Extraction of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Proteins from the Agarophyte Gelidium corneum Using Pulsed Power Techniques.

Gelidium corneum (syn. sesquipedale) is an industrially and ecologically important species of red alga used for the production of high-quality agar. However, the species is also of growing interest for the production of other valuable compounds, such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), with potential cosmeceutical and biomedical applications. Novel methods using two pulsed power techniques, high-voltage electrical discharges (HVED) and pulsed electrical fields (PEF), were evaluated for efficacy of MAA extraction. Algal suspensions were prepared at two ratios (1:20 and 1:40 w:v). Four different extraction protocols were compared: (i) high-voltage electrical discharges, (ii) pulsed electric fields, (iii) maceration at room temperature, and (iv) maceration at 50 °C. The algae were treated in three states: freshly harvested, dried, and powdered. HVED and PEF treatments were effective when performed on fresh algae, and in particular the HVED treatment resulted in yields of MAAs twenty times higher than the control: 0.81 ± 0.05 mg/gDry Weight (DW) vs. 0.037 ± 0.002 mg/gDW. This effect was not observed to the same extent when the algae were dried or powdered, although HVED remained the most selective method overall.

Improvement of Sinapine Extraction from Mustard Seed Meal by Application of Emerging Technologies.

Sinapine is a phenolic compound found in mustard (Brassica juncea) seed meal. It has numerous beneficial properties such as antitumor, neuroprotective, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects, making its extraction relevant. In this study, the extraction of sinapine was investigated using three methods: (i) from a mustard seed meal defatted by a supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) pretreatment, (ii) by the implementation of high-voltage electrical discharges (HVEDs), (iii) and by the use of ultrasound. The use of SC-CO2 pretreatment resulted in a dual effect on the valorization of mustard seed meal, acting as a green solvent for oil recovery and increasing the yield of extracted sinapine by 24.4% compared to the control. The combination of ultrasound and SC-CO2 pretreatment further increased the yield of sinapine by 32%. The optimal conditions for ultrasound-assisted extraction, determined through a response surface methodology, are a temperature of 75 °C, 70% ethanol, and 100% ultrasound amplitude, resulting in a sinapine yield of 6.90 ± 0.03 mg/g dry matter. In contrast, the application of HVEDs in the extraction process was not optimized, as it led to the degradation of sinapine even at low-energy inputs.

Real-Time Monitoring of the Atrazine Degradation by Liquid Chromatography and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry: Effect of Fenton Process and Ultrasound Treatment.

High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) was coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (uHPLC) to monitor atrazine (ATZ) degradation process of Fenton/ultrasound (US) treatment in real time. Samples were automatically taken through a peristaltic pump, and then analysed by HPLC-HRMS. The injection in the mass spectrometer was performed every 4 min for 2 h. ATZ and its degradation metabolites were sampled and identified. Online Fenton experiments in different equivalents of Fenton reagents, online US experiments with/without Fe2+ and offline Fenton experiments were conducted. Higher equivalents of Fenton reagents promoted the degradation rate of ATZ and the generation of the late-products such as Ammeline (AM). Besides, adding Fe2+ accelerated ATZ degradation in US treatment. In offline Fenton, the degradation rate of ATZ was higher than that of online Fenton, suggesting the offline samples were still reacting in the vial. The online analysis precisely controls the effect of reagents over time through automatic sampling and rapid detection, which greatly improves the measurement accuracy. The experimental set up proposed here both prevents the degradation of potentially unstable metabolites and provides a good way to track each metabolite.

Insights on the physico-chemical properties of alkali lignins from different agro-industrial residues and their use in phenol-formaldehyde wood adhesive formulation.

The current study investigates for the first time the physico-chemical performances of lignins from cactus waste seeds (CWS) and spent coffee (SC) in comparison to previously isolated lignins from sugar byproducts (bagasse (SCB) and beet pulp (SBP)). In this work, lignin-phenol formaldehyde (LPF) resins were formulated using various lignin loadings (5-30 wt%), characterized and applied in the manufacturing of plywood panels. Several characterization techniques were applied to identify the chemical and morphological properties, thermal stability, and phenolic content of the extracted lignins, as well as the bonding strength and wood failure of the formulated resins. Results showed that the CWS and SC could be considered as an important source for lignin recovery with a considerable yield of 15.46 % and 27.08 % and an important hydroxyl phenolic content of 1.26 mmol/g and 1.36 mmol/g for CWS and SC, respectively. Interestingly, 20 wt% of extracted lignins in PF adhesives were the optimal formulation showing an improved modulus of elasticity (MOE) of about 3505, 3536 and 3515 N/mm2, and a higher modulus of rupture (MOR) of about 55, 55 and 56 N/mm2 for panels containing CWS, SC and SCB-lignins, respectively, over the reference panels (MOE = 3198 N/mm2 and MOR = 48 N/mm2). Additionally, formaldehyde emission from plywood remarkably decreases by up to 20 % when lignin was incorporated into the PF matrix. Herein, the treatment of the CWS and SC for the extraction of alkali lignin and its application showed a new route to produce high added-value products from underused residues.

Degradation of Residual Herbicide Atrazine in Agri-Food and Washing Water.

Atrazine, an herbicide used to control grassy and broadleaf weed, has become an essential part of agricultural crop protection tools. It is widely sprayed on corn, sorghum and sugar cane, with the attendant problems of its residues in agri-food and washing water. If ingested into humans, this residual atrazine can cause reproductive harm, developmental toxicity and carcinogenicity. It is therefore important to find clean and economical degradation processes for atrazine. In recent years, many physical, chemical and biological methods have been proposed to remove atrazine from the aquatic environment. This review introduces the research works of atrazine degradation in aqueous solutions by method classification. These methods are then compared by their advantages, disadvantages, and different degradation pathways of atrazine. Moreover, the existing toxicological experimental data for atrazine and its metabolites are summarized. Finally, the review concludes with directions for future research and major challenges to be addressed.

Mechanical damage and thermal effect induced by ultrasonic treatment in olive leaf tissue. Impact on polyphenols recovery.

The influence of ultrasound treatment (US) on cellular damage of olive leaf tissue was studied. Mechanical damage and thermal effect of US were characterized. The level of tissue damage was defined by the diffusivity disintegration index ZD based on the diffusivity of solutes extracted from olive leaves differently treated. The Arrhenius form using the temperature dependences of the thermal treatment time within the temperature interval 20-90 °C was observed for the thermal process. The corresponding activation energy ΔUT was estimated as 57 kJ/mol. The temperature dependences of electrical conductivity were measured for extracts of intact and maximally treated olive leaves. Then the diffusivity disintegration index ZD and total phenolic compounds recovery for three studied US powers were calculated (100, 200, and 400 W). The results evidenced that the mechanically stimulated damage in olive leaf tissue can occur even at a low US power of 100 W if treatment time is long enough (t = 3.5 h). The US treatment noticeably accelerated the diffusion process mechanically in addition to its thermal effect. Trials in aqueous solution revealed the dependence of polyphenols extraction on damage level with respect to the US power applied.

Neutrophils from hereditary hemochromatosis patients are protected from iron excess and are primed.

Iron is required for the oxidative response of neutrophils to allow the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, neutrophil function may be severely altered in conditions of iron overload, as observed in chronically transfused patients. Therefore, a tight regulation of neutrophil iron homeostasis seems to be critical for avoiding iron toxicity. Hepcidin is the key iron regulator in organisms; however, no studies have investigated its role in maintaining neutrophil iron homeostasis or characterized neutrophil function in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), a common iron overload genetic disorder that results from a defect in hepcidin production. To explore these issues, we studied 2 mouse models of iron overload: an experimentally induced iron overload model (EIO), in which hepcidin is increased, and a genetic HH model of iron overload with a deletion of hepatic hepcidin. We found that iron-dependent increase of hepatic hepcidin results in neutrophil intracellular iron trapping and consecutive defects in oxidative burst activity. In contrast, in both HH mouse models and HH patients, the lack of hepcidin expression protects neutrophils from toxic iron accumulation. Moreover, systemic iron overload correlated with a surprising neutrophil priming and resulted in a more powerful oxidative burst. Indeed, important factors in neutrophil priming and activation, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 are increased in the plasma of HH patients and are associated with an increase in HH neutrophil phagocytosis capacity and a decrease in L-selectin surface expression. This is the first study to characterize neutrophil iron homeostasis and associated functions in patients with HH.

