Seed storage conditions change the germination pattern of clonal growth plants in Mediterranean salt marshes.

8 páginas, 4 tablas, 8 figuras.The effect of salinity level and extended exposure to different salinity and flooding conditions on germination patterns of three saltmarsh clonal growth plants (Juncus subulatus, Scirpus litoralis, and S. maritimus) was studied. Seed exposure to extended flooding and saline conditions significantly affected the outcome of the germination process in a different, though predictable, way for each species, after favorable conditions for germination were restored. Tolerance of the germination process was related to the average salinity level measured during the growth/germination season at sites where established individuals of each species dominated the species cover. No relationship was found between salinity tolerance of the germination process and seed response to extended exposure to flooding and salinity conditions. The salinity response was significantly related to the conditions prevailing in the habitats of the respective species during the unfavorable (nongrowth/nongermination) season. Our results indicate that changes in salinity and hydrology while seeds are dormant affect the outcome of the seed-bank response, even when conditions at germination are identical. Because these environmental-history-dependent responses differentially affect seed germination, seedling density, and probably sexual recruitment in the studied and related species, these influences should be considered for wetland restoration and managementFinancial support from the Spanish Ministry of the Environment (MMA, project 05/99) and the Junta de Andalucía (research group 4086)enabled us to carry out the present work.Peer reviewe

Seed storage conditions change the germination pattern of clonal growth plants in Mediterranean salt marshes.

8 páginas, 4 tablas, 8 figuras.The effect of salinity level and extended exposure to different salinity and flooding conditions on germination patterns of three saltmarsh clonal growth plants (Juncus subulatus, Scirpus litoralis, and S. maritimus) was studied. Seed exposure to extended flooding and saline conditions significantly affected the outcome of the germination process in a different, though predictable, way for each species, after favorable conditions for germination were restored. Tolerance of the germination process was related to the average salinity level measured during the growth/germination season at sites where established individuals of each species dominated the species cover. No relationship was found between salinity tolerance of the germination process and seed response to extended exposure to flooding and salinity conditions. The salinity response was significantly related to the conditions prevailing in the habitats of the respective species during the unfavorable (nongrowth/nongermination) season. Our results indicate that changes in salinity and hydrology while seeds are dormant affect the outcome of the seed-bank response, even when conditions at germination are identical. Because these environmental-history-dependent responses differentially affect seed germination, seedling density, and probably sexual recruitment in the studied and related species, these influences should be considered for wetland restoration and managementFinancial support from the Spanish Ministry of the Environment (MMA, project 05/99) and the Junta de Andalucía (research group 4086)enabled us to carry out the present work.Peer reviewe

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

Doñana. Acta vertebrata. vol 24(1/2)

Alimentación de la lagartija colilarga Psammodromus algirus (L) (Sauria, Lacertidae), en el litoral de Huelva (SO EspañaLa alimentación de Myotis myotis Borkh, 1791 (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) en la cuenca del rio Guadix (sureste de España)Distribución y selección de hábitat de la garduña (Martes foina, Erxleben, 1777) en Vizcaya y Sierra Salvada (Burgos).Nuevo modelo de trampa para reducir el impacto de la pesca de cangrejos sobre los vertebrados en las marismas del GuadalquiviThe functions of song and the spatial pattern of song production in the rufous bush chat (Cercotrichas galactotes)Migración e invernada de las lavanderas cascadena Motacilla cinerea y blanca M. alba en la Penínula Ibérica e Islas BalearesAbundancia y reproducción de Glis glis (Linnaeus, 1766) (Rodentia, Gliridae) en el Pirineo occidental.Estatus de residencia, categorización trófica y abundancia de aves en el zoológico de La Plata, ArgentinaAvifauna reproductora y estructura del hábitat en la campiña y sierras Subbéticas de JaénDispersión de semillas de retama (Retama sphaerocarpa (L.) Boiss por el conejo (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) en el centro de EspañaGuía para la identificación de restos óseos pertenecientes a algunos peces comunes en las aguas continentales de la Península Ibérica para el estudio de la dieta de depredadores ictiófagosDistribución y abundancia del corzo (Capreolus capreolus L. 1758) en la provincia de JaénAlimentación de las larvas de anuros en ambientes temporales del sistema del rio Paraná, Argentina.Mauremys leprosa como presa de Lutra lutraNota sobre la alimentación del lince ibérico en el Parque Natural de la Sierra de Andújar (Sierra Morena oriental)Presencia de Echinococcus granulosus (Cestoda) en un lobo ibérico (Canis lupusLa orientación de los nidos de paseriformes estepariosComparación de la dieta obtenida a partir de muestras estomacales y fecales del Tuco-tuco, Ctenomys mendocinus, en dos poblaciones de la precordillera de los Andes, ArgentinaEstructura genética y distribución de la variabilidad enzimática en poblaciones naturales de estornino negro (Sturnus unicolor)Estimación de la disponibilidad trófica para el quebrantahuesos (Gypaetus barbatus) en Cataluña (NE España) e implicaciones sobre su conservaciónPeer reviewe

Higher COVID-19 pneumonia risk associated with anti-IFN-α than with anti-IFN-ω auto-Abs in children

We found that 19 (10.4%) of 183 unvaccinated children hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia had autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing type I IFNs (IFN-alpha 2 in 10 patients: IFN-alpha 2 only in three, IFN-alpha 2 plus IFN-omega in five, and IFN-alpha 2, IFN-omega plus IFN-beta in two; IFN-omega only in nine patients). Seven children (3.8%) had Abs neutralizing at least 10 ng/ml of one IFN, whereas the other 12 (6.6%) had Abs neutralizing only 100 pg/ml. The auto-Abs neutralized both unglycosylated and glycosylated IFNs. We also detected auto-Abs neutralizing 100 pg/ml IFN-alpha 2 in 4 of 2,267 uninfected children (0.2%) and auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-omega in 45 children (2%). The odds ratios (ORs) for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia were, therefore, higher for auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-alpha 2 only (OR [95% CI] = 67.6 [5.7-9,196.6]) than for auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-. only (OR [95% CI] = 2.6 [1.2-5.3]). ORs were also higher for auto-Abs neutralizing high concentrations (OR [95% CI] = 12.9 [4.6-35.9]) than for those neutralizing low concentrations (OR [95% CI] = 5.5 [3.1-9.6]) of IFN-omega and/or IFN-alpha 2

Effects of Maternal Stress on Breast Milk Production and the Microbiota of Very Premature Infants

Perinatal stress experienced by mothers of very premature newborns may influence the mother’s milk and the infant’s intestinal microbiota. This prospective study of mothers of very preterm infants fed with mother’s own milk (MOM) was carried out in a tertiary hospital over a 2-year period. The assessment of maternal stress in 45 mothers of 52 very preterm newborns using the parental stress scale (PSS:NICU) revealed an inverse relationship between stress and MOM production in the first days of life (p = 0.012). The greatest contributor to stress was the one related to the establishment of a mother–child bond. Maternal stress was lower in mothers in whom the kangaroo method was established early (p = 0.011) and in those with a higher educational level (p = 0.032). Levels of fecal calprotectin (FC) decreased with the passage of days and were directly correlated with birthweight (p = 0.044). FC levels 7 days post-delivery were lower in newborns that received postnatal antibiotics (p = 0.027). High levels of maternal stress resulted in progressive decreases and increases in the proportions of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria species, respectively, over 15 days post-delivery, both in MOM and in fecal samples from premature newborns. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and appropriately managing maternal stress in neonatal units, given its marked influence on both the microbiota of maternal milk and the intestinal microbiota of premature newborns

Mechanisms of Bacterial Tolerance and Persistence in the Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Environments

Pathogens that infect the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts are subjected to intense pressure due to the environmental conditions of the surroundings. This pressure has led to the development of mechanisms of bacterial tolerance or persistence which enable microorganisms to survive in these locations. In this review, we analyze the general stress response (RpoS mediated), reactive oxygen species (ROS) tolerance, energy metabolism, drug efflux pumps, SOS response, quorum sensing (QS) bacterial communication, (p)ppGpp signaling, and toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems of pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Vibrio spp., Helicobacter spp., Campylobacter jejuni, Enterococcus spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., and Clostridium difficile, all of which inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. The following respiratory tract pathogens are also considered: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Burkholderia cenocepacia, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms regulating the bacterial tolerance and persistence phenotypes is essential in the fight against multiresistant pathogens, as it will enable the identification of new targets for developing innovative anti-infective treatments

Influenza A H1N1 Community-Acquired Pneumonia: Characteristics and Risk Factors—A Case-Control Study

Introduction. Influenza A H1N1 community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a quite frequent respiratory disease. Despite being considered more serious than other CAPs, there are very few studies comparing its characteristics with noninfluenza CAP. We aim to establish the differences between pneumonia due to H1N1 virus and pneumonia not caused by H1N1 influenza virus and to determine the probability that a pneumonia is due to an H1N1 virus infection based on the most relevant variables. Methods. We used a case-control study where cases were H1N1 CAP patients with confirmed microbiological diagnosis and controls were patients with CAP admitted to hospital. H1N1 and other influenza types were discarded among controls. We calculated the probability of being a case or control using multivariate logistic regression. Results. We included 99 cases and 270 controls. Cases were younger than controls (53 vs 71 years, respectively). Mortality was much higher for H1N1 patients (13% vs 0.3%), and admission to intensive care unit was more frequent for H1N1 cases. The variables most associated with presenting H1N1 CAP were bilateral affectation on chest X-rays (OR: 5.70; 95% CI 2.69–10.40), followed by presence of arthromyalgias, with cases presenting close to three times more arthromyalgias compared to controls. Low leukocytes count and high AST values were also significantly associated with H1N1 CAP. H1N1 CAPs are characterized by bilateral affectation, low leukocyte count, presence of arthromyalgias, and high AST. Conclusions. A few and easy to obtain clinical parameters might be extremely useful to distinguish H1N1 CAP from CAPs of other origin

Anales de Edafología y Agrobiología Tomo 40 Número 1-2

Suelos. Suelos de la zona húmeda Española. X.- Suelos sobre serpentinas, por M.F. López López y F. Guitian Ojea.-- La fracción arcilla de -suelos de alta montaña sobre rocas carbonatadas. II. Inceptisoles, por L. J. Alias y J. Hernández.-- Retención de r-Nitrofenol sobre una Vermiculita y su producto de activación ácida por A. Jiménez López y F. Lledó Ruiz.-- Descomposiciónn de Rojas en un pinar altoaragones, por B. Alvera.-- Alteración de minerales en suelos con diferente desarrollo. Suelos A-B-e, por Hoyos, A., Fdez. Bermejo, M.C. y González Parra, J.-- Estudio de dos perfiles de la Sagra (Toledo), por P. Recio, M.T. Garda González y J. García Vicente.-- Alteración de minerales en suelos con distinto grado de desarrollo. Suelos A (B) C, por A. Hoyos de Castro, M.C. Fernández Bermejo y J. González Parra.--Estructura de pastizales del área basal del Guadarrama (Sistema central) y su relación con factores abióticos, por M. Ruiz, B. Peco, C. Levassor, F. Parra y A. Pon.-- Poblaciones de Tylenchulus semipenetrans en suelos de cítricos de las pro- vincias de Murcia y Alicante, en relación con la especie, variedad y edad de los arboles, por A. Ortuño, A. Hernansáez, J.Mª. Abrisqueta y J. Gómez.-- Estudio del caracter podrolico en unos suelos ácidos de la alta montaña an-dorrana, por J. Bech, V.R. Vallejo, R. Jorsa, A. Fransi y l. Fleck.-- Procesos de alteración en suelos hidromorfos, por M. T. Garda-González, A. Pinillo y T. Aleixandre.-- Procesos de alteración en suelos rubificados, por A. Pinilla, T. Aleixandre y M. T. García-González.-- Contribución al estudio analítico de la turbera de Padul (Granada), por G. Almendros, E. Dorado y A. Polo.-- Distribución de la materia orgánica libre y ligada y de las fracciones de humina en suelos climacicos y en suelos degradados, por F. Velasco y P. de Mingo.-- Caracteres generales y evolución de unos suelos situados en el terciario al norte de Toledo, por R. Jiménez Ballesta, J. Pasas, J.L. Martín de Vidales y M.A. Hoyos.-- Mineralogía de la Fracción arcilla en suelos de las Sierras de Gredos y Gata. II. Grupo inceptisol Umbrept, por M.P. Riesco, M. T. Garda-González y J. GarcÍa Vicente.-- Características de la materia orgánica de las formaciones turbosas litorales de Torreblanca (Castellón), por G. Almendros, A. Polo y E. Dorado.—Fertilidad de suelos.-- Las aguas subterraneas de la Isla de Gran Canaria. Origen. Características y Clasificación agrícola, química y geoquímica, por V. Pérez Garda y E. Palomino Gallardo.-- Influencia de algunas sustancias complejantes en la adsorción de Zn sobre hematita, por E. H. Rueda, R.L. Grassi y M.C. Zenobi.—Nutrición y Fisiología Vegetal.-- Evolución de pig¡nentos fotosinteticas en flavedo y pulpa de pomelo Marsh, por E. Banet, F. Romajaro y S. Llorente.-- Influencia del N y de K en cultivo de arena, en la planta de fresa, por I. Mª Martín del Molino y J.A. Roson-Riestra.-- Efecto de algunos herbicidas (Fenmedifam, Cloroscurom, Dinoseb, Diclobenil, 2.4-D, 2.4-DB 2.4-DP Y. Dicamba) sobre el transporte electrónico fotosintético y fotofosforilac1ón de cloroplastos de espmaca, por Mª. A. Diaz, A. Chueca, Mª. l. Rodríguez y J. López Gorge.-- Variaciones en el crecimiento y contenido de pigmentos liposolubles en plantas de Hosdeum Vulgare L. y Hordeum Distichón L. uradiadas con UY, por Mª. Soledad MartÍn y Juan Barceló.--Caviti spot of carrots, por P.C. Dekock, A. Hall y R.H.E. Inkson.-- Injerto sobre castañas germinadas, por Mª. Luisa Vieitez y Ana Mª. Vieitez.-- Potencial forrajero de algunas poblaciones de maíz y su posible uso en un programa de selección de híbridos, por A. Ordas.-- Efectos de la irradiación con UV cercano sobre el crecimiento y contenido en compuestos fenolicos en la fase vegetativa de "Petroselinum Crispum" (Miller), por J. Barceló, M. Torres y J. Baztán.-- Nota previa. ¿Phacozems Haplicos o cambisoles entricos?, por J.F. Gallardo, A. García Rodríguez y J. A. Egido.-- Notas.-- BibliografíaPeer reviewe