Does microhabitat use affect population differentiation? A test with southwestern Palaearctic forest birds

We tested whether microhabitat use afects dispersal and population diferentiation in forest birds of the southwestern Palaearctic, a link previously suggested in Neotropical birds. To approach this, the number of subspecies within 32 species was used as a metric of population diferentiation and was related to their feeding substrata and seasonal changes in abundance (a surrogate of dispersal) in a mountain range (Guadarrama Mountains, Central Spain). Multivariate analyses in which the efect of range size (a main correlate of within-species diversifcation) and phylogeny relatedness were considered, showed that those birds adapted to exploit the tree canopy had lower seasonal changes in abundance and more subspecies than grounddweller birds. Our results support a cause-efect link between the use of stable resources in the canopy, seasonal movements and population diferentiation of birds from temperate forests of the southwestern Palaearctic

El uso didáctico del diablo cartesiano en la formación inicial de maestros

La relación didáctica entre profesorado y estudiante es esencial para alcanzar que éste construya su saber a partir de una transposición de los conocimientos. El primero debe plantear qué propuesta metodológica es la apropiada para que el alumnado alcance las competencias previstas. Los contenidos transpuestos no han de contradecir sustancialmente los planteamientos científicos que explican los fenómenos, independientemente del nivel educativo. El trabajo que se presenta propone la utilización de textos históricos para implicar al alumnado en la comprensión de los fenómenos físicos-biológicos a partir de actividades prácticas similares a las que condujeron a interpretar la función de la vejiga natatoria y paralelamente a la difusión del diablillo cartesiano, vinculado con la construcción de los primeros termoscopios.The didactic relationship between teacher and student is essential for the achievement of students´ knowledge from a transposition of their ideas. The teacher must consider what methodological proposal is appropriate with the objective of reaching the expected educational competences by the student. Independently of the educational level, the transposed contents must not substantially contradict scientific approaches that explain phenomena. This work proposes the use of historical texts to involve the students in understanding the physico-biological phenomena from practical activities. These activities should be similar to those that led to interpret the function of the swim bladder and in parallel to the diffusion of Cartesian devil, linked to the first building thermoscopes

Genomics reveals introgression and purging of deleterious mutations in the Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr)

In endangered species, low-genetic variation and inbreeding result from recent population declines. Genetic screenings in endangered populations help to assess their vulnerability to extinction and to create informed management actions toward their conservation efforts. The leopard, Panthera pardus, is a highly generalist predator with currently eight different subspecies. Yet, genomic data are still lacking for the Critically Endangered Arabian leopard (P. p. nimr). Here, we sequenced the whole genome of two Arabian leopards and assembled the most complete genomic dataset for leopards to date. Our phylogenomic analyses show that leopards are divided into two deeply divergent clades: the African and the Asian. Conservation genomic analyses indicate a prolonged population decline, which has led to an increase in inbreeding and runs of homozygosity, with consequent purging of deleterious mutations in both Arabian individuals. Our study represents the first attempt to genetically inform captive breeding programmes for this Critically Endangered subspecies

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Terapia homeopática con nosodes para el control de mastitis subclínica bovina

El estudio se realizó en la finca "La Esperanza", del municipio de Condega, Departamento de Estelí, Nicaragua. El objetivo fue evaluar ·el efecto de la aplicación de nosodes homeopático en vacas positivas a la pmeba California Mastitis Test (CMT) como alt.emativa sostenible de control de mastitis subclinica bovina. Se trabajó con 82 vacas, 28 vacas en T 1: Tratamiento homeopático (DHI O) y 29 vaca.~ en T2: Tratamiento homeopático (CHIO). En 25 vacas negativas a la prueba se midió la evolución de prevalencia e infestación del hato. En el TI y T2 se realizaron 6 aplicaciones de 2 ml de nosodes por vía anocaudal (3 aplicaciones cada 24 .horas por tres días y tres aplicaciones mas con inte1valos semanales). Para el análisis se utilizó estadística descriptiva y ANDE VA con la prueba Kmslcal Wallis (.a prevalencia en vacas se redujo a 43% en el Tl y 28% en T2; en cuartos mamarios disminuyó 70.14% en el Tly 83.78% en el T2, esta reducción fué estadísticamente significativa (P< 0.05). Se aislaron bacterias de 57 vacas positivas a CMT: Staphylococcus aureus. Streptococcus epidermis y Klebsiella pneumoniae. El rebaño de vacas negativas a la prueba de CMT al inicio del experimento y que estuvieron expuestas bajo las mismas condiciones de manejo de las vacas tratadas, evolucionaron significativamente a diferentes grados de infestación de mastitis; mostrando una tendencia creciente en el tiempo

Sclerophrys arabica (Arabian Toad). Predation.

This video demonstrates behavior. Most videos in this collection have no audible language and for those that do, the language isn't necessary to understand the behavior. For that reason, transcripts are not provided.Integrative Biolog

Genomic insights into the Montseny brook newt (Calotriton arnoldi), a Critically Endangered glacial relict

The Montseny brook newt (Calotriton arnoldi), considered the most endangered amphibian in Europe, is a relict salamandrid species endemic to a small massif located in northeastern Spain. Although conservation efforts should always be guided by genomic studies, those are yet scarce among urodeles, hampered by the extreme sizes of their genomes. Here, we present the third available genome assembly for the order Caudata, and the first genomic study of the species and its sister taxon, the Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper), combining whole-genome and ddRADseq data. Our results reveal significant demographic oscillations which accurately mirrored Europe's climatic history. Although severe bottlenecks have led to depauperate genomic diversity and long runs of homozygosity along a gigantic genome, inbreeding might have been avoided by assortative mating strategies. Other life history traits, however, seem to have been less advantageous, and the lack of land dispersal has driven to exceptional levels of population fragmentation

Genomic insights into the Montseny brook newt (Calotriton arnoldi), a Critically Endangered glacial relict

The Montseny brook newt (Calotriton arnoldi), considered the most endangered amphibian in Europe, is a relict salamandrid species endemic to a small massif located in northeastern Spain. Although conservation efforts should always be guided by genomic studies, those are yet scarce among urodeles, hampered by the extreme sizes of their genomes. Here, we present the third available genome assembly for the order Caudata, and the first genomic study of the species and its sister taxon, the Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper), combining whole-genome and ddRADseq data. Our results reveal significant demographic oscillations which accurately mirrored Europe’s climatic history. Although severe bottlenecks have led to depauperate genomic diversity and long runs of homozygosity along a gigantic genome, inbreeding might have been avoided by assortative mating strategies. Other life history traits, however, seem to have been less advantageous, and the lack of land dispersal has driven to exceptional levels of population fragmentation.This article is published as Talavera, Adrián, Marc Palmada-Flores, Bernat Burriel-Carranza, Emilio Valbuena-Ureña, Gabriel Mochales-Riaño, Dean C. Adams, Héctor Tejero-Cicuéndez et al. "Genomic insights into the Montseny brook newt (Calotriton arnoldi), a Critically Endangered glacial relict." iScience 27 (2024): 108665. © 2023 The Authors.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)