Search

This study was designed to prepare a cattle bone-derived collagen peptide-calcium chelate by the ultrasound method (CP-Ca-US), and its structure, stability, and bioactivity on MC3T3-E1 cells were characterized. Single-factor experiments optimized the preparation conditions: ultrasound power 90 W, ultrasound time 40 min, CaCl2/peptides ratio 1/2, pH 7. Under these conditions, the calcium-chelating ability reached 39.48 μg mg−1. The result of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy indicated that carboxyl oxygen and amino nitrogen atoms were chelation sites. Morphological analysis indicated that CP-Ca-US was characterized by a porous surface and large particles. Stability analysis demonstrated that CP-Ca-US was stable in the thermal environment and under intestinal digestion. CP-Ca-US showed more stability in gastric juice than the chelate prepared by the hydrothermal method. Cell experiments indicated that CP-Ca-US increased osteoblast proliferation (proliferation rate 153% at a concentration of 300 μg mL−1) and altered the cell cycle. Significantly, CP-Ca-US enhanced calcium absorption by interacting with calcium-sensing receptors and promoted the mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells. This study provides the scientific basis for applying the ultrasound method to prepare peptide-calcium chelates and clarifies the positive role of chelates in bone building.

This study aimed at clarifying the mechanism by which sweet potato leaf polyphenols (SPLPs) ameliorate ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage, using the BALB/c hairless female mouse model. The moisture and hydroxyproline (HYP) contents of the model mouse skin and the thickness of the epidermis and dermis were determined by staining and histological examination. Anti-oxidative enzyme activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and protein carbonyl content in skin tissue and serum were investigated. Expression of inflammatory markers and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways were evaluated. Topical caffeic acid at 30 mg kg

This study deals with the comprehension of lignin partition in biphasic systems constituted of an alkaline aqueous phase containing dissolved lignin and a non-miscible alcohol phase. The main parameters studied are the botanical origin of lignins (softwood/hardwood/herbaceous), the solvent (n-butanol/n-pentanol/n-octanol) and the pH (12, 9.5, 7, 3.5). Lignin concentration is measured by UV spectroscopy to calculate partition coefficients. Lignin migration is driven by the protonation of hydroxyl phenolates at pH 12–9.5 and of carboxylates at pH 7–3.5. FTIR spectra revealed various functional groups in migrated fractions as well as their change in conformation. Notably, hydrogen bonding capacity within its chemical groups and with neighboring fragments and solvents are discussed. NMR results suggest a possibility to adjust separation conditions to tune the lignin composition including the G/S ratio and the content in specific structures (resinol, ferulate, and carbohydrate). GPC highlights a wide diversity of polymers of low molecular weight migrating at basic pH whereas increasing high molecular weight is correlated with aqueous phase acidification. The lignins seem to migrate according to similar structural features whatever the botanical origin, leading to very similar polymer distributions under given conditions. In general, butanol appears to be less selective and is able to solubilize a wide range of lignin polymers independent of the origin. This work provides valuable information regarding the separation of homogeneous lignin fractions enabling standardization of the chemical and physical properties of the lignins to increase their value and the numerous potential applications as a sustainable material.

α-Amylase inhibitors (α-AI) have great potential to treat obesity. In this study, an α-AI enriched extract (α-AIE) with a specific activity of 1027.1 ± 154.2 (U per mg protein) was prepared from white common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds. Its anti-obesity effect and gut microbiota modulation properties were verified in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. The intake of the α-AIE significantly reduced body weight gain and improved serum lipid levels (p < 0.05). In addition, rats fed the α-AIE diet exhibited higher total short-chain fatty-acid (SCFA) concentrations (p < 0.05) in their colonic contents. β-Diversity analysis, principal component analysis and a Venn diagram showed that α-AIE administration changed the gut microbiota composition. At the phylum level, the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria decreased and the relative abundances of Bacteroidetes and Akkermansia increased. In addition, 89 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) significantly responding to the high-fat diet and 30 OTUs significantly responding to the α-AIE were identified. The OTUs enriched by the α-AIE were mainly assigned to putative SCFA-producing bacteria, including Bacteroides, Butyricoccus, Blautia and Eubacterium. Twenty-two OTUs were found to be significantly correlated with obesity indexes. Taken together, the present results suggest that the intake of the α-AIE attenuated obesity and modulated gut microbiota.

The enormous quantity of food wastes discarded annually forces a look into alternatives for this interesting feedstock. Thus, food bio-waste valorisation is one of the current imperatives of society. This review is the most comprehensive overview of currently existing technologies and processes in this field. It tackles classical and innovative physical, physico-chemical and chemical methods of food waste pre-treatment and extraction for the recovery of added value compounds and detection by modern technologies and is an outcome of the COST Action EUBIS, TD1203 Food Waste Valorisation for Sustainable Chemicals, Materials and Fuels., This work as performed in the frame of COST Action EUBIS TD1203. The authors (MA and CN at SLU) are grateful to the European Union for the grant Safepellets Project (grant agreement no. 287026, 2012). The author (KWW) thanks the BBSRC for funding (Institute Strategic Programme “Food and Health” BB/J004545/1). The authors (RML, AMdCL and ARCM) are grateful to the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) for grants SFRH/BD/90282/2012 (AMdCL), SFRH/BD/94297/2013 (ARCM) and IF/00424/2013 (RML) and for financing BBRI – Biomass and Bioenergy Research Infrastructure (ROTEIRO/0189/2013) and the Associated Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry – Clean Processes and Technologies – LAQV, which is financed by national funds from FCT/MEC (UID/QUI/50006/2013) and co-financed by the ERDF under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER –007265). Author (BK) thanks the EU for BUGWORKERS Project under grant agreement no. 246449, 2007. The University of York, department of Chemistry would like to acknowledge the financial support of European Commission’s Directorate General for Research within the 7th Framework Program (FP7/2007–2013) under the grant agreement no. 251132 SUNLIBB), the Formas CETEX project and the Wild Fund. The Authors (MH and EI) would like to thank project AGL2014-53609-P (MINECO, Spain) for financial support. The author (BS) thanks the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia for project no. 172050. The authors (MF and MA) acknowledge financial support from the Swedish Energy Agency, project no. 20569-4. The authors (PG and MA) would like to acknowledge the FORMAS CETEX project. The authors (EHP and NEM) acknowledge financial support from the FP7- PEOPLE-IEF-2013, EC Grant Agreement No. 625738.

Depending on the substituents, R1 and R2, ruthenium(II)–p-cymene complexes bearing N-heterocyclic carbene ligands are either efficient catalysts for the well-controlled atom transfer radical polymerisation of methyl methacrylate and styrene, or promote a redox-initiated free-radical process.