Integración de la variación infra-específica de coníferas Mediterráneas en modelos de distribución de especies. Aplicaciones para la evaluación de la vulnerabilidad y la conservación

Los modelos de distribución de especies (MDE) son una herramienta útil en el ámbito de la conservación forestal al capturar la relación entre la distribución de las especies y variables ambientales. Sin embargo, hay determinados factores que limitan su aplicabilidad: En primer lugar, hasta ahora, los MDE rara vez incorporan información genética, especialmente en el caso de árboles forestales, considerando, a pesar de las evidencias de lo contrario, que todas las poblaciones de una misma especie reaccionan de igual manera ante los cambios climáticos. En segundo lugar, pocos MDE consideran factores bióticos de cara a evaluar la vulnerabilidad de las especies al cambio climático. Por último, la mayoría de estas aproximaciones no incorporan en sus predicciones la incertidumbre derivada de la gran variedad de modelos y escenarios de clima futuro disponibles. Esta tesis, por tanto, pretende integrar estos elementos persiguiendo optimizar la aplicación de los MDE para la conservación y gestión forestal.Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal SostenibleDoctorado en Conservación y Uso Sostenible de Sistemas Forestale

Planificación Rural Sostenible en el Distrito de Coixtlahuaca, Oaxaca, México

El presente proyecto responde a una serie de problemas y carencias presentes en el distrito de Coixtlahuaca, Oaxaca, México. Esta zona, caracterizada por altos índices de marginalidad y pobreza, tiene una economía basada en la agricultura y la ganadería de subsistencia. La necesidad a la que se ven sometidas las familias para sobrevivir, ha provocado una gran presión sobre los recursos naturales, causando la deforestación masiva y pérdidas paulatinas de productividad en los cultivos. Esto ha tenido repercusiones aún mayores, ya que la pérdida de propiedades del suelo, ha dado lugar a un descenso en el recargo de acuíferos y a una clara reducción del agua disponible en los manantiales. La única manera de poner fin a esta situación y mejorarla, es gestionar el territorio de forma que se satisfagan las necesidades actuales, restaurando las zonas que ya están degradadas y aprovechando de forma adecuada las que no lo están, es decir, llevando a cabo una planificación sostenible. Dada la magnitud del problema y la extensión de la zona, se constituyó un equipo formado por cuatro estudiantes de Ingeniería de Montes con perfiles complementarios, interesados en realizar su Proyecto Fin de Carrera (PFC) en el ámbito de la cooperación. Así, todos los proyectos estudian simultáneamente la misma zona pero desde aspectos diferentes, de forma que a partir de la conjunción de los cuatro Proyectos Fin de Carrera (PFC) se logra proponer una solución integral y viable para el distrito. Específicamente, a lo largo del presente proyecto se determina una asignación de usos óptima para los suelos del distrito de Coixtlahuaca, Oaxaca, México maximizando el aprovechamiento de sus recursos naturales sin comprometer su perdurabilidad para generaciones futuras. Dicha asignación de usos, está fundamentada en la evaluación de tierras y en los intereses y necesidades de la población local. La clasificación del suelo se ha realizado mediante un análisis desarrollado según dos modelos diferentes: el modelo ALES y el modelo USDA con el objetivo de determinar la aptitud de los diferentes terrenos para el cultivo de maíz, de trigo o, en el caso de las tierras que no se vayan a dedicar a fines agrícolas, para establecer su vocación pastoral o de conservación. El modelo ALES está basado en el esquema de evaluación de tierras de la FAO y diseñado por la autora del proyecto específicamente para las circunstancias de Coixtlahuaca. El modelo USDA, por el contrario, está basado en nueve parámetros físicos fácilmente identificables en campo y su aplicación es la misma en cualquier parte del mundo. El motivo de aplicar dos modelos diferentes es que mientras que el modelo ALES se ciñe más a la realidad y necesidades locales, el modelo USDA sirve para localizar posibles errores efectuados durante la construcción del modelo ALES y para afinar la información sobre el terreno en el caso de obtener la calificación de “No apto para el uso agrícola” determinando la vocación pastoral o de conservación del terreno. Para lograr unos resultados realistas a partir de los modelos aplicados, ha sido necesaria una etapa de recopilación, elaboración y análisis de la información. Durante esta fase y, siempre apoyándose en la información proveniente de los otros tres PFC realizados, se elaboró un mapa de suelos y de vegetación y usos del suelo a una escala adecuada para la consecución de los objetivos del proyecto. Para ello se llevaron a cabo análisis de laboratorio, trabajo de campo y se emplearon técnicas de teledetección. Para lograr la información de índole social, se realizaron entrevistas casa por casa a lo largo de todo el distrito. Como conclusión se han elaborado una serie de propuestas de actuación según los resultados obtenidos tras la aplicación de los modelos. En las propuestas se incluye un presupuesto orientativo y a lo largo del PFC se detallan las posibles fuentes de financiación para llevarlo a cabo

Marginality indices for biodiversity conservation in forest trees

Marginal and peripheral populations are important for biodiversity conservation. Their original situation in a species’ geographic and ecological space often confers them genetic diversity and traits of high adaptive value. Yet theoretical hypotheses related to marginality are difficult to test because of confounding factors that influence marginality, namely environment, geography, and history. There is an urgent need to develop metrics to disentangle these confounding factors. We designed nine quantitative indices of marginality and peripherality that define where margins lie within species distributions, from a geographical, an environmental and a historical perspective. Using the distribution maps of eight European forest tree species, we assessed whether these indices were idiosyncratic or whether they conveyed redundant information. Using a database on marginal and peripheral populations based on expert knowledge, we assessed the capacity of the indices to predict the marginality status of a population. There was no consistent pattern of correlation between indices across species, confirming that the indices conveyed different information related to the specific geometry of the species distributions. Contrasting with this heterogeneity of correlation patterns across species, the relative importance of the indices to predict the marginality status of populations was consistent across species. However, there was still a significant country effect in the marginality status, showing a variation in expert opinion of marginality vis-á-vis the species distribution. The marginality indices that we developed are entirely based on distribution maps and can be used for any species. They pave the way for testing hypotheses related to marginality and peripherality, with important implications in quantitative ecology, genetics, and biodiversity conservation.Publishe

Declaración de Chinchón: decálogo sobre eldulcorantes sin y bajos en calorías (ESBC)

Multidisciplinary experts in the areas of nutrition and health met in Chinchón, Madrid, on November 25-26, 2013 under the auspices of the Fundación para la Investigación Nutricional (Nutrition Research Foundation) and with the collaboration of the Madrid Regional Government’s Health Ministry, the International Sweeteners Association and the Carlos III Health Institute CIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition. They analyzed the current status of scientific knowledge on low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) and developed a consensus Decalogue on their use; this constitutes the Chinchón Declaration. Sweeteners, including sugar, represent a subject of undeniable interest and are currently a popular topic, although areas relating to their safety and benefits remain unknown to segments of academia and the general public. The nature of LNCS makes them vulnerable to biased and even contradictory information. They are food additives that are broadly used as sugar substitutes to sweeten foods, medicines and food supplements when non-nutritional or non-caloric alternatives are needed. The Chinchón Decalogue is the outcome of a meeting for reflection and consensus by a group of experts with backgrounds in different scientific disciplines (toxicology, clinical nutrition, community nutrition, physiology, food science, public health, pediatrics, endocrinology and nutrition, nursing, pharmaceutical care and food legislation). The Decalogue includes different aspects of LNCS related to regulation, use, benefits and safety. In general, benefits of LNCS have been traditionally neglected in comparison with the tendency for emphasising unexisting or unproven possible risks. The need to strengthen research on LNCS in Spain was emphasized, as well as the need to educate both professionals and the publicExpertos de carácter multidisciplinar de las áreas de conocimiento de la nutrición y la salud reunidos en Chinchón, Madrid, los días 25 y 26 de noviembre de 2013 , bajo los auspicios de la Fundación para la Investigación Nutricional y con la colaboración de la Consejería de Sanidad del Gobierno de la Comunidad de Madrid, la International Sweeteners Association y el CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición del Instituto de Salud Carlos III, analizaron el estado actual del conocimiento científico en torno a los Edulcorantes sin y bajos en calorías (ESBC) y desarrollaron un Decálogo sobre su uso que constituye la Declaración de Chinchón. Los edulcorantes, incluido el azúcar, constituyen un elemento de indudable interés y actualidad, aunque no exento de desconocimiento por algunos sectores tanto académicos como de la población en general. La propia naturaleza de los ESBC los hace susceptibles de informaciones tergiversadas e incluso contradictorias. Son aditivos alimentarios ampliamente utilizados como sustitutivos del azúcar para endulzar alimentos, medicamentos y complementos alimenticios cuando se persiguen fines no nutritivos. El Decálogo de Chinchón es fruto de una reunión de reflexión y consenso por parte de un grupo de expertos procedentes de distintas disciplinas científicas (toxicología, nutrición clínica, nutrición comunitaria, fisiología, bromatología, salud pública, atención primaria, pediatría, endocrinología y nutrición, enfermería, atención farmacéutica y legislación alimentaria). El decálogo incluye diferentes aspectos de los EBSC relacionados con la legislación, uso, beneficios y seguridad. En general, los beneficios de los EBSC han sido tradicionalmente desatendidos en comparación con la tendencia de destacar posibles riesgos inexistentes o que no han sido probados. Hace especial hincapié en la necesidad de fortalecer la investigación de los EBSC en España, así como la necesidad de formar en este ámbito a los profesionales y a los consumidores en genera

Inhibition of ATG3 ameliorates liver steatosis by increasing mitochondrial function

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major health threat in both developed and developing countries and is a precursor of the more advanced liver diseases, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Currently, understanding the multiple and complex molecular pathways implicated in NAFLD onset and progression is a major priority. The transcription factor p63, which belongs to a family comprising p53, p63, and p73,1 is one of many factors that contributes to the development of liver steatosis. The role of p63 as a tumor suppressor and in cell maintenance and renewal is well studied, but we have recently reported that it is also relevant in the control of lipid metabolism.2 p63 encodes multiple isoforms that can be grouped into 2 categories; isoforms with an acidic transactivation domain (TA) and those without this domain (domain negative). The TAp63α isoform is elevated in the liver of animal models of NAFLD as well as in liver biopsies from obese patients with NAFLD. Furthermore, downregulation of p63α in the liver attenuates liver steatosis in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, while the activation of TAp63α increases hepatic fat content, mediated by the activation of IKKβ and endoplasmic reticulum stress.2 A specialized form of autophagy that degrades lipid droplets, termed “lipophagy”, is a major pathway of lipid mobilization in hepatocytes. Lipophagy is elevated in hepatoma cells upon exposure to free fatty acids,3 and reduces the fatty acid load in mouse hepatocytes.4 Its impairment has been associated with the development of fatty liver and insulin resistance3,5; in contrast, the autophagic flux is increased during the activation of hepatic stellate cells.6 In the present study, we used an unbiased proteomics approach to gain insight into novel proteins modulating lipid metabolism in the liver of mice with genetic knockdown or overexpression of TAp63α. We found that autophagy-related gene 3 (ATG3) was upregulated by TAp63α activation and downregulated after p63α inhibition. ATG3 is elevated in several animal models of NAFLD and in the liver of patients with NAFLD. Genetic overexpression of ATG3 increased the lipid load in hepatocytes, while its repression alleviated TAp63α- and diet-induced steatosis. ATG3 exerted its role in lipid metabolism by regulating SIRT1 and mitochondrial function. Collectively, these findings identify ATG3 as a novel factor implicated in the development of steatosisThis work has been supported by grants from FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades-Agencia Estatal de Investigación (PA: RTI2018-095134-B-100; DS and LH: SAF2017-83813-C3-1-R; MLMC: RTC2019-007125-1; CD: BFU2017-87721; ML: RTI2018–101840-B-I00; GS; PID2019-104399RB-I00; RN: RTI2018-099413-B-I00 and RED2018-102379-T; MLMC: SAF2017-87301-R; TCD: RTI2018-096759-A-100), FEDER/Instituto de Salud Carlos III (AGR: PI19/00123), Xunta de Galicia (ML: 2016-PG068; RN: 2015-CP080 and 2016-PG057), Fundación BBVA (RN, GS and MLM), Proyectos Investigación en Salud (MLMC: DTS20/00138), Sistema Universitario Vasco (PA: IT971-16); Fundación Atresmedia (ML and RN), Fundación La Caixa (M.L., R.N. and M.C.), Gilead Sciences International Research Scholars Program in Liver Disease (MVR), Marató TV3 Foundation (DS: 201627), Government of Catalonia (DS: 2017SGR278) and European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (RN and GS). This research also received funding from the European Community’s H2020 Framework Programme (ERC Synergy Grant-2019-WATCH- 810331, to RN, VP and MS). Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd) and CIBER de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERdem). CIBERobn, CIBERehd and CIBERdem are initiatives of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) of Spain which is supported by FEDER funds. We thank MINECO for the Severo Ochoa Excellence Accreditation to CIC bioGUNE (SEV-2016-0644)S

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis biomarkers linked to lung metastatic potential and cell stemness

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare lung-metastasizing neoplasm caused by the proliferation of smooth muscle-like cells that commonly carry loss-of-function mutations in either the tuberous sclerosis complex 1 or 2 (TSC1 or TSC2) genes. While allosteric inhibition of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) has shown substantial clinical benefit, complementary therapies are required to improve response and/or to treat specific patients. However, there is a lack of LAM biomarkers that could potentially be used to monitor the disease and to develop other targeted therapies. We hypothesized that the mediators of cancer metastasis to lung, particularly in breast cancer, also play a relevant role in LAM. Analyses across independent breast cancer datasets revealed associations between low TSC1/2 expression, altered mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway signaling, and metastasis to lung. Subsequently, immunohistochemical analyses of 23 LAM lesions revealed positivity in all cases for the lung metastasis mediators fascin 1 (FSCN1) and inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (ID1). Moreover, assessment of breast cancer stem or luminal progenitor cell biomarkers showed positivity in most LAM tissue for the aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1), integrin-ß3 (ITGB3/CD61), and/or the sex-determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9) proteins. The immunohistochemical analyses also provided evidence of heterogeneity between and within LAM cases. The analysis of Tsc2-deficient cells revealed relative over-expression of FSCN1 and ID1; however, Tsc2-deficient cells did not show higher sensitivity to ID1-based cancer inhibitors. Collectively, the results of this study reveal novel LAM biomarkers linked to breast cancer metastasis to lung and to cell stemness, which in turn might guide the assessment of additional or complementary therapeutic opportunities for LAM

The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

Clustering COVID-19 ARDS patients through the first days of ICU admission. An analysis of the CIBERESUCICOVID Cohort

Background Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can be classified into sub-phenotypes according to different inflammatory/clinical status. Prognostic enrichment was achieved by grouping patients into hypoinflammatory or hyperinflammatory sub-phenotypes, even though the time of analysis may change the classification according to treatment response or disease evolution. We aimed to evaluate when patients can be clustered in more than 1 group, and how they may change the clustering of patients using data of baseline or day 3, and the prognosis of patients according to their evolution by changing or not the cluster.Methods Multicenter, observational prospective, and retrospective study of patients admitted due to ARDS related to COVID-19 infection in Spain. Patients were grouped according to a clustering mixed-type data algorithm (k-prototypes) using continuous and categorical readily available variables at baseline and day 3.Results Of 6205 patients, 3743 (60%) were included in the study. According to silhouette analysis, patients were grouped in two clusters. At baseline, 1402 (37%) patients were included in cluster 1 and 2341(63%) in cluster 2. On day 3, 1557(42%) patients were included in cluster 1 and 2086 (57%) in cluster 2. The patients included in cluster 2 were older and more frequently hypertensive and had a higher prevalence of shock, organ dysfunction, inflammatory biomarkers, and worst respiratory indexes at both time points. The 90-day mortality was higher in cluster 2 at both clustering processes (43.8% [n = 1025] versus 27.3% [n = 383] at baseline, and 49% [n = 1023] versus 20.6% [n = 321] on day 3). Four hundred and fifty-eight (33%) patients clustered in the first group were clustered in the second group on day 3. In contrast, 638 (27%) patients clustered in the second group were clustered in the first group on day 3.Conclusions During the first days, patients can be clustered into two groups and the process of clustering patients may change as they continue to evolve. This means that despite a vast majority of patients remaining in the same cluster, a minority reaching 33% of patients analyzed may be re-categorized into different clusters based on their progress. Such changes can significantly impact their prognosis

Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)

From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat