A enzima lipoxigenase através da farinha integral de soja é amplamente utilizada na panificação com objetivos de branqueamento e melhora da reologia. Com base nesse pressuposto, o objetivo inicial deste estudo foi de observar a ação oxidante dessa enzima na presença de dois outros oxidantes (ácido ascórbico e peróxido de benzoíla) nas propriedades reológicas e sensoriais de pães. Sete misturas com diferentes combinações dos três compostos foram elaboradas utilizando-se um delineamento experimental do tipo \"centroide-simplex\", sendo aplicadas à farinha de trigo para o preparo de pães. A enzima apresentou sinergia com o ácido ascórbico na elasticidade da massa, sugerindo uma inter-relação bioquímica entre os dois compostos no fortalecimento da matriz protéica do glúten. A mesma sinergia entre a lipoxigenase da soja e o acido ascórbico foi observada na redução da tonalidade amarela dos pães medida instrumentalmente. A partir desses resultados, buscou-se avaliar a ação da enzima frente a variações tanto na força da farinha como no tempo de fermentação, reproduzindo as condições reais de processamento. Desta vez, um planejamento experimental do tipo Box-Behnken com três fatores (atividade da enzima, força da farinha e tempo de fermentação) em três níveis de variação, foi aplicado no preparo das amostras. Os resultados mostraram que a lipoxigenase da soja (fração 1) é uma enzima oxidante de ação rápida e seu efeito no branqueamento dos carotenóides da farinha de trigo exibiu interação positiva tanto com a força da farinha como o tempo de fermentação. Respostas reológicas e sensoriais decorrentes da ação conjunta de diferentes oxidantes e condições de processamento em pães foram pela primeira vez descritas através de modelos polinomiais com capacidade preditiva. / Soy lipoxygenase enzyme through soy flour is widely used in breadmaking for bleaching and rheological improvement. Based on this fact, the initial objective of this study was to observe the enzymes\' action in the presence of two other oxidants (ascorbic acid and benzoyl peroxide) in the rheological and sensory properties of breads. Seven mixtures with different combinations of the three compounds were prepared using a \"centroid-simplex\" design and applied to wheat flour for breadmaking. The enzyme showed synergism with ascorbic acid in the dough elasticity suggesting a biochemical interrelation between the two compounds in strengthening the gluten protein matrix. The same synergy between soy lipoxygenase and ascorbic acid was observed with the yellow hue reduction of breads measured instrumentally. From these results, the enzyme action was evaluated with wheat strength and proofing time variations reproducing real processing conditions. This time, a Box-Behnken experimental design with three factors (enzyme activity, wheat strength and proofing time), and three variation levels were applied in the sample preparation. The results showed that soy lipoxygenase (type 1) is a fast-acting oxidizing enzyme and its bleaching effect on wheat flour carotenoid exhibited a positive interaction with wheat strength and proofing time. Rheological and sensory results attributed to the combined action of the different oxidants and breadmaking conditions were for the first time described through polynomial models with predictive capacity.

Neste estudo apresenta-se a síntese de duas amostras de nanopartículas de ferrita de níquel, denominadas C-NiFe2O4 e NiFe2O4, através de um método simples, de baixo custo e ambientalmente amigável. Estudos morfológicos, estruturais, eletrônicos, ópticos e magnéticos foram realizados com o intuito de caracterizar as propriedades desses materiais para que possibilitassem, além de maior grau de conhecimento, sua aplicação como sensores colorimétricos para detecção de ácido ascórbico e peróxido de hidrogênio. Mediante a análise térmica dos precursores, foi possível determinar os intervalos de temperatura de decomposição, assim como a temperatura ótima de formação das nanopartículas. A amostra NiFe2O4 é ferromagnética e corresponde a uma fase cúbica de espinélio inverso. Os dados de difração de raios X, espectroscopia Mössbauer e o modelo iônico sugerem a presença de um certo grau de substituição, possuindo em sua estrutura um cátion divalente como agente dopante. As nanopartículas de C-NiFe2O4 foram utilizadas como catalisador na oxidação do 3,3',5,5'-tetrametilbenzidina (TMB) em meio ácido para formar uma solução azul sem adição de outro reagente. Como resultado foi utilizado como sensor colorimétrico para detecção de ácido ascórbico, visto que este reduz o complexo de transferência de carga, TMBOX, novamente para TMB. A calibração analítica apresentou uma faixa linear entre 1-20 μM para a concentração de ácido ascórbico, com limite de detecção (3/m) de 0,93 μM. A determinação em suplementos de vitamina C através do método de adição de padrão mostrou a eficiência do sensor para detectar ácido ascórbico em amostras reais. Já a amostra de NiFe2O4 demonstrou atividade catalítica semelhante as peroxidases naturais, oxidando o TMB na presença de H2O2 para formar TMBOX, que dá coloração azul a solução. Dessa forma, NiFe2O4 foi utilizado em um sensor colorimétrico para detecção de H2O2 e a calibração analítica revelou duas faixas lineares, uma entre 2,28 - 28,60 μM e a outra entre 28,60 μM - 114,20 μM. O limite de detecção (3/m) foi de 1,94 μM. Ambos os métodos apresentaram boa repetibilidade, com coeficiente de variação de 3,5% e 4% respectivamente. / This study presents the synthesis of two samples of nickel ferrite nanoparticles, termed C-NiFe2O4 and NiFe2O4, through a simple, low cost and environmentally friendly method. Morphological, structural, electronic, optical and magnetic studies were carried out with the aim of characterizing the properties of these materials, which allowed the application of colorimetric sensors for the detection of ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Through the thermal analysis of the precursors, it was possible to determine the decomposition temperature ranges, as well as the optimum temperature of formation of the nanoparticles. The sample NiFe2O4 is ferromagnetic and corresponds to a cubic phase of inverse spinel. The X-ray diffraction data, Mössbauer spectroscopy and the ionic model suggest the presence of a certain degree of substitution, having in its structure a divalent cation as a doping agent. The C-NiFe2O4 nanoparticles were used as catalysts in the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in acidic medium to form a blue solution without addition of another reagent. As a result, it was used as a colorimetric sensor for the detection of ascorbic acid, as it reduces the charge transfer complex, TMBOX, again to TMB. The analytical calibration showed a linear range between 1-20 μM for the concentration of ascorbic acid, with a detection limit (3 /m) of 0.93 μM. The determination of vitamin C supplements using the standard addition method showed the efficiency of the sensor to detect ascorbic acid in actual samples. Already NiFe2O4 sample demonstrated catalytic activity similar to natural peroxidases, oxidizing the TMB in the presence of H2O2 to form TMBOX, which gives blue coloration to the solution. Thus, NiFe2O4 was used in a colorimetric sensor to detect H2O2, and the analytical calibration revealed two linear ranges, one between 2.28 - 28.60 μM and the other between 28.60 μM - 114.20 μM. The detection limit (3 /m) was 1.94 μM. Both methods presented good repeatability, with a coefficient of variation of 3.5% and 4% respectively.

No description available.

Fresh fruits and vegetables (FFVs) are the most frequently wasted foods because of their perishability and handling requirements. However, there is a lack of information on how much each step of the supply chain impacts FFVs quality, particularly on tomatoes, and what measures need to be taken for an immediate and effective impact on waste reduction. There is also no information on how the supply chain affects the proteome of the tomato and what proteins are differentially regulated by the most impactful steps of the supply chain. The objectives of the work presented on this thesis were to evaluate the decline in the overall quality and quantify tomato waste at each step of the supply chain, from the farm to consumer; and to determine what proteins are impacted by the decline in quality that is associated with temperature abuse. To determine overall quality and tomato waste, light-red tomatoes were exposed to an optimum temperature (13 °C) and eighteen different time-temperature scenarios, normally encountered during supply chain, and sensory and physicochemical attributes measured at each step. To determine the impact of chilling and non-chilling temperatures normally encountered during tomato supply chain, on the proteome, light-red tomatoes were exposed to an optimum temperature (13 °C) and to two time and temperature supply chain scenarios (2 °C and 25 °C) that showed the most negative impact on tomato overall quality, and physicochemical and proteomic attributes were measured at each step. For the first tomato harvest, the steps with the highest impact on quality and waste were shipping to distribution center (DC; 20°C), cooling at the grower (25°C) and storing at the consumer (4°C). For the second tomato harvest, shipping to the store (2°C), cooling at the farm (10°C) and displaying at the store (20°C) negatively impacted quality. High temperatures during cooling, shipping and store display impacted sensory quality and resulted in increased weight loss, and decreased sugar, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid contents. Although low temperatures during shipping, cooling and consumer did not impact tomato sensory quality, they contributed to a decline in sugar, carotenoids and ascorbic acid contents. Overall, the most impactful steps on tomato quality and waste, regardless of the temperature, were shipping to DC, cooling, shipping to stores, displaying at the store, and consumer storage. Analysis of the differentially expressed proteins in the tomato showed that metabolic proteins were greatly impacted by temperature abuses such as phosphomannomutase, heme oxygenase 1, and MAP kinase; and that proteins regulating cellular membrane integrity such as vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein were also impacted.

Silver isotopes nowadays present a very fast evolving system. One of the field in which this isotopic system is used is archaeology where the silver isotopes are used as a tracer of monetary and power changes between geographical regions. Through statistical analysis of measured data and their comparison with so far published values can be estimated probability of common source area of metal used for coinage. On Celtic coin samples (180-70 BC) provided by the Institute of Archaeology of the CAS, Prague (A. Danielisová) the isotopic composition of silver was measured. Silver was separated from the matrix elements by a method which uses ascorbic acid to precipitate silver. However, the weights of samples commonly used for this method are generally distinctly higher than the amounts of the obtained fragments of Celtic coins. Regarding the differences in the method and low weights of fragments, tests with variable concentrations of ascorbic acid and amounts of silver were performed. The amounts of silver used for this method are commonly ~30x-70x higher. The results showed that this method effectively separates silver from matrix elements and is sufficient for higher concentrations of silver; with lower ones the yields are reduced. The separated silver was measured using MC-ICP-MS. The adjusted...

Forensic biology encompasses the examination of evidentiary items from crime scenes for biological fluids, often identifying the specific biological fluid present and developing a DNA profile that can be used to link a suspect to a crime. Blood identification consists of visual examination, presumptive tests based on the catalytic activity of hemoglobin, and confirmatory tests based on antigen-antibody interactions. Issues encountered in blood identification include the occurrence of false positive and false negative results. Many causes of these results are well-known but more recently three substances resulting in false negatives with catalytic color tests, chemiluminescent reagents, and immunoassays have been explored. Quebracho extract (a common leather tannin), sodium percarbonate (the main component of detergents containing active oxygen) and vitamin C-containing beverages were all found to produce false negative results at varying degrees with each of the tests mentioned. Increased knowledge of potential negative interfering agents by forensic investigators can help ensure that probative evidence is properly collected and thoroughly analyzed from a crime scene.

No description available.

Magister Artium (Human Ecology) - MA(HE) / Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common abnormality of the blood in childhood (Karabus 1987). If the quantity of iron lost by the body exceeds iron intake, the body will draw on its iron reserves to counterbalance this deficit. However, the continuance of an iron imbalance will eventually lead to a reduction in body iron stores. Because iron forms an integral component of the oxygen transport mechanism of the body, it is understandable that the functional capacity of this system will be compromised under conditions of iron deficiency. A deficit in oxygen transport capacity will presumably indicate a decreased capacity to persevere in the face of continuing strenuous physical activity. The decrement in physical aerobic working capacity (maximal oxygen consumption) will largely be indicative of the decrease in oxygen transport capacity. Routine haemoglobin determinations carried out in the outpatient department of the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town showed that many Coloured and African pre-schoolgoing children had abnormally low haemoglobin levels which occurred as a manifestation of iron deficiency anaemia (Lanzkowsky 1961). In another similar but more recent study also in the Cape Peninsula, Lamparelli et al. (1988) showed that the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in Coloured and African children was 15.5 % and 36.0 %, respectively . In this study, the condition of iron deficiency anaemia was particularly pronounced in urban Coloured children. In both these studies done in the Western Cape, the majority of Coloured children were classified as coming from the lowest socioeconomic income group in the community. In the majority of studies concerning the relationship between socioeconomic status and iron deficiency anaemia, it is often stated that low socioeconomic circumstances are significantly correlated to low blood haemoglobin levels (Expert Scientific Working Group 1985; Lanzkowsky 1959; Lanzkowsky 1961; World Health Organization 1972; World Health Organization 1975).

Vitamin-C (Vit-C) has been shown to modulate hematopoietic stem cells and leukemia stem cell frequency in-vivo. Herein, Vit-C analogue, L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (AA2P), was investigated as a new potential HSC expansion agonist. Cord blood CD34+ cells were expanded in cultures with or without AA2P. AA2P induced a 2-fold increase in the expansion of stem and progenitor subsets including lymphoid-primed multi-potential progenitors (p<0.05, n=3) and functional colony forming progenitors. The functional properties of AA2P grafts was evaluated with a xenotransplant model. Superior platelet levels in the periphery (p<0.05) and human bone marrow engraftment (median 75% hCD45+ cells for AA2P Vs. 48% for PBS control at week-22, n=3, p<0.05) was detected in AA2P cohorts Vs. control. In summary, my results demonstrate that AA2P is a new stem and progenitor expansion agonist with AA2P-expanded stem and progenitor cells capable of increased engraftment and higher platelet recovery. These findings may aid to overcome cord blood limitations; thereby, improving clinical relevance.

No description available.