The extent of windfarm infrastructures on recognised European blanket bogs.

Peatland environments are the Earth's largest terrestrial carbon store and have the potential to act as carbon sinks. However, the development of windfarms on peatlands is affecting their morphology, hydrology, ground-level climate conditions, carbon functions and vegetation, and long-term consequences still need to be assessed. Blanket bogs are a rare type of ombrotrophic peatland that are typical of oceanic areas with high precipitation and low temperatures. Their distribution has been mapped across Europe, where they are mainly located on hill summits where wind energy potential is higher, making them attractive sites for windfarm developments. The promotion of renewable energy is currently a priority given the environmental and economic drive to increase low-carbon energy production. Establishing windfarms on peatland in pursuit of greener energy, therefore, risks compromising and undermining the green-energy transition. Despite this, the extent of windfarm infrastructures on blanket bogs have not yet been reported at the European scale. This research reports the extent of windfarm infrastructures on recognised blanket bogs, with a geographical focus on Europe, where blanket bogs have been mapped systematically. Under the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), there are 36 European regions NUTS level 2 with recognised blanket bogs. Of these, 12 have windfarm developments, including 644 wind turbines, 253.4 km of vehicular access tracks and an affected area of 207.6 ha, mainly in Ireland and Scotland where the extent of blanket bogs is also higher. However, despite Spain having under 0.2% of Europe's recognised blanket bogs area, this was the most affected country. In Scotland, a comparison of the recognised blanket bogs under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) with blanket bogs recorded in national inventories indicates that the extent of windfarm developments was higher, with 1,063 wind turbines and 634.5 km of vehicular access tracks. Our results highlight the extent of windfarm developments on blanket bog habitat, both in areas where peatlands are broadly distributed across the landscape, and also in areas where this recognised habitat is particularly rare. There is a pressing need to assess the long-term impacts of windfarms on peatlands to ensure that efforts to meet energy targets result only in carbon sequestration, and do not jeopardise ecosystem services. Blanket bogs represent a particularly vulnerable habitat, the study of which should be prioritised updating national and international inventories to protect and restore this habitat.

Modeling of Microneedle Arrays in Transdermal Drug Delivery Applications.

The use of computational tools for the development of technologies in fields such as medicine and engineering has facilitated the process of designing new components and devices for these areas. In this work, two proposals focused on a hollow microneedle array (MNA) for the administration of an analgesic drug are shown and evaluated by means of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation distributed in three stages. In the first stage, the behavior of lidocaine through the MNA was evaluated as a workflow. Then, the possible entry of the drug into the organism, which was established as a porous aqueous medium, was modeled. Finally, a joint simulation was performed to understand the general behavior in the interaction between the outflow of an MNA and the body to which lidocaine is administered. The input parameters to the simulation were set at a velocity of 0.05 m∙s-1, at a pressure of 2000 Pa, the dominant behavior was defined as laminar flow, and a resistive pressure at the inlet of 400 Pa. Our results indicate that the vertical flow exhibits a better fluid distribution across the MNAs and favorable infiltration behavior, representing better delivery of the analgesic to the skin capillaries.

Phonon Dominated Thermal Transport in Metallic Niobium Diselenide from First Principles Calculations.

Niobium diselenide (NbSe2) is a layered transition metal dichalcogenide material which possesses unique electrical and superconducting properties for future nanodevices. While the superconducting, electrical, and bulk thermal transport properties of NbSe2 have been widely studied, the in-plane thermal transport property of NbSe2, which is important for potential thermoelectric applications, has not been thoroughly investigated. In this report, we study the lattice in-plane thermal transport of 2D NbSe2 by solving the phonon Boltzmann transport equation with the help of the first principles calculation. The thermal conductivity obtained at room temperature is 12.3 W/mK. A detailed analysis shows that the transverse acoustic phonon dominates the lattice thermal transport, and an anomalously small portion of electron contribution to the total thermal conductivity is observed for this metallic phase. The results agree well with experimental measurements and provide detailed mode-by-mode thermal conductivity contribution from different phonon modes. This study can provide useful information for integrating NbSe2 in nanodevices where both electrical and thermal properties are critical, showing great potential for integrating monolayer NbSe2 to thermoelectric devices.

