Generalized height-diameter models for five pine species at Southern Mexico

Wenceslao Santiago-Garcıa,Antonio Heriberto Jacinto-Salinas,Gerardo Rodr ıguez-Ortiz,Adan Nava-Nava,Elıas Santiago-Garcıa,Gregorio Angeles-Perez,Jose Raymundo Enrıquez-del Valle 한국산림과학회 2020 Forest Science And Technology Vol.16 No.2

Generalized height-diameter at breast height (D) models are essential for the estimation of the timber stocks of a forest stand, as well as in the generation of base information to develop forest growth models, and as basic inputs in the development of forest management plans. Generalized models were developed to estimate total height (TH) based on the D and stand variables, of five Pinus species in forests under forest management of Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico. The data used come from a timber forest inventory, where n = 1041 sampling plots of 1000 m2 each were established based on a stratified-systematic sampling design. The species selected according to their relative abundance were: Pinus patula, Pinus oaxacana, Pinus ayacahuite, Pinus teocote and Pinus leiophylla. Five nonlinear equations were fitted using regression techniques to predict the TH of the trees under several silviculture regimes and forest management conditions. The statistical criteria of goodness of fit used were: adjusted coefficient of determination (R2adj), root mean square error (RMSE) and absolute average bias in the prediction (Ē). Likewise, the graphic analysis of the predictive capacity of the equations was considered. The D and the stand variables (quadratic mean diameter, dominant diameter and dominant height) for these species explained between 75 and 83% of the variability of the TH data. The predicting variables to apply the developed generalized models to estimate tree's total height require less sampling effort and are derived from conventional forest inventory data, which allows to reduce costs and time in field work.

Cr(VI) removal from synthetic and real wastewaters: The use of the invasive biomass Sargassum muticum in batch and column experiments

Marta Lopez-Garcıa,Roberto Herrero,Manuel E. Sastre de Vicente,Pablo Lodeiro 한국공업화학회 2012 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.18 No.4

The macroalgae Sargassum muticum was selected for the treatment of solutions containing Cr(VI). Very acidic pH values were established as optimal for Cr(VI) reduction. Algae chemical modification reduced equilibrium time to 4 h. First order kinetic model was used to describe the reduction kinetic of Cr(VI). A column experiment allowed to distinguish the processes occurring during Cr(VI) elimination: its reduction to Cr(III) and the subsequent adsorption of this species formed. Under the selected conditions the biomass was capable of reducing all the incoming Cr(VI) during 77 h. Industrial wastewaters from chrome plating industry were also tested for chromium removal.

Isoelectric focusing, effect of reducing agents and inhibitors: partial characterization of proteases extracted from Bromelia karatas

Marıa de Lourdes Garcıa-Magana,Julian Gonzalez-Borrayo,Efigenia Montalvo-Gonzalez,Enrique Rudino-Pinera,Sonia G. Sayago-Ayerdi,Jesus Aaron Salazar-Leyva 한국응용생명화학회 2018 Applied Biological Chemistry (Appl Biol Chem) Vol.61 No.4

The aim of this research is the partial characterization of proteases extracted from B. karatas; the isolation and purification of proteases from B. karatas fruits were achieved using precipitation, separation by size exclusion chromatography and anion-exchange chromatography; molecular mass (MM) was determined, and the effect of inhibitors, reducing agents and heat on enzyme activity was analyzed. These proteases were compared with proteases from Bromelia pinguin (B. pinguin) and evaluated under similar conditions. The isolation procedure was adequate; only a few protein bands are present in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, zymogram analysis showed protein bands with enzyme activity. Inhibitors, reducing agents and heat were unable to inactivate the proteases extracted from B. karatas and B. pinguin. The semi-purified extracts are a set of proteases with a MM of 66 kDa, but different isoelectric points (3.5–6.5 for B. karatas and 5–9 for B. pinguin), which are found in quaternary structures with proteolytic activity. When denatured, they segment into fragments of approximately 20 and 10 kDa. The data indicate that these plants could be used as sources of proteases since they present good proteolytic activity (21.93 UT for proteases from B. karatas and 43.58 UT for proteases from B. pinguin) and that B. Karatas has potential applications comparable to B. pinguin in the food and health industries.

Protective Effect of Glycomacropeptide on the Atopic Dermatitis-Like Dysfunctional Skin Barrier in Rats

Mariela Jimenez,Fabiola C. Munoz,Daniel Cervantes-Garcıa,Maritza M. Cervantes,Alicia Hernandez-Mercado,Berenice Barron-Garcıa,Jose L. Moreno Hernandez-Duque,Adrian Rodrıguez-Carlos,Bruno Rivas-Santiag 한국식품영양과학회 2020 Journal of medicinal food Vol.23 No.11

The maintenance of a healthy skin barrier is crucial to prevent and treat atopic dermatitis (AD) lesions and avoid infections. Glycomacropeptide (GMP) is a bioactive peptide that has demonstrated promising results as an anti-inflammatory and antipruritic therapy for experimental AD. This study aimed to analyze the effect of GMP on impaired cutaneous barrier-related signs in a rat model of AD lesions. AD-like dermatitis was induced on the skin by repeated topical applications of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, and animals were orally administered GMP before or after AD induction. The expression of skin structural proteins and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) was evaluated by immunoblot or immunohistochemistry, epidermal thickening was evaluated by histochemistry, the level of IFN-γ and changes in the microbiota were evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and the quantity of fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) was evaluated by gas chromatography. GMP administration significantly increased filaggrin, β-defensin 2, and cathelicidin-related AMP expression in AD-like lesions. Involucrin expression was not modified. In GMP-treated animals, epidermal thickening and IFN-γ expression were strongly reduced in damaged skin. GMP treatment impacted the skin microbiota and prevented Staphylococcus aureus colonization, which is associated with AD. In addition, high levels of Bifidobacterium were detected in the feces of GMP-treated animals, and the acetic acid and butyric acid contents increased in animals prophylactically administered GMP. These results suggest that GMP markedly prevents or reverses skin barrier damage in rat AD-like lesions through a bifidogenic effect that induces fecal SCFA production with prolonged treatment. Our findings provide evidence that GMP may represent an optimum strategy for the therapy of the dysfunctional cutaneous barrier in AD.

Mechanism of the Hypoglycemic Activity and Hepatoprotective Effect of the Aqueous Extract of Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol

Marıa de los Angeles Fortis-Barrera,Francisco Javier Alarcon-Aguilar,Araceli Becerril-Garcıa,Jose Luis Eduardo Flores-Saenz,Julio Cesar Almanza-Perez,Mario Garcıa-Lorenzana,Roberto Carlos Lazzarini-Le 한국식품영양과학회 2020 Journal of medicinal food Vol.23 No.7

In Central and South American traditional medicine, people use Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol (Cecropiaceae) for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, its hypoglycemic action mechanism at pancreatic and liver level has been poorly explored. The present research aimed to establish the influence of the aqueous extract of C. obtusifolia, standardized in its content of chlorogenic acid, on insulin secretion in RINm5F cells and over the liver carbohydrates and lipids metabolism, and to determine concomitantly its hepatoprotective effect on mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. In RINm5F cells, concentrations 5, 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL of aqueous extract of C. obtusifolia were used to determine [Ca2+]i and insulin secretion. In an acute study, the extract was administered at doses of 500 mg/kg. In another test (subacute), the extract was daily administrated to diabetic mice (200 mg/kg/day) for 30 days. Blood glucose levels and other biochemical parameters were determined, and a liver histological analysis was performed. In RINm5F cells, C. obtusifolia increased [Ca2+]i and insulin secretion, whereas in diabetic mice exhibited acute and subacute hypoglycemic effects. Daily administration of C. obtusifolia to diabetic mice also increased liver glycogen storage and glycogen synthase levels, without apparent changes in gluconeogenesis. Besides, it increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) and long-chain-fatty-acid-CoA ligase 1 (ACSL-1) expression and reduced triglycerides, transaminases (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase), and collagen fibers, modifying anti-inflammatory (adiponectin and interleukin-10) and inflammatory (tumor necrosis factor-α) cytokines in serum. Therefore, the hypoglycemic effect of C. obtusifolia implicates a dual action, promoting insulin secretion, liver glycogen accumulation, and hepatoprotection by decreasing collagen fibers and inflammatory markers, whereas it improves lipid metabolism, due in part to PPAR-α.

Production and characterization of fungal b-glucosidase and bacterial cellulases by tobacco chloroplast transformation

Edward Alexander Espinoza-Sanchez,Jorge Ariel Torres-Castillo,Quintın Rascon-Cruz,Francisco Zavala-Garcıa,Sugey Ramona Sinagawa-Garcıa 한국식물생명공학회 2016 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.10 No.2

The high capacity of the chloroplast genome to integrate and express transgenes at high levels makes transplastomic technology a good option for overexpressing proteins of interest. This report presents the stable expression of b-glucosidase (bgl1 gene) from Aspergillus niger and two cellulases (celA and celB genes) from Thermotoga neapolitana into the chloroplast genome of tobacco. The pES6, pHM4, pHM5 and pHM6 vectors were derived from the pES4 plasmid containing bgl1, celA-celB, celA and celB synthetic genes, respectively. All of the genes were flanked by a synthetic rrn16 promoter and the 30UTR from rbcL gene. The integration of the genes into intergenic regions rrn16 and 30rps12 of the inverted repeats was confirmed by Southern blot analysis. Stable expression and processing of monocistronic mRNA were confirmed by Northern blot analysis, and protein functionality was analysed via enzymatic activity assay. The recombinant enzymes exhibited high enzymatic activity at pH 5 (bglucosidase: 30.45 U mg-1 of TSP, celA-celB 58 U mg-1 of TSP, celA 49.10 U mg-1 of TSP and celB 48.72 U mg-1 of TSP). In addition, b-glucosidase exhibited high activity at 40 ℃, whereas cellulases type A (celA) and type B (celB) showed high activity at 65 ℃. NtpES6, NtpHM5 and NtpHM6 plants showed a similar phenotype compared with the wild type plants; however, NtpHM4 plants presented an abnormal phenotype with variegated leaves. This study, demonstrated that hydrolytic genes such as bgl1, celA and celB could be integrated and expressed correctly in the chloroplast genome. This work provides new information on methods and strategies for the expression of hydrolytic enzymes that are potentially useful for biotechnological applications using transplastomic plants.

Bitumen modification with reactive and non-reactive (virgin and recycled) polymers: A comparative analysis

F.J. Navarro,P. Partal,M. Garcıa-Morales,M.J. Martı´n-Alfonso,F. Martınez-Boza,C. Gallegos,J.C.M. Bordado,A.C. Diogo 한국공업화학회 2009 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.15 No.4

The main goal of this research was to compare the modification capability of two different types of bitumen modifiers: non-reactive plastomers and elastomers, and reactive polymers. The group of nonreactive polymers included a block copolymer (SBS), recycled thermoplastic polymers (EVA/LDPE blends), and crumb tire rubber, which were mixed at a processing temperature of 180 8C. In the second group, a reactive MDI–PEG prepolymer, a low processing temperature modifier (90 8C), was considered. The study was mainly focused on the characterization of the thermorheological behaviour of selected modified bitumen samples. In addition, the thermal behaviour (bymodulated DSC), andmorphology (by optical microscopy) of these modified bitumen samples were also evaluated. All of these bitumen modifiers significantly improve the thermomechanical properties of the resulting binder, especially at high in-service temperatures. However, whereas bitumen modified by non-reactive polymers undergo marked oxidation events due to the high processing temperature used (180℃), MDI–PEG modified bitumen does not experience this phenomenon because of the lower processing temperature involved (90℃). In general, non-reactive polymers should be added in much larger concentrations than the reactive polymer to obtain similar results, although the latter requires a further period of curing, at room temperature, to induce suitable modification. Finally, only MDI–PEG modified bitumen is stable when stored at high temperature (163℃), whereas all the non-reactive polymer-modified bitumen studied undergo either phase separation or particle precipitation.

Membrane technology for the recovery of detergent compounds: A review

Leticia Suarez,Marıa A. Dıez,Roberto Garcıa,Francisco A. Riera 한국공업화학회 2012 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.18 No.6

The food and beverage industry is a great detergent consumer, due to the extreme cleanliness demanded by this kind of industrial activity. Surfactants play an important role in detergent formulations and for this reason a significant part of this review is devoted to their recovery. Membrane technology has been selected as the most promising method for recovering these cleaning agents and, accordingly, the application of membranes for the recovery and reuse of waste cleaning solutions constitutes another important part of this review. Finally, several studies on the application of membrane technologies for the separation of surfactant compounds are also described.

Long-term Plan to Monitor Venus Using Earth-orbiting CubeSats

Yeon Joo Lee(이연주),Antonio Garcıa Munoz,Young-Jun Choi(최영준),Harald Michaelis,Emmanuel Marcq,Daphne Stam,Masateru Ishiguro,Bongkon Moon(문봉곤),Heike Rauer,Thomas Granzer,Juan Cabrera,Sebastien Lebonnois,T 한국항공우주학회 2023 한국항공우주학회 학술발표회 논문집 Vol.2023 No.6

Effect of Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Clinical and Neurophysiologic Recovery of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial

Elisa Alejandra Monroy Guızar,Leonel Garcıa Benavides,Ana Rosa Ambriz Plascencia,Sara Pascoe Gonzalez,Sylvia Elena Totsuka Sutto,Ernesto German Cardona Munoz,Miriam Mendez-del Villar 한국식품영양과학회 2018 Journal of medicinal food Vol.21 No.5

The objective of our study was to examine the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on clinical and neurophysiologic outcomes after surgery for idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 20 adults diagnosed with idiopathic CTS after clinical and neurophysiologic assessment. Eligible participants took 600 mg ALA or placebo per day for 1 month before surgery, and for 2 months afterward. Further clinical and neurophysiologic assessments were undertaken immediately before surgical decompression, and at 12 weeks postoperatively with additional clinical assessments at the 4th and 8th week after surgery. Clinical outcome measures were taken by Boston Questionnaire score, the presence or absence of Tinel’s sign, and Phalen’s test findings. Median nerve conduction studies were also undertaken and interpreted according to Dumitru’s reference values. Nineteen patients completed the study; one member of the placebo group was lost during follow-up. There were significant improvements in clinical and neurophysiologic variables in the ALA treatment group, present even before surgery. Boston Questionnaire scores had improved significantly in both groups. In the ALA group, none of the participants had positive Phalen’s or Tinel’s signs at 12 weeks, and motor and sensory fiber latency and amplitude had significantly improved; in the placebo group, only the sensory distal latency had improved significantly. In conclusion, ALA administered 1 month before open decompression and for 2 months afterward improves the clinical and neurophysiologic outcomes after surgery.