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Chemical and food industries are focusing on reducing the economic and environmental impact of cleaning operations. This study aims to analyse the use of alkaline ozonated formulations to remove starch adhering to stainless steel surfaces, improving disinfection of mature biofilms with Listeria and Pseudomonas, and reducing the environmental impact of wastewater. Three key cleaning parameters have been analysed in a lab-simulated Clean-In-Place system (CIP): temperature (20−60 °C), time (20−120 min), and cleaning formulations containing ozone and surfactant (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, alkylpolyglucoside, fatty ethoxylated alcohol, lauramine oxide) were assayed. Higher temperature, time, and ozone concentration improved starch removal and disinfection of the stainless-steel surfaces, as well as the environmental impact of cleaning wastewater. Therefore, ozone-based CIP protocols could provide new opportunities to achieve cleaner, greener, and safer industries by intensifying cleaning, disinfection, and wastewater treatment in one step, saving operational costs compared to conventional CIP techniques.

espanolEl dolor cervical es una de las causas mas frecuentes de discapacidad. Para realizar una correcta aproximacion diagnostica es importante distinguir el origen del dolor, ya sea de tipo neuropatico, no neuropatico o mecanico. El medico debera prestar especial atencion a los signos de alarma mas frecuentes, indicativos de procesos de mayor gravedad y, junto con una historia clinica dirigida y una exploracion fisica, solicitar las pruebas de imagen y electrodiagnostico mas adecuadas en base a la sospecha clinica y a la evolucion del proceso, sin olvidar que tienen una utilidad variable, especialmente en procesos cronicos y/o degenerativos. EnglishNeck pain is one of the most frequent causes of disability. For a correct diagnostic approach, it is important to identify the source of pain, whether mechanical, non-neuropathic or neuropathic. The physician has to pay special attention to the most frequent signs of alarm, indicative of more serious processes, and take a targeted medical history and carry out a physical examination; most importantly, the most appropriate imaging and electrodiagnostic testing has to be ordered based on clinical suspicion and the evolution of the process, without forgetting that they are of variable usefulness, especially in chronic and/or degenerative processes.

espanolLa sacroilitis es una manifestacion tipica de las espondiloartritis. Se presenta como dolor gluteo alternante o lumbalgia baja de ritmo inflamatorio. En su diagnostico es importante diferenciarla de otras causas como la infecciosa o la degenerativa, entre otras. Para el diagnostico se utilizan pruebas de laboratorio y de imagen como la radiografia de articulaciones sacroiliacas y la resonancia magnetica, esta ultima de gran utilidad en el diagnostico diferencial. Las discitis generalmente tienen un origen infeccioso, pero tambien pueden ser causadas por problemas inflamatorios y mecanicos. Igualmente seran de utilidad las tecnicas de imagen y de laboratorio y, ante la sospecha de causa infecciosa, los cultivos. EnglishSacroiliitis is a typical spondyloarthritis condition. It presents as alternating gluteal pain or low back pain of inflammatory rhythm. In diagnosing it, it is important to differentiate it from other causes such as infectious or degenerative origins, among others. For the diagnosis, laboratory and imaging tests are used. Such imaging tests include sacroiliac joint x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging, with the latter being especially useful in differential diagnosis. Discitis generally has an infectious origin, but it can also be caused by mechanical and inflammatory problems. Likewise, imaging and laboratory techniques are useful, along with cultures when there is suspicious of an infectious cause.

espanolLa lumbalgia es una entidad clinica que se caracteriza por dolor entre la ultima costilla y los pliegues gluteos. Se estima que un 7%-10% de los pacientes con dolor lumbar continuaran sintomaticos despues de las 8-12 semanas. El 95% de las lumbalgias son mecanicas, principalmente debidas a cambios degenerativos y a contracturas o distensiones musculares. Las anormalidades descubiertas en las pruebas de imagen deben ser cuidadosamente interpretadas, ya que muchas de ellas estan presentes en individuos asintomaticos. Las tecnicas de imagen sirven para descartar una patologia relevante o grave, ya que los hallazgos de naturaleza degenerativa son esperables. EnglishLumbago is a clinical condition characterised by pain between the last rib and the gluteal folds. It is estimated that 7%-10% of patients with low back pain will continue to have symptoms after 8-12 weeks. Almost all (95%) of lumbago cases are mechanical, mainly due to degenerative changes and to contractures or muscle strains. Abnormalities found in imaging tests must be interpreted carefully, given that many of them are present in asymptomatic individuals. Imaging techniques serve to rule out a serious or relevant pathology, because degenerative findings are to be expected.

The chestnuts genus (Castanea spp.) is comprised of economically important trees native to the Northern hemisphere that are used as food and hardwood timber. Here, a very efficient method for micropropagation of European × Japanese chestnut hybrids (Castanea sativa × C. crenata) is described. Woody Plant Medium was used as the basal medium. In vitro shoots of four rootstock cultivars were micropropagated without shoot-tip necrosis on multiplication medium containing 5.7 or 11.4 µmol·L−1 zeatin riboside, and were rooted on rooting medium containing 2.46 µmol·L−1 indolebutyric acid. Monthly shoot multiplication rates for each cultivar were 2–5 folds. In vitro rooting percentages for four cultivars were 87% for ‘Maraval’, 67% for ‘Marigoule’, 93% for ‘Marsol’, and 97% for ‘Precoce Migoule’. Within a 5 week period, 80%–95% of rooted shoots were successfully acclimated under high humidity conditions after they were planted in either soil or rockwool.

Resumen La sepsis es una entidad sindromica de elevada prevalencia y mortalidad. Su manejo esta estandarizado y tiene una eficacia dependiente del tiempo. Sin embargo, el manejo de los pacientes con sepsis es complejo. La heterogeneidad de las formas de presentacion puede dificultar su deteccion y manejo, asi como las diferencias en formacion, competencias o disponibilidad de recursos sanitarios. La Comision Asesora para la Atencion al PAciente con Sepsis (CAAPAS), formada por 7 sociedades cientificas, el Sistema de Emergencias Medicas (SEM) y el Servei Catala de la Salut (CatSalut), han desarrollado en Catalunya el Codigo Sepsis Interhospitalario (CSI). El objetivo general del CSI es facilitar la deteccion precoz, la atencion inicial y la coordinacion interhospitalaria para optimizar el tratamiento de los pacientes con sepsis o shock septico en formato codigo de riesgo vital, de forma homogenea a lo largo de todo el territorio catalan.

Sepsis is a syndromic entity with high prevalence and mortality. The management of sepsis is standardized and exhibits time-dependent efficiency. However, the management of patients with sepsis is complex. The heterogeneity of the forms of presentation can make it difficult to detect and manage such cases, in the same way as differences in training, professional competences or the availability of health resources. The Advisory Commission for Patient Care with Sepsis (CAAPAS), comprising 7 scientific societies, the Emergency Medical System (SEM) and the Catalan Health Service (CatSalut), have developed the Interhospital Sepsis Code (CSI) in Catalonia (Spain). The general objective of the CSI is to increase awareness, promote early detection and facilitate initial care and interhospital coordination to attend septic patients in a homogeneous manner throughout Catalonia.

Viruses are an emerging class of biotherapeutics with the potential to treat cancer, genetic, cardiovascular and other diseases. Their commercial success depends on cost-effective purification processes. Membrane chromatography processes offer great potential for virus purification, however conventional devices are known to suffer from issues related to resolution and sample dilution. Laterally-fed membrane chromatography (LFMC) overcomes these issues by minimizing the dead-volume and establishing a uniform flow distribution pattern within the device. While the efficiency of LFMC has been previously demonstrated for protein purification studies, here we present a direct comparison of the performance of a LFMC device and a conventional radial flow device (both containing 1 mL of the same strong anion-exchange membrane) for the purification of adenoviruses. Using a gradient elution strategy, a 74% virus recovery with 4% of residual amount of total protein and 1% residual amount of total DNA was obtained using the LFMC device; for the radial flow device, only 20% virus recovery was achieved for a similar level of purity. Using a stepwise elution strategy, close to 100% virus recovery with 10% residual protein and DNA was achieved with both devices. However, the product was at least 50% more dilute with the radial flow device. Overall, this study demonstrates the considerable benefits of using LFMC over conventional membrane chromatography devices for purifying virus-based biotherapeutics.

We describe the use of a hybrid magnetic nanocomposite (HMNC) for the extraction and purification of plasmid DNA (pDNA) from Escherichia coli aqueous solutions. The HMNC, which was synthesized via emulsion polymerization, was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and magnetic measurements. The results confirmed the incorporation of polyaniline (Pani) in its conducting form onto a core formed by the magnetic iron oxide, with the hybrid particles presenting an average size of (95 ± 30) nm and a saturation magnetization of 30 emu/g. The yield, purity and quality of the pDNA purified by using the Pani HMNC were evaluated by UV–Vis spectroscopy, agarose gel electrophoresis, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), respectively. An average yield of ~6.9 μg was obtained in the DNA extraction process, with the collected material presenting a good purity (a ₳260/280 ratio in the 1.68–1.82 range) and an excellent quality, as confirmed by subsequent PCR assays. Hence, this HMNC appears as a promising material for use in pDNA purification protocols, and we suggest that this novel HMNC-based methodology can be of general interest and find widespread application in different biomedical procedures.

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by intracellular protozoa of the Leishmania genus that are spread and transmitted by sandflies. Natural infection and clinical disease in domestic cats and dogs appear to be rare or perhaps largely under-reported in endemic areas. However, previous reports on infected domestic animals usually implicate the same Leishmania species that affect humans in tropical and subtropical areas of the world suggesting a potential role for zoonotic transmission. In the present study we assessed a representative sample of cats and dogs from endemic urban / suburban areas of Lara state in central western Venezuela. In both dogs and cats, cutaneous disease exhibits a spectrum of manifestations that range from single papules or nodules, which may evolve into ulcerative, plaque-like or scaly lesions. Cytochrome b (cyt b) PCR gene sequence analysis revealed L. mexicana as the causative agent in all cases, including two human cases proceeding from the same study area at the same time the study was carried out. In order to improve our understanding on feline/canine infection with Leishmania mexicana, and address potential zoonotic concerns it is necessary to characterize its enzootic reservoirs and vectors as well as the possible anthropophilic players linking to the peridomestic and domestic cycles.

The size of copper nanoparticles affects the intrinsic rate of methanol and CO formation in the hydrogenation of CO2 at 230–270 °C and total pressure 8 bar. Cu/SiO2 catalysts with different mean Cu particle sizes were prepared by water-in-oil microemulsions and suitably pretreated to obtain samples with mean particle size between 4 and 36 nm. The intrinsic rates of methanol and CO formation are 3-fold higher for large particles (>10 nm) than for smaller ones (ca. 4 nm). The reaction path was studied by means of kinetic experiments, H/D isotopic substitution, and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (in situ DRIFTS). Results demonstrate that the hydrogenation of formic acid is the rate-determining step (rds) for methanol synthesis, whereas for CO formation the reaction proceeds with the assistance of H atoms and the dissociation of the carboxyl intermediate is the rds. This reaction scheme implies that the ratio of CO to methanol formation rates is inversely proportional to H2 partial pressure, which is also consistent with results for similar catalysts reported in earlier studies. The similar kinetic parameters and H/D kinetic isotope effect observed for catalysts with significantly different Cu mean particle sizes suggests that active surface sites have similar topology regardless of Cu particle size. Step-edge sites whose relative abundance increases with particle size in a way similar to activity are suggested as the active sites for methanol and CO formation reactions.

When fluorophores attach to nanostructured films of intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs), a quenching of their fluorescence may occur. We have exploited these characteristics for the development of polymeric films that can be used in a simple and efficient molecular diagnosis protocol based on the selective detection of nucleic acids. Our procedure rests on the fact that the fluorescence of 6-carboxyfluorescein-labeled single-stranded DNA (FAM-ssDNA) probes is quenched upon their immobilization on nanostructured ICP – polypyrrole (PPY) and polyaniline (PANI) – films deposited on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. Hybridization occurs whenever a sample with the complementary sequence is brought in contact with the immobilized probe, with the newly formed ds-DNA chains detaching from the flexible polymeric film and causing the restoration of the fluorescence. This sensing system exhibits a low background signal that depends on both the thickness and hydrophobicity of the films. As a model system, we used a FAM-ssDNA probe specific for the Leishmania infantum parasite. The results confirm this procedure as a simple, fast and highly sensitive scheme for the recognition of the target DNA, with a detection limit of the 1.1 nM and 1.3 nM for the PPY/PET and PANI/PET films, respectively. In addition, this biosensor has excellent stability and exhibits a good and reproducible performance even when used for the direct detection of ssDNA in relatively complex biological samples.

We examined the properties of the nanocomposite γ-Fe2O3@Chi@Pani as an adsorbent of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). As a model system, we used an aqueous solution of salmon sperm DNA, whose decreasing concentration was followed by monitoring the 260 nm UV-vis absorption. After adjusting the data collected to a Langmuir isotherm curve, we estimated the adsorption capacity (qe) of the nanocomposite as 49.5 mg/g. We also observed that the kinetic model of the DNA capture presents a mixed character, with both chemical mechanisms and intraparticle diffusion processes involved. When the MNC was used to extract the DNA from complex samples (human blood), a capture rate of 80 ng/μL was achieved, with the collected fraction exhibiting good quality, as evaluated by PCR analysis and electrophoresis assays. These results suggest that the γ-Fe2O3@Chi@Pani nanocomposite is a promising adsorbent for use in protocols for purification of DNA from complex samples.

A magnetic nanocomposite (MNC) of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) and polypyrrole (PPY) was synthesized by in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole in presence of FeCl3 as oxidizing agent in order to evaluate its adsorption capacity of Congo red (CR) in aqueous solutions. γ-Fe2O3 NPs were first synthetized by a co-precipitation method with an average particle size of 14 ± 8 nm. In a subsequent step, the MNC was synthesized by the polymerization of pyrrole in an aqueous solution containing the γ-Fe2O3 NPs. The resulting material consisted of maghemite NPs embedded within the polymeric matrix of PPY. The magnetization curves demonstrated the superparamagnetic behavior of the γ-Fe2O3 NPs at room temperature (Ms = 60 emu/g), while the magnetization value of the γ-Fe2O3/PPY MNC decreased up to 14 emu/g. We evaluated the CR adsorption removal of the MNC as a function of the pH, interaction time and the initial dye concentration. The maximum adsorption capacity (qe) achieved was 269.5 mg/g at pH 7.0 and 60 min of interaction time. The present work shows the production of an effective and economic magnetic adsorbent for the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are an emerging class of bio-therapeutics that have attracted significant interest due to their inherent specificity for targeting malignant tissues in cancer immunotherapy. One of the main challenges in many OVs manufacturing processes is the dead-end sterile filtration step that is highly desirable from a safety and regulatory perspective. The primary issue is the severe membrane fouling, as indicated by a dramatic and uncontrollable transmembrane pressure (TMP) increase in constant flux experiments, and low recovery of the desired final product. While previous studies have mostly focused on selective retention or removal of viruses during the production of smaller biologics, this study is the first to obtain quantitative data for the fouling propensity of microfiltration filters and recovery of viral vectors in a sterile filtration process. The performance of four either 0.2 or 0.22 µm commercial sterile filters was evaluated in constant flux filtration tests with a promising OV candidate (Rhabdovirus Maraba). Among the tested sterile filters, two-layered sterile filters (i.e. Fluorodyne EX EDF and MiniSart Plus) demonstrated slower transmembrane pressure (TMP) increase along with a higher filtered viral volume. For all four filters, the total viral recovery was quite low (less than 25%) – this significant amount of loss of a valuable therapeutic product is of particular concern. These results provide important insights into the development of new sterile filtration membranes and processes that are critically needed for the large-scale production of OVs.

Background Effective tumor debulking is a major factor associated with a favorable prognosis in patients with advanced ovarian cancer (AOC). However, FIGO staging fails to take full account of the extent of the disease in the peritoneum, making it difficult to plan appropriate surgical treatment. In contrast, the peritoneal cancer index (PCI) can provide more detailed information about peritoneal spread. Method We evaluated the prognostic value of PCI and its association with clinicopathological features in patients with AOC. Data for 80 patients with AOC who underwent primary debulking surgery were analyzed retrospectively. PCI scores of 0–39 were calculated based on the sizes of lesions in 13 abdominopelvic regions, and patients were classified into three categories with scores of 1–10, 11–20, and >20, respectively. Clinicopathological features, including the presence of residual tumor after surgery and the incidence of postoperative complications, were assessed in relation to PCI score. Results PCI was significantly associated with suboptimal surgery and postoperative complications, as well as with preoperative CA125, ascites, prolonged surgery, FIGO stage, positive aortic lymph nodes, prolonged hospitalization, and number of visceral resections. Overall and disease-free survival was also associated with PCI, with an optimal cut-off value of 15. Multivariate analysis identified age, residual tumor, and PCI as independent prognostic factors for survival. A PCI >10 is positively associated with a poor prognosis in patients with AOC. Conclusion Given the importance of effective tumor debulking, PCI may provide important information for surgical planning in patients with AOC.

