Biodiversity and brewing attitude of non-Saccharomyces strains isolated from Uruguayan vineyards and other ecosystems.

In recent years, interest in non-Saccharomyces yeasts for the innovation and development of different and alternative beer styles has been increasing, especially for the microbrewing industry. This work studied the biodiversity of non-Saccharomyces yeasts based on isolates from grapes of different Uruguayan vineyards, craft breweries and raw materials, with the aim of selecting autochthonous non-Saccharomyces yeasts with a brewing attitude. Brewing tests were performed on synthetic wort developed for this purpose, and the evolution of alcoholic fermentation was monitored by measuring glucose, maltose, maltotriose consumption, ethanol and glycerol production and final sensory analysis. A total of two hundred seventy-one yeast strains belonging to different genera were evaluated according to these parameters. After evaluating alcoholic fermentation performance, a native yeast strain belonging to the species Starmerella meliponinorum was selected due to its high maltotriose consumption and glycerol production, making it a very promising brewing yeast, especially for production of low carbohydrate beers.

Epilepsia en el paciente oncológico: prevención primaria e importancia en la selección del paciente de alto riesgo / Epilepsy in cancer patients: primary prevention and the importance of high-risk patient screening

Introducción: La epilepsia en el paciente oncológico presenta una prevalencia del 13%, especialmente elevada en pacientes con tumores cerebrales, así como una mayor morbimortalidad respecto de la epilepsia no tumoral. Sus mecanismos fisiopatógenos son diferenciadores, e incluyen la distorsión de la arquitectura cortical y la alteración del microambiente molecular tumoral y peritumoral favorecedor de glutamato. A pesar de ello, existe evidencia científica escasa e inconsistente acerca de aspectos fundamentales, como la profilaxis primaria postoperatoria, el perfil farmacológico idóneo o el tiempo de retirada de fármacos anticrisis tras la libertad de éstas. Desarrollo: Características como el bajo grado tumoral, el número/tamaño de las lesiones corticales, la localización (frontal, cortical/subcortical o área elocuente), las crisis tempranas y las alteraciones moleculares, como mutación IDH1/2, son factores favorecedores para la aparición de crisis. Dentro del tratamiento, la cirugía aportará citorreducción y control de crisis por escisión del área epileptógena, con libertad de crisis incapacitantes del 75-90%. Aunque sigue siendo un tema controvertido, el uso postoperatorio de fármacos anticrisis está contraindicado por las principales sociedades científicas por la escasa evidencia y el amplio espectro de efectos secundarios. Sin embargo, se emplean frecuentemente en la práctica clínica diaria. Conclusiones: Todo ello nos obliga a establecer un grupo de pacientes de ‘alto riesgo’ de crisis postoperatorias, que precisará seleccionar el fármaco anticrisis idóneo en prevención primaria, con una vía de administración que facilite un rápido efecto de acción y una farmacocinética que evite el metabolismo hepático y la inducción de CYP450 para conseguir un menor número de interacciones con quimioterápicos, corticoides y radioterapia. A pesar de ello, se describen tasas de farmacorresistencia del 20-40% y recidiva del 25-29%.(AU)

Introduction: Epilepsy in cancer patients has a prevalence of 13%, and is especially high in patients with brain tumours, with a higher morbidity and mortality rate compared to non-tumour-related epilepsy. Its physiopathogenic mechanisms are distinct and include distortion of the cortical architecture and alteration of the glutamate-enhancing tumoural and peritumoural molecular microenvironment. Nevertheless, there is scarce and inconsistent scientific evidence on some fundamental aspects, such as primary post-operative prophylaxis, the ideal pharmacological profile or the withdrawal time of antiseizure drugs after their release. Development: Characteristics such as low tumour grade, number/size of cortical lesions, location (frontal, cortical/subcortical or eloquent area), early seizures and molecular alterations, such as IDH1/2 mutation, are factors that favour the occurrence of seizures. Within the treatment, surgery will provide cytoreduction and seizure control by excision of the epileptogenic area, with 75-90% freedom from disabling seizures. Although still a controversial issue, the post-operative use of antiseizure drugs is contraindicated by the main scientific societies due to the scarce evidence and the wide spectrum of side effects. However, they are frequently used in daily clinical practice. Conclusions: All this forces us to establish a group of patients at ‘high risk’ of postoperative seizures, who will need to select the ideal antiseizure drug for primary prevention, with a route of administration that facilitates a rapid action effect and pharmacokinetics that prevents hepatic metabolism and CYP450 induction to achieve a lower number of interactions with chemotherapy, corticosteroids and radiotherapy. Despite this, drug resistance rates of 20-40% and relapse rates of 25-29% have been reported.(AU)

[Epilepsy in cancer patients: primary prevention and the importance of high-risk patient screening]. / Epilepsia en el paciente oncológico: prevención primaria e importancia en la selección del paciente de alto riesgo.

