Testing caffeic acid as a natural antioxidant in functional fish-fibre restructured products

7 páginas, 4 figuras, 5 tablasThe antioxidant effectiveness of caffeic acid addition to minced fish muscle with or without wheat dietary fibre added was studied. Wheat dietary fibre showed a significant prooxidant effect on minced fish muscle during chilled storage that was significantly inhibited in presence of 100 mg/kg caffeic acid. In samples containing caffeic acid and wheat dietary fibre, lipid oxidation was completely inhibited after 10 days. Results obtained from the instrumental texture profile analysis showed that the inclusion of wheat dietary fibre with or without caffeic acid lowered the texture profile analysis parameters. Caffeic acid did not render any changes on the water binding capacity. These results prove that caffeic acid can be successfully used as a natural antioxidant in wheat dietary fibre minced fish restructured products.This work was performed within the Integrated Research Project SEAFOODplus, contract No FOOD-CT-2004-506359 and the research project AGL2006-26016-E/GAN. The [partial] financing of this work by the European Union and the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia is gratefully acknowledged.Peer reviewe

Compost Tea Induces Growth and Resistance against Rhizoctonia solani and Phytophthora capsici in Pepper

Fuente: Agronomy[EN] Compost teas (CTs) are organic solutions that constitute an interesting option for sustainable agriculture. Those that come from garden waste have been applied in vitro and in vivo on pepper plants to determine its suppressive effect against both Phytophthora capsici and Rhizoctonia solani. The studied CT showed relevant content in NO3 , K2O, humic acids, and microorganisms such as aerobic bacteria, N-fixing bacteria, and actinobacteria, which play a role in plant growth and resistance. This rich abundance of microbiota in the CT induced a reduction in the relative growth rate of both P. capsici and R. solani (31.7% and 38.0%, respectively) in in vitro assays compared to control. In addition, CT-irrigated plants displayed increased growth parameters and showed the first open flower one week before those treatments without CTs, which suggests that its application advanced the crop cycle. Concerning pathogen infection, damage caused by both pathogens became more apparent with a one-week inoculation compared to a four-week inoculation, which may indicate that a microbiological and chemical balance had been reached to cope with biotic stresses. Based on these results, we conclude that CT application induces plant growth and defense in pepper plants against P. capsici and R. solani because of its relevant soluble nutrient content and microbiota richness, which provides a novel point for plant nutrition and protection in horticultural crops

Carbon Sequestration in Medlterranean Oak Forests

The objective of this chapter is to present sorne of the studies currently being carried out in Spain and Portugal which are concerned with the possibility of estimating the amount of carbon flxed by two of the main oak species in the lberian Peninsula; rebollo oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.) and cork oak (Quercus suber L.). Three different methodological approaches have been used. The first approach is to use growth models to evaluate the carbon sequestration in both cork and wood over the life of a cork oak plantation.This approach has been applied both for Spain and Portugal. The second approach involves using a yield table as a tool to estímate the carbon sequestration in Quercus pyrenaica forests based on Spanish National Forest lnventories. In a third approach, data from a network of plots is used to estímate the carbon sequestration in pure and mixed Quercus pyrenaica forests. The application of these different methodologies would allow us to forecast and improve the carbon sequestration in lberian oak forests as well as increase our understanding of their dynamics.Instituto Universitario de Gestión Forestal Sostenibl

Sintomatologia, etiología y algunos factores que inciden en la caída de plántulas de algodonero en Andalucía Occidental

Se describen los resultados de dos prospecciones sobre Caída de plántulas de algodonero efectuadas en 1999 en 28 parcelas con historia de incidencia de la enfermedad en Andalucía occidental. En la prospección temprana se recogieron 401 plantas de rodales con problemas y se encontró una mayor incidencia de Rhizoctonia solani. En la tardía se recogieron 976 plantas al azar y Thielaviopsis basteóla fue el que se encontró con más frecuencia, notándose un incremento de la importancia de este hongo en los suelos arcillosos al sur de Sevilla. Se ha estudiado la sintomatologia presente y encontrado una asociación entre los aislamientos de R. solani y la muerte de las plántulas y entre T. basicola y las necrosis más oscuras y negras, comprobándose además que un elevado número de síndromes estuvieron causados por agentes abióticos. Se presentan datos previos de las relaciones entre la frecuencia de aislamientos de estos patógenos y algunas prácticas culturales como fueron el quemado de los restos del cultivo anterior y las dosis del abonado de fondo. En este trabajo se realizaron análisis de la germinación de la semilla sembrada por los agricultores y se hacen consideraciones sobre el "vigor" de la semilla empleadaResults of two cotton surveys on cotton damping-off realized in west Andalucía (Spain) are described. Twenty eight cotton fields known as disease prone were sampled. At first survey 401 plants were collected from infected areas of the fields and Rhizoctonia solani was the fungus most frequently recovered. One month later, the same fields were randomly sampled and 976 plants were collected founding a higher incidence of Thielaviopsis basicola, specially on clay soils southern Seville. Plants were classified by symptoms and related to isolated fungi. R. solani was associated with seedling death and T. basicola with dark brown or black necrosis. A high percentage of syndromes had an abiotic origin. Preliminary conclusions on relationships between both fungi and fertilization management and previous crops stubble are presented. Germination of seeds planted by farmers was studied and some considerations about their vigor are made

Sarcopenia and mortality in older hemodialysis patients

(1) Sarcopenia is a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. The aim of this study was to determine the association of sarcopenia, defined according to the Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) diagnostic criteria, with mortality at 24 months in very elderly hemodialysis patients. (2) A prospective study was conducted in 60 patients on chronic hemodialysis who were older than 75 years. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to EWGSOP2 criteria. Additionally, clinical, anthropometric and analytical variables and body composition by bioimpedance were assessed. The date and cause of death were recorded during 2 years of follow-up. (3) Among study participants, 41 (68%) were men, the mean age 81.85 ± 5.58 years and the dialysis vintage was 49.88 ± 40.29 months. The prevalence of probable sarcopenia was 75% to 97%, depending on the criteria employed: confirmed sarcopenia ranged from 37 to 40%, and severe sarcopenia ranged from 18 to 37%. A total of 30 (50%) patients died over 24 months. Sarcopenia probability variables were not related to mortality. In contrast, sarcopenia confirmation (appendicular skeletal muscle mass, ASM) and severity (gait speed, GS) variables were associated with mortality. In multivariate analysis, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for all-cause death was 3.03 (1.14-8.08, p = 0.028) for patients fulfilling ASM sarcopenia criteria and 3.29 (1.04-10.39, p = 0.042) for patients fulfilling GS sarcopenia criteria. (4) The diagnosis of sarcopenia by EWGSOP2 criteria is associated with an increased risk of all-cause death in elderly dialysis patients. Specifically, ASM and GS criteria could be used as mortality risk markers in elderly hemodialysis patients. Future studies should address whether the early diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia improve outcomes.This research received no external funding. E.G.-P., S.M.-F. and A.O.-A. research groups are funded by Ministerio de Economia, Industria y competitividad: FIS/Fondos FEDER (PI16/01298, PI17/00257, PI18/01386, PI19/00588, PI19/00815, PI20/00487, PI21/01430, ERA-PerMed-JTC2018 (KIDNEY ATTACK AC18/00064 and PERSTIGAN AC18/00071, ISCIII-RETIC REDinREN RD016/0009) and Sociedad Española de Nefrología, Comunidad de Madrid en Biomedicina B2017/BMD-3686 CIFRA2-CM. All authors want to thank Fundación Renal Íñigo Álvarez de Toledo (FRIAT) for its support to renal research in Spain. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript. Financiadores Comunidad de Madrid en Biomedicina B2017/BMD-3686 CIFRA2-CM FRIAT Fundación Renal Íñigo Álvarez de Toledo Ministerio de Economia Sociedad Española de Nefrología Spain Federación Española de Enfermedades Raras Spain PI21/0143

