Estudio de prefactibilidad para la instalación de una planta de producción de tabletas solubles de café orgánico

Este estudio de prefactibilidad busca demostrar la viabilidad comercial, técnica, económica y financiera de la instalación de una planta procesadora de café orgánico liofilizado para el mercado de Lima. El producto consiste en tabletas solubles de café orgánico con la misma preparación que los cafés instantáneos. La diferencia es que este café pasó por un proceso de liofilización que le permite conservar mucho más sus aromas y sabores naturales. Estas tabletas vienen en envoltorios individuales y cada empaque contiene 20 tabletas. La principal materia prima del producto es el café orgánico, que, a diferencia del café convencional, se cultiva en ausencia de pesticidas, defoliantes, herbicidas y fertilizantes sintéticos o cualquier fertilizante que no se produzca por descomposición. El sistema de producción de café orgánico debe estar certificado por un organismo de certificación orgánico. Encontramos que la demanda de nuestro proyecto, según encuestas e información secundaria, asciende a 465 482 unidades para el año 2024. La vida útil del proyecto se define a 6 años, y con un precio de venta de 16,40 soles, nos permite llegar a 7 633 904,80 soles en ventas durante el último año de operación. Definimos la ubicación de la planta en Villa El Salvador en Lima mediante métodos de clasificación a escala macro y micro. El tamaño de planta que definimos es 465 482 unidades, basado en el tamaño del mercado, y el punto de equilibrio de costos es 201 057 unidades. El proceso de producción sigue nueve operaciones clave: verificar, tostar, triturar, extraer, concentrar, congelar/granular, liofilizar, tabletear y empacar. Incluimos información para procesamiento, controles de calidad, maquinaria, producción, seguridad y salud ocupacional, impacto ambiental, mantenimiento, programación de costos y producción y estudios de diseño de planta. Identificamos el área requerida para la planta de procesamiento en 450 m2 y mostramos un diseño de distribución potencial Definimos una inversión total de S/3 258 274,08 soles, 60% de financiamiento y 40% de inversionistas. Finalmente, los flujos de efectivo económicos y financieros netos presentan una tasa de retorno de 44,75% y 88,91% respectivamente , y un valor actual neto (VAN) de 3 915 943,20 soles y 4 257 483,60 soles respectivamente.This prefactibility study tries to demonstrate the commercial, technical, economic and financial viability of the installation of a freeze dried organic coffee processing plant for the Lima market. The product consists in soluble tabs of organic coffee with same preparation as the instant coffees. The difference is that this coffee went through a freeze drying process that allows it to preserve much more of its aromas and natural flavors. This tabs come in individual wraps and the market unit of sale contains 20 of them. The main raw material of the product is organic coffee, which, unlike conventional coffee, is grown in the absence of pesticides, defoliants, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers or any fertilizer not produced by decomposition. The organic coffee production system must be certified by an organic certification body. We found that our project demand, according to surveys and secondary information, rises up to 465 482 units for the year 2024. The project lifespan is defined to 6 years, and with a sales price of 16,40 soles, it allows us to reach 7 633 904,80 soles in sales for the last year of operation. We define the location of the plant in Villa El Salvador in Lima by ranking methods on a macro and micro scale. The plant size we define is 465 482 units, based on market size, and the cost equilibrium point is 201 057 units. The production process follows nine key operations: verify, toast, grind, extract, concentrate, freeze/pellet, freeze dry, tablet and pack. We include information for processing, quality controls, machinery, output, safety and occupational health, environmental impact, maintenance, production and cost scheduling and plant layout studies. We identify the required area for the processing plant at 450 m2 and show a potential distribution layout. We define a total investment of S/3 258 274,08 soles, 60% from financing and 40% from investors. Finally, the economic and financial cash flows net present a return rate of 44,75% and 88,91% respectively, and a net present value (VAN) of 3 915 943,20 soles and 4 257 483,60 soles respectively

Use of LANDSAT 8 images for depth and water quality assessment of el Guájaro Reservoir, Colombia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the viability of using Landsat 8 spectral images to estimate water quality parameters and depth in El Guájaro Reservoir. On February and March 2015, two samplings were carried out in the reservoir, coinciding with the Landsat 8 images. Turbidity, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, pH and depth were evaluated. Through multiple regression analysis between measured water quality parameters and the reflectance of the pixels corresponding to the sampling stations, statistical models with determination coefficients between 0.6249 and 0.9300 were generated. Results indicate that from a small number of measured parameters we can generate reliable models to estimate the spatial variation of turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH and depth, as well the temporal variation of electrical conductivity, so models generated from Landsat 8 can be used as a tool to facilitate the environmental, economic and social management of the reservoir

Estimation of water quality parameters using landsat 8 images: application to playa Colorada Bay, Sinaloa, Mexico

In this study, empirical models were generated to estimate water quality parameters, with the objective of showing the benefits of the satellite remote sensing application in the characterization of coastal waters. The study area was Playa Colorada Bay, located in the northwest of Mexico, in the eastern part of the Gulf of California. In two seasons of the year, on-site and laboratory characterizations were carried out to determine the spatial and temporal variation of phosphates (PO4), electrical conductivity (EC), total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, and pH of water. Samplings were selected to match Landsat 8 satellite overpass in the study area. Radiometric and atmospheric corrections were applied to the images, prior to the generation of the models. The models were generated using the linear regression technique of successive steps; water quality parameters and their logarithms were used as dependent variables, and as independent variables were used corrected reflectance values of Landsat images. The results showed that the concentration of PO4 in the analyzed water samples were higher than those recommended in the Mexican ecological criteria of water quality, to protect the aquatic life of marine water in coastal areas. In autumn, PO4 was correlated with turbidity, T, pH, and TSS. The highest correlation coefficients were presented by TSS with PO4 (r = − 0.979) and pH (r = 0.958). The water quality models that were generated had coefficients of determination (R2) in the range of 0.637 to 0.955 and show the viability of the application of Landsat 8 images in the characterization of water quality parameters in Playa Colorada Bay. Models allowed the estimation of the distribution of water quality parameters over the whole bay instead of only at the sampling stations, favoring a better understanding of their spatial distribution

Propuesta estratégica de mejora en la implementación de los estándares mínimos del sistema de gestión de la seguridad y salud en el trabajo (SG-SST) en la empresa Prosegur para el primer semestre del 2019.

El documento consiste en un análisis de implementación y propuestas estratégicas sobre las acciones y el plan de mejora del Sistema de Gestión de la Seguridad y la Salud en el Trabajo (SG-SST) en la empresa Prosegur S.A para el primer semestre del 2019.The document consists of an analysis of implementation and strategic proposals on the actions and the improvement plan of the Safety and Health at Work Management System (SG-SST) in the company Prosegur S.A for the first semester of 2019

Leishmaniasis in cats: more important than we believe?

Leishmaniasis is one of the world, neglected tropical diseases (NTD), recently, celebrated its day (January 30, 2020). Infection due to Leishmania is a major public health problem in many tropical countries; due to its high incidence and wide geographical distribution [1]. Both domestic and wild animals may serve as host reservoirs of Leishmania spp [2]. The Role of dogs in the zoonotic cycle of Leishmania spp, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, has long been understood. Nevertheless, recent studies have detected Leishmania infections in domestic cats

Effects of bleaching on osteoclast activity and their modulation by osteostatin and fibroblast growth factor 2

Hypothesis: Dental bleaching with H2O2 is a common daily practice in dentistry to correct discoloration of anterior teeth. The aim of this study has been to determine whether this treatment of human teeth affects growth, differentiation and activity of osteoclast-like cells, as well as the putative modulatory action of osteostatin and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2). Experiments: Previously to the in vitro assays, structural, physical-chemical and morphological features of teeth after bleaching were studied. Osteoclast-like cells were cultured on human dentin disks, pre-treated or not with 38% H2O2 bleaching gel, in the presence or absence of osteostatin (100 nM) or FGF-2 (1 ng/ml). Cell proliferation and viability, intracellular content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and TNF alpha) secretion and resorption activity were evaluated. Findings: Bleaching treatment failed to affect either the structural or the chemical features of both enamel and dentin, except for slight morphological changes, increased porosity in the most superficial parts (enamel), and a moderate increase in the wettability degree. In this scenario, bleaching produced an increased osteoclast-like cell proliferation but decreased cell viability and cytokine secretion, while it augmented resorption activity on dentin. The presence of either osteostatin or FGF-2 reduced the osteoclast-like cell proliferation induced by bleaching. FGF-2 enhanced ROS content, whereas osteostatin decreased ROS but increased TNF alpha secretion. The bleaching effect on resorption activity was increased by osteostatin, but this effect was less evident with FGF-2. Conclusions: These findings further confirm the deleterious effects of tooth bleaching by affecting osteoclast growth and function as well as different modulatory actions of osteostatin and FGF-2. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Síndrome de burnout durante contingencia por SARS-COV-2 en médicos de telemedicina y atención domiciliaria en Medellín

Background: Burnout Syndrome is related to a response to chronic stress at work; it is a three-dimensional syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal fulfillment. Objective: to correlate workload, individual factors, and predictors of Burnout Syndrome during the SARS-CoV-2 contingency in home health care and telemedicine physicians in Medellin, 2020. Methods: Cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was designed for sociodemographic variables, Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey. Results: 64 physicians were surveyed, 9.4% were found to be at high risk, 7.8% at low risk and 82.8% at intermediate risk of presenting Burnout syndrome. In addition, it was found that 57.8% presented emotional fatigue, 34.4% scored depersonalization and 26.6% had low personal fulfillment. Statistically significant data were also found in relation to marital status, type of employment relationship, number of hours worked, type of housing, length of service in the profession, among other variables. Conclusion: It was found that emotional fatigue increases the more overtime hours worked during the day or month, as well as the fact of being single. On the other hand, depersonalization was related to the type of relationship and the number of hours worked by the professional, with the opposite being true.Antecedentes: El Síndrome de Burnout está relacionado con una respuesta al estrés crónico en el trabajo; es un síndrome tridimensional caracterizado por el cansancio emocional, la despersonalización y la reducida realización personal. Objetivo:  correlacionar la carga de trabajo, factores individuales y predictores de Síndrome de Burnout durante la contingencia SARS-CoV-2 en médicos de atención médica domiciliaria y telemedicina en Medellín, 2020. Métodos: Estudio de corte transversal, se diseñó un cuestionario propio para las variables sociodemográficas, el Burnout se midió mediante el Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey. Resultados: Fueron encuestados 64 médicos, se encontró que el 9.4% presentó un alto riesgo, el 7.8% presentó bajo riesgo y un 82.8% riesgo intermedio de presentar síndrome de Burnout. Además, se evidenció que el 57.8% presentó cansancio emocional, un 34.4% puntuó despersonalización y el 26.6% tuvo baja realización personal. Asimismo, se encontraron datos estadísticamente significativos en relación con el estado civil, tipo de vinculación laboral, número de horas laboradas, tipo de vivienda, antigüedad en la profesión, entre otras variables. Conclusión: Se encontró que el cansancio emocional aumenta entre más horas extras trabajan en el día o en el mes, al igual que el hecho de estar soltero. Por otro lado, la despersonalización tuvo relación con el tipo de vinculación y el número de horas laboradas por el profesional, siendo el contrato indefinido y trabajar menos de 8 horas diarias un factor protector. En cuanto a la realización personal, tener una red de apoyo disminuye el riesgo

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Infection Dynamics in Contact-Exposed Pigs Are Determined by the Estimated Exposure Dose

The quantitative relationship between the exposure dose of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and subsequent infection dynamics has been demonstrated through controlled inoculation studies in various species. However, similar quantitation of viral doses has not been achieved during contact exposure experiments due to the intrinsic difficulty of measuring the virus quantities exchanged between animals. In the current study, novel modeling techniques were utilized to investigate FMDV infection dynamics in groups of pigs that had been contact-exposed to FMDV-infected donors shedding varying levels of virus, as well as in pigs inoculated via the intra-oropharyngeal (IOP) route. Estimated virus exposure doses were modeled and were found to be statistically significantly associated with the dynamics of FMDV RNA detection in serum and oropharyngeal fluid (OPF), and with the time to onset of clinical disease. The minimum estimated shedding quantity in OPF that defined infectiousness of donor pigs was 6.55 log10 genome copy numbers (GCN)/ml (95% CI 6.11, 6.98), which delineated the transition from the latent to infectious phase of disease which occurred during the incubation phase. This quantity corresponded to a minimum estimated exposure dose of 5.07 log10 GCN/ml (95% CI 4.25, 5.89) in contact-exposed pigs. Thus, we demonstrated that a threshold quantity of FMDV detection in donor pigs was necessary in order to achieve transmission by direct contact. The outcomes from this investigation demonstrate that variability of infection dynamics which occurs during the progression of FMD in naturally exposed pigs can be partially attributed to variations in exposure dose. Moreover, these modeling approaches for dose-quantitation may be retrospectively applied to contact-exposure experiments or field scenarios. Hence, robust information could be incorporated into models used to evaluate FMD spread and control

Somatic genome editing with the RCAS-TVA-CRISPR-Cas9 system for precision tumor modeling

To accurately recapitulate the heterogeneity of human diseases, animal models require to recreate multiple complex genetic alterations. Here, we combine the RCAS-TVA system with the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tools for precise modeling of human tumors. We show that somatic deletion in neural stem cells of a variety of known tumor suppressor genes (Trp53, Cdkn2a, and Pten) leads to high-grade glioma formation. Moreover, by simultaneous delivery of pairs of guide RNAs we generate different gene fusions with oncogenic potential, either by chromosomal deletion (Bcan-Ntrk1) or by chromosomal translocation (Myb-Qk). Lastly, using homology-directed-repair, we also produce tumors carrying the homologous mutation to human BRAF V600E, frequently identified in a variety of tumors, including different types of gliomas. In summary, we have developed an extremely versatile mouse model for in vivo somatic genome editing, that will elicit the generation of more accurate cancer models particularly appropriate for pre-clinical testing.A.C.-G is recipient of a Severo-Ochoa PhD fellowship. C.M. and V.M. are recipients of a "La Caixa "PhD fellowship. We thank A.J. Schuhmacher for the initial assistance with the intracranial injections in adult mice and C.S. Clemente-Troncone for the technical support. We thank Carmen Blanco, David Olmeda, and Marisol Soengas for sharing reagents and Orlando Dominguez for the help with the design of the BRAF high- throughput sequencing. We sincerely thank Dr. José Luis Rodríguez Peralto (Hospital U. 12 de Octubre Madrid) for the BRAF V600 IHCs staining. This research was supported by funds from the Acción Estratégica en Salud Spanish National Research and Development Plan, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), cofounder by FEDER (ERDF) (PI14/01884) to S.R.-P., by a 017 Leonardo Grant for Researchers and Cultural Creators from the BBVA Foundation and a grant from the Seve Ballesteros Foundation to M.S.S