Draft Genome Sequence of a Multi-Metal Resistant Bacterium Pseudomonas putida ATH-43 Isolated from Greenwich Island, Antarctica

Indexación: Web of Science; Scopus.In this report we present the first draft genome sequence of a P. putida strain isolated from the Antarctic continent. The shotgun sequencing strategy, assembly, and subsequent annotation showed that the ATH-43 strain possesses a wide spectrum of genetic determinants involved in heavy metal and antibiotic resistance, apparently to cope with extreme oxidative stress conditions. P. putida ATH-43 genome now forms part of the 65 genomes of this species registered at the NCBI database (September, 2016) and it is highly related with the endophytic strain P. putida W619, which is also resistant to several heavy metals. Further characterization of multi-metal resistant psychrotrophic bacteria such as P. putida ATH-43 will be promising to develop novel strategies for heavy metal bioremediation in low temperature environments. All genome data has been submitted to NCBI.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01777/ful

The Rise of Cohabitation in the Southern Cone

This chapter analyses the increase in cohabitation in the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and attempts to determine the extent to which consensual unions and marriages have similar traits or differ in the context of the cohabitation boom (Esteve et al. 2012). The first section of the chapter reviews the historical context of cohabitation in the Southern Cone. The second section uses census and survey data to analyse the trends in conjugal union formation in the three countries during the last 40 years. We analyse the patterns of both childbearing and union formation, as well as the differences between marriage and cohabitation based on educational attainment, labour market participation and household structure. The purpose of this analysis is to better understand whether the behaviour of married and cohabiting women with different characteristics are converging or diverging over time and tentatively, whether more egalitarian gender relationships are emerging in both types of conjugal unions

Texas Sour Orange Juice Used in Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

Fine fibers of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biopolymer, were developed via a centrifugal spinning technique. The developed fibers have an average diameter of 1.8 µm. Texas sour orange juice (SOJ) was applied as a natural antibacterial agent and infiltrated within the fibrous membranes. The antibacterial activity against common Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively) was evaluated as well as cell adhesion and viability. The PHB/SOJ scaffolds showed antibacterial activity of up to 152% and 71% against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. The cell studies revealed a suitable environment for cell growth and cell attachment. The outcome of this study opens up new opportunities for fabrication of fibrous materials for biomedical applications having multifunctional properties while using natural agents

Mechanochromic hydrogen-bonded cocrystals with a salient effect upon heating

Herein, we report the characterization of two hydrogen-bonded cocrystals, termed AC-TFTA and AC-PFBA, with mechanofluorochromism upon grinding. The heating of single crystals of AC-TFTA promotes microscopic displacements due to a decarboxylation process, which was studied through calorimetry-based techniques, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and hot-stage microscopy. Using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and UV-Vis/fluorescence spectroscopy, we demonstrated that AC-TFTA displays sharper photophysical changes than its analog AC-PFBA, attributable to differences in the energies of their non-covalent interactions. Furthermore, the reversibility of the amorphous phase in both cocrystals was explored. However, fatigue tests led us to conclude that AC-TFTA displays potential for application as an anticounterfeiting agent, in contrast with the more robust crystalline AC-PFBA. This work emphasizes the importance of cocrystallization in generating accessible and functional mechanofluorochromic materials

PÓRTICOS DE ENSAYO EN LABORATORIOS: UNIENDO LA TEORÍA Y LA PRÁCTICA MEDIANTE EL FORTALECIMIENTO DE LA INVESTIGACIÓN Y LA ACADEMIA

Los pórticos de ensayo de materiales se constituyen en una herramienta trascendental para la caracterización del comportamiento mecánico de elementos estructurales de variados materiales. La definición de relaciones fundamentales como la de esfuerzo-deformación, que permite diseñar estructuras de manera eficiente, adecuada y segura, deviene de extensas campañas experimentales. El uso de estos pórticos posibilita la investigación multidisciplinaria en las materias relacionadas con el estudio de materiales y también permite el estudio detallado de elementos estructurales fabricados con diferentes materiales, elementos de reuso que puedan provenir de procesos industriales como fibras naturales o residuos de vidrio. Los resultados obtenidos a partir de ensayos principalmente sobre vigas, permiten establecer la línea de investigación en materiales y elementos estructurales a partir del estudio de las relaciones esfuerzo-deformación para posibilitar la estimación de propiedades de elasticidad y de resistencia en materiales como acero, hormigón armado, muros, entre otros. El presente trabajo tiene el propósito de mostrar las facultades del empleo de pórticos de ensayos para disminuir la brecha entre la formación teórica y la aplicación práctica a nivel académico e investigativo dentro la ingeniería estructural y de materiales, a través de una revisión de la evolución y la utilidad de este tipo de elementos en la enseñanza. Con este fin, se desarrolla una revisión bibliográfica de trabajos desarrollados principalmente a nivel Latinoamericano en laboratorios que cuentan con pórticos de ensayos, se describe la evolución de estos elementos, las características principales de pórticos en el medio, las normativas asociadas al desarrollo de pruebas en estos equipos y finalmente se realiza un breve análisis de resultados experimentales y su relevancia en la academia y la investigación

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)

High Temperature Corrosion of Inconel 600 in NaCl-KCl Molten Salts

In this work the corrosion resistance of a high content nickel alloy, Inconel 600, was investigated in mixed NaCl-KCl salts at 700, 800, and 900°C for 100 hours in static air. Investigation was carried out using electrochemical techniques such as polarization curves, rest potential measurements, linear polarization resistance, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Corroded specimens were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Electrochemical measurements showed an increased degradation rate of Inconel 600 with increasing test temperature. SEM and EDS analysis show that the damage experienced by Inconel 600 is greater than that determined by electrochemical measurements. This damage was identified as internal corrosion due to the reaction of Cl2 with the alloying elements (Cr and Fe); however, at 900°C the internal damage was minor and it was associated with the nickel content in the alloy

Worldwide trends in diabetes since 1980: a pooled analysis of 751 population-based studies with 4.4 million participants

BACKGROUND: One of the global targets for non-communicable diseases is to halt, by 2025, the rise in the age-standardised adult prevalence of diabetes at its 2010 levels. We aimed to estimate worldwide trends in diabetes, how likely it is for countries to achieve the global target, and how changes in prevalence, together with population growth and ageing, are affecting the number of adults with diabetes. METHODS: We pooled data from population-based studies that had collected data on diabetes through measurement of its biomarkers. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in diabetes prevalence—defined as fasting plasma glucose of 7·0 mmol/L or higher, or history of diagnosis with diabetes, or use of insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs—in 200 countries and territories in 21 regions, by sex and from 1980 to 2014. We also calculated the posterior probability of meeting the global diabetes target if post-2000 trends continue. FINDINGS: We used data from 751 studies including 4 372 000 adults from 146 of the 200 countries we make estimates for. Global age-standardised diabetes prevalence increased from 4·3% (95% credible interval 2·4–7·0) in 1980 to 9·0% (7·2–11·1) in 2014 in men, and from 5·0% (2·9–7·9) to 7·9% (6·4–9·7) in women. The number of adults with diabetes in the world increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014 (28·5% due to the rise in prevalence, 39·7% due to population growth and ageing, and 31·8% due to interaction of these two factors). Age-standardised adult diabetes prevalence in 2014 was lowest in northwestern Europe, and highest in Polynesia and Micronesia, at nearly 25%, followed by Melanesia and the Middle East and north Africa. Between 1980 and 2014 there was little change in age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adult women in continental western Europe, although crude prevalence rose because of ageing of the population. By contrast, age-standardised adult prevalence rose by 15 percentage points in men and women in Polynesia and Micronesia. In 2014, American Samoa had the highest national prevalence of diabetes (>30% in both sexes), with age-standardised adult prevalence also higher than 25% in some other islands in Polynesia and Micronesia. If post-2000 trends continue, the probability of meeting the global target of halting the rise in the prevalence of diabetes by 2025 at the 2010 level worldwide is lower than 1% for men and is 1% for women. Only nine countries for men and 29 countries for women, mostly in western Europe, have a 50% or higher probability of meeting the global target. INTERPRETATION: Since 1980, age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adults has increased, or at best remained unchanged, in every country. Together with population growth and ageing, this rise has led to a near quadrupling of the number of adults with diabetes worldwide. The burden of diabetes, both in terms of prevalence and number of adults affected, has increased faster in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust