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[Objective]This study aims to make clear the composition & interrelation of protein and amino acid of 10 germplasm resources of Cyperus esculentus. [Method]10 germplasm resources of Cyperus esculentus were introduced, their compositions of protein, fat, coarse fiber and amino acid were measured. Comparison analysis was done using SPSS software. [Result]The compositions of protein, fat, coarse fiber and essential amino acid of the 10 germplasm resources of Cyperus esculentus are significantly different;in the amino acid of the 10 germplasm resources of Cyperus esculentus, the content of arginine is the highest and the content of methionine is the lowest. The variation coefficient of proline is the biggest and that of alanine is the smallest; there was no significant correlation between proline and other 15 amino acids, between methionine and aspartate, serine, histidine, lysine, alanine and arginine, and between lysine and tyrosine and valine. The contents of methionine were negatively correlated with threonine, glutamic acid, valine, glycine, leucine, isoleucine and phenylalanine. The contents of methionine and tyrosine were significantly negatively correlated. There was a significant positive correlation between glutamic acid and arginine content. The contents of other remaining amino acids showed a significant positive correlation. [Conclusion]The contents of serine, methionine and proline can comprehensively reflect the amino acid content of Cyperus esculentus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: As aggregation underpins Tau toxicity, aggregation inhibitor peptides may have disease‐modifying potential. They are therefore currently being designed and target either the 306VQIVYK311 aggregation‐promoting hotspot found in all Tau isoforms or the 275VQIINK280 aggregation‐promoting hotspot found in 4R isoforms. However, for any Tau aggregation inhibitor to potentially be clinically relevant for other tauopathies, it should target both hotspots to suppress aggregation of Tau isoforms, be stable, cross the blood‐brain barrier, and rescue aggregation‐dependent Tau phenotypes in vivo. METHODS: We developed a retro‐inverso, stable D‐amino peptide, RI‐AG03 [Ac‐rrrrrrrrGpkyk(ac)iqvGr‐NH2], based on the 306VQIVYK311 hotspots which exhibit these disease‐relevant attributes. RESULTS: Unlike other aggregation inhibitors, RI‐AG03 effectively suppresses aggregation of multiple Tau species containing both hotspots in vitro and in vivo, is non‐toxic, and suppresses aggregation‐dependent neurodegenerative and behavioral phenotypes. DISCUSSION: RI‐AG03 therefore meets many clinically relevant requirements for an anti‐aggregation Tau therapeutic and should be explored further for its disease‐modifying potential for Tauopathies. Highlights: Our manuscript describes the development of a novel peptide inhibitor of Tau aggregation, a retro‐inverso, stable D‐amino peptide called RI‐AG03 that displays many clinically relevant attributes. We show its efficacy in preventing Tau aggregation in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models while being non‐toxic to cells. RI‐AG03 also rescues a biosensor cell line that stably expresses Tau repeat domains with the P301S mutation fused to Cer/Clo and rescues aggregation‐dependent phenotypes in vivo, suppressing neurodegeneration and extending lifespan.Collectively our data describe several properties and attributes of RI‐AG03 that make it a promising disease‐modifying candidate to explore for reducing pathogenic Tau aggregation in Tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease. Given the real interest in reducing Tau aggregation and the potential clinical benefit of using such agents in clinical practice, RI‐AG03 should be investigated further for the treatment of Tauopathies after validation in mammalian models.Tau aggregation inhibitors are the obvious first choice as Tau‐based therapies as much of Tau‐mediated toxicity is aggregation dependent. Indeed, there are many research efforts focusing on this therapeutic strategy with aggregation inhibitors being designed against one of the two aggregation‐promoting hotspots of the Tau protein. To our knowledge, RI‐AG03 is the only peptide aggregation inhibitor that inhibits aggregation of Tau by targeting both aggregation‐promoting hotspot motifs simultaneously. As such, we believe that our study will have a significant impact on drug discovery efforts in this arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present study comprehensively investigated the fermentation process of fresh dates pulp to alcoholic beverage, analyzing various aspects including physicochemical properties, nutraceutical potential, amino acid composition, color properties, sensory evaluation, and microbial load. Over the fermentation period, the alcohol content of the beverage reached 8.79%, suggesting it is an off-dry wine. Total Soluble Solids (TSS) decreased from an initial 24.17°Brix to 5°Brix. The pH level dropped from 7 to 3.9, and the titratable acidity increased from 0.15 to 0.22%. The nutraceutical potential of the alcoholic beverage displayed dynamic transformations, with total phenolic content (TPC) decreasing from 23 to 9 mg GAE mL−1, while total flavonoid content (TFC) increased significantly (p 0.05) between the alcoholic beverage and juice in terms of color, but the alcoholic beverage scored higher in appearance, flavor, texture, taste, mouthfeel, and overall acceptability.Microbial load increased from an initial 5–6 log CFU mL−1 to 8–9 log CFU mL−1 after 5 days, indicating the occurrence of alcoholic fermentation. Kinetics study was also performed for different quality parameters. This is the first study provides a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted changes occurring during the fermentation process, offering valuable insights for winemakers and researchers. Graphical Abstract

In the rice-wheat rotation system, biochar (BC) can be applied at the initiation of the rice or wheat season. Here, we compared the effects of BC that were applied at two different crop seasons on wheat production, quality, and soil profile properties in a rice-wheat rotation system with nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied at 280 kg/ha rate. Results showed that both wheat grain production and N recovery use efficiency were influenced by BC applied at two crop seasons. Biochar application did not affect the total non-essential amino-acid, but when applied during wheat season, BC significantly (p < 0.05) increased total essential amino acid in grain by 12.3%, particularly for the valine (+48.2%), methionine (+43.8%), and isoleucine (+10.3%). We found that BC significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the pH of soil at 0-6 cm and 20-30 cm by 0.14-0.18 and 0.05-0.08 units, respectively. The NH4+-N content of the whole observed soil profile were reduced by BC application, however, the effect of BC on NO3--N content varied with the application season and profile depth. Interestingly, BC applied at wheat and rice season significantly (p < 0.05) improved topsoil N contents by 48.4% and 19.7%, respectively. In addition, data suggested that BC applied during wheat season performed better in enhancing soil available phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter contents. In conclusion, we suggest that the optimum application time of BC for enhancing crop production and quality (take amino-acid content for example) and improving soil fertility is at the initiation of the wheat season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this systematic review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature, comparing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and 11C-methionine (MET) for the imaging of multiple myeloma (MM) with positron emission computed tomography (PET/CT). Relevant studies published from 2013 up to March 2023 were selected by searching Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. Selected imaging studies were analyzed using a modified version of the critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). Ten studies encompassing 335 patients were selected. On a patient-based analysis, MET sensitivity ranged between 75.6% and 100%, resulting higher than that measured for FDG (0–100%). MET outperformed FDG for the detection of focal lesions, diffuse bone marrow involvement and mixed patterns. PET-derived parameters resulted higher for MET than for FDG, with a strong correlation with clinical variables (e.g., monoclonal component and beta-2-microglobulin levels, bone marrow infiltration, etc.), although FDG maintained a prognostic impact on outcome prediction. When compared to other tracers or imaging modalities, MET showed stronger correlation and inter-observer agreement than FDG. Although biased by the small cohorts and requiring confirmation through multicenter studies, preliminary findings suggest that MET–PET should be preferred to FDG for PET imaging of MM, or alternatively used as a complementary imaging modality. Some issues, such as tracer availability and the role of MET with respect to other emerging tracers (i.e., 68Ga-pentixafor, 18F-FACBC and 18F-FET), should be the topic of further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of new therapeutic modalities relies on advancements in synthetic chemistry to produce compounds for evaluation throughout the drug discovery process. The use of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) allows the properties of peptide drugs to be modified and optimised beyond the defined characteristics of the 20 proteogenic amino acids. Synthesis of ncAAs can be either through a bespoke chemical synthesis, or directly from the parent compound - using either traditional chemical reagents or using enzymes - to achieve the desired modification. This review will highlight recent advancements in the enzymatic functionalisation of amino acids to produce a variety of ncAAs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Introduction: As aggregation underpins Tau toxicity, aggregation inhibitor peptides may have disease-modifying potential. They are therefore currently being designed and target either the 306 VQIVYK 311 aggregation-promoting hotspot found in all Tau isoforms or the 275 VQIINK 280 aggregation-promoting hotspot found in 4R isoforms. However, for any Tau aggregation inhibitor to potentially be clinically relevant for other tauopathies, it should target both hotspots to suppress aggregation of Tau isoforms, be stable, cross the blood-brain barrier, and rescue aggregation-dependent Tau phenotypes in vivo., Methods: We developed a retro-inverso, stable D-amino peptide, RI-AG03 [Ac-rrrrrrrrGpkyk(ac)iqvGr-NH2], based on the 306 VQIVYK 311 hotspots which exhibit these disease-relevant attributes., Results: Unlike other aggregation inhibitors, RI-AG03 effectively suppresses aggregation of multiple Tau species containing both hotspots in vitro and in vivo, is non-toxic, and suppresses aggregation-dependent neurodegenerative and behavioral phenotypes., Discussion: RI-AG03 therefore meets many clinically relevant requirements for an anti-aggregation Tau therapeutic and should be explored further for its disease-modifying potential for Tauopathies., Highlights: Our manuscript describes the development of a novel peptide inhibitor of Tau aggregation, a retro-inverso, stable D-amino peptide called RI-AG03 that displays many clinically relevant attributes. We show its efficacy in preventing Tau aggregation in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models while being non-toxic to cells. RI-AG03 also rescues a biosensor cell line that stably expresses Tau repeat domains with the P301S mutation fused to Cer/Clo and rescues aggregation-dependent phenotypes in vivo, suppressing neurodegeneration and extending lifespan. Collectively our data describe several properties and attributes of RI-AG03 that make it a promising disease-modifying candidate to explore for reducing pathogenic Tau aggregation in Tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease. Given the real interest in reducing Tau aggregation and the potential clinical benefit of using such agents in clinical practice, RI-AG03 should be investigated further for the treatment of Tauopathies after validation in mammalian models. Tau aggregation inhibitors are the obvious first choice as Tau-based therapies as much of Tau-mediated toxicity is aggregation dependent. Indeed, there are many research efforts focusing on this therapeutic strategy with aggregation inhibitors being designed against one of the two aggregation-promoting hotspots of the Tau protein. To our knowledge, RI-AG03 is the only peptide aggregation inhibitor that inhibits aggregation of Tau by targeting both aggregation-promoting hotspot motifs simultaneously. As such, we believe that our study will have a significant impact on drug discovery efforts in this arena., (© 2024 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

The aim of this systematic review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature, comparing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and 11C-methionine (MET) for the imaging of multiple myeloma (MM) with positron emission computed tomography (PET/CT). Relevant studies published from 2013 up to March 2023 were selected by searching Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. Selected imaging studies were analyzed using a modified version of the critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). Ten studies encompassing 335 patients were selected. On a patient-based analysis, MET sensitivity ranged between 75.6% and 100%, resulting higher than that measured for FDG (0–100%). MET outperformed FDG for the detection of focal lesions, diffuse bone marrow involvement and mixed patterns. PET-derived parameters resulted higher for MET than for FDG, with a strong correlation with clinical variables (e.g., monoclonal component and beta-2-microglobulin levels, bone marrow infiltration, etc.), although FDG maintained a prognostic impact on outcome prediction. When compared to other tracers or imaging modalities, MET showed stronger correlation and inter-observer agreement than FDG. Although biased by the small cohorts and requiring confirmation through multicenter studies, preliminary findings suggest that MET–PET should be preferred to FDG for PET imaging of MM, or alternatively used as a complementary imaging modality. Some issues, such as tracer availability and the role of MET with respect to other emerging tracers (i.e., 68Ga-pentixafor, 18F-FACBC and 18F-FET), should be the topic of further investigations.

