Nutritional characteristics,biochemical composition and antioxidant activities of Moroccan Oat varieties

Oat has been recognized as a healthy food for a long time. In this study, physicochemical analysis including, moisture, pH, ash, fibres, proteins, starch, carbohydrates, some minerals, sugars, fatty acids, sterols, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents of four Moroccan Oat varieties (Amlal, Tissir, Zahri and Ghali) were investigated. Additionally, starch morphology has been described according to scanning electron microscopy, and viscosity as measured on a rotary rheometer, increased with stabilization time. Furthermore, Oat extracts were analyzed with regard to their antioxidant activities using DPPH radicals’ cation, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity and ferric reducing/antioxidant power. Results from this investigation demonstrated that Moroccan Oat varieties constitute an interesting supplement of natural antioxidants, especially phenolic compounds. Moreover, potassium was the main mineral in Oat seeds (1628.17–2541.52 mg/Kg); also, the oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids were the dominant fatty acids. While the major sterols were, β-sitosterol, Δ-5-avenasterol and campesterol. Finally, sugar analysis by HPLC-RI indicate that sucrose content was higher than glucose and fructose respectively, and that Ghali and Amlal varieties exhibit an important total sugars levels. Those results highlight the possible contributions of Oat seeds to nutritional therapy.     

The pig caecum model: a suitable tool to study the intestinal metabolism of flavonoids

Pig caecum was used under anaerobic conditions to metabolize flavonoids from several classes, i.e., chrysin 1, naringenin 2, quercetin 3, and hesperetin 4. Whereas chrysin 1 was not converted by the pig intestinal flora under the experimental conditions used, naringenin 2 was transformed to 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid and 3-phenylpropionic acid. Quercetin 3 was metabolized to phloroglucinol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxytoluene. Hesperetin 4 was degraded via eriodictyol to 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid and phloroglucinol. Structural elucidation of the formed metabolites was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography--diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) as well as HPLC-electrospray ionization--mass spectrometry (ESI-MS (MS)) and high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HRGC-MS) analyses. The time course of microbial conversion of 2-4 was determined by HPLC-DAD analysis, revealing slow degradation of 2 and rapid transformation of 3 and 4. The results lead to the conclusion that the pig caecum model is a suitable ex vivo model for studying the intestinal degradation of flavonoids.     

Chitosan-based bioglass composite for bone tissue healing : Oxidative stress status and antiosteoporotic performance in a ovariectomized rat model

Tissue engineering has opened up a new therapeutic avenue promising a revolution in regenerative medicine. Considerable attention has been given to chitosan composite materials and their applications in the field of the bone graft substitutes. We evaluated the antioxidative properties of chitosan-doped bioactive glass (BG-CH) with 17 wt% chitosan, and their applications in the guided bone regeneration. BG-CH was produced by a freeze-drying process and implanted in the femoral condyles of ovariectomized rats. Grafted bone tissues were carefully removed to evaluate the oxidative stress analysis, histomorphometric profile and mineral bone distribution by using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). A significant decrease of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARs) was observed after BG-CH implantation. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities significantly increased in ovariectomized group implanted with chitosan-doped bioactive glass (OVXBG-CH) as compared to ovariectomized group implanted with bioactive glass (OVX-BG). The histomorphometric analysis showed that bone/tissue volume (BV/TV), osteoblast number (N.Ob) and osteoblast surface/bone surface (Ob.S/BS) were significantly higher in OVX-BG-CH group than in OVX-BG group. On the other hand, a rise in Ca and P ion concentrations in the implanted microenvironment was shown to lead to the formation/deposition of Ca-P phases. Trace elements such as Sr and Fe were detected in the newly formed bone and involved in bone healing. These results suggested that BG-CH composites could become clinically useful as a therapeutic and implantable material.     

Implementing an automated feedback program for a foreign language writing course: A learner-centric study

Considering the prominence attached to written corrective feedback (WCF) within the domain of second/foreign language (L2) acquisition, automated writing evaluation (AWE) tools have steadily gained ground over the last two decades. The current study was an attempt to investigate the extent incorporating an AWE program, known as Criterion®, within a process writing framework would affect learners' writing quality in an English as a foreign language context. Moreover, we drew a comparison between the overall effects of computer- versus teacher-generated WCF. Participants consisted of 53 tertiary level students from two intact essay-writing classes. The within-group findings revealed that the experimental group's writing scores rose significantly from the pretest to posttest after receiving automated WCF over several weeks. Significant progress was also noticed on all rounds of scores obtained from five essays assigned to this group except between the first and the second. As for the comparison between computer- and teacher-administered WCF, the former condition was found to be more efficient. Overall, the findings provide a deeper insight into the workings of an automated evaluation tool and how it was employed in the L2 classroom to impart consistency to the assessment procedure and ease the burden traditionally placed upon teachers.     

Promising features for poly(vinyl chloride) enriched with Moringa oleifera: Photostability,rheological, mechanical,thermal and antibacterial properties

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was loaded with various contents of Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves extract. The changes in the structure arising after loading MO into the polymeric matrix were monitored. In addition, their rheological and mechanical properties were investigated. Some thermal analyses techniques were performed to demonstrate any change in the thermal stability of PVC before and after adding MO. PVC/MO exhibited noticeable antibacterial efficiency when evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A favorable antibacterial efficiency of PVC/MO boosted with increasing of MO content from 5% to 25% by weight when introduced into PVC. The photostability of PVC enriched with MO was investigated. The change in the rate of dehydrochlorination for PVC was detected. It was indicated with liberating HCl from the polymeric matrix.     

Resource Management in a Peer to Peer Cloud Network for IoT

Wireless Personal Communications - Software-Defined Internet of Things (SDIoT) is defined as merging heterogeneous objects in a form of interaction among physical and virtual entities. Large scale...     

Electrochemical synthesis of novel π-extended phenoxazine derivatives of porphyrincatecholes

Three new functionalized phenoxazine-catechol porphyrins 7a–c have been synthesized by a green one-pot method and structurally characterized by spectroscopic analysis. The electro-oxidation of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,3-dihydroxyphenyl) porphyrins(1a–c) with four catechol units in the presence of 2-aminophenol 8 as bidentate nucleophile has been done and phenoxazine rings have been formed by intermolecular and intramolecular Michael addition reactions. Spectroscopic characterization and voltammetry results have allowed us to propose four independent ECEC mechanisms for the electrochemical oxidation pathway. The functionalization of the porphyrins affected their photophysical properties. Expansion of the UV–vis spectrum range and the decrease of the fluorescence intensity of the products would support the energy transfer between the porphyrin core excited states to the four substitutions as the electron acceptor subunits. SEM images indicate that this method produces regularly shaped manganese porphyrin nano-particles 7c that possess a cubic nano structure.