Microwave-Induced Combustion in Disposable Vessels: A Novel Perspective for Sample Digestion.

A novel system for sample digestion was proposed based on microwave-induced combustion in disposable vessels (MIC-DV) for trace elements determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). As a proof of concept, botanical samples were digested by MIC-DV for further determination of Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sr, and Zn. The system consists of a quartz holder (a modified version of conventional MIC) placed inside disposable polypropylene (PP) vessels.

Brazil nut improves the oxidative metabolism of superoxide-hydrogen peroxide chemically-imbalanced human fibroblasts in a nutrigenomic manner.

There are some genes associated to the risk of chronic diseases that present potential nutrigenetic response, such as the human manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase gene (Val16Ala-SOD2, rs4880) for which homozygous genotypes (VV and AA) are associated with higher basal superoxide (S) and hydrogen peroxide (HP) levels, respectively. It is possible that the VV- and AA-imbalance could be attenuated by selenium(Se)-rich foods such as Brazil nut (BN). To test this hypothesis, we conducted an in vitro protocol triggering a chemical S-HP imbalance by exposure of dermal fibroblast cells (HFF-1) to paraquat, which generates high S levels (VV-like treatment) and porphyrin (MnTBAP), which generates high HP levels (AA-like treatment).