Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is rich in soluble and insoluble dietary fibres. Recent study in our research group discovered that the kernel of flaxseed contained about 20% (w/w) of dietary ...fibres, which has not been reported before. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that flaxseed kernel dietary fibres (FKDF) are mostly in the supporting structure of the cell walls. To study the structure and physicochemical properties of FKDF, a modified sequential extraction and fractionation procedure was utilised, and five separate FKDF fractions were obtained as flaxseed kernel (FK) water-extracted polysaccharides (FK-WP), FK EDTA-extracted polysaccharides (FK-EP), FK Na2CO3-extracted polysaccharides (FK-NP), FK 1M KOH-extracted polysaccharides (FK-KPI), and FK 4M KOH-extracted polysaccharides (FK-KPII). FKDF fractions were all water-soluble. The average molecular weight of FK-WP was 486kDa, FK-EP 593kDa, FK-NP 704kDa, FK-KPI 770kDa, and FK-KPII 1660kDa. Monosaccharide compositions were different among FKDF fractions; alkaline solution extracted FKDF fractions had relatively higher percentage of arabinose, but relatively lower content of glucose compared with FK-WP and FK-EP. All FKDF fractions had the ability to lower the surface tension of water, among which FK-KPI exhibited the best surface activity. Rheological properties showed that FKDF fractions had low viscosity and 2% (w/v) FKDF water solution exhibited viscoelastic behaviour at 25°C. Those findings could benefit the related food industries for providing healthier and more value-added flaxseed products.
•It is the first time to study of dietary fibres from flaxseed kernel (FKDF).•Five FKDF fractions were obtained as a new source of dietary fibres.•Potential applications of FKDF in related food products were evaluated.
The single right ventricle (RV) in hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) often develops systolic dysfunction with time and this affects prognosis. Mechanical dyssynchrony has been reported in HLHS ...but has not consistently correlated with systolic function or electrical dyssynchrony. The aims of this study were to assess the relationship between RV mechanical dyssynchrony, RV systolic function, and QRS duration on surface electrocardiography. We hypothesized that surface QRS duration would not be an adequate indicator of mechanical dyssynchrony compared with dyssynchrony parameters. Retrospective analysis of echocardiograms of patients with HLHS divided into preserved vs reduced RV function. We measured two RV function parameters: (1) fractional area change (FAC) and (2) global longitudinal strain (RVGLS). We measured two dyssynchrony parameters: (1) the standard deviation of the time to peak strain for 9 segments (tPS-9) and (2) time difference between the earliest and latest time to peak strain (RV dyssynchrony index or RVDI) both corrected for R–R interval. We also measured the QRS duration from surface EKG. Mechanical dyssynchrony parameters were compared to both RV systolic function and to QRS duration. 41 patients with HLHS were identified: 21 had preserved function and 20 had reduced function defined by a FAC < 35%. The reduced function group had a significantly lower mean FAC and RVGLS. RVDI was higher in the dysfunction group and had a modest correlation with FAC (
r
= 0.48) and RVGLS (
r
= 0.57). tPS-9 was longer in the dysfunction group and had a modest correlation with FAC (
r
= 0.45) and RVGLS (
r
= 0.57). QRS duration was longer in the dysfunction group and had a modest correlation with FAC (
r
= 0.56) and RVGLS (
r
= 0.56). The weakest correlations were between QRS duration and tPS-9 (
r
= 0.32) and QRS duration and RVDI (
r
= 0.10). RV dysfunction measured by FAC was associated with mechanical dyssynchrony measured by increased RVDI and tPS-9. QRS duration was longer in the group with dysfunction but did not correlate with directly measured mechanical dyssynchrony. This may have potential implications for cardiac resynchronization therapy in univentricular patients as assessed by mechanical dyssynchrony parameters rather than QRS duration alone.
Steroid estrogens such as estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) have been suspected to be the main contaminants, which can affect the endocrine system of ...animals. Many authors have investigated these chemicals in the domestic wastewater treatment plants (WTP). However, wastewater from industries producing steroid contraceptives has not got ample attention. From the environmental point of view, the four steroids are very significant because even very low concentrations (ng/L) can cause reproductive disturbances in human, livestock and wildlife. The main purpose of the present investigation was to develop an analytical method for the determination of the four steroid estrogens present in WTP of a pharmacy factory, mainly producing contraceptive medicine in Beijing, China. Analysis was performed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) system and liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The average recoveries from effluent samples ranged from 88% to 103% and the precision of the method ranged from 9% to 4%. Based on 0.5-L wastewater samples, the limit of quantification (LOQ) was determined at 0.7 ng/L for E1, 0.8 for E2, 0.9 ng/L for E3, and 0.5 ng/L for EE2 in influent, and 1.0 ng/L for E2 and EE2, and 2.0 ng/L for E1 and E3 in effluent. In the influent samples, average concentrations of 80, 85, 73 and 155 ng/L were determined for E1, E2, E3 and EE2, respectively, showing that they were removed in this WTP to the extent of 79, 73, 85 and 67%, respectively.
HR: homorhamnan; RG-I: rhamnogalacturonan-I; HG: homogalacturonan. The locations of HR, RG-I, and HG are interchangeable; (m+n)/(n+i)≈1.5. The substitution rate of R1 is ∼54%. R1 is mostly ...monosaccharide (α/β-d-Galp-(1→, α-l-Fucp-(1→ or β-d-Xylp-(1→). R1 may also occasionally be a longer side chain with more than two residues beginning with →4)-α-GalpA-(1→ or →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→, wherein the side-chain structure may be similar to part of the main chain. Display omitted
► The fine structure of acidic fraction gum (AFG) from flaxseed hulls was studied. ► The AFG has a rhamnogalacturonan-I backbone. ► AFG also features the substitution of 1,2-Rha at O-3 mostly with mono sugars.
The structure of acidic fraction gum (AFG) from flaxseed hulls was elucidated by methylation analysis and 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy. This acidic fraction was separated from water-soluble flaxseed gum using anion-exchange chromatography. AFG consisted of a rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) backbone that features diglycosyl repeating units, →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→4)-α-d-GalpA-(1→. Rhamnosyl residues (38.2%) were the most abundant neutral sugar component. It was present mainly as unbranched (16.5%) and branched (19.5%) →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→ at O-3. Most of its branches were terminated by monosaccharides, α/β-d-Galp-(1→ (19.6%), α-l-Fucp-(1→ (4.5%) or β-d-Xylp-(1→ (3.1%). However, when this branching site was occasionally appended with →4)-α-d-GalpA-(1→ or →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→, side chains may consist of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), homorhamnan (HR) or a mixture of both. AFG was highly branched as indicated by its high degree of branching (0.55). A possible structure of AFG was proposed: ▪
(HR, RG-I, and HG refer to homorhamnan, rhamnogalacturonan-I, and homogalacturonan, respectively. The locations of HR, RG-I, and HG are interchangeable; (m+n)/(n+i)≈1.5. The substitution rate of R1 is ∼54%. R1 is mostly monosaccharide (α/β-d-Galp-(1→, α-l-Fucp-(1→ or β-d-Xylp-(1→). R1 may also occasionally be a longer side chain with more than two residues beginning with →4)-α-GalpA-(1→ or →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→, wherein the side-chain structure may be similar to part of the main chain.)
We present HST, RXTE, and UKIRT observations of the broad-band spectra of the black hole X-ray transient XTE J1859+226 during the decline from its 1999–2000 outburst. Our UV spectra define the 2175-Å ...interstellar absorption feature very well and based on its strength we estimate E(B-V)=0.58±0.12. Hence we deredden our spectra and follow the evolution of the spectral energy distribution on the decline from outburst. We find that the UV and optical data, and the X-ray thermal component when detectable, can be fitted with a simple blackbody model of an accretion disc heated by internal viscosity and X-ray irradiation, and extending to close to the last stable orbit around the black hole, although the actual inner radius cannot be well constrained. During the decline we see the disc apparently evolving from a model with the edge dominated by irradiative heating towards one where viscous heating is dominant everywhere. The outer disc radius also appears to decrease during the decline; we interpret this as evidence of a cooling wave moving inwards and discuss its implications for the disc instability model. Based on the normalization of our spectral fits we estimate a likely distance range of 4.6–8.0 kpc, although a value outside this range cannot securely be ruled out.
No systematic procedure for tightly bounding the average capacity of multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) correlated Rician fading channels is available in the literature. In addition to the ...involvement of a highly nonlinear log-determinant operator in the conditional capacity expression, the difficulty arises from the complicated noncentral Wishart distribution of channel sample matrix. In this paper, we tackle the problem with arbitrary antenna correlation existing either at the transmitter or at the receiver, but allowing for the numbers of the transmit and receive antennas to be arbitrary. By introducing an exact determinant expansion and by finding an explicit expression for the general moment of the determinant of the channel sample matrix, we obtain a general upper bound for the average channel capacity. To obtain a general lower bound, we construct and prove a multivariate convex function with each of its variables being the log-determinant function of a complex noncentral Wishart-distributed matrix. We further show that the general bounds so obtained can be simplified to explicit expressions for Rician fading channels with arbitrary semicorrelation and a mean matrix of rank one. The new results are simple, easy to be used, and superior in tightness as evidenced by intensive numerical examples.
Abundant experimental diffusion data were evaluated to assess the atomic mobilities for the fcc phase of the Al–Cu, Cu–Zn and Al–Cu–Zn systems. Comprehensive comparisons show that good agreements ...were obtained between calculated and experimental values not only for the diffusion coefficients, but also for diffusion/solidification processes resulting from interdiffusion, such as the Kirkendall shift and solidification curve.
Polysaccharide from the seeds of Plantago asiatica L. was given via oral administration to mice (0.4 g/kg body weight, 30 days) to observe its effects on mouse nutrient metabolism and colon ...microbiota. It was found the polysaccharide intake could lower the apparent absorption of lipid. Total triglyceride, cholesterol, and atherogenic index in blood serum with total lipid and cholesterol levels in liver of polysaccharide group mice were all significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the effect of the polysaccharide intake on mouse colon bacterial communities was investigated. Mice from the polysaccharide group showed a higher colon bacterial diversity than the control group. Bacteroides sp., Eubacterium sp., butyrate-producing bacteria Butyrivibrio sp., and probiotics Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Lactobacillus reuteri in mouse colon were all increased after polysaccharide intake. These indicated that the intake of polysaccharide from P. asiatica L. could be beneficial for lipid metabolism and colon microbiota.
A porous bioactive titania coating on biomedical β titanium alloy was prepared by pre-anodization followed by micro arc oxidation technology. The effects of pre-anodization on the phase constituent, ...morphology and electrochemical corrosion behavior of the microarc oxidation coating were investigated. The results show that pre-anodization has less influence on the phase constituent and the surface morphology of the microarc oxidation coating, but improves the inner layer density of the microarc oxidation coating. The decrease of plasma discharge strength due to the presence of the pre-anodized oxide film contributes to the formation of the compact inner layer. The pre-anodized microarc oxidation coating effectively inhibits the penetration of the electrolyte in 0.9% NaCl solution and thus increases the corrosion resistance of the coated titanium alloy in physiological solution.
•A pre-anodized microarc oxidation coating is prepared on biomedical titanium alloy.•Pre-anodization has less effect on the phase and surface morphology of the coating.•Pre-anodization increases the inner layer density of microarc oxidation coating.•The corrosion resistance of the coated titanium alloy in 0.9% NaCl is improved.
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