Article
Food Science & Technology
Joanna Brzezinska-Rojek, Svitlana Sagatovych, Paulina Malinowska, Kamila Gadaj, Magdalena Prokopowicz, Malgorzata Grembecka
Summary: Due to their high bioactive substance content, beetroot and its preserves have the potential to be a valuable part of a balanced diet. However, research on the antioxidant capacity and nitrate content of beetroot-based dietary supplements (DSs) is limited worldwide. In this study, the total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, nitrites, and nitrates content were measured in fifty DSs and twenty beetroot samples using various methods. The results showed that fresh beetroot contains significantly higher levels of antioxidants, nitrites, and nitrates compared to most DSs. The safety of the products was also evaluated, and it was found that many DSs did not comply with labeling requirements. This highlights the need for stricter regulation of DSs, as their consumption could be potentially harmful.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Fouad Ali Abdullah Abdullah, Dani Dordevic, Eliska Kabourkova, Johana Zemancova, Simona Dordevic
Summary: This study compares the antioxidant capacities of meat products and their plant-based alternatives and finds that the plant-based alternatives have higher polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity compared to traditional meat products. In terms of sensory attributes, there are no significant differences between the two except for Frankfurter sausages.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Janez Mravljak, Lara Slavec, Martina Hrast, Matej Sova
Summary: Quinazolinones display diverse biological activities in medicinal chemistry. The study synthesized two series of 2-substituted quinazolin-4(3H)-ones and evaluated their antioxidant properties using three methods. The presence of hydroxyl groups or an ethylene linker enhanced antioxidant activity and led to metal-chelating properties in some derivatives.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
A. Csicsor, E. Tombacz, P. Kulcsar
Summary: An increasing proportion of the population in the Western world suffers from oxidative stress related diseases. In this study, the antioxidant potential of different humic substances (HSs) samples were evaluated and compared with well-known antioxidants. Various methods were used to assess the antioxidant potential of HSs, including determining total phenolic content, applying CUPRAC and QUENCHER-CUPRAC methods, and using electron spin resonance (ESR) for characterization. The results showed that HSs samples have antioxidant properties, and the antioxidant capacity is influenced by the extraction method and source.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Carolina Zuniga-Lopez, Gabriela Maturana, Guillem Campmajo, Javier Saurina, Oscar Nunez
Summary: Consumers are increasingly interested in nutritionally balanced and health beneficial foods, leading the food industry to focus on the use of chia seeds. Through extracting leaf compounds from black and white chia plants using different polarity solvents, it was found that black chia exhibited higher antioxidant capacity compared to white chia.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mario Adrian Tienda-Vazquez, Rocio Daniela Soto-Castro, Oscar Carrasco-Morales, Carmen Tellez-Perez, Roberto Parra-Saldivar, Maritza Alonzo-Macias, Anaberta Cardador-Martinez
Summary: Instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) is an emerging technology in food processing that can be used for drying, freezing, and extracting bioactive molecules without damaging their properties. This study evaluated the effects of 13 different DIC treatments on the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity in green lentils. The DIC 11 treatment (0.1 MPa, 135 s) resulted in the highest release of polyphenols, which are closely related to antioxidant capacity. The most efficient conditions for DIC to promote the release of phenolic compounds and maintain antioxidant capacity were found to be low pressures (<0.1 MPa) and short times (<160 s).
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elsa Autor, Alfonso Cornejo, Fernando Bimbela, Maitane Maisterra, Luis M. Gandia, Victor Martinez-Merino
Summary: Lignocellulosic residues have the potential for high value-added products, and optimized extraction methods can yield phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. In this study, poplar bark was sequentially extracted with five solvents, with methanol extracts showing the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Aihua Zhang, Lingwen Zeng, Huijie Bo, William James Hardie
Summary: The Folin-Ciocalteu reagent assay was adapted and evaluated with a range of wines made from grapes and other fruits, showing wide variations in contributions of phenolics, non-phenolics and sulphites to their total antioxidant capacity. The results indicate the potential of FCR assay in winemaking for accurate measurement of antioxidant capacity from different fruit-derived components.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Rita Szekelyhidi, Erika Lakatos, Beatrix Sik, Agnes Nagy, Laura Varga, Zoltan Molnar, Viktoria Kapcsandi
Summary: The study aimed to create an herbal fermented alcoholic beverage with high antioxidant and polyphenol content, and increase the bioavailability of polyphenols and antioxidants through the dosage of herbs. The results showed that lemongrass and peppermint dosage significantly increased the antioxidant and polyphenol content.
Article
Horticulture
Ozlem Cakmakci, Suat Sensoy, Ali R. Alan
Summary: Edible parts of Alliums, such as A. vineale, are rich in bioactive compounds that promote human health. This study evaluated the bioactive constituents of A. vineale accessions collected from Turkey and found significant differences in their content levels. The findings provide an opportunity for selecting genetically superior accessions with high bioactive compound production for cultivation improvement.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Theodora Papagrigoriou, Panagiota Iliadi, Milan N. Mitic, Jelena M. Mrmosanin, Katerina Papanastasi, Eleftherios Karapatzak, Eleni Maloupa, Alexia V. Gkourogianni, Anastasia V. Badeka, Nikos Krigas, Diamanto Lazari
Summary: This study evaluates the fruit antioxidant potential of wild-growing and cultivated germplasm of Greek S. nigra, showing that cultivated germplasm has higher total phenolic contents. The genotype is the decisive factor in the fruits' phytochemical potential and leaves' total phenolic content of cultivated S. nigra germplasm. The study also examines the effects of fertilization regime on fruit phytochemical and physicochemical attributes.
Article
Horticulture
Nicole Melanie Falla, Sonia Demasi, Matteo Caser, Valentina Scariot
Summary: Tea, a hot beverage made from dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, is widely consumed globally and appreciated for its aroma, taste, and health benefits. This research evaluated the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of two green teas produced in Italy, showing that Italy has the potential to profitably cultivate Camellia sinensis.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Waras Nurcholis, Deysta Nur Sya'bani Putri, Husnawati Husnawati, Syarifah Iis Aisyah, Bambang Pontjo Priosoeryanto
Summary: The research aimed to evaluate the total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in different extracts of cardamom fruits. The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity, with the accession 'Ciamis' and 'Bogor-1' demonstrating the highest TFC and antioxidant capacities.
ANNALS OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Frantisek Kreps, Blanka Tobolkova, Zuzana Ciesarova, Marianna Potocnakova, Livia Janotkova, Svetlana Schubertova, Ales Haz, Stefan Schmidt, Michal Jablonsky
Summary: By analyzing the antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of sea buckthorn juice, it was found that the 70% ethanol extract had higher TPC and TFC values, and exhibited the best antioxidant activity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aurita Butkeviciute, Vilma Petrikaite, Vidmante Jurgaityte, Mindaugas Liaudanskas, Valdimaras Janulis
Summary: The study evaluated the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities of apple extracts and individual triterpenes, showing that apple extracts have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, as well as strong cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Luis A. P. Silva, Stefano Campagnolo, Sara R. R. Fernandes, Sara S. S. Marques, Luisa Barreiros, Benedita Sampaio-Maia, Marcela A. Segundo
Summary: A rapid and sensitive HPLC method with fluorescence detection was developed for simultaneous quantification of protein-bound uremic toxins in human plasma. The method showed good accuracy and precision, and was successfully applied to analyze plasma samples from control subjects and CKD patients.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Sandia Machado, Luisa Barreiros, Antonio R. Graca, Ricardo N. M. J. Pascoa, Marcela A. Segundo, Joao A. Lopes
Summary: In metabolomics, the complexity of data generated by untargeted approaches poses challenges in extracting meaningful information from raw data. Existing tools may overprocess the data, leading to the elimination of useful information. This research proposes a data mining tool for metabolomics data, specifically LC-MS, to enhance the extraction of meaningful chemical information. The algorithm performs well in identifying chemically relevant features and reduces the need for user-defined parameters when compared to existing software.
CHEMOMETRICS AND INTELLIGENT LABORATORY SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Sara R. Fernandes, Andreia N. Meireles, Sara S. Marques, Luis Silva, Luisa Barreiros, Benedita Sampaio-Maia, Manuel Miro, Marcela A. Segundo
Summary: This review addresses the monitoring and evaluation of protein-bound uremic retention solutes in biological fluids, such as indole-3-acetic acid, indoxyl sulfate, p-cresol, and p-cresol sulfate, which have been associated with the development of kidney, cardiovascular, and bone toxicities. The review discusses conventional and advanced sample treatment procedures and chromatographic analytical methods for quantification of these compounds, with a particular focus on plasma, serum, and urine samples. There is a trend towards using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for analysis, requiring protein precipitation, solid-phase extraction, and/or dilution prior to sample analysis. Miniaturized methods using microplate devices are recommended for sustainability.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY B-ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BIOMEDICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Spectroscopy
Rafael C. Castro, David S. M. Ribeiro, Joao L. M. Santos, Claudia Nunes, Salette Reis, Ricardo N. M. J. Pascoa
Summary: A fast, simple, and reliable method for determination of metformin was developed by coupling surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with chemometric methods. The method utilized a portable Raman spectrometer and citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as substrate, resulting in improved sensitivity. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) regression were used for data analysis. Optimization of the PLS model led to RMSECV and R2CV values of 0.42 mg/L and 0.94, respectively. Validation of the optimized PLS regression model with commercial pharmaceutical samples yielded good results in terms of R2P (0.97), RE (4.54%), and analytical sensitivity (2.13 mg/L).
SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ana Isabel Barbosa, Sofia A. Costa Lima, Ibraheem Yousef, Salette Reis
Summary: In this study, menthol, L-linalool, bergamot oil, and beta-pinene were incorporated in alginate/fucoidan hydrogels to evaluate their skin permeation enhancement profile and assess their influence on the skin organization. The study highlights the effect of the composition in the design of formulations for topical or transdermal delivery systems.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Rita Ferreira, Mariana Ferreira, Claudia Nunes, Salette Reis, Catia Teixeira, Paula Gomes, Paula Gameiro
Summary: Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) like W-BP100 can counteract bacterial resistance by targeting the cell membrane. It has been observed that W-BP100 can promote the aggregation and fusion of anionic vesicles, leading to changes in lipid structures. Biophysical tools have been used to study this behavior.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sara S. Marques, Ines I. Ramos, Carla Silva, Luisa Barreiros, Maria R. Domingues, Marcela A. . Segundo
Summary: The concentration of nanoparticles (NPs) is crucial for the development and quality control of nanocarriers. This study proposes a miniaturized automated method to measure NPs concentration, which is fast, simple, and suitable for research and quality control operations. The method utilizes the measurement of light scattering caused by NPs passing through an optical path, achieving accurate and efficient quantification of NPs concentration.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Filipa A. Soares, Pedro Costa, Celia T. Sousa, Miguel Horta, Catarina Pereira-Leite, Catarina Leal Seabra, Sofia A. Costa Lima, Salette Reis, Claudia Nunes
Summary: This study aims to develop and optimize the production of PEGylated magnetoliposomes (MLPs@PEG) by encapsulating superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) within fusogenic liposomes. The optimized MLPs@PEG has a mean size of 182 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.19, and SPIONs encapsulation efficiency (%EE) around 76%. Cytocompatibility assays demonstrate that the MLPs@PEG exhibits no toxicity in fibroblasts and no hemolytic effect at safe lipid and iron concentrations.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Filipa Serrasqueiro, Ana Isabel Barbosa, Sofia A. Costa Lima, Salette Reis
Summary: Understanding the impact of carbohydrate-targeting mannose receptors on macrophages is crucial for improving carrier design. Functionalized fucoidan/chitosan nanoparticles with mannose and mannan were characterized and shown to activate macrophages towards an M1-polarized state, indicating their potential therapeutic use.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Carina Brito, Camila Lourenco, Joana Magalhaes, Salette Reis, Margarida Borges
Summary: Nanoparticles have been widely used as delivery vehicles for drugs and immunogens in the prevention of infectious diseases. Nanovaccines have shown promising results in preventing experimental toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii. This review examines the in vivo experimental models of T. gondii infection where nanovaccines were tested and their protective and immune responses were evaluated, aiming to shed light on the development of an effective vaccine for toxoplasmosis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joana R. B. Carvalho, Andreia N. Meireles, Sara S. Marques, Bruno J. R. Gregorio, Ines I. Ramos, Eduarda M. P. Silva, Luisa Barreiros, Marcela A. Segundo
Summary: The analysis and interpretation of data from ORAC assays are difficult. This study compares the expression of ORAC values as AUC and lag time. It shows that some antioxidant compounds have radical scavenging reactions that extend beyond the lag time. Ethanol delays the reaction of FL and antioxidant compounds with free radicals. The choice of calibrator compounds is important to prevent biased estimation of antioxidant capacity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fabio M. S. Costa, Andreia Granja, Rocio L. Perez, Isiah M. Warner, Salette Reis, Marieta L. C. Passos, M. Lucia M. F. S. Saraiva
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health concern, and strategic therapies are needed to replace ineffective antibacterials. GUMBOS, a group of uniform materials based on organic salts, provide a promising alternative approach by combining antibacterials with adjuvants to treat infections caused by resistant bacteria.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mariana Leitao, Beatriz Ferreira, Beatriz Guedes, Daniela Moreira, Pablo A. Garcia, Luisa Barreiros, Patricia Correia
Summary: Fermentation of papaya can improve its nutritional quality and characteristics, and adding Gluconobacter oxydans can increase antioxidant and other properties. Compared to spontaneous fermentation, fermenting papaya with G. oxydans can increase the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, especially when supplemented with glucose.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Sara C. C. Freitas, Daniel Sanderson, Sofia Caspani, Ricardo Magalhaes, Belen Cortes-Llanos, Andreia Granja, Salette Reis, Joao Horta Belo, Jose Azevedo, Maria Victoria Gomez-Gaviro, Celia Tavares de Sousa
Summary: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Current treatment strategies have room for improvement, and nanotechnology using plasmonic nanoparticles shows promise in enhancing cancer therapeutics as photothermal therapy agents and radiosensitizers. Combining radio- and phototherapies to enhance their clinical application is of imperative importance.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Qian Wu, Li Tian, Xiangyu Shan, Huiling Li, Chao Li, Juan Lu
Summary: A novel ECL sensor was developed by modifying Fe3CuO4-Ru(bpy)3+ and GO-CdS@ZnS on the electrode for the detection of permethrin. The sensor exhibited high sensitivity and a wide detection range.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tingting Gong, Lei Liao, Bingying Jiang, Ruo Yuan, Yun Xiang
Summary: In this study, a fluorescent biosensing system for high sensitivity detection of MT was established using a new Ag+-stabilized DNA triplex probe (Ag+-SDTP) combined with catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) and CRISPR/Cas12a signal enhancements. The sensing method is able to selectively detect MT from other non-specific molecules and can achieve low level detection of MT in diluted human serums, demonstrating its potential for monitoring disease-specific MT biomarker at trace levels.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Estrella Sanz Rodriguez, Kyra Wood, Paul R. Haddad, Brett Paull
Summary: This study presents a simple, rapid, and reliable method for determining boron in aqueous solutions using suppressed ion chromatography coupled to electrospray ionisation-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The method achieved a low limit of detection and demonstrated excellent analytical performance.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Aline Cournut, Paul Moustiez, Yannick Coffinier, Christine Enjalbal, Claudia Bich
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a major cause of senile dementia and is characterized by the aggregation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques in the brain. The A beta 1-42 peptide is considered the primary cause of neurotoxicity due to its insolubility and subsequent aggregation. A beta 1-42 and A beta 1-40 have been identified as relevant biomarkers for AD diagnosis, and SurfaceAssisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (SALDI-MS) was used to monitor the A beta 1-42/A beta 1-40 ratio without prior sample treatment.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Dotse Selali Chormey, Buse Tugba Zaman, Tulay Borahan Kustanto, Sezin Erarpat Bodur, Suleyman Bodur, Elif Ozturk Er, Sezgin Bakirdere
Summary: This review provides an overview of the harmful effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on human health and introduces the methods for analyzing EDCs. Recent research has focused on using green chemicals, such as deep eutectic solvents (DESs), for microextraction to ensure environmental safety.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yan Zhang, Renfeng Xu, Jingjing Wu, Zhenghong Zhang, Yuhuang Wang, Hongqin Yang, Sheng Zhang
Summary: This study visualized the pore-like structures in prostate cancer cell membranes after treatment with the anticancer drug paclitaxel, demonstrating its mechanism of action related to oxidative damage.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Chihong Ma, Qin Zhou, Jinjin Shi, Hua Gao, Di Huang, Huimin Xue, Han Wang, Zhenzhong Zhang, Sen Yang, Junli Zhang, Kaixiang Zhang
Summary: We developed a CRISPR-empowered electrochemical biosensor, named PER-E-CRISPR, for amplification-free and sensitive detection of miR-21. The biosensor combines the advantages of CRISPR/Cas13a and primer exchange reaction (PER) for target amplification. Under optimized conditions, the PER-E-CRISPR assay exhibits a linear range from 10-13 to 10-7 M and a limit of detection of 30.2 fM. The biosensor shows excellent performance in actual plasma, indicating promising prospects for miRNA detection in molecular diagnosis.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Gang Liang, Jie Zhao, Yufei Gao, Tao Xie, Jianhui Zhen, Ligang Pan, Wenwen Gong
Summary: Molecular docking (MD) analysis is widely used for studying the interaction between aptamers and small molecules. This study established steady-state aptamers of tertiary structures (SATS) using specific aptamers of tetracycline antibiotics as docking models. Molecular docking results revealed multiple binding sites in the SATS of aptamers, with significant variations in binding free energy (BFE) and docking score (DS). The study also proposed a method for MD analysis based on SATS, providing insights into binding mode and predicting binding sites.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yixuan Xu, Changchang Teng, Huiping Dang, Dalong Yin, Lifeng Yan
Summary: Stable organic radical molecules with high NIR fluorescence quantum efficiency have been synthesized and encapsulated into nanoparticles, which show great potential for both photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) of tumors.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yu Su, Dandan Yang, Yanjie Wang, Jie Ding, Lan Ding, Daqian Song
Summary: In this study, a highly selective molecularly imprinted polymer Cu-MIPs@CS was designed and synthesized for bisphenol A (BPA). Cu-MIPs@CS showed significantly enhanced imprinting factor and selective factor towards BPA compared to MIPs@CS. It also exhibited superior discrimination ability between BPA and its structural analogue. Additionally, Cu-MIPs@CS were successfully applied as a solid phase extraction adsorbent for the determination of BPA in drinking water samples.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yi Qiao, Qiongdan Zhang, Yukun He, Tianguang Cheng, Jing Tu
Summary: Single cell heterogeneity plays an important role in many biological phenomena, and distinguishing cells with specific mutations is beneficial for clinical diagnosis and drug screening. This study introduces a gel plate platform that can distinguish cell types based on their phenotypes, with low equipment requirement. The gel platform has potential in point-of-care circumstances and single-cell stimulation responses that prioritize efficiency and simplicity.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Chengke Wang, Shuyang Sun, Ping Wang, Huawei Zhao, Wenling Li
Summary: The food safety of aquatic products is a global concern. Nanotechnology-based analyses have advantages in the detection of bacteria, metal ions, and small molecule contaminants. This review summarizes the recent advances in biosensing strategies for aquatic products and highlights the application of nanomaterials, lateral flow-based biosensors, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, microfluidic chips, and molecular imprinting technologies.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Liping Zhu, Zeng Tang, Xuemei Zhang, Li Zhu, Tian Meng, Linying Yu, Ting Xiao, Shasha Lu, Xiaoli Xiong, Xiurong Yang
Summary: A sensitive off-on electrochemiluminescence DNA sensor was developed using Exo III-assisted cascade amplification system. The sensor achieved high selectivity and ultra-high sensitivity in detecting target DNA by utilizing ECL and SPR effects. This study provides a new perspective for designing highly sensitive and programmable ECL biosensors.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tong Li, Mengxu Sun, Suping Xia, Ting Huang, Rong-Tian Li, Chunrong Li, Zong Dai, Jin-Xiang Chen, Jun Chen, Nuan Jia
Summary: Here, we developed a binary system based on DNA tetrahedron and fluorogenic RNA aptamers for highly specific and label-free mRNA imaging in living cells. This system achieved high specificity label-free detection of nucleic acids with a detection limit of 1.34 nM. The method has potential applications in early disease diagnosis and new drug development.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yao Zhao, Shu Zhang, Wang Yao, Yuxuan Zhu, Jing Qian, Juan Yang, Nianjun Yang
Summary: A new hierarchical nanostructured composite with high conductivity and catalytic activity is synthesized. The sensor exhibits significant catalytic effect and high sensitivity for monitoring the environmental endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA).