Application of protective cultures against Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni in chicken products packaged under modified atmosphere

To control the growth, or reduce the numbers, of food pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni in chicken products packaged under modified atmosphere (MAP), the effectiveness of protective cultures was evaluated in this study. Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides PCK18 reduced the counts of L. monocytogenes by 1.22 log cfu/g in chicken burgers under MAP after 24 d. Furthermore, a reduction of 1.16 log cfu/g in C. jejuni together with a delay in the growth of lactic acid bacteria was obtained in chicken legs inoculated with Bifidobacterium longum ssp. longum PCB133 and packaged under MAP after 9 d. The combination and concentration of gases in the MAP doubled the products’ shelf-life in comparison with air-packaged samples in both experiments. In conclusion, this study has shown the effectiveness of 2 protective culture strains against 2 foodborne pathogens, resulting in safer products with a longer shelf-life.This study forms part of the projects FOOD-CT-2005-007081 (PathogenCombat), supported by the European Commission through the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Development (Brussels. Belgium), and BU264A11-2, supported by the Consejería de Educación, Junta de Castilla y León (Valladolid. Spain

Modeling Horizontal Ultraviolet Irradiance for All Sky Conditions by Using Artificial Neural Networks and Regression Models

In the present study, different models constructed with meteorological variables are proposed for the determination of horizontal ultraviolet irradiance (IUV), on the basis of data collected at Burgos (Spain) during an experimental campaign between March 2020 and May 2022. The aim is to explore the effectiveness of a range of variables for modelling horizontal ultraviolet irradiance through a comparison of supervised artificial neural network (ANN) and regression model results. A preliminary feature selection process using the Pearson correlation coefficient was sufficient to determine the variables for use in the models. The following variables and their influence on horizontal ultraviolet irradiance were analyzed: horizontal global irradiance (IGH), clearness index (kt), solar altitude angle (α), horizontal beam irradiance (IBH), diffuse fraction (D), temperature (T), sky clearness (ε), cloud cover (Cc), horizontal diffuse irradiance (IDH), and sky brightness (∆). The ANN models yielded results of greater accuracy than the regression models.This research is a result of the project RTI2018-098900-B-I00 financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, project TED2021-131563B-I00 financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union “NextGenerationEU”/PRTR», and Junta de Castilla y León, under grant number INVESTUN/19/BU/0004

Characterization of Campylobacter species in Spanish retail from different fresh chicken products and their antimicrobial resistance

Contaminated chicken products have been recognized as the primary vehicles of Campylobacter transmission to human. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter isolates from fresh chicken products at retail were studied. A total of 512 samples including: thigh, breast, marinated and minced chicken were purchased from different retail stores. Half of the samples were packed and the other half were unpacked. The 39.4% of the samples were Campylobacter positive; being unpacked chicken products (45.3%) more contaminated than packed chicken (33.6%). PFGE typing showed a high diversity among isolates; clustering 204 isolates into 76 PFGE types: 55 clusters of C. jejuni, 19 of C. coli and 2 of C. lari. C. coli genotypes showed higher resistance than other Campylobacter species. Although modified atmosphere packaging can reduce the prevalence of Campylobacter spp., it does not avoid their presence in at least 33.6% of packed chicken products analyzed. Some pulsotypes might persist in the processing plant or butcher shops environment for longer than previously thought. More stringent control measures are needed in previous steps of the chicken food chain, in order to avoid the presence of Campylobacter spp. strains at retail that can compromise consumer's safety.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” from the Spanish Government (AGL 2013–47694-R) and by “Junta de Castilla y Leon” (BU159U14

Medidas de modificación judicial de la capacidad en personas con trastorno mental grave: ¿Protección o iatrogenia?

