Review of the role of fluid dairy in delivery of polyphenolic compounds in the diet: chocolate milk, coffee beverages, matcha green tea, and beyond

Dairy-based functional beverages have been a growing segment as consumer demands for health foods have shifted focus from simply enhancing lifespan to protecting health. Green tea is often limited in use because of poor bioavailability and disagreeable taste. However, milk is considered an ideal platform for the delivery of active polyphenolic compounds in green tea. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzymatic activity and antioxidant index of polyphenols in green tea have been known to be protected through interaction with dairy proteins inside the unstable intestinal environment. In addition, consumption of green tea infused with milk has been found to have a significant impact on reducing skin wrinkles and roughness in elderly subjects, through a decrease in lipid peroxidation and a concomitant reduction in oxidative stress. A similar affinity has been observed between antioxidants in coffee and milk proteins. Dark chocolate has been known to contain significant phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The activation of protein complex NF-kappa B, which is responsible for cell survival, was found to be significantly reduced upon consumption of cocoa with water, whereas consuming cocoa with milk had no effect on the bioavailability of the phenolic compounds in cocoa. The popularity of dairy as the source for polyphenol fortified beverages in the diet will be dictated by optimization of the technology for maximizing the bioavailability of the antioxidants.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Investigación preliminar sobre los posibles efectos del tratamiento con arcilla mineral aplicado a aceites producidos a partir de aceitunas: enfoque sobre la eliminación de humedad y cambios en la composición

In this preliminary study, two non-filtered virgin olive oils (one freshly produced VOO-N; one VOO-O stored for one year) were subjected to moisture removal with mineral clay (raw or activated) and analyses were performed to attest possible effects on the quality of the product. The results demonstrated that the treatment of oil with mineral clay at 36-38 °C had no negative effect on the basic quality parameters or on the volatile comound profile. On the other hand, a significant decrease in the water amount as well as in pigments was observed in the samples subjected to this kind of treatment, in particular with raw clay. Regarding the colour measurement, the lightness (L) as well as the consumers’ acceptability exhibited a marked increase when oils were treated with raw clay.En este estudio preliminar, dos aceites de oliva vírgenes no filtrados (uno VOO-N recién producido y el otro, VOO-O almacenado durante un año) fueron sometidos a la eliminación del contenido de humedad con arcilla mineral (cruda o activada) y se realizaron análisis para atestiguar posibles efectos sobre la calidad del producto. Los resultados demostraron que el tratamiento del aceite con arcilla mineral, realizado a 36-38 °C, no tuvo consecuencias negativas en los parámetros básicos de calidad y en el perfil de los compuestos volátiles. Por otro lado, se observó una disminución significativa en la cantidad de agua y en los pigmentos en las muestras sometidas a este tipo de tratamiento, en particular con arcilla cruda. Con respecto a la medida del color, luminosidad (L) y aceptabilidad de los consumidores mostraron un aumento notable cuando los aceites se trataron con arcilla cruda

Preliminary investigation of possible effects of mineral clay treatment applied to oils produced from olives: Focus on moisture removal and compositional changes

In this preliminary study, two non-filtered virgin olive oils (one freshly produced VOO-N; one VOO-O stored for one year) were subjected to moisture removal with mineral clay (raw or activated) and analyses were performed to attest possible effects on the quality of the product. The results demonstrated that the treatment of oil with mineral clay at 36-38 °C had no negative effect on the basic quality parameters or on the volatile comound profile. On the other hand, a significant decrease in the water amount as well as in pigments was observed in the samples subjected to this kind of treatment, in particular with raw clay. Regarding the colour measurement, the lightness (L) as well as the consumers' acceptability exhibited a marked increase when oils were treated with raw clay

Prospective study of the primary evaluation of 1016 horses with clinical signs of abdominal pain by veterinary practitioners, and the differentiation of critical and non‑critical cases

Background: The majority of research on the evaluation of horses with colic is focused on referral hospital populations. Early identification of critical cases is important to optimise outcome and welfare. The aim of this prospective study was to survey the primary evaluation of horses with clinical signs of abdominal pain by veterinary practitioners, and compare the initial presentation of critical and non-critical cases. Results: Data from 1016 primary evaluations of horses presenting with clinical signs of colic were submitted by 167 veterinary practitioners across the United Kingdom over a 13 month period. The mean age of the study population was 13.5 years (median 12.0, range 0–42). Mean heart rate on primary presentation was 47 beats/min (median 44, range 18–125), mean respiratory rate was 20 breaths/min (median 16, range 6–100), and median gastrointestinal auscultation score (0–12, minimum–maximum) was 5 (range 0–12). Clinical signs assessed using a behavioural severity score (0–17, minimum–maximum), were between 0 and 6 in 70.4 % of cases, and 7 12 for 29.6 % of cases. Rectal examination was performed in 73.8 % of cases. Cases that responded positively to simple medical treatment were categorised retrospectively as ‘non-critical’; cases that required intensive medical treatment, surgical intervention, died or were euthanased were categorised as ‘critical’. Eight-hundred-and-twenty- two cases met these criteria; 76.4 % were ‘non-critical’ and 23.6 % were ‘critical’. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify features of the clinical presentation associated with critical cases. Five variables were retained in the final multivariable model: combined pain score: (OR 1.19, P 2.5 s (OR 3.21, P = 0.046, 95 % CI 1.023–10.09), weak pulse character (OR 2.90, P = 0.004, 95 % CI 1.39–5.99) and absence of gut sounds in ≥1 quadrant (OR 3.65, P < 0.001, 95 % CI 2.08–6.41). Conclusions: This is the first study comparing the primary presentation of critical and non-critical cases of abdominal pain. Pain, heart rate, gastrointestinal borborygmi and simple indicators of hypovolaemia were significant indicators of critical cases, even at the primary veterinary examination, and should be considered essential components of the initial assessment and triage of horses presenting with colic

