Dual consent? Donors' and recipients' views about involvement in decision-making on the use of embryos created by gamete donation in research

Background Reasonable disagreement about the role awarded to gamete donors in decision-making on the use of embryos created by gamete donation (EGDs) for research purposes emphasises the importance of considering the implementation of participatory, adaptive, and trustworthy policies and guidelines for consent procedures. However, the perspectives of gamete donors and recipients about decision-making regarding research with EGDs are still under-researched, which precludes the development of policies and guidelines informed by evidence. This study seeks to explore the views of donors and recipients about who should take part in consent processes for the use of EGDs in research. Methods From July 2017 to June 2018, 72 gamete donors and 175 recipients completed a self-report structured questionnaire at the Portuguese Public Bank of Gametes (response rate: 76%). Agreement with dual consent was defined as the belief that the use of EGDs in research should be consented by both donors and recipients. Results The majority of participants (74.6% of donors and 65.7% of recipients) were willing to donate embryos for research. Almost half of the donors (48.6%) and half of the recipients (46.9%) considered that a dual consent procedure is desirable. This view was more frequent among employed recipients (49.7%) than among non-employed (21.4%). Donors were less likely to believe that only recipients should be involved in giving consent for the use of EGDs in research (25.0% vs. 41.7% among recipients) and were more frequently favourable to the idea of exclusive donors' consent (26.4% vs. 11.4% among recipients). Conclusions Divergent views on dual consent among donors and recipients indicate the need to develop evidence-based and ethically sustainable policies and guidelines to protect well-being, autonomy and reproductive rights of both stakeholder groups. More empirical research and further theoretical normative analyses are needed to inform people-centred policy and guidelines for shared decision-making concerning the use of EGDs for research

Laser-induced chemical transformation of freestanding graphene oxide membranes in liquid and gas ammonia environments

Laser-induced chemical conversion of graphene oxide (GO) is an effective way to modify its properties and expand its potential use for numerous applications. In this work, a mechanically stable and flexible free-standing GO membrane is synthesized and further processed by ultraviolet laser radiation in gas and liquid ammonia-rich environments. Electron and atomic force microscopy, as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, reveal that laser irradiation in gas leads to a large defect-induced morphology modification and high deoxygenation process, accompanied by the slight incorporation of nitrogen functionality to the reduced GO structure. Conversely, irradiation in liquid provokes significant integration of nitrogen groups, essentially amines, into a partially reduced GO structure, without evident modification of the morphology. Electrical measurements on the macro- and nano-scale point to a complex contribution of morphology and oxidized regions to the overall resistance of the rGO.The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under the project ENE2014-56109-C3-3-R, in addition to the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation, CNCS – UEFISCDI, under the Grants PN-II-ID-PCE-2012-4-0292 and PNII- RU-TE-2014-4-1194. ICMAB acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, through the “Severo Ochoa” Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (SEV-2015-0496).Peer reviewe

Patterns of the parasite communities in a fish assemblage of a river in the Brazilian Amazon region.

This paper characterizes the pattern of ectoparasite and endoparasite communities in an assemblage of 35 sympatric fish from different trophic levels in a tributary from the Amazon River system, northern Brazil. In detritivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous and piscivorous hosts, the species richness consisted of 82 ectoparasites and endoparasites, but protozoan ectoparasites such as Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Piscinoodinium pillulare and Tripartiella sp. were dominant species predominated, such that they were present in 80% of the hosts. The taxon richness was in the following order: Monogenea > Nematoda > Digenea > Crustacea > Protozoa > Acanthocephala = Cestoda > Hirudinea. Among the hosts, the highest number of parasitic associations occurred in Satanoperca jurupari, Aequidens tetramerus, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus, Hoplosternum littorale, Cichlasoma amazonarum, Chaetobranchus flavescens, Squaliforma emarginata, Chaetobranchopsis orbicularis and Hoplias malabaricus. A weak positive correlation between ectoparasite abundance and length of the hosts was observed. Ectoparasite communities of detritivorous, carnivorous and omnivorous hosts were similar, but these differed from the communities of piscivorous hosts. Larval endoparasite species with low host specificity were the main determinants of the parasite infracommunity structure of the fish assemblage. Fish assemblage had few species of helminth that were specialist endoparasites, while many were parasites at the larval stage, infecting intermediate and paratenic hosts. Finally, carnivorous and omnivorous hosts harbored endoparasite communities that were more heterogeneous than those of detritivorous and piscivorous hosts. This result lends supports to the notion that the feeding habits of the host species are a significant factor in determining the endoparasites fauna

Shake-induced order in nanosphere systems

Self-assembled patterns obtained from a drying nanosphere suspension are investigated by computer simulations and simple experiments. Motivated by the earlier experimental results of Sasaki and Hane and Schope, we confirm that more ordered triangular lattice structures can be obtained whenever a moderate intensity random shaking is applied on the drying system. Computer simulations are realized on an improved version of a recently elaborated Burridge-Knopoff-type model. Experiments are made following the setup of Sasaki and Hane, using ultrasonic radiation as source for controlled shaking.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figure

Addressing the optimal silver content in bioactive glass systems in terms of BSA adsorption

Bioactive glasses doped with silver are aimed to minimize the risk of microbial contamination, and therefore, the influence of silver on the bioactive properties is an intense investigated task. However, the information related to the role played by silver, when added to the bioactive glass composition, on the biocompatibility properties is scarce. This aspect is essential as long as the silver content can influence the blood protein adsorption onto glass surface, affecting thus the material biocompatibility. Therefore, from the perspective of the biocompatibility standpoint, the finding of an optimal silver content in a bioactive glass is an extremely important issue. In this study, silver doped bioactive glasses were prepared by melt-derived technique, which eliminates the pores influence in the protein adsorption process. The obtained glasses were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis, X-ray Photoelectron (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and afterwards they were investigated in terms of protein adsorption. Both UV-vis and XPS spectroscopy revealed the presence of Ag+ ions in all silver containing samples. By increasing the silver content, metallic Ag0 appears, the highest amount being observed for the sample with 1 mol% AgO2. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance measurements evidenced that the amount of spin labeled serum albumin attached on the surface increases with the silver content. The results obtained by analyzing the information derived from Atomic Force Microscopy and FT-IR measurements indicate that the occurrence of metallic Ag0 in the samples structure influences the secondary structure of the adsorbed protein. Based on the results derived from the protein response upon interaction with the investigated glass calcium-phosphate based system it was determined the optimal silver oxide concentration for which the secondary structure of the adsorbed protein is similar with that of the free one. This concentration was found to be 0.5 mol%

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of Waldeyer's ring has distinct clinicopathologic features: a GELA study

Background Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) arising in specific extranodal sites have peculiar clinicopathologic features. Patients and methods We analyzed a cohort of 187 primary Waldeyer's ring (WR) DLBCLs retrieved from GELA protocols using anthracyclin-based polychemotherapy. Results Most patients (92%) had stage I-II disease. A germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) immunophenotype was observed in 61%, and BCL2 expression in 55%, of WR DLBCLs. BCL2, BCL6, IRF4 and MYC breakpoints were observed in, respectively, 3 of 42 (7%), 9 of 36 (25%), 2 of 26 (8%) and 4 of 40 (10%) contributive cases. A variable follicular pattern was evidenced in 30 of 68 (44%) large biopsy specimens. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and the overall survival (OS) of 153 WR DLBCL patients with survival information were 69.5% and 77.8%, respectively. The GCB immunophenotype correlated with a better OS (P=0.0015), while BCL2 expression predicted a worse OS (P=0.037), an effect overcome by the GCB/non-GCB classification. Compared with matched nodal DLBCLs, WR DLBCLs with no age-adjusted international prognostic index factor disclosed a better 5-year PFS rate (77.5% versus 70.7%; P=0.03). Conclusions WR DLBCLs display distinct clinicopathologic features compared with conventional DLBCLs, with usual localized-stage disease, common follicular features and a high frequency of GCB immunophenotype contrasting with a low rate of BCL2 rearrangements. In addition, they seem to be associated with a better outcome than their nodal counterpar

Parenting very preterm infants and stress in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

BACKGROUND: Assessing parental stress during infants' hospitalization in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) is essential to identify parents at risk for immediate and extended physical and emotional burden. AIMS: To identify sources of stress in mothers and fathers of very preterm infants hospitalized in NICU, and their association with sociodemographic, obstetric and infants' characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: Observational and cross-sectional study conducted between July 2013 and June 2014. SUBJECTS: Parents of very preterm infants hospitalized in all level III NICU in the Northern Health Region of Portugal were consecutively and systematically invited to participate in this study, being included 120 mothers and 91 fathers (participation rate: 96.8%). OUTCOME MEASURES: The Portuguese version of the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was used. RESULTS: The overall experience of hospitalization was classified as more stressful than the median for the subscales. "Change in parental role" was classified as the most stressful subscale by mothers (Median (P25-P75): 4.1(3.2-4.7)) and fathers (Median (P25-P75): 3.2(2.4-4.0)). Mothers scored significantly higher in all subscales. For mothers, multiple pregnancy was associated with lower levels of stress regarding "change in parental role" (β=-0.597; 95% CI=-1.020 to -0.174) and "overall stress" (β=-0.603; 95% CI=-1.052 to -0.153). Being ≥30years old was found to be a significant predictor for decreased fathers' stress. CONCLUSIONS: This study raises awareness for the need to develop sensitive instruments that take notice of gender, social support and family-centered care. The implementation of interventions focused on reducing parental stress is crucial to diminish disparities in family health

Arany nanorészecskéket tartalmazó bioaktív üveg – biopolimér kompozítok előállítása, jellemzése és alkalmazhatósága: Synthesis, characterization and applicability of bioactive glass – biopolymer composites with gold nanoparticles

Considering that the median age of our population is increasing, bone disorders or skin regeneration problems are of significant concern. The bioactive glass-biopolymer composites are materials with real potential to be used in tissue engineering. It is well-known, that the bioactive glasses (BG) can lead the promotion of growth of granulation tissue. The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs; ~20 nm) can induced the acceleration of wound healing including tissue regeneration, connective tissue regeneration and angiogenesis. It was demonstrated that the AuNPs in the sol-gel derived glass structure retain their properties. Alginate-pullulan (Alg-Pll) composites have good bioactivity and in vivo qualities in terms of bone regeneration. The goal of this study was to obtain the functional composites for future tissue engineering applications using BG with AuNPs introduced in Alg-Pll composites. After structural and morphological characterization of the composites, in vitro and in vivo bioactivity and biocompatibility were evaluated. The obtained results suggest that the obtained composites are materials for future soft tissue and bone engineering applications.  Kivonat A várható élettartam növekedésével egyre növekszik azon betegek száma, amelyek ortopédiai vagy bőr rekonstrukcióra szorulnak. A bioaktív üveg-biopolimer kompozitok potenciálisan alkalmazható anyagok a szövettani sebészetben. Ismert dolog, hogy a bioaktív üvegek (BG) elősegítik a granulációs szövetek növekedését. Az arany nanorészecskék (AuNPs; ~20 nm) gyorsítják a sebgyógyulást beleértve angiogenézist, a szövetek és kötőszövet regenerálódását. Tudjuk, hogy a szól-gél módszerrel előállított üveg szerkezetben bevitt AuNPs képes megőrizni ezen tulajdonságait. Az alginát-pullulán (kompozitok) remek bioaktivitásuknak köszönhetően aktívan részt vesznek az in vivo csont regenerálódásban. A tanulmány célja, hogy olyan funkcionális kompozitokat hozzunk létre, amelyek alkalmazhatók a szövettani sebészetben. Ehhez az Alg-Pll kompozitokban AuNPs tartalmazó BG vittünk be, majd szerkezeti és morfológiai jellemzéseket végeztünk. Ezt követtően az in vitro és in vivo bioaktivitás, valamint biokompatibilitást vizsgáltuk. A kapott eredmények azt sugallják, hogy az előállított kompozitok megfelelnek a lágyrész- és csonttechnikai alkalmazás elvárásainak

Parasitos em assembleia de peixes de diferentes níveis tróficos na bacia igarapé Fortaleza, estado do Amapá, Brasil.

Enbrapoa

Fish Oil Supplementation Reduces Inflammation but Does Not Restore Renal Function and Klotho Expression in an Adenine-Induced CKD Model

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease and inflammation promote loss of Klotho expression. Given the well-established anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids, we aimed to investigate the effect of fish oil supplementation in a model of CKD. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice received supplementation with an adenine-enriched diet (AD, n = 5) or standard diet (CTL, n = 5) for 10 days. Two other experimental groups were kept under the adenine diet for 10 days. Following adenine withdrawal on the 11th day, the animals returned to a standard diet supplemented with fish oil (Post AD-Fish oil, n = 9) or not (Post AD-CTL, n = 9) for an additional period of 7 days. RESULTS: Adenine mice exhibited significantly higher mean serum urea, creatinine, and renal expression of the pro-inflammatory markers Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), in addition to prominent renal fibrosis and reduced renal Klotho gene expression compared to the control. Post AD-Fish oil animals demonstrated a significant reduction of IL-6, C-X-C motif chemokine 9 (CXCL9), and IL-1β compared to Post AD-CTL animals. However, serum creatinine, renal fibrosis, and Klotho were not significantly different in the fish oil-treated group. Furthermore, renal histomorphological changes such as tubular dilatation and interstitial infiltration persisted despite treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Fish oil supplementation reduced renal pro-inflammatory markers but was not able to restore renal function nor Klotho expression in an adenine-induced CKD model