► Controlled atmosphere (CA) is an appropriate postharvest methodology to preserve broccoli outer quality. ► CA is an appropriate postharvest methodology to preserve broccoli functional quality. ► ...1-MCP is effective in maintaining greenish aspect of broccoli heads during storage.
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is a vegetable that requires the application of postharvest techniques to extend its marketability. Controlled atmosphere and 1-MCP treatments are most used to extend the shelf life of broccoli and reduce post-harvest deterioration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the visual, physicochemical and functional changes of broccoli head samples stored at 1–2°C and 85–90% relative humidity (RH) in air (Control samples), under controlled atmospheres (10% O2 and 5% CO2) (CA samples) and treated with 1-MCP (0.6μL/L). After storage all samples were maintained at 20°C for 2 and 4days, in order to assess their shelf life. The most suitable postharvest treatment to extend broccoli quality during storage and shelf life, in terms of maintaining the visual quality and reducing loss of health-promoting compounds, was achieved by storage under controlled atmosphere conditions. The use of 1-MCP reduced the loss of green colour and chlorophyll pigments, but only during cold storage not during shelf life at 20°C.
The aim of this research was to identify, quantify and compare the main quality parameters and functional compounds of ‘Parthenon’ broccoli florets stored at two different conditions. The first ...condition consisted in a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) using microperforated polypropylene plastic. Then, the second one was in an unpackaged storage (Control). The main quality parameters assessed in this research were the overall appearance, odour, weight loss and colour. While, the functional compounds evaluated in this study were the chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments, vitamin C, total phenol content and intact glucosinolates, as well as the in vitro antioxidant activity. The results indicated that the loss of quality was lower in MAP than in Control samples when comparing with Fresh sample. In addition, the weight loss in MAP samples was 0.75% while in the Control samples was 3.36% at the end of storage. Besides, the losses of external attributes were also more pronounced in Control than in the MAP samples. Moreover, this degradation tendency was also observed for bioactive compounds, where their retention in the MAP was higher than in Control samples. In fact, the loss of total phenol content and intact glucosinolates content in MAP samples was about 20 and 23%, respectively, while in Control samples was about 48% and 57% correspondingly. This was also observed in the antioxidant activity (AA) values, since AA is correlated with these functional compounds.
► MAP extended outer quality parameters of fresh cut broccoli. ► MAP as adequate packaging condition to preserve functional compounds in broccoli. ► MAP packaging reduced glucosinolates degradation in fresh cut broccoli. ► Fresh cut broccoli as a source of functional compounds and antioxidant activity.
Parameters such as bright and dark green compact heads, firmness to hand pressure and closed florets, and the evolution of main health-promoting compounds such as carotenoid and chlorophyll pigments, ...phenolic compounds and glucosinolates, were assessed to determine the effects of the atmosphere composition during the cold storage of broccoli ‘Parthenon’.
The controlled atmosphere evaluated in this study was a gas mixture containing 10% of O2 and 5% of CO2, with 85–90% relative humidity. The storage temperature was established at 1 and 2 °C.
We found that the loss of weight and firmness was greater in the reference samples compared to samples stored under controlled atmosphere conditions (20.60% and 84.88%, for loss of weight and firmness in reference samples respectively, and 4.80% and 16.48%, for loss of weight and firmness in controlled atmosphere samples respectively) after 9 days of storage, approximately. In addition, the proposed controlled atmosphere conditions helped to maintain the concentration of the main health-promoting compounds, such as ascorbic acid, carotenoid and chlorophylls pigments, total phenolic compounds and intact glucosinolates, and the values of the antioxidant activity in vitro were also maintained.
► Less aggressive atmospheres conditions (10% O2, 5% CO2) for broccoli preservation. ► Effects of CA on the external quality of broccoli. ► Effects of CA on the health-promoting compounds. ► Correlation between physical attributes and bioactive compounds. ► Optimization of postharvest conditions to keep global quality of broccoli heads.
Cancer is one of the main causes of mortality worldwide. Common therapy schemes are always based on chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or surgery. Among chemotherapeutics, vanadium compounds have ...recently emerged as non-platinum antitumor agents. In this sense, Metvan (V
IV
O(Me
2
phen)
2
(SO
4
)) was identified as one of the most promising vanadium anticancer complexes. In this work, the Metvan compound was encapsulated into well designed and developed nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) with the aim of improving its biopharmaceutical profile with regards to bioavailability, degradation, solubility and cell up-take. A quality by design approach was followed to find the optimal nanoparticle formulation for Metvan delivery. Results exhibited that the ideal formulation was obtained by using myristyl myristate as the lipid matrix and Pluronic F128 as the stabilizing agent with a mean nanoparticle size of 230.8 ± 3.1 nm and a mean surface charge of −7.9 ± 0.8 mV. The formulation showed an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 80% with a sustained drug release for more than 60 h. The kinetic release mechanism of Metvan from the nanoparticles fitted the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, indicating the Fickian diffusion of Metvan from the nanoparticles. On the other hand, the results showed that the nanoparticle-Metvan system is more effective to decrease cell viability on human osteosarcoma cells (MG-63) compared to the free drug, suggesting a possible different cell internalization mechanism and intracellular effect.
A new Metvan-NLC compound was developed to improve Metvan's biopharmaceutical profile and antitumor efficacy.
Species of the genus
Bothrops induce the vast majority of snakebite envenomings in Latin America. A preclinical study was performed in the context of a regional network of public laboratories ...involved in the production, quality control and development of antivenoms in Latin America. The ability of seven polyspecific antivenoms, produced in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Costa Rica, to neutralize lethal, hemorrhagic, coagulant, defibrinogenating and myotoxic activities of the venoms of
Bothrops neuwiedi (
diporus) (Argentina),
Bothrops jararaca (Brazil),
B. neuwiedi (
mattogrossensis) (Bolivia),
Bothrops atrox (Peru and Colombia) and
Bothrops asper (Costa Rica) was assessed using standard laboratory tests. Despite differences in the venom mixtures used in the immunization of animals for the production of these antivenoms, a pattern of extensive cross-neutralization was observed between these antivenoms and all the venoms tested, with quantitative differences in the values of effective doses. This study reveals the capacity of these antivenoms to neutralize, in preclinical tests, homologous and heterologous
Bothrops venoms in Central and South America, and also highlight quantitative differences in the values of Median Effective Doses (ED50s) between the various antivenoms.
•In IGT, men outperformed women from trial sixty onwards.•A single session of anodal rOFC tDCS improved IGT performance in women.•A single session of anodal rOFC tDCS did not affect IGT performance ...in men.•The effect of tDCS over risky decision-making was affected by sex-differences.
Behavioral and anatomical sex-related differences have been traditionally found in decision-making processes assessed by Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). So far, the administration of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over orbitofrontal regions has shown an enhancing effect over decision-making. However, it is unknown whether there is a sex-dependent effect of stimulation in decision-making, a key question considering previous differences between men and women in IGT and the influence of individual differences in tDCS. The present study examines, at first time, the interaction between sex and tDCS in decision-making. For that aim, in a first experimental phase, ninety-two healthy participants performed the IGT. In a second phase, sixty-one participants received 20 min of anodal or sham tDCS over the right orbitofrontal cortex (rOFC) in a single-session pre-post sham-controlled study. To support the focality of the montage, a Stop Signal Task (SST) was used as a control task and also a numerical simulation of current flow distribution was performed. According to literature, in the first phase, results showed that men outperformed women in the IGT. In the second phase, the stimulation varied the IGT performance according to a sex specific manner: anodal tDCS increased the IGT performance in women, while in men; the stimulation did not produce any effect. Results were mediated by sex-specific morphological differences. These results highlight the necessity to consider the interaction of sex with the effect of the stimulation in future tDCS protocols, specifically in future clinical studies.
In this research work, we aim to identify, quantify and compare the phytochemical such as vitamin C, carotenoid and chlorophyll pigments, phenolic compounds and intact glucosinolates, as well as the ...in vitro antioxidant activity and physical quality parameters (colour, firmness, moisture contents, weight/broccoli head and soluble solid contents) of Monaco and Parthenon broccoli cultivars. We found that the bioactive compounds were more abundant in Parthenon compared with Monaco. In fact, higher amount of chlorophylls (12.62 mg/100 g fresh weight), total phenolic compounds (147.15 mg chlorogenic acid equivalent/100 g fresh weight), and total intact glucosinolates (203.85 μmol of sinigrin equivalent/100 g fresh weight) were found in Parthenon. On the other hand, no significant differences were observed in terms of external quality parameters among the studied cultivars except in the colour and moisture contents.
As new sources of organs are needed, liver transplantation using donors after cardiac death (DCD) is progressively increasing, but outcomes with this method are still questioned. This study was ...accomplished to verify that DCD outcomes are comparable to those seen in donation after brain death (DBD).
This was a prospective cohort study including 100 liver transplantation performed between 2014 and 2017, divided according to donor type in 75 DBD and 25 DCD.
DCD donors were younger (mean age: DCD 56 years, DBD 59 years; P = .009). Mean Modified End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was lower for DCD (DCD 16, DBD 19; P < .001). No differences were found regarding ischemia times and development of postreperfusion syndrome or coagulopathy. Primary graft dysfunction was more frequent in DCD (60%, DCD 29.3%; P = .006). Rates of primary graft nonfunction (DCD 0%, DBD 1.3%; P = .562) and acute rejection (DCD 20%, DBD 16.4%; P = .685) were similar. Acute kidney injury occurred more often in DBD (DCD 32%, DBD 12%; P = .051). Length of stay was comparable. Rates of biliary complications (DCD 20%, DBD 26.7%; P = .505) were similar, unlike ischemic cholangiopathy (DCD 12%, DBD 1.3%; P = .018). Retransplantation rates were also similar (DCD 8%, DBD 4%; P = .427) as was survival rate after 3 years (DCD 84%, DBD 86.7%; P = .739).
DCD represents an additional graft source with results that are encouraging and may be comparable to DBD with a careful donor and recipient selection.
•Donation after cardiac death (DCD) can have similar postoperative and long-term outcomes than donation after brain death (DBD) in liver transplantation.•Ischemic cholangiopathy is the most feared complication related to DCD.•Acute kidney injury is not necessarily increased by using this kind of donors.•Graft and patient survival from DBD and DCD are comparable.•A proper selection to match donors and recipients must be done.
In this work, it is evaluated the fixation of carbon dioxide using the alkali generated in the chloralkaline process, as a new way to face the treatment of highly saline wastewater, in which it is ...aimed not to separate the wastewater into concentrated and diluted streams but to recover value-added products (VAPs) while contributing to minimize the carbon fingerprint of other processes. The electrolytic process is combined with a reactive absorption and with a crystallization, demonstrating the formation of pure nahcolite, hypochlorite (or chlorine) and hydrogen from the waste. Carbon dioxide is captured with a current efficiency over 90% and the energy required is around 0.65 kWh kg−1, which is very promising from the view point of sustainability, considering that the system can be easily powered with green energies.
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•CO2 is electrochemically captured with a current efficiency of 93%.•The system is not mass transfer limited within the range of concentrations tested.•An almost pure NaHCO3 solid is obtained by cooling the CO2-enriched solution.•The energy cost of CO2 capture is estimated to be 0.65 kWh kg−1.•The efficiency hypochlorite production increases with current density.
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