Kinetic study of the antioxidant compounds and antioxidant capacity during germination of Vigna radiata cv. emmerald, Glycinemax cv. jutro and Glycine max cv. merit

The purpose of this study was to determine the antioxidant capacity and the content of antioxidant compounds in raw mung bean seeds and sprouts (Vigna radiata cv. emmerald) germinated for 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 days and of soybean seeds of Glycine max cv. jutro germinated for 2, 3 and 4 days and of Glycine max cv. merit germinated for 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days. Antioxidant compounds, such as vitamin C and E, total phenolic compounds and reduced glutathione (GSH) were studied. Antioxidant capacity was measured by superoxide dismutase-like activity (SOD-like activity), peroxyl radical-trapping capacity (PRTC), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in unilamellar liposomes of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC). The results indicated that changes in the contents of vitamin C, vitamin E and GSH depended on the type of legume and germination conditions. Sprouts of mung bean and soybeans provided more total phenolic compounds than did raw seeds. The SOD-like activity increased after germination of mung bean seeds for 7 days, by 308%, while no change was observed in sprouts of Glycine max cv. jutro and an increase was observed after 5 and 6 days of germination (∼20%) in Glycine max cv. merit. PRTC and TEAC increased during the germination process and retentions of 28–70% and 11–14%, respectively, for soybean, and 248% and 61%, respectively, for mung bean were observed at the end of germination. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation increased by 389% in 5–7 days’ germination of Vigna radiata cv. emmerald sprouts, and 66% in Glycine max cv. merit sprouts whilst, in Glycine max cv. jutro, germination did not cause changes in lipid peroxidation inhibition. According to the results obtained in this study, germination of mung bean and soybean seeds is a good process for obtaining functional flours with greater antioxidant capacity and more antioxidant compounds than the raw legumes.     

Piezoelectric actuator: Searching inspiration in nature for osteoblast stimulation

Bone is a composite with piezoelectric properties. Bone mass and structure are dependent on mechanical stress and adaptive response at cellular and tissue levels, but the role piezoelectricity plays in bone physiology is yet to be understood. Physical activity enhances bone density, through mechanical stimulation. Osteocytes and osteoblasts are essential for mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. Strategies have been tested for mechanical stimulation of cells and tissues in vitro. The aim of this work was to experimentally validate the use of piezoelectric materials as a mean of directly straining bone cells by converse piezoelectric effect. To estimate the magnitude of stress/strain, finite numerical models were applied and theoretical data was complemented by optic experimental data. Osteoblasts were then grown on the surface of the piezoelectric material and cell response studied.     

Meta-analysis in psychology: a bibliometric study

Meta-analysis refers to the statistical methods used in research synthesis for combining and integrating results from individual studies. The present study draws on the strengths of bibliometric methods in order to offer an overview of meta-analytic research activity in psychology, as well as to characterize its most important aspects and their evolution over time. A total of 2,874 articles published in scientific journals were identified and standard bibliometric indicators (e.g., number of articles, productivity by country, and national and international collaborations) and laws (e.g., Price’s and Lotka’s law) were applied to these data. The results suggest a clear upward trend not only in the number of articles published since the 1970s (with a peak of productivity in 2010), but also in both the number of authors by article ( $ \bar{x} = 2. 7 5 $ , SD = 1.53) and internationalization, especially since the 1990s. The interest in meta-analysis extends to many authors (n = 5,445), countries (n = 44) and scientific journals (n = 394), as well as to several areas of psychology that mostly fit a growing exponential model. In future studies it would be interesting to explore the citing behaviour and patterns in the meta-analysis literature.     

Tiger Nut (Cyperus esculentus) Commercialization: Health Aspects,Composition, Properties,and Food Applications

Abstract: Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) is a weed plant (yellow nut sedge) of tropical and Mediterranean regions. Its sweet almond‐like tubers are highly appreciated for their health benefits and nutritive value: high content of fiber, proteins, and sugars. They are rich in oleic acid and glucose, as well as in phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins C and E. In Spain, these tuberous “nuts” are mainly used to manufacture a milky beverage called “horchata de chufa.” Tiger nut has attracted very little scientific and technological interest, except for the production of “horchata de chufa” and some studies on its oil. Development of new products from the tubers could enhance more interest in this crop. In this respect, various opportunities are offered: source of dietary fiber, use of its oil in cooking or salad preparation, production of caramel to be used as a food additive. This review presents an overview of the tiger nut, its products, and the co‐products obtained during commercial processing.     

Kinetic study of the oxidation resistance of phosphorus-containing activated carbons

Chemical activation of different lignocellulosic materials with phosphoric acid produces activated carbons with higher oxidation resistance than that observed for catalyst free chars obtained at similar conditions from the same biomass, even though the activated carbons have a more developed porous structure. The main reason for such behavior is probably related to the presence of thermally stable phosphorus complexes that remain on the carbon surface after the activation process. XPS analyses point out the oxidation of the phosphorus reduced groups to C–O–PO₃/(CO)₂PO₂ prior to carbon gasification. The latter complexes seem to stabilize the active carbon sites. Moreover, the presence of these phosphorus inhibitors produces a change in the gasification mechanism of the activated carbons with respect to that for char. Char oxidation seems to proceed in the entire available particle surface, while activated carbon gasification is better explained by the shrinking unreacted core model. Such a difference in mechanism is attributed to the inhibition effect of the phosphorus complexes, which reduces the reactivity of carbon active sites, and could act as a physical barrier for oxygen diffusion in the micropores.     

Germination as a process to improve the antioxidant capacity of Lupinus angustifolius L. var. Zapaton

Antioxidant capacity, measured by glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase-like activity (SOD-like activity), peroxyl radical-trapping capacity (PRTC), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in unilamellar liposomes of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) has been evaluated in raw and germinated lupin seeds (Lupinus angustifolius L. var. Zapaton) for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 days. The content of antioxidant vitamins E and C has been also studied. The tripeptide GSH kept invariable for the first 5 days of germination and suffered a decrease of 20 and 78% after 6 and 9 days, respectively. During lupin germination, SOD-like activity increased slightly whilst PRTC doubled the amount after 9 days. TEAC values changed slightly up to 5 days of germination but after 6 and 9 days a significant increase (25 and 28%, respectively) was found. The oxidation of PC was inhibited by germinated lupin extracts and 9-day germination seeds provided the highest inhibition. Furthermore, germinated lupins provided more vitamin C, vitamin E activity and polyphenols than raw seeds, and the largest amounts of these bioactive compounds were found after 6 days of germination. Therefore, germination of lupin seeds (Lupinus angustifolius L. var. Zapaton) seems to be a good process to enhance their antioxidant capacity.     

Development of combinations of chemically modified vegetable oils as pork backfat substitutes in sausages formulation

Today’s consumers look for foods which provide nutrition and pleasure, while safeguarding their health, the result of which is that they increasingly avoid foods containing cholesterol and saturated and trans fatty acids. Chemically modified vegetable oils can help tailor meat products to meet this growing need and at the same time fulfil the technological needs of the meat processing industry. In this study, 16 backfat samples were characterised for their solid fat content (SFC) and melting point and these characteristics were used to design a mixture of chemically modified vegetable oils for use as a pork fat substitute for elaborating sausages. The mixtures were prepared with different vegetable oils bearing in mind with stearic acid content due to its close correlation with the SFC. The backfat was characterised as a function of its SFC and some modified vegetable oil mixtures were proposed, which led to a 10–20% diminution in saturated fatty acids and with a melting point similar to those observed in the backfat. The fatty acid profile pointed to a polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio higher than 0.4, and an n − 6/n − 3 fatty acid ratio of less than 4 in both modified vegetable oil mixtures proposed.     

Mineralogical Evolution of Kaolin‐Based Drinking Water Treatment Waste for Use as Pozzolanic Material. The Effect of Activation Temperature

This study reports on exhaustive scientific research into the influence of the activation temperature of inert waste from drinking water treatment plants for use as supplementary cementing material in cements. The effect of activation temperature on the mineralogy of the reactive products resulting from pozzolanic activity and on the evolution of the hydrated phases formed during the pozzolanic reaction at 28 d of curing was analyzed with the assistance of different instrumental techniques such as X‐ray fluorescence, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that all the activated products (based on metakaolinite) presented high pozzolanic activity at all ages of the reaction (up to 90 d), although 600°C at 2 h are the recommended ideal activation conditions from an energetic and economic viewpoint. The activation temperature (600°C–900°C for 2 h of retention) plays an important role in the reaction kinetics in activated drinking water waste/Ca(OH)₂ systems. The hydrated phases identified under these activation conditions were very similar, but with important differences in the crystalline aluminates phases content. Thus, the formation of stratlingite (C₂ASH₈) is favored at low temperatures (<800°C); whereas at higher temperatures (at 900°C), tetra calcium aluminate hydrate (C₄AH₁₃) appears as the only crystalline phase. Finally, this type of treatment of drinking water waste (based on kaolinite) is ideal to obtain future pozzolans based on recycled metakaoline, a product that is currently listed in international standards for the manufacture of commercial cements.