Purification,structural data and biological properties of polysaccharide from Prunus amygdalus gum

This work demonstrates the efficiency of almond gum polysaccharides (AGPs) as bioactive compounds. AGPs were first extracted using H₂O₂, in the presence of NaOH, at different times and temperatures. The optimal extraction conditions were 4% H₂O₂ and 2 N NaOH, for 7 h at 50 °C, leading to an extraction yield of 58.2% (w/w). After a purification step, the retained AGPs were characterised using high‐performance liquid chromatography showing a molecular weight of 99.3 kDa. The monosaccharide composition of AGPs were assessed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. AGPs were found to be a complex heteropolysaccharide with a repeating unit mainly composed of galactose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, rhamnose, and glucuronic acid with the respective ratios: 45:26:7:10:1:11. The acidic nature of the polysaccharide is due to the presence of glucuronic acid. Total antioxidant activity, free radical‐scavenging activity and reducing power assay of AGPs were investigated. The obtained results showed high antioxidant activities of AGPs. Furthermore, beyond 60 mg mL^?1, AGPs exhibited bacterial growth inhibition for five pathogenic strains: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus feacalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium.     

Valorisation of waste fractions from autohydrolysis of selected lignocellulosic materials

Non‐isothermal processing of lignocellulosic materials in aqueous media (autohydrolysis reaction) under mild conditions leads to solutions containing valuable chemicals (oligosaccharides, sugars and acetic acid) and other, undesired, compounds (belonging to the extractive and acid‐soluble lignin fractions) which have to be removed in further purification treatments. Liquors obtained by non‐isothermal autohydrolysis of Eucalyptus globulus wood and corncobs under a variety of operational conditions were extracted with ethyl acetate in order to remove non‐saccharide components, and the suitability of the fraction dissolved in the organic phase was assayed for possible utilisation as an antioxidant. The yield and antioxidant activity of ethyl acetate extracts (measured by the α,α‐diphenyl‐β‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity) showed a strong dependence on the autohydrolysis conditions. The antioxidant activity of extracts obtained under selected operational conditions compared well with synthetic antioxidants. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

聚醚合成工业齿轮油的研制

以聚醚为基础油辅以抗磨剂、抗氧剂、防锈剂等多种添加剂研制而成的KGW聚醚合成工业齿轮油具有优异的黏温性能和低温性能，优异的极压抗磨性，极优的减摩性能，可满足高负荷、强冲击等苛刻条件下各类齿轮传动装置的润滑要求。该系列产品达到国外同类油品质量水平。     

Screening of South African Food Plants for Antioxidant Activity

ABSTRACT: In a screening of South African indigenous food plants for antioxidant activity by testing for inhibition of lipid peroxidation, the "potherbs" Amaranthus sp., Sisymbrium thellungii , and Urtica dioica had very high activity. This activity was greatest in the boiled extract of Amaranthus sp. and the boilet and aqueous extracts of Sisymbrium thellungii and Urtica dioica. The activity in the aqueous extract of Nasturtium aquatica was lost by boiling. High activity was also obtained with the teas Galium aparine and Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos) and with the tuber Colocasia esculenta.     

Effects of Light, Oxygen, and pH on the Absorbance of 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl

ABSTRACT: The absorbance of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) at 517 nm in methanol and acetone decreased by 20 and 35% for 120 min at 25 °C under light, respectively; in the dark it did not change significantly for 150 min. Decomposition of DPPH under 21% oxygen after 90 min under light was significantly higher than that under 1% oxygen. Absorbance of DPPH in pH 4 buffer solution in methanol, and in pH 10 buffer solution in acetone, decreased by 55 and 80%, respectively, under light for 120 min. The evaluation of antioxidant activity by the changes of DPPH absorbance should be carefully interpreted since the absorbance of DPPH at 517 nm is decreased by light, oxygen, pH, and type of solvent in addition to the antioxidant.     

