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Neochlorogenic acid, a less-studied isomer of chlorogenic acid, has been seen to posses antioxidant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic effects, which makes it an interesting candidate for incorporation in functional foods. However, its poor solubility in water and susceptibility to oxidation make such a task difficult. To overcome that, its encapsulation in cyclodextrins (CDs) is proposed. The fluorescence of neochlorogenic acid in different pH conditions was analyzed, and caffeic acid was proved to be the fluorescent moiety in the molecule. An encapsulation model whereby the ligand poses two potential complexation sites (caffeic and D-(-)-quinic moieties), showed that α-CD and HP-β-CD formed the best inclusion complexes with neochlorogenic acid, followed by M-β-CD, β-CD and γ-CD. Molecular docking with the two best CDs gave better scores for α-CD, despite HP-β-CD providing stabilization through H-bonds. The encapsulation of chlorogenic acid led to a similar CD order and scores, although constants were higher for α-CD, β-CD and M-β-CD, lower for HP-β-CD, and negligible for γ-CD. The protonation state affected these results leading to a different order of CD preference. The solubility and the susceptibility to oxidation of neochlorogenic acid improved after complexation with α-CD and HP-β-CD, while the antioxidant activity of both isomers was maintained.

Tomato is the most important horticultural crop in the world. The yields for this crop are highest in Southeastern Spain. In this work we studied a commercial variety of tomato, with different soilless culture systems (deep flow technique, nutrient film technique, and the perlite substrate) and three levels of salinity (2.2, 6.3, and 10.2 dS·m−1) typical of Southeastern Spain. The irrigation management was carried out for optimizing the water use efficiency. Alterations in the water status of the plants, Cl− and Na+ toxicity, and nutritional imbalances altered the vegetative growth and physiology of the plants. The marketable yield was affected by both soilless culture system and salinity. Regarding the soilles culture system, yield decreased in the order: deep flow technique > perlite > nutrient film technique. The salinity treatments improved the fruits quality by increasing the total soluble solids and titratable acidity. Plants cultivated with the nutrient film technique had the highest concentrations of Cl− and Na+ and the highest Na+/K+ ratio. The concentrations of Cl− and Na+ in the plants were not related directly to the yield loss. Therefore, the influence of the toxicity, osmotic effect, and nutritional imbalance seems to have been responsible for the yield loss.

Background: The purposes of this study were: i) to evaluate the association of sit-to-stand (STS) power and body composition parameters [body mass index (BMI) and legs skeletal muscle index (SMI)] with age; ii) to provide cut-off points for low relative STS power (STSrel), ii) to provide normative data for well-functioning older adults and iv) to assess the impact of low STSrel on negative outcomes.Methods: Cross-sectional design (1369 older adults). STS power parameters assessed by validated equations, BMI and Legs SMI assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were recorded. Sex- and age-adjusted segmented and logistic regression analyses and receiver operator characteristic curves were used.Results: Among men, STSrel showed a negative association with age up to the age of 85 years (‒1.2 to ‒1.4%year-1; pyear-1; prel were 2.5 W∙kg-1 in men and 1.9 W∙kg-1 in women. Low STSrel was associated with frailty (OR[95%CI]= 5.6 [3.1, 10.1]) and low habitual gait speed (HGS) (OR[95%CI]= 2.7 [1.8, 3.9]) in men while low STSrel was associated with frailty (OR[95%CI]= 6.9 [4.5, 10.5]) low HGS (OR[95%CI]= 2.9 [2.0, 4.1]), disability in activities of daily living (OR[95%CI]= 2.1 [1.4, 3.2]), and low quality of life (OR[95%CI]= 1.7 [1.2, 2.4]) in women. Conclusions: STSrel declined with increasing age in both men and women. Due to the adverse outcomes related to STSrel, the reported cut-off points can be used as a clinical tool to identify this condition among older adults.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a recognized risk factor for the development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Our objectives were to compare the urinary albumin–creatinine ratio (UACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of patients with DKD according to OSA severity, and to evaluate the contribution of sleep parameters to their renal function. In a multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study, 214 patients with DKD were recruited. After a sleep study, UACR and eGFR were measured, as well as serum creatinine, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin resistance, lipid profile and C-reactive protein. UACR was higher in severe OSA patients (920 ± 1053 mg/g) than in moderate (195 ± 232 mg/g, p 2, respectively; p

