Encapsulation of the natural antioxidant of sweet potato (Ipomoea batata) in biodegradable PLA nanoparticles

The encapsulation of active ingredients in colloidal nanocarriers has interesting potential to be used in controlled release. In particular, it is well know the interest of the different industries, such as pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic in the encapsulation of active principles in different types of nanoparticles (NPs). The goal of this research is focused in the possibility of encapsulation of natural antioxidants in biodegradable polymer nanoparticles.EEA San PedroFil: Guerrero, Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono (CIHIDECAR); Argentina.Fil: Corbino, Graciela Beatriz. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Pedro; ArgentinaFil: D´Accorso, Norma Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono (CIHIDECAR); Argentina.Fil: García, Nancy L. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono (CIHIDECAR); Argentina

The recycling of bayer electrofilter fines for diverese applications

3 pages, 1 figure, 1 table.-- En: 1st Spanish National Conference on Advances in Materials Recycling and Eco – Energy Madrid, 12-13 November 2009.-- Editors: F. A. López, F. Puertas, F. J. Alguacil and A. Guerrero.Aluminum is the second most used metal after iron due to its singular properties that makes its alloys useful in many applications. Despite of its great importance, the obtaining processes (Bayer_Hall-Heroult tandem) produce an important environmental impact. Generated waste and pollutants should be minimized and treated. The laboratory of Metallurgy of the Escuela de Minas de Oviedo is investigating the uses of industry wastes from alumina/aluminum industry since over 30 years. This paper presents one of the research lines followed for the recycling of electrostatic filter fines from alumina calcination furnace to produce industrial quality aluminum sulfate, alums and abrasives.Peer reviewe

Women becoming social justice leaders with an inclusive view in Costa Rica, Mexico and Spain

This study looks at three female school directors in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain who worked under challenging conditions to establish social justice. We were particularly interest in how they learned to become social justice leaders. Qualitative interviews were used to hear directly from the school directors about their experiences. Transcripts were analyzed for common themes. The commitment of these directors to social justice came from early family experiences that gave them strength and core values. They met adversity in young adulthood which reinforced their commitment to inclusive leadership

The economic cost of losing native pollinator species for orchard prodution

The alarming loss of pollinator diversity world‐wide can reduce the productivity of pollinator‐dependent crops, which could have economic impacts. However, it is unclear to what extent the loss of a key native pollinator species affects crop production and farmer's profits. By experimentally manipulating the presence of colonies of a native bumblebee species Bombus pauloensis in eight apple orchards in South Argentina, we evaluated the impact of losing natural populations of a key native pollinator group on (a) crop yield, (b) pollination quality, and (c) farmer's profit. To do so, we performed a factorial experiment of pollinator exclusion (yes/no) and hand pollination (yes/no). Our results showed that biotic pollination increased ripe fruit set by 13% when compared to non‐biotic pollination. Additionally, fruit set and the number of fruits per apple tree was reduced by less than a half in those orchards where bumblebees were absent, even when honeybees were present at high densities. Consequently, farmer's profit was 2.4‐fold lower in farms lacking bumblebees than in farms hosting both pollinator species. The pollination experiment further suggested that the benefits of bumblebees could be mediated by improved pollen quality rather than quantity. Synthesis and applications. This study highlights the pervasive consequences of losing key pollinator functional groups, such as bumblebees, for apple production and local economies. Adopting pollinator‐friendly practices such as minimizing the use of synthetic inputs or restoring/maintaining semi‐natural habitats at farm and landscape scales, will have the double advantage of promoting biodiversity conservation, and increasing crop productivity and profitability for local farmers. Yet because the implementation of these practices can take time to deliver results, the management of native pollinator species can be a provisional complementary strategy to increase economic profitability of apple growers in the short term.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Uso de lentes de contacto en la rehabilitación visual del paciente con baja visión

An intervention study with a universe formed by 76 patients who attended the Low Vision Services at the Arnaldo Milian Castro Provincial University Hospital in Villa Clara during the period from June 1999 to December 2000 was carried out. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the use of contact lenses in low vision rehabilitation. The sample was formed, after the implementation of the exclusion criteria, by 20 low vision patients who received contact lenses for treatment. An individual form containing the data from each patient was filled out with the aim of determining the behaviour of the different variables, identifying the use of optic aids in the rehabilitation using contact lenses, verifying the change of visual acuity after the correction procedure and assessing the results and the effectiveness of the treatment. Most of the patients involved were over 15 years of age (65%); most of them were males (11 patients) and 65 percent of them were students. Myopia was the ophthalmologic illness with the highest incidence (13 patients). All the patients in the sample received contact lenses improving greatly their long range visual acuity, none of them got worse. The combined used of contact lenses and optical aids in a group of 11 patients improved their short range visual acuity when compared to the use of contact lenses alone.Se realizó un estudio de intervención, el universo de trabajo fueron los 76 pacientes que acudieron a la Consulta de Baja Visión del Hospital Provincial Universitario “Arnaldo Milián Castro” de Santa Clara, Villa Clara en el período de junio de 1999 a diciembre de 2000; el objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la eficacia del uso de lentes de contacto en la rehabilitación del paciente con baja visión. Después de aplicar los criterios de exclusión la muestra quedó conformada por 20 enfermos débiles visuales a quienes se les aplicó el tratamiento con lentes de contacto; a todos se les llenó un modelo de recogida de datos para precisar el comportamiento de las diferentes variables con el propósito de identificar el uso de ayudas ópticas en la rehabilitación mediante lentes de contacto, verificar el cambio de la agudeza visual después de la corrección y valorar los resultados de la corrección para determinar la eficacia del tratamiento indicado. El número más elevado de pacientes estudiados eran menores de 15 años (65%); predominó el sexo masculino (11 enfermos); los estudiantes representaron los mayores por cientos (65%); la miopía constituyó la afección oftalmológica de mayor incidencia (13 pacientes); se indicaron lentes de contacto al total de pacientes de la muestra, mejoró notablemente la agudeza visual de lejos y ninguno empeoró; con el uso combinado de estos lentes y las ayudas ópticas un grupo de pacientes (11) mejoró su agudeza visual de cerca en comparación con el uso exclusivo de lentes de contacto

Discapacidad visual en la neuritis óptica y su rehabilitación

A descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective study was carried out at the Low Vision Services of the Arnaldo Milian Castro Provincial University Hospital in Villa Clara with the aim of determining the incidence of optic neuritis as a cause of low vision. In the 1990s, Cuba, and particularly Villa Clara province was affected by an epidemic of neuropathy with a serious damage to the optic nerve. The causes of optic neuritis are unknown. The sudden inflammation of the nerve connecting the eye with the brain (the optic nerve) can lead to the swelling of the nerve and the destruction of the external cover (myelin sheath). The inflammation can occasionally be due to a viral infection, autoimmune diseases and toxic agents. The universe of study was formed by the people who were treated at the Low Vision Services from September 1997 to December 2007. All the patients were submitted to a complete clinical and ophthalmologic assessment and low vision tests. From the total amount of 447 patients assessed, 5.59 percent presented optic neuritis as a cause of their visual disability. There were no significant differences concerning gender. The most affected age group was between 30 and 39 years of age (13 cases). Long range visual acuity improved in 43 eyes and without any worsening. 76 percent of the patients treated were discharged, 4 of them with conventional optical correction for short range vision and 14 of them with optical aids. Seven patients were not considered rehabilitated because they did not achieve the objectives they had when attended consultation, although they improved their visual acuity and thus their quality of life.Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal y retrospectivo en la Consulta de Baja Visión del Hospital Provincial Universitario “Arnaldo Milián Castro” de Villa Clara con el objetivo de determinar la frecuencia con que la neuritis óptica origina baja visión en nuestro medio. En la década de los 90 Cuba, y Villa Clara en particular, fueron azotadas por una epidemia de neuropatía con seria afectación del nervio óptico. Las causas de la neuritis óptica se desconocen; la inflamación repentina del nervio que conecta el ojo con el cerebro (nervio óptico) puede hacer que el nervio se hinche y destruya la cubierta externa (vaina de mielina); la inflamación, ocasionalmente, puede deberse a una infección viral, a enfermedades autoinmunitarias y a agentes tóxicos. El universo de estudio estuvo constituido por las personas que acudieron a la Consulta de Baja Visión desde septiembre del año 1997 a diciembre de 2007; a todos les realizamos evaluación clínico-oftalmológica completa y pruebas para baja visión; del total de personas evaluadas (447) el 5.59% presentaron neuritis óptica como causa de su discapacidad visual, no se apreciaron diferencias significativas en relación al sexo; el grupo etáreo más afectado fue el de 30-39 años (13 enfermos); la agudeza visual para lejos mejoró en 43 ojos y en ninguno empeoró; egresaron rehabilitados el 76% de las personas atendidas, cuatro con su corrección óptica convencional para cerca y 14 con ayudas ópticas; no se consideraron rehabilitadas siete personas por no alcanzar las metas que perseguían al acudir a la consulta, a pesar de mejorar su agudeza visual y por tanto su calidad de vida

Epidemiología de la discapacidad visual en el Municipio Santa Clara

A descriptive retrospective study among the ANCI affiliates in Santa Clara, Villa Clara, was carried out through the compilation of the existing data in the archives of the association until February 2009. Its objective was to characterize visual disability in the municipality. The universe of study was the total amount of affiliates (580) and the study sample was formed by 510 individuals who presented visual disability. Of them, 93.92 percent (479) were adults; 130 were blind, most of them males (74), and 349 visually handicapped individuals with no evident influence concerning gender; there were 31 children, 27 of them were visually handicapped (12 female and 15 male) and 4 were blind (3 of them female). The prevalence rate was 2.15 visually handicapped per 1000 inhabitant. The ophthalmologic conditions more commonly causing low vision in the sample were: glaucoma 83 patients, myopia 80 patients, congenital cataract 43 patients, diabetic retinopathy 28 patients and pigmentary retinitis 24 patients. The optic nerve atrophy, with 23 cases and the age-related macular degeneration were also found to be important causes. The main causes of blindness were: glaucoma with 63 cases, diseases of the retina with 12 cases and diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment with 11 cases each. The results of the integral rehabilitation were: 253 rehabilitated patients out of 376 visually handicapped (67.29%) and 85 patients rehabilitated and fully integrated to society out of 134 blind patients (63.43%).Se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo entre los afiliados a la Asociación Nacional del Ciego del Municipio Santa Clara, Provincia Villa Clara y se recogieron los datos de los archivos de la asociación hasta febrero de 2009. Nuestro objetivo fue caracterizar la discapacidad visual en el municipio y el universo lo conformaron el total de las personas afiliadas (580); la muestra de estudio quedó constituida por 510 enfermos con discapacidad visual; predominaron los adultos, 93.92% (479), 130 ciegos con supremacía del sexo masculino (74) y 349 débiles visuales, sin diferencias significativas con relación al sexo; de 31 niños, 27 débiles visuales -12 féminas y 15 masculinos- y cuatro niños ciegos (tres de ellos del sexo femenino); la tasa de prevalencia fue de 2.15 discapacitados visuales por 1000 habitantes; las afecciones oftalmológicas que con mayor frecuencia causaron baja visión en la muestra fueron: el glaucoma (83 personas), la miopía (80), la catarata congénita (43), la retinopatía diabética (28) y la retinosis pigmentaria (24), también son causas importantes la atrofia del nervio óptico (23) y la degeneración macular relacionada con la edad (20); las principales causas de ceguera fueron, en primer lugar, el glaucoma (63 pacientes) seguido por las enfermedades de la retina (12), la retinopatía diabética y el desprendimiento de la retina (11 enfermos cada una); la rehabilitación integral se comportó así: de los débiles visuales (376), 253 rehabilitados (67.29%) y, de los 134 ciegos, 85 (63.43%) rehabilitados e integrados plenamente a la vida social

Eficacia de la pelmatoscopia a través de capacitación especializada e implementación de oficinas pelmatoscópicas en el hospital “Hermilio Valdizán Medrano” y el centro de salud “Carlos Showing Ferrari”. Huánuco, mayo 2003 – abril 2004

The study demonstrated that the techniques used for the taking of plantar impression are not the suitable ones, the same ones that do not guarantee reliability from the legal medical point of view; on the other hand, the process of identification of new born is not fulfilled efficiently, so this process is left unfinished, fulfilling only with the first stage consisting of the capture of the plantar impression on the part of the personnel of health and his corresponding file in clinical history; the expert's report is not realized on the part of the police personnel in the moment of the discharge of the patient; steps that must be realized according to the stipulated thing in the Manual of Proceeding of Personal Identification. Opposite to this problems, it was tried to demonstrated the effectiveness of the pelmatoscopía by means of the use of the suitable skills and the processing logistic resources through a specializing training and the office implementation pelmatoscópicas in the institutions in study. The type and level of investigation are descriptive-explanatory and transversal. Between the main results it was obtained that 100% of the samples picked up (15 pelmatoscópicas sheets) of the personnel who received the training, and at the same time they have the requirements established by the effective norms for a good taking of papiloscópicas impressions; therefore, there is a team of obstetricians professionals that are in the capacity to assume the taking of plantar impression in the identification of the neonatus.El en estudio se demostró que las técnicas utilizadas para la toma de impresión plantar no son las adecuadas, las mismas que no garantizan confiabilidad desde el punto de vista médico legal; por otro lado, el proceso de identificación del recién nacido no se cumple eficientemente, pues este proceso se deja inconcluso, cumpliendo solamente con la primera fase, consistente en la toma de la impresión plantar por parte del personal de salud y su correspondiente archivo en la historia clínica; sin realizarse el peritaje por parte del personal policial en el momento del alta del paciente; pasos que deben ser realizados de acuerdo a lo estipulado en el Manual de Procedimientos de Identificación Personal. Frente a esta problemática, se pretendió demostrar la eficacia de la pelmatoscopía mediante el uso de las técnicas adecuadas y el procesamiento de los recursos logísticos a través de una capacitación especializada y la implementación de oficinas pelmatoscópicas en las instituciones en estudio. El tipo y nivel de investigación es el descriptivo explicativo y transversal. Entre los principales resultados se obtuvo que el 100 % de las muestras recogidas (15 hojas pelmatoscópicas) del personal que recibió la capacitación cumplen con los requisitos establecidos por las normas vigentes para una buena toma de impresiones papiloscópicas; por tanto, existe un equipo de profesionales de obstetricia que está en la capacidad de asumir la toma de impresión plantar en la identificación del neonato