Physicochemical, Mechanical, and Structural Properties of Bio-Active Films Based on Biological-Chemical Chitosan, a Novel Ramon (Brosimum alicastrum) Starch, and Quercetin.

The properties of biological-chemical chitosan (BCh) films from marine-industrial waste and a non-conventional Ramon starch (RS) (Brosimum alicastrum) were investigated. Blended films of BCh/RS were prepared to a volume ratio of 4:1 and 1:4, named (BChRS-80+q, biological-chemical chitosan 80% v/v and Ramon starch, BChRS-20+q, biological-chemical chitosan 20% v/v and Ramon starch, both with quercetin), Films from commercial chitosan (CCh) and corn starch (CS), alone or blended (CChCS-80+q, commercial chitosan 80% v/v and corn starch, CChCS-20+q commercial chitosan 20% v/v and corn starch, both with quercetin) were also prepared for comparison purposes. Films were investigated for their physicochemical characteristics such as thickness, moisture, swelling, water-vapor permeability, and water solubility. In addition, their mechanical and structural properties were studied using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. Antioxidant activity was evaluated as radical scavenging, and antimicrobial effect was also determined. The BCh and RS films presented similar tensile strength values compared with commercial biopolymers. Only films with chitosan presented antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The FTIR spectra confirmed the interactions between functional groups of the biopolymers. Although, BChRS-80+q and BChRS-20+q films exhibited poor mechanical performance compared to their commercial counterparts, they showed good thermal stability, and improved antioxidant and antimicrobial activity in the presence of quercetin. BChRS-80+q and BChRS-20+q films have promising applications due to their biological activity and mechanical properties, based on a novel material that has been underutilized (Ramon starch) that does not compete with materials for human feeding and may be used as a coating for food products.

Extraction, physicochemical characterization, and morphological properties of chitin and chitosan from cuticles of edible insects.

As an alternative, cuticles from edible insects was proposed as an unconventional but viable source of chitin and chitosan. The chitin present in the mealworm's (Tenebrio molitor) cuticles was obtained biotechnologically in one step of enzymatic deproteinization and after deacetylated. Differences in the physicochemical characteristics and the properties of the cuticles, chitin, and chitosan were investigated in this study. Commercial chitosan was used as a reference sample to validate the methods used. The enzymatic deproteinization used to obtain chitin showed an efficiency of 85%. The global yield of the process (cuticle-to-chitosan) was 31.9%. The characterization results of these polymers using DSC, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and SEM techniques demonstrate consistency with the degree of deacetylation of the obtained chitosan, allowing the differentiation between chitin and chitosan. This study suggests that the wastes of edible insect breeding should be collected and evaluated as an alternative of chitin/chitosan source.

Peritonitis terciaria: tan difícil de definir como de tratar / Tertiary peritonitis: as difficult to define as it is to treat

En la evolución de los pacientes con infecciones intra-abdominales complicadas la peritonitis terciaria constituye la forma más tardía y grave. La mayor dificultad radica en dar una definición común, precisa y consensuada para conocer cuándo realizar su diagnóstico y cómo poder evitarla y/o tratarla. Esta entidad requiere un tratamiento quirúrgico precoz y repetido, una terapia antibiótica de amplio espectro frente a microorganismos multirresistentes y unas medidas de soporte sistémico intensivo. A pesar de todo ello el pronóstico es malo ya que presenta una mortalidad que puede llegar hasta el 60% siendo la prevención la medida más importante para evitar su desarrollo. En este artículo hemos realizado una revisión específica de la peritonitis terciaria, de las definiciones aceptadas, de los factores de riesgo, de su fisiopatología, de la flora microbiológica implicada y de su tratamiento (AU)

Tertiary peritonitis is the most delayed and severe outcome of patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections. The major difficulty lies in giving a common, precise and consensus definition in order to know when to make its diagnosis and how it can be avoided and/or treated. This condition requires early and repeated surgery, wide spectrum antibiotic therapy against multi-resistant bacteria and intensive systemic support measures. Despite all this, the prognosis is extremely poor since it has a mortality which can reach up to 60%, with preventions being the most important measure to avoid it developing. In this article, we have made a specific review of tertiary peritonitis, of the accepted definitions, the risk factors, its pathophysiology, the microbiological flora involved, and its treatment (AU)

[Tertiary peritonitis: as difficult to define as it is to treat]. / Peritonitis terciaria: tan difícil de definir como de tratar.

Tertiary peritonitis is the most delayed and severe outcome of patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections. The major difficulty lies in giving a common, precise and consensus definition in order to know when to make its diagnosis and how it can be avoided and/or treated. This condition requires early and repeated surgery, wide spectrum antibiotic therapy against multi-resistant bacteria and intensive systemic support measures. Despite all this, the prognosis is extremely poor since it has a mortality which can reach up to 60%, with preventions being the most important measure to avoid it developing. In this article, we have made a specific review of tertiary peritonitis, of the accepted definitions, the risk factors, its pathophysiology, the microbiological flora involved, and its treatment.