In Vitro Mutagenic and Genotoxic Assessment of a Mixture of the Cyanotoxins Microcystin-LR and Cylindrospermopsin

The co-occurrence of various cyanobacterial toxins can potentially induce toxic effects different than those observed for single cyanotoxins, as interaction phenomena cannot be discarded. Moreover, mixtures are a more probable exposure scenario. However, toxicological information on the topic is still scarce. Taking into account the important role of mutagenicity and genotoxicity in the risk evaluation framework, the objective of this study was to assess the mutagenic and genotoxic potential of mixtures of two of the most relevant cyanotoxins, Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and Cylindrospermopsin (CYN), using the battery of in vitro tests recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food contaminants. Mixtures of 1:10 CYN/MC-LR (CYN concentration in the range 0.04-2.5 µg/mL) were used to perform the bacterial reverse-mutation assay (Ames test) in Salmonella typhimurium, the mammalian cell micronucleus (MN) test and the mouse lymphoma thymidine-kinase assay (MLA) on L5178YTk± cells, while Caco-2 cells were used for the standard and enzyme-modified comet assays. The exposure periods ranged between 4 and 72 h depending on the assay. The genotoxicity of the mixture was observed only in the MN test with S9 metabolic fraction, similar to the results previously reported for CYN individually. These results indicate that cyanobacterial mixtures require a specific (geno)toxicity evaluation as their effects cannot be extrapolated from those of the individual cyanotoxins.España Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AGL2015-64558-

Concessão do monopólio de jogos de apostas e de azar em Valle del Cauca

A Beneficência de Valle del Cauca (Colômbia) contratou, junto com o CIENFI da Universidade Icesi, uma consultoria que serviria como base para a licitação pela concessão das apostas permanentes em cinco zonas de Valle del Cauca. Um dos resultados fundamentais do estudo seria a projeção das vendas brutas, que se baseia, entre outras coisas, em uma medida de tendência central de investimento em chance por pessoa nesse ano. No caso apresentam informações relevantes para a tomada de decisão sobre a medida de tendência central adequada para a projeção de vendas de chance e, portanto, do valor da concessão.

Perspectivas de futuro y propuestas de recursos terapéuticos para adictos de edad avanzada

Objetivos: detectar las principales necesidades y carencias en las diferentes áreas vitales, -sanitarias, formativas, laborables, etc.- de este colectivo, para poder desarrollar estrategias de tratamiento que permitan dar respuesta a las mismas, proponiendo para ello el diseño de recursos terapéuticos potencialmente capaces de cubrir esas demandas. Material y métodos: estudio descriptivo realizado en el Cad de San Blas con una muestra de 103 pacientes adictos de edad superior a los 50 años. Se utilizaron como fuente de datos las historias clínicas, estudiando una serie de variables de diverso tipo, lo que nos permitió detectar las necesidades del colectivo a estudio y consiguientemente hacer las propuestas de recursos terapéuticos. Resultados: los resultados obtenidos una vez analizadas las variables a estudio ponen de manifiesto que en este grupo de adictos de edad avanzada se observa una alta prevalencia de patología orgánica y psíquica, elevada prevalencia de politoxicomanía, desocupación laboral importante, desestructuración y carencia de apoyo familiar, baja cualificación laboral y académica, economía deficitaria, etc. En función de estos datos se plantean las necesidades y alternativas de tratamiento. Conclusiones: la población adicta mayor de 50 años deberá de tenerse en cuenta para el diseño de estrategias de futuro. Este grupo de personas presentan una especial vulnerabilidad y desprotección personal. Los futuros recursos deberán de tener una temporalidad diferente y una adecuada coordinación

Integración espacial del mercado de la carne en las tres principales ciudades de Colombia : evidencia de las series de precios

En este documento se presenta un estudio sobre la integración espacial de los mercados de carne de res y cerdo, con y sin hueso, pollo despresado y pollo entero, de Bogotá, Medellín y Cali, a partir de datos mensuales entre enero de 1999 y mayo de 2007. Se emplean la prueba de cointegración de Johansen y la prueba no paramétrica de cointegración de Breitung para determinar la relación de largo plazo de los precios de cada calidad de carne entre las tres ciudades. Las dos pruebas brindan evidencia a favor de la no existencia de integración espacial en ninguno de los seis mercados estudiados. En conclusión, no existe un mecanismo económico que permita que desequilibrios regionales sean compensados por las fuerzas del mercado, de tal manera que los precios actúen como una señal eficiente para la reasignación del producto.gráficos, tablas.Incluye referencias bibliográficas (páginas 20-22)

Toxic Effects Produced by Anatoxin-a under Laboratory Conditions: A Review

The presence of cyanotoxins and its bioaccumulation in the food chain is an increasingly common problem worldwide. Despite the toxic effects produced by Anatoxin-a (ATX-a), this neurotoxin has been less studied compared to microcystins (MCs) and cylindrospermopsin (CYN). Studies conducted under laboratory conditions are of particular interest because these provide information which are directly related to the effects produced by the toxin. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) considers the ATX-a toxicological database inadequate to support the publication of a formal guideline reference value. Therefore, the aim of the present work is to compile all of the in vitro and in vivo toxicological studies performed so far and to identify potential data gaps. Results show that the number of reports is increasing in recent years. However, more in vitro studies are needed, mainly in standardized neuronal cell lines. Regarding in vivo studies, very few of them reflect conditions occurring in nature and further studies with longer periods of oral exposure would be of interest. Moreover, additional toxicological aspects of great interest such as mutagenicity, genotoxicity, immunotoxicity and alteration of hormonal balance need to be studied in depth.España Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2019-104890RBI00/AEI/10.13039/50110001103

Interés de la elaboración de vídeos didácticos como material de prácticas en la asignatura de "Seguridad Química"

El presente trabajo tiene por objeto presentar el proceso seguido en la elaboración de una serie videográfica constituida por tres videos didácticos, que abordan los aspectos fundamentales de los riesgos derivados de la exposición a sustancias químicas y agentes biológicos en un labo - ratorio universitario. dicho material didáctico innovador, se utilizará en los seminarios teóricos de la asignatura seguridad Química, impartida por los profesores del área de toxicología de la universidad de sevilla. los objetivos fundamentales de dichos videos han sido despertar el mayor interés posible y favorecer la asimilación de conceptos básicos en el alumnado de dicha asignatura, haciendo especial hincapié en la correcta y segura manipulación, el adecuado almacenamiento y la correcta eliminación de las sustancias, contribuyendo en definitiva a la prevención de los riesgos derivados de su exposición.The present work aims to illustrate the process followed to elaborate a set of three didactic illustrate the process followed to elaborate a set of three didactic videos, which shows the main aspects of derived risks from the exposure to the chemical substances and biological agents present in a university laboratory. this innovator didactic material will be used in the subject “chemical security” seminaries lectured by the professors from toxicology area in the university of seville. the most important aims of these videos have been to implicate the students in their learning, making easier for them to assimilate the basic concepts of the subject, such as the correct and secure way of manipulate the chemical substances, its appropriate storage and its suitable elimination, contributing to the prevention of the risks derived from their exposure

New Method for Simultaneous Determination of Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin in Vegetable Matrices by SPE-UPLC-MS/MS

Cyanotoxins are a large group of noxious metabolites with different chemical structure and mechanisms of action, with a worldwide distribution, producing effects in animals, humans, and crop plants. When cyanotoxin-contaminated waters are used for the irrigation of edible vegetables, humans can be in contact with these toxins through the food chain. In this work, a method for the simultaneous detection of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), Microcystin-RR (MC-RR), Microcystin-YR (MC-YR), and Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) in lettuce has been optimized and validated, using a dual solid phase extraction (SPE) system for toxin extraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for analysis. Results showed linear ranges (5–50 ng g−1 f.w.), low values for limit of detection (LOD) (0.06–0.42 ng g−1 f.w.), and limit of quantification (LOQ) (0.16–0.91 ng g−1 f.w.), acceptable recoveries (41–93%), and %RSDIP values for the four toxins. The method proved to be robust for the three variables tested. Finally, it was successfully applied to detect these cyanotoxins in edible vegetables exposed to cyanobacterial extracts under laboratory conditions, and it could be useful for monitoring these toxins in edible vegetables for better exposure estimation in terms of risk assessment.España MINECO AGL2015-64558-

Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis CECT 7210 Reduces Inflammatory Cytokine Secretion in Caco-2 Cells Cultured in the Presence of Escherichia coli CECT 515

Previous works have described the activity of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis CECT 7210 (also commercially named B. infantis IM-1®) against rotavirus in mice and intestinal pathogens in piglets, as well as its diarrhea-reducing effect on healthy term infants. In the present work, we focused on the intestinal immunomodulatory effects of B. infantis IM-1® and for this purpose we used the epithelial cell line isolated from colorectal adenocarcinoma Caco-2 and a co-culture system of human dendritic cells (DCs) from peripheral blood together with Caco-2 cells. Single Caco-2 cultures and Caco-2: DC co-cultures were incubated with B. infantis IM-1® or its supernatant either in the presence or absence of Escherichia coli CECT 515. The B. infantis IM-1® supernatant exerted a protective effect against the cytotoxicity caused by Escherichia coli CECT 515 on single cultures of Caco-2 cells as viability reached the values of untreated cells. B. infantis IM-1® and its supernatant also decreased the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by Caco-2 cells and the co-cultures incubated in the presence of E. coli CECT 515, with the response being more modest in the latter, which suggests that DCs modulate the activity of Caco-2 cells. Overall, the results obtained point to the immunomodulatory activity of this probiotic strain, which might underlie its previously reported beneficial effects.Laboratorios Ordesa, S. L.Center for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (TOLERA project) 2017087

Influence of cooking (microwaving and broiling) on cylindrospermopsin concentration in muscle of nile tilapia (oreochromis niloticus) and characterization of decomposition products

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) has become increasingly important as a freshwater algal toxin, showing cytotoxic effects. This toxin is able to bioaccumulate in freshwater food webs, representing a serious human health problem. Normally, fish is cooked before consumption, and CYN concentration can be altered. For the first time, the effects of microwaving and broiling for 1 and 2 min on CYN concentration and its decomposition products in fish muscle (Oreochromis niloticus) contaminated in the laboratory were investigated, using UPLC-MS/MS and Orbitrap. The results show that cooking the fish reduced unconjugated CYN levels by 11, 10 and 15% after microwaving for 1 and 2 min, and broiling for 2 min, respectively, compared to control fish. Different CYN decomposition products with m/z 416.1234 (7-epi-CYN) and m/z 336.16663 (diasteroisomers C-3A, C-3C, C-3D, C-3E, C-3F) are generated in fish samples submitted to cooking. Based on the relative abundance of the decomposition products, the possible degradation pathways taking place by microwaving may be through the formation of 7-epi-CYN and m/z 336.16663 compounds, whereas in the case of broiling the last route is the only one observed in this study. The influence of cooking and the toxicity characterization of the degradation products generated in CYN-contaminated fish are of importance for more realistic risk evaluation related to their consumption