Search Results (40)

Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (P(3HB)) represents a suitable alternative for plastic replacement, since it consists of intracellularly produced polyesters by different microorganisms including Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). P(3HB) conserves most of the properties of petroleum-derived plastics; however, some drawbacks are the production costs, processing times, and bioseparation techniques, limiting its extended use. Bt has production advantages over other microorganisms, such as those growing in conventional or non-conventional substrates, with short periods of fermentation, which make it an interesting candidate to develop optimized production processes. In this work, we identified P(3HB) producers from 72 isolates of Bt, from which we selected four potential candidates. These isolates were cultivated under different carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratios of 3, 7, 30, and 50 in a complex medium named (CM). Here, the best conditions for growth in Bt isolates were C:N 3 and 7 ratios, whereas for P(3HB) production they were C:N 7 and 30. Following this, an experiment in a bioreactor was conducted with isolate 81C with the selected C:N ratio of 30, where the produced P(3HB) achieved a maximum at 10 h. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)was used to characterize flask and bioreactor cultures. It must be mentioned that although a higher concentration of medium was used, this did not improve P(3HB) accumulation. This research demonstrates that C:N ratios can differentially influence growth and P(3HB) accumulation in Bt isolates, which can serve as a reference to develop P(3HB) production processes using Bt as a microbial production platform. Full article

Background: Breastfeeding mothers have an increased demand for nutrients, including increased intake of certain nutrients, and are recommended to consume a theoretical 500 extra kilocalories (kcal), follow a varied diet, and increase protein, carbohydrate, omega-3, iron, and vitamin D intake. Objectives: We sought to analyze mothers’ energy and nutrient intake and food habits during the postpartum period 6 weeks after delivery and to identify whether there are any differences between breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding mothers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, multicenter observational study at seven sexual and reproductive healthcare centers in the Metropolitan North area of Barcelona (Spain). The sample comprised 393 women who responded to an infant feeding questionnaire and 24 h diet recall (24 HR). We used frequencies and medians for descriptive analysis as well as the chi-squared and Kruskal–Wallis tests for the bivariate analysis. Results: Mean energy intake was lower than the recommendations in 57% of participants. Mothers who exclusively breastfed consumed a median of 201 kcal more than non-breastfeeding mothers, although this was not significant. The intake of fatty acids and micronutrients, such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and especially vitamin D, was insufficient. Breastfeeding mothers consumed significantly more polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (p = 0.0297): 15.4 g vs. 12.7 g per day. Conclusions: There are no significant differences between the diet of breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women, except for PUFA intake. A general insufficient intake of the analyzed micronutrients was observed. Educational campaigns and dietary guidance from health professionals are a priority. Full article

In the present work, a novel and economical pH sensor has been improved through the application of the conducting polymers poly(3,4-ethylendioxythiphene) and poly(sodium 4-styrene sulphonate). Sinusoidal voltages were applied to electrodeposit the different polymers studied for different periods (10, 15, and 20 min) on the electrode surface. The presence of polyaniline and its reversible redox structure have been corroborated by cyclic voltammetry. The working range has been increased from 3–8 to 2–12, obtaining adequate sensibility and linearity. This new sensor presented satisfactory repeatability, reproducibility (RSD < 5%), AND reversibility (pH range 2–12), and excellent selectivity towards H⁺ in the presence of diverse interferents in agrifood samples. Finally, the sensor was used to measure the pH in several real samples, whose pH values ranged from 2.23 to 11.5, obtaining excellent results. In addition, the values found were very similar to those reported by the gold technique (pH meter), with an error of less than 10% for most of the samples analyzed. In addition, a preliminary survey about measurements in a continuous flow, using a 3D homemade microfluidic cell, was performed with promising results. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 lockdown represented an immense impact on human health, which was characterized by lifestyle and dietary changes, social distancing and isolation at home. Some evidence suggests that these consequences mainly affected women and altered relevant ongoing clinical trials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status and changes in diet, physical activity (PA), sleep and self-reported health status (SRH) as perceived by older adult men and women with metabolic syndrome during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: We analyzed data from 4681 Spanish adults with metabolic syndrome. We carried out a telephone survey during May and June 2020 to collect information on demographics, dietary habits, PA, sleep, SRH and anthropometric data. Results: The mean age of participants was 64.9 years at recruitment, and 52% of participants were men. Most participants (64.1%) perceived a decrease in their PA during confinement. Regarding gender-specific differences, a higher proportion of women than men perceived a decrease in their PA (67.5% vs. 61.1%), Mediterranean diet adherence (20.9% vs. 16.8%), sleep hours (30.3% vs. 19.1%), sleep quality (31.6% vs. 18.2%) and SRH (25.9% vs. 11.9%) (all p < 0.001). Conclusions: The COVID-19 lockdown affected women more negatively, particularly their self-reported diet, PA, sleep and health status. Full article

