Mass stranding events (MSEs) of beaked whales (BWs) were extremely rare prior to the 1960s but increased markedly after the development of naval mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS). The temporal and ...spatial associations between atypical BW MSEs and naval exercises were first observed in the Canary Islands, Spain, in the mid-1980s. Further research on BWs stranded in association with naval exercises demonstrated pathological findings consistent with decompression sickness (DCS). A 2004 ban on MFASs around the Canary Islands successfully prevented additional BW MSEs in the region, but atypical MSEs have continued in other places of the world, especially in the Mediterranean Sea, with examined individuals showing DCS. A workshop held in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, in September 2017 reviewed current knowledge on BW atypical MSEs associated with MFAS. Our review suggests that the effects of MFAS on BWs vary among individuals or populations, and predisposing factors may contribute to individual outcomes. Spatial management specific to BW habitat, such as the MFAS ban in the Canary Islands, has proven to be an effective mitigation tool and mitigation measures should be established in other areas taking into consideration known population-level information.
Synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizers and their increased production and utilization have played a great role in increasing crop yield and in meeting the food demands resulting from population growth. ...Nitrate (NO
) is the common form of nitrogen absorbed by plants. It has high water solubility and low retention by soil particles, making it prone to leaching and mobilization by surface water, which can seriously contaminate biological environments and affect human health. Few methods exist to measure nitrate in the soil. The development of ion selective sensors provides knowledge about the dynamics of nitrate in the soil in real time, which can be very useful for nitrate management. The objective of this study is to analyze the performance of three commercial probes (Nutrisens, RIKA and JXCT) under the same conditions. The performance was analyzed with respect to electrical conductivity (EC) (0-50 mS/cm) and nitrate concentration in aqueous solution and in sand (0-180 ppm NO
) at 35% volumetric soil moisture. Differences were shown among probes when studying their response to variations of the EC and, notably, only the Nutrisens probe provided coherent accurate measurements. In the evaluation of nitrate concentration in liquid solution, all probes proved to be highly sensitive. Finally, in the evaluation of all probes' response to modifications in nitrate concentration in sand, the sensitivity decreased for all probes, with the Nutrisens probe the most sensitive and the other two probes almost insensitive.
Diving air-breathing vertebrates have long been considered protected against decompression sickness (DCS) through anatomical, physiological, and behavioural adaptations. However, an acute systemic ...gas and fat embolic syndrome similar to DCS in human divers was described in beaked whales that stranded in temporal and spatial association with military exercises involving high-powered sonar. More recently, DCS has been diagnosed in bycaught sea turtles. Both cases were linked to human activities. Two Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) out of 493 necropsied cetaceans stranded in the Canary Islands in a 16-year period (2000-2015), had a severe acute decompression sickness supported by pathological findings and gas analysis. Deadly systemic, inflammatory, infectious, or neoplastic diseases, ship collision, military sonar, fisheries interaction or other type of lethal inducing associated trauma were ruled out. Struggling with a squid during hunting is discussed as the most likely cause of DCS.
Quantification of drainage and nitrate leaching from cropping systems is necessary to optimize N-fertilizer application and determine the impact on groundwater quality. The objectives of this work ...were to (i) assess the use of capacitance probes for the continuous determination of the volume of drainage water and the amount of nitrate leached in a crop production system, and (ii) compare the effect of different N-fertilizer strategies to control nitrate leaching in a crop rotation in humid Mediterranean climate. A factorial (control and three fertilizer strategies) experiment was conducted during three cropping seasons in Navarra (Spain). Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was planted in 2002, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in 2003, and rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) in 2004. Daily soil water content measurements based on capacitance probes were used to calculate drainage at 1 m depth, by applying the water balance equation. Nitrate leaching was calculated as the drainage volume multiplied by the nitrate concentration of the soil solution extracted in ceramic cups. The results revealed distinct behaviour in three crop phases, viz.: (i) from planting to GS-25, with high risk of drainage and nitrate leaching, (ii) from GS-25 to the end of the drainage period, with little drainage and leaching, and (iii) from then to harvest, when no drainage or nitrate leaching took place. Drainage and soil mineral N content before planting were the main factors determining the amount of N leached. Splitting N-fertilizer application and the use of nitrification inhibitors are not likely to have a significant impact on subsequent N-leaching losses, provided that the N-fertilizer application is adjusted to crop N needs corrected by soil N supply.
Expression of recombinant proteins with baculovirus-infected insect larvae is a scarcely investigated alternative in comparison to that in insect cell lines, a system with growing popularity in the ...field of biotechnology. The aim of this study was to investigate the chromatographic behavior and physicochemical properties of the proteome of Rachiplusia nu larvae infected with recombinant Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV), in order to design rational purification strategies for the expression of heterologous proteins in this very complex and little-known system, based on the differential absorption between target recombinant proteins and the system's contaminating ones. Two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis showed differences in the protein patterns of infected and non-infected larvae. Hydrophobic interaction matrices adsorbed the bulk of larval proteins, thus suggesting that such matrices are inappropriate for this system. Only 0.03% and 2.9% of the total soluble protein from the infected larval extract was adsorbed to CM-Sepharose and SP-Sepharose matrices, respectively. Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography represented a solid alternative because it bound only 1.4% of the total protein, but would increase the cost of the purification process. We concluded that cation-exchange chromatography is the best choice for easy purification of high-isoelectric-point proteins and proteins with arginine tags, since very few contaminating proteins co-eluted with our target protein.
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•pI and PM of larval proteins infected with AcMNPV were profiled using 2D-PAGE.•The main contaminant proteins in the system were identified.•Cation exchange chromatography is the best option for downstream processing design.•Purification of His-Tagged proteins with IMAC matrix was demonstrated to be useful.•A lepidopteran storage protein is the main contaminant of the expression system.
Background
Germline BRCA (gBRCA) mutations predispose to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer among other neoplasms. Recently, several genomic alterations such as ALK and ROS-1 ...rearrangements have been described as molecular drivers of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The association of gBRCA mutations and VTE is unknown.
Materials and methods
We performed an observational, retrospective, single-center study to determine the VTE incidence in consecutive patients with gBRCA mutations and cancer diagnosis attended in the multidisciplinary heredofamiliar cancer unit (HFCU) of Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Spain, from 2010 to 2019.
Results
One-hundred and forty-one patients were included in the analysis. The overall VTE incidence was 12.8%. The highest incidence was reported in ovarian cancer patients (20.0%), followed by patients with both ovarian and breast cancers (16.6%) and the lowest was found in breast cancer (4.9%). No difference in the type of gBRCA mutation (1 or 2) in terms of VTE rate was observed. Sixty one percent of the patients were receiving anti-cancer therapy at the time of VTE diagnosis and the majority of the events (83.3%) were diagnosed in ambulatory setting. Khorana score was of limited value to detect high-risk patients.
Conclusions
The VTE incidence observed in our study is consistent with prior data described in general population of breast and ovarian cancer. The risk of VTE in these patients seems to be driven by the type of cancer. We have not observed any significant interaction of gBRCA mutation status and cancer-associated thrombosis.
•Grape-isolated yeast PGP-traits were analysed: nutrient solubilisation/ biomolecule production/ cell wall-degrading enzyme activity•In vitro Nicotiana benthamiana seedling growth promotion was ...observed in co-culture with several yeasts•Tobacco and lettuce seedling vigour enhancement in vitro was promoted by yeast inoculation•Maize vigour enhancement in soil was promoted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Debaryomyces hansenii and Lachancea thermotolerans
It is known that some microorganisms can enhance plant development. However, the use of yeasts as growth-promoting agents has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was the characterisation of a collection of 69 yeast strains isolated from Spanish vineyards. Phytobeneficial attributes such as solubilisation of nutrients, synthesis of active biomolecules and cell wall-degrading enzyme production were analysed. Strains that revealed multiple growth-promoting characteristics were identified. The in vitro co-culture of Nicotiana benthamiana with yeast isolates showed enhancement of plant growth in 10 strains (up to 5-fold higher shoot dry weight in the case of Hyphopichia pseudoburtonii Hp-54), indicating a beneficial direct yeast-plant interaction. In addition, 18 out of the 69 strains increased dry weight and the number of roots per seedling when tobacco seeds were inoculated. Two of these, Pichia dianae Pd-2 and Meyerozyma guilliermondii Mg-11, also increased the chlorophyll content. The results in tobacco were mostly reproduced in lettuce with these two strains, which demonstrates that the effect of the yeast-plant interaction is not species-specific. In addition, the yeast collection was evaluated in maize seedlings grown in soil in a phytotron. Three isolates (Debaryomyces hansenii Dh-67, Lachancea thermotolerans Lt-69 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sc-6) promoted seedling development (increases of 10 % in dry weight and chlorophyll content). In conclusion, our data confirm that several yeast strains can promote plant growth and could be considered for the development of biological fertiliser treatments.
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