Time course of l-tryptophan metabolites when fermenting natural grape musts: effect of inoculation treatments and cultivar on the occurrence of melatonin and related indolic compounds

Background and Aims:Tryptophan is involved in the formation of bioactive compounds, such as melatonin (MEL) and3-indoleacetic acid (3-IAA), by yeast. Melatonin is a neurohormone whose occurrence in wine has been widely reported inrecent years. The occurrence, however, of MEL and other indolic compounds related to tryptophan metabolism by wineyeast strains has been scarcely reported in grape musts. This work examined the occurrence of these compounds during thealcoholic fermentation (AF) of musts from seven grape cultivars, Corredera, Chardonnay, Moscatel, Palomino Fino, Sau-vignon Blanc, Tempranillo and Vijiriega.Methods and Results:Must was fermented with threeSaccharomyces cerevisiaestrains and then in two cases an additionalsequential inoculation with the non-SaccharomycesyeastTorulaspora delbrueckiiwas carried out. Fermented must samples wereanalysed by UHPLC/HRMS to determine the concentration of:L-tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptamine,N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine, MEL, 3-IAA, tryptamine, tryptophol andL-tryptophan ethyl ester. The profile of indoliccompounds during AF with the Aroma White strain depended on the cultivar. The yeast strain did not influence the profile ofindolic compounds; instead, fermentation time was found to be a more influential factor.Conclusions:The production of indolic compounds during the AF depends largely on the cultivar used and the day of fer-mentation on natural grape musts.Significance of the Study:This is thefirst study that quantifies 5-hydroxytryptophan andN-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamineduring the AF of grape must. The occurrence of compounds with bioactive potential, for example 3-IAA and ML, during fer-mentation with commercial yeast strains is also described.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España - AGL2013-47300-C3-2-R, 2014–16 y AGL2016-77505-C3-2-R, 2017–1

Surface chemistry and germination improvement of Quinoa seeds subjected to plasma activation

Plasma treatment is recognized as a suitable technology to improve germination efficiency of numerous seeds. In this work Quinoa seeds have been subjected to air plasma treatments both at atmospheric and low pressure and improvements found in germination rate and percentage of success. Seed water uptake by exposure to water vapor, although slightly greater for plasma treated seeds, did not justify the observed germination improvement. To identify other possible factors contributing to germination, the chemical changes experienced by outer parts of the seed upon plasma exposure have been investigated by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX). XPS revealed that the outer layers of the Quinoa plasma treated seeds were highly oxidized and appeared enriched in potassium ions and adsorbed nitrate species. Simultaneously, SEM-EDX showed that the enrichment in potassium and other mineral elements extended to the seed pericarp and closer zones. The disappearance from the surface of both potassium ions and nitrate species upon exposure of the plasma treated seeds to water vapor is proposed as a factor favoring germination. The use of XPS to study chemical changes at seed surfaces induced by plasma treatments is deemed very important to unravel the mechanisms contributing to germination improvement

Quality of food products announced on television before and after the plan to improve their composition, 2017-2020

[ES] Objetivo: Comparar la calidad nutricional de los alimentos y bebidas anunciados por televisión en España antes y después del plan para mejorar su composición. Método: Se grabaron las emisiones por televisión digital terrestre (TDT) en horario infantil de los canales más populares. Se registraron los productos anunciados en los cortes comerciales y su composición nutricional. Se comparó su distribución de frecuencias por categorías alimentarias y su adherencia al perfil nutricional de la Organización Mundial de la Salud en 2017 y 2020. Resultados: En 256 horas de emisión se identificaron 173 productos (78 en 2017 y 95 en 2020). Los más anunciados fueron los chocolates (26,9% en 2017 y 22,1% en 2020). El 76,3% de los productos anunciados eran no saludables (76,9% en 2017 y 75,8% en 2020; p=0,86). Conclusiones: El perfil nutricional de los productos anunciados por televisión, mayoritariamente no saludables, no cambió tras la implantación del plan para mejorar su composición. Es preciso regular la publicidad alimentaria para proteger a los niños. [EN] Objective: To compare the nutritional quality of the foods and beverages advertised on television in Spain, before and after the plan to improve their composition. Method: DTT broadcasts of the more popular channels were recorded in children's hours. Every advertised products in commercial breaks were registered and their nutritional data collected. We compared the distribution of frequencies by food categories and their adherence to the nutritional standards of the World Health Organization in 2017 and 2020. Results: In 256h of broadcasting we identified 173 products (78 in 2017 and 95 in 2020). The most advertised products were chocolates (26.9% in 2017 and 22.1% in 2020). 76.3% of the products advertised were unhealthy (76.9% in 2017 vs. 75.8% in 2020; p=0.86). Conclusions: The nutritional profile of the foods and drinks advertised on television, mostly unhealthy, did not change after the implementation of the plan to improve their composition. A regulation is needed to protect children from food advertising.Este estudio ha recibido financiación del Instituto Mixto de Investigación Escuela Nacional de Sanidad (IMIENS: Resolución de la convocatoria de ayudas para la realización de Proyectos de Investigación Conjuntos, publicada en BICI n.◦ 2 de 16 de octubre de 2017).S

Holistic understanding of the response of grapevines to foliar application of seaweed extracts

Viticulture is highly dependent on phytochemicals to maintain good vineyard health. However, to reduce their accumulation in the environment, green regulations are driving the development of eco-friendly strategies. In this respect, seaweeds have proven to be one of the marine resources with the highest potential as plant protective agents, representing an environmentally-friendly alternative approach for sustainable wine production. The current work follows an interdisciplinary framework to evaluate the capacity of Ulva ohnoi and Rugulopteryx okamurae seaweeds to induce defense mechanisms in grapevine plants. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate Rugulopteryx okamurae as a biostimulator . This macroalgae is relevant since it is an invasive species on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast causing incalculable economic and environmental burdens. Four extracts (UL1, UL2, RU1 and RU2 developed from Ulva and Rugulopteryx, respectively) were foliar applied to Tempranillo plants cultivated under greenhouse conditions. UL1 and RU2 stood out for their capacity to induce defense genes, such as a PR10, PAL, STS48 and GST1, mainly 24 hours after the first application. The increased expression level of these genes agreed with i) an increase in trans-piceid and trans-resveratrol content, mainly in the RU2 treated leaves, and, ii) an increase in jasmonic acid and decrease in salicylic acid. Moreover, an induction of the activity of the antioxidant enzymes was observed at the end of the experiment, with an increase in superoxide dismutase and catalase in the RU2-treated leaves in particular. Interestingly, while foliar fungal diversity was not influenced by the treatments, alga extract amendment modified fungal composition, RU2 application enriching the content of various groups known for their biocontrol activity. Overall, the results evidenced the capacity of Rugulopteryx okamurae for grapevine biostimulation, inducing the activation of several secondary metabolite pathways and promoting the abundance of beneficial microbiota involved in grapevine protection. While further studies are needed to unravel the bioactive compound(s) involved, including conducting field experiments etc., the current findings are the first steps towards the inclusion of Rugulopteryx okamurae in a circular scheme that would reduce its accumulation on the coast and benefit the viticulture sector at the same time

Aula itinerante de Patrimonio Cultural II

Memoria final del PIMCD UCM 2020/2021 número 31

Proposal of teaching innovation for Philology: program for the inclusion of students in academic research and acquisition of scientific and training experiences

Se busca crear un semillero de investigación para fomentar la producción científica y la participación del alumnado en proyectos de edición permitiendo así a los estudiantes la obtención de resultados efectivos antes de finalizar sus estudios.Depto. de Estudios Ingleses: Lingüística y LiteraturaFac. de FilologíaFALSEsubmitte

Surface chemistry and germination improvement of Quinoa seeds subjected to plasma activation

12 páginas.-- 7 figuras.-- 1 tabla .-- 55 referencias.-- Supplementary information accompanies this paper at doi:10.1038/s41598-017-06164-5Plasma treatment is recognized as a suitable technology to improve germination efficiency of numerous seeds. In this work Quinoa seeds have been subjected to air plasma treatments both at atmospheric and low pressure and improvements found in germination rate and percentage of success. Seed water uptake by exposure to water vapor, although slightly greater for plasma treated seeds, did not justify the observed germination improvement. To identify other possible factors contributing to germination, the chemical changes experienced by outer parts of the seed upon plasma exposure have been investigated by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX). XPS revealed that the outer layers of the Quinoa plasma treated seeds were highly oxidized and appeared enriched in potassium ions and adsorbed nitrate species. Simultaneously, SEM-EDX showed that the enrichment in potassium and other mineral elements extended to the seed pericarp and closer zones. The disappearance from the surface of both potassium ions and nitrate species upon exposure of the plasma treated seeds to water vapor is proposed as a factor favoring germination. The use of XPS to study chemical changes at seed surfaces induced by plasma treatments is deemed very important to unravel the mechanisms contributing to germination improvement.We thank EU-FEDER funds and the MINECO (projects MAT2013-40852-R, MAT2016-79866-R, MINECO-CSIC 201560E055) and RECUPERA 2020 and Junta de Andalucía (project P12-2265 MO) for financial support.Peer reviewe