Molecular identification of Trichoderma spp. in garlic and onion fields and In Vitro antagonism trials on Sclerotium cepivorum

Artículo científicoTrichoderma species are non-pathogenic microorganisms that protect against fungal diseases and contribute to increased crop yields. However, not all Trichoderma species have the same effects on crop or a pathogen, whereby the characterization and identification of strains at the species level is the first step in the use of a microorganism. The aim of this study was the identification – at species level – of five strains of Trichoderma isolated from soil samples obtained from garlic and onion fields located in Costa Rica, through the analysis of the ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 ribosomal RNA regions; as well as the determination of their individual antagonistic ability over S. cepivorum Berkeley. In order to distinguish the strains, the amplified products were analyzed using MEGA v6.0 software, calculating the genetic distances through the Tamura-Nei model and building the phylogenetic tree using the Maximum Likelihood method. We established that the evaluated strains belonged to the species T. harzianum and T. asperellum; however it was not possible to identify one of the analyzed strains based on the species criterion. To evaluate their antagonistic ability, the dual culture technique, Bell’s scale, and the percentage inhibition of radial growth (PIRG) were used, evidencing that one of the T. asperellum isolates presented the best yields under standard, solid fermentation conditions

Control de calidad en el proceso de producción de hongos entomopatógenos y antagonistas mediante fermentación en sustrato sólido.

Proyecto de Graduación (Bachillerarato en Ingeniería en Biotecnología) Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Escuela de Biología, 2002.Ante la problemática de la contaminación y los riesgos a la salud ocasionados por el uso irracional de pesticidas surgió la opción del control biológico de plagas como sistema de producción sano y ecológicamente equilibrado. La gran demanda de productos orgánicos ha provocado la llegada de productos de control orgánico. En nuestro país el Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje ha desarrollado una serie de productos de este tipo y se ha iniciado un proceso de control de calidad de los mismos. El objetivo fundamental de este proceso es aplicar normas internacionales de calidad de bioproductos producidos por fermentación en sustrato sólido, con el fin de brindar un producto a los capacitados del Instituto y al productor en general. Para esto se ha realizado una revisión del proceso de producción, así como pruebas de concentración, pureza, efectividad y germinación in vitro. Los resultados obtenidos en todas las pruebas confirman la alta calidad de estos productos y los colocan en un nivel semejante a los producidos en países potencias del control biológico como Cuba, Colombia, Australia, España, Alemania y Ucrania. Este trabajo es considerado un primer paso de estandarización de métodos y estándares con el fin de desarrollar la implementación a corto plazo de un sistema de calidad que permita la certificación del laboratorio

Control de calidad en el proceso de producción de hongos entomopatógenos y antagonistas mediante fermentación en sustrato sólido.

Proyecto de Graduación (Bachillerato en Ingeniería en Biotecnología) Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Escuela de Biología, 2002.Ante la problemática de la contaminación y los riesgos a la salud ocasionados por el uso irracional de pesticidas surgió la opción del control biológico de plagas como sistema de producción sano y ecológicamente equilibrado. La gran demanda de productos orgánicos ha provocado la llegada de productos de control orgánico. En nuestro país el Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje ha desarrollado una serie de productos de este tipo y se ha iniciado un proceso de control de calidad de los mismos. El objetivo fundamental de este proceso es aplicar normas internacionales de calidad de bioproductos producidos por fermentación en sustrato sólido, con el fin de brindar un producto a los capacitados del Instituto y al productor en general. Para esto se ha realizado una revisión del proceso de producción, así como pruebas de concentración, pureza, efectividad y germinación in vitro. Los resultados obtenidos en todas las pruebas confirman la alta calidad de estos productos y los colocan en un nivel semejante a los producidos en países potencias del control biológico como Cuba, Colombia, Australia, España, Alemania y Ucrania. Este trabajo es considerado un primer paso de estandarización de métodos y estándares con el fin de desarrollar la implementación a corto plazo de un sistema de calidad que permita la certificación del laboratorio. Palabras clave: control biológico, control de calidad, bioproductos, microorganismos, hongos, entomopatógeno, antagonista

Experimental determination of resistance to penetration by dynamic action of a body made entirely of iron oxide and iron oxide and chip alloys

The present article arises from the study of the mechanical behavior of a body composed entirely of iron oxide and iron oxide and chip alloys through the experimental determination of resistance to impact by dynamic action through the application of loads of impact provided by a Charpy pendulum. The resistive evaluation will be useful for the development of new engineering materials, either to design structures or to design and manufacture machine parts. The study also evaluates the materials’ level of absorption of impact energy, or their capacity to partially absorb the energy from the impact loads. Possible applications include the design of new materials for use in the automotive industry, for example for collision protection systems for vehicles, among others. The tested materials are derived from metallurgical processes that involve various stages of iron smelting, from melting and casting of the metal until obtaining the test specimens

Discovery of potent and selective inhibitors of the Escherichia coli M1-aminopeptidase via multicomponent solid-phase synthesis of tetrazole-peptidomimetics

The Escherichia coli neutral M1-aminopeptidase (ePepN) is a novel target identified for the development of antimicrobials. Here we describe a solid-phase multicomponent approach which enabled the discovery of potent ePepN inhibitors. The on-resin protocol, developed in the frame of the Distributed Drug Discovery (D3) program, comprises the implementation of parallel Ugi-azide four-component reactions with resin-bound amino acids, thus leading to the rapid preparation of a focused library of tetrazole-peptidomimetics (TPMs) suitable for biological screening. By dose-response studies, three compounds were identified as potent and selective ePepN inhibitors, as little inhibitory effect was exhibited for the porcine ortholog aminopeptidase. The study allowed for the identification of the key structural features required for a high ePepN inhibitory activity. The most potent and selective inhibitor (TPM 11) showed a non-competitive inhibition profile of ePepN. We predicted that both diastereomers of compound TPM 11 bind to a site distinct from that occupied by the substrate. Theoretical models suggested that TPM 11 has an alternative inhibition mechanism that doesn't involve Zn coordination. On the other hand, the activity landscape analysis provided a rationale for our findings. Of note, compound TMP 2 showed in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. Furthermore, none of the three identified inhibitors is a potent haemolytic agent, and only two compounds showed moderate cytotoxic activity toward the murine myeloma P3X63Ag cells. These results point to promising compounds for the future development of rationally designed TPMs as antibacterial agents

Remodeling of Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niches Promotes Myeloid Cell Expansion during Premature or Physiological Aging.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) residing in the bone marrow (BM) accumulate during aging but are functionally impaired. However, the role of HSC-intrinsic and -extrinsic aging mechanisms remains debated. Megakaryocytes promote quiescence of neighboring HSCs. Nonetheless, whether megakaryocyte-HSC interactions change during pathological/natural aging is unclear. Premature aging in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome recapitulates physiological aging features, but whether these arise from altered stem or niche cells is unknown. Here, we show that the BM microenvironment promotes myelopoiesis in premature/physiological aging. During physiological aging, HSC-supporting niches decrease near bone but expand further from bone. Increased BM noradrenergic innervation promotes β2-adrenergic-receptor(AR)-interleukin-6-dependent megakaryopoiesis. Reduced β3-AR-Nos1 activity correlates with decreased endosteal niches and megakaryocyte apposition to sinusoids. However, chronic treatment of progeroid mice with β3-AR agonist decreases premature myeloid and HSC expansion and restores the proximal association of HSCs to megakaryocytes. Therefore, normal/premature aging of BM niches promotes myeloid expansion and can be improved by targeting the microenvironment.We thank A.R. Green for advice and support; M. García-Fernández, C. Fielding, C. Kapeni, X. Langa, and other current and former members of the S.M.-F group for help and discussions; A. Barettino and A. Macías (CNIC), D. Pask, T. Hamilton, the Central Biomedical Services and Cambridge NIHR BRC Cell Phenotyping Hub for technical assistance; H. Jolin and A.N.J. McZenzie (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK) for help with milliplex analyses. Y.-H.O. received fellowships from Alborada Scholarship (University of Cambridge), Trinity-Henry Barlow Scholarship (University of Cambridge) and R.O.C. Government Scholarship to Study Abroad (GSSA) A.G.G. received fellowships from Ramón Areces and LaCaixa Foundations. C.K. was supported by Marie Curie Career Integration grant H2020-MSCA-IF-2015-70841. S.M.F., by Red TerCel (ISCIII-Spanish Cell Therapy Network). VA is supported by grants from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (MEIC) with cofunding from the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER, “Una manera de hacer Europa”) (SAF2016-79490-R), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (AC16/00091), the Fundació Marató TV3 (122/C/2015), and the Progeria Research Foundation (Established Investigator Award 2014–52). The CNIC is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCNU) and the Pro CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). This work was supported by core support grants from the Wellcome Trust and the MRC to the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (SAF-2011-30308), Ramón y Cajal Program grant RYC-2009-04703, ConSEPOC-Comunidad de Madrid S2010/BMD-2542, National 427 Health Service Blood and Transplant (United Kingdom), European Union’s Horizon 428 2020 research (ERC-2014-CoG-64765 and Marie Curie Career Integration grant FP7- 429 PEOPLE-2011-RG-294096) and a Programme Foundation Award from Cancer Research 430 UK to S.M.-F., who was also supported in part by an International Early Career Scientist 431 grant of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

5to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

El V Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2019, realizado del 6 al 8 de febrero de 2019 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, ofreció a la comunidad académica nacional e internacional una plataforma de comunicación unificada, dirigida a cubrir los problemas teóricos y prácticos de mayor impacto en la sociedad moderna desde la ingeniería. En esta edición, dedicada a los 25 años de vida de la UPS, los ejes temáticos estuvieron relacionados con la aplicación de la ciencia, el desarrollo tecnológico y la innovación en cinco pilares fundamentales de nuestra sociedad: la industria, la movilidad, la sostenibilidad ambiental, la información y las telecomunicaciones. El comité científico estuvo conformado formado por 48 investigadores procedentes de diez países: España, Reino Unido, Italia, Bélgica, México, Venezuela, Colombia, Brasil, Estados Unidos y Ecuador. Fueron recibidas un centenar de contribuciones, de las cuales 39 fueron aprobadas en forma de ponencias y 15 en formato poster. Estas contribuciones fueron presentadas de forma oral ante toda la comunidad académica que se dio cita en el Congreso, quienes desde el aula magna, el auditorio y la sala de usos múltiples de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, cumplieron respetuosamente la responsabilidad de representar a toda la sociedad en la revisión, aceptación y validación del conocimiento nuevo que fue presentado en cada exposición por los investigadores. Paralelo a las sesiones técnicas, el Congreso contó con espacios de presentación de posters científicos y cinco workshops en temáticas de vanguardia que cautivaron la atención de nuestros docentes y estudiantes. También en el marco del evento se impartieron un total de ocho conferencias magistrales en temas tan actuales como la gestión del conocimiento en la universidad-ecosistema, los retos y oportunidades de la industria 4.0, los avances de la investigación básica y aplicada en mecatrónica para el estudio de robots de nueva generación, la optimización en ingeniería con técnicas multi-objetivo, el desarrollo de las redes avanzadas en Latinoamérica y los mundos, la contaminación del aire debido al tránsito vehicular, el radón y los riesgos que representa este gas radiactivo para la salud humana, entre otros

Pseudo-nitzschia physiological ecology, phylogeny, toxicity, monitoring and impacts on ecosystem health

This paper is not subject to U.S. copyright. The definitive version was published in Harmful Algae 14 (2012): 271-300, doi:10.1016/j.hal.2011.10.025.Over the last decade, our understanding of the environmental controls on Pseudo-nitzschia blooms and domoic acid (DA) production has matured. Pseudo-nitzschia have been found along most of the world's coastlines, while the impacts of its toxin, DA, are most persistent and detrimental in upwelling systems. However, Pseudo-nitzschia and DA have recently been detected in the open ocean's high-nitrate, low-chlorophyll regions, in addition to fjords, gulfs and bays, showing their presence in diverse environments. The toxin has been measured in zooplankton, shellfish, crustaceans, echinoderms, worms, marine mammals and birds, as well as in sediments, demonstrating its stable transfer through the marine food web and abiotically to the benthos. The linkage of DA production to nitrogenous nutrient physiology, trace metal acquisition, and even salinity, suggests that the control of toxin production is complex and likely influenced by a suite of environmental factors that may be unique to a particular region. Advances in our knowledge of Pseudo-nitzschia sexual reproduction, also in field populations, illustrate its importance in bloom dynamics and toxicity. The combination of careful taxonomy and powerful new molecular methods now allow for the complete characterization of Pseudo-nitzschia populations and how they respond to environmental changes. Here we summarize research that represents our increased knowledge over the last decade of Pseudo-nitzschia and its production of DA, including changes in worldwide range, phylogeny, physiology, ecology, monitoring and public health impacts

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries