Effect of chlorophyll removal and particle size upon the nutritional and technological properties of powdered by‐products from artichoke (Cynara scolymus,L.) industrial canning

In this study, the effect of the particle‐size fractionation (Ø < 0.212 mm and 0.212 mm < Ø < 0.991 mm) and chlorophyll extraction on the nutritional and technological properties of the powdered artichoke ingredient was evaluated. The contents of minerals, protein, fat, carbohydrates and dietary fibre together with the content in bioactive compounds such as inulin and phenolics were determined. Other properties such as water‐ and oil‐holding capacities, water activity and antioxidant capacity were measured. The ingredient with chlorophyll and the lowest particle size presented the highest phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (8.4 mg of vitamin C equivalents per 100 g of dry matter) and water‐ and oil‐holding capacities. The removal of chlorophyll increased the oil‐holding capacity (from 59.7% to 94.6%), which was much higher than in the coarse ingredient (34%), but has a deleterious effect reducing the antioxidant capacity and the inulin content. The ingredients also showed high dietary fibre (22.5–33%), inulin (9–16%) and mineral (7.5–7.8%) contents. Although the ingredient with chlorophyll and smaller particle size had the higher antioxidant capacity, the removal of chlorophyll improved the technological properties to be used as food ingredient without affecting significantly to the nutritional value.     

Semicontinuous copolymerization of 80/20 wt % [2‐(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethyl ammonium chloride/acrylamide in an inverse microemulsion at high comonomer concentrations

The semicontinuous inverse microemulsion copolymerization of 80/20 wt % [2‐(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride/acrylamide in an isoparaffin solvent at high comonomer concentrations (30–42 wt %) was studied with a mixture of nonionic surfactants (Crill 43 and Softanol 90) as the emulsifier and sodium metabisulfite as the initiator. The influence of the total comonomer concentration (TCC), emulsifier concentration (EC), hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB), isopropyl alcohol (chain‐transfer agent) concentration (IPC), and crosslinking agent concentration (CAC) on the weight‐average molar mass (M_w), absolute viscosity (BV), and viscometric structuring index (VSI) of the obtained copolymers was analyzed. M_w and BV increased with TCC and HLB and decreased with EC. At the higher TCC, M_w decreased with IPC; meanwhile, at the lower TCC, M_w increased with IPC above 0.5 wt %. VSI increased with TCC, HLB, and IPC and decreased with EC. VSI increased dramatically with CAC, whereas BV showed a peak at the CAC of 10 ppm. In the absence of both chain‐transfer and crosslinking agents, M_w increased linearly with VSI, and this suggests that linear copolymers of very high M_w values cannot be obtained by inverse microemulsion copolymerization, at least for high TCCs. The results are explained in terms of both the collapsed state of the copolymer chains inside the latex particles and changes in the interface structure and composition. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Predictive accuracy of body mass index in estimating body fatness measured by bioelectrical impedance

The aim of this study was to determinate the performance of body mass index (BMI) for the diagnosis of obesity and as a predictor of body fatness in adult Chilean subjects. We conducted a study in 433 women (18-73 years old; BMI: 19.7 to 69.7 kg/m2) and 264 men (18-83 y.; BMI: 19.1 to 54.8 kg/m2). Bioelectrical resistance was measured by impedance method and fat mass percent (FM%) was calculated by fatness-specific equations developed by Segal et al. Obesity was defined as a BMI of at least 30 kg/m2. Increased fatness was defined by the FM% cut-off points of at least 25% for men and at least 30% for women. Sixty-four percent of women and 23.6% of men with BMI below 30 kg/m2 had FM% higher than 30% and 25%, respectively. A value of BMI of 26 kg/m2 in women and 30 kg/m2 in men had the best agreement to the cut-off points of fatness according to sensitivity vs. specificity analysis The following equations were developed to predict individual fatness: women FM% = 0.96 x BMI + 0.154 x age + 1.44 (r2 = 0.75; standard error 3.8%); men FM% = 0.99 x BMI + 0.141 x age - 9.914 (r2 = 0.66; standard error 4.4%). Differences between measured and predicted FM% presented a wide variation, with a range of +/- 2 sd of 7.5% in women and 8.8% in men. The commonly used value of BMI 330 kg/m2 as a cut-off point for obesity does not have adequate sensitivity and specificity for the screening of increased fatness subjects, specially in women. In this study BMI shows a low reliability as a predictor of individual body fatness, particularly in men and in subjects with a BMI below 30 kg/m2.     

