Assessment of environmental radiological impact in former metallic mines in Extremadura (Spain): A case study

Metal mining in the Extremadura region was very important in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, due to different reasons the great majority of mines ceased operations, leading to plenty of abandoned mining sites, most of them with on-site waste dumps. Although metal extraction is not radioactive per se, it is considered a NORM activity. In this study, three former mining sites, in which Pb-V-Zn-Ag, Pb-Ag, and Pb-Zn were extracted, were selected to assess the radiological impact on the population and the environment. The external γ exposure was estimated by determining the effective dose and elaborating isodose maps of the sites. The presence of the mining sites increased up to 0.41 mSv/y the effective dose over the surrounding background, which is below the reference value of 1 mSv/y. In only one mining site, the uranium and radium activity concentration of waste dumps were higher than the surrounding soil. The soil to plant (wild grass) transfer factors were similar to other reported values without the influence of NORM activities. So, no enhanced transfer of radionuclides was observed. The radiological impact on the environment was assessed by the risk to non-human biota using the tiered approach developed in ERICA Tool. The sum of the risk quotients of all considered radionuclides in the most conservative Tier 1 was below 1. Total dose rates for several terrestrial Reference Animal and Plants (RAPs) were estimated using Tier 3, obtaining values below 40 µGy/h. Therefore, the impact on non-human biota can be considered as negligible.

Towards recycling of waste carbon fiber: Strength, morphology and structural features of recovered carbon fibers

Carbon fiber is one of the most widely used materials in high demand applications due to its high specific properties, however, its post-recycling properties limit its use to low performance applications. In this research, the carbon fiber recovering is examined using two methods: two-step pyrolysis and microwave-assisted thermolysis. The results indicate that the fibers recovered by pyrolysis show reduced surface and structural damage, maintaining the original mechanical properties of the fiber with losses below 5%. The fibers recovered by microwaves undergo significant surface changes that reduce their tensile strength by up to 60% and changes in their graphitic structure, increasing their degree of crystallinity by Raman index I_D/I_G from 1.98 to 2.86 and their amorphous degree by I_D"/I_G ratio from 0.411 to 1.599. Recovering fibers from microwave technique is 70% faster compared to two step pyrolysis, and provides recycled fibers with superior surface activation with the presence of polar functional groups -OH, -CO, and -CH that react with the epoxy matrix. The thermal, morphological, structural and mechanical characterizations of the recovered fibers detailed in this work provide valuable findings to evaluate their direct reuse in new composite materials.

Sex-biased expression of the TLR7 gene in severe COVID-19 patients: Insights from transcriptomics and epigenomics

There is abundant epidemiological data indicating that the incidence of severe cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is significantly higher in males than females worldwide. Moreover, genetic variation at the X-chromosome linked TLR7 gene has been associated with COVID-19 severity. It has been suggested that the sex-biased incidence of COVID-19 might be related to the fact that TLR7 escapes X-chromosome inactivation during early embryogenesis in females, thus encoding a doble dose of its gene product compared to males. We analyzed TLR7 expression in two acute phase cohorts of COVID-19 patients that used two different technological platforms, one of them in a multi-tissue context including saliva, nasal, and blood samples, and a third cohort that included different post-infection timepoints of long-COVID-19 patients. We additionally explored methylation patterns of TLR7 using epigenomic data from an independent cohort of COVID-19 patients stratified by severity and sex. In line with genome-wide association studies, we provide supportive evidence indicating that TLR7 has altered CpG methylation patterns and it is consistently downregulated in males compared to females in the most severe cases of COVID-19.

Incidence and predictors of frailty in Latin America and China: evidence from 10/66 cohort studies

Introduction

Evidence on the incidence and risk factors of frailty in low- and middle-income countries is very limited. We aimed to compare the incidence of frailty and explore its determinants in rural and urban areas in six Latin American countries and China.

Methods

The 10/66 is a multi-site cohort study in older adults. We conducted baseline and follow-up surveys in 2003-2006, and 2007-2010. We assessed frailty using a modified Fried frailty phenotype criterion, and adjudicated frailty (yes/no) when two or more of the following indicators were present: exhaustion, low physical activity, slow gait speed, and weight loss. We excluded frail participants at baseline and calculated person-years as the time interval between baseline and follow-up for frailty-free people who were survived and reinterviewed or the midpoint of it for incident frailty cases. We used Poisson and Cox regressions to model the incidence of frailty and its risk factors.

Results

We included 9,747 participants (≥65 years) for the analysis of frailty risk factors. Of whom, 8,212 were reinterviewed with an average of 4.0 years of follow-up, the incidence of frailty was lowest in Venezuela (21.9 per 1000 person-years) and rural Peru (24.3 per 1000 person-years), highest in rural Mexico (110.5 per 1000 person-years) and urban Peru (84.0 per 1000 person-years). In the overall Cox regression, we found significant prospective associations of incident frailty with living in rural areas (HR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.69, 2.29), dementia (HR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.42, 2.18), depression (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.49, 1.93), comorbidity, female gender, older age, disability, hearing, and vision problems. Higher arm circumference was associated with a lower frailty risk (HR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96, 0.98).

Conclusions

The incidence of frailty varied substantially in Latin America and China, and between urban and rural areas. The identified risk factors could be potential intervention targets to decrease the global burden of frailty.

Key messages

• In Latin America and China, the incidence of frailty varied from 21.9 to 110.5 cases per 1000 person-years.

• We identified 9 risk factors and 1 protective factor for developing frailty, and the most relevant risk factors were living in the rural area, dementia, and depression.

Stem Cell Growth and Differentiation in Organ Culture: New Insights for Uterine Fibroid Treatment

Organ culture allows for the understanding of normal and tumor cell biology, and tissues generally remain viable for 5–7 days. Strikingly, we determined that myometrial and MED12 mutant leiomyoma cells repopulated cell-depleted tissue slices after 20 days of culture. Using immunofluorescence and quantitative PCR of stem cell and undifferentiated cell markers, we observed clusters of CD49b⁺ cells in tumor slices. CD49b⁺ cells, however, were sparsely detected in the myometrial slices. Almost all LM cells strongly expressed Ki67, while only a few myometrial cells were stained for this proliferation marker. The CD73 marker was expressed only in tumor cells, whereas the mesenchymal stem cell receptor KIT was detected only in normal cells. HMGA2 and CD24 showed broader expression patterns and higher signal intensity in leiomyoma than in myometrial cells. In this study, we propose that activating CD49b⁺ stem cells in myometrium leads to asymmetrical division, giving rise to transit-amplifying KIT⁺ cells that differentiate to smooth muscle cells. On the contrary, activated leiomyoma CD49b⁺ cells symmetrically divide to form clusters of stem cells that divide and differentiate to smooth muscle cells without losing proliferation ability. In conclusion, normal and mutant stem cells can proliferate and differentiate in long-term organ culture, constituting a helpful platform for novel therapeutic discovery.

Can stable elements (Cs and Sr) be used as proxies for the estimation of radionuclide soil-plant transfer factors?

Transfer parameters are key inputs for modeling radionuclide transfer in the environment and estimating risk to humans and wildlife. However, there are no data for many radionuclide-foodstuff/wildlife species combinations. The use of parameters derived from stable element data when data for radionuclides are lacking is increasingly common. But, do radionuclides and stable elements behave in a sufficiently similar way in the environment? To answer this question, at least for soil to plant transfer, sampling was conducted in four different countries (England, Kazakhstan, Spain and Ukraine) affected by different anthropogenic radionuclide source terms (in chronological order: global fallout, Semipalatinsk Test Site, the 1957 Windscale accident and the 1986 Chernobyl accident) together with a bibliographical review. Soil to grass transfer parameters (ratio between dry matter concentrations in plant and soil), F_v, for ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr were significantly higher than those for stable elements, suggesting that the use of the latter could lead to underestimating radionuclide concentrations in plant samples Transfer parameters for ¹³⁷Cs and stable Cs were linearly correlated, with a slope of 1.54. No such correlation was observed for ⁹⁰Sr and stable Sr, the mean value of the ⁹⁰Sr:Sr ratio was 35 ranging (0.33-126); few data were available for the Sr comparison. The use of radionuclide transfer parameters, whenever possible, is recommended over derivation from stable element concentrations. However, we acknowledge that for many radionuclides there will be few or no radionuclide data from environmental studies. From analyses of the data collated there is evidence of a decreasing trend in the F_v(¹³⁷Cs)/F_v(Cs) ratio with time from the Chernobyl accident.

Case Report: Everolimus reduced bone turnover markers but showed no clinical benefit in a patient with severe progressive osseous heteroplasia

BACKGROUND

Progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH) is an ultrarare genetic disorder characterized by an inactivating mutation in the GNAS gene that causes heterotopic ossification. Inhibition of the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway has been proposed as a therapy for progressive bone fibrodysplasia and non-genetic forms of bone heteroplasia. Herein, we describe the impact of using Everolimus as a rescue therapy for an identical twin girl exhibiting an aggressive clinical phenotype of POH.

METHODS

Clinical evaluation of the progression of the disease during Everolimus treatment was performed periodically. Cytokine markers involved in bone metabolism and protein markers related to bone activity were analyzed to explore bone turnover activity.

RESULTS

The patient received Everolimus therapy for 36 weeks. During treatment, no clinical improvement of the disease was perceived. Analysis of biochemical parameters, namely, β-CTX (r ² = -0.576, P-value = 0.016) and PNIP (r ² = -0.598, P-value = 0.011), indicated that bone turnover activity was significantly reduced. Additionally, bone metabolism-related biomarkers showed only a significant positive correlation with PTH levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Everolimus treatment did not modify the clinical progression of the disease in an aggressive form of POH, although an impact on the protein markers studied was observed.

Dual agonist-antagonist effect of ulipristal acetate in human endometrium and myometrium

The aim of this study was to assess the molecular effect of ulipristal acetate (UPA) on gene expression in myometrium and endometrium of patients with symptomatic fibroids. Tissues isolated from four women treated preoperatively with UPA (5 mg) were compared to those from untreated controls using NanoString platform to assess the expression of 75 candidate genes modulated by UPA and ovarian steroids. Deregulated genes were then validated by real-time PCR. In myometrium, UPA exerted an antagonistic effect similar to that observed in fibroids. In UPA-treated endometrium, six genes were identified as highly and significantly upregulated, including matricellular genes CCN1 (54-fold, P = 0.0018) and CCN2 (11-fold, P = 0.00044), Krüppel-like factor 4 (>3-fold, P = 0.0036), and mast cell markers including tryptases TPSAB1/TPSB2 (31-fold, P = 0.023) and carboxypeptidase A (CPA3, 17-fold, P = 0.05). In endometrium, UPA induced the expression of genes involved in fibrogenesis and mast cell function-some of them being widely involved in hepatic injury, which could explain the marked fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration observed in explanted livers from patients under UPA treatment.

