Biopelículas y persistencia microbiana en la industria alimentaria

This review examines the importance that microbial communities colonizing food processing environments in the form of biofilms have on food safety and food quality. The focus is on biofilms of undesired microorganisms, i.e. pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. Information is presented on intraspecies variability in biofilm formation, biofilm ecology and architecture and the factors influencing their formation. Finally, research on novel agents or strategies for the control of biofilm formation or its removal is summarized.Este artículo de revisión examina la importancia que tienen las comunidades microbianas que colonizan los ambien­tes y equipos de procesado de alimentos formando biopelículas o biofilms en la persistencia microbiana en la industria alimen­taria y consecuentemente, en la seguridad y la calidad de los alimentos. La atención se centra especialmente en biopelículas formadas por microorganismos no deseados, es decir, microor­ganismos alterantes y patógenos. Se presenta información so­bre la variabilidad intraespecífica en la formación, la ecología y la arquitectura de las biopelículas, y los factores que influyen en su formación. Asimismo, se resume la información disponible sobre nuevos agentes o estrategias para el control de la forma­ción o eliminación de biopelículas

Definición y aplicación de un sistema de flujos de trabajo a la investigación judicial: el caso del Ministerio Público Fiscal del departamento Judicial Mar del Plata

La necesidad de adoptar nuevas herramientas informáticas que colaboren en la modernización del Poder Judicial, en este caso, los mecanismos y protocolos para llevar adelante una investigación, profundiza el acercamiento del Derecho a los requerimientos tecnológicos propios del siglo XXI. La gestión del conocimiento, en conjunto con la implementación de mecanismos de flujos de trabajo mediante software, favorece la correcta realización del conjunto de acciones investigativas, acelerando procesos y mejorando los intercambios de información entre los diversos actores que tienen lugar en el proceso investigativo del Ministerio Público Fiscal.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Definición y aplicación de un sistema de flujos de trabajo a la investigación judicial: el caso del Ministerio Público Fiscal del departamento Judicial Mar del Plata

La necesidad de adoptar nuevas herramientas informáticas que colaboren en la modernización del Poder Judicial, en este caso, los mecanismos y protocolos para llevar adelante una investigación, profundiza el acercamiento del Derecho a los requerimientos tecnológicos propios del siglo XXI. La gestión del conocimiento, en conjunto con la implementación de mecanismos de flujos de trabajo mediante software, favorece la correcta realización del conjunto de acciones investigativas, acelerando procesos y mejorando los intercambios de información entre los diversos actores que tienen lugar en el proceso investigativo del Ministerio Público Fiscal.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Definición y aplicación de un sistema de flujos de trabajo a la investigación judicial: el caso del Ministerio Público Fiscal del departamento Judicial Mar del Plata

La necesidad de adoptar nuevas herramientas informáticas que colaboren en la modernización del Poder Judicial, en este caso, los mecanismos y protocolos para llevar adelante una investigación, profundiza el acercamiento del Derecho a los requerimientos tecnológicos propios del siglo XXI. La gestión del conocimiento, en conjunto con la implementación de mecanismos de flujos de trabajo mediante software, favorece la correcta realización del conjunto de acciones investigativas, acelerando procesos y mejorando los intercambios de información entre los diversos actores que tienen lugar en el proceso investigativo del Ministerio Público Fiscal.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Sex differences in the aging pattern of renin–angiotensin system serum peptidases

Background: Serum peptidases, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), neutral endopeptidase (NEP), aminopeptidase N (APN), and aminopeptidase A (APA), are important elements of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Dysregulation of these enzymes has been associated with hypertension and cardiovascular risk. In the present study, serum activities of RAS peptidases were analyzed to evaluate the existence of sexual differences, with a possible different pattern in pre- and post-andropausal/post-menopausal participants. Methods: One hundred and eighteen healthy men and women between 41 and 70 years of age (58 women and 60 men) were recruited to participate in the study. Serum RAS-regulating enzymes were measured by spectrofluorimetry. Enzymatic activity was recorded as units of enzyme per milliliter of serum (U/mL). Results: Significantly lower serum APA activity was observed in men with respect to women; no sex differences were detected for ACE, ACE2, NEP, or APN. Significantly lower APA and ACE serum activity were observed in older men compared to older women. In contrast, younger (<55 years) men had significantly higher values of NEP serum activity than younger women. Significantly lower ACE serum activity was detected in older men compared to younger men. In women, significantly higher ACE2 serum activity was observed in older women compared to younger women. Conclusions: These results suggest a differential effect of aging on the activity of RAS enzymes in men and women, especially with respect to the breakpoint of andropausia/menopausia, on the critical serum enzymatic activities of the RAS, which could correlate with sexual differences in cardiovascular risk.This work was supported by a grant from the Basque Government (IT8-11/13), the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU (UFI 11/44), and the Gangoiti-Barrera Foundation

Inhibiting HER3 Hyperphosphorylation in HER2‐Overexpressing Breast Cancer through Multimodal Therapy with Branched Gold Nanoshells

Treatment failure in breast cancers overexpressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is associated mainly to the upregulation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) oncoprotein linked to chemoresitence. Therefore, to increase patient survival, here a multimodal theranostic nanoplatform targeting both HER2 and HER3 is developed. This consists of doxorubicin-loaded branched gold nanoshells functionalized with the near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye indocyanine green, a small interfering RNA (siRNA) against HER3, and the HER2-specific antibody Transtuzumab, able to provide a combined therapeutic outcome (chemo- and photothermal activities, RNA silencing, and immune response). In vitro assays in HER2+/HER3+ SKBR-3 breast cancer cells have shown an effective silencing of HER3 by the released siRNA and an inhibition of HER2 oncoproteins provided by Trastuzumab, along with a decrease of the serine/threonine protein kinase Akt (p-AKT) typically associated with cell survival and proliferation, which helps to overcome doxorubicin chemoresistance. Conversely, adding the NIR light therapy, an increment in p-AKT concentration is observed, although HER2/HER3 inhibitions are maintained for 72 h. Finally, in vivo studies in a tumor-bearing mice model display a significant progressively decrease of the tumor volume after nanoparticle administration and subsequent NIR light irradiation, confirming the potential efficacy of the hybrid nanocarrierE.V.-A. and I.G.-C. contributed equally to this work. This work was sup ported by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) through Project No. PID2019-109517RB-I00) and from the Xunta de Galicia, Project No. ED431C2022/18. European Regional Development Funds are also ac knowledged. A.A.-M. and P.T. also thank the International Scientific Part nership Program ISSP at King Saud University for additional funding of this research through Grant No. ISPP-144. This work also received fi nancial support from the ISCIII, Ministerio de Economía y Competitivi dad (Grant No. PI15/01129; J.A.C.), and the AEI (Grant No. PID2020- 113501RB-I00; J.A.C.). I.-G.C. thanks for financial support through Grant No. PRE/2011/131, and the Centro Singular de Investigación de Galicia accreditation Grant No. 2016–2019 ED431G/05)S

Characterization of Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of 17-4 PH Stainless Steel by Cold Rolled and Machining vs. DMLS Additive Manufacturing

The 17-4 PH stainless steel is widely used in the aerospace, petrochemical, chemical, food, and general metallurgical industries. The present study was conducted to analyze the mechanical properties of two types of 17-4 PH stainless steel—commercial cold-rolled and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) manufactured. This study employed linear and nonlinear tensile FEM simulations, combined with various materials characterization techniques such as tensile testing and nanoindentation. Moreover, microstructural analysis was performed using metallographic techniques, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results on the microstructure for 17-4 PH DMLS stainless steel reveal the layers of melting due to the laser process characterized by complex directional columnar structures parallel to the DMLS build direction. The mechanical properties obtained from the simple tension test decreased by 17% for the elastic modulus, 7.8% for the yield strength, and 7% for the ultimate strength for 17-4 PH DMLS compared with rolled 17-4 PH stainless steel. The FEM simulation using the experimental tension test data revealed that the 17-4 PH DMLS stainless steel experienced a decrease in the yield strength of ~8% and in the ultimate strength of ~11%. A reduction of the yield strength of the material was obtained as the grain size increased

Obesity Parameters, Physical Activity, And Physical Fitness are Correlated With Serum Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Activity In A Healthy Population

Objective: To determine whether obesity, physical fitness, and physical activity parameters are associated with the enzymatic activity of serum dipeptidyl peptidase IV (sDPPIV) in a sample of healthy women and men. Design and methods: We have correlated parameters of obesity, physical fitness, and physical activity with sDPPIV activity in 374 healthy subjects (age: 60.7 +/- 6.9 years, body mass index: 26.1 +/- 4.1 kg/m(2)). Enzymatic activity was analyzed using spectrofluorimetry, body composition was assessed by impedanciometry, physical fitness data were obtained using the Senior Fitness Test, and physical activity data were collected by accelerometer. Pearson' s partial correlation analysis was applied to determine the relationship between DPPIV activity and the rest of parameters and significantly correlated variables were introduced into linear regression models to predict DPPIV. Results: Serum DPPIV activity was negatively associated with obesity parameters such as body mass (r = -0.112), body mass index (BMI) (r = -0.147), waist circumference (r = -0.164), waist-to-hip ratio (-0.104), and percentage of fat mass (r = -0.185). Serum DPPIV activity was positively associated with cardiovascular fitness (r = 0.138), total amount of physical activity (r = 0.153), and time spent doing light exercise (r = 0.184). Regression models revealed sex differences in enzyme activity with overall activity higher in women than in men (beta = 0.437, p < 0.001). Further, percent fat mass was an independent negative predictor of DPPIV activity (beta = -0.184, p = 0.001). Serum DPPIV activity was positively predicted based on the amount of time spent doing light physical activity (beta = 0.167, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that sDPPIV activity is positively associated with healthier parameters regarding fatness, fitness and physical activity.This work was supported by the Basque Government (GIC12/173: IT811-13) and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU: PPG17/40)