Thermal Behavior, Microstructure, Polymorphism, and Crystallization Properties of Zero Trans Fats from Soybean Oil and Fully Hydrogenated Soybean Oil

Blends of soybean oil (SO) and fully hydrogenated soybean oil (FHSBO), with 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% (w/w) FHSBO content were interesterified under the following conditions: 20 min reaction time, 0.4% sodium methoxide catalyst, and 500 rpm stirring speed, at 100 °C. The original and interesterified blends were examined for triacylglycerol composition, thermal behavior, microstructure, crystallization kinetics, and polymorphism. Interesterification produced substantial rearrangement of the triacylglycerol species in all the blends, reduction of trisaturated triacylglycerol content and increase in monounsaturated–disaturated and diunsaturated–monosaturated triacylglycerols. Evaluation of thermal behavior parameters showed linear relations with FHSBO content in the original blends. Blend melting and crystallization thermograms were significantly modified by the randomization. Interesterification caused significant reductions in maximum crystal diameter in all blends, in addition to modifying crystal morphology. Characterization of crystallization kinetics revealed that crystal formation induction period (τ _SFC) and maximum solid fat content (SFC_máx) were altered according to FHSBO content in the original blends and as a result of the random rearrangement. Changes in Avrami constant (k) and exponent (n) indicated, respectively, that—as compared with the original blends—interesterification decreased crystallization velocities and modified crystallization processes, altering crystalline morphology and nucleation mechanism. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that interesterification altered crystalline polymorphism. The interesterified blends showed a predominance of the β′ polymorph, which is of more interest for food applications.     

Glycosylation of Aromatic Amines I: Characterization of Reaction Products and Kinetic Scheme

The reactions of aliphatic and aromatic amines with reducing sugars are important in both drug stability and synthesis. The formation of glycosylamines in solution, the first step in the Maillard reaction, does not typically cause browning but results in decreased potency and is hence significant from the aspect of drug instability. The purpose of this research was to present (1) unreported ionic equilibria of model reactant (kynurenine), (2) the analytical methods used to characterize and measure reaction products, (3) the kinetic scheme used to measure reaction rates and (4) relevant properties of various reducing sugars that impact the reaction rate in solution. The methods used to identify the reversible formation of two products from the reaction of kynurenine and monosaccharides included LC mass spectrometry, UV spectroscopy, and 1-D and 2-D ¹H–¹H COSY NMR spectroscopy. Kinetics was studied using a stability-indicating HPLC method. The results indicated the formation of α and β glycosylamines by a pseudo first-order reversible reaction scheme in the pH range of 1–6. The forward reaction was a function of initial glucose concentration but not the reverse reaction. It was concluded that the reaction kinetics and equilibrium concentrations of the glycosylamines were pH-dependent and also a function of the acyclic content of the reacting glucose isomer.     

广西甜茶ISSR-PCR反应条件的建立与优化

为了探讨广西甜茶ISSR实验中的多种因素对实验结果的影响,采用单因素法对PCR反应体系中的5个潜在因素(Mg2+, dNTP,引物, Taq酶和模板DNA)在5水平上进行优化实验,并进一步优化了反应程序中的退火温度和循环次数。结果表明：25滋L的最佳反应体系为,1×PCR Buffer、MgCl22.0 mmol/L、dNTP 0.2 mmol/L、引物0.8滋mol/L、Taq DNA聚合酶0.75 U、模板DNA 80 ng;最佳反应程序为：在94℃下进行3 min预变性;随后循环扩增35次(包括94℃变性1 min,54℃退火1 min,72℃延伸1 min);最后在72℃下延伸10 min。本研究建立的广西甜茶的最佳ISSR-PCR反应条件为进一步进行遗传多样性研究奠定了基础。     

肥皂草毒蛋白的纯化,性质及晶体生长研究

肥皂草毒蛋白的纯化、性质及晶体生长研究黄东宏,邱巍,傅珠玑,叶晓明,潘克桢（中国科学院福建物质结构研究所,福州３５０００２）关键词肥皂草毒蛋白,核糖体失活蛋白,纯化,晶体生长核糖体失活蛋白（ｒｉｂｏｓｏｍｅ－ｉｎａｃｔｉｖａｔｉｎｐｒｏｔｅｉｎｓ,简...     

