Browsing by Author "Medeiros, Vera"
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- Bioavailable metals and cellular effects in the digestive gland of marine limpets living close to shallow water hydrothermal vents.Publication . Cunha, Luís; Amaral, André; Medeiros, Vera; Martins, Gustavo M.; Wallenstein, Francisco; Couto, Ruben P.; Neto, Ana I.; Rodrigues, ArmindoThe pressure exerted by shallow water hydrothermal vents on edible gastropods and their cellular responses triggered by these stresses are almost unknown. The aims of this study were to evaluate the bioavailability of metals in the Macaronesian endemic limpet Patella candei gomesii living close to shallow water hydrothermal vents, and the structural differences in their digestive gland as well as the levels of apoptosis in that organ. Limpets were sampled in four sites, two with the presence of hydrothermalism and the other two without it. Whole body concentrations of several metals (Ca, Cd, Cs, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Pb, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn) were obtained, morphometry analysis of the digestive gland and TUNEL test for apoptosis were also performed. Results revealed that the presence of shallow water hydrothermal vents is a source of chronic metal stress to limpets, imposing modifications in the morphometry and cell composition of the digestive gland of those limpets that may constitute cell and tissue adaptations to the environment they live in. This study sets up new baseline data for further research on the influence of shallow water hydrothermal vents over communities living in these habitats.
- Bovine Milk Formula Based on Partial Hydrolysis of Caseins by Bromelain Enzyme : Better Digestibility and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-Inhibitory PropertiesPublication . Medeiros, Vera; Rainha, Nuno; Paiva, Lisete S.; Lima, Elisabete; Baptista, JoséA new methodology was developed using bromelain as a proteolytic enzyme for the production of a partially hydrolyzed bovine milk formula, without changing the milk's organoleptic and nutritional properties. This study also revealed that the in vitro angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition increased in the modified milk as compared with the control sample, showing the highest angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory activity for fractions with molecular weights between 3 and 10 kg mol⁻¹. The Lineweaver-Burk plot revealed that the produced milk formula acted as a non-competitive inhibitor, as determined by high performance liquid chromatography.