Complexity analysis of spontaneous brain activity: effects of depression and antidepressant treatment

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) allows the real-time recording of neural activity and oscillatory activity in distributed neural networks. We applied a non-linear complexity analysis to resting-state neural activity as measured using whole-head MEG. Recordings were obtained from 20 unmedicated patients with major depressive disorder and 19 matched healthy controls. Subsequently, after 6 months of pharmacological treatment with the antidepressant mirtazapine 30 mg/day, patients received a second MEG scan. A measure of the complexity of neural signals, the Lempel–Ziv Complexity (LZC), was derived from the MEG time series. We found that depressed patients showed higher pre-treatment complexity values compared with controls, and that complexity values decreased after 6 months of effective pharmacological treatment, although this effect was statistically significant only in younger patients. The main treatment effect was to recover the tendency observed in controls of a positive correlation between age and complexity values. Importantly, the reduction of complexity with treatment correlated with the degree of clinical symptom remission. We suggest that LZC, a formal measure of neural activity complexity, is sensitive to the dynamic physiological changes observed in depression and may potentially offer an objective marker of depression and its remission after treatment

A comprehensive review on carotenoids in foods and feeds: status quo, applications, patents, and research needs

Carotenoids are isoprenoids widely distributed in foods that have been always part of the diet of humans. Unlike the other so-called food bioactives, some carotenoids can be converted into retinoids exhibiting vitamin A activity, which is essential for humans. Furthermore, they are much more versatile as they are relevant in foods not only as sources of vitamin A, but also as natural pigments, antioxidants, and health-promoting compounds. Lately, they are also attracting interest in the context of nutricosmetics, as they have been shown to provide cosmetic benefits when ingested in appropriate amounts. In this work, resulting from the collaborative work of participants of the COST Action European network to advance carotenoid research and applications in agro-food and health (EUROCAROTEN, www.eurocaroten.eu, https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA15136/#tabs|Name:overview) research on carotenoids in foods and feeds is thoroughly reviewed covering aspects such as analysis, carotenoid food sources, carotenoid databases, effect of processing and storage conditions, new trends in carotenoid extraction, daily intakes, use as human, and feed additives are addressed. Furthermore, classical and recent patents regarding the obtaining and formulation of carotenoids for several purposes are pinpointed and briefly discussed. Lastly, emerging research lines as well as research needs are highlighted.This article is based upon work from COST Action (European network to advance carotenoid research and applications in agro-food and health, EUROCAROTEN, CA15136, www.eurocaroten.eu, https://www. cost.eu/actions/CA15136/#tabsjName:overview) supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, http://www.cost. eu/).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Towards carotenoid biofortification in wheat: identification of XAT-7A1, a multicopy tandem gene responsible for carotenoid esterification in durum wheat

Abstract Yellow pigment content, mainly due to the accumulation of carotenoids, is a quality trait in durum wheat grain as it confers the bright yellow color to pasta preferred by consumers. Also, carotenoids are essential nutrients exerting important biological functions in human health. Consequently, biofortification strategies have been developed in many crops to increase carotenoid content. In this context, carotenoid esterification is emerging as a new breeding target for wheat biofortification, as carotenoid esters have been found to promote both carotenoid accumulation and stability. Until recently, no carotenoid esters have been identified in significant proportions in durum wheat grains, and interspecific breeding programs have been started to transfer esterification ability from common wheat and Hordeum chilense. In this work, XAT-7A1 is identified as the gene responsible for carotenoid esterification in durum wheat. Sequencing, copy number variation and mapping results show that XAT-7A1 is organized as tandem or proximal GDSL esterase/lipase copies in chromosome 7A. Three XAT-7A1 haplotypes are described: Type 1 copies, associated with high levels of carotenoid esters (diesters and monoesters) production and high expression in grain development; Type 2 copies, present in landraces with low levels of carotenoid esters (monoesters) or no esters; and Type 3 copies, without the signal peptide, resulting in zero-ester phenotypes. The identification of XAT-7A1 is a necessary step to make the carotenoid esterification ability available for durum and bread wheat breeding, which should be focused on the Type 1 XAT-7A1 haplotype, which may be assessed as a single gene since XAT-7A1 copies are inherited together

Diversification of seed carotenoid content and profile in wild barley (Hordeum chilense Roem. et Schultz.) and Hordeum vulgare L.–H. chilense synteny as revealed by DArTSeq markers

The high carotenoid content and distinctive carotenoid profile of tritordeum are conferred by its wild progenitor, Hordeum chilense. Genetic studies on this wild barley could exploit the knowledge gained in Hordeum vulgare L. if the synteny between H. vulgare and H. chilense is established. DArTSeq markers were aligned to barley genome and used to inspect H. chilense-barley synteny. All chromosome pairs showed a good degree of collinearity with the exception of 7Hv–7Hch, where a reciprocal translocation in 7Hch was identified. Carotenoid analyses revealed a high diversity for total carotenoids, free and esterified lutein in a collection of H. chilense. Population structure analyses revealed the existence of two subgroups contrasting for total carotenoids, free lutein and esterified lutein in seeds. Lutein esters were produced with palmitic and linoleic acids as happens in tritordeum. However, tritordeum prefer palmitic acid for the synthesis of lutein esters but this preference is not maintained in H. chilense. This indicates the existence of diversity in the enzymes involved in the esterification which could be useful in tritordeum breeding. Furthermore, several accessions produced lutein monoesters but they lacked diesters which suggests that esterification is controlled by more than one enzyme in H. chilense. A total of 91 marker-trait associations were identified for carotenoid content and profile. These associations constitute a good starting point for future genetic analyses for the identification of candidate genes from H. vulgare genome.Research funded by Grant AGL2014-53195R, from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain (MINECO) including FEDER funding. M.G.M. was recipient of FPI (BES-2012-055961). D.H.-M. is a member of CaRed Network, funded by MINECO (BIO2015-71703-REDT). S.G.A. and CMA are members of FiRCMe Network, funded by MINECO (AGL2016-81855-REDT).Peer Reviewe

A Routine Method for the Extraction and HPLC-DAD Profiling of Major Plant and Food Carotenoids

Hornero-Méndez D. (2020) A Routine Method for the Extraction and HPLC-DAD Profiling of Major Plant and Food Carotenoids. In: Rodríguez-Concepción M., Welsch R. (eds) Plant and Food Carotenoids. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2083. Humana, New York, NYCarotenoids are ubiquitously present in Nature, and especially in plants and derived foods. The carotenoid profiling is necessary to understand relevant aspects in relation to their biochemistry and genetics, as well as their important roles on human health and animal ecophysiology. Here we propose a simple methodology for the routine extraction and efficient HPLC separation of the most common plant and food carotenoids from plant and animal origins.The author thanks to the Spanish Government (projects AGL2017-85368P and CaRed Network BIO2015-71703-REDT and BIO2017-90877-REDT) for financial support

Involvement of NADPH in the cyclization reaction of carotenoid biosynthesis

Postdoctoral Marie Curie EU fellowship (FMBI-CT95-0450).Cyclic carotenoids, e.g. L-carotene, are formed by cyclization of an acyclic precursor, lycopene. The gene, crtY, which encodes lycopene L-cyclase, has a partial sequence characteristic of a pyridine nucleotide binding domain, and NAD(P)H has been reported to be an absolute requirement for the cyclization reaction in vitro. By complementary incubations with lycopene as substrate and with (4R)-[4-2H]NADPH in 1H2O or with unlabelled NADPH in 2H2O in the presence of the purified enzyme, it has now been shown that the hydrogen atom introduced at C(2) in the cyclization comes from water and not from NADPH. The previously proposed mechanism involving the initiation of cyclization by H+ attack at C(2) of the folded acyclic end group of the precursor is thus confirmed. No hydrogen is transferred from NADPH, which is therefore not involved directly in the cyclization reaction, but must play an indirect role, e.g. as an allosteric activator. ß 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.Peer reviewe

Natural hazards and wildlife health: The effects of a volcanic eruption on the Andean Condor

Volcanic eruptions produce health changes in animals that may be associated with emitted gases and deposited ashes. We evaluated whether the Puyehue–Cordón Caulle volcanic eruption in 2011 produced health changes in the threatened Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) living in the area most affected by the eruption, northwestern Patagonia. We studied clinical and biochemical parameters of condors examined before and after the eruption. We also examined concentrations of different metals and metalloids in the blood of individuals sampled after the eruption. The most common clinical abnormality associated with the eruptive process was irritating pharyngitis. In condors sampled after the eruption, blood concentrations of albumin, calcium, carotenoids, and total proteins decreased to levels under the reference values reported for this species. We found different chemical elements in the blood of these condors after the eruption, such as arsenic and cadmium, with the potential to produce health impacts. Thus, the health of Andean Condors was affected in different ways by the eruption; remaining in the affected area appears to have been costly. However, in comparison to other animal species, the health impacts were not as strong and were mainly related to food shortages due to the decrease in availability of livestock carcasses linked to the eruption. This suggests that condors dealt relatively well with this massive event. Future research is needed to evaluate if the health changes we found reduce the survival of this species, and if the cost of inhabiting volcanic areas has any ecological or evolutionary influence on the condor’s life history.Las erupciones volcánicas producen alteraciones en la salud de los animales asociadas con los gases emitidos y las cenizas eyectadas. En este trabajo, evaluamos si la erupción del volcán Puyehue–Cordón Caulle ocurrida en 2011 produjo alteraciones en la salud de los Vultur gryphus que habitan el noroeste de la Patagonia, el área más afectada por la erupción. En particular, estudiamos parámetros clínicos y bioquímicos en cóndores capturados antes y después de la erupción. Además, examinamos las concentraciones de diferentes metales y metaloides en la sangre de individuos capturados después de la erupción. La anormalidad clínica más frecuente asociada con el proceso eruptivo fue la faringitis irritativa. Los cóndores muestreados después de la erupción mostraron concentraciones sanguíneas de albúmina, calcio, carotenoides y proteínas totales por debajo de los valores de referencia informados para esta especie. En la sangre de los cóndores muestreados después de la erupción también encontramos diferentes elementos químicos, como arsénico y cadmio, potencialmente dañinos para su salud. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que la permanencia de estos individuos en la zona afectada tuvo costos para su salud. Sin embargo, en comparación con otras especies animales, los impactos no fueron graves y estuvieron relacionados principalmente con la escasez de alimentos debido a la disminución en la disponibilidad de carroñas de ganado vinculada al proceso eruptivo. Futuras investigaciones son necesarias para evaluar si los cambios en la salud encontrados pueden reducir la supervivencia de esta especie, y si el costo de habitar áreas volcánicas tiene alguna influencia ecológica o evolutiva en la historia de vida del Vultur gryphus.Peer reviewe