Wheat flour confectionery products as a source of inorganic nutrients: zinc and copper contents in hard biscuits

Cereal-based confectionery products being consumed through whole human life are considered mainly to be a source of carbohydrates, that is energy, although cereals are a rich source of minerals as well. To evaluate some hard biscuits produced in Croatia as a source of different trace elements in nutrition, in this study Zn and Cu contents were determined in classic wheat flour biscuits and in dietetic biscuits enriched with whole wheat grain flour or whole wheat grain grits, soya flour and skimmed milk. Zn was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS); Cu was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The results show that the Zn content in different kinds of biscuits ranges from 5.89 up to 17.64 mg/kg and the Cu content ranges from 1.15 up to 2.79 mg/kg depending on the type of wheat milling products and mineral content of other ingredients used. Enriched dietetic biscuits produced from wheat flour type 850 and whole wheat grain flour and/or soya flour and skimmed milk were almost 200% and 150% higher in Zn and Cu, respectively, in comparison to classic white wheat flour biscuits and can be considered as good sources of Zn and Cu in nutrition.     

Comparative Effects of Deferiprone and Salinomycin on Lead-Induced Disturbance in the Homeostasis of Intrarenal Essential Elements in Mice

Lead (Pb) exposure induces severe nephrotoxic effects in humans and animals. Herein, we compare the effects of two chelating agents, salinomycin and deferiprone, on Pb-induced renal alterations in mice and in the homeostasis of essential elements. Adult male mice (Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)) were randomized into four groups: control (Ctrl)—untreated mice administered distilled water for 28 days; Pb-exposed group (Pb)—mice administered orally an average daily dose of 80 mg/kg body weight (BW) lead (II) nitrate (Pb(NO₃)₂) during the first two weeks of the experimental protocol followed by the administration of distilled water for another two weeks; salinomycin-treated (Pb + Sal) group—Pb-exposed mice, administered an average daily dose of 16 mg/kg BW salinomycin for two weeks; deferiprone-treated (Pb + Def) group—Pb-exposed mice, administered an average daily dose of 20 mg/kg BW deferiprone for 14 days. The exposure of mice to Pb induced significant accumulation of the toxic metal in the kidneys and elicited inflammation with leukocyte infiltrations near the glomerulus. Biochemical analysis of the sera revealed that Pb significantly altered the renal function markers. Pb-induced renal toxicity was accompanied by a significant decrease in the endogenous renal concentrations of phosphorous (P), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se). In contrast to deferiprone, salinomycin significantly improved renal morphology in Pb-treated mice and decreased the Pb content by 13.62% compared to the Pb-exposed group. There was also a mild decrease in the renal endogenous concentration of magnesium (Mg) and elevation of the renal concentration of iron (Fe) in the salinomycin-treated group compared to controls. Overall, the results demonstrated that salinomycin is a more effective chelating agent for the treatment of Pb-induced alterations in renal morphology compared to deferiprone.     

Curing of epoxy systems at sub‐glass transition temperature

Three epoxy‐amine thermoset systems were cured at a low ambient temperature. Evolution of the reaction kinetics and molecular structure during cure at the sub‐glass transition temperature was followed by DSC and chemorheology experiments. The effect of vitrification and the reaction exotherm on curing and final mechanical properties of the epoxy thermosets was determined. Thermomechanical properties of the low‐temperature cured systems depend on the reaction kinetics and volume of the reaction mixture. Curing of the fast‐reacting system in a large volume (12‐mm thick layer) resulted in the material with T_g exceeding the cure temperature by 70–80°C because of an exothermal temperature rise. However, the reaction in a too large volume (50‐mm layer) led to thermal degradation of the network. In contrast, thin layers (1.5 mm) were severely undercured. Well‐cured epoxy thermosets could be prepared at sub‐T_g temperatures by optimizing reaction conditions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 3669–3676, 2006     

Cardiovascular,Metabolic and Inflammatory Changes after Ovariectomy and Estradiol Substitution in Hereditary Hypertriglyceridemic Rats

Background: If menopause is really independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease is still under debate. We studied if ovariectomy in the model of insulin resistance causes cardiovascular changes, to what extent are these changes reversible by estradiol substitution and if they are accompanied by changes in other organs and tissues. Methods: Hereditary hypertriglyceridemic female rats were divided into three groups: ovariectomized at 8th week (n = 6), ovariectomized with 17-β estradiol substitution (n = 6), and the sham group (n = 5). The strain of abdominal aorta measured by ultrasound, expression of vascular genes, weight and content of myocardium and also non-cardiac parameters were analyzed. Results: After ovariectomy, the strain of abdominal aorta, expression of nitric oxide synthase in abdominal aorta, relative weight of myocardium and of the left ventricle and circulating interleukin-6 decreased; these changes were reversed by estradiol substitution. Interestingly, the content of triglycerides in myocardium did not change after ovariectomy, but significantly increased after estradiol substitution while adiposity index did not change after ovariectomy, but significantly decreased after estradiol substitution. Conclusion: Vascular and cardiac parameters under study differed in their response to ovariectomy and estradiol substitution. This indicates different effects of ovariectomy and estradiol on different cardiovascular but also extracardiac structures.     

Denoising of sparse images in impulsive disturbance environment

Multimedia Tools and Applications - The paper presents a method for denoising and reconstruction of sparse images based on a gradient-descent algorithm. It is assumed that the original (non-noisy)...     

Discovery of New Antiproliferative Imidazopyrazole Acylhydrazones Able To Interact with Microtubule Systems

Even though immunotherapy has radically changed the search for anticancer therapies, there are still many different pathways that are open to intervention with traditional small molecules. To expand our investigation in the anticancer field, we report here a new series of compounds in which our previous pyrazole and imidazopyrazole scaffolds are linked to a differently decorated phenyl ring through an acylhydrazone linker. Preliminary tests on the library were performed at the National Cancer Institute (USA) against the full NCI 60 cell panel. The best compounds among the imidazopyrazole series were then tested by immunofluorescence staining for their inhibition of cell proliferation, apoptosis induction, and their effect on the cell cycle and on microtubules. Two compounds, in particular 4-benzyloxy-3-methoxybenzyliden imidazopyrazole-7-carbohydrazide showed good growth inhibition, with IC₅₀ values in the low-micromolar range, and induced apoptosis. Both compounds altered the cell-cycle phases with the appearance of polyploid cells. Immunofluorescence analysis evidenced microtubules alterations; tubulin polymerization assays and docking studies suggested the tubulin system to be the possible, although not exclusive, target of the new acylhydrazone series reported here.     

Biogenic amines and their producers in Akawi white cheese

The aim of this work was to study the biogenic amine content of brine‐ripened cheeses after one year of storage and then to investigate possible contaminating micro‐organisms with decarboxylase activity. The biogenic amine production of isolates was tested in vitro. The most frequent biogenic amines were putrescine, histamine and tyramine. The biogenic amine content detected in one cheese sample was above 120 mg/kg; this can be considered toxicologically relevant. Decarboxylase activity was found for 33 contaminating micro‐organisms. Isolates belonging to Bacillus licheniformis, Debaryomyces hansenii, Staphylococcus equorum and Serratia marcescens produced significant amounts of putrescine and cadaverine.     

Transport of testosterone and estrogen from dairy-farm waste lagoons to groundwater

Although concentrated animal feeding operations constantly generate physiologically active steroidal hormones, little is known of their environmental fate. Estrogen and testosterone concentrations in groundwater and their distribution in sediments below a dairy-farm wastewater lagoon were therefore determined and compared to a reference site located upgradient of the farm. Forward simulations of flow as well as estrogen and testosterone transport were conducted based on data from the sediment profile obtained during drilling of a monitoring well belowthe dairy-farm waste lagoon. Testosterone and estrogen were detected in sediments to depths of 45 and 32 m, respectively. Groundwater samples were directly impacted by the dairy farm, as evidenced by elevated concentrations of nitrate, chloride, testosterone, and estrogen as compared to the reference site. Modeling potential transport of hormones in the vadose zone via advection, dispersion, and sorption could not explain the depths at which estrogen and testosterone were found, suggesting that other transport mechanisms influence hormone transport under field conditions. These mechanisms may involve interactions between hormones and manure as well as preferential flow paths, leading to enhanced transport rates. These types of interactions should be further investigated to understand the processes regulating hormone transport in the subsurface environment and parametrized to forecast long-term fate and transport of steroidal hormones.     

Fate of ivermectin residues in ewes' milk and derived products

The fate of ivermectin (IVM) residues was studied throughout the processing of daily bulk milk from 30 ewes (taken up to 33 d following subcutaneous administration of 0.2 mg IVM/kg b.w.) in the following milk products: yoghurt made from raw and pasteurized milk; cheese after pressing; 30- and 60-day ripened cheese; and whey, secondary whey and whey proteins obtained after cheese-making (albumin cheese). The concentration of the H2B1a component of IVM was analysed in these dairy products using an HPLC method with fluorescence detection. The mean recovery of the method was, depending on the matrix, between 87 and 100%. Limits of detection in the order of only 0.1 microg H2B1a/kg of product were achieved. Maximum concentrations of IVM were detected mostly at 2 d after drug administration to the ewes. The highest concentration of IVM was found on day 2 in 60-day ripened cheese (96 microg H2B1a/kg cheese). Secondary whey was the matrix with the lowest concentration of IVM (<0.6 microg H2B1a/ kg). Residue levels fell below the limits of detection between day 5 (for secondary whey) and day 25 (for all cheese samples). In the matrices investigated, linear correlations between daily concentrations of IVM, milk fat and solid content were evident. During yoghurt production, fermentation and thermal stability of IVM was observed. During cheese production, approximately 35% of the IVM, present in the raw (bulk) milk samples, was lost. From the results it was concluded that the processing of ewes' milk did not eliminate the drug residues under investigation. The consequences of IVM in the human diet were discussed. Milk from treated animals should be excluded from production of fat products like cheese for longer after treatment with IVM than for lower fat products.