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Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Background: Although metabarcoding and metagenomic approaches have generated large datasets on worldwide phytoplankton species diversity, the intraspecific genetic diversity underlying the genetic adaptation of marine phytoplankton to specific environmental niches remains largely unexplored. This is mainly due to the lack of biological resources and tools for monitoring the dynamics of this diversity in space and time., Results: To gain insight into population diversity, a novel method based on INDEL markers was developed on Bathycoccus prasinos (Mamiellophyceae), an abundant and cosmopolitan species with strong seasonal patterns. Long read sequencing was first used to characterize structural variants among the genomes of six B. prasinos strains sampled from geographically distinct regions in the world ocean. Markers derived from identified insertions/deletions were validated by PCR then used to genotype 55 B. prasinos strains isolated during the winter bloom 2018-2019 in the bay of Banyuls-sur-Mer (Mediterranean Sea, France). This led to their classification into eight multi-loci genotypes and the sequencing of strains representative of local diversity, further improving the available genetic diversity of B. prasinos. Finally, selected markers were directly tracked on environmental DNA sampled during 3 successive blooms from 2018 to 2021, showcasing a fast and cost-effective approach to follow local population dynamics., Conclusions: This method, which involves (i) pre-identifying the genetic diversity of B. prasinos in environmental samples by PCR, (ii) isolating cells from selected environmental samples and (iii) identifying genotypes representative of B. prasinos diversity for sequencing, can be used to comprehensively describe the diversity and population dynamics not only in B. prasinos but also potentially in other generalist phytoplankton species., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Objective: Radical Cystectomy is indicated in muscle-invasive bladder cancer and select cases of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. Women often undergo additional reproductive organ removal, greatly impacting sexual function and quality of life. Pelvic organ-preserving radical cystectomy aims to mitigate these effects, but its oncologic outcomes are not well-defined. This presents a meta-analysis of available literature on oncological outcomes of pelvic organ-preserving radical cystectomy in women with muscle invasive disease., Methods: A systematic search across PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed to identify studies comparing oncological outcomes between pelvic organ-preserving radical cystectomy and standard radical cystectomy in women with muscle-invasive bladder cancer or high-risk or recurrent nonmuscle invasive cancer. The search included English or Spanish studies, statistically comparing overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and recurrence-free survival. Statistical analysis used Review Manager, employing fixed or random-effects models based on heterogeneity., Key Findings and Limitations: Six retrospective studies met inclusion criteria, totaling 597 patients of which 303 received pelvic organ-preserving radical cystectomy and 294 received standard radical cystectomy. Overall Survival was not different between the 2 groups (HR 1.05 [0.77, 1.43]; P = 0.77). Cancer-Specific Survival also was found to be not different between the 2 groups (HR 1.27 [0.86, 1.87]; P = 0.22). Additionally, recurrence-free survival was not different between the 2 groups (HR 0.85 [0.41, 1.75]; P = 0.65. Four of the included studies exhibited a moderate risk of bias, with 1 study demonstrating low risk and the remaining study manifesting a serious risk of bias., Conclusion: The comparison showed no significant differences in overall survival, cancer-specific survival, or recurrence-free survival rates., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Pediatric lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are a set of common childhood problems. Community-level interventions that target behavioral change among children with LUTS can improve symptoms outside of the clinic environment. Parents, navigating the home and school environments, are key in supporting healthy bladder behaviors. Thus, we asked parents about their perceptions and barriers related to pediatric bladder health., Methods: English-speaking parents (n = 30) of children ages 5-10 years with and without LUTS were interviewed. Transcripts were coded iteratively by two independent coders using deductive and inductive approaches that emphasized consensus coding and peer debriefing., Results: Ninety-three percent of participants were women, 50% were 30-39 years old, and 60% held a graduate degree. Parents identified school-, classroom-, and child-based barriers to bladder health. These included the bathroom environment, restrictive policies for bathroom use, and anxiety on how and when to use the bathroom., Conclusions: Addressing school-, classroom-, and child-based barriers is necessary to promote healthy bladder habits among children in the school environment and beyond. Recommended school-based interventions include bathroom use and sanitation policies that support students' voiding needs, teachers' professional development, and school readiness initiatives. Limitations include participation of English-speaking parents only., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of School Health published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American School Health Association.)

Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of PCNL performed as a day-case surgery in comparison to inpatient PCNL., Methods: Databases were searched up to January 27, 2024, for randomized and non-randomized studies comparing outcomes between day-case PCNL and inpatient PCNL. Pooled data were analyzed using a random-effects (RE) model when Higgins I2% heterogeneity values were >50%; otherwise, a fixed-effects model was employed. The results were reported as odds ratios (OR), mean difference (MD) or standardized MD (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Statistical significance was set at P <.05., Results: One randomized controlled trial (RCT) and 14 observational studies totaling 1574 patients were included. Pooled results revealed that patients in the day-case PCNL group experienced reduced blood loss (SMD -0.71 95% CI: [-1.31, -0.12] P .02) and transfusion rates (OR 0.10 95% CI: [0.03, 0.39], P .0008), lower overall and minor complications (OR 0.56, 95% CI: [0.42, 0.76], P .0002, and OR 0.52, 95% CI: [0.37, 0-73], P .0002, respectively), shorter operative time (MD -11.46, 95% CI: [-17.41, -5-50], P <.00001), and reduced total costs (MD -1597.18, 95% CI [-2436.42, -757.93], P .0002). Major complications, stone-free rate (SFR), emergency department (ED) visits, and readmission rates were similar between the groups., Conclusion: Day-case PCNL is a feasible and safe alternative to inpatient PCNL surgery in carefully selected patients, without increasing the risk of complications or readmission rates, and is likely to reduce total costs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Colombia has a mestizo population and the prevalence of haemoglobin variants varies according to each region, but heterozygous carriers can be found in all of them., Aim: To characterise sickle cell disease (SCD) haematologically, biochemically, and molecularly, and detect classic haplotypes by DNA sequencing in a group of samples from Bolívar, Colombia., Subjects and Methods: Blood samples were collected after informed consent from volunteers from eight communities in the Bolívar department, plus samples from the Pacific region, Providencia Island, and Bogotá were included. Data were obtained from: (1) haematological analyses; (2) biochemical tests: dHPLC was used to determine haemoglobin (Hb); and (3) DNA sequencing data through five SNPs., Results: 101 samples were identified by rs334 through Sanger's Sequencing, structural haemoglobinopathies HbAS (34.65%), HbSS (2.97%) and HbAC (1.98%) were found. When contrasting the Hb identification results between SNP rs334 Vs. dHPLC/Isoelectric Focusing (IEF), a coincidence was found in 39/43 samples analysed, therefore, when comparing these techniques, a significant correlation was found (Pearson's correlation coefficient r  = 0.998). 26 samples previously analysed by rs334 were classified into classical haplotypes CAR (50.0%), BEN (30.76%), CAM (7.69%), SEN (3.84%), and ATP-I (7.69%)., Conclusions: SCD characterisation and SNPs-based classification through Sanger's DNA sequencing have not been performed before in Colombia. The results of this work will make it possible to expand the data or records of carriers and those affected, which will benefit patients and their families.

Since the coming into force of the European Council Directive 51/2013 EURATOM and its transposition into the Spanish legislation, the presence of radioactive substances in drinking waters must be kept under surveillance to ensure that the health protection requirements are met. Driven by this regulatory framework, in an attempt to know the starting point from which to design surveillance plans, the groundwaters intended for human consumption of Castilla y León (Spain) have been radiologically characterised by using both low-level γ-ray and α-particle spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of the natural radionuclides needed to account for the indicative dose estimation. This extensive research has comprised the radiological characterisation of more than 400 drinking water samples from one of the European Union's largest regions. Furthermore, the gross α and gross β activities have been analysed. Results showed a high geographical variability that can be related to the hydrogeological formations where the groundwaters come from. The uranium isotopes, 234 U and 238 U, are the main radionuclides present in the analysed drinking waters reaching values up to 2000 mBq/L, in the southwestern and western of Castilla y León, where U-rich minerals are part of the host rock. High 210 Pb and 226,228 Ra occurrences are found in the low permeability igneous and metasedimentary hydrogeological formations of Salamanca province. From a public health protection point of view, 4.4% of the total drinking water samples from intakes exceeded the Indicative Dose parametric value of 0.1 mSv, which is a not negligible number of samples, being very likely related to granitic and metamorphosed host rock under specific local conditions. This fact highlights the need for research and consideration of special surveillance of the groundwaters from these areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, and there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled, “Characterisation of the Natural Radionuclide Budget in Drinking Waters from Aquifers of Castilla y León (Spain): Does it Pose Risks for Public Health?”, (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A comprehensive radioactivity characterisation of Castilla y León (Spain) groundwater intakes intended for human consumption is addressed between 2017 and 2021. This study responds to the radiological requirements stated in the European Council Directive 51/2013/EURATOM concerning drinking water for public health. Given that the gross α- and gross β-activity determination is used as a screening strategy for water radioactivity monitoring, the reliability of the thin-source deposit method (ISO 10704, 2019) has been improved to achieve representative values of the total activity coming from α- and β-particle emitters in the samples. More than 400 groundwater samples have been considered for this purpose, analysing their 238,235,234 U, 228,226 Ra, 210 Pb, and 210 Po activity concentrations, which are needed for the indicative dose assessment. These results, considered reference activity values, are compared with the gross α- and gross β-activities determined by the different procedure approaches. Ultimately, the results of the liquid scintillation counting method (ISO 11704, 2018) are also used to validate the optimised method., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To establish the level of access to healthcare, education, social and geographical factors predisposing a negative surgical outcome and higher mortality rate in patients with penile cancer., Methods: This is a retrospective, longitudinal and analytical study. Ninety-three medical records of adult male patients diagnosed with penile cancer were reviewed. Fisher's exact test was performed to determine the association between the level of healthcare, social and geographical factors, and the outcomes for penile cancer., Results: Patients without primary care access had a higher chance of having lymphovascular invasion at the time of diagnosis (OR=37.5, P<0.0001), a higher mortality rate at 24 months after diagnosis (OR=19.2, P=0.005), a lack of high school diploma or equivalent (OR=3.8, P=0.049) and a higher likelihood of referral from a provincial hospital (OR=10.1, P<0.0001). Patients without a favorable surgical outcome (radical penectomy) were more likely to have been referred from a provincial hospital (OR=6.8, P<0.0001) and not have access to a primary care center (OR=149.5, P<0.0001), a tertiary care center (OR=20.7, P=0.003), and a high school diploma (OR=7.9, P=0.004).  Conclusions: The lack of access to primary care is strongly associated with vascular invasion at diagnosis, lower educational level, a referral from provincial zones, and a higher mortality rate at 24 months. Patients who did not have access to primary and tertiary care, a high school diploma, and were referred from the province were more likely to have a radical penectomy., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Angulo-Lozano et al.)

