Combinatorial Enzyme Approach to Convert Wheat Insoluble Arabinoxylan to Bioactive Oligosaccharides

Combinatorial enzyme technology was applied for the conversion of wheat insoluble arabinoxylan to oligosaccharide structural variants. The digestive products were fractionated by Bio-Gel P4 column and screened for bioactivity. One fraction pool was observed to exhibit antimicrobial property resulting in the suppression of cell growth of the test organism ATCC 8739 E. coli. It has a MIC value of 1.5% (w/v, 35°C, 20 hr) and could be useful as a new source of prebiotics or preservatives. The present results further confirm the science and useful application of combinatorial enzyme approach.

Modifi cation of wheat bran insoluble and soluble dietary fibers with snail enzyme

Insoluble dietary fiber(IDF)and soluble dietary fiber(SDF)extracted from wheat bran were modifi ed by snail enzyme and their physicochemical properties(water retention capacity and oil retention capacity),functional properties(cholesterol adsorption capacity,glucose adsorption capacity and antioxidant activity)and structural characterizations were evaluated.The results showed that snail enzyme modification led to the significant increase in oil retention capacity of IDF,glucose adsorption capacity and cholesterol adsorption capacity of IDF and SDF.Enzymatic modification also markedly improved the DPPH radical scavenging capacity and reducing power of IDF and SDF.Meanwhile,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis indicated the microstructures of IDF and SDF powders were signifi cantly changed.Fourier transfer-infrared spectrometry(FT-IR)showed that snail enzyme modifi cation could degrade the part of cellulose and hemicellulose of IDF and SDF.All these improved physicochemical and functional properties of IDF and SDF might depend on their structural changes.It suggested that snail enzyme modifi cation could effectively improve physicochemical and functional properties of IDF and SDF from wheat bran.

phytoestrogens/insoluble fibers and colonic estrogen receptor β: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

AIM:To assess the safety and effect of the supplementation of a patented blend of dietary phytoestrogens and insoluble fibers on estrogen receptor (ER)-β and biological parameters in sporadic colonic adenomas. METHODS:A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial was performed. Patients scheduled to undergo surveillance colonoscopy for previous sporadic colonic adenomas were identified, and 60 eligible patients were randomized to placebo or active dietary intervention (ADI) twice a day, for 60 d before surveillance colonoscopy. ADI was a mixture of 175 mg milk thistle extract, 20 mg secoisolariciresinol and 750 mg oat fiber extract. ER-β and ER-α expression, apoptosis and proliferation (Ki-67 LI) were assessed in colon samples. RESULTS:No adverse event related to ADI was recorded. ADI administration showed a significant increases in ER-β protein (0.822 ± 0.08 vs 0.768 ± 0.10, P = 0.04) and a general trend to an increase in ER-β LI (39.222 ± 2.69vs 37.708 ± 5.31,P = 0.06), ER-β/ER-α LI ratio (6.564 ± 10.04 vs 2.437 ± 1.53, P = 0.06), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (35.592 ± 14.97 vs 31.541 ± 11.54, P = 0.07) and Ki-67 (53.923 ± 20.91 vs 44.833 ± 10.38, P = 0.07) approximating statistical significance. A significant increase of ER-β protein (0.805 ± 0.13 vs 0.773 ± 0.13,P = 0.04), mRNA (2.278 ± 1.19vs 1.105 ± 1.07, P < 0.02) and LI (47.533 ± 15.47 vs 34.875 ± 16.67,P < 0.05) and a decrease of ER-α protein (0.423 ± 0.06vs 0.532 ± 0.11,P < 0.02) as well as a trend to increase of ER-β/ER-α protein in ADI vs placebo group were observed in patients without polyps (1.734 ± 0.20 vs 1.571 ± 0.42, P = 0.07). CONCLUSION:The role of ER-β on the control of apoptosis, and its amenability to dietary intervention, are supported in our study.

A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Nutritional Study Using an Insoluble Yeast Beta-Glucan to Improve the Immune Defense System

Purpose: In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial, the effect of an insoluble yeast beta-glucan preparation on the incidences of common colds and its effect on common cold symptoms were compared to placebo. Methods: 100 healthy participants with recurring infections were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or yeast beta-glucan (Yestimun?;n = 50 each group) over a period of 26 weeks. The subjects had to document each common cold episode in a diary, and rate 6 predefined infections symptoms on a 3-point rating scale during an infection period, resulting in an infection score. The common cold episodes were confirmed by the investigators. Results: A total of 171 common cold episodes were documented. Of these, 76 were experienced by 38 subjects in the beta-glucan group and 96 were experienced by 48 subjects in the placebo group (p = 0.406). The beta-glucan group had significantly more subjects without incidences of common cold than the placebo group (15.6% vs 2.0%;p = 0.019). During the most intense infection season (first 13 weeks of the study), the beta-glucan group had significantly less infections compared to placebo (p = 0.02). Beta-glucan significantly reduced the typical cold symptoms (“sore throat and/or difficulty swallowing”, “hoarseness and/or cough” and “runny nose”) as opposed to placebo. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates a prophylactic effect of yeast beta-glucan on the occurrence of common colds as opposed to placebo. In addition, when these episodes occurred, they were from the beginning less pronounced and subsided faster.

Effect of wheat bran insoluble dietary fiber with different particle size on the texture properties, protein secondary structure, and microstructure of noodles

This study was conducted to explore how the insoluble dietary fiber(IDF)of wheat bran with different particle size affects the texture properties,water distribution,protein secondary structure and microstructure of noodles.The results suggested that IDF addition increased the cooking loss and decreased the sensory evaluation because of the damage on dough structure,while as the IDF particle size decreased,the sensory score increased from 78.8 to 82.3 and cooking loss decreased from 8.65%to 7.65%,which could be attributed to that small particle-sized IDF limited the damage on protein network structure,decreased the T22 and t-structure,and increased the β1-structure.Moreover,IDF particle size had a significant correlation with protein secondary structures,texture properties and evaluation score of noodles.In conclusion,adding appropriate particle sizewould be an effectiveway of enhancing the nutritional and textural properties of noodles.

Production and characterization of insoluble α-1,3-linked glucan and soluble α-1,6-linked dextran from Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides G29

Exopolysaccharides can be produced by various bacteria and have important biological roles in bacterial survival depend on molecular weight,linkage,and conformation.In this study,Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides G29 was identified and found to produce two types of exopolysaccharides from sucrose including soluble and insoluble a-glucans.By regulation of pH above 5.5,soluble a-glucan production was increased to 38.4 g∙L^(-1) from 101.4 g∙L^(-1) sucrose with fewer accumulation of lactic acid and acetic acid.Simultaneously,the quantity of thick white precipitate,that is insoluble a-glucan,was also increased.Then,a-glucans were prepared by enzymatic reaction with crude glucansucrases from the supernatant of G29 fermentation broth and purified for structure analysis.Based on the integration analysis of FT-IR and NMR,it was observed that soluble a-glucan is a highly linear dextran with α-1,6 glycosidic bonds while the insoluble a-glucan has 93%of α-1,3 and 7%of α-1,6 glycosidic bond.The results extend our understanding of exopolysaccharides production by L.pseudomesenteroides,and this water insoluble α-1,3-glucan might have potential application as biomaterials and/or biochemicals.

Effect of Inoculation Rhizobium and Response of Soybean-Rhizobium System to Insoluble Phosphate

In order to produce efficiently symbiotic system in acid soils which could be used for the recovery of insoluble phosphate soil and improvement of the fertility, etc., host range of Rhizobium was isolated from the root nodules of wild and cultivated soybean varieties growing in south China, evaluated the effects of Rhizobium on enhance nitrogen fixing activities, phosphorus(P), nitrogen(N) uptakes, growth and yield of soybean under pot and field conditions. The results showed that combined Rhizobium inoculation was more effective than individual Rhizobium inoculation. The combined Rhizobium of CW54 strains had the highest effect, nodule number, nodule weight and nodule nitrogenase activity were markedly stimulated as compared to those of the control U110, respectively. The nitrogen contents in the plants treated with CW54 strains were significantly increased by 43.2% as compared to those of the control U110 in Al-P soil, but statistical significance was not observed in Fe-P soil. By contrast, inoculation with CW54 significantly enhanced phosphorus uptake of plant in Fe-P soil than that in Al-P soil. The effects of inoculation of CW54 strains in a field condition were similar to those of in a pot condition. The total biomass and yield in the plants treated with CW54 strains were significantly increased by 86.4% and 51.4% as compared to those of the control at the time of soybean podding in a field condition, respectively. These results suggested that inoculation Rhizobium was beneficial for soybean nutrient uptake, growth and yield under insoluble phosphate soil conditions.

Ion-beam-assisted characterization of quinoline-insoluble particles in nuclear graphite

The irradiation behavior of graphite is essential for its applications in the nuclear industry.However,the behavioral differences of graphite remain obscure because of the very limited comprehension of its microstructural differences.One typical structure,the quinoline-insoluble(QI)particle,was investigated using IG-110 and NBG-18 graphite.After irradiation,the QI particles on the polished surface were proven to become hillocks,which were easily identifiable via scanning electron microscopy(SEM).Thus,a method that combined ion irradiation and SEM characterization was proposed to study the distribution and concentration of QI particles in graphite.During irradiation,the QI particles were found to evolve into densified spheres,which were weakly bonded with the surrounding graphite structures,thereby indicating that the densification of QI particles did not evidently contribute to graphite dimensional shrinkage.A much higher concentration of QI particles in NBG-18 than IG-110,which was suggested to be responsible for the smaller maximum dimensional shrinkage of former over the latter during irradiation,was characterized.

The Role of Soluble, Insoluble Fibers and Their Bioactive Compounds in Cancer: A Mini Review

The cancer incidence has risen dramatically over the last decades. About 8 million people died globally according to latest reports, which represented almost 40% more than it was 20 years ago. Risk factors for the development of cancer have been found to include smoking, alcohol, drugs, obesity and diet. Fiber intake has shown to exhibit chemoprotective effects on cancer proliferation and metastasis that may seem to be very promising. This article will review the role of different types of fiber such as, cellulose, lignin, pectin and inulin in development and prevention of different types of cancers. This article would also discuss the effectiveness of both types of fiber in cancer prevention.

Studies on the in Vitro Dissolution of Insoluble Volatile Drug from Su-Anxin Nasal Inhalant and Its Correlation on the Nose Steady Self-Controllable Expiration and Inspiration at Night

In the paper, the in vitro dissolution of borneol in 12 hours from 6 batches of optimized inhalant samples were investigated. As a new dosage form, the in vitro release apparatus of nasal inhalant was invented and a pushing bump was used according to the simulation of the nose expiration and inspiration. Based on the data of r2 in the profile and similar factor f2 from 6 linear release tendencies, a good controlled release and a zero order tendency were observed. It can be suggested that there is a good correlation between the in vitro controlled release and the nose steady self-controllable expiration and inspiration, which will contribute to the trend of insoluble volatile drug controlled release and the effect of quick absorption in nasal pulmonary delivery to cure severe or acute cardiovascular or lung diseases at patients' sleeping, such as angina or breathing obstruction. Also, it was concluded that the prescription composed of insoluble volatile drugs can be prepared to be nasal inhalant from which drugs can be absorbed through nose steady self-controllable inspiration to the lung then into the blood and have a great effectiveness improvement of bioavailability at night timing drug delivery system.

Extraction, Purification, and Characterization of Insoluble Dietary Fiber from Oat Bran

The dietary fiber in oats is mainly concentrated in the bran;however,the oat bran is mostly used for livestock and poultry feed and thus has a low utilization rate and low added value.In this study,insoluble dietary fiber(IDF)was extracted by a combination ofα-amylase and neutral protease.The optimal extraction conditions of the IDF were obtained by response surface methodology.The material-to-water ratio was 1:12.1,the concentration ofα-amylase was 1.85%,and the hydrolysis time was 39.14 min.After purifying the crude fiber with 4%sodium oxide(Na OH),70°C hot water,and anhydrous ethanol,the purity of dietary fiber exceeded 95%.X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the IDF was predominantly amorphous.Scanning electron microscopy showed that the IDF surface exhibited a loose porous network structure.Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy of the crude IDF showed characteristic absorption peaks at 3626,2929,1667,1538,1455,1242,and1048 cm^(-1),while the infrared spectrum of the purified IDF showed characteristic absorption peaks at 3401,2924,1744,1643,1418,and 1040 cm^(-1),which is consistent with the structure of cellulose polysaccharide.Differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that there were three exothermic peaks at 270–310°C,320–350°C,and 440–460°C,which may represent the pyrolysis peaks of hemicellulose,cellulose,and lignin,respectively,indicating that the oat bran IDF had good thermal stability.The results indicate that the oat bran IDF can be used for the production of dietary fiber products and health-care products.

Characterization of insoluble dietary fiber from Pleurotus eryngii and evaluation of its effects on obesity-preventing or relieving effects via modulation of gut microbiota

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the obesity preventing or relieving effect of insoluble dietary fiber(IDF)from Pleurotus eryngii through its modulations on intestinal microbiota.The IDF was extracted and structurally characterized through FTIR,X-Ray and thermogravimetric(TG)analysis.The mice for in vivo experiments were divided into obesity preventing group(feeding high-fat diet while gavage IDF simultaneously)and obesity relieving group(IDF intervention after the establishment of the obese model)to evaluate its hypolipidemic effect.Results:The yield of P.eryngii IDF extracts was 56.49%(on P.eryngii dry weight base)with IDF content of 85.15%in the extracts.The in vivo results showed that the body weight of the obesity-preventing groups was still increasing after intervention with IDF,but the growth rate was lowered,and the abnormal lipid metabolism and inflammation syndromes were alleviated;the acetic acid content of the medium and low dose dietary fiber intervention groups was significantly higher than that of the normal group,and the structure of the intestinal flora was improved.The mice weight from the obesity-relieving group decreased significantly.The abnormal lipid metabolism and inflammation were alleviated.In conclusion,The IDF intervention decreased the abnormal lipid metabolism and inflammation in both obesity-preventing and relieving experiments.The intestinal flora structure was obviously improved.P.eryngii IDF is a good candidate as hypolipidemic agent.

An insoluble polysaccharide from the sclerotium of Poria cocos improves hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and hepatic steatosis in ob/ob mice via modulation of gut microbiota

Metabolic syndrome characterized by obesity, hyperglycemia and liver steatosis is becoming prevalent all over the world. Herein, a water insoluble polysaccharide(WIP) was isolated and identified from the sclerotium of Poria cocos, a widely used Traditional Chinese Medicine. WIP was confirmed to be a(1-3)-β-D-glucan with an average Mw of 4.486 × 10~6 Da by NMR and SEC-RI-MALLS analyses. Furthermore, oral treatment with WIP from P. cocos significantly improved glucose and lipid metabolism and alleviated hepatic steatosis in ob/ob mice. 16 S DNA sequencing analysis of cecum content from WIP-treated mice indicated the increase of butyrate-producing bacteria Lachnospiracea, Clostridium. It was also observed that WIP treatment elevated the level of butyrate in gut, improved the gut mucosal integrity and activated the intestinal PPAR-γ pathway. Fecal transplantation experiments definitely confirmed the causative role of gut microbiota in mediating the benefits of WIP. It is the first report that the water insoluble polysaccharide from the sclerotium of P. cocos modulates gut microbiota to improve hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Thereby, WIP from P. cocos, as a prebiotic, has the potential for the prevention or cure of metabolic diseases and may elucidate new mechanism for the efficacies of this traditional herbal medicine on the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism.

A chemical index of weather-ing without effect of wind sorting: Fe/Mg ratios in the acid-insoluble phases of loess deposits

Chemical analysis of acid-insoluble fractions in loess and paleosols shows that concentrations of Fe and Mg were under control of wind sorting and post-depositional weathering-pedogenesis. The former caused Fe and Mg concentrated in the finer grain-size fractions, displaying synchronous variations, while the latter made Fe and Mg separated, leading to Fe retained in the weathered section and Mg leached out. Therefore, Fe/Mg ratios in the acid insoluble fraction of loess and paleosols can eliminate the effect of wind sorting and serve as an excellent proxy record on intensity of weathering-pedogenesis. Based on calculation, leaching percentage of Mg in the paleosol S1 from the Luochuan, Xifeng and Huanxian sections is 15%, 11% and 2%, respectively, and on average 9% for the paleosols S2—S14 from the Luochuan section, with the highest value amounting to 22% in S5-1, suggesting the strongest weathering-pedogenesis.

Cytotoxicity of the soluble and insoluble fractions of atmospheric fine particulate matter

Inhaled atmospheric fine particulate matter(PM2.5)includes soluble and insoluble fractions,and each fraction can interact with cells and cause adverse effects.PM2.5 samples were collected in Jinan,China,and the soluble and insoluble fractions were separated.According to physiochemical characterization,the soluble fraction mainly contains watersoluble ions and organic acids,and the insoluble fraction mainly contains kaolinite,calcium carbonate and some organic carbon.The interaction between PM2.5 and model cell membranes was examined with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation(QCM-D)to quantify PM2.5 attachment on membranes and membrane disruption.The cytotoxicity of the total PM2.5 and the soluble and insoluble fractions,was investigated.Negatively charged PM2.5 can adhere to the positively charged membranes and disrupt them.PM2.5also adheres to negatively charged membranes but does not cause membrane rupture.Therefore,electrostatic repulsion does not prevent PM2.5 attachment,but electrostatic attraction induces remarkable membrane rupture.The human lung epithelial cell line A549 was used for cytotoxicity assessment.The detected membrane leakage,cellular swelling and blebbing indicated a cell necrosis process.Moreover,the insoluble PM2.5 fraction caused a higher cell mortality and more serious cell membrane damage than the soluble fraction.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)enhanced by the two fractions were not significantly different.The findings provide more information to better understand the mechanism of PM2.5 cytotoxicity and the effect of PM2.5 solubility on cytotoxicity.

STUDY ON PREPARATION OF POLYDISPERSED INSOLUBLE AND MICROSPHERIC AEROSOLS WITH MONTMORILLONITE CLAY

Solid aerosols are suspending particles in the air, under the effect of gravity their settling velocity is lower than that of spherical particles with a geometrical diameter of about 3.5 μ and a density of about 1. Clay, being of advantageous nature, has been used for preparing microspheric aerosols in inhalation experiment of biological and medical sciences. Montmorillonite clay is an ideal raw material for the purpose.

Alfalfa-containing diets alter luminal microbiota structure and short chain fatty acid sensing in the caecal mucosa of pigs

Background: Pork produced by outdoor-reared pigs raised mostly on alfalfa pastures attracts increasing population of consumer from most of the world. In China, pigs were raised with alfalfa-containing diets to seek for good quality pork.However, the influence of dietary alfalfa involving high level of insoluble dietary fiber(IDF) on pig intestinal luminal microbiota composition remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of alfalfa on luminal microbiota and short chain fatty acids(SCFA) production, and gene expressions involved in SCFA sensing, transporting and absorbing in pig caecal mucosa.Results: Twenty-four growing pigs were randomly allotted to four diets containing 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% alfalfa meal for a 28-d experiment. Ingestion of alfalfa meal-contained diets significantly increased the ratio of body weight gain to feed consumption. Illumina MiS eq sequencing of the V3 region of the 16 S r RNA genes showed that alfalfa-containing diet significantly decreased the relative abundance of genera Turicibacter, Acidiphilium, Paracoccus, Propionibacterium,Corynebacterium, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Staphylococcus, and increased the relative abundance of genera Lachnospira, Marvinbryantia, and Desulfovibrio in the caecal digesta. Butyrate concentration was significantly increased in the hindgut by the supplementation of alfalfa meal in diets. The m RNA gene expressions of FFAR3, SMCT1, MCT1,PYY, and GCG were significantly increased in the caecal mucosa of pigs fed alfalfa meal.Conclusions: Our results suggested that alfalfa-containing diet has exerted significant impacts on caecal microbiota composition, butyrate concentration and significantly upregulated m RNA expression of host caecal mucosal genes involved in SCFA sensing and absorption as well as regulation of satiety.

KINETICS OF THE DECOMPOSlTION OF SCHEELITE CONCENTRATE BY LEACHEX PROCESS

The new method named as LEACHEX process which combines leaching of minearl and extraction of metalfrom leaching liquor is used to proccss scheelite concentrate.Elimination of solid film consisting of tungstic acidand the controlling step of chemical reaction are illustrated and an empirical kinetic equation is proposed basedon unreacted-shrinking-core model.90 percent decomposition of scheelite can be attained in 1800 seconds.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISTIC OF POLYSILANES CONTAINING Si-H BOND

Three kinds of polysilanes containing Si-H bond,■■ CH3SiCH3■x■CH3SiH■y■n and■PhSiPh■π■CH3SiH■y■CH3SiCH3■, have been synthesized. The structures of these copolymers were investigated by IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR and their molecular weights were measured.

Mesophase formation of coal-tar pitches used for impregnant of C/C composites

By a polarized light optical microscopy with a hot stage, liquid phase nuclear magnetic resonance 13 C NMR and 1 H NMR, X ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the factors that affect the formation of mesophase in C/C composites, such as pressure, quinoline insolubles (QI) and heterocylic compounds, were analyzed. Further, the graphitizability of the resultant carbon was discussed. The results indicate that to some degree, QI contents accelerate the formation of mesophase at atmospheric pressure; while at high pressure, the coalescence and growth of mesophase spherules are impeded and the resultant coke produced from higher QI content pitch is harder to be graphitized. This is in agreement with the transfer of microstructure from domain anisotropy to fine grained mosaics.