Mannosyl Glycodendritic Structure Inhibits DC-SIGN-Mediated Ebola Virus Infection in cis and in trans

3 páginas, 3 figuras.We have designed a glycodendritic structure, BH30sucMan, that blocks the interaction between dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) and Ebola virus (EBOV) envelope. BH30sucMan inhibits DC-SIGN-mediated EBOV infection at nanomolar concentrations. BH30sucMan may counteract important steps of the infective process of EBOV and, potentially, of microorganisms shown to exploit DC-SIGN for cell entry and infection.This research was supported by DGI grant no. BQU2002-03734 to J.R. and grants FIS 01/1430 and FIPSE 3026/99 to R.D.Peer reviewe

Effects of Calving Body Condition Score on Blood Acid–Base Balance of Primiparous Holstein-Friesian Dairy Cows in a Commercial Dairy Farm: A Case Study

The study was carried out on 27 healthy primiparous Holstein heifers (620 ± 50 kg) kept in a commercial dairy herd. The animals were divided into two groups taking into account the body condition score (BCS) index: BCS 3.5 n = 15. The study period started one month before calving (BC), and ran until one month after calving (AC). Venous blood samples were collected 1 month and 1 week BC, and 1 week and 1 month AC. This study had two objectives: (i) to assess whether a higher or lower BCS affected total milk production and its quality; (ii) to assess changes in the internal fluid (venous pH; partial pressure of CO2, ppCO2; bicarbonate; total CO2, TCO2; base excess, BE; electrolytes Na+, K+, Cl−; and anion gap, AG) that occur during this phase depending on the BCS. We can conclude that the BCS at calving does not affect the productive status during lactation, both in terms of the quantity and quality of milk produced. The excess of crude protein (CP) added through the ration in the lactation phase can trigger a tendency to an alkalotic state, in this case compensated by respiratory buffering mechanisms, as reflected by the TCO2. The changes in electrolytes are a reflection of the movement of free water for milk production, where a balance between measurable anions and cations is observedThis study was financed in part by Proxectos Plan Galego IDT (Code 2017-PG138) de la Consellería de Medio Rural de la Xunta de Galicia (Proyects Galician IDT Plan of the Ministry of Rural Environment of Xunta de Galicia) (FEADER 2017/057B). The title of the project was: “Sistema de control y valoración de la eficiencia de las explotaciones ganaderas para la producción sostenible de leche” (System of control and evaluation of the efficiency of livestock farms for the sustainable production of milk)S

Evaluación del cultivo de trigo y propiedades químicas del suelo bajo distintas secuencias en el área de influencia de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales

Las rotaciones de cultivos correctamente realizadas incrementan los rendimientos, adicionan materia orgánica al suelo y mejoran su fertilidad. Los cultivos difieren por la cantidad y calidad de los residuos que producen y, por lo tanto, por sus efectos sobre las propiedades del suelo. Las circunstancias de mercado y políticas internas han desplazado el equilibrio cereales/leguminosas a favor del cultivo de soja. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de distintas secuencias agrícolas sobre el comportamiento del cultivo de trigo como último componente de las mismas y sobre el suelo a través del análisis de los contenidos de la Materia Orgánica (MO), Nitrógeno total (Nt) pH y fósforo. Se contó con cuatro secuencias de cultivos en una rotación de 4 años con diferentes especies aportando distintos rastrojos, evaluando los resultados de rendimiento de trigo y propiedades del suelo al finalizar cada secuencia. S1: trigo/soja 2º-maíz–soja–trigo; S2: cebada/soja 2º-maíz–soja–trigo; S3: avena/soja 2º-maíz–girasol–trigo; S4: colza/soja 2º-maíz–sorgo–trigo. Se analizaron las secuencias bajo dos niveles de fertilización distintos, uno de nivel medio y otro de alta fertilización para el promedio zonal. También se evaluó la producción de biomasa y el rendimiento del trigo. Si bien los resultados analizados no arrojaron diferencias significativas entre las secuencias bajo un mismo nivel tecnológico, se apreció que las secuencias con mayor cantidad de soja tuvieron un menor rendimiento y una leve disminución de pH, % de C, % MO. La comparación entre los niveles tecnológicos mostró diferencias significativas de rendimiento de trigo a favor del de mayor reposición de nutrientes. En este trabajo no se encontraron diferencias a nivel de suelo en los parámetros edáficos elegidos entre las secuencias que incluyen mayor cantidad de soja en la rotación.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Frequency-domain analysis of fNIRS fluctuations induced by rhythmic mental arithmetic

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an increasingly used technology for imaging neural correlates of cognitive processes. However, fNIRS signals are commonly impaired by task-evoked and spontaneous hemodynamic oscillations of non-cerebral origin, a major challenge in fNIRS research. In an attempt to isolate the task-evoked cortical response, we investigated the coupling between hemodynamic changes arising from superficial and deep layers during mental effort. For this aim, we applied a rhythmic mental arithmetic task to induce cyclic hemodynamic fluctuations suitable for effective frequency-resolved measurements. Twenty university students aged 18–25 years (eight males) underwent the task while hemodynamic changes were monitored in the forehead using a newly developed NIRS device, capable of multi-channel and multi-distance recordings. We found significant task-related fluctuations for oxy-and deoxy-hemoglobin, highly coherent across shallow and deep tissue layers, corroborating the strong influence of surface hemodynamics on deep fNIRS signals. Importantly, after removing such surface contamination by linear regression, we show that the frontopolar cortex response to a mental math task follows an unusual inverse oxygenation pattern. We confirm this finding by applying for the first time an alternative method to estimate the neural signal, based on transfer function analysis and phasor algebra. Altogether, our results demonstrate the feasibility of using a rhythmic mental task to impose an oscillatory state useful to separate true brain functional responses from those of non-cerebral origin. This separation appears to be essential for a better understanding of fNIRS data and to assess more precisely the dynamics of the neuro-visceral link

Characterization, antioxidant activity, and inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase of extracts from the edible insects Acheta domesticus and Tenebrio molitor

Extracts from the edible insects Acheta domesticus and Tenebrio molitor were obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and pressurized-liquid extraction (PLE) using ethanol (E) or ethanol:water (E:W). Characterization by GC–MS was performed and total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant activity (DPPH) and pancreatic lipase inhibitory capacity were assayed. Most extracts, mainly ethanolic extracts, predominantly presented lipids as free fatty acids, followed by aminoacids, organic acids, carbohydrates, hydrocarbons and sterols. The UAE-E:W extracts were different, being characterized by organic acids for A. domesticus, or aminoacids for T. molitor. All the extracts exhibited antioxidant activity, which correlated with TPC values, being the E:W extracts the most effective. All the extracts showed inhibitory activity of lipase, although those from T. molitor and extracted by PLE were the most effective. Therefore, bioactive insect extracts can be selectively obtained by advanced methods of extraction, being aqueous ethanol preferred for antioxidant activity and PLE for inhibitory lipase activityThis work was supported by the Community of Madrid, Spain (ALIBIRD2020-CM, S2018/BAA-4343). Joaquín Navarro del Hierro thanks the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte for funding his research with a FPU predoctoral contract (FPU 15/04236). Paz Otero thanks the Comunidad de Madrid for funding his Postdoctoral Grant (Atracción de Talento 2016-T2/BIO-1791

Sensing and Tactile Artificial Muscles from Reactive Materials

Films of conducting polymers can be oxidized and reduced in a reversible way. Any intermediate oxidation state determines an electrochemical equilibrium. Chemical or physical variables acting on the film may modify the equilibrium potential, so that the film acts as a sensor of the variable. The working potential of polypyrrole/DBSA (Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid) films, oxidized or reduced under constant currents, changes as a function of the working conditions: electrolyte concentration, temperature or mechanical stress. During oxidation, the reactive material is a sensor of the ambient, the consumed electrical energy being the sensing magnitude. Devices based on any of the electrochemical properties of conducting polymers must act simultaneously as sensors of the working conditions. Artificial muscles, as electrochemical actuators constituted by reactive materials, respond to the ambient conditions during actuation. In this way, they can be used as actuators, sensing the surrounding conditions during actuation. Actuating and sensing signals are simultaneously included by the same two connecting wires