Preliminary results of the project A.I.D.A. (Auto Immunity: Diagnosis Assisted by computer)

In this paper, are presented the preliminary results of the A.I.D.A. (Auto Immunity: Diagnosis Assisted by computer) project which is developed in the frame of the cross-border cooperation Italy-Tunisia. According to the main objectives of this project, a database of interpreted Indirect ImmunoFluorescence (IIF) images on HEp 2 cells is being collected thanks to the contribution of Italian and Tunisian experts involved in routine diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. Through exchanging images and double reporting; a Gold Standard database, containing around 1000 double reported IIF images with different patterns including negative tests, has been settled. This Gold Standard database has been used for optimization of a computing solution (CADComputer Aided Detection) and for assessment of its added value in order to be used along with an immunologist as a second reader in detection of auto antibodies for autoimmune disease diagnosis. From the preliminary results obtained, the CAD appeared more powerful than junior immunologists used as second readers and may significantly improve their efficacy

Computer-Assisted Classification Patterns in Autoimmune Diagnostics: The AIDA Project

Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are significant biomarkers in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases in humans, done by mean of Indirect ImmunoFluorescence (IIF)method, and performed by analyzing patterns and fluorescence intensity. This paper introduces the AIDA Project (autoimmunity: diagnosis assisted by computer) developed in the framework of an Italy-Tunisia cross-border cooperation and its preliminary results. A database of interpreted IIF images is being collected through the exchange of images and double reporting and a Gold Standard database, containing around 1000 double reported images, has been settled. The Gold Standard database is used for optimization of aCAD(Computer AidedDetection) solution and for the assessment of its added value, in order to be applied along with an Immunologist as a second Reader in detection of autoantibodies. This CAD system is able to identify on IIF images the fluorescence intensity and the fluorescence pattern. Preliminary results show that CAD, used as second Reader, appeared to perform better than Junior Immunologists and hence may significantly improve their efficacy; compared with two Junior Immunologists, the CAD system showed higher Intensity Accuracy (85,5% versus 66,0% and 66,0%), higher Patterns Accuracy (79,3% versus 48,0% and 66,2%), and higher Mean Class Accuracy (79,4% versus 56,7% and 64.2%)

Enhancing surface production of negative ions using nitrogen doped diamond in a deuterium plasma

The production of negative ions is of significant interest for applications including mass spectrometry, particle acceleration, material surface processing, and neutral beam injection for magnetic confinement fusion. Methods to improve the efficiency of the surface production of negative ions, without the use of low work function metals, are of interest for mitigating the complex engineering challenges these materials introduce. In this study we investigate the production of negative ions by doping diamond with nitrogen. Negatively biased ($-20$ V or $-130$ V), nitrogen doped micro-crystalline diamond films are introduced to a low pressure deuterium plasma (helicon source operated in capacitive mode, 2 Pa, 26 W) and negative ion energy distribution functions (NIEDFs) are measured via mass spectrometry with respect to the surface temperature (30$^{\circ}$C to 750$^{\circ}$C) and dopant concentration. The results suggest that nitrogen doping has little influence on the yield when the sample is biased at $-130$ V, but when a relatively small bias voltage of $-20$ V is applied the yield is increased by a factor of 2 above that of un-doped diamond when its temperature reaches 550$^{\circ}$C. The doping of diamond with nitrogen is a new method for controlling the surface production of negative ions, which continues to be of significant interest for a wide variety of practical applications

Application of an electronic tongue for Tunisian olive oils' classification according to olive cultivar or physicochemical parameters

Olive oil commercialization has a great impact on the economy of several countries, namely Tunisia, being prone to frauds. Therefore, it is important to establish analytical techniques to ensure labeling correctness concerning olive oil quality and olive cultivar. Traditional analytical techniques are quite expensive, time consuming and hardly applied in situ, considering the harsh environments of the olive industry. In this work, the feasibility of applying a potentiometric electronic tongue with cross-sensitivity lipid membranes to discriminate Tunisian olive oils according to their quality level (i.e., extra virgin, virgin or lampante olive oils) or autochthonous olive cultivar (i.e., cv Chétoui and cv Shali) was evaluated for the first time. Linear discrimination analysis coupled with the simulated annealing variable selection algorithm showed that the signal profiles of olive oils hydroethanolic extracts allowed olive oils discrimination according to physicochemical quality level (classification model based on 25 signals enabling 84 ± 9% correct classifications for repeated K-fold cross-validation), and olive cultivar (classification model based on 20 signals with an average sensitivity of 94 ± 6% for repeated K-fold cross-validation), regardless of the geographical origin and olive variety or the olive quality, respectively. The results confirmed, for the first time, the potential discrimination of the electronic tongue, attributed to the observed quantitative response (sensitivities ranging from 66.6 to +57.7 mV/decade) of the E-tongue multi-sensors towards standard solutions of polar compounds (aldehydes, esters and alcohols) usually found in olive oils and that are related to their sensory positive attributes like green and fruity.This work was financially supported by Project POCI-01–0145-FEDER-006984–Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM and by Project UID/QUI/00616/2013–CQ-VR both funded by FEDER—Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional through COMPETE2020-Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI)—and by national funds through FCTFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal. Strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit is also acknowledged. Nuno Rodrigues thanks FCT, POPH-QREN and FSE for the Ph.D. Grant (SFRH/ BD/104038/2014).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Class switch recombination junctions are not affected by the absence of the immunoglobulin heavy chain Eμ enhancer

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