Dietary silage supplement modifies fatty acid composition and boar taint in pork fat

In organic pig husbandry, the use of roughage is mandatory as dietary supplement. This study investigated the effects of oat silage on the fatty acid composition, in entire males and gilts, as well as indole and skatole levels in perirenal adipose tissue of entire males. Entire males and gilts (forty-five to forty-eight pigs/sex) were assigned to two dietary roughage feeds (control with straw vs. oat silage). There was no significant effect of silage or sex on total SFA and MUFA in pork fat. However, the oat silage increased the total PUFA n-3 and decreased the PUFA n-6/n-3 ratio. The content of boar taint compounds (skatole and indole) in the entire male pigs did not differ between diets, although human nose scoring rejected in a greater extent more pork fat from entire males supplemented with oat silage, compared with those only supplied with straw. Approximately 50% of the entire males (90 to 97 kg of carcass) had low skatole values (≤0.1 μg/g), that were below the range of boar taint detection, regardless of the feeding regime. This finding indicates that more studies should be performed to avoid the problem of taint detection in entire males under organic production

Machine learning method for the classification of the state of living organisms’ oscillations

The World Health Organization highlights the urgent need to address the global threat posed by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Efficient and rapid detection of bacterial response to antibiotics and their virulence state is crucial for the effective treatment of bacterial infections. However, current methods for investigating bacterial antibiotic response and metabolic state are time-consuming and lack accuracy. To address these limitations, we propose a novel method for classifying bacterial virulence based on statistical analysis of nanomotion recordings. We demonstrated the method by classifying living Bordetella pertussis bacteria in the virulent or avirulence phase, and dead bacteria, based on their cellular nanomotion signal. Our method offers significant advantages over current approaches, as it is faster and more accurate. Additionally, its versatility allows for the analysis of cellular nanomotion in various applications beyond bacterial virulence classification

Pharmacological activities of Zanthoxylum chiloperone (Rutaceae) extracts

In this work the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts of leaves from Zanthoxylum chiloperone were evaluated. The tests were carried out by acetic acid writhing, formalin-induced paw licking, carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and pleurisy methods, using hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts administered in the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. The doses inhibited, significantly, the contortions, the paw lick, the paw edema, the volume of the exsudate and the leukocytes migration. These results suggest that the extracts from Z. chiloperone possess constituents with antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities.Neste trabalho foram avaliadas as atividades antinociceptiva e antiinflamatória dos extratos das folhas de Zanthoxylum chiloperone. Os ensaios foram realizados pelos testes de contorções abdominais induzidas por ácido acético, tempo da lambida da pata induzida por formalina, edema de pata e pleurisia induzidas por carragenina, usando os extratos hexânico, em acetato de etila e etanólico administrados nas doses de 100 e 200 mg/kg. As doses testadas reduziram, significativamente, as contorções abdominais, o tempo de lambida da pata, o edema de pata, o volume do exsudato e a migração leucocitária. Estes resultados sugerem que os extratos de Z. chiloperone possuem constituintes com atividades antinociceptiva e antiinflamatória

Metodología para mejorar la resolución de las emisiones del sector de combustión doméstica en Barcelona

The project "Quantifying the impact of Green infrastructures on (peri-) urban atmospheres" in development by Institut de Ciència i Tecnología ambiental (ICTA-UAB) and funded by Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions aims to study the air quality and urban heat island phenomenon under several green infrastructure scenarios for the city of Barcelona. Green infrastructures are currently being promoted in cities to improve thermal comfort of the citizens and air quality, among other economic, ecological and social objectives, but there is still little quantitative and qualitative evidence of how efficient they are in achieving the aforementioned sense. To fill this gap, leading methodologies are used, such for chemical climate numerical model. These models, among other data, require entry of atmospheric pollutant emissions from anthropogenic and biogenic sources to high temporal and spatial resolution. Currently, emissions inventories are available at resolution of up to 1km x 1km to Catalonia (BSC). However, it is necessary to improve the model resolution to quantify the effect of green infrastructures (that could be relatively small areas, such as green roofs and parks) and so the emissions. The objective of this project is to create a methodology to disaggregation the emissions of domestic combustion to a geospatial resolution of 100m x 100m on the urban ecosystem of Barcelona. Recently, Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia (ICGC) and University of Barcelona (UB) have developed a map of the Local Climate Zones (LCZ) of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB). The LCZ layer is used to disaggregate domestic combustion emissions from 1km to 100m in grid size as it provides a better spatial characterization uses of urban and peri urban land. Population density is also taken into account in this project. The use of LCZ at such a high resolution has shown to be a good proxy to disaggregate emission to residential areas rather than other land use not related to domestic combustion activityEl projecte "Quantifying the impact of Green infrastructures on (peri-) urban atmospheres" en desenvolupament per l'Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambiental (ICTA-UAB) i finançat per Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions té com a objectiu estudiar la qualitat de l'aire i el fenomen d'illa de la calor urbana sota escenaris d'infraestructures verdes a la ciutat de Barcelona. Actualment s'estan promovent les infraestructures verdes a les ciutats per millorar el confort tèrmic dels ciutadans i la qualitat de l'aire, entre d'altres objectius econòmics, ecològics i socials, però encara hi ha poca evidència quantitativa i qualitativa de la seva eficàcia. Per omplir aquest buit d'investigació, s'utilitzen metodologies punteres com el model numèric de clima químic. Aquests models, entre d'altres dades, requereixen l'entrada d'emissions de contaminants atmosfèrics de fonts antropogèniques i biogèniques a una alta resolució temporal i espacial. Actualment, els inventaris d'emissions estan disponibles a una resolució de fins a 1km x 1km a Catalunya (BSC). No obstant això, cal millorar la resolució del model per quantificar l'efecte de les infraestructures verdes (que podrien ser àrees relativament petites, com ara cobertes verdes i parcs) i, per tant, les emissions. L'objectiu d'aquest projecte és crear una metodologia per a la desagregació de les emissions de combustió interna a una resolució geoespacial de 100m x 100m en l'ecosistema urbà de Barcelona. Recentment, l'Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC) i la Universitat de Barcelona (UB) han desenvolupat un mapa de les Local Climate Zones (LCZ) de l'Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB). S'utilitza la capa de les LCZ per desagregar les emissions de combustió domèstica d'1km a 100m en la mida de la quadricula ja que proporciona una millor caracterització espacial dels usos del sòl urbà i periurbà. També es té en compte, en aquest projecte, la densitat de població. L'ús de les LCZ en una alta resolució ha demostrat ser un bon proxy per a desagregar les emissions a zones residencials en comptes d'altres usos del sòl no relacionats amb l'activitat de combustió domèsticaEl proyecto "Quantifying the impact of Green infrastructures on (peri-) urban atmospheres" en desarrollo por el Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Ambiental (ICTA-UAB) y financiado por Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions tiene como objetivo estudiar la calidad del aire y el fenómeno de isla de calor urbana bajo escenarios de infraestructuras verdes en la ciudad de Barcelona. Actualmente se están promoviendo las infraestructuras verdes en las ciudades para mejorar el confort térmico de los ciudadanos y la calidad del aire, entre otros objetivos económicos, ecológicos y sociales, pero todavía hay poca evidencia cuantitativa y cualitativa de su eficacia . Para llenar este vacío de investigación, se utilizan metodologías punteras como el modelo numérico de clima químico. Estos modelos, entre otros datos, requieren la entrada de emisiones de contaminantes atmosféricos de fuentes antropogénicas y biogénicas a una alta resolución temporal y espacial. Actualmente, los inventarios de emisiones están disponibles en una resolución de hasta 1km x 1km en Cataluña (BSC). Sin embargo, hay que mejorar la resolución del modelo para cuantificar el efecto de las infraestructuras verdes (que podrían ser áreas relativamente pequeñas, tales como cubiertas verdes y parques) y, por tanto, las emisiones. El objetivo de este proyecto es crear una metodología para la desagregación de las emisiones de combustión interna a una resolución geoespacial de 100m x 100m en el ecosistema urbano de Barcelona. Recientemente, el Instituto Cartográfico y Geológico de Catalunya (ICGC) y la Universidad de Barcelona (UB) han desarrollado un mapa de las Local Climate Zones (LCZ) del Área Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB). Se utiliza la capa de las LCZ para desagregar las emisiones de combustión doméstica de 1km a 100m en el tamaño de la cuadricula ya que proporciona una mejor caracterización espacial de los usos del suelo urbano y periurbano. También se tiene en cuenta, en este proyecto, la densidad de población. El uso de las LCZ en una alta resolución ha demostrado ser un buen proxy para desagregar las emisiones a zonas residenciales en vez de otros usos del suelo no relacionados con la actividad de combustión doméstic

Low growth resilience to drought is related to future mortality risk in trees

Severe droughts have the potential to reduce forest productivity and trigger tree mortality. Most trees face several drought events during their life and therefore resilience to dry conditions may be crucial to long-term survival. We assessed how growth resilience to severe droughts, including its components resistance and recovery, is related to the ability to survive future droughts by using a tree-ring database of surviving and now-dead trees from 118 sites (22 species, >3,500 trees). We found that, across the variety of regions and species sampled, trees that died during water shortages were less resilient to previous non-lethal droughts, relative to coexisting surviving trees of the same species. In angiosperms, drought-related mortality risk is associated with lower resistance (low capacity to reduce impact of the initial drought), while it is related to reduced recovery (low capacity to attain pre-drought growth rates) in gymnosperms. The different resilience strategies in these two taxonomic groups open new avenues to improve our understanding and prediction of drought-induced mortality.Fil: DeSoto, Lucía. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Universidad de Coimbra; PortugalFil: Cailleret, Maxime. Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Züric; Suiza. Université Aix-marseille; Francia. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research; SuizaFil: Sterck, Frank. University of Agriculture Wageningen; Países BajosFil: Jansen, Steven. Universitat Ulm; AlemaniaFil: Kramer, Koen. University of Agriculture Wageningen; Países Bajos. Land Life Company; Países BajosFil: Robert, Elisabeth M. R.. Creaf; España. Vrije Unviversiteit Brussel; Bélgica. Royal Museum for Central Africa; BélgicaFil: Aakala, Tuomas. University of Helsinki; FinlandiaFil: Amoroso, Mariano Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo Rural. - Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo Rural; ArgentinaFil: Bigler, Christof. Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Züric; SuizaFil: Camarero, J. Julio. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Čufar, Katarina. University 0f Ljubljana; EsloveniaFil: Gea Izquierdo, Guillermo. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria; EspañaFil: Gillner, Sten. Technische Universität Dresden; AlemaniaFil: Haavik, Laurel J.. Servicio Forestal de los Estados Unidos; Estados UnidosFil: Hereş, Ana Maria. Basque Centre For Climate Change; España. Transilvania University of Brasov; RumaniaFil: Kane, Jeffrey M.. Humboldt State University; Estados UnidosFil: Kharuk, Vyacheslav I.. Siberian Federal University; Rusia. Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Kitzberger, Thomas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Klein, Tamir. Weizmann Institute of Science; IsraelFil: Levanič, Tom. Slovenian Forestry Institute; EsloveniaFil: Linares, Juan C.. Universidad Pablo de Olavide; EspañaFil: Mäkinen, Harri. Natural Resources Institute Finland; FinlandiaFil: Oberhuber, Walter. Universidad de Innsbruck; AustriaFil: Papadopoulos, Andreas. Geoponiko Panepistimion Athinon; GreciaFil: Rohner, Brigitte. Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich; Suiza. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research; SuizaFil: Sangüesa Barreda, Gabriel. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Stojanovic, Dejan B.. University of Novi Sad; SerbiaFil: Suarez, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Villalba, Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Vilalta, Jordi. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; España. Creaf; Españ

Wide-Geographic and Long-Term Analysis of the Role of Pathogens in the Decline of Pinna nobilis to Critically Endangered Species

A mass mortality event (MME) affecting the fan mussel Pinna nobilis was first detected in Spain in autumn 2016 and spread north- and eastward through the Mediterranean Sea. Various pathogens have been blamed for contributing to the MME, with emphasis in Haplosporidium pinnae, Mycobacterium sp. and Vibrio spp. In this study, samples from 762 fan mussels (necropsies from 263 individuals, mantle biopsies from 499) of various health conditions, with wide geographic and age range, taken before and during the MME spread from various environments along Mediterranean Sea, were used to assess the role of pathogens in the MME. The number of samples processed by both histological and molecular methods was 83. The most important factor playing a main role on the onset of the mass mortality of P. nobilis throughout the Mediterranean Sea was the infection by H. pinnae. It was the only non-detected pathogen before the MME while, during MME spreading, its prevalence was higher in sick and dead individuals than in asymptomatic ones, in MME-affected areas than in non-affected sites, and it was not associated with host size, infecting both juveniles and adults. Conversely, infection with mycobacteria was independent from the period (before or during MME), from the affection of the area by MME and from the host health condition, and it was associated with host size. Gram (-) bacteria neither appeared associated with MME.En prens

Early-Warning Signals of Individual Tree Mortality Based on Annual Radial Growth

Tree mortality is a key driver of forest dynamics and its occurrence is projected to increase in the future due to climate change. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the physiological mechanisms leading to death, we still lack robust indicators of mortality risk that could be applied at the individual tree scale. Here, we build on a previous contribution exploring the differences in growth level between trees that died and survived a given mortality event to assess whether changes in temporal autocorrelation, variance, and synchrony in time-series of annual radial growth data can be used as early warning signals of mortality risk. Taking advantage of a unique global ring-width database of 3065 dead trees and 4389 living trees growing together at 198 sites (belonging to 36 gymnosperm and angiosperm species), we analyzed temporal changes in autocorrelation, variance, and synchrony before tree death (diachronic analysis), and also compared these metrics between trees that died and trees that survived a given mortality event (synchronic analysis). Changes in autocorrelation were a poor indicator of mortality risk. However, we found a gradual increase in inter- annual growth variability and a decrease in growth synchrony in the last similar to 20 years before mortality of gymnosperms, irrespective of the cause of mortality. These changes could be associated with drought-induced alterations in carbon economy and allocation patterns. In angiosperms, we did not find any consistent changes in any metric. Such lack of any signal might be explained by the relatively high capacity of angiosperms to recover after a stress-induced growth decline. Our analysis provides a robust method for estimating early-warning signals of tree mortality based on annual growth data. In addition to the frequently reported decrease in growth rates, an increase in inter-annual growth variability and a decrease in growth synchrony may be powerful predictors of gymnosperm mortality risk, but not necessarily so for angiosperms.Peer reviewe

Peripheral and central arterial pressure and its relationship to vascular target organ damage in carotid artery, retina and arterial stiffness. Development and validation of a tool. The Vaso risk study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) shows a better correlation to target organ damage and cardiovascular morbidity-mortality than office blood pressure. A loss of arterial elasticity and an increase in carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) has been associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity-mortality. Tools have been developed that allow estimation of the retinal arteriovenous index but not all studies coincide and there are contradictory results in relation to the evolution of the arteriosclerotic lesions and the caliber of the retinal vessels. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between peripheral and central arterial pressure (clinic and ambulatory) and vascular structure and function as evaluated by the carotid artery intima-media thickness, retina arteriovenous index, pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial index in patients with and without type 2 diabetes. In turn, software is developed and validated for measuring retinal vessel thickness and automatically estimating the arteriovenous index.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>A cross-sectional study involving a control group will be made, with a posterior 4-year follow-up period in primary care. The study patients will be type 2 diabetics, with a control group of non-diabetic individuals. Consecutive sampling will be used to include 300 patients between 34-75 years of age and no previous cardiovascular disease, one-half being assigned to each group. Main measurements: age, gender, height, weight and abdominal circumference. Lipids, creatinine, microalbuminuria, blood glucose, HbA1c, blood insulin, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and endothelial dysfunction markers. Clinic and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Carotid ultrasound to evaluate IMT, and retinography to evaluate the arteriovenous index. ECG to assess left ventricle hypertrophy, ankle-brachial index, and pulse wave analysis (PWA) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) with the Sphigmocor System.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>We hope to obtain information on the correlation of different ABPM-derived parameters and PWA to organ target damage - particularly vascular structure and function evaluated from the IMT and PWV - and endothelial dysfunction in patients with and without type 2 diabetes. We also hope to demonstrate the usefulness of the instrument developed for the automated evaluation of retinal vascularization in the early detection of alterations in vascular structure and function and in the prognosis of middle-term cardiovascular morbidity.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01325064">NCT01325064</a></p