Growth depression and tissue reaction to the consumption of excess dietary methionine and S-methyl-L-cysteine

Similar depressions in growth were observed when rats consumed a 10% casein basal diet containing equal quantities of either methionine or S-methyl-L-cysteine. Supplemental glycine or serine partially alleviated the growth depression caused by the high levels of methionine but were ineffective in alleviating the growth depression caused by high levels of S-methylcysteine. Histological examination of five organs of rats fed the basal, high methionine or high S-methylcysteine diet for 6, 13 or 20 days revealed that only the spleens were affected in that there was erythrocyte engorgement and an accumulation of hemosiderin. The intensity of iron staining in spleens decreased from the second to the third week. The similarity in the depression of growth and splenic damage observed in rats consuming high levels of methionine or S-methylcysteine is consistent with an earlier suggestion that metabolism of the methionine or S-methylcysteine is consistent with an earlier suggestion that metabolism of the methyl group is in some way involved in the toxicity of methionine.     

A method for studying glyoxylic acid induced fluorescence and ultrastructure of monoamine neurons

Inasmuch as precise correlations of light- and electronmicroscopy are crucial for understanding biostructure, it seemed necessary to bring together the advantages of the glyoxylic acid (GA) method (for inducing monoamine fluorescence) and electron microscopy. A combined fluorescence and electron microscope method using GA is introduced. The brain is perfused by 2% GA in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.0) and this solution is followed by 4% paraformaldehyde containing 0.5% glutaraldehyde in Sorensen's phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Sections are cut by cryostat or by vitratome and incubated in 2% GA in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). Using fluorescence microscopy, features of interest are sketched and/or photographed. Afterwards, the same or subsequent section is processed for electron microscopy. Since axons of catecholamine-containing neurons (as well as their perikarya and terminals) are visualized by GA, the recommended procedure expands the range of studies concerning monoamine neurons that can now be carried out effectively.     

Renal transport of urate during diuretic-induced hypouricemia

The effect of two weeks administration of a uricosuric diuretic (SKF-62698) on renal urate handling has been examined in 11 normal men. Plasma urate concentrations had declined by more than 60 per cent after two weeks. Urate excretion per unit of glomerular filtration rate and urate clearance (Curate) per unit of glomerular filtration rate were increased after the administration of SKF-62698. The importance of intact tubular secretion of urate in producing these changes was assessed by administering pyrazinamide, an agent that curtails urate secretion, to each participant. The decrements in urate excretion and clearance produced by pyrazinamide both increased significantly, whereas the residual urate excretion rates and clearances not suppressible by pyrazinamide were only minimally altered by SKF-62698 treatment. These results suggest that the excretion of secreted urate was enhanced by prolonged administration of SKF-62698, probably secondary to the inhibition of postsecretory urate reabsorption. In addition, because the nonsuppressible urate excretion did not decline despite a 63 per cent reduction in the plasma urate, it is likely that the reabsorption of filtered urate also was impaired by SKF-62698.     

The p38 and NFκB signaling protein activation involved in glycitein protective effects on isoproterenol-treated H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells

Heart disease (HD) is greatly associated with gender and clinical evidence shows that increased serum norepinephrine levels are found in patients with HD. This study investigates the cardio-protective effect of glycitein, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) from soy bean extract, on H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells treated with isoproterenol (ISO, a norepinephrine analog). The image data and results from western blotting showed that ISO treatment was capable of inducing cellular apoptosis, especially the mitochondrial dependent pathway. Glycitein treatment could suppress mitochondrial pro-apoptotic proteins expression including caspase-9 and caspase-3 in H9c2 treated with ISO. In contrast, several survival proteins were expressed in H9c2 cells treated with glycitein, such as phosphor (p)-Akt, p-Bad and Akt. We confirmed that the protective role of glycitein was partially mediated through the expression of p-38 and NFκB proteins by adding several pathway inhibitors.     

Detection of fresh palm oil adulteration with recycled cooking oil using fatty acid composition and FTIR spectral analysis

There is a growing concern over the food safety issue related to increased incidence of cooking oil adulteration with recycled cooking oil (RCO). The objective of this study was to detect fresh palm olein (FPO) adulteration with RCO using fatty acid composition (FAC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectral analyses combined with chemometrics. RCO prepared in the laboratory was mixed with FPO in the proportion ranged from 1% to 50% (v/v) to obtain the adulterated oil samples (AO). FACs for FPO, RCO, and AO were determined using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The compositions of most fatty acids in RCO lied within the normal ranges of Codex standard, except for C8:0, C10:0, C11:0, C15:0, trans C18:1, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), C20:5. PUFAs showed a consistent decreasing trend with increasing magnitude of change with respect to increasing adulteration level and thus might be a good indicator for detecting FPO adulteration with RCO. The evaluation parameters (coefficient of determination, root mean standard error) of the FTIR-partial least square (PLS) model of palm oil adulteration with recycled oil are R² = 0.995 and 3.25, respectively. For FTIR spectral analysis, the distinct variations in spectral regions and aberrations in characteristic bands between FPO and RCO were observed. The optimized PLS calibration model developed from normal spectral of the combined region at 3602–3398, 3016–2642, and 1845–650 cm^?1 overpredict the adulteration level. On the other hand, the discriminant analysis classification model was able to classify the FPO and AO into two distinct groups. Improvement of the principles of combined techniques in authenticating AO from fresh oil is beneficial as a guideline to detect adulteration in cooking oil.     

Emulsification by the phase inversion temperature method: the role of self-bodying agents and the influence of oil polarity

Oil-in-water emulsions stabilized with nonionic emulsifiers change to water-in-oil emulsions as the temperature rises when the hydrophilic and lipophilic properties of the mixed emulsifier are just balanced. Preparation above the phase inversion temperature followed by rapid cooling yields emulsions that exhibit very fine droplet size and extreme long-term stability. Cosmetic emulsions were prepared by this phase inversion temperature (PIT) method using typical raw materials such as polar oils, e.g. decyl oleate, 2-octyl dodecanol or isopropyl myristate, and nonionic emulsifiers, e.g. ceteareth-12 or polyoxyethylene eicosyl/docosyl ether combined with cetostearyl alcohol as a co-emulsifier. The phase inversion temperature was measured as a function of the oil polarity and the concentration of mixed emulsifier. The relationship between phase inversion temperature, droplet size and emulsion stability was investigated. In addition, self-bodying agents such as cetostearyl alcohol or monoglycerides were added to these thin, fine disperse emulsions to adjust the consistency. The influence of these ingredients on phase inversion temperature, droplet size, yield value and emulsion stability was studied.     

Kaempferol induced apoptosis via endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondria‐dependent pathway in human osteosarcoma U‐2 OS cells

Kaempferol is a natural flavonoid. Previous studies have reported that kaempferol has anti‐proliferation activities and induces apoptosis in many cancer cell lines. However, there are no reports on human osteosarcoma. In this study, we investigate the anti‐cancer effects and molecular mechanisms of kaempferol in human osteosarcoma cells. Our results demonstrate that kaempferol significantly reduces cell viabilities of U‐2 OS, HOB and 143B cells, especially U‐2 OS cells in a dose‐dependent manner, but exerts low cytotoxicity on human fetal osteoblast progenitor hFOB cells. Comet assay, DAPI staining and DNA gel electrophoresis confirm the effects of DNA damage and apoptosis in U‐2 OS cells. Flow cytometry detects the increase of cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ levels and the decrease of mitochondria membrane potential. Western blotting and fluorogenic enzymatic assay show that kaempferol treatment influences the time‐dependent expression of proteins involved in the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway and mitochondrial signaling pathway. In addition, pretreating cells with caspase inhibitors, BAPTA or calpeptin before exposure to kaempferol increases cell viabilities. The anti‐cancer effects of kaempferol in vivo are evaluated in BALB/c^nu/nu mice inoculated with U‐2 OS cells, and the results indicate inhibition of tumor growth. In conclusion, kaempferol inhibits human osteosarcoma cells in vivo and in vitro.     

Oxygen depletion properties of glucose-grafted polyethylene resins filled with sodium ascorbate/modified iron compounds

Oxygen scavenging plastic can react with oxygen that was trapped in the packaging materials or permeated into the packages, and then, extend the shelf life of food contained in packages. Sodium ascorbate (SA) and modified iron (MFe) compounds were chosen as the main components of oxygen scavengers to prepare the oxygen scavenging LDPE plastics. However, the widely used hydrophobic LDPE packaging material will slow down the oxygen depletion rate of these oxygen scavenger compounds. So glucose was used to modify the hydrophobic property of LDPE to improve the oxygen depletion properties of LDPE oxygen scavenging plastic. The oxygen depletion efficiency of L₉₅[SA_x(MFe)_y]₅ series samples improved initially as the weight ratios of SA/MFe increase, and reached the best as the weight ratios of SA/MFe approach 7/3. After modifying LDPE with glucoses, the oxygen depletion efficiency of each ML₉₅[SA_x(MFe)_y]₅ specimen improved even better than that of the corresponding L₉₅[SA_x(MFe)_y]₅ specimen with the same loading of oxygen scavenger compound, wherein the oxygen depletion efficiency of ML₉₅[SA_x(MFe)_y]₅ series specimens reached the best as the weight ratios of SA/MFe approach 1/9. In consistent with the oxygen depletion properties found in the previous section, the peroxide values of modeled food samples tested in the airtight flask with L₉₅[SA_x(MFe)_y]₅ and ML₉₅[SA_x(MFe)_y]₅ series samples reduce consistently as their oxygen depletion properties improve. In order to understand the interesting oxygen depletion properties of L₉₅[SA_x(MFe)_y]₅ and ML₉₅[SA_x(MFe)_y]₅ series samples, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-rays analysis of these samples were performed.     

Characterization of Starch from Maize Endosperm Mutants

Some maize endosperm mutants have branched-chain starch components with long exterior chains which make the blue-value procedure for estimating amylose content questionable. Gel filtration was used to estimate starch composition of normal, high-amylose, waxy and other maize endosperm mutants. Loosely-branched polymers appeared responsible for the apparent amylose content. In some mutants high and intermediate loosely branched polysaccharides were found in addition to amylose. The sweet corn background of some endosperm genotypes influenced the types of polymers produced compared to the dent backgrounds used by previous researchers.