Evolución y análisis filogenético de las comunidades microbianas desarrolladas como respuesta al aumento de los niveles de fenantreno en un suelo contaminado por PAHs

Trabajo presentado al citado Congreso que tuvo lugar del 21-24, de septiembre, 2009, en Almería, España.Las comunidades microbianas de los suelos contaminados con hidrocarburos aromáticos poli cíclicos (PAHs) presentan gran biodiversidad. Esta biodiversidad puede relacionarse con la respuesta a niveles elevados de PAHs. En este trabajo se presenta el estudio y la caracterización de las comunidades microbianas de un suelo contaminado principalmente con hidrocarburos aromáticos poli cíclicos (5LO), mediante técnicas basadas en ADN y técnicas de cultivo. Se ha estudiado la evolución de las comunidades como respuesta al aumento de la concentración de fenantreno.Peer reviewe

Impact of previous tobacco use with or without cannabis on first psychotic experiences in patients with first-episode psychosis

Objective: There is high prevalence of cigarette smoking in individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) prior to psychosis onset. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of previous tobacco use with or without cannabis on first psychotic experiences in FEP and the impact of this use on age of onset of symptoms, including prodromes. Methods: Retrospective analyses from the naturalistic, longitudinal, multicentre, “Phenotype-Genotype and Environmental Interaction. Application of a Predictive Model in First Psychotic Episodes (PEPs)” Study. The authors analysed sociodemographic/clinical data of 284 FEP patients and 231 matched healthy controls, and evaluated first psychotic experiences of patients using the Symptom Onset in Schizophrenia Inventory. Results: FEP patients had significantly higher prevalence of tobacco, cannabis, and cocaine use than controls. The FEP group with tobacco use only prior to onset (N = 56) had more sleep disturbances (42.9% vs 18.8%, P = 0.003) and lower prevalence of negative symptoms, specifically social withdrawal (33.9% vs 58%, P = 0.007) than FEP with no substance use (N = 70), as well as lower prevalence of ideas of reference (80.4% vs 92.4%, P = 0.015), perceptual abnormalities (46.4% vs 67.4%, P = 0.006), hallucinations (55.4% vs 71.5%, P = 0.029), and disorganised thinking (41.1% vs 61.1%, P = 0.010) than FEP group with previous tobacco and cannabis use (N = 144). FEP patients with cannabis and tobacco use had lower age at first prodromal or psychotic symptom (mean = 23.73 years [SD = 5.09]) versus those with tobacco use only (mean = 26.21 [SD = 4.80]) (P = 0.011). Conclusions: The use of tobacco alone was not related to earlier age of onset of a first psychotic experience, but the clinical profile of FEP patients is different depending on previous tobacco use with or without cannabis. © 2021 The Author

Integrando escalas y métodos LTER para comprender la dinámica global de un espacio protegido de montaña: el Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido.

Los espacios protegidos, por el hecho de albergar una gran geo-biodiversidad y asegurar una baja intervención humana, constituyen lugares muy adecuados para el seguimiento de organismos y procesos a escala ecológica, así como para la obtención de series temporales largas a escala geológica. En el marco de la red LTER-España, el Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (PNOMP) y el Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología-CSIC están impulsando estudios para la detección de cambios a distintas escalas mediante variados métodos y aproximaciones. Destacamos aquí los más consolidados, entre los que se encuentran los análisis de registros de sedimentos en lagos, espeleotemas en cuevas, la dinámica de uno de los pocos glaciares activos de la Península ibérica, el análisis físico-químico de aguas corrientes e ibones de alta montaña, el registro del cambio climático actual en árboles longevos, la afección que éste ejerce sobre masas actuales de pinos en el límite superior del bosque y de abetales en zonas húmedas, la matorralización de algunos pastos y los procesos mecanicistas que subyacen, la reorganización de la diversidad florística en pastos tras el abandono paulatino o drástico de la ganadería, la biodiversidad de las comunidades alpinas y la dinámica poblacional de especies amenazadas o indicadoras de hábitats o de motores de cambio global. Los seguimientos ecológicos actuales muestran que tanto el cambio climático como el de usos del suelo están teniendo una considerable trascendencia en la fisionomía y la estructura de algunos de los ambientes más icónicos y frecuentes del parque (deterioro del glaciar, termofilización de la flora en cumbres alpinas, densificación del bosque en su límite superior, pérdida de productividad en algunos pastos supraforestales, etc.). También sugieren una importante variabilidad espacial en los procesos (por ej. en el PNOMP conviven pastos matorralizados y pastos muy estables), y evidencian que los cambios observados no siempre siguen los paradigmas establecidos (por ej., las especies amenazadas mantienen dinámicas poblacionales estables). La integración de resultados parciales proporcionados por cada aproximación relativiza la importancia de las percepciones que cada estudio destaca por separado, y permite medir los cambios actuales en el marco de referencia de los cambios a escala geológica.Predecir la resistencia y resiliencia de los ecosistemas o las poblaciones de seres vivos para enfrentarse a los futuros cambios ambientales es complicado, no sólo por la falta de conocimientos disponibles sino también porque las respuestas que observamos no siempre son tan rápidas o lineales como se espera. La modelización constituye una herramienta cada vez más utilizada, pero requiere de evidencias reales para validar sus pronósticos, por lo que la observación de los procesos que actúan en el PNOMP ha de incluir un esfuerzo continuado de monitorización multiescalar y multidisciplinar de los distintos componentes de la geo, hidro-, crio- y biosfera, sin olvidar el componente humano. Entender la complejidad supone conectar las interacciones que existen entre todos los sistemas y ponderar sus efectos según las escalas de trabajo

A longitudinal study of gene expression in first-episode schizophrenia; exploring relapse mechanisms by co-expression analysis in peripheral blood

Little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms of relapse in first-episode schizophrenia, which limits the study of potential biomarkers. To explore relapse mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers for relapse prediction, we analyzed gene expression in peripheral blood in a cohort of first-episode schizophrenia patients with less than 5 years of evolution who had been evaluated over a 3-year follow-up period. A total of 91 participants of the 2EPs project formed the sample for baseline gene expression analysis. Of these, 67 provided biological samples at follow-up (36 after 3 years and 31 at relapse). Gene expression was assessed using the Clariom S Human Array. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to identify modules of co-expressed genes and to analyze their preservation after 3 years of follow-up or at relapse. Among the 25 modules identified, one module was semi-conserved at relapse (DarkTurquoise) and was enriched with risk genes for schizophrenia, showing a dysregulation of the TCF4 gene network in the module. Two modules were semi-conserved both at relapse and after 3 years of follow-up (DarkRed and DarkGrey) and were found to be biologically associated with protein modification and protein location processes. Higher expression of DarkRed genes was associated with higher risk of suffering a relapse and early appearance of relapse (p = 0.045). Our findings suggest that a dysregulation of the TCF4 network could be an important step in the biological process that leads to relapse and suggest that genes related to the ubiquitin proteosome system could be potential biomarkers of relapse. © 2021, The Author(s)

The polygenic basis of relapse after a first episode of schizophrenia

Little is known about genetic predisposition to relapse. Previous studies have linked cognitive and psychopathological (mainly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) polygenic risk scores (PRS) with clinical manifestations of the disease. This study aims to explore the potential role of PRS from major mental disorders and cognition on schizophrenia relapse. 114 patients recruited in the 2EPs Project were included (56 patients who had not experienced relapse after 3 years of enrollment and 58 patients who relapsed during the 3-year follow-up). PRS for schizophrenia (PRS-SZ), bipolar disorder (PRS-BD), education attainment (PRS-EA) and cognitive performance (PRS-CP) were used to assess the genetic risk of schizophrenia relapse.Patients with higher PRS-EA, showed both a lower risk (OR=0.29, 95% CI [0.11–0.73]) and a later onset of relapse (30.96± 1.74 vs. 23.12± 1.14 months, p=0.007. Our study provides evidence that the genetic burden of neurocognitive function is a potentially predictors of relapse that could be incorporated into future risk prediction models. Moreover, appropriate treatments for cognitive symptoms appear to be important for improving the long-term clinical outcome of relapse

Discerning natural and anthropogenic organic matter inputs to salt marsh sediments of Ria Formosa lagoon (South Portugal)

Sedimentary organic matter (OM) origin and molecular composition provide useful information to understand carbon cycling in coastal wetlands. Core sediments from threors' Contributionse transects along Ria Formosa lagoon intertidal zone were analysed using analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC/MS) to determine composition, distribution and origin of sedimentary OM. The distribution of alkyl compounds (alkanes, alkanoic acids and alkan-2-ones), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lignin-derived methoxyphenols, linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), steranes and hopanes indicated OM inputs to the intertidal environment from natural-autochthonous and allochthonous-as well as anthropogenic. Several n-alkane geochemical indices used to assess the distribution of main OM sources (terrestrial and marine) in the sediments indicate that algal and aquatic macrophyte derived OM inputs dominated over terrigenous plant sources. The lignin-derived methoxyphenol assemblage, dominated by vinylguaiacol and vinylsyringol derivatives in all sediments, points to large OM contribution from higher plants. The spatial distributions of PAHs (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) showed that most pollution sources were mixed sources including both pyrogenic and petrogenic. Low carbon preference indexes (CPI > 1) for n-alkanes, the presence of UCM (unresolved complex mixture) and the distribution of hopanes (C-29-C-36) and steranes (C-27-C-29) suggested localized petroleum-derived hydrocarbon inputs to the core sediments. Series of LABs were found in most sediment samples also pointing to domestic sewage anthropogenic contributions to the sediment OM.EU Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate fellowship (FUECA, University of Cadiz, Spain)EUEuropean Commission [FP7-ENV-2011, 282845, FP7-534 ENV-2012, 308392]MINECO project INTERCARBON [CGL2016-78937-R]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The relationship between genetic liability, childhood maltreatment, and IQ: findings from the EU-GEI multicentric case–control study

This study investigated if the association between childhood maltreatment and cognition among psychosis patients and community controls was partially accounted for by genetic liability for psychosis. Patients with first-episode psychosis (N = 755) and unaffected controls (N = 1219) from the EU-GEI study were assessed for childhood maltreatment, intelligence quotient (IQ), family history of psychosis (FH), and polygenic risk score for schizophrenia (SZ-PRS). Controlling for FH and SZ-PRS did not attenuate the association between childhood maltreatment and IQ in cases or controls. Findings suggest that these expressions of genetic liability cannot account for the lower levels of cognition found among adults maltreated in childhood

Microbial assessment of biological colonization on roofing tiles

El resumen corresponde al trabajo publicado en el libro: Heritage, Weathering and Conservation volumen 1, páginas 349-353, ISBN 0-415-41272-2. Consta de 5 páginas, 4 figuras, 13 referencias. Derechos de copyright: Taylor & Francis. International Conference, Madrid, 21-24 June, 2006. 8th Thematic Network on Cultural and Historic Heritage Scientific Meeting Stone, Weathering and Atmospheric Pollution Network Scientific Meeting.Biological colonization of roofing tiles affects not only the aesthetic aspect of the roof but also its functionality. Herein, we analyzed the composition of natural microbial communities developed on roofing tiles aiming to be able to reproduce the colonization process as a method to evaluate the bioreceptivity of roofing tile materials.The authors acknowlege support from project FIT-380000-2004-117.Peer reviewe

Phenanthrene Biodegradation by Pseudomonas xanthomarina Isolated from an Aged Contaminated Soil

6 páginas.-- 3 figuras.-- 3 tablas.-- 35 referencias.-- Preprint submitted to WileyThe bacterial community of a soil contaminated by a mothball chemical industry mainly consisted of Betaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria (with Achromobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp., respectively, as the most representative genera). Upon addition of phenanthrene, species of these two genera were found in the enrichment cultures as well as among the isolated strains. The isolated bacteria were tested for phenanthrene degradation, but only Pseudomonas xanthomarina, either as single culture or in a consortium, showed this capability. Here we show that in aged contaminated soils some members of the bacterial community are active in biodegradation processes, can be easily isolated, and may result appropriated for bioremediation uses.Peer reviewe

Rubrobacter strains isolated from efflorescences in monuments

6 references. Comunicación presentada a la citada Conferencia, celebrada del 28 noviembre-1 diciembre, 2007, Sevilla, España.Peer reviewe