Response surface methodology (RSM) of chicken skin gelatin based composite films with rice starch and curcumin incorporation

This study aims to optimize the formulation of composite films based on chicken skin gelatin with incorporation of rice starch (10–20%, w/w) and curcumin (0.03–0.10%, w/v). The effect of their interaction on film's tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EAB), water vapor permeability (WVP) and antioxidant properties (DPPH%) were investigated using a response surface methodology-central composite design (RSM-CCD). The optimized film formulation was further validated to indicate the validity of the prediction model. The optimum conditions of the film were selected with incorporation of rice starch at 20% (w/w) and curcumin at 0.03% (w/v). The optimized film formulation has revealed better mechanical properties with low WVP value and good antioxidant activity. The results showed that optimized composite films formulation based on chicken skin gelatin with the incorporation of rice starch and curcumin has proving good validation of model prediction and can be effectively utilized in food packaging industry.     

磺酰脲类化合物在水稻田中的除草性能

水稻是我国重要的粮食作物,但杂草对水稻的产量和品质产生了严重影响。 化学防除是治理水稻田杂草最有效的途径。 文中设计合成了苯环2,6-取代和2,5-取代两个系列磺酰脲类化合物,并通过核磁共振波谱仪(NMR)和高分辨质谱仪(HRMS)等对其进行了结构表征。 通过水稻田除草活性和安全性测试发现化合物在水稻田中具有较好的除草活性,尤其是化合物10a对水稻田中的主要杂草稗草和醴肠除草活性(目测初筛防效大于90%)优于对照药醚苯磺隆和氯磺隆,安全性与之相当。     

Benefits of Anthocyanin-Rich Black Rice Fraction and Wood Sterols to Control Plasma and Tissue Lipid Concentrations in Wistar Kyoto Rats Fed an Atherogenic Diet

Background: This study reports on the relative effects of administrating a cyanidin-3-O-glucoside-rich black rice fraction (BRF), a standardized wood sterol mixture (WS), and a combination of both to lower plasma and target tissue lipid concentrations in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats fed atherogenic diets. Methods: Male WKY (n = 40) rats were randomly divided into five groups, which included a nonatherogenic control diet and atherogenic diets that included a positive control and atherogenic diets supplemented with BRF or WS, respectively, and a combination of both BRF + WS. Plasma and target tissue liver, heart and aorta cholesterol, and triacylglycerides (TAG) content were also measured. Results: Rats fed atherogenic diets exhibited elevated hyperlipidemia compared to counterparts fed nonatherogenic diets (p < 0.001); this effect was mitigated by supplementing the atherogenic diets with BRF and WS, respectively (p < 0.05). Combining BRF with WS to enrich the supplement lowered cholesterol similar to the WS effect (p < 0.05) and lowered TAG characteristic to the BRF effect (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Rats fed diets containing BRF or WS effectively mitigate the hypercholesterolemia and elevated TAG induced by feeding an atherogenic diet. The benefit of adding BRF + WS together is relevant to the lipid parameter measured and is target tissue-specific.     

Properties of High-Swelling Native Starch Treated by Heat–Moisture Treatment with Different Holding Times and Iterations

Tapioca and potato starches were used to investigate the effect of heat–moisture treatment (HMT; 95–96 °C, 0–60 min, 1–6 iterations) on gelatinization properties, swelling power (SP), solubility and pasting properties. Tapioca starch had similar content and degree of polymerization of amylose, but a higher amylopectin short/long chain ratio, to potato starch. After HMT, the gelatinization temperature range was narrowed for tapioca starch, but was widened for potato starch. Decreases in SP and solubility were less for tapioca than potato starches, coinciding with a progressive shift to the moderate-swelling pasting profile for tapioca but a drastic change to the restricted-swelling profile for potato. Moreover, decreasing extents of SP and maximum viscosity for HMT tapioca starch were, respectively, in the range of 47–63% and 0–36%, and those of HMT potato starch were 89–92% and 63–94%. These findings indicate that the granule expansion and viscosity change of starch during gelatinization can be tailored stepwise by altering the HMT holding time and iteration.     

Modification of Adhesive and Latex Properties for Starch Nanoparticle‐Based Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

Starch nanoparticle (SNP)‐based pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) with core‐shell particle morphology (starch nanoparticle core/acrylic polymer shell) are produced via seeded, semi‐batch emulsion polymerization at 15 wt% SNP loading (relative to total polymer weight) and 40 wt% latex solids. Crosslinker and chain transfer agent (CTA) are introduced to the acrylic shell polymer formulation at a range of concentrations according to a 3² factorial design to tailor the latex and adhesive properties of SNP‐based latexes. The crosslinker and CTA show no significant effect on polymerization kinetics, particle size, and viscosity. Latex gel content is predicted using an empirical model, which is a function of crosslinker and CTA concentration. Both the gel content and glass transition temperature strongly affect the adhesive properties (tack, peel strength, and shear strength) of the SNP‐based latex films. 3D response surfaces for the adhesive properties are constructed to facilitate the design of SNP‐based PSAs with desired properties.     

The starch modified montmorillonite for the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II) ions from aqueous solutions

In the present study, we attempted to synthesize a novel sorbent from the starch modified montmorillonite for the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Ni(II) ions from aqueous solutions. Structure and properties of the adsorbent were characterized by Fourier-transformed infrared(FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Field emission scanning electron microscopic (FE-SEM) techniques. Batch experiments were confirmed through the effect of different conditions including pH, contact time, initial metal concentration and adsorbent dose. Specifically, the optimum value of adsorbent dose was achieved as 20 g/l for the removal of almost metal ions. The adsorption data was fitted with the optimum pH value as 5 for all experiments. The contact time at which the uptake of maximum metal adsorption was observed within 45 min for Pb(II), 90 min for Cd(II), and 60 min for Ni(II). In addition, it was revealed in our study that the equilibrium data obeyed the Langmuir model, and the adsorption kinetic followed a pseudo second-order rate model. Obtained results were noticeable for a modified phyllosilicate adsorbent, and with such a simple and low-cost modification for montmorillonite, the potential of this material as an economical and effective adsorbent for the removal of metal ions from aqueous solution was considerably elevated.     

The effect of resistant starches on fat oxidation in healthy adults as measured by a 13CO2-breath test

A resistant starch (RS) mixture (MIX) consisting of fibre of potatoes (FP) and wrinkled pea starch (WPS), and high amylose maize starch (HAMS) were supplemented in adults to evaluate their effects on fat oxidation by means of a ¹³CO₂-breath test. Sixteen subjects received a regular diet either without or with the supplementation of MIX and HAMS in randomised order. After administration of a [U-¹³C]algal lipid mixture, exhaled air was collected over 14?h in 0.5- and 1-h intervals. The ¹³C abundances were measured by nondispersive infrared spectroscopy. In comparison to the dry run (DR), supplementation with MIX and with HAMS increased the cumulative percentage dose recovery: (DR: 16.7?%, MIX: 16.9?%, HAMS: 18.0?%), but without statistical significance. The colonic degradation of MIX and HAMS to short-chain fatty acids tends to lower the formation of carbohydrate-derived acetyl-CoA and contributes to a postprandial lipid oxidation increase by using fat-derived acetyl-CoA as a compensatory fuel source.     

Asymptotic Expansions for the Distribution of the Maximum of Gaussian Random Fields

Some asymptotic results are proved for the distribution of the maximum of a centered Gaussian random field with unit variance on a compact subset S of ^N . They are obtained by a Rice method and the evaluation of some moments of the number of local maxima of the Gaussian field above an high level inside S and on the border S. Depending on the geometry of the border we give up to N+1 terms of the expansion sometimes with exponentially small remainder. Application to waves maximum is shown.     

水稻压致变异和高压对水稻生长发育的影响

 将高收获指数型优质籼稻（Oryza sativa L.）品种“粤香占”种子在不同条件下进行了3个生长周期的高压种子处理和实验室种植试验。稻种经高压处理后,与对照样品相比,当代种子发芽和秧苗成长较慢且植株个体差异较大;后期生长较快,分蘖数及产量与对照样持平或有所增加。受压样品产生了4种新的植株变异,其中2种为不育植株,另外两种变异植株种植至F2及F3代,变异性状都能稳定遗传。表明高压不仅可以对水稻当代植株生理产生明显的影响,而且可以诱导水稻产生明显和稳定的可遗传变异。     

An efficient approach to synthesize polysaccharides‐graft‐poly(p‐dioxanone) copolymers as potential drug carriers

Starch and poly(p‐dioxanone) (PPDO) are the natural and synthetic biodegradable and biocompatible polymers, respectively. Their copolymers can find extensive applications in biomedical materials. However, it is very difficult to synthesize starch‐graft‐PPDO copolymers in common organic solvents with very good solubility. In this article, well‐defined polysaccharides‐graft‐poly(p‐dioxanone) (SA_n‐PPDO) copolymers were successfully synthesized via the ring‐opening polymerization of p‐dioxanone (PDO) with an acetylated starch (SA) initiator and a Sn(Oct)₂ catalyst in bulk. The copolymers were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H NMR, gel permeation chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), differential scanning calorimetry, and wide angle x‐ray diffraction. The in vitro degradation results showed that the introduction of SA segments into the backbone chains of the copolymers led to an enhancement of the degradation rate, and the degradation rate of SA_n‐PPDO increased with the increase of SA wt %. Microspheres with an average volume diameter of 20 μm, which will have potential applications in controlled release of drugs, were successfully prepared by using these new copolymers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5344–5353, 2009