Hisrological Alterations and Immune Response Induced by Pet Toxin During Colonization with Enteroaggregative Escherichia coil (EAEC) in a Mouse Model Infection

Eslava, Carlos,Sainz, Teresita,Perez, Julia,Fresan, Ma.Cristina,Flores, Veronica,Jimenez, Luis,Hernandez, Ulises,Herrera, Ismael The Microbiological Society of Korea 2002 The journal of microbiology Vol.40 No.2

Enteroaggregative E. coil (EAEC) is an important aethiological causal agent of diarrhea in people of developed and undeveloped countries. Different in vitro and in vivo models have been proposed to study the pathdgenic and immune mechanisms of EAEC infaction. The aim of this study was to analyze whether BALB/c mice could be used as an animal model to study EAEC pathogenesis Six-week-old BALB/c mice were inoculated with EAEC strain 042 (044:H88) nalidixic acid resistant, and re-inoc-ulated ten days after. Mice feces were monitored for the presence of the EAEC strain over a period of 20 days . Bacteria were enumerated on MacConkey agar containing 100$\mu$g of nalidixic acid per ml. Results showed that 35% of the animals were colonized for 3 days, 15% for 5 and 10% for more than 7 days . After re-inoculation only 16% of the animals remained colonized for more than 3 days. During the necropsy, the intestinal fluid of same of the infected animals presented mucus and blood. Six of these fluids showed the presence of IgA antibodies againset Pet toxin and IgG natibodies raised against the toxin were also detected in the animal serum. Histopathologic evidence confirms the stimulation of mucus hypersecretion, an increased amount of goblet cells and the presence of bacterial aggregates in the apical surfaces of intestinal epithelial cells. Edema was present in the submucosa. These results suggest that BALB/c mice could be used as an animal model for in vivo study of EAEC infection.

Structure and Function of the Genes Involved in the Biosynthesis of Carotenoids in the Mucorales

Iturriaga, Enrique A.,Velayos, Antonio,Eslava, Arturo P. The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengine 2000 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.5 No.4

Carotenoids are widely distributed natural pigments which are in an increasing demand by the market, due to their applicatins in the human food, animal feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Although more than 600 carotenoids have been identified in nature, only a few are industrially important (${\beta}$-carotene, astaxanthin, lutein or lycopene). To date chemical processes manufacture most of the carotenoid production, but the interest for carotenoids of biological origin is growing since theire is an increased public concern over the safety of artificial food colorants. Although much interest and effort has been devoted to the use of biological sources for industrially important carotenoids, only the production of biological ${\beta}$-carotene and astaxanthin has been reported. Among fungi, several Mucorales strains, particularly Blakeslea trispora, have been used to develop fermentation processes for the production of ${\beta}$-carotene on almost competitive cost-price levels. Similarly, the basidiomycetous yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (the perfect state of Phaffia rhodozyma), has been proposed as a promising source of astaxanthin. This paper focuses on recent findings on the fungal pathways for carotenoid production, especially the structure and function of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of carotenoids in the Mucorales. An outlook of the possibilities of an increased industrial production of carotenoids, based on metabolic engineering of fungi for carotenoid content and composition, is also discussed.

Construction of Bi₂WO₆/RGO/g-C₃N₄ 2D/2D/2D hybrid Z-scheme heterojunctions with large interfacial contact area for efficient charge separation and high-performance photoreduction of CO₂ and H<sub>2</

Jo, Wan-Kuen,Kumar, Santosh,Eslava, Salvador,Tonda, Surendar Elsevier 2018 Applied Catalysis B Vol.239 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>We have rationally constructed a hybrid heterojunction comprising of Bi<SUB>2</SUB>WO<SUB>6</SUB>, reduced graphene oxide, and g-C<SUB>3</SUB>N<SUB>4</SUB> (BWO/RGO/CN) with a 2D/2D/2D configuration for efficient photoreduction to generate solar fuels. These heterojunctions displayed dramatically improved performance towards CO<SUB>2</SUB> reduction to generate CO and CH<SUB>4</SUB> under visible-light irradiation, compared to the base material (CN), P25 as reference, as well as binary BWO/CN and RGO/CN heterojunctions. Particularly, the BWO/RGO/CN heterojunctions with 1 wt. % RGO and 15 wt. % BWO achieved record performance in the yields of carbonaceous products (CO + CH<SUB>4</SUB>) compared to other synthesized catalysts, with a selectivity of 92% against H<SUB>2</SUB>. The remarkable photocatalytic performance was mainly attributed to the unique 2D/2D/2D architecture that creates large interfacial contact between the constituent materials for rapid charge transfer, to hinder the direct recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes. Notably, RGO played two significant roles: as a supporter to capture the electrons from CN, and as a redox mediator to promote the Z-scheme charge transfer between CN and BWO. The result is a greater extent of charge separation in the present BWO/RGO/CN heterojunction system, as evidenced by the photoluminescence, photocurrent responses, and electron microscopy findings. More importantly, the heterojunctions displayed excellent stability during recycling tests with no obvious loss in the generation of CO and CH<SUB>4</SUB> from photoreduction of CO<SUB>2</SUB>. This interesting interfacial engineering approach presented herein offers a promising route for the rational design of a new class of layered multicomponent heterojunctions with 2D/2D/2D architecture for various applications in environmental protection and solar energy conversion.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Bi<SUB>2</SUB>WO<SUB>6</SUB>/RGO/g-C<SUB>3</SUB>N<SUB>4</SUB> hybrid heterojunctions with 2D/2D/2D configuration were fabricated. </LI> <LI> Heterojunctions showed excellent CO<SUB>2</SUB> photoreduction activity to generate solar fuels. </LI> <LI> RGO plays dual roles as a supporter and a redox mediator to promote charge separation. </LI> <LI> Rapid charge transfer due to large interfacial contact contributed to high activity. </LI> <LI> Hybrid heterojunctions exhibited high photostability during recycling experiments. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Efficient hematite photoanodes prepared by hydrochloric acid-treated solutions with amphiphilic graft copolymer

Park, Min Su,Walsh, Dominic,Zhang, Jifang,Kim, Jong Hak,Eslava, Salvador Elsevier 2018 Journal of Power Sources Vol.404 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Simple and low-cost approaches for the preparation of photoelectrodes are crucial to enable a transition towards a sustainable and circular economy in which sunlight energy is efficiently harnessed and used. Here, a novel and simple process is presented to prepare a sol solution that can be cast by spin coating deposition for mesoporous <I>α</I>-Fe<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB> hematite water-splitting photoanodes, reaching 1.05 mA cm<SUP>−2</SUP> at 1.23 V<SUB>RHE</SUB> under 1 sun illumination. The sol solution is prepared using inexpensive commercial ∼10 nm <I>α</I>-Fe<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB> hematite nanoparticles as hematite film precursor, an amphiphilic poly(vinyl chloride)-<I>graft</I>-poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (PVC-<I>g</I>-POEM) graft copolymer as a pore template, and HCl acid as an iron oxide phase directing agent. The hydrophilic POEM side chains selectively interact with HCl-treated hematite nanoparticles allowing their dispersion. Moreover, the HCl in the sol solution disperses and dissolves the hematite nanoparticles which re-precipitate as mixed phase <I>γ</I>-FeOOH and <I>β</I>-FeOOH, leading to better performant hematite films due to finer nanostructures, a more pronounced hematite (110) plane, and a more hydroxylated surface. This work demonstrates that synergies between an amphiphilic graft copolymer, hematite nanoparticles and HCl acid can be exploited in the inexpensive spin coating technique to prepare robust, stable and promising hematite photoanodes for energy devices.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Novel wormlike mesoporous hematite films were prepared by graft copolymer templating. </LI> <LI> PVC-<I>g</I>-POEM was effective in adding porosity and limiting particle size in hematite. </LI> <LI> The use of HCl resulted in mixed phase <I>γ</I>-FeOOH/<I>β</I>-FeOOH, leading to better performant. </LI> <LI> A high photocurrent density (1.05 mA cm<SUP>−2</SUP> at 1.23 V<SUB>RHE</SUB>) and high stability were obtained. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Data Mining for High Dimensional Data in Drug Discovery and Development

Lee, Kwan R.,Park, Daniel C.,Lin, Xiwu,Eslava, Sergio Korea Genome Organization 2003 Genomics & informatics Vol.1 No.2

Data mining differs primarily from traditional data analysis on an important dimension, namely the scale of the data. That is the reason why not only statistical but also computer science principles are needed to extract information from large data sets. In this paper we briefly review data mining, its characteristics, typical data mining algorithms, and potential and ongoing applications of data mining at biopharmaceutical industries. The distinguishing characteristics of data mining lie in its understandability, scalability, its problem driven nature, and its analysis of retrospective or observational data in contrast to experimentally designed data. At a high level one can identify three types of problems for which data mining is useful: description, prediction and search. Brief review of data mining algorithms include decision trees and rules, nonlinear classification methods, memory-based methods, model-based clustering, and graphical dependency models. Application areas covered are discovery compound libraries, clinical trial and disease management data, genomics and proteomics, structural databases for candidate drug compounds, and other applications of pharmaceutical relevance.