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- Pastor, Ada, et al.
(författare)
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Local and regional drivers of headwater streams metabolism : insights from the first AIL collaborative project
- 2017
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Ingår i: LIMNETICA. - : Asociacion Iberica de Limnologia. - 0213-8409 .- 1989-1806. ; 36:1, s. 67-85
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Streams play a key role in the global biogeochemical cycles, processing material from adjacent terrestrial systems and transporting it downstream. However, the drivers of stream metabolism, especially those acting at broad spatial scales, are still not well understood. Moreover, stream metabolism can be affected by hydrological changes associated with seasonality, and thus, assessing the temporality of metabolic rates is a key question to understand stream function. This study aims to analyse the geographical and temporal patterns in stream metabolism and to identify the main drivers regulating the whole ecosystem metabolic rates at local and regional scales. Using a coordinated distributed experiment, we studied ten headwaters streams located across five European ecoregions during summer and fall 2014. We characterized the magnitude and variability of gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) with the open-channel method. Moreover, we examined several climatic, geographical, hydrological, morphological, and physicochemical variables that can potentially control stream metabolic rates. Daily rates of stream metabolism varied considerately across streams, with GPP and ER ranging from 0.06 to 4.33 g O-2 m(-2) d(-1) and from 0.72 to 14.20 g O-2 m(-2) d(-1), respectively. All streams were highly heterotrophic (P/R < 1), except the southernmost one. We found that the drier climates tended to have the highest GPP, while humid regions presented the highest ER. Between the sampling periods no statistical differences were found. Partial-least squares models (PLS) explained similar to 80% of the variance in GPP and ER rates across headwater streams and included both local and regional variables. Rates of GPP varied primarily in response to the local variables, such as streambed substrate and stream water temperature. In contrast, regional variables, such as the mean annual temperature or the land use of the catchment, had more relevance to explain ER. Overall, our results highlight that stream metabolism depends on both local and regional drivers and show the positive experience of a young network of researchers to assess scientific challenges across large-scale geographic areas.
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- Besse, Lenka, et al.
(författare)
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Treatment with HIV-protease inhibitor nelfinavir identifies membrane lipid composition and fluidity as a therapeutic target in advanced multiple myeloma
- 2021
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Ingår i: Cancer Research. - 0008-5472 .- 1538-7445. ; 81, s. 4581-4593
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The HIV-protease inhibitor nelfinavir has shown broad anticancer activity in various preclinical and clinical contexts.In patients with advanced, proteasome inhibitor (PI)-refractory multiple myeloma, nelfinavir-based therapy resulted in 65% partial response or better, suggesting that this may be a highly active chemotherapeutic option in this setting.The broad anticancer mechanism of action of nelfinavir implies that it interferes with fundamental aspects of cancer cell biology.We combined proteome-wide affinity-purification of nelfinavir-interacting proteins with genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9-based screening to identify protein partners that interact with nelfinavir in an activity-dependent manner alongside candidate genetic contributors affecting nelfinavir cytotoxicity.Nelfinavir had multiple activity-specific binding partners embedded in lipid bilayers of mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum.Nelfinavir affected the fluidity and composition of lipid-rich membranes, disrupted mitochondrial respiration, blocked vesicular transport, and affected the function of membrane-embedded drug efflux transporter ABCB1, triggering the integrated stress response.Sensitivity to nelfinavir was dependent on ADIPOR2, which maintains membrane fluidity by promoting fatty acid desaturation and incorporation into phospholipids.Supplementation with fatty acids prevented the nelfinavir-induced effect on mitochondrial metabolism, drug-efflux transporters, and stress-response activation.Conversely, depletion of fatty acids/cholesterol pools by the FDAapproved drug ezetimibe showed a synergistic anticancer activity with nelfinavir in vitro.These results identify the modification of lipid-rich membranes by nelfinavir as a novel mechanism of action to achieve broad anticancer activity, which may be suitable for the treatment of PI-refractory multiple myeloma.
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- Chazdon, Robin L., et al.
(författare)
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Carbon sequestration potential of second-growth forest regeneration in the Latin American tropics
- 2016
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Ingår i: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 2375-2548. ; 2:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Regrowth of tropical secondary forests following complete or nearly complete removal of forest vegetation actively stores carbon in aboveground biomass, partially counterbalancing carbon emissions from deforestation, forest degradation, burning of fossil fuels, and other anthropogenic sources. We estimate the age and spatial extent of lowland second-growth forests in the Latin American tropics and model their potential aboveground carbon accumulation over four decades. Our model shows that, in 2008, second-growth forests (1 to 60 years old) covered 2.4 million km2 of land (28.1% of the total study area). Over 40 years, these lands can potentially accumulate a total aboveground carbon stock of 8.48 Pg C (petagrams of carbon) in aboveground biomass via low-cost natural regeneration or assisted regeneration, corresponding to a total CO2 sequestration of 31.09 Pg CO2. This total is equivalent to carbon emissions from fossil fuel use and industrial processes in all of Latin America and the Caribbean from 1993 to 2014. Ten countries account for 95% of this carbon storage potential, led by Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. We model future land-use scenarios to guide national carbon mitigation policies. Permitting natural regeneration on 40% of lowland pastures potentially stores an additional 2.0 Pg C over 40 years. Our study provides information and maps to guide national-level forest-based carbon mitigation plans on the basis of estimated rates of natural regeneration and pasture abandonment. Coupled with avoided deforestation and sustainable forest management, natural regeneration of second-growth forests provides a low-cost mechanism that yields a high carbon sequestration potential with multiple benefits for biodiversity and ecosystem services.
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| 5. |
- Chernomoretz, Ariel, et al.
(författare)
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The Metagenomics and Metadesign of the Subways and Urban Biomes (MetaSUB) International Consortium inaugural meeting report
- 2016
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Ingår i: Microbiome. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2049-2618. ; 4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Metagenomics and Metadesign of the Subways and Urban Biomes (MetaSUB) International Consortium is a novel, interdisciplinary initiative comprised of experts across many fields, including genomics, data analysis, engineering, public health, and architecture. The ultimate goal of the MetaSUB Consortium is to improve city utilization and planning through the detection, measurement, and design of metagenomics within urban environments. Although continual measures occur for temperature, air pressure, weather, and human activity, including longitudinal, cross-kingdom ecosystem dynamics can alter and improve the design of cities. The MetaSUB Consortium is aiding these efforts by developing and testing metagenomic methods and standards, including optimized methods for sample collection, DNA/RNA isolation, taxa characterization, and data visualization. The data produced by the consortium can aid city planners, public health officials, and architectural designers. In addition, the study will continue to lead to the discovery of new species, global maps of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) markers, and novel biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Finally, we note that engineered metagenomic ecosystems can help enable more responsive, safer, and quantified cities.
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- Palacin-Arce, A., et al.
(författare)
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Analysis of the drinks that contribute to the hydration of andalusian sportspeople
- 2013
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Ingår i: Revista Andaluza de Medicina del Deporte. - : Elsevier. - 1888-7546. ; 6:1, s. 12-16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives. To estimate the water balance in a healthy population of sportspeople from Southern Spain and determine the sources of their fluid intake, evaluating the contribution of different types of drink and comparing the results by sex and province of residence.Methods. Three hundred eighty-six sportspeople (231 males, 152 females) were enrolled in the study. A questionnaire was administered to calculate nutrient intake through diet and physical activity, and anthropometric measures were taken according to ISAK standards. SPSS-15 was used for data analyses.Results. Fruit juice, tap water, bottled water, processed fruit juice, carbonated drinks, and isotonic drinks comprised 96% of the total water intake. Simple sugar consumption represented 4.44% of daily calorie intake. Significant differences were found between sexes and between professionals and amateurs. The amount of drinks consumed varied as a function of the quality of the drinking water, which significantly differed among the eight Andalusian provinces.Conclusion. This study population did not fully meet fluid intake recommendations, compliance with hydration recommendations varied as a function of the sex and the amateur or professional status of these sportspeople. The pattern of drinks consumption also differed according to their place of residence.
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| 7. |
- Perez-Gracia, Jose Luis, et al.
(författare)
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Strategies to design clinical studies to identify predictive biomarkers in cancer research
- 2017
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Ingår i: Cancer Treatment Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0305-7372. ; 53, s. 79-97
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The discovery of reliable biomarkers to predict efficacy and toxicity of anticancer drugs remains one of the key challenges in cancer research. Despite its relevance, no efficient study designs to identify promising candidate biomarkers have been established. This has led to the proliferation of a myriad of exploratory studies using dissimilar strategies, most of which fail to identify any promising targets and are seldom validated. The lack of a proper methodology also determines that many anti-cancer drugs are developed below their potential, due to failure to identify predictive biomarkers. While some drugs will be systematically administered to many patients who will not benefit from them, leading to unnecessary toxicities and costs, others will never reach registration due to our inability to identify the specific patient population in which they are active. Despite these drawbacks, a limited number of outstanding predictive biomarkers have been successfully identified and validated, and have changed the standard practice of oncology. In this manuscript, a multidisciplinary panel reviews how those key biomarkers were identified and, based on those experiences, proposes a methodological framework—the DESIGN guidelines—to standardize the clinical design of biomarker identification studies and to develop future research in this pivotal field.
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| 8. |
- Sanchez-Montoya, Maria Mar, et al.
(författare)
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Women in limnology in the Iberian Peninsula : biases, barriers and recommendations
- 2016
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Ingår i: LIMNETICA. - 0213-8409. ; 35:1, s. 61-72
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gender biases in science have received increasing attention in recent years. Underrepresentation at the highest academic levels and bias in publication are some of the factors affecting women in science. In this study, we assessed the situation of women in Limnology, a specific field of natural sciences, within the geographic context of the Iberian Peninsula. We used a multi-faceted approach to diagnose the situation, and we propose guidelines to reduce gender gaps in Limnology. The database of members of the Iberian Limological Association (AIL) was used to analyse the. variability between genders at different professional stages. Data was also compiled on plenary speakers who attended conferences organized by different associations (AIL, SEFS and ASLO) to assess women's visibility. A published data set was used to identify leadership patterns in publications with respect to gender. Finally, a survey of AIL members was conducted to understand their perception of the barriers in science that result in differences between the genders. This study recognized differences at the recruitment level (more tenured positions are held by men), visibility at conferences (fewer women are invited as plenary speakers) and publication as team leaders (men have more publications as first and last authors). Survey participants recognised the scarcity of grants/funding, difficulties in balancing life and career, and the scarcity of job opportunities as the three main barriers in science, regardless of gender. Yet, women identified family-related barriers such as having children and gender biases more frequently. Overall, our study indicates that there is a general gender bias in the field of Limnology in the Iberian Peninsula; however, it is slightly lower than the reported levels in Europe and for other disciplines in Spain. Finally, we provide a list of recommendations to balance the current biases based on suggestions made by the participants of a round table held at the XVII Congress of the AIL (Santander, July 2014). We encourage associations in natural sciences and the AIL in particular to use this study as a guideline for best practices as well as a baseline for future analysis of gender biases.
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