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic, making it crucial to understand how it can be effectively prevented/treated. Considering that obesity is a multifactorial condition, this article carried out a baseline cross-sectional study of the variables involved in the disorder. Eighty-four subjects with overweight/obesity were recruited. Dietary baseline information was obtained by analysing three 24 h recalls. Resting metabolic rate was measured using indirect calorimetry, physical activity was measured through accelerometry, cardiometabolic parameters were determined in blood samples and body composition via anthropometry and bioimpedance. A univariant and multivariate exploratory approach was carried out using principal component analysis (PCA). Large inter-individual variability was observed in dietetic, biochemical, and physical activity measurements (coefficient of variation ≥ 30%), but body composition was more uniform. Volunteers had an unbalanced diet and low levels of physical activity. PCA reduced the 26 analysed variables to 4 factors, accounting for 65.4% of the total data variance. The main factor was the “dietetic factor”, responsible for 24.0% of the total variance and mainly related to energy intake, lipids, and saturated fatty acids. The second was the “cardiometabolic factor” (explaining 16.8% of the variability), the third was the “adiposity factor” (15.2%), and the last was the “serum cholesterol factor” (9.4%). Full article

In an animal production system, different stressors may cause the depletion of muscle glycogen stores, resulting in an elevated pH at 24 h post mortem (pH₂₄), which leads to cell metabolism alterations that affect the conversion of muscle into meat, causing meat quality defects, such as dark-cutting beef, also known as dark, firm, and dry (DFD) beef. This process may involve the alteration of small non-coding RNAs (miRNAs), which play critical regulatory roles in cellular processes. Here, we determined whether differential miRNA expression in the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle from the Asturiana de los Valles breed at 24 h post mortem could serve as an early indicator of beef quality defects. Following total RNA extraction, complete miRNAome sequencing revealed 12 miRNAs that were significantly upregulated (p < 0.001) in DFD beef compared to the levels in CONTROL beef. These miRNAs are mainly involved in the cellular responses to redox imbalances and apoptosis. Among these, four miRNAs known to be related to oxidative stress (bta-miR-1246, bta-miR-2332, bta-miR-23b-5p, and bta-miR-2411-3p) were validated via quantitative RT-PCR. Some of their target proteins were also analyzed using Western blotting. High 70 kDa heat shock protein and low Caspase-9 expressions (p < 0.01) were found in DFD beef, suggesting the downregulation of apoptosis. These results suggest the importance of miRNAs in regulating stress in muscle cells during early post mortem, as differences in the abundance of some of these miRNAs are still observed at 24 h post mortem. These changes lead to an inadequate conversion of muscle into meat, resulting in meats with quality defects. Full article

A fiber curvature sensor based on a Mach–Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) constructed using the waist-enlarged technique to splice a segment of non-zero dispersion-shifted fiber (NZ-DSF) between two segments of single mode fiber (SMF) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. All fabricated sensors presented an improvement in their curvature sensitivity when they were coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer. The sensor that exhibited the best performance was 6.5 cm long, with a curvature sensitivity of 8.27 nm/m⁻¹ in a range of 0.69 m⁻¹ (from 1.08 to 1.77 m⁻¹). This sensitivity is 3.22 times higher than that of the sensor without polymer. Additionally, the sensor coated with polymer exhibited cross-sensitivity that is 2.23 times smaller than the sensor without polymer. The easy fabrication and notable performance of this device makes it alluring for structural health monitoring. Full article

In this work two new different sensors are developed: a pH sensor and a temperature probe. The former is based on an electrodeposited polyaniline (PANI) layer employing sinusoidal voltages and optimizing the deposition time (10–20 min). On the other hand, the temperature probe was designed by taking advantage of the carbon nanotubes’ temperature properties. Both sensors were built on sonogel-carbon electrodes, seeking cost effective devices. In both scenarios, the results were satisfactory; the repeatability and reproducibility had values below 5%. Additionally, an excellent pH sensor selectivity was evaluated with the challenging interstitial matrix, prospecting an adequate future employment in real clinical samples. Full article

In this work, an amperometric biosensor for lactate determination based on a sonogel–carbon transducer has been developed and evaluated using the lactate oxidase enzyme coated with a multipolymer layer as a bioreceptor. The biosensor obtained had adequate sensitivity (4.16 × 10⁻⁸ A mM⁻¹) and a wide linear working range (0.2–20 mM) that allowed for the determination of lactate at high concentrations without showing enzyme saturation phenomena. The selectivity of the biosensor was also verified using interferents commonly observed in physiological samples. Moreover, a microfluidic cell was designed and fabricated to allow the determination of lactate with the proposed biosensor in a continuous regime. In the end, the viability of the biosensor was tested with the proposed flow system using synthetic samples, obtaining excellent results. Full article

Obesity has reached pandemic proportions and has become a major health concern worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to find new strategies against this condition and its associated comorbidities. Green coffee polyphenols (GCP) and oat beta-glucans (BGs) have proven their hypolipidaemic and hypoglycaemic effects. This study aimed to examine the effects of the long-term consumption of supplements containing GCP, BG or the novel GCP/BG combination on lipid and glucose metabolism biomarkers in overweight/obese subjects who maintained their dietary habits and physical activity, hence addressing the difficulty that this population faces in adapting to lifestyle changes. A randomised, crossover, blind trial was carried out in 29 volunteers who consumed either GCP (300 mg), BG (2.5 g) or GCP/BG (300 mg + 2.5 g) twice a day for 8 weeks. Blood samples were collected, and blood pressure and body composition were measured at the beginning and end of each intervention. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL-C) cholesterol, glycated haemoglobin, fasting glucose, insulin, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and different hormones and adipokines were analysed. Only VLDL-C (p = 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.027) decreased after the intervention, especially with the BG supplement. There were no other significant changes in the analysed biomarkers. In conclusion, the regular intake of GCP, BG and GCP/BG without lifestyle changes is not an efficient strategy to improve lipid and glucose homeostasis in overweight/obese subjects. Full article

A wide variety of biological functions, including those involved in the morphogenesis process of basidiomycete fungi, have been attributed to laccase enzymes. In this work, RNA interference (RNAi) was used to evaluate the role of the laccase (lacc2) gene of Pleurotus ostreatus PoB. Previously, transformant strains of P. ostreatus were obtained and according to their level of silencing they were classified as light (T7), medium (T21) or severe (T26 and T27). The attenuation of the lacc2 gene in these transformants was determined by RT-PCR. Silencing of lacc2 resulted in a decrease in laccase activity between 30 and 55%, which depended on the level of laccase expression achieved. The silenced strains (T21, T26, and T27) displayed a delay in the development of mycelium on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium, whereas in the cultures grown on wheat straw, we found that these strains were incapable of producing aerial mycelium, primordia, and fruiting bodies. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the presence of toxocyst-like structures. The highest abundance of these structures was observed in the wild-type (PoB) and T7 strains. However, the abundance of toxocysts decreased in the T21 and T26 strains, and in T27 they were not detected. These results suggest that the presence and abundance of toxocyst-like structures are directly related to the development of fruiting bodies. Furthermore, our data confirm that lacc2 is involved in the morphogenesis process of P. ostreatus. Full article

