Degradation kinetics and thermodynamic analysis of betalains on microencapsulated beetroot juice using maltodextrin and sweet potato starch

Natural colorants have become important due to the health-benefits for humans. In that sense, it is important to evaluate the degradation kinetics of these components, in order to establish the stability under different processing and/or storage conditions. This study provides experimental and simulated results about the degradation of betalains in microencapsulated beetroot juice. Maltodextrin solution (MDX 10%) and sweet potato starch solution (SPS 2%) in proportions of 40MDX:60SPS, 20MDX:80SPS and 0MDX:100SPS were used as microencapsulating agents. The thermal degradation of betalains in the microencapsulated powders was evaluated at three temperatures (6, 19 and 30 °C) in order to predict the behavior under different conditions, using the first-order kinetic model. The kinetic parameters were identified using linear regression on the logarithmic curves of the experimental data to obtain the Arrhenius equations. The highest content of betalains was 2.58 mg/g and the lowest activation energy value was 48.71 KJ/mol, with both values corresponding to the powder that was microencapsulated with 20MDX:80SPS. The above results suggest high betalain stability in this powder, since there was less sensitivity to temperature in comparison to the rest of the powders. Additionally, some thermodynamic parameters were evaluated, which confirmed that the process is non-spontaneous and irreversible. The results obtained from this study, could be a useful tool to predict the minimal losses during processing, and gives the possibility to improve and select the food products where this kind of natural colorant can be applied.Natural colorants have become important due to their health benefits for humans. In that sense, it is important to evaluate the degradation kinetics of these components, in order to establish stability under different processing and/or storage conditions. This study provides experimental and simulated results about the degradation of betalains in microencapsulated beetroot juice. Maltodextrin solution (MDX 10%) and sweet potato starch solution (SPS 2%) in proportions of 40MDX:60SPS, 20MDX:80SPS and 0MDX:100SPS were used as microencapsulating agents. The thermal degradation of betalains in the microencapsulated powders was evaluated at three temperatures (6, 19 and 30 °C) in order to predict the behavior under different conditions, using the first-order kinetic model. The kinetic parameters were identified using linear regression on the logarithmic curves of the experimental data to obtain the Arrhenius equations. The highest content of betalains was 2.58 mg/g and the lowest activation energy value was 48.71 KJ/mol, with both values corresponding to the powder that was microencapsulated with 20MDX:80SPS. The above results suggest high betalain stability in this powder since there was less sensitivity to temperature in comparison to the rest of the powders. Additionally, some thermodynamic parameters were evaluated, which confirmed that the process is non-spontaneous and irreversible. The results obtained from this study could be a useful tool to predict the minimal losses during processing and give the possibility to improve and select the food products where this kind of natural colorant can be applied

Avances en las investigaciones sobre la encapsulación mediante gelación iónica: una revisión sistemática

Encapsulation, a technology that creates a barrier between a compound of interest and the environment, improves the physicochemical stability of products during processing and/or storage. Therefore, it helps to reduce the degradation of compounds of interest, masks undesirable odors and flavors, controls the release of the bioactive compound, and can increase its bioaccessibility and bioavailability. The objective of this review was to collect and discuss recent scientific literature about encapsulation by ionic gelation of bioactive compounds, microorganisms, and enzymes, as well as its use in different applications of scientific and/or industrial interest in several fields. A literature review was carried out in indexed databases using descriptors such as capsule size, encapsulation efficiency, mixture matrices, sodium alginate, and ionic gelation. The results show that using of this kind of encapsulation offers variable advantages regarding the bioavailability of bioactive compounds, the stability of different compounds, the improvement of physical characteristics, the release of compounds, and the protection against adverse environmental effects. In conclusion, the ionic gelation method can have a wide range of applications to encapsulate food ingredients, microorganisms, drugs, etc. This review can guide further research into ionic gelation because it examines the diversity of its applications.La encapsulación es una tecnología que proporciona barreras entre los compuestos de interés en un producto y el medio ambiente. Ella brinda una mejor estabilidad fisicoquímica durante el procesamiento y/o almacenamiento del producto, por lo tanto, ayuda a tener una menor degradación de los compuestos de interés, enmascara olores y sabores indeseables, controla la liberación del principio activo y puede incrementar su bioaccesibilidad y su biodisponibilidad. El objetivo de esta revisión fue recopilar y discutir la literatura reciente enfocada en investigaciones científicas sobre la encapsulación mediante gelación iónica de compuestos bioactivos, de microorganismos, de enzimas y su uso en diferentes aplicaciones de interés científico y/o industrial. La revisión bibliográfica se realizó en las principales bases de datos indexadas, utilizando descriptores como tamaño de cápsula, eficiencia de encapsulación, matrices mixtas, alginato de sodio y gelación iónica. De acuerdo con los resultados se observó que la utilización de este tipo de encapsulación presenta ventajas muy variables que se centran en la mejora de diversos factores como la biodisponibilidad de compuestos bioactivos, estabilidad de diferentes compuestos, características físicas, liberación del compuesto de interés y la protección contra efectos ambientales adversos. En conclusión, existe una amplia gama de aplicaciones que puede tener la metodología de gelación iónica para encapsular ingredientes alimenticios, microorganismos y fármacos, entre otros. Finalmente, el estudio pretende que esta revisión sea de utilidad en la dirección de investigaciones sobre gelación iónica, debido a la diversidad de aplicaciones abordadas durante la investigación

EstuPlan: Methodology for the development of creativity in the resolution of scientific and social problems

[EN] Creative thinking is necessary to generate novel ideas and solve problems. "EstuPlan" is a methodology in which knowledge and creativity converge for the resolution of scientific problems with social projection. It is a training programme that integrates teachers, laboratory technicians and PhD students, master and undergraduate students which form working groups for the development of projects. Projects have a broad and essential scope and projection in terms of environmental problems, sustainable use of natural resources, food, health, biotechnology or biomedicine. The results show the success of this significant learning methodology using tools to develop creativity in responding to scientific and social demand for problem-solving to transfer academic knowledge to different professional environments. Bioplastics, Second Life of Coffee, LimBio, Algae oils, Ecomers, Caring for the life of your crop and Hate to Deforestate are currently being developed.Astudillo Calderón, S.; De Díez De La Torre, L.; García Companys, M.; Ortega Pérez, N.; Rodríguez Martínez, V.; Alzahrani, S.; Alonso Valenzuela, R.... (2019). EstuPlan: Methodology for the development of creativity in the resolution of scientific and social problems. En HEAD'19. 5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 711-717. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD19.2019.9205OCS71171

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use in early acute respiratory distress syndrome : Insights from the LUNG SAFE study

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background: Concerns exist regarding the prevalence and impact of unnecessary oxygen use in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We examined this issue in patients with ARDS enrolled in the Large observational study to UNderstand the Global impact of Severe Acute respiratory FailurE (LUNG SAFE) study. Methods: In this secondary analysis of the LUNG SAFE study, we wished to determine the prevalence and the outcomes associated with hyperoxemia on day 1, sustained hyperoxemia, and excessive oxygen use in patients with early ARDS. Patients who fulfilled criteria of ARDS on day 1 and day 2 of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure were categorized based on the presence of hyperoxemia (PaO2 > 100 mmHg) on day 1, sustained (i.e., present on day 1 and day 2) hyperoxemia, or excessive oxygen use (FIO2 ≥ 0.60 during hyperoxemia). Results: Of 2005 patients that met the inclusion criteria, 131 (6.5%) were hypoxemic (PaO2 < 55 mmHg), 607 (30%) had hyperoxemia on day 1, and 250 (12%) had sustained hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use occurred in 400 (66%) out of 607 patients with hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use decreased from day 1 to day 2 of ARDS, with most hyperoxemic patients on day 2 receiving relatively low FIO2. Multivariate analyses found no independent relationship between day 1 hyperoxemia, sustained hyperoxemia, or excess FIO2 use and adverse clinical outcomes. Mortality was 42% in patients with excess FIO2 use, compared to 39% in a propensity-matched sample of normoxemic (PaO2 55-100 mmHg) patients (P = 0.47). Conclusions: Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use are both prevalent in early ARDS but are most often non-sustained. No relationship was found between hyperoxemia or excessive oxygen use and patient outcome in this cohort. Trial registration: LUNG-SAFE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02010073publishersversionPeer reviewe

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms