Dietary Fat Patterns and Outcomes in Acute Pancreatitis in Spain

Background/Objective: Evidence from basic and clinical studies suggests that unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) might be relevant mediators of the development of complications in acute pancreatitis (AP). Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze outcomes in patients with AP from regions in Spain with different patterns of dietary fat intake. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed with data from 1,655 patients with AP from a Spanish prospective cohort study and regional nutritional data from a Spanish cross-sectional study. Nutritional data considered in the study concern the total lipid consumption, detailing total saturated fatty acids, UFAs and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) consumption derived from regional data and not from the patient prospective cohort. Two multivariable analysis models were used: (1) a model with the Charlson comorbidity index, sex, alcoholic etiology, and recurrent AP; (2) a model that included these variables plus obesity. Results: In multivariable analysis, patients from regions with high UFA intake had a significantly increased frequency of local complications, persistent organ failure (POF), mortality, and moderate-to-severe disease in the model without obesity and a higher frequency of POF in the model with obesity. Patients from regions with high MUFA intake had significantly more local complications and moderate-to-severe disease; this significance remained for moderate-to-severe disease when obesity was added to the model. Conclusions: Differences in dietary fat patterns could be associated with different outcomes in AP, and dietary fat patterns may be a pre-morbid factor that determines the severity of AP. UFAs, and particulary MUFAs, may influence the pathogenesis of the severity of AP

Distribution of Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) in the invaded range: a geographic approach with notes on species traits variability

Corbicula fluminea is considered one of the most important non-native invasive species (NIS) in aquatic systems mainly due to its widespread distribution and ecological and economic impacts. This species is known to negatively affect native bivalves, also with severe effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Throughout an exhaustive bibliographic survey and with the aid of Geographic Information Systems tools, this study tracks the species dispersion from its native range, including the description of important physical and environmental barriers. Additional analyses were conducted to examine possible influences of latitudinal/ temperature gradients on important traits (e.g. life span, maximum and mean body length, growth at the end of first year). Altitude and winter minimum temperature appear to be delaying the invasion worldwide, but it seems inevitable that the species will spread across the globe. Latitude and summer temperature show a relationship with growth and life span. Overall, the information gathered in this review may be relevant to forecast future distribution patterns of this NIS, and to anticipate the possible implementation of effective management measures. Moreover, it may constitute a valuabletool inthe prediction of population responses to an increasingly changing environment.This research was supported by FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology), through a PhD grant attributed to D. Crespo (SFRH/BD/80252/2011), a post-doc grant attributed to S. Leston (SFRH/BPD/91828/2012) and M Dolbeth (SFRH/BPD/41117/2007) and BIOCHANGED project (PTDC/MAR/111901/2009), subsidized by the European Social Fund and MCTES (Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) National Funds, through the POPH (Human Potential Operational Programme), QREN (National Strategic Reference Framework) and COMPETE (Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Apple snail perivitellins, multifunctional egg proteins

Egg reserves of most gastropods are accumulated surrounding the fertilised oocyte as a perivitelline fluid (PVF). Its proteins, named perivitellins, play a central role in reproduction and development, though there is little information on their structural-functional features. Studies of mollusc perivitellins are limited to Pomacea. A proteomic study of the eggs of P. canaliculata identified over 59 proteins in the PVF, most of which are of unknown function, and have not been isolated and characterised. Information on molecular structure of the most abundant perivitellins of P. canaliculata have shown that they possess other functions besides being storage proteins, most remarkably in defence against predation and abiotic factors. They are a cocktail containing at least neurotoxic, antinutritive and antidigestive perivitellins, with others that may provide the eggs with a bright and conspicuous colour (aposematic signal). This review compiles the current knowledge of Pomacea perivitellins with emphasis on the novel physiological roles they play in the reproductive biology of these gastropods that have evolved the ability to lay their eggs above the water.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Apple snail perivitellins, multifunctional egg proteins

Egg reserves of most gastropods are accumulated surrounding the fertilised oocyte as a perivitelline fluid (PVF). Its proteins, named perivitellins, play a central role in reproduction and development, though there is little information on their structural-functional features. Studies of mollusc perivitellins are limited to Pomacea. A proteomic study of the eggs of P. canaliculata identified over 59 proteins in the PVF, most of which are of unknown function, and have not been isolated and characterised. Information on molecular structure of the most abundant perivitellins of P. canaliculata have shown that they possess other functions besides being storage proteins, most remarkably in defence against predation and abiotic factors. They are a cocktail containing at least neurotoxic, antinutritive and antidigestive perivitellins, with others that may provide the eggs with a bright and conspicuous colour (aposematic signal). This review compiles the current knowledge of Pomacea perivitellins with emphasis on the novel physiological roles they play in the reproductive biology of these gastropods that have evolved the ability to lay their eggs above the water.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Apple snail perivitellins, multifunctional egg proteins

Egg reserves of most gastropods are accumulated surrounding the fertilised oocyte as a perivitelline fluid (PVF). Its proteins, named perivitellins, play a central role in reproduction and development, though there is little information on their structural-functional features. Studies of mollusc perivitellins are limited to Pomacea. A proteomic study of the eggs of P. canaliculata identified over 59 proteins in the PVF, most of which are of unknown function, and have not been isolated and characterised. Information on molecular structure of the most abundant perivitellins of P. canaliculata have shown that they possess other functions besides being storage proteins, most remarkably in defence against predation and abiotic factors. They are a cocktail containing at least neurotoxic, antinutritive and antidigestive perivitellins, with others that may provide the eggs with a bright and conspicuous colour (aposematic signal). This review compiles the current knowledge of Pomacea perivitellins with emphasis on the novel physiological roles they play in the reproductive biology of these gastropods that have evolved the ability to lay their eggs above the water.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Recruitment in the sea: bacterial genes required for inducing larval settlement in a polychaete worm

Metamorphically competent larvae of the marine tubeworm Hydroides elegans can be induced to metamorphose by biofilms of the bacterium Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea strain HI1. Mutational analysis was used to identify four genes that are necessary for metamorphic induction and encode functions that may be related to cell adhesion and bacterial secretion systems. No major differences in biofilm characteristics, such as biofilm cell density, thickness, biomass and EPS biomass, were seen between biofilms composed of P. luteoviolacea (HI1) and mutants lacking one of the four genes. The analysis indicates that factors other than those relating to physical characteristics of biofilms are critical to the inductive capacity of P. luteoviolacea (HI1), and that essential inductive molecular components are missing in the non-inductive deletion-mutant strains

Offshore wind farm layout optimization using particle swarm optimization

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer via the DOI in this recordThis article explores the application of a wind farm layout optimization framework using a particle swarm optimizer to three benchmark test cases. The developed framework introduces an increased level of detail characterizing the impact that the wind farm layout can have on the levelized cost of energy by modelling the wind farm’s electrical infrastructure, annual energy production, and cost as functions of the wind farm layout. Using this framework, this paper explores the application of a particle swarm optimizer to the wind farm layout optimization problem considering three different levels of wind farm constraint faced by modern wind farm developers. The particle swarm optimizer is found to yield improvements in the layout with respect to the levelized cost of energy for the three benchmark cases when compared to two past studies. This highlights both applicability of the particle swarm optimizer to the problem and the ways in which a wind farm developer could make use of the present framework in the development and design of future wind farms.This work is funded in part by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) and RCUK energy program for IDCORE (EP/J500847/1) and supported by EDF Energy R&D UK Centre

An Algorithm Informed by the Parathyroid Hormone Level Reduces Hypocalcemic Complications of Thyroidectomy

Ó The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Background Measurement of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) level following total thyroidectomy (TTx) may allow prediction of postoperative hypocalcemia. We present an algorithmic method of managing hypocalcemia preemptively, based on the PTH level 1 h after operation. Materials and methods We examined 423 consecutive patients undergoing TTx at a single institution. A subset of patients were managed using an algorithm involving routine postoperative oral calcium administration and the early addition of oral calcitriol in patients with a low 1-h postoperative PTH level. Algorithm patients were compared to a concurrent, conventionally managed group. Outcomes measured included serum calcium levels, symptoms of hypocalcemia, postoperative complications, and receipt of intravenous (IV) calcium. Results The algorithm was applied in 135 patients, and 288 patients were managed conventionally. Critically low calcium levels (total calcium \7.5 mg/dl [1.88 mmol/l] or ionized calcium \0.94 mmol/l) were less common in algorithm patients (10.6 % vs. 25.3%; p \ 0.005). Much of this difference was attributable to the protective impact of the algorithm on patients undergoing TTx for cancer, 30% of whom developed critically low calcium levels when managed conventionally. Among patients requiring IV calcium, algorithm patients received fewer doses (1.29 vs