Phylogenetic patterns of rarity and vulnerability in the flora of a temperate mountain range

Species rarity has puzzled ecologists for decades owing to its theoretical fundamentals and practical implications. The main concern that rarity raises from a conservation standpoint is that rare species tend to have higher extinction risk. Understanding the underlying phylogenetic patterns of rarity can shed light on the evolutionary processes yielding rarity, contribute to forecasting potential vulnerable species or lineages, and assess the consequences of the loss of rare species. Here, we apply Rabinowitz's rarity classification scheme and explore phylogenetic patterns in the flora of the Pyrenees, a temperate mountain range. We first categorized species according to their geographic range (endemicity and regional geographic range), habitat specialization and local abundance. Then we analyzed the phylogenetic signal of each rarity type, along with the phylogenetic association between species according to their rarity, and decomposed the variation of rarity among taxonomic levels to better understand its diversification through time. Finally, we estimated the expected loss of phylogenetic diversity (PD) in the regional flora if rare species go extinct. All rarity types showed a certain degree of phylogenetic signal, with endemics, species of limited regional geographic range and habitat specialists forming groups of phylogenetically close species. The decomposition of variation supported these results, as the rarity types with the strongest signal had more variation explained by higher taxonomic levels. The loss of these groups of species had different consequences based on the type of rarity, with the disappearance of habitat specialists having the strongest, negative effect on PD. Our results show a general pattern of phylogenetic association in rarity among the flora of the Pyrenees, which leads to increased vulnerability along certain branches of the Tree of Life. Phylogenetic patterns should be taken into account in conservation planning to effectively protect all facets of biodiversity

The effect of strontium incorporation into sol-gel biomaterials on their protein adsorption and cell interactions

[EN] It is known strontium can both inhibit the osteoclast formation and stimulate the osteoblast maturation, so biomaterials containing this element can favour bone structure stabilisation. The addition of Sr to biomaterials could affect their interactions with proteins and cells. Here, a silica-hybrid sol-gel network doped with different amounts of SrCl2 and applied as coatings on titanium discs was examined. in vitro analysis was performed to determine the potential effect of Sr in the coatings, showing enhanced gene expression of osteogenic markers (alkaline phosphatase and transforming growth factor-beta) in MC3T3-E1 incubated with Sr-doped biomaterials. The examination of inflammatory markers (tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 10) in RAW 264.7 macrophages revealed an anti-inflammatory potential of these materials. Proteins adsorbed onto the coatings incubated with human serum (3 h at 37 degrees C) were also analysed; mass spectrometry was used to characterise the proteins adhering to materials with different Sr content. Adding Sr to the coatings increased their affinity to APOE and VTNC proteins (associated with anti-inflammatory and osteogenic functions). Moreover, the proteins involved in coagulation processes, such as prothrombin, were more abundant on the coatings containing Sr than on the base sol-gel surfaces. Correlations between gene expression and proteomic results were also examined.This work was supported by MINECO (MAT2017-86043-R); Universitat Jaume I (grant numbers Predoc/2014/25, UJI-B2017-37); Basque Government (grant numbers IT611-13, Predoc/2016/1/0141), and University of the Basque Country (UFI11/56). Authors would like to thank Antonio Coso and Jaime Franco (GMI-Ilerimplant) for their inestimable contribution to this study, and Raquel Oliver, Jose Ortega (UJI), and Iraide Escobes (CIC bioGUNE) for their valuable technical assistance.Romero-Gavilán, F.; Araújo-Gomes, N.; García-Arnáez, I.; Martínez-Ramos, C.; Elortza, F.; Azkargorta, M.; Iloro, I.... (2019). The effect of strontium incorporation into sol-gel biomaterials on their protein adsorption and cell interactions. Colloids and Surfaces B Biointerfaces. 174:9-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.10.075S91617

