In Situ Polymerization of Linseed Oil-Based Composite Film: Enhancement of Mechanical and Water Barrier Properties by the Incorporation of Cinnamaldehyde and Organoclay

Linseed oil-based composite films were prepared with cinnamaldehyde (Cin) using a modified clay (organoclay) through in situ polymerization, which is the result of the interaction between Cin and organoclay. The incorporation of organoclay reduces the polymer chain’s mobility and, therefore, increases the thermal stability of the composite films. In some experimental conditions, the clay is located both inside and on the surface of the film, thus, affecting the mechanical and thermal properties as well as the surface properties of the composite films. The incorporation of organoclay decreases the water contact angle of the composite film by more than 15%, whatever the amount of cinnamaldehyde. However, the incorporation of cinnamaldehyde has the opposite effect on film surface properties. Indeed, for the water vapor permeability (WVP), the effect of cinnamaldehyde on the film barrier properties is much higher in the presence of organoclay. The incorporation of hydrophobic compounds into the polymer films reduces the water content, which acts as a plasticizer and, therefore, decreases the WVP by more than 17%. Linseed oil has a natural antioxidant activity (~97%) due to the higher content of unsaturated fatty acids, and this activity increased with the amount of organoclay and cinnamaldehyde

Complement receptor 1 gene polymorphisms in Tunisian

patients with systemic lupus erythematosu

© 2010 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper

polymorphisms and susceptibility to systemic lupus and rheumatoid arthritis in Tunisian populatio

Molecular Investigation of Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis in Tunisia, Evidence for Founder Mutations

International audienceBackground: Distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) is a rare genetic disease caused by mutations in different genes involved in the secretion of H+ ions in the intercalated cells of the collecting duct. Both autosomal dominant and recessive forms have been described; the latter is also associated with sensorineural hearing loss. Methods: Twenty-two Tunisian families were analyzed for mutations in the ATP6V1B1 and ATP6V0A4 genes by direct sequencing. Dating of the founder mutations was performed. Results: Two founder mutations in the ATP6V1B1 gene were found in 16/27 dRTA cases. The p.Ile386Hisfs*56 founder mutation was estimated to be older than 2400 years and no correlations were found with deafness. For the remaining patients, two mutations in the ATP6V0A4 gene, one of them being novel, were found in three Tunisian cases. The presence of a heterozygous missense mutation p.T30I, of the ATP6V1B1 gene, was identified in six patients, while no mutations of the second gene were detected. No deleterious mutations of either ATP6V1B1 or ATP6V0A were found for the two probands. Conclusion: Our study gives evidence of phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity of dRTA in the Tunisian population. Five different mutations were found, two of them were due to a founder effect, and screening of these mutations could provide a rapid and valuable tool for diagnosis of dRTA

Functional Quality and Radical Scavenging Activity of Selected Watermelon (<i>Citrullus lanatus</i> (Thunb.) Mansfeld) Genotypes as Affected by Early and Full Cropping Seasons

Growing conditions and seasonal fluctuations are critical factors affecting fruit and vegetable nutritional quality. The effects of two partially overlapping cropping seasons, early (ECS; January–May) and full (FCS; March–July), on the main carpometric traits and bioactive components of different watermelon fruits were investigated in the open field. Four watermelon genotypes, comprising of three commercial cultivars ‘Crimson Sweet’, ‘Dumara’, ‘Giza’, and the novel hybrid ‘P503 F1’, were compared. The carpometric traits varied significantly between genotypes. Soluble solids and yield were higher under FCS than ECS. The variation affecting colour indexes between the two growing seasons exhibited a genotype-dependent trend. The antioxidant components and radical scavenging activity of watermelon fruits were also significantly affected by differences in received solar energy and temperature fluctuations during the trial period. The average citrulline, total phenolics and flavonoid contents were 93%, 71% and 40% higher in FCS than in ECS. A genotype-dependent variation trend was also observed for lycopene and total vitamin C between cropping seasons. The hydrophilic and lipophilic radical scavenging activities of the pulp of ripe watermelon fruits of the different genotypes investigated varied between 243.16 and 425.31 µmol Trolox Equivalent (TE) of 100 g−1 of fresh weight (fw) and from 232.71 to 341.67 µmol TE of 100 g−1 fw in FCS and ECS, respectively. Our results, although preliminary, show that the functional quality of watermelon fruits is drastically altered depending on the environmental conditions that characterize the ECS and LCS