What Does Influence the Neonatal Microbiome?

: This editorial aims to provide a concise summary of the factors involved in the dynamics of microbiome establishment and maturation. At the same time, it briefly updates the current knowledge and opens new questions in this regard. Many factors act as drivers of the microbiota's development at both pre- and post-natal levels (e.g., maternal factors, antibiotic usage, type of delivery, dietary pattern, post-natal feeding type, etc.). However, it is interesting to research into its real impact, the relationship between these external modulators, and how to modulate them. The are great opportunities for new research in the field

Estudi de tècniques immunològiques a través de “Podcasts” elaborats pels estudiants

Projecte: 2013-PID-UB/10La realització de “podcasts” o sessions formatives audiovisuals per part d’estudiants de postgrau permet treballar diferents competències transversals, entre elles habilitats comunicatives útils per al desenvolupament del seu futur exercici professional (2013-PID-UB/10). Els estudiants han elaborat un guió que posteriorment han convertit en “podcast”. Cada estudiant ha valorat els “podcasts” dels companys i el seu propi mitjançant una rúbrica dissenyada amb aquest objectiu.Programa de Millora i innovació docent,PMID: 2013-PID-UB/1

Laparoscopic image analysis for automatic tracking of surgical tools

Laparoscopy is a surgical technique nowadays embedded in the clinical routine. Recent researches have been focused on analysing video information captured by the endoscope for extracting cues useful for surgeons, such as depth information. In particular, the 3D pose estimation of the surgical tools presents three important added values: (1) to extract objective parameters for the surgical training stage, (2) to develop an image-guided surgery based on the knowledge of the surgery tools localization, (3) to design new roboticsystems for an automatic laparoscope positioning, according to the visual feedback. Tool’s shape and orientation in the image is the key to get its 3D position. This work presents an image analysis for automatic laparoscopic tool’s detection along the recorded video without extra tool markers, using an edges detection strategy. Also, this analysis includes a previous stage of barrel distortion correction for videoendoscopic image

El "linaje de los Mérida": inicio y final de su ascenso social en La Alpujarra

The passage of time had almost erased from La Alpujarra the memory of one of its main families, the Meridas, which despite its dark origins as settlers were able to become one of the leading families in the region. The in-depth analysis of the lineage from the sixteenth to the twentieth century will allow us to understand the family's origins, the social rise of some of its branches and its extinction in La Alpujarra.El paso del tiempo casi había conseguido borrar de La Alpujarra la memoria de una de sus principales familias, los Mérida, que a pesar de sus oscuros orígenes consiguieron pasar de repobladores a ser una de las principales familias de la comarca. El análisis exhaustivo del linaje desde el siglo XVI hasta el XX nos permitirá entender sus orígenes, el ascenso social de algunas de sus ramas y su extinción en La Alpujarra

Desenvolupament i maduració dels limfòcits de l'epiteli i la làmina pròpia de l'intestí de rosegadors durant les primeres etapes de vida

[cat] El sistema immunitari associat a l'intestí o GALT constitueix el teixit defensiu més extens de l'organisme, fet que reflecteix la seva importància funcional. Forma part del sistema immunitari associat a mucoses, caracteritzat per la seva capacitat de sintetitzar i secretar immunoglobulines, i pel tràfic de cèl·lules immunocompetents entre les diferents mucoses, el que confereix un paper protector general a nivell mucosal. El GALT presenta característiques anatòmiques i funcionals particulars que el distingeixen del sistema immunitari sistèmic. Dins d'aquest teixit limfoide existeixen uns compartiments efectors, constituïts pels limfócits de l'epiteli i de la làmina propia, que contenen tipus cel·lulars únics, amb un fenotip activat permanentrnent, alguns deis quals tenen encara un origen i una funció desconeguts. El desenvolupament del GALT té lloc durant la vida fetal i la seva activació s'inicia a partir del naixement i durant els primers dies de vida, coincidint amb la ingesta dels primers aliments i la instauració de la flora microbiana. Aquests estímuls antigènics tenen un important paper fisiòlogic en la maduració del GALT. A més a més d'aquests factors exògens, altres factors endógens com el nivell d'eficiència de presentació antigènica, la formació del complex antigen-receptor dels limfócits T o d'altres també podrien estar implicats en el desenvolupament de les poblacions efectores del GALT. Amb aquests plantejaments, l'objectiu d'aquesta tesi ha consistit en establir el desenvolupament del teixit limfoide associat a intestí prim durant les primeres etapes de vida. Per assolir aquest objectiu, s'han establert tres objectius específtcs. El primer objectiu plantejat ha estat el determinar el desenvolupament fenotípic de les principals poblacions efectores -limfócits intraepitelials i de làmina propia- de la mucosa intestinal. Aquesta anàlisi s'ha portat a terme en rates neonates des del dia del naixement i durant tot el periode de lactancia. El segon objectiu ha consistit en establir la maduració de la capacitat secretora d'immunoglobulines de la mucosa intestinal a partir del dia de naixement. Aquest estudi també s'ha realitzat en rates lactants. El tercer objectiu s'ha centrat en esbrinar l'origen i el desenvolupament d'una subpoblació limfocítica específica del compartiment mucosal, els limfócits intraepitelials CD8alfa-alfa+TCRalfa.beta+, i la seva relació amb els processos de selecció tímica i presentació antigènica. En aquest cas, s'han utilitzat models de ratolins transgènics i s'ha desenvolupat una nova línia doble transgènica. Aquesta part de la tesi s'ha desenvolupat al Center of lmmunology, University of California, lrvine

Editorial: Sustained Effects of Early Nutrition on Immune Development and Microbiome-Immune Crosstalk

Non-communicable diseases associated with immune system dysfunction are an increasing challenge for twenty-first century medicine. There is growing evidence that predisposition to many such conditions originate during early-life "programming events." This term refers to critical points of developmental plasticity where changes in environmental factors have long-term effects on physiological development, including the development of the immune system. From birth, the neonatal immune system develops rapidly in response to external stimuli, primarily from the intestinal microbiota and nutrition, and this pattern of development is essential in adult immune functionality and competence. Nutritional components of the early diet including antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids, folate, and other vitamins can directly influence immunity. This is by shifting the structure and/or functions of different immune cell populations and hematopoietic organs, and also by modulating gene expression and various signaling pathways in immune cells that contribute to homeostasis. Non-digestible oligosaccharides and their metabolites can also drive differential immune development indirectly through modification of both the composition and the metabolic activity of the gut microbiota. While current literature indicates the existence of a dynamic interplay between the immune system, nutrition and the intestinal microbiota, the molecular interactions and pathways involved in this cross-talk are complex and poorly characterized

Composite material with enhanced ultraviolet performance stability for photovoltaic modules

The present work aims encapsulating photovoltaic cells in glass reinforced epoxy composite by vacuum resin infusion, incorporating additives directed to enhance the performance stability of the manufactured photovoltaic modules under ultraviolet (UV) exposure. UV absorber (UVA) and hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) additives were incorporated in the resin system in different content. Photovoltaic performance and stability under UV radiation exposure were studied through external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectra, chromatic coordinates and short-circuit current values. Decrease in current values and increase in yellowness were observed in the presence of UVA and HALS. However, an enhanced performance stability was observed when additives are incorporated, improving the stability when increasing the additive amount. The most stable module, with cells embedded in 2% additive containing composite, showed a 2.7% short-circuit current loss after UV aging exposure.This work was supported by the Basque Government Elkartek 2018Programme (Grant Agreement KK-2018/00040). The authors thank toBASF company for supplying UVA and HALS components

“Cocoa and Chocolate: Science and Gastronomy”—The Second Annual Workshop of the Research Institute on Nutrition and Food Security (INSA): 9 November 2016

The Research Institute on Nutrition and Food Security at the University of Barcelona (INSA-UB) was founded in 2005 by twenty-two research groups from the Faculties of Pharmacy and Food Science; Biology; Chemistry; and Geography and History, as well as other UB-affiliated centers and hospitals. Most of the groups at the Institute are, or at least are part of, the research groups established by the Government of Catalonia. INSA-UB was founded to meet the current societal need for research, training and service provision in the sectors related to the agro-alimentary industry. Researchers at the Institute are experts in different fields of nutrition; food analysis and control; food safety and the study of the social and economic impact of food. The main objectives of the institute are to promote research in the fields in which it works; to encourage collaboration between researchers and the establishment of multidisciplinary teams; to promote participation in research programs and institutional administration, particularly in European research projects; to encourage the development of joint projects with companies in the sectors related to its scope; to make available all the social potential of the UB in this area, especially the training of technicians and specialists and provision of services; to promote the transfer of knowledge and the dissemination of research results between society and government; and to advise consumers, businesses and public authorities on nutrition, food safety and quality..

Lighting-Induced Changes in Central and Peripheral Retinal Thickness and Shape after Short-Term Reading Tasks in Electronic Devices

Background: To assess retinal and optical changes associated with near vision reading for different lighting conditions in electronic screens. Methods: Twenty-four young healthy subjects participated in the study; an iPad and an Ebook were chosen as stimuli for 5 min of reading task with different lighting conditions. Central and peripheral retinal thicknesses in the macular ETDRS areas by optical coherence tomography were analyzed. Results: Significant differences were found between basal retinal thickness and retinal thickness after reading with iPad and high illumination, in the N6 (p = 0.021) and I6 (p = 0.049) areas, and low illumination (S3: p = 0.008, N3: p = 0.018, I3: p = 0.021, N6: p = 0.018 and I6: p = 0.020), being thinner after reading. The same trend was observed after reading with an Ebook and high lighting in the N3 (p = 0.037) and N6 (p = 0.028). For low lighting conditions, only retinal thinning was observed. After reading, retinal shape analysis revealed significant changes from computed basal eccentricity for high lighting conditions only. At the periphery, those differences in eccentricity values were statistically significant for both lighting conditions. Conclusions: Young people can recover visual quality after 5 min of reading tasks at different lighting levels on electronic devices, while peripheral retinal expansion remains altered, especially at low lighting levels