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In this investigation, we make use of the indeterminate Likert scale to analyze the results of a survey applied to legal professionals in the province of Tulcán, Ecuador, on the incidence of the Administrative Organic Code in the current legal system. With the use of this scale, we sought the possibility that the surveyed professionals would express their degree of acceptance, indetermination, and non-acceptance of this code. The results we obtained showed positive levels of acceptance, especially among public employees of the Decentralized Autonomous Governments, but also significant values of indetermination or neutrality.

Com o objetivo de discutir as interferências sobre as questões etnico-raciais no contexto da América Latina e os desdobramentos para os processos de (in)exclusão da população afrodescendente, a partir dos relatórios e documentos dos organismos internacionais, realizou-se estudo bibliográfico e documental. As discussões foram articuladas com Munanga (2015), Goes e Silva (2013), Sousa, (2009), Gentili (2001) e Barreto (2009), além de outros. A partir do estudo é possível perceber que, apesar de conquistar a liberdade, no contexto da América Latina, a população afrodescendente ainda sofre com as mazelas históricas que negam e invisibilizam a cultura e os aspectos históricos que provocaram tal exclusão. Nos documentos dos Organismos Internacionais encontram-se informações que ora denunciam as situações de (in)exclusão presentes na América Latina e ora fazem indicações/recomendações para desencadear pretensas ações visando os processos inclusivos dos afrodescendentes, porém alinhadas aos interesses do capitalismo.

Background: Biotechnological processes for efficient resource recovery from residual materials rely on complex conversions carried out by reactor microbiomes. Chain elongation microbiomes produce valuable medium-chain carboxylates (MCC) that can be used as biobased starting materials in the chemical, agriculture and food industry. In this study, sunflower oil is used as an application-compatible solvent to accumulate microbially produced MCC during extractive lactate-based chain elongation. The MCC-enriched solvent is harvested as a potential novel product for direct application without further MCC purification, e.g., direct use for animal nutrition. Sunflower oil biocompatibility, in situ extraction performance and effects on chain elongation were evaluated in batch and continuous experiments. Microbial community composition and dynamics of continuous experiments were analyzed based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing data. Potential applications of MCC-enriched solvents along with future research directions are discussed., Results: Sunflower oil showed high MCC extraction specificity and similar biocompatibility to oleyl alcohol in batch extractive fermentation of lactate and food waste. Continuous chain elongation microbiomes produced the MCC n-caproate (nC6) and n-caprylate (nC8) from L-lactate and acetate at pH 5.0 standing high undissociated n-caproic acid concentrations (3 g L -1 ). Extractive chain elongation with sunflower oil relieved apparent toxicity of MCC and production rates and selectivities reached maximum values of 5.16 ± 0.41 g nC6 L -1 d -1 (MCC: 11.5 g COD L -1 d -1 ) and 84 ± 5% (e - eq MCC per e - eq products), respectively. MCC were selectively enriched in sunflower oil to concentrations up to 72 g nC6 L -1 and 3 g nC8 L -1 , equivalent to 8.3 wt% in MCC-enriched sunflower oil. Fermentation at pH 7.0 produced propionate and n-butyrate instead of MCC. Sunflower oil showed stable linoleic and oleic acids composition during extractive chain elongation regardless of pH conditions. Reactor microbiomes showed reduced diversity at pH 5.0 with MCC production linked to Caproiciproducens co-occurring with Clostridium tyrobutyricum, Clostridium luticellarii and Lactobacillus species. Abundant taxa at pH 7.0 were Anaerotignum, Lachnospiraceae and Sporoanaerobacter., Conclusions: Sunflower oil is a suitable biobased solvent to selectively concentrate MCC. Extractive reactor microbiomes produced MCC with improved selectivity and production rate, while downstream processing complexity was reduced. Potential applications of MCC-enriched solvents may include feed, food and biofuels purposes., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Medium-chain carboxylates (MCC) derived from biomass biorefining are attractive biochemicals to uncouple the production of a wide array of products from the use of non-renewable sources. Biological conversion of biomass-derived lactate during secondary fermentation can be steered to produce a variety of MCC through chain elongation. We explored the effects of zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) and lactate enantiomers on substrate consumption, product formation and microbiome composition in batch lactate-based chain elongation. In abiotic tests, nZVI supported chemical hydrolysis of lactate oligomers present in concentrated lactic acid. In fermentation experiments, nZVI created favorable conditions for either chain-elongating or propionate-producing microbiomes in a dose-dependent manner. Improved lactate conversion rates and n-caproate production were promoted at 0.5-2 g nZVI⋅L -1 while propionate formation became relevant at ≥ 3.5 g nZVI⋅L -1 . Even-chain carboxylates (n-butyrate) were produced when using enantiopure and racemic lactate with lactate conversion rates increased in nZVI presence (1 g⋅L -1 ). Consumption of hydrogen and carbon dioxide was observed late in the incubations and correlated with acetate formation or substrate conversion to elongated products in the presence of nZVI. Lactate racemization was observed during chain elongation while isomerization to D-lactate was detected during propionate formation. Clostridium luticellarii , Caproiciproducens , and Ruminococcaceae related species were associated with n-valerate and n-caproate production while propionate was likely produced through the acrylate pathway by Clostridium novyi . The enrichment of different potential n-butyrate producers ( Clostridium tyrobutyricum , Lachnospiraceae , Oscillibacter , Sedimentibacter ) was affected by nZVI presence and concentrations. Possible theories and mechanisms underlying the effects of nZVI on substrate conversion and microbiome composition are discussed. An outlook is provided to integrate (bio)electrochemical systems to recycle (n)ZVI and provide an alternative reducing power agent as durable control method., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Contreras-Dávila, Esveld, Buisman and Strik.)

