Biochemical properties of a beta-mannanase and a beta-xylanase produced by Ceriporiopsis subvermispora during biopulping conditions

One mannanase and one of the three xylanases produced by Ceriporiopsis subvermispora grown on Pinus taeda wood chips were characterized. A combination of ion exchange chromatography and SDS-PAGE data revealed the existence of a high-molecular-weight mannanase of 150 kDa that was active against galactoglucomannan and xylan, Its activity was optimal at pH 4.5. The K(m) value with galactoglucomannan as substrate was 0.50 mg ml (1). One xylanase with molecular mass of 79 kDa was also purified and characterized. Its activity was optimal at 60 degrees C and pH 8.0. Its K(m) value with birchwood xylan as substrate was 1.65 mg ml (1). Both the mannanase and the 79 kDa xylanase displayed relatively high activity on carboxymethyl cellulose. The sensitivity of the xylanase and mannanase to various salts was evaluated. None of the tested salts inhibited the xylanase, but Mn(+2), Fe(+3), and Cu(+2) were strong inhibitors for the mannanase. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Meat Quality of Lambs Fed on Palm Kernel Meal, a By-product of Biodiesel Production

This study aimed to establish the optimum level of palm kernel meal in the diet of Santa Ines lambs based on the sensorial characteristics and fatty acid profile of the meat. We used 32 lambs with a starting age of 4 to 6 months and mean weight of 22 2.75 kg, kept in individual stalls. The animals were fed with Tifton-85 hay and a concentrate mixed with 0.0, 6.5, 13.0 or 19.5% of palm kernel meal based on the dry mass of the complete diet. These levels formed the treatments. Confinement lasted 80 days and on the last day the animals were fasted and slaughtered. After slaughter, carcasses were weighed and sectioned longitudinally, along the median line, into two antimeres. Half-carcasses were then sliced between the 12th and 13th ribs to collect the loin (longissimus dorsi), which was used to determine the sensorial characteristics and fatty acid profile of the meat. For sensorial evaluation, samples of meat were given to 54 judges who evaluated the tenderness, juiciness, appearance, aroma and flavor of the meat using a hedonic scale. Fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography. The addition of palm kernel meal to the diet had no effect on the sensorial characteristics of meat juiciness, appearance, aroma or flavor. However, tenderness showed a quadratic relationship with the addition of the meal to the diet. The concentration of fatty acids C12:0, C14:0 and C16:0 increased with the addition of palm kernel meal, as did the sum of medium-chain fatty acids and the atherogenicity index. Up to of 19.5% of the diet of Santa Ines lambs can be made up of palm kernel meal without causing significant changes in sensorial characteristics. However, the fatty acid profile of the meat was altered.

A high-fat meal impairs muscle vasodilatation response to mental stress in humans with Glu27 beta(2)-adrenoceptor polymorphism

Background: Forearm blood flow responses during mental stress are greater in individuals homozygous for the Glu27 allele. A high-fat meal is associated with impaired endothelium-dependent dilatation. We investigated the impact of high-fat ingestion on the muscle vasodilatory responses during mental stress in individuals with the Glu27 allele and those with the Gln27 allele of the beta(2)-adrenoceptor gene. Methods: A total of 162 preselected individuals were genotyped for the Glu27Gln beta(2)-adrenoceptor polymorphism. Twenty-four individuals participated in the study. Fourteen were homozygous for the Gln27 allele (Gln27Gln, 40 +/- 2 years; 64 +/- 2 kg), and 10 were homozygous for the Glu27 allele (Glu27Glu, 40 +/- 3 years; 65 +/- 3 kg). Forearm blood flow was evaluated by venous occlusion plethysmography before and after ingestion of 62 g of fat. Results: The high-fat meal caused no changes in baseline forearm vascular conductance (FVC, 2.2 +/- 0.1 vs. 2.4 +/- 0.2; P = 0.27, respectively), but reduced FVC responses to mental stress (1.5 +/- 0.2 vs. 0.8 +/- 0.2 units; P = 0.04). When volunteers were divided according to their genotypes, baseline FVC was not different between groups (Glu27Glu = 2.4 +/- 0.1 vs. Gln27Gln = 2.1 +/- 0.1 units; P = 0.08), but it was significantly greater in Glu27Glu individuals during mental stress (1.9 +/- 0.4 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.3 units; P = 0.04). High-fat intake eliminated the difference in FVC responses between Glu27Glu and Gln27Gln individuals (FVC, 1.3 +/- 0.4 vs. 1.2 +/- 0.4; P = 0.66, respectively). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that a high-fat meal impairs muscle vasodilatation responses to mental stress in humans. However, this reduction can be attributed to the presence of the homozygous Glu27 allele of the beta(2)-adrenoceptor gene.

Effects of exercise on leukocyte death: prevention by hydrolyzed whey protein enriched with glutamine dipeptide

Lymphocyte and neutrophil death induced by exercise and the role of hydrolyzed whey protein enriched with glutamine dipeptide (Gln) supplementation was investigated. Nine triathletes performed two exhaustive exercise trials with a 1-week interval in a randomized, double blind, crossover protocol. Thirty minutes before treadmill exhaustive exercise at variable speeds in an inclination of 1% the subjects ingested 50 g of maltodextrin (placebo) or 50 g of maltodextrin plus 4 tablets of 700 mg of hydrolyzed whey protein enriched with 175 mg of glutamine dipeptide dissolved in 250 mL water. Cell viability, DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial transmembrane potential and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined in lymphocytes and neutrophils. Exhaustive exercise decreased viable lymphocytes but had no effect on neutrophils. A 2.2-fold increase in the proportion of lymphocytes and neutrophils with depolarized mitochondria was observed after exhaustive exercise. Supplementation of maltodextrin plus Gln (MGln) prevented the loss of lymphocyte membrane integrity and the mitochondrial membrane depolarization induced by exercise. Exercise caused an increase in ROS production by neutrophils, whereas supplementation of MGln had no additional effect. MGln supplementation partially prevented lymphocyte apoptosis induced by exhaustive exercise possibly by a protective effect on mitochondrial function.

Corticotrophin-releasing factor mediates hypophagia after adrenalectomy, increasing meal-related satiety responses

Adrenalectomy-induced hypophagia is associated with increased satiety-related responses, which involve neuronal activation of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Besides its effects on the pituitary-adrenal axis, corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) has been shown to play an important role in feeding behaviour, as it possesses anorexigenic effects. We evaluated feeding-induced CRF mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and the effects of pretreatment with CRF(2) receptor antagonist (Antisauvagine-30, AS30) on food intake and activation of NTS neurons in response to feeding in adrenalectomised (ADX) rats. Compared to the sham group, ADX increased CRF mRNA levels in the PVN of fasted animals, which was further augmented by refeeding. AS30 treatment did not affect food intake in the sham and ADX + corticosterone (B) groups; however, it reversed hypophagia in the ADX group. In vehicle-pretreated animals, refeeding increased the number of Fos and Fos/TH-immunoreactive neurons in the NTS in the sham, ADX and ADX + B groups, with the highest number of neurons in the ADX animals. Similarly to its effect on food intake, pretreatment with AS30 in the ADX group also reversed the increased activation of NTS neurons induced by refeeding while having no effect in the sham and ADX + B animals. The present results show that adrenalectomy induces an increase in CRF mRNA expression in the PVN potentiated by feeding and that CRF(2) receptor antagonist abolishes the anorexigenic effect and the increased activation of NTS induced by feeding in the ADX animals. These data indicate that increased activity of PVN CRF neurons modulates brainstem satiety-related responses, contributing to hypophagia after adrenalectomy. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differential effects of coffee on the risk of type 2 diabetes according to meal consumption in a French cohort of women: the E3N/EPIC cohort study

Background: Coffee consumption has been associated with a lower risk of diabetes, but little is known about the mechanisms responsible for this association, especially related to the time when coffee is consumed. Objective: We examined the long-term effect of coffee, globally and according to the accompanying meal, and of tea, chicory, and caffeine on type 2 diabetes risk. Design: This was a prospective cohort study including 69,532 French women, aged 41-72 y from the E3N/EPIC (Etude Epidemiologique aupres de Femmes de la Mutuelle Generale de l`Education Nationale/European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) cohort study, without diabetes at baseline. Food and drink intakes per meal were assessed by using a validated diet-history questionnaire in 1993-1995. Results: During a mean follow-up of 11 y, 1415 new cases of diabetes were identified. In multivariable Cox regression models, the hazard ratio in the highest category of coffee consumption [>= 3 cups (375 mL)/d] was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.61, 0.87; P for trend < 0.001), in comparison with no coffee consumption. This inverse association was restricted to coffee consumed at lunchtime (hazard ratio: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.76) when comparing >1.1 cup (125 mL)/meal with no intake. At lunchtime, this inverse association was observed for both regular and decaffeinated coffee and for filtered and black coffee, with no effect of sweetening. Total caffeine intake was also associated with a statistically significantly lower risk of diabetes. Neither tea nor chicory consumption was associated with diabetes risk. Conclusions: Our data support an inverse association between coffee consumption and diabetes and suggest that the time of drinking coffee plays a distinct role in glucose metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr 2010; 91: 1002-12.

Pre-meal tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) intake can have anti-obesity effects in young women?

The effect of pre-meal tomato intake in the anthropometric indices and blood levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, and uric acid of a young women population (n=35, 19.6 ± 1.3 years) was evaluated. During 4 weeks, daily, participants ingested a raw ripe tomato (~90 g) before lunch. Their anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured repeatedly during the follow-up time. At the end of the 4 weeks, significant reductions were observed on body weight (-1.09 ± 0.12 kg on average), % fat (-1.54 ± 0.52%), fasting blood glucose (-5.29 ± 0.80 mg/dl), triglycerides (-8.31 ± 1.34 mg/dl), cholesterol (-10.17 ± 1.21 mg/ dl), and uric acid (-0.16 ± 0.04 mg/dl) of the participants. The tomato pre-meal ingestion seemed to interfere positively in body weight, fat percentage, and blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, and uric acid of the young adult women that participated in this study.

Temporal differences in blood meal detection from the midguts of Triatoma infestans

We used genus/species specific PCRs to determine the temporal persistence of host DNA in Triatoma infestans experimentally fed on blood from six common vertebrate species: humans, domestic dogs, guinea pigs, chickens, mice, and pigs. Twenty third or fourth instar nymphs per animal group were allowed to feed to engorgement, followed by fasting-maintenance in the insectary. At 7, 14, 21, or 28 days post-feeding, the midgut contents from five triatomines per group were tested with the respective PCR assay. DNA from all vertebrate species was detected in at least four of five study nymphs at seven and 14 days post-feeding. DNA of humans, domestic dogs, guinea pigs, pigs, and chickens were more successfully detected (80-100%) through day 21, and less successfully (20-100%) at day 28. Findings demonstrate that species-specific PCRs can consistently identify feeding sources of T. infestans within two weeks, a biologically relevant time interval.

Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) IN PERIDOMICILIARY AREA DURING ASYMPTOMATIC MALARIA TRANSMISSION IN THE ATLANTIC FOREST: MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF BLOOD-MEAL SOURCES INDICATES HUMANS AS PRIMARY INTERMEDIATE HOSTS

Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii has been implicated as the primary vector of human and simian malarias out of the Brazilian Amazon and specifically in the Atlantic Forest regions. The presence of asymptomatic human cases, parasite-positive wild monkeys and the similarity between the parasites infecting them support the discussion whether these infections can be considered as a zoonosis. Although many aspects of the biology of An. cruzii have already been addressed, studies conducted during outbreaks of malaria transmission, aiming at the analysis of blood feeding and infectivity, are missing in the Atlantic Forest. This study was conducted in the location of Palestina, Juquitiba, where annually the majority of autochthonous human cases are notified in the Atlantic Forest of the state of São Paulo. Peridomiciliary sites were selected for collection of mosquitoes in a perimeter of up to 100 m around the residences of human malaria cases. The mosquitoes were analyzed with the purpose of molecular identification of blood-meal sources and to examine the prevalence of Plasmodium. A total of 13,441 females of An. (Ker.) cruzii were collected. The minimum infection rate was calculated at 0.03% and 0.01%, respectively, for P. vivax and P. malariae and only human blood was detected in the blood-fed mosquitoes analyzed. This data reinforce the hypothesis that asymptomatic human carriers are the main source of anopheline infection in the peridomiciliary area, making the probability of zoonotic transmission less likely to happen.

Biodiesel production from chicken feather meal, combining biocatalysis and supercritical technology

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologia

How to increase brand value expanding the category and brand presence to the main meal occasion for Sumol- Compal

Having registered negative retail value growth of 4% in Portugal in 2014, the juice category is set to decline further by 5,5% until 2019. Manufacturers of juices and nectars are therefore increasingly looking for new categories in order to balance this negative forecast in their home territory. One apparent growth opportunity for Compal, the leading producer of juices and nectars, is to expand its commercial reach to new occasions of consumption. This report carefully analyzes the opportunities related to an expansion to the main meal occasion and introduces a complete marketing and communications plan for a possible new main meal juice, Compal à Mesa. The product concept represents a rather premium positioning for the main meal occasion, including new flavor mixes that are targeted at different occasions of meals. The justification of the introduced concept includes a discussion of the primary and secondary research that was performed

Optimum dietary protein requirement for Amazonian Tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum Cuvier, 1818, fed fish meal free diets

Fish meal free diets were formulated to contain graded protein levels as 25% (diet 1), 30% (diet 2), 35% (diet 3) and 40% (diet 4). The diets were fed to tambaqui juveniles (Colossoma macropomum) (46.4 ± 6.3g) in randomly designed recirculating systems for 60 days, to determine the optimum protein requirement for the fish. The final weight of the fish, weight gain (28.1, 28.5, 32.2, 28.0g) and specific growth rate increased (P>0.05) consistently with increasing dietary protein up to treatment with 35% protein diet and then showed a declining trend. Feed intake followed the same trend resulting in best feed efficiency (62.5%) in fish fed diet with 35% protein. Similarly, the protein intake increased significantly with increasing dietary protein levels and reduced after the fish fed with 35% protein; while protein efficiency ratio (2.28, 1.99, 1.87, 1.74) decreased with increasing dietary protein levels. Carcass ash and protein had linear relationship with dietary protein levels while the lipid showed a decreasing trend. Ammonia content (0.68, 0.73, 0.81, 1.21 mg L-1) of the experimental waters also increased (P<0.05) with increasing protein levels while pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature remained fairly constant without any clear pattern of inclination. Broken-line estimation of the weight gain indicated 30% protein as the optimum requirement for the fish.

The evolution of purinergic receptors involved in recognition of a blood meal by hematophagous insects

Many blood feeders use adenine nucleotides as cues for locating blood meal. Structure-activity relationship of adenine nucleotides as phagostimulants varies between closely-related species of blood feeders. It is suggested that a preexisting diverse pool of nucleotide-binding proteins present in all living cells, serves as a source of receptor proteins for the gustatory receptors involved in blood detection. It is proposed that the selection of any such nucleotide-binding protein is random.

Effects of a glucose meal on energy metabolism in patients with cirrhosis before and after liver transplantation.

HYPOTHESIS: Liver transplantation results in hepatic denervation. This may produce alterations of liver energy and substrate metabolism, which may contribute to weight gain after liver transplantation. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: Liver transplantation clinics in a university hospital. PATIENTS: Seven nondiabetic patients with cirrhosis were recruited while on a waiting list for liver transplantation. Seven healthy subjects were recruited as controls. INTERVENTION: Orthotopic liver transplantation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Evaluation of energy and substrate metabolism after ingestion of a glucose load with indirect calorimetry was performed before, 2 to 6 weeks after, and 5 to 19 months after transplantation. Whole-body glucose oxidation and storage and glucose-induced thermogenesis were calculated. RESULTS: Patients with cirrhosis had modestly elevated resting energy expenditure and normal glucose-induced thermogenesis and postprandial glucose oxidation and storage. These measures remained unchanged after liver transplantation despite a significant increase in postprandial glycemia. Patients, however, gained an average of 3 kg of body weight after 5 to 19 months compared with their weight before transplantation. CONCLUSION: Liver denervation secondary to transplantation does not lead to alterations of energy metabolism after ingestion of a glucose load.