Effect of Elicitation with Iron Chelate and Sodium Metasilicate on Phenolic Compounds in Legume Sprouts

Seven-day-old sprouts of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) were studied. The legume seeds and then sprouts were soaked each day for 30 min during 6 days with water (control) or mixture of Fe-EDTA and sodium silicate (Optysil), or sodium silicate (Na-Sil) alone. Germination and sprout growing was carried out at temperature 20 ± 2 °C in 16/8 h (day/night) conditions. Phenolic compounds (free, ester, and glycosides) content were determined by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS using a multiple reaction monitoring of selected ions. Flavonoids and phenolic acids were released from their esters after acid hydrolysis and from glycosides by alkaline hydrolysis. The presence and high content of (−)-epicatechin (EC) in fenugreek sprouts was demonstrated for the first time. Applied elicitors decreased the level of free EC in fenugreek and alfalfa sprouts but enhanced the content of its esters. Besides, elicitors decreased the content of quercetin glycosides in lentil and fenugreek sprouts but increased the content of quercetin and apigenin glycosides in alfalfa sprouts. The applied elicitors decreased the glycoside levels of most phenolic acids in lentil and p-hydroxybenzoic acid in fenugreek, while they increased the content of this acid in alfalfa. The mixture of iron chelate and sodium silicate had less effect on changes in flavonoid and phenolic acid content in legume sprouts than silicate alone. In general, the used elicitors increased the content of total phenolic compounds in fenugreek and alfalfa sprouts and decreased the content in lentil sprouts. Among the evaluated elicitors, Optysil seems to be worth recommending due to the presence of iron chelate, which can be used to enrich sprouts with this element.     

RNA Ligation for Mono and Dually Labeled RNAs

Labeled RNAs are invaluable probes for investigation of RNA function and localization. However, mRNA labeling remains challenging. Here, we developed an improved method for 3′-end labeling of in vitro transcribed RNAs. We synthesized novel adenosine 3′,5′-bisphosphate analogues modified at the N6 or C2 position of adenosine with an azide-containing linker, fluorescent label, or biotin and assessed these constructs as substrates for RNA labeling directly by T4 ligase or via postenzymatic strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC). All analogues were substrates for T4 RNA ligase. Analogues containing bulky fluorescent labels or biotin showed better overall labeling yields than postenzymatic SPAAC. We successfully labeled uncapped RNAs, NAD-capped RNAs, and 5′-fluorescently labeled m⁷Gp₃A_m-capped mRNAs. The obtained highly homogenous dually labeled mRNA was translationally active and enabled fluorescence-based monitoring of decapping. This method will facilitate the use of various functionalized mRNA-based probes.     

The Existing Methods and Novel Approaches in Mycotoxins’ Detection

Mycotoxins represent a wide range of secondary, naturally occurring and practically unavoidable fungal metabolites. They contaminate various agricultural commodities like cereals, maize, peanuts, fruits, and feed at any stage in pre- or post-harvest conditions. Consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated food and feed can cause acute or chronic toxicity in human and animals. The risk that is posed to public health have prompted the need to develop methods of analysis and detection of mycotoxins in food products. Mycotoxins wide range of structural diversity, high chemical stability, and low concentrations in tested samples require robust, effective, and comprehensible detection methods. This review summarizes current methods, such as chromatographic and immunochemical techniques, as well as novel, alternative approaches like biosensors, electronic noses, or molecularly imprinted polymers that have been successfully applied in detection and identification of various mycotoxins in food commodities. In order to highlight the significance of sampling and sample treatment in the analytical process, these steps have been comprehensively described.     

Cannabinoids—Characteristics and Potential for Use in Food Production

Scientific demonstrations of the beneficial effects of non-psychoactive cannabinoids on the human body have increased the interest in foods containing hemp components. This review systematizes the latest discoveries relating to the characteristics of cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa L. var. sativa, it also presents a characterization of the mentioned plant. In this review, we present data on the opportunities and limitations of cannabinoids in food production. This article systematizes the data on the legal aspects, mainly the limits of Δ9-THC in food, the most popular analytical techniques (LC-MS and GC-MS) applied to assay cannabinoids in finished products, and the available data on the stability of cannabinoids during heating, storage, and access to light and oxygen. This may constitute a major challenge to their common use in food processing, as well as the potential formation of undesirable degradation products. Hemp-containing foods have great potential to become commercially popular among functional foods, provided that our understanding of cannabinoid stability in different food matrices and cannabinoid interactions with particular food ingredients are expanded. There remains a need for more data on the effects of technological processes and storage on cannabinoid degradation.     

Synthesis and Preliminary Anticancer Activity Assessment of N-Glycosides of 2-Amino-1,3,4-thiadiazoles

The addition of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives with parallel iodination of differently protected glycals has been achieved using a double molar excess of molecular iodine under mild conditions. The corresponding thiadiazole derivatives of N-glycosides were obtained in good yields and anomeric selectivity. The usage of iodine as a catalyst makes this method easy, inexpensive, and successfully useable in reactions with sugars. Thiadiazole derivatives were tested in a panel of three tumor cell lines, MCF-7, HCT116, and HeLa. These compounds initiated biological response in investigated tumor models in a different rate. The MCF-7 is resistant to the tested compounds, and the cytometry assay indicated low increase in cell numbers in the sub- G1 phase. The most sensitive are HCT-116 and HeLa cells. The thiadiazole derivatives have a pro-apoptotic effect on HCT-116 cells. In the case of the HeLa cells, an increase in the number of cells in the sub-G1- phase and the induction of apoptosis was observed.     

Stereocontrolled Synthesis of Chiral Heteroaromatic Propellers with Small Optical Bandgaps

Chiral heteroaromatic propellers based on radially π‐extended hexapyrrolohexaazacoronenes were obtained in a concise synthesis from suitably functionalized donor–acceptor monopyrroles. To overcome steric hindrance, a new cyclodehydrogenation method was developed, and it uses bromine electrophiles as oxidative coupling agents instead of the commonly employed high‐potential oxidants. The new reaction offers high yields of propeller‐shaped targets, even for electron‐deficient precursors, and shows electrophile‐dependent stereoselectivity, with N‐bromosuccinimide and dibromine yielding, respectively D₆‐ and C₂‐symmetric products. The propeller azacoronenes are chiral and can be separated into configurationally stable enantiomers. In addition to providing steric bulk, peripheral functionalization considerably affects the electronic properties of the propellers, which exhibit reduced optical and electrochemical band gaps, and a more clearly defined electroreduction behavior.     

A numerical test of analytical methods for reduction of IR and MW spectra of NaCl chi1sigma+ to parameters of radial functions

Two methods for direct inversion of IR and MW spectra of diatomic molecules--a deformational self-consistent procedure (DS-cP) and a computer program RADIATOM based on hypervirial perturbation theory are tested numerically. The test calculations for NaCl chi1sigma+ confirm that the RADIATOM program does not produce sufficiently accurate radial parameters and energy term values for their export to other utilities employed in the spectral analysis of diatomic systems.     

Study of the correlation between the composition,structure and crystallization in frits designed for single fast-firing glazes with variable BaO content

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The paper presents the results of investigation on the development of frits for single fast-firing glazes with variable BaO content based on the...