Effects of extraction solvent mixtures on antioxidant activity evaluation and their extraction capacity and selectivity for free phenolic compounds in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Four kinds of solvent extracts from three Chinese barley varieties (Ken-3, KA4B, and Gan-3) were used to examine the effects of extraction solvent mixtures on antioxidant activity evaluation and their extraction capacity and selectivity for free phenolic compounds in barley through free radical scavenging activity, reducing power and metal chelating activity, and individual and total phenolic contents. Results showed that extraction solvent mixtures had significant impacts on antioxidant activity estimation, as well as different extraction capacity and selectivity for free phenolic compounds in barley. The highest DPPH* and ABTS*+ scavenging activities and reducing power were found in 80% acetone extracts, whereas the strongest *OH scavenging activity, O2*- scavenging activity, and metal chelating activity were found in 80% ethanol, 80% methanol, and water extracts, respectively. Additionally, 80% acetone showed the highest extraction capacity for (+)-catechin and ferulic, caffeic, vanillic, and p-coumaric acids, 80% methanol for (-)-epicatechin and syringic acid, and water for protocatechuic and gallic acids. Furthermore, correlations analysis revealed that TPC, reducing power, DPPH* and ABTS*+ scavenging activities were well positively correlated with each other (p < 0.01). Thus, for routine screening of barley varieties with higher antioxidant activity, 80% acetone was recommended to extract free phenolic compounds from barley. DPPH* scavenging activity and ABTS*+ scavenging activity or reducing power could be used to assess barley antioxidant activity.     

Warm water treatment in combination with modified atmosphere packaging reduces undesirable effects of irradiation on the quality of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce

Fresh-cut iceberg lettuce dipped in either 5 or 47 degrees C water for 2 min was packaged in modified atmosphere film bags and then exposed to 0, 0.5, 1, or 2 kGy gamma-radiation. Dipping cut lettuce in 47 degrees C water for 2 min prior to irradiation reduced antioxidant and phenolic accumulations induced by irradiation. Irradiation at 2 kGy increased cellular leakage and sogginess of cut lettuce dipped in both temperatures. Samples irradiated at 0.5 and 1 kGy had similar firmness and vitamin C and antioxidant contents as the controls after 14 and 21 days of storage except 1 kGy samples dipped at 47 degrees C had lower antioxidant contents than controls at 14 days of storage. Lettuce dipped at 47 degrees C and irradiated at 0.5 and 1 kGy had better overall visual quality and less tissue browning than corresponding irradiated samples dipped at 5 degrees C. These results suggest lettuce treated with warm water and irradiated at 0.5 or 1 kGy had the best sensory quality without significant loss in texture, vitamin C, or total antioxidants.     

Lipid characterization of mangrove thraustochytrid--Schizochytrium mangrovei

Lipid class composition and distribution of fatty acids within the lipid pool of microalga, Schizochytrium mangrovei FB3 harvested at the late exponential phase, was studied, with special emphasis on the distribution of docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n-3, DHA). Neutral lipids were the major lipid constituents (95.90% of total lipids) in which triacylglyerol (TAG) was the predominant component and accounted for 97.20% of the neutral lipids. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) was the major polar lipid. Phosphatic acid and phosphatidylserine were the two classes in phospholipids reported for the first time in thraustochytrids. Both TAG and PC were primarily saturated and consisted of C16:0 at approximately 50% of total fatty acids. DHA was found to be distributed in all lipid classes and to be the major polyunsaturated fatty acid. TAG contained the highest amount of DHA, although the percentage of DHA in total fatty acids in TAG (29.74%) was lower than that in PC (39.61%). The result from this study would be useful for further optimization of DHA production by S. mangrovei.     

Cinnamic acid inhibits growth but stimulates production of pathogenesis factors by in vitro cultures of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum

Long-term monoculture of watermelon leads to frequent occurrence of watermelon fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum (FON). Some allelochemicals contained in watermelon root exudates and decaying residues are possibly responsible for promoting the wilt disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the allelopathic effect of artificially applied cinnamic acid on FON. Results demonstrated that hyphal growth of FON was strongly inhibited by cinnamic acid. At the highest concentration of cinnamic acid, the biomass in liquid culture was decreased by 63.3%, while colony diameter, conidial germination on plates, and conidial production in liquid culture were completely inhibited. However, mycotoxin production and activity of phytopathogenic enzymes were greatly stimulated. Mycotoxin yield, pectinase activity, proteinase activity, cellulase activity, and amylase activity were increased by 490, 590, 760, 2006, and 27.0%, respectively. It was concluded that cinnamic acid dramatically stimulated mycotoxin production and activities of hydrolytic enzymes by FON but inhibited growth and germination of FON. The findings presented here indicate that cinnamic acid is involved in promoting watermelon fusarium wilt.     

华中南部某些土壤针铁矿的形态

The morphologies of goethites in latosol, red soils, yellow-brown soil and the paddy soils developed from red soils were studied in comparison with the morphology of synthetic goethite by means of the X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The synthetic goethite displayed acicular particles elongated in the c-direction. The goethites in the latosol, red soils and yellow-brown soil were platy particles stretched in two directions or isodimensional particles, and those in the paddy soils from red soils were acicular, short columnar, platy or isodimensional particles. Various morphologies of the goethites probably suggested their different dominant crystal faces, surface charge distribution and surface adsorption characteristics.     

Ionizing radiation and antioxidants affect volatile sulfur compounds, lipid oxidation, and color of ready-to-eat Turkey bologna

Bologna was processed from ground turkey breast meats containing one of four antioxidant treatments (none, rosemary extract, sodium erythorbate, and sodium nitrite). After it was cooked, the bologna was sliced, sealed in gas impermeable bags, exposed to 0, 1.5, and 3.0 kGy gamma-radiation, and then stored at 5 degrees C for up to 8 weeks. Thiobarbuturic acid reactive substances (TBARS), color, and volatile sulfur compounds were measured every 2 weeks during storage. Irradiation had no consistent effect on TBARS values. The rosemary extract and sodium nitrite inhibited, while erythorbate increased, TBARS values, independent of radiation dose or storage time. Irradiation promoted redness and reduced yellowness of the control (no antioxidant) bologna at weeks 0 and 2. The use of nitrite and rosemary extract inhibited the changes in color due to irradiation. Several volatile sulfur compounds (hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, methyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide), measured using a pulsed flame photometric detector, increased with radiation dose. However, none of the antioxidants had any substantial effect on volatile sulfur compounds induced by irradiation. Our results suggest that antioxidants did not consistently affect irradiation-induced volatile sulfur compounds of turkey bologna although they did significantly impact color and lipid oxidation.     

Effects of Cold Drawing and Water Quench Process on Mechanical Properties Prestressed Wires

Effects of cold drawing and water quench process on mechanical properties of prestressed wires have been studied in laboratory. It shows that sorbitized treat using water quench replacing lead quench is possible for Carbon steels prestressed wires. The cold drawing and water quench process which enable the mechanical properties of wires reaching specified demand of present standards are determined.     

NONPROPORTIONAL CYCLIC PLASTICITY FOR METALLIC MATERIALS

In order to describe nonproportional cyclic plasticity of polycrystalline metallic materials, the hardening function is separated into three factors, in which,f1 is related to the hardening parameter determined by plastic strain range, and f2 and f3 are related to the change of plastic deformation path characterized by a measure of nonproportionality. The main features of this work are: (a)cyclic hardening is described by f1, and additional hardening is separated into instantaneous and hereditary one which is described by f2 and f3 respectively; (b)a general form of the evolution of f1(i= 1,2, 3) is proposed; (c)parameters a1 and a3 are introduced to keep the memory to the largest cyclic hardening and additional hardening respectively; (d)various hardening mechanisms are embedded into a thermomechanically consistent constitutive equation. The capability of the developed model is verified with the analysis of biaxially nonproportional experiments by Benallal et al, Tanaka et al and Ohashi et al.