La experiencia paisajística contemplativa

The main goal of this paper is to contribute to the clarification of the concept of landscape. In scientific research, the landscape has been minimized to its material subtract, in spite of being a major aesthetical phenomena. We hear about geosystems, ecosystems and territories taken as landscape, nevertheless, we seldom hear about landscaping appropriation of territory. The epistemological bias leads to assume the construction of landscapes in the early times and to state that everything is landscape. We end up with the conclusion that the landscape is an art representation or a contemplative appropriation, generated by the activation of art referents in which there are not any utilitarian or cognitive intentions.El objetivo del trabajo es contribuir al esclarecimiento del concepto de paisaje. La revisión de la literatura reciente sobre el tema muestra que en la investigación científica el paisaje ha sido reducido a su sustrato material, a pesar de constituir un fenómeno relevantemente estético. La literatura predominante sobre el tema habla de geosistemas, ecosistemas y territorios tomados como paisaje, en tanto que escasea el tratamiento de la apropiación paisajística del territorio. El sesgo epistemológico ha conducido a suponer la construcción de paisajes en la Antigüedad y a la afirmación de que todo es paisaje. Se concluye que el paisaje es representación artística o apropiación contemplativa, generadas por la activación de referentes artísticos en las que están ausentes intenciones utilitarias o cognitivas

Total carotene plasma concentrations are inversely associated with atherosclerotic plaque burden: A post-hoc analysis of the DIABIMCAP cohort

Background and aims: Atherosclerosis is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the first cause of death worldwide. Chronic low-grade inflammation and a sustained oxidative milieu are causatively related to atherosclerosis onset and progression, and therefore, dietary patterns rich in bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities might likely contribute to revert or slowing the progression of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study is to analyse the association between fruit and vegetables intake, quantitatively measured through carotene plasma concentrations, and atherosclerotic burden, as a surrogate biomarker of CVD, in free-living subjects from the DIABIMCAP cohort study. Methods: The 204 participants of the DIABIMCAP Study cohort (Carotid Atherosclerosis in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic Individuals, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01898572), were included in this cross-sectional study. Total, α-, and β-carotenes were quantified by HPLC-MS/MS. Lipoprotein analysis in serum was performed by 2D- 1H NMR- DOSY, and atherosclerosis and intima media thickness (IMT) were measured through standardized bilateral carotid artery ultrasound imaging. Results: Subjects with atherosclerosis (n = 134) had lower levels of large HDL particles than subjects without atherosclerosis. Positive associations were found between α-carotene and both large and medium HDL particles, and inverse associations were found between β- and total carotene, and VLDL and its medium/small particles. Subjects with atherosclerosis presented significantly lower plasma concentrations of total carotene compared with subjects without atherosclerosis. Plasma concentrations of carotene decreased as the number of atherosclerotic plaques increased, although after multivariate adjustment, the inverse association between β- and total carotene with plaque burden remained significant only in women. Conclusions: A diet rich in fruit and vegetables results in higher plasmatic carotene concentrations, which are associated with a lesser atherosclerotic plaque burden. © 2023 The Author(s)</p

Permeability Study of Polyphenols Derived from a Phenolic-Enriched Hibiscus sabdariffa Extract by UHPLC-ESI-UHR-Qq-TOF-MS

Previous findings on the capacity of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) polyphenols to ameliorate metabolic disturbances justify the necessity of studies oriented to find the potential metabolites responsible for such an effect. The present study examined the intestinal epithelial membrane permeability of polyphenols present in a phenolic-enriched Hibiscus sabdariffa extract (PEHS), free and encapsulated, using the Caco-2 cell line. Additionally, selected polyphenols (quercetin, quercetin-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-glucuronide, and N-feruloyltyramine) were also studied in the same absorption model. The powerful analytical platform used ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-UHR-Qq-TOF-MS), and enabled the characterization of seven new compounds in PEHS. In the permeation study, only a few compounds were able to cross the cell monolayer and the permeability was lower when the extract was in an encapsulated form. Pure compounds showed a moderate absorption in all cases. Nevertheless, these preliminary results may need further research to understand the complete absorption mechanism of Hibiscus polyphenols.This work was supported by projects AGL2011-29857-C03-02 and AGL2011-29857-C03-03 (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation), in addition to P10-FQM-6563 and P11-CTS-7625 (Andalusian Regional Government Council of Innovation and Science), PROMETEO/2012/007 and ACOMP/2013/093 (Generalitat Valenciana), and CIBER (CB12/03/30038, Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, CIBERobn, Instituto de Salud Carlos III). The authors are grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for the grant FPI (BES-2009-028128), and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) in association with the European Social Fund (FSE) for the contract PTQ-13-06429. MH is a recipient of a VALi + D fellowship from GV (ACIF/2010/162). The authors are especially grateful to Bruker Daltonik GmbH (Bremen, Germany) for their help and support during this research

5-cis-, Trans- and Total Lycopene Plasma Concentrations Inversely Relate to Atherosclerotic Plaque Burden in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Subjects

Diabetic subjects are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis, the common soil of most of the cardiovascular complications, is more prevalent and extensive in this population due not only to hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, but also to inflammation and oxidative stress. Lycopenes are bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities mostly supplied by tomato and tomato byproducts. We investigated the association between circulating lycopenes and carotid plaque burden in diabetic patients, in a cross-sectional study in 105 newly diagnosed diabetic subjects. Atheroma plaque (wall thickness ≥ 1.5 mm), number of plaques, and plaque burden (sum of maximum heights of all plaques) were assessed by sonographic evaluation of carotid arteries. Plasma lycopenes (5-cis-, 9-cis-, 13-cis-, and trans-lycopene) were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry HPLC-MS. Atheroma plaque was observed in 75 participants, from which 38 presented one plaque and 37 two or more carotid plaques. No differences were observed in the plasmatic concentrations of lycopenes between subjects with and without atherosclerotic plaque presence. However, plaque burden was inversely associated with 5-cis-lycopene, all cis-lycopene isomers, trans-lycopene, and total lycopene isomers (all, p < 0.05). High plasma levels of lycopenes inversely relate to atherosclerotic burden. We provide novel evidence that suggests that the consumption of compounds found in tomato and tomato byproducts might be beneficial for the prevention of atherosclerosis

Exhaustion of mitochondrial and autophagic reserve may contribute to the development of LRRK2 G2019S -Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND: Mutations in leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common cause of familial Parkinson's disease (PD). Mitochondrial and autophagic dysfunction has been described as etiologic factors in different experimental models of PD. We aimed to study the role of mitochondria and autophagy in LRRK2 G2019S -mutation, and its relationship with the presence of PD-symptoms. METHODS: Fibroblasts from six non-manifesting LRRK2 G2019S -carriers (NM-LRRK2 G2019S ) and seven patients with LRRK2 G2019S -associated PD (PD-LRRK2 G2019S ) were compared to eight healthy controls (C). An exhaustive assessment of mitochondrial performance and autophagy was performed after 24-h exposure to standard (glucose) or mitochondrial-challenging environment (galactose), where mitochondrial and autophagy impairment may be heightened. RESULTS: A similar mitochondrial phenotype of NM-LRRK2 G2019S and controls, except for an early mitochondrial depolarization (54.14% increased, p = 0.04), was shown in glucose. In response to galactose, mitochondrial dynamics of NM-LRRK2 G2019S improved (- 17.54% circularity, p = 0.002 and + 42.53% form factor, p = 0.051), probably to maintain ATP levels over controls. A compromised bioenergetic function was suggested in PD-LRRK2 G2019S when compared to controls in glucose media. An inefficient response to galactose and worsened mitochondrial dynamics (- 37.7% mitochondrial elongation, p = 0.053) was shown, leading to increased oxidative stress. Autophagy initiation (SQTSM/P62) was upregulated in NM-LRRK2 G2019S when compared to controls (glucose + 118.4%, p = 0.014; galactose + 114.44%, p = 0.009,) and autophagosome formation increased in glucose media. Despite of elevated SQSTM1/P62 levels of PD-NM G2019S when compared to controls (glucose + 226.14%, p = 0.04; galactose + 78.5%, p = 0.02), autophagosome formation was deficient in PD-LRRK2 G2019S when compared to NM-LRRK2 G2019S (- 71.26%, p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced mitochondrial performance of NM-LRRK2 G2019S in mitochondrial-challenging conditions and upregulation of autophagy suggests that an exhaustion of mitochondrial bioenergetic and autophagic reserve, may contribute to the development of PD in LRRK2 G2019S mutation carriers

Roles of Salivary Components in Streptococcus mutans Colonization in a New Animal Model Using NOD/SCID.e2f1−/− Mice

Streptococcus mutans plays an important role in biofilm formation on the tooth surface and is the primary causative agent of dental caries. The binding of S. mutans to the salivary pellicle is of considerable etiologic significance and is important in biofilm development. Recently, we produced NOD/SCID.e2f1−/− mice that show hyposalivation, lower salivary antibody, and an extended life span compared to the parent strain: NOD.e2f1−/−. In this study we used NOD/SCID.e2f1−/− 4 or 6 mice to determine the roles of several salivary components in S. mutans colonization in vivo. S. mutans colonization in NOD/SCID.e2f1−/− mice was significantly increased when mice were pre-treated with human saliva or commercial salivary components. Interestingly, pre-treatment with secretory IgA (sIgA) at physiological concentrations promoted significant colonization of S. mutans compared with sIgA at higher concentrations, or with human saliva or other components. Our data suggest the principal effects of specific sIgA on S. mutans occur during S. mutans colonization, where the appropriate concentration of specific sIgA may serve as an anti-microbial agent, agglutinin, or an adherence receptor to surface antigens. Further, specific sIgA supported biofilm formation when the mice were supplied 1% sucrose water and a non-sucrose diet. The data suggests that there are multiple effects exerted by sIgA in S. mutans colonization, with synergistic effects evident under the condition of sIgA and limited nutrients on colonization in NOD/SCID.e2f1−/− mice. This is a new animal model that can be used to assess prevention methods for dental biofilm-dependent diseases such as dental caries