Complementing the Pleistocene biogeography of European amphibians: Testimony from a southern Atlantic species

To reconstruct the historical biogeography of Hyla molleri, a tree frog endemic to the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean bioclimatic zones in the Iberian Peninsula. Location: Iberian Peninsul

Species assignment in the pelophylax ridibundus x P. perezi hybridogenetic complex based on 16 newly characterised microsatellite markers

Pelophylax perezi is an Iberian green waterfrog with high tolerance to habitat alteration that at times shows local population growth and demographic expansion, even where other species decline. However, pond destruction, invasive predators and hybridisation with other European waterfrog species (P. ridibundus) threaten many of its populations across its range. Hybrids of P. perezi and P. ridibundus (P. kl. grafi) can breed successfully with the former parental species after discarding the whole P. perezi genome in the germinal line, thus representing a sexual parasite for P. perezi. However, little is known about the extent of the contact zone of this hybridogenetic complex. Due to the morphological similarity of the three taxa, molecular tools are needed to delineate their respective ranges. Here we characterise a set of 16 microsatellite markers specifically developed for P. perezi. These markers showed moderate to high polymorphism (2–17 alleles/locus) in two populations from central Spain (n=20 and n=23), allowing individual identification of frogs. Seven of these markers cross-amplified in individuals of P. ridibundus from southern France (3–8 alleles/locus). These markers were used to genotype samples along a transect from southern France to eastern Spain, encompassing both pure and hybrid individuals. Sample assignment to each taxon was based on the new microsatellite loci and compared with nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data. Our results show that these markers are useful to distinguish P. ridibundus, P. pereziand the hybrid form P. kl. grafi from each other, even when sample sizes are low. The newly characterised markers will also be useful in demographic and phylogeographic studies in P. perezi and are thus a valuable tool for evolutionary and conservation oriented researchThis research was funded by grants CGL2008-04271-C02- 01/BOS, and CGL2011-28300 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación- MICINN), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad- MEC, Spain, and FEDER). G. Sánchez-Montes is funded by a predoctoral grant provided by the Asociación de Amigos de la Universidad de Navarra. E. Recuero is supported by a DGAPA-UNAM postdoctoral fellowship. J. Gutiérrez-Rodríguez is supported by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas of Spain (CSIC) and the European Social Fund (ESF) (JAE-pre PhD fellowship). IMS was funded by the project ‘Biodiversity, Ecology and Global Change’, co-financed by North Portugal Regional Operational Programme 2007/2013 (ON.2–O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is currently supported by funding from the Spanish Severo Ochoa Program (SEV- 2012-0262).Peer reviewe

Pre-surgical cryoablation in ≤ 2 cm ER + /HER2-tumors: Prognostic factors for the presence of residual invasive carcinoma

Background Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is thee standard approach for small low-risk tumors. If the efcacy of cryoablation is demonstrated, it could provide a minimally invasive alternative to surgery. Purpose To determine the success of ultrasound-guided cryoablation in achieving the absence of Residual Invasive Cancer (RIC) for patients with ER+/HER2- tumors≤2cm and sonographically negative axillary nodes. Materials and Methods This prospective study was carried out from April 2021 to June 2023, and involved 60 preoperative cryoablation procedures on ultrasound-visible, node-negative (cN0) infltrating ductal carcinomas (IDC). Standard diagnostic imaging included mammography and tomosynthesis, supplemented by ultrasound-guided biopsy. MRI was performed in patients with associated intraductal carcinoma (DCIS) and an invasive component on core needle biopsy (18 out of 22cases). All tumors were tagged with ferromagnetic seeds. A triple-phase protocol (freezing–thawing-freezing) with Argon was used, with an average procedure duration of 40 min. A logistic regression model was applied to determine signifcant correlation between RIC and the study variables. Results Fifty-nine women (mean age 63±8 years) with sixty low-risk unifocal IDC underwent cryoablation prior to surgery. Pathological examination of lumpectomy specimens post cryoablation revealed RIC in only one of 38 patients with pure IDC and in 4 of 22 mixed IDC/DCIS cases. All treated tumors had clear surgical margins, with no signifcant procedural complications. Conclusions Cryoablation was efective in eradicating 97% of pure infltrating ER+/HER2-tumors≤2cm, demonstrating its potential as a surgical alternative in selected patient

