Pregerminative treatments in Tillandsia ionantha seeds to obtain seedlings under in vitro culture

Objective: To search for an in vitro strategy to favor both germination and a greater number of seedlings in Tillandsia ionantha; also, to promote the development of future research on this species. Design/methodology/approach: Factor one: lighting conditions (light-dark), factor two: 13 preconditioning treatments, which included storage at room temperature and in refrigeration at 10° C, soaking (12 and 24 hours), with hydrogen peroxide (10 and 20 %), potassium nitrate (0.2 and 0.4 %), gibberellins (50 and 150 ml.l-1), three alternate incubation temperatures (28, 32 and 36 °C). They were sown in MS medium (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) at 25 %, adding 20 g.l-1 of sugar, 2 g.l-1 of activated carbon, and 5 .5 g.l-1 of agar. A flask with three seeds which coma removed was established as an experimental unit; 15 repetitions were established and placed in the incubation room at 24 °C with a photoperiod of 16:8. The germination process was recorded, and the seedlings were extracted two months after their establishment. Results: The treatment that resulted in the highest number of seeds that initiated the germination process and the highest number of plants was when the seeds were kept at room temperature. The highest contamination was observed in the treatment exposed to 32 °C. It was observed that 80% of the experimental units showed signs of imbibition within a few days, although the vast majority did not complete the process and the maximum yield was on average 1.4 seedlings. Conclusions: The best treatment is to use seeds stored at room temperature and if storage is necessary, to soak them for 12 h

Morphological evolution of pulsed laser deposited ZrO2 thin films

Morphological evolution of ZrO2 thin films deposited during pulsed laser deposition of Zr in O2 atmosphere has been experimentally studied at two different film deposition temperatures, 300 and 873 K. The roughness exponent, , the growth exponent, , the coarsening exponent, 1/z, and the exponent defining the evolution of the characteristic wavelength of the surface, p, for depositions at 300 K amounted to = 1.00.1, = 0.40.1, 1/z= 0.340.03, and p= 0.490.03, whereas for depositions carried out at 873 K amounted to = 0.30.3, = 0.40.2, and 1/z= 0.00.2. Experimental error becomes important due to the flat morphology of the films inherent to the deposition technique. The change in the surface topography with the film temperature has been studied with the help of a simple Monte Carlo model which indicates the existence of two different growth regimes: a shadowing dominated growth, occurring at low temperatures, characterized by calculated values = 1.000.04, = 0.500.04, p= 0.460.01, and 1/z= 0.350.02 and a diffusion dominated growth that takes place at high temperatures as well as at low deposition rates, characterized by calculated values = 0.150.08, = 0.330.04, and 1/z= 0.330.07. The good agreement obtained between the experimental and simulated parameters is discussed within the frame of the general characteristics of the deposition method.Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México-PAPIIT-IN107808Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de México-CONACyT-50203-FMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades de España-MAT 2007-65764, PIE 200960I132 y CONSOLIDER INGENIO 2010-CSD2008-00023Junta de Andalucía-TEP2275 y P07-FQM-0329

One Health Approach to Identify Research Needs on Rhipicephalus microplus Ticks in the Americas

