Toxoplasma gondii in animals used for human consumption

Food-borne toxoplasmosis in humans may result from exposure to different stages of Toxoplasma gondii, in particular from the ingestion of tissue cysts or tachyzoites contained in meat, primary offal (viscera) or meat-derived products of many different animals, or the ingestion of sporulated oocysts that are contained in the environment and may contaminate food and water. Although the potential for transmission of the parasite to humans via food has been known for several decades, it is not known which routes are most important from a public health point of view. It is likely that transmission of the parasite to humans is influenced not only by the potential contamination of various food sources, but also by the individual behaviour of consumers in different ethnic groups and geographical regions. Most current methods for detection of T. gondii in meat-producing animals, in products of animal origin, or in the environment are insufficient because they do not allow quantification of infectious stages. Hence, most studies report only qualitative data from which it is difficult to assess the true risk of infection in individual cases. There is a need for quantitative data so that efficient strategies to reduce food-borne transmission of T. gondii to humans can be developed.

Serosurvey Study of Toscana Virus in Domestic Animals, Granada, Spain

Toscana virus (TOSV) is transmitted by infected sandflies. In Mediterranean countries, TOSV is one of the major viral pathogens involved in aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis in humans. It remains unclear if there are animal reservoirs able to maintain the virus through the cold months of the year, when the vector is not circulating. From May to October of 2006 and 2007, we conducted a serosurvey study on domestic animals from Granada province (southern Spain). TOSV was investigated in 1186 serum samples from horses, goats, pigs, cats, dogs, sheep, and cows by serology (indirect fluorescence assay), viral culture, and RT-polymerase chain reaction. Specific anti-TOSV antibodies were detected in 429 (36.2%) serum samples. The highest seropositivity rates were observed in cats (59.6%) and dogs (48.3%). These results suggest that an important percentage of the domestic animals have been infected by TOSV. Significantly different seroprevalence rates were detected in goats among distinct geographical areas. All viral cultures were negative. TOSV was detected by RT-polymerase chain reaction in only one serum sample from a goat. Thus, the studied animals do not seem to act as reservoirs for TOSV; otherwise, they could be amplifying hosts for the virus.

The oldest Triassic platform margin reef from the Alpine - Carpathian region (Aggtelek, NE Hungary): platform evolution, reefal biota and biostratigraphic framework

The 1:10,000 scale mapping of the southern part of the Aggtelek Plateau (Western Carpathians, Silica Nappe, NE Hungary) and the study of five sections revealed two Middle Triassic reef bodies. In the late Pelsonian the uniform Steinalm Platform was drowned and dissected due to the Reifling Event. A connection with the open sea was established, indicated by the appearance of gladigondolellid conodonts from the early Illyrian. Basins and highs were formed. In the NW part of the studied area lower - middle? Illyrian basinal carbonates were followed by a platform margin reef (early? - middle Illyrian; reef stage 1) developed on a morphological high. This is the oldest known Triassic platform margin reef within the Alpine-Carpathian region. The reef association is dominated by sphinctozoans and microproblematics. The fossils are characteristic of the Wetterstein - type reef communities. Differently from this in the SE part of the studied region a basin existed from the late Pelsonian until the early Ladinian. During the late Illyrian - early Ladinian, the reef prograded to the SE, and reef stage 2 was established. Meanwhile, on the NW part of the platform a lagoon was formed behind the reef. Based on our palaeontological study the stratigraphic range of Colospongia catenulata, Follicatena cautica, Solenolmia manon manon, Vesicocaulis oenipontanus must be extended down to the middle Illyrian. Synsedimentary tectonics were detected in the 1. Binodosus Subzone, 2. Trinodosus Zone - the most part of the Reitzi Zone, 3. Avisianum Subzone.

Measuring extravascular lung water: animals and humans are not the same.

MYK and EF-M are members of the Medical Advisory Board, Pulsion Medical Systems. Approximately 25% of the total expenses to two of the studies upon which this letter is based has been reimbursed by Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany.

Pàgina Web gestió protectora d'animals

Aplicació Web amb ASP visual studio 2010 i Visual C# , Microsoft SQL Server i AJAX.

La música coral: entre el lleure i el compromís : Aproximació als interessos i pràctiques socials dels joves cantaires del cor Vint & Sing de l'escola de música Ireneu Segarra, de Palma

El tema principal de la nostra recerca és el cant coral juvenil que, per força, implica l'anàlisi de les relacions grupals i dels interessos particulars de cadascun dels cantaires d'un grup coral en relació amb el lleure i l'amistat.

Clostridium difficile ribotypes in humans and animals in Brazil

Clostridium difficile is an emerging enteropathogen responsible for pseudomembranous colitis in humans and diarrhoea in several domestic and wild animal species. Despite its known importance, there are few studies aboutC. difficile polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotypes in Brazil and the actual knowledge is restricted to studies on human isolates. The aim of the study was therefore to compare C. difficileribotypes isolated from humans and animals in Brazil. Seventy-six C. difficile strains isolated from humans (n = 25), dogs (n = 23), piglets (n = 12), foals (n = 7), calves (n = 7), one cat, and one manned wolf were distributed into 24 different PCR ribotypes. Among toxigenic strains, PCR ribotypes 014/020 and 106 were the most common, accounting for 14 (18.4%) and eight (10.5%) samples, respectively. Fourteen different PCR ribotypes were detected among human isolates, nine of them have also been identified in at least one animal species. PCR ribotype 027 was not detected, whereas 078 were found only in foals. This data suggests a high diversity of PCR ribotypes in humans and animals in Brazil and support the discussion of C. difficile as a zoonotic pathogen.

Draft genome of the Leptospira interrogans strains, Acegua, RCA, Prea, and Capivara, obtained from wildlife maintenance hosts and infected domestic animals

In the present paper, we announce new draft genomes of four Leptospira interrogans strains named Acegua, RCA, Prea, and Capivara. These strains were isolated in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from cattle, dog, Brazilian guinea pig, and capybara, respectively.

Salvage Regimen With Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation With Or Without Rituximab Maintenance For Relapsed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (Dlbcl): Coral Final Report

Times Cited: 0 References: 0 Citation MapAbstract : Background: Chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the standard treatment for relapsed DLBCL. No study has compared salvage therapies and evaluated maintenance post ASCT.Methods: DLBCL CD 20+ in first relapse or pts refractory after first therapy were randomized between R ICE (rituximab, ifosfamide, etoposide, carboplatinum) or R DHAP (rituximab dexamethasone cytarabine cisplatinum). Responding patients received BEAM and ASCT then randomized between observation or maintenance with rituximab every 2 m for 1 yr (Gisselbrecht J Clin Oncol; 2010).Results: Analysis was made on 477 pts (R ICE: 243 pts; R DHAP: 234 pts): 255 relapses >12m, 213 refractory/early relapses; 306 pts had prior rituximab; secondary(s) IPI 0-1: 281 pts; s IPI 2-3:181pts. There was no difference in response rate between R ICE 63.6% and R DHAP 64.3%. There was no difference between R ICE and R DHAP at 4 yrs for EFS (26% vs 37% p=0.2) and OS (43% vs 51%, p=0.3). Factors affecting 4 yrs EFS, PFS and OS were: prior treatment with rituximab; early relapse< 12 m; s IPI 2-3. ASCT was performed in 255 pts and 242 randomized for maintenance: 122 pts rituximab (R), 120 pts observation (O). Distribution between R/O arms were respectively: median age 54 /53 yrs, Male 76/83; female 46/37; secondary IPI 0-1: 84/81; sIPI 2-3: 36/36. 89/76 relapses >12m., 33/41 refractory/early relapses. Median follow up was 44 m with 111 events. 4 yrs EFS was 52.8 % (CI 46-59) with 63% (CI 56-69) OS. There was no difference in EFS, PFS and OS between R and O arms. In multivariate analysis, sIPI2-3 significantly affected EFS, PFS, OS (p=0.0004). Women (83pts) had a better 4 yrs EFS 63% than male (159pts) 37% (p=0.01). The difference was only in the R arm (p=0.004). Gender was an independent prognostic factor in the R arm. Toxicity was mild with 12% SAE versus 4% for R /O respectively.Conclusions: There was no difference between R ICE and R DHAP and between post ASCT maintenance with R or O. Women did significantly better after ASCT with rituximab. Early relapses to upfront rituximab-based chemotherapy have a poor prognosis.

Sobre la facticitat de la consideració moral dels animals no humans

Aquest treball s'enquadra en l'àmbit del que s'anomena bioètica animal i es desenvolupa al voltant de la consideració moral dels animals no humans a partir d'un tractament interdisciplinari que implica l'encontre de disciplines tan diverses com filosofia, història, psicologia o estudis de gènere, entre d'altres.

Genetic causes of transitions from sexual reproduction to asexuality in plants and animals.

The persistence of sexual reproduction in the face of competition from asexual invaders is more likely if asexual lineages are produced infrequently or have low fitness. The generation rate and success of new asexual lineages will be influenced by the proximate mechanisms underlying transitions to asexuality. As such, characterization of these mechanisms can help explain the distribution of reproductive modes among natural populations. Here, we synthesize the literature addressing proximate causes of transitions from sexual to asexual reproduction in plants and animals. In cyclical and facultatively asexual taxa, individual mutations can cause obligate asexuality. The evolution of asexuality in obligately sexual groups is more complex, requiring the simultaneous acquisition of two traits generally controlled by different genetic factors: unreduced gamete formation and spontaneous development of unfertilized gametes. At least three 'pre-adaptations' could favour transitions to obligate asexuality in obligate sexuals. First, linkage among loci affecting separate key components of asexuality facilitates its spread, with evidence for these linkage blocks in plants. Second, asexuality should evolve more readily in haplodiploids; support for this hypothesis comes from two examples where a single locus causes transitions to asexuality. Third, standing genetic variation for the production of unreduced gametes could facilitate transitions to asexuality, but whether the ability to produce unreduced gametes contributes to the evolution of obligate asexuality remains unclear. We close by reviewing the associations between asexuality, hybridization and polyploidy, and argue that current data suggest that hybridization is more likely to play a causal role in transitions to asexuality than polyploidy.

Trophic specialization influences the rate of environmental niche evolution in damselfishes (Pomacentridae).

The rate of environmental niche evolution describes the capability of species to explore the available environmental space and is known to vary among species owing to lineage-specific factors. Trophic specialization is a main force driving species evolution and is responsible for classical examples of adaptive radiations in fishes. We investigate the effect of trophic specialization on the rate of environmental niche evolution in the damselfish, Pomacentridae, which is an important family of tropical reef fishes. First, phylogenetic niche conservatism is not detected in the family using a standard test of phylogenetic signal, and we demonstrate that the environmental niches of damselfishes that differ in trophic specialization are not equivalent while they still overlap at their mean values. Second, we estimate the relative rates of niche evolution on the phylogenetic tree and show the heterogeneity among rates of environmental niche evolution of the three trophic groups. We suggest that behavioural characteristics related to trophic specialization can constrain the evolution of the environmental niche and lead to conserved niches in specialist lineages. Our results show the extent of influence of several traits on the evolution of the environmental niche and shed new light on the evolution of damselfishes, which is a key lineage in current efforts to conserve biodiversity in coral reefs.

Women of the beat generation : la traducción de una obra poética coral

Comentario a la traducción por encargo del libro WOTBG, centrado en las muestras de obra poética de las distintas autoras y la necesidad de conservar sus similitudes y sus diferéncias.

Development of Implantable Flow-Through Left Ventricular Pressure Telemetric Transmitter for small Rodent Animals

Objective: Although 24-hour arterial blood pressure can be monitored in a free-moving animal using pressure telemetric transmitter mostly from Data Science International (DSI), accurate monitoring of 24-hour mouse left ventricular pressure (LVP) is not available because of its insufficient frequency response to a high frequency signal such as the maximum derivative of mouse LVP (LVdP/dtmax and LVdP/dtmin). The aim of the study was to develop a tiny implantable flow-through LVP telemetric transmitter for small rodent animals, which can be potentially adapted for human 24 hour BP and LVP accurate monitoring. Design and Method: The mouse LVP telemetric transmitter (Diameter: _12 mm, _0.4 g) was assembled by a pressure sensor, a passive RF telemetry chip, and to a 1.2F Polyurethane (PU) catheter tip. The device was developed in two configurations and compared with existing DSI system: (a) prototype-I: a new flow-through pressure sensor with wire link and (b) prototype-II: prototype-I plus a telemetry chip and its receiver. All the devices were applied in C57BL/6J mice. Data are mean_SEM. Results: A high frequency response (>100 Hz) PU heparin saline-filled catheter was inserted into mouse left ventricle via right carotid artery and implanted, LV systolic pressure (LVSP), LVdP/dtmax, and LVdP/dtmin were recorded on day2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 in conscious mice. The hemodynamic values were consistent and comparable (139_4 mmHg, 16634_319, - 12283_184 mmHg/s, n¼5) to one recorded by a validated Pebax03 catheter (138_2mmHg, 16045_443 and -12112_357 mmHg/s, n¼9). Similar LV hemodynamic values were obtained with Prototype-I. The same LVP waveforms were synchronically recorded by Notocord wire and Senimed wireless software through prototype-II in anesthetized mice. Conclusion: An implantable flow-through LVP transmitter (prototype-I) is generated for LVP accurate assessment in conscious mice. The prototype-II needs a further improvement on data transmission bandwidth and signal coupling distance to its receiver for accurate monitoring of LVP in a freemoving mouse.

Cantant entre guerres : música coral per a veus blanques a França i Catalunya a principis del segle XX

Aquest treball busca definir algunes característiques comunes d'obres musicals escrites a principis del segle XX per compositors francesos i catalans per a cor de veus blanques, mitjançant l'estudi de les seves biografies i l'anàlisi de les pròpies obres. Aquestes peces, compostes en llocs i moments diferents, convergeixen però en alguns punts estilístics, transcendint les fronteres per contribuir a l'elaboració d'un llenguatge propi d'un entorn cultural més ampli, de París a Barcelona.