Publications

In this study, heat-assisted extraction (HAE) was used to optimise the extraction of ergosterol from <italic>Pleurotus ostreatus</italic> (PO) and <italic>Pleurotus eryngii</italic> (PE) using response surface methodology (RSM).

Abstract In this study, high‐pressure treatment (HPT) was applied to the mashing stage of beer production, which involves drying and milling of white malt and subsequent mixing with water. The following parameters were evaluated after pressurisation: β‐glucanase activity, starch gelatinisation and sugar extraction. Evaluation of starch hydrolysis from the malted barley endosperm after HPT was performed by measuring β‐glucanase activity after pressurisation; this enzyme breaks down gums and β‐glucans in wort and is desirable to obtain a good‐quality beer. Soaked malt samples pressurised at 200–600 MPa showed no increase in this activity compared with controls. Conversion of milled malt was evaluated indirectly by measuring the gelatinisation of starch, which began at 400 MPa. Soluble sugars were also measured in pressurised samples from the mashed liquid to investigate saccharification during the mashing stage. After 400 or 600 MPa treatment for 20 min, both the sucrose (g per 100 ml) and extract (l ° kg −1 ) values were the same as those found in mashed samples following the standard procedure used in the brewing industry (65 °C,90 min). Starch gelatinisation was analysed at different high pressures (200–600 MPa) and it was shown that gelatinisation began at 400 MPa. The HPT time would have to be shorter to make the process commercially attractive. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry

ABSTRACT The Asteraceae family has been of significant concern for ethnobotanical studies, thanks to its health‐promoting properties linked to a plethora of bioactive compounds, among which phenolic compounds play a critical role. In this work, a workflow based on computational chemometrics was employed to assess the authenticity and biomarker search of five key Asteraceae species commonly employed in traditional medicine. The UHPLC‐DAD‐ESI/MS–MS phenolic profile of Asteraceae extracts was combined with the evaluation of several in vitro biological properties. Caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs), chicoric acids, and flavonoid glycosides were reported as authenticity markers of Achillea millefolium , Taraxacum officinale , and Arnica montana , respectively. The integration of phenolic profile and in vitro bioactivities provide insights for the identification of trans 3,5‐ O ‐dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5‐ O ‐diCQA) and isorhamnetin glycosides as the major antioxidant agents in Asteraceae extracts, whereas several CQAs and caffeoyl‐deoxy‐octulopyranosonic acids have been reported as responsible for their cytotoxic and anti‐inflammatory activities. These results shed light on the authentication and quality evaluation of Asteraceae extracts, along with the characterization of their functional properties, leading to their application in the design of novel plant‐based functional foods.

Abstract Quercetin is evidently unstable in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) at 37°C. However, the underlying mechanism of this instability is not clear yet. The stability and new degradation products of quercetin in DMEM at 37°C were investigated via in UPLC‐MS‐MS analysis. With increasing incubation time, quercetin formed various degradation products derived from its dimer and there were numerous isomers formed during this process. Ascorbic acid significantly improved the stability of quercetin by protecting quercetin from auto‐oxidation in this medium. Ascorbic acid also remarkably enhanced the stability of quercetin in DMEM in the presence of A549 cells and obviously increased the antiproliferative effect of quercetin toward A549 cells.

Abstract Introduction The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a recent outbreak of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). In Cuba, the first case of COVID-19 was reported on March 11. Elderly with multiple comorbidities are particularly susceptible to adverse clinical outcomes in the course of SARS CoV-2 infection. During the outbreak, a local transmission event took place in a nursing home in Villa Clara province, Cuba, in which nineteen elderly residents were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Methods Based on the increased susceptibility to viral-induced cytokine release syndrome inducing respiratory and systemic complications in this population, the patients were included in an expanded access clinical trial to receive itolizumab, an anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody. Results All the patients had underlying medical conditions. The product was well tolerated. After the first dose, the course of the disease was favorable and 18 out of 19 (94.7%) patients were discharged clinically recovered with negative RT-PCR at 13 days (median). One dose of itolizumab, circulating IL-6 decreased in the first 24-48 hours in patients with high baseline values, whereas in patients with low levels, this concentration remained over low values. To preliminary assess the effect of itolizumab, a control group was selected among the Cuban COVID-19 patients, which did not receive immunomodulatory therapy. Control subjects were well-matched regarding age, comorbidities and severity of the disease. Every three moderately ill patients treated with itolizumab, one admission in intensive care unit (ICU) was prevented. Discussion/Conclusion Itolizumab was well tolerated. Its effect is associated with a reduction and controlling IL-6 serum levels. Moreover, treated patients had a favorable clinical outcome, considering their poor prognosis. This treatment is associated significantly with a decrease the risk to be admitted in ICU and reduced 10 times the risk of death. This study corroborates that the timely use of itolizumab, in combination with other antiviral and anticoagulant therapies, is associated with a reduction the COVID-19 disease worsening and mortality. The humanized antibody itolizumab emerges as a therapeutic alternative for patients with COVID-19 and suggests its possible use in patients with cytokine release syndrome from other pathologies.