Effect of the water matrix and reactor configuration on Enterococcus sp. inactivation by UV-A activated PMS or H2O2

In this work, the influence of the matrix on the photolytic activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been studied for the inactivation of Enterococcus sp. Additionally, two different reactor configurations (batch reactor and tubular reactor) have been evaluated that achieve complete disinfection within 120 min when using a tubular reactor. Three water matrices (distilled water, saline solution and simulated wastewater) have been studied, and experiments have been carried out using radical scavengers to determine the main reactive species involved in each process. The hydroxyl radical (center dot & nbsp;OH) has been found to be the main responsible for the inactivation of bacteria in distilled water, while chlorinated species generated during treatments are responsible for disinfection in a saline matrix. The study of the influence of various inorganic ions (Br- ,& nbsp; F-, PO43-, NO3-, NO2-) on treatments revealed an increase in the efficacy of the PMS/UV-A system in the presence of Br- due to the bromine generation. Furthermore, the effect of F- has been studied for the first time, determining that the presence of this compound does not have a significant influence on the H2O2/UV-A system while inhibiting PMS/UV-A treatment. Overall, the results suggest that H2O2-based treatments would be less dependent on matrix composition than those involving PMS, and the presence of nitrites is a contraindication to the application of either process

UV-A activation of peroxymonosulfate for the removal of micropollutants from secondary treated wastewater

The occurrence of micropollutants (MPs) in the aquatic environment poses a threat to the environment and to the human health. The application of sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) to eliminate these contaminants has attracted attention in recent years. In this work, the simultaneous degradation of 20 multi-class MPs (classified into 5 main categories, namely antibiotics, beta-blockers, other pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and herbicides) was evaluated for the first time in secondary treated wastewater, by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with UV-A radiation, without any pH adjustment or iron addition. The optimal PMS concentration to remove the spiked target MPs (100 mu g L-1) from wastewater was 0.1 mM, leading to an average degradation of 80% after 60 min, with most of the elimination occurring during the first 5 min. Synergies between radiation and the oxidant were demonstrated and quantified, with an average extent of synergy of 69.1%. The optimized treatment was then tested using non-spiked wastewater, in which 12 out of the 20 target contaminants were detected. Among these, 7 were degraded at some extent, varying from 10.7% (acetamiprid) to 94.4% (ofloxacin), the lower removals being attributed to the quite inferior ratio of MPs to natural organic matter. Phytotoxicity tests carried out with the wastewater before and after photo-activated PMS oxidation revealed a decrease in the toxicity and that the plants were able to grow in the presence of the treated water. Therefore, despite the low degradation rates obtained for some MPs, the treatment effectively reduces the toxicity of the matrix, making the water safer for reuse

Afecciones, manifestaciones y repercusiones neurológicas del COVID-19.

Introduction: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) is the pathological entity responsible for the current pandemic that not only generates a distinctive respiratory pattern but has also been associated with multiple mechanisms of invasion of the central nervous system (CNS). Objective: To determine the affections, manifestations and neurological repercussions that SARS-CoV-2 infection can generate. Methods:  Review of the scientific literature of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, in whom the development of conditions, manifestations and neurological repercussions, selected outcome in the studies, presence of micro and macroscopic conditions of the CNS and peripheral (PNS) were evaluated. Results: 40 articles were included where the family and structure of SARS-CoV-2, pathophysiological mechanisms, neurological clinical manifestations, and possible repercussions at the central nervous system level were analyzed. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 is a pathological entity that is associated with different mechanisms of neurological intervention, through direct infection to the CNS, secondary to a parainfectious and postinfectious process, related to cytokine storm syndrome, endothelial damage, thrombotic disorders, in addition to secondary to hypoxia, hypoxemia and multiple organ failure.Introducción: El Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Severo (SARS-CoV-2) es la entidad patológica responsable de la actual pandemia que no solo genera un cuadro respiratorio distintivo sino que también se ha asociado con múltiples mecanismos de invasión al sistema nervioso central (SNC). Objetivo: Determinar las afecciones, manifestaciones y repercusiones neurológicas que puede generar la infección por SARS-CoV-2. Métodos: Revisión de la literatura científica de pacientes con infección por SARS-CoV-2, en quienes se evaluó desarrollo de afecciones, manifestaciones y repercusiones neurológicas, desenlace seleccionado en los estudios, presencia de afecciones micro y macroscópicas del SNC y periférico (SNP). Resultados: Se estudiaron 40 artículos que analizaban la familia y estructura del SARS-CoV-2, mecanismos fisiopatológicos, manifestaciones clínicas neurológicas y las posibles repercusiones a nivel sistema nervioso central. Conclusiones: El SARS-CoV-2  es una entidad patológica que se asocia a distintos mecanismos de intervención neurológica, por medio de infección directa al SNC, secundario a un proceso parainfeccioso y postinfeccioso, relacionado con el síndrome de tormenta de citoquinas, daño endotelial, trastornos trombóticos, adicionalmente de secundario a hipoxia, hipoxemia y fallo multiorgánico

