Assessment of weed control via foliar application of quinate

En estudios previos se detectó una importante acumulación de quinato en la parte aérea de las plantas tratadas con herbicidas inhibidores de la biosíntesis de aminoácidos, lo que podría explicar su capacidad de inducir la respuesta tóxica. También se evaluó el potencial efecto fitotóxico en función del modo de aplicación exógena, que fue superior tras aplicaciones radicales que foliares. En este trabajo se planteó valorar la utilización del quinato, pulverizado exógenamente, para el control del crecimiento de ciertas malas hierbas. Se realizaron aplicaciones foliares de quinato mediante pulverización en post-emergencia sobre plantas en diferentes estados fenológicos de “Sinapis alba”, “Papaver rhoeas”, “Lolium rigidum”, “Bromus diandrus” y “Cynodon dactylon”. Los resultados muestran que dicho compuesto presentó un mayor control y un efecto fitotóxico más evidente en las especies dicotiledóneas que en las monocotiledóneas, siendo “P. rhoeas” la única especie susceptible de ser controlada en sus estadios iniciales con este compuesto. En “S. alba” únicamente se produjo una reducción temporal del crecimiento sin llegar a ser letal.In previous studies quinate was accumulated in leaves of plants treated with amino acid biosynthesis inhibiting herbicides, which begged the question of whether quinate have the capacity of inducing the toxic effects of the herbicides. The phytotoxic effects of exogenous application were more evident when quinate was applied to the nutrient solution than when it was sprayed onto the foliage. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether sprayed quinate could control the growth of some weed species. This was evaluated by spraying quinate to the leaves of plants of “Sinapis alba”, “Papaver rhoeas”, “Lolium rigidum”, “Bromus diandrus” and “Cynodon dactylon” at different phenological states in postemergence. Exogenous application of quinate was more phytotoxic on dicotyledonous species than monocotyledonous species. “Papaver rhoeas” was the only species tested that would be potentially affected and controlled with the application of quinate, specifically in the initial states of plant development. Growth of “S. alba” was only temporally arrested after quinate application, but the treatment was not lethal

Nutritional status and nutritional treatment are related to outcomes and mortality in older adults with hip fracture

Malnutrition is very prevalent in geriatric patients with hip fracture. Nevertheless, its importance is not fully recognized. The objective of this paper is to review the impact of malnutrition and of nutritional treatment upon outcomes and mortality in older people with hip fracture. We searched the PubMed database for studies evaluating nutritional aspects in people aged 70 years and over with hip fracture. The total number of studies included in the review was 44, which analyzed 26,281 subjects (73.5% women, 83.6 ± 7.2 years old). Older people with hip fracture presented an inadequate nutrient intake for their requirements, which caused deterioration in their already compromised nutritional status. The prevalence of malnutrition was approximately 18.7% using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) (large or short form) as a diagnostic tool, but the prevalence was greater (45.7%) if different criteria were used (such as Body Mass Index (BMI), weight loss, or albumin concentration). Low scores in anthropometric indices were associated with a higher prevalence of complications during hospitalization and with a worse functional recovery. Despite improvements in the treatment of geriatric patients with hip fracture, mortality was still unacceptably high (30% within 1 year and up to 40% within 3 years). Malnutrition was associated with an increase in mortality. Nutritional intervention was cost effective and was associated with an improvement in nutritional status and a greater functional recovery. To conclude, in older people, the prevention of malnutrition and an early nutritional intervention can improve recovery following a hip fracture

Entrevista a Claudi Esteva Fabregat, antropòleg

El Projecte Entrevistes presenta per fi la que hauria hagut de ser la primera entrevista de la sèrie: la realitzada a Claudi Esteva Fabregat, l’iniciador de l’antropologia sociocultural a Espanya. Al llarg de la conversa el professor Esteva fa un repàs a tota la seva trajectòria, des de la seva joventut (marcada per la guerra civil) fins a l’antropologia d’avui, anomenant antics mestres, referències clàssiques de l’antropologia i deixebles que van continuar el seu camí. L’entrevista dóna les claus que expliquen perquè l’antropologia espanyola és com és i mostra els constants intercanvis humans i intel·lectuals que hi ha hagut (i que Esteva encara manté) entre Barcelona i Mèxic. Alhora, l’entrevista és un un emocionant relat de la dura experiència dels intel·lectuals catalans exiliats a Mèxic, el pas d’Esteva per l’ENAH i les dificultats del retorn a l’Espanya franquista al 1956. L’entrevista acaba amb les seves reflexions sobre com és i com creu ell que ha de ser la disciplina

El treball d'un antropòleg acaba en el moment en que aquest és com l'altre : entrevista a Claudi Esteva Fabregat, antropòleg

El Projecte Entrevistes presenta per fi la que hauria hagut de ser la primera entrevista de la sèrie: la realitzada a Claudi Esteva Fabregat, l'iniciador de l'antropologia sociocultural a Espanya. Al llarg de la conversa el professor Esteva fa un repàs a tota la seva trajectòria, des de la seva joventut (marcada per la guerra civil) fins a l'antropologia d'avui, anomenant antics mestres, referències clàssiques de l'antropologia i deixebles que van continuar el seu camí. L'entrevista dóna les claus que expliquen perquè l'antropologia espanyola és com és i mostra els constants intercanvis humans i intel·lectuals que hi ha hagut (i que Esteva encara manté) entre Barcelona i Mèxic. Alhora, l'entrevista és un un emocionant relat de la dura experiència dels intel·lectuals catalans exiliats a Mèxic, el pas d'Esteva per l'ENAH i les dificultats del retorn a l'Espanya franquista al 1956. L'entrevista acaba amb les seves reflexions sobre com és i com creu ell que ha de ser la disciplin

Precision Nutrition and Metabolic Syndrome Management

Precision nutrition is an emerging concept encompassing an integrated action considering not only the genetic/epigenetic makeup and ethnic aspects of individuals, but other personalized phenotypical features, such as family and individual clinical issues, previous diseases and therapeutic treatments, perinatal nutrition, food likes/dislikes, allergies/intolerances, lifestyle attitudes and patterns, social and cultural circumstances or religious beliefs, etc. In this context, chronic disease prevalence is a global public health problem itself, which is also accompanied by a number of complications, including insulin resistance, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, fatty liver, inflammation, oxidative status and immunocompetence disturbances, and other adverse manifestations related to metabolic syndrome, which may need individualized nutritional approaches. Therefore, the current Special Issue attempts to provide specific nutritional strategies to prevent or treat the complications associated with metabolic syndrome features concerning diabetes, vascular events, liver diseases, dyslipemia, and cancer with a precision nutrition scope

Yellow pea flour and protein isolate as sources of antioxidant peptides after simulated gastrointestinal digestion

Although peas are widely consumed legumes throughout the world, the bioactivity ofthe peptides released by the gastrointestinal digestion has not been sufficiently studiedso far. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the potential of floursand protein isolates obtained from two varieties of yellow peas as sources of antioxidantpeptides. Flours and protein isolates were prepared and submitted to a simulatedgastrointestinal digestion. Protein hydrolysis degree (TNBS method) andprotein solubility (in phosphate buffer saline, pH = 7.4) values were independent onthe starting material. Antioxidant activity measured by oxygen radical absorbancecapacity (ORAC) and hydroxyl radical averting capacity (HORAC) showed no differencesbetween varieties. A lower activity was registered for protein isolates withrespect to flours in the case of HORAC, which could be associated with a loss of moleculeswith molecular masses lower than 43 kDa in the protein isolates. A significantincrease in activities was evidenced by both methods after gastrointestinal digestion,except in the case of HORAC activity of flours. Digested from protein isolates presenteda greater ratio of molecules smaller than 1.4 kDa and a lower ratio of thoselarger than 6.5 kDa with respect to digested flours, according to electrophoresis andgel filtration chromatography studies. Results suggested that the presence of othercomponents or/and the initial state of proteins would affect proteolytic attack ofdigestive enzymes. Both, pea flours and protein isolates, present interesting potentialas antioxidants food ingredients.Fil: Cipollone, María Agustina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Tironi, Valeria Anahi. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentin

Efecto del ácido linoleico conjugado (CLA) sobre el perfil lipídico en humanos

El término ácido linoleico conjugado (CLA) hace referencia a un grupo de isómeros del ácido linoleico, caracterizados por tener enlaces dobles conjugados en varias posiciones y conformaciones. El CLA se encuentra de forma natural en algunos alimentos, aunque desde que se le atribuyen efectos beneficiosos sobre varios aspectos relacionados con la salud, numerosos grupos investigadores han estudiado los efectos de la suplementación con este ácido graso. En este sentido, el efecto del CLA sobre el perfil lipídico de los animales ha sido extensamente estudiado y existen evidencias confirmadas de beneficios sobre diversos marcadores metabólicos. Sin embargo, los resultados de los ensayos de intervención en humanos son ambiguos. El objetivo de esta revisión fue reunir los datos disponibles y más actuales acerca de los efectos del CLA en el perfil lipídico de humanos. Diversos estudios no hallaron efectos significativos en ninguna de las variables estudiadas; sin embargo, otros trabajos encontraron tanto efectos beneficiosos como desfavorables en el colesterol total, c-LDL, c-HDL, índice aterogénico, triglicéridos y lipoproteína(a). Esta discrepancia podría probablemente deberse a las diferencias en la dosis, composición de isómeros y placebo utilizado, así como a la duración del estudio y al estado nutricional de los sujetos incluidos, entre otros. No obstante, el análisis de los estudios de 12 semanas de duración, realizados con una mezcla en cantidades iguales de los dos isómeros principales del CLA (cis-9, trans-11 y trans-10, cis-12) y con dosis diarias de entre 3 y 4 g aproximadamente, parecen ofrecer los resultados más beneficiosos

A new spirometry-based algorithm to predict occupational pulmonary restrictive impairment

Background Spirometry is often included in workplace-based respiratory surveillance programmes but its performance in the identification of restrictive lung disease is poor, especially when the prevalence of this condition is low in the tested population. Aims To improve the specificity (Sp) and positive predictive value (PPV) of current spirometry-based algorithms in the diagnosis of restrictive pulmonary impairment in the workplace and to reduce the proportion of false positives findings and, as a result, unnecessary referrals for lung volume measurements. Methods We re-analysed two studies of hospital patients, respectively used to derive and validate a recommended spirometry-based algorithm [forced vital capacity (FVC) < 85% predicted and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC > 55%] for the recognition of restrictive pulmonary impairment. We used true lung restrictive cases as a reference standard in 2×2 contingency tables to estimate sensitivity (Sn), Sp and PPV and negative predictive values for each diagnostic cut-off. We simulated a working population aged <65 years and with a disease prevalence ranging 1–10% and compared our best algorithm with those previously reported using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results There were 376 patients available from the two studies for inclusion. Our best algorithm (FVC < 70% predicted and FEV1/FVC ≥ 70%) achieved the highest Sp (96%) and PPV (67 and 15% for a disease prevalence of 10 and 1%, respectively) with the lowest proportion of false positives (4%); its high Sn (71%) predicted the highest proportion of correctly classified restrictive cases (91%). Conclusions Our new spirometry-based algorithm may be adopted to accurately exclude pulmonary restriction and to possibly reduce unnecessary lung volume testing in an occupational health setting