Subsurface drip irrigation and reclaimed water quality effects on phosphorus and salinity distribution and forage production

In the Canary Islands, water scarcity is one of the constraints for agricultural activity. Non-conventional water resources generally represent more water volume than conventional ones. The distribution of these resources frequently permits the possibility of a conjunctive use of desalinated (DW) water and reclaimed municipal wastewater (RW). Field testing with both water qualities and different irrigation systems is necessary for optimal site-specific management. The objective of this work was to evaluate soil salinity and phosphorus distribution, and alfalfa yield in a 20 month field experiment carried out in the island of Gran Canaria, using municipal RW and freshwater (FW) under subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). Phosphorus speciation was performed both in irrigation waters and in soils (Olsen's inorganic, organic, and microbial). RW had large EC values (2.4dSm-1) with a remarkable nutrient load contribution and an average total P around 3mgL-1, predominantly hydrolysable forms, while FW had very low salinity and negligible amounts of P. For the RW treatment a salt gradient was established, causing plant mortality between the irrigation lines. The study of P speciation allows describing P distribution and plant uptake in terms of P forms. Large values of microbial P were produced for the two irrigation waters around the emitters, especially for FW. A faster P-cycling could have contributed to the significantly larger inorganic P contents observed in FW irrigated soils, in spite no external sources were added by the irrigation water.Subsurface drip irrigation Desalinated water Reclaimed municipal wastewater Water-saving Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

MicroRNA-4732-3p Is Dysregulated in Breast Cancer Patients with Cardiotoxicity, and Its Therapeutic Delivery Protects the Heart from Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rats

Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is the most severe collateral effect of chemotherapy originated by an excess of oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes that leads to cardiac dysfunction. We assessed clinical data from patients with breast cancer receiving anthracyclines and searched for discriminating microRNAs between patients that developed cardiotoxicity (cases) and those that did not (controls), using RNA sequencing and regression analysis. Serum levels of 25 microRNAs were differentially expressed in cases versus controls within the first year after anthracycline treatment, as assessed by three different regression models (elastic net, Robinson and Smyth exact negative binomial test and random forest). MiR-4732-3p was the only microRNA identified in all regression models and was downregulated in patients that experienced cardiotoxicity. MiR-4732-3p was also present in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts and was modulated by anthracycline treatment. A miR-4732-3p mimic was cardioprotective in cardiac and fibroblast cultures, following doxorubicin challenge, in terms of cell viability and ROS levels. Notably, administration of the miR-4732-3p mimic in doxorubicin-treated rats preserved cardiac function, normalized weight loss, induced angiogenesis, and decreased apoptosis, interstitial fibrosis and cardiac myofibroblasts. At the molecular level, miR-4732-3p regulated genes of TGF beta and Hippo signaling pathways. Overall, the results indicate that miR-4732-3p is a novel biomarker of cardiotoxicity that has therapeutic potential against anthracycline-induced heart damage

Renal function and risk stratification of patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source

Background and Purpose-We aimed to assess if renal function can aid in risk stratification for ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) recurrence and death in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). Methods-We pooled 12 ESUS datasets from Europe and America. Renal function was evaluated using the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and analyzed in continuous, binary, and categorical way. Cox-regression analyses assessed if renal function was independently associated with the risk for ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence and death. The Kaplan-Meier product limit method estimated the cumulative probability of ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence and death. Results-In 1530 patients with ESUS followed for 3260 patient-years, there were 237 recurrences (15.9%) and 201 deaths (13.4%), corresponding to 7.3 ischemic stroke/TIA recurrences and 5.6 deaths per 100 patient-years, respectively. Renal function was not associated with the risk for ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence when forced into the final multivariate model, regardless if it was analyzed as continuous (hazard ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.99.1.00 for every 1 mL/min), binary (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.87. 1.73) or categorical covariate (likelihood-ratio test 2.59, P=0.63 for stroke recurrence). The probability of ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence across stages of renal function was 11.9% for eGFR ≥90, 16.6% for eGFR 60.89, 21.7% for eGFR 45.59, 19.2% for eGFR 30.44, and 24.9% for eGFR <30 (likelihood-ratio test 2.59, P=0.63). The results were similar for the outcome of death. Conclusions-The present study is the largest pooled individual patient-level ESUS dataset, and does not provide evidence that renal function can be used to stratify the risk of ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence or death in patients with ESUS. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc

Renal function and risk stratification of patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source

Background and Purpose-We aimed to assess if renal function can aid in risk stratification for ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) recurrence and death in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). Methods-We pooled 12 ESUS datasets from Europe and America. Renal function was evaluated using the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and analyzed in continuous, binary, and categorical way. Cox-regression analyses assessed if renal function was independently associated with the risk for ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence and death. The Kaplan-Meier product limit method estimated the cumulative probability of ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence and death. Results-In 1530 patients with ESUS followed for 3260 patient-years, there were 237 recurrences (15.9%) and 201 deaths (13.4%), corresponding to 7.3 ischemic stroke/TIA recurrences and 5.6 deaths per 100 patient-years, respectively. Renal function was not associated with the risk for ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence when forced into the final multivariate model, regardless if it was analyzed as continuous (hazard ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.99.1.00 for every 1 mL/min), binary (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.87. 1.73) or categorical covariate (likelihood-ratio test 2.59, P=0.63 for stroke recurrence). The probability of ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence across stages of renal function was 11.9% for eGFR ≥90, 16.6% for eGFR 60.89, 21.7% for eGFR 45.59, 19.2% for eGFR 30.44, and 24.9% for eGFR &lt;30 (likelihood-ratio test 2.59, P=0.63). The results were similar for the outcome of death. Conclusions-The present study is the largest pooled individual patient-level ESUS dataset, and does not provide evidence that renal function can be used to stratify the risk of ischemic stroke/TIA recurrence or death in patients with ESUS. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc