The number and position of unsaturated bonds in aliphatic aldehydes affect the cysteine-glucose Maillard reaction: Formation mechanism and comparison of volatile compounds.

Nonanal, (E)-2-nonenal, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, and (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal were used to reveal the effect of the number and position of unsaturated bond in aliphatic aldehydes on Maillard reaction for the generation of 88 stewed meat-like volatile compounds. The results showed that (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal and (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal exhibited greater inhibition of the cysteine reaction with glucose than nonanal and (E)-2-nonenal. However, the positions of the unsaturated bonds in aliphatic aldehydes in the Maillard reaction stage were similar. A carbohydrate module labeling approach was used to present the formation pathways of 34 volatile compounds derived from the Maillard reaction with aliphatic aldehyde systems. The number and position of unsaturated bonds in aliphatic aldehydes generate multiple pathways of flavor compound formation. 2-Propylfuran and (E)-2-(2-pentenyl)furan resulted from aliphatic aldehydes. 5-Butyldihydro-2(3H)-furanone and 2-methylthiophene were produced from the Maillard reaction. 2-Furanmethanol, 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde, and 5-methyl-2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde were derived from the interaction of aliphatic aldehydes and the Maillard reaction. In Particular, the addition of aliphatic aldehydes changed the formation pathway of 2-propylthiophene, thieno[3,2-b]thiophene, and 2,5-thiophenedicarboxaldehyde. Heatmap and PLS-DA analysis could discriminate volatile compound compositions of the five systems and screen the marker compounds differentiating volatile compounds.

A Review of Plant Selenium-Enriched Proteins/Peptides: Extraction, Detection, Bioavailability, and Effects of Processing.

As an essential trace element in the human body, selenium (Se) has various physiological activities, such as antioxidant and anticancer activity. Selenium-enriched proteins/peptides (SePs/SePPs) are the primary forms of Se in plants and animals, and they are the vital carriers of its physiological activities. On the basis of current research, this review systematically describes the extraction methods (aqueous, alkaline, enzymatic, auxiliary, etc.) and detection methods (HPLC-MS/MS, GC-ICP-MS, etc.) for SePs/SePPs in plants. Their bioavailability and bioactivity, and the effect of processing are also included. Our review provides a comprehensive understanding and theoretical guidance for the utilization of selenium-enriched proteins/peptides.

A Novel 5-Chloro-N-phenyl-1H-indole-2-carboxamide Derivative as Brain-Type Glycogen Phosphorylase Inhibitor: Potential Therapeutic Effect on Cerebral Ischemia.

Brain-type glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors are potential new drugs for treating ischemic brain injury. In our previous study, we reported compound 1 as a novel brain-type glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor with cardioprotective properties. We also found that compound 1 has high blood-brain barrier permeability through the ADMET prediction website. In this study, we deeply analyzed the protective effect of compound 1 on hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, finding that compound 1 could alleviate the hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury of astrocytes by improving cell viability and reducing LDH leakage rate, intracellular glucose content, and post-ischemic ROS level. At the same time, compound 1 could reduce the level of ATP in brain cells after ischemia, improve cellular energy metabolism, downregulate the degree of extracellular acidification, and improve metabolic acidosis. It could also increase the level of mitochondrial aerobic energy metabolism during brain cell reperfusion, reduce anaerobic glycolysis, and inhibit apoptosis and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. The above results indicated that compound 1 is involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism, can control cell apoptosis, and has protective and potential therapeutic effects on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, which provides a new reference and possibility for the development of novel drugs for the treatment of ischemic brain injury.

Influence of Selenium Biofortification of Soybeans on Speciation and Transformation during Seed Germination and Sprouts Quality.

Selenium (Se) biofortification during seed germination is important not only to meet nutritional demands but also to prevent Se-deficiency-related diseases by producing Se-enriched foods. In this study, we evaluated effects of Se biofortification of soybeans on the Se concentration, speciation, and species transformation as well as nutrients and bioactive compounds in sprouts during germination. Soybean (Glycine max L.) seedlings were cultivated in the dark in an incubator with controlled temperature and water conditions and harvested at different time points after soaking in Se solutions (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 mg/L). Five Se species and main nutrients in the sprouts were determined. The total Se content increased by 87.3 times, and a large portion of inorganic Se was transformed into organic Se during 24 h of germination, with 89.3% of the total Se was bound to soybean protein. Methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys) and selenomethionine (SeMet) were the dominant Se species, MeSeCys decreased during the germination, but SeMet had opposite trend. Se biofortification increased contents of total polyphenol and isoflavonoid compounds and amino acids (both total and essential), especially in low-concentration Se treatment. In conclusion, Se-enriched soybean sprouts have promising potential for Se supplementation and as functional foods.

Remediation of 1-Nitropyrene in Soil: A Comparative Study with Pyrene.

