Effects of dietary lipid composition bioavailability and inulin-type fructans on mineral in growing rats

Objective: This study reports the effects of feeding with a combination of inulin-type fructans (ITF) and fish oil (FO) on mineral absorption and bioavailability as part of a semipurified diet offered to rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were fed a 15% lipid diet (soybean oil [SO] or a 1:0.3 fish:soybean oil mixture [FSO]) and diets containing the same sources of lipids supplemented with 10% ITF (Raftilose Synergy 1) ad libitum for 15 d. Feces and urine were collected for mineral analyses during the last 5 d of the test period. Fatty acid composition was determined in liver and cecal mucosa homogenates. Liver and bone mineral analyses were performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Bone biomechanical analyses were evaluated by a 3-point bending test. Results: Compared with the controls, ITF-fed rats had enlarged ceca and a significant decrease in cecal content pH (P < 0.001). The apparent mineral absorption was improved in these rats, and this effect was enhanced by dietary combination with FO for all minerals except for magnesium. Addition of ITF to the diet resulted in higher bone mineral content (calcium and zinc) and bone strength, but increased bone mineral content was only statistically significant in FO-fed animals. A decrease in liver iron stores (P = 0.015) was observed in rats fed FO, considering that ITF consumption returned to levels comparable to the SO control group. Conclusion: These findings confirm the positive influence of ITF on mineral bioavailability, which was potentiated by addition of FO to the diet. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Inc.

First dynamic kinetic resolution of selenium-containing chiral amines catalyzed by palladium (Pd/BaSO(4)) and Candida antartica lipase (CAL-B)

An efficient method for chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution of selenium-containing chiral amines (organoselenium-1-phenylethanamines) has been developed, leading to the corresponding amides in excellent enantioselectivities and high isolated yields. This one-pot procedure employs two different types of catalysts: Pd on barium sulphate (Pd/BaSO(4)) as racemization catalyst and lipase (CAL-B) as the resolution catalyst. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elemental analysis of nuts and seeds by axially viewed ICP OES

A method for the multi-elemental determination of metals (Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Sr and Zn), metalloids (B and Si), and non-metals (Cl, P and 5) in the babassu nut and mesocarp, sapucaia nut, coconut pulp, cupuassu pulp and seed, and cashew nut by axially viewed inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry is presented. A diluted oxidant mixture (2 ml HNO(3) + 1 ml H(2)O(2) + 3 ml H(2)O) was used to achieve the complete decomposition of the organic matrix in a closed-vessel microwave oven. The accuracy of the entire proposed method was confirmed by standard reference material analysis (peach leaves-NIST SRM1547). The certified values showed a good agreement at a 95% confidence limit (Student`s t-test). The average RSD for repeatability of calibration solutions measurements were in the range of 1.1-6.7%. Limits of quantification (LOQ = 10 x LOD) were in the level of 0.00072-0.0532 mg/l. The macro and micronutrient ranges in the different nuts and seeds did not exceed the dietary reference intake (DRI), except for Mn in the babassu nut. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Low levels of methylmercury induce DNA damage in rats: protective effects of selenium

In this study we examined the possible antigenotoxic effect of selenium (Se) in rats chronically exposed to low levels of methylmercury (MeHg) and the association between glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and DNA lesions (via comet assay) in the same exposed animals. Rats were divided into six groups as follows: (Group I) received water; (Group II) received MeHg (100 mu g/day); (Group III) received Se (2 mg/L drinking water); (Group IV) received Se (6 mg/L drinking water); (Group V) received MeHg (100 mu g/day) and Se (2 mg/L drinking water); (Group VI) received MeHg (100 mu g/day) and Se (6 mg/L drinking water). Total treatment time was 100 days. GSH-Px activity was determined spectrophotometrically and DNA damage was determined by comet assay. Mean GSH-Px activity in groups I, II, III, IV, V and VI were, respectively: 40.19 +/- A 17.21; 23.63 +/- A 6.04; 42.64 +/- A 5.70; 38.50 +/- A 7.15; 34.54 +/- A 6.18 and 41.39 +/- A 11.67 nmolNADPH/min/gHb. DNA damage was represented by a mean score from 0 to 300; the results for groups I, II, III, IV, V and VI were, respectively: 6.87 +/- A 3.27; 124.12 +/- A 13.74; 10.62 +/- A 3.81; 13.25 +/- A 1.76; 86.87 +/- A 11.95 and 76.25 +/- A 7.48. There was a significant inhibition of GSH-Px activity in group II compared with group I (P < 0.05). Groups V and VI did not show a difference in enzyme activity compared with groups III and IV, showing the possible protective action of Se. Comet assay presented a significant difference in DNA migration between group II and group I (P < 0.0001). Groups V and VI showed a significant reduction in MeHg-induced genotoxicity (P < 0.001) when compared with group II. A negative correlation (r = -0.559, P < 0.05) was found between GSH-Px activity and DNA lesion, showing that the greater the DNA damage, the lower the GSH-Px activity. Our findings demonstrated the oxidative and genotoxic properties of MeHg, even at low doses. Moreover, Se co-administration reestablished GSH-Px activity and reduced DNA damage.

Electrodeposition and characterization of thin selenium films modified with lead ad-atoms

The deposition and characterization of Se films doped with Pb underpotentially deposited (UPD) ad-atoms was studied in this work. The employed experimental techniques were cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The initial deposition of Se film by chronoamperometry yielded a thin film composed of approximately 700 layers. The Pb UPD on Se was achieved by chronoamperometry in a potential value previously determined in voltammetric experiments. This deposition yielded a deposition charge of approximately 7.5% of the total one. The film resistance altered from 320 Omega cm(2) for Se to 65 Omega cm(2) for the Se/Pb one. Flat band potential values and number of acceptors and donors were also calculated for both films and the values obtained were + 0.95 and -0.51 V for Se and Se/Pb, respectively. The Se coating presented 1.2 x 10(17) cm(3) acceptors while the Se/Pb one presented 3.2 x 10(17) cm(3) donors. The band gap values for both films were 2.4 eV and 1.9 eV, correspondingly. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deposition of selenium thin layers on gold surfaces from sulphuric acid media: Studies using electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, cyclic voltammetry and AFM

In this paper we report here new considerations about the relationship between the mass and charge variations (m/z relationship) in underpotential deposition (UPD), bulk deposition and also in the H(2)Se formation reaction. Nanogravimetric experiments were able to show the adsorption of H(2)SeO(3) on the AuO surface prior to the voltammetric sweep and that, after the AuO reduction, 0.40 monolayer of H(2)SeO(3) remains adsorbed on the newly reduced Au surface, which was enough to gives rise to the UPD layer. The UPD results indicate that the maximum coverage with Se(ads) on polycrystalline gold surface corresponds to approximately 0.40 monolayer, in good agreement with charge density results. The cyclic voltammetry experiments demonstrated that the amount of bulk Se obtained during the potential scan to approximately 2 Se monolayers, which was further confirmed by electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) measurements that pointed out a mass variation corresponding of 3 monolayers of Se. In addition, the Se thin films were obtained by chronoamperometric experiments, where the Au electrode was polarized at +0.10V during different times in 1.0 M H(2)SO(4) + 1.0 mM SeO(2). The topologic aspects of the electrodeposits were observed in Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) measurements. Finally, in highly negative potential polarizations, the H(2)Se formation was analyzed by voltammetric and nanogravimetric measurements. These finding brings a new light on the selenium electrodeposition and point up to a proposed electrochemical model for molecule controlled surface engineering. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.