Ethnicity,region and nation: Valencian identity and the Spanish nation-state

In the exploration of the relationships between ethnicity, national identity, and symbolic building of the region, this article deals with a key issue: the achievements and limitations of the assimilation of culturally heterogeneous populations by European nation-states. The modern Spanish national identity (at times shown as purely political) has included and still includes cultural elements (above all, the spread of the Spanish language). This meant that the ethnicity of the Valencians (a population with autonomous political structures until their violent destruction in 1707) had to be redefined as a regional identity in order to avoid coming into conflict with national identity. This re-working excluded the Catalan language, spoken by most of the inhabitants of the region, from the political sphere. In the long term, this cultural characteristic became stigmatized, which favoured its undercommunication to the extent that a process of language shift was initiated. This case study highlights the historical analysis of ethnic identity and the instability of its integration into national structures.     

Shiga Toxin 2-Encoding Bacteriophages in Human Fecal Samples from Healthy Individuals

Shiga toxin-converting bacteriophages (Stx phages) carry the stx gene and convert nonpathogenic bacterial strains into Shiga toxin-producing bacteria. Previous studies have shown that high densities of free and infectious Stx phages are found in environments polluted with feces and also in food samples. Taken together, these two findings suggest that Stx phages could be excreted through feces, but this has not been tested to date. In this study, we purified Stx phages from 100 fecal samples from 100 healthy individuals showing no enteric symptoms. The phages retrieved from each sample were then quantified by quantitative PCR (qPCR). In total, 62% of the samples carried Stx phages, with an average value of 2.6 × 10⁴ Stx phages/g. This result confirms the excretion of free Stx phages by healthy humans. Moreover, the Stx phages from feces were able to propagate in enrichment cultures of stx-negative Escherichia coli (strains C600 and O157:H7) and in Shigella sonnei, indicating that at least a fraction of the Stx phages present were infective. Plaque blot hybridization revealed lysis by Stx phages from feces. Our results confirm the presence of infectious free Stx phages in feces from healthy persons, possibly explaining the environmental prevalence observed in previous studies. It cannot be ruled out, therefore, that some positive stx results obtained during the molecular diagnosis of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)-related diseases using stool samples are due to the presence of Stx phages.     

Microbial inoculum production for biocrust restoration: testing the effects of a common substrate versus native soils on yield and community composition

Human activities are causing unprecedented disturbances in terrestrial ecosystems across the globe. To reverse soil deterioration in drylands, a promising tool is the ex situ cultivation of biological soil crusts, topsoil geobiological assemblages that provide key ecosystem services. One approach is to transplant biocrusts cultivated in greenhouse nursery facilities into degraded sites to accelerate recovery. Lichen‐ and moss‐dominated biocrusts have been successfully grown using a common, sandy soil. We compared the use of a common, sandy soil versus native soils as a substrate for the cultivation of cyanobacteria‐dominated biocrusts. In greenhouse experiments, we inoculated natural biocrusts collected from three Southwestern USA dryland sites on to either a common, sandy soil or on their respective native soils. The common substrate resulted in a moderate enhancement of growth yield relative to native soils. While changes in bacterial phyla composition remained low in all cases, the use of a common substrate introduced larger shifts in cyanobacterial community composition than did using native soils. The shift increase attributable to the common, sandy soil was not catastrophic—and typical cyanobacteria of field biocrusts remained dominant—unless textural differences between the common substrate and native soils were marked. Because collecting native soils adds a significant effort to growing cyanobacterial biocrusts in greenhouses for restoration purposes, the use of a common, sandy substrate may be considered by land managers as a standard practice. But we recommend to regularly monitor the composition of the grown biomass.     

Inoculation and habitat amelioration efforts in biological soil crust recovery vary by desert and soil texture

As dryland degradation continues, it is increasingly important to understand how to effectively restore biocrust communities. Potential techniques include the addition of biocrust inoculum to accelerate biocrust recovery. Enhanced erosion typical of degraded environments creates a challenge for these approaches, due to loss by wind or water and burial by saltating particles. To retain and protect added inoculum, the inclusion of habitat‐amelioration techniques can improve recovery rates. This study tested three different types of inoculum (field‐collected, greenhouse‐cultivated, and laboratory‐cultivated biocrust) coupled with two treatments to augment soil stability and ameliorate habitat limitations: soil surface polyacrylamide additions and installation of straw barriers. This was done across two deserts (Great Basin and Chihuahuan) and separated into generally coarse‐ or finer‐textured soils in each desert, with results monitored for 3 years (2015, 2016, 2017). While the inoculum type, coupled with habitat ameliorations, occasionally enhanced biocrust growth across years and treatments, in other cases, it made no difference compared to natural recovery rates. Rather, the desert location and soil texture groupings were the most prominent factors in determining recovery trajectories. Recovery proportions were similar in the finer‐textured sites in both the Great Basin and the Chihuahuan deserts, while the coarser‐textured site in the Great Basin did show some recovery over time and the Chihuahuan coarser‐textured site did not. This study demonstrates the importance of understanding site potential and identifying key limitations to biocrust recovery for successful restoration projects.     

Sputum Inflammatory Profile Before and After Specific Inhalation Challenge in Individuals with Suspected Occupational Asthma

Background

The aim of this study was to establish the sputum inflammatory profile and changes in levels of leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) and a panel of Th1/Th2 cytokines in subjects with suspected occupational asthma (OA) following specific inhalation challenge (SIC) to high-molecular-weight (HMW) and low-molecular-weight (LMW) agents.

Material and Methods

Fifty-one consecutive subjects undergoing SIC for suspected OA were enrolled. Sputum induction was performed the day before and 24 h after exposure to the offending agent. Total and differential cell counts were assessed. LTB₄ and a 10 Th1/Th2 cytokines were measured in sputum supernatant.

Results

Thirty-four patients tested positive to SIC and were diagnosed with OA (in 10 due to HMW agents and in 24 to LMW agents). SIC was negative in 17 subjects. As compared to baseline an increase was found in the percentage of sputum eosinophils and neutrophils, and in IL-10 concentration after SIC (p = 0.0078, p = 0.0195, and p = 0.046, respectively), and a decrease was seen in LTB₄ level (p = 0.0078) in patients with OA due to HMW agents. An increase in the percentage of sputum neutrophils after SIC (p = 0.0040) was observed in subjects without OA exposed to LMW agents. IL-8 levels after SIC were higher in patients without OA compared with patients with OA (p = 0.0146).

Conclusion

When conducting airway inflammation studies in OA, patients should be divided according to the causal agent (HMW or LMW). In OA patients exposed to HMW agents, an increase in the number of neutrophils can be found in parallel to the increase of eosinophils, although this does not contradict an IgE-mediated mechanism. Exposure to LMW agents can result in increased neutrophilic inflammation in patients with airway diseases unrelated to OA. There is variability in the responses observed in patients with OA exposed to LMW agents.     

The emergent role of sarcopenia: Preliminary Report of the Observatory of Sarcopenia of the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology

Sarcopenia is a common and prominent geriatric syndrome, of major interest for daily clinical practice of professionals working with older people. The number of affected individuals and its relation with disability, frailty, many chronic diseases, lifestyle and adverse outcomes are extremely relevant for geriatric care. Moreover, biological changes that lead to the loss of muscle mass and strength are intrinsically related to the mechanisms of aging. It is not therefore surprising that research in this field is growing exponentially in recent years, and sarcopenia has been placed in recent years in the forefront of research in geriatric medicine and gerontology. The Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology has recently created an Observatory of Sarcopenia, which aims to promote educational and research activities in this field. The first activity of the Observatory has been to offer the Spanish speaking scientific community a review of the current status of sarcopenia, that may allow unifying concepts and fostering interest in this promising field of geriatrics.     

La eclosión de la sarcopenia: Informe preliminar del Observatorio de la Sarcopenia de la Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología

Sarcopenia is a common and prominent geriatric syndrome, of major interest for daily clinical practice of professionals working with older people. The number of affected individuals and its relation with disability, frailty, many chronic diseases, lifestyle and adverse outcomes are extremely relevant for geriatric care. Moreover, biological changes that lead to the loss of muscle mass and strength are intrinsically related to the mechanisms of aging. It is not therefore surprising that research in this field is growing exponentially in recent years, and sarcopenia has been placed in recent years in the forefront of research in geriatric medicine and gerontology.The Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology has recently created an Observatory of Sarcopenia, which aims to promote educational and research activities in this field. The first activity of the Observatory has been to offer the Spanish speaking scientific community a review of the current status of sarcopenia, that may allow unifying concepts and fostering interest in this promising field of geriatrics.