Investigating antimicrobial-resistant bacteria from exotic domestic birds - a One Health concern.

Antimicrobial resistance is a natural mechanism in microorganisms, making the treatment of infections more complex in human and veterinary medicine. Global exotic and ornamental bird markets have significantly increased, and the close relationship between pets and humans makes exploring the potential role of these birds as vectors for the spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria imperative. This study aimed to use culture-dependent methods to investigate cloacal bacteria and the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in four breeding stocks of ornamental birds. Cloacal swab samples were collected from 53 birds (canaries = 32, cockatiels = 17, and budgies = 4) and used for culturing and isolating facultative anaerobic and/or obligatory aerobic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of each isolate was determined by the disk diffusion method. Thirty-four isolates were obtained, most of which belonged to the Staphylococcus genus. Bacterial richness was higher in canaries and in one of the breeding stockings, where Gram-negative bacteria were more abundant than in the others. In addition, canaries exhibited a predominance of resistant isolates, particularly multidrug-resistant strains, probably due to prophylactic antimicrobial usage. Most Gram-negative bacteria were resistant to at least one drug tested. A vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis strain was isolated. Most Staphylococcus strains were resistant to gentamycin, followed by penicillin. Eight strains were cefoxitin-resistant, including oxacillin-resistant S. epidermidis, in which the mecA gene was detected. Understanding the prevalence of resistance in avian species is crucial in the collaborative pursuit of maintaining antibiotic effectiveness and strengthening public health defense against emerging infectious risks.

A resistência antimicrobiana é um mecanismo natural dos microrganismos, complicando o tratamento de infecções na medicina humana e veterinária. O mercado global de aves exóticas e ornamentais cresceu significativamente, e a relação próxima entre esses animais e humanos destaca a necessidade de investigar o papel das aves na disseminação de bactérias resistentes. Este estudo utilizou métodos dependentes de cultura para examinar bactérias cloacais e a presença de resistência a antibióticos em quatro plantéis de aves ornamentais. Amostras de suabe cloacal foram coletadas de 53 aves (canários = 32, calopsitas = 17, periquitos = 4) e usadas para cultivar e isolar bactérias Gram-positivas e Gram-negativas, facultativas anaeróbias e aeróbias obrigatórias. A suscetibilidade antimicrobiana foi determinada pelo método de difusão em disco. Foram obtidos 34 isolados, principalmente do gênero Staphylococcus. A riqueza bacteriana foi maior nos canários e em um dos plantéis, onde houve aumento de Gram-negativos. Canários mostraram predominância de isolados resistentes, especialmente cepas multirresistentes, provavelmente devido ao uso profilático de antimicrobianos. A maioria das bactérias Gram-negativas foi resistente a pelo menos um fármaco testado. Um Enterococcus faecalis resistente à vancomicina foi isolado. A maioria dos Staphylococcus foi resistente à gentamicina e penicilina; oito cepas foram resistentes à cefoxitina, incluindo S. epidermidis resistente à oxacilina com o gene mecA detectado. Compreender a prevalência de resistência em aves é crucial para manter a eficácia dos antibióticos e fortalecer a saúde pública contra riscos infecciosos emergentes.

Study of Salmonella spp. from Cage Papers Belonging to Pet Birds in an Argentinean Canary Breeder Championship.

Birds, including canaries and other birds, have become increasingly popular as pets. Bird fairs, where breeders gather and show their production in a championship setting, present a setting for possible Salmonella spp. contamination and transmission. Therefore, this study estimated the rate of Salmonella spp. isolation from cage papers, located in the bottom of cages of exotic pet birds, including canaries. Collected Salmonella isolates were used to determine the antimicrobial resistance profile to 52 antibiotics and 17 commercial disinfectants, based on pure or a mixture of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, alkalis, halogens, peroxygen, and quaternary ammonium compounds. The samples consisted of 774 cage papers taken in the 2015 Argentinean canary breeder championship, pooling three cage papers into one sterile sampling bag. Only one pool of the cage papers was positive for Salmonella spp. (0.4%), which belonged to the sample from three frill canary cages. Two strains of Salmonella serotype Glostrup were isolated, which were only resistant to sulfonamides and erythromycin and sensitive to alkali-based product PL301 AS. Although the rate of Salmonella spp. isolation from cage papers in an Argentinean canary breeder championship is low, it should not be discounted because Salmonella ser. Glostrup can be a source of human Salmonella outbreaks and they show high resistance to disinfecting products.

