Application of fermentation for the valorization of residues from Cactaceae family.

Cactaceae family is well-known for their adaptations to drought and arid environments. This family, formed by four subfamilies (Cactoideae, Opuntioideae, Pereskioideae, and Maihuenioideae) are known for being leafless stem succulent plants with numerous spines, and their commercial fruits, distinguished by their bright colors and their skin covered with bracts. Some of these species have been traditionally used in the food industry (e.g., pitaya, cactus, or prickly pear) or as pharmaceuticals to treat specific diseases due to their active properties. The processing of these fruits leads to different residues, namely pomace, skin, spines, and residues from cladodes; besides from others such as fruits, roots, flowers, mucilage, and seeds. In general, Cactaceae species produce large amounts of mucilage and fiber, although they can be also considered as a source of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonols and their glycosides), alkaloids (phenethylamines derived betalains), and triterpenoids. Therefore, considering their high content in fiber and fermentable carbohydrates, together with other target bioactive compounds, fermentation is a potential valorization strategy for certain applications such as enzymes and bioactive compounds production or aroma enhancement. This review will comprise the latest information about Cactaceae family, its potential residues, and its potential as a substrate for fermentation to obtain active molecules with application in the food industry.

Seaweed polysaccharides: Emerging extraction technologies, chemical modifications and bioactive properties.

Nowadays, consumers are increasingly aware of the relationship between diet and health, showing a greater preference of products from natural origin. In the last decade, seaweeds have outlined as one of the natural sources with more potential to obtain bioactive carbohydrates. Numerous seaweed polysaccharides have aroused the interest of the scientific community, due to their biological activities and their high potential on biomedical, functional food and technological applications. To obtain polysaccharides from seaweeds, it is necessary to find methodologies that improve both yield and quality and that they are profitable. Nowadays, environmentally friendly extraction technologies are a viable alternative to conventional methods for obtaining these products, providing several advantages like reduced number of solvents, energy and time. On the other hand, chemical modification of their structure is a useful approach to improve their solubility and biological properties, and thus enhance the extent of their potential applications since some uses of polysaccharides are still limited. The present review aimed to compile current information about the most relevant seaweed polysaccharides, available extraction and modification methods, as well as a summary of their biological activities, to evaluate knowledge gaps and future trends for the industrial applications of these compounds.Key teaching pointsStructure and biological functions of main seaweed polysaccharides.Emerging extraction methods for sulfate polysaccharides.Chemical modification of seaweeds polysaccharides.Potential industrial applications of seaweed polysaccharides.Biological activities, knowledge gaps and future trends of seaweed polysaccharides.

Biological properties and potential of compounds extracted from red seaweeds.

Macroalgae have been recently used for different applications in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry since they do not compete for land and freshwater against other resources. Moreover, they have been highlighted as a potential source of bioactive compounds. Red algae (Rhodophyta) are the largest group of seaweeds, including around 6000 different species, thus it can be hypothesized that they are a potential source of bioactive compounds. Sulfated polysaccharides, mainly agar and carrageenans, are the most relevant and exploited compounds of red algae. Other potential molecules are essential fatty acids, phycobiliproteins, vitamins, minerals, and other secondary metabolites. All these compounds have been demonstrated to exert several biological activities, among which antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antimicrobial properties can be highlighted. Nevertheless, these properties need to be further tested on in vivo experiments and go in-depth in the study of the mechanism of action of the specific molecules and the understanding of the structure-activity relation. At last, the extraction technologies are essential for the correct isolation of the molecules, in a cost-effective way, to facilitate the scale-up of the processes and their further application by the industry. This manuscript is aimed at describing the fundamental composition of red algae and their most studied biological properties to pave the way to the utilization of this underused resource.

Safer plant-based nanoparticles for combating antibiotic resistance in bacteria: A comprehensive review on its potential applications, recent advances, and future perspective.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic resistance is one of the current threats to human health, forcing the use of drugs that are more noxious, costlier, and with low efficiency. There are several causes behind antibiotic resistance, including over-prescription of antibiotics in both humans and livestock. In this scenario, researchers are shifting to new alternatives to fight back this concerning situation. SCOPE AND APPROACH: Nanoparticles have emerged as new tools that can be used to combat deadly bacterial infections directly or indirectly to overcome antibiotic resistance. Although nanoparticles are being used in the pharmaceutical industry, there is a constant concern about their toxicity toward human health because of the involvement of well-known toxic chemicals (i.e., sodium/potassium borohydride) making their use very risky for eukaryotic cells. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Multiple nanoparticle-based approaches to counter bacterial infections, providing crucial insight into the design of elements that play critical roles in the creation of antimicrobial nanotherapeutic drugs, are currently underway. In this context, plant-based nanoparticles will be less toxic than many other forms, which constitute promising candidates to avoid widespread damage to the microbiome associated with current practices. This article aims to review the actual knowledge on plant-based nanoparticle products for antibiotic resistance and the possible replacement of antibiotics to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.

Fístula traqueoesofágica por Candida galbrata: una patología infrecuente / Tracheoesophageal fistula due to candida galbrata: a rare pathology

La fístula traqueoesofágica consiste en una comunicación anómala entre el sistema respiratorio y el digestivo, que puede ser a causa de una enfermedad congénita, o bien secundaria a una patología tal como la infecciosa, la tumoral o postraumática. Entre las etiologías infecciosas, Candida o Aspergillus son dos hongos que provocan esofagitis fúngica, la cual podría complicarse con esta entidad, aunque son casos extremadamente raros. El diagnóstico de las fístulas se basa en la clínica, las pruebas de imagen como la TC y la endoscopia, donde se podrá apreciar la solución de continuidad. Este defecto debe ser tratado mediante cirugía o endoscópicamente

The tracheoesophageal fistula consists of an abnormal communication between the respiratory and digestive systems, which may be due to a congenital disease or secondary to a pathology such as infectious, tumorous or post-traumatic. Among the infectious etiologies, Candida or Aspergillus are two fungi that cause fungal esophagitis, which could be complicated by this entity, although they are extremely rare cases. The diagnosis of fistulas is based on the clinic, imaging tests such as CT and endoscopy, where the solution of continuity can be appreciated. This defect must be treated surgically or endoscopically, a technique that is currently on the rise due to its fewer complications

Perfil del usuario derivado desde Atención Primaria a una Unidad de Salud Mental / No disponible

Objetivo: la recogida y análisis de los datos de laactividad asistencial de una Unidad de Salud Mentaldeberían proporcionar elementos de reflexión para laplanificación de los Servicios y la formación de los profesionales.Resultados: en nuestro caso hemos analizado variablessociodemográficas y clínicas de los 1.224 casosnuevos atendidos durante el año 2008, siendo los datosmás llamativos la elevada proporción de mujeres (el70% de los casos) y la diferencia en la incidencia de losdiagnósticos según procedencia, edad o género.Conclusión: el perfil del usuario que acude a nuestroequipo de salud mental es una mujer, casada o en pareja,de 25 a 35 años, de nivel socioeconómico medio yprocedencia urbana que consulta por padecer un trastornoafectivo o de ansiedad(AU)

Objectives: the gathering and analysis of data relatingto the type of patients of a Mental Health Unit provideus with information which should be taken intoaccount as regards service planning and the formationof doctors.Results: we have analyzed socio-demographic andclinical variables of 1.224 new cases treated during2008. The most relevant data gathered refer to the higherproportion of female patients (70% of the cases) andthe difference of diagnoses depending on their provenance,age or gender.Conclusions: the most common profile of a patientseeking medical care in our Mental Health Unit is thatof a married woman, 25 to 35 years old, from a mediumsocio-economical level and with an urban provenance,affected by an affective or anxiety disorder(AU)

Agglomeration of alumina submicronparticles by silica nanoparticles: application to processing spheres by colloidal route.

In aqueous media, heterocoagulation between submicronic alumina (400 nm) and nanometric silica (25 nm) leads to the adsorption of silica on the alumina surface. By controlling the coverage rate of alumina particles, this adsorption destabilizes the suspension that leads to a very porous network of agglomerated particles. This work shows that the structure is all the more open as the density of charge carried by the two oxides is high and the ionic strength in the suspension low. From such a flocculated suspension, a new colloidal process to fabricate ceramic spheres is proposed which is based on a size increase of agglomerates. Under a controlled rotation of the vessel, electrostatic attraction between the surface charges of opposite polarity induces a size increase of agglomerates until the formation of spheres occurs. It has been shown that the mechanism of growth is poisoned by species adsorbed such as ions. Nevertheless, this new process proves very promising because it leads to a narrow size distribution of spheres by colloidal way, which can be subsequently consolidated by sintering, with a smooth surface.