Food processing and its impact on phenolic constituents in food

Most food processing techniques involve a sequence of operations bringing about the desired changes in the raw material, with each operation having its impact on the food constituents. For bioactive compounds (phenolics) to exert their positive health effect, they first have to withstand food processing conditions, be released from the food matrix and be bioaccessible in the gastrointestinal tract, undergo metabolism and reach the target tissue of interest. Because of their possible biological effects in humans, it is necessary that changes in phenolic compounds during processing should be evaluated to assess the dietary value of the processed products. Data on the effect of processing on phenolic compounds show that food processing plays a significant role in the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of polyphenols. Consequently, food processing research should be tailored towards optimisation of processing methods that have the potential of retaining, releasing or at best transforming these compounds into more bioavailable forms

Caffeic acid loading wound dressing : physicochemical and biological characterization

AIM: Caffeic acid has been described as active against bacteria commonly isolated from wound infections. However, its low stability and poor solubility reduce caffeic acid applicability as a pharmaceutical product. These parameters can be enhanced by complexation with cyclodextrin. The main goal of the present work was to incorporate caffeic acid on cyclodextrin-based hydrogels capable of controlled delivery, in order to be used as antibacterial wound dressing. MATERIALS & METHODS: Cyclodextrin-based hydrogels were prepared by direct crosslinking of -cyclodextrin or hydroxypropyl--cyclodextrin with 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether in the presence of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. RESULTS: The hydrogels obtained combine good physicochemical properties (viscoelasticity, superabsorbency and high ability to retain and deliver caffeic acid) with the preservation of caffeic acid' antibacterial activity and effect on fibroblasts, with gel--cyclodextrin the most suited. CONCLUSION: The hydrogels obtained could be useful as caffeic acid delivery-system devices for the treatment of wound infections.The authors are grateful for the FCT StrategicProject PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and the Project 'BioHealth- Biotechnology and Bioengineering approaches to improve healthquality', ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000027, co-funded by the 'Programa Operacional Regional do Norte' (ON. 2-O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER. The authors also acknowledge the project 'Consolidating Research Expertise and Resources on Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology at CEB/IBB', ref. FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462. This work is also funded by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors-COMPETE and National Funds through FCT- Foundation for Science and Technology under the project PEst-C/CTM/UI0264/2011. Additionally, the authors would like to thank the FCT for the grant for E Pinho (SFRH/BD/62665/2009).The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed

Numerical analysis on the elastic deformation of the tools in sheet metal forming processes

The forming tools are commonly assumed as rigid in the finite element simulation of sheet metal forming processes. This assumption allows to simplify the numerical model and, subsequently, reduce the required computational cost. Nevertheless, the elastic deformation of the tools can influence considerably the material flow, specifically the distribution of the blank-holder pressure over the flange area. This study presents the finite element analysis of the reverse deep drawing of a cylindrical cup, where the forming tools are modelled either as rigid or as deformable bodies. Additionally, the numerical results are compared with the experimental ones, in order to assess the accuracy of the proposed finite element model. Considering the elastic deformation of the tools, the numerical results are in better agreement with the experimental measurements, namely the cup wall thickness distribution. On the other hand, the computational time of the simulation increases significantly in comparison with the classical approach (rigid tools).The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under projects with reference UID/EMS/00285/2013, P2020- PTDC/EMS-TEC/0702/2014 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016779) and P2020-PTDC/EMS-TEC/6400/2014 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016876) by UE/FEDER through the program COMPETE2020. The first author is also grateful to the FCT for the Postdoctoral grant SFRH/BPD/101334/2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The serum metabolome mediates the concert of diet, exercise, and neurogenesis, determining the risk for cognitive decline and dementia

Introduction: Diet and exercise influence the risk of cognitive decline (CD) and dementia through the food metabolome and exercise-triggered endogenous factors, which use the blood as a vehicle to communicate with the brain. These factors might act in concert with hippocampal neurogenesis (HN) to shape CD and dementia. Methods: Using an in vitro neurogenesis assay, we examined the effects of serum samples from a longitudinal cohort (n = 418) on proxy HN readouts and their association with future CD and dementia across a 12-year period. Results: Altered apoptosis and reduced hippocampal progenitor cell integrity were associated with exercise and diet and predicted subsequent CD and dementia. The effects of exercise and diet on CD specifically were mediated by apoptosis. Discussion: Diet and exercise might influence neurogenesis long before the onset of CD and dementia. Alterations in HN could signify the start of the pathological process and potentially represent biomarkers for CD and dementia