Publications

bone cadmium and lead in the ancient population from el hierro, canary islands.	this study was performed to determine the levels of lead (pb) and cadmium (cd) in 63 bone samples of the prehispanic population of the island el hierro, comparing them with the values obtained on 98 prehispanic samples from tenerife, fuerteventura, gran canaria, and la palma, all of them in the canary islands, and with eight modern samples who served as controls. prehispanic individuals from el hierro showed the lowest bone pb values of all the archipelago (0.72+/-1.01 mg/kg), significantly diff ...	2005	16034152
heat transfer and the energetic cost of singing by canaries serinus canaria.	sexually selected displays, such as male passerine bird song, are predicted to be costly. however, most measurements calculated the rate of oxygen consumption during singing using respirometry have shown that bird song has a low energetic cost. since birds are reluctant to sing when enclosed inside a respirometry chamber, the energetic cost of singing could differ from that under more normal circumstances. we used heat transfer modelling, based on thermal images, to estimate the energetic cost o ...	2005	16034602
preliminary evidence for ethnic differences in primary hyperoxaluria type 1 genotype.	primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (ph1) is caused by a deficiency of peroxisomal alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (agt). in about one third of patients, enzymatically active agt is synthesized but is mistargeted to mitochondria. there are more than 50 mutations identified in the gene for agt. four mutations, g170r, 33_34insc, f152i and i244t account for more than 50% of ph1 alleles. the question arose whether there are ethnic differences in ph1 genotype.	2005	15961945
high prevalence of asthma symptoms in the canary islands: climatic influence?	the worldwide variation in asthma prevalence prompted us to carry out a study to assess the variability of asthma-related symptoms in young adults on the islands of gran canaria and tenerife. we used the questionnaire used in the european community respiratory health survey with the addition of two questions on smoking and ancestors from the canary islands. in each island, this questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 5000 subjects aged 20-44 years. of the 10,000 subjects, 9,506 (95.0 ...	2005	16293547
"gas and fat embolic syndrome" involving a mass stranding of beaked whales (family ziphiidae) exposed to anthropogenic sonar signals.	a study of the lesions of beaked whales (bws) in a recent mass stranding in the canary islands following naval exercises provides a possible explanation of the relationship between anthropogenic, acoustic (sonar) activities and the stranding and death of marine mammals. fourteen bws were stranded in the canary islands close to the site of an international naval exercise (neo-tapon 2002) held on 24 september 2002. strandings began about 4 hours after the onset of midfrequency sonar activity. eigh ...	2005	16006604
genetic diversity of frankia microsymbionts from the relict species myrica faya (ait.) and myrica rivas-martinezii (s.) in canary islands and hawaii.	in the western canary islands, myrica faya and myrica rivas-martinezii (myricaceae) are phylogenetically close, endemic, actinorhizal species presumed to be remnants either of the european or the african tertiary floras. unisolated frankia strains from field-collected nodules on tenerife, gomera, and la palma islands were compared by their rrs gene and 16s-23s intergenic spacer (igs) restriction patterns. to compare the genetic diversity of frankia strains from within and outside the host's nati ...	2005	16047099
diuretic activity of artemisia thuscula, an endemic canary species.	a pharmacological evaluation for diuretic activity of infusions at 5, 10 and 15% of artemisia thuscula cav. was carried out. urinary excretion of water, ph, density, conductivity and na(+), k(+) and cl(-) content were investigated in saline-loaded rats. the infusions showed a dose-dependent decrease diuretic effect, but augmented significantly with respect to the control group for the urinary excretion of water and sodium. furthermore, a potassium-sparing effect at 5 and 10% was showed. the diur ...	2005	16054534
detour behaviour in three species of birds: quails (coturnix sp.), herring gulls (larus cachinnans) and canaries (serinus canaria).	detour behaviour is the ability of an animal to reach a goal stimulus by moving round any interposed obstacle. it has been widely studied and has been proposed as a test of insight learning in several species of mammals, but few data are available in birds. a comparative study in three species of birds, belonging to different eco-ethological niches, allows a better understanding of the cognitive mechanism of such detour behaviour. young quails (coturnix sp.), herring gulls (larus cachinnans) and ...	2005	15449104
(gcg)11 founder mutation in the pabpn1 gene of opmd uruguayan families.	the dominant oculo-pharyngeal muscular dystrophy mutation consists of an expanded (gcn)(12-17) in the coding region of the polya binding protein nuclear 1 gene. a founder effect has been demonstrated in canadian and bukhara jewish populations with relatively high prevalence of this disease. since the oculo-pharyngeal muscular dystrophy prevalence was remarkably high in southern uruguay, a founder effect was hypothesized. to identify the ancestral haplotype we determined the (gcn) repeat number a ...	2005	15694141
smoking and sickness absence among public health workers.	as well as causing sickness and death, smoking has high socio-economic costs. the aim of this paper was to examine how closely smoking is associated with sickness absence among healthcare workers.	2005	15694961
diseases and causes of mortality among sea turtles stranded in the canary islands, spain (1998-2001).	this paper lists the pathological findings and causes of mortality of 93 sea turtles (88 caretta caretta, 3 chelonia mydas, and 2 dermochelys coriacea) stranded on the coasts of the canary islands between january 1998 and december 2001. of these, 25 (26.88%) had died of spontaneous diseases including different types of pneumonia, hepatitis, meningitis, septicemic processes and neoplasm. however, 65 turtles (69.89%) had died from lesions associated with human activities such as boat-strike injuri ...	2005	15759796
measles virus genotype circulation in spain after implementation of the national measles elimination plan 2001-2003.	molecular characterization of measles virus is important for disease surveillance and for monitoring elimination of the virus throughout the world. furthermore, knowledge of genotype distribution in as many countries as possible, is useful for tracing the origin of a strain, especially in countries without endemic measles disease, where most cases are imported. data on genotypes circulating in spain from 1970 to 1997 showed the prevalence of genotypes c1, c2, and d6, with subsequent replacement ...	2005	15543577
emissions from small-scale energy production using co-combustion of biofuel and the dry fraction of household waste.	in sparsely populated rural areas, recycling of household waste might not always be the most environmentally advantageous solution due to the total amount of transport involved. in this study, an alternative approach to recycling has been tested using efficient small-scale biofuel boilers for co-combustion of biofuel and high-energy waste. the dry combustible fraction of source-sorted household waste was mixed with the energy crop reed canary-grass (phalaris arundinacea l.), and combusted in bot ...	2005	15823746
intraspecific comparative analysis of the species salinibacter ruber.	salinibacter ruber is the first extremely halophilic member of the bacteria domain of proven environmental relevance in hypersaline brines at or approaching nacl saturation, that has been brought to pure culture. a collection of 17 strains isolated from five different geographical locations (mallorca, alicante, ebro delta, canary islands, and peruvian andes) were studied following the currently accepted taxonomic approach. additionally, random amplification of genomic dna led to the phenetic ana ...	2005	15841344
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoke used to smoke cheese produced by the combustion of rock rose (cistus monspeliensis) and tree heather (erica arborea) wood.	in this work, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs) and their methyl derivatives concentrations have been determined in smoke from the rock rose and tree heather wood combustion. the combustion is done in two types of smokers, kiln and drum, commonly used in the canary islands (spain) to smoke cheese. the low control of the operational conditions justify the great variability of the pahs concentration in the emissions, with values between 251.8 and 2547 microg/m3n. in general, the lowest c ...	2005	15631526
taenia spp.: 18s rdna microsatellites for molecular systematic diagnosis.	the 18s rdna gene of adult worms of taenia parva found in genetta genetta in the iberian peninsula and larval stages of t. pisiformis from the wild rabbit (oryctolagus cuniculus) in tenerife (canary islands) were amplified and sequenced. the sequences of the 18s rdna gene of t. parva (1768 bp) and t. pisiformis (1760 bp) are reported for the first time (genbank accession nos. aj555167-aj555168 and aj555169-aj555170, respectively). in 168 alignment positions microsatellites in the 18s rdna of bot ...	2005	15946391
surveillance of imported diseases as a window to travel health risks.	when using all its advantages of clinical vigilance, direct communication,and fast feedback, a clinical surveillance network can be remarkably effective in detecting sentinel events and in translating the new information into modifications of clinical practice. travelers have great advantage when serving as surveillance tools for imported diseases. they travel widely and potentially expose themselves to all types of infectious diseases, they are very mobile, and they return during the incubation ...	2005	15701544
mitochondrial dna diversity in 17th-18th century remains from tenerife (canary islands).	mitochondrial dna sequences and restriction fragment length polymorphisms were retrieved (with >80% efficiency) from a 17th-18th century sample of 213 teeth from tenerife. the genetic composition of this population reveals an important ethnic heterogeneity. although the majority of detected haplotypes are of european origin, the high frequency of sub-saharan african haplotypes (15.63%), compared to that of the present-day population (6.6%), confirms the importance of the canary islands in the bl ...	2005	15714457
bumblebees, humble pollinators or assiduous invaders? a population comparison of foraging performance in bombus terrestris.	worldwide trade in non-native bumblebees remains largely unrestricted despite well-documented cases where introductions of non-native bees have gone dramatically wrong. within europe, indiscriminate importation of non-native populations of bumblebees (bombus terrestris) for the pollination of glasshouse crops continues on a massive scale. however, no risk assessment has been conducted for these introductions, perhaps because b. terrestris is considered a native species, so shipping populations f ...	2005	15891827
an epizootic of avian pox in endemic short-toed larks (calandrella rufescens) and berthelot's pipits (anthus berthelotti) in the canary islands, spain.	between january 2002 and november 2003, 50% (n = 395) of short-toed larks (calandrella rufescens) and 28% (n = 139) of berthelot's pipits (anthus berthelotti) examined on the islands of fuerteventura and lanzarote, canary islands, had gross lesions compatible with avian pox. however, spanish sparrows (passer hispaniolensis, n = 128) and trumpeter finches (bucanetes githagineus, n = 228), which inhabit the same steppe habitats associated with goat husbandry, did not have poxlike lesions. histopat ...	2005	15657273
colonisation and diversification of the blue tits (parus caeruleus teneriffae-group) in the canary islands.	the blue tit (parus caeruleus teneriffae group) is proposed to have colonised the canary islands from north africa according to an east-to-west stepping stone model, and today, the species group is divided into four subspecies, differing in morphological, acoustic, and ecological characters. this colonisation hypothesis was tested and the population structure between and within the islands studied using mitochondrial dna sequences of the non-coding and relatively fast evolving control region. ou ...	2005	15683925
genetic variation in epigenetic inheritance of ribosomal rna gene methylation in arabidopsis.	we investigated the fidelity of epigenetic inheritance in crosses between three accessions of the flowering plant arabidopsis thaliana (canary islands, cape verde islands, and columbia). specifically, we examined the cytosine methylation content of the ribosomal rna genes at the two nucleolus organizer regions (nor2 and nor4) in f1 and f2 hybrid individuals derived from reciprocal crosses between the high nor methylation strain, columbia, and the two other accessions, both of which have less nor ...	2005	15686517
a retrospective description of a highly pathogenic avian influenza a virus (h7n1/carduelis/germany/72) in a free-living siskin (carduelis spinus linnaeus, 1758) and its accidental transmission to yellow canaries (serinus canaria linnaeus, 1758).	a haemagglutinating virus was isolated in summer 1972 from a single free-living siskin (carduelis spinus linnaeus, 1758) in embryonated chicken eggs. additional cases of morbidity or mortality were not observed in the area were the sick siskin was found. the virus was characterized as an avian influenza a virus of the subtype h7n1 and designated h7n1/carduelis/germany/72. the virus induced following experimental inoculation of chicken embryos a high rate mortality (mean death time approximately ...	2005	15714871
nuclear ribosomal dna and karyotypes indicate a nw african origin of south american hypochaeris (asteraceae, cichorieae).	hypochaeris has a disjunct distribution, with more than 15 species in the mediterranean region, the canary islands, europe, and asia, and more than 40 species in south america. previous studies have suggested that the new world taxa have evolved from ancestors similar to the central european h. maculata. based on internal transcribed spacer (its) sequences and fluorescence in situ hybridization (fish) with 5s and 18s-25s rdna of the previously overlooked hypochaeris angustifolia from moyen atlas ...	2005	15737585
[socioeconomic inequalities and health plans in the autonomous communities of spain].	to systematically examine sensitivity to socioeconomic (se) inequalities in the policies formulated in the health plans of the autonomous communities of spain.	2005	16050962
outbreak of shigella sonnei in a rural hotel in la gomera, canary islands, spain.	shigella sonnei is a significant cause of gastroenteritis in both developing and industrialized countries. knowledge of the diversity and antimicrobial susceptibility of the bacterium may be helpful in the management of both individual cases and outbreaks. this study was undertaken to evaluate the molecular epidemiology of an outbreak of diarrhea due to s. sonnei. the outbreak involved 14 of 28 (50%) tourists in a small rural hotel in la gomera, canary islands, spain. all of the s. sonnei isolat ...	2005	16052462
inadvertent exposure to organochlorine pesticides ddt and derivatives in people from the canary islands (spain).	in 1998, one of the largest determinations of organochlorine pesticides in a representative sample of a spanish population (682 serum samples from the canary islands) was made in the context of the "canary islands nutrition survey" (enca). in the canary islands, extensive farming areas have been developed in these last decades, with greenhouses dedicated to intensive cultivation using ddt in huge amounts. in spain, similarly to other european countries, ddt was banned in the late 1970s. the pest ...	2005	15740757
molecular phylogenetics of the macaronesian-endemic genus bystropogon (lamiaceae): palaeo-islands, ecological shifts and interisland colonizations.	abstract a molecular phylogenetic study of bystropogon l'her. (lamiaceae) is presented. we performed a cladistic analysis of nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (its), of the nuclear ribosomal dna, and of the trnl gene and trnl-trnf intergenic spacer of the chloroplast dna. bystropogon odoratissimus is the only species endemic to the canary islands that occurs in the three palaeo-islands of tenerife. this species is not part of an early diverging lineage of bystropogon and w ...	2005	15773944
an outbreak of abortions and high neonatal mortality associated with trypanosoma evansi infection in dromedary camels in the canary islands.	trypanosoma evansi was diagnosed for the first time in the canary islands (spain) in 1998 in a dromedary camel. seroprevalences of 4.8% up to 9% have been observed using different diagnostic methods. affected animals have been treated but the dissemination of the disease is unknown. this article presents an outbreak of abortions and high neonatal mortality attributable to t. evansi infection in camels as well as the clinical assessment of the affected animals. the patients were diagnosed by rout ...	2005	15893083
bradyrhizobium canariense sp. nov., an acid-tolerant endosymbiont that nodulates endemic genistoid legumes (papilionoideae: genisteae) from the canary islands, along with bradyrhizobium japonicum bv. genistearum, bradyrhizobium genospecies alpha and bradyrhizobium genospecies beta.	highly diverse bradyrhizobium strains nodulate genistoid legumes (brooms) in the canary islands, morocco, spain and the americas. phylogenetic analyses of its, atpd, glnii and reca sequences revealed that these isolates represent at least four distinct evolutionary lineages within the genus, namely bradyrhizobium japonicum and three unnamed genospecies. dna-dna hybridization experiments confirmed that one of the latter represents a new taxonomic species for which the name bradyrhizobium canarien ...	2005	15774626
prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis in las palmas, canary islands, spain.	to determine the prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis (ms) in the city of las palmas (canary islands, spain), geographically belonging to north-western africa, but with european ancestry.	2005	15459512
morphology, cytochemical staining, and ultrastructural characteristics of the blood cells of the giant lizard of el hierro (gallotia simonyi).	the object of this study was to examine the erythrocytes, leukocytes and thrombocytes of the giant lizard of el hierro (gallotia simonyi) by light and electron (tem) microscopy, and cytochemical staining. smears were prepared from blood from the ventral coccygeal vein of 10 healthy adult lizards (five males and five females) from the giant lizard of el hierro reproduction and research centre, canary islands, spain. the cytochemical stains used were: benzidine peroxidase (bp), chloroacetate ester ...	2005	15563919
a fractal analysis of pathogen detection by biosensors.	a fractal analysis is presented for the detection of pathogens such as franscisela tularensis, yersinia pestis (the bacterium that causes plague), bacillus anthracis, venezuelan equine encephalitis (vee) virus, vavcinia virus, and escherichia coli using a cellular analysis and notification of antigens risks and yields (canary) biosensor [t.h. rider, m.s. petrovic, f.e. nargi, j.d harper, e.d. schwoebel, r.h. mathews, d.j. blanchard, l.t bortolin, a.m. young, j. chen, m.a. hollis, a cell-based se ...	2005	15617812
linguistic perception: neural processing of a whistled language.	silbo gomero is a whistled language that is a rare and endangered surrogate of spanish, used by shepherds on the island of la gomera in the canary islands for communication over long distances on difficult terrain. here we show that areas of the brain normally associated with spoken-language function are also activated in proficient whistlers, but not in controls, when they are listening to silbo gomero. our findings demonstrate that the language-processing regions of the human brain can adapt t ...	2005	15635400
y-chromosome str haplotypes in the canary islands population (spain).	haplotype frequencies of eight y-chromosome str loci (dys19, dys389i, dys389ii, dys390, dys391, dys392, dys393 and dys385) were determined from a sample of 285 unrelated males from canary islands.	2005	15639620
bahia grass pollen specific ige is common in seasonal rhinitis patients but has limited cross-reactivity with ryegrass.	perennial ryegrass is a major cause of rhinitis in spring and early summer. bahia grass, paspalum notatum, flowers late into summer and could account for allergic rhinitis at this time. we determined the frequency of serum immunoglobulin (ig)e reactivity with bahia grass in ryegrass pollen allergic patients and investigated ige cross-reactivity between bahia and ryegrass.	2005	15647049
erythema multiforme in a spotted hyena (crocuta crocuta).	a 10.5-yr-old male spotted hyena (crocuta crocuta) developed acute, severe erythematous and ulcerative dermatitis of the hindquarters, feet, face, and ears 19 days after receiving a recombinant canary pox vectored canine distemper vaccine. biopsies of the lesions supported a diagnosis of erythema multiforme (em), which is an immune-mediated disorder that can occur days to months after exposure to antigenic stimuli. during the lengthy recovery, esophageal regurgitation and ulceration developed ei ...	2005	17312775
prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in the island of gran canaria: comparison of three major diagnostic proposals.	the present study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in a canarian population, and to compare its frequency as defined by the most commonly used working definitions.	2005	16401323
analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the essential oils from the aerial parts of pimpinella anagodendron bolle and pimpinella rupicola svent., two endemic species to the canary islands, spain.	the essential oils from the aerial parts of pimpinella anagodendron bolle and pimpinella rupicola svent., two endemic species growing in tenerife, canary islands, spain, were studied by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. the major components of the flowering tops (flowers+unripe fruits) of p. rupicola (prft) were found to be beta-bisabolene (34.8%), limonene (10.9%) and alpha-zingiberene (10.5%), whereas in the flowering tops of p. anagodendron (paft), the main constitu ...	2005	16236298
ciguatera fish poisoning, canary islands.		2005	16485501
an electrochiroptical molecular switch: mechanistic and kinetic studies.	previously, we reported the synthesis and preliminary characterization of cu(i/ii) complexes of n,n-bis(2-quinilylmethyl)-(l)-methionine (zahn, s.; canary, j. w. science 2000, 288, 1404-7). the chemically oxidized and reduced forms of the complexes gave nearly mirror image circular dichroism (cd) spectra as a result of reorganization of the inner coordination sphere of the copper atom. the reorganization involved exchange of oxygen for sulfur in proceeding from the cu(ii) to cu(i) oxidation stat ...	2005	16212392
[melanoma epidemiology in spain].	spain has one of europe's lowest melanoma incidence and mortality rates. nevertheless, it is one of the fastest-growing pathologies in our country, with a 181.3% increase in the incidence rate in men and 205.3% increase in women. it represents 1.3% and 2.5% of malignant tumors in men and women, respectively, while the current standardized worldwide rate is respectively 2.4% and 4.9%. the highest incidence levels correspond to tarragona for men (6.81%) and gerona for women (8.24%), and lowest to ...	2005	16476268
selectivity of canary hvc neurons for the bird's own song: modulation by photoperiodic conditions.	to what extent seasonal factors modify the neuronal functional properties within the nuclei of the avian song system remains an open question. in adult songbirds, neurons of the song premotor nucleus hvc (used as a proper name) exhibit selective responses for the bird's own song (bos). here we examine whether, outside the breeding season, when songs are less stereotyped, hvc neurons of male canaries still respond selectively to the bos produced during this period. in an initial experiment, singl ...	2005	15901776
checklist of african tischeriidae (insecta: lepidoptera) with a redescription of the formerly neglected tischeria urticicolella from equatorial africa.	tischeria urticicolella (ghesquière, 1940)--a poorly studied species from the democratic republic of congo and formerly known as a member of the gracillariidae--is redescribed and reported as belonging to the tischeriidae for the first time. the external features and male genitalia are figured and described. a checklist and distribution map for all 18 tischeriidae species currently recorded from africa (including the canary islands) are given.	2005	16219986
melatonin acts as a growth-stimulating compound in some monocot species.	in a recent study melatonin (n-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), a well-investigated animal molecule but minimally studied in plants, was seen to have a physiological role as growth-promoting molecule in lupin hypocotyls. in the present study, the role of melatonin as a growth promoter is extended to coleoptiles of canary grass, wheat, barley and oat, in which it shows a relative auxinic activity [with respect to indole-3-acetic acid (iaa), the main auxin in plants] of between 10 and 55%. in addition ...	2005	16098090
human rickettsia felis infection, canary islands, spain.	we report the first cases of human infection by rickettsia felis in the canary islands. antibodies against r. felis were found in 5 adsorbed serum samples from 44 patients with clinically suspected rickettsiosis by western blot serology. fleas from 1 patient's dog were positive for r. felis by polymerase chain reaction.	2005	16485491
systematics, character evolution, and biogeography of cistus l. (cistaceae) based on its, trnl-trnf, and matk sequences.	this paper presents the first phylogenetic hypotheses for the 20 species of cistus based on plastid (trnl-trnf, matk) and nuclear (its) dna sequence data. phylogenetic relationships reveal that: (1) halimium and cistus form a cohesive, natural group; (2) two major lineages of purple-flowered and white-flowered species are defined, except for the purple-flowered c. parviflorus; (3) monophyly of conspecific populations is congruent with the circumscription of species. topological congruence betwee ...	2005	16055353
parasites affect song complexity and neural development in a songbird.	there is now considerable evidence that female choice drives the evolution of song complexity in many songbird species. however, the underlying basis for such choice remains controversial. the developmental stress hypothesis suggests that early developmental conditions can mediate adult song complexity by perturbing investment in the underlying brain nuclei during their initial growth. here, we show that adult male canaries (serinus canaria), infected with malaria (plasmodium relictum) as juveni ...	2005	16191614
a new and fast extraction method for the determination of priority phenols from marine sediments by liquid chromatography.	a new and fast method for the determination of priority phenols in marine sediment samples by high-performance liquid chromatography using microwave-assisted micellar extraction is optimized. this study is carried out using the nonionic surfactants polyoxyethylene 9 lauryl ether (polidocanol) and genapol x-080 as extractants. parameters studied include surfactant concentration, solution ph, extraction time, and power. once the method is optimized, it is applied to different spiked marine sedimen ...	2005	16053609
evaluation of acanthamoeba isolates from environmental sources in tenerife, canary islands, spain.	tests for potentially pathogenic amoebae were carried out in order to determine the presence of free-living amoebae of genus acanthamoeba in soil and beach sand sources related to human environments in tenerife, canary islands, spain. acanthamoeba identification was based on the morphology of cyst and trophozoite forms and pcr amplification with a genus specific primer pair. the pathogenical potential of acanthamoeba isolates was characterized by temperature and osmotolerance assays and pcr reac ...	2005	16457479
[colorectal laparoscopy in the canary islands. a multicenter study of 144 patients].	to analyze the short-term results of laparoscopic colorectal surgery (lcrs) in the canary islands.	2005	16420905
study of the genetic origin of the mexican creole donkey (equus asinus) by means of the analysis of the d-loop region of mitochondrial dna.	the aim of this work was to analyse the genetic origin of the mexican creole donkey, as well as its genetic diversity, by comparison with spanish and african donkey populations by means of the d-loop region of mitochondrial dna. to this end, the genomic dna of 68 mexican creole donkeys from eight geographical regions in six states of the republic of mexico and from a sicilian donkey was obtained. by the polymerase chain-reaction technique (pcr) a fragment of 541 bp was amplified, corresponding t ...	2005	16335078
male song quality affects circulating but not yolk steroid concentrations in female canaries (serinus canaria).	male song complexity is a sexually selected trait found in many songbirds, including strains of the domestic canary. studies on several species have shown that male song can affect the hormonal state of females and may also influence concentrations of maternal hormones in the yolk of their eggs. in this study, we show that the level of circulating androgens and oestrogens of female canaries, as measured in faeces, varies with the quality of male song to which they are exposed. the female-perceiv ...	2005	16326941
relationship between diet and helminths in gallotia caesaris (sauria: lacertidae).	diet and helminth fauna were analysed in gallotia caesaris, a small lacertid lizard endemic to el hierro (canary islands, spain) in order to study the evolutionary and functional relationships between the two traits. this species is omnivorous but consumed a high proportion (82.13%) of plant matter including not only seeds but also leaves and other vegetative parts. helminth fauna included many helminth species typical of herbivorous reptiles. both herbivory and helminth presence were higher tha ...	2005	16351960
patterns of prescription of hypoglycaemic drugs in gran canaria (canary islands, spain) and estimation of the prevalence of diabetes mellitus.	to study the patterns of hypoglycaemic treatment in our community and to estimate the prevalence of known and drug-treated diabetes mellitus.	2005	16357789
reading levels of spanish deaf students.	the reading levels of a population of 93 spanish deaf students were examined. all study participants had prelingual profound hearing loss; their ages ranged from 9 to 20 years. all were enrolled in compulsory education during 2002-2003 in the canary islands (spain). they were evaluated with sentence and text comprehension subtests from the evaluation of reading processes of primary education students, whose spanish acronym is prolec (cuetos, rodríguez, & ruano, 1996). a questionnaire on reading ...	2005	16466193
the selectivity of canary hvc neurons for the bird's own song: rate coding, temporal coding, or both?	the neuronal selectivity observed in the avian song system for the bird's own song progressively emerged as an extraordinary fruitful model to investigate the neural code underlying the recognition of complex stimuli and the occurrence of learned behaviors. in adult zebra finch, neurons from the hvc (used as a proper name) show very selective auditory responses, firing more to presentation of the bird's own song (bos) than to reverse bos or other conspecific songs. however, as adult zebra finche ...	2004	16275046
space use optimisation and sustainability-environmental comparison of international cases.	as a follow-up to our first paper in this journal, this paper discusses projects involving intensive and multiple use of space recently completed or still being developed around railway stations in london (broadgate and canary wharf), paris (seine rive gauche and la défense) and amsterdam (zuidas and bijlmer). the cases were compared on the basis of spatial, functional and environmental indicators, as treated in our first paper. the environmental performance of each of the cases was determined t ...	2004	15380314
heavy metals in the coastal environment of las galletas, tenerife, canary islands, spain.		2004	15386075
genetic structure, phylogeography and demography of two ground-beetle species endemic to the tenerife laurel forest (canary islands).	the volcanic island of tenerife (canary archipelago) was formerly covered at 600-1200 m above sea level on most of its northern side by a cloud forest holding much of the endemic insect fauna. in the most significant surviving patches of this laurel forest at the eastern and western tips of the island occur two forest-specialist, closely related species of eutrichopus (coleoptera, carabidae); here we present data on mitochondrial dna variation among populations of these species. in total, 116 in ...	2004	15367128
radon exposure in uranium mining industry vs. exposure in tourist caves.	there is a fairly general consensus among health physicists and radiation professionals that exposure to radon progeny is the largest and most variable contribution to the population's exposure to natural sources of radiation. however, this exposure is the subject of continuing debate concerning the validity of risk assessment and recommendations on how to act in radon-prone areas. the purpose of this contribution is to situate the radon issue in spain in two very different settings. the first i ...	2004	15367766
hepatic lesions in cetaceans stranded in the canary islands.	this article describes the gross, histopathologic, and ultrastructural findings of the livers of cetaceans stranded on the coast of the canary islands between 1992 and 2000. a total of 135 cetaceans were included in the study, among which 25 were common dolphins (delphinus delphis), 23 atlantic spotted dolphins (stenella frontalis), 19 striped dolphins (stenella coeruleoalba), and 15 other species of dolphins and whales. the most common lesion observed in these animals was a nonspecific chronic ...	2004	15017028
[gender has a strong modulating effect on the risk of alzheimer's disease conferred by the apolipoprotein e gene in the population of the canary islands, spain].	apolipoprotein e (apoe) gen has been found to confer risk for alzheimer disease in every population studied. we are interested in analyzed the exonic variants and the promoter polymorphisms in our canary population.	2004	15098180
mitochondrial phylogeography of the long-eared bats (plecotus) in the mediterranean palaearctic and atlantic islands.	long-eared bats of the genus plecotus are widespread and common over most of the western palaearctic. based on recent molecular evidence, they proved to represent a complex of several cryptic species, with three new species being described from europe in 2002. evolutionary relationships among the different lineages are still fragmentary because of the limited geographic coverage of previous studies. here we analyze plecotus mitochondrial dna sequences from the entire mediterranean region and atl ...	2004	15120404
chemical composition of the sponge hymeniacidon sanguinea from the canary islands.	the fatty acid composition of the lipids from the sponge hymeniacidon sanguinea was investigated and 73 acids were identified. three of them were new and their structures, elucidated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, were identified as 13-methyl-icosanoic, 15-methyl-docosanoic and 3,13-dimethyl-tetradecanoic. only 12 sterols were present, with cholestanol predominating in the volatile fraction; 22 compounds were identified, mainly hydrocarbons and fatty acids. in the n-butanol fraction, w ...	2004	15123209
do therapeutic indications of antidepressants change from one year to another?	to analyse and describe the pattern of prescriptions for antidepressants by all psychiatrists working for the canary islands health service (cihs) during the 4-year period from 1999 to 2002.	2004	15133783
high-tech coal mine canary.		2004	15314678
differential accumulation and pigmenting ability of dietary carotenoids in colorful finches.	many animals develop bright red, orange, or yellow carotenoid pigmentation that they use to attract mates. colorful carotenoid pigments are acquired from the diet and are either directly incorporated as integumentary colorants or metabolized into other forms before deposition. because animals often obtain several different carotenoids from plant and animal food sources, it is possible that these pigments are accumulated at different levels in the body and may play unique roles in shaping the ult ...	2004	15286921
serum concentrations of macro and trace elements in heroin addicts of the canary islands.	na, k, ca, mg, p, fe, cu, zn and se concentrations were determined in the serum of 106 heroin addicts and were compared with the concentrations obtained in a control group formed of 186 apparently healthy individuals. heroin addicts displayed k and se mean concentrations lower (p < 0.05), and na, mg, p mean concentrations and a cu/zn ratio higher (p < 0.05) than those mean values observed in the control group. the mg and p concentrations in the serum of heroin addicts tended to normalize when ag ...	2004	15139385
digestive pathology of sea turtles stranded in the canary islands between 1993 and 2001.	digestive lesions were observed in 84 of 136 sea turtles (128 caretta caretta, four chelonia mydas and four dermochelys coriacea) stranded in the canary islands between january 1993 and december 2001. in the oral cavity ulcerative and necropurulent stomatitis were the most frequently observed lesions, and in the oesophagus ulcerative and fibrinous oesophagitis, and traumatic oesophageal perforation were most frequently observed; all these lesions were mainly associated with the ingestion of fish ...	2004	15357377
avian pox in white-tailed laurel-pigeons from the canary islands.	two diseased young white-tailed laurel-pigeons (columba junoniae), an endemic and endangered species of the canary islands (spain), were found in la palma. they were very depressed and had severe cutaneous yellowish nodular lesions in feathered and unfeathered areas on the bodies of both birds. necropsy and histopathologic analyses were conducted. the presence of epidermal hypertrophy and hyperplasia in cutaneous lesions, as well as several acidophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions in affected epi ...	2004	15362841
[murine tifus in canary islands, spain].		2004	15142516
canary needs help; send for willie sutton.		2004	15144306
isolation, geographical diversity and insecticidal activity of bacillus thuringiensis from soils in spain.	bacillus thuringiensis is a spore-forming bacterium showing the unusual ability to produce endogenous crystals during sporulation that are toxic for some pest insects. this work was performed to study the composition, ecological distribution and insecticidal activity of isolates of this entomopathogenic bacterium from the spanish territory. using a standard isolation method, b. thuringiensis was isolated from 115 out of 493 soil samples collected in the iberian peninsula and the canary and balea ...	2004	15160608
helminth infracommunities of gallotia caesaris caesaris and gallotia caesaris gomerae (sauria: lacertidae) from the canary islands (eastern atlantic).	a survey of gastrointestinal helminth communities of gallotia caesaris caesaris (lehrs, 1914) and g. c. gomerae (boettger and muller, 1914), from the islands of el hierro and la gomera, respectively, in the canary archipelago, spain, was conducted to determine the prevalence, intensity, and diversity of intestinal parasites of these lacertid lizards. larval forms of cestodes, nematodes, and acanthocephalans were found in the body cavity of g. c. caesaris; this lizard is the intermediate or parat ...	2004	15165048
syllable repertoire and the size of the song control system in captive canaries (serinus canaria).	in songbirds, there is considerable interest in relationships between song structure and the size of the song control system in the forebrain. in male canaries, earlier studies have reported that repertoire size increased with age, and positive correlations were obtained between repertoire size and the volume of song control nuclei such as high vocal center (hvc). here we investigate whether age has an effect upon both the song structure and the morphology of two song control nuclei [hvc and rob ...	2004	15188269
comparative haematology and blood chemistry of endangered lizards (gallotia species) in the canary islands.	blood samples were taken from the ventral coccygeal vein of 15 el hierro giant lizards (gallotia simonyi) (seven females and eight males), six la gomera giant lizards (gallotia bravoana) (four males and two females) and four tenerife giant lizards (gallotia intermedia) (two males and two females), and 31 blood parameters were measured. among the haematological parameters there were significant differences between the three species in heterophils, azurophils and lymphocytes, but no significant di ...	2004	15461364
serological study of contagious agalactia in herds of goats in the canary islands.	an indirect elisa, using local strains of mycoplasma agalactiae and mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides large colony (mmmlc), was applied to evaluate the seroprevalence of m agalactiae and mmmlc in flocks of goats on each of the canary islands. in total 3890 samples of serum were collected from 204 flocks. the results indicated that the seroprevalence of both organisms is high on all the islands; average values of 55 per cent and 67 per cent were recorded, respectively, for m agalactiae and ...	2004	15200073
study on the formation and transport of ozone in relation to the air quality management and vegetation protection in tenerife (canary islands).	an experimental study on the formation and transport of ozone in ambient air was performed in tenerife (canary islands) in order to investigate the processes affecting ozone levels and air quality. the special features of tenerife (prevalence of the trade wind pattern (ne), orography and the specific location of the local ozone sources) permit to quantify the role of the 'long-range transport from northern latitudes' versus the 'formation and transport of ozone downwind of the main urban areas' ...	2004	15276729
controversial issues associated with the prescription of benzodiazepines by general practitioners and psychiatrists.	benzodiazepines are commonly used psychotropics frequently applied in ways not fully supported by the present state of scientific knowledge. these departures are usually based on considerations of clinical practice characteristics seldom fully acknowledged by evidence based medicine.	2004	15232502
polypharmacy in psychiatric practice in the canary islands.	polypharmacy with psychoactive drugs is an increasingly common and debatable contemporary practice in clinical psychiatry based more upon experience than evidence. the objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and conditioners of polypharmacy in psychiatric patients.	2004	15236661
allozyme variation and structure of the canarian endemic palm tree phoenix canariensis (arecaceae): implications for conservation.	electrophoretic analysis of 18 allozyme loci was used to estimate the levels and structuring of genetic variation within and among natural populations of the protected endemic palm species from the canary islands (phoenix canariensis) to evaluate its genetic relationship with the widespread congener p. dactylifera, and to assess comparatively the genetic variation in the populations where the two species coexist with morphologically intermediate plants (mixed populations). our survey revealed th ...	2004	15241448
european starling chicks benefit from high yolk testosterone levels during a drought year.	avian egg yolk contains androgenic hormones, such as testosterone, of maternal origin. experimental elevation of yolk testosterone levels enhances growth of canary chicks. success in sibling competition, due to increased begging, is presumed to underlie this growth enhancement, because canary hatchlings from testosterone-treated eggs beg longer in response to vibrational stimuli than controls. furthermore, experimental elevation of both yolk androstenedione and testosterone increased chick growt ...	2004	15256308
[application of multivariate analysis to the serum mineral and trace element content on differentiation of healthy subjects].	serum concentrations of na, k, ca, mg, fe, cu, zn, se, mn and p were determined in apparently health individuals representing of the population of the canary islands. multivariate analysis was applied on the data matrix in order to differentiate the individuals according several criteria such as gender, age, island and province of residence, smoking and drinking habits and physical exercise.	2004	15516035
[nutritional evaluation of health shift workers from the canary islands].	shift workers are known to have increased morbidity associated to wrong habits. in this study we have evaluated the nutritional status, food habits and physical activity in health shift workers.	2004	15516039
a comparison of diagnosis of pregnancy in the goat via transrectal ultrasound scanning, progesterone, and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein assays.	real-time ultrasound scanning (us) via the transrectal route, progesterone (p4) assay, and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (pag) detection can be used to diagnose pregnancy at around 3 weeks after breeding. although several studies have been carried out to evaluate each of these different methods individually, it is difficult to establish adequate comparisons due to differences, such as the breed of goat, age, and farming conditions, among others. the aim of the present paper is to compare the ...	2004	15289050
catecholaminergic inputs to aromatase cells in the canary auditory forebrain.	the caudomedial nidopallium in songbirds is a specialized forebrain auditory region involved in the processing of species-typical vocalizations. it receives a prominent catecholaminergic projection with many fibers forming basket-like structures around non-immunoreactive cells. we investigated in male canaries the anatomical relationship between tyrosine hydroxylase and cells immunoreactive for the steroid metabolizing enzyme, aromatase, in the caudomedial nidopallium using double-label immunocy ...	2004	15257136
modulation by steroid hormones of a "sexy" acoustic signal in an oscine species, the common canary serinus canaria.	the respective influence of testosterone and estradiol on the structure of the common canary serinus canaria song was studied by experimentally controlling blood levels of steroid hormones in males and analyzing the consequent effects on acoustic parameters. a detailed acoustic analysis of the songs produced before and after hormonal manipulation revealed that testosterone and estradiol seem to control distinct song parameters independently. the presence of receptors for testosterone and estradi ...	2004	15258651
bilateral song production in domestic canaries.	we studied the mechanism of song production in the outbred common or domestic canary (serinus canaria). the contribution that each side of the syrinx makes to song was investigated by observing the effect of unilaterally occluding the left or right primary bronchus, followed by section of the ipsilateral branch of the tracheosyringeal nerve. in other birds with a bilaterally intact vocal system we monitored airflow through each side of the syrinx, together with subsyringeal pressure, during spon ...	2004	15281075
folate status of adults living in the canary islands (spain).	human studies support the hypothesized contribution of folate deficiency to carcinogenesis and vascular risk. we assess the nutritional folate status and its relationship to folate intake, smoking, alcohol consumption, oral contraceptive use, and multivitamin supplements.	2004	15296077
sexually attractive phrases increase yolk androgens deposition in canaries (serinus canaria).	the androgen concentration in birds' eggs varies with laying order, breeding conditions, and mate attractiveness. in passerine birds, mate attractiveness depends upon song quality. the aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of one criterion used by females to assess male song quality that is to say the presence of sexually attractive phrases on yolk androgen deposition. twenty-five female canaries were assigned to three experimental groups; in the first group, the females were allowed to he ...	2004	15302260
birdsong and singing behavior.	birdsong provides neuroscientists with a uniquely powerful model for studying imitative vocal learning in a system where the brain structures responsible for song learning and production are well known. the 4,500+ species of songbirds provide a remarkable diversity of songs with a variety of tonal, structural, and learning characteristics, but most studies of the neural bases of learning have concentrated on two domesticated species, the canary and the zebra finch. important differences in the s ...	2004	15313767
inhibition of plasma butyrylcholinesterase activity in the lizard gallotia galloti palmae by pesticides: a field study.	a field study was performed to evaluate the effect of exposure to organophosphorus (op) and carbamate (cb) pesticides on the lizard gallotia galloti palmae. butyrylcholinesterase (bche) activity was measured in the plasma of 420 lizards collected from agricultural and reference areas on the island of la palma (canary islands, spain) in two sampling periods. exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides was evaluated by a statistical criterion based on a threshold value (two standard deviation ...	2004	15325464
bioacoustics of human whistled languages: an alternative approach to the cognitive processes of language.	whistled languages are a valuable heritage of human culture. this paper gives a first survey about a new multidisciplinary approach to these languages. previous studies on whistled equivalents of languages have already documented that they can provide significant information about the role of rhythm and melody in language. to substantiate this, most whistles are represented by modulations of frequency, centered around 2000 hz (+/- 1000 hz) and often reach a loudness of about 130 db (measured at ...	2004	15258658
strong phylogeographic relationships among three goat breeds from the canary islands.	we partially sequenced the mitochondrial d-loop region in 47 individuals from eleven spanish and foreign goat breeds. phylogenetic analysis of these sequences allowed us to identify a particular d-loop haplotype shared by individuals from the palmera, majorera and tinerfeña canarian breeds. genotyping of 281 goats from 17 different breeds by pcr-hpall rflp evidenced that the geographical distribution of this haplotype is restricted to the canary islands. this ancestral mitochondrial haplotype mi ...	2004	15354570
[familial multiple sclerosis in canary islands].	multiple sclerosis (ms) is an autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed individuals. its inheritance is polygenic. genetic epidemiology studies have shown an increased familial aggregation. aim. to determine the prevalence of familial ms (fms) in a series of patients from the canary islands.	2004	15573304
helminth infracommunities of a population of the gran canaria giant lizard gallotia stehlini.	a survey of gastro-intestinal helminth communities of gallotia stehlini (sauria: lacertidae) from gran canaria island (canary archipelago, spain), was conducted to determine the prevalence, abundance and species diversity of intestinal parasites in these lizards. pharyngodonid nematodes were the most common intestinal helminths, three species being gallotia specialists. helminth infracommunities of g. stehlini were rich and appear to be closer to the interactive end of the continuum isolationist ...	2004	15575988
dentistry as canary?		2004	15553890
a biological oil adsorption filter.	a new oil adsorption method called adsorption filtration (af) has been developed. it is a technology where by oil residues can be cleaned from water by running it through a simple filter made from freeze treated, dried, milled and then fragmented plant material. by choosing suitable plants and fragmentation sizes it is possible to produce filters, which pass water but adsorb oil. the aim of this study was to investigate the possibilities of manufacturing oil adsorbing filter materials from reed ...	2004	15556187
timing of brain-derived neurotrophic factor exposure affects life expectancy of new neurons.	the high vocal center (hvc) of adult male canaries, serinus canaria, is necessary for the production of learned song. new neurons are added to hvc every day, where they replace older neurons that have died, but the length of their survival depends on the time of year when they are born. a great number of hvc neurons born in the fall, when adult canaries learn a new song, are still present 8 mo later, when this song is used during the breeding season. by contrast, most of the neurons born in hvc ...	2004	15004273