Bacterial nitric oxide metabolism: Recent insights in rhizobia

Nitric oxide (NO) is a reactive gaseous molecule that has several functions in biological systems depending on its concentration. At low concentrations, NO acts as a signaling molecule, while at high concentrations, it becomes very toxic due to its ability to react with multiple cellular targets. Soil bacteria, commonly known as rhizobia, have the capacity to establish a N₂-fixing symbiosis with legumes inducing the formation of nodules in their roots. Several reports have shown NO production in the nodules where this gas acts either as a signaling molecule which regulates gene expression, or as a potent inhibitor of nitrogenase and other plant and bacteria enzymes. A better understanding of the sinks and sources of NO in rhizobia is essential to protect symbiotic nitrogen fixation from nitrosative stress. In nodules, both the plant and the microsymbiont contribute to the production of NO. From the bacterial perspective, the main source of NO reported in rhizobia is the denitrification pathway that varies significantly depending on the species. In addition to denitrification, nitrate assimilation is emerging as a new source of NO in rhizobia. To control NO accumulation in the nodules, in addition to plant haemoglobins, bacteroids also contribute to NO detoxification through the expression of a NorBC-type nitric oxide reductase as well as rhizobial haemoglobins. In the present review, updated knowledge about the NO metabolism in legume-associated endosymbiotic bacteria is summarized.

Predictive value of hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin for pregnancy outcomes in threatened abortion in first-trimester viable pregnancies

BACKGROUND

To investigate the value of a single determination of hyperglycosylated hCG (hCG-H) for predicting the clinical outcome of patients with threatened abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy.

METHODS

Prospective study performed on 86 consecutively selected women with a diagnosis of threatened abortion and viable intrauterine pregnancy in the first trimester of pregnancy, conducted in two tertiary care hospitals. All patients underwent a single blood sample to determine hCG-H and total hCG serum levels and a transvaginal ultrasound 12-24 hours after diagnosis. Patients were monitored to determine whether the outcome was a miscarriage before the 20th week of pregnancy.

RESULTS

Forty-three women (50%) had a miscarriage during the follow-up. We observed a very high correlation between hCG-H and total hCG (r?=?0.91, p?<?0.001). Median hCG-H and total hCG from pregnancies with normal outcome was signif-icantly higher than those ending in abortion. hCG-H and total hCG were very similar predictors of pregnancy outcomes (AUC: 0.90 and 0.89, respectively). The ratio hCG-H / total hCG was a poor predictor (AUC: 0.64).

CONCLUSION

A single hCG-H assay is helpful for predicting pregnancy outcomes in women with first trimester threatened abortion and viable or potentially viable pregnancy at the time of presentation. However, hCG-H is not a better predictor than total hCG.

Modification of natural radionuclide uptake by wheat using a NORM by-product as soil amendment

Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTPs) can be optimised for removal of natural radionuclides, thus meeting EU legislation. Removed radionuclides (^234,238U, ²²⁶Ra and ²¹⁰Po) go into sludges. What would happen if these sludges were used in agriculture? Wheat plantlets were cultivated in original and sludge-amended soils under laboratory controlled conditions. Soil-to plant transfer was significantly increased in factors ranging 1.2-3.7, 2.0-5.6, and 1.6-2.4 for ^234,238U, ²²⁶Ra and ²¹⁰Po, respectively. The additional input was preferentially accumulated in roots.

Rotavirus and autoimmunity

Rotavirus, a major etiological agent of acute diarrhea in children worldwide, has historically been linked to autoimmunity. In the last few years, several physiopathological approaches have been proposed to explain the leading mechanism triggering autoimmunity, from the old concept of molecular mimicry to the emerging theory of bystander activation and break of tolerance. Epidemiological and immunological data indicate a strong link between rotavirus infection and two of the autoimmune pathologies with the highest incidence: celiac disease and diabetes. The role for current oral rotavirus vaccines is now being elucidated, with a so far positive protective association demonstrated.

Organotypic culture as a research and preclinical model to study uterine leiomyomas

Organotypic cultures of tissue slices have been successfully established in lung, prostate, colon, gastric and breast cancer among other malignancies, but until now an ex vivo model based on tissue slices has not been established for uterine leiomyoma. In the present study, we describe a method for culturing tumour slides onto an alginate scaffold. Morphological integrity of tissue slices was maintained for up to 7 days of culture, with cells expressing desmin, estrogen and progesterone receptors. Driver mutations were present in the ex vivo slices at all-time points analyzed. Cultivated tumour slices responded to ovarian hormones stimulation upregulating the expression of genes involved in leiomyoma pathogenesis. This tissue model preserves extracellular matrix, cellular diversity and genetic background simulating more in-vivo-like situations. As a novelty, this platform allows encapsulation of microspheres containing drugs that can be tested on the ex vivo tumour slices. After optimizing drug release rates, microspheres would then be directly tested in animal models through local injection.

