Las parlamentarias regionales en España: masa crítica, experiencia parlamentaria e influencia política Women MPs in Spanish Regional Parliaments: Critical Mass, Parliamentary Experience and Political Influence

Este trabajo analiza la evolución de la proporción de mujeres en los 17 parlamentos regionales españoles desde 1980 hasta 2011. En línea con el argumento de la masa crítica en su versión de representación descriptiva, se pone a prueba si, una vez se llega a un umbral del 30% de parlamentarias, la proporción de éstas no cae por debajo de dicho umbral. Se contrastan a continuación dos hipótesis acerca de la presencia política de las mujeres: la que defiende que la experiencia parlamentaria (‘incumbency’) reduce las diferencias de género en las expectativas de conseguir un escaño; y la que afirma que las mujeres son relegadas a posiciones de escasa influencia en el legislativo

Editorial: Anthropogenic wildlife movements and infectious diseases: Health and conservation perspectives

EditorialS

Pearsonema (syn Capillaria) plica associated cystitis in a Fennoscandian arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus: a case report

The bladderworm Pearsonema (syn Capillaria) plica affects domestic dogs and wild carnivores worldwide. A high prevalence in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) has been reported in many European countries. P. plica inhabits the lower urinary tract and is considered to be of low pathogenic significance in dogs mostly causing asymptomatic infections. However, a higher level of pathogenicity has been reported in foxes. A severe cystitis associated with numerous bladderworms was found in a captive arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) originating from the endangered Fennoscandian arctic fox population. To our knowledge this is the first description of P. plica infection in an arctic fox

Antimicrobial Resistance in Pasteurellaceae Isolates from Pyrenean Chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and Domestic Sheep in an Alpine Ecosystem

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has spread worldwide due to the inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs in human and veterinary medicine, becoming a public health problem. However, little is known about its occurrence and maintenance in wild animals, and very few studies have been carried out in ecosystems subjected to low human pressure. In our study, nasal and lung swabs were collected from hunted Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), and nasal swabs from sympatric domestic sheep were also collected. The swabs were cultured in agar plates to obtain bacterial isolates from the Pasteurellaceae family. The presence of AMR was assessed in a total of 28 Pasteurellaceae isolates from 45 Pyrenean chamois, and 9 isolates from sympatric domestic sheep found in the National Hunting Reserve of Freser-Setcases (Northeastern Pyrenees, Spain). The isolates belonged to one of the following three species: Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica and Bibersteinia trehalosi. Some P. multocida and M. haemolytica isolates tested positive for AMR. The statistical analysis revealed no differences between the AMR levels from chamois and domestic sheep isolates. However, one P. multocida of chamois origin presented resistance to cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, which are antibiotics of critical importance for human health. Further studies are required to elucidate potential routes of dissemination of AMR genes in natural environments and assess any significant persistence in wildlife to design risk mitigation actions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

¿Quién lidera y quién va a la zaga? Parlamenterias en los parlamentos autonómicos españoles

Using systematic criteria, this article offers a descriptive analysis of the evolution in the percentage of women MPs in the 17 Spanish regional parliament from 1980 to 2011. The fluctuating gender composition of these parliaments is analysed in terms of thresholds, patterns of evolution, and paucity of the changes. These dimensions, under-studied in the literature on descriptive representation, are essential to understanding the growing feminization of the legislature. Three different regional models of incorporation of women MPs, forerunner, mixed and laggard, are identified, which provide valuable information about a) when the different ratios of women versus men representatives are attained, b) how stable or unstable the growth in the percentage of women is, and c) whether the changes are gradual or abrupt. We show that legislative quotas have a different impact depending on the specific regional model to which they apply. Considering the steady, comparatively fast and homogenous process of feminization of all the regional chambers, their relatively gender-balanced composition seems secure, as well as the attainment of the goal of parity laws.Mediante la aplicación de criterios sistemáticos, este trabajo realiza una descripción analítica de la evolución en el porcentaje de mujeres parlamentarias en los 17 parlamentos regionales españoles desde 1980 hasta 2011. Se analiza su fluctuante composición por género a través de umbrales, pautas de evolución y ritmo de los cambios. Estas dimensiones, poco estudiadas por la literatura sobre representación descriptiva, son cruciales a la hora de entender la creciente feminización del legislativo regional. El análisis identifica tres modelos de incorporación de las representantes, el precursor, el mixto y el rezagado, que proporcionan una valiosa información en relación con: a) cuándo se alcanzan las distintas ratios de mujeres frente a hombres, b) si la evolución en el número de parlamentarias es estable o no, y c) si los cambios son graduales o bruscos. Se comprueba que las cuotas legislativas de género tienen distintos efectos que dependen del modelo regional sobre el que se apliquen. Considerando el constante, y comparativamente rápido y homogéneo proceso de ‘feminización’ de los legislativos regionales, parece que su composición por género relativamente equilibrada está asegurada, así como el cumplimiento de las leyes de paridad

Assessment rubric of personal and prosocial competencies and skills

University training for early years and primary school teachers has traditionally focused on highly academic and technical learnings. The extensive experience of our team as teacher trainers has shown us that, in order to complement those learnings, we need to boost our students' personal and prosocial competencies and skills. We consider the acquisition of these competencies and skills to be central to the training to become a teacher, however they are often difficulties to evaluate in a university setting. In order to make these behaviours more visible and to help students, qualified teachers and university tutors to keep them in mind, our research team has created an assessment rubric of personal and prosocial competencies and skills that aim to facilitate awareness and reflection around these specific set of abilities

Mycoplasma conjunctivae in insect vectors and anatomic locations related to transmission and persistence

Mycoplasma conjunctivae is an obligate microparasite that causes Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) in Caprinae species. IKC is a long-recognised disease, but little attention has been paid to the mechanisms of transmission of the mycoplasma and its occurrence in locations other than the eyes. In this study, the presence of M. conjunctivae is assessed in the eyes, external ear canals (EEC), nasal cavity, and vagina of host species as well as in potential vectors, which may be involved in the transmission and persistence of infection within the host. M. conjunctivae was detected by qPCR in 7.2 % (CI 95% 4.7-11.0) of the ear swabs and 9.5 % (CI 95% 6.4-13.9) of the nasal swabs from Pyrenean chamois, Iberian ibex, domestic sheep and mouflon without statistical differences between species. Mycoplasma detection in nasal swabs was mostly associated with ocular infection (95.6%), but this was not the case for EEC (52.6%). Among the eye-positive ruminants, 27.3% were positive in ear swabs and 64.7% in nasal swabs, and the threshold cycle values of the qPCR were correlated only between eye and nasal swabs (p < 0.01; r2 = 0.56). M. conjunctivae was detected in 1.7% - 7.1 % of Musca spp. captured during an IKC outbreak in Iberian ibex and in one out of three endemic sheep flocks. The results indicate that the transmission of M. conjunctivae may occur by direct contact with eye or nasal secretions and/or indirectly through flies. The M. conjunctivae DNA detection in EEC suggests that it can colonise the auditory tract, but the significance for its persistence within the host should be further assessed.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Experimental infection with high‐ and low‐virulence strains of border disease virus (BDV) in Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica ) sheds light on the epidemiological diversity of the disease

Since 2001, Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica ) populations have been affected by border disease virus (BDV) causing mortalities of more than 80% in some areas. Field studies carried out in France, Andorra, and Spain have shown different epidemiological scenarios in chamois populations. This study was designed to confirm the presence of BDV strains of a high and low virulence in free‐ranging chamois populations from Pyrenees and to understand the implications of these findings to the diverse epidemiological scenarios. An experimental infection of Pyrenean chamois with a high‐virulence (Cadí‐6) and low‐virulence (Freser‐5) BDV strains was performed. Pregnant and non‐pregnant animals with and without antibodies against BDV were included in each group. Cadí‐6 BDV strain was confirmed to be of high virulence for seronegative adults and their foetuses. The antibody negative chamois infected with Freser‐5 BDV strain did not show symptoms, presented less viral distribution and RNA load in tissues than Cadí‐6 group, and cleared the virus from the serum. However, foetuses died before the end of the experiment and RNA virus was detected in sera and tissues although with lower RNA load than the Cadí‐6 group. Chamois from both groups presented lesions in brain but the ones infected with the low‐virulence Freser‐5 BDV strain were mild and most likely transient. In both groups, seropositive pregnant females and all but one of their foetuses did not present viraemia or viral RNA in tissues. The existence of a low‐virulence strain has been confirmed experimentally and related to chamois population infection dynamics in the area where it was isolated. Such strain may persist in the chamois population through PI animals and may induce cross‐protection in chamois against high‐virulence strains. This study demonstrates that viral strain diversity is a significant factor in the heterogeneity of epidemiological scenarios in Pyrenean chamois populations.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

PPARβ/δ: A Key Therapeutic Target in Metabolic Disorders

Research in recent years on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)β/δ indicates that it plays a key role in the maintenance of energy homeostasis, both at the cellular level and within the organism as a whole. PPARβ/δ activation might help prevent the development of metabolic disorders, including obesity, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This review highlights research findings on the PPARβ/δ regulation of energy metabolism and the development of diseases related to altered cellular and body metabolism. It also describes the potential of the pharmacological activation of PPARβ/δ as a treatment for human metabolic disorder