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios are increasingly used to study long-term change in food web structure and nutrient cycling. We retrospectively analyse elemental composition (C, N and P) and stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) in archived monitoring samples of two important taxa from the bottom of the food web; the filamentous ephemeral macroalgae Cladophora spp. and the blue mussel Mytilus edulis trossulus from three contrasting regions in the Baltic Sea (coastal Bothnian Sea and Baltic Proper, open sea central Baltic). The aim is to statistically link the observed spatial and interannual (8–24 years' time-series) variability in elemental and isotope baselines with their biomass trends and to the oceanographic monitoring data reflecting the ongoing environmental changes (i.e., eutrophication and climate) in this system. We find clear differences in isotope baselines between the two major Baltic Sea basins. However, the temporal variation in Mytilus δ13C was similar among regions and, at the open sea station, mussels and algae δ13C also correlated over time, likely reflecting a global (Suess) effect, whereas δ15N of both taxa varied with local and regional dissolved nitrogen concentrations in water. δ15N in source amino acids allowed detection of diazotrophic N in Mytilus, which was masked in bulk δ15N. Finally, Cladophora N:P reflected regional nutrient levels in the water while P%, which differed for both taxa, was linked to food quality for Mytilus. This study highlights the potential of a multi-taxa and multi-stable isotope approach to understand nutrient dynamics and monitor long-term environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioinformatics in the present day has been firmly established as a regulator in genomics. In recent times, applications of Signal processing in exon prediction have gained a lot of attention. The exons carry protein information. Proteins are composed of connected constituents known as amino acids that characterize the specific function. Conversion of the nucleotide character string into a numerical sequence is the gateway before analyzing it through signal processing methods. This numeric encoding is the mathematical descriptor of nucleotides and is based on some statistical properties of the structure of nucleic acids. Since the type of encoding extremely affects the exon detection accuracy, this paper is devised for the review of existing encoding (mapping) schemes. The comparative analysis is formulated to emphasize the importance of the genetic code setting of amino acids considered for application related to computational elucidation for exon detection. This work covers much helpful information for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drying is a crucial process in the production of tea. The effects of sun drying (SD), hot air drying (HAD), microwave drying (MD), vacuum drying (VD) and freeze drying (FD) on the color, taste, bioactive, and aroma of coffee pulp tea (CPT) were evaluated systematically. The results showed that FD could better retain the original color, total phenolics (4.75 mg/mL), trigonelline (0.31 mg/mL), chlorogenic acid (0.067 mg/mL), protocatechuic acid (0.81 mg/mL), and total soluble sugars (24.33 mg/mL) of CPT, but its drying time was longer (32.56 h), and the taste and flavor were the worst. HAD and SD displayed the highest loss rates of most bioactive components, exceeding 40%. In contrast, MD can better improve the quality of CPT, giving it a better color, superior retention of bioactive components, and the most attractive taste and aroma, and decrease the drying time by 66.1% and 96.5%, respectively. Overall, MD is a promising production method for obtaining high-value-added CPT products. [Display omitted] • FD can keep coffee pulp tea's color and phytochemical profiles considerably. • The volatile components of coffee pulp tea were modeled using OPLS-DA. • MD-dried coffee pulp tea had a better attractive aroma under shorter drying times than other drying. • MD was more suitable to produce dried coffee pulp tea on an industrial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe pathogenic road map leading to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still not completely understood; however, a large body of studies in the last few years supports the idea that beside the classic hallmarks of the disease, namely the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles, other factors significantly contribute to the initiation and the progression of the disease. Among them, mitochondria failure, an unbalanced neuronal redox state, and the dyshomeostasis of endogenous metals like copper, iron, and zinc have all been reported to play an important role in exacerbating AD pathology. Given these factors, the endogenous peptide carnosine may be potentially beneficial in the treatment of AD because of its free-radical scavenger and metal chelating properties.MethodologyIn this study, we explored the effect of L-carnosine supplementation in the 3xTg-AD mouse, an animal model of AD that shows both Aβ- and tau-dependent pathology.Principal FindingsWe found that carnosine supplementation in 3xTg-AD mice promotes a strong reduction in the hippocampal intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ and completely rescues AD and aging-related mitochondrial dysfunctions. No effects were found on tau pathology and we only observed a trend toward the amelioration of cognitive deficits.Conclusions and SignificanceOur data indicate that carnosine can be part of a combined therapeutic approach for the treatment of AD.

The structures of three monohydrated halide salt forms of l-asparagine are presented, viz.l-asparaginium chloride monohydrate, C4H9N2O3+·Cl−·H2O, (I), l-asparaginium bromide monohydrate, C4H9N2O3+·Br−·H2O, (II), and l-asparaginium iodide monohydrate, C4H9N2O3+·I−·H2O, (III). These form an isomorphous and isostructural series. The C—C—C—C backbone of the amino acid adopts a gauche conformation in each case [torsion angles for (I), (II) and (III) = −55.4 (2), −55.6 (5) and −58.3 (7)°, respectively]. Each cation features an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond, which closes an S(6) ring. The extended structures feature chains of cations that propagate parallel to the b-axis direction. These are formed by carboxylic acid/amide complimentary O—H...O + N—H...O hydrogen bonds, which generate R22(8) loops. These chains are linked by further hydrogen bonds mediated by the halide ions and water molecules to give a layered structure with cation and anion layers parallel to the ab plane. Compound (III) was refined as an inversion twin.

Specific diets for cancer patients have the potential to offer an adjuvant modality to conventional anticancer therapy. If the concept of starving cancer cells from nutrients to inhibit tumor growth is quite simple, the translation into the clinics is not straightforward. Several diets have been described including the Calorie-restricted diet based on a reduction in carbohydrate intake and the Ketogenic diet wherein the low carbohydrate content is compensated by a high fat intake. As for other diets that deviate from normal composition only by one or two amino acids, these diets most often revealed a reduction in tumor growth in mice, in particular when associated with chemo- or radiotherapy. By contrast, in cancer patients, the interest of these diets is almost exclusively supported by case reports precluding any conclusions on their real capacity to influence disease outcome. In parallel, the field of tumor lipid metabolism has emerged in the last decade offering a better understanding of how fatty acids are captured, synthesized or stored as lipid droplets in cancers. Fatty acids participate to cancer cell survival in the hypoxic and acidic tumor microenvironment and also support proliferation and invasiveness. Interestingly, while such addiction for fatty acids may account for cancer progression associated with high fat diet , it could also represent an Achilles heel for tumors. In particular n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids represent a class of lipids that can exert potent cytotoxic effects in tumors and therefore represent an attractive diet supplementation to improve cancer patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidation of glycine using N-bromosuccinimide (NBrS) has been studied for different pH’s values. With respect to both substrate and oxidant, the reaction presents a consecutive-first order reaction. It is noted that the rate of reaction increases with increasing the manganese ion concentration. Addition of reaction product (succunumide) slightly affects the oxidation reaction rate. The protonated Br+ or NBrS and NBrS are used to be the reactive species of the N-bromosuccinimide. Furthermore, intermediate compounds are noticed through the reaction. Finally, a mechanism for the oxidation reaction is suggested in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the impact of Novafol biofertilizer and mother corm weight on leaf growth, chlorophyll content, and flower/stigma yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), an experiment was done as randomized complete block design with three replications in the Agricultural Research Station, University of Birjand, during the growth season of 2016-17. Experimental factors were Novafol fertilizer (containing 28% of amino-acid, applied for corm soaking and fertigation in three levels: 0, 2 and 4 L.ha-1) and mother corm weight (0.1-4, 4.1-8 and 8.1-12 g). The effect of Novafol biofertilizer was significant on number of flowers, flower yield, dry stigma yield and chlorophyll content. The highest flower number (16.5 per m-2), flower yield (5.63 g. m-2), dry stigma yield (108 mg m-2) and chlorophyll content (1.09 mg. g-1 FW) were obtained from 4 L.ha-1, while the lowest flower number (14.22 per m-2), flower yield (4.55 g. m-2), stigma yield (85 mg. m-2) and chlorophyll a (0.97 mg. g-1 FW) were obtained in the control treatment, but, there was no significant difference between two levels (2 and 4 L.ha-1) of Novafol biofertilizer. Corm weights also significantly affected all the studied traits. The highest stigma length (25.1 mm), flower yield (10.4 g. m2), leaf length (31.42 cm) and fresh and dry weights of leaves (0.29 and 0.083 g per plant, respectively) were obtained from big corms, but the lowest of them were obtained from small ones. The interaction effect of corm weight and Novafol biofertilizer was significant on chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll contents and number of leaves per plant. The highest chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll (1.77 and 2.95 mg. g-1 FW, respectively) and number of leaves (7.58 per plant) were obtained from 4 L.ha-1 of novafol biofertilizer and big corm. Overall, application of Novafol biofertilizer (4 L.ha-1) improved the vegetative and reproductive growth parameters. Planting big corms also had an important role in increasing the growth and yield of saffron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic reprogramming is a common cancer cell phenotype as it sustains growth and proliferation. Targeting metabolic activities offers a wide range of therapeutic possibilities which are applicable to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Indeed, in addition to the IDH1/2-mutated AML model which established the proof-of-concept for specifically targeting metabolic adaptations in AML, several recent reports have expanded the scope of such strategies in these diseases. This review highlights recent findings on metabolic deregulation in AML and summarizes their implications in leukemogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serratia marcescens forms different colony patterns under distinct conditions. One of them is the concentric fountain-shaped pattern with pigmented center followed by unpigmented ring and pigmented rim. In this work, we study this pattern formation by construction of the mathematical model able to display this pattern based on putative metabolical traits, supported by series of experiments and by references. A pattern formation of such colony type depends on the disposition of glucose and amino acids, and is accompanied by a pH change in the agar medium. In this paper, we confirm that a metabolic activity of growing colony alters its environment which subsequently changes the colony formation. Presented model corresponds well with the real colony behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study investigated the effects of conventional hot-air drying, microwave drying, far-infrared drying, halogen lamp drying and halogen lamp-microwave combination drying on sensory and chemical quality of black tea. Sensory evaluation revealed that the black tea dried with halogen lamp-microwave and microwave got more uniform black color, fresher taste and higher sweet aroma. Total quality score was in the order: halogen lamp-microwave dried tea (89.3) > microwave dried tea (88.2) > halogen lamp dried tea (86.4) > far-infrared dried tea (85.2) > hot-air dried tea (83.1). The highest contents of polyphenols, catechins and theaflavins were found when black tea dried with microwave. Far-infrared drying and hot-air drying could remarkably increase the contents of amino acids and soluble sugars. The volatiles of black tea were identified with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Microwave dried black tea got the maximum contents of volatile compounds, followed by halogen lamp-microwave dried tea, far-infrared dried tea, halogen lamp dried tea and hot-air dried tea. Overall, microwave drying and halogen lamp-microwave drying could ameliorate the drying process of black tea. Highlights • Halogen-lamp-microwave dried tea got best sensory quality. • Microwave dried tea had higher polyphenols, theaflavins but lower amino acids. • Microwave and halogen-lamp-microwave dried tea got new aroma compounds. • Microwave and halogen-lamp-microwave drying are more suitable for black tea drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of low-cost and sustainable amino-acid derived catalysts including glutamic acid hydrochlorate (GluCl), glycine hydrochlorate (GlyCl), alanine hydrochlorate (AlaCl) and valine hydrochlorate (ValCl) were prepared by using a simple assembly method and characterized by 1H/13C NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared) techniques. These amino-acid based catalysts were highly efficient for the production of an important platform molecule 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from biomass-derived sugars under oil-heating conditions. A high HMF yield of 83.7% at fructose conversion of 99.3% was achieved in merely 15 min at 120ºC. The catalyst could be reused for four times with no significant loss of its catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structures of three monohydrated halide salt forms of L-asparagine are presented, viz.L-asparaginium chloride monohydrate, C4H9N2O3+·Cl-·H2O, (I), L-asparaginium bromide monohydrate, C4H9N2O3+·Br-·H2O, (II), and L-asparaginium iodide monohydrate, C4H9N2O3+·I-·H2O, (III). These form an isomorphous and isostructural series. The C-C-C-C backbone of the amino acid adopts a gauche conformation in each case [torsion angles for (I), (II) and (III) = -55.4 (2), -55.6 (5) and -58.3 (7)°, respectively]. Each cation features an intra­molecular N-H...O hydrogen bond, which closes an S(6) ring. The extended structures feature chains of cations that propagate parallel to the b-axis direction. These are formed by carb­oxy­lic acid/amide complimentary O-H...O + N-H...O hydrogen bonds, which generate R22(8) loops. These chains are linked by further hydrogen bonds mediated by the halide ions and water mol­ecules to give a layered structure with cation and anion layers parallel to the ab plane. Compound (III) was refined as an inversion twin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were performed to determine the influence of threonine-lysine (Thr:Lys) ratio on requirements of digestible lysine (Lys) in low crude protein diets for broilers in the growth phase. In the first experiment, a total of 480 Cobb 500 male broilers were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with four dietary Thr:Lysratio (57.0; 60.5; 64.0 and 67.5%) and with five replicates of 24 birds each. No significant differences were reported in weight gain, feed intake, poultry manure humidity, carcass and meat yields. However, the feed conversion was increased linearly as dietary Thr:Lysratio was increased. In the second experiment, a total of 400 Cobb 500 male broilers were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with four digestibleLyslevels (1.005, 1.045, 1.085 and 1.125%), and with four replicates of 25 birds each. No significant differences were reported in performance, poultry litter humidity and carcass and meat yields. Lys levels of 1.005% and Thr:Lysat 57% were sufficient to maximize the performance and carcass yield of broilers during the growth phase when fed on low crude protein diets.

Foram avaliadas as frações da proteína e dos carboidratos, a degradabilidade ruminal efetiva (DE) da matéria seca (MS) e proteína bruta (PB), a digestibilidade ruminal in vitro (DRIV) da MS e PB, a digestibilidade intestinal in vitro (DIIV) da proteína nãodegradadano rúmen (PNDR) e os perfis de aminoácidos (AA) e de ácidos graxos (AG) do resíduo de cervejaria úmido (RCU) e fermentado (RCF). O RCF foi obtido pelo processo de fermentação microbiana do RCU. Para determinar a DE da MS e PB do RCU e RCF, foram utilizados três novilhos da raça Holandesa, portadores de cânula ruminal. A DIIV daPNDR foi obtida pelo método de três estágios. Os dados obtidos para DE da MS e PB foram submetidos à análise de variância, em elineamento inteiramente casualizado. A fração A da PB do RCU foi de 7,9% e do RCF de 13,1% da PB. A DE da PB a 5% h-1 não diferiu (p < 0,05) entre o RCU e o RCF. A DRIV da PB do RCF foi de 8,7% e as DIIV da PNDR do RCU e do RCF foram de 70,5 e 72,5%, respectivamente. Os perfis de AA e AG do RCU e RCF foram similares. O processo de fermentação anaeróbico não alterou as características nutricionais do RCU.The study evaluated the protein and carbohydrate fraction, dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) effective rumen degradability (ED), DM and CP in vitro ruminal digestibility (RDIV), rumen-undegradable protein (RUDP) in vitro intestinal digestion (IDIV) and amino-acid (AA) and fatty acid (FA) profile of the wet brewer’s grain (WBG), andfermented brewer’s grain (FBG). FBG was obtained from WBG fermentation. The DM and CP ED of WBG and FBG were determined in three Holstein steers with ruminal cannula. The IDIV of RUDP was obtained by the three-stage method. The values obtained for DM and CP ED were submitted to variance analysis, in a randomized design. The Afraction of WBG CP was 7.9%, and for FBG 13.1% of CP. The CP RD in a rate of 5% h-1 did not differ (p > 0.05) between WBG and FBG. The crude protein RDIV of FBG was 8.7% and IDIV of RUDP of WBG and FBG were of 70.5% and 72.5%, respectively. The AA and FA profile of WBG and FBG were similar. The anaerobic fermentation process did not change the nutritional characteristics of the WBG.

Citrulline-malate (CM) is a precursor to nitric-oxide (NO) in the NO synthase (NOS) pathway and is suggested to increase exercise performance in younger individuals. With age, NO production decreases and augmented NO production may provide beneficial effects on sports performance among masters athletes (MAs).Purpose: To examine the effects of acute CM supplementation on grip strength, vertical power, and anaerobic cycling performance in female, MA tennis players.Methods: Seventeen female MA (51 ± 9 years) completed two double-blind, randomized trials consuming CM (12 g dextrose + 8 g CM) and placebo (PLA) (12 g dextrose). One hour after consumption, subjects completed grip strength, vertical power, and Wingate anaerobic cycling assessments in respective order. Maximal and average grip strength, peak and average vertical power, anaerobic capacity, peak power, explosive power, and ability to sustain anaerobic power were calculated from the tests.Results: When consuming CM, participants exhibited greater maximal (p = .042) and average (p = .045) grip strength compared to PLA. No differences existed between trials for peak (p = .51) or average (p = .51) vertical power. For the Wingate, peak power (p < .001) and explosive power (p < .001) were significantly greater when consuming CM compared to PLA. For the ability to sustain power, a significant effect (p < .001) was observed for time within trials, but no significant differences were observed between trials regarding supplement consumed.Conclusions: These data suggest that consuming CM before competition has the potential to improve tennis match-play performance in masters tennis athletes. However, this study utilized a controlled laboratory environment and research evaluating direct application to on-court performance is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Homo-sapiens cancer and healthy genes is identified here by estimating correlation coefficient of genes. A model has been realized in Lab VIEW environment for classification of genes based on eigen value decomposition (EVD) technique. Breast, Prostate and Colon genes are taken as sample database for analysis of genes. EVD method is used to reduce the dimensionality as well as preserving the class discriminatory information of genes. Feature Vector is calculated based on highest eigen value of data set which is treated as measurement metric to differentiate cancer genes from healthy genes. The EVD model successfully screen out breast cancer genes from breast healthy genes, prostate cancer genes from prostate healthy genes and also colon cancer genes from colon healthy genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of stable isotope ratio analysis in archaeology has exploded over the past few decades to the point where it is now an established tool that is routinely used to investigate questions relating to diet and mobility. Early applications focused mostly on the analysis of human skeletal tissues as a way to reconstruct major shifts in human diet, but current stable isotopic approaches have expanded to include high resolution analyses of human, animal, and plant remains, which are helping to better define the resource exploitation and management strategies that underscore changes in the human diet. In addition, stable isotopic data sets are now regularly filtered through interpretive archaeological theoretical frameworks to explore socially mediated food acquisition and consumption choices, mortuary practices, and social identity. Much work remains to be done in documenting the biological and ecological variation in the distribution of stable isotopes in ancient food webs and the mechanisms responsible for the isotopic signals observed in archaeological plant and animal tissues. Here, we identify several areas in stable isotope analysis where additional ‘first principles’ driven research would help to improve existing isotopic methods, or develop new ones, and consequently improve our ability to answer questions of archaeological significance. We consider the strengths and limitations of the application of stable isotope analysis to ancient skeletal material obtained from archaeological contexts. We also pay particular attention to nitrogen isotopic variation in ancient ecosystems, organic oxygen and hydrogen isotopes to;mixing models as a means of estimating source contributions in human diet, mobility, and isoscapes; and to how compound specific analyses may help detangle dietary routing. We conclude with a plea for greater scientific rigour and more informed use of stable isotope analyses and call for a closer integration of stable isotope analysis with other aspects of archaeological research programmes, in order to optimise the information that isotopes can provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]