Influence of flower head order on phenolic content and quality of globe artichoke at harvest and during twenty-one days of cold storage

Artichoke is one of the vegetables with higher content in phenolic compounds, which are responsible for their taste, flavor and health beneficial effects. However, phenolic profile and concentration depends on many factors, such as genotype, harvest date, and environmental and agronomical conditions. The main aim of this study was to perform a phytochemical characterization of artichoke heads, based on their position on plant (main, secondary and tertiary head) and harvest date, during a complete growing season. Results showed that total identified polyphenol concentration was higher in tertiary heads than secondary and main heads, due to their higher concentration in hydroxycinnamic acid and luteolin derivatives. On the other hand, two postharvest storage experiments with main, secondary and tertiary artichoke heads, harvested in winter and spring, were performed. In addition, tertiary head showed the lowest weight, firmness losses and respiration rate during cold storage which could be attributed to their higher antioxidant compounds. In conclusion, tertiary heads have a greater aptitude to be stored at low temperature from harvesting to consumption since they maintained the quality properties for longer period of time and had higher content of bioactive compounds. However, main artichokes are the most appreciated by consumers due to their larger siz

Map-elites algorithm for features selection problem

In the High-dimensional data analysis there are several challenges in the fields of machine learning and data mining. Typically, feature selection is considered as a combinatorial optimization problem which seeks to remove irrelevant and redundant data by reducing computation time and improve learning measures. Given the complexity of this problem, we propose a novel Map-Elites based Algorithm that determines the minimum set of features maximizing learning accuracy simultaneously. Experimental results, on several data based from real scenarios, show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.CONACYT – Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Estructura y estabilidad térmica del poli (3-hidroxibutirato), PHB

Los biopolímeros obtenidos a partir de recursos naturales renovables se caracterizan por su carácter biodegradable e inocuidad siendo éstas las principales ventajas frente a materiales sintéticos de origen petroquímico. Actualmente, se producen gran variedad de biopolímeros destinados a diferentes campos de aplicación. Dentro de esta clase de materiales producidos y comercializados en el mundo se encuentran los poli-hidroxialcanoatos (PHA)s. Esta familia de biopolímeros comprende al poli(3-hidroxi-butirato) - PHB, el poli(3- hidroxivalerato) - PHV, entre otros. Una de las características más relevante de estos materiales es la posibilidad de que puedan ser procesados de igual forma que los polímeros sintéticos. El objetivo de este trabajo consiste en el estudio estructural y térmico de un poli(3-hidroxibutirato) comercial con el propósito de determinar las condiciones óptimas de procesamiento de este biopolímero. La morfología del PHB se estudió mediante Microscopía Electrónica de Barrido (SEM). La determinación de la estructura química se realizó a través de Espectroscopía Infrarroja con Transformada de Fourier (FTIR) y las propiedades térmicas y el grado de cristalinidad del biopolímero se estudiaron mediante Calorimetría Diferencial de Barrido (DSC). La estabilidad térmica se evaluó a través de un Análisis Termogravimétrico (TGA) para determinar los rangos de temperaturas de degradación. Las muestras se calentaron en atmósfera de oxígeno desde temperatura ambiente hasta 700 °C con una velocidad de calentamiento de 10 °C/min en una balanza termogravimétrica TA Instruments. Las micrografías SEM evidenciaron la presencia de gránulos de morfología poliédrica con un tamaño promedio de 1,5 mm. Además, se observó cierta rugosidad superficial que podría atribuirse al grado de cristalinidad del PHB. Mediante FTIR se detectaron las bandas características asociadas a los grupos funcionales presentes en el biopolímero. A partir del estudio calorimétrico, se determinó que la temperatura de fusión del PHB se encuentra alrededor de 183 ºC y el grado de cristalinidad del material estudiado fue de 56 %. Por otra parte, el análisis termogravimétrico reveló que la temperatura de degradación de este biopolímero es de 262 ºC. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el procesamiento del PHB se encuentra acotado, a diferencia de los polímeros sintéticos, a un estrecho rango de temperaturas. A pesar de esta restricción operativa, este polímero resulta interesante dado su carácter biodegradable, origen renovable y propiedades mecánicas comparables a las de los materiales poliméricos derivados del petróleo como el polipropileno.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimento

Neurogenic inducers based on the chromone scaffold, a new family of multitarget directed ligands for Alzheimer's disease

Resumen del trabajo presentado a la XXXVIII Reunión Anual del Grupo Español de Neurotransmisión y Neuroprotección (GENN), celebrada en Almagro (Ciudad Real) del 13 al 15 de diciembre de 2017.The highly complex pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative illnesses have led to replace the traditional one-drug - one-target by the multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) paradigm, in which a single molecule is designed to be active against several pharmacological targets. Continuing with our interest in neuroprotective and neurogenic compounds, in this work we describe a new family of donepezil flavonoid hybrids exhibiting nanomolar affinities for the sigma-1 receptor and a combined inhibition of key enzymes in AD, such as 5-lipoxygenase, acetylcholinesterase, and monoaminoxidases. In general, they scavenge free radical species and are predicted to be brain-permeable. In phenotypic assays, new hybrids protect neuronal cells against mitochondrial oxidative stress and promote maturation of neural stem cells into a neuronal phenotype. Therefore, new donepezil - flavonoid hybrids could contribute to the protection and even, the reparation of neuronal tissues, of great therapeutic interest in AD and neurodegenerative diseases.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness MINECO (grant SAF2015-64948-C2-1-R) and Spanish National Research Council CSIC (grant PIE-201580E109).Peer Reviewe

Cytogenetic and genomic analysis of a patient with turner syndrome and t(2;12): a case report

Background: Turner syndrome is a genetic disorder that afects women. It is caused by an absent or incomplete X chromosome, which can be presented in mosaicism or not. There are 12 cases of Turner syndrome patients who present structural alterations in autosomal chromosomes. Case presentation: The present case report describes a patient with a reciprocal, maternally inherited translocation between chromosomes 2 and 12 with a mosaicism of X monosomy 45,X,t(2;12)(p13;q24)[95]/46,XX,t(2;12)(p13;q24) [5]. Through genetic mapping arrays, altered genes in the patient were determined within the 23 chromosome pairs. These genes were associated with the patient’s clinical features using a bioinformatics tool Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the frst case in which a translocation (2;12) is reported in a patient with Turner syndrome and confrmed by conventional cytogenetics, FISH and molecular genetics. Clinical features of our patient are closely related with the loss of one X chromosome, however mild intellectual disability can be likely explained by autosomal genes. The presence of familial translocations was a common fnding, thus emphasizing the need for familiar testing for further genetic counselling

Potential zones for the cultivation of Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa in temperate regions of Veracruz, Mexico

Objective: To identify the potential zones with edaphoclimatic characteristics in municipalities of the state of Veracruz, Mexico, for the cultivation of kiwifruit through modeling. Design/methodology/approach: With the zoning methodology of edaphoclimatic variables and the Kriggin projection algorithm of the GIS ArcMap, the municipalities of the state of Veracruz, with edaphoclimatic potential for growing kiwifruit adapted to tropical highland conditions were determined. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to validate the zoning and determine the similarity of the municipalities with edaphoclimatic potential; a cluster analysis was applied to assess the similarity between the variables studied. Results: The municipalities of Hueyapan de Ocampo, Ixhuatlán del Café, Jalacingo, Magdalena, Mariano Escobedo, Tehuipango and Texhuacán presented average edaphoclimatic characteristics for the establishment of kiwifruit, while Chumatlán and Huatusco presented the greatest edaphoclimatic similarity for cultivation of this fruit. Limitations of the study/implications: This information supports decision-making to establish kiwi and increases knowledge of the species, since the almost null information limits the establishment of its cultivation. Findings/conclusions: Twenty-nine percent of the total Veracruz territory shows edaphoclimatic characteristics to introduce kiwi cultivation; its establishment would represent a support for food and socioeconomic sovereignty for producers, since, according to the present study, its establishment is viable in various geographical points of Veracruz, Mexico.Objective: to identify potential zones with soil and climate characteristics in municipalities of the state of Veracruz, Mexico for kiwi cultivation through modeling.Design/Methodology/Approach: with the zoning methodology of soil and climate variables and the Kriging projection algorithm of the ArcMap GIS®, the municipalities of the state of Veracruz with soil and climate potential for the cultivation of kiwi adapted to tropical conditions were determined. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to validate the zoning and determine the similarity of municipalities with soil and climate potential. A cluster analysis was applied to assess the similarity between the variables studied.Results: the municipalities of Hueyapan de Ocampo, Ixhuatlán del Café, Jalacingo, Magdalena, Mariano Escobedo, Tehuipango and Texhuacán present average soil and climate characteristics for the establishment of kiwi cultivation. Chumatlán and Huatusco presented the greatest soil and climate similarity for the cultivation of this fruit shrub.Limitations of the study/Implications: this information contributes to the decision-making to establish kiwi by increasing the knowledge of the species. As, up to date, the almost non-existent information has limited the establishment of kiwi cultivation.Findings/Conclusions: of the total territory of Veracruz 29% shows soil and climate characteristics to introduce kiwi cultivation. Its establishment would represent support for food and socio-economic sovereignty for producers. According to this study, the establishment of kiwi as a crop is viable in various geographical points of Veracruz

ATLAS search for a heavy gauge boson decaying to a charged lepton and a neutrino in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV

The ATLAS detector at the LHC is used to search for high-mass states, such as heavy charged gauge bosons (W'), decaying to a charged lepton (electron or muon) and a neutrino. Results are presented based on the analysis of pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb(-1). No excess beyond Standard Model expectations is observed. A W' with Sequential Standard Model couplings is excluded at the 95 % credibility level for masses up to 2.55 TeV. Excited chiral bosons (W*) with equivalent coupling strength are excluded for masses up to 2.42 TeV

Dynamics of isolated-photon plus jet production in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The dynamics of isolated-photon plus jet production in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV has been studied with the ATLAS detector at the LHC using an integrated luminosity of 37 pb(-1). Measurements of isolated-photon plus jet bin-averaged cross sections are presented as functions of photon transverse energy, jet transverse momentum and jet rapidity. In addition, the bin-averaged cross sections as functions of the difference between the azimuthal angles of the photon and the jet, the photon jet invariant mass and the scattering angle in the photon jet centre-of-mass frame have been measured. Next-to-leading-order QCD calculations are compared to the measurements and provide a good description of the data, except for the case of the azimuthal opening angle

Measurement of the cross-section for W boson production in association with b-jets in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper reports a measurement of the W+b-jets (W+b+X and W+b (b) over bar +X) production cross-section in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV at the LHC. These results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb(-1), collected with the ATLAS detector. Cross-sections are presented as a function of jet multiplicity and of the transverse momentum of the leading b-jet for both the muon and electron decay modes of the W boson. The W+b-jets cross-section, corrected for all known detector effects, is quoted in a limited kinematic range. Combining the muon and electron channels, the fiducial cross-section for W+b-jets is measured to be 7.1 +/- 0.5 (stat) +/- 1.4 (syst) pb, consistent with the next-to-leading order QCD prediction, corrected for non-perturbative and double-parton interactions (DPI) contributions, of 4.70 +/- 0.09 (stat) (+0.60)(-0.49) (scale) +/- 0.06 (PDF) +/- 0.16 (non-pert) (+0.52)(-0.38) (DPI) pb