wMel Wolbachia alters female post-mating behaviors and physiology in the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti.

Globally invasive Aedes aegypti disseminate numerous arboviruses that impact human health. One promising method to control Ae. aegypti populations is transinfection with Wolbachia pipientis, which naturally infects ~40-52% of insects but not Ae. aegypti. Transinfection of Ae. aegypti with the wMel Wolbachia strain induces cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), allows infected individuals to invade native populations, and inhibits transmission of medically relevant arboviruses by females. Female insects undergo post-mating physiological and behavioral changes-referred to as the female post-mating response (PMR)-required for optimal fertility. PMRs are typically elicited by male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) transferred with sperm during mating but can be modified by other factors, including microbiome composition. Wolbachia has modest effects on Ae. aegypti fertility, but its influence on other PMRs is unknown. Here, we show that Wolbachia influences female fecundity, fertility, and re-mating incidence and significantly extends the longevity of virgin females. Using proteomic methods to examine the seminal proteome of infected males, we found that Wolbachia moderately affects SFP composition. However, we identified 125 paternally transferred Wolbachia proteins, but the CI factor proteins (Cifs) were not among them. Our findings indicate that Wolbachia infection of Ae. aegypti alters female PMRs, potentially influencing control programs that utilize Wolbachia-infected individuals.

Antioxidant capacity and cytotoxic effect of an optimized extract of isabella grape (Vitis labrusca) on breast cancer cells.

The phenolic profile of Isabella grape (Vitis labrusca) offers beneficial properties to human health and makes it a functional food product. In order to better understand the phenolic compounds found in this grape variety and the biological effect they induce on breast cancer cells, an ultrasound-assisted extraction was carried out. During the extraction of polyphenols from Isabella grapes organically grown in Antioquia (Colombia), parameters such as frequency (33 kHz and 40 kHz), time and solvent were optimized to finally obtain a crude extract with antioxidant properties (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, ORAC: 293.22 ± 34.73 µmol of Trolox/g of sample), associated with a total polyphenol content (TPC) of 43.14 ± 5.00 mg GAE/g sample and a total anthocyanin content composed of 17.69 ± 2.59 mg of malvidin-3-glucoside/100 g of sample. MCF-7 breast cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of the optimized extract, and results show a decrease in cell viability related to mitochondrial membrane depolarization, ROS increase, and chromatin condensation. To determine the possible death induction mechanism, molecular docking was simulated to predict the molecular interactions between the most abundant phenolic compounds in Isabella grape and the main apoptosis-related proteins. The results obtained from in silico and in vitro experiments were consistent with each other, suggesting that the phenolic compounds found in Isabella grape can be considered potential adjuvant chemopreventive agents for the treatment of breast cancer.

Traceability of polyphenols in cocoa during the postharvest and industrialization processes and their biological antioxidant potential.

Noncommunicable diseases, the leading cause of mortality around the world, are responsible for approximately 75% of premature adult deaths (ages 30-69). To tackle this issue, a healthy diet based on functional foods, including cocoa and its derivatives, has been increasingly promoted. The polyphenols present in cocoa have been of interest due to their antioxidant potential and their possible protective role in the context of noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. However, during cocoa postharvest and industrialization, the concentration of these bioactive compounds is reduced, possibly affecting their health-promoting properties. Therefore, this paper reviews in the literature in this field to find the total polyphenol content in cocoa during the postharvest and industrialization processes in order to define concentration ranges as a reference point for future research. In addition, it discusses in vitro and in vivo studies into the biological antioxidant potential of cocoa and its derivatives. This review covers publications in indexed databases from 2010 to 2020, their data were processed and presented here using box plots. As a result, we identified the concentration ranges of polyphenols depending on the type of matrix, treatment and country, as well as their relationship with the main bioactive compounds present in cocoa that are associated with their possible antioxidant biological potential and health-related benefits.

Coroideremia familiar: reporte de caso con énfasis en la evolución clínica y adquisición de discapacidad visual / Familiar choroideremia: case report with emphasis on clinical evolution and acquisition of visual impairment

Resumen La coroideremia es una enfermedad retiniana hereditaria que se caracteriza por la degeneración progresiva coriocapilar de coroides y retina; esta tiene la capacidad de limitar el funcionamiento y generar discapacidad, afectando el desempeño de la persona en el ámbito familiar, social y profesional, al producir dificultades en la comunicación, la movilidad, el desplazamiento y la gestión de su diario vivir. Esta condición de salud ocular se origina por una mutación del gen que codifica la proteína RabEscort-1, ubicada en el cromosoma Xq21. Su fisiopatología no es clara, y los reportes de caso de coroideremia familiar son escasos en Latinoamérica. Se reporta el caso de un hombre de 54 años con nictalopía y pérdida progresiva de agudeza visual, con un hermano menor con coroideremia y primo materno con sospecha de dicha enfermedad, con énfasis en evolución clínica, hallazgos al fondo de ojo y progresión a discapacidad categoría visual, tipo baja visión. MÉD.UIS. 2020;33(2):109-115.

Abstract Choroideremia is a hereditary retinal disease characterized by progressive choroidal and retinal choriocapillary degeneration, it has the ability to limit functioning and generate disability, affecting the persons performance in the family, social and professional environment, by causing difficulties in communication, mobility, displacement and management of your daily life. This eye health condition is caused by a mutation of the gene that encodes the RabEscort-1 protein, located on the Xq21 chromosome. His pathophysiology is not clear, and case reports of familial choroideremia are sparse in Latin America. The case of a 54-year-old man with night blindness and progressive loss of visual acuity is reported, with a younger brother with choroideremia and maternal cousin with suspected disease, with emphasis on clinical evolution, fundus findings and progression to disability category visual, low vision type. MÉD.UIS. 2020;33(2):109-115.

Chemometric approaches for postharvest quality tracing of cocoa: An efficient method to distinguish plant material origin.

The aim of this study was to compare the quality of a mixture of cocoa harvested and fermented in three subregions of Antioquia (Colombia), from the chemometric profile based on multivariate statistical analysis. A mixture of clones CCN-52, ICS-1, FLE-2, and FEC-2 harvested in Bajo Cauca, Uraba and Magdalena Medio were subjected to a spontaneous fermentation. The characterization of raw and well-fermented cocoa was performed through 38 parameters, and results were compared by a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a Cluster Analysis (CA), followed by a Principal Factors Analysis (PFA- CA). The CA showed that there are differences among subregions only in raw cocoa from Bajo Cauca. PCA allowed identifying the variability between raw and fermented cocoa in a representative way and these results were consistent with the chemical profile. Besides, the number of parameters to differentiate raw cocoa from different subregions was reduced (11-13 parameters) and it was possible to characterize well fermented cocoa with only 10 parameters of 38. PFA-CA consolidated in three factors a grouping to identify the cocoa quality according to the process or interest of the sensory or functional properties. Factor 1 (cocoa quality indicators with functional properties), Factor 2 (indicators of quality of the beginning of fermentation) and Factor 3 (indicators of quality of well-fermented cocoa) each one with a weight of 39, 35 and 26 respectively.