Evaluación de catequinas acidificadas en la alimentación de gallinas ponedoras

Existen antecedentes que muestran que el uso de acidificantes genera mejoras en el desempeño productivo de las aves. Por tal motivo, se realizó una prueba en una granja comercial para evaluar el efecto de un aditivo a base de catequinas acidificadas sobre la respuesta zootécnica de aves de postura. Como principales resultados, se observó un aumento de la postura de 2.5 puntos porcentuales, una reducción en la conversión por docena de 77 g y un aumento de la densidad de cáscara de 1.5 mg/cm2, lo que se traduce en una menor rotura de huevos.EEA PergaminoFil: Iglesias, Bernardo Fabricio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Sección Avicultura; ArgentinaFil: Azcona, J.O. Granja Avícola “El Chaveche” ; ArgentinaFil: Charriere, María Viviana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Sección Avicultura; ArgentinaFil: Fain Binda, Virginia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Sección Avicultura; ArgentinaFil: Azcona, J.M. Granja Avícola “El Chaveche” ; ArgentinaFil: Vicente, G. Porfenc SRL.; Argentin

Evaluación de catequinas acidificadas en la alimentación de gallinas ponedoras

En el reino vegetal se encuentra un gran número de compuestos químicos que las plantas utilizan para protegerse de predadores, así como de ataques de microorganismos (Yadav & Jha, 2019). El uso de acidificantes genera mejoras en el desempeño productivo de las aves como resultado de una disminución del pH intestinal (Youssef et al., 2013). AES® es un producto desarrollado por la empresa Porfenc SRL, el cual presenta en su composición catequinas acidificadas (polifenoles con actividad amplificada) y pectinas cítricas, que le confieren al producto actividad antiinflamatoria intestinal, por lo que brinda diferentes beneficios: - Cambios en la flora intestinal eliminando o reduciendo bacterias patógenas e incrementando las benéficas. Esta mejora en la salud intestinal se traduce en mejoras en el desempeño zootécnico de las aves (Iglesias et al., 2013). - Mejora el balance electrolítico. - Mantiene la integridad intestinal (Pinto, 2020).EEA PergaminoFil: Iglesias, Bernardo Fabricio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Sección Avicultura; ArgentinaFil: Azcona, Jorge Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Sección Avicultura; ArgentinaFil: Charriere, María Viviana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Sección Avicultura; ArgentinaFil: Fain Binda, Virginia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Sección Avicultura; ArgentinaFil: Azcona, J.M. Granja avícola “El Chaveche"; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalo, Vicente. Porfenc SRL; Argentin

Location of intertidal zones suitable for clam culture in the Piedras River (southwestern Iberian Peninsula)

Clam ongrowing in the intertidal zone of Huelva (southwestern Iberian Peninsula) is a fast-rising industry in the area. Therefore, it is necessary for the local authorities to regulate this activity. The success of seabed cultivation will largely depend on the selection of appropriate sites (e.g., substrate, exposure, seabed area, environmental requirements). The present study aimed to characterise and quantify the intertidal substrate suitable for bivalve culture in the Piedras River, in order to establish criteria for intertidal zone use. The results obtained showed that there are 694 525 m² that could be used for ongrowing the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum (Adamsampersand Reeve, 1850); of these, it is necessary to improve the substrate of 66 625 m², whilst 2 800 m² can be occupied immediately. The area for culture of the carpet shell Ruditapes decussatus (L., 1758) was estimated at 19 906 m² of the total area.El impulso que está recibiendo el engorde de almejas en la zona intermareal de los caños, esteros y estuarios de la provincia de Huelva, justificado por los buenos resultados obtenidos con la almeja japonesa Ruditapes philippinarum (Adamsampersand Reeve, 1850), se refleja en el aumento de solicitudes de autorizaciones y concesiones administrativas. Para la ordenación de la actividad es necesario, entre otras evaluaciones, caracterizar y cuantificar la superficie de la franja intermareal con potencialidad para el cultivo y establecer una escala que permita priorizar su aprovechamiento y las posibilidades de ocupación. Con los diferentes valores estimados analíticamente, las asignaciones empíricas y las ponderaciones correspondientes, se considera que en el río Piedras existen 69 425 m² de superficie susceptible de ser utilizada para el engorde de la almeja japonesa, de los que 19 906 m² podrían destinarse al de la almeja fina Ruditapes decussatus (L., 1758). Del total, 66 625 m² necesitarán enmiendas del sustrato y 2 800 m² son ocupables de forma inmediata.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Mechanisms of linezolid resistance among enterococci of clinical origin in Spain—detection of optrA-and cfr(D)-carrying E. faecalis

The mechanisms of linezolid resistance among 13 E. faecalis and 6 E. faecium isolates, recovered from six Spanish hospitals during 2017–2018, were investigated. The presence of acquired linezolid resistance genes and mutations in 23S rDNA and in genes encoding for ribosomal proteins was analyzed by PCR and amplicon sequencing. Moreover, the susceptibility to 18 antimicrobial agents was investigated, and the respective molecular background was elucidated by PCR-amplicon sequencing and whole genome sequencing. The transferability of the linezolid resistance genes was evaluated by filter-mating experiments. The optrA gene was detected in all 13 E. faecalis isolates; and one optrA-positive isolate also carried the recently described cfr(D) gene. Moreover, one E. faecalis isolate displayed the nucleotide mutation G2576T in the 23S rDNA. This mutation was also present in all six E. faecium isolates. All linezolid-resistant enterococci showed a multiresistance phenotype and harbored several antimicrobial resistance genes, as well as many virulence determinants. The fexA gene was located upstream of the optrA gene in 12 of the E. faecalis isolates. Moreover, an erm(A)-like gene was located downstream of optrA in two isolates recovered from the same hospital. The optrA gene was transferable in all but one E. faecalis isolates, in all cases along with the fexA gene. The cfr(D) gene was not transferable. The presence of optrA and mutations in the 23S rDNA are the main mechanisms of linezolid resistance among E. faecalis and E. faecium, respectively. We report the first description of the cfr(D) gene in E. faecalis. The presence of the optrA and cfr(D) genes in Spanish hospitals is a public health concern

Valoración del cambio de composición corporal en adolescentes con sobrepeso y obesidad incluidos en un tratamiento multidisciplinar: Estudio EVASYON

La adolescencia se considera una etapa vulnerable desde el punto de vista nutricional. La obesidad en la infancia y adolescencia se considera una enfermedad compleja, que preocupa tanto a padres como a profesionales sanitaros debido a su alta prevalencia y a sus consecuencias en la edad adulta. Por ello, los objetivos generales de este trabajo son: 1) valorar los índices antropométricos sencillos como predictores de los cambios de grasa corporal, empleando absorciometría dual de rayos X como método de referencia; 2) identificar los predictores cognitivos y conductuales del abandono de un estudio de intervención, y calcular la tasa de abandono; 3) valorar los cambios de composición corporal en niños y adolescentes, empleando diferentes métodos de composición corporal; y 4) valorar si el cumplimiento de la intervención dietética y el índice de calidad de la dieta son predictores de los cambios de composición corporal durante un seguimiento de 13 meses de una intervención multidisciplinar..

Development and clinical evaluation of a simple optical method to detect and measure patient external motion

A simple and independent system to detect and measure the position of a number of points in space was devised and implemented. Its application aimed to detect patient motion during radiotherapy treatments, alert of out-of-tolerances motion, and record the trajectories for subsequent studies. The system obtains the 3D position of points in space, through its projections in 2D images recorded by two cameras. It tracks black dots on a white sticker placed on the surface of the moving object. The system was tested with linear displacements of a phantom, circular trajectories of a rotating disk, oscillations of an in-house phantom, and oscillations of a 4D phantom. It was also used to track 461 trajectories of points on the surface of patients during their radiotherapy treatments. Trajectories of several points were reproduced with accuracy better than 0.3 mm in the three spatial directions. The system was able to follow periodic motion with amplitudes lower than 0.5 mm, to follow trajectories of rotating points at speeds up to 11.5 cm/s, and to track accurately the motion of a respiratory phantom. The technique has been used to track the motion of patients during radiotherapy and to analyze that motion. The method is flexible. Its installation and calibration are simple and quick. It is easy to use and can be implemented at a very affordable price. Data collection does not involve any discomfort to the patient and does not delay the treatment, so the system can be used routinely in all treatments. It has an accuracy similar to that of other, more sophisticated, commercially available systems. It is suitable to implement a gating system or any other application requiring motion detection, such as 4D CT, MRI or PET

Commissioning of a synchrotron-based proton beam therapy system for use with a Monte Carlo treatment planning system

This work tackles the commissioning and validation of a novel combination of a synchrotron-based proton beam therapy system (Hitachi, Ltd.) for use with a Monte Carlo treatment planning system (TPS). Four crucial aspects in this configuration have been investigated: (1) Monte Carlo-based correction performed by the TPS to the measured integrated depth-dose curves (IDD), (2) circular spot modelling with a single Gaussian function to characterize the synchrotron physical spot, which is elliptical, (3) the modelling of the range shifter that enables using only one set of measurements in open beams, and (4) the Monte Carlo dose calculation model in small fields. Integrated depth-dose curves were measured with a PTW Bragg peak chamber and corrected, with a Monte Carlo model, to account for energy absorbed outside the detector. The elliptical spot was measured by IBA Lynx scintillator, EBT3 films and PTW microDiamond. The accuracy of the TPS (RayStation, RaySearch Laboratories) at spot modelling with a circular Gaussian function was assessed. The beam model was validated using spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) fields. We took single-point doses at several depths through the central axis using a PTW Farmer chamber, for fields between 2 × 2cm and 30 × 30cm. We checked the range-shifter modelling from open-beam data. We tested clinical cases with film and an ioni- zation chamber array (IBA Matrix). Sigma differences for spots fitted using 2D images and 1D profiles to elliptical and circular Gaussian models were below 0.22 mm. Differences between SOBP measurements at single points and TPS calculations for all fields between 5 × 5 and 30 × 30cm were below 2.3%. Smaller fields had larger differences: up to 3.8% in the 2 × 2cm field. Mean differences at several depths along the central axis were generally below 1%. Differences in range- shifter doses were below 2.4%. Gamma test (3%, 3 mm) results for clinical cases were generally above 95% for Matrix and film. Approaches for modelling synchrotron proton beams have been validated. Dose values for open and range- shifter fields demonstrate accurate Monte Carlo correction for IDDs. Elliptical spots can be successfully modelled using a circular Gaussian, which is accurate for patient calculations and can be used for small fields. A double-Gaussian spot can improve small-field calculations. The range-shifter modelling approach, which reduces clinical commissioning time, is adequat

Penicillin susceptibility among invasive MSSA infections: a multicentre study in 16 Spanish hospitals

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of penicillin susceptibility among MSSA causing bloodstream infections (BSIs) in 16 Spanish hospitals and to characterize the penicillin-susceptible MSSA (MSSA-PENS) isolates. Methods: A total of 1011 Staphylococcus aureus isolates were collected from blood cultures in 16 Spanish hospitals during 2018–19 (6–12 months) and their susceptibility to 18 antimicrobials was determined. The MSSA-PENS isolates were selected and examined by PCR to determine the presence of the blaZ gene, other resistance genes and the genes lukF/lukS-PV, eta, etb and tst. The immune evasion cluster (IEC) type was also analysed. All the MSSA-PENS isolates were submitted to S. aureus protein A (spa) typing and the clonal complexes (CCs) were assigned according to their spa type. Results: The prevalence of MSSA was 74.6% (754/1011) and 14.9% (151/1011) were MSSA-PENS-blaZnegative. MSSA-PENS-blaZnegative isolates (n = 151) were ascribed to 88 spa types and 11 CCs. The most frequent CCs were CC5 (35/151) and CC398 (25/151), with t002-CC5 and t571-CC398 being the most common lineages. Pan-susceptibility was identified in 117 of the 151 MSSA-PENS-blaZnegative isolates (77.5%). In the remaining isolates, erythromycin and clindamycin resistance was the most frequent resistance found, although tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, fusidic acid, mupirocin and/or tetracycline resistance was also detected. Thirty-eight MSSA-PENS-blaZnegative isolates were IEC negative and four isolates were Panton–Valentine leucocidin (‘PVL’) positive. Conclusions: A high penicillin susceptibility rate was detected among MSSA, opening therapeutic opportunities for BSIs. The emergence of new successful MSSA-PENS clones could be responsible for these data. The detection among MSSA-PENS-blaZnegative isolates of the clonal lineage CC398 or the absence of an IEC raises questions about their possible animal origin, requiring further analysis

Hospital-based proton therapy implementation during the COVID pandemic: early clinical and research experience in a European academic institution

Introduction A rapid deploy of unexpected early impact of the COVID pandemic in Spain was described in 2020. Oncology practice was revised to facilitate decision-making regarding multimodal therapy for prevalent cancer types amenable to multidisciplinary treatment in which the radiotherapy component searched more efcient options in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic, minimizing the risks to patients whilst aiming to guarantee cancer outcomes. Methods A novel Proton Beam Therapy (PBT), Unit activity was analyzed in the period of March 2020 to March 2021. Institutional urgent, strict and mandatory clinical care standards for early diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 infection were stablished in the hospital following national health-authorities’ recommendations. The temporary trends of patients care and research projects proposals were registered. Results 3 out of 14 members of the professional staf involved in the PBR intra-hospital process had a positive test for COVID infection. Also, 4 out of 100 patients had positive tests before initiating PBT, and 7 out of 100 developed positive tests along the weekly mandatory special checkup performed during PBT to all patients. An update of clinical performance at the PBT Unit at CUN Madrid in the initial 500 patients treated with PBT in the period from March 2020 to November 2022 registers a distribution of 131 (26%) pediatric patients, 63 (12%) head and neck cancer and central nervous system neoplasms and 123 (24%) re-irradiation indications. In November 2022, the activity reached a plateau in terms of patients under treatment and the impact of COVID pandemic became sporadic and controlled by minor medical actions. At present, the clinical data are consistent with an academic practice prospectively (NCT05151952). Research projects and scientifc production was adapted to the pandemic evolution and its infuence upon professional time availability. Seven research projects based in public funding were activated in this period and preliminary data on molecular imaging guided proton therapy in brain tumors and post-irradiation patterns of blood biomarkers are reported. Conclusions Hospital-based PBT in European academic institutions was impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, although clinical and research activities were developed and sustained. In the post-pandemic era, the benefts of online learning will shape the future of proton therapy education