| 1. |
- Ferrando, Carlos, et al.
(author)
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Effects of oxygen on post-surgical infections during an individualised perioperative open-lung ventilatory strategy : a randomised controlled trial
- 2020
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In: British Journal of Anaesthesia. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 0007-0912 .- 1471-6771. ; 124:1, s. 110-120
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: We aimed to examine whether using a high fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) in the context of an individualised intra- and postoperative open-lung ventilation approach could decrease surgical site infection (SSI) in patients scheduled for abdominal surgery. Methods: We performed a multicentre, randomised controlled clinical trial in a network of 21 university hospitals from June 6, 2017 to July 19, 2018. Patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive a high (0.80) or conventional (0.3) FIO2 during the intraoperative period and during the first 3 postoperative hours. All patients were mechanically ventilated with an open-lung strategy, which included recruitment manoeuvres and individualised positive end-expiratory pressure for the best respiratory-system compliance, and individualised continuous postoperative airway pressure for adequate peripheral oxyhaemoglobin saturation. The primary outcome was the prevalence of SSI within the first 7 postoperative days. The secondary outcomes were composites of systemic complications, length of intensive care and hospital stay, and 6-month mortality. Results: We enrolled 740 subjects: 371 in the high FIO2 group and 369 in the low FIO2 group. Data from 717 subjects were available for final analysis. The rate of SSI during the first postoperative week did not differ between high (8.9%) and low (9.4%) FIO2 groups (relative risk [RR]: 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.59-1.50; P=0.90]). Secondary outcomes, such as atelectasis (7.7% vs 9.8%; RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.48-1.25; P=0.38) and myocardial ischaemia (0.6% [n=2] vs 0% [n=0]; P=0.47) did not differ between groups. Conclusions: An oxygenation strategy using high FIO2 compared with conventional FIO2 did not reduce postoperative SSIs in abdominal surgery. No differences in secondary outcomes or adverse events were found.
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| 2. |
- Benito, Natividad, et al.
(author)
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Health care-associated native valve endocarditis: importance of non-nosocomial acquisition.
- 2009
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In: Annals of internal medicine. - : American College of Physicians. - 1539-3704 .- 0003-4819. ; 150:9, s. 586-94
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The clinical profile and outcome of nosocomial and non-nosocomial health care-associated native valve endocarditis are not well defined.To compare the characteristics and outcomes of community-associated and nosocomial and non-nosocomial health care-associated native valve endocarditis.Prospective cohort study.61 hospitals in 28 countries.Patients with definite native valve endocarditis and no history of injection drug use who were enrolled in the ICE-PCS (International Collaboration on Endocarditis Prospective Cohort Study) from June 2000 to August 2005.Clinical and echocardiographic findings, microbiology, complications, and mortality.Health care-associated native valve endocarditis was present in 557 (34%) of 1622 patients (303 with nosocomial infection [54%] and 254 with non-nosocomial infection [46%]). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common cause of health care-associated infection (nosocomial, 47%; non-nosocomial, 42%; P = 0.30); a high proportion of patients had methicillin-resistant S. aureus (nosocomial, 57%; non-nosocomial, 41%; P = 0.014). Fewer patients with health care-associated native valve endocarditis had cardiac surgery (41% vs. 51% of community-associated cases; P < 0.001), but more of the former patients died (25% vs. 13%; P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis confirmed greater mortality associated with health care-associated native valve endocarditis (incidence risk ratio, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.02 to 1.59]).Patients were treated at hospitals with cardiac surgery programs. The results may not be generalizable to patients receiving care in other types of facilities or to those with prosthetic valves or past injection drug use.More than one third of cases of native valve endocarditis in non-injection drug users involve contact with health care, and non-nosocomial infection is common, especially in the United States. Clinicians should recognize that outpatients with extensive out-of-hospital health care contacts who develop endocarditis have clinical characteristics and outcomes similar to those of patients with nosocomial infection.None.
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| 3. |
- del Rio, Jose C., et al.
(author)
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Highly Acylated (Acetylated and/or p-Coumaroylated) Native Lignins from Diverse Herbaceous Plants
- 2008
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In: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0021-8561 .- 1520-5118. ; 56:20, s. 9525-9534
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The structure of lignins isolated from the herbaceous plants sisal (Agave sisalana), kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), abaca (Musa textilis) and curaua (Ananas erectifolius) has been studied upon spectroscopic (2D-NMR) and chemical degradative (derivatization followed by reductive cleavage) methods. The analyses demonstrate that the structure of the lignins from these plants is highly remarkable, being extensively acylated at the gamma-carbon of the lignin side chain (up to 80% acylation) with acetate and/or p-coumarate groups and preferentially over syringyl units. Whereas the lignins from sisal and kenaf are gamma-acylated exclusively with acetate groups, the lignins from abaca and curaua are esterified with acetate and p-coumnarate groups. The structures of all these highly acylated lignins are characterized by a very high syringyl/guaiacyl ratio, a large predominance of beta-O-4' linkages (up to 94% of all linkages), and a strikingly low proportion of traditional beta-beta' linkages, which indeed are completely absent in the lignins from abaca and curaua. The occurrence of beta-beta' homocoupling and cross-coupling products of sinapyl acetate in the lignins from sisal and kenaf indicates that sinapyl alcohol is acetylated at the monomer stage and that, therefore, sinapyl acetate should be considered as a real monolignol involved in the lignification reactions.
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| 4. |
- del Rio, Jose C., et al.
(author)
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Structural Characterization of the Lignin from Jute (Corchorus capsularis) Fibers
- 2009
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In: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0021-8561 .- 1520-5118. ; 57:21, s. 10271-10281
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The structural characteristics of the lignin from jute (Corchorus capsularis) fibers, which are used for high-quality paper pulp production, were studied. The lignin content (13.3% Klason lignin) was high compared to other nonwoody bast fibers used for pulp production. The lignin structure was characterized by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), 2D-NMR, and thioacidolysis. Upon Py-GC/MS, jute fibers released predominantly products from syringylpropanoid units with the S/G ratio being 2.1 and a H/G/S composition of 2:33:65. 2D-NMR of the milled wood lignin (MWL) isolated from jute fibers showed a predominance of beta-O-4' aryl ether linkages (72% of total side chains), followed by beta-beta' resinol-type linkages (16% of total side chains) and lower amounts of beta-5' phenylcoumaran (4%) and beta-1' spirodienone-type (4%) linkages and cinnamyl end groups (4%). The high predominance of the S-lignin units, together with the high proportion of beta-O-4' aryl ether linkages, which are easily cleaved during alkaline cooking, are advantageous for pulping. On the other hand, a small percentage (ca. 4%) of the lignin side chain was found to be acetylated at the gamma-carbon, predominantly over syringyl units. The analysis of desulphurated thioacidolysis dimers provided additional information on the relative abundances of the various carbon-carbon and diaryl ether bonds and the type of units (syringyl or guaiacyl) involved in each of the above linkage types. Interestingly, the major part of the beta-beta' dimers included two syringyl units, indicating that most of the beta-beta' substructures identified in the HSQC spectra were of the syringaresinol type (pinoresinol being absent), as already observed in the lignin of other angiosperms.
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| 5. |
- Di Pede, Giuseppe, et al.
(author)
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A Systematic Review and Comprehensive Evaluation of Human Intervention Studies to Unravel the Bioavailability of Hydroxycinnamic Acids
- 2024
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In: Antioxidants and Redox Signaling. - 1523-0864 .- 1557-7716. ; 40:7-9, s. 510-541
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Significance: Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) are the main phenolic acids in the western diet. Harmonizing the available information on the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of HCAs is fundamental to unraveling the compounds responsible for their health effects. This work systematically assessed pharmacokinetics, including urinary recovery, and bioavailability of HCAs and their metabolites, based on literature reports.Recent Advances: Forty-seven intervention studies with coffee, berries, herbs, cereals, tomato, orange, grape products, and pure compounds, as well as other sources yielding HCA metabolites, were included. Up to 105 HCA metabolites were collected, mainly acyl-quinic and C-6-C-3 cinnamic acids. C-6-C-3 cinnamic acids, such as caffeic and ferulic acid, reached the highest blood concentrations (maximum plasma concentration [C-max] = 423 nM), with time to reach C-max (T-max) values ranging from 2.7 to 4.2 h. These compounds were excreted in urine in higher amounts than their phenylpropanoic acid derivatives (4% and 1% of intake, respectively), but both in a lower percentage than hydroxybenzene catabolites (11%). Data accounted for 16 and 18 main urinary and blood HCA metabolites, which were moderately bioavailable in humans (collectively 25%).Critical Issues: A relevant variability emerged. It was not possible to unequivocally assess the bioavailability of HCAs from each ingested source, and data from some plant based-foods were absent or inconsistent.Future Directions: A comprehensive study investigating the ADME of HCAs derived from their most important dietary sources is urgently required. Eight key metabolites were identified and reached interesting plasma C-max concentrations and urinary recoveries, opening up new perspectives to evaluate their bioactivity at physiological concentrations.
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| 6. |
- Di Pede, Giuseppe, et al.
(author)
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Revisiting the bioavailability of flavan-3-ols in humans: A systematic review and comprehensive data analysis
- 2023
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In: Molecular Aspects of Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-9452 .- 0098-2997. ; 89
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This systematic review summarizes findings from human studies investigating the different routes of absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion (ADME) of dietary flavan-3-ols and their circulating metabolites in healthy subjects. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus and the Web of Science. Human intervention studies using single and/or multiple intake of flavan-3-ols from food, extracts, and pure compounds were included. Forty-nine human intervention studies met inclusion criteria. Up to 180 metabolites were quantified from blood and urine samples following intake of flavan-3-ols, mainly as phase 2 conjugates of microbial catabolites (n = 97), with phenyl-γ-valerolactones being the most representative ones (n = 34). Phase 2 conjugates of monomers and phenyl-γ-valerolactones, the main compounds in both plasma and urine, reached two peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) of 260 and 88 nmol/L at 1.8 and 5.3 h (Tmax) after flavan-3-ol intake. They contributed to the bioavailability of flavan-3-ols for over 20%. Mean bioavailability for flavan-3-ols was moderate (31 ± 23%, n bioavailability values = 20), and it seems to be scarcely affected by the amount of ingested compounds. While intra- and inter-source differences in flavan-3-ol bioavailability emerged, mean flavan-3-ol bioavailability was 82% (n = 1) and 63% (n = 2) after (−)-epicatechin and nut (hazelnuts, almonds) intake, respectively, followed by 25% after consumption of tea (n = 7), cocoa (n = 5), apples (n = 3) and grape (n = 2). This highlights the need to better clarify the metabolic yield with which monomer flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins are metabolized in humans. This work clarified in a comprehensive way for the first time the ADME of a (poly)phenol family, highlighting the pool of circulating compounds that might be determinants of the putative beneficial effects linked to flavan-3-ol intake. Lastly, methodological inputs for implementing well-designed human and experimental model studies were provided.
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| 7. |
- Du, Xueyu, et al.
(author)
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Analysis of lignin-carbohydrate and lignin-lignin linkages after hydrolase treatment of xylan-lignin, glucomannan-lignin and glucan-lignin complexes from spruce wood
- 2014
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In: Planta. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0032-0935 .- 1432-2048. ; 239:5, s. 1079-1090
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Xylan-lignin (XL), glucomannan-lignin (GML) and glucan-lignin (GL) complexes were isolated from spruce wood, hydrolyzed with xylanase or endoglucanase/beta-glucosidase, and analyzed by analytical pyrolysis and 2D-NMR. The enzymatic hydrolysis removed most of the polysaccharide moieties in the complexes, and the lignin content and relative abundance of lignin-carbohydrate linkages increased. Analytical pyrolysis confirmed the action of the enzymatic hydrolysis, with strong decreases of levoglucosane and other carbohydrate-derived products. Unexpectedly it also revealed that the hydrolase treatment alters the pattern of lignin breakdown products, resulting in higher amounts of coniferyl alcohol. From the anomeric carbohydrate signals in the 2D-NMR spectra, phenyl glycoside linkages (undetectable in the original complexes) could be identified in the hydrolyzed GML complex. Lower amounts of glucuronosyl and benzyl ether linkages were also observed after the hydrolysis. From the 2D-NMR spectra of the hydrolyzed complexes, it was concluded that the lignin in GML is less condensed than in XL due to its higher content in beta-O-4' ether substructures (62 % of side chains in GML vs 53 % in XL) accompanied by more coniferyl alcohol end units (16 vs 13 %). In contrast, the XL lignin has more pinoresinols (11 vs 6 %) and dibenzodioxocins (9 vs 2 %) than the GML (and both have similar to 13 % phenylcoumarans and 1 % spirodienones). Direct 2D-NMR analysis of the hydrolyzed GL complex was not possible due to its low solubility. However, after sample acetylation, an even less condensed lignin than in the GML complex was found (with up to 72 % beta-O-4' substructures and only 1 % pinoresinols). The study provides evidence for the existence of structurally different lignins associated to hemicelluloses (xylan and glucomannan) and cellulose in spruce wood and, at the same time, offers information on some of the chemical linkages between the above polymers.
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| 8. |
- Du, Xueyu, et al.
(author)
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Understanding Pulp Delignification by Laccase-Mediator Systems through Isolation and Characterization of Lignin-Carbohydrate Complexes
- 2013
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In: Biomacromolecules. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1525-7797 .- 1526-4602. ; 14:9, s. 3073-3080
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The effects and mechanism of pulp delignificabon by laccases in the presence of redox mediators have been investigated on unbleached eucalyptus kraft pulp treated with laccases from Pycnoporus cinnabarinus (PcL) and Myceliophthora thermophila (MtL) and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) and methyl syringate (MeS) as mediators, respectively. Determination of the corrected kappa number in eucalyptus pulps after the enzymatic treatments revealed that the PcL-HBT system exhibited a more remarkable delignification effect than the MtL-MeS system. To obtain further insight, lignin-carbohydrate complexes were fractionated and subsequently characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, thioacidolysis (followed by gas chromatography and size exclusion chromatography), and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (pyrolysis-GC-MS) analyses before and after the enzymatic treatments and their controls. We can conclude that the laccase mediator treatments altered the lignin structures in such a way that more lignin was recovered in the xylan-lignin fractions, as shown by Klason lignin estimation, with smaller amounts of both syringyl (5) and guaiacyl (G) uncondensed units, as shown by thioacidolysis and gas chromatography, especially after the PcL-HBT treatment. The laccase mediator treatment produced oxidation at C alpha and cleavage of C alpha and C beta bonds in pulp lignin, as shown by pyrolysis-GC-MS. The general mechanism of residual lignin degradation in the pulp by laccase-mediator treatments is discussed in light of the results obtained.
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| 9. |
- Feng, Shaohong, et al.
(author)
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Dense sampling of bird diversity increases power of comparative genomics
- 2020
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 587:7833
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Whole-genome sequencing projects are increasingly populating the tree of life and characterizing biodiversity(1-4). Sparse taxon sampling has previously been proposed to confound phylogenetic inference(5), and captures only a fraction of the genomic diversity. Here we report a substantial step towards the dense representation of avian phylogenetic and molecular diversity, by analysing 363 genomes from 92.4% of bird families-including 267 newly sequenced genomes produced for phase II of the Bird 10,000 Genomes (B10K) Project. We use this comparative genome dataset in combination with a pipeline that leverages a reference-free whole-genome alignment to identify orthologous regions in greater numbers than has previously been possible and to recognize genomic novelties in particular bird lineages. The densely sampled alignment provides a single-base-pair map of selection, has more than doubled the fraction of bases that are confidently predicted to be under conservation and reveals extensive patterns of weak selection in predominantly non-coding DNA. Our results demonstrate that increasing the diversity of genomes used in comparative studies can reveal more shared and lineage-specific variation, and improve the investigation of genomic characteristics. We anticipate that this genomic resource will offer new perspectives on evolutionary processes in cross-species comparative analyses and assist in efforts to conserve species. A dataset of the genomes of 363 species from the Bird 10,000 Genomes Project shows increased power to detect shared and lineage-specific variation, demonstrating the importance of phylogenetically diverse taxon sampling in whole-genome sequencing.
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| 10. |
- Gomez-Bravo, Raquel, et al.
(author)
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The Use of COVID-19 Mobile Apps in Connecting Patients with Primary Healthcare in 30 Countries: Eurodata Study
- 2024
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In: HEALTHCARE. - 2227-9032. ; 12:14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated changes in European healthcare systems, with a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases being managed on an outpatient basis in primary healthcare (PHC). To alleviate the burden on healthcare facilities, many European countries developed contact-tracing apps and symptom checkers to identify potential cases. As the pandemic evolved, the European Union introduced the Digital COVID-19 Certificate for travel, which relies on vaccination, recent recovery, or negative test results. However, the integration between these apps and PHC has not been thoroughly explored in Europe. Objective: To describe if governmental COVID-19 apps allowed COVID-19 patients to connect with PHC through their apps in Europe and to examine how the Digital COVID-19 Certificate was obtained. Methodology: Design and setting: Retrospective descriptive study in PHC in 30 European countries. An ad hoc, semi-structured questionnaire was developed to collect country-specific data on primary healthcare activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of information technology tools to support medical care from 15 March 2020 to 31 August 2021. Key informants belong to the WONCA Europe network (World Organization of Family Doctors). The data were collected from relevant and reliable official sources, such as governmental websites and guidelines. Main outcome measures: Patient's first contact with health system, governmental COVID-19 app (name and function), Digital COVID-19 Certification, COVID-19 app connection with PHC. Results: Primary care was the first point of care for suspected COVID-19 patients in 28 countries, and 24 countries developed apps to complement classical medical care. The most frequently developed app was for tracing COVID-19 cases (24 countries), followed by the Digital COVID-19 Certificate app (17 countries). Bulgaria, Italy, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Romania had interoperability between PHC and COVID-19 apps, and Poland and Romania's apps considered social needs. Conclusions: COVID-19 apps were widely created during the first pandemic year. Contact tracing was the most frequent function found in the registered apps. Connection with PHC was scarcely developed. In future pandemics, connections between health system levels should be guaranteed to develop and implement effective strategies for managing diseases.
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