ABSTRACT

The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has not been controlled yet. On the contrary, new variants have appeared. Despite vaccination efforts, people remain susceptible, in part because of the newer variants but also because not everyone in the population develops immunity. As if that was not enough, humanity has witnessed very serious events related to climate change during these pandemic times. The journal Alliances and Trends BUAP (AyTBUAP) is indexed in various repositories and it is committed to the serious evaluation of original manuscripts, reviews, opinions, patent analysis, bibliometric analysis, among other types of manuscripts, for their possible publication in the journal; giving priority to manuscripts focused on solving current problems. This editorial shows the manuscripts that were accepted and published in the period July to September 2021. In addition, we have reactivated the AyTBUAP talks, this time through an online form in order to contribute to the safeguarding of the participants to avoid more infections by SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT

Background: Phosphorus solubilizing fungi are very important in the phosphorus cycle because they can transform it from insoluble to soluble. These organisms depend on the nutrients of the environment for their development and are active in biogeochemical processes. Objective: Evaluate in vitro the capacity of three strains of fungi to solubilize phosphate with different carbon and nitrogen sources and to relate the solubility with the pH of the culture medium and fungal biomass. Methods: The strains used were Aspergillus niger, Penicillium brevicompactum, and P. waksmanii, they were inoculated with carbon sources (arabinose, fructose, and glucose), and nitrogen sources (asparagine, ammonium sulfate, and urea); as a control, we used the medium without carbon/nitrogen. During a month, every third day, the soluble phosphorus, the pH in the culture medium, and the fungal biomass was measured. Results and discussion: Among the data with carbon sources, when the strain of A. niger grew with glucose, it presented the highest solubilization, while for P. waksmanii and P. brevicompactum, it was detected the highest solubilization when grown with fructose. Regarding the nitrogen sources, for A. niger, the growth with ammonium sulfate favored higher solubilization, while in P. brevicompactum and P. waksmanii, it was with the control treatment (limited nitrogen). By regression we detected that in A. niger and P. brevicompactum with different carbon sources, that the capacity to solubilize tricalcium phosphate significantly increased with the acidification of the culture medium and with the fungal biomass. However, for the three strains evaluated in different nitrogen sources, the solubilizing phosphate activity was not significantly related to the pH of the culture medium or to the fungal biomass.

ABSTRACT

Solid waste (SW) generates environmental, social, and economic problems whether its final disposal and use is not adequate. An example of this is the sludge obtained from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), which could significantly contribute to the pollution of the atmosphere, national waters, and soils, affecting the ecosystems of the area where they are deposited. The objective of this work was to carry out the physicochemical and microbiological characterization of the sludge from two wastewater treatment plants and verify if, in according to the Mexican standards NOM-004-SEMARNAT-2002 and NMX-AA-180-SCFI-2018, the mud is usable and useful for the manufacturing of compost. For this purpose, physicochemical and microbiological analyzes were carried out on the sludge and the compost resulting from the mixture of sludge, coconut fiber (CF), and garden pruning residues (GPR). The results showed the concentrations of nutrients, heavy metals, fecal coliforms (FC), and Salmonella spp. do not exceed the permissible limits outlined in NOM-004-SEMARNAT-2002. However, the resulting compost, as a final product, does not satisfy the NMX-AA-180-SCFI-2018. Taking this into account, it could be suggested that the sludge is only usable for soil improvement, forestry, and agricultural uses. In addition, it is inferred that these sludges are not suitable for urban uses with or without direct public contact during their uses.

ABSTRACT

Goat milk and its products are very important worldwide due to its nutritional components that it provides to human beings. However, there are many important factors that influence the quality and composition of milk, one of them is the diet of goats. It has been reported that fodder, in addition to providing macronutrients, bioactive compounds such as flavonoids are antioxidants. A botanical study identifies the main species of plants consumed by goats at the Micro-region of Coyopolan, Ixhuacán de los Reyes, Veracruz. Identifying the wild blackberry (Rubus adenotrichus). The plants identified were characterized by a preliminary phytochemical test. The incorporation of flavonoids in goat milk was carried out with the modification of the diet in a goat herd of the Alpinas breed; The quality of the foliage content of blackberry (Rubus adenotrichus). The changes in the bromatological parameters of the milk and the flavonoid content were determined during 30 days of the experiment. The ethanolic extracts of forage plants indicated flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes / sterols, coumarins and saponins. The extracts of black-berry were the ones with the highest flavonoid content. The goats fed with blackberry forage include the incorporation of flavonoids in the milk produced, without showing differences in the bromatological parameters with respect to the control group. The goat diet plays an important role in the incorporation of bioactive substances such as flavonoids because it is found in the milk of the goat, whose activity is related to the dietary.

ABSTRACT

Stomach cancer is twice as common in men and, in 2020, it ranked third in incidence among Mexican men. There is a lack of early detection and education programs on the measures that can prevent the evolution from gastric diseases to cancer, in Mexico. In recent years progress has been made in understanding the natural history of intestinal-type stomach cancer and the factors that cause carcinogenesis; however, the prevalence of this tumor continues to increase. Disseminate this and the information on factors that protect against gastric carcinogenesis is our purpose.

Some host´s dietary habits, lifestyles, genetic factors, and environmental factors work synergistically to induce stomach cancer. Infectious agents such as Helicobacter pylori, Epstein Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Mycoplasma, sp., Induce gastric inflammation, which can lead to malignancy. Treatment of gastric infections can reverse premalignant lesions and slow carcinogenesis. Gastric cancer is treatable in the early stages, in advanced stages, survival is reduced to months. The absence of specific symptoms, the lack of non-invasive diagnostic tools, and the inexistence of early detection programs favor the late diagnosis of gastric cancer and high mortality. Endoscopy is the method of choice for the diagnosis of precancerous lesions and cancer. Surgery is the indicated therapy for stomach cancer, and postoperative radio or chemotherapy are complementary alternatives. Promptly treating gastritis or other digestive problems is a protective measure against gastric cancer.

ABSTRACT

Maize (Zea mays) is a grass plant, part of Mexican culture, it is present in the economic and social country activities, the improvement of the crops of this plant could be possible using inoculants formulated based on Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGRP), a technology that does not pollute the soil, which is economical, and can reduce the use of chemical fertilizers; these last ones have many disadvantages in their use. Rhizobacteria are important for agriculture, they provide benefits to the plant through different mechanisms, for example, solubilizing and mobilizing minerals, making them more bioavailable for use (direct mechanisms), or also inhibiting the growth of pathogenic microorganisms (indirect mechanisms), positively influencing plant growth. As a result of this interaction, better crops are obtained, more resistant and with better nutritional quality grains.

This paper analysed information on the experiences of various authors who have carried out experimental research to obtain better maize yields thanks to the application of PGPR, opening the possibility of its management as a complement and/or partial replacement of chemical fertilizers. This technology has proved efficient for the stimulation of growth of some creole maize and could mean the technology that is required for the rescue and cultivation of the different varieties of creole maize in Mexico.

Abstract

The coagulation-flocculation operation for the removal of suspended particles is widely used in wastewater treatment. Among the flocculants most used today are acrylamide copolymers, however, the extensive use of these recalcitrant molecules could cause undesirable effects on ecosystems. Recent studies have reported extracellular polymeric substances of microbial origin with flocculating properties like synthetic polymers. These findings show the great potential of microbial polymers in the environmental area and the importance of additional studies that allow their large-scale production.

ABSTRACT

Chagas disease is transmitted by hematophagous triatomine insects of the Reduviidae family. These vectors tend to hide in dark and humid places in homes in the endemic areas, mainly rural in Latin America. The Mexican territory is considered a critical endemic area, in recent years; more than 34 species of triatomines have been described as carriers of the disease, mainly the genera Rhodnius, Paratriatoma, Eratyrus, Dipetalogaster, Belminus, Panstrongylus, Meccus, and Triatoma. In Aguascalientes and Zacatecas's states, the observationand capture of the Triatoma phyllosoma and Triatoma longipennis species have been reported over three decades. Recent studies show that both species belong to the genera Meccus. This work summarizes the capture, identification, and analysis of Triatoma (Meccus) phyllosoma and Triatoma (Meccus) longipennis species as vectors of Chagas disease in the towns of Palo Alto, El Terrero de la Labor, Temazcal, Piedras Chinas, La Labor, Ojocaliente, Malpaso, Las Cabras and the center of the municipality of Calvillo in the state of Aguascalientes, Apulco and Jalpa in the state of Zacatecas, during March to August of the year 2019. Of a total of 252 collected bed bugs, 44% presented positivity as a carrier of Trypanosoma cruzi. Simultaneously, the morphological identification showed that 66.66% corresponds to the M. longipennis species, and the remaining 33.34% is for the M. phyllosoma species.

ABSTRACT

The search for inhibitors of Quorum sensing (QS) in Gram-negative bacteria is important due to its pathogenicity, therefore new alternatives are being sought to inhibit its virulence. The objective of the present study was to determine the Gibbs free energy (-ΔG) through a molecular coupling of 11 aromatic compounds with the CviR regulator of QS in Chromobacterium violaceum and to obtain the pharmacokinetic and preclinical parameters of the best QS inhibitors. Evaluating the -ΔG by 2 programs (Chimera 1.14 and mcule) comparing the averages by Tukey method (p≤0.05) and representing the ligand-protein binding employing loops and ribbons models. Furthermore, the interactions between the amino acids of the QS regulator (hydrogen bridge and non-covalent bonds) and the functional groups of aromatic compounds were analyzed. Finally, a preclinical in silico study was carried out reporting the Lethal Dose in mice (LD50) by 3 QSAR models and 5 pharmacokinetic parameters. The results showed that when analyzing the -ΔG by both programs, 5 strong QS inhibitors were obtained: ferulic acid (-6.37 ± 0.21), hydroxycinnamic acid (-6.53 ± 0.35), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (6.6 ± 0.61), eugenol (-6.2 ± 0.38), and isoeugenol (-6.23 ± 0.59). Obtaining that each compound inhibits the activity of CviR by a blocking mechanism of the autoinducer-1 binding domain of CviR. Also, significant LD50 values were obtained without reporting mouse toxicity and acceptable pharmacokinetic values of the 5 selected inhibitors. Concluding that the inhibitors could be the target of research as an alternative therapy against the pathogenesis of C. violaceum.

ABSTRACT

The genus Paraburkholderia comprises more than 100 species, isolated from various environments such as plants, agricultural soils, volcanic soils, and even water bodies. Few studies in our country report the isolation of members belonging to this genus. In this work, we focus on the taxonomic position of seven rhizospheric strains belonging to the Burkholderia sensu lato group, all of them were isolated from timber trees such as pine and wild plants such as fern and bromeliads, in the municipality of Chignahuapan situated in the state of Puebla using an approach polyphasic taxonomic. Based on the sequences analysis of the 16S rRNA, atpD, and recA genes confirmed that all the strains belong to the genus Paraburkholderia, even GB45, GB51, GB53, GB62, GB152, and GB203 form a cluster with Paraburkholderia sediminicola and Paraburkholderia aspalathi, except for the GB190 strain, which might represent a new species of this genus because it is separated from this group, as shown by phylogenetic trees. Regarding the phenotypic characterization, the seven strains showed an optimal growth at at 35 °C and pH 6.0 in the absence of NaCl. The ability to tolerate different heavy metal concentrations (Co, Pb, Mo, Ni, Zn, and V) and antibiotics concentrations (ampicilin, gentamicin, tetracyclin, kanamycin, and chloramphenicol) was diverse. Only the GB51 strain grew in the presence of zinc (≤200 ppm) and vanadium (≤50 ppm). The GB190 strain was not able to grow at 39 °C and pH 4.0 but it was the only strain resistant to gentamicin (1 µg/mL) and kanamycin (2.5 µg/mL), characteristics that also differentiated it from the rest of the isolates.

ABSTRACT

Background: Patient´s satisfaction is a reflection of the type and quality of care provided by health professionals. Patient satisfaction survey is considered a quality standard for evaluating the results of the health care process.

Objective: The aims of this study were to determine the level of patient satisfaction with the service provided in our Outpatient Pharmacy Unit, spot possible improving actions and to analyze the results comparing them with those obtained in previous study.

Method: Cross-sectional study carried out from February to December 2015 in the Pharmacy Outpatient Unit of a 256-bed regional hospital. To evaluate patient satisfaction, we used a validated survey with 19 questions.

Results: 386 surveys were collected. 97.67 % patients were satisfied or very satisfied overall with the Outpatient Pharmacy Unit. The physical space and the organization obtained the lowest valuation.

Conclusion: Overall satisfaction was very high. It is important to know patient perception to identify opportunities for improvement and increase the quality of the service provided.

ABSTRACT

Currently humanity is experiencing an unexpected pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease called COVID-19. Fortunately, vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been developed in record time due to the enormous effort of large scientific laboratories and pharmaceutical companies around the world. However, the end of this pandemic is still a long way off and this event leaves us a lesson that we must live with a culture of prevention.

When this pandemic is overcome, humanity cannot return to live in the comfort of the past and ignore another of the serious problems that we currently have and that will worsen in the following years: the increase of multi-resistant bacteria to antibiotics currently available.

The World Health Organization (WHO) published in 2017 a list of bacteria that urgently require new antibiotics because they are resistant to several of the conventional antibiotics currently available.

The short ISCT-type peptides derived from scorpion venoms have great potential as new antibiotics since they present a broad-spectrum activity, their mechanism of action has very little probability of being blocked by bacteria since this kind of antimicrobials do not act on a specific receptor of the membrane of bacteria. Bacterial membrane structure is an alpha helix and its small size, less than 20 amino acids, facilitates its chemical synthesis without the need for an extra modification.

ABSTRACT

Extensive agriculture necessary to meet the nutritional needs of billions of inhabitants of the planet has required various methods to ensure production as well as to avoid millionaire damages. Among these methods, the use of chemical compounds such as pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers has allowed the supply of fruits, vegetables, legumes and cereals for both farm animals and human beings during the last decades. On one hand, chemical pesticides have been fundamental to avoid the great losses derived from crop pests. On the other hand, nitrogen fertilizers have allowed to greatly increase agriculture production by providing crops with their main limitation for growth, assimilable nitrogen. Although it is clear that these approaches have been key to maintaining extensive agriculture, both have serious secondary effects on the environment including contamination of the soil and the impairment of natural microbiome. For this reason, in recent years, different initiatives have been prioritized to promote sustainable agriculture to preserve our planet. In this context, the biological control of diseases caused by plant pathogens (phytopathogens) and the biological nitrogen fixation are considered excellent alternatives to chemical pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers to protect our crops and increase their production, respectively.

In this article, both, the biological control carried out by Pseudomonas putida using the type VI secretion system and the biological nitrogen fixation performed by rhizobia employing the type III secretion system, are described from the point of view of the agricultural biotechnology.

ABSTRACT

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) incidence in Mexico is increasing due to an unspecific or delayed diagnosis, among several other causes. Molecular markers such as rpoB and 16S rRNA genes have been used to identify the Mycobacterium genus. Insertion sequence 6110 (IS6110) has been used as a genetic marker in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) genotyping.

Objective: To perform a retrospective study to evaluate rpoB and 16S rRNA genes and IS6110 usefulness to identify the Mycobacterium genus and MTBC isolates.

Methods: A total of 146 clinical samples were analyzed. Amplification products from rpoB, 16S rRNA and IS6110 were obtained by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). M. bovis was identified using a Multiplex PCR assay.

Results: Mycobacteria were identified in 65 clinical samples as shown by rpoB and 16S rRNA genes amplification. In 22 isolates (22/65) amplification products were obtained only for rpoB and/or 16S rRNA genes. MTBC presence was confirmed in 43/65 isolates as IS6110 amplification product was obtained. Sequencing products of rpoB, 16S rRNA and IS6110 showed 98%-100% homology with MTBC species reported in the GenBank database.

Discussion: Inclusion of molecular techniques in infectious diseases diagnosis allows to get precise results in short time. In mycobacterial infections, molecular makers such as rpoB, 16S rRNA and IS6110, largely contribute to make a specific diagnosis and differentiate between TB and mycobacteriosis, leading to the best treatment administration to the patient.

ABSTRACT

The methods for identifying microorganisms are based on their morphological, physiological, proteomic, and genomic characteristics. Under traditional identification, culture-dependent techniques are used, but they may present drawbacks depending on the type of microorganism to be identified, its growth capacity, its resemblance to some other microbe and the total time for its identification. The use of PGPB in agriculture has had a positive impact by reducing production costs, reducing the negative impact on the environment and human health. G. diazotrophicus is a diazotrophic-endophytic bacterium with PGPB characteristics that have a longer growth time compared to other bacteria, and it presents phenotypic and genetic characteristics like nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the same genus, therefore, its identification using only traditional methods can be somewhat laborious and unspecific. In this review, some molecular methods for identification of G. diazotrophicus were analysed.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to test the inhibitory effect of plant aqueous extracts on the urediniospores germination of the coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix). Aqueous extracts were prepared from leaves of Ardisia compressa and Eriobotrya japonica which are commons in coffee plantations in central Veracruz, Mexico, and from leaves of Ocimun basilicum, which is common in local home gardens. Three experimental trials were carried out, one with the extract of each plant species under a completely randomized design with four treatments; the negative control (extract 0%), the positive control (commercial fungicide), and extracts at 75% and 100%. The response variable was the proportion of germinated urediniospores and the explanatory variable was the extract concentration. A Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with binomial errors was fitted for data of each experiment using the R software. The results indicated that extracts of the three plants species, totally inhibited the germination of urediniospores at a similar level to that of the commercial fungicide. In spite of low germination rate of urediniospores in negative controls, it was statistically higher (P < 0.01) than that of the other treatments. Therefore, it is concluded that extracts of three plant species have a great potential to be used in the ecological control of coffee rust. However, experiments need to be scaled up at the greenhouse and field level and testing with surfactants, adjuvants, and stabilizers.

Abstract

2020 was a year full of challenges to be overcome. Unfortunately, many of our loved ones did not survive the pandemic. Here we present a summary of the global behavior of COVID-19, the number of individuals diagnosed as positive for SARS-CoV-2 and the number of worldwide deaths. We show an overview of the research carried out on COVID-19, as well as the publications that have been presented in BUAP Alliances and Trends. In addition, we present the encouraging news of treatment options and vaccines that have been developed and that are increasingly administered to the population; which could allow us to return to a more active and carefree life.

ABSTRACT

The Alliances and Trends BUAP (AyTBUAP) journal is a Project that started in 2015 with the purpose of publishing original papers, short papers, reviews, and trending opinions, specially related to patents and new applied knowledge, without excluding basic frontier science. The project has been consolidating over time and in 2020 a new web portal with its own domain was created. In this new portal the readers can either visualize the papers in HTML version or download the papers in PDF version. The journal has already been indexed in 4 different sites (International Scientific Indexing, CiteFactor, Academic Resource Index and Latindex) and its visibility has increased. The arbitration work is already recognized by Publons and it is projected that AyTBUAP will be indexed in other plataforms, and to increase its visibility and impact factor.

ABSTRACT

The emerging outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread around the world. Demonstrating its damaging effect on many systems and human organs; this is of great concern to society likewise it affects their daily life and the world economy. Caused an unprecedented need for rapid diagnostics for rapid and sensitive detection of the virus, especially when the vaccines are not available. This study aimed to compare published studies to obtain information on the detection methods of SARS-CoV-2 such as: the RT-qPCR, the RT-LAMP, the serological tests, and the different biosensors such as: (i) the optical colorimetric biosensors (fluorescent), (ii) the electrochemical biosensors (potentiometric and amperometric), (iii) the biosensors based on aptamers, and (iv) the molecular impress polymer (MIP). Also was summarized the advantages and disadvantages of new platforms that find in the development and growth stage as new detection technologies for diagnosing the SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT

Money in its various forms (bills, coins, cards) could be a potential source of contagion for contracting COVID-19. However, there are still no works that determine the level of viral particles in this type of transaction materials. Although these studies have not yet been carried out, the population should assume that money contains viral particles that could potentially infect any individual. It is suggested to use anti-contact payment systems, for example, QR payment systems, in order to avoid contagion due to the use of transaction materials.

ABSTRACT

The severe acute respiratory syndrome virus coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread since December 2019 causing the disease called “COVID-19” in the world, making the general population vulnerable. Proving its effect in all ages, damaging many human organs and systems, causing preoccupation among the individuals, affecting daily life and the world economy. Specially because vaccines are not available so far, generating an unprecedented need for diagnostic methods for rapid and sensitive detection that differentiates strains of the coronavirus. Reason why the objective of this study was to describe the CRISPR-Cas system, as well as the emerging methodologies for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 and compare the advantages and disadvantages of the various published studies. In order to obtain information on the new alternative technologies based on the CRISPR-Cas that in some cases have been approved by the FDA as a diagnostic methodology, in the development and testing stages in illness people with COVID-19. And are comparable with conventional virus detection methods, are a type of point-of-care biosensor because they offer an effective diagnosis of the disease on a large scale in people carrying SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT

According to the importance of a source of drinking water supply, groundwater must guarantee safety in terms of its chemical composition. However, in recent years a large amount of unregulated toxic organic micro-pollutants has been detected in groundwater. Triclosan (TCS) is a disinfectant substance and indicator molecule for anthropogenic origin polluting processes due to its toxic properties and high mobility in the environment. Studies of monitoring analysis for groundwater contamination with triclosan shows that its presence in drinking water sources is mainly found in urban areas and, to a lesser extent, in rural areas. The presence of TCS is fundamentally due to three problems: 1) infiltration of untreated domestic wastewater, 2) infiltration of treated domestic wastewater in where, treatment process does not include advanced operations to eliminate organic micro-pollutants, and 3) infiltration of leachate from sanitary landfills. The most promising technologies for triclosan removal from aqueous systems with low organic matter content are advanced oxidation and oxidation, adsorption and biosorption, microbial metabolic removal, enzymatic transformation, and phytofiltration. Many of the studies for triclosan removal have been carried out at the laboratory level emphasizing both the efficiency of the process and the pollutant removal mechanism, these studies are of great importance for the design of wastewater and natural water treatment systems.

ABSTRACT

Plant growth-promoting bacteria have been extensively studied and the second generation of multispecies inoculants have recently been designed. INOCREP is a multispecies formulation composed of six beneficial bacterial species. INOCREP stimulates plant growth much better than monoinoculants; its promoting traits have been studied in several plants of agricultural interest. A formulation derived from INOCREP that is diluted ten times respect to the original formulation has been proposed as a garden formulation. INOCREP-garden has been explored in various plants under pot conditions, enhancing plant development. There are three ways to inoculate the bacterial formulation in gardens: on the seeds, seedlings, and developed plants. This work provides an overview of the state of the art of the INOCREP formulation and its garden derivative.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Lichens are mutualistic symbiotic associations between a fungus and one or more green algae or cyanobacteria. Interactions between lichens and non-photosynthetic bacteria have currently been reported, however, it is not known in detail how they occur, and the diversity and potential of this relationship have not yet been fully explored. With the use of new molecular tools and new culture methods, the functions of non-photosynthetic bacteria related to lichens were detailed and, therefore, it was possible to analyze their symbiotic association. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the diversity of non-photosynthetic bacteria and their metabolic processes that allow the survival of lichens. Methodology: From the search and analysis of recent works (2015-2020), the phyla of non-photosynthetic bacteria present in lichens were obtained and the metabolic processes of these bacteria were analyzed in relation to the survival of the lichens in which they were found. Results: The bacterial phyla frequently found in lichens are Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes Verrucomicrobia, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria y Thermus, Discussion: These groups of bacteria carry out processes such as nitrogen fixation, production of hormones, pigments and vitamins that contribute to the nutrition, protection and regulation of the growth of the lichen. Conclusion: Lichens can be considered as a micro-ecosystem that has mutualistic symbiotic interactions between various organisms and their study is important since it allows us to understand their ecological importance in greater depth.

Abstract

Human milk contains oligosaccharides (OSLH) with a prebiotic effect. They are complex and have a wide structural variety. More than 130 different structures have been identified as part of the functional foods (FA) used by both the food and pharmaceutical industries. These OSLHs have been described as having a unique and important role in the growth and development of the child. Especially during the first months of life, these contribute to the establishment of the intestinal microbiota. In this context, due to their structure, OSLHs can act as receptors for viruses and bacteria, blocking their adherence to eukaryotic cells and therefore preventing infection. Additionally, OSLH are essential for the development of the newborn's immune system, but also for the protection and modulation of the immune response in the adult.

In general, oligosaccharides are essential for the healthy development of people and in times of COVID-19, multidisciplinary strategies are those that will safeguard the quality of life, trying to maintain a balance for a correct diet and a strengthened immunity. In this issue of Alliances and Trends BUAP 5 (19), 3 original articles and 3 reviews were published. The knowledge developed to date could serve as the basis for better agricultural production, better nutrition and stimulation of human health, but if this strategy is exceeded by a viral infection, an effective response against diseases must be implemented with the use of drugs and vaccines directed against the virus in question.

Keywords: OSHL, intestinal microbiota, BUAP Alliances, Trends.