Pflanzliche Insektizide IV*. Die insektizide Wirkung des ätherischen Öls aus dem Balsamkraut,Chrysanthemum balsamita L

The essential oil ofChrysanthemum balsamita L. revealed insecticidal properties when tested againstM. dirhodum aphids. The insecticidal activity was attributed to the presence of pyrethrine I in the oil. By an appropriate testing procedure, the dependence of the activity upon the time of harvesting of the plants was determined. Furthermore, the insecticidal effect of the oil was compared with that of a commercially available pyrethrum preparation.     

Analysis of cyclic vacuum drying curve

The objective of this research was to analyze the cyclic vacuum drying curve within one cycle. Red oak specimens of two different groups, square in cross-section, were used. Group one was comprised of four different thicknesses (2.54, 3.81, 5.08, and 6.35 cm) with a length of 25.4 cm and group two was comprised of three different lengths (12.7, 25.4, and 38.1 cm) with the thickness of 2.54 cm. The specimens were heated to 60°C in the heating oven and then dried in the vacuum oven at 18 mm Hg. The vacuum oven was at room temperature (20°C). The vacuum pump was kept running for 140 min. It was found that the cyclic vacuum drying curve consisted of two distinct parts. The fast drying period lasted about 10 to 15 min. The slow drying period occurred when the pressure inside wood approached the ambient pressure. Most of the moisture was removed during the fast drying period.     

Applying a kinetic method to an indirect ELISA measuring Ostertagia ostertagi antibodies in milk

Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are frequently run as endpoint ELISAs (e-ELISAs). However, kinetic ELISAs (k-ELISAs) have certain advantages over e-ELISAs. The objective of this study was to understand the relationship between e-ELISA and k-ELISA results. Specifically, to determine whether it was possible to run both k-ELISA and e-ELISA on the same plate and establish an appropriate time interval for k-ELISA measurements. A normalization method for k-ELISA slopes (slope ratio) is proposed. Using an indirect e-ELISA test measuring antibodies against Ostertagia ostertagi in milk from dairy cattle, we found that running a k-ELISA had no effect on optical density ratio results of an e-ELISA on the same plate, and that agreement was very strong at 10, 15, and 28 min, allowing for a reduction in the total processing time for ELISA tests.     

Physiological and metabolic properties of a digestion-resistant maltodextrin, classified as type 3 retrograded resistant starch

There is a growing interest in highly fermentable dietary fibers having the potential to reduce risks of disease through the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Recently a digestion-resistant retrograded maltodextrin (RRM), classified as type 3 resistant starch was developed. Systematic work to determine its molecular and physiological properties was carried out to determine (1) the fraction resistant to digestion in vitro and in vivo, (2) its postconsumption effect on blood glucose in healthy volunteers, and (3) its in vitro fermentation pattern, at different ages, by use of pooled fresh human fecal inoculum. RESULTS: The digestion resistant fraction obtained in vivo from ileostomy patients (59.4%) is similar to that obtained by the AOAC method for measuring retrograded resistant starch (59.7%). The relative glycemic response after consumption of 50 g of RRM was 58.5% compared to glucose set as 100%. When exposed to colonic microbiota, in vitro obtained indigestible fractions behave similarly to those obtained in vivo in ileostomy patients. Fermentation of RRM and production of butyric acid is negligible during the first months of life but develops subsequently during weaning. In adults, RRM fermentation results in a high yield of SCFA, with butyrate representing 21-31 mol % of total SCFA. The high yield of SCFA during colonic fermentation, observed from weaning age on, as well as the potential to help reduce glycemic load may be of benefit to a number of health-related functions in the host. Further study on clear clinical end points is warranted.     

Enhanced selective extraction of hexane from hexane/soybean oil mixture using binary gas mixtures of carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) can effectively separate hexane from a mixture of soybean oil (SBO) and hexane with a slight coextraction of SBO. Previous research demonstrated that CO2 entrained with helium significantly reduced SBO solubility in CO2. In this study, CO2 was mixed with three gases (He, N2, or Ar) (0.5-30 vol %) to decrease SBO solubility while attempting to maintain hexane solubility. The binary gas mixtures (at 25 degrees C and 9.31 MPa) were passed through a 25 wt % hexane/SBO mixture inside a 2.5 m fractionation column. Coextracted SBO was inversely proportional to binary gas concentration, whereas residual hexane in the raffinate was proportional to binary gas concentration. The 10% binary mixture of N2 or Ar was the best compromise to obtain both low residual hexane levels (i.e., 26 ppm) and low SBO coextraction (i.e., only 40 mg). This carry-over of SBO represents a 95% reduction in SBO carry-over compared to neat CO2.     

Crystallization behavior and texture of trans-containing and trans-free palm oil based confectionery fats

The objective of this study was to gain insight into the role of trans fatty acids in determining the crystallization behavior and texture of palm-based confectionery fats. Therefore, the isothermal crystallization behavior of two series, each of three fats, one trans-containing and one trans-free, was examined by pNMR, DSC, and rheology. Furthermore, the hardness of these samples was examined at three different storage times at 10 degrees C. All of the trans free samples showed a two-step crystallization at 10 degrees C which is hypothesized to be an alpha-mediated beta' crystallization for two of the samples and a fractionated crystallization in the beta' polymorph for the third, while the trans-containing fats crystallized in a single step, probably a direct beta' crystallization. The trans-containing fat series clearly crystallized faster than the trans-free fat series and also yielded higher hardness values at all storage times investigated. The presence of trans fatty acids seems to reduce the effect of compositional variations on the crystallization process. For the trans free fats, chemical composition was much more critical in determining the crystallization rate, the SFC, and the final hardness value.     

Detecting and quantifying marijuana metabolites in serum and urine of 19 dogs affected by marijuana toxicity

Veterinarians diagnose marijuana toxicity based on clinical signs and history, or in conjunction with an over-the-counter (OTC) human urine drug screen. With the legalization of recreational marijuana use becoming more prevalent in the United States, a more accurate test to aid in the diagnosis of canine marijuana toxicity is needed. We collected urine and serum samples from 19 dogs with confirmed or suspected marijuana toxicosis from multiple veterinary hospitals and analyzed them with a novel UPLC-MS/MS method. Calibrations from 0.1 to 100 ng/mL and QC materials were prepared. Samples were extracted, purified, and eluted with solid-phase extraction. Urine samples were tested with an OTC human urine drug screen. The limit of detection (LOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) ranges for marijuana metabolites in serum were 0.05–0.25 ng/mL and 0.1–0.5 ng/mL, respectively. In urine, the LOD and LLOQ ranges for the metabolites were 0.05–0.1 ng/mL and 0.1–0.5 ng/mL, respectively. In serum, median and range of metabolite concentrations (ng/mL) detected included: THC, 65.0 (0.14–160); 11-OH-Δ⁹-THC, 4.78 (1.15–17.8); 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ⁹-THC, 2.18 (0.71–7.79); CBD, 0.28 (0.11–82.5); and THC-glucuronide, 2.05 (0.72–18.3). In the 19 urine samples, metabolite: creatinine (ng: mg) values detected included: THC, 0.22 (0.05–0.74); 11-OH-Δ⁹-THC, 0; 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ⁹-THC, 1.32 (0.16–11.2); CBD, 0.19 (0.12–0.26); THC-COOH-glucuronide, 0.08 (0.04–0.11); and THC-glucuronide, 0.98 (0.25–10.7). Twenty of 21 urine samples tested negative for THC on the urine drug screen. All 19 serum samples contained quantifiable concentrations of THC using our novel UPLC-MS/MS method. Utilizing a UPLC-MS/MS method can be a useful aid in the diagnosis of marijuana toxicosis in dogs, whereas using an OTC human urine drug test is not a useful test for confirming marijuana exposure in dogs because of the low concentration of THC-COOH in urine.