Mapping Tree Canopy in Urban Environments Using Point Clouds from Airborne Laser Scanning and Street Level Imagery.

Resilient cities incorporate a social, ecological, and technological systems perspective through their trees, both in urban and peri-urban forests and linear street trees, and help promote and understand the concept of ecosystem resilience. Urban tree inventories usually involve the collection of field data on the location, genus, species, crown shape and volume, diameter, height, and health status of these trees. In this work, we have developed a multi-stage methodology to update urban tree inventories in a fully automatic way, and we have applied it in the city of Pamplona (Spain). We have compared and combined two of the most common data sources for updating urban tree inventories: Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) point clouds combined with aerial orthophotographs, and street-level imagery from Google Street View (GSV). Depending on the data source, different methodologies were used to identify the trees. In the first stage, the use of individual tree detection techniques in ALS point clouds was compared with the detection of objects (trees) on street level images using computer vision (CV) techniques. In both cases, a high success rate or recall (number of true positive with respect to all detectable trees) was obtained, where between 85.07% and 86.42% of the trees were well-identified, although many false positives (FPs) or trees that did not exist or that had been confused with other objects were always identified. In order to reduce these errors or FPs, a second stage was designed, where FP debugging was performed through two methodologies: (a) based on the automatic checking of all possible trees with street level images, and (b) through a machine learning binary classification model trained with spectral data from orthophotographs. After this second stage, the recall decreased to about 75% (between 71.43 and 78.18 depending on the procedure used) but most of the false positives were eliminated. The results obtained with both data sources were robust and accurate. We can conclude that the results obtained with the different methodologies are very similar, where the main difference resides in the access to the starting information. While the use of street-level images only allows for the detection of trees growing in trafficable streets and is a source of information that is usually paid for, the use of ALS and aerial orthophotographs allows for the location of trees anywhere in the city, including public and private parks and gardens, and in many countries, these data are freely available.

High Load of Deformed Wing Virus and Varroa destructor Infestation Are Related to Weakness of Honey Bee Colonies in Southern Spain.

Many factors, including pathogens, contribute to the continuing losses of colonies of the honey bee Apis mellifera, which has led to steady population decline. In particular, colony losses have been linked to deformed wing virus (DWV) and the Varroa destructor mite. To clarify the potential role of these two pathogens in honey bee colony weakening and loss, we sampled colonies in southern Spain during a 21-month period and analyzed the samples for loads of four viruses and varroa. Loads of DWV and black queen cell virus as well as varroa infestation negatively correlated with colony vigor as measured using the subjective colony strength method. Logistic regression identified varroa and DWV as the main factors involved in colony weakening. Our results confirm that varroa and DWV play a key role in triggering colony weakening in southern Spain and provide evidence that experienced beekeepers' and technicians' assessments of colony vigor can accurately estimate colony strength.

Immune related genes as markers for monitoring health status of honey bee colonies.

BACKGROUND: Honey bee population decline threatens the beekeeping sector, agriculture and global biodiversity. Early detection of colony mortality may facilitate rapid interventions to contain and prevent mortality spread. Among others, deformed wing virus (DWV) is capable of inducing colony losses, especially when combined with Varroa destructor mite. Since the bee immune system plays a crucial role in ensuring that bees are able to face these pathogens, we explored whether expression of immune genes could serve as biomarkers of colony health. RESULTS: Herein, we describe a preliminary immunological marker composed of two immune genes (relish and defensin), which provide insight on honey bee antiviral defense mechanism. Of the tested genes, relish expression correlated with the presence of DWV-Varroa complex, while decreased defensin expression correlated with poor resistance to this complex. CONCLUSIONS: The monitoring of these genes may help us to better understand the complex physiology of honey bees's immune system and to develop new approaches for managing the health impacts of DWV infection and varroa infestation in the field.

[Innovation in pressure ulcer care: application of electrotherapy]. / Innovación en cuidados de úlceras presión. Aplicacióon de electroterapia.

Nowadays, pressure ulcers are a mayor health problem with serious consequences for the patient, directly influence by the increase of morbid-mortality and the detriment of the quality of life. Today we know that the best care for pressure ulcers is the prevention and every effort must be oriented in this direction, specially when it is estimated that almost the 95% of the pressure ulcers are preventable and a 60% of the occasions are initiated and developed in hospital. The study's objective is to promote healing of ulcers with a joint technical nursing care and the application of electric current by physiotherapist. This is a descriptive research design and intervention. The sample is composed grade IV ulcer patients who are admitted to the high level of nursing care unit in Complejo Asistencial Benito Menni (Ciempozuelos-Madrid). These patients have different associated pathologies and the study shows the process from the beginning of the ulcer until the end of treatment. The most relevant results show that the application of electric currents favors nursing techniques, promoting a better and faster cleaning, vascularization and subsequent the healing of ulcers.

Innovación en cuidados de úlceras por presión. Aplicación de electroterapia / Innovation in pressure ulcer care: Application of electrotherapy

Las úlceras por presión representan un importante problema de salud con graves consecuencias para los pacientes, influenciando directamente en el aumento de morbi-mortalidad y en la disminución de la calidad de vida de la persona. En la sociedad actual se sabe que el mejor cuidado de las mismas es su prevención y que todos los esfuerzos deberían ir orientados en este sentido, máxime cuando se ha estimado que, al menos, el 95% puede evitarse y que un 60% se inicia y desarrolla en los centros hospitalarios [1]. Con este planteamiento, el objetivo del estudio es fomentar el éxito de la curación de las úlceras por presión con una técnica asociada de cuidados de enfermería junto con la aplicación de corrientes eléctricas correspondientes a técnicas de fisioterapia. Se trata de un diseño de investigación descriptiva y de intervención. La muestra está compuesta por pacientes con úlceras de grado IV ingresados en la Unidad de alto grado de cuidados de enfermería del Complejo Asistencial Benito Menni (Ciempozuelos–Madrid) con distintas patologías asociadas, comprendiendo desde el inicio de la úlcera por presión hasta la finalización del tratamiento. Los resultados más relevantes muestran que la aplicación de corrientes eléctricas favorece las técnicas de enfermería promoviendo una mejor limpieza, vascularización y posterior cicatrización de las úlceras por presión (AU)

Nowadays, pressure ulcers are a mayor health problem with serius consequences for the patient, directly influence by the increase of morbid-mortality and the detriment of the quality of life. Today we know that the best care for pressure ulcers is the prevention and every effort must be oriented in this direction, specially when it is estimated that almost the 95% of the pressure ulcers are preventable and a 60% of the occasions are initiated and developed in hospital. The study’s objective is to promote healing of ulcers with a joint technical nursing care and the application of electric current by physiotherapist. This is a descriptive research design and intervention. The sample is composed grade IV ulcer patients who are admitted to the high level of nursing care unit in Complejo Asistencial Benito Menni (Ciempozuelos–Madrid). These patients have different associated pathologies and the study shows the process from the beginning of the ulcer until the end of treatment. The most relevant results show that the application of electric currents favors nursing techniques, promoting a better and faster cleaning, vascularization and subsequent the healing of ulcers (AU)

Asymptomatic presence of Nosema spp. in Spanish commercial apiaries.

Nosemosis is caused by intracellular parasites (Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae) that infect the midgut epithelial cells in adult honey bees. Recent studies relate N. ceranae to Colony Collapse Disorder and there is some suggestion that Nosema spp., especially N. ceranae, induces high mortality in honey bees, a fact that is considered as a serious threat for colony survival. 604 samples of adult honey bees for Nosema spp. analysis were collected from beekeeping colonies across Spain and were analysed using PCR with capillary electrophoresis. We also monitored 77 Andalusian apiaries for 2 years; the sampled hives were standard healthy colonies, without any special disease symptoms. We found 100% presence of Nosema spp. in some locations, indicating that this parasite was widespread throughout the country. The two year monitoring indicated that 87% of the hives with Nosema spp. remained viable, with normal honey production and biological development during this period of time. The results of these trials indicated that both N. ceranae and N. apis could be present in these beehives without causing disease symptom and that there is no evidence for the replacement of N. apis by N. ceranae, supporting the hypothesis that nosemosis is not the main reason of the collapse and death of beehives.

Uso racional y eficiente del tratamiento hipocolesterolemiante / Rational and efficient use of treatment with statins

No disponible

Widespread dispersal of the microsporidian Nosema ceranae, an emergent pathogen of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera.

The economically most important honey bee species, Apis mellifera, was formerly considered to be parasitized by one microsporidian, Nosema apis. Recently, [Higes, M., Martín, R., Meana, A., 2006. Nosema ceranae, a new microsporidian parasite in honeybees in Europe, J. Invertebr. Pathol. 92, 93-95] and [Huang, W.-F., Jiang, J.-H., Chen, Y.-W., Wang, C.-H., 2007. A Nosema ceranae isolate from the honeybee Apis mellifera. Apidologie 38, 30-37] used 16S (SSU) rRNA gene sequences to demonstrate the presence of Nosema ceranae in A. mellifera from Spain and Taiwan, respectively. We developed a rapid method to differentiate between N. apis and N. ceranae based on PCR-RFLPs of partial SSU rRNA. The reliability of the method was confirmed by sequencing 29 isolates from across the world (N =9 isolates gave N. apis RFLPs and sequences, N =20 isolates gave N. ceranae RFLPs and sequences; 100% correct classification). We then employed the method to analyze N =115 isolates from across the world. Our data, combined with N =36 additional published sequences demonstrate that (i) N. ceranae most likely jumped host to A. mellifera, probably within the last decade, (ii) that host colonies and individuals may be co-infected by both microsporidia species, and that (iii) N. ceranae is now a parasite of A. mellifera across most of the world. The rapid, long-distance dispersal of N. ceranae is likely due to transport of infected honey bees by commercial or hobbyist beekeepers. We discuss the implications of this emergent pathogen for worldwide beekeeping.

Pancreatitis por hiperparatiroidismo primario durante el embarazo / Pancreatitis and primary hyperparathyroidism during pregnancy

El hiperparatiroidismo primario (HPP) durante el embarazo puede llevar a graves complicaciones fetales y maternas, como la pancreatitis agua. Por ello, el tratamiento médico sólo se considera en gestantes asintomáticas con calcemias moderadas, y en el resto se opta por el abordaje quirúrgico. Presentamos a una gestante de 9 semanas con hiperemesis gravídica y pancreatitis aguda por hipercalcemia secundaria a un adenoma paratiroideo. La falta de respuesta al tratamiento médico conservador llevó a la intervención en el segundo trimestre de embarazo. La cirugía resultó exitosa, y la gestación, el parto y el recién nacido no presentaron más incidencias. Concluimos que la cirugía en el segundo trimestre de embarazo es una alternativa eficaz en el tratamiento del HPP cuando fracasa el abordaje conservador

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) during pregnancy could conduce to seriously fetal and maternal complications as acute pancreatitis. Because of that, medical treatment can be consider only in asymptomatic pregnants with moderate calcium levels, in the rest of cases is prefer to use surgical management. We present a 9th week pregnant with hyperemesis gravidarum and acute pancreatitis due to hypercalcemia secondary to a parathyroid adenoma. The absence of response to medical treatment conduced to surgical intervention during second trimester of pregnancy. Surgery was successful, and not any incidence was detected in the rest of gestation, delivery and newborn. We conclude that surgery during second trimester is an efficacy alternative in HPP treatment when conserver management failed