Proteomic analysis of calcium-enriched sol-gel biomaterials

[EN] Calcium is an element widely used in the development of biomaterials for bone tissue engineering as it plays important roles in bone metabolism and blood coagulation. The Ca ions can condition the microenvironment at the tissue-material interface, affecting the protein deposition process and cell responses. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in the patterns of protein adsorption on the silica hybrid biomaterials supplemented with different amounts of CaCl2, which can function as release vehicles. This characterization was carried out by incubating the Ca-biomaterials with human serum. LC-MS/MS analysis was used to characterize the adsorbed protein layers and compile a list of proteins whose affinity for the surfaces might depend on the CaCl2 content. The attachment of pro- and anti-clotting proteins, such as THRB, ANT3, and PROC, increased significantly on the Ca-materials. Similarly, VTNC and APOE, proteins directly involved on osteogenic processes, attached preferentially to these surfaces. To assess correlations with the proteomic data, these formulations were tested in vitro regarding their osteogenic and inflammatory potential, employing MC3T3-E1 and RAW 264.7 cell lines, respectively. The results confirmed a Ca dose-dependent osteogenic and inflammatory behavior of the materials employed, in accordance with the protein attachment patterns.This work was supported by MINECO [MAT2017-86043-R]; Universitat Jaume I [Grant numbers Predoc/2014/25, UJI-B2017-37]; Basque Government [Grant numbers IT611-13, Predoc/2016/1/0141]; University of the Basque Country [Grant number UFI11/56]. CIC bioGUNE is supported by Basque Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Etortek and Elkartek programs), the Innovation Technology Department of the Bizkaia County; The ProteoRed-ISCIII (Grant PRB3 IPT17/0019); CIBERehd Network, and Severo Ochoa Grant (SEV-2016-0644). 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Integral field spectroscopy of nitrogen overabundant blue compact dwarf galaxies

We study the spatial distribution of the physical properties and of oxygen and nitrogen abundances in three Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxiess (HS 0128+2832, HS 0837+4717 and Mrk 930) with a reported excess of N/O in order to investigate the nature of this excess and, particularly, if it is associated with Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars We have observed these BCDs by using PMAS integral field spectroscopy in the optical spectral range (3700 - 6900 {\AA}), mapping their physical-chemical properties, using both the direct method and appropriate strong-line methods. We make a statistical analysis of the resulting distributions and we compare them with the integrated properties of the galaxies. Our results indicate that outer parts of the three galaxies are placed on the "AGN-zone" of the [NII]/H{\alpha} vs. [OIII]/H{\beta} diagnostic diagram most likely due to a high N/O combined with the excitation structure in these regions. From the statistical analysis, it is assumed that a certain property can be considered as spatially homogeneous (or uniform) if a normal gaussian function fits its distribution in several regions of the galaxy. Moreover, a disagreement between the integrated properties and the mean values of the distribution usually appears when a gaussian does not fit the corresponding distribution. We find that for Mrk 930, the uniformity is found for all parameters, except for electron density and reddening. The rotation curve together with the H{\alpha} map and UV images, reveal a perturbed morphology and possible interacting processes. The N/O is found to be constant in the three studied objects at spatial scales of the order of several kpc so we conclude that the number of WR stars estimated from spectroscopy is not sufficient to pollute the ISM and to produce the observed N/O excess in these objectsComment: 17 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Impacto de la cirugía bariátrica en la microbiota intestinal y el metaboloma fecal

Resumen del trabajo presentado a la 14ª Reunión de la Red Española de Bacterias Lácticas (RedBAl), celebrada de forma telemática del 8 al 10 de Septiembre de 2021.Introducción: El tratamiento de la obesidad severa mediante cirugía bariátrica presenta la mejor relación efectividad/coste, siendo el sleeve gástrico (SG) y el bypass gástrico (BPG) las técnicas laparoscópicas más utilizadas. El BPG está recomendado en pacientes con mayor exceso de peso (IMC>50). Aunque se han descrito alteraciones en la microbiota intestinal (MI) en relación con la obesidad, existen pocos estudios en obesidad severa en los que se haya caracterizado este ecosistema y el metaboloma fecal. Objetivos: Evaluar el impacto de la dieta pre-operatoria y la técnica de cirugía bariátrica sobre la MI y el metaboloma fecal en obesidad severa. Sujetos y métodos: Se incluyeron 40 pacientes de cirugía bariátrica (14 SG y 26 BPG), se recogió información clínica de interés, así como muestras de heces a cuatro tiempos: 1)-basal, 2)-tras dieta preoperatoria, 3)-al mes y 4)- a los tres meses de la cirugía. Se determinó la composición de la MI mediante secuenciación del gen ARNr 16S y la concentración fecal de varios metabolitos (ácidos grasos de cadena corta-AGCC, aminoácidos y aminas biógenas-AB) mediante cromatografía de gases y líquida. Resultados: Se han detectado diferencias significativas en la composición de la MI de la muestra basal de los pacientes de BPG y de SG y cambios estadísticamente significativos en la composición de la MI y en el metaboloma fecal entre las cuatro muestras, existiendo un mayor impacto en el BPG. En el caso del patrón fecal de AGCC, ambas cirugías disminuyeron la concentración de los AGCC mayoritarios, aunque no hubo diferencias significativas entre ambas. La concentración fecal de aminoácidos transcurridos tres meses desde la operación fue en general inferior en el grupo de pacientes sometidos a BPG, mientras que la concentración de AB fue superior en comparación con los individuos operados mediante SG. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con obesidad severa e IMC>50 tienen una MI diferente, con mayor abundancia de Firmicutes. La cirugía bariátrica y la dieta preoperatoria asociada modifican la composición de la MI y el perfil de metabolitos fecales, siendo estos cambios más profundos cuando se utiliza la técnica de BPG, probablemente por la alteración anatómica del tránsito intestinal

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the PREDIMED-Plus randomized clinical trial: Effects on the interventions, participants follow-up, and adiposity

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the implementation of most ongoing clinical trials worldwide including the PREDIMED-Plus study. The PREDIMED-Plus is an ongoing, multicenter, controlled intervention trial, aimed at weight-loss and cardiovascular disease prevention, in which participants were randomized (1:1 ratio) to an intervention group (energy-reduced Mediterranean diet, promotion of physical activity, and behavioral support) or to a control group (Mediterranean diet with usual care advice). When the pandemic began, the trial was in the midst of the planned intervention. The objective of this report was to examine the effects of the pandemic on the delivery of the intervention and to describe the strategies established to mitigate the possible adverse effects of the pandemic lockdown on data collection and adiposity. Methods: We assessed the integrity of the PREDIMED-Plus trial during 5 identified periods of the COVID-19 pandemic determined according to restrictions dictated by the Spanish government authorities. A standardized questionnaire was delivered to each of the 23 PREDIMED-Plus recruiting centers to collected data regarding the trial integrity. The effect of the restrictions on intervention components (diet, physical activity) was evaluated with data obtained in the three identified lockdown phases: pre lockdown, lockdown proper, and post lockdown. Results: During the lockdown (March/2020-June/2021), 4,612 participants (48% women, mean age 65y) attended pre-specified yearly follow-up visits to receive lifestyle recommendations and obtain adiposity measures. The overall mean (SD) of the proportions reported by each center showed that 40.4% (25.4) participants had in-person visits, 39.8% (18.2) participants were contacted by telephone and 35% (26.3) by electronic means. Participants' follow-up and data collection rates increased across lockdown periods (from ≈10% at onset to ≈80% at the end). Compared to pre-lockdown, waist circumference increased during (0.75 cm [95% CI: 0.60-0.91]) and after (0.72 cm [95% CI: 0.56-0.89]) lockdown. Body weight did not change during lockdown (0.01 kg [95% CI: -0.10 to 0.13) and decreased after lockdown (-0.17 kg [95% CI: -0.30 to -0.04]). Conclusion: Mitigating strategies to enforce the intervention and patient's follow-up during lockdown have been successful in preserving the integrity of the trial and ensuring its continuation, with minor effects on adiposity. Clinical trial registration: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN89898870, identifier ISRCTN89898870. Keywords: COVID-19; Mediterraean diet; PREDIMED-Plus; clinical trial; lockdown; weight-loss. Copyright © 2023 Paz-Graniel, Fitó, Ros, Buil-Cosiales, Corella, Babio, Martínez, Alonso-Gómez, Wärnberg, Vioque, Romaguera, López-Miranda, Estruch, Tinahones, Lapetra, Serra-Majem, Bueno-Cavanillas, Tur, Martín-Sánchez, Pintó, Gaforio, Matía-Martín, Vidal, Vázquez, Daimiel, García-Gavilán, Toledo, Nishi, Sorlí, Castañer, García-Ríos, García de la Hera, Barón-López, Ruiz-Canela, Morey, Casas, Garrido-Garrido, Tojal-Sierra, Fernández-García, Vázquez-Ruiz, Fernández-Carrión, Goday, Peña-Orihuela, Compañ-Gabucio, Schröder, Martínez-Gonzalez and Salas-Salvadó. Conflict of interest statement The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest

A body weight loss- and health-promoting gut microbiota is established after bariatric surgery in individuals with severe obesity

Obesity has reached an epidemic level worldwide, and bariatric surgery (BS) has been proven to be the most efficient therapy to reduce severe obesity-related comorbidities. Given that the gut microbiota plays a causal role in obesity development and that surgery may alter the gut environment, investigating the impact of BS on the microbiota in the context of severe obesity is important. Although, alterations at the level of total gut bacteria, total gene content and total metabolite content have started to be disentangled, a clear deficit exists regarding the analysis of the active fraction of the microbiota, which is the fraction that is most reactive to the BS. Here, active gut microbiota and associated metabolic functions were evaluated using shotgun proteomics and metabolomics in 40 severely obese volunteers. Samples from each volunteer were obtained under basal conditions, after a short high protein and calorie-restricted diet, and 1 and 3 months after BS, including laparoscopic surgery through Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass or Sleeve Gastrectomy. The results revealed for the first time the most active microbes and metabolic flux distribution pre- and post-surgery and deciphered main differences in the way sugars and short-fatty acids are metabolized, demonstrating that less energy-generating and anaerobic metabolism and detoxification mechanisms are promoted post-surgery. A comparison with non-obese proteome data further signified different ways to metabolize sugars and produce short chain fatty acids and deficiencies in proteins involved in iron transport and metabolism in severely obese individuals compared to lean individuals.This work was funded by grants SAF2015-65878-R, BIO2017-85522-R, PID2019-105969GB-I00 and RTI2018-095166-B-I00 from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (projects PIE14/00045 and AC17/00022), Fundación Agencia Española contra el Cáncer and Instituto de Salud Carlos III(projects ERA NET TRANSCAN-2 AC17/00022 and AECC 2017-1485), Generalitat Valenciana (project Prometeo/2018/A/133) and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The proteomic analysis was performed in the Proteomics Facility of The Spanish National Center for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC) that belongs to ProteoRed, PRB3-ISCIII, supported by grant PT17/0019.Peer reviewe

Morbid liver manifestations are intrinsically bound to metabolic syndrome and nutrient intake based on a machine-learning cluster analysis

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the most important medical problems around the world. Identification of patient ' s singular characteristic could help to reduce the clinical impact and facilitate individualized management. This study aimed to categorize MetS patients using phenotypical and clinical variables habitually collected during health check-ups of individuals considered to have high cardiovascular risk. The selected markers to categorize MetS participants included anthropometric variables as well as clinical data, biochemical parameters and prescribed pharmacological treatment. An exploratory factor analysis was carried out with a subsequent hierarchical cluster analysis using the z-scores from factor analysis. The first step identified three different factors. The first was determined by hypercholesterolemia and associated treatments, the second factor exhibited glycemic disorders and accompanying treatments and the third factor was characterized by hepatic enzymes. Subsequently four clusters of patients were identified, where cluster 1 was characterized by glucose disorders and treatments, cluster 2 presented mild MetS, cluster 3 presented exacerbated levels of hepatic enzymes and cluster 4 highlighted cholesterol and its associated treatments Interestingly, the liver status related cluster was characterized by higher protein consumption and cluster 4 with low polyunsaturated fatty acid intake. This research emphasized the potential clinical relevance of hepatic impairments in addition to MetS traditional characterization for precision and personalized management of MetS patients

European Vegetation Archive (EVA): An integrated database of European vegetation plots

© 2016 International Association for Vegetation Science. The European Vegetation Archive (EVA) is a centralized database of European vegetation plots developed by the IAVS Working Group European Vegetation Survey. It has been in development since 2012 and first made available for use in research projects in 2014. It stores copies of national and regional vegetation- plot databases on a single software platform. Data storage in EVA does not affect on-going independent development of the contributing databases, which remain the property of the data contributors. EVA uses a prototype of the database management software TURBOVEG 3 developed for joint management of multiple databases that use different species lists. This is facilitated by the SynBioSys Taxon Database, a system of taxon names and concepts used in the individual European databases and their corresponding names on a unified list of European flora. TURBOVEG 3 also includes procedures for handling data requests, selections and provisions according to the approved EVA Data Property and Governance Rules. By 30 June 2015, 61 databases from all European regions have joined EVA, contributing in total 1 027 376 vegetation plots, 82% of them with geographic coordinates, from 57 countries. EVA provides a unique data source for large-scale analyses of European vegetation diversity both for fundamental research and nature conservation applications. Updated information on EVA is available online at http://euroveg.org/eva-database