Development of organic fertilizers from food market waste and urban gardening by composting in Ecuador

Currently, the management of urban waste streams in developing countries is not optimized yet, and in many cases these wastes are disposed untreated in open dumps. This fact causes serious environmental and health problems due to the presence of contaminants and pathogens. Frequently, the use of specific low-cost strategies reduces the total amount of wastes. These strategies are mainly associated to the identification, separate collection and composting of specific organic waste streams, such as vegetable and fruit refuses from food markets and urban gardening activities. Concretely, in the Chimborazo Region (Ecuador), more than 80% of municipal solid waste is dumped into environment due to the lack of an efficient waste management strategy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a demonstration project at field scale in this region to evaluate the feasibility of implanting the composting technology not only for the management of the organic waste fluxes from food market and gardening activities to be scaled-up in other developing regions, but also to obtain an end-product with a commercial value as organic fertilizer. Three co-composting mixtures were prepared using market wastes mixed with pruning of trees and ornamental palms as bulking agents. Two piles were created using different proportions of market waste and prunings of trees and ornamental palms: pile 1 (50:33:17) with a C/N ratio 25; pile 2: (60:30:10) with C/N ratio 24 and pile 3 (75:0:25) with C/N ratio 33), prepared with market waste and prunings of ornamental palm. Throughout the process, the temperature of the mixtures was monitored and organic matter evolution was determined using thermogravimetric and chemical techniques. Additionally, physico-chemical, chemical and agronomic parameters were determined to evaluate compost quality. The results obtained indicated that all the piles showed a suitable development of the composting process, with a significant organic matter decomposition, reached in a shorter period of time in pile 3. At the end of the process, all the composts showed absence of phytotoxicity and suitable agronomic properties for their use as organic fertilizers. This reflects the viability of the proposed alternative to be scaled-up in developing areas, not only to manage and recycle urban waste fluxes, but also to obtain organic fertilizers, including added value in economic terms related to nutrient contents.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium inactivation by the effect of mandarin, lemon, and orange by-products in reference medium and in oat-fruit juice mixed beverage

The antimicrobial capability of three water extracts of citrus peels was evaluated against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 at various concentrations (0.5, 1, 5, 10%) and temperatures (5, 10, 22 °C) in a reference medium. The best of them was mandarin by-product, achieving a maximum inactivation level against S. Typhimurium (8 log10 cycles) with 5% at 5 °C. Also, this by-product had the highest total polyphenol content. Mandarin by-product showed a bactericidal effect in a food matrix also at 5 °C (≈2 log10 cycles). All results were adjusted to the Weibull model and the b values indicated that the higher concentration of mandarin, the greater the inactivation rate in reference medium, without significant differences between 5 and 10%. Similarly, in the food matrix, the inactivation rate of S. Typhimurium was higher when the mandarin by-product was added. Therefore, the mandarin by-product could be used as a control measure of S. Typhimurium in pasteurized products, which are stored under refrigeration.M. Sanz-Puig is grateful to the CSIC for providing a contract as a researcher working actively on the projects with reference IPT-2011-1724-060000 and AGL 2013–48993-C2-2-R, funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and with FEDER funds. M.C. Pina-Pérez is grateful to the CSIC for providing a doctoral contract.Peer reviewe

Combined effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and antimicrobial from agro-industrial by-products against S. typhimurium

The inactivation potential of HHP treatment (200 MPa-2 min) was evaluated against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in cauliflower and mandarin by-product infusions at 37 and 10 °C. By-product infusions exerted a strong antimicrobial effect used alone, achieving 5 log cycles of bacterial reduction for cauliflower by-product infusion after 10 h and for mandarin by-product infusion after 80 h, at 37 °C. The HHP treatment caused only one log cycle of cellular damage, but when inoculated cauliflower or mandarin by-product infusions were subjected to HHP treatment the antimicrobial effect against S. Typhimurium was enhanced, achieving 5 log cycles of inactivation in 6 h at 37 °C in both cases. Inactivation curves were adjusted to the Weibull equation and the kinetic parameters (b and n) were obtained. When HHP treatment was combined with by-product infusions, the inactivation rates were greater than when either of the by-product infusions was added separately. In conclusion, a synergistic antimicrobial effect against S. Typhimurium appeared to take place when HHP treatment was combined with cauliflower or mandarin by-product infusion. These infusions could be considered as an additional microbial control measure to guarantee the food safety and food quality of pasteurized food products that are stored under refrigeration.M. Sanz-Puig is grateful to the CSIC for providing a contract as a researcher working actively on project AGL 2013–48993-C2-2-R. The present research work was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and with FEDER funds (AGL 2013-48993-C2-2-R).Peer reviewe

Lectura de pseudopalabras en árabe y español

El objetivo de este estudio consiste en analizar las diferencias entre la lectura de palabras en alumnos ecuatorianos y argelinos en Educación Primaria. La muestra está formada por un grupo de 128 alumnos de una escuela de Ecuador y por otro grupo de 113 alumnos de una escuela de Argel, pertenecientes a una clase social media y sin necesidades educativas especiales. Los participantes fueron evaluados en lectura de pseudopalabras en primero y segundo curso de Educación Primaria. Las palabras utilizadas en español fueron adaptadas al árabe, teniendo en cuenta la longitud y frecuencia de cada una de ellas en esta lengua. Se llevó a cabo un diseño factorial mixto 2x2, donde el factor intersujeto fue el tipo de lengua según la consistencia ortográfica (transparente y opaca) y el factor intrasujeto el nivel educativo (primero y segundo curso de educación primaria). Los resultados del ANOVA de medidas repetidas en un factor muestran efectos significativos de ambos factores (tipo de lengua y nivel educativo) y de su interacción. Se encontró mejor precisión lectora de pseudopalabras en los niños de lengua árabe en ambos niveles educativos, un aumento de la lectura de pseudopalabras entre los dos cursos en las dos lenguas, siendo más intenso en español, y una menor diferencia en lectura de pseudopalabras entre lenguas en segundo curso. Estos resultados van en la línea de aquellos estudios que defienden las diferencias en la adquisición de la lectura en lenguas de distinta consistencia, pero no concuerdan con aquellos que apuntan que las lenguas opacas son más tardías. Se resalta la necesidad de analizar las diferencias en otras edades más tempranas y en otras medidas lectoras, controlando el grado de consistencia lingüística.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Use of Antimicrobials from Plants in Feed as a Control Measure for Pathogenic Microorganisms

Animal Feed has become an increasing critical component of the integrated food chain, in 2010 about 1000 mt of animal feed was produced globally and 150 mt in the EU27. The animal feed has an important impact in the human health. The farm or feedlot is the origin of microorganisms introduced onto carcasses during slaughter and dressing. It appears that changes in diet and management practices could precipitate increased shedding of pathogens. Additionally, antibiotics are used in animals, not only for treatment or prevent diseases, but also to promote growth. As a result of the use of antibiotics, food can contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes with important public health consequences. Although antibiotics are banned as growth promoters in the European Union and some other countries, this is not the case throughout the WHO European Region. Travel and the globalization of trade further increase the risk of spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria.Peer reviewe

Modeling the isothermal inactivation curves of Listeria innocua CECT 910 in a vegetable beverage under low-temperature treatments and different pH levels

Thermal inactivation kinetics of Listeria innocua CECT 910 inoculated in a vegetable beverage at three pH conditions (4.25, 4.75, and 5.20), four levels of temperature (50, 55, 60, 65℃), and different treatment times (0–75 min) were obtained. Survival curves did not follow a log-linear relationship and consequently were fitted to various mathematical models: Weibull, Geeraerd, Cerf with shoulder, and the modified Gompertz equation. Results indicated that the best model for the treatment conditions was the modified Gompertz equation, which provides the best goodness-of-fit and the lowest Akaike information criterion value. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the most influential factors affecting the final microbial load were temperature and time in the case of the higher temperature level (65℃) and time in the case of the lower temperature level (50℃).This paper has been partially supported by research grants MTM2013-42323-P and AGL2013-48993-C2-2-R from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competiveness.Peer reviewe

Aproximación teórica del profesional enfermero a los dispositivos legales para afrontar la violencia de género

Violence against women has been an unseen phenomenon for decades. Even today it remains being difficult to identify. Thus, In the Second World Conference about the Status of women celebrated in Copenhagen in 1980 referred this type of abuse as “the most silenced crime in the world.”We, as nurses guided by legal, ethical and deontological knowledge, and with other professionals, notice the immense importance of defending the Human Rights and because of that, this issue is the reason for this study in which we try to summarize the various State Protection Systems in order to get our ultimate goal: to approach the professional nurse who reads these lines to the knowledge of these systems and the knowledge of the context of gender violence.The technique used in this review is a content analysis procedure, within its thematic category which is based on reading as a tool of data collection; reading that has to be done following the scientific method, i.e. it must be systematic, objective and valid.All these State Protective devices are relevant, but we must remember one important aspect: the interdisciplinary health team which includes among the set of nursing that, realizing of this devices, can become in a prominent ally in women´s ensuring security and integrity.La violencia contra la mujer ha constituido un fenómeno invisible durante décadas. Incluso hoy continúa siendo difícil de identificar. Así, la II Conferencia Mundial sobre la Condición Jurídica y Social de la Mujer celebrada en 1980 en Copenhague ya se refería a este tipo de maltrato como “el crimen más silenciado del mundo”.Nosotros, como enfermeros guiados por conocimientos legales, éticos y deontológicos, y junto a otros profesionales, nos percatamos de la inmensa importancia que tiene la defensa de los derechos humanos y por ello creemos oportuna la realización de este estudio en el que intentaremos resumir los distintos sistemas de protección estatales para satisfacer nuestro objetivo último: acercar al profesional enfermero que lea estas líneas, al conocimiento de dichos sistemas y al contexto de la violencia de género.La técnica empleada en esta revisión bibliográfica es la de análisis de contenido, en la modalidad temática, que se basa en la lectura como instrumento de recogida de datos; lectura que debe realizarse siguiendo el método científico, es decir, debe ser sistemática, objetiva, replicable y válida.Todos estos dispositivos de protección estatales son relevantes pero no debemos de olvidar uno en absoluto desdeñable: el equipo interdisciplinar sanitario entre el que se incluye el conjunto de Enfermería que, al conocer dichos dispositivos, puede convertirse en un aliado destacado a la hora de garantizar la seguridad e integridad de la mujer

Effect of pulsed electric fields (PEF) combined with natural antimicrobial by-products against S. typhimurium

The effect against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium of PEF treatment combined with cauliflower and mandarin by-product infusions at several concentrations (0, 1, 5, and 10% (w/v)) was evaluated at various incubation temperatures (10, 22, and 37 °C). The possible synergistic antimicrobial action of the combined process of Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology followed by exposure to the by-product infusions and the occurrence of sublethal cellular damage were also studied. Antimicrobial kinetics of by-product infusions alone or following PEF treatment were fitted to a Weibull model. Both mandarin and cauliflower by-product infusions showed a maximum antimicrobial effect against S. Typhimurium after 10 h at 37 °C when the microorganism was exposed to 10% of by-product infusion, achieving reductions of initial bacterial load up to undetectable levels. The effect of the PEF treatment (20 kV–900 μs) caused a reduction of 4 log cycles of the initial cell population (108 cfu/mL) of S. Typhimurium and 1 log cycle (90%) of cellular damage. Moreover, when the PEF pre-treated S. Typhimurium population was subjected to subsequent incubation in the presence of both by-product [10%] infusions, the microbial inactivation was faster, achieving a reduction of the initial bacterial load (4 log10 cycles) up to undetectable levels in 2 h. The kinetic values of the Weibull model were obtained. The higher the concentration of by-product infusion, temperature, and PEF treatment applied, the greater the kinetic parameter “b” values, which are related to the microbial inactivation rate. Therefore, the addition of cauliflower and mandarin by-product infusions could be a good additional control measure contributing to ensure bacterial counts below recommended limits in pasteurized PEF products during their storage at refrigeration temperatures.M. Sanz-Puig is grateful to the CSIC for providing a contract as a researcher working actively on project AGL 2013-48993-C2-2-R. The present research work was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through project AGL 2013-48993-C2-2-R and with FEDER funds. We are also grateful to INDULLEIDA, S.A. and TRASA, S.L. for providing the by-products that we worked with. Authors acknowledge L. Santos-Carvalho Erasmus Placement scholarship, and L.M. Cunha acknowledges support from the European Union (FEDER funds) and National Funds (FCT/MEC, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministerio da Educação e Ciência) under the Partnership Agreements PT2020 UID/QUI/50006/2013–POCI/01/0145/FEDER/007265 (LAQV) and UID/AGR/04033/2013–POCI/01/0145/FEDER/006958 (CITAB).Peer reviewe

Current situation and characterization of the Eurasian wild grapevine in Asturias region (Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula)

This work shows the location and study of relic populations of the Eurasian wild grapevine Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi in the Asturias region (NW of the Iberian Peninsula). The comprehensive study includes the description of their habitats, of the main botanical supporters of these lianas and of the parasitic species causing them biological stress, the ampelographic description of the populations, wine elaboration from bunches of female vines and a genetic study based on 240 nuclear SNP data. The results obtained have allowed to verify the abundance of this genetic resource in the eastern and central areas of the region. The species that support this liana were different depending on the position (alluvial, colluvial or coastal) of the populations. Several ampelographic differences have been confirmed between male and female individuals. The erineum strain of Colomerus vitis (Pagenstecher) (Acari, Eryophidae) and mildews were the most frequent parasitic species found in the populations. Berries presented a low sugar content, and wines a low alcoholic content and a high total polyphenol index and colour intensity. Feral Vitaceae were found accompanying some of the sylvestris populations mainly in riverbanks and colluvial positions. The genetic study showed a clear distinction of the sylvestris vines from the most common grape varieties in the region, even though one of the sylvestris has a compatible parent-offspring relationship with the variety ‘Camaraou Noir’. The progressive reduction of this subspecies as a consequence of the human activities, plagues and diseases highlights the importance of regulating its conservation in order to avoid its extinction

New Fertilizer Strategies Combining Manure and Urea for Improved Rice Growth in Mozambique

The cost of chemical fertilizers is increasing and becoming unaffordable for smallholders in Africa. The present study aimed to assess the impact of combined fertilization strategies using urea and animal manure (beef cattle manure and poultry litter manure) on rice yield and nutrient uptake. For this, a field experiment was carried out on a loam sandy soil in the Chókwè Irrigation Scheme. We set seven treatments in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), namely: T0: no fertilizer, T1: 100% urea, T2: 100% beef cattle manure, T3: 100% poultry litter, T4: 50% urea + 50% beef cattle manure, T5: 50% urea + 50% poultry litter and T6: 40% urea + 30% beef cattle manure + 30% poultry litter, replicated four times each. All treatments, except T0, received an amount of nitrogen (N) equivalent to 100 kgN ha1. Results revealed that the highest yield grain (425 g m2), plant height (115 cm), number of tillers (18) and thousand-grain weight (34g) were observed in treatments combining urea with manure (T4, T5 and T6) indicating that N supply in the mixture (urea + manure) is more efficient than in isolated applications of N (T1, T2 and T3). The data obtained in this study suggest that a combination of fertilizers (T6) lead to competitive yields and is thus recommended for best soil management practicesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio