A multidisciplinary approach to study virulence of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana towards malaria mosquitoes

Although globally malaria mortality rates have fallen by 48% between 2000 and 2015, malaria is still killing an estimated 438,000 people each year. An effective way to alleviate the burden of malaria is to control its vector (malaria mosquitoes) using insecticides. This can be achieved either with insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) or through indoor residual spraying of insecticides (IRS). However, because of rapidly expanding insecticide resistance, there is a need to find alternatives to control the mosquitoes. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) could constitute an effective biological control tool, as is able to reduce malaria transmission under laboratory and field conditions. However, fundamental knowledge on the mechanisms and regulation of the infection process of the fungus, as well as insights into the defensive responses of the host insect to EPF, is limited. Therefore, the main goal of this thesis was to study virulence of the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana towards malaria mosquitoes using a multidisciplinary approach. Chapter 2 provides an overview of existing knowledge of genes influencing virulence in EPF, with a special focus on B. bassiana. The infection cycle and virulence mechanisms are discussed, and put in a framework of novel strategies and experimental methods that are needed to better understand virulence and improve the usage of EPF as a biocontrol agent. The study of natural variation in fungal virulence is a first step towards understanding the genetic mechanisms involved, because it reveals the extent of variation in the different components of virulence and their overall role. Chapter 3 describes the natural variation in virulence for 29 B. bassiana isolates that were tested on malaria mosquitoes. Furthermore, the phenotypic characteristics of the fungal isolates such as sporulation, spore size and growth were evaluated and their relationship with virulence analysed. Based on the ample natural variation observed in fungal virulence, in Chapter 4, a comparative genomics analysis was performed on five selected isolates of contrasting virulence. In order to understand mechanisms underlying contrasting virulence, a comparison on gene gain/loss, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), secreted proteins, and secondary metabolites was performed. Insight is provided to the magnitude of the complexity of a trait such as virulence and suggests candidate genes that can be further studied using a functional analysis approach. Chapter 5 focuses on an experimental evolution approach in which B. bassiana was solely using insects as a nutritional source for ten consecutive passages through malaria mosquitoes. Two isolates of B. bassiana that differed in virulence were compared to their respective ancestors, and they were assayed in virulence, fungal outgrowth, mycelial growth rate (MGR), and sporulation. Passage of the entomopathogenic fungi B. bassiana through the insect host resulted in an altered capacity to grow on different substrates while maintaining the ability to kill insects. Chapter 6 presents a discussion on the main findings of this thesis and describes future perspectives to study virulence of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana in the context of biological control of malaria mosquitoes.</p

Análisis de la influencia que tiene el desarrollo del discurso ideológico en el proceso acádemico aplicado en el programa de Trabajo Social de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios

El documento desarrollado por la opción de modalidad de grado de Trabajo Social en la Universidad Minuto de Dios. Pretende responder al análisis crítico del desarrollo de los discursos ideológicos planteados por los estudiantes en el programa de Trabajo Social de la Uniminuto y de qué manera ha influido tanto factores externos como la misma facultad en este proceso con el pensum académico establecido

Análisis de la influencia que tiene el desarrollo del discurso ideológico en el proceso acádemico aplicado en el programa de Trabajo Social de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios

El documento desarrollado por la opción de modalidad de grado de Trabajo Social en la Universidad Minuto de Dios. Pretende responder al análisis crítico del desarrollo de los discursos ideológicos planteados por los estudiantes en el programa de Trabajo Social de la Uniminuto y de qué manera ha influido tanto factores externos como la misma facultad en este proceso con el pensum académico establecido

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review

Background: Epidemiological studies have suggested a pathophysiological relationship between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in AD and its relationship with neurocognitive function improvement. Methods: Systematic review conducted following PRISMA's statements. Relevant studies were searched in MEDLINE, PEDro, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL and SportDicus. Original studies in which CPAP treatment was developel in AD patients have been included. Results: 5 studies, 3 RCTs (Randomized controlled trials) and 2 pilot studies. In all RCTs the CPAP intervention was six weeks; 3 weeks of therapeutic CPAP vs. 3 weeks placebo CPAP (pCPAP) followed by 3 weeks tCPAP in patients with AD and OSA. The two pilot studies conducted a follow-up in which the impact on cognitive impairment was measured. Conclusions: CPAP treatment in AD patients decreases excessive daytime sleepiness and improves sleep quality. There are indications that cognitive deterioration function measured with the Mini Mental Scale decreases or evolves to a lesser extent in Alzheimer's patients treated with CPAP. Caregivers observe stabilization in disease progression with integration of CPAP. More research is needed on the topic presented

The Efficacy of Therapeutic Respiratory Muscle Training Interventions in People with Bronchiectasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Respiratory muscle dysfunction is an important health problem with high morbidity and mortality and associated costs in patients with bronchiectasis (BC). The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of therapeutic respiratory muscle training (RMT) interventions on improving sputum clearance, ventilator function, muscle strength and functional capacity in BC. Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Two independent investigators searched using several electronic databases. The methodological quality of nine studies was assessed using the PEDro scale. Study selection/eligibility criteria: The following were included: randomised controlled trials, randomised crossover trials and pilot studies of patients with BC that used the intervention as RMT (inspiratory/expiratory) and evaluations of respiratory muscle strength (maximal expiratory pressure/maximal inspiratory pressure). This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017075101). Nine studies were included, five of which obtained an A recommendation grade, three with B, and one with C. Study quality was poor to good (mean PEDro Score of 6.375 out of 10). Studies had small sample sizes (8-98). Results show improvements on PImax in favour of therapeutic respiratory muscle training intervention (MD = 6.08; 95% CI = 1.38, 10.77; p < 0.01; I-2 = 92%). However, high heterogeneity was identified on meta-analysis

Estudio de la estabilidad, bajo condiciones de almacenamiento, del biodiésel obtenido a partir aceite reciclado de cocina

El elevado precio de los productos derivados del petróleo junto con el agotamiento de los combustibles fósiles y la creciente conciencia ambiental, han impulsado numerosas investigaciones para identificar fuentes alternativas de combustible. Esta situación ha llevado a los gobiernos a interesarse en la producción de combustibles alternativos como el biodiesel. Actualmente la producción de biodiesel se centra en la extracción de aceites a partir de la palma, el girasol, la higuerilla, la colza, microalgas y aceites de cocina usados, siendo este último de los más llamativos por su bajo costo como materia prima y disminución de impactos ambientales (Phan, 2008).The high price of petroleum products along with the depletion of fossil fuels and growing environmental awareness have prompted considerable research to identify alternative sources of fuel. This has led governments interested in the production of alternative fuels like biodiesel. Biodiesel production currently focuses on the extraction of oil from the palm, sunflower, castor, rapeseed, algae and used cooking oils, the latter being the most striking for its low cost feedstock and decrease environmental impacts (Phan, 2008)

A Hybrid Online Off-Policy Reinforcement Learning Agent Framework Supported by Transformers

Reinforcement learning (RL) is a powerful technique that allows agents to learn optimal decision-making policies through interactions with an environment. However, traditional RL algorithms suffer from several limitations such as the need for large amounts of data and long-term credit assignment, i.e. the problem of determining which actions actually produce a certain reward. Recently, Transformers have shown their capacity to address these constraints in this area of learning in an offline setting. This paper proposes a framework that uses Transformers to enhance the training of online off-policy RL agents and address the challenges described above through self-attention. The proposal introduces a hybrid agent with a mixed policy that combines an online off-policy agent with an offline Transformer agent using the Decision Transformer architecture. By sequentially exchanging the experience replay buffer between the agents, the agent’s learning training efficiency is improved in the first iterations and so is the training of Transformer-based RL agents in situations with limited data availability or unknown environments

Plataforma web intermediaria para la comercialización de productos agrícolas en la zona periférica de Bogotá.

En este proyecto se plantea una alternativa para la comercialización de productos de los sectores periféricos de Bogotá, en la cual se abordaron diferentes aspectos de la comercialización como lo son el transporte, los aportes de los usuarios, entre otros. La planificación de la página identifico diferentes aspectos que se pudieron abordar desde la página para que este medio ser más eficiente al momento de realizar los objetivos propuestos con mayor facilidad y eficiencia donde los usuarios ven que el proceso de comercialización se puede ver simplificado, donde el proyecto fortalece el proceso buscar fortalecer la comercialización de los productos de aquellas personas que buscan una incorporación de sus productos y servicios al área de las telecomunicaciones.This project proposes an alternative for the marketing of products of the peripheral sectors of Bogotá, in which different aspects of the commercialization were addressed such as the transport, the contributions of the users, among others. The planning of the page identified different aspects that could be addressed from the page so that this medium is more efficient at the moment of achieving the proposed objectives more easily and efficiently where users see that the marketing process can be simplified, where the project strengthens the process of seeking to strengthen the marketing of the products of those who seek to incorporate their products and services into the telecommunications area

Embryonic Organ Transplantation: The New Era of Xenotransplantation

Here, we review the recent advances towards the use of organs from embryonic donors, antecedent investigations, and the latest work from our own laboratory exploring the utility for transplantation of embryonic kidney as an organ replacement therapy. In addition, we have recently reported, for the first time, that it is possible to create a long-term biobank of kidney precursors as an unlimited source of organs for xenotransplantation, facilitating inventory control and the distribution of organs