Ciguatoxin in moray eels raising the risk for seafood safety in Viet Nam

Fisheries Science - Recently, suspected ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) cases caused by the consumption of moray eels, popular seafood for locals and tourists, have been reported in Viet Nam....     

Reverse-phase liquid chromatographic determination of benzoic and sorbic acids in foods

An isocratic liquid chromatographic (LC) technique is described for the determination of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in foods such as beverages, fruits, seafood, vegetables, sauces, and dairy, bakery, and confectionery products. A C18 column is used with methanol-phosphate buffer (5 + 95) as mobile phase and 4-hydroxyacetanilide or 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid as internal standard. Sample preparation is simple, rapid, and produces a sample extract that has a minimum effect on the column performance and life. Specificity of the method was checked against common food additives such as L-ascorbic acid, caffeine, artificial sweeteners (saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame), antioxidants (BHT, BHA) and artificial colors. Also described are 2 procedures for confirmation of the preservatives, using either redox reaction of sorbic acid with potassium permanganate or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Mean recoveries of 90-105% were obtained with a precision of 1-6% and a detection limit of 20 mg/kg for the 2 preservatives.     

Antioxidative compounds from the outer scales of onion

Antioxidative compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of dry outer scales of onion (Allium cepa L.). Nine phenolic compounds (1-9) were finally obtained by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and their structures were elucidated by NMR and mass spectrometry analyses. They were the six known compounds, protocatechuic acid (1), 2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-2,4,6-trihydroxy-3(2H)-benzofuranone (2), quercetin 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetin (5), 4'-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside of quercetin dimer (7), and quercetin dimer (8), and three novel compounds, condensation products of quercetin with protocatechuic acid (4), adduct of quercetin with quercetin 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), and quercetin trimer (9). These phenolic compounds were tested for their antioxidant properties using autoxidation of methyl linoleate in bulk phase or free radical initiated peroxidation of soybean phosphatidylcholine in liposomes. The flavonoid compounds having o-dihydroxy substituent in the B-ring were shown to be effective antioxidants against nonenzymic lipid peroxidation.     

Isolation and characterization of some antioxidative compounds from the rhizomes of smaller galanga (Alpinia officinarum Hance)

Antioxidative compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of fresh rhizome of smaller galanga (Alpinia officinarum Hance). Seven phenylpropanoids (1-7) were finally obtained by reversed-phase HPLC, and their structures were elucidated by MS and NMR analyses. They comprised the two known compounds, (E)-p-coumaryl alcohol gamma-O-methyl ether (1) and (E)-p-coumaryl alcohol (6), and the five novel compounds, stereoisomers of (4E)-1,5-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methoxy-2-(methoxymethyl)-4-pentene (2a and 2b), stereoisomers of (4E)-1,5-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-ethoxy-2-(methoxymethyl)-4-pentene (3a and 3b), (4E)-1,5-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-[(2E)-3-(4-acetoxyphenyl)-2-propenoxy]-2-(methoxymethyl)-4-pentene (4), (4E)-1,5-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(methoxymethyl)-4-penten-1-ol (5), and (4E)-1,5-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4-penten-1-ol (7). Compounds 1-7 were detected for the first time as constituents of galanga rhizomes and exhibited antioxidative activities against the autoxidation of methyl linoleate in bulk phase.     

A domain in TNF receptors that mediates ligand-independent receptor assembly and signaling

A conserved domain in the extracellular region of the 60- and 80-kilodalton tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFRs) was identified that mediates specific ligand-independent assembly of receptor trimers. This pre-ligand-binding assembly domain (PLAD) is physically distinct from the domain that forms the major contacts with ligand, but is necessary and sufficient for the assembly of TNFR complexes that bind TNF-alpha and mediate signaling. Other members of the TNFR superfamily, including TRAIL receptor 1 and CD40, show similar homotypic association. Thus, TNFRs and related receptors appear to function as preformed complexes rather than as individual receptor subunits that oligomerize after ligand binding.     

Evaluation of fly ash,apatite and rice straw derived-biochar in varying combinations for in situ remediation of soils contaminated with multiple heavy metals

ABSTRACT

In

-situ sorbent amendment is a relatively low-cost, low-impact approach for remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals (HMs), and thus is considered a way to be favored in developing countries. In this study, materials of non-hazardous, alkaline agronomic and industrial by-products were used as sorbents to explore their capacity of in situ immobilization of multiple HMs in mining-impacted arable soil. These sorbents included fly ash (FA), biochar (BC) and apatite (AP) and they were implemented with varying ratios of combinations. Results of soil microcosm tests showed that after incubation for 90 days, concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd in their exchangeable forms determined by a sequential extraction method significantly decreased in amended soils, as opposed to the unamended control. Of the five sets of amendments, the composite of FA, BC, and AP resulted in the maximum reduction (up to 80%) in the mobility of Pb, Zn, and Cd in soils. The mechanisms underlying the immobilization of HMs in amended soils might involve processes of surface precipitation, ion exchange and complexation, in which the physicochemical properties of sorbent materials played an important role. The immobilization efficacy of sorbent amendments on HMs in soil was further supported by pot experiments in which significant inhibition of HM accumulation in the belowground and aboveground tissues of maize was observed after 50-day cultivation in amended soils as compared with control soil. Together, these results suggest that the application of cost-saving and environmentally friendly materials derived from wastes as sorbents to remediate soils contaminated with multiple HMs is promising for developing countries like Vietnam.     

Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in pigs, chickens and ducks in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

In order to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in domestic animals in 6 provinces of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, 1,098 fecal or intestinal content samples from pigs, chickens, and ducks were examined in the period from July to October, 2000. Salmonella spp. were isolated from 78 (7.1%) of the total samples, which included 23 (5.2%) of 439 pigs, 24 (7.9%) of 302 chickens, and 31 (8.7%) of 357 ducks. From those samples, 80 Salmonella strains were isolated and 25 serovars were identified. The predominant serovars were S. Javiana, S. Derby, and S. Weltevreden. S. Javiana and S. Weltevreden were detected together in pigs, chickens, and ducks. These results indicate that the serovars of Salmonella are widely distributed in domestic animals in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.     

Effect of season and location on the crop contents of local and improved scavenging hens in northern Vietnam

An experiment was carried out to determine the effects of season (dry and rainy), location (lowland and highland villages) and breed (local and improved) on the amount and physical and chemical composition of the scavenged feed. This was done by crop content analysis of a total of 192 Ri (local) and 192 Luongphuong (LP, improved) hens at 20 weeks of age. The mean fresh weights of the crop contents were 16.9 and 33.3 g, for the dry and rainy seasons, respectively (p < 0.001), 24.3 and 25.9 g, for the Ri and LP breeds, respectively (p < 0.001), and 25.0 and 25.3 g, for the lowland and highland village, respectively (p > 0.05). The proportions of contents were human food leftovers 38.4% and 24.3%, grains 20.9% and 33.7%, insects and worms 9.6% and 11.2%, and green materials 8.8% and 13.8%, for the dry and rainy seasons, respectively (p < 0.05). The proportion of green materials was higher in the LP hens and highland villages, while the proportion of grains was higher in the Ri hens and lowland village (p < 0.05). The dry matter, crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), total ash (Ash), calcium (Ca), phosphorus, and metabolizable energy (ME) contents were significantly higher for the rainy season (p < 0.01), and CP, Ash, Ca and ME were higher for the LP hens. The crude fibre content was higher in the dry season, and in the Ri hens and highland village (p < 0.001). The total and essential amino acid concentrations were significantly higher in the rainy season, and in the LP hens (p < 0.05), but were not different between locations (p > 0.05). Nutrient intakes from scavenging were estimated at between 20% and 30% of requirements.     

Development of EST-SSR markers of Ipomoea nil

Although Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil (L.) Roth.) has been used intensively for genetic studies, DNA markers have not been developed in Ipomoea nil sufficient to cover all chromosomes. Therefore, we conducted microsatellite (simple sequence repeats, SSR) marker development in I. nil for future genetic studies. From 92,662 expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences, 514 unique microsatellite-containing ESTs were identified. Primer pairs were designed automatically in 326 SSRs. Of 150 SSRs examined, 75 showed polymorphisms among strains. A phenogram based on the SSR genotypes revealed the genetic relation among seven Japanese morning glories from five different regions of the world and an ivyleaf morning glory (I. hederacea Jacq.). The developed SSR markers might be applicable for genetic studies of morning glories and their relatives.     

Anti-Inflammatory Components of the Starfish Astropecten polyacanthus

Inflammation is important in biomedical research, because it plays a key role in inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, allergies, asthma, and even cancer. In the present study, we describe the inhibitory effect of crude extracts and steroids isolated from the starfish Astropecten polyacanthus on pro-inflammatory cytokine (Interleukin-12 (IL-12) p40, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Among those tested, compounds 5 and 7 showed potent inhibitory effects on the production of all three pro-inflammatory cytokines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.82 ± 0.11 to 7.00 ± 0.16 μM. Potent inhibitory activities were also observed for compound 1 on the production of IL-12 p40 and IL-6 with values of 3.96 ± 0.12 and 4.07 ± 0.13 μM, respectively, and for compounds 3 and 4 on the production of IL-12 p40 with values of 6.55 ± 0.18 and 5.06 ± 0.16 μM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 2 (IC₅₀ = 34.86 ± 0.31 μM) and 6 (IC₅₀ = 79.05 ± 2.05 μM) exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on the production of IL-12 p40, whereas compounds 3 (IC₅₀ = 22.80 ± 0.21 μM) and 4 (IC₅₀ = 16.73 ± 0.25 μM) moderately inhibited the production of TNF-α and IL-6, respectively.