Neurohormonal activation induces intracellular iron deficiency and mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiac cells.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency (ID) is common in patients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with poor outcomes, yet its role in the pathophysiology of HF is not well-defined. We sought to determine the consequences of HF neurohormonal activation in iron homeostasis and mitochondrial function in cardiac cells. METHODS: HF was induced in C57BL/6 mice by using isoproterenol osmotic pumps and embryonic rat heart-derived H9c2 cells were subsequently challenged with Angiotensin II and/or Norepinephrine. The expression of several genes and proteins related to intracellular iron metabolism were assessed by Real time-PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. The intracellular iron levels were also determined. Mitochondrial function was analyzed by studying the mitochondrial membrane potential, the accumulation of radical oxygen species (ROS) and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. RESULTS: Hearts from isoproterenol-stimulated mice showed a decreased in both mRNA and protein levels of iron regulatory proteins, transferrin receptor 1, ferroportin 1 and hepcidin compared to control mice. Furthermore, mitoferrin 2 and mitochondrial ferritin were also downregulated in the hearts from HF mice. Similar data regarding these key iron regulatory molecules were found in the H9c2 cells challenged with neurohormonal stimuli. Accordingly, a depletion of intracellular iron levels was found in the stimulated cells compared to non-stimulated cells, as well as in the hearts from the isoproterenol-induced HF mice. Finally, neurohormonal activation impaired mitochondrial function as indicated by the accumulation of ROS, the impaired mitochondrial membrane potential and the decrease in the ATP levels in the cardiac cells. CONCLUSIONS: HF characteristic neurohormonal activation induced changes in the regulation of key molecules involved in iron homeostasis, reduced intracellular iron levels and impaired mitochondrial function. The current results suggest that iron could be involved in the pathophysiology of HF.

Engraftment after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients mobilized with Plerixafor: A retrospective, multicenter study of a large series of patients.

Plerixafor (PLX) appears to effectively enhance hematopoietic stem-cell mobilization prior to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT). However, the quality of engraftment following auto-HCT has been little explored. Here, engraftment following auto-HCT was assessed in patients mobilized with PLX through a retrospective, multicenter study of 285 consecutive patients. Information on early and 100-day post-transplant engraftment was gathered from the 245 patients that underwent auto-HCT. The median number of PLX days to reach the stem cell collection goal (≥2 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg) was 1 (range 1-4) and the median PLX administration time before apheresis was 11 h (range 1-18). The median number of apheresis sessions to achieve the collection goal was 2 (range 1-5) and the mean number of CD34+ cells collected was 2.95 × 106/kg (range 0-30.5). PLX administration was safe, with only 2 mild and transient gastrointestinal adverse events reported. The median time to achieve an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >500/µL was 11 days (range 3-31) and the median time to platelet recovery >20 × 103/µL was 13 days (range 5-69). At 100 days after auto-HCT, the platelet count was 137 × 109/L (range 7-340), the ANC was 2.3 × 109/L (range 0.1-13.0), and the hemoglobin concentration was 123 g/L (range 79-165). PLX use allowed auto-HCT to be performed in a high percentage of poorly mobilized patients, resulting in optimal medium-term engraftment in the majority of patients in whom mobilization failed, in this case mainly due to suboptimal peripheral blood CD34+ cell concentration on day +4 or low CD34+ cell yield on apheresis.

Extracellular Vesicles in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Small Particles, Big Players.

Extracellular vesicles are nanovesicles released by many cell types into the extracellular space. They are important mediators of intercellular communication, enabling the functional transfer of molecules from one cell to another. Moreover, their molecular composition reflects the physiological status of the producing cell and tissue. Consequently, these vesicles have been involved in many [patho]physiological processes such as immunomodulation and intestinal epithelial repair, both key processes involved in inflammatory bowel disease. Given that these vesicles are present in many body fluids, they also provide opportunities for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications. In this review, we summarise functional roles of extracellular vesicles in health and disease, with a focus on immune regulation and intestinal barrier integrity, and review recent studies on extracellular vesicles and inflammatory bowel disease. We also elaborate on their clinical potential in inflammatory bowel disease.

Remediation of mining soils by combining Brassica napus growth and amendment with chars from manure waste.

Mining activities lead to important physical, chemical and biological effects on soil properties, generating severe impacts in the establishment and maintenance of vegetation. Assisted phytoremediation can be considered an environmentally friendly approach for soil remediation. In this study, two mining soils (PORT and GAM) were treated with 10%, by mass, of the following amendments: manure biochars prepared at 450 °C (BMW450) and 600 °C (BMW600), hydrochars prepared by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of manure at 190 °C (HWM190) and 240 °C (HMW240) and manure waste (MW). Brassica napus was used as a phytoextraction species. After 45 days of plant growth, soil samples were widely characterized, including microbial biomass carbon, enzymatic activity and metal content. In addition, plant biomass production, bioconcentration factor, translocation factor and metal uptake were determined. Experimental results showed that addition of biochars improved the As uptake by Brassica napus in both soils but just in the roots increasing bioconcentration factor between 22.1 and 39.5% for GAM soil and between 28.6 and 53.4% for PORT soil. Brassica napus cannot be considered as Zn accumulator in GAM soil samples and in the case of PORT samples, only the addition of BMW600 and HMW240 enhanced the phytoextraction process of Zn on the roots. Soil enzyme activity improved in hydrochar amended soils.

The effect of post-pyrolysis treatment on waste biomass derived hydrochar.

Hydrochars are materials with a promising future, as their high carbon content and porosity renders them suitable for uses including peat substitutes, soil remediation and carbon adsorbent precursors. Combining hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis offers the prospect to provide advanced materials with a higher porosity and carbon content. This approach would mitigate drawbacks associated to hydrochars, including phytotoxicity. This research studied the influence of pyrolysis temperature and heating time on the resulting properties of chars made from hydrothermal carbonization of biomass wastes at 200 °C for 4 h and compared them to biochars that had not received any prior hydrothermal carbonization. Interestingly, hydrochar followed by pyrolysis was able to result in phytostimulation, while, when only pyrolysis was carried out, phytotoxicity was eliminated, but no phytostimulant effect was observed. In addition, the results indicated that the higher and longer the pyrolysis temperature (from 350 to 550 °C) and duration time (from 1 to 5 h), respectively, the more microporosity was generated, while phytotoxicity was reduced. In addition, aromaticity and thermal stability significantly increased with pyrolysis treatment. Consequently, hydrochars improve their properties and offer more potential for environmental applications after a pyrolysis post-treatment.

Influence of pyrolysis parameters on phosphorus fractions of biosolids derived biochar.

Transforming biosolids into biochar, through pyrolysis, could result in more sustainable waste management. Influence of pyrolysis conditions (temperature, heating rate and residence time) on physico-chemical properties of biosolids (collected at Mount Martha Water Recycling Plant, Melbourne), phosphorus fractions and phosphorus forms was investigated. Twelve different biochar samples were produced at 400, 500 and 600 °C, at two heating rates (5 and 20 °C/min) and at two residence times (30 and 120 min). Biochar yield, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), elements (C, H and N) and BET surface area were analysed. Sequential extraction of P in biosolids and resultant biochars was done using Hedley method. Characterization was completed with SEM images and results from 31P liquid state NMR. Increased temperatures would not only increase the alkalinity, decrease EC and increase the adsorption capacity by increasing the surface area but also convert the readily available P to a less available pool. Therefore, this nutrient might be released to soil slowly over a longer period of time. The results showed that temperature, along with residence time and heating rate, had a significant effect on the characteristics observed. Therefore, all these factors need to be carefully considered when preparing biochar for use as a soil amendment.

Combining phytoextraction by Brassica napus and biochar amendment for the remediation of a mining soil in Riotinto (Spain).

Soil contamination in mining areas is an important environmental concern. In these areas, phytoremediation is often impeded because of the low fertility and pH. Assisted phytoremediation is increasingly being used in polluted areas. Biochar could assist plant growth via enhanced soil fertility. An experiment was performed in a mining soil (RIII) from the mining area of Riotinto (Spain) contaminated with Cu, Pb, Zn and As in order to study: (i) The effects of biochar on soil fertility; (ii) Biochar temperature of preparation effect and (iii) Effect of biochar on phytoremediation potential. A mesocosm experiment was designed using Brassica napus as test specie. Soil (RIII) was treated with rabbit manure biochars prepared at 450 °C (BM450) and 600 °C (BM600) at a rate of 10% in mass and incubated for 60 days with or without Brassica napus. Results showed that the combination of BM450 or BM600 with Brassica napus growth decreased the amount of As, Cu, Co, Cr, Se and Pb in the soil. Values of bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for Cd were particularly elevated (>10) in the unamended soil and reached values higher than 1 for other elements, indicating the potential of Brassica napus to accumulate several heavy metals. Translocation Factor (TF) was reduced for Co, Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb and As after biochar addition indicating root accumulation of these metals. In all cases, biochar addition increased biomass production. Finally, the addition of BM450 increased GMea index indicating also an improvement on soil quality.

Biochars and hydrochars prepared by pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonisation of pig manure.

Pyrolysis of organic wastes for biochar preparation has been proved as a useful way of waste management. However, the elevated water content of some organic wastes precludes its use without a drying step before pyrolysis treatment. For this reason, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of wet biomass could be an inexpensive alternative management method. The main objective of the present work is to compare the properties of biochars and hydrochars obtained from thermal treatment of pig manure. Biochars were prepared at 300 °C (BPM300), 450 °C (BPM450) and 600 °C (BPM600) and hydrochars were obtained using a pig manure solution (ratio 30:70) that was heated at 200 °C (HPM200), 220 °C (HPM220) and 240 °C (HPM240) during 2 h. Characterization of biochar and hydrochar samples showed that pyrolysis led to chars with more aromatic structures and high thermal stability while HTC process originated chars with more aliphatic structures. HPM220 and HPM240 showed the highest values of field capacity water content and available water probably due to their higher O/C ratios and the macroporosity development in the range from 200 to 30,000 nm. These results suggested that HTC could be an interesting method to obtain soil growing media or green roof materials with adequate hydrophysical properties.

Choice of pyrolysis parameters for urban wastes affects soil enzymes and plant germination in a Mediterranean soil.

The production of organic waste has steadily increased in recent years, with subsequent impact on the environment. The European Union committed to diminish the volume of biodegradable municipal waste disposed of in landfills by 2016-2020. The synthesis of biochar from urban waste and its application to improve soil quality can constitute a novel route for valorization. The aim of this paper was to study the effect of three biochars originated from pyrolysis of the organic fraction of urban waste at two different temperatures (300°C and 500°C) and two residence times (1h and 5h) on the biochemical properties of an agricultural soil. Soil was amended with biochars at a rate of 8% and incubated for 74days. A phytotoxicity assay, using garden cress as the test species, was conducted. CO2 emissions, microbial biomass C and the enzymes dehydrogenase, phosphomonoesterase and ß-glucosidase were measured in tested soils. Biochars prepared at 300°C resulted in lower germination index values, which could partly be ascribed to a higher bioavailability of heavy metals and higher soluble organic matter, while the biochar prepared as 500°C exhibited a phytostimulant effect. Biochars produced at 300°C (B300-1h, B300-5h) augmented soil CO2 emissions while there was no effect on microbial respiration in the soil amended with the biochar prepared at 500°C. Pyrolysis temperature and, for some enzymes, residence time, controlled soil enzymatic activity.

Genetic and microscopic assessment of the human chemotherapy-exposed placenta reveals possible pathways contributive to fetal growth restriction.

INTRODUCTION: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) carries an increased risk of perinatal mortality and morbidity. A major cause of FGR is placental insufficiency. After in utero chemotherapy-exposure, an increased incidence of FGR has been reported. In a prospective cohort study we aimed to explore which pathways may contribute to chemotherapy-associated FGR. METHODS: Placental biopsies were collected from 25 cancer patients treated with chemotherapy during pregnancy, and from 66 control patients. Differentially expressed pathways between chemotherapy-exposed patients and controls were examined by whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing (WTSS) and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Immunohistochemical studies for 8-OHdG and eNOS (oxidative DNA damage), proliferation (PCNA) and apoptosis (Cleaved Caspase 3) were performed. The expression level of eNOS, PCNA and IGFBP6 was verified by real-time quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: Most differential expressed genes between chemotherapy-exposed patients and controls were related to growth, developmental processes, and radical scavenging networks. The duration of chemotherapy exposure had an additional impact on the expression of genes related to the superoxide radicals degeneration network. Immunohistochemical analyses showed a significantly increased expression of 8-OHdG (P = 0.003) and a decreased expression of eNOS (P=0.015) in the syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta of cancer patients. A decreased expression of PCNA was detected by immunohistochemistry as RT-qPCR (NS). CONCLUSION: Chemotherapy exposure during pregnancy results in an increase of oxidative DNA damage and might impact the placental cellular growth and development, resulting in an increased incidence of FGR in this specific population. Further large prospective cohort studies and longitudinal statistical analyses are needed.

Use of magnetic biochars for the immobilization of heavy metals in a multi-contaminated soil.

Modified biochars, including magnetic biochars, have been tested in water for the removal of inorganic pollutants. However, at present it is unknown if they possess benefits over conventional biochar materials in relation to land remediation. A paddy soil was collected near Liantang village in Lechang Pb-Zn mine area in Guangdong Province (China). The soil was polluted with Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb, with total contents of 1.4mg/kg, 80mg/kg, 1638mg/kg and 2463mg/kg, respectively. We prepared magnetic and conventional biochar from two feedstocks (poultry litter and Eucalyptus) at a temperature of 300 and 500°C. A sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of heavy metals and a phytotoxicity test using rice were performed. Acid-soluble Cd in soils amended with PLB was 8 to 10% lower than in the control polluted soil. This figure was 27 to 29% for acid-soluble Zn and 59 to 63% for acid-soluble Cu. In some cases, differences were found between the heavy metal fractionation in samples amended with magnetic and conventional biochars. Plant biomass was unaffected by most treatments, but increased by 32% in the treatments containing magnetic poultry litter biochar. Our study shows that a careful choice of feedstock is of utmost importance for successful containment of heavy metals in a multi-contaminated mining area soil. An appropriate choice of feedstock (in the case of this study poultry litter vs. eucalyptus) was more determinant with respect to the mobility of pollutants than altering pyrolysis temperature or modifying surface properties through magnetization. However, surface modification through magnetization can have a significant impact on plant yield and offer comparative advantages in the management of some degraded landscapes.

Study of factors that influence the outcome of 131I treatment in hyperthyroidism secondary to nodular goitre. / Estudio de los factores que influyen en el resultado del tratamiento con 131I en el hipertiroidismo por bocio nodular.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome after 131I treatment in patients with multinodular (MNG) and nodular toxic goitre (NTG) according to the administered dose and other factors related to the patient, pathology, or previous treatments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 108 patients (67 MNG and 41 NTG) treated in our department, with a follow-up period of at least 2 years. Development of hypothyroidism and treatment failure were evaluated along with their relationship with the administered dose and other factors such as age, sex, grade of hyperthyroidism, type of goitre, presence of autoimmunity, or previous antithyroid medication. RESULTS: More than one-third (36.9%) of MNG patients, and even higher proportion of NTG patients (51.2%) developed non-transient hypothyroidism, particularly in those receiving 740MBq (66.7%). No relationship was found with any other variable. The development of early hypothyroidism (before one year) was also not related to any variable. Treatment failure was not related to the dose, but in MNG there was a relationship with male gender, presence of autoimmunity, or previous antithyroid drugs use. CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of hypothyroidism obtained with high doses of 131I in hyperthyroidism secondary to nodular goitre treatment suggests that lower doses might be sufficient to control the disease without an increase in treatment failures. Only patients with positive autoimmunity, in previous anti-thyroid medication, and perhaps male gender in MNG might be given higher doses, as the failure rate increases, but further studies are required.

[Carbapenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from urine cultures: prevalence and risk factors]. / Resistencia a carbapenemas en Pseudomonas aeruginosa aisladas en urocultivos: prevalencia y factores de riesgo.

OBJECTIVE: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a non-fermentative gram-negative bacillus with a great ability to develop resistance to multiple antibiotics, including carbapenems, which is a growing problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) in urine cultures and to determine the risk factors associated with the development of carbapanem resistance. METHODS: Positive urine cultures to P. aeruginosa between September 2012 and September 2014 were identified. We excluded repetitive cultures from the same patient. We created a database with different variables, including antimicrobial resistance. The prevalence of carbapenem resistance and the risk factors for growth of CRPA were analysed. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients with positive urine cultures to P. aeruginosa were included. The prevalence of CRPA was 22%. The risk factors to CRPA infection in the univariate analysis were: congestive heart failure (p=0.02), previous treatment with ampicillin (p=0.04), meropenem (p=0.04), piperacillin-tazobactam (p=0.01), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (p= 0.01) and previous treatment with more than one antibiotic (p<0.01). Only congestive heart failure (p<0.01) and previous treatment with more than one antibiotic (p<0.01) showed statistically significant differences in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CRPA in urine cultures is high in our population. We should assess the presence of risk factors as previous treatment with more than one antibiotic or comorbidities such as heart failure, in order to select an appropriate empirical treatment in patients with severe urinary tract infections.

EBV-Positive and EBV-Negative Posttransplant Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphomas Have Distinct Genomic and Transcriptomic Features.

The molecular pathogenesis of posttransplant diffuse large B cell lymphoma (PT-DLBCL) is largely unknown. We have recently shown that Epstein-Barr virus-positive (EBV(+)) and -negative (EBV(-)) PT-DLBCL have distinct gene expression profiles, and the transcriptomic profile of EBV(-) PT-DLBCL is similar to that of DLBCL in immunocompetent individuals (IC-DLBCL). To validate these observations at the genomic level, we performed array-comparative genome hybridization (aCGH) analysis of 21 EBV(+) PT-DLBCL, 6 EBV(-) PT-DLBCL, and 11 control IC-DLBCL, and subsequently combined genomic and transcriptomic data. The analysis showed that EBV(+) and EBV(-) PT-DLBCL have distinct aCGH profiles and shared only one recurrent imbalance. EBV(-) PT-DLBCL, however, displayed at least 10 aberrations recurrent in IC-DLBCL, among which characteristic gain of 3/3q and 18q, and loss of 6q23/TNFAIP3 as well as 9p21/CDKN2A. The most prevalent aberration in EBV(+) PT-DLBCL was gain/amplification of 9p24.1 targeting PDCD1LG2/PDL2. Our data indicate that the FOXP1 oncogene and the tumor suppressor CDKNA2 implicated in EBV(-) DLBCL, do not play a critical role in the pathogenesis of EBV(+) PT-DLBCL. Altogether, genomic profiling of PT-/IC-DLBCL confirms that EBV(-) and EBV(+) PT-DLBCL are distinct entities, while EBV(-) PT-DLBCL has features in common with IC-DLBCL. These findings support the hypothesis that EBV(-) PT-DLBCL are de novo lymphomas in transplant recipients.