Grape Seed Oil Characterization: A Novel Approach for Oil Quality Assessment

The amount of organic pomace, left behind agricultural processes, is continuously rising in accordance with industrial progress. Grape pomace, generated in the wine industry all over the world, represents a raw material for obtaining valuable products. Grape seeds are especially rich in oil containing bioactive compounds that can have various health‐related effects. The aim of the study is to compare the quality of seed oils obtained from six white grapes, including two Serbian autochthonous varieties. Linoleic acid, associated with numerous health benefits, is the major fatty acid in all samples (≈66% of total); α‐tocopherol is the main tocopherol homologue. Total polyphenol content ranges from 73.4 to 104.3 mg of gallic acid equivalents per 100 g. In order to provide comprehensive information about antioxidant capacity of grape seed oil (GSO), three tests are performed (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power; 2,2’‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl, and 2,2’‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) radical scavenging). Antimicrobial activity is investigated against different strains; however, GSO inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Obtained results are used to develop a novel approach for oil quality assessment. Calculated oil quality scores (OQS) reveal no significant difference between international and autochthonous varieties, although Smederevka stands out as the most potent one. Practical applications : Considering the progressive waste increase in the wine industry and keeping in mind all health‐promoting effects of grape seed oil (GSO), it is clearly observed that oil production represents a profitable and sustainable utilization of grape seeds. The results of the present study show that GSO is a rich source of compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In addition, this work provides deeper insight into a quality of Serbian autochthonous grape varieties that are still insufficiently explored. Furthermore, the proposed oil quality score could be used as a comprehensive and unbiased method that enables quality assessment of oils. This tool can find practical application in comparing different plant oils regarding their compositional and functional properties. Finally, it would contribute to making some general oil intake recommendations.     

Solidification paths and carbide morphologies in melt-processed MoSi2-SiC In Situ composites

The present investigation was undertaken to elucidate the microstructural evolution of MoSi₂-SiC in situ composites produced by melt processing. An assessment of the existing liquidus projection was performed by a combination of thermodynamic modeling, analysis of solidification microstructures, and measurements of the thermal history during solidification. Results show that the quasibinary MoSi₂-SiC eutectic occurs at ∼2 at. pct C and 2283 K, rather than 8 at. pct C and 2173 K, as previously reported. The ensuing L+MoSi₂+SiC monovariant line runs almost parallel to the SiMoSi₂ binary and terminates at a ternary L ↔ Si+MoSi₂+SiC eutectic calculated at 1.5Mo-0.84C (at. pct) and ∼1670 K. The maximum amount of SiC that may be produced by solidification along the quasibinary isopleth is ∼37 vol pct, of which ∼35 vol pct grows as primary. Analysis of solidification microstructures shows SiC grows with the cubic β polytype structure (B3), while MoSi₂ grows with the tetragonal C11 _b structure. Primary SiC may grow as equiaxed particles, platelets, and hopper crystals. Coupled growth with MoSi₂ leads to SiC in the shape of thin ribbons, sheets, and needles. The facets of the SiC crystals were identified to be of the {111} and {002} type, in agreement with the periodic bond chain analysis. The predominant platelike morphology was shown to develop due to a re-entrant twin mechanism similar to that observed in Si and Ge.     

Absolute Differential Cross-Sections for Elastic Electron Scattering from Sevoflurane Molecule in the Energy Range from 50–300 eV

We report the results of the measurements and calculations of the absolute differential elastic electron scattering cross-sections (DCSs) from sevoflurane molecule (C₄H₃F₇O). The experimental absolute DCSs for elastic electron scattering were obtained for the incident electron energies from 50 eV to 300 eV, and for scattering angles from 25° to 125° using a crossed electron/target beams setup and the relative flow technique for calibration to the absolute scale. For the calculations, we have used the IAM-SCAR+I method (independent atom model (IAM) applying the screened additivity rule (SCAR) with interference terms included (I)). The molecular cross-sections were obtained from the atomic data by using the SCAR procedure, incorporating interference term corrections, by summing all the relevant atomic amplitudes, including the phase coefficients. In this approach, we obtain the molecular differential scattering cross-section (DCS), which, integrated over the scattered electron angular range, gives the integral scattering cross-section (ICS). Calculated cross-sections agree very well with experimental results, in the whole energy and angular range.     

Divergent Effect of Central Incretin Receptors Inhibition in a Rat Model of Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease

The incretin system is an emerging new field that might provide valuable contributions to the research of both the pathophysiology and therapeutic strategies in the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative disorders. This study aimed to explore the roles of central glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) on cell metabolism and energy in the brain, as well as on the levels of these incretins, insulin, and glucose via inhibition of the central incretin receptors following intracerebroventricular administration of the respective antagonists in healthy rats and a streptozotocin-induced rat model of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (sAD). Chemical ablation of the central GIP receptor (GIPR) or GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in healthy and diseased animals indicated a region-dependent role of incretins in brain cell energy and metabolism and central incretin-dependent modulation of peripheral hormone secretion, markedly after GIPR inhibition, as well as a dysregulation of the GLP-1 system in experimental sAD.     

The New Therapeutic Approaches in the Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease which is characterized by extremely complex pathogenetic mechanisms and multifactorial etiology. Some of the many pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development of NAFLD include oxidative stress, impaired mitochondrial metabolism, inflammation, gut microbiota, and interaction between the brain-liver-axis and the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism. The new therapeutic approaches in the treatment of NAFLD are targeting some of these milestones along the pathophysiological pathway and include drugs like agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, sodium/glucose transport protein 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists, probiotics, and symbiotics. Further efforts in biomedical sciences should focus on the investigation of the relationship between the microbiome, liver metabolism, and response to inflammation, systemic consequences of metabolic syndrome.     

Handoff performance in wireless DS‐CDMA networks

This paper analyses the performance of DS‐CDMA networks in the presence of call handoffs. We show that a handoff may violate the SINR requirements for other users, and thus cause an outage in the target cell. We propose to use the probability of such events as a possible metric for quality of service in networks with multiple traffic types, and derive the corresponding QoS parameters. A two‐level admission policy is defined: in tier 1 policy, the network capacity is calculated on the basis of the bound on outage probability. However, this policy does not suffice to prevent outage events upon handoffs for various traffic types, and henceforth, we propose an extension that reserves extra bandwidth for handoff calls, thus ensuring that handoff calls will not violate the outage probability bound. The overhead imposed by the extension is negligible, as the complete two‐tier admission control algorithm is executed only when a call is admitted into the network. Once admitted, calls can freely execute handoffs using the reserved bandwidth. The modified second‐tier bandwidth reservation policy is adaptive with respect to the traffic intensity and user's mobility and we show that it can provide satisfactory call (flow) quality during its lifetime. Analytical results for the QoS have been verified by the simulations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Migration of Plasticizer between Bonded Propellant Interfaces

Plasticizer migration across bonded propellant interfaces during cure has been shown to have a measurable effect on propellant properties compared to each propellant by itself. This shows that the curing period is significant to the migration phenomenon. The plasticizer migration has been shown to have a direct influence on tensile strength for short aging periods up to the point the plasticizer reaches equilibrium. The tensile data for short aging periods have been shown to follow an empirical equation connecting the physical characteristics of plasticizer migration with increasing propellant tensile strength. The diffusion coefficient has been evaluated on the basis of this relation from a plot of σ versus t^1/2 and was in good agreement with the diffusion coefficient from the plasticizer content data.     

Lineup and photo spread procedures: Issues concerning policy recommendations.

This article examines the recommended changes to lineup reforms outlined by eyewitness researchers and the impact of these reforms on public policy as reflected in national guidelines for police identification procedures (Technical Working Group for Eyewitness Evidence, 1999). The limitations of these reforms are discussed. Alternative "best practices" for social science researchers, as well as for police, are proposed to minimize false-positive lineup selections and, consequently, convictions of innocent persons. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The perspectives of natural deep eutectic solvents in agri-food sector

Abstract

The principles of ‘green chemistry’ are gaining importance in agri-food sector due to the need to reduce pollution from toxic chemicals, make industrial processes safer and more sustainable, and to offer ‘clean-labeled products’ required by the consumers. The application of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) – natural product-based green liquids is considered the promising alternative to conventional organic solvents. This review is intended to summarize and discuss recent advances related to physicochemical properties of NADES, their applications, compatibility with analytic techniques and toxicological profile, pointing out the challenges and necessary improvements for their wider utilization in agri-food sector. NADES allow extraction of wide range of food compounds and they are proven to be convenient for food-related applications. However, their potential for industrial scale-up utilization is not completely investigated. Examined NADES are readily biodegradable, but only preliminary studies on NADES toxicity which include limited number of NADES molecules are available. Apart from fundamental research dealing with NADES formation and the nature of the interactions and structure underpinning the liquid phase formation, the question of purity of NADES obtained by different synthetic methodologies need to be addressed in the future. Data on physicochemical properties of synthetized NADES are still needed as they are relevant for industrial applications.