Construcción y despliegue de una metodología para el desarrollo de competencias de trabajo en equipo

La creciente importancia en los estudios universitarios de Grado y Máster de las competencias relacionadas con el trabajo en equipo plantea al profesorado la necesidad de adaptar sus metodologías docentes para facilitar el desarrollo de dicha competencia. Este proyecto reúne a un equipo de docentes de diferentes departamentos y facultades, que actualmente imparten asignaturas en las que se exige a los estudiantes trabajar en grupos. El interés del equipo por mejorar su labor docente a la hora de gestionar grupos de trabajo en el aula y fuera de ella motiva el presente proyecto de innovación docente

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Adelante / Endavant

Séptimo desafío por la erradicación de la violencia contra las mujeres del Institut Universitari d’Estudis Feministes i de Gènere "Purificación Escribano" de la Universitat Jaume

Population size, habitat use and movement patterns during the breeding season in a population of Perez’s frog (Pelophylax perezi) in central Spain

[EN]: Information about demography and habitat use is key for the effective management of amphibian populations, because it is the basis for the long-term monitoring of endangered species and provides insights about the processes by which common species thrive in heavily transformed habitats. A capture-mark-recapture study was performed on a population of Perez’s frog (Pelophylax perezi) in central Spain. The study area includes three breeding sites at a maximum distance of 700 metres in a straight line. The aim of the study was to obtain information about demographic parameters, habitat use and movement patterns in this locality during the 2010 breeding season. In one of the breeding sites (Laguna de Valdemanco) we estimated a population of 173 frogs: 91 males (95% confidence interval: 51-130) and 82 females (95% CI: 21-144). In the second major breeding site, an adult population of 62 males (95% CI: 42-83) and 17 females (95% CI: 10-24) was estimated. Areas of activity of 21 frogs captured more than twice, based on calculation of the minimum area polygons defined by their different capture locations, ranged from 1.28 to 2763.75 m2 (median = 97.94 m2). All recorded movements took place in the vicinities of the site where the frogs were first captured (mean distance ± standard deviation = 49 ± 41 m, maximum distance = 168 m), with the exception of a male that moved between two breeding sites 273 metres apart. These preliminary results can be applied to management strategies for this and other co-distributed species.[ES]: Tamaño poblacional, uso del espacio y patrones de movimiento durante el periodo reproductor en una población de rana verde común (Pelophylax perezi) en España central. Los estudios sobre demografía y uso del espacio resultan esenciales para la gestión de poblaciones de anfibios, ya que fundamentan el seguimiento a largo plazo de especies amenazadas y permiten comprender los mecanismos mediante los cuales especies comunes proliferan en medios fuertemente alterados. En este trabajo presentamos resultados de un estudio de captura-marcaje-recaptura en una población de rana verde común (Pelophylax perezi) en España central. El área de estudio alberga tres puntos de reproducción, separados por distancias máximas de 700 metros en línea recta. El objetivo del estudio fue estimar parámetros demográficos y analizar patrones de uso del espacio y movilidad durante la temporada de reproducción en 2010. En uno de los puntos (Laguna de Valdemanco) se estimó una población de 173 ranas: 91 machos (intervalo de confianza al 95%: 51-130) y 82 hembras (IC 95%: 21-144). En otro punto de reproducción estimamos una población adulta de 62 machos (IC 95%: 42-83) y 17 hembras (IC 95%: 10-24). Se estimaron las áreas de actividad de 21 ejemplares en base al cálculo de los polígonos de área mínima definidos por los puntos de captura, con valores entre 1.28 y 2763.75 m2 (mediana = 97.94 m2). Todos los movimientos detectados se produjeron en las inmediaciones del lugar inicial de captura (media: 49 m, desviación estándar: 41 m, distancia máxima: 168 m), excepto un macho que se desplazó entre dos puntos de reproducción distantes entre sí 273 m. Estos resultados preliminares son aplicables al diseño de estrategias de gestión para ésta y otras especies codistribuidas.Legal permits for conducting fieldwork were provided by Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Comunidad de Madrid. This study was funded by project CgL2008-04271-C02-01-BoS (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain, PI: I. Martínez-Solano).Peer reviewe

Pedigree-based estimation of effective number of breeders in Iberian amphibians: the role of mating system in population status assessment

Resumen del trabajo presentado al XIV Congreso Luso-Español de Herpetología y XVIII Congreso Español de Herpetología: "Retos de la Herpetología en el siglo XXI", celebrado en Lleida (España) del 5 al 8 de octubre de 2016.-- et al.Effective monitoring programs are required for early detection of population declines, especially in species with low effective to census population size ratios, in which genetic erosion will precede apparent declines in abundance. Calculation of effective population size (Ne) is thus crucial in genetic monitoring programs, but the accuracy of estimates depends on 1) the amount of marker information and 2) the power of the used method and the suitability of its underlying assumptions to the targeted species. Its estimation and interpretation is especially complex in iteroparous species with overlapping generations, as is the case in most vertebrates. In amphibians, calculation of the effective number of breeders (Nb, a parameter that summarizes some of the information of Ne) can be more readily accomplished by means of sibship assignment analysis. This method is powerful, capable of producing unbiased estimates based on pedigree reconstruction and can accommodate to a wide variety of molecular data and mating systems, and account for genotyping errors. Accuracy of estimates is dependent on the correct reconstruction of pedigrees, which can be hindered when genetic information is scarce and the individuals in the sample are weakly related. In this talk, we argue that pedigree reconstruction can be critically enhanced by a thorough exploration of the mating system of the targeted species and the subsequent inclusion of this information in the analyses. We addressed these questions through the detailed monitoring of four species of pond-breeding amphibians based on direct (capturemark-recapture and counts of egg masses during a six-year period) and indirect (genotyping at 15-18 polymorphic microsatellite loci) methods. The sibship assignment method provided consistent estimates of Nb for two of the species, with inference of robust pedigrees greatly aided by the genotyping of both a cohort of larval samples and samples of candidate parents. The performance on the other two species was less robust, but was enhanced by the incorporation of prior information based on direct field data. Our integrative approach allowed characterization of the mating system of the study species, and showed wide variation in the levels of polygamy and in the respective Nb to census population size ratios. The results will be discussed in the general context of the design of efficient population monitoring programs taking advantage of molecular tools.Peer Reviewe

Population size, habitat use and movement patterns during the breeding season in a population of Perez’s frog (Pelophylax perezi) in central Spain

[EN]: Information about demography and habitat use is key for the effective management of amphibian populations, because it is the basis for the long-term monitoring of endangered species and provides insights about the processes by which common species thrive in heavily transformed habitats. A capture-mark-recapture study was performed on a population of Perez’s frog (Pelophylax perezi) in central Spain. The study area includes three breeding sites at a maximum distance of 700 metres in a straight line. The aim of the study was to obtain information about demographic parameters, habitat use and movement patterns in this locality during the 2010 breeding season. In one of the breeding sites (Laguna de Valdemanco) we estimated a population of 173 frogs: 91 males (95% confidence interval: 51-130) and 82 females (95% CI: 21-144). In the second major breeding site, an adult population of 62 males (95% CI: 42-83) and 17 females (95% CI: 10-24) was estimated. Areas of activity of 21 frogs captured more than twice, based on calculation of the minimum area polygons defined by their different capture locations, ranged from 1.28 to 2763.75 m2 (median = 97.94 m2). All recorded movements took place in the vicinities of the site where the frogs were first captured (mean distance ± standard deviation = 49 ± 41 m, maximum distance = 168 m), with the exception of a male that moved between two breeding sites 273 metres apart. These preliminary results can be applied to management strategies for this and other co-distributed species.[ES]: Tamaño poblacional, uso del espacio y patrones de movimiento durante el periodo reproductor en una población de rana verde común (Pelophylax perezi) en España central. Los estudios sobre demografía y uso del espacio resultan esenciales para la gestión de poblaciones de anfibios, ya que fundamentan el seguimiento a largo plazo de especies amenazadas y permiten comprender los mecanismos mediante los cuales especies comunes proliferan en medios fuertemente alterados. En este trabajo presentamos resultados de un estudio de captura-marcaje-recaptura en una población de rana verde común (Pelophylax perezi) en España central. El área de estudio alberga tres puntos de reproducción, separados por distancias máximas de 700 metros en línea recta. El objetivo del estudio fue estimar parámetros demográficos y analizar patrones de uso del espacio y movilidad durante la temporada de reproducción en 2010. En uno de los puntos (Laguna de Valdemanco) se estimó una población de 173 ranas: 91 machos (intervalo de confianza al 95%: 51-130) y 82 hembras (IC 95%: 21-144). En otro punto de reproducción estimamos una población adulta de 62 machos (IC 95%: 42-83) y 17 hembras (IC 95%: 10-24). Se estimaron las áreas de actividad de 21 ejemplares en base al cálculo de los polígonos de área mínima definidos por los puntos de captura, con valores entre 1.28 y 2763.75 m2 (mediana = 97.94 m2). Todos los movimientos detectados se produjeron en las inmediaciones del lugar inicial de captura (media: 49 m, desviación estándar: 41 m, distancia máxima: 168 m), excepto un macho que se desplazó entre dos puntos de reproducción distantes entre sí 273 m. Estos resultados preliminares son aplicables al diseño de estrategias de gestión para ésta y otras especies codistribuidas.Legal permits for conducting fieldwork were provided by Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Comunidad de Madrid. This study was funded by project CgL2008-04271-C02-01-BoS (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain, PI: I. Martínez-Solano).Peer reviewe

Integrative demographic inference in Iberian pond-breeding amphibians

The main cause of the global amphibian crisis is the destruction of the habitats they need to forage, breed, hide, termorregulate or hibernate, although additional factors such as direct human exploitation, infectious diseases or the introduction of exotic invasive species are contributing to population eradications worldwide. Different policies are being implemented to counteract amphibian declines, mainly focused on protecting aquatic and terrestrial habitats, creating and adequating new breeding sites, reducing pathogen load in the wild or reinforcing population recruitment with captive breeding and release programs. However, the success and efficiency of these measures is compromised by wide gaps in the knowledge about the biology and demographic dynamics of most species. Recent advances in molecular and computational biology are complementing traditional field-based approaches, opening an unparalleled opportunity for molecular ecologists and evolutionary biologists to answer key questions about the biology, demography and natural history of many species. This dissertation takes advantage of molecular, theoretical and analytical developments in demographic research to explore some aspects of population dynamics and connectivity in four Iberian pond-breeding anurans: Epidalea calamita, Hyla molleri, Pelophylax perezi and Pelobates cultripes. An integrative framework based on 1) genetic data from 15-18 species-specific microsatellite markers, 2) an extensive sampling design including 13-19 populations per species across both slopes of a major mountain range in Central Spain and 3) a seven-year monitoring program in an amphibian assemblage based on capture-mark-recapture (CMR) techniques was implemented to infer some key demographic parameters including the effective/census size ratio and regional patterns of gene flow. First, I summarize the contributions and opportunities of molecular and individual-based CMR methods in demographic research and discuss how the integration of both approaches can be applied for conservation purposes (Chapter I). Chapters III and IV describe the three sets of specific microsatellite markers optimized for E. calamita, H. molleri and P. perezi, including a comprehensive summary on their polymorphism, genotyping error rates and information content, and assess their suitability for demographic research. Furthermore, I demonstrate that seven of the markers of the P. perezi set are useful for cross amplification and species assignment in the P. ridibundus x P. perezi hybridogenetic complex, each marker showing several private alleles for each of the parental species (Chapter III). Also, genetic diversity characterization in an extensive multi-population genotypic dataset revealed that FIS and tests of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and Linkage Disequilibrium (but not allelic richness and observed and expected heterozygosity) can be affected by the presence of full sibs in the sample (Chapter IV), which sheds light into this critical yet unresolved issue in population genetics and parentage analyses. A more comprehensive dataset obtained in a reference locality allowed developing a new method for calculating the minimum sample size required for estimating genetic diversity indexes with individual markers (Chapter IV). Chapters V and VI show that the application of previously-described molecular tools to adequate sampling designs, coupled with field-based data and CMR analyses can yield reliable estimates of the effective/census size ratio (Chapter V) and regional gene flow (Chapter VI). I demonstrate that anuran species with different life history traits show different local effective/census size ratios (Chapter V) and are differentially affected by the barrier effect exerted by a major mountain range (Chapter VI). Finally, I discuss the implications of these findings in the context of demographic and evolutionary research including possible applications for conservation purposes (Chapter VII)