Citrus is one of the most economically important horticultural crops in the world. Citrus are vulnerable to the postharvest decay caused by Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum, which are both wound ...pathogens. To date, several non-chemical postharvest treatments have been investigated for the control of both pathogens, trying to provide an alternative solution to the synthetic fungicides (imazalil, thiabendazole, pyrimethanil, and fludioxonil), which are mainly employed and may have harmful effects on human health and environment.
The current study emphasizes the non-chemical postharvest treatments, such as irradiations, biocontrol agents, natural compounds, hot water treatment (HWT), and salts, on the prevention of decay caused by P. digitatum and P. italicum, also known as green and blue molds, respectively. The mode of action of each technique is presented and comprehensively discussed.
In vivo and in vitro experiments in a laboratory scale have shown that the control of green and blue molds can be accomplished by the application of non-chemical treatments. The mechanisms of action of the non-chemical techniques have not been clearly elucidated. Several studies have mentioned that the application of non-chemical treatments results in the synthesis of secondary metabolites with antifungal activities (i.e. polyphenols, phytoalexins) in fruit surface. Moreover, non-chemical treatments may exert direct effects on fungal growth, such as disruption of cell walls, inhibition of metabolic respiration, and disruption of energy production related enzymes.
•Non-chemical treatments for green and blue mold control.•Essential oils can control the germination of blue and green molds.•Irradiations may effectively control the decay caused by Penicillium spp.•Yeasts and bacteria can been used as biocontrol agents against green and blue molds.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Persea americana, commonly known as avocado, has recently gained substantial popularity and is often marketed as a “superfood” because of its unique nutritional composition, antioxidant content, and ...biochemical profile. However, the term “superfood” can be vague and misleading, as it is often associated with unrealistic health claims. This review draws a comprehensive summary and assessment of research performed in the last few decades to understand the nutritional and therapeutic properties of avocado and its bioactive compounds. In particular, studies reporting the major metabolites of avocado, their antioxidant as well as bioavailability and pharmacokinetic properties, are summarized and assessed. Furthermore, the potential of avocado in novel drug discovery for the prevention and treatment of cancer, microbial, inflammatory, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases is highlighted. This review also proposes several interesting future directions for avocado research.
Defatted sunflower seed flour (DSSF) is an upcycled by-product of sunflower oil extraction, rich in protein, fibre and antioxidants. This study assessed the instrumental and sensory quality of ...biscuits enriched with DSSF at 18% and 36%
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as a replacement for wheat flour. Measurements included colour, texture, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity. Sensory analysis was carried out with Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA). The inclusion of DSSF significantly increased the protein content of the biscuits, as well as the TPC and antioxidant capacity of the biscuits. The resulting products were significantly darker, less red and less yellow with increasing DSSF levels, while hardness (measured instrumentally) increased. Sensory results agreed with colour measurements, concluding that DSSF biscuits were more "Brown" than the control, and with texture measurements where biscuits with 36% DSSF had a significantly firmer bite. In addition, DSSF biscuits at 36% inclusion had higher QDA scores for "Off-note" and the lowest scores for "Crumbly" and "Crumb aeration". DSSF biscuits at 18% inclusion were similar to the control in most parameters and should be considered for further developments. These results show the potential of the upcycled DSSF by-product as a novel, sustainable and healthy food ingredient.
The increasing number of hip arthroplasties (HA), due to the growing elderly population, is associated with the risk of femoral periprosthetic fractures (FPFs). The purpose of this study was to ...identify potential risk factors for the development of FPFs after HA.
A systematic review was conducted in five data bases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane, Cinahl, ICTRP) according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines up to May 2019, using the key words "risk factor," "periprosthetic fracture," and "hip replacement or arthroplasty." Meta-analysis of the clinical outcomes of HA and subgroup analysis based on the factors that were implicated in FPFs was performed.
Sixteen studies were included (sample size: 599,551 HA patients, 4253 FPFs, incidence 0.71%). Risk factors statistically associated with increased incidence of FPFs were female gender (+ 40%), previous revision arthroplasty surgery (× 3 times), and the presence of rheumatoid arthritis (× 2.1 times), while osteoarthritis (- 57%), cement application (- 59%), and insertion of Biomet (- 68%) or Thompson's prosthesis (- 75%) were correlated with low prevalence of FPFs. Obesity, cardiac diseases, advanced age, bad general health (ASA grade ≥ 3), and use of Exeter or Lubinus prosthesis were not linked to the appearance of FPFs.
