Anthropogenic drivers and global warming are altering the occurrence of infectious marine diseases, some of which produce mass mortalities with considerable ecosystemic and economic costs. The ...Mediterranean Sea is considered a laboratory to examine global processes, and the fan mussel Pinna nobilis a sentinel species within it. Since September 2016, fan mussels suffer a die-off, very likely provoked by the protozoan Haplosporidium pinnae. Population dynamic surveys, rescue programmes, larvae collector installation and protection of infected adults from predators, have increased knowledge about the factors conditioning the spread of the die-off; previous model simulations indicate that water temperature and salinity seem to be related to the manifestation of the disease, which at the end are strongly influenced by climate change and anthropogenic actions. The absence of natural recruitment implies that fan mussel populations are not recovering, but the survival of populations living in paralic environments provides an opportunity to study the disease and its conditioning factors. The fan mussel disease outbreak provides a case example for how climate change may mediate host-protozoan dynamics and poses several questions: are we witnessing the potential extinction of a sentinel species? Can we avoid it by applying active measures? If so, which measures will be more effective? How many other more overlooked species might experience a massive and unnoticed die-off before it is too late to implement any preservation action? This is especially relevant because the loss of keystone species can drive to community effects that influence marine ecosystem processes.
•In two years a new Pinna nobilis pandemic has spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea•Urgent measures are proposed and need to be taken to avoid P. nobilis extinction•Paralic environments are the only natural refuge known for P. nobilis to date•Fan mussels from infected populations can be saved if isolated in indoor facilities•Low water temperatures slow down the spread and infectious capacity of the disease
Abstract
Aims
Adiposity plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Our aim was to study the sex differences in adipokines levels according to AF burden.
Methods and results
Two ...independent cohorts of patients were studied: (i) consecutive patients with AF undergoing catheter ablation (n = 217) and (ii) a control group (n = 105). (i) Adipokines, oxidative stress, indirect autonomic markers, and leucocytes mRNA levels were analysed; (ii) correlation between biomarkers was explored with heatmaps and Kendall correlation coefficients; and (iii) logistic regression and random forest model were used to determine predictors of AF recurrence after ablation. Our results showed that: (i) fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) and leptin levels were higher in women than in men in both cohorts (P < 0.01). In women, FABP4 levels were higher on AF cohort (20 ± 14 control, 29 ± 18 paroxysmal AF and 31 ± 17 ng/mL persistent AF; P < 0.01). In men, leptin levels were lower on AF cohort (22 ± 15 control, 13 ± 16 paroxysmal AF and 13 ± 11 ng/mL persistent AF; P < 0.01). (ii) In female with paroxysmal AF, there was a lower acetylcholinesterase and higher carbonic anhydrase levels with respect to men (P < 0.05). (iii) Adipokines have an important role on discriminate AF recurrence after ablation. In persistent AF, FABP4 was the best predictor of recurrence after ablation (1.067, 95% confidence interval 1–1.14; P = 0.046).
Conclusion
The major finding of the present study is the sex-based differences of FABP4 and leptin levels according to AF burden. These adipokines are associated with oxidative stress, inflammatory and autonomic indirect markers, indicating that they may play a role in AF perpetuation.
We present a new catalog of TeV gamma-ray sources using 1523 days of data from the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory. The catalog represents the most sensitive survey of the northern ...gamma-ray sky at energies above several TeV, with three times the exposure compared to the previous HAWC catalog, 2HWC. We report 65 sources detected at ≥5 significance, along with the positions and spectral fits for each source. The catalog contains eight sources that have no counterpart in the 2HWC catalog, but are within 1° of previously detected TeV emitters, and 20 sources that are more than 1° away from any previously detected TeV source. Of these 20 new sources, 14 have a potential counterpart in the fourth Fermi Large Area Telescope catalog of gamma-ray sources. We also explore potential associations of 3HWC sources with pulsars in the Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF) pulsar catalog and supernova remnants in the Galactic supernova remnant catalog.
•New algorithm for fish counting based on image processing and using an embedded system.•The proposed system is a low-cost one and uses open source software.•The system provides broad potential in ...aquaculture and marketing of various marine species.•It is ideal for farmers and suitable to be used at any cultivation processes.
The development and implementation of an instrument for the automatic counting of ornamental fish by using an embedded system, is introduced herein. The proposed instrument is tested with two marine species, the Guppies (Poecilia Reticulata) and Mollies (Poecilia Sphenops), under conditions of controlled lighting and specimens whose sizes vary from 0.5 to 2.3 cm. The counting is done by digital image processing obtaining an average accuracy up to 96.64% using different species of fishes and different sizes. The main contributions are the theoretical and experimental study to determine the aquarium background color and the algorithm of the proposed method implemented in a low cost and high performance embedded system, specifically in a Raspberry Pi 2 executing the free GNU Octave Scientific Programming Language, thus, allowing the counting instrument to be reliable, portable and easily migratory to different operating systems. The obtained results demonstrate that the proposed method is competitive with state-of-the-art ones.
Plant nutrition requires organic nitrogen to be mineralized before roots can absorb it. A 13‐year field study was conducted on typical rain‐fed Mediterranean Vertisol to determine the effects of ...tillage system, crop rotation and N fertilizer rate on the long‐term NH₄⁺–N content in the soil profile (0–90 cm). The experiment was designed as a randomized complete block with a split–split plot arrangement and three replications. The main plots tested the effects from the tillage system (no‐tillage and conventional tillage); the subplots tested crop rotation with 2‐year rotations (wheat–wheat, wheat–fallow, wheat–chickpea, wheat–faba bean and wheat–sunflower) and the sub‐subplots examined the N fertilizer rate (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha). Soil NH₄⁺–N content was greatest in the rainiest years and greater under the no‐tillage (NT) system than the conventional tillage (CT) system (57 and 48 kg/ha, respectively). The deepest soil (30–60 and 60–90 cm) contained a greater NH₄⁺–N content (21.0 and 21.4 kg/ha, respectively) than the shallowest soil (19.5 kg/ha in 0–30 cm). This observation may be related to Vertisol characteristics, especially crack formation that allows greater mineralization in the deepest layers by displacing organic matter.
Background
International guidelines on the prevention and treatment of parastomal hernias are lacking. The European Hernia Society therefore implemented a Clinical Practice Guideline development ...project.
Methods
The guidelines development group consisted of general, hernia and colorectal surgeons, a biostatistician and a biologist, from 14 European countries. These guidelines conformed to the AGREE II standards and the GRADE methodology. The databases of MEDLINE, CINAHL, CENTRAL and the gray literature through OpenGrey were searched. Quality assessment was performed using Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network checklists. The guidelines were presented at the 38th European Hernia Society Congress and each key question was evaluated in a consensus voting of congress participants.
Results
End colostomy is associated with a higher incidence of parastomal hernia, compared to other types of stomas. Clinical examination is necessary for the diagnosis of parastomal hernia, whereas computed tomography scan or ultrasonography may be performed in cases of diagnostic uncertainty. Currently available classifications are not validated; however, we suggest the use of the European Hernia Society classification for uniform research reporting. There is insufficient evidence on the policy of watchful waiting, the route and location of stoma construction, and the size of the aperture. The use of a prophylactic synthetic non-absorbable mesh upon construction of an end colostomy is strongly recommended. No such recommendation can be made for other types of stomas at present. It is strongly recommended to avoid performing a suture repair for elective parastomal hernia. So far, there is no sufficient comparative evidence on specific techniques, open or laparoscopic surgery and specific mesh types. However, a mesh without a hole is suggested in preference to a keyhole mesh when laparoscopic repair is performed.
Conclusion
An evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and management of parastomal hernias reveals the lack of evidence on several topics, which need to be addressed by multicenter trials. Parastomal hernia prevention using a prophylactic mesh for end colostomies reduces parastomal herniation. Clinical outcomes should be audited and adverse events must be reported.
•Global retention models are developed and fitted for highly complex samples•Common column/solvent and specific solute parameters are obtained by regression•Guidelines to develop experimental designs ...facilitating peak tracking are given•Comparison of global and individual retention models for selected components•Method was applied to extracts of medicinal plants with diverse characteristics
We report here the improvement of a procedure to obtain global models, able to describe the retention behaviour of several sample components simultaneously. The reported global models include parameters that account for the general effects of column and solvent on retention and are common for all components, whereas other parameters are specific of each sample component. These models are fitted by alternate regression and offer a prediction performance comparable to individual retention models. The approach is suitable to samples of natural products including a large number of components in extremely diverse concentrations and in the absence of standards. Guidelines are given for the successful development of sample-oriented experimental designs (i.e. adapted to the elution of the components of the natural products), constituted by multi-linear gradients. These designs also facilitate peak tracking. The model proposed by Neue and Kuss to describe the retention was found to yield the best predictions. The approach is applied to the extracts of samples of green tea, lemon balm and linden, yielding excellent predictions of retention for selected components.
Hydropeaked rivers need attention Batalla, R J; Gibbins, C N; Alcázar, J ...
Environmental research letters,
02/2021, Letnik:
16, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Hydropower is considered a renewable form of energy production, but generating electricity from rivers is not always environmentally benign. The global demand for renewables is increasing rapidly as ...fossil fuels are gradually phased out, so rivers will continue to be subjected to the pressures imposed by hydropower for decades to come. Finding ways of operating hydropower plants that limit impacts on downstream river ecosystems is therefore a pressing global concern. Usually, these plants cause marked and rapid fluctuations in flow in downstream river reaches, termed 'hydropeaking'. Hydropeaks result in a variety of ecological changes in the dynamic mountain rivers they typically affect; declines in fish and insect populations are evident, especially in reaches immediately downstream from the plant. While these changes are often acute and readily apparent, the underlying causal mechanisms remain unclear. We argue here that riverbed sediments are a critical but neglected causal link between hydropeaking flow regimes and ecological changes. We outline how a variety of tools from different branches of river science can now be brought together to understand precisely why hydropeaking alters sediment dynamics; these tools provide a mechanistic explanation for changes in bed sedimentary conditions and channel form across multiple scales and, consequently, a better understanding of ecological changes. By allowing us to simulate the effects of flow fluctuations on sediment dynamics and channel form, these tools also allow us to develop ways of releasing water from hydropeaking dams that limit impacts on aquatic habitat and species.
Colistin has become the last-line antimicrobial for the treatment of multidrug resistant (MDR)
in human medicine. To date, several colistin resistance genes have been described. Of them
-1 is ...disseminated worldwide in
of human and animal origin. The aim of this study was to characterize
-mediated resistance plasmids from
of animal origin in Spain. From our strain collection, 70
of pig origin collected between 2005 and 2014 (10 per year, except for years 2009-2010-2013) were randomly selected and screened for the presence of
-genes. Additionally, 20
isolated in 2011 from white storks (
) from the same urban household waste landfill associated colony were also included. Whole genome sequencing of
-positive isolates was carried out on a MiSeq (Illumina). Hybrid whole genome sequencing strategy combining nanopore and Illumina technologies were performed in a selection of isolates to close the genomes and plasmids and identify the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was used to assess the susceptibility to colistin. Mating experiments were carried out to evaluate transferability of the
-genes. A total of 19
-1 and one
-4 positive isolates were detected, 15 from pigs distributed during the study period, and five from storks collected in 2011. No other
-variants were found. The MICs for colistin ranged between 4 and >4 mg/L. High diversity of STs were detected among the
positive
isolates, with only ST-10 shared between pigs and white storks. Except for one isolate, all were genotypic and phenotypically MDR, and five of them also harbored cephalosporin resistance genes (
,
, and three
).
-1 genes were mobilizable by conjugation, associated with IncX4, IncHI2, and IncI2 plasmids. In our study,
-1 genes have been circulating in pig farms since 2005 harbored by a variety of
clones. Its persistence may be driven by co-selection since plasmids containing
-1 also exhibit resistance to multiple drugs used in veterinary medicine. Furthermore, this is the first report of the presence of
-1 gene in isolates from white storks in Spain. This finding highlights the potential importance of wildlife that forage at urban household waste landfills in the transmission and spread of colistin resistance genes.
Hereditary spastic paraplegias constitute a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative diseases encompassing pure and complicated forms, for which at least 52 loci and 31 causative genes have been ...identified. Although mutations in the SPAST gene explain approximately 40% of the pure autosomal dominant forms, molecular diagnosis can be challenging for the sporadic and recessive forms, which are often complicated and clinically overlap with a broad number of movement disorders. The validity of exome sequencing as a routine diagnostic approach in the movement disorder clinic needs to be assessed. The main goal of this study was to explore the usefulness of an exome analysis for the diagnosis of a complicated form of spastic paraplegia. Whole‐exome sequencing was performed in two Spanish siblings with a neurodegenerative syndrome including upper and lower motor neuron, ocular and cerebellar signs. Exome sequencing revealed that both patients carry a novel homozygous nonsense mutation in exon 15 of the SPG11 gene (c.2678G>A; p.W893X), which was not found in 584 Spanish control chromosomes. After many years of follow‐up and multiple time‐consuming genetic testing, we were able to diagnose these patients by making use of whole‐exome sequencing, showing that this is a cost‐efficient diagnostic tool for the movement disorder specialist.
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