Effects of frozen storage on the quality characteristics of frozen whole buckwheat extruded noodles.

The effects of frozen storage (-18 °C, 180 days) on the quality of frozen whole buckwheat extruded noodles (FWBEN) were investigated. The water content of FWBEN decreased, while the reheating time, water absorption, and dry consumption rate increased with prolonged storage time. Cooking loss increased from 3.20% to 4.31%. Texture analysis indicated that the hardness initially increased, then decreased. Microstructure results showed that the starch gel structure was damaged to a certain extent after storage for a longer period of time, whereas the porous structure became non-uniform with the appearance of cracks. The relative crystallinity gradually increased, and the freezable water content decreased with prolonged storage. These results demonstrated that FWBEN quality was affected by starch retrogradation and ice recrystallization. In general, FWBEN quality was relatively stable during 180 days of frozen storage at -18 °C.

Effect of low temperature extrusion-modified potato starch addition on properties of whole wheat dough and texture of whole wheat youtiao.

In this study, low temperature extrusion-modified potato starch (MPS) was added to improve properties of whole wheat dough and textural quality of resulted youtiao. Extrusion temperature (60, 90 ℃) and barrel moisture content (30, 42 and 54%) were set as test variables. The results suggested that the low temperature extrusion processing caused moderate gelatinization and improved gel-forming properties of potato starch. MPS addition decreased the setback by up to 46%, and enhanced the viscoelasticity of whole wheat dough significantly. Compared to the whole wheat-based youtiao, the addition of 10% MPS decreased the hardness by up to 72%, and increased the springiness and specific volume by 32% and 22%, respectively. The addition of MPS prepared at lower extrusion temperature (60 ℃) and moderate moisture content (42%) resulted in the optimum textural qualities of whole wheat youtiao. This study will help better understand the role of MPS in whole wheat-based food product.

Fast and sensitive UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of typical α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes and malondialdehyde in various vegetable oils and oil-based foods.

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a method for simultaneously analyzing malondialdehyde (MDA) and two typical toxic α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes, 4-hydroxy-2-hexenal (HHE), and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS). The method possessed widely linear range (10-1000 ng/mL). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of MDA, HHE, and HNE were 2.0 and 5.0 ng/g, 2.0 and 5.0 ng/g, and 0.1 and 0.3 ng/g, respectively; the recovery rates all fall into 95.56-104.22 %. The method was sufficiently precise (<5%), and not affected by the analysis matrix. Application to 17 food products revealed total MDA, HHE, and HNE contents were 0.11-3.56, 0.05-3.32, and 0.09-3.70 µg/g, respectively. It will be useful in future research on the influence of food composition and main substrate structure on the generation and distribution of these three aldehydes and the implementation of corresponding control methods.

Tailoring morphologies of mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles to deliver high-loading radioiodine for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma imaging and therapy.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), as one of the most aggressive human malignancies, cannot be cured by 131iodine (131I) internal radiotherapy (RT) because the tumor cells cannot effectively take up 131I and are resistant to radiotherapy. In this study, a facile and simple method was proposed to synthesize mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles (MPDA) and tailor their morphologies by component-adjusting Pluronic micelle-guided polymerization. Then, MPDA were used not only as nanocarriers to radiolabel 131I, but also as photothermal conversion agents for photothermal therapy (PTT) to promote RT. The iodine-labeling capacity and photothermal conversion efficiency of MPDA can be enhanced by optimizing their morphologies. It was found that MPDA NPs with a cerebroid pore channel structure (CPDA) showed the highest iodine-carrying capacity and a higher photothermal conversion efficiency as a result of their maximum specific surface area and unique morphology. In subsequent experiments in vitro and in vivo, our ATC animal models showed impressive therapeutic responses to CPDA-131I NPs because of the synergistic effect of PTT and RT. Additionally, CPDA-125I NPs can be utilized to obtain high-quality SPETC/CT images of tumors, which can guide clinical therapy for ATC. Considering their great biosafety, these radioiodine-labeled CPDA NPs may serve as a promising tool in combined therapy and diagnosis in ATC.

Neuroprotective effect of combined use of nicotine and celecoxib by inhibiting neuroinflammation in ischemic rats.

INTRODUCTION: The contribution of neuroinflammation in cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs had been proven that it could improve cognitive impairment in large dose but with more side effect, which limited the application. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether the combined use of nicotine and celecoxib could obtain synergistic neuroprotective effect in ischemic rats. METHODS: Twenty adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent ischemic model surgery by injecting endothelin-1 into the left thalamus, which were classified into four groups with different interventions: nicotine (1.5 mg/kg/d), celecoxib (15 mg/kg/d), nicotine (1.5 mg/kg/d) +celecoxib (15 mg/kg/d), or saline after surgery. The other five SD rats also underwent same surgery by injecting saline instead of endothelin-1, as the control group. Morris water maze (MWM) test was adopted to assess the cognition. Micro PET/CT with 2-[18F]-A-85380 were performed for α4ß2-nAChRs detection in vivo. Western blot, real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining were adopted to detect the expression of α4ß2-nAChRs and inflammatory factors which included TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 in brain tissue. Microglial activation in the brain was monitored by immunofluorescence with IBA1 staining. RESULTS: The MWM test showed rats given with nicotine or celecoxib alone showed much better memory than rats with saline, no difference was observed between nicotine and celecoxib. The rat memory was recovered most significant when the nicotine and celecoxib were combined (p < 0.05). Micro-PET/CT showed much more tracer uptake in the left thalamus and whole brain in rats given with nicotine, or nicotine + celecoxib (nico + cele group) than saline treated rats, whereas the rats given celecoxib did not. Compared with saline treated rats, we found the proteins of α4nAChR and ß2nAChR in rats given nicotine or nico + cele increased significantly, and mRNA/proteins of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 decreased at the same time. The α 4nAChR and ß 2nAChR proteins in rats given celecoxib is the same as saline treated rats, whereas the inflammatory factors decreased obviously compared with saline treated rats. Microglial activation was confirmed in saline treated rats, which was inhibited in rats give nicotine, celecoxib or both. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed the combined use of nicotine and celecoxib may improve the cognitive function in ischemic rats, with a better effect than either alone. Both nicotine and celecoxib can inhibit inflammation, but through different mechanisms: nicotine can activate α4ß2-nAChRs while celecoxib is cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor. Our findings suggest the combined application of two drugs with different anti-inflammation mechanism could attenuate cognitive impairment more effectively in ischemic rats, which may hold therapeutic potential in the clinical practice.

Scutellarein induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion in ovarian cancer via inhibition of EZH2/FOXO1 signaling.

Scutellarein, a flavone found in the perennial herb Scutellaria baicalensis, has antitumorigenic activity in multiple human cancers. However, whether scutellarein can attenuate ovarian cancer (OC) is unclear. This study investigated the effects of scutellarein in OC. In vitro cell viability was assessed using MTT assay whereas proliferation was assessed using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis was detected by an Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assay. Wound-healing and Transwell assays were used to determine cell migration and invasion. The differential expression of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) was measured by Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis. We found that scutellarein inhibited viability, migration, invasion of A2780 and SKOV-3 cells, and reduced the expression of EZH2 in OC cells. In addition, FOXO1 was downregulated in OC tissues and cells and negatively regulated by EZH2. Also, scutellarein inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. In conclusion, scutellarein alleviates OC by the regulation of EZH2/FOXO1 signaling.

Qingfei oral liquid inhibited autophagy to alleviate inflammation via mTOR signaling pathway in RSV-infected asthmatic mice.

Qingfei oral liquid (QF) is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used to treat patients with viral pneumonia and asthma for decades. Our previous study revealed that QF prevents airway inflammation and reduces airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-infected asthmatic mice. RSV infection can exacerbate asthma in pediatric patients and induce autophagy, which leads to the promotion of inflammatory cytokine production in the pathology of this disease. The effect of QF on regulating autophagy in RSV-infected asthma patients has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we identified compounds of QF by HPLC-DAD-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The RSV infected OVA challenged mice, we evaluated the RSV-infected asthma model. We found that treatment with QF alleviated airway inflammation and mitigated airway AHR in RSV-infected asthmatic mice. In addition, we found that QF inhibited autophagosome formation and the expression of LC3 protein by using electron and laser confocal microscopy, respectively, to assess RSV-infected asthmatic mice lung tissues. Furthermore, QF was found to reduce the quantity of autophagy and its related proteins LC3B (light chain 3B), Beclin-1, p62 and Atg5 (autophagy-related gene 5) and downstream inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-13 via an action in mTOR-dependent signaling in vivo and in vitro. These findings suggest that QF can alleviate the inflammation caused by RSV infection in asthmatic mice, and its mechanism may be involved in the regulation of autophagy via the mTOR signaling pathway.

Chloride-mediated co-formation of 3-monochloropropanediol esters and glycidyl esters in both model vegetable oils and chemical model systems.

3-Monochloropropanediol esters (3-MCPDEs) and glycidyl esters (GEs) with high toxicity have drawn global concerns due to their widespread occurrence in refined oils and oil-based foods. The effect mechanisms of organic chlorine compound lindane, inorganic chlorine compounds tetra-n-butylammonium chloride (TBAC) and sodium chloride (NaCl) on the formation of 3-MCPDEs and GEs were investigated in model oils and chemical models at 240 °C. Results showed that 3-MCPDEs contents increased with the addition of lindane and TBAC, whereas, surprisingly, GEs presented the same tendency as the results of 3-MCPDEs. This suggested that although chlorine compounds were not involved in the formation reaction of GEs, they could also promote GEs formation. Chemical model experiments confirmed that the presence of chlorine compounds led to the transformation of GEs to 3-MCPDEs and conversely 3-MCPDEs could also transform to GEs. The latter transformation rate from 3-MCPDEs to GEs was higher than the former, which might account for the fact that chlorine compounds promoted GEs formation. Additionally, it was also observed that solid NaCl did not induce the increase of 3-MCPDEs and GEs levels in chemical models, suggesting that the chlorine in NaCl, different from lindane and TBAC, was not available for 3-MCPDEs formation. The present findings give novel insights into the interactions between 3-MCPDEs and GEs formation mechanisms, which offer the theoretical basis for efficient and simultaneous inhibition of 3-MCPDEs and GEs.

The inhibitory effects of sesamol and sesamolin on the glycidyl esters formation during deodorization of vegetables oils.

BACKGROUND: Glycidyl esters (GEs) have attracted worldwide attention for their potential harm to human health. The GEs in edible oils mainly form during the deodorization of the oil refining processes. We used sesamol and sesamolin to inhibit the formation of GEs in model corn oil (MCO), model palm oil (MPO) and model rice bran oil (MRO) during a deodorization process. RESULTS: The results showed that, in the three model oils, the total GE content was in the following order from highest to lowest: MRO (1437.98 µg kg-1 ) > MPO (388.64 µg kg-1 ) > MCO (314.81 µg kg-1 ). The inhibitory effect of the three antioxidants on the formation of GEs in the MCO was in the following order from strongest to weakest: tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) > sesamol > sesamolin. CONCLUSION: When the mass percentage of sesamol was 0.05%, its inhibition percentage on GEs was close to the inhibition percentage of 0.02% added TBHQ. The present study provides a foundation for understanding how to inhibit the formation of GEs in oils by adding sesamol during the deodorization process.

Kinetic Study and Degradation Mechanism of Glycidyl Esters in both Palm Oil and Chemical Models during High-Temperature Heating.

A kinetic model for glycidyl ester (GE) formation in both palm oil and chemical models during high-temperature heating was built to investigate the formation and degradation mechanisms of GEs in refined palm oil. The results showed that the formation and degradation of GEs followed pseudo-first-order reactions, and the rate constants of reaction kinetics followed the Arrhenius equation. The estimated activation energy of the GE degradation reaction (12.87 kJ/mol) was significantly lower than that of the GE formation reaction (34.58 kJ/mol), suggesting that GE degradation occurred more readily than formation. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) band intensities of epoxy and ester carboxyl groups decreased over heating time, while no band assigned to the cyclic acyloxonium group was found. Furthermore, no 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO)-cyclic acyloxonium radical adduct was detected by quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS). The above findings indicated that GEs were decomposed, fatty acid was also liberated, and GE degradation did not involve a cyclic acyloxonium intermediate. GEs were primarily decomposed into monoacylglycerol via ring-opening reaction during heating followed by fatty acid and glycerol via hydrolysis reaction.

Qingfei oral liquid alleviates airway hyperresponsiveness and mucus hypersecretion via TRPV1 signaling in RSV-infected asthmatic mice.

Pediatric asthma is exacerbated by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection, and Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) promotes production of inflammatory cytokines and mucus hypersecretion in the pathology of this disease. Our previous research revealed that Qingfei oral liquid (QF) inhibited airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in RSV-infected asthmatic mice models and that this may be associated with the TRPV1-regulation of NF-κB and Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) expression, but the exact mechanism is unknown. In the present study, LC-MS was used for analyzing the chemicals in QF, ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthmatic mice inhaled RSV three consecutive times to create an RSV-infected asthmatic model. We found treatment from QF alleviated airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and reduced congestion, edema, and infiltration of inflammatory cells into pulmonary tissues. Additionally, QF was found to decrease expression of NF-κB and its downstream inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, as well as a decrease in MUC5AC and pro-inflammatory cytokines in PKC via a reduction in Protein Kinase C-dependent signaling. These findings suggest that QF can alleviate AHR and mucus hypersecretion caused by RSV infection in asthmatic mice, and its mechanism may be associated with the regulation of the TRPV1 signaling pathway.

The effect of heating on the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-hexenal and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in unsaturated vegetable oils: Evaluation of oxidation indicators.

The formation of 4-hydroxy-2-hexenal (HHE) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) in vegetable oils and model oil systems were quantitatively assessed by RP-HPLC. Regardless of heating temperature, HHE was only detected in rapeseed and linseed oil, while HNE was detected in all tested oils. Intrinsic tocopherols suppressed HHE/HNE formation, but with similar inhibition rates (10.49-16.04%). Linear correlations were observed between HHE/HNE contents and corresponding n-3/6 fatty acid content in oils (R2 = 0.989/0.971). Model oil system revealed that HHE/HNE formation was closely related to methyl linolenate (MLN) and methyl linoleate (ML) contents. Low levels of ML (<0.5%) and MLN (<1.0%) did not lead to HHE/HNE formation. Therefore, HHE/HNE was classified as the characteristic aldehydes of n-3 and n-6 type oils, respectively. Heat map evaluation and regression analysis indicated HHE could predict the n-3 type oils oxidation, while HNE was a good indicator to estimate the oxidative deterioration of n-6 and n-9 type oils.

Effects of zein stabilized clove essential oil Pickering emulsion on the structure and properties of chitosan-based edible films.

Clove essential oil (CLO) Pickering emulsions were prepared with zein colloid particles as stabilizer, and the effects of CLO Pickering emulsion incorporation on the structure, mechanical, barrier and antimicrobial properties of chitosan-based edible films were explored. CLO Pickering emulsions with 3% w/v zein and 50% v/v CLO had smaller particle size and more even distribution. Incorporation of CLO Pickering emulsion in the films decreased the water vapor permeability and tensile strength, but the elongation at break firstly increased then decreased with the maximum value of 19.2% when the content of emulsion was 0.4%. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of microstructure-sized holes in the films by the addition of CLO Pickering emulsion. The emulsified oil droplets were uniformly distributed, due to the good compatibility between oil phase and chitosan matrix. The antimicrobial properties of the films were strengthened by CLO Pickering emulsion incorporation and mainly depended on its concentration.

Matrix-mediated distribution of 4-hydroxy-2-hexanal (nonenal) during deep-frying of chicken breast and potato sticks in vegetable oil.

In this study, the formation of two toxic reactive aldehydes, 4-hydroxy-2-hexenal (HHE) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), was investigated during frying of two different foodstuffs at 180 °C for 7 h in three different vegetable oils. The results showed that HHE and HNE content in the oil after frying was lower than that in the oil fried without foods. It was mainly because of the incorporation of HHE/HNE into the fried foods. In French Fries (FF), the HNE content was higher, whereas it was lower in the fried chicken breast meat (FCBM). The bidirectional model systems consisting of the model oil frying system and the model food frying system were used. The result of the model oil system showed that the content of HNE was higher in FF for the higher hydrophobic property than that in HHE, which would be preferably bounded into the hydrophobic helical structures, whereas the lower content of HNE was observed in FCBM due to its higher reactivity towards the nucleophilic group, namely, the protein in FCBM. Furthermore, the model food frying system including starch and protein extracted from the corresponding foodstuffs verified the results in the model oil system. Finally, the probable migration mechanism of HHE and HNE in different food matrices was proposed for the first time.

Characteristics Analysis Reveals the Progress of Volvariella volvacea Mycelium Subculture Degeneration.

Volvariella volvacea is a typical edible Basidiomycete with a high-temperature tolerance. It has a strong fibrinolysis capability and consumes abundant agricultural wastes. In agricultural cultivation, mycelial subculturing has been adopted, leading to serious strain degeneration. In this study, continuous mycelial subculturing of the common V. volvacea strain V971 (original strain recorded as M0) was performed in potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. One generation of the strain was preserved every 3 months (90 days); thus, six generations of degenerated strains (M1-M6) were obtained after 18 months of mycelial subculturing. The original and degenerated strains were preserved in sterile paraffin liquid at room temperature (18-25°C). The biological traits and nutrients of M0 and M1-M6 were studied. The mycelial growth rate and biomass initially increased and then decreased as the degeneration progressed, reaching minimum levels of 0.041 ± 0.001 cm/h and 1.82 ± 0.25 g, respectively, at M6. Additionally, the polysaccharide, protein, polyphenol, flavone, total amino acid, and total mineral element contents of the strains decreased continuously, reaching minimum levels of 30.12 ± 3.12 g/100 g, 26.42 ± 2.1 g/100 g, 1.08 ± 0.05 g/100 g, 4.23 ± 0.21 g/100 g, 12.51 mg/g, and 398.05 mg/kg, respectively, at M6. The decolorization capability of V. volvacea in liquid medium supplemented with bromothymol blue and lactose reflected the degree of strain degeneration, with the capability weakening as the degeneration intensified. These results are highly significant for V. volvacea production. The mycelial characteristics during subculture-associated degeneration were described and provide an early identification method for V. volvacea's degeneration.

Extruded whole buckwheat noodles: effects of processing variables on the degree of starch gelatinization, changes of nutritional components, cooking characteristics and in vitro starch digestibility.

The effects of processing variables on the degree of gelatinization (DG), changes of nutritional components, cooking characteristics and in vitro starch digestibility of extruded whole buckwheat noodles were investigated and Pearson's correlations were explored. Results showed that buckwheat noodles with different DG values were obtained by changing the extrusion temperature (T = 100, 120, 140 and 160 °C) and moisture content (M = 32%, 40% and 48%). Both the total flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) were decreased with the increase of extrusion temperature, while they had the highest retention value when extruded at a moisture content of 40%. Severe extrusion conditions (high temperature and high shear) significantly increased the soluble dietary fiber (SDF) content from 3.13% to 4.73%. The cooking qualities of buckwheat noodles such as the cooking loss, broken rate and texture characteristics were positively related to the DG, while noodles became over-cooked when the DG was higher than 87.96%, resulting in the deterioration of cooking quality. In vitro starch digestibility results showed that severe processing conditions promoted the susceptibility of the starches to enzyme hydrolysis and the predicted glycemic index (pGI) increased from 78.04 to 86.92. These findings indicated that appropriate extrusion processing variables are critical to produce whole buckwheat noodles from the nutritional and quality perspective.

Purification, Characterization, Prebiotic Preparations and Antioxidant Activity of Oligosaccharides from Mulberries.

A water-soluble oligosaccharide termed EMOS-1a was prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides purified from mulberries by column chromatography. The chemical structure of the purified fraction was investigated by ultraviolet spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which indicated that galactose was the main constituent of EMOS-1a. Chemical analyses showed that the uronic acid and sulfate content of EMOS-1a were 5.6% and 8.35%, respectively, while gel permeation chromatography showed that EMOS-1a had an average molecular weight of 987 Da. The antioxidant activities of EMOS-1a were next investigated, and EMOS-1a exhibited concentration-dependent 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power. The level of proliferation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus reached 1420 ± 16% when 4% (w/v) EMOS-1a was added, where the number of colonies in MRS (de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe) medium with no added oligosaccharide was defined as 100% proliferation. These results indicate that the oligosaccharide EMOS-1a could be used as a natural antioxidant in prebiotic preparations.

Effects of vitamin C on the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer in endometriosis: A randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate the effect of vitamin C (VitC) supplementation on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in patients with endometriosis (EMs). METHODS: A total of 280 patients with EMs underwent IVF-ET (VitC treatment group, n=160; VitC non-treatment group, n=120). An additional 150 patients who did not have EMs but underwent IVF-ET (control group) were also enrolled in this study. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured to determine the role of VitC on oxidative stress markers in serum and follicular fluid (FF). RESULTS: In total, 245 patients with EMs and 132 patients without EMs underwent successful IVF-ET and follow-up. The serum or FF levels of VitC, SOD, and TAC were lower in the EMs than control group; however, the MDA and ROS levels in serum or FF were higher in the EMs than control group. After 2 months of VitC treatment, the serum VitC levels in serum and FF were significantly increased, while oxidative stress markers were unaffected. CONCLUSION: Treatment with VitC oral formulation improved the serum and FF levels of VitC but did not affect oxidative stress markers in patients with EMs.

Adsorption Removal of Glycidyl Esters from Palm Oil and Oil Model Solution by Using Acid-Washed Oil Palm Wood-Based Activated Carbon: Kinetic and Mechanism Study.

Acid-washed oil palm wood-based activated carbon (OPAC) has been investigated for its potential application as a promising adsorbent in the removal of glycidyl esters (GEs) from both palm oil and oil model (hexadecane) solution. It was observed that the removal rate of GEs in palm oil was up to >95%, which was significantly higher than other adsorbents used in this study. In batch adsorption system, the adsorption efficiency and performance of acid-washed OPAC were evaluated as a function of several experimental parameters such as contact time, initial glycidyl palmitate (PGE) concentration, adsorbent dose, and temperature. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models were used to describe the adsorption equilibrium isotherm, and the equilibrium data were fitted best by the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity of acid-washed OPAC was found to be 36.23 mg/g by using the Langmuir model. The thermodynamic analysis indicated that the adsorption of PGE on acid-washed OPAC was an endothermic and physical process in nature. The experimental data were fitted by using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models. It was found that the kinetic of PGE adsorption onto acid-washed OPAC followed well the pseudo-second-order model for various initial PGE concentrations and the adsorption process was controlled by both film diffusion and intraparticle diffusion. The desorption test indicated the removal of GEs from palm oil was attributed to not only the adsorption of GEs on acid-washed OPAC, but also the degradation of GEs adsorbed at activated sites with acidic character. Furthermore, no significant difference between before and after PGE adsorption in oil quality was observed.

Toxic effects of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F on the reproductive system of adolescent male rats.

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. (TWHF) is a compound extracted from Lei Gong Teng (Thunder God Vine) that has been used to treat a variety of immune-related diseases in clinical practice, particularly in pediatrics. Nevertheless, clinical data indicated that glycosides from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (GTW) are toxic to the male reproductive system, but the mechanism is unknown. Here, the administration of a high dose of GTW for 4 weeks and a low dose for 12 weeks can reduce the body weights and testes weights in adolescent male rats. This effect is accompanied by a significantly reduction in the serum testosterone levels. Notably, short-term use of high-dose GTW or long-term use of low-dose GTW leads to testicular damage in adolescent male rats. Furthermore, the expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), P450 side chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), cytochrome P450 17-hydroxylase (P450c17), 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ß-HSD), and 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17ß-HSD) mRNAs and proteins in the testes was down-regulated by a short-term treatment with high-dose GTW and a long-term treatment with low-dose GTW. Therefore, GTW exhibit male reproductive toxicity in a concentration-and time-dependent manner by inhibiting the expression of the key enzymes and total cholesterol level involved in testosterone synthesis.