Essential Oil of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle: A Strategy to Combat Fungal Infections Caused by Candida Species

Background: The incidence of fungal infections, especially those caused by Candida yeasts, has increased over the last two decades. However, the indicated therapy for fungal control has limitations. Hence, medicinal plants have emerged as an alternative in the search for new antifungal agents as they present compounds, such as essential oils, with important biological effects. Published data demonstrate important pharmacological properties of the essential oil of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle; these include anti-tumor, anti-nociceptive, and antibacterial activities, and so an investigation of this compound against pathogenic fungi is interesting. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and biological potential of essential oil (EO) obtained from the leaves of C. nardus focusing on its antifungal profile against Candida species. Methods: The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Testing of the antifungal potential against standard and clinical strains was performed by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), time-kill, inhibition of Candida albicans hyphae growth, and inhibition of mature biofilms. Additionally, the cytotoxicity was investigated by the IC₅₀ against HepG-2 (hepatic) and MRC-5 (fibroblast) cell lines. Results: According to the chemical analysis, the main compounds of the EO were the oxygen-containing monoterpenes: citronellal, geranial, geraniol, citronellol, and neral. The results showed important antifungal potential for all strains tested with MIC values ranging from 250 to 1000 μg/mL, except for two clinical isolates of C. tropicalis (MIC > 1000 μg/mL). The time-kill assay showed that the EO inhibited the growth of the yeast and inhibited hyphal formation of C. albicans strains at concentrations ranging from 15.8 to 1000 μg/mL. Inhibition of mature biofilms of strains of C. albicans, C. krusei and C. parapsilosis occurred at a concentration of 10× MIC. The values of the IC₅₀ for the EO were 96.6 μg/mL (HepG-2) and 33.1 μg/mL (MRC-5). Conclusion: As a major virulence mechanism is attributed to these types of infections, the EO is a promising compound to inhibit Candida species, especially considering its action against biofilm.     

Acidity and DAG Content of Olive Oils Recently Produced on the Island of Mallorca

In this study, the quality characteristics, i.e., the acidity and acylglycerols, of currently produced Mallorcan oil was analyzed by titration and gas-chromatographic technique, respectively, in approximately 400 samples of monovarietal olive oil made from three genetic varieties (Arbequina, Empeltre, and Picual) on the island of Mallorca during the 2003/2004 and 2005/2006 seasons, and the differences in the compositions were discussed. Composition analysis showed that free fatty acids (FFAs) and DAGs were produced mainly by hydrolysis of triacylglycerols (TAGs). Fruit storage tests revealed that hydrolysis occurred during storage of olive fruits. The DAG content was higher in oil with higher acidity, but the maximal DAG content was only about 10 with 30% acidity, and the primary isomer found in Mallorcan oil was 1,3-DAG. However, the chiral-chromatographic study on the ratio of sn-1,2-DAG to the sum of sn-1,2-DAG and sn-2,3-DAG in a slightly hydrolyzed oil sample indicated that Empeltre and Picual fruits possess an sn-3-enantioselective lipase that leads to accumulation of sn-1,2-DAG. In currently produced Mallorcan oil, significant isomerization appears to occur and hydrolysis of the resulting 1,3-DAGs seems to lessen DAG accumulation.     

Habitation: A Domain-Specific Language for Home Automation

Developers need suitable tools to develop home automation systems while enhancing quality and productivity. One solution is to use domain-specific languages (DSLs) within a model-driven approach. The Habitation DSL provides a powerful visual development environment, including a catalog of reusable functional units and a set of home automation interconnection primitives. The model-driven approach offers mechanisms to automatically generate code to enhance the quality and portability of home automation systems. The result is an Eclipse-based tool whose usability the authors have validated in a case study.     

Immiscible Displacement Model for Anisotropic and Correlated Porous Media

Immiscible flow governs the macroscopic behavior of aqueous and non-aqueous phase liquids inside the porous media. Ganglia generation and movement of the advancing front during fluid displacement can only be described by means of microscopic models. In this study, a pore network cellular automata is used to simulate the displacement of a nonaqueous phase liquid by water inside a porous media. Pore sizes are generated using random and stochastic fields. The numerical model captures the evolution of interfaces and fluid movement for each pressure applied to the displacing fluid. Observed trends suggest that ganglia size and shape, and fingering are directly related to anisotropy, pore size spatial variability and correlation length. The results show that micro- and mesoscale porous media properties control the nonaqueous phase residual saturation and observed macoscopic behavior.     

Evidence for a specific pattern of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in bivalves

The occurrence of the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDDs/PCDFs) was studied in four different bivalve species (mussels, oysters, carpetshells, and cupped oysters) collected in three different sampling stations at the Spanish Coast from 1994 onward. The analysis revealed an unexpected isomer distribution of chlorosubstituted dioxins and furans characterized by a complex mixture of TCDF and TCDD, including both toxic and nontoxic isomers and highly chlorinated congeners, mainly OCDD. Principal component analysis revealed similarities between identical species collected from the different sites. A dioxin fingerprint could be easily distinguished between bivalve species collected in the same sampling point. The dioxin fingerprint found in filter-feeders was also compared to other marine species showing remarkable differences. Due to the habits of the bivalve species, sediment samples were also analyzed within this study. No similarities in the pattern were found for both matrices, the sediments and the bivalves. In the absence of a potential source of these toxicants affecting these species the hypothesis of a specific metabolism of the bivalves is suggested. No values higher than 4 pg WHO-TEQ/g whole weight were determined, and all samples met the current limit proposed by European Regulations. Independently of the bivalve species considered, the major contribution to the total WHO-TEQ comes from 2,3,7,8-TCDF and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, at about the same levels of the 2,3,7,8-TCDD and 1,2,3,7,8-PCDD.