start breeding programs of cultivated varieties and also to restore riverbank forests, which constitute one of the worst preserved ecosystems in the area

Eficiencia de depuración de purines de cerdo mediante humedales artificiales, con dos tiempos de retención hidráulica

[SPA] El sector agropecuario europeo y español ha experimentado una intensificación incrementando la presión global derivada de la sobreutilización y producción de nitrógeno. La normativa europea, refleja la necesidad de proteger las aguas de la contaminación causada por los nitratos Esta investigación tiene como objetivo determinar la eficiencia de la eliminación del nitrógeno y otros contaminantes en el purín de cerdo, a través de humedales artificiales, para dos tiempos de retención hidráulica (3 y 7 días). Los resultados pusieron de manifiesto, en general, mayor eliminación para 7 días de retención. El sistema de tratamiento mostró altas eficiencias de depuración, excepto para Cl- y Na+.[ENG] The increase in the European and Spanish agricultural and livestock sector has intensified the global pressure from overuse and production of nitrogen. European normative reflects the need to protect water against pollution caused by nitrates. This research aims to study the efficiency of nitrogen and other pollutants removal in pig slurry through constructed wetlands with two hydraulic retention times (3 and 7 days). Results pointed out higher removal for 7 days of retention. The system of treatment showed high efficiencies of purification, except for Cl- and Na+.Centro Universitario de la Defensa. Escuela de Turismo de Cartagena. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Industrial UPCT. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Telecomunicación (ETSIT). Escuela de Ingeniería de Caminos y Minas (EICM). Escuela de Arquitectura e Ingeniería de Edificación (ARQ&IDE). Parque Tecnológico de Fuente Álamo. Navantia. Campus Mare Nostrum. Estación Experimental Agroalimentaria Tomás Ferro. Esta investigación se llevó a cabo gracias al apoyo del Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, en el marco del proyecto Ref. TEC0003908. Asimismo, agradecemos a la Sociedad Agraria de Transformación, Alia, su colaboración

Is aided phytostabilization a suitable technique for the remediation of tailings?

Mining activity in Cartagena-La Union mining district (SE Spain) dates back more than 2500 years. Consequently, large amounts of sterile materials with large metal(loid) contents (mostly Zn and Pb) have accumulated in tailings ponds. A reclamation strategy based on aided phytostabilization was carried out to reclaim one tailings pond to reduce environmental and public health hazards. The main goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the aided phytostabilization strategy after 30 months from its implementation in enhancing soil quality and fertility and reducing mobility of the metals. Marble waste, raw pig slurry and its solid phase after physical separation were applied as amendments, and 13 Mediterranean native plant species were planted or sown. Various soil physicochemical and biochemical properties, together with the pseudo-total and bioavailable fraction of the metal(loid)s, As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, were monitored for 30 months. Results showed that pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), cation exchange capacity (CEC), available phosphorus (P), exchangeable potassium (K), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), basal soil respiration (BSR) and enzyme activities increased with the application of the amendments and development of vegetation. In addition, the available fraction of metals markedly decreased (90–99%). Most plant species present in the area did not transfer large amounts of trace elements to the aerial tissues. The roots of Lygeum spartum loefl. Ex L. and Piptatherum miliaceum (L.) Coss. accumulated the largest amounts of As, Pb and Zn. Thus, the application of marble waste to increase pH and immobilize metal(loid)s, and pig slurry as a source of organic matter and nutrients, together with the development of vegetation to immobilize metal(loid)s in the roots and rhizosphere, and the effect of microbial communities on organic matter stabilization and development, have contributed to improve soil quality and fertility. Once the soil quality of mine tailings was improved, the development of vegetation and microbial colonization increased, promoting integrated reclamation of the area. Therefore, aided phytostabilization was a suitable technique for remediation of this tailings pond.European Commission, Grant/Award Number: Life project; European Union LIFE+ project MIPOLARE, Grant/Award Number: LIFE09 ENV/ES/00043

Treatment of WASTEWATER from the tannery industry in a constructed wetland planted with phragmites australis

Constructed wetlands (CWs) can remove a high amount of pollutants from wastewater, and therefore play an important role in water purification. In this study, a pilot system to improve the traditional treatment of industrial wastewater from the tannery industry was tested. The main objective of this research was to remove nitrogen, phosphorus, boron, and chromium from a tannery’s industrial wastewater using a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (HSSFCW) formed from three cells, planted with Phragmites australis and operated in batch mode as an ecofriendly system. P. australis was selected due to its ability to adapt to climatic conditions, its wetland and management characteristics, and its high capacity for pollutant absorption. The concentrations of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorus (TP), boron (B), and chromium (Cr) were analyzed in both wastewater and purified water, and the removal efficiencies were calculated. In addition, both the absorption capacity of P. australis in the aerial and root parts and the adsorption capacity of substrates (gravel and washed sand) were analyzed. Results showed that the concentrations of TP and Cr decreased in the wastewater at both hydraulic retention times (HRTs) tested (3 and 7 days), with 3 days being the most effective, showing removal efficiency values of 78% and 48% for TP and Cr, respectively. However, concentrations of TKN and B were not statistically reduced at either HRTs. Regarding the absorption capacity of P. australis, the highest absorption efficiencies for TKN and TP were reported at 7 days in the aerial part of the plants. In contrast, B was retained in roots at HRT of 3 days. Finally, Cr was more significantly absorbed at 3 days by P. australis. Moreover, the substrates also played important roles in the adsorption of nitrogen and boron. Therefore, CWs planted with P. australis could be used as an ecofriendly technique to the reduce pollution load of the wastewater from tannery industry, especially for P and Cr, although in order to increase the removal efficiency of B and N, the combination with other plant species and different retention times should be tested.This research was funded by AGUAS DE LORCA S.A. grant number 4497/16CTA

