As the number falls,alternatives to the Hagberg–Perten falling number method: A review

This review examines the application, limitations, and potential alternatives to the Hagberg–Perten falling number (FN) method used in the global wheat industry for detecting the risk of poor end-product quality mainly due to starch degradation by the enzyme α-amylase. By viscometry, the FN test indirectly detects the presence of α-amylase, the primary enzyme that digests starch. Elevated α-amylase results in low FN and damages wheat product quality resulting in cakes that fall, and sticky bread and noodles. Low FN can occur from preharvest sprouting (PHS) and late maturity α-amylase (LMA). Moist or rainy conditions before harvest cause PHS on the mother plant. Continuously cool or fluctuating temperatures during the grain filling stage cause LMA. Due to the expression of additional hydrolytic enzymes, PHS has a stronger negative impact than LMA. Wheat grain with low FN/high α-amylase results in serious losses for farmers, traders, millers, and bakers worldwide. Although blending of low FN grain with sound wheat may be used as a means of moving affected grain through the marketplace, care must be taken to avoid grain lots from falling below contract-specified FN. A large amount of sound wheat can be ruined if mixed with a small amount of sprouted wheat. The FN method is widely employed to detect α-amylase after harvest. However, it has several limitations, including sampling variability, high cost, labor intensiveness, the destructive nature of the test, and an inability to differentiate between LMA and PHS. Faster, cheaper, and more accurate alternatives could improve breeding for resistance to PHS and LMA and could preserve the value of wheat grain by avoiding inadvertent mixing of high- and low-FN grain by enabling testing at more stages of the value stream including at harvest, delivery, transport, storage, and milling. Alternatives to the FN method explored here include the Rapid Visco Analyzer, enzyme assays, immunoassays, near-infrared spectroscopy, and hyperspectral imaging.     

α钛富氧层增厚动力学模型

为了实现在工业化生产中对α钛富氧层厚度预测和控制,通过实验研究α钛富氧层在高温空气环境中的形成及增厚过程,讨论热处理温度和时间的影响作用,建立高温(750~850℃)空气环境下关于温度、时间的富氧层增厚动力学模型。结果表明:当恒温热处理温度为750~850℃时,α钛富氧层厚度x与保温时间t0.5呈正比例关系,且升高热处理温度可显著提高富氧层增厚速度。在此温度范围内,氧原子的扩散激活能约为203473 J/mol,计算曲线与实验数据吻合性较好。结合文献中已有的扩散系数方程和实验测得的富氧层厚度数据,推导得到5个富氧层增厚动力学方程,其中3个方程的计算曲线与实验数据吻合性较好,可为实际生产中预估富氧层厚度提供理论支持。     

Preparation and characterization of calcium phosphate cement with enhanced tissue adhesion for bone defect repair

Anti-washout and tissue adhesion properties are essential for the clinical application of injectable bone materials. In this study, we prepared calcium phosphate cement (CPC) with anti-washout and tissue adhesion properties and attempted to build covalent bonds between CPC and the amino groups in bone tissue under a self-regulating pH system in the CPC (acidic to basic). The results of push-out tests demonstrated that a significant enhancement (from 6.42 ± 0.76 N to 61.5 ± 4.09 N) in tissue adhesion was obtained with the addition of 6% (w/w) oxidized sodium alginate (OSA) in CPC. The FTIR, XRD, anti-washout test, XPS, pH test, and SEM results suggested that the synergistic effect of OSA-citric acid (CA) led to the formation of a three-dimensional gel network structure in the CPC, and the Schiff base reaction between aldehyde and amino groups induced adhesion between CPC and the bone tissue. Further, the addition of less OSA had no significant negative effect on the hydration properties of CPC. Our work aims to promote the development of injectable bone material in clinical applications.     

Evolution of core–rim structures and phase transformations in infra-red transmitting Y-α-SiAlON ceramics

Core–rim structures were observed as common features in Y-α-SiAlON ceramics hot-pressed between 1550?1950 °C. We found most dopants were taken into α’-rims, and a transition layer grown first on α-cores from liquid-phase over-saturated with metal solutes. Elongated β’-grain were formed as minor phase with α’- or AlN-cores thus only after the α’ matrix had consumed up all Y solutes, revealing that the α’ → β’ transformation is controlled by the transient liquid-phase and similar defects and dangling bonds could be detected in both SiAlON phases by cathodoluminescence. Quantitative assessment of Y_m/3Si_12?(m+n)Al_m+nO_nN_16?n demonstrates the multiphase evolution, initiated by over-saturation of Y solutes at low temperatures thus retaining α-phase as cores to lower the infra-red transmittance, dictated by homogenization of Al solutes at higher temperature. The elimination of those phase boundaries leads to better dopant and sintering design for achieving transparent and high-performance SiAlON ceramics.     

葡萄酒酿造过程中产β-葡萄糖苷酶酵母菌研究进展

在葡萄酒酿造的微环境中，产β-葡萄糖苷酶的酵母菌种类繁多，其酶的活性也存在着显著的差异。该文对产β-葡萄糖苷酶的酵母菌种类、产酶部位、产酶工程菌的构建、产酶酵母菌的选育方法以及酿造过程中酶解产香机制等方面的研究成果进行了综述，以期为高产β-葡萄糖苷酶酵母菌的选育和葡萄酒酿造过程中香气品质的提升提供参考。     

CVD涂层α-Al2O3织构制备技术研究

采用化学气相沉积法在硬质合金基体上沉积具有不同织构择优的α-Al2O3涂层,通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)分别对其微观组织和机械性能进行分析。研究结果表明,通过改善过渡层的氧化气氛,氧化铝的过渡层结构为针状物,成功制备不同织构的氧化铝涂层,涂层结合力良好。     

4株羊肚菌胞外多糖含量及其生物活性的研究

为探讨不同羊肚菌菌株胞外多糖的含量及其抑菌、抗氧化活性和对α-淀粉酶的抑制作用是否有差异,以4株羊肚菌(编号为YS-Y、XH-0、XH-2、XH-4)为材料,利用醇沉法提取羊肚菌胞外多糖,并用Sevag法去除蛋白后,测定其胞外多糖含量及其抑菌活性、抗氧化能力和对α-淀粉酶的抑制作用,并将其结果进行对比。结果表明,YS-Y、XH-0、XH-2、XH-44株羊肚菌胞外多糖的含量分别为10.05%、5.80%、19.89%、8.34%;4株羊肚菌具有一定程度的抑菌能力,菌株XH-2的抑菌效果优于其它3株,且对金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠杆菌的抑制效果最好;4株羊肚菌的还原力、DPPH自由基、ABTS+自由基以及羟自由基清除率都随着质量浓度的增大而增大,当质量浓度达到1.0 mg/mL时,菌株XH-2的还原能力和ABTS+自由基清除能力优于其他3株,其OD700值和EC50分别为0.136和0.56 mg/mL;菌株XH-4的DPPH和羟自由基清除率优于其它3株,其EC50分别为16.68 mg/mL和1.40 mg/mL,且4株羊肚菌的羟自由基清除率均大于VC;菌株XH-2对α-淀粉酶的抑制作用优于其它3株,其EC50为1.55mg/mL。该研究表明羊肚菌胞外多糖具有一定的生物活性,菌株XH-2和XH-4具有更大的药用潜力,可为羊肚菌资源开发提供一定的参考意义。     

姜黄素对辐射诱导的胰腺外分泌细胞损伤的保护作用

将大鼠胰腺外分泌细胞(AR42J)分为实验组与对照组,两组细胞根据姜黄素处理水平又分为A/B/C/D/E 5个姜黄素处理组,分别经0、2、4、8、16 μM姜黄素处理,实验组予以一次性大剂量X射线照射(6 Gy),模拟急性辐射损伤事件。照后收集细胞蛋白行免疫印迹试验(Wensten-blot)检测凋亡相关蛋白PARP、BCL-2,应激及能量代谢相关因子HIF-1ɑ、LDHA、PDH表达情况,MTT法检测细胞增殖活力,荧光酶标仪检测细胞ATP及ROS生成情况。清洁级大鼠24只随机分为对照组、单纯加药组、单纯照射组、照射+加药组,予以12 Gy X射线照射或假照射,射后24小时处死并解剖取出胰腺组织,Wensten-blot检查能量代谢相关蛋白表达情况,以探讨姜黄素在胰腺外分泌细胞辐射损伤中的作用及其机制。结果表明,与对照组相比,单纯照射组细胞在受照24 h后,凋亡蛋白PARP表达升高,BCL-2蛋白下调,线粒体膜电位下降表明线粒体受损。辐照促使缺氧诱导因子HIF-1α表达上调,介导糖酵解的关键因子LDHA表达增强,PDH表达下调。细胞增殖活力下降,ROS生成增多,沉默HIF-1表达在一定程度上抑制了辐照诱导的这种能量代谢转变。经姜黄素预处理,纠正了HIF-1α及LDHA的表达上调,部分恢复PDH表达,有效清除氧自由基,并且对细胞的增殖能力及ATP生成具有正向作用。动物实验显示辐照诱导HIF-1α表达加强,调控能量代谢相关蛋白表达发生改变,LDHA表达增强,PDH表达下调;经姜黄素预处理,纠正了HIF-1α上调所介导的能量代谢相关蛋白的表达变化,趋势与细胞实验相符。以上结果说明,胰腺外分泌细胞在电离辐射损伤下,通过上调HIF-1α表达,促使能量代谢发生转变,糖酵解途径加强,而经线粒体的有氧氧化受到抑制。姜黄素通过下调HIF-1α,纠正了辐射诱导的细胞能量代谢紊乱,并有效清除氧自由基,保护线粒体,从而发挥其对胰腺外分泌细胞的辐射损伤的保护作用。     

Extraction optimisation,antioxidant activity and inhibition on α-amylase and pancreatic lipase of polyphenols from the seeds of Syzygium cumini

The objectives of this study were to determine the optimal extraction conditions of polyphenols from Syzygium cumini seeds by response surface methodology and investigate their antioxidant activity and inhibition on α-amylase and pancreatic lipase. As results, the optimal extraction conditions in the ultrasonic extraction process which maximised total polyphenols content, minimised the IC₅₀ values of α-amylase and pancreatic lipase were determined as follows: extraction time 60 min, ethanol concentration 63% and solvent/solid ratio 44 mL g⁻¹. The main phenolic compounds in partially purified fraction of Syzygium cumini seeds were catechin, epicatechin, kaempferol, gallic, 5-caffeoylquinic, caffeic and ferulic acids. In addition, the partially purified fraction inhibited 87.66 ± 5.55 and 86.61 ± 3.15% of α-amylase and pancreatic lipase, respectively. The results suggested that Syzygium cumini seeds could be explored as a natural antioxidant and could be used as a source of highly antidiabetic and anti-obesity bioactive compounds.