Physical and chemical characterization of PLA nanofibres and PLA/ZrO2 mesoporous composites synthesized by air-jet spinning

Polylactic acid with zirconium oxide solution has been deposited by air-jet spinning to obtain a PLA/ZrO2 composite.Zirconium oxide is obtained by hydrothermal technique and the results indicate that zirconia is nanostructured, mesoporousand thermally stable. The precursor solutions are formed by different amounts of PLA and zirconia. PLA/ZrO2 composite isformed by nanofibres with a random distribution, non-porous and with diameter of fibres depending of PLA and zirconiaconcentrations. It is found that the incorporation of zirconia makes the PLA fibres harder, less flexible and mesoporous.However, the thermal properties are not affected by the zirconia incorporation. The findings show that PLA/ZrO2 compositecan be utilized as biomaterial

Physical and chemical characterization of PLA nanofibres and PLA/ZrO2 mesoporous composites synthesized by air-jet spinning

57-64Polylactic acid with zirconium oxide solution has been deposited by air-jet spinning to obtain a PLA/ZrO2 composite. Zirconium oxide is obtained by hydrothermal technique and the results indicate that zirconia is nanostructured, mesoporous and thermally stable. The precursor solutions are formed by different amounts of PLA and zirconia. PLA/ZrO2 composite is formed by nanofibres with a random distribution, non-porous and with diameter of fibres depending of PLA and zirconia concentrations. It is found that the incorporation of zirconia makes the PLA fibres harder, less flexible and mesoporous. However, the thermal properties are not affected by the zirconia incorporation. The findings show that PLA/ZrO2 composite can be utilized as biomaterial

How sensitive and specific is the visual diagnosis of sarcoptic mange in free-ranging Iberian ibexes?

Background: Sarcoptic mange is a broadly distributed parasitic disease caused by Sarcoptes scabiei that affects wild mammals from all over the world, including the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica). Selective culling of the scabietic individuals is the main management measure for disease control in Iberian ibex populations. Although visual identification of mange-compatible lesions is the reference method to decide the target individual, both false negative and positive cases are common in the wild. The aim of this work is to determine the sensitivity (SE), and the specificity (SP) of selective culling after evaluating 403 ibexes hunted in the Sierra Nevada Nature Space for sarcoptic mange control between 2002 and 2015. Methods: A combination of skin scrapings and potassium hidroxide (KOH) skin digestion was used for sarcoptic mange diagnosis. Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to assess the effects of sex, age (juveniles and adults) and period of the year (wet and dry periods) on the SE and SP of the visual diagnosis method. Results: The SE obtained for the visual determination of scabietic ibexes was 87.14%, whereas the SP was 60.71%. According to our model selection, SE of the visual diagnosis was explained by the additive effects of age and the period of the year. In fact, SE was lower in juveniles (64.76%) than in adults (94.26%) and during the dry period (73.44%) as compared to the wet period (92.09%). On the other hand, SP was best explained by the GLM including the additive effects of sex and the period of the year. The visual diagnosis of sarcoptic mange resulted less specific in females (22.73%) than in males (74.19%) and during the wet (55.22%) than in the dry period (82.35%). Conclusions: Maximizing SE and SP is essential to achieving a high rate of removal of affected individuals from the environment without eliminating potentially resistant individuals. Selective culling must be conservative during the wet period and with females due to the lower SP. Conversely, visual diagnosis of scabietic juveniles and during the dry period has to be improved, due to the lower SE.This project was funded by the Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía (project 173/2009/M/00; 03/15/M/00; 861_11_M_00 and 2016/00014/M), and by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (projects CGL2012-40043-C02-01, CGL2012-40043-C02-02 and CGL2016-80543-P). The authors’ research activities are partially supported by the Plan Andaluz de Investigación (RNM-118 group). MV is supported by a FI-GENCAT Fellowship (2018FI_B_00978, co-financed by Agència de Gestió dʼAjuts Universitaris i de Recerca and European Social Fund) and ES by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidades (MICINN) through a Ramon y Cajal agreement (RYC-2016-21120)

Long-term dynamics of Mycoplasma conjunctivae at the wildlife-livestock interface in the Pyrenees

Functional roles of domestic and wild host populations in infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) epidemiology have been extensively discussed claiming a domestic reservoir for the more susceptible wild hosts, however, based on limited data. With the aim to better assess IKC epidemiology in complex host-pathogen alpine systems, the long-term infectious dynamics and molecular epidemiology of Mycoplasma conjunctivae was investigated in all host populations from six study areas in the Pyrenees and one in the Cantabrian Mountains (Northern Spain). Detection of M. conjunctivae was performed by qPCR on 3600 eye swabs collected during seven years from hunted wild ungulates and sympatric domestic sheep (n = 1800 animals), and cluster analyses of the strains were performed including previous reported local strains. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was consistently detected in three Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica) populations, as well as in sheep flocks (17.0% of sheep) and occasionally in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) from the Pyrenees (22.2% in one year/area); statistically associated with ocular clinical signs only in chamois. Chamois populations showed different infection dynamics with low but steady prevalence (4.9%) and significant yearly fluctuations (0.0%- 40.0%). Persistence of specific M. conjunctivae strain clusters in wild host populations is demonstrated for six and nine years. Cross-species transmission between chamois and sheep and chamois and mouflon were also sporadically evidenced. Overall, independent M. conjunctivae sylvatic and domestic cycles occurred at the wildlife-livestock interface in the alpine ecosystems from the Pyrenees with sheep and chamois as the key host species for each cycle, and mouflon as a spill-over host. Host population characteristics and M. conjunctivae strains resulted in different epidemiological scenarios in chamois, ranging from the fading out of the mycoplasma to the epidemic and endemic long-term persistence. These findings highlight the capacity of M. conjunctivae to establish diverse interactions and persist in host populations, also with different transmission conditions

The physiological cost of male-biased parasitism in a nearly monomorphic mammal

Background: Even though male-biased parasitism is common in mammals, little effort has been made to evaluate whether higher parasitic burden in males results in an extra biological cost, and thus a decrease in fitness. Body condition impairment and the augmentation of oxidative stress can be used as indicators of the cost of parasite infections. Here, we examined relationships between gastrointestinal and respiratory helminths, body condition and oxidative stress markers (glutathione peroxidase, paraoxonase-1) in 28 Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica) sampled in autumn. Results: Only male chamois showed a reduction in body condition and higher oxidative stress due to parasite infection, likely because of the extremely high parasite burdens observed in males. Conclusions: This study made evident a disparity in the physiological cost of multiple parasitism between sexes in a wild mammal, mainly due to parasitic richness. Because of the similar life expectancy in male and female chamois, we suggest that males may have developed natural mechanisms to compensate for higher parasite loads during the rut

Management of a caseous lymphadenitis outbreak in a new Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) stock reservoir

Background: In 2010, an Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica) stock reservoir was established for conservation purposes in north-eastern Spain. Eighteen ibexes were captured in the wild and housed in a 17 hectare enclosure. Once in captivity, a caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) outbreak occurred and ibex handlings were carried out at six-month intervals between 2010 and 2013 to perform health examinations and sampling. Treatment with a bacterin-based autovaccine and penicillin G benzatine was added during the third and subsequent handlings, when infection by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was confirmed. Changes in lesion score, serum anti-C. pseudotuberculosis antibodies and haematological parameters were analyzed to assess captivity effects, disease emergence and treatment efficacy. Serum acute phase proteins (APP) Haptoglobin (Hp), Amyloid A (SAA) and Acid Soluble Glycoprotein (ASG) concentrations were also determined to evaluate their usefulness as indicators of clinical status.Once in captivity, 12 out of 14 ibexes (85.7%) seroconverted, preceding the emergence of clinical signs; moreover, TP, WBC, eosinophil and platelet cell counts increased while monocyte and basophil cell counts decreased. After treatment, casualties and fistulas disappeared and both packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin concentration significantly increased. Hp, SAA and ASG values were under the limit of detection or showed no significant differences. Conclusions: A role for captivity in contagion rate is suggested by the increase in antibody levels against C. pseudotuberculosis and the emergence of clinical signs. Although boosted by captivity, this is the first report of an outbreak of caseous lymphadenitis displaying high morbidity and mortality in wild ungulates. Treatment consisting of both vaccination and antibiotic therapy seemed to prevent mortality and alleviate disease severity, but was not reflected in the humoural response. Haematology and APP were not useful indicators in our study, perhaps due to the sampling frequency. Presumably endemic and irrelevant in the wild, this common disease of domestic small ruminants is complicating conservation efforts for the Iberian ibex in north-eastern Spain

Effect of Acepromazine and Haloperidol in Male Iberian Ibex (Capra pyrenaica) Captured by Box-Trap

Short-acting neuroleptic drugs are used to prevent adverse effects of stress in wildlife. We compared the effect of aceproma-zine and haloperidol in Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) captured with box-traps. We captured 23 male Iberian ibex at the National Game Reserve of Ports de Tortosa i Beseit, northeastern Spain, March 2003-June 2005. Seven animals received 0.1 mg/kg of acepromazine maleate, eight received 0.33 mg/kg of haloperidol and eight animals acted as controls. Clinical, hematologic, and serum biochemical parameters were analyzed. Both treatments decreased rectal temperature, white blood cells, lymphocytes, and concentrations of creatinine, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase. Acepromazine also decreased red blood cells, packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration, neutrophils, and concentrations of glucose and cholesterol. Haloperidol also decreased heart rate and concentrations of urea and potassium. Our results demonstrate the suitability of using acepromazine and haloperidol in capture operations to reduce stress and prevent its adverse effects

Between conflict and reciprocal habituation : Human-wild boar coexistence in urban areas

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABUrbanization is an ongoing global environmental change. Wildlife may respond using anthropized environments and resources, which is known as synurbization, creating human-wildlife interactions. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations have become common in urban areas, including the metropolitan area of Barcelona. Humans respond to wild boars in urban environments either habituating, with lower conflict perception and higher wild boar acceptance, or sensitizing, with reduced tolerance towards wild boars. Since citizen response influences conflict management, this study analysed the drivers of human responses, which should allow adopting socially-accepted measures to manage synurbic wild boar populations. Interviews to 1956 Barcelona citizens were performed, grouping the response variables to score citizen and urban characteristics, as well as citizen lay-knowledge, emotions, experiences, and perception of wild boar. Five citizen clusters were identified: cluster 1 (3.3 %), highly habituated and active wild boar feeder; cluster 2 (11.3 %), habituated to wild boars with positive feelings; cluster 3 (19.8 %), not habituated nor sensitized, willing to maintain urban wild boar populations; cluster 4 (29.1 %), sensitized and concerned, defending to reduce wild boar; and cluster 5 (40.1 %), highly sensitized and proposing to reduce or even eliminate wild boar. Positive attitudes associated wild boar to aesthetic value, closeness to nature and sympathy, and were more frequent in young citizens with urban background and high education, animal lovers habituated to wild boar through contact without negative experiences. Conversely, negative attitudes were concerned about city fouling, safety or health, accepted lethal management measures, and were more frequent in older citizens with rural background, lower education, low contact with wild boar or sensitized through negative experiences. We document for the first time the sensitization and reciprocal habituation of humans to wild boar in urban areas. The identification of the drivers of citizen attitudes towards urban wildlife should be useful to design socially-accepted management measures

Earthquake-triggered soft-sediment deformation structures (seismites) in travertine deposits

Earthquakes-related soft-sediment deformations (seismites) are relevant structures to help reconstructing the palaeoseismicity in a region. Nevertheless, although seismites have been described for a large variety of palaeo-environments and stratigraphic settings, they are rare and, in some cases, ambiguous structures. In this paper, we document, for the first time, impressive seismites affecting a latest Quaternary travertine deposit located in southern Tuscany (Serre di Rapolano, Italy). These structures are extremely relevant, as seismites have been never described for this kind of terrestrial deposits. The seismites developed within a 2.5 m thick stratigraphic succession made of alternating terrigenous and carbonate sediments, embedded within the travertine deposits. Earthquake produced liquefaction and fluidization of some terrigenous levels and the injection of fluidized silty sediments (dykes and sills) into carbonate and terrigenous levels; slumped levels and associated decollement surfaces produced highly non-cylindrical folds, overall induced by the loss of brittle shear strength along the basin slopes. The occurrence of these soft-sediment deformations implies an important seismic event that took place in a time spam encompassed between 84 ± 8 and 48.92 ± 5.08 ka, in an area characterized by low seismicity and scarce knowledge of its seismotectonic setting. Their spectacular exposition and preservation in saw-cuts of an abandoned quarry (Cava Oliviera quarry) highlights their relevance and importance