Evaluation of two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for diagnosis of bluetongue virus in wild ruminants

Bluetongue (BT) is a reportable re-emerging vector-borne disease of animal health concern. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are frequently used in BT surveillance programs in domestic ruminants, but their diagnostic accuracy has not been evaluated for wild ruminants, which can play an important role as natural reservoirs of bluetongue virus (BTV). The aim of this study was to assess two commercial ELISAs for BT diagnosis in wild ruminants using control sera of known BTV infection status and field samples. When control sera were tested, the double recognition ELISA (DR-ELISA) showed 100 % sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp), while the competitive ELISA (C-ELISA) had 86.4 % Se and 97.1 % Sp. Using field samples, the selected latent-class analysis model showed 95.7 % Se and 85.9 % Sp for DR-ELISA, 58.2 % Se and 95.8 % Sp for C-ELISA and 84.2 % Se for the serum neutralization test (SNT). Our results indicate that the DR-ELISA may be a useful diagnostic method to assess BTV circulation in endemic areas, while the C-ELISA should be selected when free-areas are surveyed. The discrepancy between control and field samples point out that the inclusion of field samples is required to assess the accuracy of commercial ELISAs for the serological diagnosis of BTV in wild ruminants.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Hadamard and Jensen inequalities for s-convex fuzzy processes

We give some inequalities of Hadamard and Jensen type for s-convex fuzzy processes. We also give some applications

Description of the first Schmallenberg disease outbreak in Spain and subsequent virus spreading in domestic ruminants

Schmallenberg disease (SBD) is an emerging disease transmitted mainly among ruminant species by biting midges of the genus Culicoides. Since the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) was first identified in Germany in late 2011, it rapidly spread to other European countries. The aims of the present study were to describe the first SBD outbreak in Spain and to assess the spread and risk factors associated with SBV infection in domestic ruminants from nearby farms during the following year. In March 2012, one malformed stillborn lamb from a sheep farm located in Cordoba province (Southern Spain) was subjected to necropsy. Pathological compatible lesions and molecular analyses confirmed the first SBV infection in Spain. Afterwards, serum samples from 505 extensively reared domestic ruminants from 29 farms were analysed using both blocking ELISA and virus neutralization test against SBV. The overall seroprevalence was 54.4% (CI95%: 50.0–58.7). Antibodies were detected in 70.6%, 46.0% and 34.8% of cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. A generalized estimating equation model indicated that the main risk factors associated with SBV infection were: species (cattle), age (adult), and absence of animal insecticide treatment. Pathological and molecular results confirmed the presence of SBV in Spain few months after it was firstly identified in Germany. The seroprevalence detected indicates a widespread circulation of SBV in nearby domestic ruminant farms one year after this first outbreak was reported in Spain. Further studies are warranted to determine the spatio-temporal trend of SBV in domestic ruminants in this country.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

FDXR variants cause adrenal insufficiency and atypical sexual development.

Genetic defects affecting steroid biosynthesis cause cortisol deficiency and differences of sex development; among them recessive mutations in the steroidogenic enzymes CYP11A1 and CYP11B, whose function is supported by reducing equivalents donated by ferredoxin reductase (FDXR) and ferredoxin. So far, mutations in the mitochondrial flavoprotein FDXR have been associated with a progressive neuropathic mitochondriopathy named FDXR-Related Mitochondriopathy (FRM), but cortisol insufficiency has not been documented. However, FRM patients often experience worsening or demise following stress associated with infections. We investigated two female FRM patients carrying the novel homozygous FDXR mutation p.G437R with ambiguous genitalia at birth and sudden death in the first year of life; they presented with cortisol deficiency and androgen excess compatible with 11-hydroxylase deficiency. In addition, steroidogenic FDXR-variant cell lines reprogrammed from three FRM patients' fibroblasts displayed deficient mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid production. Finally, Fdxr-mutant mice allelic to the severe p.R386W human variant, showed reduced progesterone and corticosterone production. Therefore, our comprehensive studies show that human FDXR variants may cause compensated, but possibly life-threatening adrenocortical insufficiency in stress by affecting adrenal glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid synthesis through direct enzyme inhibition, most likely in combination with disturbed mitochondrial redox balance

Pathological changes and viral antigen distribution in tissues of Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) infected with myxoma virus

Resumen del trabajo presentado a la Joint Virtual Conference of the WDA and EWDA, celebrada del 31 de agosto al 2 de septiembre de 2021.Peer reviewe