Effect of increased CO2 and dissolved iron on primary productivity and inorganic carbon uptake during a bloom of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi

Net primary production (NPP) and inorganic carbon uptake were analysed during a bloom of Emiliania huxleyi in mesocosms. The experiment lasted 25 days and was carried out in the Raunefjord off Bergen (Norway, June 2012) in order to investigate the interactive effects of increased CO2 and iron availability on the phytoplanktonic community. For this purpose two different partial pressures of CO2 corresponding to present (390 ppmV) and predicted levels for year 2100 (900ppmV) (LC and HC respectively) were used. The siderophore desferoxamine B (DFB) was added to half of the mesocosms to create two different iron conditions (+DFB and –DFB). Three mesocosm bags were used for each treatment. NPP was estimated using short-term 14C uptake assays. The isotope disequilibrium assay (ID) was used to determine the relative fraction of HCO3- and CO2 uptake in concentrated cell suspensions. Short-term cellular 14C fixation was monitored during a transient disequilibrium between 14CO2 and H14 CO3- in solution, and so, the fraction of HCO3- uptake (f) and the rate of extracellular CO2: HCO3- interconversion (α), as a measure of extracellular carbonic anhydrase activity (eCA), were calculated. Further details will be discussed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Enfermedades psiquiátricas y trabajo. Revisión bibliográfica y jurisprudencial (Trastornos esquizofrénicos, trastorno bipolar y trastornos ansioso-depresivos)

Las enfermedades psiquiátricas en su conjunto y, algunas de ellas de forma específica, constituyen un problema de salud pública en todos los países y conllevan un coste económico asociado, tanto directo como indirecto. Pero además, cuando la persona enferma ejerce su derecho al trabajo ello comporta, en ocasiones, más allá de su diagnóstico y su tratamiento, la necesidad de tomar unas acciones en las empresas, limitantes adaptativas o restrictivas, para el trabajador afectado y la adopción de medidas socio-laborales con repercusión posterior administrativa y jurídica. Se revisarán en este trabajo las publicaciones médicas recogidas en la base de datos de referencia (Pub-Med) relativa a estas patologías, su diferenciación en cuanto a los aspectos clínico asistenciales y su comparativa con los socio-laborales. De igual forma se realiza en este trabajo una revisión del impacto de estas patologías en la base de datos jurídica (Westlaw Insignis) y su diferenciación según cada patología y área del derecho correspondiente. Sirvan los resultados para, a través del conocimiento actual de la situación, basada en estos datos, elaborar posibles estrategias preventivas de futuro ante conflictos médico legales y de nuevos enfoques más coordinados entre todos los agentes implicados.Psychiatric disorders as a whole and some of them in a specific way constitute a public health problem in all countries and entail an economic cost associated, both directly and indirectly. In addition, some issues are to be considered when the sick person exercises his right to work, beyond diagnosis and treatment of his/her disease. Companies need to take some actions whether adaptive or restrictive for the affected employee, and the adoption of socio-labor measures which will have administrative and legal impact. The medical publications listed in the reference database (Pub-Med) concerning these pathologies will be reviewed in this article with emphasis in those clinical aspects that correlate health care with socio-labor implications. Paralelly, this work reviews the impact of these diseases in the legal databases (Westlaw Insignis) and their differentiation according to each disorder and its corresponding area of the law.The conclusions of this work, through the current knowledge of the situation, will serve to develop possible preventive strategies to address future medico-legal conflicts as well as to develop more coordinated approaches among all the stakeholders

Especias, hierbas medicinales y plantas. Usos en medicina. Revisión de la bibliografía científica (Medline)

Diversas hierbas, plantas y especias han sido importantes instrumentos de la medicina tradicional y, a veces, de la magia. Antes de la generalización de los medicamentos elaborados de forma industrial, solían prescribirse remedios compuestos por hierbas, muchos de ellos de probada eficacia, que han sido redescubiertos y utilizados en nuestros días. En la actualidad, la ciencia nos ofrece información contrastada sobre los efectos beneficiosos que las especias pueden suponer en determinadas patologías y las bondades médicas que se apuntan en el horizonte de la ciencia. Culturas orientales, como la India o la China, llevan años incorporando experiencias en esta línea de estudio. Se realiza en este trabajo una recopilación de algunas de estas publicaciones, dejando abierto el campo a futuros investigadores occidentales y especialmente españoles, sobre las opciones terapéuticas que ofrecen las especias y las plantas; un camino donde nuestra experiencia es aún escasa.Various herbs, plants and spices have been important tools for traditional medicine and sometimes magic. Before the widespread use of industrially manufactured drugs, very common remedies, made out of herbs were prescribed, many of them with proven efficacy that have been rediscovered and used nowadays. Today, science offers contrasted information on the beneficial effects that spices may represent for certain pathologies and their potential medical benefits that might arise in the horizon of science. Eastern cultures, such as India or China, spent years incorporating their experiences in this line of study. This work represents a compilation of some of these publications, leaving the field opened to future researchers, western and especially Spanish, on potential treatment options offered by spices and plants, a path where our experience is still limited

Effect of lyophilized water extracts of Melissa officinalis on the stability of algae and linseed oil-in-water emulsion to be used as a functional ingredient in meat products

Previous work pointed out the possibility to enhance the nutritional value of meat products using long chain omega-3 PUFA enriched emulsions. Oil-in-water emulsions elaborated with a mixture of algae and linseed oils (15:10) in order to be used as functional ingredient were stabilized with BHA (butylhydroxyanisol) or with a lyophilized water extract of Melissa officinalis L. (Lemon balm). The lipid profile of the oil mixture showed a high amount of DHA (31.7%), oleic (25.4%) and alpha-linolenic acid (12.7%) resulting in a very low omega-6/omega-3 ratio (0.12). The lyophilized extract of M. officinalis showed a high antioxidant activity (being 62ppm of the lyophilized water extract of Melissa equivalent to 200ppm of BHA, using the DPPH assay as reference), and high total phenolic content. Studying the oxidation process in the emulsions during 15days at room temperature, it could be concluded that this extract was as efficient as BHA in order to control the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation

Cardiotrophin-1 defends the liver against ischemia-reperfusion injury and mediates the protective effect of ischemic preconditioning

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) liver injury occurs when blood flow is restored after prolonged ischemia. A short interruption of blood flow (ischemic preconditioning [IP]) induces tolerance to subsequent prolonged ischemia through ill-defined mechanisms. Cardiotrophin (CT)-1, a cytokine of the interleukin-6 family, exerts hepatoprotective effects and activates key survival pathways like JAK/STAT3. Here we show that administration of CT-1 to rats or mice protects against I/R liver injury and that CT-1-deficient mice are exceedingly sensitive to this type of damage. IP markedly reduced transaminase levels and abrogated caspase-3 and c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase activation after I/R in normal mice but not in CT-1-null mice. Moreover, the protective effect afforded by IP was reduced by previous administration of neutralizing anti-CT-1 antibody. Prominent STAT3 phosphorylation in liver tissue was observed after IP plus I/R in normal mice but not in CT-1-null mice. Oxidative stress, a process involved in IP-induced hepatoprotection, was found to stimulate CT-1 release from isolated hepatocytes. Interestingly, brief ischemia followed by short reperfusion caused mild serum transaminase elevation and strong STAT3 activation in normal and IL-6-deficient mice, but failed to activate STAT3 and provoked marked hypertransaminasemia in CT-1-null animals. In conclusion, CT-1 is an essential endogenous defense of the liver against I/R and is a key mediator of the protective effect induced by IP

Consumo de alcohol y riesgo de accidentes de tráfico en España. Aspectos preventivos

Introducción: Las bebidas alcohólicas se consumen ampliamente en todo el mundo y también en España. Aunque la mayoría de la población adulta tiene un patrón de consumo de bajo riesgo, existen personas que presentan patrones lesivos de consumo que van desde el bebedor diario de gran cantidad, al consumo de riesgo ocasional/social. Esta situación genera problemas de seguridad vial en casi todos los países asociados a cambios en el rendimiento psicomotor del consumidor con posterior repercusión en riesgo de accidentes. Método: Para realizar esta revisión se han consultado la base de datos de la Organización Mundial de la Salud: World Health Organization. Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH) y los resultados del estudio EDADES. Se ha hecho una búsqueda bibliográfica en PubMed y otras bases de datos de referencia (Latindex, Scopus, Índice Bibliográfico Español en Ciencias de la Salud –IBECS sobre los términos de búsqueda: alcohol consumption and road traffic injuries, seleccionándose a criterio de los autores aquellos trabajos considerados más significativos). Conclusiones: Se trata de un complejo problema con repercusión individual en los afectados y trascendencia socioeconómica y en la que destaca la especial implicación en sus efectos de las personas más jóvenes, lo que requiere de un esfuerzo preventivo conjunto sanitario, social y de las Administraciones Públicas para obtener resultados en plazos lo más breves posible y reducir la mortalidad, morbilidad y limitaciones resultantes ocasionadas por la conducción bajo los efectos de las bebidas alcohólicas, con frecuencia asociados al consumo de otro tipo de drogas y aceptado cada vez más por la sociedad en actividades de ocio.Introduction: Alcoholic beverages are widely consumed around the world and also in Spain. Although most of the adult population has a pattern of low-risk drinking, there are people with harmful drinking patterns ranging from daily drinker wealth, consumption casual / social risk. This creates traffic problems in almost all countries associated with changes in psychomotor performance consumer with subsequent impact on accident risk. Methods: To perform this review we have consulted the database of the World Health Organization: World Health Organization. Global Information System on Alcohol and Health ( GISAH ) and the results of the EDADES study. It has become a literature search in PubMed and other databases of reference (Latindex Scopus Spanish Bibliographic Index of Health Sciences -IBECS about search terms: Alcohol Consumption and road traffic injuries, and have been selected by the authors tose works considered more relevants. Conclusions: This is a complex issue with individual impact on those affected and socio-economic importance and which highlights the special involvement in the effects of younger people, which requires a preventive effort overall health, social and government for results in shorter periods and may reduce mortality, morbidity and resulting limitations caused by driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages, often associated with the consumption of other drugs and increasingly accepted by society in leisure activities

Reliability of a novel electro-medical device for wheal size measurement in allergy skin testing: An exploratory clinical trial

Skin prick testing (SPT) is the cornerstone of IgE-mediated allergy diagnosis,1 due to its high sensitivity and specificity.2 However, a uniform method for wheal measurement does not exist. Ansotegui et al.2 recommends to measure wheals in millimeters with a ruler, in many centers they are outlined with a pen and transfer by tape to a paper and then measured. Subsequently, the specialist is able to manually measure the maximum (MD) and orthogonal diameter (OD) of the wheal. This procedure is time consuming and makes repro-ducible measurements difficult.2,3 Knowing the wheal's area could help make a more accurate diagnosis.4 Over the last 30 years, many attempts have been made to develop a device to measure the size of SPT.3 Nexkin DSPT® (Figure S1A,B) is a novel mechatronic system based on 3D laser technology, that automatically locates allergen's wheal and measures its size (MD, OD and area in square millimeters) (Figure S1C)

Chemical composition, mineral content and antioxidant activity of Verbena officinalis L.

Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts from Verbena officinalis L. were obtained and characterised. The analysis by HPLC-DAD and LC–MS allowed the detection and identification of three iridoids, fifteen flavonoids and four phenolic acid derivatives. Four flavonoids, scutellarein 7-diglucuronide (9), scutellarein 7-glucuronide (13), pedalitin 6-galactoside (15) and scutellarein 7-glucoside (19) are reported for the first time from this plant. In addition, three new flavonoids have been isolated: scutellarein 7-O-(2-O-feruloyl)-diglucuronide (5), pedalitin 6-O-diglucuronide (6) and pedalitin 6-O-(2-O-feruloyl)-diglucuronide (13). To our knowledge, these flavonoids have not been reported as natural products. Both extracts showed significant antioxidant activity using three in vitro model systems and the results have been correlated with total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. The results have allowed establishing an important relation structure–activity and significant correlations have also been found between the mineralcontent and the flavonoids present in both extracts

Selenium, iodine, omega-3 PUFA and natural antioxidant from Melissa officinalis L.: a combination of components from healthier dry fermented sausages formulation.

A new formulation of dry fermented sausage, including ingredients that improve the nutritional and health benefits of this type of product is presented. Se yeast (2g/kg), iodized salt (26g/kg), linseed:algae (3:2) emulsion (62.5g/kg), and lyophilized water extract of Melissa officinalis L. as a source of natural antioxidants (686mg/kg), yielded dry fermented sausages with technological and sensory properties similar to traditional ones. From the nutritional standpoint, a 50g portion of this product would give 100% of the recommended daily intake for Se, 70% of DRI for iodine, and 40% and 100% of the reference intake for alpha-linolenic and EPA+DHA, respectively. The omega-6/omega-3 ratio decreased from 15.7 in the control product to 1.96 in the modified one. Despite the high PUFA content, no oxidation was detected by TBARS (<0.15mgMDA/kg) and volatile compounds, showing the effectiveness of the natural antioxidants from M. officinalis. The modified formulation presented good acceptability for panelists with similar appearance, odor, taste and juiciness as the control products

“High in omega-3 fatty acids” Bologna type sausages stabilized with an aqueous-ethanol extract of Melissa officinalis.

A new formulation of bologna-type sausage enriched in ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (8.75% linseed oil) was developed, using a lyophilized aqueous-ethanolic extract of Melissa officinalis. A comparison with the effectiveness of butylhydroxy anisole (BHA) synthetic antioxidant to decrease the oxidation of PUFAs was performed. The formulation increased the ω-3 PUFAs content, especially α-linolenic acid, decreasing significantly the ω-6/ω-3 ratio from 17.3 to 1.9, and also the Atherogenic Index and Thrombogenic Index (0.38–0.31 and 1.03–0.54, respectively). Modified sausages with BHA and Melissa extract showed significantly lower peroxides value (2.62 and 6.11 meqO2/kg) and thiobarbituric acid value (0.26 and 0.27 mg malondialdehyde/kg) and higher antioxidant capacity (hydrophilic fraction ABTS: 0.45 and 0.74 meq Trolox/g product; lipofilic fraction ABTS: 0.44 and 0.37 meq Trolox/g product) than those without these ingredients (16.49 meq O2/kg, 2.08 mg malondialdehyde /kg, 0.26 and 0.27 meq Trolox/g product, respectively). Sensorial tests showed that acceptability of the new formulations was similar to control products