Oil uptake properties of fried batters from rice flour

Batters were prepared, using rice flour as the main component, and analyzed for their oil uptake properties during frying. Rice flour resisted oil absorption better but was less effective as a thickening agent than wheat flour. Of the rice components, increased amylose in the amylopectin/amylose ratio of the starch decreased the batter oil uptake, whereas increased protein content had the opposite effect. Various additives were introduced and investigated for their ability to develop viscosity and other desirable characteristics for the batter. As additives to the rice flour batters, phosphorylated starch and gelatinized rice flour enhanced both the thickening and oil-reducing capacities of the batter. Compared with values for batters from wheat flour, the percent batter oil uptake in the fried crust for the modified rice flour batters was decreased by up to 62%, and the percent total oil uptake for the whole coated drumstick was reduced by up to 59%.     

Nucleotide sequence of the p21 transforming protein of Harvey murine sarcoma virus

Harvey murine sarcoma virus is a retrovirus which transforms cells by means of a single virally encoded protein called p21 has. We have determined the nucleotide sequence of 1.0 kilobase in the 5' half of the viral genome which encompasses the has coding sequences and its associated regulatory signals. The nucleotide sequence has identified the amino acid sequence of two additional overlapping polypeptides which share their reading frames and the carboxyl termini with p21 but which contain additional NH2-terminal amino acids.     

Characterization of antioxidants and change of antioxidant levels during storage of Manilkara zapota L

Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables play an important role via their protective effects against the onset of aging-related chronic diseases. Our previous research has indicated that unripe ciku fruits (Manilkara zapota L.) are an excellent source of antioxidants, with over 3000 mg of L-ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity (AEAC) per 100 g of fresh sample. In this study, 24 antioxidants in an extract of ciku king were characterized through a free radical spiking test. Their chemical structures were proposed using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and tandem MS (HPLC/MSn). The antioxidant capacity of ciku king fruits was mainly attributed to polyphenolics with basic blocks of gallocatechin or catechin or both. The changes of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total phenolics content (TPC) of ciku king fruits with storage time were also investigated. It was found that the TAC and TPC decreased significantly as the fruits gradually changed from the unripe to the overripe stage. The best time for one to consume ciku king fruits at a flavorful stage with high amounts of antioxidants with AEAC values ranging from 600 to 1200 mg per 100 g fresh sample is suggested. The change of the content of major antioxidant peaks was also consistent with changes of antioxidant levels during storage.     

Synergistic effect of antioxidant phenolic acids on human phenolsulfotransferase activity

Sulfate conjugation by phenolsulfotransferases (PSTs) is an important process in the detoxification of xenobiotics and endogenous compounds. There are two forms of PSTs for the sulfation of small phenols (PST-P) and monoamines (PST-M). Phenolic acids are known to increase the activities of PST-P and PST-M. The purpose of this study is to investigate the synergistic effect of the combinations of phenolic acids on human PSTs activities. The combinations of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, gentisic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, and coumaric acid in a random order for their effects on PSTs activities were evaluated at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 microM. The PST-M activity was significantly increased when gentisic acid was combined with each of the other phenolic acids. When p-hydroxybenzoic acid was combined with each of the other phenolic acids, a synergistic effect with respect to the promotion of PST-P activity was obtained. A potential synergistic effect for the PST-P activity was also found in the following combination: p-hydroxybenzoic acid + gallic acid + gentisic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid + gallic acid + m-coumaric acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid + o-coumaric acid + p-coumaric acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid + o-coumaric acid + m-coumaric acid, gallic acid + gentisic acid + p-coumaric acid, and gallic acid + o-coumaric acid + m-coumaric acid. Therefore, the activities of both forms of PSTs can be promoted by all of these combinations of phenolic acids. These results provide a better understanding regarding the effect of phenolic acids on human PSTs activities, as well as more information on the intake of antioxidant phenolic acids for human health.     

LC/TIS-MS fingerprint profiling of Cimicifuga species and analysis of 23-Epi-26-deoxyactein in Cimicifuga racemosa commercial products

In this study, a liquid chromatography (LC)/turbo ion spray (TIS)-mass spectrometry (MS) method was developed to examine the chromatography or "fingerprint profile" of seven Cimicifuga herbs and six Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh) commercial products. Triterpene glycoside components were selected as chemical markers for analysis because they have appeared as a major compound group in Cimicifuga species. LC/MS chromatograms unveiled the patterns of C. racemosa, Cimicifuga dahurica, Cimicifuga foetida, Cimicifuga heracleifolia, Cimicifuga japonica, Cimicifuga acerina, and Cimicifuga simplex, which are very different from each other. 23-Epi-26-deoxyactein was found only in C. racemosa, C. dahurica, and C. foetida. A highly selective and sensitive LC/MS/MS method for quantitative analysis of 23-epi-26-deoxyactein with detection levels up to 2.5 ng in these samples was also developed and was applied to six commercial C. racemosa products. C. racemosa and its six commercial products contained about 6-15% of 23-epi-26-deoxyactein in total triterpene glycosides. On the other hand, the estimated amount of total triterpene glycosides in other commercial products was either greater or lesser than what the manufacturers claimed. The technique and LC/MS profiles generated in this study provide a reliable and reproducible method that can be readily utilized for botanical identification of Cimicifuga plants, for examination and validation of its commercial products, and for "chemical" quality control in the manufacture of black cohosh products.     

Misses in potato crops in New Brunswick in 1973; their extent,distribution and cause

The use of aerial photography as a survey tool for estimating misses in potato crops proved satisfactory. The average crop had 32% misses; in six of the 25 crops the misses were more aggregated than expected assuming a binomial distribution. An estimated loss of 10% in tuber yield resulted from the misses, and based on the 1973 crop value the loss was equivalent to approximately $4 million. Eighty-eight percent of the 1,000 misses investigated were due to the seed piece being absent.     

A method for estimating the decrease in marketable tubers caused by potato late blight

A regression analysis was used to develop a method to estimate the decrease in marketable tubers caused by late blight of potato (Phytophthora infestans), based on estimates of percentage loss in total tuber yield computed from a published method. The economic loss due to late blight in table stocks is the relative percentage marketable yield loss, calculated from the expression: {fx19-01} when total yield losses (in percentage) did not exceed 40%. A graphical method is presented as an alternative. Yield results from seven field experiments conducted in the Maritime Provinces of Canada during the period 1953 to 1971 were used in the study, where marketable tubers were defined as 2 1/4 inch or more in diameter.     

Sensitivity to chilling temperatures and distribution differ in the mangrove species Kandelia candel and Avicennia marina

We compared the effects of short-term (hours) and long-term (days) exposure to chilling temperatures on the photosynthetic gas exchange, leaf characteristics and chlorophyll a fluorescence of seedlings of the mangrove species Kandelia candel Druce and Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. Both species occur along the west coast of Taiwan, but K. candel occurs further north than A. marina. We hypothesized that temperature was one of the major environmental factors limiting the northern distribution of A. marina. Avicennia marina was more sensitive to chilling temperatures than K. candel. Leaves of both species showed reductions in light-saturated photosynthetic rates (Amax), stomatal conductance (gs) and quantum yield of photosystem II after a 1-h exposure to 15 degrees C, with A. marina showing significantly greater reductions in Amax and gs than K. candel. No significant differences in Amax, gs and electron transport rate (ETR) were found between leaves of K. candel grown at 15 and 30 degrees C for 10 days. However, leaves of A. marina grown for 10 days at 15 degrees C had significantly lower Amax, gs and ETR than plants grown at 30 degrees C. After 20 days at 15 degrees C, leaf mass per area of both species was increased significantly, whereas area-based chlorophyll concentrations were reduced, with significantly greater changes in A. marina than in K. candel. We concluded that sensitivity to low winter temperatures is a primary limiting factor in the distribution of A. marina along the western coast of Taiwan.     

Protective effects of anthocyanins against amyloid β-peptide-induced damage in neuro-2A cells

Alzheimer's disease is neuropathologically characterized by amyloid β-protein (Aβ) deposition, resulting in neurotoxicity. Herein, we focused on the prevention of anthocyanins from amyloid-mediated neurodysfunction. The data demonstrated that combined exposure of Aβ(1-40) and Aβ(25-35) to Neuro-2A cells resulted in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and perturbation of calcium homeostasis. The expressions of LXRα, ApoE, ABCA1, and seladin-1 genes were significantly down-regulated upon Aβ challenge. β-Secretase, the rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes amyloid precursor protein transform to Aβ, was up-regulated by Aβ treatment. For the duration of Aβ stimulation, malvidin (Mal) or oenin (Oen; malvidin-3-O-glucoside) was added, and the protective effects were observed. Mal and Oen showed protective effects against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity through blocking ROS formation, preserving Ca(2+) homeostasis, and preventing Aβ-mediated perturbation of certain genes involved in Aβ metabolism and cellular defense. The present study implicates anthocyanin as a potential therapeutic candidate for the prevention of amyloid-mediated neurodysfunction.