Combination of polymer-stabilized nano zero-valent iron and biostimulated denitrifying bacteria for the removal of nitrate from groundwater

Polymer-stabilization of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) is becoming a matter of research, although its effect on the reactivity towards targeted contaminants is not clear yet. Concurrently, combination of Abiotic Chemical Nitrate Reduction (ACNR) via nZVI and Heterotrophic Denitrification (HDN) to enhance nitrate (NO) removal and/or improve the end product distribution has also gained attention of researchers. The objective of this study was, on one hand, to compare the potential of nZVI stabilized with four different polymers (PAA, PAP, CMC or Tween80) to remove NO from groundwater via nZVI-mediated ACNR and, on the other hand, to assess the effect of combined supplementation of polymer-stabilized nZVI and acetate on NO reduction. The results showed that Tween80-stabilized nZVI over-performed those stabilized with PAA, PAP or CMC in removing NO from water. Furthermore, coupling Tween80 coated-nZVI and acetate enhanced both the overall NO removal (63%–95%) and the conversion of reduced NO to N(g) (63%–80%) in comparison to when acetate or nZVI were applied alone (respectively 44%–62% and 30%–31%, with most of reduced NO converted to NO or NH). This study thus demonstrates that application of Tween80-stabilized nZVI has potential to make a significant contribution in remediating NO-contaminated groundwater.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Creating Virtual Humans with Game Engines for Evaluate Ambient Assisted Living Scenarios

In order to evaluate AAL systems, virtual environments help to reduce costs and time, but these environments do not include hyper-realistic human movements. This is something crucial to evaluate activity recognition systems. The present work in progress describes how it is looking for a way to solve this problem and its development using a virtual environment. By means of a game engine and adjusting their parameters, simulations of real acceleration data sets have been generated. It is continuing looking for a valid model to follow.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2013-46801-C4-1-RJunta de Andalucía TIC-805

Implementación de aplicaciones móviles como herramientas de enseñanza aprendizaje en Química Analítica

Depto. de Química AnalíticaFac. de Ciencias QuímicasFALSEsubmitte

Analysis of the Demand for Berries in Mexico: An Application of the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) Model

Objective: To identify the factors affecting the demand for berries in Mexican households, as well as the behavior in face of variations in economic income. Design/Methodology/Approach: In order to analyze the demand, microdata were used from the National Income-Expenditure Survey of Households 2018 (Encuesta Nacional Ingreso Gasto de los Hogares, ENIGH) from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática, INEGI), and for its modelling the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) model was used. Results: Because of their Marshallian elasticity, berries are an elastic good (-1.0316), and because of their expenditure elasticity they are a luxury good (1.0691). In terms of crossed Marshallian elasticities, sweet fruits and sugary beverages were identified as substitute goods with elasticity of 0.0013 and 0.0380, respectively, while semi-acid fruits and melons would be complementary goods, with elasticities of -0.0191 and -0.0184, respectively. Study Limitations/Implications: Given that most of the time series of the berries lack disaggregation and sufficient information, it is difficult to analyze each component of the group separately; therefore, it was decided to analyze the group of berries and its relationship with other goods; in addition, the ENIGH database was selected, which provides more information. Conclusions: There are state differences in the response to changes in prices and income with regard to the demand for berries, so that facing a generalized increase in household income consumption would increase much more in the center of the country than in the south-southeast

Evaluación morfológica de plantas de ñame (Dioscorea spp.) procedentes de tubérculos sanos a los cuatro y siete meses de edad (Original)

Starting from considering with originating from postures of healthy tubers plants in vitro during a first cultivation cycle in field, with good quality in under controlled conditions and established in a position to zeolite’s stonemasons right out in the sun, posteriorly these postures established  in a right position to field in the sun, in distinct treatments.  Four clones of the yam's cultivation, Guinea's Blanco (Dioscorea rotundata Poir), Caraqueño, white Criollo and Belep ( Dioscorea alata L.) were evaluated. They conformed four experimental variants according to the four clones. it was  quantified to the 4 and 7 plantation months, to a total 50 plants population, they took at random 30 plants to which were determined the following variables: shoot length ( cm. ), Shoot diameter length ( cm. ), leaf lenght ( cm ), leaf width( cm ) systematically exploring the plagues incidence. As objectives of this investigation: evaluating the main morphologic indicators of endogenous clones’ plants ( Caraqueño, Creole Blanco ) and commercial seedlings obtained ( Belep, Guinea's Blanco )  from tuber healthy plants in the field to 4 and 7 plantation months.A partir de contar con posturas provenientes de tubérculos sanos obtenidos de plantas Invitro durante un primer ciclo de cultivo en  campo, con buena calidad en condiciones semicontroladas y establecidas en condiciones de canteros de zeolita  a pleno sol,  posteriormente estas posturas se establecieron en condiciones de campo a pleno sol, en distintos tratamientos, evaluándose  cuatro clones   del cultivo del   ñame, Blanco de Guinea (Dioscorea rotundata Poir), Caraqueño, Blanco Criollo y Belep (Dioscorea alata L.). Se conformaron cuatro variantes experimentales según los cuatro clones. A los 4 y 7   meses de plantación se cuantificó, a una población total de 50 plantas, se tomaron aleatoriamente 30 plantas a las cuales se le determinó las siguientes variables: Longitud del Tallo (cm.), Diámetro del Tallo (cm.), Largo de la hoja (cm), Ancho de la hoja (cm) monitoreándose  sistemáticamente la incidencia de plagas. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo: Evaluar los principales indicadores morfológicos   de las plantas de los clones endógenos (Caraqueño, Criollo Blanco) y comerciales (Belep, Blanco de Guinea) procedentes de plántulas sanas en condiciones de campo a los 4 y 7   meses de plantación

Oncological transformation in vitro of hepatic progenitor cell lines isolated from adult mice

Colorectal cancer cells can transfer the oncogene KRAS to distant cells, predisposing them to malignant transformation (Genometastasis Theory). This process could contribute to liver metastasis; besides, hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) have been found to be involved in liver malignant neoplasms. The objective of this study is to determine if mouse HPCs—Oval cells (OCs)—are susceptible to incorporate Kras GAT (G12D) mutation from mouse colorectal cancer cell line CT26.WT and if OCs with the incorporated mutation behave like malignant cells. To achieve this, three lines of OCs in diferent conditions were exposed to CT26.WT cells through transwell co-culture for a week. The presence of KrasG12D and capacity to form tumors were analyzed in treated samples by droplet digital PCR and colony-forming assays, respectively. The results showed that the KrasG12D mutation was detected in hepatic culture conditions of undiferentiated OCs and these cells were capable of forming tumors in vitro. Therefore, OCs are susceptible to malignant transformation by horizontal transfer of DNA with KrasG12D mutation in an undiferentiated condition associated with the liver microenvironment. This study contributes to a new step in the understanding of the colorectal metastatic processTis study was supported by Conchita Rábago Foundation, Madrid, Spain by a doctoral scholarship to Rocío Olivera-Salazar, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (PI20/01052), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), and Spanish Network of Cell Terapy (TerCel) (RD16/0011/0013)

Evaluación de recursos hídricos y balance hidrogeológico en acuíferos kársticos de montaña. Caso de la Sierra de Grazalema (Cádiz, España)

En este trabajo se presenta el procedimiento para evaluar los recursos hídricos y realizar el balance hidrogeológico de los acuíferos kársticos de la Sierra de Grazalema (provincia de Cádiz, España), durante el periodo 2012/13-2014/15. Por una parte se han cuantificado las salidas de los acuíferos a partir de la integración del hidrograma de los manantiales y por otra se han estimado las entradas, mediante diversas ecuaciones de balance hídrico del suelo: Thornthwaite, Blaney-Criddle y Hargreaves. Los valores medios anuales de recursos determinados con la ecuación de Hargreaves son los que más se asemejan a las salidas medidas en la mayoría de los acuíferos. Sin embargo, en uno de ellos se ha detectado un exceso medio anual de 31 hm3/año de las entradas con respecto a las salidas, que podría estar ligado a transferencias subterráneas a otros sistemas kársticos circundantesUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Biofabrication of a Tubular Model of Human Urothelial Mucosa Using Human Wharton Jelly Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Several models of bioartificial human urothelial mucosa (UM) have been described recently. In this study, we generated novel tubularized UM substitutes using alternative sources of cells. Nanostructured fibrin–agarose biomaterials containing fibroblasts isolated from the human ureter were used as stroma substitutes. Then, human Wharton jelly mesenchymal stromal cells (HWJSC) were used to generate an epithelial-like layer on top. Three differentiation media were used for 7 and 14 days. Results showed that the biofabrication methods used here succeeded in generating a tubular structure consisting of a stromal substitute with a stratified epithelial-like layer on top, especially using a medium containing epithelial growth and differentiation factors (EM), although differentiation was not complete. At the functional level, UM substitutes were able to synthesize collagen fibers, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans, although the levels of control UM were not reached ex vivo. Epithelial differentiation was partially achieved, especially with EM after 14 days of development, with expression of keratins 7, 8, and 13 and pancytokeratin, desmoplakin, tightjunction protein-1, and uroplakin 2, although at lower levels than controls. These results confirm the partial urothelial differentiative potential of HWJSC and suggest that the biofabrication methods explored here were able to generate a potential substitute of the human UM for future clinical use.CTS-115 Tissue Engineering Group and by the Spanish Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica, Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, grant FIS PI21/0981 (cofinanced by FEDER funds, European Union)

Autologous adipose-derived stem cells for the treatment of complex cryptoglandular perianal fistula: A randomized clinical trial with long-term follow-up

The aim of this clinical trial (ID Number NCT01803347) was to determine the safety and efficacy of autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) for treatment of cryptoglandular fistula. This research was conducted following an analysis of the mistakes of a same previous phase III clinical trial. We designed a multicenter, randomized, single-blind clinical trial, recruiting 57 patients. Forty-four patients were categorized as belonging to the intent-to-treat group. Of these, 23 patients received 100 million ASCs plus intralesional fibrin glue (group A) and 21 received intralesional fibrin glue (group B), both after a deeper curettage of tracks and closure of internal openings. Fistula healing was defined as complete re-epithelialization of external openings. Those patients in whom the fistula had not healed after 16 weeks were eligible for retreatment. Patients were evaluated at 1, 4, 16, 36, and 52 weeks and 2 years after treatment. Results were assessed by an evaluator blinded to the type of treatment. After 16 weeks, the healing rate was 30.4% in group A and 42.8% in group B, rising to 55.0% and 63.1%, respectively, at 52 weeks. At the end of the study (2 years after treatment), the healing rate remained at 50.0% in group A and had reduced to 26.3% in group B. The safety of the cellular treatment was confirmed and no impact on fecal continence was detected. The main conclusion was that autologous ASCs for the treatment of cryptoglandular perianal fistula is safe and can favor long-term and sustained fistula healing.RETIC Program of ISCIII-FEDER, Grant/Award Numbers: RD16/0011/0005, RD16/0011/0013, RD16/0011/0015; Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs, Grant/Award Numbers: EC11/074, EC11/394, EC11/26