Indoor air pollution is considered to be a serious public health issue in Mexico; therefore, more studies regarding this topic are necessary. In this context, we assessed exposure to polycyclic ...aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds in: (i) women who use firewood combustion (indoor) for cooking and heating using traditional open fire; (ii) women who use firewood combustion (outdoor) for cooking and heating using traditional open fire; and (iii) women who use LP gas as the principal energy source. We studied 96 healthy women in San Luis Potosi, México. Urine samples were collected, and analyses of the following urinary exposure biomarkers were performed by high‐performance liquid chromatography: 1‐hydroxypyrene (1‐OHP), trans, trans‐muconic acid, and hippuric acid (HA). The highest levels of 1‐OHP, trans, trans‐muconic acid, and HA were found in communities where women were exposed to indoor biomass combustion smoke (or products; geometric mean ± s.d., 3.98 ± 5.10 μmol/mol creatinine; 4.81 ± 9.60 μg/l 1‐OHP; 0.87 ± 1.78 mg/g creatinine for trans, trans‐muconic acid; and 1.14 ± 0.91 g/g creatinine for HA). Our findings indicate higher exposure levels to all urinary exposure biomarkers studied in women who use indoor firewood combustion for cooking and heating (using traditional open fire).
Practical Implications
High mean levels of 1‐hydroxypyrene, t,t‐muconic acid, and hippuric acid were found in women who use firewood combustion (indoor) for cooking and heating using traditional open fire and taking into account that millions of women and children in Mexico are living in scenarios similar to those studied in this report, the assessment of health effects in women and children exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds is urgently needed. Moreover, it is immediately necessary an intervention program to reduce exposure.
Fungemia in hematologic malignancies (HM) has high mortality. This is a retrospective cohort of adult patients with HM and fungemia between 2012 and 2019 in institutions of Bogotá, Colombia. The ...epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological characteristics are described, and risk factors related to mortality are analyzed. One hundred five patients with a mean age of 48 years (SD 19.0) were identified, 45% with acute leukemia and 37% with lymphomas. In 42%, the HM was relapsed/refractory, 82% ECOG > 3, and 35% received antifungal prophylaxis; 57% were in neutropenia, with an average duration of 21.8 days. In 86 (82%) patients,
spp. was identified, and other yeasts in 18%. The most frequent of the isolates were non-albicans
(61%),
(28%),
(17%), and
(12%). The overall 30-day mortality was 50%. The survival probability at day 30 in patients with leukemia vs. lymphoma/multiple myeloma (MM0 group was 59% (95% CI 46-76) and 41% (95% CI 29-58),
= 0.03, respectively. Patients with lymphoma or MM (HR 1.72; 95% CI 0.58-2.03) and ICU admission (HR 3.08; 95% CI 1.12-3.74) were associated with mortality. In conclusion, in patients with HM, non-albicans
species are the most frequent, and high mortality was identified; moreover, lymphoma or MM and ICU admission were predictors of mortality.
The phytochemical compositions of green coffee beans (GB), roasted coffee (RC), and the solid residue known as spent coffee grounds (SCG) have been associated with beneficial physiological effects. ...The objective of this study was to analyze the total phenolic compounds, antiradical scavenging ability, antibacterial activity, and antiproliferative activity on cancer cells of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of GB, RC, and SCG samples. The total phenolic content was quantified by Folin–Ciocalteu assay, while the antiradical activity was evaluated by ABTS●+ and DPPH radical assays, antibacterial activity was determined using the microtiter broth dilution method, and antiproliferative activity was evaluated by MTT assay in lung carcinoma cells (A549) and cervical cancer cells (C33A); furthermore, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were evaluated by flow cytometry. Ethanolic extracts of RC and SCG showed the highest content of total phenols. The SCG ethanolic extract exhibited the lowest inhibitory capacity 50 (IC50) values for free radicals. The SCG extracts also had the lowest MIC values in bacteria. In antiproliferative assays, SCG extracts exhibited a significant decrease in viability in both cell lines, as well as increased apoptotic cells and promoted cell cycle arrest. The higher content of total phenols and antiradical activity of SCG ethanolic extracts was related to their antiproliferative activity in cancer cells, as well as their antibacterial activity against clinical isolates; therefore, the utilization of SCG adds value to an abundant and inexpensive residue.
Severe COVID-19 is associated with a systemic hyperinflammatory response leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multi-organ failure, and death. Galectin-3 is a ß-galactoside binding ...lectin known to drive neutrophil infiltration and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines contributing to airway inflammation. Thus, we aimed to investigate the potential of galectin-3 as a biomarker of severe COVID-19 outcomes. We prospectively included 156 patients with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19. A severe outcome was defined as the requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and/or in-hospital death. A non-severe outcome was defined as discharge without IMV requirement. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the prognostic ability of serum galectin-3 for a severe outcome. Galectin-3 levels discriminated well between severe and non-severe outcomes and correlated with markers of COVID-19 severity, (CRP, NLR, D-dimer, and neutrophil count). Using a forward-stepwise logistic regression analysis we identified galectin-3 odds ratio (OR) 3.68 (95% CI 1.47-9.20), p < 0.01 to be an independent predictor of severe outcome. Furthermore, galectin-3 in combination with CRP, albumin and CT pulmonary affection > 50%, had significantly improved ability to predict severe outcomes AUC 0.85 (95% CI 0.79-0.91, p < 0.0001). Based on the evidence presented here, we recommend clinicians measure galectin-3 levels upon admission to facilitate allocation of appropriate resources in a timely manner to COVID-19 patients at highest risk of severe outcome.
Abstract
We introduce the Automatic Learning for the Rapid Classification of Events (ALeRCE) broker, an astronomical alert broker designed to provide a rapid and self-consistent classification of ...large etendue telescope alert streams, such as that provided by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and, in the future, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). ALeRCE is a Chilean-led broker run by an interdisciplinary team of astronomers and engineers working to become intermediaries between survey and follow-up facilities. ALeRCE uses a pipeline that includes the real-time ingestion, aggregation, cross-matching, machine-learning (ML) classification, and visualization of the ZTF alert stream. We use two classifiers: a stamp-based classifier, designed for rapid classification, and a light curve–based classifier, which uses the multiband flux evolution to achieve a more refined classification. We describe in detail our pipeline, data products, tools, and services, which are made public for the community (see
https://alerce.science
). Since we began operating our real-time ML classification of the ZTF alert stream in early 2019, we have grown a large community of active users around the globe. We describe our results to date, including the real-time processing of 1.5 × 10
8
alerts, the stamp classification of 3.4 × 10
7
objects, the light-curve classification of 1.1 × 10
6
objects, the report of 6162 supernova candidates, and different experiments using LSST-like alert streams. Finally, we discuss the challenges ahead in going from a single stream of alerts such as ZTF to a multistream ecosystem dominated by LSST.
This study assesses the effect of the osmotic dehydration (OD) of mango slices in an emulsion (600 g solids kg−1 emulsion) prepared with inulin and piquin-pepper oleoresin. In addition, mango was ...osmodehydrated in a sucrose solution for comparative purposes. The influence on water loss (WL) and solids gain (SG) during the OD process was analyzed. Furthermore, color change, oil gain, ascorbic acid, β-carotene, and total free phenolic content, as well as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylnydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and the antiproliferative effect on breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in mango slices after 120 min, were studied. Samples treated with the emulsion at 40 °C showed highest oil gain and bioactive compound retention. In addition, their ethanolic extract exhibited significant radical scavenging activity and antiproliferative effect against the cancer cell line tested, compared with that of flesh- and sucrose-treated sample extracts, in a dose-dependent manner. Images of mango slices treated in emulsion revealed the presence of inulin microcapsules with oil embedded in mango microstructure. Based on these results, this technique can be used to impregnate mango slices with oils and polymers with functional attributes to produce nutritious foods, which may serve as a potential source of phenolic with anticancer activity.
•This study explores novel methodology for the enrichment and improvement of fruits.•The content of bioactive compounds in processed mango slices was improved.•This methodology improves the antiproliferative effect of ethanolic mango extract.•The use of an emulsion as osmotic agent improves the functional properties of mango.
Introducción: Guerrero se caracteriza por su amplia variedad de maíces pigmentados, sin embargo, no existen alternativas de aprovechamiento para generar un valor agregado y un impacto positivo en la ...economía de los productores.
Método: en este estudio se evaluaron las propiedades morfométricas (peso de cien granos, peso hectolítrico, dureza, partes de los granos), fisicoquímicas (color, análisis bromatológico, contenido de fenoles y antocianinas, patrón de rayos X, propiedades térmicas y de pasta, y la actividad antirradicalaria), así como la actividad antiproliferativa (línea celular MDA-MB-231) de maíces pigmentados (rojo, negro, morado y blanco).
Resultados: las propiedades fisicoquímicas de los maíces variaron en función de su pigmentación. Los maíces mostraron características morfométricas adecuadas para la industria de la masa y la tortilla. La viscosidad máxima se observó en el almidón de maíz morado (4790 cp). El mayor valor de ΔHgel se observó para el maíz negro (7.88 J g-1). Con excepción del maíz morado, los maíces analizados mostraron un contenido de proteína elevado (8.08-8.71 %). El mayor contenido de fenoles totales (14.7-11.7 mgEAG g-1 extracto), antocianinas monoméricas (528 - 154 μg EC3G g-1 extracto) y actividad ante los radicales DPPH (CI50 < 200 µg mL-1) y ABTS (CI50 < 236 µg mL-1 fueron mostrados por los maíces morados. El extracto del maíz negro mostró la mayor actividad antiproliferativa (CI50 = 938 µg mL-1) en la línea celular MDA-MB-231.
Discusión o conclusión: independientemente del color, los maíces analizados presentan características que son útiles para la industria del almidón y de la masa y la tortilla. Los maíces pigmentados, principalmente el negro y el morado, son una opción promisoria para la obtención de compuestos bioactivos para el establecimiento de estrategias novedosas de prevención y terapia de enfermedades asociadas con el estrés oxidativo.
The effect of addition of mango peel (MP) and decocted roselle calyces (DRC) powder to tortilla chips was studied to analyze the supplementation potential of these underexploited plant residues ...possessing attractive nutraceutical properties. Supplementation of either MP or DRC at two different levels (5.0 and 10%) increased total phenols and ABTS radical scavenging and modified the color and morphology of the tortilla chips. The addition of MP or DRC to nixtamalized maize flour increased the insoluble and soluble dietary fiber contents in the tortilla chips (1.30 and 4.90 times, MP; 1.47 and 4.15 times, DRC). Partial dehydration of the tortilla prior to frying produces a low-fat tortilla chip. In this context, tortilla chips enriched with MP and DRC exhibited a lower in vivo Glycemic Index (GI) compared to the control. Acceptable tortilla chips were obtained by incorporating 5 and 10% MP. The results suggest that the use of MP or DRC may be an interesting way to both increase dietary fiber content to control the glycemic index and to improve the functional properties of tortilla chips.
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