A First Attempt into the Production of Acylglycerol Mixtures from Echium Oil

Enzymatic glycerolysis of Echium oil (Echium plantagineum) has been carried out in the presence of four commercial lipases. Different pretreatments of the reaction mixture, such as high pressure homogenization and addition of food grade monoolein as an emulsifier, were evaluated to test their influence on the glycerolysis reaction. In addition, the impact of reducing temperature and the utilization of a solvent generally recognized as safe as a flavoring agent, such as limonene, were also investigated. Conversion of ca. 60-70% of triacylglycerols and production of ca. 25-30% of monoacylglycerols (MAGs) were attained. Finally, at the best reaction conditions, the glycerolysis reaction was scaled up at pilot plant and the product mixture obtained was fractionated via molecular distillation. From this stage, two products were attained: a distillate containing 80% of MAGs and a residue containing approximately 50% of diacylglycerols and 50% of triacylglycerols. All these mixtures can be utilized as self-emulsifying vehicles for the formulation of bioactive substances and also as precursors for the production of structured bioactive lipidsThis work was supported by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (INNSAOLI, project number IPT-2011-1248- 060000, subprograma INNPACTO) and the Comunidad de Madrid (ALIBIRD, project number S2013/ABI-2728

Long-term pulse profile study of the Be/X-ray pulsar SAX J2103.5+4545

Aims. We present the first long-term pulse profile study of the X-ray pulsar SAX J2103.5+4545. Our main goal is to study the pulse shape correlation either with luminosity, time or energy. Methods. This Be/X-ray binary system was observed from 1999 to 2004 by RXTE PCA, and by INTEGRAL from 2002 to 2005, during the Performance and Verification (PV) phase and the Galactic Plane Scan survey (GPS). X-ray pulse profiles were obtained in different energy ranges. The long-term spectral variability of this source is studied. The long-term flux, frequency and spin-up rate histories are computed. A new set of orbital parameters are also determined. Results. The pulse shape is complex and highly variable either with time or luminosity. However, an energy dependence pattern was found. Single, double, triple or even quadruple peaks pulse profile structure was obtained. It was confirmed that SAX J2103.5+4545 becomes harder when the flux is higher. The new orbital solution obtained is: P_orb= 12.66528+-0.00051 days, e = 0.401+-0.018, w = 241.36+-2.18 and a_xsin i = 80.81+-0.67 lt-s.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysic

Pressurized liquid extraction of caffeine and catechins from green tea leaves using ethyl lactate, water and ethyl lactate + water mixtures

Ethyl-lactate (ethyl 2-hydroxy-propanoate) is a bio-renewable agrochemical solvent, very suitable and environmental benign for food applications, permitted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as pharmaceutical and food additive. In previous work, the authors demonstrated that pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) using ethyl lactate is a suitable alternative to remove caffeine from vegetal materials, e.g. green coffee beans and green tea leaves. The solubility of caffeine in ethyl lactate + water mixtures, at ambient temperature and pressure, exhibits a substantial increase for 60:40% ethyl lactate + water mixtures (data reported in this work). This result motivated the analysis of the effect of the ethyl lactate + water mixtures for the decaffeination target. Furthermore, in the case of green tea, the removal of caffeine reducing the extraction of catechins is desirable due to the adverse effects of caffeine on health, while catechins are high valued functional food ingredients. Thus, the use of ethyl lactate, water and ethyl lactate + water mixtures to attain this objective, i.e. the removal of caffeine form green tea leaves minimizing the extraction of catechins, was studied in this work. PLE was carried out in the temperature range 373-473 K and using different ethyl lactate + water mixtures. Extraction yield and recovery of key bioactive compounds (caffeine and monomeric catechins) were determined and compared, and the caffeine/catechins selectivity of the different solvents employed was estimated. High extraction yields were obtained with a mixture containing 25:75% of ethyl lactate + water, with values around 1.5 and 3.5 times higher than, respectively, the yields obtained with water and ethyl lactate. Yet, pure ethyl lactate proved to be the most selective solvent to extract caffeine from green tea leaves, minimizing the co-extraction of catechins, with a caffeine/catechins selectivity of 2.8 to 5.5 in the range 373-423 K. At these temperatures, with short extraction times (20 min) the recovery of caffeine is in the range 53-76% but only 26-36% of catechins present in the tea leaves were removedThis work was financed thanks to AGL2011-29857-C03-01 (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad) and ALIBIRD, S2013/ABI-2728 (Comunidad de Madrid) project

First observations of the X-ray transient EXO 2030+375 with IBIS/ISGRI

We present a first INTEGRAL observation of the 42s transient X-ray pulsar EXO 2030+375 with IBIS/ISGRI. The source was detected during Cyg X-1 observations in December 2002. We analyzed observations during the outburst period from 9 to 21 December 2002 with a total exposure time of ~770 kiloseconds. EXO 2030+375 was almost always detected during single ~30 minute exposures in the 18-45 energy bands. The source light curve shows the characteristic outburst shape observed in this source.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures (1 in CMYK color), accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics, INTEGRAL special issue, 200

Uvbyβ photometry of active-chromosphere binaries .1. The system TZ Coronae Borealis

Simultaneous uvby and Hβ photometry of thee noneclipsing double-lined spectroscopic binary TZ CrB, an active binary system with almost unevolved components, is presented. A small amplitude distortion wave (0.012 mag in y) has been found with maximum light at phase ∽0.75. No variations in color or the βindex during the orbital cycle have been detected within the precision of the observations. The resulting color indices in the standard uvby system allow the estimation of some basic stellar parameters, such as the average effective temperature ∽6000 K and the stellar radii of the component stars ∽1.1 R_⨀. These results, together with available spectroscopic data, permit a consistent picture for this interesting binary to be obtained

Hß photometry for uvby standard stars

From 1984 to 1986, we made several observational campaigns at Calar Alto and La Palma Observator­ies using the uvby and ß photometric systems to monitor a selected sample of late-type variable stars. In this paper we present the ß values for 38 uvby standard stars to contribute to the uvby-ß calibration works on late-type stars. In the final discussion, the ß computed values are plotted against the Ström­gren b - y, m_1, and c_1 indices

Size-selective mortality of laboratory-reared Atlantic bluefin tuna larvae: evidence from microstructure analysis of otoliths during the piscivorous phase

Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) larvae show strong piscivorous feeding behavior at the very early larval stage and this enables them to grow at high rates. We conducted a laboratory experiment in which Atlantic bluefin tuna larvae were offered larval prey for the first time at different ages to simulate the early onset of piscivory at three treatments: yolk-sac larvae (YSL), delayed onset of piscivory (DYSL) and a solely planktivorous diet (Rotifers). The otolith microstructure was then used to compare the larval size distribution at the onset of the experiment with the estimated previous size-at-age of the survivors at the end of the experiment by back- calculation. Within a cohort, our results show size-selective mortality of the largest larvae independent of the differences in the timing of onset of piscivory and differences in growth patterns. The results also corroborate the rapid response of Atlantic bluefin tuna to piscivory in terms of growth reflected in the otolith increment widths. Being bigger did not infer a survival advantage and mortality rates did not decline with increasing larval size. Smaller size at a given age could under certain conditions and stages of development confer a survival advantage of individual members of a larval cohort when suitable small-sized prey is available.Versión del editor2,26

Buoyancy of Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus eggs obtained from captive broodstock spontaneous spawning events

One way to alleviate the pressure on the wild fishery of the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) and aid in its conservation could be its domestication and the development of a self-sustained industry to rear the larvae and produce fingerlings in captive conditions for further grow-out. The Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) is carrying out several research projects on this target for the last 12 years. No one has yet measured the vertical distribution and the in situ buoyancy of bluefin tuna eggs in any of its spawning areas in the world (Mac Kenzie and Mariani, 2012). In the present study the density of bluefin tuna eggs has been measured, comparing it with those of other fish species, particularly Atlantic bonito. We have estimated the speed by which BFT eggs rise to the surface to get a better idea of the potential loss of spawned eggs dragged by the currents out of the cage

Unveiling the Relationship Between Sea Surface Hydrographic Patterns and Tuna Larval Distribution in the Central Mediterranean Sea

Thunnus thynnus (Atlantic bluefin tuna, ABT) and other tuna species reproduce in the Mediterranean Sea during the summer period. Despite the Central Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Sicily in particular, being a key spawning site for many tuna species, little is known on the effects of oceanographic variability on their larval distribution in this area. The abundance and presence-absence of larval specimens for three tuna species (ABT, bullet tuna and albacore) were modeled in order to examine their relationships with environmental factors, by analysing historical in situ information collected during seven annual surveys (2010–2016). The results revealed that most tuna larvae for the three species were found in the easternmost part of the study area, south of Capo Passero. This area is characterized by a stable saline front and warmer nutrient-poor water, and it has different environmental conditions, compared with the surrounding areas. The models used to investigate the presence-absence and abundance of the three species showed that ABT was the most abundant, followed by bullet tuna and albacore. The presence and abundance data collected are comparable with those of other spawning areas in the Mediterranean. Regarding biological and physical parameters, the results suggest that temperature, salinity, and day of the year are the key factors for understanding the ecological mechanisms and geographical distribution of these species in this area. Temperature affects the presence of ABT larvae and salinity, which, with a physical barrier effect, is a key factor for the presence-absence of bullet and albacore and for albacore abundance

Recent developments in sensing devices based on polymeric systems

This review is focused on the analysis of recent developments in the application of polymers in the detection and quantification of target species. The work begins with a description of the polymers that are employed as sensory materials, covering molecularly imprinted polymers or MIPs, hybrid polymers, acrylic polymers, conductive polymers, polymers with chiral motifs and also the use of polymeric arrays. After the description of the sensory polymers, the different target species which can be detected using sensory polymeric devices, including metallic cations and anionic species, gases, explosives, radionuclides and bacteria or the recent biomedical and biological applications is described. Finally, the sensory devices fabricated using smart polymers, including, for example, sensory devices based on Quartz Crystal Microbalances or the use of micro and nanoporous materials as substrates for sensory polymeric coatings is listed and reviewed. The work also details the different detection mechanisms based on the type of response of the sensory polymers, such as electrical, piezoelectric or fluorescence. In brief, the review details a review of the research work published in the last 10 years in this quickly evolving field, with special emphasis in the biomedical and biological applications, which have emerged recently raising great attention. To conclude, some perspectives and future challenges that must be overcome by this research field in the next years is exposed.FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional) and the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) (MAT2017-84501-R