Approaching mercury distribution in burial environment using PLS‑R modelling

Present research was funded by Estudo de esqueletos humanos e de secuencias edafosedimentarias do xacemento de A Lanzada (2017-CP035) funded by Deputación Provincial de Pontevedra. It was supported by the project Fomentar a actividade investigadora do persoal investigador finalista nas convocatorias de axudas da ERC do H2020 by GAIN (2021-CP052). We thank Deputación de Pontevedra, Museum of Pontevedra and the Dirección Xeral de Patrimonio da Xunta de Galicia for providing access to the archaeological soil samples. Special thanks go to the director or archaeological campaign Rafael Rodríguez Martinez for his support in all studies related to A Lanzada. Thanks to the Ecoloxicoloxía e Ecofisioloxía Vexetal research group and Jesús Aboal as well as to RIAIDT for providing access to equipment facilities. This project is funded by Grupos de Referencia Competitiva (ED431C 2021/32) by Xunta de Galicia. Authors would like to thank the use of RIAIDT-USC analytical facilities. OLC is funded by JIN project (PID2019-111683RJ-I00) Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion and Beca Leonardo a Investigadores y Creadores Culturales 2020 (2020-PO048) de la Fundación BBVA. NAF and ZGL are funded by the project Fomentar a actividade investigadora do persoal investigador finalista nas convocatorias de axudas da ERC do H2020 by GAIN (2021-CP052).Mercury environmental cycle and toxicology have been widely researched. Given the long history of mercury pollution, researching mercury trends in the past can help to understand its behaviour in the present. Archaeological skeletons have been found to be useful sources of information regarding mercury loads in the past. In our study we applied a soil multi-sampling approach in two burials dated to the 5th to 6th centuries AD. PLRS modelling was used to elucidate the factors controlling mercury distribution. The model explains 72% of mercury variance and suggests that mercury accumulation in the burial soils is the result of complex interactions. The decomposition of the bodies not only was the primary source of mercury to the soil but also responsible for the pedogenetic transformation of the sediments and the formation of soil components with the ability to retain mercury. The amount of soft tissues and bone mass also resulted in differences between burials, indicating that the skeletons were a primary/secondary source of mercury to the soil (i.e. temporary sink). Within burial variability seems to depend on the proximity of the soil to the thoracic area, where the main mercury target organs were located. We also conclude that, in coarse textured soils, as the ones studied in this investigation, the finer fraction (i.e. silt + clay) should be analysed, as it is the most reactive and the one with the higher potential to provide information on metal cycling and incipient soil processes. Finally, our study stresses the need to characterise the burial soil environment in order to fully understand the role of the interactions between soil and skeleton in mercury cycling in burial contexts.Deputación Provincial de PontevedraERC do H2020Estudo de esqueletos humanos e de secuencias edafosedimentarias do xacemento de A Lanzada 2017-CP035JIN PID2019-111683RJ-I00Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion 2020-PO048Fundación BBVAAxencia Galega de Innovación 2021-CP052, ED431C 2021/32Xunta de Galici

Structural equation modelling of mercury intra-skeletal variability on archaeological human remains

