Effect of starch-protein interaction on regulating the digestibility of waxy rice starch under radio frequency treatment with added CaCl2.

This study investigated the effect of starch-protein interaction on regulating the digestibility of waxy rice starch under radio frequency (RF) treatment with added salts. The results showed that starch-protein interactions could significantly reduce the digestibility of waxy rice starch (WRS) under synergetic Ca2+-RF treatment. With the increase of Ca2+ content (0-2 %), the resistant starch content of WRS-WPI, WRS-SPI and WRS-PPI increased from 35.53 %, 36.12 % and 38.78 % to 51.05 %, 52.82 % and 55.93 %, respectively. The addition of appropriate Ca2+ content could increase the short-range ordered structure and lamella structure and form a more compact and uniform microstructure. In addition, the interaction between WRS and protein was mainly through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions during RF treatment. Furthermore, the presence of Ca2+ could improve the distribution and mobility of water molecules and regulate the rheological properties of WRS-protein complexes. This study offers theoretical guidance for the design and production of rice starch-based products with lower digestibility.

Reduction of intestinal fat digestion and absorption by ß-glucan secreted by Rhizobium pusense via interference in triglyceride hydrolysis.

In this study, the ability of ß-glucan extracted from Rhizobium pusense to reduce digestion and absorption of ingested fat was systematically investigated via in vitro and in vivo experiments. Specifically, in in vitro gastrointestinal simulations, when ß-glucan was added to a high-fat food model, the concentration of free fatty acids (FFAs) were remarkably decreased. An in vitro intestinal epithelial cell model demonstrated that addition of ß-glucan can significantly reduce the translocation of triglycerides (TGs) and FFAs. In in vivo experiments, a high-fat food model with the addition of ß-glucan showed a significant reduction in postprandial serum TG elevation. Confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis showed that when ß-glucan was added to a cream sample, both coalescence and disappearance of lipid droplets were reduced, and the distribution of oil droplets was very consistent with the distribution of ß-glucan positions. This suggests the main mechanism for this effect: the coagulation of lipid droplets by ß-glucan leads to a reduction in the available surface area for lipase binding. All these findings suggest that ß-glucan could potentially be used as a food additive or supplement to reduce the absorption of ingested fat and thus aid in weight loss and the treatment of diseases caused by TGs.

Structural characterization of a water-soluble and antimicrobial ß-glucan secreted by Rhizobium pusense.

In this study, a bacterium with the ability to extracellularly produce a water-soluble polysaccharide (with high molecular mass of 743 kDa) was obtained from saline soils. This strain named as ZB01 was identified as Rhizobium punsense by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The monomer composition and structure of extracellular polysaccharides were investigated by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography-pulsed amperometric detector, Fourier-transform infrared, methylation and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis. In addition, the morphological characterization of extracellular polysaccharides was performed by scanning electron microscopy analysis. As a result, the polysaccharide is found to be a novel water-soluble type of glucan most likely consisting of repeating two ß-d-Glcp-(1 â†’ 3) and one α-d-Glcp-(1 â†’ 3). Furthermore, it showed pronounced antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, suggesting it has the potential to be used as a natural antibacterial agent in the future.

Microstructure, Digestibility and Physicochemical Properties of Rice Grains after Radio Frequency Treatment.

Radio frequency (RF) energy has been successfully applied to rice drying, sterilization, and controlling pests. However, the effects of RF treatment on the microstructure, physicochemical properties, and digestibility of rice have rarely been studied. This study investigated the alteration of a multiscale structure, pasting, rheology, and digestibility of rice grains after the RF treatment. A microstructure analysis demonstrated that the RF treatment caused starch gelatinization and protein denaturation in rice grains with an increasing treatment time. After the RF treatment, indica and japonica rice (IR and JR) remained as A-type crystals, with the formation of an amylose-lipid complex. In contrast, the crystalline structure of waxy rice (WR) was disrupted. The RF treatment led to a decrease in crystallinity and short-range ordered structures. However, the DSC results indicated that the RF treatment enhanced the To, Tp, and Tc of IR and JR. The RF treatment resulted in an increase in the resistant starch (RS) of IR and JR, thereby reducing the digestibility. In addition, the pasting profiles of IR and JR after RF treatment were reduced with the increase in treatment time, while the RF-treated WR showed an opposite trend. The storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″) of all samples after the RF treatment obviously increased compared to the control.

The Application Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Nursing on General Anesthesia Combined with Epidural Anesthesia and Electric Resection for the Treatment of Bladder Cancer and Its Influence on Tumor Markers.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of traditional Chinese medicine nursing on general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia and electric resection to treat bladder cancer and its influence on tumor markers. METHODS: A total of 160 patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who underwent general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia and resection were included in this study. The patients were divided into control group (n = 80) and study group (n = 80) according to the random number table method. The control group received hydroxycamptothecin bladder perfusion therapy, and the study group received traditional Chinese medicine nursing combined with hydroxycamptothecin bladder perfusion therapy. The clinical efficacy, three-year cumulative survival rate, and postoperative recurrence rate of the two groups of patients were detected. The levels of tumor markers including vascular endothelial growth factor (VECF) and bladder tumor antigen (BTA) before and after treatment were also tested. The immune function, inflammatory factor levels, and quality of life of the two groups before and after treatment were evaluated. RESULTS: The total effective rate of the study group (83.75%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (58.75%). After treatment, the serum VEGF and BTA levels, inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels of the two groups of patients decreased, and the decrease in the study group was more significant than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ in the two groups increased (P < 0.05), and the increase in the study group was more significant than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the CD8+ levels of the two groups of patients decreased (P < 0.05), and the decrease in the study group was more significant than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the quality-of-life scores in both groups increased (P < 0.05), and the increase in the study group was even more significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Traditional Chinese medicine nursing has significant clinical effects on the treatment of bladder cancer with general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia and electric resection. It can more effectively prevent the risk of recurrence of bladder cancer after surgery, significantly improve the quality of life, improve immune system function, regulate the levels of VECF and BTA, effectively reduce the level of serum inflammatory factors, inhibit tumor progression, and reduce tumor viability.

Blastosporiumpersicolor gen. et sp. nov., a new helotialean fungus.

A new genus and species, Blastosporiumpersicolor, is described and illustrated from leaves of mildewed tobacco. It is characterised by branched, septate hyphae from which arise macronematous, unbranched or spaced branched conidiophores and mono- or polyblastic conidiogenous cells that produced solitary and blastocatenate, obovoid, oblong, ellipsoidal, allantoid, broad fusiform to irregular, unicellular, hyaline conidia. The phylogenetic analyses, based on the combined sequence data from the small and large nuclear subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU and LSU), placed B.persicolor in the Leotiomycetes class, Helotiales order.

Effects of radio frequency assisted blanching on polyphenol oxidase, weight loss, texture, color and microstructure of potato.

This paper is focused on the effects of radio frequency (RF) heating on the relative activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), weight loss, texture, color, and microstructure of potatoes. The results showed that pure mushroom PPO was almost completely inactivated at 80 °C by RF heating. The relative activity of potato PPO reduced to less than 10% with increasing temperature (25-85 °C). Enzyme extract showed the lowest PPO relative activity at 85 °C after RF treatment, followed by the potato cuboids and mashed potato, about 0.19 ±â€¯0.017%, 3.24 ±â€¯0.19%, and 3.54 ±â€¯0.04%, respectively. Circular dichroism analysis indicated that RF heating changed the secondary structure of PPO, as α-helix content decreased. Both electrode gap and temperature had significant effect (P < .05) on weight loss, color, and texture of the potato cuboids. Microstructure analysis showed the changes of potato cell and starch during RF heating.

Pilot-scale radiofrequency blanching of potato cuboids: heating uniformity.

BACKGROUND: Traditional hot water blanching has a slow heat transfer rate, whereas radiofrequency (RF) heating has the advantages of a much faster heating rate and a higher penetration depth. In the present study, RF heating was applied to improve heating uniformity for subsequent blanching experiments involving potato cuboids. Potato cuboids were treated in a pilot-scale, RF heating system (27.12 MHz, 6 kW) under different operating conditions. RESULTS: The dielectric constant increased first and then decreased with temperature, whereas the loss factor increased as the temperature increased. The results of the present study reveal that the electrode gap, sample height and NaCl solution had significant effects (P < 0.05) on the temperature distribution and heating uniformity of the sample after RF heating. The optimum RF heating uniformity was obtained at an electrode gap of 120 mm, a sample height of 60 mm and when immersed in NaCl solution of 0.5 s m-1 . The central heating pattern was presented in a sample. Cold spots were located at the edge of the top surface of the sample. CONCLUSION: The present study shows the great potential of RF heating for the blanching of vegetables. Future studies should aim to determine changes in the texture and nutrient contents of vegetables during RF heating. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Systematic analyses reveal uniqueness and origin of the CFEM domain in fungi.

CFEM domain commonly occurs in fungal extracellular membrane proteins. To provide insights for understanding putative functions of CFEM, we investigate the evolutionary dynamics of CFEM domains by systematic comparative genomic analyses among diverse animals, plants, and more than 100 fungal species, which are representative across the entire group of fungi. We here show that CFEM domain is unique to fungi. Experiments using tissue culture demonstrate that the CFEM-containing ESTs in some plants originate from endophytic fungi. We also find that CFEM domain does not occur in all fungi. Its single origin dates to the most recent common ancestors of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, instead of multiple origins. Although the length and architecture of CFEM domains are relatively conserved, the domain-number varies significantly among different fungal species. In general, pathogenic fungi have a larger number of domains compared to other species. Domain-expansion across fungal genomes appears to be driven by domain duplication and gene duplication via recombination. These findings generate a clear evolutionary trajectory of CFEM domains and provide novel insights into the functional exchange of CFEM-containing proteins from cell-surface components to mediators in host-pathogen interactions.