Surviving COVID-19 and Ensuring Digital Access to Education in Extreme Poverty Contexts

The pandemic has highlighted disparities in access to technology. There is no doubt that many children and young people without physical contact to schools and no technological devices at home have fallen into the digital gap, and into social inequality. According to Harris (2020, 3): These current circumstances demand that all students have Internet connectivity so that they can access resources and continue progressing. Those leading education systems, therefore, have a moral duty to invest in connectivity for all learners, as a priority, if learning is to be genuinely inclusive and equity is to be realised. Hence, accepting educational responsibility is essential for survival in the Era of COVID-19. The paper focuses on the digital divide in “Los Asperones” (Alcalde, Ruiz-Román and Molina, 2017), a disadvantaged area of Malaga (southern Spain), where there are 1000 people located there, of which 90% are in extreme poverty. According to Ruiz-Román, Molina and Alcaide (2018) in recent years there has been a huge effort on the part of educational institutions and NGOs to get children and young people to advance in their studies. Azorín (2020) and Herrera-Pastor, Juárez and Ruiz-Román (2020) note that Los Asperones survives thanks to a social network that revolves around this neighborhood, but COVID-19 has undoubtedly made the social and exclusion gap even wider. A patronage project led by the University of Malaga (UMA) and the Association “Chavorrillos” is currently under way in response to the crisis. The project aims to generate synergies between volunteers from the UMA and the neighborhood, thus empowering the people who live Los Asperones, and seeks to combat inequality and the digital divide by providing tools that truly allow "connect to learn: learn to connect”Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Comparative pan-genome analysis of Piscirickettsia salmonis reveals genomic divergences within genogroups

Indexación: Scopus.Piscirickettsia salmonis is the etiological agent of salmonid rickettsial septicemia, a disease that seriously affects the salmonid industry. Despite efforts to genomically characterize P. salmonis, functional information on the life cycle, pathogenesis mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment, and control of this fish pathogen remain lacking. To address this knowledge gap, the present study conducted an in silico pan-genome analysis of 19 P. salmonis strains from distinct geographic locations and genogroups. Results revealed an expected open pan-genome of 3,463 genes and a core-genome of 1,732 genes. Two marked genogroups were identified, as confirmed by phylogenetic and phylogenomic relationships to the LF-89 and EM-90 reference strains, as well as by assessments of genomic structures. Different structural configurations were found for the six identified copies of the ribosomal operon in the P. salmonis genome, indicating translocation throughout the genetic material. Chromosomal divergences in genomic localization and quantity of genetic cassettes were also found for the Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system. To determine divergences between core-genomes, additional pan-genome descriptions were compiled for the so-termed LF and EM genogroups. Open pan-genomes composed of 2,924 and 2,778 genes and core-genomes composed of 2,170 and 2,228 genes were respectively found for the LF and EM genogroups. The core-genomes were functionally annotated using the Gene Ontology, KEGG, and Virulence Factor databases, revealing the presence of several shared groups of genes related to basic function of intracellular survival and bacterial pathogenesis. Additionally, the specific pan-genomes for the LF and EM genogroups were defined, resulting in the identification of 148 and 273 exclusive proteins, respectively. Notably, specific virulence factors linked to adherence, colonization, invasion factors, and endotoxins were established. The obtained data suggest that these genes could be directly associated with inter-genogroup differences in pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions, information that could be useful in designing novel strategies for diagnosing and controlling P. salmonis infection. © 2017 Nourdin-Galindo, Sánchez, Molina, Espinoza-Rojas, Oliver, Ruiz, Vargas-Chacoff, Cárcamo, Figueroa, Mancilla, Maracaja-Coutinho and Yañez.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00459/ful

ANALISIS KUALITATIF DAN KUANTITATIF MINYAK ATSIRI DAUN SIRIH HIJAU (Piper betle L.) DAN DAUN SIRIH MERAH (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav.) BERASAL DARI KUPANG, NTT

Abstract - This study aims to analyze qualitatively and quantitatively essential oils on green betel leaf (Piper betle L.) and red betel leaf (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav.) Taken from Kupang City, NTT. Qualitative test results of volatile oil of green betel leaf include liquid form, aromatic odor, brownish yellow color, bitter spicy taste, weight of type 0,7455 ± 0,013, and refractive index 1,46595 ± 0,019. Essential oils of red betel leaf include liquid form, aromatic odor, yellow color, bitter spicy taste, weight of type 0,7724 ± 0,001, and refractive index 1,46789 ± 0,009. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) stains on the volatile oil of green betel leaf showed 8 stains and the red betel leaves showed 9 stains. Analysis of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that on the volatile oil of green betel leaves there were 35 compounds with % quality> 90%, and dominated by 5 components of compounds with the largest area of Sabinene (6.72%), α -Copaene (6.23%), L-Calamenene (1.60%), trans-Caryophyllene (0.77%) and Cavicol (0.65%). Essential oil of red betel leaf 35 compound with% quality> 90%, and dominated by 5 component of compound with the largest area of β-Myrcene(13,80%), Linalool L (3,29%), α-Thujene (1 , 52%),γ- Terpinene (1.36%), cis-β-Terpineol (1.15%)

ANALISIS KUALITATIF DAN KUANTITATIF MINYAK ATSIRI DAUN SIRIH HIJAU (Piper betle L.) DAN DAUN SIRIH MERAH (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav.) BERASAL DARI KUPANG, NTT

Abstract - This study aims to analyze qualitatively and quantitatively essential oils on green betel leaf (Piper betle L.) and red betel leaf (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav.) Taken from Kupang City, NTT. Qualitative test results of volatile oil of green betel leaf include liquid form, aromatic odor, brownish yellow color, bitter spicy taste, weight of type 0,7455 ± 0,013, and refractive index 1,46595 ± 0,019. Essential oils of red betel leaf include liquid form, aromatic odor, yellow color, bitter spicy taste, weight of type 0,7724 ± 0,001, and refractive index 1,46789 ± 0,009. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) stains on the volatile oil of green betel leaf showed 8 stains and the red betel leaves showed 9 stains. Analysis of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that on the volatile oil of green betel leaves there were 35 compounds with % quality> 90%, and dominated by 5 components of compounds with the largest area of Sabinene (6.72%), α -Copaene (6.23%), L-Calamenene (1.60%), trans-Caryophyllene (0.77%) and Cavicol (0.65%). Essential oil of red betel leaf 35 compound with% quality> 90%, and dominated by 5 component of compound with the largest area of β-Myrcene(13,80%), Linalool L (3,29%), α-Thujene (1 , 52%),γ- Terpinene (1.36%), cis-β-Terpineol (1.15%)

Improved antimicrobial activity of immobilised essential oil components against representative spoilage wine microorganisms

[EN] Wine, as a fermented drink, is considered a microbiologically safe beverage, but the growth of spoilage microorganisms can cause economic damage. As a new preservative process, the application of immobilised essential oil components (EOCs) is proposed in this study. EOCs were attached to the surface of three different commercial supports (silica particles, cellulose particles and cellulosic membrane) to avoid the disadvantages of using these compounds in their free form, such as volatility, low water solubility and intense aroma. The results showed that the treatment of spoilage microorganisms with antimicrobial particles (silica and cellulose) significantly reduced the viability and growth capacity of the target microorganisms. The covalent attachment of EOCs to particles led to a significant reduction in both the MIC values and viability compared with most free compounds. The enhanced antimicrobial activity of EOCs after their anchorage to a support was confirmed, resulting in MIC values of 10-90 fold lower than those of the free bioactive compounds. In addition, the filtration of microorganism suspensions through EOC-functionalised membranes showed remarkably antimicrobial activity.Authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and FEDER-EU (Projects AGL2015-70235-C2-1-R and AGL2016-77505-C3-1-R, granted to JMB and JMG, respectively). The authors also thank the Electron Microscopy Service at the UPV for support. Authors thank Antonio Ruiz for technical assistance.García-Ríos, E.; Ruiz Rico, M.; Guillamón Navarro, JM.; Pérez-Esteve, É.; Barat Baviera, JM. (2018). Improved antimicrobial activity of immobilised essential oil components against representative spoilage wine microorganisms. Food Control. 94:177-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.07.005S1771869

Ring splitting of azetidin-2-ones via radical anions

The radical anions of azetidin-2-ones, generated by UV-irradiation in the presence of triethylamine, undergo ring-splitting via N-C4 or C3-C4 bond breaking, leading to open-chain amides. This reactivity diverges from that found for the neutral excited states, which is characterised by alpha-cleavage. The preference for beta-cleavage is supported by DFT theoretical calculations on the energy barriers associated with the involved transition states. Thus, injection of one electron into the azetidin-2-one moiety constitutes a complementary activation strategy which may be exploited to produce new chemistry.Financial support from the MICINN (Grants CTQ-2010-14882, CTQ-2009-13699 and JCI-2010-06204), Generalitat Valenciana (Prometeo 2008/90), from CSIC (JAEDOC 101-2011) and from the UPV (Grant No. 20100994 and MCI Program) is gratefully acknowledged.Pérez Ruiz, R.; Sáez Cases, JA.; Domingo, LR.; Jiménez Molero, MC.; Miranda Alonso, MÁ. (2012). Ring splitting of azetidin-2-ones via radical anions. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry. 10(39):7928-7932. https://doi.org/10.1039/c2ob26528aS79287932103