Despite advances in the development of targeted therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), most patients relapse. For that reason, it is still necessary to develop novel therapies that improve treatment effectiveness and overcome drug resistance. We developed T22-PE24-H6, a protein nanoparticle that contains the exotoxin A from the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and is able to specifically deliver this cytotoxic domain to CXCR4⁺ leukemic cells. Next, we evaluated the selective delivery and antitumor activity of T22-PE24-H6 in CXCR4⁺ AML cell lines and BM samples from AML patients. Moreover, we assessed the in vivo antitumor effect of this nanotoxin in a disseminated mouse model generated from CXCR4⁺ AML cells. T22-PE24-H6 showed a potent, CXCR4-dependent antineoplastic effect in vitro in the MONO-MAC-6 AML cell line. In addition, mice treated with nanotoxins in daily doses reduced the dissemination of CXCR4⁺ AML cells compared to buffer-treated mice, as shown by the significant decrease in BLI signaling. Furthermore, we did not observe any sign of toxicity or changes in mouse body weight, biochemical parameters, or histopathology in normal tissues. Finally, T22-PE24-H6 exhibited a significant inhibition of cell viability in CXCR4^high AML patient samples but showed no activity in CXCR4^low samples. These data strongly support the use of T22-PE24-H6 therapy to benefit high-CXCR4-expressing AML patients. Full article

Despite the growing interest in the study of sexual attitudes across sexual orientation, few studies have tested whether the instruments used to measure them are invariant. This study examined measurement invariance (configural, weak, strong, and strict) across sexual orientation in three different sexual attitude scales: the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS) to assess erotophilia, the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Fantasy (HISF) to assess attitudes toward sexual fantasies, and the Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Inventory (NATMI) to assess negative attitudes toward masturbation. A total of 2293 Spanish adult men and women with different sexual orientations (i.e., heterosexual, bisexual, and gay) participated in the study. The results indicated strict invariance for HISF across sexual orientation and only weak invariance for SOS and NATMI. Differential item functioning was also found in two items of the NATMI scale. Evidence of validity was provided for the three scales that were studied. Full article

In this work, the development and characterization of a new ceramic material modified with polyaniline powder obtained by a high-power ultrasound sol-gel route is presented. A preliminary screening of the conducting polymer electroactivity was performed by means of cyclic voltammetry in free analyte solution. Remarkable figures of merit for 4-chloro-3-methylphenol (PCMC) determination, selected as the model organic analyte, was obtained with the developed material: the sensitivity and the limit of detection were 2.40 μA/μM·cm² and 0.69 μM, respectively. The developed device was also successfully applied in the electrochemical determination of PCMC in water samples collected from different sources, obtaining recovery values ranging from 92% to 105%. The electrochemical performance of the device for the detection of other chlorophenols of interest was better in comparison with the bare electrode in all cases, due to the presence of the bulk modifier in the material. Therefore, the electrode material can be promoted for electrochemical assays of different chlorophenols in buffer and real water media for environmental monitoring. Full article

(1) Scant information is available concerning the characteristics that may favour the acquisition of COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess these differences between infected and noninfected patients with IBD. (2) This nationwide case–control study evaluated patients with inflammatory bowel disease with COVID-19 (cases) and without COVID-19 (controls) during the period March–July 2020 included in the ENEIDA of GETECCU. (3) A total of 496 cases and 964 controls from 73 Spanish centres were included. No differences were found in the basal characteristics between cases and controls. Cases had higher comorbidity Charlson scores (24% vs. 19%; p = 0.02) and occupational risk (28% vs. 10.5%; p < 0.0001) more frequently than did controls. Lockdown was the only protective measure against COVID-19 (50% vs. 70%; p < 0.0001). No differences were found in the use of systemic steroids, immunosuppressants or biologics between cases and controls. Cases were more often treated with 5-aminosalicylates (42% vs. 34%; p = 0.003). Having a moderate Charlson score (OR: 2.7; 95%CI: 1.3–5.9), occupational risk (OR: 2.9; 95%CI: 1.8–4.4) and the use of 5-aminosalicylates (OR: 1.7; 95%CI: 1.2–2.5) were factors for COVID-19. The strict lockdown was the only protective factor (OR: 0.1; 95%CI: 0.09–0.2). (4) Comorbidities and occupational exposure are the most relevant factors for COVID-19 in patients with IBD. The risk of COVID-19 seems not to be increased by immunosuppressants or biologics, with a potential effect of 5-aminosalicylates, which should be investigated further and interpreted with caution. Full article