A western route of prehistoric human migration from Africa into the Iberian Peninsula

Being at the western fringe of Europe, Iberia had a peculiar prehistory and a complex pattern of Neolithization. A few studies, all based on modern populations, reported the presence of DNA of likely African origin in this region, generally concluding it was the result of recent gene flow, probably during the Islamic period. Here, we provide evidence of much older gene flow from Africa to Iberia by sequencing whole genomes from four human remains from northern Portugal and southern Spain dated around 4000 years BP (from the Middle Neolithic to the Bronze Age). We found one of them to carry an unequivocal sub-Saharan mitogenome of most probably West or West-Central African origin, to our knowledge never reported before in prehistoric remains outside Africa. Our analyses of ancient nuclear genomes show small but significant levels of sub-Saharan African affinity in several ancient Iberian samples, which indicates that what we detected was not an occasional individual phenomenon, but an admixture event recognizable at the population level. We interpret this result as evidence of an early migration process from Africa into the Iberian Peninsula through a western route, possibly across the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Hemoglobin Bjgb From Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens Controls NO Homeostasis in Soybean Nodules to Protect Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation

Legume-rhizobia symbiotic associations have beneficial effects on food security and nutrition, health and climate change. Hypoxia induced by flooding produces nitric oxide (NO) in nodules from soybean plants cultivated in nitrate-containing soils. As NO is a strong inhibitor of nitrogenase expression and activity, this negatively impacts symbiotic nitrogen fixation in soybean and limits crop production. In Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens, denitrification is the main process involved in NO formation by soybean flooded nodules. In addition to denitrification, nitrate assimilation is another source of NO in free-living B. diazoefficiens cells and a single domain hemoglobin (Bjgb) has been shown to have a role in NO detoxification during nitrate-dependent growth. However, the involvement of Bjgb in protecting nitrogenase against NO in soybean nodules remains unclear. In this work, we have investigated the effect of inoculation of soybean plants with a bjgb mutant on biological nitrogen fixation. By analyzing the proportion of N in shoots derived from N₂-fixation using the ¹⁵N isotope dilution technique, we found that plants inoculated with the bjgb mutant strain had higher tolerance to flooding than those inoculated with the parental strain. Similarly, reduction of nitrogenase activity and nifH expression by flooding was less pronounced in bjgb than in WT nodules. These beneficial effects are probably due to the reduction of NO accumulation in bjgb flooded nodules compared to the wild-type nodules. This decrease is caused by an induction of expression and activity of the denitrifying NO reductase enzyme in bjgb bacteroids. As bjgb deficiency promotes NO-tolerance, the negative effect of NO on nitrogenase is partially prevented and thus demonstrates that inoculation of soybean plants with the B. diazoefficiens bjgb mutant confers protection of symbiotic nitrogen fixation during flooding.

Routine infant vaccination of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines has decreased pneumonia across all age groups in Northern Spain

Since the early 2000s, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have been shown to be effective in the prevention of pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal diseases. In 2011, the Galician region incorporated PCV in the routine infant immunization, the very first stable program in Spain. We aim to assess direct and indirect benefits of PCV vaccination on all-cause pneumonia in the region across different age groups using an ecological study design. For this, we calculated the annual hospitalization rates using a hospital-based disease registry. We identified all-cause pneumonia, pneumococcal pneumonia and pneumococcal invasive diseases within the registry. Hospitalization rates were computed and compared across three study periods: pre-vaccination (1998-2003), early-vaccination (2005-2009) and routine-vaccination (2011-2015). Across Northern Spain, we identified 114,873 all-cause pneumonia hospitalizations, of which 24,808 were further diagnosed with pneumococcal pneumonia. The majority were elderly > 64 years (67.3%). Hospitalizations from all-cause pneumonia had a net increase from 20.6 (pre-PCV) and 21.4/10,000 (early) to 28.4/10,000 (routine) (+32.7%, p < .0001), this is attributed to the huge number of cases in the elderly age group. In contrast, a net reduction of incidence of hospitalized pneumococcal pneumonia was observed from 6.3/10,000 (pre-PCV) and 5.7/10,000 (early) to 2.4/10,000 (routine) cases (-57.9%, p < .0001). Thus, routine infant vaccination may have resulted to an overall decline of pneumococcal pneumonia in infants, as well as in elderly age groups. However, a paradoxical increase on all-cause pneumonia was observed in Galicia, mostly attributed to the growing number of cases in the elderly population.

Chromatin regulation by Histone H4 acetylation at Lysine 16 during cell death and differentiation in the myeloid compartment

Histone H4 acetylation at Lysine 16 (H4K16ac) is a key epigenetic mark involved in gene regulation, DNA repair and chromatin remodeling, and though it is known to be essential for embryonic development, its role during adult life is still poorly understood. Here we show that this lysine is massively hyperacetylated in peripheral neutrophils. Genome-wide mapping of H4K16ac in terminally differentiated blood cells, along with functional experiments, supported a role for this histone post-translational modification in the regulation of cell differentiation and apoptosis in the hematopoietic system. Furthermore, in neutrophils, H4K16ac was enriched at specific DNA repeats. These DNA regions presented an accessible chromatin conformation and were associated with the cleavage sites that generate the 50 kb DNA fragments during the first stages of programmed cell death. Our results thus suggest that H4K16ac plays a dual role in myeloid cells as it not only regulates differentiation and apoptosis, but it also exhibits a non-canonical structural role in poising chromatin for cleavage at an early stage of neutrophil cell death.

PIMA: A population informative multiplex for the Americas

We describe an ancestry-informative autosomal SNP multiplex designed to be a small-scale, flexible panel that can complement uniparental markers in assessing the American variability (i.e. pre-Colombian) found in contemporary indigenous American populations. This study centered on choosing SNPs with the specific characteristics of: 1) extreme allele frequency differences between indigenous Americans and the African, European and East Asian population groups that contribute to present-day population variation in the Americas; 2) high informativeness-for-assignment I_n values; and 3) well-spaced genomic distribution and chromosomal separation from existing small-scale forensic ancestry marker sets. The resulting capillary electrophoresis SNaPshot single base extension test was named: PIMA (Population Informative Multiplex for the Americas), comprising 26 autosomal SNPs, a single X-chromosome SNP plus the amelogenin sex marker adapted for SNaPshot. PIMA complements the established 34plex forensic ancestry panel to provide a powerful and simple tool for the analysis of American populations, including those with admixed histories, commonly encountered in America. Comparing the results obtained with the combined marker panels of PIMA and 34plex to SNP data from a much larger ancestry panel allowed us to gauge their relative efficiency. PIMA+34plex gives equivalent power to the 314-SNP 'LACE' genomic ancestry control panel, while requiring a much smaller genotyping effort. The ancestry profiles and genetic structure of 22 populations spread across the American continent were estimated using PIMA+34plex data, and those estimates were contrasted with information provided by uniparental markers (mtDNA and Y-chromosome loci) for a small set of admixed individuals from Venezuela. Our results indicate that an American genetic component is efficiently detected in contemporary American populations using a small set of ancestry informative SNPs, and these co-ancestry estimates are consistent with the known history and demography of the Americas. The small scale and high population differentiation power of PIMA, particularly when combined with 34plex, provides a practical and powerful tool for genetic studies of American populations as well as forensic DNA analyses.

Removal of radium in a working drinking water treatment plant: Radiological hazard assessment and waste management

Occurrence of radium in drinking water may pose a radiological hazard. It is one of the most radiotoxic radionuclides and a major contributor to the Indicative Dose (ID), regulated parameter in UE. Its removal at Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTPs) can be considered a preventive action, as it cannot reach the final consumer nor be accumulated in distribution pipes. A filtration system based on greensand designed for radium removal was tested in an actual DWTP. Removal effectiveness depended on the spatial velocity water passed through the filter, range 65-100%. The lower the spatial velocity, the greater contact time, and the longer high removal percentages were achieved. The radium removed from the water was mainly associated to easily reducible fraction in greensand. So radium accumulation in the filter may pose a radiological hazard for the workers in the DWTP. Dose rate was assessed in the worst case scenario for this case study, being about 0.22 mSv/y, significantly lower than reference value 1 mSv/y. Radium accumulated in the greensand filter can be extracted in order to ease waste management, and subsequently, the filtration system can be regenerated showing similar capacity to extract radium as a new one.

Rhizobium etli Produces Nitrous Oxide by Coupling the Assimilatory and Denitrification Pathways

More than two-thirds of the powerful greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from soils can be attributed to microbial denitrification and nitrification processes. Bacterial denitrification reactions are catalyzed by the periplasmic (Nap) or membrane-bound (Nar) nitrate reductases, nitrite reductases (NirK/cd ₁Nir), nitric oxide reductases (cNor, qNor/ Cu_ANor), and nitrous oxide reductase (Nos) encoded by nap/nar, nir, nor and nos genes, respectively. Rhizobium etli CFN42, the microsymbiont of common bean, is unable to respire nitrate under anoxic conditions and to perform a complete denitrification pathway. This bacterium lacks the nap, nar and nos genes but contains genes encoding NirK and cNor. In this work, we demonstrated that R. etli is able to grow with nitrate as the sole nitrogen source under aerobic and microoxic conditions. Genetic and functional characterization of a gene located in the R. etli chromosome and annotated as narB demonstrated that growth under aerobic or microoxic conditions with nitrate as nitrogen source as well as nitrate reductase activity requires NarB. In addition to be involved in nitrate assimilation, NarB is also required for NO and N₂O production by NirK and cNor, respectively, in cells grown microoxically with nitrate as the only N source. Furthermore, β-glucuronidase activity from nirK::uidA and norC::uidA fusions, as well as NorC expression and Nir and Nor activities revealed that expression of nor genes under microoxic conditions also depends on nitrate reduction by NarB. Our results suggest that nitrite produced by NarB from assimilatory nitrate reduction is detoxified by NirK and cNor denitrifying enzymes that convert nitrite into NO which in turn is reduced to N₂O, respectively.

HMGA2 and MED12 alterations frequently co-occur in uterine leiomyomas

OBJECTIVE

Around 70% of uterine leiomyomas show MED12 mutations while overexpression of HMGA2 mRNA is also highly frequent in fibroids. However, previous studies suggested that alterations in both genes are mutually exclusive. In the present study, we searched for mutation in MED12 and analyzed the expression of HMGA2 in 20 uterine leiomyomas and their matched myometrium.

METHODS

Normal and tumor tissue obtained from premenopausal women who underwent hysterectomy were collected after surgery and DNA, RNA and proteins were isolated and analyzed for MED12 mutations using Sanger sequencing, HMGA2 mRNA expression by quantitative PCR and HMGA2 protein detection by western blot and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

75% of the tumors displayed MED12 mutation while 65% of them showed overexpression of HMGA2 mRNA in leiomyomata compared to myometrial tissues (p = 0,0008). Interestingly, 50% of the tumors showed mutations in MED12 and overexpression of HMGA2 mRNA simultaneously, suggesting that alterations in both genes are relatively frequent in uterine leiomyomas.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrary to the present findings, former studies showed that mutations in MED12 and overexpression of HMGA2 are mutually exclusive. Here, we observed that overexpression of HMGA2 mRNA in tumors measured by quantitative PCR and compared to myometrium is a common phenomenon in fibroids and is frequently associated with MED12 mutations. In addition, the common clonal origin of tumors overexpressing HMGA2 mRNA and its expression in few myometrial tissue points to HMGA2 up-regulation as an early event in leiomyoma tumorigenesis.

Transfer parameters for ICRP's Reference Animals and Plants in a terrestrial Mediterranean ecosystem

A system for the radiological protection of the environment (or wildlife) based on Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs) has been suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). To assess whole-body activity concentrations for RAPs and the resultant internal dose rates, transfer parameters are required. However, transfer values specifically for the taxonomic families defined for the RAPs are often sparse and furthermore can be extremely site dependent. There is also a considerable geographical bias within available transfer data, with few data for Mediterranean ecosystems. In the present work, stable element concentrations (I, Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, P, S, K. Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb and U) in terrestrial RAPs, and the corresponding whole-body concentration ratios, CR_wo, were determined in two different Mediterranean ecosystems: a Pinewood and a Dehesa (grassland with disperse tree cover). The RAPs considered in the Pinewood ecosystem were Pine Tree and Wild Grass; whereas in the Dehesa ecosystem those considered were Deer, Rat, Earthworm, Bee, Frog, Duck and Wild Grass. The CR_wo values estimated from these data are compared to those reported in international compilations and databases.

Lactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C strongly inhibited Helicobacter pylori SS1 in Meriones unguiculatus

Searching for bacterial probiotics active upon Helicobacter pylori continue to be an important clinical challenge because of the increased prevalence of this highly priority pathogen in humans. In this work, we assess the in vivo anti-H. pylori SS1 (cagA+/vacAs2m2+) properties of a previously isolated human gastric probiotic strain Lactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C by using a Meriones unguiculatus (Mongolian gerbil) model. Animals were administered with a saline suspension of L. fermentum UCO-979C or H. pylori SS1 as negative and positive control for H. pylori colonisation controls, prior to assayed the challenge group that was administered with these two species per animal for detecting protective activity of the probiotic strain against colonisation. The results showed that L. fermentum UCO-979C strongly inhibited the colonisation of H. pylori decreasing up to 87% of the colonisation in the antrum by the pathogen, suggesting that this probiotic strain has a strong probiotic activity against H. pylori in the most valuable animal model for in vivo assays nowadays.

Development of a Bioproduct for Medicinal Use with Extracts of Zuccagnia-type Propolis

Propolis with a botanic origin in Zuccagnia punctata Cav. (Fabaceae), a plant species widely distributed in the Argentinean Monte region, was used to produce a standardized propolis extract by biological activity and chemical composition. In this paper the effect on microorganisms isolated from otitis was determined. The extract was active against different Staphylococcus strains with MIC and MBC values (75 and 150 μg DE/mL, 200 and 600 μg DE/mL, respectively) and with MIC values of 800 μg DE/mL against Proteus mirabilis. A pharmaceutical product, ear drops containing this extract as bioactive was developed. Stability of ear drops was evaluated for 6 months, and their biological activity, physical and phytochemical properties were preserved. Ear drops showed inhibitory activity on pro-inflammatory enzymes such as lipoxygenase (IC50 values 90 and 100 μg DE/mL), free radical-scavenging effect (SC50 values 23 and 30 μg DE/mL), antihelmintic (LC50 values 70 and 71 μg DE/mL), anti-candida (400 μg DE/mL) and antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (200 μg DE/mL) at zero time and during six month-storage, respectively. The content of two chalcones, chemical markers of Zuccagnia -type propolis was quantified and its level was maintained while stored at room temperature. Its toxicity was also assayed. Our results are interesting since the extract and ear drops of Zuccagnia -type propolis developed could be promising for use in alternative medicine or phytomedicine as antibacterial, anti-candida, antihelmintic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

The geographic mosaic of Ecuadorian Y-chromosome ancestry

Ecuadorians originated from a complex mixture of Native American indigenous people with Europeans and Africans. We analyzed Y-chromosome STRs (Y-STRs) in a sample of 415 Ecuadorians (145 using the AmpFlSTR^® Yfiler™ system [Life Technologies, USA] and 270 using the PowerPlex^®Y23 system [Promega Corp., USA]; hereafter Yfiler and PPY23, respectively) representing three main ecological continental regions of the country, namely Amazon rainforest, Andes, and Pacific coast. Diversity values are high in the three regions, and the PPY23 exhibits higher discrimination power than the Yfiler set. While summary statistics, AMOVA, and R_ST distances show low to moderate levels of population stratification, inferred ancestry derived from Y-STRs reveal clear patterns of geographic variation. The major ancestry in Ecuadorian males is European (61%), followed by an important Native American component (34%); whereas the African ancestry (5%) is mainly concentrated in the Northwest corner of the country. We conclude that classical procedures for measuring population stratification do not have the desirable sensitivity. Statistical inference of ancestry from Y-STRS is a satisfactory alternative for revealing patterns of spatial variation that would pass unnoticed when using popular statistical summary indices.

Phylogeographic and genome-wide investigations of Vietnam ethnic groups reveal signatures of complex historical demographic movements

The territory of present-day Vietnam was the cradle of one of the world’s earliest civilizations, and one of the first world regions to develop agriculture. We analyzed the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) complete control region of six ethnic groups and the mitogenomes from Vietnamese in The 1000 Genomes Project (1000G). Genome-wide data from 1000G (~55k SNPs) were also investigated to explore different demographic scenarios. All Vietnamese carry South East Asian (SEA) haplotypes, which show a moderate geographic and ethnic stratification, with the Mong constituting the most distinctive group. Two new mtDNA clades (M7b1a1f1 and F1f1) point to historical gene flow between the Vietnamese and other neighboring countries. Bayesian-based inferences indicate a time-deep and continuous population growth of Vietnamese, although with some exceptions. The dramatic population decrease experienced by the Cham 700 years ago (ya) fits well with the Nam tiến (“southern expansion”) southwards from their original heartland in the Red River Delta. Autosomal SNPs consistently point to important historical gene flow within mainland SEA, and add support to a main admixture event occurring between Chinese and a southern Asian ancestral composite (mainly represented by the Malay). This admixture event occurred ~800 ya, again coinciding with the Nam tiến.

Salivary epidermal growth factor correlates with hospitalization length in rotavirus infection

BACKGROUND

The IFI27 interferon gene expression has been found to be largely increased in rotavirus (RV)-infected patients. IFI27 gene encodes for a protein of unknown function, very recently linked to epidermal proliferation and related to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) protein. The EGF is a low-molecular-weight polypeptide that is mainly produced by submandibular and parotid glands, and it plays an important physiological role in the maintenance of oro-esophageal and gastric tissue integrity. Our aim was to determine salivary EGF levels in RV-infected patients in order to establish its potential relationship with IFI27 increased expression and EGF-mediated mucosal protection in RV infection.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective comparative study using saliva samples from 27 infants infected with RV (sampled at recruitment during hospital admission and at convalescence, i.e. at least 3 months after recovery) and from 36 healthy control children.

RESULTS

Median (SD) EGF salivary concentration was 777 (529) pg/ml in RV-infected group at acute phase and 356 (242) pg/m at convalescence, while it was 337 (119) pg/ml in the healthy control group. A significant association was found between EGF levels and hospitalization length of stay (P-value = 0.022; r2 = -0.63).

CONCLUSIONS

The salivary levels of EGF are significantly increased during the acute phase of natural RV infection, and relate to length of hospitalization. Further assessment of this non-invasive biomarker in RV disease is warranted.

Dissecting the role of NtrC and RpoN in the expression of assimilatory nitrate and nitrite reductases in Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens

Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens, a nitrogen-fixing endosymbiont of soybeans, is a model strain for studying rhizobial denitrification. This bacterium can also use nitrate as the sole nitrogen (N) source during aerobic growth by inducing an assimilatory nitrate reductase encoded by nasC located within the narK-bjgb-flp-nasC operon along with a nitrite reductase encoded by nirA at a different chromosomal locus. The global nitrogen two-component regulatory system NtrBC has been reported to coordinate the expression of key enzymes in nitrogen metabolism in several bacteria. In this study, we demonstrate that disruption of ntrC caused a growth defect in B. diazoefficiens cells in the presence of nitrate or nitrite as the sole N source and a decreased activity of the nitrate and nitrite reductase enzymes. Furthermore, the expression of narK-lacZ or nirA-lacZ transcriptional fusions was significantly reduced in the ntrC mutant after incubation under nitrate assimilation conditions. A B. diazoefficiens rpoN 1/2 mutant, lacking both copies of the gene encoding the alternative sigma factor σ54, was also defective in aerobic growth with nitrate as the N source as well as in nitrate and nitrite reductase expression. These results demonstrate that the NtrC regulator is required for expression of the B. diazoefficiens nasC and nirA genes and that the sigma factor RpoN is also involved in this regulation.

Modification of the 137Cs, 90Sr, and 60Co transfer to wheat plantlets by NH4+ fertilizers

Inorganic fertilizers are used as agricultural countermeasures intended to inhibit the soil to plant transfer of radionuclides after a radioactive fallout. Two NH₄⁺ fertilizers, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and NPK, were applied to soil contaminated with a mixture of radionuclides to analyze whether they modify the transfer of ¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr, and ⁶⁰Co and stable elements (K, Na, Ca, and Mg) to wheat plantlets grown under controlled laboratory conditions. DAP introduced NH₄⁺ in the soil, which can increase ¹³⁷Cs transfer, while NPK also introduced K⁺, which can decrease it. The application of DAP increased the accumulation of ¹³⁷Cs in wheat plantlets with increasing application rate, so did the ¹³⁷Cs/K in plantlets. Regarding the NPK application, the ¹³⁷Cs increased in all treatments, but at maximum rate, the available K introduced by the fertilizer was probably able to partially satisfy the nutritional requirements of the wheat plantlet and the ¹³⁷Cs decreased relative to the recommended rate. The ¹³⁷Cs/K ratio in plantlet decreased with increasing NPK rates. The transfer of ⁹⁰Sr increased with increasing DAP rate and only at the maximum NPK rate. The ⁶⁰Co transfer only increased at the maximum application rates for DAP and NPK. These modifications should be considered when using these fertilizers as agricultural countermeasures.

Removal naturally occurring radionuclides from drinking water using a filter specifically designed for Drinking Water Treatment Plants

The occurrence of naturally occurring radionuclides in drinking water can pose health hazards in some populations, especially taking into account that routine procedures in Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTPs) are normally unable to remove them efficiently from drinking water. In fact, these procedures are practically transparent to them, and in particular to radium. In this paper, the characterization and capabilities of a patented filter designed to remove radium from drinking water with high efficiency is described. This filter is based on a sandwich structure of silica and green sand, with a natural high content manganese oxide. Both sands are authorized by Spanish authorities to be used in Drinking Water Treatment Plants. The Mn distribution in the green sand was found to be homogenous, thus providing a great number of adsorption sites for radium. Kinetic studies showed that the ²²⁶Ra adsorption on green sand was influenced by the content of major cations solved in the treated water, but the saturation level, about 96-99%, was not affected by it. The physico-chemical parameters of the treated water were unaltered by the filter. The efficiency of the filter for the removal of ²²⁶Ra remained unchanged with large water volumes passed through it, proving its potential use in DWTP. This filter was also able to remove initially the uranium content due to the presence of Fe₂O₃ particles in it, although it is saturated faster than radium.

Analysis of uni and bi-parental markers in mixture samples: Lessons from the 22nd GHEP-ISFG Intercomparison Exercise

Since 1992, the Spanish and Portuguese-Speaking Working Group of the ISFG (GHEP-ISFG) has been organizing annual Intercomparison Exercises (IEs) coordinated by the Quality Service at the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences (INTCF) from Madrid, aiming to provide proficiency tests for forensic DNA laboratories. Each annual exercise comprises a Basic (recently accredited under ISO/IEC 17043: 2010) and an Advanced Level, both including a kinship and a forensic module. Here, we show the results for both autosomal and sex-chromosomal STRs, and for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in two samples included in the forensic modules, namely a mixture 2:1 (v/v) saliva/blood (M4) and a mixture 4:1 (v/v) saliva/semen (M8) out of the five items provided in the 2014 GHEP-ISFG IE. Discrepancies, other than typos or nomenclature errors (over the total allele calls), represented 6.5% (M4) and 4.7% (M8) for autosomal STRs, 15.4% (M4) and 7.8% (M8) for X-STRs, and 1.2% (M4) and 0.0% (M8) for Y-STRs. Drop-out and drop-in alleles were the main cause of errors, with laboratories using different criteria regarding inclusion of minor peaks and stutter bands. Commonly used commercial kits yielded different results for a micro-variant detected at locus D12S391. In addition, the analysis of electropherograms revealed that the proportions of the contributors detected in the mixtures varied among the participants. In regards to mtDNA analysis, besides important discrepancies in reporting heteroplasmies, there was no agreement for the results of sample M4. Thus, while some laboratories documented a single control region haplotype, a few reported unexpected profiles (suggesting contamination problems). For M8, most laboratories detected only the haplotype corresponding to the saliva. Although the GHEP-ISFG has already a large experience in IEs, the present multi-centric study revealed challenges that still exist related to DNA mixtures interpretation. Overall, the results emphasize the need for further research and training actions in order to improve the analysis of mixtures among the forensic practitioners.

Epithelial IL-1R2 acts as a homeostatic regulator during remission of ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disease that may undergo periods of activity followed by remission. We aimed to identify the endogenous regulatory mechanisms that may promote disease remission. Transcriptional and protein analysis of the intestinal mucosa revealed that the IL-1 decoy receptor, interleukin-1 receptor type 2 (IL1R2), was upregulated in remission compared with active UC and controls. We identified epithelial cells as being responsible for increased IL-1R2 production during remission. Expression of IL1R2 was negatively regulated by Wnt/beta-catenin signals in colonic crypts or epithelial stem cell cultures; accordingly, epithelial stem cells upregulated IL-1R2 upon differentiation. Blocking IL-1R2 in isolated colonic crypt cultures of UC patients in remission and T-cell cultures stimulated with biopsy supernatant from UC patients in remission boosted IL-1β-dependent production of inflammation-related cytokines. Finally, IL1R2 transcription was significantly lower in patients that relapsed during a 1-year follow-up period compared with those in endoscopic remission. Collectively, our results reveal that the IL-1/IL-1R2 axis is differentially regulated in the remitting intestinal mucosa of UC patients. We hypothesize that IL-1R2 in the presence of low concentrations of IL-1β may act locally as a regulator of intestinal homeostasis.

Determination of Botanical Origin of Propolis from Monte Region of Argentina by Histological and Chemical Methods

Propolis production by honey bees is the result of a selective harvest of exudates from plants in the neighborhood of the hive. This product is used in Argentina as a food supplement and alternative medicine. The aim of this study was to determine the botanical origin of propolis from the arid regions of Monte of Argentina using rapid histochemical techniques and by comparison of TLC and HPLC-DAD chromatographic profiles with extract profiles obtained from Zuccagnia punctata, Larrea divaricata and Larrea cuneifolia, plant species that grow in the study area as a natural community named “jarillal”.

Microscopical analysis revealed the presence of several Z. punctata structures, such as multicellular trichomes, leaflets, stems and young leaves. Remarkable was the richness of the propolis in two bioactive chalcones, also present in Z. punctata resin; these compounds can be regarded as possible markers for propolis identification and justify its use as a dietary supplement, functional food and medicinal product. This study indicates that the source of resin used by honey bees to produce propolis in the Monte region of Argentina is only Z. punctata, a native shrub widespread in this phytogeographical region, while other more abundant species ( L. divaricata and L. cuneifolia) in the region were not found, indicating that this propolis could be defined as a mono-resin, type- Zuccagnia.