Enzymatic browning and genome-wide polyphenol oxidase gene identification in three contrasting avocado accessions

Higuera-Rubio Jesús M.,Ibarra-Laclette Enrique,Reyes-López Miguel A.,Sandoval-Castro Eduardo,Cruz-Mendívil Abraham,Vega-García Misael O.,Calderón-Vázquez Carlos L. 한국식물생명공학회 2022 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.16 No.4

This study aims to disentangle avocado enzymatic browning by identifying and analyzing the PPO coding genes. Two avocado accessions (AVO48 and San Miguel) and the Hass cultivar with contrasting browning kinetics and enzyme activity levels were selected for gene characterization. Upon 90 min of light exposure, Hass and San Miguel showed a greater decrease in luminosity retention (closer to 40% of initial luminosity) compared to AVO48 (85% of luminosity). PPO activity in crude extracts was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in San Miguel (696 U μg-1 protein) than Hass (174 U μg-1 protein) and AVO48 (46–56 U μg-1 protein). San Miguel showed a higher Vmax Km-1 ratio (20.88 min-1), followed by Hass (14.29 min-1) and AVO48 (1.64 min-1), suggesting that San Miguel and Hass have higher substrate affinity. Four PPO coding genes: PamPPO1, PamPPO2, PamPPO3 and PamPPO4 were identified in the Hass genome, all of them containing the main features of plant PPOs, but with specific amino acid combinations in the catalytic pocket of the tyrosinase domain; suggesting that PPO1, PPO2 and PPO4 have monophenolase activity, whereas PPO3, has o-diphenolase activity. The evidence of transcription of PPO3 in fruit of the three genotypes suggests an important role for this gene in avocado pulp browning. PPO2 expression was only found in AVO48. This research provides gene candidates for selective silencing to reduce enzymatic browning.

THE EVOLUTION OF ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY DESIGN

Miguel Ángel Castro Tirado,Alberto J. Castro-Tirado 한국천문학회 2019 Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society Vol.52 No.4

This work addresses the development of the astronomical observatory all through history, from an architectural point of view, as a building in relation to the observing instruments and their functioning as a heterogeneous work center. We focused on 32 observatories (in the period 1259–2007) and carefully analyzed the architectures. Considering the impact of the construction itself or its facilities on the results of the research (thermal or structural stability, poor weather protection, turbulence, etc.), there is little attention paid to theories or studies of the architectural or construction aspects of the observatories. Therefore, this work aims to present a theoretical-critical contribution that, at least, invites the reflection of those involved in the development of astronomical observatories in the future.

Numerical model of a planar jet wiping system for continuous strip lines

Celia Miguel-González,Manuel García-Díaz,Bruno Pereiras,Miguel Vigil,Alejandro Rodríguez de Castro 대한기계학회 2021 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.35 No.7

The present study focuses on the numerical modelling of gas-jet wiping process. Many processes involving liquids are necessary during steel manufacturing, such as cooling, lubrication or cleaning. Satisfactory processes for removing the liquid are critical for the quality of the product obtained as well as for avoiding a product rejection in strip lines such as tandem mills and tinning lines. One the most widespread drying technology used is based on planar air-knives or nozzle rows which wipe the liquid out from the steel strip by creating an aerodynamic barrier. The objective of this paper is to analyze the performance of a simple air knife based on an inclined planar jet that is commonly used in many commercial or in-house built devices. A CFD model developed by using commercial software ANSYS FLUENT® was built in order to evaluate the wiping system depending on the type of feeding: central and lateral.

Removing Lipemia in Serum/Plasma Samples: A Multicenter Study

María-José Castro-Castro,Beatriz Candás-Estébanez,Margarita Esteban-Salán,Pilar Calmarza,Teresa Arrobas-Velilla,Carlos Romero-Román,Miguel Pocoví-Mieras,José-Ángel Aguilar-Doreste,Sociedad Española de 대한진단검사의학회 2018 Annals of Laboratory Medicine Vol.38 No.6

Background: Lipemia, a significant source of analytical errors in clinical laboratory settings, should be removed prior to measuring biochemical parameters. We investigated whether lipemia in serum/plasma samples can be removed using a method that is easier and more practicable than ultracentrifugation, the current reference method. Methods: Seven hospital laboratories in Spain participated in this study. We first compared the effectiveness of ultracentrifugation (108,200×g) and high-speed centrifugation (10,000×g for 15 minutes) in removing lipemia. Second, we compared high-speed centrifugation with two liquid-liquid extraction methods—LipoClear (StatSpin, Norwood, USA), and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany). We assessed 14 biochemical parameters: serum/plasma concentrations of sodium ion, potassium ion, chloride ion, glucose, total protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate-aminotransferase, calcium, and bilirubin. We analyzed whether the differences between lipemia removal methods exceeded the limit for clinically significant interference (LCSI). Results: When ultracentrifugation and high-speed centrifugation were compared, no parameter had a difference that exceeded the LCSI. When high-speed centrifugation was compared with the two liquid-liquid extraction methods, we found differences exceeding the LCSI in protein, calcium, and aspartate aminotransferase in the comparison with 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane, and in protein, albumin, and calcium in the comparison with LipoClear. Differences in other parameters did not exceed the LCSI. Conclusions: High-speed centrifugation (10,000×g for 15 minutes) can be used instead of ultracentrifugation to remove lipemia in serum/plasma samples. LipoClear and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane are unsuitable as they interfere with the measurement of certain parameters.

