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The coupling reaction of carbon dioxide and highly-substituted epoxides derived from renewable resources such as fatty acids and waste vegetable oils (cooking oils derived from olive and sunflower) leads to the synthesis of new bio-derived cyclic carbonates using efficient metal-free bifunctional organocatalysts under mild and solvent-free reaction conditions. Once cyclic carbonates derived from biobased sources were synthesized, the design of non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) with different chemical structures was investigated by their reaction with a broad substrate scope of diamines. The NIPUs materials were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (NMR and IR) and their molecular weights and polydispersities were determined by GPC studies. Finally, thermal properties of the polymers were studied by DSC and TGA analyses. [Display omitted] ● Valorization of cooking vegetable oils for the preparation of polymers such as non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs). ● Highly active metal-free catalysts for the carboxylation of epoxides with CO 2 under solvent-free conditions. ● The catalyst is efficient, inexpensive, and recyclable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time the effect of omega-3 LC PUFA supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on bone metabolism in mothers and neonates. 110 pregnant women were divided in two groups: control group (400 mL/day of the control dairy drink); supplemented group (400 mL/day of the fish oil-enriched dairy drink). Plasma bone biomarkers and mineral content in erythrocyte cytosol were assessed. In mothers, DHA supplementation increased OC and OPN levels and decreased IL-6 and TNF-α levels at delivery, increasing PTH levels during lactation. In neonates, DHA supplementation increased ACTH, insulin and leptin, decreasing RANKL and IL-6 in umbilical vein; increased OPG and leptin and diminished TNF-α in umbilical artery; increased OC levels, lowered PTH and TNF-α at birth. DHA supplementation during pregnancy and lactation has beneficial effects on bone turnover in both mother and neonates, representing a non-pharmacological pathway to decrease bone loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To determine whether maternal diet supplementation with omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 LC-PUFAs) during the last trimester of pregnancy and the breastfeeding period influences the levels of inflammatory cytokines in mother and infants. Material and method This registered, double-blind randomized study included 46 pregnant women, who were randomly allocated to either an experimental group receiving 400 mL/day of a fish oil-enriched dairy drink [320 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) + 72 mg eicoapentaenoic acid] (FO group, n = 24) or to a control group receiving 400 mL/day of a non-supplemented dairy drink (CT group, n = 22), from week 28 of pregnancy until the fourth month of lactation. During the study, maternal dietary patterns were monitored by a nutritionist, who encouraged compliance with current recommendations of fatty acids intake. DHA concentrations and cytokine levels (GM-CSF, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, INF-γ and TNF-α) were measured in maternal plasma at the moment of recruitment and in maternal (n = 46) and infant (n = 46) plasma at birth and 2.5 months after birth. Results Maternal plasmatic IL-4 levels were higher in FO than in CT subjects (p = 0.009). Additionally, a tendency was observed to higher IL-10 and IL-2 in the FO group. Plasmatic IL-6 however, was higher in CT mothers (p = 0.001). TNF-α was higher in CT infants at birth and 2.5 months after birth (p = 0.005). An analysis of possible relationships between DHA and the concentrations of different cytokines revealed negative correlation between maternal plasmatic IL-6 and DHA (higher plasmatic DHA corresponded to lower IL-6). Conclusions Maternal dietary omega-3 LC-PUFAs supplementation during critical periods like pregnancy, lactation and early newborn development may influence the levels of certain inflammatory cytokines, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and promoting an anti-inflammatory “environment”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of maternal DHA supplementation on expression of key genes and proteins involved in Fe metabolism and mineral placenta content was evaluated for the first time. One hundred and ten pregnant women were randomly assigned to one of the groups: control (n = 54, 400 ml/day of the control dairy drink; DHA-supplemented (n = 56, 400 ml/day of the DHA-enriched dairy drink). Placenta DMT1, FPN1, TfR1 and Hamp1 mRNA and protein expressions were analysed. Hepcidin concentration in the mother and umbilical cord and placenta mineral content were assessed. DMT1, FPN1, TfR1 and Hamp1 gene expressions together with serum hepcidin increased in umbilical cord and artery of the DHA-supplemented group. In this group, Fe concentration increased in plasma, umbilical cord vein and artery. Ca concentrations raised in umbilical cord vein and artery, Cu, V and Mn levels. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation improved transplacental Fe homeostasis, enhancing Fe transfer and boosting neonates Fe stores at delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyze the characteristics of semantic networks derived from fluency tests in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods We built semantic networks by applying co-occurrence statistics to the data from verbal fluency tests performed on patients with MS ( n =36) and matched controls ( n =200), assessing the differences in network topology. Results As expected, the semantic networks from both patients and controls showed 'small-world' properties. Topological analysis of these semantic networks indicated that there were fewer nodes (words) and links (defined by significant co-occurrence of words) in those derived from MS patients. The average connectivity was not significantly affected, while the local connectivity (clustering coefficient) is preserved. Quantifiers of the cohesiveness of the network, which reflect long distance connectivity, such as assortativity and maximum centrality coefficients, differed significantly between MS patients and controls. Conclusions The analysis of semantic networks reveals quantitative differences in MS patients and identifies preferential damage of long-range connectivity. The analysis of semantic networks may be useful in clinical practice for the assessment of cognitive impairment or recovery after damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High availability in complex distributed systems is a challenge that has to be considered not only at design time, but also at execution time. This paper proposes an automatized monitoring architecture, event driven, based in rules with the goal of minimizing systems unavailability. Translating the expertise that operators have to rules, and providing an appropriate interface for services operation, allow us to execute self-healing actions to anticipate or correct fault cases as quickly as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Transdisciplinary studies on ecosystem services (ES) are highly attractive for capturing relations between ecosystems and human well-being. • The papers reflect the increasingly interlaced nature of methods in the field of ES mapping and assessment. • Valuation of ES involves very different aspects and approaches and does not necessarily include monetisation. • Policymaking perspective varies due to different economic and socio-political conditions in diverse parts of the world. The transdisciplinarity lies at the core of the ecosystem services (ES) field and provides a unique opportunity to develop scientific foundations of the concept and foster the integration of nature's values into governance processes. The article introduces the Special Issue that focuses on research integrating ES's biophysical, socio-cultural and economic dimensions in a transdisciplinary approach. We consider a set of submitted papers under three horizontal issues: differences in the methods used, the concept of valuation and the specificity of policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objectives: To determine the aetiology, clinical features and prognosis of CAP during the first post-pandemic influenza season. We also assessed the factors associated with severe disease and tested the ability of a scoring system for identifying influenza A (H1N1)pdm09-related pneumonia. Methods: Prospective cohort study carried out at 10 tertiary hospitals of Spain. All adults hospitalised with CAP from December 01, 2010 to March 31, 2011 were analysed. Results: A total of 747 adults with CAP required hospitalisation. The aetiology was determined in 315 (42.2%) patients, in whom 154 (21.9%) were due to bacteria, 125 (16.7%) were due to viruses and 36 (4.8%) were mixed (due to viruses and bacteria). The most frequently isolated bacteria were Streptococccus pneumoniae. Among patients with viral pneumonia, the most common organism identified were influenza A (H1N1)pdm09. Independent factors associated with severe disease were impaired consciousness, septic shock, tachypnea, hyponatremia, hypoxemia, influenza B, and influenza A (H1N1)pdm09. The scoring system evaluated did not differentiate reliably between patients with influenza A (H1N1)pdm09-related pneumonia and those with other aetiologies. Conclusions: The frequency of bacterial and viral pneumonia during the first post-pandemic influenza season was similar. The main identified virus was influenza A (H1N1)pdm09, which was associated with severe disease. Although certain presenting clinical features may allow recognition of influenza A (H1N1)pdm09-related pneumonia, it is difficult to express them in a reliable scoring system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have previously shown that P2X7 receptor blockade prevents ATP excitotoxicity in oligodendrocytes and ameliorates chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Here, we have explored the putative association of functionally relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms of the P2X7 receptor gene with multiple sclerosis. We found that T allele of rs17525809 polymorphism, which yields an Ala-76 to Val change in the extracellular domain, is more frequent in multiple sclerosis patients than in controls. Importantly, P2X7 variants with Val show a gain-of-function consisting in higher calcium permeability, larger electrophysiological responses and higher ethidium uptake, and enhance the effect of the also gain-of-function His-155 to Tyr substitution (rs208294) in the haplotype formed by these two variants. These findings may contribute to define the genetic background predisposing for multiple sclerosis and its pathophysiology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Objective: To determine the effect of immunomodulatory therapies on the development of severe disease in hospitalized adults with laboratory-confirmed pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 complicated by pneumonia. Methods: Observational, prospective cohort study at thirteen tertiary hospitals in Spain. The use of corticosteroids, macrolides and statins was recorded. The outcome of interest was severe disease, defined as the composite of intensive care unit admission or death after the first day of hospitalization. Results: Of the 197 patients with pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 complicated by pneumonia, 68 (34.5%) received some anti-inflammatory therapy since hospital admission (corticosteroids in 37, macrolides in 31 and statins in 12). Severe disease occurred in 29 (14.7%) patients. After adjustment for confounding factors, immunomodulatory therapies as a group were not associated with a lower risk for developing severe disease (odds ratio [OR] 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22–1.86). In a further a priori analysis, corticosteroids, macrolides and statins were included in a multivariate model. None of these therapies was found to be associated with a lower risk for developing severe disease. Conclusions: Immunomodulatory therapies use since hospital admission did not prevent the development of severe disease in adults with pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 complicated by pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoimmune diseases are a major health problem. In the past years we have seen a considerably increase in therapeutic tools available for this devastating group of diseases. Treatment efficacy has improved, but still is not curative. In this article, we review current strategies in autoimmune disease treatment and highlight the opportunity that systems biology represents for the development of better and safer treatments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Background and aims: There is increased interest in the study of manipulation of the flora with pro- and prebiotics regarding inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of oligosaccharides from goat milk in a rat model of dextran sodium sulfate- (DSS-) induced colitis. Methods: Twenty rats were fed the same diet but with different sources of fiber (5% of the diet): cellulose or a mixture of goat''s milk oligosaccharides (GMO) and cellulose. DSS treatment was used to induce a colonic inflammation. Several clinical and inflammatory parameters, as well as intestinal micorbiota and gene expression by DNA microarray technology, were evaluated. Results: DSS induced a decrease in body weight which was not observed in rats fed the GMO (decrease of 21±11% in control rats vs increase of 5.2±8.6 in GMO rats, ). DSS also caused an acute colonic inflammatory process which was weaker in rats fed the GMO, as shown by colon myeloperoxidase activity (0.53±0.16 vs 0.14±0.07U/mg of protein, ), as well as clinical symptoms measured by a scoring system (1.25±1.14 vs 0.4±0.07, ). GMO rats also showed less severe colonic lesions and a more favorable intestinal microbiota. The expression of genes involved in intestinal function, such as mucine-3, was down-regulated in DSS-control rats but returned to normal values in GMO rats. Conclusion: GMO reduce intestinal inflammation and contribute to the recovery of damaged colonic mucosa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work presents a computer program for computing the 3D fractal dimension (3DFD) from magnetic-resonance images of the brain. The program is based on an algorithm that calculates the 3D box counting of the entire volume of the brain, and also of its 3D skeletonization. The validity and accuracy of the software has been confirmed using solids with well-known 3DFD values. The usefulness of the program developed is demonstrated by its successful characterization of several neurodegenerative diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]