Study of histopathology on Arbacia lixula (Arbaciidae: Arbacioida) and Paracentrotus lividus (Parachinidae: Camarodonta) with bald sea urchin disease symptoms in Gran Canaria Island, Spain / Estudio de histopatología en Arbacia lixula (Arbaciidae: Arbacioida) y Paracentrotus lividus (Parachinidae: Camarodonta) con síntomas de la enfermedad del erizo desnudo en la Isla de Gran Canaria, España

Abstract Introduction: Sea urchin diseases have been documented in several locations worldwide, with reported occurrences of bacterial, protozoan, fungal, and algal infections. Objective: This study aimed to investigate pathogen agents in populations of Arbacia lixula and Paracentrotus lividus along the coast of Gran Canaria Island (Central-East Atlantic, Spain). Methods: Sampling was conducted at San Cristobal beach, on the Northeast side of the island, where sea urchins were manually collected from depths of 1-3 m during June, July, and October 2022. Swab samples were taken from the external and internal areas of the lesions and cultured on various media plates. Results: Eight different pathogen agents, including bacteria and fungi, were identified, with Vibrio alginolyticus being the most frequently observed bacteria in all diseased sea urchin samples. Additionally, ciliated protozoans were found within the tests, potentially acting as opportunistic parasites. Conclusions: This research provides a unique perspective on bald sea urchin disease by identifying a significant number of associated pathogens, including Candida, previously unreported in diseased organisms. Furthermore, the study highlights the presence of an inflammatory response in tissues with bacterial colonies, offering crucial insights into understanding this sea urchin disease.

Resumen Introducción: Las enfermedades en los erizos de mar han sido descritas en muchas localidades alrededor del mundo, y se han asociado con la presencia de infecciones por bacterias, protozoarios, hongos y algas. Objetivo: Este estudio tuvo como finalidad investigar sobre los agentes patógenos que afectan a las poblaciones de Arbacia lixula y Paracentrotus lividus a lo largo de la costa de la Isla de Gran Canaria (Atlántico Centro-Oriental, España). Métodos: El muestreo fue llevado a cabo en la playa de San Cristóbal, al noreste de la isla, dónde los organismos fueron capturados entre 1-3 metros de profundidad, durante junio, julio y octubre del año 2022. Se tomaron muestras en la zona interna y externa de la lesión en cada organismo, y se cultivaron en varios medios de cultivo. Resultados: Fueron identificados ocho agentes patógenos diferentes, incluyendo bacterias y hongos, y siendo Vibrio alginolyticus la bacteria más frecuentemente observada en todas las muestras de erizos enfermos. Además, se observaron protozoarios ciliados dentro de los caparazones, actuando potencialmente como parásitos oportunistas. Conclusiones: Esta investigación proporciona una perspectiva única sobre la enfermedad del erizo desnudo al identificar un número significativo de patógenos asociados, incluida Candida, que no se había reportado previamente en organismos enfermos. Además, el estudio destaca la presencia de una respuesta inflamatoria en tejidos con colonias bacterianas, lo que ofrece información crucial para comprender esta enfermedad de los erizos de mar.

Obtaining and evaluating of enzymatic extracts from hairless canary seed (CDC Maria) as gluten-free bread-improving agents.

In this study, enzyme extracts were obtained from hairless canary seeds (CDC Maria) and used as gluten-free bread improvers. The enzyme extraction was done with a specific protein buffer solution and subsequent centrifugation. The supernatant was called crude enzyme extract, a fraction of this extract was refrigerated (CE) and another fraction was lyophilized (CEL). The lyoprotective effect of corn fiber (CEL + CF), maltodextrin (CEL + M), and inulin (CEL + I) was evaluated. Each enzyme extract was added to a gluten-free bread at 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% (w/w). The quality of the gluten-free bread was determined by external and internal characteristically, physical and sensory analysis: analysis of the lamella thickness, the shape factor of pores, the final volume, the aeration percentage, the texture profile analysis, the pore size distribution and shelf-life time. The results showed that the formulation with CEL at 0.5% (w/w) significantly improved the gluten-free bread quality properties, generating an increase of the final volume and aeration percentage, a reduction of the firmness, chewiness and sample aging, and a finer and more uniform crumb structure when compared to a control sample (P < 0.001). This study revealed the potential of a food-improving additive obtained from a natural origin with a high-level production in Argentina.

Development of Low Glycemic Index Pancakes Formulated with Canary Seed (Phalaris Canariensis) Flour.

Consumers prefer food products that, in addition to nutritional properties, also have effects beneficial to health. Non-conventional food plants such as canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) constitute an alternative in the food industry due to nutritional properties, chemical, and bioactive potential. The aim of this research was to develop pancake formulations with the inclusion of canary seed flour to evaluate their proximate composition, overall score, taste and texture sensory acceptability, and glycemic index. Pancakes based on whole-wheat flour mixed with canary seed flour were developed at four substitution levels (control 0, 10, 30, and 50%). The formulations exhibited attractive nutritional properties, mainly due to the levels of protein (~ 8.7%), minerals (~ 5.1%), and total dietary fiber (4.7-5.9%). The overall score and taste showed a statistical difference (p < 0.05) between the formulations. The flours with 10 and 30% showed high sensory acceptability with scores of 6.22 and 6.67 respect to 7-point hedonic scale, between the categories "I like it" and "I like it a lot". All formulations presented a low glycemic index (34-39%) that was significantly influenced (p < 0.05) as the level of substitution increased. The findings represent a new approach to the use of canary seed in the development of healthy food products.

Application of Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Determine Interactions between Canary Seed (Phalaris canariensis L.) Bioactive Peptides and Skin-Aging Enzymes.

Food bioactive peptides are well recognized for their health benefits such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antihypertensive benefits, among others. Their drug-like behavior has led to their potential use in targeting skin-related aging factors like the inhibition of enzymes related with the skin-aging process. In this study, canary seed peptides (CSP) after simulated gastrointestinal digestion (<3 kDa) were fractioned by RP-HPLC and their enzyme-inhibition activity towards elastase and tyrosinase was evaluated in vitro. CSP inhibited elastase (IC50 = 6.2 mg/mL) and tyrosinase (IC50 = 6.1 mg/mL), while the hydrophobic fraction-VI (0.2 mg/mL) showed the highest inhibition towards elastase (93%) and tyrosinase (67%). The peptide fraction with the highest inhibition was further characterized by a multilevel in silico workflow, including physicochemical descriptor calculations, antioxidant activity predictions, and molecular dynamics-ensemble docking towards elastase and tyrosinase. To gain insights into the skin permeation process during molecular dynamics simulations, based on their docking scores, five peptides (GGWH, VPPH, EGLEPNHRVE, FLPH, and RPVNKYTPPQ) were identified to have favorable intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonding of polar residues (W, H, and K) to lipid polar groups and 2-3 Å van der Waals close contact of hydrophobic aliphatic residues (P, V, and L). These interactions can play a critical role for the passive insertion of peptides into stratum corneum model skin-membranes, suggesting a promising application of CSP for skin-aging treatments.

Older adult Cubans moving to the Canary Islands (Spain): Migrants' strategies in later life.

The research on migration to Spain of Cuban citizens in later life proposes to overcome the lack of academic knowledge from these analytical perspectives: migrations of older adult people beyond the issue of lifestyle mobility; the transnational diasporic nexus favoring migrations; and the Cuban community residing abroad, outside the United States of America. The combination of these elements in this case study shows the agency of older adult Cuban citizens who move to the Canary Islands, trying to achieve a greater level of material well-being and taking advantage of the diasporic ties between the Canary Islands and Cuba; but this is a process that brings out, simultaneously, feelings of dislocation and nostalgia in the stage of old age. The development of a mixed methodology and the focus on the life course of migrants offer an opportunity to reflect on the cultural and social construction of ageing in migration studies. Consequently, this research allows a deepening of knowledge on human mobility from the perspective of ageing in a counter-diasporic migration, showing the relationship between emigration and life cycle and demonstrating the strength and spirit of achievement of those individuals who decide to emigrate despite their advanced age.

Fluoride Levels in Supply Water from the Canary Islands Region.

The Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean, are an archipelago of volcanic origin which, for decades, has been affected by natural fluoride contamination in the water supply of some of its islands, mainly the island of Tenerife. In addition, recent volcanic eruptions in the archipelago and the increased demand for water supply have led to an increase in the fluoride content in other areas which, historically, were not affected. Fluoride content was determined in 274 water supply samples from the most populated islands of the Canary Islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria) collected during the months of June 2021 to May 2022. The samples were analysed by fluoride ion selective potentiometry. The highest concentrations in Tenerife were found in the municipalities of Sauzal (7.00 mg/L) and Tegueste (5.39 mg/L), both water samples are over the parametric value of 1.5 mg/L set in the supply water legislation. In the Gran Canaria Island, the highest fluoride levels were found in Valsequillo and Mogán with 1.44 mg/L in both locations, but under the parametric fluoride value abovementioned. Consumption of just 1 L of water per day in the El Sauzal area would result in a contribution rate of 77% for adults and children over 15 years of age (Upper Level value of 7 mg/day) and 108% for children 9-14 years of age (UL value of 5 mg/day). The contribution rates increase considerably, reaching or exceeding 100% of the reference value (UL) with increasing consumption of 1 to 2 L of water per day. Therefore, it is considered that there is a health risk of overexposure to fluoride on the island of Tenerife. In the case of the island of Gran Canaria, it has been shown that even the consumption of 2 litres of water per day does not confer contribution rates that pose a health risk.

Comparative Nutritional Analysis of Domestic and Imported Commercial Canary Egg Food and Mixed Seeds Based Diets

In this study, the aim was to determine the nutritional content of specially formulated commercial soft/egg foods for canaries, preferred by professional breeders in Türkiye, and the nutritional and raw material content of seed mixtures, thereby providing insights into the general diet compositions and essential feeding regimens for canaries. The study examined 17 different seed types, eight mixed seed feeds, and 11 egg food formulations. Two main groups, "domestic" and "imported," were formed from these mixed seed feed and egg food products. The nutritional content ratios of each feed material were determined through chemical analyses, and the predicted metabolizable energy values were calculated and compared between group averages. According to the results, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) between the data of domestic and imported mixed seed feed groups in terms of parameters other than crude fiber (CF). However, the CF value was found to be statistically significantly lower in the imported group (p<0.05), and a decreasing trend in the crude ash (CA) value was also observed in the same group. It was determined that almost all parameters resulted in similar values between the domestic and imported egg food groups. However, when each feed product was evaluated separately, significant data differences and wide variation ranges were found within the groups, especially in terms of crude fat and starch parameters. As a result, it is understood that domestically produced commercial egg food formulations with basic nutritional content comparable to European imported products are available for use by canary breeders in Türkiye. However, it is apparent that imported products, particularly in mixed seed formulations, had raw materials with lower CF and CA contents.(AU)

First report of nocardiosis due to Nocardia asteroides in a domestic canary (Serinus canaria domestica) in Mexico

Nocardiosis is a multi-systemic disease that has been reported in several species of birds. It is characterized by the development of granulomatous inflammation in several organs, mainly affecting the respiratory system. An adult male domestic canary (Serinus canaria domestica) weighing 14.5 g was received for examination. Multiple nodules were identified in the epicardium, air sacs, and lungs. Histologically these nodules corresponded to granulomas, in which numerous thin, filamentous branching bacteria were identified. Gram stains of the epicardium, air sacs, and lungs revealed many filamentous branching Gram-positive bacteria. These bacteria were also strongly acid-fast positive by Fite-Faraco stain. PCR end-point analysis and sequencing using total DNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of lungs, heart, and air sacs confirmed the presence of Nocardia asteroides. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report of nocardiosis associated with Nocardia asteroides in a Domestic Canary (Serinus canaria domestica) in Mexico.(AU)

Antioxidant and Antihypertensive Potential of Protein Fractions from Flour and Milk Substitutes from Canary Seeds (Phalaris canariensis L.).

Canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) is used to feed birds but it has been recently considered a promising cereal with nutraceutical potential for humans. The aim of this work was to analyze the protein fractions from canary seed flour and from milk substitutes (prepared by soaking the seeds in water 12 and 24 h), and to evaluate antioxidant and antihypertensive capacity of peptides obtained after in vitro digestion. Prolamins were the major protein fraction, followed by glutelins. After digestion, albumins and prolamins fractions from milks presented higher levels of peptides than flour, globulins showed more peptides in flour and glutelins were found in similar concentrations in all samples; 24 h milk prolamins had the highest concentration of peptides. Purification by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), sequencing of peptides, in vitro antioxidant ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis, 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assays, and antihypertensive capacity (angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) assay), indicated that peptides from canary seed prolamins were the most efficient compounds with antioxidant and antihypertensive activity. Canary seeds may be considered an accessible and cheap source to prepare milk substitutes with high contents of bioactive peptides with remarkable functional properties to promote better human health and healthy ageing.

A Mainly Circum-Mediterranean Origin for West Eurasian and North African mtDNAs in Puerto Rico with Strong Contributions from the Canary Islands and West Africa.

Maternal lineages of West Eurasian and North African origin account for 11.5% of total mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Rico. Historical sources suggest that this ancestry arrived mostly from European migrations that took place during the four centuries of the Spanish colonization of Puerto Rico. This study analyzed 101 mitochondrial control region sequences and diagnostic coding region variants from a sample set randomly and systematically selected using a census-based sampling frame to be representative of the Puerto Rican population, with the goal of defining West Eurasian-North African maternal clades and estimating their possible geographical origin. Median-joining haplotype networks were constructed using hypervariable regions 1 and 2 sequences from various reference populations in search of shared haplotypes. A posterior probability analysis was performed to estimate the percentage of possible origins across wide geographic regions for the entire sample set and for the most common haplogroups on the island. Principal component analyses were conducted to place the Puerto Rican mtDNA set within the variation present among all reference populations. Our study shows that up to 38% of West Eurasian and North African mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Rico most likely migrated from the Canary Islands. However, most of those haplotypes had previously migrated to the Canary Islands from elsewhere, and there are substantial contributions from various populations across the circum-Mediterranean region and from West African populations related to the modern Wolof and Serer peoples from Senegal and the nomad Fulani who extend up to Cameroon. In conclusion, the West Eurasian mitochondrial ancestry in Puerto Ricans is geographically diverse. However, haplotype diversity seems to be low, and frequencies have been shaped by population bottlenecks, migration waves, and random genetic drift. Consequently, approximately 47% of mtDNAs of West Eurasian and North African ancestry in Puerto Rico probably arrived early in its colonial history.

Palm Weevil Pheromones - Discovery and Use.

Male-produced aggregation pheromones of seven major pest species of weevils in the subfamily Rhynchophorinae have been identified as a closely related set of methyl-branched secondary alcohols. Although the weevils produce only one stereoisomer of these alcohols, no instances of isomeric inhibition have been observed, enabling stereoisomeric mixtures to be used in traps. Addition of fermenting plant material to traps synergizes attraction of weevils to the pheromones. The weevils are large, have long life cycles, and are strong fliers. These characteristics make mass trapping a suitable tactic to add to existing management strategies. When coupled with good phytosanitary practices, mass trapping of Rhynchophorus palmarum at 1 trap/5-ha significantly lowered the incidence of red ring nematode infection vectored by the weevil in commercial oil palm plantations in the Americas. Similarly, trap densities of 1-10 traps/ha have significantly lowered R. ferrugineus infestation of date palm throughout the Middle East. Although management of R. ferrugineus in urban areas is more problematic, trapping is an integral part of most programs aimed at protection of ornamental Canary palms in Europe. Overall, semiochemically-based management of these large weevils is now a mature and usually economically feasible control technology.

The early colonial atlantic world: New insights on the African Diaspora from isotopic and ancient DNA analyses of a multiethnic 15th-17th century burial population from the Canary Islands, Spain.

OBJECTIVES: The Canary Islands are considered one of the first places where Atlantic slave plantations with labourers of African origin were established, during the 15th century AD. In Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain), a unique cemetery dated to the 15th and 17th centuries was discovered adjacent to an ancient sugar plantation with funerary practices that could be related to enslaved people. In this article, we investigate the origin and possible birthplace of each individual buried in this cemetery, as well as the identity and social status of these people. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample consists of 14 individuals radiocarbon dated to the 15th and 17th centuries AD. We have employed several methods, including the analysis of ancient human DNA, stable isotopes, and skeletal markers of physical activity. RESULTS: 1) the funerary practices indicate a set of rituals not previously recorded in the Canary Islands; 2) genetic data show that some people buried in the cemetery could have North-African and sub-Saharan African lineages; 3) isotopic results suggest that some individuals were born outside Gran Canaria; and 4) markers of physical activity show a pattern of labour involving high levels of effort. DISCUSSION: This set of evidence, along with information from historical sources, suggests that Finca Clavijo was a cemetery for a multiethnic marginalized population that had being likely enslaved. Results also indicate that this population kept practicing non-Christian rituals well into the 17th century. We propose that this was possible because the location of the Canaries, far from mainland Spain and the control of the Spanish Crown, allowed the emergence of a new society with multicultural origins that was more tolerant to foreign rituals and syncretism.

Characterization of antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties of canary seed (Phalaris canariensis L.) peptides.

Canary grass is used as traditional food for diabetes and hypertension treatment. The aim of this work is to characterize the biological activity of encrypted peptides released after gastrointestinal digestion of canary seed proteins. Canary peptides showed 43.5% inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) and 73.5% inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. An isolated perfused rat heart system was used to evaluate the canary seed vasoactive effect. Nitric oxide (NO), a major vasodilator agent, was evaluated in the venous effluent from isolated perfused rat heart. Canary seed peptides (1 µg/mL) were able to induce the production of NO (12.24 µM) in amounts similar to those induced by captopril (CPT) and bradykinin (BK). These results show that encrypted peptides in canary seed have inhibitory activity against DPPIV and ACE, enzymes that are targets for diabetes and hypertension treatments.

Adiponectina y su relación con obesidad, insulinorresistencia y síndrome metabólico en adultos de la cohorte cdc de canarias en Venezuela

Objetivo: Relacionar los niveles séricos de adiponectina con el estado nutricional y resistencia a la insulina (RI) en adultos con o sin síndrome metabólico (SM), pertenecientes a la cohorte CDC de Canarias en Venezuela. Métodos: La muestra incluyó 62 adultos Canarios e hijos residentes en Venezuela. Se efectuó antropometría, determinación de presión arterial, análisis sérico de: glucosa, HDL-colesterol, triglicéridos, insulina y adiponectina. Resultados: La adiponectina fue significativamente inferior, comparado con los controles, en obesos, (2,16 ± 0,51 ng/ml vs. 2,62 ± 0,42 ng/ml, p =0,032) y sujetos con SM (1,85 ± 0,46 ng/ml vs. 2,55 ± 0,43 ng/ml, p =0,000). La adiponectina mostró una correlación inversa con edad, presión arterial diastólica así como con los indicadores de RI (HOMA, índice triglicéridos / HDL-colesterol y trigliceridemia). Conclusión: En la totalidad de la muestra, los sujetos mostraron hipoadiponectinemia, implicando alto riesgo cardiovascular, que podría explicarse parcialmente por la presencia de obesidad, SM, RI o relacionado con mayor edad que incrementa el riesgo de estrés oxidativo.

