The effect of cooking on proteins from acha (Digitaria exilis) and durum wheat

The effect of cooking on proteins from acha and durum wheat was assessed from an analysis of protein extractability, gel electrophoretic profiles, in-vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) and the amino acid compositions of wholemeal flour and residue proteins. Heating wholemeal flour samples at 100–140°C (t = 10–40 min) resulted in 0–30% and 45–55% decreases in acha and durum protein solubility, respectively. In general, high molecular weight (30–70 k Da) protein subunits were more susceptible to heat damage. For both cereals, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS; 10 g litre^?1) and/or dithiothrcitol (DTT; 10 mM ) increased protein solubility in unheated and heated samples. The IVPD index was 90–91% and was not significantly altered by cooking (100–120°C, t = 40 min). Cooking at extreme temperatures (140°C, t = 40 min) reduced the IVPD by 8% (P = 0.05). Osborne fractionation resulted in a durum or acha residue level of 7.8% or 55.2%. Treatment with solvent containing propanol, SDS and/or DTT at room temperature followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of non-solubilised proteins showed that the glutelin fraction of acha, with the exception of a 65 kDa subunit, was insoluble owing to strong inter-subunit hydrophobic and disulphide interactions. Wholemeal acha flour and residue protein showed a significantly greater level of hydrophobic and sulphur amino acids as well as glutamine which is associated with H-bonding. The possibility that cereal protein solubility is also dependent on protein-carbohydrate links is discussed.     

食醋抗氧化活性的研究进展

介绍了食醋多酚、黄酮类化合物、蛋白黑素和川穹嗪等抗氧化活性成分,综述了食醋在体外试验抗氧化活性(对·OH的清除活性、对02-·的清除活性、对DPPH·的清除活性、对脂质过氧化的抑制作用、对亚硝酸盐的清除能力以及对亚油酸的抗氧化作用)和体内试验抗氧化活性的研究进展,展望了后续研究中关于食醋抗氧化的研究方向.     

壳聚糖季铵盐修饰的辅酶Q10纳米结构脂质载体的制备及表征

为了增强运载辅酶Q10的纳米结构脂质载体(CoQ10-NLC)的透皮效果,采用促渗剂——壳聚糖季铵盐(QCS)对CoQ10-NLC进行了表面修饰,并结合QCS分子链的自聚集行为,明确了壳聚糖季铵盐修饰的包载辅酶Q10的纳米脂质体(QCS-CoQ10-NLC)的形成机制,得到了粒径在500 nm左右的脂质载体。进一步通过体外透皮实验,考察了QCS-CoQ10-NLC的透皮吸收效果。结果显示,经质量分数0.5%的QCS修饰后,脂质载体可将CoQ10在皮肤中的渗透总量由1.36μg/cm~2显著增加至5.14μg/cm~2。     

5-氟尿嘧啶载药微球的制备工艺及性能研究

以PLA为载体材料,以5-Fu为模型药物,制备5-Fu/PLA载药微球,通过正交设计优化微球制备工艺.另外,检测了载药微球的回收率、稳定性、缓释性能等物理性质.用紫外分光光度计测定药物含量,激光粒度仪分析粒径. 结果表明,载药微球的平均粒径为(133.2±32.5)nm,平均包封率为(11.3±5.0)%,缓释时间延长至80～100h,具有良好的缓释功能.     

Effect of chemical pretreatments on the fermentation and ultimate digestibility of bagasse by Phanerochaete chrysosporium

When sugarcane bagasse was pretreated at room temperature with various chemicals singly or in combination, (0.25 m NaOH; 0.5 m H₂SO₄; 2.6 M NH₃;0.14 M Ca(OH)₂+0.12 M Na₂CO₃;4.2 m EDA; and 0.5 M H₂SO₄ or 0.25 M NaOH followed by 4.2 M EDA), increases in in-vitro digestibility range from 28.9 to 48.6% depending on the particular chemicals. With most pretreatments, the hemicellulose content decreased and the cellulose content increased slightly, while lignin levels decreased only with NaOH + EDA pretreatments. Further fermentation of the chemically pretreated bagasse with Phanerochaete chrysosporium gave increased digestibilities, the highest final digestibility (59%) being achieved by pre-treatment with 0.25 M NaOH. Pretreatment with NaOH or Ca(OH)₂+Na₂CO₃ and fermentation gave greatly increased levels of hemi-cellulose and cellulose and substantial decreases in lignin levels. Chemical pretreatments of bagasse together with autoclaving considerably enhanced in-vitro digestibility (up to 75%) and lignin degradation (1.4%). Pretreatment with NaOH, Ca(OH)₂+Na₂CO₃, and EDA plus autoclaving gave large increases in total hemicelluloses and cellulose and marked decreases in lignin. Further fermentation with P. chrysosporium gave only slight increases in digestibility.     

Effect of chemical treatments of sugar beet fibre on their physico-chemical properties and on their in-vitro fermentation

Chemically treated and dried sugar beet fibres were fermented in vitro in order to study the effects of chemical and physico-chemical parameters of dietary fibre on their colonic fermentation. Sugar beet fibre was treated with dilute alkali, removing mainly acetyl and methyl ester groups, and/or with dilute acids eliminating arabinose, galactose and certain uronic acid residues. The chemical treatments led to an increase in the hydration properties and fermentability by improvement of the accessibility of the remaining polysaccharides. However, if the chemically treated fibres were dried under harsh conditions (100°C), their hydration properties and their fermentability were limited, probably because of structural collapse of the fibre matrix. Whatever the conditions for chemical treatments and drying of the sugar beet fibres, it was possible to predict their fermentability from the water-binding capacity. Because of the relationship between the physiological effects of dietary fibres and the extent to which they are fermented, this result underlines the importance of the physico-chemical characterisation of the fibre in order to acquire a better knowledge of their physiological effects.     

Processing and properties of a new biodegradable Mg−Zn−Ca−Zr alloy

Magnesium alloys are used for degradable orthopaedic and cardiovascular implants due to their favourable mechanical and biological properties, degradation ability in physiological environment and stimulatory effect on the new bone formation. The research challenges are related to the increase of biological and mechanical compatibility. For the present study, a magnesium based alloy design was conducted to the following chemical composition: Mg?2.7Zn?1Ca?0.6Zr (wt.%). A complex thermomechanical processing route was applied: a plastic deformation by extrusion at various temperatures and deformation degrees (400 °C–480 °C, ? = 20 %–40 %), followed by various final heat treatments at 200 °C–400 °C for 10 min–60 min. Further, the influence of processing parameters upon the structure, mechanical properties and biological response was studied. Processed specimens were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (secondary electron imaging and energy dispersive spectroscopy) and mechanically by tensile tests. The most representative results were obtained for the samples extruded at 450 °C/? = 20 %, followed by a final heat treatment at 350 °C/15 min, air cooling. Further, for samples which revealed promising results, in‐vitro testing was developed. Biocompatibility testing of the Mg?2.7Zn?1Ca?0.6Zr (wt.%) alloy was realized by indirect contact studies using the Vero (ATCC® CCL‐81?, American Type Culture Collection) cell line. Cells morphologies, cell viability and proliferation were evaluated.     

食品级纳米乳液递送姜酮酚的生物可及率研究

为解决姜酮酚辛辣刺激性强,口服生物利用度低的问题,采用高压均质法制备姜酮酚纳米乳液。以吐温80为乳化剂,考察菜籽油质量分数对粒径、电位、游离脂肪酸释放率、及生物可及率的影响。结果证实纳米乳液粒径随菜籽油质量分数增大明显增大(p＜0.05),Zeta电位无显著性差异；当菜籽油质量分数过小,即乳液过于粘稠时,会减缓油滴的消化速度。随菜籽油质量分数增大,生物可及率的提升效果越好。当菜籽油质量分数为20%时,姜酮酚的生物可及率比对照组提升了74.70%。     

Inferring simple but precise quantitative models of human oocyte and early embryo development

Macroscopic, phenomenological models are useful as concise framings of our understandings in fields from statistical physics to finance to biology. Constructing a phenomenological model for development would provide a framework for understanding the complicated, regulatory nature of oogenesis and embryogenesis. Here, we use a data-driven approach to infer quantitative, precise models of human oocyte maturation and pre-implantation embryo development, by analysing clinical in-vitro fertilization (IVF) data on 7399 IVF cycles resulting in 57 827 embryos. Surprisingly, we find that both oocyte maturation and early embryo development are quantitatively described by simple models with minimal interactions. This simplicity suggests that oogenesis and embryogenesis are composed of modular processes that are relatively siloed from one another. In particular, our analysis provides strong evidence that (i) pre-antral follicles produce anti-Müllerian hormone independently of effects from other follicles, (ii) oocytes mature to metaphase-II independently of the woman’s age, her BMI and other factors, (iii) early embryo development is memoryless for the variables assessed here, in that the probability of an embryo transitioning from its current developmental stage to the next is independent of its previous stage. Our results both provide insight into the fundamentals of oogenesis and embryogenesis and have implications for the clinical IVF.