Archaeological burial environments are useful archives to investigate the long-term trends and the behaviour of mercury. In order to understand the relationship between mercury, skeletons and soil, we applied Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to a detailed, multisampling (n = 73 bone samples +37 soil samples) design of two archaeological graves dating to the 6th to 7th centuries CE (A Lanzada site, NW Spain). Mercury content was assessed using a DMA-80, and data about bone structure and the grave soil/sediments were obtained using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. The theoretical model is supported by proxies of bone structure, grave soil/sediments, and location of the bone within the skeleton. The general model explained 61 % of mercury variance. Additionally, Partial Least Square – Prediction Oriented Segmentation (PLS-POS) was also used to check for segmentation in the dataset. POS revealed two group of samples depending on the bone phase (hydroxyapatite or collagen) controlling the Hg content, and the corresponding models explained 86 % and 76 % of Hg variance, respectively. The results suggest that mercury behaviour in the graves is complex, and that mercury concentrations were influenced by i) the ante-mortem status of the bone matrix, related to the weight of each bone phase; ii) post-mortem evolution of bone crystallinity, where bone loses mercury with increasing alteration; and iii) the proximity of the skeletal pieces to mercury target organs, as decomposition and collapse of the thoracic and abdominal soft tissues causes a secondary mercury enrichment in bones from the body trunk during early post-mortem. Skeletons provide a source of mercury to the soil whereas soil/sediments contribute little to skeletal mercury contentPresent research was funded by Estudo de esqueletos humanos e de secuencias edafosedimentarias do xacemento de A Lanzada (2017-CP035) funded by Deputación Provincial de Pontevedra. The study was also supported by the projects “Pollutio” Plan Nacional (PID2019-111683RJ-I00) Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, “Epidemias del hambre” Beca Leonardo a Investigadores y Creadores Culturales 2020 (2020-PO048) de la Fundación BBVA and “Grupos de Referencia Competitiva” (ED431C 2021/32) by Xunta de Galicia. NAF was funded by Convenio de Colaboración entre a Axencia Galega de Innovación, a Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Universidade, a USC e CSIC para fomentar a actividade Investigadora do persoal investigador finalista nas convocatorias de axudas do ERC no Marco do H2020. OLC is funded by a Ramón y Cajal senior fellowship (RYC2020-030531-I)S

Gait pattern and cognitive performance during treadmill walking in Parkinson disease

[Abstract] Objective: The aim of this study was to explore whether attentional demands are involved in gait improvements in Parkinson disease (PD) patients when they walk on a treadmill. Design: Nineteen individuals with idiopathic PD and 19 age-matched healthy controls participated in this study. Participants walked on a treadmill and on overground under single task (walk only) and dual task (walk performing a simultaneous cognitive task) conditions. The dual-task paradigm was used to reveal the attention allocation behavior. Gait pattern and cognitive performance was measured. Results: The PD group showed reduced gait variability when walking on a treadmill in comparison with overground. However, this reduction did not deteriorate during the dual task. Moreover, there were no differences in the cognitive performance between treadmill and overground walking. Conclusions: This study does not support the proposition attentional resource allocation as a possible mechanism for the treadmill-associated gait improvements observed in PD.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; DEP2011-2246

The Impact of Service-Learning on the Prosocial and Professional Competencies in Undergraduate Physical Education Students and Its Effect on Fitness in Recipients

Education is a key component of the student’s transformation towards the creation of a more sustainable future. Among the methodological adaptations in teaching–learning processes, Service-Learning (SL) stands out as a meaningful academic experience to respond to social needs by developing committed citizens to transform society. The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of this SL program on prosocial competence and satisfaction levels in university students, enhance physical fitness and analyze the reflections of the recipients. Moreover, the reflections on SL of the students and the migrants were analyzed. A mixed-methods design was performed. Forty-five students of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences provided a service to a migrant group that consisted of physical fitness training. The instruments implemented were the Prosocial and Civic Competence, the Impact of Service-Learning During Initial Training of Physical Activity and Sports and the reflective diary. The recipients participated in a physical fitness assessment and in a group discussion. The results show that SL in PAH contributes to pedagogical, communication, wellbeing and intercultural competences and also improves their prosocial and civic attitudes. Moreover, the recipients could enhance their physical fitness and their social interaction

HIV-Infected Subjects With Poor CD4 T-Cell Recovery Despite Effective Therapy Express High Levels of OX40 and α4β7 on CD4 T-Cells Prior Therapy Initiation

Background HIV-infected subjects with suboptimal CD4 restoration despite suppressive combined antiretroviral treatment (cART) (immunodiscordant subjects) have been classically characterized after a variable period of time under cART. Recently, we have reported that an increased frequency of proliferating CD4 T-cells in these subjects is already present before the cART onset. The potential contribution of peripheral compensatory homeostatic proliferation (HP) is yet unknown. We aimed to analyze the expression of HP-related cellular markers on CD4 T-cells of immunodiscordant subjects before cART. Go to: Methods We analyzed the expression of OX40 and α4β7 on peripheral CD4 T-cells from immunodiscordant and control subjects (n = 21 each group) before cART initiation, and also on available follow-up samples (after 24 month of suppressive cART). Additionally, we tested the expression of these markers in an in vitro system for the study of human HP processes. Go to: Results Immunodiscordant subjects showed increased levels of OX40 and α4β7 on CD4 T-cells before cART initiation. While the cART tended to reduce these levels, immunodiscordant subjects still maintained comparatively higher levels of OX40 and α4β7 after 24 months under suppressive cART. These HP-related markers were upregulated in vitro during the human HP, especially during the fast HP. Go to: Conclusion Our results are compatible with exacerbated HP processes in immunodiscordant subjects, already before the cART onset.Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria FIS PI14/01693 PI13/0796 PI16/0503Fondos Europeos para el Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) CTS2593Junta de Andalucía. Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo CTS2593AGAUR 2017SGR948GILEAD GLD14/293The Spanish AIDS Research Network of Excellence RD12/0017/0029 RD16/0025/0019 RD16/0025/0006Junta de Andalucía. Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social C-0013-201

Computational and experimental studies on Cu/Au-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted allenes

Cu- and Au-mediated formation of allenes from terminal alkynes and aldehydes via propargylamine intermediates is hampered by reversibility in the propargylamine formation. The use of a stable Au(I) catalyst in the reaction using a chiral propargylamine provided clues to disentangle the mechanism of the whole process that would have been otherwise hidden. Additionally, the process was observed to be stereoselective when an enantiomerically pure chiral propargylamine was used as starting substrate providing the corresponding 1,3-disubstituted allenes with high enantiomeric ratio.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. CTQ2017-85919-RAgencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. CTQ2016-75023-C2-2-PXunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2017/7

Postural Stability and Cognitive Performance of Subjects With Parkinson's Disease During a Dual-Task in an Upright Stance

[Abstract] Background: The reviewed studies on center of pressure (COP) displacement in Parkinson’s disease (PD) subjects show important methodological differences and contradictory results with regard to healthy subjects. The dual-task paradigm method has been used to examine cognitive prioritization strategies to control concurrent postural and cognitive tasks. The motor requirements, such as pronouncing words, involved in the cognitive tasks used in double-task conditions could be related to the heterogeneity of the results. Research Objective: To compare postural sway and cognitive performance in subjects with PD and controls using a dual-task paradigm with a cognitive task free of motor demands. We tried to examine the prioritization strategy of PD patients regarding healthy adults to control for concurrent postural and cognitive tasks. Materials and Methods: 25 subjects with PD and 20 healthy controls carried out a postural task under both single-task and dual-task conditions. The postural task was to stand as still as possible, with eyes first open and then closed. The dual-task condition added a concurrent cognitive task based on phoneme monitoring. COP displacement variables and cognitive performance were compared between the groups and within-subject factors were also examined. Results: PD participants showed higher COP displacement results than the controls. All participants shortened the mean sway radius in dual-task conditions compared with single-task conditions; only healthy subjects presented less transversal COP sway in dual-task conditions than in single-task conditions. The cognitive performance of PD patients on a phoneme monitoring task worsened when they carried it out while maintaining balance in a standing position compared to sitting. The opposite effect occurred in control subjects. Conclusion: This study confirms the negative influence of Parkinson’s disease on the control of standing stability, increasing the COP sway amplitude. The attentional demands of a postural task, such as standing balance, may be greater in PD patients than in healthy subjects. This would affect the performance of patients during dual-task conditions to be able to control a postural task while performing other cognitive tasks. In these conditions, cognitive performance would be negatively affected. These results suggest that subjects with PD, at least during initial disease stages, prioritize postural control over other concurrent tasks, as is also seen in healthy subjects.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support for the research received from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (ref. DEP2017-87384-R

The effects of auditory startle and nonstartle stimuli on step initiation in Parkinson's disease

[Abstract] Background. Auditory external cues enhance step initiation in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. We wanted to explore whether a startle reaction has a comparable effect on step initiation in PD. Methods. Thirteen PD patients and 13 aged-matched controls participated in this study. Electromyography pattern and onset toe-off time during a step initiation task were recorded in response to three different stimuli: a visual imperative stimulus; visual stimulus simultaneous with a nonstartle auditory stimulus and with a startle auditory stimulus. Results. In all subjects, onset of tibialis anterior was faster in the startle auditory condition, compared with the nonstartle auditory condition. However, in the patient group, there was no difference in onset of soleus and toe-off between the startle and nonstartle conditions. Conclusions. Startle reaction in PD patients demonstrates a disordered coupling between the anticipatory postural adjustments that initiate the weight shift and the movement to initiate toe-off during step initiation.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; PSI2008-0317

Mitochondrial Dysfunction Plays a Relevant Role in Pathophysiology of Peritoneal Membrane Damage Induced by Peritoneal Dialysis

[Abstract] Preservation of the peritoneal membrane is an essential determinant of the long-term outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of PD-related peritoneal membrane injury. We hypothesized that mitochondria may be implicated in the mechanisms that initiate and sustain peritoneal membrane damage in this setting. Hence, we carried out ex vivo studies of effluent-derived human mesothelial cells, which disclosed a significant increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production and a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in mesothelial cells with a fibroblast phenotype, compared to those preserving an epithelial morphology. In addition, in vitro studies of omentum-derived mesothelial cells identified mtROS as mediators of the EMT process as mitoTEMPO, a selective mtROS scavenger, reduced fibronectin protein expression induced by TGF-ß1. Moreover, we quantified mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels in the supernatant of effluent PD solutions, disclosing a direct correlation with small solute transport characteristics (as estimated from the ratio dialysate/plasma of creatinine at 240 min), and an inverse correlation with peritoneal ultrafiltration. These results suggest that mitochondria are involved in the EMT that human peritoneal mesothelial cells suffer in the course of PD therapy. The level of mtDNA in the effluent dialysate of PD patients could perform as a biomarker of PD-induced damage to the peritoneal membrane.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI15/02218Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI18/01803Instituto de Salud Carlos III; AGRUP2015/05Instituto de Salud Carlos III; AGRUP2018/0

Involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in the inflammatory response in human mesothelial cells from peritoneal dialysis effluent

[Abstract] Recent studies have related mitochondrial impairment with peritoneal membrane damage during peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. Here, we assessed the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in the inflammatory response in human mesothelial cells, a hallmark in the pathogenesis of PD-related peritoneal membrane damage. Our ex vivo studies showed that IL-1β causes a drop in the mitochondrial membrane potential in cells from peritoneal effluent. Moreover, when mitochondrial damage was induced by inhibitors of mitochondrial function, a low-grade inflammatory response was generated. Interestingly, mitochondrial damage sensitized mesothelial cells, causing a significant increase in the inflammatory response induced by cytokines, in which ROS generation and NF-κB activation appear to be involved, since inflammation was counteracted by both mitoTEMPO (mitochondrial ROS scavenger) and BAY-117085 (NF-κB inhibitor). Furthermore, the natural anti-inflammatory antioxidant resveratrol significantly attenuated the inflammatory response, by reversing the decline in mitochondrial membrane potential and decreasing the expression of IL-8, COX-2 and PGE2 caused by IL-1β. These findings suggest that IL-1β regulates mitochondrial function in mesothelial cells and that mitochondrial dysfunction could induce an inflammatory scenario that sensitizes these cells, causing significant amplification of the inflammatory response induced by cytokines. Resveratrol may represent a promising strategy in controlling the mesothelial inflammatory response to PD.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI15/02218Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI18/0180