Bioseguridad de negocios que expenden alimentos de manera virtual en la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador inscritos en el programa “Acolítame” en el periodo marzo – junio del 2021: asesoramiento virtual y evaluación microbiológica de superficies de los empaques

En los últimos tiempos, se ha incrementado el número de negocios relacionados con los alimentos que se comercializan y distribuyen a través de medios electrónicos. Ante la incertidumbre de la calidad de estos alimentos, el objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la inocuidad e higiene de alimentos en un grupo de negocios pequeños que operan de manera virtual (“negocios electrónicos”) mediante el desarrollo de material de capacitación, su aplicación y asesorías continuas sobre temas de bioseguridad en la industria alimentaria, cuyo seguimiento se realizó mediante encuestas. Paralelamente, se monitoreó la inocuidad e higiene del empaquetado y distribución de los alimentos expendidos mediante análisis de indicadores microbiológicos de las superficies de los empaques. Para el estudio se seleccionaron a los negocios relacionados con alimentos del grupo de negocios pertenecientes al programa “Acolítame”. En total se trabajó con 6 negocios, de quienes se recolectó un total de 36 muestras de empaques primarios. Con este estudio se espera concientizar a los productores de alimentos sobre el uso de las buenas prácticas de manufactura y correctas normas de higiene que resulten en un producto inocuo y apto para el consumidor.In recent times, the number of food-related businesses that are marketed and distributed through electronic means has increased. Given the uncertainty of the quality of these foods, the objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and hygiene of food in a group of small businesses that operate virtually (“electronic businesses”) through the development of training material, its application and ongoing advice on biosafety issues in the food industry. Its follow-up was carried out through surveys. At the same time, the safety and hygiene of the packaging and distribution of the food sold was monitored by analyzing the microbiological indicators of the packaging surfaces. Food-related businesses from the business group belonging to the “Acolítame” program were selected for the study. In total, we worked with 6 businesses, from which a total of 36 primary packaging samples were collected. With this study, it is expected to raise awareness among food producers about the use of good manufacturing practices and correct hygiene standards that result in a safe and suitable product for the consumer.Bioquímico FarmacéuticoCuenc

Predictive value of advanced glycation end products for the development of post-infarction heart failure: a preliminary report

Background: Since post-infarction heart failure (HF) determines a great morbidity and mortality, and given the physiopathology implications of advanced glycation end products (AGE) in the genesis of myocardial dysfunction, it was intended to analyze the prognostic value of these molecules in order to predict post-infarction HF development. Methods: A prospective clinical study in patients after first acute coronary syndrome was conducted. The follow-up period was consisted in 1 year. In 194 patients consecutively admitted in the coronary unit for myocardial infarct fluorescent AGE levels were measured. The association between glycaemic parameters and the development of post-infarction HF were analyzed in those patients. Finally, we identified the variables with independent predictor value by performing a multivariate analysis of hazard ratio for Cox regression. Results: Eleven out of 194 patients (5.6%) developed HF during follow-up (median: 1.0 years [0.8 - 1.5 years]). Even though basal glucose, fructosamine and glycated haemoglobin were significant predictive factors in the univariate analysis, after being adjusted by confounding variables and AGE they lost their statistical signification. Only AGE (Hazard Ratio 1.016, IC 95%: 1.006-1.026; p<0,001), together with NT-proBNP and the infarct extension were predictors for post-infarction HF development, where AGE levels over the median value 5-fold increased the risk of HF development during follow-up. Conclusions: AGE are an independent marker of post-infarction HF development risk

Alteration of platelet GPVI signaling in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients demonstrated by a combination of proteomic, biochemical, and functional approaches

The platelet-specific collagen receptor glycoprotein VI (GPVI) is critical for the formation of arterial thrombosis in vivo. We analyzed GPVI-activated platelets from ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and matched stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) controls in order to provide novel clues on the degree of involvement of GPVI signaling in the acute event. Firstly, platelets were isolated from systemic venous blood and activated with the GPVI specific agonist CRP (collagen-related peptide). STEMI and SCAD samples were compared by a phosphoproteomics approach. Validations were by immunoblotting in systemic and intracoronary blood from independent cohorts of patients. Twenty-six differentially regulated proteins were identified when comparing CRP-activated systemic platelets from STEMI and SCAD patients, 4 of which were selected for validation studies: PLCɣ2, G6f, SLP-76, and Dok-2. Immunoblot analyses showed these four proteins had higher tyrosine phosphorylation levels in response to CRP in platelets from STEMI patients, being these levels more pronounced at the culprit site of coronary artery occlusion. Moreover, platelet aggregation studies showed a higher response to GPVI agonists in STEMI patients compared to SCAD controls. In conclusion, we show an altered activation state of GPVI signaling in STEMI patients, confirming this receptor as a promising anti-thrombotic target for myocardial infarctionhis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) [grant No. SAF2013-45014-R, co-funded by the European regional development fund (ERDF)]. AG acknowledges support from the Sociedad Española de Trombosis y Hemostasia – Fundación Española de Trombosis y Hemostasia (SETH-FETH). PV is a predoctoral fellow from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS)S

Prognosis Impact of Diabetes in Elderly Women and Men with Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome

Ancià; Síndromes coronàries agudes; DonesAnciano; Síndromes coronarios agudos; MujeresElderly; Acute coronary syndromes; WomenFew studies have addressed to date the interaction between sex and diabetes mellitus (DM) in the prognosis of elderly patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS). Our aim was to address the role of DM in the prognosis of non-selected elderly patients with NSTEACS according to sex. A retrospective analysis from 11 Spanish NSTEACS registries was conducted, including patients aged ≥70 years. The primary end point was one-year all-cause mortality. A total of 7211 patients were included, 2,770 (38.4%) were women, and 39.9% had DM. Compared with the men, the women were older (79.95 ± 5.75 vs. 78.45 ± 5.43 years, p < 0.001) and more often had a history of hypertension (77% vs. 83.1%, p < 0.01). Anemia and chronic kidney disease were both more common in women. On the other hand, they less frequently had a prior history of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease or comorbidities such as peripheral artery disease and chronic pulmonary disease. Women showed a worse clinical profile on admission, though an invasive approach and in-hospital revascularization were both more often performed in men (p < 0.001). At a one-year follow-up, 1090 patients (15%) had died, without a difference between sexes. Male sex was an independent predictor of mortality (HR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.32, p = 0.035), and there was a significant interaction between sex and DM (p = 0.002). DM was strongly associated with mortality in women (HR: 1.45, 95% CI = 1.18–1.78; p < 0.001), but not in men (HR: 0.98, 95% CI = 0.84–1.14; p = 0.787). In conclusion, DM is associated with mortality in older women with NSTEACS, but not in men.This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the Carlos III Health Institute: CIBER-CV 16/11/00420, Madrid, Spain

KIR+ CD8+ T Lymphocytes in Cancer Immunosurveillance and Patient Survival: Gene Expression Profiling

Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are molecules expressed by the most important cells of the immune system for cancer immune vigilance, natural killer (NK) and effector T cells. In this manuscript we study the role that cytotoxic CD8+ T cells expressing KIR receptors could play in cancer immune surveillance. With this objective, frequencies of different KIR+ CD8+ T cell subsets are correlated with the overall survival of patients with melanoma, ovarian and bladder carcinomas. In addition, the gene expression profile of KIR+ CD8+ T cell subsets related to the survival of patients is studied with the aim of discovering new therapeutic targets, so that the outcome of patients with cancer can be improved. Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are expressed by natural killer (NK) and effector T cells. Although KIR+ T cells accumulate in oncologic patients, their role in cancer immune response remains elusive. This study explored the role of KIR+CD8+ T cells in cancer immunosurveillance by analyzing their frequency at diagnosis in the blood of 249 patients (80 melanomas, 80 bladder cancers, and 89 ovarian cancers), their relationship with overall survival (OS) of patients, and their gene expression profiles. KIR2DL1+ CD8+ T cells expanded in the presence of HLA-C2-ligands in patients who survived, but it did not in patients who died. In contrast, presence of HLA-C1-ligands was associated with dose-dependent expansions of KIR2DL2/S2+ CD8+ T cells and with shorter OS. KIR interactions with their specific ligands profoundly impacted CD8+ T cell expression profiles, involving multiple signaling pathways, effector functions, the secretome, and consequently, the cellular microenvironment, which could impact their cancer immunosurveillance capacities. KIR2DL1/S1+ CD8+ T cells showed a gene expression signature related to efficient tumor immunosurveillance, whereas KIR2DL2/L3/S2+CD8+ T cells showed transcriptomic profiles related to suppressive anti-tumor responses. These results could be the basis for the discovery of new therapeutic targets so that the outcome of patients with cancer can be improved

