Volatile compounds of Morinda royoc L. fruit at two ripening stages

Morinda royoc L. (Rubiaceae), commonly known in Cuba as garañón, piñipiñi or piña ratón arbusto, is a plant typically found in coastal hammocks with medicinal properties. Application of headspace-solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze, for the first time, the volatile compounds of Morinda royoc L. fruits at to ripening stages. A fiber of polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) was used for the extraction. The analyses led to the identification of 137 compounds, including 42 esters, 22 acids, 17 alcohols, 14 ketones, 14 terpenes, 9 aldehydes, 9 sulfur-compounds, 4 lactones, 3 phenols and derivatives, 3 paraffins and a nitrogen-compound. Qualitative and quantitatively, acids were a major chemical class of compounds in both maturity stages, mainly in the ripe stage. Although some compounds remain without changes in both ripening stages, the composition of certain volatile compounds clearly differs in both stages. The over-ripe fruit showed significantly higher amounts of 3-methyl-3-butenyl butanoate, 3-methyl-3-butenyl hexanoate and 3-methyl-3-butenyl octanoate, while 3-methyl-3-butenyl acetate, benzyl acetate and benzyl butanoate significantly decreased. The content of butanoic acid and 2-methylbutanoic acid increased from mature to over-ripe stage, while the major part of the other acids decreased during maturation

Tumores óseos de la pelvis

Se presenta la experiencia del Servicio de Ortopedia del Adulto del Hospital «Ramón y Cajal», en neoplasias de la pelvis, desde su creación hasta la actualidad, siendo 61 los pacientes recogidos y no se hace un trabajo estadístico, sino más bien se muestran las peculiaridades recogidas con la experiencia, que abarca desde la abstención en algunos casos de tumores secundarios, y el simple curetage hasta las grandes sustituciones con homoinjertos de banco, relacionándolo a su vez con publicaciones de aparición más o menos moderna sobre este tema, para concluir que se trata de una cirugía no exenta de complicaciones y problemas, pero necesaria a la hora de proporcionar a los enfermos curaciones, que le ofrezcan una salida a este difícil problema.The experience of Adult Orthopaedics Unit at the Hospital «Ramón y Cajal», Madrid, treating patients with malignant tumors of the pelvic bons is presented. In this paper, the results after surgery are not reported in terms of statistical analysis. The aún of this work is to comment the surgical experience covering from simple curettage to great bone replacement using bank allografts. The message is that surgical treatment of pelvic tumors is not exent of complications, but it seems to be worth in order to offer a better quality of Ufe for patients

Sustained high serum caspase-3 concentrations and mortality in septic patients

Caspase-3 is the main executor of the apoptotic process. Higher serum caspase-3 concentrations in non-survivor compared to survivor septic patients have been found. The objectives of this work (with the increase of sample size to 308 patients, and the determination of serum caspase-3 concentrations also on days 4 and 8 of diagnosis of severe sepsis) were to know whether an association between serum caspase-3 concentrationss during the first week, degree of apoptosis, sepsis severity, and sepsis mortality exists. We collected serum samples of 308 patients with severe sepsis from eight intensive care units on days 1, 4 and 8 to measure concentrations of caspase-3 and caspase-cleaved cytokeratin (CCCK)-18 (to assess degree of apoptosis). End point was 30-day mortality. We found higher serum concentrations of caspase-3 and CCCK-18 in non-survivors compared to survivors on days 1 (p < 0.001), 4 (p < 0.001), and 8 (p < 0.001). We found an association between serum caspase-3 concentrations on days 1, 4 and 8 of severe sepsis diagnosis and serum CCCK-18 concentrations (p < 0.001), SOFA (p < 0.001), serum acid lactic concentrations (p < 0.001), and 30-day sepsis mortality (p < 0.001). The new findings of this work were that an association between serum caspase-3 concentrations during the first week, apoptosis degree, sepsis severity, and sepsis mortality exists

Exposición de curvas y superficies: una experiencia extraacadémica universitaria

En este artículo se comenta una experiencia extraacadémica realizada por un grupo de alumnos universitarios de Matemáticas, juntamente con su profesor, en el marco de la Semana de las Matemáticas organizada por la Facultad de Matemáticas de Sevilla para conmemorar el Año Mundial de las Matemáticas (Año 2000). La citada experiencia consistió en la realización y montaje de una Exposición de Curvas y Superficies, cuyos objetivos generales, desarrollo y conclusiones finales constituyen la base de este trabajo

Reversible Light-Induced Dimerization of Secondary Face Azobenzene-Functionalized β-Cyclodextrin Derivatives

β-cyclodextrin (βCyD) derivatives equipped with aromatic appendages at the secondary face exhibit tailorable self-assembling capabilities. The aromatic modules can participate in inclusion phenomena and/or aromatic-aromatic interactions. Supramolecular species can thus form that, at their turn, can engage in further co-assembling with third components in a highly regulated manner; the design of nonviral gene delivery systems is an illustrative example. Endowing such systems with stimuli responsiveness while keeping diastereomeric purity and a low synthetic effort is a highly wanted advancement. Here, we show that an azobenzene moiety can be “clicked” to a single secondary O-2 position of βCyD affording 1,2,3-triazole-linked βCyD-azobenzene derivatives that undergo reversible light-controlled self-organization into dimers where the monomer components face their secondary rims. Their photoswitching and supramolecular properties have been thoroughly characterized by UV-vis absorption, induced circular dichroism, nuclear magnetic resonance, and computational techniques. As model processes, the formation of inclusion complexes between a water-soluble triazolylazobenzene derivative and βCyD as well as the assembly of native βCyD/βCyD-azobenzene derivative heterodimers have been investigated in parallel. The stability of the host-guest supramolecules has been challenged against the competitor guest adamantylamine and the decrease of the medium polarity using methanol-water mixtures. The collective data support that the E-configured βCyD-azobenzene derivatives, in aqueous solution, form dimers stabilized by the interplay of aromatic-aromatic and aromatic-βCyD cavity interactions after partial reciprocal inclusion. Photoswitching to the Z-isomer disrupts the dimers into monomeric species, offering opportunity for the spatiotemporal control of the organizational status by light.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2019-105858RB-I00, PID2020-118403GB-I00, PID2020-118384GB-I00, PID2020-119130GB-I00Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional PID2021-124247OB-C21Junta de Andalucía P20_00166, US-1380698, P12-FQM-1467Universidad de Sevilla FPU18/02922, FPU19/0436

Aceptabilidad del ensilaje de la parte aérea de la yuca adicionado con diferentes tipos y cantidades de aditivos en bovinos

The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of the addition of different types and proportions of byproducts and silage additives to the aerial part of cassava on their acceptability silage at different times, involving the sensory variables, chemical composition and acceptability silage. Experimental design was completely randomized with seven types or proportions of additives and four times silage. Treatments were as a witness, the aerial part of cassava supplemented with 2% molasses, common addition in all treatments; Sil-All® (bacterial inoculant); rice bran (15 and 30% inclusive); ground corn cobs (15 and 30% inclusion) and sugar (3% inclusion). The silages added with tusa were largely accepted by the animals, reflected this in greater number and timing of visits and increased consumption. The silages that included bran were the least accepted. The opening of the silo age did not affect (P&gt;0.05) the study variables. The preference of the animals for the ensiled material compared to silage material not confirmed. The acceptability of the ensiled material was related to some quality variables such as pH, ADF, hemicellulose, fat and DISMS.  l objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la influencia de la adición de diferentes tipos y proporciones de subproductos y aditivos al ensilaje de la parte aérea de la yuca sobre su aceptabilidad a diferentes tiempos de ensilado, asociando las variables organolépticas, de composición química y aceptabilidad del ensilaje. Se utilizó un diseño completamente al azar con siete tipos o proporciones de aditivos y cuatro tiempos de ensilado. Los tratamientos fueron: como testigo, la parte aérea de la yuca adicionada con 2% de melaza, adición común en todos los tratamientos; Sil-All® (inoculante bacteriano); salvado de arroz (15 y 30% de inclusión); tusa de maíz molida (15 y 30% de inclusión) y azúcar (3% de inclusión). Los ensilajes adicionados con tusa fueron mayormente aceptados por los animales, reflejado esto en mayor número y tiempo de visitas y un mayor consumo. Los ensilajes que incluyeron salvado fueron los menos aceptados. La edad de abertura del silo no afectó (P&gt;0.05) las variables en estudio. Se confirmó la preferencia de los animales por el material ensilado en comparación al material no ensilado. La aceptabilidad de los materiales ensilados se relacionó con algunas variables de calidad, como pH, FDA, hemicelulosa, grasa y la DISMS

La investigación en Pediatría en España: retos y prioridades. Plataforma INVEST-AEP

La investigación clínica es la piedra angular para el desarrollo de la Medicina, y, en el ámbito de la Pediatría, supone un reto adicional debido a las peculiaridades que diferencian a los niños de los adultos. A pesar del enorme impacto de la salud infantil en el resto de la vida, nuestra sociedad aún no está suficientemente concienciada sobre la importancia de la investigación pediátrica, que, en general, se encuentra también muy alejada del día a día de quienes nos dedicamos a esta profesión. Desde la Asociación Española de Pediatría (AEP) se ha creado una plataforma específica de investigación —INVEST-AEP— para dar respuesta específica a los retos de la investigación en el seno de nuestra sociedad. En este artículo se retrata el escenario actual de la investigación pediátrica en España y se objetivan las metas alcanzadas en los últimos años, gracias al esfuerzo de los pediatras investigadores. Además, se realiza un análisis en profundidad sobre las barreras cotidianas que dificultan el desarrollo amplio y competitivo de la investigación pediátrica, como la falta de incentivación y ausencia de formación específica de pre y posgrado, la elevada carga asistencial o la falta de infraestructuras y financiación específicas. Definimos la misión, visión y valores de INVEST-AEP para tratar de diseñar una «hoja de ruta» para la investigación pediátrica española de los próximos años. Research is the cornerstone of medical progress. Paediatric research has its own nuances and represents an additional challenge due to the intrinsic characteristics of the paediatric population compared with adults. Despite the tremendous importance of childhood health and its impact during adulthood, society is still not convinced about the importance of conducting research in paediatrics. This also applies to paediatricians themselves, who think about research as a discipline that does not directly involve them. The Spanish Academy of Paediatrics has developed a specific research platform- INVEST-AEP- to try to help and answer the challenges associated with paediatric research in the society This article reflects the current status of paediatric research in Spain, and the goals achieved over the last few years due to the effort of paediatric researchers. In addition, a deeper analysis is provided as regards: a) the barriers that represent a hurdle for the development of broad and competitive paediatric research in our day to day work; b) the limited incentives and specific pre- and post-doctoral training; c) the high clinical burden for paediatricians or; d) the lack of specific infrastructure and dedicated funding for paediatrics. The mission, vision and values of INVEST-AEP are to develop an accessible roadmap for the development and implementation of paediatric research in Spain for the next few years

Confined Pt11+ Water Clusters in a MOF Catalyze the Low‐Temperature Water–Gas Shift Reaction with both CO2 Oxygen Atoms Coming from Water

The synthesis and reactivity of single metal atoms in a low‐valence state bound to just water, rather than to organic ligands or surfaces, is a major experimental challenge. Herein, we show a gram‐scale wet synthesis of Pt11+ stabilized in a confined space by a crystallographically well‐defined first water sphere, and with a second coordination sphere linked to a metal–organic framework (MOF) through electrostatic and H‐bonding interactions. The role of the water cluster is not only isolating and stabilizing the Pt atoms, but also regulating the charge of the metal and the adsorption of reactants. This is shown for the low‐temperature water–gas shift reaction (WGSR: CO + H2O → CO2 + H2), where both metal coordinated and H‐bonded water molecules trigger a double water attack mechanism to CO and give CO2 with both oxygen atoms coming from water. The stabilized Pt1+ single sites allow performing the WGSR at temperatures as low as 50 °C.This work was supported by the MINECO (Spain) (Projects CTQ2016–75671–P, MAT2013 40823–R, MAT2016–81732–ERC, CTQ2017–86735–P, MAT2017–86992–R, MAT2017–82288–C2–1–P and Excellence Units “Severo Ochoa” and “Maria de Maeztu” SEV–2016–0683 and MDM–2015–0538) the Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEOII/2014/004) and the Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca (Italy) and the Junta de Andalucía (FQM–195). M. M. and M.–A. R. C. thanks the MINECO for a predoctoral contract. Thanks are also extended to the Ramón y Cajal Program (E. V. R.–F., E. P. and J.–C. H.–G.) and the “Subprograma atracció de talent–contractes postdoctorals de la Universitat de Valencia” (J. F.–S.). M. L.–H. acknowledges the financial support from the Juan de la Cierva Fellowships Program of MINECO (IJCI–2014–19367)

Relevance and reliability of NO2 and NO monitoring in low-income countries using low-cost sensors

Assessing air quality's impact on human health involves monitoring pollutant concentrations such as NO2, O3, CO, SO2, and particulate matter. While high-income countries rely on expensive reference instruments, low-income nations face technological limitations. This study explores the potential of low-cost scientific devices as a viable solution for these regions. The research focuses on evaluating the reliability of low-cost NO2 sensors and consistency across five identical sensors. Calibration tests in controlled settings reveal a linear model with high coefficients of determination, contrasting with lower coefficients observed during field tests. Variability in intercepts and slopes is evident across time and campaign contexts. Time series analysis using low-cost NO2 sensors showed that many of the tall peaks atop a fluctuating baseline correlates with peaks identified by reference instruments. Additionally, NO gas sensors are also able to identify pollution peaks in monitoring campaigns. Therefore, such affordable sensors provide valuable insights into pollutant concentration trends, offering indicative magnitude information. However, improving calibration and reliability of these sensors necessitates further research