Plant Extracts in Skin Care Products

Currently, in the cosmetic industry, there is an increasing interest in natural extracts, particularly plant extracts. The inclusion of antioxidants in topical formulations may contribute to minimize skin oxidative stress, which has been associated with aging. Many herbal agents used in cosmetics have been selected by a process of ‘trial and error’ and, thus, are used on the basis of experience rather than of experimental investigation. Nevertheless, there is now a growing scientific evidence that plants possess a vast and complex arsenal of active ingredients able not only to calm or smooth but also to actively restore, heal, and protect the human skin. In addition, plant extracts may contain compounds with antimicrobial or other beneficial properties, influencing the formulation of natural and non-chemical cosmetic products. The public trend towards natural and sustainable products is ongoing. Although the term “plant extract” inherently purports their beneficial and benign properties, these products could have adverse reactions in individuals. Therefore, it is essential to ensure quality and safety of these extracts in cosmetic products before embarking on the more arduous task of ensuring efficacy

Consumer perception of salt consumption and health effects: preliminary results

[PT] O sal é um ingrediente, um condimento e um nutriente, desempenhando um papel fulcral na alimentação humana. No entanto, o seu uso em excesso está associado a hipertensão arterial, um problema de saúde pública. Pretendeu-se avaliar a perceção do consumidor sobre o consumo de sal e os efeitos na saúde, visando sinalizar as principais fragilidades da população portuguesa relativas ao conhecimento sobre esta temática e quais as áreas prioritárias de intervenção. Foram inquiridos até ao momento 115 indivíduos, com idades compreendidas entre 16 e 83 anos. Apesar do nível considerável de literacia dos inquiridos, existe ainda algum desconhecimento relativo às alternativas ao uso do sal e à importância da avaliação frequente da tensão arterial. É necessário continuar a tomar medidas que permitam a redução do teor de sal dos alimentos, contribuindo para a melhoria do estado de saúde da população portuguesa.[EN] Salt is an ingredient, a condiment and a nutrient, playing a major role in human nutrition. However, its excessive use is associated with hypertension, a public health problem. This study intended to evaluate consumers' perception of salt consumption and health effects, in order to signal the main weaknesses of the Portuguese people on this issue and to point out the priority areas of intervention. Up to now 115 individuals have answered the questionnaire (age between 16 to 83 years). Despite the considerable level of literacy of subjects, there is still a lack of knowledge concerning alternatives to the use of salt and the importance of frequent assessment of blood pressure. It is necessary to continue to take measures for the reduction of salt content in food, contributing to the improvement of health status of the portuguese population.Trabalho financiado pelo INSA, IP (projeto PTranSALT-2012DAN828). TGA agradece a bolsa de doutoramento financiada pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Fundo Social Europeu e Ministério da Educação e Ciência (SFRH/BD/99718/2014)

Are there differences from a nutritional point of view between bakery products with and without gluten?

A doença celíaca é uma doença autoimune, desencadeada pela ingestão de glúten, em indivíduos com predisposição genética. O tratamento desta doença passa, única e exclusivamente, pela prática de uma alimentação isenta de glúten, ao longo de toda a vida do doente celíaco. Por este motivo, a indústria alimentar tem investido no aumento de oferta e variedade de produtos alimentares isentos de glúten. Este trabalho de investigação pretendeu avaliar diferenças, do ponto de vista nutricional, entre produtos de pastelaria com e sem glúten. Em 2015, foram adquiridos 14 produtos, dos quais 9 com glúten e 5 sem glúten. Determinaram-se os teores de gordura total, de sal e o perfil de ácidos gordos. As bolachas tipo “Crackers” e tipo “Maria” sem glúten apresentaram teores de gordura superiores aos produtos similares com glúten. No entanto, é muito importante avaliar que tipo de gordura se encontra nestes alimentos. Nas bolachas tipo “Maria” sem glúten a gordura era maioritariamente monoinsaturada, cuja ingestão está associada a um efeito protetor no desenvolvimento de doença coronária. Sendo este tipo de alimentos, apreciado por todas as faixas etárias, mas sobretudo por jovens, é muito importante alargar este trabalho de investigação a uma maior gama de produtos.The coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease triggered by the ingestion of foodstuffs with gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. The treatment of this disease is based on a gluten-free diet, which should be followed throughout life by the coeliac patient. For this reason, the food industry has developed efforts to increase the supply and variety of gluten-free foods. This research aimed to evaluate the differences from a nutritional point of view of bakery products with and without gluten. During 2015, 14 products of which 9 were with gluten and 5 were gluten-free were acquired in different food chains. Total fat, salt and fatty acid profile were determined in the selected samples. The "Crackers" and "Maria" gluten-free biscuits present a higher fat content than similar products with gluten. However, it is very important to evaluate what type of fat can be found in these foods. In "Maria" gluten-free biscuits fat is mostly monounsaturated, whose intake is associated with a protective effect on the development of coronary heart disease. As this type of food, is appreciated by all the age groups, but especially by young people, it is very important to extend this research to a wider range of products.Este trabalho foi financiado pelo INSA, no âmbito do projeto PTran- SALT (2012DAN828). Tânia Gonçalves Albuquerque agradece a bolsa de doutoramento (SFRH/BD/99718/2014) financiada pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Fundo Social Europeu e Ministério da Educação e Ciência.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Understanding Domain Wall Network Evolution

We study the cosmological evolution of domain wall networks in two and three spatial dimensions in the radiation and matter eras using a large number of high-resolution field theory simulations with a large dynamical range. We investigate the dependence of the uncertainty in key parameters characterising the evolution of the network on the size, dynamical range and number of spatial dimensions of the simulations and show that the analytic prediction compares well with the simulation results. We find that there is ample evidence from the simulations of a slow approach of domain wall networks towards a linear scaling solution. However, while at early times the uncertainty in the value of the scaling exponent is small enough for deviations from the scaling solution to be measured, at late times the error bars are much larger and no strong deviations from the scaling solution are found.Comment: 11 pages, 16 figure

The role of domain wall junctions in Carter's pentahedral model

The role of domain wall junctions in Carter's pentahedral model is investigated both analytically and numerically. We perform, for the first time, field theory simulations of such model with various initial conditions. We confirm that there are very specific realizations of Carter's model corresponding to square lattice configurations with X-type junctions which could be stable. However, we show that more realistic realizations, consistent with causality constraints, do lead to a scaling domain wall network with Y-type junctions. We determine the network properties and discuss the corresponding cosmological implications, in particular for dark energy.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Importance of vitamin C evaluation in infant and follow-on formulas

A vitamina C tem um papel crucial no crescimento e desenvolvimento saudáveis de bebés. As fórmulas infantis são muito consumidas por esta faixa etária e como tal, é de extrema importância garantir que esta vitamina esteja presente em concentrações adequadas. No presente trabalho de investigação, determinou-se o teor de vitamina C total, ácido L-ascórbico e ácido desidroascórbico em fórmulas infantis e compararam-se os resultados obtidos com os limites estabelecidos no Regulamento Delegado (UE) 2016/127. Em 2016, foram adquiridas 7 fórmulas infantis, 4 fórmulas para lactentes e 3 fórmulas de transição. Os teores totais de vitamina C determinados variaram entre 65,4 ± 0,28 e 134 ± 1,27 mg/100 g de amostra, encontrando-se dentro dos limites estabelecidos pela legislação em vigor. Uma vez que este tipo de produtos alimentares é muito importante na alimentação de consumidores de uma faixa etária tão jovem e tão vulnerável como são os lactentes, impõe-se a sua regulamentação, segurança e controlo da qualidade.Vitamin C plays a very important role in the healthy growth and development of babies. Infant and follow-on formulas are frequently consumed by this age group and it is extremely important to ensure that this vitamin is present in adequate concentrations in this type of products. This research aimed to determine the total vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid contents in infant foods, and compare the results obtained with the limits established in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127. In 2016, 7 infant foods, 4 infant formulas and 3 follow-on formulas, were acquired. All vitamin C contents obtained for the analysed samples, ranged from 65.4 ± 0.28 to 134 ± 1.27 mg/100 g of sample, and were within the established limits. Since this type of food products is very important to a group of consumers belonging to an age group as young and as vulnerable as the infants, regulation, safety and quality control of this type of products is of extreme importance.Este trabalho foi financiado pelo Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge no âmbito do projeto BioCOMP (2012DAN730). Tânia Gonçalves Albuquerque agradece a bolsa de doutoramento (SFRH/BD/99718/2014) financiada pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Fundo Social Europeu e Ministério da Educação e Ciência.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluating the impact of sprouting conditions on the glucosinolate content of Brassica oleracea sprouts

The glucosinolates content of brassica plants is a distinctive characteristic, representing a healthy advan- tage as many of these compounds are associated to antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties. Brassica sprouts are still an underutilized source of these bioactive compounds. In this work, four varieties of bras- sica sprouts (red cabbage, broccoli, Galega kale and Penca cabbage), including two local varieties from the North of Portugal, were grown to evaluate the glucosinolate profile and myrosinase activity during the sprouting. Also the influence of light/darkness exposure during sprouting on the glucosinolate content was assessed. Glucosinolate content and myrosinase activity of the sprouts was evaluated by HPLC meth- ods. All sprouts revealed a higher content of aliphatic glucosinolates than of indole glucosinolates, con- trary to the profile described for most of brassica mature plants. Galega kale sprouts had the highest glucosinolate content, mainly sinigrin and glucoiberin, which are recognized for their beneficial health effects. Penca cabbage sprouts were particularly richer in glucoraphanin, who was also one of the major compounds in broccoli sprouts. Red cabbage showed a higher content of progoitrin. Regarding myrosi- nase activity, Galega kale sprouts showed the highest values, revealing that the use of light/dark cycles and a sprouting phase of 7?9 days could be beneficial to preserve the glucosinolate content of this variety.B514-8F2F-A1FB | Ana ValeN/

Pre-meal tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) intake can have anti-obesity effects in young women?

The effect of pre-meal tomato intake in the anthropometric indices and blood levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, and uric acid of a young women population (n = 35, 19.6 ± 1.3 years) was evaluated. During 4 weeks, daily, participants ingested a raw ripe tomato (∼90 g) before lunch. Their anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured repeatedly during the follow-up time. At the end of the 4 weeks, significant reductions were observed on body weight (−1.09 ± 0.12 kg on average), % fat (−1.54 ± 0.52%), fasting blood glucose (−5.29 ± 0.80 mg/dl), triglycerides (−8.31 ± 1.34 mg/dl), cholesterol (−10.17 ± 1.21 mg/dl), and uric acid (−0.16 ± 0.04 mg/dl) of the participants. The tomato pre-meal ingestion seemed to interfere positively in body weight, fat percentage, and blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, and uric acid of the young adult women that participated in this study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multi-frequency multimode modulated technology as a clean, fast, and sustainable process to recover antioxidants from a coffee by-product

Coffee chaff is a major coffee roasting by-product that could be valued as a source of antioxidants. In the present work, we compared classic, but optimized, solid-liquid extraction conditions with a new concept, namely, the Multi-frequency Multimode Modulated (MMM) vibration technique. The extracts obtained by both methods were analysed and compared in relation to several parameters, namely, phenolics profile (by HPLC/DAD), 5-caffeoylquinic acid content, total phenolics content, and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power. Compared to an optimized solid-liquid extraction (using a hydroethanolic solvent (1:1) at 40 °C for 60 min), the acoustic probe allowed a higher recovery of antioxidants in only 10 min and using only water as extraction solvent. Moreover, the effects that arise from the acoustic cavitation in the medium allowed the suppression of the sample preparation step (grinding). These results show that this type of technology can be of high interest to recover antioxidants from natural matrices, in a green, fast and very efficient way.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio