448 research outputs found
N-Acetylcysteine an Allium Plant Compound Improves High-Sucrose Diet-Induced Obesity and Related Effects
This study was designed to determine whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC, C5H9–NO3S), a compound from Allium species may be used as a complementary therapeutic agent, to inhibit high-sucrose induced-obesity and its effects on glucose tolerance, in vivo low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-oxidation and serum oxidative stress in rats. Initially, 24 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: controls receiving standard chow (C, n = 6) and those receiving high-sucrose diet (HS, n = 18). After 22 days, (HS) group was divided into three groups (n = 6/group); (HS-HS) continued to eat high-sucrose diet and water; (HS-N) continued to eat high-sucrose diet and received 2 mg l−1-NAC in its drinking water; (HS-CN) changing high-sucrose to standard chow and receiving 2 mg l1-NAC in its drinking water. After 22 days of the HS-group division (44 days of experimental period) body weight, body mass index and surface area were enhanced in HS-HS rats (P < .001). HS-HS rats had glucose intolerance, increased serum triacylglycerol (TG), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), oxidized-LDL (ox-LDL) and lipid-hydroperoxide (LH) than the others (P < .01). NAC in HS-N and HS-CN rats reduced the obesity markers, feed efficiency, LH and ox-LDL, as well normalized glucose response, TG and VLDL (P < .01) in these groups compared with HS-HS. Total antioxidant substances, GSH/GSSG ratio and glutathione-reductase, were higher in HS-N than in HS-HS (P < .01). In conclusion, NAC improved high-sucrose diet-induced obesity and its effects on glucose tolerance, lipid profile, in vivo LDL-oxidation and serum oxidative stress, enhancing antioxidant defences. The application of this agent may be feasible and beneficial for high-sucrose diet-induced obesity, which certainly would bring new insights on obesity-related adverse effects control
Comparison of cadmium binding by humic and fulvic acids extracted from two composts of different origin
Composting has been proven to be an environmentally friendly process for urban organic waste, that can represent an opportunity for new uses under the circular economy framework. The binding of cadmium to fulvic-like and humic-like acids extracted from compost of algae and urban residues were evaluated, and the results show significant differences. The fulvic and humic acids from algae compost bind cadmium more efficiently than those from urban residues compost. Furthermore, data from humic acids from both composts display significantly higher ability to bind to cadmium than both their corresponding fulvic acids and the generic soil extracted humic matter.
Cooperation Program Interreg V-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund -FEDER within the scope of the project «RES2VALHUM -Valorization of Organic Waste: Production of Humic Substances» (0366_RES2VALHUM_1_P).The authors want to thank LIPOR for the supply of COUR sample. Members of the USC are also grateful to CRETUS Strategic Partnership (ED431E 2018/01) co-funded by FEDER and the Galician Competitive Research Group GRC ED431C/12.Members of the Department of Chemistry are also grateful toCenter of Chemistrythrough projects UID/QUI/00686/2016 and UID/QUI/00686/2019 (CQUM) funded by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal
Comparison of cadmium binding by humic and fulvic acids extracted from compost samples of different feedstock
Compost is a bio-sustainable material produced by the controlled
decomposition of the organic wastes. Composting can be employed for the urban
organic waste treatment in alternative to incineration or landfill disposal [1]. The
properties of compost are closely related to the presence of humic-like substances
(HS). Both fulvic acids (FA) and humic acids (HA) contain a significant amount of
carboxylic acids and phenolic groups that are responsible for some of their properties
like solubility and ability to complex metal ions [2].
In the scope of the project Res2ValHum [3], composts produced from different
feedstock were analysed and compared regarding the ability of the FA and the HA
extracts to bind Cd2+. The free cadmium ion concentration was measured using the
electroanalytical technique AGNES (absence of gradients and Nernstian equilibrium
stripping) [4]. The cadmium binding by FA and HA extracts of two compost samples:
compost of algae (CA) and compost of sludge sewage (CSS) is illustrated in Figure 1.
Results indicate that the extent of the binding of cadmium by FA is similar despite the
nature of the compost. In opposition, the HA extracts from the algae compost exhibit a
larger capacity to bind cadmium ion in comparison to the extracted from the sludge
sewage compost. These results indicate that the nature of the feedstock seem to affect
more the structure of the HA (in comparison to the FA) formed during the composting
process. The chemical characterization of these extracts by different analytical
techniques are in course in order to fully understand the referred effect.0366_RES2VALHUM_1_P - Valorização de resíduos orgânicos: produção de substâncias húmicas, cofinanciada pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento regional (FEDER) através do Programa INTERREG V-A Espanha-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-202
Graphene nanoribbons and nanoflakes from functionalized carbon precursors
The process of formation of graphene by exfoliation of carbon nanotubes (CNT) or graphite originates graphene nanoribbons (GNR) and graphene nanoflakes (GNF), respectively. These nanoparticles are expected to present interesting electronic properties, depending on their shape, size, and on their edge shape. Several methods for the unzipping of nanotubes were described in the literature [1]. The major limitations to the application of these methods are related to low yield, or to the formation of highly oxidized GNRs. The present work was motivated by the observation of the unzipping of functionalized CNT under ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (UHV STM) [2]. The CNTs under observation were functionalized by the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction [3], a potential route for the production of GNRs without oxidation. The formation of graphene flakes was observed when functionalized graphite was exfoliated under similar conditions as the CNT. The graphite was functionalized by the same procedure as the CNT.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT
Characterization of organic matter at different stages of a composting process
The characterization of the organic matter from raw organic wastes, unmatured compost
and maturated compost was performed by different techniques: gravimetric, FTIR-ATR,
TGA and from the ability of their extracts to bind Cd2+ (evaluating the free cadmium ion by
AGNES). Although the amount of humic-like and fulvic-like acids did not change
significantly, the structure and properties of the organic matter changed with composting
and maturation. These changes resulted in an increase of the stability of the organic
material toward thermal decomposition and in an increase of the capacity to bind cadmium.0366_RES2VALHUM_1_P - Valorização de resíduos orgânicos: produção de substâncias húmicas, cofinanciada pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento regional (FEDER) através do Programa INTERREG V-A Espanha-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020
- …