The effect of ultrasound in combination of heat on the extraction yield and technological properties of chia seed mucilage was investigated. Chia seeds were mixed with distilled water at a ...seed-to-water ratio of 1:30. The dispersion was adjusted to pH 9 and treated either with heat extraction by water bath or with heat/ultrasound extraction by probe-type sonication at 50 °C and 80 °C for 30 and 60 min. The yield and technological properties of mucilage samples were evaluated. The heat/ultrasound extraction gave a greater yield of mucilage (6.92–10.52%) as compared to the heat extraction (1.03–1.86%). Images obtained from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) have shown that during heat/ultrasound extraction, the amount of mucilage fibers on the surface of chia seed decreased with the increased extraction time. Thus, the yield of mucilage prepared with heat/ultrasound extraction for 60 min was significantly higher than that of mucilage extracted for 30 min. However, the difference between the seed samples treated with heat/ultrasound extraction at different temperatures was not apparent. The mucilage prepared with heat/ultrasound extraction at 50 °C for 60 min had the best technological properties. The amount of protein in the heat/ultrasound extracted mucilage diversified its technological property. Moreover, the mixture of mucilage and whey protein isolate had better miscibility. This study confirms the great potential of application of ultrasound in combination with heat in the extraction of chia seed mucilage.
Effect of high intensity ultrasound (HIUS) treatment on the rheological property and microstructure of tofu made from yellow and black soybeans was investigated. Raw soymilk was either heated at 95°C ...for 10min, or HIUS treated at 25 and 50°C for 5, 15, and 30min, and then was coagulated by adding Glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) to produce tofu. Results showed that HIUS denatured the soy protein and was confirmed by the changes in protein surface hydrophobicity. The HIUS-treated soymilk and the heat-treated soymilk expressed different gelation behaviors, which led to distinct rheological property and microstructure in the final products. The network of tofu prepared with HIUS-treated soymilk was constructed by thicker strands in a loose arrangement. The rheological property and microstructure of HIUS-treated tofu can be modified by changing the sonication time and temperature. The tofu made form soymilk with HIUS at 25°C for 15min gave the best rheological property.
Tofu is a widely accepted and commonly manufactured soy product in Asia. The worldwide tofu consumption is increasing due to its unique texture and health benefits. However, the thermal process of soymilk during tofu making is time and energy consuming. HIUS is a more efficient and environment-friendly technology that can be commercially applied as an energy and labor saving alternative to the conventional thermal treatment. The rheological property and microstructure are two important parameters for the gel texture evaluation. This research paper presents a comparative study between soymilk treated by heating and by HIUS using yellow soybean and black soybean to produce tofu with unique rheological property. Finding in this research gave the primary knowledge for further application of HIUS on tofu processing.
•Ultrasonic-treated tofu had the rheological property different from the heat-treated tofu.•The rheological property of tofu were affected by the sonication time and temperature.•Ultrasonics is a time-effective method for tofu making as compared to current technology.
Traditional medicines provide a fertile ground to explore potent lead compounds, yet their transformation into modern drugs is fraught with challenges in deciphering the target that is ...mechanistically valid for its biological activity. Herein we reveal that (Z)‐(+)‐isochaihulactone (1) exhibited significant inhibition against multiple‐drug‐resistant (MDR) cancer cell lines and mice xenografts. NMR spectroscopy showed that 1 resisted an off‐target thiolate, thus indicating that 1 was a target covalent inhibitor (TCI). By identifying the pharmacophore of 1 (α,β‐unsaturated moiety), a probe derived from 1 was designed and synthesized for TCI‐oriented activity‐based proteome profiling. By MS/MS and computer‐guided molecular biology approaches, an affinity‐driven Michael addition of the noncatalytic C247 residue of GAPDH was found to control the “ON/OFF” switch of apoptosis through non‐canonically nuclear GAPDH translocation, which bypasses the common apoptosis‐resistant route of MDR cancers.
Overcoming resistance: A new class of inhibitors that target the noncatalytic C247 residue of GAPDH in an affinity‐driven manner to initiate SIAH1‐dependent apoptosis and androgen‐receptor degradation has been discovered (see picture). The affinity‐driven Michael addition of isochaihulactone was found to control the “ON/OFF” switch of apoptosis by a mechanism that bypasses the common apoptosis‐resistant route of multiple‐drug‐resistant cancers.
Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used in the food processing industry as a chlorine-free bleaching and sterilizing agent, but excessive amounts of residual hydrogen peroxide have led to cases of food ...poisoning. Here we describe the development of a novel nonenzymatic colorimetric method for the determination of residual hydrogen peroxide in foods and agricultural products. Nitrophenylboronic acids chemoselectively react with hydrogen peroxide under alkaline conditions to produce yellow nitrophenolates. Of the three nitrophenylboronic acid isomers tested, the p-isomer displayed the highest sensitivity for hydrogen peroxide and the fastest reaction kinetics. The reaction product, p-nitrophenolate, has an absorption maximum at 405 nm and a good linear correlation between the hydrogen peroxide concentration and the A 405 values was obtained. We successfully applied this convenient and rapid method for hydrogen peroxide determination to samples of dried bean curds and disposable chopsticks, thereby demonstrating its potential in foods and agricultural industries.
Sleep disturbance is a common complaint in cancer patients. However, less is known about the parameters of sleep in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and their family caregivers (FCs) when ...they are about to begin treatment. We investigated the sleep quality in patients with NPC and their FCs before treatment and determined the related factors that predict sleep disturbance in these patients before therapy. A total of 101 patient-FC dyads were recruited. They completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) prior to treatment. No differences were found in sleep disturbance between patients (38.6%) and their FCs (31.7%). Patients reported significantly higher rates of short sleep duration than their FCs (P = 0.011). Logistic regression analyses showed that older patients were more prone to suffer from poor sleep quality before treatment (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.01-1.10, P = 0.008), while patients with a higher BMI were less likely to experience sleep disturbance (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.71-0.96, P = 0.012). Sleep disturbance is a significant problem in patients with NPC and their FCs before therapy. Older patients and those with a lower BMI appear to be more inclined to suffer from poor sleep before treatment.
The chain gang: The α(2→9) dodecasialic acid has been stereoselectively synthesized in 12 steps by using a convergent block synthesis (see scheme). The use of chloroacetyl protecting groups and a ...phosphate group as a leaving group led to the improvement of the α selectivity of the glycosylation reactions, thus allowing synthesis of oligomers.
Bacterial polysaccharides are known to induce the immune response in macrophages. Here we isolated a novel extracellular polysaccharide from the biofilm of Thermus aquaticus YT-1 and evaluated its ...structure and immunomodulatory effects. The size of this polysaccharide, TA-1, was deduced by size-exclusion chromatography as 500 kDa. GC-MS, high performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection, electrospray ionization-MS/MS, and NMR revealed the novel structure of TA-1. The polysaccharide is composed of tetrasaccharide-repeating units of galactofuranose, galactopyranose, and N-acetylgalactosamine (1:1:2) and lacked acidic sugars. TA-1 stimulated macrophage cells to produce the cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. Screening of Toll-like receptors and antibody-blocking experiments indicated that the natural receptor of TA-1 in its immunoactivity is TLR2. Recognition of TA-1 by TLR2 was confirmed by TA-1 induction of IL-6 production in peritoneal macrophages from wild-type mice but not from TLR2−/− mice. TA-1, as a TLR2 agonist, could possibly be used as an adjuvant and could enhance cytokine release, which increases the immune response. Furthermore, TA-1 induced cytokine release is dependent on MyD88/TIRAP.
Five new polyketides that contain tetramic acids, myceliothermophins A–E, were isolated from the thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila. Two sets of 5‐alkyl‐5‐hydroxyl (or ...5‐methoxyl)‐1H‐pyrrol‐2(5H)‐one diastereomers, myceliothermophins A/B and C/D, were separated as pure compounds by using silica‐gel column chromatography and recycling reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC). The relative configurations of the chiral centers in 5‐alkyl‐5‐hydroxyl (or 5‐methoxyl)‐1H‐pyrrol‐2(5H)‐one moieties were deduced from NOESY correlations. In the cytotoxic assay, the 5‐(2‐methylpropyldiene)‐1H‐pyrrol‐2(5H)‐one analogue (myceliothermophin E) exhibited inhibition against four cancer cell lines. In addition, the significant inhibitory effect of myceliothermophins A and C and the inactivity of myceliothermophins B and D revealed the importance of the relative configurations of 5‐alkyl‐5‐hydroxyl (or 5‐methoxyl)‐1H‐pyrrol‐2(5H)‐one moieties on their cytotoxicity potency against cancer cells.
Fungus kills cancer! New polyketides containing tetramic acid moieties were isolated from the thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila. The elucidation of the structure, relative configurations, and the cytotoxic effects of five myceliothermophins (example figure right) are described. A microscopic picture of mature spores of Myceliophthora thermophila is shown on the left.
Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) is an economically important medicinal plant with multiple uses. Two varieties ‘Dongkui Oriental Pearl’ (Dongkui for short) and acuminata ‘Nakai’ (Nakai ...for short) were used to compare and evaluate the antioxidant activities of hydroethanolic extracts of the fruit using ultrasonic and stirring extraction methods. Dongkui bayberry fruit extract (BFE) prepared using the ultrasonic method exhibited a significantly higher value for the total phenolic content (TPC) and had lower 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of scavenging activities against 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), as well as reducing power compared to the other treatment. The TPC of the BFE was significantly correlated with its DPPH, ABTS, and H2O2 radical-scavenging and reducing power activities. Dongkui BFE at a concentration of 0.25 mg/mL exhibited significantly greater protection of RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages against H2O2-induced damage and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide production by macrophages, and it displayed remarkable inhibitory effects compared to the other extracts using the ultrasonic extraction method. Furthermore, compared to the Nakai BFE, macrophages exposed to the Dongkui BFE by the ultrasonic extraction method significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-α at a concentration of the extract of 0.25 mg/mL. The antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory and protective effects of BFE prepared by stirring and ultrasonic methods are discussed for the first time in this study.
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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 3, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.
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The seed of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., commonly known as Chinese lotus, has been used as an indigenous medicine in Taiwan. The present study aims to evaluate the variable antioxidant activity of ...Nelumbo nucifera ethanolic extracts (NNEE) collected from different parts of the lotus. The seed epicarp had significantly higher extractable total phenolic content (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC) than the seed and seed pod. Compared to the seed and seed pod, the seed epicarp also exhibited lower IC50 values of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), EC50 for reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging activity. Moreover, DPPH and ABTS radicals, reducing power activity, and H2O2 scavenging activity by NNEE were highly and significantly associated with TPC and TFC. Seed epicarp NNEE at a concentration of 25 μg/mL gave significantly higher protection to Raw 264.7 mouse macrophages against H2O2 induced damage compared with blanks. Seed epicarp NNEE was also found to have the most significant protection effect on oxidative DNA damage. Therefore, the NNEE of seed epicarp exhibited higher in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity, and can be used as a functional ingredient representing a potential source of natural antioxidants to prevent and treat oxidative stress-related disorders.
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