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In order to add value and develop alternatives for the use of okara, a by-product from the soy processing, this study examined the incorporation of 10 and 20% okara flour (OF) and its particle sizes effects (200, 500 and 1000 µm) on the characteristics of gluten-free layer cakes. Batter density and viscosity, cake characteristics (weight loss, specific volume, texture and color) and consumer acceptability were studied. By increasing the OF content batter density and viscosity increased. These changes resulted in a smaller specific volume of cakes with the greatest level substitution by OF. Textural properties of the samples revealed that cake hardness increased, while springiness and cohesiveness decreased in cakes with OF. Crust color of cakes enriched with OF were lighter, less reddish and less yellowish, while crumb color was not affected by the presence of OF. Cakes with 10%OF showed to have the highest acceptability. It was demonstrated that it is possible to make gluten-free layer cake, using OF as partial substitution of rice flour, with good physical characteristics similar texture and acceptability to the control cake.

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and predatory mirids are among the most effective natural enemies for the control of Tuta absoluta, a key pest of tomato worldwide. In the case of South America, the native EPN Heterorhabditis amazonensisand the predator Macrolophus basicornis(Stal) coexist in tomato. The intraguild interactions of two ENPs, H. amazonensisJPM4 and the widely used Steinernema carpocapsae, with the predator M. basicornis, were studied in laboratory setups with the objective of evaluating the potential interactions between them. We hypothesized that the two natural enemies do not interact negatively. The first nymphal stage of the predator was not affected when exposed to tomato leaves directly sprayed with both EPNs, which we attributed to the small size of its stylet. Individuals treated with H. amazonensisJPM4 had low mortality rates in all developmental stages with a maximum of 1.3%. Mortality was higher when the predator was exposed to S. carpocapsae(28% for adults) and correlated positively with increasing developmental stages. In prey choice tests between larvae infected with H. amazonensisand uninfected larvae, M. basicornisfed indistinctively showing no clear preference. When presented with choice larvae infected with S. carpocapsae, the consumption of healthy larvae was higher. In a no-choice prey acceptance experiment, M. basicornispreyed on both healthy and infected larvae with no difference in larvae consumed. Predators that had fed from infected larvae did not exhibit signs of nematode infection and survived. Our results indicate that the South American native H. amazonensisJPM4 and M. basicornisdo not show a negative interaction and are promising candidates for combined use in T. absolutabiological control.

El tratamiento de la obesidad mórbida mediante la cirugía bariátrica es más efectivo que las opciones no quirúrgicas. Las tasas de fracaso o recaída oscilan entre el 20 y el 30%. El estudio pretende analizar la influencia de determinadas variables psicológicas (autoestima, apoyo social, estrategias de afrontamiento y personalidad) en el mantenimiento de la pérdida de peso de los pacientes después de la cirugía bariátrica.

Abstract. A kinetic-spectrophotometric method for the determination of theophylline, dyphylline and proxyphylline, based on their azo coupling reaction with the diazonium ion of sulfanilic acid after a treatment with alkali, is proposed. The absorbance is recorded from 340 to 600 nm every second during reaction for 90 s, and calibration is performed by partial least-squares regression, using first derivative spectra values. Mixtures containing 2.5-13 µg mL^-1 dyphylline and proxyphylline, and 2-9 µg mL^-1 theophylline were successfully resolved with root mean squared errors of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.4, 0.3, and 0.2 for dyphylline, proxyphylline, and theophylline, respectively. The proposed method was satisfactorily applied to the determination of the three compounds in a commercially available pharmaceutical preparation and provided results similar to those obtained by HPLC.

This study tested the hypothesis that c-Myc activation, an oxidation-sensitive transcription factor, and its binding partner Max occurs in coronary arteries of hypercholesterolemic (HC) pigs, and can be attenuated by chronic antioxidant intervention. Coronary arteries were isolated from normal, HC pigs, or HC supplemented with antioxidant vitamins (HC + vitamins). The expression of the c-Myc/Max complex, and its target genes GADD45 and p53, was studied in nonatherosclerotic, early lesions (LL), positively staining for oil-red-O, in adjacent lesion-prone regions (PL), and in healthy segments (HV). The expression of c-Myc and Max in HC was 2- to 3-fold greater in PL, and 4-fold in LL, compared to normal vessels (P< 0.01). The expression of GADD45 was down-regulated, and of p53 increased, in the same regions. These alterations were attenuated in the HC + vitamins. Thus, c-Myc activation is an early atherosclerosis, in both PL and LL coronary arterial regions, and can be blunted by chronic dietary antioxidant intervention.

Green lacewings are generalist predators whose conservation is important for pest control in olive orchards (Olea europaea L.) Sustainable farming practices, as opposed to conventional management techniques, are believed to foster the presence of natural enemies. This study therefore aims to analyze the effect of 1) herbicidal weed cover removal and insecticide applications, and 2) the general management systems used in the olive orchards of southern Spain on chrysopid assemblages and abundance. Green lacewing adults and larvae were collected from olive orchards under conventional, integrated, and organic management systems. In addition, chemical analyses of residues were carried out to determine the presence of insecticidal and herbicidal residues. Eight adult species and three genera of larvae were identified. No rare species were captured from the most intensively farmed orchard, which therefore recorded the most limited chrysopid diversity with a very marked dominance of Chrysoperla carnea s.l.. No effect of dimethoate treatments on Chrysoperla larvae or C. carnea s.l. adults was observed. However, the presence of insecticide residues was associated with the depletion of Dichochrysa larvae. The absence of herbicide treatments favored C. carnea s.l. adult presence on olive trees while larval abundance decreased. Dichochrysa larvae were more abundant when weed cover received no treatment. In relation to the management systems studied, no difference in Chrysoperla larval abundance was observed between conventional and organic orchards. However, Dichochrysa larvae were more abundant in orchards under organic management.