Chitosan Coatings Modified with Nanostructured ZnO for the Preservation of Strawberries.

Strawberries are highly consumed around the world; however, the post-harvest shelf life is a market challenge to mitigate. It is necessary to guarantee the taste, color, and nutritional value of the fruit for a prolonged period of time. In this work, a nanocoating based on chitosan and ZnO nanoparticles for the preservation of strawberries was developed and examined. The chitosan was obtained from residual shrimp skeletons using the chemical method, and the ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the close-spaced sublimation method. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron dispersion analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the hybrid coating. The spaghetti-like ZnO nanoparticles presented the typical wurtzite structure, which was uniformly distributed into the chitosan matrix, as observed by the elemental mapping. Measurements of color, texture, pH, titratable acidity, humidity content, and microbiological tests were performed for the strawberries coated with the Chitosan/ZnO hybrid coating, which was uniformly impregnated on the strawberries' surface. After eight days of storage, the fruit maintained a fresh appearance. The microbial load was reduced because of the synergistic effect between chitosan and ZnO nanoparticles. Global results confirm that coated strawberries are suitable for human consumption.

Nonlinear optical response of graphene oxide quantum dots fabricated from electrospun polyacrylonitrile fibers.

The nonlinear optical response of graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) fabricated by the carbonization and exfoliation of electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers is reported. Electrospun and carbonized fibers were characterized by SEM and XPS. SEM micrograph confirmed the formation of PAN fibers of 153.44 ± 6.44 nm, while by XPS the binding energies associated with sp2 and sp3 carbon hybridizations were found, after the carbonization process. On the other hand, the GOQDs obtained were characterized by photoluminescence (PL), UV-Vis, Raman spectroscopy, and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). The GOQDs size of 10 nm was estimated by HRTEM. Raman spectroscopy showed the D and G bands associated with the sp2 and sp3 hybridizations of the GOQDs, by PL two energy values of 2.67 and 2.97 eV were calculated. The UV-Vis spectrum showed two absorption bands confirming the presence of GOQDs. The nonlinear characterization was carried out using the P-scan technique, previously photodepositing GOQDs onto an optical fiber, using a coherent radiation source at a wavelength of 1550 nm. The results obtained showed a saturable absorption behavior with a value of ß = - 2.474 × 10 - 4 m / W and a nonlinear susceptibility of χ ( 3 ) ≈ - 7.749 × 10 - 4 ( e s u ) . The results of this work showed that GOQDs obtained can be used for optical switching applications.

Analysis of the gut microbiota in alopecia areata: identification of bacterial biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease with an unknown etiopathogenesis. Gut microbiota has been revealed as a key modulator of systemic immunity. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients affected by alopecia universalis present differences in gut bacteria composition compared with healthy controls and investigate possible bacterial biomarkers of the disease. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study that involved 15 patients affected by alopecia universalis and 15 controls. Gut microbiome of the study subjects was analysed by sequencing the 16SrRNA of stool samples. We searched for bacterial biomarkers of alopecia universalis using the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEFse) tool. RESULTS: In total, 30 study subjects (46.6% female; mean [SD] age, 40.1 [9.8] years) were enrolled. Neither alpha (Shannon diversity index 5.31 ± 0.43 vs. 5.03 ± 0.43, P 0.1) or beta diversity (ADONIS P value: 0.35) of gut microbiota showed statistically significant differences between cases and controls. In patients affected with alopecia, we found an enriched presence (LDA SCORE > 2) of Holdemania filiformis, Erysipelotrichacea, Lachnospiraceae, Parabacteroides johnsonii, Clostridiales vadin BB60 group, Bacteroides eggerthii and Parabacteroides distasonis. A predictive model based on the number of bacterial counts of Parabacteroides distasonis and Clostridiales vadin BB60 group correctly predicted disease status in 80% of patients (AUC 0.804 (0.633-0.976), P 0.004). CONCLUSION: Alopecia universalis does not seem to affect broadly gut microbiota structure. Bacterial biomarkers found associated with the disease (Holdemania filiformis, Erysipelotrichacea, Lachnospiraceae, Parabacteroides johnsonii, Eggerthellaceae, Clostridiales vadin BB60 group, Bacteroides eggerthii and Parabacteroides distasonis) should be further studied as they could be involved in its pathophysiology or be used as diagnostic tools.

Global impact of diet and temperature over aquaculture of Octopus vulgaris paralarvae from a transcriptomic approach.

Common octopus, Octopus vulgaris, is an economically important cephalopod species. However, its rearing under captivity is currently challenged by massive mortalities previous to their juvenile stage due to nutritional and environmental factors. Dissecting the genetic basis and regulatory mechanism behind this mortality requires genomic background knowledge. A transcriptomic sequencing of 10 dph octopus paralarvae from different experimental conditions was constructed via RNA-seq. A total of 613,767,530 raw reads were filtered and de novo assembled into 363,527 contigs of which 82,513 were annotated in UniProt carrying also their GO and KEGG information. Differential gene expression analysis was carried out on paralarvae reared under different diet regimes and temperatures, also including wild paralarvae. Genes related to lipid metabolism exhibited higher transcriptional levels in individuals whose diet includes crustacean zoeas, which had an impact over their development and immune response capability. High temperature induces acclimation processes at the time that increase metabolic demands and oxidative stress. Wild individuals show an expression profile unexpectedly similar to Artemia fed individuals. Proteomic results support the hypothesis revealed by transcriptional analysis. The comparative study of the O. vulgaris transcriptomic profiles allowed the identification of genes that deserve to be further studied as candidates for biomarkers of development and health. The results obtained here on the transcriptional variations of genes caused by diet and temperature will provide new perspectives in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind nutritional and temperature requirements of common octopus that will open new opportunities to deepen in paralarvae rearing requirements.

