ABSTRACT
Tannins are polyphenolic compounds that cause astringent flavor and turbidity in food. Tannase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of tannins and is used in food industry. This study was conducted to determine the genetic variability and the tannase alleles variation in fungal strains isolated from soil and plants at five extreme areas of Coahuila, México. Two screening assays under 1 and 20 % of tannic acid were performed, with the isolations. In these assays, it was possible to identify 756 and 128 fungal strains, respectively. The major fungal variability was observed in "Cuatro Ciénegas" with 26 strains. The microorganisms were distributed in 11 groups, which correspond to Aspergillus section Nigri. AN7 and AN1 groups showed the major number of isolates from "Paila" and "Cuatro Ciénegas" locations, respectively. In the last location, the major diversity and specific richness were found. But in "Ojo Caliente," tannase allele conservations were observed.
Subject(s)
Aspergillus/isolation & purification , Aspergillus/metabolism , Tannins/metabolism , Aspergillus/enzymology , Aspergillus/genetics , Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases/genetics , Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases/metabolism , Extreme Environments , Fungal Proteins/genetics , Fungal Proteins/metabolism , Mexico , Plants/microbiology , Soil MicrobiologyABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the fermentation of dietary fiber from green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and prickly pear shell (Opuntia ficus-indica) by Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Bifidobacterium bifidum 450B growing as mono-culture and co-culture, the fermentation products, and proteins expressed during this process. The analysis of the fermentation profile showed a major growth of bacteria in the culture media of each dietary fiber supplemented with glucose, and particularly B. bifidum 450B at 48 h showed the highest growth. In the case of the co-culture, the growth was lower indicating the possible negative interaction between L. acidophilus LA-5 and B. bifidum 450B and may be due to the less amount of carbohydrates and the high content of non-soluble fiber that affected the nutrients availability for the bacterial strains. The pH changes indicated the presence of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), being acetate (46-100%) the main SCFA. Changes in the proteome concerned proteins that are involved in carbohydrate and other carbohydrate pathways. The characterization of the bacteria according to the growth, metabolites, and proteins expressed allows understanding the response to the change of environmental conditions and could be useful to understand L. acidophilus LA-5 and B. bifidum 450B strains' adaptation to specific applications.
Subject(s)
Bifidobacterium bifidum/metabolism , Dietary Fiber/metabolism , Lactobacillus acidophilus/metabolism , Opuntia/metabolism , Phaseolus/metabolism , Environmental Microbiology , Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism , Fermentation/physiologyABSTRACT
Tannase is an enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of ester bonds present in tannins. Most of the scientific reports about this biocatalysis focus on aspects related to tannase production and its recovery; on the other hand, reports assessing the molecular aspects of the tannase gene or protein are scarce. In the present study, a tannase gene fragment from several Aspergillus strains isolated from the Mexican semidesert was sequenced and compared with tannase amino acid sequences reported in NCBI database using bioinformatics tools. The genetic relationship among the different tannase sequences was also determined. A conserved region of 7 amino acids was found with the conserved motif GXSXG common to esterases, in which the active-site serine residue is located. In addition, in Aspergillus niger strains GH1 and PSH, we found an extra codon in the tannase sequences encoding glycine. The tannase gene belonging to semidesert fungal strains followed a neutral evolution path with the formation of 10 haplotypes, of which A. niger GH1 and PSH haplotypes are the oldest.
Subject(s)
Aspergillus niger/enzymology , Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases/genetics , Fungal Proteins/genetics , Amino Acid Sequence , Base Sequence , Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases/chemistry , Conserved Sequence , Fungal Proteins/chemistry , Genes, Fungal , Haplotypes , Molecular Sequence Data , Molecular Typing , Mycological Typing Techniques , Phylogeny , Polymorphism, Genetic , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is one of the most widely used paradigms for assessing decision-making. An impairment in this process may be linked to several psychopathological disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance abuse disorder (SUD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which could make it a good candidate for being consider a transdiagnostic domain. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) has been proposed as a promising biomarker of decision-making. In this study, we aimed to identify idiosyncratic decision-making profiles among healthy people and impulsive-compulsive spectrum patients during the IGT, and to investigate the role of frontoparietal network (FPN) rsFC as a possible biomarker of different decision-making patterns. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), rsFC of 114 adults (34 controls; 25 OCD; 41 SUD; 14 ADHD) was obtained. Then, they completed the IGT. Hybrid clustering methods based on individual deck choices yielded three decision-makers subgroups. Cluster 1 (n = 27) showed a long-term advantageous strategy. Cluster 2 (n = 25) presented a maladaptive decision-making strategy. Cluster 3 (n = 62) did not develop a preference for any deck during the task. Interestingly, the proportion of participants in each cluster was not different between diagnostic groups. A Bayesian general linear model showed no credible differences in the IGT performance between diagnostic groups nor credible evidence to support the role of FPN rsFC as a biomarker of decision-making under the IGT context. This study highlights the importance of exploring in depth the behavioral and neurophysiological variables that may drive decision-making in clinical and healthy populations.
Subject(s)
Gambling , Substance-Related Disorders , Adult , Humans , Decision Making/physiology , Bayes Theorem , Neuropsychological Tests , BiomarkersABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To present here the experience of our Nutrition Therapy Team of the Hospital El Tunal, for the nutritional management of adult patients with caustic injuries to gastrointestinal tract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, descriptive study of patients with caustic injuries to gastrointestinal tract managed by our Nutrition Therapy Team between January 2000 and December 2007. We revisited the clinical history of patients with diagnosis of caustic injury. Various nutritional variables, as well as the evolution and outcome were pooled and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients, 17 male y 13 female with a mean age of 34.4 +/- 17.2 years old were found. The ingestion of caustics was suicidal intent in 22 (73.3%) and accidental in 8 (26.7%). The global mortality was high (43.3%). Weight loss was found in 46.9% of the patients and a negative nitrogen balance in 62.5%. Sixteen patients (53.12%) were managed with mixed nutrition (enteral and/or parenteral) for a mean time of 24 +/- 22 days. We compared two groups Moderate vs Severe, according to the severity of the caustic injury to gastrointestinal tract and found that mortality, the length of hospital stay and the final albumin value were significantly different among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Caustic injuries to gastrointestinal tract are not frequent, they are found mainly in young patients with suicidal intent and are associated with high mortality, especially in severe injuries. This aggression causes important catabolic state leading to a negative nitrogen balance and weight loss. These patients require early nutritional intervention sometimes extended for months.
Subject(s)
Burns, Chemical/drug therapy , Caustics/toxicity , Gastrointestinal Tract/injuries , Nutrition Therapy , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Levels of four antifungal proteins (AFPs) were determined in mature caryopses (40-45 days after anthesis) of eight grain mold resistant (GMR) and eight susceptible (GMS) sorghum lines using the immunoblot technique. These 16 lines came from the same cross and were selected for high and low grain mold resistance. The 16 lines were grown in eight environments over three years. In the environments with grain mold incidence, levels of sormatin, chitinases, and ribosomal inactivating proteins (RIP) in the GMR group were higher than those in the GMS group. In a grain mold-free environment, the GMR group had higher RIP and lower beta-1,3-glucanase levels than the GMS group. Unlike the GMS group, chitinase, sormatin, and RIP levels in the GMR group were higher in the environments with grain mold than in the mold-free environment. AFPs correlated among themselves and with grain mold resistance. Grain mold infection pressure caused GMR lines to induce and/or retain more AFPs compared to GMS lines. The coexpression of these four AFPs may be a necessary prerequisite for resistance to grain mold in sorghums without a pigmented testa.
Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/analysis , Edible Grain/chemistry , Plant Diseases , Plant Proteins/analysis , Immunity, InnateABSTRACT
Agro-industrial wastes have been used as substrate-support in solid state fermentation for enzyme production. Molasses and sugarcane bagasse are by-products of sugar industry and can be employed as substrates for invertase production. Invertase is an important enzyme for sweeteners development. In this study, a xerophilic fungus Aspergillus niger GH1 isolated of the Mexican semi-desert, previously reported as an invertase over-producer strain was used. Molasses from Mexico and Cuba were chemically analyzed (total and reducer sugars, nitrogen and phosphorous contents); the last one was selected based on chemical composition. Fermentations were performed using virgin and hydrolyzate bagasse (treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid). Results indicated that, the enzymatic yield (5231 U/L) is higher than those reported by other A. niger strains under solid state fermentation, using hydrolyzate bagasse. The acid hydrolysis promotes availability of fermentable sugars. In addition, maximum invertase activity was detected at 24 h using low substrate concentration, which may reduce production costs. This study presents an alternative method for invertase production using a xerophilic fungus isolated from Mexican semi-desert and inexpensive substrates (molasses and sugarcane bagasse).
Subject(s)
Aspergillus niger/growth & development , Aspergillus niger/metabolism , Molasses , Saccharum/metabolism , Waste Products , beta-Fructofuranosidase/isolation & purification , beta-Fructofuranosidase/metabolism , Aspergillus niger/isolation & purification , Carbohydrates/analysis , Cuba , Fermentation , Mexico , Nitrogen/analysis , Phosphorus/analysisABSTRACT
'Tar bush' and 'creosote bush' were substrates of fungal cultivation for tannase production and gallic acid and pyrocatechol accumulation. Aspergillus niger GH1 grew similarly on both plant materials under solid state culture conditions, reaching maximal levels after 4 d. Fungal strain degraded all tannin content of creosote bush after 4 d of fermentation and >75 % of tar bush after 5 d. Higher level of tannase activity was detected in tar bush fermentation. Biotransformation of tannins to gallic acid was high (93 % in creosote bush and 89 % in tar bush). Pyrocatechol was released poorly. Kinetic parameters of tannin conversion were calculated.
Subject(s)
Aspergillus niger/enzymology , Asteraceae/chemistry , Catechols/metabolism , Gallic Acid/metabolism , Larrea/chemistry , Tannins/metabolism , Aspergillus niger/growth & development , Biotransformation , Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases/biosynthesis , Cell Culture Techniques , Culture Media/metabolism , Industrial Microbiology/methods , Kinetics , Plant Leaves/chemistryABSTRACT
Agro-industrial wastes have been used as substrate-support in solid state fermentation for enzyme production. Molasses and sugarcane bagasse are by-products of sugar industry and can be employed as substrates for invertase production. Invertase is an important enzyme for sweeteners development. In this study, a xerophilic fungus Aspergillus niger GH1 isolated of the Mexican semi-desert, previously reported as an invertase over-producer strain was used. Molasses from Mexico and Cuba were chemically analyzed (total and reducer sugars, nitrogen and phosphorous contents); the last one was selected based on chemical composition. Fermentations were performed using virgin and hydrolyzate bagasse (treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid). Results indicated that, the enzymatic yield (5231 U/L) is higher than those reported by other A. niger strains under solid state fermentation, using hydrolyzate bagasse. The acid hydrolysis promotes availability of fermentable sugars. In addition, maximum invertase activity was detected at 24 h using low substrate concentration, which may reduce production costs. This study presents an alternative method for invertase production using a xerophilic fungus isolated from Mexican semi-desert and inexpensive substrates (molasses and sugarcane bagasse).
Subject(s)
Aspergillus niger/growth & development , Aspergillus niger/metabolism , Molasses , Saccharum/metabolism , Waste Products , beta-Fructofuranosidase/isolation & purification , beta-Fructofuranosidase/metabolism , Aspergillus niger/isolation & purification , Cuba , Carbohydrates/analysis , Fermentation , Mexico , Nitrogen/analysis , Phosphorus/analysisABSTRACT
An analysis in being made on the prevalent condition of abused children on a world wide level and in Mexico. As far as the importance of the theme is concerned, and the information that has been given to the different professional groups that deal with this social, medical problem, some basic facts of the syndrome are stressed. The participation that medical and paramedical community, government and society have are mentioned in order to achieve an integral solution to each case. Some ethical concepts are put forth and their consequences, whether they are realized or not in the attention given to any kind of battered child cases.
Subject(s)
Child Abuse , Ethics, Medical , Child , Child Abuse/diagnosis , Child Health Services , Global Health , Government Agencies , Humans , Mexico , Social ProblemsABSTRACT
The neurologic complication seen in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) has hardly been studied for which therefore its prevalence is unknown. Some of the clinical manifestations surrounding this event have been studied and have been divided into the following two groups: cervical articular spinal disease and extra-articular manifestations, more commonly seen in adults, the atlas-axoidal subluxation and the neuropathies. A group of 213 children diagnosed as having JRA according to the criteria setforth by the American Association of Rheumatology and followed by the Department of Internal Medicine of the National Institute of Pediatrics, 10 patients were found to have neurologic symptomatology (4.6%). Their arthritis was studied as well as their association with activity data and seropositivity. We found 6 female and 4 male patients with neurologic manifestations; their ages ranged from 7 to 14 years. Six of them were diagnosed with sero-positive polyarticular JRA and the other four with polyarticular sero-negative. All patients showed some activity and the appearance of the neurologic complications ranged between two months and seven years. No correlation was found between the beginning of the arthritis and the neurologic symptomatology, their sex or the type of arthritis. Seven of the cases showed peripheral neuropathy. Two cases had atlas-atloid subluxation and another child showed having cervical column inflammation with a rheumatoid pannus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Juvenile/complications , Nervous System Diseases/etiology , Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
In the National Institute of Pediatric were studied 35 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, in a prospective form, in order to asses pulmonary manifestations. Arthritis had between 5 months to five years of clinical evolution. The radiologic patterns of the lung correlated well with respiratory tests, without correlation with pulmonary gammagram which was normal in all the cases. Symptoms were not characteristic of any type of pulmonary lesion.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Juvenile/complications , Lung Diseases/etiology , Adolescent , Arthritis, Juvenile/diagnosis , Arthritis, Juvenile/epidemiology , Child , Female , Humans , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Lung Diseases/diagnosis , Lung Diseases/epidemiology , Male , Pleural Diseases/diagnosis , Pleural Diseases/epidemiology , Pleural Diseases/etiology , Prospective Studies , Radiography , Radionuclide Imaging , Respiratory Function Tests/statistics & numerical data , Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated AlbuminABSTRACT
We present the case of a four-year-old boy with a history of repeated upper respiratory tract infections and pyoderma. He presented fever, seizures, inability to talk, loss of swallowing, fine tremor in the upper extremities; positive bilateral Babinski reflex and quadriparesis. The diagnosis of Bruton's disease and generalized microporidiosis was based on immunologic analysis, smear tests with chromotrope R2 stain and indirect immunofluorescense with monoclonal 3B6 antibody for Encephalitozoon species in samples of spinal fluid, bronchial and paranasal sinus aspirates and stool, which were all positive. The patient was treated with albendazol during 72 days; he left the hospital in a good condition, walking, talking and able to swallow. His laboratory test controls were negative; he is followed up in the outpatient department.