Fluorination Effects on NOS Inhibitory Activity of Pyrazoles Related to Curcumin

A series of new (E)-3(5)-[β-(aryl)-ethenyl]-5(3)-phenyl-1H-pyrazoles bearing fluorine atoms at different positions of the aryl group have been synthesized starting from the corresponding β-diketones. All compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, DSC as well as NMR (1H, 13C, 19F and 15N) spectroscopy in solution and in solid state. Three structures have been solved by X-ray diffraction analysis, confirming the tautomeric forms detected by solid state NMR. The in vitro study of their inhibitory potency and selectivity on the activity of nNOS and eNOS (calcium-calmodulin dependent) as well as iNOS (calcium-calmodulin independent) isoenzymes is presented. A qualitative structure–activity analysis allowed the establishment of a correlation between the presence/ absence of different substituents with the inhibition data proving that fluorine groups enhance the biological activity. (E)-3(5)-[β-(3-Fluoro-4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethenyl]-5(3)-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (13), is the best inhibitor of iNOS, being also more selective towards the other two isoforms.This work has been financed by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (CTQ2010-16122) and Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain (CTQ2014-56833-R, RD12/0043/0005, and PI13-00981) and Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Project MADRISOLAR2, ref. S2009/PPQ-1533). One of us (C. I. Nieto) is indebted to UNED for a predoctoral fellowship (FPI “Grupos de Investigación” UNED)

Analysis of the promotion of the Sustainable Development Goals and Food Security through a Learning Management System (LMS) to promoters in the United States.

La presente investigación se realizó con promotores de salud migrantes, quienes desempeñan un rol clave para ayudar a promover el acceso igualitario a la salud y al capacitarse brindan apoyo a la salud pública de la comunidad. La mala alimentación y malnutrición representan una problemática social grave para muchos migrantes latinos, que en la mayoría de las ocasiones se produce por falta de alimentos, la poca diversidad en su dieta y/o por la escasa información de cómo prepararlos de manera saludable. Es así que resulta necesario desarrollar programas y estrategias que contribuyan en la formación integral de los promotores de salud. El objetivo consistió en analizar la promoción de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) y Seguridad Alimentaria (SA) por medio de un Sistema de Gestión de Aprendizaje (LMS) a promotores de salud en Estados Unidos. La muestra se conformó por 34 promotores de salud en un estudio mixto de diseño exploratorio secuencial y cuasi-experimental, prospectivo, longitudinal. El instrumento empleado para encontrar el grado de inseguridad alimentaria de los promotores fue la Escala de Seguridad Alimentaria (ELCSA) y a fin de determinar el impacto de conocimientos del curso se desarrolló un cuestionario sobre temas de alimentación sostenible. El desarrollo y aplicación del mismo fue a través de las herramientas para elaboración de evaluaciones dentro del LMS Moodle como parte de la plataforma institucional de Educación a distancia de la U.A.Z. Los resultados obtenidos se analizaron de manera cuantitativa y cualitativa, encontrado a nivel general inseguridad alimentaria leve. Para brindar soluciones al problema se implementó el curso “Alimentación Sostenible” logrando un cambio de conocimientos notable del cuestionario inicial al final, reafirmando los aprendizajes con la elaboración de evidencias del curso, donde el 100% de los promotores lograron cosechar y producir alimentos sostenibles en sus hogares, adquiriendo  las herramientas básicas necesarias para promover la defensa de sus derechos humanos, el cambio climático y seguridad alimentaria, apoyando a su comunidad con los conocimientos adquiridos, todo por medio de la educación a distancia

A synbiotics, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and milk fat globule membranes supplemented formula modulates microbiota maturation and neurodevelopment

Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2022.05.013.Acknowledgments The authors wish to acknowledge the parents and children who participated in the study, and also the paediatricians and researchers of the EURISTIKOS team at the Department of Paediatrics as well as the Genetics Service at Centro de Instrumentación Científica e UGR for their contributions.Funding This project was supported by CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico e Industrial) and FEDER (SMARTFOODS: IDI-20141206), Ordesa Laboratories, S.L. (Contract FE-UGR No. 3349), and The Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, and partially supported by HORIZON 2020 EU DynaHEALTH Project (GA No.633595). Alicia Ruiz and Inmaculada Acuña were granted Ph.D. scholarships from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity. Tomás Cerdó was granted a Ph.D. scholarship from Carlos III Health Institute. Natalia Sepúlveda-Valbuena was granted with a scholarship from Fundación Carolina, Madrid, Spain.Background & aims The critical window of concurrent developmental paths of the nervous system and gut microbiota in infancy provides an opportunity for nutritional interventions with potential health benefits later in life. Methods We compared the dynamics of gut microbiota maturation and explored its association with neurodevelopment at 12 months and 4 years of age in 170 full-term healthy infants fed a standard formula (SF) or a new formula (EF) based on standard formula supplemented with synbiotics, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) and bovine milk fat globule membranes (MFGM), including a breastfed reference group (BF). Results Using Dirichlet Multinomial Modelling, we characterized three microbial enterotypes (Mixed, anaerobic and aerobic profile; Bact, Bacteroides-dominant; Firm, Firmicutes-enriched) and identified a new enterotype dominated by an unidentified genus within Lachnospiraceae (U_Lach). Enterotypes were associated with age (Mixed with baseline, U_Lach with month 6, Bact and Firm with months 12 and 18). Trajectories or timely enterotype shifts in each infant were not random but strongly associated with type of feeding. Trajectories in SF shifted from initial Mixed to U_Lach, Bact or Firm at month. Microbiota maturation in EF split into a fast trajectory as in SF, and a slow trajectory with Mixed to U_Lach, Bact or Firm transitions at months 12 or 18, as in BF. EF infants with slow trajectories were more often in–home reared and born by vaginal delivery to mothers with pre-pregnancy lean BMI. At 12 months of age, language and expressive language scores were significantly higher in EF infants with fast trajectories than in BF. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were similar between EF infants with slow trajectories and BF at 12 months and 4 years of age. Conclusions Feeding a synbiotics, LC-PUFA and MFGM supplemented formula in a specific infant environment promoted probiotic growth and retarded gut microbiota maturation with similar neurodevelopment outcomes to breastfed infants.CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico e Industrial) and FEDER (SMARTFOODS: IDI- 20141206)Ordesa Laboratories, S.L. (Contract FE-UGR No. 3349)Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and CompetitivenessHORIZON 2020 EU DynaHEALTH Project (GA No.633595

A Physical optics simulator for multireflector THz imaging systems

This article presents a physical optics-based simulator for the analysis of terahertz (THz) imaging systems. The simulation starts by calculating the electromagnetic interactions inside the multireflector system and the incident field that the focusing system creates on the target under inspection. In a second step, the electric field that the modeled target scatters back to the system receiver, is also calculated. This allows to predict the imaging behavior of the system for different targets before manufacturing. The simulator results are validated by using measurements from an existing 300-GHz standoff imaging system. This contribution aims to help in the development of better imaging systems for security applications in the near future.Atlantic Research Center for Information and Communication TechnologiesMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. TEC2015-65353-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. TEC2015-73908-JINAgencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. TEC2017-87061-C3-1-RXunta de Galicia | Ref. GRC2015/01

Designing advanced multistatic imaging systems with optimal 2D sparse arrays

This study introduces an innovative optimization method to identify the optimal configuration of a sparse symmetric 2D array for applications in security, particularly multistatic imaging. Utilizing genetic algorithms (GAs) in a sophisticated optimization process, the research focuses on achieving the most favorable antenna distribution while mitigating the common issue of secondary lobes in sparse arrays. The main objective is to determine the ideal configuration from specific design parameters, including hardware specifications such as number of radiating elements, minimum spacing, operating frequency range, and image separation distance. The study employed a cost function based on the the point spread function (PSF), the system response to a point source, with the goal of minimizing the secondary lobe levels and maximizing their separation from the main lobe. Advanced simulation algorithms based on physical optics (PO) were used to validate the presented methodology and results.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. PID2020-113979RB-C21Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. PID2020-113979RB-C22Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. RYC2021-033593-