Vacuna triple vírica como tratamiento de verruga subungueal recalcitrante / Mumps, Measles, and Rubella Vaccine for the Treatment of a Recalcitrant Subungual Wart

No disponible

Parafinoma de pene: ¿le hacemos una ecografía? / Penile Paraffinoma: Should We Perform Ultrasound?

No disponible

Trombosis venosa cerebral. Una realidad en Urgencias / Cerebral venous thrombosis: a reality in the Emergency setting

La trombosis de los senos venosos cerebrales es una entidad de diagnóstico poco frecuente e inicialmente se pensaba que de pronóstico fatal. La implantación de modernas técnicas de neuroimagen, en especial, Resonancia Nuclear Magnética (RNM) y la angiografía por TAC o por RNM ha permitido comprobar que es más frecuente de lo que se pensaba y su pronóstico es favorable en la mayoría de los pacientes con un manejo adecuado. Se describe el caso de una paciente, en tratamiento con anticonceptivos orales, que consultó en el servicio de urgencias por cefalea y se diagnosticó de trombosis de seno venoso cerebral longitudinal superior y seno recto mediante TC y Angio - TC urgente. Ante estos hallazgos, se inició tratamiento anticoagulante con heparina sódica intravenosa y su evolución fue favorable. A propósito de este caso, se hace una revisión de la trombosis venosa cerebral, de su diagnóstico y de las controversias terapéuticas (AU)

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is a seldom-diagnosed entity, which was initially considered to bear a fatal prognosis. The introduction of modern neuroimaging techniques, mainly magnetic nuclear resonance (MNR) imaging and/or CT scan and/or MNR imaging angiography, have demonstrated that this condition is quite more frequent than previously thought and also that it bears a favourable prognosis in most cases in adeauate management is provided. We here report the case of one female patient under oral contraceptive therapy who consulted at the Emergency Outpatient Clinic because of caphalea and was diagnosed of superior longitudinal and straight sinus venosus thrombosis through emergency CT scan and angio-CT scan. Anticoagulation therapy was thereupon initiated with intravenous heparin sodium, with a favourable evolution and outcome. Based on this case, a bibliographic review of cerebral venous thrombosis, its diagnosis and its controverted therapy is carried out (AU)

[Factors associated with the use and adaptation of hospitalization in people over than 64 years of age]. / Factores asociados con el uso y adecuación de la hospitalización en personas mayores de 64 años.

BACKGROUND: Some social, medical or functional aspects are associated with a greater use of health care resources, although this does not necessarily imply an inappropriate usage of the same. The aim of this research is that of ascertaining the influence of health condition on hospital stays and inappropriate stays among the population over 64 years of age. METHODS: A cohort representative of the population over age 64 in the Judicial District of Toledo (n = 3214) whose health condition had been previously evaluated was studied over an eighteen-month period identifying the income and length of stays at the public hospitals, the appropriateness of which was evaluated by the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol. Associations analyzed were those of the cohort socio-demographic characteristics, health condition-related variables and morbidity with frequency and hospitalization rates and with inappropriate stays and admissions. RESULTS: During the 18 months of study 410 individuals were hospitalized, who generated 546 admissions (frequency rate = 17.0 admissions/100 rooms) and 7015 stay days (hospitalization rate = 218.3 stays/100 rooms), 18.9% of the admissions and 49.9% of the stays were evaluated as inappropriate. Hospitalization was associated with a worse health condition, institutionalization, male sex, certain pathologies and previous health services usage. Patients characteristics were not associated with the percentage of inappropriate stays. 97.5% of inappropriate stays were attributed to hospital scheduling problems and physicians' practices. CONCLUSIONS: Socio-demographic factors, morbidity, health condition and previous health service usage are shown as good hospitalization predictors for senior citizens, but these factors are not related to inappropriate hospitalization usage.

Carbamazepine hypersensitivity syndrome mimicking mycosis fungoides.

We report a case of a patient who experienced a generalized skin rash with systemic involvement 2 months after beginning carbamazepine treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. Skin biopsy specimens suggest mycosis fungoides. Complete remission of the clinical and pathologic changes after drug discontinuation and the positive result of carbamazepine from an epicutaneous test suggest a diagnosis of pseudolymphoma due to carbamazepine.

[Quantification of lead, cadmium and chromium by sialochemistry]. / Cuantificación de plomo, cadmio y cromo mediante sialoquímica.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the concentration of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) and establish the possible association of these heavy metals with some sociodemographic factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A representative sample of one hundred dental students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico living in Mexico City participated in this study. Unstimulated human whole saliva samples were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. RESULTS: Concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr were higher than those reported elsewhere: Pb (X = 3.10 micrograms/dL-1; Maximum: 16.8 micrograms/dL-1 and Minimum: 0.04 microgram/dL-1), Cd (X = 0.25 microgram/dL-1; Maximum: 2.04 micrograms/dL-1 and Minimum: 0.004 microgram/dL-1) and Cr (X = 1.43 micrograms/dL-1; Maximum: 4.82 micrograms/dL-1 and Minimum: 0.05 microgram/dL-1). No association was found between the variables studied (age, sex, geographic area and canned food consumption) with Pb and Cr. However, an inverse association was found between Cd and age (Chi 2 = 5.9012, p < or = 0.05); (gamma = -0.5224, p < or = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Salivary monitoring can be used for detection of environmental pollutants (atmospheric or occupational), in addition for detection of drugs, and local and systemic diseases. Heavy metal pollution continues to be a public health problem, and therefore the government should form a program for eliminating pollutants from the environment. Likewise, other studies should be carried out to verify the association between variables such as sex, age, use of glazed ceramics, nutrition, and home address with the concentrations of heavy metals in saliva.