This paper presents a digital learning tool, MESTRAL (“Modélisation Et Simulation des TRansformations ALimentaires”, “Modelling and Simulating Food Processing” in English), that can provide educators ...with a tool to teach food processing using simulators and a broad range of models derived from research in food science & engineering. It was built using electronic knowledge books (eK-book). The eK-book represents knowledge in the form of concept maps and knowledge sheets, connected via a network of hypertext links. MESTRAL encompasses 15 modules, that cover approximately 150 h of teaching and a broad range of real systems, from a single unit operation (e.g., frying a banana) to a logistic chain (e.g., ham cold chain). Each module conveys information on a food product or a food process, and includes a simulator based on a published scientific model. Altogether, the models address various scale of systems and are based on different theoretical frameworks. For each simulator, the model inputs and outputs are stored in a database. Outputs are visualized through abacuses, which can be used for virtual practice. MESTRAL modules also include training exercises and tests to help students to assess the knowledge they have acquired during consultation of the modules. Finally, MESTRAL has already been successfully tested by different audiences according to various learning forms.
•A digital learning tool, Mestral, was built to train people in food processes.•Knowledge is presented in an electronic book with concept maps.•Mestral covers 15 real (food and process) systems and is based on published models.•Each module contains a simulator which represents graphically the model results.•Mestral has been tested satisfactorily and opens up prospects for blended learning.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The screening for hydrolases-producing, halotolerant, and spore-forming gram-positive bacteria from the root, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere soil of
Blutaparon portulacoides
, a plant found in the ...Restinga de Jurubatiba located at the northern region of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, resulted in the isolation of 22 strains. These strains were identified as
Halobacillus blutaparonensis
(
n
= 2),
Oceanobacillus picturae
(
n
= 5), and
Oceanobacillus iheyensis
(
n
= 15), and all showed the ability to produce different extracellular enzymes. A total of 20 isolates (90.9 %) showed activity for protease, 5 (22.7 %) for phytase, 3 (13.6 %) for cellulase, and 2 (9.1 %) for amylase. Some bacterial strains were capable of producing three (13.6 %) or two (9.1 %) distinct hydrolytic enzymes. However, no bacterial strain with ability to produce esterase and DNase was observed. The isolate designated M9, belonging to the species
H. blutaparonensis
, was the best producer of protease and also yielded amylase and phytase. This strain was chosen for further studies regarding its protease activity. The M9 strain produced similar amounts of protease when grown either without or with different NaCl concentrations (from 0.5 to 10 %). A simple inspection of the cell-free culture supernatant by gelatin-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed the presence of three major alkaline proteases of 40, 50, and 70 kDa, which were fully inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and tosyl-
l
-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) (two classical serine protease inhibitors). The secreted proteases were detected in a wide range of temperature (from 4 to 45 °C) and their hydrolytic activities were stimulated by NaCl (up to 10 %). The serine proteases produced by the M9 strain cleaved gelatin, casein, albumin, and hemoglobin, however, in different extensions. Collectively, these results suggest the potential use of the M9 strain in biotechnological and/or industrial processes.
Full text
Available for:
EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Despite the assurance of universal health coverage, large disparities exist in access to surgery in the state of Chiapas. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the surgical ...referral system at hospitals operated by the Ministry of Health in Chiapas.
13 variables were extracted from surgical referrals data from three public hospitals in Chiapas over a three-year period. Interviews were performed of health care workers involved in the referral system and surgical patients. The quantitative and qualitative data was analyzed convergently and reported using a narrative approach.
In total, only 47.4% of referred patients requiring surgery received an operation. Requiring an elective, gynecological, or orthopedic surgery and each additional surgery cancellation were significantly associated with lower rates of receiving surgery. The impact of gender and surgical specialty, economic fragility of farmers, dependence upon economic resources to access care, pain leading people to seek care, and futility leading patients to abandon the public system were identified as main themes from the mixed methods analysis.
Surgical referral patients in Chiapas struggle to navigate an inefficient and expensive system, leading to delayed care and forcing many patients to turn to the private health system. These mixed methods findings provide a detailed view of often overlooked limitations to universal health coverage in Chiapas. Moving forward, this knowledge must be applied to improve referral system coordination and provide hospitals with the necessary workforce, equipment, and protocols to ensure access to guaranteed care.
Harvard University and the Abundance Fund provided funding for this project. Funding sources had no role in the writing of the manuscript or decision to submit it for publication.
•Mixed-methods analysis of effectiveness of surgical referral system in Chiapas.•In total, only 47.4% of referred patients received an operation.•Those in need of elective, gynecological, or orthopedic surgery at increased risk.•Need improved system coordination and hospital workforce, equipment, and protocols.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
With uveitis being one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, biological therapies have arisen as an option for the treatment of refractory cases based on good results shown in clinical ...practice. The goal of this study is to provide a systematic review of current knowledge of the role and possible uses of tocilizumab in the field of ophthalmology.
We performed a search for records reporting the use of tocilizumab for various diseases in MEDLINE (PubMed and OVID). We conducted an analysis of several individual studies and their reported individual patient data (82 eyes of 45 patients) published from 2011 to 2017.
Tocilizumab may prove to be an effective choice for the treatment of a variety of ocular conditions such as refractory uveitis, inflammatory macular edema, vitreo-retinal tumors and thyroid orbitopathy, leading to control of the inflammation in these patients. Further studies need to be conducted to establish its safety and efficacy.
Laparoscopic surgery remains limited in low-resource settings. We aimed to examine its use in Mexico and determine associated factors.
By querying open-source databases, we conducted a nationwide ...retrospective analysis of three common surgical procedures (i.e., cholecystectomies, appendectomies, and inguinal hernia repairs) performed in Mexican public hospitals in 2021. Procedures were classified as laparoscopic based on ICD-9 codes. We extracted patient (e.g., insurance status), clinical (e.g., anaesthesia technique), and geographic data (e.g., region) from procedures performed in hospitals and ambulatories. Multivariable analysis with random forest modelling was performed to identify associated factors and their importance in adopting laparoscopic approach.
We included 97,234 surgical procedures across 676 public hospitals. In total, 16,061 (16.5%) were performed using laparoscopic approaches, which were less common across all procedure categories. The proportion of laparoscopic procedures per 100,000 inhabitants was highest in the northwest (22.2%, 16/72) while the southeast had the lowest (8.3%, 13/155). Significant factors associated with a laparoscopic approach were female sex, number of municipality inhabitants, region, anaesthesia technique, and type of procedure. The number of municipality inhabitants had the highest contribution to the multivariable model.
Laparoscopic procedures were more commonly performed in highly populated, urban, and wealthy northern areas. Access to laparoscopic techniques was mostly influenced by the conditions of the settings where procedures are performed, rather than patients' non-modifiable characteristics. These findings call for tailored interventions to sustainably address equitable access to minimally invasive surgery in Mexico.
None.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), found in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria, elicits a strong response from the transcription factor family Nuclear factor (NF)-κB via Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4. ...The cellular response to lipopolysaccharide varies depending on the source and preparation of the ligand, however. Our goal was to compare single-cell NF-κB dynamics across multiple sources and concentrations of LPS.
Using live-cell fluorescence microscopy, we determined the NF-κB activation dynamics of hundreds of single cells expressing a p65-dsRed fusion protein. We used computational image analysis to measure the nuclear localization of the fusion protein in the cells over time. The concentration range spanned up to nine orders of magnitude for three E. coli LPS preparations. We find that the LPS preparations induce markedly different responses, even accounting for potency differences. We also find that the ability of soluble TNF receptor to affect NF-κB dynamics varies strikingly across the three preparations.
Our work strongly suggests that the cellular response to LPS is highly sensitive to the source and preparation of the ligand. We therefore caution that conclusions drawn from experiments using one preparation may not be applicable to LPS in general.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Mammalian Delta-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS) is a bifunctional ATP- and NAD(P)H-dependent mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the coupled phosphorylation and reduction-conversion of ...l-glutamate to P5C, a pivotal step in the biosynthesis of l-proline, l-ornithine and l-arginine. Previously, we reported cloning and characterization of two P5CS transcript variants generated by exon sliding that encode two protein isoforms differing only by a two amino acid-insert at the N-terminus of the gamma-glutamyl kinase active site. The short form (P5CS.short) is highly expressed in the gut and is inhibited by ornithine. In contrast, the long form (P5CS.long) is expressed ubiquitously and is insensitive to ornithine. Interestingly, we found that all the established human cell lines we have studied expressed P5CS.long but not P5CS.short. In addition, expression of P5CS.long can be modulated by hormones: downregulation by hydrocortisone and dexamethasone and upregulation by estradiol, for example. Using a quantitative proteomic approach, we showed that P5CS.long is upregulated by p53 in p53-induced apoptosis in DLD-1 colorectal cancer cells. Functional genomic analysis confirmed that there are two p53-binding consensus sequences in the promoter region and in the intron 1 of the human P5CS gene. Interestingly, overexpression of P5CS by adenoviruses harboring P5CS.long or P5CS.short in various cell types has no effect on cell growth or survival. It would be of importance to further investigate the role of P5CS as a p53 downstream effector and how P5CS.short expression is regulated by hormones and factors of alternative splicing in cells isolated from model animals.
Full text
Available for:
EMUNI, FZAB, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
•Protein foams are made using static mixers with liquids of different viscosities.•Process conditions for complete gas incorporation are experimentally determined.•Flow pattern maps are proposed for ...suitable process conditions.•Increasing the viscosity shifts the transition to lower gas flow rates.•SMX+6 (SULZER™) provides higher shear rates for a given pressure drop than SMX10.
Previous studies have shown the feasibility of food foam production in a SMX10 static mixer. Nevertheless the void fraction, α, obtained was high (>0.85) compared to the target range in food industry (0.5–0.7). This work aims to reduce α by using a smaller hydraulic diameter of the static mixer (SMX+6) and higher liquid base viscosities. The hydrodynamic study exhibits slight differences in the pressure drop and process shear constants. The foams are processed with a liquid base of whey protein isolates (3%) and xanthan gum (0.35% or 0.6%). The boundaries between “slug flow” and “bubble flow” are determined for the two SMX and represented in a flow pattern map. Only the latter flow regime is suitable as α (0.73–0.96) can directly be controlled from the flow-rates. Working with a SMX+6mm offers a substantial enlargement of the convenient velocity range that allows attaining lower void fractions compared to the SMX10.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
To perform a retrospective analysis on patients with HLA-B27 negative hypertensive acute anterior uveitis. Aqueous humor samples were obtained on which a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was ...performed. The patients were then classified into 3 groups depending on whether they were positive for cytomegalovirus (CMV) or herpesvirus (HSV-VZV) or negative for both.
Different variables were collected in successive visits (baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months). The variables were age, sex, visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), cells in the anterior chamber, retro-keratic precipitates, hypotensive treatment, glaucoma or retina surgery, corneal transplantation, and central thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer.
The sample was 36 patients, with a mean age of 59.78 ± 15.26 years. The mean baseline IOP value was 40 ± 10.42 mmHg in the CMV group compared to 23.8 ± 10.4 mmHg in the HSV-VZV, and 22.65 ± 9.9 mmHg in the negative group. The baseline frequency of retro-keratic precipitates, hypotensive treatment, glaucoma surgery, and corneal transplantation was higher in CMV positives. At one year, the loss of retinal nerve fiber layer and glaucoma surgery was greater in the negative group. In the 3 groups, there was a direct and positive correlation between IOP and inflammation in the anterior chamber. Being 0.94 (P = .05) for the positive for CMV, 0.24 (P = .75) in that of HSV-VZV, and 0.98 (P = .17) in the negative group.
HLA-B27 negative hypertensive acute anterior uveitis with CMV positive has a more aggressive initial presentation. However, after one year, the glaucomatous damage is less than in the negative group. In hypertensive acute anterior uveitis, when inflammation in anterior chamber is controlled then IOP is also controlled.
Analizar los datos clínicos de pacientes con uveítis anteriores agudas hipertensivas HLA-B27 negativas. Se obtuvieron muestras de humor acuoso, en las que se realizó reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR), y se clasificaron los pacientes en 3 grupos según las muestras fueran positivas para citomegalovirus (CMV), virus herpes (VHS-VVZ) o negativas para ambos.
En los 3 grupos de pacientes se recogieron las variables edad, sexo, agudeza visual, presión intraocular (PIO), células en cámara anterior, precipitados retroqueráticos, tratamiento hipotensor, cirugía de glaucoma, retina o trasplante corneal y grosor central de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina. Todas las variables fueron recogidas en la visita basal y a los 3, 6 y 12 meses.
Se incluyeron 36 pacientes, con una edad media de 59,78 ± 15,26 años. El valor medio basal de PIO fue 40 ± 10,42 mmHg en el grupo CMV frente a 23,8 ± 10,4 mmHg en el VHS-VVZ y 22,65 ± 9,9 mmHg en el grupo PCR negativo. La frecuencia basal de precipitados retroqueráticos, tratamiento hipotensor, cirugía de glaucoma y trasplante corneal fue mayor en los positivos para CMV. Sin embargo, al año la pérdida de capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina y la tasa de cirugía de glaucoma fue mayor en el grupo PCR negativo. Durante el seguimiento, en los 3 grupos hubo correlación directa y positiva entre la PIO y la inflamación en cámara anterior. Esta correlación fue de 0,94 (p = 0,05) para el positivo para CMV, de 0,24 (p = 0,75) en el de VHS-VVZ y de 0,98 (p = 0,17) en el negativo.
Las uveítis anteriores agudas hipertensivas HLA-B27 negativas con PCR de humor acuoso positiva para CMV tienen una presentación más agresiva inicialmente; sin embargo, al año de seguimiento el daño glaucomatoso es menor que en aquellas con PCR negativa. En las uveítis anteriores agudas hipertensivas, cuando, con el tratamiento oportuno, se controla la inflamación en cámara anterior, se controla la PIO.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
PDF
