Depression and Demographical Features in Diabetic Patients

Depression is one of the psychiatric prevalent illnesses across the world. Depression is an illness which has a direct relationship with diabetes. The purpose of determining the level of depression among the diabetic persons referring to Rasht diabetes center. This research is a correlation - descriptive study which was conducted using the simple random sampling method within 3 months on 144 subjects of the social workers afflicted with diabetes referring to Rasht diabetes center in 2008. Data gathering tool was a questionnaire consisting of two parts. The first and second parts of the questionnaire consisted of demographic data and Back depression standard, respectively. Finally, the data out of this research were analyzed by using the SPSS version 15 statistical software and T-test statistical tests. Results showed that out of 144 subjects, there were 79.86 % female and 20.14% male, 16 people (11.1%) forty years old and younger, 18 people (12.5%) older than 65 years, and 2.1% single and 6.9% divorced. In one hand, in terms of education level, 47.9% and 6.9% were illiterate and educated, respectively. On the other hand, in terms of the illness type, 25 people (17.4%) and 75 people (82.6%) were afflicted with diabetes types 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, statistical tests showed that 35.41% of tester were afflicted with acute depression of which 88.23%, 84.31%, and 84.33% were female, married, and afflicted with diabetes type 2, respectively. It was also shown that there is a significant relationship between depression and gender (p=0.004), marital status (p< 0.05), educations level (p<0.05), and jobs of the afflicted (p<0.05). The present study shows that there is a significant relationship between the depression in people afflicted with diabetes and their gender, marital status, educations level, and jobs and also 22.22%, 22.22%, 19.47% and 35.41% of the people were afflicted with weak, low, average, and acute depression. Sheikholeslami F, Norozi Nia R, Mirpoor ZS, Tavakoly Vardanjani A, Esmaeili Vardanjani SA. Depression and Demographical Features in Diabetic Patient. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):5542-5547] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 82

Lignin/Carbohydrate Complex Isolated from Posidonia oceanica Sea Balls (Egagropili): Characterization and Antioxidant Reinforcement of Protein-Based Films

A lignin fraction (LF) was extracted from the sea balls of Posidonia oceanica (egagropili) and extensively dialyzed and characterized by FT-IR and NMR analyses. LF resulted water soluble and exhibited a brownish-to-black color with the highest absorbance in the range of 250-400 nm, attributed to the chromophore functional groups present in the phenylpropane-based polymer. LF high-performance size exclusion chromatography analysis showed a highly represented (98.77%) species of 34.75 kDa molecular weight with a polydispersity index of 1.10 and an intrinsic viscosity of 0.15. Quantitative analysis of carbohydrates indicated that they represented 28.3% of the dry weight of the untreated egagropili fibers and 72.5% of that of LF. In particular, eight different monosaccharides were detected (fucose, arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose, xylose, glucosamine and glucuronic acid), glucuronic acid (46.6%) and rhamnose (29.6%) being the most present monosaccharides in the LF. Almost all the phenol content of LF (113.85 ± 5.87 mg gallic acid eq/g of extract) was water soluble, whereas around 22% of it consisted of flavonoids and only 10% of the flavonoids consisted of anthocyanins. Therefore, LF isolated from egagropili lignocellulosic material could be defined as a water-soluble lignin/carbohydrate complex (LCC) formed by a phenol polymeric chain covalently bound to hemicellulose fragments. LCC exhibited a remarkable antioxidant activity that remained quite stable during 6 months and could be easily incorporated into a protein-based film and released from the latter overtime. These findings suggest egagropili LCC as a suitable candidate as an antioxidant additive for the reinforcement of packaging of foods with high susceptibility to be deteriorated in aerobic conditions

Functionalization of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)-Based Bioplastic with Phloretin for Active Food Packaging: Characterization of Its Mechanical, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities

: The formulation of eco-friendly biodegradable packaging has received great attention during the last decades as an alternative to traditional widespread petroleum-based food packaging. With this aim, we designed and tested the properties of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)-based bioplastics functionalized with phloretin as far as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and morpho-mechanic features are concerned. Mechanical and hydrophilicity features investigations revealed a mild influence of phloretin on the novel materials as a function of the concentration utilized (5, 7.5, 10, and 20 mg) with variation in FTIR e RAMAN spectra as well as in mechanical properties. Functionalization of PHA-based polymers resulted in the acquisition of the antioxidant activity (in a dose-dependent manner) tested by DPPH, TEAC, FRAR, and chelating assays, and in a decrease in the growth of food-borne pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 13932). Finally, apple samples were packed in the functionalized PHA films for 24, 48, and 72 h, observing remarkable effects on the stabilization of apple samples. The results open the possibility to utilize phloretin as a functionalizing agent for bioplastic formulation, especially in relation to food packaging

Silver bionanocomposites as active food packaging: recent advances & future trends tackling the food waste crisis

Food waste is a pressing global challenge leading to over $1 trillion lost annually and contributing up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Extensive study has been directed toward the use of active biodegradable packaging materials to improve food quality, minimize plastic use, and en-courage sustainable packaging technology development. However, this has been achieved with limited success, which can mainly be attributed to poor material properties and high production costs. In the recent literature, the integration of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has shown to improve the properties of biopolymer, prompting the development of bionanocomposites. Furthermore, the antibacterial properties of AgNPs against foodborne pathogens leads towards food shelf-life im-provement and provides a route towards reducing food waste. However, few reviews have ana-lyzed AgNPs holistically throughout a portfolio of biopolymers from an industrial perspective. Hence, this review critically analyses the antibacterial, barrier, mechanical, thermal, and water resistance properties of AgNP-based bionanocomposites. These advanced materials are also discussed in terms of food packaging applications and assessed in terms of their performance in enhancing food shelf-life. Finally, the current barriers towards the commercialization of AgNP bionanocomposites are critically discussed to provide an industrial action plan towards the development of sustainable packaging materials to reduce food waste

Advancing food preservation: sustainable Green-AgNPs bionanocomposites in paper-starch flexible packaging for prolonged shelf life

In the pursuit of enhancing food packaging, nanotechnology, particularly green silver nanoparticles (G-AgNPs), have gained prominence for its remarkable antimicrobial properties with high poten-tial for food shelf-life extension. Our study aims to develop corn starch-based coating materials reinforced with G-AgNPs. The mechanical properties were examined using a uniaxial tensile tester, revealing that starch coated with the highest G-AgNPs concentration (12.75 ppm) exhibited UTS of 87.6 MPa compared to 48.48 MPa of control paper, a significant (p < 0.02) 65% increase. The assessment of the WVP showcased a statistical reduction in permeability by up to 8% with the incorporation of the hydrophobic layer. Furthermore, antibacterial properties were assessed fol-lowing ISO 22196:2011, demonstrating a strong and concentration-dependent activity of G-AgNPs against E. coli. All samples successfully disintegrated in both simulated environments (soil and seawater), including samples presenting G-AgNPs. In the food trial analysis, the presence of starch and G-AgNPs significantly reduced weight loss after 6 days, with cherry tomatoes decreasing by 8.59% and green grapes by 6.77% only. The results of this study contribute to the advancement of environmentally friendly packaging materials, aligning with the UN sustainable development goals of reducing food waste and promoting sustainability

Protein-based bioplastics from seed oilcakes

The use of petroleum-based plastics in different fields, such as food and pharmaceutical sectors, has increased significantly in the last 50 years, being the durability of the plastic materials, as well as their outstanding features, the main reason of their success. However, their worldwide applications led to huge waste-disposal problems and, as a consequence, to a dramatic environmental pollution. These issues have encouraged innovation and research activities in the field of biodegradable plastics, offering alternatives for conventional plastics. One potential option to pursue would be to explore agri-food wastes and by-products for bioplastic production. Numerous different seeds are utilized for edible and non-edible oil extraction and seed by-products following oil extraction. These by-products are known as seed oil cakes (SOCs) and represent roughly 50% of the original seed weight. Since SOCs are rich in fibers, proteins and secondary metabolites, they are considered as promising candidates to be raw material consumed in a biorefinery for the production of bioplastics. In this scenario the present thesis provides insights into the production and characterization of bioplastics obtained by using the proteins extracted from hemp (Cannabis sativa), cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) and argan (Argania spinosa L.) SOCs. Different conditions, such as i) change in pH, ii) protein amount and iii) plasticizer concentration were exploited in order to find the best conditions to develop these protein-based films. To achieve innovative films with improved features the films showing the best characteristics were also modified by adding different additives. Hemp proteins (HPs) and cardoon proteins (CPs) were preliminarily cross-linked by means of microbial transglutaminase (mTGase) and an improvement in both mechanical and barrier properties of the derived films was observed. The results obtained from wrapping peanuts revealed that films prepared with enzyme-modified CPs are able to prolong the shelf life of the oily food. Moreover, nanocrystalline cellulose (NC) and the lignin fraction (LF), obtained from egagropili and added to the HP-based film forming solutions, enhanced the film technological properties. To develop an active bioplastic, cardoon leaf extract (CLE) was tested as additive of CP-based films and a further enhancement of the mechanical, barrier properties and antioxidant activity of the obtained materials was observed. Finally the interfacial properties of the SOC proteins and the surface wetting of the obtained bioplastics were studied in the period of stay at the Department of Applied Physics of the University of Granada (Spain)

Biorefining of seed oil cakes as industrial co-streams for production of innovative bioplastics. A review

