Nutraceutical profiles of apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) as a source of fruit quality traits for breeding

Aim of study: In a social context of increasing concern about healthy diets, the development of new varieties with enhanced content in nutraceutical compounds is an important objective of the fruit breeding programs currently developed. In this sense, apricot is a fruit crop very appreciated by consumers worldwide due to its organoleptic characteristics, but also plays an important role in human nutrition due to its content of phytocompounds as sugars, organic acids, vitamins and polyphenols. Area of study: The identification of sources of variation for these traits could be useful for apricot breeding worldwide. Material and methods: New selections from the apricot breeding program carried out at the Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA, Spain) and traditional varieties have been analysed aimed at identifying sources of genetic variation for fruit quality. For this purpose, sugar content, organic acids and ascorbic acid were studied during three crop years. Main results: Results revealed sucrose and glucose as the major sugars, malic and citric acid as the main organic acids, and diverse ascorbic acid content among the cultivars studied. Research highlights: Some accessions point as potential sources to increase fruit quality. In addition, the study showed that apricot peel is an excellent source of nutraceutical compounds. Moreover, this study opens up new possibilities to study the genetic control of these traits in apricot in the future

Retail concentration in spanish seafood industry.

The seafood production sector in Spain is adapting to face the challenges of increasing retail market concentration. Supermarket chains and other retailers are imposing various requirements on suppliers. In a review of government data on seafood sales and prices, the authors found the salmon sector is totally involved in retail concentration. Seabass and sea bream are between identification as products of mass consumption or niche products. Trout and turbot are more traditional species not affected by competition across retail outlets

Influence of Gamma Irradiation on Seedless Citrus Production: Pollen Germination and Fruit Quality

Seedlessness is a desirable characteristic in citrus fruits sold for fresh consumption. Gamma irradiation is widely used to obtain seedless citrus fruits. Here, different clones of the self-incompatible parthenocarpic ‘Moncada’ mandarin, obtained by gamma irradiation, were studied to assess seedlessness, pollen germination, fruit characteristics and qua- lity attributes. Findings indicate that irradiation altered aspects other than seedlessness, such as pollen germination, and some of the clones presented different weight, size, acidity and maturity index. Fruit quality and nutritional bio- components were affected differently; some clones presented no changes compared to the control ‘Moncada’ man-darin, while other clones showed significant differences. In general, all clones examined presented low seed numbers and re- duced pollen viability. Some of these clones, which ripen late in the season and whose fruit quality is maintained or improved, are in the process of registration

La ética del rendimiento en el deporte contemporáneo: una aproximación teórica al proceso de deportivización social

Enmarcado en algunos de los principales postulados de la Teoría Crítica del Deporte, el presente trabajo tiene dos objetivos. El primero, mostrar cronológicamente el proceso expansivo de la ética del rendimiento extremo, catapultada por el carácter mediático del deporte de competición. El segundo, explorar la relación entre las expectativas económicas generadas por los grandes acontecimientos deportivos y el aumento de enfermedades psicológicas entre los deportistas de alto nivel. El artículo está organizado en tres apartados. Los dos primeros describen el papel del deporte como transmisor privilegiado de valores guiados por la lógica del rendimiento y la individualización, en todas las esferas de influencia social. La última sección ofrece un breve análisis económico del deporte en España para ilustrar el impacto del deporte espectáculo y la influencia de la publicidad en la salud física y emocional de los deportistas

Cost effectiveness of treatments of psoriasis with a PASI 75 and one period of 12 weeks

Fundamentos: Los nuevos tratamientos biológicos, si bien mejoran la calidad de vida del paciente, incrementan los costes exponencialmente en relación al resto de tratamientos. El objetivo fue calcular el tratamiento más coste efectivo de los existentes para la psoriasis. Métodos: Se desarrolló un modelo de evaluación económica en psoriasis recogiendo todos los costes directos e indirectos de cada tratamiento. El indicador de efectividad que se utilizó fue Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI 75), que es el aceptable de manera general en estudios de psoriasis. Posteriormente se realizó un análisis de incremento coste efectividad (ICER) para el periodo de 12 semanas y PASI 75, ordenando los tratamientos por nivel de efectividad en detrimento de los costes de los tratamientos. Resultados: El tratamiento más coste efectivo fue el metotrexato (ICER -7,5) seguido de acitretina (ICER 29,5). El menos coste efectivo resultó ser PUVA (ICER 4.651) seguido de UVB de banda estrecha (2.886,1). Conclusiones: Aunque el tratamiento más económico teniendo en cuenta solo los costes directos sería el UVBbe, al incluir los costes indirectos y ajustarlos por la efectividad el tratamiento más coste efectivo es el metotexatoBackground: The objective was to evaluate the efficiency (relation between the cost and the results in health) of the treatments in psoriasis, seeking a higher quality of economic evaluations, consistency and transparency in these studies. Methods: We developed a model of economic evaluation in psoriasis collecting all the many direct and indirect costs of each treatment. The effectiveness indicator used was Psoriasis Area Severity Index [PASI 75] which is generally acceptable in studies of psoriasis. The effectiveness indicator was a PASI 75. Subsequently we calculated the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) for the period of 12 weeks and PASI 75, ordering treatments by level of effectiveness at the expense of treatment costs. Results: The most cost effective treatment was methotrexate (ICER -7.5) followed by acitretin (ICER 29.5). The least cost has proved effective PUVA (ICER 4,651), followed by UVB narrow band (2,886.1). Conclusions: When taking into account both direct and indirect costs together with efficiency, methotrexate is the most cost effective treatmen

Tucumanin, a β-hydroxy-γ-lactone bistetrahydrofuranic acetogenin from Annona cherimolia, is a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I

A new β-hydroxy-γ-methyl-γ-lactone bistetrahydrofuranic acetogenin, tucumanin, with the infrequent symmetrical threo/trans/threo/trans/ threo relative configuration at the tetrahydrofuran rings was isolated from Annona cherimolia (Annonaceae) seeds. The inhibitory potency on the mitochondrial complex I of acetogenins with this relative configuration (tucumanin and asimicin) was compared with that shown by the corresponding pairs with an asymmetrical threo/trans/threo/trans/erythro relative configuration (laherradurin/rolliniastatin-2, and itrabin/molvizarin). All these compounds act as selective inhibitors of mitochondrial complex 1 in the 0.18 - 1.55 nM range.Fil: Barrachina, Isabel. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Neske, Adriana. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Granell, Susana. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Bermejo, Almudena. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Chahboune, Nadia. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: El Aouad, Noureddine. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Alvarez, Olga. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Bardon, Alicia del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Zafra Polo, M. Carmen. Universidad de Valencia; Españ