Effects of alkaline pH and gallic acid enrichment on the physicochemical properties of sesame protein and common vetch starch-based composite films.

In this study, sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) meal protein and common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) starch were extracted and used to obtain biodegradable composite films at different pH values (7, 9, and 11). Films were plasticized with glycerol (2.5 %) and enriched with gallic acid (0.25 %). Increasing pH promoted mechanical properties of the films with the developed barrier and thermal characteristics. Gallic acid addition at pH 7 resulted in lower tensile strength and higher elongation by reducing intermolecular forces, and a shift of diffraction peaks through lower angles due to crystal lattice expansion, as compared to neutral films without gallic acid. On the other hand, gallic acid-enriched films at neutral pH exhibited superior antioxidant properties. The mild alkalinity with gallic acid provided the lowest water vapor permeability, high thermal stability, improved mechanical properties and light barrier property due to deprotonation and subsequent interactions with biopolymers. The FTIR spectrum confirmed intense interactions, such as crosslinking and covalent bonding, promoted by mild alkalinity. Therefore, sesame protein and common vetch starch-based composite film with gallic acid incorporation at pH 9 can be recommended to be used in biodegradable active food packaging applications.

The Effects of Citric Acid Crosslinking on Fabrication and Characterization of Gelatin/Curcumin-Based Electrospun Antioxidant Nanofibers.

Nanofibers, produced through the novel method of electrospinning, have a high ratio of surface area to volume, which allows them to have different optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties than macroscale materials. In this study, it was aimed to produce nanofibers with gelatin and curcumin. The effects of gelatin concentration and crosslinking with citric acid on the characteristics of electrospun nanofibers were studied. Gelatin film containing neither citric acid nor curcumin was used as control. Solutions were evaluated by solution conductivity, color analysis, and rheological properties. Obtained nanofibers were characterized by morphological analysis (SEM), antioxidant activity (AA), thermal properties (TGA, XRD, DSC), water vapor permeability (WVP), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. It was found that the functional groups of gelatin were not changed significantly but some degree of crosslinking was seen, as indicated by the changes in AA, crystallinity, etc. Improvement in antioxidant activities was seen, which was the highest for gelatin and curcumin films (32%). The highest melting temperature (78 °C) and WVP (2.365 × 10-10 gm-1 s-1 Pa-1) was seen for gelatin and curcumin films crosslinked with 0.5% citric acid. Gelatin with curcumin films crosslinked with 1% citric acid showed the lowest crystallinity (1.56%). It was concluded that even though citric acid might not prove to be a stable crosslinking agent for the protein (gelatin), it contributed to the antioxidant nature of the films, along with curcumin. These films are promising candidates to be applied on cut fruits, to reduce water loss and oxidation and hence extend their shelf lives.

A pilot study of a novel paclitaxel-coated angioplasty catheter for lower extremity peripheral artery disease: a pilot study.

Aim: The aim of the study was to report our preliminary results and real-world experiences regarding the use of a novel paclitaxel-coated balloon catheter in a cohort of patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease at different stages. Material and methods: A prospective cohort pilot study was conducted and the study group was made up of a total of 20 patients with peripheral artery disease who underwent endovascular balloon angioplasty with BioPath 014 or 035, a novel paclitaxel-coated, shellac containing balloon catheter. Eleven patients had a total of 13 TASC II-A lesions, 6 patients had a total of 7 TASC II-B lesions, 2 patients had TASC II-C lesions, 2 patients had TASC II-D lesions. Results: In 13 patients, a single attempt with a BioPath catheter was adequate to treat a total of 20 target lesions, whereas in 7 patients more than one attempt with a different sized BioPath catheter was necessary. In 5 patients, total or near-total occlusion in the target vessel was initially treated with an appropriate sized chronic total occlusion catheter. Thirteen (65%) patients had at least one categorical improvement in Fontaine classification and none had symptomatic worsening. Conclusions: The BioPath paclitaxel-coated balloon catheter seems to offer a useful alternative to the similar devices for treatment of femoral-popliteal artery disease. These preliminary results warrant confirmation with further research to reveal the safety and efficacy of the device.

Contribution of Turkey in Heart Transplant Research: A Web of Science Database Search

OBJECTIVES: In 2001, Turkey performed its the first successful heart transplant. Since 2011, 765 heart transplants have been conducted among 15 heart transplant centers. The scientific impact of Turkish articles on heart transplantation remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Turkey's contributions in international heart transplant research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The bibliometric study approach was used to assess publications on heart transplantation, which included analysis of year of publication, organizations/authors, sponsorship, keywords, citations, and other characteristics. Titles, abstracts, and key words were searched in the Web of Science database for terms that included "heart" or "cardiac" and "transplantation." Methods for both quantitative and qualitative data analysis were used. RESULTS: During the analysis period of 1970 through 2021, 6370 article publications were retrieved with an average of 20.88 citations/article and 133 018 total citations. H index was 129. Most of the retrieved articles were from research areas of surgery (n = 2876; 45.14%), followed by transplantation (n = 2818; 44.23%) and cardiovascular system cardiology (n = 2522; 39.59%). Annual citation growth showed slow growth until 1986. The highest number of citations was seen in 2021 (n = 702). The United States led countries on articles (n = 2924; 45.9%), followed by Germany (n = 458; 7.19%), England (n = 411; 6.45%), Canada (n = 384; 6.02%), France (n = 330; 5.18%), and Spain (n = 329; 5.16%). The other 84 countries totaled 753 (11.82%) articles. Turkey ranked eighteenth with 87 publications, with Baskent University (n = 37) and Ege University (n = 13) being the leading centers on heart transplant research in Turkey. CONCLUSIONS: Publications from the United States continue to increase. The workload of both transplant surgery and research and publishing is challenging and Turkish researchers are encouraged to make strides at innovations.

Encapsulation of Caffeic Acid in Carob Bean Flour and Whey Protein-Based Nanofibers via Electrospinning.

The purpose of this study was to introduce caffeic acid (CA) into electrospun nanofibers made of carob flour, whey protein concentrate (WPC), and polyethylene oxide (PEO). The effects of WPC concentration (1% and 3%) and CA additions (1% and 10%) on the characteristics of solutions and nanofibers were investigated. The viscosity and electrical conductivity of the solutions were examined to determine characteristics of solutions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), water vapor permeability (WVP), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis were used to characterize the nanofibers. According to the SEM results, the inclusion of CA into nanofibers resulted in thinner nanofibers. All nanofibers exhibited uniform morphology. CA was efficiently loaded into nanofibers. When CA concentrations were 1% and 10%, loading efficiencies were 76.4% and 94%, respectively. Nanofibers containing 10% CA demonstrated 92.95% antioxidant activity. The results indicate that encapsulating CA into carob flour-WPC-based nanofibers via electrospinning is a suitable method for active packaging applications.

Correlation between physical and sensorial properties of gummy confections with different formulations during storage.

Gummy confections are popular products formulated with sucrose, glucose syrups, gelling agents, acids, flavourings and colouring agents. They have various commercial types in terms of formulation, texture, taste and colour, however, there is inadequate investigation on storage behavior of these products. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of glucose syrup:sucrose ratio (1.1 and 1.5), starch (0% and 1.5%) and gelatine concentration (3% and 6%) on texture profile, colour and sensory properties of gummy confections during storage. It was also aimed to correlate sensorial changes with physical properties measured by instrumental techniques during storage at 10 °C, 20 °C and 30 °C. The highest increase in hardness was observed for formulation with 1.1 glucose syrup:sucrose ratio, no starch and 6% gelatine. Storage temperature had no significant effect on cohesiveness. It was seen that rate of colour change increased with storage time and temperature. Formulation with glucose syrup:sucrose ratio of 1.5, no starch and 6% gelatine had the highest sensory scores. This formulation was found to be the most stable formulation in terms of hardness and gumminess, meaning that it would need a stable mastication during storage. Sensorial changes of gummy confections were found to be correlated with instrumental results of texture and colour.

Can Continuous Local Anesthetic Infusion After Median Sternotomy Reduce Opioid Use?

Introduction Effective treatment of postoperative pain due to median sternotomy speeds up hemodynamic healing of patients. For this purpose, opioids with a wide range of side effects are widely used at high doses. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of continuous local anesthetic (bupivacaine) infusion on opioid use on cardiac surgery patients undergoing median sternotomy. Methods A total of 215 patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery were included in the study; and 105 patients who underwent parasternal continuous local anesthetic infusion (0.5% bupivacaine at 4 mL/h, for 48h) were determined as local anesthesia group and other patients were as control group. The primary outcomes evaluated between the groups in the postoperative period were pain scores (VAS: Visual Analogic Score, PHHPS: Prince Henry Hospital Pain Score) and the number of opioids used. Secondary outcomes were mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit and hospital stay duration, development of atrial fibrillation and atelectasis. Results Postoperative pain was found to be significantly lower in the local anesthesia group compared to the control group (VAS: 3 ± 1.9 vs 6.4 ± 1.8, p < 0.001; PHHPS: 0.9 ± 0.8 vs 1.62 ± 0.82, p < 0.001). As a result of this, opioid drug use was significantly lower in the local anesthesia group compared to the control group (0 (0 - 4) vs 1 (0 - 8), p < 0.001). Mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit and hospital stay duration, and development of atelectasis were significantly lower in the local anesthesia group. In terms of the development of atrial fibrillation, no significant difference was found between the groups. Conclusion Parasternal continuous local anesthetic infusion reduces postoperative opioid use and speeds up hemodynamic healing by preventing possible side effects of opioids. It is a simple and effective method in the treatment of postoperative pain due to median sternotomy.

Encapsulation of pea protein in an alginate matrix by cold set gelation method and use of the capsules in fruit juices.

Plant-based proteins gained importance in recent years due to the increase in the awareness of healthy diet and in the consumption of plant-based foods. However, some features of plant-based proteins like the undesirable odor and flavor affect the sensorial properties of protein containing foods. Therefore, encapsulation of these proteins could be a good strategy to tackle with this problem. The objective of this study was to design microcapsules (beads) consisting of pea protein by using sodium alginate and to investigate the effect of different alginate concentrations (1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%) on the protein content, encapsulation efficiency, particle size, bead stability, and the morphology of the capsules and then add them to different fruit juices (pomegranate and melon) and examine the release behavior from the capsules. Rheological behavior of the juices including pectin were also investigated. TD- nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry analysis through T2 relaxation times was conducted on the capsules to observe the changes in the beads. In conclusion, alginate was found to be a suitable encapsulation coating for pea protein. Beads containing 1% alginate concentration was found to be the most effective with respect to protein content and bead stability. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study aims to design and characterize pea protein containing microcapsules capsules and their utilization in fruit juices. The study itself focused on a specific application on the fruit juices.

NMR Relaxometry and magnetic resonance imaging as tools to determine the emulsifying characteristics of quince seed powder in emulsions and hydrogels.

Quince seed powder (QSP) is known to exhibit emulsification properties and could be used as a natural emulsifier in colloidal food systems. In this study, emulsion-based alginate hydrogels were formulated using QSP and xanthan gum (XG) as stabilizers. The objective of the study was to show the emulsifying power of QSP in emulsions and their hydrogels using Time Domain (TD) NMR Relaxometry and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Rheology and mean particle size measurements for emulsions and scanning electron microscope (SEM) experiments for hydrogels were further conducted as complementary methods. QSP containing emulsions were found to have longer T2 relaxation times than XG samples (p < 0.05). Addition of either QSP or XG produced a more pseudoplastic flow behavior (p < 0.05) on the emulsions. Relaxation times were also obtained by MR images through T2 maps. Relaxation decay curves showed the presence of two proton compartments in hydrogels; protons associated with the polymer matrix and protons interacting with the oil phase. The contribution of the first proton pools was the largest in QSP hydrogels confirmed by the lowest standard deviation in the T2 maps. This behavior was explained by the emulsification ability of QSP. Results showed that NMR Relaxometry and MR images could be used to understand the emulsifying nature of QSP and many other hydrocolloids.

Fabrication of gallic acid loaded Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose nanofibers by electrospinning technique as active packaging material.

The objective of this study was to encapsulate gallic acid in Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)/ polyethylene oxide (PEO) blend nanofiber by using electrospinning and examine the usage of nanofibers as active packaging materials. Gallic acid loaded nanofibers showed homogenous morphology. Gallic acid was loaded into nanofibers efficiently and nanofibers showed strong antioxidant activity. As the gallic acid amount increased, the TGA curves had shifted one stage to two stage degradation and degradation temperature (Td) of gallic acid decreased from 275 °C to 250 °C due to the crystalline structure change. Interaction between gallic acid and HPMC/PEO nanofiber demonstrated that gallic acid successfully embedded into the nanofibers. Gallic acid loaded nanofibers decreased the oxidation of walnut during storage. Overall, electrospinning technique was proved to be an efficient method to encapsulate bioactive compounds and gallic acid loaded nanofibers showed promissory results that can be suggested as great potential to active packaging material.

Effects of addition of different fibers on rheological characteristics of cake batter and quality of cakes.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of addition of dietary fibers on rheological properties of batter and cake quality. Wheat flour was replaced by 5 and 10% (wt%) oat, pea, apple and lemon fibers. All cake batters showed shear thinning behavior. Incorporation of fibers increased consistency index (k), storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″). As quality parameters, specific volume, hardness, weight loss, color and microstructure of cakes were investigated. Cakes containing oat and pea fibers (5%) had similar specific volume and texture with control cakes which contained no fiber. As fiber concentration increased, specific volume decreased but hardness increased. No significant difference was found between weight loss of control cake and cakes with oat, pea and apple fibers. Lemon fiber enriched cakes had the lowest specific volume, weight loss and color difference. When microstructural images were examined, it was seen that control cake had more porous structure than fiber enriched cakes. In addition, lemon and apple fiber containing cakes had less porous crumb structure as compared to oat and pea containing ones. Oat and pea fiber (5%) enriched cakes had similar physical properties (volume, texture and color) with control cakes.

A novel electrospun hydroxypropyl methylcellulose/polyethylene oxide blend nanofibers: Morphology and physicochemical properties.

The objective of this study was to fabricate and characterize Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) -based homogenous nanofibers by using electrospinning method. As the concentrations of the solutions increased, viscosity and electrical conductivity of the solutions increased. The morphology of the fibers changed from the beaded structure to the uniform fiber structure by increasing the concentrations of the solutions. Water vapor permeability (WVP) of electrospun HPMC nanofibers decreased with increasing polymer concentration. The shift in wavelengths, the change in intensity of FTIR peaks and melting point depression were the evidence of miscibility of HPMC/PEO blends. Nanofibers showing both melting temperature (Tm) and glass transition temperature (Tg) had semicrystalline structure. By combining PEO with HPMC, the thermal stability of nanofibers was increased. Hence, this study suggests homogenous biopolymer-based nanofibers with low WVP and high thermal stability which can have potential applications in food packaging field.

Influence of solution properties and pH on the fabrication of electrospun lentil flour/HPMC blend nanofibers.

Electrospinning is a method used in fiber production in which an electric force is applied to create jets of charged polymer solutions. The objective of this study was to obtain homogeneous nanofibers from lentil flour and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) blend by using electrospinning method. Distilled water was used as solvent. The effects of pH (7, 10 and 12), lentil flour concentration (1% and 2% (w/v)) and HPMC concentration (0.25%, 0.5% and 1% (w/v)) on solution properties and fiber morphology were investigated. When the pH was increased, the viscosity of the solutions containing 1% and 2% lentil flour decreased. Increasing the pH values caused an increase in the electrical conductivity. At pH value of 7, homogeneous nanofibers could not be obtained whereas fibers were perfectly homogeneous at alkaline pH values. Nanofiber diameter decreased with increase in pH when 2% lentil flour was used. On the other hand, diameter of fibers did not show any significant change with pH for 1% lentil flour. When the lentil flour concentration was increased, viscosity and fiber diameter increased at pH10. When HPMC concentration was increased, both viscosity and fiber diameter increased but electrical conductivity did not show any significant change. Average fiber diameters ranged between 198±4 and 254±5nm for solutions prepared with different lentil flour and HPMC concentrations at different pH values.

Elephant Trunk Technique with a Handmade Skirted Tube Graft: How Do We Prepare It?

The surgical treatment of diffuse thoracic aortic pathologies remains a challenge in aortic surgery for surgeons. Traditionally, these aortic diseases are treated with a 2-step approach known as the "elephant trunk procedure." This technique gives us an opportunity for the construction of the distal anastomosis during the initial operation. However, this staged approach is associated with a substantial overall mortality and morbidity. In order to improve the outcomes, few single-stage repair methods have been tried. Most of them are performed through a clamshell incision, and for this reason, it is potentially associated with a high incidence of pulmonary complications. Repair techniques of diffuse thoracic aortic pathologies have changed substantially over the last decade; these techniques appear to have a significant lower operative risk for patients. "Frozen elephant trunk" (FET) technique was developed for combined lesions of the thoracic aorta as a single-stage procedure which is a combination of endovascular treatment and conventional surgery. However, experiences are limited in the field of FET and endovascular techniques that is why traditional 2-staged approach still remains as a first choice in our clinic like many centers. In eligible patients, we use a handmade skirted tube graft for conventional technique in 2-staged repair for diffuse thoracic aortic aneurysm. In this report, we aim to explain the possible advantages of this graft and how we do it.

Effect of different flours on quality of legume cakes to be baked in microwave-infrared combination oven and conventional oven.

The objective of this study was to compare the quality of legume cakes baked in microwave-infrared combination (MW-IR) oven with conventional oven. Legume cake formulations were developed by replacing 10 % wheat flour by lentil, chickpea and pea flour. As a control, wheat flour containing cakes were used. Weight loss, specific volume, texture, color, gelatinization degree, macro and micro-structure of cakes were investigated. MW-IR baked cakes had higher specific volume, weight loss and crust color change and lower hardness values than conventionally baked cakes. Larger pores were observed in MW-IR baked cakes according to scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Pea flour giving the hardest structure, lowest specific volume and gelatinization degree was determined to be the least acceptable legume flour. On the other hand, lentil and chickpea flour containing cakes had the softest structure and highest specific volume showing that lentil and chickpea flour can be used to produce functional cakes.

Rheological properties of lactose-free dairy desserts.

People suffering from lactose intolerance cannot digest milk or lactose-containing foods. Lactose-free diet is essential for them since they do not have the ability to produce lactase to breakdown milk sugar. Physical properties of lactose-free dairy desserts will most probably be different than that of lactose containing ones because of lactose hydrolysis. In this study, it was aimed to analyze the rheological and textural behaviors of different lactose-free dessert formulations containing different gum types and different waxy maize starch and sucrose concentrations. Waxy maize starch was used at concentrations of 0.032 g·mL-1, 0.040 g·mL-1, and 0.048 g·mL-1 In addition to waxy maize starch, guar gum, gum arabic, or κ-carrageenan at two different concentrations (1.0% w/w and 0.5% w/w) was added. Sucrose was added at concentrations of 0.14 g·mL-1 and 0.10 g·mL-1 in lactose-free desserts. Power law model was found to be suitable to explain the flow behavior of desserts. The storage and loss modulus of lactose-free desserts were higher than that of lactose-containing desserts. The κ-Carrageenan was found to be the most effective gum for structure build-up.

Rheology, particle-size distribution, and stability of low-fat mayonnaise produced via double emulsions.