Natural products in the research of cholesterol gallstones

Ibrahim Guillermo Castro-Torres,Minarda De la O-Arciniega,Janeth Gallegos-Estudillo,Mariano Martínez-Vázquez,Elia Brosla Naranjo-Rodríguez,Miguel Ángel Domínguez-Ortíz,Jesús Samuel Cruz-Sánchez 셀메드 세포교정의약학회 2013 TANG Vol.3 No.3

Cholesterol gallstones are a digestive disease of high prevalence that has many risk factors; for this reason, research has focused mainly on how to prevent it rather than how to treat it. Many molecules of the hepatic, bile and intestinal systems are involved in the pathophysiology of this disease, making it very difficult to find a therapeutic target. The pharmacological treatment is limited, so when gallstones generate symptoms, medical treatment indicates gallbladder removal. Ursodeoxycholic acid is used to dissolve cholesterol stones, and ezetimibe and statins are other drugs with possible applications in the treatment of this disease. Given the small number of drugs that have been developed for treating this disease, the research of natural products becomes of paramount importance. Resources such as black radish, glucosinolates, fenugreek, capsaicin, curcumin, garlic, and onion, have all shown significant effects in the prevention and treatment of cholesterol gallstones. In this review, we made a synthesis of the scientific reports that deal with these natural products and that can serve as antecedents for finding a way to treat the most common disease of the gallbladder.

New insights into surface-functionalized swelling high charged micas: Their adsorption performance for non-ionic organic pollutants

M. Carolina Pazos,Miguel A. Castro,Agustín Cota,Francisco J. Osuna,Esperanza Pavón,María D. Alba 한국공업화학회 2017 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.52 No.-

The major components of the wastewater from the petroleum refineries are benzene, toluene and phenoland one of the techniques applied to the treatment of effluents is sorption using organo-functionalizedclay. The materials exploited in the present study are a family of surface-functionalized synthetic micasand their sorption capacities for non-ionic organic pollutants are analyzed. The organo-functionalizationof their surface provides them the capacity to sorb effectively non-ionic pollutants in the interface. Theiradsorption performance is a function of the alkylamonium properties such as the chain length, the massfraction and the organization of the organic cation in the interlayer space of the micas.

Antivirulence Activity of a Dietary Phytochemical: Hibiscus Acid Isolated from Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Reduces the Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Mouse Infection Model

Humberto Cortes-López,Javier Castro-Rosas,Rodolfo García-Contreras,José Salud Rodríguez-Zavala,Bertha González-Pedrajo,Miguel Díaz-Guerrero,Javier Hernández-Morales,Naybi Muñoz-Cazares,Marcos Soto-Her 한국식품영양과학회 2021 Journal of medicinal food Vol.24 No.9

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Hs) calyxes, rich in organic acids, are included in diets in different countries. In recent years, some phytochemicals have been shown to reduce bacterial virulence at sublethal concentrations by interfering with quorum sensing (QS) systems. Therefore, in this study the antivirulence properties of Hs calyxes and two γ-lactones (hibiscus acid [HA] and its methyl ester) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa were analyzed. Acetone and methanol extracts of Hs showed anti-QS activity by inhibiting violacein production (60% to 80% with 250 μg/mL). In molecular docking analysis, the γ-lactones registered a good binding score, which suggests strong interaction with the active site of LasR protein. To verify their effect in vitro, they were isolated from Hs and evaluated in six QS-regulated phenotypes, as well as in ExoU toxin that is released by the type III secretion system (T3SS). At 500 μg/mL they reduced alkaline protease (29–52%) and elastase (15–37%) activity, biofilm formation (∼75%), and swarming (50%), but there was no effect on pyocyanin production, hemolytic activity, or type III secretion. In a mouse abscess/necrosis model, HA at sublethal concentrations (15 and 31.2 μg/mL) affected infection establishment and prevented damage and systemic spread. In conclusion, HA is the first molecule identified with antivirulence properties in Hs with the potential to prevent infections caused by P. aeruginosa.

Roadmap on optical sensors

Ferreira, Má,rio F S,Castro-Camus, Enrique,Ottaway, David J,Ló,pez-Higuera, José,Miguel,Feng, Xian,Jin, Wei,Jeong, Yoonchan,Picqué,, Nathalie,Tong, Limin,Reinhard, Bjö,rn M IOP 2017 Journal of optics Vol.19 No.8

<P>Sensors are devices or systems able to detect, measure and convert magnitudes from any domain to an electrical one. Using light as a probe for optical sensing is one of the most efficient approaches for this purpose. The history of optical sensing using some methods based on absorbance, emissive and florescence properties date back to the 16th century. The field of optical sensors evolved during the following centuries, but it did not achieve maturity until the demonstration of the first laser in 1960. The unique properties of laser light become particularly important in the case of laser-based sensors, whose operation is entirely based upon the direct detection of laser light itself, without relying on any additional mediating device. However, compared with freely propagating light beams, artificially engineered optical fields are in increasing demand for probing samples with very small sizes and/or weak light−matter interaction. Optical fiber sensors constitute a subarea of optical sensors in which fiber technologies are employed. Different types of specialty and photonic crystal fibers provide improved performance and novel sensing concepts. Actually, structurization with wavelength or subwavelength feature size appears as the most efficient way to enhance sensor sensitivity and its detection limit. This leads to the area of micro- and nano-engineered optical sensors. It is expected that the combination of better fabrication techniques and new physical effects may open new and fascinating opportunities in this area. This roadmap on optical sensors addresses different technologies and application areas of the field. Fourteen contributions authored by experts from both industry and academia provide insights into the current state-of-the-art and the challenges faced by researchers currently. Two sections of this paper provide an overview of laser-based and frequency comb-based sensors. Three sections address the area of optical fiber sensors, encompassing both conventional, specialty and photonic crystal fibers. Several other sections are dedicated to micro- and nano-engineered sensors, including whispering-gallery mode and plasmonic sensors. The uses of optical sensors in chemical, biological and biomedical areas are described in other sections. Different approaches required to satisfy applications at visible, infrared and THz spectral regions are also discussed. Advances in science and technology required to meet challenges faced in each of these areas are addressed, together with suggestions on how the field could evolve in the near future.</P>

Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the Health Sector: A Qualitative Study

João António Gomes de Melo e Castro e Melo,Nuno Miguel Faria Araújo 대한의료정보학회 2020 Healthcare Informatics Research Vol.26 No.4

Objectives: The Fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the way health is understood, transforming the methods of treatmentand diagnosis as well as the relationship between health professionals and patients and altering the management andorganization of health systems. The main objective of this study was to explore the impact that the Fourth Industrial Revolutionis having on the health sector. Methods: Conducting interviews consisting of four questions with 10 professionals whohad experience working in the health sector to gain their insights and to obtain information to meet the general objective ofthe study as well as its specific objectives. Results: From the analysis of the respondents’ responses, it was possible to createfive dimensions developed by the topics most addressed by respondents, namely, impact on healthcare efficiency and effectiveness,impact on government action, impact on human resources, impact on health system organization, and financialimpact on the health sector. Conclusions: Although the Fourth Industrial Revolution is still at an early stage, it has been concludedthat it is having a major positive impact on the health sector. For the effective and efficient implementation of thesedisruptive technologies, a global interaction between governments, health professionals, stakeholders, and society is essentialto make this change possible.

Characterization of the Thermophilic Bacterium Geobacillus sp. Strain GWE1 Isolated from a Sterilization Oven

( Correa Llanten Daniela ),( Juanita Larrain Linton ),( Patricio A Munoz ),( Miguel Castro ),( Freddy Boehmwald ),( Jenny M Blamey ) 한국미생물생명공학회(구 한국산업미생물학회) 2013 한국미생물·생명공학회지 Vol.41 No.3

A gram-positive, rod-shaped, spore-forming, motile thermophilic bacterium was isolated from a sterilization oven. The microorganism GWE1, formally named Geobacillus wiegelii identified as a member of the genus Geobacillus. GWE1 grew under aerobic conditions of between 60-80ºC (optimum 70ºC), in a pH range of 3.0-8.0 (optimum pH70ºC 5.8), and between 0 and 2 M NaCl (optimum 0.3 M). The membrane polar lipids were dominated by branched saturated fatty acids, which included as the major constituents; iso-15:0 (13.3%), 16:1(ω7) (12.8%), 16:0 (28.5%), iso-17:0 (13.5%) and anteiso-17:0 (12.3%). The DNA G+C content was 47.2 mol% (determined by HPLC). The 16S rRNA gene sequence of GWE1 showed a high similarity with Geobacillus caldoxylosilyticus (97%). However, the level of DNA?DNA relatedness was only 58%. These data suggest that GWE1 is probably a novel specie of the genus Geobacillus.