Immunomodulatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor capacity of acidic polysaccharides from Euglena gracilis.

Euglena sp. is a microalga producer of important molecules for the Biotechnology industry, since it is a producer of substances such as vitamins A, C and E, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, β-carotenes and paramilon (β-1,3-glucan). It has a modulating effect on the immune system, moderates blood glucose and the response to insulin, has anti-tumor activity and a cholesterol-lowering effect. In addition, its sulphated derivatives have anti-HIV activity. The present study was carried out with the objective of determining the immunomodulatory, antioxidant and anticancer activity of the acid polysaccharides extracted from Euglena gracilis. MTT colorimeter tests were carried out for the analysis of cytotoxicity on healthy cell lines murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGF-1) and for the anticancer activity cell lines were used colon cancer (HCT-116), breast cancer (MCF-7) and human leukemia (U-937) .The polysaccharide concentration at which cell survival was reduced by half (IC50) was estimated with these assays, showing that these polysaccharides have antitumor activity mainly on U-937 cells. (IC50 = 0.027 mg ml-1) against HCT-116 cells (IC50 = 0.036 mg ml-1) and MCF-7 (IC50 = 0.11 mg ml-1) An immunological test was performed to see the immunomodulatory capacity of the polysaccharides with which the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α was determined by macrophages RAW 264.7 It was observed that these polysaccharides have a great stimulating capacity in the synthesis of these interleukins. Antioxidant capacity was (7.19 μmol TE g-1). In agreement with these results, it is suggested that E. gracilis polysaccharides could be considered for future studies as potential nutraceuticals that require their application when the activation of macrophages is needed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Immunomodulatory and antioxidant activity of acidic polysaccharides from laminaria ochroleuca, porphyra umbilicalis and gelidium corneum

Las algas marinas del género Laminaria, Gelidium y Porphyra se han utilizado en industrias alimentarias y no alimentarias debido a sus propiedades y su actividad biológica. Los polisacáridos sulfatados de algas ofrecen diversas aplicaciones como anticoagulantes, antihiperlipidémicos, antivirales y antitumorales. Se recolectaron en 2017 en Isla Paloma (Cádiz, España) Laminaria ochroleuca, Porphyra umbilicalis y Gelidium corneum de las que se extrajeron lo polisacáridos sulfatados. La finalidad para la realización de este trabajo fue caracterizar los polisacáridos sulfatados de estas algas, evaluar la actividad antioxidante, las propiedades inmunomoduladoras de los polisacáridos sulfatados de estas algas y ver la actividad antitumoral de los polisacáridos de Laminaria ochroleuca. Para la caracterización de los polisacáridos se realizó un FT-IR de cada uno de ellos. Se cuantificó la actividad inmunomoduladora mediante las citoquinas TNF-α y IL-6, usando un ELISA TNF-α de ratón Ready-SET-Go y un ELISA IL-6 de ratón Ready-SET-Go (Affymetrix, EBioscience), siguiendo las instrucciones del proveedor usando la línea celular RAW 264.7. La actividad antioxidante fue determinada en los polisacáridos sulfatados por el método ABTS. La actividad antitumoral de los polisacáridos sulfatados de Laminaria ochroleuca fue evaluada con ensayos de MTT, en diferentes líneas celulares cancerígenas, cáncer de colon humano (HTC-116), melanoma maligno humano (G-361) y leucemia humana (U-937). La mayor actividad antioxidante (25.69 μmol TE g-1) e inmunomoduladora se observaron en los polisacáridos sulfatados de L. ochroleuca. Es por esta razón que los ensayos de actividad anticancerígena se llevaron a cabo con estos polisacáridos sulfatados en las líneas celulares HTC-116 (IC50 = 0,44 mg mL-1), G-361 (IC50 = 5,42 mg mL-1) y U-937 (IC50 = 3.72 mg mL-1). Se concluye por tanto que, L. ochroleuca ofrece ventajas significativas para la industria farmacéutica.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Antioxidant, Immunomodulatory and Potential Anticancer Capacity of Polysaccharides (Glucans) from Euglena gracilis G.A. Klebs

The present study was carried out to determine the bioactivity of polysaccharides extracted from Euglena gracilis (EgPs). These were characterized by FT-IR and GC-MS. Cytotoxicity analyses (MTT) were performed on healthy human gingival fibroblast cell lines (HGF-1), obtaining an IC50 of 228.66 µg mL−1, and cell lines with anticancer activity for colon cancer (HCT-116), breast cancer (MCF-7), human leukemia (U-937, HL-60) and lung cancer (NCl-H460), showing that EgPs have anticancer activity, mainly in HTC-116 cells (IC50 = 26.1 µg mL−1). The immunological assay determined the immunomodulatory capacity of polysaccharides for the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α in murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) and TNF-α in human monocytes (THP-1). It was observed that the EgPs had a stimulating capacity in the synthesis of these interleukins. The antioxidant capacity of polysaccharides and their biomass were analyzed using the ABTS method (18.30 ± 0.14% and (5.40 ± 0.56%, respectively, and the DPPH method for biomass (17.79 ± 0.57%). We quantitatively profiled HGF-1 proteins by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis, coupled with 2-plex tandem mass tag labelling, in normal cells. In total, 1346 proteins were identified and quantified with high confidence, of which five were considered to be overexpressed. The data is available through ProteomeXchange, under identifier PXD029076.Partial funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag

Chapare Virus, a Newly Discovered Arenavirus Isolated from a Fatal Hemorrhagic Fever Case in Bolivia

A small focus of hemorrhagic fever (HF) cases occurred near Cochabamba, Bolivia, in December 2003 and January 2004. Specimens were available from only one fatal case, which had a clinical course that included fever, headache, arthralgia, myalgia, and vomiting with subsequent deterioration and multiple hemorrhagic signs. A non-cytopathic virus was isolated from two of the patient serum samples, and identified as an arenavirus by IFA staining with a rabbit polyvalent antiserum raised against South American arenaviruses known to be associated with HF (Guanarito, Machupo, and Sabiá). RT-PCR analysis and subsequent analysis of the complete virus S and L RNA segment sequences identified the virus as a member of the New World Clade B arenaviruses, which includes all the pathogenic South American arenaviruses. The virus was shown to be most closely related to Sabiá virus, but with 26% and 30% nucleotide difference in the S and L segments, and 26%, 28%, 15% and 22% amino acid differences for the L, Z, N, and GP proteins, respectively, indicating the virus represents a newly discovered arenavirus, for which we propose the name Chapare virus. In conclusion, two different arenaviruses, Machupo and Chapare, can be associated with severe HF cases in Bolivia

Integrated vision of the clinical and educational round at Ecuador university hospitals

Introduction: The educational and assistance round in the educational-hospital institutions is complex and it is necessary to overcome different goals in the same activity. Objective: To provide a design from current pedagogical conceptions of educational-medical rounds at Ecuadorian university hospitals. Material and Methods: It carried out review of the related bibliography with the pedagogic processes of education in the work of medical formation. Were used the searchers PubMed, Cochrane Library and Google scholar   to know, select, built, analyze and give a systematic view of the educational and assistance round in Ecuador, proposing structural and methodological bases, starting from the Cuban’s experience and the own Ecuadorian academic directives. Development: Educational-medical rounds as educational method of  labor to obtain excellence must be more inclusive not using only the clinical method, but also clinical and epidemiological method shall be included and where integrated management objectives must be joined, using pedagogical constructional methods, holistic health-disease environment  through heuristic participation strategies. Conclusion: The use of a proceeding model on a scientific basis properly structured and based on qualitative educational transformations that interrelate with medical caretaking and management issues where patients are evaluated integrally, provides a systemic approach process to this activity. Keywords: Medical education, teaching methods, education on the job, Ecuador, medical round, doctor, educational, caretaking.</p

Socio-environmental impacts of non-native and transplanted aquatic mollusc species in South America: What do we really know?

The impacts of biological invasions remain poorly known for some habitats, regions and taxa. To date, there has been no comprehensive effort to review and synthesize the impacts of invasive mollusc species in South America. In this paper, we provide a synoptic view on what is known on documented socio-ecological impacts of aquatic no-native mollusc species (NNMS) and transplanted mollusc species (TMS) from South America. An expert group involving malacologists and taxonomists from different countries, the “South America Alien Molluscs Specialists” (eMIAS), shared and summarized the scientific literature, databases, and published and unpublished information on confirmed impacts of NNMS and TMS in South America. Three broad categories, non-mutually exclusive were used as a framework: “Environmental/Biodiversity impacts”, “Economic and social effects”, and “Human health impacts”. Some 21 NNMS and seven TMS have documented impacts on at least one of those three categories. We encourage targeting the less known areas of research, such as economic valuation of human health (and veterinary) impacts attributable to NNMS or TMS and expand our knowledge of environmental impacts for the species listed in this study.Fil: Carranza, Alvar. Universidad de la República; Uruguay. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Uruguay; UruguayFil: Agudo Padrón, Ignacio. Projeto “avulsos Malacológicos”; BrasilFil: Collado, Gonzalo A.. Universidad del Bio Bio; Chile. Sociedad Malacológica Chile; ChileFil: Damborenea, Maria Cristina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Fabres, Alejandra. Sociedad Malacológica Chile; Chile. Universidad Católica de Maule; ChileFil: Gutierrez Gregoric, Diego Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Lodeiros, Cesar. Universidad Técnica de Manabí; Ecuador. Universidad de Oriente; VenezuelaFil: Ludwig, Sandra. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Pastorino, Roberto Santiago Guido. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Penchaszadeh, Pablo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Salvador, Rodrigo B.. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa,; Nueva Zelanda. The Artic University of Norway; NoruegaFil: Spotorno, Paula. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande; BrasilFil: Thiengo, Silvana. Fundación Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Vidigal, Teofania Heloisa Dutra Amorim. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Darrigran, Gustavo Alberto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División de Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

Crónica de las IX Jornadas de Jóvenes en Investigación Arqueológica. Arqueología en 3D: herramienta social, agente histórico y ciencia natural. Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC), Universidad de Cantabria (UC), S

Crónica de las IX Jornadas de Jóvenes en Investigación Arqueológica. Arqueología en 3D: herramienta social, agente histórico y ciencia natural. Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC), Universidad de Cantabria (UC),

Polymorphisms in metabolic genes, their combination and interaction with tobacco smoke and alcohol consumption and risk of gastric cancer: a case-control study in an Italian population

Background: The distribution and the potential gene-gene and gene-environment interaction of selected metabolic genetic polymorphisms was investigated in relation to gastric cancer risk in an Italian population. Methods: One hundred and seven cases and 254 hospital controls, matched by age and gender, were genotyped for CYP1A1, CYP2E1, mEH, GSTM1, GSTT1, NAT2 and SULT1A1 polymorphisms. Haplotype analysis was performed for EPHX1 exons 3 and 4, as well as CYP2E1 RsaI (*5 alleles) and CYP2E1 DraI (*5A or *6 alleles). The effect modification by alcohol and cigarette smoking was tested with the heterogeneity test, while the attributable proportion (AP) was used to measure the biological interaction from the gene-gene interaction analysis. Results: Gastric cancer risk was found to be associated with the inheritance of GSTT1 null genotype (OR = 2.10, 95%CI: 1.27-3.44) and the SULT1A1 His/His genotype (OR = 2.46, 95%CI: 1.03-5.90). No differences were observed for the haplotype distributions among cases and controls. For the first time an increased risk was detected among individuals carrying the *6 variant allele of CYP2E1 if ever-drinkers (OR = 3.70; 95%CI: 1.45-9.37) with respect to never-drinkers (OR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.22-1.46) (p value of heterogeneity among the two estimates = 0.001). Similarly, the effect of SULT1A1 variant genotype resulted restricted to ever-smokers, with an OR of 2.58 (95%CI: 1.27-5.25) for the carriers of His allele among smokers, and an OR of 0.86 (95%CI: 0.45-1.64) among never-smokers (p value of heterogeneity among the two estimates = 0.03). The gene-gene interaction analyses demonstrated that individuals with combined GSTT1 null and NAT2 slow acetylators had an additional increased risk of gastric cancer, with an OR of 3.00 (95%CI: 1.52-5.93) and an AP of 52%. Conclusion: GSTT1, SULT1A1 and NAT2 polymorphisms appear to modulate individual's susceptibility to gastric cancer in this Italian population, particularly when more than one unfavourable genotype is present, or when combined with cigarette smoke. The increased risk for the carriers of CYP2E1*5A or *6 alleles among drinkers need to be confirmed by larger prospective studies

Research in the Bioarchaeology Laboratory in the International Institute for Prehistoric Research (IIIPC) - University of Cantabria

RESUMEN: Cantabria se caracteriza por ser una región especialmente rica en yacimientos de época prehistórica. En ellos, se han podido recuperar múltiples evidencias que, con la aplicación de las técnicas metodológicas adecuadas, permiten reconstruir los modos de vida de los grupos humanos del pasado, la explotación que realizaban del medio, su tipo de dieta, su movilidad, así como el tipo de clima y medioambiente en que habitaron, entre otros aspectos. Una de las líneas de investigación más novedosas desarrollada en la región es la Bioarqueología, entendida como el estudio y análisis de restos biológicos procedentes de yacimientos arqueológicos. En este artículo se muestran las diferentes colecciones de referencia de materiales bioarqueológicos que alberga el Laboratorio de Bioarqueología del Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (Universidad de Cantabria), así como las investigaciones desarrolladas en dicha institución sobre esta temática en los últimos años.ABSTRACT: Cantabria is a region characterised as especially rich in prehistoric archaeological sites. These sites can be investigated using stateof- the art methodologies, making it possible to reconstruct the way of life of humans in the past, answering questions about diet and mobility, and what the climate and environment was like, amongst other things. One of these newly-developed lines of research in the region is bioarchaeology, which is the study and analysis of biological remains recovered from archaeological sites. This article introduces the different bioarchaeological reference collection materials housed in the Bioarchaeology Laboratory at the International Institute of Prehistoric Research in Cantabria (University of Cantabria), as well as the bioarchaeological research that has been carried out within the institution in the last few years.La investigación llevada a cabo por el grupo de investigadores del Laboratorio de Bioarqueología ha sido posible gracias a diversas fuentes de financiación españolas y europeas. En primer lugar, a título personal señalar las siguientes ayudas: Programa Ramon y Cajal a ABMA (RYC-2011-00695), Programa Juan de la Cierva a IGZ (JCI-2012-12094) y DCS (IJCI- 2014-20590), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship a JJ (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014-Ref. 656122), Becas Predoctorales FPI a JMG (BES-2013-063309) y RSR (BES-2014-070075), AH (BES-2015-075176), Predoctorales UC a ILD y AGE y Técnicos de Apoyo I+D a LAP (PTA2013-8401-I). En segundo lugar, parte de estas investigaciones forma o ha formado parte de los siguientes proyectos de investigación financiados por la Comisión Europea (FP7-PEOPLE- 2012-CIG (322112), la British Academy y The Royal Society (Newton International Fellowship NF100413), y el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España (HAR2008-06477-C03-00/HIST; HAR2010- 22115-C02-01; HAR2011-29907-C03-00; HAR2012- 33956; HAR2013-46802-P; HAR2014-51830-P). Por último, queremos agradecer el acceso a los fondos de museos como los depositados en el Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria (MUPAC), el Museo de Altamira, Centro de Patrimonio Cultural Mueble de Gipuzkoa (Gordailua), Museo Arqueológico de Asturias, Grupo de Ingeniería Fotónica de la Universidad de Cantabria, Laboratorio de la División de Ciencia e Ingeniería de los Materiales de la Universidad de Cantabria (LADICIM) e Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria