Biogas Fuel Cell (Spain)

Achieving smooth, healthy-looking skin is a common aesthetic goal across all age groups. This study assessed the effectiveness of a novel protocol combining non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA), hydro-exfoliation, infrared technology and non-ablative fractional 1470 nm laser to enhance skin quality parameters. This case report included participants aged 43 and 58 years, both in good general health but exhibiting signs of skin atrophy or aging in the face or neck area. On Day 0, subjects underwent mesotherapy injections with non-crosslinked HA (18 mg/mL), supplemented with 0.01% calcium hydroxyapatite, glycine, and l-proline, administered at depths of 0.5 to 4 mm. On Day 7, a hydro-exfoliation and infrared treatment was performed, followed by a session with a non-ablative fractional 1470 nm laser. Skin quality improvements were visually assessed through comparative photographic analysis taken before treatment and four weeks post-procedure. The comparison revealed enhancements in wrinkle reduction, pore size, skin texture, and overall firmness. All treatments were well tolerated. In conclusion, the combination of non-crosslinked HA mesotherapy, hydro-exfoliation, infrared technology, and non-ablative fractional laser led to noticeable improvements in multiple skin quality parameters across a broad age range. While the study highlights the cosmetic benefits of this approach, further research is needed to comprehensively evaluate the long-term safety profile of these treatments, as the current methodology was not specifically designed for safety assessment.

The sperm chromatin compaction state refers to the tightly packaged structure in which the sperm DNA is specifically organized, unlike other cell types. The high grade of compaction in the sperm nucleus is crucial for preserving the integrity of the paternal genome during the journey from the testicle to the fertilization sites in many mammal species. The chromatin compaction results from complex transformations during spermiogenesis, in which protamines replace histones increasing DNA compaction. Chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining is an indirect method to evaluate the sperm chromatin structure. An excess of histones (protamination defects) or a lack of disulfide cross-link causes an increase in the CMA3 fluorescence. Evaluated by flow cytometry, CMA3 staining enables quick detection of defects in the chromatin structure compaction. In this chapter, we described the method and some adaptations to perform this technique in mammal spermatozoa.

Germplasm banking is a fundamental tool for the preservation of autochthonous breeds. Semen cryopreservation is effective for this task, but protocols are adapted to commercial species, and post-thawing sperm quality could be sensitive to environmental cues. We compared the post-thawing sperm quality in doses from the CBA-SERIDA bank in northern Spain for the Asturiana de la Montaña (AM) and Asturiana de los Valles (AV) autochthonous cattle breeds. Doses from 23 AM and 16 AV bulls (ejaculates from at least three different seasons) were assessed for motility (computer-assisted sperm analysis), physiology and chromatin status (flow cytometry) after thawing and after 5 h at 38°C. Data were analysed using linear mixed-effects and cosinor models for seasonal and breed effects and by correlations with the association of sperm quality with temperature-humidity index (THI), considering the interval of spermatogenesis plus maturation. The breed affected sperm quality, with higher motility for AV and higher apoptotic ratio, mitochondrial activity, reactive oxygen species, DNA fragmentation and chromatin immaturity for AM. However, seasonality effects were minimal, and THI was not associated with sperm quality. In summary, the season seems to be a minor factor in the post-thawing quality of the AM and AV autochthonous breeds, well-adapted to their local environment.

The storage of boar semen samples at 17 °C for artificial insemination (AI) doses enables the proliferation of the bacteria, making antibiotics necessary. This can contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study tested bacterial presence and sperm chromatin structure after using a low-density colloid (Porcicoll) as an antibiotic alternative to eliminate bacteria. Ejaculates (8 boars, 3 ejaculates each) were split as control and low-density colloid centrifugation (single layer centrifugation, SLC, 20%, and 30% Porcicoll) into 500 ml tubes. Analyses were carried out at days 0, 3, and 7 (17 °C) for microbial presence and sperm chromatin structure analysis: %DFI (DNA fragmentation) and %HDS (chromatin immaturity), monobromobimane (mBBr; free thiols and disulfide bridges), and chromomycin A3 (CMA3; chromatin compaction). Besides comparing bacterial presence (7 species identified) and chromatin variables between treatments, the associations between these sets of variables were described by canonical correlation analysis (CCA). Results showed a significant decrease of some bacteria or a complete removal after SLC (especially for P30). SLC also caused a decrease of %HDS and an increase of disulfide bridges and low and medium mBBr populations, suggesting the removal of immature sperm (poor chromatin compaction). CCA showed an association pattern compatible with the degradation of sperm chromatin parameters with bacterial contamination, especially Enterobacteria, P. aeuriginosa, and K. variicola. In conclusion, bacterial contamination affects sperm chromatin beyond DNA fragmentation; SLC with low-density colloid not only removes bacteria from boar semen, but also chromatin structure is enhanced after selection.

Microplastics (MPs) are increasing in the marine environment as well as inside marine organisms, having an important effect on biological diversity. The trophic transfer of MPs was demonstrated under laboratory conditions, but this study is based on the analysis of preys found in stomach contents. MPs from Merluccius merluccius individuals caught in the Cantabrian Sea and preys inside their guts (blue whiting, and northern krill inside blue whiting) were analyzed. MPs with different chemical composition occurred inside every hake and their preys, with different damages, from aquatic life hazards with long lasting effects, to allergic skin reactions and respiratory irritation, not only for aquatic species and fishing resources, but also for humans through hake consumption. The similarity of MPs profiles from gills and seawater samples would support seawater as the main source of gill microplastics. The MPs profile of hake GIT was similar to that of hake preys inside. Despite the small sample size, the presence of MPs in all the tissues analyzed of hakes and their preys, together with the evidence of hazard compositions of some of them, highlights the need for policies and actions to reduce plastic and microplastic production and consumption.

In this study, we used a previously described method of controlling gene expression with computer-based gene design and de novo DNA synthesis to attenuate the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae. We produced 2 S. pneumoniae serotype 3 (SP3) strains in which the pneumolysin gene (ply) was recoded with underrepresented codon pairs while retaining its amino acid sequence and determined their ply expression and pneumolysin production in vitro and their virulence in a mouse pulmonary infection model. Expression of ply and production of pneumolysin of the recoded SP3 strains were decreased, and the recoded SP3 strains were less virulent in mice than the wild-type SP3 strain or a Δply SP3 strain. Further studies showed that the least virulent recoded strain induced a markedly reduced inflammatory response in the lungs compared with the wild-type or Δply strain. These findings suggest that reducing pneumococcal virulence gene expression by altering codon-pair bias could hold promise for rational design of live-attenuated pneumococcal vaccines.