A more widespread use of conducting polymer nanostructures in environmental remediation is limited by their tendency to form agglomerates. In this study, we report the development of electrospun polystyrene/polyaniline composite membranes that can be used as efficient agents for the removal of dye molecules from aqueous solutions. These nonwoven polystyrene-polyaniline (NW PS-PANI) mats are formed after the incorporation of the conducting polymer into the surface of nonwoven polystyrene (NW PS) mats produced via the electrospinning method. The composite mats were characterized by contact angle measurements, SEM, FTIR and UV–vis spectroscopy. By performing experiments in batch mode, we examined the capacity of these mats for removing Congo red (CR) molecules, a prototypical azo dye, as a function of pH, interaction time and dye initial concentration. These membranes are hydrophilic and have a large CR removal efficiency. The zero point charge pH of the NW PS-PANI membranes was determined as 6.4, and we have found that their adsorption capacity reaches a maximum of 380.0 mg/g at pH 6.0. An easy recovery of the contaminant is possible by using these mats, which can be reutilized in at least 13 consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles, without significant losses in their adsorption capacity. In addition, they can be adapted for usage in compact filtration systems for an even faster removal of the dissolved dye molecules.

Soil-borne pathogens can shape forest communities by lowering seedling survivorship. Many soil pathogens can persist long-term as survival spores, but how long pathogens outlive tree hosts in gap soils and whether they continue to affect seedling survival is uncertain. We studied the presence of oomycetes and evaluated seedling performance in soils near live Prunus serotina trees, and 0.5 and 1.5-y-old stumps. We isolated five species of oomycetes from soils, two of which were pathogenic (Pythium intermedium and Pythium irregulare) to Prunus serotina. There was a non-significant ~10.5% increase in conspecific seedling survival in stumps versus live trees, and pathogens were present in soils of all stump ages. The continued presence of pathogens of Prunus serotina in gap soils demonstrates the potential for impacts on conspecific regeneration after tree death, though the slight improvement in survival suggests that these effects may weaken with time.

We report the synthesis and characterization of a new hybrid magnetic composite formed by the enveloping of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (γ-NP) with chains of the conductive polymer PEDOT, and its use for the efficient separation of DNA molecules from complex biological samples, allowing the high yield separation of a pure and high-quality DNA fraction. The successful formation of the γ-NP/PEDOT composite was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), and magnetic hysteresis loop measurements. The nanocomposites showed an excellent capacity of DNA adsorption (Qe ∼ 248 mg/g) in a model system consisting of salmon sperm DNA. When the γ-NP/PEDOT was used in protocols to extract the DNA from complex samples, the corresponding yield was in the range of 6.4 μg (blood) and 7.3 μg (bacteria), as evaluated quality by UV–Vis, PCR analysis, and electrophoresis assays. We also established that the captured DNA does not need to be detached from the nanocomposite for use as seeding material in PCR amplification experiments. These results and the simplicity of the protocols indicate that the γ-NP/PEDOT composite is a promising DNA absorbent, being competitive with the commercially available magnetic purification kits.

Resumen Introduccion Las manifestaciones neurologicas son frecuentes en los pacientes afectos de enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal, y en muchas ocasiones, son infradiagnosticadas. Pueden preceder a la aparicion de la clinica intestinal. Algunas de ellas pueden ser irreversibles y potencialmente mortales. La afectacion tromboembolica es una complicacion rara, mas frecuente en pacientes afectos de colitis ulcerosa, y favorecida por un estado de hipercoagulabilidad multifactorial. Pacientes y metodologia Aportamos el caso de un paciente pediatrico con enfermedad de Crohn refractaria a tratamiento, quien 3 anos despues del inicio de la enfermedad presenta una trombosis venosa cerebral. Revisamos todos los casos pediatricos descritos en la literatura y realizamos un estudio comparativo con nuestro caso. Resultados Se describen 18 pacientes en edad pediatrica que presentan trombosis de senos venosos cerebrales como manifestacion extradigestiva de su enfermedad intestinal, siendo esta complicacion mas frecuente en la colitis ulcerosa (61,1%). La trombocitosis y la anemia ferropenica son los factores de riesgo mas comunmente encontrados, junto con algunas alteraciones geneticas de la coagulacion. El tratamiento realizado en la mayoria de los pacientes se basa en heparina y anticoagulacion oral, presentando una evolucion favorable de la clinica neurologica mas del 75% de ellos. Conclusion La afectacion vascular cerebral es una complicacion rara en este tipo de pacientes, pero un diagnostico y tratamiento precoces son imprescindibles para una buena evolucion.

We study the distribution of savings from mortgage refinancing across income groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between February and June 2020, the difference in savings from refinancing between high- and low-income borrowers was ten times higher than before the pandemic. This was the result of two factors: individuals in the top quintile of the income distribution increased their refinancing activity more than comparable borrowers in the bottom quintile and, conditional on refinancing, they captured slightly larger improvements in interest rates. Exploiting idiosyncratic variation in COVID-19 case rates within zip codes over time, we find that changes in local economic conditions explain up to 74 percent of the increase in refinancing inequality tied to the pandemic. Using data on refinancing applications and funding rates we find that, conditional on applying, the funding rates and processing times for low-income borrowers were not differentially affected by the pandemic. Instead, low-income borrowers were underrepresented in the pool of applications. We estimate a difference of $5 billion in savings from refinancing between the top quintile of the income distribution and the rest of the market. This discrepancy has implications for the transmission of monetary policy and the evolution of wealth inequality.

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) after renal transplantation in adult patients has been reported. In renal transplant recipients, symptomatic urinary tract infection can cause high morbidity despite improved immunosuppressive and antibiotic treatment. In our country there have been few reported cases about use of copolymer of dextranomer and hyaluronic acid (DX-HA) injection in a renal transplant. We present 3 cases of recurrent or complicated infections with evidence of high-grade VUR, which were treated with DX-HA. Only 1 case had a partial remission; however, there were no episodes of urinary tract infection in 12 months of follow-up. Suburethral injection is an endoscopic treatment modality with low morbidity in our country.

Resumen Introduccion La afeccion musculoesqueletica atraumatica (AMA) genera gran carga asistencial en los servicios sanitarios a nivel de atencion primaria, sin embargo, son escasos los estudios europeos disenados para determinar su proporcion dentro de los servicios de urgencias. Nuestro objetivo es determinar la prevalencia de AMA y su impacto asistencial y administrativo en el funcionamiento del servicio de urgencias de un hospital universitario de Madrid. Material y metodo Se revisaron 2.000 historias clinicas electronicas aleatorizadas entre 2008-2010. Se recogieron los motivos de consulta, el tiempo consumido hasta el alta desde la primera valoracion, la demanda de pruebas de imagen y la necesidad de nuevas valoraciones antes de trascurrido el primer mes de la valoracion inicial. Resultados La prevalencia de AMA fue del 13,8% IC 95% (12,1-15,4%) de todos los pacientes. El motivo mas frecuente de consulta fue la lumbalgia. De todos los casos de AMA valorados, en el 79,1% se solicito una prueba de imagen. Los pacientes con AMA consumieron una media de 79 min y un 17% de los pacientes consultaron por el mismo motivo en menos de 30 dias. Conclusiones Los resultados del presente estudio ubican a la AMA en el primer lugar de los motivos de consulta urgente en nuestro medio, generando el mas alto consumo de tiempo y la mayor frecuencia de consultas nuevas por el mismo motivo en menos de un mes. La falta de formacion medica en el manejo de este tipo de afecciones puede ser causa de este fenomeno. Durante el diseno de lineas estrategicas para optimizar la atencion en los servicios de urgencias se debe tener en cuenta la importancia de este tipo de procesos patologicos.

One major part of therapeutic oncolytic viruses (OV) manufacturing is a membrane-based process with a major challenge of membrane fouling and consequent product loss. A small-scale microfiltration setup was developed, allowing online transmembrane pressure (TMP) measurement through a constant flux filtration using a low volume of a representative OV solution (

High titer and purity levels are key requirements for virus-based cancer and gene therapy biopharmaceuticals. However, the task of removing enough host-cell DNA from therapeutic viruses in order to comply with the FDA’s 10 ng/dose limit is particularly challenging. In a previous study, we demonstrated the advantages of using laterally-fed membrane chromatography (LFMC) for adenovirus purification. Although this approach achieved >90% DNA removal, significant amounts of DNA remained in the product due to the poor performance of a pre-LFMC DNA digestion step. In the present study, we attempt to improve upon this outcome by employing an integrated approach to process development that examines the interactions between different downstream steps (i.e., clarification, enzymatic DNA digestion, and membrane chromatography (MC)). First, we identified the most efficient process sequence involving a clarification step followed by a DNA digestion step, as well as three endonucleases (Benzonase®, Denarase®, and Turbonuclease™) that perform similarly with respect to DNA digestion. Next, a factorial design of experiments (DOE) study was used to evaluate how enzyme (Benzonase and Denarase) concentration and incubation time impact the resulting DNA and virus concentrations. Since Denarase showed slightly better efficiency, it was used along with a subset of the DOE conditions to evaluate the removal of DNA via MC with Sartobind Q 96-well filter plates. The lowest amount of DNA per dose was achieved using MC in conjunction with feed that had been digested with 10 U/mL of Denarase for 4 h; as such, this approach was used to prepare lysates, which were then purified using an LFMC device containing 1 mL of Sartobind Q membrane. This process enabled a virus-recovery rate of 73% and residual DNA levels of 77 ng/dose. Ultimately, the proposed integrated process development approach resulted in an approximately 80-fold improvement in DNA removal.

Food industries, which must ensure safety and quality of manufactured products, require effective and regular cleaning and disinfection processes. One of the most difficult issues to overcome is to ensure the elimination of biofilms that can generate contamination during food processing. Despite chemical disinfection is the most used strategy, it also requires to be optimised, reducing energy costs, time, and the environmental impact of these operations. In this work, the effectiveness of an environmental-friendly commercial disinfectant (Mico E-PRO®) made from food-grade citrus extracts has been addressed by two methods (i) in-vitro tests for evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy and (ii) a lab-simulated CIP system, where the efficacy was compared with NaClO 1%. In both cases, Mico E-PRO® shows that it is an effective product for the killing of E. coli (MBC = 625 ppm), L. monocytogenes (MBC = 625 ppm), S. enterica (MBC = 625 ppm) and P. aeruginosa (MBC = 156.25 ppm), being P. aeruginosa the most sensible to the disinfectant. The product also shows good bactericidal effect against a mature biofilm formed by L. innocua and P. putida – similar efficacy to that obtained with NaClO 1%. Overall, results demonstrated that Mico E-PRO® is a good option as a natural sanitiser for CIP systems, running as an efficient and safe alternative to the traditional chemicals-based disinfectants.

Energy-efficient chemical processes save resources and provide sustainability. Conventional distillation is notably known as an energy-intensive process, which motivated our research group to develop a new thermosyphon-assisted falling film distillation apparatus (Destubcal technology), where heat is supplied through the condenser of an annular thermosyphon coupled to the distillation tube. From this new design, two possible configurations of energy supply were studied: isothermal and temperature-profile conditions in the condenser of the annular thermosyphon. The distillation tube was fed with ethanol-water mixture, varying the feed flow rate and feed temperature, as well as the power of electrical resistances in the evaporator of the annular thermosyphon. Temperature-profile condition leads to a better heat transfer distribution, resulting in higher temperatures in the distillation tube and so higher ethanol recovery in the distilled product. In this way, temperature-profile operation proved to be more advantageous for this new thermosyphon-assisted distillation unit, corroborated by the separation factor, reaching a 10.3% increase. The analysis of operational variables showed that smaller potencies in the evaporator allow better separation, an important aspect of energy intensification. Thereby, this works contributes towards the urgent demand for novel thermal intensified proposals, indicating the best operational conditions for an advanced falling film distillation unit.

International organizations, governments and companies are increasingly committed to developing measures that encourage adoption of sustainable consumption patterns among the population. However, their success requires a deep understanding of the everyday purchasing decision process and the elements that shape it. Price is an element that stands out. Prior research concluded that the influence of price on purchase decisions varies across consumer profiles. Yet no consumer behavior study to date has assessed the differences of price processing among consumers adopting sustainable habits (prosocial) as opposed to those who have not (non-prosocial). This is the first study to resort to neuroimaging tools to explore the underlying neural mechanisms that reveal the effect of price on prosocial and non-prosocial consumers. Self-reported findings indicate that prosocial consumers place greater value on collective costs and benefits while non-prosocial consumers place a greater weight on price. The neural data gleaned from this analysis offers certain explanations as to the origin of the differences. Non-prosocial (vs. prosocial) consumers, in fact, exhibit a greater activation in brain areas involved with reward, valuation and choice when evaluating price information. These findings could steer managers to improve market segmentation and assist institutions in their design of campaigns fostering environmentally sustainable behaviors.

The long-standing hypothesis that memory consolidation is dependent upon de novo protein synthesis is based primarily on the amnestic effects of systemic administration of protein synthesis inhibitors (PSIs). Early experiments on mice showed that PSIs produced interference with memory consolidation that was dependent on the doses of PSIs, on the interval between drug injection and training, and, importantly, on the degree and duration of protein synthesis inhibition in the brain. Surprisingly, there is a conspicuous lack of information regarding the relationship between the duration of protein synthesis inhibition produced by PSIs and memory consolidation in the rat, one of the species most widely used to study memory processes. We found that, in the male rat, a single injection of cycloheximide, a commonly used PSI, produced a significant imbalance in protein homeostasis: an early inhibition of protein synthesis that lasted for at least one hour, followed by hyperproduction of proteins that lasted three days. We evaluated memory consolidation of inhibitory avoidance trained with either low or high intensity of foot-shock at the peaks of protein synthesis inhibition and protein hyperproduction. We found that, independent of the moment of training, the low-foot-shock groups showed amnesia, while the high-foot-shock groups displayed optimal memory performance. These results indicate that memory consolidation of relatively weak training is impaired by the inhibition or hyperproduction of protein synthesis, and that intense training overcomes this dysregulation of protein homeostasis allowing for memory formation probably through non-genomic mechanisms.

Resumen El cancer de mama en mujeres jovenes representa un grupo singular por su edad, diagnostico, comportamiento tumoral, deseo genesico y pronostico. Hemos realizado un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo entre 1995 y 2012 de 1.392 mujeres diagnosticadas en nuestro centro de cancer de mama. Se selecciono a 56 (4,02%) mujeres cuya edad al diagnostico era er metodo diagnostico por imagen en 35 (62,5%) casos. El tratamiento neodyuvante fue de eleccion en 6 (10,70%). El tratamiento quirurgico fue indicado inicialmente en 49 (87,5%). La cirugia conservadora pudo realizarse en 23 (41,07%). El tipo histologico mas frecuente fue el carcinoma ductal infiltrante en 41 (73,2%). Respecto al seguimiento, 31 (55,35%) pacientes continuan vivas y en remision completa. El tratamiento del cancer de mama en pacientes jovenes debe individualizarse. Siempre que sea posible se recomendara la realizacion de cirugia conservadora (valorando la quimioterapia neoadyuvante para disminuir el tamano tumoral) asi como la cirugia oncoplastica, ya que pueden contribuir a mejorar la calidad de vida sin empeorar la supervivencia de dichas pacientes.

As a follow-up to the GPR40 agonist AMG 837, which was evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of type II diabetes, further optimization led to the discovery of AM-3189 (13k). AM-3189 is representative of a new class of compounds with minimal CNS penetration, superior pharmacokinetic properties and in vivo efficacy comparable to AMG 837.

We examined the use of polypyrrole/maghemite (PPY/γ-Fe2O3) and polyaniline/maghemite (PANI/γ-Fe2O3) magnetic nanocomposites (MNCs) as active agents for removal of heavy metals ions from aqueous media. We have used chemical co-precipitation methods to prepare the maghemite nanoparticles. Subsequently, we synthesized the MNCs through emulsion polymerization of pyrrole or aniline. We estimated the efficiency of these MNCs for Cr (VI) and Cu (II) removal by using batch methods and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to measure the metal content in the solutions before and after use of the MNCs. We evaluated the adsorption capacity (qe) of each MNC as a function of the solution pH and of the time allowed for its interaction with the metallic ions in solution. In the Cr (VI) [Cu (II)] case, we determined the value of qe as 209 [171] mg/g, for the PPY/γ-Fe2O3 MNC, and 196 [107] mg/g, for the PANI/γ-Fe2O3 MNC. In the PPY/γ-Fe2O3 [PANI/γ-Fe2O3] MNC case, the time necessary for attaining the qe saturation limit was of the order of 15 [35] min for both Cr (VI) and Cu (II). These characteristics compare favorably to those of alternative agents for removal of dissolved metal ions reported in the literature.

In this work, we initially describe the preparation of magnetic and fluorescent nanocomposites (MF NCs) based on polystyrene/tetraphenylporphyrin/maghemite (PS/TPP/γ-Fe 2 O 3 ). After carrying a series of exploratory experiments, we have found that the composite that presented the highest values of fluorescence intensity and magnetization (S1 samples) was obtained when we employed 1 mL of TPP and 1% of PS. When tested as photosensitizer agents for the inactivation of the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli , these MF NCs presented excellent antibacterial activity, indicating that they can be promising candidates to inactivate microorganisms dispersed in aqueous solutions. Taking into account this peculiar combination of outstanding properties and simple and low cost synthesis, we suggest that this kind of NC could find widespread use in environmental and biomedical applications.

2,3,4-Substituted quinolines such as (10a) were found to be potent inhibitors of PI3Kδ in both biochemical and cellular assays with good selectivity over three other class I PI3K isoforms. Some of those analogs showed favorable pharmacokinetic properties.