Introduction and aim. The aim of the study is to analyze and to reflect on if the directives of the International Convention of United Nations on the Rights of the persons with Disability are fulfilled on the type of measure of protection adopted with the users of the Assertive Community Treatment Equipment from Avilés, España. Material and Method. 26 users take part who were submitted to judicial capacity modification procedures from the opening of the centre until 2014. Results. In the sample there are not fulfilled the conditions of lack of self-government in the different spheres. Conclusions. Very restrictive measures of protection are implemented against other minor gravity measures, which supposes a discrimination and a loss of autonomy and rights for the person. Contributions that could optimize the quality of life are included.Introducción y objetivo. El objetivo del estudio es analizar y reflexionar si se cumplen las directrices de la Convención Internacional de Naciones Unidas sobre los derechos de las personas con Discapacidad sobre el tipo de medida de protección adoptada con los usuarios del Equipo de Tratamiento Asertivo Comunitario de Avilés, España. Material y Método. Participan 26 usuarios que fueron sometidos a procedimientos de modificación judicial de la capacidad desde la apertura del dispositivo hasta 2014. Resultados. En la muestra no se cumplen las condiciones de falta de autogobierno en las distintas esferas. Conclusiones. Se están aplicando medidas de protección muy restrictivas frente a otras menos gravosas, lo que supone una discriminación y una pérdida de autonomía y derechos para la persona. Se incluyen aportaciones que podrían optimizar su calidad de vida

Retrieval of monthly average hourly values of direct and diffuse solar irradiance from measurements of global radiation in Spain

An exhaustive evaluation of the performance of decomposition models to estimate direct and diffuse components from the global horizontal solar irradiance has been carried out in this work. The main objective of this work has been to compare the model performance for two different time bases, hourly and monthly average hourly bases. An extensive database of horizontal solar irradiance from nine locations in Spain was used for the study. The data span through January 1980 to December 2012 of hourly solar irradiance for the nine locations and thus indicate a cumulative year sum of 132 years. This study first investigated the decomposition of the hourly horizontal irradiance into hourly direct and diffuse components using six decomposition models widely referenced in the bibliography. In the hourly decomposition investigation, it was observed that there are no significant differences between the six models for each specific location. Nevertheless, the performance of each of the models was strongly dependent on cloudiness conditions and the solar altitude at the location which is associated with the climatic condition of each site. Further investigations using the six decomposition models were conducted to estimate monthly average hourly values of direct and diffuse components of the solar irradiance with proper assessment of the different models' performance at various locations. Based on the results of the investigations which present no significant differences in the performance of the different models, an extremely simple algorithm was developed to estimate monthly average hourly values of direct and diffuse solar irradiance, which reduces the statistical errors in all locations investigated.Spanish Government (ENE2014-54601R) and the 506 Regional Government of Castile and Leon (BU358A12-2

Meningocele transetmoidal y meningitis recurrente. A propósito de un caso

[ES] Introducción: Los meningoceles transetmoidales son raros. El diagnóstico suele ser tardío y se suele realizar por la presencia de meningitis recurrente. Caso Clínico: Paciente de 10 años con antecedentes de meningitis neumocócica en dos ocasiones. Endoscopia nasal: tumoración en fosa nasal derecha entre cornete medio y septum. TAC: lesión con densidad de partes blandas con disrupción de la cortical adyacente a la "crista gali" derecha. RNM: lesión de componente quístico, con pedículo en fosa craneal anterior. Se realiza craneotomía frontal derecha, extirpando meningocele con orificio de salida en lámina cribosa, posterior cierre con duramadre, hueso propio y pericráneo. Estudio anatomopatológico: tejido fibrovascular a modo de membranas y tejido de aspecto glial. Discusión: El meningocele intranasal es una malformación rara caracterizada por una herniación de las meninges, a través de un defecto en la lámina cribiforme, hacia la cavidad nasal, debido generalmente a una anomalía congénita, pero que también secundario a traumatismos o hipertensión crónica intracraneal. Más frecuente en determinadas áreas geográficas, sobre todo en el sudeste asiático. Clínicamente, lo más frecuente es la obstrucción o masa nasal con o sin meningitis de repetición. En el caso de localización etmoidal debe hacerse diagnóstico diferencial con quiste dermoide, hemangioma, glioma y pólipo nasal. La TC y la RM son fundamentales en el diagnóstico y deben preceder a la biopsia. El tratamiento es quirúrgico con abordaje intracraneal o endoscópico nasal. Conclusiones: Ante todo caso de meningitis aguda recidivante, deberían descartarse malformaciones ocultas de la base de cráneo. [EN] Introduction: Transethmoidal meningoceles are rare. The diagnosis is usually delayed and often made by the presence of recurrent meningitis. Case report: A 10-year boy with history of recurrent pneumococcal meningitis. Nasal endoscopy: mass in the right nostril between middle turbinate and septum. CT: soft tissue density lesion with disruption of the cortex adjacent to the "crista gali". MRI: cystic component injury with pedicle in anterior cranial fossa. Right frontal craniotomy was performed, removing meningocele with exit point on the cribriform plate, posterior dural closure, bone itself and scalp. Pathologic Study: fibrovascular tissue as an aspect membranes and glial tissue. Discussion: Intranasal meningocele is a rare malformation characterized by herniation of the meninges into the nasal cavity through a defect in the cribriform plate, due to a congenital abnormality, but also secondary to trauma or chronic intracranial hypertension. More common in certain geographic areas, especially in Southeast Asia. Usually cause nasal obstruction with or without recurrent meningitis. Differential diagnosis must be made with dermoid cyst, hemangioma, glioma and nasal polyp. CT and MRI are essential in the diagnosis and should precede the biopsy. The treatment is surgical or endoscopic nasal intracranial approach. Conclusions: In the presence of recurrent acute meningitis, it is necessary to rule out occult malformations of the skull base

Evaluación de la eficacia de las altas presiones para alargar la vida útil de variedades de morcilla con nuevos ingredientes

Póster presentado en: I Congreso CyTA Junior: 19 de mayo de 2017. IX Congreso CyTA-CESIA, Ayer, hoy y mañana de la Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, 16-19 de mayo de 2017, Madri

Analysis of Intratumoral Heterogeneity in Myelodysplastic Syndromes with Isolated del(5q) Using a Single Cell Approach

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of hematological diseases. Among them, the most well characterized subtype is MDS with isolated chromosome 5q deletion (MDS del(5q)), which is the only one defined by a cytogenetic abnormality that makes these patients candidates to be treated with lenalidomide. During the last decade, single cell (SC) analysis has emerged as a powerful tool to decipher clonal architecture and to further understand cancer and other diseases at higher resolution level compared to bulk sequencing techniques. In this study, a SC approach was used to analyze intratumoral heterogeneity in four patients with MDS del(5q). Single CD34+CD117+CD45+CD19- bone marrow hematopoietic stem progenitor cells were isolated using the C1 system (Fluidigm) from diagnosis or before receiving any treatment and from available follow-up samples. Selected somatic alterations were further analyzed in SC by high-throughput qPCR (Biomark HD, Fluidigm) using specific TaqMan assays. A median of 175 cells per sample were analyzed. Inferred clonal architectures were relatively simple and either linear or branching. Similar to previous studies based on bulk sequencing to infer clonal architecture, we were able to observe that an ancestral event in one patient can appear as a secondary hit in another one, thus reflecting the high intratumoral heterogeneity in MDS del(5q) and the importance of patient-specific molecular characterization

Prevalence of vertebral fractures and their prognostic significance in the survival in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3-5 not on dialysis

The prevalence of vertebral fractures (VF) and their association with clinical risk factors and outcomes are poorly documented in chronic kidney disease (CKD) cohorts. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of VF in patients with non-dialysis dependent CKD (NDD-CKD), their value in predicting mortality and its correlation with parameters of bone mineral metabolism and vascular calcification. 612 NDD 3-5 stage CKD patients participating in the OSERCE-2 study, a prospective, multicenter, cohort study, were prospectively evaluated and categorized into two groups according to presence or absence of VF at enrollment. VF were assessed with lateral radiographs and Genant semi-quantitative method was applied. Three radiologists specialized in musculoskeletal radiology performed consensual reading of individual images obtained using a Raim DICOM Viewer and a Canon EOS 350 camera to measure with Java Image software in those who had traditional acetate X-ray. Factors related to VF were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Association between VF and death over a 3-year follow-up was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox-proportional hazard models. VF were detected in 110patients(18%). Serumphosphatelevels(OR0.719,95%CI0.532to0.972,p = 0.032),ankle-brachial index 3 and serum phosphate, the presence of VF (HR 1.983, 95% CI 1.009-3.898, p = 0.047) were an independent predictor of all-cause mortality. In our study 18% of patients with NDD-CKD have VF. Factors associated with VF were age, low serum phosphate levels and peripheral vascular disease. The presence of VF was an independent risk factor for mortality in stages 3-5 NDD-CKD patients. Clinical trials are needed to confirm whether this relationship is causal and reversible with treatment for osteoporosis