Rate of biological invasions is lower in coastal marine protected areas

Marine biological invasions threaten biodiversity worldwide. Here we explore how Marine Protected areas, by reducing human use of the coast, confer resilience against the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), using two very different Pacific islands as case studies for developing and testing mathematical models. We quantified NIS vectors and promoters on Vancouver (Canada) and Moorea (French Polynesia) islands, sampled and barcoded NIS, and tested models at different spatial scales with different types of interaction among vectors and between marine protection and NIS frequency. In our results NIS were negatively correlated with the dimension of the protected areas and the intensity of the protection. Small to medium geographical scale protection seemed to be efficient against NIS introductions. The likely benefit of MPAs was by exclusion of aquaculture, principally in Canada. These results emphasize the importance of marine protected areas for biodiversity conservation, and suggest that small or medium protected zones would confer efficient protection against NIS introduction

Metabolic syndrome improvement in depression six months after prescribing simple hygienic-dietary recommendations

BACKGROUND: Changes in diet and exercise have been separately demonstrated to improve Depression, although scientific evidence available is scarce. In a previously published controlled study, just recommending these and other lifestyle measures (sleep restriction and sunlight exposure) in combination once, patients experienced improvements in their depressive symptoms six months later. In this sample, one in three depressive patients had metabolic syndrome (MetS) at baseline. First line treatment of MetS condition is hygienic-dietetic, being Mediterranean diet and exercise especially important. Therefore we analyzed if lifestyle recommendations also improved their metabolic profile. FINDINGS: During the sixth month evaluation, a smaller number of patients from the group receiving hygienic-dietary recommendations met MetS criteria comparing with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that costless lifestyle recommendations, such as exercise and Mediterranean diet, have the capacity to promote both mental and physical health in a significant proportion of depressive patients. Further research is needed to confirm or discard these preliminary findings

Coastal engineering infrastructure impacts Blue Carbon habitats distribution and ecosystem functions

ABSTRACT: Intertidal estuarine habitats (e.g., saltmarshes and tidal flats) provide important ecosystem services to society, including coastal protection, food provision and Corg sequestration. Yet, estuaries and estuarine habitats have been subjected to intense human pressure, such as land-use change and artificialization of the shoreline to support economic activities and uses. Construction of engineering infrastructures (e.g., piers, bridges) in these areas alters estuary-wide hydromorphological conditions and thus sedimentation patterns at the estuarine scale, which are key drivers of habitats distribution and ecosystem structure, processes and functions. Most of the research on the impact of civil engineering structures on coastal habitats has focused on the biological communities that colonize them or the bottoms where they are placed, whereas their indirect impacts on adjacent habitats has been largely unexplored. Understanding the influence of man-made infrastructures on the distribution of estuarine habitats and functions is critical, particularly considering that shoreline armoring is expected to increase as a way to protect coastal areas from hazards derived from climate change. Shifts in habitat distribution and functions occur in several years or decades and relating them with the occurrence of past historical events is challenging when no monitoring data is available. By examining historical aerial photographs and different biogeochemical properties along a saltmarsh soil record, this study demonstrates that the construction of an infrastructure (i.e. bridge) caused a rapid transformation (~30 years) of a bare sandflat into a high marsh community and to significant changes in sediment biogeochemical properties, including the decrease in sediment accretion rate and Corg burial rates since then. This study contributes to increase the knowledge on the impact that the construction in coastal areas of civil engineering infrastructures can cause in intertidal habitats distribution and the ecological functions they provide for climate change adaption and mitigation.This research was carried out with the contribution of the LIFE Programme of the European Union to the Project ADAPTA BLUES (ref. LIFE18 CCA/ES/001160). This document reflects only the author’s view and the Agency/ Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Authors acknowledges the financial support from the Government of Cantabria through the Fénix Programme. The authors want to thank the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya to MERS (2017 SGR-1588) and the Spanish Government for the “Maria de Maeztu” program for Units of Excellence to ICTA (Grant No. CEX2019-000940-M). We would like to thank Joan Manel Bruach Menchen from the Grup de Recerca en Radioactivitat Ambiental de Barcelona—GRAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) for his work on the analysis of 210Pb dating. In memorial of Jordi Garcia-Orellana, who left us during the preparation of this manuscript, but whose ideas, motivation and help always made this job easy and fun

The Mediterranean diet and micronutrient levels in depressive patients

Introduction: An inverse association between depression and some serum micronutrient levels (selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium, vitamin B and folic acid) has been reported. In addition, other studies reported that this micronutrient supplementation may improve depressed mood. The Mediterranean diet contains a sufficient amount of the micronutrients mentioned, although no study has reported an association between diet prescription and increased levels of them in depressive patients. Objective: To examine the impact of dietary patterns recommendations on micronutrient levels in depressive patients. Methods: 77 outpatients were randomly assigned either to the active (hygienic-dietary recommendations on diet, exercise, sleep, and sun exposure) or control group. Outcome measures were assessed before and after the six month intervention period. Results: Serum selenium and zinc levels were slightly low at basal point and serum selenium was inversely correlated with severity of depression (r=-0.233; p=0.041). A better outcome of depressive symptoms was found in the active group. Nevertheless, no significant differences in micronutrient levels were observed after the Mediterranean diet pattern prescription, probably due to an insufficient adherence. Conclusion: Selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium, vitamin B12 and folic acid serum levels didn`t increase in depressed patients after six months of the Mediterranean diet pattern prescription

Humic like substances for the treatment of scarcely soluble pollutants by mild photo-Fenton process

[EN] Humic-like substances (HLS) extracted from urban wastes have been tested as auxiliaries for the photo Fenton removal of thiabendazole (TBZ) under simulated sunlight. Experimental design methodology based on Doehlert matrices was employed to check the effects of hydrogen peroxide concentration, HLS amount as well as TBZ loading; this last parameter was studied in the range 25-100 mg/L, to include values below and above the limit of solubility at pH = 5. Very satisfactory results were reached when TBZ was above solubility if HLS and H2O2 amounts were high. This could be attributed to an interaction of HLS-TBZ that enhances the solubility of the pollutant. Additional evidence supporting the latter interaction was obtained by fluorescence measurements (excitation emission matrices) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Authors want to acknowledge the financial support of Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (CTQ2015-69832-C04) and European Union (645551-RISE-2014, MAT4TREAT). The present work was partially supported by UNLP (11/X679), ANPCyT (PICT-2015-0374A) and CONICET (PIP: 12-2013-01-00236CO). B. Caram thank the CONICET for his research graduate grant. F. S. Garcia Einschlag is a research member of CONICET.Caram, B.; García-Ballesteros, S.; Santos-Juanes Jordá, L.; Arqués Sanz, A.; Garcia-Einschlag, FS. (2018). Humic like substances for the treatment of scarcely soluble pollutants by mild photo-Fenton process. Chemosphere. 198:139-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.01.074S13914619

Photo-fenton degradation of pentachlorophenol l: competition between additives and photolysis

[EN] In the present work, the photo-Fenton degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP, 1 mg/L) has been studied under simulated and natural solar irradiation; moreover, the effect on the process efficiency of urban waste-derived soluble bio-based substances (SBO), structurally comparable to humic acids, has been investigated. Experiments showed a crucial role of PCP photolysis, present in the solar pilot plant and hindered by the Pyrex (R) filter present in the solar simulator. Indeed, the SBO screen negatively affects PCP degradation when working under natural solar light, where the photolysis of PCP is relevant. In contrast, in the absence of PCP photolysis, a significant improvement of the photo-Fenton process was observed when added to SBO. Furthermore, SBO were able to extend the application of the photo-Fenton process at circumneutral pH values, due to their ability to complex iron, avoiding its precipitation as oxides or hydroxides. This positive effect has been observed at higher concentration of Fe(II) (4 mg/L), whereas at 1 mg/L, the degradation rates of PCP were comparable in the presence and absence of SBO.This work was realized with the financial support of the academic interchange from the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange project, funded by the European Commission H2020-MSCA-RISE-2014 within the framework of the research project Mat4treaT (Project number: 645551).Vergura, EP.; García-Ballesteros, S.; Vercher Pérez, RF.; Santos-Juanes Jordá, L.; Bianco Prevot, A.; Arqués Sanz, A. (2019). Photo-Fenton Degradation of Pentachlorophenol: Competition between Additives and Photolysis. Nanomaterials. 9(8):1-8. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9081157S189

Coastal engineering infrastructure impacts Blue Carbon habitats distribution and ecosystem functions

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MAltres ajuts: EU LIFE Programme (LIFE18 CCA/ES/001160)Intertidal estuarine habitats (e.g., saltmarshes and tidal flats) provide important ecosystem services to society, including coastal protection, food provision and C sequestration. Yet, estuaries and estuarine habitats have been subjected to intense human pressure, such as land-use change and artificialization of the shoreline to support economic activities and uses. Construction of engineering infrastructures (e.g., piers, bridges) in these areas alters estuary-wide hydromorphological conditions and thus sedimentation patterns at the estuarine scale, which are key drivers of habitats distribution and ecosystem structure, processes and functions. Most of the research on the impact of civil engineering structures on coastal habitats has focused on the biological communities that colonize them or the bottoms where they are placed, whereas their indirect impacts on adjacent habitats has been largely unexplored. Understanding the influence of man-made infrastructures on the distribution of estuarine habitats and functions is critical, particularly considering that shoreline armoring is expected to increase as a way to protect coastal areas from hazards derived from climate change. Shifts in habitat distribution and functions occur in several years or decades and relating them with the occurrence of past historical events is challenging when no monitoring data is available. By examining historical aerial photographs and different biogeochemical properties along a saltmarsh soil record, this study demonstrates that the construction of an infrastructure (i.e. bridge) caused a rapid transformation (~ 30 years) of a bare sandflat into a high marsh community and to significant changes in sediment biogeochemical properties, including the decrease in sediment accretion rate and C burial rates since then. This study contributes to increase the knowledge on the impact that the construction in coastal areas of civil engineering infrastructures can cause in intertidal habitats distribution and the ecological functions they provide for climate change adaption and mitigation

Estil de vida i salut mental

L’augment de l’esperança de vida ha generat un creixent interès per l’estudi de la qualitat de vida de les persones grans. La depressió i l’ansietat són els dos problemes de salut mental més freqüents en aquest grup de pacients i amb més repercussió en la seva qualitat de vida. La depressió comporta habitualment una sèrie de conductes (mala alimentació, aïllament, sedentarisme, desinterès per la cura d’un mateix, etc.) que poden precipitar o agreujar altres malalties físiques. D’altra banda, el risc d’aparició de depressió en edats avançades pot augmentar davant la freqüent restricció d’activitats i l’aïllament social, els impediments en la mobilitat, així com per l’impacte creixent de malalties mèdiques, sobretot d’origen cardiovascular, vascular cerebrals i neurodegeneratives. Hi ha, per tant, una relació de causalitat bidireccional entre la salut física i la mental. Sembla que la ciència està demostrant el que va proposar fa molts segles Juvenal en la famosa expressió «Mens sana in corpore sano». És lògic, d’acord amb el que s’ha exposat més amunt, que intervencions basades en l’estil de vida estiguin demostrant utilitat en la prevenció i el tractament dels trastorns mentals. Per exemple, la pràctica regular d’exercici físic, una dieta sana i equilibrada com la que ofereix el patró mediterrani, una correcta higiene de son i l’exposició moderada a la llum solar poden ser eines importants per a l’abordatge dels símptomes depressius en la població gran, a més de millorar la seva salut física.El aumento de la esperanza de vida ha generado un creciente interés por el estudio de la calidad de vida de las personas mayores. La depresión y la ansiedad son los dos problemas de salud mental más frecuentes en este grupo de pacientes y con mayor repercusión en su calidad de vida. La depresión comporta habitualmente una serie de conductas (mala alimentación, aislamiento, sedentarismo, desinterés por la higiene y atención de un mismo, etc.) que pueden precipitar o agravar otras enfermedades físicas. Por otro lado, el riesgo de aparición de depresión en edades avanzadas puede aumentar ante la frecuente restricción de actividades y el aislamiento social, los impedimentos en la movilidad, así como por el impacto creciente de enfermedades médicas, sobre todo de origen cardiovascular, vascular-cerebrales y neurodegenerativas. Existe, por lo tanto, una relación de causalidad bidireccional entre la salud física y la mental. Parece que la ciencia está demostrando lo que propuso hace muchos siglos Juvenal en la famosa expresión «Mens sana in corpore sano». Es lógico, de acuerdo con lo expuesto anteriormente, que intervenciones basadas en el estilo de vida estén demostrando utilidad en la prevención y el tratamiento de los trastornos mentales. Por ejemplo, la práctica regular de ejercicio físico, una dieta sana y equilibrada como la que ofrece el patrón mediterráneo, una correcta higiene de sueño y la exposición moderada a la luz solar pueden ser herramientas importantes en el abordaje de los síntomas depresivos en la población mayor, además de mejorar su salud física

Microarrays as Platform for Multiplex Assays in Biomarker and Drug Discovery

Despite the tremendous advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms and the complexity of the diseases is one of the present challenges for the scientific community; then, novel strategies are required to be designed and developed for effective strategies for early diagnosis and treatment. As many cellular alterations are observed at protein level, high-throughput assays are dramatically needed for biomarker discovery. Herein, we describe advantages and limitations of protein microarrays, as proteomics strategy useful for multiplex and high-throughput protein characterization in clinical samples. Finally, a few examples are discussed; mostly of them related to currently disease biomarkers already identified in proximal fluids by protein arrays are discussed

Mindfulness skills and experiential avoidance as therapeutic mechanisms for treatment-resistant depression through mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and lifestyle modification

Background/objective: The COVID-19 pandemic and consequent physical distancing has made it difficult to provide care for those with Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). As a secondary analysis of a clinical trial, the aim of this study was to explore potential mechanisms through which three online-delivered approaches, added to treatment as usual, improve depressive symptoms in TRD patients. Methods: The three approaches included (a) Minimal Lifestyle Intervention (MLI), (b) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and (c) Lifestyle Modification Program (LMP). Sixty-six participants with TRD completed assessments pre-post intervention (mindfulness skills [FFMQ]; self-compassion [SCS]; and experiential avoidance [AAQ-II]) and pre-intervention to follow-up (depressive symptoms [BDI-II]). Data were analyzed using within-subjects regression models to test mediation. Results: Mindfulness skills mediated the effect of MBCT on depressive symptoms (ab = −4.69, 95% CI = −12.93 to−0.32), whereas the lack of experiential avoidance mediated the effect of LMP on depressive symptoms (ab = −3.22, 95% CI = −7.03 to−0.14). Conclusion: Strengthening mindfulness skills and decreasing experiential avoidance may promote recovery in patients with TRD, MBCT, and LMP have demonstrated that they may help increase mindfulness skills and decrease experiential avoidance, respectively. Future work will need to unpick the components of these interventions to help isolate active ingredients and increase optimization