Íñigo Navarro-Blasco | Universidad de Navarra (original) (raw)

Papers by Íñigo Navarro-Blasco

Catalysts

The aim of this study was to develop versatile coatings that can protect the stone surfaces of Ar... more The aim of this study was to develop versatile coatings that can protect the stone surfaces of Architectural Heritage. Two different 3D media, namely superhydrophobic (SPHB) and hydro-oleophobic (OHB), were utilized as host matrices for nanostructured photocatalysts (Bi2O3-ZnO 8/92). These photocatalysts were sensitive to visible light to enhance their efficiency when exposed to sunlight. To prevent the nanophotocatalyst from clumping together in the 3D media, non-ionic dispersant additives (Tween20, TritonX-100, and Brij35) were incorporated. The optimized suspensions were then applied to various substrates such as sandstone, limestone, and granite. The effectiveness of the coatings was assessed by evaluating the hydrophobicity, oleophobicity, and photocatalytic activity of the coated substrates. The Bi2O3-ZnO photocatalyst exhibited higher activity in the SPHB medium compared to the OHB medium. To simulate real-life conditions, the coated substrates were subjected to accelerated w...

Journal of hepatology, Jan 23, 2015

Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessively inherited copper storage disorder due to mu... more Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessively inherited copper storage disorder due to mutations in the ATP7B gene that causes hepatic and neurologic symptoms. Current treatments are based on lifelong copper chelating drugs and Zinc salts, which may cause side effects and do not restore normal copper metabolism. In this work we assessed the efficacy of gene therapy to treat this condition. We transduced the liver of the Atp7b(-/-) WD mouse model with an adenoassociated vector serotype 8 (AAV8) encoding the human ATP7B cDNA placed under the control of the liver-specific α1-antitripsin promoter (AAV8-AAT-ATP7B). After vector administration we carried out periodic evaluation of parameters associated with copper metabolism and disease progression. The animals were sacrificed 6 months after treatment to analyse copper storage and hepatic histology. We observed a dose-dependent therapeutic effect of AAV8-AAT-ATP7B manifested by the reduction of serum transaminases and urinary copp...

European journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2014

Topical therapy is the ideal outpatient treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) because of the ... more Topical therapy is the ideal outpatient treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) because of the ease of administration and lower cost. It could be suitable as monotherapy for localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) or in combination with systemic therapies for more severe forms of the disease. Although paromomycin (PM) ointment can be recommended for the treatment of LCL caused by Leishmania major, a more effective topical treatment should be achieved regarding the physicochemical properties of this aminoglucoside and its rather poor intrinsic antileishmanial activity, that hampers the accumulation of enough amount of drug in the dermis (where the infected macrophages home) to exert its activity. In this work, we determined a 50% effective dose of 5.6 lM for a novel compound, bis-4-aminophenyldiselenide, against L. major intracellular amastigotes. This compound and PM were formulated in chitosan hydrogels and ex vivo permeation and retention studies in the different skin layers were performed with pig ear skin in Franz diffusion cells. The results showed that less than 2-4% of the diselenide drug penetrated and permeated through the skin. In contrast, the percentage of PM penetration was about 25-60% without important retention in the skin. When topically applied to lesions of L. major infected BALB/c mice, the novel diselenide chitosan formulation was unable to slow lesion progression and reduce parasite burden. Considerations during the process of novel drug development and formulation discovery algorithm for CL are discussed.

Redox report : communications in free radical research, 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential modulators of erythrocyte glutathione pero... more The aim of this study was to investigate the potential modulators of erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in young and apparently healthy individuals. One hundred one individuals (53 women and 48 men) were evaluated for anthropometric measurements, biochemical markers, clinical, dietary, and endogenous and exogenous components of the antioxidant defense system. Statistical analysis was performed to detect differences among subjects by the median of GPx activity. A linear regression model and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to screen the associations between GPx activity and interest variables. Individuals with higher GPx enzymatic activity were older and higher circulating levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) values, but conversely lower nail concentrations of selenium and copper (P < 0.05). The GPx activity was positively correlated to truncal fat percentage values (r = 0.24, P = 0.016), circulating levels of ox-LDL (r = 0.28, P = 0.004), ...

Nutrition, 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between plasma total antioxidant capaci... more The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and dietary measurements in young and apparently healthy individuals. Methods: We evaluated 156 individuals (91 women and 65 men; ages 23.1 AE 3.5 y; body mass index 22 AE 2.9 kg/m 2) for anthropometrics, biochemical markers, clinical, dietary, and some components of the antioxidant defense system, including the plasma TAC. Statistical analyses were performed to detect differences between individuals with TAC higher and lower than the mean value and to screen the associations between TAC and variables of interest. A linear regression model was fitted to identify TAC predictors. Results: Daily caloric intake and macronutrient consumption were lower in individuals who exhibited the highest TAC values (P < 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that daily calories and carbohydrate intake was a possible negative TAC predictor (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, there was no difference in the values of oxidized low-density lipoprotein in the individuals separated by means of TAC. In contrast, individuals whose plasma TAC values were above the mean showed higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values, and selenium in nails (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In physiological conditions, the caloric intake level seems to be an important factor to act in the modulation of plasma TAC, before establishing anthropometric impairments of body or metabolic composition, or both. Additionally, the plasma TAC increase may be able to act as a compensatory mechanism.

Microchemical Journal, 2010

A reproducible, simple, rapid and sensitive electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS)... more A reproducible, simple, rapid and sensitive electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) method using low volume of sample (b 50 μL) was described for the quantitative analysis of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin) in several biological matrices after PLGA [Poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid)] cisplatin nanoparticles (NP) administration to tumor-bearing mice. The validation parameters such as specificity, linearity, accuracy and precision obtained in this method were according to FDA guidelines and are presented in the text, as well as the limit of detection and quantification. Two applications were carried out with this method. In-vitro application was used to measure the loading efficacy of cisplatin in the formulation, and to characterize the drug kinetic release in culture cell medium. For in-vivo application, three groups of nu/nu mice injected with tumor cells were treated with 5 mg kg − 1 dose of free cisplatin by intravenous and intraperitoneal routes, respectively, and with NP by intraperitoneal route. Blood samples were collected at different times, to measure cisplatin plasma concentrations, and at the end of the study, different organs were removed from each animal to quantify drug distribution. Additionally, the relationship between cisplatin levels and its apoptotic activity in each tumor sample, could be also characterized. This simple and sensitive method without aggressive manipulation allowed the quantification of cisplatin in different biological matrices with independence of the formulation used. Therefore, these pre-clinical results show the possibility to include this method for clinical applications.

Lipids in Health and Disease, 2011

Background Despite oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) plays important roles in the pro-inf... more Background Despite oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) plays important roles in the pro-inflammatory and atherosclerotic processes, the relationships with metabolic and oxidative stress biomarkers have been only scarcely investigated in young adult people. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess plasma ox-LDL concentrations and the potential association with oxidative stress markers as well as with anthropometric and metabolic features in healthy young adults. Methods This study enrolled 160 healthy subjects (92 women/68 men; 23 ± 4 y; 22.0 ± 2.9 kg/m2). Anthropometry, body composition, blood pressure, lifestyle features, biochemical data, and oxidative stress markers were assessed with validated tools. Selenium, copper, and zinc nail concentrations were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results Total cholesterol (TC), LDL-c and uric acid concentrations, TC-to-HDL-c ratio, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were positive predictors of ox-LDL concentrati...

Food Chemistry, 2009

Infant formula developed by manufacturers requires a rigorous control of composition, particularl... more Infant formula developed by manufacturers requires a rigorous control of composition, particularly those elements added routinely in an attempt to mimic the mineral composition of human milk. A total of 97 different types of powdered infant formulae (preterm, adapted starter, adapted follow-up, toddler, specialised and soy based formulae) commercially available in Spain were studied. It is noteworthy great differences in mineral (Ca, P, Mg) and trace element (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn) contents found between analysed and listed in label information. The development of a fast, simple and direct slurry method for the determination of these essential micronutrients in infant formula by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was performed in order to help in quality control tasks. Infant formula samples were solubilised using different amounts of several different solvents. An addition of 250 L of a solution 10 % tetramethylammonium hydroxide and 25 % ammonium hydroxide were required for the accurate quantification of Ca and P, Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn, respectively. The standard reference material 1549 non-fat milk powder was solubilised to compare the validity of assayed methodology following slurry nebulisation and traditional microwave-assisted acid digestion method. Good agreement of the analytical results by both ICP OES and FAAS, with the certified values was obtained. Method performance parameters (accuracy, precision and methodological detection limits) were determined for studied elements to check the quality and usefulness of the optimised slurry method. The analytical procedure was applied successfully to the analysis of a representative group of infant formulae. Levels of analysed elements were graphically represented, showing an acceptable comparability between slurry and acid-mineralisation method set by linear correlation coefficients and slopes close to the unit. The described simple and slurry method is appropriate, as an attractive alternative, for routine control analysis of added essential elements in infant formulae regardless of predominant protein type used in manufacture.

Food Chemistry, 2009

The concentrations of protein, fat, five minerals (Na, K, P, Ca and Mg) and nine trace elements (... more The concentrations of protein, fat, five minerals (Na, K, P, Ca and Mg) and nine trace elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, Al, Cd, Cr and Pb) have been determined in 347 samples of raw cow milk from the Community of Navarra, north Spain, using infrared analysis, atomic absorption spectrometry (flame and electrothermal atomisation) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. A preliminary chemometric study with the use of pattern recognition methods was carried out in order to characterise, classify and distinguish the different collected samples on the basis of their contents. Principal component analysis (PCA) has permitted the reduction of 16 variables to five principal components which interprets reasonably well the correlations of these studied variables. These variable associations may be attributed to the intrinsic (lactogenesis) and other extrinsic factors, such as seasonal variation, animal feeding or geographical situation. Changes in these contents during different seasons were also assessed and consistently interpreted. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to explore cow milk samples classifying according to season or geographical location as a complementary information to PCA. This work shows that PCA and LDA are useful chemometric tools for the multivariate characterisation of raw cow milk.

Food Additives and Contaminants, 2006

That chromium is an essential element for humans is well documented. Trivalent chromium, the main... more That chromium is an essential element for humans is well documented. Trivalent chromium, the main chemical form found in foods, is essential for maintaining normal glucose metabolism. Because of analytical difficulties, several literature reports of chromium content of foods, especially for the lower levels, show large variability and they should be interpreted with caution for a valid interpretation of reliable results. A Zeeman background correction transversely-heated graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine the chromium content of 104 different infant formulae (cow's milk and soy protein based) marketed in Spain following an acid digestion sample preparation procedure in a closed, pressurized and microwave digestion unit. The mean and range of chromium values, regarding types and main protein-based infant formulae are presented. Additionally, the influence of the type of the type of container used, the impact of industrial process from different manufacturers and the physical state (powder and liquid formulae) on chromium levels is also discussed. In general, the infant formulae contain a higher chromium concentration than that found in human milk (reference range: 0.20-8.18 µg l-1), particularly in the case of hypoallergenic (18.16 ± 7.89 µg l-1), lactose-free (11.37 ± 3.07 µg l-1), pre-term (11.48 ± 3.15 µg l-1) and soya (10.43 ± 4.05 µg l-1) formulae. The maximum theoretical estimated intake of infants fed on the studied formulae was lower than the upper limit safety for trivalent chromium of 1 mg kg-1 (14 µg kg-1 b.w. day-1) recommended by the experts of Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN ULS, 2004), amounting to about 10 %, 15-18 % and 26 % of the standard (adapted and follow-up) and toddler; soya, lactose-free and pre-term; and hypoallergenic formulae, respectively. Therefore, manufacturers are called upon to make continued efforts to routinely monitor chromium levels, mainly for specialised and pre-term formulae, and at the same time, might consider the inclusion of labelling the levels of chromium at least in these complex formulations.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008

Objectives: To evaluate the associations between serum complement factor 3 (C3) and several anthr... more Objectives: To evaluate the associations between serum complement factor 3 (C3) and several anthropometrical, biochemical and lifestyle features in healthy young adults, emphasizing on the putative effect of selenium intake on C3 concentrations. Methods: This study enrolled 100 healthy young adults aged 18-34 years. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements and lifestyle features were analyzed. Fasting blood samples were collected for the measurement of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols and C3 concentrations. Nail samples were collected for the analysis of selenium concentrations. Results: Values of BMI (P ¼ 0.034), sum of skinfold thicknesses (STs) (P ¼ 0.021), body fat mass (BFM) (P ¼ 0.023), percentage of overweight subjects (P ¼ 0.007), serum triacylglycerols (P ¼ 0.012) and nail selenium (P ¼ 0.001) were significantly different between subjects above and below the median of serum C3 concentrations. The following correlations with serum C3 were identified tricipital ST (P ¼ 0.033), sum of STs (P ¼ 0.012), BMI (P ¼ 0.008), BFM (P ¼ 0.018), waist-to-height ratio (P ¼ 0.016), serum glucose (P ¼ 0.045), serum triacylglycerols (P ¼ 0.001) and nail selenium (P ¼ 0.006). Circulating C3 showed a positive association with several adiposity markers such as BMI (P ¼ 0.001), waist circumference (P ¼ 0.006), waist-to-height ratio (P ¼ 0.002), BFM (P ¼ 0.025), as well as serum glucose (P ¼ 0.027) and triacylglycerols (Po0.001), whereas nail selenium was a statistically significant negative predictor of C3 concentrations (P ¼ 0.018). Conclusions: C3 seems to be related with selenium status and several anthropometrical and biochemical measurements linked to metabolic syndrome in apparently healthy young adults. These findings suggest a possible role for selenium intake in the modulation of C3, whose assessment may be an early marker of metabolic syndrome manifestations.

Fertility and Sterility 2011;96:1149-1153 Dietary patterns and difficulty conceiving Objective: T... more Fertility and Sterility 2011;96:1149-1153 Dietary patterns and difficulty conceiving Objective: To investigate potential associations between dietary patterns (defined using factor analysis) and difficulty conceiving. Design: Case–control study nested in a Spanish cohort of university graduates (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra [SUN] Project). Setting: Female university graduates all over Spain participating in the SUN Project. Patient(s): A total of 485 women, aged 20–45 years, reporting having presented with difficulty getting pregnant, and 1,669 age-matched controls who had at least one child. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Reported difficulty getting pregnant. Data were collected from baseline and follow-up questionnaires of the SUN Project. Results: Two dietary patterns were identified. They were labeled as “Mediterranean-type ” and “Western-type ” patterns. A lower risk of difficulty getting pregnant was apparent in the highest quartile of adherence to the M...

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2011

Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) is consumed as a traditional herbal tea in the Mediterranean r... more Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) is consumed as a traditional herbal tea in the Mediterranean region. The cytotoxic effect of the 50% ethanolic and aqueous extract, determined by the MTT and NR assays, was evaluated in vitro on Human Colon Cancer Cell Line (HCT-116), using Triton 10% as positive control. The 50 % ethanolic extract showed significant differences after 72 hours of treatment, reducing cell proliferation to values close to 40%, even the lowest dose tested (5 μg/ml). In the MTT assay, the same extract caused the lowest cell viability with 13% at a concentration of 1000 μg/ml after 72 h of treatment, being a value lower than triton 10%. The antioxidant activity was also confirmed evaluating the capacity of the extracts to scavenge ABTS and DPPH radicals, and IC50 values were highly correlated with the total phenolic and flavonoid content. Bioassay guided fractionation led to the isolation of an anti-proliferative compound, rosmarinic acid. Its structural elucidation was performed by HPLC/DAD/ESI/MS analysis. High dose of rosmarinic acid (1000 μg/ml) was clearly cytotoxic against HCT-116 cells, with a significant decrease in cell number since the earliest time point (24 h).

Meat Science, 2014

Reduced-energy and reduced-fat Bologna products enriched with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids wer... more Reduced-energy and reduced-fat Bologna products enriched with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were formulated by replacing the pork back-fat by an oil-in-water emulsion containing a mixture of linseed-algae oil stabilized with a lyophilized Melissa officinalis extract. Healthier composition and lipid profile was obtained: 85 kcal/100 g, 3.6% fat, 0.6 g ALA and 0.44 g DHA per 100 g of product and ω-6/ω-3 ratio of 0.4. Technological and sensory problems were not detected in the new formulations. Besides, reformulation did not cause oxidation problems during 32 days of storage under refrigeration. The results suggest that it is possible to obtain reduced-fat Bolognatype sausages rich in ALA and DHA and stabilized with natural antioxidants, applying the appropriate technology without significant effects over the sensory quality, obtaining interesting products from a nutritional point of view. Highlights-Nutrition claims for Bologna-type meat products.-Sensory viability of healthier cooked reduced-fat meat products.-Natural antioxidants to preserve omega-3 enriched meat products.

$Research paper thumbnail of Reduced-fat bologna sausages with improved lipid fraction$