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Probiotics are increasingly gaining popularity in vast food applications due to their recognized health benefits to the host. However, their passage through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is not smooth and a significant number of physiological barriers (e.g. low pH, bile salts, enzymes, peristaltic movements, etc.) may considerably affect their viability. The entrapment of probiotics in protectiv

n this work the prebiotic effect of different cyclodextrins, CDs, on the viability of model probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) encapsulated in carboxymethyl cellulose-chitosan (CMC-Cht) hybrid particles was studied. All the CDs tested were observed to considerably improve the viability (quantitatively like common prebiotics, such as corn starch) and encapsulation efficiency when compa

Novel carboxymethyl cellulose-chitosan (CMC-Cht) hybrid micro- and macroparticles were successfully prepared in aqueous media either by drop-wise addition or via nozzle-spray methods. The systems were either physically or chemically crosslinked using genipin as the reticulation agent. The macroparticles (ca. 2 mm) formed are found to be essentially of the core-shell type, while the microparticles

We report a facile in situ synthesis of spherical copper nanoparticles (NPs) templated by a gelled cellulose II matrix under alkaline aqueous reaction conditions. In under 20 min, the hybrid material could be obtained in a one-pot reaction. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed that the polycrystalline NPs of 200-500 nm were well distributed in the regenerated cellulose mat

Neutron and X-ray reflection measurements have been used to study the structure of the adsorbed layer of a chelating surfactant at the air/liquid interface. The chelating surfactant 2-dodecyldiethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (C-12-DTPA) has a large headgroup containing eight donor atoms that can participate in the coordination of metal ions. The donor atoms are also titrating, resulting in an amp

Novel cellulose-chitosan nanocomposite particles with spherical shape were successfully prepared via mixing of aqueous biopolymer solutions in three different ways. Macroparticles with diameters in the millimeter range were produced by dripping cellulose dissolved in cold LiOH/urea into acidic chitosan solutions, inducing instant co-regeneration of the biopolymers. Two types of microspheres, chemi

Objective Polymorphisms in the CYP2R1 gene encoding Vitamin D 25-hydroxylase have been reported to correlate with circulating levels of 25-OH vitamin D3 (25(OH)D). It is unknown whether these variations also affect overall bone metabolism. In order to elucidate the overall associations of polymorphisms in the CYP2R1, we studied haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene a

The non line-of-sight (NLOS) scenario in urban intersections is critical in terms of traffic safety—a scenario where Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication really can make a difference by enabling communication and detection of vehicles around building corners. A few NLOS V2V channel models exist in the literature but they all have some form of limitation, and therefore further research is need. I

BACKGROUND: People with psychiatric disability have been found to have a poorer quality of life (QOL) compared to the general population, and QOL is an important outcome from psychosocial rehabilitation. AIMS: This study aimed at comparing users of two approaches to psychosocial rehabilitation in Sweden, community-based mental health day centres (DCs) and clubhouses, regarding QOL. A further aim w

Protoplanets of super-Earth size may get trapped in convergence zones for planetary migration and form gas giants there. These growing planets undergo accretion heating, which triggers a hot-Trail effect that can reverse migration directions, increase planetary eccentricities, and prevent resonant captures of migrating planets. In this work, we study populations of embryos that are accreting pebbl

To acquire a deeper understanding of malignant melanoma (MM), it is essential to study the proteome of patient tissues. In particular, phosphoproteomics of MM has become of significant importance because of the central role that phosphorylation plays in the development of MM. Investigating clinical samples, however, is an extremely challenging task as there is usually only very limited quantities

Several human interventions have indicated that Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (L. plantarum 299v) increases intestinal iron absorption. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible effects of L. plantarum 299v on the mechanisms of iron absorption on the cellular level. We have previously shown that lactic fermentation of vegetables increased iron absorption in humans. It was revealed th

Objectives: The aims were to identify patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had stopped drinking alcohol and compare them with patients drinking alcohol, and to explore reasons for stopping drinking alcohol. Design: A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used. Setting: Six rheumatology clinics in Southern Sweden Better Anti-Rheumatic FarmacOTherapy cohort. Participants: A total of

Neonicotinoids are implicated in bee declines and laboratory studies imply that they impair the bee immune system, thereby precipitating a rise in pathogen levels. To establish whether such synergisms reduce bee performance in real-world agricultural landscapes, we analysed the microbial composition of the bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) samples from our recent landscape study on the impacts of fiel

Long-term nanomechanical changes of polymeric ultrafiltration (UF) membranes caused by fouling/cleaning agents in water treatment are not well established in the literature. The goal of this study was to investigate the nanomechanical properties of polymeric UF hollow fiber membranes operating at a pilot-scale for 449 d and subjected to a low-quality feed (i.e., high turbidity/TOC content). Quanti