The production of biochemicals from renewables through biorefinery processes is important to reduce the anthropogenic impact on the environment. Chain elongation processes based on microbiomes have been successfully developed to produce medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) from organic waste streams. Yet, the sustainability of chain elongation can still be improved by reducing the use of electron donors and additional chemicals. This work aimed to couple lactate production and subsequent chain elongation to decrease chemicals input such as electron donors and hydroxide for pH control in repeated-batch food waste fermentation. Food waste with adjusted pH was used as substrate and fermentation proceeded without pH control. During fermentation, lactate was first formed through the homolactic pathway and then converted to fatty acids (FA), mainly n-butyrate and n-caproate. The highest n-caproate carbon selectivities (mmol C/mmol C FA ) and production rates were 38% and 4.2 g COD/L-d, respectively. Hydroxide input was reduced over time to a minimum of 0.47 mol OH - /mol MCFA or 0.79 mol OH - /kg COD FA . Lactate was a key electron donor for chain elongation and its conversion was observed at pH as low as 4.3. The microbiome enriched in this work was dominated by Lactobacillus spp. and Caproiciproducens spp. The high abundance of Caproiciproducens spp. and their co-occurrence with Lactobacillus spp. suggest Caproiciproducens spp. used lactate as electron donor for chain elongation. This work shows the production of n-caproate from food waste with decreased use of hydroxide and no use of exogenous electron donors., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The scope of this paper was to analyze the trends, impact on life expectancy and effect of the main associated socioeconomic factors with the death rate by homicide in Colombia between 2000 and 2014 at the state level, by gender and age groups. Standardized mortality rates and years of life lost among those under 85 years of age were calculated and multivariate regression analysis was performed using negative binomial fixed effects regression models with panel data to analyze the associated socioeconomic factors with the incidence of homicide. The reduction of the death rate by homicide in Colombia was corroborated, which was generalized at state level, though it did not occur homogenously. A higher mortality risk was found among males, particularly between 15 and 49 years of age. Economic growth and inequality were negatively associated with death rates by homicide; unemployment was positively associated; and poverty had no effect on the mortality rate. Investigating the main associated factors with homicidal violence is complex, but is indispensable due to its impact on economic and social development, given that it mainly affects the population of productive age, with broad public health consequences and at a high cost to healthcare services.

Introduction: A high proportion of depressive disorders are accompanied by anxious manifestations, just as depression and anxiety often present with many painful manifestations, or conversely, painful manifestations cause or worsen depressive and anxious expressions. There is increasingly more evidence of the pathophysiological, and neurophysiological and technical imaging similarity of pain and depression., Methods: Narrative review of the pathophysiological and clinical aspects of depression and chronic pain comorbidity. Research articles are included that emphasise the most relevant elements related to understanding the pathophysiology of both manifestations., Results: The pathological origin, physiology and clinical approach to these disorders have been more clearly established with the latest advances in biochemical and cellular techniques, as well as the advent of imaging technologies. This information is systematised with comprehensive images and clinical pictures., Conclusions: The recognition that the polymorphism of inflammation-related genes generates susceptibility to depressive manifestations and may modify the response to antidepressant treatments establishes that the inflammatory response is not only an aetiopathogenic component of pain, but also of stress and depression. Likewise, the similarity in approach with images corroborates not only the structural, but the functional and pathophysiological analogy between depression and chronic pain. Knowledge of depression-anxiety-chronic pain comorbidity is essential in the search for effective therapeutic interventions., (Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.)

