Estudio de la actividad hidrogenotrófica de un fango EDAR para el enriquecimiento de biogás mediante conversión biológica.

Ante los problemas ambientales de nuestros días, causados entre otros motivos por el uso de combustibles de origen fósil, es necesario buscar energías alternativas que sean más limpias y respetuosas con el medioambiente. Teniendo en cuenta lo anterior, este trabajo está enfocado a conocer la actividad de un fango procedente de la digestión anaerobia de una EDAR, evaluando el proceso de bioconversión de CO2 a CH4 a través de H2 mediante la metanogénesis hidrogenotrófica, con el fin de producir un biogás más limpio y eficiente. Se ha tomado un método ya desarrollado para realizar los diversos ensayos a diferentes concentraciones, partiendo de un mismo inóculo inicial, evaluando el consumo de H2 y la consiguiente producción de CH4, además del rendimiento, registrándose valores más altos en la producción de metano cuanto mayor sea la concentración inicial de biomasa usada. Además, se han analizado los sólidos producidos al final de cada ensayo así como la cantidad de ácido acético, observándose que aumentan cuando las concentraciones son menores, puesto que se produce una fase estacionaria más alargada en el tiempo y mayor acumulación de acético al tener lugar la homoacetogénesis. Así mismo, se ha llevado a cabo un ensayo a diferentes presiones para descartar que hubiera limitaciones a la transferencia. También se ha podido comprobar que un fango convencional puede aclimatarse a la exposición con H2 y realizar la metanogénesis hidrogenotrófica, lo cual es de gran valor por su posible aplicación industrial.Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Tecnología del Medio AmbienteMáster en Ingeniería Ambienta

Clinical characterization and factors associated with quality of life in Long COVID patients: Secondary data analysis from a randomized clinical trial

Background: Long COVID patients suffer a negative impact on their quality of life, as well as their functioning, productivity or socialization. There is a need to better understand the individual experience and circumstances surrounding these patients. Objective: To characterize clinical picture of Long COVID patients and to identify factors associated with quality of life. Methods: A secondary data analysis from a randomized clinical trial (RCT) was carried out with 100 Long COVID patients treated by Primary Health Care and residents in the territory of Aragon (northeast of Spain). The main variable of the study was quality of life, evaluated using the SF-36 Questionnaire, in relation to socio-demographic and clinical variables. In addition, ten validated scales were used that contemplated their cognitive, affective, functional and social status, as well as personal constructs. Correlation statistics and linear regression model were calculated. Results: Long COVID patients suffer a decrease in their levels of physical and mental health. On the one hand, the higher number of persistent symptoms (b = -0.900, p = 0.008), worse physical functioning (b = 1.587, p = 0.002) and sleep quality (b = -0.538, p = 0.035) are predictors of worse quality of life, physical subscale. On the other hand, higher educational level (b = 13.167, p = 0.017), lower number of persistent symptoms (b = -0.621, p = 0.057) and higher affective affectation (b = -1.402, p<0.001) are predictors of worse quality of life, mental subscale. Conclusion: It is necessary to design rehabilitation programs that consider both the physical and mental health of these patients, thus obtaining an improvement in their quality of life

Insulin-Delivery from Glucose-Responsive Self-Assembled Polyamine Nanoparticles: Smart "Sense-and-Treat" Nanocarriers Made Easy

Polyamine–salt aggregates (PSA) are biomimetic soft materials that have attracted great attention due to their straightforward fabrication methods, high drug‐loading efficiencies, and attractive properties for pH‐triggered release. Herein, a simple and fast multicomponent self‐assembly process was used to construct cross‐linked poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/phosphate PSAs (hydrodynamic diameter of 360 nm) containing glucose oxidase enzyme, as a glucose‐responsive element, and human recombinant insulin, as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (GI‐PSA). The addition of increasing glucose concentrations promotes the release of insulin due to the disassembly of the GI‐PSAs triggered by the catalytic in situ formation of gluconic acid. Under normoglycemia, the GI‐PSA integrity remained intact for at least 24 h, whereas hyperglycemic conditions resulted in 100 % cargo release after 4 h of glucose addition. This entirely supramolecular strategy presents great potential for the construction of smart glucose‐responsive delivery nanocarriers.Fil: Agazzi, Maximiliano Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Herrera, Santiago Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Cortez, María Lorena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Marmisollé, Waldemar Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Tagliazucchi, Mario Eugenio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Azzaroni, Omar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; Argentin

Evaluación de la vulnerabilidad estructural de las edificaciones indispensables del sector tres sector educación ubicados en el municipio de Dosquebradas, Risaralda

El respectivo estudio y evaluación de la vulnerabilidad estructural de edificaciones indispensables del grupo III sector educación realizado en el municipio de Dosquebradas, Risaralda, propone, a partir de la aplicación de conocimientos metodológicos, procedimentales y modelaciones en software pertinentes, evaluar y diagnosticar el estado actual estructural de las siguientes instituciones educativas sedes principales, Juan Manuel González – Juan Pablo Sexto – Empresarial; mediante la identificación de aspectos técnicos como la observación visual del estado de la edificación tanto estructura y cubierta, la tipología o sistema estructural empleado, la irregularidad en planta y altura de la construcción, el cálculo de derivas con el fin de poder diagnosticar que estas edificaciones son cumplidoras de los requerimientos establecidos por la (NSR-10) Norma de Sismo Resistencia Colombiana. Se inicia con la recolección previa de información secundaria existente tales como planos arquitectónicos, estructurales, estudios y cálculos (si los hay), luego se emplea y se recolecta a través de una ficha técnica la mayor información de las condiciones constructivas de la edificación, toma de medidas de en campo de los elementos estructurales, levantamiento de planos, modelación de las edificaciones verificando el cumplimiento de la (NSR-10).The respective study and evaluation of the structural vulnerability of indispensable buildings of group III education sector carried out in the municipality of Dosquebradas, Risaralda, proposes, based on the application of methodological, procedural and relevant software modeling knowledge, evaluate and diagnose the current state structural of the following educational institutions headquarters, Juan Manuel González - Juan Pablo Sexto - Empresarial; by identifying technical aspects such as visual observation of the state of the building, both structure and roof, the typology or structural system used, the irregularity of the plan and the height of the construction, the calculation of drifts in order to diagnose that these buildings are compliant with the requirements established by the (NSR-10) Colombian Resistance Earthquake Standard. It begins with the previous collection of existing secondary information such as architectural, structural plans, studies and calculations (if any), then more information on the construction conditions of the building is used and collected through a technical sheet, take of measures in the field of structural elements, drawing up plans, building modeling verifying compliance with (NSR-10).Universidad Libre Seccional Pereira - Facultad de Ingenierias - Ingeniería Civi

Sustainability of phytoremediation: Post-harvest stratagems and economic opportunities for the produced metals contaminated biomass

Heavy metals (HMs) are indestructible and non-biodegradable. Phytoremediation presents an opportunity to transfer HMs from environmental matrices into plants, making it easy to translocate from one place to another. The ornate features of HMs’ phytoremediation are biophilia and carbon neutrality, compared to the physical and chemical remediation methods. Some recent studies related to LCA also support that phytoremediation is technically more sustainable than competing technologies. However, one major post-application challenge associated with HMs phytoremediation is properly managing HMs contaminated biomass generated. Such a yield presents the problem of reintroducing HMs into the environment due to natural decomposition and release of plant sap from the harvested biomass. The transportation of high yields can also make phytoremediation economically inviable. This review presents the design of a sustainable phytoremediation strategy using an everevolving life cycle assessment tool. This review also discusses possible post-phytoremediation biomass management strategies for the HMs contaminated biomass management. These strategies include composting, leachate compaction, gasification, pyrolysis, torrefaction, and metal recovery. Further, the commercial outlook for properly utilizing HMs contaminated biomass was presented.Authors apologize to all authors whose research has supported this area of interest, and their relevant findings were left out during the preparation of this review. Funding sources: This work was financed by the GREENER project of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (Grant Agreement No. 826312). It has also received funds from Board of Education of Junta de Castilla y Leon ´ and the European Social Fund

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Green Sand Casting and Low Pressure Die Casting for the production of self-cleaning AlMg3-TiO2 Metal Matrix Composite

The growth in the use of novel materials, as it is the case of the Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs), is producing a positive impact in production processes, allowing to obtain final products with improved functionalities, such as an increase of the strength-to-weight ratio, or enhancement of the mechanical properties of the material, minimizing as well the environmental impacts and production costs without compromising the required technical properties. To determine and compare the environmental impact of different processes employing these materials, this paper provides a comparative analysis of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), under ISO 14040:2006 framework and European ILCD guidelines, of two different manufacturing technologies, Green Sand Casting (GSC) and Low Pressure Die Casting (LPDC), for the particular case of a self-cleaning doorknob, produced by an aluminium alloy reinforced with hard TiO2 nanoparticles, that confers special characteristics to the composite, such as an increase of the hardness value and tensile strength, a high wear resistance, a good chemical stability, and antibacterial properties. The results show a slight difference between both technologies in terms of kg CO2 eq. emitted, with just a 3,16 % variation, where GSC emissions are 13,098 kg, whereas 12,684 kg are released from LPDC. In addition, an economic analysis was performed, showing a 17 % cost reduction in case of LPDC. This study presents for the first time a comparative Life Cycle Assessment of GSC and LPDC, when employing new nanocomposite materials, contributing with novel datasets and meaningful insights to improve the state of the art in the field, serving as well as a support for manufacturers in decision making process involving the use of these technologies.This research has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 826312) in the context of the LightMe project. It has also received funds from Board of Education of Junta de Castilla y León and the European Social Fund (EDU/1508/2020). The authors want to acknowledge the support of ÖGI (Österreichisches Gießerei-Institut) for the data about processes

Role of ACE2 genetic polymorphisms in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 among highly exposed but non infected healthcare workers

We aim to evaluate the role of single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We included 28 uninfected but highly exposed healthcare workers and 39 hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Thirty-five SNPs were rationally selected. Two variants were associated with increased risk of being susceptible to SARS-CoV-2: the minor A allele in the rs2106806 variant (OR 3.75 [95% CI 1.23-11.43]) and the minor T allele in the rs6629110 variant (OR 3.39 [95% CI 1.09-10.56]). Evaluating the role of genetic variants in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection could help identify more vulnerable individuals and suggest potential drug targets for COVID-19 patients.This work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III: [grant number AC17/00019,COV20/00349,PI18/00154,PT17/0019]; Merck, Sharp & Dohme: [Ref IISP 59181].S

Adjuvant effect of Garlic extracts (Allium sativum L.) on the production of γ globulin in mice immunized with ovalbumin

The antigens used in vaccines are usually attenuated or inactivated microorganisms, toxoids or purified particles. The purified particles have a better biosecurity but their capacity to generate an immune response is low, therefore vaccines include adjuvants that seek to improve immunogenicity. Unfortunately, adjuvants have side effects so only aluminum saltsare currently used as adjuvants. So that this work evaluated an adjuvant of garlic extracts, a plant with immunomodulatory properties, in mice immunized with ovalbumin. To formulate the adjuvant, biotoxicity and cytotoxicity assays with a model of Artemia salina and haemolytic activity were considered respectively. A qualitative phytochemical analysis andquantification of phenolic compounds were carried out and in the immunization scheme 100 μg of antigen with adjuvant were administered at day 1, 50 and 100 μg of antigen on days 14 and 28 respectively. The sacrifice of the animals was done on day 30. Leukocytes and γ globulins were quantified at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. A lethal dose 50% of 1430 μg/mL was calculated for the Garlic extracts, a haemolytic activity of 2.66% and 7.53% was observed (p<0.05) for the concentrations of 10 and 100 μg/mL. And it was only possible to identify the presence of tannins in the aqueous extract of Garlic. With the results obtained, significant differences were observed in leukocyte counts and concentration of γglobulins at the end of the immunization scheme (p<0.05). Concluding that the results with the adjuvant of Garlic at 10 μg/mL concentration were comparable to those found with the adjuvant of aluminum salts

Trends of maxillofacial trauma : an update from the prospective register of a multicenter study in emergency services of Chile

Determine the behavior of the maxillofacial trauma of adults treated in 3 tertiary care centers in the central zone of Chile. Descriptive, cross-sectional, multicenter study, based on the prospective records of maxillofacial trauma cases attended between May 2016 and April 2017 by dental and maxillofacial clinical teams of Adult Emergency Units of hospitals Dr. Sótero del Río (metropolitan region), Carlos Van Buren and Dr. Gustavo Fricke (region V). Age, sex, date of occurrence, type of trauma according to ICD-10, etiology, legal medical prognosis and associated injuries were recorded, stratifying by sex and age. Chi square and unpaired Wilcoxon tests were used to compare by groups. 2.485 cases and 3.285 injuries were investigated. The male: female ratio was 1.7: 1 with age under 30 predominant, followed by older adults. Variability was observed in the yearly, weekly and daily presentation. The highest frequencies were in January and September, weekends and at night. The main etiologies were violence (42.3%), falls (13.1%) and road traffic crashes (12.9%) with differences by age and sex (p<0.05). 31,9% of the injuries occurred in hard tissue, being fractures in nasal bones predominant (S02.2). The profile of the maxillofacial trauma in Chile seems to be mixed by age, affecting young people and the elderly. The male sex predominates; the main cause, which varies by age group, is violence. Their surveillance is possible from hospital emergency records