SUMMARY
Soybean oil is the second most produced edible vegetable oil and is used for many edible and industrial materials. Unfortunately, it has the disadvantage of ‘reversion flavor’ under ...photooxidative conditions, which produces an off‐odor and decreases the quality of edible oil. Reversion flavor and off‐odor are caused by minor fatty acids in the triacylglycerol of soybean oil known as furan fatty acids, which produce 3‐methyl‐2,4‐nonanedione (3‐MND) upon photooxidation. As a solution to this problem, a reduction in furan fatty acids leads to a decrease in 3‐MND, resulting in a reduction in the off‐odor induced by light exposure. However, there are no reports on the genes related to the biosynthesis of furan fatty acids in soybean oil. In this study, four mutant lines showing low or no furan fatty acid levels in soybean seeds were isolated from a soybean mutant library. Positional cloning experiments and homology search analysis identified two genes responsible for furan fatty acid biosynthesis in soybean: Glyma.20G201400 and Glyma.04G054100. Ectopic expression of both genes produced furan fatty acids in transgenic soybean hairy roots. The structure of these genes is different from that of the furan fatty acid biosynthetic genes in photosynthetic bacteria. Homologs of these two group of genes are widely conserved in the plant kingdom. The purified oil from the furan fatty acid mutant lines had lower amounts of 3‐MND and reduced off‐odor after light exposure, compared with oil from the wild‐type.
Significance Statement
We identified genes responsible for the synthesis of furan fatty acids in soybean seeds. Seed oil extracted from mutant lines with low furan fatty acids has no off‐odor problems under photooxidation conditions.
Soybean oil is one of the most widely consumed vegetable oils. However, under photooxidative conditions, this oil develops a beany and green off-odor through a mechanism that has not yet been ...elucidated. Upon photooxidation, 3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione (3-MND) produces a strong aroma. In this study, the effect of furan fatty acids and 3-MND on odor reversion in soybean oil was investigated. Our findings suggest that the observed light-induced off-odor was likely attributable to the furan fatty acids present in the oil through the generation of 3-MND. While 3-MND may not be directly responsible for the development of light-induced off-odor, this compound appears to be involved because off-odor was detected in canola oil samples containing added 3-MND. In addition, in the present work, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione, which is derived from 3-MND, was identified for the first time in light-exposed soybean oil and shown to be one of the compounds responsible for odor reversion.
Humic substances have natural surfactant characteristics and have a relatively high affinity for pentachlorophenol (PCP). However, humic substances cannot be loaded into bentonite (Bent) via ...intercalation because of their larger size. In the present study, a humin-like substance (HuLS) was prepared by polycondensation reactions of humic precursors, such as glycine and catechol, and the product was loaded into Bent. XRD patterns showed that the basal spacing, calculated from the montmorillonite peak, for the HuLS–Bent complex was larger than that for Bent itself, indicating that the intercalation of HuLS was successful. The adsorption capabilities of PCP were evaluated from adsorption isotherms at pH4.0, 5.5 and 6.5. At all pH values, the linear adsorption coefficients of PCP, Kd (Lkg−1), for the HuLS–Bent complex (37 at pH6.5, 247 at pH5.5 and 804 at pH4.0) were significantly larger than those for Bent itself (not determined at pH6.5, 40 at pH5.5 and 94 at pH4.0). These results show that the adsorption capabilities of PCP can be enhanced by loading HuLS onto Bent. In addition, the Kd values for Bent and the HuLS–Bent complex were found to be pH-dependent, in that the Kd value decreased with increasing pH. Because of the pKa for PCP (4.75), more than 90% of the PCP was present as the anionic form at pH5.5 and 6.5. In addition, the values for the Zeta potentials for Bent and the HuLS–Bent complex remained negative at pH2–12 and decreased with increasing pH. It thus appears that electrostatic repulsion between the anionic form of PCP and the adsorbents can affect the adsorption capabilities.
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•HuLS–bentonite complex was prepared via polycondensation of humic precursors.•HuLS had more aliphatic character than HaLS that was a water-soluble fraction.•XRD patterns demonstrated the intercalation of HuLS into the bentonite.•The prepared HuLS–bentonite complex had a strong affinity to pentachlorophenol.
Polycondensation reactions between amino acids and phenols are an important pathway for humification, and clay minerals are able to catalyze these reactions. In the present study, we investigated the ...influence of the physicochemical properties of some clay minerals on polycondensation reactions between catechol (CT) and glycine (Gly). The polycondensation of CT and Gly was evaluated using the specific absorbance at 600
nm (
E
600) as a measure of the degree of darkening. The following materials were used in the present study: kaolin, bentonite, zeolite, Kanuma soil (allophanic soil) and aluminum silicate. In the presence of Kanuma soil, bentonite and zeolite, the degree of darkening was significantly enhanced, compared to the control (CT + Gly without clay), clearly showing that these clay minerals are able to serve as effective catalysts. The characteristics of these clay minerals were as follows: higher levels of specific surface area, and higher Fe, Ti and Ca contents. Transition metals (Fe and Ti) in the clay minerals can serve as Lewis acids, and divalent alkaline-earth metals (Ca) can contribute to the appearance of Brønsted acid sites. Therefore, contents of such metals in clay minerals are important factors in terms of enhancing darkening via polycondensation reactions between amino acids and phenols.
Early diagnosis of unilateral chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is difficult because the unaffected contralateral lung functions as a reservoir in bilateral living-donor lobar lung ...transplantation (LDLLT). We previously reported the usefulness of
Xe ventilation scintigraphy for detection of unilateral change, but the supply of
Xe has been stopped globally. The present study aimed to examine the usefulness of inspiratory and expiratory computed tomography (I/E CT) volumetry for detection of unilateral change in CLAD patients.
This was a retrospective single-center, observational study using prospectively collected data. A total of 58 patients who underwent bilateral LDLLT from August 2008 to February 2017 were analyzed. Respiratory function tests, I/E CT were prospectively conducted. ΔLung volume was defined as the value obtained by subtracting expiratory lung volume from inspiratory lung volume.
Fourteen (24%) cases were clinically diagnosed with CLAD, of which 10 (71%) were diagnosed as unilateral CLAD. ΔLung volume of bilateral lungs strongly correlated with forced vital capacity (
= 0.92,
< 0.01) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (r = 0.80,
< 0.01). Regardless the phenotypes (bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome or restrictive allograft syndrome) of CLAD, Δlung volume onset/baseline significantly decreased compared with that in the non-CLAD group. Among the 10 unilateral CLAD patients, 3 with clinically suspected unilateral rejection yet did not show a 20% decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second. In 2 of these, Δlung volume of unilateral lungs on the rejection side decreased by 20% or more.
Our findings suggest that I/E CT volumetry may be useful for assessment and early diagnosis of unilateral CLAD after bilateral LDLLT.
Polycondensation reactions between low-molecular-weight compounds, such as amino acids, sugars and phenols, are crucially important processes in the formation of humic substances, and clay minerals ...have the ability to catalyze these reactions. In the present study, catechol (CT), glycine (Gly) and glucose (Gl) were used as representative phenols, amino acids and sugars, respectively, and the effects of the catalytic activities of natural zeolites on polycondensation reactions between these compounds were investigated. The extent of polycondensation was evaluated by measuring the specific absorbance at 600
nm (
E
600) as an index of the degree of darkening. After a 3-week incubation period, the
E
600 values for solutions that contained zeolite samples were 4–10 times greater than those measured in the absence of zeolite, suggesting that the zeolite had, in fact, catalyzed the polycondensation reaction. The humic-like acids (HLAs) produced in the reactions were isolated, and their elemental composition and molecular weights determined. When formed in the presence of a zeolite, the nitrogen contents and molecular weights for the HLAs were significantly higher, compared to the HLA sample formed in the absence of zeolite. In addition, solid-state CP-MAS
13C NMR spectra and carboxylic group analyses of the HLA samples indicated that the concentration of carbonyl carbon species for quinones and ketones produced in the presence of zeolite were higher than the corresponding values for samples produced in the absence of a zeolite. Carbonyl carbons in quinones and ketones indicate the nucleophilic characteristics of the samples. Therefore, a nitrogen atom in Gly, which serves as nucleophile, is incorporated into quinones and ketones in CT and Gl. The differences in the catalytic activities of the zeolite samples can be attributed to differences in their transition metal content (Fe, Mn and Ti), which function as Lewis acids.
A 32-month-old spayed female Singapura cat presented with a non-pruritic erythematous nodule on the upper lip. The cat also had multiple nodules in the liver but exhibited no other clinical signs ...consistent with classical feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), such as pleural effusion or ascites, uveitis or neurological symptoms. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses of the cutaneous nodule revealed pyogranulomatous dermatitis with intralesional macrophages laden with feline coronavirus (FCoV) antigen. Real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR of a cutaneous sample revealed a single nucleotide substitution in the spike protein gene of FCoV (mutation M1058L), which is consistent with an FCoV genotype commonly associated with FIP. The cat received a blood transfusion and supportive therapy, but the owner declined to continue the treatments owing to poor response. The cat was lost to follow-up 5 months after discharge. This report describes a case of a coronavirus-associated cutaneous nodule in which the evidence of amino acid changes in the spike protein gene identified by RT-PCR were consistent with an FCoV genotype commonly seen in cases of FIP. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a case of cutaneous disease associated with the mutated FCoV that was confirmed by molecular diagnostic testing.
► An allophanic soil catalyzed the formation of humic acid-like substance. ► The adsorbed humic acid-like substance to the allophonic soil behaved like humin. ► Such the allophonic soil had a strong ...affinity to pentachlorophenol.
An allophanic soil (AS) catalyzed the formation of dark-colored polymers via polycondensation reactions between catechol and glycine. The organic carbon content of the AS was increased from 0.16% to 1.3%, indicating that some of the dark-colored polymers had been adsorbed to the AS. The characteristics of the dark-colored polymers adsorbed on the AS were similar to those of a humin that is not extractable with an aqueous alkaline solution. Such a humin-like substance (HuLS) was separated from the AS by treatment with a mixture of HF and HCl. The HuLS and humic acid-like substance (HaLS), comprising the acid-insoluble fraction in the reaction mixture, were characterized by elemental analysis, size exclusion chromatography, pyrolysis-GC/MS and
13C NMR. However, the structural features of HaLS and HuLS had many points in common. These results suggest that HuLS-AS can be regarded as an organo-clay complex formed by the strong adsorption of HaLS to the AS. The adsorption of pentachlorophenol (PCP) to AS and HuLS-AS was examined at pH 5.5. At this pH, the zeta potential of the HuLS-AS showed a negative value. It would, therefore, be expected that pentachlorophenolate anions would adsorb with difficulty to HuLS-AS because of electrostatic repulsion. Nevertheless, the adsorption coefficient for PCP to HuLS-AS, as estimated by the Freundlich isotherm, was seven times larger than that for AS. These results show that HuLS, when adsorbed on the AS surface, has the capability to enhance the adsorption of PCP.
Extramedullary plasmacytoma of the breast (EPB), a manifestation of multiple myeloma (MM), is very rare. It is important to recognize the imaging findings of EPB because it may be the first ...manifestation of relapsed MM. An 85-year-old woman presented with a lump in her right breast 4 years after the complete remission of MM. She underwent mammography and ultrasonography, which showed an oval circumscribed mass and an irregular circumscribed heterogeneous solid mass, respectively. Following ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy, this lesion was confirmed to be EPB. Whole-body computed tomography showed multiple new osteolytic lesions and other multiple extramedullary lesions in addition to EPB in the right breast. The final diagnosis was relapsed MM with multiple extramedullary plasmacytoma.
An optical parametric amplified (OPA) fiber switch is described in this paper. This device switches input signals without shifting the wavelength by changing the polarization state of the signal ...using optical parametric amplification. The OPA fiber switch features ultra-broadband, highly efficient switching with a high contrast ratio. We experimentally test the prototype of the OPA fiber switch, which uses a highly nonlinear fiber. Optical demultiplexing of 160 Gb/s differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) signals is demonstrated in the whole C-band and shows that it provides almost penalty-free optical detection. The application of amplitude noise suppression with the OPA fiber switch by using parametric gain saturation is then proposed and demonstrated for a 160 Gb/s DPSK signal. When it is set to an amplitude-limiting condition, the OPA fiber switch successfully increases the optical signal-to-noise ratio by 4 dB and effectively suppresses the phase deterioration in 160 Gb/s DPSK transmission by increasing the system margin by more than 5 dB.
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