Governance of advanced materials: Shaping a safe and sustainable future.

The past few decades of managing the uncertain risks associated with nanomaterials have provided valuable insights (knowledge gaps, tools, methods, etc.) that are equally important to promote safe and sustainable development and use of advanced materials. Based on these insights, the current paper proposes several actions to optimize the risk and sustainability governance of advanced materials. We emphasise the importance of establishing a European approach for risk and sustainability governance of advanced materials as soon as possible to keep up with the pace of innovation and to manage uncertainty among regulators, industry, SMEs and the public, regarding potential risks and impacts of advanced materials. Coordination of safe and sustainable advanced material research efforts, and data management according to the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) principles will enhance the generation of regulatory-relevant knowledge. This knowledge is crucial to identify whether current regulatory standardised and harmonised test methods are adequate to assess advanced materials. At the same time, there is urgent need for responsible innovation beyond regulatory compliance which can be promoted through the Safe and Sustainable Innovation Approach. that combines the Safe and Sustainable by Design concept with Regulatory Preparedness, supported by a trusted environment. We further recommend consolidating all efforts and networks related to the risk and sustainability governance of advanced materials in a single, easy-to-use digital portal. Given the anticipated complexity and tremendous efforts required, we identified the need of establishing an organisational structure dedicated to aligning the fast technological developments in advanced materials with proper risk and sustainability governance. Involvement of multiple stakeholders in a trusted environment ensures a coordinated effort towards the safe and sustainable development, production, and use of advanced materials. The existing infrastructures and network of experts involved in the governance of nanomaterials would form a solid foundation for such an organisational structure.

Legal recognition of LGB-parent families and science. An interview with Mar González. / Reconhecimento legal da homoparentalidade e ciência. Uma entrevista com Mar González.

Mar González is a psychologist and one of the pioneers in studies on LGB-parent families in Spain. Her research work from the 2000s onwards played an essential role in the parliamentary debate in the country, which culminated in the approval of same-sex marriage in 2005. Spain, a Catholic-majority country that had left the Franco dictatorship three decades earlier, was the third country in the world, after Belgium and Netherlands, to recognize the right of gay and lesbian people to unite. Her studies address unconventional families, family diversity, child and family development, and their relationship with education and health. Our conversation addressed LBG parenthood, the establishment of filiation rights for this social group, studies on these family configurations, and leading LGB parenthood health implications.

Mar González é psicóloga e foi uma das pioneiras nos estudos sobre a homoparentalidade na Espanha. Suas pesquisas, a partir dos anos 2000, tiveram papel relevante no debate parlamentar no país, que culminou com a aprovação do casamento homossexual em 2015. A Espanha, um país de maioria católica que havia deixado a ditadura franquista três décadas antes, foi o terceiro país no mundo, depois de Bélgica e Holanda, a reconhecer o direito de união da população homossexual. Seus estudos versam sobre famílias não convencionais, diversidade familiar, desenvolvimento infantil e familiar e sua relação com educação e saúde. Nossa conversa tratou do tema da homoparentalidade, do estabelecimento dos direitos de filiação para esse grupo social, dos estudos sobre essas configurações familiares e as principais implicações da homoparentalidade para a saúde.

Naphthalene Tetrazole-Based Nickel Metal-Organic Framework as a Filler of Polycarbonate Membranes to Improve CO2 and H2 Separation.

A tetrazole-naphthalene linker was used to prepare a nickel MOF (metal-organic framework) (NiNDTz) with interesting properties: a specific surface area SBET of 320 m2g-1 (SLangmuir 436 m2g-1), high thermal stability (Tdonset = 300 °C), and CO2 uptake of 1.85 mmolg-1, attributed to the tetrazole groups to be used as fillers in gas separation membranes. The role of these groups was crucial in the mechanical properties of mixed membranes prepared using polycarbonate as a polymer matrix, providing a very homogeneous filler distribution and also in the gas separation properties since a simultaneous increase in permeability and selectivity was achieved, especially in the hybrid membrane containing 20% filler (PC@NiNDTz-20%). This membrane exhibited an excellent balance between permeability (P) and selectivity (α) with an increase in the permeability of CO2 and H2, 177 and 185%, respectively, and improvements in the selectivity of these gases against greenhouse gases such as methane and ethylene (between 15 and 28% improvement). These results make this membrane competitive to deal with separations in which these gases are involved, and are of special interest for the H2/CH4 separation since it clearly improves the performance of pure PC and no better PC-based membranes have been reported in the literature for this separation.

Exploring Functional Polymers in the Synthesis of Luminescent ZnO Quantum Dots for the Detection of Cr6+, Fe2+, and Cu2.

The main aim of this work is to demonstrate that well-defined methacrylate-based copolymers with oligoethylene glycol side chains and functional groups such as thiol and glycidyl, obtained by photo-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) in ethanol, are highly suitable as templates in the synthesis and protection of ZnO quantum dots (ZnO QDs) with remarkable photoluminescent properties. While the affinity of thiol groups to metallic surfaces is well established, their interaction with metal oxides has received less scrutiny. Furthermore, under basic conditions, glycidyl groups could react with hydroxyl groups on the surface of ZnO, representing another strategy for hybrid synthesis. The size and crystalline morphology of the resulting hybrids were assessed using DLS, TEM, and XRD, indicating that both polymers, even with a low proportion of functional groups (5% mol) are appropriate as templates and ligands for ZnO QDs synthesis. Notably, thiol-containing polymers yield hybrids with ZnO featuring excellent quantum yield (up to 52%), while polymers with glycidyl groups require combination with the organosilane aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) to achieve optimal results. In both cases, these hybrids exhibited robust stability in both ethanol and aqueous environments. Beyond fundamental research, due to the remarkable photoluminescent properties and affordability, these hybrid ZnO QDs are expected to have potential applications in biotechnology and green science; in particular, in this study, we examined their use in the detection of environmental contaminants like Fe2+, Cr6+, and Cu2+. Specifically, the limit of detection achieved at 1.13 µM for the highly toxic Cr6+ underscores the significant sensing capabilities of the hybrids.

Reconhecimento legal da homoparentalidade e ciência. Uma entrevista com Mar González / Legal recognition of LGB-parent families and science. An interview with Mar González

Resumo Mar González é psicóloga e foi uma das pioneiras nos estudos sobre a homoparentalidade na Espanha. Suas pesquisas, a partir dos anos 2000, tiveram papel relevante no debate parlamentar no país, que culminou com a aprovação do casamento homossexual em 2015. A Espanha, um país de maioria católica que havia deixado a ditadura franquista três décadas antes, foi o terceiro país no mundo, depois de Bélgica e Holanda, a reconhecer o direito de união da população homossexual. Seus estudos versam sobre famílias não convencionais, diversidade familiar, desenvolvimento infantil e familiar e sua relação com educação e saúde. Nossa conversa tratou do tema da homoparentalidade, do estabelecimento dos direitos de filiação para esse grupo social, dos estudos sobre essas configurações familiares e as principais implicações da homoparentalidade para a saúde.

Abstract Mar González is a psychologist and one of the pioneers in studies on LGB-parent families in Spain. Her research work from the 2000s onwards played an essential role in the parliamentary debate in the country, which culminated in the approval of same-sex marriage in 2005. Spain, a Catholic-majority country that had left the Franco dictatorship three decades earlier, was the third country in the world, after Belgium and Netherlands, to recognize the right of gay and lesbian people to unite. Her studies address unconventional families, family diversity, child and family development, and their relationship with education and health. Our conversation addressed LBG parenthood, the establishment of filiation rights for this social group, studies on these family configurations, and leading LGB parenthood health implications.

Hemophilic Arthropathy of the Knee and Its Association with Reduced Muscle Strength and Activation and the Pressure Pain Threshold: A Case-Control Study.

(1) Background: Hemophilia is characterized by recurrent hemarthrosis leading to degenerative arthropathy. The aim was to evaluate the differences in muscle strength and activity and the pressure pain threshold between patients with knee arthropathy and their healthy peers; (2) Methods: A case-control study in which 23 adult patients with knee arthropathy and 24 healthy peers matched in terms of characteristics were recruited. The study variables were quadriceps muscle strength, muscle activation and the pressure pain threshold; (3) Results: There were significant differences between the two groups in quadriceps strength on the dominant (CI95%: 64.69, 129.2) and non-dominant (CI95%: 29.95, 93.55) sides and in the pressure pain threshold on the dominant (CI95%: 3.30, 43.54) and non-dominant (CI95%: 3.09, 45.25) sides. There were differences in neuromuscular fatigue on the non-dominant side in the vastus medialis (CI95%: 8.72, 21.51), vastus lateralis (CI95%: 4.84, 21.66) and rectus femoris (CI95%: 6.48, 24.95) muscles; (4) Conclusions: Muscle strength and the pressure pain threshold are lower in patients with hemophilia. Quadriceps muscle activation in patients with hemophilic knee arthropathy does not in any way differ from activation in healthy subjects. However, muscle fatigue is greater in patients with knee arthropathy. Strength training in patients with hemophilia should focus on the activation of the vastus medialis and lateralis muscles.

Derivatized chitosan-oil-in-water nanocapsules for trans-cinnamaldehyde delivery.

trans-Cinnamaldehyde, known for its bacterial anti-quorum sensing activity when applied at sublethal concentrations, has gained traction given its potential use against multidrug resistant bacteria. In this work, trans-cinnamaldehyde-loaded oil-in-water nanocapsules coated with chitosan, N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan chloride, N-(2-(N,N,N-trimethylammoniumyl)acetyl) chitosan chloride or N-(6-(N,N,N-trimethylammoniumyl)hexanoyl)chitosan chloride were obtained. All the formulated nanocapsules showed a Z-average hydrodynamic diameter ~ 160 nm and ζ-potential higher than +40 mV. N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan-coated oil-in-water nanocapsules showed the greatest trans-cinnamaldehyde association efficiency (99.3 ± 7.6) % and total payload release (88.6 ± 22.5) %, while N-(6-(N,N,N-trimethylammoniumyl)hexanoyl)chitosan chloride chitosan-coated oil-in-water nanocapsules were the only formulations stable in phosphate buffer saline PBS (pH 7.4) upon incubation at 37 °C for 24 h. Future work should address the stability of the developed nanocapsules in culture media and their biological performance.

Evaluation of physicochemical properties of honey powder using rice and pea proteins as carriers.

Honey is a special product widely appreciated because of its peculiar flavor and aroma as well as its beneficial effects on health due to its constituents. However, the use of honey in its natural form can present several disadvantages to the food industry because of its high viscosity and density. This work aimed to obtain honey powder using rice, pea, or a mixture of both proteins as carriers by spray drying and to characterize physiochemically. Also, the mass balance was performed to evaluate changes in humidity and temperature that occurred by the drying air during the process. The honey showed acceptable physicochemical parameters by the legislation of honey quality control in regard to color (143.43 ± 4.34) mm Pfund, free acidity (46.41 ± 0.53) meq/kg, pH (3.73 ± 0.03), fructose content (46.52 ± 0.56) g/100 g and glucose content (35.88 ± 0.16) g/100 g, which leads to the production of honey powder. Among the carriers tested, the honey powder using rice protein achieved the highest powder recovery yield at (64.88 ± 0.64) %. The physicochemical properties were evaluated and the phenolic compounds were not negatively affected by spray drying conditions, maintaining a value of gallic acid equivalent (GAE) content at (301.31 ± 20.95) mg/kg of honey. Therefore, this work shows honey as an alternative food ingredient in powdered form, including the growing market for using alternative protein.

Chitosan/Albumin Coating Factorial Optimization of Alginate/Dextran Sulfate Cores for Oral Delivery of Insulin.

The design of nanoparticle formulations composed of biopolymers, that govern the physicochemical properties of orally delivered insulin, relies on improving insulin stability and absorption through the intestinal mucosa while protecting it from harsh conditions in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Chitosan/polyethylene glycol (PEG) and albumin coating of alginate/dextran sulfate hydrogel cores are presented as a multilayer complex protecting insulin within the nanoparticle. This study aims to optimize a nanoparticle formulation by assessing the relationship between design parameters and experimental data using response surface methodology through a 3-factor 3-level optimization Box-Behnken design. While the selected independent variables were the concentrations of PEG, chitosan and albumin, the dependent variables were particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and insulin release. Experimental results showed a nanoparticle size ranging from 313 to 585 nm, with PDI from 0.17 to 0.39 and zeta potential ranging from -29 to -44 mV. Insulin bioactivity was maintained in simulated GI media with over 45% cumulative release after 180 min in a simulated intestinal medium. Based on the experimental responses and according to the criteria of desirability on the experimental region's constraints, solutions of 0.03% PEG, 0.047% chitosan and 1.20% albumin provide an optimum nanoparticle formulation for insulin oral delivery.

Imaging in fetal genital anomalies.

Genital anomalies are a heterogeneous group of congenital pathologies that have become increasingly relevant since the Chicago Consensus of 2005. Their postnatal diagnosis has developed significantly in the last two decades, while prenatal diagnosis seems to be underdeveloped, with few protocols available, fragmented scientific literature, and low diagnostic rates. This review aims to examine the current status of this subspecialty from the perspective of prenatal imaging. Indications for the evaluation of fetal genitalia can be divided into medical and non-medical reasons. Medical reasons include sex-linked disorders, detection of other anomalies, relevant family history, or multiple pregnancy. Non-medical reasons include parental request for sex disclosure. Disclosure of fetal sex may be associated with ethical, legal, and medical issues. The main imaging technology used is 2D ultrasound, although there are other complementary techniques such as 3D, MRI, or Color Doppler. Regarding working methodology, several authors have drawn attention to the lack of standardized protocols and guidelines. Most guidelines tend to limit their recommendations to study indications and ethical issues. Technical proposals, measurements, or working methods have not yet been standardized. Fetal sex determination is usually divided into early and late gestation. Early gestation is based on the sagittal sign. Late gestation is based on direct visualization. There are several measurements to describe male and female genitalia, such as penile length, bilabial diameter, or scrotal diameter. Prenatal diagnosis of genital pathologies presents some particularities such as the wide spectrum of phenotypes, the high frequency of associated deformities, or the time of diagnosis. Some of the most frequent pathologies are ambiguous genitalia, fetal sex discordance, hypospadias, micropenis, clitoromegaly, ovarian cysts, hydro(metro)colpos, and cloacal anomalies. Higher-quality studies and direction from scientific societies through the implementation of clinical guidelines are needed.

What About the Sexual Orientation of the Offspring of Lesbian and Gay Parents? A Multidimensional, Time and Gender-Based Answer.

This study examined the sexual orientation of 30 young adult children of lesbian and gay parents, analyzing three dimensions (sexual behavior, sexual attraction and sexual self-identification), their evolution over time and the possible influence of gender (19 women and 11 men). Sexual orientation was measured using KSOG. The results revealed that most participants defined themselves as heterosexual only, although percentages varied between 87% for sexual behavior to 67% for sexual attraction and 60% for sexual self-identification. Gender differences were found for sexual attraction and self-identification, with men having a polarized profile (responses at both ends of the scale) and women reporting a less exclusive and more fluid sexuality. These findings are discussed in light of the complex nature of sexual orientation, the freedom of these young adults for defining their sexual orientation, and the role played by gender and family experiences.

RAFT Hydroxylated Polymers as Templates and Ligands for the Synthesis of Fluorescent ZnO Quantum Dots.

The remarkable photoluminescent properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and antibacterial properties of zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) coupled with their low cost and nanoscale size guarantee bio-related and technological applications. However, the effect of the polymeric ligand during synthesis has hardly been investigated compared to other less environmentally friendly QDs. Thus, the objective of this work was to focus on the synthesis of fluorescent hybrid ZnO QDs by the sol-gel method using different polymers with hydroxyl groups as templates and ligands to obtain stable particles in different media. For this purpose, well-defined hydroxylated statistical polymers and block copolymers were synthesized using reversible-addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization to establish the influence of molecular weight, hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance, and polymer architecture on the colloidal and photophysical properties of the synthesized hybrid ZnO QDs. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), TEM, and X-ray diffraction measurements indicated the formation of stable nanoparticles of a few nanometers. A remarkable enhancement in terms of fluorescence was observed when ZnO QDs were synthesized in the presence of the hydroxylated homopolymers and even more so with block copolymers architecture. Organosilanes combined with the hydroxylated polymers were used to improve the colloidal stability of ZnO QDs in aqueous media. These samples exhibited uniform and stable enhanced photoluminescence for nearly five months of being investigated. Among other applications, the hybrid ZnO QDs synthesized in this work exhibit high selectivity to detect Cr6+, Fe2+, or Cu2+ in water.

Vibrio pathogenicity island and phage CTX genes in Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from different aquatic environments.

In the present study, we investigated the presence of four Vibrio cholerae virulence genes (ctxA, VPI, Zot and ace) in 36 Vibrio alginolyticus isolates obtained from different seawater, sediments and aquatic organisms. We tested the virulence of 13 V. alginolyticus strains against juveniles of Sparus aurata and this virulence was correlated with the presence of V. cholerae virulence genes. A positive amplification for the virulence pathogenicity island was produced by five V. alginolyticus strains and four for cholerae toxin. Some of the V. alginolyticus strains are pathogenic to aquatic animals and might have derived their virulence genes from V. cholerae. V. alginolyticus strains can be considered as a possible reservoir of V. cholerae virulence genes.

Chitosan-nanoparticles effects on mucosal immunity: A systematic review.

Nanoparticles-based treatments is of utmost importance for aquaculture. In this scenario, chitosan-based nanoparticles have been proposed due to the properties of chitosan, which include mucoadhesiveness. Nevertheless, pivotal parameters of chitosan, such as degree of acetylation and molecular weight, are commonly underestimated in the available literature despite the influence they seem to have on the properties of chitosan-based nanoparticles. In this systematic review, the immunomodulator capacity of chitosan nanoparticles used as mucosal vaccines on teleost fish has been evaluated paying special attention to the chitosan properties. Four databases were used for literature search, yielding 486 documents, from which 14 meet the inclusion criteria. Only 21% of the available studies reported properly chitosan properties, which should be improved in future works to generate reproducible data as well as valuable information. To the best of our knowledge, this work objectively compares for the first time, by quantifying the mg of chitosan/g of fish applied in each study, the chitosan nanoparticle preparation and doses applied to fish, as well as the effects of the treatments applied on fish immune status.

Desafío y futuro de la cirugía robótica hepática y pancreática. Análisis de 64 casos en una unidad especializada / Challenge and future of liver and pancreatic robotic surgery. Analysis of 64 cases in a specialized unit

Introducción: La cirugía robótica ha demostrado su eficacia en ciertos procedimientos quirúrgicos. Sin embargo, en cirugía hepática y pancreática (HBP) su uso es todavía poco frecuente. Se presenta la experiencia inicial en cirugía robótica HBP de una unidad especializada en un hospital de tercer nivel. Método: Se han estudiado en forma prospectiva los resultados de los pacientes intervenidos de cirugía HBP robótica entre abril de 2018 y octubre de 2020. Los datos analizados corresponden a datos demográficos, técnicas quirúrgicas realizadas y morbimortalidad asociada. Resultados Se intervinieron 64 pacientes, sometidos a 35 hepatectomías (mayores [6,7%], anatómicas [52,9%], limitadas [34,4%], quistectomías [3%] y marsupializaciones [3%]) y 29 pancreatectomías/resecciones duodenales (distales [48,2%], centrales [6,9%], cefálicas [13,8%], enucleaciones [24,1%], ampulectomías [3,5%] y resecciones duodenales [3,5%]).En cirugía hepática el tiempo operatorio medio fue de 204,4 minutos (100-265 min), la mediana de complicaciones postoperatorias según la escala de Clavien-Dindo fue de uno (1-4), las pérdidas hemáticas medias de 166,7 mL (100-300 mL), no existió conversión y la estancia postoperatoria media de cuatro días (2-14 días).En cirugía pancreática el tiempo operatorio medio fue de 243,8 minutos (125-460 min), la mediana de complicaciones postoperatorias de dos (1-4), las pérdidas hemáticas de 202,3 mL (100-500 mL) asociadas a una tasa de conversión del 17,8% y una estancia media de siete días (3-23 días). Conclusiones: La cirugía robótica HBP es segura y factible. Se sugiere que su uso facilita la cirugía conservadora de parénquima, el acceso a segmentos posteriores hepáticos y la realización de anastomosis en la reconstrucción pancreática respecto a la cirugía laparoscópica (AU)

Introduction: Robotic surgery has proven effective in certain surgical procedures. However, in liver and pancreatic surgery (HBP) its use is still rare. The initial experience in HBP robotic surgery of a specialized unit of a tertiary hospital is presented. results of patients undergoing robotic HBP surgery between April 2018 and October 2020 have been prospectively studied. The data analyzed correspond to demographic data, surgical techniques performed, associated morbidity and mortality.Results64 patients were operated, corresponding to 35 hepatectomies (major [6.7%], anatomic [52.9%], limited [34.4%], cystectomies [3%] and marsupialization [3%]), 29 pancreatectomies (distal [48.2%], central [6.9%], cephalic [13.8%], enucleations [24.1%], ampullectomies [3.5%] and duodenal resections [3.5%]).In liver surgery the mean operative time was 204.4 minutes (100-265 min), the median postoperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo scale was one (1-4), the mean blood losses 166.7 mL (100-300 mL), there was no conversion and the mean postoperative stay was four days (2-14 days).In pancreatic surgery, the mean operative time was 243.8 minutes (125-460 min), the median of postoperative complications was two (1-4), blood loss of 202.3 mL (100-500 mL) associated to a conversion rate 17.8% and an average stay of seven days (3-23 days).Conclusions: Robotic HBP surgery is safe and feasible. It is suggested that its use facilitates parenchymal sparing surgery, access to posterior liver segments and anastomosis in pancreatic reconstruction compared to laparoscopic surgery (AU)

Challenge and future of liver and pancreatic robotic surgery. Analysis of 64 cases in a specialized unit.

INTRODUCTION: Robotic surgery has proven effective in certain surgical procedures. However, in liver and pancreatic surgery (HBP) its use is still rare. The initial experience in HBP robotic surgery of a specialized unit of a tertiary hospital is presented. METHOD: The results of patients undergoing robotic HBP surgery between April 2018 and October 2020 have been prospectively studied. The data analyzed correspond to demographic data, surgical techniques performed, associated morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: 64 patients were operated, corresponding to 35 hepatectomies (major [6.7%], anatomic [52.9%], limited [34.4%], cystectomies [3%] and marsupialization [3%]), 29 pancreatectomies (distal [48.2%], central [6.9%], cephalic [13.8%], enucleations [24.1%], ampullectomies [3.5%] and duodenal resections [3.5%]). In liver surgery the mean operative time was 204.4 min (100-265 min), the median postoperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo scale was one (1-4), the mean blood losses 166.7 mL (100-300 mL), there was no conversion and the mean postoperative stay was four days (2-14 days). In pancreatic surgery, the mean operative time was 243.8 min (125-460 min), the median of postoperative complications was two (1-4), blood loss of 202.3 mL (100-500 mL) associated to a conversion rate 17.8% and an average stay of seven days (3-23 days). CONCLUSIONS: Robotic HBP surgery is safe and feasible. It is suggested that its use facilitates parenchymal sparing surgery, access to posterior liver segments and anastomosis in pancreatic reconstruction compared to laparoscopic surgery.

Metabolic Regulation of Macrophages by SIRT1 Determines Activation During Cholestatic Liver Disease in Mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Inflammation is the hallmark of chronic liver disease. Metabolism is a key determinant to regulate the activation of immune cells. Here, we define the role of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a main metabolic regulator, in controlling the activation of macrophages during cholestatic liver disease and in response to endotoxin. METHODS: We have used mice overexpressing SIRT1, which we treated with intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharides or induced cholestasis by bile duct ligation. Bone marrow-derived macrophages were used for mechanistic in vitro studies. Finally, PEPC-Boy mice were used for adoptive transfer experiments to elucidate the impact of SIRT1-overexpressing macrophages in contributing to cholestatic liver disease. RESULTS: We found that SIRT1 overexpression promotes increased liver inflammation and liver injury after lipopolysaccharide/GalN and bile duct ligation; this was associated with an increased activation of the inflammasome in macrophages. Mechanistically, SIRT1 overexpression associated with the activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway that led to increased activation of macrophages, which showed metabolic rewiring with increased glycolysis and broken tricarboxylic acid cycle in response to endotoxin in vitro. Activation of the SIRT1/mTOR axis in macrophages associated with the activation of the inflammasome and the attenuation of autophagy. Ultimately, in an in vivo model of cholestatic disease, the transplantation of SIRT1-overexpressing myeloid cells contributed to liver injury and fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides novel mechanistic insights into the regulation of macrophages during cholestatic disease and the response to endotoxin, in which the SIRT1/mTOR crosstalk regulates macrophage activation controlling the inflammasome, autophagy and metabolic rewiring.

Free fatty-acid transport via CD36 drives ß-oxidation-mediated hematopoietic stem cell response to infection.

Acute infection is known to induce rapid expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), but the mechanisms supporting this expansion remain incomplete. Using mouse models, we show that inducible CD36 is required for free fatty acid uptake by HSCs during acute infection, allowing the metabolic transition from glycolysis towards ß-oxidation. Mechanistically, high CD36 levels promote FFA uptake, which enables CPT1A to transport fatty acyl chains from the cytosol into the mitochondria. Without CD36-mediated FFA uptake, the HSCs are unable to enter the cell cycle, subsequently enhancing mortality in response to bacterial infection. These findings enhance our understanding of HSC metabolism in the bone marrow microenvironment, which supports the expansion of HSCs during pathogenic challenge.

Mixed Matrix Membranes Containing a Biphenyl-Based Knitting Aryl Polymer and Gas Separation Performance.

Novel mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were prepared using Matrimid (M), polysulfone (PSF) or polyphenylene oxide (PPO) as the continuous phase and a porous biphenyl-based knitting aryl polymer as a filler, synthesized through the Friedel-Craft reaction. The filler had little influence on the thermal and morphological properties of the membranes but affected the mechanical and gas transport properties, which were different depending on the type of matrix. Thus, in the case of MMMs based on Matrimid, the filler increased considerably the permeability to all gases, although no improvements in selectivity were achieved. A PSF-based MMM showed minor permeability increases, but not in all gases, while the selectivity was particularly improved for hydrogen separations. A PPO-based MMM did not exhibit variation in permeability nor in permselectivity with the addition of the filler.

Linking Emotional Intelligence, Physical Activity and Aggression among Undergraduates.

Several indicators are strongly related to health and well-being in university students, such as emotional intelligence and physical activity. At the same time, some qualities threaten it and are incompatible with students' adaptation to society in general, such as aggressive behaviours. The aim of this research is to analyse the relationship established between emotional intelligence using TMMS-24, physical activity, using IPAQ, and aggression behaviours in university students. For this purpose, a descriptive, cross-sectional and non-experimental study was developed with 932 undergraduates (M = 20.55; SD = 3.673). The findings highlight how emotional intelligence and physical activity practice decrease violent behaviour in university students. In addition, men tend to have more aggressive behaviours than women as well as the relation between physical activity and emotional intelligence is stronger in all its dimensions. Results highlight the importance of including emotional intelligence programs in order to enable undergraduate well-being.