Effect of acetylation on the properties of corn starch

Acetylated corn starches with different degrees of substitution (DS 0.85, DS 1.78, DS 2.89) were synthesized by the reaction of corn starch with acetic anhydride in the presence of acetic acid under varying reaction temperatures. The product was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, H-1 NMR, X-ray diffraction and contact angle measurement. Acid-base titration and H-1 NMR methods were employed to determine the degree of substitution of product. FTIR spectroscopic analysis showed that the characteristic absorption intensities of esterified starch increased with increase in the degree of substitution, and the characterized peak of hydroxyl group almost disappeared in the spectrum of DS 2.89 acetylated starch. The detailed chemical microstructure of native starch and acetylated starch was confirmed by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR and C-13-(1) H-1 COSY spectra.

Preparation and characterization of cationic corn starch with a high degree of substitution in dioxane-THF-water media

Cationic corn starch derivatives with a high degree of substitution are prepared in alkaline solution or in mixed media of organic solvent and water with different levels of the cationic reagent, 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride. The starch cationization yield is investigated, and the results indicate that the degree of substitution (DS) of the samples depends on the reaction conditions and reaction media. The maximum DS values are up to 1.37 in 1,4-dioxane alkali ne-aqueous solution. Meanwhile, the structures of the cationic starch derivatives are characterized by elemental analyses, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and C-13 NMR spectroscopy, as well as by SEM techniques.

Synthesis of dodecenyl succinic anhydride (DDSA) corn starch

Dodecenly succinic anhydride (DDSA) starches were prepared commercially by the base catalyzed reaction of DDSA in pre-emulsion with starch granular in aqueous slurry. The results indicated that the degree of substitution and reaction efficiency were 0.0256% and 42.7%, respectively, at the parameters for the preparation of DDSA starches in starch slurry 30%, DDSA/starch radio 10% (wt/wt), pH 8.5-9.0, reaction temperature 313 K. After modification, product surface chemical composite had been changed which was prone to migrate into less polar solution. The chemical structural characteristics were investigated by methods of FTIR and H-1 NMR. The results of X-ray diffraction showed the native A-type crystalline pattern, indicating that reaction of corn starch with DDSA caused no change in the crystalline structure. Compared to native starch, the hydrophobic performance of esters was greatly increased. With the DS increasing, contact angles were gradually increased, however, the adhesion works were decreased. The maximum contact angle of DDSA starch could attend to 123 degrees, and the corresponding adhesion work was 33.2 mJ m(-2).

Effect of high dietary starch levels on the growth performance, blood chemistry and body composition of gibel carp (Carassius auratus var. gibelio)

An 8-week growth trial was carried out in a semi-recirculation system to investigate the effect of high dietary starch levels on the growth performance, blood chemistry, starch utilization and body composition of gibel carp (Carassius auratus var. gibelio). Five isonitrogenous and isocarloric experimental diets were formulated to contain different starch levels (24%, 28%, 32%, 36% and 40% respectively). Triplicate groups of fish (24 fish per tank with an average body weight, of 8.5 g) were assigned to each diet. The results showed that dietary carbohydrate levels significantly affected the growth performance, hepatopancreatic lipid content, pyruvate kinase (PK) activity and whole-body lipid content. Growth performance, body crude lipid and plasma glucose concentrations showed a decreasing trend with an increase in dietary starch from 24% to 40%. Pyruvate kinase activities and hepatopancreatic lipid content showed an increasing trend with the dietary starch increasing from 24% to 32%, and then a decreasing trend with the dietary starch increasing from 32% to 40%. No significant difference in the hepatopancreatic hexokinase (HK) activity, plasma triglyceride contents, body crude protein, ash and calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) contents was observed between different treatments. In conclusion, higher dietary starch levels (32-40%) significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the growth of gibel carp in the present study.

玉米淀粉的化学与物理修饰

本论文以淀粉为研究对象，从高分子的基本理论出发，通过化学与物理的手段利用淀粉上的经基，调控了淀粉大分子链的聚集态结构，探索了将淀粉这种天然储能高分子变为实用的材料的可能性。采用化学交联的手段制备了交联淀粉膜。研究了淀粉交联后的老化过程和水在其中的结合状态。试验证明，交联键的引入使得淀粉的结晶和局部有序结构程度下降，让淀粉大分子的聚集态结构趋于均一化的同时，释放出大量的"自由轻基"。改变了淀粉膜的吸水能力和淀粉内部水分子的结合状态，综合交联与水分子的增塑作用，可以在一定程度上调控淀粉膜的力学性能。淀粉和生物降解大分子（PCL、PHBV）制备的IPN材料显著的提高了淀粉的耐水性能。通过实验证明DMSO／water配合体系作为一种高效、安全的组合溶剂对淀粉的醚化反应非常有效，取代度最高可达1．81。控制节基氯和淀粉重复单元的摩尔比、反应温度、DMSO/water组合溶剂的不同配比等可以制备出不同取代度的节基淀粉醚。经证实，淀粉的醚化反应主要发生在脱水葡萄糖环上的2位碳原子的经基上，其次发生在C-6、C-3碳原子的经基上。醚化后的淀粉即使很低的取代度（Ds：0．0546）时淀粉在x一射线衍射曲线上的结晶峰已经完全消失了。发现了稳定、高效的淀粉增塑剂FSDT。使用FSDT成功的对淀粉进行了塑化处理，而且塑化后的淀粉一年后仍保持优良的机械性能，特别是当FSDT的含量超过30％以后，淀粉从无法加工的脆性材料变成了类似弹性体的材料，在此基础对淀粉进行了化学交联，交联后样品的断裂伸长率有了更进一步的提升，达到470％。

三孢布拉氏霉发酵产β-胡萝卜素的研究

本论文研究了利用三孢布拉氏霉(Blakeslea trispora)发酵产β-胡萝卜素的培养条件。主要包括：发酵培养基的确定，发酵条件的优化。还考察了发酵菌丝体中β-胡萝卜素的提取方法及薄层层析等。 首先研究了培养基成分对三孢布拉氏霉发酵产β-胡萝卜素的影响。确立了玉米淀粉作为碳源，黄豆粉（热榨）作为氮源，棉籽油作为植物油的发酵培养基配方，其成分为：玉米淀粉 3％，黄豆粉（热榨） 2％，棉籽油 3％，KH2PO4 0.2%，MgSO4·7H2O 0.2%，维生素B1 0.002％，pH值6.0。 其次，通过比较不同的发酵影响因子，分别得到最适的条件：如三孢布拉氏霉正负菌接种比例为1.3：0.7，培养基pH值为7.0（灭菌后），发酵促进因子为Triton X-100。并采用正交试验法，确定其最佳发酵条件为正负菌接种比例1.3/0.7，发酵培养基pH为7.0，在培养基中添加表面活性基Triton X-100 0.08％。使该菌株产β-胡萝卜素的量达到0.73g/L，较初始发酵条件提高了3.3倍。 研究中还找到一个简便有效的对β-胡萝卜素的提取方法，选用盐酸-热处理法进行细胞破壁，并选用沸程为60～90℃的石油醚进行萃取。 用三孢布拉霉菌丝体内类胡萝卜索的石油醚提取液点样于硅胶G板，以丙酮：石油醚（5：95）为展开剂能将β-胡萝卜素与其它类胡萝卜索分离。该方法简便快速，并有一定实用价值。 The fermentative conditions of β-carotene by Blakeslea trispora have been investigated. These conditions include fermentation medium, the optimization of some fermentation factor. The extracting methods and the TLC of carotenoids were also researched. Firstly, the effects of composition of fermentation medium on the yield of β-carotene were studied. the results showed that the best fermentation medium was corn starch 3％，soybean power 2％，cottonseed oil 3％，KH2PO4 0.2%，MgSO4·7H2O 0.2%，vitamin B1 0.002％，pH value 6.0. Secondly, through compared some factors, such as different proportion of plus and minus strains, pH value, nonionic surfactants, respective best values have been obtained. The best proportion of plus and minus strains is 1.3:0.7, pH value of fermentation medium (sterilized) is 7.0, fermentation accelerant which acts as surfactants is Triton x-100. Farther on, the fermentative conditions were optimized through orthogonal experiment, the optimization showed that proportion of plus and minus strains is 1.3:0.7，pH value is 7.0, content of Triton x-100 is 0.08％. And the yield of β-carotene reached 0.73g/L, which was up to 3.3 times through the fermentation. In the extracting study, it has showed hydrochloric acid-heat treatment is a simple, convenient and effective extracting methods is which was used to destroy the cell wall, and the extracting organic solvent is petroleum ether whose boiling range is 60~90 ℃. In the TLC experiments, extracting contents in the petroleum ether were spotted in the silicagel plate, and the mixed liquor of acetone and petroleum ether (5：95) is developping agent, which can distinguish β-carotene from other carotenoids. It is a simple and quick technique.

Molecular and functional characterization of a c-type lysozyme from the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis

Some lepidopteran lysozymes have been reported to display activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, in contrast to most lysozymes that are active only against Gram-positive bacteria. OstrinLysC, a c-type lysozyme, was purified from the As

Fast Discrimination of Commerical Corn Varieties Based on Near Infrared Spectra

The existing methods for the discrimination of varieties of commodity corn seed are unable to process batch data and speed up identification, and very time consuming and costly. The present paper developed a new approach to the fast discrimination of varieties of commodity corn by means of near infrared spectral data. Firstly, the experiment obtained spectral data of 37 varieties of commodity corn seed with the Fourier transform near infrared spectrometer in the wavenurnber range from 4 000 to 12 000 cm (1). Secondly, the original data were pretreated using statistics method of normalization in order to eliminate noise and improve the efficiency of models. Thirdly, a new way based on sample standard deviation was used to select the characteristic spectral regions, and it can search very different wavenumbers among all wavenumbers and reduce the amount of data in part. Fourthly, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compress spectral data into several variables, and the cumulate reliabilities of the first ten components were more than 99.98%. Finally, according to the first ten components, recognition models were established based on BPR. For every 25 samples in each variety, 15 samples were randomly selected as the training set. The remaining 10 samples of the same variety were used as the first testing set, and all the 900 samples of the other varieties were used as the second testing set. Calculation results showed that the average correctness recognition rate of the 37 varieties of corn seed was 94.3%. Testing results indicate that the discrimination method had higher precision than the discrimination of various kinds of commodity corn seed. In short, it is feasible to discriminate various varieties of commodity corn seed based on near infrared spectroscopy and BPR.

组合白腐真菌预处理木质纤维素原料的研究

木质纤维素原料种类多、分布广、数量巨大，通过燃料乙醇生产技术、厌氧沼气发酵技术将其转化成乙醇、沼气等二次能源，一定程度上可以缓解化石能源的不断消耗所带来的能源危机，也解决了农林废弃物引起的环境污染问题。其中以木质纤维素原料生产燃料乙醇，还可以避免以淀粉类和糖类原料生产燃料乙醇时带来的“与人争粮”等一系列问题。因此具有重要的经济效益、环境效益和社会效益。 然而，木质纤维素原料结构致密，木质素包裹在纤维素、半纤维素外围，导致其很难被降解利用，必须进行适当的预处理，去除木质素，打破原有的致密结构，利于原料的后续利用。因此，预处理成为木质纤维素原料能源化利用的关键。而目前预处理环节的费用过于昂贵，于是寻找一种高效、低成本的预处理方法是当今研究的热点。 本论文采用组合白腐真菌对木质纤维素原料进行生物预处理研究，与其他物理化学法相比，该法有着专一性较强、反应温和、不造成环境污染、成本低等优势。白腐真菌主要通过分泌木质素降解酶对木质素进行降解，从而破坏原料的致密结构，提高后续利用效率。所以木质素降解酶酶活的高低是影响原料预处理效果的一个关键因素。于是本论文首先通过将白腐真菌进行组合的方式提高木质素降解酶（漆酶，Lac）酶活；接着对组合菌的菌株相互作用机理进行研究，阐明组合菌Lac 酶活提高的原因，为菌株组合提高Lac 酶活这种方法的应用提供理论依据，同时也为后续组合白腐真菌预处理木质纤维素原料提供指导；进一步采用固态发酵和木质素降解酶两种方式对木质纤维素原料进行预处理研究，最大化去除木质素成分，破坏原料的致密结构；最终对预处理后原料的酶解糖化进行初步研究，为原料后续的能源化应用奠定基础。具体研究结果如下： （1） 以实验室保存的三株主要分泌Lac 的白腐真菌为出发菌株，筛选得到一组Lac 酶活明显提高的组合菌55+m-6，其中菌株55 为Trametes trogii sp.，m-6 为Trametes versicolor sp.，组合后Lac 酶活较单菌株分别提高24.13倍和4.07 倍。组合菌的最适产酶条件为pH 6.5、C/N 16:1、Tween 80 添加量为0.01%，在该条件下组合菌的Lac 酶活峰值比未优化时提高4.11倍。 （2） 对组合菌55+m-6 菌株间相互作用机理进行研究，发现菌株之间不存在抑制作用；平板培养时，菌丝交界处Lac 酶活最高并分泌棕色色素；液体培养时，菌株m-6 对组合后Lac 酶活的提高起着更为重要的作用：菌株m-6的菌块、过滤灭菌胞外物以及高温灭菌胞外物均能明显刺激菌株55 的Lac产生；菌株55、m-6 进行组合后，同工酶种类未发生增减，但有三种Lac同工酶浓度有所提高；对菌株胞外物进行薄层层析和质谱分析，结果表明组合前后菌株胞外物中各物质在浓度上存在较大的变化。推测组合菌Lac酶活的明显提高，主要是由于菌株m-6 胞外物中的一些物质能刺激菌株55 分泌大量Lac 进行代谢，且这些刺激物质并非菌株m-6 特有，菌株55自身也可以代谢生成，但是适当的浓度才能刺激Lac 的大量分泌。 （3） 将组合菌55+m-6 用于固态发酵预处理木质纤维素原料，发现其对玉米秆的降解程度最大，在粉碎度40 目、含水率65%的最优处理条件下，处理至第15d，秸秆失重率为41.24%，其中木质素、纤维素、半纤维素均有降解，且Lac 和纤维素酶（CMC）酶活以及还原糖量均达到峰值。 （4） 对玉米秆进行木质素降解酶预处理，发现Lac/1-羟基苯并三唑（HBT）系统对玉米秆木质素的降解效果最好，在最优处理条件时，即HBT 用量0.2%、处理时间1d、Lac 用量50U/g，木质素降解率可达12.60%。预处理后玉米秆的致密结构被破坏，比表面积增大，利于后续酶与纤维素、半纤维素成分的结合。 （5） 对预处理后的玉米秆进行酶解糖化，其中组合菌固态发酵预处理后玉米秆的糖化率比对照高4.33 倍；Lac/HBT 系统预处理后玉米秆的糖化率比对照高2.99％，糖化液中主要含有木糖、葡萄糖两种单糖。 There are many kinds and large quantities of lignocellulosic biomass widely distributed on the earth. They can be converted into secondary energy such as fuel ethanol, biogas, et al., which can relieve the energy crisis caused by consumption of fossil energy resources and solve the problem of environmental pollution caused by agriculture and forestry waste. Meanwhile, the production of fuel ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass can ensure food supply to human kind instead of starch- and sugar-containing raw materials. So the energy conversion of lignocellulosic biomass contributes considerable economic, environment and social benefits. However, lignocellulosic biomass has the compact structure, in which lignin surrounds cellulose and hemicellulose, so it must be pretreated before energy usage and pretreatment is one of the most critical steps in the energy conversion of lignocellulosic biomass. At present, the cost of pretreatment is too expensive, so looking for an efficient and low-cost pre-treatment method is one of recent research hot spots. In this research, combined white rot fungi pretreatment method was used, which had some advantages in low cost, high specificity, mild reacting conditions and friendly environmental effects compared with the other physical and chemical methods. White rot fungi secrete lignin degrading enzymes to degrade the content of lignin and damage the contact structure of lignocellulosic biomass, so the activity of the lignin degrading enzymes is the key factor to the degradation effect of raw materials. Firstly, the combined fungi with high laccase activity were screened; secondly, the interaction mechanism between strains was studied, and the cause of higher laccase activity after strains combination was also preliminary clarified; under the guidance of the mechanism, lignocellulosic biomass was pretreated by the combined fungi; lastly, the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated lignocellulosic biomass was also preliminary studied; all of the researches could lay the foundation for the energy application of lignocellulosic biomass. The specific research results were as follows: (1) The combined fungi 55+m-6 with significant higher laccase activity were screened from the three white rot fungi stored in our lab which mainly secreted laccase. Strain 55 and strain m-6 were Trametes trogii sp. and Trametes versicolor sp., respectively. The laccase activity of combined fungi was 24.13 and 4.07-fold than strain 55 and strain m-6, respectively. The optimized condition for laccase production of the combined fungi in liquid medium was pH 6.5, C/N 16:1 and Tween 80 0.01%. In this optimized condition, the laccase activity of combined fungi was 4.11-fold higher comparing with which in non-optimized medium. (2) The interaction mechanism between strain 55 and strain m-6 was further studied, and no inhibition effect was observed. Brown pigment was secreted on the junction of the two strains on the plate, where the highest laccase activity was detected. Strain m-6 was much important to boost laccase activity of combined fungi in liquid medium, and strain 55 was stimulated by fungal plug, filter sterilized extracellular substances and high temperature sterilized extracellular substances of strain m-6 to produce laccase. The types of laccase isozymes did not change after combining strain 55 and strain m-6, but the concentrations of three types increased. Mass Spectrometry and TLC analysis of extracellular substances of each strain showed that concentration of some substances considerably changed after strains were combined. It was supposed that the cause of higher laccase activity of combined fungi was mainly due to some extracellular substances of strain m-6 with the appropriate concentration which stimulated laccase secretion of strain 55 and generated not only by strain m-6 but also by strain 55. (3) Combined fungi 55+m-6 were used to lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment with the type of solid-state fermentation. The highest degree of degradation of corn straw was obtained, including the rate of weight loss was 41.24% and the lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose were degraded partially under the optimized condition of 40 mesh, 65% water content on 15th day. Laccase, CMCase activities and content of reducing sugar reached the maximum value on that day. (4) Lignin degrading enzymes from combined fungi 55+m-6 were used for corn straw pretreatment. The most remarkable degradation of lignin in corn straw with Lac/1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) system was observed, and the 12.60% lignin degradation was obtained under the optimized condition of 0.2% HBT, 50 U/g laccase for 1 d. After pretreated by Lac/HBT, the tight structure of corn straw was demolished and specific surface area increased, which had advantages for accessible of enzyme to cellulose and hemicellulose. (5) The corn straws pretreated by combined fungi 55+m-6 with the type of solid-state fermentation and Lac/HBT were used for enzymatic hydrolysis, and the saccharification rates of each pretreatment type were 4.33 times and 2.99% higher than CK, respectively. The enzymatic hydrolysis liquid of corn straw pretreated by Lac/HBT mainly contained xylose and glucose.

Starch grains from dental calculus reveal ancient plant foodstuffs at Chenqimogou site, Gansu Province

National Natural Science Foundation of China [40771205]; National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars [40625002]; Chinese Academy of Sciences [KZCX2-YW-315]

Coal-burning roasted corn and chili as the cause of dental fluorosis for children in southwestern China

To find the pathologic cause of the children's dental fluorosis in southwestern China, diet structure before the age of 6 and prevalence rate of dental fluorosis (DF) of 405 children were investigated, and the fluorine and arsenic content of several materials were determined. The prevalence rate of DF of children living on roasted corn before the age of 6 is 100% with nearly 95% having the mild to severe DF; while that of children living on non-roasted corn or rice is less than 5% with all having very mild DF. The average fluorine and arsenic concentration are 20.26 mg/kg and 0.249 mg/kg in roasted corn, which are about 16 times and 35 times more than in non-roasted corn, respectively. The average fluorine concentration is 78 mg/kg in coal, 1116 mg/kg in binder clay and 313 mg/kg in briquette (coal mixed with clay). The average arsenic concentration of coal is 5.83 mg/kg, the binder clay is 20.94 mg/kg, with 8.52 mg/kg in the briquette. Living on roasted corn and chili is the main pathologic cause of endemic fluorosis in southwestern China. The main source of fluorine and arsenic pollution of roasted corn and chill is the briquette of coal and binder clay. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.