Effect of damaged starch levels on flour-thermal behaviour and bread staling

The effect of the amount of damaged starch in two different flours (wheat and triticale) on the bread quality and its behaviour during storage has been analysed. Two wheat and one triticale flour cultivars were milled in a disc mill to obtain different levels of damaged starch. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) were used to characterize the flour properties and TA-XT2 textural analyses were made on breadcrumb. The effect of the damaged starch content on the bread firming, the amylopectin retrogradation and starch-pasting properties were studied in order to establish any relationship between damaged starch and bread staling. DSC analysis showed that the damaged starch content changed the thermal behaviour of flour–water mixtures: the higher the levels of damaged starch the lower the starch-gelatinization enthalpy and the higher the melting enthalpy of amylose–lipid complexes. The amount of amylopectin retrogradation and breadcrumb firming increased with the damaged starch content at the beginning of storage time; however, differences were decreasing at final storage time. The flour viscosity during pasting decreased as their damaged starch content increased.     

Combination of freeze drying and molecular inclusion techniques improves the bioaccessibility of microencapsulated anthocyanins from black rice (Oryza sativa L.) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) essential oils in a model food system

Black rice and lavender are promising sources of bioactives, in terms of anthocyanins and essential oils. Their bioaccessibility were improved by microencapsulation, followed by mixing in order to benefit both from colour and flavour, along with radical scavenging and biological properties. The mixed powder showed a satisfactory anthocyanins of 2.55 mg g⁻¹ DW, leading to a radical scavenging activity of 65.14 mmol g⁻¹ DW. The powder displayed an inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase (~49%) and α-amylase (39%), respectively, with a controlled release in intestinal environment. To further examine the functional properties, the powder was added to a food model system. During storage, a release in anthocyanins and flavonoids were found, leading to an increase in radical scavenging activity. The sensorial analysis showed that supplemented biscuits were appreciated for colour and lavender aroma. The obtained results were promising in tailoring the health benefits of secondary metabolites, underutilised in human’s nutrition due to their low stability and bioavailability.     

Synthesis of Mammalian Gonadoliberin Analogs with the N-terminal glutamine or glutamine or glutamic acid

Synthesis of two mammalian gonadoliberin analogs, [Gln¹]GnRH and [Glu¹]GnRH, in solution by the peptide segment coupling of the [(2 + 4) + 4] type has been described.     

Mitochondrial Processing Peptidases—Structure,Function and the Role in Human Diseases

Mitochondrial proteins are encoded by both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. While some of the essential subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes responsible for cellular ATP production are synthesized directly in the mitochondria, most mitochondrial proteins are first translated in the cytosol and then imported into the organelle using a sophisticated transport system. These proteins are directed mainly by targeting presequences at their N-termini. These presequences need to be cleaved to allow the proper folding and assembly of the pre-proteins into functional protein complexes. In the mitochondria, the presequences are removed by several processing peptidases, including the mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP), the inner membrane processing peptidase (IMP), the inter-membrane processing peptidase (MIP), and the mitochondrial rhomboid protease (Pcp1/PARL). Their proper functioning is essential for mitochondrial homeostasis as the disruption of any of them is lethal in yeast and severely impacts the lifespan and survival in humans. In this review, we focus on characterizing the structure, function, and substrate specificities of mitochondrial processing peptidases, as well as the connection of their malfunctions to severe human diseases.     

Water-Based Graphene Oxide–Silicon Hybrid Nanofluids—Experimental and Theoretical Approach

In the current paper, a new hybrid nanofluid based on graphene oxide sheets and silicon nanoparticles is proposed for thermal applications. GO sheets and Si nanoparticles with different mixture ratios are dispersed in distilled water. Dynamic viscosity is measured at temperatures within the range 20–50 °C and the values are compared to the results available in the literature. The results indicated that the viscosity increases with increasing the mixture ratio of graphene oxide. A new correlation for the dynamic viscosity based on the experimental findings is proposed. Finally, the criteria for the performance of new hybrid nanofluid for thermal applications are analyzed.     

Remote sensing of wetlands in South America: status and challenges

South America has a large proportion of wetlands compared with other continents. While most of these wetlands were conserved in a relatively good condition until a few decades ago, pressures brought about by land use and climate change have threaten their integrity in recent years. The aim of this article is to provide a bibliometric analysis of the available scientific literature relating to the remote sensing of wetlands in South America. From 1960 to 2015, 153 articles were published in 63 different journals, with the number of articles published per year increasing progressively since 1990. This rise is also paralleled by an increase in the contribution of local authors. The most intensively studied regions are the wetland macrosystems of South American mega-rivers: the Amazon and Paraná Rivers, along with the Pantanal at the headwaters of Paraguay River. Few studies spanned more than two countries. The most frequent objectives were mapping, covering all types of wetlands with optical data, and hydrology, focusing on floodplain wetlands with microwave data as the preferred data source. The last decade substantial growth reflects an increase in technological and scientific capacities. Nevertheless, the state of the art regarding the remote sensing of wetlands in South America remains enigmatic. Fundamental questions and guidelines which may contribute to the understanding of the functioning of these ecosystems are yet to be fully defined and there is considerable dispersion in the use of data and remote-sensing approaches.