In this study, the effects of the double emulsification method on the rheological properties, particle size, and stability of low-fat mayonnaise were studied. Different water-phase-to-oil ratios (2:8 and 4:6) of primary emulsions and different stabilizer types (sodium caseinate, xanthan gum, and lecithin-whey protein concentrate) were used to produce double-emulsified mayonnaise. As a control sample, mayonnaise was prepared conventionally. Sodium caseinate was found to be the most efficient stabilizer. In the presence of sodium caseinate, the stability and apparent viscosity of double-emulsified mayonnaise increased but their particle sizes decreased. It was found that flow behavior of double-emulsified and conventionally prepared mayonnaise could be described by the power law model. The double-emulsified mayonnaise samples were not different from the control samples in terms of stability and particle size. In addition, using the double emulsion method, it was possible to reduce the oil content of mayonnaise to 36.6%.

Microencapsulation of wheat germ oil.

Wheat germ oil (WGO) is beneficial for health since it is a rich source of omega-3, omega-6 and tocopherol. However, as it contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, it is prone to oxidation. The aim of this study was to encapsulate wheat germ oil and determine the effects of core to coating ratio, coating materials ratio and ultrasonication time on particle size distribution of emulsions and encapsulation efficiency (EE) and surface morphology of capsules. Maltodextrin (MD) and whey protein concentrate (WPC) at different ratios (3:1, 2:2, 1:3) were used as coating materials. Total solid content of samples was 40 % (w/w). Five core to coating ratios (1:8, 1:4, 1:2, 3:4, 1:1) were tried. Ultrasound was used at 320 W and 20 kHz for 2, 5, 10 min to obtain emulsions. Then, emulsions were freeze dried to obtain microcapsules. It was observed that, increasing WPC ratio in the coating resulted in higher encapsulation efficiency and smaller particle size. Microcapsules prepared with MD:WPC ratio of 1:3 were found to have higher EE (74.35-89.62 %). Increase in oil load led to decrease in EE. Thus 1:8 core to coating ratio gave better results. Increasing ultrasonication time also had a positive effect on encapsulation efficiency.

Comparison of microwave and ultrasound-assisted extraction techniques for leaching of phenolic compounds from nettle.

In this study, extraction of phenolic compounds from nettle by microwave and ultrasound was studied. In both microwave and ultrasound-assisted extractions, effects of extraction time (5-20 min for microwave; 5-30 min for ultrasound) and solid to solvent ratio (1:10, 1:20, and 1:30 g/mL) on total phenolic content (TPC) were investigated. Effects of different powers (50 % and 80 %) were also studied for ultrasound-assisted extraction. In microwave-assisted extraction, the optimum TPC of the extracts (24.64 ± 2.36 mg GAE/g dry material) was obtained in 10 min and at 1:30 solid to solvent ratio. For ultrasound-assisted extraction, the condition that gave the highest TPC (23.86 ± 1.92 mg GAE/g dry material) was 30 min, 1:30 solid to solvent ratio, and 80 % power. Extracts obtained at the optimum conditions of microwave and ultrasound were compared in terms of TPC, antioxidant activity (AA) and concentration of phenolic acids with conventional extraction and maceration, respectively. Microwave reduced extraction time by 67 %. AA of extracts varied between 2.95 ± 0.01 and 4.48 ± 0.03 mg DPPH/g dry material among four methods. Major phenolic compounds were determined as naringenin and chlorogenic acid in nettle.

Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation of essential oil from rosemary.

Effects of microwave assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) and conventional hydrodistillation (HD) methods on yield, composition, specific gravity, refractive index, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis L were studied. The main aroma compounds of rosemary essential oil were found as 1,8-cineole and camphor. Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values for essential oils extracted by MAHD and HD were 1.52 mM/ml oil and 1.95 mM/ml oil, respectively. DPPH radical scavenging activity of the oils obtained by MAHD and HD were found as 60.55% and 51.04% respectively. Inhibitory effects of essential oils obtained by two methods on linoleic acid peroxidation were almost the same. Essential oils obtained by two methods inhibited growth of Esherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium NRRLE 4463 and Listeria monocytogenes Scott A with the same degree. However, inhibitory activity of essential oil obtained by MAHD on Staphylococcus aureus 6538P was stronger than that of obtained by HD (p < 0.05).