Origin and Control Strategies of Biofilms in the Cultural Heritage

Biodeterioration is defined as the undesirable change in the properties of materials caused by the activity of biological agents. This process is complex and involves alterations in the physicochemical and mechanical properties by the action of organisms and depends on the microorganisms involved, type of substrate, and environmental conditions. The biodeterioration of cultural heritage is the physical or chemical damage caused by microorganisms on objects, monuments, or buildings that belong to the cultural heritage. Among the main materials that can be affected are: stone, metal, ceramic, polymers, and other materials. Among the main undesirable effects to these materials are: discoloration, dissolution, rupture, and efflorescence among others. Biofilms represent the usual form of growth of bacteria and consist of communities of microorganisms that grow attached to an inert surface or a living tissue, surrounded by an extracellular matrix that they themselves synthesize. The importance of biodeterioration by biofilms is mainly related to changes in pH values, ionic concentrations, oxide-reduction reactions in the biofilm thickness, and in the interface with the substrate and enzymatic degradation. This chapter presents evidence of the participation of biofilms and associated mechanisms in biodeterioration as well as the main prevention and control strategies

Seguro preventivo para mascotas – Mascoti Salud

Las mascotas cada día van ganando un espacio mayor en la vida de las personas, son considerados miembros de familia, y en muchos casos han llenado vacíos en los hogares que son de parejas o personas que viven solas. Por lo tanto las personas que son dueñas de estos seres vivos, sienten un gran compromiso con su cuidado y bienestar, por lo que no escatiman en tener un presupuesto mensual para su alimentación, estética y recreación. Sin embargo, en el tema de la salud, hay una actitud más reactiva, sólo cuando la mascota se enferma o accidenta se acude al veterinario, y no se toma en cuenta un rol de prevención. En el país, algunas aseguradoras están lanzando seguros orientados a la salud de las mascotas, en vista de ello nuestra empresa se ha conformado como una corredora de seguros especializada en mascotas, asesorando a nuestros clientes con personal capacitado en este tipo de seguro exclusivo, brindando la mejor alternativa en cuanto a cobertura y costo, además de un servicio post venta centrado en el cliente. Nosotros como empresa corredora de seguros especializada en mascotas, ofrecemos beneficios que van desde evaluar objetivamente los riesgos de cada raza, somos imparciales en la gestión de la efectividad del seguro, ofrecemos una variedad de acuerdo a las ofertas de seguros disponibles, brindamos asistencia especializada de reclamos y ahorramos tiempo a nuestros clientes asesorándolos en la elección del mejor plan para su mascota, además de una post venta que los guiará para hacer del uso seguro una experiencia satisfactoria. El crecimiento del mercado peruano en todo lo relacionado al cuidado de las mascotas se ve fortalecido por una creciente población de las mismas, con una mayor demanda de las preferencias por gatos y perros de raza pequeña. (Euromonitor, 2020). El uso de la metodología que se ha empleado para este diseño de Plan de negocios, se basa en el Modelo Canvas (Pigneur, 2011), a esto se suma la elaboración de encuestas y entrevistas que han permitido determinar el mercado objetivo. Ante la crisis pandémica que se viene atravesando en el mundo a consecuencia del Covid-19, y con la incertidumbre económica que esto representa para iniciar nuevos proyectos de inversión, se estima el lanzamiento para enero 2022, y con un plan preoperativo desde el trimestre previo. La inversión inicial requiere un total de S/ 231,272.50 cuyo financiamiento será con 50% aporte de los accionistas y 50% préstamo del banco. Los accionistas de este proyecto son: Michelle Morales, Miguel Serrano, Verónica Yaya y María del Carmen Rosas. La fuente de ingresos será la comisión que pagarán las compañías de seguros. El servicio se ofrecerá en Lima, dirigido a los sectores económicos A y B. Durante el primer año cubriremos el 10% de los requerimientos de seguro de salud para mascotas de las distintas aseguradoras, siguiendo una tendencia creciente en los siguientes 4 años. Considerando las proyecciones, los flujos económicos del proyectos son positivos y también para el accionista, con un VAN de S/. 421,790.41 y una TIR de 113.81%. De acuerdo a lo anteriormente expuesto, concluimos que el proyecto es económicamente viable y financieramente rentable.Escuela de Postgrad

Bi-allelic loss-of-function OBSCN variants predispose individuals to severe recurrent rhabdomyolysis

Rhabdomyolysis is the acute breakdown of skeletal myofibres in response to an initiating factor, most commonly toxins and over exertion. A variety of genetic disorders predispose to rhabdomyolysis through different pathogenic mechanisms, particularly in patients with recurrent episodes. However, most cases remain without a genetic diagnosis. Here we present six patients who presented with severe and recurrent rhabdomyolysis, usually with onset in the teenage years; other features included a history of myalgia and muscle cramps. We identified 10 bi-allelic loss-of-function variants in the gene encoding obscurin (OBSCN) predisposing individuals to recurrent rhabdomyolysis. We show reduced expression of OBSCN and loss of obscurin protein in patient muscle. Obscurin is proposed to be involved in sarcoplasmic reticulum function and Ca2+ handling. Patient cultured myoblasts appear more susceptible to starvation as evidenced by a greater decreased in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ content compared to control myoblasts. This likely reflects a lower efficiency when pumping Ca2+ back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum and/or a decrease in Ca2+ sarcoplasmic reticulum storage ability when metabolism is diminished. OSBCN variants have previously been associated with cardiomyopathies. None of the patients presented with a cardiomyopathy and cardiac examinations were normal in all cases in which cardiac function was assessed. There was also no history of cardiomyopathy in first degree relatives, in particular in any of the carrier parents. This cohort is relatively young, thus follow-up studies and the identification of additional cases with bi-allelic null OBSCN variants will further delineate OBSCN-related disease and the clinical course of disease. Cabrera-Serrano et al. show that biallelic loss-of-function variants in the gene encoding obscurin (OBSCN) predispose individuals to recurrent and severe episodes of rhabdomyolysis, typically with onset in the teenage years.Peer reviewe

Serine Protease Autotransporters of Enterobacteriaceae (SPATEs): Biogenesis and Function

Serine Protease Autotransporters of Enterobacteriaceae (SPATEs) constitute a large family of proteases secreted by Escherichia coli and Shigella. SPATEs exhibit two distinct proteolytic activities. First, a C-terminal catalytic site triggers an intra-molecular cleavage that releases the N-terminal portion of these proteins in the extracellular medium. Second, the secreted N-terminal domains of SPATEs are themselves proteases; each contains a canonical serine-protease catalytic site. Some of these secreted proteases are toxins, eliciting various effects on mammalian cells. Here, we discuss the biogenesis of SPATEs and their function as toxins

Sequestration and Scavenging of Iron in Infection

The proliferative capability of many invasive pathogens is limited by the bioavailability of iron. Pathogens have thus developed strategies to obtain iron from their host organisms. In turn, host defense strategies have evolved to sequester iron from invasive pathogens. This review explores the mechanisms employed by bacterial pathogens to gain access to host iron sources, the role of iron in bacterial virulence, and iron-related genes required for the establishment or maintenance of infection. Host defenses to limit iron availability for bacterial growth during the acute-phase response and the consequences of iron overload conditions on susceptibility to bacterial infection are also examined. The evidence summarized herein demonstrates the importance of iron bioavailability in influencing the risk of infection and the ability of the host to clear the pathogen

Using donor human milk to feed vulnerable term infants: a case series in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Background Donor human milk is the World Health Organization’s recommendation for infant feeding when the mother’s own breast milk is unavailable. Breast milk has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality and in low birthweight infants, donor milk reduces the incidence of necrotising enterocolitis, late onset sepsis and improves outcomes. There is a paucity of literature documenting outcomes of using donor human milk in older children who need additional support for a variety of health issues. Case presentation A series of seven case studies is presented of orphaned and abandoned children, many of whom were either HIV exposed or positive. All children were fed with pasteurised donor human milk at a transition home and their progress reported. Conclusions Although detailed medical records were not always available, the case studies provide anecdotal evidence of the protective effects of donor human milk against failure to thrive, diarrhoea, atopic dermatitis, and opportunistic infections

Persistent Gastric Colonization with Burkholderia pseudomallei and Dissemination from the Gastrointestinal Tract following Mucosal Inoculation of Mice

Melioidosis is a disease of humans caused by opportunistic infection with the soil and water bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Melioidosis can manifest as an acute, overwhelming infection or as a chronic, recurrent infection. At present, it is not clear where B. pseudomallei resides in the mammalian host during the chronic, recurrent phase of infection. To address this question, we developed a mouse low-dose mucosal challenge model of chronic B. pseudomallei infection and investigated sites of bacterial persistence over 60 days. Sensitive culture techniques and selective media were used to quantitate bacterial burden in major organs, including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We found that the GI tract was the primary site of bacterial persistence during the chronic infection phase, and was the only site from which the organism could be consistently cultured during a 60-day infection period. The organism could be repeatedly recovered from all levels of the GI tract, and chronic infection was accompanied by sustained low-level fecal shedding. The stomach was identified as the primary site of GI colonization as determined by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Organisms in the stomach were associated with the gastric mucosal surface, and the propensity to colonize the gastric mucosa was observed with 4 different B. pseudomallei isolates. In contrast, B. pseudomallei organisms were present at low numbers within luminal contents in the small and large intestine and cecum relative to the stomach. Notably, inflammatory lesions were not detected in any GI tissue examined in chronically-infected mice. Only low-dose oral or intranasal inoculation led to GI colonization and development of chronic infection of the spleen and liver. Thus, we concluded that in a mouse model of melioidosis B. pseudomallei preferentially colonizes the stomach following oral inoculation, and that the chronically colonized GI tract likely serves as a reservoir for dissemination of infection to extra-intestinal sites