Influence of high power ultrasound on natural microflora, pathogen and lactic acid bacteria in a raw meat emulsion

Raw meat emulsions may have natural, spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms due to the origin and characteristics of this food matrix. All of these microorganisms must be minimized during industrial processing to make food consumption safe and meet quality regulations. Therefore, in this research, the effect of probe ultrasound on the inactivation of three kinds of microorganisms in a raw meat emulsion is evaluated. The microorganisms are: natural microflora NAM, Listeria monocytogenes LIS, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii LAC. A high-intensity probe ultrasound system was used, during 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 min, with pulsed waves of 0.0, 10, 20 and 30 seg, and 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 W of power. The interrelation between time, wave pulse cycle, and power factors was assessed. The results showed a positive linear independence effect in the treatments without wave pulse for each microorganism, and a quadratic interaction with the time and the ultrasound power for the inactivation of the three kinds of microorganisms. Besides, the desirability function for the inactivation reached up to 60% of the microbial population with the probe ultrasound treatment, with 10 min, a 7.56 s wave pulse and 400 W of power. Thus, these results could be useful to decide the incorporation of mild and emerging technologies in a meat industry line process.

Creating leadership collectives for sustainability transformations

Enduring sustainability challenges requires a new model of collective leadership that embraces critical reflection, inclusivity and care. Leadership collectives can support a move in academia from metrics to merits, from a focus on career to care, and enact a shift from disciplinary to inter- and trans-disciplinary research. Academic organisations need to reorient their training programs, work ethics and reward systems to encourage collective excellence and to allow space for future leaders to develop and enact a radically re-imagined vision of how to lead as a collective with care for people and the planet.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11625-021-00909-y.

Middle Miocene closure of the Central American Seaway

Uranium-lead geochronology in detrital zircons and provenance analyses in eight boreholes and two surface stratigraphic sections in the northern Andes provide insight into the time of closure of the Central American Seaway. The timing of this closure has been correlated with Plio-Pleistocene global oceanographic, atmospheric, and biotic events. We found that a uniquely Panamanian Eocene detrital zircon fingerprint is pronounced in middle Miocene fluvial and shallow marine strata cropping out in the northern Andes but is absent in underlying lower Miocene and Oligocene strata. We contend that this fingerprint demonstrates a fluvial connection, and therefore the absence of an intervening seaway, between the Panama arc and South America in middle Miocene times; the Central American Seaway had vanished by that time.

Relationships between polychlorinated biphenyls in molluscs, hydrological characteristics and human pressures, within Basque estuaries (northern Spain)

Interannual variability of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), measured in the soft tissues of Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels and Crassostrea gigas oysters, collected from estuarine waters within the Basque Country (Bay of Biscay), are investigated. Samples were collected in the autumn, between 2002 and 2011. Sites located within the ports of Bilbao and Pasaia showed the highest PCBs concentrations in molluscs; the lowest were observed in the mouth of the Oka estuary, an area of low population and industrial activity. Congener profiles of PCBs in the tissues of molluscs reveal the predominance of hexachlorobiphenyls (CB153 and CB138). In addition, redundancy analysis has shown that residence time, river flow and a 'pressure index' explain 57% of the variability in the PCB congener concentrations (the higher the values of these variables, the higher the concentration). Finally, Σ7PCB median concentrations in molluscs and sediments, collected from nearby sampling sites, were found to be moderately correlated (r(2)=0.513, p<0.01).

Combinatorial treatment of bone marrow stem cells and stromal cell-derived factor 1 improves glycemia and insulin production in diabetic mice

Transdifferentiation of stem cells into insulin-producing cells for the treatment of diabetes have shown promising but inconsistent results. We examined the potential for attracting bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) to the pancreas using a chemokine, stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1). SDF-1 treatment markedly increased the number of GFP labeled BMSCs in the pancreas, but surprisingly, the majority was observed in liver. The liver cells had typical pancreatic endocrine cell gene expression including insulin I, insulin II, PDX-1, somatostatin, and glucagon. Combined treatment with SDF-1 and BMSC transplant reduced hyperglycemia and prolonged the long-term survival of diabetic mice, and a sub group had complete normoglycemia (<150 mg/dl), restored blood insulin levels, and normal glucose tolerance. Our results suggest that SDF-1 could potentially be used to improve the homing of stem cells and β-cell regeneration. The mechanism appears to involve an increase in insulin producing cells mainly in the liver.

Dissolved metal background levels in marine waters, for the assessment of the physico-chemical status, within the European Water Framework Directive

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) has, as its ultimate aim, a reduction in the concentrations of hazardous substances in the marine environment, i.e. 'background' values. Hence, the determination of natural background levels of heavy metals, to distinguish between natural element concentrations and anthropogenically-influenced concentrations, is highly relevant. Some studies have shown the convenience in the derivation of local background levels, especially if they are necessary for environmental assessment. Nevertheless, although such studies exist for sediments, there are only a few previous investigations on metal background values in sea water. Likewise, there is not any standard procedure to determine such levels in waters, nor general agreement on the statistical methodologies to be applied. In this contribution, background levels of heavy metals (As, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn), in estuarine and coastal waters within the Basque Country (northern Spain), according to ranges in salinity, are estimated using statistical tools. Ni and Pb have been considered elsewhere (2455/2001/EC) as priority substances under the WFD. Hence, this approach can assist further in the determination of water reference conditions, to assess chemical and physico-chemical status in other European countries; this, affects, ultimately, the ecological status, as defined within the WFD.

Maximum likelihood mixture estimation to determine metal background values in estuarine and coastal sediments within the European Water Framework Directive

Some of the recently derived European Directives, such as the Water Framework and Marine Strategy, have, as ultimate aims, to achieve concentrations of hazardous substances in the marine environment near background values. Hence, the determination of natural background levels, in marine sediments, is highly relevant. The present study proposes the use of the maximum likelihood mixture estimation (MLME) to determine regional background levels and upper threshold of metal concentration, with the Basque Country as a case study (with a data set of 575 samples, from estuarine and littoral areas, including both intertidal and subtidal sediments). The heuristic procedure is applied with unimodal data distributions (Cd, Cr, Fe and Ni) and the mixture density estimations, based upon maximum likelihood, are carried out with polypopulational data distributions (As, Cu, Mn, Hg, Pb and Zn). The upper limits of the distribution are proposed, as the limits between 'High Status' and 'Good Status' (according to the Water Framework Directive terminology). The regional upper limits were 0.45 microg g(-1) for Cd, 71 microg g(-1) for Cr, 53,542 microg g(-1) for Fe, 57 microg g(-1) for Ni, 24 microg g(-1) for As, 64 microg g(-1) for Cu, 447 microg g(-1) for Mn, 0.27 microg g(-1) for Hg, 66 microg g(-1) for Pb, and 248 microg g(-1) for Zn. The results from this study can assist further in the determination of sediment reference conditions, to assess chemical status, within the above-mentioned directives; likewise, it will be studied as a useful methodology in determining regional metal backgrounds in other European countries.

Assessing reference conditions and physico-chemical status according to the European Water Framework Directive: a case-study from the Basque Country (Northern Spain)

The European Water Framework Directive requires the development of new and accurate methodologies, addressing the assessment of the physico-chemical status of transitional and coastal waters; these are considered by the Directive as the supporting elements for the final evaluation of the Ecological Quality Status. This contribution develops new approaches in the determination of the physico-chemical status, solving some problems detected in previous contributions, i.e.: (a) fitting the classification of water bodies and typologies, by means of the stretching of the typologies, according to the natural salinity gradient of types; (b) defining reference conditions, based upon the new approach to typologies, (c) proposing accurate multivariate methodologies, in determining the physico-chemical status of the transitional and coastal waters, based upon the defined typologies and references; and (d) discussion of the results obtained by reference to methodological aspects and water quality evolution in the Basque Country, Spain (as a case-study), during the last decade.

[Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Apropos a familial case at Hospital Arzobispo Loayza]

The Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a rare dominant autosomic, entity characterized by hyperpigmented lesions on the lips, hands and feet; with presence of gastrointestinal polyps producing acute or chronic anemia, intestinal obstruction, and/or abdominal pain. This polyps histologically are hamartomas; recent studies indicate a real risk for transformations in the malignant neoplasia. The high and low endoscopies and the intraoperative enteroscopy with polypectomy are the election treatment, improving prognosis quality on these patients. We describe a familiar case of a female patient 24 years old showing a repeated picture of intestinal subocclusion; her brother presented a similar clinical picture, and her mother presented the same syndrome, dying of carcinoma in the colon; also her child, at one and a half year old presented hyperpigmented lesions on the lips.

[Cysts of second branchial cleft: review of 32 operated cases]

The aim of this work was to analyze retrospectively the clinical features of 32 patients aged 23.9 years (21 female) with the histological diagnosis of second branchial cleft cyst. In 28 patients, the cyst was localized below the mandibular angle. The presenting symptom was a cervical tumor in 30 patients and pain in eight. Fourteen aspiration punctures was performed obtaining 8 purulent and 6 straw colored aspirates. The preoperative diagnosis was correctly made in only 19 patients; the principal confounding diagnosis was tuberculous adenitis. All patients were operated performing a complete cystectomy in 30 and partial cystectomy in two. Three patients had a surgical wound infection and the cysts recurred 5 months and 4 years after operation in the two patients subjected to partial cystectomy. The histological study revealed squamous epithelial with underlying lymphoid tissue. It is concluded that aspiration puncture is useful for the correct diagnosis and that the cyst must be completely eradicated to avoid recurrences.

[Shortened preoperative preparation in diffuse hyperthyroid goiter: experience in 34 patients]

Conventional preparation of goitrous hyperthyroid patients using lugol and propranolol may take 2 weeks. This period may be shortened using sodium iopodate and dexamethasone. We used 500 mg of sodium iopodate and 1 mg dexamethasone for 4 days in 34 hyperthyroid patients. Surgical indication derived from failure to medical treatment (68%), large goiter (27%) or adverse reaction to PTU (6%). Clinical euthyroidism was achieved after 4 days in all patients. T3 levels decreased from 482 +/- 26.2 to 137.6 +/- 3.7 ng/dl and T4 from 20.6 +/- 1.04 to 15.2 +/- 0.5 micrograms/dl (p < 0.005). Surgery was uneventful in 33 patients, one subject developed supraventricular tachycardia responsive to verapamil. Electron microscopy of the removed thyroid tissue revealed marked decrease of superficial villi and large phagosomes. Thus, sodium iopodate and dexamethasone are effective and safe for preoperative preparation of hyperthyroid patients.

[Needle aspiration cytology in euthyroid uninodular goiter]

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been shown to be second only to surgical biopsy for demonstration of malignancy in thyroid nodules. A prospective study of FNAC for euthyroid uninodular goiter (EUG) was conducted between January 1987 and June 1990, totaling 87 patients of which 61 were submitted to surgical biopsy. FNAC in the latter were interpreted as benign in 41 cases, suspected malignancy in 8, and definitely malignant in 7. The remaining 5 smears were considered technically inadequate for diagnosis. In 39 of the 41 patients with a benign (negative) cytology result, the histopathological diagnosis confirmed the absence of a neoplastic process (2 false negatives). In 12 of the 15 patients with a suspected malignant (positive) cytology result, a subsequent histopathological report confirmed a neoplastic process (3 false positives). Thus FNAC had a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 93%. We conclude that FNAC is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of erythroid goiter and could help reduce significantly the number of patients who need to be surgically intervened.

[Lymphomas of the parotid region]

Parotid gland lymphomas are very uncommon. Two patients with this condition were treated in the last decade. Surgery should be used only for diagnosis and becomes unnecessary when adenopathy is present, since a lymph node biopsy will establish the diagnosis.