Consumer preference and acceptance of two Colombian sweet milks: results of a consumer survey

The degree of sensory preference and acceptance of two typical Colombian sweet milk products (Arequipe and Manjar Blanco) were evaluated. Two kinds of tests - preference and acceptance - (Seven-point Hedonic Test) were applied. The judging panel consisted of 76 untrained consumers from Cali. The analyses of the data were done using two statistical tests (Friedman and Wilcoxon). We found that flavor was the sensory parameter that obtained the highest ranking and consumers preferred Arequipe more than Manjar Blanco

NMR spectroscopy and antioxidant activity of flavanones and flavones isolated from Chromolaena tacotana (Klatt) R.M. King & H. Rob.

Chromolaena tacotana is considered as a source of flavonoids. Here we examined the content and antioxidant properties of flavones and flavanones from the leaves of the plant. Four flavonoids, including (Cta) 5, 4' dihydroxy-7-methoxy flavanone, (Ctb) 3,5,3'-trihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone; (Ctc), 3,4'-dihydroxy -5,7-dimethoxyflavanone; and (Ctd) 4'-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyflavanone, were isolated from leaves extracts, were identified by their NMR spectroscopic data, and then free radical scavenging activities of the flavonoids were assessed against DPPH. The antioxidant activity for the flavanone Ctb was the highest even compared to that of quercetin, with IC50 of 6.27 μg/mL and 8.67 μg/mL respectively. The flavanones Cta, Ctc and Ctd presented a lowest activity against free radicals as expected according to their molecular substituents and the position within the structure. Data obtained from this study support the ethnomedicinal use of the leaves of C. tacotana for an antioxidant purpose

Educación artística y estética: Aportes desde el saber pedagógico para la educación del siglo XXI

130 páginas. Libro ElectrónicoEn la línea de Educación artística y estética, presenta como propuesta de mentoría, una triada pedagógica basada en la reflexión propositiva de la educación artística en el ámbito escolar, en el reconocimiento del maestro como actor educativo multidimensional y su conexión transformadora desde la realidad y necesidad contextual de los estudiantes y sus comunidades. Esta propuesta aborda de manera sistémica tres elementos fundamentales en la comprensión de las nuevas realidades educativas: docentes-educación artística-contexto estudiantil, a partir de las cuales el análisis y la reflexión propositiva, activan mecanismos epigenéticos educativos que transforman los paradigmas y conectan el acto pedagógico con la comunidad.Primera edició

Interactome Analysis of Microtubule-targeting Agents Reveals Cytotoxicity Bases in Normal Cells

Cancer causes millions of deaths annually and microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) are the most commonly-used anti-cancer drugs. However, the high toxicity of MTAs on normal cells raises great concern. Due to the non-selectivity of MTA targets, we analyzed the interaction network in a non-cancerous human cell. Subnetworks of fourteen MTAs were reconstructed and the merged network was compared against a randomized network to evaluate the functional richness. We found that 71.4% of the MTA interactome nodes are shared, which affects cellular processes such as apoptosis, cell differentiation, cell cycle control, stress response, and regulation of energy metabolism. Additionally, possible secondary targets were identified as client proteins of interphase microtubules. MTAs affect apoptosis signaling pathways by interacting with client proteins of interphase microtubules, suggesting that their primary targets are non-tumor cells. The paclitaxel and doxorubicin networks share essential topological axes, suggesting synergistic effects. This may explain the exacerbated toxicity observed when paclitaxel and doxorubicin are used in combination for cancer treatment

Caryophyllene Oxide, the Active Compound Isolated from Leaves of Hymenaea courbaril L. (Fabaceae) with Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects on PC-3 Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer Cell Line

Cancer treatment frequently carries side effects, therefore, the search for new selective and effective molecules is indispensable. Hymenaea courbaril L. has been used in traditional medicine in South America to treat several diseases, including prostate cancer. Leaves’ extracts from different polarities were evaluated using the 3-(4,5-methyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay to determine the cytotoxicity in prostate p53-null cells, followed by bio-guided fractionations to obtain the most cytotoxic fraction considering the selectivity index. The most cytotoxic fraction was analyzed by GC/MS to identify the active compounds. The majority compound, caryophyllene oxide, induced early and late apoptosis, depolarized the mitochondrial membrane, leading to several morphological changes and shifts in apoptotic proteins, and caspases were evidenced. Depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane releases the pro-apoptotic protein Bax from Bcl-xL. The apoptosis process is caspase-7 activation-dependent. Caryophyllene oxide is a safe anti-proliferative agent against PC-3 cells, inducing apoptosis with low toxicity towards normal cells

Topological properties and in vitro identification of essential nodes of the Paclitaxel and Vincristine interactomes in PC-3 cells

Background: Microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) disrupt microtubule dynamics, thereby inducing apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway activation through the modulation in the expression of the Bcl-2 family. Methods: To describe topological features of the MTAs networks associated to intrinsic apoptosis induction in p53-null prostate cancer cells, we predicted and compared the interactomes and topological properties of Paclitaxel and Vincristine, and thus, the essential nodes corresponding with the pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins and their kinetics were subjected to experimental analysis in PC-3 cell line. Results: The essential nodes of the apoptotic pathways, TP53, and CASP3, were identified in both, Paclitaxel and Vincristine networks, but the intrinsic pathway markers BCL2, BAX, and BCL2L1 were identified as hub nodes only in the Paclitaxel network. An in vitro analysis demonstrated an increase in BimEL and the cleaved-caspase-3 proteins in PC-3 cells exposed to both treatments. Immunoprecipitation analysis showed that treatments induced the releasing of Bax from the anti-apoptotic complex with Bcl-2 protein and the role of BimEL as a de-repressor from sequestering complexes, in addition, new protein complexes were identified between BimEL or Bcl-2 and cleaved-caspase-3, contributing data to the Vincristine network for p53-null cells in response to MTAs. Conclusion: The differences in sensitivities, protein profiles, and protein complex kinetics observed between the drugs confirmed that the selectivity and stimulation of the apoptotic system vary depending on the cell's genotype, the drug used and its exposure period

Combretastatin A-4 induces p53 mitochondrial-relocalisation independent-apoptosis in non-small lung cancer cells

CombretastatinA-4(CA-4)isoneofthemosteffectiveagentsusedinchemotherapy.Nevertheless,thecontributionofp53and Bim proteins in the CA-4-induced apoptosis in non-small lung cancer cells (NSCLC) remains unresolved, specifically on involving of p53 in the mitochondrial pathway activation by a transcription-independent mechanism. In this context, the p53null H1299 and wt-p53 H460 NSCLC cells, in the absence and presence of pifithrin-m (PFTm), an inhibitor of p53 mitochondrial-translocation, were treated with CA-4 and different cellular endpoints were analysed. In contrast to previous observationsinH460cells,CA-4failedintheactivationofanapoptoticresponseinH1299cells,thusindicatinganinvolvement of p53 in the cell death induced by the drug. We found that CA-4 led to p53 cellular re-localisation in H460 cells; in particular, p53 was released from the microtubular network and accumulated at mitochondria where it interacts with Bim protein and other proteins of the Bcl-2 (B-cell leukaemia-2) family, leading to cytochrome c release, alteration in the mitochondrial membrane polarisation, cell cycle arrest at the G2/M-phase, and cell death. Interestingly, the cytosolic and the mitochondrial accumulation of protein Bim was strictly dependent on p53 status. The extent of cell death was not reduced in H460 after combinedtreatmentofPFTmwithCA-4.Overall,thedatasupportamodelofCA-4-inducedapoptosisinNSCLC,forwhichthe expression of p53 protein is essential, but its mitochondrial function, linked to p53-transcription independent apoptosis pathway, is negligible

Estudio del efecto inhibitorio de extractos de Salvia scutellarioides sobre la actividad de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina

Study of the inhibitory effect of Salvia scutellarioides extracts on the activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme. Objective. Toidentify groups of secondary metabolites of Salvia scutellarioides present in the fraction with the greatest inhibitory effect on the activity ofthe angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Materials and methods. Dry plant material was used to prepare ethanolic extracts that werethen concentrated and separated by column chromatography using solvents of different polarity (petroleum ether, dichloromethane, diethylether and ethanol). Subsequently, lung tissue isolated from Wistar rats was broken and centrifuged in order to separate the soluble material.Proteins found in the supernatant were separated using a Sephacryl column; a pool was made with the fractions that showed activity withhippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine (HHL), the substrate of the ACE. This enzyme extract was used to measure the effect of plant extractsobtained from S. scutellarioides on the ACE activity. Results: The fraction of ethyl acetate (T2) showed a greater inhibitory effect on theACE activity. Metabolites found in T2 fraction were: tannins, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, and quinones. Conclusion. An antihypertensiveeffect was found for the plant species Salvia scutellarioides by studying the inhibitory effect on the ACE activity. Several groups ofsecondary metabolites present in the T2 fraction were identified, which could be responsible for this effect

Capacidad solubilizadora de fosfato de aluminio por hongos rizosféricos aislados de un Andisol colombiano

De PVAc Melanudands cultivadas com café (Coffea arabica variedade caturra), a partir do Departamento (Colômbia), fungos foram isoladas com fosfato de alumínio capacidade de solubilização (Al-P), de que introduziu foram seleccionados dois microrganismos a atividade mais alta, identificada como cepa UNH1 (Mycelia sterilia) e UNH2 (Penicillium sp). fungos seleccionados foram avaliadas durante duas semanas em meio líquido Pikovskaya (PVK) com Al-P sob duas condições, com agitação (método A) e que descansa com arejamento (método B). Ao comparar os resultados estatisticamente diferenças significativas na percentagem de fósforo solúvel encontrada, método A proporcionou melhores resultados com uma percentagem de 73,8% versus 62% com a estirpe UNH1 e em menor grau com a estirpe UNH2 49% e 44 %. O aumento da biomassa foi maior com o método B e o pH do meio de cultura não mostrou diferenças significativas, com um pH médio de 2,7Based on Typic Melanudands grow with coffea (Coffea Arabica Caturra variety) resulting from the Cauca department, fungi with so-lubilization capacity of aluminum phosphate were isolated (Al-P), from which two microorganisms with greater solubilization activity were selected, identified as strain UNH!: Mycelia sterilia y UNH2: Penicillium sp. Selected fungi were evaluated through the Pikovska-ya liquid (PVK) with (Al-P), under two conditions, with stirring (A method) and repose with aireation ( B method), for fifteen days. When comparing the results, significant statistical differences were found in the percentage of soluble phosphorus, method A presented better results with a percentage of 73.8% compared to 62% with the strain UNH1 and in smaller proportion with the strain UNH2 49% and 44 %. The increase in biomass was greater with method B and the pH of the culture media did not show significant differences, with an average pH of 2.7.A partir de un Typic Melanudands cultivado con café (Coffea arabica variedad Caturra), proveniente del Departamento del Cauca (Colombia), se aislaron hongos con capacidad solubilizadora de fosfato de aluminio (Al-P), de los cuales se seleccionaron dos microor-ganismos que presentaron la mayor actividad, identificados como cepa UNH1 (Mycelia sterilia), y UNH2 (Penicillium sp). Los hongos seleccionados fueron evaluados por quince días en medio líquido Pikovskaya (PVK) con Al-P, bajo dos condiciones, con agitación (mé-todo A) y en reposo con aireación (método B). Al comparar los resultados se encontraron diferencias estadísticas significativas en el porcentaje de fósforo soluble, el método A presentó mejores resultados con un porcentaje de 73,8% frente a 62% con la cepa UNH1 y en menor proporción con la cepa UNH2 49% y 44%. El incremento de biomasa fue mayor con el método B y el pH de los medios de cultivo no mostraron diferencias significativas, con un pH promedio de 2,