Litsea glaucescens Kuth possesses bactericidal activity against Listeria monocytogenes

LAURA PATRICIA ALVAREZ BERBER SILVIA MARQUINA BAHENA (2023, [Artículo])

Litsea glaucencens Kuth is an aromatic plant used for food seasoning food and in Mexican traditional medicine. Among, L. glaucencens leaves properties, it has proven antibacterial activity which can be used against opportunistic pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne bacteria that is the causal agent of listeriosis, a disease that can be fatal in susceptible individuals. The aim of this work was to investigate the antibacterial activity of L. glaucescens Kuth leaf extracts against L. monocytogenes and to identify its bioactive components.

BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA QUÍMICA Litsea glaucescens, Listeria monocytogenes, Pinocembrin, Bactericidal activity

Dual function of EDTA with silver nanoparticles for root canal treatment–A novel modification

JUAN MANUEL MARTINEZ ANDRADE (2018, [Artículo])

The chelating and antimicrobial capacity of a novel modification of 17% EDTA with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) (EDTA-AgNPs) was evaluated in-vitro for root canal treatment (RCT). The EDTA-AgNPs solution was characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, ?-potential and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Antimicrobial capacity was evaluated against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus in planktonic and biofilm cells by broth macrodilution (24 h) and XTT assays, (1, 10 and 30 min) respectively. The chelating capacity of EDTA-AgNPs was assessed indirectly (smear layer removal) and directly (demineralizing effect) in bovine dentin at two silver concentrations, 16 and 512 ?g/ ml at 1 and 10 minutes of exposure time. Smear layer removal was evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The demineralizing effect was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), microhardness test (MH) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Synthesized AgNPs were quasi-spherical in shape with an average size of 13.09 ± 8.05 nm. 17% EDTA-AgNPs was effective to inhibit C. albicans and S. aureus in planktonic and biofilm cultures. The smear layer removal and demineralizing effect were similar between 17% EDTA-AgNPs and 17% EDTA treatments. The 17% EDTA-AgNPs solution proved to be an effective antimicrobial agent, and has a similar chelating capacity to 17% EDTA alone. These in-vitro studies strongly suggest that EDTA-AgNPs could be used for effective smear layer removal, having an antimicrobial effect at the same time during RCT. © 2018 Martinez-Andrade 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.

edetic acid, silver nanoparticle, edetic acid, metal nanoparticle, silver, antibacterial activity, antibiotic sensitivity, antifungal activity, antimicrobial activity, Article, atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, biofilm, bovine, BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA MICROBIOLOGÍA MICROBIOLOGÍA

Efecto del polvo de romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) en el crecimiento, actividad enzimática y composición proximal de juveniles de lobina rayada (Morone saxatilis)

Effect of rosemary powder (Rosmarinus officinalis) on growth, enzyme activity, and proximal composition of juvenile stripped bass (Morone saxatilis)

Erick Adolfo Barrios García (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

La acuicultura intensiva ha experimentado un rápido crecimiento en las últimas décadas. Sin embargo, la intensificación de los cultivos acuícolas ha ocasionado problemas como el estrés en los organismos, desarrollo de enfermedades y un menor crecimiento. Se ha explorado el uso de plantas aromáticas como el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) por su efecto como antibiótico, antiestresante y estimulante de la secreción de enzimas digestivas y el crecimiento. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la adición de polvo de romero en la dieta de la lobina rayada (Morone saxatilis) y determinar su efecto en la supervivencia, crecimiento, actividad enzimática (tripsina, quimiotripsina, lipasa, amilasa y proteasas alcalinas totales -PAT-) y composición proximal. Se realizó un bioensayo durante 70 días en un sistema de recirculación de agua de mar donde se probaron cuatro dietas experimentales con diferentes cantidades de polvo de romero: control (TC), 2.5 (T2.5), 5 (T5) y 10 (T10) g kg-1 de dieta. Cada tratamiento se realizó por triplicado con 20 peces por réplica con un peso inicial de 19.59 ± 2.43 g. Las lobinas se alimentaron tres veces al día al 4% de su biomasa. Al final del bioensayo, el peso final de los peces en T5 y T10 fue significativamente menor en comparación con el TC. No se observaron diferencias significativas en parámetros de crecimiento y eficiencia alimenticia. El índice hepatosomático en el T10 fue significativamente mayor en relación con TC. En el intestino, la actividad de la tripsina fue significativamente menor en el T10 y las PAT en T2.5 y T10. En ciegos pilóricos, la actividad de la tripsina fue significativamente menor en el T10, la lipasa en T2.5, T5 y T10 y las PAT en T2.5 y T10. La inclusión de polvo de romero en la dieta de lobina en concentraciones de 5 y 10 g kg-1 disminuye el crecimiento y la actividad de tripsina, PAT y lipasa en intestino y ciegos pilóricos. Se requiere investigar la composición química del romero y su efecto como inhibidor de enzimas digestivas y modulador de la microbiota intestinal, además de incluir otros indicadores para conocer de forma integrada el desempeño fisiológico de la especie.

Intensive aquaculture has experienced a very rapid growth in recent years. However, the intensification of aquaculture has led to issues such as stress in organisms, the development of diseases, and reduced growth. The use of aromatic plants, such as rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), has been explored due to its antibiotic, anti-stress, and digestive enzyme secretion-stimulating effects, as well as its growth-promoting properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the addition of rosemary powder to the diet of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and determine its effect on survival, growth, enzyme activity (trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase, amylase, and total alkaline proteases -PAT-), and proximate composition. A 70-day bioassay was conducted in a recirculating seawater system, testing four experimental diets with varying amounts of rosemary powder: control (TC), 2.5 (T2.5), 5 (T5), and 10 (T10) g kg-1 of diet. Each treatment was performed in triplicate with 20 fish per replicate, with an initial weight of 19.59 ± 2.43 g. The striped bass were fed three times a day at 4% of their biomass. At the end of the bioassay, the final weight of fish in T5 and T10 was significantly lower compared to TC. There were no significant differences in growth parameters and feed efficiency. The hepatosomatic index in T10 was significantly higher compared to TC. In the intestine, trypsin activity was significantly lower in T10, and PAT in T2.5 and T10. In the pyloric caeca, trypsin activity was significantly lower in T10, lipase in T2.5, T5, and T10, and PAT in T2.5 and T10. The inclusion of rosemary powder in striped bass diets at concentrations of 5 and 10 g kg-1 reduces growth and the activity of trypsin, PAT, and lipase in the intestine and pyloric caeca. Further research is imperative to delve into the intricate chemical composition of rosemary, explore its role as a potent digestive enzyme inhibitor, and its potential as a modulator of the intestinal microbiota. This endeavor should also encompass the incorporation of various additional indicators, aiming for a holistic grasp of the species' physiological performance.

lobina rayada, romero, crecimiento, enzimas digestivas, composición proximal striped bass, rosemary, growth, digestive enzymes, proximal composition CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA ACUICULTURA MARINA OCEANOGRAFÍA ACUICULTURA MARINA

Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium on regional organic substrates in Agave salmiana production in Huichapan, Hidalgo, Mexico

EMILIO RAYMUNDO MORALES MALDONADO MONICA GUTIERREZ ROJAS RAMON JAIME HOLGUIN PEÑA Daniel Ruiz-Juárez Jorge Luis Vega Chávez Ana Cristina Reyes Godoy (2022, [Artículo])

"Mexico has 159 species of Agave spp. In the agri-food industry stand out are Agave tequilana, A. angustifolia, and A. salmiana. A limitation to producing maguey seedlings is the low availability of organic substrates that favor plant adaptation in the field. The objective was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) found in substrates in response to vegetative and root growth of A. salmiana in agricultural areas of Huichapan, Hidalgo, Mexico. The treatment consisted of earthworm humus (EH) and leaf compost (LC) substrates with materials from the region with different percentages of EH (100, 75, 50%), LC (5, 10%), and sand (20, 40%). The treatments were applied with 14 random replications in two phases in seeds and 40-day-seedlings. The variables evaluated were NPK amount and pH in substrates. The physiological variables measured were plant height, leaf number, stem diameter, root length, and volume. Significant differences (P≤0.05) were observed in seedling physiology due to the effect of the treatment. The best agronomic responses (plant growth and root length/weight) of Agave seedlings were T5 (75% earthworm humus + 20% sand + 5% leaf-soil) and T6 (50% earthworm humus + 40% sand + 10% leaf-soil); in both treatments, the NPK percentages were different from the control (Haplic Phaeozem soil) group. The final concentration of NPK in T6 was N = 0.04%, P = 398.13 mg Kg-1 and K = 11.88 meq 100g-1 . The results infer that NPK availability in soil and progressive acidification (initial pH = 8.6, final pH = 7.4) of the substrate can favorably influence the plant response. The interactions between NPK availability in the substrate and their use for a better response in maguey seedling adaptability open up new lines of research on the productive systems in the región of Huichapan, Hidalgo, Mexico."

maguey, nutritional quality, plant physiology, productive soils, seedling BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) FERTILIDAD DEL SUELO FERTILIDAD DEL SUELO

Movements of scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) at Cocos Island, Costa Rica and between oceanic islands in the Eastern Tropical Pacific

Elena Nalesso (2019, [Artículo])

Many species of sharks form aggregations around oceanic islands, yet their levels of residency and their site specificity around these islands may vary. In some cases, the waters around oceanic islands have been designated as marine protected areas, yet the conservation value for threatened shark species will depend greatly on how much time they spend within these protected waters. Eighty-four scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini Griffith & Smith), were tagged with acoustic transmitters at Cocos Island between 2005–2013. The average residence index, expressed as a proportion of days present in our receiver array at the island over the entire monitoring period, was 0.52±0.31, implying that overall the sharks are strongly associated with the island. Residency was significantly greater at Alcyone, a shallow seamount located 3.6 km offshore from the main island, than at the other sites. Timing of presence at the receiver locations was mostly during daytime hours. Although only a single individual from Cocos was detected on a region-wide array, nine hammerheads tagged at Galapagos and Malpelo travelled to Cocos. The hammerheads tagged at Cocos were more resident than those visiting from elsewhere, suggesting that the Galapagos and Malpelo populations may use Cocos as a navigational waypoint or stopover during seasonal migrations to the coastal Central and South America. Our study demonstrates the importance of oceanic islands for this species, and shows that they may form a network of hotspots in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. © 2019 Nalesso 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.

article, Cocos Island, human, monitoring, nonhuman, resident, shark, South America, animal, Costa Rica, environmental protection, island (geological), movement (physiology), physiology, season, shark, Animals, Conservation of Natural Resources, Costa CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA

Procesamiento emocional ante estímulos música-color y su respuesta electrofisiológica en personas con depresión

PABLO VALDÉS ALEMÁN (2024, [Tesis de maestría])

Dado el fenómeno del vínculo emocional que existe entre música y color, este

proyecto exploró los posibles efectos terapéuticos en personas con depresión, al

presentarles estímulos combinados de música con color que, en conjunto, evocan

emociones positivas y placenteras. El proyecto se dividió en tres partes, con el fin

de subsanar los vacíos en la literatura. Primero se evaluaron los 37 colores del

Berkeley Color Project como estímulos capaces de evocar emociones y placer,

distinguibles mediante los modelos de asimetría frontal de alfa (FAA) y de theta con

electroencefalografía (EEG). El segundo estudio exploró los posibles efectos

sinérgicos al combinar música y color de emoción congruente –i.e., misma

emoción–, mediante respuestas subjetivas y EEG. Por último, se probó el impacto

de estímulos música-color positivos y placenteros sobre el estado de ánimo de

personas con depresión, a partir de sus respuestas subjetivas y EEG. Se encontró

que los colores brillantes, alegres y placenteros se asocian con una mayor

activación –supresión de alfa– frontal izquierda, de acuerdo con el modelo de FAA.

En lugar de un efecto sinérgico, los hallazgos mostraron un predominio emocional

hacia la música, reafirmando su poder emocional por encima del color. Por último,

los resultados del tercer estudio demostraron una mejora en el estado de ánimo en

las personas con sintomatología depresiva tras la estimulación. Estos resultados

podrían informar a profesionales de la salud mental sobre nuevos métodos

terapéuticos para ayudar a pacientes con depresión, al conjuntar la musicoterapia

con la cromoterapia.

Given the phenomenon of the emotional link between music and color, this project

explored the possible therapeutic effects on people with depression by presenting

them with combined music-color stimuli that collectively evoke positive and pleasant

emotions. The project was divided into three parts to address gaps in the literature.

Firstly, the 37 colors from the Berkeley Color Project were evaluated as stimuli

capable of evoking emotions and pleasure, distinguishable through the frontal alpha

(FAA) and theta asymmetry models using electroencephalography (EEG). The

second study explored the potential synergic effects by combining music and color

of congruent emotion –i.e., the same emotion– using subjective responses and EEG.

Lastly, the impact of positive and pleasant music-color stimuli on the mood of

individuals with depression was tested based on their subjective responses and

EEG. It was found that bright, joyful, and pleasant colors are associated with

increased activation –alpha suppression– in the left frontal region of the scalp,

according to the FAA model. Instead of a synergic effect, the results showed an

emotional predominance towards music, reaffirming its emotional power over color.

Finally, the results of the third study demonstrated an improvement in the mood of

individuals with depressive symptoms following the stimulation. These findings could

inform mental health professionals about new therapeutic methods to assist patients

with depression by combining music therapy with chromotherapy.

MEDICINA Y CIENCIAS DE LA SALUD CIENCIAS MÉDICAS música, color y emoción; patrones de actividad EEG; Berkeley Color Project; musico-cromoterapia; depresión. music, color, and emotion; EEG activity patterns; Berkeley Color Project; music-chromotherapy; depression.

Vibrissa growth rate in California sea lions based on environmental and isotopic oscillations

MARTHA PATRICIA ROSAS HERNANDEZ (2018, [Artículo])

Pinniped vibrissae provide information on changes in diet at seasonal and annual scales; however, species-specific growth patterns must first be determined in order to interpret these data. In this study, a simple linear model was used to estimate the growth rate of vibrissae from adult female California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) from San Esteban Island in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The δ15N and δ13C values do not display a marked oscillatory pattern that would permit direct determination of the time period contained in each vibrissa; thus, time (age) was calculated in two ways: 1) based on the correlation between the observed number of peaks (Fourier series) in the δ15N profile and the length of each vibrissa, and 2) through direct comparison with the observed number of peaks in the δ15N profile. Cross-correlation confirmed that the two peaks in the δ15N profile reflected the two peaks in the chlorophyll-a concentration recorded annually around the island. The mean growth rate obtained from the correlation was 0.08 ± 0.01 mm d-1, while that calculated based on the observed number of peaks was 0.10 ± 0.05 mm d-1. Both are consistent with the rates reported for adult females of other otariid species (0.07 to 0.11 mm d-1). Vibrissa growth rates vary by individual, age, sex, and species; moreover, small differences in the growth rate can result in significant differences over the time periods represented by the isotopic signal. Thus, it is important to assess this parameter on a species-by-species basis. © 2018 Rosas-Hernández 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.

carbon, nitrogen, animal, California, chemistry, diet, female, island (geological), Mexico, Otariidae, physiology, Animals, California, Carbon Isotopes, Diet, Female, Islands, Mexico, Nitrogen Isotopes, Sea Lions BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA INMUNOLOGÍA INMUNOLOGÍA

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

Vibrissa growth rate in California sea lions based on environmental and isotopic oscillations

MARTHA PATRICIA ROSAS HERNANDEZ (2018, [Artículo])

Pinniped vibrissae provide information on changes in diet at seasonal and annual scales; however, species-specific growth patterns must first be determined in order to interpret these data. In this study, a simple linear model was used to estimate the growth rate of vibrissae from adult female California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) from San Esteban Island in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The δ15N and δ13C values do not display a marked oscillatory pattern that would permit direct determination of the time period contained in each vibrissa; thus, time (age) was calculated in two ways: 1) based on the correlation between the observed number of peaks (Fourier series) in the δ15N profile and the length of each vibrissa, and 2) through direct comparison with the observed number of peaks in the δ15N profile. Cross-correlation confirmed that the two peaks in the δ15N profile reflected the two peaks in the chlorophyll-a concentration recorded annually around the island. The mean growth rate obtained from the correlation was 0.08 ± 0.01 mm d-1, while that calculated based on the observed number of peaks was 0.10 ± 0.05 mm d-1. Both are consistent with the rates reported for adult females of other otariid species (0.07 to 0.11 mm d-1). Vibrissa growth rates vary by individual, age, sex, and species; moreover, small differences in the growth rate can result in significant differences over the time periods represented by the isotopic signal. Thus, it is important to assess this parameter on a species-by-species basis. © 2018 Rosas-Hernández 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.

carbon, nitrogen, animal, California, chemistry, diet, female, island (geological), Mexico, Otariidae, physiology, Animals, California, Carbon Isotopes, Diet, Female, Islands, Mexico, Nitrogen Isotopes, Sea Lions CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA