Rapid screening of statin-producing filamentous fungi

Hypercholesterolemia, an important risk factor in coronary artery disease, is nowadays commonly treated with statins. They are a class of fungal secondary metabolites that can inhibit the de novo synthesis of endogenous cholesterol by means of the competitive inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase. From 14-day-old fungal cultures cultivated at 20°C on lactose-yeast extract agar medium, statins were extracted with ethyl acetate at 50°C for 20 min with agitation. Two different methods were applied: a) Glass beads disruption: mycelium-covered agar plugs were transferred to a test tube and subsequently treated with glass beads and ethyl acetate. b) Freeze-thawing: mycelium-covered agar plugs were freezed overnight and, after thawing, supernatant was recovered by centrifugation and mixed with an equal volume of ethyl acetate. Presence of statins in the organic phase was simultaneously evaluated by both thin layer chromatography (TLC) and a bioassay based on the yeast growth-inhibitory effect (either with Candida albicans or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. For bioassay, actively growing yeasts were included in molten YNB agar medium, poured into plates and get solidified. Statin extracts (25 ul were poured into 6mm-diam. wells and compared to standard statins. After incubation at 26°, inhibition haloes formation was assessed. Results according to both methodologies revealed that 23 isolates from 230 filamentous fungi collected from Las Yungas (Tucumán, Argentina) would be able to produce bioactive compounds compatible with statins. Applied protocols showed to be valid at the time of selecting statin-producers, allowing high sensitivity and readily available results in association with the ease of sample processing.Fil: Cabral, Maria Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos; ArgentinaFil: Castellanos, Lucia Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos; ArgentinaFil: Siñeriz, Faustino. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos; ArgentinaFil: Fariña, Julia Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos; ArgentinaSociety for Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting and ExhibitionDenverEstados UnidosSociety for Industrial Microbiolog

Violencia en el noviazgo e ideación suicida en universitarios de la Región Lambayeque, 2021

El presente trabajo buscó determinar la relación entre violencia en el noviazgo e ideación suicida en universitarios de la Región Lambayeque, se contó con una muestra de 600 universitarios de edades entre los 18 a 25 años, a quienes se les aplicó el Cuestionario de violencia entre novios (CUVINO) y la Escala de ideación suicida de Beck. Teniendo ello un enfoque cuantitativo con diseño no experimental de tipo transversal-correlacional. Respecto a los resultados, se confirmó que existe relación directa altamente significativa entre las variables estudiadas, además acerca de violencia en el noviazgo se halló que el 38% presentó un nivel moderado, el 37% un nivel grave, el 13% nivel leve y 13% no presenta, al mismo tiempo sobre ideación suicida se encontró que presentaban un 43% nivel de riesgo moderado, 31% riesgo leve y 26% riesgo alto, a su vez se halló que existe una relación positiva significativa entre las dimensiones de violencia en el noviazgo con la dimensión actitud hacia la vida/muerte, proyecto de intento suicida y factores de fondo, mientras que las demás dimensiones presentaron una relación positiva

Neoadjuvant gastric cancer treatment and associated nutritional critical domains for the optimization of care pathways: a systematic review

(1) Background: Gastric cancer patients are known to be at a high risk of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and cachexia, and the latter impairs the patient’s nutritional status during their clinical course and also treatment response. A clearer identification of nutrition-related critical points during neoadjuvant treatment for gastric cancer is relevant to managing patient care and predicting clinical outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and describe nutrition-related critical domains associated with clinical outcomes. (2) Methods: We performed a systematic review (PROSPERO ID:CRD42021266760); (3) Results: This review included 14 studies compiled into three critical domains: patient-related, clinical-related (disease and treatment), and healthcare-related. Body composition changes during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) accounted for the early termination of chemotherapy and reduced overall survival. Sarcopenia was confirmed to have an independent prognostic value. The role of nutritional interventions during NAC has not been fully explored. (4) Conclusions: Understanding critical domain exposures affecting nutritional status will enable better clinical approaches to optimize care plans. It may also provide an opportunity for the mitigation of poor nutritional status and sarcopenia and their deleterious clinical consequences.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Caracterização dos hábitos de pequeno-almoço de crianças portuguesas em idade escolar – Programa Escola Missão Continente 2021/2022

Introdução: O pequeno-almoço (PA) desempenha um papel importante nos hábitos alimentares das crianças, constituindo parte de uma dieta saudável e equilibrada fundamental para o seu crescimento e desenvolvimento. Objetivos: Caracterizar os hábitos de PA de crianças em idade escolar participantes no Programa Escola Missão Continente (EMC), quanto à sua composição, frequência e local, associando estes fatores ao estado nutricional infantil. Metodologia: No âmbito do Programa EMC, decorrido no ano letivo 2021/2022, foi desenvolvida uma análise transversal, contando com uma amostra de 573 crianças (51.5% sexo masculino, idades 6-8 anos) de 35 escolas de todos os distritos de Portugal Continental e Regiões Autónomas dos Açores e da Madeira. Foram recolhidos dados antropométricos (peso e estatura) para avaliar o estado nutricional, utilizando a classificação no Índice de Massa Corporal e o referencial de curvas de crescimento da Organização Mundial de Saúde para crianças dos 5 aos 19 anos. A caracterização dos hábitos alimentares foi realizada através de um questionário aplicado aos Encarregados de Educação com questões relativas ao PA. Para o teste de hipóteses, aplicou-se o teste estatístico Qui-quadrado. Resultados: Verificou-se que a maioria das crianças consumia PA diariamente (94,5%) em casa (95,9%), sendo esta composto por produtos lácteos (24,6%), pão e equivalentes (20,7%) e cereais de pequeno-almoço (17,7%). O grupo de crianças que não consumia PA todos os dias da semana apresentava índices de pré-obesidade (25,8%) e obesidade (22,6%), significativamente superiores (p=0,01) comparativamente ao grupo de crianças que consumia pequeno-almoço diariamente (pré-obesidade = 17,0% e obesidade = 10.4%). Os resultados obtidos para os fatores local e composição não foram estatisticamente significativos. Conclusão: A frequência de PA parece estar associada com o estado nutricional infantil. Deste modo, torna-se fundamental implementar bons hábitos alimentares ao PA, desde a infância, em prol da promoção em saúde como parte de todo o desenvolvimento da criança.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fabrication of a MEMS micromirror based on bulk silicon micromachining combined with grayscale lithography

A 1D MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) mirror for LiDAR applications, based on vertically asymmetric comb-drive electrostatic actuators, is presented in this work employing a novel fabrication process. This novel micromachining process combines typical SOI-based bulk micromachining and grayscale lithography, enabling the fabrication of combs actuators with asymmetric heights using a single lithography step in the active layer. With this technique, the fabrication process is simplified, and the overall costs are reduced since the number of required lithography steps decrease. The fabricated mirrors present self-aligned electrodes with a 2.8 mu m gap and asymmetric heights of the movable and the fixed electrodes of 20 mu m and 50 mu m, respectively. These asymmetric actuators are an essential feature for the operation mode of this device, enabling both in resonant and static mode operation. A mirror field of view (FOV) of 54 degrees at 838 Hz was achieved under low-pressure, when resonantly operated, and a FOV of 0.8 degrees in the static mode.This work was supported by the European Structural and Investment Funds in the FEDER Component through the Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Programme (COMPETE 2020) under Project 037902 (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-037902). The work of Carlos Ferreira was supported by the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) under Grant PD/BDE/135102/2017. Subject Editor M. Rais-Zadeh

Preparation of modified clay with cetylpyridinium chloride and evaluation of their interaction with PVC

Foi preparada uma argila modificada com cloreto de cetilpiridíneo a partir da argila sódica por troca de cátions em solução. Foi avaliada a quantidade de agente de modificação em relação à argila sódica e o tempo reacional. Os materiais obtidos foram caracterizados por difração de raio X (XRD), análise termogravimétrica (TGA) e ressonância magnética nuclear (RMN) de baixo campo. Após a caracterização foi confirmada a modificação da argila e, também, foi verificado que o produto obtido pode ser empregado na preparação de nanocompósitos de PVC, considerando que o início da degradação do material preparado ocorreu em temperatura superior às comumente utilizadas no processamento do polímero. A adição da argila modificada apresentou uma dispersão adequada no PVC e manteve o início da degradação do material em temperatura compatível com o processamento do polímero, gerando um nanocompósito com parte esfoliada e intercalada. _________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTA modified silicate with cetylpyridinium was prepared from sodium clay with cation exchange in solution. The amount of modification agent for clay and the reaction time were evaluated. The materials produced were characterized using X ray diffraction (XRD), termogravimetric analysis (TGA) and low field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The formation of new organic clay was confirmed, which was introduced in PVC for the formation of nanocomposites. The beginning of degradation of the new clay occurred at temperatures higher than commonly used in the processing of PVC. The nanocomposites were partially exfoliated and partially intercalated

Anticholinesterase activity evaluation of alkaloids and coumarin from stems of Conchocarpus fontanesianus

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conchocarpus fontanesianus (A. St.-Hill.) Kallunki & Pirani, Rutaceae, popularly known as pitaguara, is a native and endemic tree from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro States, Brazil. Based in the information that anticholinesterasic derivatives could act as new prototypes to treatment of Alzheimer disease, this work describes the fractionation guided by evaluation of the anticholinesterase activity of the ethanolic stems extract from C. fontanesianus. This procedure afforded the alkaloids dictamnine (1), gamma-fagarine (2), skimianine (3), and 2-phenyl-1-methyl-4-quinolone (4), as well as the coumarin marmesin (5).222374380Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Neuron-Microglia Contact-Dependent Mechanisms Attenuate Methamphetamine-Induced Microglia Reactivity and Enhance Neuronal Plasticity

Exposure to methamphetamine (Meth) has been classically associated with damage to neuronal terminals. However, it is now becoming clear that addiction may also result from the interplay between glial cells and neurons. Recently, we demonstrated that binge Meth administration promotes microgliosis and microglia pro-inflammation via astrocytic glutamate release in a TNF/IP(3)R2-Ca2+-dependent manner. Here, we investigated the contribution of neuronal cells to this process. As the crosstalk between microglia and neurons may occur by contact-dependent and/or contact-independent mechanisms, we developed co-cultures of primary neurons and microglia in microfluidic devices to investigate how their interaction affects Meth-induced microglia activation. Our results show that neurons exposed to Meth do not activate microglia in a cell-autonomous way but require astrocyte mediation. Importantly, we found that neurons can partially prevent Meth-induced microglia activation via astrocytes, which seems to be achieved by increasing arginase 1 expression and strengthening the CD200/CD200r pathway. We also observed an increase in synaptic individual area, as determined by co-localization of pre- and post-synaptic markers. The present study provides evidence that contact-dependent mechanisms between neurons and microglia can attenuate pro-inflammatory events such as Meth-induced microglia activation

Plantas nativas del centro oeste argentino con aptitud ornamental: experiencias en Mendoza

En el oeste árido argentino crece una gran cantidad de especies nativas con potencial valor ornamental. Estas plantas están adaptadas a un clima con fuerte déficit hídrico anual, gran alternancia de temperaturas, tanto diarias como anuales, y baja humedad relativa a lo largo del año. La introducción de estas especies a cultivo, su domesticación y obtención de variedades comerciales, permitirá su empleo en proyectos de xeripaisajismo, responsables y coherentes con su entorno natural, que ayudarán a preservar recursos (plantas nativas y agua) cada vez más afectados por causas naturales o por acción antrópica. En Mendoza, desde la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, y el INTA se trabaja en la introducción de especies nativas y la evaluación de su potencial ornamental desde hace 15 años. En los últimos años se incorporó la evaluación por sus propiedades aromáticas. Se presentan los resultados obtenidos acompañados por la descripción de cada una de las especies estudiadas. Se evaluaron especies pertenecientes a cuatro géneros de la familia Asteráceas (Solidago, Hysterionica, Verbesina, Grindelia); una de Verbenáceas (Glandularia); dos de Malváceas (Sphaeralcea, Lecanophora); uno de Solanáceas (Schizanthus).A large number of native species with ornamental potential grow in the arid west of Argentina. These plants are adapted to a climate characterized by extreme annual water deficit, large variations in daily and annual temperatures, and low relative humidity throughout the year. The domestication, cultivation and commercial varieties of these species will allow xeriscape landscaping projects to be designed in accordance with the natural environment. This will help conserve resources (native plant and water) that have been becoming increasingly limited by natural or human-made causes. For the last 15 years in Mendoza, the Faculty of Agrarian Sciences and INTA have worked on the identification and evaluation of native species for their ornamental potential. This work has more recently included the evaluation of their aromatic properties. A brief description of the species studied is presented along with a summary of the results obtained from these efforts. These studies have addressed genera of the Asteraceae (Solidago, Hysterionica, Verbesina, Grindelia) genus of Verbenaceae (Glandularia), genera of Malvaceae (Sphaeralcea, Lecanophora); genus of Solanaceae (Schizanthus).EEA MendozaFil: Cuesta, Graciela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta; ArgentinaFil: Fioretti, Sonia. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Lorello, Ines Maria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta; ArgentinaFil: Lorello, Ines Maria. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra Pizarro, Alicia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Mendoza; ArgentinaFil: Gutierrez, Maria Teresa. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Cabral, Juan Martin. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Pisi, Gabriel Enrique. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Mendoza. Agencia De Extensión Rural Luján de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Baglio, Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Mendoza. Agencia De Extensión Rural Luján de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Di Cenzi, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentin