Implementación y Evaluación de Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura (BPM) y principios Estándares de Sanitización (SOPS) en la Asociación de Wueseros de Guamote (AQG), para la producción de Queso Fresco.

En el cantón Guamote, provincia de Chimborazo, se realizó el diagnóstico de las condiciones tecnológicas e higiénicas del proceso de producción de los quesos frescos “Guamoteñito”, para implementar y evaluar la Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura (BPM) y Principios Estándares de Sanítización (SOPS), en la Asociación de Queseros de Guamote (AQG), se utilizaron 36 muestras de leche y de queso fresco, obtenidas de las queseras de Sablog, Gampalá y Guantug; que se sometieron a las pruebas físico-químicas y microbiológicas antes y después de la implementación de BMP y POES. Determinándose que la producción de quesos frescos, era preocupante, por cuanto la calidad higiénica y sanitaria no era la adecuada, aspectos que se corrigieron por medio de la capacitación y puesta en práctica de las BPM y POES. La calidad de la leche cruda y pasteurizada que se recibe cumple con los indicadores propuestos por el INEN, la carga microbiológica (recuento en placa) del área de producción se redujo de 698.00+231.56 a 69.50+22.90 UFC/0.1 m². La calidad del queso fresco representaba un riesgo sanitario, pero con la aplicación de BPM y POES, se dispone de un producto apto para el consumo, por cuanto la presencia de Staphylococcus aureus y Escherichia coli se encuentran por debajo de lo exigido por el INEN; recomendándose utilizar las BPM y POES, y adquirir la cultura de las prácticas de higiene, uso de ropa de protección adecuada y practicas de limpieza periódica, para asegurar que el queso alcance las especificaciones microbiológicas, físicas y químicas óptimas.In the Guamote Canton, Chimborazo Province, the diagnosis of the technological and hygiene conditions of the fresh cheese production process of the "Guamotenito" was carried out to implement and evaluate the Manufacture Good Practices and Sanitation Standard Principles (SOPS) in the Cheese Manufacturers Association of Guamote (AQG); 36 milk samples and fresh cheese from cheese factories of Sablog, Gampala and Guantug were used; they were subjected to physical, chemical and microbiological tests before and after the BPM and POES implementation. It was determined that the fresh cheese production\fas difficult because the hygiene and sanitary quality was not the adequate one, aspects which were corrected through training and practice of BPM and POES. The raw and pasteurized milk quality received meets the proposed indicators by the INEN; the microbiological load (plate re-counting) of the production area was reduced from 698.00±231.56 to 69.50±22.90 UFC/0.1m2. The fresh cheese quality represented a sanitary risk, but with the application of BPM and POES there is a product suitable for consumption because the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli is below the required by the INEN. It is recommended to use BPM and POES and acquire the culture of hygiene practices, use of adequate protection clothing and periodic cleaning practices to assure that the cheese reaches the optimum microbiological, physical and chemical specifications

Spatial Diffusion of Civil Liberty

This paper studies the existence of spatial diffusion of civil liberty among neighboring countries. For that purpose, we first combine different exploratory space-time data analysis approaches to find that this phenomenon is spatially clustered and that a convergence process is at work among the world countries from 1985 to 2010, with a structural change by the end of the Twentieth century mainly due to the appearance of the Internet. Second, we specify a spatial autoregressive panel data model for a sample of 130 countries, for 1985–2000, and 172 countries, for 2000–2010. Results provide evidence for spatial diffusion of civil liberty, though it is not constant along this time span. The spreading rate is 0.34 in the first sub-period. After 2000, it reduces to 0.21; that is, countries only “catch” 21% of the average changes in their neighbors’ civil liberty levels. Additionally, religious culture, urban agglomeration and GDP explain the levels of civil liberties in the worl

Oral leukoplakia treatment with the carbon dioxide laser: A systematic review of the literature

We conducted a systematic review of the literature to evaluate treatment of oral leukoplakia with the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. A comprehensive search of studies published between 1981 and 2015 and listed in the PubMed (National Library of Medicine, NCBI) database yielded 378 articles which were screened in detail. Rele- vant studies were selected according to predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 33 articles met the final inclusion criteria and were analysed in detail in accordance with the PRISMA-P statement. These full-text papers were classified as synopses (n 1⁄4 7), recurrence and malignant trans- formation studies (n 1⁄4 17), comparative studies between CO2 laser and cold knife surgery (n 1⁄4 3) and studies evaluating the efficacy of CO2, Nd:YAG and KTP lasers. According to the literature the CO2 laser is the workhorse of oral leukoplakia treatment due to its effectiveness and low associated morbidity. However, randomized clinical trials are needed to compare CO2 laser with other lasers. The results of our systematic review showed that there is no consensus regarding the factors involved in higher recurrence and malignization rates, so further studies are needed

The treatment of oral leukoplakia with the CO2 laser: A retrospective study of 65 patients

The use of CO2 laser has become a routine procedure for the treatment of oral leukoplakia. In this retrospective study, we evaluated 65 patients with oral leukoplakia treated with CO2 laser vaporization. The main location was the tongue (n ¼ 21/65, 32.3%). The initial biopsy showed mild/moderate dysplasia in almost half the patients (n ¼ 29, 44.6%) and hyperplasia without dysplasia in around a third of the patients (n ¼ 21, 32.3%). The recurrence and malignant transformation rates were 33.8% (n ¼ 22) and 15.4% (n ¼ 10), respectively. The follow-up mean (standard deviation) was 15.0 (10.6) months. The procedure-related complications rate was 7.7% (n ¼ 5). The KaplaneMeier curves for time to recurrence showed differences only for gingiva lesions compared to tongue lesions (log rank, p ¼ 0.032). Malignant leukoplakia transformation is independent of treatment, although it seems advisable to treat leukoplakia with or without dysplasia

Manejo de la vía aérea en oncología de cabeza y cuello

ResumenIntroducciónEl manejo de la vía aérea en cirugía de cabeza y cuello presenta varios retos tanto para el cirujano como para el anestesista. El empleo de la traqueostomía electiva es ampliamente usado pero continúan existiendo algunas controversias en la literatura al respecto.Material y métodosSe ha realizado un estudio prospectivo analizando aspectos clínicos, indicaciones y complicaciones en 57 pacientes afectados de enfermedad oncológica de cabeza y cuello que requirieron la realización de una traqueostomía durante el período comprendido entre enero de 2011 y junio de 2012 en el servicio de cirugía oral y maxilofacial del Hospital Universitario Vall d́Hebron de Barcelona.ResultadosEl grupo de pacientes que recibieron una reconstrucción microquirúgica fue el mayoritario que requirió una traqueostomía (40,35%). La tasa de complicaciones asociada con la técnica fue del 22,8%, de las cuales el 7% fueron consideradas mayores y 5,8% menores. La tasa de complicaciones asociadas con los cuidados de la cánula fue del 15,8%.ConclusionesLa traqueostomía es un método simple y efectivo para el manejo de la vía aérea difícil en pacientes oncológicos de cabeza y cuello asociada a una baja tasa de complicaciones.AbstractBackgroundAirway management in head and neck surgery presents several challenges to the surgeon and the anaesthesist. The use of elective tracheostomy is widely used, but there is still some controversy in the literature.MethodsA prospective study analyzing clinical aspects, indications and complications of 57 head and neck patients who underwent tracheostomy was performed from January 2011 to June 2012 in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of Vall D́Hebron Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.ResultsMicrovascular reconstruction patients were the most frequent group in which tracheostomy was performed (40.35%). The complications rate associated with the technique was of 22.8%, of which only 7% were considered major, and 5.8% minor.The complication rate in relation to cannula care was 15.8%.ConclusionsWe conclude that tracheostomy is a simple and effective method for airway management in head and neck patients, with a low complication rate

Credit and liquidity components of corporate CDS spreads

This paper investigates the role of credit and liquidity factors in explaining corporate CDS price changes during normal and crisis periods. We find that liquidity risk is more important than firm-specific credit risk regardless of market conditions. Moreover, in the period prior to the recent “Great Recession” credit risk plays no role in explaining CDS price changes. The dominance of liquidity effects casts serious doubts on the relevance of CDS price changes as an indicator of default risk dynamics. Our results show how multiple liquidity factors including firm specific and aggregate liquidity proxies as well as an asymmetric information measure are critical determinants of CDS price variations. In particular, the impact of informed traders on the CDS price increases when markets are characterised by higher uncertainty, which supports concerns of insider trading during the crisis

Spatial contagion of civil liberty: some evidence from a spatial econometrics analysis

This paper focuses on civil liberty, which is defined as the individual right to make decisions without interference within a given vital space. It studies the principal factors conditioning civil liberty, one of them being the spatial contagion among neighboring countries. To this purpose, we employ the Civil Liberty Gastil index from Freedom House in a spatial autoregressive (SAR) model estimated from a sample of 175 countries for the year 2010. The results provide good evidence for spatial contagion (spillover effects) of civil liberty across the world. Countries “catch” around 30% of the average changes in their neighbors’ civil liberty levels. Additionally we have also identified religious culture and the Internet as other important variables explaining the differing levels of civil liberty among the world’s countries.El presente artículo trata sobre libertades civiles, entendidas como el derecho individual para tomar decisiones sin interferencias dentro de un espacio vital. En él se estudian los principales factores que condicionan las libertades civiles, entre ellos, el efecto de contagio espacial entre países vecinos. Con este propósito, utilizamos el índice de Libertades Civiles de Gastil, publicado en Freedom House, como variable a explicar en un modelo autorregresivo espacial (SAR) estimado para una muestra de 175 países en el año 2010. Los resultados proporcionan grandes evidencias de la existencia de autocorrelación espacial (o efectos de desbordamiento) de las libertades civiles en el mundo. Los países captan hasta un 30% de las variaciones medias experimentadas por sus vecinos en los niveles de libertades civiles. Hemos identificado también otras variables importantes, como la cultura religiosa y el uso de Internet, que explican las diferencias en términos de libertades civiles entre los países del mundo

Diurnal and Nocturnal Pollination of Marginatocereus marginatus (Pachycereeae: Cactaceae) in Central Mexico

• Background and Aims Chiropterophillous and ornithophillous characteristics can form part of a single reproductive strategy in plants that have flowers with diurnal and nocturnal anthesis. This broader pollination strategy can ensure seed set when pollinators are scarce or unpredictable. This appears to be true of hummingbirds, which presumably pollinate Marginatocereus marginatus, a columnar cactus with red nocturnal and diurnal flowers growing as part of dense bat-pollinated columnar cacti forests in arid regions of central Mexico. The aim of this study was to study the floral biology of M. marginatus, and evaluate the effectiveness of nocturnal vs. diurnal pollinators and the contribution of each pollinator group to overall plant fitness

Proliferation and Foxp3 Expression in Virus-Specific Memory CD8+ T Lymphocytes

Foxp3 plays a critical role in development of CD4+ regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs). It was originally proposed as a specific marker for Tregs, but recent studies have shown that Foxp3 can be expressed in proliferating CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes. We further investigated the association between Foxp3 expression and proliferation of peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and focused on virus-specific memory CD8+ T lymphocytes. We found that resting peripheral blood bulk and cytomegalovirus- or HIV-1-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes do not normally express Foxp3. However, stimulation in vitro triggered these cells to express Foxp3 as well as CD25, and the addition of interleukin-2 possibly enhanced the expression of Foxp3. These data demonstrate that proliferation itself is sufficient to induce the Treg-like phenotype. Given that others have demonstrated Treg functional activity in such “induced Tregs,” these results suggest that virus-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes have the capacity to acquire regulatory functions. Although the implications of Foxp3 expression in virus-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in the immunologic control of persistent HIV-1 viremia remain to be determined, our results are consistent with Foxp3 expression playing an essential role in regulation of cell proliferation and functional outcomes for HIV-1-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes