Phytochemical and functional characterization of phenolic compounds from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (l.) walp.) obtained by green extraction technologies

This work presents a green, downstream process, from extraction to phytochemical characterization and bioactivity testing, to obtain and evaluate the functional properties of phenolic compounds from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) seeds and pods. Phenolic-rich extracts were obtained by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). The main factors affecting the extraction conditions (temperature and solvent) were optimized in order to attain extracts with the highest extraction yield, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolic content. The optimal extraction conditions were 1:1 ethanol:water at 170◦C with one extraction cycle for seeds and three extraction cycles for pods. Phenolic compounds of optimal extract were analyzed by UHPLC-q-TOF-MS/MS (quadrupole-time of flight tandem MS). The obtained PLE-extracts exhibited higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity compared to conventional extraction procedures. The in vitro anti-neurodegenerative potential of extracts was measured through Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition assay. The results revealed the higher bioactivity observed in cowpea pod samples compared to seed extracts, which might be related to higher levels of quercetin and quercetin glycosides, kaempferol diglucoside, and other tetrahydroxylated flavones and flavonols identified in these samples. These results also provide an added-value benefit to the cultivation of this legume, considering the high potential of cowpea phenolic extracts as nutraceutical and functional ingredients in food formulations.Fil: Avanza, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Química Básica y Aplicada del Nordeste Argentino. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Naturales y Agrimensura. Instituto de Química Básica y Aplicada del Nordeste Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Álvarez Rivera, Gerardo. Institute of Food Science Research; EspañaFil: Cifuentes, Alejandro. Institute of Food Science Research; EspañaFil: Mendiola, José A.. Institute of Food Science Research; EspañaFil: Ibáñez, Elena. Institute of Food Science Research; Españ

Two-Dimensional Time-Domain Antenna Arrays for Optimum Steerable Energy Pattern with Low Side Lobes

This document presents the synthesis of different two-dimensional time-domain antenna arrays for steerable energy patterns with side lobe levels. The research is focused on the uniform and nonuniform distributions of true-time exciting delays and positions of antenna elements. The uniform square array, random array, uniform concentric ring array, and rotated nonuniform concentric ring array geometries are particularly studied. These geometries are synthesized by using the well-known sequential quadratic programming. The synthesis regards the optimal true-time exciting delays and optimal positions of pulsed antenna elements. The results show the capabilities of the different antenna arrays to steer the beam in their energy pattern in time domain and how their performance is in frequency domain after the synthesis in time domain

The Gould's Belt Very Large Array Survey II: The Serpens region

We present deep ($\sim 17~\mu$Jy) radio continuum observations of the Serpens molecular cloud, the Serpens south cluster, and the W40 region obtained using the Very Large Array in its A configuration. We detect a total of 146 sources, 29 of which are young stellar objects (YSOs), 2 are BV stars and 5 more are associated with phenomena related to YSOs. Based on their radio variability and spectral index, we propose that about 16 of the remaining 110 unclassified sources are also YSOs. For approximately 65% of the known YSOs detected here as radio sources, the emission is most likely non-thermal, and related to stellar coronal activity. As also recently observed in Ophiuchus, our sample of YSOs with X-ray counterparts lies below the fiducial G\"udel & Benz relation. Finally, we analyze the proper motions of 9 sources in the W40 region. This allows us to better constrain the membership of the radio sources in the region.Comment: Accepted in The Astrophysical Journa

Factors controlling phytoplankton in tropical high-mountain drinking-water reservoirs

Hydraulic dynamics is one of the primary factors determining the structural and temporal changes in phytoplankton communities in reservoirs. There is little information on the factors that explain the temporal changes in biotic communities in the high-mountain reservoirs that provide water to the city of Bogotá (Colombia). Our objective was to identify the environmental factors controlling the biomass and composition of algal communities in four tropical high-mountain reservoirs. We hypothesised that hydraulic dynamics is the major determining factor in temporal changes in phytoplankton communities in tropical mountain reservoirs regardless of the nutrient concentration in the system. We studied the temporal changes in phytoplankton over five years in four reservoirs that exhibit different nutrient concentrations and hydraulic management regimes. The phytoplankton in all of the reservoirs were characterised by the dominance of Dinophyceae. Canonical correspondence analyses and Pearson's correlations showed that the water renewal rate primarily explains the phytoplankton composition, followed by total nitrogen, total phosphorous and silicates. The effect of the water renewal rate was different depending on the particular conditions in each system; thus, in reservoirs with greater hydraulic dynamics, the water renewal rate explained the selection of secondary species and dominant species adapted to a broad range of environmental conditions. In the reservoir with a higher physical stability, eventual changes in the water renewal rate shifted the dominant species, reduced diversity and altered phytoplankton succession. In the reservoir with the largest volume and lowest nutrient concentration, phytoplankton species were selected primarily based on chemical and physical variables related to climatic seasonality. Our results suggest that the model for hydraulic management of the reservoirs plays an important role: in highly dynamic reservoirs, there is a direct causal relationship between phytoplankton and physical variables such as stability and water renewal rate; in less dynamic environments, phytoplankton species growth responds primarily to water chemistry.La dinámica hidráulica es uno de los principales factores que determinan la estructura y los cambios temporales de las comunidades fitoplanctónicas en embalses. Información de los factores que explican los cambios temporales de las comunidades biológicas en los embalses de alta montaña que proveen de agua la ciudad de Bogotá es escasa. El objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar los factores ambientales que controlan la biomasa y la composición de las comunidades algales en cuatro embalses tropicales de alta montaña. La hipótesis de trabajo fue que la dinámica hidráulica es el factor que principalmente determina los cambios temporales en la comunidad fitoplanctónica, con respecto a la concentración de nutrientes del sistema. Durante cinco años se estudiaron los cambios temporales del fitoplancton en cuatro embalses que se caracterizan por presentar diferentes concentraciones de nutrientes y diferente manejo hidráulico. El fitoplancton de todos los embalses se caracterizó por la dominancia de Dinophyceae. Análisis de Correspondencia Canónica y correlaciones de Pearson mostraron que la tasa de renovación hídrica explicó primariamente el fitoplancton seguida por el nitrógeno total, el fósforo total y los silicatos. El efecto de la tasa de renovación hídrica sobre el fitoplancton fue diferente dependiendo de las condiciones particulares de cada sistema; así, en embalses con una alta dinámica hidráulica, la tasa de renovación explicó las especies secundarias y seleccionó especies dominantes adaptadas a un amplio rango de condiciones ambientales. En el embalse con alta estabilidad física, cambios eventuales en la tasa de renovación cambiaron las especies dominantes, redujeron la diversidad y modificaron la sucesión del fitoplancton. En el embalse de mayor volumen y más baja concentración de nutrientes, el fitoplancton es seleccionado principalmente por otras variables físicas y químicas relacionadas con la estacionalidad climática. Los resultados sugieren que el modelo de manejo hidráulico de los embalses juega un papel importante en embalses más dinámicos, al determinar una relación causal directa entre el fitoplancton y variables físicas como la estabilidad y la tasa de renovación hídrica, mientras en embalses menos dinámicos, el crecimiento de las especies respondió principalment a la química del agua

The Gould's Belt Very Large Array Survey III. The Orion region

We present results from a high-sensitivity (60 $\mu$Jy), large-scale (2.26 square degree) survey obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array as part of the Gould's Belt Survey program. We detected 374 and 354 sources at 4.5 and 7.5 GHz, respectively. Of these, 148 are associated with previously known Young Stellar Objects (YSOs). Another 86 sources previously unclassified at either optical or infrared wavelengths exhibit radio properties that are consistent with those of young stars. The overall properties of our sources at radio wavelengths such as their variability and radio to X-ray luminosity relation are consistent with previous results from the Gould's Belt Survey. Our detections provide target lists for followup VLBA radio observations to determine their distances as YSOs are located in regions of high nebulosity and extinction, making it difficult to measure optical parallaxes.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 51 pages, 15 figures, 5 table

Performances and nutritional values of a new hooded barley (cv. Mochona) and a high yield triticale (cv. Titania) as hay or silage for sheep under Mediterranean conditions

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABThe hooded barley phenotype produces an extra sterile flower in spikelets instead of awns. Hence, it might improve the nutritive value of the whole plant. The aim of this work was to evaluate a new variety of hooded barley (cv. Mochona) and a high yield triticale (cv. Titania) harvested and processed as hay and silage during 2 consecutive years for sheep. Digestibility was determined using 32 ewes which were distributed in 2 balanced groups by treatment, and fed with hay and silage sequentially. Results showed differences in the chemical composition of hay and silage according to harvesting year, but no differences were found on voluntary intake by year, species, or their interaction. Both forages showed high sheep fill values (sFV) either as hay or as silage (2.65 ± 0.030 and 3.09 ± 0.042 sFV/kg DM, on average, respectively). Impact on apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients varied according to preservation method, the digestibility of hays being mainly affected by the harvesting year, and that of silages by species. Digestible undegradable protein values were greater in hooded barley than in triticale for silages. In conclusion, marked compositional differences between years, but slight differences between species, were observed. Consequently, intake was similar, although triticale revealed slightly greater nutritive values than hooded barley. The obtained values for hooded barley as forage were greater than those reported in the literature for common fodder barley

Un análisis transversal del ecoturismo: Arte místico y riesgo alternativo

En el marco de promoción del emprendimiento local para el desarrollo regional sustentable, los estudios del turismo se han centrado en el análisis de la experiencia vital como antecedente de la satisfacción turística y el retorno vacacional, pero sin considerarlos como parte de un ciclo de recreación y esparcimiento que podría ser explicado desde las representaciones sociales. En tal sentido, se llevó a cabo un trabajo exploratorio, transversal y cualitativo con una selección de informantes, considerando sus recorridos a un museo natural surrealista del centro de México. Las interpretaciones en torno a las respuestas a preguntas derivadas de las categorías de núcleo de esparcimiento, periferia recreativa y experiencia vacacional muestran similitudes en cuanto a la búsqueda de un significado del recorrido y el escenario, pero también diferencias en cuanto a la integración con el escenario, orientando futuras líneas de investigación hacia las diferencias entre generacione

Extraction of 2′-O-apiosyl-6′-O-crotonic acid-betanin from the ayrampo seed (Opuntia soehrensii) cuticle and its use as an emitting layer in an organic light-emitting diode

The molecule 2′-O-apiosyl-6′-O-crotonic acid-betanin (called Achkiy) was obtained after an ecofriendly and low-cost purification process of the extract from the ayrampo seed cuticle. Results from EDS give us an idea of the organic elements present in the ayrampo cuticle layer composed of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. Further characterization analysis of ayrampo extract by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry (FTIR) corroborated the presence of characteristic functional groups corresponding to carboxyl, carbonyls, hydroxyls and secondary amines. On the other hand, we have confirmed by absortion peak the glucose, apiosyl, crotonic acid and betanin at 227 nm, 276 nm, 291 nm and 534 nm bands respectively. Mass Spectrometry (MS) characterization was used finally to identify the electroactive Achkiy molecule. This molecule was tested in an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) achieving a luminance of 4.8 Cd m$^{−2}$ when bias voltage of 16.5 V and a current of 34.1 mA was applied. In addition, the irradiance generated by the Achkiy layer reaches a value of ≈ 113.3 μW m$^{−2}$ emitting light with a λ ≈ 390.10 nm. These preliminary results report an interesting molecule extracted from a natural pigment wich emits light in the blue region

Improvement of the Seminal Characteristics in Rams Using Agri-Food By-Products Rich in Phytomelatonin

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a phytomelatonin-rich diet, including by-products from the food industry, on ram sperm quality and seminal plasma composition. Melatonin content in several by-products before and after in vitro ruminal and abomasal digestion was determined by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Finally, 20% of a mix of grape pulp with pomegranate and tomato pomaces was included in the rams’ diet, constituting the phytomelatonin-rich diet. Feeding the rams with this diet resulted in an increase in seminal plasma melatonin levels compared with the control group (commercial diet) in the third month of the study. In addition, percentages higher than those in the control group of morphologically normal viable spermatozoa with a low content of reactive oxygen species were observed from the second month onwards. However, the antioxidant effect does not seem to be exerted through the modulation of the antioxidant enzymes since the analysis of the activities of catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase in seminal plasma revealed no significant differences between the two experimental groups. In conclusion, this study reveals, for the first time, that a phytomelatonin-rich diet can improve seminal characteristics in ram