We aim to provide a harmonized view of the factors that affect the survival and promote the spread of R. microplus in the Neotropics, approaching its different facets of biology, ecology, distribution, and control. We review the interactions among environmental niche, landscape fragmentation, vegetal coverage (abiotic traits), and the biotic aspects of its ecology (abundance of domesticated or wild competent hosts), proposing emerging areas of research. We emphasize a holistic view integrating an economically and ecologically sustainable control of infestations and transmitted pathogens by R. microplus in the Neotropics. Examples of research link the trends of climate, the composition of the community of hosts, the landscape features, and a tailored management based on ecological grounds. Our view is that factors driving the spread of R. microplus are complex and deeply interrelated, something that has been seldom considered in control strategies. The effects of climate may affect the dynamics of wildlife or the landscape composition, promoting new patterns of seasonal activity of the tick, or its spread into currently free areas. In this paper we encourage a One Health approach highlighting the main aspects governing the components of the tick’s life cycle and its interactions with livestock and wild animals.Nuestro objetivo es ofrecer una visión armonizada de los factores que afectan a la supervivencia y promueven la propagación de R. microplus en el Neotrópico, abordando sus diferentes facetas de biología, ecología, distribución y control. Revisamos las interacciones entre el nicho ambiental, la fragmentación del paisaje la cobertura vegetal (rasgos abióticos), y los aspectos bióticos de su ecología (abundancia de hospedadores domesticados domésticos o silvestres competentes), proponiendo áreas emergentes de investigación. Hacemos hincapié en una visión holística integrando un control económica y ecológicamente sostenible de las infestaciones y los patógenos transmitidos patógenos transmitidos por R. microplus en el Neotrópico. Los ejemplos de investigación vinculan las tendencias del clima, la composición de la comunidad de hospedadores, las características del paisaje y una gestión adaptada basada en motivos ecológicos. Nuestra opinión es que los factores que impulsan la propagación de R. microplus son complejos y profundamente interrelacionados, algo que rara vez se ha tenido en cuenta en las estrategias de control. Los efectos del Los efectos del clima pueden afectar a la dinámica de la vida silvestre o a la composición del paisaje, promoviendo nuevos patrones de actividad estacional de la garrapata, o su propagación en zonas actualmente libres. En este artículo se fomenta un enfoque de En este documento fomentamos un enfoque de "salud", destacando los principales aspectos que rigen los componentes del ciclo de vida de la garrapata y sus interacciones con el ganado y los animales salvajes. sus interacciones con el ganado y los animales salvajes

Are Farm-Reared Quails for Game Restocking Really Common Quails (Coturnix coturnix)?: A Genetic Approach

The common quail (Coturnix coturnix) is a popular game species for which restocking with farm-reared individuals is a common practice. In some areas, the number of released quails greatly surpasses the number of wild breeding common quail. However, common quail are difficult to raise in captivity and this casts suspicion about a possible hybrid origin of the farmed individuals from crosses with domestic Japanese quail (C. japonica). In this study we used a panel of autosomal microsatellite markers to characterize the genetic origin of quails reared for hunting purposes in game farms in Spain and of quails from an experimental game farm which was founded with hybrids that have been systematically backcrossed with wild common quails. The genotypes of these quail were compared to those of wild common quail and domestic strains of Japanese quail. Our results show that more than 85% of the game farm birds were not common quail but had domestic Japanese quail ancestry. In the experimental farm a larger proportion of individuals could not be clearly separated from pure common quails. We conclude that the majority of quail sold for restocking purposes were not common quail. Genetic monitoring of individuals raised for restocking is indispensable as the massive release of farm-reared hybrids could represent a severe threat for the long term survival of the native species

Desert dust outbreak in the Canary Islands (February 2020): assessment and impacts

World Weather Research Programme (WWRP 2021–1

Functional genomics of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (Linnaeus, 1758)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The horn fly, <it>Haematobia irritans </it>(Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Muscidae) is one of the most important ectoparasites of pastured cattle. Horn flies infestations reduce cattle weight gain and milk production. Additionally, horn flies are mechanical vectors of different pathogens that cause disease in cattle. The aim of this study was to conduct a functional genomics study in female horn flies using Expressed Sequence Tags (EST) analysis and RNA interference (RNAi).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A cDNA library was made from whole abdominal tissues collected from partially fed adult female horn flies. High quality horn fly ESTs (2,160) were sequenced and assembled into 992 unigenes (178 contigs and 814 singlets) representing molecular functions such as serine proteases, cell metabolism, mitochondrial function, transcription and translation, transport, chromatin structure, vitellogenesis, cytoskeleton, DNA replication, cell response to stress and infection, cell proliferation and cell-cell interactions, intracellular trafficking and secretion, and development. Functional analyses were conducted using RNAi for the first time in horn flies. Gene knockdown by RNAi resulted in higher horn fly mortality (protease inhibitor functional group), reduced oviposition (vitellogenin, ferritin and vATPase groups) or both (immune response and 5'-NUC groups) when compared to controls. Silencing of ubiquitination ESTs did not affect horn fly mortality and ovisposition while gene knockdown in the ferritin and vATPse functional groups reduced mortality when compared to controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results advanced the molecular characterization of this important ectoparasite and suggested candidate protective antigens for the development of vaccines for the control of horn fly infestations.</p

Bladder cancer index: cross-cultural adaptation into Spanish and psychometric evaluation

BACKGROUND: The Bladder Cancer Index (BCI) is so far the only instrument applicable across all bladder cancer patients, independent of tumor infiltration or treatment applied. We developed a Spanish version of the BCI, and assessed its acceptability and metric properties. METHODS: For the adaptation into Spanish we used the forward and back-translation method, expert panels, and cognitive debriefing patient interviews. For the assessment of metric properties we used data from 197 bladder cancer patients from a multi-center prospective study. The Spanish BCI and the SF-36 Health Survey were self-administered before and 12 months after treatment. Reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed through the multi-trait multi-method matrix. The magnitude of change was quantified by effect sizes to assess responsiveness. RESULTS: Reliability coefficients ranged 0.75-0.97. The validity analysis confirmed moderate associations between the BCI function and bother subscales for urinary (r = 0.61) and bowel (r = 0.53) domains; conceptual independence among all BCI domains (r ≤ 0.3); and low correlation coefficients with the SF-36 scores, ranging 0.14-0.48. Among patients reporting global improvement at follow-up, pre-post treatment changes were statistically significant for the urinary domain and urinary bother subscale, with effect sizes of 0.38 and 0.53. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish BCI is well accepted, reliable, valid, responsive, and similar in performance compared to the original instrument. These findings support its use, both in Spanish and international studies, as a valuable and comprehensive tool for assessing quality of life across a wide range of bladder cancer patients

Long daytime napping is associated with increased adiposity and type 2 diabetes in an elderly population with metabolic syndrome

Research examining associations between objectively-measured napping time and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate daytime napping in relation to T2D and adiposity measures in elderly individuals from the Mediterranean region. A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 2190 elderly participants with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome, in the PREDIMED-Plus trial, was carried out. Accelerometer-derived napping was measured. Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for T2D were obtained using multivariable-adjusted Cox regression with constant time. Linear regression models were fitted to examine associations of napping with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Participants napping ≥90 min had a higher prevalence of T2D (PR 1.37 (1.06, 1.78)) compared with those napping 5 to <30 min per day. Significant positive associations with BMI and WC were found in those participants napping ≥30 min as compared to those napping 5 to <30 min per day. The findings of this study suggest that longer daytime napping is associated with higher T2D prevalence and greater adiposity measures in an elderly Spanish population at high cardiovascular risk

Epidemiological trends of HIV/HCV coinfection in Spain, 2015-2019

Altres ajuts: Spanish AIDS Research Network; European Funding for Regional Development (FEDER).Objectives: We assessed the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and active HCV infection (HCV-RNA-positive) in people living with HIV (PLWH) in Spain in 2019 and compared the results with those of four similar studies performed during 2015-2018. Methods: The study was performed in 41 centres. Sample size was estimated for an accuracy of 1%. Patients were selected by random sampling with proportional allocation. Results: The reference population comprised 41 973 PLWH, and the sample size was 1325. HCV serostatus was known in 1316 PLWH (99.3%), of whom 376 (28.6%) were HCV antibody (Ab)-positive (78.7% were prior injection drug users); 29 were HCV-RNA-positive (2.2%). Of the 29 HCV-RNA-positive PLWH, infection was chronic in 24, it was acute/recent in one, and it was of unknown duration in four. Cirrhosis was present in 71 (5.4%) PLWH overall, three (10.3%) HCV-RNA-positive patients and 68 (23.4%) of those who cleared HCV after anti-HCV therapy (p = 0.04). The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies decreased steadily from 37.7% in 2015 to 28.6% in 2019 (p < 0.001); the prevalence of active HCV infection decreased from 22.1% in 2015 to 2.2% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Uptake of anti-HCV treatment increased from 53.9% in 2015 to 95.0% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In Spain, the prevalence of active HCV infection among PLWH at the end of 2019 was 2.2%, i.e. 90.0% lower than in 2015. Increased exposure to DAAs was probably the main reason for this sharp reduction. Despite the high coverage of treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents, HCV-related cirrhosis remains significant in this population