Monitoring of patogen parasites in waste waters of agricultural industries

Las aguas residuales son potenciales portadoras de enteroparásitos patógenos para el hombre cuya dosis infectiva puede ser mínima y prolongado el tiempo de sobrevivencia de huevos y quistes en el ambiente. La reglamentación limita la presencia de huevos de helmintos y, hasta el año 2000, no proponía una técnica para su detección. Este trabajo se realizó para caracterizar parasitológicamente los efluentes procedentes de agroindustrias. La capacitación en la identificación microscópica demandó la confección de fichas que describen las características de huevos de helmintos. Se efectuaron ensayos con muestras de bodegas y aceiteras en los puntos detectados de contaminación. Los métodos fueron adaptados a las particularidades de los efluentes. Los resultados no señalaron presencia de helmintos; no obstante, se hallaron Cyclospora e Isospora, protozoarios que, por su alto poder infectivo, también constituyen un riesgo para el hombre. Sin embargo, no están contemplados por la legislación. Respecto a helmintos, es necesario un estudio comparativo de las técnicas de detección para efluentes agroindustriales, con el fin de establecer las que optimicen su recuperación. En cuanto a otras especies es preciso continuar investigando su presencia para evaluar la conveniencia de incorporarlas a la reglamentación.Wastewaters are potential human's pathogenic parasite carriers which could be infective in small quantities. Besides, the eggs and cysts survival time could be prolonged. Regulation, restricts helminths eggs presence and, until 2000, did not propose a detection technique. This research aims to the parasitological characterization of waste water from agrarian industries. Training about microscopical identification led us to write a helminths eggs characteristics description. Since the detection of pollution points, essays were made with samples from wine vault and olive oil factories. Techniques were adapted, according to wastewater peculiarities. The results did not show helminths presence, but we found Cyclospora and Isospora. They are protozoa whose high infective power makes them a human health risk. However, they are not included in current legislation. With respect to helminths, we concluded that it is important to make a detection techniques comparative study for wastewater in order to establish which one is the best for helminths recovery. Since other species identification, it is necessary to investigate their presence in order to evaluate the convenience of incorporating them to water regulation.Fil: Enriquez, Verónica L.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biomatemática y FisicoquímicaFil: Soria, Adriana E.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biomatemática y FisicoquímicaFil: Salomón, María C.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Departamento de Patologí

Internalization of the anti-carcinogenic IBB1, a major Bowman-Birk isoinhibitor from soybean (Glycine max), in HT29 colon cancer cells

Proceedings of the I Congress PIIISA celebrado en la Estación Experimental del Zaidín (Granada), en mayo de 2013.Protease inhibitors of the Bowman-Birk type, a major protease inhibitor family in legume seeds, which inhibit potently trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like proteases, are currently being investigated as colorectal chemopreventive agents. Although the therapeutic target/s and the action mechanism/s of Bowman-Birk inhibitors (BBI) have not yet been elucidated, the emerging evidence suggests that BBI exert their chemopreventive properties via protease inhibition; in this sense, serine proteases should be considered as primary targets in early stages of carcinogenesis. In this work, we have demonstrated that IBB1, a major protease inhibitor of the Bowman-Birk family in soybean (Glycine max), exerts anti-proliferative effect in human colorectal HT29 cancer cells at concentrations higher than 15 μM, in a dose dependent manner. By using confocal microscopy, we have demonstrated that IBB1 is taken up by HT29 colon cancer cells in a time-dependent manner, being the bulk of the internalized protease inhibitor localized in the cytoplasm where might interact with their potential therapeutic target/s.This work was supported by ERDF-co-financed grants AGL2011-26353 (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) and PE2010-CVI-5767 (Junta de Andalucía).Peer reviewe

Ice-rafted dropstones at midlatitudes in the Cretaceous of continental Iberia

The Cretaceous is widely considered to have been a period subjected to super-greenhouse conditions. Here, we provide multiscale sedimentologic evidence of glaciers developing at mid-paleolatitudes (∼45°N) in continental Iberia during the Hauterivian cold snap. Striated and faceted ice-rafted glacial dropstones (cobble to boulder size) and striated and grooved silt- to sand-sized grains (ice-rafted debris [IRD]) occur in a lacustrine sequence of the Enciso Group in the eastern Cameros Basin, Spain. The ice-rafted materials constitute the first evidence reported for a Cretaceous continental cryospheric record in Europe, and they are attributed to calving of glacier snouts, releasing icebergs into an ice-contact lake. The sedimentary succession resembles glacial-deglacial records in lakes overridden by the late Pleistocene Laurentide Ice Sheet in eastern Arctic Canada. The Iberian glacial succession was coeval with plateau permafrost in Asia and IRD records in the Arctic and Australia, revealing a stronger than previously thought cryosphere during the global Hauterivian cold snap

The tectonic and climatic record of a synrift lacustrine series: The Villanueva de Huerva Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Aguilón subbasin)

La Formación Villanueva de Huerva en la subcuenca de Aguilón (NE de España) es una unidad sinrift Valanginiense-Hauteriviense inferior que incluye un intervalo cíclico con 88 secuencias de profundización-somerización lacustre controladas por el ciclo de precesión. Las facies carbonatadas tienen como componente mayoritario dolomita. Sus características texturales sugieren que es primaria, probablemente inducida por acción microbiana en un sistema lacustre salobre con cierta aridez. Existen numerosos niveles de slump, y otras estructuras de deformación, que se concentran en los ciclos sedimentarios más potentes y se han relacionado con la desestabilización del sedimento por basculación en el anticlinal de rollover ligado al movimiento discontinuo de la falla principalThe Villanueva de Huerva Formation in the Aguilón sub-basin (NE Spain) is a Valanginian-lower Hauterivian synrift unit that includes a cyclical interval with 88 lacustrine deepening-shallowing sequences controlled by the orbital precession cycle. The main component in the carbonate facies is dolomite. Textural features suggest a primary origin probably induced by microbial action in a brackish lacustrine system under arid conditions. There are numerous slump levels, and other soft sediment deformation structures, that are located preferentially in the thickest sedimentary cycles and have been related to the unstabilization of basin sediments, due to tilting in the rollover anticline linked to the discontinuous movement of the main faul

Impact of the dosimetry approach on the resulting 90Y radioembolization planned absorbed doses based on 99mTc-MAA SPEC T-CT: is there agreement between dosimetry methods?

Background: Prior radioembolization, a simulation using 99mTc-macroaggregated albumin as 90Y-microspheres surrogate is performed. Gamma scintigraphy images (planar, SPECT, or SPECT-CT) are acquired to evaluate intrahepatic 90Y-microspheres distribution and detect possible extrahepatic and lung shunting. These images may be used for pre-treatment dosimetry evaluation to calculate the 90Y activity that would get an optimal tumor response while sparing healthy tissues. Several dosimetry methods are available, but there is still no consensus on the best methodology to calculate absorbed doses. The goal of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the impact of using different dosimetry approaches on the resulting 90Y-radioembolization pre-treatment absorbed dose evaluation based on 99mTc-MAA images. Methods: Absorbed doses within volumes of interest resulting from partition model (PM) and 3D voxel dosimetry methods (3D-VDM) (dose-point kernel convolution and local deposition method) were evaluated. Additionally, a new “Multi-tumor Partition Model” (MTPM) was developed. The differences among dosimetry approaches were evaluated in terms of mean absorbed dose and dose volume histograms within the volumes of interest. Results: Differences in mean absorbed dose among dosimetry methods are higher in tumor volumes than in non-tumoral ones. The differences between MTPM and both 3D-VDM were substantially lower than those observed between PM and any 3D-VDM. A poor correlation and concordance were found between PM and the other studied dosimetry approaches. DVH obtained from either 3D-VDM are pretty similar in both healthy liver and individual tumors. Although no relevant global differences, in terms of absorbed dose in Gy, between both 3D-VDM were found, important voxel-by-voxel differences have been observed. Conclusions: Significant differences among the studied dosimetry approaches for 90Y-radioembolization treatments exist. Differences do not yield a substantial impact in treatment planning for healthy tissue but they do for tumoral liver. An individual segmentation and evaluation of the tumors is essential. In patients with multiple tumors, the application of PM is not optimal and the 3D-VDM or the new MTPM are suggested instead. If a 3D-VDM method is not available, MTPM is the best option. Furthermore, both 3D-VDM approaches may be indistinctly used

The thiophene α-terthienylmethanol isolated from Tagetes minuta inhibits angiogenesis by targeting protein kinase C isozymes α and β2

Background: Tumor angiogenesis is considered as a crucial pathologic feature of cancer with a key role in multidrug resistance (MDR). Adverse effects of the currently available drugs and the development of resistance to these remain as the hardest obstacles to defeat. Objetive: This work explores flora from Argentina as a source of new chemical entities with antiangiogenic activity. Methods: Tube formation assay using bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) was the experiment of choice to assess antiangiogenic activity. The effect of the pure compound in cell invasiveness was investigated through the trans-well migration assay. The inhibitory effect of the pure compound on VEGFR-2 and PKC isozymes α and β2 activation was studied by molecular and massive dynamic simulations. Cytotoxicity on peripheral blood mononuclear cells and erythrocyte cells was evaluated by means of MTT and hemolysis assay, respectively. In silico prediction of pharmacological properties (ADME) and evaluation of drug-likeness features were performed using the SwissADME online tool. Results: Among the plants screened, T. minuta, showed an outstanding effect with an IC50 of 33.6 ± 3.4 μg/ml. Bio-guided isolation yielded the terthiophene α-terthienylmethanol as its active metabolite. This compound inhibited VEGF-induced tube formation with an IC50 of 2.7 ± 0.4 μM and significantly impaired the invasiveness of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) as well as of the highly aggressive breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231, when tested at 10 μM. Direct VEGFR-2 and PKC inhibition were both explored by means of massive molecular dynamics simulations. The results obtained validated the inhibitory effect on protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes α and β2 as the main mechanism underlying its antiangiogenic activity. α-terthienylmethanol showed no evidence of toxicity against peripheral blood mononuclear and erythrocyte cells. Conclusion: These findings support this thiophene as a promising antiangiogenic phytochemical to fight against several types of cancer mainly those with MDR phenotype.Fil: Llorens de Los Ríos, María Candelaria. Fundación Para El Progreso de la Medicina; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Lanza Castronuovo, Priscila Ailin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones En Biodiversidad y Biotecnologia. Grupo de Investigacion En Quimica Analitica y Modelado Molecular.; ArgentinaFil: Barbieri, Cecilia Luján. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones En Biodiversidad y Biotecnologia. Grupo de Investigacion En Quimica Analitica y Modelado Molecular.; ArgentinaFil: González, María L.. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J.; ArgentinaFil: Funes Chabán, Macarena. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J.; ArgentinaFil: Soria, Gastón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Vera, Domingo Mariano Adolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones En Biodiversidad y Biotecnologia. Grupo de Investigacion En Quimica Analitica y Modelado Molecular.; ArgentinaFil: Carpinella, Maria Cecilia. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J.; ArgentinaFil: Joray, Mariana Belén. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J.; Argentin

Furazolidone transfer from bees wax to honey

La furazolidona es un antibiótico perteneciente al grupo de los nitrofuranos, se ha demostrado que estas sustancias tienen la potencialidad de ser carcinogénicas, teratogénicas y mutagénicas. En Argentina se prohibió su utilización en cualquier organismo o derivados de los mismos a partir de los cuales se produzcan alimentos. Por este motivo hemos realizado un trabajo experimental de laboratorio sobre la contaminación de miel cuando está en contacto con cera contaminada con furazolidona, cuantificándose por Elisa. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue desarrollar una técnica para la extracción de furazolidona de la matriz cera y mediante la cuantificación de la misma evaluar la transferencia de este antibiótico de la cera a la miel. La furazolidona se cuantifica por medio del 3-amino-2-oxazolidinona (AOZ), para determinar el grado de recuperación durante la extracción se trabajó con concentraciones teóricas de 0,6 y 1,0 :g kg-1 AOZ. Para evaluar la transferencia se utilizaron tres niveles de contaminación en cera: 52,91; 70,95 y 138,79 :g kg-1 AOZ; las ceras fueron incubadas con miel durante 30, 60 y 100 días, a 37ºC y 66% de humedad relativa. El porcentaje de recuperación promedio de furazolidona en cera fue de 90,25%. La miel incubada entre 30 y 100 días presentó niveles de contaminación de 0,625 a 2,342 :g kg-1 AOZ. Se cuantificó furazolidona de cuatro ceras estampadas de distintas marcas comerciales y ninguna presentó valores que permita asociarlas a la contaminación de la miel.The antibiotic furazolidone is a nitrofuran. It is a proven fact that these substances are potentially carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic. Argentina has banned its use on any organism or its derivates meant for the manufacture of food. For this reason we have run this laboratory test on the pollution of honey when in presence of furazolidone polluted wax, quantified by Elisa. This test intends to develop techniques for the extraction of furazolidone from the wax matrix. Once furazolidone is quantified, we can evaluate its transfer from bees wax to honey. Furazolidone is quantified using 3-amino2-oxazolidinone (AOZ). We used a theorical concentration of 0.6 and 1.0 :g kg-1 AOZ in order to determine the degree of recovery during the extraction process. We used three levels of wax pollution, 52.91, 70.95, and 138.79 :g kg AOZ. The wax batches were hatched -1 at 37º C and 66% relative humidity for periods of 30, 60 and 100 days. The average recovery rate for furazolidone was 90.25%. Honey hatched for 30 and 100 days showed pollution levels varying from 0.625 to 2.342 :g kg-1 AOZ. Furazolidone was quantified on all four combs from different trademarks. None showed values relating them with the pollution of honey.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Concentraciones anómalas de oligoelementos contaminantes en aguas subterráneas del partido de José C. Paz, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Los partidos del Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires se caracterizan por un aumento sostenido en la co ntaminación del agua, que causa serios problemas de salud. A través de un proyecto de investigación financiado por la Fundación YPF, se aportó al conocimiento del problema en José C. Paz. Los objetivos fueron: determinar los parámetros fisicoquímicos y composición iónica en muestras de agua; establecer concentraciones anómalas de oligoelementos, reconocer procesos para remediación e interesar a docentes y alumnos en investigaciones relevantes. Se analizaron 102 muestras de aguas subterráneas para consumo y superficiales, 10 de ellas por oligoelementos, en un área de 50 km2, resultando: [As]: 0,40-26,9 μg L-1 (mediana=15,5 μg L-1); [Se]: 17,5-39,9 μg L-1 (mediana=27,65 μg L-1) y [Hg]: 0,8-21,8 μg L-1 (mediana= 1,25 μg L-1). Se destaca que el alto pH y los procesos de sorción y desorción en la superficie de minerales loéssicos contribuyen a la concentración de arsénico.The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area counties are characterized by a steady growth in water pollution, ge nerating serious health problems. Through a research project, financed by YPF Foundation, a better understanding of the problem within José C. Paz County was reached. The objectives were to determine water-samples physicochemical parameters and ionic composition; to establish anomalous oligoelements concentrations in some selected samples, to recognize remediation processes and to interest teachers and students in relevant research. One hundred and two drinking water samples from shallow and deep aquifers and from surface courses were analized, ten of them for oligoelements, in an area of 50 km2; the concentrations being: [As]: 0,40-26,9 μg L-1 (median=15,5 μg L-1); [Se]: 17,5-39,9 μg L-1 (median=27,65μg L-1) and [Hg]: 0,8-21,8 μg L-1 (median= 1,25 μg L-1). Noticeably, the high pH and the surface sorption and desorption processes of loessic minerals, contribute to the arsenic concentration.Universidad Nacional de La Plat

Identification of clinical variants beyond the exome in inborn errors of metabolism

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) constitute a huge group of rare diseases affecting 1 in every 1000 newborns. Next-generation sequencing has transformed the diagnosis of IEM, leading to its proposed use as a second-tier technology for confirming cases detected by clinical/biochemical studies or newborn screening. The diagnosis rate is, however, still not 100%. This paper reports the use of a personalized multi-omics (metabolomic, genomic and transcriptomic) pipeline plus functional genomics to aid in the genetic diagnosis of six unsolved cases, with a clinical and/or biochemical diagnosis of galactosemia, mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I), maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA), citrullinemia, or urea cycle deficiency. Eight novel variants in six genes were identified: six (four of them deep intronic) located in GALE, IDUA, PTS, ASS1 and OTC, all affecting the splicing process, and two located in the promoters of IDUA and PTS, thus affecting these genes’ expression. All the new variants were subjected to functional analysis to verify their pathogenic effects. This work underscores how the combination of different omics technologies and functional analysis can solve elusive cases in clinical practic

Periodicidad climática y datación astrocronológica del Grupo Enciso en la cuenca oriental de Cameros (N de España)

This study presents the cyclostratigraphic analysis of a detailed, 1,371 m-thick stratigraphic section logged in the Lower Cretaceous syn-rift lacustrine and alluvial deposits of the Enciso Group, in the eastern Cameros Basin. The spectral analysis of a time series based on lithology reveals periodic sedimentary cycles attributable to variations in the eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun (131.8 and 39.9 m-thick sedimentary cycles for the long and short orbital eccentricity cycle) and to changes in the obliquity (12.6 m-thick cycle) and the two precession modes (7.7-5.5 m-thick cycles) of the Earth’s rotation axis. We have constructed a floating astrochronological time scale based on the spectral analysis allowing us to propose that the time interval registered in the studied series is ca. 5.4-5.7 Ma, and to estimate an average sedimentation rate of ~255-239 m/Ma. The presence of cycles representing a similar time span but having different thickness, reveals a higher influence of tectonic activity in the central and upper parts of the succession, and discriminate tectonic from climatic signal, the latter being significant throughout the succession. The sedimentary facies and paleontological content of the studied profile, deposited very close to the coastline, have allowed us to interpret a deepening-shallowing cycle that it is proposed to be eustasy- related (transgressive-regressive cycle). The anchoring of this cycle with the sea level curve in combination with the scarce paleontological dates permit the Enciso Group to be located in the Hauterivian-Barremian, that was approximately deposited between 132.5-126.8 or 132.3-126.9 Ma, depending on whether the short or long eccentricity cycle is considered, respectively