INVESTIGACIÓN Y DESARROLLO DE TRES PRODUCTOS DEL JABONCILLO (Sapindus saponaria L.) COMO BASE PARA SU INDUSTRIALIZACIÓN

This research included the chemical and phytochemical studies and the industrial scaling in pilot plant of three products of Sapindus saponaria, commonly known as jaboncillo, Michu. This work is part of an interdisciplinary research project aimed at the exploitation and commercialization of its harvested products: oil, gum, and triterpenoidal sapogenins. These three products were obtained through physical and chemical processes both in laboratory (phase 1) and in the industrial scaling stage (phase 2). During the laboratory stage different methods of extraction and purification were studied and assessed, along with the corresponding methods of chemical analysis for the three origins (Palmira, Valle; Viotá, Cundinamarca, and Santa María, Huila). Based on laboratory studies, extraction and purification processes were designed in a pilot plant supplied by the quinacol ltda. company, whose business is the production, research and development of products for the phytopharmaceutical industry. Developed products were characterized by methods of instrumental analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H nmr and 13c), flame ionization detector gas chromatography (gc), infrared spectroscopy (ir) and specific chemical analysis techniques designed for these products. The mature fruit of Santa María presented increased performance of oil and rubber; as well as the green fruit of Viotá, in a substance called Ss1, possibly hederagenina. Of the products obtained in the pilot phase, oil presented a high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids and rubber showed a high thickening capacity in aqueous solutions. Oil and rubber could be marketed from this species' fruit, because its composition and characteristics, as well as its performance, meets the main parameters of marketing, for which studies on industrial perfectibility are needed.Esta investigación comprendió el estudio químico, fitoquímico y el escalado industrial, en planta piloto, de tres productos de la especie Sapindus saponaria conocida comúnmente en Colombia como jaboncillo, Michu. Este trabajo hace parte de un proyecto interdisciplinar encaminado a aprovechar y comercializar sus productos derivados: aceite, goma y sapogeninas triterpenoidales. La obtención de estos tres productos se llevó a cabo mediante procesos físicos y químicos tanto en laboratorio (Fase 1), como en la etapa de escalado industrial (Fase 2). En la etapa de laboratorio se estudiaron y evaluaron diferentes métodos de extracción y purificación, al igual que los correspondientes métodos de análisis químico para tres procedencias (Palmira, Valle; Viotá, Cundinamarca, y Santa María, Huila). Con base en los estudios de laboratorio sediseñaron los procesos de extracción y purificaciónen planta piloto suministrada por la empresa quinacol ltda., cuya razón social es la producción, investigación y desarrollo de productos para la industria fitofarmacéutica. Los productos desarrollados fueron caracterizados por métodos de análisis instrumental de resonancia magnética nuclear (rmn de 1H y 13C), cromatografía de gases con detector de ionización de llama (cg), espectroscopia infrarroja (ir) y técnic as de análisis químico específicas para estos productos

Implementación de un proceso biotecnológico: lombricultura, como tratamiento de residuos sólidos orgánicos

This project assessed the humus generated for a system treating of organic solid waste. The development of this objective was designed as biaoreactor for the breeding the species Eisenia Phoetida (commonly known as California red worm), and it was prepared a farming and it was determined the capacity of transformation of the system, on this respect the degradation of organic matter, through the characterization of two points: a sample of untreated soil an others sample from the substrate of the bioreactor, after a period of time. According to parameters Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus and Potassium a necesary conclusion is that, the highest values in the three parameters, showed that the substrate with implemented species generated benefits on the production of humus.Con este proyecto se evalúo el humus generado por un sistema de lombricultura, como tratamiento de residuos sólidos orgánicos domésticos, desarrollando el diseño de un sistema biorreactor para la crianza de la especie Eisenia Phoetida, comúnmente conocida como lombriz roja californiana. En este proceso biotecnológico, se preparó un medio de cultivo y habitat de la especie, determinando la capacidad de transformación, respecto a la degradación de materia orgánica, por medio de la caracterización de dos puntos, una muestra de sustrato sin tratar y la otra del generado por el biorreactor, después de un tiempo determinado. Según los parámetros Nitrógeno total, Fósforo total y Potasio, se concluyó, que se presentaron valores mayores en los tres parámetros, mostrando que el sustrato generó beneficio en la caracterización del humus

Characterization of S3Pvac Anti-Cysticercosis Vaccine Components: Implications for the Development of an Anti-Cestodiasis Vaccine

Background: Cysticercosis and hydatidosis seriously affect human health and are responsible for considerable economic loss in animal husbandry in non-developed and developed countries. S3Pvac and EG95 are the only field trial-tested vaccine candidates against cysticercosis and hydatidosis, respectively. S3Pvac is composed of three peptides (KETc1, GK1 and KETc12), originally identified in a Taenia crassiceps cDNA library. S3Pvac synthetically and recombinantly expressed is effective against experimentally and naturally acquired cysticercosis.Methodology/ Principal Findings: In this study, the homologous sequences of two of the S3Pvac peptides, GK1 and KETc1, were identified and further characterized in Taenia crassiceps WFU, Taenia solium, Taenia saginata, Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. Comparisons of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences coding for KETc1 and GK1 revealed significant homologies in these species. The predicted secondary structure of GK1 is almost identical between the species, while some differences were observed in the C terminal region of KETc1 according to 3D modeling. A KETc1 variant with a deletion of three C-terminal amino acids protected to the same extent against experimental murine cysticercosis as the entire peptide. on the contrary, immunization with the truncated GK1 failed to induce protection. Immunolocalization studies revealed the non stage-specificity of the two S3Pvac epitopes and their persistence in the larval tegument of all species and in Taenia adult tapeworms.Conclusions/ Significance: These results indicate that GK1 and KETc1 may be considered candidates to be included in the formulation of a multivalent and multistage vaccine against these cestodiases because of their enhancing effects on other available vaccine candidates

Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay Using TaqMan Probes for the Identification of Trypanosoma cruzi DTUs in Biological and Clinical Samples

Background: Trypanosoma cruzi has been classified into six Discrete Typing Units (DTUs), designated as TcI–TcVI. In order to effectively use this standardized nomenclature, a reproducible genotyping strategy is imperative. Several typing schemes have been developed with variable levels of complexity, selectivity and analytical sensitivity. Most of them can be only applied to cultured stocks. In this context, we aimed to develop a multiplex Real-Time PCR method to identify the six T. cruzi DTUs using TaqMan probes (MTq-PCR).Methods/Principal Findings: The MTq-PCR has been evaluated in 39 cultured stocks and 307 biological samples from vectors, reservoirs and patients from different geographical regions and transmission cycles in comparison with a multi-locus conventional PCR algorithm. The MTq-PCR was inclusive for laboratory stocks and natural isolates and sensitive for direct typing of different biological samples from vectors, reservoirs and patients with acute, congenital infection or Chagas reactivation. The first round SL-IR MTq-PCR detected 1 fg DNA/reaction tube of TcI, TcII and TcIII and 1 pg DNA/reaction tube of TcIV, TcV and TcVI reference strains. The MTq-PCR was able to characterize DTUs in 83% of triatomine and 96% of reservoir samples that had been typed by conventional PCR methods. Regarding clinical samples, 100% of those derived from acute infected patients, 62.5% from congenitally infected children and 50% from patients with clinical reactivation could be genotyped. Sensitivity for direct typing of blood samples from chronic Chagas disease patients (32.8% from asymptomatic and 22.2% from symptomatic patients) and mixed infections was lower than that of the conventional PCR algorithm.Conclusions/Significance: Typing is resolved after a single or a second round of Real-Time PCR, depending on the DTU. This format reduces carryover contamination and is amenable to quantification, automation and kit production.This work received financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Argentina [PICT 2011-0207 to AGS] and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council in Argentina (CONICET) [PIP 112 2011-010-0974 to AGS]. Work related to evaluation of biological samples was partially sponsored by the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) [Small Grants Program PAHO-TDR]; the Drugs and Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi, Geneva, Switzerland), Wellcome Trust (London, United Kingdom), SANOFI-AVENTIS (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and the National Council for Science and Technology in Mexico (CONACYT) [FONSEC 161405 to JMR]

Mega-Analysis of Gray Matter Volume in Substance Dependence: General and Substance-Specific Regional Effects

Objective: Although lower brain volume has been routinely observed in individuals with substance dependence compared with nondependent control subjects, the brain regions exhibiting lower volume have not been consistent across studies. In addition, it is not clear whether a common set of regions are involved in substance dependence regardless of the substance used or whether some brain volume effects are substance specific. Resolution of these issues may contribute to the identification of clinically relevant imaging biomarkers. Using pooled data from 14 countries, the authors sought to identify general and substance-specific associations between dependence and regional brain volumes. Method: Brain structure was examined in a mega-analysis of previously published data pooled from 23 laboratories, including 3,240 individuals, 2,140 of whom had substance dependence on one of five substances: alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, or cannabis. Subcortical volume and cortical thickness in regions defined by FreeSurfer were compared with nondependent control subjects when all sampled substance categories were combined, as well as separately, while controlling for age, sex, imaging site, and total intracranial volume. Because of extensive associations with alcohol dependence, a secondary contrast was also performed for dependence on all substances except alcohol. An optimized split-half strategy was used to assess the reliability of the findings. Results: Lower volume or thickness was observed in many brain regions in individuals with substance dependence. The greatest effects were associated with alcohol use disorder. A set of affected regions related to dependence in general, regardless of the substance, included the insula and the medial orbitofrontal cortex. Furthermore, a support vector machine multivariate classification of regional brain volumes successfully classified individuals with substance dependence on alcohol or nicotine relative to nondependent control subjects. Conclusions: The results indicate that dependence on a range of different substances shares a common neural substrate and that differential patterns of regional volume could serve as useful biomarkers of dependence on alcohol and nicotine

MIBiG 3.0 : a community-driven effort to annotate experimentally validated biosynthetic gene clusters

With an ever-increasing amount of (meta)genomic data being deposited in sequence databases, (meta)genome mining for natural product biosynthetic pathways occupies a critical role in the discovery of novel pharmaceutical drugs, crop protection agents and biomaterials. The genes that encode these pathways are often organised into biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). In 2015, we defined the Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster (MIBiG): a standardised data format that describes the minimally required information to uniquely characterise a BGC. We simultaneously constructed an accompanying online database of BGCs, which has since been widely used by the community as a reference dataset for BGCs and was expanded to 2021 entries in 2019 (MIBiG 2.0). Here, we describe MIBiG 3.0, a database update comprising large-scale validation and re-annotation of existing entries and 661 new entries. Particular attention was paid to the annotation of compound structures and biological activities, as well as protein domain selectivities. Together, these new features keep the database up-to-date, and will provide new opportunities for the scientific community to use its freely available data, e.g. for the training of new machine learning models to predict sequence-structure-function relationships for diverse natural products. MIBiG 3.0 is accessible online at https://mibig.secondarymetabolites.org/

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

INVESTIGACIÓN Y DESARROLLO DE TRES PRODUCTOS DEL JABONCILLO (Sapindus saponaria L.) COMO BASE PARA SU INDUSTRIALIZACIÓN

Esta investigación comprendió el estudio químico, fitoquímico y el escalado industrial, en planta piloto, de tres productos de la especie Sapindus saponaria conocida comúnmente en Colombia como jaboncillo, Michu. Este trabajo hace parte de un proyecto interdisciplinar encaminado a aprovechar y comercializar sus productos derivados: aceite, goma y sapogeninas triterpenoidales. La obtención de estos tres productos se llevó a cabo mediante procesos físicos y químicos tanto en laboratorio (Fase 1), como en la etapa de escalado industrial (Fase 2). En la etapa de laboratorio se estudiaron y evaluaron diferentes métodos de extracción y purificación, al igual que los correspondientes métodos de análisis químico para tres procedencias (Palmira, Valle; Viotá, Cundinamarca, y Santa María, Huila). Con base en los estudios de laboratorio sediseñaron los procesos de extracción y purificaciónen planta piloto suministrada por la empresa quinacol ltda., cuya razón social es la producción, investigación y desarrollo de productos para la industria fitofarmacéutica. Los productos desarrollados fueron caracterizados por métodos de análisis instrumental de resonancia magnética nuclear (rmn de 1H y 13C), cromatografía de gases con detector de ionización de llama (cg), espectroscopia infrarroja (ir) y técnic as de análisis químico específicas para estos productos.This research included the chemical and phytochemical studies and the industrial scaling in pilot plant of three products of Sapindus saponaria, commonly known as jaboncillo, Michu. This work is part of an interdisciplinary research project aimed at the exploitation and commercialization of its harvested products: oil, gum, and triterpenoidal sapogenins. These three products were obtained through physical and chemical processes both in laboratory (phase 1) and in the industrial scaling stage (phase 2). During the laboratory stage different methods of extraction and purification were studied and assessed, along with the corresponding methods of chemical analysis for the three origins (Palmira, Valle; Viotá, Cundinamarca, and Santa María, Huila). Based on laboratory studies, extraction and purification processes were designed in a pilot plant supplied by the quinacol ltda. company, whose business is the production, research and development of products for the phytopharmaceutical industry. Developed products were characterized by methods of instrumental analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H nmr and 13c), flame ionization detector gas chromatography (gc), infrared spectroscopy (ir) and specific chemical analysis techniques designed for these products. The mature fruit of Santa María presented increased performance of oil and rubber; as well as the green fruit of Viotá, in a substance called Ss1, possibly hederagenina. Of the products obtained in the pilot phase, oil presented a high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids and rubber showed a high thickening capacity in aqueous solutions. Oil and rubber could be marketed from this species' fruit, because its composition and characteristics, as well as its performance, meets the main parameters of marketing, for which studies on industrial perfectibility are needed

Implementación de un proceso biotecnológico: lombricultura, como tratamiento de residuos sólidos orgánicos

This project assessed the humus generated for a system treating of organic solid waste. The development of this objective was designed as biaoreactor for the breeding the species Eisenia Phoetida (commonly known as California red worm), and it was prepared a farming and it was determined the capacity of transformation of the system, on this respect the degradation of organic matter, through the characterization of two points: a sample of untreated soil an others sample from the substrate of the bioreactor, after a period of time. According to parameters Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus and Potassium a necesary conclusion is that, the highest values in the three parameters, showed that the substrate with implemented species generated benefits on the production of humus.Con este proyecto se evalúo el humus generado por un sistema de lombricultura, como tratamiento de residuos sólidos orgánicos domésticos, desarrollando el diseño de un sistema biorreactor para la crianza de la especie Eisenia Phoetida, comúnmente conocida como lombriz roja californiana. En este proceso biotecnológico, se preparó un medio de cultivo y habitat de la especie, determinando la capacidad de transformación, respecto a la degradación de materia orgánica, por medio de la caracterización de dos puntos, una muestra de sustrato sin tratar y la otra del generado por el biorreactor, después de un tiempo determinado. Según los parámetros Nitrógeno total, Fósforo total y Potasio, se concluyó, que se presentaron valores mayores en los tres parámetros, mostrando que el sustrato generó beneficio en la caracterización del humus

Capacidades de investigación sobre determinantes sociales de la salud en Brasil, Colombia y México

Objetivo: analizar las capacidades de investigación sobre determinantes sociales y determinación social de los procesos salud-enfermedad (dss) en Brasil, Colombia y México con base en los sistemas nacionales de ciencia, tecnología e innovación (sncti) y la producción científica sobre dss (2005- 2012) de cada país. Metodología: se realiza un estudio exploratorio a partir de revisión de literatura, consulta de plataformas nacionales de cada sncti, entrevistas y foros de consulta, contemplando las siguientes categorías de estudio para de analizar las capacidades de: 1. Producción científica, formación de investigadores y políticas relativas a capacidades de investigación; 2. Redes de colaboración; 3. Infraestructura para la investigación y 4. Producción y apropiación social del conocimiento. Resultados y discusión: La investigación sobre dss se divulga principalmente en revistas científicas de circulación nacional, en Brasil y Colombia, mientras que en México se publica principalmente en revistas extranjeras. Los tres países cuentan con sncti consolidados, sin embargo, son escasos los montos de financiamiento para investigación sobre dss. Conclusiones: es necesario articular acciones de fortalecimiento de capacidades de investigación, fortaleciendo redes y posicionando los dss en agendas estratégicas