Lipids from cephalothorax and hepatopancreas of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei): Compositions and deterioration as affected by iced storage

Lipids from cephalothorax and hepatopancreas of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) stored in ice for up to 6 days were extracted and characterised. The extraction yields of lipids from hepatopancreas (10.65–12.64%) were higher than those from cephalothorax (2.59–2.88%). However, no changes in the extraction yield were observed during the storage (p > 0.05). The carotenoid contents of lipids from cephalothorax and hepatopancreas slightly increased within the first 2 and 4 days of iced storage (p < 0.05), respectively, but decreased thereafter (p < 0.05). With increasing storage time, a progressive formation of hydroperoxide was found as evidenced by the increase in the absorbance band at 3600–3200 cm⁻¹ in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and increased peroxide values (PVs) (p < 0.05). The increases in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), p-anisidine value (AnV) and free fatty acid (FFA) content of lipids were noticeable when iced storage time increased (p < 0.05). Those changes indicated that lipid oxidation and hydrolysis occurred in both samples. Phospholipids (PL) were the major components in lipids from cephalothorax (82.51% of total lipids). Nevertheless, lipids from hepatopancreas contained triglyceride (TG) and PL as the dominant components (45.35% and 38.03% of total lipids, respectively). A decrease in the TG content with a concomitant increase in free fatty acid was observed at the end of storage (day 6) (p < 0.05). Decreases in unsaturated fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20:5(n-3)) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6(n-3)) were noticeable at day 6 of storage (p < 0.05). Thus, the extended storage time resulted in the enhanced deterioration of extracted lipids.     

Investigation of volatile organic compounds in office buildings in Bangkok,Thailand: Concentrations,sources, and occupant symptoms

To conserve energy, office buildings with air-conditioning systems in Thailand are operated with a tight thermal envelope. This leads to low fresh-air ventilation rates and is thought to be partly responsible for the sick building syndrome symptoms reported by occupants. The objectives of this study are to measure concentrations and to determine sources of 13 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in office buildings with air-conditioning systems in the business area of Bangkok. Indoor and outdoor air samples from 17 buildings were collected on Tenax-TA^™ sorbent tubes and analyzed for individual VOCs by thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD–GC/MS). Building ventilation was measured with a constant injection technique using hexafluorobenzene as a tracer gas. The results show that the VOC concentrations varied significantly among the studied buildings. The two most dominant VOCs were toluene and limonene with average concentrations of 110 and 60.5 μg m⁻³, respectively. A Wilcoxon sum rank test indicated that the indoor concentrations of aromatic compounds and limonene were statistically higher than outdoor concentrations at the 0.05 level, while the indoor concentrations of chlorinated compounds were not. Indoor emission factors of toluene and limonene were found to be highest with the average values of 80.9 and 18.9 μg m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. Principal component analysis was applied to the emission factors of 13 VOCs, producing three components based on source similarities. Furthermore, a questionnaire survey investigation and field measurements of building air exchange pointed to indoor air complaints related to inadequate ventilation.     

Characteristics and Catalytic Properties of Pd/SiO2 Synthesized by One-step Flame Spray Pyrolysis in Liquid-phase Hydrogenation of 1-Heptyne

In this study, Pd/SiO₂ catalysts with 0.5–10 wt.% Pd loadings were prepared by one-step flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) and characterized by N₂ physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), CO chemisorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The average cluster/particles size of Pd as revealed by TEM were ca. 0.5–3 nm. The turnover frequencies (TOFs) of the flame-made catalysts decreased from 66.2 to 4.3 per s as Pd loading increased from 0.5 to 10 wt.%, suggesting that the catalytic activity was dependent on Pd particle/cluster size. However, there were no appreciable influences on 1-heptene selectivity. The flame-made Pd/SiO₂ showed better properties than the conventional prepared catalysts. Their advantages are not only the presence of large pores that facilitates diffusion of the reactants and products, but also the high-catalytic activity of as-synthesized catalysts so that further pretreatment is not necessary.     

Mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hilaire) saponins induce caspase-3-dependent apoptosis in human colon cancer cells in vitro

Saponins are naturally occurring metabolites associated with several health benefits. The objective was to quantify and purify saponins from mate dry leaves, and to assess their anti inflammatory and apoptotic mechanisms in human colon cancer cells in vitro. Matesaponins were extracted with methanol from dry leaves, partially purified and quantified. Leaves contained 10–15 mg/g dry weight total saponins, predominantly matesaponins 1 and 2. HPLC and LC/ESI-MS-MS identified saponins in six preparative chromatographic fractions (A, B, C, D, E, and F). Major matesaponins were identified as 1 [M–H]⁻ = 911 and 2 [M–H]⁻ = 1057, with trace amounts of 3 [M–H]⁻ = 1073, 4 [M–H]⁻ = 1219, and 5 [M–H]⁻ = 1383. Fractions D, E, and F significantly inhibited iNOS (IC₃₅ = 36.3, 29.5, 43.7 μM), PGE₂ (IC₃₅ = 23.1, 22.3, 11.7 μM) and COX-2 (IC₃₅ = 45.7, 32.4, 17.0 μM). Fraction F reduced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB subunits p50 (49.8%) and p65 (49.0%) and induced apoptosis through suppression of Bcl-2 and increased Bax protein expressions and activated caspase-3 activity. Saponins in leaves of mate prevent inflammation and colon cancer in vitro.