Phenolic profiling reveals the metabolite basis of flesh colour and fresh-cut browning in apple fruit

Flesh colour, which is affected by cultivars and browning, can largely impact consumer acceptance in fresh-cut apples. The study profiled phenolic metabolites from apple flesh of twenty-three cultivars by widely targeted metabolomics. Comparison among white- and yellow-fleshed cultivars showed fifteen phenolics, mainly quercetin 3-O-glucoside, hyperoside, hesperetin 5-O-glucoside and cymaroside, in white-fleshed apples were significantly higher than those in yellow-fleshed apples. It may indicate a metabolite basis of yellow and white flesh colour, and better potential nutrition in white-fleshed apples. In addition, ten phenolic metabolites including five cyanidin glycosides showed significant differences between the highest and the lowest browning groups, indicating them may be crucial in browning of fresh-cut apple. This work elucidates the differences of phenolic profiles among apple cultivars with different flesh colour and provides useful data to evaluate the suitability of apple for fresh-cut processing.     

Functional Coupling of Slack Channels and P2X3 Receptors Contributes to Neuropathic Pain Processing

The sodium-activated potassium channel Slack (K_Na1.1, Slo2.2, or Kcnt1) is highly expressed in populations of sensory neurons, where it mediates the sodium-activated potassium current (I_KNa) and modulates neuronal activity. Previous studies suggest that Slack is involved in the processing of neuropathic pain. However, mechanisms underlying the regulation of Slack activity in this context are poorly understood. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings we found that Slack-mediated I_KNa in sensory neurons of mice is reduced after peripheral nerve injury, thereby contributing to neuropathic pain hypersensitivity. Interestingly, Slack is closely associated with ATP-sensitive P2X3 receptors in a population of sensory neurons. In vitro experiments revealed that Slack-mediated I_KNa may be bidirectionally modulated in response to P2X3 activation. Moreover, mice lacking Slack show altered nocifensive responses to P2X3 stimulation. Our study identifies P2X3/Slack signaling as a mechanism contributing to hypersensitivity after peripheral nerve injury and proposes a potential novel strategy for treatment of neuropathic pain.     

高效液相色谱法测定不同产地湘莲中荷叶碱、 莲心碱、芦丁的含量

目的建立高效液相色谱法同时测定湘莲中荷叶碱、莲心碱、芦丁的方法。方法在酸性条件下超声提取3种待测组分。色谱条件如下:C_(18)(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm)色谱柱;流动相:甲醇-0.1 mol/L乙酸铵(用乙二胺调节pH值至7.5~8.0)(55:45,V:V);流速:1.0 m L/min;检测波长:275 nm;柱温30℃;进样量10μL。结果荷叶碱、莲心碱、芦丁分别在7.636~152.7μg/mL(r~2=0.9999,n=5)、7.543~150.9μg/mL(r~2=0.9995,n=5)、7.543~150.9μg/mL(r~2=0.9998,n=5)范围内线性关系良好,加标回收率为96.9%~100.5%之间,相对标准偏差(relative standard deviation,RSD)为1.1%~1.4%。结论该法同时测定湘莲中荷叶碱、莲心碱、芦丁,简单快速,定量准确,可以为评价不同产地湘莲功效成分提供参考。     

Revisiting CO2 emissions convergence in G18 countries

This study revisits whether CO₂ emissions converge in G18 countries over the period of 1950–2013. To work on this empirical analysis, we employ a more powerful quantile unit root test with per capita CO₂ emissions. While conventional unit root tests fail to reject convergence in CO₂ emissions in these G18 countries, quantile unit root test results demonstrate CO₂ emissions converged in 5 of these G18 countries (i.e., Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, and India). Our empirical results have important policy implications for the governments of G18 countries to direct efficient and effective energy policies to reduce the CO₂ emissions.     

原花青素抑制丙烯酰胺的动力学

对原花青素对丙烯酰胺形成-消除动力学的影响进行研究。在荔枝原花青素(litchi pericarp procyanidin,LPPC)和莲房原花青素(lotus seedpod procyanidin,LSPC)对丙烯酰胺最大抑制率添加条件的基础上,分别采用Logistic-生长曲线模型、Logistic-Fermi动力学模型和Logistic-指数动力学模型描述丙烯酰胺的形成-消除动力学过程,最终优化选择Logistic-指数动力学模型为描述对象。实验结果表明:两种原花青素对丙烯酰胺形成过程具有显著性影响,且LSPC的作用大于LPPC,在反应后期,两种原花青素对丙烯酰胺抑制均无显著性影响。     

应用六西格玛管理降低爆破根块率

本文针对白云鄂博铁矿爆破根块率偏高问题,运用了六西格玛管理方法予以改善及控制。通过利用六西格玛管理方法分别从定义、测量、分析、改进、控制五个方面进行开展并应用。应用表明其爆破质量得到有效地改善,爆破根块率降低到16个/万t,并产生经济效益约15万元,为确保矿山有序生产提供了基础保证。     

半胱氨酸控制鲜切苹果褐变的生理机制

为研究半胱氨酸对鲜切苹果褐变控制的生理机制,以鲜切苹果为研究对象,采用0.5 g/L的半胱氨酸溶液处理1 min,分析贮藏过程中鲜切苹果褐变指数(browning index,BI)、多酚氧化酶(polyphenol oxidase,PPO)和抗氧化酶活力、抗氧化物质和丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)质量摩尔浓度及抗氧化能力的变化。结果表明,与蒸馏水处理相比,半胱氨酸处理能够显著抑制鲜切苹果的褐变,在贮藏初期半胱氨酸处理降低了鲜切苹果的PPO活力,同时在贮藏过程中不同程度提高了鲜切苹果的抗氧化酶活力以及抗氧化能力,减缓了抗氧化物质在贮藏过程中的损失,并且抑制了MDA的积累。相关性分析显示,鲜切苹果的BI值与抗坏血酸含量、过氧化氢酶活力以及抗氧化能力呈极显著负相关(P0.01),与MDA质量摩尔浓度呈极显著正相关(P0.01)。因此,半胱氨酸可能是一方面通过抑制鲜切苹果的PPO活力,另一方面通过提高其抗氧化能力,延缓贮藏过程中的组织褐变。     

不同模式超声预处理对莲子蛋白酶解物及其结构的影响

超声波参数中,超声频率是影响蛋白酶解的主要因素。因此,本实验以不同模式超声频率下得到的莲子蛋白酶解物为研究对象,首先对不同模式超声进行优化,以血管紧张素转化酶(angiotensin converting enzyme,ACE)抑制率和水解度为指标,得出了不同模式下的最优频率参数:单频率超声20 kHz、双频率组合20/35 kHz、三频率超声组合20/35/50 kHz。然后采用表面疏水性、氨基酸分析及内源性荧光光谱等表征不同模式的超声预处理对莲子蛋白酶解物及结构特征影响。结果显示:随着超声频率组合增多,表面疏水性越来越大,疏水性氨基酸含量增多,主要是由于超声预处理使蛋白结构展开,使最初被掩埋在蛋白分子内部的疏水基团暴露。通过荧光光谱发现,超声预处理提高了莲子蛋白的荧光强度,且荧光强度顺序为三频双频单频;同时,莲子蛋白酶解物λmax发生轻微的红移现象。上述结果对于莲子蛋白酶解及ACE抑制肽的制备至关重要。