Biocontrol con levaduras de Penicillium expansum y Botrytis cinerea en manzana Golden Delicious

Los hongos Penicillium expansum y Botrytis cinerea son los principales patógenos causantes de las pérdidas poscosecha en manzanas producidas en Chihuahua, México. Para el control de estos patógenos generalmente se utilizan fungicidas sintéticos. Para evitar la acumulación de residuos químicos sobre los frutos y la generación de resistencia en el patógeno como consecuencia del uso intensivo de los fungicidas sintéticos, el control biológico es cada vez es más utilizado como estrategia alternativa para el control de diversos fitopatógenos. En este estudio se evaluó la eficiencia como agentes de biocontrol de las levaduras nativas de la región de Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, México: Rhodotorula glutinis, R. mucilaginosa, y dos cepas de Candida oleophila (L-06 y L07), sobre P. expansum y de B. cinerea inoculados en manzanas Golden Delicious. Se evaluaron también las levaduras Cryptococcus flavus, C. albidus y C. laurentii. Solamente las cepas nativas de C. oleophila, L- 06 y L-07 redujeron la severidad de las lesiones provocadas por P. expansum en un 77 y 69%, respectivamente; mientras que R. mucilaginosa redujo la severidad en un 21%. Las cepas L-07 y L-06 de C. oleophila, fueron las más eficientes para el control de B. cinerea con reducciones del daño en 73 y 57%, respectivamente. C. flavus, C. albidus y R. mucilaginosa, aunque en menor grado que C. oleophila, también redujeron la severidad de las lesiones causadas por B. cinerea. Las cepas nativas de C. oleophila tienen gran potencial para el biocontrol de P. expansum y B. cinerea en manzana en poscosecha. Abstract Penicillium expansum Link and Botrytis cinerea are among the most common pathogens causing postharvest losses in apples produced in Chihuahua, Mexico. Synthetic fungicides are still commonly used to control rots caused by these fungi on apples, although most Penicillium and Botrytis species have developed resistance to most of the fungicides that are used for their control. An alternative to the use of chemical control is the use of microorganisms that are capable of controlling phytopathogenic fungi and avoiding the chemical residues on the fruit. Efficiency as biocontrol agents of the following yeast native to the region of Cuauhtemoc, Mexico was evaluated: Rhodotorula glutinis, R. mucilaginosa, and two Candida oleophila strains (L-06 y L07), to biocontrol P. expansum and B. cinerea, on Golden Delicious apples. Cryptococcus flavus, C. albidus and C. laurentii were also evaluated. Only native strains Candida oleophila L-06 and L-07 reduced the severity of lesions caused by P. expansum by 77 and 69%, respectively; while R. mucilaginosa reduced lesion severity to 21%. L-07 and L-06 C. oleophila strains were the most efficient to control B. cinerea with damage reduction of 73 and 57%, respectively. Cryptococcus flavus, C. albidus and R. mucilaginosa, although less than C. oleophila, also reduced lesion severity caused by B. cinerea, C. oleophila native strains have a great potential for biocontrol P. expansum and B. cinerea on postharvest apples. Keywords: Candida oleophila, Rhodotorula spp., Cryptococcus spp., postharves

The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

4to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

Este volumen acoge la memoria académica de la Cuarta edición del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2017, desarrollado entre el 29 de noviembre y el 1 de diciembre de 2017 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS) en su sede de Guayaquil. El Congreso ofreció un espacio para la presentación, difusión e intercambio de importantes investigaciones nacionales e internacionales ante la comunidad universitaria que se dio cita en el encuentro. El uso de herramientas tecnológicas para la gestión de los trabajos de investigación como la plataforma Open Conference Systems y la web de presentación del Congreso http://citis.blog.ups.edu.ec/, hicieron de CITIS 2017 un verdadero referente entre los congresos que se desarrollaron en el país. La preocupación de nuestra Universidad, de presentar espacios que ayuden a generar nuevos y mejores cambios en la dimensión humana y social de nuestro entorno, hace que se persiga en cada edición del evento la presentación de trabajos con calidad creciente en cuanto a su producción científica. Quienes estuvimos al frente de la organización, dejamos plasmado en estas memorias académicas el intenso y prolífico trabajo de los días de realización del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad al alcance de todos y todas

Múltiples formas de aprovechar los beneficios de moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.)

Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.), valorada por sus propiedades nutritivas y medicinales, es una planta cultivada en varias regiones tropicales del mundo. Cada parte de la planta es utilizada para diversos usos: sus hojas poseen proteínas, vitaminas y minerales, por lo que son consumidas por el ser humano como un complemento alimenticio, por el ganado vacuno para aumentar la producción de leche, por el ganado ovino para mejorar su rendimiento, y por peces, conejos y gallinas como complemento alimenticio, además de ser utilizada en enfermedades oculares en medicina alternativa. Las flores son usadas para aumentar la producción de esperma en los hombres. La cáscara de la semilla es utilizada para eliminar la turbidez del agua y como fertilizante orgánico. Las semillas contienen hasta un 40% de aceite en su almendra, sobresaliendo el ácido oleico, aceite que puede ser utilizado para consumo humano y para la producción de biodiesel. Además, la goma del tallo puede ser utilizada como un excipiente farmacéutico. Por todo lo antes mencionado, se tiene como objetivo dar a conocer los múltiples usos y beneficios de moringa para su aprovechamiento. Abstract Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.), valued for its nutritional and medicinal properties, is a plant cultivated in many tropical regions of the world. Each part of the plant is utilized for various uses: its leaves have proteins, vitamins and minerals, so they are consumed by humans as a food supplement, by cattle to increase milk production, by sheep to improve their performance, and fish, rabbits and chickens as a food supplement, in addition to being used in eye diseases in alternative medicine. The flowers are used to increase sperm production in men. The seed husk is used to remove water turbidity and organic fertilizer. The seed contains up to 40% oil in its almond, the protruding oleic acid oil which can be used for human consumption and for the production of biodiesel. In addition, the stem gum can be used as a pharmaceutical excipient, for all the above mentioned it aims to make known the multiple uses and benefits of moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) for their use. Keywords: nutritional supplement, crop, organic fertilizer, empirical medicine

Productos alternativos a la aminoetoxivinilglicina para el control de la producción de etileno en manzana 'Golden Delicious'

Chihuahua produce el 66 % de la manzana (Malus x domestica Borkh) a nivel nacional, siendo el cultivar ‘Golden Delicious’ el de mayor superficie plantada. La necesidad de controlar la maduración de la fruta para programar la cosecha, ha condicionado el uso de productos a base de la aminoetoxivinilglicina (AVG), un inhibidor de la síntesis del etileno, y por lo tanto de la maduración de los frutos climatéricos. Este producto es eficaz, pero de alto costo. En este estudio se evaluó la eficiencia de productos alternativos al AVG de menor costo. Se asperjaron manzanos ‘Golden Delicious’ en precosecha durante el ciclo 2008, con los tratamientos: ácido salicílico (AS; 1, 0.1 y 0.01 μM), cobalto (40, 60 y 80 mg Co++·L-1), ácido cítrico (AC; 533 mg·L-1) y AVG (123 mg·L-1) y agua como testigo. Los tratamientos de AS (0.01 y 1.0 μM) y de AC redujeron significativamente la concentración interna de etileno en los frutos, en comparación con el testigo, y a un nivel similar al AVG, con concentraciones de etileno de 0.6, 0.6, 0.4, 1.7 y 0.4 ppm, respectivamente. Los tratamientos con cobalto, a 40 y 80 mg Co++·L-1, retrasaron el pico climatérico en tres semanas. Los tratamientos con AS y cobalto indujeron frutos con color de cáscara más verde y con menor concentración de sólidos solubles, indicando un estado menos avanzado de maduración. Los tratamientos precosecha con AS, AC, y cobalto, representan una herramienta en el control de la maduración de manzanas ‘Golden Delicious’. Abstract Chihuahua produces 66 % of the apple (Malus x domestica Borkh) production in Mexico, being ‘Golden Delicious’ apple cultivar the most widely planted. The need to control fruit maturation in order to schedule harvest has made the use of aminoethoxyvinylglicine (AVG) almost a must, since it is an efficient ethylene synthesis inhibitor, and therefore a retardant of the maturation process in climacteric fruits; however it is an expensive product too. In this trial the effectiveness of alternative products to AVG, at a lower sell price, were evaluated. ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees were sprayed before harvest during the 2008 season with: salicylic acid (AS; 1.0, 0.1 and 0.01 μM), cobalt (40, 60 and 80 mg Co++·L-1), citric acid (AC; 533 mg L-1), AVG (123 mg·L-1) and water as control. The treatments with AS (0.01 and 1.0 μM) and with AC reduced the internal concentration of ethylene in the fruit respect to control, and to a similar level as AVG did it, with internal ethylene concentration of 0.6, 0.6, 0.4, 1.7 and 0.4 ppm, respectively. Treatments with cobalt at 40 and 80 mg Co++·L-1 delayed in three weeks the climacteric peak. AS and cobalt produced fruits with greener peel and lower level of soluble solids, indicating a less advanced maturation stage. Therefore, the preharvest treatments with AS, AC and cobalt offer to growers a tool to control the maturation of ‘Golden Delicious’ apple fruits. Keywords: Malus x domestica, citric acid, salicylic acid, cobalt