Más allá de los colores del amaranto

JESUS ALFREDO ARAUJO LEON Víctor Aguilar Hernández Ivonne Sánchez del Pino SERGIO RUBEN PERAZA SANCHEZ ROLFFY RUBEN ORTIZ ANDRADE Ligia Guadalupe Brito Argáez (2022, [Artículo])

El amaranto tiene una amplia gama de colores atrayentes, desde amarillos, violetas hasta rojos intensos. Esta heterogeneidad de tonalidades llamó la atención de civilizaciones que se desarrollaron en todas las latitudes del continente americano, como es el caso del imperio azteca que integró este cultivo a su cosmovisión ceremonial para ofrendas a diferentes deidades, dejando una herencia prehispánica cautivadora de su historia. Más allá de los colores, el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo abordar las propiedades nutricionales y beneficios para la salud humana de la diversidad de fitoquímicos que son responsables de los interesantes colores del amaranto.

AMARANTHACEAE AMARANTHUS BETALAINAS METABOLITOS SECUNDARIOS MEXICO SALUD HUMANA BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) DESARROLLO VEGETAL DESARROLLO VEGETAL

Shopping for Ecological Indices? On the Use of Incidence-Based Species Compositional Similarity Measures

IAN MACGREGOR FORS FEDERICO ESCOBAR SARRIA JUAN FERNANDO ESCOBAR IBAÑEZ NATALIA MESA SIERRA FREDY ALEXANDER ALVARADO ROBERTO Rafael Rueda Hernández CLAUDIA ELIZABETH MORENO ORTEGA Ina Falfán ERICK JOAQUIN CORRO MENDEZ Eduardo Octavio Pineda Arredondo Amandine Bourg JOSE LUIS AGUILAR LOPEZ (2022, [Artículo])

"β-diversity has been under continuous debate, with a current need to better understand the way in which a new wave of measures work. We assessed the results of 12 incidence-based β-diversity indices. Our results of gradual species composition overlap between paired assemblages considering progressive differences in species richness show the following: (i) four indices (β-2, β-3, β-3.s, and βr) should be used cautiously given that results with no shared species retrieve results that could be misinterpreted; (ii) all measures conceived specifically as partitioned components of species compositional dissimilarities ought to be used as such and not as independent measures per se; (iii) the non-linear response of some indices to gradual species composition overlap should be interpreted carefully, and further analysis using their results as dependent variables should be performed cautiously; and (iv) two metrics (βsim and βsor) behave predictably and linearly to gradual species composition overlap. We encourage ecologists using measures of β-diversity to fully understand their mathematical nature and type of results under the scenario to be used in order to avoid inappropriate and misleading inferences."

Beta diversity Nestedness Replacement Richness difference Species turnover BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL

Hacia el desarrollo de un nuevo antiparasitario basado en células en suspensión de Carica papaya

CYNTHIA ALEJANDRA GUZMÁN MEDINA (2023, [Tesis de doctorado])

Las enfermedades parasitarias son un problema de salud pública que afectan a más de la

quinta parte de la población a nivel mundial. Además de la morbilidad que generan, sino

son tratadas y controladas de manera adecuada pueden llegar a causar la muerte.

En el mercado existen diferentes antiparasitarios comerciales, que si bien son efectivos,

presentan diferentes efectos adversos tanto para el individuo parasitado (i.e. destrucción

de la microbiota intestinal) como para el medio ambiente. Este panorama señala la

relevancia de desarrollar tratamientos antiparasitarios más amigables con el ambiente y con

menores efectos adversos que estén disponibles actualmente en el mercado. Productos

obtenidos a partir de plantas con propiedades anti-parasitarias, cultivadas in vitro en

condiciones controladas, podrían representar una alternativa realista. Entre ellas figura la

planta Carica papaya, especie de zonas tropicales y subtropicales del planeta a cuyos frutos

se les adjudica actividades antiparasitarias. Estas propiedades se atribuyen a algunos de

sus compuestos concentrados en el latex y en las semillas como la papaina, la

quimiopapaína, la lisozima, la glicil-endopeptidasa, la proteasa de cisteína y el benzil-

isotiocinato.

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la actividad antiparasitaria in vitro e in vivo de

un conjunto de callos y líneas de células de papaya de Carica papaya contra cisticercos de

Taenia crassiceps (cestodo) y contra trofozoitos de Entamoeba histolytica (protozoario). Los

extractos acuosos obtenidos a partir de callos y células cultivados en placa o en suspensión,

respectivamente, de las diferentes líneas de papaya revelaron alta capacidad cisticida

(>98% de mortalidad) in vitro contra cisticercos de Taenia crassiceps. En la evaluación in

vivo la línea no transformada obtuvo mayor efecto cisticida a 10mg/mL reduciendo el

número de cisticercos gemantes y aumentando los cisticercos calcificados en niveles

similares a los obtenidos utilizando antiparasitarios comerciales (albendazol y niclosamida).

Las líneas transformadas y sin transformar de papaya evaluadas indujeron una alta

capacidad amebicida (97% de mortalidad) in vitro contra trofozoitos de Entamoeba

histolytica. Las diferentes líneas transformadas y sin transformar de papaya redujeron

significativamente el número de abscesos amebianos y previnieron la hepatomegalia de

manera no significativamente diferente que el anti-parasitario comercial (metronidazol).

Los resultados generados en el presente estudio señalan al extracto acuoso obtenido a

partir de cultivos en suspensión de células de papaya transformada y no transformada

indujeron alto nivel de protección in vitro e in vivo por lo tanto; este es un producto efectivo

para el tratamiento de la cisticercosis y la amebiasis.

Parasitic diseases are a public health problem that affect more than a fifth of the population

worldwide. Additionally, and along with the morbidity the produce, they can cause death if

they are not treated and controlled adequately.

There are different commercial antiparasitic on the market which, although effective,

present different adverse effects both for the individual (i.e., destruction of the intestinal

microbiota) and for the environment alike. This panorama points out the relevance of

developing more environmentally friendly antiparasitic treatments with fewer adverse effects

than the ones currently available on the market. Products obtained from plants with anti-

parasitic properties, grown in vitro under controlled conditions, could represent a realistic

alternative. Among them is the Carica papaya, a species from tropical and subtropical areas

of the planet whose fruits are believed to have antiparasitic activities. These properties are attributed to some of its compounds concentrated in the latex and seeds such as papain,

chymopapain, lysozyme, glycyl-endopeptidase, cysteine-proteinase and benzyl-

isothiocyanate.

The objective of the present work is to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antiparasitic activity

of a set of papaya callus and cell lines from Carica papaya against cysticerci of Taenia

crassiceps (cestode) and against trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica (protozoan). The

aqueous extracts obtained from callus and cells cultured in plates or in suspension,

respectively, of the different papaya lines revealed high cysticidal capacity (>98% mortality)

in vitro against Taenia crassiceps cysticerci. Meanwhile, in the in vivo evaluation, the non-

transformed line obtained a greater cysticidal effect at 10 mg/mL, reducing the number of

budding cysticerci and increasing calcified cysticerci at levels like those obtained using

commercial antiparasitic (albendazole and niclosamide). The papaya lines evaluated

induced a high amoebicidal capacity (97% mortality) in vitro against Entamoeba histolytica

trophozoites. The different papaya lines significantly reduced the number of amoebic

abscesses and prevented hepatomegaly in a non-significantly different manner than the

commercial anti-parasitic (metronidazole).

The results produced in this thesis indicate that the aqueous extract obtained from

suspension cultures of transformed and non-transformed papaya cells induced a high level

of protection in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, this may represent an effective product for the

treatment of cysticercosis and amoebiasis.

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGRARIAS Carica papaya, antiparasitario, células en suspensión, T. crassiceps, E. histolytica. Carica papaya, antiparasitic, in-suspension cells, T. crassiceps, E. histolytica.

Assessing the Spatiotemporal Relationship between Coastal Habitats and Fish Assemblages at Two Neotropical Estuaries of the Mexican Pacific

VICTOR MANUEL MURO TORRES FELIPE AMEZCUA MARTINEZ Gerogina Ramírez Ortiz FRANCISCO JAVIER FLORES DE SANTIAGO Felipe Amezcua Linares Yareli Hernández Álvarez (2022, [Artículo])

"Differences in fish assemblages’ structures and their relations with environmental variables (due to the variations in sampled seasons, habitats, and zones) were analyzed in two adjacent estuaries on the north Pacific coast of Mexico. Environmental variables and fish catches were registered monthly between August 2018 and October 2020. Multivariate analyses were conducted to define habitats and zones based on their environmental characteristics, and the effect of this variability on fish assemblages’ composition, biomass, and diversity (α and β) was evaluated. A total of 12,008 fish individuals of 143 species were collected using different fishing nets. Multivariate analyses indicated that fish assemblages’ structures were different between zones due to the presence, height, and coverage of distinct mangrove species. Additionally, depth and salinity showed effects on fish assemblages’ diversity (α and β-nestedness), which presented higher values in the ocean and remained similar in the rest of the analyzed zones and habitats. These results and the differences in species replacement (β-turnover) indicate the singularity of fish assemblages at estuaries (even in areas close to the ocean) and the necessity to establish local management strategies for these ecosystems."

mangrove forests, marine protected areas, alpha diversity, beta diversity, multivariate analyses CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGRARIAS PECES Y FAUNA SILVESTRE DINÁMICA DE LAS POBLACIONES DINÁMICA DE LAS POBLACIONES

Enhancement of antibiotics antimicrobial activity due to the silver nanoparticles impact on the cell membrane

Roberto Vazquez-Munoz (2019, [Artículo])

The ability of microorganisms to generate resistance outcompetes with the generation of new and efficient antibiotics; therefore, it is critical to develop novel antibiotic agents and treatments to control bacterial infections. An alternative to this worldwide problem is the use of nanomaterials with antimicrobial properties. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been extensively studied due to their antimicrobial effect in different organisms. In this work, the synergistic antimicrobial effect of AgNPs and conventional antibiotics was assessed in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. AgNPs minimal inhibitory concentration was 10–12 μg mL-1 in all bacterial strains tested, regardless of their different susceptibility against antibiotics. Interestingly, a synergistic antimicrobial effect was observed when combining AgNPs and kanamycin according to the fractional inhibitory concentration index, FICI: <0.5), an additive effect by combining AgNPs and chloramphenicol (FICI: 0.5 to 1), whereas no effect was found with AgNPs and β-lactam antibiotics combinations. Flow cytometry and TEM analysis showed that sublethal concentrations of AgNPs (6–7 μg mL-1) altered the bacterial membrane potential and caused ultrastructural damage, increasing the cell membrane permeability. No chemical interactions between AgNPs and antibiotics were detected. We propose an experimental supported mechanism of action by which combinatorial effect of antimicrobials drives synergy depending on their specific target, facilitated by membrane alterations generated by AgNPs. Our results provide a deeper understanding about the synergistic mechanism of AgNPs and antibiotics, aiming to combat antimicrobial infections efficiently, especially those by multi-drug resistant microorganisms, in order to mitigate the current crisis due to antibiotic resistance. © 2019 Vazquez-Muñoz et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

ampicillin, antibiotic agent, aztreonam, beta lactam antibiotic, biapenem, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, silver nanoparticle, silver nitrate, antiinfective agent, metal nanoparticle, silver, antibiotic sensitivity, antimicrobial activity, Article, bact BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOFÍSICA BIOFÍSICA