Design and in Vitro Evaluation of a New Nano-Microparticulate System for Enhanced Aqueous-Phase Solubility of Curcumin

Curcumin, a yellow polyphenol derived from the turmeric Curcuma longa, has been associated with a diverse therapeutic potential including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and anticancer properties. However, the poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability of curcumin have limited its potential when administrated orally. In this study, curcumin was encapsulated in a series of novel nano-microparticulate systems developed to improve its aqueous solubility and stability. The nano-microparticulate systems are based entirely on biocompatible, biodegradable, and edible polymers including chitosan, alginate, and carrageenan. The particles were synthesized via ionotropic gelation. Encapsulating the curcumin into the hydrogel nanoparticles yielded a homogenous curcumin dispersion in aqueous solution compared to the free form of curcumin. Also, the in vitro release profile showed up to 95% release of curcumin from the developed nano-microparticulate systems after 9 hours in PBS at pH 7.4 when freeze-dried particles were used.CONACYTCUPIAPharmac

Plan de negocios para el montaje de un centro de asesoría y consultoría psicológica del programa de psicología de la Corporación Universitaria Tecnológica de Bolívar

La psicología durante muchos años, en su empeño por lograr una efectiva aplicación del conocimiento científico acumulado y dadas las enormes demandas sociales, ha contribuido a la organización y creación de centros que garanticen los servicios psicológicos a las personas que lo soliciten (Lujan, 2002). Los centros de atención son empresas encaminadas a brindar servicios psicológicos que fomenten la aplicación de conocimientos adquiridos sobre psicología en los ámbitos científicos, educativos y de la salud en la comunidad. Con relación a lo anterior, en el mundo de hoy y particularmente en Colombia, es esencial hilar y fundamentar el balance social de todas las personas y principalmente de los profesionales, con miras a lograr mejores niveles de convivencia y calidad de vida. Si se prima el balance social de cada persona, sobre el balance económico, habrá más progreso y menos corrupción; en este contexto, las universidades tienen que trabajar incansablemente en fortalecer sus misiones en lo referente a la formación integral, que compromete los valores de las personas. Según Belinchón (2002) se requiere más acción comunitaria y compromiso con la suerte del colectivo social, de aquí surge la importancia de la creación de los centros de atención psicológica.Incluye bibliografí

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) production by fungal submerged culture using aguamiel as a low-cost by-product

Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2018.12.020.Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are important ingredients in the functional food industry because they have different biological properties such as decrease level of triglycerides, cholesterol and phospholipids and stimulate growth of probiotics for enhancement of microflora in large intestine. However, current strategies for the FOS production through simple and economical bioprocess has been necessary. The aim of this work was evaluated the capacity of three fungal strains (Aspergillus niger GH1, Aspergillus niger PSH and Aspergillus oryzae DIA-MF) to produce fructooligosaccharides (FOS) using aguamiel from Agave salmiana as an economical substrate. In addition, Czapek Dox medium supplemented with sucrose as carbon source was used as a control medium for the FOS production. A. oryzae DIA-MF was a fungi producer of FOS using aguamiel or Czapek Dox medium as substrate at 24?h of fermentation. However, the yield of FOS was increased two folds (20.30?g/L), with a productivity of 0.84?g FOS/l.h when aguamiel was used as substrate. On the other hand, A. niger GH1 and A. niger PSH showing only hydrolytic activity on sucrose under the studied conditions. In conclusion, this study shown excellent compatibility of A. oryzae DIA-MF using aguamiel as an economical substrate for the FOS production under a simple bioprocess.Authors thank all technical support and comments made by Dra. Adriana C. Flores-Gallegos and Dra. Abril Flores-Maltos. Authors thank National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) of Mexico by the financial support through the project No. CB-2011-C01-167764. Author D. B. Muñiz-Márquez also thank CONACYT for the financial support during her postgraduate program (Doctorate) in Food Science and Technology offered by the University Autonomous of Coahuila, Mexico.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Novel Aerosol Method for the Production of Hydrogel Particles

A novel method of generating hydrogel particles for various applications including drug delivery purposes was developed. This method is based on the production of hydrogel particles from sprayed polymeric nano/microdroplets obtained by a nebulization process that is immediately followed by gelation in a crosslinking fluid. In this study, particle synthesis parameters such as type of nebulizer, type of crosslinker, air pressure, and polymer concentration were investigated for their impact on the mean particle size, swelling behavior, and morphology of the developed particles. Spherical alginate-based hydrogel particles with a mean particle size in the range from 842 to 886 nm were obtained. Using statistical analysis of the factorial design of experiment it was found that the main factors influencing the size and swelling values of the particles are the alginate concentration and the air pressure. Thus, it was demonstrated that the method described in the current study is promising for the generation of hydrogel particles and it constitutes a relatively simple and low-cost system

Costo de un brote de influenza en los trabajadores de la ESE Hospital Universitario Ramón González Valencia, 1999

ResumenEntre julio y septiembre de 1999 se presentó un brote de influenza A(H3N2) en el personal trabajador de la ESE Hospital Universitario Ramón González Valencia. Se notificaron 117 casos con un cuadro clÍnico de predominio respiratorio agudo, caracterizado por tos persistente, fiebre, malestar general, cefalea, odinofagia y mialgias; la tasa global de ataque fue del 13% (n=902); el personal más afectado fue el de bacteriólogos y auxiliares del banco de sangre y del laboratorio clÍnico (tasas de ataque 35% y 31%, respectivamente).Palabras clave: Brote, tasa de ataque, incapacidad médica, costo del brote

Formulación de encurtido a base de cidra sechium edule para la asociación de mujeres asmufare

La cidra Sechium edule es un vegetal con un alto valor nutricional y poco uso por parte de la población, siendo una especie doméstica introducida por culturas precolombinas de América central de fácil cultivo; esta materia prima puede ser empleada para la formulación de encurtido, el cual es un producto preparado con frutas, hortalizas y/o legumbres, cuya conservación se da de una acidificación del medio; este producto es una alternativa para la asociación de mujeres campesinas desplazadas -Asmufare-, que junto con sus familias están construyendo un nuevo sueño, un eco-asentamiento en medio de la ciudad de Armenia; por este motivo se decidió incluir la cidra en el eco asentamiento con el propósito de enfocarlo en una economía diferente, planteando diversas formulaciones con el propósito de estandarizar una serie de productos, entre estos está el encurtido. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de esta investigación fue formular un encurtido a base de cidra Sechium edule como alternativa de negocio mediante la caracterización del producto y el análisis de mercado para la ciudad de Armenia Quindío. Se realizó la formulación y caracterización físico-química del producto cumpliendo con los estándares normativos, además del estudio de mercado para el municipio de Armenia. Los resultados de la caracterización físico-química del producto reportaron resultados adecuados para las variables de pH, porcentajes de cenizas, fibra y carbohidratos con valores de 3,49±0,06; 7,62±0,02; 1,41±0,02 y 3,4±0,00; respectivamente, cumpliendo con los estándares normativos de este tipo de producto; además de una aceptabilidad en el estudio de mercado de 80%. El producto formulado cumple con las características para este tipo de alimentos, con una aceptabilidad adecuada, siendo una alternativa potencial de comercialización para la asociación de mujeres -Asmufare- de la ciudad de Armenia

Neurons in the Nucleus papilio contribute to the control of eye movements during REM sleep

Rapid eye movements (REM) are characteristic of the eponymous phase of sleep, yet the underlying motor commands remain an enigma. Here, we identified a cluster of Calbindin-D28K-expressing neurons in the Nucleus papilio (NPCalb), located in the dorsal paragigantocellular nucleus, which are active during REM sleep and project to the three contralateral eye-muscle nuclei. The firing of opto-tagged NPCalb neurons is augmented prior to the onset of eye movements during REM sleep. Optogenetic activation of NPCalb neurons triggers eye movements selectively during REM sleep, while their genetic ablation or optogenetic silencing suppresses them. None of these perturbations led to a change in the duration of REM sleep episodes. Our study provides the first evidence for a brainstem premotor command contributing to the control of eye movements selectively during REM sleep in the mammalian brain

Effect of antioxidants and pH on browning and firmness of minimally processed eggplant

Minimal processing of eggplants (Solanum melongena L.) generates a rapid onset of enzymatic browning, tissue softening and water loss that limits their shelf life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 1% ascorbic acid and 2% calcium ascorbate in aqueous solution at natural pH of the antioxidant (pH 2.6 and 7.8, respectively), or adjusted to pH 5 with generally recognized as safe substances, to maintain the quality of minimally processed eggplant stored at 5 °C for 6 d. Water was used as a control. The colour, firmness, polyphenol oxidase activity, and visual quality was evaluated in the freshly cut fruit at 3 and 6 d of storage. No effect of the treatments on firmness or polyphenol oxidase activity was observed. At 3 d of storage, a correlation was observed between polyphenol oxidase activity and the visual evaluation of the cut product. Samples treated with 2% calcium ascorbate and the rest of the treatments at pH 5 had a lower browning index than those treated with 1% ascorbic acid and the control. At the end of the storage period, the visual quality of the eggplant samples treated with 1% ascorbic acid at pH 5 was evaluated above the marketing limit, whereas those treated with 1% ascorbic acid at pH 2.6 had the lowest quality indicators. An adjustment to pH 5 helps to preserve the luminosity and visual quality of the eggplant, however firmness was not affected by calcium ascorbate or the pH of the medium

High-Throughput Detection of Induced Mutations and Natural Variation Using KeyPoint™ Technology

Reverse genetics approaches rely on the detection of sequence alterations in target genes to identify allelic variants among mutant or natural populations. Current (pre-) screening methods such as TILLING and EcoTILLING are based on the detection of single base mismatches in heteroduplexes using endonucleases such as CEL 1. However, there are drawbacks in the use of endonucleases due to their relatively poor cleavage efficiency and exonuclease activity. Moreover, pre-screening methods do not reveal information about the nature of sequence changes and their possible impact on gene function. We present KeyPoint™ technology, a high-throughput mutation/polymorphism discovery technique based on massive parallel sequencing of target genes amplified from mutant or natural populations. KeyPoint combines multi-dimensional pooling of large numbers of individual DNA samples and the use of sample identification tags (“sample barcoding”) with next-generation sequencing technology. We show the power of KeyPoint by identifying two mutants in the tomato eIF4E gene based on screening more than 3000 M2 families in a single GS FLX sequencing run, and discovery of six haplotypes of tomato eIF4E gene by re-sequencing three amplicons in a subset of 92 tomato lines from the EU-SOL core collection. We propose KeyPoint technology as a broadly applicable amplicon sequencing approach to screen mutant populations or germplasm collections for identification of (novel) allelic variation in a high-throughput fashion

Delphi:A Democratic and Cost-Effective Method of Consensus Generation in Transplantation

The Thrombotic Microangiopathy Banff Working Group (TMA-BWG) was formed in 2015 to survey current practices and develop minimum diagnostic criteria (MDC) for renal transplant TMA (Tx-TMA). To generate consensus among pathologists and nephrologists, the TMA BWG designed a 3-Phase study. Phase I of the study is presented here. Using the Delphi methodology, 23 panelists with &gt;3 years of diagnostic experience with Tx-TMA pathology listed their MDC suggesting light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy lesions, clinical and laboratory information, and differential diagnoses. Nine rounds (R) of consensus resulted in MDC validated during two Rs using online evaluation of whole slide digital images of 37 biopsies (28 TMA, 9 non-TMA). Starting with 338 criteria the process resulted in 24 criteria and 8 differential diagnoses including 18 pathologic, 2 clinical, and 4 laboratory criteria. Results show that 3/4 of the panelists agreed on the diagnosis of 3/4 of cases. The process also allowed definition refinement for 4 light and 4 electron microscopy lesions. For the first time in Banff classification, the Delphi methodology was used to generate consensus. The study shows that Delphi is a democratic and cost-effective method allowing rapid consensus generation among numerous physicians dealing with large number of criteria in transplantation.</p