Effects of the anaesthetic associations atropine-tiletamine/zolazepam and atropine-ketamine/diazepam on adult emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0301-732X2009000200008&lang=ptEn el presente estudio se determinó el efecto de las asociaciones anestésicas atropina IM (0,05 mg/kg)-tiletamina/zolazepam EV (4 mg/kg total) y atropina IM (0,05 mg/kg-ketamina EV (5 mg/kg total)/diazepam (0,5 mg/kg) sobre la respuesta fisiológica, anestésica y bioquímica de emúes adultos. Los ejemplares (n = 7 por grupo) fueron asignados al azar a dos tratamientos anestésicos. La frecuencia cardiaca y la temperatura corporal de los emúes mostraron un incremento al inicio del tratamiento experimental (entre 5-10 min, P = 0,001). Sin embargo, la frecuencia respiratoria y pulso disminuyeron (entre 5-15 min, P = 0,003). Estos patrones fueron detectados para ambas asociaciones anestésicas. Por otra parte, la inducción anestésica y el tiempo de recuperación anestésica no fueron afectados por los tratamientos (P = 0,12 y P = 0,13 respectivamente). Los emúes tratados con tiletamina mostraron un mayor tiempo de anestesia quirúrgica, comparados con los emúes tratados con ketamina (P = 0,012). En el caso de A.S.T. y glucosa, ambas variables presentaron un incremento a las 24 h de la aplicación del tratamiento anestésico, resultando los niveles de glucosa más altos en emúes tratados con ketamina (P = 0,006 y P = 0,008 respectivamente). Finalmente, la hemoglobina, proteínas totales y ácido úrico no presentaron diferencias significativas entre tratamientos (P = 0,99, P = 0,97 y P= 0,81 respectivamente). En conclusión, los dos protocolos anestésicos resultaron seguros y eficientes para la manipulación de los animales; sin embargo, el mayor tiempo de anestesia observado en animales tratados con tiletamina podría determinar la preferencia por esta asociación anestésica.Summary: In this study, the effects of the anaesthetic associations atropine IM (0.05 mg/kg)-tiletamine/zolazepam IV (4 mg/kg total) and atropine IM (0.05 mg/kg)-ketamine IV (5 mg/kg total)/diazepam (0.5 mg/kg) on physiological, anaesthetic and biochemical responses were determined on adult emus. Animals (n = 7 per group) were randomly assigned to the two anaesthetic associations. Variables were measured at baseline, during surgical plane and during 30 min of observation. Heart rate and temperature increased at the beginning of the experimental period (between 5-10 min, P = 0.001), while respiratory frequency and pulse decreased (between 5-15 min, P = 0.003). These patterns were detected with both anaesthetic associations. Anaesthetic induction and recuperation time were not affected by treatments (P = 0.12 and P = 0.13 respectively). Emus treated with tiletamine showed a greater anaesthetic time than emus treated with ketamine (P = 0.012). Significant increases in A.S.T. and glucose were observed at 24 h post application of anaesthetic associations, resulting higher in ketamine emus (P = 0.006 and P = 0.008 respectively). Finally, there were no significant differences between anaesthetic treatments for haemoglobin, total proteins and uric acid (P = 0.99, P = 0.97 and P = 0.81 respectively). In conclusion, atropine-tiletamine/zolazepam and atropine- etamine/diazepam protocols resulted safe and efficient for animal manipulation, however the greater anaesthetic time observed in tiletamine-treated animals may determine preference for this anaesthetic combination

Multi-scale path planning for a planetary exploration vehicle with multiple locomotion modes

Planetary exploration vehicles (rovers) can encounter with a great variety of situations. Most of them are related to the terrain, which can cause the end of the mission if these vehicles are not able to traverse it. It was the case of Spirit rover, which got stuck in loose sand, making it impossible to continue advancing. A solution to this is to make rovers capable of modifying their locomotion to traverse terrains with particular terramechanic parameters.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Living on a trophic subsidy: Algal quality drives an upper-shore herbivore’s consumption, preference and absorption but not growth rates

Indexación: Scopus.The transfer of seaweeds from subtidal bottoms to nearby intertidal rocky shores is a common but often overlooked phenomenon. Freshly detached seaweeds often represent critical trophic subsidies for herbivores living in upper-shore rocky intertidal areas, such as the marine snail Diloma nigerrima. This species relies on three species of seaweeds for food and displays feeding strategies to deal with a resource that is scarce and at times unpredictable. This study focused on the nutritional quality of freshly detached algae (Durvillaea antarctica, Lessonia spicata and Lessonia trabeculata) and measured Diloma nigerrima’s algal consumption rates in trials with and without choice. Absorption efficiency and growth of individual snails fed on each alga were also measured. Durvillaea antarctica had the highest nutritional quality and was the most consumed algae in both single and multiple-choice trials. Absorption efficiency was also highest for D. antarctica but growth rates of snails fed with this species were similar to those fed with the other algae. Combined, these results suggest that D. nigerrima has the ability to discriminate among seaweeds based on their nutritional quality. A potential increase in oxygen uptake when D. nigerrima is consuming the preferred food item is also proposed as a plausible hypothesis to explain the mismatch between snails’ preference and growth rate. These results aim to guide further studies on trophic subsidies and their role in coastal systems. © 2018 Quintanilla-Ahumada et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.019612

Development and significance of tectonic foliations in the Hercynian Belt of NW Spain

[Resumen] En este trabajo se presenta un modelo de distribución y desarrollo de foliaciones en rocas pelíticas y samíticas dentro de un orógeno: el Macizo Herciniano del NW d e España. Estas rocas estuvieron sometidas a una deformación polifásica, con tres fases principales, en condiciones que van desde la transición diagénesis-metamorfismo hasta un metamorfismo de alto grado. Las características de las foliaciones asociadas a las distintas fases de deformaci6n varían progresivamente a medida que lo hace el metamorfismo, existiendo, no obstante, algunos saltos bruscos en dichas características, cuya situaci6n coincide con los límites entre algunas de las grandes zonas en que se divide el orógeno. En todo caso, la foliación tect6nica primaria(Sl) muestra un carácter generalizado, mientras que las otras dos (S2 y S3) presentan una distribución más irregular, apareciendo la S2 en relación con las zonas de cizalla asociadas a grandes cabalgamientos y la S3 controlada por la posición de la anisotropía previa dominante. En la formaci6n de estas foliaciones intervino, en general, de manera muy importante la disolución por presión en las áreas menos metamórficas y la recristalización orientada de filosilicatos en las más metamórficas. El análisis de las relaciones cronológicas entre cristalización metamórfica y desarrollo de foliaciones pone de manifiesto una cierta heterogeneidad espacial en el momento de aparición de los episodios metamórficos en relación con los de deformación. Esta heterogeneidad puede explicarse por las alteraciones en las condiciones P, T que produce el emplazamiento de las grandes unidades tectónicas.[Abstract] A model concerning distribution and development of foliations is presented in this paper, for pelitic and psammitic rocks in the Hercynian Belt ofNW Spain. This rocks have undergone three main deformation phases, in conditions ranging from the iagenesis-metamorphism transition to the high grade metamorphism. The features of the foliations associated to the different phases varie progressively with the metamorphism. Nevertheless, sorne abrupt changes in this features can also be found in sorne of the borders between the main tectonic units. Anyhow, the primary tectonic foliation (Si) is generalized, and the other two (S2 and S3) have a more irregular distribution, related to shear zones associated to main thrusts (S2), or to zones with a favourable possition of the main previous anisotropy (for S3)' The deformation mechanisms opperating in the development of this foliations were, mainly, pressure solution in the zones with low metamorphism, and recrystalization of orientated phyllosillicates in those with the higher metamorphism. The analysis of the chronologic relationships between metamorphic crystalization and development of the foliations in different tectonic units shows sorne differences in the age of the metamorphic episodes in relation with the deformation. These inhomogeneities can be explained by the changes in P, T conditions produced by the emplacement of the main tectonic units

Alpine tectonic wedging and crustal delamination in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain)

The Cantabrian Mountains have been interpreted as a Paleozoic basement block uplifted during an Alpine deformation event that led to the partial closure of the Bay of Biscay and the building of the Pyrenean range in the Cenozoic. A detailed interpretation of deep seismic reflection profile ESCIN-2 and the two-dimensional seismic modelling of the data allowed us to construct a N-S geological cross section along the southern border of the Cantabrian Mountains and the transition to the Duero Cenozoic foreland basin, highlighting the Alpine structure. The proposed geological cross section has been constrained by all geophysical data available, including a 2-D gravity model constructed for this study as well as refraction and magnetotelluric models from previous studies. A set of south-vergent thrusts dipping 30 to 36° to the north, cut the upper crust with a ramp geometry and sole in the boundary with the middle crust. These thrusts are responsible for the uplift and the main Alpine deformation in the Cantabrian Mountains. A conspicuous reflective Moho shows that the crust thickens northwards from the Duero basin, where subhorizontal Moho is 32 km deep, to 47 km in the northernmost end of ESCIN-2, where Moho dips to the north beneath the Cantabrian Mountains. Further north, out of the profile, Moho reaches a maximum depth of 55 km, according to wide-angle/refraction data. ESCIN-2 indicates the presence of a tectonic wedge of the crust of the Cantabrian margin beneath the Cantabrian Mountains, which is indented from north to south into the delaminated Iberian crust, forcing its northward subduction. © 2016 Author(s).This study was part of the PhD thesis of J. Gallastegui and was supported by a FPU grant and research projects GEO 90-0660-1086 and PB92-1013 funded by CICYT (Committee of Science and Technology of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science) and FICYT (Foundation for the Science and Technologic Research, Government of Asturias, Spain). Part of the study has also been financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science through the “TOPOIBERIA” Consolider Project (ref:MEC-06-CSD2006-0041) and the MISTERIOS Project (ref:MINECO-13-CGL2013-48601-C2).Peer reviewe

Role of the AT2 receptor in modulating the angiotensin II contractile response of the uterine artery at mid-gestation

Introduction: During human pregnancy, circulating concentrations of components of the renin—angiotensin system increase, but pressor refractoriness to angiotensin II (Ang-II) is observed. Given the importance of the Ang-II pressor response in deciding susceptibility to preeclampsia and of the Ang-II system for controlling uterine vasoreactivity, we sought to address the effects of pregnancy on the reactivity of the isolated uterine artery (UA) in mice. Materials and methods : Blood pressure was measured throughout pregnancy in awake C57BL/6J mice. UA segments were isolated from three groups of animals (non-pregnant, mid [day 12—13] and late [day 18—19] gestation) and studied by wire myography. Results: UA diameters, KCl-mediated responses, and acetylcholine-dependent vasorelaxation were greater at mid and late gestation than in non-pregnant animals. Ang-II responses were also greater during pregnancy, with an increased contraction in response to AT2 receptor blockade at mid-gestation. AT1 receptor blockade abolished the Ang-II response in all groups. Conclusions: Study findings are consistent with the possibility that AT2 receptor-mediated vasodilatation plays a role in modulating Ang-II contractile responses in pregnancy

Role of the AT2 receptor in modulating the angiotensin II contractile response of the uterine artery at mid-gestation

Introduction: During human pregnancy, circulating concentrations of components of the renin—angiotensin system increase, but pressor refractoriness to angiotensin II (Ang-II) is observed. Given the importance of the Ang-II pressor response in deciding susceptibility to preeclampsia and of the Ang-II system for controlling uterine vasoreactivity, we sought to address the effects of pregnancy on the reactivity of the isolated uterine artery (UA) in mice. Materials and methods : Blood pressure was measured throughout pregnancy in awake C57BL/6J mice. UA segments were isolated from three groups of animals (non-pregnant, mid [day 12—13] and late [day 18—19] gestation) and studied by wire myography. Results: UA diameters, KCl-mediated responses, and acetylcholine-dependent vasorelaxation were greater at mid and late gestation than in non-pregnant animals. Ang-II responses were also greater during pregnancy, with an increased contraction in response to AT2 receptor blockade at mid-gestation. AT1 receptor blockade abolished the Ang-II response in all groups. Conclusions: Study findings are consistent with the possibility that AT2 receptor-mediated vasodilatation plays a role in modulating Ang-II contractile responses in pregnancy