Distribution of Pestivirus exposure in wild ruminants in Spain

A large‐scale study was carried out to determine the prevalence of antibodies against Pestivirus species in wild ruminants and describe their spatial variation in mainland Spain. Serum samples of 1,874 wild ruminants from different regions of this country were collected between the years 2000 and 2017. A total of 6.6% (123/1,874) animals showed antibodies against Pestivirus by both blocking ELISA (bELISA) and virus neutralization tests (VNT). The prevalence of antibodies against pestiviruses was different both among species and regions. Seroprevalence by species was 30.0% (75/250) in Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), 7.0% (25/357) in fallow deer (Dama dama), 2.5% (10/401) in red deer (Cervus elaphus), 2.4% (8/330) in Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica), 1.1% (4/369) in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 0.8% (1/130) in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), not detecting seropositivity (0/37) in Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia). The results confirm that exposure to pestiviruses was detected throughout mainland Spain, with significantly higher seroprevalence in Northern regions associated with the presence of Southern chamois. This indicates an endemic circulation of pestiviruses in Southern chamois and a limited circulation of these viruses in the remaining wild ruminant species during the last two decades, thus suggesting that non‐chamois species are not true Pestivirus reservoirs in Spain. Nonetheless, the high spatial spread of these viruses points out that new epidemic outbreaks in naïve wild ruminant populations or transmission to livestock may occur, evidencing the usefulness of monitoring pestiviruses in wild ruminants, especially at the wildlife–livestock interface.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Seropositivity and Risk Factors Associated with Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Wild Birds from Spain

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic intracellular protozoan parasite of worldwide distribution that infects many species of warm-blooded animals, including birds. To date, there is scant information about the seropositivity of T. gondii and the risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in wild bird populations. In the present study, T. gondii infection was evaluated on sera obtained from 1079 wild birds belonging to 56 species (including Falconiformes (n = 610), Strigiformes (n = 260), Ciconiiformes (n = 156), Gruiformes (n = 21), and other orders (n = 32), from different areas of Spain. Antibodies to T. gondii (modified agglutination test, MAT titer ≥1∶25) were found in 282 (26.1%, IC95%:23.5–28.7) of the 1079 birds. This study constitute the first extensive survey in wild birds species in Spain and reports for the first time T. gondii antibodies in the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), short-toed snake-eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus), Western marsh-harrier (Circus aeruginosus), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), long-eared owl (Asio otus), common scops owl (Otus scops), Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), white stork (Ciconia ciconia), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus); in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) “vulnerable” Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) and great bustard (Otis tarda); and in the IUCN “near threatened” red kite (Milvus milvus). The highest seropositivity by species was observed in the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) (68.1%, 98 of 144). The main risk factors associated with T. gondii seropositivity in wild birds were age and diet, with the highest exposure in older animals and in carnivorous wild birds. The results showed that T. gondii infection is widespread and can be at a high level in many wild birds in Spain, most likely related to their feeding behaviour

Seroepidemiological study of Toxoplasma gondii in wild and domestic lagomorphs in Spain

Resumen del trabajo presentado a la Joint Virtual Conference of the WDA and EWDA, celebrada del 31 de agosto al 2 de septiembre de 2021.Peer reviewe

MgAl2O4 spinel prepared by novel mechanochemical synthesis used as a support of multimetallic catalysts for paraffin dehydrogenation

The catalytic performance in nbutane dehydrogenation of bimetallic PtSn, PtGa and PtIn, and tri metallic PtSnIn and PtSnGa catalysts (with low metal contents) supported on a MgAl2O4 prepared by a novel mechanochemical synthesis was evaluated both in flow and pulse equipment. The influence of the addition of different promoters (Sn, Ga and In) to Pt on the activity, selectivity and deactivation in the nbutane dehydro genation reaction was studied. Stability experiments through successive reactionregeneration cycles were car ried out for selected catalysts. In order to correlate the properties of the metallic phase of the catalysts with the catalytic behavior, several characterization techniques were used, such as test reactions of the metallic phase (cyclohexane dehydrogenation and cyclopentane hydrogenolysis), TPR, XPS, H2 chemisorption and TEM. Bimetallic PtSn catalyst has a better catalytic behavior than PtIn and PtGa ones. For PtSnM (M: In or Ga) cat alysts, whereas Ga addition to the bimetallic catalyst does not practically modify the dehydrogenation perform ance, the addition of In produces an increase of the activity and the selectivity to butenes. Characterization results indicate the presence of geometric effects for the PtSn catalyst, and geometric and electronic effects for PtIn and PtGa ones. For trimetallic catalysts, the presence of a close contact between Pt, Sn and In or Ga in both trimetallic catalysts was found, mainly due to geometric effects like blocking and dilution of the active sites by the promoters. In stability experiments, the trimetallic PtSnIn/MgAl2O4 catalyst clearly displays the best cat alytic performance along reactionregeneration cycles, though PtSnGa and PtSn catalysts also showed a very good behavior through the successive cycles. The characterization of these catalysts after cycles shows that their metallic phases are slightly modified along the cycles.Fil: Bocanegra, Sonia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catalisis y Petroquímica "ing. Jose Miguel Parera". Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catalisis y Petroquímica "ing. Jose Miguel Parera"; ArgentinaFil: Guerrero Ruiz, A.. Universidad Nacional de Educación a distancia. Facultad de Ciencias. Departamento de Química Inorgánica y Química Técnica; EspañaFil: Scelza, Osvaldo Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catalisis y Petroquímica "ing. Jose Miguel Parera". Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catalisis y Petroquímica "ing. Jose Miguel Parera"; ArgentinaFil: de Miguel, Sergio Ruben. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catalisis y Petroquímica "ing. Jose Miguel Parera". Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catalisis y Petroquímica "ing. Jose Miguel Parera"; Argentin

Performance of PtSn catalysts supported on MAl2O4 (M: Mg or Zn) in n-butane dehydrogenation: characterization of the metallic phase.

The Sn(0.3 or 0.5 wt.%) addition to Pt(0.3 wt.%)/ZnAl2O4 and Pt(0.3 wt.%)/MgAl2O4 catalysts leads to an increase of the activity and selectivity to olefins in the n-butane dehydrogenation reaction. Slight differences in the catalytic behaviour were found between 0.3 and 0.5 wt.% of Sn added to Pt in both catalyst series. Besides, the bimetallic catalysts also show a good stability through the five successive reaction-regeneration cycles, mainly the PtSn/MgAl2O4 one. The mono- and bimetallic catalysts were characterized by using different techniques: tests reactions of the metallic phase (cyclohexane dehydrogenation and cyclopentane hydrogenolysis), temperature programmed reduction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, H2 chemisorption, microcalorimetric measurements of the propylene adsorption and XRD. Results show that the nature of the metallic phase in monometallic samples appears to be different for the two supports. Thus, metallic particles with a very low concentration of hydrogenolytic sites (steps, corners and edges) would exist in the Pt/ZnAl2O4 catalyst in contrast with the structure of the metallic phase of the Pt/MgAl2O4 one, where the existence of an important concentration of hydrogenolytic sites is clearly observed (according to the cyclopentane hydrogenolysis results). The modification of Pt by the Sn addition clearly improves the catalytic behaviour in n-butane dehydrogenation due to important changes in the structure of the metallic phase. Thus, when Sn is added to Pt/ZnAl2O4 and Pt/MgAl2O4 catalysts the metallic surface structure seems to be more complex. In fact, results would indicate not only a partial formation of PtSn alloys or intermetallic compounds between Pt0 and a fraction of Sn(0), but also a surface enrichment in Sn, dilution effects as well as the presence of tin stabilized on the support, probably as Sn(II/IV) oxides and SnCl2 species.Fil: Bocanegra, Sonia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica "Ing. José Miguel Parera". Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica "Ing. José Miguel Parera"; ArgentinaFil: Guerrero-Ruiz, A.. Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia; EspañaFil: de Miguel, Sergio Ruben. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica "Ing. José Miguel Parera". Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica "Ing. José Miguel Parera"; ArgentinaFil: Scelza, Osvaldo Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica "Ing. José Miguel Parera". Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica "Ing. José Miguel Parera"; Argentin

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern and Variants of Interest in COVID-19 Breakthrough Infections in a Hospital in Monterrey, Mexico

SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) or of interest (VOIs) causing vaccine breakthrough infections pose an increased risk to worldwide public health. An observational case-control study was performed of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough infections in hospitalized or ambulatory patients in Monterrey, Mexico, from April through August 2021. Vaccination breakthrough was defined as a SARS-CoV-2 infection that occurred any time after 7 days of inoculation with partial (e.g., first dose of two-dose vaccines) or complete immunization (e.g., second dose of two-dose vaccines or single-dose vaccine, accordingly). Case group patients (n = 53) had partial or complete vaccination schemes with CanSino (45%), Sinovac (19%), Pfizer/BioNTech (15%), and AstraZeneca/Oxford (15%). CanSino was administered most frequently in ambulatory patients (p < 0.01). The control group (n = 19) received no COVID-19 vaccines. Among SARS-CoV-2 variants detected by whole-genome sequencing, VOC Delta B.1.617.2 predominated in vaccinated ambulatory patients (p < 0.01) and AY.4 in hospitalized patients (p = 0.04); VOI Mu B.1.621 was detected in four (7.55%) vaccinated patients. SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in our hospital occurred mostly in patients vaccinated with CanSino due to the higher prevalence of CanSino vaccine administration in our population. These patients developed mild COVID-19 symptoms not requiring hospitalization. The significance of this study lies on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants compromising the efficacy of local immunization therapies in Monterrey, Mexico

Diversidad biológica y cultural del sur de la Amazonia colombiana

La gran cuenca amazónica compartida por Brasil, Colombia, Perú, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador y las tres Guyanas, contiene una de las mayores riquezas biológicas y culturales del planeta y es considerada parte de la seguridad ecológica global. Constituye el 45% de los bosques tropicales del mundo, es una de las áreas silvestres más extensas y de mayor reserva de agua dulce del planeta, su sistema hídrico es el mayor tributario de todos los océanos, alberga aún, cerca de 379 grupos étnicos y en cuanto a endemismo, no existe otra región que se le aproxime. En Colombia, la Amazonia a lo largo de la historia ha sufrido distintos procesos de intervención antrópica: la conquista; la colonización; el auge del caucho y la quina; la explotación maderera, petrolera; la implementación de cultivos de uso ilícito y de sistemas productivos no aptos a las condiciones del medio natural; entre otros, son procesos que han socavado tanto los recursos biológicos como los culturales. Conscientes de la problemática actual de la Amazonia así como de la importancia que reviste para el mundo y para el país, la Corporación para el Desarrollo Sostenible del Sur de la Amazonia –Corpoamazonia– y el Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt –IAvH-, firmaron en el año 2004 un convenio con el n de aunar esfuerzos para formular el plan de acción en biodiversidad en la región sur de la Amazonia colombiana (departamentos de Caquetá, Putumayo y Amazonas). El plan de acción, busca posicionar la biodiversidad en el desarrollo regional y contribuir a un mayor conocimiento y a unas mejores prácticas de conservación y utilización sostenible de los recursos biológicos y culturales de este importante espacio geográfico. Desarrolla a escala regional, la Política Nacional en Biodiversidad y la Propuesta Técnica de Plan de Acción Nacional en Biodiversidad – Biodiversidad siglo XXI -