Hydroxyapatite-based biphasic catalysts with plasticity properties and its potential in carbon dioxide fixation

The design of catalysts with controlled selectivity at will, also known as catalytic plasticity, is a very attractive approach for the recycling of carbon dioxide (CO2). In this work, we study how catalytically active hydroxyapatite (HAp) and brushite (Bru) interact synergistically, allowing the production of formic acid or acetic acid depending on the HAp/Bru ratio in the catalyst. Raman, wide angle X-ray scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies, combined with an exhaustive revision of the crystalline structure of the catalyst at the atomic level, allowed to discern how the Bru phase can be generated and stabilized at high temperatures. Results clearly indicate that the presence of OH– groups to maintain the crystalline structural integrity in conjunction with Ca2+ ions less bonded to the lattice fixate carbon into C1, C2 and C3 molecules from CO2 and allow the evolution from formic to acetic acid and acetone. In this way, the plasticity of the HAp-Bru system is demonstrated, representing a promising green alternative to the conventional metal-based electrocatalysts used for CO2 fixation. Thus, the fact that no electric voltage is necessary for the CO2 reduction has a very favorable impact in the final energetic net balance of the carbon fixation reaction. © 202

Polarized hydroxyapatite: wew insights and future perspectives through systematic electrical characterization at the interface

Design of hydroxyapatite (HAp) with customized electrical properties is of special interest for developing technological and biomedical applications with new improved functionalities. Polarized HAp, which is obtained by applying an external electric voltage at high temperature, has been successfully shown to be an alternative to doped-HAp that is limited by the biocompatibility of the dopants used. However, many aspects about such new material remain scarcely studied, as for example the relationship between the polarization conditions and the resultant electrical enhancement, hinder a solid progress in its application. In this work, polarized HAp has been extensively characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy by means of proposing a unified electrical equivalent circuit model with physical sense. This allows to explain the properties of such material by separating the bulk and the interface contributions. Moreover, the limits of the polarization mechanism have been explored, enabling a precise control on the electrical resistivity of polarized HAp above or below the intrinsic resistivity of nonpolarized HAp. Overall, necessary insights on the polarization treatment have been reported, opening an appealing avenue for generating new biomedical and technological applications based on dopant-free polarized HAp.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Regulating the superficial vacancies and OH- orientations on polarized hydroxyapatite electrocatalysts

Smart designs of hydroxyapatite (HAp) materials with customized electrical properties are drawing increasing attention for their wide range of potential applications. Such enhanced electrical properties directly arise from the number and orientation of OH- groups in the HAp lattice. Although different polarization treatments have been proposed to enhance the final conductivity by generating vacancies at high temperatures and imposing specific OH- orientations through electric voltages, no direct measurement showing the evolution that OH- groups undergo has been described yet. In this article, the first direct empirical observation that allows the characterization of both the generation of vacancies and the polarization of OH- groups is reported. The mechanisms behind the electrical enhancement are elucidated allowing to distinguish between charge accumulation at the crystal grains, which is due to the formed vacancies, and charge accumulation in the boundaries of particles. In addition, a linear dependence between the number of vacancies and the superficial charge is observed. Therefore, it is demonstrated that the charge accumulation at the micrometric grain boundaries has a great impact on the catalytic properties of the thermally stimulated polarized HAp. These results will be used for further optimization of the catalyst properties.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Method of intervention in behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in elderly patients with dementia. -Focusing on individual symptom-

Settlement influences the distribution and abundance of many marine organisms, although the relative roles of abiotic and biotic factors influencing settlement are poorly understood. Species that aggregate often owe this characteristic to larval behaviour, and we investigated whether this predisposes ascidians to becoming invasive, by increasing their capacity to maintain their populations. We explored the interactive effects of larval phototaxis and geotaxis and conspecific adult extracts on settlement rates of a representative suite of 6 species of ascidians that form aggregations in the field, including 4 aliens with global distributions, and how they relate to adult habitat characteristics. In the laboratory, the larvae were (1) held in light or dark, (2) offered the choice of settling in the light or dark, or (3) held in the presence or absence of adult extract. When confined in either light or dark conditions, all species settled equally in dark and light. Four showed strong geotaxis, 3 settling preferentially on the bottom of experimental chambers, and one on the top. Offered a choice between dark and light, 2 species settled preferentially in the dark with no geotactic preferences and another 2 showed an interaction between light and geotaxis. For 4 of the species, the responses of settlers accorded with, and may contribute to, adult orientation patterns in the field. Adult extracts inhibited settlement of 3 species and failed to influence settlement of the other 3, arguing against conspecific attraction being a cause of aggregation and an explanation of the propensity of ascidians to become invasive

Muscle, functional and cognitive adaptations after flywheel resistance training in stroke patients : a pilot randomized controlled trial

Resistance exercise (RE) improves neuromuscular function and physical performance after stroke. Yet, the effects of RE emphasizing eccentric (ECC; lengthening) actions on muscle hypertrophy and cognitive function in stroke patients are currently unknown. Thus, this study explored the effects of ECC-overload RE training on skeletal muscle size and function, and cognitive performance in individuals with stroke. Thirty-two individuals with chronic stroke (≥6 months post-stroke) were randomly assigned into a training group (TG; n = 16) performing ECC-overload flywheel RE of the more-affected lower limb (12 weeks, 2 times/week; 4 sets of 7 maximal closed-chain knee extensions; <2 min of contractile activity per session) or a control group (CG; n = 16), maintaining daily routines. Before and after the intervention, quadriceps femoris volume, maximal force and power for each leg were assessed, and functional and dual task performance, and cognitive functions were measured. Quadriceps femoris volume of the more-affected leg increased by 9.4 % in TG. Muscle power of the more-affected, trained (48.2 %), and the less-affected, untrained limb (28.1 %) increased after training. TG showed enhanced balance (8.9 %), gait performance (10.6 %), dual-task performance, executive functions (working memory, verbal fluency tasks), attention, and speed of information processing. CG showed no changes. ECC-overload flywheel resistance exercise comprising 4 min of contractile activity per week offers a powerful aid to regain muscle mass and function, and functional performance in individuals with stroke. While the current intervention improved cognitive functions, the cause-effect relationship, if any, with the concomitant neuromuscular adaptations remains to be explored. Clinical Trial

Survival benefit of multidisciplinary care in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Spain: association with noninvasive mechanical ventilation

Purpose: Multidisciplinary care has become the preferred model of care for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It is assumed that the sum of interventions associated with this approach has a positive effect on survival. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary care approach on the survival of patients with ALS. Patients and methods: We performed a retrospective review of prospectively collected data in a tertiary referral center in Spain. Participants were patients with definite or probable ALS managed in a multidisciplinary care program. We compared demographic and survival data of patients with definite or probable ALS treated in a referral center without and with implementation of a multidisciplinary care program. We performed time-dependent multivariate survival analysis of the use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) and gastrostomy. Results: We evaluated 398 consecutive patients, of whom 54 were treated by a general neurologist and 344 were treated in the multidisciplinary care clinic. Patients receiving multidisciplinary care were older (62 vs 58 years), tended to have bulbar onset disease (30% vs 17.7%), and were more likely to receive riluzole (88.7% vs 29.6%, p0.001), and nutrition via gastrostomy (32.3% vs 3.7%, p<0.01). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a 6-month increase in survival (log-rank, 16.03, p<0.001). Application of the Andersen-Gill model showed that the variables associated with reduced mortality were reduced time to NIMV and gastrostomy and the duration of both, thus reflecting compliance. Conclusions: Multidisciplinary care increased the survival of ALS patients in our study population. Timely use of respiratory support and gastrostomy are fundamental aspects of this benefit

Effect of an early neurocognitive rehabilitation on autonomic nervous system in critically ill patients

Introduction Recent clinical and electrophysiological studies reveal a high incidence of autonomic nervous system (ANS) dys- function in patients treated in ICU [1]. ANS disturbances may produce diverse and unexpected consequences. For instance, critically ill patients are at risk of neurocognitive impairments that may persist after hospital discharge. Among various pathophysiological mechanisms proposed, ANS dysfunction leading cholinergic deficiency seems one of the most viable to explain the development of long-term sequelae. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been related to the activity of the prefrontal cortex [2] hence, prefrontal activation could help to strengthen the auto- nomic nervous system integrity. We are interested in assessing the improvement of the ANS dysfunction through neural circuits’ activation. Thus, we propose a novel therapy that could allow the reinforcing of ANS through an early neurocognitive intervention targeted to improve prefrontal activation. Objectives The aim of this study was to explore if the integrity of the ANS, via cardiac vagal tone, measured by the HRV can be modified after early neurocognitive rehabilitation in ICU patients. Methods A total of 17 critically ill patients received a 20-minute Early Neurocognitive Rehabilitation (ENR) session in their own bed in the ICU. HRV was derived from the recorded ECG signal during pre-session, session and post-session. Power in the specific frequency bands related to sympathetic and parasympathetic systems was computed (PLF and PHF for low and high frequency bands, respectively). PLF was computed within the clas- sic band, while PHF was computed within a band cen- tered at respiratory rate. Changes in the HRV parameters from pre-session to session, and from pre- session to post-session were studied using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results Clinical data of the sample are summarized in table 1. Comparing with baseline values, 9 patients (53%) showed a decreased PLF in post-session, while 8 patients (47%) presented a higher PLF (p = .759). In 12 patients (71%), PHF increased after the ENR session, suggesting an increase of parasympathetic activity (p = .836). Conclusions Diagnosis, severity of illness or medication could explain the differential effect in the evolution of the HRV para- meters among different patients. Despite differences, an early neurocognitive rehabilitation seems to increase parasympathetic activity after the session in the majority of the patients. Clinical characteristics of the critical ill patients should be further studied to determinate which patients could be the best candidates for early neurocog- nitive intervention

Introducing the World Register of Introduced Marine Species (WRiMS)

Este artículo contiene 20 páginas, 1 figura, 4 tablas.A major historical challenge for the management of anthropogenic introductions of species has been the absence of a globally standardised system for species nomenclature. For over a decade, the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) has provided a taxonomically authoritative classification and designation of the currently accepted names for all known marine species. However, WoRMS mainly focuses on taxonomy and does not specifically address species introductions. Here, we introduce the World Register of Introduced Marine Species (WRiMS), a database directly linked to WoRMS that includes all introduced marine species, distinguishing native and introduced geographic ranges. Both the WoRMS and WRiMS contents are continually updated by specialists who add citations of original species descriptions, key taxonomic literature, images and notes on native and introduced geographic distributions. WRiMS editors take responsibility for assessing the validity of species records by critically evaluating if a species has been introduced to a region, erroneously identified and/or potentially naturally present in a region but previously unnoticed. WRiMS currently contains 2,714 introduced species. The amount and quality of the information entered depend on the availability of experts to update its contents. Because WRiMS is global and it combines species taxonomic and geographic information with links to other resources and expertise, it is currently the most comprehensive standardised database of marine introduced species. In addition, WRiMS forms the basis for a future global early warning system of marine species introductions.WRiMS came about through funding from the University of Auckland, Census of Marine Life’s OBIS funding, and EMODnet Biology (to Mark Costello), and LifeWatch Belgium (from VLIZ). We acknowledge the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) who, as part of the Belgian contribution to LifeWatch, provided funding to organise the second WRiMS workshop held at VLIZ, in Oostende, Belgium, during the 23rd–25th of April 2018.Peer reviewe

Bioinvasion impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health in the Mediterranean Sea

Este artículo contiene 45 páginas, 20 figuras, 5 tablas.Biological invasions have become a defining feature of marine Mediterranean ecosystems with significant impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health. We systematically reviewed the current knowledge on the impacts of marine biological invasions in the Mediterranean Sea. We screened relevant literature and applied a standardised framework that classifies mechanisms and magnitude of impacts and type of evidence. Overall, 103 alien and cryptogenic species were analysed, 59 of which were associated with both negative and positive impacts, 17 to only negative, and 13 to only positive; no impacts were found for 14 species. Evidence for most reported impacts (52%) was of medium strength, but for 32% of impact reports evidence was weak, based solely on expert judgement. Only 16% of the reported impacts were based on experimental studies. Our assessment allowed us to create an inventory of 88 alien and cryptogenic species from 16 different phyla with reported moderate to high impacts. The ten worst invasive species in terms of reported negative impacts on biodiversity include six algae, two fishes, and two molluscs, with the green alga Caulerpa cylindracea ranking first. Negative impacts on biodiversity prevailed over positive ones. Competition for resources, the creation of novel habitat through ecosystem engineering, and predation were the primary reported mechanisms of negative effects. Most cases of combined negative and positive impacts on biodiversity referred to community-level modifications. Overall, more positive than negative impacts were reported on ecosystem services, but this varied depending on the service. For human health, only negative impacts were recorded. Substantial variation was found among Mediterranean ecoregions in terms of mechanisms of impact and the taxonomic identity of impacting species. There was no evidence that the magnitude of impact increases with residence time. Holistic approaches and experimental research constitute the way forward to better understanding and managing biological invasions.The present study was supported by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the “First Call for H.F.R.I. Research Projects to support Faculty members and Researchers and the procurement of high-cost research equipment grant” (Project ALAS – “ALiens in the Aegean – a Sea under siege”; Project Number: HFRI-FM17-1597; Katsanevakis et al. 2020b). FaCr was partially funded by the project PO FEAMP CAMPANIA 2014-2020 (DRD n.35 of 15th March 2018). XT obtained partial funding from project MARGECH (PID2020-118550RB, MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) from the Spanish Government. AR received grants from the University of Catania through “PiaCeRi-Piano Incentivi per la Ricerca di Ateneo 2020–22 linea di intervento 2”.Peer reviewe

Analysis of the P. lividus sea urchin genome highlights contrasting trends of genomic and regulatory evolution in deuterostomes

Sea urchins are emblematic models in developmental biology and display several characteristics that set them apart from other deuterostomes. To uncover the genomic cues that may underlie these specificities, we generated a chromosome-scale genome assembly for the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and an extensive gene expression and epigenetic profiles of its embryonic development. We found that, unlike vertebrates, sea urchins retained ancestral chromosomal linkages but underwent very fast intrachromosomal gene order mixing. We identified a burst of gene duplication in the echinoid lineage and showed that some of these expanded genes have been recruited in novel structures (water vascular system, Aristotle's lantern, and skeletogenic micromere lineage). Finally, we identified gene-regulatory modules conserved between sea urchins and chordates. Our results suggest that gene-regulatory networks controlling development can be conserved despite extensive gene order rearrangement