Dopamine and α-synuclein dysfunction in Smad3 null mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra (SN). Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) levels increase in patients with PD, although the effects of this increment remain unclear. We have examined the mesostriatal system in adult mice deficient in Smad3, a molecule involved in the intracellular TGF-β1 signalling cascade.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Striatal monoamine oxidase (MAO)-mediated dopamine (DA) catabolism to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) is strongly increased, promoting oxidative stress that is reflected by an increase in glutathione levels. Fewer astrocytes are detected in the ventral midbrain (VM) and striatal matrix, suggesting decreased trophic support to dopaminergic neurons. The SN of these mice has dopaminergic neuronal degeneration in its rostral portion, and the pro-survival Erk1/2 signalling is diminished in nigra dopaminergic neurons, not associated with alterations to p-JNK or p-p38. Furthermore, inclusions of α-synuclein are evident in selected brain areas, both in the perikaryon (SN and paralemniscal nucleus) or neurites (motor and cingulate cortices, striatum and spinal cord). Interestingly, these α-synuclein deposits are detected with ubiquitin and P^S129-α-synuclein in a core/halo cellular distribution, which resemble those observed in human Lewy bodies (LB).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Smad3 deficiency promotes strong catabolism of DA in the striatum (ST), decrease trophic and astrocytic support to dopaminergic neurons and may induce α-synuclein aggregation, which may be related to early parkinsonism. These data underline a role for Smad3 in α-synuclein and DA homeostasis, and suggest that modulatory molecules of this signalling pathway should be evaluated as possible neuroprotective agents.</p

Validation of the inverse method for the determination of the access flow with thermodilution

La termodilución es un método ampliamente usado para la medición del flujo de acceso vascular (QA). Entre las posibilidades de la termodilución, el método inverso (MI) puede ser beneficioso en el tiempo de ejecución, sin repercusión en la eficacia dialítica (Kt). Sin embargo, no es una técnica lo suficientemente estudiada. Método: Estudio transversal sobre 117 fístulas arteriovenosas. Se realizaron 2 mediciones de QA con el método descrito por el fabricante (MR) y otra con MI. El MI se basa en la obtención del registro de recirculación invertida al iniciar la sesión y una única medición posterior de recirculación con las líneas en posición normal. En el análisis de concordancia se utilizó el método Bland-Altman y el índice kappa de Cohen. Resultados: Se evidenció muy buena concordancia entre MR y MI para QA inferiores a 700 ml/min, pero empeora a medida que aumenta el flujo. La variabilidad mediana entre las mediciones con MR (variabilidad intramétodo) fue del 3,4% (−17,13). Este valor no difirió de la variabilidad mediana generada entre MR y MI (variabilidad intermétodo), que fue del 2% (−14,12) (p = 0,287). El grado de acuerdo entre ambos para identificar fístulas arteriovenosas susceptibles de intervención fue muy bueno (kappa = 0,834). El tiempo empleado utilizando el MI fue significativamente menor (p = 0,000), sin evidenciarse variaciones en el Kt de las sesiones de medida (p = 0,201). Conclusiones: El MI de termodilución es válido para determinar el flujo del acceso vascular, especialmente en QA inferiores a 700 ml/min, con gran ahorro de tiempo, simplificación del procedimiento y sin modificar la eficacia de diálisis. La variabilidad entre la medición por MR y MI es similar a la propia del MR. La concordancia entre métodos a la hora de identificar fístulas arteriovenosas potencialmente patológicas es muy buena

Mindfulness-based Interventions For The Treatment Of Substance And Behavioral Addictions: A Systematic Review

Background: Emotion (dys) regulation as well as the interventions for improving these difficulties are receiving a growing attention in the literature. The aim of the present paper was to conduct a systematic review about the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in both substance and behavioral addictions (BAs). Method: A literature search was conducted using Cochrane, PubMed, and Web of Science. Fifty-four randomized controlled trials published in English since 2009 to April 2017 were included into a narrative synthesis. Results: Mindfulness-based interventions were applied in a wide range of addictions, including substance use disorders (from smoking to alcohol, among others) and BAs (namely, gambling disorder). These treatments were successful for reducing dependence, craving, and other addiction-related symptoms by also improving mood state and emotion dysregulation. The most commonly used MBI approaches were as follows: Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention, Mindfulness Training for Smokers, or Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement, and the most frequent control group in the included studies was Treatment as Usual (TAU). The most effective approach was the combination of MBIs with TAU or other active treatments. However, there is a lack of studies showing the maintenance of the effect over time. Therefore, studies with longer follow-ups are needed. Conclusion: The revised literature shows support for the effectiveness of the MBIs. Future research should focus on longer follow-up assessments as well as on adolescence and young population, as they are a vulnerable population for developing problems associated with alcohol, drugs, or other addictions

Immunohistochemical field parcellation of the human hippocampus along its antero-posterior axis

The primate hippocampus includes the dentate gyrus, cornu ammonis (CA), and subiculum. CA is subdivided into four felds (CA1-CA3, plus CA3h/hilus of the dentate gyrus) with specifc pyramidal cell morphology and connections. Work in non-human mammals has shown that hippocampal connectivity is precisely patterned both in the laminar and longitudinal axes. One of the main handicaps in the study of neuropathological semiology in the human hippocampus is the lack of clear laminar and longitudinal borders. The aim of this study was to explore a histochemical segmentation of the adult human hippocampus, integrating feld (medio-lateral), laminar, and anteroposterior longitudinal patterning. We provide criteria for head-body-tail feld and subfeld parcellation of the human hippocampus based on immunodetection of Rabphilin3a (Rph3a), Purkinje-cell protein 4 (PCP4), Chromogranin A and Regulation of G protein signaling-14 (RGS-14). Notably, Rph3a and PCP4 allow to identify the border between CA3 and CA2, while Chromogranin A and RGS-14 give specifc staining of CA2. We also provide novel histological data about the composition of human-specifc regions of the anterior and posterior hippocampus. The data are given with stereotaxic coordinates along the longitudinal axis. This study provides novel insights for a detailed region-specifc parcellation of the human hippocampus useful for human brain imaging and neuropathologyOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. EG-A, IP-S and CC were the recipients of grants from the Chair in Neuroscience UAM-Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno (Spain), and from thePlan Propio de Investigaciónof the University of La Laguna. LMP was the recipient of grant PID2021-124829NB-I00 from the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spai

Mutation status and immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in patients from northwest and central region of Spain with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al.The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and mutation status of the immunoglobulin heavy variable chain (IGHV) in a cohort of 224 patients from northwest and central region of Spain diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and to correlate it with cytogenetic abnormalities, overall survival (OS) and time to first treatment (TTFT). 125 patients had mutated IGHV, while 99 had unmutated IGHV. The most frequently used IGHV family was IGHV3, followed by IGHV1 and IGHV4. The regions IGHV3-30, IGHV1-69, IGHV3-23, and IGHV4-34 were the most commonly used. Only 3.1% of the patients belonged to the subfamily IGHV3-21 and we failed to demonstrate a worse clinical outcome in this subgroup. The IGHV4 family appeared more frequently with mutated pattern, similar to IGHV3-23 and IGHV3-74. By contrast, IGHV1-69 was expressed at a higher frequency in unmutated CLL patients. All the cases from IGHV3-11 and almost all from IGHV5-51 subfamily belonged to the group of unmutated CLL.The study was partially supported by grants from the Spanish Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias 02/1041, FIS 09/01382, FIS 09/01543, and PI12/00281; RD12/0036/0069 from Red Tematica de Investigación Cooperativa en Cáncer (RTICC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness & European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) “Una manera de hacer Europa”; and Caja de Burgos-Banca Cívica. A. Rodrígues was fully supported by an Ayuda Predoctoral FIS de Formación en Investigacion by the Spanish Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias. M. Hernandez-Sanchez was partially supported by a grant from the “Fundacion Española de Hematología y Hemoterapia.” Partially supported by grants from “Proyectos de Investigacion Biomédica del SACYL” 106/A/06.Peer Reviewe