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy in cancer patients has a prevalence of 13%, and is especially high in patients with brain tumours, with a higher morbidity and mortality rate compared to non-tumour-related epilepsy. Its physiopathogenic mechanisms are distinct and include distortion of the cortical architecture and alteration of the glutamate-enhancing tumoural and peritumoural molecular microenvironment. Nevertheless, there is scarce and inconsistent scientific evidence on some fundamental aspects, such as primary post-operative prophylaxis, the ideal pharmacological profile or the withdrawal time of antiseizure drugs after their release. DEVELOPMENT: Characteristics such as low tumour grade, number/size of cortical lesions, location (frontal, cortical/subcortical or eloquent area), early seizures and molecular alterations, such as IDH1/2 mutation, are factors that favour the occurrence of seizures. Within the treatment, surgery will provide cytoreduction and seizure control by excision of the epileptogenic area, with 75-90% freedom from disabling seizures. Although still a controversial issue, the post-operative use of antiseizure drugs is contraindicated by the main scientific societies due to the scarce evidence and the wide spectrum of side effects. However, they are frequently used in daily clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: All this forces us to establish a group of patients at 'high risk' of postoperative seizures, who will need to select the ideal antiseizure drug for primary prevention, with a route of administration that facilitates a rapid action effect and pharmacokinetics that prevents hepatic metabolism and CYP450 induction to achieve a lower number of interactions with chemotherapy, corticosteroids and radiotherapy. Despite this, drug resistance rates of 20-40% and relapse rates of 25-29% have been reported.

TITLE: Epilepsia en el paciente oncológico: prevención primaria e importancia en la selección del paciente de alto riesgo.Introducción. La epilepsia en el paciente oncológico presenta una prevalencia del 13%, especialmente elevada en pacientes con tumores cerebrales, así como una mayor morbimortalidad respecto de la epilepsia no tumoral. Sus mecanismos fisiopatógenos son diferenciadores, e incluyen la distorsión de la arquitectura cortical y la alteración del microambiente molecular tumoral y peritumoral favorecedor de glutamato. A pesar de ello, existe evidencia científica escasa e inconsistente acerca de aspectos fundamentales, como la profilaxis primaria postoperatoria, el perfil farmacológico idóneo o el tiempo de retirada de fármacos anticrisis tras la libertad de éstas. Desarrollo. Características como el bajo grado tumoral, el número/tamaño de las lesiones corticales, la localización (frontal, cortical/subcortical o área elocuente), las crisis tempranas y las alteraciones moleculares, como mutación IDH1/2, son factores favorecedores para la aparición de crisis. Dentro del tratamiento, la cirugía aportará citorreducción y control de crisis por escisión del área epileptógena, con libertad de crisis incapacitantes del 75-90%. Aunque sigue siendo un tema controvertido, el uso postoperatorio de fármacos anticrisis está contraindicado por las principales sociedades científicas por la escasa evidencia y el amplio espectro de efectos secundarios. Sin embargo, se emplean frecuentemente en la práctica clínica diaria. Conclusiones. Todo ello nos obliga a establecer un grupo de pacientes de 'alto riesgo' de crisis postoperatorias, que precisará seleccionar el fármaco anticrisis idóneo en prevención primaria, con una vía de administración que facilite un rápido efecto de acción y una farmacocinética que evite el metabolismo hepático y la inducción de CYP450 para conseguir un menor número de interacciones con quimioterápicos, corticoides y radioterapia. A pesar de ello, se describen tasas de farmacorresistencia del 20-40% y recidiva del 25-29%.

Experimental design for the optimization of copper biosorption from aqueous solution by Aspergillus terreus.

An experimental design methodology was applied to study the effects of temperature, pH, biomass dose, and stirring speed on copper removal from aqueous solutions by Aspergillus terreus in a biosorption batch system. To identify the effects of the main factors and their interactions on copper removal efficiency and to optimize the process, a full 2(4) factorial design with central points was performed. Four factors were studied at two levels, including stirring speed (50-150 min(-1)), temperature (30-50°C), pH (4-6) and biosorbent dose (0.01-0.175 g). The main factors observed were pH and biomass dose, along with the interactions between pH and biomass, and stirring speed. The optimal operational conditions were obtained using a response surface methodology. The adequacy of the proposed model at 99% confidence level was confirmed by its high adjusted linear coefficient of determination (R(Adj)(2)=0.9452). The best conditions for copper biosorption in the present study were: pH 6, biosorbent dose of 0.175 g, stirring speed of 50 min(-1) and temperature of 50°C. Under these conditions, the maximum predicted copper removal efficiency was 68.52% (adsorption capacity of 15.24 mg/g). The difference between the experimental and predicted copper removal efficiency at the optimal conditions was 4.8%, which implies that the model represented very well the experimental data.

An evaluation of a macroalgal bioassay tool for assessing the spatial extent of nutrient release from offshore fish farms.

In this study we develop and evaluate a macroalgal bioassay tool for monitoring the spatial extent of dissolved wastes loaded from offshore fish farms into the marine coastal ecosystem. This tool is based on the analysis of the nitrogen stable isotope ratio (delta(15)N) in tissues of several benthic primary producers (macroalgae and Posidonia oceanica epiphytes) incubated, by means of incubation devices, in the water column at increasing distances (from 0 m to 1000 m) from the fish cages. The bioassays were performed in three fish farms situated in different geographical locations (the Canary Islands, Murcia and Catalonia) and we test: the suitability of the different macroalgae species used in relation with their resistance to incubation and their sensitivity to fish farm wastes and the most appropriate incubation depth (5 m or approximately 20 m) and incubation time (2, 4 or 6 days) to detect the spatial distribution of delta(15)N around fish farms. In general terms, the results showed a significant increment of delta(15)N values toward the fish cages with respect to the reference (initial) and control values for all the species of macroalgae tested except for the red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis from Canary Islands. The magnitude and shape of the reported spatial responses varied as a function of the experimental settings analyzed as well as a function of the nutrient regime characteristics of each coastal area. The spatial gradient was more consistent in the shallow part of the water column (5 m depth), than in the deeper part ( approximately 20 m) and was statistically significant after an incubation period of four days. These results confirm the effectiveness and reliability of the method proposed, enabling the spatial extent of nutrients derived from fish farms to be assessed in an effective and simple manner, suitable for use in monitoring programs around offshore fish farms.

[Ablation of malignant liver tumors with radiofrequency. A series of cases in Mexico.]. / Ablación de neoplasias hepáticas malignas con radiofrecuencia. Una serie de casos en México.

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for most of the primary and secondary liver tumors, unfortunately, many patients are not suitable for resection. Several ablative alternatives have been employed for treatment; the most commonly used has been radiofrequency ablation. OBJECTIVE: To establish the safety and results of treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RF) of malignant liver tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review of clinical files of patients with malignant hepatic tumors treated with RF was performed. Epidemiological variables, selection criteria pre- treatment and morbidity and mortality related to the procedure were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: From September 2002 to August 2006, 30 patients were treated: eighteen females and 12 males with a median age of 62 years (range 41-83 years). Histologic type was as follows: 18 hepatocellular carcinomas; 10 metastatic tumors (four breast, four colorectal and two neuro- endocrine); one gallbladder carcinoma and one peripheral cholangiocarcinoma. Indications for ablative procedure were the presence of cirrhosis, poor functional reserve, bilobar disease, proximity to major vascular structures and patients with increased operative risk. The size of the lesion range from 2 to 20 cm (mean 5.6 cm) and the median time of ablation was 30.2 min (range 5-50 min). Two minor complications (6.6%) and no operative mortality were recorded. At 18 months of follow-up, 23 patients (76.6%) are still alive and seven patients have died for tumor progression. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation is a safe procedure that allows local control of the disease with satisfactory results, when the surgical resection is not feasible.

Phospholipid fatty acid and lipid peroxidation in liver microsomes from guinea pigs fed oil related to the toxic oil syndrome.

The potential effects of oil specimens both related and unrelated to cases of Toxic Oil Syndrome (TOS) on the phospholipid fatty acid composition, some antioxidant enzyme activities, and lipid peroxidation in guinea pig liver microsomes were investigated. For 4 weeks, animals were fed diets supplemented with either oil related to cases of TOS or control oil, previously heated or not. In all cases, the fat diet produced the incorporation of approximately 7% of linoleic acid exclusively in the phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) of liver microsomes. A pronounced increase in lipid peroxidation products, measured as malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxyalkenals, was detected in animals fed nonheated control oil. Heated oil diets produced significant increases in superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities with concomitant decreases in the lipid peroxidation status. Heated oils also increased the oleic/stearic acid ratio in the phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol (PS + PI) fraction. This ratio was also increased in the same fraction from animals fed non heated case oil. The study shows that case oil produces a decrease in the lipid peroxidation products with minimal alterations in phospholipid fatty acid composition of liver microsomes, which is dependent rather on the composition of dietary fat than on toxic effects.

Evaluation of patterns of urinary proteins by SDS-PAGE in rats of different ages.

The patterns of urinary proteins in rats of different ages were examined on SDS gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis coupled with silver staining. Proteins were fractionated into at least 26 bands. Densitometric measurements were used to characterize protein excretion patterns. The results showed that proteinuria in newborn, young and adult rats is predominantly tubular, consisting of low molecular-weight species. Conversely, late adults and old rats had a mixed glomerular pattern, with a steadily increasing excretion of albumin, IgG and transferrin, as was the case of other high molecular-weight proteins. Fragments of both immunoglobulins and albumin were found in all urine samples assayed. In 1 month old rats the percentage of Tamm-Hörsfall (T-H) protein was higher (P < 0.01) than in the remaining groups studied. In newborns, relatively high albumin, IgG and transferrin percentages were detected, as well as an alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and carbonic anhydrase excretion (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively) higher than that observed in the other age groups studied.

[Rubella sero-epidemiology in Catalonia]. / Contribución al estudio de la seroepidemiología de la rubéola en Cataluña.

The prevalence rate of protecting antibodies against rubella was evaluated in a representative sample of the urban population of the Baix Camp (Tarragona) in a prospective study carried out from 1985 to 1987. In the study population there were 44.1% of males, with ages ranging from 1 to over 65 years. There was a past history of the disease in 11% of individuals, and 6.3% had been vaccinated; 82.7% had neither past history nor had been vaccinated. It was concluded that 89.62% of the surveyed population was immunologically protected against rubella.

Effect of intestinal ischemia on pulmonary surfactant. An experimental study.

The infective factor seems to be very important in the physiopathology of intestinal ischaemia syndrome, as we suggested in previous research works, and is probably responsible for the disturbances observed in pulmonary surfactant. In the present research project, 48 mongrel dogs were studied under different situations of experimental intestinal ischaemia (arterial, venous and revascularization) after laparotomy and the pulmonary surfactant was determined in all cases. We conclude that the observed changes in phospholipids (phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol particularly) can be directly related to the infective factor and important enough to induce physicochemical alterations of the surfactant and subsequently pulmonary function.

Heterogeneity of acid beta-galactosidase from rabbit kidney.

1. Rabbit kidney acid beta-galactosidase can be resolved into three peaks (named A3, A2 and A1) by gel-filtration chromatography. Their estimated molecular weights were: more than 250,000, 150,000 and 17,000 respectively. 2. The purified acid form appeared as a single band of protein (Mr = 28,000) on electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate, suggesting that forms A3 and A2 are multimeric forms of beta-galactosidase A1. 3. Treatment with neuraminidase from Clostridium perfringens converts form A3 into a more basic form. This phenomenon occurs also when this form is stored for a week at 4 degrees C and parallels its disaggregation. 4. The data suggest that the sialic acids present in the multimeric forms are involved in the aggregation of the acidic form of beta-galactosidase.

Effects of oestradiol, testosterone and medroxyprogesterone on subcellular fraction marker enzyme activities from rat liver and brain.

The following enzymes have been studied (subcellular fractions are shown between parentheses): NAG and beta-glucuronidase (lysosomes); SDH (mitochondrial); glucose-6-phosphatase (endoplasmic reticulum); 5'-nucleotidase and (Na+, K+)Mg2+ ATPase (plasma membranes). Alterations on their activities were observed after subcutaneous injection of sex hormones, compared with controls. NAG activity from liver was always significantly decreased in lysosomal and microsomal fractions after the hormonal treatment. In the same conditions, NAG from brain was always increased. beta-Glucuronidase behaves like NAG in brain; in liver it was not modified by testosterone and it was slightly increased in lysosomal fraction after oestradiol treatment. SDH activity was not modified in mitochondrial fractions from liver, but this activity was always significantly increased in brain. Glucose-6-phosphatase activity was always significantly decreased in microsomal fractions from liver. It was increased in brain after oestradiol and testosterone injection, but medroxyprogesterone treatment caused a decreased activity. 5'-Nucleotidase and (Na+, K+)Mg2+ ATPase from brain were significantly increased in microsomal fractions by oestradiol and testosterone. Medroxyprogesterone, however, caused an increase in ATPase, but did not affect 5'-nucleotidase. Both activities in liver were decreased by oestradiol and increased by testosterone, but medroxyprogesterone caused (Na+, K+)Mg2+ ATPase to rise and 5'-nucleotidase to fall.

Alterations in the activities of subcellular fractions marker enzymes in rat liver and brain by hydrocortisone and corticosterone treatment.

The effect of subcutaneous injection of hydrocortisone and corticosterone on the activity values of some subcellular fractions marker enzymes from rat liver and brain was investigated and compared with controls (without treatment with hormones). The following enzymes were studied (subcellular fraction are shown between parentheses): N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase (lysosomes); succinate dehydrogenase = SDH (mitochondria); glucose-6-phosphatase (endoplasmic reticulum); 5'-nucleotidase and Na+-K+-Mg2+ ATPase (plasma membrane). The specific activity of lysosomal enzymes from liver showed no change when rats were injected either with hydrocortisone or corticosterone. The same enzymes from brain showed significant increases in their activities with both hydrocortisone or corticosterone except beta-glucuronidase; this enzyme gave activity values remaining between the control levels, after treatment with corticosterone. The activity of mitochondrial SDH was increased after corticosterone injection either in liver or brain. After hydrocortisone injection, its activity rises significantly in brain (72%), but it falls in liver compared to the control values. Glucose-6-phosphatase behaves similarly in brain or liver fractions; its activity increases always after corticosterone treatment and decreases by hydrocortisone. The plasma membrane marker enzymes did not change practically in brain fractions, excepted Na+-K+-Mg2+ ATPase which tends to rise its activity after hydrocortisone injection. In liver fractions, both 5'-nucleotidase and Na+-K+-Mg2+ ATPase activities increase either by corticosterone or hydrocortisone treatment, except 5'-nucleotidase which specific activity decreases in liver after hydrocortisone treatment.

Heterogeneity of beta-galactosidase from rabbit spleen. Separation and characterization of different forms.

Two forms, I and II, of an acid beta-galactosidase from rabbit spleen were separated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and then characterized. Both forms of the enzyme showed different heat-stability (form I being heat-labile and form II heat-stable), and different pI (6.7 for form I and 5.3 and 6.7 for form II). Their gel filtration patterns were also different: form I was resolved in a single peak of mol. wt. 75,000, whereas form II was resolved in one or two peaks of mol. wt. 120,000 and greater than 200,000, depending on the pH of elution. However, both forms had similar pH stability and behavior toward alpha-methyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside, alpha-methyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside, urea and KCl. Differences in pH optima, optimal temperature and Km values were not marked.

[Purification of solubilized fucosyltransferase from lamb brain using ethylagarose gel]. / Purification de la fucosyl-transférase solubilisée du cerveau d'Agneau : utilisation d'un gel d'éthylagarose.

The glycoprotein: fucosyl-transferase of the cerebral hemispheres, assayed with desialylated fetuin as exogenous acceptor, was the most active of the protein: glycosyltransferases tested in the brain. The addition of Titron X-100 to the membrane suspension, followed by high speed centrifugation, led to a solubilization of the enzyme. The use of hydrophobic chromatography on ethylagarose gave a good purification of this solubilized fucosyl-transferase, whose homogeneity has been shown by Ultrogel AcA 22, DEAE-cellulose chromatography and disc electrophoresis.