Microfluidics potential for developing food-grade microstructures through emulsification processes and their application

The food sector continues to face challenges in developing techniques to increase the bioavailability of bioactive chemicals. Utilising microstructures capable of encapsulating diverse compounds has been proposed as a technological solution for their transport both in food and into the gastrointestinal tract. The present review discusses the primary elements that influence the emulsification process in microfluidic systems to form different microstructures for food applications. In microfluidic systems, reactions occur within small reaction channels (1–1000 μm), using small amounts of samples and reactants, ca. 102–103 times less than conventional assays. This geometry provides several advantages for emulsion and encapsulating structure production, like less waste generation, lower cost and gentle assays. Also, from a food application perspective, it allows the decrease in particle dispersion, resulting in a highly repeatable and efficient synthesis method that also improves the palatability of the food products into which the encapsulates are incorporated. However, it also entails some particular requirements. It is important to obtain a low Reynolds number (Re < approx. 250) for greater precision in droplet formation. Also, microfluidics requires fluid viscosity typically between 0.3 and 1400 mPa s at 20 °C. So, it is a challenge to find food-grade fluids that can operate at the micro-scale of these systems. Microfluidic systems can be used to synthesise different food-grade microstructures: microemulsions, solid lipid microparticles, microgels, or self-assembled structures like liposomes, niosomes, or polymersomes. Besides, microfluidics is particularly useful for accurately encapsulating bacterial cells to control their delivery and release on the action site. However, despite the significant advancement in these systems' development over the past several years, developing and implementing these systems on an industrial scale remains challenging for the food industry.Universidade de VigoConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (Argentina)Universidade de Vigo/CISU

Errores en la preparación y administración de medicamentos: una revisión integradora de la literatura Latino Americana.

Objective: To analyze the contents the scientific production of Latin American nurses regarding on preparation and administration of medical drugs from 2005 to 2011 using Latin American and Caribbean Center Information the Health Sciences (LILACS) y Electronics Scientific Library (SciELO) databases. Methodology: The following research was an integrative review. Data collection was performed in the month of October 2012 and according to the inclusion criteria, were selected eight articles.Results: The articles were analyzed in terms of objectives, methodological path, main results and suggestions for improvement. The analysis indicates exclusive production of Brazil, descriptive studies, conducted in hospitals and general suggestions as continuing education, error reporting and implementation of a safety culture.Conclusions: Considering that aspects emphasized by the World Health Organization (OMS) to achieve safer care are: to find causes, to propose solutions and to evaluate the impact, it is concluded that production need of knowledge that effectively improve professional practice. Looking to the system, promoting researches with analytical studies will allow effective responses according to reality.  Objetivo: Analizar, respecto su contenido, la producción científica de enfermeros latinoamericanos sobre error en la preparación y administración de medicamentos entre el año 2005 al 2011, en las bases de datos Centro Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Información en Ciencias de la Salud (LILACS) y Biblioteca Electrónica Científica (SciELO).  Metodología: Consistió en una revisión integradora. La recolección fue realizada en el mes de Octubre de 2012 y de acuerdo a los criterios de inclusión, fueron seleccionados ocho artículos. Resultados: Los artículos fueron analizados en cuanto a los objetivos, trayectoria metodológica,  principales resultados y propuestas de mejora. El análisis señala producción exclusiva de Brasil, estudios descriptivos, realizados en hospitales y con  sugerencias generales como educación continua, notificación de los errores, implementación de una cultura de seguridad.Conclusiones: Considerando los aspectos enfatizados por la Organización Mundial de Salud (OMS) para alcanzar una atención más segura: buscar causas, proponer soluciones y evaluar impacto, se concluye que la producción necesita conocimiento que efectivamente mejore la práctica. Impulsar la investigación analítica con la mirada al sistema permitirá el desarrollo de propuestas efectivas y de acorde a la realidad

Degree of eye opening: A new discomfort glare indicator

The degree of eye opening (DEO) is proposed as a new indicator of glare in sunny climates in the presence of direct sunlight. A laboratory experiment was carried out (. n=20) in a simulated office space where volunteers performed computer office tasks. Four lighting situations, based on ranges of vertical illuminance at the eye level were evaluated. By means of a visible spectrum eye-tracker DEO was registered in each scenario. The proposed indicator was obtained by mathematical iterations and showed a good correlation with: vertical illuminance at the eye (. r=-0.503; α=0.0001), Daylight Glare Probability (DGP) (. r=-0.649; α=0.0001) and Glare Sensation Vote (GSV) (. r=-0.580; α=0.0001). This new indicator operates in a broad range of lighting conditions, from a low vertical illuminance at the eye scenario with diffuse daylight to a very high vertical illuminance at the eye scenario with uncontrolled direct sunlight. The proposed new indicator satisfies the following criteria: high validity, reliability, diagnostic power and acceptability and it also addresses unresolved aspects of current glare predictive models: GSV, DGP and DGI.Fil: Yamin Garretón, Julieta Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología. Departamento de Luminotecnia, Luz y Visión; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Roberto Germán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, María Angélica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Pattini, Andrea Elvira. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología. Departamento de Luminotecnia, Luz y Visión; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; Argentin

Development and sensory test of a dairy product with ACE inhibitory and antioxidant peptides produced at a pilot plant scale

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGA scale-up process was carried out to obtain potent bioactive peptides from whey protein through a simple hydrolysis process. The scale-up was satisfactory, with results similar to those obtained at lab scale: a fraction of peptides < 1 kDa with ACE inhibitory activity of 18.44 ± 2.47 μg/mL, a DPPH value of 69.40 ± 0.44%, and an ORAC value of 3.37 ± 0.03 μmol TE/mg protein. The peptide sequences responsible for the ACE inhibitory activity were also similar to those identified at lab scale: PM, LL, LF, HFKG and PT. The hydrolysate was used as a functional ingredient in a low-fat yoghurt. The consumer sensory taste panel found no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the bitterness of the control and the functional yoghurt, and about 50% of consumers would buy it. The hydrolysate maintained its bioactivities for 4 months at −20 ◦C (after thawing and pasteurisation), and for 1 week in yoghurt at 4 ◦C

Combustion synthesis of Co-Cu-Mn oxides deploying different fuels

Ternary spinel-like oxides such as CuFeMnO4, CoCuMnOxand CuCr2O4are attractive materials due to their absorbent properties when used as pigments for selective surfaces thus improving solar heaters efficiency. These materials are obtained through sol-gel and sol-gel-combustion methods. This work proposes the synthesis of mixed oxides of Co, Cu and Mn by means of original one-step stoichiometric combustion methods starting from Mn(NO3)2,Co(NO3)26H2O, Cu(NO3)23H2O and Aspartic acid (Asp) or Lysine(Lys) as fuels. The resulting ashes after the combustion were calcined at 500 °C. The obtained ashes and the calcined powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and by Brunauer–Emmett– Teller method (BET), and TG-DTA analysis. In calcined powders obtained with Lys (CoCuMnOx-Lys), the phase corresponding to CoCuMnOxand others segregated phases were identified. However, in calcined powders obtained with Asp (CoCuMnOx-Asp) only the phase corresponding to CoCuMnOxwas identified. The sample CoCuMnOx-Lys presented an average crystallite size of 44 nm and a specific surface area of 23 m2/g while in CoCuMnOx-Asp, 54 nm and 13 m2/g values were obtained throughout FT-IR vibrational modes associated with spinel metallic oxides for both calcined powders (Asp and Lys) were observed. Additionally, by means of TEM, polyhedral particles with an average size of 20 to 100 nm were observed. In particular, it was determined in CoCuMnOx-Lys an average size of 44nm. According to the different fuels used (Asp and Lys), an evident variation in the obtained phases was observed. However, it was not obtained any difference in crystallite size and specific area surface values. It is of considerable importance the study of further syntheses processes to verify this trend.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicada

Transformatios in tourit territories of norpatagonia associated with extractivism

El artículo propone describir a partir de experiencias desarrolladas en la cordillera norpatagónica, el modo en que se desarrolla el turismo y su relación con las formas en las que se expresa el extractivismo. Para ello se plantea caracterizar el proceso de extractivismo en la región latinoamericana con su rol de proveedor de materias primas, donde el protagonismo de la inversión privada se evidencia en actividades diversas como en la minería, hidrocarburos pero también en la forestación, pesca y turismo. Así surgen las disputas por el territorio y las distintas valoraciones sobre los recursos naturales. En tal sentido, la actividad turística no es la excepción. En las últimas décadas existen fenómenos en centros turísticos de la cordillera argentina, como en Bariloche, San Martín de los Andes, Villa Pehuenia y Villa La Angostura, entre otros, con la multiplicación de barrios privados, creciente tala de bosque nativo en pos de emprendimientos inmobiliarios, impedimento de acceso a costas, entre otros. Asimismo se pretende, visibilizar la lógica con la que se desarrolla el turismo y las transformaciones territoriales que devienen para contribuir a explorar los procesos de apropiación privada de recursos naturales con fines lucrativos; reconocer formas asociadas al extractivismo en áreas no estrictamente petroleras o mineras. Las experiencias mencionadas refieren a algunos procesos como: privatización de tierras de dominio público; impedimento a residentes y/o turistas de acceso a las costas de los lagos; surgimiento de barrios privados, entre otros.The article aims to recognize, from experiences developed in the North Patagonian mountain range, the way tourism is developed and its relationship with the ways in which extractivism is expressed. For this, it is proposed to characterize the process of extractivism in the Latin American region with its role as supplier of raw materials, where the protagonism of private investment is evident in diverse activities such as mining, hydrocarbons but also forestry, fishing and tourism. This is how disputes arise over the territory and the different assessments of natural resources. In this sense, the tourist activity is not the exception. In the last decades there are phenomena in tourist centers of the Argentine mountain range, such as in Bariloche, San Martin de los Andes and Villa La Angostura, among others, with the multiplication of private neighborhoods, increasing deforestation of native forest in pursuit of real estate ventures, impediment of access to coasts, among others. It also proposes to make visible the logic with which tourism is developed and to know the territorial transformations that become to contribute to explore the processes of private appropriation of natural resources for profit; recognize forms associated with extractivism in areas that are not strictly oil or mining. The mentioned experiences refer to some processes such as: privatization of lands in the public domain; impediment to residents and / or tourists accessing the shores of the lakes; emergence of private neighborhood, among others.Fil: Rodriguez, María Daniela. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto Patagónico de Estudios de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto Patagónico de Estudios de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales; ArgentinaFil: Di Nicolo, Carolina Andrea. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto Patagónico de Estudios de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto Patagónico de Estudios de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales; Argentin

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Combustion synthesis of Co-Cu-Mn oxides deploying different fuels

Ternary spinel-like oxides such as CuFeMnO4, CoCuMnOxand CuCr2O4are attractive materials due to their absorbent properties when used as pigments for selective surfaces thus improving solar heaters efficiency. These materials are obtained through sol-gel and sol-gel-combustion methods. This work proposes the synthesis of mixed oxides of Co, Cu and Mn by means of original one-step stoichiometric combustion methods starting from Mn(NO3)2,Co(NO3)26H2O, Cu(NO3)23H2O and Aspartic acid (Asp) or Lysine(Lys) as fuels. The resulting ashes after the combustion were calcined at 500 °C. The obtained ashes and the calcined powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and by Brunauer–Emmett– Teller method (BET), and TG-DTA analysis. In calcined powders obtained with Lys (CoCuMnOx-Lys), the phase corresponding to CoCuMnOxand others segregated phases were identified. However, in calcined powders obtained with Asp (CoCuMnOx-Asp) only the phase corresponding to CoCuMnOxwas identified. The sample CoCuMnOx-Lys presented an average crystallite size of 44 nm and a specific surface area of 23 m2/g while in CoCuMnOx-Asp, 54 nm and 13 m2/g values were obtained throughout FT-IR vibrational modes associated with spinel metallic oxides for both calcined powders (Asp and Lys) were observed. Additionally, by means of TEM, polyhedral particles with an average size of 20 to 100 nm were observed. In particular, it was determined in CoCuMnOx-Lys an average size of 44nm. According to the different fuels used (Asp and Lys), an evident variation in the obtained phases was observed. However, it was not obtained any difference in crystallite size and specific area surface values. It is of considerable importance the study of further syntheses processes to verify this trend.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicada

Extraction of the wheat straw hemicellulose fraction assisted by commercial endo-xylanases. Role of the accessory enzyme activities

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGWheat straw is a highly promising raw material for bio-refinery strategies. Most of the literature related to lignocellulose fractionation focuses on cellulose purification and hemicellulose solubilization. Pre-treatments for hemicellulose solubilization without the formation of undesired products usually reach low extraction yields, which leaves an important hemicellulose fraction unused. In this work, we propose a mild process for the efficient extraction of the hemicellulose fraction of wheat straw assisted by partial enzymatic hydrolysis with three commercial endo-xylanase cocktails. A first step with alkali at 40 ºC helped to disrupt the lignocellulosic structure and removed 19% of lignin while maintaining most of the hemicellulose in the solid. The enzymatic step enabled reaching extraction yields of 59.8%, 51.9%, and 42.5% with Ultraflo L, Pentopan mono conc, and Shearzyme 500L, respectively. We also discuss the catalytic properties of each endo-xylanase, in particular, their adscription to the GH10 or GH11 glycosyl hydrolase family, and the relevant role of accessory enzymes.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. RTI2018–099249-B-I0

Avances en el indicador de perdurabilidad empresarial

El Grupo de Investigación en Perdurabilidad Empresarial de la Facultad de Administración de la Universidad del Rosario ha venido trabajando para encontrar un factor cuantitativo financiero de medición que permita apoyar la metodología para determinar si una empresa y/o sector estratégico1 es perdurable. Contar con este indicador facilita la medición del hacinamiento cuantitativo y permite poner en comparación, bajo términos unificados, el resultado de dicha herramienta con los resultados fácilmente observables a través de la investigación y consultoría cualitativa. Más de 80 sectores estratégicos han sido abordados para realizar el análisis de hacinamiento, una de las primeras dificultades que surge es la determinación del indicador cuantitativo de evaluación, ya que en la mayoría de los casos los empresarios no cuentan con indicadores no financieros para realizar una comparación frente a sus rivales directos