Fatty Acid Composition, Antioxidant Properties, and Antiproliferative Capacity of Selected Cold-Pressed Seed Flours

Cold-pressed seed flours from pumpkin, parsley, mullein, cardamom, and milk thistle were examined for total oil, fatty acid profile of the oil, total phenolic content (TPC), scavenging activities against peroxyl (ORAC), hydroxyl (HOSC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (RDSC) radicals, and antiproliferative capacity against HT-29 human colon cancer cells. The cold-pressed parsley seed flour contained a very high concentration of total oil—17.6 g/100 g flour—with primarily C18:1 fatty acid at 86.2 g/100 g fatty acids. All other flour oils had relatively high levels of saturated fats, ranging from 39.0 to 62.9 g/100 g fatty acids. The tested seed flours demonstrated significant TPC and free radical scavenging activities. Milk thistle seed flour had the highest TPC value of 25.2 mg gallic acid equivalent per g flour (GAE mg/g) followed by that of parsley seed flour at 8.1 GAE mg/g. Milk thistle seed-flour extract also had significantly higher antioxidant activities than all other extracts against all tested radicals. The milk thistle seed-flour extract had an ORAC value of 1131 μmol trolox equivalents (TE) per g flour (TE μmol/g), a HOSC value of 893 TE μmol/g, and an RDSC value of 61 TE μmol/g. Also, ORAC, HOSC, and TPC values were significantly correlated (P < 0.01) under the experimental conditions. The cold-pressed milk thistle seed flour inhibited the proliferation of HT-29 cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Results from this study suggest that these cold-pressed seed flours may serve as natural sources of antioxidants and may be used to improve human health.     

Analysis of cured meat products for cryptosporidium oocysts following possible contamination during an extensive waterborne outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis

An outbreak of waterborne cryptosporidiosis in a town in northern Sweden during winter 2010 resulted in the potential exposure of cured meat products to Cryptosporidium oocysts during their manufacture. The purpose of this work was to develop a method for analyzing cured meat products for contamination with Cryptosporidium oocysts and use this method to analyze potentially contaminated product samples. A simple method of elution, concentration, separation, and detection was used, based on work with other food matrices but adapted for the relatively high fat content of cured meat surfaces. Using spiking experiments, the recovery efficiency of this method was found to be over 60%. In the analysis of the potentially contaminated products, only one putative Cryptosporidium oocyst was detected, and this was sufficiently deformed so that it could not be confirmed as an oocyst; if it was an oocyst, it was considered to have been probably deformed and inactivated prior to analysis. Based on the results of the analyses, together with data on the probable extent of contamination of the products and on our knowledge of factors, such as water activity, which affect oocyst survival, the products were safely released to the market.     

7-Ketocholesterol is Not Cytotoxic to U937 Cells When Incorporated into Acetylated Low Density Lipoprotein

The growth of the necrotic core region within advanced atherosclerotic plaque is thought to be driven by oxidised low density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced death of macrophage cells. OxLDL and atherosclerotic plaque are rich in oxysterols, especially 7-ketocholesterol (7KC). As 7KC triggers cell death at physiological concentrations when added directly to the cell culture media, 7KC and other oxysterols have been suggested to be the main cytotoxic agent of oxLDL. We investigated this hypothesis by examining the toxicity of 7KC to monocyte-like U937 cells when incorporated into high-uptake non-toxic acetylated LDL (acLDL). Incorporation of 7KC into acLDL greatly reduced the oxysterol toxicity when compared with an equivalent amount of 7KC added directly to U937 cells. Enrichment of oxLDL with 7KC did not significantly enhance lipoprotein toxicity. OxLDL was highly cytotoxic yet generated only low levels of intracellular 7KC. In comparison, 7KC-acLDL generated high intracellular 7KC concentrations with little loss in cell viability. The data show that when incorporated into lipoprotein, 7KC cytotoxicity is greatly reduced, even though intracellular levels exceed those measured when cells are incubated with oxLDL, which suggests 7KC is not the significant toxic agent within oxLDL.     

Solar photolysis of CH2I2, CH2ICl, and CH2IBr in water, saltwater, and seawater

Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy and purge-and-trap GC-MS were used to determine the rates and products of the photodissociation of low concentrations of CH2I2, CH2IBr, and CH2ICl in water, saltwater (0.5 M NaCl), and seawater in natural sunlight. Photoproducts of these reactions include iodide (I-) and, in salt- and seawater environments, CH2XCl (where X = Cl, Br, or I). Thus, CH2ICl was produced during CH2I2 photolysis (with a molar yield of 35 +/- 20%), CH2BrCl from CH2IBr photolysis, and CH2Cl2 from CH2ICl photolysis (in lower yields of 6-10%). Formation of these chlorine-atom-substituted products may be via direct reaction of Cl- with either (A) the isopolyhalomethane photoisomer or associated ion pair (e.g., CH2I+-I-) or (B) the initially produced CH2I. photofragment. Estimated quantum yields for photodissociation were 0.62 +/- 0.09, 0.17 +/- 0.03, and 0.26 +/- 0.06 for CH2I2, CH2IBr, and CH2ICl, respectively, in 0.5 M NaCl, with only small differences from these values in water and seawater. The much higher quantum yield of CH2I2 photolysis compared to CH2IBr and CH2ICl photolysis may be explained by the higher yield of the isodiiodomethane photoisomer of CH2I2, resulting in reduced geminate recombination of the initially produced radical photofragments back to the parent molecule. We use a radiative transfer model with measured absorption cross-sections in saltwater to calculate seasonal values of CH2I2, CH2IBr, and CH2ICl photodissociation in surface seawater at midlatitudes (50 degrees N) and show that a significant proportion of CH2ICl in surface seawater may arise from CH2I2 photodecomposition. We also suggest that surface seawater photolysis of CH2I2 over an 8 h period may contribute up to approximately 10% of the surface seawater I- levels, with implications for the increased deposition of O3 to the surface ocean.     

企业社会责任与CSC9000T

企业社会责任是指：企业在所从事的各种活动中,应当对所有利益相关者承担相应的责任,以求不仅在经济方面,更在社会、环境等领域获得可持续发展的能力。文章指出,企业社会责任运动自上世纪90年代从欧美兴起以来,其积极影响越来越明显,是人类文明与社会进步的表现。以跨国公司为代表的众多商业组织已开始规范其本身以及相应供贷商的社会行为准则,但目前尚没有全球统一的企业社会责任标准。因此,建立中国自己的企业社会责任管理体系意义重大,一方面有利于改善劳资关系,顺应国家“构建和谐社会”的历史潮流;另一方面,有助于中国制造业坚持“以人为本,走新型工业化道路”,实现可持续发展。CSC9000T——中国纺织企业社会责任管理体系正是在这种背景下应运而生的。     

Microbiological analysis of seed sprouts in Norway

As part of larger survey of microbial contamination of fruits and vegetables in Norway, four different sprouted seed products were analysed for bacterial and parasitic contaminants (n = 300 for bacterial analyses and n = from 17 to 171 for parasite analyses, depending on parasite). Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Cyclospora oocysts, Ascaris eggs and other helminth parasites were not detected in any of the sprout samples. Thermotolerant coliform bacteria (TCB) were isolated from approximately 25% of the sprout samples, with the highest percentage of TCB positive samples in alfalfa sprouts. Most TCB were Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella. E. coli was isolated from 8 of 62 TCB positive mung bean sprout samples. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 8% of the sprout samples and Giardia cysts were detected in 2% of the samples. All the Cryptosporidium positive samples, and most of the Giardia positive samples, were mung bean sprouts. Parasite concentrations in positive samples were low (between 1 and 3 oocysts/cysts per 50 g sprouts). Sprout irrigation water was also analysed for microbial contaminants. E. coli O157 and L. monocytogenes were not detected. TCB were isolated from approximately 40% of the water samples. Salmonella reading was isolated from three samples of spent irrigation water on 3 consecutive days. Cryptosporidium and Giardia were also isolated from spent irrigation water. Additionally, eight samples of unsprouted mung bean seed were analysed for Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts. One or both of these parasites were detected in six of the unsprouted seed samples at concentrations of between 1 and 5 oocysts/cysts per 100 g unsprouted seed. Whilst our results support spent irrigation water as the most suitable matrix for testing for bacteria, unsprouted seed is considered the more useful matrix for analysing for parasite contaminants.     

DNA Sequence Analysis of South African Helicobacter pylori Vacuolating Cytotoxin Gene (vacA)

Sequence diversity and population structures can vary widely among pathogenic bacteria species. In some species, all isolates are highly similar, whereas in others most of the isolates are distinguished easily. H. pylori is known for its wide genetic diversity amongst the various strains most especially in the genes involved in virulence. The aim of this study was to evaluate by PCR and sequence analysis, the genetic profile of H. pylori vacA gene (s1, s2, m1 and m2). We sequenced small DNA segments from 13 vacAs1, 10 vacAm2, 6 vacAm1 and 6 vacAs2 strains which were amplified with amplicon size of 259/286 bp, 290 bp and 352 bp for vacAs1/s2, m1 and m2 respectively. Based on similarities among our strains accession numbers were provided for seven vacAs1 (HQ709109-HQ709115), six vacAs2 (JN848463-JN848468), six vacAm1 (JN848469-JN848474) and six vacAm2 (HQ650801-HQ650806) strains. Amongst the strains studied, 98.07%, 98.58%, 97.38% and 95.41% of vacAs1, vacAs2, vacAm1 and vacAm2 of the strains were conserved respectively. Findings of this study underscores the importance of understanding the virulence composition and diversity of H. pylori in South Africa for enhanced clinico-epidemiological monitoring and pathophysiology of disease.     

Short communication: Glucose infusion into early postpartum cows defines an upper physiological set point for blood glucose and causes rapid and reversible changes in blood hormones and metabolites

Low blood glucose concentrations after calving are associated with infertility in postpartum dairy cows perhaps because glucose is a master regulator of hormones and metabolites that control reproductive processes. The hypothesis was that low blood glucose postpartum is caused by inadequate glucose entry rate relative to whole-body demand as opposed to the alternative possibility that postpartum cows have a lower regulatory set point for blood glucose. Eight early postpartum (10 to 25 d) dairy cows (5 Holstein and 3 Guernsey) were jugular catheterized. During the first 24 h, cows were infused with physiological saline at 83.3 mL/h. After 24 h, the infusion solution was switched to 50% dextrose that was infused at a rate of 41.7 mL/h (total daily glucose dose = 500 g). On d 3 and d 4, the rate of glucose infusion was increased to 83.3 mL/h (daily dose = 1,000 g) and 125 mL/h (daily dose = 1,500 g), respectively. On d 5, physiological saline was infused at 83.3 mL/h. Blood was sampled hourly through a second jugular catheter (contralateral side) and analyzed for glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, insulin-like growth factor 1, and insulin. Blood glucose concentrations on d 1 (saline infusion) averaged 53.4 ± 1.7 mg/dL. Blood glucose concentrations increased on d 2 when cows were infused with 500 g/d and increased further on d 3 when cows were infused with 1,000 g of glucose/d. Increasing the infusion rate to 1,500 g/d on d 4 did not cause a further increase in blood glucose concentrations. Based on a segmented regression analysis, the upper physiological set point for blood glucose was 72.1 mg/dL. Both insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations increased in response to glucose infusion and decreased when cows were infused with saline on d 5. Serum nonesterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations decreased in response to glucose infusion and rebounded upward on d 5 (saline infusion). In conclusion, early postpartum cows had circulating blood glucose concentrations that were well below the upper set point defined in this study (72.1 mg/dL). Infusing approximately 1,000 g of glucose daily increased blood glucose to the physiological set point and rapidly changed the hormonal and metabolic profile that typifies postpartum cows. The inability of the early postpartum cow to achieve an adequate entry rate for glucose relative to whole-body demand is a possible mechanism that links postpartum physiology and nutrition to reproduction in dairy cows.     

Fractionation of urea-pretreated squid visceral oil ethyl esters

Ethyl esters of squid (Illex argentinus) visceral oil contained 11.8% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 14.9% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The esters were treated with urea to increase the contents of EPA and DHA. The non-urea complexing ethyl esters of squid visceral oil contained 28.2% EPA and 35.6% DHA. This mixture was fractionated by molecular distillation to further increase the EPA or DHA content. The fraction collected in the 110°C distillate had an EPA content of 39.0% with 0.26 g/100 g of cholesterol, while the 130°C distillate contained 65.6% DHA and 0.42 g/100 g of cholesterol. Ethyl esters prepared from visceral oil of squid Ommastrephes bartrami had 4.5% EPA and 12.7% DHA. After urea pretreatment, the EPA and DHA contents were raised to 10.1 and 30.0%, respectively. When this mixture was further fractionated by molecular distillation, 16.9% EPA with 0.35 g/100 g cholesterol was found in the 110°C distillate and 52.6% DHA with 0.70 g/100 g cholesterol was found in the 130°C distillate. Cholesterol in the squid visceral oil ethyl esters was concentrated in the final residue of molecular distillation when the polyunsaturated ethyl esters were enriched by the urea complexation method prior to molecular distillation. For example, the cholesterol content in the ethyl esters from O. bartrami squid visceral oil was 2.28 g/100 g originally. It was enriched to 64.15 g/100 g in the final residue from the molecular distillation.     

Tissue distribution and elimination of sesaminol triglucoside and its metabolites in rat

Sesame exhibits many beneficial physiological effects, which are mostly related to its lignan compounds, such as sesaminol glucosides. This investigation studies the distribution and elimination of sesaminol triglucoside from sesame in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. In order to investigate the distribution of sesaminol triglucoside (p.o. 500 mg/kg) in SD rats, the changes in concentration of sesaminol triglucoside and its metabolites were determined in tissues and plasma within 24 h period after tube‐feeding to SD rats. Results showed that sesaminol triglucoside may be deglycosylated to form sesaminol first by intestinal microflora and then incorporated via lymphatic absorption into the cardiovascular system, transported to other tissues. The concentrations of sesaminol triglucoside and its metabolites in rectum, caecum, colon, and small intestines are higher than those in liver, lung, kidney, and heart. Its concentration in brain is low but detectable. Glucuronidation and sulfation was the main metabolic pathway for sesaminol in urine, and fecal elimination was a major route of elimination. From LC/MS/MS analysis of rat organs, sesaminol triglucoside can be converted to mammalian lignans, enterodiol (END), and enterolactone (ENL), by rat intestinal microflora. In the plasma, concentrations of END and ENL were 5.9 ± 0.2 and 5.5 ± 0.2 μmol/mL, respectively.