Microwave-assisted extraction of lycopene in tomato peels: effect of extraction conditions on all-trans and cis- isomer yields

Lycopene is the primary carotenoid in tomato peels, a processing byproduct, and can be used as a natural color or bioactive ingredient. Unfortunately, extractions are inefficient as lycopene is extremely nonpolar and susceptible to degradation. As a rapid technique, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) potentially offers efficient lycopene recovery. Thus, the objectives of this research were to: 1) optimize MAE of lycopene from tomato peels and 2) evaluate the effect of treatment on all-trans and isomer yields. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize lycopene extraction with solvent ratio solid-liquid ratios, microwave power, and delivered energy equivalents as factors. High performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was used for isomer separation and quantification. Optimum MAE conditions were determined as: 0:10 solvent ratio at 400 W with a yield of 13.592 mg/100 g of extracted all-trans-lycopene. RSM suggested that ethyl acetate was a better MAE solvent for lycopene recovery as compared to hexane, which overall extracted less lycopene. HPLC-DAD indicated that MAE significantly improved all-trans and total lycopene yields, while conventional extraction demonstrated higher proportions of cis-isomer yields. Additionally, electron micrographs showed that significant structural disruption occurred in MAE-treated samples, possibly allowing for the improved lycopene extraction

Protein kinase C and cancer: what we know and what we do not

Since their discovery in the late 1970s, protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes represent one of the most extensively studied signaling kinases. PKCs signal through multiple pathways and control the expression of genes relevant for cell cycle progression, tumorigenesis and metastatic dissemination. Despite the vast amount of information concerning the mechanisms that control PKC activation and function in cellular models, the relevance of individual PKC isozymes in the progression of human cancer is still a matter of controversy. Although the expression of PKC isozymes is altered in multiple cancer types, the causal relationship between such changes and the initiation and progression of the disease remains poorly defined. Animal models developed in the last years helped to better understand the involvement of individual PKCs in various cancer types and in the context of specific oncogenic alterations. Unraveling the enormous complexity in the mechanisms by which PKC isozymes have an impact on tumorigenesis and metastasis is key for reassessing their potential as pharmacological targets for cancer treatment.Centro de Investigaciones Inmunológicas Básicas y Aplicada

Bioadhesión sobre Alúmina. Propiedades superficiales

La alúmina es uno de los materiales cerámicos de mayor relevancia en usos biomédicos. Así, este trabajo hace una completa caracterización de su superficie a través de propiedades que son de especial importancia en aquellos procesos de interacción con superficies biológicas como son células y microorganismos. Tensión superficial, potencial zeta y rugosidad superficial se analizan utilizando métodos diversos. La tensión superficial se muestra en torno a 35 mJ m-2 aunque los valores dependen en muchos casos de la aproximación escogida y de los grupos de líquidos prueba necesarios para su determinación. El punto isoeléctrico aparece a pH = 4,6 lo que indica una carga superficial negativa cuando la alúmina se encuentre inmersa en líquidos fisiológicos (pH = 7). Los accidentes topográficos responsables de la macrorugosidad pueden considerarse de periodicidad en torno a 25um presentando alta variabilidad a escalas inferiores, por ello, es importante determinar la rugosidad a escalas próximas al tamaño de las células que intervienen en el proceso de adhesión

The probiotic strain Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 strongly modulates gene expression of the fish pathogen Vibrio harveyi

In this work, the interaction between the fish probiotic Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 and the fish pathogen V. harveyi was studied by RNA-seq to understand how SpPdp11 interferes with the pathogen through bioinformatics analysis. Three types of cultures were performed: SpPdp11 alone, V. harveyi alone and SpPdp11 and V. harveyi together. RNA was extracted and sequenced (paired end, 2x75 bp) at the Ultrasequencing Service of the University of Málaga using the Illumina NextSeqTM 550 platform. Raw reads were processed using a bioinformatic pipeline and a network analysis was performed for the most relevant functional enrichment results. The results suggest that the presence of SpPdp11 affects V. harveyi to a greater extent than V. harveyi affects SpPdp11. Considering that V. harveyi is a pathogenic strain and SpPdp11 is a probiotic strain, this may be positive for its probiotic capacity, as it not only maintains its functionality almost intact, but also produces a huge imbalance in that of V. harveyiThis work was funded by project AG-2017-509 83370-C3-3-R (MINECO, Spain)

Composition and Intraspecific Variability in Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) Diets in a Eutrophic Estuary

This study assessed the diet of Summer flounder (SF, Paralichthys dentatus) in Shinnecock Bay, NY. Summer flounder are a recreationally and commercially important marine flatfish species found along the Eastern United States coastline. Despite their importance, few studies have examined the trophodynamics of a broad size spectrum of this species. Diet composition of summer flounder (n = 88) was assessed from 2014 to 2016 throughout Shinnecock Bay, a eutrophic bar-built estuary in New York. Species consumed and diet species richness differed significantly amongst SF size classes, with large [≥375 mm total length (TL)] and medium (>225: <375 mm) summer flounder showing higher levels of piscivory and more diverse diets than small-sized (≤225 mm) conspecifics. As voracious plastic predators, trends in annual and monthly diet variation generally followed prey availability in Shinnecock Bay. One exception to this general pattern occurred for winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus). Despite their low relative abundance in the bay, winter flounder was highly preferred as prey by summer flounder (Chesson index, α = 0.35) and was their predominant prey item accounting for 12.3% (SD ± 3.9%) of the diet by weight. Other factors that explained the variability of the diet of summer flounder were year, month, dissolved oxygen concentration, bay region and habitat, with a cumulative variance of 10.3%. Interestingly, clear differences in the diet (i.e., species richness and abundance) of summer flounder were found within regions of Shinnecock Bay, with a decrease in teleost biomass and species richness observed in the western region where water quality is more degraded and less seagrass is available compared to the more pristine eastern region. Distinct trophic dynamics in degraded habitats suggests fundamentally different food webs that could have important consequences to ecosystem stability and resilience. As coastal areas continue to experience degradation, diet studies of economically and ecologically important species can aid in the development of effective ecosystem-based management plans

Large-angle production of charged pions by 3 GeV/c - 12.9 GeV/c protons on beryllium, aluminium and lead targets

Measurements of the double-differential $\pi^{\pm}$ production cross-section in the range of momentum 100 \MeVc \leq p < 800 \MeVc and angle 0.35 \rad \leq \theta < 2.15 \rad in proton--beryllium, proton--aluminium and proton--lead collisions are presented. The data were taken with the HARP detector in the T9 beam line of the CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton beams in a momentum range from 3 \GeVc to 12.9 \GeVc hitting a target with a thickness of 5% of a nuclear interaction length. The tracking and identification of the produced particles was performed using a small-radius cylindrical time projection chamber (TPC) placed inside a solenoidal magnet. Incident particles were identified by an elaborate system of beam detectors. Results are obtained for the double-differential cross-sections at six incident proton beam momenta (3 \GeVc, 5 \GeVc, 8 \GeVc, 8.9 \GeVc (Be only), 12 \GeVc and 12.9 \GeVc (Al only)) and compared to previously available data

REM technology to help fulfill the landing obligation in European fisheries towards more sustainable fishing

Póster.-- Iberian Symposium on Modeling and Assessment of Fishery Resources, 19-22 October, Vigo, SpainThe main control measures used in EU fisheries are the use of logbooks, monitoring of vessel geographic positions and the inspections of the vessels at sea (patrol vessel surveillance) and at the ports (inspection of the landings). Many studies indicate that this traditional control measures are not effective within the current Landing Obligation rules. The Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) is currently considered as one of the best future alternatives for the control of fishing activity. In fact, many fleets have already incorporated this technology into their activity to respond to the requirements of regional fishing organizations and control authorities in many countries of the world. The aim of this work was to test the implementation of innovative technologies based on artificial vision devices for catch composition determination and data management technologies installed on board. A study case including onboard observer trials and an automatic device was carried out to characterize discards and record unwanted species occurrence in commercial vessels. The “iObserver system” was implemented to improve the quality and availability of data and consequently to deepen knowledge on the status of the fisheries resources. This technology is aimed to be able to identify and quantify the catch (targeted and discarded) without interfering with the activity of fishermen. Once the data (species and biomass estimation) is acquired by iObserver, information is pre-processed and transmitted to land (to management servers). This system will allow real-time decision making for the fishing activity in order to eventually perform a more selective fishing. Automatic estimates of discards by species allow to take real-time decisions, avoid areas/times with high discards rates and potentially to comply with landing obligationN

Protein kinase C and cancer: what we know and what we do not

Since their discovery in the late 1970s, protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes represent one of the most extensively studied signaling kinases. PKCs signal through multiple pathways and control the expression of genes relevant for cell cycle progression, tumorigenesis and metastatic dissemination. Despite the vast amount of information concerning the mechanisms that control PKC activation and function in cellular models, the relevance of individual PKC isozymes in the progression of human cancer is still a matter of controversy. Although the expression of PKC isozymes is altered in multiple cancer types, the causal relationship between such changes and the initiation and progression of the disease remains poorly defined. Animal models developed in the last years helped to better understand the involvement of individual PKCs in various cancer types and in the context of specific oncogenic alterations. Unraveling the enormous complexity in the mechanisms by which PKC isozymes have an impact on tumorigenesis and metastasis is key for reassessing their potential as pharmacological targets for cancer treatment.Centro de Investigaciones Inmunológicas Básicas y Aplicada

Study of the solvatochromic effect on natural phenolic compounds

Se describen las características espectrofluorimétricas de dos derivados de quercetina aislados de las hojas de Flaveria bidentis, un derivado de 6-prenilpinocembrina, aislado de las raíces de Dalea elegans y un compuesto de estructura antraquinónica aislado de las hojas de Heterophyllaea pustulata. Todos ellos presentan espectros de absorción con máximos en la región UV-visible acordes con los grupos cromóforos presentes en su estructura. Los cuatro compuestos estudiados presentan fluorescencia nativa. La posición de los máximos de emisión de fluorescencia se modifica en función del disolvente. Los desplazamientos producidos están relacionados con el diferente grado de solvatación de las moléculas en estado excitado según la polaridad del disolvente. La adición de ácidos minerales provoca desplazamientos en los máximos de fluorescencia concordantes con los ya descritos para compuestos de estructura similar. Estas modificaciones espectrales tienen un gran interés analítico desde el punto de vista de la identificación y caracterización de productos naturales de estructura fenólica.The spectrofluorimetric behaviour of two derivatives of quercetin isolated from the leaves of Flaveria bidentis, a derivative of 6-prenylpinocembrin isolated from the roots of Dalea elegans and an anthraquinonic derivative isolated from the leaves of Heterophyllaea pustulata, is described. The UV-visible absorption spectra of these compounds exhibit the maximum values corresponding to the chromophores present in each structure. All of the compounds studied show native fluorescence in different solvents. The maximum shift in fluorescence emission to the red spectral region when the polarity of the solvents is increased, can be attributed to varying degrees of solvation in the excited state in the different solvents. Additions of small amounts of H2SO4 cause shifts in excitation and emission wavelengths, in agreement with those described for compounds with similar chemical structures. Such fluorescent spectral changes are of considerable analytical interest, given that they allow the presence of phenolic compounds in the extracts of natural plant material to be detected easily.Program for University Co-operation conve- ned in 2001 by Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI)

Measurement of the production of charged pions by protons on a tantalum target

A measurement of the double-differential cross-section for the production of charged pions in proton--tantalum collisions emitted at large angles from the incoming beam direction is presented. The data were taken in 2002 with the HARP detector in the T9 beam line of the CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton beams in a momentum range from 3 \GeVc to 12 \GeVc hitting a tantalum target with a thickness of 5% of a nuclear interaction length. The angular and momentum range covered by the experiment (100 \MeVc \le p < 800 \MeVc and 0.35 \rad \le \theta <2.15 \rad) is of particular importance for the design of a neutrino factory. The produced particles were detected using a small-radius cylindrical time projection chamber (TPC) placed in a solenoidal magnet. Track recognition, momentum determination and particle identification were all performed based on the measurements made with the TPC. An elaborate system of detectors in the beam line ensured the identification of the incident particles. Results are shown for the double-differential cross-sections ${{\mathrm{d}^2 \sigma}} / {{\mathrm{d}p\mathrm{d}\theta}}$ at four incident proton beam momenta (3 \GeVc, 5 \GeVc, 8 \GeVc and 12 \GeVc). In addition, the pion yields within the acceptance of typical neutrino factory designs are shown as a function of beam momentum. The measurement of these yields within a single experiment eliminates most systematic errors in the comparison between rates at different beam momenta and between positive and negative pion production.Comment: 49 pages, 31 figures. Version accepted for publication on Eur. Phys. J.