Fatty acid, vitamina E and sterols composition of seed oils from nine different pomegranate (Punica granatum L) cultivars grown in Spain

[EN] The present study was conducted to determine the major bioactive lipid components of the seed oils of nine pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars grown in Spain, namely fatty acids, vitamin E and sterol compositions. The seeds yielded oil contents ranging from 4.44% to 13.70% of dry matter and showed high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (86.7.2–90.3%). The predominant fatty acid was 9,11, 13-octadeca-trienoic acid (punicic acid), a conjugated linolenic acid characteristic from pomegranate seeds, with contents between 3523 and 10,586 mg/100 g of seeds. Total tocopherol contents ranged from 135 to 525 mg/100 g of oil, with g-tocopherol as the main component, and with different compositional ratios between varieties. Concerning sterols in the oil, total amounts ranged from 364 to 553 mg/100 g, with a predominance of b-sitosterol. After performing principal component analysis, intercultivar differences were found, a potential tool for cultivar authenticity purposes. Moreover, the ingestion of pomegranate arils, with their seeds, increases their beneficial health properties.Authors are grateful to POCTEP - Programa de Cooperacao Transfronteiriga Espanha - Portugal for financial support (Project "RED/AGROTEC-Experimentation network and transfer for development of agricultural and agro industrial sectors between Spain and Portugal) as well as to the European Union (FEDER funds through COMPETE) and National Funds (FCT, Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia) through project Pest-C/EQB/LA0006/2013.Fernandes, L.; Pereira, JA.; López Cortés, I.; Salazar Hernández, DM.; Ramalhosa, E.; Casal, S. (2015). Fatty acid, vitamina E and sterols composition of seed oils from nine different pomegranate (Punica granatum L) cultivars grown in Spain. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 39:13-22. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2014.11.006S13223

Application of Remote Sensing In Two Southern Iranian Oil Fields

Geoscientists have long applied photographic cameras, radar, lasers, infrared (IR) scanners, radiometers, spectrometers, microwaves, and multi spectral scanners (MSS) in the search for hydrocarbons. With introduction of satellite remote sensing, basic techniques were then coupled with this new technology. This produced enhanced views of the Earth’s surface. Although oil and gas reservoirs are deep below the surface, they have some indicators, which can be detected on the ground. To reduce the exploration costs for hydrocarbons during the reconnaissance stage of exploration, satellite images and available surface data by combining with other current conventional exploration techniques could be used. In recent years, geological reconnaissance has been augmented by sophisticated terrace data-gathering techniques, which have been categorized as remote sensors. GIS allows petroleum engineers or functional group within to communicate information and make spatial and temporal decisions about assets, activities and natural resources. The present paper deals with the study of two existing petroleum-rich reservoirs. The selected area contains thermally unprocessed VNIR, SWIR and TIR ASTER images for granule of the study area covering Ab-teymur and Darquin reservoirs. Each granule covers an area of 3600 Km2 (60 km x 60 km) of land of onshore Iran. Besides the main geological units and the gas geological analysis within the boundary of these granules have been studied. For this work three layers of information are considered: geology, geochemistry and vegetation cover. The main geological units within the boundary of the granules have been discussed for both fields. The basis of gas geochemical prospecting methods is that no oil or gas reservoir cap rock is completely impermeable. Hydrocarbons and other compounds and elements escape from the reservoirs and the more volatile components migrate to the surface where they may be trapped in soils or diffuse in atmosphere or ocean. Vegetation cover within the boundaries of oil field influenced zones was taken into consideration as an individual layer of information which will complement the other layers of information by its corresponding statistical weight

Molecular Characterization of Resistance to Second-Line Anti-Mycobacterial Drugs among Clinical Isolates of Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Background: The emergence of multidrug resistance and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis is a serious public health crisis. Using rapid and inexpensive molecular methods such as HRM assay in the detection of second-line drugs resistance in M. tuberculosis would be helpful in the treatment and control of XDR tuberculosis cases. Methods: MDR-TB isolates were collected from Iranian tuberculosis laboratories. Drug susceptibility test performed via the indirect proportion method utilizing LJ Medium. Susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin, and capreomycin, as second-line anti-tuberculosis agents were assessed. Single point mutations in gyrA, rrs and eis genes were detected via HRM assay and DNA sequencing. Results: A DST test was performed for 56 MDR isolates and at least 27 (48.2) isolates were resistant to CIP or OFL. Also, 14 (25), 12 (21.4), and 15 (26.7) isolates were resistant to capreomycin, amikacin, and kanamycin, respectively. D94G, A90V, and G88C mutations were the most frequent mutations in gyrA gene. Also, A1401G mutation was detected more than the other mutations in rrs gene. Conclusions: The frequency of CIP/OFL and AMK/CAP/KAN-resistant TB is considerable among Iranian tuberculosis cases. HRM assay is a rapid and inexpensive test and can detect important mutation-based drug resistance in MDR-TB and XDR-TB isolates

Molecular Characterization of Resistance to Second-Line Anti-Mycobacterial Drugs among Clinical Isolates of Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Background: The emergence of multidrug resistance and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis is a serious public health crisis. Using rapid and inexpensive molecular methods such as HRM assay in the detection of second-line drugs resistance in M. tuberculosis would be helpful in the treatment and control of XDR tuberculosis cases. Methods: MDR-TB isolates were collected from Iranian tuberculosis laboratories. Drug susceptibility test performed via the indirect proportion method utilizing LJ Medium. Susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin, and capreomycin, as second-line anti-tuberculosis agents were assessed. Single point mutations in gyrA, rrs and eis genes were detected via HRM assay and DNA sequencing. Results: A DST test was performed for 56 MDR isolates and at least 27 (48.2) isolates were resistant to CIP or OFL. Also, 14 (25), 12 (21.4), and 15 (26.7) isolates were resistant to capreomycin, amikacin, and kanamycin, respectively. D94G, A90V, and G88C mutations were the most frequent mutations in gyrA gene. Also, A1401G mutation was detected more than the other mutations in rrs gene. Conclusions: The frequency of CIP/OFL and AMK/CAP/KAN-resistant TB is considerable among Iranian tuberculosis cases. HRM assay is a rapid and inexpensive test and can detect important mutation-based drug resistance in MDR-TB and XDR-TB isolates