Synthesis,structure and properties of new tung oil-styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers prepared by thermal polymerization

A variety of new polymers ranging from rubbery materials to tough and rigid plastics have been prepared by the thermal copolymerization of tung oil, styrene, and divinylbenzene. The thermal copolymerization is performed in the temperature range of 85-160 degrees C with variations in the stoichiometry, oxygen uptake, peroxides, and metallic catalysts used. Gelation of the reactants typically occurs at temperatures higher than 140 degrees C, and fully cured thermosets are obtained after post-curing at 160 degrees C. The fully cured thermosets are determined by Soxhlet extraction to contain approximately 90-100% cross-linked materials, and (1)H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy indicates that the cross-linked materials are random copolymers. The new bulk polymeric materials obtained are light yellow and transparent with glossy surfaces, and possess glass transition temperatures of -2 to +116 degrees C, cross-link densities of 1.0 x 10(3)-2.5 x 10(4) mol/m(3), coefficients of linear thermal expansion of 2.3 x 10(-4)-4.4 x 10(-4) per degrees C, compressive moduli of 0.02-1.12 GPa, and compressive strengths of 8-144 MPa. These materials are thermally stable below 300 degrees C and exhibit a major thermal degradation with a maximum degradation rate at 493-506 degrees C.     

Novel conjugated linseed oil-styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers prepared by thermal polymerization. 1. Effect of monomer concentration on the structure and properties

A variety of novel opaque, white polymers ranging from rubbery materials to tough and rigid plastics have been prepared by the thermal polymerization at 85-160 degrees C of varying amounts of 87% conjugated linseed oil, styrene, and divinylbenzene. Gelation of the reactants typically occurs at temperatures higher than 120 degrees C, and fully cured thermosets are obtained after postcuring at 160 degrees C. The fully cured thermosets have been determined by Soxhlet extraction to contain approximately 35-85% cross-linked materials. The microcomposition of these polymers, as determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy, indicates that the cross-linked materials are composed of both soft oily and hard aromatic phases. After solvent extraction, the insoluble materials exhibit nanopores well distributed throughout the polymer matrixes. Dynamic mechanical analysis of these polymers indicates that they are phase separated with a soft rubbery phase having a sharp glass transition temperature of -50 degrees C and a hard brittle plastic phase with a broadened glass transition temperature of 70-120 degrees C. These polymers possess cross-link densities of 0.15-2.41 x 10(4) mol/m3, compressive Young's moduli of 12-438 MPa, and compressive strengths of 2-27 MPa. These materials are thermally stable below 350 degrees C and exhibit a major thermal degradation of 72-90% at 493-500 degrees C.     

Production and characterization of poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoate copolymers from Burkholderia cepacia utilizing xylose and levulinic acid

Poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate-co-beta-hydroxyvalerate) (P(3HB-co-3HV)) copolymers were prepared via shake-flask fermentations of Burkholderia cepacia (formerly Pseudomonas cepacia) containing 2.2% (w/v) xylose and concentrations of levulinic acid ranging from 0.07% to 0.67% (w/v). Periodic harvest of shake-flask cultures from 48 to 92 h post-inoculation yielded 4.4-5.3 g/L of dry cell biomass, containing 42-56% (w/w) P(3HB-co-3HV), with optimal product yield occurring between 66 and 74 h. Growth and PHA accumulation enhancement were observed with concentrations of levulinic acid from 0.07 to 0.52% (w/v), producing dry cell biomass and P(3HB-co-3HV) yields of 9.5 and 4.2 g/L, respectively, at the 0.52% (w/v) concentration of levulinic acid. Representative samples were subjected to compositional analysis by 300 MHz 1H and 150 MHz 13C NMR, indicating that these random copolymers contained between 0.8 and 61 mol % 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV). Solvent-cast film samples were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, which demonstrated melting temperatures (Tm) to decrease in a pseudoeutectic fashion from 174.3 degrees C (0.8 mol % 3HV) to a minimum of 154.2 degrees C (25 mol % 3HV) and the glass transition temperatures (Tg) to decrease linearly from 2.1 to -11.9 degrees C as a function of increasing mol % 3HV. Thermogravimetric analysis of the copolymer series showed the temperature for onset of thermal decomposition (T(decomp)) to vary as a function of mol % 3HV from 273.4 to 225.5 degrees C. Intrinsic viscosities (eta) varied from 3.2 to 5.4 dL/g, as determined by dilute solution viscometry. Viscosity average molecular weights (Mv) of the copolymers were determined to range from 469 to 919 kDa, indicating that these P(3HB-co-3HV) copolymers are of sufficient molecular mass for commercial application.     

Effect of extraction method on the yield of furanocoumarins from fruits of Archangelica officinalis Hoffm

Optimal conditions for the extraction and analysis of furanocoumarins from fruits of Archangelica officinalis Hoffm. have been determined. The following extraction methods were used: exhaustive extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus, ultrasonication at 25 and 60 degrees C, microwave-assisted solvent extraction in open and closed systems, and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). In most cases the yields of furanocoumarins were highest using the ASE method. The effects of extracting solvent, temperature and time of extraction using this method were investigated. The highest yield of furanocoumarins by ASE was obtained with methanol at 100-130 degrees C for 10 min. The extraction yields of furanocoumarins from plant material by ultrasonication at 60 degrees C and microwave-assisted solvent extraction in an open system were comparable to the extraction yields obtained in the time- and solvent-consuming exhaustive process involving the Soxhlet apparatus.     

Combined effects of dietary protein type and fat level on the body fat-reducing activity of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in rats

The interaction of dietary protein type and fat level on the body fat-reducing activity of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was studied in male rats fed diets containing casein (CAS) or soy protein (SOY) as a protein source with low fat (LF, 6.0% soybean oil) or high fat (HF, 13.0% soybean oil) combinations for 4 weeks. CLA was added at the 1.0% level to all diets. The weight of perirenal adipose tissue tended to be lower in the SOY groups than in the corresponding CAS groups, and the difference between the LF diets was significant. The weight of epididymal adipose tissue showed a similar but insignificant trend. The weight of brown adipose tissue was heaviest on the SOY-HF diet and lowest on two CAS diets, the SOY-LF diet being intermediate. The concentration of serum leptin was lowest on the SOY-LF diet and was significantly lower than that of the corresponding CAS group, but this difference disappeared when the dietary fat level increased. The serum cholesterol-lowering activity of SOY in relation to CAS was reproduced even when CLA was given. Thus the body fat-reducing activity of CLA was most marked when rats were fed the SOY-LF diet. Although the CAS-HF diet increased body fat deposition, the magnitude of the reduction by lowering dietary fat level was more marked than in the case of SOY. These results indicate a complicated interaction of dietary manipulations with the body fat-reducing effect of CLA, but the combination of CLA with the SOY-LF diet appears to be an appropriate approach.     

1,3‐Regiospecific ethanolysis of soybean oil catalyzed by crosslinked porcine pancreas lipase aggregates

The preparation of crosslinked aggregates of pancreatic porcine lipase (PPL‐CLEA) was systematically studied, evaluating the influence of three precipitants and two crosslinking agents, as well as the use of soy protein as an alternative feeder protein on the catalytic properties and stability of the immobilized PPL. Standard CLEAs showed a global yield (CLEA’ observed activity/offered total activity) of less than 4%, whereas with the addition of soy protein (PPL:soy protein mass ratio of 1:3) the global yield was approximately fivefold higher. The CLEA of PPL prepared with soy protein as feeder (PPL:soy protein mass ratio of 1:3) and glutaraldehyde as crosslinking reagent (10 μmol of aldehyde groups/mg of total protein) was more active mainly because of the reduced enzyme leaching in the washing step. This CLEA, named PPL‐SOY‐CLEA, had an immobilization yield around 60% and an expressed activity around 40%. In the ethanolysis of soybean oil, the PPL‐SOY‐CLEA yielded maximum fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) concentration around 12‐fold higher than that achieved using soluble PPL (34 h reaction at 30°C, 300 rpm stirring, soybean oil/ethanol molar ratio of 1:5) with an enzyme load around 2‐fold lower (very likely due to free enzyme inactivation). The operational stability of the PPL‐SOY‐CLEA in the ethanolysis of soybean oil in a vortex flow type reactor showed that FAEE yield was higher than 50% during ten reaction cycles of 24 h. This reactor configuration may be an attractive alternative to the conventional stirred reactors for biotransformations in industrial plants using carrier‐free biocatalysts. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:910–920, 2018     

