Microencapsulation of fish oil by casein-pectin complexes and gum arabic microparticles: oxidative stabilisation.

This study was aimed to microencapsulate fish oil (FO) in two biocompatible polymeric blends: gum arabic (GA)-maltodextrin (MD) and casein-pectin (CP)-MD. GA-MD microparticles and CP-MD microparticles were produced by spray-drying and complex coacervation and spray-drying, respectively. Encapsulation efficiency, particle size, moisture content, oxidative stability, and morphological properties were analysed.

Fish oil attenuates persistent inflammatory pain in rats through modulation of TNF-α and resolvins.

Unlabelled: Fish oil (FO), source of omega-3 fatty acids (FA), has been widely studied in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and inflammatory pain (IP). Omega-3 FA give rise to eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, metabolized to eicosanoids and converted to resolvins with important anti-inflammatory action.

Aims: This study investigates the effects of oral doses of omega-3 FA from FO and concentrated fish oil (CFO) in a model of sub-chronic IP, induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA).

Effect of different home-cooking methods on the bioaccessibility of zinc and iron in conventionally bred cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) consumed in Brazil.

Background: The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Wap.) is an excellent source of iron and zinc.

Effects of cooking methods on the iron and zinc contents in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) to combat nutritional deficiencies in Brazil.

Background: Because iron deficiency anemia is prevalent in developing countries, determining the levels of iron and zinc in beans, the second most consumed staple food in Brazil, is essential, especially for the low-income people who experience a deficiency of these minerals in their diet.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cooking methods by measuring the iron and zinc contents in cowpea cultivars before and after soaking to determine the retention of these minerals.

Methods: The samples were cooked in both regular pans and pressure cookers with and without previous soaking.

In vivo and in vitro evaluation of octyl methoxycinnamate liposomes.

Unlabelled: Solar radiation causes damage to human skin, and photoprotection is the main way to prevent these harmful effects. The development of sunscreen formulations containing nanosystems is of great interest in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries because of the many potential benefits. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) liposomal nanosystem (liposome/OMC) to obtain a sunscreen formulation with improved safety and efficacy by retaining OMC for longer on the stratum corneum.

DNA methylation: a promising target for the twenty-first century.

Background: Over the last few years DNA methylation and its involvement in diseases such as cancer has become of great interest for applied research. Since reversal of aberrant DNA methylation may influence the behavior of tumors, the methylation of DNA CpG sites is a potential target for the development of inhibitors for use in cancer treatment.

Objective/methods: We briefly review the structural and mechanistic features of DNA methylation, including a structural analysis of the three main human DNA methyltransferases and some (pre)clinical results.

Preparation of a very stable immobilized biocatalyst of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger.

Glucose oxidase (GOX) has been immobilized on different activated supports, including glyoxyl agarose, epoxy sepabeads and glutaraldehyde-activated supports. Immobilization onto supports pre-activated with glutaraldehyde rendered the most thermo-stable preparation of GOX. Therefore, as the glutaraldehyde chemistry gave a high stabilization of the enzyme, we proposed another technique for improving the multipoint attachment through glutaraldehyde: the enzyme was ionically adsorbed on cationic supports with primary amino groups and then the immobilized preparation was treated with a glutaraldehyde solution.

Enzyme stabilization by glutaraldehyde crosslinking of adsorbed proteins on aminated supports.

The stabilization achieved by different immobilization protocols have been compared using three different enzymes (glutaryl acylase (GAC), D-aminoacid oxidase (DAAO), and glucose oxidase (GOX)): adsorption on aminated supports, treatment of this adsorbed enzymes with glutaraldehyde, and immobilization on glutaraldehyde pre-activated supports. In all cases, the treatment of adsorbed enzymes on amino-supports with glutaraldehyde yielded the higher stabilizations: in the case of GOX, a stabilization over 400-fold was achieved. After this treatment, the enzymes could no longer be desorbed from the supports using high ionic strength (suggesting the support-protein reaction).

A new sunscreen of the cinnamate class: synthesis and enzymatic hydrolysis evaluation of glyceryl esters of p-methoxycinnamic acid.

Glyceryl esters of p-methoxycinnamic acid, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-p-methoxycinnamoyl-1,2,3-propanetriol and 1,3-dioctanoyl-2-p-methoxycinnamoyl-1,2,3-propanetriol were synthesised in an attempt to increase substantivity and decrease eventual undesirable effects of sunscreens of this class. To assess if the glyceryl esters could present a higher stability towards hydrolysis by lipases in the stratum corneum, hydrolysis rates were determined in vitro using a commercial fungal lipase from Rhizomucor miehei. Results presented herein show that the glyceryl esters have similar lambda(max) and epsilon values to sunscreens of the cinnamate class.