Hot spring arsenic distribution in the Andes Cordillera (18-52oS)

1 página.-- Resumen presentado en el 23rd International Applied Geochemistry Symposium (IAGS), Oviedo, 14-19 Jun. 2007.-- Edited by Jorge Loredo Pérez.One of the most extensive areas around the world where the low quality of groundwater due to the presence of high concentrations of arsenic of natural origin is a major concern is Argentina-Chile. The exhaustive knowledge of the geological, hydrogeological, and geochemical setting can be very effective to define an alternative strategy to mitigate the arsenic problem in water. The magnitude and extension of the arsenic affected areas is not well known. In order to understand the source of the arsenic, the development of a database of thermal waters in the Andean region is in progress. We present in this work the assessment of more than 360 hot springs and wells located in the Andes between 14 and 52oS of latitude. This information comes from projects carried out by our team in the area and from references. The hot waters with higher concentrations of arsenic (50-30,000 μg/l) are mainly located in volcanic areas with hydrothermal activity of the Andes Cordillera between 14 and 28oS.Peer reviewe

Sleep matters: Neurodegeneration spectrum heterogeneity, combustion and friction ultrafine particles, industrial nanoparticle pollution, and sleep disorders—Denial is not an option

Sustained exposures to ubiquitous outdoor/indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5), including combustion and friction ultrafine PM (UFPM) and industrial nanoparticles (NPs) starting in utero, are linked to early pediatric and young adulthood aberrant neural protein accumulation, including hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau), beta-amyloid (Aβ1 − 42), α-synuclein (α syn) and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), hallmarks of Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). UFPM from anthropogenic and natural sources and NPs enter the brain through the nasal/olfactory pathway, lung, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, skin, and placental barriers. On a global scale, the most important sources of outdoor UFPM are motor traffic emissions. This study focuses on the neuropathology heterogeneity and overlap of AD, PD, FTLD, and ALS in older adults, their similarities with the neuropathology of young, highly exposed urbanites, and their strong link with sleep disorders. Critical information includes how this UFPM and NPs cross all biological barriers, interact with brain soluble proteins and key organelles, and result in the oxidative, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondrial stress, neuroinflammation, DNA damage, protein aggregation and misfolding, and faulty complex protein quality control. The brain toxicity of UFPM and NPs makes them powerful candidates for early development and progression of fatal common neurodegenerative diseases, all having sleep disturbances. A detailed residential history, proximity to high-traffic roads, occupational histories, exposures to high-emission sources (i.e., factories, burning pits, forest fires, and airports), indoor PM sources (tobacco, wood burning in winter, cooking fumes, and microplastics in house dust), and consumption of industrial NPs, along with neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric histories, are critical. Environmental pollution is a ubiquitous, early, and cumulative risk factor for neurodegeneration and sleep disorders. Prevention of deadly neurological diseases associated with air pollution should be a public health priority

One-year longitudinal association between changes in dietary choline or betaine intake and cardiometabolic variables in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea-Plus (PREDIMED-Plus) trial

Choline and betaine intakes have been related to cardiovascular health. We aimed to explore the relation between 1-y changes in dietary intake of choline or betaine and 1-y changes in cardiometabolic and renal function traits within the frame of the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea)-Plus trial. We used baseline and 1-y follow-up data from 5613 participants (48.2% female and 51.8% male; mean ± SD age: 65.01 ± 4.91 y) to assess cardiometabolic traits, and 3367 participants to assess renal function, of the Spanish PREDIMED-Plus trial. Participants met ≥3 criteria of metabolic syndrome and had overweight or obesity [BMI (in kg/m 2) ≥27 and ≤40]. These criteria were similar to those of the PREDIMED parent study. Dietary intakes of choline and betaine were estimated from the FFQ. The greatest 1-y increase in dietary choline or betaine intake (quartile 4) was associated with improved serum glucose concentrations (−3.39 and −2.72 mg/dL for choline and betaine, respectively) and HbA1c levels (−0.10% for quartile 4 of either choline or betaine intake increase). Other significant changes associated with the greatest increase in choline or betaine intake were reduced body weight (−2.93 and −2.78 kg, respectively), BMI (−1.05 and −0.99, respectively), waist circumference (−3.37 and −3.26 cm, respectively), total cholesterol (−4.74 and −4.52 mg/dL, respectively), and LDL cholesterol (−4.30 and −4.16 mg/dL, respectively). Urine creatinine was reduced in quartile 4 of 1-y increase in choline or betaine intake (−5.42 and −5.74 mg/dL, respectively). Increases in dietary choline or betaine intakes were longitudinally related to improvements in cardiometabolic parameters. Markers of renal function were also slightly improved, and they require further investigation. This trial was registered at as ISRCTN89898870

Los efectos socioeconómicos y culturales de la pandemia COVID-19 y del aislamiento social, preventivo y obligatorio en las comunidades indígenas de la RMBA, NOA, NEA y Patagonia

En este informe, queremos evidenciar los desafíos, consecuencias e impactos socioeconómicos y culturales que atraviesan las poblaciones indígenas con las cuales trabajamos en el contexto actual de pandemia mundial. Específicamente nos centramos en comunidades de los grupos originarios toba(qom), moqoit, mapuche, guaraní, kolla, diaguita, wichí, quechua y aymara, entre otros, ubicados en la Región Centro, Noroeste, Noreste, Cuyo y Patagonia de nuestro país. Desde hace años, quienes redactamos el presente documento, participamos en diversos proyectos de extensión e investigación mediante programas y proyectos de universidades nacionales -junto a investigadores y becarias y becarios del Consejo Nacional de investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) y de la Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (FONCYT), de la UBA, UNLP, UNLu y UNCo-. Esta iniciativa además de recuperar los resultados deltrabajo mencionado, se insertaen el relevamiento promovido por la Comisión de Ciencias Sociales de la Unidad Coronavirus (MINCYT-CONICET-AGENCIA); que surge a partir de un pedido elevado a las Facultades de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales del país y a las Unidades Ejecutoras del CONICET.Fil: Stecher, Gabriel. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Asentamiento Universitario San Martín de los Andes; Argentina

Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020

[EN] Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3,4,5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes.S

La renovación de la palabra en el bicentenario de la Argentina : los colores de la mirada lingüística

El libro reúne trabajos en los que se exponen resultados de investigaciones presentadas por investigadores de Argentina, Chile, Brasil, España, Italia y Alemania en el XII Congreso de la Sociedad Argentina de Lingüística (SAL), Bicentenario: la renovación de la palabra, realizado en Mendoza, Argentina, entre el 6 y el 9 de abril de 2010. Las temáticas abordadas en los 167 capítulos muestran las grandes líneas de investigación que se desarrollan fundamentalmente en nuestro país, pero también en los otros países mencionados arriba, y señalan además las áreas que recién se inician, con poca tradición en nuestro país y que deberían fomentarse. Los trabajos aquí publicados se enmarcan dentro de las siguientes disciplinas y/o campos de investigación: Fonología, Sintaxis, Semántica y Pragmática, Lingüística Cognitiva, Análisis del Discurso, Psicolingüística, Adquisición de la Lengua, Sociolingüística y Dialectología, Didáctica de la lengua, Lingüística Aplicada, Lingüística Computacional, Historia de la Lengua y la Lingüística, Lenguas Aborígenes, Filosofía del Lenguaje, Lexicología y Terminología

Estado actual del conocimiento sobre el arsénico en el agua de Argentina y Chile: origen, movilidad y tratamiento

22 páginas, 1 tabla.-- Trabajo presentado en el taller organizado en el marco del II Seminario HispanoLatinoamericano sobre temas actuales de Hidrología Subterránea IV Congreso Hidrogeológico Argentino, celebrado entre los días 25 y 28 de Octubre de 2005 en Río Cuarto (Argentina).[EN] Approximately two million inhabitants in an area of 1.7 x 106 km2 in the South American Cone are potentially exposed to drinking water with arsenic concentrations exceeding 50 μg/l and, consequently, have a high risk of arsenicosis. The affected area extends NW-SE from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast. The southern border is a line at 30oS in Chile that follows the rivers Desaguadero and Colorado in Argentina. A provisional northern border has been established through the north of the Altiplano and the rivers Bermejo and Paraná. In relation to arsenic, this large zone has been subdivided in: 1) cordilleran zone (includes the Altiplano and the Puna) and neighboring areas, 2) pericordilleran zone, and 3) pampean zone. Except for local contamination of mining and smelters, the arsenic source is natural and is related to the volcanism and associated hydrothermal activity of the Andes Cordillera between 14 y 28oS. The secondary dispersion by means of surface waters is the main process implied in the arsenic transport to the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Arsenic mobility is controlled by redox conditions and pH. Oxidizing conditions prevail in the South American Cone and arsenic is dominantly present as dissolved species of As(V), while pH is near neutral to slightly alkaline. Water management in this area is conditioned by the oxidation state of arsenic, but also by the frequent high salinity and high concentrations of potentially toxic trace elements (e.g., fluorine) and the low microbiological quality. Water supply needs varie from rural families to cities. A possible solution is the use of alternative water sources. If this is not possible, water treatment using optimized conventional processes, demineralization technologies, bioremoval methods, and point of use technologies are alternatives for arsenic removal in water.[ES] Unos dos millones de personas en un área de un 1,7 x 106 km2 en el Cono Sur americano están potencialmente expuestos a la ingestión de agua con más de 50 μg/l de arsénico y consecuentemente tienen un riesgo elevado de padecer arsenicismo. El área afectada se extiende en un continuo noroeste-sureste desde la costa pacífica a la costa atlántica. El límite meridional aproximadamente corresponde a los 30oS en Chile y a los cursos de los ríos Desaguadero y Colorado en Argentina. El límite septentrional provisionalmente se ha fijado en el borde norte del Altiplano, y los cursos de los ríos Bermejo y Paraná. Por lo que respecta al arsénico en el agua, esta gran zona se puede subdividir en: 1) zona cordillerana, incluye el Altiplano y la Puna, y áreas limítrofes, 2) zona pericordillerana, y 3) zona pampeana. Salvo casos locales de contaminación (explotaciones mineras, fundiciones), el origen del arsénico es natural y está relacionado con el volcanismo y la actividad hidrotermal asociada de la cordillera de los Andes entre 14 y 28oS. La dispersión secundaria a través de aguas superficiales ha sido el mecanismo dominante que ha llevado el arsénico hasta las costas pacífica y atlántica. La movilidad del arsénico está condicionada por las condiciones redox y el pH. En el contexto de la región arsenical del Cono Sur, prevalecen las condiciones oxidantes, estando el arsénico mayoritariamente disuelto en forma de especies con As(V), y el pH es neutro o tiende a la alcalinidad. La gestión del abastecimiento con agua de calidad en esta zona debe tener en cuenta además del estado de oxidación del arsénico en el agua, la existencia frecuente de salinidades elevadas y la presencia de concentraciones que superan los límites admisibles en agua para consumo humano de otros elementos potencialmente tóxicos (p. ej., flúor) y la baja calidad microbiológica. Las necesidades abarcan desde el suministro rural familiar hasta el de ciudades con varios cientos de miles de habitantes. Las soluciones pasan por el abastecimiento de fuentes alternativas sin arsénico o, cuando no sea posible, el tratamiento mediante plantas potabilizadoras convencionales optimizadas, tecnologías desmineralizadoras, bioremoción y utilización de métodos muy simples en el punto de uso.Este trabajo se realiza en el marco de la Acción Complementaria del Programa Nacional de Cooperación Internacional en Ciencia y Tecnología del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia de España (Ref. CTM2004-0260-E).Peer reviewe

Hot spring arsenic distribution in the Andes Cordillera (18-52oS)

1 página.-- Resumen presentado en el 23rd International Applied Geochemistry Symposium (IAGS), Oviedo, 14-19 Jun. 2007.-- Edited by Jorge Loredo Pérez.One of the most extensive areas around the world where the low quality of groundwater due to the presence of high concentrations of arsenic of natural origin is a major concern is Argentina-Chile. The exhaustive knowledge of the geological, hydrogeological, and geochemical setting can be very effective to define an alternative strategy to mitigate the arsenic problem in water. The magnitude and extension of the arsenic affected areas is not well known. In order to understand the source of the arsenic, the development of a database of thermal waters in the Andean region is in progress. We present in this work the assessment of more than 360 hot springs and wells located in the Andes between 14 and 52oS of latitude. This information comes from projects carried out by our team in the area and from references. The hot waters with higher concentrations of arsenic (50-30,000 μg/l) are mainly located in volcanic areas with hydrothermal activity of the Andes Cordillera between 14 and 28oS.Peer reviewe

Geoquímica de cenizas volcánicas a lo largo de dos transectas en Sudamérica: implicaciones ambientales

[EN]The ash associated with explosive volcanism provides nutrients but also potentially toxic trace elements to the biogeochemical cycles on both continental and oceanic scale. We have developed and innovated several analytical protocols for assessment of these contributions on ashes from different eruptions in the American Southern Cone. The geochemical contribution of a volcanic eruption is significant for the large volume of ash involved. For example, the ash from the 2008 eruption of the Chaitén volcano could transfer 10,000 to 100,000 metric tons (Tm) of Ca, Na, S and Cl, between 1,000 and 10,000 Tm of Si, K, F, Mg and Al; between 100 and 1,000 Tm of As, Pb and P, between 10 and 100 of Fe, Sr, Zn, Mn, Br, Ba, Li, Ti, Ni, Nb, Cu, Rb, Zr and V, and less than 10 Tm of Mo, Sc, Cr , Sb, Ce, Ga, Cs, Co, and Y. The main geochemical impact occurs after the first ash-water interaction, being very fast, hours to days. It is recommended the construction of closed water reservoirs for people and livestock to overcome this event in areas of potential impact of ash falls.[ES]La ceniza generada por el volcanismo explosivo aporta nutrientes pero también elementos traza potencialmente tóxicos a gran escala a los ciclos biogeoquímicos continentales y oceánicos. Se han desarrollado e innovado protocolos analíticos para la evaluación de estos aportes sobre cenizas de diferentes erupciones en el Cono Sur americano. La contribución geoquímica de una erupción volcánica es significativa por el gran volumen de ceniza implicado. Por ejemplo, las cenizas de la erupción de 2008 del volcán Chaitén pueden llegar a transferir 10.000 a 100.000 Tm de Ca, Na, S y Cl; entre 1,000 y 10,000 Tm de Si, K, F, Mg y Al; entre 100 y 1,000 de As, Pb y P; entre 10 y 100 de Fe, Sr, Zn, Mn, Br, Ba, Li, Ti, Ni, Nb, Cu, Rb, Zr y V; y menos de 10 de Mo, Sc, Cr, Sb, Ce, Ga, Cs, Co e Y. El mayor impacto geoquímico se produce tras el primer contacto de la ceniza con el agua y es muy rápido, horas a días, por lo que se recomienda que en las zonas de potencial impacto se disponga de reservas de agua para la población y el ganado para superar este evento.Agradecemos el apoyo técnico del labGEOTOP (infraestructura cofinanciada por FEDER, CSIC08-4E-001) del ICTJA-CSIC; de los Grupos PEGEFA (2009-SGR-972) y GEOVOL y fue financiado por el Proyecto ASH (CGL2008-00099) y la Beca FPU de F. Ruggieri (AP2006-04592).Peer reviewe

Impact of obesity-related genes in Spanish population

Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't;Background: The objective was to investigate the association between BMI and single nucleotide polymorphisms previously identified of obesity-related genes in two Spanish populations. Forty SNPs in 23 obesity-related genes were evaluated in a rural population characterized by a high prevalence of obesity (869 subjects, mean age 46 yr, 62% women, 36% obese) and in an urban population (1425 subjects, mean age 54 yr, 50% women, 19% obese). Genotyping was assessed by using SNPlex and PLINK for the association analysis. Results: Polymorphisms of the FTO were significantly associated with BMI, in the rural population (beta 0.87, p-value <0.001). None of the other SNPs showed significant association after Bonferroni correction in the two populations or in the pooled analysis. A weighted genetic risk score (wGRS) was constructed using the risk alleles of the Tag-SNPs with a positive Beta parameter in both populations. From the first to the fifth quintile of the score, the BMI increased 0.45 kg/m2 in Hortega and 2.0 kg/m2 in Pizarra. Overall, the obesity predictive value was low (less than 1%). Conclusion: The risk associated with polymorphisms is low and the overall effect on BMI or obesity prediction is minimal. A weighted genetic risk score based on genes mainly acting through central nervous system mechanisms was associated with BMI but it yields minimal clinical prediction for the obesity risk in the general population.This work was supported by CIBER of Diabetes and metabolic diseases (CIBERDEM) and CIBER obesity and nutrition (CIBEROB). CIBERDEM and CIBEROBN are initiatives of the "Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias"; INGENFRED (Ref. CIBER-02-08-2009) grant from CIBERDEM; PI070497 from the "Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias"; ACOMP/2009/201 and PROMETEO/2009/029 from the Valencian Government; SAF2005-02883 from Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia; P06-CTS-01684 from Andalusian Governement; Gema Rojo-Martinez [CP06/00133], and F. Javier Chaves [FIS01/3047] are contracted by the Health Institute Carlos III.Ye