Angiotensin II-derived constrained peptides with antiplasmodial activity and suppressed vasoconstriction

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a natural mammalian hormone that has been described to exhibit antiplasmodial activity therefore constituting a promising alternative for the treatment of malaria. Despite its promise, the development of Ang II as an antimalarial is limited by its potent induction of vasoconstriction and its rapid degradation within minutes. Here, we used peptide design to perform targeted chemical modifications to Ang II to generate conformationally restricted (disulfide-crosslinked) peptide derivatives with suppressed vasoconstrictor activity and increased stability. Designed constrained peptides were synthesized chemically and then tested for antiplasmodial activity. Two lead constrained peptides were identified (i.e., peptides 1 and 2), each composed of 10 amino acid residues. These peptides exhibited very promising activity in both our Plasmodium gallinaceum ( > 80%) and Plasmodium falciparum ( > 40%) models, an activity that was equivalent to that of Ang II, and led to complete suppression of vasoconstriction. In addition, peptide 5 exhibited selective activity towards the pre-erythrocytic stage (98% of activity against P. gallinaceum), thus suggesting that it may be possible to design peptides that target specific stages of the malaria life cycle. The Ang II derived stable scaffolds presented here may provide the basis for development of a new generation of peptide-based drugs for the treatment of malaria

5to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

El V Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2019, realizado del 6 al 8 de febrero de 2019 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, ofreció a la comunidad académica nacional e internacional una plataforma de comunicación unificada, dirigida a cubrir los problemas teóricos y prácticos de mayor impacto en la sociedad moderna desde la ingeniería. En esta edición, dedicada a los 25 años de vida de la UPS, los ejes temáticos estuvieron relacionados con la aplicación de la ciencia, el desarrollo tecnológico y la innovación en cinco pilares fundamentales de nuestra sociedad: la industria, la movilidad, la sostenibilidad ambiental, la información y las telecomunicaciones. El comité científico estuvo conformado formado por 48 investigadores procedentes de diez países: España, Reino Unido, Italia, Bélgica, México, Venezuela, Colombia, Brasil, Estados Unidos y Ecuador. Fueron recibidas un centenar de contribuciones, de las cuales 39 fueron aprobadas en forma de ponencias y 15 en formato poster. Estas contribuciones fueron presentadas de forma oral ante toda la comunidad académica que se dio cita en el Congreso, quienes desde el aula magna, el auditorio y la sala de usos múltiples de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, cumplieron respetuosamente la responsabilidad de representar a toda la sociedad en la revisión, aceptación y validación del conocimiento nuevo que fue presentado en cada exposición por los investigadores. Paralelo a las sesiones técnicas, el Congreso contó con espacios de presentación de posters científicos y cinco workshops en temáticas de vanguardia que cautivaron la atención de nuestros docentes y estudiantes. También en el marco del evento se impartieron un total de ocho conferencias magistrales en temas tan actuales como la gestión del conocimiento en la universidad-ecosistema, los retos y oportunidades de la industria 4.0, los avances de la investigación básica y aplicada en mecatrónica para el estudio de robots de nueva generación, la optimización en ingeniería con técnicas multi-objetivo, el desarrollo de las redes avanzadas en Latinoamérica y los mundos, la contaminación del aire debido al tránsito vehicular, el radón y los riesgos que representa este gas radiactivo para la salud humana, entre otros

Pretreatment of Real Wastewater from the Chocolate Manufacturing Industry through an Integrated Process of Electrocoagulation and Sand Filtration

En este artículo se analizó el efecto de un proceso acoplado de electrocoagulación y filtración, para remover partículas suspendidas en un agua residual procedente de una industria de chocolates.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of removal of suspended solids in terms of turbidity, color, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) when integrating the electrocoagulation process using aluminum sacrificial anodes and the sand filtration process as a pretreatment of wastewater from the chocolate manufacturing plant in Toluca, México. Wastewater from the chocolate manufacturing industry used in this study is classified as nontoxic, but is characterized as having a high content of color (5952 ± 76 Pt-Co), turbidity (1648 ± 49 FAU), and COD (3608 ± 250 mg/L). Therefore, enhanced performance could be achieved by combining pretreatment techniques to increase the efficiencies of the physical, chemical, and biological treatments. In the integrated process, there was a turbidity reduction of 96.1 ± 0.2% and an increase in dissolved oxygen from 3.8 ± 0.05 mg/L (inlet sand filtration) to 6.05 ± 0.03 mg/L (outlet sand filtration) after 120 min of treatment. These results indicate good water quality necessary for all forms of elemental life. Color and COD removals were 98.2 ± 0.2% and 39.02 ± 2.2%, respectively, during the electrocoagulation process (0.2915 mA/cm2 current density and 120 min of treatment). The proposed integrated process could be an attractive alternative of pretreatment of real wastewater to increase water quality of conventional treatments

Estimating the global conservation status of more than 15,000 Amazonian tree species

Estimates of extinction risk for Amazonian plant and animal species are rare and not often incorporated into land-use policy and conservation planning. We overlay spatial distribution models with historical and projected deforestation to show that at least 36% and up to 57% of all Amazonian tree species are likely to qualify as globally threatened under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria. If confirmed, these results would increase the number of threatened plant species on Earth by 22%. We show that the trends observed in Amazonia apply to trees throughout the tropics, and we predict thatmost of the world’s >40,000 tropical tree species now qualify as globally threatened. A gap analysis suggests that existing Amazonian protected areas and indigenous territories will protect viable populations of most threatened species if these areas suffer no further degradation, highlighting the key roles that protected areas, indigenous peoples, and improved governance can play in preventing large-scale extinctions in the tropics in this century

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Fuentes de luz de uso clínico en el pre grado: 7 años de seguimento

Objetive: To monitor the light curing units available at undergraduate dental clinics of a Brazilian Public Higher Education Institution for seven uninterrupted years. Materials and methods: In the period between 2011-2017, the quality control of light curing units at the Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Goiás, was evaluated by analyzing their state of conservation and power density (mW/cm2). Data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and Levene, Shapiro-Wilk, Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn and Chi-square tests (P &lt;0.05). Results: Regarding the conservation status of the light curing units, comparatively, there was no statistically significant difference between the years 2012, 2016 and 2017 (p&gt; 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found for power density values between years (p &lt;0.0001). In pairwise comparisons, the power density values for the years 2011 (p &lt;0.01) and 2012 (p &lt;0.05) were statistically different from the years 2015, 2016 and 2017. Conclusions: A significant improvement in the state of conservation of light curing units was observed in the initial four years of evaluations, with a decline in the fifth year and stabilization in the last two years. Regarding the power density of the light curing units, a gradual increase was observed in the seven years of study, with stabilization of the results after the fifth year of quality control.Objetivo: Realizar, durante siete años ininterrumpidos, un control y seguimiento de las fuentes de luz disponibles en las clínicas odontológicas de pre graado de una Institución de Enseñanza Superior Pública Brasileña. Material y métodos: Durante el período comprendido entre 2011-2017 se evaluó el control de calidad de las fuentes de luz de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Federal de Goiás a través del análisis de su estado de conservación y de su densidad de potencia (mW/cm2). Los datos obtenidos se sometieron a un análisis estadístico descritpivo y a las pruebas de Levene, Shapiro-Wilk, Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn y Chi-cuadrado (P&lt;0,05). Resultados: No se observaron diferencias estadísticas significativas del estado de conservación de las fuentes de luz entre los años 2012, 2016 y 2017 (p&gt;0,05). Sí se observaron diferencias estadísticas significativas entre los valores de densidad de potência entre dichos años (p&lt;0,0001). En las comparaciones por pares, los valores de densidad de potencia para los años 2011 (p&lt;0,01) y 2012 (p&lt;0,05) fueron estadísticamente diferentes de los años 2015, 2016 y 2017. Conclusiones: Comparativamente se observó una mejora sustancial del estado de conservación de las fuentes de luz en los cuatro años iniciales de evaluaciones, con una disminución en el quinto año y una estabilización en los dos últimos años. Durante los siete años de estudio de la densidad de potencia de las fuentes de luz se observó en un aumento gradual de la misma con una estabilización de los resultados a partir del quinto año de control de calidad

Perspectivas de la enseñanza en educación infantil

PublishedEl presente escrito nace de las reflexiones de dos trabajos de investigación que giran alrededor de los temas de escritura y lectura en los universitarios y de la concepción de formación docente, vinculada a la idea de ensoñación desde Bachelard; a partir de ahí, se desarrolla una reflexión alrededor de la misma temática pero en la etapa inicial donde se tejen las estructuras fundamentales de los procesos de constitución del sujeto. En ambos trabajos el lenguaje y la didáctica hacen parte primordial del sustento de los mismos. En esas relaciones simbióticas entre sujeto, aprendizaje, didáctica y ensoñación se presenta el tema de la escritura en la búsqueda de generar una idea diferente a asumirla como proceso netamente instrumental, sino unirlo a formas diferentes de su abordaje; siendo la niñez una época de mayor apertura al aprendizaje, concebir la escritura desde estos lugares puede hacer la diferencia de mejorar los procesos escriturales en los años posteriores

Perspectivas de la enseñanza en educación infantil

El presente escrito nace de las reflexiones de dos trabajos de investigación que giran alrededor de los temas de escritura y lectura en los universitarios y de la concepción de formación docente, vinculada a la idea de ensoñación desde Bachelard; a partir de ahí, se desarrolla una reflexión alrededor de la misma temática pero en la etapa inicial donde se tejen las estructuras fundamentales de los procesos de constitución del sujeto. En ambos trabajos el lenguaje y la didáctica hacen parte primordial del sustento de los mismos. En esas relaciones simbióticas entre sujeto, aprendizaje, didáctica y ensoñación se presenta el tema de la escritura en la búsqueda de generar una idea diferente a asumirla como proceso netamente instrumental, sino unirlo a formas diferentes de su abordaje; siendo la niñez una época de mayor apertura al aprendizaje, concebir la escritura desde estos lugares puede hacer la diferencia de mejorar los procesos escriturales en los años posteriores

Desired weight loss and its association with health, health behaviors and perceptions in an adult population with weight excess: One-year follow-up

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) worsens quality of life and increases mortality. Dissatisfaction with weight in patients with MetS may modify the effect of lifestyle interventions to achieve changes in health-related behaviors. Objective: To assess 1-year changes in cardiovascular risk scores, self-perceived general health and health-related behaviors according to observed changes in desired weight loss during the first year of intervention in a large cardiovascular prevention trial. Design: Prospective analysis of the PREDIMED-PLUS trial, including 5,499 adults (55-75 years old) with overweight or obesity at baseline. Methods: The desired weight loss was the difference between ideal and measured weight. Tertiles of change in desired weight loss (1 year vs. baseline) were defined by the following cut-off points: >= 0.0 kg (T1, n = 1,638); 0.0 to -4.0 kg (T2, n = 1,903); <=-4.0 kg (T3, n = 1,958). A food frequency questionnaire assessed diet and the Minnesota-REGICOR questionnaire assessed physical activity. The Framingham equation assessed cardiovascular risks. The changes in the severity of MetS were also assessed. The Beck Depression Inventory assessed depressive symptoms and the SF-36 assessed health-related quality of life. Data were analyzed using general linear models. Results: BMI decreased at T2 and T3 (T1: 0.3, T2: -0.7, T3: -1.9). The most significant improvement in diet quality was observed at T3. Cardiovascular risk decreased at T2 and T3. Mean reductions in MetS severity score were: -0.02 at T1, -0.39 at T2 and -0.78 at T3. The perception of physical health increases in successive tertiles. Conclusions: In older adults with MetS, more ambitious desired weight loss goals were associated with improvements in diet, cardiovascular health and perceived physical health during the first year of a healthy lifestyle intervention programme. Weight dissatisfaction needs to be considered by health professionals