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Chemical fertilizers are frequently used in agriculture with harmful effects on ecological components, so the use of microorganisms as growth regulators is an agricultural practice increasingly used today. The aim of this research was to evaluate Trichoderma sp. as growth regulator in tomato plants. Trichoderma sp. isolated from soils was grown on solid PDA medium for morphological characterization of the fungus. An experiment to analyse the interaction between Trichoderma sp. and shade mesh conditions was established, where: T1 = Trichoderma sp.; T2 = without Trichoderma sp. (fertilization recommended for the crop was applied); T3 = shade mesh and T4 = without shade mesh. Several variables were evaluated in the plants and in the fruits. The macroscopic characteristics showed mycelium with a cottony morphology and a dark green coloration, and the microscopic characteristics of the fungus were conidiophores with a branch, phialides and ovoid to ellipsoid conidia. Interaction of Trichoderma sp. and shade mesh had a significant effect on plant height, number of flowers and number of fruits, with the greater values with Trichoderma sp. and shade mesh. Regarding the evaluation of the fruits significant differences were found in the weight, diameter, length, and colour (L and a* value) but not in b* value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For the first time, a spectrofluorimetric method is reported for the simultaneous determination of resveratrol (RVT) and piceid (PCD), two stilbenes showing diverse interesting physiological and biochemical attributes, as well as a wide range of health benefits ranging from cardioprotection to chemoprevention. The method makes use of a multicommutated flow-through optosensor in which the resolution of RVT and PCD is accomplished by means the sequential arrival of their photoproducts, on-line generated by UV-irradiation, to the detection area. This is possible due to the different kinetic behaviour of these latter on a solid support (C18 silica gel) filling a minicolumn placed before the detector. The measurement in solid-phase of the photochemically induced fluorescence of the photoproducts (λ ex: 257nm/λ em: 382nm) is used as analytical signal for monitoring both compounds. The method has been applied to the analysis of RVT and PCD in wines and requires a previous solid-phase extraction (SPE) using Bakerbond C18 cartridges. This pretreatment and the use of a solid-support in both the minicolumn and the flow-cell of the detector allow the determination of RVT and PCD by external calibration. Detection limits (DLs) are 9.3 and 12.6ngmL−1 for RVT and PCD, respectively. Commercial red and white wine samples have been analysed and the results obtained have been satisfactorily validated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and lethal types of cancer worldwide, therefore, accurate and early diagnosis is fundamental. Among the diagnostic tools for CRC, tumor markers (TM) such as the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) stand out. This is a glycoprotein highly expressed in tumor cells in colorectal adenocarcinomas, and it is related to carcinogenic and metastatic processes. Although CAE has been demonstrated to be highly specific for CRC, its low sensitivity reported in numerous studies render this TM a test with low diagnostic level, deterring its application in clinical practice. Nonetheless, CAE exhibits a great prognostic value, as its expression has been significantly linked to decreased disease-free survival, total survival, tumor recurrence, and metastatic CRC. Despite this, the efficacy and sensitivity of CAE as a biomarker for CRC has been contested. Thus, it is necessary to determine new efficacious biomarkers to establish the early diagnosis of CRC and reduce mortality rates in these patients. The aim of this article is to describe how CAE expression occurs in patients with CRC, and discuss its efficacy as a diagnostic and prognostic method for this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano-fertilizers (Nfs) have the potential to revolutionize agricultural systems through nanostructures ranging from 1 to 100 nm that address environmental responses and a more targeted biological demand. The purpose of this work was to study the impact of the foliar application of nanoparticles (NPs), sulfate and iron chelate on the growth, yield and assimilation of nitrogen in green beans. The iron was applied foliar in three different ways: Iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3), ferric sulfate (Fe2(SO4)3) and iron chelate (Fe-EDDHA) in doses of 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 ppm. The treatments that produced a higher total biomass increase were NPs and Fe-EDDHA at 50 ppm, with increases of 37% and 47% respectively compared to the control (with no application of Fe). Regarding the in vivo nitrate reductase activity, significant differences were obtained, particularly in the NPs and Fe-EDDHA treatment, with increases of 71% and 72% respectively. NPs at low doses favored maximum fruit production with increases of 88% in comparison to the control. Finally, it is concluded that the optimal doses that enhanced total biomass, production and assimilation of nitrogen were Fe2(SO4)3 at 25 ppm, Fe-EDDHA at 100 ppm and Fe2O3 at 25 ppm. The efficiency of foliar absorption of iron was found in treatments with Fe2O3 at 50 and 100 ppm. The foliar absorption efficiency of NPs offers sustainable alternatives to increase the productivity of the green bean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pecan nut is produced in 57 countries in the world. Alternate bearing is one of the main biological problems that affect pecan cultivation. Mineral and organic fertilization is a good strategy to maintain and increase pecan nut production. In this study, several mineral and organic doses of fertilization were tested using a factorial arrangement 56 bounded to 25 treatments was used in structure Taguchi L25: nitrogen (N) 0 - 240 kg ha-1, phosphate (P2O5) 0 - 120 kg ha-1, potassium (K2O) 0 - 100 kg ha-1, calcium (CaO) 0 - 400 kg ha-1, liquid humus 0 - 3600 L ha-1 and solid humus 0 - 8000 kg ha-1. The study was carried out in Aldama city, Chihuahua (Mexico). An average yield of 2.4 tha-1 was obtained, 157 nuts per kilogram and 58.9% of edible nut. The average alternate bearing intensity was 31.58%, and the long-term yield index (IRLP) was 9.59%. It is concluded that the factors whit the greatest impact on the analyzed variables were N and P2O5. In addition, it was found these mineral and organic fertilization systems help to reduce alternate bearing in pecan and simultaneously improve production and long-term productivity index. Optimal fertilization doses were defined: 181.4 kg ha-1 of N, 93.5 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 3287.2 L ha-1 of liquid humus. Finally, the mineral fertilization complemented with organic fertilization is considered a good fertilization strategy for pecan trees, to increase production and with lower environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomegranate is known for high concentration of antioxidant phenolics contained in its seeds, and peel, and is considered "healthy" due to its nutritional content and biological actions. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional quality, volatile and phenolic antioxidants in the juice, peel and seeds of pomegranate from two different regions of Mexico. The pomegranate variety Wonderful of the 2016 cycle, obtained from the Coyame and Cuauhtémoc regions of the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, were used to characterize the total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, nutritional quality and volatile compounds. Significant differences were found in evaluated parameters between the two regions. Pomegranates from Coyame region, had high amounts of antioxidant, phenol, flavonoid, anthocyanin and mineral. On the other hand, pomegranates from the Cuauhtémoc region had high amounts of protein, organic elements, and volatile compounds (alcohols, esters and aldehydes). Within these groups, the most abundant compounds were hexanol, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, hexanal, 4-Terpineol, a-Terpineol, and 2-Ethyl-1-hexanol. In the peel, high concentration of color, phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants were observed. The extract of pomegranate juice had 59% anthocyanin content. The seeds had the highest mineral content. These results provide relevant information about the chemical properties of the pomegranate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chemical profiles and biological properties of three African plants were evaluated. • Stem bark extracts exhibited stronger antioxidant abilities than leaf extracts. • All extracts exhibited significant enzyme inhibitory activities. • Molecular docking against tyrosinase was in agreement with the in vitro results. • These plants are good sources of bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical area. Africa is famous for its floral biodiversity, exploited by local people for therapeutic purposes. However, such plants need to be scrutinised scientifically for the presence of bioactive compounds and possible biological properties. This study attempts for the first time to highlight the pharmacological and phytochemical profile of extracts prepared from leaves and stem barks of three African plants (Macaranga hurifolia Beille, Sterculia tragacantha Lindl. and Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P. G. Waterman. The extracts were tested for antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effects. Free radical scavenging, metal chelator, reducing power and phosphomolybdenum assays were performed to evaluate antioxidant effects. To identify enzyme inhibitory effects, cholinesterases (acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butrylcholinesterase (BChE)), tyrosinase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase were selected as target enzymes. High performance liquid chromatography-Electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) technique was also used for chemical profiling. ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assays showed that the stem barks of all three African plants were better scavenger than leaf extracts. Sterculia tragacantha was found to be a better metal chelator (64.10 ± 4.66 mg EDTAE/g) among the studied plants. All extracts exhibited good clinical enzyme inhibitory activities. The stem bark of S. tragacantha exhibited the best acetylcholinesterase activity compared to the other plants. HPLC-ESI-MS characterization showed that the most abundant compounds in stem bark were flavonoids in M. hurifolia (4.2 ± 0.2 mg/g DE), proanthocyanidins in S. tragacantha (42 ± 1 mg/g DE) and similar concentrations of phenolic acids and flavonoids in Z. gilletii (2.8–3.1 mg/g DE). Based on the biological activity, the most abundant and relevant bioactive compounds in the extracts were studied using molecular modelling approach against tyrosinase. The studied African plants showed good antioxidant and enzymatic propensities and thus can be considered as potential bioresources for future development of nutraceuticals and/or for pharmaceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the levels of Al, As, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr and Zn were determined in 56 composite samples of food aids using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It also looked at the potential of food aids on mineral provision for pregnant and lactating women (PLW). The mean mineral contents in cereals were 46.3–378 mg kg-1 for Ca, 24.6–64.4 mg kg-1 for Fe, 2752–4072 mg kg-1 for K, 774–1510 mg kg-1 for Mg, and 14.1–26.1 mg kg-1 for Zn. Cereals presented low dietary significance for K, Ca and Zn as a daily portion (450 g) could only provide between 5% and 69% of Adequate Intake (AI) or Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for PLW. Conversely, corn soya blend (CSB) and pulses appear to play a key role in mineral intakes. However, the existing daily ration for pulses demonstrated little importance to complement dietary K and Ca deficits. Fortunately, Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values were low enough to guarantee no potential health risks associated with several toxic elements. Overall, it was observed that the food aids do not provide sufficient amount of selected minerals for PLW. • This study investigated the mineral contents of food aids. • Cereals contained low levels of selected minerals. • For PLW, a 450 g of cereals could contribute to only 5% AI for Ca. • The THQ value of all metal(loid)s except Al is less than 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the significant advances in research on diabetes, relatively few researchers have examined the theoretical and empirical usefulness of explanatory models that contribute to self-management of the disease. In response to the theoretical and empirical approaches related to this topic, the objective of this research was to assess a hypothetical model to explain self-management behavior in patients with type II diabetes through structural equation modeling in a population of users of the services of the State Health Department of Tamaulipas, Mexico. The study used a cross-sectional and explanatory design. The sample was intentional. A total of 183 patients with a diabetes diagnosis completed a sociodemographic data questionnaire, the Partners in Health Scale, the Duke-UNC-11, the Family Apgar, the Self-Efficacy Scale, the Personal Health Questionnaire and the Physical Activity Scale. The results indicated that the hypothetical model was improved by excluding the exercise variable. The appropriate model was used to determine the effects of depression, social support, self-efficacy, family functioning, years of formal education and years with a diagnosis on self-management. The goodness-of-fit indices (GFIs) were good, i.e., χ 2 /gl = 0.89 ( p = 0.529), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.000, and comparative fit index (CFI) = 1.000, with an acceptable degree of parsimony (PNFI = 0.409 and PGFI = 317). The model explained 33.6% of the variance. Therefore, this model represents an important advance in knowledge concerning self-management and provides empirical and theoretical evidence, particularly for the Mexican or Latino population.

Moringa oleifera has been reported to possess a high number of bioactive compounds; hence, several food supplements are commercially available based on it. This work aimed to analyze the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of commercial food supplements. The phenolic composition of methanolic extracts was determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array and electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS n ), and the antioxidant activity was assessed by ABTS ·+ and DPPH assays. Thirty-three compounds were identified, and all the main compounds were quantified, observing that the main contribution to the phenolic profile was due to kaempferol and quercetin glucosides. The antioxidant activity in both assays agreed with the phenolic content: the higher the phenolic levels, the higher the antioxidant activity. The obtained results were compared with those previously published regarding Moringa oleifera leaves to establish the potential benefits of food supplement consumption in the diet.

The development of agriculture requires the use of microorganisms in the management of phytopathogens as a way to compensate for the use of chemical pesticides, in order to produce healthy crops. The objective of this study was to characterize a new isolate of Trichoderma sp. based on morphological and molecular features, and its potential ability to control the pathogen Alternaria sp. The antagonistic isolate was isolated from soil samples of potato fields in Guasave Sinaloa, Mexico, whereas the pathogen was collected from infected apple leaves in the orchard "La Escondida" in Guerrero County, Chihuahua, Mexico. For morphological characterization both fungi were grown on solid PDA medium. DNA of Trichoderma sp. was isolated using the CTAB method and PCR analyses were done using ITS1, ITS4 primers resulting in amplified products of 600 bp. These were sequenced, submitted to Genbank (acc. no. MN950427) and used for further phylogenetic analysis through Bayesian inference approach. Five clades were identified and the polytome topography recovered from clade 4 indicates a high genetic similarity with T. asperellum . A BLAST examination of the resulting sequence in GenBank showed 98.11% similarity with T. asperellum. This result together with the morphological and the phylogenetic analyses indicates that the isolate belongs to Trichoderma asperellum Samuels, Lieckfeldt & Nirenberg. Biocontrol tests of this isolate showed inhibition of Alternaria sp. between 50% and 93%. These results are essential for biodiversity research and give some new possibilities for pest management., 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., (© 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.)

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis . In the oral cavity, clinical manifestations are considered atypical lesions. The aim of this study was to report an unusual granular ulcer secondary oral TB that does not heal, chronic, had irregular appearance with deep depression of 2 cm in diameter, and was located in buccal mucosa of the premolar area-the left mandibular arch, of a 42-year-old woman. The patient was subjected to surgical excision of ulcer in its entirety and accordingly a periodontal plastic surgery in the area of the lesion was performed positioning an autograft subepithelial connective tissue. We obtained optimal results in improving oral health, function, and patient's comfort, in postoperative controls at 15, 30, and 60 days, respectively., Competing Interests: The authors certify that they have contained all appropriate patient consent form. In the form, the patient gave her consent for the images and other clinical information to be reported in the journal. The patient understood that her name and initials will not be published and due efforts will be made to conceal her identify, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed.None declared.

This study attempts to compare the pharmaceutical potential (antioxidant and key enzyme inhibition of clinical relevance) of organic and aqueous extracts of Parentucellia latifolia (L.) Caruel subsp. latifolia (L.) Caruel as well as phytochemical composition. The phytochemical compounds were evaluated by spectrophotometric methods (for total amounts) and HPLC-ESI-DAD-MS n (for individual compounds). The extracts were screened for antioxidant abilities by in vitro assays. Inhibition effects were also investigated against a set of enzymes linked to major health problems. Generally, the methanol (MeOH) and aqueous extracts displayed higher scavenging abilities on radicals and reductive effects when compared with the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract. On the other hand, the EtOAc extract was the most active inhibitor on cholinesterases (1.81-1.88 mg GALAE/g), amylase (0.70 mmol ACAE/g), glucosidase (2.85 mmol ACAE/g) and lipase (33.24 mg OE/g). The highest TPC was observed in the aqueous extract (25.07 mg GAE/g) while MeOH extract possessed the highest level of TFC (44.15 mg RE/g) and TPAC (3.46 mg CE/g). LC-MS n metabolite profiling indicated that loganin and its isomers, rutin, and luteolin-O-hexoside were the most abundant compounds. Our results suggest that P. latifolia may be valuable source of phyto-agents for the management of noncommunicable diseases., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a polyphenol widely used in industry as an intermediate in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, which are applied to produce plastic food containers, inner surface coating of food and beverage cans. Hence, BPA can migrate from these containers and cans with epoxy coating into foods. It is dangerous taking into account that BPA is considered as a potential endocrine disruptor, which mimics the action of the hormone estrogen. The method here proposed for the determination of BPA involves the implementation of solid-phase spectroscopy (SPS) in an automatic flow system. With this purpose, the measurement of the native fluorescence of BPA, retained on C(18) silica gel together with the implementation of multicommutation have been employed for its determination in different types of milk. The analytical measurements were made at 271/305nm (λ(ex)/λ(em)) obtaining a detection limit (LOD) of 0.06ngmL(-1). The pre-cleaning procedure and the posterior extraction with C(18) applied to the samples allowed the removal of proteins and the extraction of BPA from the matrix, respectively. The method showed an RSD lower than 6.0% (n=10). BPA was determined in powdered milk, infant formula and pure liquid milk samples, being found in five samples at levels lower than the maximum residue limit (MRL) established by the European Union. In addition, a recovery study has been carried out where values close to 100% were observed in all cases, so demonstrating that the proposed analytical method fulfills the requirements for its application in quality control analyses., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults between 20-49 years of age that are attended at a medical offices at UMF 53 of the IMSS, León, Guanajuato., Material and Methods: All adult patients between 20-49 years old that attended medical offices at UMF 53 were carried out a survey to diagnose SII according to the approaches of Rome II., Results: 246 patients were studied, 85 patients (35%) had a diagnosis of IBS. Of those 85 patients, 8 patients (9%) had IBS with prevalence of diarrhea, 41 patients (48%) to the subgroup of IBS had prevalence of constipation and 32 patients (42%) with IBS had alternating symptoms; 18 patients (21%) they were men and 67 patients (79%) were women., Conclusions: Prevalence of IBS in adults between 20-49 year-old attending to medical offices at UMF 53 of the IMSS, León, Guanajuato, is of 35%, being more frequent the IBS with constipation.

A simple, rapid, inexpensive, and automated flow-through solid-phase spectroscopic sensing device is proposed for the sequential determination of 2 vitamins: thiamine and ascorbic acid. The vitamins are concentrated on ion-exchange gels, thiamine on Sephadex SP C-25, and ascorbic acid on Sephadex QAE A-25; both solid supports are packed in 2 different flow cells. The absorbance is monitored directly on the solid phase with a double-beam spectrophotometer at 250 nm, without derivatization or additional elution. With the use of 2 carrier/self-eluting solutions (0.1 5M sodium acetate/acetic acid and 0.18M citric acid/K2HPO4) and a sample volume of 1000 microL, the sensor responds linearly in the range of 0.5-15 and 3-50 microg/mL with detection limits of 0.14 and 0.36 microg/mL for thiamine and ascorbic acid, respectively. When the method was applied to synthetic samples and pharmaceutical preparations, precise and accurate values were obtained.