Biological carbon capture from biogas streams: Insights into Cupriavidus necator autotrophic growth and transcriptional profile.

Recycling carbon-rich wastes into high-value platform chemicals through biological processes provides a sustainable alternative to petrochemicals. Cupriavidus necator, known for converting carbon dioxide (CO) into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) was studied for the first time using biogas streams as the sole carbon source. The bacterium efficiently consumed biogenic CO from raw biogas with methane at high concentrations (50%) proving non-toxic.

Changes in echocardiographic parameters over time in paradoxical low-flow low-gradient aortic stenosis.

Aims: To assess the progression of the disease and evolution of the main echocardiographic variables for quantifying AS in patients with severe low-flow low-gradient (LFLG) AS compared to other severe AS subtypes.

Methods And Results: Longitudinal, observational, multicenter study including consecutive asymptomatic patients with severe AS (aortic valve area, AVA < 1.0 cm²) and normal left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF ≥ 50%).

Unraveling prevalence of homoacetogenesis and methanogenesis pathways due to inhibitors addition.

Three inhibitors targeting different microorganisms, both from Archaea and Bacteria domains, were evaluated for their effect on CO biomethanation: sodium ionophore III (ETH2120), carbon monoxide (CO), and sodium 2-bromoethanesulfonate (BES). This study examines how these compounds affect the anaerobic digestion microbiome in a biogas upgrading process. While archaea were observed in all experiments, methane was produced only when adding ETH2120 or CO, not when adding BES, suggesting archaea were in an inactivated state.

Prognosis of Paradoxical Low-Flow Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis: A Severe, Non-critical Form, With Surgical Treatment Benefits.

Objectives: To determine the risk of mortality and need for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with low-flow low-gradient (LFLG) aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods: A longitudinal multicentre study including consecutive patients with severe AS (aortic valve area [AVA] < 1.0 cm) and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Combined Therapeutics for Atherosclerosis Treatment Using Polymeric Nanovectors.

Atherosclerosis is an underlying risk factor in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The combination of drugs with microRNAs (miRNA) inside a single nanocarrier has emerged as a promising anti-atherosclerosis strategy to achieve the exploitation of their complementary mechanisms of action to achieve synergistic therapeutic effects while avoiding some of the drawbacks associated with current systemic statin therapies. We report the development of nanometer-sized polymeric PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) capable of simultaneously encapsulating and delivering miRNA-124a and the statin atorvastatin (ATOR).

A mathematical approach to predict the solids concentration in anaerobic membrane bioreactos (AnMBR): Evaluation of the volatile solids solubilization.

Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors (AnMBR) are gaining attention as a suitable approach for sustainable low-strength wastewater treatment, as they bring together the advantages of both anaerobic treatments and membrane bioreactors. However, increasing the sludge retention time (SRT) necessary to favor hydrolysis increases the suspended solids concentration potentially leading to decreased permeate flux. Therefore, the availability of a mathematical approach to predict the solids concentration within an AnMBR can be very useful.

New frontiers from removal to recycling of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater in the Circular Economy.

Nutrient recovery technologies are rapidly expanding due to the need for the appropriate recycling of key elements from waste resources in order to move towards a truly sustainable modern society based on the Circular Economy. Nutrient recycling is a promising strategy for reducing the depletion of non-renewable resources and the environmental impact linked to their extraction and manufacture. However, nutrient recovery technologies are not yet fully mature, as further research is needed to optimize process efficiency and enhance their commercial applicability.

Triggered RNAi Therapy Using Metal Inorganic Nanovectors.

The administration of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a very interesting therapeutic option to treat genetic diseases such as Alzheimer's or some types of cancer, but its effective delivery still remains a challenge. Herein, Au nanorod (GNR)-based platforms functionalized with polyelectrolyte layers were developed and analyzed as potential siRNA nanocarriers. The polymeric layers were successfully assembled on the particle surfaces by means of the layer-by-layer assembly technique through the alternating deposition of oppositely charged poly(styrene)sulfonate, PSS, poly(lysine), PLL, and siRNA biopolymers, with a final hyaluronic acid layer in order to provide the nanoconstructs with a potential targeting ability as well as colloidal stability in physiological medium.

Assessment of cross-flow filtration as microalgae harvesting technique prior to anaerobic digestion: Evaluation of biomass integrity and energy demand.

In the present study, the effect of cross-flow filtration (CFF) on the overall valorization of Chlorella spp. microalgae as biogas was assessed. The effect of CFF on microalgae cell integrity was quantified in terms of viability which was correlated with the anaerobic biodegradability.

Large-scale assessment of aortic stenosis: facing the next cardiac epidemic?

Aims: Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most frequent valvular disease in developed countries. As society grows older, the prevalence of AS increases. However, the real burden, current aetiology, severity distribution, and echocardiographic patterns of AS are not fully clear.

Alkylphenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in eastern Mediterranean Spanish coastal marine bivalves.

This paper reports the first results on alkylphenol pollution in edible bivalves from the Spanish coast. Two sampling campaigns (July 2006 and July 2007) were carried out to determine the concentration of nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), and eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wild mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialys) and clams (Donax trunculus) at 14 sampling sites along the eastern Mediterranean Spanish coast. The results show that NP is the predominant alkylphenol, being the port of Valencia the most polluted area (up to 147 μg/kg wet weight in clams).

Assessment of diastolic function during exercise echocardiography: annulus mitral velocity or transmitral flow pattern?

Objectives: We hypothesize that the change in the left ventricular (LV) diastolic pattern (DP) may be measured with high reproducibility and correlates with exercise echocardiography (EE) better than the ratio of early LV inflow velocity to early diastolic annulus velocity (E/e' index).

Background: The E/e' index has been related to LV filling pressures but has not been compared with DP.

Methods: We selected 179 consecutive patients who were referred for EE.

Global left ventricular systolic function based on the sum of regional myocardial velocities during exercise echocardiography.

Objectives: We sought to assess the relationship between global Doppler myocardial imaging (DMI) and left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) at both rest and exercise.

Background: We have previously demonstrated that global DMI correlates with LVEF at rest with low variability.

Methods: LVEF by 2-dimensional echocardiography, systolic global tissue Doppler velocity (s-TDV), strain (S) rate (SR), and S were assessed in 122 patients.

Relation of left ventricular chamber stiffness at rest to exercise capacity in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The degree of exercise capacity is poorly predicted by conventional markers of disease severity in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). The principal mechanism of exercise intolerance in patients with HC is the failure of stroke volume augmentation due to left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction. The role of LV chamber stiffness, assessed noninvasively, as a determinant of exercise tolerance is unknown.

[Value of resting and exercise mitral regurgitation during exercise echocardiography to predict outcome in patients with left ventricular dysfunction].

Introduction And Objectives: The relative value of exercise echocardiography (EE) over resting echocardiography when this last incorporates information on mitral regurgitation (MR) is unknown. Furthermore, limited data exists regarding to the value of MR worsening during exercise in patients with LV dysfunction. We investigated whether: a) EE has incremental value over a resting echo-Doppler study; and b) post-exercise MR increments the value of EE for predicting outcome in patients with LV dysfunction.

Prognostic value of mitral regurgitation assessment during exercise echocardiography in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.

Background: Although mitral regurgitation (MR) may be assessed during exercise echocardiography (EE) there are no data regarding its value for predicting outcome in large series of patients. We sought to determine whether the predictive value of EE is maintained over clinical variables and resting echocardiography when the latter included information on MR, and to verify whether postexercise MR may improve the value of EE for predicting outcome.

Methods: In all, 1916 patients (mean age +/- 1SD = 62 +/- 11 years; mean left ventricular ejection fraction +/- 1SD = 56 +/- 11) referred for EE were followed up for 1.

Risk stratification by treadmill exercise echocardiography.

Background: Although exercise echocardiography (EE) has value for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD), it's not clear whether it may be useful for risk assessment in all categories of patients. To determine whether: 1) there is an incremental value of EE over clinical, exercise and resting echocardiographic variables for the prediction of events according to the pre-test probability of CAD; and 2) the number, location of the diseased territories, and nature of the disease affect the risk stratification, we studied 2436 patients referred for EE that were followed for 2.1 +/- 1.

Interpretation of electrocardiographic abnormalities in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with cardiac magnetic resonance.

Aims: To clarify the mechanisms of electrocardiographic abnormalities in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 102 patients were examined with cardiac magnetic resonance. Distribution and magnitude of hypertrophy and late-enhancement were correlated with electrocardiographic abnormalities.

Methods And Results: Abnormal Q waves were associated with greater upper anterior septal thickness (22+/-7 mm vs.