The Rücker–Markov invariants of complex bio-systems: applications in parasitology and neuroinformatics

[Abstract] Rücker's walk count (WC) indices are well-known topological indices (TIs) used in Chemoinformatics to quantify the molecular structure of drugs represented by a graph in Quantitative structure–activity/property relationship (QSAR/QSPR) studies. In this work, we introduce for the first time the higher-order (kth order) analogues (WCk) of these indices using Markov chains. In addition, we report new QSPR models for large complex networks of different Bio-Systems useful in Parasitology and Neuroinformatics. The new type of QSPR models can be used for model checking to calculate numerical scores S(Lij) for links Lij (checking or re-evaluation of network connectivity) in large networks of all these fields. The method may be summarized as follows: (i) first, the WCk(j) values are calculated for all jth nodes in a complex network already created; (ii) A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is used to seek a linear equation that discriminates connected or linked (Lij = 1) pairs of nodes experimentally confirmed from non-linked ones (Lij = 0); (iii) The new model is validated with external series of pairs of nodes; (iv) The equation obtained is used to re-evaluate the connectivity quality of the network, connecting/disconnecting nodes based on the quality scores calculated with the new connectivity function. The linear QSPR models obtained yielded the following results in terms of overall test accuracy for re-construction of complex networks of different Bio-Systems: parasite–host networks (93.14%), NW Spain fasciolosis spreading networks (71.42/70.18%) and CoCoMac Brain Cortex co-activation network (86.40%). Thus, this work can contribute to the computational re-evaluation or model checking of connectivity (collation) in complex systems of any science field.Programa Iberoamericano de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo; Ibero-NBIC, 209RT-0366Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; TIN2009-0770

Shaping point- and mirror-symmetric proto-planetary nebulae by the orbital motion of the central binary system

We present 3D hydrodynamical simulations of a jet launched from the secondary star of a binary system inside a proto-planetary nebula. The secondary star moves around the primary in a close eccentric orbit. From the gasdynamic simulations we compute synthetic [NII] 6583 emission maps. Different jet axis inclinations with respect to the orbital plane, as well as different orientations of the flow with respect to the observer are considered. For some parameter combinations, we obtain structures that show point- or mirror-symmetric morphologies depending on the orientation of the flow with respect to the observer. Furthermore, our models can explain some of the emission distribution asymmetries that are summarized in the classification given by Soker & hadar (2002).Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, Accepted in Apj Letter

Performance improvement by temperature control of an open-cathode PEM fuel cell system

The work presented in this article combines experimental analysis and theoretical studies of temperature effects on the performance of an open-cathode, self-humidified PEM fuel cell system for the design of optimal control strategies. The experimental analysis shows the great potential of improving the system performance by proper thermal management. The most significant temperature dependent parameter of the system under study is the exchange current density. On the one hand it is influenced positively by a temperature increase as this lowers the activation barrier. On the other hand a higher temperature causes a reduction of the electrochemical active sites in the cathode catalyst layer (CCL) due to lower water content in the ionomer and primary pores. Dynamic models for fuel cell temperature, liquid water transport and the related electrochemistry have been developed and validated against the experiment. A cascaded Extremum Seeking control algorithm with a local PI controller is proposed to regulate the temperature to a fuel cell voltage maximum. However, the slow dynamics of the temperature related catalyst-drying effect on performance complicate the optimal thermal management with model-free control strategies.Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señale

Malignant pheochromocytoma treated with minimally invasive surgery

Indexación: Web of Science; Scielo.Introducción: El Feocromocitoma es un tumor de células cromafines productor de catecolaminas. Su variedad maligna es muy poco frecuente. Objetivo: Describir 2 casos de Feocromocitoma maligno tratados con cirugía mínimamente invasiva. Casos clínicos: Presentamos 2 pacientes de sexo femenino, de 31 y 51 años respectivamente. La primera con historia de hipertensión arterial de larga data y uso de múltiples fármacos. La segunda paciente debuta con dolor abdominal. En ambos casos los estudios radiológicos y metabólicos confirmaron el diagnóstico de Feocromocitoma. A la primera paciente se le realizó un procedimiento laparoscópico puro, mientras que a la segunda paciente se le realizó un procedimiento laparoscópico asistido por robot. En ambos casos fue necesario realizar adrenalectomía en bloque con el riñón, por compromiso del hilio renal. No hubo complicaciones severas intra ni post-operatorias, como tampoco conversión a cirugía abierta. La histopatología confirmó el diagnóstico de Feocromocitoma maligno con metástasis ganglionares regionales y márgenes quirúrgicos negativos. Ambas se mantienen en control, sin evidencia de recurrencia. Conclusión: El Feocromocitoma maligno puede ser manejado de forma mínimamente invasiva, con morbilidad y resultados oncológicos comparables a cirugía abierta.Introduction: Pheochromocytoma is a tumor derived from chromaffin cells that produces cathecolamines. Malignant pheochromocytomas are extremely rare. Aim: To describe 2 cases of malignant Pheochromocytoma treated with pure laparoscopic and robot assisted surgery. Clinical cases: Two female patients, 31 and 51 years of age, presented with a history of high blood pressure and abdominal pain. Radiologic and metabolic studies confirmed the diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma in both patients. A pure laparoscopic approach was performed in the first patient while a robotic assisted laparoscopy was done in the second patient. In both cases, adrenalectomy with in bloc nephrectomy was performed due to compromise of the renal sinus. There were no complications or conversion to open surgery. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of malignant Pheochromocytoma with metastasis to regional nodes and negative surgical margins. At follow-up, there is no evidence of recurrence. Conclusion: Malignant Pheochromocytoma can be treated with minimally invasive surgery, with morbidity and oncological outcomes similar to open approach.http://ref.scielo.org/ksq86

Multiple and Precessing Collimated Outflows in the Planetary Nebula IC 4634

With its remarkable double-S shape, IC 4634 is an archetype of point-symmetric planetary nebulae (PN). In this paper, we present a detailed study of this PN using archival HST WFPC2 and ground-based narrow-band images to investigate its morphology, and long-slit spectroscopic observations to determine its kinematics and to derive its physical conditions and excitation. The data reveal new structural components, including a distant string of knots distributed along an arc-like feature 40"-60" from the center of the nebula, a skin of enhanced [O III]/H-alpha ratio enveloping the inner shell and the double-S feature, and a triple-shell structure. The spatio-kinematical study also finds an equatorial component of the main nebula that is kinematically independent from the bright inner S-shaped arc. We have investigated in detail the bow shock-like features in IC 4634 and found that their morphological, kinematical and emission properties are consistent with the interaction of a collimated outflow with surrounding material. Indeed, the morphology and kinematics of some of these features can be interpreted using a 3D numerical simulation of a collimated outflow precessing at a moderate, time-dependent velocity. Apparently, IC 4634 has experienced several episodes of point-symmetric ejections oriented at different directions with the outer S-shaped feature being related to an earlier point-symmetric ejection and the outermost arc-like string of knots being the relic of an even much earlier point-symmetric ejection. There is tantalizing evidence that the action of these collimated outflows has also taken part in the shaping of the innermost shell and inner S-shaped arc of IC 4634.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Partially defatted olive cake in finishing pig diets: implications on performance, faecal microbiota, carcass quality, slurry composition and gas emission

[EN] One of the key factors to improve swine production sustainability is the use of agro-industrial by-products in feeds, such as olive by-products. However, it is necessary to assess its effects on the overall production process, including the animal and the environment. With this aim, an experiment was conducted to determine the effects of including a partially defatted olive cake (PDOC) in pig diets on growth performance, faecal microbiota, carcass quality and gas emission from the slurry. Two finishing diets were formulated, a control (C) diet and a diet with PDOC included at 120 g/kg. Eighty finishing male pigs Duroc-Danbred x (Landrace x Large White) of 60.4 +/- 7.00 kg BW were divided between these two treatments. During the finishing period (60 to 110 kg BW, 55 days) average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded. Faecal samples from the rectum of 16 animals per treatment were incubated for bacteria enumeration. At the end of finishing period, backfat thickness and loin depth (LD) were measured. Animals were slaughtered to obtain carcass weight and carcass composition parameters, and subcutaneous fat was sampled to analyse the fatty acid (FA) profile. In addition greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions were measured during pig slurry storage using the methodology of dynamic flux chambers. An initial slurry characterisation and biochemical methane potential (B-0) were also determined. No significant differences between treatments were found in performance, carcass quality and microbial counts with the exception of LD, which was lower in PDOC compared with C animals (45.5 v. 47.5 mm, SEM: 0.62; P = 0.020). The FA profile of the subcutaneous fat did not differ between treatments, but the monounsaturated FA (MUFA) concentration was higher and the polyunsaturated FA was lower in the animals fed PDOC (50.9 v. 48.3, SEM: 0.48, P < 0.001; 17.6 v. 19.3, SEM: 0.30, P < 0.001 in mg/100 g of Total FA, for PDOC and C animals, respectively). The initial pig slurry characterisation only showed differences in ADF concentration that was higher (P < 0.05) in the slurry from PDOC treatment. Regarding gas emission, slurries from both treatments emitted similar amounts of ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), as well as B-0 values. The results obtained suggest that PDOC may be included in balanced pig diets at rates of up to 120 g/kg without negative effects on performance, carcass quality, gut microflora and slurry gas emission, while improving the MUFA concentration of subcutaneous fat.This project was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL2014-56653). Preliminary results from this work have been published in an abstract form (Ferrer et al., 2017). Acknowledgements are also expressed to DCOOP for providing PDCO.Ferrer Riera, P.; Calvet, S.; García-Rebollar, P.; De Blas, C.; Jiménez Belenguer, AI.; Hernández, P.; Piquer, O.... (2020). Partially defatted olive cake in finishing pig diets: implications on performance, faecal microbiota, carcass quality, slurry composition and gas emission. Animal. 14(2):426-434. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731119002040S426434142Abo Omar, J. M., Daya, R., & Ghaleb, A. (2012). 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Animal Feed Science and Technology, 208, 158-169. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.07.008Calvet, S., Hunt, J., & Misselbrook, T. H. (2017). Low frequency aeration of pig slurry affects slurry characteristics and emissions of greenhouse gases and ammonia. Biosystems Engineering, 159, 121-132. doi:10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2017.04.011Cámara, L., Berrocoso, J. D., Coma, J., López-Bote, C. J., & Mateos, G. G. (2016). Growth performance and carcass quality of crossbreds pigs from two Pietrain sire lines fed isoproteic diets varying in energy concentration. Meat Science, 114, 69-74. doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.12.013Canh, T. T., Verstegen, M. W., Aarnink, A. J., & Schrama, J. W. (1997). Influence of dietary factors on nitrogen partitioning and composition of urine and feces of fattening pigs. Journal of Animal Science, 75(3), 700. doi:10.2527/1997.753700xCardona, F., Andrés-Lacueva, C., Tulipani, S., Tinahones, F. J., & Queipo-Ortuño, M. I. (2013). Benefits of polyphenols on gut microbiota and implications in human health. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 24(8), 1415-1422. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2013.05.001Cava, R., Ruiz, J., López-Bote, C., Martín, L., García, C., Ventanas, J., & Antequera, T. (1997). Influence of finishing diet on fatty acid profiles of intramuscular lipids, triglycerides and phospholipids in muscles of the Iberian pig. Meat Science, 45(2), 263-270. doi:10.1016/s0309-1740(96)00102-7Cerisuelo, A., Castelló, L., Moset, V., Martínez, M., Hernández, P., Piquer, O., … Lainez, M. (2010). The inclusion of ensiled citrus pulp in diets for growing pigs: Effects on voluntary intake, growth performance, gut microbiology and meat quality. Livestock Science, 134(1-3), 180-182. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2010.06.135Chamorro, S., Viveros, A., Alvarez, I., Vega, E., & Brenes, A. (2012). Changes in polyphenol and polysaccharide content of grape seed extract and grape pomace after enzymatic treatment. Food Chemistry, 133(2), 308-314. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.01.031De Blas, J. C., Rodriguez, C. A., Bacha, F., Fernandez, R., & Abad-Guamán, R. (2015). Nutritive value of co-products derived from olivecake in rabbit feeding. World Rabbit Science, 23(4), 255. doi:10.4995/wrs.2015.4036FAOSTAT, 2017. Production quantities by country, 2014. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved on 26 June 2018, from http://faostat3.fao.org/home/FEDNA 2010. Tablas FEDNA de composición y valor nutritivo de alimentos para la fabricación de piensos compuestos, 3ª edición. (ed. C de Blas, GG Mateos, P García-Rebollar), pp 310–311. Fundación Española para el Desarrollo de la Nutrición Animal, Madrid, Spain.Ferrer P, Calvet S, Piquer O, García-Rebollar P, de Blas C, Bonet J, Coma J and Cerisuelo A 2017. Olive cake in pigs feeding: effects on growth performance, carcass quality and gas emission from slurry. In Proceedings of the 2nd World Conference of Innovative Animal Nutrition and Feeding, 18–20 October 2017, Budapest, Hungary, pp. 63–64.Ferrer, P., García-Rebollar, P., Cerisuelo, A., Ibáñez, M. A., Rodríguez, C. A., Calvet, S., & De Blas, C. (2018). Nutritional value of crude and partially defatted olive cake in finishing pigs and effects on nitrogen balance and gaseous emissions. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 236, 131-140. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2017.12.014García-González, D. L., & Aparicio, R. (2010). Research in Olive Oil: Challenges for the Near Future. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58(24), 12569-12577. doi:10.1021/jf102735nGonzález, E., Hernández-Matamoros, A., & Tejeda, J. F. (2012). Two by-products of the olive oil extraction industry as oleic acid supplement source for Iberian pigs: effect on the meat’s chemical composition and induced lipoperoxidation. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 92(12), 2543-2551. doi:10.1002/jsfa.5669Jarrett, S., & Ashworth, C. J. (2018). The role of dietary fibre in pig production, with a particular emphasis on reproduction. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, 9(1). doi:10.1186/s40104-018-0270-0Joven, M., Pintos, E., Latorre, M. A., Suárez-Belloch, J., Guada, J. A., & Fondevila, M. (2014). Effect of replacing barley by increasing levels of olive cake in the diet of finishing pigs: Growth performances, digestibility, carcass, meat and fat quality. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 197, 185-193. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.08.007Leouifoudi, I., Harnafi, H., & Zyad, A. (2015). Olive Mill Waste Extracts: Polyphenols Content, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities. Advances in Pharmacological Sciences, 2015, 1-11. doi:10.1155/2015/714138Licitra, G., Hernandez, T. M., & Van Soest, P. J. (1996). Standardization of procedures for nitrogen fractionation of ruminant feeds. 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Towards a holistic understanding of pastoralism

Pastoralism is a globally-important livelihood, with large social, environmental and economic importance across much of our planet. Yet, it is also a vulnerable practice with widespread crises, urgently calling for better systemic understanding. The current disciplinary compartmentalization of research not only hampers this but allows perpetuation of unfortunate misconceptions. Furthermore, a long-standing marginalization of the livelihood prevails, with pastoralism being largely overlooked in international environmental and economic forums or sustainability agendas. Here we call for transformative approaches to pastoralism research that can advance an integrated understanding of these social-ecological systems through a comparative lens. We develop a framework that uses: i) timescales from the distant past to the present, ii)social, economic and environmental dimensions, and iii) diverse geographic contexts and scales, to capture emerging properties allowing for cross-cultural comparisons. We provide specific guidelines for formally developing a coherent set of sustainability indicators that are transferable across time and space, and can track sustainability. In an exploratory exercise, we also show that very distinct pastoralist systems have undergone similar transitions across time, approaching critical thresholds and then either collapsing or recovering. An integrated view of the interactions between the environmental, social and economic dimensions of these transitions allows for an improved understanding of potential tipping points, hence supporting more proactive and informed decision-making. We conclude that the need for a paradigm shift in pastoralism science and policy is pressing. Determining when, where and how is pastoralism not only sustainable, but also the most adaptive livelihood, has become a priority. This paper is based on Manzano et al. (2021).Peer reviewe

Diversity, structure and spatial distribution of megabenthic communities in Cap de Creus continental shelf and submarine canyon (NW Mediterranean)

The continental shelf and submarine canyon off Cap de Creus (NW Mediterranean) were declared a Site of Community Importance (SCI) within the Natura 2000 Network in 2014. Implementing an effective management plan to preserve its biological diversity and monitor its evolution through time requires a detailed character ization of its benthic ecosystem. Based on 60 underwater video transects performed between 2007 and 2013 (before the declaration of the SCI), we thoroughly describe the composition and structure of the main mega benthic communities dwelling from the shelf down to 400 m depth inside the submarine canyon. We then mapped the spatial distribution of the benthic communities using the Random Forest algorithm, which incor porated geomorphological and oceanographic layers as predictors, as well as the intensity of the bottom-trawling fishing fleet. Although the study area has historically been exposed to commercial fishing practices, it still holds a rich benthic ecosystem with over 165 different invertebrate (morpho)species of the megafauna identified in the video footage, which form up to 9 distinct megabenthic communities. The continental shelf is home to coral gardens of the sea fan Eunicella cavolini, sea pen and soft coral assemblages, dense beds of the crinoid Leptometra phalangium, diverse sponge grounds and massive aggregations of the brittle star Ophiothrix fragilis. The submarine canyon off Cap de Creus is characterized by a cold-water coral community dominated by the scleractinian coral Madrepora oculata, found in association with several invertebrate species including oysters, brachiopods and a variety of sponge species, as well as by a community dominated by cerianthids and sea urchins, mostly in sedimentary areas. The benthic communities identified in the area were then compared with habitats/biocenoses described in reference habitat classification systems that consider circalittoral and bathyal environments of the Mediterranean. The complex environmental setting characteristic of the marine area off Cap de Creus likely produces the optimal conditions for communities dominated by suspension- and filter-feeding species to develop. The uniqueness of this ecosystem and the anthropogenic pressures that it faces should prompt the development of effective management actions to ensure the long-term conservation of the benthic fauna representative of this marine area3,26