Biochemical precursor effects on the fatty acid production in cell suspension cultures of Theobroma cacao L.

Cocoa butter (CB) is composed of 96% palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic fatty acids that are responsible for the hardness, texture and fusion properties of chocolate. Through in vitro plant cell culture it is possible to modify CB lipid profiles and to study the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway on a subcellular level, evaluating fundamental aspects to enhance in vitro fatty acid production in a specific and controlled way. In this research, culture media was supplemented with acetate, biotin, pyruvate, bicarbonate and glycerol at three different concentrations and the effects on the biomass production (g/L), cell viability, and fatty acids profile and production was evaluated in in vitro cell suspensions culture. It was found that biotin stimulated fatty acid synthesis without altering cell viability and cell growth. It was also evident a change in the lipid profile of cell suspensions, increasing middle and long chain fatty acids proportion, which are unusual to those reported in seeds; thus implying that it is possible to modify lipid profiles according to the treatment used. According to the results of sucrose gradients and enzyme assays performed, it is proposed that cacao cells probably use the pentose phosphate pathway, mitochondria being the key organelle in the carbon flux for the synthesis of reductant power and fatty acid precursors.

Analgesic effect and side effects of celecoxib and meloxicam in canine hip osteoarthritis / Efectos analgésicos y secundarios de celecoxib y meloxicam en osteoartritis de cadera canina

Objective. To evaluate the pharmacological, clinical and toxicological effects of celecoxib and meloxicam for analgesia for 30 days in dogs with hip osteoarthritis. Materials and methods. Twenty-four patients were evaluated, 75% were females with an average age of 7.16 ± 2.06 years and twenty five percent were males with an average age of 7.83 ± 2.22 years. All patients had hip osteoarthritis and they were randomized into two groups; one group received oral celecoxib 5 mg/kg every 12 hours during one month and the second group received oral meloxicam 0.2 mg/kg every 24 hours during 1 month. The patients were evaluated for analgesia, and hematological, renal, liver, and coagulation tests on days 0, 10th and 30th after treatment initiation, and a gastric endoscopy on day 30. Statistical analysis was performed using a HSD Tukey test and c² with a 5% level of statistical significance. Results. Both drugs reduced articular pain according to the Melbourne scale during the 30 days of treatment (p≤0.05). Hematological, renal, hepatic and coagulation tests were normal in both treatment groups. All patients presented chronic gastritis on endoscopy on day 30th. Conclusions. Both drugs decreased pain at day 30th without causing alterations in hematological, renal, hepatic or coagulation tests after 30 days of treatment. However, both drugs induced chronic gastritis.

Objetivos. Evaluar el efecto farmacológico, clínico y toxicológico de celecoxib y meloxicam utilizados como analgésicos durante 30 días en caninos con osteoartritis de cadera. Materiales y métodos. Fueron evaluados 24 pacientes, 75% hembras, con edad de 7.16 ± 2.06 años, y el 25% machos; con edad de 7.83 ± 2.22 años, todos tenían osteoartritis de cadera, se asignaron aleatoriamente a dos grupos; un grupo recibió celecoxib 5 mg/kg oral cada 12 horas durante 1 mes y el segundo grupo recibió 0.2 mg/kg de meloxicam, oral cada 24 horas durante 1 mes. Todos fueron evaluados por grado de analgesia y pruebas renales, hepáticas y de coagulación al día 0, 10 y 30. Se realizó una endoscopía gástrica al día 30. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó el test HSD Tukey y c², con nivel significancia del 5%. Resultados. Ambos tratamientos redujeron el dolor articular durante los 30 días, según la escala Melbourne (p≤0.05). Las variables hemáticas, renales, hepáticas y de coagulación estuvieron dentro de los valores normales sin diferencia. Todos presentaron gastritis crónica por endoscopia a los 30 días. Conclusiones. Ambos fármacos redujeron el dolor, ninguno tuvo efectos sobre la hematología, función renal, hepática y de coagulación a los 30 días; sin embargo, hubo gastritis crónica a los 30 días.

Efectos inmediatos de la manipulación occipito-atlo-axoidea en el apoyo podal: estudio baropodométrico / Immediate effects of occipito-atloaxoid manipulation on foot support: baropodometric study

Introducción: El equilibrio postural es mantenido gracias a un sistema de aferencias y eferencias en continua adaptación. El objetivo de estas adaptaciones es el mantenimiento de la horizontalidad de la mirada y los centros laberínticos. Para esto el raquis cervical superior tiene un rol importante asegurando la orientación de la cabeza en el espacio. Este estudio trata de evaluar el efecto sobre el apoyo de la normalización propioceptiva del raquis suboccipital. Objetivos: Evaluar cambios inmediatos en la distribución de presiones en el apoyo plantar tras la técnica de thrust occipitoatlo-axoidea (TOAA). Material y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio experimental controlado aleatorizado (ECCA) de carácter explicativo, simple ciego con estrategia de evaluador cegado. Se evaluó a cada sujeto antes y después de la intervención o placebo mediante plataforma de presión. Los sujetos fueron evaluados sin calzado y recibiendo órdenes protocolizadas. La muestra fue de 46 sujetos (25 hombres / 22 mujeres) con una edad media de 24,98±3,04 años. Se utilizó para la comparación intergrupal de la varianza el estadístico ANOVA para las variables paramétricas y la prueba U de Mann Whitney para las no paramétricas. Resultados: Se observó aumento de la «presión máxima» (p=0,044) y del «Porcentaje de carga sobre el pie izquierdo» (p=0,048) acercándolo al reparto equitativo bilateral. Conclusiones: La manipulación occipito-atlo-axoidea aumenta la presión máxima de apoyo y aproxima el porcentaje de carga al reparto equitativo bilateral en sujetos sanos. Los resultados inducen a pensar de cambios en el apoyo tras la técnica, lo cual debe ser comprobado en estudios posteriores con muestras más amplias (AU)

Introduction: Postural balance is maintained thanks to a continually changing system of inputs and outputs. The goal of these changes is to maintain the sight and labyrinthine centres horizontal. To do this, the upper cervical spine has an important role, ensuring the head’s direction within the area. This study is about assessing the effect on the support of proprioceptive normalisation of the suboccipital spine. Objectives: To assess immediate changes in pressure distribution on the arch support after occipito-atlo-axoid thrust (OAAT). Material and methods: A single blind randomised controlled trial (RCT) of an experimental explanatory nature was carried out using the strategy of a blind (no connection between the assessor and inspector) assessor. Each subject was assessed before and after the procedure or placebo using a pressure platform. The subjects were assessed without footwear receiving standardised orders. The sample had 46 subjects (25 men and 22 women) with an average age of 24.98±3.04. For comparison between groups of the variance for parametric variables, the ANOVA statistic was used and for the non-parametric variables the Mann Whitney U test was used. Results: An increase was seen in the «maximum pressure» (p=0.044) and in the «load percentage on the left foot» (p=0.048) coming close to equitable bilateral distribution. Conclusions: Occipito-atlo-axoid manipulation increases the maximum support pressure and approaches the percentage for equitable bilateral load distribution in healthy subjects. The results could lead to considering changes in support after the technique, which must be verified in later studies with larger samples (AU)

The helicase domain of the TMV replicase proteins induces the N-mediated defence response in tobacco.

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) induces the hypersensitive response (HR) in tobacco plants containing the N gene. This defence response is characterized by cell death at the site of virus infection and inhibition of viral replication and movement. A previous study indicated that a portion of the TMV replicase containing a putative helicase domain is involved in HR induction. Here, this observation is confirmed and extended by showing that non-viral expression of a 50 kDa TMV helicase fragment (p50) is sufficient to induce the N-mediated HR in tobacco. Like the HR elicited by TMV infection, transgenic expression of p50 induces a temperature-sensitive defence response. We demonstrate that recombinant p50 protein has ATPase activity, as suggested by the presence of conserved sequence motifs found in ATPase/helicase enzymes. A point mutation that alters one of these motifs abolishes ATPase activity in vitro but does not affect HR induction. These results suggest that features of the TMV helicase domain, independent of its enzymatic activity, are recognized by N-containing tobacco to induce TMV resistance.

Cell death and cell protection genes determine the fate of pistils in maize.

The formation of unisexual flowers in maize requires the selective elimination and sexual maturation of floral organs in an initially bisexual floral meristem. Elimination of pistil primordia occurs in the primary and secondary florets of the tassel spikelets, and in the secondary florets of ear spikelets. Ill-fated pistil cells undergo a cell death process associated with nuclear degeneration in a specific spatial-temporal pattern that begins in the subepidermis, eventually aborting the entire organ. The sex determination genes tasselseed1 and tasselseed2 are required for death of pistil cells. tasselseed1 is required for the accumulation of TASSELSEED2 mRNA in pistil cells. All pistil primordia express TASSELSEED2 RNA but functional pistils found in ear spikelets are protected from cell death by the action of the silkless1 gene. silkless1 blocks tasselseed-induced cell death in the pistil primordia of primary ear florets. A model is proposed for the control of pistil fate by the action of the ts1-ts2-sk1 pathway.

Actividad hipolipemiate del extracto del fruto de Solanum melongena / Hypolipemiant activity of extract of fruit of Solanum melongena

Se demostró que el extracto alcohólico del fruto solanum melongena presenta actividad hipocolesterolemiante significativa en ratas a las que se llevó a hipercolesterolemia por la adición de aceite de coco a la dieta que recibían desde la ablactación. Mediante un estudio histopatológico de la aorta se estableció el efecto de la dieta y los tratamientos (extracto, probucol y agua destilada) sobre el grado de lesión aterosclerótica, sin encontrar diferencia significativa entre ellos

The sex determination process in maize.

Maize partitions the sexes into different flowers on the plant, a condition called monoecy, which facilitates outcrossing. Sex determination in maize is a complex process involving an interplay between genetic determinants, the environment, and hormones. Unisexuality of flowers is achieved by the process of selective arrest and abortion of the inappropriate organ primordia within a bisexual floral meristem. Floral organ abortion is associated with the degeneration of cells within an immature primordia. Masculinizing genes are required for gynoecial abortion, feminizing genes arrest stamen development, and both types also control secondary sexual traits involving morphological characteristics of floral tissues. Gibberellins, steroid-like plant hormones, appear to play a pivotal role in the stamen abortion process and the feminization of floral tissues.

Sex determination in flowering plants.

In many ways, plants offer unique systems through which to study sex determination. Because the production of unisexual flowers has evolved independently in many plant species, different and novel mechanisms may be operational. Hence, there is probably not one unifying mechanism that explains sex determination in plants. Advances in our understanding of sex determination will come from the analysis of the genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry of genes controlling sexual determination in plants. Several excellent model systems for bisexual floral development (Arabidopsis and Antirrhinum), monoecy (maize), and dioecy (Silene, asparagus, and mercury) are available for such analyses. The important questions that remain concern the mechanism of action of sex determination genes and their interrelationship, if any, with homeotic genes that determine the sexual identity of floral organ primordia. At the physiological level, the connection between hormone signaling and sexuality is not well understood, although significant correlations have been discovered. Finally, once the genes that regulate these processes are identified, cloned, and studied, new strategies for the manipulation of sexuality in plants should be forthcoming.

Sex determination gene TASSELSEED2 of maize encodes a short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase required for stage-specific floral organ abortion.

Maize produces separate unisexual flowers through programmed abortion of preformed organ primordia. In the male inflorescence (tassel), stamen primordia develop to sexual maturity, while gynoecia (pistil primordia) are aborted. In tasselseed2 (ts2) mutant plants, floral structures in the tassel adopt a female developmental program. Here we report the transposon tagging and cloning of the TS2 gene, which plays a late but pivotal role in determining the sexual fate of floral meristems. Shortly before abortion of the gynoecium, Ts2 mRNA is expressed subepidermally in that primordium. Phenotypic instability of the Activator (Ac)-induced allele ts2-m1 indicates that late restoration of TS2 action in somatic tissues, which is correlated with Ac excision, reactivates the male developmental program. The predicted amino acid sequence of the Ts2 protein shows significant similarity to short-chain alcohol dehydrogenases, particularly hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases.

[Attributable risk: its forms, uses and interpretation]. / Riesgo atribuible: sus formas, usos e interpretación.

The concept of Attributable Risk, described for the first time more than three decades ago, is rarely used in the analysis and interpretation of epidemiologic studies, despite its interest and importance in methodologic developments of the last years. This paper describes the different forms of Attributable Risk, their applications, and the limitations for their use. The possible reasons that could explain why its use has been set aside by modern academic epidemiology are also discussed.