In vitro and in vivo nutraceutical characterization of two chickpea accessions: Differential effects on hepatic lipid over-accumulation

Dietary habits are crucially important to prevent the development of lifestyle-associated diseases. Diets supplemented with chickpeas have numerous benefits and are known to improve body fat composition. The present study was undertaken to characterize two genetically and phenotypically distinct accessions, MG_13 and PI358934, selected from a global chickpea collection. Rat hepatoma FaO cells treated with a mixture of free fatty acids (FFAs) (O/P) were used as an in vitro model of hepatic steatosis. In parallel, a high-fat diet (HFD) animal model was also established. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that both chickpea accessions showed a significant antioxidant ability. However, only MG_13 reduced the lipid over-accumulation in steatotic FaO cells and in the liver of HFD fed mice. Moreover, mice fed with HFD + MG_13 displayed a lower level of glycemia and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) than HFD mice. Interestingly, exposure to MG_13 prevented the phosphorylation of the inflammatory nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-kB) which is upregulated during HFD and known to be linked to obesity. To conclude, the comparison of the two distinct chickpea accessions revealed a beneficial effect only for the MG_13. These findings highlight the importance of studies addressing the functional characterization of chickpea biodiversity and nutraceutical properties

The Effect of Adjuvant Radiotherapy on One- and Two-Stage Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction and on Autologous Reconstruction: A Multicenter Italian Study among 18 Senonetwork Breast Centres

Purpose. In modern breast cancer treatment, a growing role has been observed for breast reconstruction together with an increase in clinical indications for postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT). Choosing the optimum type of reconstructive technique is a clinical challenge. We therefore conducted a national multicenter study to analyze the impact of PMRT on breast reconstruction. Methods. We conducted a retrospective case-control multicenter study on women undergoing breast reconstruction. Data were collected from 18 Italian Breast Centres and stored in a cumulative database which included the following: autologous reconstruction, direct-to-implant (DTI), and tissue expander/immediate (TE/I). For all patients, we described complications and surgical endpoints to complications such as reconstruction failure, explant, change in type of reconstruction, and reintervention. Results. From 2001 to April 2020, 3116 patients were evaluated. The risk for any complication was significantly increased in patients receiving PMRT (aOR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.33-2.24; p<0.001). PMRT was associated with a significant increase in the risk of capsular contracture in the DTI and TE/I groups (aOR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.57-3.20; p<0.001). Comparing type of procedures, the risk of failure (aOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.06-3.12, p=0.030), explant (aOR, 3.34; 95% CI, 3.85-7.83, p<0.001), and severe complications (aOR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.88-3.43, p<0.001) were significantly higher in the group undergoing DTI reconstruction as compared to TE/I reconstruction. Conclusion. Our study confirms that autologous reconstruction is the procedure least impacted by PMRT, while DTI appears to be the most impacted by PMRT, when compared with TE/I which shows a lower rate of explant and reconstruction failure. The trial is registered with NCT04783818, and the date of registration is 1 March, 2021, retrospectively registered

South Green Galaxy: a suite of tools for plant genomics

Playwright: N/A Director: N/A Academic Year: 2000-2001https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/production_images/2682/thumbnail.jp

Characterisation of traditional Albanian breads derived from different cereals

The long isolation of Albania and the scarcity of raw materials has traditionally led to the production of bread from crops other than wheat, like maize, which is the basic ingredient for maize bread (buk misri), rye, which is used to prepare rye bread (buk thekre), and chick-pea, used in chick-pea bread (buk me qiqre). Today, these traditional breads are accompanied by other types, such as brown bread from soft wheat (buk zize). In the present work, the traditional Albanian breads were characterised in order to assess their quality. The results obtained indicated that the protein content reflected the characteristics of the raw material used, being higher in the chick-pea bread and in bread made from high extraction rate wheat flour, while both fat and yellow pigment levels were higher in maize bread. A high humidity value was found in many of the breads examined, especially in maize bread, with consequent risks of moulds and a shortened shelf-life

Messa a punto di un impianto di raffinazione per oli alimentari su scala di laboratorio

THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DEVELOP A LABORATORY SCALE REFINING PLANT TO SIMULAT E THE INDUSTRIAL PRO C E S S I NG CO N D I T I O N S IN ORDER TO BETTER INVESTIGATE THE INFLUENCE OF THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESS ON THE OIL DEGRADATION. THE COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT POSSIBLE PROCESSING CONDITIONS ALLOWED THE OPTIMAL PARAMETERS TO BE SET UP IN ORDER TO OBTAIN LABORATORY REFINED OILS HAVING SIMILAR ANALYTICAL PROPERTIES TO THOSE OF INDUSTRIALLY REFINED OILS

Vacuum-Packaging of ripened sausages: assessment of the sensorial and chemical characteristics and of the lipid fraction degradation

In order to determine the influence of vacuum-packaging on the sensorial characteristics and on the degradation of the sausages’ lipid fraction, vacuum-packaged ripened sausages were stored for forty days and compared with the same sausages before the packaging at the end of their ripening period. As regards the sensory properties, vacuum-packaged sausages showed, after the storage period, significantly lower mean scores of red intensity (p < 0.01), global flavour (p < 0.05) and ripened flavour (p < 0.001), thus indicating a minor overall appreciation by the panellists, while no significant differences were found in relation to the descriptors that are considered defects for this category of products. Moreover, the obtained data showed a significant increase of the oxidative and hydrolytic degradation during the storage in vacuum packaging