This meta-analysis suggested that female gender, rheumatoid arthritis, and revision arthroplasty are major risk factors for the development of FPFs after a HA. In those patients, frequent follow-ups should be planned. Further prospective studies are necessary to clarify all the risk factors contributing to the appearance of FPFs after HA.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Polyphenols of citrus by-products, due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, could be valorized by pharmaceutical and food industries, adding a value to the citrus processing companies. ...A number of studies have investigated the effect of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) conditions on the recovery of phenolics derived from citrus waste using both organic solvents or mixed aqueous solvent systems. To maximize efficiency, UAE conditions should be tailored to the physical parameters of the solvent(s) employed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of four UAE parameters: particle size (1.40–2.80mm), extraction time (10–60min), extraction temperature (23–50°C) and ultrasonic power (150–250W) on the simultaneous recovery of p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and hesperidin from citrus waste using pure water as a solvent. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed for the identification and quantification of the cited compounds. Particle size was determined to be an important parameter affecting compound recovery, with the exception of chlorogenic acid. A particle size of 1.40mm resulted in the highest recovery of p-coumaric and caffeic acids (0.25 and 0.58mg/g, respectively), while higher hesperidin yields were achieved from the particle sizes of 2.00 and 1.40mm (6.44 and 6.27mg/g, respectively). Extraction temperature significantly affected only the recovery of the flavanone glycoside (P < 0.05). As the extraction temperature increased from 30 to 50°C the recovery of hesperidin increased from 6.59 to 7.84mg/g, respectively. Neither extraction time nor ultrasonic power significantly affected the recovery of any individual phenolic compound.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The effect of different combinations of maltodextrin (MD) coating agents (MD, MD + soybean protein, and MD + ι-carrageenan) on the encapsulation of lemon by-product aqueous extracts using ...freeze-drying and spray-drying were investigated. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of the microparticles were evaluated. Freeze-drying with the mixture of MD + soybean protein resulted in the highest retention of TPC, TFC, and FRAP (1.66 ± 0.02 mg GAE/g d.b., 0.43 ± 0.02 mg CE/g d.b., and 3.70 ± 0.05 mM TE/g, respectively). Freeze-drying resulted in microparticles with lower moisture content (MC) and water activity (a
) than those produced by spray-drying. Specifically, the MC and a
of the microparticles produced by freeze-drying ranged from 1.15 to 2.15% and 0.13 to 0.14, respectively, while the MC and a
of the microparticles produced by spray-drying ranged from 6.06% to 6.60% and 0.33 to 0.40, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that spray-drying resulted in the formation of spherical particles of different sizes regardless of the type of coating agent. Although freeze-drying resulted in microparticles with amorphous glassy shapes, the mixture of MD + soybean protein resulted in the formation of spherical porous particles. X-ray diffraction revealed a low degree of crystallinity for the samples produced by both techniques.
The purpose of this work was to develop an optimized transmit/receive birdcage coil to extend the possibilities of a 7T preclinical MRI system to conduct improved full body imaging in medium-sized ...animals, such as large New Zealand rabbits. The coil was designed by combining calculation and electromagnetic simulation tools. The construction was based on precise mechanical design and careful building practice. A 16-leg, 20 cm long, 16 cm inner diameter, shielded quadrature hybrid structure was selected. Coil parameters were assessed on the bench and images were acquired on phantoms and rabbits. The results were compared to simulations and data obtained with an available commercial coil. An inexpensive assembly with an increase of 2 cm in useful inner diameter and 50 Ω matching with larger animals was achieved. A reduction in radiofrequency (RF) power demand of 31.8%, an improvement in image uniformity of 18.5 percentage points and an increase in signal-to-noise ratio of up to 42.2% were revealed by phantom image acquisitions, which was confirmed by in vivo studies. In conclusion, the proposed coil extended the possibilities of a preclinical 7T system as it improved image studies in relatively large animals by reducing the RF power demand, and increasing image uniformity and signal-to-noise ratio. Shorter scans and time under anesthesia or reduced RF exposure, resulting in better images and lower animal health risk during in vivo experiments, were achieved.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Carrot is one of the most important horticultural crops, with an annual worldwide production exceeding 40 million tonnes. Carrots are sold either fresh intact or fresh-cut as minimally processed ...vegetables (MPV). In the postharvest supply chain, physiological disorders, fungal decay, and their combinations reduce the quality of fresh intact and MPV carrots. MPV carrots are more susceptible to quality changes than fresh intact carrots due to a higher loss of protective epidermis, greater number of wounded cells, and increased respiration rates.
The current review summarizes different environmentally and human-friendly treatments applied in the postharvest supply chain to minimize the adverse effects of handling and storage on physiological disorders and fungal decay.
Bitterness, white blush, and browning are the most critical physiological disorders of fresh and MPV carrots. Bitterness can be prevented by storing carrots in well-ventilated rooms without ethylene-producing fruit and vegetables, while white blush and browning can be controlled by the application of heat treatment, ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and edible films. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria radicina, and Berkeleyomyces spp. (formerly Thielaviopsis spp.) are important fungi causing carrot postharvest losses and waste. Fungal decay of carrots can be controlled by selecting healthy carrots and applying natural compounds, ozone (O3), heat treatment, UV-irradiation, inorganic salt, and/or biocontrol agents, and their combinations. However, a successful combination of different sustainable treatment methods requires treatment compatibility, and -omics techniques may reveal the best combinations of sustainable treatment methods.
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•Sustainable treatments for reducing carrot physiological disorders are discussed.•White blush occurs due to carrot dehydration and structural cell alterations.•Carrot browning can be reduced by the application of abiotic stresses.•Sustainable treatments for preventing carrot decay caused by fungi are discussed.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Purpose
Policy implementation in the logistics sector might drive unexpected side-effects which sometimes undermine the performance of key economic activities of logistics operators, especially in ...areas such as transport service, sustainability of operations, etc. Especially for the latter, there is a lack of understanding how the sustainability performance if retail logistics solutions is impacted on by policy implementation and, in turn, by operators’ responsive measures. This paper conducts a sustainability analysis of concrete innovative and already tested retail logistics solutions addressing the research question “what are the effects of retail logistics solutions on total costs and sustainability performance?”
Methods
The analysis relies on the development and application of an indicator-based framework based on the key sustainability components (economy, environment, society) and enriched by the addition of the transport component. The framework assesses three different scenarios together with a business-as-is one: Urban Consolidation Centre, Tethering and Shared Bus accompanied with a Strengths-Weaknesses analysis. Data are provided by an international food retailer operating within the city of Antwerp, Belgium, but conclusions can be generalized due to wider applicability of measures and solutions examined.
Results
External costs analysis shows that higher degree of internalization is achieved in the line-haul transport. Within an urban context, the measures that do not require significant initial investment and broad interventions are assessed as the most sustainable in our analysis. Tethering is the solution that indicates the highest sustainability score.
Conclusions
The impact of innovative and already tested solutions relies on a variety of factors: organizational, urban context, type of goods transported, engagement of stakeholders, etc.. In any case, innovation is crucial for urban retail logistics impacting on transport service, society, economy and environment. Any new retail business model should be designed with respect to cost efficiency and through a socially acceptable transition path.
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CEKLJ, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Circulating or tissue-related biomarkers are of clinical value for risk stratification in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. Relaxin-2 (RL2) has been linked to the presence and size of ...arterial aneurysms, and to the extent of atherosclerosis in human subjects. Here, we assessed the expression levels of RL2 in aneurysmal (AA, n = 16) and atherosclerotic (ATH, n = 22) arteries, and established the correlation between RL2 levels and the presence/size of AA and the clinical severity of atherosclerosis. The expression levels of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and endothelial nitric oxide synthetase (eNOS) were also detected for correlations with different phenotypes of atherosclerosis and AA. Temporal artery biopsy specimens (n = 6) and abdominal aortic tissues harvested from accident victims during autopsy (n = 10) were used as controls. Quantitative tissue biomarker analysis revealed that tissue-specific RL2 was increased in patients with larger or symptomatic AA compared to subjects with atherosclerotic disease and healthy controls. In situ RL2 levels were proportional to the size and the severity of aneurysmatic disease, and were substantially elevated in patients with symptomatic aneurysm of any diameter or asymptomatic aneurysm of a diameter >350% of that of the normal artery. In contrast, tissue RL2 was inversely associated with the clinical severity of atherosclerotic lesions. Correlation between RL2 and MMP2 was different between ATH1 and ATH2, depending on atherosclerosis grade. Overall, tissue RL2 is differentially associated with discrete phenotypes of arterial disease and might exert multipotent biological effects on vascular wall integrity and remodeling in human subjects.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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