Objective: To relate serum adiponectin levels with nutritional status and insulin resistance (IR) in adults with and without metabolic syndrome (MS) cohort belonging to the CDC de Canarias en Venezuela. Methods: The sample included 62 people, Canaries and children living in Venezuela. Anthropometry, blood pressure determination, analysis of fasting serum glucose, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin and adiponectin, were performed. Results: Serum levels of adiponectin were significantly lower in individuals with obesity (2.16 ± 0.51 vs 2.62 ± 0.42, p = 0.032) and subjects with MS (1.85 ± 0.46 vs 2.55 ± 0.43 p = 0.000), compared to respective control group. Pearson analysis showed an inverse correlation of adiponectin with age, diastolic blood pressure as well as indicators of insulin resistance (HOMA, index triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides). Conclusion: In the whole sample, the subjects showed low serum adiponectin, implying a high cardiovascular risk, which could be partially explained by the presence of obesity, MS, RI or related to older age that increases the risk of oxidative stress.

Paleoparasitologic, paleogenetic and paleobotanic analysis of XVIII century coprolites from the church La Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

We present the results of a paleoparasitologic, paleogenetic and paleobotanic analysis of coprolites recovered during the excavation of the church La Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Coprolites (n = 4) were rehydrated and a multidisciplinary analysis was conducted. The paleobotanic analysis showed numerous silicates, seeds and fruits of the family Moraceae. In the paleoparasitologic study, Ascaris sp. eggs (n = 344) were identified. The paleogenetic results confirmed the Ascaris sp. infection as well as the European origin of human remains. These findings contribute to our knowledge of ancient helminthes infections and are the first paleoparasitological record of Ascaris sp. infection in Spain.

Characterization of six microsatellite loci in Myrica faya (Myricaceae) and cross amplification in the endangered endemic M. rivas-martinezii in Canary Islands, Spain.

Six novel polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated from enriched libraries in Myrica faya Ait., recently renamed Morella faya, (fayatree, firetree, or firebush) in order to examine the genetic diversity in natural populations. Also, test cross-specific amplification and genetic diversity in Myrica rivas-martinezii, which is endemic on the Canary islands. Microsatellite loci were screened in 225 individuals of both species from different islands of the Canarian archipelago. All markers were successfully amplified from both Myrica species, with an average number of 6.5 and 9.3 alleles per locus in M. rivas-martinezii and M. faya, respectively. There was no evidence for linkage disequilibrium between loci, and the probability of null alleles ranged from 0.01 to 0.17.

Characterization of six microsatellite loci in Myrica faya (Myricaceae) and cross amplification in the endangered endemic M. rivas-martinezii in Canary Islands, Spain

Six novel polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated from enriched libraries in Myrica faya Ait., recently renamed Morella faya, (fayatree, firetree, or firebush) in order to examine the genetic diversity in natural populations. Also, test cross-specific amplification and genetic diversity in Myrica rivas-martinezii, which is endemic on the Canary islands. Microsatellite loci were screened in 225 individuals of both species from different islands of the Canarian archipelago. All markers were successfully amplified from both Myrica species, with an average number of 6.5 and 9.3 alleles per locus in M. rivas-martinezii and M. faya, respectively. There was no evidence for linkage disequilibrium between loci, and the probability of null alleles ranged from 0.01 to 0.17.