Preliminary results on the nutritional evaluation of omega-3-HUFA-enriched <i>Artemia</i> nauplii for larvae of the sea bass, <i>Dicentrarchus labrax</i>

Freshly hatched San Pablo Bay and Great Salt Lake Artemia nauplii (omega-3-HUFA-poor) and enriched meta-nauplii (omega-3-HUFA-enriched)were compared to reference Artemia nauplii (omega-3-HUFA-rich) as a food source for the larvae of the sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. Significant differences in survival and biomass production between the treatments could be attributed to the omega-3-HUFA content of the food. A delayed mortality in fish larvae fed the Great Salt Lake Artemia is suspected to be caused by a high level of alpha-BHC in this Artemia source. Growth was not significantly different between the treatments, most probably due to the large variation in growth rate within the treatments, as well as the low number of surviving fish in some treatments

Are Steroids Still Useful in Immunosuppressed Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease? A Retrospective, Population-Based Study

Background: Effectiveness of corticosteroids in immunosuppressed patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been completely elucidated. Aims: To assess the effectiveness and examine the long-term follow-up of systemic or low-bioavailability oral steroid treatment for moderate flare-ups in patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs. Methods: Immunosuppressed patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from our population-data registry were analyzed. For statistical analysis, the chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used as appropriate. Results: A total of 392 patients with IBD and a median of 82 (range, 6–271) months of immunosuppressive (IMM) treatment were identified. The mean follow-up was 87 months (range, 6–239 months). A total of 89 patients (23%) needed at least one steroid course during their follow-up. Average time from IMM to steroid treatment was 26 (range, 6–207) months. In patients with CD, fibrostenotic (B2) and fistulizing (B3) behaviors [p = 0.005; odds ratio (OR): 2.284] were risk factors for using steroids after IMM treatment. In patients with UC, no statistically significant variables were identified. Of the 89 patients who received one first steroid course, 49 (55%) stepped up to biological treatment or surgery after a median of 13 months (range, 0–178), 19 (21%) were treated with repeated steroid courses, and 31 (35%) required no further treatment. Patients with CD had a higher risk (p = 0.007; OR: 3.529) of receiving biological treatment or surgery than patients with UC. The longer the patients with UC (more months) spent using steroids, the greater the risk of requiring treatment with biological drugs or surgery (p = 0.009). Conclusion: A total of 23% of the immunosuppressed patients with IBD received at least one course of steroid treatment. In patients under immunosuppression treated with at least a course of steroids, CD patients were more likely stepped up to biologics and/or surgery than UC patients. In patients with CD, B2/B3 behavior pattern were significant risk factors. After one course of steroids only 35% of immunosuppressed IBD patients remained in remission without needing treatment scalation. © Copyright © 2021 Sicilia, Arias, Hontoria, García, Badia and Gomollón

Assessment of stress and nutritional biomarkers in cultured Octopus

The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is a promising species for aquaculture diversification, but massive mortality during the first life-cycle stages (paralarvae) is the main bottleneck for its commercial production in captivity. The aim of this study was to assess stress and nutritional condition biomarkers (HSP70, ROS enzymes and lipid peroxidation) (RNA/DNA, RNA/protein, protein/DNA and protein) in O. vulgaris paralarvae from different geographical origins and fed with Artemia enriched with marine phospholipids or microalgae (control group). To this end paralarvae were cultured for 30 days, in three different centres in Spain (Tarragona-Mediterranean area, Tenerife-Central Atlantic area and Vigo-North Atlantic area), under the same protocol, and fed on Artemia enriched with marine phospholipids (LC60) (Marine Lecithin LC 60®, PhosphoTech Laboratoires) or microalgae (control group). Dry weight and most biomarkers analysed in hatchlings showed significant differences related to their origin (centre). Fifteen day old paralarvae presented significant differences in specific growth rate (SGR) associated with their dietary regime, and also showed differences in biomarkers associated both with their geographical origin and dietary regime. The results suggest that the SGR of paralarvae were positively influenced by LC60, promoting growth and in agreement with the results of nutritional condition biomarkers (nucleic acids ratios). The antioxidant defences against oxidative damage were also boosted in the LC60 paralarvae group, possibly as a result of the elevated content in highly polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, the partial correlations found between biomarkers varied according to diet. However, no positive effect of LC60 on survival was observed. The high variability found among geographical origins, despite the use of the same rearing protocol, highlights the need to clarify the sources of such variability. Statement of relevance: Stress status varies among geographical origins and diets.En prensa2,04

Assessment of stress and nutritional biomarkers in cultured Octopus vulgaris paralarvae: Effects of geographical origin and dietary regime

The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is a promising species for aquaculture diversification, but massive mortality during the first life-cycle stages (paralarvae) is the main bottleneck for its commercial production in captivity. The aim of this study was to assess stress and nutritional condition biomarkers (HSP70, ROS enzymes and lipid peroxidation) (RNA/DNA, RNA/protein, protein/DNA and protein) inO.vulgarisparalarvae from different geographical origins and fed withArtemiaenriched with marine phospholipids or microalgae (control group). To this end paralarvae were cultured for 30days, in three different centres in Spain (Tarragona-Mediterranean area, Tenerife-Central Atlantic area and Vigo-North Atlantic area), under the same protocol, and fed onArtemiaenriched with marine phospholipids (LC60) (Marine Lecithin LC 60&reg;, PhosphoTech Laboratoires) or microalgae (control group). Dry weight and most biomarkers analysed in hatchlings showed significant differences related to their origin (centre). Fifteen day old paralarvae presented significant differences in specific growth rate (SGR) associated with their dietary regime, and also showed differences in biomarkers associated both with their geographical origin and dietary regime. The results suggest that the SGR of paralarvae were positively influenced by LC60, promoting growth and in agreement with the results of nutritional condition biomarkers (nucleic acids ratios). The antioxidant defences against oxidative damage were also boosted in the LC60 paralarvae group, possibly as a result of the elevated content in highly polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, the partial correlations found between biomarkers varied according to diet. However, no positive effect of LC60 on survival was observed. The high variability found among geographical origins, despite the use of the same rearing protocol, highlights the need to clarify the sources of such variability

Efecto de la dieta sobre el proteoma de paralarvas de Octopus vulgaris

Nowadays, the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) culture is hampered by massive mortalities occurring during early life-cycle stages (paralarvae). Although the causes of the high paralarvae mortality are not yet well defined and understood, the nutritional stress caused by diet is pointed out as one of the main factors. In this study the effect of diet on paralarvae is analysed trough a proteomic approach, to search for new biomarkers of nutritional stress. A total of 50 proteins showing differential expression in each condition analysed have been identified, highlighting proteins related with carbohydrate metabolism: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dedydrogenase (GAPDH), triosephosphate isomerase and NADP+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase; pyrimidine and beta-alanine metabolisms and vitamin B5 and CoA biosynthesis: dihydropyrimidinase; energetic metabolism: arginine kinase; detoxification: glutathione-S-transferase (GST), stress: heat shock proteins (HSP70); structural constituent of eye lens:S-crystallin; and cytoskeleton: actin, actin-beta/gamma1 and beta actin. Theresults obtained allow defining characteristic“proteomes” of paralarvae depending on the diet; as well as the use of these proteins as new biomarkers to evaluate their nutritional stress.En la actualidad el cultivo del pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) se ve frenado por la alta mortalidad durante los primeras fases de desarrollo larvario. Aunque las causas de las mortalidades masivas de las paralarvas no están bien definidas, se apunta al estrés nutricional causado por la dieta como una de los factores principales. En este estudio se analiza el efecto de la dieta en paralarvas de pulpo mediante una aproximación proteómica, con el objetivo de buscar nuevos biomarcadores de estrés nutricional. Se han identificado 50 proteínas del total de las que presentaban expresión diferencial en cada condición analizada, destacando proteínas relacionadas con metabolismo de carbohidratos: gliceraldehido-3-fosfato deshidrogenasa (GAPDH), trifosfatoisomerasa e isocitrato dehidrogenasa NAPD+ dependiente; metabolismo de pirimidinas y beta–alanina y biosíntesis de vitamina B5 y CoA: dihidropirimidasa; metabolismo energético: arginina cinasa; sistema de detoxificación: glutatión-S transferasa (GST); de estrés: proteínas de estrés térmico (HSP70);estructura de la lente del ojo: S-cristalino; y citoesqueleto: actina, actina-beta/gamma1 y beta actina. Los resultados obtenidos permiten definir “proteomas” característicos de paralarvas en función de la dieta; así como el uso de estas proteínas como nuevos biomarcadores para evaluar el estrés nutricional de las mismas

PPARGC1A gene promoter methylation as a biomarker of insulin secretion and sensitivity in response to glucose challenges

Methylation in CpG sites of the PPARGC1A gene (encoding PGC1-α) has been associated with adiposity, insulin secretion/sensitivity indexes and type 2 diabetes. We assessed the association between the methylation profile of the PPARGC1A gene promoter gene in leukocytes with insulin secretion/sensitivity indexes in normoglycemic women. A standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and an abbreviated version of the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) were carried out in n = 57 Chilean nondiabetic women with measurements of plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide. Bisulfite-treated DNA from leukocytes was evaluated for methylation levels in six CpG sites of the proximal promoter of the PPARGC1A gene by pyrosequencing (positions -816, -783, -652, -617, -521 and -515). A strong correlation between the DNA methylation percentage of different CpG sites of the PPARGC1A promoter in leukocytes was found, suggesting an integrated epigenetic control of this region. We found a positive association between the methylation levels of the CpG site -783 with the insulin sensitivity Matsuda composite index (rho = 0.31; p = 0.02) derived from the OGTT. The CpG hypomethylation in the promoter position -783 of the PPARGC1A gene in leukocytes may represent a biomarker of reduced insulin sensitivity after the ingestion of glucose

Artificial intelligence for photovoltaic systems

Photovoltaic systems have gained an extraordinary popularity in the energy generation industry. Despite the benefits, photovoltaic systems still suffer from four main drawbacks, which include low conversion efficiency, intermittent power supply, high fabrication costs and the nonlinearity of the PV system output power. To overcome these issues, various optimization and control techniques have been proposed. However, many authors relied on classical techniques, which were based on intuitive, numerical or analytical methods. More efficient optimization strategies would enhance the performance of the PV systems and decrease the cost of the energy generated. In this chapter, we provide an overview of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques can provide value to photovoltaic systems. Particular attention is devoted to three main areas: (1) Forecasting and modelling of meteorological data, (2) Basic modelling of solar cells and (3) Sizing of photovoltaic systems. This chapter will aim to provide a comparison between conventional techniques and the added benefits of using machine learning methods