Influence of Added Enzymes and Bran Particle Size on Bread Quality and Iron Availability

The aim of this investigation was to study the influence of different bran proportions and particle sizes, addition of fungal phytase, and α‐amylase addition on bread quality and phytate levels, and how these treatments affect availability of iron to intestinal epithelial (Caco‐2) cells. Potential mineral contributions to dietary reference intakes and phytate‐to‐mineral molar ratios were also evaluated. Wheat bran supplementation significantly affected bread quality. Smaller bran particle size affected crumb firmness negatively, whereas the use of α‐amylase, in some cases in combination with phytase, could improve technological bread quality. The use of phytase in the formulation significantly reduced the level of phytates, and phytate hydrolysis also led to smaller bran particle size. Increasing the bran proportion used in the bread formulation increased the iron concentration in bread samples by 18.9%. Phytase addition proved to be a useful strategy to improve iron dialyzability; however, incomplete dephytinization still had an inhibitory effect on iron uptake, with the exception of samples formulated with 10% bran. The inhibitory effect of phytate could be predicted from the values of the phytate‐to‐iron ratios. Reduction of particle size did not improve iron availability or uptake by Caco‐2 cells.     

The influence of progesterone and prostaglandin F2α on decorin and the adhesion of caruncular epithelial cells of bovine placenta at early-mid pregnancy—Part II

One of the most important processes determining the proper course of gestation and its physiological termination in cows is the adhesion of epithelial cells allowing for direct contact of maternal and foetal parts of the placenta. Throughout pregnancy, placental cells are under strict hormonal control, which among others regulates the concentration and activity of specific proteins participating in the extracellular matrix remodelling of foetal membranes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of progesterone and prostaglandin F_2α on the adhesion of epithelial cells at early-mid pregnancy in cows. Additionally, the impact of selected hormones on anti-adhesive properties of decorin was evaluated. Caruncular epithelial cells were isolated from healthy cows during pregnancy, immediately after slaughter. Primary cell cultures derived from the 2nd and 4th month of gestation were used in the experiments. The viability of cells was assessed by MTT assay. The adhesion of cells to fibronectin was measured spectrophotometrically. The activity of metalloproteinases was confirmed by the metalloproteinase assay. Progesterone (10^–5 and 10^–7 mol/L) and prostaglandin F_2α (10^–4_, 10^–5 and 10^–7 mol/L) increased the viability of bovine caruncular epithelial cells in the 2nd month of pregnancy. The treatment with prostaglandin F_2α significantly reduced the number of adherent cells from the 2nd month of gestation at the doses of 10^–4 and 10^–5 mol/L. Both progesterone and prostaglandin F_2α were shown to have an effect of decorin resulting in both a decrease in metalloproteinase activity and an increase in adhesion of cells to fibronectin.     

Differenzierung des Pansenepithels des Rindes während der intrauterinen Entwicklung

The prenatal development of the bovine ruminal epithelium was studied with light- and electronmicroscopical techniques. During the period of the nonstratified epithelium a pseudostratified epithelium is found in the dorso-cranial part, whereas the other areas possess a one-layered epithelium, which is, like the pseudostratified epithelium, transformed to a multilayered epithelium from the 7th week onwards. From the 9th week the period of the stratified epithelium starts with the formation of the stratum profundum and stratum superficiale. First signs of keratinization are seen in the superficial cells from 2.3 months onwards. With 4 months fetal cornified cells can be identified, with 5.5 months a single-layered stratum basale is seen on the differentiating papillar connective tissue, and the superficial cells are transformed to balloon-cells. In suprapapillar areas, a stratum spinosum is formed at the prenatal age of 7.5 months. During epitheliogenesis a horizontal and vertical differentiation of the cells can be observed. The first one includes the differentiation of undifferentiated, embryonal cells to the basal cells of the stratum profundum, the latter the development of the basal cells to spinous cells and then to fetal cornified and balloon-cells. The ultrastructural changes during the process of keratinization were especially considered.     

Application of urease inhibitor improves protein composition and bread‐baking quality of urea fertilized winter wheat

Background: Nitrogen losses is an economic problem for wheat production and a high risk to the environment. Therefore, improved N fertilizer management is a key to increasing the N efficiency and minimizing N losses. To increase N efficiency, enhanced fertilizers such as urea combined with urease inhibitor can be used. Aims: The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of different N forms on grain storage protein subunits in winter wheat and to examine whether the observed changes correlate with parameters of baking quality. Methods: The investigation was performed over two consecutive years at two locations in Germany. Protein subunits were analyzed by SDS‐PAGE. Results: Protein concentrations were similarly increased after fertilization with ammonium nitrate and urea + urease inhibitor. Analysis of the individual storage protein fractions indicated that both fertilizers specifically enhanced ω‐gliadins and HMW glutenins, but the effect was more pronounced in the ammonium nitrate treatment. Application of urea + urease inhibitor had greater influence on the protein composition and resulted in higher specific baking volume as well as the best fresh keeping ability, in comparison with urea treatment. Conclusion: Considering that the urea + urease inhibitor treatment resulted in almost comparable improvements of NUE and baking quality, with the additional benefit of reduced N losses in combination with easy handling, urea + urease inhibitor can be recommended as a viable alternative to both urea alone and ammonium nitrate treatments. This opens up an opportunity for the reduction of N loss in wheat production when use of urea is preferred.     

Effect of Incorporating White,Red or Black Quinoa Flours on Free and Bound Polyphenol Content,Antioxidant Activity and Colour of Bread

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Interest in quinoa as a functional food ingredient is currently emerging. The flours from white, red and black quinoa seeds were analysed in terms of total...     

Effect of fast protein liquid chromatography fractionated salivary gland extracts from different ixodid tick species on interleukin-8 binding to its cell receptors

Interleukin-8 plays a critical role in inflammatory processes. Hence generation of molecules with anti-IL-8 activity is likely to be important for successful feeding and for survival of the ticks. Anti-IL-8 activity was studied in saliva of three ixodid tick species--Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794), Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann, 1901, and Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius, 1794). The greatest activity was shown in saliva prepared from D. reticulatus. The activity was attributed to tick salivary gland molecules that bind to IL-8, preventing binding of the chemokine to its specific receptor, rather than to occupation of the IL-8 cell receptor by the tick molecules. The distribution of anti-IL-8 activity in fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) fractions of salivary gland extracts (SGE) derived from adult female D. reticulatus, R. appendiculatus and A. variegatum was compared directly by both ELISA and receptor-binding inhibition assays. The correspondence in results with fractions of SGE from ELISA is consistent with detection of tick molecules that inhibit IL-8 binding to its receptor. As IL-8 is an important chemoattractant and activator of neutrophils, the presence of an anti-IL-8 activity in tick saliva indicates that neutrophils play an important role in the host response to parasitism by ticks.