Relationship of somatic cell count and composition and coagulation properties of ewe’s milk

The relationship between somatic cell count (SCC) and raw milk composition and its coagulation properties measured at native or standardised pH values were investigated in Manchega ewes’ milk. A total of 84 bulk tank milk samples from flocks included in the National Association of Manchega Sheep Breeders were used. According to their SCC, milk samples were divided into three terciles named low (562±138 cells/mL), medium (956±115 cells/mL) and high (1705±428 cells/ mL) SCC groups. Within each SCC group, two pH treatments were applied before determining coagulation properties (rennet clotting time, curd firming time and curd firmness): no acidification of milk (coagulation at native pH) and acidification of milk at pH 6.5. Native milk pH significantly increased (P0.05) by SCC, protein content tended to be higher in the high SCC group (P=0.05) and lactose content was significantly lower (P<0.05) in that group. At native pH, the high SCC group had longer rennet clotting time, higher curd firming time and lower curd firmness after 30 min of rennet addition than the low and medium SCC groups (P<0.05). Standardising milk pH at 6.5 prior to rennet addition clearly cancelled out (P<0.05) the negative effects of high SCC on milk coagulation properties. In conclusion, despite the fact that acidification before renneting improved the coagulation properties of milk with high SCC, more research would be needed to determine the sensorial properties of cheese manufactured under such conditions

Unexpected discovery: “A new 3,3′-bipyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine scaffold and its comprehensive analysis”

In this study, a novel 3,3′-bipyrazolo [3,4-b]pyridine-type structure was synthesized from 5-acetylamino-3-methyl-1-phenylpyrazole using the Vilsmeier-Haack reaction as a key step. The spectroscopic properties and structural elucidation of the compound were determined with the use of FT-IR, HRMS, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. Likewise, the theoretical analysis of the IR and NMR spectra allowed peaks to be assigned and a solid correlation was demonstrated between the experimental and theoretical results. Finally, ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory method at the B3LYP/6-311G (d,p) level of theory were used to determine the conformational energy barrier, facilitating the identification of the most probable conformers of the synthesized compound. Overall, our findings contribute to the understanding of bipyrazolo [3,4-b]pyridine derivatives.Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (Chile)9 página

ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF JAGUAR, PUMA AND THEIR POTENTIAL PREY IN SAN LUIS POTOSI, MEXICO

Jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) are sympatric species in Mexico and have ecological similarities. The understanding of interespecific interactions between these species are important for effective conservation strategies. We studied activity patterns of jaguars, pumas and their potential prey species through camera-trapping photographs obtained by during four seasonsin the Abra-Tanchipa Biosphere Reserve , San Luis Potosí, Mexico. We described activity patterns of 12 terrestrial vertebrate species, the degree of overlap of jaguar and puma activity; and the prey – predator relationship. Both felids showed cathemeral activity and overlapping between their activities. Jaguar activity showed a significant correlation with eight prey species activity. Puma activity was no related with any prey species activity. Activity peaks of both felids suggest that temporal segregation is a strategy which minimizes interspecific encounters allowing the coexistence of several individuals in this small reserve.El jaguar (Panthera onca) y el puma (Puma concolor) en México son especies simpátricas y presentan similitud ecológica. El entendimiento de las interacciones interespecíficas entre estas especies es importante para la elaboración de estrategias efectivas de conservación. Se estudiaron los patrones de actividad del jaguar, el puma y sus presas potenciales, a través del análisis de las fotografías obtenidas en cuatro temporadas de foto-trampeo en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Abra-Tanchipa (RBSAT), San Luis Potosí, México. Se describieron los patrones de actividad de 12 especies de fauna, el grado de sobreposición en la actividad del jaguar y el puma; y su relación con la actividad de sus presas. Ambos felinos presentaron actividad catemeral con traslape en sus patrones de actividad. La actividad del jaguar está relacionada significativamente con la actividad de ocho especies de presas; la actividad del puma no se relacionó con la actividad de ninguna presa. Los picos de actividad de ambos felinos sugieren que la separación temporal es una estrategia para minimizar los de encuentros interespecíficos que permite la coexistencia de varios individuos en reservas pequeñas

Biopolymer-based structuring of liquid oil into soft solids and oleogels using water-continuous emulsions as templates

Physical trapping of a hydrophobic liquid oil in a matrix of water-soluble biopolymers was achieved using a facile two-step process by first formulating a surfactant-free oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by biopolymers (a protein and a polysaccharide) followed by complete removal of the water phase (by either high- or low-temperature drying of the emulsion) resulting in structured solid systems containing a high concentration of liquid oil (above 97 wt %). The microstructure of these systems was revealed by confocal and cryo-scanning electron microscopy, and the effect of biopolymer concentrations on the consistency of emulsions as well as the dried product was evaluated using a combination of small-amplitude oscillatory shear rheometry and large deformation fracture studies. The oleogel prepared by shearing the dried product showed a high gel strength as well as a certain degree of thixotropic recovery even at high temperatures. Moreover, the reversibility of the process was demonstrated by shearing the dried product in the presence of water to obtain reconstituted emulsions with rheological properties comparable to those of the fresh emulsion

Influencia de la fertilización nitrogenada sobre las concentraciones de K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ y sus bioindicadores en raíces y hojas de plantas de judía

The pyruvate kinase (PK) and ATPase activities taking part in nitrogen (N) assimilation is essential for the growth and development of plants. Studies on the kinetics of these enzymes reveal that its activities are dependent of the cofactors K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to determine the effect of different doses of N on enzymatic activities of ATPase and PK as potentials biochemical indicators of the levels of K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ in the roots and leaves of green bean plants. The N was applied to the nutrient solution as NH4NO3 at the following rates: 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 12.0, 18.0, and 24.0 mM of N. These results indicate that deficient conditions of N (N1 and N2) were characterized by the lowest accumulation of K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in both total and soluble forms, and also minimum activities of PK and ATPase induced by K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, with respect to the activity of basal PK and ATPase; this could mean near optimum conditions for these cations. On the contrary, high-N treatments (N4, N5 and N6) were characterized by presenting decreasing concentrations of total and soluble K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in roots and leaves of green bean plants; however, the activities of PK and ATPase induced with K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ were increased reaching their maximum activity with respect to basal PK and ATPase, both enzymes reflecting the level of cations in roots and leaves, hence being considered as good physiological bioindicators of these cations.Las actividades piruvato kinasa (PK) y ATPasa participan en la asimilación de nitrógeno (N), la cual es esencial para el crecimiento y desarrollo de las plantas. Estudios sobre cinéticas de estas enzimas revelan que sus actividades son dependientes de los cofactores K+, Ca2+ y Mg2+. Por lo tanto, el objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar el efecto de diferentes dosis de N sobre las actividades de la ATPasa y PK como posibles bioindicadores de los niveles de K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ en raíces y hojas de plantas de judía (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Strike). Se aplicó N a la solución nutritiva como NH4NO3 en las siguientes dosis: N1=1,5 mM, N2=3,0 mM, N3=6,0 mM, N4=12,0 mM, N5=18,0 mM y N6=24,0 mM. Los resultados indican que bajo condiciones deficientes de N (N1 y N2), las plantas presentaron menor acumulación de K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ en su forma total y soluble, así como mínimas actividades PK y ATPasa inducidas por K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ respecto a la actividad PK y ATPasa basal; lo cual indica condiciones cercanas a las óptimas de estos cationes. Por el contrario, en los tratamientos elevados de N (N4, N5 y N6) las plantas presentaron concentraciones decrecientes de K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ total y soluble tanto en raíces como en hojas; sin embargo, las actividades PK y ATPasa inducidas con K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ se incrementaron alcanzando sus máximas actividades con respecto a la PK y ATPasa basal, lo que indica una mayor necesidad fisiológica de estos cationes en los tratamientos elevados de N. Finalmente, la actividad ATPasa basal y la inducida con K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ se comportaron de forma similar a la actividad PK, lo que refleja el nivel de cationes en raíces y en hojas, por lo que se consideran buenos bioindicadores fisiológicos de estos cationes

Influence of Dietary Algae Meal on Lipid Oxidation and Volatile Profile of Meat from Lambs with Competent Reticular Groove Reflex

Dietary lipid sources influence intramuscular fatty acid composition, which in turn may affect the volatile profile of meat. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of marine algae supplementation (Aurantiochytrium limacinum) on volatile compounds of cooked lamb meat. Forty-eight lambs with 42 days of age were divided into three groups: lambs fed a conventional diet without algae meal supplementation (NOALG), lambs with competent reticular groove reflex (RGR) fed the same diet supplemented with 2.5% marine algae meal mixed in the concentrate (ALGCON), and lambs with competent RGR, receiving the same diet and fed with 2.5% marine algae meal in a milk replacer to bypass the rumen (ALGMILK). Lipid and protein oxidation in raw meat was assessed and volatile compounds in grilled meat were determined. The highest and lowest lipid oxidations were observed in the ALGMILK and NOALG groups, respectively. Protein oxidation was unaffected. Out of 56 identified compounds, 12 volatiles significantly increased in both algae groups and 6 of them exclusively in the ALGCON treatment. Algae meal supplementation and its form of administration, either protected or not from rumen degradation, are important factors to consider in lipid oxidation and the aromatic profile of lamb meat

Internal friction associated with ε martensite in shape memory steels produced by casting route and through additive manufacturing: Influence of thermal cycling on the martensitic transformation

Among the different families of shape memory alloys (SMA), the Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni alloys have attracted a renewed interest because of its low cost, high corrosion resistance and high recovery strength during the shape memory effect, and the new technologies of additive manufacturing offer unforeseen possibilities for this family of SMA. In the present work, the reversible gamma - epsilon martensitic transformation (MT), responsible for the shape memory effect, is studied in two Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni alloys with high (20.2 wt%) and low (15.8 wt%) Mn content, produced by the conventional route of casting and rolling, in comparison with the MT in another similar alloy, with intermediate Mn content (19.4 wt%), which was produced by gas atomization and additive manufacturing through laser metal deposition. The forward and reverse gamma - epsilon MT is studied by mechanical spectroscopy through the internal friction spectra and the dynamic modulus variation, together with a parallel microstructural characterization including in-situ observation of the gamma - epsilon MT during cooling and heating at the scanning electron microscope. The evolution of the transformed fraction of epsilon martensite, evaluated through the integral area of the internal friction peak, was followed along thermal cycling in all three alloys. Both, the internal friction and the electron microscopy studies show that the epsilon martensite amount increases very fast during the first few cycles, and then decreases with a tendency towards its stabilization for many tens of cycles. The results show that the gamma - epsilon MT is more stable on cycling in the additive manufactured sample than in the conventionally processed samples, opening new avenues for designing shape memory steels to be specifically processed through additive manufacturing.This work was supported by the ELKARTEK-CEMAP (KK-2020/00047) project from the Industry Department of the Basque Government, and the GIU-17/071 from the University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU. This work made use of the SGIKER facilities at the UPV/EHU

Geology of La Reforma caldera complex, Baja California, Mexico

A new geological map at 1:50,000 scale of La Reforma Caldera Complex has been produced applying modern survey methodologies to volcanic areas. This map aims to represent a reliable and objective tool to understand the geological evolution of the region. La Reforma Caldera Complex is a Pleistocene nested caldera located in the central part of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. The twelve formations defined within the Quaternary volcanic record were grouped into three phases (pre-caldera, caldera, and post-caldera). The pre-caldera phase (>1.35 Ma) is characterized by scattered eruptions, mostly occurred in submarine environment. The caldera phase (1.35–0.96 Ma) groups several distinct explosive and effusive eruptions that formed the present-day caldera depression. The post caldera phase includes scattered effusive eruptions (ended at 0.28 Ma) and resurgence, characterized by several hundred meters of uplift of the central block within the caldera depression

Similarities between the lipid proile of Mexican patients with lupus and the general population

Premature cardiovascular events have been observed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, but the reason for this accelerated process is still debatable; although traditional risk factors are more prevalent in such patients than in the general population, the do not seem to fully explain that enhanced risk. One of the most important conditions is a proatherogenic lipid proile. There is not enough data about it in Mexican SLE patients. Objective: To establish the differences in the lipid proiles between Mexican patients with SLE and the general population. Material and methods: Observational, transversal, descriptive and comparative study, between SLE patients and age-sex-matched healthy volunteers. We performed a full lipid proile (by spectrophotometry) 14 hours of fast. The results obtained were analyzed by the statistical program SPSS® Statistics version 17. Results: We studied the full lipid proiles of 138 subjects, 69 with a diagnosis of SLE and 69 agesex- matched healthy volunteers; 95.7% were females and 4.3% males. Average age was 30 years; average body mass index (BMI) 25.96 ± 5.96 kg/m² in SLE patients and 26.72 ± 4.36 kg/m² in the control group (p = 0.396). Average of total cholesterol 156 mg/dl in the SLE patients and 169.4 mg/dl in the control group (p =0.028); average of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 85.27 mg/dl in the SLE patients and 97.57 mg/dl in the control group (p = 0.023). Conclusions: We did not ind statistical differences in the lipid proiles among patients and healthy volunteers, which could explain increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality observed in SLE patient

Using the Social-Local-Mobile App for Smoking Cessation in the SmokeFreeBrain Project: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: We present a study protocol of a 12-month randomized open-label parallel-group trial whose primary objective is to analyze the efficacy and efficiency of usual psychopharmacological therapy plus the Social-Local-Mobile app (intervention group) applied to the smoking cessation process compared with usual psychopharmacological therapy alone (control group). Methods: The target population consists of adult smokers (both male and female) attending the Smoking Cessation Unit at Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Seville, Spain. Social-Local-Mobile is an innovative intervention based on mobile technologies and their capacity to trigger behavioral changes. The app is a complement to pharmacological therapies to quit smoking by providing personalized motivational messages, physical activity monitoring, lifestyle advice, and distractions (minigames) to help overcome cravings. Usual pharmacological therapy consists of bupropion (Zyntabac 150 mg) or varenicline (Champix 0.5 mg or 1 mg). The main outcomes will be (1) the smoking abstinence rate at 1 year measured by means of exhaled carbon monoxide and urinary cotinine tests, and (2) the result of the cost-effectiveness analysis, which will be expressed in terms of an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Results: Of 548 patients identified using the hospital's electronic records system, we excluded 308 patients: 188 declined to participate and 120 did not meet the inclusion criteria. A total of 240 patients were enrolled: the control group (n=120) will receive usual psychopharmacological therapy, while the intervention group (n=120) will receive usual psychopharmacological therapy plus the So-Lo-Mo app. Conclusions: Social networks and mobile technologies influence our daily lives and, therefore, may influence our smoking habits as well.The research study is funded by H2020 European Commission project (Grant Agreement 681120), as part of the SmokeFreeBrain project. Further information about the project can be found on the SmokeFreeBrain project website (www.smokefreebrain.eu)