Multiple paternity in reproduction of European eel Anguilla anguilla (L. 1758) by artificial mixing of different sperm in equal volumes

Because of its complex life cycle and due to multiple stress factors, the European eel is suffering a dramatic decline and has been declared Critically Endangered by the IUCN. A possible way to address this problem could be relieve the pressure on natural stocks by implementing its mass production by artificial breeding protocols. A previous study based on direct observation and parentage assignment underlined the presence of an allegedly hierarchic structure among European eel males in semi-natural mating conditions, with a consequent bias in F1 proportion assigned to each one. The aim of the present study is to attest if a different fertilization protocol based on the artificial mixing of female eggs with different males’ milt in equal volume (1 F:4 M) could represent a solution to the disproportion observed in semi-natural conditions. For this purpose, six families of European eels were generated, and 10 species-specific microsatellite loci were used to infer offspring composition by paternity assignment on 280 samples. Due to the asynchronous ovarian development of female European eels, the per- centage of fertilized eggs for each female showed a great variability, ranging from 4.70% to 94.50%. A pro- portion of 94.02% of genotyped offspring were assigned with high confidence to their true parents. As regard males’ fertilization pattern, no substantial differences from natural mating were observed: a single male accounted for most offspring, which was just mostly composed of full sibs. Concluding, the obtained results suggest that the admixture of an equal volume of different males’ milt seems to contribute to the single-locus genetic variability (observed heterozygosity higher than expected in 7 out 9 loci), but it is not sufficient to ensure all the males the same chance to transmit their gene pool, and new fertilization strategies must be developed

Sequential quasi-Monte Carlo: Introduction for Non-Experts, Dimension Reduction, Application to Partly Observed Diffusion Processes

SMC (Sequential Monte Carlo) is a class of Monte Carlo algorithms for filtering and related sequential problems. Gerber and Chopin (2015) introduced SQMC (Sequential quasi-Monte Carlo), a QMC version of SMC. This paper has two objectives: (a) to introduce Sequential Monte Carlo to the QMC community, whose members are usually less familiar with state-space models and particle filtering; (b) to extend SQMC to the filtering of continuous-time state-space models, where the latent process is a diffusion. A recurring point in the paper will be the notion of dimension reduction, that is how to implement SQMC in such a way that it provides good performance despite the high dimension of the problem.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of MCMQMC 201

Estudio experimental de la consolidación de fracturas en la desnutrición proteica: utilización de calcitonina en ratas desnutrida

Los autores estudian el papel de la Calcitonina en la consolidación de fracturas experimentales producidas en la tibia izquierda de 65 ratas albinas adultas. Los animales se dividían en cuatro grupos. El grupo A compuestos por 20 animales con una dieta normal y recibiendo 5 U/Kg de peso de Calcitonina diaria por vía intramuscular; el grupo B por 20 animales alimentados con una dieta no proteica y recibiendo Calcitonina diariamente y a la misma dosis que en el grupo A; el grupo C es el grupo de control, compuesto por 15 animales alimentados con dieta normal y sin medicación; por último el grupo D, también de control, compuesto por 10 animales alimentados con dieta no proteica y sin medicación. A los componentes de la dieta no proteica se añadió fécula de maíz (MaizenaR ) que fue el origen calórico. Las fracturas fueron protocolizadas de forma que fueron similares en lo que respecta a su loralización en diálisis así como su forma y trazo; se escogieron las tibias para nuestro estudio debido a la facilidad con que dichas fracturas podían realizarse a mano. En todos los grupos los 2 animales fueron sacrificados a las 3 semanas de provocada la fractura. Durante este intervalo, los animales fueron alimentados con la dieta asignada a cada uno de los grupos, con o sin la administración de inyecciones intramusculares de calcitonina. Los animales de cada grupo se situaron en la misma caja, con agua «ad libitum» y sin restricción de movimientos. El hueso fue estudiado macroscópicamente, radiológicamente y microscópicamente mediante técnicas histoló- gicas e histomorfométricas con piezas teñidas con hematoxilina-eosina. Todas las preparaciones fueron estudiadas por microscopía óptica. Los resultados llevaron a los autores a la conclusión de que la curación de la fractura en hueso largo curaba más rápido y el callo era cualitativamente mejor en animales tratados con Calcitonina, cuando eran comparados con los grupos de control.The authors studied the role of Calcitonin in the consolidation of experimental fractures produced in the left tibiae of 65 adult Albino rats. The animals were divided in four groups: Group A: 20 animals on a normal diet, receiving Calcitonin 5 U/kg body weight, intramuscular daily; Group B: 20 animals fed on a no-protein diet and receiving Calcitonin in the same dosage as Group A and daily; Group C: Control group- 15 animals on normal diet and without any medication; and Group D: Control group- 10 animals on no-protein diet and without any medication. To the components of the non-protein diet was added maize starch (MaizenaR ) which was the calory-source. The fractures were standardized to meet the conditions of the experiment such as fractures should be similar concerning both their localization in the diaphyses and their shape and trace; tibiae were chosen for our study due to the readiness with which handmade fractures can be produced. In all groups the animals were killed three weeks after the fractures had been carried out. During this interval, animals were fed on the diet assigned to their respective groups, with or without administration of intramuscular injections of Calcitonin. Animals in each group were placed in the same cage, with water ad libitum and no restriction to movements. The bone healing was studied macroscopically, radiologically, and microscopically through histologic and histomorphometric techniques with the samples stained with hematoxilin-eosin. AD slices were studied by optic microscopy. The results led the authors to the conclusion that long bone fracture healing progressed faster and the calli were qualitatively better in animals treated with Calcitonin, when compared to the controls

Importancia del hematoma en las fracturas de los hueso s largos: estudio experimental en ratas

Los autores han estudiado la importancia del hematoma en la consolidación de las fracturas de los hueso s largos. Para ello, han realizado un estudio experimental en 50 ratas Wistar, en las cuales se producía una fractura a nivel de sus tibias, siendo estabilizadas posteriormente, mediante agujas intramedulares. El hematoma era aspirado del foco de fractura en el miembro derecho, mientras que el miembro izquierdo servía como control. Los animale s fueron sacrificados tras diferente s periodos de tiempo, y el callo formado en las diferente s muestras ha sido analizado en relación a los aspectos radiológico y microscópico. Se pudo observar un predominio del tejido fibroso en el miembro control, y en aquellas muestras donde el hematoma había sido aspirado, predominaba tejido óseo y cartilaginoso.The authors studied the importance of the haematoma in the consolidation of fractures of long bones. It was performed an experiment in 50 Wistar rats that had their tibiae fractures and stabilized with intramedullary wires. The haetoma wa s aspired from the fracture site in the right limb whereas the left limbed served as control. The animals wer e sacrified in different periods of time , and the calli formed in the sample s wer e analysed in reltion to the radiological and microscopical aspects. It w a s observed a predominancy of fibrous tissue in the control limb and in the sample s wher e the haematoma was aspirated it was obtained a predominancy of cartilaginous and osseous tissue

Algunes reflexions entorn de la conceptualització de la infància i adolescència en risc social a l'Estat espanyol

L'article realitza una aproximació a les interpretacions del concepte de risc social de la infancia per part de diversos autors d'àmbit estatal, tenint també en compte els marcs legals català i espanyol. Pretén aclarir quins són els criteris valoratius emprats, tant des de l'àmbit acadèmic com del professional, per interpretar les categoritzacions de la infància i l'adolescència en processos de dificultat i precarietat social. Des d'aquesta perspectiva, s'hi analitza l'estreta relació entre factors de risc, desemparament i marginació. S'hi rebutgen les interpretacions que responsabilitzen el propi menor de la desadaptació, i s'hi defensa la hipótesi de la necessitat d'una intervenció socioeducativa que treballi per una disminució dels factors de risc en el propi medi, mantenint el seu protagonisme en aquest procés.This article is an approach to the different acceptances of the concept social risk as well as the terms neglect and maladjustment, based on the reflections made by different authors and both statal and autonomous legal framework. It intends to clarify which are the criteria of values used in academic and professional ambits in order to understand the categoriesfound in the fields of childhood and adolescence in difficult and precarious conditions. The strong relation between risk factors, neglect and margination has been analysed from this point of view. In the same way the interpretations that hold the minor himself responsible for his maladjustment are rejected and the author defends the necessity of a socio-educational intervention, which reduces the risk factors in the child's environment, and the need of paying close attention to the child's main role in this process.El artículo realiza una aproximación a las interpretaciones del concepto de riesgo social de la infancia por parte de diversos autores de ámbito estatal, teniendo también en cuenta los marcos legales catalán y español. Pretende aclarar cuáles son los criterios valorativos utilizados, tanto desde el ámbito academico como profesional, para interpretar las categorizaciones de la infancia en procesos de dificultad y precariedad. Desde esta perspectiva, se analiza la estrecha relación entre factores de riesgo, desamparamiento y marginación. Se rechazan las interpretaciones que responsabilizan al propio menor de la desadaptación y se defiende la hipótesis de la necesidad de una intervención socioeducativa que trabaje para una disminución de los factores de riesgo en el propio medio, manteniendo su protagonismo en este proceso

How a Diverse Research Ecosystem Has Generated New Rehabilitation Technologies: Review of NIDILRR’s Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers

Over 50 million United States citizens (1 in 6 people in the US) have a developmental, acquired, or degenerative disability. The average US citizen can expect to live 20% of his or her life with a disability. Rehabilitation technologies play a major role in improving the quality of life for people with a disability, yet widespread and highly challenging needs remain. Within the US, a major effort aimed at the creation and evaluation of rehabilitation technology has been the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) sponsored by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. As envisioned at their conception by a panel of the National Academy of Science in 1970, these centers were intended to take a “total approach to rehabilitation”, combining medicine, engineering, and related science, to improve the quality of life of individuals with a disability. Here, we review the scope, achievements, and ongoing projects of an unbiased sample of 19 currently active or recently terminated RERCs. Specifically, for each center, we briefly explain the needs it targets, summarize key historical advances, identify emerging innovations, and consider future directions. Our assessment from this review is that the RERC program indeed involves a multidisciplinary approach, with 36 professional fields involved, although 70% of research and development staff are in engineering fields, 23% in clinical fields, and only 7% in basic science fields; significantly, 11% of the professional staff have a disability related to their research. We observe that the RERC program has substantially diversified the scope of its work since the 1970’s, addressing more types of disabilities using more technologies, and, in particular, often now focusing on information technologies. RERC work also now often views users as integrated into an interdependent society through technologies that both people with and without disabilities co-use (such as the internet, wireless communication, and architecture). In addition, RERC research has evolved to view users as able at improving outcomes through learning, exercise, and plasticity (rather than being static), which can be optimally timed. We provide examples of rehabilitation technology innovation produced by the RERCs that illustrate this increasingly diversifying scope and evolving perspective. We conclude by discussing growth opportunities and possible future directions of the RERC program

Microsatellite DNA variation revealed high levels of gene flow and transboundaries populations in the Adriatic shared stocks of the European squid and cuttlefish (Cephalopoda)

In the semienclosed Adriatic Sea, the shared stocks of the cephalopods Loligo vulgaris and Sepia officinalis represent important marine fisheries resources exploited by all coastal countries. The improving of knowledge on the demographic features of these shared stocks is internationally relevant for adopting responsible management and conservation of these marine resources. Analyses of microsatellite variation in geographical samples collected from all parts of the Adriatic Sea were performed using arrays of species-specific di-nucleotide and tri-nucleotide loci. In L. vulgaris the level of genetic variability was consistent with that observed in other loliginid species, whereas the S. officinalis stock showed a microsatellite variation markedly lower than that estimated for the Atlantic and Mediterranean populations collected around the Iberian peninsula. The weak spatial genetic differentiation, the discordant results of the genetic divergence estimators and the lack of any geographical cline in the spatial genetic differences suggest the occurrence of single genetically homogeneous populations within the Adriatic stocks of both species, recommending a coordinated management of the squid and cuttlefish by the Adriatic fishing countries. On the contrary, significant differences detected in temporal replicates of S. officinalis might suggest that allelic frequency can change relating to reproductive behaviour