Western Spain Research Articles

Water Accounting in Western US, Australia, and Spain: Comparative Analysis

AbstractWater accounting—the measurement, processing, and communication of information on water availability and use—is essential for effective and sustainable water resource management. Such infor...

Spain as a dispersion model for Thelazia callipaeda eyeworm in dogs in Europe

Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) causes ocular infection in carnivorous animals and humans. While growing numbers of companion dogs and sometimes cats are being diagnosed with thelaziosis, little is known about its real spread. As it has been also diagnosed in wild animals and human beings, it is considered a potential emerging zoonotic disease.This study provides information about the spread of the parasite in dogs in Spain since its initial description in 2010 until 2018. The first detection of T. callipaeda in the Principality of Andorra in 2017 is also reported. Two different studies were conducted: a) a survey in which clinical cases from veterinary practices were collected and b) a prevalence study in two endemic areas in western and central Spain (Site 1 La Vera region, Cáceres, and Site 2 El Escorial municipality, Madrid). In total, 1114 cases of thelaziosis were detected in 121 municipalities of Spain and 6 municipalities of Andorra. In 92 out these 127 municipalities, reports were of autochthonous cases. Six hundred twenty-three out of 1114 presented data collection sheet and were included in the statistical analysis: 510 cases identified by veterinarians in Spain and Andorra in Study 1, and 113 cases detected among the 234 dogs (48.3 %) examined in the prevalence study (Study 2). Prevalences were 61.3 % (84/137) for Cáceres and 29.9 % (29/97) for Madrid, being Site 1 significantly more risky (P < 0.0001, odds ratio: 3.72, CI: 2.14–4.47 %) compared to Site 2.Our study updates data for canine thelaziosis reported in the last decade in Spain and Andorra. Results highlight the urgent need for prevention strategies to control the spread of this potential zoonotic disease.

A radiological index for evaluating the impact of an abandoned uranium mining area in Salamanca, Western Spain

The establishment of a screening index would be a powerful tool to decide whether abandoned uranium mining areas should be rehabilitated or decommissioned. Thus, in this work we established a radiological index which uses the activity concentrations of different groups of gamma emitters from the natural radioactive series of 238U, 235U, and 232Th, as well as 40K and 137Cs. These activity concentrations were calculated by using the absorbed gamma radiation dose value of 175 nGy h−1 specified in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. We studied our index in an abandoned uranium mining area in Salamanca, Western Spain, and found that the most influential factors in this area were the presence of organic matter in the soil and the possible effect that plants and fungi may have on the retention of these aforementioned radionuclides. In addition, the results showed that contaminants are migrating in an easterly direction in line with the prevailing wind direction and we were able to identify areas in which the radiological risk is likely high. The mean effective dose rate was 2.51 ± 0.98 mSv y−1 which was equivalent to the levels obtained in previous works.

International adaptation of the hydrologic rational method: floods study in the North Portugal region

Floods have a big capacity of create great social and economic losses in a short time interval. Spain and other countries have this problem in their territories. These can have different origins, being the rivers overflowing the more common cause. There are different approaches of these phenomena studies, and the modified Témez rational method is the referenced one in Spain, which with the GIS and hydrological simulation programs can create the flooding areas cartography, key information in the floods hazard management. But, is this method only valid for Spain, or is it applicable to other countries? The answer is that its adaptation to other countries is possible, always that the relevant modifications are made.In the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is a country that has the flooding problem too. Because this country has a similar geological and geographical conditions to the western Spain, and the floods effects are similar in the Portuguese territories, the adaptation to this country it´s relatively simple.The aim of this work is the study of floods dynamics in Portugal, adapting the modified Témez rational method. This method will be applied in the Âncora river, in North Portugal region fluvial system because the geological and geographical conditions are similar to the west of Spain ones.

High taxonomic diversity of Micromonospora strains isolated from Medicago sativa nodules in Western Spain and Australia

The genus Micromonospora has been found in nodules of several legumes and some new species of this genus were isolated from these plant organs. In this study we analysed the taxonomic diversity of Micromonospora strains isolated from alfalfa nodules in Spain and Australia on the basis of three phylogenetic markers, the rrs and gyrB genes and 16S-23S intergenic spacer (ITS). The genome analysis of selected strains representative of different clusters or lineages found after rrs, gyrB and ITS analyses confirmed the results obtained with these phylogenetic markers. They showed that the analysed strains belong to at least 18 Micromonospora species including previously described ones, such as Micromonospora noduli, Micromonospora ureilytica, Micromonospora taraxaci, Micromonospora zamorensis, Micromonospora aurantiaca and Micromonospora tulbaghiae. Most of these strains belong to undescribed species of Micromonospora showing the high taxonomic diversity of strains from this genus inhabiting alfalfa nodules. Although Micromonospora strains are not able to induce the formation of these nodules, and it seems that they do not contribute to fix atmospheric nitrogen, they could play a role related with the mechanisms of plant growth promotion and pathogen protection presented by Micromonospora strains isolated from legume nodules.

Eosinophilia and cystic echinococcosis: what is the relationship?

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic, complex and neglected zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus. Eosinophilia in CE is a classic analytic alteration, although its presentation and importance is very variable and not well established. We performed a retrospective observational study of inpatients diagnosed with CE and eosinophilia from January 1998 to December 2017 in the Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca in western Spain. During the study period, 475 patients with a CE diagnosis underwent a haemogram and 118 (24.8%) patients had eosinophilia. Eighty-two (69.5%) were male and the mean age was 52.1±20.8y, which was younger in the group with eosinophilia (p<0.001). The patients with eosinophilia had less comorbidity (33.1% vs 52.9%; p<0.001) and they were diagnosed with more complications (60.2% vs 39.8% asymptomatic; p<0.001). Clinical manifestations appeared in 71 cases (60.2%). The eosinophilia was related to the presence of pre-surgical fistulas (p=0.005). We observed significant differences when considering whether eosinophilia is a marker of the type of treatment (p<0.001). Eosinophilia can be an indicator for an active search in CE because as much as 40% of cases are asymptomatic at diagnosis. In patients with eosinophilia, management is usually more aggressive and is usually a combined treatment. Our work shows the importance of eosinophilia in our patients with CE and raises unresolved questions.

Bridging the gap between city and water: A review of urban-river regeneration projects in France and Spain

The urban regeneration of European river spaces since the 1990s has allowed their transformation into new axes of centrality and socialization and has seen the concentration of green areas along the banks of Europe’s cities. This process has been promoted by the implementation of various projects, conducted at different scales and with varying budgets, in a range of urban-river habitats; yet, all of them seek a common goal: the exploitation of river spaces as new areas for social uses. In Western Europe, both France and Spain have implemented major projects that serve as good examples of urban regeneration. This paper identifies, classifies and analyses the main French and Spanish urban-river regeneration projects described in studies published since 1990 through a literature review and a statistical treatment of data. We identified 47 publications, referring to 12 projects in France and 14 projects in Spain, that allow us to conduct an analysis of the characteristics of this urban regeneration process. Overall, the projects are highly varied, above all in terms of their scale, the way in which they use processes of public participation to reach citizen consensus, and their implementation of environmental measures as a complement to urban regeneration. The projects with the largest budgets, as well as those targeting the largest areas for regeneration, have been made possible thanks to EU funding. In contrast, smaller budgets and interventions of shorter length and area tend to characterize the projects without EU funds. Additionally, processes of public participation have also been a key element, above all in France, and most projects with environmental rehabilitation have been carried out in Spain.

Improving bivalve fishery management: The development of a tool to forecast bivalve reproductive season based on environmental data from satellite remote sensing observations

AbstractDonax trunculus is a much‐appreciated commercial clam whose natural populations have been overexploited in southern–western Spain during the last decades. In order to control the decrease of natural beds, local governments establish annual closed seasons based on socioeconomic reasons, such as economic necessity or tourism interest. The objective of this study was to develop an efficient tool for predicting gonadal stages based on environmental condition data. This tool will allow for an improvement in fishery management since in this manner the closed season can be based on the reproductive cycle. The natural population's reproductive cycle was studied for more than 2 years. The obtained gonadal and condition indexes (GI and CI) values were statistically related to environmental conditions, specifically surface seawater temperature (SST) and chlorophyll‐a (Chlo‐a) levels with these data being provided from satellite remote sensing observations (SRS). The best statistical relationship was obtained between GI and the SST registered 60 days before bivalve sampling (SST‐60). The regression equation allows for an estimate of GI value based on the SST‐60 and, as each value is related with one gonadal stage (resting, maturation, ripe), for prediction of the reproductive cycle. Therefore, the closed season can be established when most of the population is in the ripe stage and can be adjusted taking into account the possible temperature variations across the years. For ease of use, GI values estimated with this tool have also been converted using different colours onto a map of wedge clam reproductive stages in its natural beds.

Complications Associated with Initial Clinical Presentation of Cystic Echinococcosis: A 20-year Cohort Analysis.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic, complex, and overlooked zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus. In humans, it may result in a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations depending on the type of complications, ranging from asymptomatic infection to fatal disease. The primary complications and risk factors associated with CE are not well defined. We performed a retrospective, observational study of inpatients diagnosed with CE from January 1998 to December 2017 in the public health-care system of western Spain. Five hundred and six cases were analyzed. More than half of the patients (302 [59.7%]) were asymptomatic, and the diagnoses were made incidentally. A total of 204 (40.3%) patients had complications associated with CE; 97 (47.5%) were mechanical, 62 (30.4%) were infectious, 15 (7.3%) were immunoallergic, and 30 (14.7%) involved a combination of complications. Mortality was higher in patients with mechanical complications (9.4%) than in patients with infectious complications (5.6%) and in patients with allergic complications (0%) (odds ratio = 19.7, 95% CI, 4.3-89.1, P < 0.001). In summary, CE frequently results in complications, especially in the liver in younger patients and, regardless of other variables, such as size or stage of cyst. Mechanical problems and superinfection are the most frequent complications. CE is an obligatory diagnosis in patients with urticarial or anaphylactoid reactions of unknown cause in endemic areas.

Hitch me a ride: first report of the alien leech Helobdella octatestisaca in Europe associated with freshwater turtles

There is a massive gap in our knowledge of the distribution, ecology, and impacts of alien leeches. Here, we report the observation of two alien Helobdella species (H. europaea and H. octatestisaca) found during a long-term monitoring programme conducted in Northern and Western Spain. The alien leeches were attached to European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) and Mediterranean pond turtles (Mauremys leprosa). In total, 29 European pond turtles and 29 Mediterranean pond turtles were trapped, 36% of which presented leeches attached to their shells or body. We amplified the COI gene region to confirm the identity of the leeches and trace their origins. Helobdella europaea leeches were identified in the two localities sampled, confirming the expansion of the species across the Iberian Peninsula. Moreover, their sequences were identical to the ones reported from Australia, Hungary, Taiwan, South Africa, USA and Spain. The other leech species, H. octatestisaca was detected attached to other leeches only in one of the localities sampled, and was genetically identical to sequences reported from South Africa and USA. This finding represents the first record of this species in Europe.

The complexity of classifying ANCA-associated small-vessel vasculitis in actual clinical practice: data from a multicenter retrospective survey.

The different sets of criteria for diagnosis or classification of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) lead to numerous overlapping and reclassified diagnoses in clinical practice. We designed this study to assess the difficulties in classifying patients with AAV. As a secondary objective, different variables were tested to predict prognosis. We conducted a retrospective chart review in a Western Spain multicentre survey. A total of 115 adult patients diagnosed with AAV from 2002 to 2013 and followed for at least 3years were included. They were classified according to (1) Chapel Hill Consensus Conference (CHCC), (2) European Medicines Agency algorithm and (3) French Vasculitis Study Group/European Vasculitis Society phenotypes. Fifty-three patients (46%) had neither distinctive histopathological data of a single AAV definition nor any surrogate markers for granulomatous inflammation and thus did not fulfill any diagnostic criteria. Ocular, ear, nose, throat, skin, and lung involvement were more frequent with proteinase 3 (PR3) antibodies, whereas peripheral neuropathy was more frequent with myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibodies. When the disease was severe at diagnosis, the HR for mortality was 10.44. When induction treatment was not given in accordance with the guidelines, the HR for mortality was 4.00. For maintenance treatment, the HR was 5.49 for mortality and 2.48 for relapse. AAV classification is difficult because many patients had neither specific clinical data nor distinctive histological features of a single CHCC definition. A structured clinical assessment of patient severity is the best tool to guide the management of AAV.

Association of Ureaplasma diversum with reproductive disease in cattle

ABSTRACTAims: To examine the association between the detection of Ureaplasma diversum in vaginal swabs from dairy cows in north western Spain with the diagnosis of granular vulvovaginitis (GVV) and reproductive performance, and the association with subclinical endometritis (SE) in slaughterhouse material. The presence of this microorganism in cases of abortion was also investigated.Methods: From 106 dairy farms in the province of Lugo, 40 herds were randomly selected. Vaginal swabs were obtained from 10 randomly selected cows per farm, then pooled for analysis to detect the presence of U. diversum by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). In five of these herds samples from the 10 animals were individually tested for U. diversum, and the presence of GVV lesions and their reproductive efficiency (number of inseminations to achieve pregnancy over two subsequent pregnancies) were determined. Vaginal swabs from uteri of cattle obtained at a slaughterhouse (n = 100) were tested for U. diversum and the presence of SE, defined as >5% polymorphonuclear cells in cytobrush smears, was determined. Sixteen farms with abortion problems submitted samples for culture and PCR testing including for U. diversum.Results: Of the 40 herds, 39 (98%) tested positive for U. diversum. On the five farms, 25/50 (50%) cows tested positive for U. diversum, and more cows with GGV-lesions (16/25; 64%) tested positive than cows without lesions (9/25; 36%) (p = 0.047). There were more cows with poor reproductive efficacy that tested positive (8/11; 57%) than tested negative (3/17; 18%) for U. diversum (p = 0.029). Of the 100 uteri, five tested positive for U. diversum and there were more uteri with SE that tested positive (3/19; 16%) than uteri without SE (2/81; 2%) (p = 0.036). U. diversum was also diagnosed in 4/16 farms with abortion problems and liver appeared to be the best tissue for detecting U. diversum DNA in the fetuses analysed.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Infection with U. diversum was present in most of herds investigated and it was statistically associated with GVV, SE and poor reproductive performance. It was also detected in abortions and the liver may also be an additional tissue to be considered in the diagnosis of U. diversum abortion by PCR. The possible association with different diseases in the same area suggests that different presentations should be considered when studying the implications of U. diversum on the reproductive diseases of cattle.

Revision of Vaccinites loftusi (Woodward, 1855) (Bivalvia: Hippuritida) and proposal of three new Vaccinites species from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of Eurasia

The revision of Vaccinites loftusi (Woodward) comprised the critical analysis of issued descriptions and figures, together with the study of the type specimens and newly collected material from the type locality in Turkey, and also from western Bulgaria, eastern Serbia, and Spain. Five (three of them new) different although phylogenetically related species are characterized, each one arisen in a different area of the Mediterranean Tethys. Main diagnostic characters considered are size and ontogenetic development of the ligament ridge and secondary pillars, while angular measures of pillar–myo-cardinal arrangement and main infolds setting, although clustered for each species, depict extensive overlap. Vaccinites alceotarlaoi sp. nov., from the lower Campanian of Serbia and Spain, appears as the most primitive and the origin of the other species. Vaccinites pirenaicus sp. nov., Vaccinites bilottei sp. nov., and Vaccinites loftusi arose at the late Campanian in Pyrenees, Bulgaria, and Middle East, respectively. Vaccinites syriaca Vautrin originated from V. loftusi at the early Maastrichtian. The purported origin of the Eurasian multiple-fold hippuritids (Pironaea spp) from any of these species, with short secondary pillars not affecting the radial pattern of the canal system of the left valve, is rejected.

Seed provenance determines germination responses of Rumex crispus (L.) under water stress and nutrient availability

Abstract Aims Seeds of Rumex crispus from six provenances were studied in relation to their germination under drought and presence of nitrogen in the germination and emergence media. We also investigated whether adaptation to soil increases the ability of the species to colonize and establish in contrasting environments along a longitudinal gradient in western Spain by means of a reciprocal transplantation experiment. Methods We conducted a germination trial in the lab to test for the germination responses to water scarcity along a polyethylene glycol gradient and to varying concentrations of nitrogen compounds. Simultaneously reciprocal transplantations experiment was conducted, where seeds from six provenances were grown in the soils from the very same provenances. Seedling emergence, survivorship and fitness-related variables were measured in all plots. Important Findings We found that R. crispus has a cold-stratification requirement that enhances its germination. Significant differences between the six provenances were detected for time-to-germination, total seedling emergence, plant mortality and reproductive effort in all the experiments. The differences between provenances with respect to germination were confirmed by the significant statistical analyses of the variance, thus providing evidence that seeds from parent plants grown in different environmental conditions have an intrinsically different abilities to germinate and establish. Soil nitrogen content where seed germination and seedlings establish also play an important role in their performance in terms of survivorship and reproduction, being the higher levels of inorganic nitrogen and of microbial biomass those that increased biomass production, enhanced inflorescence formation and reduced plant mortality. We conclude that one of the main reasons for the spread and maintenance of R. crispus would be the increased levels of nitrogen in agricultural soils.

Serpentinite from Moeche (Galicia, North Western Spain). A Stone Used for Centuries in the Construction of the Architectural Heritage of the Region

Serpentinites are characterized by highly variable mineralogical, physical, and mechanical properties. Serpentinites from Moeche (North Western Spain) have been studied to establish their mineralogical, petrographic, and textural characteristics, as well as their physical and mechanical parameters and the factors influencing rock failure, to evaluate the possible use of these rocks either for new construction or for conservation-restoration of the architectonic heritage of the region. In this paper, we highlight the importance of a detailed mineralogical and petrographic characterization in the fracture zones, which will determine the viability of quarrying the stone. A strong correlation between the petrographic features and the uniaxial compression strength values has been observed. The most important aspects were found to be the rock texture, the mineralogical composition of the fracture area and foliation, although mineralogy was also found to be involved (% of carbonates) in the strength of the stone. An important preliminary result of the study was the low asbestos content of these serpentinites, which will help in the potential re-opening of the quarries.

Transiting Western Sahara

ABSTRACTWestern Sahara has recently been termed the last colony in the world and the largest prison in the world. This essay will attempt, by focusing on daily points of transit, to assess the ways in which the regional conflict that has unfolded there is negotiated from within, and to reckon with the pervasive failure of decolonial logic, through the prism of geographic border crossings. It will further assess how, through border management and movements, the relationship between Western Sahara, Morocco and Spain is constantly reconfigured by the conflating geopolitics of human circulation and human containment. The unresolved colonial conflict in Western Sahara cannot be disassociated from former Spanish colonial interventions and the current Spanish possessions of Ceuta and Melilla. Some of these legacies will be explored through the lenses of two video essay exercises by Ursula Biemann: Europlex (2003) and Sahara Chronicles (2006–2009). Both projects engage in a visual theoretical analysis of the confluence of the politics and economics of mobility and migration, on the one hand, with contention and confinement on the other, as displayed in these territories. Europlex follows the trade routes and the daily border crossings and transactions between Morocco, the Spanish colonial strongholds of Ceuta and Melilla and the Straits of Gibraltar, as a metonymic passage between two continents. Sahara Chronicle follows various concurrent West African migration routes towards Europe stopping at pivotal sites of both passage and containment, including two heavily transited points at either end of Western Sahara: in the south, the Guantanamito migrant detention center of Nouadhibou in Mauritania and, in the north, the Cárcel Negra deportation prison in Laayoune. The two documentaries invite us to rethink patterns of migration and transit in relation to signifiers of the Spanish colonial presence in North Africa: Ceuta, Melilla and Western Sahara.

Processes structuring macrophyte metacommunities in Mediterranean ponds: Combining novel methods to disentangle the role of dispersal limitation, species sorting and spatial scales

AbstractAimMetacommunity ecology is a vibrant area of research that has received increased attention in recent years, since it provides a framework to assess the underlying dispersal‐ and niche‐based processes that create non‐random and ecologically meaningful patterns in species assemblages across the landscape. Here we set out to test for the role of dispersal limitation, species sorting and shared effects in the assembly of pond macrophyte metacommunities across an extensive area within the Iberian Plateau, and to identify which traits, environmental variables and spatial scales are driving local community structure.LocationNorth‐western Spain (Iberian Plateau).TaxonPond macrophytes.MethodsWe established a novel combination of robust methods capable of identifying the processes and most important landscape scales involved in the assembly of communities. We used metacommunity assembly modelling and multivariate multi‐scale codependence analysis (mMCA) to first estimate the relative importance of spatial and environmental effects on community structure, and then to identify significant trait–environment relationships and spatial scales.ResultsAnalyses showed that the greatest effects were seen for the spatial and mixed spatial and niche‐based scenarios, particularly among wind‐dispersed species. Thus, dispersal limitation interfered with species sorting in determining assemblage structure by hindering species’ tracking of local environmental conditions. After accounting for this, the metacommunity assembly model revealed that species’ traits were involved in determining abundance structure. mMCA identified the main trait–environment relationships (and spatial scales) as fruit size‐nutrient status (~300 km) and growth form‐mean pond depth (~250 km).Main conclusionsOur study suggests that dispersal limitation acted in concert with species sorting to influence the community assembly processes underlying selection for particular traits in functional niche space. Accordingly, we emphasize the need to go beyond the traditional taxonomic‐based analyses of community composition and the predominant thinking of considering spatial and environmental processes as two alternative and mutually exclusive scenarios of community assembly.

First results of new raspberry breeding programme in western Spain

First results of new raspberry breeding programme in western Spain

10 year follow-up study of gender in sports coverage of the U.S. and Spanish online newspapers (2003–2004 vs. 2013–2014)

The purpose of this paper was to assess the evolution of sports coverage regarding gender in online newspapers in two western societies Spain and the United States, in a period of ten years (2004 vs. 2014). A total of 2,951 articles with athletic content from the online newspapers usatoday.com and elmundo.es were analyzed. The variables registered were gender, placement in the newspaper, word count, inclusion of photographs, and the sports disciplines. The results show a significant reduction in sports articles in the two online newspapers for both genders. This reduction resulted in a decrease in the variability of sports articles. Further, there was a significant imbalance in sports news between the two genders. There was a significant reduction in the proportion of sports articles in both online newspapers for women, significantly reducing the accessibility of articles about women’s sports. The gender imbalance was higher in the Spanish newspaper than in the U.S. newspaper. The gender imbalance was higher in the Spanish newspaper than in the U.S. newspaper. Both online newspapers showed an image of sport that is male-orientated, focused on elite-level sport and with an overall low number of sport disciplines.

The life cycles of Boyeria irene and Onychogomphus uncatus (Odonata: Aeshnidae, Gomphidae) in western Spain: A biometric study

Co-occurrence of species with similar trophic requirements, such as odonates, seems to depend both on them occupying different microhabitats and differing in their life-cycles. The life cycles of the dragonflies Boyeria irene and Onychogomphus uncatus were studied in two consecutive years, mainly by systematic sampling of larvae in seven permanent head courses that constitute the upper basin of the River Agueda, western Spain, in the central part of the ranges of these two The size ranges of the last five larval stadia of both species were established based on biometric data. The eggs of the egg-overwintering aeshnid hatched in late and early and for the gomphid hatching peaked in middle-late summer. Both species showed mixed voltinism with cohort splitting. B. irene had a dominant three-year development (partivoltinism), with some developing in two years (semivoltinism). O. uncatus requires four, sometimes three years to complete development (all partivoltine). B. irene larvae spent the winter before emergence in the last three, maybe four stadia, as a summer species. O. uncatus mainly behaved as a spring species, most larvae spending the last winter in the final larval stadium.