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The aim of the study was to analyze the potential health-promoting and nutritional components of leaves and figs from several Spanish varieties of Ficus carica L. The study focused to identify (by LC-PDA-QTof/MS) and quantify (by UPLC-PDA-FL) various components including carotenoids, chlorophylls, tocols, amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonols, anthocyanins. Besides, the sugar profile, the antioxidant capacity (ORAC, FRAP and ABTS) and the in vitro hypoglycaemic potential via inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase were evaluated. The leaves were found to have significant antioxidant properties. This is attributed to their high content of carotenoids (3170.77-6763.77 mg/ 100 g dm), chlorophylls (405.58-744.23 mg/ 100 g dm), tocols (59.35-115.61 mg/ 100 g dm), and polyphenols (1150.34 mg/100 g dm). Additionally, figs presented greater sources of amino acids (725.07 mg/100 g dm) and exhibited higher anti-diabetic activity than leaves. Figs of "Cuello Dama Negra" variety presented the highest content of anthocyanins (108.22 mg/100 g dm). The study suggests that incorporating these vegetal materials into another food matrix could have potential health benefits, especially in terms of antioxidant and anti-diabetic effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to determine the profile and contents of carotenoids, tocols and B1 and B2 vitamins in different parts of two wild edible plants (WEPs), Diplotaxis erucoides and Oxalis pes-caprae . Results showed interesting amounts of these bioactive compounds in the leaves, with intakes higher than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin A and vitamin E after consumption of 100 g. Diplotaxis erucoides and Oxalis pes-caprae leaves evidenced high amounts of carotenoids, such as lutein (about 8 mg/100 g and 5 mg, respectively) and β-carotene (about 8 mg/100 g and 4 mg/100 g, respectively). Even when not present at high amounts, the investigated plants can also contribute to the daily intake of thiamine and riboflavin. The rich profile and high contents of bioactive compounds in these WEPs clearly justify their potential use as food ingredients in a healthy and sustainable modern cuisine and in the development of new functional foods.

Introduction: Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with ring sideroblasts (RS) or SF3B1 mutation (MDS-RS/ SF3B1 ) differ in many clinical features, but share others, such as anemia. RS and SF3B1 mutation can also be found in CMML., Methods: We compared CMML with and without RS/ SF3B1 and MDS-RS/ SF3B1 considering the criteria established by the 2022 World Health Organization classification., Results: A total of 815 patients were included (CMML, n=319, CMML-RS/ SF3B1 , n=172 and MDS-RS/ SF3B1 , n=324). The percentage of RS was ≥15% in almost all CMML-RS/ SF3B1 patients (169, 98.3%) and most (125, 72.7%) showed peripheral blood monocyte counts between 0.5 and 0.9 x10 9 /L and low risk prognostic categories. CMML-RS/ SF3B1 differed significantly from classical CMML in the main clinical characteristics, whereas it resembled MDS-RS/ SF3B1 . At a molecular level, CMML and CMML-RS/ SF3B1 had a significantly higher frequency of mutations in TET2 (mostly multi-hit) and ASXL1 (p=0.013) and CMML had a significantly lower frequency of DNMT3A and SF3B1 mutations compared to CMML/MDS-RS/ SF3B1 . Differences in the median overall survival among the three groups were statistically significant: 6.75 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.41-8.09) for CMML-RS/ SF3B1 vs. 3.17 years (95% CI 2.56-3.79) for CMML vs. 16.47 years (NA) for MDS-RS/ SF3B1 , p<0.001. Regarding patients with CMML and MDS, both with SF3B1 mutation, survival did not significantly differ. CMML had a higher risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (24% at 8 years, 95%CI 19%-30%)., Discussion: CMML-RS/ SF3B1 mutation resembles MDS-RS/ SF3B1 in terms of phenotype and clearly differs from CMML. The presence of ≥15% RS and/or SF3B1 in CMML is associated with a low monocyte count. SF3B1 mutation clearly improves the prognosis of CMML., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Xicoy, Pomares, Morgades, Germing, Arnan, Tormo, Palomo, Orna, Della Porta, Schulz, Díaz-Beya, Esteban, Molero, Lanino, Avendaño, Hernández, Roldan, Ubezio, Pineda, Díez-Campelo and Zamora.)

(1) Background: Oxalis pes-caprae L. is a plant considered within the group of so-called Wild Edible Plants (WEPs). The particularity of these plants is that they grow only with the natural resources at their disposal. Unfortunately, these types of plants are undervalued, being regularly uprooted from the fields. (2) Methods: Therefore, this study aimed to valorize the Oxalis pes-caprae plant, analyzing the proximate composition (sugars, organic acids, minerals, amino acids profile, fatty acids content, and volatile profile) of the plant shoots (flower, leaves, and stem) to demonstrate the full potential of this WEP. (3) Results: The results showed that Oxalis pes-caprae can be considered a natural source of minerals; furthermore, 19 essential and non-essential amino acids were found. Regarding the fatty acid profile, flowers are an important source of linoleic acid, and leaves present a high amount of α-linolenic acid. (4) Conclusions: Therefore, this research provides new information that reaffirms the capacity of Oxalis pes-caprae L. (WEP) to be a plant with great future progression due to its nutritional quality since it could be used in the food, nutritional, or pharmaceutical fields. Further research must be conducted to assay the biomass production and the costs of recommending farmers not to destroy this plant in their fields.

Organic farming is growing rapidly worldwide since it is perceived as more respectful of the environment than conventional farming. In this sense, organic agriculture is highly appreciated by consumers since consumers around the world believe that organic food has a higher content of beneficial compounds for health and consider it of higher quality. For that reason, the objective of this research was to evaluate the nutritional, sensorial, and functional quality of the 'Fino 49' lemon grafted on Citrus macrophylla in conventional and organic cultivation. Fatty acids, amino acids, total phenol, and polyphenols were quantified, antioxidant activity was measured, and sensory descriptive analysis was performed. Conventional farming led to an increase in amino acid content (641 mg L -1 ) and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (254 mg 100 g -1 ) and monounsaturated fatty acids (37.61 mg 100 g -1 ). On the other hand, organically produced lemon fruits had better sensory profile (highlighting overall aroma (6.5), lemon odor (6.8), sourness (5.8), floral (0.6), and fresh lemon flavor (9.8)), and lower thrombogenicity index (0.15). The type of cultivation (organic and conventional) had no influence on the antioxidant activity (~1.60, ~3.08, and ~4.16 mmol Trolox L -1 for ABTS+, DPPH•, and FRAP, respectively) and polyphenols content (85.51 and 86.69 conventional and organic, respectively). However, to establish the advantages and disadvantages of different types of cultivation on lemon quality more studies are needed.

Background: The soil microbiota has a direct impact on plant development and other metabolic systems, such as the degradation of organic matter and the availability of microelements and metabolites. In the context of agricultural soils, microbial activity is crucial for maintaining soil health and productivity. Thus, the present study aimed to identify, characterize, and quantify the microbial communities of four types of substrates with varying proportions of marine port sediment used for cultivating lemons. By investigating microbial diversity and relative abundance, the work aimed to highlight the importance of soil microbial communities in agriculture when alternative culture media was used., Results: The composition and structure of the sampled microbial communities were assessed through the amplification and sequencing of the V3-V4 variable regions of the 16 S rRNA gene The results revealed a diverse microbial community composition in all substrate samples, with a total of 41 phyla, 113 classes, 266 orders, 405 families, 715 genera, and 1513 species identified. Among these, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Planctomycetota, Patescibacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteriota, Acidobacteriota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Gemmatimonadota accounted for over 90% of the bacterial reads, indicating their dominance in the substrates., Conclusions: The impact of the substrate origin on the diversity and relative abundace of the microbiota was confirmed. The higher content of beneficial bacterial communities for plant development identified in peat could explain why is considered an ideal agricultural substrate. Development of "beneficial for plants" bacterial communities in alternative agricultural substrates, regardless of the edaphic characteristics, opens the possibility of studying the forced and specific inoculation of these culture media aiming to be agriculturally ideals., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Mandarin production has increased in recent years, especially for fresh consumption, due to its ease of peeling, its aroma, and its content of bioactive compounds. In this sense, aromas play a fundamental role in the sensory quality of this fruit. The selection of the appropriate rootstock is crucial for the success of the crop and its quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the influence of 9 rootstocks ("Carrizo citrange", "Swingle citrumelo CPB 4475", "Macrophylla", "Volkameriana", "Forner-Alcaide 5", "Forner-Alcaide V17", "C-35", "Forner-Alcaide 418", and "Forner-Alcaide 517") on the volatile composition of "Clemenules" mandarin. For this, the volatile compounds of mandarin juice were measured using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction in a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Seventy-one volatile compounds were identified in the analyzed samples, with limonene being the main compound. The results obtained showed that the rootstock used in the cultivation of mandarins affects the volatile content of the juice, with "Carrizo citrange", "Forner-Alcaide 5", "Forner-Alcaide 418", and "Forner-Alcaide 517" being those that presented the highest concentration.

(1) Background: Wild Edible Plants (WEPs) are plants that grow without human help, by simply using the available resources. These types of plants are undervalued, because there is a lack of knowledge about their bioactive composition and nutritional/functional potential. (2) Scope and Approach: The main aim of this review is to fully identify the potential uses and importance of WEPs in certain regions based on (i) their sustainability, because they grow with their own resources, (ii) their content of bioactive compounds and consequently nutritional and functional value, (iii) their socio-economic relevance, and (iv) their ability to be useful in the agri-food industry in the short term. (3) Results: This review found evidence that a consumption of between 100 and 200 g of some of these WEPs can cover up to 50% of the recommended daily intake of proteins and fiber, being also a natural source of macro- and micro-minerals. Regarding their bioactive composition, most of these plants contain phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which determine their antioxidant capacity. (4) Conclusions: These reported results clearly demonstrate the high potential of the WEPs from a nutritional, economic and social point of view; although further studies are needed to gather deeper scientific information about their potential role in the socio-economic sustainability of specific groups of farmers worldwide.

The increasingly evident threat of depletion of world peat bogs is encouraging the search for and study of alternative agricultural substrates that can fully or partially replace peat, guaranteeing food supply (quality and quantity). On the other hand, the identification of the potential for the reuse of waste from relevant economic activities has increased in recent years, mainly motivated by the change to a sustainable circular economy, as is the case of port sediments. Taking into account that significant volumes of dredged port sediments are generated annually so that ports can maintain their economic activity, it is necessary to find objective, sustainable and safe reuse alternatives. In this sense, the objective of this study was to study the response of the "Purple Queen" pomegranate when grown with dredged port sediment. For this, the fruit production (kg), number of fruits (fruits tree-1), fruit weight (g), and seed yield (%) aiming to verify the correct tree development were evaluated. In addition, a 1H-NMR foliar metabolomic study for the three most relevant phenological phases was performed (flowering, fruit development, and post-harvest) to identify metabolic changes in trees. In total, 29 metabolites were identified; among them, 11 were amino acids, 6 organic acids, 5 sugars, and 7 secondary metabolites. The good agronomical development of the trees and fruits indicated the potential for using the dredged sediment as an agricultural substrate. On the other hand, the results revealed that the greatest variability in the metabolomic study occurred between the phenological phases and a lower variability is explained by the substrates used.

Sex steroid hormones have an important physiological role in humans. They can also affect the gene expression of many organisms, including bacteria. In Mexico, Nocardia brasiliensis is the main causative agent of actinomycetoma, a granulomatous disease more frequent in men than women, which is thought to be related to a higher occupational risk in men. Therefore, it has been suggested that differences in clinical presentation could be related to sex steroid hormone levels. Attempting to explain the differences in actinomycetoma prevalence between men and women, in this work, the effect of progesterone and dihydrotestosterone on the genetic expression of N. brasiliensis was investigated using a differential display polymerase chain reaction assay. The results showed that both hormones affected the expression of genes encoding proteins related to central metabolism and hypothetical proteins with unknown functions. This study also demonstrated the utility of differential display in this modern era and provided a first approach to the effect of sex hormones on N. brasiliensis gene expression., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The increase in maritime trade and its global economic importance have forced port management actors to carry out the periodic dredging of their sediments to maintain an adequate depth for the passage of large ships to maintain their operation and competitiveness. During the dredging process, large volumes of port sediment are generated. Dredged port sediment is currently considered a waste material and its disposal is regulated. Finding ways to safely reuse port sediments is necessary for sustainable development. In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to identify the environmental impact of port sediments when used as a culture medium for lemon trees. A total of 90 lemon trees ( Citrus limon L. Burm var 'Verna') were used in the trial. The trees were grown under controlled conditions using three substrates, with different portions of peat and port sediment (25%, 50%, and 75%) to identify the real impacts of the culture media on the growth process. The LCA was calculated and analyzed according to the ISO 14040:2006 standard, using the SimaPro v. 9.3 software (PRé Sustainability B.V, Amersfoort, The Netherlands). The functional unit defined for the three-culture media was 1 kg of lemons. The LCA results showed a significant increase in the environmental impact of lemon cultivation proportional to port sediment content (75%), due to the decrease in fruit production caused by the sediment. However, the least impact was identified for the culture medium at 50% peat and 50% port sediment. The greatest impacts were more related to crop management rather than the port sediment content. The results showed that the use of the port sediment, mixed with other substrates as an agricultural medium amendment, is a viable option for lemon growers.

Background: The consequences of infectious toxicity of hypomethylating agents (HMAs) on overall survival (OS) of patients diagnosed with high-risk myeloid neoplasms have not been thoroughly investigated., Objectives: We aimed to evaluate whether infectious events (IEs) negatively influenced the results of HMA treatment in a real-world setting., Design: Observational study., Methods: We obtained data from 412 non-selected consecutive patients from 23 Spanish hospitals who were diagnosed with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, or acute myeloid leukemia and were treated with HMA. HMAs received after chemotherapy or stem cell transplant were excluded. All IEs were recorded. Outcomes included OS, modifications to the pre-planned treatment, incidence and characteristics of IEs, hospitalization, red blood cell transfusions, and factors associated with infection., Results: The rate of infection was 1.2 per patient/year. Next-cycle delay ( p  = 0.001) and hospitalizations ( p  = 0.001) were significantly influenced by IEs. Transfusion requirements during each cycle were significantly higher after infection compared with cycles without infection (coefficient = 1.55 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.26-1.84], p  < 0.001). The median number of cycles was lower in patients experiencing any infection during the first four cycles (5 [3-8] versu 8 [5-16], p  < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, factors associated with lower OS were having any infection during the first four cycles (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.43 [95% CI = 1.09-1.88], p  = 0.01), bone marrow blasts ⩾30% (HR = 2.13 [95% CI = 1.14-3.96], p  = 0.01), adverse cytogenetics (HR = 1.70 [95% CI = 1.30-2.24], p  < 0.001), and platelet count <50 × 10 9 /l (HR = 1.69 [95% CI = 1.3-2.2], p  < 0.001). BM blasts >20% (HR = 1.57 [95% CI = 1.19-2.01], p  < 0.001) and adverse cytogenetics (HR = 1.7 [95% CI = 1.35-2.14], p  < 0.001) were associated with infection, whereas hemoglobin >9 g/dl (HR = 0.65 [95% CI = 0.51-0.82], p  < 0.001) and higher platelet count (HR = 0.997 [95% CI = 0.996-0.998], p  = 0.016) protected from it., Conclusion: HMA infectious toxicity worsens OS, hinders the adherence to antineoplastic treatment and results in significant morbidity. Preventive strategies are fundamental in vulnerable patients., (© The Author(s), 2022.)

The 8-17 DNAzyme is the most studied deoxyribozyme in terms of its molecular mechanism; hence it has become a model system to understand the basis behind DNA catalysis. New functional studies and the recent attainment of high-resolution X-ray structures, in addition to theoretical calculations have offered a great opportunity to gain a broader comprehension of its mechanism; however many aspects are unclear yet, especially regarding the precise role of metal ions in catalysis. Recently, molecular dynamics simulations have suggested for the first time a specific and dynamical participation of Na + in the mechanism through the reaction pathway, besides the roles proposed for divalent metal cofactors. Herein, we present experimental evidence of a cooperative role of the monovalent cation Na + in catalysis that is in line with these theoretical suggestions. Our findings show a clear influence of the concentration of Na + on the activity of the 8-17 DNAzyme when Pb 2+ is used as the cofactor. Interestingly, this effect is not noticed with Mg 2+ , indicating a particular contribution of the monovalent ion to catalysis that would operate preferentially with Pb 2+ . We have also found that Na + affects the p K a of the general base and the general acid, indicating its influence on general acid-base catalysis, already identified as part of the mechanism of the 8-17 DNAzyme. Finally, our results emphasize the need to consider Na + carefully in the design and analysis of functional studies of catalytic DNAs and its possible specific role in their mechanisms.

Due to its high content of bioactive compounds, the lemon is considered one of the most relevant species around the world. Its great economic importance is motivated, in addition to its fresh consumption, by its applications in the medical, pharmaceutical, and food industries, etc. However, the chemical and nutritional composition of lemon is not constant and can be influenced by external factors such as variety, weather conditions, crop management, etc. Determining the compositional variations of the fruit, essential to defining its potential use, was the main objective of this study. The physicochemical characteristics of the ‘Verna’ lemon were studied as a function of two controlled variables, the growing substrate and the rootstock. For this, 90 lemon trees were cultivated in three rootstocks and three different culture media. Lemon trees cultivated with 50% sediment/peat mix substrate presented a higher total production (590 lemons and 90.53 kg) while this production was 80% lower on trees cultivated with 75% marine sediment. Citrus macrophylla and Citrus aurantium/Citrus sinensis rootstocks showed a significantly higher production than the Citrus aurantium. All the fruits presented a predominantly yellow color appropriate for the market (0 < CI < +5). Nutritional and chemical parameters were consistent with data reported for the ‘Verna’ clones. All the obtained lemons were suitable for marketing and consumption both in fresh and processed forms. The results indicated the limited influence that the studied variables have on the quality parameters of lemon fruits, but they also could confirm the potential of marine sediment as a culture substrate.

The pomegranate tree is cultivated and its fruits consumed since ancient times. This tree is typical of the Mediterranean climate, with high thermal demands to mature properly. The main objective of this work was to study the influence of the fruit bagging technique on the morphometric and biochemical characteristics of the pomegranate fruits of two new varieties that are currently cultivated in the Southeast of Spain. The results indicated that the fruit bagging presented a significant effect on the weight, equatorial diameter, height and shape of the fruit, however, it did not show any influence on the peel thickness. No significant differences have been observed in the number of healthy fruits with and without bagging, however, the number of cracked fruits with Cryptoblabes gnidiella damage was higher for the non-bagged fruits. The fruit bagging presented a significant effect on the total soluble solids, maturity index, glucose, α-punicalagin, α + β-punicalagin and ellagic acid, but it did not show influence on pH, acidity, ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, total phenols, fructose, citric, malic, and quinic acid, β-punicalagin and anthocyanins. The internal fruit color was not affected by the bagging, although it did affect the external color of the fruit, and unevenly depending on the variety. Based on the results, it can be said that bagging can improve the quality of the fruit by reducing damage from pests and pathophysiology, and this benefit compensates or even exceeds the negative effects of bagging on peel color., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

This research analyzed the phytochemical profile of prickly pear fruits from 'Orito' cultivar stored under cold conditions (2 °C, 85-90% RH) and shelf-life conditions at room temperature (stored at 20 °C for three days after cold storage) for 28 days, mimicking the product life cycle. A total of 18 compounds were identified and quantitated through HPLC-DAD-MS/MS (High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic -Diode Array Detector- Mass Spectrometry) analyses. Phenolic acids such as eucomic acid and betalains such as indicaxanthin were the predominant chemical families, and piscidic acid was the most abundant compound. During cold storage, the content of eucomic acid isomer/derivative and syringaresinol increased, and citric acid decreased, which could be caused by the cold activation of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymes. However, no significant differences were found in the content of these compounds during shelf-life storage. These results showed that 'Orito' fruit marketability would be possible up to 28 days after harvesting, retaining its profile, which is rich in bioactive compounds.

The RNA-cleaving 8-17 DNAzyme, which is a metalloenzyme that depends on divalent metal ions for its function, is the most studied catalytic DNA in terms of its mechanism. By the end of 2017, a report of the crystal structure of the enzyme-substrate complex in the presence of Pb 2+ probed some of the previous findings and opened new questions, especially around the participation of the metal ion in the catalytic mechanism and the promiscuity exhibited by the enzyme in terms of the metal cofactor required for catalysis. In this article we explore the role of the divalent metal ion in the mechanism of the 8-17 DNAzyme as a general acid, by measuring the influence of pH over the activity of a slower variant of the enzyme in the presence of Pb 2+ . We replaced G14, which has been identified as a general base in the mechanism of the enzyme, by the unnatural analog 2-aminopurine, with a lower pK a value of the N1 group. With this approach, we obtained a bell-shaped pH-rate profile with experimental pK a values of 5.4 and 7.0. Comparing these results with previous pH-rate profiles in the presence of Mg 2+ , our findings suggest the stabilization of the 5'-O leaving group by the hydrated metal ion acting as a general acid, in addition to the activation of the 2'-OH nucleophile by the general base G14.

Background: Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are the most extended current chronic diseases and also Alzheimer pathology which is a progressive degenerative neurological disorder. Therefore, finding effective enzyme inhibitors responsible for the development of these diseases are essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of fruit purée (Cydonia oblonga, Ziziphus jujube and Malus domestica) and pomegranate juice cultivar ('Mollar de Elche' and 'Wonderful') of dried pomegranate sheets (DS) on the inhibition of enzymes associated with metabolic (α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase activity), and neurological disorder (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity). Quality properties (colour coordinates, texture properties and sensory characteristics) of DS were also studied. In addition, it was researched the effect of storage conditions (4 months at 4 and 20 °C) on phenolic content., Results: DS from jujube had the highest antioxidant capacity and were characterized by the highest storage stability with respect to phenolic compounds. The α-amylase and α-glucosidase half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 , in mg mL -1 ) inhibition of DS ranged from 107 to 216 and from 55.2 to values indicating no effect, respectively. The inhibition toward pancreatic lipase (IC 50  < 5 mg mL -1 ), acetylcholinesterase (ranged 9.15-22.2%) and butyrylcholinesterase (ranged 20.6-48.6%) was increased with the presence of total flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids content (identifying mainly in DS from quinces). It is noteworthy that none of the samples presented off-flavour notes, supporting the high quality of the products., Conclusion: DS can be an innovative supplement to a diet as a snack used in the prevention of neurological changes and disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Water scarcity is a worldwide problem that leads to environmental and economic issues. Agriculture is one of the main consumers of water for irrigation and fertilization and almond is the major tree nut crop in the Mediterranean area. Furthermore, there is a continuous growing demand for healthy, vegan and sustainable products. Consequently, the present study aimed to chemically characterize almond milk powder enriched with probiotics manufactured from hydroSOStainable almonds (i.e. generated under water stress conditions). Almond milk powder enriched with probiotic bacteria was produced with almonds grown under optimal irrigation conditions (100% of the crop evapotranspiration) and was chemically compared to the samples made from hydroSOStainable almonds. Antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), minerals, organic acids and sugars, fatty acids, and descriptive sensory analysis were evaluated., Results: The results showed that almond milk powder produced from hydroSOStainable almonds had a higher content of TPC, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), PUFAs/saturated fatty acids (SFAs) ratio and PUFAs/monounsaturated fatty acids ratio, as well as almond and nutty flavors. Moderate and sustained deficit irrigation leads to powders with a higher content of PUFAs and PUFAs/SFAs ratio, which are parameters of utmost importance for health., Conclusion: Using these strategies, between 66% and 76% of the irrigation water can be saved, producing hydroSOStainable almond milk powder higher in TPC and PUFAs, as well as positive sensory attributes, compared to that from fully irrigated almonds. These findings may have a positive impact in both agriculture and food industry, allowing water savings and high quality and sustainable food products to be obtained. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Scanning electron microscopy was assayed and linked with previous data with respect to obtaining a new combined sensory-instrumental tool for pomegranate seed hardness determination. The present study aimed to develop an effective tool for the prediction of sensory properties via instrumental determinations., Results: Simple regression analysis determined a high correlation within descriptive seed hardness and thickness of the wall, as well as descriptive wood perception and thickness of the wall, with values of 0.71 in both cases. Multiple regression analysis improved correlations when (i) descriptive seed hardness correlated with instrumental seed hardness and wood index (0.94); (ii) descriptive wood perception correlated with instrumental seed hardness and wood index (0.79); (iii) descriptive seed hardness correlated with instrumental seed hardness and thickness of the seed wall (0.96); and (iv) descriptive wood perception correlated with instrumental seed hardness and thickness of the seed wall (0.82). The same trend was found when (i) seed hardness satisfaction degree correlated with instrumental seed hardness and wood index (0.92); (ii) wood perception satisfaction degree correlated with instrumental seed hardness and wood index (0.82); (iii) seed hardness satisfaction degree correlated with instrumental seed hardness and thickness of the wall (0.99); and (iv) wood perception satisfaction degree correlated with instrumental seed hardness and thickness of the wall (0.99)., Conclusion: Regarding mechanical properties, the results of the present study confirm that texture analysis and scanning electron microscopy are an effective tool for obtaining reliable information. This research led to establish an objective tool allowing prediction of the consumer acceptance of pomegranate cultivars worldwide. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) belongs to the Punicaceae plant family. It is an important fruit due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. Pomegranates are widely distributed around the world and, therefore, have a broad genetic diversity, resulting in differences in their phytochemical composition. The scientific community has focused on the positive health effects of pomegranate as a whole, but the different varieties have rarely been compared according to their bioactive compounds and bioactivity. This review aims to provide a holistic overview of the current knowledge on the bioactivity of pomegranate trees, with an emphasis on differentiating both the varieties and the different plant parts. This review intends to provide a general and organized overview of the accumulated knowledge on pomegranates, the identification of the most bioactive varieties, their potential consumption pathways and seeks to provide knowledge on the present gaps to guide future research., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The Spanish Mediterranean region concentrates the largest producers of lemons ( Citrus limon Burm. f.) at the national level where the 98.4% of the cultivated area of lemons corresponds to the varieties "Verna" and "Fino". In this study, the morphological and chemical variations of the fruits obtained in five variety/rootstock combinations were investigated in order to determine the influence and impact of the rootstock on the physicochemical properties of the fruits. The assay was carried out using three lemon varieties ("Fino 95", "Fino 49" and "Verna") grafted onto two different rootstocks ( Citrus macrophylla and Citrus aurantium ). The varieties were selected due to be consolidated commercial varieties, while the rootstocks are the most commonly used in the world. Both the morphological characteristics of the fruits (colour, weight, size) as well as their physicochemical characteristics (total soluble solids, titratable acidity, maturity index, antioxidant activity, sugars, and organic acids) were evaluated. Based on the results, the lemons with the best physicochemical and the best compositional characteristics were obtained in the "Fino 95" and "Fino 49" lemons grafted onto C. aurantium rootstock presented the highest quality fruits.

This study aimed to explore the main biochemical components and the antioxidant capacity of five strawberry tree fruits using three antioxidant essays within the ecotypic comparison scheme, to find out the most valuable fruit presenting disease-preventing properties. Total phenols, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins, antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, and β-Carotene bleaching assays), pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, and moisture content were investigated in five strawberry tree genotypes belonging to several areas in Morocco. Phenolic compounds were also identified using high performance chromatography (HPLC), with a diode array detector (DAD). High significant differences ( p ˂ 0.05) were revealed among the examined genotypes regarding their total phenols (25.37-39.06 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g Dry weight (DW), total flavonoids (3.30-7.07 mg RE/g Dry weight (DW), total anthocyanins (0.15-0.64 mg cya-3-glu/100g Dry weight (DW), pH (2.44-3.92), titratable acidity (0.65-1.01 g malic acid/100g Fresh weight (FW), and soluble solids (14.83-18.53%). The average radical scavenging capacity, assessed using three methods, exhibited the following concentration ranges: 3.33-21.08, 2.25-19.58, and 1.08-13 mg Ascorbic Equivalent (AAE/g Dry weight(DW) for the DPPH scavenging test, ABTS, and β-carotene bleaching, respectively. Seventeen phenolic compounds were identified in sampled cultivars. Gallocatechol and catechin were found to be the major phenolic compounds. The correlation matrix revealed significant correlations among investigated variables, particularly ABTS and DPPH. The principal component analysis showed that the first three components formed 90.25% of the total variance. The following variables: chlorogenic acid, ellagic acid derivative, ellagic acid, rutin, and cyanidin-30.5-diglucoside, were the most involved in the total variance. The results revealed highly promising physico-biochemical profiles within the studied strawberry tree genotypes.

For the maintenance of the economic activity of the ports, it is necessary to dredge the marine sediments in order to guarantee their depth. These sediments, considered by European legislation as residues, present relevant limitations of use and generate environmental and economic problems concerning their final disposal. In this context, the present work aims to identify the phytoremediated dredged sediments potential as an alternative to the traditional substrate (peat) in horticultural growing through two-years controlled strawberry cultivation. The growing media mixes used were: (1) 100% peat (Pt) as a control substrate; (2) 100% dredged remediated sediment (DRS); (3) 50% each (Pt-DRS). The dredged sediment, plant drainage and strawberry plant parts (leaves, stems, roots, and fruits) were analyzed to mineral elements, heavy metal contents, and pesticide residues (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and specific fumigants) during the experimental period. Only seven (Mn, Fe, Zn, Mo, Al, Mn and Ni) of the twenty-two metals and two (nitrates and fluorene) of the six hundred-thirteen pesticides analyzed were detected in the strawberry fruits. In all the cases, values detected were under the Spanish and European legal limit. The suitability of strawberry fruits for fresh and/or processed consumption with no risk was confirmed. Based on the results, can be affirmed that the dredged remediated sediment can be used as a culture substrate, alone or mixed with other substrates. Additional researches should be carried out to confirm the sediment characteristics and compare with other substrates to improve the physical and chemical properties.

HydroSOStainable almonds are harvested from trees cultivated under controlled water stress by using a regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategy. The aim of this study was to investigate consumers' perception to select the best roasting temperature for the hydroSOStainable almonds and its correlation with volatile compounds, descriptive sensory attributes, instrumental color, and texture. Thirty-five volatile compounds were identified and the key compounds for the roasting process were 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, furfural, and trimethyl pyrazine. Pyrazines, furans and, in general, volatiles were higher in hydroSOStainable almonds than in control. Instrumental color and trained panel showed that almonds roasted at 190 °C presented intense color and burnt notes in both irrigation treatments, while almonds roasted at 150 °C were under-roasted. Principal component analysis (PCA) grouped together the samples of the same irrigation treatment, but separated samples roasted at different temperatures. Partial least square regression (PLS) results indicated that consumers overall liking was positively linked to specific volatiles (alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, and furans) and sensory attributes (sweetness, roasted, almond ID, nutty, hardness, and crispiness), but, negatively correlated with pyrazines, bitterness, astringency, woody, and burnt flavor notes. Penalty analysis showed that almonds roasted at 150 and 190 °C were penalized due to low roasted aroma and soft almonds, and over-roasted samples with too intense color and burn notes, respectively. While no penalization being found for almonds roasted at 170 °C. Overall, roasting at 170 °C for 10 min in a convective oven were the optimum conditions for roasting Vairo almonds. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This research describes the link between physicochemical and sensory analysis of roasted almonds giving evidence about possible sensory quality markers. Besides, it provides valuable information for the food industry to produce roasted almonds that meet consumer demands and for the agricultural sector by encouraging reduction of irrigation water consumption by almond trees., (© 2020 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Background: COPD is characterized by a persistent inflammatory response, especially against cigarette smoke. COPD patients may develop varying degrees of emphysematous destruction of the lungs. A pathophysiological role for miRNAs in COPD has been suggested in several studies. We examined changes in microRNAs expression profile during 10 years follow-up in relation to COPD progression., Methods: Clinical and lung function parameters were registered from every subject included in the study. miRNAs expression was determined in 14 serum samples from 7 patients in two moments (4 smokers with COPD (BODE cohort) and 3 smokers without COPD) by next generation sequencing (NGS) at baseline and after 10 years follow-up. A validation study was performed by qPCR in 20 patients with COPD (13 emphysema-diagnosed by CTscan) and 10 smoker controls at baseline and after 10 years follow-up. hsa-miRNA-20a-5p and hsa-let-7d-5p were used as endogenous controls., Results: A total of 198 miRNAs (≥10TPM) were identified by NGS. Between these, hsa-miR-1246 was found significantly downregulated in COPD patients after 10 years when compared to baseline (p<0.0001, FDR=0.05). Seventy-five percent of these patients had an emphysema diagnose. In the validation analysis, when analyzed longitudinally, hsa-miR-1246 was significantly downregulated in COPD patients with emphysema after 10 years (p= 0.019). However, no association was found between the expression of miR-1246 and any other lung function parameters (FEV 1 , PaO 2 , DL CO , IC/TLC) within the follow-up period. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed miR-1246 to be associated with target genes in several pathways involved in COPD/emphysema development., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that hsa-miR-1246 may act as a biomarker of emphysema in COPD. Functional analysis is guaranteed to elucidate its role in COPD., Competing Interests: Sara Cazorla-Rivero, Glorian Mura-Escorche, Francisca Gonzalvo-Hernández, Delia Mayato, and Elizabeth Córdoba-Lanús, declare not to have any financial or personal conflict of interests. Ciro Casanova Macario reports grants from Astra-Zeneca, GSK, and Menarini, advisory board for Astra-Zeneca and GSK, financial support for congress from Boehringer, Novartis and Menarini, personal fees from Bial, and lectures for Novartis, outside the submitted work; and declares to have received lectures and/or scientific advice from Laboratorios Bial, Boehringer-Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, GSK, Esteve, Menarini, Novartis and Rovi in the last three years. The authors report no other potential conflicts of interest for this work., (© 2020 Cazorla-Rivero et al.)

There are not many exhaustive works emphasizing the amount of genetic diversity among the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L) genotypes in Morocco. This work aims to assess the biochemical composition of strawberry tree fruits, as well as to establish the variation of this composition among them. In this study, total phenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF), condensed tannins (CT) and hydrolyzable tannins (HT), total anthocyanins (TA), and free radical scavenging activity through ABTS were investigated in strawberry tree fruits. Furthermore, qualitative and quantitative analyses of individual phenolic compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were carried out. Color parameters such as lightness (L *), Chroma (c *), and hue angle (h°) were also investigated. All studied variables showed highly significant differences among all samples with the exception of hydrolyzable tannins and chromatic coordinates. TP varied from 22.63 ± 1.74 to 39.06 ± 2.44 mg GAE/g DW, TF varied from 3.30 ± 0.60 to 8.62 ± 1.10 mg RE/g DW, and TA ranged between 0.12 ± 0.06 and 0.66 ± 0.15 mg cya-3-glu/100 g DW. In addition, CT and HT amounts were in the range of 10.41 ± 1.07-16.08 ± 1.50 mg TAE/g DW and 4.08 ± 2.43-6.34 ± 3.47 TAE/g DW, respectively. Moreover, the IC50 value (ABTS) ranged between 1.75 and 19.58 mg AAE/g DW. 17 phenolic compounds were detected in strawberry tree fruits. Gallocatechol and catechin were the most abundant phenolic compounds. Matrix of correlations revealed significant positive and negative correlations among variables particularly c *, a *, and b *. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the first three components formed than 68% of the total inertia. The following variables gallic acid, protocatechuic, gallocatechin, gallic acid derivative, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, ellagic acid derivative II, L *, and h * were the most involved in the total variance explained. Hierarchical clustering classified samples into one main cluster, with a single branch. The results highlight a high biochemical diversity within studied strawberry genotypes, which is probably more genetically related.

Background: Coccidioidal meningitis is a life-threatening condition and a diagnostic challenge in cases of chronic meningitis. It is associated to severe complications, like basal arachnoiditis, hydrocephalus, and secondary vasculitis., Objective: To present a 20-year retrospective clinical series of coccidioidal meningitis cases at a Mexican neurological referral center., Results: The clinical records of 11 patients, predominantly males, were retrieved. Weight loss and night sweats were observed in 64 % of cases. Neurological signs included intracranial hypertension in 91 % of cases, altered alertness and meningeal syndrome in 72 %, and neuropsychiatric symptoms in 64 %. Mean CSF glucose levels were 30 ± 25 mg/dL, and pleocytosis ranged from 0 to 2218 cells/mm 3 . The diagnosis was confirmed by coccidioidal antigen latex agglutination in 91 % of cases. Radiological findings were hepatomegaly in 55 % of cases and pneumonia in 45 %. Neuroimaging findings included leptomeningitis in 73 % of cases, pachymeningitis in 45 %, and vascular involvement in 91 %. Less common findings included spinal cord lesion and mycotic aneurism, found in 18 % of cases. A molecular coccidioidal DNA test confirmed the predominance of Coccidioides immitis, detected in 64 % of cases. With respect to the clinical outcome, 46 % of patients died. The survivors suffered from sequels like chronic headache, cognitive alterations, and depression., Conclusions: Coccidioidal meningitis is an entity with high mortality rates. More than one half of patients suffered disseminated disease. Although meningeal signs are not frequent in chronic meningitis, more than two-thirds of our patients showed mild nuchal rigidity. In addition, cerebral and cerebellar volume loss, associated with cognitive impairment and depression, was often observed in surviving patients during the clinical-radiological follow-up., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effect of different drying techniques (freeze, convective, vacuum-microwave and combined drying) on the drying kinetics, the phytochemical compounds and sensory characteristics in loquat cultivar 'Algar' was studied. The convective drying resulted in the highest amount of total hydroxycinnamic acids (5077 mg/kg wet weight (ww)), with 3-caffeoyl quinic acid and 5-caffeoyl quinic acid being the greatest carotenoids. The highest values of total carotenoids were obtained by the freeze-drying technique (2601 mg/kg ww), followed by all convective treatments and vacuum-microwave at 360 W. The highest carotenoid was β-carotene. The ABTS +• (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and FRAP (Ferric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Power) values ranged from 2.04 up to 3.27 mmol Trolox/100 g ww, and from 1.89 up to 2.29 mmol Trolox/100 g ww, respectively. As expected, the color difference of freeze-dried samples was the lowest (7.06), similar to combined drying conditions (9.63), whilst the highest value was found after convective drying (37.0). All treatments were sensory acceptable (no off-flavors). However, still, further research is needed to fully optimize these studied drying treatments because the freeze-dried sample still had higher carotenoid content and better instrumental color parameters. Although recently the impact of microwave drying has been studied, this is the first work comparing phytochemical composition of loquat fruit under the different drying methods mentioned above.

This study aimed to produce starch esters by roasting potato starch with apple distillery wastewater at various temperatures and aimed to determine the effects of esterification conditions on selected properties of the modified preparations. Apple distillery wastewater was concentrated, mixed with starch (30 g of dry matter per 100 g of starch), dried, and roasted at temperatures of 110, 130 or 150 °C for 3 h. The resulting preparations were rinsed 30 times with a 60% ethanol solution, dried, and disintegrated. After that, the following analyses were performed: content of substituted acids (after alkaline de-esterification) with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); thermal characteristics with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); swelling power and solubility in water at 80 °C; color changes with a colorimeter; rheology of the pastes based on the plotted flow curves; and the pastes' resistance to amyloglucosidase. Starch treatments with apple distillery wastewater at 130 and 150 °C caused significant changes to its properties when compared to the control samples of native starch and starch roasted without wastewater, including: a lower temperature and heat of pasting, lower swelling power and solubility in water, darker color, higher resistance to amyloglucosidase, and the formation of pastes with a lower viscosity.

Background: The combination of the nutritional profile of almond milk with the benefits of probiotic bacteria is an interesting development to meet the demand for sustainable and health-promoting food. Almond milk inoculated with probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum (ATCC8014) was spray dried and the almond, its milk, and powders were characterized physicochemically. Samples were characterized in terms of bacterial survival before and after atomization. Bacterial viability and total fatty acid changes were studied during 8 months' storage at 4 and 22 °C., Results: Results showed adequate physicochemical properties and an optimal bacterial survival rate, maintaining almost the same values before and after the spray-drying operation. A decrease was observed in the cell viability for samples stored at 4 °C. However, the cell count was maintained above the minimum level suggested (10 7 living cells) to allow potential probiotic functionality for 8 months. On the other hand, the count cell of powders stored at 22 °C was below the minimum level required after 6 months. The fatty acids profile was not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by storage time and temperature., Conclusion: A new almond-based-product with probiotics was developed to meet consumer demands. Almond nutrients were recovered from almond milk powder and were found to be a good source of K and high in Mg and in monounsaturated fat. The viability of bacteria was assured during 8 months of storage at 4 °C and up to 6 months for samples stored at 22 °C. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

There is an upward trend towards reducing or suppressing additives in foods, as well as reducing the use of E-numbers in labels providing clean label foods. Therefore, the development of confectionary products based exclusively on natural ingredients with antioxidant properties may offer valuable solutions to the confectionery industry. Fruit juices and purées may provide functional and organoleptic properties in jelly candies in a natural way. The consumption of pomegranate fruit and derivative products has increased due to their association with health benefits. The aim of this study was to determine consumer insights about pomegranate-based jellies, cultivar " Mollar de Elche ", as affected by formulation (100% pomegranate juice or 50%-50% pomegranate juice-apple purée) and type of sweetener (sugar or honey), and to link affective and descriptive data from sensory studies. The most valued quality parameter of pomegranate products, red color (measured by the green-red coordinate, a *), was not negatively affected by jelly preparation. It was determined that the main liking drivers for pomegranate jellies were intense red color and high brightness. The results might be used by pomegranate processing companies to improve their manufacturing protocols and to develop successful products meeting consumer demands and needs. The formulation containing 20% gelatin, pure " Mollar de Elche " pomegranate juice, 1% citric acid, and sucrose as sweetener provided the best quality of jellies in terms of color, texture, antioxidant capacity, and sensory attributes.

Citrus limon (L.) Burm is an important crop that grows between latitudes 30° North and 30° South, the main producers being China, the USA, Mexico, India, Brazil, and Spain. In Spain, lemon grows mainly in Mediterranean areas such as Murcia, Valencia, and Andalucía. The most cultivated varieties are "Fino" and "Verna". In this study, five varieties of lemon, "Verna", "Bétera", "Eureka", "Fino 49", and "Fino 95" were evaluated on different rootstocks: three new Forner-Alcaide ("FA13", "FA5", "FA517"), Citrus macrophylla, Wester, and Citrus aurantium L. Hydrodistillation was used to obtain essential oil from fresh peels and then the volatile profile was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 26 volatile compounds were identified, limonene being the main one followed by β-pinene, γ-terpinene, sabinene, and α-pinene. The results revealed that Forner-Alcaide rootstocks ("FA5" > "FA517" > "FA13") proved to be the best rootstocks for the aroma quality as they led to high volatile contents, followed by C. aurantium and C. macrophylla . Among the other varieties, the most aromatic one was "Eureka". The whole trend was as follows (in decreasing order): "Eureka" > "Bétera" > "Fino 95" > "Verna" > "Fino 49".

This research analyzed the volatile composition of the fruits pulp of six prickly pear cultivars (NT, NE, NO, NA, FR, and ORI) growing in Spain, by headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography (GC-MS and GC-FID). A total of 35 compounds were isolated, identified, and quantified, with aldehydes, alcohols, and terpenes being the predominant chemical families, and esters, ketones, linear hydrocarbons, and terpenoids being also found. Nonanol, 2,6-nonadienal, 1-hexanol, 2-hexenal, and D-limonene were the predominant compounds. NT and FR cultivars showed the highest concentration of total volatile compounds. On the other hand, NE and NO cultivars presented the lowest concentration. Future studies on sensory evaluation are required to determine the sensory quality of the fruits of these Spanish cultivars., (© 2020 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

The transformation and progression of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) to secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) involve genetic, epigenetic, and microenvironmental factors. Driver mutations have emerged as valuable markers for defining risk groups and as candidates for targeted treatment approaches in MDS. It is also evident that the risk of transformation to sAML is increased by evasion of adaptive immune surveillance. This study was designed to explore the immune microenvironment, immunogenic tumor-intrinsic mechanisms (HLA and PD-L1 expression), and tumor genetic features (somatic mutations and altered karyotypes) in MDS patients and to determine their influence on the progression of the disease. We detected major alterations of the immune microenvironment in MDS patients, with a reduced count of CD4 + T cells, a more frequent presence of markers related to T cell exhaustion, a more frequent presence of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and changes in the functional phenotype of NK cells. HLA Class I (HLA-I) expression was normally expressed in CD34 + blasts and during myeloid differentiation. Only two out of thirty-six patients with homozygosity for HLA-C groups acquired complete copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity in the HLA region. PD-L1 expression on the leukemic clone was also increased in MDS patients. Finally, no interplay was observed between the anti-tumor immune microenvironment and mutational genomic features. In summary, extrinsic and intrinsic immunological factors might severely impair immune surveillance and contribute to clonal immune escape. Genomic alterations appear to make an independent contribution to the clonal evolution and progression of MDS.

The aim of the study was to analyze potential health-promoting components of caper flower buds ( Capparis spinosa L.) at six stages of development in two cultivars. Polyphenol compounds (flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavan-3-ols) were identified by Liquid Chromatography- quadrupole Time-of-Flight -Mass Spectrofotometer/Mass Spectrofotometer (LC-qTOF-MS/MS) and quantified by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array-Fluorescence Detector (UPLC-PDA-FL). Moreover, antioxidant properties (ABTS+•, FRAP, and ORAC), anti-diabetic potential (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), and anti-aging activity (acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE)) of the buds were examined. Total phenolic compounds in the investigated caper varied from 10,720 to 3256 mg/100 g dry weight (DW), and depended on a genotype and growing stage of caper flowers. Among six different growing stages, the one named 'nonpareilles' was characterized by significantly higher content of polyphenols than the remaining five stages. The flavonols in caper flowers represented a mixture of different glycosylated quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, and isorhamnetin derivatives, accounting for 38%-67%, 15%-36%, 4%-7%, and 0.8%-3%, respectively, of total flavonols,. Their contents strongly depended on the growth stage. 'Nonpareilles' and 'surfines' were richer in flavonols than 'fines' and 'gruesas'. Of the six investigated growth stages, 'nonpareilles' accumulated the greatest amounts of bioactive compounds that correlated with antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties, and were more potent BuChE than AChE inhibitors.

The fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) profiles of fruit peel and pulp of 4 Spanish cultivars of Ziziphus jujuba were studied. The FAMEs profile of the cultivar 'GAL' was studied under two farming practices, (i) organic, 'GAL-E' and conventional, 'GAL-T'. Eleven FAMEs were identified, the predominant ones were cis-palmitoleic acid (pulp) and oleic and palmitic acid (peel). When comparing the FAMEs profiles between organic and conventional 'GAL' peel jujube fruits, the 'GAL-E' (organic) presented a higher unsaturated/saturated ratio than the 'GAL-T' cultivar (conventional), while this relationship in the pulp was the opposite. The 'DAT' cultivar was interesting for its high palmitoleic acid content while the 'GAL-E' and 'GAL-T' cultivars had high contents of oleic, palmitic and linoleic acids. The LDA (linear discriminant analysis) model showed that the FAMEs contents could be used to discriminate the studied cultivars, and the agricultural practice, because all groups were clearly separated with no overlaps., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Invasive candidiasis is one of the most common nosocomial fungal infections worldwide. Delayed implementation of effective antifungal treatment caused by inefficient Candida diagnosis contributes to its notoriously high mortality rates. The availability of better Candida diagnostic tools would positively impact patient outcomes. Here, we report on the development of a single-tube, dual channel pentaplex molecular diagnostic assay based on Multiplex Probe Amplification (MPA) technology. It allows simultaneous identification of C. auris, C. glabrata and C. krusei, at species-level as well as of six additional albicans and non-albicans pathogenic Candida at genus level. The assay overcomes the one-channel one-biomarker limitation of qPCR-based assays. Assay specificities are conferred by unique biomarker probe pairs with characteristic melting temperatures; post-amplification melting curve analysis allows simple identification of the infectious agent. Alerting for the presence of C. auris, the well-characterised multi-drug resistant outbreak strain, will facilitate informed therapy decisions and aid antifungal stewardship. The MPA-Candida assay can also be coupled to a pan-Fungal assay when differentiation between fungal and bacterial infections might be desirable. Its multiplexing capacity, detection range, specificity and sensitivity suggest the potential use of this novel MPA-Candida assay in clinical diagnosis and in the control and management of hospital outbreaks.

HydroSOStainable table olives (cultivar Manzanilla) are produced from olive trees grown under regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies. Olives produced by RDI are known to have a higher content of some bioactive compounds (e.g. polyphenols), but no information about consumer acceptance (or liking) have been reported so far. In this study, the volatile composition, the sensory profile and the consumer opinion and willingness to pay (at three locations) for HydroSOStainable table olives produced from three RDI treatments and a control were studied. Volatile composition was affected by RDI, by increasing alcohols, ketones and phenolic compounds in some treatments, while others led to a decrease in esters and the content of organic acids. Descriptive sensory analysis (10 panelists) showed an increase of green-olive flavor with a decrease of bitterness in the HydroSOStainable samples. Consumers (study done with 100 consumers in 2-rural and 1-urban locations; n total = 300), after being informed about the HydroSOStainable concept, preferred HydroSOStainable table olives to the conventional samples and were willing to pay a higher price for them (52% 1.35-1.75 € and 32% 1.75-2.50 € as compared to the regular price of 1.25 € for a 200 g bag). Finally, green-olive flavor, hardness, crunchiness, bitterness, sweetness and saltiness were defined as the attributes driving consumer acceptance of HydroSOStainable table olives.

Background: Esophageal candidiasis (EC) is the most common cause of infectious esophagitis. So far, its main risk factor has been HIV infection; in recent years, EC has been favoured by the increasing of diabetes mellitus, wide-spread use of acid-lowering agents, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and inhaled steroids. In Mexico EC has been poorly studied., Objectives: To determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of EC, and to identify its etiological agents as well as its antifungal susceptibility., Methods: Patients who revealed the presence of scattered white spots through an upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy, in a period of one year, in a tertiary care hospital, were included. Samples from patches were collected for microscopic examination, culture, and susceptibility tests., Results: Out of 1763 patients studied, 23 had scattered white spots, and most of them presented Kodsi grade I; 13 were men; half of the patients were between the ages 20 to 40; main comorbidity was liver cirrhosis; use of omeprazole was significant. 22 isolates were obtained from 17 patients. The most frequent species were C. albicans (14) and C. parapsilosis (3). In five cases we found a two-species association v. g. Candida famata with Trichosporon mucoides. Half of the isolates showed resistance to one or several antifungal drugs., Conclusions: EC frequency in this study was similar to other studies’ results. Obtained isolates showed high resistance to azolic compounds and to caspofungin, which is relevant information to take a therapeutic decision.

The influence of full irrigation, double-regulated (RDI) and sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) treatments on almond quality was assessed by analyzing different parameters: sugars, organic acids, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and volatile compounds. Almond quality studies for plants submitted to water stress are scarce, and it is essential to understand the biochemical responses of plants to water stress in maintaining fruit yield and quality. Citric acid, sucrose, antioxidant activity, and TPC were not affected by the application of studied deficit irrigation strategies (DI). An increase in malic acid and a decrease in glucose was observed for stressed samples (T3 and T4), while a higher number of total volatiles compounds was found for moderate RDI (T2). Using deficit irrigation strategies, the almond yield and quality was not changed, and in fact, some parameters, such as glucose and key volatile compounds, slightly increased under moderate RDI. This finding might encourage farmers to implement these strategies and contribute to sustainable agriculture., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The use of deficit irrigation techniques on olive orchards is the main trend aiming to optimize water savings while improving functional and sensory characteristics of oils from trees under deficit irrigation techniques. The brand hydroSOStainable has been defined for crops produced under water restriction conditions. HydroSOStainable olive oils obtained under two new regulated deficit irrigation and one sustained deficit irrigation treatments in "Arbequina" olive trees were evaluated by analyzing quality parameters, antioxidant activity, total phenol content, fatty acid profile, volatile compounds, and sensory descriptors. Results showed that some of these irrigation strategies improved the phenol content at "moderate" stress levels, slightly enriched the fatty acid profile (~3.5% increased oleic acid and simultaneously decreased saturated fatty acids), and increased some key volatile compounds and also several key sensory attributes. Therefore, hydroSOStainable olive oil may be more attractive to consumers as it is environmentally friendly, has a higher content of several bioactive compounds, and has improved sensory characteristics as compared to control (fully irrigated) oils.

Background: Infectious endocarditis of fungal origin is rare but of high mortality. The agents involved are mainly opportunists of the genus Candida and Aspergillus; however other fungi can also cause this disease., Clinical Case: The case of a woman who suffered unknown origin intermittent fever for several months; and in who, by blood culture (after lysis-centrifugation) and molecular biology techniques, Histoplasma capsulatum was identified as etiological agent. The histological study showed abundant intracellular yeasts and hyphae in intracardiac vegetations., Conclusion: This first report of infectious endocarditis by H. capsulatum in Mexico highlights the importance of using in addition to manual blood culture (lysis-centrifugation) and histological study, faster and more sensitive diagnostic methods, such as serology and molecular biology, to confirm or rule out an invasive fungal infection and identify the agents.

The aim of the study was to analyze the chemical composition of new artichoke cultivars and hybrids and to assess their potential health-promoting properties. Polyphenols, carotenoids and chlorophylls were identified by liquid chromatography-photodiode detector-mass spectrometry/quadrupole time of flight (LC-PDA-MS/QTof) and quantified by ultra performance liquid chromatography-photodiode detector (UPLC-PDA). Sugar and organic acid profiles were prepared, and antioxidant capacity (ABTS, FRAP and ORAC) and in vitro antidiabetic (inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase) and anticholinesterase (inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE)) potentials were evaluated. The analyses revealed a highly varied content of bioactive compounds and great health-promoting potential significantly depending on a cultivar. The content of polyphenolic compounds ranged from 1681.49 ("Sambo") to 3638.91 ("Symphony") mg/100 g of dry weight (DW). "Blanca de Tudela" contained the highest amounts of carotenoids and chlorophylls (3761.91 mg/100 g DW) and exhibited high ABTS and ORAC capacity. Inhibition of antidiabetic enzymes was significant in cvs. "Symphony" and "Calico". Additionally, all tested cultivars and hybrids turned out to be effective inhibitors of neurodegenerative enzymes.

Background: Three treatments of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) were assayed on olive trees for table olive production. RDI provides hydroSOStainable crops. The effect of RDI treatments on the quality of raw and table olives was determined based on their: weight, pit weight, fruit/pit ratio, size, texture, colour, mineral content, antioxidant activity, total phenol content and organic acid and sugar profile., Results: HydroSOStainable olives showed the most attractive shape and colour: highest fruit weight, roundest fruit, hardest texture and a lightest and greenest colour than control olives. Minerals, antioxidants, phenols and organic acids and sugars of hydroSOStainable olives were similar to control olives. After processing to table olives, calcium, potassium, antioxidants and phenols contents decreased, whereas sugars and organic acids profiles changed in both types of olives., Conclusions: HydroSOStainable table olives offer environmental and quality advantages over control olives given the reduced use of fresh water and favourable morphological traits, which are more attractive for consumers. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Fresh water availability is considered highly risky because it is a finite resource, and a deficiency in water leads to numerous economic and environmental issues. Agriculture is one of the main consumers of fresh water in practices such as irrigation and fertilization. In this context, the main objectives of this study were (i) to determine the descriptive sensory profiles of four almond types grown using different irrigation strategies and (ii) to study their acceptance in a cross-cultural study (Romania and Spain). Consumers' willingness to pay for hydroSOS almonds was also evaluated. The four irrigation strategies evaluated were a control sample, two samples grown under regulated deficit irrigation strategies (RDI), and a sample grown under a sustained deficit irrigation strategy (SDI). The main conclusion was that neither descriptive nor affective sensory results showed significant differences among treatments. These findings should encourage farmers to reduce their water usage by demonstrating that sensory quality was not significantly affected by any of the studied treatments, compared to the control. Regarding willingness to pay, both Spanish and Romanian consumers were willing to pay a higher price for the hydroSOS almonds.

Background: This report studied the response of pomegranate fruit under full irrigation (FI) and water stress conditions to bagging with externally glossy, single-layer, cellulosic paper bags, open at the bottom, from the end of fruit thinning to harvest time., Results: Bagging decreased fruit size and the maturity index, and increased antioxidant activity in FI conditions. Moreover, fruit bagging substantially reduced the incidence of peel sunburn in both irrigation conditions., Conclusion: The delay in fruit growth and ripening as a result of pomegranate fruit bagging is outweighed by the very important commercial benefit in terms of the reduced incidence of peel sunburn and the increase in fruit antioxidant activity. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Reducing water consumption on agriculture is a worldwide goal toward sustainability. In this scenario, two experiments of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) were carried out on olive trees, cultivar Manzanilla. With regard to experiment A, three RDI techniques were applied during the olive pit hardening period (stage II), while in experiment B, two RDI treatments were applied during the rehydration phase (stage III). Table olives under RDI are so-called hydroSOStainable. The effect of water deficit and Spanish-style processing was studied on the polyphenol profile, antioxidant capacity, and total polyphenol content (TPC) of both raw olives (RO) and table olives (TO). The TPC decreased after processing of TO. It could be due to osmotic mechanisms. However, many individual polyphenols, such as oleuropein (main polyphenol) or oleoside diglucoside, increased their concentrations in hydroSOStainable TO. Additionally, the TPC content was correlated to the phenological stage of the fruit when the stress is applied. A moderate stress during pit hardening and an intense stress during the rehydration phase were the treatments that best improved the polyphenol profile.

Introduction: Pneumocystis jirovecii is an atypical fungus particularly detected in HIV-positive or transplant patients., Objective: To detect and genotype Pneumocystis jirovecii in patient samples from two hospitals in Mexico City., Method: Eighty-nine respiratory tract samples, corresponding to 53 patients (30 HIV-positive and 23 HIV-negative) with respiratory symptoms and to 11 healthy individuals included as negative control, were processed. DNA was extracted from the ITS region and amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction from the internal transcribed spacer, with one fragment being obtained at each round (693 and 550 bp). Genotypes and their phylogenetic relationship were determined by sequencing the 550 bp fragment., Results: Forty-eight samples from 30 HIV-positive patients were received from a single hospital, out of which 11 (36.6 %) were positive for Pneumocystis jirovecii. No sample was positive in HIV-negative patients or healthy subjects. The most frequently detected haplotypes were Eg and Em., Conclusions: The frequency of Pneumocystis jirovecii infection was high in the studied Mexican population. The most common genotype was different from those reported in other countries. It is necessary to address this health problem through early detection of this infection., (Copyright: © 2019 Permanyer.)

The Revised International Prognostic Score and some somatic mutations in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are independently associated with transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Immunity has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of MDS, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We performed a SNP array on chromosome 6 in CD34 + purified blasts from 19 patients diagnosed with advanced MDS and 8 patients with other myeloid malignancies to evaluate the presence of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in HLA and its impact on disease progression. Three patients had acquired copy-neutral LOH (CN-LOH) on 6p arms, which may disrupt antigen presentation and act as a mechanism for immune system evasion. Interestingly, these patients had previously been classified at low risk of AML progression, and the poor outcome cannot be explained by the acquisition of adverse mutations. LOH HLA was not detected in the remaining 24 patients, who all had adverse risk factors. In summary, the clinical outcome of patients with advanced MDS might be influenced by HLA allelic loss, wich allows subclonal expansions to evade cytotoxic-T and NK cell attack. CN-LOH HLA may therefore be a factor favoring MDS progression to AML independently of the somatic tumor mutation load., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.