Background There is a clear association between testicular cancer and microlithiasis when there are predisposing risk factors such as the history of germ cell tumors in first-degree relatives, testicular atrophy, Klinefelter's syndrome, and cryptorchidism. This study aimed to establish an association between microlithiasis and the histological subtype of testicular cancer by analyzing data on Hispanic population. Methods A retrospective cohort, longitudinal, comparative, and analytic study was conducted on patients with a confirmed diagnosis of primary testicular cancer. The testicular ultrasounds were checked before any surgical treatment to find microlithiasis. We performed a binary logistic regression to establish an association between microlithiasis and the type of testicular cancer. Results A total of 130 clinical files were analyzed. Binary logistic regression showed no association between testicular microlithiasis and the subtype of testicular cancer (p = 0.438, 95% CI: 0.80-1.64). The result of the Pearson chi-square test showed no association (p = 0.184). We also analyzed the association between age and microlithiasis using the one-way ANOVA test (p = 0.82) and the association between age and the dichotomic subtype of testicular cancer (seminomatous and non-seminomatous) using the ANOVA one-way test, which showed no significant association in age and testicular cancer subtype (p = 0.178). Conclusions There was no association between testicular microlithiasis and the histological subtype of testicular cancer in our study. As mentioned before, we recommend conducting a more extensive study to provide further scientific evidence to establish a reliable association between microlithiasis and the subtype of testicular cancer since there is a discrepancy in the results of our study with the information previously reported. We encourage the study of characterization of risk factors among ethnic groups as this field has not been explored yet., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Gonzaga-Carlos et al.)

Background On encountering a self-inflicted foreign body in the urinary tract, it is common that emergency physicians only consult the department of urology, and no further evaluations from other specialties are sought. Psychological conditions can also involve people with psychiatric disorders who perform self-harming or sexual practices. Many case reports of foreign bodies have been reported in the literature. However, there is little information regarding which specialties to consult in this situation within the emergency department (ED). Methodology This case series study gathered information on 10 cases from patients who attended the ED from 2005 to 2020 with the diagnosis of genital or lower urinary tract foreign body. Results In total, 10 patients were analyzed with a mean age of 37.3 (SD: ±14.1) years. Of the 10 patients, seven (70%) were males, and three (30%) were females. Overall, four (40%) patients presented with lower urinary tract symptoms (dysuria, tenesmus, hematuria, urinary frequency), five (50%) patients had a significant psychiatric history, and eight (80%) patients admitted having these practices for sexual gratification. Conclusions Foreign bodies in the lower urinary tract pose a significant challenge to ED physicians and urologists because some patients do not admit or do not recall inserting foreign bodies. Patients should be interrogated for mental illness, medication use, and a history of foreign bodies in the urinary tract or genitals during the initial evaluation. There is no consensus or screening method for such patients presenting to the ED. Hence, the use of complementary imaging studies and cystoscopy is fundamental for diagnosis. Further, it is essential to perform a psychiatric evaluation to diagnose or address any underlying psychiatric conditions that could cause this behavior., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Angulo-Lozano et al.)

Introduction: High-grade adenocarcinoma of the prostate tends to have denser glandular structures and a prominent desmoplastic reaction, which could be detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a super-high b-value in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequence, to differentiate it from low-grade carcinomas., Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic validity of the diffusion sequence with values ​​of b4000 s/mm2 for the diagnosis of high-grade prostate cancer (Gleason score ≥ 7)., Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective analytical study of male patients who have undergone a prostate biopsy and count with a prostate MRI with a DWI sequence of a super-high b-value (4000 s/mm2)., Results: The sensitivity of the diffusion sequence with b4000 s/mm2 values ​​to classify as positive for prostate cancer was 57.14% as compared to biopsy. The specificity of the diffusion sequence with b4000 s/mm2 values ​​classifying patients with prostate carcinoma as negative was 84.62%. The probability that the diffusion sequence with b4000 s/mm2 values ​​classifies patients with prostate cancer was 80%. The probability that the diffusion sequence with b4000 s/mm2 values ​​does not classify patients with prostate cancer was 64.71%. The proportion of patients adequately classified with prostate cancer using the diffusion sequence with b4000 s/mm2 values ​​was 70.37%., Conclusions: The study shows that using the diffusion sequence with values of b4000 s/mm2 is an optimal value that serves as a tool to be able to decant those high-risk carcinomas with those of low risk; however, it is not a definitive method of diagnosis that could replace the performance of a biopsy. Since the study sample was limited, these results cannot be interpreted as reliable for diagnosing high-grade prostate cancer and should encourage future studies on a larger scale population to obtain significant evidence for a non-invasive diagnostic tool with a better cost-benefit for the patient., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Acosta-Falomir et al.)

This article presents a comparative review of the application of four contextualist therapies in the treatment of antisocial behavior and offending. The therapies reviewed are functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mode deactivation therapy (MDT). A descriptive and comparative review was conducted through a search carried out in both general and specific databases related to each therapy. We included a total of 44 studies treating any type of antisocial behavior or offending. Results show that these interventions have been used to treat challenging behavioral patterns, inmates' institutional behaviors, exhibitionism, at-risk adolescents' aggressive conducts, and offending behaviors performed by juveniles who committed robbery and/or serious sexual offenses. The main conclusions are that the four therapies show very positive outcomes: Although FAP and ACT have been used more sparsely, DBT and MDT have been employed in a larger number of interventions and using more controlled comparative designs. The therapeutic components that seem to be relevant to understanding in a transversal way how changes in behavior are achieved are acceptance/validation of clients' histories of neglect and abuse and clients' commitment to behaving toward their valued directions in life.

Introduction: The presence of stones in the urinary tract is a condition that has accompanied humans since ancient times. In colonial times, this condition was known as "stone pain" and its non-surgical management was based on the use of medicines derived from plants, animals and minerals., Objective: To contextualize a medical prescription used to modulate stone pain in the 18th century in the New Kingdom of Granada. Additionally, to analyze its components and evaluate the basis of its possible phytotherapeutic effects on the disease and pain., Material and Method: Document search in the Cipriano Rodríguez Santamaría Historical Archive of the Octavio Arizmendi Posada Library at Universidad de La Sabana. The document entitled "Prescription for bladder or kidney stone pain" was analyzed, and a complementary review of current scientific literature and original texts was performed with no time limits, in order to compare this prescription to related findings in the history of medicine., Results: The transcription of the source document revealed several phytotherapeutic agents such as chamomile (Matricaria recutita), lilies (Lilium lancifolium), clover (Trifolium pratense), and mallow roots (Malva sylvestris), accompanied by a large amounts of water., Conclusions: There is scientific evidence that could explain the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of all plant-derived medicines used in this prescription. Abundant water intake to increase urine volume was an essential part of treatment. However, the lack of more precise data related to the prescription and the evolution of the patients makes it difficult to analyze its therapeutic efficacy., (Copyright © 2020 AEU. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Sickle cell anemia is a type of hemoglobinopathy characterized by a specific mutation in the beta globin gene with the consequent generation of an unstable hemoglobin that crystallizes in a state of hypoxia. This causes a change in the structure of the red blood cell, which ends up producing vaso-occlusion with the corresponding clinical complications for the patient. Worldwide, various diagnostic tests have been developed that allow the appropriate approach to the affected patient. These include techniques for the determination of hemoglobin and the use of molecular markers, among others. There are new therapeutic alternatives to the use of hydroxyurea and L-glutamine, such as the use of gene therapy tools. The most recent experimental trials are exploring gene editing techniques.

Marine picoplankton contribute to global carbon sequestration and nutrient recycling. These processes are directly related to the composition of communities, which in turn depends on microbial interactions and environmental forcing. Under regular seasonal cycles, marine communities show strong predictable patterns of annual re-occurrences, but little is known about the effect of environmental perturbation on their organization. The aim of our study was to investigate the co-occurrence patterns of planktonic picoeukaryote, bacteria and archaea under contrasting environmental conditions. The study was designed to have high sampling frequency that could match both the biological rhythm of marine microbes and the short time scale of extreme weather events. Our results show that microbial networks changed from year to year depending on conditions. In addition, individual taxa became less interconnected and changed neighbours, which revealed an unfaithful relationship between marine microorganisms. This unexpected pattern suggests possible switches between organisms that have similar specific functions, or hints at the presence of organisms that share similar environmental niches without interacting. Despite the observed annual changes, the time series showed re-occurring communities that appear to recover from perturbations. Changing co-occurrence patterns between marine microorganisms may allow the long-term stability of ecosystems exposed to contrasting meteorological events., (© 2021 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Hemophilia and other hereditary coagulopathies tend to be associated with a huge negative impact both for individuals who suffer the disease and for their families. In this respect, hemophilia carriers feel the need to make reproductive decisions which will inevitably affect their children, their families and from themselves. Genetic and reproductive counseling is of the essence to alleviate these women's distress. Prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) allow couples at high-risk of transmitting genetic diseases like hemophilia and other hereditary coagulopathies to prevent the birth of children with the disease. The main difference between prenatal diagnosis and PGD is related to the time at which diagnosis is made. Prenatal diagnosis is done when the woman is pregnant, and both the performance of the technique and its result can affect the course of pregnancy. PGD is a diagnostic procedure in which embryos created in vitro are analyzed for genetic defects before being transferred to the uterus. Performance of both prenatal diagnosis and PGD is subject to a few prerequisites: the establishment of an exact clinical diagnosis, an understanding of the parental genetic alterations that are responsible for the disease and technical feasibility of genetic diagnosis. These couples should be provided with complete, up-to-date and easy-to-understand information., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Diverse microbial ecosystems underpin life in the sea. Among these microbes are many unicellular eukaryotes that span the diversity of the eukaryotic tree of life. However, genetic tractability has been limited to a few species, which do not represent eukaryotic diversity or environmentally relevant taxa. Here, we report on the development of genetic tools in a range of protists primarily from marine environments. We present evidence for foreign DNA delivery and expression in 13 species never before transformed and for advancement of tools for eight other species, as well as potential reasons for why transformation of yet another 17 species tested was not achieved. Our resource in genetic manipulation will provide insights into the ancestral eukaryotic lifeforms, general eukaryote cell biology, protein diversification and the evolution of cellular pathways.

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A systematic study on desorption of uranium in a natural soil has been carried out to reduce the level of uncertainty associated with the method employed to determine the values of the distribution coefficient (K d ). Generally, the operating method used to extract and analyze the soil solution determines the K d values. Here, the centrifugation method has been used to obtain soil solution extracts. Several procedural parameters have been considered such as incubation time, the level of soil moisture relative to saturation (saturation degree) and centrifugation speed (equivalent to effective suction). In order to analyze the influence of soil structural characteristics, this study considers three grain-size fractions of soil: loamy coarse sand, loamy fine sand, and loam, all of which are obtained from a natural soil collected in a uranium mineralized area. Our results indicate that neither incubation time nor centrifugation speed influence the determination of K d for uranium. The results also indicate that the level of soil moisture is the most important factor for determining 238 U-K d . It has been shown that the influence of moisture on K d also depends on the structural characteristic of the soil. For the loamy coarse sand subsample, the moisture level during the incubation period showed a significant influence on the K d . In addition, through the use of regression analysis, the pH was identified as the cofactor with the greatest influence on K d of uranium., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The human being, throughout history, has used plants to prevent and cure diseases. It is important to know that for a long time, the mechanism through which those plants worked was unknown, making herbal medicine a purely empirical science. Medical prescriptions in the 19 th century in the Kingdom of Nueva Granada were considered a significant medical advance as a result of knowledge and medical practices in the old continent. Medical literature of the time achieved, despite the lack of studies, the development of new schemes with exact dosages and new therapeutic possibilities. The medical prescription presented in this article was used in the management of heart palpitations, a frequent symptom nowadays, described as thoracic and/or neck beating, underlying various cardiac and non-cardiac diseases. The recipe for the palpitations of the historical archive "Cipriano Rodríguez Santa María" is a mixture of herbal agents that, as reviewed in the medical literature, showed to have anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and antioxidant effects, among others, allowing a beneficial effect on cardiac palpitations. Due to the lack of information on the posology, safety in its use, contraindications, and possible adverse effects, its potential use should have been underestimated at that time for the control of palpitations or as phytochemical agents directed to treat diseases causing this symptom., (Copyright: © 2020 Permanyer.)

The human being, throughout history, has used plants to prevent and cure diseases. It is important to know that for a long time, the mechanism through which those plants worked was unknown, making herbal medicine a purely empirical science. Medical prescriptions in the 19th century in the Kingdom of Nueva Granada were considered a significant medical advance, as a result of knowledge and medical practices in the old continent. Medical literature of the time achieved, despite the lack of studies, the development of new schemes with exact dosages and new therapeutic possibilities. The medical prescription presented in this article was used in the management of heart palpitations, a frequent symptom nowadays, described as thoracic and/or neck beating, underlying various cardiac and non-cardiac diseases. The recipe for the palpitations of the historical archive "Cipriano Rodríguez Santa María" is a mixture of herbal agents that, as reviewed in the medical literature, showed to have anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and antioxidant effects, among others, allowing a beneficial effect on cardiac palpitations. Due to the lack of information on the posology, safety in its use, contraindications and possible adverse effects, its potential use should have been underestimated at that time for the control of palpitations or as phytochemical agents directed to treat diseases causing this symptom., (Copyright: © 2020 Permanyer.)

Hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) transplantation is a treatment option for malignant and nonmalignant diseases. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an important HPC source, mainly for pediatric patients. It has been demonstrated that human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching and cell dose are the most important features impacting clinical outcomes. However, UCB matching is performed using low resolution HLA typing and it has been demonstrated that the unnoticed mismatches negatively impact the transplant. Since we found differences in CD34 + viability after thawing of UCB units matched for two different patients ( p = 0.05), we presumed a possible association between CD34 + cell viability and HLA. We performed a multivariate linear model ( n = 67), comprising pre-cryopreservation variables and high resolution HLA genotypes separately. We found that pre-cryopreservation red blood cells (RBC), granulocytes, and viable CD34 + cell count significantly impacted CD34 + viability after thawing, along with HLA-B or -C ( R 2 = 0.95, p = 0.01; R 2 = 0.56, p = 0.007, respectively). Although HLA-B*40:02 may have a negative impact on CD34 + cell viability, RBC depletion significantly improves it., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Seasonality in marine microorganisms has been classically observed in phytoplankton blooms, and more recently studied at the community level in prokaryotes, but rarely investigated at the scale of individual microbial taxa. Here we test if specific marine eukaryotic phytoplankton, bacterial and archaeal taxa display yearly rhythms at a coastal site impacted by irregular environmental perturbations. Our seven-year study in the Bay of Banyuls (North Western Mediterranean Sea) shows that despite some fluctuating environmental conditions, many microbial taxa displayed significant yearly rhythms. The robust rhythmicity was found in both autotrophs (picoeukaryotes and cyanobacteria) and heterotrophic prokaryotes. Sporadic meteorological events and irregular nutrient supplies did, however, trigger the appearance of less common non-rhythmic taxa. Among the environmental parameters that were measured, the main drivers of rhythmicity were temperature and day length. Seasonal autotrophs may thus be setting the pace for rhythmic heterotrophs. Similar environmental niches may be driving seasonality as well. The observed strong association between Micromonas and SAR11, which both need thiamine precursors for growth, could be a first indication that shared nutritional niches may explain some rhythmic patterns of co-occurrence.

In order to clarify some of the assumptions and approximations about the use of the distribution coefficient K d for 226 Ra in soils, a systematic study has been performed using centrifugation to extract the soil solution. The separated fractions of the soil solution have different kinetics with respect to the sorption process in the soil, which may in turn condition the final chemical composition and even the speciation of the radionuclides in solution. In the experimental design of this study three factors were considered: the moisture level in the incubation process, incubation time and the speed of centrifugation. Also, three levels were chosen for each factor. In order to analyze the influence of the structural characteristics of the soil, this study was performed with three textural fractions: coarse sand, fine sand, and silt and clay, obtained from an only soil. Also, the soil was naturally enriched with radionuclides of the 238 U series. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed in order to assess the influence of the factors studied on the distribution coefficient of 226 Ra. The results indicate that different behaviors can be observed depending on the structural characteristic of the soil. In the case of particle size, the soil with the largest grain size showed that the incubation process parameters influence the equilibrium level achieved, while in the case of the smallest edaphic particles, radium is not homogeneously distributed in the soil solution and the K d value is dependent on the speed of centrifugation., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microalgae are promising sources for the sustainable production of compounds of interest for biotechnologies. Compared to higher plants, microalgae have a faster growth rate and can be grown in industrial photobioreactors. The microalgae biomass contains specific metabolites of high added value for biotechnology such as lipids, polysaccharides or carotenoid pigments. Studying carotenogenesis is important for deciphering the mechanisms of adaptation to stress tolerance as well as for biotechnological production. In recent years, the picoeukaryote Ostreococcus tauri has emerged as a model organism thanks to the development of powerful genetic tools. Several strains of Ostreococcus isolated from different environments have been characterized with respect to light response or iron requirement. We have compared the carotenoid contents and growth rates of strains of Ostreococcus (OTTH595, RCC802 and RCC809) under a wide range of light, salinity and temperature conditions. Carotenoid profiles and productivities varied in a strain-specific and stress-dependent manner. Our results also illustrate that phylogenetically related microalgal strains originating from different ecological niches present specific interests for the production of specific molecules under controlled culture conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The study of changes in climate on the scale of the entire history of Earth requires absolute dating methods that cover the total time period. 230 Th and 234 U disequilibria, as well as 231 Pa and 235 U, have shown as good candidates to provide ages older than 50ky. Therefore, they are the basis for a method that allows extending the 14 C dating up to 500ky or even further. The wide variety of samples, their high number and the fact that several radionuclides are needed to obtain samples' chronology make γ spectrometry to be a suitable technique in this task. However, its low efficiency and high background, therefore, high detection limits in comparison with α spectrometry, need to be improved to become a real alternative in samples with very low activity levels. With this purpose, Mazinger, a new γ spectrometry system based on two HPGe detectors, which are surrounded by active and passive shieldings and placed 12m underground, has been set up in the Ionizing Radiation Laboratory of the University of Salamanca. In this work, the Mazinger's performance is studied at the full energy range useful for natural radionuclides. In composite detectors, energy resolution is a consequence of the electronics adjustments, which have to enable the raw spectra to be summed without resolution worsening. Therefore, the method used to set up electronics and add spectra is described. Detector background is also analysed and compared with the one of a single low-background HPGe detector as a function of the different shielding elements, obtaining gross values of order 10 -4 cps. Efficiency and figure of merit are obtained for the main natural radionuclides in marine sediments belonging to the Mediterranean MD99-2348 core. Special focus is made on the 230 Th determination whose results are compared with the ones provided by α spectrometry. Results show that Mazinger´s performance, in terms of figure of merit, is four times better than the one of a low-level background HPGe detector, specially suited to detect natural radionuclides, being comparable to the performance of α spectrometry in the 230 Th determination, which is the radionuclide of lower γ intensity, and doing Mazinger a first class in radiometry of natural radionuclides., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Iron is an essential micronutrient involved in many biological processes and is often limiting for primary production in large regions of the World Ocean. Metagenomic and physiological studies have identified clades or ecotypes of marine phytoplankton that are specialized in iron depleted ecological niches. Although less studied, eukaryotic picophytoplankton does contribute significantly to primary production and carbon transfer to higher trophic levels. In particular, metagenomic studies of the green picoalga Ostreococcus have revealed the occurrence of two main clades distributed along coast-offshore gradients, suggesting niche partitioning in different nutrient regimes. Here, we present a study of the response to iron limitation of four Ostreococcus strains isolated from contrasted environments. Whereas the strains isolated in nutrient-rich waters showed high iron requirements, the oceanic strains could cope with lower iron concentrations. The RCC802 strain, in particular, was able to maintain high growth rate at low iron levels. Together physiological and transcriptomic data indicate that the competitiveness of RCC802 under iron limitation is related to a lowering of iron needs though a reduction of the photosynthetic machinery and of protein content, rather than to cell size reduction. Our results overall suggest that iron is one of the factors driving the differentiation of physiologically specialized Ostreococcus strains in the ocean.

Several cosmopolitan marine picoeukaryotic phytoplankton are B1 auxotrophs requiring exogenous vitamin B1 or precursor to survive. From genomic evidence, representatives of picoeukaryotic phytoplankton (Ostreococcus and Micromonas spp.) were predicted to use known thiazole and pyrimidine B1 precursors to meet their B1 demands, however, recent culture-based experiments could not confirm this assumption. We hypothesized these phytoplankton strains could grow on precursors alone, but required a thiazole-related precursor other the well-known and extensively tested 4-methyl-5-thiazoleethanol. This hypothesis was tested using bioassays and co-cultures of picoeukaryotic phytoplankton and bacteria. We found that specific B1-synthesizing proteobacteria and phytoplankton are sources of a yet-to-be chemically identified thiazole-related precursor(s) that, along with pyrimidine B1 precursor 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpyrimidine, can support growth of Ostreococcus spp. (also Micromonas spp.) without B1. We additionally found that the B1-synthesizing plankton do not require contact with picoeukaryotic phytoplankton cells to produce thiazole-related precursor(s). Experiments with wild-type and genetically engineered Ostreococcus lines revealed that the thiazole kinase, ThiM, is required for growth on precursors, and that thiazole-related precursor(s) accumulate to appreciable levels in the euphotic ocean. Overall, our results point to thiazole-related B1 precursors as important micronutrients promoting the survival of abundant phytoplankton influencing surface ocean production and biogeochemical cycling.

The soil-to-plant transfer factors were determined in a granitic area for the two long-lived uranium series radionuclides 238 U and 226 Ra. With the aim to identify a physical fraction of soil whose concentration correlates linearly with the plant concentration, the soil compartment was analyzed in various stages. An initial study identified the soil compartments as being either bulk soil or its labile fraction. The bulk soil was subsequently divided into three granulometric fractions consisting of: coarse sand, fine sand, and silt and clay. The soil-to-plant transfer of radionuclides for each of these three texture fractions was analyzed. Lastly, the labile fraction was extracted from each textural part, and the activity concentration of the radionuclides 238 U and 226 Ra was measured. In order to assess the influence of soil texture on the soil-to-plant transfer process, we sought to identify possible correlations between the activity concentration in the plant compartment and those found in the different fractions within each soil compartment. The results showed that the soil-to-plant transfer process for uranium and radium depends on soil grain size, where the results for uranium showed a linear relationship between the activity concentration of uranium in the plant and the fine soil fraction. In contrast, a linear relation between the activity concentration of radium in the plant and the soil coarse-sand fraction was observed. Additionally, the presence of phosphate and calcium in the soil of all of the compartments studied affected the soil-to-plant transfer of uranium and radium, respectively., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common adult muscular dystrophy and presents an autosomal dominant inheritance. A reproductive option for the families affected is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). One limitation of this option is the nonoptimal response to ovarian stimulation of the women with DM1, although controversial results exist regarding this subject. In this study, we have analyzed the results of the PGD program applied to DM1 at our institution. A total of 35 couples have been included in our program since 2010, and 59 cycles have been performed. The percentage of transfers per cycle was 64.4% and the live birth rate per cycle was 18.6%. Interestingly, statistically significant differences were observed for the clinical results in the group of couples with an affected female versus the group with an affected male or versus a group of couples with different referral reasons. Specifically, both the percentage of mature oocytes out of the total oocytes retrieved and the percentage of fertilization were considerably lower in the group of DM1 females. Our findings would suggest the possibility of achieving less favourable PGD outcomes in women with DM1 in comparison with other pathologies, although the underlying mechanism remains unknown.

Background: Low iron bioavailability is a common feature of ocean surface water and therefore micro-algae developed original strategies to optimize iron uptake and metabolism. The marine picoeukaryotic green alga Ostreococcus tauri is a very good model for studying physiological and genetic aspects of the adaptation of the green algal lineage to the marine environment: it has a very compact genome, is easy to culture in laboratory conditions, and can be genetically manipulated by efficient homologous recombination. In this study, we aimed at characterizing the mechanisms of iron assimilation in O. tauri by combining genetics and physiological tools. Specifically, we wanted to identify and functionally characterize groups of genes displaying tightly orchestrated temporal expression patterns following the exposure of cells to iron deprivation and day/night cycles, and to highlight unique features of iron metabolism in O. tauri, as compared to the freshwater model alga Chalamydomonas reinhardtii., Results: We used RNA sequencing to investigated the transcriptional responses to iron limitation in O. tauri and found that most of the genes involved in iron uptake and metabolism in O. tauri are regulated by day/night cycles, regardless of iron status. O. tauri lacks the classical components of a reductive iron uptake system, and has no obvious iron regulon. Iron uptake appears to be copper-independent, but is regulated by zinc. Conversely, iron deprivation resulted in the transcriptional activation of numerous genes encoding zinc-containing regulation factors. Iron uptake is likely mediated by a ZIP-family protein (Ot-Irt1) and by a new Fea1-related protein (Ot-Fea1) containing duplicated Fea1 domains. The adaptation of cells to iron limitation involved an iron-sparing response tightly coordinated with diurnal cycles to optimize cell functions and synchronize these functions with the day/night redistribution of iron orchestrated by ferritin, and a stress response based on the induction of thioredoxin-like proteins, of peroxiredoxin and of tesmin-like methallothionein rather than ascorbate. We briefly surveyed the metabolic remodeling resulting from iron deprivation., Conclusions: The mechanisms of iron uptake and utilization by O. tauri differ fundamentally from those described in C. reinhardtii. We propose this species as a new model for investigation of iron metabolism in marine microalgae.

In large regions of the open ocean, iron is a limiting resource for phytoplankton. The reduction of iron quota and the recycling of internal iron pools are among the diverse strategies that phytoplankton have evolved to allow them to grow under chronically low ambient iron levels. Phytoplankton species also have evolved strategies to cope with sporadic iron supply such as long-term storage of iron in ferritin. In the picophytoplanktonic species Ostreococcus we report evidence from observations both in the field and in laboratory cultures that ferritin and the main iron-binding proteins involved in photosynthesis and nitrate assimilation pathways show opposite diurnal expression patterns, with ferritin being maximally expressed during the night. Biochemical and physiological experiments using a ferritin knock-out line subsequently revealed that this protein plays a central role in the diel regulation of iron uptake and recycling and that this regulation of iron homeostasis is essential for cell survival under iron limitation.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) accounts for about one-half of cases of X-linked intellectual disability and is the most common monogenic cause of mental impairment. Reproductive options for the FXS carriers include preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). However, this strategy is considered by some centers as wasteful owing to the high prevalence of premature ovarian failure in FXS carriers and the difficulties in genetic diagnosis of the embryos. Here we present the results of our PGD Program applied to FXS, at the Department of Genetics, Reproduction and Fetal Medicine of the University Hospital Virgen del Rocío in Seville. A total of 11 couples have participated in our PGD Program for FXS since 2010. Overall, 15 cycles were performed, providing a total of 43 embryos. The overall percentage of transfers per cycle was 46.67% and the live birth rate per cycle was 13.33%. As expected, these percentages are considerably lower than the ones obtained in PGD for other pathologies. Our program resulted in the birth of 3 unaffected babies of FXS for 2 of the 11 couples (18.2%) supporting that, despite the important drawbacks of PGD for FXS, efforts should be devoted in offering this reproductive option to the affected families.

Hemophilia A and B are the most common hereditary hemorrhagic disorders, with an X-linked mode of inheritance. Reproductive options for the families affected with hemophilia, aiming at the prevention of the birth of children with severe coagulation disorders, include preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Here we present the results of our PGD Program applied to hemophilia, at the Department of Genetics, Reproduction and Fetal Medicine of the University Hospital Virgen del Rocío in Seville. A total of 34 couples have been included in our program since 2005 (30 for hemophilia A and 4 for hemophilia B). Overall, 60 cycles were performed, providing a total of 508 embryos. The overall percentage of transfers per cycle was 81.7% and the live birth rate per cycle ranged from 10.3 to 24.1% depending on the methodological approach applied. Although PGD for hemophilia can be focused on gender selection of female embryos, our results demonstrate that methodological approaches that allow the diagnosis of the hemophilia status of every embryo have notorious advantages. Our PGD Program resulted in the birth of 12 healthy babies for 10 out of the 34 couples (29.4%), constituting a relevant achievement for the Spanish Public Health System within the field of haematological disorders.

Transcription factor (TF) DNA sequence preferences direct their regulatory activity, but are currently known for only ∼1% of eukaryotic TFs. Broadly sampling DNA-binding domain (DBD) types from multiple eukaryotic clades, we determined DNA sequence preferences for >1,000 TFs encompassing 54 different DBD classes from 131 diverse eukaryotes. We find that closely related DBDs almost always have very similar DNA sequence preferences, enabling inference of motifs for ∼34% of the ∼170,000 known or predicted eukaryotic TFs. Sequences matching both measured and inferred motifs are enriched in chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) peaks and upstream of transcription start sites in diverse eukaryotic lineages. SNPs defining expression quantitative trait loci in Arabidopsis promoters are also enriched for predicted TF binding sites. Importantly, our motif "library" can be used to identify specific TFs whose binding may be altered by human disease risk alleles. These data present a powerful resource for mapping transcriptional networks across eukaryotes., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

With fewer than 8000 genes and a minimalist cellular organization, the green picoalga Ostreococcus tauri is one of the simplest photosynthetic eukaryotes. Ostreococcus tauri contains many plant-specific genes but exhibits a very low gene redundancy. The haploid genome is extremely dense with few repeated sequences and rare transposons. Thanks to the implementation of genetic transformation and vectors for inducible overexpression/knockdown this picoeukaryotic alga has emerged in recent years as a model organism for functional genomics analyses and systems biology. Here we report the development of an efficient gene targeting technique which we use to knock out the nitrate reductase and ferritin genes and to knock in a luciferase reporter in frame to the ferritin native protein. Furthermore, we show that the frequency of insertion by homologous recombination is greatly enhanced when the transgene is designed to replace an existing genomic insertion. We propose that a natural mechanism based on homologous recombination may operate to remove inserted DNA sequences from the genome., (© 2014 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The evolution of vegetation structure following mine rehabilitation is rather scarce in the literature. The concentration of long-lived radionuclides of the (238)U series might have harmful effects on living organisms. We studied soil properties and the natural vegetation occurring along a gradient in Los Ratones, an area rehabilitated after uranium mining located in Cáceres, Spain. Soil and vegetation were sampled seasonally and physical and chemical properties of soil were analysed, including natural isotopes of (238)U, (230)Th, (226)Ra and (210)Pb. Species richness, diversity, evenness and plant cover were estimated and correlated in relation to soil physical and chemical variables. The location of the sampling sites along a gradient had a strong explanatory effect on the herbaceous species, as well as the presence of shrubs and trees. Seasonal effects of the four natural isotopes were observed in species richness, species diversity and plant cover; these effects were directly related to the pH values in the soil, this being the soil property that most influences the plant distribution. Vegetation in the studied area resembles that of the surroundings, thus proving that the rehabilitation carried out in Los Ratones mine was successful in terms of understorey cover recovery.

Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous on earth from cyanobacteria to land plants and animals. Circadian clocks are synchronized to the day/night cycle by environmental factors such as light and temperature. In eukaryotes, clocks rely on complex gene regulatory networks involving transcriptional regulation but also post-transcriptional and post-translational regulations. In multicellular organisms clocks are found at multiple levels from cells to organs and whole organisms, making the study of clock mechanisms more complex. In recent years the picoalga Ostreococcus has emerged as a new circadian model organism thanks to its reduced gene redundancy and its minimalist cellular organization. A simplified version of the "green" plant clock, involving the master clock genes TOC1 and CCA1, has been revealed when the functional genomics and mathematical model approaches were combined. Specific photoreceptors such as a blue light sensing LOV histidine kinase mediate light input to the Ostreococcus clock. Non-transcriptional redox rhythms have also been identified recently in Ostreococcus and human red blood cells. This review highlights the progress made recently in the understanding of circadian clock architecture and function in Ostreococcus in the context of the marine environment., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Low-level alpha spectrometry techniques using semiconductor detectors (PIPS) and liquid scintillation (LKB Quantulus 1220™) were used to determine the activity concentration of (238)U, (234)U, (230)Th, (226)Ra, (232)Th, and (210)Pb in soil samples. The soils were collected from an old disused uranium mine located in southwest Spain. The soils were sampled from areas with different levels of influence from the installation and hence had different levels of contamination. The vertical profiles of the soils (down to 40 cm depth) were studied in order to evaluate the vertical distribution of the natural radionuclides. To determine the origin of these natural radionuclides the Enrichment Factor was used. Also, study of the activity ratios between radionuclides belonging to the same radioactive series allowed us to assess the different types of behaviors of the radionuclides involved. The vertical profiles for the radionuclide members of the (238)U series were different at each sampling point, depending on the level of influence of the installation. However, the profiles of each point were similar for the long-lived radionuclides of the (238)U series ((238)U, (234)U, (230)Th, and (226)Ra). Moreover, a major imbalance was observed between (210)Pb and (226)Ra in the surface layer, due to (222)Rn exhalation and the subsequent surface deposition of (210)Pb., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)