Field efficacy of acaricides against Varroa destructor

Field trials were conducted in Northeast Spain (Aragón) to evaluate the effectiveness of two acaricides against Varroa destructor. These experiments took into account the season of the year, apiary, colony, and developmental state and strength of the colony. The acaricides used were a synthetic (amitraz, Apivar®) and a natural (formulated from Api Life Var®, thymol oil and thymol alcohol) product. The treatments used in the present study reduce high infestations of V. destructor, although they do not eliminate the infestation. Similar efficacies between treatments were found. Nevertheless, the efficacy of a treatment depends on the apiary where applied. Moreover, the detected variability in the apiary and hive poses a challenge to the identification of the significant factors. Therefore, more field studies to assess efficacies in several apiaries are needed to obtain a better understanding of the effects of the applied treatments

Pressure-Induced Phase-Transition Sequence In Cof 2 : An Experimental And First-Principles Study On The Crystal, Vibrational, And Electronic Properties

We report a complete structural study of CoF2 under pressure. Its crystal structure and vibrational and electronic properties have been studied both theoretically and experimentally using first-principles density functional theory (DFT) methods, x-ray diffraction, x-ray absorption at Co K-edge experiments, Raman spectroscopy, and optical absorption in the 0–80 GPa range. We have determined the structural phase-transition sequence in CoF2 and corresponding transition pressures. The results are similar to other transition-metal difluorides such as FeF2 but different to ZnF2 and MgF2, despite that the Co2+ size (ionic radius) is similar to Zn2+ and Mg2+. We found that the complete phase-transition sequence is tetragonal rutile (P42/mnm) → CaCl2 type (orthorhombic Pnnm) → distorted PdF2 (orthorhombic Pbca)+PdF2 (cubic Pa3¯) in coexistence → fluorite (cubic Fm3¯m) → cotunnite (orthorhombic Pnma). It was observed that the structural phase transition to the fluorite at 15 GPa involves a drastic change of coordination from sixfold octahedral to eightfold cubic with important modifications in the vibrational and electronic properties. We show that the stabilization of this high-pressure cubic phase is possible under nonhydrostatic conditions since ideal hydrostaticity would stabilize the distorted-fluorite structure (tetragonal I4/mmm) instead. Although the first rutile → CaCl2-type second-order phase transition is subtle by Raman spectroscopy, it was possible to define it through the broadening of the Eg Raman mode which is split in the CaCl2-type phase. First-principles DFT calculations are in fair agreement with the experimental Raman mode frequencies, thus providing an accurate description for all vibrational modes and elastic properties of CoF2 as a function of pressure

Regulation of pancreatic cancer aggressiveness by stromal stiffening

No abstract available

First report of cytogenetic studies in Spanish breed horses

Exterior, Neptune Fountain, detai

Excessive collagen turnover products are released during colorectal cancer progression and elevated in serum from metastatic colorectal cancer patients

During cancer progression, the homeostasis of the extracellular matrix becomes imbalanced with an excessive collagen remodeling by matrix metalloproteinases. As a consequence, small protein fragments of degraded collagens are released into the circulation. We have investigated the potential of protein fragments of collagen type I, III and IV as novel biomarkers for colorectal cancer. Specific fragments of degraded type I, III and IV collagen (C1M, C3M, C4M) and type III collagen formation (Pro-C3) were assessed in serum from colorectal cancer patients, subjects with adenomas and matched healthy controls using well-characterized and validated ELISAs. Serum levels of the biomarkers were significantly elevated in colorectal cancer patients compared to subjects with adenomas (C1M, Pro-C3, C3M) and controls (C1M, Pro-C3). When patients were stratified according to their tumour stage, all four biomarkers were able to differentiate stage IV metastatic patients from all other stages. Combination of all markers with age and gender in a logistic regression model discriminated between metastatic and non-metastatic patients with an AUROC of 0.80. The data suggest that the levels of these collagen remodeling biomarkers may be a measure of tumour activity and invasiveness and may provide new clinical tools for monitoring of patients with advanced stage colorectal cancer