The raising demand of fish for human consumption has caused a rise in fish cultivation to become a more intense activity and has increased the need for fish feed formulas for aquaculture. Tilapia are ...aquatic organisms with moderate protein requirements. One of the traditional ingredients used to develop protein diets is fish meal. Despite its high cost, this supply is of high demand for both aquaculture and terrestrial animals. Efforts to seek for alternative sources of conventional and unconventional proteins are ongoing. The purpose of this study is to review alternative sources of proteins with potential to partially or fully substitute fish meal in tilapia feed. Also, it addresses the challenges that aquaculture feeding is facing regarding the substitution of fish meal with proteins from plant sources.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Navicula incerta is a marine microalga distributed in Baja California, México, commonly used in aquaculture nutrition, and has been extended to human food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries ...due to its high biological activity. Therefore, the study aimed to optimize culture conditions to produce antioxidant pigments. A central composite experimental design and response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to analyze the best culture conditions. The medium (nitrogen-deficient concentrations), salinity (PSU = Practical Salinity Unity g/kg), age of culture (days), and solvent extraction (ethanol, methanol, and acetone) were the factors used for the experiment. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) and total carotenoids (T-Car), determined spectroscopically, were used as the response variables. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH• and ABTS•+ radical inhibition, FRAP, and anti-hemolytic activity. According to the overlay plots, the optimum growth conditions for Chl a and T-Car production were the following conditions: medium = 0.44 mol·L-1 of NaNO3, salinity = 40 PSU, age of culture: 3.5 days, and solvent = methanol. The pigment extracts obtained in these optimized conditions had high antioxidant activity in ABTS•+ (86.2–92.1% of inhibition) and anti-hemolytic activity (81.8–96.7% of hemolysis inhibition). Low inhibition (33–35%) was observed in DPPH•. The highest value of FRAP (766.03 ± 16.62 μmol TE/g) was observed in the acetonic extract. The results demonstrated that RSM could obtain an extract with high antioxidant capacity with potential applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industry, which encourages the use of natural resources for chemoprevention of chronic-degenerative pathologies.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The search for novel lead-free materials with potential optoelectronic applications is a main research topic nowadays for an environment-friendly energy transition. Based on promising all-inorganic ...CsPbBr3 perovskite, we tested here the substitution of toxic Pb2+ with Cu2+ and explored the understudied CsCuBr3 halide. We present a mechanically-synthesized CsCuBr3 specimen obtained by ball milling, consisting of a well-crystallized and pure sample. Calorimetric measurements revealed a thermal event suggesting a structural phase transition around 422 K, immediately below the decomposition of the sample due to Br loss. A detailed structural analysis was carried out using neutron powder diffraction data from 20 to 420 K, focusing on the evolution of the orthorhombic phase (space-group: C2221) up to 400 K; this crystal arrangement consists of dimer units of face-sharing CuBr6 octahedra containing Cu–Cu dimers with conspicuously short distances that account for the magnetic coupling between Cu2+ spins described before. Additionally, at 420 K, we identified a novel high-temperature phase as described in the hexagonal P6522 space group, where infinite chains of CuBr4 square-planar units were observed. An additional study considering the Debye model was carried out, providing information on the relative Cs–Br and Cu–Br chemical bonds. From diffuse reflectance UV-Vis measurements, an optical gap of ∼1.8 eV was estimated for the orthorhombic phase at room temperature. Magnetic measurements indicate that the effective magnetization behavior versus temperature appears close to linear and seems to extrapolate to zero (smaller than 10−5 μB/Cu atom) at temperatures above 420 K, coinciding with onset of phase transition.
Information about incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of HIV-infected individuals with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is scarce. We characterised ...individuals with COVID-19 among a cohort of HIV-infected adults in Madrid.
In this observational prospective study, we included all consecutive HIV-infected individuals (aged ≥18 years) who had suspected or confirmed COVID-19 as of April 30, 2020, at the Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal (Madrid, Spain). We compared the characteristics of HIV-infected individuals with COVID-19 with a sample of HIV-infected individuals assessed before the COVID-19 pandemic, and described the outcomes of individuals with COVID-19.
51 HIV-infected individuals were diagnosed with COVID-19 (incidence 1·8%, 95% CI 1·3-2·3). Mean age of patients was 53·3 years (SD 9·5); eight (16%) were women, and 43 (84%) men. 35 (69%) cases of co-infection had laboratory confirmed COVID-19, and 28 (55%) required hospital admission. Age and CD4 cell counts in 51 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were similar to those in 1288 HIV-infected individuals without; however, 32 (63%) with COVID-19 had at least one comorbidity (mostly hypertension and diabetes) compared with 495 (38%) without COVID-19 (p=0·00059). 37 (73%) patients had received tenofovir before COVID-19 diagnosis compared with 487 (38%) of those without COVID-19 (p=0·0036); 11 (22%) in the COVID-19 group had previous protease inhibitor use (mostly darunavir) compared with 175 (14%; p=0·578). Clinical, analytical, and radiological presentation of COVID-19 in HIV-infected individuals was similar to that described in the general population. Six (12%) individuals were critically ill, two of whom had CD4 counts of less than 200 cells per μL, and two (4%) died. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR remained positive after a median of 40 days from symptoms onset in six (32%) individuals, four of whom had severe disease or low nadir CD4 cell counts.
HIV-infected individuals should not be considered to be protected from SARS-CoV-2 infection or to have lower risk of severe disease. Generally, they should receive the same treatment approach applied to the general population.
None.
