A Mainly Circum-Mediterranean Origin for West Eurasian and North African mtDNAs in Puerto Rico with Strong Contributions from the Canary Islands and West Africa

Maternal lineages of West Eurasian and North African origin account for 11.5% of total mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Rico. Historical sources suggest that this ancestry arrived mostly from European migrations that took place during the four centuries of the Spanish colonization of Puerto Rico. This study analyzed 101 mitochondrial control region sequences and diagnostic coding region variants from a sample set randomly and systematically selected using a census-based sampling frame to be representative of the Puerto Rican population, with the goal of defining West Eurasian-North African maternal clades and estimating their possible geographical origin. Median-joining haplotype networks were constructed using HVR-I and –II sequences from various reference populations in search of shared haplotypes. A posterior probability analysis was performed to estimate the percentage of possible origins across wide geographic regions for the entire sample set and for the most common haplogroups on the island. Principal component analyses were conducted to place the Puerto Rican mtDNA set within the variation present amongst all reference populations. Our study shows that up to 38% of West Eurasian and North African mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Rico most likely migrated from the Canary Islands. However, most of those haplotypes had previously migrated to the Canary Islands from elsewhere, and there are substantial contributions from various populations across the circum-Mediterranean region and from West African populations related to the modern Wolof and Serer peoples from Senegal and the nomad Fulani who extend up to Cameroon. In conclusion, the West Eurasian mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Ricans is geographically diverse. However, haplotype diversity seems to be low and frequencies have been shaped by population bottlenecks, migration waves, and random genetic drift. Consequently, approximately 47% of mtDNAs of West Eurasian and North African ancestry in Puerto Rico probably arrived early in its colonial history

A New Crocodylian from the Late Maastrichtian of Spain: Implications for the Initial Radiation of Crocodyloids

The earliest crocodylians are known primarily from the Late Cretaceous of North America and Europe. The representatives of Gavialoidea and Alligatoroidea are known in the Late Cretaceous of both continents, yet the biogeographic origins of Crocodyloidea are poorly understood. Up to now, only one representative of this clade has been known from the Late Cretaceous, the basal crocodyloid Prodiplocynodon from the Maastrichtian of North America.The fossil studied is a skull collected from sandstones in the lower part of the Tremp Formation, in Chron C30n, dated at -67.6 to 65.5 Ma (late Maastrichtian), in Arén (Huesca, Spain). It is located in a continuous section that contains the K/P boundary, in which the dinosaur faunas closest to the K/P boundary in Europe have been described, including Arenysaurus ardevoli and Blasisaurus canudoi. Phylogenetic analysis places the new taxon, Arenysuchus gascabadiolorum, at the base of Crocodyloidea.The new taxon is the oldest crocodyloid representative in Eurasia. Crocodyloidea had previously only been known from the Palaeogene onwards in this part of Laurasia. Phylogenetically, Arenysuchus gascabadiolorum is situated at the base of the first radiation of crocodyloids that occurred in the late Maastrichtian, shedding light on this part of the cladogram. The presence of basal crocodyloids at the end of the Cretaceous both in North America and Europe provides new evidence of the faunal exchange via the Thulean Land Bridge during the Maastrichtian

Correction to: Two years later: Is the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still having an impact on emergency surgery? An international cross-sectional survey among WSES members

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is still ongoing and a major challenge for health care services worldwide. In the first WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey, a strong negative impact on emergency surgery (ES) had been described already early in the pandemic situation. However, the knowledge is limited about current effects of the pandemic on patient flow through emergency rooms, daily routine and decision making in ES as well as their changes over time during the last two pandemic years. This second WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey investigates the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ES during the course of the pandemic. Methods: A web survey had been distributed to medical specialists in ES during a four-week period from January 2022, investigating the impact of the pandemic on patients and septic diseases both requiring ES, structural problems due to the pandemic and time-to-intervention in ES routine. Results: 367 collaborators from 59 countries responded to the survey. The majority indicated that the pandemic still significantly impacts on treatment and outcome of surgical emergency patients (83.1% and 78.5%, respectively). As reasons, the collaborators reported decreased case load in ES (44.7%), but patients presenting with more prolonged and severe diseases, especially concerning perforated appendicitis (62.1%) and diverticulitis (57.5%). Otherwise, approximately 50% of the participants still observe a delay in time-to-intervention in ES compared with the situation before the pandemic. Relevant causes leading to enlarged time-to-intervention in ES during the pandemic are persistent problems with in-hospital logistics, lacks in medical staff as well as operating room and intensive care capacities during the pandemic. This leads not only to the need for triage or transferring of ES patients to other hospitals, reported by 64.0% and 48.8% of the collaborators, respectively, but also to paradigm shifts in treatment modalities to non-operative approaches reported by 67.3% of the participants, especially in uncomplicated appendicitis, cholecystitis and multiple-recurrent diverticulitis. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still significantly impacts on care and outcome of patients in ES. Well-known problems with in-hospital logistics are not sufficiently resolved by now; however, medical staff shortages and reduced capacities have been dramatically aggravated over last two pandemic years

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Efecto de la administración de compuestos bioactivos en la dieta durante el desarrollo temprano del pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) en cultivo

Poster.-- XVIII Congreso Nacional de Acuicultura “Acuicultura: mares y ríos de oportunidades”, Cádiz, del 21 al 24 de noviembre de 2022[EN] The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is a species of great commercial interest and an excellent candidate for aquaculture diversification. Besides the administration of an adequate diet, culture conditions influence the maintenance of their health and welfare. The use of food supplements such as natural bioactive supplements administered with the diet has multiple beneficial effects. In this study we evaluated the effect of olive oil (HYT) and cumin oil (BCO) supplements on the expression of genes related to oxidative stress, immune function and pathogen recognition in cultured octopus paralarvae. The results show an increase in the expression of genes related to antioxidant function (cat, sod and gpx7) in paralarvae fed on HYT-supplemented Artemia. Among the genes related to immune function and pathogen recognition (gilt, c3, myd88, lys, tlr13 and pgrp), generally higher expression of these genes was detected after HYT administration, although lys, tlr13 and myd88 were also overexpressed in paralarvae fed on Artemia supplemented with BCO. In conclusion, the transcription of the genes analyzed was activated to a greater extent in the early life stages and after HYT administration and to a lesser extent with BCO. These bioactives could confer some kind of protection to octopus paralarvae in their early stages of development in culture[ES] El pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) es una especie de gran interés comercial y un excelente candidato para la diversificación de la acuicultura. Además de la administración de una dieta adecuada, las condiciones de cultivo influyen en el mantenimiento de su salud y bienestar. El uso de suplementos alimenticios como los complementos bioactivos naturales administrados con la dieta presenta múltiples efectos beneficiosos. En este trabajo se evaluó el efecto de suplementos derivados del aceite de oliva (HYT) y aceite de comino (BCO) en la expresión de genes relacionados con el estrés oxidativo, función inmune y reconocimiento de patógenos en paralarvas de pulpo en cultivo. Los resultados muestran un incremento en la expresión de genes relacionados con función antioxidante (cat, sod y gpx7) en paralarvas alimentadas con Artemia suplementada con HYT. Entre los genes relacionados con función inmune y reconocimiento de patógenos (gilt, c3, myd88, lys, tlr13 y pgrp), en general se detectó mayor expresión de estos genes tras la administración de HYT, aunque lys, tlr13 y MyD88 presentaron también sobreexpresión en paralarvas alimentadas con Artemia suplementada con BCO. En conclusión, la transcripción de los genes analizados se activó en mayor medida en los primeros estadios de vida y tras la administración de HYT y en menor medida con BCO. Dichos bioactivos podrían conferir algún tipo de protección a las paralarvas de pulpo en sus primeras etapas de desarrollo en cultivoProyecto OCTOMICS (AGL-2017-89475-C2-1-R) y proyecto IMMUNOCTOPUS (PID2020-119906GB-I00) financiados por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y por FEDER “Una manera de hacer Europa”.N

First genetic linkage map for comparative mapping and QTL screening of brill (Scophthalmus rhombus)

Genetic maps constitute valuable tools to detect genomic regions associated with complex traits and to go forward to understand their genetic basis. Flatfish include several species of great commercial value for which increasing genomic resources are available including genetic maps and EST databases. Application of comparative mapping strategies to flatfish is relevant to obtain genetic information associated with productive traits. The brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) is a flatfish species closely related to turbot (S. maximus) whose meat is highly appreciated in the Spanish market. The Junta de Andalucía local Government has begun a program to adapt this species to captivity for its future production. In this study, we developed the first genetic map of brill using the current turbot genetic map as starting point. This strategy enabled us to select a number of homogeneously distributed markers in the turbot map and to apply cross-species microsatellite amplification to obtain informative markers. Nearly two hundred microsatellites from the framework turbot map were used for validation, and 100 markers were finally informative for mapping. The parents and offspring of the two families (54 and 88, respectively) used to construct the genetic map were genotyped with this panel. All markers, except eleven, were successfully grouped and ordered in 24 linkage groups. Linkage groups and order of markers were highly consistent with the previous turbot genetic map. Linkage map information was used to carry out a preliminary study on growth-related QTL for body weight, length and Fulton's condition factor in the two families, as the main phenotypic traits of interest in this species. © 2013 Elsevier B.V