Derangements of microvascular blood flow distribution might contribute to disturbing O 2 extraction by peripheral tissues. We evaluated the dynamic relationships between the mesenteric O 2 extraction ratio ([Formula: see text]) and the heterogeneity of microvascular blood flow at the gut and sublingual mucosa during the development and resuscitation of septic shock in a swine model of fecal peritonitis. Jejunal-villi and sublingual microcirculation were evaluated using a portable intravital-microscopy technique. Simultaneously, we obtained arterial, mixed-venous, and mesenteric blood gases, and jejunal-tonometric measurements. During resuscitation, pigs were randomly allocated to a fixed dose of dobutamine (5 µg·kg -1 ·min -1 ) or placebo while three sham models with identical monitoring served as controls. At the time of shock, we observed a significant decreased proportion of perfused intestinal-villi (villi-PPV) and sublingual percentage of perfused small vessels (SL-PPV), paralleling an increase in [Formula: see text] in both dobutamine and placebo groups. After starting resuscitation, villi-PPV and SL-PPV significantly increased in the dobutamine group with subsequent improvement of functional capillary density, whereas [Formula: see text] exhibited a corresponding significant decrease (repeated-measures ANOVA, P = 0.02 and P = 0.04 for time × group interactions and intergroup differences for villi-PPV and [Formula: see text], respectively). Variations in villi-PPV were paralleled by variations in [Formula: see text] ( R 2  = 0.88, P < 0.001) and these, in turn, by mesenteric lactate changes ( R 2  = 0.86, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in cardiac output and systemic O 2 delivery throughout the experiment. In conclusion, dynamic changes in microvascular blood flow heterogeneity at jejunal mucosa are closely related to the mesenteric O 2 extraction ratio, suggesting a crucial role for microvascular blood flow distribution on O 2 uptake during development and resuscitation from septic shock. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our observations suggest that dynamic changes in the heterogeneity of microvascular blood flow at the gut mucosa are closely related to mesenteric O 2 extraction, thus supporting the role of decreasing functional capillary density and increased intercapillary distances on alterations of O 2 uptake during development and resuscitation from septic shock. Addition of a low-fixed dose of dobutamine might reverse such flow heterogeneity, improving microcirculatory flow distribution and tissue O 2 consumption., (Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.)

Introduction: Suicides are one of the main public health issues globally. Objective: To analyze the trends and impact of suicide mortality in Colombia and México between 2000 and 2013, nationally, by sex and age groups. Materials and methods: Mortality vital statistics from the Colombian Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística and the Mexican Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía were used. We conducted a descriptive and cross sectional study for which we calculated standardized mortality rates and years of life lost in people between 0 and 100 years of age. Results: In Colombia, the suicide mortality rate decreased between 2000 and 2013 for both sexes (28% for men and 38% for women); an opposite trend was observed in México (with an increase of 34% for males and 67% for females). In 2013, the years of life lost in Colombia were 0,32 among men and 0,15 among women, with a decreasing trend since 2000, whereas in México a level of 0,42 was observed in men and 0,2 in women, with an increasing trend since 2000. The age groups where suicides had a bigger impact were those of men 15 to 49 years of age in both countries, while suicides were more uniformly distributed among women between 15 and 84 years of age., Conclusion:  Suicide mortality increased gradually in México, whereas in Colombia an opposite trend was observed. Suicides can be prevented, so it is fundamental to implement public health policies focused on timely identification, comprehensive prevention strategies and the study of associated risk factors.

Objective: To evaluate transcallosal changes after a local ischemic injury in rats by using the monoclonal marker anti-NeuN (Mouse anti-neuronal nuclei)., Methods: Twenty-eight adult, male, Wistar rats were subjected to focal injury in the right hemisphere. The technique used was the experimental model of focal ischemic injury through intraluminal suture of the middle cerebral artery. Analyses were made for the five groups: after the lesion (control), at 24 h, 96 h, 10 days and 20 days. Exofocal neuronal damage was inferred from neuronal immunoreactivity changes to NeuN., Results: In the cortex contralateral to the lesion, immunoreactivity was diminished. This finding was most notable in the supra-granular sheets 24 h post ischemia. After 96 h, there was a generalized diminishment of the inmmunoreactivity in the supra and infra-granular sheets. At 10 and 20 days, the tissue recovered some immunoreactivity to NeuN, but there were some changes in the VI layer., Conclusion: The immunoreactive changes to NeuN support the process of inter-hemispheric diaschisis. Changes in immunoreactivity could indicate metabolic stress secondary to the disruption in connectivity to the site of lesion.