Background: Numerous different seeds are utilized for edible oil extraction and seed by-products following oil extraction, known as seed oil cakes, represent roughly 50% of the original seed weight. Since seed oil cakes are rich in fibers, proteins and secondary metabolites, they are considered as promising candidates to be raw material to be consumed in a biorefinery for the production of high-value added products according to circular economy paradigms. Several studies have been performed on the potential uses of seed oil cakes derived from different plant species. Scope and approach: This review, resulting from a collection of experimental results by databases, as well as by topic and keyword search, summarizes the current use of most seed oil cakes so far utilized, as well as that of additional four seed cakes obtained from plants having an economically significant relevance due to their food, nutraceutical or pharmaceutical properties: sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), hemp (Cannabis sativa), cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) and black cumin (Nigella sativa). Various attempts have been done to convert their protein content into a renewable source for producing biodegradable and edible plastics, potentially attractive mainly for food and agricultural industries, as substitutes of the highly polluting petroleum-based plastics. Key findings and conclusions: Seed oil cakes are generally used as animal feed supplementation, plant fertilizer or soil compost due to their high protein, carbohydrate and nitrogen contents. More recently, novel exploitations of the seed oil cakes are under study, such as the production of biofuels and bioplastics. Therefore, seed oil cakes may represent an attractive feedstock for the development of biorefineries through the edible or not edible oil production

Hemp (Cannabis sativa) seed oilcake as a promising by-product for developing protein-based films: Effect of transglutaminase-induced crosslinking

Protein concentrates were obtained from hemp seed oilcakes (OCs) and investigated as potential waste-derived source of biodegradable films at different protein and glycerol concentrations and at different pH values. These studies indicated that hemp protein (HP) film forming solutions gave rise to higher performance films when cast at pH 12 in the presence of 50% glycerol (w/w protein) used as plasticizer. Since HPs were demonstrated to act as both acyl donor and acceptor substrates of microbial transglutaminase (mTGase), they have been used as raw material to obtain films also after enzyme treatment. Film morphological characterization demonstrated that mTGase treatment was effective to produce more homogeneous and smoother films, influencing in turn positively their properties. In fact, mTGase-crosslinked films were shown to be more resistant, still flexible and exhibited a higher heat-sealing strength. In addition, the enzymatic treatment of HPs originated bio-plastics with a higher gas permeability and a greater hydrophobicity. These findings suggest the possibility to exploit the mTGase-crosslinked proteins derived from hemp OC as a promising source to produce bio-based materials useful as packaging systems for protecting food products from physical contamination and, thus, for extending their shelf-life

Argan (Argania spinosa L.) Seed Oil Cake as a Potential Source of Protein-Based Film Matrix for Pharmaco-Cosmetic Applications

Various different agri-food biomasses might be turned into renewable sources for producing biodegradable and edible plastics, potentially attractive for food, agricultural and cosmeceutical sectors. In this regard, different seeds utilized for edible and non-edible oil extraction give rise to high amounts of organic by-products, known as seed oil cakes (SOCs), potentially able to become protein-rich resources useful for the manufacturing of biodegradable films. This study reports the potential of SOC derived from Argania spinosa (argan), a well-known plant containing valuable non-refined oil suitable for food or cosmetic use, to be a promising valuable source for production of a protein-based matrix of biomaterials to be used in the pharmaco-cosmetic sector. Thus, glycerol-plasticized films were prepared by casting and drying using different amounts of argan seed protein concentrate, in the presence of increasing glycerol concentrations, and characterized for their morphological, mechanical, barrier, and hydrophilicity properties. In addition, their antioxidant activity and effects on cell viability and wound healing were investigated. The hydrophobic nature of the argan protein-based films, and their satisfying physicochemical and biological properties, suggest a biorefinery approach for the recycling of argan SOC as valuable raw material for manufacturing new products to be used in the cosmeceutical and food industries

Lignin/Carbohydrate Complex Isolated from Posidonia oceanica Sea Balls (Egagropili): Characterization and Antioxidant Reinforcement of Protein-Based Films

: A lignin fraction (LF) was extracted from the sea balls of Posidonia oceanica (egagropili) and extensively dialyzed and characterized by FT-IR and NMR analyses. LF resulted water soluble and exhibited a brownish-to-black color with the highest absorbance in the range of 250-400 nm, attributed to the chromophore functional groups present in the phenylpropane-based polymer. LF high-performance size exclusion chromatography analysis showed a highly represented (98.77%) species of 34.75 kDa molecular weight with a polydispersity index of 1.10 and an intrinsic viscosity of 0.15. Quantitative analysis of carbohydrates indicated that they represented 28.3% of the dry weight of the untreated egagropili fibers and 72.5% of that of LF. In particular, eight different monosaccharides were detected (fucose, arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose, xylose, glucosamine and glucuronic acid), glucuronic acid (46.6%) and rhamnose (29.6%) being the most present monosaccharides in the LF. Almost all the phenol content of LF (113.85 ± 5.87 mg gallic acid eq/g of extract) was water soluble, whereas around 22% of it consisted of flavonoids and only 10% of the flavonoids consisted of anthocyanins. Therefore, LF isolated from egagropili lignocellulosic material could be defined as a water-soluble lignin/carbohydrate complex (LCC) formed by a phenol polymeric chain covalently bound to hemicellulose fragments. LCC exhibited a remarkable antioxidant activity that remained quite stable during 6 months and could be easily incorporated into a protein-based film and released from the latter overtime. These findings suggest egagropili LCC as a suitable candidate as an antioxidant additive for the reinforcement of packaging of foods with high susceptibility to be deteriorated in aerobic conditions