Socioeconomic Factors and the Consumption of Wine in Tenerife

In this paper we measure the impact of an individual's socioeconomic conditions on the decision to consume wine in a traditionally wine-producing area. Based on the data obtained in an exhaustive survey on wine consumption and through discrete choice models, we assess the changes which come about in the decisions to consume the different types of wine under consideration, and we obtain the most relevant distinctive and differentiated characteristics for each one of them.wine consumption, socioeconomic characteristics, discrete choice models, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Aliphatic + ethanol separation via liquid-liquid extraction using low transition temperature mixtures as extracting agents

In this work, two different low transition temperature mixtures (LTTMs), e.g., (i) glycolic acid–choline chloride molar ratio = (1:1) (GC(1:1)) and (ii) lactic acid–choline chloride molar ratio = (2:1) (LC(2:1)), were evaluated as potential extracting agents for the separation of the azeotropic mixtures {hexane + ethanol} and {heptane + ethanol}. Firstly, the liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) data of the ternary systems {hexane + ethanol + LTTM} and {heptane + ethanol + LTTM} were experimentally determined at T/K = 298.15 and T/K = 308.15. Secondly, the solute distribution coefficient and selectivity were calculated and analyzed. The influence of the temperature on the phase behavior and the performance of the LTTMs related to the chain length of the hydrocarbon were considered. A literature comparison with other extracting agents used for the separation of these mixtures was performed in order to evaluate the suitability of the studied LTTMs. Moreover, the recyclability of the extraction agent, which is of great importance in liquid–liquid extraction, was demonstrated. Finally, the experimental data were successfully fitted using the NRTL model. It was found that both LTTMs show a competitive performance compared to existing extracting agents. It was also established that both in the {hexane + ethanol} and {heptane + ethanol} separation, the LC(2:1) showed higher distribution coefficient than the GC(1:1), while the opposite trend was found for the selectivity values

Trastornos del sueño en la enfermedad de Parkinson y otros trastornos del movimiento

Neurodegenerative processes with movement disorders is predominant features show a high incidence of sleep alterations at some point in their evolution. The degeneration of structures responsible for maintaining the sleep-wakefulness cycles and the architecture of sleep could be at their root. Other factors like the drugs employed in the treatment of motor problems, the limitations to movement, etc., aggravate the problem. Although, at present, there is no medical therapy able to restore the defects derived from the degeneration of the key structures of sleep, an individual analysis of the coadyuvant factors in each patient could help to improve these problems. In this article we describe the main sleep disorders in Parkinson’s disease and other degenerative diseases such as multi-system atrophies or progressive supranuclear paralysis

Estudo da qualidade do mel comercializado na região de Castelo Branco

Comunicação oral da qual só está disponível o resumo.Estudo da qualidade do mel comercializado na região de Castelo Branco

Into the depths of deep eutectic solvents

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been successfully tested in a wide range of applications; however, their high price and complicated synthesis make them infeasible for large scale implementation. A decade ago, a new generation of solvents so called deep eutectic solvents (DESs) was reported for the first time. DESs show similar properties to ILs and they have proven to be an excellent alternative to ILs in many applications where ILs succeeded first. Besides, DESs can be prepared easily and cheaply, with low-cost starting materials, no need of solvents, no atom loss during the formation and no additional purification requirements. The main problem that scientist are facing when they want to use DESs in different applications is the lack of information on the fundamentals of these solvents. Why do they form? How do they form? How do the hydrogen bond donor (HBD) and the hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) interact? How do DESs interact with other compounds? Can we predict their thermophysical properties? The answer to these questions will provide to researches new insights on the application of these solvents, solving the problem of trial-and-error experimentation. In this work, we present a detailed analysis of molecular interactions and conformational states of two selected DESs: lactic acid – choline chloride (2:1) and glycolic acid – choline chloride (1:1), using density functional theory (DFT) and second-order Møller¿Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) with various basis sets. Theoretical calculations were performed using the GAUSSIAN 03 software package. The obtained results are used to evaluate the nature of interactions between the HBD and HBA and their structural features. Additionally, it will contribute to the better understanding of how DESs are formed

Imaging pheromone sensing in a mouse vomeronasal acute tissue slice preparation.

Peter Karlson and Martin Lüscher used the term pheromone for the first time in 1959 to describe chemicals used for intra-species communication. Pheromones are volatile or non-volatile short-lived molecules secreted and/or contained in biological fluids, such as urine, a liquid known to be a main source of pheromones. Pheromonal communication is implicated in a variety of key animal modalities such as kin interactions, hierarchical organisations and sexual interactions and are consequently directly correlated with the survival of a given species. In mice, the ability to detect pheromones is principally mediated by the vomeronasal organ (VNO), a paired structure located at the base of the nasal cavity, and enclosed in a cartilaginous capsule. Each VNO has a tubular shape with a lumen allowing the contact with the external chemical world. The sensory neuroepithelium is principally composed of vomeronasal bipolar sensory neurons (VSNs). Each VSN extends a single dendrite to the lumen ending in a large dendritic knob bearing up to 100 microvilli implicated in chemical detection. Numerous subpopulations of VSNs are present. They are differentiated by the chemoreceptor they express and thus possibly by the ligand(s) they recognize. Two main vomeronasal receptor families, V1Rs and V2Rs, are composed respectively by 240 and 120 members and are expressed in separate layers of the neuroepithelium. Olfactory receptors (ORs) and formyl peptide receptors (FPRs) are also expressed in VSNs. Whether or not these neuronal subpopulations use the same downstream signalling pathway for sensing pheromones is unknown. Despite a major role played by a calcium-permeable channel (TRPC2) present in the microvilli of mature neurons TRPC2 independent transduction channels have been suggested. Due to the high number of neuronal subpopulations and the peculiar morphology of the organ, pharmacological and physiological investigations of the signalling elements present in the VNO are complex. Here, we present an acute tissue slice preparation of the mouse VNO for performing calcium imaging investigations. This physiological approach allows observations, in the natural environment of a living tissue, of general or individual subpopulations of VSNs previously loaded with Fura-2AM, a calcium dye. This method is also convenient for studying any GFP-tagged pheromone receptor and is adaptable for the use of other fluorescent calcium probes. As an example, we use here a VG mouse line, in which the translation of the pheromone V1rb2 receptor is linked to the expression of GFP by a polycistronic strategy

Influencia de la hipotiroxinemia materna durante la gestación sobre el desarrollo psicomotor

The maternal thyroid function during early pregnancy plays a fundamental role in foetal brain development as synthesis of thyroid hormone does not begin until the 20th week of gestation. Material and methods Throughout the year 2002, 147 women in their 37th week of pregnancy were enrolled for the study. To evaluate their thyroid function, the serum concentrations of free T4 and of TSH were determined. After birth, the psychomotor development of their children was evaluated with the Mc- Carthy scales. Results The median value of free T4 was 9.37 pmol/l, being the data obtained from more than half of the sampled women below the hypothyroxinaemia threshold. Children born from mothers with T4 levels below percentile 10 showed a significantly lower score on the general cognitive index than those whose mothers had normal free T4 serum concentrations. A positive correlation was found between the values of maternal free T4 and the general cognitive index (r 0.43; p < 0.01). Conclusions The concentrations of maternal free T4 are important, not only during the first months of pregnancy, but all along the process to ensure adequate development of the foetal brain

Gold(I) complexes bearing alkylated 1, 3, 5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane ligands as thermoresponsive anticancer agents in human colon cells

Overheating can affect solubility or lipophilicity, among other properties, of some an-ticancer drugs. These temperature-dependent changes can improve efficiency and selectivity of the drugs, since they may affect their bioavailability, diffusion through cell membrane or activity. One recent approach to create thermosensitive molecules is the incorporation of fluorine atoms in the chemical structure, since fluor can tune some chemical properties such as binding affinity. Herein we report the anticancer effect of gold derivatives with phosphanes derived from 1, 3, 5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) with long hydrocarbon chains and the homologous fluorinated chains. Besides, we analysed the influence of temperature in the cytotoxic effect. The studied gold(I) complexes with phosphanes derived from PTA showed antiproliferative effect on human colon carcinoma cells (Caco-2/TC7 cell line), probably by inhibiting cellular TrxR causing a dysfunction in the intracellular redox state. In addition, the cell cycle was altered by the activation of p53, and the complexes produce apoptosis through mitochondrial depolarization and the consequent activation of caspase-3. Furthermore, the results suggest that this cytotoxic effect is enhanced by hyperthermia and the presence of polyfluorinated chains. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland