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Compact urbanization is the main strategy for sustainable urban development. However, it is yet unclear whether compact urban forms are ecologically more favourable than dispersed ones. In this paper, we studied the effects of urban sprawl on the riparian vegetation condition in one of the most degraded watersheds in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, Argentina. We conducted random sampling of the riparian vegetation at sites along streams in the basin and assessed urban indicators at the reach and sub‐watershed scales for each of those sites in a geographic information system: urban area, impervious surface, population density and two landscape metrics of dispersion. The indicators assessed explained a high proportion of the variability of the vegetation response variables, thereby confirming the importance of urban sprawl pressure in shaping riparian communities in fluvial ecosystems. Dispersed urbanization had more positive than negative effects on the vegetation in the study area. Riverbanks associated with dispersed urbanization had more plant species, including exotics, when urban sprawl was assessed at the local scale. At the sub‐watershed scale, dispersed urbanized areas were richer in native plants and most of the functional groups, and poorer in exotic species. The model of the compact city, including bio‐corridors along watercourses, has been proposed for the Buenos Aires conurbation process for the next decades. Our results showed that the quality of existing river corridors across the compact matrix was not desirable and best practices for redesigning a more sustainable landscape structure are necessary, including the restoration of habitats for wetland species. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 688-bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene was sequenced from larvae of 18 species of Oestridae causing obligate myiasis. Larvae belonged to the four Oestridae subfamilies (Cuterebrinae, Gasterophilinae, Hypodermatinae and Oestrinae), which are commonly found throughout the world. Analysis of both nucleotide and amino acid data was performed. Nucleotide sequences included 385 conserved sites and 303 variable sites; mean nucleotide variation between all species was 18.1% and variation within each subfamily ranged from 5.3% to 13.34%. Intraspecific pairwise divergences ranged from 0.14% to 1.59%, and interspecific variation ranged from 0.7% to 27%. Of the 229 amino acids, 76 were variable (60 of which were phylogenetically informative), with some highly conserved residues identified within each subfamily. Phylogenetic analysis showed a strong divergence among the four subfamilies, concordant with classical taxonomy based on morphological and biological features. This study provides the first molecular data set for myiasis-causing Oestridae species, providing an essential database for the molecular identification of these parasites and the assessment of phylogenetic relationships within family Oestridae.

Background: Obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus are common features after heart transplantation and they lead to coronary artery disease and graft loss. Aim: To determine the effects of a dietary intervention on nutritional status and metabolic outcome of two groups enrolled during or after the first year from the transplant. Methods: Forty two subjects (mean age 51.36±12.4 yr) were studied; 20 were enrolled during the first year by the transplant, 22 were enrolled after the first year from the transplant (7.9±3.86 and 56.86±38.6 months after surgery, respectively). According to diet compliance both groups were divided into two subgroups and they were prospectively followed for 4 years. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical nutritional markers, and dietary records were collected at baseline (T0) and after a 12-month follow-up period (T12) and a 48-month follow-up period (T48). Body composition was performed at T0 and T12. Results: Diet compliance was associated with a decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose plasma level and with a weight loss mainly due to a decrease in fat mass. Conclusion: Our study shows the efficacy of dietary intervention to obtain an early and late weight and metabolic control after heart transplant.