Nutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidant activity in wild populations of Allium ampeloprasum, a valuable underutilized vegetable

Wild Allium species with a long tradition of use, such as Allium ampeloprasum L. could provide interesting bioactive compounds to current diet. The nutrient and bioactive compound content of this wild vegetable has been scarcely known. Therefore, the aim of this work is to provide a detailed chemical quantification of nutrients, hydrophilic and lipophilic bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity of the edible parts of wild leek, as well as data about plant production and availability of the species in their natural habitats. Wild leek can be considered as a low energy food, being a good source of fiber and zinc, compared to its cultivated relatives, and has revealed a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid being the main fatty acid. Additionally, the natural yield of this species, although lower than other cultivated Allium species, was found to be stable and well-adapted to human-disturbed environments. For these reasons, this non-conventional wild bulb should be revalorized as a good alternative to increase the diversity of vegetables consumed and enhance the quality of current occidental diets.ERDF and the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (CGL2006-09546/BOS). The authors are also grateful to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologa (FCT, Portugal) and COMPETE/QREN/EU for financial support to CIMO (strategic project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011). P. García-Herrera thanks to the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science for her UCM predoctoral fellowship. We also thank to Ramón Morales, Laura Aceituno, and Susana González for their collaboration in the gathering and preparation of the samples, and also to Carmen Díez for her support in mineral analysis

Phosphoproteomic Analysis of Platelets in Severe Obesity Uncovers Platelet Reactivity and Signaling Pathways Alterations

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is associated with a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state that supports atherosclerosis progression. The goal of this study was to gain insights into the phosphorylation events related to platelet reactivity in obesity and identify platelet biomarkers and altered activation pathways in this clinical condition. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We performed a comparative phosphoproteomic analysis of resting platelets from obese patients and their age- A nd gender-matched lean controls. The phosphoproteomic data were validated by mechanistic, functional, and biochemical assays. We identified 220 differentially regulated phosphopeptides, from at least 175 proteins; interestingly, all were up-regulated in obesity. Most of the altered phosphoproteins are involved in SFKs (Src-family kinases)-related signaling pathways, cytoskeleton reorganization, and vesicle transport, some of them validated by targeted mass spectrometry. To confirm platelet dysfunction, flow cytometry assays were performed in whole blood indicating higher surface levels of GP (glycoprotein) VI and CLEC (C-type lectin-like receptor) 2 in platelets from obese patients correlating positively with body mass index. Receiver operator characteristics curves analysis suggested a much higher sensitivity for GPVI to discriminate between obese and lean individuals. Indeed, we also found that obese platelets displayed more adhesion to collagen-coated plates. In line with the above data, soluble GPVI levels-indicative of higher GPVI signaling activation-were almost double in plasma from obese patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide novel information on platelet phosphorylation changes related to obesity, revealing the impact of this chronic pathology on platelet reactivity and pointing towards the main signaling pathways dysregulatedThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grants No. SAF2016-79662-R, and PID2019-108727RB-I00), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Financial support from the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia (Centro Singular de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2019–2022, ED431G 2019/02; predoctoral grant 2018 Call) and the ERDF is also gratefully acknowledged. E.E. Gardiner and R.K. Andrews are supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. The Proteomics Laboratory CSIC/UAB (Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona) is a member of Proteored, PRB3-ISCIII (Instituto de Salud Carlos III), and is supported by Grant PT17/0019/0008, funded by ISCIII and ERDF. L.A. Morán is supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 766118. S.P. Watson is supported by a BHF (British Heart Foundation) Chair (CH03/003)

Integrando escalas y métodos LTER para comprender la dinámica global de un espacio protegido de montaña: el Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido.

Los espacios protegidos, por el hecho de albergar una gran geo-biodiversidad y asegurar una baja intervención humana, constituyen lugares muy adecuados para el seguimiento de organismos y procesos a escala ecológica, así como para la obtención de series temporales largas a escala geológica. En el marco de la red LTER-España, el Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (PNOMP) y el Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología-CSIC están impulsando estudios para la detección de cambios a distintas escalas mediante variados métodos y aproximaciones. Destacamos aquí los más consolidados, entre los que se encuentran los análisis de registros de sedimentos en lagos, espeleotemas en cuevas, la dinámica de uno de los pocos glaciares activos de la Península ibérica, el análisis físico-químico de aguas corrientes e ibones de alta montaña, el registro del cambio climático actual en árboles longevos, la afección que éste ejerce sobre masas actuales de pinos en el límite superior del bosque y de abetales en zonas húmedas, la matorralización de algunos pastos y los procesos mecanicistas que subyacen, la reorganización de la diversidad florística en pastos tras el abandono paulatino o drástico de la ganadería, la biodiversidad de las comunidades alpinas y la dinámica poblacional de especies amenazadas o indicadoras de hábitats o de motores de cambio global. Los seguimientos ecológicos actuales muestran que tanto el cambio climático como el de usos del suelo están teniendo una considerable trascendencia en la fisionomía y la estructura de algunos de los ambientes más icónicos y frecuentes del parque (deterioro del glaciar, termofilización de la flora en cumbres alpinas, densificación del bosque en su límite superior, pérdida de productividad en algunos pastos supraforestales, etc.). También sugieren una importante variabilidad espacial en los procesos (por ej. en el PNOMP conviven pastos matorralizados y pastos muy estables), y evidencian que los cambios observados no siempre siguen los paradigmas establecidos (por ej., las especies amenazadas mantienen dinámicas poblacionales estables). La integración de resultados parciales proporcionados por cada aproximación relativiza la importancia de las percepciones que cada estudio destaca por separado, y permite medir los cambios actuales en el marco de referencia de los cambios a escala geológica.Predecir la resistencia y resiliencia de los ecosistemas o las poblaciones de seres vivos para enfrentarse a los futuros cambios ambientales es complicado, no sólo por la falta de conocimientos disponibles sino también porque las respuestas que observamos no siempre son tan rápidas o lineales como se espera. La modelización constituye una herramienta cada vez más utilizada, pero requiere de evidencias reales para validar sus pronósticos, por lo que la observación de los procesos que actúan en el PNOMP ha de incluir un esfuerzo continuado de monitorización multiescalar y multidisciplinar de los distintos componentes de la geo, hidro-, crio- y biosfera, sin olvidar el componente humano. Entender la complejidad supone conectar las interacciones que existen entre todos los sistemas y ponderar sus efectos según las escalas de trabajo

Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants used in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal): a comparative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We compare traditional knowledge and use of wild edible plants in six rural regions of the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula as follows: Campoo, Picos de Europa, Piloña, Sanabria and Caurel in Spain and Parque Natural de Montesinho in Portugal.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data on the use of 97 species were collected through informed consent semi-structured interviews with local informants. A semi-quantitative approach was used to document the relative importance of each species and to indicate differences in selection criteria for consuming wild food species in the regions studied.</p> <p>Results and discussion</p> <p>The most significant species include many wild berries and nuts (e.g. <it>Castanea sativa, Rubus ulmifolius, Fragaria vesca</it>) and the most popular species in each food-category (e.g. fruits or herbs used to prepare liqueurs such as <it>Prunus spinosa</it>, vegetables such as <it>Rumex acetosa</it>, condiments such as <it>Origanum vulgare</it>, or plants used to prepare herbal teas such as <it>Chamaemelum nobile</it>). The most important species in the study area as a whole are consumed at five or all six of the survey sites.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Social, economic and cultural factors, such as poor communications, fads and direct contact with nature in everyday life should be taken into account in determining why some wild foods and traditional vegetables have been consumed, but others not. They may be even more important than biological factors such as richness and abundance of wild edible flora. Although most are no longer consumed, demand is growing for those regarded as local specialties that reflect regional identity.</p

The Novel μ-Opioid Receptor Antagonist GSK1521498 Decreases Both Alcohol Seeking and Drinking: Evidence from a New Preclinical Model of Alcohol Seeking.

Distinct environmental and conditioned stimuli influencing ethanol-associated appetitive and consummatory behaviors may jointly contribute to alcohol addiction. To develop an effective translational animal model that illuminates this interaction, daily seeking responses, maintained by alcohol-associated conditioned stimuli (CSs), need to be dissociated from alcohol drinking behavior. For this, we established a procedure whereby alcohol seeking maintained by alcohol-associated CSs is followed by a period during which rats have the opportunity to drink alcohol. This cue-controlled alcohol-seeking procedure was used to compare the effects of naltrexone and GSK1521498, a novel selective μ-opioid receptor antagonist, on both voluntary alcohol-intake and alcohol-seeking behaviors. Rederived alcohol-preferring, alcohol-nonpreferring, and high-alcohol-drinking replicate 1 line of rats (Indiana University) first received 18 sessions of 24 h home cage access to 10% alcohol and water under a 2-bottle choice procedure. They were trained subsequently to respond instrumentally for access to 15% alcohol under a second-order schedule of reinforcement, in which a prolonged period of alcohol-seeking behavior was maintained by contingent presentations of an alcohol-associated CS acting as a conditioned reinforcer. This seeking period was terminated by 20 min of free alcohol drinking access that achieved significant blood alcohol concentrations. The influence of pretreatment with either naltrexone (0.1-1-3 mg/kg) or GSK1521498 (0.1-1-3 mg/kg) before instrumental sessions was measured on both seeking and drinking behaviors, as well as on drinking in the 2-bottle choice procedure. Naltrexone and GSK1521498 dose-dependently reduced both cue-controlled alcohol seeking and alcohol intake in the instrumental context as well as alcohol intake in the choice procedure. However, GSK1521498 showed significantly greater effectiveness than naltrexone, supporting its potential use for promoting abstinence and preventing relapse in alcohol addiction.The present study was funded by Medical Research Council Programme Grant (no. G1002231) and by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which has a commercial interest in GSK1521498. Charles R. Goodlett was funded by a grant from the IUPUI International Development Fund, which supported his sabbatical leave at the University of Cambridge. Maria Pilar Garcia-Pardo was funded by Val+id para investigadores en formación (Conselleria de educacion, Generalitat Valenciana), which also supported her stay at the University of Cambridge (January-April 2014) as a Visiting Student.This is the accepted manuscript. The final version is available from NPG at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.15

Pushing the high count rate limits of scintillation detectors for challenging neutron-capture experiments

One of the critical aspects for the accurate determination of neutron capture cross sections when combining time-of-flight and total energy detector techniques is the characterization and control of systematic uncertainties associated to the measuring devices. In this work we explore the most conspicuous effects associated to harsh count rate conditions: dead-time and pile-up effects. Both effects, when not properly treated, can lead to large systematic uncertainties and bias in the determination of neutron cross sections. In the majority of neutron capture measurements carried out at the CERN n\_TOF facility, the detectors of choice are the C$_{6}$D$_{6}$ liquid-based either in form of large-volume cells or recently commissioned sTED detector array, consisting of much smaller-volume modules. To account for the aforementioned effects, we introduce a Monte Carlo model for these detectors mimicking harsh count rate conditions similar to those happening at the CERN n\_TOF 20~m fligth path vertical measuring station. The model parameters are extracted by comparison with the experimental data taken at the same facility during 2022 experimental campaign. We propose a novel methodology to consider both, dead-time and pile-up effects simultaneously for these fast detectors and check the applicability to experimental data from $^{197}$Au($n$,$\gamma$), including the saturated 4.9~eV resonance which is an important component of normalization for neutron cross section measurements

Advances and new ideas for neutron-capture astrophysics experiments at CERN n_TOF

This article presents a few selected developments and future ideas related to the measurement of (n,γ) data of astrophysical interest at CERN n_TOF. The MC-aided analysis methodology for the use of low-efficiency radiation detectors in time-of-flight neutron-capture measurements is discussed, with particular emphasis on the systematic accuracy. Several recent instrumental advances are also presented, such as the development of total-energy detectors with γ-ray imaging capability for background suppression, and the development of an array of small-volume organic scintillators aimed at exploiting the high instantaneous neutron-flux of EAR2. Finally, astrophysics prospects related to the intermediate i neutron-capture process of nucleosynthesis are discussed in the context of the new NEAR activation area

Advances and new ideas for neutron-capture astrophysics experiments at CERN n_TOF

This article presents a few selected developments and future ideas related to the measurement of (n,γ) data of astrophysical interest at CERN n_TOF. The MC-aided analysis methodology for the use of low-efficiency radiation detectors in time-of-flight neutron-capture measurements is discussed, with particular emphasis on the systematic accuracy. Several recent instrumental advances are also presented, such as the development of total-energy detectors with γ-ray imaging capability for background suppression, and the development of an array of small-volume organic scintillators aimed at exploiting the high instantaneous neutron-flux of EAR2. Finally, astrophysics prospects related to the intermediate i neutron-capture process of nucleosynthesis are discussed in the context of the new NEAR activation area

Un examen actualizado de la percepción de las barreras para la implementación de la farmacogenómica y la utilidad de los pares fármaco/gen en América Latina y el Caribe

La farmacogenómica (PGx) se considera un campo emergente en los países en desarrollo. La investigación sobre PGx en la región de América Latina y el Caribe (ALC) sigue siendo escasa, con información limitada en algunas poblaciones. Por lo tanto, las extrapolaciones son complicadas, especialmente en poblaciones mixtas. En este trabajo, revisamos y analizamos el conocimiento farmacogenómico entre la comunidad científica y clínica de ALC y examinamos las barreras para la aplicación clínica. Realizamos una búsqueda de publicaciones y ensayos clínicos en este campo en todo el mundo y evaluamos la contribución de ALC. A continuación, realizamos una encuesta regional estructurada que evaluó una lista de 14 barreras potenciales para la aplicación clínica de biomarcadores en función de su importancia. Además, se analizó una lista emparejada de 54 genes/fármacos para determinar una asociación entre los biomarcadores y la respuesta a la medicina genómica. Esta encuesta se comparó con una encuesta anterior realizada en 2014 para evaluar el progreso en la región. Los resultados de la búsqueda indicaron que los países de América Latina y el Caribe han contribuido con el 3,44% del total de publicaciones y el 2,45% de los ensayos clínicos relacionados con PGx en todo el mundo hasta el momento. Un total de 106 profesionales de 17 países respondieron a la encuesta. Se identificaron seis grandes grupos de obstáculos. A pesar de los continuos esfuerzos de la región en la última década, la principal barrera para la implementación de PGx en ALC sigue siendo la misma, la "necesidad de directrices, procesos y protocolos para la aplicación clínica de la farmacogenética/farmacogenómica". Las cuestiones de coste-eficacia se consideran factores críticos en la región. Los puntos relacionados con la reticencia de los clínicos son actualmente menos relevantes. Según los resultados de la encuesta, los pares gen/fármaco mejor clasificados (96%-99%) y percibidos como importantes fueron CYP2D6/tamoxifeno, CYP3A5/tacrolimus, CYP2D6/opioides, DPYD/fluoropirimidinas, TMPT/tiopurinas, CYP2D6/antidepresivos tricíclicos, CYP2C19/antidepresivos tricíclicos, NUDT15/tiopurinas, CYP2B6/efavirenz y CYP2C19/clopidogrel. En conclusión, aunque la contribución global de los países de ALC sigue siendo baja en el campo del PGx, se ha observado una mejora relevante en la región. La percepción de la utilidad de las pruebas PGx en la comunidad biomédica ha cambiado drásticamente, aumentando la concienciación entre los médicos, lo que sugiere un futuro prometedor en las aplicaciones clínicas de PGx en ALC.Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is considered an emergent field in developing countries. Research on PGx in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region remains scarce, with limited information in some populations. Thus, extrapolations are complicated, especially in mixed populations. In this paper, we reviewed and analyzed pharmacogenomic knowledge among the LAC scientific and clinical community and examined barriers to clinical application. We performed a search for publications and clinical trials in the field worldwide and evaluated the contribution of LAC. Next, we conducted a regional structured survey that evaluated a list of 14 potential barriers to the clinical implementation of biomarkers based on their importance. In addition, a paired list of 54 genes/drugs was analyzed to determine an association between biomarkers and response to genomic medicine. This survey was compared to a previous survey performed in 2014 to assess progress in the region. The search results indicated that Latin American and Caribbean countries have contributed 3.44% of the total publications and 2.45% of the PGx-related clinical trials worldwide thus far. A total of 106 professionals from 17 countries answered the survey. Six major groups of barriers were identified. Despite the region’s continuous efforts in the last decade, the primary barrier to PGx implementation in LAC remains the same, the “need for guidelines, processes, and protocols for the clinical application of pharmacogenetics/pharmacogenomics”. Cost-effectiveness issues are considered critical factors in the region. Items related to the reluctance of clinicians are currently less relevant. Based on the survey results, the highest ranked (96%–99%) gene/drug pairs perceived as important were CYP2D6/tamoxifen, CYP3A5/tacrolimus, CYP2D6/opioids, DPYD/fluoropyrimidines, TMPT/thiopurines, CYP2D6/tricyclic antidepressants, CYP2C19/tricyclic antidepressants, NUDT15/thiopurines, CYP2B6/efavirenz, and CYP2C19/clopidogrel. In conclusion, although the global contribution of LAC countries remains low in the PGx field, a relevant improvement has been observed in the region. The perception of the usefulness of PGx tests in biomedical community has drastically changed, raising awareness among physicians, which suggests a promising future in the clinical applications of PGx in LAC