Quantification of uronic acids in tea polysaccharide conjugates and their antioxidant properties

A technique of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was described for the measurement of total uronic acids in tea polysaccharide conjugates. This method was applied to polysaccharide conjugate extracts obtained from green tea after most of the components that produce interference were removed. The preliminary extraction process was according to the procedure of isolation of polysaccharide conjugates. The uronic acid content of different polysaccharide conjugate fractions was quantified by HPLC on a Sugar-Pak I column with a 1.0 x 10(-)(4) mol x L(-)(1) calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution as the mobile phase and refractive index detection. The validation study showed high recoveries (>97.0%) and low coefficients of variance (<3.0%). The minimum detectable limit concentration of uronic acid was 10 microg x mL(-)(1). The analysis of a standard range of galacturonic acid concentrations (100-4000 microg x mL(-)(1)) yielded linear results. The use of the method on different polysaccharide conjugate fraction samples confirmed its effectiveness. With the high content of uronic acids in polysaccharide conjugates, the stronger reactive oxygen species scavenging activities were found.     

Immunostimulating activity of a crude polysaccharide derived from green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract

Green tea extract is well-known to reduce the risk of a variety of diseases. Here, we investigated the immunostimulating activity of tea polysaccharide (TPS), one of the main components in green tea extract. The water extracts from mature or immature tea leaves were precipitated by using ethanol at room temperature. The sediment was washed with ethanol and acetone alternately and then dried. We used the phagocytic activity of macrophage-like cells as an indicator of immune function activation. Chemical components were analyzed by HPLC. The immunostimulating activity of TPS from immature leaves extract was higher than that of TPS from mature leaves, and its activities were dependent on the content of strictinin in the leaf extract. Futhermore, a mixture of catechin and TPS that removed polyphenols did not increase the immunostimulating activity. These results suggest that the catechin-polysaccharide complex is a very important molecule in the immunomodulating activity of tea extracts.     

基于GIS和改进型土地生态适宜性评价模型的茶叶适宜性综合评价

Tea(Camellia sinensis) is one of the most valuable cash crops in southern China;however,the planting distribution of tea crops is not optimal and the production and cultivation regions of tea crops are restricted by law and custom.In order to evaluate the suitability of tea crops in Zhejiang Province,the annual mean temperature,the annual accumulated temperature above 10 C,the frequency of extremely low temperature below 13 C,the mean humidity from April to October,slope,aspect,altitude,soil type,and soil texture were selected from climate,topography,and soil factors as factors for land ecological evaluation by the Delphi method based on the ecological characteristics of tea crops.These nine factors were quantitatively analyzed using a geographic information system(GIS).The grey relational analysis(GRA) was combined with the analytic hierarchy process(AHP) to address the uncertainties during the process of evaluating the traditional land ecological suitability,and a modified land ecological suitability evaluation(LESE) model was built.Based on the land-use map of Zhejiang Province,the regions that were completely unsuitable for tea cultivation in the province were eliminated and then the spatial distribution of the ecological suitability of tea crops was generated using the modified LESE model and GIS.The results demonstrated that the highly,moderately,and non-suitable regions for the cultivation of tea crops in Zhejiang Province were 27 552.66,42 724.64,and 26 507.97 km 2,and accounted for 28.47%,44.14%,and 27.39% of the total evaluation area,respectively.Validation of the method showed a high degree of coincidence with the current planting distribution of tea crops in Zhejiang Province.The modified LESE model combined with GIS could be useful in quickly and accurately evaluating the land ecological suitability of tea crops,providing a scientific basis for the rational distribution of tea crops and acting as a reference to land policy makers and land use planners.     

海藻热解生物油的成分分析

为了明确海藻热解生物油的主要成分及热解工况对成分的影响,对海藻生物质（条浒苔、马尾藻）不同工况下热解制得的生物油进行气相色谱质谱联用分析。海藻类生物油成分除了含氮化合物外,主要是一些烃类、酮类、醛类、醇类和酚类化合物,以及较大分子量的羧酸及其衍生物,并包含了少量呋喃、吡喃、吡啶等衍生物的杂环化合物。条浒苔油中羧酸及其衍生物（37.85%）和烃类物质（16.61%）较多,而马尾藻生物油中甾族（30.16%）和醇类化合物（24.81%）较多,也检测出油酸、棕榈酸酯和花生酸。不同工况下产生的生物油在组成成分上非常相似,只是相对含量有所不同。热解温度对海藻油组分分布起了重要作用,而载气流量对热解海藻油组分分布的影响不明显。试验结果还表明海藻油中含氮化合物的形成主要与蛋白质的分解有关。海藻生物油相对于陆上植物热解生物油优点为高含烃量,低含氧量。海藻热解制油工艺中温度应控制在500～600℃之间,能达到较佳产油率和油品。     

茶多糖对面包粉及其淀粉糊化和老化特性的影响

为探索茶多糖作为添加剂在面包制品中应用的可行性,该文利用差示扫描量热法(DSC)、X-衍射分析了1%～5%茶多糖的添加对面包粉及其淀粉糊化、老化的影响,结果表明:随茶多糖浓度的增加,面包粉及其淀粉糊化的吸热焓(ΔH1)、峰温不断增加。面包粉及其淀粉胶在4℃下贮藏20d的老化过程中,随贮藏时间的延长,吸热焓、老化速率不断增加;随茶多糖浓度的增加,老化热焓(ΔH2)、老化速率、结晶速率不断减少,但玻璃化温度随茶多糖浓度的增加而不断提高。综合结果表明,面包粉添加1%～2%的茶多糖而面包淀粉添加2%～3%的茶多糖,具有明显抑制样品的老化热焓、老化速率和结晶速率的作用。     

Compositional analysis of water-soluble materials in corn stover

Corn stover is one of the leading feedstock candidates for commodity-scale biomass-to-ethanol processing. The composition of water-soluble materials in corn stover has been determined with greater than 90% mass closure in four of five representative samples. The mass percentage of water-soluble materials in tested stover samples varied from 14 to 27% on a dry weight basis. Over 30 previously unknown constituents of aqueous extracts were identified and quantified using a variety of chromatographic techniques. Monomeric sugars (primarily glucose and fructose) were found to be the predominant water-soluble components of corn stover, accounting for 30-46% of the dry weight of extractives (4-12% of the dry weight of feedstocks). Additional constituents contributing to the mass balance for extractives included various alditols (3-7%), aliphatic acids (7-21%), inorganic ions (10-18%), oligomeric sugars (4-12%), and a distribution of oligomers tentatively identified as being derived from phenolic glycosides (10-18%).     

Isolation and characterization of immunostimulatory polysaccharide from an herb tea, Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino

Water-soluble polysaccharide from Gynostemma pentaphyllum herb tea (PSGP) was isolated by hot-water extraction and ethanol precipitation. The chemical components and preliminary immunomodulating activity of PSGP were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Capillary zone electrophoresis analysis showed that PSGP was a typical nonstarch heteropolysaccharide, with glucose being the main component monosaccharide (23.2%), followed by galactose (18.9%), arabinose (10.5%), rhamnose (7.7%), galacturonic acid (4.7%), xylose (3.9%), mannose (3.1%), and glucuronic acid (1.2%). PSGP could significantly stimulate peritoneal macrophages to release nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in a dose-dependent manner. This immunostimulating activity of PSGP was further demonstrated by its inhibition on the proliferation of human colon carcinoma HT-29 and SW-116 cells incubated with the supernatant of PSGP-stimulated macrophage culture. It is evident that PSGP is a very important ingredient responsible for at least in part the immunomodulating activity of G. pentaphyllum herb tea.     

Compositional analysis of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans treated with glyphosate.

The compositional analyses and safety assessment of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans (GTS) were previously described. These analyses were extensive and included addressing the potential effects on seed composition from the genetic modification. Detailed compositional analyses established that GTS, which had not been treated with glyphosate, were comparable to the parental soybean line and to other conventional soybeans. In this study, two GTS lines, 40-3-2 and 61-67-1, were treated with commercial levels of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide. The composition of the seed from soybeans sprayed with glyphosate was compared to that of a nonsprayed parental control cultivar, A5403. The nutrients measured in the seed included protein, oil, ash, fiber, carbohydrates, and amino acids. The concentration of isoflavones (also referred to as phytoestrogens) was also measured as these compounds are derived from the same biochemical pathway that was engineered for glyphosate tolerance. The analytical results from these studies demonstrate that the GTS soybeans treated with glyphosate were comparable to the parental soybean cultivar, A5403, and other conventional soybean varieties.     

Compositional analysis of tubers from insect and virus resistant potato plants

Genetically modified potato plants that are resistant to the Colorado potato beetle, plus either the potato leaf roll virus or potato virus Y, have recently been commercialized. As part of the safety assessment for plants produced by modern biotechnology, the composition of the food/feed must be compared to that of the food/feed produced by an equivalent plant variety from a conventional source. The composition of important nutritional and antinutritional factors in tubers produced by virus- and insect-resistant potato plants were compared to tubers produced by conventional potato plants. Key nutritional, quality, and antinutritional components measured were total solids, vitamin C, dextrose, sucrose, soluble protein, and glycoalkaloids. Proximate analyses included fat, ash, calories, total protein, and crude fiber. Minor nutrients measured were vitamin B6, niacin, copper, magnesium, potassium, and amino acids. The results from these analyses confirm that tubers produced by insect- and virus-protected varieties are substantially equivalent to tubers produced by conventional potato varieties.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: pollution and source analysis of a black tea

Investigations into the manufacturing process of one kind of black tea revealed that it included five steps: withering, rolling, fermentation, drying, and drying and sorting. A total of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were simultaneously measured in fresh leaves, withered leaves, rolled leaves, fermented leaves, crude black tea, and black tea sampled after each manufacturing stage and in the indoor and outdoor air of the drying house. It was observed that the total contents of the 16 PAHs (SigmaPAHs) in the crude black tea and the black tea were obviously higher than those in the tea leaves sampled after each manufacturing step before the drying stage; the air SigmaPAHs in the drying house were about 100 times higher than those outside the drying house. It can be concluded that quantities of PAHs were released into the drying house from the combustion of pine firewood during the drying stage, and then were absorbed by the tea leaves, thus resulting in the high PAH contents in the black tea.     

贵州茶区土壤养分状况综合评价

应用SPSS统计软件,对贵州全省70个茶园土壤样品8项养分指标进行主成分分析,按累计贡献率达到85%以上提取了4个主成分,并求出各土壤养分的4个主成分综合得分。并对综合得分以欧氏距离为衡量土样间差异大小的指标,采用类平均法进行聚类分析。将70个土样分为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ等级,第Ⅰ类为养分丰富型土壤,其各项养分指标最高,综合得分范围0.63≤F≤1.08,所占比例9.83%;第Ⅱ类为养分较丰富型土壤,其综合得分范围0.10≤F≤0.53,所占比例29.51%,相对Ⅰ类,有机质和全磷含量相对不足;第Ⅲ类茶园土壤肥力一般,其综合得分范围-0.32≤F≤0.02,所占比例36.07%;第Ⅳ类土壤各养分因子均缺乏,为养分缺乏型茶园土壤。     

Inhibition of pathogenic bacterial adhesion by acidic polysaccharide from green tea (Camellia sinensis)

An acidic polysaccharide CS-F2 from Camellia sinensis was examined to characterize its anti-adhesive effects against pathogenic bacteria, most notably Helicobacter pylori, Propionibacterium acnes, and Staphylococcus aureus. CS-F2 showed marked inhibitory activity against the pathogen-mediated hemagglutination with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) between 0.01 and 0.1 mg/mL, which is lower than the previously reported MIC values for Panax ginseng and Artemisia capillaris. The inhibitory effects of CS-F2 on the adhesion of H. pylori to AGS adenocarcinoma gastric epithelial cells, or P. acnes and S. aureus to NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells, were further assessed resulting in MIC values between 0.063 and 0.13 mg/mL. Importantly, CS-F2 showed no inhibitory effects against Lactobacillus acidophilus, Escherichia coli, or Staphylococcus epidermidis. Our results suggest that CS-F2, which is a pectin-type polysaccharide with a molecular weight of approximately 8.0 x 10(4) Da, may exert a selective anti-adhesive effect against certain pathogenic bacteria, while exerting no effects against beneficial and commensal bacteria.     

Compositional analysis and rheological properties of gum kondagogu (Cochlospermum gossypium): a tree gum from India

Gum kondagogu ( Cochlospermum gossypium) is a tree exudate gum that belongs to the family Bixaceae. Compositional analysis of the gum by HPLC and LC-MS revealed uronic acids to be the major component of the polymer ( approximately 26 mol %). Furthermore, analysis of the gum by GC-MS indicated the presence of sugars such as arabinose (2.52 mol %), mannose (8.30 mol %), alpha- d-glucose (2.48 mol %), beta- d-glucose (2.52 mol %), rhamnose (12.85 mol %), galactose (18.95 mol %), d-glucuronic acid (19.26 mol %), beta- d-galactouronic acid (13.22 mol %), and alpha- d-galacturonic acid (11.22 mol %). Gum kondagogu, being rich in rhamnose, galactose, and uronic acids, can be categorized on the basis of its sugar composition as a rhamnogalacturonan type of gum. The rheological measurements performed on the gum suggest that above 0.6% (w/v) it shows a Newtonian behavior and shear rate thinning behavior as a function of gum concentration. The viscoelastic behavior of gum kondagogu solutions (1 and 2%) in aqueous as well as in 100 mM NaCl solution exhibits a typical gel-like system. The G' (viscous modulus)/ G' (elastic modulus) ratios of native gum kondagogu (1 and 2%) in aqueous solution were found to be 1.89 and 1.85 and those in 100 mM NaCl to be 1.54 and 2.2, respectively, suggesting a weak gel-like property of the polymer. Crossover values of G' and G' were observed to be at frequencies of 0.432 Hz for 1% and 1.2 Hz for 2% for native gum in aqueous condition, indicating a predominantly liquid- to solid-like behavior, whereas crossover values of 2.1 Hz for 1% and 1.68 Hz for 2% gum in 100 mM NaCl solution suggest a larger elastic contribution.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

浉河区茶园土壤养分状况分析与评价

为了明确浉河区茶园土壤养分状况,对浉河区山地与丘陵茶园分别进行了26和84个土壤取样、分析测定,为茶园土壤培肥管理提供科学依据。结果表明:浉河区茶园土壤pH偏酸化,有机质含量偏低,山地茶园平均值(22.0 g/kg)比丘陵茶园(14.4 g/kg)高52.78%;在全氮、速效钾整体含量处于中等偏低水平,大部分茶园有效磷匮缺严重情况下,山地茶园土壤营养状况比丘陵茶园好,其全氮、有效磷含量整体水平高于丘陵茶园,有效钾略低于丘陵茶园,但差异性不明显;中微量元素有效态Ca、Mg、S、Mn、Zn含量丰富,但山地茶园含量比丘陵茶园更能满足茶树生长发育需要,Fe异常丰富,Cu、B严重缺乏。为此,浉河区茶园应在施足有机肥的基础上,增施磷肥,部分茶园要加大氮、钾肥施用量,同时注意补充Cu和B肥。     

Compositional and conformational analysis of yam proteins by near infrared fourier transform Raman spectroscopy

Fourier transform (FT)-Raman spectroscopy was employed to study the molecular structure of yam proteins isolated from three commonly consumed yam species including Dioscorea alata L., D. alata L. var. purpurea, and Dioscorea japonica. Although D. alata L. and D. alata L. var. purpurea consisted of similar amino acid residues, they still exhibited significant differences in conformational arrangement. The secondary structure of D. alata L. was mainly an alpha-helix, while D. alata L. var. purpurea was mostly in antiparallel beta-sheets. In contrast, D. japonica, which belongs to a different species, exhibited explicit differences in amino acid compositions and molecular structures of which the conformation was a mixed form of alpha-helices and antiparallel beta-sheets. FT-Raman directly proved the existence of S-S in yam proteins, implying that oligomer formation in yam proteins might be due to disulfide linking of dioscorin (32 kDa). The microenvironment of aromatic amino acids and the state of S-S in yam proteins were also discussed.     

Vulnerability of subsoils in Europe to compaction: a preliminary analysis

Identifying the vulnerability of subsoils to compaction damage is an increasingly important issue both in the planning and execution of farming operations and in planning environmental protection measures. Ideally, subsoil vulnerability to compaction should be assessed by direct measurement of soil bearing capacity but currently no direct practical tests are available. Similarly, soil mechanics principles are not suitably far enough advanced to allow extrapolation of likely compaction damage from experimental sites to situations in general. This paper, therefore, proposes a simple classification system for subsoil vulnerability to compaction based for field use on local soil and wetness data at the time of critical trafficking, and, at European level, on related soil and climatic information. Soil data are readily available ‘in Country’ or from the European Soil Database and climatic data are stored in the agrometeorological database of the MARS Project. The vulnerability to compaction is assessed using a two-stage process. First, the inherent susceptibility of the soil to compaction is estimated on the basis of the relatively stable soil properties of texture and packing density. Second, the susceptibility class is then converted into a vulnerability class through consideration of the likely soil moisture status at the time of critical loadings. For use at local level, adjustments are suggested to take account of possible differences in the support strength of the topsoil and specific subsoil structural conditions. The vulnerability classes proposed are based on profile pit observations, on a wide range of soils examined mainly in intensively farmed areas where large-scale field equipment is employed. A map of soil susceptibility to compaction in Europe has been produced, as the first stage in developing a more rigorous quantitative approach to assessing overall vulnerability than has been possible hitherto.     

紫金县茶园土壤养分状况分析与评价

通过调查分析广东省紫金县不同茶园土壤养分状况,为茶园土壤施肥管理及茶叶提质增效提供科学依据。对紫金县9个产茶乡镇的不同茶园79 个土壤和67个茶青进行了取样,分别采集茶园0～20 cm土壤和一芽二叶的茶青样品。检测土壤pH、有机质、全N、有效P、速效K、有效Ca、有效Mg、有效S含量及微量元素Cu、Fe、Zn、Mn和B有效态含量等土壤养分指标,同时利用高效液相色谱系统定量测定茶青中的氨基酸和茶多酚含量。结果表明:紫金县茶园土壤全部呈酸性,pH值平均为4.84,变异系数为12.94%;有机质含量整体较高,平均为22.23 g/kg,     

玉米秸秆粉热解生物油的分析及乳化

为了探究玉米秸秆粉热解生物油的组成及乳化改性技术,对生物油进行了气质联用（GC/MS）分析,并研究了轻质生物油与柴油乳化后燃料的物理性质。生物油有分层现象,上层是溶于水的轻质液体,约占总质量的80%,主要成分有水、羟基丙酮、乙酸、糠醛、环戊烯酮及衍生物、苯酚等,用二氯甲烷萃取后在有机相中又检测到糠醛衍生物及苯酚衍生物等。下层是难溶于水的大分子物质,组成复杂,直接分析难以确定成分。本试验将轻质生物油、0#柴油、复合乳化剂（由Span-80与Tween-20两种乳化剂以特定配比制成）按照一定工艺进行乳化,制成乳化燃料。增加均质时间、乳化剂和柴油比例或减小轻质生物油比例均可以提高乳化燃料的稳定性。乳化燃料的热值与轻质生物油相比有明显改善,但燃料的pH值没有明显提高,需要进一步研究,降低乳化燃料的腐蚀性,使其能够在柴油机上长期应用。