Bahar Aliakbarian

Hydrogel Templates for Rapid Manufacturing of Bioactive Fibers and 3D Constructs

Hydrogel templates are formed to entrap various pre-polymers prior to their crosslinking process. Upon the completion of the crosslinking process, an independent polymer network with the same fiber geometry is formed. The hydrogel template can be removed if necessary. As the proof-of-principle, fibers from various polymers are fabricated. The fabricated hybrid polymeric fibers are bioactive and can be bioprinted or assembled using textile processes. The approach can be used for creating complex 3D constructs for various applications.

Microbial production of biovanillin

This review aims at providing an overview on the microbial production of vanillin, a new alternative method for the production of this important flavor of the food industry, which has the potential to become economically competitive in the next future. After a brief description of the applications of vanillin in different industrial sectors and of its physicochemical properties, we described the traditional ways of providing vanillin, specifically extraction and chemical synthesis (mainly oxidation) and compared them with the new biotechnological options, i.e., biotransformations of caffeic acid, veratraldehyde and mainly ferulic acid. In the second part of the review, emphasis has been addressed to the factors most influencing the bioproduction of vanillin, specifically the age of inoculum, pH, temperature, type of co-substrate, as well as the inhibitory effects exerted either by excess substrate or product. The final part of the work summarized the downstream processes and the related unit operations involved in the recovery of vanillin from the bioconversion medium.

Effects of polyphenol extract from olive pomace on anoxia-induced endothelial dysfunction.

Anoxia modulates the expression of molecules associated with endothelial dysfunction and vascular diseases. Polyphenols have potent antioxidant properties due to their ability to modulate genes involved in oxidative tissue damage. In this study, we investigated the effect of polyphenol extract from olive pomace (PEOP) and its main constituents, Tyrosol and Oleuropein, on endothelial cells subjected to anoxia by evaluating the expression of molecules critical for endothelial function, proliferation and migration, and the signaling pathway involved. EAhy926 human endothelial cells were exposed to anoxic stress in the presence or absence of PEOP. Anoxia increased the nitric oxide (NO) level and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα). These effects were prevented by PEOP treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, PEOP prevented the proliferation and migration associated with anoxia in EAhy926 cells, down-regulated the levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and membrane type-1 MMP (MT1-MMP) and increased tissue MMP inhibitor-1 (TIMP-1) expression. Purified Oleuropein or Tyrosol restored to a basal level the anoxia-induced expression of MMP-9 and partially of MMP-2. The expression of TNFα was reduced by both polyphenols in a dose-dependent manner, but more efficiently by Tyrosol. Conversely, Oleuropein and Tyrosol had no significant effects on iNOS, COX-2 and TIMP-1 expression when used at the concentration found in PEOP. PEOP induced a time-dependent phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 and inhibited anoxia-induced NF-κB activation. PEOP treatment restores the endothelial functions that are impaired by anoxia by regulating the expression of genes involved in proteolysis, angiogenesis and inflammation more efficiently than the single purified components. Therefore, the combined use of polyphenols, as in PEOP, could represent a powerful tool for the treatment and chemoprevention of endothelial dysfunction-associated vascular diseases.

Innovative Alternative Technologies to Extract Carotenoids from Microalgae and Seaweeds

Marine microalgae and seaweeds (microalgae) represent a sustainable source of various bioactive natural carotenoids, including β-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and fucoxanthin. Recently, the large-scale production of carotenoids from algal sources has gained significant interest with respect to commercial and industrial applications for health, nutrition, and cosmetic applications. Although conventional processing technologies, based on solvent extraction, offer a simple approach to isolating carotenoids, they suffer several, inherent limitations, including low efficiency (extraction yield), selectivity (purity), high solvent consumption, and long treatment times, which have led to advancements in the search for innovative extraction technologies. This comprehensive review summarizes the recent trends in the extraction of carotenoids from microalgae and seaweeds through the assistance of different innovative techniques, such as pulsed electric fields, liquid pressurization, supercritical fluids, subcritical fluids, microwaves, ultrasounds, and high-pressure homogenization. In particular, the review critically analyzes technologies, characteristics, advantages, and shortcomings of the different innovative processes, highlighting the differences in terms of yield, selectivity, and economic and environmental sustainability.

Combined effect of starter culture and temperature on phenolic compounds during fermentation of Taggiasca black olives

The influence of two operative parameters on the fermentation process of table olives from Taggiasca cultivar were investigated. Laboratory scale fermentations were performed using Lactobacillus plantarum as the only starter and in combination with Saccharomyces cerevisiae at three different temperatures (23, 30 and 37°C). Control tests used for each trial were fermented only by indigenous microflora. pH and phenolic compounds were monitored in the brine and olive flesh during the fermentation. Higher temperatures (37°C) enhanced notably the release of phenolic compounds in the brine. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of brines evidenced the complete hydrolysis of oleuropein after 100 days of fermentation at 37°C for all treatments. The antioxidant power of the extracts was linearly correlated to their polyphenol contents. The results confirmed the efficiency of treatments compared with the control tests for debittering process of table black olives. Phenolic compounds in the brines can be then extracted and used in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Chitosan/dextran multilayer microcapsules for polyphenol co-delivery

Polysaccharide-based nanostructured polymeric microcapsules were fabricated by the electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly technique and used to encapsulate mixtures of four different polyphenols in order to achieve their controlled release. The real-time fabrication of the dextran/chitosan multilayer was monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring, and the morphology of the nanostructured polymeric capsules was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The polyphenol encapsulation was obtained by reversible permeability variation of the capsule shell in ethanol:water mixtures. The loading efficiency in different water:ethanol mixtures and the release rate in acidic conditions were characterized by UV spectroscopy and HPLC. The higher loading efficiency was obtained with an ethanol:water 35:65 phenolic solution, equal to 42.0±0.6%, with a total release of 11.5±0.7 mg of total polyphenols per 11.3 μL of microcapsules after 240 min of incubation in acidic environment. The results suggest that polysaccharide-based capsules can be successfully used to encapsulate and release low water-soluble molecules, such as polyphenols.

Production of Chlorella vulgaris as a source of essential fatty acids in a tubular photobioreactor continuously fed with air enriched with CO2 at different concentrations

To reduce CO2 emissions and simultaneously produce biomass rich in essential fatty acids, Chlorella vulgaris CCAP 211 was continuously grown in a tubular photobioreactor using air alone or air enriched with CO2 as the sole carbon source. While on one hand, nitrogen‐limited conditions strongly affected biomass growth, conversely, they almost doubled its lipid fraction. Under these conditions using air enriched with 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16% (v/v) CO2, the maximum biomass concentration was 1.4, 5.8, 6.6, 6.8, and 6.4 gDB L−1 on a dry basis, the CO2 consumption rate 62, 380, 391, 433, and 430 mgCO2 L−1 day−1, and the lipid productivity 3.7, 23.7, 24.8, 29.5, and 24.4 mg L−1 day−1, respectively. C. vulgaris was able to grow effectively using CO2‐enriched air, but its chlorophyll a (3.0–3.5 g 100gDB−1), chlorophyll b (2.6–3.0 g 100gDB−1), and lipid contents (10.7–12.0 g 100gDB−1) were not significantly influenced by the presence of CO2 in the air. Most of the fatty acids in C. vulgaris biomass were of the saturated series, mainly myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids, but a portion of no less than 45% consisted of unsaturated fatty acids, and about 80% of these were high added‐value essential fatty acids belonging to the ω3 and ω6 series. These results highlight that C. vulgaris biomass could be of great importance for human health when used as food additive or for functional food production.

Antioxidant activity and biological evaluation of olive pomace extract.

The antiradical power of the methanol extracts of olive pomace (Taggiasca cultivar) achieved by high-pressure–high-temperature reactor were investigated using ABTS•+ and DPPH• assays. The highest antioxidant activity was quantified at 90 min of contact time and 180°C of extraction temperature (64.19 ± 0.16 µgTE L−1 and 15.80 ± 0.62 µgDPPH µLextract −1). The extract with high-antioxidant power resulted to be effective to counteract key aspects of cellular oxidation sensitive mechanisms and inflammation associated to vascular diseases. A linear correlation (p < 0.05) between total polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacity was given by the ABTS•+ method (R 2 = 0.9184) and DPPH assay (R 2 = 0.7062).

Influence of lecithin–lipid composition on physico-chemical properties of nanoliposomes loaded with a hydrophobic molecule

In this work, we studied the effect of nanoliposome composition based on phospholipids of docosahexaenoic acid (PL-DHA), salmon and soya lecithin, on physico-chemical characterization of vector. Cinnamic acid was encapsulated as a hydrophobic molecule in nanoliposomes made of three different lipid sources. The aim was to evaluate the influence of membrane lipid structure and composition on entrapment efficiency and membrane permeability of cinnamic acid. These properties are important for active molecule delivery. In addition, size, electrophoretic mobility, phase transition temperature, elasticity and membrane fluidity were measured before and after encapsulation. The results showed a correlation between the size of the nanoliposome and the entrapment. The entrapment efficiency of cinnamic acid was found to be the highest in liposomes prepared from salmon lecithin. The nanoliposomes composed of salmon lecithin presented higher capabilities as a carrier for cinnamic acid encapsulation. These vesicles also showed a high stability which in turn increases the membrane rigidity of nanoliposome as evaluated by their elastic properties, membrane fluidity and phase transition temperature.

Kinetic and thermodynamic studies of a novel acid protease from Aspergillus foetidus

The kinetics of a thermostable extracellular acid protease produced by an Aspergillus foetidus strain was investigated at different pH, temperatures and substrate concentrations. The enzyme exhibited maximal activity at pH 5.0 and 55°C, and its irreversible deactivation was well described by first-order kinetics. When temperature was raised from 55 to 70°C, the deactivation rate constant increased from 0.018 to 5.06h(-1), while the half-life decreased from 37.6 to 0.13h. The results of activity collected at different temperatures were then used to estimate, the activation energy of the hydrolysis reaction (E*=19.03kJ/mol) and the standard enthalpy variation of reversible enzyme unfolding (ΔH°U=19.03kJ/mol). The results of residual activity tests carried out in the temperature range 55-70°C allowed estimating the activation energy (E(*)d=314.12kJ/mol), enthalpy (311.27≤(ΔH°d≤311.39kJ/mol), entropy (599.59≤ΔS(*)d≤610.49kJ/mol K) and Gibbs free energy (103.18≤ΔG(*)d≤113.87kJ/mol) of the enzyme irreversible denaturation. These thermodynamic parameters suggest that this new protease is highly thermostable and could be important for industrial applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on thermodynamic parameters of an acid protease produced by A. foetidus.