Hepatospecific ablation of p38α MAPK governs liver regeneration through modulation of inflammatory response to CCl4-induced acute injury.

Mammalian p38α MAPK (Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase) transduces a variety of extracellular signals that regulate cellular processes, such as inflammation, differentiation, proliferation or apoptosis. In the liver, depending of the physiopathological context, p38α acts as a negative regulator of hepatocyte proliferation as well as a promotor of inflammatory processes. However, its function during an acute injury, in adult liver, remains uncharacterized. In this study, using mice that are deficient in p38α specifically in mature hepatocytes, we unexpectedly found that lack of p38α protected against acute injury induced by CCl4 compound. We demonstrated that the hepatoprotective effect alleviated ROS accumulation and shaped the inflammatory response to promote efficient tissue repair. Mechanistically, we provided strong evidence that Ccl2/Ccl5 chemokines were crucial for a proper hepatoprotective response observed secondary to p38α ablation. Indeed, antibody blockade of Ccl2/Ccl5 was sufficient to abrogate hepatoprotection through a concomitant decrease of both inflammatory cells recruitment and antioxidative response that result ultimately in higher liver damages. Our findings suggest that targeting p38α expression and consequently orientating immune response may represent an attractive approach to favor tissue recovery after acute liver injury.

Green extraction of polyphenols from grapefruit peels using high voltage electrical discharges, deep eutectic solvents and aqueous glycerol.

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) and aqueous glycerol were proposed as green alternatives to conventional solvents for the extraction of polyphenols from grapefruit peels. In order to increase the extraction kinetics and yields of polyphenols, high voltage electrical discharges (HVED) were used as a pre-treatment technology (energy varied between 7.27 and 218 kJ/kg). Results showed that the HVED energy input can be reduced, when the subsequent solid-liquid extraction was performed in 20% (w/v) aqueous glycerol or in DES (lactic acid: glucose) instead of water. The addition of glycerol has reduced the energy of the pre-treatment by 6 times. The same diffusivity of polyphenols (4 × 10-11 m2/s) was obtained in water from HVED pre-treated peels at 218 kJ/kg and in aqueous glycerol from pre-treated peels at 36 kJ/kg. The solubility of naringin, the main flavonoid compound of grapefruit peels in the solvents, was investigated through a theoretical modelling of its Hansen solubility parameters.

Ultrasound assisted purification of polyphenols of apple skins by adsorption/desorption procedure.

The ultrasound (US) assisted purification of polyphenols of apple skins by adsorption/desorption on the poly-aromatic Amberlite adsorbent XAD-16 was studied. The adsorption steps were done at different temperatures (T = 25-40 °C) with application of US at different intensities (P = 0-400 W). The desorption steps were tested in aqueous ethanol solution at different concentrations of ethanol (Cet = 0-96%). The isotherm of polyphenol adsorption was well described using the Freundlich model. The data on adsorption kinetics and static isotherm evidenced the presence of adsorption on heterogeneous surface with broad distribution of adsorption times that can depend on content of polyphenols in the solutions and applied power of sonication. The studies of desorption revealed the optimum desorption efficiency of polyphenols at 50% concentration of ethanol. The desorption ratio was positively affected by the sonication during the adsorption step. The highest adsorption/desorption efficiency (recovery) was observed for polyphenols as compared with proteins and soluble matter content and it reached of ≈30.6% (0 W) and 68.9% (50 W) in absence and presence of sonication, respectively. The effects of high US power on the damage of XAD-16 were discussed. The obtained data evidenced on good perspective of application of adsorption/desorption procedure assisted by sonication for purification of polyphenols from apple skin extracts.

Correlations between disintegration degree of fruit skin cells induced by ultrasound and efficiency of bio-compounds extraction.

The ultrasound (US) assisted extraction of bio-compounds from different fruit skins (apples, bananas and persimmons) was studied. The aqueous suspensions of skins were treated by US with different energy inputs (0.033-0.299 kW·h/kg) and total time of aqueous extraction was up to 2700 s. The ionic, Zi, and total polyphenol, Zp, extraction indexes of the liquid extracts were analyzed. From microscopic images the cell wall disintegration index, Zm, was determined. Increase in US energy input caused the increase of values of Zi, Zp and Zm. The correlations between extraction parameters and the disintegration index, Zm, were discussed.

High voltage electrical discharges combined with enzymatic hydrolysis for extraction of polyphenols and fermentable sugars from orange peels.

Orange peels are a biomass rich in carbohydrates and polyphenols and characterized by their low lignin content. This work focuses on finding the best combination between physical and biological treatments to enhance the extraction of fermentable sugars and polyphenols. High voltage electrical discharges (HVED) (0 to 900 kJ/kg) or enzymatic hydrolysis with Viscozyme® L (12 FBGU/g) were applied on fresh or defatted orange peels for the extraction of polyphenols and fermentable sugars. An HVED energy input of 222 kJ/kg was optimal for the extraction of reducing sugars (19 g/100 g DM) and polyphenols (0.7 g/100 g DM). However, enzymatic hydrolysis allowed a higher extraction of reducing sugars (50 g/100 g DM). HVED were then applied prior or simultaneously to enzymatic hydrolysis to maximize the extraction of biomolecules from orange peels. Thus, the results clearly showed that the HVED pretreatment of orange peels is efficient to enhance the accessibility of cellulosic biomass to enzymes. HVED (222 kJ/kg) prior to enzymatic hydrolysis (12 FBGU/g), was the most effective combination of these two processes to get an intensive extraction of biomolecules from orange peels.

LKB1 as a Gatekeeper of Hepatocyte Proliferation and Genomic Integrity during Liver Regeneration.

Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is involved in several biological processes and is a key regulator of hepatic metabolism and polarity. Here, we demonstrate that the master kinase LKB1 plays a dual role in liver regeneration, independently of its major target, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). We found that the loss of hepatic Lkb1 expression promoted hepatocyte proliferation acceleration independently of metabolic/energetic balance. LKB1 regulates G0/G1 progression, specifically by controlling epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Furthermore, later in regeneration, LKB1 controls mitotic fidelity. The deletion of Lkb1 results in major alterations to mitotic spindle formation along the polarity axis. Thus, LKB1 deficiency alters ploidy profile at late stages of regeneration. Our findings highlight the dual role of LKB1 in liver regeneration, as a guardian of hepatocyte proliferation and genomic integrity.

Current and New Insights in the Sustainable and Green Recovery of Nutritionally Valuable Compounds from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.

The South American plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a great source of noncaloric sweeteners (steviol glycosides), mainly concentrated in its leaves, but also has important antioxidant compounds (vitamin C, polyphenols, chlorophylls, and carotenoids) and other important macro- and micronutrients such as folic acid and all of the essential amino acids except tryptophan. Traditionally, conventional methods have been used to recover nutritionally valuable compounds from plant food matrices. However, nowadays, the need for obtaining greener, sustainable, and viable processes has led both food industries and food scientists to develop new processes in full correspondence with the green extraction concept. This review focuses on some of the most promising nonconventional and emerging technologies, which may constitute a potential alternative to conventional methods or even could be combined to obtain a synergistic effect, thus reducing extraction time as well as solvent consumption and avoiding the use of toxic solvents.

Electrically assisted extraction of soluble matter from chardonnay grape skins for polyphenol recovery.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) and high-voltage electrical discharges (HVED) application on the efficiency of aqueous extraction of total soluble matter and polyphenols from grape skins ( Vitis vinifera L.) at different temperatures within 20-60 degrees C. The highest level of polyphenol concentration C was reached after about 60 min of extraction for HVED treatment: C(HVED) = 21.4 +/- 0.8 micromol of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g of dry matter (DM). Almost the same level of C was reached after 180 min of extraction for the PEF-treated skins. These levels exceeded the value C = 19.1 +/- 0.5 micromol of GAE/g of DM for the untreated samples. The difference between degrees Brix values for HVED-treated and untreated systems decreased with temperature increase (from 40 to 60 degrees C), but a large difference in the total amount of polyphenols was observed for HVED-treated and untreated systems. The activation energies were W(u) = 31.3 +/- 3.7 kJ/mol and W(PEF) = 28.9 +/- 5.5 kJ/mol for untreated and PEF-treated systems, respectively.