Constructed pine log piles facilitate plant establishment in mining drylands.

Ecological facilitation, though accepted as a main mechanism of plant community assembly, is just starting to be utilized in restoration programmes. Constructing nurse objects that mimic the effect of natural nurse species can be an option to trigger plant nucleation processes in disturbed stressful ecosystems. We hypothesized that arranged log piles might imitate plant facilitation by alleviating abiotic stress and expanding the regeneration niche of beneficiary species, eventually promoting plant establishment, fitness and diversity. With this aim, within a pilot restoration programme in abandoned mining structures in SE Spain where climatic and edaphic stresses concur, we constructed 133 pine log piles from natural wastes generated by local silvicultural activities. We monitored 51 of them plus their adjacent open areas for 15 months, measuring soil temperature, radiation and humidity. We recorded natural seedling establishment, plant nutritional status and heavy metal accumulation. We further performed a seed sowing experiment to investigate how log piles affect plant taxonomic and functional diversity based on 11 establishment and phytostabilization traits. Pine log piles significantly softened microclimatic conditions and accelerated plant establishment in unfertile and metal-polluted mining substrates, simultaneously capturing water, providing shade and pine seeds. Plant communities that naturally established beneath the piles were 15 times denser and five times taxonomically more diverse than those in open areas, despite being skewed towards pine recruitment. Experimental communities sown under log piles were also 1.4 times functionally more diverse, as theory predicts for relaxed abiotic conditions. Log piles improved seedling nutritional status, in terms of P and K content, at the cost of increased metal accumulation. At the landscape scale, nurse objects triggered plant establishment promoting taxonomic and functional diversity in extremely stressful environments. This study exemplifies how soft restoration tools can be based on mechanisms that are widely accepted in the ecological theory.

Fungal phylogenetic diversity drives plant facilitation.

Plant-plant facilitation is a crucial ecological process, as many plant species (facilitated) require the presence of an established individual (nurse) to recruit. Some plant facilitative interactions disappear during the ontogenetic development of the facilitated plant but others persist, even when the two plants are adults. We test whether the persistence of plant facilitative interactions is explained by the phylogenetic diversity of mutualistic and non-mutualistic fungi that the nurse and the facilitated species add to the shared rhizosphere. We classify plant facilitative interactions as persistent and non-persistent interactions and quantify the phylogenetic diversity of mutualistic and non-mutualistic fungi added by the plant species to the shared rhizosphere. Our results show that the facilitated species add less phylogenetic diversity of non-mutualistic fungi when plant facilitative interactions persist than when they do not persist. However, persistent and non-persistent facilitative interactions did not differ in the phylogenetic diversity of mutualistic fungi added by the facilitated species to the shared rhizosphere. Finally, the fungal phylogenetic diversity added by the nurse to the shared rhizosphere did not differ between persistent and non-persistent interactions. This study suggests that considering the fungal associates of the plant species involved in facilitative interactions can shed light on the mechanisms of persistence for plant-plant interactions.

Evidence for phylogenetic correlation of plant-AMF assemblages?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Specificity in biotic interactions is mediated' by functional traits inducing shifts in the community species composition. Functional traits are often evolutionarily conserved, resulting in closely related species tending to interact with similar species. This tendency may initially shape the phylogenetic composition of coexisting guilds, but other intraguild ecological processes may either blur or promote the mirroring of the phylogenetic compositions between guilds. The roles of intra- and interguild interactions in shaping the phylogenetic community composition are largely unknown, beyond the mere selectivity in the interguild interactions. Plant facilitation is a phylogenetically structured species-specific process involving interactions not only between the same guild of plants, but also between plants and other guilds such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). In this study it is hypothesized that reciprocal plant-AMF interactions will leave an interdependent phylogenetic signal in the community composition of both plants and AMF. METHODS: A correlation was used to test for a relationship between the phylogenetic composition of plant and AMF assemblages in a patchy xeric shrubland environment shaped by plant facilitation. In addition, a null model was used to test whether this correlation can be solely explained by selectivity in plant-AMF interactions. KEY RESULTS: A significant correlation was observed between the phylogenetic composition of plant and AMF assemblages. Plant phylogenetic composition in a patch was related to the predominance of plant species with high nursery quality that can influence the community assembly. AMF phylogenetic composition was related to the AMF phylogenetic diversity in each patch. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that shifts in the phylogenetic composition of plants and AMF assemblages do not occur independently. It is suggested that besides selectivity in plant-AMF interactions, inter-related succession dynamics of plants and AMF within patches could be an ecological mechanism driving community assembly. Future lines of research might explore whether interlinked above- and below-ground dynamics could be occurring across multiple guilds simultaneously.

Seasonal trends, sampling plans and parasitoid complex of the Chinese wax scale, Ceroplastes sinensis Del Guercio (Hemiptera: Coccidae), in Mediterranean citrus groves.

Seasonal trends and the parasitoid complex of Chinese wax scale (Ceroplastes sinensis) was studied from July 2010 to February 2013. Six commercial citrus groves located in northeastern Spain were sampled fortnightly. Chinese wax scale completed a single annual generation. Egg oviposition started in May and continued until mid-July. Egg hatching began in mid-June, and in the first quarter of August, the maximum percentage of hatched eggs was reached. In the same groves, the parasitoid species of C. sinensis were determined together with their seasonal trends, relative abundance and occurrence on C. sinensis. Four hymenoptera were found parasitizing C. sinensis, mainly on third instars and females: Coccophagus ceroplastae (Aphelinidae), Metaphycus helvolus (Encyrtidae), Scutellista caerulea (Pteromalidae) and Aprostocetus ceroplastae (Eulophidae). The most abundant species was A. ceroplastae, corresponding to 54% of the parasitoids emerged. Coccophagus ceroplastae and M. helvolus represented 19%, whereas S. caerulea comprised 8% of the total. This study is the first published record of C. ceroplastae in Spain and the first record of M. helvolus on C. sinensis in Spain. Concerning the economical thresholds normally used, sampling plans developed for the management of C. sinensis in citrus groves should target population densities of around 12-20% of invaded twigs, equivalent to 0.2-0.5 females per twig. The sample size necessary to achieve the desired integrated pest management precision is 90-160 twigs per grove for the enumerative plan and about 160-245 twigs per grove for the binomial plan.

Structure and phylogenetic diversity of post-fire ectomycorrhizal communities of maritime pine.

Environmental disturbances define the diversity and assemblage of species, affecting the functioning of ecosystems. Fire is a major disturbance of Mediterranean pine forests. Pines are highly dependent on the ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungal symbiosis, which is critical for tree recruitment under primary succession. To determine the effects of time since fire on the structure and recovery of EM fungal communities, we surveyed the young Pinus pinaster regenerate in three sites differing in the elapsed time after the last fire event. Pine roots were collected, and EM fungi characterized by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the large subunit (LSU) regions of the nuclear ribosomal (nr)-DNA. The effects of the elapsed time after fire on the EM community structure (richness, presence/absence of fungi, phylogenetic diversity) and on soil properties were analysed.Fungal richness decreased with the elapsed time since the fire; although, the phylogenetic diversity of the EM community increased. Soil properties were different depending on the elapsed time after fire and particularly, the organic matter, carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, nitrogen and iron significantly correlated with the assemblage of fungal species. Ascomycetes, particularly Tuberaceae and Pezizales, were significantly over-represented on saplings in the burned site. On seedlings, a significant over-representation of Rhizopogonaceae and Atheliaceae was observed in the most recently burned site, while other fungi (i.e. Cortinariaceae) were significantly under-represented. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that fire can act as a selective agent by printing a phylogenetic signal on the EM fungal communities associated with naturally regenerated pines, pointing out to some groups as potential fire-adapted fungi.

Can We Do Anything Else before Removing a Button Battery from the Esophagus?-Hyaluronic Acid.

OBJECTIVE: This article tests the protective effect of a commercially available mixture of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, and poloxamer 407 on the damage caused by the exposure of esophageal mucosa to button batteries in an animal model. METHODS: Experimental study. Sixty porcine esophageal samples were distributed in three groups: control (CG), exposure (EG), and exposure-protection (EPG). In EG and EPG, one CR2032 button battery per sample was inserted, both were subdivided into 2-, 4-, 6-, and 24-hour exposure subgroups, with subsequent battery removal. EPG samples were irrigated with the solution 1 hour after battery exposure. Esophageal pH and final voltage of the battery were measured. RESULTS: pH in CG remained stable. No significant differences in pH at 1 hour were found between EG and EPG. In EPG, the pH of the mucosa exposed to the anode was lower than in GE at 2 hours (12.44 vs. 11.89, p = 0.203) and 4 hours (13.78 vs. 11.77, p < 0.0001). In the cathode pH was significantly higher in EG at 2 hours (2.5 vs. 4.11, p < 0.0001), 4 hours (2.33 vs. 4.78, p < 0.0001), and 6 hours (2.17 vs. 2.91, p < 0.0001). Significant voltage reduction at 1 hour was found in EG compared to EPG (0.48 vs. 1.08 V, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Exposure to hyaluronic acid solution buffers the acidification on the side exposed to the cathode and basification on the anode. This effect can be maintained up to 3 to 5 hours, even after stopping its application. Our results suggest that a solution containing hyaluronic acid could be used as an esophageal protector after accidental ingestion of button batteries.

The evolution of same-sex sexual behaviour in mammals.

Same-sex sexual behaviour has attracted the attention of many scientists working in disparate areas, from sociology and psychology to behavioural and evolutionary biology. Since it does not contribute directly to reproduction, same-sex sexual behaviour is considered an evolutionary conundrum. Here, using phylogenetic analyses, we explore the evolution of same-sex sexual behaviour in mammals. According to currently available data, this behaviour is not randomly distributed across mammal lineages, but tends to be particularly prevalent in some clades, especially primates. Ancestral reconstruction suggests that same-sex sexual behaviour may have evolved multiple times, with its appearance being a recent phenomenon in most mammalian lineages. Our phylogenetically informed analyses testing for associations between same-sex sexual behaviour and other species characteristics suggest that it may play an adaptive role in maintaining social relationships and mitigating conflict.

Effect of feeding olive pomace acid oil on pork lipid composition, oxidative stability, colour, and sensory acceptance.

One of the targets of the meat industry is to reduce production costs and to increase the sustainability of the food chain, which has driven the attention towards the use of by-products as feed ingredients. Acid oils are fat by-products coming from the chemical refining process of edible oils, with a high energy value and that are approved as feed ingredients in the European Union. However, meat producers are hesitant to utilise them due to their varying composition and the limited understanding of their impact on animal performance and meat quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of using olive pomace acid oil (OPAO) instead of its corresponding crude olive pomace oil (OPO) or crude palm oil (PO) in pig diets on lipid composition, lipid oxidation and quality of pork loin (longissimus dorsi), fresh and after commercial refrigerated storage for 8 days. The experimental design consisted of feeding pigs with four diets supplemented with a 5% of PO, OPO, OPAO or a blend (B) of PO and OPAO (50:50, w/w). Fresh and refrigerated pork loin samples were assessed for fatty acid profile; tocopherol (T) and tocotrienol (T3) composition; lipid oxidative stability with the ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange method; 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value; volatile compounds; colour; and sensory acceptance. Results showed that refrigeration reduced the total T + T3 levels and increased the TBA values and the volatile compound concentrations. The refrigerated storage also affected the instrumental colour parameters (L*, a* and b*) but not the overall acceptance of pork. Regarding the diet, pork from OPAO diet showed a higher unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio than pork from PO and B diets. The lowest T + T3 concentration was found in OPO and OPAO fresh pork and in OPAO refrigerated pork. The oxidative stability of fresh pork was lower for OPAO than for PO diet, but no significant effect of the diet was observed for this parameter in refrigerated pork. The TBA values and volatile compound concentrations of fresh pork were not affected by the diet. After refrigeration, OPAO pork had the highest TBA value and volatile compound concentrations. In any case, colour and consumer acceptance of pork were not affected by diet. In conclusion, in order to upcycle acid oils in pig diets, and considering results on the lipid oxidative stability of pork, it would be preferable to add the OPAO used in this study blended with PO.

Drinking water chlorination in dairy beef fattening bulls: water quality, potential hazards, apparent total tract digestibility, and growth performance.

The first study aimed to evaluate the effect of drinking water disinfection (chlorination: NaClO 15%) and conditioning (acidification: H3PO4 diluted 1:5 in water) on water quality, water and feed consumption, apparent total tract digestibility, and its potential hazardous effects on Holstein bulls fed high-concentrate diets. Twenty-four animals (221 ±â€¯20.9 kg of BW, and 184 ±â€¯9.9 days of age) were individually assigned to one of four treatments according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: conditioning (with or without acidification) and disinfection (with or without chlorination). The entire study lasted 210 days. Physicochemical and microbiological water quality, water and feed consumption, haematological and biochemical blood parameters, and apparent total tract digestibility were measured; data were analysed via a mixed-effects model. Chlorination and acidification increased (P = 0.02) free residual chlorine in water, and chlorination reduced (P = 0.01) total coliform and Clostridium perfringens counts in water. Treatment did not affect water consumption, total DM intake, or blood parameters. At the beginning of the study, NDF digestibility decreased (P = 0.04) with acidification, however, this was restored at the end of the study. The second study evaluated the potential benefit of drinking water chlorination and acidification on the performance of crossbred Holstein bulls fed high-concentrate diets under commercial conditions. Ninety-six animals (322 ±â€¯35.0 kg of BW, and 220 ±â€¯14.2 days of age) were allocated into six pens assigned to one of the two treatments: untreated drinking water or drinking water treated with chlorination and acidification for a total of 112 days. Physicochemical and microbiological water quality, water and concentrate consumption, eating behaviour, growth performance, and carcass quality were analysed via a mixed-effects model. Water conditioning and disinfection increased (P = 0.01) free residual chlorine concentration and reduced (P = 0.04) total coliform count in water. Although water consumption and eating behaviour were similar between treatments, water conditioning and disinfection increased average daily weight gain (P = 0.03), BW before slaughter (P = 0.01), and hot carcass weight (P = 0.01). In conclusion, drinking water chlorination and acidification in fattening dairy beef bulls is recommended as it improves growth performance without any detrimental side effects on health or nutrient digestibility.

Microwave radiation-assisted synthesis of levulinic acid from microcrystalline cellulose: Application to a melon rind residue.

The circular economy considers waste to be a new raw material for the development of value-added products. In this context, agroindustrial lignocellulosic waste represents an outstanding source of new materials and platform chemicals, such as levulinic acid (LA). Herein we study the microwave (MW)-assisted acidic conversion of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) into LA. The influence of acidic catalysts, inorganic salt addition and ball-milling pre-treatment of MCC on LA yield was assessed. Depolymerization and disruption of cellulose was monitored by FTIR, TGA and SEM, whereas the products formed were analyzed by HPLC and NMR spectroscopy. The parameters that afforded the highest LA yield (48 %, 100 % selectivity) were: ball-milling pre-treatment of MCC for 16 min at 600 rpm, followed by MW-assisted thermochemical treatment for 20 min at 190 °C, aqueous p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TSA) 0.25 M as catalyst and saturation with KBr. These optimal conditions were further applied to a lignocellulosic feedstock, namely melon rind, to afford a 51 % yield of LA. These results corroborate the suitability of this method to obtain LA from agroindustrial wastes, in line with a circular economy-based approach.

Genders in Juniperus thurifera have different functional responses to variations in nutrient availability.

• Differences in reproductive investment can trigger asymmetric, context-dependent, functional strategies between genders in dioecious species. However, little is known about the gender responses of dioecious species to nutrient availability. • We experimentally fertirrigated a set of male and female Juniperus thurifera trees monthly for 2 yr. Water potential, photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductance were measured monthly for 2 yr, while shoot nitrogen (N) concentration, carbon isotopic composition (δ(13) C), branch growth, trunk radial growth and reproductive investment per branch were measured yearly. • Control males had lower gas exchange rates and radial growth but greater reproductive investment and higher water use efficiency (WUE; as inferred from more positive δ(13) C values) than females. Fertirrigation did not affect water potential or WUE but genders responded differently to increased nutrient availability. The two genders similarly increased shoot N concentration when fertilized. The increase in shoot N was associated with increased photosynthesis in males but not in females, which presented consistently high photosynthetic rates across treatments. • Our results suggest that genders invest N surplus in different functions, with females presenting a long-term strategy by increasing N storage to compensate for massive reproductive masting events, while males seem to be more reactive to current nutrient availability, promoting gas-exchange capacity.

Plant facilitation occurs between species differing in their associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Complementary beneficial effects of different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can result in a more efficient exploitation of the soil nutrients available, thus influencing plant communities. Here, we hypothesize that plant-AMF specificity is mediated by phylogenetic constraints defining possible interactions, and that plant-AMF interaction patterns can influence plant-plant facilitation specificity. We reanalyzed previous data describing plant-plant and plant-AMF interaction at the community level to specifically test for a phylogenetic signal on plant and AMF interactions and for a relationship between plant-plant facilitation specificity and plant species differences in their AMF associates. Closely related AMF operational taxonomical units (OTUs) tend to interact with the same plant species, but there is not a significant signal in the interaction through the plant phylogeny. This indicates that the similarity in the AMF associates of two plant species is independent of their phylogenetic relatedness. Interestingly, plant-AMF interactions match plant facilitation specificity, with pairs of plant species recruiting more frequently under each other tending to have different AMF associates. An increment of AMF diversity in the rhizosphere, as a result of plant-AMF and plant-plant selectivity, is suggested as a potential driver of plant-plant facilitation. This study highlights the role of plant-AMF interactions in shaping plant community assemblages.

The network structure of plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Ecological network theory predicts that in mutualistic systems specialists tend to interact with a subset of species with which generalists interact (i.e. nestedness). Approaching plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) association using network analyses will allow the generality of this pattern to be expanded to the ubiquitous plant-AMF mutualism. Based on certain plant-AMF specificity recently suggested, networks are expected to be nested as a result of their mutualistic nature, and modular, with certain species interacting more tightly than others. Network analyses were used to test for nestedness and modularity and to compare the different contribution of plant and AMF to the overall nestedness. Plant-AMF networks share general network properties with other mutualisms. Plant species with few AMFs in their roots tend to associate with those AMFs recorded in most plant species. AMFs present in a few plant species occur in plant species sheltering most AMF (i.e. nestedness). This plant-AMF network presents weakly interlinked subsets of species, strongly connected internally (i.e. modularity). Both plants and AMF show a nested structure, although AMFs have lower nestedness than plants. The plant-AMF interaction pattern is interpreted in the context of how plant-AMF associations can be underlying mechanisms shaping plant community assemblages.

Burning fire-prone Mediterranean shrublands: immediate changes in soil microbial community structure and ecosystem functions.

Wildfires subject soil microbes to extreme temperatures and modify their physical and chemical habitat. This might immediately alter their community structure and ecosystem functions. We burned a fire-prone shrubland under controlled conditions to investigate (1) the fire-induced changes in the community structure of soil archaea, bacteria and fungi by analysing 16S or 18S rRNA gene amplicons separated through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis; (2) the physical and chemical variables determining the immediate shifts in the microbial community structure; and (3) the microbial drivers of the change in ecosystem functions related to biogeochemical cycling. Prokaryotes and eukaryotes were structured by the local environment in pre-fire soils. Fire caused a significant shift in the microbial community structure, biomass C, respiration and soil hydrolases. One-day changes in bacterial and fungal community structure correlated to the rise in total organic C and NO(3)(-)-N caused by the combustion of plant residues. In the following week, bacterial communities shifted further forced by desiccation and increasing concentrations of macronutrients. Shifts in archaeal community structure were unrelated to any of the 18 environmental variables measured. Fire-induced changes in the community structure of bacteria, rather than archaea or fungi, were correlated to the enhanced microbial biomass, CO(2) production and hydrolysis of C and P organics. This is the first report on the combined effects of fire on the three biological domains in soils. We concluded that immediately after fire the biogeochemical cycling in Mediterranean shrublands becomes less conservative through the increased microbial biomass, activity and changes in the bacterial community structure.

Olive pomace oil and acid oil as alternative fat sources in growing-finishing broiler chicken diets.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of olive pomace oil and olive pomace acid oil, which are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (FA) but differ in free FA content, on growth performance, digestibility and FA profile of abdominal fat and breast meat. A total of 3,048 one-day-old mixed-sex broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly distributed into 24 pens and 3 dietary treatments (8 replicates per treatment). Experimental diets were administered for growing (from 22 to 29 d) and finishing (from 30 to 39 d) periods, consisting of a basal diet supplemented with 6% (as-fed basis) palm oil (PO), olive pomace oil (O), or olive pomace acid oil (OA). Animals fed O achieved the lowest feed conversion ratio (P < 0.01), together with the highest AME value (P = 0.003), but no differences were observed between OA and PO. Regarding FA digestibility, O and OA showed higher values than PO for all FA in both apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility. Comparing the AID between O and OA, no differences were observed for total FA, monounsaturated FA, or polyunsaturated FA, but animals fed OA showed lower AID values for saturated FA than those fed O (P < 0.001). The FA profile of abdominal fat and breast meat reflected that of the diet, with higher monounsaturated FA and lower saturated FA in animals fed O and OA compared to those fed PO. In sum, the inclusion of both olive pomace oil and acid oil in growing-finishing broiler chicken diets led to great performance parameters and high FA digestibility values, together with an enrichment with monounsaturated FA in abdominal fat and breast meat compared to the use of palm oil. However, a better AID of saturated FA and feed conversion ratio is achieved with O compared to OA.

Re-interventions following appendectomy in children: a multicenter study. / Reintervenciones tras apendicectomía en niños. Estudio multicéntrico.

INTRODUCTION: Acute appendicitis is the most frequent cause of acute abdomen in children. The objective of this study was to analyze the causes, approach, and results of complications requiring surgery following appendectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of the appendectomies conducted in three third-level institutions from 2015 to 2019 was carried out. Complications, causes, and number of re-interventions, time from one surgery to another, surgical technique used, operative findings at baseline appendectomy according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) classification, and hospital stay were collected. RESULTS: 3,698 appendicitis cases underwent surgery, 76.7% of which laparoscopically, with 37.2% being advanced (grades II-V of the AAST classification). Mean operating time was 50.4 minutes (49.8 ± 20.1 for laparoscopy vs. 49.9 ± 20.1 for open surgery, p > 0.05), and longer in patients requiring re-intervention (68.6 ± 27.2 vs. 49.1 ± 19.3, p < 0.001). 76 re-interventions (2.05%) were carried out. The causes included postoperative infection (n = 46), intestinal obstruction (n = 20), dehiscence (n = 4), and others (n = 6). Re-intervention risk was not impacted by the baseline approach used (open surgery or laparoscopy, OR: 1.044, 95% CI: 0.57-1.9), but it was by appendicitis progression (7.8% advanced vs. 0.7% incipient, OR: 12.52, 95% CI: 6.18-25.3). There was a tendency to use the same approach both at baseline appendectomy and re-intervention. This occurred in 72.2% of laparoscopic appendectomies, and in 67.7% of open appendectomies. The minimally invasive approach (50/76) was more frequent than the open one (27 laparoscopies and 23 ultrasound-guided drainages vs. 26 open surgeries) (p < 0.05). 55% of obstruction patients underwent re-intervention through open surgery (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Re-intervention rate was higher in advanced appendicitis cases. In this series, the minimally invasive approach (laparoscopic or ultrasound-guided drainage) was the technique of choice for re-interventions.

INTRODUCCION: La apendicitis aguda es la causa más frecuente de abdomen agudo en niños. El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar las causas, abordaje y resultados de las complicaciones que requieren intervención quirúrgica después de la apendicectomía. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Estudio retrospectivo de las apendicectomías realizadas en 3 centros de tercer nivel entre 2015-2019. Se recogieron las complicaciones, causas y número de reintervenciones, intervalo entre ambas cirugías, técnica empleada, hallazgos operatorios según la Clasificación de la American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) en la apendicectomía inicial y tiempo de ingreso. RESULTADOS: Se intervinieron 3.698 apendicitis, un 76,7% por vía laparoscópica, encontrando un 37,2% evolucionadas (grado II-V de la clasificación AAST). El tiempo medio quirúrgico fue de 50,4 minutos (laparoscopia 49,8 ± 20,1 vs. laparotomía 49,9 ± 20,1, p > 0,05), superior en aquellos pacientes que requirieron reintervención (68,6 ± 27,2 vs. 49,1 ± 19,3, p < 0,001). Se realizaron 76 reintervenciones (2,05%). Las causas fueron: infección postoperatoria (n = 46), obstrucción intestinal (n = 20), dehiscencia (n = 4) y otras (n = 6). El abordaje inicial no influyó en el riesgo de reintervención (laparotomía o laparoscopia, OR 1,044, IC 95% 0,57-1,9), pero sí el grado de evolución de la apendicitis (7,8% evolucionadas vs. 0,7% incipientes, OR 12,52, IC 95% 6,18-25,3). Hubo una tendencia a reintervenir por el mismo abordaje que la apendicectomía, esto ocurrió en un 72,2% de las apendicectomías laparoscópicas y en un 67,7% de las apendicectomías abiertas. El abordaje mínimamente invasivo (50/76) fue más frecuente que la laparotomía (27 laparoscopias y 23 drenajes ecoguiados frente a 26 laparotomías) (p < 0,05). El 55% de los pacientes obstruidos se reintervinieron por vía abierta (p > 0,05). CONCLUSION: El índice de reintervención fue superior en las apendicitis evolucionadas. En esta serie, el abordaje mínimamente invasivo (laparoscópico o drenaje ecoguiado) fue la técnica de elección en las reintervenciones.

Facilitation and plant phenotypic evolution.

While antagonistic interactions between plants have been a major topic of eco-evolutionary research, little evidence exists on the evolution of positive plant interactions (i.e., plant facilitation). Here, we first summarize the existing empirical evidence on the role of facilitation as a selection pressure on plants. Then, we develop a theoretical eco-evolutionary framework based on fitness-trait functions and interaction effectiveness that provides predictions for how facilitation-related traits may evolve. As evolution may act at levels beyond the individual (such as groups or species), we discuss the subject of the units of evolutionary selection through facilitation. Finally, we use the proposed formal evolutionary framework for facilitation to identify areas of future research based on the knowledge gaps detected.

Crude and acid oils from olive pomace as alternative fat sources in growing-finishing pigs.

The inclusion of crude and acid oils from olive pomace can lead to more unsaturated meat products and, especially in the case of olive pomace acid oil, achieve a more economically and environmentally sustainable swine production. The objective of this trial was to study the effect of dietary supplementation with crude and acid oils from olive pomace, which are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (FAs) and have differing free FA content, on growth performance, digestibility, carcass parameters and FA profile of Longissimus muscle (LM) and backfat in growing-finishing pigs compared to the conventional crude palm oil. A total of 224 male and female pigs [(Landrace × Large White) × Duroc] were randomly distributed into 48 pens according to initial BW (58.7 ± 9.71 kg, mean ± SD) and sex. Four experimental treatments were randomly assigned (n = 12 pens/treatment; 4-5 pigs/pen) for the growing (0-42 days) and finishing (40-62 days) phases. Treatments consisted of a basal diet supplemented with 5% (as-fed basis) palm oil (PO), olive pomace oil (O), olive pomace acid oil (OA) or a mixture (M) of PO and OA at 50/50. No differences were found in the growth performance results between PO, O or M, but animals fed OA showed a lower gain to feed ratio than M (P = 0.008). No differences were found in apparent ileal digestibility among treatments, however, animals fed O and OA showed the highest values of total FA apparent total tract digestibility, while those fed PO had the lowest values, and M had intermediate values (P < 0.001). No differences were observed in carcass composition among treatments. In relation to backfat and the LM FA profile, O and OA treatments led to a higher unsaturated FA to saturated FA ratio and a lower content in saturated FA than PO. Moreover, O showed a higher intramuscular fat (IMF) content in LM than PO (P = 0.037). It is concluded that olive pomace oil is an interesting alternative fat source that can be included at 5% in growing-finishing pig diets, leading to meat products with more IMF, rich in monounsaturated FA, reaching high FA digestibility values and good pig performance parameters. Alternatively, olive pomace acid oil blended with conventional palm oil did not negatively impact fat utilisation nor performance. Including these fat by-products reduced feeding costs and led to a more efficient and environmentally sustainable production.

Predictors of attrition among adults in a rural HIV clinic in southern Mozambique: 18-year retrospective study.

HIV remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality for people living in many low-income countries. With an HIV prevalence of 12.4% among people aged over 15 years, Mozambique was ranked in 2019 as one of eight countries with the highest HIV rates in the world. We analyzed routinely collected data from electronical medical records in HIV-infected patients aged 15 years or older and enrolled at Carmelo Hospital of Chokwe in Chokwe from 2002 to 2019. Attrition was defined as individuals who were either reported dead or lost to follow-up (LTFU) (≥ 90 days since the last clinic visit with missed medical pick-up after 3 days of failed calls). Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analyses were used to model the incidence and predictors of time to attrition. From January 2002 to December 2019, 16,321 patients were enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART): 59.2% were women, and 37.9% were aged 25-34 years old. At the time of the analysis, 7279 (44.6%) were active and on ART. Overall, the 16,321 adults on ART contributed a total of 72,987 person-years of observation. The overall attrition rate was 9.46 per 100 person-years. Cox regression showed a higher risk of attrition in those following an inpatient regimen (hazard ratio [HR] 3.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.89-3.50; p < 0.001), having CD4 counts under 50 cells/µL (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.63-2.24, p < 0.001), receiving anti-TB treatment within 90 days of ART initiation (HR 6.53, 95% CI 5.72-7.45; p < 0.001), classified as WHO clinical stage III (HR 3.75, 95% CI 3.21-4.37; p < 0.001), and having Kaposi's sarcoma (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.65-2.39, p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with CD4 counts of less than 50 cells/µL on ART initiation had a 40% lower chance of survival at 18 years. Low CD4 cell counts, ART initiation as an inpatient, WHO clinical stage III, and anti-tuberculosis treatment within 90 days of ART initiation were strongly associated with attrition. Strengthening HIV testing and ART treatment, improving the diagnosis of tuberculosis before ART initiation, and guaranteed psychosocial support systems are the best tools to reduce patient attrition after starting ART.

Valorization of Wastewater from Table Olives: NMR Identification of Antioxidant Phenolic Fraction and Microwave Single-Phase Reaction of Sugary Fraction.

The table olive industry is producing a huge amount of wastewater, which is a post-processing cost and an environmental concern. The present study aims to valorize this processing by-product to obtain a value-added product, thereby enhancing resource efficiency and contributing to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). In this sense, a chemical reaction-based platform was developed to obtain valuable components, such as levulinic acid (LA) and 5-hydromethylfurfural (HMF). The products were then analyzed using NMR identification of the antioxidant phenolic fraction and microwave single-phase reaction of the sugary fraction. According to the results, the highest concentration of phenolic compounds does not correspond to the sample directly obtained from NaOH treatment (S1), indicating that water washing steps (S2-S5) are fundamental to recover phenolic substances. Moreover, glucose was presented in the sugary fraction that can be transformed into levulinic acid by a single-phase reaction under microwave irradiation. The information provided in this manuscript suggests that the wastewater from the olive processing industry can be valorized to obtain valuable products.