The Pentacyclic Triterpenes α, β-amyrins: A Review of Sources and Biological Activities

Pentacyclic triterpenes are ubiquitously distributed throughout the plant kingdom, in a free form as aglycones or in combined forms, and have long been known to have a number of biological effects. The compounds alpha-amyrin and beta-amyrin are commonly found in medicinal plants and oleo-resin obtained by bark incision of several species of Bursera or Protium of the Burseraceae family. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that beta- amyrin also has important biological functions. In light of the considerable interest recently generated in the chemistry and pharmacological properties of amyrins and their analogs, we have undertaken this review in an effort to summarize the available literature on these promising bioactive natural products. The review will detail the recent studies on the chemistry and bioactivity of alpha, beta-amyrins, which is presented in the following sections: the isolation and distribution of alpha-amyrin and beta-amyrin, giving a brief introduction to amyrins as natural products and the methods used in their isolation; the biological activities of amyrins, examining the biological properties associated with these compounds with a focus on their potential chemotherapeutic applications

Food ProteineInduced Enterocolitis Syndrome in Adulthood: Clinical Characteristics, Prognosis, and Risk Factors

Background: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) in adults is being increasingly recognized; however, little is known about its characteristics.Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and associated factors in adult FPIES.Methods: A 10-year prospective study was conducted in the Allergy Section of Alicante General Hospital in adults diagnosed with FPIES. Detailed interviews with patients and oral food challenges (OFCs) were performed to confirm diagnosis or evaluate for tolerance. Comorbidities and possible risk factors were analyzed retrospectively through electronic medical records to assess their association with the disease.Results: One hundred and seven adults with FPIES (93.5% female) were followed for a median of 6.2 years. Abdominal pain was the most common manifestation (96.3%), followed by diarrhea (72%) and vomiting (60.7%). Seafood (59.8%), egg (14%), and milk (10.3%) were the most common triggers, whereas 43.9% reacted to more than 1 food group. We performed 49 OFCs: 9 to confirm diagnosis and 40 to evaluate for tolerance. After a median 3.5 years, 16.8% achieved tolerance. Resolution was correlated inversely with duration of the disease (P = .04) and seafood (P = .023) but not with age of onset. The prevalence of gastrointestinal pathologies such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), eosinophilic esophagitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease was higher than in the general population. A higher number of FPIES triggers were correlated with also having a diagnosis of IBS (P = .02).Conclusions: Although adult FPIES normally persists, some patients achieve tolerance. Adults with FPIES have a relatively high prevalence of gastrointestinal pathologies. The predominance of women may be related to hormonal factors. The clinical differences with pediatric FPIES warrant a revision of diagnostic criteria in adults

Food ProteineInduced Enterocolitis Syndrome in Adulthood: Clinical Characteristics, Prognosis, and Risk Factors

Food proteineinduced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) in adults is being increasingly recognized; however, little is known about its characteristics. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and associated factors in adult FPIES. METHODS: A 10-year prospective study was conducted in the Allergy Section of Alicante General Hospital in adults diagnosed with FPIES. Detailed interviews with patients and oral food challenges (OFCs) were performed to confirm diagnosis or evaluate for tolerance. Comorbidities and possible risk factors were analyzed retrospectively through electronic medical records to assess their association with the disease. RESULTS: One hundred and seven adults with FPIES (93.5% female) were followed for a median of 6.2 years. Abdominal pain was the most common manifestation (96.3%), followed by diarrhea (72%) and vomiting (60.7%). Seafood (59.8%), egg (14%), and milk (10.3%) were the most common triggers, whereas 43.9% reacted to more than 1 food group. We performed 49 OFCs: 9 to confirm diagnosis and 40 to evaluate for tolerance. After a median 3.5 years, 16.8% achieved tolerance. Resolution was correlated inversely with duration of the disease (P[.04) and seafood (P[.023) but not with age of onset. The prevalence of gastrointestinal pathologies such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), eosinophilic esophagitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease was higher than in the general population. A higher number of FPIES triggers were correlated with also having a diagnosis of IBS (P [ .02).CONCLUSIONS: Although adult FPIES normally persists, some patients achieve tolerance. Adults with FPIES have a relatively high prevalence of gastrointestinal pathologies. The predominance of women may be related to hormonal factors. The clinical differences with pediatric FPIES warrant a revision of diagnostic criteria in adults

Recent advances in pharmaceutical sciences V

Reproducció del llibre publicat a: http://www.trnres.com/ebookcontents.php?id=249This E-book is the fifth volume of a series that compiles contributions from different areas of the multidisciplinary field of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The E-book consists of 11 chapters that cover the areas of organic chemistry, health and environmental management, plant physiology, food science, toxicology, botany, parasitology, physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, microbiology, and pharmacology

Plant cell and organ cultures as a source of phytochemicals

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/67430Plant cell and organ cultures constitute a promising platform for the production of numerous valuable secondary compounds. Currently, in vitro culture techniques involve both empirical and rational approaches as suitable strategies to condition high metabolite production and establish competitive plant cell-based bioprocesses. In this context, we have developed hairy root cultures of Panax ginseng, and engineered hairy root cultures of Duboisia, Datura metel and Hyoscyamus spp and plant cell cultures of Centella asiatica and Taxus spp. This chapter describes our work on the development of two different biotechnological systems to improve taxol production in cell suspension cultures of Taxus spp and ginsenoside production in hairy root cultures of Panax ginseng

Legitimación del Presidente para actuar en juicio en nombre de la Comunidad de Propietarios

El trabajo aborda la actuación del Presidente de la Comunidad de Propietarios en juicio a la vista del análisis de la legislación aplicable, la doctrina científica y el estudio de la doctrina jurisprudencial

Solvent-Free Synthesis and Thin-Film Deposition of Cesium Copper Halides with Bright Blue Photoluminescence

Non-toxic alternatives to lead halide perovskites are highly sought after for applications in optoelectronics. Blue-luminescent materials are especially demanded as they could be used to prepare white light-emitting diodes, with important potential applications in lighting systems. However, wide bandgap blue emitters with high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY) are typically more difficult to obtain as compared to green- or red-emitting ones. Here, we prepared two series of inorganic cesium copper halides, with the general formulas Cs3Cu2X5 and CsCu2X3 (X = Cl, Br, I, and mixtures thereof) by dry mechanochemical synthesis at room temperature. X-ray diffraction demonstrates quantitative conversion of binary precursors into the desired ternary structures and good halide mixing in single-phase compounds. We identified Cs3Cu2I5 as the most promising material as it maintains blue luminescence centered at 442 nm with high PLQY (>40%) after several days in air (Cs3Cu2Cl5 shows significantly higher PLQY over 80% but is unstable in air). Based on this, we fabricated homogeneous and pinhole-free Cs3Cu2I5 thin films by thermal single-source vacuum deposition. Crystalline phase and photoluminescence are maintained in the thin films, validating that these low-toxicity materials can be synthesized and processed by fully solvent-free routes for a widespread implementation in optoelectronic devices

Efecto agudo del programa Knäkontroll sobre parámetros del rendimiento físico en jugadores de fútbol de categoría juvenil

Soccer is a sport that, due to the high physical demands it requires, entails a high injury risk. Given the magnitude of the problem, researchers have opted to design preventive strategies with the aim of minimizing the incidence of injuries in this sport. These strategies have been structured as warm-up programs. However, evidence on the acute effect of these interventions on parameters of physical performance is scarce. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to assess the acute effect of the Knäkontroll program (level B) on several parameters of physical performance in youth soccer players. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design was used, including the dynamic stability of the lower extremity (Y-Balance Test), the landing kinematics during a vertical jump (Tuck Jump Assessment [TJA]), the ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM-Sport), and the performance of unilateral jumping in the horizontal (Single-Legged Hop Tests) and vertical (Single Leg Countermovement Jump [SLCMJ]) directions as main measures of physical performance. The results showed a significant increase on all physical performance measures after the implementation of the Knäkontroll program, with the exception of the SLCMJ and TJA. In conclusion, the Knäkontroll program may be viewed as a suitable warm-up strategy to be implemented prior to soccer practice. However, the inclusion of additional plyometric exercises might contribute to improve the players’ performance in vertical jumping skills.El fútbol es un deporte que, por la alta exigencia física que requiere, lleva asociado un elevado riesgo de lesión. Dada la magnitud del problema, los investigadores han optado por diseñar estrategias preventivas que ayuden a minimizar la incidencia de lesión en este deporte. Estas estrategias se han organizado como programas de calentamiento previo a la participación en el deporte. Sin embargo, la evidencia sobre el efecto agudo de estas intervenciones sobre parámetros del rendimiento físico es escasa. Por tanto, el objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar el efecto agudo del programa Knäkontroll (nivel B) sobre parámetros del rendimiento físico en jugadores de fútbol de categoría juvenil. Para ello, se utilizó un diseño cuasi-experimental pre-test y post-test, empleando la estabilidad dinámica de la extremidad inferior (Y-Balance Test), la cinemática de la caída en salto vertical (Tuck Jump Assessment [TJA]), el rango de movimiento articular de la dorsiflexión de tobillo (ROM-Sport), la distancia de salto horizontal unilateral (Single-Legged Hop Tests), y la altura de salto vertical unilateral (Single Leg Countermovement Jump [SLCMJ]) como principales medidas del rendimiento físico. Los resultados mostraron un incremento significativo del rendimiento para todas las variables tras la implementación del programa Knäkontroll, a excepción de la altura en el SLCMJ y la cinemática en el TJA. En conclusión, el programa Knäkontroll se presenta como una estrategia adecuada para su aplicación como calentamiento previo a la práctica del fútbol. No obstante, la inclusión de ejercicios (o variantes) adicionales que trabajen el componente pliométrico podría contribuir a la mejora del desempeño en el salto vertical

Phenylpropanoids in Silybum marianum cultures treated with cyclodextrins coated with magnetic nanoparticles

[EN] The glucose oligosaccharide-derived cyclodextrins (CDs) are used for improving bioactive compound production in plant cell cultures because, in addition to their elicitation activity, CDs promote product removal from cells. However, despite these advantages, the industrial application of CDs is hampered by their high market price. A strategy to overcome this constraint was recently tested, in which reusable CD polymers coated with magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were harnessed in Vitis vinifera cell cultures to produce t-resveratrol (t-R). In this study, we applied hydroxypropyl-β-CDs (HPCD) and HPCDs coated with magnetic nanoparticles (HPCD-EPI-MN) in methyl jasmonate (MJ)-treated transgenic Silybum marianum cultures ectopically expressing either a stilbene synthase gene (STS) or a chalcone synthase gene (CHS), and compared their efects on the yields of t-R and naringenin (Ng), respectively. HPCD-EPI-MN at 15 g/L stimulated the accumulation of metabolites in the culture medium of the corresponding transgenic cell lines, with up to 4 mg/L of t-R and 3 mg/L of Ng released after 3 days. Similar amounts were produced in cultures treated with HPCD. Concentrations higher than 15 g/L of HPCD-EPI-MN and prolonged incubation periods negatively afected cell growth and viability in both transgenic cell lines. Reutilization of HPCD-EPI-MN was possible in three elicitation cycles (72 h each), after which the polymer retained 25–30% of its initial efciency, indicating good stability and reusability. Due to their capacity to adsorb metabolites and their recyclability, the application of magnetic CD polymers may reduce the costs of establishing efcient secondary metabolite production systems on a commercial scale.Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCLE

Biotechnological production of taxanes: a molecular approach

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/46988Plant cell cultures constitute a promise for the production of a high number of phytochemicals, although the majority of bioprocesses that have been developed so far have not resulted commercially successful. An overview indicates that most of the research carried out until now is of the empirical type. For this reason, there is a need for a rational approach to the molecular and cellular basis of metabolic pathways and their regulation in order to stimulate future advances. The empirical investigations are based on the optimization of the culture system, exclusively considering input factors such as the selection of cellular lines, type and parameters of culture, bioreactor design and elicitor addition, and output factors such as cellular growth, the uptake system of nutrients, production and yield. In a rational approach towards the elucidation of taxol and related taxane production, our group has studied the relationship between the taxane profile and production and the expression of genes codifying for enzymes that participate in early, intermediate and late steps of their biosynthesis in elicited Taxus spp cell cultures. Our results show that elicitors induce a dramatic reprogramming of gene expression in Taxus cell cultures, which likely accounts for the enhanced production of taxol and related taxanes and we have also determined some genes that control the main flux limiting steps. The application of metabolic engineering techniques for the production of taxol and taxanes of interest is also discussed