The role of afforestation species as a driver of Hg accumulation in organic horizons of forest soils from a Mediterranean mountain area in SW Europe

Forest areas are a primary sink of atmospheric mercury (Hg) within terrestrial ecosystems, whereas forest vegetation plays a key role in atmospheric Hg transfer to soil horizons. This study assessed variations in total Hg contents (HgT) and accumulation (HgRes) in the soil organic horizons of a forest area in NE Portugal, where post-wildfire afforestation led to the substitution of the native deciduous species (Quercus pyrenaica) by fast-growing coniferous species (Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus nigra). The study also evaluated, for each species, the links between Hg contents and other biophilic elements of soil organic matter (C, N, S) present in organic subhorizons (OL, OF, OH). Mean HgT in the organic horizons of the different tree species follow the sequence: P. nigra (88 μg kg−1) < Q. pyrenaica (101 μg kg−1) < P. menziesii (141 μg kg−1). The highest HgRes for the entire organic horizon was found under P. menziesii (471 μg m−2), followed by P. nigra (253 μg m−2) and Q. pyrenaica (189 μg m−2). Among the organic subhorizons, values of HgT and HgRes follow the sequence OL < OF < OH, which is consistent with the degree of organic matter humification. Indeed, HgT and HgRes correlated significantly with the C/N and C/S ratios for all species and organic subhorizons, suggesting that the quality of organic matter may influence strongly the Hg fate in these forest soils. Soils from P. menziesii plots have shown an HgRes 2.5 times higher than in plots dominated by the native Q. pyrenaica. Hg accumulation in the organic horizons, promoted in the coniferous species, may increase the risk of Hg mobilization due to wildfires and forest management practices. Therefore, forest management plans should select cautiously the tree species for afforestation in order to minimize adverse environmental effects caused by changes in the biogeochemical cycle of contaminants such as Hg.M. Méndez-López acknowledges the predoctoral grant FPU of Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional (FPU17/05484). It is also recognized the financial support of the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Universidade (Xunta de Galicia) through the contract ED431C 2021/46-GRC granted to the research group BV1 of the University of Vigo and the research project ED431F2018/06-EXCELENCIA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Calculation of Response matrix of a BSS with 6LiI scintillator

The response matrix of a Bonner sphere spectrometer was calculated using MCNP 4C and MCNPX 2.4.0 codes. As thermal neutron detector a 0.4 cm £; 0.4 cm 6LiI which is located at the center of a set of polyethylene spheres. The response was calculated for 0, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, and 12 inches-diameter polyethylene spheres for neutrons whose energy goes from 2.50E(-8) to 100 MeV. The response matrix was calculated for 23 neutron energies, the response functions were energy-interpolated to 51 neutron energies and were compared with a matrix response reported in the literature, in this comparison both response matrices are in agreement. The main differences were found in the bare detector and are attributed to the irradiation conditions and cross sections, for the other detectors the differences are due to the cross sections libraries

Non-Markovian stochastic description of quantum transport in photosynthetic systems

We analyze several aspects of the transport dynamics in the LH1-RC core of purple bacteria, which consists basically in a ring of antenna molecules that transport the energy into a target molecule, the reaction center, placed in the center of the ring. We show that the periodicity of the system plays an important role to explain the relevance of the initial state in the transport efficiency. This picture is modified, and the transport enhanced for any initial state, when considering that molecules have different energies, and when including their interaction with the environment. We study this last situation by using stochastic Schr{\"o}dinger equations, both for Markovian and non-Markovian type of interactions.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure

Kinks in the Hartree approximation

The topological defects of the lambda phi^4 theory, kink and antikink, are studied in the Hartree approximation. This allows us to discuss quantum effects on the defects in both stationary and dynamical systems. The kink mass is calculated for a number of parameters, and compared to classical, one loop and Monte Carlo results known from the literature. We discuss the thermalization of the system after a kink antikink collision. A classical result, the existence of a critical speed, is rederived and shown for the first time in the quantum theory. We also use kink antikink collisions as a very simple toy model for heavy ion collisions and discuss the differences and similarities, for example in the pressure. Finally, using the Hartree Ensemble Approximation allows us to study kink antikink nucleation starting from a thermal (Bose Einstein) distribution. In general our results indicate that on a qualitative level there are few differences with the classical results, but on a quantitative level there are some import ones.Comment: 20 pages REVTeX 4, 17 Figures. Uses amsmath.sty and subfigure.sty. Final version, fixed typo in published versio

Phenotypic, transcriptomic, and genomic features of clonal plasma cells in light-chain amyloidosis

Immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis (AL) and multiple myeloma (MM) are 2 distinct monoclonal gammopathies that involve the same cellular compartment: clonal plasma cells (PCs). Despite the fact that knowledge about MM PC biology has significantly increased in the last decade, the same does not apply for AL. Here, we used an integrative phenotypic, molecular, and genomic approach to study clonal PCs from 24 newly diagnosed patients with AL. Through principal-component-analysis, we demonstrated highly overlapping phenotypic profiles between AL and both monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and MM PCs. However, in contrast to MM, highly purified fluorescence-activated cell-sorted clonal PCs from AL (n = 9) showed almost normal transcriptome, with only 38 deregulated genes vs normal PCs; these included a few tumor-suppressor (CDH1, RCAN) and proapoptotic (GLIPR1, FAS) genes. Notwithstanding, clonal PCs in AL (n=11) were genomically unstable, with a median of 9 copy number alterations (CNAs) per case, many of such CNAs being similar to those found in MM. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) performed in 5 AL patients revealed a median of 15 nonrecurrent mutations per case. Altogether, our results show that in the absence of a unifying mutation by WES, clonal PCs in AL display phenotypic and CNA profiles similar to MM, but their transcriptome is remarkably similar to that of normal PCs

Influencia de un programa de empleo con apoyo en la calidad de vida percibida de sus usuarios

Esta investigación evaluó el impacto del empleo con apoyo en la calidad de vida de las personas con discapacidad y los factores que influyen en la misma. Para ello se aplicó la adaptación española de la Escala de Calidad de Vida de Schalock y Keith (1993) y el Formulario de Datos del Trabajador (lNICO, 2004) a una muestra de 1065 trabajadores con discapacidad que se encontraban trabajando gracias al Programa Empleo con Apoyo de Caja Madrid entre 2005 y 2007. Los resultados indicaron que, en general, los trabajadores muestran una elevada calidad de vida percibida. Se plantean los modelos explicativos de las dimensiones de la calidad de vida en función del tipo de discapacidad

Alterations in PGC1[alfa] expression levels are involved in colorectal cancer risk: a qualitative systematic review

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global public health problem and the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Mitochondrial dysfunction has long been suspected to be involved in this type of tumorigenesis, as supported by an accumulating body of research evidence. However, little is known about how mitochondrial alterations contribute to tumorigenesis. Mitochondrial biogenesis is a fundamental cellular process required to maintain functional mitochondria and as an adaptive mechanism in response to changing energy requirements. Mitochondrial biogenesis is regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-? (PPARGC1A or PGC1?). In this paper, we report a systematic review to summarize current evidence on the role of PGC1? in the initiation and progression of CRC. The aim is to provide a basis for more comprehensive research. Methods: The literature search, data extraction and quality assessment were performed according to the document Guidance on the Conduct of Narrative Synthesis in Systematic Reviews and the PRISMA declaration. Results: The studies included in this review aimed to evaluate whether increased or decreased PGC1? expression affects the development of CRC. Each article proposes a possible molecular mechanism of action and we create two concept maps. Conclusion: Our systematic review indicates that altered expression of PGC1? modifies CRC risk. Most studies showed that overexpression of this gene increases CRC risk, while some studies indicated that lower than normal expression levels could increase CRC risk. Thus, various authors propose PGC1? as a good candidate molecular target for cancer therapy. Reducing expression of this gene could help to reduce risk or progression of CRC