Physicochemical characteristics of the coconut pulp (Acrocomia aculeata) for use as support of proteins and metal material.

"The fruit of the Acrocomia aculeata, native palm tree typical of the tropical region, is exploited mainly for the manufacture of oils and animal consumption. This study was aimed to determine the physicochemical characteristics of the residue of the Acrocomia aculeata coconut pulp in order to apply it in the development of new materials that can retain metals and proteins like as enzymes"CONACYT - Consejo Nacional de Ciencias y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Polvo insoluble de pulpa de coco (Acrocomia aculeata) como biocatalizador

El fruto de Acrocomia aculeata (coco) se usa para obtener aceites que puedan extraerse de la pulpa y almendra. La extracción del aceite de pulpa es un proceso que se realiza por prensado quedando restos que finalmente se desechan. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar las propiedades biocatalíticas y fisicoquímicas del desecho de la pulpa de coco para aplicarlo bajo condiciones solida e insoluble como biocatalizador heterogéneo. Para ello se obtuvo un polvo insoluble de pulpa de coco siguiendo un proceso de obtención no convencional. Se determinó las propiedades fisicoquímicas mediante métodos estandarizados de análisis y se evaluó la actividad lipasa “per se” de este polvo insoluble comparándolo con la actividad de lipasas inmovilizadas comerciales en la reacción de hidrolisis de una emulsión (O/W) 0,5% de Tween 80 (polioxietileno sorbitan monooleato). Paralelamente se evaluó la actividad lipasa de la pulpa de coco en forma de extracto soluble. Como resultado se observó que el polvo de pulpa de coco obtenido por el método no convencional presento menor contenido de humedad y de acidez que el obtenido por el método tradicional. El polvo de pulpa de coco obtenido y tratado con alcoholes con grado decreciente de polaridad resulto ser biocatalítico “per se” obteniéndose actividad comparable con las lipasas comerciales evaluadas. La actividad en los extractos crudos solubles fue menor a la del polvo insoluble de pulpa. La actividad biocatalítica “per se” del polvo de pulpa de coco podría aplicarse a procesos biocatalíticos para reducir costos y en sistemas no convencionales.CONACYT - Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Análisis de la morfología de la cabra mestiza de la subprovincia fisiográfica Volcanes de Colima, México

            The aim of this study was to characterize the morphology of the creole goat of the Volcanes de Colima physiographic sub-province, Mexico. Seventeen body measurements were taken from 371 goats older than two years and four racial indices and 17 functional indices were calculated. Data were analysed using Pearson correlation, principal component, and hierarchical cluster analysis. The rump angle, chest width and all measurements of the ears and udder showed the greatest variability. Also, the goats showed great morpho-structural harmony. Racial indices showed that goats are dolichocephalic, ellipometric, and have a convex rump, while functional indices indicated dual-purpose zootechnical aptitude. Four principal components explained 84.5% of the variation of body measurements. Rump angle, hearth girth, body length and ear length presented the highest weighting coefficients in PC1, PC2, PC3 and PC4, respectively. The hierarchical cluster analysis classified the goats into four groups: group 1 has the lower rump angle, suitable for milk production; groups 2 and 3 with a phenotype tending to dual purpose, being able to focus on the production of meat or milk; and group 4 with a phenotype predisposed to meat production.            El objetivo del presente estudio fue caracterizar la morfología de la cabra mestiza de la subprovincia fisiográfica Volcanes de Colima, México. Se tomaron 17 medidas corporales a 371 cabras mayores de dos años y se calcularon cuatro índices raciales y 17 índices funcionales. Los datos fueron analizados usando análisis de correlación de Pearson, de componentes principales y de conglomerados jerárquicos. El ángulo de caída de grupa, la anchura de pecho y todas las medidas de las orejas y la ubre fueron las que mostraron la mayor variabilidad. Asimismo, las cabras mostraron una gran armonía morfoestructural. Los índices raciales mostraron que las cabras son dolicocéfalas, elipométricas y tienen una grupa convexa, mientras que los índices funcionales indicaron una aptitud zootécnica de doble propósito. Cuatro componentes principales explicaron el 84.5% de la variación entre las medidas corporales de las cabras. El ángulo de caída de la grupa, el perímetro torácico, la longitud corporal y la longitud de oreja presentaron los mayores coeficientes para los componentes CP1, CP2, CP3 y CP4 respectivamente. El análisis de conglomerados jerárquicos clasificó a los animales en cuatro grupos: grupo 1 conformado por cabras con un menor ángulo de caída de grupa, apropiado para la producción de leche; grupos 2 y 3 con fenotipo tendiente al doble propósito, pudiendo orientarse a la producción de carne o leche; y grupo 4 con fenotipo con predisposición a la producción de carne

Towards precision medicine: defining and characterizing adipose tissue dysfunction to identify early immunometabolic risk in symptom-free adults from the GEMM family study

Interactions between macrophages and adipocytes are early molecular factors influencing adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction, resulting in high leptin, low adiponectin circulating levels and low-grade metaflammation, leading to insulin resistance (IR) with increased cardiovascular risk. We report the characterization of AT dysfunction through measurements of the adiponectin/leptin ratio (ALR), the adipo-insulin resistance index (Adipo-IRi), fasting/postprandial (F/P) immunometabolic phenotyping and direct F/P differential gene expression in AT biopsies obtained from symptom-free adults from the GEMM family study. AT dysfunction was evaluated through associations of the ALR with F/P insulin-glucose axis, lipid-lipoprotein metabolism, and inflammatory markers. A relevant pattern of negative associations between decreased ALR and markers of systemic low-grade metaflammation, HOMA, and postprandial cardiovascular risk hyperinsulinemic, triglyceride and GLP-1 curves was found. We also analysed their plasma non-coding microRNAs and shotgun lipidomics profiles finding trends that may reflect a pattern of adipose tissue dysfunction in the fed and fasted state. Direct gene differential expression data showed initial patterns of AT molecular signatures of key immunometabolic genes involved in AT expansion, angiogenic remodelling and immune cell migration. These data reinforce the central, early role of AT dysfunction at the molecular and systemic level in the pathogenesis of IR and immunometabolic disorders

Effects of alirocumab on types of myocardial infarction: insights from the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial

Aims  The third Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (MI) Task Force classified MIs into five types: Type 1, spontaneous; Type 2, related to oxygen supply/demand imbalance; Type 3, fatal without ascertainment of cardiac biomarkers; Type 4, related to percutaneous coronary intervention; and Type 5, related to coronary artery bypass surgery. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction with statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors reduces risk of MI, but less is known about effects on types of MI. ODYSSEY OUTCOMES compared the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab with placebo in 18 924 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and elevated LDL-C (≥1.8 mmol/L) despite intensive statin therapy. In a pre-specified analysis, we assessed the effects of alirocumab on types of MI. Methods and results  Median follow-up was 2.8 years. Myocardial infarction types were prospectively adjudicated and classified. Of 1860 total MIs, 1223 (65.8%) were adjudicated as Type 1, 386 (20.8%) as Type 2, and 244 (13.1%) as Type 4. Few events were Type 3 (n = 2) or Type 5 (n = 5). Alirocumab reduced first MIs [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77–0.95; P = 0.003], with reductions in both Type 1 (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99; P = 0.032) and Type 2 (0.77, 0.61–0.97; P = 0.025), but not Type 4 MI. Conclusion  After ACS, alirocumab added to intensive statin therapy favourably impacted on Type 1 and 2 MIs. The data indicate for the first time that a lipid-lowering therapy can attenuate the risk of Type 2 MI. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction below levels achievable with statins is an effective preventive strategy for both MI types.For complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz299</p

Effect of alirocumab on mortality after acute coronary syndromes. An analysis of the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES randomized clinical trial

Background: Previous trials of PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9) inhibitors demonstrated reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events, but not death. We assessed the effects of alirocumab on death after index acute coronary syndrome. Methods: ODYSSEY OUTCOMES (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab) was a double-blind, randomized comparison of alirocumab or placebo in 18 924 patients who had an ACS 1 to 12 months previously and elevated atherogenic lipoproteins despite intensive statin therapy. Alirocumab dose was blindly titrated to target achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) between 25 and 50 mg/dL. We examined the effects of treatment on all-cause death and its components, cardiovascular and noncardiovascular death, with log-rank testing. Joint semiparametric models tested associations between nonfatal cardiovascular events and cardiovascular or noncardiovascular death. Results: Median follow-up was 2.8 years. Death occurred in 334 (3.5%) and 392 (4.1%) patients, respectively, in the alirocumab and placebo groups (hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.98; P=0.03, nominal P value). This resulted from nonsignificantly fewer cardiovascular (240 [2.5%] vs 271 [2.9%]; HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.05; P=0.15) and noncardiovascular (94 [1.0%] vs 121 [1.3%]; HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.59 to 1.01; P=0.06) deaths with alirocumab. In a prespecified analysis of 8242 patients eligible for ≥3 years follow-up, alirocumab reduced death (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.94; P=0.01). Patients with nonfatal cardiovascular events were at increased risk for cardiovascular and noncardiovascular deaths (P<0.0001 for the associations). Alirocumab reduced total nonfatal cardiovascular events (P<0.001) and thereby may have attenuated the number of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular deaths. A post hoc analysis found that, compared to patients with lower LDL-C, patients with baseline LDL-C ≥100 mg/dL (2.59 mmol/L) had a greater absolute risk of death and a larger mortality benefit from alirocumab (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.90; Pinteraction=0.007). In the alirocumab group, all-cause death declined wit h achieved LDL-C at 4 months of treatment, to a level of approximately 30 mg/dL (adjusted P=0.017 for linear trend). Conclusions: Alirocumab added to intensive statin therapy has the potential to reduce death after acute coronary syndrome, particularly if treatment is maintained for ≥3 years, if baseline LDL-C is ≥100 mg/dL, or if achieved LDL-C is low. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01663402