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Use of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) oil in a concentrate-base diet for lamb fattening: Effect on in vitro ruminal biohydrogenation and fermentation
No full text11 páginas, 4 tablas.There is a global need for the search for alternative energy sources for livestock, with insect oils being a promising option. The use of Tenebrio molitor oil (TMO) in ruminant feeding has barely been investigated. However, its inclusion in fattening lamb diets could be of interest not only as an energy source, but also as a potential modulator of ruminal biohydrogenation (BH). This study was conducted to assess the effects of replacing soybean oil (SBO) and palm distillate fatty acids (PFA) by TMO on in vitro ruminal BH and fermentation. A 10:90 forage:concentrate substrate, mimicking a diet typically used for lamb fattening, was supplemented with 2 % DM of TMO, SBO or PFA and incubated for 8 h using batch cultures of rumen microorganisms. A comprehensive analysis of the TMO allowed the identification of several minor FA that are rarely reported (e.g., iso 15:0, anteiso 15:0, cis-9 trans-11 18:2, 10-oxo-18:0). Effects on the digesta fatty acid (FA) composition were mainly related to the contribution to the rumen digesta of the major FA provided by the lipid supplements (e.g., 16:0 with PFA, cis-9 18:1 and 14:0 with TMO, and cis-9 cis-12 18:2 with SBO) or to the BH of dietary unsaturated FA (e.g., trans-11 18:1 and other trans-MUFA with SBO and TMO, and cis-MUFA with TMO). Results of ruminal fermentation suggest no significant negative effects of TMO compared to PFA and SBO. Overall, the use of 2 % DM of TMO could be a suitable alternative energy source to replace PFA and SBO in diets for fattening lambs.This research was funded by the Junta de Castilla y Le´on (JCyL, Spain; project CSI020P23), the Spanish Research State Agency (AEI; project PID2023–146979OB-I00, MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/ FEDER). C. Baila and M. Hassanien benefited from a postdoctoral research contract from JCyL and from a MSc grant from the Med
iterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (IAMZ-CIHEAM), respectivelyPeer reviewe
Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
No full text12 pages, 6 figuresParasites can induce gene expression changes in their hosts, either benefiting the parasite or the host. In particular, trematodes are not only one of the most ubiquitous groups of aquatic parasites, they also have huge impacts on individual hosts with significant ecological and economic repercussions. The trematode Bucephalus minimus infects Cerastoderma edule (the edible cockle), a socioeconomically and ecologically important bivalve, as its first intermediate host. This parasite is one of the most harmful parasites infecting cockles, affecting their ability to reproduce, grow, and survive, thereby indirectly impacting ecosystem functioning. Despite the well-documented ecological effects of B. minimus, its impacts at a molecular level remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying B. minimus infection in cockles by analysing tissue-specific and systemic responses to long-term parasitic infection. It compared gene expression profiles in two critical tissues of naturally infected and non-infected cockles: the digestive gland, the primary target of infection, and the haemolymph, the backbone of the bivalve immune system. Results revealed extensive tissue-specific changes in gene expression. In the haemolymph, infected cockles showed significant downregulation of pathways related to cell division, cytoskeletal organization, and DNA repair, suggesting potentially parasite-induced reduction of immune responses and host cellular functions. Contrary to expectations, immune pathways did not show significantly increased expression, likely reflecting the chronic nature of infection and energy reallocation by the host. In the digestive gland, genes associated with gametogenesis, metabolism and immune function were downregulated, with no significant upregulation observed, except in some genes related to scavenger receptor activity and inflammation, suggesting localized immune responses. Shared responses among tissues included alterations in zinc ion transport and neurotransmitter biosynthesis, suggesting management of infection-induced stress. These findings highlight how B. minimus may manipulate host biology to suppress immunity and disrupt critical cellular processes, providing valuable insights into chronic trematode infections and host-parasite dynamicsThis work was funded by “Pacto da Bioeconomia Azul” with reference C644915664-00000026 under the call 02/C05-i01/2022 of the Resilience and Recuperation Plan (PRR) and led by Inovmar Lda. Simão Correia benefited from PhD grant (https://doi.org/10.54499/2020.04688.BD) funded by National Funds through the Portuguese Science Foundation (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, FCT). Luísa Magalhães is funded by national funds (OE), through FCT (grant https://doi.org/10.54499/2021.01858.CEECIND/CP1659/CT0010). Thanks are also due to FCT for the financial support to CESAM under the project UID/50006 + LA/P/0094/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0094/2020). Sergio Fernández-Boo is funded through the CEEC Institutional program with ref. CEECINST/00027/2021/CP2789/CT0002. This research was also supported by the strategic funding UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020, and LA/P/0101/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0101/2020) through national funds provided by FCTPeer reviewe
Innovative starch-PVA membranes incorporating amino-functionalized Zeolitic Imidazolate frameworks for CO2/CH4 separation
No full textThe growing need for efficient CO2 separation in natural gas purification and carbon capture has driven the advancement of high-performance membrane technologies. This study incorporates the zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-8-NH2 into blends of polysaccharide starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to fabricate eco-friendly membranes. These materials, prepared as dense mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes, offer a sustainable solution for CO2/CH4 separation. The integration of ZIF-8-NH2 nanoparticles, recognized for their high crystallinity and surface area and selective adsorption capacity into the starch–PVA matrix (33/67 blend ratio), significantly enhances CO2 permeability, increasing from 124 to 188 Barrer at 10 wt% loading, while preserving high CO2/CH4 selectivity (14.1 for the pristine blend and 16.5 for the MMM). For TFNs, a 9/91 starch-PVA matrix with 15 wt% ZIF-8-NH2 incorporated into the selective layer resulted in the best conditions. This architecture provided robust mechanical stability and high separation performance, yielding a CO2 permeance of up to 208 GPU and a CO2/CH4 selectivity of 26.9 at 3 bar feed pressure, nearly doubling the selectivity compared to the dense biopolymer blend. This work highlights the potential of renewable, starch-based materials in membrane-based gas separation, contributing to sustainable solutions for natural gas purification and carbon capture.B. Zornoza acknowledges the grant RYC2022-038139-I funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and ESF+. This work was supported by grants PID2022-138582OB-I00 (funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “ERDF A way of making Europe”), TED2021-130621B-C4 (funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union-Next Generation EU), and CEX2023-001286-S (funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). Financial assistance was also provided by the Government of Aragon (T68_23R). The authors would like to thank the Universidad de Zaragoza for the use of “Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigación-SAI” and the use of instrumentation as well as the technical support and access to the National Facility ELECMI ICTS, “Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas”, at the “Universidad de Zaragoza”. Finally, J. Amenakpor thanks the European Commission - Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship under the program: Master in Membrane Engineering for Sustainable Development, MESD, Project number: 101081874, Call: ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PEX-EMJM-MOB.With funding from the Spanish government through the "Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence" accreditation (CEX2023-001286-S).Peer reviewe
«Tools and letters». Carmen Aldecoa and her political and intellectual contribution inside and outside Spain
No full text[EN] This research focuses on the career and political and intellectual contribution of Carmen Aldecoa (Turón de Mieres, 1897- Madrid, 1988), recognized for her scientific role, as she was one of the first researchers trained by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography during the first foundational stage. However, after a long academic career she declined as a secondary school teacher. After the civil war and positioned on the side of the Republican cause, she left in 1939 with the transatlantic exile to settle in New York, after a first stop in Havana. Once settled in the United States, she worked, throughout her life, in favour of grassroots organizations helping Spanish refugees and collaborated in the dissemination of the Magazine Free Spain where she outlined part of her political thought. Carmen Aldecoa was a Spanish professor at New York University. She traveled to Europe and returned to Spain at the end of the sixties, but her contribution and her work have not been the subject of study[ES] Esta investigación se centra en la trayectoria y la contribución política e intelectual de Carmen Aldecoa (Turón de Mieres, 1897- Madrid, 1988), reconocida por su faceta científica, al ser de las primeras investigadoras formadas por el Instituto Español de Oceanografía durante la primera etapa fundacional. Sin embargo, después de una larga carrera académica optó como docente en la segunda enseñanza. Trascurrida la guerra civil y posicionada al lado de la causa republicana partió en 1939 con la diáspora trasatlántica para establecerse en Nueva York, tras una primera escala en La Habana. Una vez asentada en Estados Unidos trabajó, a lo largo de su vida, a favor de las organizaciones de base de ayuda a los refugiados españoles y colaboró en la divulgación de la revista España Libre (1936-1976) donde esbozó parte de su pensamiento político. Carmen Aldecoa fue profesora de español en la Universidad de Nueva York. Tras su jubilación viajó a Europa y retornó a España a finales de los años sesenta, aunque su contribución y su obra no han sido objeto de estudio.
Desde 1941 se incorporó como profesora de lengua española en diversos campus norteamericanos. Integrada en la esfera académica mantuvo un estrecho un vínculo con el Instituto Hispánico de la Universidad de Columbia, bajo el auspicio de Federico de Onís, donde dictó diversas conferencias (1953 y 1956). Una de sus disertaciones, versadas sobre Ramón y Cajal y la Ciencia española, fueron publicadas en la Revista Hispánica Moderna (1953), dirigida por Federico de Onís y Eugenio Florit. En 1957 escribió una obra de madurez Del sentir y pensar (1957) con prólogo del hispanista de ColumbiaPeer reviewe
Multifunctional carbene dyes for simultaneous dyeing, covalent crosslinking, and functional modification of fibers and polymers
No full textThe utility of traditional dyes is restricted solely to fiber coloration, with extensive chemical additives being necessitated. As a result, neither crosslinking nor functional modification can be concurrently realized with dyeing in these systems. Three carbene dyes containing two or more diazirine groups (D1, D2, and D3) were synthesized in this study based on the carbene-mediated C–H bond activation/insertion mechanism, achieving simultaneous dyeing, covalent crosslinking, and functional modification of fibrous materials in a single-bath process under mild conditions without auxiliary agents. By optimizing the molecular structure and increasing the number of diazirine groups, significant improvements in the fixation rate and crosslinking efficiency were achieved for dyes D2 and D3. All dyed fabrics (cotton, polyester (PET), and nylon) were characterized as exhibiting high K/S values, excellent color fixation rates, and superior colorfastness properties. Furthermore, bonding of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was accomplished using all three dyes as adhesives, with D3 exhibiting the strongest adhesive performance. Covalent crosslinking between hydrophobic polymers (e.g., polylactic acid (PLA), polypropylene (PP), etc.) and hydrophilic polymers was achieved using three carbene dyes, which significantly enhanced their hydrophilicity. Owing to the crosslinking properties of carbene dyes, the fibrillation resistance of dyed lyocell fibers was significantly enhanced, while water repellency was simultaneously imparted. This multifunctional carbene dye, integrating coloration, crosslinking, and functional modification in a single entity, provides a highly versatile and transformative solution for fiber functionalization and polymer processing.The authors acknowledge the financial support for this work from the National Innovation Center of Advanced Dyeing & Finishing Technology Scientific Research Fund (2022GCJJ14).Peer reviewe
Carborane-BODIPY dyes as promising photosensitizers for light-mediated antimicrobial strategies
No full textAntimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) presents a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics owing to its rapid, non-invasive action and efficacy against resistant pathogens. In this study, we report the synthesis and thorough photophysical characterization of carborane-functionalized BODIPY derivatives, specifically the o-carborane derivative BDP-o-CB and the m-carborane BDP-m-CB, designed as novel photosensitizers (PSs) for aPDT. Incorporation of closo-carborane moieties into the BODIPY core imparts enhanced photophysical and chemical stability, while maintaining high boron content and biocompatibility. These hybrid photosensitizers exhibit high singlet oxygen (1O2) generation under visible light irradiation, while maintaining favorable absorption and emission properties in the visible spectrum. Photophysical analysis reveals bathochromic shifts and lower fluorescence quantum yields compared to the parent BODIPY dye (BDP), highlighting the influence of iodine atoms on optical behavior. Biological assays demonstrate that BDP-o-CB possesses potent, light-activated antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) markedly reduced upon irradiation. Overall, these results underline the potential of carborane-BODIPY conjugates as effective and selective PSs for the light-driven eradication of Gram-positive bacteria and biofilm prevention. However, so far only preliminary in vitro studies have been conducted, so their effectiveness and practical applications still need to be explored further. This suggests a new area of research for boron-rich photoactive molecules to help combat antibiotic-resistant infections.This work was supported by grants PID2022-136892NB-I00 and PID2022-141293OB-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF – “A way of making Europe”. R. Núñez acknowledges financial support from the State Investigation Agency, through the Severo Ochoa Program for Centers of Excellence in R&D (CEX2023-001263-S). Financial support from the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR) is also acknowledged through 2021 SGR 00442 and 2021 SGR 00064 projects. J. Ordóñez-Hernández and R. Núñez want to thank European Union's Horizon 2022 for the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) Post-doctoral Fellowship No. 101109856. J. Ordoñez-Hernández and R. Núñez acknowledge the assistance of the ICMAB-CSIC Spectroscopy Service and Bioservice.With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2023-001263-S).Peer reviewe
Microstructural evolution of zirconium diboride irradiated with 5–10 MeV Au ions at room temperature and 570 °C
No full text9 pages, 10 figures, 1 tableZirconium diboride was irradiated with 5 MeV Au2 + , 7 MeV Au4+ and 10 MeV Au3+ ions at room temperature and 570 °C to doses from 1 to 8 displacements per atom (dpa). Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis revealed no secondary phase formation. Rietveld analysis of the GIXRD data indicated an accumulation of microstrain at low dpa and room temperature. Dislocations observed in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) cross-sections are likely the main contributor to the microstrain. High dpa and high-temperature samples exhibit lower lattice distortion than lower dpa samples, suggesting the presence of enhanced defect recovery at elevated temperatures and dislocation annihilation at higher doses. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) analysis showed no conclusive evidence of void growth at either temperature. These findings provide insights into the microstructural response of ZrB2 to heavy ion irradiation, suggesting stability up to 8 dpa in typical reactor operating conditions.This research was funded in part by the IAEA Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP).Peer reviewe
GC-orbitrap-HRMS with ROIMCR and MSident targeted and non-targeted analysis of persistent organic pollutants in fish-based certified reference materials
No full textThe use of fish-based reference materials allows the validation of analytical methods used for the monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in environmental samples. Thus, the aim of this work has been to apply and validate the Regions of Interest Multivariate Curve Resolution (ROIMCR) procedure, in a first instance, to quantify POPs using two fish-based certified reference materials (CRM) provided by the Institute of Reference Materials (IRMM); and also to identify, with the MSident program, the presence of more POPs in the same samples. Samples were extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to an Orbitrap mass spectrometer (GC-HRMS). A targeted analysis was performed to quantify the four certified POPs: hexachlorobenzene (HCBz) and hexachlorobutadiene (HCBu) in ERM®-CE100 and pentachlorobenzene (PeCB) and α, β, γ, and δ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in ERM®-CE103. Quantitative estimations obtained with ROIMCR method were compared with those obtained using the instrument vendor's Xcalibur software. Two tailed t-tests were performed and good agreement was observed between the two approaches and with the certified values. A non-targeted analysis approach was then performed to characterize other unknown POPs present in the samples. Data processed with the ROIMCR method in the non-targeted acquisition mode was complemented with the MSident chemical identification procedure, which allowed the annotation of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), phthalates, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The presence of some of these compounds was confirmed with the analysis of validation standard mixture samples containing 43 POPs. The ROIMCR methodology herein proposed allows, in a first instance, the quantitative analysis of multiple unknown contaminants present in the analyzed fish-based certified samples by using GC-HRMS data and also, combined with the MSident program, enables a qualitative analysis which could provide a comprehensive assessment of POP pollution patterns in fish or other environmental samples.The Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation is acknowledged for financial support PID2022-137766NB-I00 from MCIN-AEI. Aina Queral-Beltran also acknowledges the predoctoral FPI PRE2020-093744 scholarship from the Spanish Research Agency - Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
Dr. Marina Ricci is acknowledged for providing the samples and for her advice in the analytical procedure.Peer reviewe
Influence of the graphene oxide precursor in laser-synthetized hybrid photocatalysts for the H2 production by glycerol photoreforming
No full textThe present study reports the versatile synthesis of photocatalysts composed of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (NrGO) flakes coated with TiO2-FeOx nanostructures using ultraviolet (UV) pulsed laser irradiation in a liquid environment. Different commercial graphene oxide (GO) sources were used, revealing a significant influence on the structural, compositional, and functional properties of the final photocatalysts. The H2 production via water-splitting reaction using glycerol as sacrificial agent (photoreforming), ranged from 0.06 to 2.1 μmol H2/g in 3.5 h depending on the GO precursor used. The best photocatalysts were those that showed a reduction in the TiO2 material with a Ti(IV)/Ti(III) atomic ratio about 2.0–2.4, as well as a reduction and N-doping of GO, with 20–23 at % of C, and 4–6 at % of N. The light-scattering nature of the photocatalysts also had a significant effect on the H2 production yield.The authors thank the financial support through the grant TED2021–130477B-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union NextGeneration EU/PRTR, as well as the grants CEX2023–001263-S from the State Investigation Agency, through Severo Ochoa Program for Centers of Excellence in R&D, and 2022 SGR 0936 from AGAUR of Generalitat de Catalunya. This project also received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, under the grant agreement No 101007417 NFFA-Europe Pilot (project ID 476), having benefited from the access provided by the SIAM platform at the University of Namur for XPS characterization, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Microstructure Technology installations, for NMR analyses. The authors also acknowledge the support of Graphenea, Salvador Bartolomé (Fluorescence spectroscopy service of UAB), the scientific-technical and prototyping services of ICMAB (particularly, to Amable Bernabé, Xavier Rodriguez, and Gerard Albujer), as well as Rachel Gouttenbaron (SIAM) to this research.With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2023-001263-S).Peer reviewe
BIOMOPRO Research Data Collection [Dataset]
No full textThis open access database compiles the research data from the BIOMOPRO coordinated project, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Title “Molecular probes engineered with photonic multifunction for advanced bio-medical applications”, Reference PID2020-114755GB-C3, Years 2021-2025), and developed by researchers from CSIC (Subproject 1, Reference PID2020-114755GB-C31), UCM (Subproject 2, Reference PID2020-114755GB-C32), and UPV/EHU (Subproject 3; Reference PID2020-114755GB-C33), in collaboration with early- and end-users from specialized Spanish and international research groups. The collected datasets are organized according to the main research outcomes achieved and include, among others, experimental and computational protocol data, equipment data, structural characterization data (e.g., ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra, FTIR data, HRMS data, polarimetry data, and X-ray diffraction data of relevant compounds), UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopic data (e.g., steady-state absorption and emission spectra, time-delayed emission spectra, nanosecond and microsecond transient absorption spectra, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectra of relevant compounds in different media, concentrations and irradiation conditions), photophysical data (e.g., UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence, phosphorescence, and laser emission wavelengths, molar absorption coefficients, fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yields, fluorescence lifetimes, radiative and non-radiative deactivation rate constants, laser efficiencies, and dissymmetry g-factors of relevant compounds in different media, concentrations and irradiation conditions, along with detailed information on the spectroscopic techniques used), quantum mechanical calculation data (e.g.; computed molecular geometries and energies in the ground and excited states, electronic density maps of frontier orbitals, charge distribution maps, and simulated absorption spectra of relevant compounds, along with detailed information on the software and computational clusters used), and biological and biophysical data (e.g., cell uptake data, cell viability data under dark and non-dark conditions, bioimaging behaviour data using established and cutting-edge microscopy techniques, and phototheragnostic behaviour data).funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Title “Molecular probes engineered with photonic multifunction for advanced bio-medical applications”, Reference PID2020-114755GB-C3, Years 2021-2025), and developed by researchers from CSIC (Subproject 1, Reference PID2020-114755GB-C31), UCM (Subproject 2, Reference PID2020-114755GB-C32), and UPV/EHU (Subproject 3; Reference PID2020-114755GB-C33), in collaboration with early- and end-users from specialized Spanish and international research groupsPeer reviewe