Selective shifts in the rhizosphere microbiome during the drought season could explain the success of the invader Nicotiana glauca in semiarid ecosystems.

The rhizosphere microbiome plays a crucial role in the ability of plants to colonize and thrive in stressful conditions such as drought, which could be decisive for the success of exotic plant invasion in the context of global climate change. The aim of this investigation was to examine differences in the composition, structure, and functional traits of the microbial community of the invader Nicotiana glauca R.C. Graham and native species growing at seven different Mediterranean semiarid locations under two distinct levels of water availability, corresponding to the wet and dry seasons. The results show that the phylum Actinobacteriota was an indicator phylum of the dry season as well as for the community of N. glauca. The dominant indicator bacterial families of the dry season were 67-14 (unclassified family), Pseudonocardiaceae, and Sphingomonadaceae, being relatively more abundant in the invasive rhizosphere. The relative abundances of the indicator fungal families Aspergillaceae (particularly the indicator genus Aspergillus), Glomeraceae, and Claroideoglomeraceae were higher in the invasive rhizosphere. The relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi was higher in the invasive rhizosphere in the dry season (by about 40 % in comparison to that of native plants), without significant differences between invasive and native plants in the wet season. Bacterial potential functional traits related to energy and precursor metabolites production and also biosynthesis of cell wall, cofactors, vitamins, and amino acids as well as catabolic enzymes involved in the P cycle prevailed in the invasive rhizosphere under drought conditions. This study shows that the pronounced and beneficial shifts in the microbiome assembly and functions in the rhizosphere of N. glauca under conditions of low soil water availability can represent a clear advantage for its establishment.

Synergistic enhancement of the phytostabilization of a semiarid mine tailing by a combination of organic amendment and native microorganisms (Funneliformis mosseae and Bacillus cereus).

The goal of this work was to evaluate the effects of fermented sugar beet residue and inoculation with a native arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Funneliformis mosseae (Nicol. and Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe, or a native bacterium, Bacillus cereus Frankland & Frankland, alone or in combination, on the establishment of Lygeum spartum L. seedlings grown in a mine tailing under semiarid conditions. We conducted a field study to analyse root and shoot dry biomass, shoot nutrient contents, mycorrhization, plant nitrate reductase (NR) and acid phosphomonoesterase activities, soil enzyme activities and aggregate stability. Ten months after field transplanting, it was found that the three experimental factors had interacted synergistically with regard to shoot and root biomass, with increases of about 410% and 370%, respectively relative to plants in the untreated soil. The treatment combining all three factors increased the root content of all heavy metals, and the levels of nitrogen (N), phosphorus, potassium and NR activity in shoot tissues, whereas it decreased root acid phosphomonoesterase activity. Soil dehydrogenase, protease and ß-glucosidase activities, total N content and aggregate stability were increased by the combined treatment. In conclusion, the combination of the organic amendment, the native AM fungus and the native bacterium can be regarded as a suitable tool for phytostabilization with L. spartum due to its ability to enhance the tolerance of plants to heavy metals, improve the plant nutritional status and increase the soil microbial function related to the C cycling.

Elevated functional versatility of the soil microbial community associated with the invader Carpobrotus edulis across a broad geographical scale.

Exotic invasive plants may shape their own rhizosphere microbial community during global invasions. Nevertheless, the impacts of such plant invasions on the functional capacities of soil microbial communities remain poorly explored. We used an approach at a broad geographical scale to estimate the composition and abundance of the fungal functional groups, as well as the bacterial metabolic functions, associated with the rhizospheres of Carpobrotus edulis (L.) L. Bolus and the predominant native plants in coastal ecosystems located in different geographical regions. We used the ASV method to infer the potential functions of the soil microbial community with the PICRUSt2 and FUNGuild tools. The predictive functional profiling of the bacterial communities differed between the rhizospheres of the invasive and native plants, regardless of the biogeographic location of the invaded soil. Some predicted pathways related to the biosynthesis of nucleotides such as ppGpp and pppGpp, lipids, carbohydrates and secondary metabolites and the degradation of organic matter were enriched in the C. edulis rhizosphere. Moreover, the invasive microbiota was characterised by a greater richness and diversity of catabolic enzymes involved in nutrients cycling and higher relative abundances of saprotrophs and pathotrophs. Invasion by C. edulis promoted a shift in the potential functional versatility of the soil microbial communities, which can cope with nutrient limitations and biotic stress, and can favour the establishment of the invasive plant, but also alter the functioning and stability of the invaded ecosystems.

The invader Carpobrotus edulis promotes a specific rhizosphere microbiome across globally distributed coastal ecosystems.

The importance of plant-microbe interactions to the success of invasive plants has rarely been studied at a global scale. Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N. E. Br is an aggressive invader in many areas around the world, forming dense mats in coastal environments. In an approach at a large geographical scale, over a wide latitudinal and climatic range, we tested the ability of C. edulis to alter the local bacterial and fungal community structure and microbial activity in eight invaded coastal locations. The factors invasiveness and geographical location had a significant effect on the soil microbiota, the microbial community composition and structure from the rhizosphere of native and C. edulis plants being distinct in every location. The effect of the invader on all the chemical, physico-chemical, and microbiological properties studied depended on the invaded location. The soil bacterial and fungal community composition and structure were related to the soil available nutrients and mean annual rainfall, and those of the soil bacterial community were also linked to the soil respiration and latitude. Overall, our results reveal that the ability of the invader C. edulis to alter soil microbial community structure harboring a specific microbiome was widespread across a large invaded range - leading to concurring changes in the rhizosphere microbial functioning, such as nutrient cycling.

The unspecificity of the relationships between the invasive Pennisetum setaceum and mycorrhizal fungi may provide advantages during its establishment at semiarid Mediterranean sites.

The involvement of mutualistic plant-fungal interactions in invasion processes, especially in some climatic regions including semiarid areas, has not been sufficiently investigated. We compared the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities hosted by the invasive plant Pennisetum setaceum with those from the co-occurring native Hyparrhenia hirta at five Mediterranean semiarid locations with different edaphic characteristics. Illumina technology was used to investigate the AMF communities in the roots. The subsequent multivariate analysis showed that native and non-native host plants shared a similar AMF community, whereas the invaded locations differed in AMF communities harbored in the plant roots. The indicator species analysis revealed the absence of indicator virtual taxa for the fungal communities of the roots of native or invasive plants. In contrast, different numbers of indicator species were recorded in different sampling locations. According to the canonical correspondence analysis, the variability in the AMF communities between sampling sites was related to changes in soil total carbon, electrical conductivity, respiration, and protease and urease activities. These findings reveal the unspecificity of P. setaceum in relation to its association with the AMF community encountered in the invaded locations, which could have facilitated its successful establishment and spread.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation mediated changes in rhizosphere bacterial community structure while promoting revegetation in a semiarid ecosystem.

The main goal of this study was to assess the effect of the inoculation of four autochthonous shrub species with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Rhizophagus intraradices on the rhizosphere bacterial community and to ascertain whether such an effect is dependent on the host plant species. Additionally, analysis of rhizosphere soil chemical and biochemical properties was performed to find relationships between them and the rhizosphere bacterial communities. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis and subsequent permutational multivariate analysis of variance revealed differences in bacterial community composition and structure between non-inoculated and inoculated rhizospheres. Moreover, an influence of the plant species was observed. Different bacterial groups were found to be indicator taxonomic groups of non-inoculated and inoculated rhizospheres, Gemmatimonadetes and Anaerolineaceae, respectively, being the most notable indicators. As shown by distance based redundancy analysis, the shifts in bacterial community composition and structure mediated by the inoculation with the AM fungus were mainly related to changes in plant nutrients and growth parameters, such as the shoot phosphorus content. Our findings suggest that the AM fungal inoculum was able to modify the rhizosphere bacterial community assemblage while improving the host plant performance.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal assemblages in biological crusts from a Neotropical savanna are not related to the dominant perennial Trachypogon.

Knowledge of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal assemblages in the Trachypogon savanna ecosystems is very important to a better understanding of the ecological processes mediated by this soil microbial group that affects multiple ecosystem functions. Considering the hypothesis that the biocrusts can be linked to vegetation through the arbuscular fungi mycelial network, the objectives proposed in this study were to determine (i) whether there are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the biocrusts (ii) whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal assemblages are linked to the Trachypogon patches, and (iii) whether the composition of the assemblages is related to soil properties affected by microbiological activity. The community structure of the AMF was investigated in three habitats: rhizospheric soil and roots of Trachypogon vestitus, biological soil crusts, and bare soil. The canonical correspondence analysis showed that two soil properties related to enzymatic activity (protease and ß-glucosidase) significantly affected the community composition of the AMF. The biocrusts in the Venezuelan savanna are colonized by an AM fungal community linked to that of the bare soil and significantly different from that hosted by the roots of the surrounding T. vestitus, suggesting that assemblages of AMF in biocrusts might be related more closely to those of annual plant species appearing in favorable conditions.

Effect of Cytomegalovirus Infection on Survival of Older Kidney Transplant Patients (D+/R+): Impact of Valganciclovir Prophylaxis Versus Preemptive Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplant patients with D+/R+ serology can be treated with either prophylaxis or preemptive valganciclovir. The older transplant population suffers severe immunosenescence, especially patients with latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection (R+). They are more likely to develop indirect CMV effects. Likewise, many patients have significant cardiovascular comorbidity, which makes them more sensitive to these indirect effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of CMV viremia and indirect effects on survival, comparing prophylaxis (V) against preemptive (P) valganciclovir in an older kidney transplant population. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 233 recipients from 2002 (age, >55 years; D+/R+) with ≥6 months of follow-up. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 167 (71.7%) in the V group and 66 (28.3%) in the P group. RESULTS: The incidence of CMV infection in the P group was 32% versus 6% in V group. Patients with CMV viremia showed worse survival values than patients without viremia (log rank P = .031). Five-year survivals were 74% vs 88%, respectively. Cox regression showed that the adjusted effect of CMV infection on overall survival was a significant risk (hazard ratio [HR], 2.07; 95% CI, 1.003-4.29). Patients with CMV viremia showed worse cardiovascular survival than patients without viremia, with 5-year survivals of 79% vs 94%. Cox regression showed that the adjusted effect of CMV infection was a significant risk (HR, 2.62). CONCLUSIONS: CMV infection has a detrimental effect on the survival of older patients. Valganciclovir prophylaxis induces a protective effect against CMV infection and could improve survival of older patients with cardiovascular comorbidities.

Suitability of the microbial community composition and function in a semiarid mine soil for assessing phytomanagement practices based on mycorrhizal inoculation and amendment addition.

The recovery of species composition and functions of soil microbial community of degraded lands is crucial in order to guarantee the long-term self-sustainability of the ecosystems. A field experiment was carried out to test the influence of combining fermented sugar beet residue (SBR) addition and inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Funneliformis mosseae on the plant growth parameters and microbial community composition and function in the rhizosphere of two autochthonous plant species (Dorycnium pentaphyllum L. and Asteriscus maritimus L.) growing in a semiarid soil contaminated by heavy metals. We analysed the phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), neutral lipids fatty acids (NLFAs) and enzyme activities to study the soil microbial community composition and function, respectively. The combined treatment was not effective for increasing plant growth. The SBR promoted the growth of both plant species, whilst the AM fungus was effective only for D. pentaphyllum. The effect of the treatments on plant growth was linked to shifts in the rhizosphere microbial community composition and function. The highest increase in dehydrogenase and ß-glucosidase activities was recorded in SBR-amended soil. The SBR increased the abundance of marker PLFAs for saprophytic fungi, Gram+ and Gram- bacteria and actinobacteria, whereas the AM fungus enhanced the abundance of AM fungi-related NLFA and marker PLFAs for Gram- bacteria. Measurement of the soil microbial community composition and function was useful to assess the success of phytomanagement technologies in a semiarid, contaminated soil.

The combination of compost addition and arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation produced positive and synergistic effects on the phytomanagement of a semiarid mine tailing.

A field experiment was carried out to assess the effectiveness of combining mycorrhizal inoculation with a native AM fungus (Glomus sp.) and the addition of an urban organic waste compost (OWC) applied at two rates (0.5 and 2.0% (w:w)), with regard to promoting the establishment of Anthyllis cytisoides L. seedlings in a heavy metal polluted mine tailing, as well as stimulating soil microbial functions. The results showed that the combined use of the highest dose of OWC and AM inoculation significantly increased shoot biomass - by 64% - compared to the control value. However, the separate use of each treatment had no effect on the shoot biomass of this shrub species. At the 2% rate, OWC enhanced root colonisation by the introduced fungus as well as soil nutrient content and soil dehydrogenase and ß-glucosidase activities. The combined treatment increased the uptake of Zn and Mn in shoots, although only Zn reached excessive or potentially toxic levels. This study demonstrates that the combination of organic amendment and an AM fungus is a suitable tool for the phytomanagement of degraded mine tailings, although its effectiveness is dependent on the dose of the amendment.

Effects of storage temperature and length of the storage period on hatchability and performance of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) eggs.

The aim of the present study was to investigate, in red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) eggs, the effects of 7- and 42-d storage periods with different storage temperatures (15, 12, and 9°C) on egg weight loss, hatchability, chick weight at hatch, incubation length, and development stage at embryonic mortality. A total of 420 red-legged partridge eggs were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial design with 2 levels of storage length and 3 levels of storage temperature, resulting in 6 treatments consisting of 10 replications of 7 eggs each. We found that the storage length significantly reduced hatchability of the fertile eggs (P = 0.001), increasing late embryonic mortality (P = 0.001). Storage temperature did not influence on the embryonic mortality at any stage (P > 0.05). Egg weight loss during storage increased with the storage length (P < 0.001), storage temperature (P < 0.001), and their interaction (P < 0.001). Incubation length increased with the storage length (P < 0.001); however, it was not influenced by the storage temperature (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, incubation period decreased with the storage temperature for 7-d storage, and increased with the storage temperature for 42-d storage (P = 0.005). It can be concluded that in this study red-legged partridge eggs stored well with little deterioration up to 42 d at 9 and 12°C and 80% RH, in contrast to the lesser durability of eggs described in the literature for other poultry species. In case of 7-d storage periods, hatchability of A. rufa fertile eggs is higher when they are stored at 15°C. These findings are useful to address specific demands of game farms that require fertile eggs for hatching whose shelf-life should be long enough to maintain hatchability until further incubation. And, due to the marked reproductive seasonality of red-legged partridge, long-term storage of hatching eggs could permit the distribution of batches of chicks throughout the year.

Effects of water stress, organic amendment and mycorrhizal inoculation on soil microbial community structure and activity during the establishment of two heavy metal-tolerant native plant species.

Our aim was to examine the effect of water stress on plant growth and development of two native plant species (Tetraclinis articulata and Crithmum maritimum) and on microbial community composition and activity in the rhizosphere soil, following the addition of an organic amendment, namely sugar beet residue (SBR), and/or the inoculation with an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, namely Glomus mosseae, in a non-sterile heavy metal-polluted soil. The AM inoculation did not have any significant effect on plant growth of both species. In T. articulata, SBR increased shoot growth, foliar P, total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), fungi-related PLFA, AM fungi-related neutral lipid fatty acid, bacterial gram-positive/gram-negative PLFA ratio and the ß-glucosidase and dehydrogenase activities. SBR and AM inoculation increased phosphatase activity in T. articulata plants grown under drought conditions. In both plants, there was a synergistic effect between AM inoculation and SBR on mycorrhizal colonisation under drought conditions. In C. maritimum, the increase produced by the SBR on total amounts of PLFA, bacterial gram-positive-related PLFA and bacterial gram-negative-related PLFA was considerably higher under drought conditions. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of the amendment with regard to stimulating microbial communities and plant growth was largely limited by drought, particularly for plant species with a low degree of mycorrhizal colonisation.

Relationship between serum phosphorus and the progression of advanced chronic kidney disease.

INTRODUCTION: High serum phosphorus (P) has been shown to be associated with a more rapid decline of renal function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether time-averaged serum P levels are associated with the progression of renal failure adjusted for other potential confounders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective observational study of 184 patients with pre-dialysis CKD, stages 3, 4 and 5 (mean GFR=15.2±5.6 ml/min/1.73 m2). The rate of decline in renal function was calculated as the slope of GFR. Median follow-up time was 303 days. Biochemical parameters were analysed as time-averaged concentrations. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to assess the best determinants of serum P levels, and the relationship between the rate of decline of renal function and the study covariates. RESULTS: The best determinants of serum P levels were: GFR (beta = 0.477), female sex (beta = 0.106), serum calcium (beta = -0.274), serum albumin (beta = -0.112), serum bicarbonate (beta = -0.182), protein catabolic rate (beta = 0.144), and use of diuretics (beta = 0.180). The mean ± standard deviation (SD) slope of GFR was -0.198±0.376 ml/min/month. The best determinants of the slope of GFR were: proteinuria (beta = -0.462), serum P (beta = -0.440), and basal GFR (beta = -0.404). Total urinary P excretion was not significantly associated with the rate of decline of renal function. CONCLUSION: High serum P levels are strongly and independently associated with a more rapid decline of renal function in patients with advanced CKD.

Asociación entre fósforo sérico y progresión de la enfermedad renal crónica avanzada / Relationship between serum phosphorus and the progression of advanced chronic kidney disease

Introducción: La hiperfosfatemia se ha relacionado con la velocidad de progresión de la enfermedad renal crónica (ERC), aunque todavía existen dudas sobre algunos aspectos de esta asociación. Objetivos: Establecer los determinantes de los niveles de fósforo sérico (P) en la ERC avanzada, con especial interés en aquellos con potencial influencia sobre la progresión de la ERC, y analizar la relación entre los niveles promediados de P sérico con las variaciones del filtrado glomerular (FG) durante el tiempo de seguimiento. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio prospectivo de observación que incluyó a 184 pacientes con ERC avanzada. La tasa de variación del filtrado glomerular (TFG) fue calculada como la pendiente de la recta resultante de la regresión lineal entre el FG y el tiempo de seguimiento, y expresada como ml/min/mes. La mediana de seguimiento fue de 303 días. La asociación entre la TFG y las covariables de estudio se analizó mediante regresión lineal (..) (AU)

Introduction: High serum phosphorus (P) has been shown to be associated with a more rapid decline of renal function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether time-averaged serum P levels are associated with the progression of renal failure adjusted for other potential confounders. Patients and methods: A prospective observational study of 184 patients with pre-dialysis CKD, stages 3, 4 and 5 (mean GFR=15.2±5.6ml/min/1.73m2). The rate of decline in renal function was calculated as the slope of GFR. Median follow-up time was 303 days. Biochemical parameters were analysed as time-averaged concentrations. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to assess the best determinants of serum P levels, and the relationship between the rate of decline of renal function and the study covariates. Results: The best determinants of serum P levels were: GFR (beta = 0.477), female sex (beta = 0.106), serum calcium (beta = -0.274), serum albumin (beta = -0.112), serum bicarbonate (beta = -0.182), protein catabolic (..) (AU)

Hydration status assessment by multi-frequency bioimpedance in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease.

INTRODUCTION: Body composition assessment has the potential to improve the care of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Whole-body multiple-frequency bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) appears to be a useful and appropriate technique for assessing hydration status and body composition in CKD patients. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to determine the hydration status by BIS in patients with advanced CKD, and to analyse the association of body fluid status with common clinical and biochemical characteristics. The prognostic value of the phase angle at 50 KHz (PA) was also evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 175 patients (66 ± 14 year, 77 females) with eGFR < 40 ml/min not yet on dialysis. Body composition was assessed by BIS (BCM, Fresenius). Hydration status was expressed as a percentage of the total body water (TBW). Patients were prospectively followed-up for a median of 481 days, and the main determinants of mortality were estimated by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The majority of patients (85%) showed a hydration status within ± 5% TBW. Patients with oedemas or uncontrolled arterial hypertension showed mean estimate fluid overload significantly higher than that of the other study patients. Fluid overload was negatively associated with serum albumin levels, body mass index and urinary sodium/potassium ratio; and positively with male gender and diabetes. During the follow-up period, 16 patients died (9%). The main determinants of mortality adjusted for other potential covariates were: Davies comorbidity index (HR = 4.304; P = .001), and PA (per each °; HR = 0.491; P = .026). CONCLUSIONS: BIS may help identify changes in hydration status in CKD patients not fully appreciated by clinical or biochemical assessment. PA was a significant predictor of mortality in these patients.

Estimación del estado de hidratación mediante bioimpedancia espectroscópica multifrecuencia en la enfermedad renal crónica avanzada / Hydration status assessment by multi-frequency bioimpedance in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease

Introducción: La bioimpedancia espectroscópica multifrecuencia (BIS) es un método preciso y objetivo para estimar la composición corporal y el estado de hidratación, que podría ser de utilidad en el tratamiento de la enfermedad renal crónica avanzada (ERCA). Objetivos: Los objetivos del presente estudio fueron determinar la prevalencia de las alteraciones del estado de hidratación estimadas por BIS y su relación con las características clínicas y bioquímicas, y establecer el valor de predicción del ángulo de fase a 50 kHz (AF) sobre la mortalidad. Pacientes y métodos: Se estudiaron 175 pacientes con ERCA. Para la medición de la BIS se utilizó un monitor BCM Fresenius. Los resultados del estado de hidratación (desviación con respecto a la teórica hidratación normal) fueron correlacionados con las principales características clínicas y parámetros bioquímicos. Tras un seguimiento prospectivo (mediana seguimiento = 481 días), se establecieron los mejores determinantes de la mortalidad mediante regresión de Cox, incluyendo entre otras covariables el AF. Resultados: El 85% de los pacientes tenían un estado de hidratación dentro de unos límites de ± 5% agua corporal total. El estado de hidratación se correlacionó con las características clínicas (edemas e hipertensión arterial severa), y con algunos parámetros bioquímicos, entre los que destacaba la asociación negativa con la albúmina plasmática, el índice de masa corporal y el cociente Na/K en orina. Durante el período de seguimiento fallecieron 16 pacientes (9%). Los mejores determinantes de la mortalidad fueron: índice de comorbilidad (HR = 4,304; p = 0,001), y el ángulo de fase (por cada grado; HR = 0,491; p = 0,026). Conclusiones: En conclusión, la estimación de la composición corporal y el estado de hidratación por BIS aportan información útil en la ERCA que podría ayudar a su tratamiento. El AF es un predictor independiente de mortalidad a corto plazo (AU)

Introduction: Body composition assessment has the potential to improve the care of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Whole-body multiple-frequency bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) appears to be a useful and appropriate technique for assessing hydration status and body composition in CKD patients. Objective: The aims of this study were to determine the hydration status by BIS in patients with advanced CKD, and to analyse the association of body fluid status with common clinical and biochemical characteristics. The prognostic value of the phase angle at 50KHz (PA) was also evaluated. Patients and methods: The study group consisted of 175 patients (66±14 year, 77 females) with eGFR<40ml/min not yet on dialysis. Body composition was assessed by BIS (BCM, Fresenius). Hydration status was expressed as a percentage of the total body water (TBW). Patients were prospectively followed-up for a median of 481 days, and the main determinants of mortality were estimated by Cox regression analysis. Results: The majority of patients (85%) showed a hydration status within ±5% TBW. Patients with oedemas or uncontrolled arterial hypertension showed mean estimate fluid overload significantly higher than that of the other study patients. Fluid overload was negatively associated with serum albumin levels, body mass index and urinary sodium/potassium ratio; and positively with male gender and diabetes. During the follow-up period, 16 patients died (9%). The main determinants of mortality adjusted for other potential covariates were: Davies comorbidity index (HR=4.304; P=.001), and PA (per each o; HR=0.491; P=.026). Conclusions: BIS may help identify changes in hydration status in CKD patients not fully appreciated by clinical or biochemical assessment. PA was a significant predictor of mortality in these patients (AU)

Comparative effects of native filamentous and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the establishment of an autochthonous, leguminous shrub growing in a metal-contaminated soil.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of inoculation with a native arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Glomus mosseae (Nicol. and Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe, or a filamentous fungus, Penicillium aurantiogriseum Dierckx 1901, on the establishment of Coronilla juncea L. seedlings grown in a polluted, semiarid soil. For that, root and shoot biomass, nutrient uptake, mycorrhizal colonisation and nitrate reductase (NR) and phosphatase activities were analysed. Six months after planting, the shoot biomass of C. juncea was increased only by the inoculation with G. mosseae (by about 62% compared with non-mycorrhizal plants). The shoot NR and root acid phosphatase activities were increased more by inoculation with G. mosseae than with P. aurantiogriseum inoculation. The root NR activity and foliar nutrient contents were increased only by the inoculation with the AM fungus. The root Zn and Cu decreased with the AM fungus. In conclusion, the autochthonous AM fungus was an effective inoculant with regard to stimulating growth and alleviating heavy metal toxicity for plants growing on a soil contaminated by multiple heavy metals. Inoculation with an autochthonous, filamentous fungus does not seem to be a good strategy for phytoremediation of such problematic sites.

Resistencia a la insulina en la enfermedad renalcrónica: características clínicas asociadas y significado pronóstico / Insulin resistance in chronic kidney disease: its clinical characteristics and prognostic significance

Introducción: La resistencia a la insulina (RI) es una alteración prevalente en los pacientes con enfermedad renalcrónica (ERC). Su relación con la morbilidad cardiovascular (CV) y la mortalidad en la ERC ha sido poco estudiada. Objetivos: Los objetivos de este estudio fueron determinar la relación de la RI con la progresión de la ERC, el desarrollo de nuevos eventos CV y la mortalidad por cualquier causa en pacientes con ERC prediálisis. Material y métodos: Estudio de cohorte prospectivo observacional en el que se incluyeron 365 pacientes no diabéticos (63 ±16 años, 169 mujeres) con un filtrado glomerular <30ml/min. El grado de RI fue estimado mediante el parámetro «Homeostasis Model Assessment» (HOMA). Los sucesos evolutivos analizados fueron: progresión de ERC (entrada en diálisis o duplicar creatinina sérica inicial), desarrollo de nuevos procesos CV, o la mortalidad por cualquier causa. Resultados: Los pacientes con valores HOMA en el tercil inferior (<3,13) mostraron una progresión más lenta de la ERC en un modelo de regresión de Cox ajustado a edad, sexo, filtrado glomerular basal, índice de masa corporal y proteinuria, (razón de riesgo = 0,72; p = 0,03). Durante el período total de seguimiento 51 pacientes desarrollaron nuevos eventos CV y 103 fallecieron. Los valores HOMA no se relacionaron con el desarrollo de nuevos eventos CV ni con la mortalidad en modelos no ajustados o ajustados a edad, sexo, índice de comorbilidad, albúmina sérica y proteína C reactiva. Conclusiones: En conclusión, la progresión de la ERC fue más lenta en pacientes con los valores HOMA más bajos, aunque este parámetro no fue capaz de predecir el desarrollo de nuevos eventos cardiovasculares o la mortalidad (AU)

Introduction: Insulin resistance (IR) increases significantly the risk for cardiovascular disease (CV) in the general population. IR is a common metabolic disorder in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However , the influence of IR on the evolution of CKD patients has scarcely been studied. Objective: This study aims to determine whether IR is associated with the progression of CKD, the development of new CV events, or all-cause mortality of non-diabetic patients with CKD stage 4or 5 not yet on dialysis. Material and methods: The study group consisted of 365 non-diabetic patients (63± 16 year, 169 females) with GFR <30 ml/min. The degree of IR was estimated by the Homeostasis Model Assessment parameter (HOMA). The outcome measures were: progression of CKD (composite of initiation of dialysis or doubling of baseline serum creatinine level),new cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality. Unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted relative risks were calculated for HOMA either as a continuous or qualitative variable (tertiles), using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Mean HOMA value (± SD) was4.28 ± 2.07. HOMA values correlated significantly with body mass index (beta = 0.37; p <0.0001), plasma triglycerides (beta = 0.22; p <0.0001), plasma albumin (beta= 0.19; p = 0.007), and serum phosphate (beta = 0.17; p= 0.031). Progression of CKD was observed in 234 patients (64%) with a median follow-up of 542 days. Patients with HOMA values in the lower tertile (<3.13)showed a slower progression of CKD than that of the rest of study patients (log rank 4.16, p <0.05). In adjusted models for age, sex, baseline GFR, body mass index, and proteinuria, HOMA values in the lower tertile entered as an independent variable in the best predictive equation for progression of CKD (HR 0.72, p <0.03).Fifty-one patients developed a new CV event and 103 (..) (AU)

[Insulin resistance in chronic kidney disease: its clinical characteristics and prognosis significance]. / Resistencia a la insulina en la enfermedad renal crónica: características clínicas asociadas y significado pronóstico.

INTRODUCTION: Insulin resistance (IR) increases significantly the risk for cardiovascular disease (CV) in the general population. IR is a common metabolic disorder in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the influence of IR on the evolution of CKD patients has scarcely been studied. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine whether IR is associated with the progression of CKD, the development of new CV events, or all-cause mortality of non-diabetic patients with CKD stage 4 or 5 not yet on dialysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 365 non-diabetic patients (63 ± 16 year, 169 females) with GFR < 30 ml/min. The degree of IR was estimated by the Homeostasis Model Assessment parameter (HOMA). The outcome measures were: progression of CKD (composite of initiation of dialysis or doubling of baseline serum creatinine level), new cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality. Unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted relative risks were calculated for HOMA either as a continuous or qualitative variable (tertiles), using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Mean HOMA value (± SD) was 4.28 ± 2.07. HOMA values correlated significantly with body mass index (beta = 0.37; p < 0.0001), plasma triglycerides (beta = 0.22; p < 0.0001), plasma albumin (beta = 0.19; p = 0.007), and serum phosphate (beta = 0.17; p = 0.031). Progression of CKD was observed in 234 patients (64%) with a median follow-up of 542 days. Patients with HOMA values in the lower tertile (< 3.13) showed a slower progression of CKD than that of the rest of study patients (log rank 4.16, p < 0.05). In adjusted models for age, sex, baseline GFR, body mass index, and proteinuria, HOMA values in the lower tertile entered as an independent variable in the best predictive equation for progression of CKD (HR 0.72, p < 0.03). Fifty-one patients developed a new CV event and 103 patients died during the study period (median follow-up of 1,103 days). HOMA did not relate to the development of new CV events or all-cause mortality in unadjusted or adjusted models for age, sex, comorbid index, plasma albumin, and C-reactive protein. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, progression of renal disease was slower in those non-diabetic CKD patients with low HOMA values; however, HOMA values did not relate to the development of new CV events or all-cause mortality.

A set of rapid-response models for pollutant dispersion assessments in southern Spain coastal waters.

Three rapid-response Lagrangian particle-tracking dispersion models have been developed for southern Spain coastal waters. The three domains cover the Gulf of Cádiz (Atlantic Ocean), the Alborán Sea (Mediterranean), and the Strait of Gibraltar with higher spatial resolution. The models are based on different hydrodynamic submodels, which are run in advance. Tides are calculated using a 2D barotropic model in the three cases. Models used to obtain the residual circulation depend on the physical oceanography of each region. Thus, two-layer models are applied to Gibraltar Strait and Alborán Sea and a 3D baroclinic model is used in the Gulf of Cádiz. Results from these models have been compared with observations to validate them and are then used by the particle-tracking models to calculate dispersion. Chemical, radioactive and oil spills may be simulated, incorporating specific processes for each kind of pollutant. Several application examples are provided.