Synergism between lipoxygenase-active soybean flour and ascorbic acid on rheological and sensory properties of wheat bread

BACKGROUND: The interaction between lipoxygenase-active soybean flour (LOX) and ascorbic acid (AA), on colour, rheological and sensory properties of wheat bread was studied with the aim of reducing the applied quantity of additives in bread formulations. RESULTS: The ascorbic acid (0-500 ppm) and active soybean flour (0-1%) mixture improved bread-crumb colour by lowering the yellow hue in a higher proportion than those expressed by the components alone, characterising a synergistic mechanism ((y) over cap (b) = 15.1- (1.7 x LOX) - (0.5 x AA) - (5.8 x LOX x AA), where : (y) over cap (b) represent the estimated value for the yellow hue parameter). No differences in flavour and porosity were seen between the samples. As supported by the instrumental methods, breads made with active soybean flour and ascorbic acid (LOX + AA) had whiter crumbs and were softer and springier than controls as assessed by a trained sensory panel. In summary, the combination of both active soybean flour and ascorbic acid showed synergism, promoting a greater bleaching effect than when used alone. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the potential use of active soybean flour as a synergistic ingredient in the substitution of artificial additives in bread making. Since the interaction on the bleaching response was not linear and active soybean flour showed a higher iron concentration (66.40 +/- 4.23 mu g g(-1)) than non-active soybean flour (52.30 +/- 0.40 mu g g(-1)), more studies are warranted to establish the biochemical mechanisms involved in this interaction. (c) 2007 Society of Chemical Industry.

Genetic population data of 12 STR loci of the PowerPlex (R) Y system in the state of Sao Paulo population (Southeast of Brazil)

Allele frequency distributions and population data for 12 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) included in the PowerPlex (R) Y Systems (Promega) were obtained for a sample of 200 healthy unrelated males living in S (a) over tildeo Paulo State (Southeast of Brazil). A total of 192 haplotypes were identified, of which 184 were unique and 8 were found in 2 individuals. The average gene diversity of the 12 Y-STR was 0.6746 and the haplotype diversity was 0.9996. Pairwise analysis confirmed that our population is more similar with the Italy, North Portugal and Spain, being more distant of the Japan. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acute, subacute toxicity and mutagenic effects of anacardic acids from cashew (Anacardium occidentale Linn.) in mice

Aim of the study: Anacardium occidentale Linn. (cashew) is a Brazilian plant that is usually consumed in natura and is used in folk medicine. Anacardic acids (AAs) in the cashew nut shell liquid are biologically active as gastroprotectors, inhibitors of the activity of various deleterious enzymes, antitumor agents and antioxidants. Yet, there are no reports of toxicity testing to guarantee their use in vivo models. Materials and methods: We evaluated AAs biosafety by measuring the acute, subacute and mutagenic effects of AAs administration in BALB/c mice. In acute tests, BALB/c mice received a single oral dose of 2000 mg/kg, whereas animals in subacute tests received 300, 600 and 1000 mg/kg for 30 days. Hematological, biochemical and histological analyses were performed in all animals. Mutagenicity was measured with the acute micronucleus test 24 h after oral administration of 250 mg/kg AAs. Results: Our results showed that the AAs acute minimum lethal dose in BALB/c mice is higher than 2000 mg/kg since this concentration did not produce any symptoms. In subacute tests, females which received the highest doses (600 or 1000 mg/kg) were more susceptible, which was seen by slightly decreased hematocrit and hemoglobin levels coupled with a moderate increase in urea. Anacardic acids did not produce any mutagenic effects. Conclusions: The data indicate that doses less than 300 mg/kg did not produce biochemical and hematological alterations in BALB/c mice. Additional studies must be conducted to investigate the pharmacological potential of this natural substance in order to ensure their safe use in vivo. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of Ni(2+), Zn(2+) and Pb(2+) onto dry biomass of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis and Chlorella vulgaris. I. Single metal systems

Adsorption of Ni(2+), Zn(2+) or Pb(2+) by dry biomass of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis and Chlorella vulgaris was studied as a function of contact time and initial metal concentration. The zero point of charge calculated for these biosorbents (pH(zpc) 4.0 and 3.4, respectively) and additional pH tests suggested the use of pH in the range 5.0-5.5 for the experiments. The equilibrium isotherms were evaluated in terms of maximum sorption capacity and sorption affinity. The pseudo first and second order kinetic models were considered to interpret the experimental data, and the latter best described the adsorption system. Both the Freundlich and Langmuir models were shown to well describe the sorption isotherms, thus suggesting an intermediate mono/multilayer sorption mechanism. Compared to A. platensis (q(e) = 0.354, 0.495 and 0.508 mmol g(-1) for Ni(2+), Pb(2)+ and Zn(2+), respectively), C. vulgaris behaved as a better biosorbent because of higher equilibrium sorption capacity (q(e) = 0.499, 0.634 and 0.664 mmol g(-1), respectively). The removal efficiency decreased with increasing metal concentration, pointing out a passive adsorption process involving the active sites on the surface of the biomasses. The FT-IR spectroscopy evidenced that ions removal occurred mainly by interaction between metal and carboxylate groups present on both the cell walls. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Generation and Analysis of Interaction Energy Maps of p-Substituted Benzoic Acid [(5-Nitro-thiophen-2-yl)-methylene]-Hydrazides Active against MRSA

In this preliminary study eighteen p-substituted benzoic acid [(5-nitro-thiophen-2-yl)-methylene]-hydrazides with antimicrobial activity were evaluated against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, correlating the three-dimensional characteristics of the ligands with their respective bioactivities. The computer programs Sybyl and CORINA were used, respectively, for the design and three-dimensional conversion of the ligands. Molecular interaction fields were calculated using GRID program. Calculations using Volsurf resulted in a statistically consistent model with 48 structural descriptors showing that hydrophobicity is a fundamental property in the analyzed biological response.

Brazilian Network of Food Data Systems and LATINFOODS Regional Technical Compilation Committee: Food composition activities (2006-2009)

The Brazilian Network of Food Data Systems (BRASILFOODS) has been keeping the Brazilian Food Composition Database-USP (TBCA-USP) (http://www.fcf.usp.br/tabela) since 1998. Besides the constant compilation, analysis and update work in the database, the network tries to innovate through the introduction of food information that may contribute to decrease the risk for non-transmissible chronic diseases, such as the profile of carbohydrates and flavonoids in foods. In 2008, data on carbohydrates, individually analyzed, of 112 foods, and 41 data related to the glycemic response produced by foods widely consumed in the country were included in the TBCA-USP. Data (773) about the different flavonoid subclasses of 197 Brazilian foods were compiled and the quality of each data was evaluated according to the USDAs data quality evaluation system. In 2007, BRASILFOODS/USP and INFOODS/FAO organized the 7th International Food Data Conference ""Food Composition and Biodiversity"". This conference was a unique opportunity for interaction between renowned researchers and participants from several countries and it allowed the discussion of aspects that may improve the food composition area. During the period, the LATINFOODS Regional Technical Compilation Committee and BRASILFOODS disseminated to Latin America the Form and Manual for Data Compilation, version 2009, ministered a Food Composition Data Compilation course and developed many activities related to data production and compilation. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gastric anti-ulcer activity of leaf fractions obtained of polar extract from Wilbrandia ebracteata in mice

Leaf fractions of Wilbrandia ebracteata were investigated for anti-ulcerogenic effects in ethanol and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer assays in mice. Protective anti-ulcer effects were detected only in the ethanol-induced ulcer assay effects after pre-treatment with MeOH extract, MeOH chlorophyll-free, chlorophyll residue, HEX, DCM, aqueous MeOH fraction, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and aqueous fractions. A potent anti-ulcerogenic effect was determined after pre-treatment of animals with EtOAc fraction, which was fractionated for isolation of active constituents. Seven flavonoids, 3`,4`,5,6,7,8-hexahydroxyflavonol, orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin, luteolin, 6-methoxi-luteolin were isolated from the leaves of W. ebracteata (Cucurbitaceae) by chromatographic methods and identified by their spectral data. The data suggest that flavonoids are active anti-ulcerogenic compounds from leaves of W. ebracteata. The ability of scavenging free radicals was evaluated by DPPH reduction assay by TLC of flavonoids isolated.

Electronegative LDL and lipid abnormalities in patients undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis

Background: Oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been demonstrated in patients with end-stage renal disease, where it is associated with oxidative stress and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this context, the generation of minimally oxidized LDL, also called electronegative LDL [ LDL(-)], has been associated with active disease, and is a detectable sign of atherogenic tendencies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum LDL(-) levels and anti-LDL(-)IgG autoantibodies in end-stage renal disease patients on dialysis, comparing patients on hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) and a control group. In addition, the serum lipid profile, nutritional status, biochemical data and parameters of mineral metabolism were also evaluated. Methods: The serum levels of LDL(-) and anti-LDL(-) IgG autoantibodies were measured in 25 patients undergoing HD and 11 patients undergoing PD at the Centro Integradode Nefrologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ten healthy subjects served as a control group. Serum levels of albumin, total cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoproteins were measured. Calculations of subjects` body mass index and measurements of waist circumference, triceps skin fold and arm muscle area were performed. Measurements of hematocrit, serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, parathyroid hormone, phosphorus and calcium were taken. Results: Levels of LDL(-) were higher in HD patients (575.6 +/- 233.1 mu g/ml) as compared to PD patients (223.4 +/- 117.5 mu g/ml, p < 0.05), which in turn were higher than in the control group (54.9 +/- 33.3 mu g/ml, p < 0.01). The anti-LDL(-) IgG autoantibodies were increased in controls (0.36 +/- 0.09 mu g/ ml) as compared to PD (0.28 +/- 0.12 mu g/ml, p < 0.001) and HD patients (0.2 +/- 0.1 mu g/ml, p < 0.001). The mean values of total cholesterol and LDL were considered high in the PD group, whereas the mean triceps skin fold was significantly lower in the HD group. Conclusion: Levels of LDL(-) are higher in renal patients on dialysis than in normal individuals, and are reciprocally related to IgG autoantibodies. LDL(-) may be a useful marker of oxidative stress, and this study suggests that HD patients are more susceptible to cardiovascular risk due to this condition. Moreover, autoantibodies reactive to LDL(-) may have protective effects in chronic kidney disease. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Antileukemic effects of Didemnum psammatodes (Tunicata: Ascidiacea) constituents

Chemical investigation of the methanolic extract of the ascidian Didemnum psammatodes has led to the identification of fourteen known compounds: three methyl esters (methyl myristate, methyl palmitate and methyl stearate), four steroids (cholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol), two fatty acids (palmitic acid and stearic acid), three glyceryl ethers {(1,2-propanediol, 3-(heptadecyloxy), batyl alcohol and 1,2-propanediol, 3-[(methyloctadecyl)oxy]) and two nucleosides (thymidine and 2`-deoxyguanosine). Their structures were proposed by NMR and comparison with literature data and GC analysis in comparison with authentic sample. The cytotoxic activity of these compounds was evaluated against human leukemia cell line panel using the MTT assay. The mixture of the three methyl esters was the most active group of compounds, showing antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects. Further studies on their mode of action suggest that these activities are connected with inhibition of DNA synthesis and induction of both necrosis and apoptosis. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural complexes of human adenine phosphoribosyltransferase reveal novel features of the APRT catalytic mechanism

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) is an important enzyme component of the purine recycling pathway. Parasitic protozoa of the order Kinetoplastida are unable to synthesize purines de novo and use the salvage pathway for the synthesis of purine bases rendering this biosynthetic pathway an attractive target for antiparasitic drug design. The recombinant human adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (hAPRT) structure was resolved in the presence of AMP in the active site to 1.76 angstrom resolution and with the substrates PRPP and adenine simultaneously bound to the catalytic site to 1.83 angstrom resolution. An additional structure was solved containing one subunit of the dimer in the apo-form to 2.10 angstrom resolution. Comparisons of these three hAPRT structures with other `type I` PRTases revealed several important features of this class of enzymes. Our data indicate that the flexible loop structure adopts an open conformation before and after binding of both substrates adenine and PRPR Comparative analyses presented here provide structural evidence to propose the role of Glu 104 as the residue that abstracts the proton of adenine N9 atom before its nucleophilic attack on the PRPP anomeric carbon. This work leads to new insights to the understanding of the APRT catalytic mechanism.

Multilabeled classification approach to find a plaint source for terpenoids

Recently, we have built a classification model that is capable of assigning a given sesquiterpene lactone (STL) into exactly one tribe of the plant family Asteraceae from which the STL has been isolated. Although many plant species are able to biosynthesize a set of peculiar compounds, the occurrence of the same secondary metabolites in more than one tribe of Asteraceae is frequent. Building on our previous work, in this paper, we explore the possibility of assigning an STL to more than one tribe (class) simultaneously. When an object may belong to more than one class simultaneously, it is called multilabeled. In this work, we present a general overview of the techniques available to examine multilabeled data. The problem of evaluating the performance of a multilabeled classifier is discussed. Two particular multilabeled classification methods-cross-training with support vector machines (ct-SVM) and multilabeled k-nearest neighbors (M-L-kNN)were applied to the classification of the STLs into seven tribes from the plant family Asteraceae. The results are compared to a single-label classification and are analyzed from a chemotaxonomic point of view. The multilabeled approach allowed us to (1) model the reality as closely as possible, (2) improve our understanding of the relationship between the secondary metabolite profiles of different Asteraceae tribes, and (3) significantly decrease the number of plant sources to be considered for finding a certain STL. The presented classification models are useful for the targeted collection of plants with the objective of finding plant sources of natural compounds that are biologically active or possess other specific properties of interest.

Simultaneous Analysis of Tramadol, O-Desmethyltramadol, and N-Desmethyltramadol Enantiomers in Rat Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Application to Pharmacokinetics

Tramadol (T) is available as a racemic mixture of (+)-trans-T and (-)-trans-T. The main metabolic pathways are O-demethylation and N-demethylation, producing trans-O-desmethyltramadol (M1) and trans-N-desmethyltramadol (M2) enantiomers, respectively. The analgesic effect of T is related to the opioid activity of (+)-trans-T and (+)-M1 and to the monoaminergic action of (+/-)-trans-T. This is the first study using tandem mass spectrometry as a detection system for the simultaneous analysis of trans-T, M1, and M2 enantiomers. The analytes were resolved on a Chiralpak (R) AD column using hexane: ethanol (95.5:4.5, v/v) plus 0.1% diethylamine as the mobile phase. The quantitation limits were 0.5 ng/ml for trans-T and M1 and 0.1 ng/ml for M2. The method developed and validated here was applied to a pharmacokinetic study in rats. Male Wistar rats (n = 6 at each time point) received a single oral dose of 20 mg/kg racemic trans-T. Blood samples were collected up to 12 h after drug administration. The kinetic disposition of trans-T and M2 was enantioselective (AUC((+)/(-)) ratio = 4.16 and 6.36, respectively). The direction and extent of enantioselectivity in the pharmacokinetics of trans-T and M2 in rats were comparable to data previously reported for healthy volunteers, suggesting that rats are a suitable model for enantioselective studies of trans-T pharmacokinetics. Chirality 23: 287-293, 2011. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Computer-aided drug design and ADMET predictions for identification and evaluation of novel potential farnesyltransferase inhibitors in cancer therapy

We have used various computational methodologies including molecular dynamics, density functional theory, virtual screening, ADMET predictions and molecular interaction field studies to design and analyze four novel potential inhibitors of farnesyltransferase (FTase). Evaluation of two proposals regarding their drug potential as well as lead compounds have indicated them as novel promising FTase inhibitors, with theoretically interesting pharmacotherapeutic profiles, when Compared to the very active and most cited FTase inhibitors that have activity data reported, which are launched drugs or compounds in clinical tests. One of our two proposals appears to be a more promising drug candidate and FTase inhibitor, but both derivative molecules indicate potentially very good pharmacotherapeutic profiles in comparison with Tipifarnib and Lonafarnib, two reference pharmaceuticals. Two other proposals have been selected with virtual screening approaches and investigated by LIS, which suggest novel and alternatives scaffolds to design future potential FTase inhibitors. Such compounds can be explored as promising molecules to initiate a research protocol in order to discover novel anticancer drug candidates targeting farnesyltransferase, in the fight against cancer. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

All in Good Time: Exploring Change in Neanderthal Behavioural Complexity

Since their discovery 150 years ago, Neanderthals have been considered incapable of behavioural change and innovation. Traditional synchronic approaches to the study of Neanderthal behaviour have perpetuated this view and shaped our understanding of their lifeways and eventual extinction. In this thesis I implement an innovative diachronic approach to the analysis of Neanderthal faunal extraction, technology and symbolic behaviour as contained in the archaeological record of the critical period between 80,000 and 30,000 years BP. The thesis demonstrates patterns of change in Neanderthal behaviour which are at odds with traditional perspectives and which are consistent with an interpretation of increasing behavioural complexity over time, an idea that has been suggested but never thoroughly explored in Neanderthal archaeology. Demonstrating an increase in behavioural complexity in Neanderthals provides much needed new data with which to fuel the debate over the behavioural capacities of Neanderthals and the first appearance of Modern Human Behaviour in Europe. It supports the notion that Neanderthal populations were active agents of behavioural innovation prior to the arrival of Anatomically Modern Humans in Europe and, ultimately, that they produced an early Upper Palaeolithic cultural assemblage (the Châtelperronian) independent of modern humans. Overall, this thesis provides an initial step towards the development of a quantitative approach to measuring behavioural complexity which provides fresh insights into the cognitive and behavioural capabilities of Neanderthals.

Migrating eprints.org data to a Fez repository

This document records the process of migrating eprints.org data to a Fez repository. Fez is a Web-based digital repository and workflow management system based on Fedora (http://www.fedora.info/). At the time of migration, the University of Queensland Library was using EPrints 2.2.1 [pepper] for its ePrintsUQ repository. Once we began to develop Fez, we did not upgrade to later versions of eprints.org software since we knew we would be migrating data from ePrintsUQ to the Fez-based UQ eSpace. Since this document records our experiences of migration from an earlier version of eprints.org, anyone seeking to migrate eprints.org data into a Fez repository might encounter some small differences. Moving UQ publication data from an eprints.org repository into a Fez repository (hereafter called UQ eSpace (http://espace.uq.edu.au/) was part of a plan to integrate metadata (and, in some cases, full texts) about all UQ research outputs, including theses, images, multimedia and datasets, in a single repository. This tied in with the plan to identify and capture the research output of a single institution, the main task of the eScholarshipUQ testbed for the Australian Partnership for Sustainable Repositories project (http://www.apsr.edu.au/). The migration could not occur at UQ until the functionality in Fez was at least equal to that of the existing ePrintsUQ repository. Accordingly, as Fez development occurred throughout 2006, a list of eprints.org functionality not currently supported in Fez was created so that programming of such development could be planned for and implemented.