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A sensitive, reverse-phase HPLC-MS method for the analysis of the alkaloids of Erythrina has been developed. The method is based on the use small amounts of crude extracts (20 mg) and is sufficiently sensitive to detect the presence of the typical alkaloids, such as erysodine, erysovine, erythraline, erysopine and the hexoside of erysopine, that are representative of the title species. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of the hemolitic activity constitutes a test of great utility for candidates to drug that should cross the cell membrane and reacting with the hemoglobin. Utilizing the spectrophotometry method was determined the hemolitic activity of the 3-Hidroxibenzaldehido and the 4-Hidroxibenzaldehido in blood cell containing hemoglobin A (HbA) and hemoglobin S (HbS). The hemolitic percent for several molars relationships hemoglobin:compound was gotten (1:1, 1:4, 1:8 , and 1:10). The outputs show that for the molars relationships studied the hemolitic percent that they provoke is inferior at 3 %. It was not observed a dependence between the concentration and the hemolitic percent. In these experimental conditions the 4-Hidroxibenzaldehido and the 3-Hidroxibenzaldehido don't introduce hemolitic activity significant in the studied samples [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hematopoietic cell transplantation from human eukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched siblings cures 85% of sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. There are no medical reports of a successful HCT for a patient with SCD from a sibling donor born via the combination of IVF and PGD. Report: The parents of an 8-year-old male with SCD requested the opportunity of conceiving a donor via IVF and PGD. Three embryos who were unaffected by SCD were implanted. Two of the three embryos were HLA-matched to the affected child. Only one embryo survived. At birth, we confirmed that the newborn sibling was HLA-matched to the patient and unaffected by SCD. The total nucleated cell count in the collected umbilical cord blood was insufficient for engraftment. Thus, we had to submit the newborn sibling to a bone marrow harvest procedure at the age of 11 months, to complement the cord blood cell count. The combined umbilical cord blood and bone marrow transplant was performed. The patient is now on post-transplant Day +156 and s cured from sickle cell disease. Conclusions: We provide the first medical report of successful HCT for SCD with a sibling donor born via the combination of IVF and PGD. This technology, readily available in many nations with a high human development index, and frequently reported as a means of achieving successful transplantation for less common diseases, is grossly underutilized in SCD. We are pursuing the possible reasons for this healthcare gap. Sickle cell disease patients without matched siblings in countries such as the United States of America should have easier access to this potentially curative technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the in vitro study of determined hematological illnesses, especially the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), itis needed to get (Hb) hemoglobin solutions in similar conditions to the physiologicones. A very used methodology is the washing of the red cells with buffer solution to isolate them of the remainder of the blood constituents, to proportion a constant pH within the physiologic range and once that the hemolysis is provoked, to get the (Hb) hemoglobin solution in the desired conditions. In this work three of the most used biological buffers are compared (PBS, PBP and BSKG), showing chemistry properties like the pK, the buffer effect interval, the influence of the temperature on pH, their stability in the time, as well as the effect on the biological system, considering the grade of hemolysis that they provoke and the number of washings necessary in order to obtain the hemoglobin solution with the desired pH. The results of the study showed that the three buffers can be used in the red cells washing, reporting the phosphate buffer saline (PBS) as the one of the best conditions, since it provokes the least grade of hemolysis and the least variation of the pH with the temperature, that permits that in the range from 5 to 40 °C its pH stays within the range of variations permitted by the organism that varies from 7,35 to 7,45. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic materials such as corn cobs, rice straw, and wheat straw have a high content of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and can be used to produce ethanol. The process involved the hydrolysis of cellulose in the biomass reducing sugars. The objective of this study was to determinate the better pretreatment to remove hemicellulose (xylans) and lignin. The pretreatments used in this study were organosolv and alkaline methods. The best method was the alkaline using the following conditions: 4% NaOH and 30 min at 121 °C, reducing 61% the content of xylans and 81% the content of lignin on rice straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morels are gourmet wild edible mushrooms that can grow on several substrates with significant growth rate variations. Such variations have hindered the development of a standardized culture media to promote morel's sustainable production. The aim of this study is developing a novel culture media that takes advantage of coconut water as a complementary component of culture media. Coconut water has been extensively used as a growth-promoting component for plant tissue cultures; however, its application as component of fungi cultivation medium has not been fully developed. This study confirms that coconut water can be efficiently used as culture media component for morels using a kinetic characterization. Morchella sp. kinetic growth is evaluated in different cultures: agar, malt extract agar (MEA), lactose, coconut water (15%) and combinations of them. Kinetic growth parameters (lag phase, λ and maximum specific growth rate, µ max ) are estimated using primary modeling methods. Among the selected models, the best fit is achieved using Baranyi's model. A significant increase from 15.8% to 43.4% of the µ max values was observed when culture media (agar, lactose, MEA) is supplemented with coconut water. The largest values of µ max are obtained in MEA-coconut cultures (21.13 ± 0.43-22.57 ± 0.35). Micro-sclerotia and late sclerotia are observed in all cultures containing coconut water justifying the development of a feasible and cost-effective way of culturing morels. The results demonstrate that coconut water can be used for formulation of standard media for morel cultivation leading to a cheap alternative to produce dense mycelium and promote sclerotia formation., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Pleurotus ostreatus is an edible mushroom with significant nutritional properties and highly valuable protein concentrates can be obtained from its fruit bodies. Functional properties of flours and protein concentrates derived from 3 Pleurotus ostreatus strains (PCM, POS and hybrid PCM × POS) were evaluated in this investigation. Fruit bodies were produced on wheat straw substrate, flours were obtained from dried and grinded fruit bodies and protein concentrates were extracted from flours by alkaline solubilization. For all 3 strains, pale yellow flours were obtained and protein concentrates showed a grayish brown color. Flour bulk densities ranged from 0.52 to 0.64 g/mL, a higher value than those for protein concentrates, i.e. 0.30-0.35 g/mL. The highest water absorption capacities (WAC) were observed for flours (300-418.8%) while protein concentrates presented higher oil absorption capacity (OAC) (173.3-214.1%). Flours and protein concentrates presented a minimal gelation concentration of 2%. Protein concentrates showed a higher foam capacity formation (FC) at pH 8. Likewise, flours and protein concentrates presented higher foam stability (FS) at alkaline pH (8 and 10). Emulsion activity index (EAI) for flours ranged from 3.96 to 26.68 m 2  g -1 whereas for protein concentrates ranged from 1.55 to 10.28 m 2  g -1 . These results indicate that flours and protein concentrates from P. ostreatus have remarkable functional properties, valuable in food industry where foaming and emulsifying properties are required.

Background: Molecular characterisation of wild type Pleurotus species is important for germplasm conservation and its further use for genetic improvement. No molecular studies have been performed with monokaryons used for producing hybrid strains, either with the reconstituted strains obtained by pairing those monokaryons. The molecular characterisation of parental dikaryons, hybrid, and reconstituted strains as well as monokaryotic strains, is therefore of utmost importance., Aims: To carry out the molecular identification of Pleurotus djamor strains, i.e. dikaryotic wild type strains, hybrid strains, and the monokaryotic strains used for the hybrid formation., Methods: Five wild type strains of P. djamor from different states in Mexico were collected and molecularly identified by sequencing the ITS1-5.8-ITS2 region using ITS1 and ITS4 universal oligonucleotides. Four hybrid strains were obtained by pairing neohaplonts of two wild type strains selected. Six ISSR markers were used for the molecular characterisation of monokaryotic and dikaryotic strains., Results: Using the ITS markers, an amplified product of 700bp was obtained in five wild type strains, with a 99-100% similarity with P. djamor. A total of 95 fragments were obtained using the ISSR markers, with 99% of polymorphism., Conclusions: Wild type strains were identified as P. djamor, and were clearly grouped with Mexican strains from other states of Mexico. ISSR markers allowed the generation of polymorphic bands in monokaryotic and dikaryotic strains, splitting both types of strains. The high degree of polymorphism indicates the genetic diversity of P. djamor, an advantage in mushroom production and in the improving of the species., (Copyright © 2017 Asociación Española de Micología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Abstract Context: Alternanthera repens (L.) Kuntze (Amaranthaceae) is widely used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders that are mainly related to diarrhea. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the spasmolytic effect of hexane (Hx), methanol (Me) and aqueous (Aq) extracts as well as chromatographic Me fractions (F1-F6) of A. repens in rat ileum. Materials and methods: Dried and powdered aerial parts were used to obtain the extracts. The rat ileum preparations were incubated in Tyrode's solution gassed (95% O 2 -5% CO 2 ) at 37 °C. The effect on the contractile response of isolated ileum was evaluated by obtaining cumulative concentration-response curves to CaCl 2 , KCl, 5-HT and acetylcholine in the absence and presence of different doses of Aq (0.56-2.09 mg/mL), Me (0.24-0.91 mg/mL) and Hx (0.24-0.91 mg/mL) extracts, as well as six Me fractions of 0.66 mg/mL (F1 to F6). Results: The A. repens Me (0.24 mg/mL) caused an inhibitory response of the Ca 2+ -induced contractions, with IC 50 values of 0.18 ± 0.061 and 0.67 ± 0.061 mM in the presence and absence of the Me, respectively. Me fractions F2 to F4 presented a significant inhibitory effect (F (3,8)  = 60.17, p = 0.0001), causing a reduction in the CaCl 2 -induced contractions and shifting the Ca 2+ (0.39 to 1.81 mM) concentration-response curves to the right. With respect to the effect on 5-HT-induced contractions, IC 50 values Hx extract (0.24 mg/mL) were 5.44 ± 0.08 × 10 -6  M and 3.38 ± 0.07 × 10 -6  M in the presence and absence of the Hx, respectively. Discussion and conclusion: The spasmolytic effects induced by Me and Me fractions of A. repens may involve a serotonergic and Ca 2+ influx blockade mechanisms, which may justify the use of A. repens extracts as an effective traditional treatment against diarrhea.

This article presents a study of vanillin encapsulation inside multilamellar liposomes, with emphasis on the evaluation of antioxidant activity, the hemolytic effect, and the antisickling properties of these products. Egg phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol and egg phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol-1-O-decylglycerol liposomes were prepared by mechanical dispersion, all with vanillin included. Vesicles were characterized by determination of encapsulation efficiency and vanillin retention capacity. Antioxidant activity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. The hemolytic effect of liposomes was also evaluated by spectrophotometry, as well as the antisickling activity by the Huck test using optical microscopy. Results showed that the lipid composition of liposomes did not significantly affect the encapsulation efficiency. Stable vesicles were obtained with a high retention percentage of vanillin. Liposomes exhibited a high capture of the DPPH radical compared to free vanillin and 1-O-decylglycerol (C10) in solution. Vesicles caused no significant hemolisys in normal erythrocytes, nor in those coming from patients with sickle cell anemia. Vanillin encapsulated in liposomes retained its antisickling activity, with a greater effect for C10-containing vesicles. Our results show that vanillin encapsulation in liposomes is a way to enhance the pharmacologic properties of this molecule using a suitable vehicle.

Umbilical cord-blood transplantation is considered an effective treatment strategy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) when a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donor is unavailable. The use of a second unit helps ensure engraftment in larger adults and those with comorbidities, even though only one unit engrafts in most patients. Herein, we present the clinical and laboratory characteristics of a patient who developed donor-derived myelodysplastic syndrome (ddMDS) after double umbilical cord-blood transplantation (dUCB HSCT). To our knowledge, no cases of ddMDS have been described in a patient with a history of ALL in molecular remission after receiving a dUCB HSCT. Current molecular techniques, including analysis of short tandem repeats (STR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) allowed us to firmly establish donor origin.