Agricultural use of compost under different irrigation strategies in a hedgerow olive grove under Mediterranean conditions – a comparison with traditional systems

Soil and water-efficient management are key factors in ensuring the olive sector's sustainable production practices. The use of compost based on olive waste (alperujo) as fertilizer could enhance ecosystem services while the need to transition to a zero-waste approach based on a circular economy is achieved. The present work includes a comparative study of the effect of alperujo compost (AC) vs. inorganic fertilization under different management systems: a traditional adult olive grove under rainfed conditions and a young hedgerow olive system, in which a factorial test of tree irrigation regimes (full, deficit and no irrigation) is implemented as well. At the hedgerow plots, the addition of AC and soil sampling time greatly impacted soil chemical parameters and, to a lesser extent, enzymatic activities, whereas irrigation regimes did not exert a marked influence. In the traditional rainfed system, the addition of AC proved to be an efficient tool for carbon sequestration. The first soil sampling revealed a clear stoichiometric relationship between soil organic matter (SOM) and the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) contents in both systems, whereas the correlations were weak and scarce in the second sampling at the hedgerow plots. This fact was related to the decay of the compost effect. Compost in combination with irrigation tended to trigger a certain priming effect on the native SOM with time since the carbon stocks were reduced between 6 % and 38 % from one sampling to the other in the hedgerow system, depending on the irrigation intensity. However, the deficit irrigation caused a less intense reduction of the SOM and essential nutrients representing the best alternative to maximizing the agronomic effects of the compost under a water-saving strategy. Recurrent application of compost would be necessary to maintain soil quality, especially with high tree densities. The combined management of AC and the deficit irrigation proved to be an efficient tool toward a zero-waste circular economy and a water conservation strategy.</p

An Assessment of Contaminants in UK Road-Verge Biomass and the Implications for Use as Anaerobic Digestion Feedstock

Biomass from harvested road-verge herbage has potential value as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion (AD) energy plants. However, the proximity to road traffic related pollution sources introduces the possibility of contamination by potentially toxic elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Potential sources of pollution from road traffic emissions are identified and the consequent likelihood of certain contaminants being present at elevated levels is assessed. Samples of road verge biomass harvested from selected locations in Lincolnshire UK for use in AD plants were analysed to produce a set of measurements for the presence of the contaminants of interest. The measured levels of these contaminants are compared to reported background levels in UK herbage and soils to assess if there is significant increased concentration in road-verge biomass. Samples of digestate from an AD plant using the road-verge biomass as feedstock were also analysed to determine if there is notable risk of transfer and concentration of contaminants into agricultural land where the digestate may be used for fertilisation. While elevated levels of contaminants were detected, they were not found in concentrations on road verge biomass at high enough levels to cause adverse effects or concerns for its safe use as an AD feedstock

Deep-sequencing reveals broad subtype-specific HCV resistance mutations associated with treatment failure

A percentage of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients fail direct acting antiviral (DAA)-based treatment regimens, often because of drug resistance-associated substitutions (RAS). The aim of this study was to characterize the resistance profile of a large cohort of patients failing DAA-based treatments, and investigate the relationship between HCV subtype and failure, as an aid to optimizing management of these patients. A new, standardized HCV-RAS testing protocol based on deep sequencing was designed and applied to 220 previously subtyped samples from patients failing DAA treatment, collected in 39 Spanish hospitals. The majority had received DAA-based interferon (IFN) a-free regimens; 79% had failed sofosbuvir-containing therapy. Genomic regions encoding the nonstructural protein (NS) 3, NS5A, and NS5B (DAA target regions) were analyzed using subtype-specific primers. Viral subtype distribution was as follows: genotype (G) 1, 62.7%; G3a, 21.4%; G4d, 12.3%; G2, 1.8%; and mixed infections 1.8%. Overall, 88.6% of patients carried at least 1 RAS, and 19% carried RAS at frequencies below 20% in the mutant spectrum. There were no differences in RAS selection between treatments with and without ribavirin. Regardless of the treatment received, each HCV subtype showed specific types of RAS. Of note, no RAS were detected in the target proteins of 18.6% of patients failing treatment, and 30.4% of patients had RAS in proteins that were not targets of the inhibitors they received. HCV patients failing DAA therapy showed a high diversity of RAS. Ribavirin use did not influence the type or number of RAS at failure. The subtype-specific pattern of RAS emergence underscores the importance of accurate HCV subtyping. The frequency of “extra-target” RAS suggests the need for RAS screening in all three DAA target regions

Serological response and breakthrough infection after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with cirrhosis and post-liver transplant

BACKGROUND: Vaccine hesitancy and lack of access remain major issues in disseminating COVID-19 vaccination to liver patients globally. Factors predicting poor response to vaccination and risk of breakthrough infection are important data to target booster vaccine programs. The primary aim of the current study was to measure humoral responses to 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Secondary aims included the determination of factors predicting breakthrough infection. METHODS: COVID-19 vaccination and Biomarkers in cirrhosis And post-Liver Transplantation is a prospective, multicenter, observational case-control study. Participants were recruited at 4-10 weeks following first and second vaccine doses in cirrhosis [n = 325; 94% messenger RNA (mRNA) and 6% viral vaccine], autoimmune liver disease (AILD) (n = 120; 77% mRNA and 23% viral vaccine), post-liver transplant (LT) (n = 146; 96% mRNA and 3% viral vaccine), and healthy controls (n = 51; 72% mRNA, 24% viral and 4% heterologous combination). Serological end points were measured, and data regarding breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection were collected. RESULTS: After adjusting by age, sex, and time of sample collection, anti-Spike IgG levels were the lowest in post-LT patients compared to cirrhosis (p < 0.0001), AILD (p < 0.0001), and control (p = 0.002). Factors predicting reduced responses included older age, Child-Turcotte-Pugh B/C, and elevated IL-6 in cirrhosis; non-mRNA vaccine in AILD; and coronary artery disease, use of mycophenolate and dysregulated B-call activating factor, and lymphotoxin-α levels in LT. Incident infection occurred in 6.6%, 10.6%, 7.4%, and 15.6% of cirrhosis, AILD, post-LT, and control, respectively. The only independent factor predicting infection in cirrhosis was low albumin level. CONCLUSIONS: LT patients present the lowest response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. In cirrhosis, the reduced response is associated with older age, stage of liver disease and systemic inflammation, and breakthrough infection with low albumin level

Elementos traza y nutrientes en álamo blanco tras el vertido tóxico de las minas de Aznalcóllar

Se ha estudiado el nivel de elementos traza y nutrientes en bojas y ramas de álamo blanco (Populus alba L.), dos OS después del accidente minero de Aznalcóllar. Los suelos del cauce del Guadíamar, donde estaban los árboles muestreados, todavía presentan un nivel de contaminación alto, debido en parte a la dificultad que presentaron estos laves para las labores de limpieza. Sin embargo, los niveles de N, P, K Ca y Mg en las plantas no fueron sensiblemente afectados por la contaminación del suelo. Los niveles de 5 fueron altos en los árboles afectados, aunque sin líe-a ser tóxicos para su fisiología. Los elementos traza As, Cd, Pb y Tl se mantuvieron, en general, dentro de los intervalos considerados normales en plantas, sin llegar a alcanzar niveles fítotóxicos. Sólo el Zn alcanzó concentraciones anormalmente altas en algunos árboles aislados. Aunque las concentraciones de elementos traza registradas no fueron preocupantes para el álamo, conviene seguir su monitorización a más largo plazo

Elementos traza y nutrientes en álamo blanco tras el vertido tóxico de las minas de Aznalcóllar

Nutrient and trace element concentrations in leaves and branches of poplar (Populus alba L.) have been studied two years after the Aznalcóllar mine spill. The soils of the Guadiamar channel (where poplar was sampled) were still greatly polluted by trace elements, due in part to the difficulty for cleaning up these particular sites. However, nutrient contents (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) of the plants were not affected by the soil pollution. Sulphur content was high in the affected trees, however, the concentrations were not toxic for the physiology of the plant. In general, As, Cd, Pb and Tl contents were in the normal range for plants and did not reach phytotoxic levels. Only Zn could be somewhat excessive for some particular trees. Although trace element contents do not seem to be worrying for white poplar, a continuous monitorization is advisable.Se ha estudiado el nivel de elementos traza y nutrientes en hojas y ramas de &aacute;lamo blanco (Populus alba L.), dos a&ntilde;os despu&eacute;s del accidente minero de Aznalc&oacute;llar. Los suelos del cauce del Guadiamar, donde estaban los &aacute;rboles muestreados, todav&iacute;a presentan un nivel de contaminaci&oacute;n alto, debido en parte a la dif icultad que presentaron estos enclaves para las labores de limpieza. Sin embargo, los niveles de N, P, K Ca y Mg en las plantas no fueron sensiblemente afectados por la contaminaci&oacute;n del suelo. Los niveles de S fueron altos en los &aacute;rboles afectados, aunque sin llegar a ser t&oacute;xicos para su fisiolog&iacute;a. Los elementos traza As, Cd, Pb y Tl se mantuvieron, en general, dentro de los intervalos considerados normales en plantas, sin llegar a alcanzar niveles fitot&oacute;xicos. S&oacute;lo el Zn alcanz&oacute; concentraciones anormalmente altas en algunos &aacute;rboles aislados. Aunque las concentraciones de elementos traza registradas no fueron preocupantes para el &aacute;lamo, conviene seguir su monitorizaci&oacute;n a m&aacute;s largo plazo