PII- Potential Innovation Index: a Tool to Benchmark Innovation Capabilities in International Context

Benchmarking has become a useful tool for companies, enabling better decision-making and improvement of internal practices towards world-class performance. Nevertheless, concerning SMEs’ innovation capabilities from traditional sectors, benchmarking applications have been scarce. This article uses a predefined metric named the “Potential Innovation Index (PII)”, based on internal practices of the firms to compare innovation capabilities of two groups of similar SMEs from 2 different geographical, cultural and social contexts. Results were used to analyze similarities and differences, strengths and weaknesses of the groups. Obtained results confirm the difficulties to innovate of this type firms, no matters the sector or country, as over 55% of the companies studied were evaluated as having a low innovative performance. However, regarding the index’s constitutive practices, significant differences were found. Which leads to infer that innovation support strategies to enhance innovation must be adapted to the local context and culture

Comparative study of the pathogenicity of seabed isolates of Fusarium equiseti and the effect of the composition of the mineral salt medium and temperature on mycelia growth

The pathogenicity of seven strains of Fusarium equiseti isolated from seabed soil was evaluated on different host plants showing pre and post emergence damage. Radial growth of 27 strains was measured on culture media previously adjusted to different osmotic potentials with either KCl or NaCl (-1.50 to - 144.54 bars) at 15º, 25º and 35º C. Significant differences and interactive effects were observed in the response of mycelia to osmotic potential and temperature

Artes plásticas y percepción de la motricidad fina en los niños del nivel inicial de Tabaconas, 202

El proyecto de investigación tiene como objetivo general Identificar la relación que existe entre las artes plástica y el desarrollo de la motricidad fina en los niños y niñas del nivel inicial, con una metodología de estudio cuantitativo y un diseño no experimental correlacional , aquí no existe manipulación de ninguna de las variables, los resultados emitidos por el software SPSS tiene un alto grado de confiabilidad, indicando que pueden ser aplicados a los estudiantes, teniendo como conclusión que un 95 % del contenido de cada una de las variables son de carácter confidencial, además la información de este proyecto de investigación es decarácter científico, porque me he basado o guiado de autores resaltantes que emiten opiniones acertadas y comprobadas en ciertos temas de investigación, son autores internacionales y nacionales que compartieron su información en los últimos 7 años, tenían relación con el proyecto de investigación que tiene como título Artes plásticas y percepción de la motricidad fina en los niños del Nivel Inicial de Tabaconas, 2021. Se trabajó con categorías y sub categorías por cada una de las variables la técnica que utilicé es la encuesta y el instrumento el cuestionario, fue aplicada a los niños de inicial con previo consentimiento de sus padres y el director de la Institución Educativa, dicho instrumento cuenta con 30 preguntas por cada variable, son para responder con el SI o NO los cuales serán respondidos con facilidad por los estudiantes del nivel inicial

In Vitro Antimicrobial, Antiviral and Cytotoxicity Activities of Aspergillus oryzae Isolated From El-Baida Marsh in Algeria

This work covers the study of antimicrobial and antiviral activities of the Aspergillus oryzae strain isolated from saline soil (El-Baida marsh in Algeria). The crude extract obtained with ethyl acetate displayed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the yeast Candida albicans with a mean of 16.69 mm of inhibition zone and a minimal inhibitory concentrations MICs between 7.28 and 21.85 μgmL-1. We also assessed the antiviral activity against Herpes simplex-2 Virus (HSV-2), in which no inhibitory effect was exhibited. In addition, cytotoxicity activity was tested in Caco-2 and RAW 264, a human epithelial and a murine macrophage cell line, respectively, revealing a no-toxic effect of the extract. The studied isolate extract possesses an antimicrobial property and its non-toxicity to the host cells becomes very important, and can be exploited for the production of new pharmacological and biotechnological agents.        Keywords: Aspergillus oryzae, antimicrobial activity, antiviral activity, cytotoxicity, fungal extraction

Fusarium proliferatum isolated from garlic in Spain: Identification, toxigenic potential and pathogenicity on related Allium species

Fusarium proliferatum has been reported on garlic in the Northwest USA, Spain and Serbia, causing water-soaked tan-colored lesions on cloves. In this work, Fusarium proliferatum was isolated from 300 symptomatic garlic bulbs. Morphological identification of Fusarium was confirmed using species-specific PCR assays and EF-1α sequencing. Confirmation of pathogenicity was conducted with eighteen isolates. Six randomly selected F. proliferatum isolates from garlic were tested for specific pathogenicity and screened for fusaric acid production. Additionally, pathogenicity of each F. proliferatum isolate was tested on healthy seedlings of onion (Allium cepa), leek (A. porrum), scallions (A. fistulosum), chives (A. schoenoprasum) and garlic (A. sativum). A disease severity index (DSI) was calculated as the mean severity on three plants of each species with four test replicates. Symptoms on onion and garlic plants were observed three weeks after inoculation. All isolates tested produced symptoms on all varieties inoculated. Inoculation of F. proliferatum isolates from diseased garlic onto other Allium species provided new information on host range and pathogenicity. The results demonstrated differences in susceptibility with respect to host species and cultivar. The F. proliferatum isolates tested all produced fusaric acid (FA); correlations between FA production and isolate pathogenicity are discussed. Additionally, all isolates showed the presence of the FUM1 gene suggesting the ability of Spanish isolates to produce fumonisins

Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Total Alkaloid Extract from Fumaria capreolata

Fumaria capreolata is used in traditional medicine in North Africa for its gastrointestinal and anti-inflammatory activities. The present study investigates the effects of total alkaloids extracted from the aerial parts of Fumaria capreolata (AFC) on LPS-induced production of proinflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, TNF-α, COX-2, and MIP-2) in RAW264.7 cells. AFC significantly reduced the inflammatory response inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO) and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner, without affecting the viability of cells, and downregulated mRNA expression of proinflammatory key players: IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, TNF-α, and COX-2. AFC antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties were also evaluated on the acetic acid- and formalin-induced pain models in mice. AFC oral administration significantly inhibited acetic acid-induced writhes and reduced formalin-induced paw licking time. Therefore, AFC may be a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as colitis and arthritis

First report of Fusarium verticillioides causing stalk and root rot of sorghum in Spain

Podredumbre del tallo y la raíz del sorgo causada por Fusarium verticillioides en Españ

The Importance of the Microbiome in Critically Ill Patients: Role of Nutrition

Critically ill patients have an alteration in the microbiome in which it becomes a disease-promoting pathobiome. It is characterized by lower bacterial diversity, loss of commensal phyla, like Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and a domination of pathogens belonging to the Proteobacteria phylum. Although these alterations are multicausal, many of the treatments administered to these patients, like antibiotics, play a significant role. Critically ill patients also have a hyperpermeable gut barrier and dysregulation of the inflammatory response that favor the development of the pathobiome, translocation of pathogens, and facilitate the emergence of sepsis. In order to restore the homeostasis of the microbiome, several nutritional strategies have been evaluated with the aim to improve the management of critically ill patients. Importantly, enteral nutrition has proven to be more efficient in promoting the homeostasis of the gut microbiome compared to parenteral nutrition. Several nutritional therapies, including prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation, are currently being used, showing variable results, possibly due to the unevenness of clinical trial conditions and the fact that the beneficial effects of probiotics are specific to particular species or even strains. Thus, it is of great importance to better understand the mechanisms by which nutrition and supplement therapies can heal the microbiome in critically ill patients in order to finally implement them in clinical practice with optimal safety and efficacy.This work was supported by Junta de Andalucía (Spain) (research grants CTS 164 and PI-0206-2016) and cofinanced by the Fondo Europeo de Desarollo Regional (FEDER) from the European Union. RM has a Río Hortega contract (CM17/00237) and PA has a Nicolás Monardes contract (C-0013-2018)

Flavonoids in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Review

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the intestine that compromises the patients’ life quality and requires sustained pharmacological and surgical treatments. Since their etiology is not completely understood, non-fully-efficient drugs have been developed and those that have shown effectiveness are not devoid of quite important adverse effects that impair their long-term use. In this regard, a growing body of evidence confirms the health benefits of flavonoids. Flavonoids are compounds with low molecular weight that are widely distributed throughout the vegetable kingdom, including in edible plants. They may be of great utility in conditions of acute or chronic intestinal inflammation through different mechanisms including protection against oxidative stress, and preservation of epithelial barrier function and immunomodulatory properties in the gut. In this review we have revised the main flavonoid classes that have been assessed in different experimental models of colitis as well as the proposed mechanisms that support their beneficial effects.This work was supported by Junta de Andalucia (P10-AGR-6826 and CTS 164) and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (AGL2015-67995-C3-3-R) with funds from the European Union.The CIBER-EHD is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III