Sustainable starch-based edible films with agrifood residues as potential carriers for the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Acknowledgments This work was supported by “Santander Universidades and University of Coimbra” through the project “Projetos Semente Santander UC: Era Pos-COVID-19: ´ uma sociedade mais sustentavel, ´ resiliente e justa” and by Fundaçao ˜ para a Ciˆencia e a Tecnologia (FCT): FCT/MCTEs (UIDB/00102/2020 and UIDP/00102/2020, of CIEPQPF, UIDB/04539/2020, UIDP/04539/2020 and LA/P/0058/2020, of CIBB, and UI/ 05704/2020 of ciTechCare. M. C. Gaspar acknowledges FCT for the financial support through the Institutional Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEECINST/00060/2021).Edible films are promising carriers for probiotics and can be composed by agrifood residues, which are usually rich in polymers and bioactive compounds. In this work, starch-based films were enriched with three types of agrifood residues (quince, potato and orange peels) and the incorporation of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus was studied, as well as the addition of inulin as a protective prebiotic. The resulting films were characterized in terms of mechanical properties, physicochemical properties, lactobacilli viability and microbiological properties. The mechanical properties of the films generally decreased with the introduction of L. rhamnosus, although this was highly dependent on the film composition. All films exhibited water vapor permeabilities in the typical range of starch-based films and were not greatly affected by the inclusion of probiotics. The loss of probiotic viability during films production was strongly related to the pH of the film-forming solutions. Films with agrifood residues had a slower loss of probiotic viability during storage, when compared to plain starch films, which may be explained by the presence of antioxidant compounds. Inulin was expected to improve viability, but this was not observed. Microbiological analysis showed that agrifood residues powders contained natural contaminant bacteria that were partially eliminated during film formation. Moreover, none of the target foodborne pathogens were detected in the analyzed samples. Overall, the results suggest that edible films containing agrifood residues can be a promising material for the delivery of probiotics and/or as primary packaging for some food products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Edible films produced from agrifood by-products and wastes

Acknowledgements This work was financially supported by Projetos Semente SantanderUC through the Santander Universidades and University of Coimbra award, and by COMPETE 2020, Fundaçao ˜ para a Ciˆencia e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal), through the projects CIEPQPF (UIDB/00102/2020 and UIDP/00102/2020), and ciTechCare (UI/05704/2020). M. C. Gaspar acknowledges FCT for the financial support under Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEECIND/00527/2017 and CEECINST/00060/2021).This study aims to develop edible films using agrifood by-products (pumpkin seeds, broken rice and orange pectin) and wastes (quince peel, potato peel, potato pulp, orange peel, pumpkin peel). The physicochemical characteristics of the films were investigated, including their mechanical and barrier properties. Higher amounts of plasticizer induced poorer mechanical and barrier properties in the films. The most promising ones were obtained with orange pectin, broken rice and pumpkin peel, with water contact angles (WCA) between 48° and 57°, maximum water vapor transmission rate and water vapor permeability of 575 g.m−2.d−1 and 108 × 10−12 g.Pa−1.s−1.m−1, respectively, Young's modulus between 350 and 800 MPa, maximum tensile strength between 9.0 and 26.25 MPa, and elongation at break between 2.28 and 9.3%. Orange pectin and broken rice are promising raw materials since they led to higher WCA, better barrier and mechanical properties. Broken rice and quince peel can be good substitutes for commercial starch and glycerol, respectively. Agro-industrial by-products and wastes revealed potential for the production of sustainable edible films.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

In vitro nematicidal activity of naphthoquinones against the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus thornei

The root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus thornei is a widely distributed and important parasite of cereals and legumes. As migratory endoparasites, P. thornei are difficult to manage  because they enter and leave host roots and may remain quiescent inside roots or in soil when conditions are unfavourable for plant growth. The number of available nematicides to manage these nematodes is restricted, so new, effective and eco-friendly sustainable management strategies are needed. The effects of naphthoquinones (juglone, 1,4-naphtoquinone and plumbagin) produced by some plants species, including walnut (Juglandaceae), were assessed against P. thornei. An additional treatment of a mixture of juglone and 1,4-naphtoquinone (2:1, w/w), was included because these compounds are frequently found at these propotion in walnut extracts. Juveniles and adult nematodes were exposed to different concentrations of each naphthoquinone and nematode mortality was assessed. Juglone and 1,4-naphthoquinone (at 500 ppm) were more effective than plumbagin, and gave 100% mortality after 24 h of exposure. A synergistic effect was not detected when juglone and 1,4-naphthoquinone (2:1, w/w) were combined. Estimated lethal concentrations causing 50% P. thornei mortality (LC50s) (72 h exposure) were: 134.7 ppm for juglone, 161.2 ppm for 1,4-naphthoquinone, 207.6 ppm for juglone + 1,4-naphthoquinone (2:1, w/w), and 178.8 ppm for plumbagin. This study has demonstrated the nematicidal potential of these naphthoquinones against P. thornei, and has shown that walnut residues may be valuable sources for extraction of these compounds

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Mathematical modelling of turmeric compounds extraction using high pressurized solvents mixture

FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOMathematical modelling was carried out in order to study the kinetics of the sub- and supercritical fluid extraction from turmeric, using carbon dioxide with either ethanol or isopropyl alcohol and their mixture (1:1 v/v) as co-solvents. The variables stu140348355FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO02/01608-802/01609-41999/01962-1M.E.M. Braga and S. Quispe-Condori acknowledges Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), Brazil, for the financial support (FAPESP 02/01608-8, 02/01609-4 and 1999/01962-1), and M.E.M. Braga acknowledges Fundação para a Ciência e Tec

Supercritical solvent impregnation of ophthalmic drugs on chitosan derivatives

In this work, three chitosan derivatives (N-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), N-carboxybutyl chitosan (CBC) and N-succinyl chitosan (SCC)) were impregnated with flurbiprofen (an anti-inflammatory drug) and timolol maleate (an anti-glaucoma drug), using a supercritical solvent impregnation (SSI) technique (and employing high pressure CO2 and CO2 + EtOH mixtures) in order to develop hydrogel-type ophthalmic drug delivery applications. Impregnation experiments were carried out from 9.0 up to 14.0 MPa, and at 303.0, 313.0 and 323.0 K. The resulting polymeric drug delivery systems, as well as other polymeric samples processed in CO2, were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Drug release kinetics studies were performed for all prepared systems. The effects of impregnation pressure and temperature on the release kinetics results were studied and compared to the traditional soaking impregnation method. For the same operational conditions, results confirmed that the three different (chemically and physically) polymeric structures conditioned the impregnation and the drug release processes. Despite the final released drug mass is always the result of the employed operational impregnation conditions and of the very complex relative specific interactions that may occur between all species present in the system (drugs, polymers, CO2 and ethanol), results showed that, for N-carboxymethyl chitosan, the predominant effects in the impregnation process seemed to be the solubility of drugs in CO2 and in CO2 + EtOH mixtures, as well as the swelling and plasticizing effect of CO2 and ethanol on the polymer. Finally, the SSI method proved to be a more efficient and "tunable" impregnation process than the traditional impregnation of drugs by a soaking method. Therefore, and using this "tunable" SSI method, these N-chitosan derivatives-based ophthalmic drug delivery systems can be easily and efficiently prepared taking in consideration the desired drug levels according to patients needs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VMF-4PXM6CP-1/1/a112be9d86677ed00ff98cac80b9c39