Immune response of triatomines plays an important role in the success or failure of transmission of T. cruzi. Studies on parasite-vector interaction have shown the presence of trypanolytic factors ...and have been observed to be differentially expressed among triatomines, which affects the transmission of some T. cruzi strains or DTUs (Discrete Typing Units).
Trypanolytic factors were detected in the hemolymph and saliva of R. prolixus against epimastigotes and trypomastigotes of the Y strain (T. cruzi II). To identify the components of the immune response that could be involved in this lytic activity, a comparative proteomic analysis was carried out, detecting 120 proteins in the hemolymph of R. prolixus and 107 in R. colombiensis. In salivary glands, 1103 proteins were detected in R. prolixus and 853 in R. colombiensis. A higher relative abundance of lysozyme, prolixin, nitrophorins, and serpin as immune response proteins was detected in the hemolymph of R. prolixus. Among the R. prolixus salivary proteins, a higher relative abundance of nitrophorins, lipocalins, and triabins was detected. The higher relative abundance of these immune factors in R. prolixus supports their participation in the lytic activity on Y strain (T. cruzi II), but not on Dm28c (T. cruzi I), which is resistant to lysis by hemolymph and salivary proteins of R. prolixus due to mechanisms of evading oxidative stress caused by immune factors.
The lysis resistance observed in the Dm28c strain would be occurring at the DTU I level. T. cruzi I is the DTU with the greatest geographic distribution, from the south of the United States to central Chile and Argentina, a distribution that could be related to resistance to oxidative stress from vectors. Likewise, we can say that lysis against strain Y could occur at the level of DTU II and could be a determinant of the vector inability of these species to transmit T. cruzi II. Future proteomic and transcriptomic studies on vectors and the interactions of the intestinal microbiota with parasites will help to confirm the determinants of successful or failed vector transmission of T. cruzi DTUs in different parts of the Western Hemisphere.
Anthocyanins (ACNs) are plant secondary metabolites from the flavonoid family. Red to blue fruits are major dietary sources of ACNs (up to 1 g/100 g FW), being cyanidin-3-
-glucoside (Cy3G) one of ...the most widely distributed. Cy3G confers a red hue to fruits, but its content in raspberries and strawberries is low. It has a good radical scavenging capacity (RSC) against superoxide but not hydroxyl radicals, and its oxidative potential is pH-dependent (58 mV/pH unit). After intake, Cy3G can be metabolized (phases I, II) by oral epithelial cells, absorbed by the gastric epithelium (1%-10%) and it is gut-transformed (phase II & microbial metabolism), reaching the bloodstream (<1%) and urine (about 0.02%) in low amounts. In humans and Caco-2 cells, Cy3G's major metabolites are protocatechuic acid and phloroglucinaldehyde which are also subjected to entero-hepatic recycling, although caffeic acid and peonidin-3-glucoside seem to be strictly produced in the large bowel and renal tissues. Solid evidence supports Cy3G's bioactivity as DNA-RSC, gastro protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic chemo-preventive and as an epigenetic factor, exerting protection against
infection, age-related diseases, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and oral cancer. Most relevant mechanisms include RSC, epigenetic action, competitive protein-binding and enzyme inhibition. These and other novel aspects on Cy3G's physical-chemistry, foodomics, and health effects are discussed.
BACKGROUND: Strawberry is a soft fruit, considered as non-climacteric, being auxins the main hormones that regulate the ripening process. The role of ethylene in strawberry ripening is currently ...unclear and several studies have considered a revision of the possible role of this hormone.RESULTS: Strawberry fruit were harvested at the white stage and treated with ethephon, an ethylene-releasing reagent, or 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), a competitive inhibitor of ethylene action. The effects of the treatments on fruit quality parameters and on the activity of enzymes related to anthocyanin synthesis and cell wall degradation were evaluated. Some aspects of ripening were accelerated (anthocyanin accumulation, total sugar content and increment of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL; EC 4.3.1.24) and β-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) activities), while others were repressed (chlorophyll levels and increment of endo-1,4-β-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.4) and β-xylosidase (EC 3.2.1.37) activities) or unchanged (reducing sugar content, pH, titratable acidity and α-L-arabinofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.55) activity) by ethylene. 1-MCP treatment caused the opposite effect. However, its effects were more pronounced, particularly in anthocyanin accumulation, phenolics, PAL and polygalacturonase (EC 3.2.1.15 and EC 3.2.1.67) activities.CONCLUSION: These observations probably indicate that strawberry produces low levels of ethylene that are sufficient to regulate some ripening aspects.
This paper deals with the way in which the environmental dynamics that took place in the lower basin of the Colorado River (Buenos Aires province, Argentina) have affected the degree of ...archaeological resolution, integrity, and site preservation in different sectors of the study area (e.g., coastal fringe, delta and interior dune fields). Evidence from geomorphologic, stratigraphic, and sedimentary analyses as well as chemical parameters and zooarchaeological assemblages are used in order to propose spatial and temporal variations in the structure of the archaeological record. These lines of evidence were also used for inferring general paleoclimatic trends. The results obtained indicate that the inland landforms that contained Initial Late Holocene archaeological assemblages (3000–1000
14C BP) have suffered important morphodynamic processes that produced site destruction, loss of organic material and lower degrees of integrity and site resolution. Conversely, landforms located near the delta and the coastal fringe underwent more stable geomorphic processes (e.g., pedogenesis) that promoted better preservation, resolution, and integrity during the Initial Late Holocene and, particularly, during the Final Late Holocene (1000–250
14C BP). The recognition of this pattern is crucial in order to evaluate demographic processes linked with the intensity and mode of hunter-gatherer occupation of the area and population dynamics throughout time.
In the lower basin of the Colorado River (Buenos Aires province, Argentina) the Zoko Andi 1 archaeological site was occupied by hunter-gatherer groups during the Late Holocene (ca. 1500–400 14C years ...BP). The site is the only one in the entire study area that has an important presence of charcoals in a stratigraphic context, particularly related to the Lower Component, dated at ca. 1500–1300 14C years BP (1430–1296 cal years BP). This contribution presents the first anthracological results for the study area, which contribute to the understanding of the use of woody resources by hunter-gatherers and to the knowledge about the past vegetal communities and climate in the eastern Pampa-Patagonia transition. The charcoals were assigned to Prosopis caldenia, Prosopis sp., Senna sp. (Fabaceae), Jodina rhombifolia (Santalaceae), Condalia sp. (Rhamnaceae) and Larrea sp. (Zygophyllaceae). The archaeological charcoals show the existence of an ecotone between the Monte and Espinal Provinces during the Initial Late Holocene, which indicates the xerophytic open forests with a predominance of Prosopis caldenia and xeric shrub-dominated by Larrea ssp. The vegetation developed under an arid to semi-arid climate. This is consistent with other proxies (geomorphology, sedimentology, phytoliths, and microvertebrates) suggesting a similar environment for this area. Prosopis and Condalia have high caloric power and long fuel duration. These burning xerophytic forest resources were probably used by hunter-gatherers for cooking, heating, and lighting.
•Charcoal data from the Zoko Andi 1 archaeological site, Buenos Aires, Argentina.•Xerophytic open forests and xeric shrubs developed during the Initial Late Holocene.•Past vegetation developed under arid to semi-arid climate in the Colorado River.•Woody resources were used by hunter-gatherers in the Pampa-Patagonia transition.•The data provide insight into the vegetation and climate of this region.
Water quality regulations entail a substantial commitment of resources from governments and private entities. It is important to continually evaluate the effectiveness of these regulations to ensure ...they are having the intended impact. In this paper, we evaluated nutrient data as indicators of primary productivity and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations and pH as response variables to assess historical water quality trends from 55 stations of Puerto Rico. The stations were divided into impaired versus non‐impaired categories based on their historical total phosphorus (TP) mean concentration. Mean TP and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations were significantly higher in the impaired stations relative to the non‐impaired stations. In contrast, DO mean concentrations and mean pH values were significantly lower in the impaired stations. A generalized additive mixed model was used to demonstrate temporal trends. A significant decrease in TP and TN concentrations was observed with time at the impaired stations. This was accompanied by significant increases in DO concentrations and pH. The non‐impaired stations showed a marginal (statistically nonsignificant) decreasing trend with time. The large reductions in nutrient concentrations observed at the impaired stations seem to be related to the closure of several primary wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across the island. The conversion of abandoned crop agricultural lands into secondary forest in recent decades has resulted in small but significant decreases in TN (not TP) in receiving streams. We conclude that the Clean Water Act has promoted improvements in water quality in Puerto Rico by advancing upgrades in sanitary infrastructure and the regulation of point sources of pollution.
Core Ideas
The effectiveness of the Clean Water Act on the water quality of streams of Puerto Rico was assessed.
Historical trends in nutrient concentrations show significant improvement for the most impaired streams.
Residual discharges from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were identified as a major source of impairment.
The closure of outdated WWTP plants generated a positive impact on water quality.
In this work, the impact of low intensity (20 μmol m−2 s−1) continue illumination with white and blue light-emitting diodes (WB LED) on the shelf life of broccoli heads stored at 5 °C or at 22 °C was ...assessed. At both temperatures, heads stored under WB LED showed the highest levels of chlorophylls, reflected in a higher Hue angle and lower L* values compared to controls stored in the darkness. Also, during storage at 22 °C the treated samples had a slower rate of sugar lost compared to dark stored controls. At 5 °C, glucose and fructose levels were maintained and sucrose was increased by the WB LED treatment. The dark stored controls showed the highest accumulation of antioxidant compounds, but there were no differences in ascorbic acid content except for the last storage day at 5 °C, being the WB LED samples which had a slightly higher level (p < 0.05). Finally, treated samples showed an increment in the total carotenoid content, mainly during storage at 22 °C. According to the results, WB LED treatment would be a feasible and low cost technology to enlarge the postharvest storage of whole broccoli heads.
•The effect of white–blue LED light exposition on postharvest senescence of broccoli was evaluated.•Treated heads showed delayed yellowing and lower chlorophyll degradation.•Treated heads had a slower rate of sugar lost and a higher content of carotenoids.•Control samples had a higher increase in the antioxidant compounds.
UV-C treatment is a new and environment-friendly strategy to reduce postharvest decay in several fruits. In this work, we studied the induction of resistance to
Botrytis cinerea in strawberry fruit, ...exposed to a hormetic dose of UV-C. The results obtained showed that pre-storage treatment of fruit with UV-C results in lower losses caused by diseases and decay. Therefore, we analyzed the gene expression and enzymatic activity of a set of strawberry genes that are related to plant defense against pathogens. The expression of the genes and the activity of assayed enzymes were modified in the treated fruit. The expression and enzyme activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL, EC: 4.3.1.24) increased over the level found in control after 4 and 24
h of storage. The activity of β-1,3-glucanase (EC: 3.2.1.6) and peroxidase (EC: 1.11.1.7) showed a biphasic pattern. Higher polyphenol oxidase (PPO, EC: 1.10.3.1) activity was observed in treated fruit compared with control from 10 to 48
h post-irradiation. Moreover, we studied the expression of several strawberry PR proteins. We found an induction of
FaChi2-2 and
FaChi3 immediately after the treatment, and the corresponding chitinase (EC: 3.2.1.14) activity increased 10
h post-treatment. Gene expression profile of β-1,3-glucanases was different from those of chitinases.
FaBG2-1 mRNA levels increased in the treated fruit during the beginning of storage, but in the case of
FaBG2-3, irradiated fruit showed higher expression than the control after 24 and 48
h of storage. Finally,
FaPR1 gene expression was stimulated by UV-C treatment at 4 and 24
h of storage. No changes in
FaOLP2 expression in fruit were found in response to irradiation. Therefore, the reduction in strawberry fruit decay by UV-C treatment at harvest could be related to the increase in the transcription and activity of a set of enzymes and proteins involved in the defense against pathogens.
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