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This paper examines the indicators of creative processes frequently perceived by video game players, with the interest of isolating those factors with a better predisposition for creative practice with video games. The "game actions" of 224 adult players (population less present in studies on creativity with video games) are analyzed and the results are transfered to the Model of Dynamic Interaction of Creative Potential (Walia, 2019). The main findings are: 1) video games have a significant potential to identify creative personality traits, and 2) players with a high register of creative actions in their game recognize a transfer of these traits to other contexts outside the game. With a medium/high association between variables, it is emphasized that players with creative behavior indicators 3) Analyze their mistakes more often in order to correct them, a fundamental aspect in any discipline that implies interaction and continuous refinement. 4) Have more fun when the challenge or problem posed by the game is greater. A well-designed challenge can be a crucial stimulus to creativity. This selective approach broadens the understanding of the mechanisms that drive creativity in video games and helps to develop future research in educational and artistic fields., Este trabajo explora los indicadores de procesos creativos percibidos con mayor frecuencia por los usuarios de videojuegos, con el interés de aislar aquellos factores con mejor predisposición para la praxis creativa con videojuegos. Se analizan las “acciones de juego” de 224 jugadores adultos (población menos frecuente en investigaciones sobre creatividad y videojuegos) y se trasladan los resultados al modelo de análisis Dynamic Interaction of Creativity Potential (Walia, 2019). Como resultados destacados se obtiene que: 1) Los videojuegos poseen un potencial significativo para identificar rasgos de personalidad creativa y 2) Los jugadores con un registro alto de acciones creativas en su juego, reconocen una transferencia de dichas cualidades a otros contextos fuera del mismo. Con una asociación entre variables media/alta, se destaca que los jugadores con indicadores de comportamiento creativo: 3) Analizan con mayor frecuencia sus errores para rectificarlos, aspecto fundamental en cualquier disciplina que implique interacción y refinamiento continuo. 4) Se divierten más cuando el desafío o problema planteado por el juego es mayor. Un desafío bien ajustado puede ser un estímulo crucial para la creatividad. Este enfoque selectivo amplía el entendimiento de los mecanismos que impulsan la creatividad en videojuegos, ayudando a desarrollar investigaciones futuras en ámbitos educativos y artísticos.

We retrospectively compared outcomes of 404 MDS patients undergoing 1st matched sibling donor allo-HCT receiving either PTCy-based (n = 66) or other “conventional prophylaxis” (n = 338; mostly calcineurin inhibitor + methotrexate or MMF). Baseline characteristics were balanced, except for higher use of myeloablative regimens in the PTCy group (52.3% vs. 38.2%, p = 0.047). Incidences of neutrophil (Day +28: 89% vs. 97%, p = 0.011) and platelet (Day +100: 89% vs. 97%, p < 0.001) engraftment were lower for PTCy-based. Day +100 cumulative incidences of grade II–IV and III–IV aGVHD, and 5-year CI of extensive cGVHD were 32%, 18% and 18% for PTCy-based and 25% (p = 0.3), 13% (p = 0.4) and 31% (p = 0.09) for the conventional cohort. Five-year OS (51% vs. 52%, p = 0.6) and GRFS (33% vs. 25%, p = 0.6) were similar between groups. Patients receiving PTCy had a trend to a lower cumulative incidence of relapse (20% vs. 33%, p = 0.06), not confirmed on multivariable analysis (p = 0.3). Although higher NRM rates were observed in patients receiving PTCy (32% vs. 21%, p = 0.02) on univariate analysis, this was not confirmed on multivariate analysis (HR 1.46, p = 0.18), and there was no resultant effect on OS (HR 1.20, p = 0.5). Based on these data, PTCy prophylaxis appears to be an attractive option for patients with MDS undergoing MSD allo-HCT.

© 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. We thank very particularly José Luis Alonso for pointing this problem to us, for his encouragement and for many discussions. It is also a pleasure to thank Francisco Guinea for discussions. The simulations were performed in the Pentium IV cluster RTN3 at the Universidad de Zaragoza. We thank the Spanish MCyT for financial support through research contracts FPA2001-1813, FPA2000-0956, BFM2001-0718 and PB98-0842. V.M.-M. is a Ramón y Cajal research fellow (MCyT)., It is shown that a bosonic formulation of the double-exchange model, one of the classical models for magnetism, generates dynamically a gauge-invariant phase in a finite region of the phase diagram. We use analytical methods, Monte Carlo simulations and finite-size scaling analysis. We study the transition line between that region and the paramagnetic phase. The numerical results show that this transition line belongs to the universality class of the antiferromagnetic RP^(2) model. The fact that one can define a universality class for the antiferromagnetic RP^(2) model, different from the one of the O(N) models, is puzzling and somehow contradicts naive expectations about universality., Spanish MCyT, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 2008 American Physical Society. This work has been partially supported by MEC through Contracts No. FIS2004-01399, No. FIS2006-08533-C03, No. FIS2007-60977 and by CAM and BSCH. Computer time was obtained at BIFI, UCM, UEX, and, mainly, in the Mare Nostrum. The authors thankfully acknowledge the computer resources and technical expertise provided by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center., We present the first detailed numerical study in three dimensions of a first-order phase transition that remains first order in the presence of quenched disorder (specifically, the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition of the site-diluted four states Potts model). A tricritical point, which lies surprisingly near the pure-system limit and is studied by means of finite-size scaling, separates the first-order and second-order parts of the critical line. This investigation has been made possible by a new definition of the disorder average that avoids the diverging-variance probability distributions that plague the standard approach. Entropy, rather than free energy, is the basic object in this approach that exploits a recently introduced microcanonical Monte Carlo method., MEC (Spain), CAM (Spain), BSCH, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. We thank the CICyT (contracts AEN93-0604, AEN96-1634) for partial financial support, especially for the use of dedicated Pentium Pro machines on which we have carried out the simulations. JJRL is granted by EC HMC (ERBFMBICT950429). We also acknowledge to E. Luijten for pointing out the right scaling of the Binder cumulant in the pure case., Using finite-size scaling techniques, we study the critical properties of the site-diluted Ising model in four dimensions. We carry out a high-statistics Monte Carlo simulation for several values of the dilution. The results support the perturbative scenario: there is only the Ising fixed point with large logarithmic scaling corrections. We obtain, using the Perturbative Renormalization Group, functional forms for the scaling of several observables that are in agreement with the numerical data., CICyT, Spain, EC HMC, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

©2016 American Physical Society. This work was partially supported by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain) through Grants No. FIS2012-35719-C02 and No. FIS2013-42840-P, and by the Junta de Extremadura (Spain), with partial contribution by the European Union (FEDER) through Grant No. GRU10158., We use finite size scaling to study Ising spin glasses in two spatial dimensions. The issue of universality is addressed by comparing discrete and continuous probability distributions for the quenched random couplings. The sophisticated temperature dependency of the scaling fields is identified as the major obstacle that has impeded a complete analysis. Once temperature is relinquished in favor of the correlation length as the basic variable, we obtain a reliable estimation of the anomalous dimension and of the thermal critical exponent. Universality among binary and Gaussian couplings is confirmed to a high numerical accuracy., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO)/FEDER, Junta de Extremadura, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 1997 IOP Publishing Ltd. We thank to the CICyT (contracts AEN94-0218, AEN96-1634) for partial financial support. JJRL is granted by EC HMC (ERBFMBICT950429)., We study the site-diluted Ising model in two dimensions with Monte Carlo simulations. Using finite-size scaling techniques we compute the critical exponents observing deviations from the pure Ising ones. The differences can be explained as the effects of logarithmic corrections, without requiring to change the Universality Class., CICyT, Spain, EC HMC, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 2005 The American Physical Society. It is a pleasure to thank F. Guinea for useful conversation at the beginning of this work. We have maintained interesting discussions with A. Pelissetto regarding the large-N approximation. This work has been partially supported through research contracts FPA2001-1813, FPA2000-0956, BFM2001-0718, BFM2003-8532, PB98-0842 sMCyTd and HPRN-CT-2002-00307 sEUd. We have used the PentiumIV cluster RTN3 at the Universidad de Zaragoza for the simulations. S.J. was supported by DGA., The phase diagram of the simplest approximation to double-exchange systems, the bosonic double-exchange model with antiferromagnetic (AFM) superexchange coupling, is fully worked out by means of Monte Carlo simulations, large-N expansions, and variational mean-field calculations. We find a rich phase diagram, with no first-order phase transitions. The most surprising finding is the existence of a segmentlike ordered phase at low temperature for intermediate AFM coupling which cannot be detected in neutron-scattering experiments. This is signaled by a maximum (a cusp) in the specific heat. Below the phase transition, only short-range ordering would be found in neutron scattering. Researchers looking for a quantum critical point in manganites should be wary of this possibility. Finite-size scaling estimates of critical exponents are presented, although large scaling corrections are present in the reachable lattice sizes., DGA, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 1999 IOP Publishing Ltd. We acknowledge interesting discussions with D Stauffer and R Ziff. We thank CICyT (AEN97-1708 and AEN97-1693) for partial financial support. The computations have been carried out using the RTNN machines at Universidad de Zaragoza and Universidad Complutense de Madrid., Using Finite-Size Scaling techniques we obtain accurate results for critical quantities of the Ising model and the site percolation, in three dimensions. We pay special attention in parameterizing the corrections-to-scaling, what is necessary to put the systematic errors below the statistical ones., CICyT, Spain, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 2003 American Physical Society. We acknowledge partial financial support from CICyT (AEN97-1680, FPA2000-0956, FPA2001-1813 and PB98- 0842) and DGA (P46/97). We also want to acknowledge the contribution of Prof. Domingo González to the development of Spanish physics, and in particular his help to our group, which has been essential to build our dedicated computers. We finally thank Giorgio Parisi for interesting comments. S. J. is a DGA fellow., We study the fluctuation-dissipation relations for a three dimensional Ising spin glass in a magnetic field both in the high temperature phase as well as in the low temperature one. In the region of times simulated we have found that our results support a picture of the low temperature phase with broken replica symmetry, but a droplet behavior cannot be completely excluded., CICyT , Spain, DGA, Spain, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 2015. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. This research made use of SIMBAD, operated at Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg, France, and NASA's Astrophysics Data System. Financial support was provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under grants AYA2010-17631, AYA2010-15081, AYA2010-21697-C05-04, AYA2011-30147-C03-03, AYA2012-39364-C02-01/02, and Severo Ochoa SEV-2011-0187, and by the Canary Islands Government under grant PID2010119. R.H.B. acknowledges support from FONDECYT Regular project 1140076. J.S.-B. acknowledges support by the JAE-PreDoc program of the Spanish Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). A.S. acknowledges support by the Janos Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. We acknowledge F. Najarro, J. Puls, A. Herrero, J. Casares, and H. Blau for interesting discussions during the development of this paper and their useful comments on one of the latest drafts before submission. We thank G. Schaefer for providing us some information about the results from the analysis of the interferometric observations prior to publication. Lastly, we thank the anonymous referee for a very professional report that helped us to improve the first version of the manuscript. Based on observations made with the Nordic Optical Telescope, operated by the Nordic Optical Telescope Scientific Association at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma, Spain, of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. Based on observations made with the Mercator Telescope, operated on the island of La Palma by the Flemish Community, at the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. Based on observations obtained with the HERMES spectrograph, which is supported by the Fund for Scientific Research of Flanders (FWO), Belgium, the Research Council of K.U. Leuven, Belgium, the Fonds National de la Recherche, We provide a complete characterization of the astrophysical properties of the sigma Ori Aa, Ab, B hierarchical triple system and an improved set of orbital parameters for the highly eccentric sigma Ori Aa, Ab spectroscopic binary. We compiled a spectroscopic data set comprising 90 high-resolution spectra covering a total time span of 1963 days. We applied the Lehman-Filhes method for a detailed orbital analysis of the radial velocity curves and performed a combined quantitative spectroscopic analysis of the sigma Ori Aa, Ab, B system by means of the stellar atmosphere code FASTWIND. We used our own plus other available information on photometry and distance to the system for measuring the radii, luminosities, and spectroscopic masses of the three components. We also inferred evolutionary masses and stellar ages using the Bayesian code BONNSAI. The orbital analysis of the new radial velocity curves led to a very accurate orbital solution of the sigma Ori Aa, Ab pair. We provided indirect arguments indicating that sigma Ori B is a fast-rotating early B dwarf. The FASTWIND+BONNSAI analysis showed that the Aa, Ab pair contains the hottest and most massive components of the triple system while sigma Ori B is a bit cooler and less massive. The derived stellar ages of the inner pair are intriguingly younger than the one widely accepted for the sigma Orionis cluster, at 3 +/- 1 Ma. The outcome of this study will be of key importance for a precise determination of the distance to the s Orionis cluster, the interpretation of the strong X-ray emission detected for sigma Ori Aa, Ab, B, and the investigation of the formation and evolution of multiple massive stellar systems and substellar objects., Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Severo Ochoa, Canary Islands Government, FONDECYT Regular project, JAE-PreDoc program of the Spanish Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Janos Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Fund for Scientific Research of Flanders (FWO), Belgium, Research Council of K.U. Leuven, Belgium, Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S.-FNRS), Belgium, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Observatoire de Genève, Switzerland, Thringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, Germany, Depto. de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

@ 1997 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. We thank the CICyT (contracts AEN94-0218, AEN96-1634) for partial financial support, specially for the financing of dedicated Pentium Pro machines where most of the simulations have been done. J.J.R.L. is supported by an EC HMC (ERBFMBICT950429) grant., Using finite-size scaling methods we measure the thermal and magnetic exponents of the site percolation in four dimensions, obtaining a value for the anomalous dimension very different from the results found in the literature. We also obtain the leading corrections-to-scaling exponent and, with great accuracy, the critical density., CICyT, Spain, EC HMC, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© 2000 The American Physical Society. We gratefully acknowledge discussions with D. Belanger, J. Cardy and H. Rieger. We are grateful for partial financial support from CICyT (AEN97-1708 and AEN97-1693). The computations have been carried out using the RTNN machines (Universidad de Zaragoza and Universidad Complutense de Madrid) and the ORIGIN2000 at the Centro de Supercomputación Complutense (CSC)., We have studied numerically the effect of quenched site dilution on a weak first-order phase transition in three dimensions. We have simulated the site diluted three-states Potts model studying in detail the secondorder region of its phase diagram. We have found that the n exponent is compatible with the one of the three-dimensional diluted Ising model, whereas the h exponent is definitely different., CICyT, Spain, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

Despite the evidence of elevated autistic behaviors and co-occurring neurodevelopmental difficulties in many children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), we have a limited understanding of the sensory processing challenges that may occur with the condition. This study examined the sensory profile of children and adolescents with NF1 and investigated the relationships between the sensory profiles and patient characteristics and neuropsychological functioning. The parent/caregivers of 152 children with NF1 and 96 typically developing children completed the Sensory Profile 2 (SP2), along with standardized questionnaires assessing autistic behaviors, ADHD symptoms, internalizing symptoms, adaptive functioning, and social skills. Intellectual functioning was also assessed. The SP2 data indicated elevated sensory processing problems in children with NF1 compared to typically developing children. Over 40% of children with NF1 displayed differences in sensory registration (missing sensory input) and were unusually sensitive to and unusually avoidant of sensory stimuli. Sixty percent of children with NF1 displayed difficulties in one or more sensory modalities. Elevated autistic behaviors and ADHD symptoms were associated with more severe sensory processing difficulties. This first detailed assessment of sensory processing, alongside other clinical features, in a relatively large cohort of children and adolescents with NF1 demonstrates the relationships between sensory processing differences and adaptive skills and behavior, as well as psychological well-being. Our characterization of the sensory profile within a genetic syndrome may help facilitate more targeted interventions to support overall functioning.

In recent years, a great deal of effort has been undertaken with regards to treatment of pathologies at the level of the central nervous system (CNS). Here, the presence of the blood-brain barrier acts as an obstacle to the delivery of potentially effective drugs and makes accessibility to, and treatment of, the CNS one of the most significant challenges in medicine. In this Roadmap article, we present the status of the timeliest developments in the field, and identify the outstanding challenges and opportunities that exist. The format of the Roadmap, whereby experts in each discipline share their viewpoint and present their vision, reflects the dynamic and multidisciplinary nature of this research area, and is intended to generate dialogue and collaboration across traditional subject areas. It is stressed here that this article is not intended to act as a comprehensive review article, but rather an up-to-date and forward-looking summary of research methodologies pertaining to the treatment of pathologies at the level of the CNS.

Oxidative reactions can reduce the quality of meat products. Synthetic antioxidants can delay the formation of oxidation products but their use in muscle foods has been reconsidered among modern consumers willing to purchase clean label products. Rosemary is a relevant source of antioxidants that can be explored as natural additive in muscle foods. This review aims to provide an overview of the protective effect of rosemary active against the oxidative decay in meat products. The use of rosemary essential oil or extract can slow the progression of oxidative reactions and preserve redness, reduce the accumulation of primary and secondary lipid oxidation and protein oxidation products, and slow the increase of perceived rancidity in sensory analysis. These effects were reported during the storage of patties, burgers, meatballs, sausages, and nuggets. In this sense, rosemary extracts and essential oil can be explored as natural antioxidant in meat products.

©2022 American Physical Society The authors wish to thank the Janus Collaboration for allowing us to analyze their data. We would like also to thank E. Marinari for interesting discussions. The analysis of the Janus configurations was performed at the ICCAEx Supercomputer Center in Badajoz, and we thank its staff for their assistance. This work was supported by the European Research Council under the European Unions Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (Grant No. 694925, G.P.), by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional(FEDER)(Spain and European Union) through Grants No. PID2020-112936GB-I00 and No. PGC2018-094684-B-C21, and by Junta de Extremadura (Spain) through Grants No. GRU18079 and No. IB20079 (partially funded by FEDER). I.G.A.P. was supported by MCIU (Spain) through FPU Grant No. FPU18/02665., A growing body of evidence indicates that the sluggish low-temperature dynamics of glass formers (e.g., supercooled liquids, colloids, or spin glasses) is due to a growing correlation length. Which is the effective field theory that describes these correlations? The natural field theory was drastically simplified by Bray and Roberts in 1980. More than 40 years later, we confirm the tenets of Bray and Roberts’s theory by studying the Ising spin glass in an externally applied magnetic field, both in four spatial dimensions (data obtained from the Janus collaboration) and on the Bethe lattice., Unión Europea. Horizonte 2020, Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO)/FEDER, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN), Junta de Extremadura /FEDER, Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSIC 10.1007/s00405-021-07223-4, Purpose Proviral integration site for Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIMs) are proto-oncogenes encoding serine/threonine kinases that phosphorylate a variety of substrates involved in the regulation of cellular processes. Elevated expression of PIM-1 has been associated with poor prognosis in several types of cancer. There are no studies that have analyzed the response to radiotherapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) according to the expression of PIM-1. The aim of our study was to analyze the relationship between the transcriptional expression of PIM-1 and local response to radiotherapy in HNSCC patients. Methods We determined the transcriptional expression of PIM-1 in 135 HNSCC patients treated with radiotherapy, including patients treated with chemoradiotherapy (n=65) and bioradiotherapy (n=15)., Results During the follow-up, 48 patients (35.6%) had a local recurrence of the tumor. Patients with local recurrence had a higher level of PIM-1 expression than those who achieved local control of the disease (P=0.017). Five-year local recurrencefree survival for patients with a high expression of PIM-1 (n=43) was 44.6% (95% CI 29.2-60.0%), and for patients with low expression (n=92) it was 71.9% (95% CI 62.5-81.3%) (P=0.007). According to the results of multivariate analysis, patients with a high PIM-1 expression had a 2.2-fold increased risk of local recurrence (95% CI 1.22-4.10, P=0.009). Conclusion Patients with elevated transcriptional expression levels of PIM-1 had a signifcantly higher risk of local recurrence after radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with lower academic achievement; however, this relationship is understudied in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study examined the relationship between SES and academic performance in children and adolescents with CKD. METHODS: A total of 377 participants aged 6-18 years with CKD stages 1-5 (n = 199), on dialysis (n = 43) or with a kidney transplant (n = 135) were recruited. Five SES measures and a composite SES index were examined for associations with parent-rated average or above average academic performance in numeracy and literacy using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Participants' median age was 12.6 years (IQR 8.9-15.5). Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) (95%CI) for better performance in numeracy and literacy, respectively, were 0.71 (0.44-1.15) and 0.75 (0.45-1.23) for children whose caregivers had lower educational attainment; 0.46 (0.26-0.80) and 0.53 (0.30-0.93) for lower household income; 0.52 (0.32-0.85) and 0.44 (0.26-0.73) for caregivers who were unemployed; 0.68 (0.41-1.12) and 0.59 (0.35-1.00) for caregivers with poor self-rated financial status; and 0.93 (0.53-1.64) and 1.00 (0.56-1.79) for caregivers who did not own their own home. Compared with the highest SES index quartile, the aORs for better performance by SES quartile in descending order were 1.24 (0.60-2.54), 0.76 (0.37-1.58), and 0.39 (0.18-0.86) for numeracy and 0.88 (0.41-1.85), 0.77 (0.35-1.66), and 0.32 (0.14-0.72) for literacy. No interactions were identified between SES and CKD stage, child age, or gender. CONCLUSIONS: Across all CKD stages, children from lower SES families are less likely to perform well in literacy and numeracy than those from higher SES households. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

BACKGROUND: Few data exist on the cognitive and academic functioning of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) over the trajectory of their illness. We aimed to determine the association between CKD stages and cognitive and academic performance in children over time. METHODS: We included 53 participants (aged 6-18 years) with CKD stages 1-5 (n = 37), on dialysis (n = 3), or with functioning kidney transplant (n = 22) from three units in Australia from 2015 to 2019. Participants undertook a series of psychometric tests and were invited for repeated assessments annually. We used linear regression and linear mixed models to investigate the effect of CKD stage, adjusted for socioeconomic status. RESULTS: At baseline, full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) (95%CI) of children on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) was in the low average range (87: 78, 96) and average (101: 95, 108) for children with CKD 1-5. Mean (95%CI) FSIQ, word reading, numerical operations, and spelling scores for children on KRT were 14.3 (- 25.3, - 3.3), 11 (- 18.5, - 3.6), 8.5 (- 17.6, 0.76), and 10 (- 18.6, - 1.3) points lower than children with CKD Stages 1-5. Spelling and numerical operations scores declined by 0.7 (- 1.4, - 0.1) and 1.0 (- 2.0, 0.2) units per year increase in age, regardless of CKD stage. CONCLUSIONS: Children treated with KRT have low average cognitive abilities and lower academic performance for numeracy and literacy compared to both children with CKD 1-5 and to the general population. However, the rate of decline in academic performance over time is similar for children across the full spectrum of CKD. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) has served as a model organism for pathbreaking work in plant pathology, virology, biochemistry and applied genetics for more than a century. We were intrigued by a photograph published in Phytopathology in 1934 showing that Tabasco pepper plants responded to TMV infection with localized necrotic lesions, followed by abscission of the inoculated leaves. This dramatic outcome of a biological response to infection observed by Francis O. Holmes, a virologist at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, was used to score plants for resistance to TMV infection. Our objective was to gain a better understanding of early to mid-twentieth century ideas of genetic resistance to viruses in crop plants. We investigated Holmes' observation as a practical exercise in reworking an experiment, having been inspired by Pamela Smith's innovative Making and Knowing Project. We had a great deal of difficulty replicating Holmes' experiment, finding that biological materials and experimental customs change over time, in ways that ideas do not. Using complementary tools plus careful study and interpretation of the original text and figures, we were able to rework, yet only partially replicate, this experiment. Reading peer-reviewed manuscripts that cited Holmes' 1934 report provided an additional level of insight into the interpretation and replication of this work in the decades that followed. From this, we touch on how experimental reworking can inform our strategies to address the reproducibility "crisis" in twenty-first century science.

Patient information is a key objective of the anesthesia consultation. The pandemic has determined a significant increase in telephone inquiries in low-complexity processes. Complementary preoperative tests, which have traditionally been unquestionable, are not considered routine today and must be adjusted to the process to be performed, depending on the surgicalanesthetic aggression and the patient's clinical history. In CMA, any type of anesthesia can be used, although they are not all equally suitable for the different processes. The best type of anesthesia in CMA is local plus sedation. In outpatient anesthesia, it is necessary to be very restrictive with morphine drugs, due to their ability to induce postoperative nausea and vomiting., La información al paciente es un objetivo clave de la consulta de anestesia. La pandemia ha determinado el aumento importante de las consultas telefónicas en procesos de baja complejidad. Las pruebas complementarias preoperatorias, que tradicionalmente han sido incuestionables, hoy día no se contemplan de modo rutinario y deben ajustarse al proceso a realizar, dependiendo de la agresión quirúrgico-anestésica y la historia clínica del paciente. En CMA puede utilizarse cualquier tipo de anestesia, aunque no son todos igual de adecuados en los distintos procesos. El mejor tipo de anestesia en CMA es la local más sedación. En la anestesia ambulatoria hay que ser muy restrictivos con los mórficos en, por su capacidad para inducir las náuseas y vómitos postoperatorios.

The consumption of foods characterized by a wide bioactive-compound profile has been associated with improved health status and reduced risk of developing diseases. Owing to the complexity of food production (e.g. crops and farmed animals), processing (e.g. fermentation), and shelf life (e.g. lipid or protein oxidation), a more comprehensive and holistic analysis is necessary to investigate the intricate metabolic pathways and metabolites involved with or displaying a biological activity. Accordingly, untargeted metabolomics analysis can provide crucial knowledge to support the selection of key metabolites and metabolic pathways to produce foods from animals and crops with a functional value. This short review aims to provide an overview of the applications of metabolomic analysis to screen bioactive compounds in both animal- and plant-based foods.

© 2021 IOP Publishing Ltd We are grateful for helpful discussions with S Swinnea about sample characterisation. This work was partially supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Science and Engineering, under Award No. DE-SC0013599, and Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358. We were partly funded as well by Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain), Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI, Spain), and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER, EU) through Grants No. FIS2016-76359-P, No. PID2019-103939RB-I00, No. PGC2018-094684-B-C21 and PGC2018-094684-B-C22, by the Junta de Extremadura (Spain) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER, EU) through Grant Nos. GRU18079 and IB15013 and by the DGA-FSE (Diputaci ' on General de Aragon-Fondo Social Europeo). This project has also received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant No. 694925 LotGlasSy). D Y was supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub and IGAP was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (MCIU, Spain) through FPU Grant No. FPU18/02665. B S was supported by the Comunidad de Madrid and the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) through the Atraccion de Talento programme (reference 2019-T1/TIC-12776). The simulations of section 5.6.2 were carried out at the ICCAEx supercomputer centre in Badajoz. We thank the staff at ICCAEx for their assistance., The synergy between experiment, theory, and simulations enables a microscopic analysis of spin-glass dynamics in a magnetic field in the vicinity of and below the spin-glass transition temperature T-g. The spin-glass correlation length, xi(t, t(w); T), is analysed both in experiments and in simulations in terms of the waiting time t(w) after the spin glass has been cooled down to a stabilised measuring temperature T < T-g and of the time t after the magnetic field is changed. This correlation length is extracted experimentally for a CuMn 6 at. % single crystal, as well as for simulations on the Janus II special-purpose supercomputer, the latter with time and length scales comparable to experiment. The non-linear magnetic susceptibility is reported from experiment and simulations, using xi(t, t(w); T) as the scaling variable. Previous experiments are reanalysed, and disagreements about the nature of the Zeeman energy are resolved. The growth of the spin-glass magnetisation in zero-field magnetisation experiments, M-ZFC(t, t(w); T), is measured from simulations, verifying the scaling relationships in the dynamical or non-equilibrium regime. Our preliminary search for the de Almeida-Thouless line in D = 3 is discussed., Unión Europea. Horizonte 2020, Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO)/AEI/FEDER, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICCIN), Comunidad de Madrid/Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Junta de Extremadura /FEDER, United States Department of Energy (DOE), Depto. de Física Teórica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSIC, Altres ajuts: Open Access Funding provided by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. European Regional Development Fund (A Way to Build Europe)., Purpose: Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) loss and sarcopenia have been identified as risk factors for postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) formation after total laryngectomy (TL) and SMM assessed from a computed tomography image of the 3rd cervical vertebra (C3). Methods: Retrospective study of 86 male patients who underwent TL between 2013 and 2019 in a single institution. We excluded women from the analysis due to our limited sample. SMM was determined from cross-sectional muscle area (CSMA) measurement at C3 using the ImageJ software. Results were compared with those for the skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI) calculated from the estimated measure at 3rd lumbar vertebra (L3). Results: PCF formation occurred in 21/86 patients. According to the CSMA at a C3 cut-off of 35.5cm2, of 18 patients (20.9%) with low SMM, 9 developed PCFs (50.0%). Among patients with normal SMM (n = 68, 79.1%), 12 developed PCFs (17.6%). The CSMA at C3 was the only variable significantly associated with PCF risk, which was 4.7 times greater in patients with low SMM (p = 0.007). Sarcopenia was more frequent in underweight patients (p = 0.0001), patients undergoing extended surgeries (p = 0.003), or presenting preoperative anaemia (p = 0.009) or hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.027). Conclusion: Measuring the CSMA at C3 obtained results equivalent to those obtained by calculating the SMMI at L3, suggesting that direct SMM assessment from C3 is a useful approach to evaluating PCF formation risk after TL.

At the end of the 1960s, various sectors of Extremadura society mobilized in favour of the creation of the University of Extremadura, with a participation which I believe has not still been surpassed. There was broad consensus that Extremadura to have its own university and, also, a wide dissent amongst local and provincial politicians, as has been the norm in many other occasions. This article references some of the events undertaken in those times in Badajoz to promote the establishment of said university., A fi nales de los 60 diversos sectores de la sociedad extremeña se movilizaron en pro de la creación de la Universidad de Extremadura, con una participación, que aún hoy considero que no se ha superado. Existía un amplio consenso para que Extremadura tuviera su universidad y, también, un amplio disenso entre los políticos locales y provinciales. Como ha sido habitual en otras muchas situaciones. El artículo contiene algunas de las acciones que se promovieron en Badajoz.

El objetivo de este trabajo es el desarrollo de herramientas para la transcripción automática de partituras que serán útiles para el análisis de la escritura musical tanto antigua como moderna. Estas herramientas ayudarán a reducir el tiempo requerido por un experto en música para analizar y editar esas partituras para ponerlas a disposición del público en general. En concreto, el patrimonio musical de Andalucía contiene una gran cantidad de documentos musicales que podrían ponerse a disposición del público con la ayuda de herramientas de transcripción automática. Así, resulta de gran interés el desarrollo de este tipo de herramientas mediante la aplicación de técnicas de Reconocimiento Óptico de Música (OMR). El reconocimiento óptico de música es un proceso complejo que implica una gran cantidad de operaciones y técnicas de procesamiento de imágenes. Entre los principales procesos que debe realizar un sistema OMR se encuentran los siguientes: identificación y eliminación de líneas de pentagrama y separación e identificación de objetos musicales. Estos procesos se han considerado a lo largo del trabajo realizado prestando especial atención al caso de partituras antiguas. Las herramientas y técnicas de procesamiento de imágenes empleadas a lo largo del trabajo se han adaptado a nuestro contexto para recuperar el contenido de las partituras y, además, se han tenido que desarrollar técnicas y algoritmos específicos. Además, se ha explorado la conversión automática de partituras escritas antiguas a notación moderna. Durante la definición y desarrollo de las herramientas hemos trabajado con una serie de partituras antiguas; algunos de ellos son piezas musicales inéditas. En concreto, se ha transcrito la pieza musical titulada 'Psalmi Hymnique per Annum' de Esteban de Brito, que data de 1635 y es propiedad del Archivo de la Catedral de Málaga; también hemos trabajado, entre otros, con la obra musical manuscrita inédita titulada 'Las Siete Palabras' de un sacerdote anónimo

At the end of the 1960s, various sectors of Extremadura society mobilized in favour of the creation of the University of Extremadura, with a participation which I believe has not still been surpassed. There was broad consensus that Extremadura to have its own university and, also, a wide dissent amongst local and provincial politicians, as has been the norm in many other occasions. This article references some of the events undertaken in those times in Badajoz to promote the establishment of said university., A fi nales de los 60 diversos sectores de la sociedad extremeña se movilizaron en pro de la creación de la Universidad de Extremadura, con una participación, que aún hoy considero que no se ha superado. Existía un amplio consenso para que Extremadura tuviera su universidad y, también, un amplio disenso entre los políticos locales y provinciales. Como ha sido habitual en otras muchas situaciones. El artículo contiene algunas de las acciones que se promovieron en Badajoz.

El objetivo de este trabajo es el desarrollo de herramientas para la transcripción automática de partituras que serán útiles para el análisis de la escritura musical tanto antigua como moderna. Estas herramientas ayudarán a reducir el tiempo requerido por un experto en música para analizar y editar esas partituras para ponerlas a disposición del público en general. En concreto, el patrimonio musical de Andalucía contiene una gran cantidad de documentos musicales que podrían ponerse a disposición del público con la ayuda de herramientas de transcripción automática. Así, resulta de gran interés el desarrollo de este tipo de herramientas mediante la aplicación de técnicas de Reconocimiento Óptico de Música (OMR). El reconocimiento óptico de música es un proceso complejo que implica una gran cantidad de operaciones y técnicas de procesamiento de imágenes. Entre los principales procesos que debe realizar un sistema OMR se encuentran los siguientes: identificación y eliminación de líneas de pentagrama y separación e identificación de objetos musicales. Estos procesos se han considerado a lo largo del trabajo realizado prestando especial atención al caso de partituras antiguas. Las herramientas y técnicas de procesamiento de imágenes empleadas a lo largo del trabajo se han adaptado a nuestro contexto para recuperar el contenido de las partituras y, además, se han tenido que desarrollar técnicas y algoritmos específicos. Además, se ha explorado la conversión automática de partituras escritas antiguas a notación moderna. Durante la definición y desarrollo de las herramientas hemos trabajado con una serie de partituras antiguas; algunos de ellos son piezas musicales inéditas. En concreto, se ha transcrito la pieza musical titulada 'Psalmi Hymnique per Annum' de Esteban de Brito, que data de 1635 y es propiedad del Archivo de la Catedral de Málaga; también hemos trabajado, entre otros, con la obra musical manuscrita inédita titulada 'Las Siete Palabras' de un sacerdote anónimo

Background: Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) represents the largest cultivated member of the Cucurbitaceae family, showing great relevance from the economic point of view and largely consumed around the world accounting for about 7% of the world area dedicated to the production of vegetables, with 67% of the total quantity produced in China. It is characterized by several bioactive compounds, showing different chemical structures, such as carotenoids, xanthophylls, phenolic compounds, citrulline, and unsaturated fatty acids. The good amount of total polyphenols, vitamin C, citrulline and the excellent supply of lycopene, about 40% compared to raw tomatoes, give a measure of the importance of this fruit respect to the other crops considering the beneficial effects of these compounds on human health. Scope and approach: In the last decades, this great interest towards natural bioactive compounds led many researchers to study watermelon as natural source of bioactive compounds, mainly when considering some biological properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, inhibition or induction of enzymes, inhibition of receptor activities, together with induction/inhibition of gene expression. However, the most of scientific literature on this topic was based on in vitro assays, thus limiting the comprehensive understanding of the real health-promoting outcomes. Key findings and conclusions: Therefore, the aim of this review was to present the up-to-date research carried out on watermelon phytochemicals, showing the most important biological activities reported from both in vitro and in vivo trials. Besides, the potential exploitation of watermelon by-products in the green circular economy and food-waste valorization has been discussed.

Background: Foods are natural sources of antioxidant compounds, that are known for their role in preventing many human diseases. Although several methods to assess the antioxidant activity/capacity of foods and their bioactive components have been developed, a simple universal method has not been proposed. Since both in vitro and in vivo assays have limitations, cell-based assays are gaining plenty of attention as a more suitable middle ground between in vitro chemical assays and in vivo studies. Scope and approach: This review highlights the need for a transition to more biologically relevant cellular assays, and explores the latest developments and applications in the field. Lastly, critical insights, new emerging perspectives and future directions are presented. Key findings and conclusion: The most employed cell-based assay is the Cellular Antioxidant Activity (CAA). To date, Caco-2 cells represent the most suitable model to perform CAA as well as for bioavailability studies, which in turn plays a pivotal role in determining the biological activity of food antioxidants. In this review, the most recent applications of the Caco-2 cell line in the evaluation of both CAA and bioavailability are reported. Notwithstanding, CAA and cell cultures in general, also present critical aspects that cannot be under-appreciated. In order to overcome these limitations, new cell-based approaches are emerging and further efforts will be necessary in the coming years to obtain new, robust and reliable screening tools for an ever-better prediction of the antioxidant activity/capacity of foods in vivo.

In this work, cold-dry fermented nitrate-free sausages were produced by adopting hurdle technologies. The strategy consists of using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) growing at low temperatures, the addition of lactic and ascorbic acids, and low temperatures during the ripening-drying process (35 days at different RH values). Four experimental conditions (B and B1 with 0.2% ascorbic acid, R and R1 with 0.3% lactic acid – B1 and R1 with lower RH during ripening) were compared with a control (N; traditionally manufactured, 80 mg/kg of nitrates and nitrites). Overall, sample R underwent a pH change from 5.22 (t0) to 5.06 (t14). Besides, all samples displayed aw values ≤ 0.92 at t22, thus reaching values < 0.895 at t35. Interestingly, the lower RH values (65–80%) during ripening determined a case hardening, significantly affecting colour parameters. Metabolomics coupled with TBARS assay showed few differences when comparing B and R with the control, whereas lipid oxidation markers (18-hydroxyoleate, LogFC = 0.83–16-Hydroxy-hexadecanoic acid, LogFC = 0.77) and MDA increased in B1 and R1. Overall, RH values revealed to be critical parameters, to be accurately defined to avoid undesired phenomena when hurdle technologies are used. Nonetheless, our findings support the manufacturing of nitrate-free salami by unconventional technologies.

Understanding pedestrian crossing behavior is an essential goal in intelligent vehicle development, leading to an improvement in their security and traffic flow. In this paper, we developed a method called IntFormer. It is based on transformer architecture and a novel convolutional video classification model called RubiksNet. Following the evaluation procedure in a recent benchmark, we show that our model reaches state-of-the-art results with good performance ($\approx 40$ seq. per second) and size ($8\times $smaller than the best performing model), making it suitable for real-time usage. We also explore each of the input features, finding that ego-vehicle speed is the most important variable, possibly due to the similarity in crossing cases in PIE dataset., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures

Despite intensive study, plant lysine catabolism beyond the 2-oxoadipate (2OA) intermediate remains unvalidated. Recently we described a missing step in the D-lysine catabolism of Pseudomonas putida in which 2OA is converted to D-2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) via hydroxyglutarate synthase (HglS), a DUF1338 family protein. Here we solve the structure of HglS to 1.1 Å resolution in substrate-free form and in complex with 2OA. We propose a successive decarboxylation and intramolecular hydroxylation mechanism forming 2HG in a Fe(II)- and O2-dependent manner. Specificity is mediated by a single arginine, highly conserved across most DUF1338 proteins. An Arabidopsis thaliana HglS homolog coexpresses with known lysine catabolism enzymes, and mutants show phenotypes consistent with disrupted lysine catabolism. Structural and biochemical analysis of Oryza sativa homolog FLO7 reveals identical activity to HglS despite low sequence identity. Our results suggest DUF1338-containing enzymes catalyze the same biochemical reaction, exerting the same physiological function across bacteria and eukaryotes.

Despite intensive study, plant lysine catabolism beyond the 2-oxoadipate (2OA) intermediate remains unvalidated. Recently we described a missing step in the D-lysine catabolism of Pseudomonas putida in which 2OA is converted to D-2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) via hydroxyglutarate synthase (HglS), a DUF1338 family protein. Here we solve the structure of HglS to 1.1 Å resolution in substrate-free form and in complex with 2OA. We propose a successive decarboxylation and intramolecular hydroxylation mechanism forming 2HG in a Fe(II)- and O2-dependent manner. Specificity is mediated by a single arginine, highly conserved across most DUF1338 proteins. An Arabidopsis thaliana HglS homolog coexpresses with known lysine catabolism enzymes, and mutants show phenotypes consistent with disrupted lysine catabolism. Structural and biochemical analysis of Oryza sativa homolog FLO7 reveals identical activity to HglS despite low sequence identity. Our results suggest DUF1338-containing enzymes catalyze the same biochemical reaction, exerting the same physiological function across bacteria and eukaryotes.

AIM: We examined key features of two outcome measures for social dysfunction and autism spectrum disorder traits, the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2) and the Social Skills Improvement System - Rating Scales (SSIS-RS), in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The aim of the study was to provide objective evidence as to which behavioural endpoint should be used in clinical trials. METHOD: Cross-sectional behavioural and demographic data were pooled from four paediatric NF1 tertiary referral centres in Australia and the United States (N=122; 65 males, 57 females; mean age [SD] 9y 2mo [3y], range 3-15y). RESULTS: Distributions of SRS-2 and SSIS-RS scores were unimodal and both yielded deficits, with a higher proportion of severely impaired scores on the SRS-2 (16.4%) compared to the SSIS-RS (8.2%). Pearson's product-moment correlations revealed that both questionnaires were highly related to each other (r=-0.72, p<0.001) and to measures of adaptive social functioning (both p<0.001). Both questionnaires were significantly related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, but only very weakly associated with intelligence. INTERPRETATION: The SRS-2 and SSIS-RS capture social dysfunction associated with NF1, suggesting both may be suitable choices for assessing social outcomes in this population in a clinical trial. However, careful thought needs to be given to the nature of the intervention when selecting either as a primary endpoint. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: The Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition yielded a large deficit relative to population norms. The Social Skills Improvement System - Rating Scales yielded a moderate deficit relative to population norms. Both scales were highly correlated, suggesting that they are measuring a unitary construct.

Despite intensive study, plant lysine catabolism beyond the 2-oxoadipate (2OA) intermediate remains unvalidated. Recently we described a missing step in the D-lysine catabolism of Pseudomonas putida in which 2OA is converted to D-2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) via hydroxyglutarate synthase (HglS), a DUF1338 family protein. Here we solve the structure of HglS to 1.1 Å resolution in substrate-free form and in complex with 2OA. We propose a successive decarboxylation and intramolecular hydroxylation mechanism forming 2HG in a Fe(II)- and O2-dependent manner. Specificity is mediated by a single arginine, highly conserved across most DUF1338 proteins. An Arabidopsis thaliana HglS homolog coexpresses with known lysine catabolism enzymes, and mutants show phenotypes consistent with disrupted lysine catabolism. Structural and biochemical analysis of Oryza sativa homolog FLO7 reveals identical activity to HglS despite low sequence identity. Our results suggest DUF1338-containing enzymes catalyze the same biochemical reaction, exerting the same physiological function across bacteria and eukaryotes.

With the increase in global population, getting new sources of food is essential. One of the solutions can be found in the oceans due to algae. Microalgae are aquatic photosynthetic organisms largely used due to their variety of bioactive compounds. The consumption of microalgae has been carried out for centuries and is recommended by organizations such as OMS and FAO due to its nutritional value and its properties. Based on the existing literature, there is substantial evidence of the nutritional quality of the algae as well as their functional elements. However, much quantification is still necessary as well as studying possible adverse effects. The present review describes the compounds of alimentary interest present in these algae as well as different extraction techniques assisted by different energetic mechanisms (such as heat, supercritical-fluid, microwave, ultrasound, enzymes, electric field, high hydrostatic pressure, among others). The most challenging and crucial issues are reducing microalgae growth cost and optimizing extraction techniques. This review aimed a better understanding of the uses of microalgae for new researches in nutrition. Because of the use of microalgae is still a field in which there is much to discover, it is likely that more benefits will be found in its consumption.

Background: Worldwide, huge amounts of by-products and wastes are generated in agri-food sector annually. This biomass is usually discarded provoking serious environmental problems. However, these residues represent an excellent source of bioactive compounds so that their exploitation can be considered as a promising possibility from an economic and environmental perspective. Conventional extraction technologies using organic solvents have been employed to recover high-value molecules showing several drawbacks such as toxicity, high volatility and non-renewability. Therefore, the search of alternative green solvents for the extraction of bioactives and in order to reduce the environmental impact and to achieve a widespread consumer acceptance is mandatory. Recently, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs) have received great attention for their physicochemical features for bioactive compounds extraction. Scope and approach: This review describes the state of the art of the applications of DESs and NaDESs in the field of the revalorization of agri-food by-products to obtain and isolate bioactive compounds. The synthesis and properties of these avant-garde solvents are described. In particular, the main bioactives extracted using DESs and NaDESs from several residues from citrus, winemaking, olive oil production, onion, seaweeds, animal and fish industries were systematically reviewed and collected. Key findings and conclusions: DESs and NaDESs combined with emerging technologies to recover biomolecules from agri-food by-products show promising results in comparison with traditional methods of extraction using conventional solvents. These emerging solvents present advantages which make them good candidates for being implemented by the industry, considering their low toxicity, recyclability, tunable properties and environmentally friendly. Therefore, this new generation of solvents opens new options in the field of recovering bioactive

In recent years, the consumption of polyphenols has been increasing, largely due to its beneficial effects on health. They are present in a wide variety of foods, but their extraction and characterization are complicated since they are mostly in complex matrices. For this reason, the use of selective, sensitive, and versatile analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) is necessary. In this review, the most relevant studies of the last years regarding the analysis of polyphenols in different matrices by comprehensive LC– MS/MS are discussed. Relevant steps such as extraction, sample purification, and chromatographic analysis methods are emphasized. In particular, the following methodological aspects are discussed: (a) the proper selection of the extraction technique, (b) the extraction and elution solvents, (c) the purification step, (d) the selection of both stationary and mobile phases for the chromatographic separation of compounds, and (e) the different conditions for mass spectrometry. Overall, this review presents the data from the most recent studies, in a comprehensive way, thus providing and simplifying the information of the great variety of works that exist in the literature on this wide topic.

No abstract

Despite intensive study, plant lysine catabolism beyond the 2-oxoadipate (2OA) intermediate remains unvalidated. Recently we described a missing step in the D-lysine catabolism of Pseudomonas putida in which 2OA is converted to D-2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) via hydroxyglutarate synthase (HglS), a DUF1338 family protein. Here we solve the structure of HglS to 1.1 Å resolution in substrate-free form and in complex with 2OA. We propose a successive decarboxylation and intramolecular hydroxylation mechanism forming 2HG in a Fe(II)- and O2-dependent manner. Specificity is mediated by a single arginine, highly conserved across most DUF1338 proteins. An Arabidopsis thaliana HglS homolog coexpresses with known lysine catabolism enzymes, and mutants show phenotypes consistent with disrupted lysine catabolism. Structural and biochemical analysis of Oryza sativa homolog FLO7 reveals identical activity to HglS despite low sequence identity. Our results suggest DUF1338-containing enzymes catalyze the same biochemical reaction, exerting the same physiological function across bacteria and eukaryotes.

The present study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity and biological properties of two traditional Saharian plants (Cymbopogon schoenanthus and Ziziphus lotus). The plant extracts were obtained by using a different combination of extraction methods (conventional vs. ultrasound-assisted) and solvents (water vs. ethanol:water (50:50, v/v)). The antioxidant profile, anti-inflammatory activity and impact on bacterial growth (foodborne and probiotic bacteria) of the obtained extracts were assessed. The plant species showed the hierarchically more important role in determining the biological properties of the extracts, followed by extraction solvent and extraction conditions. Conventional Z. lotus hydroethanolic extracts showed the highest total phenolic content (20.4 mg GAE/g), while Z. lotus ethanol extracts from ultrasound-assisted process presented the highest content of carotenoids (0.15 mg/g). In addition, ultrasound-assisted Z. lotus hydroethanolic extracts presented the highest in vitro radical scavenging activity, being 7.93 mmol Trolox/g. Multivariate analysis statistics (PCA) showed that both the extraction methodology and the solvent used strongly affected the bacterial growth. Z. lotus mainly decreased the growth rate of S. aureus and L. innocua. Interestingly, the aqueous extracts of this plant as well as those from C. schoenanthus, obtained by conventional extraction, significantly increased the growth rate and the maximal optical density of L. casei. Aqueous extracts of both Z. lotus and C. schoenanthus slightly influenced the growth of Bifidobacterium. Overall, the extracts of these plants showed selective activities with respect to pathogens and probiotic bacteria and may provide an advantage both in terms of antimicrobial and prebiotic activity.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) dried flowers contain a group of interesting biologically active compounds such as sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, coumarins, vitamins, phenolic acids and glucosides. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to characterize the composition in bioactive compounds (specialized metabolites) present in water and ethanol extracts of chamomile flowers, together with monitoring the impact of different extraction techniques (conventional vs. ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE)) on the parameters under investigation. UAE treatment significantly decreased the extraction time of bioactive compounds from herbal material. Polyphenolic compounds content and antioxidant capacity were significantly higher in UAE extracts. Moreover, solvent type had a significant impact on the specialized metabolites content, while the highest vitamin C and polyphenols content were recorded in 50% ethanol (v/v) extracts. Optimization of basic extraction factors: solvent type, temperature and technique is crucial for obtaining the extracts with the highest content of specialized metabolites and antioxidant capacity.