Area under expiratory flow-volume curve (AEX) has been proposed recently to be a useful spirometric tool for assessing ventilatory patterns and impairment severity. We derive here normative reference values for AEX, based on age, gender, race, height and weight, and by using artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms. We analyzed 3567 normal spirometry tests with available AEX values, performed on subjects from two countries (United States and Spain). Regular linear or optimized regression and ANN models were built using traditional predictors of lung function. The ANN-based models outperformed the de novo regression-based equations for AEXpredicted and AEX z scores using race, gender, age, height and weight as predictor factors. We compared these reference values with previously developed equations for AEX (by gender and race), and found that the ANN models led to the most accurate predictions. When we compared the performance of ANN-based models in derivation/training, internal validation/testing, and external validation random groups, we found that the models based on pooling samples from various geographic areas outperformed the other models (in both central tendency and dispersion of the residuals, ameliorating any cohort effects). In a geographically diverse cohort of subjects with normal spirometry, we computed by both regression and ANN models several predicted equations and z scores for AEX, an alternative measurement of respiratory function. We found that the dynamic nature of the ANN allows for continuous improvement of the predictive models’ performance, thus promising that the AEX could become an essential tool in assessing respiratory impairment.

Active transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), a cytokine partially regulated by hypoxia and obesity, has been related with poor prognosis in several tumors. We determine whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases serum levels of active TGF-β1 in patients with cutaneous melanoma (CM), assess their relationship with melanoma aggressiveness and analyze the factors related to TGF-β1 levels in obese and non-obese OSA patients. In a multicenter observational study, 290 patients with CM were underwent sleep studies. TGF-β1 was increased in moderate-severe OSA patients vs. non-OSA or mild OSA patients with CM. In OSA patients, TGF-β1 levels correlated with mitotic index, Breslow index and melanoma growth rate, and were increased in presence of ulceration or higher Clark levels. In CM patients, OSA was associated with higher TGF-β1 levels and greater melanoma aggressiveness only in non-obese subjects. An in vitro model showed that IH-induced increases of TGF-β1 expression in melanoma cells is attenuated in the presence of high leptin levels. In conclusion, TGF-β1 levels are associated with melanoma aggressiveness in CM patients and increased in moderate-severe OSA. Moreover, in non-obese patients with OSA, TGF-β1 levels correlate with OSA severity and leptin levels, whereas only associate with leptin levels in obese OSA patients., This study was supported by Grants from Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS) and Fondos FEDER PI16/00201 and PI19/01612 to F. García-Río, PI19/01363 to C. Cubillos-Zapata and PIE15/00065 to E. López-Collazo. M.A. Martínez-García is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness—Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS 2016/ 01772) and co-financed by the European Development Regional Fund. A way to achieve Europe (ERDF). DG is supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants HL130984 and HL140548.

When Salmonella is grown in the nutrient-rich lysogeny broth (LB), the AraC-like transcriptional regulator HilD positively controls the expression of genes required for Salmonella invasion of host cells, such as the Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 (SPI-1) genes. However, in minimal media, the two-component system PhoP/Q activates the expression of genes necessary for Salmonella replication inside host cells, such as the SPI-2 genes. Recently, we found that the SL1344-1872 hypothetical gene, located in a S. Typhimurium genomic island, is co-expressed with the SPI-1 genes. In this study we demonstrate that HilD induces indirectly the expression of SL1344-1872 when S. Typhimurium is grown in LB; therefore, we named SL1344-1872 as grhD1 for gene regulated by HilD. Furthermore, we found that PhoP positively controls the expression of grhD1, independently of HilD, when S. Typhimurium is grown in LB or N-minimal medium. Moreover, we demonstrate that the grhD1 gene is required for the invasion of S. Typhimurium into epithelial cells, macrophages and fibroblasts, as well as for the intestinal inflammatory response caused by S. Typhimurium in mice. Thus, our results reveal a novel virulence factor of Salmonella, whose expression is positively and independently controlled by the HilD and PhoP transcriptional regulators. Fil: Banda, María M.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México Fil: López, María Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentina Fil: Manzo, Rubiceli. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México Fil: Rico Pérez, Gadea. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España Fil: García, Pablo. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España Fil: Rosales Reyes, Roberto. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México Fil: De La Cruz, Miguel A.. Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI; México Fil: Soncini, Fernando Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentina Fil: García del Portillo, Francisco. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España Fil: Bustamante, Víctor H.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México

Obtaining reliable estimates of the structure of carnivore communities is of paramount importance because of their ecological roles, ecosystem services and impact on biodiversity conservation, but they are still scarce. This information is key for carnivore management: to build support for and acceptance of management decisions and policies it is crucial that those decisions are based on robust and high quality information. Here, we combined camera and live-trapping surveys, as well as telemetry data, with spatially-explicit Bayesian models to show the usefulness of an integrated multi-method and multi-model approach to monitor carnivore community structures. Our methods account for imperfect detection and effectively deal with species with non-recognizable individuals. In our Mediterranean study system, the terrestrial carnivore community was dominated by red foxes (0.410 individuals/km2); Egyptian mongooses, feral cats and stone martens were similarly abundant (0.252, 0.249 and 0.240 individuals/km2, respectively), whereas badgers and common genets were the least common (0.130 and 0.087 individuals/km2, respectively). The precision of density estimates improved by incorporating multiple covariates, device operation, and accounting for the removal of individuals. The approach presented here has substantial implications for decision-making since it allows, for instance, the evaluation, in a standard and comparable way, of community responses to interventions., We are in debt to the staff of the Regional Government of Extremadura, and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, for their collaboration and the logistical support they provided. J.V.L.B. was supported by a ‘Juan de la Cierva’ research contract (JCI-2012-13066) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.

A multifunctional magneto-plasmonic CoFe2O4@Au core-shell nanoparticle was developed by iterative-seeding based method. This nanocargo consists of a cobalt ferrite kernel as a core (Nk) and multiple layers of gold as a functionalizable active stratum, (named as Nk@A after fifth iteration). Nk@A helps in augmenting the physiological stability and enhancing surface plasmon resonance (SPR) property. The targeted delivery of Doxorubicin using Nk@A as a nanopayload is demonstrated in this report. The drug release profile followed first order rate kinetics optimally at pH 5.4, which is considered as an endosomal pH of cells. The cellular MR imaging showed that Nk@A is an efficient T2 contrast agent for both L6 (r2-118.08 mM−1s−1) and Hep2 (r2-217.24 mM−1s−1) cells. Microwave based magnetic hyperthermia studies exhibited an augmentation in the temperature due to the transformation of radiation energy into heat at 2.45 GHz. There was an enhancement in cancer cell cytotoxicity when hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy. Hence, this single nanoplatform can deliver 3-pronged theranostic applications viz., targeted drug-delivery, T2 MR imaging and hyperthermia.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), the most frequent form of inherited retinal dystrophy is characterized by progressive photoreceptor degeneration. Many genes have been implicated in RP development, but several others remain to be identified. Using a combination of homozygosity mapping, whole-exome and targeted next-generation sequencing, we found a novel homozygous nonsense mutation in SAMD11 in five individuals diagnosed with adult-onset RP from two unrelated consanguineous Spanish families. SAMD11 is ortholog to the mouse major retinal SAM domain (mr-s) protein that is implicated in CRX-mediated transcriptional regulation in the retina. Accordingly, protein-protein network analysis revealed a significant interaction of SAMD11 with CRX. Immunoblotting analysis confirmed strong expression of SAMD11 in human retina. Immunolocalization studies revealed SAMD11 was detected in the three nuclear layers of the human retina and interestingly differential expression between cone and rod photoreceptors was observed. Our study strongly implicates SAMD11 as novel cause of RP playing an important role in the pathogenesis of human degeneration of photoreceptors. This work was supported by several grants from the Spanish Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER)(06/07/0036), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII, Spanish Ministry of Health)/FEDER, including FIS (PI013/00226) and RETICS (RD09/0076/00101 and RD12/0034/0010), Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), including FEDER (BFU2012-36845), and BIO2011-27069, Conselleria de Educació of the Valencia Community (PROMETEOII/2014/025), Spanish National Organization of the Blind (ONCE) and the Spanish Fighting Blindness Foundation (FUNDALUCE). M.C. was sponsored by the Miguel Servet Program for Researchers in the Spanish National Health Service (CP12/03256) and RSA by Sara Borrel Postdoctoral Program (CD12/00676), both from the ISCIII/FEDER. A.A-F. was sponsored by CIBERER, RPC is supported by Fundación Conchita Rábago (FCR), L.C is sponsored by RETICS (RD12/0034/0010) from ISCIII and L.d.S. was supported by CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil.

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