Nutritional assessment, phytochemical composition and antioxidant analysis of the pulp and seed of medjool date grown in Mexico.

The aim of this study was the characterization of fatty acids, antioxidant activity, some physical properties, nutrient content, sugars, and minerals in the pulp and seeds of the date cultivar 'Medjool' (Phoenix dactylifera L.) grown in Mexico. The samples were obtained at maturity (Tamar) in the 2017 harvest season in the valleys of San Luis Rio Colorado and Mexicali, Mexico. The following average values were obtained on a % dry weight basis for pulp and seeds, respectively: protein, 3.14% and 4.84%; lipids, 0.75% and 9.94%; fiber, 6.34% and 66.79%; total sugars, 75.32% and 5.88%; reducing sugars, 70.26% and 4.40%; and sucrose, 5.06% and 1.46%. Analysis of the minerals revealed that the most abundant elements for the pulp were: potassium, 851.98 mg/100 g; magnesium, 142.97 mg/100 g; and phosphorus, 139.40 mg/100 g, whereas for the seeds, they were potassium, 413.36 mg/100 g; sulfur, 151.36 mg/100 g; and phosphorus, 92.42 mg/100 g. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the major unsaturated fatty acid was oleic acid, at 52.34% and 45.92%, respectively, for pulp and seeds. The main saturated fatty acids were palmitic acid (6.75%) and lauric acid (17.24%) in pulp and seeds, respectively. The total phenolic content was 1.16 and 13.73 mg GAE/100 g for pulp and seeds, respectively. Finally, the antioxidant activities were: b-carotene, 65.50% and 47.75%; DPPH, 0.079 IC50 g/L and 0.0046 IC50 g/L; and ABTS, 13.72 IC50 g/L and 0.238 IC50 g/L, respectively. The results obtained in this study confirm that the 'Medjool' cultivar grown in Mexico has the same quality of nutrients and antioxidants as those grown in the other main date-producing countries.

Galectin-1 promotes human neutrophil migration.

An important step of innate immune response is the recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) to injured tissues through chemotactic molecules. Galectins, a family of endogenous lectins, participate in numerous functions such as lymphoid cell migration, homing, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Particularly, galectin-3 (Gal-3) and -9 have been implicated in the modulation of acute and chronic inflammation by inducing the directional migration of monocytes/macrophages and eosinophils, whereas Gal-1 is considered to function as an anti-inflammatory molecule, capable of inhibiting the influx of PMN to the site of injury. In this study, we assessed the effect of Gal-1 on neutrophil recruitment, in the absence of additional inflammatory insults. Contrasting with its capacity to inhibit cell trafficking and modulate the release of mediators described in models of acute inflammation and autoimmunity, we evidenced that Gal-1 has the capacity to induce neutrophil migration both in vitro and in vivo. This effect is not mediated through a G-protein-coupled receptor but potentially through the sialoglycoprotein CD43, via carbohydrate binding and through the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. These results suggest a novel biological function for CD43 on neutrophils and highlight that depending on the environment, Gal-1 can act either as chemoattractant or, as a molecule that negatively regulates migration under acute inflammatory conditions, underscoring the potential of Gal-1 as a target for innovative drug development.

Current smoking status is associated to a non-ACR 50 response in early rheumatoid arthritis. A cohort study.

The purpose of this study is to determine factors associated with a non-ACR 50 response at 6 months of follow-up, in a cohort of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Early RA patients (symptom duration <1 year), treated with the same combination treatment (methotrexate and sulfasalazine), were included. Demographic characteristics of the patients including current smoker status (defined as a patient that smokes at least one cigarette per day), years of formal education, a 28-joint count for swelling and tenderness were registered. A basal HAQ questionnaire, visual scales for global assessment, and pain were answered by all patients, and a CDAI basal score was calculated. The ACR 50 response was determined at 6 months follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted ORs. Two hundred twenty-five patients were evaluated, but only 144 had a complete follow-up, 43% of the latter did not reach an ACR 50 response. The only factor associated with this outcome was current smoking (OR 3.58, P < 0.008, 95% CI 1.23-11.22). Low level of formal education (≤6 years) had a tendency towards a statistical difference (P < 0.08). After controlling with low level of formal education, sex, age in years, and CDAI baseline value with multivariable logistic regression analysis, current smoking status had an adjusted OR of 3.91 (P < 0.009, 95% CI 1.41-10.81). Smoking is associated with a non-ACR 50 response in early rheumatoid arthritis in patients treated with a combination therapy with methotrexate and sulfasalazine.

Betaglycan has two independent domains required for high affinity TGF-beta binding: proteolytic cleavage separates the domains and inactivates the neutralizing activity of the soluble receptor.

Betaglycan is a coreceptor for members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily. Mutagenesis has identified two ligand binding regions, one at the membrane-distal and the other at the membrane-proximal half of the betaglycan ectodomain. Here we show that partial plasmin digestion of soluble betaglycan produces two proteolysis-resistant fragments of 45 and 55 kDa, consistent with the predicted secondary structure, which indicates an intervening nonstructured linker region separating the highly structured N- and C-terminal domains. Amino terminal sequencing indicates that the 45 and 55 kDa fragments correspond, respectively, to the membrane-distal and -proximal regions. Plasmin treatment of membrane betaglycan results in the production of equivalent proteolysis-resistant fragments. The 45 and 55 kDa fragments, as well as their recombinant soluble counterparts, Sol Delta10 and Sol Delta11, bind TGF-beta, but nonetheless, compared to intact soluble betaglycan, have a severely diminished ability to block TGF-beta activity. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis indicates that soluble betaglycan has K(d)'s in the low nanomolar range for the three TGF-beta isoforms, while those for Sol Delta10 and Sol Delta11 are 1-2 orders of magnitude higher. SPR analysis further shows that the K(d)'s of Sol Delta11 are not changed in the presence of Sol Delta10, indicating that the high affinity of soluble betaglycan is a consequence of tethering the domains together. Overall, these results suggest that betaglycan ectodomain exhibits a bilobular structure in which each lobule folds independently and binds TGF-beta through distinct nonoverlapping interfaces and that linker modification may be an approach to improve soluble betaglycan's TGF-beta neutralizing activity.

T cell aggregation induced through CD43: intracellular signals and inhibition by the immunomodulatory drug leflunomide.

The CD43 coreceptor molecule has been shown to participate in lymphocyte adhesion and activation. Leukocyte homotypic aggregation results from a cascade of intracellular signals delivered to the cells upon engagement of different cell-surface molecules with their natural ligands. This phenomenon requires an active metabolism, reorganization of the cytoskeleton, and relocalization of cell-surface molecules. The aim of this study was to identify some of the key members of the signaling cascade leading to T lymphocyte homotypic aggregation following CD43 engagement. CD43-mediated homotypic aggregation of T lymphocytes required the participation of Src kinases, phospholipase C-gamma2, protein kinase C, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, as well as extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38. Data shown here suggest that these signaling molecules play a central role in regulating actin cytoskeleton remodeling after CD43 ligation. We also evaluated the ability of immunomodulatory drugs such as leflunomide to block the CD43-mediated homotypic aggregation. Leflunomide blocked the recruitment of targets of the Src family kinases as well as actin polymerization, diminishing the ability of T lymphocytes to aggregate in response to CD43-specific signals, suggesting that this drug might control the migration and recruitment of lymphoid cells to inflamed tissues.

Uso de antimicrobianos profilácticos en cirugía y gineco-obstetricia / Use of prophylactic antibiotics in surgery and obstetrics and gynecology

El concepto de guías terapéuticas no es nuevo y aunque se conocen las limitaciones en el uso de las mismas a nivel clínico, se considera como una de las herramientas adecuadas para promover el uso adecuado de antimicrobianos, el cual se considera una de las herramientas básicas para la prevención de la diseminación de la resistencia bacteriana. La Oficina Sanitaria Panamericana promovió durante los años 2001 y 2002 la creación de una Guía Genérica de tratamiento de las enfermedades infecciosas más comunes en el continente americano. Un grupo de especialistas latinoamericanos desarrolló el concepto y logró...

Antitumor activity of a recombinant soluble betaglycan in human breast cancer xenograft.

We have demonstrated previously that ectopic expression of a soluble betaglycan, also known as transforming growth factor (TGF) beta type III receptor, can suppress the malignant properties of human carcinoma cells by antagonizing the tumor-promoting activity of TGF-beta (A. Bandyopadhyay et al., Cancer Res., 59: 5041-5046, 1999). In the current study, we investigated the potential therapeutic utility of a recombinant preparation of human and rat soluble betaglycan (sBG). Purified recombinant human sBG showed similar properties to its rat counterpart (M. M. Vilchis-Landeros et al., Biochem J., 355: 215-222, 2001). It bound TGF-beta with high affinity and isoform selectivity and neutralized the activity of TGF-beta(1) in two bioassays. Peritumoral (50 micro g/tumor, twice a week) or i.p. (100 micro g/animal, every alternate day) injection of sBG into human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 xenograft-bearing athymic nude mice significantly inhibited the tumor growth. The administration of sBG also reduced metastatic incidence and colonies in the lungs. The tumor-inhibitory activity of sBG was found to be associated with the inhibition of angiogenesis. Systemic sBG treatment significantly reduced tumor microvessel density detected with histological analyses and CD-31 immunostainings, as well as tumor blood volume measured with hemoglobin content. In an in vitro angiogenesis assay, treatment with the recombinant sBG significantly reduced the ability of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells to form a capillary tube-like structure on Matrigel. These findings support the conclusion that sBG treatment suppresses tumor growth and metastasis, at least in part by inhibiting angiogenesis. As such, it could be a useful therapeutic agent to antagonize the tumor-promoting activity of TGF-beta.

Utilidad del fragmento 1 + 2 de protrombina y del dímero de fibrina en la detección de hipercoagulabilidad en pacientes obstétricos con factores de riesgo de trombosis / Usefulness of 1 + 2 prothrombin fragment and of dimer of fibrin in detecting hyporcoagulability in obstetricial patients with thrombosis risk

La cuantificación del fragmento 1+2 de protrombina se hizo por método inmunoenzimático en 75 mujeres (55 embarazas y 20 post-cesárea) y el dímero D por determinación semicuantitativa mediante aglutinación en placa en 97 casos (77 embarazadas y 20 post-cesárea). El fragmento 1+2 se encontró significativamente elevado en el 85 por ciento de los casos, sin embargo no mostró tener utilidad predictiva de enfermedad tromboembólica. La cuantificación del dímero D no fue detectada en 40 casos, en 33 fluctuó entre 500 y 1000 ng/ml y en los 24 restantes fue superior a los 2000 ng/ml. Valores mayores a 1000 ng/ml fueron observados en el 78 por ciento de las que tenían antecedentes de enfermedad tromboembólica, en las de cesárea 60 por ciento, en el 37 por ciento de las hipertensas y en 23 por ciento de las diabéticas. El dímero D que en el 59 por ciento de las embarazadas y puérperas registró valores superiores a 500 ng/ml tiene valor predictivo, ya que en 24 casos que cursaban con más de 2000 ng/ml, el 25 por ciento presentaron ETE y/o anormalidades de la coagulación sugestivos de actividad trombótica. Estos hallazgos no fueron observados en la 73 mujeres evaluadas que tuvieron dD negativo o < de 1000 ng/ml