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis Reveals Substantial Native American Ancestry in Puerto Rico

To estimate the maternal contribution of Native Americans to the human gene pool of Puerto Ricans—a population of mixed African, European, and Amerindian ancestry—the mtDNAs of two sample sets were screened for restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) defining the four major Native American haplogroups. The sample set collected from people who claimed to have a maternal ancestor with Native American physiognomic traits had a statistically significant higher frequency of Native American mtDNAs (69.6%) than did the unbiased sample set (52.6%). This higher frequency suggests that, despite the fact that the native Taíno culture has been extinct for centuries, the Taíno contribution to the current population is considerable and some of the Taíno physiognomic traits are still present. Native American haplogroup frequency analysis shows a highly structured distribution, suggesting that the contribution of Native Americans foreign to Puerto Rico is minimal. Haplogroups A and C cover 56.0% and 35.6% of the Native American mtDNAs, respectively. No haplogroup D mtDNAs were found. Most of the linguistic, biological, and cultural evidence suggests that the Ceramic culture of the Taínos originated in or close to the Yanomama territory in the Amazon. However, the absence of haplogroup A in the Yanomami suggests that the Yanomami are not the only Taíno ancestors

Hadrosauroid dinosaurs from the Latest Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology on 2009, available online: https://doi.org/10.1671/039.029.0317XPS acknowledges the financial support provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (MEC) (Programa Ramon y Cajal; projects CGL2004-02338 and CGL2007-64061/BTE) the UPV/EHU (9/UPV 00121.310-15303/2003) and the Basque Government (CIC07/14-361). Research work of JIC and PCC was supported by the MEC and the ERDF (CGL 200403393, CGL2007-62469/BTE) and the Government of Aragon (Grupos Consolidados 2007, Department for Education and Culture). Research of JIR-O is supported by the Regional Ministry for Culture and Tourism of the Principality of Asturias (Protocolo CN-04-226). The manuscript was significantly improved thanks to the helpful reviews from P. Godefroit and F. Dalla Vecchia. Z. Herrera and I. Perez-Urresti (Univ. Zaragoza) prepared some of the photographs. A. Galobart (IPS, Sabadell) and A. Prieto-Morquez (Florida State University, Tallahassee) facilitated information to us.Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Canudo, JI.; Company Rodríguez, J.; Cruzado-Caballero, P.; Ruiz-Omeñaca, JI. (2009). Hadrosauroid dinosaurs from the Latest Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 29(3):946-951. https://doi.org/10.1671/039.029.0317S946951293Averianov, A., & Archibald, J. D. (2005). Mammals from the mid-Cretaceous Khodzhakul Formation, Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan. Cretaceous Research, 26(4), 593-608. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2005.03.007Bolotsky, Y. L., & Godefroit, P. (2004). A new hadrosaurine dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Far Eastern Russia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 24(2), 351-365. doi:10.1671/1110CASANOVAS, M. L., PEREDA SUBERBIOLA, X., SANTAFE, J. V., & WEISHAMPEL, D. B. (1999). First lambeosaurine hadrosaurid from Europe: palaeobiogeographical implications. Geological Magazine, 136(2), 205-211. doi:10.1017/s0016756899002319Casanovas, M. L., Pereda Suberbiola, X., Santafé, J. V., & Weishampel, D. B. (1999). Geologie en Mijnbouw, 78(3/4), 345-356. doi:10.1023/a:1003859501941Company, J. 2004. 410 Vertebrados continentales del Cretácico superior (Campaniense-Maastrichtiense) de Valencia. Ph.D. dissertation, Universidad de Valencia, ValenciaEvans, D. C., & Reisz, R. R. (2007). Anatomy and Relationships ofLambeosaurus magnicristatus, a crested hadrosaurid dinosaur (Ornithischia) from the Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 27(2), 373-393. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[373:aarolm]2.0.co;2Gaete, R., Prieto-Márquez, A., Riera, V., Oms, O. and Galobart, A. 2007. “New discoveries of lambeosaurine hadrosaurids from the Tremp Basin (Maastrichtian, southern Pyrenees): description and stratigraphic setting; p.”. Edited by: Liston, J. 3755thSymposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy (SVPCA) and the 16thSymposium of Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation (SPPC), University of Glasgow, Abstracts of PresentationsGodefroit, P., Bolotsky, Y., & Alifanov, V. (2003). A remarkable hollow-crested hadrosaur from Russia: an Asian origin for lambeosaurines. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2(2), 143-151. doi:10.1016/s1631-0683(03)00017-4Godefroit, P., Shulin, H., Tingxiang, Y., & Lauters, P. (2008). New Hadrosaurid Dinosaurs from the Uppermost Cretaceous of Northeastern China. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 53(1), 47-74. doi:10.4202/app.2008.0103Head, J. J. (1998). A new species of basal hadrosaurid (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) from the Cenomanian of Texas. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 18(4), 718-738. doi:10.1080/02724634.1998.10011101Head, J. J. (2001). A reanalysis of the phylogenetic position ofEolambia caroljonesa(Dinosauria, Iguanodonte). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 21(2), 392-396. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2001)021[0392:arotpp]2.0.co;2Horner, J. R., Weishampel, D. B., & Forster, C. A. (2004). Hadrosauridae. The Dinosauria, 438-463. doi:10.1525/california/9780520242098.003.0023Jagt, J. W. ., Mulder, E. W. ., Schulp, A. S., Dortangs, R. W., & Fraaije, R. H. . (2003). Dinosaurs from the Maastrichtian-type area (southeastern Netherlands, northeastern Belgium). Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2(1), 67-76. doi:10.1016/s1631-0683(03)00004-6López-Martı́nez, N., Canudo, J. I., Ardèvol, L., Suberbiola, X. P., Orue-Etxebarria, X., Cuenca-Bescós, G., … Feist, M. (2001). New dinosaur sites correlated with Upper Maastrichtian pelagic deposits in the Spanish Pyrenees: implications for the dinosaur extinction pattern in Europe. Cretaceous Research, 22(1), 41-61. doi:10.1006/cres.2000.0236Martin, J. E., Case, J. A., Jagt, J. W. M., Schulp, A. S., & Mulder, E. W. A. (2005). A New European Marsupial Indicates a Late Cretaceous High-Latitude Transatlantic Dispersal Route. Journal of Mammalian Evolution, 12(3-4), 495-511. doi:10.1007/s10914-005-7330-xMartín, M., Gaete, R., Galobart, Á., Riera, V. and Oms, O. 2007. “A new hadrosaurian bonebed in the Maastrichtian of the southern Pyrenees: stratigraphic and taphonomic approach;”. Edited by: Liston, J. 40–41.55thSymposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy (SVPCA) and the 16thSymposium of Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation (SPPC), University of Glasgow, Abstracts of PresentationsPereda-Suberbiola, X., Ruiz-Omeñ aca, J. I. and Company, J. 2003.Los dinosaurios hadrosaurios del registro ibérico. Descripción de nuevo material del Cretácico superior de Laño (Condado de Treviño); 375–388 in Pérez-Lorente, F. (coord.), Dinosaurios y otros reptiles mesozoicos en España, Instituto de Estudios riojanos, Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño. Ciencias de la Tierra26Prieto-Marquez, A., Gaete, R., Rivas, G., Galobart, Á., & Boada, M. (2006). Hadrosauroid dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Spain:Pararhabdodon isonensisrevisited andKoutalisaurus kohlerorum, gen. et sp. nov. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 26(4), 929-943. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2006)26[929:hdftlc]2.0.co;2Prieto-Marquez, A., Gignac, P. M., & Joshi, S. (2007). Neontological evaluation of pelvic skeletal attributes purported to reflect sex in extinct non-avian archosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 27(3), 603-609. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[603:neopsa]2.0.co;2Seeley, H. G. (1883). On the Dinosaurs from the Maastricht Beds. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, 39(1-4), 246-253. doi:10.1144/gsl.jgs.1883.039.01-04.19Sereno, P. C. (1998). A rationale for phylogenetic definitions, with application to the higher-level taxonomy of Dinosauria [41-83 ]. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen, 210(1), 41-83. doi:10.1127/njgpa/210/1998/41Weishampel, D. (Ed.). (2004). The Dinosauria. doi:10.1525/california/9780520242098.001.0001Weishampel, D. B., Mulder, E. W. A., Dortangs, R. W., Jagt, J. W. M., Jianu, C.-M., Kuypers, M. M. M., … Schulp, A. S. (1999). Geologie en Mijnbouw, 78(3/4), 357-365. doi:10.1023/a:1003815719688You, H., Luo, Z., Shubin, N. H., Witmer, L. M., Tang, Z., & Tang, F. (2003). The earliest-known duck-billed dinosaur from deposits of late Early Cretaceous age in northwest China and hadrosaur evolution. Cretaceous Research, 24(3), 347-355. doi:10.1016/s0195-6671(03)00048-