CO2 capture at low temperature by nanoporous silica modified with amine groups

MCM-41 and SBA-15 were chosen as nanoporous materials based on silica for its modification with aminegroups. This modification was done by two methods: grafting method and wet impregnation method. The firstmethod grafted-amine groups by chemical reaction between surface silanol groups in the nanoporousmaterials and 3-aminopropyltrimetoxilane (APTMS).In the wet impregnation method, low molecular weightpolyethylenimine (PEI) is incorporated trough this method. These modified materials capture CO2 at lowtemperature. CO2 capture on the sorption sites by amine loading is believed to occur via chemisorptionmechanism by formation of ammonium carbamate. The evaluation and analysis of CO2 adsorption was carriedout by two methods: static mode and dynamic mode. The static mode is a pure CO2 adsorption-desorptionisotherms at 298K. The isotherms of the functionalized materials show a behavior by chemisorption, captureat low pressure, being the desorption branch almost horizontal, while nanoporous silica isotherms is due aphysical adsorption, low CO2 capture at low pressure and dependence with pressure, a complete reversibilityof the desorption process. The dynamic mode is a thermogravimetry study at different N2/CO2 concentrations.Isothermal CO2 captures at 298K were carried out to evaluate the suitability of the samples for cyclicoperation. The mass increase during the capture step was interpreted as CO2 adsorption capacity of thesamples. The results obtained by both methods were compared, and, its differences were analyzed

Furfuryl alcohol production by liquid phase catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural on alumina as Lewis acid catalyst

Currently, much attention is being paid to the development of efficient and environmentally friendly technologies for the sustainable production of energy, fuels and chemicals [1]. In this context, lignocellulosic biomass appears as a renewable alternative feedstock to fossil resources. Thus, dehydration of C5 carbohydrates leads to furfural (FUR), a versatile platform molecule for the synthesis of a large spectrum of chemicals. Among them, the most important is furfuryl alcohol (FOL), accounting for 65% of FUR production, which finds application in the preparation of resins used as high-quality cores and molds for metal casting, reactive solvent for phenolic resins in the refractory industry, chemical building block for the synthesis of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and pharmaceuticals and manufacture of fragrances [2,3]. FOL is prepared industrially by the catalytic hydrogenation of furfural, which can be carried out in vapor or liquid-phases, being the former in the presence of copper chromite the preferred industrial route. However, other products such as 2-methylfuran, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran can result from furfural hydrogenation, besides furan and THF, different pentanediols, 2-pentanone and 2-pentanol, cyclopentanone and cyclopentanol. The selectivity pattern depends strongly on reaction conditions and on the nature of the catalyst used. Nevertheless, a synthetic approach based on the catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH), based on the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction of an aldehyde (or ketone) coupled to the oxidation of a secondary alcohol, has been also proposed, which does not require supply of external hydrogen and the alcohol can be chosen in order to produce an aldehyde or ketone with industrial applications [4,5]. The present contribution deals with the production of FOL from furfural by CTH, using different commercial aluminas as catalysts and a secondary alcohol as hydrogen donor, in liquid phase. The results have demonstrated that the formation of other by-products is minimized and FOL is produced in high yield, at temperatures ranging between 90 and 150ºC, by using 2-propanol. Thus, full conversion of furfural and a FOL selectivity higher than 90 mol% are attained after only 2 h, at 150ºC, a FUR concentration of 0.25 M in 2-propanol and a catalyst/FUR weight ratio of 1:1 (Fig. 1). A reaction mechanism, involving Lewis acid sites present on the alumina surface in the activation of FUR and 2-propanol, has been put forward. Different experimental parameters (FUR concentration, reaction temperature, catalyst loading, type of alumina and nature of alcohol) have been optimized in order to achieve suitable FOL yields. Moreover, reutilization has been evaluated to support the advantage of the heterogeneous catalytic process which allows the reuse of the solid catalyst. Finally, and considering that dehydration of xylose to furfural is accomplished in the presence of solid acid catalysts, the one-pot synthesis of FOL from xylose has been undertaken by tuning selected experimental variables.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Human platelet-rich plasma improves the nesting and differentiation of human chondrocytes cultured in stabilized porous chitosan scaffolds

[EN] The clinical management of large-size cartilage lesions is difficult due to the limited regenerative ability of the cartilage. Different biomaterials have been used to develop tissue engineering substitutes for cartilage repair, including chitosan alone or in combination with growth factors to improve its chondrogenic properties. The main objective of this investigation was to evaluate the benefits of combining activated platelet-rich plasma with a stabilized porous chitosan scaffold for cartilage regeneration. To achieve this purpose, stabilized porous chitosan scaffolds were prepared using freeze gelation and combined with activated platelet-rich plasma. Human primary articular chondrocytes were isolated and cultured in stabilized porous chitosan scaffolds with and without combination to activated platelet-rich plasma. Scanning electron microscopy was used for the morphological characterization of the resulting scaffolds. Cell counts were performed in hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections, and type I and II collagen expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Significant increase in cell number in activated platelet-rich plasma/stabilized porous chitosan was found compared with stabilized porous chitosan scaffolds. Chondrocytes grown on stabilized porous chitosan expressed high levels of type I collagen but type II was not detectable, whereas cells grown on activated platelet rich plasma/stabilized porous chitosan scaffolds expressed high levels of type II collagen and type I was almost undetectable. In summary, activated platelet-rich plasma increases nesting and induces the differentiation of chondrocytes cultured on stabilized porous chitosan scaffolds.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by grants MAT2016-76039-C4-2-R (M.S.-T. and C.C.) and MAT 2013-46467-C4-1-R (M.A.G.-G. and J.L.G.R.) from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of the Spanish Government and by the program VLC-Bioclinic from the University of Valencia and INCLIVA (Spain). CIBER-BBN and CIBERER are funded by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008-2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions, and financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with the assistance of the European Regional Development Fund. M.A.G.-G. acknowledges a grant from the BES-2011-044740.Sancho-Tello Valls, M.; Martorell-Tejedor, S.; Mata, M.; Millán, L.; Gamiz Gonzalez, MA.; Gómez Ribelles, JL.; Carda-Batalla, C. (2017). Human platelet-rich plasma improves the nesting and differentiation of human chondrocytes cultured in stabilized porous chitosan scaffolds. Journal of Tissue Engineering. 8:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1177/2041731417697545S168Muzzarelli, R. A. A., Greco, F., Busilacchi, A., Sollazzo, V., & Gigante, A. (2012). Chitosan, hyaluronan and chondroitin sulfate in tissue engineering for cartilage regeneration: A review. Carbohydrate Polymers, 89(3), 723-739. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.04.057XIE, A., NIE, L., SHEN, G., CUI, Z., XU, P., GE, H., & TAN, Q. (2014). The application of autologous platelet-rich plasma gel in cartilage regeneration. Molecular Medicine Reports, 10(3), 1642-1648. doi:10.3892/mmr.2014.2358Rodríguez-Vázquez, M., Vega-Ruiz, B., Ramos-Zúñiga, R., Saldaña-Koppel, D. A., & Quiñones-Olvera, L. F. (2015). Chitosan and Its Potential Use as a Scaffold for Tissue Engineering in Regenerative Medicine. BioMed Research International, 2015, 1-15. doi:10.1155/2015/821279Kim, J., Lin, B., Kim, S., Choi, B., Evseenko, D., & Lee, M. (2015). TGF-β1 conjugated chitosan collagen hydrogels induce chondrogenic differentiation of human synovium-derived stem cells. Journal of Biological Engineering, 9(1). doi:10.1186/1754-1611-9-1Shimojo, A. A. M., Perez, A. G. M., Galdames, S. E. M., Brissac, I. C. de S., & Santana, M. H. A. (2015). Performance of PRP Associated with Porous Chitosan as a Composite Scaffold for Regenerative Medicine. The Scientific World Journal, 2015, 1-12. doi:10.1155/2015/396131SHEN, J., GAO, Q., ZHANG, Y., & HE, Y. (2014). Autologous platelet-rich plasma promotes proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells. Molecular Medicine Reports, 11(2), 1298-1303. doi:10.3892/mmr.2014.2875Krüger, J. P., Ketzmar, A.-K., Endres, M., Pruss, A., Siclari, A., & Kaps, C. (2013). Human platelet-rich plasma induces chondrogenic differentiation of subchondral progenitor cells in polyglycolic acid-hyaluronan scaffolds. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 102(4), 681-692. doi:10.1002/jbm.b.33047Dhurat, R., & Sukesh, M. (2014). Principles and methods of preparation of platelet-rich plasma: A review and author′s perspective. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 7(4), 189. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.150734Sancho-Tello, M., Forriol, F., Gastaldi, P., Ruiz-Saurí, A., Martín de Llano, J. J., Novella-Maestre, E., … Carda, C. (2015). Time Evolution ofin VivoArticular Cartilage Repair Induced by Bone Marrow Stimulation and Scaffold Implantation in Rabbits. The International Journal of Artificial Organs, 38(4), 210-223. doi:10.5301/ijao.5000404Shimojo, A. A. M., Perez, A. G. M., Galdames, S. E. M., Brissac, I. C. S., & Santana, M. H. A. (2016). Stabilization of porous chitosan improves the performance of its association with platelet-rich plasma as a composite scaffold. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 60, 538-546. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2015.11.080Oktay, E., Demiralp, B., Demiralp, B., Senel, S., Cevdet Akman, A., Eratalay, K., & Akıncıbay, H. (2010). Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Chitosan Combination on Bone Regeneration in Experimental Rabbit Cranial Defects. Journal of Oral Implantology, 36(3), 175-184. doi:10.1563/aaid-joi-d-09-00023Kutlu, B., Tiğlı Aydın, R. S., Akman, A. C., Gümüşderelioglu, M., & Nohutcu, R. M. (2012). Platelet-rich plasma-loaded chitosan scaffolds: Preparation and growth factor release kinetics. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 101B(1), 28-35. doi:10.1002/jbm.b.32806Bi, L., Cheng, W., Fan, H., & Pei, G. (2010). Reconstruction of goat tibial defects using an injectable tricalcium phosphate/chitosan in combination with autologous platelet-rich plasma. Biomaterials, 31(12), 3201-3211. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.01.03

Haloalkalitolerant Actinobacteria with capacity for anthracene degradation isolated from soils close to areas with oil activity in the State of Veracruz, Mexico

The use of native strains of microorganisms from soils is an excellent option for bioremediation. To our knowledge, until now there has been no other group working on the isolation of Actinobacteria from contaminated soils in Mexico. In this study, samples of soils close to areas with oil activity in the State of Veracruz, Mexico, were inoculated for the isolation of Actinobacteria. The strains isolated were characterized morphologically, and the concentrations of NaCl and pH were determined for optimal growth. Strain selection was performed by the detection of a phylogenetic marker for Actinobacteria located at the 23S rRNA gene, followed by species identification by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. Several haloalkalitolerant Actinobacteria were isolated and identified as: Kocuria rosea, K. palustris, Microbacterium testaceum, Nocardia farcinica and Cellulomonas denverensis. Except for C. denverensis, the biomass of all strains increased in the presence of anthracene. The strains capacity to metabolize anthracene (at 48 h), determined by fluorescence emission, was in the range of 46–54%. During this time, dihydroxy aromatic compounds formed, characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy bands of 1205 cm–1 and 1217 cm–1. Those Actinobacteria are potentially useful for the bioremediation of saline and alkaline environments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds

The K153R Polymorphism in the Myostatin Gene and Muscle Power Phenotypes in Young, Non-Athletic Men

The Lys(K)153Arg(R) polymorphism in exon 2 (rs1805086, 2379 A>G replacement) of the myostatin (MSTN) gene is a candidate to influence skeletal muscle phenotypes. We examined the association between the MSTN K153R polymorphism and ‘explosive’ leg power, assessed during sprint (30 m) and stationary jumping tests [squat (SJ) and counter-movement jumps (CMJ)] in non-athletic young adults (University students) [n = 281 (214 men); age: 21–32 years]. We also genotyped the MSTN exonic variants E164K (rs35781413), I225T, and P198A, yet no subject carried any of these variant MSTN alleles. As for the K153R polymorphism, we found only one woman with the KR genotype; thus, we presented the results only for men. The results of a one-way ANCOVA (with age, weight and height entered as covariates) showed that men with the KR genotype (n = 15) had a worse performance in vertical jumps compared with those with the KK genotype [SJ: vertical displacement of center of gravity (CG) of 35.17±1.42 vs. 39.06±0.39 cm, respectively, P = 0.009; CMJ: vertical displacement of CG of 36.44±1.50 vs. 40.63±0.41 cm, respectively, P = 0.008]. The results persisted after adjusting for multiple comparisons according to Bonferroni. Performance in 30 m sprint tests did however not differ by K153R genotypes. In summary, the MSTN K153R polymorphism is associated with the ability to produce ‘peak’ power during muscle contractions, as assessed with vertical jump tests, in young non-athletic men. Although more research is still needed, this genetic variation is among the numerous candidates to explain, alone or in combination with other polymorphisms, individual variations in muscle phenotypes

Diabetic individuals with COVID-19 exhibit reduced efficacy of gliptins in inhibiting dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4). A suggested explanation for increased COVID-19 susceptibility in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)

Aims: Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) has been proposed as a coreceptor for SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry. Considering that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been identified as the most important risk factor for SARS-CoV-2, and that gliptins (DPP4 inhibitors) are a prescribed diabetic treatment, this study aims to unravel the impact of DPP4 in the intersection of T2DM/COVID-19. Materials and methods: We analyzed 189 serum human samples, divided into six clinical groups (controls, T2DM, T2DM + gliptins, COVID-19, COVID-19 + T2DM, and COVID-19 + T2DM + gliptins), measuring DPP4 protein concentration and activity by Western blot, ELISA, and commercial activity kits. The obtained results were verified in Huh-7 cellular models. Key findings: Both DPP4 concentration and activity were decreased in COVID-19 patients, and as in T2DM patients, compared to controls. Despite these lower levels, the ratio of DPP4 activity/concentration in COVID-19 sera was the highest (0.782 ± 0.289 ?U/ng vs. 0.547 ± 0.050 ?U/ng in controls, p < 0.0001), suggesting a compensating mechanism in these patients. Supernatants of Huh-7 cells incubated with COVID-19 serum showed a consistent and significantly lower DPP4 concentration and activity. Furthermore, COVID-19 + T2DM + gliptins patients showed a higher serum DPP4 concentration and activity than T2DM + gliptin subjects (p < 0.05), indicating that sera from COVID-19 convalescents interfere with gliptins. Significance: Either SARS-CoV-2 or some metabolites present in the sera of COVID-19-convalescent patients interact with soluble DPP4 or even gliptins themselves since the inhibitory effect of gliptins on DPP4 activity is being prevented. The interactions between DPP4, gliptins, and SARS-CoV-2 should be further elucidated to reveal the mechanism of action for these interesting observations.Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIComunidad de MadridUniversidad de AlcaláFundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Buen

On the economics of energy consumption in 4G networks: the case of Spain

Reducing energy consumption is one of the main challenges in most countries. For example, European Member States agreed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 20% in 2020 compared to 1990 levels (EC 2008). Considering each sector separately, ICTs account nowadays for 2% of total carbon emissions. This percentage will increase as the demand of communication services and applications steps up. At the same time, the expected evolution of ICT-based developments - smart buildings, smart grids and smart transportation systems among others - could result in the creation of energy-saving opportunities leading to global emission reductions (Labouze et al. 2008), although the amount of these savings is under debate (Falch 2010). The main development required in telecommunication networks ?one of the three major blocks of energy consumption in ICTs together with data centers and consumer equipment (Sutherland 2009) ? is the evolution of existing infrastructures into ultra-broadband networks, the so-called Next Generation Networks (NGN). Fourth generation (4G) mobile communications are the technology of choice to complete -or supplement- the ubiquitous deployment of NGN. The risk and opportunities involved in NGN roll-out are currently in the forefront of the economic and policy debate. However, the issue of which is the role of energy consumption in 4G networks seems absent, despite the fact that the economic impact of energy consumption arises as a key element in the cost analysis of this type of networks. Precisely, the aim of this research is to provide deeper insight on the energy consumption involved in the usage of a 4G network, its relationship with network main design features, and the general economic impact this would have in the capital and operational expenditures related with network deployment and usage

Behavioural intervention to reduce disruptive behaviours in adult day care centres users: A randomizsed clinical trial (PROCENDIAS study)

[ENG]Aim: This study assesses the effect of an intervention to reduce the disruptive behaviours (DB) presented by care recipient users of adult day care centres (ADCC), thereby reducing caregiver overload. While ADCC offer beneficial respite for family caregivers, the DB that many care recipients show promote resistance to attending these centres, which can be a great burden on their family caregivers. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods: The study was carried out with 130 family caregivers of people attending seven ADCC in the municipality of Salamanca (Spain), randomly distributed into intervention and control groups. The intervention was applied across eight sessions, one per week, in groups of 8–10 people where caregivers were trained in the Antecedent- Behavior-Consequence (ABC) model of functional behaviour analysis. The primary outcome was the reduction of DB measured with the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (RMBPC). Results: An average reduction in the RMBPC of 4.34 points was obtained in the intervention group after applying the intervention (p < 0.01 (U de Mann–Whitney); Cohen d = 1.00); furthermore, differences were found in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) (U = −2.67; p = 0.008; Cohen d = 0.50) and in the Short Zarit Burden Interview (Short ZBI) (t = −4.10; p < 0.01; Cohen d = 0.98). Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that the implementation of this intervention could reduce both the frequency of DB occurrence and the reaction of the caregiver to their appearance. Improvement was also noted in the results regarding overload and emotional state of the family caregiver. Impact: To our knowledge, this is the first randomized clinical trial to show that an intervention based on the ABC model could reduce the frequency and reaction of DB of care recipients in ADCC increasing their quality of life, and improving the mental health and overload of their family caregivers

Information and communication technologies for approaching smokers : a descriptive study in primary healthcare

Background: Common interventions for smoking cessation are based on medical advice and pharmacological aid. Information and communication technologies may be helpful as interventions by themselves or as complementary tools to quit smoking. The objective of the study was to determine the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the smoking population attended in primary care, and describe the major factors associated with its use. Methods: Descriptive observational study in 84 health centres in Cataluña, Aragon and Salamanca. We included by simple random sampling 1725 primary healthcare smokers (any amount of tobacco) aged 18-85. Through personal interview professionals collected Socio-demographic data and variables related with tobacco consumption and ICTs use were collected through face to face interviews Factors associated with the use of ICTs were analyzed by logistic regression. Results: Users of at least one ICT were predominantly male, young (18-45 years), from most favoured social classes and of higher education. Compared with non-ICTs users, users declared lower consumption of tobacco, younger onset age, and lower nicotine dependence. The percentages of use of email, text messages and web pages were 65.3%, 74.0% and 71.5%, respectively. Factors associated with the use of ICTs were age, social class, educational level and nicotine dependence level. The factor most closely associated with the use of all three ICTs was age; mainly individuals aged 18-24. Conclusions: The use of ICTs to quit smoking is promising, with the technology of mobile phones having a broader potential. Younger and more educated subjects are good targets for ICTs interventions on smoking cessation

Implementación del día mundial de la actividad física en Cataluña

Fundamentos: Aunque la práctica de actividad física (AF) tiene múltiples beneficios, el 30% de personas son inactivas. Cataluña impulsó el Día Mundial de la actividad física (DMAF) como parte de una estrategia más amplia de promoción de la AF. Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo presentar la implementación y evolución 2010- 2016. Métodos: Estudio transversal de tendencias. Se impulsó la celebración del DMAF mediante la web www.pafes.cat, un formulario de registro y un plan de comunicación. Las variables estudiadas fueron número de entidades, tipos de eventos y participantes, el porcentaje de eventos coordinados, el número de visitas web y el coste. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo univariado y de frecuencias. Resultados: Se realizó la difusión a >9000 direcciones electrónicas/año. Entre 2010 y 2016 se multiplicaron por cinco las entidades organizadoras, eventos y participantes (en 2016 2,8% de la población), durante marzo y abril aumentaron las visitas a la web. Los eventos (caminatas, AF dirigida, deporte y difusión) presentaron coordinación y movilizaron de 25 a 500 personas desde diversos ámbitos. El coste estimado medio fue de 1 céntimo por participante. Conclusiones: El DMAF consiguió llegar a un gran volumen de población con un coste mínimo