Are Chemical Compounds Important for Soybean Resistance to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anticarsia gemmatalis</Emphasis>?

The identification and quantification of flavonoids (rutin and genistin) present in extracts of soybean genotypes, and their effects on the biology and physiology of Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lep.: Noctuidae) were studied. Analysis of covariance and bicoordinate utilization plots were used to remove the effect of feeding time from pupal weight and consumption as well as to separate pre- and postingestive effects of treatment on A. gemmatalis growth. Genotypes PI 274454, PI 227687, and “IAC-100” extracts in general, caused higher mortality, negatively influenced initial larval and pupal weight, and elongated larval cycle. Larvae fed on the “IAC-100” extract diet ingested larger amounts of food per unit of time, but were less efficient in its conversion to biomass. Leaf extracts of PI 227687 had the largest concentration of rutin (quercitin 3-O-rhamnosylglucoside), followed by PI 274454, and “IAC-100”; PI 74454 also had the highest genistin (genistein 7-O-glucoside) content. The susceptible cultivar “BR-16” showed only a kaempferol-based flavonoid in its chemical profile, indicating that after successive crosses, secondary compounds responsible for plant defenses were eliminated. Genotypes PI 274454, PI 227687, and “IAC-100” showed accentuated resistance characteristics and were considered inadequate sources for the development of A. gemmatalis. Considering rutin and genistin concentration in these genotypes, it is suggested that flavonoids are important factors conferring resistance to A. gemmatalis.     

Biomedical Instrumentation for the Measurements of Skin Sensitivity

This paper reports on the development of two techniques designed to measure the electric responses to periodic tactile and thermal0 stimuli on the skin of the hand.     

Psychedelic drug flashbacks: Attentional deficits?

Tested the validity of theories explaining psychedelic flashbacks as manifestations of deficits in attentional processes caused directly or indirectly by a drug. 34 psychedelic drug users experiencing flashbacks were compared with 29 psychedelic drug users not experiencing flashbacks and with 24 non-drug-using controls on a reaction time task with various preparatory intervals. Findings indicate that the flashbackers' attention was comparable to the attention of the nonflashbacking drug users; both drug-using groups did substantially better than the non-drug-using controls. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of ultrafiltration and nanofiltration of an industrial fish protein hydrolysate on its bioactive properties

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have demonstrated that in vitro controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of fish and shellfish proteins leads to bioactive peptides. Ultrafiltration (UF) and/or nanofiltration (NF) can be used to refine hydrolysates and also to fractionate them in order to obtain a peptide population enriched in selected sizes. This study was designed to highlight the impact of controlled UF and NF on the stability of biological activities of an industrial fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) and to understand whether fractionation could improve its content in bioactive peptides. RESULTS: The starting fish protein hydrolysate exhibited a balanced amino acid composition, a reproducible molecular weight (MW) profile, and a low sodium chloride content, allowing the study of its biological activity. Successive fractionation on UF and NF membranes allowed concentration of peptides of selected sizes, without, however, carrying out sharp separations, some MW classes being found in several fractions. Peptides containing Pro, Hyp, Asp and Glu were concentrated in the UF and NF retentates compared to the unfractionated hydrolysate and UF permeate, respectively. Gastrin/cholecystokinin‐like peptides were present in the starting FPH, UF and NF fractions, but fractionation did not increase their concentration. In contrast, quantification of calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP)‐like peptides demonstrated an increase in CGRP‐like activities in the UF permeate, relative to the starting FPH. The starting hydrolysate also showed a potent antioxidant and radical scavenging activity, and a moderate angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE)‐1 inhibitory activity, which were not increased by UF and NF fractionation. CONCLUSION: Fractionation of an FPH using membrane separation, with a molecular weight cut‐off adapted to the peptide composition, may provide an effective means to concentrate CGRP‐like peptides and peptides enriched in selected amino acids. The peptide size distribution observed after UF and NF fractionation demonstrates that it is misleading to characterize the fractions obtained by membrane filtration according to the MW cut‐off of the membrane only, as is currently done in the literature. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synergistic effect and quantification of 5'-ribonucleotides in a chicken soup

The international and national regulation permits the addition of flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and inosinic and guanilic acids and their fosfated salts (IMP or GMP, respectively) alone or combined to dehydrated mixtures of broths and soups in order to obtain a synergistic. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine, through a sensorial panel, the synergistic effect on the flavour of a dehydrated chicken soup to which flavour enhancers were added and (2) quantify the 5'-ribonucleotides in such matrix. The intensity of the chicken flavour was determined using a previously trained 6-member panel. The 5'-ribonucleotidos were determined using the HPLC technique. The results using the panel demonstrated that the combination of GMS, IMF and GMF used potentiates significantly (p < 0.05) the flavour of the dehydrated chicken soup, which allows the use of less quantity of them to obtain the same effect on the flavour. The chemical analysis of the 5'-ribonucleotidos in the dehydrated chicken soup reflected a percentage of recovery of 93.6% for MSG and 90.5% for IMF.     

Sage Tea Drinking Improves Lipid Profile and Antioxidant Defences in Humans

Salvia officinalis (common sage) is a plant with antidiabetic properties. A pilot trial (non-randomized crossover trial) with six healthy female volunteers (aged 40–50) was designed to evaluate the beneficial properties of sage tea consumption on blood glucose regulation, lipid profile and transaminase activity in humans. Effects of sage consumption on erythrocytes’ SOD and CAT activities and on Hsp70 expression in lymphocytes were also evaluated. Four weeks sage tea treatment had no effects on plasma glucose. An improvement in lipid profile was observed with lower plasma LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels as well as higher plasma HDL cholesterol levels during and two weeks after treatment. Sage tea also increased lymphocyte Hsp70 expression and erythrocyte SOD and CAT activities. No hepatotoxic effects or other adverse effects were observed.     

A novel process for the ethyl lactate synthesis in a simulated moving bed reactor (SMBR)

A novel approach for the synthesis of ethyl lactate using a simulated moving bed reactor was evaluated by experiments as well as by simulations. A mathematical model considering external and internal mass-transfer resistances and variable velocity due to change of liquid composition was developed to describe the dynamic behaviour of the SMBR and it was validated by the experiments performed; it was observed that the experimental results were well predicted by the model. The effect of operating parameters, as the feed composition, SMBR configuration and switching time on the SMBR performance parameters at the optimal operating points and/or reactive/separation regions was studied. It was shown that the SMBR is a very attractive technology for the production of ethyl lactate, since under appropriate conditions the lactic acid conversion can be driven to completion and productivity as high as and purity of 95% can be obtained.     

Prevention of bread mould spoilage by using lactic acid bacteria with antifungal properties

The ability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to inhibit Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium, the main contaminants in bread, was evaluated. Only four strains (Lactobacillus plantarum CRL 778, Lactobacillus reuteri CRL 1100, and Lactobacillus brevis CRL 772 and CRL 796) from 95 strains tested displayed antifungal activity. The major antifungal compounds were acetic and phenyllactic acids. The fermentation quotient (FQ = 2.0) and the leaven volume (80 cm³) of doughs with LB and yeasts were higher than doughs without LB. The inclusion of antifungal LAB strains in the starter culture allowed a reduction in the concentration of calcium propionate by 50% while still attaining a shelf life similar to that of traditional bread containing 0.4% CP.     

Exodontia‐induced muscular hypofunction by itself or associated to chronic stress impairs masseter muscle morphology and its mitochondrial function

Stress is associated with orofacial pain sensitivity and is qualified as a temporomandibular disorder risk factor. During stressful periods, painful thresholds of masticatory muscles in individuals suffering muscle facial pain are significantly lower than in controls, but the exact physiologic mechanism underlying this relation remains unclear. Our hypothesis is that chronic unpredictable stress and masticatory hypofunction induce morphologic and metabolic masseter muscle changes in rats. For test this hypothesis, adult Wistar rats were submitted to chronic unpredictable stress and/or exodontia of left molars and the left masseter muscle was removed for analysis. The parameters evaluated included ultrastructure, oxidative level, metabolism activity and morphological analysis in this muscle. Our data show by histological analysis, that stress and exodontia promoted a variation on diameters and also angled contours in masseter fibers. The masticatory hypofunction increased oxidative metabolism as well as decreased reactive species of oxygen in masseter muscle. The ultrastructural analysis of muscle fibers showed disruption of the sarcoplasmic reticulum cisterns in certain regions of the fiber in stress group, and the disappearance of the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane in group with association of stress and exodontia. Our findings clarify mechanisms by which chronic stress and masticatory hypofunction might be involved in the pathophysiology of muscular dysfunctions. Masticatory hypofunction influenced oxidative stress and induced oxidative metabolism on masseter muscle, as well as altered its fiber morphology. Chronic stress presented malefic effect on masseter morphology at micro and ultra structurally. When both stimuli were applied, there were atrophic fibers and a complete mitochondrial derangement.     

Adsorption performance of mesoporous silicas towards a cationic dye. Influence of mesostructure on adsorption capacity

The dye adsorption performance of four mesoporous silicas with different structure and textural properties, MCM-41, MCM-48, SBA-15 and mesocellular silica foam (MCF), was studied and compared by using toluidine blue O (TBO) as dye model in aqueous solution. These materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), small-angle X-ray scattering, nitrogen adsorption-desorption analyses, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effect of some parameters such as adsorbent dosage, contact time, temperature, and pH on the TBO removal in aqueous solution was studied. Results showed that adsorption capacity raised when adsorbent dosage, contact time and pH solution were increased while an increase in temperature decreased the adsorption of TBO. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were employed to elucidate the adsorption mechanism while the adsorption rate data were analyzed according to the pseudo-first and second-order kinetic models. Results showed that adsorption of TBO onto MCM-48, SBA-15, and MCF fitted well the Freundlich isotherm model while the kinetic studies showed that adsorption process could be better described by the pseudo-second-order model for all mesoporous silicas. Finally, some solvents were evaluated to carried out dye desorption from the TBO-loaded mesoporous silicas founding that acetic acid was the most efficient.