Past is Present: Settler Colonialism in Palestine

The editors introduce this special issue of settler colonial studies focusing on settler colonialism in Palestine

Melaza con inhibidores de la fermentación alcohólica con alimento para cerdos.

Se realizaron 2 experimentos con objeto de estudiar el efecto de la melaza y de diferentes inhibidores de la fermentación alcohólica sobre el crecimiento de cerdos. En el primer experimento, con duración de 28 días, se utilizaron 16 cerdos Hampshire con un peso promedio inicial de 25 kg. Los tratamientos experimentales consistieron en dos niveles de melaza, 10 y 20 %, con y sin inhibidores de la fermentación alcohólica. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en ganancia de peso y conversión alimenticia entre tratamientos (P> 0.05). En el segundo experimento, se utilizaron 42 cerdos Yorkshire con un peso promedio inicial  de 49 kg. Durante 56 días se estudió el efecto de diferentes niveles de melaza (0, 15, 25, y 35%) con y sin inhibidores de la fermentación alcohólica. No hubo diferencia estadísticamente significativa en ganancia de peso. La conversión alimenticia fue estadísticamente desfavorable para la dieta con 35% de melaza, independientemente del inhibidor (P < 0.05).

Sperm design and variation in the New World blackbirds (Icteridae)

Post-copulatory sexual selection (PCSS) is thought to be one of the evolutionary forces responsible for the rapid and divergent evolution of sperm design. However, whereas in some taxa particular sperm traits are positively associated with PCSS, in other taxa, these relationships are negative, and the causes of these different patterns across taxa are poorly understood. In a comparative study using New World blackbirds (Icteridae), we tested whether sperm design was influenced by the level of PCSS and found significant positive associations with the level of PCSS for all sperm components but head length. Additionally, whereas the absolute length of sperm components increased, their variation declined with the intensity of PCSS, indicating stabilizing selection around an optimal sperm design. Given the diversity of, and strong selection on, sperm design, it seems likely that sperm phenotype may influence sperm velocity within species. However, in contrast to other recent studies of passerine birds, but consistent with several other studies, we found no significant link between sperm design and velocity, using four different species that vary both in sperm design and PCSS. Potential reasons for this discrepancy between studies are discussed

Causes of Morbidity in Wild Raptor Populations Admitted at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Spain from 1995-2007: A Long Term Retrospective Study

Background: Morbidity studies complement the understanding of hazards to raptors by identifying natural or anthropogenic factors. Descriptive epidemiological studies of wildlife have become an important source of information about hazards to wildlife populations. On the other hand, data referenced to the overall wild population could provide a more accurate assessment of the potential impact of the morbidity/mortality causes in populations of wild birds. Methodology/Principal Findings: The present study described the morbidity causes of hospitalized wild raptors and their incidence in the wild populations, through a long term retrospective study conducted at a wildlife rehabilitation centre of Catalonia (1995-2007). Importantly, Seasonal Cumulative Incidences (SCI) were calculated considering estimations of the wild population in the region and trend analyses were applied among the different years. A total of 7021 birds were analysed: 7 species of Strigiformes (n = 3521) and 23 of Falconiformes (n = 3500). The main causes of morbidity were trauma (49.5%), mostly in the Falconiformes, and orphaned/young birds (32.2%) mainly in the Strigiformes. During wintering periods, the largest morbidity incidence was observed in Accipiter gentillis due to gunshot wounds and in Tyto alba due to vehicle trauma. Within the breeding season, Falco tinnunculus (orphaned/young category) and Bubo bubo (electrocution and metabolic disorders) represented the most affected species. Cases due to orphaned/young, infectious/parasitic diseases, electrocution and unknown trauma tended to increase among years. By contrast, cases by undetermined cause, vehicle trauma and captivity decreased throughout the study period. Interestingly, gunshot injuries remained constant during the study period. Conclusions/Significance: Frequencies of morbidity causes calculated as the proportion of each cause referred to the total number of admitted cases, allowed a qualitative assessment of hazards for the studied populations. However, cumulative incidences based on estimated wild raptor population provided a more accurate approach to the potential ecological impact of the morbidity causes in the wild populations

Psychophysical Investigations into the Role of Low-Threshold C Fibres in Non-Painful Affective Processing and Pain Modulation

We recently showed that C low-threshold mechanoreceptors (CLTMRs) contribute to touch-evoked pain (allodynia) during experimental muscle pain. Conversely, in absence of ongoing pain, the activation of CLTMRs has been shown to correlate with a diffuse sensation of pleasant touch. In this study, we evaluated (1) the primary afferent fibre types contributing to positive (pleasant) and negative (unpleasant) affective touch and (2) the effects of tactile stimuli on tonic muscle pain by varying affective attributes and frequency parameters. Psychophysical observations were made in 10 healthy participants. Two types of test stimuli were applied: stroking stimulus using velvet or sandpaper at speeds of 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 cm/s; focal vibrotactile stimulus at low (20 Hz) or high (200 Hz) frequency. These stimuli were applied in the normal condition (i.e. no experimental pain) and following the induction of muscle pain by infusing hypertonic saline (5%) into the tibialis anterior muscle. These observations were repeated following the conduction block of myelinated fibres by compression of sciatic nerve. In absence of muscle pain, all participants reliably linked velvet-stroking to pleasantness and sandpaper-stroking to unpleasantness (no pain). Likewise, low-frequency vibration was linked to pleasantness and high-frequency vibration to unpleasantness. During muscle pain, the application of previously pleasant stimuli resulted in overall pain relief, whereas the application of previously unpleasant stimuli resulted in overall pain intensification. These effects were significant, reproducible and persisted following the blockade of myelinated fibres. Taken together, these findings suggest the role of low-threshold C fibres in affective and pain processing. Furthermore, these observations suggest that temporal coding need not be limited to discriminative aspects of tactile processing, but may contribute to affective attributes, which in turn predispose individual responses towards excitatory or inhibitory modulation of pain

The Welfare Implications of Using Exotic Tortoises as Ecological Replacements

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Ecological replacement involves the introduction of non-native species to habitats beyond their historical range, a factor identified as increasing the risk of failure for translocations. Yet the effectiveness and success of ecological replacement rely in part on the ability of translocatees to adapt, survive and potentially reproduce in a novel environment. We discuss the welfare aspects of translocating captive-reared non-native tortoises, <em>Aldabrachelys gigantea</em> and <em>Astrochelys radiata</em>, to two offshore Mauritian islands, and the costs and success of the projects to date.</p> <h3>Methodology/Principal Findings</h3><p>Because tortoises are long-lived, late-maturing reptiles, we assessed the progress of the translocation by monitoring the survival, health, growth, and breeding by the founders. Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 26 <em>A. gigantea</em> were introduced to Ile aux Aigrettes, and in 2007 twelve sexually immature <em>A. gigantea</em> and twelve male <em>A. radiata</em> were introduced to Round Island, Mauritius. Annual mortality rates were low, with most animals either maintaining or gaining weight. A minimum of 529 hatchlings were produced on Ile aux Aigrettes in 11 years; there was no potential for breeding on Round Island. Project costs were low. We attribute the success of these introductions to the tortoises’ generalist diet, habitat requirements, and innate behaviour.</p> <h3>Conclusions/Significance</h3><p>Feasibility analyses for ecological replacement and assisted colonisation projects should consider the candidate species’ welfare during translocation and in its recipient environment. Our study provides a useful model for how this should be done. In addition to serving as ecological replacements for extinct Mauritian tortoises, we found that releasing small numbers of captive-reared <em>A. gigantea</em> and <em>A. radiata</em> is cost-effective and successful in the short term. The ability to release small numbers of animals is a particularly important attribute for ecological replacement projects since it reduces the potential risk and controversy associated with introducing non-native species.</p> </div

Efeitos anestésicos da administração intranasal ou intramuscular de cetamina S+ e midazolam em pomba-rola (Streptotelia sp.)

A via intranasal é uma boa alternativa por ser indolor e de fácil aplicação em aves. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos anestésicos da associação de cetamina S+ e midazolam pela via intranasal (IN) em comparação com a via intramuscular (IM) em pombos. Foram utilizados 12 pombos alocados em dois grupos com 15 dias de intervalo, os quais receberam: grupo IM: 20 mg/kg de cetamina S+ associada a 3,5 mg/kg de midazolam pela via intramuscular (musculatura do peito); e grupo IN, mesmo protocolo, porém, pela via intranasal. Os parâmetros avaliados foram: período de latência, tempo de duração em decúbito dorsal, tempo total de anestesia, tempo de recuperação e efeitos adversos. Para a análise estatística, empregou-se o teste de Wilcoxon, com as diferenças consideradas significativas quando P<0,05. O período de latência obtido foi de 30 [30-47,5] e 40 [30-50] segundos para IM e IN, respectivamente. O tempo de duração de decúbito dorsal foi de 59 [53,25-65] e 63 [37-71,25] minutos para IM e IN, respectivamente, sem diferenças significativas entre os grupos. Com relação à duração total de anestesia, foi observada diferença significativa, com 88 [86,25-94,5] e 68 [53,5-93] minutos para os grupos IM e IN, respectivamente. O tempo de recuperação foi mais curto no grupo IN (15 [4,25-19,5]) comparado ao IM (32 [28,25-38,25] minutos). Dois animais de cada grupo apresentaram regurgitação na fase de recuperação. Conclui-se que a administração de cetamina S+ e midazolam pela via intranasal é um método aceitável de administração de fármacos e produz anestesia rápida e eficaz em pombos

Allodynia : mechanisms and treatment

The painful perception of innocuous stimuli (allodynia) is a condition afflicting many individuals worldwide including type II diabetics, spinal cord injury victims, and cancer patients. However, a reliable treatment for allodynia specifically and hypersensitivity at large has remained unattainable largely due to the fundamental lack of understanding of the mechanisms driving allodynia. The key aim of this thesis was to understand the mechanisms which drive hypersensitivity in general and cold allodynia specifically. By understanding these mechanisms, we aim to identify new strategies to treat such conditions. In chapter two we aimed to characterise the peripheral substrate of cold allodynia through a series of human psychophysical experiments, wherein cold allodynia was observed during infusion of hypertonic saline (HS) in the tibialis anterior muscle. We demonstrated that cold allodynia does not require myelinated sensory nerve afferents, TRPV1 channels (typically associated with nociceptive or pain fibres) or TRPM8 channels (typically associated with cold sensation). Whereas cold allodynia was abolished by blocking a specific calcium channel (Cav 3.2, associated with C-tactile fibres). The results of this study showed that cold allodynia persists independently of A fibres (i.e., the fibre class classically associated with cold sensation) and nociceptive pain channels; suggesting a strong role for C tactile fibres in the mediation of allodynia. Additionally, we observed cold allodynia in clinical patients that persists following A fibre block; this allodynia was associated with the underlying muscular hypersensitivity. In chapter three, a model of persistent muscular hypersensitivity and cold allodynia was developed in healthy humans using repeated bolus HS injections into the Tibialis Anterior muscle. Moreover, this hypersensitivity extended bilaterally; mimicking the diffuse hypersensitivities observations in clinical syndromes (e.g. complex regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia). This novel experimental model was used to test the efficacy of minocycline at alleviating the evoked hypersensitivity. Minocycline had no effect on acute pain processing, but did reliably prevent the production of hypersensitivity following repeated injections of HS. Minocycline’s ability to prevent the development of hypersensitivity in humans prompted a reverse-translational study in animals in order to understand the apparent disconnect between the efficacy in animal models and limited efficacy in humans, as well as explore the mechanisms behind the actions of HS and minocycline. We hypothesised that minocycline acts by inhibiting microglial activation and proliferation caused by repeated HS injections. This rat model of repeated HS injections was associated to the development of mechanical allodynia and microglial proliferation in the dorsal horn. However, when rats were pre-treated with minocycline while the allodynia failed to develop, microglial proliferation was unchanged by minocycline. As repeated HS injections were not associated with an increase in ATF3 expression (a known marker of nerve injury) in the dorsal root ganglia, we concluded that the afferent barrage caused by repeated HS injections alone is sufficient to induce a state of hypersensitivity. Finally, we aimed to identify the relay pathway and isolate a central marker for cold allodynia or cold hyperalgesia within the dorsal horn. pERK (a molecule released centrally and implicated in central sensitisation) while increasing its expression following noxious thermal stimuli (ie 40oC), effects that were intensified following spinal nerve ligation, reaffirmed the role of pERK in heat hyperalgesia whilst providing no evidence for the role of pERK in cold allodynia or hyperalgesia

Cav3.2-expressing low-threshold C fibres in human hairy skin contribute to cold allodynia : a non-TRPV1- and non-TRPM8-dependent phenomenon

It is generally agreed that cold allodynia is a consequence of impaired (A[delta]-fibre-mediated) central inhibition of C-nociceptive inputs. However, it is also known that C polymodal nociceptors are not activated at innocuous low temperatures. Recently, we demonstrated the contribution of C-tactile fibres to tactile allodynia. In this study, we investigated whether this, or a related, C-fibre class contributes to cold allodynia. In 30 healthy and 3 chronic pain subjects, a series of normally innocuous localised thermal stimuli were applied to the skin overlying a painful tibialis anterior muscle (induced by infusion of hypertonic saline). The effects of thermal stimulation on muscle pain were observed before and after compression blockade of myelinated fibres. Furthermore, intradermal capsaicin, menthol and TTA-A2 were used for desensitisation of TRPV1, TRPM8, and T-type calcium (Cav3.2) channels, respectively. Before muscle pain, all thermal stimuli were reported as nonpainful regardless of whether myelinated fibres were conducting or not. During muscle pain, dynamic skin cooling (32°C -> 20°C) evoked significant and reproducible increases in the overall pain intensity (allodynia). This increase was short lived and locked to the dynamic phase of cooling with pain levels returning to baseline during sustained cooling. Dynamic warming (32°C -> 39°C) had no effect on pain levels. Cold allodynia persisted after nerve compression and TRPV1 and TRPM8 desensitisation but was abolished by localised Cav3.2 blockade. In clinical subjects, C-fibre-mediated allodynia was observed without the need for experimental pain-producing manipulations. In conclusion, cold allodynia represents a non-TRPV1- and non-TRPM8-dependent phenomenon, which is mediated by low-threshold Cav3.2-expressing C fibres