Microstructured Lipid Carriers (MLC) Based on N-Acetylcysteine and Chitosan Preventing Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm

The aim of this work was the development of microstructured lipid carriers (MLC) based on chitosan (CH) and containing N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a mucolytic and antioxidant agent, to inhibit the formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm. MLC were prepared using the high shear homogenization technique. The MLC were characterized for morphology, particle size, Z potential, encapsulation efficiency and drug release. The antioxidant properties of NAC-loaded microstructured carriers were evaluated through an in vitro spectrophotometer assay. Finally, the activity of NAC-CH-MLC on biofilm production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa was also evaluated. Results obtained from this study highlighted that the use of chitosan into the inner aqueous phase permitted to obtain microstructured particles with a narrow size range and with good encapsulation efficiency. NAC-loaded MLC showed higher antioxidant activity than the free molecule, demonstrating how encapsulation increases the antioxidant effect of the molecule. Furthermore, the reduction of biofilm growth resulted extremely high with MLC being 64.74% ± 6.2% and 83.74% ± 9.95%, respectively, at 0.5 mg/mL and 2 mg/mL. In conclusion, this work represents a favorable technological strategy against diseases in which bacterial biofilm is relevant, such as cystic fibrosis.     

Nitric Oxide (NO) Scaffolds the Peroxisomal Protein–Protein Interaction Network in Higher Plants

The peroxisome is a single-membrane subcellular compartment present in almost all eukaryotic cells from simple protists and fungi to complex organisms such as higher plants and animals. Historically, the name of the peroxisome came from a subcellular structure that contained high levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and the antioxidant enzyme catalase, which indicated that this organelle had basically an oxidative metabolism. During the last 20 years, it has been shown that plant peroxisomes also contain nitric oxide (NO), a radical molecule than leads to a family of derived molecules designated as reactive nitrogen species (RNS). These reactive species can mediate post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins, such as S-nitrosation and tyrosine nitration, thus affecting their function. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how NO could affect peroxisomal metabolism and its internal protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Remarkably, many of the identified NO-target proteins in plant peroxisomes are involved in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS), either in its generation or its scavenging. Therefore, it is proposed that NO is a molecule with signaling properties with the capacity to modulate the peroxisomal protein-protein network and consequently the peroxisomal functions, especially under adverse environmental conditions.     

Mushroom-Derived Medicine? Preclinical Studies Suggest Potential Benefits of Ergothioneine for Cardiometabolic Health

Medicinal use of mushrooms has been documented since ancient times, and in the modern world, mushrooms have a longstanding history of use in Eastern medicine. Recent interest in plant-based diets in Westernized countries has brought increasing attention to the use of mushrooms and mushroom-derived compounds in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Edible mushrooms are the most abundant food sources of the modified amino acid, ergothioneine. This compound has been shown to accumulate in almost all cells and tissues, but preferentially in those exposed to oxidative stress and injury. The demonstrated cytoprotectant effect of ergothioneine has led many to suggest a potential therapeutic role for this compound in chronic conditions that involve ongoing oxidative stress and inflammation, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, the in vivo effects of ergothioneine and its underlying therapeutic mechanisms in the whole organism are not as clear. Moreover, there are no well-defined, clinical prevention and intervention trials of ergothioneine in chronic disease. This review highlights the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of ergothioneine and its potential as a Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine for the promotion of cardiometabolic health and the management of the most common manifestations of cardiometabolic disease.     

A Novel DUF569 Gene Is a Positive Regulator of the Drought Stress Response in Arabidopsis

In the last two decades, global environmental change has increased abiotic stress on plants and severely affected crops. For example, drought stress is a serious abiotic stress that rapidly and substantially alters the morphological, physiological, and molecular responses of plants. In Arabidopsis, several drought-responsive genes have been identified; however, the underlying molecular mechanism of drought tolerance in plants remains largely unclear. Here, we report that the “domain of unknown function” novel gene DUF569 (AT1G69890) positively regulates drought stress in Arabidopsis. The Arabidopsis loss-of-function mutant atduf569 showed significant sensitivity to drought stress, i.e., severe wilting at the rosette-leaf stage after water was withheld for 3 days. Importantly, the mutant plant did not recover after rewatering, unlike wild-type (WT) plants. In addition, atduf569 plants showed significantly lower abscisic acid accumulation under optimal and drought-stress conditions, as well as significantly higher electrolyte leakage when compared with WT Col-0 plants. Spectrophotometric analyses also indicated a significantly lower accumulation of polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in atduf569 mutant plants. Overall, our results suggest that novel DUF569 is a positive regulator of the response to drought in Arabidopsis.     

镍系聚丁二烯橡胶生产技术进展

介绍了近几年国内外镍系顺丁橡胶生产技术的进展情况，内容涉及分子量调节技术、催化剂配置技术、节能降耗的气相聚合、本体聚合工艺及橡胶后处理过程中使用的热泵技术、螺杆挤压工艺，同时也对国内外顺丁橡胶新型防老剂的使用情况及其新品种的开发进行了简要介绍。