OBTENCIÓN DE BETACAROTENO A PARTIR DEL CAMOTE TOQUECITA (IPOMOEA BATATA)

Introduction: Beta-carotene is a carotenoid present in fruits, and vegetables; it is a precursor of vitamin A. The sweet potato variety "Toquecita" with orange flesh from the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias de Portoviejo, Ecuador, offers multiple health benefits in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Objective: To obtain beta-carotene from the sweet potato variety "Toquecita" (Ipomea batata). Materials and methods: The soxhlet extraction method was used, which consisted of a solid-liquid extraction, using organic solvents, and an adaptation of ultrasound and centrifuge extraction was also used, which takes advantage of the displacement speed to obtain a liquid part and a sedimented part. Results and discussion: Analyses of moisture, ash, protein, lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and reducing sugars gave results within bibliographical ranges. The presence of beta-carotene in the sweet potato "Toquecita" by the Soxhlet method was 3.962 uG⁄gbetacarotene in Acetone solvent, 2.452 uG⁄gbetacarotene in methanol solvent and 6.830 uG⁄gbetacarotene in hexane solvent. Using the adapted extraction method (ultrasonido-centrifuge), 131.285 mg⁄g beta-carotene was obtained. Conclusions: With the ultrasound-centrifuge extraction method, it was possible to obtain 131.285 Ug⁄g of beta-carotene, being thus, the one that obtained the best results within the ranges established by other authors cited in this research, one of the reasons is because this method was not exposed to heat sources or light, thus allowing better performance in obtaining beta-carotene

Relación entre la severidad de la disfagia y la medida de independencia funcional en adultos mayores postrados domiciliados: estudio piloto

111 p.La disfagia y la dependencia son variables que se relacionan significativamente en adultos mayores frágiles. Objetivo: Determinar si el grado de severidad de la disfagia difiere en los distintos niveles de independencia funcional para alimentarse de los adultos mayores adscritos a un programa de pacientes postrados de salud primaria. Participantes: La muestra de este estudio estuvo conformada por un total de 26 adultos mayores pertenecientes al programa de pacientes postrados de CESFAM La Florida, comuna de Talca. Metodología: A todos los participantes se les aplicó la Medida de Independencia Funcional (FIM) y un protocolo de valoración clínica de la deglución. A los pacientes con disfagia, la severidad del trastorno deglutorio se valoró de acuerdo la Escala Funcional de Fujishima para clasificación de pacientes con disfagia (1998). Resultados: Se observó pacientes con pluripatología y con bajo nivel de funcionalidad motora (bajo 50% en la FIM). La severidad de la disfagia no difiere significativamente de acuerdo al grado de funcionalidad de las personas mayores postradas para alimentarse (X2: 5,818; p> 0,05). Conclusión: Si bien la FIM en alimentación puede resultar dependiente para la mayoría de los evaluados, esto afectaría sólo la etapa preparatoria oral de la deglución y no necesariamente a la seguridad de la ésta. Los resultados de la presente investigación remarcan la necesidad de crear instrumentos especializados y confiables para la identificación de la disfagia en esta población, además de contar con la instrumentalización pertinente que permita estimar la severidad de la condición. Palabras claves: disfagia, dependencia, adulto mayor

Pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma. Postoperative outcome after surgical treatment in a Spanish multicenter study (PANMEKID)

Background: Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) occasionally spreads to the pancreas. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the short and long-term results of a multicenter series in order to determine the effect of surgical treatment on the prognosis of these patients. Methods: Multicenter retrospective study of patients undergoing surgery for RCC pancreatic metastases, from January 2010 to May 2020. Variables related to the primary tumor, demographics, clinical characteristics of metastasis, location in the pancreas, type of pancreatic resection performed and data on short and long-term evolution after pancreatic resection were collected. Results: The study included 116 patients. The mean time between nephrectomy and pancreatic metastases' resection was 87.35 months (ICR: 1.51-332.55). Distal pancreatectomy was the most performed technique employed (50 %). Postoperative morbidity was observed in 60.9 % of cases (Clavien-Dindo greater than IIIa in 14 %). The median follow-up time was 43 months (13-78). Overall survival (OS) rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 96 %, 88 %, and 83 %, respectively. The disease-free survival (DFS) rate at 1, 3, and 5 years was 73 %, 49 %, and 35 %, respectively. Significant prognostic factors of relapse were a disease free interval of less than 10 years (2.05 [1.13-3.72], p 0.02) and a history of previous extrapancreatic metastasis (2.44 [1.22-4.86], p 0.01). Conclusions: Pancreatic resection if metastatic RCC is found in the pancreas is warranted to achieve higher overall survival and disease-free survival, even if extrapancreatic metastases were previously removed. The existence of intrapancreatic multifocal compromise does not always warrant the performance of a total pancreatectomy in order to improve survival

Biogenic factors explain soil carbon in paired urban and natural ecosystems worldwide

12 páginas.- 4 figuras.- 49 referencia.- Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01646-z .- Full-text access to a view-only version (Acceso a texto completo de sólo lectura en este enlace) https://rdcu.be/c8vZiUrban greenspaces support multiple nature-based services, many of which depend on the amount of soil carbon (C). Yet, the environmental drivers of soil C and its sensitivity to warming are still poorly understood globally. Here we use soil samples from 56 paired urban greenspaces and natural ecosystems worldwide and combine soil C concentration and size fractionation measures with metagenomics and warming incubations. We show that surface soils in urban and natural ecosystems sustain similar C concentrations that follow comparable negative relationships with temperature. Plant productivity’s contribution to explaining soil C was higher in natural ecosystems, while in urban ecosystems, the soil microbial biomass had the greatest explanatory power. Moreover, the soil microbiome supported a faster C mineralization rate with experimental warming in urban greenspaces compared with natural ecosystems. Consequently, urban management strategies should consider the soil microbiome to maintain soil C and related ecosystem services.This study was supported by a 2019 Leonardo Grant for Researchers and Cultural Creators, BBVA Foundation (URBANFUN), and by BES Grant Agreement No. LRB17\1019 (MUSGONET). M.D-B., P.G-P., J.D. and A.R. acknowledge support from TED2021-130908B-C41/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ Unión Europea NextGenerationEU/PRTR. M.D.-B. also acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for the I + D + i project PID2020-115813RA-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. M.D.-B. was also supported by a project of the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) and the Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades of the Junta de Andalucía (FEDER Andalucía 2014-2020 Objetivo temático ‘01 - Refuerzo de la investigación, el desarrollo tecnológico y la innovación’) associated with the research project P20_00879 (ANDABIOMA). D.J.E. was supported by the Hermon Slade Foundation. J.P.V. thanks the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) (EEQ/2021/001083, SIR/2022/000626) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India (DST/INT/SL/P-31/2021) and Banaras Hindu Univeristy-IoE (6031)-incentive grant for financial assistance for research in plant-microbe interaction and soil microbiome. J.D. and A. Rodríguez acknowledge support from the FCT (2020.03670.CEECIND and SFRH/BDP/108913/2015, respectively), as well as from the MCTES, FSE, UE and the CFE (UIDB/04004/2021) research unit financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC).Peer reviewe

Response of soil organic matter fractions to biochar and organic fertilizers – Results from a nine-year field experiment

We investigated the effects of biochar (BC) at 0 and 20 t ha-1, combined with two organic fertilizers (municipal solid waste compost, MC, and sewage sludge, SS), on soil organic matter (SOM) in a 9-year field experiment. To capture the protection by soil minerals and iron (Fe) against microbial decomposition, we fractionated SOM into particulate (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), and analyzed the fractions by iron (Fe) K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. BC and the two organic amendments increased soil organic carbon (OC) content, but only the organic fertilizers significantly increased total nitrogen (N) content. BC increased particulate OC and total N contents, while the organic fertilizers only increased particulate total N content. BC significantly increased mineral-associated OC content, while the organic fertilizers increased both mineral-associated OC and total N contents. We found no interaction between BC and organic fertilizers on mineral-associated OC and total N contents. The Fe EXAFS data fitting showed that the Fe(III)-SOM content of the Fe phases in POM and MAOM in unamended soils were noticeably different. Hematite represented the main Fe oxide phase in the POM fractions from all the amended soils, and Fe(III)-SOM averaged around 15%. In the amended soils, besides hematite (also present in the unamended soil), ferrihydrite occurred in all MAOM fractions, although at a different proportion

Distribution of soil organic carbon between particulate and mineral-associated fractions as affected by biochar and its co-application with other amendments

The application of biochar to soils, either alone or combined with other amendments, represents a management practice aimed at storing carbon (C) while enhancing soil fertility. However, the long-term effects of biochar application on soil organic C protection against microbial decomposition are uncertain. This study investigated, in a 9-year-long-term field experiment, the protection of organic C by minerals and iron (Fe) in soils amended with biochar alone or combined with either municipal solid waste compost or sewage sludge. Particulate (not protected by minerals) and mineral-associated organic matter fractions were separated, quantified, and finally the Fe-mediated protection mechanisms were examined by Fe K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. With respect to the unamended control soil, soils amended with biochar, especially when combined with municipal solid waste compost and sewage sludge, had 3 times greater content of particulate organic C. Biochar combined with municipal solid waste compost and sewage sludge also increased mineral-associated organic C content (1.5×), although the magnitude of the effect was smaller than for the particulate organic C fraction. The contents of Fe(III)-organic matter complexes in particulate and mineral-associated organic matter fractions of the amended soils were similar to those of the unamended soils. Hematite represented the main Fe oxide phase in the particulate organic matter fraction of all the soils as well as in the mineral-associated organic matter fraction of the unamended soils, whereas ferrihydrite was more abundant in the mineral-associated organic matter fraction of the amended soils. As a whole, the obtained results in general, and the positive effect on the mineral-associated organic matter possibly mediated by ferrihydrite occurrence in particular, highlight the potential of biochar, alone or in combination with other amendments, as a strategy to store and preserve C in soils

An Antimicrobial Peptide Induces FIG1-Dependent Cell Death During Cell Cycle Arrest in Yeast

Although most antibiotics act on cells that are actively dividing and non-dividing cells such as in microbe sporulation or cancer stem cells represent a new paradigm for the control of disease. In addition to their relevance to health, such antibiotics may promote our understanding of the relationship between the cell cycle and cell death. No antibiotic specifically acting on microbial cells arrested in their cell cycle has been identified until the present time. In this study we used an antimicrobial peptide derived from α-pheromone, IP-1, targeted against MATa Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells in order to assess its dependence on cell cycle arrest to kill cells. Analysis by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy of various null mutations of genes involved in biological processes activated by the pheromone pathway (the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, cell cycle arrest, cell proliferation, autophagy, calcium influx) showed that IP-1 requires arrest in G0/G1 in order to kill yeast cells. Isolating cells in different cell cycle phases by elutriation provided further evidence that entry into cell cycle arrest, and not into G1 phase, is necessary if our peptide is to kill yeast cells. We also describe a variant of IP-1 that does not activate the pheromone pathway and consequently does not kill yeast cells that express the pheromone’s receptor; the use of this variant peptide in combination with different cell cycle inhibitors that induce cell cycle arrest independently of the pheromone pathway confirmed that it is cell cycle arrest that is required for the cell death induced by this peptide in yeast. We show that the cell death induced by IP-1 differs from that induced by α-pheromone and depends on FIG1 in a way independent of the cell cycle arrest induced by the pheromone. Thus, IP-1 is the first molecule described that specifically kills microbial cells during cell cycle arrest, a subject of interest beyond the process of mating in yeast cells. The experimental system described in this study should be useful in the study of the mechanisms at play in the communication between cell cycle arrest and cell death on other organisms, hence promoting the development of new antibiotics