Spray Drying of Xoconostle Juice: Interaction of Microstructure, Function, and Drying Operation Conditions

The xoconostle fruit (Opuntia matudae) is rich in polysaccharides, soluble fiber, simple phenols, betalains, and ascorbic acid. However, its consumption is limited due to its high acidity. Spray drying could be a technological option to strengthen the sustainability of xoconostle giving a re-valorization as a possible natural additive for the food industry. The food powders have to be designed considering aspects related to the effect of processing conditions on final quality properties; in this case, the effect of different drying air temperatures was evaluated on moisture content, water activity (Aw), glass transition temperature, microstructure, antioxidant activity, phenolic, and betalain compounds. For all cases, the drying air temperature had a positive effect on physical stability, at low levels of water activity and moisture content, and glass transition temperature (Tg) was increased. The biological functionality (assessed through phenolics, betalain compounds, and antioxidant activity) was also kept constant for all processing conditions investigated. However, the most evident changes were observed at microscopic scale analyzed through morphometric parameters

Miradas colectivas del departamento del Cesar, municipios de Manaure, San Diego y Codazzi

En el desarrollo del presente documento se muestran las síntesis de los diferentes proyectos de investigación los cuales a su vez han arrojado propuestas de acción psicosocial, estas propuestas hacen parte del desarrollo académico del diplomado Desarrollo Humano y Familia de la Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia con el fin de establecer las problemáticas que más aquejan a los Cesarenses en los municipios de Agustín Codazzi, Manaure y San Diego, al mismo tiempo guiar a las familias para que encuentren en su interior las herramientas de empoderamiento contribuyendo así a un cambio social. Específicamente las problemáticas encontradas por los estudiantes son: consumo de sustancias psicoactivas, la inseguridad, malos hábitos saludables y por último Falta de comunicación asertiva en las familias.In the development of the present document are the syntheses of the different research projects that at the moment have been the proposals of psychosocial action, these proposals to be part of the academic development of the Diploma Human Development and Family of the National Open and Distance University With the end of establishing the problems that most afflict the César people in the municipalities of Agustín Codazzi, Manaure and San Diego, while at the same time guiding families to find within them the tools of empowerment thus contributing to social change. Specifically the problems encountered by the students are: consumption of psychoactive substances, insecurity, poor healthy habits and finally Lack of assertive communication in families

The Comet Interceptor Mission

Here we describe the novel, multi-point Comet Interceptor mission. It is dedicated to the exploration of a little-processed long-period comet, possibly entering the inner Solar System for the first time, or to encounter an interstellar object originating at another star. The objectives of the mission are to address the following questions: What are the surface composition, shape, morphology, and structure of the target object? What is the composition of the gas and dust in the coma, its connection to the nucleus, and the nature of its interaction with the solar wind? The mission was proposed to the European Space Agency in 2018, and formally adopted by the agency in June 2022, for launch in 2029 together with the Ariel mission. Comet Interceptor will take advantage of the opportunity presented by ESA’s F-Class call for fast, flexible, low-cost missions to which it was proposed. The call required a launch to a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point. The mission can take advantage of this placement to wait for the discovery of a suitable comet reachable with its minimum ΔV capability of 600 ms−1. Comet Interceptor will be unique in encountering and studying, at a nominal closest approach distance of 1000 km, a comet that represents a near-pristine sample of material from the formation of the Solar System. It will also add a capability that no previous cometary mission has had, which is to deploy two sub-probes – B1, provided by the Japanese space agency, JAXA, and B2 – that will follow different trajectories through the coma. While the main probe passes at a nominal 1000 km distance, probes B1 and B2 will follow different chords through the coma at distances of 850 km and 400 km, respectively. The result will be unique, simultaneous, spatially resolved information of the 3-dimensional properties of the target comet and its interaction with the space environment. We present the mission’s science background leading to these objectives, as well as an overview of the scientific instruments, mission design, and schedule

Evaluation of the lignolytic effect of the white-rot fungi Ceriporiopsis sp, Pleurotus sp, and Phlebia sp on industrial Pinus radiata logs

Pretreatment of pinus Radiata logs with the white-rot fungi Ceriporiopsis sp (9C), Pleurotus sp (9P), and Phlebia sp (24P), under field conditions was studied. The lignin content was evaluated by gravimetric techniques (Klason lignin), FFIR spectroscopy, and gas chromatography. A control sample and samples treated for 90 days with each of the fungi were analyzed. The ability of the fungi to degrade the lignin was in the order Phlebia sp (24P) > Ceriporiopsis sp (9C) > Pleurotus sp (9P). Copyright © Taylor & Francis, Inc

Reducing police occupational needle stick injury risk following an interactive training: the SHIELD cohort study in Mexico

Objective At a time of unprecedented attention to the public health impact of policing, it is imperative to understand the role of occupational safety in shaping officer behaviours. We assessed the longitudinal impact of police training in a quasi-experimental hybrid type-1 trial to reduce syringe-related occupational risk, while realigning police practices with public health prevention among people who inject drugs (PWID).Setting Tijuana, Mexico.Participants Of 1806 Tijuana municipal police trainees, 771 reporting previous exposure to syringes were randomly selected for follow-up. All participants completed at least one follow-up visit; attrition at 24 months was 8%.Intervention Between 2015 and 2016, officers received a training intervention (Safety and Health Integration in the Enforcement of Laws on Drugs, SHIELD) bundling occupational needle stick injury (NSI) prevention with health promotion among PWID.Outcome measures Longitudinal analysis with generalised linear mixed models to evaluate training impact on occupational NSI risk via NSI incidence and prevalidated Syringe Threat and Injury Correlates (STIC) score. This composite indicator integrates five self-reported risky syringe-handling practices (eg, syringe confiscation, breaking) and was used as a proxy for NSI risk due to reporting bias and concerns about reliability of NSI incidence reports.Results No change in self-reported NSI incidence was observed, but significant reductions in risk (16.2% decrease in STIC score) occurred at 3 months, with a sustained decrease of 17.8% through 24 months, compared with pretraining (p<0.001). Police assignment (patrol vs administration) moderated the training effect (p=0.01). Younger age, male gender, lower rank and previous NSI were independently and significantly associated with higher NSI risk overtime, although all groups demonstrated significant reductions post-training.Conclusions SHIELD is the first intervention to be associated with significant sustained changes in police practices that pose risk for both occupational and the public’s health. Integrating occupational safety and public health education should inform other interventions to mitigate the community health detriments of policing behaviours.Trial registration number NCT02444403