A simplified spectrophotometric method for routine analysis of saccharin in commercial noncaloric sweeteners

A simple, rapid, and sensitive spectrophotometric method for routine analysis of saccharin in commercial noncaloric sweeteners is proposed. This method is based on the reaction of saccharin with tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone (p-chloranil) accelerated by hydrogen peroxide and conducted in an ethanol:acetone (4:1) medium, producing a violet-red compound (lambda(max) = 550 nm). Beer's law is obeyed in a concentration range of 2.05 x 10(-4) to 3.00 x 10(-3) M with an excellent correlation coefficient (r = 0.9998). The detection limit was 1.55 x 10(-5) M, and the effect of interferences on the spectrophotometric measurements was evaluated. The proposed procedure was applied successfully to the determination of saccharin in noncaloric sweeteners. Recoveries were within 99.2-104.3% with standard deviations ranging from to 0.5-1.6%. Results of the proposed method compare very favorably with those given by the high-performance liquid chromatography method recommended by the Food and Drug Administration.     

Effect of solid residues from the cellulose industry on plant growth

An alternative use of solid organic and inorganic residues as fertilizers from a Kraft pulp industry was studied. Residues of inorganic nature, such as ashes, fly‐ashes, dregs, grits, as well those rich in organic matter, primary sludge and brown stock rejects, were examined for plant growth enhancement. These residues, all alkaline in nature, used in different concentrations together with soil, bark, organic soil or mixed with a nutrient solution, were tested on the growth of Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Eucalyptus globulus, rice (Oryza sativa. cv. ‘Diamante’), and duckweed (Lemna minor) under greenhouse and in‐vitro conditions, respectively. Responses varied according to plant species, type, and waste content in combination with substrate. For Monterey pine, substrates including ash, fly‐ash, and dregs promoted growth; in Eucalyptus seedlings dregs and fly‐ash were also beneficial. Primary sludge and ash were favorable for rice growth. Duckweed increased frond number and plant biomass when grown in water containing fly‐ash and primary sludge extracts, combined with nutrient salts.     

Aged Garlic Extract Attenuates Cerebral Damage and Cyclooxygenase-2 Induction after Ischemia and Reperfusion in Rats

Different garlic products reduce the cerebral ischemic damage due to their antioxidant properties. In this work, we investigated the effect of aged garlic extract (AGE) on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein levels and activity, and its role as a possible mechanism of neuroprotection in a cerebral ischemia model. Animals were subjected to 1 h of ischemia plus 24 h of reperfusion. AGE (1.2 ml/kg weight, i.p.) was administered at onset of reperfusion. To evaluate the damage induced by cerebral ischemia, the neurological deficit, the infarct area, and the histological alterations were measured. As an oxidative stress marker to deoxyribonucleic acid, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels were determined. Finally, as inflammatory markers, TNFα levels and COX-2 protein levels and activity were measured. AGE treatment diminished the neurological alterations (61.6%), the infarct area (54.8%) and the histological damage (37.7%) induced by cerebral ischemia. AGE administration attenuated the increase in 8-OHdG levels (77.8%), in TNFα levels (76.6%), and in COX-2 protein levels (73.6%) and activity (30.7%) induced after 1 h of ischemia plus 24 h of reperfusion. These data suggest that the neuroprotective effect of AGE is associated not only to its antioxidant properties, but also with its capacity to diminish the increase in TNFα levels and COX-2 protein expression and activity. AGE may have the potential to attenuate the cerebral ischemia-induced inflammation.     

育雏前期日粮中的核苷酸对雏鸡的促生长作用

雏鸡的第1周的饲料数量仅是上市鸡总饲料的3.5%,但是为了得到最适的生长性能,环境的管理和恰当的营养是关键.因为雏鸡和成年鸡不一样,雏鸡没有复杂的消化酶,所以不能很好的起到消化的作用.在育雏期的早期,雏鸡面临着最困难的生理过渡时期,也就是开产期日粮中复杂的碳水化合物、蛋白质、脂类替代了胚胎中脂类和蛋白质的营养来源.而且雏鸡的免疫系统发育不完全,免疫主要靠母源抗体.……     

A comparison of larval production of the northern scallop,Argopecten purpuratus,in closed and recirculating culture systems

Northern scallop Argopecten purpuratus aquaculture relies on an efficient all year-round larval supply. Larvae are generally produced in closed aquaculture systems (CAS) using the batch techniques with periodical water changes. For instance, survival rates are greatly variable and can range from 0 to 80% making production of scallop larvae uncertain. The main goal of this study was to determine the feasibility of rearing scallop larvae in a recirculating aquacultural system (RAS), and secondarily to compare scallop larval growth rate and time length to reach the settling stage when reared with a traditional Chilean CAS technique and in a novel RAS technique in an industrial-like approach.Several batches of larvae were cultured in CAS and RAS. Larvae were fed on Isochrysis galbana cultured in 35-L tubular photobioreactors. Growth rates were significantly different (F_11,2840 = 274.66; p < 0.001). All scallop larvae cultured in CAS showed lower growth rates ranging within 4.49 and 7.30 μm day^?1 and protracted period of culture until settlement (at least 10 more culture days) than those reared in RAS (growth rates between 9.56 and 13.15 μm day^?1). However, final survival (from D-larvae until settlement) of larvae reared in CAS showed higher values than those values recorded for larvae cultured on RAS. Higher growth rates observed in RAS could be attributed to a reduction in daily manipulation of the animals and/or more feed availability as well as higher temperatures and a steady state conditions in water quality. Even though, the reduction in time for rearing larvae until settlement in RAS was high, the comparison between systems is more significant in view of the reduction in make up seawater from 100% of system volume (CAS) to less than 10% of system volume (RAS). Therefore, RAS was independent from daily water quality variation from natural seawater by increasing water retention time, and with that improve water quality steady state conditions. Results of this research show that a more efficient use of water and heating systems than generally used in the Chilean hatchery industry is achievable. This is an important result since it could lead to significant reductions in the cost of operating a scallop hatchery, however further work is required to accurately compare the two systems (CAS and RAS). The main result from this research is that scallop larvae can be cultivated using recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) as a method to increase production. The information reported in this paper will be useful for the improvement of scallop larvae culture techniques under controlled conditions.     

Fingerprints for main varieties of argentinean wines: terroir differentiation by inorganic, organic, and stable isotopic analyses coupled to chemometrics

Our main goal was to investigate if robust chemical fingerprints could be developed for three Argentinean red wines based on organic, inorganic, and isotopic patterns, in relation to the regional soil composition. Soils and wines from three regions (Mendoza, San Juan, and Co?rdoba) and three varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Syrah) were collected. The phenolic profile was determined by HPLC-MS/MS and multielemental composition by ICP-MS; (87)Sr/(86)Sr and δ(13)C were determined by TIMS and IRMS, respectively. Chemometrics allowed robust differentiation between regions, wine varieties, and the same variety from different regions. Among phenolic compounds, resveratrol concentration was the most useful marker for wine differentiation, whereas Mg, K/Rb, Ca/Sr, and (87)Sr/(86)Sr were the main inorganic and isotopic parameters selected. Generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA) using two studied matrices (wine and soil) shows consensus between them and clear differences between studied areas. Finally, we applied a canonical correlation analysis, demonstrating significant correlation (r = 0.99; p < 0.001) between soil and wine composition. To our knowledge this is the first report combining independent variables, constructing a fingerprint including elemental composition, isotopic, and polyphenol patterns to differentiate wines, matching part of this fingerprint with the soil provenance.     

Copper Biosorption by Biomass of Marine Alga: Study of Equilibrium and Kinetics in Batch System and Adsorption/Desorption Cycles in Fixed Bed Column

Copper biosorption onto chemically modified biomass of marine alga Sargassum filipendula was investigated in a batch reactor and a fixed bed column. Experiments were carried out in the batch reactor to obtain kinetic and equilibrium data and to assess the copper desorption efficiency of different eluent solutions. The pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Langmuir kinetic models were used to correlate kinetic data. The experimental data fitted well to the pseudo first order and Langmuir kinetic models. Langmuir and Freundlich models were applied to describe the equilibrium data obtained at a fixed temperature of 30°C and at pH values of 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0. The maximum capacities of copper biosorption onto the algal biomass were 1.43, 1.59, 2.40, and 2.36 mequiv./g at pH 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0, respectively. The efficiencies of two eluent solutions (calcium chloride and hydrochloric acid) for copper removal from the biomass were evaluated at different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mol/L). The efficiencies of the calcium chloride solutions varied from 1% to 14%, while efficiencies varying from 95% to 99% were obtained when hydrochloric acid solutions were applied. Three adsorption/desorption cycles were carried out in a fixed bed column using 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid as eluent solution. The results showed that an increase in the number of cycles led to a reduction in the adsorption capacity of the alga. The desorbed copper fraction presented no significant variation, remaining around 63% in the three adsorption/desorption cycles.