Use of Quorum Sensing Inhibition Strategies to Control Microfouling

Interfering with the quorum sensing bacterial communication systems has been proposed as a promising strategy to control bacterial biofilm formation, a key process in biofouling development. Appropriate in vitro biofilm-forming bacteria models are needed to establish screening methods for innovative anti-biofilm and anti-microfouling compounds. Four marine strains, two Pseudoalteromonas spp. and two Vibrio spp., were selected and studied with regard to their biofilm-forming capacity and sensitivity to quorum sensing (QS) inhibitors. Biofilm experiments were performed using two biofilm cultivation and quantification methods: the xCELLigence® system, which allows online monitoring of biofilm formation, and the active attachment model, which allows refreshment of the culture medium to obtain a strong biofilm that can be quantified with standard staining methods. Although all selected strains produced acyl-homoserine-lactone (AHL) QS signals, only the P. flavipulchra biofilm, measured with both quantification systems, was significantly reduced with the addition of the AHL-lactonase Aii20J without a significant effect on planktonic growth. Two-species biofilms containing P. flavipulchra were also affected by the addition of Aii20J, indicating an influence on the target bacterial strain as well as an indirect effect on the co-cultured bacterium. The use of xCELLigence® is proposed as a time-saving method to quantify biofilm formation and search for eco-friendly anti-microfouling compounds based on quorum sensing inhibition (QSI) strategies. The results obtained from these two in vitro biofilm formation methods revealed important differences in the response of biosensor bacteria to culture medium and conditions, indicating that several strains should be used simultaneously for screening purposes and the cultivation conditions should be carefully optimized for each specific purposeThis work was supported by the European project BYEFOULING “Low-toxic cost-efficient environment-friendly antifouling materials” (FP7-OCEAN-2013 612717) and the project PID2019-104439RB-C21/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 of the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI, Spain), and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union: A Way to Making Europe (FEDER). A.M. and A.P. were supported by predoctoral fellowships from the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia (ED481A-2015/311 and ED481A-2019/194). C.M. was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from Xunta de Galicia (IN606B-2019/010)S

Perimeter and carvacrol-loading regulate angiogenesis and biofilm growth in 3D printed PLA scaffolds

rvacrol is a natural low-cost compound derived from oregano which presents anti-bacterial properties against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In this work, carvacrol-loaded PLA scaffolds were fabricated by 3D printing as platforms to support bone tissue regeneration while preventing biofilm development. Scaffolds were printed with or without a perimeter (lateral wall) mimicking the cortical structure of bone tissue to further evaluate if the lateral interconnectivity could affect the biological or antimicrobial properties of the scaffolds. Carvacrol incorporation was performed by loading either the PLA filament prior to 3D printing or the already printed PLA scaffold. The loading method determined carvacrol localization in the scaffolds and its release profile. Biphasic profiles were recorded in all cases, but scaffolds loaded post-printed released carvacrol much faster, with 50–80% released in the first day, compared to those containing carvacrol in PLA filament before printing which sustained the release for several weeks. The presence or absence of the perimeter did not affect the release rate, but total amount released. Tissue integration and vascularization of carvacrol-loaded scaffolds were evaluated in a chorioallantoic membrane model (CAM) using a novel quantitative micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis approach. The obtained results confirmed the CAM tissue ingrowth and new vessel formation within the porous structure of the scaffolds after 7 days of incubation, without leading to hemorrhagic or cytotoxic effects. The absence of lateral wall facilitated lateral integration of the scaffolds in the host tissue, although increased the anisotropy of the mechanical properties. Scaffolds loaded with carvacrol post-printing showed antibiofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as observed in a decrease in CFU counting after biofilm detachment, changes in metabolic heat measured by calorimetry, and increased contact killing efficiency. In summary, this work demonstrated the feasibility of tuning carvacrol release rate and the amount released from PLA scaffolds to achieve antibiofilm protection without altering angiogenesis, which was mostly dependent on the perimeter density of the scaffoldsThis work was supported by MCIN/AEI/http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 [PID2020-113881RB-I00], FEDER, and Xunta de Galicia [ED431C 2020/17, ED481D-2021-014]. Xián Farto-Vaamonde acknowledges Xunta de Galicia for a predoctoral research fellowship [ED481A-2018/073]S

Phosphorylcholine-Based Contact Lenses for Sustained Release of Resveratrol: Design, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Performances, and In Vivo Behavior

Design of advanced contact lenses (CLs) demands materials that are safe and comfortable for the wearers and that preserve the normal eye microbiota, avoiding chronic inflammation and biofilm development. This work aimed to combine the natural antibiofouling phosphorylcholine and the antioxidant and prebiotic resveratrol as integral components of CLs that may have the additional performance of preventing oxidative-stress related eye diseases. Different from previous uses of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) as coating, we explored the feasibility of adding MPC at high proportions as a comonomer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)-based hydrogels while still allowing for the loading of the hydrophobic resveratrol. Homogeneous distribution of MPC along the hydrogel depth (confirmed by Raman spectroscopy) notably increased solvent uptake and the proportion of free water while it decreased Young’s modulus. Relevantly, MPC did not hinder the uptake of resveratrol by CLs (>10 mg/g), which indeed showed network/water partition coefficients of >100. Protocols for CLs sterilization and loading of resveratrol under aseptic conditions were implemented, and the effects of tear proteins on resveratrol release rate were investigated. CLs sustained resveratrol release for more than 24 h in vitro, and sorption of albumin onto the hydrogel, although attenuated by MPC, slowed down the release. The combination of MPC and resveratrol reduced P. aeruginosa and S. aureus growth as tested in a novel hydrogel disk-agar interface biofilm growth setup. The developed CLs showed excellent anti-inflammatory properties and biocompatibility in in ovo and rabbit tests and provided higher and more prolonged levels of resveratrol in tear fluid, which favored resveratrol biodistribution in anterior and posterior eye segments compared to eye drops. Correlations between the release profiles of resveratrol in vitro and in vivo were assessed. Relevantly, the CLs preserved the antioxidant properties of resveratrol during the entire 8 h of wearing. In sum, CLs prepared with high proportion in MPC may help address safety and comfort requirements while having drug releasing capabilitiesThe authors are grateful to Mabel Loza and Cristina Val García, from BioFarma Research Group (USC GI-1685), for their help in the UPLC experiment, and to Luis Díaz-Gómez for advice in the anti-inflammatory tests. M.V.-L. acknowledges Xunta de Galicia (Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria) for a predoctoral research fellowship [Grant ED481A-2019/120]. A.F.P.-d.-M. is an ESR of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Grant Agreement 813440 (ORBITAL-Ocular Research by Integrated Training and Learning)S

¿Es rentable una matrona en Urgencias?

El objetivo de este estudio es doble: 1. Cuantificar el ahorro económico que se consigue evitando ingresos con una matrona en Urgencias en horario de 9 a 21 horas. 2. Valorar la eficiencia de los ingresos de las gestantes a término si tienen su parto en las 24 horas siguientes a su ingres

Quorum sensing and oral biofilm: an alternative for the prevention and treatment of oral diseases

The present thesis investigates the potential of inhibiting bacterial cell-cell communication, quorum sensing (QS), to modulate oral biofilm formation. The thesis evaluates the effect of a quorum quenching (QQ) enzyme that degrades N-acylhomoserine lactones, the QS signals of gram-negative bacteria, on in vitro polymicrobial oral biofilms. The potential interactions between AHLs and a gram-positive representative, Enterococcus faecalis, were also investigated. The results presented here support the translation of QQ strategies to in vivo trials for the modulation of oral biofilms. In addition, a more intricate role of AHLs on oral biofilm formation and interactions with gram-positive bacteria is proposed.2024-02-1

Pertinencia y conveniencia de dos videojuegos para estimular las funciones ejecutivas en adultos con deterioro cognitivo leve

El entrenamiento cognitivo computarizado es una metodología que se aplica en pro cesos de rehabilitación neuropsicológica; en los últimos años se evidencia un interés creciente por adaptarlo a las necesidades de los adultos mayores diagnosticados con deterioro cognitivo leve. El propósito de este capítulo es describir el proceso de validación de contenido de dos juegos que forman parte de un programa de entrena miento cognitivo computarizado, uno dirigido a la planificación cognitiva y el otro a la memoria de trabajo. En el proceso de validación se adaptó el método Delphi, se contó con la participación de cinco jueces expertos en los temas de cognición, neuropsicología y psicología clínica. En relación con los resultados, el índice de concordancia fue de 0.80, el cual se obtuvo a través del Coeficiente rWG. En términos generales, los juegos fueron coherentes con la fundamentación teórica y metodo lógica seleccionada, lo que permite que puedan ser habilitados como instrumentos para estimular la planificación cognitiva y la memoria de trabajo en adultos mayoresAbstract: Computerized cognitive training is a methodology that is applied in neuropsycho logical rehabilitation processes; in recent years there has been a growing interest in adapting it to the needs of older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the content validation process of two games that are part of this module, one aimed at cognitive planning and the other at working memory. In the validation process, the Delphi method was adapted, with the partic ipation of five expert judges in the topics of cognition, neuropsychology and clinical psychology. In relation to the results, the concordance index was 0.80, which was obtained through the rWG coefficient. In general, terms the games were consistent with the theoretical and methodological foundation selected, which allows them to be enabled as instruments to stimulate cognitive planning and working memory in older adults.1a ed

Carta de Psicología No. 53

Comprensión neuropsicológica de la enfermedad de Parkinson........3 María Fernanda Obregón Guavita Aprendizajes y experiencias en el semillero LAPSUCC: nuestro año como investigadores en neuropsicología ......6 Gabriel Almeida, María Paula Bernal, Laura Valentina Ruiz, Daniela Arévalo y Tatiana Manrique Entrenamiento cognitivo en el deterioro cognitivo leve - Trastorno neurocognitivo leve. 9 Luz Adriana Penagos, Angie Tatiana Contreras Cifuentes, Jhon Erick Chacón Ruiz, María Emily Triana, Daniela Alejandra Martínez Sarmiento, Valeria Valentina Palencia Amaya, Juliana Martínez Cárdenas, Natalia Caicedo Tamara, Johanna Castillo, María Lucía Blanco Parga, Ana Lorena Muñoz Valdés, Miguel Ángel Patarroyo, Sonia Gisela Ríos Cruz Articulación: de la educación media a superior...16 Daniela García, Camila Clavijo, Paola Peñuela, Tatiana Flores Mediación de la trascendencia en el ámbito educativo....18 Estefany Cuéllar González, Laura Camila Vargas López, Importancia de la orientación temporal en el niño........20 Andrómeda Katherine Gutiérrez Rueda, Claudia Paola Martínez Devia La castración química: el debate del populismo punitivo....22 Daniel Ricardo Riaño García, Laura Camila Jaimes Castillo, Angie Nathaly Infante , Hernández, Ever José López Cantero, Factores psicológicos en las personas privadas de la libertad condenadas por el delito de violencia intrafamiliar......26 Gerardo Andrés Merchán Mesa, Jordan Micaela Castelblanco Zamora, Ever José López Cantero, Karol Tatiana Triana Caballero, Katherine Álvarez Modelo ecológico para la compresión de las conductas infractoras en adolescentes.....29 Ana María Altamar Escorcia, Daniela Alvarado Ospina, María Isabel Castillo Camargo, Adriana Yulieth, Gómez Núñez, Ever José López Cantero, Luz Ángela Vega Gómez, Rocío Ordóñez Gómez, Bertha Liliana Ortiz Triviño y Lorena Osorio Rosales Inteligencia emocional y estrés académico en estudiantes universitarios.... 35 Johana Orozco, Valery Ramírez, María José Saavedra, y Javier Yépez Arrieta Uso de minería de textos para la exploración de creencias epistemológicas....37 Santiago Amaya Nassar Emociones, dinero, amigos y sexualidad en universitarios durante la cuarentena..... 42 Daniela Barbosa Sentido de comunidad: hacia una nueva conciencia comunitaria.....................45 Xiomara González Alarcón Participación y sentido de país.........47 Angie Lorena Ruiz, Andrea Lorena Villamil El semillero, una oportunidad de formación para estudiantes de pregrado y de especialización...........50 Liliana Quintero e Itala Marina Camargo Uso de minería de textos para el análisis de la participación de los egresados en los órganos de gobierno de las instituciones de educación superior .52 Sergio Andrés Flautero Mes

Global variation in postoperative mortality and complications after cancer surgery: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 82 countries

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licenseBackground: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods: This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03471494. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation: Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit