Eumycetoma caused by Diaporthe phaseolorum (Phomopsis phaseoli): a case report and a mini-review of Diaporthe/Phomopsis spp invasive infections in humans

AbstractDiaporthe phaseolorum (syn. Phomopsis phaseoli) is a frequent fungal parasite of plants, present on all continents around the world. It has rarely been involved in human diseases. We report a case of eumycetoma with osteomyelitis of the forefoot caused by this fungus and diagnosed by molecular biology. The patient had positive HTLV-1 serology and was a farmer from French Guiana who walked barefoot. He was successfully treated with long-term oral itraconazole (400 mg/day). A review of the literature underlines the essential roles of plants and host immunosuppression in this infection and the favourable outcome with a triazole antifungal treatment

Estudio de prefactibilidad de generación de hidrógeno a partir de derivados del biodiesel

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar de forma preliminar la factibilidad técnica y económica de la producción de hidrógeno a partir del glicerol generado como subproducto de la industria del biodiesel. Para esto, se estudia el sector del biodiesel en Argentina y su impacto en el mercado del glicerol. Se analiza además la demanda de hidrógeno actual en nuestro país, así como sus alternativas de producción. Se desarrolla una propuesta tecnológica de tratamiento de glicerol, vía reformado catalítico con vapor para la obtención de hidrógeno. Con el desarrollo de esta propuesta, se estima la inversión requerida y los costos operativos para la obtención de hidrógeno. De esta manera, se logra una valoración de dicha alternativa tecnológica, y se establece en esta instancia preliminar, que a pesar de que los costos operativos se encontrarían en un rango competitivo, su implementación dependerá de los incentivos para incorporar al hidrógeno fuente de energía renovable dentro del sistema energético actual.The aim of this work is to analyze in a preliminary form the technical and economical viability of hydrogen production from glycerol as a biodiesel industry byproduct. To achieve this, the biodiesel production in Argentine, as well as its impact over the glycerol market is studied. The current hydrogen demand in our country and its production alternatives are also analyzed. To obtain hydrogen form glycerol the steam reforming process is proposed as a technological option. Based on this, the required investment and operating costs are estimated. The assessment of this technical alternative in this preliminary stage, establish that even when the operating costs are at a competitive level, its implementation will depend on the motivation to incorporate hydrogen as a renewable energy source in the actual energy system.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Estudio de prefactibilidad de generación de hidrógeno a partir de derivados del biodiesel

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar de forma preliminar la factibilidad técnica y económica de la producción de hidrógeno a partir del glicerol generado como subproducto de la industria del biodiesel. Para esto, se estudia el sector del biodiesel en Argentina y su impacto en el mercado del glicerol. Se analiza además la demanda de hidrógeno actual en nuestro país, así como sus alternativas de producción. Se desarrolla una propuesta tecnológica de tratamiento de glicerol, vía reformado catalítico con vapor para la obtención de hidrógeno. Con el desarrollo de esta propuesta, se estima la inversión requerida y los costos operativos para la obtención de hidrógeno. De esta manera, se logra una valoración de dicha alternativa tecnológica, y se establece en esta instancia preliminar, que a pesar de que los costos operativos se encontrarían en un rango competitivo, su implementación dependerá de los incentivos para incorporar al hidrógeno fuente de energía renovable dentro del sistema energético actual.The aim of this work is to analyze in a preliminary form the technical and economical viability of hydrogen production from glycerol as a biodiesel industry byproduct. To achieve this, the biodiesel production in Argentine, as well as its impact over the glycerol market is studied. The current hydrogen demand in our country and its production alternatives are also analyzed. To obtain hydrogen form glycerol the steam reforming process is proposed as a technological option. Based on this, the required investment and operating costs are estimated. The assessment of this technical alternative in this preliminary stage, establish that even when the operating costs are at a competitive level, its implementation will depend on the motivation to incorporate hydrogen as a renewable energy source in the actual energy system.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Crystal structure, cobalt and iron speciation and oxygen non-stoichiometry of La0.6Sr0.4Co1-yFeyO3-δ nanorods for IT-SOFC cathodes

Single-phased La0.6Sr0.4Co1-yFeyO3-δ (y = 0.2, 0.5, 0.8) nanorods exhibiting the rhombohedral perovskite-type phase were synthesized by a pore-wetting technique. We studied their chemical composition, crystal and electronic structures, morphology and hyperfine properties as a function of the Co/Fe content of the samples. Our results demonstrate that Co cations exhibit a slightly lower oxidation state than Fe ones, resulting in a higher oxygen non-stoichiometry δ for Co-rich samples. In addition, the values of δ determined in this work for nanostructured samples are much higher than those reported in the literature for bulk materials. This can be attributed to the high number of defects in nanomaterials and is probably one important factor in the high electrochemical performance for the oxygen reduction reaction of nanostructured La0.6Sr0.4Co1-yFeyO3-δ IT-SOFC cathodes, which have been reported in a previous work.Fil: Mejía Gómez, Augusto Enrique. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; ColombiaFil: Sacanell, Joaquin Gonzalo. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Constituyentes; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ramos, Cinthia Paula. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Constituyentes; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Soldati, Analía Leticia. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Figueroa, Santiago Jose Alejandro. Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tabacniks, Manfredo H.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Fantini, Márcia C.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Craievich, Aldo Felix. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Lamas, Diego Germán. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Estudio de prefactibilidad de generación de hidrógeno a partir de derivados del biodiesel

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar de forma preliminar la factibilidad técnica y económica de la producción de hidrógeno a partir del glicerol generado como subproducto de la industria del biodiesel. Para esto, se estudia el sector del biodiesel en Argentina y su impacto en el mercado del glicerol. Se analiza además la demanda de hidrógeno actual en nuestro país, así como sus alternativas de producción. Se desarrolla una propuesta tecnológica de tratamiento de glicerol, vía reformado catalítico con vapor para la obtención de hidrógeno. Con el desarrollo de esta propuesta, se estima la inversión requerida y los costos operativos para la obtención de hidrógeno. De esta manera, se logra una valoración de dicha alternativa tecnológica, y se establece en esta instancia preliminar, que a pesar de que los costos operativos se encontrarían en un rango competitivo, su implementación dependerá de los incentivos para incorporar al hidrógeno fuente de energía renovable dentro del sistema energético actual.The aim of this work is to analyze in a preliminary form the technical and economical viability of hydrogen production from glycerol as a biodiesel industry byproduct. To achieve this, the biodiesel production in Argentine, as well as its impact over the glycerol market is studied. The current hydrogen demand in our country and its production alternatives are also analyzed. To obtain hydrogen form glycerol the steam reforming process is proposed as a technological option. Based on this, the required investment and operating costs are estimated. The assessment of this technical alternative in this preliminary stage, establish that even when the operating costs are at a competitive level, its implementation will depend on the motivation to incorporate hydrogen as a renewable energy source in the actual energy system.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Stability and Reversible Oxidation of Sub-Nanometric Cu5 Metal Clusters: Integrated Experimental Study and Theoretical Modeling**

Sub-nanometer metal clusters have special physical and chemical properties, significantly different from those of nanoparticles. However, there is a major concern about their thermal stability and susceptibility to oxidation. In situ X-ray Absorption spectroscopy and Near Ambient Pressure X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy results reveal that supported Cu5 clusters are resistant to irreversible oxidation at least up to 773 K, even in the presence of 0.15 mbar of oxygen. These experimental findings can be formally described by a theoretical model which combines dispersion-corrected DFT and first principles thermochemistry revealing that most of the adsorbed O2 molecules are transformed into superoxo and peroxo species by an interplay of collective charge transfer within the network of Cu atoms and large amplitude “breathing” motions. A chemical phase diagram for Cu oxidation states of the Cu5-oxygen system is presented, clearly different from the already known bulk and nano-structured chemistry of Cu

The Latin American Social Medicine database

BACKGROUND: Public health practitioners and researchers for many years have been attempting to understand more clearly the links between social conditions and the health of populations. Until recently, most public health professionals in English-speaking countries were unaware that their colleagues in Latin America had developed an entire field of inquiry and practice devoted to making these links more clearly understood. The Latin American Social Medicine (LASM) database finally bridges this previous gap. DESCRIPTION: This public health informatics case study describes the key features of a unique information resource intended to improve access to LASM literature and to augment understanding about the social determinants of health. This case study includes both quantitative and qualitative evaluation data. Currently the LASM database at The University of New Mexico brings important information, originally known mostly within professional networks located in Latin American countries to public health professionals worldwide via the Internet. The LASM database uses Spanish, Portuguese, and English language trilingual, structured abstracts to summarize classic and contemporary works. CONCLUSION: This database provides helpful information for public health professionals on the social determinants of health and expands access to LASM

Multimodality imaging: Bird’s eye view from The European Society of Cardiology Congress 2015 London, August 29-September 2, 2015

Cardiolog

Evidence for the Contribution of the Hemozoin Synthesis Pathway of the Murine Plasmodium yoelii to the Resistance to Artemisinin-Related Drugs

Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a major global health problem, causing approximately 780,000 deaths each year. In response to the spreading of P. falciparum drug resistance, WHO recommended in 2001 to use artemisinin derivatives in combination with a partner drug (called ACT) as first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria, and most malaria-endemic countries have since changed their treatment policies accordingly. Currently, ACT are often the last treatments that can effectively and rapidly cure P. falciparum infections permitting to significantly decrease the mortality and the morbidity due to malaria. However, alarming signs of emerging resistance to artemisinin derivatives along the Thai-Cambodian border are of major concern. Through long-term in vivo pressures, we have been able to select a murine malaria model resistant to artemisinins. We demonstrated that the resistance of Plasmodium to artemisinin-based compounds depends on alterations of heme metabolism and on a loss of hemozoin formation linked to the down-expression of the recently identified Heme Detoxification Protein (HDP). These artemisinins resistant strains could be able to detoxify the free heme by an alternative catabolism pathway involving glutathione (GSH)-mediation. Finally, we confirmed that artemisinins act also like quinolines against Plasmodium via hemozoin production inhibition. The work proposed here described the mechanism of action of this class of molecules and the resistance to artemisinins of this model. These results should help both to reinforce the artemisinins activity and avoid emergence and spread of endoperoxides resistance by focusing in adequate drug partners design. Such considerations appear crucial in the current context of early artemisinin resistance in Asia