半滑舌鳎基因组的提取及ISSR反应体系的建立

目的:比较CTAB法和STE法提取半滑舌鳎基因组DNA的效果,通过优化半滑舌鳎ISSR-PCR反应体系,将新型分子标记简单重复间序列(Inter-simple sequence repeat,ISSR),引用到半滑舌鳎遗传多样性研究中。方法:以95%酒精固定的半滑舌鳎鳍条为材料,运用CTAB法和STE法提取基因组DNA,同时分析了模板DNA、Mg2 、dNTPs、引物浓度,以及退火温度对ISSR-PCR扩增结果的影响。结果:CTAB法提取的基因组DNA质量好于STE法提取的结果,同时确立了稳定性强、重复性好的半滑舌鳎ISSR-PCR最佳反应体系和扩增参数。在25lμPCR反应体系中包括:1×PCR缓冲液,2mmol/L MgCl2,0.2mmol/L dNTP,0.2μmol/L ISSR引物,20ng模板DNA,1.5U Taq DNA聚合酶。反应程序为:94℃预变性5min,然后进入PCR循环,即94℃变性45s,52℃退火45s,72℃延伸90s,共进行40个循环。最后72℃延伸10min。结论:ISSR-PCR反应体系稳定可靠,该新型分子标记可应用于半滑舌鳎遗传多样性研究中。     

Timing of Favorable Conditions,Competition and Fertility Interact to Govern Recruitment of Invasive Chinese Tallow Tree in Stressful Environments

The rate of new exotic recruitment following removal of adult invaders (reinvasion pressure) influences restoration outcomes and costs but is highly variable and poorly understood. We hypothesize that broad variation in average reinvasion pressure of Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree, a major invader) arises from differences among habitats in spatiotemporal availability of realized recruitment windows. These windows are periods of variable duration long enough to permit establishment given local environmental conditions. We tested this hypothesis via a greenhouse mesocosm experiment that quantified how the duration of favorable moisture conditions prior to flood or drought stress (window duration), competition and nutrient availability influenced Triadica success in high stress environments. Window duration influenced pre-stress seedling abundance and size, growth during stress and final abundance; it interacted with other factors to affect final biomass and germination during stress. Stress type and competition impacted final size and biomass, plus germination, mortality and changes in size during stress. Final abundance also depended on competition and the interaction of window duration, stress type and competition. Fertilization interacted with competition and stress to influence biomass and changes in height, respectively, but did not affect Triadica abundance. Overall, longer window durations promoted Triadica establishment, competition and drought (relative to flood) suppressed establishment, and fertilization had weak effects. Interactions among factors frequently produced different effects in specific contexts. Results support our ‘outgrow the stress’ hypothesis and show that temporal availability of abiotic windows and factors that influence growth rates govern Triadica recruitment in stressful environments. These findings suggest that native seed addition can effectively suppress superior competitors in stressful environments. We also describe environmental scenarios where specific management methods may be more or less effective. Our results enable better niche-based estimates of local reinvasion pressure, which can improve restoration efficacy and efficiency by informing site selection and optimal management.     

Stability Studies Needed to Define the Handling and Transport Conditions of Sensitive Pharmaceutical or Biotechnological Products

Many pharmaceutical or biotechnological products require transport using temperature-controlled systems to keep their therapeutic properties. There are presently no official guidelines for testing pharmaceutical products in order to define suitable transport specifications. After reviewing the current guidance documents, this paper proposes a methodology for testing pharmaceutical products and defining appropriate transport conditions.     

Characterization and Stability of Ribosomes from Mesophilic and Thermophilic Bacteria

Ribosomes were isolated from three mesophilic and three thermophilic strains of Bacillus. The ribosomes consisted of about 55% protein and 45% ribonucleic acid. Average ratios for the absorbance at 260/235 and 260/280 mmu were 1.77 and 1.92 for the mesophiles and 1.63 and 1.84 for the thermophiles. Ultracentrifugation revealed mainly components with sedimentation coefficients of about 30, 50, 70, 100, and 120S. All the preparations were shown to contain a ribonuclease which, in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, led to ribosome breakdown as measured by the increase in acid-soluble nucleotides. The stability of the ribosomes from the thermophiles was consistently greater than that of the ribosomes from the mesophiles. After 5 hr at 37 C, the breakdown was about 80% for the ribosomes from the mesophiles and 55 to 70% for those from the thermophiles. At 60 C, the ribosomes from the mesophiles were broken down slightly more and at a faster rate than those from the thermophiles. At temperatures above 60 C, the breakdown was again more pronounced for the ribosomes from the mesophiles.     

Evaluation of a Clostridium perfringens Predictive Model, Developed under Isothermal Conditions in Broth, To Predict Growth in Ground Beef during Cooling

Proper temperature control is essential in minimizing Clostridium perfringens germination, growth, and toxin production. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) offers two options for the cooling of meat products: follow a standard time-temperature schedule or validate that alternative cooling regimens result in no more than a 1-log₁₀ CFU/g increase of C. perfringens and no growth of Clostridium botulinum. A mathematical model developed by Juneja et al. (Food Microbiol. 16:335-349, 1999) may be helpful in determining if the C. perfringens performance standard has been achieved, but this model has not been extensively validated. The objective of this study was to validate the Juneja 1999 model in ground beef under a variety of changing temperature and temperature abuse situations. The Juneja 1999 model consistently underpredicted growth of C. perfringens during exponential cooling of ground beef. The model also underpredicted growth of C. perfringens in ground beef cooled at two different rates. The results presented here show generally good agreement with published data on the growth of C. perfringens in similar products. The model error may be due to faster-than-expected exponential growth rates in ground beef during cooling or an error in the mathematical formulation of the model.     

An Analysis of Growth of Oil Palms under Nursery Conditions: I. Establishment and Growth in the Wet Season

Growth of oil palm seedlings over the period 2–31 weeksafter planting in the nursery was studied using growth-analysistechniques. Curves of the Gompertz type were fitted to the basicdata of plant dry weight and leaf area, and from the equationsof the fitted curves, net assimilation rate (E_A), relative growth-rate(Rw), and relative leaf growth-rate (R_A) were calculated. The low values of E_A (0.16-0–31 g/dm²/week) and Rw (1.4–2.2per cent./per day) confirm earlier work on oil palm seedlings.The time trend of increasing E_A and R_W over the period studiedis associated with steadily increasing solar radiation overthe second half of the period. Leaf-area ratio is markedly affected by transplanting, and asthis unbalance of leaf area/total dry weight has been shownto be associated with low rates of EA in seedlings, it is suggestedthat the low values of E_A and R_W in the first half of the experimentalperiod are due to the effect of transplanting. These findings are discussed in relation to current nurserypractice.     

The Reaction Products of Epoxydon with Thiols,Ethylmercaptan and Cysteamine

We isolated a yeast from air, strain S-2, which produces raw starch-digesting α-amylase, xylanase, and polygalacturonase. The fermentation ability was negative, and D.B.B., urease, and DNase tests were positive. The major ubiquinone was Q-10 and the mol% G + C content of nuclear DNA was 67. The cells were oval to ellipsoidal; no true mycelium, pseudomycelium, or teliospores were observed; and it contained a large amount of xylose (19.7 mol%) in the whole-cell hydrolyzates. From these characters, strain S-2 was assigned to the genus Cryptococcus.     

Biosynthesis and Characterization of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3- hydroxyhexanoate) from Palm Oil Products in a Wautersia eutropha Mutant

Palm kernel oil, palm olein, crude palm oil and palm acid oil were used for the synthesis of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HHx)] by a mutant strain of Wautersia eutropha (formerly Ralstonia eutropha) harboring the Aeromonas caviae polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase gene. Palm kernel oil was an excellent carbon source for the production of cell biomass and P(3HB-co-3HHx). About 87% (w/w) of the cell dry weight as P(3HB-co-3HHx) was obtained using 5 g palm kernel oil/l. Gravimetric and microscopic analyses further confirmed the high PHA content in the recombinant cells. The molar fraction of 3HHx remained constant at 5 mol % regardless of the type and concentration of palm oil products used. The small amount of 3HHx units was confirmed by ¹³C NMR analysis. The number average molecular weight (M_n) of the PHA copolymer produced from the various palm oil products ranged from 27 0000 to 46 0000 Da. The polydispersity was in the range of 2.6–3.9.     

Characterization of the Aldehyde Reactive Probe Reaction with AP-Sites in DNA: Influence of AP-Lyase on Adduct Stability

Alkoxyamines react with the open-chain aldehyde form of AP-sites in DNA to produce open-chain aldehyde oximes. Here we characterize the effect of AP-site cleavage by yeast AP-endonuclease 1 (APN1) or T4 pyrimidine dimer DNA glycosylase/AP-lyase (T4 Pdg) on the efficiency and stability of the alkoxyamine aldehyde reactive probe (ARP) condensation reaction with AP-sites. The results indicate that (1) reaction of ARP with the open-chain aldehyde equilibrium form of the AP-site was less efficient than with the 3 ′-α,β-unsaturated aldehyde produced by T4 Pdg; (2) the dRP moiety was least reactive with ARP; (3) both the AP-site and 3 ′-α,β-unsaturated aldehyde were stable with regard to reaction with ARP over a 30-min incubation period at 37°C; and (4) ARP adducted to the open-chain aldehyde form of the AP-site could be replaced by methoxyamine, but the 3 ′-α,β-unsaturated aldehyde ARP oxime was stable against methoxyamine attack.     

Establishment,Characterization and Downstream Application of Primary Ovarian Cancer Cells Derived from Solid Tumors

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of the gynecological diseases and the fifth cause of cancer death among American women. This is mainly due to the lack of prognostic tools capable of detecting early stages of ovarian cancer and to the high rate of resistance to the current chemotherapeutic regimens. In this scenario the overall 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer patients diagnosed at late stage is less than 25%. Abnormalities associated with the malignant phenotype and the mechanisms of tumor progression are not clearly understood. In vitro studies are necessary, yet have been hampered due to the limitations accompanied with the use of ovarian cancer cell lines and the heterogeneity of the ovarian cancer cell population derived from ascites fluids. In this study we present a simple, rapid and reproducible method for the isolation and characterization of ovarian cancer cells from solid tumor tissue and show that enzymatic digestion for 30 minutes with dispase II results in the most effective recovery of viable epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells. The resulting cancer (EOC) cell preparations demonstrate a significant yield, high levels of viability and are fibroblast-free. They grow for up to six passages and retain the capacity of forming spheroids-like structures in agarose. In addition, they can be genetically manipulated and used for drug screening, thus rendering them highly suitable for downstream applications. Notably, isolation of ovarian cancer cells from solid specimens using this method has the advantage of allowing for isolation of cancer cells from early stages of ovarian cancer as well as obtaining cells from defined either primary and/or metastatic ovarian cancer sites. Thus, these cells are highly suitable for investigations aimed at understanding ovarian cancer.     

SMEDDS of Glyburide: Formulation, In Vitro Evaluation, and Stability Studies

The objective of the present investigation was to develop and evaluate self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) for improving the delivery of a BCS class II antidiabetic agent, glyburide (GLY). The solubility of GLY in oils, cosurfactants, and surfactants was evaluated to identify the components of the microemulsion. The ternary diagram was plotted to identify the area of microemulsion existence. The in vitro dissolution profile of GLY SMEDDS was evaluated in comparison to the marketed GLY tablet and pure drug in pH 1.2 and pH 7.4 buffers. The chemical stability of GLY in SMEDDS was determined as per the International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines. The area of microemulsion existence increased with the increase in the cosurfactant (Transcutol P) concentration. The GLY microemulsion exhibited globule size of 133.5 nm and polydispersity index of 0.94. The stability studies indicated that GLY undergoes significant degradation in the developed SMEDDS. This observation was totally unexpected and has been noticed for the first time. Further investigations indicated that the rate of GLY degradation was highest in Transcutol P.     

Spectral, Photophysical, and Stability Properties of Isolated Photosystem II Reaction Center

Photosystem II reaction center (RC) preparations isolated from spinach (Spinacea oleracea) by the Nanba-Satoh procedure (O Nanba, K Satoh 1987 Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84: 109-112) are quite labile, even at 4°C in the dark. Simple spectroscopic criteria were developed to characterize the native state of the material. Degradation of the RC results in (a) blue-shifting of the red-most absorption maximum, (b) a shift of the 77 K fluorescence maximum from ~682 nm to ~670 nm, and (c) a shift of fluorescence lifetime components from 1.3-4 nanoseconds and >25 nanoseconds to ~6-7 nanoseconds. Fluorescence properties at 77 K seem to be a more sensitive spectral indicator of the integrity of the material. The >25 nanosecond lifetime component is assigned to P680⁺ Pheophytin⁻ recombination luminescence, which suggests a correlation between the observed spectral shifts and the photochemical competence of the preparation. Substitution of lauryl maltoside for Triton X-100 immediately after RC isolation stabilizes the RCs and suggests that Triton may be responsible for the instability.     

Characterization of Bio-oil and Bio-char from Pyrolysis of Palm Oil Wastes

The residues from the palm oil industry are the main contributors to biomass waste in Malaysia, and these wastes require extra attention with respect to handling. The biomass waste is a renewable resource that can potentially be used to produce absorbents, fuels, and chemical feedstocks through the pyrolysis process. In this study, the wastes of palm shell, empty fruit bunches, and mesocarp fiber were characterized and then pyrolyzed in a fixed-bed reactor under the following conditions: a temperature of 500 °C, a nitrogen flow rate of 2 L/min and reaction time of 60 min. After pyrolysis, characterization of the products with an emphasis on the bio-oil and the bio-char was performed using various approaches (including Karl Fischer water-content tests, FTIR, SEM, TGA and CNH/O analyses). The results showed that the pyrolysis of palm oil wastes yielded more bio-oil than bio-char or non-condensable gases. The results also indicated that all of the bio-oils were acidic and contained high levels of oxygen. The bio-oils heating values were low and varied from 10.49 MJ/kg to 14.78 MJ/kg. The heating values of the bio-chars (20–30 MJ/kg) were higher than those of the bio-oils. Among the biomasses studied in this work, palm shell contained the highest level of lignin and showed the highest levels of bio-char yield and fixed and elemental carbon in the raw and bio-char form.     

Storage Stability of Oleogels Made from Monoglycerides and High Oleic Sunflower Oil

Food Biophysics - The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of storage time on physicochemical properties of oleogels from high oleic sunflower oil and monoglycerides (6.6 wt%)....     

Establishment and Characterization of Primary Glioblastoma Cell Lines from Fresh and Frozen Material: A Detailed Comparison

Background

Development of clinically relevant tumor model systems for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is important for advancement of basic and translational biology. High molecular heterogeneity of GBM tumors is well recognized, forming the rationale for molecular tests required before administration of several of the novel therapeutics rapidly entering the clinics. One model that has gained wide acceptance is the primary cell culture model. The laborious and time consuming process is rewarded with a relative high success rate (about 60%). We here describe and evaluate a very simple cryopreservation procedure for GBM tissue prior to model establishment that will considerably reduce the logistic complexity.

Methods

Twenty-seven GBM samples collected ad hoc were prepared for primary cell culture freshly from surgery (#1) and after cryopreservation (#2).

Results

Take rates after cryopreservation (59%) were as satisfactory as from fresh tissue (63%; p = 1.000). We did not observe any relevant molecular or phenotypic differences between cell lines established from fresh or vitally frozen tissue. Further, sensitivity both towards standard chemotherapeutic agents (Temozolomide, BCNU and Vincristine) and novel agents like the receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor Imatinib did not differ.

Conclusions

Our simple cryopreservation procedure facilitates collection, long-time storage and propagation (modeling) of clinical GBM specimens (potentially also from distant centers) for basic research, (pre-) clinical studies of novel therapies and individual response prediction.