The environmental quality of soil in the central part of the Northern Plateau of Spain has been analyzed by studying the heavy metal content of 166 samples belonging to the horizons A, B and C of 89 ...soil profiles. The analysis to assess the environmental risk of heavy metals in the soil was carried out by means of the spatial distribution of nine heavy metals and the use of several pollution indices. The results showed that the concentration values of heavy metals (x ± S) in the superficial soil horizons were the following: With a total of 6.71 ± 3.51 mg kg -1, the contents of Cd is 0.08 ± 0.06 mg kg-1, Co is 6.49 ± 3.21 mg kg-1, Cu is 17.19 ± 10.69 mg kg-1, Cr is 18.68 ± 12.28 mg kg-1, Hg is 0.083 ± 0.063 mg kg-1, Ni is 12.05 ± 6.76 mg kg-1, Pb is 14.10 ± 11.32 mg kg-1 and Zn is 35.31 ± 14.63 mg kg-1. These nine metals exceed the values of the natural geological background level of Tertiary period sediments and rocks that form part of the Northern Plateau in Spain. Nemerow and Potential Ecological Risk indices were calculated, with the "improved" Nemerow index allowing pollution within the soil superficial horizons to be determined. The data obtained indicated that the majority of the soil (54.61%) showed low to moderate contamination, 22.31% showed moderate contamination and 21.54% of the samples were not contaminated. If we consider the Potential of Ecological Risk Index (RI), the largest percentage of soil samples showed low (70.79%) to moderate (25.38%) ecological risk of potential contamination, where the rest of the soil presented a considerable risk of contamination. The nine trace elements were divided into three principal components: PC1 (Cu, Cr, Ni, Co and Zn), PC2 (As and Hg) and PC3 (Cd). All metals accumulated in the soil came from parent rock, agricultural practices and the run-off of residual waters towards rivers and streams caused by industrial development and an increase in population density. Finally, cartography of the spatial distribution of the heavy metal contents in the soil of the Northern Plateau of Spain was generated using Kriging interpolation methods. Furthermore, the total heavy metal contents in three soil orders present in the area, namely Entisols, Inceptisols, and Alfisols, were analyzed. Other soil parameters, such as the organic matter content, pH, clay content and cation exchange capacity, was measured to determine their influence on and correlation with the heavy metal contents.
The objective of this study was to compare two different methods for the calculation of the soil quality index for agricultural land in the province of Salamanca in the semiarid ecosystem of the ...Northern Plateau, Spain. The integrated quality index (IQI) and Nemoro quality index (NQI) were applied using the following indicator selection methods: total data set (TDS) and minimum data set (MDS). A total of 16 soil parameters were used for the TDS method. The evaluation of the soil quality index using only the properties of surface soil provides incomplete information because crop productivity is influenced by both the surface and subsoil properties e.g. lithic contact, petrocalcic horizon, clayey horizon (Bt). The quality indexes were calculated using data from 75 soil profiles considering the soil surface properties (between 0 and 25 cm depth) and control section properties (between 0 and 100 cm).
The results show that the consideration of soil properties of both the surface and subsurface horizons is very important to establish a good relationship between soil quality, soil functions, and agricultural management.
The results based on the IQI index provide a better estimate of the soil quality compared with the NQI index; higher values were obtained with the TSD than with the MSD. However, the results obtained from the IQIMSD method provide an adequate evaluation of the soil quality. This is relevant because the use of a limited number of indicators reduces the analysis cost and increases the sampling density.
•The Integrated and Nemoro Quality Indexes were applied to assess soil quality.•A factorial analysis was used to define minimum data set from total data set.•Digital maps of the soil quality indexes and the soil loss rate have been made.•Quality indexes have been linked to the vertical distribution of soil properties.•Soil quality indexes based on the properties of all soil horizons (0–100 cm).
While determining the uranium concentration in the rock (background level) and soils on the Iberian Massif of western Spain, several geochemical anomalies were observed. The uranium concentration was ...much higher than the geochemical levels at these locations, and several uranium minerals were detected. The proposed uranium background levels for natural soils in the west of Salamanca Province (Spain) are 29.8 mg kg−1 in granitic rock and 71.2 mg kg−1 in slate. However, the soil near the tailings of abandoned mines exhibited much higher concentrations, between 207.2 and 542.4 mg kg−1.
The calculation of different pollution indexes (Pollution Factor and Geo-accumulation Index), which reveal the conditions in the superficial horizons of the natural soils, indicated that a good percentage of the studied samples (16.7–56.5%) are moderately contaminated. The spatial distribution of the uranium content in natural soils was analysed by applying the inverse distance weighted method.
The distribution of uranium through the horizons of the soils shows a tendency to accumulate in the horizons with the highest clay content. The leaching of uranium from the upper horizons and accumulation in the lower horizons of the soil could be considered a process for natural attenuation of the surface impacts of this radiogenic element in the environment. Environmental restoration is proposed in the areas close to the abandoned mining facilities of this region, given the high concentration of uranium. First, all the tailings and other mining waste would be covered with a layer of impermeable material to prevent leaching by runoff. Then, a layer of topsoil with organic amendments would be added, followed by revegetation with herbaceous plants to prevent surface erosion.
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•Uranium geochemical anomaly compared to the world geochemical background level.•Natural soils with diffuse pollution by mining activities.•The geochemical baseline of uranium in soils is greater on slates than on granites.•The vertical distribution of uranium in soil is concentrated in subsurface horizons.
Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) is an endocannabinoid that has been proposed to prevent neuronal damage and neuroinflammation. In this study, we evaluated the effects of OEA on the disruption of both ...cerebellar structure and physiology and on the behavior of Purkinje cell degeneration (PCD) mutant mice. These mice exhibit cerebellar degeneration, displaying microtubule alterations that trigger the selective loss of Purkinje cells and consequent behavioral impairments. The effects of different doses (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) and administration schedules (chronic and acute) of OEA were assessed at the behavioral, histological, cellular, and molecular levels to determine the most effective OEA treatment regimen. Our
in vivo
results demonstrated that OEA treatment prior to the onset of the preneurodegenerative phase prevented morphological alterations in Purkinje neurons (the somata and dendritic arbors) and decreased Purkinje cell death. This effect followed an inverted U-shaped time-response curve, with acute administration on postnatal day 12 (10 mg/kg, i.p.) being the most effective treatment regimen tested. Indeed, PCD mice that received this specific OEA treatment regimen showed improvements in motor, cognitive and social functions, which were impaired in these mice. Moreover, these
in vivo
neuroprotective effects of OEA were mediated by the PPARα receptor, as pretreatment with the PPARα antagonist GW6471 (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) abolished them. Finally, our
in vitro
results suggested that the molecular effect of OEA was related to microtubule stability and structure since OEA administration normalized some alterations in microtubule features in PCD-like cells. These findings provide strong evidence supporting the use of OEA as a pharmacological agent to limit severe cerebellar neurodegenerative processes.
In the last two decades, as the importance of soil has been recognized as a key component of any ecosystem, there has been an increased global demand to establish criteria for determining soil ...quality and to develop quantitative indices that can be used to classify and compare that quality in different places. The preliminary estimation of the attributes involved in soil quality was made taking into account the opinion of the experts and our own experience in a semi-arid ecosystem. In this study, 16 soil properties have been selected as potential indicators of soil quality, in a region between Campo de Montiel and Sierra de Alcaraz (Spain): sand and clay percentage, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (OC), extractables bases of change (Na, K, Ca and Mg), cationic exchange capacity (CEC), carbonate calcium equivalent (CCE), bulk density (BD), water retention at 33 kPa field capacity and 1500 kPa permanent wither point (GWC33 kPa and GWC1500 kPa), coefficient of linear extensibility (COLE) and factor of soil erodibility (K). The main objective has been to develop an adequate index to characterize the quality of the soils in a semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem. The preliminary estimation of the attributes involved in soil quality was made considering the opinion of the experts and our own experience in semi-arid ecosystems. Two indicator selection approaches have been used to develop the Soil Quality Index (SQI) (total data set -TDS- and minimum data set -MDS-), scoring functions (linear -L- and nonlinear -NL-) and methods (additive -A-, additive weighted -W- and Nemoro -N-. The quality indices have been calculated, considering the properties of the soil control section (between 0 and 100 cm depth), using 185 samples, belonging to horizons A, B and C of 51 soil profiles. The results have shown that the election of the soil properties, both of the topsoil and subsoil, is an important help in establishing a good relationship between quality, soil functions and agricultural management. The Kriging method has been used to determinate the spatial distribution of the soil quality grades. The indices that best reflect the state of soil quality are the TDS-L-W and TDS-L-A should go as sub-indices, as they are the most accurate indices and provide the most consistent results. These indices are especially indicated when carrying out detailed or semi-detailed studies. However, the MDS-L-W and MDS-L-A should go as sub-indices, which use only a limited number of indicators, are best for large-scale studies. The indicators with the greatest influence on soil quality for different land uses and those developed on different rocks, using linear scoring functions, are the following: (Clay), (GWC1500 kPa) and (Ca). These results can also be expressed as follows: the best soils in this region are deep soils, with a clay texture, with high water retention and a neutral or slightly basic pH. However, the indicators with the greatest influence on soil quality, using nonlinear scoring functions, are: (OC Stock), (Ca) and (CaCO3). In other words, the most important indicator is the organic carbon content, which is not logical in the case of a region in which the soils have an excessively low SOC content (0.86%).
The progression of neurodegenerative diseases is reciprocally associated with impairments in peripheral immune responses. We investigated different contexts of selective neurodegeneration to identify ...specific alterations of peripheral immune cells and, at the same time, discover potential biomarkers associated to this pathological condition. Consequently, a model of human cerebellar degeneration and ataxia -the Purkinje Cell Degeneration (PCD) mouse- has been employed, as it allows the study of different processes of selective neuronal death in the same animal, i.e., Purkinje cells in the cerebellum and mitral cells in the olfactory bulb. Infiltrated leukocytes were studied in both brain areas and compared with those from other standardized neuroinflammatory models obtained by administering either gamma radiation or lipopolysaccharide. Moreover, both myeloid and lymphoid splenic populations were analyzed by flow cytometry, focusing on markers of functional maturity and antigen presentation. The severity and type of neural damage and inflammation affected immune cell infiltration. Leukocytes were more numerous in the cerebellum of PCD mice, being located predominantly within those cerebellar layers mostly affected by neurodegeneration, in a completely different manner than the typical models of induced neuroinflammation. Furthermore, the milder degeneration of the olfactory bulb did not foster leukocyte attraction. Concerning the splenic analysis, in PCD mice we found: (1) a decreased percentage of several myeloid cell subsets, and (2) a reduced mean fluorescence intensity in those myeloid markers related to both antigen presentation and functional maturity. In conclusion, the selective degeneration of Purkinje cells triggers a specific effect on peripheral immune cells, fostering both attraction and functional changes. This fact endorses the employment of peripheral immune cell populations as concrete biomarkers for monitoring different neuronal death processes.
The characterization of quality brand meat products, such as "Chorizo Zamorano" dry fermented sausages, involves a wide range of data which makes it necessary to use alternative statistical ...methodologies. In this study, the feasibility of the Categorical Principal Components Analysis as a multivariate non-linear technique for the characterization of "Chorizo Zamorano" was assessed. The data analyzed were those of eight commercial brands covered by the quality mark over an eight-year period (2013-2020) and included parameters of the physicochemical composition and organoleptic properties of the product. The results showed that "Chorizo Zamorano" has an average moisture content (28.28%), high protein (38.38%) and fat (51.05%) contents, and a very low carbohydrate concentration (1.52%). Results showed that the fat and protein content and the sensory parameters related to external and internal odor appeared to be the studied variables with the greatest influence on the classification of the products according to their quality.
•Activity of the immune system may influence specific behavioral responses.•Bone marrow-derived cells can alter behavioral responses to cocaine.•Immune cells and their mediators are implicated in ...cocaine-seeking behavior.•Drug-evoked long-term memory may be an immune memory to the drug.
One of the main challenges to understand drug addiction is defining the biological mechanisms that underlie individual differences in recidivism. Studies of these mechanisms have mainly focused on the brain, yet we demonstrate here a significant influence of the peripheral immune system on this phenomenon. Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats have different immunological profiles and they display a distinct vulnerability to the reinforcing effects of cocaine, with F344 more resistant to reinstate cocaine-seeking behavior. Bone marrow from male LEW and F344 rats was transferred to male F344 rats (F344/LEW-BM and F344/F344-BM, respectively), and these rats were trained to self-administer cocaine over 21 days. Following extinction, these animals received a sub-threshold primer dose of cocaine to evaluate reinstatement. F344/LEW-BM but not F344/F344-BM rats reinstated cocaine-seeking behavior, in conjunction with changes in their peripheral immune cell populations to a profile that corresponded to that of the LEW donors. After cocaine exposure, higher CD4+ T-cells and lower CD4+CD25+ T-cells levels were observed in F344/LEW-BM rats referred to control, and the splenic expression of Il-17a, Tgf-β, Tlr-2, Tlr-4 and Il-1β was altered in both groups. We propose that peripheral T-cells respond to cocaine, with CD4+ T-cells in particular undergoing Th17 polarization and generating long-term memory, these cells releasing mediators that trigger central mechanisms to induce reinstatement after a second encounter. This immune response may explain the high rates of recidivism observed despite long periods of detoxification, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying the vulnerability and resilience of specific individuals, and opening new perspectives for personalized medicine in the treatment of relapse.
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