Search

Low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), widely known as drones, have become ubiquitous and improved considerably in their technical capabilities and data quality. This opens new opportunities for their utilisation in scientific research that can help to reduce equipment and data collection costs. Remote sensing methods in ecological fieldwork can be a suitable approach to complementing, augmenting or even replacing certain aspects of fieldwork. In this study we tested the suitability of UAV for the detection of salmonid spawning grounds in two lakes in Iceland, Thingvallavatn and Ellidavatn. Salmonids are very susceptible to environmental changes, especially during embryonic development when highly oxygenated water flow and low temperatures are required. Monitoring the changes of the redd density over time will help understand the population dynamics of salmonid species and create strategies for species conservation. As part of this pilot study, we conducted aerial surveys during the spawning seasons in both locations in 2018 recording standard photographs in the visible spectrum (red, green, blue) to fully cover the respective areas of interest. Different flight altitudes were recorded to test the effects of image resolution on the final analyses. The images were then processed by applying standard remote sensing analyses in the software ENVI. The maximum likelihood classification combined with post-classification improvement methods resulted in satisfactory accuracies that are valuable for further monitoring efforts. From these findings we established a workflow that allows the implementation of UAV in ecological fieldwork for regular long-term observations. We discuss our experiences with regards to their utility, their limitations and identify future directions of research for implementing the potential that low-cost approaches have in supporting ecological studies of freshwater ecosystems.

El melón es un cultivo tradicional en España, donde existe una gran diversidad de variedades. Entre estas se encuentra el 'Meló d'Or', variedad autóctona de Ontinyent muy apreciada por su calidad. Hemos identificado los factores limitantes del cultivo de esta variedad con prácticas ecológicas y sostenibles. Se utilizaron 3 campos de ensayo con diferentes condiciones agroecológicas, cultivando plantas sin injertar e injertadas en 2 patrones, uno de melón y otro de calabaza. Se realizaron seguimientos de las plagas y enfermedades que afectaron al cultivo y se evaluó la producción y calidad de los frutos. El estrés causado por hongos del suelo fue el principal factor limitante de la producción en campos con cultivo previo de melón. El estrés salino no fue limitante y, combinado con el injerto, resultó en producciones adecuadas y de elevada calidad, con un incremento del dulzor de los frutos. La variedad tradicional fue altamente susceptible a los hongos de parte aérea y a virosis, transmitidas por áfidos y mosca blanca. El aprovechamiento de la variabilidad natural de la especie para introducir resistencia a estos patógenos es la mejor estrategia para que ésta y otras variedades tradicionales sean una alternativa real en sistemas agrícolas de reducido impacto ambiental Los autores agradecen la financiación recibida por el proyecto PROMETE0/2017/078 de la convocatoria de investigación para grupos de excelencia (financiado por la Conselleria d'Educació, lnvestigació, Cultura i Esport, Generalitat Valenciana) y el proyecto AGL 2017-85563-C2 (financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades con cofinanciación de Fondos FEDER). Published

This work was funded by Spanish grants AGL2017-85563- C2-1-R, from the Spanish MINECO (co-funded with FEDER funds), and the Conselleria de Educaciò, Investigaciò, Cultura i Esport through the project Prometeo 2017/078 Selección de Variedades Tradicionales y Desarrollo de Nuevas Variedades de Cucurbitáceas Adaptadas a la Producción Ecológica.

The misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into the disease-associated isoform (PrPSc) and its accumulation as amyloid fibrils in the central nervous system is one of the central events in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Due to the proteinaceous nature of the causal agent the molecular mechanisms of misfolding, interspecies transmission, neurotoxicity and strain phenomenon remain mostly ill-defined or unknown. Significant advances were made using in vivo and in cellula models, but the limitations of these, primarily due to their inherent complexity and the small amounts of PrPSc that can be obtained, gave rise to the necessity of new model systems. The production of recombinant PrP using E. coli and subsequent induction of misfolding to the aberrant isoform using different techniques paved the way for the development of cell-free systems that complement the previous models. The generation of the first infectious recombinant prion proteins with identical properties of brain-derived PrPSc increased the value of cell-free systems for research on TSEs. The versatility and ease of implementation of these models have made them invaluable for the study of the molecular mechanisms of prion formation and propagation, and have enabled improvements in diagnosis, high-throughput screening of putative anti-prion compounds and the design of novel therapeutic strategies. Here, we provide an overview of the resultant advances in the prion field due to the development of recombinant PrP and its use in cell-free systems.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) is a very rare genetic disease. In 2012 the European Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (EuCHS) Consortium created an online patient registry in order to improve care. AIM: To determine the characteristics and outcomes of Spanish patients with CCHS, and detect clinical areas for improvement. MATERIALS AND METHOD: An assessment was made on the data from Spanish patients in the European Registry, updated on December 2015. RESULTS: The Registry contained 38 patients, born between 1987 and 2013, in 18 hospitals. Thirteen (34.2%) were older than 18 years. Three patients had died. Genetic analysis identified PHOX2B mutations in 32 (86.5%) out of 37 patients assessed. The 20/25, 20/26 and 20/27 polyalanine repeat mutations (PARMs) represented 84.3% of all mutations. Longer PARMs had more, as well as more severe, autonomic dysfunctions. Eye diseases were present in 47%, with 16% having Hirschsprung disease, 13% with hypoglycaemia, and 5% with tumours. Thirty patients (79%) required ventilation from the neonatal period onwards, and 8 (21%) later on in life (late onset/presentation). Eight children (21%) were using mask ventilation at the first home discharge. Five of them were infants with neonatal onset, two of them, both having a severe mutation, were switched to tracheostomy after cardiorespiratory arrest at home. Approximately one-third (34.3%) of patients were de-cannulated and switched to mask ventilation at a mean age of 13.7 years. Educational reinforcement was required in 29.4% of children attending school. CONCLUSION: The implementation of the EuCHS Registry in Spain has identified some relevant issues for optimising healthcare, such as the importance of genetic study for diagnosis and assessment of severity, the high frequency of eye disease and educational reinforcement, as well as some limitations in ventilatory techniques.

Background. The standard procedure for the diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections consists of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling, which is usually accomplished by a lumbar puncture. However, in some patients presenting with acute hydrocephalus submitted to immediate CSF drainage, the fluid is customarily obtained from the placed draining system. In addition, the CSF obtained from the ventricular and lumbar spaces in some cases may show unusual differences, both in physiological and pathological conditions. Illustrative cases. We report two children who presented with confounding results in the initial studies of their ventricular and lumbar CSF who were subsequently diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis, causing delay in diagnosis and treatment. Aim. By reporting these cases, we wanted to alert the treating physician about the possibility of this discrepancy to avoid the delayed diagnosis and management of the affected patients. Discussion. We comment on the possible pathophysiological mechanisms that may result in this dissociation in ventricular and lumbar CSF composition. Conclusions. Normal results in CSF studies, especially those of the ventricular fluid, do not always rule out the presence of tuberculous meningitis. We suggest obtaining a CSF sample from the lumbar subarachnoid space in doubtful, or suspicious, cases of CNS infection even in the presence of a normal ventricular CSF. Antecedentes. El procedimiento habitual para el diagnóstico de infección del sistema nervioso central (CNS) consiste en el estudio del liquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) mediante la realización de una punción lumbar. Sin embargo, en pacientes que debutan con un cuadro de hidrocefalia aguda que son tratados de urgencia mediante la inserción de un sistema de drenaje de LCR, el líquido es rutinariamente obtenido desde el sistema derivativo implantado. Pero, en ciertos casos, el LCR ventricular y lumbar analizados pueden mostrar diferencias significativas, tanto en condiciones fisiológicas como patológicas. Casos ilustrativos. Se describen los casos de dos niños que presentaron resultados dispares en los estudios iniciales del LCR ventricular y lumbar, en los que se demostró posteriormente que padecían una hidrocefalia por meningitis tuberculosa, lo que motivó un considerable retraso en su diagnóstico y tratamiento. Objetivo. Al describir estos dos casos, pretendemos alertar al médico responsable sobre la posibilidad de esta discrepancia, para evitar retrasos en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de estos pacientes. Discusión. Se comentan los posibles mecanismos patogénicos que pueden producir esta disociación en la composición del LCR ventricular y lumbar. Conclusiones. Un resultado normal del LCR, especialmente del líquido ventricular, no descarta siempre la presencia de una meningitis tuberculosa. Sugerimos la obtención de una muestra de LCR a partir del espacio subaracnoideo lumbar en casos dudosos o sospechosos de infección del SNC, incluso ante la presencia de un LCR ventricular normal.