Content of amino acids in raw and frozen broad beans (Vicia faba var. major) seeds at milk maturity stage,depending on the processing method

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the amino acid content in products obtained from broad bean seeds, at the milk maturity stage, and the quality of the protein in broad beans. The investigation included raw seeds, fresh seeds cooked to consumption consistency and two kinds of frozen products prepared for consumption: which were obtained using the traditional method (blanching the seeds before freezing) and the ready-to-eat type (cooking the seeds before freezing). Compared with the raw material, a similar (α = 0.01) content of amino acids in 100 g of the product was found in cooked fresh seeds. The seeds obtained from the ready-to-eat frozen product prepared for consumption contained higher amounts of all the amino acids than the traditional frozen product, and contained higher levels of some amino acids than were found in the product cooked from fresh seeds. Expressing the results per 16 g of N, the differences in the content of amino acids were much smaller. The limiting amino acid was cysteine with methionine (CS 74-86), the EAA index varying within the range 109–118.     

Some Structural Properties of Spray-Dried Chitosan Microgranules

The characteristics of concurrent spray dried chitosan microgranules are presented in this article. The investigated parameters were four chemical compositions of solutions subjected to drying to produce chitosan microgranules with different structures and chemical compositions. The analysis of dried product included shape, size, density, porosity, moisture content, and solubility in water. The results show the possibilities of applying spray-drying in the formation of chitosan microgranules with required physicochemical properties.     

Surface Tension in Polymer Blends of Isotactic Poly(propylene) and Atactic Polystyrene

The surface tension of atactic polystyrene (PS), isotactic poly(propylene) (PP) and PS/PP‐blends, and additionally the interfacial tension between PP/PS have been measured in the temperature range between 200 and 280°C using the pendant drop method. Within the temperature range studied, the surface tension decreased linearly with increasing temperature for all systems whereas the surface tension of neat PP is approximately 7 mN/m smaller than the value of PS. The interfacial tension between PS and PP is in the range of approximately 4 mN/m and this indicates a strong incompatibility. It results a heterogeneous PP/PS blend morphology. A significant increase of the surface tension of the blends as a function of composition is observed only when the PS content exceeds 60 wt.‐%. Furthermore, microscopic observations indicate that even if the bulk matrix material is PS, a thin layer of PP can be detected by atomic force microscopy on the droplet surface used for surface tension measurements.     

Starch‐graft copolymers of N‐vinylformamide and acrylamide modified with montmorillonite manufactured by reactive extrusion

Graft copolymers of potato starch with acrylamide, acrylamide, and acrylic acid or N‐vinylformamide in the presence of 1–16 wt % montmorillonite were manufactured via reactive extrusion. XRD and TEM measurements exhibited intercalated structure of clay dispersion (d001 distance up to 2.3 nm). The influence of graft polymer(s) system and montmorillonite content on thermal properties, water sorption as well as polyvalent metal cation (Cd²⁺ and Fe³⁺) sorption of obtained starch graft copolymers has been determined. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

The Systems of Naringenin with Solubilizers Expand Its Capability to Prevent Neurodegenerative Diseases

Background: Naringenin (NAR) is a flavonoid with excellent antioxidant and neuroprotective potential that is limited by its low solubility. Thus, solid dispersions with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), and microenvironmental pH modifiers were prepared. Methods: The systems formation analysis was performed by X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Water solubility and dissolution rates were studied with a pH of 1.2 and 6.8. In vitro permeability through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was assessed with the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) assay. The antioxidant activity was studied with the 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays, while in vitro enzymes studies involved the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and tyrosinase. For the most promising system, in silico studies were conducted. Results: NAR solubility was increased 458-fold by the solid dispersion NAR:HP-β-CD:NaHCO₃ in a mass ratio of 1:3:1. The dissolution rate was elevated from 8.216% to 88.712% in a pH of 1.2 and from 11.644% to 88.843% in a pH of 6.8 (within 3 h). NAR GIT permeability, described as the apparent permeability coefficient, was increased from 2.789 × 10⁻⁶ cm s⁻¹ to 2.909 × 10⁻⁵ cm s⁻¹ in an acidic pH and from 1.197 × 10⁻⁶ cm s⁻¹ to 2.145 × 10⁻⁵ cm s⁻¹ in a basic pH. NAR BBB permeability was established as 4.275 × 10⁻⁶ cm s⁻¹. The antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibition were also increased. Computational studies confirmed NAR:HP-β-CD inclusion complex formation. Conclusions: A significant improvement in NAR solubility was associated with an increase in its biological activity.     

The well-tuned blues: the role of structural colours as optical signals in the species recognition of a local butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae)

The photonic nanoarchitectures responsible for the blue colour of the males of nine polyommatine butterfly species living in the same site were investigated structurally by electron microscopy and spectrally by reflectance spectroscopy. Optical characterization was carried out on 110 exemplars. The structural data extracted by dedicated software and the spectral data extracted by standard software were inputted into an artificial neural network software to test the specificity of the structural and optical characteristics. It was found that both the structural and the spectral data allow species identification with an accuracy better than 90 per cent. The reflectance data were further analysed using a colour representation diagram built in a manner analogous to that of the human Commission Internationale de l''Eclairage diagram, but the additional blue visual pigment of lycaenid butterflies was taken into account. It was found that this butterfly-specific colour representation diagram yielded a much clearer distinction of the position of the investigated species compared with previous calculations using the human colour space. The specific colours of the investigated species were correlated with the 285 flight-period data points extracted from museum collections. The species with somewhat similar colours fly in distinct periods of the year such that the blue colours are well tuned for safe mate/competitor recognition. This allows for the creation of an effective pre-zygotic isolation mechanism for closely related synchronic and syntopic species.     

Phenol and Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons Are Stronger Drivers Than Host Plant Species in Shaping the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Component of the Mycorrhizosphere

Changes in soil microbial communities in response to hydrocarbon pollution are critical indicators of disturbed ecosystem conditions. A core component of these communities that is functionally adjusted to the life-history traits of the host and environmental factors consists of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF communities associated with Poa trivialis and Phragmites australis growing at a phenol and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated site and at an uncontaminated site were compared based on LSU rDNA sequencing. Dissimilarities in species composition and community structures indicated soil pollution as the main factor negatively affecting the AMF diversity. The AMF communities at the contaminated site were dominated by fungal generalists (Rhizophagus, Funneliformis, Claroideoglomus, Paraglomus) with wide ecological tolerance. At the control site, the AMF communities were characterized by higher taxonomic and functional diversity than those exposed to the contamination. The host plant identity was the main driver distinguishing the two AMF metacommunities. The AMF communities at the uncontaminated site were represented by Polonospora, Paraglomus, Oehlia, Nanoglomus, Rhizoglomus, Dominikia, and Microdominikia. Polonosporaceae and Paraglomeraceae were particularly dominant in the Ph. australis mycorrhizosphere. The high abundance of early diverging AMF could be due to the use of primers able to detect lineages such as Paraglomeracae that have not been recognized by previously used 18S rDNA primers.     

Ambulatory infusion suite: pre- and post-occupancy evaluation

An evaluation is presented of the experience of patients, families and staff in two infusion suites. One infusion suite was a facility occupied until 2009 and the other suite was the replacement for that facility. The primary design objectives of the new facility were to support social interaction, provide opportunities for privacy and provide visual access to nature. The effectiveness of the new facility relative to the old facility with regard to these three design objectives served as the source of hypotheses for the study. Using a Likert-style survey and open-ended questions, the findings suggest that the new facility was successful at addressing these design goals. Subjects were also queried regarding whether these design objectives were important in an infusion suite. The vast majority of the respondents in the new facility indicated that social interaction, privacy and access nature were important in this setting.

Il est présenté une évaluation de l'expérience vécue par les patients, les familles et les employés dans deux centres de perfusion. L'un des centres de perfusion était un établissement occupé jusqu'en 2009 et l'autre centre était celui qui a remplacé cet établissement. Les principaux objectifs de conception du nouvel établissement étaient de favoriser l'interaction sociale, de fournir des possibilités de vie privée et d'assurer un accès visuel à la nature. L'efficacité du nouvel établissement par rapport à l'ancien du point de vue de ces trois objectifs de conception a servi d'hypothèse pour l'étude. Obtenus en utilisant une enquête basée sur l'échelle de Likert et des questions ouvertes, les résultats suggèrent que le nouvel établissement a réussi à satisfaire à ces objectifs de conception. Il a également été demandé aux sujets de l'étude si ces objectifs de conception avaient de l'importance dans un centre de perfusion. La grande majorité des personnes interrogées dans le nouvel établissement ont indiqué que l'interaction sociale, la vie privée et l'accès à la nature étaient des éléments importants dans ce contexte.

Mots clés: établissement de lutte contre le cancer, évaluation d'établissement, soins de santé, centre de perfusion, occupation, vie privée, interaction sociale