Non-covalent interactions at electrochemical interfaces : one model fits all?

Acknowledgements Funding from the DGI (Spanish Ministry of Education and Science) through Project CTQ2009-07017 is gratefully acknowledged. E.P.M.L. wishes to thank the Universidad Nacional de Co´rdoba, Argentina, for a grant within the ‘‘Programa de Movilidad Internacional de Profesores Cuarto Centenario’’.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Oxidative Stress in Disease and Aging: Mechanisms and Therapies 2016

International audienceOxidative stress (OS) is an imbalance between the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This phenomenon increases with age and affects the normal functioning of several tissues. Furthermore, numerous chronic diseases associated with older age, such as diabetes and cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, and skeletal muscle disorders, are also directly related to OS. Considering this relationship, the aim of many ongoing studies is to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and role of OS in disease onset and development. In particular, there is considerable emphasis on finding new therapeutic strategies for decreasing OS

Estado actual de los recursos informaticos en el sector industrial de la ciudad de Talca

112 p.Los Recursos Informativos (RI) han evolucionado tanto que se ha cambiado la forma de funcionar en las organizaciones, hasta llegar a lo que actualmente se conoce como empresas punto com. (com). A nivel internacional, sobre todo en los países desarrollados existen empresas que basan gran parte de sus procesos en los RI. Debido a que en el mundo las comunicaciones se han desarrollado enormemente, el planeta esta inmerso en la Ramada era de la "Globalización". Esta globalización permite que países menos desarrollados puedan acceder también a la mas alta tecnología. Es interesante entonces saber como han adoptado este cambio las empresas chilenas. Para determinar si las empresas están por buen camino o no, se decidió realizar un estudio sobre el estado actual de estos recursos en las empresas. Actualmente existe un estudio que abarca las empresas del sector comercio en la ciudad de Talca, sin embargo, este estudio no es extrapolable a los demás sectores de la economía. Además, por considerarse el sector industrial uno de los mas importantes dentro de nuestra economía, el estudio se centra en este tipo de empresas, y con el propósito de contribuir al desarrollo de una región que se encuentra alicaída, se tomo como base para la investigación la ciudad de Talca capital de la Séptima Región del Maule. El estudio se basa en una investigación de mercado a través de un cuestionario aplicado a las empresas a fin de obtener información relevante que permita visualizar de algún modo el estado actual de los RI en el sector industrial de Talca

Borrelia Chilensis, a New Member of the Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato Complex That Extends the Range of This Genospecies in the Southern Hemisphere

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), transmitted by Ixodes spp. ticks, is the causative agent of Lyme disease. Although Ixodes spp. ticks are distributed in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres, evidence for the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in South America apart from Uruguay is lacking. We now report the presence of culturable spirochetes with flat-wave morphology and borrelial DNA in endemic Ixodes stilesi ticks collected in Chile from environmental vegetation and long-tailed rice rats (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus). Cultured spirochetes and borrelial DNA in ticks were characterized by multilocus sequence typing and by sequencing five other loci (16S and 23S ribosomal genes, 5S-23S intergenic spacer, flaB, ospC). Phylogenetic analysis placed this spirochete as a new genospecies within the Lyme borreliosis group. Its plasmid profile determined by polymerase chain reaction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis differed from that of B. burgdorferi B31A3. We propose naming this new South American member of the Lyme borreliosis group B. chilensis VA1 in honor of its country of origin

Monitoring of housing blocks in Zaragoza (Spain) to validate the energy savings calculation method for the renovation of nZEB dwellings

The European directives and objectives of the 2020 strategy and NextGen funds highlight the importance of rehabilitating urban environments. In this context, it is important to make available planning tools that evaluate the possible improvements in the energy efficiency of housing blocks, transforming them, in accordance with the established regulatory criteria, into nearly zero-energy buildings. Methods based on geographic information system (GIS) can be a great help in energy planning and constitutes a step forward from other proposals, due to its automation in the calculation process, and the possibility of replicating it for any city and the scale of analysis. Due to the potential of the method, the validation of GIS methods is very necessary. Our research empirically evaluates the reliability of one of these methods by monitoring a housing block built in Zaragoza (Spain). This was monitored for a year to evaluate the percentage of savings achieved after the energy renovation of the building according to nZEB parameters. The results indicate that the quality of the analyzed model is high. This research concludes that the method offers objective criteria when delimiting priority areas for energy improvement in the city and constitutes a planning tool of interest for different agents involved in renovation activities

Preventive Leptin Administration Protects Against Sepsis Through Improving Hypotension, Tachycardia, Oxidative Stress Burst, Multiple Organ Dysfunction, and Increasing Survival

Sepsis syndrome is the most important cause of mortality in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). However, current therapies for its prevention and treatment are still unsatisfactory, and the mortality rate is still high. Non-septic ICU patients are vulnerable to acquire sepsis syndrome. Thus, a preventive treatment for this population is needed. During sepsis syndrome and endotoxemia, severe hypotension, tachycardia, oxidative and immune response increase, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and decreased survival are observed. Leptin administration protects against negative effects of sepsis syndrome and endotoxemia. Furthermore, it is has been reported that leptin elevates blood pressure mediated by sympathetic nervous system activation. However, whether leptin administration before sepsis induction mediates its protective effects during sepsis through blood pressure regulation is not known. Therefore, we investigated whether pre-treatment of leptin improves blood pressure and MODS, resulting in survival increase during endotoxemia. The results showed that leptin administration before endotoxemia induction reduced both the hypotension and tachycardia characteristically observed during endotoxemia. Notably, this protective effect was observed early and late in the course of endotoxemia. Endotoxemia-induced MODS decreased in leptin-treated rats, which was reflected in normal values for liver and kidney function, inhibition of muscle mass wasting and maintenance of glycemia. Furthermore, leptin pre-treatment decreased the oxidative stress burst in blood and blunted the increased pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 observed during endotoxemia. Remarkably, according to the leptin-induced increase in survival, leptin pre-administration decreased the risk for death associated with sepsis syndrome at early and late times after endotoxemia induction. These results show a potential preventive therapy against sepsis syndrome and endotoxemia in vulnerable patients, based in the beneficial actions of leptin

Contribución al estudio de Ascomycota alcalofílicos y alcalino-tolerantes de Argentina.

Several species of alkalophilic and alkali-tolerant soil Ascomycota were isolated and reported here, namely: Emericellopsis minima; Melanospora zamiae; Neosartorya stramenia; Neurospora tetrasperma; Talaromyces flavus var. flavus; Talaromyces trachyspermus; Talaromyces stipitatus and Westerdykella dispersa. Neosartorya stramenia, Neurospora tetrasperma and Westerdykella dispersa were recorded for the first time for Argentina.Se informa sobre 8 especies de Ascomycota alcalofílicos y alcalino-tolerantes de suelo: Emericellopsis minima; Melanospora zamiae; Neosartorya stramenia; Neurospora tetrasperma; Talaromyces flavus var. flavus; Talaromyces trachyspermus; Talaromyces stipitatus y Westerdykella dispersa. Neosartorya stramenia, Neurospora tetrasperma y Westerdykella dispersa son nuevos registros para Argentina.Instituto de Botánica "Dr. Carlos Spegazzini"Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriale

Effect of Dietary Supplements with ω-3 Fatty Acids, Ascorbic Acid, and Polyphenolic Antioxidant Flavonoid on Gene Expression, Organ Failure, and Mortality in Endotoxemia-Induced Septic Rats

Sepsis syndrome develops through enhanced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Sepsis syndrome is characterized by vascular hyperpermeability, hypotension, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), and increased mortality, among others. Endotoxemia-derived sepsis is an important cause of sepsis syndrome. During endotoxemia, circulating endotoxin interacts with endothelial cells (ECs), inducing detrimental effects on endothelium function. The endotoxin induces the conversion of ECs into fibroblasts, which are characterized by a massive change in the endothelial gene-expression pattern. This downregulates the endothelial markers and upregulates fibrotic proteins, mesenchymal transcription factors, and extracellular matrix proteins, producing endothelial fibrosis. Sepsis progression is modulated by the consumption of specific nutrients, including ω-3 fatty acids, ascorbic acid, and polyphenolic antioxidant flavonoids. However, the underlying mechanism is poorly described. The notion that gene expression is modulated during inflammatory conditions by nutrient consumption has been reported. However, it is not known whether nutrient consumption modulates the fibrotic endothelial gene-expression pattern during sepsis as a mechanism to decrease vascular hyperpermeability, hypotension, MODS, and mortality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the consumption of dietary ω-3 fatty acids, ascorbic acid, and polyphenolic antioxidant flavonoid supplements on the modulation of fibrotic endothelial gene-expression patterns during sepsis and to determine the effects on sepsis outcomes. Our results indicate that the consumption of supplements based on ω-3 fatty acids and polyphenolic antioxidant flavonoids was effective for improving endotoxemia outcomes through prophylactic ingestion and therapeutic usage. Thus, our findings indicated that specific nutrient consumption improves sepsis outcomes and should be considered in treatment