For thousands of years ginger rhizomes are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Because of his significant pungent flavour is commonly used in foods and beverages all over the world. Nowadays many of the beneficial pharmacological positive effects of ginger rhizomes are identified. Their occurrence is due to the high concentration of bioactive compounds. This thesis is focused on analysing of occurrence of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids and their influence on antioxidation and antimicrobial properties of samples of fresh and dried ginger. The results show that for extraction of bioactive compounds in different ginger samples is more suitable to use different types of extraction solvents. The highest antioxidation activity was measured for macerate of 100% bio ginger tea from Sonnentor company in 96% ethanol. Antimicrobial properties were showed only for 100% bio ginger tea against gram-positive bacteria Microccocus luteus.

No description available.

Este estudo investigou a síntese de espinélio MgAl204 (MA) por combustão em solução (SCS), a caracterização microestrutural dos pós obtidos, a sua sinterização e a sua ação inibidora da combustão de carbono. Como precursores, foram empregados o nitrato de alumínio, nitrato de magnésio e sacarose em água. A fase cristalina somente foi obtida após um tratamento térmico a 900°C do pó como-sintetizado. Os pós obtidos foram caracterizados por análise termodiferencial (ATD) e termogravimétrica (ATG), granulometria por dispersão a laser (GDL), BET para análise de área superficial, análise cristalográfica por difração de Raios X (DRX) e por espectroscopia Raman e FTIR, e a morfologia por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET). Os pós de MA apresentaram-se como constituídos de cristalitos nanométricos, com tamanho médio de 21,69nm (calculado via software WinFit) e 35,32nm (estimado por MET). Por análise granulométrica, constatou-se um tamanho de aglomerado médio de 8,21μm, em uma distribuição tetramodal, com uma larga distribuição de tamanho. A área superficial dos pós MA, tratados termicamente a 900°C, alcançou 17,47m²/g. Por MEV, constatou-se que esses aglomerados apresentam uma morfologia irregular, além de vazios (poros internos). Os pós de MA assim obtidos foram prensados uniaxialmente e queimados em diferentes temperaturas (1350-1650°C). Os corpos sinterizados foram caracterizados quanto às propriedades físicas (densidade aparente, absorção de água, porosidade aparente e retração linear), mecânicas (resistência à flexão 4 pontos) e quanto à microestrutura (por MEV). A maior densidade aparente obtida foi de 2,607g/cm3, para uma temperatura de 1650°C, representando uma densificação de 51%, para uma retração linear de 10,06%. A máxima resistência à flexão foi de 51,33MPa e o maior módulo de elasticidade 26,13GPa. A avaliação da ação inibidora dos pós de MA foi realizada pela sua incorporação a diferentes teores em flocos de grafite e posterior aquecimento em termobalança. Constatou-se que os pós de MA apresentaram potencial para o uso como aditivos antioxidantes de materiais à base de carbono em altas temperaturas, pois levaram à diminuição da perda de massa do grafite durante o seu aquecimento e a um aumento da temperatura onset. / This study investigated the synthesis of MgAl204 spinel (MA) by combustion in solution, microstructural characterization of the powders, the sintering process and the inhibiting action of carbon combustion. As precursors were used aluminum nitrate, magnesium nitrate and sucrose in water. The crystalline phase was obtained only after a heat treatment at 900 ° C of the as-synthesized powder. The powders were characterized by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric (TGA), laser scattering for particle size, BET for analysis of surface area, crystallographic analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The powders were presented as consisting of nanosized crystallites with an average crystallite size of 21,69nm (calculated via Winfit software) and 35,32nm (estimated by TEM). The sieve analysis had an average agglomerate size of 8,21μm, in a tetramodal distribution with a wide size distribution. The surface area of the powders calcined at 900°C reached 17,47m²/g. By SEM, it was verified that these clusters have an irregular morphology, and voids (internal pore). The MA powders thus obtained were uniaxially pressed and fired at different temperatures (1350-1650). The powders sintered were characterized by physical properties (bulk density, water absorption, apparent porosity and linear shrinkage), mechanical (flexural strength 4 points) and the microstructure (SEM). The higher bulk density obtained was 2,607g/cm3, to a temperature of 1650 ° C, representing a densification of 51%, for a linear shrinkage of 10.06%. These ceramic samples also had the highest flexural strength (of 51,33MPa) and higher elastic modulus (26,13GPa). The evaluation of the inhibitory action of MA was held by its incorporation into different levels of graphite flakes and subsequent heating in thermobalance. It was noted that the MA powders showed potential use as antioxidant additives of carbon based materials in high temperatures that led to decreased mass loss of graphite flakes during their heating and an increase in the onset temperature.

Mastitis, the inflammation of the mammary gland by bacterial infection, is one of the costliest diseases to the dairy industry primarily due to a loss in milk production. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying reduced milk production during mastitis. We hypothesized that bacterial endotoxin induces cell apoptosis, oxidative stress and increases hypoxia while inhibiting milk gene expression in the mammary gland. To test this hypothesis, mice were bred to pregnancy, and 3 days post-partum the left and right sides of the 4th pair of mammary glands were alternately injected with either the endotoxin liposaccharide (LPS, E. coli 055:B5, 100 ul of 0.2 mg/ml) or sterile PBS through the teat meatus. At 10.5 and 22.5 h post-injection, pimonidazole HCl, a hypoxyprobe, was injected intraperitoneally. At 12 or 24 h after the LPS injection, the fourth glands were individually collected (n=8 pairs) and analyzed for hypoxia, gene expression and oxidative stress. LPS treatment induced mammary gland inflammation as shown by increases in inflammatory cytokine expression (P < 0.001) and neutrophil recruitment at 12 and 24 h. LPS promoted cell apoptosis in a transient manner; an abundance of cleaved caspase 3 was evident only at 12 h after LPS challenge (P = 0.02). Increased H2O2 content was seen at 12 h (P < 0.001) but decreased dramatically after 24 h of LPS treatment (P < 0.001). Total antioxidative capacity tended to decrease at both 12 and 24 h (P = 0.067 and 0.061, respectively). In agreement with these findings, LPS activated Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidative signaling in the mammary gland, demonstrated by increased expression of its target gene Nqo1 at 12 h (P = 0.05) and xCT at 24 h (P = 0.076). Hypoxyprobe staining, indicative of hypoxia, was greater in the alveoli of PBS-treated glands than LPS-treated glands at both 12 and 24 h. This suggests oxygen tension rises in response to LPS treatment. Conversely, milk expression genes, β-casein gene (CSN2) and α-lactalbumin (LALBA), were inhibited by LPS treatment across time. Expression of α-S1 casein (CSN1S1) mRNA increased with LPS treatment at 24 h, but protein expression was reduced at this same time point (P < 0.05). In summary, intramammary LPS challenge incurs inflammation, augments cell apoptosis, induces oxidative stress and activation of the Nrf2 antioxidation pathway, increases oxygen tension, and inhibits milk protein expression in the mammary gland. This study provides functional insight into mechanisms of reduced milk production during mastitis and provides possible approaches to combat reduction in milk production, such as enhancing the Nrf2-antioxidative signaling pathway and reducing inhibition of milk protein expression.

Este estudo investigou a síntese de espinélio MgAl204 (MA) por combustão em solução (SCS), a caracterização microestrutural dos pós obtidos, a sua sinterização e a sua ação inibidora da combustão de carbono. Como precursores, foram empregados o nitrato de alumínio, nitrato de magnésio e sacarose em água. A fase cristalina somente foi obtida após um tratamento térmico a 900°C do pó como-sintetizado. Os pós obtidos foram caracterizados por análise termodiferencial (ATD) e termogravimétrica (ATG), granulometria por dispersão a laser (GDL), BET para análise de área superficial, análise cristalográfica por difração de Raios X (DRX) e por espectroscopia Raman e FTIR, e a morfologia por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET). Os pós de MA apresentaram-se como constituídos de cristalitos nanométricos, com tamanho médio de 21,69nm (calculado via software WinFit) e 35,32nm (estimado por MET). Por análise granulométrica, constatou-se um tamanho de aglomerado médio de 8,21μm, em uma distribuição tetramodal, com uma larga distribuição de tamanho. A área superficial dos pós MA, tratados termicamente a 900°C, alcançou 17,47m²/g. Por MEV, constatou-se que esses aglomerados apresentam uma morfologia irregular, além de vazios (poros internos). Os pós de MA assim obtidos foram prensados uniaxialmente e queimados em diferentes temperaturas (1350-1650°C). Os corpos sinterizados foram caracterizados quanto às propriedades físicas (densidade aparente, absorção de água, porosidade aparente e retração linear), mecânicas (resistência à flexão 4 pontos) e quanto à microestrutura (por MEV). A maior densidade aparente obtida foi de 2,607g/cm3, para uma temperatura de 1650°C, representando uma densificação de 51%, para uma retração linear de 10,06%. A máxima resistência à flexão foi de 51,33MPa e o maior módulo de elasticidade 26,13GPa. A avaliação da ação inibidora dos pós de MA foi realizada pela sua incorporação a diferentes teores em flocos de grafite e posterior aquecimento em termobalança. Constatou-se que os pós de MA apresentaram potencial para o uso como aditivos antioxidantes de materiais à base de carbono em altas temperaturas, pois levaram à diminuição da perda de massa do grafite durante o seu aquecimento e a um aumento da temperatura onset. / This study investigated the synthesis of MgAl204 spinel (MA) by combustion in solution, microstructural characterization of the powders, the sintering process and the inhibiting action of carbon combustion. As precursors were used aluminum nitrate, magnesium nitrate and sucrose in water. The crystalline phase was obtained only after a heat treatment at 900 ° C of the as-synthesized powder. The powders were characterized by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric (TGA), laser scattering for particle size, BET for analysis of surface area, crystallographic analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The powders were presented as consisting of nanosized crystallites with an average crystallite size of 21,69nm (calculated via Winfit software) and 35,32nm (estimated by TEM). The sieve analysis had an average agglomerate size of 8,21μm, in a tetramodal distribution with a wide size distribution. The surface area of the powders calcined at 900°C reached 17,47m²/g. By SEM, it was verified that these clusters have an irregular morphology, and voids (internal pore). The MA powders thus obtained were uniaxially pressed and fired at different temperatures (1350-1650). The powders sintered were characterized by physical properties (bulk density, water absorption, apparent porosity and linear shrinkage), mechanical (flexural strength 4 points) and the microstructure (SEM). The higher bulk density obtained was 2,607g/cm3, to a temperature of 1650 ° C, representing a densification of 51%, for a linear shrinkage of 10.06%. These ceramic samples also had the highest flexural strength (of 51,33MPa) and higher elastic modulus (26,13GPa). The evaluation of the inhibitory action of MA was held by its incorporation into different levels of graphite flakes and subsequent heating in thermobalance. It was noted that the MA powders showed potential use as antioxidant additives of carbon based materials in high temperatures that led to decreased mass loss of graphite flakes during their heating and an increase in the onset temperature.

Este estudo investigou a síntese de espinélio MgAl204 (MA) por combustão em solução (SCS), a caracterização microestrutural dos pós obtidos, a sua sinterização e a sua ação inibidora da combustão de carbono. Como precursores, foram empregados o nitrato de alumínio, nitrato de magnésio e sacarose em água. A fase cristalina somente foi obtida após um tratamento térmico a 900°C do pó como-sintetizado. Os pós obtidos foram caracterizados por análise termodiferencial (ATD) e termogravimétrica (ATG), granulometria por dispersão a laser (GDL), BET para análise de área superficial, análise cristalográfica por difração de Raios X (DRX) e por espectroscopia Raman e FTIR, e a morfologia por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET). Os pós de MA apresentaram-se como constituídos de cristalitos nanométricos, com tamanho médio de 21,69nm (calculado via software WinFit) e 35,32nm (estimado por MET). Por análise granulométrica, constatou-se um tamanho de aglomerado médio de 8,21μm, em uma distribuição tetramodal, com uma larga distribuição de tamanho. A área superficial dos pós MA, tratados termicamente a 900°C, alcançou 17,47m²/g. Por MEV, constatou-se que esses aglomerados apresentam uma morfologia irregular, além de vazios (poros internos). Os pós de MA assim obtidos foram prensados uniaxialmente e queimados em diferentes temperaturas (1350-1650°C). Os corpos sinterizados foram caracterizados quanto às propriedades físicas (densidade aparente, absorção de água, porosidade aparente e retração linear), mecânicas (resistência à flexão 4 pontos) e quanto à microestrutura (por MEV). A maior densidade aparente obtida foi de 2,607g/cm3, para uma temperatura de 1650°C, representando uma densificação de 51%, para uma retração linear de 10,06%. A máxima resistência à flexão foi de 51,33MPa e o maior módulo de elasticidade 26,13GPa. A avaliação da ação inibidora dos pós de MA foi realizada pela sua incorporação a diferentes teores em flocos de grafite e posterior aquecimento em termobalança. Constatou-se que os pós de MA apresentaram potencial para o uso como aditivos antioxidantes de materiais à base de carbono em altas temperaturas, pois levaram à diminuição da perda de massa do grafite durante o seu aquecimento e a um aumento da temperatura onset. / This study investigated the synthesis of MgAl204 spinel (MA) by combustion in solution, microstructural characterization of the powders, the sintering process and the inhibiting action of carbon combustion. As precursors were used aluminum nitrate, magnesium nitrate and sucrose in water. The crystalline phase was obtained only after a heat treatment at 900 ° C of the as-synthesized powder. The powders were characterized by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric (TGA), laser scattering for particle size, BET for analysis of surface area, crystallographic analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The powders were presented as consisting of nanosized crystallites with an average crystallite size of 21,69nm (calculated via Winfit software) and 35,32nm (estimated by TEM). The sieve analysis had an average agglomerate size of 8,21μm, in a tetramodal distribution with a wide size distribution. The surface area of the powders calcined at 900°C reached 17,47m²/g. By SEM, it was verified that these clusters have an irregular morphology, and voids (internal pore). The MA powders thus obtained were uniaxially pressed and fired at different temperatures (1350-1650). The powders sintered were characterized by physical properties (bulk density, water absorption, apparent porosity and linear shrinkage), mechanical (flexural strength 4 points) and the microstructure (SEM). The higher bulk density obtained was 2,607g/cm3, to a temperature of 1650 ° C, representing a densification of 51%, for a linear shrinkage of 10.06%. These ceramic samples also had the highest flexural strength (of 51,33MPa) and higher elastic modulus (26,13GPa). The evaluation of the inhibitory action of MA was held by its incorporation into different levels of graphite flakes and subsequent heating in thermobalance. It was noted that the MA powders showed potential use as antioxidant additives of carbon based materials in high temperatures that led to decreased mass loss of graphite flakes during their heating and an increase in the onset temperature.

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) catalyzes the conversion of angiotensin I (Ang I) to angiotensin II (AngII). ACE also cleaves the terminal dipeptide of vasodilating hormone bradykinin (a nonapeptide) to its inactive form. Therefore, inhibition of ACE is one of the treatments of hypertension. A number of ACE inhibitory antihypertensive drugs are known. ‘Oxidative stress’ is another disease state caused by an imbalance in the production of oxidants and antioxidants in the body. A number of studies suggest that hypertension and oxidative stress are interdependent. Therefore, ACE inhibitors having antioxidant property are considered beneficial for the treatment of hypertension. Generally, selenium compounds exhibit better antioxidant behavior than their sulfur analogues. Therefore, we have synthesized a number of selenium analogues of captopril, an ACE inhibitor used as antihypertensive drug. Similar to captopril, the selenium analogues of captopril exhibited excellent ACE inhibition property. It was observed that these compounds are very good scavengers of peroxynitrite (PN), a strong oxidizing as well as nitrating agent found in vivo. The orientation of the chiral centers in these compounds was found to be very important for their ACE inhibition behavior. A number of selenocysteine- and cysteine-containing dipeptides and tripeptides were synthesized as inhibitors of ACE. It was observed that the ACE inhibition properties of these compounds depend on various factors such as orientation of the amino functionality, substitution at the C-terminal of the inhibitor, ring size of the proline moiety or the availability of the terminal acid group in carboxylate form etc. A structure-function correlation was drawn for the ACE inhibition properties of the peptide-based selenium-or sulfur-containing compounds. These studies reveal that the antioxidant properties do not depend on the side-chain functional groups, but they depend on the availability of selenium or sulfur centers. Selenium-based compounds were found to be better antioxidants than those containing sulfur moieties. In conclusion, the present study reveals that the replacement of sulfur atom in captopril and its analogues by selenium enhances the antioxidant activity. The reaction products of lactoperoxidase (LPO)-catalyzed iodination of Ang II were separated and characterized. It was observed that LPO-catalyzed iodination of Ang II takes place preferentially at the tyrosine residue. LPO-catalyzed iodination of Ang II is inhibited by commonly used antithyroid drugs such as MMI, MTU, PTU and also by antihypertensive drug captopril. It was also observed that the monoiodo Ang I is a better substrate for ACE compared to the natural substrate Ang I. The site of nitration of Ang II by PN was also determined by MS-MS analyses. This study reveals that the nitration takes place at the tyrosine residue.