Macrophytes, epipelic biofilm, and invertebrates as biotic indicators of physical habitat degradation of lowland streams (Argentina).

Our objective was to assess the effect of the physical habitat degradation in three lowland streams of Argentina that are subject to different land uses. To address this matter, we looked into some physical habitat alterations, mainly the water quality and channel changes, the impact on macrophytes' community, and the structural and functional descriptors of the epipelic biofilm and invertebrate assemblages. As a consequence of physical and chemical perturbations, we differentiated sampling sites with different degradation levels.

[Prevalence of arterial calcification and related risk factors. The multicenter population-based ARTPER study].

Objective: To determine the prevalence of arterial calcification (ankle-brachial index ≥1.4) and its related factors among the general population aged >49 years.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 3,786 people randomly selected from 28 centers.