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nPAHs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants, which exhibits higher toxicity than their corresponding parent PAHs (pPAHs). Recent studies demonstrated that the nPAHs could represent major soil pollution, however the remediation of nPAHs has been rarely reported. In this study, biological, physical, and chemical methods have been applied to remove 1-nitropyrene, the model nPAH, in contaminated soil. A comparative study with pyrene has also been investigated and evaluated. The results suggest that the physical method with activated carbon is an efficient and economical approach, removing 88.1% and 78.0% of 1-nitropyrene and pyrene respectively, within one day. The zero-valent ion has a similar removal performance on 1-nitropyrene (83.1%), converting 1-nitropyrene to 1-aminopyrene in soil via chemical reduction and decreasing the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of 1-nitropyrene. Biological remediation that employs scallion as a plant model can reduce 55.0% of 1-nitropyrene in soil (from 39.6 to 17.8 µg/kg), while 77.9% of pyrene can be removed by plant. This indicates that nPAHs might be more persistent than corresponding pPAHs in soil. It is anticipated that this study could draw public awareness of nitro-derivatives of pPAHs and provide remediation technologies of carcinogenic nPAHs in soil.

Citrus sinensis MYB Transcription Factor CsMYB85 Induce Fruit Juice Sac Lignification Through Interaction With Other CsMYB Transcription Factors.

Varieties of Citrus are commercially important fruits that are cultivated worldwide and are valued for being highly nutritious and having an appealing flavor. Lignification of citrus fruit juice sacs is a serious physiological disorder that occurs during postharvest storage, for which the underlying transcriptional regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we identified and isolated a candidate MYB transcription factor, CsMYB85, that is involved in the regulation of lignin biosynthesis in Citrus sinensis, which has homologs in Arabidopsis and other plants. We found that during juice sac lignification, CsMYB85 expression levels increase significantly, and therefore, suspected that this gene may control lignin biosynthesis during the lignification process. Our results indicated that CsMYB85 binds the CsMYB330 promoter, regulates its expression, and interacts with CsMYB308 in transgenic yeast and tobacco. A transient expression assay indicated that Cs4CL1 expression levels and lignin content significantly increased in fruit juice sacs overexpressing CsMYB85. At4CL1 expression levels and lignin content were also significantly increased in Arabidopsis overexpressing CsMYB85. We accordingly present convincing evidence for the participation of the CsMYB85 transcription factor in fruit juice sac lignification, and thereby provide new insights into the transcriptional regulation of this process in citrus fruits.

"Off-On" fluorescent sensing of organophosphate pesticides using a carbon dot-Au(iii) complex.

Herein, we report novel "off-on" fluorescent sensing of organophosphate pesticides using a carbon dot (CD)-Au(iii) complex/acetylcholinesterase (AChE) system. The above sensor utilizes the quenching of CD fluorescence by Au(iii) and its subsequent recovery by thiocholine, which is generated by AChE-catalyzed hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine (ATCh) and effectively scavenges Au(iii). In the presence of organophosphates, the catalytic activity of AChE is inhibited, allowing these species to be quantified based on the decreased recovery of CD fluorescence intensity. The developed sensor was used to analyze a real pesticide-spiked sample (4.48 µM), achieving a recovery of 99.85% and exhibiting a linear response range of 0.45-44.80 µM.

Concentrations of Inorganic Arsenic in Milled Rice from China and Associated Dietary Exposure Assessment.

Total arsenic (As) and inorganic As (Asi) in milled rice (n = 1653) collected from China were studied to evaluate the contamination level, distribution, and health risks. The mean concentrations of the total As and Asi were 116.5 and 90.9 µg/kg, respectively. There were significant differences (P < 0.01) between the 11 provinces, and 1.1% of samples exceeded the maximum contaminant level established by Chinese legislation. According to the exposure assessment method of probabilistic simulation, all values of the target hazard quotients (THQs) for chronic noncarcinogenic risks (skin lesions as the point of departure) were below 1, suggesting that the Chinese population will not encounter a significant noncarcinogenic risk. However, the mean values of margin of exposure (MOE) for lung cancer risks ranging from 3.86 to 8.54 were under 100 for all age groups and genders of the Chinese population; moreover, MOE values for some major rice-producing and -consuming countries, such as Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh, and the United States, were all also below 100. More attention should be paid to carcinogenic risks from rice Asi intake, and some control measures to reduce rice Asi intake should be taken.

Assessment of homogeneity and minimum sample mass for cadmium analysis in powdered certified reference materials and real rice samples by solid sampling electrothermal vaporization atomic fluorescence spectrometry.

To optimize analytical quality controls of solid sampling electrothermal vaporization atomic fluorescence spectrometry (SS-ETV-AFS), the homogeneity (H(E)) of rice samples and their minimum sample mass (M) for cadmium analysis were evaluated using three certified reference materials (CRMs) and real rice samples. The effects of different grinding degrees (particle sizes <0.85, <0.25, <0.15, and >1 mm) on H(E) and M of real rice samples were also investigated. The calculated M values of three CRMs by the Pauwels equation were 2.19, 19.76, and 3.79 mg. The well-ground real rice samples (particle size <0.25 mm) demonstrated good homogeneity, and the M values were 3.48-4.27 mg. On the basis of these results, the Cd concentrations measured by the proposed method were compared with the results by microwave digestion graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with a 0.5 g sample mass. There was no significant difference between these two methods, which meant that SS-ETV-AFS could be used to accurately detect Cd in rice with several milligrams of samples instead of the certified value (200 mg) or the recommended mass (200-500 mg) of the methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists.