Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Modelling spatial patterns of correlations between concentrations of heavy metals in mosses and atmospheric deposition in 2010 across Europe

BackgroundThis paper aims to investigate the correlations between the concentrations of nine heavy metals in moss and atmospheric deposition within ecological land classes covering Europe. Additionally, it is examined to what extent the statistical relations are affected by the land use around the moss sampling sites. Based on moss data collected in 2010/2011 throughout Europe and data on total atmospheric deposition modelled by two chemical transport models (EMEP MSC-E, LOTOS-EUROS), correlation coefficients between concentrations of heavy metals in moss and in modelled atmospheric deposition were specified for spatial subsamples defined by ecological land classes of Europe (ELCE) as a spatial reference system. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and logistic regression (LR) were then used to separate moss sampling sites regarding their contribution to the strength of correlation considering the areal percentage of urban, agricultural and forestry land use around the sampling location. After verification LDA models by LR, LDA models were used to transform spatial information on the land use to maps of potential correlation levels, applicable for future network planning in the European Moss Survey.ResultsCorrelations between concentrations of heavy metals in moss and in modelled atmospheric deposition were found to be specific for elements and ELCE units. Land use around the sampling sites mainly influences the correlation level. Small radiuses around the sampling sites examined (5km) are more relevant for Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn, while the areal percentage of urban and agricultural land use within large radiuses (75-100km) is more relevant for As, Cr, Hg, Pb, and V. Most valid LDA models pattern with error rates of <40% were found for As, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and V. Land use-dependent predictions of spatial patterns split up Europe into investigation areas revealing potentially high (=above-average) or low (=below-average) correlation coefficients.ConclusionsLDA is an eligible method identifying and ranking boundary conditions of correlations between atmospheric deposition and respective concentrations of heavy metals in moss and related mapping considering the influence of the land use around moss sampling sites

Seasonal variations in UV-absorbing compounds and physiological characteristics in the aquatic liverwort Jungermannia exsertifolia subsp. cordifolia over a three-year period

Temporal physiological variations in relation to environmental factors, in particular to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, have been studied in bryophytes from circumpolar latitudes, but not in mid-latitudes with longer growing seasons. In addition, seasonal and interannual changes in individual UV-absorbing compounds (UVAC) have not been previously studied in bryophytes. To fill these gaps, samples of the aquatic liverwort Jungermannia exsertifolia subsp. cordifolia were collected on a monthly basis during 3 years from a mountain stream in northern Spain. Sclerophylly index, chlorophyll fluorescence, DNA damage, the bulk UV absorbance of methanolic extracts and the concentration of five UVAC (hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives) were measured. Interannual changes were little marked, probably because the 3 years studied were environmentally similar. In summer-autumn, with respect to seasonal variations, newly grown tender young shoots with high Fv/Fm accumulated higher amounts of several hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives than in winter-spring. DNA damage was not detected in any of the samples analyzed. p-Coumaroylmalic acid was the compound best associated with radiation changes, and the best model explaining UV-B took into consideration the concentration of this compound and the ozone level. The specific effects of UV radiation could not be separated from the effects caused by other environmental factors, such as global radiation or temperature, because all these variables were correlated. However, indirect evidence strongly suggests that seasonal changes in bulk UV absorbance and p-coumaroylmalic acid are mainly driven by UV radiation. This compound may be a promising physiological variable to be used for UV bioindication. Copyright © 2009 Physiologia Plantarum

Cell compartmentation of UV-absorbing compounds in two aquatic mosses under enhanced UV-B

The effects of enhanced UV-B radiation on UV-absorbing compounds (UVAC), the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), DNA integrity, and the sclerophylly index, were analyzed in the mosses Bryum pseudotriquetrum and Fontinalis antipyretica. The study was performed for 31 days under laboratory conditions. Enhanced UV-B increased the bulk level of the vacuolar soluble UVAC (SUVAC) in both mosses and the concentration of two different soluble kaempferols in B. pseudotriquetrum. However, enhanced UV-B had no effect on the bulk level of cell wall-bound insoluble UVAC (WUVAC) in both mosses and the concentration of insoluble p-coumaric acid in F. antipyretica. Thus, the insoluble fraction would be less UV-B-responsive than the soluble one. This probably happened because (1) the constitutively high bulk level of WUVAC (and noticeably higher than that of SUVAC) would already provide a sufficiently effective protection; and (2) WUVAC would be relatively immobilized in the cell wall, which would limit the reaction capacity of these compounds to UV-B. The protective mechanisms developed by both mosses could not totally prevent UV-B damage, which was indicated by the modest decrease of Fv/F m and the increase in DNA damage. We discuss the ecological and phylogenetic implications of the differences in UVAC compartmentation between liverworts and mosses. © 2012 Adac. Tous droits réservés

Crack effects on the propagation of elastic waves in structural elements

En el presente estudio se analiza el comportamiento del Factor de Intensidad de Esfuerzos Dinámico en placas y elementos tubulares agrietados. Para alcanzar tal objetivo se emplea la técnica numérica conocida como Método del Elemento Finito validando primeramente su aplicación al comparar los resultados con los obtenidos en el problema estudiado por Chen, el cual consiste en cargar dinámicamente una placa centralmente agrietada mediante una función escalón. Una vez realizada la validación, se estudia la influencia de la longitud de la grieta y su orientación y posteriormente se analiza el comportamiento de una sección tubular agrietada. En todos los casos, se evidencia el comportamiento del Factor de Intensidad de Esfuerzos Dinámico, el cual es interpretado como una función de los esfuerzos generados por la interacción de las ondas elásticas con las fronteras del elemento estructural estudiado. Se observa que existe una dependencia completa de tal factor con respecto a las ondas dilatacionales, transversales y de Rayleigh. Por lo tanto, la interacción de las ondas elásticas y las fronteras del elemento estructural determinan ciclos de carga y descarga en la punta de la grieta, afectando el campo de esfuerzos y particularmente la configuración del Factor de Intensidad de Esfuerzos Dinámic

Alteraciones fisicoquímicas en el río Iregua (La Rioja) debidas a la construcción del Embalse de Pajares

The environmental impact that the building of the Pajares reservoir, started in 1986, has caused on the physical and chemical characteristics of the Iregua river (La Rioja, Spain) has been analyzed. Physicochcinical data of the sampling stations of Islallana (580 in on the Iregua river) and Torrcmontalbo (429 m on ihc Najerilla river, control station) during the period 1981-1995 havc bccn utilized. Changes reported for most of the variables are explained by the influence of geographical, climatic, topographical or seasonal factors. However, the outstanding iricreasc in suspended material in Islallana from 1991 onwards is probably due to the building of the reservoir © Asociación Española de Limnología