The regulation and function of collagenase-3 (MMP-13) in cutaneous wound healing and squamous cell carcinoma

Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) is a potent proteolytic enzyme, whose expression has been previously associated with fetal bone development and postnatal bone remodeling and with adult gingival wound healing. MMP-13 is also known to be involved in the growth and invasion of various cancers including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin. The aim of this study was to further elucidate the function and regulation of MMP-13 in wound repair and cancer. In this study, it was shown that fetal skin fibroblasts express MMP-13 in response to transforming growth factor-β in a p38 MAP kinase dependent manner. In addition, MMP-13 was found to be expressed in vivo by wound fibroblasts in human fetal skin grafted on SCID mice. Adenovirally delivered expression of MMP-13 enhanced collagen matrix contraction by fibroblasts in vitro in association with altered cytoskeletal structure, enhanced proliferation and survival. These results indicate that MMP-13 is involved in cell-mediated collagen matrix remodeling and suggest a role for MMP-13 in superior matrix remodeling and scarless healing of fetal skin wounds. Using an MMP-13 deficient mouse strain, it was shown that MMP-13 is essential for the normal development of experimental granulation tissue in mice. MMP-13 was implicated in the regulation of myofibroblast function and angiogenesis and the expression of genes involved in cellular proliferation and movement, immune response, angiogenesis and proteolysis. Finally, epidermal mitogen, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) was shown to suppress the malignant properties of skin SCC cells by downregulating the expression of several target genes with potential cancer promoting properties, including MMP-13, and by reducing SCC cell invasion. These results provide evidence that MMP-13 potently regulates cell viability, myofibroblast function and angiogenesis associated with wound healing and cancer. In addition, fibroblasts expressing MMP-13 show high collagen reorganization capacity. Moreover, the results suggest that KGF mediates the anti-cancer effects on skin SCC

Distribution channel plan for wound care products: Case 3M Finland Ltd.

The aim of this master’s thesis was to make a qualitative marketing research and on the basis of this to develop a distribution plan for the case company Finnish 3M Ltd.’s wound care products. The literature review includes three important parts: distribution channel planning, the buying behavior of seniors, and special characteristics of health care products’ marketing. The empirical part of this thesis comprises two different parts. The first part is a marketing research, in which the buying behavior of wound care products is studied in Espoo. The research aim was to examine, in which distribution channels the wound care patients under home care would most preferably buy wound care products during the time period, when municipalities will not yet provide the products for free. The data was collected through semi-structured phone interviews and regular interviews, and was treated qualitatively and anonymously. The study revealed that the recommendations of nurses and doctors influenced most the buying behavior of wound care customers. In the second part of the thesis a distribution channel plan for wound care products was made for the case company 3M Finland Ltd. based on the results. 3M Finland Ltd. should focus on pharmacies, online-stores and municipal health centers as their main distributors.

Kirurgisten haavainfektioiden profylaksia koirilla ja kissoilla

Summary: Prophylaxis in surgical wound infections in dogs and cats

Höyrynkestävän eristerakenteen suunnittelu sähkökoneen staattoriin

Perinteiset sähkökoneen eristemateriaalit eivät kestä vesihöyryä. Vesihöyryä kestävä eristerakenne on tarpeen, kun tehdään hermeettinen turbogeneraattori, jossa vesihöyry virtaa ilmavälin läpi. Tällainen turbogeneraattori mahdollistaa teholtaan tavallista pienemmän biopolttoainevoimalan rakentamisen kustannustehokkaasti. Työssä tutkittiin erilaisia pyörölankakäämityn pienjännitekoneen eristemateriaaleja. Pienoismallikokein testattiin ne eristemateriaalit, joiden uskottiin kirjallisuustietojen perusteella selviytyvän vesihöyryssä. Myös perinteinen, polyesteriin pohjautuva eristerakenne testattiin. Kokeiden perusteella valittiin turbogeneraattorin staattoriin sopiva eristerakenne.

Modeling of non-isothermalvapor membrane separation with thermodynamic models and generalized mass transfer equations

A rigorous unit operation model is developed for vapor membrane separation. The new model is able to describe temperature, pressure, and concentration dependent permeation as wellreal fluid effects in vapor and gas separation with hydrocarbon selective rubbery polymeric membranes. The permeation through the membrane is described by a separate treatment of sorption and diffusion within the membrane. The chemical engineering thermodynamics is used to describe the equilibrium sorption of vapors and gases in rubbery membranes with equation of state models for polymeric systems. Also a new modification of the UNIFAC model is proposed for this purpose. Various thermodynamic models are extensively compared in order to verify the models' ability to predict and correlate experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data. The penetrant transport through the selective layer of the membrane is described with the generalized Maxwell-Stefan equations, which are able to account for thebulk flux contribution as well as the diffusive coupling effect. A method is described to compute and correlate binary penetrant¿membrane diffusion coefficients from the experimental permeability coefficients at different temperatures and pressures. A fluid flow model for spiral-wound modules is derived from the conservation equation of mass, momentum, and energy. The conservation equations are presented in a discretized form by using the control volume approach. A combination of the permeation model and the fluid flow model yields the desired rigorous model for vapor membrane separation. The model is implemented into an inhouse process simulator and so vapor membrane separation may be evaluated as an integralpart of a process flowsheet.

Fractional slot permanent magnet synchronous motors for low speed applications

This study compares different rotor structures of permanent magnet motors with fractional slot windings. The surface mounted magnet and the embedded magnet rotor structures are studied. This thesis analyses the characteristics of a concentrated two-layer winding, each coil of which is wound around one tooth and which has a number of slots per pole and per phase less than one (q < 1). Compared to the integer slot winding, the fractional winding (q < 1) has shorter end windings and this, thereby, makes space as well as manufacturing cost saving possible. Several possible ways of winding a fractional slot machine with slots per pole and per phase lessthan one are examined. The winding factor and the winding harmonic components are calculated. The benefits attainable from a machine with concentrated windingsare considered. Rotor structures with surface magnets, radially embedded magnets and embedded magnets in V-position are discussed. The finite element method isused to solve the main values of the motors. The waveform of the induced electro motive force, the no-load and rated load torque ripple as well as the dynamic behavior of the current driven and voltage driven motor are solved. The results obtained from different finite element analyses are given. A simple analytic method to calculate fractional slot machines is introduced and the values are compared to the values obtained with the finite element analysis. Several different fractional slot machines are first designed by using the simple analytical methodand then computed by using the finite element method. All the motors are of thesame 225-frame size, and have an approximately same amount of magnet material, a same rated torque demand and a 400 - 420 rpm speed. An analysis of the computation results gives new information on the character of fractional slot machines.A fractional slot prototype machine with number 0.4 for the slots per pole and per phase, 45 kW output power and 420 rpm speed is constructed to verify the calculations. The measurement and the finite element method results are found to beequal.

ErbB Ligands in Angiogenesis

The formation of new blood vessels, i.e. angiogenesis, is an important phenomenon during normal development and wound repair, as well as during various pathological processes, such as tumor growth and metastasis. Specific growth factors regulate angiogenesis by modulating the different cellular functions of endothelial cells (EC), and periendothelial cells, such as pericytes (PC) and smooth muscle cells (SMC), which interact with ECs in a paracrine manner. ErbB receptors form a subgroup of transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases that interact with growth factors of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family. ErbB receptors regulate behaviour of a variety of normal as well as tumor cell types. Cancer drugs that target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, ErbB1) or ErbB2 receptor have been approved for clinical use. It has been speculated that part of the antitumor activity of ErbB inhibitor compounds result from an antiangiogenic mechanism. The results presented here indicate a role for endothelial-derived EGF-like growth factors heparin binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) in the paracrine regulation of angiogenesis. HB-EGF, EGFR and ErbB2 are shown to mediate interaction between ECs and SMCs in vitro, and gefitinib, an inhibitor of EGFR kinase activity, suppresses recruitment of PCs/SMCs in vivo. NRG-1 is shown to regulate EC functions in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo by indirect mechanisms involving vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). Furthermore, EGFR activity is demonstrated to regulate recruitment of bone marrow-derived perivascular cells during tumor neovascularization in vivo. These results indicate that ErbB signaling is involved in the cellular processes of new blood vessel formation. This study gives new information about the role of ErbB ligands and receptors in angiogenesis and vasculogenesis and about the mechanisms by which ErbB inhibitor drugs such as gefitinib affect tumor growth.

Kalvojen vertailu heran nanosuodatuksessa

Työssä verrattiin kaupallisia nanosuodatuskalvoja heran konsentroinnissa. Tutkitut kalvot olivat Desal-5 DK, NF45 ja Koch SR1. NF45-kalvosta tutkittiin kahta eri sukupolven kalvoa. Konsentrointiajoja tehtiin sekä laboratoriomittakaavan levysuotimella että pilot-mittakaavan spiraalimoduulilaitteella. Lisäksi tutkittiin juoksute- ja happoheran konsentrointien eroja. Erityistä huomiota kiinnitettiin permeaattivuon arvoihin konsentroinnissa ja kalvojen suolojen ja laktoosin pidätyskykyyn. NF45-kalvon uuden sukupolven malli osoittautui mittauksissa samankaltaiseksi suolojen ja laktoosin pidätyskyvyltään kuin Desal-5 DK. Koch SR1-kalvo, jonka suolojen ja laktoosin pidätyskyky on Desal-5 DK-kalvoa heikompi, puolestaan vastaa ominaisuuksiltaan NF45 vanhan sukupolven kalvoa. Vanhan sukupolven NF45-kalvon valmistus on loppunut keväällä 2000. Vaihdettaessa vanhan sukupolven NF45-kalvot uuden sukupolven kalvoihin on odotettavissa pienemmät permeaattivuot ja suuremmat suolojen ja laktoosin retentiot kuin aiemmin NF45-kalvolla. Juoksuteheran konsentroinnissa suurimmat permeaattivuot saatiin Koch SR1-kalvolla. Levysuotimella ja spiraalimoduulilla saadaan koostumukseltaan samanlainen juoksuteheratiiviste. Levysuotimella permeaattivuot ovat samalla konsentrointikertoimella suuremmat kuin spiraalimoduulilla. Tämä johtuu spiraalimoduuliin jäävistä kuolleista alueista, joissa ei ole virtausta. Uutta prosessia suunniteltaessa voidaan käyttää laboratoriomittakaavan levysuodinkokokeita, kun halutaan tietoa saatavan tuotteen koostumuksesta. Prosessin tuotantokapasiteetin arvioimiseen tarvitaan pilot-mittakaavan spiraalimoduulikokeita. Happoheratiiviste sisältää enemmän suoloja kuin samalla kalvolla valmistettu juoksuteheratiiviste. Tämä johtuu happoheran juoksuteheraa suuremmasta suolapitoisuudesta. Lisäksi happoheran konsentroinnin permeaattivuo on pienempi kuin juoksuteheran permeaattivuo, sillä happoheran alhainen pH, noin 4,5, vaikuttaa kalvon permeabiliteettiin heikentävästi.

Pain-evoked alterations on gingival blood flow and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) neuropeptide SP and collagenase-2 (MMP-8) levels

Previous studies have demonstrated that clinical pulpal pain can induce the expression of pro-inflammatory neuropeptides in the adjacent gingival crevice fluid (GCF). Vasoactive agents such as substance P (SP) are known to contribute to the inflammatory type of pain and are associated with increased blood flow. More recent animal studies have shown that application of capsaicin on alveolar mucosa provokes pain and neurogenic vasodilatation in the adjacent gingiva. Pain-associated inflammatory reactions may initiate expression of several pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators. Collagenase-2 (MMP-8) has been considered to be the major destructive protease, especially in the periodontitis-affected gingival crevice fluid (GCF). MMP-8 originates mostly from neutrophil leukocytes, the first line of defence cells that exist abundantly in GCF, especially in inflammation. With this background, we wished to clarify the spatial extensions and differences between tooth-pain stimulation and capsaicin-induced neurogenic vasodilatation in human gingiva. Experiments were carried out to study whether tooth stimulation and capsaicin stimulation of alveolar mucosa would induce changes in GCF MMP-8 levels and whether tooth stimulation would release neuropeptide SP in GCF. The experiments were carried out on healthy human volunteers. During the experiments, moderate and high intensity painful tooth stimulation was performed by a constant current tooth stimulator. Moderate tooth stimulation activates A-delta fibres, while high stimulation also activates C-fibres. Painful stimulation of the gingiva was achieved by topical application of capsaicin-moistened filter paper on the mucosal surface. Capsaicin is known to activate selectively nociceptive C-fibres of stimulated tissue. Pain-evoked vasoactive changes in gingivomucosal tissues were mapped by laser Doppler imaging (LDI), which is a sophisticated and non-invasive method for studying e.g. spatial and temporal characteristics of pain- and inflammation-evoked blood flow changes in gingivomucosal tissues. Pain-evoked release of MMP-8 in GCF samples was studied by immunofluorometric assay (IFMA) and Western immunoblotting. The SP levels in GCF were analysed by Enzyme immunoassay (EIA). During the experiments, subjective stimulus-evoked pain responses were determined by a visual analogue pain scale. Unilateral stimulation of alveolar mucosa and attached gingiva by capsaicin evoked a distinct neurogenic vasodilatation in the ipsilateral gingiva, which attenuated rapidly at the midline. Capsaicin stimulation of alveolar mucosa provoked clear inflammatory reactions. In contrast to capsaicin stimuli, tooth stimulation produced symmetrical vasodilatations bilaterally in the gingiva. The ipsilateral responses were significantly smaller during tooth stimulation than during capsaicin stimuli. The current finding – that tooth stimulation evokes bilateral vasodilatation while capsaicin stimulation of the gingiva mainly produces unilateral vasodilatation – emphasises the usefulness of LDI in clarifying spatial features of neurogenic vasoactive changes in the intra-oral tissues. Capsaicin stimulation of the alveolar mucosa induced significant elevations in MMP-8 levels and activation in GCF of the adjacent teeth. During the experiments, no marked changes occurred in MMP-8 levels in the GCF of distantly located teeth. Painful stimulation of the upper incisor provoked elevations in GCF MMP-8 and SP levels of the stimulated tooth. The GCF MMP-8 and SP levels of the non-stimulated teeth were not changed. These results suggest that capsaicin-induced inflammatory reactions in gingivomucosal tissues do not cross the midline in the anterior maxilla. The enhanced reaction found during stimulation of alveolar mucosa indicates that alveolar mucosa is more sensitive to chemical irritants than the attached gingiva. Analysis of these data suggests that capsaicin-evoked neurogenic inflammation in the gingiva can trigger the expression and activation of MMP-8 in GCF of the adjacent teeth. In this study, it is concluded that experimental tooth pain at C-fibre intensity can induce local elevations in MMP-8 and SP levels in GCF. Depending on the role of MMP-8 in inflammation, in addition to surrogated tissue destruction, the elevated MMP-8 in GCF may also reflect accelerated local defensive and anti-inflammatory reactions.

Virranahto ja jänniterasitukset taajuusmuuttajakäytöissä

Nykyiset IGB-transistorit voivat tuottaa jopa 30 ns nousureunoja, jolloin jänniterasitus jakautuu hyvin epätasaisesti käämien ja kierrosten kesken. Tämä ja eristeissä esiintyvät ilmataskut asettavat käämikierrosten välisten eristeiden jännitekestävyyden koetukselle, ja aiheuttavat riskin osittaispurkaukselle. Urassa hajavuon epätasaisen jakauman aiheuttama virranahto on yleensä ollut esillä suurissa koneissa, jotka toimivat 50 Hz:llä. Nykyään taajuusmuuttajien soveltaminen on mahdollistanut nimellistaajuudeltaan satojen hertsien suurnopeuskoneiden käämitysten valmistamisen pyörölangasta, jolloin virranahto tulee merkittäväksi, koska kierroksia on muutama urassa. Työssä mitattiin jännitteen jakautumista 3.5 MW:n tuulivoimageneraattorin segmentissä käyttäen käämitysten syöttöön erilaisia jännitteen nousuaikoja, ja pyrittiin arvioimaan onko kyseinen kone vaarassa kokea osittaispurkauksia elinikänsä aikana. Työssä on myös käsitelty virranahtoa käyttäen finiittielementtimenetelmää simuloimaan ja vertaamaan erilaisia tilanteita käämitystavoissa pyörölankakoneessa. Tämä on myös osittain sovellettavissa muotokuparilla käämittyihin koneisiin. Käämivyyhdin vyyhdenpään alueella tehdyn johdinnipun 180 asteen kierron vaikutusta simuloitiin ja sen aiheuttamaa parannusta varmennettiin käytännön mittauksilla.

Free PAPP-A: a Novel Marker in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients

In recent years, one important objective of cardiovascular research has been to find new markers that would improve the risk stratification and diagnosis of patients presenting with symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) is a large metalloproteinase involved in insulin-like growth factor signalling. It is expressed in various tissues and seems to be involved in many physiological and pathological processes, such as folliculogenesis, bone formation, wound healing, pregnancy and atherosclerosis. The aim of this thesis was to investigate PAPP-A in ACS patients. Circulating concentrations of PAPP-A had been previously shown to be elevated in ACS. In this study it was revealed that the form of PAPP-A causing this elevation was the free noncomplexed PAPP-A. Thus, the form of PAPP-A in the circulation of ACS patients differed from the complexed PAPP-A form abundantly present in the circulation during pregnancy. A point-of-care method based on time-resolved immunofluorometric assays was developed, which enabled the rapid detection of free PAPP-A. The method was found to perform well with serum and heparin plasma samples as well as with heparinized whole blood samples. With this method the concentrations of free PAPP-A in healthy individuals were shown to be negligible. When the clinical performance of the method was evaluated with serum samples from ACS patients, it was shown that the free PAPP-A concentration in the admission sample was an independent predictor of myocardial infarction and death. Moreover, as a prognostic marker, free PAPP-A was revealed to be superior to total PAPPA, i.e. the combination of free and complexed PAPP-A, which has been measured by the other groups in this field. As heparin products are widely used as medication in ACS patients, the effect of heparin products on free PAPP-A molecule and circulating concentrations were also investigated in this study. It was shown that intravenous administration of low molecular weight or unfractionated heparin elicits a rapid release of free PAPP-A into the circulation in haemodialysis patients and patients undergoing angiography. Moreover, the interaction between PAPP-A and heparin was confirmed in gel filtration studies. Importantly, the patients included in the clinical evaluation of the free PAPP-A detection method developed had not received any heparin product medication before the admission sample and thus the results were not affected by the heparin effect. In conclusion, free PAPP-A was identified as a novel marker associated with ACS. The point-of-care methods developed enable rapid detection of this molecule which predicts adverse outcome when measured in the admission sample of ACS patients. However, the effect revealed of heparin products on circulating PAPP-A concentrations should be acknowledged when further studies are conducted related to free or total PAPP-A in ACS.

Saha- ja leikkurikarsinnan vaikutukset rauduskoivun puuaineen värivikoihin, oksien kyljestymiseen ja läpimitan kasvuun

Seloste artikkelista: Influence of saw and secateur pruning on stem discolouration, wound cicatrisation and diameter growth of Betula pendula. Silva Fennica 42 (2008) : 2, s. 295-305.

Granulation tissue formation -The effect of hydroxyapatite coating of cellulose on cellular differentiation

Haavan jyväiskudoksen muodostuminen – Hydroksiapatiittipinnoi-tetun selluloosasienen vaikutus solujen erilaistumiseen paranemisprosessin aikana Etsittäessä uusia luun bioyhteensopivia täytemateriaaleja selluloosasieni päällystettiin luun koostumusta muistuttavalla runsaasti piitä sisältävällä hydroksiapatiittikerroksella. Vastoin odotuksia hydroksiapatiittipinnoitettu selluloosa ei parantanut luun kasvua, vaan päinvastoin ylläpiti tulehdusta ja sidekudossolujen hakeutumista vamma-alueelle. Ihon alle implantoituna sama sienimateriaali edisti merkittävästi haavan verekkään jyväiskudoksen kasvua. Tämän löydöksen perusteella hydroksiapatiittipinnoitetun selluloosasienen vaikutusta haavan soluihin paranemisprosessin aikana tutkittiin tarkemmin ja havaittiin, että tulehdussolujen lisäksi sieniin kertyi tavallista enemmän sekä hematopoieettisia että mesenkymaalisia kantasoluja. Hematopoieettiset kantasolut sijaitsevat luuytimessä lähellä luun sisäpintaa. Luun hydroksiapatiitista vapautuu kalsiumioneja luun jatkuvan fysiologisen uudismuodostuksen ja hajottamisen yhteydessä. Kantasolut etsiytyvät luuytimeen kalsiumia aistivien reseptorien välityksellä. Koska luun pintakerrosta muistuttavasta hydroksiapatiittipinnoitteesta vapautuu kalsiumia, tämän ajateltiin toimivan selityksenä sille, että hematopoieettiset kantasolut hakeutuvat runsaslukuisesti juuri hydroksiapatiittipinnoitettuihin selluloosasieniin. Tämän hypoteesin mukaisesti hydroksiapatiittipinnoitettujen selluloosapalkkien läheisyydestä löydettiin suuria määriä kalsiumreseptoreja sisältäviä soluja. Jatkotutkimuksissa todettiin lisäksi, että hematopoieettiset kantasolut pystyivät sienissä erilaistumaan hemoglobiinia tuottaviksi soluiksi. Havaittujen punasolulinjan merkkiaineiden perusteella näyttäisikin siltä, että haavan paranemiskudoksessa tapahtuu paranemisen aikana ekstramedullaarista erytropoieesia. Nämä soluja ohjaavat vaikutukset saattavat olla hyödyllisiä vaikeasti paranevien haavojen hoidossa.

Cuticular and Suberin Polymers of Edible Plants. Analysis by Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric and Solid State Spectroscopic Methods

Cutin and suberin are structural and protective polymers of plant surfaces. The epidermal cells of the aerial parts of plants are covered with an extracellular cuticular layer, which consists of polyester cutin, highly resistant cutan, cuticular waxes and polysaccharides which link the layer to the epidermal cells. A similar protective layer is formed by a polyaromatic-polyaliphatic biopolymer suberin, which is present particularly in the cell walls of the phellem layer of periderm of the underground parts of plants (e.g. roots and tubers) and the bark of trees. In addition, suberization is also a major factor in wound healing and wound periderm formation regardless of the plants’ tissue. Knowledge of the composition and functions of cuticular and suberin polymers is important for understanding the physiological properties for the plants and for nutritional quality when these plants are consumed as foods. The aims of the practical work were to assess the chemical composition of cuticular polymers of several northern berries and seeds and suberin of two varieties of potatoes. Cutin and suberin were studied as isolated polymers and further after depolymerization as soluble monomers and solid residues. Chemical and enzymatic depolymerization techniques were compared and a new chemical depolymerization method was developed. Gas chromatographic analysis with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS) was used to assess the monomer compositions. Polymer investigations were conducted with solid state carbon-13 cross polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C CP-MAS NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and microscopic analysis. Furthermore, the development of suberin over one year of post-harvest storage was investigated and the cuticular layers from berries grown in the North and South of Finland were compared. The results show that the amounts of isolated cuticular layers and cutin monomers, as well as monomeric compositions vary greatly between the berries. The monomer composition of seeds was found to differ from the corresponding berry peel monomers. The berry cutin monomers were composed mostly of long-chain aliphatic ω-hydroxy acids, with various mid-chain functionalities (double-bonds, epoxy, hydroxy and keto groups). Substituted α,ω-diacids predominated over ω-hydroxy acids in potato suberin monomers and slight differences were found between the varieties. The newly-developed closed tube chemical method was found to be suitable for cutin and suberin analysis and preferred over the solvent-consuming and laborious reflux method. Enzymatic hydrolysis with cutinase was less effective than chemical methanolysis and showed specificity towards α,ω-diacid bonds. According to ₁₃C CP-MAS NMR and FTIR, the depolymerization residues contained significant amounts of aromatic structures, polysaccharides and possible cutan-type aliphatic moieties. Cultivation location seems to have effect on cuticular composition. The materials studied contained significant amounts of different types of biopolymers that could be utilized for several purposes with or without further processing. The importance of the so-called waste material from industrial processes of berries and potatoes as a source of either dietary fiber or specialty chemicals should be further investigated in detail. The evident impact of cuticular and suberin polymers, among other fiber components, on human health should be investigated in clinical trials. These by-product materials may be used as value-added fiber fractions in the food industry and as raw materials for specialty chemicals such as lubricants and emulsifiers, or as building blocks for novel polymers.