Roasting effects on fatty acid distributions of triacylglycerols and phospholipids in sesame (Sesamum indicum) seeds

Sesame seeds were roasted at different temperatures (180–220 °C) using a domestic electric oven. The positional distribution of fatty acids in triacylglycerols (TAGs) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) isolated from total lipids in these seeds was investigated as well as the naturally occurring antioxidants that are present. Major lipid components were TAGs and phospholipids (PLs), while steryl esters (SEs), free fatty acids (FFAs) and sn‐1,3‐ and sn‐1,2‐diacylglycerols (DAGs) were minor ones. Following roasting, a significant increase (P < 0.05) was observed in FFAs and in both forms of DAG (primarily sn‐1,3‐DAG). The greatest PL losses (P < 0.05) were observed in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), followed by PC and phosphatidylinositol (PI). On the other hand, the amounts of γ‐tocopherol and sesamin remained at over 80 and 90% respectively of the original levels after roasting at 220 °C. The principal characteristics of the positional distribution of fatty acids were still retained after 25 min of roasting: unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic and/or oleic, were predominantly concentrated in the sn‐2‐position, and saturated fatty acids, especially stearic and/or palmitic, primarily occupied the sn‐1‐ or sn‐3‐position. The results suggest that unsaturated fatty acids located in the sn‐2‐position are significantly protected from oxidation during roasting at elevated temperatures. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Investigations on the photoluminescence properties of Mo-MCM-41 and the photocatalytic decomposition of NO in the presence of CO

The photocatalytic decomposition of NO into N₂ and CO₂ on Mo-MCM-41 was found to proceed efficiently in the presence of CO. In situ photoluminescence measurements demonstrated that this reaction proceeds in a redox cycle between alternating Mo⁶⁺ and Mo⁴⁺ ions. The yields of N₂ formation in the photocatalytic reaction correspond with the yields of the photoluminescence of the tetrahedrally coordinated Mo oxide species, indicating that the charge transfer excited triplet state of the tetrahedral Mo oxide species plays a significant role in this reaction, leading to the formation of N₂ and CO₂ with a good stoichiometry. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Characterization of Ti/Si binary oxides prepared by the sol-gel method and their photocatalytic properties: The hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of CH3CCH with H2O

Titanium-silicon (Ti/Si) binary oxides having different Ti content were prepared by the sol-gel method and utilized as photocatalysts for the hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of CH₂CCH with H₂O. The photocatalytic reactivity and selectivity of these catalysts were investigated as a function of the Ti content and it was found that the hydrogenolysis reaction (C₂H₆ formation) was predominant in regions of low Ti content, while the hydrogenation reaction (C₃H₆ formation) proceeded in regions of high Ti content. The in situ photoluminescence, diffuse reflectance absorption, FT-IR, XAFS (XANES and EXAFS), and XPS spectroscopic investigations of these Ti/Si binary oxides indicated that the titanium oxide species are highly dispersed in the SiO₂ matrices and exist in a tetrahedral coordination exhibiting a characteristic photoluminescence spectrum. The charge transfer excited state of the tetrahedrally coordinated titanium oxide species plays a significant role in the efficient photoreaction with a high selectivity for the hydrogenolysis of CH₃CCH to produces mainly C₂H₆ and CH₄, while the catalysts involving the aggregated octahedrally coordinated titanium oxide species show a high selectivity for the hydrogenation of CH₃CCH to produce C₃H₆, being similar to reactions of the powdered TiO₂ catalysts. The good parallel relationship between the yield of the photoluminescence and the specific photocatalytic reactivity of the Ti/Si binary oxides as a function of the Ti content clearly indicates that the high photocatalytic reactivity of the Ti/Si binary oxides having low Ti content is associated with the high reactivity of the charge transfer excited state of the isolated titanium oxide species in tetrahedral coordination, [Ti³⁺-O⁻]*.     

Enhanced macrophage uptake of lipoprotein(a) after Ca2+-induced aggregate-formation

We tested the hypothesis that aggregated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is avidly taken up by macrophages. Lp(a) was isolated by sequential centrifugations and gel chromatography from a patient with high plasma levels of Lp(a) who was being treated with low density lipoprotein (LDL)-apheresis. Aggregated Lp(a) was prepared by mixing native Lp(a) with 2.5 mmol/L CaCl₂, and 54% of the ¹²⁵I-Lp(a) aggregated after interacting with CaCl₂. The binding and degradation of aggregated Lp(a) in macrophages were 4.6- and 4.7-fold higher than those of native Lp(a), respectively. An excess amount of LDL did not inhibit either increase. Cholesterol esterification in macrophages was markedly stimulated by aggregated Lp(a), and macrophages were transformed into foam cells. Cytochalasin B, a phagocytosis inhibitor, strongly inhibited the degradation and cholesterol esterification (78 and 83%, respectively). These findings suggested that aggregation may be partially involved in Lp(a) accumulation, thereby contributing to the acceleration of atherosclerosis.     

Vitamin E and Oxidative Stability of Soya Bean Oil Prepared with Beans at Various Moisture Contents Roasted in a Microwave Oven

Whole soya beans ( Glycine max ) at various moistures (96, 382 and 519 g kg⁻¹) were roasted by exposure to microwaves at a frequency of 2450 MHz and the effects on the tocopherols of soya beans were studied in rela-tion to chemical changes in the oils. The amounts of α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols in the soya beans before microwave treatments ranged from 62 to 187, 43 to 89, 673 to 757 and 542 to 593 mg kg⁻¹ oil, respectively. Increasing moisture contents by soaking prevented, not only the reduction of tocopherols but also, the oxidative deterioration of soya bean oils during microwave roasting. The amounts of tocopherols still remained >80% of the original level in soaked soya bean oils after 20 min of roasting, and microwave roasting after soaking caused no significant differences ( P> 0·05, with few exceptions) in the chemical changes of the oils in comparison with those before soaking. These results implied that microwave roasting after soaking would be effective in making full-fat soya flour with high vitamin E without a burnt odour and browning from raw beans.     

Proving test on removal of PCB from pole transformer by vacuum heating separation method

In 1989, PCB was found in recycled insulation oils used in some pole transformers at a concentration of 50 mg per kg of insulation oil, prompting quick establishment of their safe separation method. One of the prospective methods for removing, for example, recycled insulation oils attached to and impregnated into the transformer coils, may be a vacuum heating separation method which heats and vaporizes PCB under vacuum conditions for separation. A proving test for the applicability of the specific vacuum heating separation method was carried out with actually used transformers, which confirmed that residual PCB on coils was minimized to less than the quantitative determination threshold of 0.05 mg per kg of insulation oil under the following standard applicable conditions: vacuum lower than 0.05 Torr; heating temperature 200 °C; and vacuum holding time 10 hours. Thus, the reduction of effects on the environment was verified. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn 120 (3): 17–28, 1997     

Tocopherol distribution and oxidative stability of oils prepared from the hypocotyl of soybeans roasted in a microwave oven

Whole soybeans (Glycin max L.) were roasted by exposure to microwaves at a frequency of 2,450 MHz, and their hypocotyls were separated from other tissues (seed coat and cotyledons). The quality characteristics and composition in the hypocotyl oils were studied in relation to their tocopherol distributions and were evaluated as compared to an unroasted oil sample. Only minor increases (P<0.05) in chemical and physical changes of the oils, such as carbonyl value, anisidine value and color development, occurred with increased roasting time. Significant decreases (P<0.05) were observed in the amounts of phospholipids in the oils after microwave roasting. Nevertheless, compared to the original level, more than 80% tocopherols still remained after 20 min of roasting. These results suggest that the exposure of soybeans to microwaves for 6 to 8 min caused no significant loss or changes in the content of tocopherols and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the hypocotyls. Therefore, a domestic microwave oven would be useful as a simple and quick means for preparing hypocotyl oil of good quality.     

Molecular species of triacylglycerols in the hulls of sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus L.) following microwave treatment

Whole sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus L.) were exposed to microwaves for 6, 12, 20 or 30 min at a frequency of 2450 MHz. The hulls were then stripped from the seeds. Molecular species and fatty acid distributions of triacylglycerols (TAGs), isolated from total lipids in the hulls, were analyzed by a combination of argentation thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography. A modified argentation TLC procedure, developed to optimize the separation of the TAGs, provided 10 different groups of TAGs, based on both the degree of unsaturation and the total fatty acid chain‐length. Dilinoleolein (29.5—30.2 wt‐%), trilinolein (18.2—24.2 wt‐%), dilinoleopalmitin and dilinoleostearin (17.0—18.1 wt‐%), palmitoleolinolein and stearoleolinolein (11.4—14.0 wt‐%) and dioleolinolein (7.5—8.6 wt‐%) were the main TAGs detected after microwave roasting. However, roasting caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05), not only in TAG molecular species containing more than four double bonds, but also in the amounts of diene species present in TAGs. These results suggest that microwaves should affect TAGs in the hulls more significantly (p < 0.05) than those in the sunflower kernels.     

Deformation behaviors and fracture strength of β$\ubeta$-Si3N4 single crystals

In this study, the yield stress and fracture strength of $\beta$-Si₃N₄ single crystals were directly measured by bending tests of microcantilever beam specimens that were prepared by a focused ion beam method. The $\beta$-Si₃N₄ single crystals were plastically deformed at room temperature under high bending stress, and the yield stress depended on the crystal orientation. Transmission electron microscopy observation of the specimens after bending tests indicates that the plastic deformation resulted from dislocations in the primary slip system $\{10\overline{1}0\}$<0001>, and the critical resolved shear stress of this slip system determined from the yield stress was 1.34 GPa. The fracture strength of $\beta$-Si₃N₄ single crystals ranged approximately up to 20 GPa, depending on the crystal orientation as with the yield stress. The fracture behavior of $\beta$-Si₃N₄ single crystals was discussed in terms of the accumulation of dislocations.