Nitrogen sources on TPOMW valorization through solid state fermentation performed by Yarrowia lipolytica

This manuscript reports the valorization of two-phase olive mill waste (TPOMW) as raw material and carbon source for solid state fermentation using Yarrowia lipolytica as biocatalyst. Due to its chemical characteristics, a combination of different raw materials (TPOMW and wheat bran, WB) was evaluated and two distinct nitrogen sources were applied as supplementation for lipase production. A TPOMW/WB ratio of 1:1 and supplementation with ammonium sulfate was chosen as the best condition. The productivity in 24 h reached 7.8 U/gh and, after four days of process, only decreased about 35%. Process pH ranged from 5.5-5.9, remaining in an acid range. Thus, the successful use of TPOMW, a watery solid by-product with high content of lipids, as raw material for Yarrowia lipolytica growth and lipase production provided an environmental friendly alternative to valorize such waste.The authors kindly acknowledge the financial aid and research scholarships given by CAPES. Maria Alice Zarur Coelho thanks CNPq (Proc. 308890/ 2013-2)

Evolution after Anti-TNF Discontinuation in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multicenter Long-Term Follow-Up Study

OBJECTIVES:The aims of this study were to assess the risk of relapse after discontinuation of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to identify the factors associated with relapse, and to evaluate the overcome after retreatment with the same anti-TNF in those who relapsed.METHODS:This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter study. IBD patients who had been treated with anti-TNFs and in whom these drugs were discontinued after clinical remission was achieved were included.RESULTS:A total of 1, 055 patients were included. The incidence rate of relapse was 19% and 17% per patient-year in Crohn''s disease and ulcerative colitis patients, respectively. In both Crohn''s disease and ulcerative colitis patients in deep remission, the incidence rate of relapse was 19% per patient-year. The treatment with adalimumab vs. infliximab (hazard ratio (HR)=1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.01-1.66), elective discontinuation of anti-TNFs (HR=1.90; 95% CI=1.07-3.37) or discontinuation because of adverse events (HR=2.33; 95% CI=1.27-2.02) vs. a top-down strategy, colonic localization (HR=1.51; 95% CI=1.13-2.02) vs. ileal, and stricturing behavior (HR=1.5; 95% CI=1.09-2.05) vs. inflammatory were associated with a higher risk of relapse in Crohn''s disease patients, whereas treatment with immunomodulators after discontinuation (HR=0.67; 95% CI=0.51-0.87) and age (HR=0.98; 95% CI=0.97-0.99) were protective factors. None of the factors were predictive in ulcerative colitis patients. Retreatment of relapse with the same anti-TNF was effective (80% responded) and safe.CONCLUSIONS:The incidence rate of inflammatory bowel disease relapse after anti-TNF discontinuation is relevant. Some predictive factors of relapse after anti-TNF withdrawal have been identified. Retreatment with the same anti-TNF drug was effective and safe

Unveiling a novel transient druggable pocket in BACE-1 through molecular simulations: conformational analysis and binding mode of multisite inhibitors

The critical role of BACE-1 in the formation of neurotoxic ß-amyloid peptides in the brain makes it an attractive target for an efficacious treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the development of clinically useful BACE-1 inhibitors has proven to be extremely challeng- ing. In this study we examine the binding mode of a novel potent inhibitor (compound 1, with IC50 80 nM) designed by synergistic combination of two fragments—huprine and rhein— that individually are endowed with very low activity against BACE-1. Examination of crystal structures reveals no appropriate binding site large enough to accommodate 1. Therefore we have examined the conformational flexibility of BACE-1 through extended molecular dynamics simulations, paying attention to the highly flexible region shaped by loops 8–14, 154–169 and 307–318. The analysis of the protein dynamics, together with studies of pocket druggability, has allowed us to detect the transient formation of a secondary binding site, which contains Arg307 as a key residue for the interaction with small molecules, at the edge of the catalytic cleft. The formation of this druggable “floppy” pocket would enable the bind- ing of multisite inhibitors targeting both catalytic and secondary sites. Molecular dynamics simulations of BACE-1 bound to huprine-rhein hybrid compounds support the feasibility of this hypothesis. The results provide a basis to explain the high inhibitory potency of the two enantiomeric forms of 1, together with the large dependence on the length of the oligo- methylenic linker. Furthermore, the multisite hypothesis has allowed us to rationalize the inhibitory potency of a series of tacrine-chromene hybrid compounds, specifically regarding the apparent lack of sensitivity of the inhibition constant to the chemical modifications intro- duced in the chromene unit. Overall, these findings pave the way for the exploration of novel functionalities in the design of optimized BACE-1 multisite inhibitors

HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections among Men Who Have Sex with Men Recruited by RDS in Buenos Aires, Argentina: High HIV and HPV Infection

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HIV and other STIs, among MSM from Buenos Aires (2007-2009).Responding Driven Sampling was used for recruitment of MSM. Participants completed a structured web-based survey and provided biological samples.A total of 496 MSM were studied for HIV, HBV, HCV, and T. pallidum infections. Chlamydia and HPV diagnoses were only performed in 98 and 109 participants, respectively. Prevalence of HIV was 17.3%, HBV 22.9%, HCV 7.5%, T. pallidum 20.5%, HPV 83.5%, and C. trachomatis 1.7%. In the year prior to the evaluation, 71% of the participants had had sex with men and/or trans and women (MMW) while 29% had not had sex with women (MM). Comparing MM to MMW, prevalence of HIV (30.7% vs. 11.9%, p<0.001), HBV (36.4% vs. 17.8%, p<0.001), T. pallidum (32.1% vs. 15.7%, p<0.001), and HPV (88.3% vs. 70.4%, p = 0.039) were significantly higher among MM, whereas no significant differences were found for HCV and C. trachomatis. The MM group had also significantly higher HIV incidence (5.60 vs. 4.28 per 100 persons-year, p = 0.032). HPV genotypes 16, 6, and 11 were the most frequently found; 40.7% of the MSM had more than one genotype and one high risk genotype was detected in 43.6% of participants.Both MM and MMW are at high risk of infection for HIV and other STIs. Rates of HIV, HBV, T. pallidum and HPV infections are higher in the MM group

Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)

Dietary α‐Linolenic Acid, Marine ω‐3 Fatty Acids, and Mortality in a Population With High Fish Consumption: Findings From the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Study

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests a cardioprotective role of α‐linolenic acid (ALA), a plant‐derived ω‐3 fatty acid. It is unclear whether ALA is beneficial in a background of high marine ω‐3 fatty acids (long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) intake. In persons at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a country in which fish consumption is customarily high, we investigated whether meeting the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommendation for dietary ALA (0.7% of total energy) at baseline was related to all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. We also examined the effect of meeting the society's recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (≥500 mg/day). Methods and Results: We longitudinally evaluated 7202 participants in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios. ALA intake correlated to walnut consumption (r=0.94). During a 5.9‐y follow‐up, 431 deaths occurred (104 cardiovascular disease, 55 coronary heart disease, 32 sudden cardiac death, 25 stroke). The hazard ratios for meeting ALA recommendation (n=1615, 22.4%) were 0.72 (95% CI 0.56–0.92) for all‐cause mortality and 0.95 (95% CI 0.58–1.57) for fatal cardiovascular disease. The hazard ratios for meeting the recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n=5452, 75.7%) were 0.84 (95% CI 0.67–1.05) for all‐cause mortality, 0.61 (95% CI 0.39–0.96) for fatal cardiovascular disease, 0.54 (95% CI 0.29–0.99) for fatal coronary heart disease, and 0.49 (95% CI 0.22–1.01) for sudden cardiac death. The highest reduction in all‐cause mortality occurred in participants meeting both recommendations (hazard ratio 0.63 [95% CI 0.45–0.87]). Conclusions: In participants without prior cardiovascular disease and high fish consumption, dietary ALA, supplied mainly by walnuts and olive oil, relates inversely to all‐cause mortality, whereas protection from cardiac mortality is limited to fish‐derived long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.Controlled-trials.com/. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639

Situación actual de la nutrición clínica en la red de hospitales públicos de Castilla y León Current status of clinical nutrition at the network of public hospitals from Castilla y León

Introducción: La nutrición clínica se ha ido implantando paulatinamente en los diferentes Centros de Atención Sanitaria a nivel nacional siguiendo la experiencia de otros países como Francia, Canadá, Gran Bretaña, y Estados Unidos. Por tanto nos planteamos en nuestro trabajo determinar la situación funcional y recursos de las Unidades de Nutrición de los Hospitales de la red pública(SACYL) de la Comunidad de Castilla y León. Material y métodos: Se realizó una encuesta (fig. 1), remitida a todos los Hospitales de la red pública de la Comunidad de Castilla y León (SACYL). La encuesta fue remitida a los Hospitales de nuestra Comunidad; Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, Hospital Clinico Universitario, Hospital Comarcal de Medina del Campo, Hospital General Yagüe-Divino Vallés (Burgos), Complejo Hospitalario de León, Hospital General de Segovia, Hospital Virgen de Sonsoles de Ávila, Hospital Virgen de la Concha de Zamora, Hospital Comarcal de Aranda de Duero, Hospital Comarcal de Miranda, Hospital General de Soria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca. Resultados: Del total de 12 Hospitales encuestados contestaron nueve, realizándose el estudio con estos Centros y considerando representativa la muestra al suponer un 75% de los encuestados. Un total de 5 Hospitales reconocía disponer de una Unidad de Nutrición clínica estructurada(55,6%). Los resultados muestran una media de 0,37&plusmn; 0,55 especialista por cada 400 camas, 0,87 &plusmn; 0,63 enfermera por cada 400 camas y 1,91 &plusmn; 2,3 auxiliar por cada 400 camas, con una media de 0,21 &plusmn; 0,41 especialista por 100.000 habitantes, 0,49 &plusmn; 0,36 enfermera por 100.000 habitantes y 1,09 &plusmn; 1,2 auxiliares por 100.000 habitantes La actividad asistencial de estas Unidades se ve reflejada a modo de interconsulta desde otras Unidades o Servicios, recibiendo una media de 3,2 &plusmn; 3,4 interconsultas/día. La principal patología que motiva la realización de una interconsulta a una Unidad de Nutrición es en el 33,3% de los Centros patología tumoral, en el 55,6% cirugía programada y en el 11,1% patología neurológica. Siendo la principal intervención la utilización de un suplemento. Solo 3 centros (33,3%) tienen estructurada una consulta monográfica de nutrición. Estos 3 centros presentan un programa de seguimiento de nutrición artificial domiciliaria, siendo la patología que con más frecuencia motiva la inclusión de un paciente en el programa de nutrición artificial domiciliaria es la patología postquirúrgica(33,3%) y patología tumoral (33,3%), en segundo lugar la patología neurológica (22%) y por último patología inflamatoria digestiva (11%). Conclusión: La dotación de recursos estructurales y humanos en las Unidades de Castilla y León son escasos.No obstante la actividad asistencial a nivel hospitalario e intrahospitalario, presenta un perfil similar al de otras áreas de nuestro entorno. Son necesarios esfuerzos por parte de la Administración para poder seguir las recomendaciones del Consejo Europeo.Introduction: Clinical nutrition is an activity realized in most of Health Centres of France, Canada, Great Britain and USA. The aim of our work was to determine activity and resources of Nutrition Units of Hospitals in the Community of Castilla y León. Material and methods: A questionnaire was send to all Hospitals of Castilla y León (SACYL); Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, Hospital Clínico Universitario,Hospital Comarcal de Medina del Campo, Hospital General Yagüe-Divino Vallés (Burgos), Complejo Hospitalario de León, Hospital General de Segovia, Hospital Virgen de Sonsoles de Ávila, Hospital Virgen de la Concha de Zamora, Hospital Comarcal de Aranda de Duero, Hospital Comarcal de Miranda, Hospital General de Soria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca. Results: Nine Centres responded questionnaire (75%).A total of 5 Hospitals had a Unit of Nutrition (55.6%). The results showed an average of 0.37 &plusmn; 0.55 specialists for each 400 beds, 0.87 &plusmn; 0.63 nurses for each 400 beds and 1.91 &plusmn; 2.3 auxiliaries for each 400 beds, with an average of 0.21 &plusmn; 0.41 specialists for each 100,000 habitants, 0.49 &plusmn; 0.36 nurses for each 100,000 habitants and 1.09 &plusmn; 1.2 auxiliaries for each 100,000 habitants. The activity of these Units is demanded by other Units,with an average of 3.2 &plusmn; 3.4 consultations per day. The main diseases of this activity were 33.3% tumoral pathology, 55.6% surgery and 11.1% neurological pathology.Oral supplements were the first intervention tool. Only 3 Centres had a home artificial nutrition consultation. The main diseases of this activity were post surgical patients (33,3%), tumoral pathology (33,3%), neurological pathology (22%) and inflammatory bowel disease (11%). Conclusion: Resources in Units of Nutrition of Castilla y Leon were limited. However, activity in Hospital an in home is equal than other areas. New actions of Local Administration are necessaries to follow recommendations of Council of Europe

Non-porous carbonaceous materials derived from coffee waste grounds as highly sustainable anodes for lithium-ion batteries

A carbonaceous material with desirable properties for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) was successfully obtained using a low cost and eco-environmental approach based on the mechanochemical dry milling of spent coffee grounds (SCG) followed by further carbonization at 800 °C. The spent coffee grounds derived carbon material (C-SCG) was employed as anodic material delivering a specific capacity of 360 mAh g−1 in the second cycle at current density of 0.1 A g−1. Additionally, the C-SCG material exhibited a competitive anode performance with a reversible capacity of 285 mAh g−1 and a remarkable coulombic efficiency nearly to 100% from the 2nd cycle. The resulting LIBs showed remarkable capacities retention over 100 cycles with a decay rate per cycle of 0.23%. This work contributes to the development of eco-environmental batteries using low-cost materials as a promising solution for increasing energy storage demands. © 2018 Elsevier Lt