Influence of Fruit Load Regulation on Harvest and Postharvest Fruit Quality and Antioxidant-Related Parameters in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.) cv. Regina Cultivated under Plastic Covers in Southern Chile.

Plastic covers have been used to prevent environmental constraints negatively affecting sweet cherry production in Southern Chile. However, less information is available on agronomic practices and their effects on fruit quality in sweet cherry covered orchards. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the impact of fruit load regulation on cherries' antioxidant-related parameters and the quality and condition at harvest and postharvest in sweet cherry (Prunus avium) cv. Regina that was cultivated under a plastic cover in Southern Chile. For this, four fruit load treatments were manually applied-(i) 100% fruit load (the control), (ii) 80% fruit load, (iii) 60% fruit load, and (iv) 40% fruit load-in a commercial sweet cherry orchard for two seasons (2021/2022 and 2022/2023). The results revealed that the yield and fruit load were not significantly different between the treatments. Interestingly, the 60% and 40% fruit loads increased the fresh weight, fruit size, and firmness (20.3%) compared to the control (the 100% fruit load) during both seasons. Likewise, the 60% and 40% fruit load treatments exhibited the highest fruit size distribution of 30 mm, while the 100 and 80% fruit load treatments showed the highest fruit distribution with fruit sizes between 28 mm and 24 mm. The total soluble solids (TSSs) did not vary among the fruit load treatments, while a significant increase was found in the titratable acidity (TA) in the 60 and 40% fruit load treatments during both seasons. No significant differences in antioxidant activity (AA) and total phenols (TPHs) among the treatments were observed during both seasons. Overall, the results revealed that the fruit load treatments, mainly 40%, increased the fruit weight and firmness and reduced pitting in fruits by 39.4% at postharvest. Thus, fruit thinning might be an important agronomical practice to regulate fruit load, positively affecting fruit quality at harvest and during postharvest storage in sweet cherry cv. Regina cultivated under a plastic cover. However, more biochemical and molecular studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism involved in this improvement.

Diurnal High Temperatures Affect the Physiological Performance and Fruit Quality of Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cv. Legacy.

In this study, the physiological performance and fruit quality responses of the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) cultivar Legacy to high temperatures (HTs) were evaluated in a field experiment. Three-year-old V. corymbosum plants were exposed to two temperature treatments between fruit load set and harvest during the 2022/2023 season: (i) ambient temperature (AT) and (ii) high temperature (HT) (5 °C ± 1 °C above ambient temperature). A chamber covered with transparent polyethylene (100 µm thick) was used to apply the HT treatment. In our study, the diurnal temperature was maintained with a difference of 5.03 °C ± 0.12 °C between the AT and HT treatments. Our findings indicated that HT significantly decreased CO2 assimilation (Pn) by 45% and stomatal conductance (gs) by 35.2% compared to the AT treatment. By contrast, the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) showed higher levels (about 6%) in HT plants than in AT plants. Fruit quality analyses revealed that the fruit weight and equatorial diameter decreased by 39% and 13%, respectively, in the HT treatment compared to the AT treatment. By contrast, the firmness and total soluble solids (TSS) were higher in the HT treatment than in the AT treatment. Meanwhile, the titratable acidity showed no changes between temperature treatments. In our study, Pn reduction could be associated with stomatal and non-stomatal limitations under HT treatment. Although these findings improve our understanding of the impact of HTs on fruit growth and quality in V. corymbosum, further biochemical and molecular studies are need.

Strategic restoration planning for land birds in the Colorado River Delta, Mexico.

Ecological restoration is an essential strategy for mitigating the current biodiversity crisis, yet restoration actions are costly. We used systematic conservation planning principles to design an approach that prioritizes restoration sites for birds and tested it in a riparian forest restoration program in the Colorado River Delta. Restoration goals were to maximize the abundance and diversity of 15 priority birds with a variety of habitat preferences. We built abundance models for priority birds based on the current landscape, and predicted bird distributions and relative abundances under a scenario of complete riparian forest restoration throughout our study area. Then, we used Zonation conservation planning software to rank this restored landscape based on core areas for all priority birds. The locations with the highest ranks represented the highest priorities for restoration and were located throughout the river reach. We optimized how much of the available landscape to restore by simulating restoration of the top 10-90% of ranked sites in 10% intervals. We found that total diversity was maximized when 40% of the landscape was restored, and mean relative abundance was maximized when 80% of the landscape was restored. The results suggest that complete restoration is not optimal for this community of priority birds and restoration of approximately 60% of the landscape would provide a balance between maximum relative abundance and diversity. Subsequent planning efforts will combine our results with an assessment of restoration costs to provide further decision support for the restoration-siting process. Our approach can be applied to any landscape-scale restoration program to improve the return on investment of limited economic resources for restoration.

Pre-Harvest Salicylic Acid Application Affects Fruit Quality and Yield under Deficit Irrigation in Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Plants.

Salicylic acid (SA) application is a promising agronomic tool. However, studies under field conditions are required, to confirm the potential benefits of SA. Thus, SA application was evaluated under field conditions for its effect on abscisic acid levels, antioxidant related-parameters, fruit quality, and yield in Aristotelia chilensis subjected to different levels of irrigation. During two growing seasons, three-year-old plants under field conditions were subjected to full irrigation (FI: 100% of reference evapotranspiration (ETo), and deficit irrigation (DI: 60% ETo). During each growth season, a single application of 0.5 mM SA was performed at fruit color change by spraying fruits and leaves of both irrigation treatments. The results showed that DI plants experienced moderate water stress (-1.3 MPa), which increased ABA levels and oxidative stress in the leaves. The SA application facilitated the recovery of all physiological parameters under the DI condition, increasing fruit fresh weight by 44%, with a 27% increase in fruit dry weight, a 1 mm increase in equatorial diameter, a 27% improvement in yield per plant and a 27% increase in total yield, with lesser oxidative stress and tissue ABA levels in leaves. Also, SA application significantly increased (by about 10%) the values of fruit trait variables such as soluble solids, total phenols, and antioxidant activity, with the exceptions of titratable acidity and total anthocyanins, which did not vary. The results demonstrated that SA application might be used as an agronomic strategy to improve fruit yield and quality, representing a saving of 40% regarding water use.

Con qué medicamentos están siendo tratados los pacientes con trastorno afectivo bipolar en Colombia / Which drugs are being treated patients with bipolar affective disorder in Colombia / Com quais medicamentos os pacientes com transtorno afetivo bipolar estão sendo tratados na Colômbia?

Introducción:El trastorno bipolar (TB) es una condición psiquiátrica grave caracterizada por alteraciones progresivas en las funciones sociales y cognitivas. Objetivo:Determinar cuáles son los medicamentos con que se está tratando a un grupo de pacientes con diagnóstico de TB, afiliados al Sistema de Salud de Colombia.Materiales y métodos:Estudio de corte para identificar prescripciones de medicamentos de pacientes ambulatorios de cualquier edad y sexo con TB, a partir de una base de datos poblacional de dispensaciones. Se consideraron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y farmacológicas buscando medicamentos en indicaciones aprobadas y no aprobadas por agencias reguladoras.Resultados:Se identificaron 1334 pacientes, con edad media de 40,2±18,5 años y 50% eran mujeres. Un total de 809 (60,6%) pacientes eran tratados en monoterapia principalmente con ácido valproico (286/615 pacientes, 46,4%), quetiapina (259/525, 49,3%) y Carbonato de Litio (98/275, 35,6%). Las combinaciones más comunes de fármacos para su tratamiento fueron ácido valproico más quetiapina (n=162, 12,1%), ácido valproico más risperidona (n=73, 5,5%) y carbonato de litio más quetiapina (n=62, 4,6%). El 57,4% (n=766) tenían prescripciones de fármacos con indicaciones no aprobadas.Conclusiones:Los pacientes con TB son tratados principalmente en monoterapia y más de la mitad estaba recibiendo fármacos en indicaciones no aprobadas.

Introduction:Bipolar disorder (BP) is a serious psychiatric condition characterized by progressive changes in social and cognitive functions. Objective: To determine which medications are being used to treat a group of patients diagnosed with BP who receive treatment from the Colombian Health System. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study to identify medication prescriptions of outpatients (regardless of their age) using a population database. Sociodemographic, clinical, and pharmacological variables were considered, searching for medications that are both approved and not approved by regulatory agencies. Results: 1,334 patients were identified, who had a mean age of 40.2±18.5 years, 50% of which were women. A total of 809 (60.6%) patients followed monotherapy, mainly using valproic acid (286/615 patients, 46.4%), quetiapine (259/525, 49.3%), and lithium carbonate (98/275, 35.6%). The most common combination of medications to treat these patients were valproic acid combined withquetiapine (n=162, 12.1%), valproic acid combined withrisperidone (n=73, 5.5%), and lithium carbonate combined withquetiapine (n=62, 4,6%). 57.4% (n=766) of patients had prescriptions with non-approved medications. Conclusions: BPpatients are mostly treated with monotherapy and more than half of them received drugs that are not approved.

Introdução:O transtorno bipolar (TB) é uma condição psiquiátrica grave caracterizada por alterações progressivas nas funções sociais e cognitivas. Objetivo:Determinar quais medicamentos estão sendo usados para tratar um grupo de pacientes diagnosticados com TB, vinculados ao Sistema de Saúde da Colômbia. Materiais e métodos:Estudo transversal para identificação de prescrições de medicamentos para pacientes ambulatoriais de qualquer idade e sexo com TB, a partir de um banco de dados populacional de dispensações. Foram consideradas variáveis sociodemográficas, clínicas e farmacológicas, buscando medicamentos em indicações aprovadas e não aprovadas pelos órgãos reguladores. Resultados:Foram identificados 1.334 pacientes, com média de idade de 40,2 ± 18,5 anos, sendo 50% mulheres. Um total de 809 (60,6%) pacientes foram tratados em monoterapia principalmente com ácido valpróico (286/615 pacientes, 46,4%), quetiapina (259/525, 49,3%) e carbonato de lítio (98/275, 35,6%). As combinações medicamentosas mais comuns paraseu tratamento foram ácido valpróico mais quetiapina (n=162, 12,1%), ácido valpróico mais risperidona (n=73, 5,5%) e carbonato de lítio mais quetiapina (n=62, 5,5%).4,6 %). 57,4% (n=766) tinham prescrições de medicamentos com indicações não aprovadas. Conclusões:Os pacientes com TB são tratados principalmente com monoterapia e mais da metade estava recebendo medicamentos em indicações não aprovadas.

Correction: Bustamante et al. Impact of Potassium Pre-Harvest Applications on Fruit Quality and Condition of Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.) Cultivated under Plastic Covers in Southern Chile Orchards. Plants 2021, 10, 2778.

In the original publication [...].

Plastic Covers and Potassium Pre-Harvest Sprays and Their Influence on Antioxidant Properties, Phenolic Profile, and Organic Acids Composition of Sweet Cherry Fruits Cultivated in Southern Chile.

In rainy areas, sweet cherries are cultivated under plastic covers, preventing the cracking of the fruit but decreasing the firmness and acidity of the cherries. We evaluated the impact of plastic cover and pre-harvest K foliar application on quality parameters, antioxidant properties, and phenolic and organic acid compositions in fruits of sweet cherry cv. Regina of Southern Chile. Our results showed that K+ increased firmness, total soluble content, size, fruit weight, and titratable acidity at harvest, independent of the cover factor. The positive impacts of foliar K fertilization on anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids could explain the higher antioxidant capacity of fruits. Our study revealed that the additional K doses applied increased malic acid, the main organic acid in cherry fruits, but only in fruits from uncovered trees. In covered trees, the effect was reversed. Citric acid was higher in fruit from covered trees. Our results indicated that tartaric acid also increased with the application of higher K doses; however, this acid was detectable only in uncovered tree fruit. Interestingly, all organic acids were lower in fruits produced in the lower canopy than those detected in fruits harvested from the upper canopy. This showed the positive impact of canopy light exposure on maintaining suitable acidity levels in sweet cherry fruits.

Structural Modelling of KCNQ1 and KCNH2 Double Mutant Proteins, Identified in Two Severe Long QT Syndrome Cases, Reveals New Insights into Cardiac Channelopathies.

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiac channelopathy characterized by a prolongation of the QT interval and T-wave abnormalities, caused, in most cases, by mutations in KCNQ1, KCNH2, and SCN5A. Although the predominant pattern of LQTS inheritance is autosomal dominant, compound heterozygous mutations in genes encoding potassium channels have been reported, often with early disease onset and more severe phenotypes. Since the molecular mechanisms underlying severe phenotypes in carriers of compound heterozygous mutations are unknown, it is possible that these compound mutations lead to synergistic or additive alterations to channel structure and function. In this study, all-atom molecular dynamic simulations of KCNQ1 and hERG channels were carried out, including wild-type and channels with compound mutations found in two patients with severe LQTS phenotypes and limited family history of the disease. Because channels can likely incorporate different subunit combinations from different alleles, there are multiple possible configurations of ion channels in LQTS patients. This analysis allowed us to establish the structural impact of different configurations of mutant channels in the activated/open state. Our data suggest that channels with these mutations show moderate changes in folding energy (in most cases of stabilizing character) and changes in channel mobility and volume, differentiating them from each other and from WT. This would indicate possible alterations in K+ ion flow. Hetero-tetrameric mutant channels showed intermediate structural and volume alterations vis-à-vis homo-tetrameric channels. These findings support the hypothesis that hetero-tetrameric channels in patients with compound heterozygous mutations do not necessarily lead to synergistic structural alterations.

Pre-Harvest MeJA Application Counteracts the Deleterious Impact of Al and Mn Toxicity in Highbush Blueberry Grown in Acid Soils.

Volcanic ash-derived soils are characterized by low pH (pH ≤ 5.5) with increased concentrations of aluminum (Al3+) and manganese (Mn2+), which decreases plant growth, fruit quality, and yield. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) improves abiotic stress tolerance. Our work aimed to evaluate the application of MeJA's impact on the growth, antioxidant defense, and fruit quality of highbush blueberry grown under Al and Mn toxicity. A field assay was conducted with four-year-old bushes of highbush blueberry cultivar Legacy under eight treatments (Control, Al (87% of Al saturation), Mn (240 mg kg-1), and Al-Mn with and without MeJA application). Physiological, biochemical, and fruit quality parameters were measured. Growth rate significantly decreased with Al (20%), Mn (45%), and Al-Mn (40%). MeJA application recovered the growth rate. Photosynthetic parameters were not affected. Antioxidant activity increased under all treatments compared with controls, being higher with MeJA application. Total phenols (TP) were decreased in plants under Al (43%) and Mn (20%) compared with controls. MeJA application increased TP in all treatments. Fruits of bushes under Al and Mn toxicity with MeJA applications exhibited an increase in fruit firmness and weight, maintaining suitable contents of soluble solids. Our results provide insights about the beneficial effect of MeJA application on growth, antioxidant properties, and fruit quality of highbush blueberry plants grown in acid soils under Al and Mn toxicity.

Impact of Potassium Pre-Harvest Applications on Fruit Quality and Condition of Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.) Cultivated under Plastic Covers in Southern Chile Orchards.

In rainy locations, sweet cherry is cultivated under plastic covers, which are useful to prevent fruit cracking but decrease cherry quality such as firmness and acidity. Here we evaluate the impact of pre-harvest K foliar applications on harvest and post-harvest fruit quality and condition of sweet cherry cultivated under plastic covers in southern Chile orchards. The study was performed on two commercial orchards (cv. Regina), located in different regions, during two consecutive seasons. In all cases, a conventional K regime (four sprays) was compared to an intensive K regimen (seven sprays). Results showed that cherries from the most southern region revealed lower acidity but higher soluble solids content weight and size. The intensive K regime improved the firmness and acidity of fruits of covered trees at harvest and post-harvest. Moreover, we found that condition defects were higher in fruits from un-covered trees and that trees grown under intensive K regime showed lower levels of cracking at harvest and pitting at post-harvest compared to trees treated with the conventional K regime. Otherwise, pedicel browning was inconsistently affected by K sprays. Our results revealed that an intensive K regime could improve the quality and condition of fruits at harvest and post-harvest in covered orchards of sweet cherry cv. Regina; however, the impacts can significantly vary depending on season and locality.

Differential mechanisms between traditionally established and new highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars reveal new insights into manganese toxicity resistance.

In acid soils, manganese (Mn) concentration increases, becoming toxic to plants. Mn toxicity differentially affects physiological processes in highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars. However, the mechanisms involved in Mn toxicity of the new and traditionally established cultivars are unknown. To understand Mn toxicity mechanisms, four traditionally established (Legacy, Brigitta, Duke, and Star) cultivars and two recently introduced to Chile (Camellia and Cargo) were grown under hydroponic conditions subjected to control Mn (2 µM) and Mn toxicity (1000 µM). Physiological, biochemical, and molecular parameters were evaluated at 0, 7, 14, and 21 days. We found that the relative growth rate was reduced in almost all blueberry cultivars under Mn toxicity, except Camellia, with Star being the most affected. The photosynthetic parameters were reduced only in Star by Mn treatment. Leaf Mn concentrations increased in all cultivars, exhibiting the lowest levels in Camellia and Cargo. Brigitta and Duke exhibited higher ß-carotene levels, while Cargo exhibited a reduction under toxic Mn. In Legacy, lutein levels increased under Mn toxicity. Traditionally established cultivars exhibited higher antioxidant activity than the new cultivars under Mn toxicity. The Legacy and Duke cultivars increased VcMTP4 expression with Mn exposure time. A multivariate analysis separated Legacy and Duke from Camellia; Star and Cargo; and Brigitta. Our study demonstrated that Mn toxicity differentially affects physiological, biochemical, and molecular features in the new and traditionally established cultivars, with Legacy, Duke, Camellia, and Cargo as the Mn-resistant cultivars differing in their Mn-resistance mechanisms and Star as the Mn-sensitive cultivar.

The Anti-Proliferative and Anti-Invasive Effect of Leaf Extracts of Blueberry Plants Treated with Methyl Jasmonate on Human Gastric Cancer In Vitro Is Related to Their Antioxidant Properties.

Gastric cancer is the third main cause of cancerous tumors in humans in Chile. It is well-accepted that a diet rich in antioxidant plants could help in fighting cancer. Blueberry is a fruit crop with a high content of antioxidants. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a phytohormone involved in plant defenses under stress conditions. The exogenous application of MeJA can improve the antioxidant properties in plants. We studied in vitro and in vivo anticancer action on human gastric cancer (cell line AGS) and the antioxidant properties of extracts from blueberry plants untreated and treated with MeJA. The results demonstrated that leaf extracts displayed a higher inhibition of cancer cell viability as well as greater antioxidant properties compared to fruit extracts. Besides, MeJA applications to plants improved the antioxidant properties of leaf extracts (mainly anthocyanins), increasing their inhibition levels on cell viability and migration. It is noteworthy that leaf extract from MeJA-treated plants significantly decreased cancer cell migration and expression of gastric cancer-related proteins, mainly related to the mitogen-activating protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Interestingly, in all cases the anticancer and antioxidant properties of leaf extracts were strongly related. Despite highlighted outcomes, in vivo results did not indicate significant differences in Helicobacter pylori colonization nor inflammation levels in Mongolian gerbils unfed and fed with blueberry leaf extract. Our findings demonstrated that MeJA increased antioxidant compounds, mainly anthocyanins, and decreased the viability and migration capacity of AGS cells. In addition, leaf extracts from MeJA-treated plants were also able to decrease the expression of gastric cancer-related proteins. Our outcomes also revealed that the anthocyanin-rich fraction of blueberry leaf extracts showed higher in vitro antiproliferative and anti-invasive effects than the crude leaf extracts. However, it is still uncertain whether the leaf extracts rich in anthocyanins of blueberry plants are capable of exerting a chemopreventive or chemoprotective effect against gastric cancer on an in vivo model.

Oximetry and neonatal examination for the detection of critical congenital heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Undiagnosed congenital heart disease in the prenatal stage can occur in approximately 5 to 15 out of 1000 live births; more than a quarter of these will have critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). Late postnatal diagnosis is associated with a worse prognosis during childhood, and there is evidence that a standardized measurement of oxygen saturation in the newborn by cutaneous oximetry is an optimal method for the detection of CCHD. We conducted a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis comparing the operational characteristics of oximetry and physical examination for the detection of CCHD. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted on the following databases including published studies between 2002 and 2017, with no language restrictions: Pubmed, Science Direct, Ovid, Scopus and EBSCO, with the following keywords: oximetry screening, critical congenital heart disease, newborn OR oximetry screening heart defects, congenital, specificity, sensitivity, physical examination. Results: A total of 419 articles were found, from which 69 were selected based on their titles and abstracts. After quality assessment, five articles were chosen for extraction of data according to inclusion criteria; data were analyzed on a sample of 404,735 newborns in the five included studies. The following values were found, corresponding to the operational characteristics of oximetry in combination with the physical examination: sensitivity: 0.92 (CI 95%, 0.87-0.95), specificity: 0.98 (CI 95%, 0.89-1.00), for physical examination alone sensitivity: 0.53 (CI 95%, 0.28-0.78) and specificity: 0.99 (CI 95%, 0.97-1.00). Conclusions: Evidence found in different articles suggests that pulse oximetry in addition to neonatal physical examination presents optimal operative characteristics that make it an adequate screening test for detection of CCHD in newborns, above all this is essential in low and middle-income settings where technology medical support is not entirely available.

Protocol to obtain targeted transcript sequence data from snake venom samples collected in the Colombian field.

Snake venoms are a mixture of different molecules that can be used in the design of drugs for various diseases. The study of these venoms has relied on strategies that use complete venom extracted from animals in captivity or from venom glands that require the sacrifice of the animals. Colombia, a country with political and geographical conflicts has difficult access to certain regions. A strategy that can prevent the sacrifice of animals and could allow the study of samples collected in the field is necessary. We report the use of lyophilized venom from Crotalus durissus cumanensis as a model to test, for the first time, a protocol for the amplification of complete toxins from Colombian venom samples collected in the field. In this protocol, primers were designed from conserved region from Crotalus sp. mRNA and EST regions to maximize the likelihood of coding sequence amplification. We obtained the sequences of Metalloproteinases II, Disintegrins, Disintegrin-Like, Phospholipases A2, C-type Lectins and Serine proteinases from Crotalus durissus cumanensis and compared them to different Crotalus sp sequences available on databases obtaining concordance between the toxins amplified and those reported. Our strategy allows the use of lyophilized venom to obtain complete toxin sequences from samples collected in the field and the study of poorly characterized venoms in challenging environments.

Glyphosate impacts on polyphenolic composition in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) berries and wine.

Glyphosate is the most widespread herbicide for weed management, being extensively used in viticulture. In this study we tested, under field conditions, the effects of glyphosate applications on the quality of berry and wine, from cv. Ancellotta (Vitis vinifera L.), with particular regard to anthocyanin concentration and composition. Ripening and growth were monitored by analyzing berry technological parameters and weight. Additionally, microvinifications were performed, in order to analyze the concentration of anthocyanins, other flavonoids and phenolic acids in wine. Our findings indicated that, at harvest, both pH and anthocyanin concentration were significantly lower and titratable acidity higher in berries collected from vines of plots under glyphosate-treatment compared with those of non-treated parcels. Data suggest that treatment with glyphosate did not change the concentration of anthocyanins, other flavonoids and phenolic acids in the wine. Our results indicate that treatment with glyphosate may affect fruit metabolism and nutritional value in non-target plants.

Methyl Jasmonate: An Alternative for Improving the Quality and Health Properties of Fresh Fruits.

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a plant growth regulator belonging to the jasmonate family. It plays an important role as a possible airborne signaling molecule mediating intra- and inter-plant communications and modulating plant defense responses, including antioxidant systems. Most assessments of this compound have dealt with post-harvest fruit applications, demonstrating induced plant resistance against the detrimental impacts of storage (chilling injuries and pathogen attacks), enhancing secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity. On the other hand, the interactions between MeJA and other compounds or technological tools for enhancing antioxidant capacity and quality of fruits were also reviewed. The pleiotropic effects of MeJA have raisen numerous as-yet unanswered questions about its mode of action. The aim of this review was endeavored to clarify the role of MeJA on improving pre- and post-harvest fresh fruit quality and health properties. Interestingly, the influence of MeJA on human health will be also discussed.

Sulphate fertilization ameliorates long-term aluminum toxicity symptoms in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne).

Effects of the oxanion sulphate on plant aluminum (Al(3+)) detoxification mechanisms are not well understood. Therefore, holistic physiological and biochemical modifications induced by progressively increased doses of sulphate fertilization in the presence of long-term Al(3+) stress were investigated in the aluminum sensitive perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. cvJumbo). Plant growth inhibition induced by Al(3+) was decreased in response to increasing doses of sulphate supply. Aluminum concentrations measured in roots of perennial ryegrass by atomic absorption spectrometry declined significantly with increasing sulphate concentrations. In parallel, we determined a rise of sulphur in shoots and roots of perennial ryegrass. Inclusion of up to 360 µM of sulphate enhanced cysteine and glutathione biosynthesis in Al(3+) (1.07 µM) treated plants. This increase of thiol-containing compounds favored all modifications in the glutathione redox balance, declining lipid peroxidation, decreasing the activity of superoxide dismutase, and modifying the expression of proteins involved in the diminution of Al(3+) toxicity in roots. In particular, proteome analysis by 1D-SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS allowed to identify up (e.g. vacuolar proton ATPase, proteosome ß subunit, etc) and down (Glyoxilase I, Ascorbate peroxidase, etc.) regulated proteins induced by Al(3+) toxicity symptoms in roots. Although, sulphate supply up to 480 µM caused a reduction in Al(3+) toxicity symptoms, it was not as efficient as compared to 360 µM sulphate fertilization. These results suggest that sulphate fertilization ameliorates Al(3+) toxicity responses in an intracellular specific manner within Lolium perenne.

Early induction of Fe-SOD gene expression is involved in tolerance to Mn toxicity in perennial ryegrass.

Manganese (Mn) toxicity limits plant growth in acid soils. Although Mn toxicity induces oxidative stress, the role of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC.1.15.1.1) isoforms in conferring Mn tolerance remains unclear. Seedlings of ryegrass cultivars Nui (Mn-sensitive) and Kingston (Mn-tolerant) were hydroponically grown at 2.4 (optimal) or 750 µM Mn (toxic) concentration, and harvested from 2 to 48 h. Kingston showed higher shoot Mn than Nui at 2.4 µM Mn. At toxic supply, shoot Mn concentration steadily increased in both cultivars, with Kingston having the highest accumulation at 48 h. An early (2 h) increase in lipid peroxidation under Mn excess occurred, but it returned (after 6 h) to the basal level in Kingston only. Kingston exhibited higher SOD activity than Nui, and that difference increased due to toxic Mn. In general, Mn-induced gene expression of Mn- and Cu/Zn-SOD isoforms was higher in Nui than Kingston. Nevertheless, under Mn excess, we found a greater Fe-SOD up-regulation (up to 5-fold) in Kingston compared to Nui. Thus, Fe-SOD induction in Kingston might explain, at least partly, its high tolerance to Mn toxicity. This is the first evidence that Mn toxicity causes differential gene expression of SOD isoforms in ryegrass cultivars in the short-term.

Fijación percutánea de fracturas sacroiliacas guiada por TAC. Experiencia de 2 años / Iliosacral screw fixation of posterior pelvic ring injuries guided by CT scan

Entre Febrero de 2001 y Noviembre de 2002 se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo, tipo serie de casos en los Departamentos de Ortopedia y Traumatología del Hospital de San José, la Clínica Palermo y la Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá: 10 pacientes (12 fracturas) con lesiones inestables del anillo pélvico a quienes se les realizó fijación percutánea dirigida por TAC de la porción posterior del anillo pélvico. Seis mujeres (60%) y 4 (40%) hombres, con un promedio de edad de 33.4 años (16 a 54 años). Las fracturas se clasificaron de acuerdo a la clasificación AO / OTA siendo el 50 % tipo B y el 50% tipo C. La causa de la fractura fue accidente de tránsito en 8 pacientes (80%) y caída de altura en 2 pacientes (20%). A todos los pacientes se les realizo fijación de la articulación sacro ilíaca con tornillos canulados de 7.0, bajo anestesia regional o local con sedacion, y no encontramos lesión neurológica o vascular alguna en el pre ni en el post operatorio. Tiempo quirúrgico en promedio de 50 minutos, sangrado de 7cc, corta estancia hospitalaria con un buen manejo del dolor y pronta reintegración a sus actividades diarias. En los controles POP se evaluó a través de RX la consolidación de las fracturas la cual fue del 100% en todos los pacientes.