Afecciones, manifestaciones y repercusiones neurológicas del COVID-19.

Introduction: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) is the pathological entity responsible for the current pandemic that not only generates a distinctive respiratory pattern but has also been associated with multiple mechanisms of invasion of the central nervous system (CNS). Objective: To determine the affections, manifestations and neurological repercussions that SARS-CoV-2 infection can generate. Methods:  Review of the scientific literature of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, in whom the development of conditions, manifestations and neurological repercussions, selected outcome in the studies, presence of micro and macroscopic conditions of the CNS and peripheral (PNS) were evaluated. Results: 40 articles were included where the family and structure of SARS-CoV-2, pathophysiological mechanisms, neurological clinical manifestations, and possible repercussions at the central nervous system level were analyzed. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 is a pathological entity that is associated with different mechanisms of neurological intervention, through direct infection to the CNS, secondary to a parainfectious and postinfectious process, related to cytokine storm syndrome, endothelial damage, thrombotic disorders, in addition to secondary to hypoxia, hypoxemia and multiple organ failure.Introducción: El Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Severo (SARS-CoV-2) es la entidad patológica responsable de la actual pandemia que no solo genera un cuadro respiratorio distintivo sino que también se ha asociado con múltiples mecanismos de invasión al sistema nervioso central (SNC). Objetivo: Determinar las afecciones, manifestaciones y repercusiones neurológicas que puede generar la infección por SARS-CoV-2. Métodos: Revisión de la literatura científica de pacientes con infección por SARS-CoV-2, en quienes se evaluó desarrollo de afecciones, manifestaciones y repercusiones neurológicas, desenlace seleccionado en los estudios, presencia de afecciones micro y macroscópicas del SNC y periférico (SNP). Resultados: Se estudiaron 40 artículos que analizaban la familia y estructura del SARS-CoV-2, mecanismos fisiopatológicos, manifestaciones clínicas neurológicas y las posibles repercusiones a nivel sistema nervioso central. Conclusiones: El SARS-CoV-2  es una entidad patológica que se asocia a distintos mecanismos de intervención neurológica, por medio de infección directa al SNC, secundario a un proceso parainfeccioso y postinfeccioso, relacionado con el síndrome de tormenta de citoquinas, daño endotelial, trastornos trombóticos, adicionalmente de secundario a hipoxia, hipoxemia y fallo multiorgánico

Meet OLAF, a Good Friend of the IAPS! The Open Library of Affective Foods: A Tool to Investigate the Emotional Impact of Food in Adolescents

Datos del estudio disponibles en: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10202In the last decades, food pictures have been repeatedly employed to investigate the emotional impact of food on healthy participants as well as individuals who suffer from eating disorders and obesity. However, despite their widespread use, food pictures are typically selected according to each researcher's personal criteria, which make it difficult to reliably select food images and to compare results across different studies and laboratories. Therefore, to study affective reactions to food, it becomes pivotal to identify the emotional impact of specific food images based on wider samples of individuals. In the present paper we introduce the Open Library of Affective Foods (OLAF), which is a set of original food pictures created to reliably select food pictures based on the emotions they prompt, as indicated by affective ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance and by an additional food craving scale. OLAF images were designed to allow simultaneous use with affective images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), which is a well-known instrument to investigate emotional reactions in the laboratory. The ultimate goal of the OLAF is to contribute to understanding how food is emotionally processed in healthy individuals and in patients who suffer from eating and weight-related disorders. The present normative data, which was based on a large sample of an adolescent population, indicate that when viewing affective non-food IAPS images, valence, arousal, and dominance ratings were in line with expected patterns based on previous emotion research. Moreover, when viewing food pictures, affective and food craving ratings were consistent with research on food cue processing. As a whole, the data supported the methodological and theoretical reliability of the OLAF ratings, therefore providing researchers with a standardized tool to reliably investigate the emotional and motivational significance of food.This research was funded by a grant from Junta de Andalucía (Spain) to MCFS (grant code P12.SEJ.391). (http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/servicios​/ayudas/detalle/69962.html; Convocatoria 2012

Photocatalytic activation of peroxymonosulfate using ilmenite (FeTiO3) for Enterococcus faecalis inactivation

In this work, a raw and low cost mineral, ilmenite (FeTiO3), has been tested for the first time as a photocatalyst paired with peroxymonosulfate (HSO5-; PMS) for the inactivation of Enterococcus faecalis as an alternative to conventional treatments to disinfect wastewater for reuse. The influence of some operational parameters such as reagent dosage, catalyst concentration, initial pH, or flow rate was also studied and optimized. After several tests, the scarce pure photoactivity under UV-A was remarked by ilmenite because of its high iron content, which favors photogenerated charge recombination. However, ilmenite activity was highly promoted when combined with low concentrations of PMS and UV-A light, reaching total inactivation of Enterococcus faecalis in 120 min. Quenching tests were performed using methanol, tert-butyl alcohol, furfuryl alcohol, and Cu(II) to assess the main reactive species involved in the disinfection process determining the critical role of both HO·and SO4·- radicals in the process. Finally, the influence of the water matrix was also evaluated by studying the effect of water hardness and the presence of nutrients on the system. Overall, the PMS/Ilmenite/UV-A system yielded promising results with a total removal of Enterococcus faecalis in 120 min. However, it also showed the need for further study and understanding of the disinfection mechanism to achieve the same level of performance in real wastewaterPGM acknowledges Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (UPM) for the project ETSII-UPM20–03. SGR acknowledges UPM for the predoctoral contract granted within the ’Programa Propio’. JRC acknowledges Comunidad de Madrid for funding the research project IN_REUSE (APOYO-JOVENES-X5PKL6–88-KZ46KU), and also by the pluriannual agreement with the Polytechnic University of Madrid in the line of action Programme of Excellence for University Teaching Staf

La imagen y la narrativa como herramientas para el abordaje psicosocial en escenarios de violencia, en los Departamentos de Cundinamarca, Tolima y Magdalena

El siguiente trabajo se enfoca al abordaje de contextos en violencia tomando como base los enfoques narrativos del Diplomado de Profundización Acompañamiento Psicosocial en Escenarios de Violencia, que se desarrollan en el programa de Psicología de la Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, dentro del cual se han llevado a cabo actividades acordes a dicho contexto en Colombia ya que el conflicto armado ha dejado muchas secuelas en diferentes individuos; también se han logrado comprender consecuencias tanto políticas como económicas, sociales y culturales que enmarcan décadas de desplazamiento y crisis humanitaria. Es por esto que para analizar los problemas resultantes de los hechos vulnerados una vez que se ha tenido conocimiento de los crímenes cometidos desde la humanidad a una población se trabajaron diferentes estrategias por medio del dialogó, buscando confrontar las partes del conflicto víctimas y victimarios desde una mirada hacia el impacto psicosocial aplicando la narrativa, analizando los emergentes relacionados con las comunidades y estigmatización con el tema de violencia. La problemática desde el rol de psicólogo sitúa al afectado emocionalmente donde el profesional puede aplicar herramientas como foto voz, narrativa expresada en la subjetividad, imágenes con mensajes de resiliencia en un determinado contexto de violencia como se experimentó durante las actividades propuestas. Una vez fueron analizados los casos escogidos y el caso grupal, se presentaron propuestas de intervención psicosocial a través de preguntas, que conllevaron a generar instrumentos de apoyo en las victimas para salir adelante y tener un cambio de vida buscando en la narrativa y la foto voz una evolución en la cotidianidad de los afectados mostrando soluciones sobre cómo ir mejorando en el proceso que se viene llevando desde que el desplazamiento y la afectación física fueron expuestos directa o indirectamente en la vida de estas personas. Palabras Claves: Violencia, Desplazamiento, Crisis, Humanitaria.The following work focuses on the Approach to contexts in violence based on the narrative approaches of the Diploma in Deepening Psychosocial Accompaniment in Scenes of Violence, which are developed in the Psychology program of the National Open and Distance University, within which the carry out activities according to this context in Colombia since the armed conflict has left many consequences in different individuals; Political, economic, social and cultural consequences that frame decades of displacement and humanitarian crisis have also been understood, For this reason, in order to analyze the problems resulting from the violated facts, once the crimes committed by humanity against a population have been known, different strategies were worked out. Through the dialogue, it was sought to confront the victims and perpetrators of the conflict with a look at the psychosocial impact, applying the narrative, and analyzing the emergencies related to the communities and stigmatization with the issue of violence. The problem from the role of the psychologist places the affected emotionally and it is there where the psychologist can apply tools such as photo-voice, narrative expressed in subjectivity, images with messages of resilience in a specific context of violence, Once the selected cases and the group case were analyzed, psychosocial intervention proposals were presented through questions, which led to the generation of support instruments in the victims to get ahead and have a change of life by looking at the narrative and the photo voice an evolution in the daily life of those affected showing solutions on how to improve in the process that has been taking place since the displacement and physical affectation were directly or indirectly exposed in the lives of these people. Keywords: Violence, Displacement, Humanitarian, Crisis

Effect of hemodialysis session on acute changes in inflammatory and cardiovascular risk biomarkers

Background: Inflammation is associated with enhanced cardiovascular risk profile and increased cardiovascular mortality in end-stage kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis. Mechanisms of activated acute phase reaction in patients on chronic hemodialysis remain to be identified. As successful treatment of the inflammatory condition in these patients may improve long-term survival, we studied potential changes in different inflammatory biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in end-stage kidney disease patients after a mid-week hemodialysis session. Methods: Inflammatory biomarkers of cardiovascular risk (cystatin-C, homocysteine, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, pentraxin-3, serum amyloid-A) and atherogenic plasma lipoproteins (Lipoprotein(a), cholesterol low and high density lipoproteins) were studied in 21 end-stage kidney disease patients previously and after a mid-week hemodialysis session. Results: We found a significant reduction in serum levels of low molecular weight molecules: cystatin-C (5.56 to 1.85 mg/L, 66.73%, p < 0.001), homocysteine (22.85 to 13.25 µmol/L, 42.01%, p < 0.001) and procalcitonin (0.788 to 0.457 ng/mL, 42.01%, p < 0.001). Large molecules as C-reactive protein (9.70 to 9.90 mg/L, 2.06%, p = 0.022) and pentraxin-3 (1.67 to 4.28 ng/mL, 156%, p < 0.001) increased, but serum amyloid-A decreased (15.90 to 12.70 mg/L, 20.13%, p < 0.05). There was no change in Lipoprotein (a) levels. Conclusion: Pentraxin-3 was a more specific inflammatory vascular marker than C-reactive protein, and the best inflammatory marker associated with hemodialysis. Homocysteine, procalcitonin and the other small proteins could be released and removed during hemodialysis session. Further studies are needed to understand the behavior and significance of these markers after successive hemodialysis