University of Lleida

About: University of Lleida is a education organization based out in Lleida, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Pregnancy. The organization has 2939 authors who have published 5853 publications receiving 148417 citations. The organization is also known as: Escola Superior Politècnica & Universitat de Lleida.

Nutritionally important carotenoids as consumer products

Abstract: Carotenoids are nutritionally-beneficial organic tetraterpenoid pigments synthesized mainly by plants, bacteria and fungi. Although research has focused on the production of carotenoids in staple crops to improve nutritional welfare in developing countries, there is also an enormous market for carotenoids in the industrialized world, where they are produced both as commodities and luxury goods targeted at the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food/feed additive, cosmetics and fine chemicals sectors. Carotenoids are economically valuable because they have diverse bioactive and chemical properties. Some are essential nutrients (e.g. β-carotene), others are antioxidants with specific roles (e.g. lutein and zeaxanthin) or general health-promoting roles that reduce the risk or progression of diseases associated with oxidative stress (e.g. lycopene), and still others are natural pigments (e.g. astaxanthin, which is added to fish feed to impart a desirable pink flesh color). Even carotenoid degradation products, such as damascones and damascenones, are used as fragrances in the perfumes industry. Here we discuss the importance of carotenoids in different market sectors, review current methods for commercial production and its regulation, summarize the most relevant patents and consider evidence supporting the health claims made by different industry sectors, focusing on case studies representing the most commercially valuable carotenoids on the market: β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin.

Soil organic carbon storage in mountain grasslands of the Pyrenees: effects of climate and topography

Abstract: The prediction of soil C stocks across the landscape has been increasingly studied in many areas of the world. Soil organic C storage in mountain areas is highly heterogeneous, mainly as a result of local-scale variability in the soil environment (topography, stoniness, parent material) and microclimate. The aims of the present study are to estimate soil organic C stocks (SOCS) in mineral soils of high-altitude grasslands of the Pyrenees and determine whether climatic and topographic variables can be used as predictors of SOCS and organic C content in the surface soil horizons of these ecosystems. For that purpose we sampled 35 soil profiles in subalpine and alpine grasslands including a range of altitudes, slopes and aspects. We analysed the soils for stoniness, bulk density, total C, texture, and C-to-N ratio and determined topographical variables. We used georeferenced climatic information for climatic descriptions of the sites. SOCS were highly correlated with soil depth. However, we were not able to predict soil depth by using environmental and topographic variables. In spite of this fact, altitude and aspect explained 41.2% of the SOCS variability while summer temperature and precipitation combined with aspect explained 56.9% of the variability of the organic C content of the surface layer (OC). The SOCS were low at high altitudes, probably as a result of an overall temperature limitation of net primary productivity. Under these conditions, the effect of aspect was small. The highest SOCS occurred at the lowest altitudes for ENE or WNW aspects, showing sharper decreases towards the south than to the north. The harsh climatic conditions and low-plant productivity that occur at the northern slopes reduced SOCS at the highest altitudes. In contrast, southern aspects showed similar organic C content along the altitudinal gradient. The OC variability in the surface soils not explained by climatic or topographic variables was partially related to the characteristics of soil organic matter, which may depend on the plant communities.

Persistence of cognitive impairment and its negative impact on psychosocial functioning in lithium-treated, euthymic bipolar patients: a 6-year follow-up study.

Abstract: BackgroundPrevious cross-sectional studies report that cognitive impairment is associated with poor psychosocial functioning in euthymic bipolar patients. There is a lack of long-term studies to determine the course of cognitive impairment and its impact on functional outcome.MethodA total of 54 subjects were assessed at baseline and 6 years later; 28 had DSM-IV TR bipolar I or II disorder (recruited, at baseline, from a Lithium Clinic Program) and 26 were healthy matched controls. They were all assessed with a cognitive battery tapping into the main cognitive domains (executive function, attention, processing speed, verbal memory and visual memory) twice over a 6-year follow-up period. All patients were euthymic (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score lower than 8 and Young mania rating scale score lower than 6) for at least 3 months before both evaluations. At the end of follow-up, psychosocial functioning was also evaluated by means of the Functioning Assessment Short Test.ResultsRepeated-measures multivariate analysis of covariance showed that there were main effects of group in the executive domain, in the inhibition domain, in the processing speed domain, and in the verbal memory domain (p<0.04). Among the clinical factors, only longer illness duration was significantly related to slow processing (p=0.01), whereas strong relationships were observed between impoverished cognition along time and poorer psychosocial functioning (p<0.05).ConclusionsExecutive functioning, inhibition, processing speed and verbal memory were impaired in euthymic bipolar out-patients. Although cognitive deficits remained stable on average throughout the follow-up, they had enduring negative effects on psychosocial adaptation of patients.