First helminthological data on the Iberian adder, Vipera seoanei.

The helminth fauna present in the gut contents of Iberian adders, Vipera seoanei (Squamata: Viperidae), were characterised and analysed in respect to biological and eco-geographic factors that may affect the occurrence and diversity of helminths in this species. A total of 317 samples of preserved stomachs and intestines, covering the distributional range of V. seoanei, were examined. Similar to other Vipera species from the Iberian Peninsula, the helminth fauna was also impoverished in V. seoanei, but unlike other Vipera species from Central and East Europe, helminths were mostly found in adult vipers, and occurred in vipers located at the periphery of the species range, characterised by low elevation, high temperature and precipitation levels, and abundant pastures

Effect of Previous Crops and Soil Physicochemical Properties on the Population of Verticillium dahliae in the Iberian Peninsula

The soil infestation of Verticillium dahliae has significant Verticillium wilt of olive (VWO) with epidemiological consequences which could limit the expansion of the crop. In this context, there is a misunderstood history of the crops and soil property interactions associated with inoculum density (ID) increases in the soil. In this study, the effect of the combination of both factors was assessed on the ID of V. dahliae in the olive-growing areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Afterwards, the relationship of the ID to the mentioned factors was explored. The detection percentage and ID were higher in Spain than Portugal, even though the fields with a very favourable VWO history had a higher ID than that of the fields with a barely favourable history, regardless of the origin. The soil physicochemical parameters were able to detect the degree to which the ID was increased by the previous cropping history. By using a decision tree classifier, the percentage of clay was the best indicator for the V. dahliae ID regardless of the history of the crops. However, active limestone and the cation exchange capacity were only suitable ID indicators when <2 or 4 host crops of the pathogen were established in the field for five years, respectively. The V. dahliae ID was accurately predicted in this study for the orchard choices in the establishment of the olive

Caracterização experimental do comportamento mecânico de painéis sandwich com lâminas de GFRP e núcleo de poliuretano

Neste trabalho apresentam-se os resultados de um programa experimental realizado no piso da laje de um protótipo destinado a habitações de emergência em materiais compósitos. Este piso é constituído por painéis sandwich, com lâminas de GFRP e núcleo de poliuretano, apoiados em vigas e pilares em perfis pultrudidos em GFRP. O trabalho realizado tem como objetivo fundamental o estudo do comportamento estrutural do piso, incluindo a determinação de parâmetros modais dos painéis sanduíche analisados

Técnicas de electrónica de potencia para el electroaturdimiento y electrosacrificio, en el sector del atún rojo

Las técnicas de electropesca utilizadas en agua dulce han sido adaptadas a la explotación industrial de la pesca en agua salada de especies como el atún rojo. Por desgracia, como consecuencia de las descargas eléctricas aplicadas, a través de un arpón, se producen daños en la espina que disminuyen la calidad del producto. Se describe aquí un proyecto que aborda el desarrollo de un convertidor electrónico de potencia, versátil y que permite estudiar diferentes formas de onda y su efecto sobre la calidad del producto.Ginés Méndez España S.L

Un-explained visual loss following silicone oil removal: Results of the Pan American Collaborative Retina Study (PACORES) Group

Purpose: To report the incidence and clinical features of patients that experienced un-explained visual loss following silicone oil (SO) removal. Methods: Multicenter retrospective study of patients that underwent SO removal during 2000-2012. Visual loss of ≥2 lines was considered significant. Results: A total of 324 eyes of 324 patients underwent SO removal during the study period. Forty two (13%) eyes suffered a significant visual loss following SO removal. Twenty three (7.1%) of these eyes lost vision secondary to known causes. In the remaining 19 (5.9%) eyes, the loss of vision was not explained by any other pathology. Eleven of these 19 patients (57.9%) were male. The mean age of this group was 49.2 ± 16.4 years. Eyes that had an un-explained visual loss had a mean IOP while the eye was filled with SO of 19.6 ± 6.9 mm Hg. The length of time that the eye was filled with SO was 14.8 ± 4.4 months. In comparison, eyes that did not experience visual loss had a mean IOP of 14 ± 7.3 mm Hg (p &lt; 0.0002) and a mean tamponade duration of 9.3 ± 10.9 months (p &lt; 0.0001). Conclusions: An un-explained visual loss after SO removal was observed in 5.9% of eyes. Factors associated with this phenomenon included a higher IOP and longer SO tamponade duration. © The Author(s) 2017

Preliminary trials on the development of electroslaughtering and electrostunning techniques for bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus (L., 1758) reared in floating cages

Preliminary results are presented from an ongoing study concerning the relationship between the type of electrical waves used to slaughter bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus (L., 1758) ongrown in floating cages, and damage to the dorsal column and fish meat, which reduces the fish's commercial value on the Japanese market. Our results indicate that varying the waves' characteristics can reduce those undesirable effects, making this technique the most suitable for bluefin tuna slaughtering, in order to obtain superior meat quality.Se presentan los resultados preliminares del estudio que se lleva a cabo sobre la relación existente entre el tipo de onda eléctrica utilizada para el electrosacrificio del atún rojo Thunnus thynnus (L., 1758), engordado en jaulas flotantes, y los daños producidos en la espina dorsal y la carne de los ejemplares de esta especie, que reducen su valor comercial en el mercado japonés. Se ha observado que se puede mitigar estos efectos indeseados variando las características de las ondas empleadas, haciendo de esta técnica la más apropiada en el sacrificio del atún para obtener una carne de calidad superior.Instituto Español de OceanografíaVersión del editor

Oral chondroitin sulfate and prebiotics for the treatment of canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease: a randomized, controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND Canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic enteropathy of unknown etiology, although microbiome dysbiosis, genetic susceptibility, and dietary and/or environmental factors are hypothesized to be involved in its pathogenesis. Since some of the current therapies are associated with severe side effects, novel therapeutic modalities are needed. A new oral supplement for long-term management of canine IBD containing chondroitin sulfate (CS) and prebiotics (resistant starch, β-glucans and mannaoligosaccharides) was developed to target intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress, and restore normobiosis, without exhibiting any side effects. This double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in dogs with IBD aims to evaluate the effects of 180 days administration of this supplement together with a hydrolyzed diet on clinical signs, intestinal histology, gut microbiota, and serum biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. RESULTS Twenty-seven client-owned biopsy-confirmed IBD dogs were included in the study, switched to the same hydrolyzed diet and classified into one of two groups: supplement and placebo. Initially, there were no significant differences between groups (p > 0.05) for any of the studied parameters. Final data analysis (supplement: n = 9; placebo: n = 10) showed a significant decrease in canine IBD activity index (CIBDAI) score in both groups after treatment (p < 0.001). After treatment, a significant decrease (1.53-fold; p < 0.01) in histologic score was seen only in the supplement group. When groups were compared, the supplement group showed significantly higher serum cholesterol (p < 0.05) and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) levels after 60 days of treatment (p < 0.01), and the placebo group showed significantly reduced serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels after 120 days (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between groups at any time point for CIBDAI, WSAVA histologic score and fecal microbiota evaluated by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). No side effects were reported in any group. CONCLUSIONS The combined administration of the supplement with hydrolyzed diet over 180 days was safe and induced improvements in selected serum biomarkers, possibly suggesting a reduction in disease activity. This study was likely underpowered, therefore larger studies are warranted in order to demonstrate a supplemental effect to dietary treatment of this supplement on intestinal histology and CIBDAI

Complete Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogeny of Pleistocene MammothMammuthus primigenius

Phylogenetic relationships between the extinct woolly mammoth(Mammuthus primigenius), and the Asian(Elephas maximus) and African savanna(Loxodonta africana) elephants remain unresolved. Here, we report the sequence of the complete mitochondrial genome (16,842 base pairs) of a woolly mammoth extracted from permafrost-preserved remains from the Pleistocene epoch—the oldest mitochondrial genome sequence determined to date. We demonstrate that well-preserved mitochondrial genome fragments, as long as ~1,600–1700 base pairs, can be retrieved from pre-Holocene remains of an extinct species. Phylogenetic reconstruction of the Elephantinae clade suggests thatM. primigenius andE. maximus are sister species that diverged soon after their common ancestor split from theL. africana lineage. Low nucleotide diversity found between independently determined mitochondrial genomic sequences of woolly mammoths separated geographically and in time suggests that north-eastern Siberia was occupied by a relatively homogeneous population ofM. primigenius throughout the late Pleistocene