Enhancing Bovine Embryo Development In Vitro Using Oil-in-Water Nanoemulsions as Specific Carriers for Essential Lipids.

Worldwide meat consumption and production have nearly quintupled in the last 60 years. In this context, research and the application of new technologies related to animal reproduction have evolved in an accelerated way. The objective of the present study was to apply nanoemulsions (NEs) as carriers of lipids to feed bovine embryos in culture media and verify their impact on the development of embryos produced in vitro. The NEs were characterized by particle size, polydispersity, size distribution, physical stability, morphology using atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface tension, density, pH, and rheological behavior. The NEs were prepared by the emulsification/evaporation technique. A central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to optimize the NE fabrication parameters. The three optimized formulations used in the embryo application showed an emulsion stability index (ESI) between 0.046 and 0.086, which reflects high stability. The mean droplet diameter analyzed by laser diffraction was approximately 70-80 nm, suggesting a possible transit across the embryonic zona pellucida with pores of an average 90 nm in diameter. AFM images clearly confirm the morphology of spherical droplets with a mean droplet diameter of less than 100 nm. The optimized formulations added during the higher embryonic genome activation phase in bovine embryos enhanced early embryonic development.

Characterization of Films Produced with Cross-Linked Cassava Starch and Emulsions of Watermelon Seed Oils.

Starches are promising molecules in the production of edible films. However, the hydrophilic nature of these materials is among the main limitations of packaging based on natural polymers. An underexplored alternative is the incorporation of emulsions. This work aimed to produce films based on crosslinked cassava starch with emulsions based on watermelon seed oil (WSO) extracted with pressurized ethanol. The effect of incorporating watermelon seed oil emulsion (WSOE) on the microscopic, structural, mechanical, hydrophilic, and thermal properties of films was analyzed. The internal structure and roughness of the films were significantly affected by increasing WSOE concentration. The WSOE incorporation increased the elongation capacity of the films and reduced the strain at break. WSOE concentrations did not significantly affect the water solubility, permeability, and X-ray diffraction but decreased the wettability of the films. The analysis of the thermal properties showed that the films did not present phase separation in the studied temperature range. Overall, WSOE improved the properties of the films based on cross-linked cassava starch, but it is necessary to optimize the production conditions of the films. These materials may potentially be used as biodegradable food packaging, controlled-release films, and edible coatings in food protection.

Gelatin/chitosan based films loaded with nanocellulose from soybean straw and activated with "Pitanga" (Eugenia uniflora L.) leaf hydroethanolic extract in W/O/W emulsion.

Mechanical properties of biopolymer films can be a limitation for their application as packaging. Soybean straw crystalline nanocelluloses (NC) can act as reinforcement load to improve these material properties, and W/O/W double emulsion (DE) as encapsulating bioactive agents can contribute to produce active packaging. DE droplets were loaded with pitanga leaf (Eugenia uniflora L.) hydroethanolic extract. The mechanical, physicochemical, and barrier properties, and the microstructure of gelatin and/or chitosan films incorporated with NC or NC/DE were determined by classical methods. Film antioxidant activities were determined by ABTS and DPPH methods. The incorporation of NC/DE in gelatin and/or chitosan films (NC/DE films) changed the morphology of these films, which presented more heterogeneous air-side surfaces and cross-sections. They presented rougher topographies, notably greater resistance and stiffness, higher barrier properties to UV/Vis light and higher antioxidant activity than the NC films. Moisture content, solubility in water and water vapor permeability decreased due to the presence of DE. Overall, the NC/DE films improved all properties, when compared to the properties of NC films or those of films with only DE, from a previously published study. In spite of not having antimicrobial activity against the studied bacteria, NC/DE films did display a great antioxidant activity.

Microstructure and physical properties of nano-biocomposite films based on cassava starch and laponite.

The aim of this research was to study the effects of laponite concentrations on some properties of nano-biocomposite films based on cassava starch, focusing mainly the relation between the properties of the surface microstructure and roughness, water contact angle and gloss. Nano-biocomposite films were produced by casting. We analyzed gloss, color, opacity, water contact angle, crystallinity by X-ray diffraction, and microstructure by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Texture parameters (energy, entropy and fractal dimension) were extracted from micrographs. We observed a great impact of laponite in the morphology of nano-biocomposite films. Texture parameters correlated with surface heterogeneity and roughness. Finally, surface roughness affected the surface hydrophilicity of nano-biocomposite films. Laponite platelets were exfoliated and/or intercalated with amylose and amylopectin chains. This research reports new information on the effects of laponite concentrations on the morphological, optical and wetting properties of nano-biocomposite films aiming future industrial applications.

Properties of gelatin-based films incorporated with chitosan-coated microparticles charged with rutin.

The aim of this study was development an active film based on gelatin incorporated with antioxidant, rutin carried into microparticles. The complexation between oppositely charged lecithin and chitosan was applied to prepare the chitosan-coated microparticles. The generated microparticles had an average size of 520±4nm and a span of 0.3 were formulated by a rotor-stator homogenize at the homogenization speed 10,000rpm. Composite films were prepared by incorporating chitosan-coated microparticles, at various concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, or 1% (based on the weight of the gelatin powder)) in the gelatin-based films. For the prepared films, the results showed that obtained physicochemical, water vapor barrier, and mechanical were compared with native gelatin film with a slight decrease for chitosan concentration higher than 0.5%. The microstructure studies done by scanning electron microscopes, revealed different micropores embedded with oil resulting from the incorporation of the microparticles into the gelatin matrix. Moreover, the calorimetric results were comparable to those of gelatin control film with Tg value 45°C and increased crystallinity percentage with increasing incorporation of microparticles. This original concept of composite biodegradable films may thus be a good alternative to incorporate liposoluble active compounds to design an active packaging with good properties.

Properties of active gelatin films incorporated with rutin-loaded nanoemulsions.

Physico-chemical, mechanical, barrier, release profiles and antioxidant properties of composite gelatin based-films incorporated with rutin-loaded oil-in-water nanoemulsion, at various concentrations (5, 10, 15, or 20% (based on the weight of the gelatin powder)) were studied. All the gelatin/rutin-loaded nanoemulsion films displayed higher tensile strength and higher elongation at break than the gelatin control film. The composite films did not show significant differences in thickness, color, brightness and transparency. The structural properties evaluated by FTIR showed that the rutin-loaded nanoemulsion achieved complete miscibility within the gelatin matrix. All the gelatin/nanoemulsion films exhibited compact and homogenous microstructure. In addition, these films showed high antioxidant activities monitored by DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power activities. The Korsmeyer-Peppas model described well the rutin release profile. Rutin release was mainly governed by Fickian diffusion with simultaneous interfering swelling and disintegration phenomena. These results indicate that nanoemulsions-in-gelatin systems can function as potential active packaging systems to enhance shelf life of food products and then to provide a high-quality products (fresh/safe).

Grau de conversão dos monômeros em resinas compostas em relação á potência da fotopolimerizadora / Conversion degree of the monomers in composed resins in relation to photopolimeryzed potency

Grau de Conversão (GC) em dentística restauradora se define como o método para medir da taxa de conversão de resinas compostas. Devido aos diferentes tipos de polimerização bem como de composições das resinas esta propriedade é imperceptível ao profissional clínico e somente torna-se perceptível através de instrumentos laboratoriais. Foi medido o Grau de Conversão para este estudo de 3 marcas comerciais de resinas compostas (Filtek Z250, Fill Magic e Opallis) para a restauração direta, através do Infravermelho por Transformadas de Fourier (FTIR) BXll – Perkin Elmer com absorbância nos números de onda 1297 ± 10 cm-1, 1319 ± 10 cm-1 e 1637 ± 10 cm-1 em função da potência dos aparelhos fotoativadores Bisco (300 mW/cm2 e 600 mW/cm2) e DMC Ultra Blue IS (350 mW/cm2). Uma amostra de 10 mg ± 2 mg foi colocada no ZnSe ATR ( Miracle ATR, Perkin Elmer) e medido antes da polimerização (T0) com os parâmetros : 600 – 4000 cm-1 e 32 scans. Após esta leitura inicial a amostra foi polimerizada por 20s, 40s, 60s e 80s com o aparelho fotoativador na intensidade pretendida e ajustada. As resinas Filtek Z250, FillMagic e Opallis apresentaram um grau de conversão semelhantes entre si e satisfatório com o fotoativador Bisco na duas potências (300 e 600 mW) testadas. Com a fotoativador DMC as resinas Opallis e Fill Magic não atingiram o objetivo de 52 % de conversão. A combinação Fotoativador, Resina e Tempo de Polimerização ideal é de imensa importância para o sucesso da restauração

The Degree of Conversion (DC) in restorative dentistry is defined as a method to measure the rate of conversion of composites. Due to the different types of compositions and polymerization of the resins this property is imperceptible to the clinician and only becomes visible through laboratory instruments. In this study was measured the degree of conversion of three brands of resin composites (Filtek Z250, Fill Magic and Opallis) for direct the restoration, by Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) BXll - Perkin Elmer with absorbance in the wave numbers 1297 ± 10 cm-1 1319 ± 10 cm-1 and 1637 ± 10 cm-1 in function of the power of light curing units Bisco (300 mW/cm2 and 600 mW/cm2) and DMC IS Ultra Blue (350 mW/cm2) .A sample of 10 mg ± 2 mg was placed on the ZnSe ATR (ATR Miracle, Perkin Elmer) and measured before the polymerization (T0) with the parameters: 600 - 4000 cm-1 and 32 scans. After this initial reading of the sample was polymerized for 20s, 40s, 60s and 80s with the light-curing unit and desired intensity. The resins Filtek Z250, FillMagic and Opallis showed a similar and satisfactory degree of conversion with the two intensities of the curing unit Bisco (300 and 600 mW) tested. With the DMC curing unit the resins Opallis and Fill Magic failed to reach the goal of 52% conversion. The ideal combination of Light-Curing Unit, resin and polymerization time is of immense importance to the success of the restoration