Combined Effects of Dietary Protein Type and Fat Level on the Body Fat-Reducing Activity of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) in Rats

The interaction of dietary protein type and fat level on the body fat-reducing activity of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was studied in male rats fed diets containing casein (CAS) or soy protein (SOY) as a protein source with low fat (LF, 6.0% soybean oil) or high fat (HF, 13.0% soybean oil) combinations for 4 weeks. CLA was added at the 1.0% level to all diets. The weight of perirenal adipose tissue tended to be lower in the SOY groups than in the corresponding CAS groups, and the difference between the LF diets was significant. The weight of epididymal adipose tissue showed a similar but insignificant trend. The weight of brown adipose tissue was heaviest on the SOY-HF diet and lowest on two CAS diets, the SOY-LF diet being intermediate. The concentration of serum leptin was lowest on the SOY-LF diet and was significantly lower than that of the corresponding CAS group, but this difference disappeared when the dietary fat level increased. The serum cholesterol-lowering activity of SOY in relation to CAS was reproduced even when CLA was given. Thus the body fat-reducing activity of CLA was most marked when rats were fed the SOY-LF diet. Although the CAS-HF diet increased body fat deposition, the magnitude of the reduction by lowering dietary fat level was more marked than in the case of SOY. These results indicate a complicated interaction of dietary manipulations with the body fat-reducing effect of CLA, but the combination of CLA with the SOY-LF diet appears to be an appropriate approach.     

Fast pyrolysis of soybean cake: product yields and compositions

This study was an investigation of the role of important parameters influencing pyrolysis yields from soybean cake. Experiments were carried out at temperatures ranging from 400 to 700 degrees C, for various nitrogen flow rates, heating rates and particle sizes. The maximum liquid yield was 42.83% at a pyrolysis temperature of 550 degrees C with a sweeping gas rate of 200 cm3 min(-1) and heating rate of 700 degrees C min(-1) for a soybean cake sample having 0.425 < D(p) < 0.85 mm particle size. The various characteristics of liquid product were identified. Thus, the aliphatic sub-fraction of the bio-oil was analysed by GC-MS and further structural analyses of bio-oil and aromatic and polar sub-fractions were conducted using FT-IR and 1H-NMR. The H/C ratios and the structural analysis of the fractions obtained from the biocrudes showed that the fractions were quite similar to currently utilised transport fuels.     

Synthesis and characterization of polymeric soybean oil-g-methyl methacrylate (and n-butyl methacrylate) graft copolymers: biocompatibility and bacterial adhesion

Peroxidation, epoxidation, and/or perepoxidation reactions of soybean oil under air at room temperature resulted in cross-linked polymeric soybean oil peroxides on the surface along with the waxy soluble part, sPSB, with a molecular weight of 4690, containing up to 2.3 wt % peroxide. This soluble polymeric oil peroxide, sPSB, initiated the free radical polymerization of either methyl methacrylate (MMA) or n-butyl methacrylate (nBMA) to give PSB-g-PMMA and PSB-g-PnBMA graft copolymers. The polymers obtained were characterized by (1)H NMR, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and gel permeation chromatography techniques. Polymeric oil as a plasticizer lowered the glass transition of the PSB-g-PMMA graft copolymers. PSB-g-PMMA and PSB-g-PnBMA graft copolymer film samples were also used in cell culture studies. Fibroblast and macrophage cells were strongly adhered and spread on the copolymer film surfaces, which is important in tissue engineering. Bacterial adhesion on PSB-g-PMMA graft copolymer was also studied. Both Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli adhered on the graft copolymer better than on homo-PMMA. Furthermore, the latter adhered much better than the former.     

Synthesis and characterization of branched polymers from lipase-catalyzed trimethylolpropane copolymerizations

Lipase-catalyzed terpolymerizations were performed with the monomers trimethylolpropane (B3), 1,8-octanediol (B2), and adipic acid (A2). Polymerizations were performed in bulk, at 70 degrees C, for 42 h, using immobilized lipase B from Candida antartica (Novozyme-435) as a catalyst. To determine the substitution pattern of trimethylolpropane (TMP) in copolymers, model compounds with variable degrees of acetylation were synthesized. Inverse-gated 13C NMR spectra were recorded to first determine the chemical shift positions for mono-, di-, and trisubstituted TMP units and, subsequently, to determine substitution of TMP units along chains. Variation of TMP in the monomer feed gave copolymers with degrees of branching (DB) from 20% to 67%. In one example, a hyperbranched copolyester with 53 mol % TMP adipate units was formed in 80% yield, with Mw 14 100 (relative to polystyrene standards), Mw/Mn 5.3, and DB 36%. Thermal and crystalline properties of the copolyesters were studied by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry.     

N(4)C-alkyl-N(4)C cross-linked DNA: bending deformations in duplexes that contain a -CNG- interstrand cross-link

Short DNA duplexes containing a 1,3-N(4)C-alkyl-N(4)C interstrand cross-link that joins the two C residues of a -CNG- sequence were prepared using either a phosphoramidite or convertible nucleoside approach. The alkyl cross-link consists of 2, 4, or 7 methylene groups. The duplexes, which contain a seven-base-pair core and A(3)/T(3) complementary 3'-overhanging ends, were characterized by enzymatic digestion and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Ultraviolet thermal denaturation studies showed that the duplexes denature in a cooperative manner and that the length of the cross-link affects the thermal stability. Thus, the transition temperature of the ethyl cross-linked duplex, 42 degrees C, is 16 degrees C higher than the melting temperature of the corresponding non-cross-linked control, whereas the transition temperatures of the butyl and heptyl cross-linked duplexes, 73 and 72 degrees C, respectively, are 46-47 degrees C higher. The reduced molecularity of denaturation of the cross-linked duplexes versus melting of the non-cross-linked duplex most likely accounts for these differences. Examination of molecular models suggests that the ethyl cross-link is too short to span the distance between the two C residues at the site of the cross-link in B-form DNA without causing distortion of the helix, whereas less and no distortion would be expected for the butyl and heptyl cross-links, respectively. The circular dichroism spectra, which show greatest deviation in the ethyl cross-linked duplex from B-form DNA, are consistent with this expectation. Anomalous mobilities on native polyacrylamide gels of multimers produced by self-ligation of each of the cross-linked duplexes suggest that the ethyl and butyl cross-linked duplexes undergo bending deformations, whereas multimers derived from the heptyl cross-linked duplex migrated normally. The bending angle was estimated to be 20 degrees, 13 degrees, and 0 degrees for the ethyl, butyl, and heptyl cross-linked duplexes, respectively. Thus, it appears that the degree of bending in these N(4)C-alkyl-N(4)C cross-linked duplexes is controlled by the length of the cross-link.     

Synthesis and characterization of new micrometer-sized radiopaque polymeric particles of narrow size distribution by a single-step swelling of uniform polystyrene template microspheres for X-ray imaging applications

Radiopaque micron-sized non-cross-linked polystyrene/poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl(2,3,5-triiodobenzoate)) particles of narrow size distribution were prepared by a single-step swelling of uniform polystyrene template microspheres with emulsion droplets of methylene chloride containing the initiator benzoyl peroxide and the iodinated monomer 2-methacryloyloxyethyl(2,3,5-triiodobenzoate), followed by the polymerization of the monomer within the swollen template particles at 73 degrees C. Radiopaque micron-sized uniform cross-linked polystyrene/poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl(2,3,5-triiodobenzoate)-divinylbenzene) composite particles were prepared similarly with emulsion droplets of methylene chloride containing divinylbenzene, in addition to the initiator and the iodinated monomer. Radiopaque micron-sized uniform cross-linked poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl(2,3,5-triiodobenzoate)-divinylbenzene) particles were formed by dissolving the template polystyrene polymer belonging to the former cross-linked composite particles. Characterization of these novel radiopaque polymeric particles was performed by methods such as FTIR, TGA, DSC, SEM, XPS, elemental analysis, and light microscopy. The influence of the weight ratio [2-methacryloyloxyethyl(2,3,5-triiodobenzoate)]/[polystyrene] and [2-methacryloyloxyethyl(2,3,5-triiodobenzoate)]/[divinylbenzene] on the bulk and surface properties of the non-cross-linked and cross-linked particles, respectively was elucidated. The radiopacity of these iodinated particles was demonstrated by an imaging technique based on X-ray absorption usually used in hospitals. These novel radiopaque particles may be used for different X-ray imaging needs, e.g., blood pool, body organs, embolization, dental composition, implants, protheses, and nanocomposites.     

Polystyrene microgel amphiphiles with maltohexaose. Synthesis, characterization, and potential applications

4-Vinylbenzyl maltohexaoside peracetate (1) was copolymerized with divinylbenzene (DVB) using 1-phenyl-1-(2',2',6',6'-tetramethyl-1'-piperidinyloxy)ethane (2) in m-xylene. The copolymerizations were performed at 138 degrees C for 20 h using the mole fraction of 1 in the total feed of 1 and DVB (F1: [1]/[1]+[DVB]) varying from 0.11 to 0.38, affording polymeric products in yields ranging from 32 to 40%. The characterizations by linear PS-calibrated size exclusion chromatography (SEC), dynamic laser light scattering (DLS) measurements, and 1H NMR spectroscopy indicated that the product was assignable to the cross-linked poly(4-vinylbenzyl maltohexaoside peracetate) particle which is able to produce stable solutions, i.e., the PSt microgel with acetyl maltohexaose, 3. The specific rotations ([alpha]D23, c = 1.0 CHCl3) of 3 ranged from +43.3 degrees to +85.6 degrees. The average molar masses determined by the static laser light scattering (SLS) measurement of 3, M(w,SLS)'s, were from 64,700 to 118,000, which were calculated using the respective refractive index increments, dn/dc's, ranging from 0.03387 to 0.08340. The apparent numbers of the 1, 2, and DVB units in 3, N1, N2, and N(DVB), which were estimated from the respective [alpha]D23 values, M(w,SLS)'s, and real yields, ranged from 22 to 35, from 7 to 26, and from 146 to 506, respectively. The deacetylation of 3 was achieved by treatment with sodium methoxide in dry 1,4-dioxane to produce the PSt microgel with maltohexaose as the hydrophilic segment, 4, as a white solid. The solubility of 4 in various solvents was examined, indicating that a hydrophilic property was effectively introduced. Notably, 4 gave clear solutions in the mixed solvent of 1,4-dioxane and H2O. The ability to solubilize fullerite (mixture of fullerenes, C60/C70 = ca. 9/1) in aqueous solutions was examined according to the literature method. Approximately, 100 mg of 4 (1.7 micromol) solubilizes 1.3 mg of fullerite (1.7 micromol).     

Time-Dependent Effects of Progressive Gamma -Linolenate Feeding on Hyperphagia,Weight Gain,and Erythrocyte Fatty Acid Composition During Growth of Zucker Obese Rats

Obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) have low levels of arachidonic acid (AA) in liver phospholipids (PL). We have previously shown that a 70% gamma-linolenate concentrate (GLA; an AA intermediate) fed at a fixed dose (0.07 g/day) normalized hepatic PL AA and reduced weight gain selectively in the obese animals. In a follow-up study, 16 obese (fa/fa) and 16 lean (Fa/Fa) 4-week-old male rats were randomized into 4 groups of 8 each and gavaged daily with soybean oil (SOY) containing 55% 18:2ω6 (an AA precursor) or GLA, using a progressive dose (≤ 5% of total calories) based on body weight. A defined diet with 11% of energy as SOY was fed ad libitum for 60 days. GLA obese had lower body weight (p<0.0001) and 60-day cumulative food intake (p<0.05) compared to SOY obese, but neither parameter differed between the lean groups. For the last twenty days cumulative food intake was identical for GLA obese and SOY lean, whereas SOY obese consumed 18% more (p<0.05). Thus the progressive dose of GLA selectively suppressed hyperphagia in obese Zucker rats. Erythrocytes collected at 15-day intervals showed parallel increases in AA in both genotypes over time, suggesting normal AA availability during rapid growth. Thus, the reduced PL AA in the livers from the obese rats probably reflects impaired distribution in selected tissues rather than reduced hepatic production. Due to the potential health risks of enriching tissue lipids with AA, great caution is advised in considering GLA as therapy for human obesity.     

Endocytosis of aggregated immunoglobulin G by rat basophilic leukemia cells; rate, extent, and effects on the endocytosis of immunoglobulin E

Rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells have distinct receptors for IgE and IgG. We assessed the endocytosis of chemically and immunochemically cross-linked mouse-IgG and its influence on the simultaneous endocytosis of IgE. We found that at 37 degrees C, aggregates of IgG and IgE were endocytosed at about the same rate with one-half of the maximal endocytosis occurring in 5 to 13 min, and the efficiency of endocytosis for both ligands ranging from 40 to 70%. We also found that endocytosis of cross-linked IgE and IgG occurred simultaneously and neither ligand significantly affected the rate or extent of endocytosis of the other. The cells accumulated the cross-linked IgG, and then released it to the extracellular environment, at a rate (less than 3%/hr) slower than the released endocytosed IgE (greater than 10%/hr). Using an assay that discriminates between unbound and receptor-bound oligomeric IgG, we found that oligomeric IgG is endocytosed with its receptor, and that the bulk of the ligand remains bound to its receptor for greater than 120 min after endocytosis. The differences in the rate of release of endocytosed IgG vs IgE suggests that the intracellular fate or pathway of these two oligomeric ligands may differ.     

Cocrystallization of random copolymers of omega-pentadecalactone and epsilon-caprolactone synthesized by lipase catalysis

Random copolymers were prepared by Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozyme-435) catalyzed copolymerization of omega-pentadecalactone (PDL) with epsilon-caprolactone (CL). Over the whole composition range PDL-CL copolymers are highly crystalline (melting enthalpy by differential scanning calorimetry, above 100 J/g; crystallinity degree by wide-angle X-ray scattering, WAXS, 60-70%). The copolymers melt at temperatures that linearly decrease with composition from that of poly(omega-pentadecalactone) (PPDL; 97 degrees C) to that of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL; 59 degrees C). The WAXS profiles of PCL and PPDL homopolymers are very similar, except for the presence in PPDL of the (001) reflection at 2theta = 4.58 degrees that corresponds to a 19.3 angstroms periodicity in the chain direction. In PDL-CL copolymers the intensity of this reflection decreases with increasing content of CL units and vanishes at 50 mol % CL, as a result of randomization of the ester group alignment and loss of chain periodicity. PDL-CL copolymers crystallize in a lattice that gradually changes from that of one homopolymer to that of the other, owing to comonomer isomorphous substitution. Cocrystallization of comonomer units is also shown by a random PDL-CL copolymer obtained in a polymerization/transesterification reaction catalyzed by C. antarctica lipase B (Novozyme-435) starting from preformed PCL and PDL monomer.     

Study of conditions of production of roquefortine and other metabolites of Penicillin roqueforti.

Experiments to determine optimum yields of roquefortine, isofumigaclavine A, and PR toxin, metabolites from Penicillum roqueforti Thom, were performed. Four strains, isolated from blue cheese, and five liquid media were evaluated, although not all permutations were studied. Sucrose (15%)-yeast extract (2%) was the medium chosen for time-course studies at 25 and 15 degrees C using one favorable strain. At 25 degrees C, maximum estimated yields of roquefortine were about 100 mg/liter in the mycelium by 16 days, and no subsequent degradation of this alkaloid was observed. On the other hand, production of PR toxin in the medium peaked at 770 mg/liter at 21 days. At 15 degrees C, yields of roquefortine and PR toxin after 49 days were 60 to 70% of the maximum yields obtained at 25 degrees C. However, about three times more isofumigaclavine A (up to 11 mg/liter) was formed in the mycelium at 15 degrees C than at 25 degrees C. All four strains of P. roqueforti procedure both roquefortine and PR toxin on the sucrose-yeast extract medium at 25 degrees C; isofumigaclavine A was detected in all but one strain grown on this medium.     

Fate of phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene during biodegradation of crude oil added to two soils

The release of 14CO2 from 9-[14C]phenanthrene, 4,5,9,10-[14C]pyrene and 7-[14C]benzo[a]pyrene, added to Brent/Fortes crude oil and mixed into a pristine sand soil (0.40% organic C) and a pristine organic soil (22.9% organic C), was determined. After 244 days at 25 degrees C, 11.1 +/- 3.5% (sand) and 17.1 +/- 0.30% (organic) phenanthrene-14C and 9.77 +/- 2.8% (sand) and 5.86 +/- 1.4% (organic) benzo[a]pyrene-14C was released. After 210 days, 3.65 +/- 0.5% (sand) and 4.43 +/- 0.33% (organic) pyrene-14C was released. Inoculation of these two soils with DC1 and PD2 (bacteria capable of accelerating the phenanthrene and pyrene mineralisation in soil in the absence of crude oil) either at day 0 or after release as 14CO2 by indigenous degraders had ceased, failed to increase or initiate further mineralisation. Thus, aged PAH residues were non-bioavailable to these metabolically competent degrading microorganisms. At the end of the first period of incubation (210 days or 244 days), the total aromatic hydrocarbons recovered using Soxhlet extraction was 0.18% (sand) and 42.8% (organic) compared with approximately 100% from bio-inhibited soils. This confirmed that the indigenous microbiological activity not only caused a limited amount of PAH mineralisation but also reduced the extractability of residues, possibly due to the generation of metabolites which were chemisorbed and bound (and non extractable) in 'aged' soils.     

超临界CO_2萃取韭菜籽油成分的GC-MS分析

以索氏提取法为对照,采用超临界二氧化碳(SC-CO_2)萃取韭菜籽油,气相色谱-质谱联用技术(GC-MS)对韭菜籽油成分进行分析,NIST 02质谱数据库对其进行分析和鉴定.结果表明,SC-CO_2萃取压力为22.25 MPa、温度为40.40℃条件下萃取86.7 min时,萃取得率为17.52%,共分离鉴定出17种物质,其中,饱和脂肪酸以棕榈酸(6.25%)为主,占脂肪酸总量的 9.05%;不饱和脂肪酸主要是亚油酸(69.71%)和油酸(19.53%),占脂肪酸总量的90.50%.采用索氏提取得率为16.50%,共鉴定出10种物质,饱和脂肪酸以棕榈酸(7.22%)为主,占总脂肪酸量的9.84%;不饱和脂肪酸主要是亚油酸(69.34%)和油酸(20.12%),不饱和脂肪酸占脂肪酸总量的90.16%.另外SC-CO_2萃取韭菜籽油还检出单不饱和脂肪酸7-棕榈烯酸、角鲨烯和β-谷甾醇.     

Animal performance and meat characteristics in steers reared in intensive conditions fed with different vegetable oils

Enhancing the quality of beef meat is an important goal in terms of improving both the nutritional value for the consumer and the commercial value for producers. The aim of this work was to study the effects of different vegetable oil supplements on growth performance, carcass quality and meat quality in beef steers reared under intensive conditions. A total of 240 Blonde D’ Aquitaine steers (average BW=293.7±38.88 kg) were grouped into 24 batches (10 steers/batch) and were randomly assigned to one of the three dietary treatments (eight batches per treatment), each supplemented with either 4% hydrogenated palm oil (PALM) or fatty acids (FAs) from olive oil (OLI) or soybean oil (SOY). No differences in growth performance or carcass quality were observed. For the meat quality analysis, a steer was randomly selected from each batch and the 6th rib on the left half of the carcass was dissected. PALM meat had the highest percentage of 16:0 (P<0.05) and the lowest n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ratio (P<0.05), OLI had the highest content of t11-18:1 (P<0.01) and c9,t11-18:2 (P<0.05) and SOY showed the lowest value of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (P<0.001), the highest percentage of PUFA (P<0.01) and a lower index of atherogenicity (P=0.07) than PALM. No significant differences in the sensory characteristics of the meat were noted. However, the results of the principal component analysis of meat characteristics enabled meat from those steers that consumed fatty acids from olive oil to be differentiated from that of steers that consumed soybean oil.