Una nueva visión de la calidad de vida incorporando la salud mental: un análisis para América Latina

La calidad de vida es un concepto de creciente interés en la actualidad. Su ambigüedad conceptual ha suscitado abundantes debates sobre su definición y métodos de investigación. Los trabajos empíricos conocidos realizados hasta la fecha se basan en un análisis de las condiciones de vida de la sociedad en el que suelen dejar de lado factores importantes.En el presente trabajo se estudia la calidad de vida de los países latinoamericanos, al considerar este continente poco estudiado en lo que se refiere a este término, a través de la creación de un indicador que introduce la salud mental como uno de los elementos influyentes en el bienestar de la sociedad. Con ello se intenta trascender en un análisis de la calidad de vida desde otra perspectiva multidimensional convirtiéndose en el primer trabajo de investigación sobre la incorporación de la salud mental en el estudio del bienestar.Se concluye con la exposición de los resultados del análisis realizado, así como la comprobación de la existencia de correlación entre el indicador creado y el IDH, como ejemplo de indicador competitivo mundialmente. <br /

Hidrogenación catalítica de vainillina empleando catalizadores/surfactantes biomórficos en emulsión (Metal/C)

El siguiente proyecto final de carrera se enmarca en el proyecto de investigación de "Aplicaciones de Nanonohíbridos en Catálisis por Transferencia de fase (PTC)" (MINECO-FEDER, proyecto CTQ2010-16132, DGA-FSE) del grupo de Catálisis, Separaciones Moleculares e Ingeniería de Reactores (CREG) del Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Tecnologías del Medio Ambiente de la Universidad de Zaragoza. El "bio-oil" obtenido de la pirólisis de biomasa está formado mayoritariamente por brea (o alquitranes), aceite biodegradable y agua. Esta composición se distribuye en dos fases, una fase acuosa en la que se encuentra una gran variedad de compuestos orgánicos oxigenados y una fase no acuosa formada por compuestos orgánicos insolubles en agua. La baja estabilidad del "bio-oil", debida la alta reactividad que le confieren los grupos funcionales oxigenados a la mezcla, hace que sea de peor calidad que los combustibles fósiles, además de tener un menor poder calorífico. Para mejorar la calidad del "bio-oil" se lleva a cabo el refinado del mismo. Uno de los procesos más importantes del refinado es la hidrodeoxigenación (HDO), que disminuye la relación O/C en el "bio-oil" y da lugar a combustibles y productos químicos de mayor valor añadido. La HDO de "bio-oil" consiste en el tratamiento de aceites a temperaturas moderadas, utilizando hidrógeno a alta presión en presencia de catalizadores heterogéneos. Habitualmente el proceso se realiza en múltiples etapas. En este proyecto se simplifica el proceso de manera que la reacción HDO se lleva a cabo en un solo reactor, a través de "catálisis por transferencia de fase" (PTC), que tiene lugar en un medio formado por las dos fases inmiscibles del "bio-oil" y un catalizador heterogéneo (sólido). Para facilitar la transferencia de materia entre ambas fases, y en última instancia, mejorar el rendimiento global del proceso de refino del "bio-oil", se aumenta el área interfacial de contacto entre fases añadiendo surfactantes que formen una emulsión estable. Empleando emulsionantes sólidos, la fragmentación final se simplifica ya que no es necesario separar las fases. Los productos se reparten entre las fases según sus solubilidades. En el presente proyecto se han sintetizado catalizadores biomórficos degradando térmicamente en presencia de hidrógeno papel de filtro impregnado en nitrato del metal. Este proceso es más sencillo y barato que el uso de materiales nanohíbridos que recientemente se han empleado en estas reacciones. Además, tras la degradación térmica, el metal aparece en forma de nanopartículas reducidas altamente dispersas, por lo que no se requiere activación del catalizador previo a su uso. Los catalizadores biomórficos empleados han demostrado ser estabilizantes de la emulsión a la par que activos en la reacción HDO estudiada, pudiendo emplearse metales como el níquel con resultados comparables con metales más caros y frecuentemente utilizados como el paladio

Membrane vesicles released by a hypervesiculating Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 tolR mutant are highly heterogeneous and show reduced capacity for epithelial cell interaction and entry.

Membrane vesicles (MVs) produced by Gram-negative bacteria are being explored for novel clinical applications due to their ability to deliver active molecules to distant host cells, where they can exert immunomodulatory properties. MVs released by the probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) are good candidates for testing such applications. However, a drawback for such studies is the low level of MV isolation from in vitro culture supernatants, which may be overcome by the use of mutants in cell envelope proteins that yield a hypervesiculation phenotype. Here, we confirm that a tolR mutation in EcN increases MV production, as determined by protein, LPS and fluorescent lipid measurements. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of negatively stained MVs did not reveal significant differences with wild type EcN MVs. Conversely, TEM observation after high-pressure freezing followed by freeze substitution of bacterial samples, together with cryo-TEM observation of plunge-frozen hydrated isolated MVs showed considerable structural heterogeneity in the EcN tolR samples. In addition to common one-bilayer vesicles (OMVs) and the recently described double-bilayer vesicles (O-IMVs), other types of MVs were observed. Time-course experiments of MV uptake in Caco-2 cells using rhodamine- and DiO-labelled MVs evidenced that EcN tolR MVs displayed reduced internalization levels compared to the wild-type MVs. The low number of intracellular MVs was due to a lower cell binding capacity of the tolR-derived MVs, rather than a different entry pathway or mechanism. These findings indicate that heterogeneity of MVs from tolR mutants may have a major impact on vesicle functionality, and point to the need for conducting a detailed structural analysis when MVs from hypervesiculating mutants are to be used for biotechnological applications

Comparative study of red grape mustnanofiltration: Laboratory and pilot plant scales

Producción CientíficaA consequence of global warming is the early ripening of grapes which promotes, among others, a higher fermentablesugar (glucose and fructose) content. This leads to wines with an alcoholic degree higher than desired.In this work, the main differences between red grape must nanofiltration at laboratory and pilot plant scale werestudied in order to perform the scale-up of a nanofiltration process to reduce the sugar content. For this, previousresults of the nanofiltration of commercial red must using the SR3 membrane in a flat sheet crossflow module werecompared with those obtained for the filtration of natural red must using the same membrane in a spiral woundmodule at two different applied pressures.The aim of this publication is to analyze the main differences between red grape must nanofiltration at laboratoryand at pilot plant scale.Results: showed that the flow destabilization and eddy promotion caused by spacers in the spiral wound modulemitigate the rate at which the cake thickens and compacts on the membrane surface. This causes a less sharp fluxdecrease, less variable sugars rejection and osmotic pressure difference. Moreover, higher applied pressure promotesa higher membrane fouling and osmotic pressure that worsen the flux decayJunta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA248U13

Estrés parental y desarrollo infantil en niños prematuros

El presente trabajo trata de analizar si los niveles de estrés experimentados por los progenitores inciden sobre el desarrollo mental y motor de un grupo de niños nacidos demasiado pequeños o demasiado pronto. Participaron 19 niños y niñas nacidos, con menos de 36 semanas de gestación (media 29,84) y menos de 1500 gramos (media 1099,89), en el Hospital 12 de octubre de Madrid cuyos padres y madres consintieron participar en este trabajo. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron la Escala BSID-II para obtener los índices del desarrollo mental y psicomotor en los niños cuando alcanzaron la edad 2 años y la PSI de Abidin, para valorar el estrés total de los padres y madres participantes, así como su percepción de Malestar Paterno, Interacción Disfuncional y Niño Difícil. Los datos fueron sometidos a análisis de comparaciones de medias para muestras independientes. Los resultados indican que existen diferencias significativas entre los altos y los bajos niveles de estrés en cuanto a su incidencia en el desarrollo. En general, tanto en las madres como en los padres, cuando se obtiene una puntuación baja de estrés, existe un mejor desarrollo mental y psicomotor en los niños. Estos resultados se discuten a la luz de las investigaciones sobre el tema y se analizan las implicaciones para la elaboración de programas de atención temprana.The current document analyze if the parent’s stress levels influence the mental and motor development of a children’s group being born too young or too small. The participants were 19 preterm children born at the “Hospital 12 de Octubre” of Madrid with less than 36 gestation weeks (mean 29,84) and 1500 grammes (mean 1099,89), whose parents were agree to take part in this study. The employed instruments were the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II) to obtain the mental and psychomotor index scores of the toddlers at 2 years old; and the Parenting Stress Index Short Form (PSI) of Abidin. to assess the Total Stress of the parents, and their perception of Parental Distress, Dysfunctional Parent-Child Interactions and Difficult Child also. The obtained data were analyzed comparing the means of two independent samples. The results show that there are significant differences in the children’s development depending of the high or low parental stress levels. In general terms, when parents have low levels of stress, a better mental and psychomotor development is observed in their children. These results are discussed in the light of other researches about the issue, being considered as well, their implications for the implementation of early intervention programs.peerReviewe

The rhizobial adhesion protein RapA1 is involved in adsorption of rhizobia to plant roots but not in nodulation

The effect of the rhizobium adhesion protein RapA1 on Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii adsorption to Trifolium pratense (red clover) roots was investigated. We altered RapA1 production by cloning its encoding gene under the plac promoter into the stable vector pHC60. After introducing this plasmid in R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii, three to four times more RapA1 was produced, and two to five times higher adsorption to red clover roots was obtained, as compared with results for the empty vector. Enhanced adsorption was also observed on soybean and alfalfa roots, not related to R. leguminosarum cross inoculation groups. Although the presence of 1 mM Ca2+ during rhizobial growth enhanced adsorption, it was unrelated to RapA1 level. Similar effects were obtained when the same plasmid was introduced in Rhizobium etli for its adsorption to bean roots. Although root colonization by the RapA1-overproducing strain was also higher, nodulation was not enhanced. In addition, in vitro biofilm formation was similar to the wild-type both on polar and on hydrophobic surfaces. These results suggest that RapA1 receptors are present in root but not on inert surfaces, and that the function of this protein is related to rhizosphere colonization.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Soybean lectin enhances biofilm formation by Bradyrhizobium japonicum in the absence of plants

Soybean lectin (SBL) purified fromsoybean seeds by affinity chromatography strongly bound to Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110 cell surface. This lectin enhanced biofilm formation by B. japonicum in a concentration-dependent manner. Presence of galactose during biofilm formation had different effects in the presence or absence of SBL. Biofilms were completely inhibited in the presence of both SBL and galactose, while in the absence of SBL, galactose was less inhibitory. SBL was very stable, since its agglutinating activity of B. japonicum cells as well as of human group A+ erythrocytes was resistant to preincubation for one week at 60°C. Hence, we propose that plant remnants might constitute a source of this lectin, which might remain active in soil and thus favor B. japonicum biofilm formation in the interval between soybean crop seasons.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasInstituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia Molecula

Strain selection for improvement of Bradyrhizobium japonicum competitiveness for nodulation of soybean

A Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110-derived strain able to produce wider halos in soft-agar medium than its parental strain was obtained by recurrent selection. It was more chemotactic than the wild type towards mannitol and three amino acids. When cultured in minimal medium with mannitol as a single carbon-source, it had one thick subpolar flagellum as the wild type, plus several other flagella that were thinner and sinusoidal. Root adsorption and infectivity in liquid media were 50-100% higher for the selected strain, but root colonization in water-unsaturated vermiculite was similar to the wild type. A field experiment was then carried out in a soil with a naturalized population of 1.8 × 105 soybean-nodulating rhizobia g of soil -1. Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains were inoculated either on the soybean seeds or in the sowing furrows. Nodule occupation was doubled when the strains were inoculated in the sowing furrows with respect to seed inoculation (significant with P<0.05). On comparing strains, nodule occupation with seed inoculation was 6% or 10% for the wild type or selected strains, respectively, without a statistically significant difference, while when inoculated in the sowing furrows, nodule occupation increased to 12% and 22%, respectively (differences significant with P<0.05).Instituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia Molecula

Epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in older people in Spain (2007-2009): implications for future vaccination strategies

Background: Recently, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) has been recommended for adults. We analyzed the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in older adults in Spain before PCV13 introduction. Methodology/Principal Findings: IPD episodes, defined as clinical findings together with an invasive pneumococcal isolate, were prospectively collected from patients aged over 65 years in three hospitals in Spain from 2007 to 2009. A total of 335 IPD episodes were collected. Pneumonia was the main clinical syndrome, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus and cancer were the main underlying diseases. Pneumococcal isolates were serotyped and the molecular typing was performed by PFGE/MLST. PCV13 serotypes accounted for 59.3% of isolates, the most prevalent being serotypes 19A (15.1%), 3 (9.6%), 7F (7.5%), 14 (6.9%) and 1 (5.4%). The most frequent non-PCV13 serotypes were serotypes 16F (4.5%), 22F (3.6%), 24F (3.3%) and 6C (2.1%). The most common genotypes were CC230 (8.5%, serotypes 19A and 24F), CC156 (8.2%, serotypes 9V and 14), ST191 (7.9%, serotype 7F), CC260 (6.6%, serotype 3), ST306 (5.2%, serotype 1), CC30 (4.6%, serotype 16F) and ST433 (3.6%, serotype 22F). Comparing the 335 IPD isolates to 174 invasive pneumococci collected at the same hospitals in 1999-2000, PCV7 serotypes decreased (45.4% vs 18.4%,p,0.001), non-PCV7 serotypes included in PCV13 increased (26.4% vs 41.0%,p = 0.001) and two non-PCV13 serotypes increased (serotype 6C 0% vs 2.1%, p = 0.05; serotype 24F 0.6% vs 3.3%, p = 0.04,). Conclusion: In our older adult population two serotypes (19A and 3) included in PCV13 accounted for about a quarter of IPD episodes in people $65 years. Non-PCV13 emerging serotypes should be carefully monitored in future surveillance studies

Strain selection for improvement of Bradyrhizobium japonicum competitiveness for nodulation of soybean

A Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110-derived strain able to produce wider halos in soft-agar medium than its parental strain was obtained by recurrent selection. It was more chemotactic than the wild type towards mannitol and three amino acids. When cultured in minimal medium with mannitol as a single carbon-source, it had one thick subpolar flagellum as the wild type, plus several other flagella that were thinner and sinusoidal. Root adsorption and infectivity in liquid media were 50-100% higher for the selected strain, but root colonization in water-unsaturated vermiculite was similar to the wild type. A field experiment was then carried out in a soil with a naturalized population of 1.8 × 105 soybean-nodulating rhizobia g of soil -1. Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains were inoculated either on the soybean seeds or in the sowing furrows. Nodule occupation was doubled when the strains were inoculated in the sowing furrows with respect to seed inoculation (significant with P<0.05). On comparing strains, nodule occupation with seed inoculation was 6% or 10% for the wild type or selected strains, respectively, without a statistically significant difference, while when inoculated in the sowing furrows, nodule occupation increased to 12% and 22%, respectively (differences significant with P<0.05).Instituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia Molecula