Aluminium and fluoride in hospital daily diets and in teas

The levels of aluminium and fluoride have been determined in hospital daily diets including breakfast, dinner and supper, as well as in black teas and herbal teas purchased from the local market. In tea, aluminium was determined directly in a sample solution by atomic absorption spectroscopy using nitrous oxide and an acetylene flame. For analysis of the hospital diet, samples containing lower levels of aluminium were analysed using a spectrophotometric method which measured aluminium in the form of a 8-hydroxyquinoline complex. Decomposition of the samples was achieved using a mixture of concentrated acids [nitric (HNO₃), perchloric (HClO₄) and sulphuric (H₂SO₄)] in platinum dishes. Fluoride was assayed by spectrophotometry using a microdiffusion procedure with a mixture of concentrated HClO₄ and silver sulphate, trace amounts of the released fluoride [as hydrogen fluoride (HF)] were trapped on the alkaline surface of a Petri dish and then determined in the form of an alizarin-fluoride complex. The mean level of aluminium found in hospital daily diets amounted to 21.3±12.3 mg and the mean level of fluoride was 1.38±1.12 mg per adult person. In the 16 samples of commercially available brands of black teas, the levels of aluminium and fluroide ranged from 445 to 1552 ppm (mean=897±264 ppm) and from 30 to 340 ppm (mean 141±85 ppm), respectively. In six herbal teas, the mean levels of aluminium and fluoride were lower, and amounted to 218.9±150.7 ppm and 6.0±6.9 ppm, respectively. This study has shown that concern about a high intake of aluminium and fluoride from these foods is unfounded.     

Juice from king palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) leaf sheathes: chemical characterisation and use in soft drink formulation

The heart of palm is a food extracted from several species of palm trees. Only 10–20% of the raw material is transformed into canned hearts of palm, therefore this agro‐industry generates a large quantity of solid residue. The aim of this work was to extract and characterise a juice produced from this solid residue. This extract is compared with the traditional fruit juices (orange and pineapple juices), obtaining higher contents of minerals, such as magnesium (22.80 mg/100 g) and potassium (276.90 mg/100 g), phenolic compounds (gallic, 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic, chlorogenic, syringic and caffeic acids) and high free radical scavenging capacity (expressed as 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl), which suggest high antioxidant activity. Additionally, a new soft drink was formulated using this king palm juice as its main ingredient. The soft drink samples formulated with this juice had high sensory acceptability and high intention of consumption, which suggests an important and low‐cost application for this industrial residue.     

Mechanical robustness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

Biofilms grow on various surfaces and in many different environments, a phenomenon that constitutes major problems in industry and medicine. Despite their importance little is known about the viscoelastic properties of biofilms and how these depend on the chemical microenvironment. Here, we find that the mechanical properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a.) biofilms are highly robust towards chemical perturbations. Specifically, we observe that P.a. biofilms are able to fully regain their initial stiffness after yielding is enforced, even in the presence of chemicals. Moreover, only trivalent ions and citric acid significantly affect the biofilm elasticity, the first of which also alter the texture of the material. Finally, our results indicate that biofilm mechanics and bacteria viability inside the biofilm are not necessarily linked which suggests that targeting bacteria alone might not be sufficient for biofilm removal strategies.     

Sustainability and property valuation: a risk-based approach

The proportion of sustainable property in the total building stock remains small. One reason is that the financial added value resulting from sustainability is not sufficiently taken into account in property valuation due to the tendency of valuations to lag behind market trends. Quantitative information is provided to integrate those aspects of sustainability relating to value into valuations and thereby contribute to the reduction of valuation lag. The Centre for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CCRS) Economic Sustainability Indicator (ESI) measures the risk of property to lose value and the opportunity to gain value due to future developments (e.g. climate change or rising energy prices). Five groups of value-related sustainability features were identified: flexibility and polyvalence; energy and water dependency; accessibility and mobility; security; and health and comfort. By minimizing the risk of loss in value through future developments, those sustainability features contribute to the property value. Their effects on property value were quantified by risk modelling. As an indicator for future-oriented property risk, the ESI is integrated into the discount rate of discounted cash flow valuations. The approach was tested for plausibility and practicability on more than 200 properties.

La proportion de biens immobiliers durables dans le parc immobilier total demeure faible. L'explication tient pour une part au fait que la valeur ajoutée financière résultant de la durabilité n'est pas suffisamment prise en compte dans l'évaluation des biens immobiliers en raison du fait que les évaluations tendent à avoir du retard sur les tendances du marché. Des informations quantitatives sont fournies afin d'intégrer les aspects de la durabilité liés à la valeur dans les évaluations et de contribuer ainsi à la réduction du retard dans les évaluations. L'Indicateur de Durabilité Economique (ESI) du Centre pour la Responsabilité et la Durabilité en Entreprise (CCRS) mesure le risque de perte de valeur des biens immobiliers et la possibilité d'en accroître la valeur du fait des évolutions futures (par ex. changement climatique et hausse des prix énergétiques). Cinq groupes de fonctions de durabilité liées à la valeur ont été identifiés: flexibilité et polyvalence, dépendance vis-à-vis de l'énergie et de l'eau; accessibilité et mobilité; sécurité; santé et confort. En minimisant le risque d'une perte de valeur causée par les évolutions futures, ces fonctions de durabilité contribuent à la valeur des biens immobiliers. Leurs effets sur la valeur des biens immobiliers ont été quantifiés par une modélisation des risques. En tant qu'indicateur du risque prospectif pour les biens immobiliers, l'ESI est intégré au taux d'actualisation des flux de trésorerie actualisés. Cette approche a été testée quant à sa plausibilité et sa praticabilité sur plus de 200 biens immobiliers.

Mots clés: flux de trésorerie actualisés, indicateur de durabilité économique, évaluation des biens immobiliers, modèle de risque, fonctions de durabilité, durabilité, bâtiments durables     

Immune-Pineal Axis: Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) Mediates the Shift in the Melatonin Source from Pinealocytes to Immune Competent Cells

Pineal gland melatonin is the darkness hormone, while extra-pineal melatonin produced by the gonads, gut, retina, and immune competent cells acts as a paracrine or autocrine mediator. The well-known immunomodulatory effect of melatonin is observed either as an endocrine, a paracrine or an autocrine response. In mammals, nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) blocks noradrenaline-induced melatonin synthesis in pinealocytes, which induces melatonin synthesis in macrophages. In addition, melatonin reduces NF-κB activation in pinealocytes and immune competent cells. Therefore, pathogen- or danger-associated molecular patterns transiently switch the synthesis of melatonin from pinealocytes to immune competent cells, and as the response progresses melatonin inhibition of NF-κB activity leads these cells to a more quiescent state. The opposite effect of NF-κB in pinealocytes and immune competent cells is due to different NF-κB dimers recruited in each phase of the defense response. This coordinated shift of the source of melatonin driven by NF-κB is called the immune-pineal axis. Finally, we discuss how this concept might be relevant to a better understanding of pathological conditions with impaired melatonin rhythms and hope it opens new horizons for the research of side effects of melatonin-based therapies.     

Antioxidant synergy of α-tocopherol and phospholipids

The prevention of oxidation of a refined sardine oil by α-tocopherol at 0.04%, by several phospholipids [phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and cardiolipin (CL)] at 0.5%, as well as by combinations of α-tocopherol with each phospholipid, was investigated. The evolution of the oxidation process during 1 mon at 40±2°C was followed by a series of methods, measuring peroxide value (PV), diene, triene, and polyene index, and absorbance at 430 nm, while α-tocopherol and phospholipid content were being monitoried. Among these indices, PV was found to be the most adequate to follow the process. PC was the most effective individual antioxidant as shown by the PV values obtained at the end of the storage period, which were 54.0, 83.4, 87.9, and 97.7 meq O₂/kg for PC, CL, PE, and α-tocopherol, respectively. The highest synergistic effect was obtained with a mixture of α-tocopherol and PE, and the second and third best by mixtures made with PC and CL, respectively. The corresponding PV values recorded at the end of the period were 27.0, 35.0, and 58.0 meq O₂/kg. The high degree of synergy between PE and tocopherol is probably due to the occurrence of a simultaneous antioxidant mechanism involving Maillard compounds.     

Prior detection of genetic algorithm significant parameters: Coupling factorial design technique to genetic algorithm

This work presents an extension of a previous proposed procedure [Costa, C.B.B., Wolf Maciel, M.R., Maciel Filho, R., 2005. Factorial design technique applied to genetic algorithm parameters in a batch cooling crystallization optimization. Computers and Chemical Engineering 29, 2229-2241] to be adopted as a prior analysis in optimization problems to be solved using genetic algorithm (GA). Chemical engineering problems are commonly highly non-linear and possess a large number of variables, sometimes with significant interactions among them. Such characteristics make the optimization problems really difficult to be solved by deterministic methods. GA is an increasing tool for solving this sort of problems. However, no systematic approach to establish the best set of GA parameters for any problem was found in the literature and a relatively easy to use and meaningful approach is proposed and proved to be of general application. The proposed approach consists of applying factorial design, a well-established statistical technique to identify the most meaningful information about the influences of factors on a specific problem, as a support tool to identify the GA parameters with significant effect on the optimization problem. This approach is very useful in conducting further optimization works, since it discharges GA parameters that are not statistically significant for the evolutionary search for the optimum, saving time and computation burden in evolutionary optimization studies.     

Optimisation of the extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity from aerial parts of Bidens pilosa L. using response surface methodology

Response surface methodology was used to find the optimum ethanol concentration and temperature which maximises the antioxidant activity (AA) of hydroalcoholic extracts from aerial parts of Bidens pilosa L. A rotatable central composite design was used, and the extracts were characterised by the determination of solid concentration (SC), total flavonoid (TFC) and total polyphenol content (TPC). AA was determined through 2,2′‐azinobis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Mathematical models showed the significant effects of each variable and allowed to select the optimum conditions of ethanol concentration (62.7%) and extraction temperature (66.2 °C). The optimised extract presented an AA of 804.9 ± 12.2 Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) dry base (d.b.) for DPPH and 515.8 ± 31.8 TEAC d.b. for ABTS. It was observed that both TFC and TPC showed a good correlation with AA of the extracts.