Despite the great success of hybrid CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite in photovoltaics, ascribed to its excellent optical absorption properties, its instability toward moisture is still an insurmountable ...drawback. All-inorganic perovskites are much less sensitive to humidity and have potential interest for solar cell applications. Alternative strategies have been developed to design novel materials with appealing properties, which include different topologies for the octahedral arrangements from three-dimensional (3D, e.g., CsPbBr3 perovskite) or two-dimensional (2D, e.g., CsPb2Br5) to zero-dimensional (0D, i.e., without connection between octahedra), as the case of Cs4PbX6 (X = Br, I) halides. The crystal structure of these materials is complex, and their thermal evolution is unexplored. In this work, we describe the synthesis of Cs4PbBr6–x I x (x = 0, 2, 4, 6) halides by mechanochemical procedures with green credentials; these specimens display excellent crystallinity enabling a detailed structural investigation from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (SXRD) data, essential to revisit some features in the temperature range of 90–298 K. In all this regime, the structure is defined in the trigonal R3̅c space group (#167). The presence of Cs and X vacancies suggests some ionic mobility into the crystal structure of these 0D halides. Bond valence maps (BVMs) are useful in determining isovalent surfaces for both Cs4PbBr6 and Cs4PbI6 phases, unveiling the likely ionic pathways for cesium and bromide ions and showing a full 3D connection in the bromide phase, in contrast to the iodide one. On the other hand, the evolution of the anisotropic displacement parameters is useful to evaluate the Debye temperatures, confirming that Cs atoms have more freedom to move, while Pb is more confined at its site, likely due to a higher covalency degree in Pb–X bonds than that in Cs–X bonds. Diffuse reflectance ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy shows that the optical band gap can be tuned depending on iodine content (x) in the range of 3.6–3.06 eV. From density functional theory (DFT) simulations, the general trend of reducing the band gap when Br is replaced by I is well reproduced.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Gonadic conditioning and maturation of queen clam Dosinia ponderosa fed three microalgae (Isochrysis galbana, Tetraselmis suecica and Chaetoceros calcitrans) at three temperatures (20, 25 and 30°C) ...were assessed. Histological analysis showed six gonadic stages, indicators of maturity. The evaluation included sex proportion, oocyte diameter and frequency of gonadic stages after 22 (middle of trial) and 44 days (end of trial). At day 22, around 60% of females conditioned at 20°C, reached stage III (advances grade of maturation) when fed T. suecica. At day 44, around 50% of females were on stage III, conditioned at 20 and 25°C and fed T. suecica and C. calcitrans. For males, the best combination was C. calcitrans at 20 and 25°C. The temperature of 30°C resulted inadequate for maturation, especially when fed the diatom Isochrysis galbana. High mortalities occurred at that temperature with the three microalgal diets, especially in females. The results permits conclude that T. suecica and C. calcitrans are good sources of feed for D. ponderosa and that the best range of temperature for gonadic development is 22–25°C. These results may be basic for a best management and culture of this clam.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The bacterial diversity of a phototrophic biofilm used as nutrient‐recycler into a shrimp aquaculture system and as direct food‐source for shrimp was studied by next‐generation sequencing, ...considering the 16S rDNA and metagenomics sequence classification using exact alignments. Biofilm was promoted by the modification of cabon:nitrogen ratio and by the addition of the diatom Navicula sp. as promoter. Results revealed a wide diversity of bacteria thriving into the biofilm; most of the bacteria detected in the biofilm belonged to the Proteobacteria (47%), Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia (11%), Bacteriodetes (8%), Planctomycetes (5%) Phylum. Species involved in the decomposition of organic matter, nitrogenous‐ and sulfurous metabolites were detected; moreover, filamentous species known as biomass‐bulking enhancers and producers of adhesin‐like compounds were also detected. Surprising results were also obtained by detecting both, strictly anaerobic and aerobic bacteria involved into the metabolism of nitrogenous compounds. Other species not belonging to the marine environment were also detected, but their role is unclear. Finally, the detection of most of these species may constitute a first case report for a phototrophic biofilm. The results suggest an important role of bacteria in this type of biofilm and a complex microbial‐interaction network.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence, prevalence and clinical consequences of virological failure (VF) to raltegravir-based regimens in Spain.
A multicentre, retrospective, ...observational study was performed in 10 tertiary hospitals (January 2006 to June 2013). The study included HIV-1-infected patients with loss of virological suppression (LVS; two consecutive HIV-1 RNA ≥50 copies/mL) while receiving raltegravir. VF and low-level viraemia (LLV) were defined as two consecutive HIV-1 RNA ≥200 copies/mL and 50 to <200 copies/mL, respectively. Integrase strand-transfer inhibitor resistance was investigated at LVS. During the 48 weeks following LVS, recorded data included clinical characteristics, treatment discontinuations, AIDS-associated events and deaths. Effectiveness of therapy following LVS was evaluated by ITT and PP. Multivariate regression was used to assess predictors of efficacy.
Of the 15 009 HIV-infected patients in participating centres, 2782 (18.5%) had received raltegravir-based regimens. Of those, 192 (6.9%), 125 (4.5%) and 67 (2.4%) experienced LVS, VF and LLV, respectively. The incidence of VF was 1.8 (95% CI, 1.5-2.1) per 100 patients/year. The prevalence of VF was 4.5% (95% CI, 3.8%-5.3%). Integrase-associated mutations were found in 78.8% of patients with integrase genotyping results available. High-level resistance to dolutegravir was not observed. Salvage therapy failed in 34.1% of patients; progression to AIDS/death occurred in 8.3% during the first year following LVS. The latter was associated with intravenous drug use, time on raltegravir and lower CD4+ count nadir in patients who started raltegravir-based treatments as salvage regimens.
VF with raltegravir is infrequent, but often associated with major clinical complications in treatment-experienced patients.