Effect of ripening on physico-chemical properties and bioactive compounds in papaya pulp, skin and seeds

Byproducts generated by the food industry represent an alternative to obtain functional ingredients. Byproducts of tropical fruits, such as papaya skin and seeds, represent a source of bioactive compounds (BC), which could change during fruit ripening. Effect of ripening stage (RS) on BC content and antioxidant properties of edible pulp, skin and seeds of papaya cv. Maradol was determined. Papaya skin showed significantly higher ascorbic acid (~250 mg AAE/100 g) content than seeds (~20 mg/100 g), while pulp had the highest values (~600 mg/100 g). However, papaya skin presented higher total phenolic content (~560 mg GAE/100 g) and flavonoids (~1000 mg QE/100 g) than pulp and seeds. Also, papaya skin showed the highest values followed by pulp and seeds with TEAC, FRAP and DPPH. Papaya skin had higher carotenoids and α-tocopherol (~1500 µg/100 g and ~4000 µg/100 g, respectively) content than pulp and seeds. BC content in each byproduct varied in all RS. Therefore, among the papaya byproducts, skin represents a good source of BC with good antioxidant properties, which may be used to extract them for its incorporation in functional foods depending on RS

Los Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) en la planificación municipal

En el presente trabajo se revisan las experiencias con la tecnología de Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) que han tenido diferentes municipios y entidades estatales del Oriente Antioqueño y el Valle de Aburrá, identificando las condiciones que han favorecido y dificultado su apropiación como herramienta cotidiana. Se muestran las bondades de la tecnología desde una perspectiva sencilla, al alcance de casi cualquier municipio. Con base en las experiencias de los municipios que desde hace ya algunos años entraron en el proceso de apropiación de esta herramienta, se muestra cómo la información que se recopila a diario puede ser fácilmente organizada, analizada y visualizada para la toma de decisiones de planificación con ayuda de la herramienta, partiendo de lo simple para ir robusteciendo el sistema en la medida en que se adquiere experiencia y familiaridad con ella. Se presentan los programas y funciones de uso más frecuente en Colombia y se describe la problemática de la disponibilidad de datos confiables de entrada y el flujo de información entre la autoridad local, regional y nacional que intervienen en el ordenamiento territorial, condición que se considera clave para dar coherencia a los procesos de planificación.A review of the experiences with GIS technology that different municipalities and governmental institutions in the Oriente Antioqueño and Valle de Aburrá regions have had is presented here, identifying conditions that have made its appropriation in a daily basis easier or more difficult. The advantages of GIS technology are shown here from a simple perspective, achievable practically by any municipality or governmental institution. Based on the experiences of municipalities that for several years have been in the process of using this tool, it is shown how general data that are daily obtained can be easily organized, analyzed, and visualized for decision making in planning helped by GIS technology, starting from simple systems, and making them stronger as experience and familiarity with the technology is gained. The most used GIS software and functions in Colombia are presented, as well as a description of the problem of reliable data availability and interaction between governmental institutions, since this is considered a chief condition for consistent planning processes

Short-term follow-up of chagasic patients after benznidazole treatment using multiple serological markers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Conventional serological tests, using total soluble proteins or a cocktail of recombinant proteins from <it>T. cruzi </it>as antigens, are highly sensitive for Chagas disease diagnosis. This type of tests, however, does not seem to be reliable tools for short- and medium-term monitoring of the evolution of patients after antiparasitic treatment. The aim of the present study was to search for immunological markers that could be altered in the sera from Chagas disease patients after benznidazole treatment, and therefore have a potential predictive diagnostic value.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed the reactivity of sera from chagasic patients during different clinical phases of the disease against a series of immunodominant antigens, known as KMP11, PFR2, HSP70 and Tgp63. The reactivity of the sera from 46 adult Chronic Chagas disease patients living in a non-endemic country without vector transmission of <it>T. cruzi </it>(15 patients in the indeterminate stage, 16 in the cardiomiopathy stage and 16 in the digestive stage) and 22 control sera from non-infected subjects was analyzed. We also analyzed the response dynamics of sera from those patients who had been treated with benznidazole.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Regardless of the stage of the sickness, the sera from chagasic patients reacted against KMP11, HSP70, PFR2 and Tgp63 recombinant proteins with statistical significance relative to the reactivity against the same antigens by the sera from healthy donors, patients with autoimmune diseases or patients suffering from tuberculosis, leprosy or malaria. Shortly after benznidazole treatment, a statistically significant decrease in reactivity against KMP11, HSP70 and PFR2 was observed (six or nine month). It was also observed that, following benznidazole treatment, the differential reactivity against these antigens co-relates with the clinical status of the patients.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The recombinant antigens KMP11, PFR2, Tgp63 and HSP70 are recognized by Chagas disease patients' sera at any clinical stage of the disease. Shortly after benznidazole treatment, a drop in reactivity against three of these antigens is produced in an antigen-specific manner. Most likely, analysis of the reactivity against these recombinant antigens may be useful for monitoring the effectiveness of benznidazole treatment.</p

Resultados clínicos en receptores de trasplante renal posterior a la conversión a ImTOR

Introducción: los ImTOR, sirolimus y everolimus son una alternativa de inmunosupresión en personas que han recibido transplantes rena-les. En este artículo, se describe la experiencia de pacientes que han experimentado una conversión a ImTOR, y a los que se les ha hecho un seguimiento por más de cinco años.Materiales y métodos: se incluyeron pacientes con transplantes renales desde 1995 hasta 2013, quienes tuvieron indicación de suspensión del inhibidor de calcineurina (ICN) después del tercer mes posterior al trasplante. Todos los pacientes fueron sometidos a biopsia renal antes de la administración de ImTOR. Ningún paciente tuvo diagnóstico de nefropatía crónica, IFTA >40 % o proteinuria >350 mg/24h. Se elaboró un análisis descriptivo para todas las variables. Para estudiar la supervivencia del paciente y del injerto, y la incidencia de rechazo agudo, se usó el método de Kaplan-Meier.Resultados: de 1273 trasplantes renales, la conversión de ICN a ImTOR se realizó en 166 casos (13 %). Al 78 % (n=129) se le administró sirolimus. El 13 % de los pacientes perdió la función del injerto y 7 pacientes (4,2 %) fallecieron. En el 37 % de los casos, se retiró el ImTOR. La principal causa de retiro fue el hallazgo de proteinuria patológica. La incidencia de rechazo agudo después del cambio a ImTOR fue de 9,6 %. La supervivencia del injerto tras uno y cinco años fue de 96,6 % y 83,5 %, respectivamente; y la supervivencia del paciente a uno y cinco años fue de 98 % y 97 %, respectivamente.Conclusiones: el uso de inhibidores ImTOR parece ser seguro en este grupo de pacientes trasplantados, pues hubo una baja tasa de rechazo y buena supervivencia del injert

Autoinhibition of TBCB regulates EB1-mediated microtubule dynamics

Tubulin cofactors (TBCs) participate in the folding, dimerization, and dissociation pathways of the tubulin dimer. Among them, TBCB and TBCE are two CAP-Gly domain-containing proteins that interact and dissociate the tubulin dimer. Here we show how TBCB localizes at spindle and midzone microtubules during mitosis. Furthermore, the motif DEI/M-COO– present in TBCB, which is similar to the EEY/F-COO– element characteristic of EB proteins, CLIP-170, and α-tubulin, is required for TBCE–TBCB heterodimer formation and thus for tubulin dimer dissociation. This motif is responsible for TBCB autoinhibition, and our analysis suggests that TBCB is a monomer in solution. Mutants of TBCB lacking this motif are derepressed and induce microtubule depolymerization through an interaction with EB1 associated to microtubule tips. TBCB is also able to bind to the chaperonin complex CCT containing α-tubulin, suggesting that it could escort tubulin to facilitate its folding and dimerization, recycling or degradation