Simple,Selective, and Rapid Quantification of 1-Deoxynojirimycin in Mulberry Leaf Products by High-Performance Anion-Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection

ABSTRACT: 1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) occurs in mulberry and other plants and is a highly potent glycosidase inhibitor reported to suppress blood glucose levels, thus preventing diabetes. Derivatization is required for quantification of DNJ upon use of spectral detection methods. Because of this difficulty, the DNJ contents of mulberry-based food products are rarely stated, even if DNJ is their active component. A simple, selective, and rapid method of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) to quantify DNJ in mulberry-based food products was developed. Stability testing of DNJ under heat treatment was also performed. A water extract of mulberry tea sample was subjected to HPAEC-PAD in a CarboPac MA1 column with a sodium hydroxide gradient. DNJ was clearly separated at a retention time of 7.26 min without interference and was selectively detected in the water extract. The detection limit was 5 ng. Heat stability studies suggested that DNJ was heat stable. HPAEC-PAD was not subject to interference, was highly selective for DNJ, and was superior to other high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques in terms of sample preparation, resolution, and sensitivity. The method allowed simple, selective, and rapid analysis of DNJ in food matrices and might be useful for development of mulberry-based food products. Heat treatment could be an option for sterilizing mulberry-based products.     

Hydrogen production from alcohol wastewater by an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor under thermophilic operation: Nitrogen and phosphorous uptakes and transformation

The objective of this study was to investigate hydrogen production from alcohol wastewater using an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) under thermophilic operation and at a constant pH of 5.5. Under the optimum COD loading rate of 68 kg/m³d, the produced gas contained 43% H₂ without methane and the system provided a hydrogen yield and specific hydrogen production rate of 130 ml H₂/g COD removed and 2100 ml H₂/l d, respectively, which were much higher than those obtained under the mesophilic operation. Under thermophilic operation, both nitrogen and phosphate uptakes were minimal at the optimum COD loading rate for hydrogen production and most nitrogen uptake was derived from organic nitrogen. Under the thermophilic operation for hydrogen production, the nutrient requirement in terms of COD:N:P was found to be 100:6:0.5, which was much higher than that for the methenogenic step for methane production under both thermophilic and mesophilic operations and for the acidogenic step for hydrogen production under mesophilic operation.     

Lactic acid bacteria isolated from raw and fermented pork products: Identification and characterization of catalase-producing Pediococcus pentosaceus

Food Science and Biotechnology - Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from raw and fermented pork samples were screened for their inhibitory activity by an agar spot test in order to obtain a LAB strain with...     

Surface and photocatalytic properties of ZnO thin film prepared by sol-gel method

ZnO films were prepared on glass substrates by a sol-gel dip-coating technique. The films showed a polycrystalline phase without any preferable orientation. By decreasing the withdrawal speed, the surface of the ZnO films became denser because of a decrease in particle sizes. This reduces the distance between the supported solids under the water droplet that could increase the degree of the pinning effects, and leads to increase the water contact angle. Furthermore, these prepared ZnO films showed photocatalytic properties indicating by photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under a blacklight illumination. By increasing the calcination temperature, the water contact angle value decreases due to the grain coalescence which increases the gap between these supported solids. On the other hand, this enhances the photocatalytic activity caused by the improving of the crystallinity and the surface roughness of ZnO thin films with an increase in calcination temperature.     

A fully-digital and ultra-low-power front-end for differential capacitive sensors

In this paper, we present a simple, compact and low-power interface for differential capacitive sensors with a direct digital output. The complete system is composed with a current to voltage converter, an integrator, a comparator and a one-bit digital to analog converter as a feedback. The so-obtained Sigma–Delta modulator is able to deliver directly a bit stream with a ratio of logical ‘1’ directly proportional to the differential capacitance to be measured. A partially integrated prototype has been realized to demonstrate accuracy and non-linearity compatible with a 9-bit sensor.

     

Effects of inlet air temperature and spray rate of coating solution on quality attributes of turmeric extract coated rice using top-spray fluidized bed coating technique

The addition of natural antioxidants onto white rice kernel can improve its functionality. Curcuminoids that present in turmeric rhizomes possess high antioxidant activity and heat stability. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of inlet air temperatures and spray rates of turmeric extract solution on quality attributes of the turmeric extract coated rice (TCR) using the top-spray fluidized bed coating technique. The experimental results have shown that inlet air temperature and spray rate of coating solution strongly affected the final moisture content and percentage of fissured kernel of TCR. Almost all of TCR kernels in the bed cracked when their final moisture content was lower than 11.8% wet basis. However, the head coated rice yield of fissured TCR slightly decreased from that of white rice. The color of TCR was uniform over the entire surface. Texture of cooked TCR insignificantly changed from that of uncoated sample. Increasing spray rate provided higher both total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) whilst increasing inlet temperature yielded lower TPC but it did not affect TAC. Retentions of TPC and TAC of TCR after cooking remained higher than 90%.     

Interference on Cytosolic DNA Activation Attenuates Sepsis Severity: Experiments on Cyclic GMP–AMP Synthase (cGAS) Deficient Mice

Although the enhanced responses against serum cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in cases of sepsis—a life-threatening organ dysfunction due to systemic infection—are understood, the influence of the cytosolic DNA receptor cGAS (cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate (GMP–AMP) synthase) on sepsis is still unclear. Here, experiments on cGAS deficient (cGAS^-/-) mice were conducted using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection sepsis models and macrophages. Severity of CLP in cGAS^-/- mice was less severe than in wildtype (WT) mice, as indicated by mortality, serum LPS, cfDNA, leukopenia, cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10), organ histology (lung, liver and kidney) and spleen apoptosis. With the LPS injection model, serum cytokines in cGAS^-/- mice were lower than in WT mice, despite the similar serum cfDNA level. Likewise, in LPS-activated WT macrophages, the expression of several mitochondria-associated genes (as revealed by RNA sequencing analysis) and a profound reduction in mitochondrial parameters, including maximal respiration (determined by extracellular flux analysis), DNA (mtDNA) and mitochondrial abundance (revealed by fluorescent staining), were demonstrated. These data implied the impact of cfDNA resulting from LPS-induced cell injury. In parallel, an additive effect of bacterial DNA on LPS, seen in comparison with LPS alone, was demonstrated in WT macrophages, but not in cGAS^-/- cells, as indicated by supernatant cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6), M1 proinflammatory polarization (iNOS and IL-1β), cGAS, IFN-γ and supernatant cyclic GMP–AMP (cGAMP). In conclusion, cGAS activation by cfDNA from hosts (especially mtDNA) and bacteria was found to induce an additive proinflammatory effect on LPS-activated macrophages which was perhaps responsible for the more pronounced sepsis hyperinflammation observed in WT mice compared with the cGAS^-/- group.     

Blood Bacteria-Free DNA in Septic Mice Enhances LPS-Induced Inflammation in Mice through Macrophage Response

Although bacteria-free DNA in blood during systemic infection is mainly derived from bacterial death, translocation of the DNA from the gut into the blood circulation (gut translocation) is also possible. Hence, several mouse models with experiments on macrophages were conducted to explore the sources, influences, and impacts of bacteria-free DNA in sepsis. First, bacteria-free DNA and bacteriome in blood were demonstrated in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) sepsis mice. Second, administration of bacterial lysate (a source of bacterial DNA) in dextran sulfate solution (DSS)-induced mucositis mice elevated blood bacteria-free DNA without bacteremia supported gut translocation of free DNA. The absence of blood bacteria-free DNA in DSS mice without bacterial lysate implies an impact of the abundance of bacterial DNA in intestinal contents on the translocation of free DNA. Third, higher serum cytokines in mice after injection of combined bacterial DNA with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), when compared to LPS injection alone, supported an influence of blood bacteria-free DNA on systemic inflammation. The synergistic effects of free DNA and LPS on macrophage pro-inflammatory responses, as indicated by supernatant cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10), pro-inflammatory genes (NFκB, iNOS, and IL-1β), and profound energy alteration (enhanced glycolysis with reduced mitochondrial functions), which was neutralized by TLR-9 inhibition (chloroquine), were demonstrated. In conclusion, the presence of bacteria-free DNA in sepsis mice is partly due to gut translocation of bacteria-free DNA into the systemic circulation, which would enhance sepsis severity. Inhibition of the responses against bacterial DNA by TLR-9 inhibition could attenuate LPS-DNA synergy in macrophages and might help improve sepsis hyper-inflammation in some situations.     

Improving head rice yield of glutinous rice by novel parboiling process

Most commercial parboiled rice is produced from high-amylose content rice. Glutinous rice, which is lacking in amylose content, is generally consumed in Southeast Asian countries. Rare study of parboiling glutinous rice has been observed. In this study, glutinous rice was improved in head rice yield by a novel parboiling process. Two rough glutinous rice, rice department 6 (RD6) and black glutinous rice (BGR) cultivars, were soaked in hot water at 70?±?5°C for 3?h. The ricer 3moisture content after soaking was 50–52% (d.b.), it was dried with hot air and superheated steam (SHS) at 110, 130, and 150°C in a fluidized bed dryer. The results show that SHS at all drying temperatures can improve the high head rice yield in both parboiled glutinous rice cultivars better than hot air drying. Higher temperature drying caused L* value to decrease but the b* value increases in RD6, whereas in BGR, all color values decreased and ΔE* was increased when the drying temperature increased. Increasing drying temperature presented a softer texture of both glutinous rice cultivars. Upper 130°C, completed gelatinization of both varieties can be obtained and seen by scanning electron microscope and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). This technique of using high-temperature fluidized bed drying can produce completely parboiled glutinous rice in a single process instead of two conventional processes, steaming and drying, in series.     

Effects of Germination Process and Drying Temperature on Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) and Starch Digestibility of Germinated Brown Rice

In this work, germination method, germination time, and drying temperature were investigated for their effects on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and starch digestibility. The germination method and germination time influenced the GABA and dietary fiber contents as well as starch and glucose, but both factors did not provide a faster hydrolysis of starch for germinated brown rice because of the dietary fiber. When the germinated samples were dried by a hot-air fluidized bed dryer at 130 or 150°C, the GABA content was not decreased and the amylose-lipid complexes occurred. Dissociation temperature of the complexes was given in a range of 100–117°C, which was lower than that of complexes in the non-germinated paddy. Thus, the amylose-lipid complexes in the germinated samples obtained at high temperature lost some crystalline structure when cooked by the boiling method. The corresponding rate of starch hydrolysis or glycemic index of the germinated samples changed insignificantly from that of the shade-dried germinated sample or non-germinated brown rice which was dried in shade.