Browsing by Author "Melo, N."
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- Annexin A11 gene polymorphism (R230C variant) and sarcoidosis in a Portuguese populationPublication . Morais, A.; Lima, B.; Peixoto, M.; Melo, N.; Alves, H.; Marques, J.A.; Delgado, L.A recent genome-wide association study detected a protective effect for the annexin A11 rs1049550*T allele (R230Cvariant) in susceptibility to sarcoidosis. We evaluated the association between rs1049550 C/T and sarcoidosis susceptibility, distinct disease phenotypes and evolution in a Portuguese population. We performed a case-control study of 208 patients and 197 healthy controls. Samples were genotyped for rs1049550 C/T using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The frequency of the annexin A11 rs1049550*T allele was significantly lower in patients than in controls (33.2 vs 44.9%, P < 0.001). Odds ratio of 0.52 and 0.44 were obtained, respectively for carriers of one (CT) and two (TT) copies normalized to the CC wild-type genotype (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in patients with and without Löfgren syndrome. A significant increase in the frequency of the T allele was observed in patients with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid neutrophilia (P = 0.04). No significant associations were seen for lung function pattern, radiological stages or different forms of disease evolution. Our study confirms that rs1049550*T allele exerts a significant protective effect on sarcoidosis susceptibility. Given the role of annexin A11 in cell division, apoptosis and neutrophil function, this polymorphism may affect key elements of granulomatous and interstitial inflammation in sarcoidosis.
- Aplicação de óleos essenciais a embalagens ativas alimentaresPublication . Ribeiro-Santos, R.; Andrade, M.; Melo, N.; Costa, H.S.; Sanches-Silva, A.Foi realizada uma extensa revisão bibliográfica de publicações científicas nas quais os OEs foram incorporados a embalagens poliméricas. As características da matriz polimérica, o OE utilizado, os seus principais compostos ativos, as técnicas utilizadas para determinação dos mesmos bem como os principais resultados foram comparados. O objetivo principal foi verificar o estado de arte e as principais tendências no que respeita à utilização de OEs em embalagens alimentares ativas.
- Associations between sarcoidosis clinical course and ANXA11 rs1049550 C/T, BTNL2 rs2076530 G/A, and HLA class I and II allelesPublication . Morais, A.; Lima, B.; Alves, H.; Melo, N.; Mota, P.C.; Marques, A.; Delgado, L.Background: A genetic background may be responsible for the different clinical courses in sarcoidosis. We analyzed associations between sarcoidosis clinical course and HLA class I/II alleles and susceptibility gene SNPs ANXA11 rs1049550 C/T and BTNL2 rs2076530 G/A in a Portuguese population, investigating possible gene–gene interactions. Methods: We studied 138 unrelated Caucasian sarcoidosis patients (78 women, 56.5%; mean age, 37.2 ± 12.1 years). Disease that persisted after 2 years was considered chronic. Samples were genotyped for ANXA11 rs1049550 C/T and BTNL2 rs2076530 G/A SNPs using TaqMan Real-Time PCR Assays. HLA class I/II alleles were typed using PCR sequence-specific primers. Results: Sixty-six patients experienced disease resolution and 72 (52%) developed chronic disease. Comparison of rs1049550 and rs2076530 allele frequencies showed no significant differences. Only the HLA DRB1*03 allele was significantly associated with disease resolution (21.2% vs 4.9% for chronic disease; RR = 0.35; P < .01 after Bonferroni correction). In the logistic regression models evaluating the association between HLA alleles and chronic sarcoidosis adjusted for rs1049550 and rs2076530, only DRB1*03 was significantly associated with disease resolution. No significant interactions were found in any of the logistic regression analyses. Conclusions: In this population of Caucasian patients with sarcoidosis, only DRB1*03 was associated with disease resolution after 2 years’ follow-up, with no significant interactions found for susceptibility gene SNPs ANXA11 rs1049550 or BTNL2 rs2076530.
- Bio-active food packaging with essential oils: protection of salami against lipid oxidationPublication . Ribeiro-Santos, R.; Andrade, M.; Melo, N.; Sanches-Silva, A.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of whey protein films containing a combination of EO against lipid oxidation of a meat product (salami).
- Bioactive compounds of cinnamon: a valuable aromatic plant for food packagingPublication . Andrade, M.; Ribeiro-Santos, R.; Melo, N.; Sanches-Silva, A.Spices and aromatic plants are used since ancient times for culinary, medicine and aromatic purposes. In culinary they are used to add or enhance flavours to foods or culinary preparations and in cosmetics they are used due to their pleasant fragrances. Due to their known biological properties, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, they are also used for medicine purposes both by traditional and current medicines. Cinnamon is one of these spices and it can be used in its various forms: whole or ground forms and as extract or essential oil usually obtained from cinnamon’s bark or leafs. Endemic to Sri Lanka, about 250 species of cinnamon have been identified being the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume and the Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl the most common. Currently, food and cosmetic industries are studying the use of cinnamon for future application in their products in order to substitute the synthetic antioxidants due to their association with human health adverse effects. The aim of this work was to compile and discuss the phenolic compounds and the main volatile compounds of cinnamon based on an extensive literature research. The final goal was to evaluate the interest of this aromatic plant in food packaging.
- Biological activities and major components determination in essential oils intended for a biodegradable food packagingPublication . Ribeiro-Santos, R.; Andrade, M.; Melo, N.; Santos, F.R.; Neves, I.A.; Carvalho, M.G.; Sanches-Silva, A.Since ancient times, aromatic plants have been used in food and in folk medicine. Currently, essential oils and their compounds are attracting great interest due to their proven action to preserve food quality, to extend foodś shelf-life and due to be natural. Essential oils from Ocimum basilicum (basil), Cinnamomun cassia (cinnamon), Cinnamomun zeylanicum (cinnamon) and Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) were analyzed by Gas Chromatography coupled with Flame Ionization Detector and with Mass Spectroscopy and by Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography with a Diode Array Detector. The antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Penicillium spp and antioxidant activities by FRAP, DPPHradical dot, ABTSradical dot+ and β-carotene bleaching assays were evaluated. C. cassia essential oils presented a strong antimicrobial activity, with a range of minimum inhibitory concentrations between 0.04–0.07 mg mL−1, depending on the microorganism tested. The main compound of C. cassia essential oil, cinnamaldehyde, showed antimicrobial effectiveness. In general, C. zeylanicum essential oil and its major compound, eugenol, presented the highest antioxidant activity. Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography confirmed the results of the essential oils main constituents, analyzed firstly by Gas Chromatography. Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography technique showed to be a valuable alternative tool for the identification and quantification of the major compounds of essential oils, especially when these are incorporated into food packaging and there is the need of carrying out migration studies in food or food simulants. Cinnamon essential oils exhibited the highest biological activity directly related to its major compounds, eugenol and cinnamaldehyde. Essential oils showed to have high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and therefore, they have great potential as natural additives of food packaging.
- Cinnamon: ancient knowledge with new perspectives in food packagingPublication . Andrade, M.; Ribeiro-Santos, R.; Melo, N.; Sanches-Silva, A.Since ancient times, the human species have been using plants and spices for many purposes. Cinnamon is obtained from the trees belonging to genus Cinnamomum. The most important species of cinnamon include Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume or C. verum J. Presl. (true cinnamon), Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees or Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl (Chinese cinnamon or cassia cinnamon), Cinnamomum burmannii (Nees & T. Nees) Blume (Indonesian cinnamon) and Cinnamomum loureiroi Ness (Vietnamese cinnamon). Cinnamon is a natural product with numerous benefits for human health and it can be used in different forms as whole, ground, as extract or essential oil. Due to its benefictc, presents a great potential of application in different fields, not only by food industry, but also by cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The aim of this work was to carry out an extensive bibliographic review in order to highlight the nutritional value of cinnamon (macro and micro nutrients) and to explore its fields of application, including food packaging. The final goal was to evaluate the interest of this aromatic plant in food packaging.
- Effectiveness of an active whey protein film against lipid oxidationPublication . Andrade, M.; Ribeiro-Santos, R.; Melo, N.; Sanches-Silva, A.The aim of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of an active whey protein film against lipid oxidation. In this frame, TBARS assay was applied to a model food packaged with an active whey protein film and with a control film, for different storage periods.
- Estudo de compostos maioritários de óleos essenciais por UHPLC-DAD visando a sua aplicação a embalagens alimentares ativasPublication . Ribeiro-Santos, R.; Melo, N.; Costa, H.S.; Sanches-Silva, A.Objetivo: Identificar e quantificar os compostos maioritários dos OEs de canela e manjericão que contribuem substancialmente para a sua ação antimicrobiana e antioxidante, visando a sua aplicação a embalagens alimentares ativas.
- Evaluation of the lipid oxidation on a meat product packaged with a biodegradable active filmPublication . Ribeiro-Santos, R.; Andrade, M.; Melo, N.; Sanches-Silva, A.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of whey protein films containing a combination of EO, against lipid oxidation of a meat product.