Effects of Juice Matrix and Pasteurization on Stability of Black Currant Anthocyanins during Storage.

PubMed

Dobson, Gary; McDougall, Gordon J; Stewart, Derek; Cubero, Miguel Ángel; Karjalainen, Reijo O

2017-01-01

The effects of juice matrix and pasteurization on the stability of total phenols and especially total and individual anthocyanins were examined in black currant (BC) juice and mixtures with apple, persimmon, and peach juices at 4 °C and 20 °C. Total phenol content decreased in all juices at both temperatures but there was a trend to lower levels in unpasteurized over pasteurized juices. Differences in the decline of total anthocyanins between pasteurized and unpasteurized juices varied according to the juice type and the storage temperature. At 4 °C storage, anthocyanins declined in all juices according to pseudo 1st-order kinetics and there were only small differences in the rates between pasteurized and unpasteurized juices. However, at 20 °C, although pasteurized and unpasteurized BC juices and pasteurized mixed juices followed pseudo 1st-order kinetics, there was a different pattern in unpasteurized mixed juices; a rapid initial decline was followed by a slowing down. The effect of the added juice on anthocyanin decline was also different at either temperature. At 4 °C, the anthocyanins decreased faster in mixed juices than BC juice alone, but at 20 °C, at least in pasteurized mixed juices, the decline was similar or even slower than in BC juice; there were only small differences among the 3 mixed juices. At 20 °C, in pasteurized and unpasteurized BC juices, the rate of decrease was essentially the same for all 4 individual anthocyanins but in the mixed juices the 2 glucosides decreased significantly faster than the 2 rutinosides. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Effect of administrating polysaccharide from black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) on atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice.

PubMed

Ashigai, Hiroshi; Komano, Yuta; Wang, Guanying; Kawachi, Yasuji; Sunaga, Kazuko; Yamamoto, Reiko; Takata, Ryoji; Miyake, Mika; Yanai, Takaaki

2018-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that causes dry skin and functional disruption of the skin barrier. AD is often accompanied by allergic inflammation. AD patient suffer from heavy itching, and their quality of life is severely affected. Some pharmaceuticals for AD have some side effects such as skin atrophy. So it is necessary to develop mild solutions such as food ingredients without side effects. There are various causes of AD. It is especially induced by immunological imbalances such as IFN-γ reduction. IFN-γ has an important role in regulating IgE, which can cause an allergy reaction. NC/Nga mice develop AD and IgE hyperproduction. In a previous study, we revealed that administration of polysaccharide from black currant ( R. nigrum ) has an effect on immunomodulation. It induces IFN-γ production from myeloid dendritic cells. We named this polysaccharide cassis polysaccharide (CAPS). In this report, we studied the effect of administering CAPS on atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice. Thirty NC/Nga mice that developed symptoms of atopic dermatitis were used. We divided them into three groups (control, CAPS administration 12 mg/kg/day, CAPS administration 60 mg/kg/day). For 4 weeks, we evaluated clinical score, serum IgE levels, gene expression of spleen, and skin pathology. We revealed that CAPS administration improves atopic dermatitis symptoms. We also found that CAPS administration suppresses IgE hyperproduction and induces IFN-γ gene transcription in the spleen. Finally, we confirmed that CAPS administration suppresses mast cell migration to epidermal skin. These results indicated that CAPS has an effect on AD.

Flavonol Glycosides in Currant Leaves and Variation with Growth Season, Growth Location, and Leaf Position.

PubMed

Yang, Wei; Alanne, Aino-Liisa; Liu, Pengzhan; Kallio, Heikki; Yang, Baoru

2015-10-28

Flavonol glycosides (FG) were analyzed in the leaves of six currant cultivars (Ribes spp.) with HPLC-DAD, HPLC-MS/MS, and NMR. The average amounts of the 12 major, identified FG constituted 86-93% (9.6-14.1 mg/g DW) of the total of 27 FG found. Quercetin and kaempferol were the major aglycones with trace amounts of myricetin. Quercetin-3-O-(2,6-α-dirhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside), quercetin-3-O-(2-β-xylopyranosyl-6-α-rhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside), and kaempferol-3-O-(3,6-α-dirhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside) were identified for the first time in currant leaves and existed in a white currant cultivar 'White Dutch' only. Kaempferol-3-O-β-(6'-malonyl)glucopyranoside was also a new compound existing in abundance in five cultivars but not in the white one. The results show the primary importance of the genetic background of the cultivars. The content of malonylated FG of special importance in cardiovascular health decreased regularly during summer. Time of collection and leaf position were more prominent factors affecting the composition than were the year of harvest or the growth latitude. Randomly collected leaves differed in their FG profiles from those collected from the middle position of new branches.

Differential effects of black currant anthocyanins on diffuser- or negative lens-induced ocular elongation in chicks.

PubMed

Iida, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Yuko; Matsumoto, Hitoshi; Kawahata, Keiko; Koga, Jinichiro; Katsumi, Osamu

2013-01-01

To compare the inhibitory effects of 4 different types of black currant anthocyanins (BCAs) on ocular elongation in 2 different chick myopia models. In the first model, diffusers were used to induce form vision deprivation. In the second model, negative (-8D) spherical lenses were used to create a defocused retinal image. Either the diffusers or the -8D lenses were placed on the right eyes of 8-day-old chicks for 4 days. Ocular biometric components were measured using an A-scan ultrasound instrument on the third day after application of either the diffusers or -8D lenses. Interocular differences (globe component dimensions of the right diffuser or eyes covered with -8D lenses minus those of the open left eyes) were considered to evaluate the effect of BCAs. The BCAs used were cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C3R), delphinidin-3-rutinoside (D3R), and delphinidin-3-glucoside (D3G). Each anthocyanin was administered intravenously at a dose of 0.027 μmol/kg once a day for 3 days. Compared to the vehicle treatment, C3G and C3R treatments significantly reduced both differential increases (positive values of interocular differences) of the ocular axial length induced by diffusers or -8D lenses (diffusers; C3G, C3R, and control: 0.32±0.051 mm, P<0.05; 0.25±0.034 mm, P<0.01; and 0.52±0.047 mm, -8D lenses; C3G, C3R, and control: 0.25±0.049 mm, P<0.01; 0.17±0.049 mm, P<0.001; and 0.50±0.056 mm). In contrast, compared to vehicle treatment, D3R treatment significantly decreased the differential increases in the ocular axial length only in chicks with myopia induced by -8D lenses (D3R and control: 0.17±0.049 mm and 0.50±0.056 mm, P<0.001). D3G did not inhibit the differential increase in the ocular axial length induced by either diffusers or -8D lenses. This study showed that the 4 tested BCAs had different effects on the 2 different experimental models of myopia.

[Influence of freezing and storage on food value of berries of the red currant].

PubMed

Miasishcheva, N V; Artemova, N N

2011-01-01

The red currant is perspective culture for use in industry functional pectin foodstuff. Freezing use as an effective way of conservation, allows to keep as much as possible vitamin properties of raw materials within all year and to expand assortment of fruit production.

Extracting black-hole rotational energy: The generalized Penrose process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasota, J.-P.; Gourgoulhon, E.; Abramowicz, M.; Tchekhovskoy, A.; Narayan, R.

2014-01-01

In the case involving particles, the necessary and sufficient condition for the Penrose process to extract energy from a rotating black hole is absorption of particles with negative energies and angular momenta. No torque at the black-hole horizon occurs. In this article we consider the case of arbitrary fields or matter described by an unspecified, general energy-momentum tensor Tμν and show that the necessary and sufficient condition for extraction of a black hole's rotational energy is analogous to that in the mechanical Penrose process: absorption of negative energy and negative angular momentum. We also show that a necessary condition for the Penrose process to occur is for the Noether current (the conserved energy-momentum density vector) to be spacelike or past directed (timelike or null) on some part of the horizon. In the particle case, our general criterion for the occurrence of a Penrose process reproduces the standard result. In the case of relativistic jet-producing "magnetically arrested disks," we show that the negative energy and angular-momentum absorption condition is obeyed when the Blandford-Znajek mechanism is at work, and hence the high energy extraction efficiency up to ˜300% found in recent numerical simulations of such accretion flows results from tapping the black hole's rotational energy through the Penrose process. We show how black-hole rotational energy extraction works in this case by describing the Penrose process in terms of the Noether current.

Enhanced nutraceutical potential of gamma irradiated black soybean extracts.

PubMed

Krishnan, Veda; Gothwal, Santosh; Dahuja, Anil; Vinutha, T; Singh, Bhupinder; Jolly, Monica; Praveen, Shelly; Sachdev, Archana

2018-04-15

Radiation processing of soybean, varying in seed coat colour, was carried out at dose levels of 0.25, 0.5 and 1 kGy to evaluate their potential anti-proliferative and cytoprotective effects in an in vitro cell culture system. Irradiated and control black (Kalitur) and yellow (DS9712) soybean extracts were characterized in terms of total phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins, especially cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G). Using an epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B the potential cytoprotective effects of soybean extracts were evaluated in terms of intracellular ROS levels and cell viability. The most relevant scavenging effect was found in Kalitur, with 78% decrease in ROS, which well correlated with a 33% increase in C3G after a 1 kGy dose. Results evidenced a correspondence between in vitro antioxidant activity and a potential health property of black soybean extracts, exemplifying the nutraceutical role of C3G. To our knowledge this study is the first report validating the cytoprotective effects of irradiated black soybean extracts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Inhibition effects of black rice pericarp extracts on cell proliferation of PC-3 cells].

PubMed

Jiang, Weiwei; Yu, Xudong; Ren, Guofeng

2013-05-01

To observe the inhibitive effects of black rice pericarp extracts on cell proliferation of human prostate cancer cell PC-3 and to explore its effecting mechanism. The black rice pericarp extract was used to treat the PC-3 cells. The inhibitory effect of black rice pericarp extract on cells proliferation of PC-3 was tested by MTT method. Cell apoptosis rates and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometric assay (FCM). Western blot was used to study the protein expression levels of p38, p-p38, JNK, p-JNK. A dose-dependent and time-dependent proliferation inhibition of black rice pericarp extract was demonstrated in PC-3. The most prominent experiment condition was inhibitory concentration with 300microg/ml and treated for 72 h. The experiment result of flow cytometry analysis demonstrates that the apoptosis rate of PC-3 cells increased along with the increasing of black rice pericarp extract concentration, and a G1-S cell cycle arrest was induced in a dose-dependent manner. After PC-3 cell was treated with black rice pericarp extract for 72 h, the expressions of p-p38, p-JNK protein increased. Black rice pericarp extract could inhibit proliferation, change the cell cycle distributions and induce apoptosis in human prostatic cancer cell PC-3. Its inhibitory effect may be through promoting activation of the JNK, p38 signaling pathway. These results suggest that black rice pericarp extract maybe has an inhibitory effect on prostatic cancer.

Commonly consumed and naturally occurring dietary substances affect biomarkers of oxidative stress and DNA damage in healthy rats.

PubMed

Farombi, E O; Hansen, M; Ravn-Haren, G; Møller, P; Dragsted, L O

2004-08-01

The influence of black currant juice, Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (BBI), kolaviron (a biflavonoid fraction of Garcinia kola seed), sugars, vitamin C and tert-butyl hydroperoxide on a wide range of biomarkers for oxidative stress, DNA damage and sugar or lipid metabolism has been investigated in male F 344 rats. The selected pro-oxidant control, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, significantly increased plasma and liver 2-amino-adipic semialdehyde (AAS), a marker of protein oxidation (p <0.05) whereas lipid oxidation assessed as malon dialdehyde (MDA) and DNA oxidation were not significantly increased. Feeding BBI also increased the level of oxidized protein in plasma and liver at the higher dose level (0.5%). No effect was observed at the lower dose level (0.25%), which even decreased lipid oxidation in plasma. BBI did not affect background levels of DNA strand breaks or oxidation (comets). In rats exposed to black currant juice, a statistically significant decrease in liver AAS and MDA was observed. This effect could not be explained by its content of sugars or of the known redox active constituent, vitamin C. The lowering effect of black currant juice on protein and lipid oxidation was similar in magnitude to that of the known liver protectant, kolaviron. In rats treated with kolaviron (200 mg/kg body weight), background AAS levels were significantly reduced in both plasma and liver whereas the effect on MDA only reached statistical significance in plasma. Kolaviron was the only extract tested which decreased oxidative damage to DNA in the liver. The erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were decreased in rats treated with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (p <0.05) but were not affected by the other treatments. Black currant juice and sugars increased plasma triglyceride levels and black currant juice increased plasma cholesterol but neither of them nor any other treatment affected blood glucose, erythrocyte HbA1c or fructosamine. We

Ochratoxin A in raisins and currants: basic extraction procedure used in two small marketing surveys of the occurrence and control of the heterogeneity of the toxins in samples.

PubMed

Möller, T E; Nyberg, M

2003-11-01

A basic extraction procedure for analysis of ochratoxin A (OTA) in currants and raisins is described, as well as the occurrence of OTA and a control of heterogeneity of the toxin in samples bought for two small marketing surveys 1999/2000 and 2001/02. Most samples in the surveys were divided into two subsamples that were individually prepared as slurries and analysed separately. The limit of quantification for the method was estimated as 0.1 microg kg(-1) and recoveries of 85, 90 and 115% were achieved in recovery experiments at 10, 5 and 0.1 microg kg(-1), respectively. Of all 118 subsamples analysed in the surveys, 96 (84%) contained ochratoxin A at levels above the quantification level and five samples (4%) contained more than the European Community legislation of 10 microg kg(-1). The OTA concentrations found in the first survey were in the range < 0.1-19.0 microg kg(-1) with a median concentration of 0.9 microg kg(-1). In the 2001/02 study, the range was < 0.1-34.6 microg kg(-1) with a median of 0.2 microg kg(-1). Big differences were often achieved between individual subsamples of the original sample, which indicate a wide heterogeneous distribution of the toxin. Data from the repeatability test as well as recovery experiments from the same slurries showed that preparation of slurries as described here seemed to give a homogeneous and representative sample. The extraction with the basic sodium bicarbonate-methanol mixture used in the surveys gave similar or somewhat higher OTA values on some samples tested in a comparison with a weak phosphoric acid water-methanol extraction mixture.

Black bean anthocyanin-rich extracts as food colorants: Physicochemical stability and antidiabetes potential

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Black beans contain anthocyanins that could be used as colorants in foods with associated health benefits. The objective was to optimize anthocyanins extraction from black bean coats and evaluate their physicochemical stability and antidiabetes potential. Optimal extraction conditions were 24% ethan...

Anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-rich extracts of berries in food supplements--analysis with problems.

PubMed

Krenn, L; Steitz, M; Schlicht, C; Kurth, H; Gaedcke, F

2007-11-01

The fundamental nutritional benefit of fruit and vegetables in the prevention of degenerative diseases--especially in the light of the current "anti-aging wave"--has directed the attention of scientists and consumers to a variety of berry fruits and their constituents. Many of these fruits, e.g. blueberries, elderberries or cranberries, have a long tradition in European and North American folk medicine. Based on these experiences and due to the growing interest the number of food supplements on the market containing fruit powders, juice concentrates or extracts of these fruits has increased considerably. Advertising for these products mainly focusses on the phenolic compounds, especially the anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins and their preventive effects. Most of the preparations are combinations, e.g. of extracts of different fruits with vitamins and trace elements, etc. which are labelled in a way which does not allow a comparison of the products. Typically, information on the extraction solvent, the drug: extract ratio and the content of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins is missing. Besides that, the analysis of these polyphenols causes additional problems. Whereas the quality control of herbal medicinal products is regulated in detail, no uniform requirements for food supplements are existing. A broad spectrum of methods is used for the assay of the constituents, leading to differing, incomparable results. In addition to that, the methods are quite interference-prone and consequently lead to over- or underestimation of the contents. This publication provides an overview of some selected berries (lingonberry, cranberry, black elderberry, black chokeberry, black currant, blueberry), their constituents and use. The analytical methods currently used for the identification and quantification of the polyphenols in these berries are described, including an evaluation of their advantages and disadvantages.

Radical-scavenging-linked antioxidant activities of extracts from black chokeberry and blueberry cultivated in Korea.

PubMed

Hwang, Seok Joon; Yoon, Won Byong; Lee, Ok-Hwan; Cha, Seung Ju; Kim, Jong Dai

2014-03-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the radical-scavenging-linked antioxidant properties of the extracts from black chokeberry and blueberry cultivated in Korea. The 70% ethanol extracts were prepared from black chokeberry and blueberry, and evaluated for total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, total proanthocyanidin content, and antioxidative activities, using various in vitro assays, such as DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS(2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylenebenzothiozoline-6-sulphonic acid)) radical-scavenging activity, FRAP(ferric-reducing antioxidant power) and reducing power. The major phenolic compounds, including cyanidin-3-galactoside, cyanidin-3-arabinoside, neochlorogenic acid, procyanidin B1, were analysed by HPLC with a photodiode array detector. Results showed that total phenol, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contents of black chokeberry extract were higher than those of blueberry extract. In addition, black chokeberry extract exhibited higher free radical-scavenging activity and reducing power than did blueberry extract. Cyanidin-3-galactoside was identified as a major phenolic compound, with considerable content in black chokeberry, that correlated with its higher antioxidant and radical-scavenging effects. These results suggest that black chokeberry extracts could be considered as a good source of natural antioxidants and functional food ingredients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enzymatic treatment to improve the quality of black tea extracts.

PubMed

Chandini, S K; Rao, L Jaganmohan; Gowthaman, M K; Haware, D J; Subramanian, R

2011-08-01

Enzymatic extraction was investigated to improve the quality of black tea extracts with pretreatment of pectinase and tannase independently, successively and simultaneously. Pectinase improved the extractable-solids-yield (ESY) up to 11.5%, without much of an improvement in polyphenols recovery, while tannase pre-treatment showed a significant improvement in polyphenols recovery (14.3%) along with an 11.1% improvement in ESY. Among the four treatments, tannase-alone treatment showed the maximum improvement in tea quality, with higher polyphenols-in-extracted solids. Treatments involving tannase resulted in the significant release of gallic acid, due to its hydrolytic activity, leading to greater solubility besides favourably improving TF/TR ratio. The results suggested that employing a single enzyme, tannase, for the pre-treatment of black tea is desirable. Enzymatic extraction may be preferred over enzymatic clarification as it not only displayed reduction in tea cream and turbidity but also improved the recovery of polyphenols and ESY in the extract, as well as maintaining a good balance of tea quality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbiological and toxicological effects of Perla black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) extracts: in vitro and in vivo studies.

PubMed

Lara-Díaz, Víctor Javier; Gaytán-Ramos, Angel A; Dávalos-Balderas, Alfredo José; Santos-Guzmán, Jesús; Mata-Cárdenas, Benito David; Vargas-Villarreal, Javier; Barbosa-Quintana, Alvaro; Sanson, Misu; López-Reyes, Alberto Gabriel; Moreno-Cuevas, Jorge E

2009-02-01

We investigated the microbiological and toxicological effects of three Perla black bean extracts on the growth and culture of selected pathogenic microorganisms, the toxicity over Vero cell lines and an in vivo rat model. Three different solvents were used to obtain Perla black bean extracts. All three Perla black bean extracts were tested for antibacterial and antiparasitic activity and further analysed for intrinsic cytotoxicity (IC(50)). Methanol Perla black bean extract was used for acute toxicity test in rats, with the up-and-down doping method. All Perla black bean extracts inhibited bacterial growth. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Listeria monocytogenes showed inhibition, while Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes did not. Acidified water and acetic acid Perla black bean extract were tested in parasites. The best IC(50) was observed for Giardia lamblia, while higher concentrations were active against Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis. The Vero cells toxicity levels (IC(50)) for methanol, acidified water and acetic acid Perla black bean extract were [mean +/- S.D. (95% CI)]: 275 +/- 6.2 (267.9-282.0), 390 +/- 4.6 (384.8-395.2) and 209 +/- 3.39 (205.6-212.4) microg/ml, respectively. In vivo acute toxicity assays did not show changes in absolute organ weights, gross and histological examinations of selected tissues or functional tests. The acetic acid and methanol Perla black bean extract proved to exhibit strong antibacterial activity and the acidified water Perla black bean extract exerted parasiticidal effects against Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba hystolitica and Trichomonas vaginalis. The three Perla black bean extracts assayed over Vero cells showed very low toxicity and the methanol Perla black bean extract in vivo did not cause toxicity.

Coloristic and antimicrobial behaviour of polymeric substrates using bioactive substances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coman, D.; Vrînceanu, N.; Oancea, S.; Rîmbu, C.

2016-08-01

A major concern in reducing microbial contamination of healthcare and hygiene products motivated us to seek viable alternatives in order to create such barriers. The antimicrobial and anti-oxidant effects of natural extracts are well-known, their application onto polymeric supports is still challenging in terms of investigation. To our knowledge, the method of natural dyeing of different polymeric substrates using bioactive substances derived from black currant and green walnut shells, in conjunction with biomordants, and their long term effects have not been very consistently reported. The main objective of the study is based on the comparative study of different polymeric fibrous substrates dyed by means of laboratory scaled classic methodology with extracts from black currant fruits and green walnut shells, with the assistance of conventional and biomordants (copper sulphate, citric and tannic acids). The assistance of biomordant in the dyeing process seems to conduct to improved synergetic colouring and antibacterial performances. The main results demonstrated that the extract of green walnut shells reinforced by the biomordants solutions expressed the best antimicrobial behaviour. The present research is a milestone in the identification of potential technological alternatives applied in dyeing of synthetic and natural textile supports, quantified and controlled by antimicrobial response correlated with colorimetric features.

Extracts from black carrot tissue culture as potent anticancer agents.

PubMed

Sevimli-Gur, Canan; Cetin, Burcu; Akay, Seref; Gulce-Iz, Sultan; Yesil-Celiktas, Ozlem

2013-09-01

Black carrots contain anthocyanins possessing enhanced physiological activities. Explants of young black carrot shoots were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium for callus initiation and were transferred to new MS medium supplemented with four different combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and kinetin. Subsequently, the lyophilized calli and black carrot harvested from fields were subjected to ultrasound extraction with ethanol at a ratio of 1:15 (w:v). Obtained extracts were applied to various human cancer cell lines including MCF-7 SK-BR-3 and MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinomas), HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma), PC-3 (human prostate adenocarcinoma), Neuro 2A (Musmusculus neuroblastoma) cancer cell lines and VERO (African green monkey kidney) normal cell line by MTT assay. The highest cytotoxic activity was achieved against Neuro-2A cell lines exhibiting viability of 38-46% at 6.25 μg/ml concentration for all calli and natural extracts. However, a significantly high IC50 value of 170.13 μg/ml was attained in normal cell line VERO indicating that its natural counterpart is an ideal candidate for treatment of brain cancer without causing negative effects to normal healthy cells.

Enzyme-assisted supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of black pepper oleoresin for enhanced yield of piperine-rich extract.

PubMed

Dutta, Sayantani; Bhattacharjee, Paramita

2015-07-01

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), the King of Spices is the most popular spice globally and its active ingredient, piperine, is reportedly known for its therapeutic potency. In this work, enzyme-assisted supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction of black pepper oleoresin was investigated using α-amylase (from Bacillus licheniformis) for enhanced yield of piperine-rich extract possessing good combination of phytochemical properties. Optimization of the extraction parameters (without enzyme), mainly temperature and pressure, was conducted in both batch and continuous modes and the optimized conditions that provided the maximum yield of piperine was in the batch mode, with a sample size of 20 g of black pepper powder (particle diameter 0.42 ± 0.02 mm) at 60 °C and 300 bar at 2 L/min of CO2 flow. Studies on activity of α-amylase were conducted under these optimized conditions in both batch and continuous modes, with varying amounts of lyophilized enzyme (2 mg, 5 mg and 10 mg) and time of exposure of the enzyme to SC-CO2 (2.25 h and 4.25 h). The specific activity of the enzyme increased by 2.13 times when treated in the continuous mode than in the batch mode (1.25 times increase). The structural changes of the treated enzymes were studied by (1)H NMR analyses. In case of α-amylase assisted extractions of black pepper, both batch and continuous modes significantly increased the yields and phytochemical properties of piperine-rich extracts; with higher increase in batch mode than in continuous. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Black Soybean Extract Protects Against TMT-Induced Cognitive Defects in Mice

PubMed Central

Jeong, Ji Hee; Jo, Yu Na; Kim, Hyeon Ju; Jin, Dong Eun; Kim, Dae-Ok

2014-01-01

Abstract To find a neuroactive compound with a potent inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and in vivo anti-amnesic activity from natural resources, we evaluated anthocyanins and nonanthocyanins from black soybean extract. Nonanthocyanins from black soybean extract were the most potent and dose-dependent AChE inhibitors. Intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation resulting from H2O2 treatment was significantly decreased compared with cells treated with H2O2 only. Nonanthocyanins were also neuroprotective against H2O2 treated neurotoxicity by 3-[4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Finally, nonanthocyanins from black soybean in the preadministration group attenuated trimethyltin (TMT)-induced memory injury in both in vivo tests. AChE, prepared from mice brain tissues, was inhibited by nonanthocyanins from black soybean in a dose-dependent manner. Malondialdehyde generation in the brain homogenates of mice treated with nonanthocyanins from black soybean was decreased. We concluded that nonanthocyanins from black soybean had an efficacious in vitro AChE inhibitory activity, and protected against H2O2-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, our findings suggest that nonanthocyanins from black soybean may improve the TMT-induced learning and memory deficit because of AChE inhibition of mice brain tissue. Consequently, these results demonstrate that the nonanthocyanins from black soybean could possess a wide range of beneficial activities for neurodegenerative disorders. PMID:24456358

Black grape and garlic extracts protect against cyclosporine a nephrotoxicity.

PubMed

Durak, Ilker; Cetin, Recep; Candir, Ozden; Devrim, Erdinç; Kiliçoğlu, Bülent; Avci, Aslihan

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine if the natural antioxidant foods, dried black grape and garlic, protect against cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were given Cyclosporine A (CsA) orally for 10 days, with the antioxidant food supplementation begun 3 days before CsA treatment and continued during the study period (totaling 13 days). In each group (control, CsA alone, CsA plus black grape, CsA plus aqueous garlic extract, aqueous garlic extract alone and black grape alone), there were 7 animals. At the end of the study period, the animals were sacrificed; their kidneys were removed and prepared for biochemical and histopathological investigations. Oxidant (xanthine oxidase enzyme and malondialdehyde) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase enzymes) parameters were measured in the kidney tissues of the groups. Histopathological examinations of the tissues were also performed. It has been found that CsA creates oxidant load to the kidneys through both xanthine oxidase activation and impaired antioxidant defense system, which accelerates oxidation reactions in the kidney tissue. Supplementation with either dried black grape or aqueous garlic extract led to reduced malondialdehyde level in the kidney tissue possibly, by preventing oxidant reactions. In conclusion, the results suggest that impaired oxidant/antioxidant balance may play part in the CsA-induced nephrotoxicity, and some foods with high antioxidant power may ameliorate this toxicity, in agreement with studies with antioxidant vitamins.

Optimisation of pressurised liquid extraction of antioxidants from black bamboo leaves.

PubMed

Shang, Ya Fang; Kim, Sang Min; Um, Byung-Hun

2014-07-01

To develop an efficient green extraction approach for recovering bioactive compounds from natural plants, the potential of using pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) was examined on black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) leaves, with ethanol/water as solvents. The superheated PLE process showed a higher recovery of most constituents and antioxidative activity, compared to reflux extraction, with a significantly improved recovery of the total phenolic (TP) and flavonoid (TF) content and DPPH radical scavenging ability. For a broad range of ethanol aqueous solutions and temperatures, 50% EtOH and 200°C (static time: 25min) gave the best performance, in terms of the TP and TF (75% EtOH) content yield and DPPH scavenging ability (25% EtOH). Under the optimised extraction conditions, eight main antioxidative compounds were isolated and identified with HPLC-ABTS(+) assay guidance and assessed for radical scavenging activity. The superheated extraction process for black bamboo leaves enhanced the antioxidant properties by increasing the extraction of the phenolic components. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extraction and characterization of gelatin biopolymer from black tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) scales

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sockalingam, K., E-mail: gd130106@siswa.uthm.edu.my; Abdullah, H. Z., E-mail: hasan@uthm.edu.my

2015-07-22

Black tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) fish wastes (scales) were evaluated for its suitability as sources of gelatin. Scales were subjected to acid treatment for demineralization before it undergoes thermal extraction process. The raw scales were characterized via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which demarcated the cycloid pattern of the scales. SEM images also reveal the presence of collagen fiber in the fish scale. The black tilapia fish scales yields 11.88 % of gelatin, indicating the possibility of this fish species as sources of gelatin. Further characterizations were done on both raw scale and extracted gelatin through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) andmore » proximate analysis. The scale gelatin shows high protein content (86.9 %) with low moisture (8.2 %) and ash (1.4 %). This further proves the effectiveness of the demineralization and extraction method used. The black tilapia fish scale is found to be a prospective source of gelatin with good chemical and functional properties.« less

Cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of black widow spiderling extract against HeLa cells

PubMed Central

Peng, Xiaozhen; Dai, Zhipan; Lei, Qian; Liang, Long; Yan, Shuai; Wang, Xianchun

2017-01-01

Black widow spiders contain toxic components not only in the venom glands but also in other parts of the spider body, including the legs and abdomen. Additionally, both the eggs and newborn spiderlings of the black widow spider contain venom. It is important to investigate their potential effects on cancer cells. In the present study, the effects of newborn black widow spiderling extract on human HeLa cells were evaluated in vitro. When applied at different concentrations, the total extract decreased HeLa cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 158 µg/ml. Flow cytometry indicated that treatment of HeLa cells with the total extract of the spiderlings induced apoptosis in HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner and led to cell cycle arrest in the S-phase. Additionally, application of the total extract at different concentrations increased apoptosis-related caspase 3 activity in a dose-dependent manner. HeLa cells treated with the total extract appeared to be morphologically changed, exhibiting membrane blebbing, nuclear fragmentation and condensation of chromatin. Further separation and activity screening demonstrated that the cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of the total extract were attributable mainly to its high molecular mass proteins, one of which was purified and characterized to determine its anti-tumor activities on HeLa cells. The results of the present study therefore have expanded understanding regarding the effect of spider toxins on cancer cells and suggested that components of black widow spiderlings may be developed as a promising novel agent to treat cancer. PMID:28587399

Cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of black widow spiderling extract against HeLa cells.

PubMed

Peng, Xiaozhen; Dai, Zhipan; Lei, Qian; Liang, Long; Yan, Shuai; Wang, Xianchun

2017-06-01

Black widow spiders contain toxic components not only in the venom glands but also in other parts of the spider body, including the legs and abdomen. Additionally, both the eggs and newborn spiderlings of the black widow spider contain venom. It is important to investigate their potential effects on cancer cells. In the present study, the effects of newborn black widow spiderling extract on human HeLa cells were evaluated in vitro . When applied at different concentrations, the total extract decreased HeLa cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC 50 value of 158 µg/ml. Flow cytometry indicated that treatment of HeLa cells with the total extract of the spiderlings induced apoptosis in HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner and led to cell cycle arrest in the S-phase. Additionally, application of the total extract at different concentrations increased apoptosis-related caspase 3 activity in a dose-dependent manner. HeLa cells treated with the total extract appeared to be morphologically changed, exhibiting membrane blebbing, nuclear fragmentation and condensation of chromatin. Further separation and activity screening demonstrated that the cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of the total extract were attributable mainly to its high molecular mass proteins, one of which was purified and characterized to determine its anti-tumor activities on HeLa cells. The results of the present study therefore have expanded understanding regarding the effect of spider toxins on cancer cells and suggested that components of black widow spiderlings may be developed as a promising novel agent to treat cancer.

Extracapsular cataract extraction with and without intra-ocular lenses in black patients.

PubMed

Welsh, N H

1992-04-04

Cataracts are the commonest cause of blindness in Third-World countries and cataract extraction is the commonest eye operation performed anywhere. Patients require optical correction after surgery either in the form of an intra-ocular lens (IOL) or bifocal aphakic glasses. The standard operative procedure in First-World countries is an extracapsular cataract extraction with an IOL. This type of operation has been thought to be contraindicated in black patients because of the complications and lack of adequate postoperative follow-up. During 1987-1989 3,144 cataract extractions, of which 2,157 were simple extracapsular extractions and 987 had IOLs inserted, were performed at the above hospitals. The two groups were compared for complications and visual results. The complications were similar in both groups and were acceptable, therefore posterior lens implantation confers no additional risk on routine extracapsular cataract extraction. The visual results in the IOL group with and without additional glasses were compared with those patients who had correcting aphakic glasses. In the corrected IOL group, 98% of patients saw better than 6/24, whereas in the aphakic spectacle group, 87.5% saw 6/24 or better. Since the majority of black patients cannot afford costly prescribed spectacles, it was important to analyse the visual acuity in patients who had IOLs and were uncorrected; 81.6% saw 6/24 or better. IOLs in black patients are therefore indicated but the disadvantage is the cost.

Extraction of high value added gelatin biopolymer from black tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) head bones

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sockalingam, K., E-mail: gd130106@siswa.uthm.edu.my; Abdullah, H. Z., E-mail: hasan@uthm.edu.my

Black tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) fish head bones were evaluated for its possibilities in extracting gelatin. Head bones were subjected to pre-treatment with 3% of hydrochloric acid (HCl) for demineralization before undergoes thermal extraction process. The raw head bones were characterized via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in order to investigate the external and internal surface morphology. SEM images also reveal the presence of collagen fiber with 1 µm diameter in the head bone. The black tilapia fish head bones yields 5.75 % of gelatin in wet weight basis, indicating the possibility of this fish species as sources of gelatin. Further characterizations weremore » done on both raw head bones and extracted gelatin through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and proximate analysis. The head bones gelatin shows high protein (10.55%) and ash (3.11 %) content with low moisture. This further proves the effectiveness of demineralization and extraction method used. The black tilapia fish head bones are found to be a prospective source of gelatin with good chemical and functional properties.« less

Colonic fermentation of polyphenols from Chilean currants (Ribes spp.) and its effect on antioxidant capacity and metabolic syndrome-associated enzymes.

PubMed

Burgos-Edwards, Alberto; Jiménez-Aspee, Felipe; Theoduloz, Cristina; Schmeda-Hirschmann, Guillermo

2018-08-30

The Chilean wild currants Ribes magellanicum and R. punctatum are a good source of polyphenols. Polyphenolic-enriched extracts (PEEs) from both species were submitted to in vitro colonic fermentation to assess the changes in phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity and inhibition of metabolic syndrome-associated enzymes. The phenolic profiles of the fermented samples showed significant changes after 24 h incubation. Nine metabolites, derived from the microbial fermentation, were tentatively identified, including dihydrocaffeic acid, dihydrocaffeoyl-, dihydroferuloylquinic acid, 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)propan-2-ol (3,4-diHPP-2-ol), among others. The content of anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids was most affected by simulated colonic conditions, with a loss of 71-92% and 90-100% after 24 h incubation, respectively. The highest antioxidant capacity values (ORAC) were reached after 8 h incubation. The inhibitory activity against the enzyme α-glucosidase was maintained after the fermentation process. Our results show that simulated colonic fermentation exerts significant changes on the polyphenolic composition of these berries, modifying their health-promoting properties. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extraction of Black Hole Shadows Using Ridge Filtering and the Circle Hough Transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hennessey, Ryan; Akiyama, Kazunori; Fish, Vincent

2018-01-01

Supermassive black holes are widely considered to reside at the center of most large galaxies. One of the foremost tasks in modern astronomy is to image the centers of local galaxies, such as that of Messier 87 (M87) and Sagittarius A* at the center of our own Milky Way, to gain the first glimpses of black holes and their surrounding structures. Using data obtained from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a global collection of millimeter-wavelength telescopes designed to perform very long baseline interferometry, new imaging techniques will likely be able to yield images of these structures at fine enough resolutions to compare with the predictions of general relativity and give us more insight into the formation of black holes, their surrounding jets and accretion disks, and galaxies themselves. Techniques to extract features from these images are already being developed. In this work, we present a new method for measuring the size of the black hole shadow, a feature that encodes information about the black hole mass and spin, using ridge filtering and the circle Hough transform. Previous methods have succeeded in extracting the black hole shadow with an accuracy of about 10- 20%, but using this new technique we are able to measure the shadow size with even finer accuracy. Our work indicates that the EHT will be able to significantly reduce the uncertainty in the estimate of the mass of the supermassive black hole in M87.

Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of Black Maca (Lepidium meyenii) improve scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice.

PubMed

Rubio, Julio; Dang, Haixia; Gong, Mengjuan; Liu, Xinmin; Chen, Shi-Lin; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2007-10-01

Lepidium meyenii Walp. (Brassicaceae), known as Maca, is a Peruvian hypocotyl growing exclusively between 4,000 and 4,500 m altitude in the central Peruvian Andes, particularly in Junin plateau. Previously, Black variety of Maca showed to be more beneficial than other varieties of Maca on learning and memory in ovariectomized mice on the water finding test. The present study aimed to test two different doses of aqueous (0.50 and 2.00 g/kg) and hydroalcoholic (0.25 and 1.00 g/kg) extracts of Black Maca administered for 35 days on memory impairment induced by scopolamine (1mg/kg body weight i.p.) in male mice. Memory and learning were evaluated using the water Morris maze and the step-down avoidance test. Brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities in brain were also determined. Both extracts of Black Maca significantly ameliorated the scopolamine-induced memory impairment as measured in both the water Morris maze and the step-down avoidance tests. Black Maca extracts inhibited AChE activity, whereas MAO activity was not affected. These results indicate that Black Maca improves scopolamine-induced memory deficits.

Effects of processing parameters on the caffeine extraction yield during decaffeination of black tea using pilot-scale supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technique.

PubMed

Ilgaz, Saziye; Sat, Ihsan Gungor; Polat, Atilla

2018-04-01

In this pilot-scale study supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO 2 ) extraction technique was used for decaffeination of black tea. Pressure (250, 375, 500 bar), extraction time (60, 180, 300 min), temperature (55, 62.5, 70 °C), CO 2 flow rate (1, 2, 3 L/min) and modifier quantity (0, 2.5, 5 mol%) were selected as extraction parameters. Three-level and five-factor response surface methodology experimental design with a Box-Behnken type was employed to generate 46 different processing conditions. 100% of caffeine from black tea was removed under two different extraction conditions; one of which was consist of 375 bar pressure, 62.5 °C temperature, 300 min extraction time, 2 L/min CO 2 flow rate and 5 mol% modifier concentration and the other was composed of same temperature, pressure and extraction time conditions with 3 L/min CO 2 flow rate and 2.5 mol% modifier concentration. Results showed that extraction time, pressure, CO 2 flow rate and modifier quantity had great impact on decaffeination yield.

Effect of gamma irradiation on phenol content, antioxidant activity and biological activity of black maca and red maca extracts (Lepidium meyenii walp).

PubMed

Zevallos-Concha, A; Nuñez, D; Gasco, M; Vasquez, C; Quispe, M; Gonzales, G F

2016-01-01

This study was performed to determine the effects of gamma irradiation on UV spectrum on maca, total content of polyphenols, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities and in vivo biological activities of red and black maca extracts (Lepidium meyenii). Adult mice of the strain Swiss aged 3 months and weighing 30-35 g in average were used to determine biological activities. Daily sperm production, effect on testosterone-induced prostate hyperplasia and forced swimming test were used to determine the effect of irradiation on biological activities of maca extracts. Irradiation did not show differences in UV spectrum but improves the amount of total polyphenols in red maca as well as in black maca extracts. In both cases, black maca extract has more content of polyphenols than red maca extract (p < 0.01). Gamma irradiation significantly increased the antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05). No difference was observed in daily sperm production when irradiated and nonirradiated maca extract were administered to mice (p > 0.05). Black maca extract but not red maca extract has more swimming endurance capacity in the forced swimming test. Irradiation of black maca extract increased the swimming time to exhaustion (p < 0.05). This is not observed with red maca extract (p > 0.05). Testosterone enanthate (TE) increased significantly the ventral prostate weight. Administration of red maca extract in animals treated with TE prevented the increase in prostate weight. Irradiation did not modify effect of red maca extract on prostate weight (p > 0.05). In conclusion, irradiation does not alter the biological activities of both black maca and red maca extracts. It prevents the presence of microorganisms in the extracts of black or red maca, but the biological activities were maintained.

Cutin composition of five finnish berries.

PubMed

Kallio, Heikki; Nieminen, Riikka; Tuomasjukka, Saska; Hakala, Mari

2006-01-25

The raw cutin (i.e., extractive-free isolated cuticular membrane) fraction from Finnish berries, sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides), black currant (Ribes nigrum), cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), was depolymerized by NaOMe-catalyzed methanolysis. The composition of cutin monomers was determined by GC-(EI)MS analysis either as methyl esters or as TMSi esters, with OH groups derivatized to TMSi ethers. There was a notable difference in the degree of depolymerization, ranging from 6 to 47%. The extractive-free berry cuticle, that is, raw cutin, thus contains <50% polyester polymer cutin. The predominant cutin monomers were C(16) and C(18) omega-hydroxy acids with midchain functionalities, mainly epoxy and hydroxyl groups. Typically, the major compounds were 9,10-epoxy-18-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid, 10,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid, 9,10,18-trihydroxyoctadecanoic acid, 9,10-epoxy-18-hydroxyoctadec-12-enoic acid, and 18-hydroxyoctadec-9-enoic acid. The amount of epoxyacids was rather high in sea buckthorn ( approximately 70%) and cranberry ( approximately 60%), compared with the other berries. The black currant cutin differed from that of the other berries with a significant portion of hydroxyoxohexadecanoic acid ( approximately 12% of total monomers). This investigation of the cuticular hydroxy acids of five Finnish berries is part of the exploitation of the northern natural resources related to the chemical composition, nutritional value, and sensory properties.

A Rigorous Treatment of Energy Extraction from a Rotating Black Hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finster, F.; Kamran, N.; Smoller, J.; Yau, S.-T.

2009-05-01

The Cauchy problem is considered for the scalar wave equation in the Kerr geometry. We prove that by choosing a suitable wave packet as initial data, one can extract energy from the black hole, thereby putting supperradiance, the wave analogue of the Penrose process, into a rigorous mathematical framework. We quantify the maximal energy gain. We also compute the infinitesimal change of mass and angular momentum of the black hole, in agreement with Christodoulou’s result for the Penrose process. The main mathematical tool is our previously derived integral representation of the wave propagator.

Qualitative analysis of MDR-reversing Anastasia Black (Russian black sweet pepper, Capsicum annuum, Solanaceae) extracts and fractions by HPLC and LC-MS-MS methods.

PubMed

Schelz, Zsuzsanna; Molnár, Joseph; Fogliano, Vincenzo; Ferracane, Rosalia; Pernice, Rita; Shirataki, Yoshiaki; Motohashi, Noboru

2006-01-01

In earlier experiments, the MDR (multidrug resistance)-reversal activities of Anastasia Black (Russian black sweet pepper) extracts had been analysed. Recently, the most effective MDR reversing extracts and fractions have been separated by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography, for carotenoids) and LC-MS-MS (HPLC combined with mass spectrometry, for phenolic compounds) methods. As a result of the analytical studies, the following flavonoids had been identified: feruloyl glucopyranoside, quercetin rhamnopyranoside glucopyranoside, luteolin glucopyranoside arabinopyranoside, apigenin glucopyranoside arabinopyranoside, quercetin rhamnopyranoside, luteolin arabinopyranoside diglucopy-ranoside, hesperidine and luteolin glucuronide. According to the literature, the aglycones of these phenolic compounds exhibit MDR-reversal activity in vitro, and the connection between the phenolic content of Anastasia Black and MDR-reversal action was therefore studied by different analytical methods. The results of this study revealed that the identified flavonoids of Anastasia Black may be only partially responsible for the modulation of the MDR of mouse lymphoma cells. Other lipophilic compounds, most probably carotenoids, present in Russian black sweet pepper may act as inhibitors of MDR reversal.

Use of Non-Conventional Cell Disruption Method for Extraction of Proteins from Black Yeasts

PubMed Central

Čolnik, Maja; Primožič, Mateja; Knez, Željko; Leitgeb, Maja

2016-01-01

The influence of pressure and treatment time on cells disruption of different black yeasts and on activities of extracted proteins using supercritical carbon dioxide process was studied. The cells of three different black yeasts Phaeotheca triangularis, Trimatostroma salinum, and Wallemia ichthyophaga were exposed to supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO2) by varying pressure at fixed temperature (35°C). The black yeasts cell walls were disrupted, and the content of the cells was spilled into the liquid medium. The impact of SC CO2 conditions on secretion of enzymes and proteins from black yeast cells suspension was studied. The residual activity of the enzymes cellulase, β-glucosidase, α-amylase, and protease was studied by enzymatic assay. The viability of black yeast cells was determined by measuring the optical density of the cell suspension at 600 nm. The total protein concentration in the suspension was determined on UV–Vis spectrophotometer at 595 nm. The release of intracellular and extracellular products from black yeast cells was achieved. Also, the observation by an environmental scanning electron microscopy shows major morphological changes with SC CO2-treated cells. The advantages of the proposed method are in a simple use, which is also possible for heat-sensitive materials on one hand and on the other hand integration of the extraction of enzymes and their use in biocatalytical reactions. PMID:27148527

Antioxidant mechanism of black garlic extract involving nuclear factor erythroid 2-like factor 2 pathway.

PubMed

Ha, Ae Wha; Kim, Woo Kyoung

2017-06-01

Although studies have revealed that black garlic is a potent antioxidant, its antioxidant mechanism remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine black garlic's antioxidant activities and possible antioxidant mechanisms related to nuclear factor erythroid 2-like factor 2 (Nrf2)-Keap1 complex. After four weeks of feeding rats with a normal fat diet (NF), a high-fat diet (HF), a high-fat diet with 0.5% black garlic extract (HF+BGE 0.5), a high-fat diet with 1.0% black garlic extract (HF+BGE 1.0), or a high-fat diet with 1.5% black garlic extract (HF+BGE 1.5), plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin,homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were determined. As oxidative stress indices, plasma concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and 8-isoprostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF) were determined. To measure antioxidant capacities, plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and activities of antioxidant enzymes in plasma and liver were determined. The mRNA expression levels of antioxidant related proteins such as Nrf2, NAD(P)H: quinone-oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase alpha 2 (GSTA2) were examined. Plasma glucose level, plasma insulin level, and HOMA-IR in black garlic supplemented groups were significantly ( P < 0.05) lower than those in the HF group without dose-dependent effect. Plasma TBARS concentration and TAC in the HF+BGE 1.5 group were significantly decreased compared to those of the HF group. The activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly ( P < 0.05) increased in the HF+BGE 1.0 and HF+BGE 1.5 groups compared to those of the HF group. The mRNA expression levels of hepatic Nrf2, NQO1, HO-1, and GSTA2 were significantly ( P < 0.05) increased in the HF with BGE groups compared to those in the HF group. The improvements of blood glucose homeostasis and antioxidant systems in rats fed with black garlic extract were

Antioxidant mechanism of black garlic extract involving nuclear factor erythroid 2-like factor 2 pathway

PubMed Central

Ha, Ae Wha

2017-01-01

BACKGROUN/OBJECTIVES Although studies have revealed that black garlic is a potent antioxidant, its antioxidant mechanism remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine black garlic's antioxidant activities and possible antioxidant mechanisms related to nuclear factor erythroid 2-like factor 2 (Nrf2)-Keap1 complex. METHODS/MATERIALS After four weeks of feeding rats with a normal fat diet (NF), a high-fat diet (HF), a high-fat diet with 0.5% black garlic extract (HF+BGE 0.5), a high-fat diet with 1.0% black garlic extract (HF+BGE 1.0), or a high-fat diet with 1.5% black garlic extract (HF+BGE 1.5), plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin,homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were determined. As oxidative stress indices, plasma concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and 8-isoprostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF) were determined. To measure antioxidant capacities, plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and activities of antioxidant enzymes in plasma and liver were determined. The mRNA expression levels of antioxidant related proteins such as Nrf2, NAD(P)H: quinone-oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase alpha 2 (GSTA2) were examined. RESULTS Plasma glucose level, plasma insulin level, and HOMA-IR in black garlic supplemented groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those in the HF group without dose-dependent effect. Plasma TBARS concentration and TAC in the HF+BGE 1.5 group were significantly decreased compared to those of the HF group. The activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the HF+BGE 1.0 and HF+BGE 1.5 groups compared to those of the HF group. The mRNA expression levels of hepatic Nrf2, NQO1, HO-1, and GSTA2 were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the HF with BGE groups compared to those in the HF group. CONCLUSIONS The improvements of blood glucose homeostasis and

Molecular characterization of a novel rhabdovirus infecting blackcurrant identified by high-throughput sequencing.

PubMed

Wu, L-P; Yang, T; Liu, H-W; Postman, J; Li, R

2018-05-01

A large contig with sequence similarities to several nucleorhabdoviruses was identified by high-throughput sequencing analysis from a black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivar. The complete genome sequence of this new nucleorhabdovirus is 14,432 nucleotides long. Its genomic organization is very similar to those of unsegmented plant rhabdoviruses, containing six open reading frames in the order 3'-N-P-P3-M-G-L-5. The virus, which is provisionally named "black currant-associated rhabdovirus", is 41-52% identical in its genome nucleotide sequence to other nucleorhabdoviruses and may represent a new species in the genus Nucleorhabdovirus.

Aflatoxin-induced biochemical changes in liver of mice and its mitigation by black tea extract.

PubMed

Jha, Anamika; Shah, Komal; Verma, Ramtej J

2012-01-01

Aflatoxin belongs to the class of naturally occurring mycotoxins, food contaminants having potent carcinogenicity. We have evaluated the ameliorative role of black tea extract on aflatoxin-induced biochemical changes in the liver of albino male mice. Adult male mice were orally administered with 750 and 1500 pg of aflatoxin in 0.2 mL olive oil/kg b.w./day for 30 days. Oral administration of aflatoxin caused, as compared with controls, significant, dose-dependent reduction in DNA, RNA, protein and glycogen contents; however, cholesterol content and phsphorylase activity were significantly increased. Black tea is one of the most potent antioxidants containing numerous bioactive phytonurtients having therapeutic applications. Aflatoxin-induced changes in the liver of mice were significantly ameliorated on co-treatment of black tea extract (2% infusion in water).

Individual differences on immunostimulatory activity of raw and black garlic extract in human primary immune cells.

PubMed

Purev, Uranchimeg; Chung, Mi Ja; Oh, Deog-Hwan

2012-08-01

The immunostimulatory activities of garlic extract using a cell line or animal models have been reported; however, no previous studies have evaluated individual differences in regards to the immunostimulatory activities. The immunostimulatory activities such as cell proliferation, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and nitric oxides (NO) production of raw garlic and black garlic extracts on individual primary lymphocytes or macrophages isolated from the blood of 21 volunteers were evaluated. The antioxidant and anticancer effects of raw garlic and black garlic ethanol extract was measured to determine the optimum conditions for extraction. The 70% ethanol black garlic extracts at 70°C for 12 h (70% BGE) showed the strongest antioxidant and anticancer activities. Immunostimulatory activities of garlic extracts extracted under optimal condition on primary immune cells obtained from 21 volunteers were analyzed. Results showed that the cell proliferation, TNF-α and NO production of primary immune cells treated with 70% raw garlic extract (70% RGE) were significantly different; however, little difference was observed for the 70% BGE treatment. BGE showed stronger immunostimulatory activities than RGE. These results indicate that the immunostimulatory activities of RGE and BGE can be strongly correlated with the antioxidant and anticancer activities. Determination of immunostimulatory activities of different types of garlic using immune cells isolated from volunteers was dependent on the individual constituents due to changes in the composition of garlic during processing. Individual primary immune cells might be used as important tools to determine individual differences in all food ingredients for the development of personalized immunostimulatory active foods.

[Extracting black soil border in Heilongjiang province based on spectral angle match method].

PubMed

Zhang, Xin-Le; Zhang, Shu-Wen; Li, Ying; Liu, Huan-Jun

2009-04-01

As soils are generally covered by vegetation most time of a year, the spectral reflectance collected by remote sensing technique is from the mixture of soil and vegetation, so the classification precision based on remote sensing (RS) technique is unsatisfied. Under RS and geographic information systems (GIS) environment and with the help of buffer and overlay analysis methods, land use and soil maps were used to derive regions of interest (ROI) for RS supervised classification, which plus MODIS reflectance products were chosen to extract black soil border, with methods including spectral single match. The results showed that the black soil border in Heilongjiang province can be extracted with soil remote sensing method based on MODIS reflectance products, especially in the north part of black soil zone; the classification precision of spectral angel mapping method is the highest, but the classifying accuracy of other soils can not meet the need, because of vegetation covering and similar spectral characteristics; even for the same soil, black soil, the classifying accuracy has obvious spatial heterogeneity, in the north part of black soil zone in Heilongjiang province it is higher than in the south, which is because of spectral differences; as soil uncovering period in Northeastern China is relatively longer, high temporal resolution make MODIS images get the advantage over soil remote sensing classification; with the help of GIS, extracting ROIs by making the best of auxiliary data can improve the precision of soil classification; with the help of auxiliary information, such as topography and climate, the classification accuracy was enhanced significantly. As there are five main factors determining soil classes, much data of different types, such as DEM, terrain factors, climate (temperature, precipitation, etc.), parent material, vegetation map, and remote sensing images, were introduced to classify soils, so how to choose some of the data and quantify the

Report on Phase 2 Archaeological Testing at 21 AK 11, Big Sandy Lake, Aitkin County, Minnesota (June 10-11 and August 1-5 and 20-21, 1985)

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-05

Hazelnut Hazelnut Poison ivy Round-leaved Black currant Hazelnut dogwood’ Juneberry Round-leaved Downy arrowwood Chokecherry dogwood Poison ivy...Poison ivy Chokecherry Wild grape Sandbar Willow Black raspberry Bush honeysuckle Smooth wild rose Virginia creeper Bush honeysuckle Juneberry

The enhanced inhibition of water extract of black tea under baking treatment on α-amylase and α-glucosidase.

PubMed

Tong, Da-Peng; Zhu, Ke-Xue; Guo, Xiao-Na; Peng, Wei; Zhou, Hui-Ming

2018-02-01

This paper studied the inhibition of water extract of natural or baked black tea on the activity of α-amylase and α- glucosidase. Baking treatment was found to be one effective way to enhance the inhibition of black tea on both α-amylase and α- glucosidase, and IC 50 of water extract of baked black tea (BBTWE) were 1.213mg/mL and 4.190mg/mL, respectively, while IC 50 of water extract of black tea (BTWE) were 1.723mg/mL and 6.056mg/mL, respectively. This study further studied the mechanism of the effect of water extract on α-amylase and α- glucosidase using HPLC, circular dichroism, and synchronous fluorescence. HPLC analysis of tea polyphenols showed that the content of tea polyphenols with low polarity increased after baking. In addition, BBTWE had higer abilty on decreasing the hydrophobicity of tryptophan residues than BTWE for both α-amylase and α- glucosidase.The increase of α-helix proportion of α-amylase when treated with BBTWE was more obvious than that when treated with BTWE. In a word, thermal process of baked foods may be beneficial for tea polyphenols to reduce the rate of starch digestion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling and simulation of a moving interface problem: freeze drying of black tea extract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydin, Ebubekir Sıddık; Yucel, Ozgun; Sadikoglu, Hasan

2017-06-01

The moving interface separates the material that is subjected to the freeze drying process as dried and frozen. Therefore, the accurate modeling the moving interface reduces the process time and energy consumption by improving the heat and mass transfer predictions during the process. To describe the dynamic behavior of the drying stages of the freeze-drying, a case study of brewed black tea extract in storage trays including moving interface was modeled that the heat and mass transfer equations were solved using orthogonal collocation method based on Jacobian polynomial approximation. Transport parameters and physical properties describing the freeze drying of black tea extract were evaluated by fitting the experimental data using Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. Experimental results showed good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

A study on toxicity of gasoline and GM-10 on liver of mice and it's amelioration by black tea extract.

PubMed

Verma, Ramtej Jayram; Dave, Manjeet; Mathuria, Neeta

2008-01-01

The aim of present study is to investigate the ameliorative effect of black tea extract on gasoline and GM-10 induced toxicity in liver of mice. Eighty healthy male mice weighing 38-40 g approximately were divided into eight groups which included untreated control and various treated groups. Mice were treated with Gasoline 462 mg/kg/day and GM-10 low dose (206 mg/kg/day) and high dose (412 mg/kg/day) subcutaneously for 30 days. Black tea extract was given as 2 g/100 mL drinking water (2% w/v) instead of pure drinking water. All the animals were sacrificed on 31st day by cervical dislocation and livers were isolated and weighed. Parameters such as lipid peroxidation, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione and total ascorbic acid were studied. The results revealed dose-dependent toxicity of gasoline and GM-10 on liver. Administration of black tea extract ameliorates this toxicity of gasoline and GM-10 in liver of mice. This proves the effective ameliorative effect of black tea extract.

The safety and pharmacokinetics of cyanidin-3-glucoside after 2-week administration of black bean seed coat extract in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Jeon, Sangil; Han, Seunghoon; Lee, Jongtae; Hong, Taegon; Yim, Dong-Seok

2012-08-01

We analyzed the pharmacokinetics of C3G on data from twelve subjects, after 2-week multiple dosing of black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, Cheongjakong-3-ho) seed coat extract, using the mixed effect analysis method (NONMEM, Ver. 6.2), as well as the conventional non-compartmental method. We also examined the safety and tolerability. The PK analysis used plasma concentrations of the C3G on day 1 and 14. There was no observed accumulation of C3G after 2-week multiple dosing of black bean seed coat extract. The typical point estimates of PK were CL (clearance)=3,420 l/h, V (volume)=7,280 L, Ka (absorption constant)=9.94 h(-1), ALAG (lag time)=0.217 h. The black bean seed coat extract was well tolerated and there were no serious adverse events. In this study, we confirmed that a significant amount of C3G was absorbed in human after given the black bean seed coat extract.

The influence of pulsed electric fields and microwave pretreatments on some selected physicochemical properties of oil extracted from black cumin seed.

PubMed

Bakhshabadi, Hamid; Mirzaei, HabibOllah; Ghodsvali, Alireza; Jafari, Seid Mahdi; Ziaiifar, Aman Mohammad

2018-01-01

Application of novel technologies such as microwave and pulsed electric fields (PEF) might increase the speed and efficiency of oil extraction. In the present research, PEF (3.25 kV/cm electric field intensity and 30 pulse number) and microwave (540 W for 180 s) pretreatments were used to study the process of oil extraction from black cumin ( Nigella sativa ) seeds. After applying the selected pretreatments, the oil of seeds was extracted with the use of a screw press and the extraction efficiency, refractive index, oil density, color index, oxidative stability, and chemical components of oil and protein of meal were evaluated. The achieved results expressed that PEF and microwave pretreatments increased the oil extraction efficiency and its oxidative stability. Different pretreatments didn't have any significant influence on the refractive index of black cumin seed oil ( p >.05). When microwave and PEF were used, the oil density showed an enhancement as the following: 1.51% and 0.96%, respectively in comparison with the samples with no pretreatments. Evaluation of the extracted oils, using GC/MS analysis indicated that thymoquinone was the dominant phenolic component in the black cumin oil. Finally, the SEM analysis revealed that microwave and PEF can be useful in the extraction of oil from black cumin seeds since these treatments damaged cell walls and facilitated the oil extraction process.

Black tea extract and dental caries formation in hamsters.

PubMed

Linke, Harald A B; LeGeros, Racquel Z

2003-01-01

Several studies have suggested that green tea and Oolong tea extracts have antibacterial and anticariogenic properties in vitro and in vivo. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of a standardized black tea extract (BTE) on caries formation in inbred hamsters on a regular and a cariogenic diet. Eighty hamsters were divided into four groups of 20 animals each. Two groups received a pelleted regular diet (LabChow) with water or BTE ad libitum. The other two groups received a powdered cariogenic diet (Diet 2000, containing 56% sucrose) with water or BTE ad libitum. The animals were kept for 3 months on their respective diets and then were sacrificed. The heads were retained, the jaws were prepared and stained using alizarin mordant red II, and were then scored for dental caries according to the Keyes method. This is the first study indicating that BTE, as compared with water, significantly decreased caries formation by 56.6% in hamsters on a regular diet and by 63.7% in hamsters on a cariogenic diet (P < 0.05). In the cariogenic diet group BTE, reduced the mandibular caries score of the hamsters slightly more than the maxillary caries score. The fluoride content of the standardized BTE solution was frequently monitored during the experiment; the mean fluoride concentration was found to be 4.22 ppm. A frequent intake of black tea can significantly decrease caries formation, even in the presence of sugars in the diet.

Protective Effects of Black Rice Extracts on Oxidative Stress Induced by tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide in HepG2 Cells

PubMed Central

Lee, Seon-Mi; Choi, Youngmin; Sung, Jeehye; Kim, Younghwa; Jeong, Heon-Sang; Lee, Junsoo

2014-01-01

Black rice contains many biologically active compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of black rice extracts (whole grain extract, WGE and rice bran extract, RBE) on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-induced oxidative injury in HepG2 cells. Cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant enzyme activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) concentrations were evaluated as biomarkers of cellular oxidative status. Cells pretreated with 50 and 100 μg/mL of WGE or RBE were more resistant to oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. The highest WGE and BRE concentrations enhanced GSH concentrations and modulated antioxidant enzyme activities (glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) compared to TBHP-treated cells. Cells treated with RBE showed higher protective effect compared to cells treated with WGE against oxidative insult. Black rice extracts attenuated oxidative insult by inhibiting cellular ROS and MDA increase and by modulating antioxidant enzyme activities in HepG2 cells. PMID:25580401

Stable isotope ratio analysis of different European raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants and strawberries.

PubMed

Perini, M; Giongo, L; Grisenti, M; Bontempo, L; Camin, F

2018-01-15

To date the stable isotope ratios of berries have never been extensively explored. In this work the H, C, N and O isotopic ratios of 190 samples of different soft fruits (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and currants) produced in a northern Italian region and at two sites in Romania and Poland collected over three harvest years are presented and discussed. The different soft fruits showed a typical range for one or more isotopic parameters that can be used to verify the authenticity of the fruit composition declared on the label. The δ 13 C and δ 15 N of pulp and the δ 18 O of juice can be considered effective tools for identifying the different geographical origin of fruit. A significant effect of crop cover on juice δ 18 O and fertilisation practices on pulp δ 15 N was demonstrated and must be considered with attention when evaluating data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots for Hole Extraction of Typical Planar Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells.

PubMed

Chen, Wei; Li, Kaiwen; Wang, Yao; Feng, Xiyuan; Liao, Zhenwu; Su, Qicong; Lin, Xinnan; He, Zhubing

2017-02-02

Black phosphorus, famous as two-dimensional (2D) materials, shows such excellent properties for optoelectronic devices such as tunable direct band gap, extremely high hole mobility (300-1000 cm 2 /(V s)), and so forth. In this Letter, facile processed black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) were successfully applied to enhance hole extraction at the anode side of the typical p-i-n planar hybrid perovskite solar cells, which remarkably improved the performance of devices with photon conversion efficiency ramping up from 14.10 to 16.69%. Moreover, more detailed investigations by c-AFM, SKPM, SEM, hole-only devices, and photon physics measurements discover further the hole extraction effect and work mechanism of the BPQDs, such as nucleation assistance for the growth of large grain size perovskite crystals, fast hole extraction, more efficient hole transfer, and suppression of energy-loss recombination at the anode interface. This work definitely paves the way for discovering more and more 2D materials with high electronic properties to be used in photovoltaics and optoelectronics.

Spectroscopic analysis of the role of extractives on heat-induced discoloration of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Treesearch

Yao Chen; Yongming Fan; Jianmin Gao; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Nicole M. Stark

2012-01-01

To investigate the role of extractives on heat-induced discoloration of wood, samples of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) wood flour were extracted with various solvents prior to heat-treatment. Analysis of their color parameters and chromophoric structures showed that the chroma value of the unextracted sample decreased while that of the...

Optimization of ultrasound and microwave assisted extractions of polyphenols from black rice (Oryza sativa cv. Poireton) husk.

PubMed

Jha, Pankaj; Das, Arup Jyoti; Deka, Sankar Chandra

2017-11-01

Phenolic compounds were extracted from the husk of milled black rice (cv. Poireton) by using a combination of ultrasound assisted extraction and microwave assisted extraction. Extraction parameters were optimized by response surface methodology according to a three levels, five variables Box-Behnken design. The appropriate process variables (extraction temperature and extraction time) to maximize the ethanolic extraction of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins and antioxidant activity of the extracts were obtained. Extraction of functional components with varying ethanol concentration and microwave time were significantly affected by the process variables. The best possible conditions obtained by RSM for all the factors included 10.02 min sonication time, 49.46 °C sonication temperature, 1:40.79 (w/v) solute solvent ratio, 67.34% ethanol concentration, and 31.11 s microwave time. Under the given solutions, the maximum extraction of phenolics (1.65 mg/g GAE), flavonoids (3.04 mg/100 g), anthocyanins (3.39 mg/100 g) and antioxidants (100%) were predicted, while the experimental values included 1.72 mg/g GAE of total phenolics, 3.01 mg/100 g of flavonoids, 3.36 mg/100 g of anthocyanins and 100% antioxidant activity. The overall results indicated positive impact of co-application of microwave and ultrasound assisted extractions of phenolic compounds from black rice husk.

Effect of different fractions from hydroalcoholic extract of Black Maca (Lepidium meyenii) on testicular function in adult male rats.

PubMed

Yucra, Sandra; Gasco, Manuel; Rubio, Julio; Nieto, Jessica; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2008-05-01

To evaluate the effect of different fractions of Black Maca (Lepidium meyenii), obtained from the hydroalcoholic extract, on spermatogenesis. Animal study. Animal and laboratory facilities at a university. Forty two adult male rats from the Holtzman strain (3 months old). Hydroalcoholic extract of Black Maca was partitioned with the following solvents: petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water to obtain each fraction. Forty-two rats were divided in different groups according the fraction administered and vehicle. The hydroalcoholic extract of Black Maca and its fractions and vehicle were given orally by gavage for 7 days. Daily sperm production, epididymal sperm count, and sperm count in the vas deferens. Daily sperm production was higher in the ethyl acetate group compared with all other groups. The epididymal sperm count was higher in rats treated with ethyl acetate fraction compared with rats treated with vehicle (control), petroleum ether, n-butanol, or water fractions. The sperm count in vas deferens was lower in rats treated with ethyl acetate, petroleum ether, or water fractions compared with the control group; thus, the sperm count in vas deferens in rats treated with chloroform and n-butanol fractions was higher than in the petroleum ether group. The greatest effect on spermatogenesis was observed in the ethyl acetate fraction from the hydroalcoholic extract of Black Maca, suggesting that the compounds related to the beneficial effect on sperm production of Black Maca are presented in this fraction. Antioxidant components could play a role in the effect of increased epididymal sperm concentration observed in the model.

Composition analysis and antioxidant properties of black garlic extract.

PubMed

Lu, Xiaoming; Li, Ningyang; Qiao, Xuguang; Qiu, Zhichang; Liu, Pengli

2017-04-01

Black garlic produced from fresh garlic under controlled high temperature and humidity has strong antioxidant properties. To determine these compounds, five fractions (from F1 to F5) were separated and purified by elution with chloroform:methanol at different ratios (8:1, 6:1, 4:1, 2:1, and 0:1; v/v). The antioxidant activity of each fraction was analyzed. The results showed that F3 and F4 had higher phenolic contents and stronger 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity than the others. Seven purified individual components were further separated using semipreparation high-performance liquid chromatography from these two intensely antioxidant fractions (F3 and F4), their structures were elucidated by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection, electrospray ionization, mass spectrometry, 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance, and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Three compounds including adenosine, uridine, and 2-acetylpyrrole were first identified in black garlic, except for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, (1S, 3S)-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid, and (1R, 3S)-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid. The cellular antioxidant activities of uridine, adenosine, carboline alkaloids, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and ethyl acetate extracts were consistent with the results of in vitro experimental antioxidant properties. The results provide useful information for understanding the health benefits of black garlic products. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Modeling and optimization of red currants vacuum drying process by response surface methodology (RSM).

PubMed

Šumić, Zdravko; Vakula, Anita; Tepić, Aleksandra; Čakarević, Jelena; Vitas, Jasmina; Pavlić, Branimir

2016-07-15

Fresh red currants were dried by vacuum drying process under different drying conditions. Box-Behnken experimental design with response surface methodology was used for optimization of drying process in terms of physical (moisture content, water activity, total color change, firmness and rehydratation power) and chemical (total phenols, total flavonoids, monomeric anthocyanins and ascorbic acid content and antioxidant activity) properties of dried samples. Temperature (48-78 °C), pressure (30-330 mbar) and drying time (8-16 h) were investigated as independent variables. Experimental results were fitted to a second-order polynomial model where regression analysis and analysis of variance were used to determine model fitness and optimal drying conditions. The optimal conditions of simultaneously optimized responses were temperature of 70.2 °C, pressure of 39 mbar and drying time of 8 h. It could be concluded that vacuum drying provides samples with good physico-chemical properties, similar to lyophilized sample and better than conventionally dried sample. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anthocyanins extracted from black soybean seed coat protect primary cortical neurons against in vitro ischemia.

PubMed

Bhuiyan, Mohammad Iqbal Hossain; Kim, Joo Youn; Ha, Tae Joung; Kim, Seong Yun; Cho, Kyung-Ok

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of anthocyanins extracted from black soybean (cv. Cheongja 3, Glycine max (L.) MERR.) seed coat against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and glutamate-induced cell death in rat primary cortical neurons. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assays were employed to assess cell membrane damage and viability of primary neurons, respectively. OGD-induced cell death in 7 d in vitro primary cortical neurons was found to be OGD duration-dependent, and approximately 3.5 h of OGD resulted in ≈60% cell death. Treatment with black soybean anthocyanins dose-dependently prevented membrane damage and increased the viability of primary neurons that were exposed to OGD. Glutamate-induced neuronal cell death was dependent on the glutamate concentration at relatively low concentrations and the number of days the cells remained in culture. Interestingly, black soybean anthocyanins did not protect against glutamate-induced neuronal cell death. They did, however, inhibit the excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and preserve mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in primary neurons exposed to OGD. In agreement with the neuroprotective effect of crude black soybean anthocyanins, purified cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), the major component of anthocyanins, also offered dose-dependent neuroprotection against OGD-induced neuronal cell death. Moreover, black soybean C3G markedly prevented excessive generation of ROS and preserved MMP in primary neurons that were exposed to OGD. Collectively, these results suggest that the neuroprotection of primary rat cortical neurons by anthocyanins that were extracted from black soybean seed coat might be mediated through oxidative stress inhibition and MMP preservation but not through glutamate-induced excitotoxicity attenuation.

Impact of liposomal encapsulation on degradation of anthocyanins of black carrot extract by adding ascorbic acid.

PubMed

Guldiken, Burcu; Gibis, Monika; Boyacioglu, Dilek; Capanoglu, Esra; Weiss, Jochen

2017-03-22

Black carrot anthocyanins are known to be relatively stable because they contain acylated anthocyanins. The degradation of vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) on anthocyanins is a known fact in beverage systems. In this study, the effects of various liposomal systems, including black carrot extract (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4% w/w) and lecithin (1%, 2%, 4% w/w), on the color and degradation of anthocyanin in different ascorbic acid (0.01%, 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1% w/w) concentrations were examined via UV/VIS spectroscopy and visual control of the color. The physical characteristics of the liposomal systems resulted in particle diameters of 41-46 nm and zeta-potentials of (-23)-(-20) mV. The encapsulation efficiencies of the liposomal systems increased up to 50% with increasing lecithin concentrations. The encapsulation of black carrot extract in liposomes enhanced the color and stability of the anthocyanins during storage. This study showed that the degradation of anthocyanins due to ascorbic acid can be reduced by liposomes in aqueous solutions.

Evaluation of polyphenols and anthocyanins contents in black chockeberry--Photinia melanocarpa (Michx.) fruits extract.

PubMed

Symonowicz, Marzena; Sykuła-Zajac, Anna; Łodyga-Chruścińska, Elzbieta; Rumora, Ivana; Straukas, Martinas

2012-01-01

An evaluation of total polyphenols and anthocyanins contents in dietary supplements is important analysis in medical aspect of human and animal diets. The content of the mentioned compounds should be higher in 100 g of solid extracts than in 100 g of fruits. Thus, the presented work concerns the evaluation of total polyphenols and anthocyanins contents in black chockeberry--Photinia melanocarpa (Michx.) extract--dietary supplement (DS) available on market. The spectrophotometric analysis of DS were performed. The usage of certain conditions of measurements such as dilution factor, storage conditions and filtration, has the significance in the determination of the analyzed compounds in the extract.

Aqueous Extract of Black Maca (Lepidium meyenii) on Memory Impairment Induced by Ovariectomy in Mice

PubMed Central

Rubio, Julio; Qiong, Wang; Liu, Xinmin; Jiang, Zhen; Dang, Haixia; Chen, Shi-Lin; Gonzales, Gustavo F.

2011-01-01

The present study aims to test two different doses of aqueous extract of black maca on learning and memory in ovariectomized (OVX) mice and their relation with malonalehyde (MDA), acetylcholinesterase (Ache) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) brain levels. Female mice were divided into five groups: (i) naive (control), (ii) sham, (iii) OVX mice and OVX mice treated with (iv) 0.50 g kg−1 and (v) 2.00 g kg−1 black maca. Mice were orally treated with distilled water or black maca during 35 days starting 7 days after surgery. Memory and learning were assessed using the water Morris maze (from day 23–27) and the step-down avoidance test (days 34 and 35). At the end of each treatment, mice were sacrificed by decapitation and brains were dissected out for MDA, Ache and MAO determinations. Black maca (0.5 and 2.0 g/kg) increased step-down latency when compared to OVX control mice. Black maca decreased MDA and Ache levels in OVX mice; whereas, no differences were observed in MAO levels. Finally, black maca improved experimental memory impairment induced by ovariectomy, due in part, by its antioxidant and Ache inhibitory activities. PMID:18955369

Aqueous Extract of Black Maca (Lepidium meyenii) on Memory Impairment Induced by Ovariectomy in Mice.

PubMed

Rubio, Julio; Qiong, Wang; Liu, Xinmin; Jiang, Zhen; Dang, Haixia; Chen, Shi-Lin; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2011-01-01

The present study aims to test two different doses of aqueous extract of black maca on learning and memory in ovariectomized (OVX) mice and their relation with malonalehyde (MDA), acetylcholinesterase (Ache) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) brain levels. Female mice were divided into five groups: (i) naive (control), (ii) sham, (iii) OVX mice and OVX mice treated with (iv) 0.50 g kg(-1) and (v) 2.00 g kg(-1) black maca. Mice were orally treated with distilled water or black maca during 35 days starting 7 days after surgery. Memory and learning were assessed using the water Morris maze (from day 23-27) and the step-down avoidance test (days 34 and 35). At the end of each treatment, mice were sacrificed by decapitation and brains were dissected out for MDA, Ache and MAO determinations. Black maca (0.5 and 2.0 g/kg) increased step-down latency when compared to OVX control mice. Black maca decreased MDA and Ache levels in OVX mice; whereas, no differences were observed in MAO levels. Finally, black maca improved experimental memory impairment induced by ovariectomy, due in part, by its antioxidant and Ache inhibitory activities.

Influence of Excipients and Spray Drying on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Nutraceutical Capsules Containing Phytochemicals from Black Bean Extract.

PubMed

Guajardo-Flores, Daniel; Rempel, Curtis; Gutiérrez-Uribe, Janet A; Serna-Saldívar, Sergio O

2015-12-03

Black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are a rich source of flavonoids and saponins with proven health benefits. Spray dried black bean extract powders were used in different formulations for the production of nutraceutical capsules with reduced batch-to-batch weight variability. Factorial designs were used to find an adequate maltodextrin-extract ratio for the spray-drying process to produce black bean extract powders. Several flowability properties were used to determine composite flow index of produced powders. Powder containing 6% maltodextrin had the highest yield (78.6%) and the best recovery of flavonoids and saponins (>56% and >73%, respectively). The new complexes formed by the interaction of black bean powder with maltodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose 50 and starch exhibited not only bigger particles, but also a rougher structure than using only maltodextrin and starch as excipients. A drying process prior to capsule production improved powder flowability, increasing capsule weight and reducing variability. The formulation containing 25.0% of maltodextrin, 24.1% of microcrystalline cellulose 50, 50% of starch and 0.9% of magnesium stearate produced capsules with less than 2.5% weight variability. The spray drying technique is a feasible technique to produce good flow extract powders containing valuable phytochemicals and low cost excipients to reduce the end-product variability.

Inhibitory Effect of Black and Red Pepper and Thyme Extracts and Essential Oils on Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and DNase Activity of Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Zarringhalam, Maryam; Zaringhalam, Jalal; Shadnoush, Mehdi; Safaeyan, Firouzeh; Tekieh, Elaheh

2013-01-01

In this study, extracts and essential oils of Black and Red pepper and Thyme were tested for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. Black and Red pepper and Thyme were provided from Iranian agricultural researches center. 2 g of each plant powder was added to 10 cc ethanol 96°. After 24 h, the crude extract was separated as an alcoholic extract and concentrated by distillation method. Plants were examined for determining their major component and essential oils were separated. Phytochemical analyses were done for detection of some effective substances in extracts. The antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus was tested and the results showed that all extracts and essential oils were effective and essential oils were more active. The extracts and oils that showed antimicrobial activity were later tested to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Dilution (MID) for those bacteria. They were also effective on the inhibition of DNase activity. This study was indicated that extracts and essential oils of Black and Red pepper and Thyme can play a significant role in inhibition of Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus.

Inhibitory Effect of Black and Red Pepper and Thyme Extracts and Essential Oils on Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and DNase Activity of Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Zarringhalam, Maryam; Zaringhalam, Jalal; Shadnoush, Mehdi; Safaeyan, Firouzeh; Tekieh, Elaheh

2013-01-01

In this study, extracts and essential oils of Black and Red pepper and Thyme were tested for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. Black and Red pepper and Thyme were provided from Iranian agricultural researches center. 2 g of each plant powder was added to 10 cc ethanol 96°. After 24 h, the crude extract was separated as an alcoholic extract and concentrated by distillation method. Plants were examined for determining their major component and essential oils were separated. Phytochemical analyses were done for detection of some effective substances in extracts. The antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus was tested and the results showed that all extracts and essential oils were effective and essential oils were more active. The extracts and oils that showed antimicrobial activity were later tested to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Dilution (MID) for those bacteria. They were also effective on the inhibition of DNase activity. This study was indicated that extracts and essential oils of Black and Red pepper and Thyme can play a significant role in inhibition of Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. PMID:24250643

Extracts of black and brown rice powders improve hepatic lipid accumulation via the activation of PPARα in obese and diabetic model mice.

PubMed

Felix, Angelina Dr; Takahashi, Nobuyuki; Takahashi, Mami; Katsumata-Tsuboi, Rie; Satoh, Ryo; Soon Hui, Teoh; Miyajima, Katsuhiro; Nakae, Dai; Inoue, Hirofumi; Uehara, Mariko

2017-11-01

Rice powder extract (RPE) from black and brown rice (Oryza sativa L. indica) improves hepatic lipid accumulation in obese and diabetic model mice via peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation. RPE showed PPARα agonistic activity which did not differ between black and brown RPE despite a higher anthocyanin content in black RPE.

Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

PubMed Central

Gonzales-Arimborgo, Carla; Yupanqui, Irma; Montero, Elsa; Alarcón-Yaquetto, Dulce E.; Zevallos-Concha, Alisson; Caballero, Lidia; Gasco, Manuel; Zhao, Jianping; Khan, Ikhlas A.; Gonzales, Gustavo F.

2016-01-01

The plant maca, grown at 4000 m altitude in the Peruvian Central Andes, contains hypocotyls that have been used as food and in traditional medicine for centuries. The aim of this research was to provide results on some health effects of oral administration of spray-dried extracts of black or red maca (Lepidium meyenii) in adult human subjects living at low (LA) and high altitude (HA). A total of 175 participants were given 3 g of either placebo, black, or red maca extract daily for 12 weeks. Primary outcomes were changes in sexual desire, mood, energy, health-related quality of life score (HRQL), and chronic mountain sickness (CMS) score, or in glycaemia, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels. Secondary outcomes were acceptability and safety, assessed using the Likert test and side effect self-recording, respectively, and the effect of altitude. At low altitude, 32, 30, and 32 participants started the study receiving placebo, red maca, or black maca, respectively. At high altitudes, 33, 35, and 31 participants started the study receiving placebo, red maca, and black maca, respectively. Consumption of spray-dried extracts of red and black maca resulted in improvement in mood, energy, and health status, and reduced CMS score. Fatty acids and macamides were higher in spray-dried extracts of black maca than in red maca. GABA predominated in spray-dried extracts of red maca. Effects on mood, energy, and CMS score were better with red maca. Black maca and, in smaller proportions, red maca reduced hemoglobin levels only in highlanders with abnormally high hemoglobin levels; neither variety of maca reduced hemoglobin levels in lowlanders. Black maca reduced blood glucose levels. Both varieties produced similar responses in mood, and HRQL score. Maca extracts consumed at LA or HA had good acceptability and did not show serious adverse effects. In conclusion, maca extract consumption relative to the placebo improved quality of life parameters. Differences in the level of

Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

PubMed

Gonzales-Arimborgo, Carla; Yupanqui, Irma; Montero, Elsa; Alarcón-Yaquetto, Dulce E; Zevallos-Concha, Alisson; Caballero, Lidia; Gasco, Manuel; Zhao, Jianping; Khan, Ikhlas A; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2016-08-18

The plant maca, grown at 4000 m altitude in the Peruvian Central Andes, contains hypocotyls that have been used as food and in traditional medicine for centuries. The aim of this research was to provide results on some health effects of oral administration of spray-dried extracts of black or red maca (Lepidium meyenii) in adult human subjects living at low (LA) and high altitude (HA). A total of 175 participants were given 3 g of either placebo, black, or red maca extract daily for 12 weeks. Primary outcomes were changes in sexual desire, mood, energy, health-related quality of life score (HRQL), and chronic mountain sickness (CMS) score, or in glycaemia, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels. Secondary outcomes were acceptability and safety, assessed using the Likert test and side effect self-recording, respectively, and the effect of altitude. At low altitude, 32, 30, and 32 participants started the study receiving placebo, red maca, or black maca, respectively. At high altitudes, 33, 35, and 31 participants started the study receiving placebo, red maca, and black maca, respectively. Consumption of spray-dried extracts of red and black maca resulted in improvement in mood, energy, and health status, and reduced CMS score. Fatty acids and macamides were higher in spray-dried extracts of black maca than in red maca. GABA predominated in spray-dried extracts of red maca. Effects on mood, energy, and CMS score were better with red maca. Black maca and, in smaller proportions, red maca reduced hemoglobin levels only in highlanders with abnormally high hemoglobin levels; neither variety of maca reduced hemoglobin levels in lowlanders. Black maca reduced blood glucose levels. Both varieties produced similar responses in mood, and HRQL score. Maca extracts consumed at LA or HA had good acceptability and did not show serious adverse effects. In conclusion, maca extract consumption relative to the placebo improved quality of life parameters. Differences in the level of

Energy extraction of a spinning particle via the super Penrose process from an extremal Kerr black hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yan; Liu, Wen-Biao

2018-03-01

The energy extraction of the collisional Penrose process has been investigated in recent years. Previous researchers mainly concentrated on the case of nonspin massive or massless particles, and they discovered that when the collision occurs near the horizon of extremal rotating black holes, the arbitrary large efficiency can be achieved with the particle's angular momentum below the critical value as L1<2 . In this paper, the energy extraction of spinning massive particles is calculated via the super Penrose process. We obtain the dependence of the impact factor and the turning points on the particle's spin s . The super Penrose process can occur only when s ≤1 and J1<2 , where J1 is the spinning particle's angular momentum. It is found that the efficiency of the energy extraction is monotonously increasing with the particle's spin s increasing for s <1 , and it can become arbitrarily high when the collision occurs close to the horizon. We compare the maximum extracted energy of spinning particles with that of the nonspin case and find a significant increase of the extracted energy. When s →1 , the maximum extracted energy can be orders of magnitude larger than that of the nonspin case. For the astrophysical black holes, the large efficiency is also obtained. Naturally, when the particle's spin s ≪1 , we can degenerate the result back to the nonspin case.

Assessment of the polyphenolic composition of the organic extracts of Mauritian black teas: a potential contributor to their antioxidant functions.

PubMed

Luximon-Ramma, Amitabye; Neergheen, Vidushi S; Bahorun, Theeshan; Crozier, Alan; Zbarsky, Virginia; Datla, Krishna P; Dexter, David T; Aruoma, Okezie I

2006-01-01

There is increasing interest in the emerging view that tea improves the antioxidant status in vivo and thereby helps to lower risk of certain types of cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke and its component biofactors could provide prophylactic potential for these diseases. The polyphenolic composition and the antioxidant properties of organic extracts (acetone/methanol) of Mauritian commercial black teas were evaluated. HPLC data of the individual compounds revealed remarkably high levels (+)-Catechin ((+)-C), (-)-epicatechin ((-)-EC), (-)-epicatechin 3-gallate ((-)-ECG), (-)-epigallocatechin ((-)-EGC), (-)-epigallocatechin 3-gallate ((-)-EGCG) and gallic acid. Analysis of hydrolysed extracts indicated that quercetin was the dominant flavonol aglycone with traces of myricetin and kaempferol. Based on the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) assays Extra tea from Bois Chéri exhibited the highest antioxidant potential. Linear regression analyses showed that the antioxidant capacities of the organic extracts are strongly influenced by total phenols (TEAC: r=0.95 and FRAP: r=0.96) and to a lesser extent by total proanthocyanidin and total flavonoid contents. Catechins and gallic acid seem to add up to the overall antioxidant capacity of black tea extracts. The fresh tea leaves had high levels of total phenols, total flavonoids, total proanthocyanidin and exhibited greater antioxidant potential when compared with black teas. Organic extracts of endemic teas represent useful source of phenolic antioxidants supplements for prophylactic use.

Evaluation of Drying Process on the Composition of Black Pepper Ethanolic Extract by High Performance Liquid Chromatography With Diode Array Detector

PubMed Central

Namjoyan, Foroogh; Hejazi, Hoda; Ramezani, Zahra

2012-01-01

Background Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is one of the well-known spices extensively used worldwide especially in India, and Southeast Asia. The presence of alkaloids in the pepper, namely, piperine and its three stereoisomers, isopiperine, chavicine and isochavicine are well noticed. Objectives The current study evaluated the effect of lyophilization and oven drying on the stability and decomposition of constituents of black pepper ethanolic extract. Materials and Methods In the current study ethanolic extract of black pepper obtained by maceration method was dried using two methods. The effect of freeze and oven drying on the chemical composition of the extract especially piperine and its three isomers were evaluated by HPLC analysis of the ethanolic extract before and after drying processes using diode array detector. The UV Vis spectra of the peaks at piperine retention time before and after each drying methods indicated maximum absorbance at 341.2 nm corresponding to standard piperine. Results The results indicated a decrease in intensity of the chromatogram peaks at approximately all retention times after freeze drying, indicating a few percent loss of piperine and its isomers upon lyophilization. Two impurity peaks were completely removed from the extract. Conclusions In oven dried samples two of the piperine stereoisomers were completely removed from the extract and the intensity of piperine peak was increased. PMID:24624176

Inhibitory effects of black pepper (Piper nigrum) extracts and compounds on human tumor cell proliferation, cyclooxygenase enzymes, lipid peroxidation and nuclear transcription factor-kappa-B.

PubMed

Liu, Yunbao; Yadev, Vivek R; Aggarwal, Bharat B; Nair, Muraleedharan G

2010-08-01

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) and hot pepper (Capsicum spp.) are widely used in traditional medicines. Although hot Capsicum spp. extracts and its active principles, capsaicinoids, have been linked with anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities, whether black pepper and its active principle exhibit similar activities is not known. In this study, we have evaluated the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of extracts and compounds from black pepper by using proinflammatory transcription factor NF-kappaB, COX-1 and -2 enzymes, human tumor cell proliferation and lipid peroxidation (LPO). The capsaicinoids, the alkylamides, isolated from the hot pepper Scotch Bonnet were also used to compare the bioactivities of alkylamides and piperine from black pepper. All compounds derived from black pepper suppressed TNF-induced NF-kappaB activation, but alkyl amides, compound 4 from black pepper and 5 from hot pepper, were most effective. The human cancer cell proliferation inhibitory activities of piperine and alklyl amides in Capsicum and black pepper were dose dependant. The inhibitory concentrations 50% (IC50) of the alklylamides were in the range 13-200 microg/mL. The extracts of black pepper at 200 microg/mL and its compounds at 25 microg/mL inhibited LPO by 45-85%, COX enzymes by 31-80% and cancer cells proliferation by 3.5-86.8%. Overall, these results suggest that black pepper and its constituents like hot pepper, exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer activities.

Differential effects of black raspberry and strawberry extracts on BaPDE-induced activation of transcription factors and their target genes.

PubMed

Li, Jingxia; Zhang, Dongyun; Stoner, Gary D; Huang, Chuanshu

2008-04-01

The chemopreventive properties of edible berries have been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo, however, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying their anti-cancer effects are largely unknown. Our previous studies have shown that a methanol extract fraction of freeze-dried black raspberries inhibits benzoapyrene (BaP)-induced transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells. This fraction also blocks activation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) induced by benzoapyrene diol-epoxide (BaPDE) in mouse epidermal JB6 Cl 41 cells. To determine if different berry types exhibit specific mechanisms for their anti-cancer effects, we compared the effects of extract fractions from both black raspberries and strawberries on BaPDE-induced activation of various signaling pathways in Cl 41 cells. Black raspberry fractions inhibited the activation of AP-1, NF-kappaB, and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) by BaPDE as well as their upstream PI-3K/Akt-p70(S6K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. In contrast, strawberry fractions inhibited NFAT activation, but did not inhibit the activation of AP-1, NF-kappaB or the PI-3K/Akt-p70(S6K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Consistent with the effects on NFAT activation, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induction by BaPDE was blocked by extract fractions of both black raspberries and strawberries, whereas vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, which depends on AP-1 activation, was suppressed by black raspberry fractions but not strawberry fractions. These results suggest that black raspberry and strawberry components may target different signaling pathways in exerting their anti-carcinogenic effects. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Differential Effects of Black Raspberry and Strawberry Extracts on BaPDE-Induced Activation of Transcription Factors and Their Target Genes

PubMed Central

Li, Jingxia; Zhang, Dongyun; Stoner, Gary D.; Huang, Chuanshu

2013-01-01

The chemopreventive properties of edible berries have been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo, however, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying their anti-cancer effects are largely unknown. Our previous studies have shown that a methanol extract fraction of freeze-dried black raspberries inhibits benzoapyrene (BaP)-induced transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells. This fraction also blocks activation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) induced by benzoapyrene diol-epoxide (BaPDE) in mouse epidermal JB6 Cl 41 cells. To determine if different berry types exhibit specific mechanisms for their anti-cancer effects, we compared the effects of extract fractions from both black raspberries and strawberries on BaPDE-induced activation of various signaling pathways in Cl 41 cells. Black raspberry fractions inhibited the activation of AP-1, NF-κB, and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) by BaPDE as well as their upstream PI-3K/Akt-p70S6K and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. In contrast, strawberry fractions inhibited NFAT activation, but did not inhibit the activation of AP-1, NF-κB or the PI-3K/Akt-p70S6K and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Consistent with the effects on NFAT activation, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induction by BaPDE was blocked by extract fractions of both black raspberries and strawberries, whereas vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, which depends on AP-1 activation, was suppressed by black raspberry fractions but not strawberry fractions. These results suggest that black raspberry and strawberry components may target different signaling pathways in exerting their anti-carcinogenic effects. PMID:18085529

Heat-induced chemical and color changes of extractive-free Black Locust (Rosinia Pseudoacacia) wood

Treesearch

Yao Chen; Jianmin Gao; Yongming Fan; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Nicole M. Stark

2012-01-01

To investigate chemical and color changes of the polymeric constituents of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) wood during heat treatment, extractive-free wood flour was conditioned to 30% initial moisture content (MC) and heated for 24 h at 120 °C in either an oxygen or nitrogen atmosphere. The color change was measured using the CIELAB color system. Chemical changes...

An ethanolic extract of black cohosh causes hematological changes but not estrogenic effects in female rodents

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mercado-Feliciano, Minerva; Cora, Michelle C.; Witt, Kristine L.

2012-09-01

Black cohosh rhizome (Actaea racemosa) is used as a remedy for pain and gynecological ailments; modern preparations are commonly sold as ethanolic extracts available as dietary supplements. Black cohosh was nominated to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) for toxicity testing due to its widespread use and lack of safety data. Several commercially available black cohosh extracts (BCE) were characterized by the NTP, and one with chemical composition closest to formulations available to consumers was used for all studies. Female B6C3F1/N mice and Wistar Han rats were given 0, 15 (rats only), 62.5 (mice only), 125, 250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/daymore » BCE by gavage for 90 days starting at weaning. BCE induced dose-dependent hematological changes consistent with a non-regenerative macrocytic anemia and increased frequencies of peripheral micronucleated red blood cells (RBC) in both species. Effects were more severe in mice, which had decreased RBC counts in all treatment groups and increased micronucleated RBC at doses above 125 mg/kg. Dose-dependent thymus and liver toxicity was observed in rats but not mice. No biologically significant effects were observed in other organs. Puberty was delayed 2.9 days at the highest treatment dose in rats; a similar magnitude delay in mice occurred in the 125 and 250 mg/kg groups but not at the higher doses. An additional uterotrophic assay conducted in mice exposed for 3 days to 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 500 mg/kg found no estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity. These are the first studies to observe adverse effects of BCE in rodents. -- Highlights: ► Mice and rats were dosed with black cohosh extract for 90 days starting at weaning. ► Hematological changes were consistent with a non-regenerative macrocytic anemia. ► Peripheral micronucleated red blood cell frequencies increased. ► Puberty was delayed 2.9 days in rats. ► No estrogenic/anti-estrogenic activity was seen in the uterotrophic assay.« less

Amelioration of tamoxifen-induced liver injury in rats by grape seed extract, black seed extract and curcumin.

PubMed

El-Beshbishy, Hesham A; Mohamadin, Ahmed M; Nagy, Ayman A; Abdel-Naim, Ashraf B

2010-03-01

Liver injury was induced in female rats using tamoxifen (TAM). Grape seeds (Vitis vinifera) extract (GSE), black seed (Nigella sativa) extract (NSE), curcumin (CUR) or silymarin (SYL) were orally administered to TAM-intoxicated rats. Liver histopathology of TAM-intoxicated:rats showed pathological changes. TAM-intoxication elicited declines in liver antioxidant enzymes levels (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase), reduced glutathione (GSH) and GSH/GSSG ratio plus the hepatic elevations in lipid peroxides, oxidized glutathione (GSSG), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and serum liver enzymes; alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and gamma glutamyl transferase levels. Oral intake of NSE, GSE, CUR or SYL to TAM-intoxicated rats, attenuated histopathological changes and corrected all parameters mentioned above. Improvements were prominent in case of NSE (similarly SYL) > CUR > GSE. Data indicated that NSE, GSE or CUR act as free radicals scavengers and protect TAM-induced liver injury in rats.

7 CFR 205.606 - Nonorganically produced agricultural products allowed as ingredients in or on processed products...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... from carrots (CAS # 1393-63-1). (4) Black currant juice color (pigment CAS #'s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (5) Black/Purple carrot juice color (pigment CAS #'s: 528... (native). (2) Rice starch, unmodified (CAS # 977000-08-0)—for use in organic handling until June 21, 2009...

Mass-energy and momentum extraction by gravitational wave emission in the merger of two colliding black holes: The non-head-on case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aranha, R. F.; Soares, I. Damião; Tonini, E. V.

2012-01-01

We examine numerically the post-merger regime of two nonspining holes in non-head-on collisions in the realm of nonaxisymmetric Robinson-Trautman spacetimes. Characteristic initial data for the system are constructed and evolved via the Robinson-Trautman equation. The numerical integration is performed using a Galerkin spectral method which is sufficiently stable to reach the final configuration of the remnant black hole, when the gravitational wave emission ceases. The initial data contains three independent parameters, the ratio mass α of the individual colliding black holes, their initial premerger infalling velocity and the incidence angle of collision ρ0. The remnant black hole is characterized by its final boost parameter, rest mass and scattering angle. The motion of the remnant black hole is restricted to the plane determined by the directions of the two initial colliding black holes, characterizing a planar collision. The net momentum fluxes carried out by gravitational waves are confined to this plane. We evaluate the efficiency of mass-energy extraction, the total energy and momentum carried out by gravitational waves and the momentum distribution of the remnant black hole for a large domain of initial data parameters. Our analysis is based on the Bondi-Sachs four-momentum conservation laws. The process of mass-energy extraction is shown to be less efficient as the initial data departs from the head-on configuration. Head-on collisions (ρ0=0o) and orthogonal collisions (ρ0=90°) constitute, respectively, upper and lower bounds to the power emission and to the efficiency of mass-energy extraction. On the contrary, head-on collisions and orthogonal collisions constitute, respectively, lower and upper bounds for the momentum of the remnant. Distinct regimes of gravitational wave emission (bursts or quiescent emission) are characterized by the analysis of the time behavior of the gravitational wave power as a function of α. In particular, the net

Antimicrobial properties of black grape (Vitis vinifera L.) peel extracts against antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria and toxin producing molds.

PubMed

Yadav, Devbrat; Kumar, Arvind; Kumar, Pramod; Mishra, Diwaker

2015-01-01

Black grape peel possesses a substantial amount of polyphenolic antimicrobial compounds that can be used for controlling the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to assess antibacterial and antifungal activity of black grape peel extracts against antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria and toxin producing molds, respectively. Peel of grape was subjected to polyphenolic extraction using different solvents viz., water, ethanol, acetone, and methanol. Antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli were screened for the antibacterial activity of different grape extracts. Antibacterial activity was analyzed using agar well diffusion method. Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus versicolor were screened for the antifungal activity. Antifungal activity was determined by counting nongerminated spores in the presence of peel extracts. As compared to other solvent extracts, methanol extracts possessed high antibacterial and antifungal activity. S. typhimurium and E. coli showed complete resistance against antibacterial action at screened concentrations of grape peel extracts. Maximum zone of inhibition was found in case of S. aureus, i.e., 22 mm followed by E. faecalis and E. aerogenes, i.e., 18 and 21 mm, respectively, at 1080 mg tannic acid equivalent (TAE)/ml. The maximum and minimum percent of growth inhibition was shown by P. expansum and A. niger as 73% and 15% at 1080 TAE/ml concentration of grape peel extract, respectively. Except S. typhimurium and E. coli, growth of all bacterial and mold species were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited by all the solvent extracts.

A mixture of extracts from Peruvian plants (black maca and yacon) improves sperm count and reduced glycemia in mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

PubMed

Gonzales, Gustavo F; Gonzales-Castañeda, Cynthia; Gasco, Manuel

2013-09-01

We investigated the effect of two extracts from Peruvian plants given alone or in a mixture on sperm count and glycemia in streptozotocin-diabetic mice. Normal or diabetic mice were divided in groups receiving vehicle, black maca (Lepidium meyenii), yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) or three mixtures of extracts black maca/yacon (90/10, 50/50 and 10/90%). Normal or diabetic mice were treated for 7 d with each extract, mixture or vehicle. Glycemia, daily sperm production (DSP), epididymal and vas deferens sperm counts in mice and polyphenol content, and antioxidant activity in each extract were assessed. Black maca (BM), yacon and the mixture of extracts reduced glucose levels in diabetic mice. Non-diabetic mice treated with BM and yacon showed higher DSP than those treated with vehicle (p < 0.05). Diabetic mice treated with BM, yacon and the mixture maca/yacon increased DSP, and sperm count in vas deferens and epididymis with respect to non-diabetic and diabetic mice treated with vehicle (p < 0.05). Yacon has 3.05 times higher polyphenol content than in maca, and this was associated with higher antioxidant activity. The combination of two extracts improved glycemic levels and male reproductive function in diabetic mice. Streptozotocin increased 1.43 times the liver weight that was reversed with the assessed plants extracts. In summary, streptozotocin-induced diabetes resulted in reduction in sperm counts and liver damage. These effects could be reduced with BM, yacon and the BM+yacon mixture.

Microencapsulation of anthocyanin-rich black soybean coat extract by spray drying using maltodextrin, gum Arabic and skimmed milk powder.

PubMed

Kalušević, Ana; Lević, Steva; Čalija, Bojan; Pantić, Milena; Belović, Miona; Pavlović, Vladimir; Bugarski, Branko; Milić, Jela; Žilić, Slađana; Nedović, Viktor

2017-08-01

Black soybean coat is insufficiently valorised food production waste rich in anthocyanins. The goal of the study was to examine physicochemical properties of spray dried extract of black soybean coat in regard to carrier materials: maltodextrin, gum Arabic, and skimmed milk powder. Maltodextrin and gum Arabic-based microparticles were spherical and non-porous while skimmed milk powder-based were irregularly shaped. Low water activity of microparticles (0.31-0.33), good powders characteristics, high solubility (80.3-94.3%) and encapsulation yields (63.7-77.0%) were determined. All microparticles exhibited significant antioxidant capacity (243-386 μmolTE/g), good colour stability after three months of storage and antimicrobial activity. High content of total anthocyanins, with cyanidin-3-glucoside as predominant, were achieved. In vitro release of anthocyanins from microparticles was sustained, particularly from gum Arabic-based. These findings suggest that proposed simple eco-friendly extraction and microencapsulation procedures could serve as valuable tools for valorisation and conversion of black soybean coat into highly functional and stable food colourant.

Extraction of anthocyanins and polyphenols from black rice (Oryza sativa L.) by modeling and assessing their reversibility and stability.

PubMed

Pedro, Alessandra Cristina; Granato, Daniel; Rosso, Neiva Deliberali

2016-01-15

This study was aimed the extraction of total flavonoids, anthocyanins and phenolics, as well as the antioxidant activity of black rice (Oryza sativa) and to study the stability in relation to pH, light and copigmentation. Variations in temperature (10-50°C), time (20-80min), and solid-solvent ratio (1:15-1:45) were studied using a Box-Behnken design. The regression models were significant (P<0.001) and determination coefficients ⩾0.900. Extraction at 34.7°C for 80min using a solid:solvent ratio of 1:30 rendered an extract with 51.26mg 100g(-1) of flavonoids, 116.58mg 100g(-1) of anthocyanins, 520.17mg 100g(-1) of phenolics and 46.50% inhibition of the DPPH radical. A decrease in the color intensity was observed when pH values were changed while anthocyanins were reversible in the process of protonation/deprotonation. The addition of glucose, phytic and gallic acids in the optimized extract exposed to light displayed an intermolecular copigmentation. The main anthocyanin identified in black rice was cyanidin-3-glucoside. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Green preparation using black soybeans extract for graphene-based porous electrodes and their applications in supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Hwei-Jay; Lee, Chi-Young; Tai, Nyan-Hwa

2016-08-01

Adopting an in situ construction strategy, green reduction of graphene oxide (GO) and the formation of an open porous structure are simultaneously completed in a one-pot process using an aqueous extract of an anthocyanin-containing plant, black soybean, as a green reducing agent. The reduced GO prepared by the aqueous extract of black soybean (BRGO), and the hydrogel of BRGO are characterized to better understand the nature of BRGO and the evolution of BRGO from GO. Graphene-based porous electrodes for supercapacitors are fabricated using the BRGO hydrogel as a primary material, and the electrochemical performance of the electrodes are further improved when the BRGO porous electrodes are treated in a microwave oven. Owing to the formation of uniformly dispersed nanoparticles on the graphene surface during the microwave treatment, the electrical conductivity of the electrodes improves by four orders of magnitude and the electroactive surface area also increases by over four times, as a consequence, the capacitance is significantly enhanced, reaching a capacitance of 268.4 F g-1 at a charging current of 0.1 A g-1.

Composition of sugars, organic acids, and total phenolics in 25 wild or cultivated berry species.

PubMed

Mikulic-Petkovsek, Maja; Schmitzer, Valentina; Slatnar, Ana; Stampar, Franci; Veberic, Robert

2012-10-01

Sugars, organic acids, and total phenolic content in fruit of 25 wild and cultivated berry species were identified and quantified with high-performance liquid chromatograph. The composition of sugars, organic acids, and total phenolic compounds in various species of Vaccinium, Rubus, Ribes, and Fragaria genus was evaluated. Additonally, total phenolics of less known berry species of the Morus, Amelanchier, Sorbus, Sambucus, Rosa, Lycium, Actinidia, and Aronia genus were determined in wild growing as well as in cultivated fruits. Significant differences in the concentration of sugars and organic acids were detected among the berry species. Glucose and fructose were the most abundant sugars in berry fruits and the major organic acids were malic and citric acid. However, in kiwi fruit, sucrose represented as much as 71.9% of total sugars. Sorbitol has been detected and quantified in chokeberry, rowanberry, and eastern shadbush fruit. The highest content of total analyzed sugars was determined in rowanberry fruit, followed by dog rose, eastern shadbush, hardy kiwifruit, American cranberry, chokeberry, and jostaberry fruit. Rowanberry stands out as the fruit with the highest content of total analyzed organic acids, followed by jostaberry, lingonberry, red gooseberry, hardy kiwifruit, and black currant. The berries of white gooseberry, black currant, red currant, and white currant had the lowest sugar/organic acid ratio and were thus perceptively the sourest species analyzed. On the other hand, the species with highest sugar/organic acid ratio were goji berry, eastern shadbush, black mulberry, and wild grown blackberry. The highest amounts of total phenols were quantified in chokeberry fruit. Wild strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry had 2- to 5-fold more total phenolics compared to cultivated plants. The fruit of analyzed berry species contained different levels of sugars, organic acids, and total phenolics. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that wild grown species

Flavonoids and saponins extracted from black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seed coats modulate lipid metabolism and biliary cholesterol secretion in C57BL/6 mice.

PubMed

Chavez-Santoscoy, Rocio A; Gutierrez-Uribe, Janet A; Granados, Omar; Torre-Villalvazo, Ivan; Serna-Saldivar, Sergio O; Torres, Nimbe; Palacios-González, Berenice; Tovar, Armando R

2014-09-28

Black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seed coats are a rich source of natural compounds with potential beneficial effects on human health. Beans exert hypolipidaemic activity; however, this effect has not been attributed to any particular component, and the underlying mechanisms of action and protein targets remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to identify and quantify primary saponins and flavonoids extracted from black bean seed coats, and to study their effects on lipid metabolism in primary rat hepatocytes and C57BL/6 mice. The methanol extract of black bean seed coats, characterised by a HPLC system with a UV-visible detector and an evaporative light-scattering detector and HPLC-time-of-flight/MS, contained quercetin 3-O-glucoside and soyasaponin Af as the primary flavonoid and saponin, respectively. The extract significantly reduced the expression of SREBP1c, FAS and HMGCR, and stimulated the expression of the reverse cholesterol transporters ABCG5/ABCG8 and CYP7A1 in the liver. In addition, there was an increase in the expression of hepatic PPAR-α. Consequently, there was a decrease in hepatic lipid depots and a significant increase in bile acid secretion. Furthermore, the ingestion of this extract modulated the proportion of lipids that was used as a substrate for energy generation. Thus, the results suggest that the extract of black bean seed coats may decrease hepatic lipogenesis and stimulate cholesterol excretion, in part, via bile acid synthesis.

Formation of enriched black tea extract loaded chitosan nanoparticles via electrospraying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammond, Samuel James

Creating nanoparticles of beneficial nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals has had a large surge of research due to the enhancement of absorption and bioavailability by decreasing their size. One of these ways is by electrohydrodynamic atomization, also known as electrospraying. In general, this novel process is done by forcing a liquid through a capillary nozzle and which is subjected to an electrical field. While there are different ways to create nanoparticles, the novel method of electrospraying can be beneficial over other types of nanoparticle formation. Reasons include high control over particle size and distribution by altering electrospray parameters (voltage, flow rate, distance, and time), higher encapsulation efficiency than other methods, and also it is a one step process without exposure to extreme conditions (Gomez-Estaca et. al. 2012, Jaworek and Sobcyzk 2008). The current study aimed to create a chitosan encapsulated theaflavin-2 enriched black tea extract (BTE) nanoparticles via electrospraying. The first step of this process was to create the smallest chitosan nanoparticles possible by altering the electrospray parameters and the chitosan-acetic acid solution parameters. The solution properties altered include chitosan molecular weight, acetic acid concentration, and chitosan concentration. Specifically, the electrospray parameters such as voltage, flow rate and distance from syringe to collector are the most important in determining particle size. After creating the smallest chitosan particles, the TF-2 enriched black tea extract was added to the chitosan-acetic acid solution to be electrosprayed. The particles were assessed with the following procedures: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for particle morphology and size, and loading efficiency with ultraviolet--visible spectrophotometer (UV-VIS). Chitosan-BTE nanoparticles were successfully created in a one step process. Diameter of the particles on average

A black raspberry extract inhibits proliferation and regulates apoptosis in cervical cancer cells

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhaoxia; Knobloch, Thomas J.; Seamon, Leigh G.; Stoner, Gary D.; Cohn, David E.; Paskett, Electra D.; Fowler, Jeffrey M.; Weghorst, Christopher M.

2014-01-01

Objective Cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer worldwide, and it remains a challenge to manage preinvasive and invasive lesions. Food-based cancer prevention entities, such as black raspberries and their derivatives, have demonstrated a marked ability to inhibit preclinical models of epithelial cancer cell growth and tumor formation. Here, we extend the role of black raspberry-mediated chemoprevention to that of cervical carcinogenesis. Methods Three human cervical cancer cell lines, HeLa (HPV16−/HPV18+, adenocarcinoma), SiHa (HPV16+/HPV18−, squamous cell carcinoma) and C-33A (HPV16−/HPV18−, squamous cell carcinoma), were treated with a lyophilized black raspberry ethanol extract (RO-ET) at 25, 50, 100 or 200 μg/ml for 1, 3 and 5 days, respectively. Cell proliferation was measured by WST1 (tetrazolium salt cleavage) assays. Flow cytometry (propidium iodide and Annexin V staining) and fluorescence microscopy analysis were used to measure apoptotic cell changes. Results We found that non-toxic levels of RO-ET significantly inhibited the growth of human cervical cancer cells, in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner to a maximum of 54%, 52% and 67%, respectively (p<0.05). Furthermore, cell growth inhibition was persistent following short-term withdrawal of RO-ET from the culture medium. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy demonstrated RO-ET-induced apoptosis in all cell lines. Conclusion Black raspberries and their bioactive components represent promising candidates for future phytochemical-based mechanistic pathway-targeted cancer prevention strategies. PMID:21831414

Antioxidant potential of Juglans nigra, black walnut, husks extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide with an ethanol modifier.

PubMed

Wenzel, Jonathan; Storer Samaniego, Cheryl; Wang, Lihua; Burrows, Laron; Tucker, Evan; Dwarshuis, Nathan; Ammerman, Michelle; Zand, Ali

2017-03-01

The black walnut, Junglas nigra, is indigenous to eastern North America, and abscission of its fruit occurs around October. The fruit consists of a husk, a hard shell, and kernel. The husk is commonly discarded in processing, though it contains phenolic compounds that exhibit antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. For this study, black walnut husks were extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide with an ethanol modifier. The effects of temperature, ethanol concentration, and drying of walnut husks prior to extraction upon antioxidant potential were evaluated using a factorial design of experiments. The solvent density was held constant at 0.75 g/mL. The optimal extraction conditions were found to be 68°C and 20 wt-% ethanol in supercritical carbon dioxide. At these conditions, the antioxidant potential as measured by the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay was 0.027 mmol trolox equivalent/g (mmol TE/g) for dried walnut husk and 0.054 mmol TE/g for walnut husks that were not dried. Antioxidant potential was also evaluated using the total phenolic content (TPC) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assays and the FRAP assay was found to linearly correlate to the TPC assay.

The involvement of a polyphenol-rich extract of black chokeberry in oxidative stress on experimental arterial hypertension.

PubMed

Ciocoiu, Manuela; Badescu, Laurentiu; Miron, Anca; Badescu, Magda

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to characterize the content of Aronia melanocarpa Elliott (black chokeberry) extract and also to estimate the influence of polyphenolic compounds contained in chokeberries on oxidative stress, on an L-NAME-induced experimental model of arterial hypertension. The rat blood pressure values were recorded using a CODA Noninvasive Blood Pressure System. HPLC/DAD coupled with ElectroSpray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry allowed identification of five phenolic compounds in berries ethanolic extract as follows: chlorogenic acid, kuromanin, rutin, hyperoside, and quercetin. The serous activity of glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-Px) has significantly lower values in the hypertensive (AHT) group as compared to the group protected by polyphenols (AHT + P). The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) values are lower in the AHT group and they are significantly higher in the AHT + P group. All the measured blood pressure components revealed a biostatistically significant blood pressure drop between the AHT group and the AHT + P group. The results reveal the normalization of the reduced glutathion (GSH) concentration as well as a considerable reduction in the malondialdehyde (MDA) serum concentration in the AHT + P group. Ethanolic extract of black chokeberry fruits not only has a potential value as a prophylactic agent but also may function as a nutritional supplement in the management of arterial hypertension.

Detection of fungi from rice black bug Paraeucosmetus pallicornis Dallas (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) and inhibition with crude extract of Calatropis gigantea (Asclepiadaceae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sjam, S.; Surapati, U.; Adiwena; Syatri, A.; Dewi, V. S.; Rosmana, A.

2018-05-01

Rice black bug (P. palicornis) is one of the pests that attack the rice plants in the generative phase that causes the rice easily destroyed when milled and tasted bitter after cooking hence reduces the quality and quantity of rice. The bitter taste in rice may be due to the fungus associated with rice black bug. The aimed of this research was to detect the associated fungi with rice black bug P. pallicornis using some sterilization methods and inhibition with of leaf crude extract of C. gigatea. Detection of fungi from P. pallicornis was conducted using three sterilization methods and control (without sterilization) namely: (1) sterilization with aquades + alcohol 70% (5, 10, 15 and 20 times dipping) + aquades; (2) aquades + alcohol 70% (10 and 20 times dipping); (3) Aquades + alcohol 90 %+ NaCl 0.5 % +alcohol 90 % + aquades. Inhibition of fungi from P. pallicornis with crude extract of C. gigantea obtained by maceration method and then made some concentration to see the effect of its inhibition on the fungi associated with the P. pallicornis. The results showed that without sterilization, four microbe were obtained: Gliocladium sp., Aspergillus sp., black hyphae fungus and white hyphae fungus, sterilization method of Aquades + alcohol 70% with 5 times dipping in alcohol obtained Gliocladium sp., 10 and 20 times dipping found Aspergillus sp. and Gliocladium sp and 15 times dipping found Aspergillus sp. Sterilization with 10 and 20 times dipping in alcohol 70% then washing 2 times with aquades found Gliogladium sp. and Aspergillus sp. Sterilization with Aquades + alcohol 90 % + NaCl 0.5% + alcohol 90% + aquades found Gliocladium sp. Crude extract of C. gigantea had the potential to inhibit fungi Aspergillus sp. and Gliocladium sp. from rice black bug.

Protective effect of black garlic extracts on tert-Butyl hydroperoxide-induced injury in hepatocytes via a c-Jun N-terminal kinase-dependent mechanism

PubMed Central

Lee, Ko-Chao; Teng, Chih-Chuan; Shen, Chien-Heng; Huang, Wen-Shih; Lu, Chien-Chang; Kuo, Hsing-Chun; Tung, Shui-Yi

2018-01-01

Black garlic has been reported to show multiple bioactivities against the development of different diseases. In the present study, the hepatoprotective effect of black garlic on injured liver cells was investigated. Rat clone-9 hepatocytes were used for all experiments; tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) was used to induce injury of rat clone-9 hepatocytes. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH); anti-oxidative enzyme activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx); and mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in rat clone-9 hepatocytes were determined to evaluate the level of cell damage. Black garlic extracts were demonstrated to significantly attenuate tBHP-induced cell death of rat clone-9 hepatocytes (P<0.05). Pretreatment with black garlic extracts antagonized GSH depletion, tBHP-increased MDA accumulation and the mRNA expression level of IL-6/IL-8, and tBHP-decreased antioxidative enzyme activities (all P<0.05). Moreover, the present study revealed that c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling regulated black garlic-inhibited tBHP effects in rat clone-9 hepatocytes. Our findings demonstrate that black garlic has the hepatoprotective potential to block tBHP-damaged effects on cell death, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, and inflammation in rat clone-9 hepatocytes. Thus, the present study indicates that black garlic may be an excellent natural candidate in the development of adjuvant therapy and healthy foods for liver protection. PMID:29456651

Recent advances on bioactivities of black rice.

PubMed

Dias, Aécio L de S; Pachikian, Barbara; Larondelle, Yvan; Quetin-Leclercq, Joëlle

2017-11-01

Black rice has been consumed for centuries in Asian countries such as China, Korea or Japan. Nowadays, extracts and derivatives are considered as beneficial functional foods because of their high content in several bioactive molecules such as anthocyanins, other phenolics and terpenoids. The purpose of this review is to summarize and discuss recent developments on black rice bioactivities. Some sterols and triterpenoids with potential anticancer properties already tested in vitro and in vivo have been isolated and identified from bran extracts of black rice. Protection against osteoporosis has been suggested for the first time for black rice extracts. Because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, black rice also protects liver and kidney from injuries. One clinical study reported the interest of black rice in case of alcohol withdrawal. Several advances have been recently achieved on the understanding of the potential biological effects of black rice and its derivatives. They further confirm that black rice should be considered as a promising source of health-promoting functional foods targeting a large set of noninfectious diseases. However, more clinical studies are needed to support the findings highlighted in this review.

Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, Lake Darling Flood Control Project, Souris River, North Dakota and Final Feature Environmental Impact Statement, Velva Flood Control, Velva, North Dakota.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-01

plant species found in the floodplain forest are elm, green ash, box elder, bur oak, willow, cottonwood, hawthorn, chokecherry , dogwood, wolfberry, and...understory of grape, sorrel, meadow rue, poison ivy, rose, and cocklebur. These species plus chokecherry and black currant grow in some of the upland

Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, Lake Darling Flood Control Project, Souris River, North Dakota and Draft Feature Environmental Impact Statement Velva Flood Control, Velva, North Dakota.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

oak, willow, cottonwood, hawthorn, chokecherry , dogwood, wolfberry, and wild rose. 9 - . -t 4.17 Wetlands - The three general categories of wetlands of...an understory of grape, sorrel, meadow rue, poison ivy, rose, cocklebur, and chokecherry and black currant in some of the upland areas. Evidence of

The effect of dietary supplementation with dried fruit and vegetable pomaces on production parameters and meat quality in fattening pigs.

PubMed

Pieszka, Marek; Szczurek, Paulina; Bederska-Łojewska, Dorota; Migdał, Władysław; Pieszka, Magdalena; Gogol, Piotr; Jagusiak, Wojciech

2017-04-01

The presence of biologically active substances in feed mixture is discussed to have beneficial effect on animals' health and products. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with dried apple, chokeberry, black currant, strawberry and carrot pomaces on production parameters and meat quality in fattening pigs. The use of dried pomaces of chokeberry showed tendencies for increased feed intake and reduced fattening period. The dried pomaces had no impact on saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids profile in meat, however in some groups an elevated level of polyunsaturated fatty acids from n-3 family and a decline in total cholesterol level was observed (P≤0.05). The highest oxidative stability and vitamin E content was found after supplementation with black currant (P≤0.05). Summarizing, the used dried pomaces improved several parameters related to meat quality, what might positively influence consumers' health. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Immunopathological and antimicrobial effect of black pepper, ginger and thyme extracts on experimental model of acute hematogenous pyelonephritis in albino rats.

PubMed

Nassan, M A; Mohamed, E H

2014-01-01

Recent studies showed prominent antimicrobial activity of various plant extracts on certain pathogenic microorganisms, therefore we prepared crude aqueous extracts of black pepper, ginger and thyme and carried out an in vitro study by measuring antimicrobial activity of these extracts using the agar well diffusion method. An in vivo study was carried out on 50 adult healthy male albino rats which were divided into 5 groups, 10 rats each. Group 1: negative control group which received saline solution intragastrically daily; Group 2: Positive control group, injected with mixed bacterial suspension of S.aureus and E.coli as a model of pyelonephritis, then received saline solution intragastrically daily; Group 3: injected with the same dose of mixed bacterial suspension, then received 100 mg/kg/day black pepper extract intragastrically; Group 4: injected with mixed bacterial suspension then received 500 mg/kg/day ginger extract intragastrically. Group 5: injected with mixed bacterial suspension then received 500 mg/kg/day thyme extract intragastrically. All groups were sacrificed after either 1 or 4 weeks. Serum and blood samples were collected for lysozyme activity estimation using agarose lysoplate, measurement of nitric oxide production, and lymphocyte transformation test as well as for counting both total and differential leukocytes and erythrocytes. Kidney samples were tested histopathologically. Both in vivo and in vitro results confirm the efficacy of these extracts as natural antimicrobials and suggest the possibility of using them in treatment procedures.

Production of maize tortillas and cookies from nixtamalized flour enriched with anthocyanins, flavonoids and saponins extracted from black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seed coats.

PubMed

Chávez-Santoscoy, Rocio A; Gutiérrez-Uribe, Janet A; Serna-Saldivar, Sergio O; Perez-Carrillo, Esther

2016-02-01

Ethanolic extract from black beans coat is a source of flavonoids, saponins and antocyanins. Nixtamalized maize flours (NF) are used for the preparation of products such as tortillas, tortillas chips, cookies among others. The objective of this research was to study the effect on textural parameters and color after adding flavonoids, saponins and anthocyanins from black bean seed coat in NF used for the production of tortillas and gluten-free cookies. Furthermore, the retention of bioactive compounds after tortilla and gluten-free-cookie preparation was assessed. Ethanolic extracts of black bean seed coats were added (3g/kg or 7 g/kg) to NF in order to prepare corn tortillas and gluten free cookies characterized in terms of dimensions, color and texture. Addition of 7 g/kg affected the color of cookies and tortillas without effect on texture and dimensions. It was possible to retain more than 80% and 60% of bioactives into baked tortillas and cookies, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of black garlic (Allium satvium) extracts on lipid metabolism in rats fed a high fat diet

PubMed Central

Ha, Ae Wha; Ying, Tian

2015-01-01

BACKGROUD/OBEJECTIVES The mechanism of how black garlic effects lipid metabolism remains unsolved. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of black garlic on lipid profiles and the expression of related genes in rats fed a high fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS Thirty-two male Sqrague-Dawley rats aged 4 weeks were randomly divided into four groups (n=8) and fed the following diets for 5 weeks: normal food diet, (NF); a high-fat diet (HF); and a high-fat diet + 0.5% or 1.5% black garlic extract (HFBG0.5 or HFBG1.5). Body weights and blood biochemical parameters, including lipid profiles, and expressions of genes related to lipid metabolism were determined. RESULTS Significant differences were observed in the final weights between the HFBG1.5 and HF groups. All blood biochemical parameters measured in the HFBG1.5 group showed significantly lower values than those in the HF group. Significant improvements of the plasama lipid profiles as well as fecal excretions of total lipids and triglyceride (TG) were also observed in the HFBG1.5 group, when compared to the HF diet group. There were significant differences in the levels of mRNA of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in the HFBG1.5 group compared to the HF group. In addition, the hepatic expression of (HMG-CoA) reductase and Acyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) mRNA was also significantly lower than the HF group. CONCLUSIONS Consumption of black garlic extract lowers SREBP-1C mRNA expression, which causes downregulation of lipid and cholestrol metahbolism. As a result, the blood levels of total lipids, TG, and cholesterol were decreased. PMID:25671065

Complex rheological properties of a water-soluble extract from the fronds of the black tree fern, Cyathea medullaris.

PubMed

Goh, Kelvin K T; Matia-Merino, Lara; Hall, Christopher E; Moughan, Paul J; Singh, Harjinder

2007-11-01

A water-soluble extract was obtained from the fronds of a New Zealand native black tree fern (Cyathea medullaris or Mamaku in Māori). The extract exhibited complex rheological behavior. Newtonian, shear-thinning, shear-thickening, thixotropic, antithixotropic, and viscoelastic behaviors were observed depending on polymer concentration, shear rate, and shear history. The extract also displayed rod-climbing and self-siphoning properties typical of viscoelastic fluids. Such complex rheological properties have been reported in synthetic or chemically modified polymers but are less frequent in unmodified biopolymers. Although Mamaku extract obtained from the pith of the fern has been traditionally used by the Māori in New Zealand for treating wounds and diarrhea among other ailments, this material has never been characterized before. This study reports on the chemical composition of the extract and on its viscoelastic properties through rotational and oscillatory rheological measurements. Explanations of the mechanism behind the rheological properties were based on transient network models for associating polymers.

γ-Oryzanol-Rich Black Rice Bran Extract Enhances the Innate Immune Response.

PubMed

Shin, Soon Young; Kim, Heon-Woong; Jang, Hwan-Hee; Hwang, Yu-Jin; Choe, Jeong-Sook; Lim, Yoongho; Kim, Jung-Bong; Lee, Young Han

2017-09-01

The innate immune response is an important host primary defense system against pathogens. γ-Oryzanol is one of the nutritionally important phytoceutical components in rice bran oil. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of γ-oryzanol-rich extract from black rice bran (γORE) on the activation of the innate immune system. In this study, we show that γORE increased the expression of CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4 and enhanced the phagocytic activity of RAW264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, γORE and its active ingredient γ-oryzanol promoted the secretion of innate cytokines, interleukin-8, and CCL2, which facilitate phagocytosis by RAW264.7 cells. These findings suggest that γ-oryzanol in the γORE enhances innate immune responses.

Analysis of formononetin from black cohosh (Actaea racemosa).

PubMed

Jiang, B; Kronenberg, F; Balick, M J; Kennelly, E J

2006-07-01

Black cohosh has been widely used as an herbal medicine for the treatment of symptoms related to menopause in America and Europe during the past several decades, but the bioactive constituents are still unknown. Formononetin is an isoflavone with known estrogen-like activity. This compound was first reported to be isolated from black cohosh in 1985, but subsequent research in 2002 using HPLC-PDA and LC-MS revealed no evidence to show the presence of formononetin in 13 populations of American black cohosh. A more recent report published in 2004 claimed to detect formononetin in an extract of black cohosh rhizomes using a TLC-fluorescent densitometry method. To further resolve these conflicting reports, we analyzed black cohosh roots and rhizomes for the presence of formononetin, using a combined TLC, HPLC-PDA and LC-MS method. We examined both methanolic and aqueous methanolic black cohosh extracts by HPLC-PDA and LC-MS methods, and did not detect formononetin in any extracts. We further determined the limits of detection of formononetin by HPLC-PDA and LC-MS. Our experimental results indicated that the sensitivity and accuracy of the HPLC-PDA and LC-MS methods for the analysis of formononetin were slightly higher than those of the reported fluorescent method, suggesting that the HPLC-PDA and LC-MS methods were reliable for the analysis of formononetin from black cohosh. We also repeated the reported TLC method to concentrate two fractions from a modern black cohosh sample and an 86-year-old black cohosh sample, respectively, and then analyzed these two fractions for formononetin using the HPLC-PDA and LC-MS method instead of the fluorescent method. Formononetin was not detected by HPLC-PDA or LC-MS. From the results of the present study it is not reasonable to attribute the estrogen-like activity of black cohosh extracts to formononetin.

Comparative assessment of antibacterial efficacy of aqueous extract of commercially available black, green, and lemon tea: an in vitro study

PubMed Central

Arun, S. Dodamani; Minal, M. Kshirsagar; Karibasappa, G. N.; Prashanth, V. K.; Girija, A. Dodamani; Harish, C. Jadhav

2017-01-01

Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine and compare antibacterial efficacy of aqueous extracts of black, green, and lemon tea of a commercially available brand. Materials and Methods: The well-diffusion method was used to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of commercially available black tea, green tea, and lemon tea at three different concentrations (1.5 g, 5 g, and 7.5 g) against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus. After incubation in appropriate culture medium, diameter of zone of inhibition was measured to assess the antibacterial efficacy of tea. Results: Maximum zone of inhibition was found with lemon tea (27 mm) followed by green tea (26 mm) and black tea (13 mm) against S. mutans and L. acidophilus. Zone of inhibition was highest at 7.5 g concentration (1 and half tea spoon) for lemon tea followed by green tea and black tea. Results were statistically analyzed with the analysis of variance (ANOVA). For pairwise intergroup multiple comparisons, bonferroni test was applied. The difference between black tea, green tea, and lemon tea were statistically significant (P < 0.001) at 5% of level of significance. Conclusion: Lemon tea at 7.5 g concentration was more effective followed by green tea and black tea against S. mutans and L. acidophilus. PMID:29085267

Effect of mangrove black tea extract from Ceriops decandra (Griff.) on hematology and biochemical changes in dimethyl benz[a]anthracene-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis.

PubMed

Sithranga Boopathy, N; Kathiresan, K; Jeon, Y J

2011-09-01

Effect of the black tea extracted from a mangrove plant species, Ceriops decandra (Griff.) was studied on dimethyl benz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced changes in blood hematology and plasma non-enzymatic antioxidants in male hamsters. Hamsters were painted with 0.5% solution of DMBA in liquid paraffin on the right buccal pouch three times in a week up to 14 weeks. Each application treated with 0.4mg of DMBA. The mangrove black tea extract (MBTE) was administrated orally with 5mgkg(-1) twice a day and then with DMBA on alternate days. Results showed that the DMBA caused a significant (P<0.05) decline in the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin-C, -E, red blood cells, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume and hematocrit; and increase in the levels of WBC, platelets, lymphocytes and neutrophils. The MBTE prevented the DMBA-induced adverse changes significantly in blood and biochemical parameters of the male hamsters. This work concluded that the black tea extracted from the coastal mangrove species C. decandra prevented the DMBA-induced buccal pouch carcinogenesis in hamsters. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Black tea increases hypertonic stress resistance in C. elegans.

PubMed

Yuan, Pei; Pan, Lian-Yun; Xiong, Li-Gui; Tong, Jie-Wen; Li, Juan; Huang, Jian-An; Gong, Yu-Shun; Liu, Zhong-Hua

2018-06-22

Here we identified that BTE (black tea extract), within the studied concentration range, is more effective than GTE (green tea extract) in protecting C. elegans against hypertonic stress, by enhancing survival after exposure to various salts, and alleviating suffered motility loss and body shrinkage. The mechanism of such protection may be due to the ability of black tea to induce the conserved WNK/GCK signaling pathway and down-regulation of the expression levels of nlp-29. Intriguingly, black tea does not relieve hypertonicity-induced protein damage. The findings implicate the potential health benefits of black tea consumed worldwide.

Toxicity assessment of carbon black waste: A by-product from oil refineries.

PubMed

Zhen, Xu; Ng, Wei Cheng; Fendy; Tong, Yen Wah; Dai, Yanjun; Neoh, Koon Gee; Wang, Chi-Hwa

2017-01-05

In Singapore, approximately 30t/day of carbon-based solid waste are produced from petrochemical processes. This carbon black waste has been shown to possess physical properties that are characteristic of a good adsorbent such as high external surface area. Therefore, there is a growing interest to reutilize and process this carbon black waste into secondary materials such as adsorbents. However, the carbon black waste obtained from petrochemical industries may contain heavy metals that are hazardous to human health and the environment, hence restricting its full potential for re-utilization. Therefore, it is important to examine the possible toxicity effects and toxicity mechanism of carbon black waste on human health. In this study, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis showed that the heavy metals, vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo) and nickel (Ni), were present in the carbon black waste in high concentrations. Three human cell lines (HepG2 cells, MRC-5 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells) were used to investigate the toxicity of carbon black waste extract in a variety of in vitro assays. Results from MTS assays indicated that carbon black waste extract decreased the viability of all three cell lines in a dose and time-dependent manner. Observations from confocal microscopy further confirmed this phenomenon. Flow cytometry assay also showed that carbon black waste extract induced apoptosis of human cell lines, and the level of apoptosis increased with increasing waste concentration. Results from reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay indicated that carbon black waste extract induced oxidative stress by increasing intracellular ROS generation in these three human cell lines. Moreover, induction of oxidative damage in these cells was also observed through the alteration of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. Last but not least, by treating the cells with V-spiked solution of concentration equivalent to that found in the

Effects of the ethanol extract of black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) fruit on experimental atherosclerosis in rats.

PubMed

Jiang, Yan; Dai, Min; Nie, Wen-Jing; Yang, Xiao-Rong; Zeng, Xian-Chun

2017-03-22

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the major pathogenic component of coronary artery and cardiovascular disease. Studies have increasingly focused on natural medicines that have lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial-protection activities. Black mulberry fruits are traditionally used in Uyghur folk medicine for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in southern Xinjiang region of China. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Thus, our objective was to explore the effects and underlying mechanisms of ethanol extract of black mulberry (EEBM) in experimental atherosclerotic rats. The black mulberry fruit was extracted with acid ethanol and chromatographed on an AB-8 macroporous resin to obtain EEBM. Atherosclerotic rats were divided into five groups: normal, model, model plus simvastatin (5mg/kgd·body weight), and model plus low-dose and high-dose EEBM groups (105 and 210mg/kgd·body weight, respectively). Serum lipid profiles were measured by an automatic biochemistry analyser. The activities of anti-oxidative enzymes were determined using the chemical colorimetric method. Pathological changes in liver and arteries were examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and the intima-media thickness was measured. The high-dose EEBM group showed significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, as well as atherogenic index. Furthermore, treatment with high-dose EEBM markedly decreased malondialdehyde content and enhanced anti-oxidative enzyme activities. Histopathological examination showed that EEBM attenuated hepatic steatosis and reduced intima-media thickness and arterial atherosclerotic lesions in atherosclerotic rats. These results suggest that EEBM suppressed atherosclerosis development in atherosclerotic rats by regulating lipid metabolism abnormalities, enhancing anti-oxidative activities, and reducing atherosclerotic lesions, which could be attributed to anthocyanins (23.75%), or the

In vitro antioxidant activity of pet ether extract of black pepper

PubMed Central

Singh, Ramnik; Singh, Narinder; Saini, B.S.; Rao, Harwinder Singh

2008-01-01

Objective: To investigate the in vitro antioxidant activity of different fractions (R1, R2 and R3) obtained from pet ether extract of black pepper fruits (Piper nigrum Linn.) Materials and Methods: The fractions R1, R2 and R3 were eluted from pet ether and ethyl acetate in the ratio of 6:4, 5:5 and 4:6, respectively. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, superoxide anion radical, nitric oxide radical, and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays were carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the extract. Results: The free radical scavenging activity of the different fractions of pet ether extract of P. nigrum (PEPN) increased in a concentration dependent manner. The R3 and R2 fraction of PEPN in 500 µg/ml inhibited the peroxidation of a linoleic acid emulsion by 60.48±3.33% and 58.89±2.51%, respectively. In DPPH free radical scavenging assay, the activity of R3 and R2 were found to be almost similar. The R3 (100µg/ml) fraction of PEPN inhibited 55.68±4.48% nitric oxide radicals generated from sodium nitroprusside, whereas curcumin in the same concentration inhibited 84.27±4.12%. Moreover, PEPN scavenged the superoxide radical generated by the Xanthine/Xanthine oxidase system. The fraction R2 and R3 in the doses of 1000µg/ml inhibited 61.04±5.11% and 63.56±4.17%, respectively. The hydroxyl radical was generated by Fenton's reaction. The amounts of total phenolic compounds were determined and 56.98 µg pyrocatechol phenol equivalents were detected in one mg of R3. Conclusions: P. nigrum could be considered as a potential source of natural antioxidant. PMID:20040947

Particle motion and Penrose processes around rotating regular black hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdujabbarov, Ahmadjon

2016-07-01

The neutral particle motion around rotating regular black hole that was derived from the Ayón-Beato-García (ABG) black hole solution by the Newman-Janis algorithm in the preceding paper (Toshmatov et al., Phys. Rev. D, 89:104017, 2014) has been studied. The dependencies of the ISCO (innermost stable circular orbits along geodesics) and unstable orbits on the value of the electric charge of the rotating regular black hole have been shown. Energy extraction from the rotating regular black hole through various processes has been examined. We have found expression of the center of mass energy for the colliding neutral particles coming from infinity, based on the BSW (Baňados-Silk-West) mechanism. The electric charge Q of rotating regular black hole decreases the potential of the gravitational field as compared to the Kerr black hole and the particles demonstrate less bound energy at the circular geodesics. This causes an increase of efficiency of the energy extraction through BSW process in the presence of the electric charge Q from rotating regular black hole. Furthermore, we have studied the particle emission due to the BSW effect assuming that two neutral particles collide near the horizon of the rotating regular extremal black hole and produce another two particles. We have shown that efficiency of the energy extraction is less than the value 146.6 % being valid for the Kerr black hole. It has been also demonstrated that the efficiency of the energy extraction from the rotating regular black hole via the Penrose process decreases with the increase of the electric charge Q and is smaller in comparison to 20.7 % which is the value for the extreme Kerr black hole with the specific angular momentum a= M.

Conformal Field Theory and black hole physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidhu, Steve

2012-01-01

This thesis reviews the use of 2-dimensional conformal field theory applied to gravity, specifically calculating Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of black holes in (2+1) dimensions. A brief review of general relativity, Conformal Field Theory, energy extraction from black holes, and black hole thermodynamics will be given. The Cardy formula, which calculates the entropy of a black hole from the AdS/CFT duality, will be shown to calculate the correct Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the static and rotating BTZ black holes. The first law of black hole thermodynamics of the static, rotating, and charged-rotating BTZ black holes will be verified.

Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) and domestic horse (Equus caballus) hindgut microflora demonstrate similar fermentation responses to grape seed extract supplementation in vitro.

PubMed

Huntley, N F; Naumann, H D; Kenny, A L; Kerley, M S

2017-10-01

The domestic horse is used as a nutritional model for rhinoceros maintained under human care. The validity of this model for browsing rhinoceros has been questioned due to high prevalence of iron overload disorder (IOD) in captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), which is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Iron chelators, such as tannins, are under investigation as dietary supplements to ameliorate or prevent IOD in prone species. Polyphenolic compounds variably affect microbial fermentation, so the first objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of grape seed extract (GSE; a concentrated source of condensed tannins; CT) on black rhinoceros hindgut fermentation. Equine nutrition knowledge is used to assess supplements for rhinoceros; therefore, the second objective was to evaluate the domestic horse model for black rhinoceros fermentation and compare fermentation responses to GSE using a continuous single-flow in vitro culture system. Two replicated continuous culture experiments were conducted using horse and black rhinoceros faeces as inoculum sources comparing four diets with increasing GSE inclusion (0.0%, 1.3%, 2.7% and 4.0% of diet dry matter). Diet and GSE polyphenolic compositions were determined, and sodium sulphite effect on neutral detergent fibre extraction of CT-containing forages was tested. Increasing GSE inclusion stimulated microbial growth and fermentation, and proportionally increased diet CT concentration and iron-binding capacity. Horse and black rhinoceros hindgut microflora nutrient digestibility and fermentation responses to GSE did not differ, and results supported equine fermentation as an adequate model for microbial fermentation in the black rhinoceros. Interpretation of these results is limited to hindgut fermentation and further research is needed to compare foregut digestibility and nutrient absorption between these two species. Supplementation of GSE in black rhinoceros diets up to 4% is unlikely to

Profiling and Quantification of Regioisomeric Caffeoyl Glucoses in Berry Fruits.

PubMed

Patras, Maria A; Jaiswal, Rakesh; McDougall, Gordon J; Kuhnert, Nikolai

2018-02-07

On the basis of a recently developed tandem mass spectrometry-based hierarchical scheme for the identification of regioisomeric caffeoyl glucoses, selected berry fruits were profiled for their caffeoyl glucose ester content. Fresh edible berries profiled, including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, red currant, black currant, lingonberries, gooseberries, and juices of elderberries, goji berries, chokeberries, cranberries, açai berries, sea buckthorn berries, Montmorency sour cherries, and pomegranates, were investigated. 1-Caffeoyl glucose was found to be the predominant isomer in the majority of samples, with further profiling revealing the presence of additional hydroxycinnamoyl glucose esters and O-glycosides with p-coumaroyl, feruloyl, and sinapoyl substituents. A quantitative liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based method was developed and validated, and all caffeoyl glucose isomers were quantified for the first time in edible berries.

Hypolipidaemic effects of cyanidin 3-glucoside rich extract from black rice through regulating hepatic lipogenic enzyme activities.

PubMed

Um, Min Young; Ahn, Jiyun; Ha, Tae Youl

2013-09-01

Black rice is rich in anthocyanins, especially cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G). This study examined the effects of a C3G-rich extract from black rice on hyperlipidaemia induced by a high fat/cholesterol diet (HFCD) in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either HFCD or HFCD containing 150 mg kg⁻¹ body weight C3G (HFCD+C3G) for 4 weeks. We found that C3G significantly decreased serum levels of total cholesterol, free cholesterol, triglycerides, and free fatty acids in rats fed a HFCD. Similarly, hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride levels and the activities of hepatic lipogenic enzymes (malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) were significantly reduced by C3G supplementation. These results suggest that C3G can ameliorate HFCD-induced hyperlipidaemia in part by modulating the activities of hepatic lipogenic enzymes. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Black rice extract protected HepG2 cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death via ERK1/2 and Akt activation

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jaemin; Ham, Hyeonmi; Sung, Jeehye; Kim, Younghwa; Choi, Youngmin; Lee, Jeom-Sig; Jeong, Heon-Sang; Lee, Junsoo

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of black rice extract (BRE) on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-induced oxidative injury in HepG2 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS Methanolic extract from black rice was evaluated for the protective effect on TBHP-induced oxidative injury in HepG2 cells. Several biomarkers that modulate cell survival and death including reactive oxygen species (ROS), caspase-3 activity, and related cellular kinases were determined. RESULTS TBHP induced cell death and apoptosis by a rapid increase in ROS generation and caspase-3 activity. Moreover, TBHP-induced oxidative stress resulted in a transient ERK1/2 activation and a sustained increase of JNK1/2 activation. While, BRE pretreatment protects the cells against oxidative stress by reducing cell death, caspase-3 activity, and ROS generation and also by preventing ERKs deactivation and the prolonged JNKs activation. Moreover, pretreatment of BRE increased the activation of ERKs and Akt which are pro-survival signal proteins. However, this effect was blunted in the presence of ERKs and Akt inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that activation of ERKs and Akt pathway might be involved in the cytoprotective effect of BRE against oxidative stress. Our findings provide new insights into the cytoprotective effects and its possible mechanism of black rice against oxidative stress. PMID:24741394

Evidence of Spin and Energy Extraction in a Galactic Black Hole Candidate: The XMM-NEWTON/EPIC SPECTRUM of XTE 11650-500

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, J. M.; Fabian, A. C.; Wunands, R.; Reynolds, C. S.; Ehle, M.; Freyberg, M. J.; VanDerKlis, M.; Lewin, W. H. G.; Sanchez-Fernandez, C.; Castro-Tirado, A. J.

2002-01-01

We observed the Galactic black hole candidate XTE J1650-500 early in its fall of 2001 outburst with the XMM-Newton European Photon Imaging pn Camera (EPIC-pn). The observed spectrum is consistent with the source having been in the very high state. We h d a broad, skewed Fe Kar emission line that suggests the primary in this system may be a Kerr black hole and that indicates a steep disk emissivity profile that is hard to explain in terms of a standard accretion disk model. These results are quantitatively and qualitatively similar to those from an XMM-Newton observation of the Seyfert galaxy MCG -6-30-15. The steep emissivity in MCG -6-30-15 may be explained by the extraction and dissipation of rotational energy from a black hole with nearly maximal angular momentum or from material in the plunging region via magnetic connections to the inner accretion disk. If this process is at work in both sources, an exotic but fundamental general relativistic prediction may be confirmed across a factor of l0(exp 6) in black hole mass. We discuss these results in terms of the accretion flow geometry in stellar-mass black holes and the variety of enigmatic phenomena often observed in the very high state.

GRAVITATIONAL WAVE EXTRACTION FROM AN INSPIRALING CONFIGURATION OF MERGING BLACK HOLES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, John G.; Centrella, Joan; Dae-Il, Choi; Koppitz, Michael; van Meter, James

2005-01-01

We present new techniques for evolving binary black hole systems which allow the accurate determination of gravitational waveforms directly from the wave zone region of the numerical simulations. Rather than excising the black hole interiors, our approach follows the "puncture" treatment of black holes, but utilizing a new gauge condition which allows the black holes to move successfully through the computational domain. We apply these techniques to an inspiraling binary, modeling the radiation generated during the final plunge and ringdown. We demonstrate convergence of the waveforms and and good conservation of mass-energy, with just over 3% of the system s mass converted to gravitational radiation.

Black-hole kicks from numerical-relativity surrogate models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerosa, Davide; Hébert, François; Stein, Leo C.

2018-05-01

Binary black holes radiate linear momentum in gravitational waves as they merge. Recoils imparted to the black-hole remnant can reach thousands of km /s , thus ejecting black holes from their host galaxies. We exploit recent advances in gravitational waveform modeling to quickly and reliably extract recoils imparted to generic, precessing, black-hole binaries. Our procedure uses a numerical-relativity surrogate model to obtain the gravitational waveform given a set of binary parameters; then, from this waveform we directly integrate the gravitational-wave linear momentum flux. This entirely bypasses the need for fitting formulas which are typically used to model black-hole recoils in astrophysical contexts. We provide a thorough exploration of the black-hole kick phenomenology in the parameter space, summarizing and extending previous numerical results on the topic. Our extraction procedure is made publicly available as a module for the Python programming language named surrkick. Kick evaluations take ˜0.1 s on a standard off-the-shelf machine, thus making our code ideal to be ported to large-scale astrophysical studies.

Extractive Spectrophotometric Determination of Nortriptyline Hydrochloride Using Sudan II, IV and Black B.

PubMed

Amin, A S; Saleh, H M

2017-08-17

A simple spectrophotometric methods has been developed for the determination of nortriptyline hydrochloride in pure and in pharmaceuticalformulations based on the formation of ion-pair complexes with sudun II (S II ), sudan (IV) (S IV ) and sudan black B (S BB ). The selectivity of the method was improved through extraction with chloroform. The optimum conditions for complete extracted colour development were assessed. The absorbance measurements were made at 534, 596 and 649 nm for S II , S IV and S BB complexes, respectively. The calibration graph was linear in the ranges 0.5- 280. 0.5- 37.5 and 0.5 - 31.0 μg ml -1 of the drug usiny the same reagents, respectively. The precision of the procedure was checked by calculating the relative standard deviation of ten replicate determinations on 15 μg ml -1 of nortriptyline HCI and was found to be 1.7, 1.3 and 1.55% using S II , S IV , and S BB complexes, respectively. The molar absorptivity and Sandell sensitivity for each ion-pair were calculated. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the deterniination of pure nortriptyline HCI and in pharmaceutical formulations, and the results demonstrated that the method is equally accurate, precise and reproducible as the official method.

Efficacy of methanolic extract of green and black teas against extended-spectrum β-Lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PubMed

Taherpour, Arezou; Hashemi, Ali; Erfanimanesh, Soroor; Taki, Elahe

2016-07-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the major bacteria causing acute infections. β-Lactamase production is the principal defense mechanism in gram-negative bacteria. The aim of our study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Methanolic Extracts of Green and Black Teas on P. aeruginosa Extended Spectrum-β-Lactamases (ESBLs) production. This research was carried out on burn wounds of 245 hospitalized patients in Kerman, Iran. P. aeruginosa ESBLs and MBL producing strains were detected by Combination Disk Diffusion Test (CDDT) and Epsilometer test (E-test) strips, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was measured for Ceftazidime, Meropenem, Imipenem, Aztreonam, Cefotaxime and methanollic extracts of Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea). From 245 patients in the burn ward, 120 cases were infected with P. aeruginosa. 41 isolates contained ESBL while MBL was not detected. P. aeruginosa were resistant to Cefotaxime, Aztreonam, Ceftazidime, Meropenem and Imipenem, 72 (60%), 50 (41.66%), 79 (65.83%), 33 (27.5%) and 24 (20%), respectively. Green tea extract had the highest anti-bacterial effect on standard and P. aeruginosa strains in 1.25mg/ml concentration. This study determined that the methanolic extract of green tea has a higher effect against ESBL producing P. aeruginosa than Cefotaxime, Aztreonam and Ceftazidime.

Cultural Resources Investigations of the Upper Minnesota River (639) Project, Deuel and Grant Counties, South Dakota, and Lac Qui Parle and Yellow Medicine Counties, Minnesota,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

10,000 B.P. to 9,000 B.P., the climate was cooler and moister than at present. A regional deciduous forest, dominated by oak, •:- ~ elm and ironwood...deltoides Cottonwood Quercus macrocarpa Bur oak Ulmus americana American elm Celtis occidentalis Hackberry Ribes americanum Black currant Ribes missouriense...occidentalis Wolfberry Viburnum lentago Sheepberry, wild raisin /Ulmus rubra Red elm Crataegus chrysocarpa Hawthorn £ Psedera quinquefolia Virginia creeper

Boosting jet power in black hole spacetimes.

PubMed

Neilsen, David; Lehner, Luis; Palenzuela, Carlos; Hirschmann, Eric W; Liebling, Steven L; Motl, Patrick M; Garrett, Travis

2011-08-02

The extraction of rotational energy from a spinning black hole via the Blandford-Znajek mechanism has long been understood as an important component in models to explain energetic jets from compact astrophysical sources. Here we show more generally that the kinetic energy of the black hole, both rotational and translational, can be tapped, thereby producing even more luminous jets powered by the interaction of the black hole with its surrounding plasma. We study the resulting Poynting jet that arises from single boosted black holes and binary black hole systems. In the latter case, we find that increasing the orbital angular momenta of the system and/or the spins of the individual black holes results in an enhanced Poynting flux.

Application of enzymes in the production of RTD black tea beverages: a review.

PubMed

Kumar, Chandini S; Subramanian, R; Rao, L Jaganmohan

2013-01-01

Ready-to-drink (RTD) tea is a popular beverage in many countries. Instability due to development of haze and formation of tea cream is the common problem faced in the production of RTD black tea beverages. Thus decreaming is an important step in the process to meet the cold stability requirements of the product. Enzymatic decreaming approaches overcome some of the disadvantages associated with other conventional decreaming methods such as cold water extraction, chill decreaming, chemical stabilization, and chemical solubilization. Enzyme treatments have been attempted at three stages of black tea processing, namely, enzymatic treatment to green tea and conversion to black tea, enzymatic treatment to black tea followed by extraction, and enzymatic clarification of extract. Tannase is the most commonly employed enzyme (tannin acyl hydrolase EC 3.1.1.20) aiming at improving cold water extractability/solubility and decreasing tea cream formation as well as improving the clarity. The major enzymatic methods proposed for processing black tea having a direct or indirect bearing on RTD tea production, have been discussed along with their relative advantages and limitations.

Dual jets from binary black holes.

PubMed

Palenzuela, Carlos; Lehner, Luis; Liebling, Steven L

2010-08-20

The coalescence of supermassive black holes--a natural outcome when galaxies merge--should produce gravitational waves and would likely be associated with energetic electromagnetic events. We have studied the coalescence of such binary black holes within an external magnetic field produced by the expected circumbinary disk surrounding them. Solving the Einstein equations to describe black holes interacting with surrounding plasma, we present numerical evidence for possible jets driven by these systems. Extending the process described by Blandford and Znajek for a single, spinning black hole, the picture that emerges suggests that the electromagnetic field extracts energy from the orbiting black holes, which ultimately merge and settle into the standard Blandford-Znajek scenario. Emissions along these jets could potentially be observable at large distances.

Antiviral effects of black raspberry (Rubus coreanus) seed extract and its polyphenolic compounds on norovirus surrogates.

PubMed

Lee, Ji-Hye; Bae, Sun Young; Oh, Mi; Seok, Jong Hyeon; Kim, Sella; Chung, Yeon Bin; Gowda K, Giri; Mun, Ji Young; Chung, Mi Sook; Kim, Kyung Hyun

2016-06-01

Black raspberry seeds, a byproduct of wine and juice production, contain large quantities of polyphenolic compounds. The antiviral effects of black raspberry seed extract (RCS) and its fraction with molecular weight less than 1 kDa (RCS-F1) were examined against food-borne viral surrogates, murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) and feline calicivirus-F9 (FCV-F9). The maximal antiviral effect was achieved when RCS or RCS-F1 was added simultaneously to cells with MNV-1 or FCV-F9, reaching complete inhibition at 0.1-1 mg/mL. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed enlarged viral capsids or disruption (from 35 nm to up to 100 nm) by RCS-F1. Our results thus suggest that RCS-F1 can interfere with the attachment of viral surface protein to host cells. Further, two polyphenolic compounds derived from RCS-F1, cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and gallic acid, identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, showed inhibitory effects against the viruses. C3G was suggested to bind to MNV-1 RNA polymerase and to enlarge viral capsids using differential scanning fluorimetry and TEM, respectively.

Effect of various solvent on the specific amino acids of black soybean (Glycine soja) sprout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanetro, B.; Slamet, A.; Wazyka, A.

2018-01-01

The objective of this research was to study the effect of various solvent extractions on the specific amino acids as small peptide or free amino acids that was contained in the extract after removal of the macromolecule protein of black soybean sprouts. The experimental design of this research was randomized complete design with one factor, which was the three various solvent, i.e. hexane, ethanol and water. The black soybean seed was germinated for 36 h. The small peptide and free amino acids of black soybean sprout were isolated at 3 various of solvents extraction, and then the macromolecule proteins in the extracts were precipitated at the pH 4. The extracts of black soybean sprout after removal of the macromolecule protein were analysed by HPLC to determine the profile of amino acids for stimulation of insulin secretion. The result of this research showed that the extracts contained the small peptide and free amino acid for stimulation of insulin secretion. The best solvent extraction was water that was due to the content of Leu, Arg, Ala, Phe, Ile, and Lys of water extract was higher than hexane and ethanol extracts.

Boosting jet power in black hole spacetimes

PubMed Central

Neilsen, David; Lehner, Luis; Palenzuela, Carlos; Hirschmann, Eric W.; Liebling, Steven L.; Motl, Patrick M.; Garrett, Travis

2011-01-01

The extraction of rotational energy from a spinning black hole via the Blandford–Znajek mechanism has long been understood as an important component in models to explain energetic jets from compact astrophysical sources. Here we show more generally that the kinetic energy of the black hole, both rotational and translational, can be tapped, thereby producing even more luminous jets powered by the interaction of the black hole with its surrounding plasma. We study the resulting Poynting jet that arises from single boosted black holes and binary black hole systems. In the latter case, we find that increasing the orbital angular momenta of the system and/or the spins of the individual black holes results in an enhanced Poynting flux. PMID:21768341

Quantum information erasure inside black holes

DOE PAGES

Lowe, David A.; Thorlacius, Larus

2015-12-15

An effective field theory for infalling observers in the vicinity of a quasi-static black hole is given in terms of a freely falling lattice discretization. The lattice model successfully reproduces the thermal spectrum of outgoing Hawking radiation, as was shown by Corley and Jacobson, but can also be used to model observations made by a typical low-energy observer who enters the black hole in free fall at a prescribed time. The explicit short distance cutoff ensures that, from the viewpoint of the infalling observer, any quantum information that entered the black hole more than a scrambling time earlier has beenmore » erased by the black hole singularity. Furthermore, this property, combined with the requirement that outside observers need at least of order the scrambling time to extract quantum information from the black hole, ensures that a typical infalling observer does not encounter drama upon crossing the black hole horizon in a theory where black hole information is preserved for asymptotic observers.« less

Black Rice (Oryza sativa L., Poaceae) Extract Reduces Hippocampal Neuronal Cell Death Induced by Transient Global Cerebral Ischemia in Mice.

PubMed

Hwang, Sun-Nyoung; Kim, Jae-Cheon; Bhuiyan, Mohammad Iqbal Hossain; Kim, Joo Youn; Yang, Ji Seon; Yoon, Shin Hee; Yoon, Kee Dong; Kim, Seong Yun

2018-04-01

Rice is the most commonly consumed grain in the world. Black rice has been suggested to contain various bioactive compounds including anthocyanin antioxidants. There is currently little information about the nutritional benefits of black rice on brain pathology. Here, we investigated the effects of black rice ( Oryza sativa L ., Poaceae) extract (BRE) on the hippocampal neuronal damage induced by ischemic insult. BRE (300 mg/kg) was orally administered to adult male C57BL/6 mice once a day for 21 days. Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) was performed for 23 min on the 8th day of BRE or vehicle administration. Histological analyses conducted on the 22nd day of BRE or vehicle administration revealed that administering BRE profoundly attenuated neuronal cell death, inhibited reactive astrogliosis, and prevented loss of glutathione peroxidase expression in the hippocampus when compared to vehicle treatment. In addition, BRE considerably ameliorated BCCAO-induced memory impairment on the Morris water maze test from the 15th day to the 22nd day of BRE or vehicle administration. These results indicate that chronic administration of BRE is potentially beneficial in cerebral ischemia.

Xerophilic aflatoxigenic black tea fungi and their inhibition by Elettaria cardamomum and Syzygium aromaticum extracts

PubMed Central

Al-Sohaibani, Saleh; Murugan, K.; Lakshimi, G.; Anandraj, K.

2011-01-01

Black tea is consumed worldwide and is believed to play a role in cancer prevention. Xerophilic aflatoxigenic fungi are highly hazardous contaminants of tea since they are associated with tea quality impairment and human health risk. The present study reports isolation of such xerophilic and aflatoxigenic fungi associated with marketed tea. Twenty different tea samples collected from the local markets of Tamilnadu, India were investigated for fungal contamination. The results indicated contamination by 0.38% Aspergillus flavus. Other common contaminant fungi including Penicillium spp. (0.30%), Pacelomyces spp. (0.14%), and Mucor spp. (0.19%) were also isolated. Amongst the fungi isolated Aspergillus niger ML01 and A. flavus ML02 were found to be xerophilic aflatoxigenic mycoflora. Phylogenetic analysis based on 28S rRNA revealed their close ancestry. The chloroform and acetone extracts of spices Elettaria cardamomum and Syzygium aromaticum exhibited antifungal inhibitory activity on growth and toxin elaboration of both these xerophilic tea contaminants A. niger ML01 and A. flavus ML02. The results advocate the use of these spices plant or their extracts as novel antimicrobials which may add preservation and flavour in marketed tea. PMID:23961151

Extraction of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater with macroporous resins.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoxi; Hansen, Conly; Allen, Karin

2014-02-01

This study investigated purification of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater by column chromatography with 5 types of macroporous resins (Diaion Hp20, Sepabeads Sp70, Sepabeads Sp207, Sepabeads Sp700, and Sepabeads Sp710). By-product of canned black beans was partially purified by filtration, in anticipation of higher performance during column chromatography. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms were measured and analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Both Langmuir (all R² ≥ 0.98) and Freundlich (all R² ≥ 0.97) models can describe the adsorption process of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater using the tested resins. The adsorption and desorption behaviors of anthocyanins were studied using a dynamic method on the 5 types of resins, and Sp700 presented the highest adsorption capacity (39 ± 4 mg/g; P < 0.05) as well as desorption capacity (19 ± 2%; P < 0.05), indicating that of the resins examined, Sp700 is a better candidate for purification of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Superradiance in the BTZ black hole with Robin boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dappiaggi, Claudio; Ferreira, Hugo R. C.; Herdeiro, Carlos A. R.

2018-03-01

We show the existence of superradiant modes of massive scalar fields propagating in BTZ black holes when certain Robin boundary conditions, which never include the commonly considered Dirichlet boundary conditions, are imposed at spatial infinity. These superradiant modes are defined as those solutions whose energy flux across the horizon is towards the exterior region. Differently from rotating, asymptotically flat black holes, we obtain that not all modes which grow up exponentially in time are superradiant; for some of these, the growth is sourced by a bulk instability of AdS3, triggered by the scalar field with Robin boundary conditions, rather than by energy extraction from the BTZ black hole. Thus, this setup provides an example wherein Bosonic modes with low frequency are pumping energy into, rather than extracting energy from, a rotating black hole.

Radio protective effect of black mulberry extract on radiation-induced damage in bone marrow cells and liver in the rat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasemnezhad Targhi, Reza; Homayoun, Mansour; Mansouri, Somaieh; Soukhtanloo, Mohammad; Soleymanifard, Shokouhozaman; Seghatoleslam, Masoumeh

2017-01-01

Ionizing radiation by producing free radicals induces tissue oxidative stress and has clastogenic and cytotoxic effects. The radio protective effect of black mulberry extract (BME) has been investigated on liver tissue and bone marrow cells in the rat. Intraperitoneal (ip) administration of 200 mg/kg BME three days before and three days after 3 Gy and 6 Gy gamma irradiation significantly reduced the frequencies of micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCEs) and micro nucleated norm chromatic erythrocyte (MnNCEs) and increased PCE/PCE+NCE ratio in rat bone marrow compared to the non-treated irradiated groups. Moreover, this concentration of BME extract decreased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as enhanced the total thiol content and catalase activity in rat's liver compared to the non-treated irradiated groups. It seems that BME extract with antioxidant activity reduced the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity induced by gamma irradiation in bone marrow cells and liver in the rat.

On Born approximation in black hole scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batic, D.; Kelkar, N. G.; Nowakowski, M.

2011-12-01

A massless field propagating on spherically symmetric black hole metrics such as the Schwarzschild, Reissner-Nordström and Reissner-Nordström-de Sitter backgrounds is considered. In particular, explicit formulae in terms of transcendental functions for the scattering of massless scalar particles off black holes are derived within a Born approximation. It is shown that the conditions on the existence of the Born integral forbid a straightforward extraction of the quasi normal modes using the Born approximation for the scattering amplitude. Such a method has been used in literature. We suggest a novel, well defined method, to extract the large imaginary part of quasinormal modes via the Coulomb-like phase shift. Furthermore, we compare the numerically evaluated exact scattering amplitude with the Born one to find that the approximation is not very useful for the scattering of massless scalar, electromagnetic as well as gravitational waves from black holes.

Effect of black soybean koji extract on glucose utilization and adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells.

PubMed

Huang, Chi-Chang; Huang, Wen-Ching; Hou, Chien-Wen; Chi, Yu-Wei; Huang, Hui-Yu

2014-05-09

Adipocyte differentiation and the extent of subsequent fat accumulation are closely related to the occurrence and progression of diseases such as insulin resistance and obesity. Black soybean koji (BSK) is produced by the fermentation of black soybean with Aspergilllus awamori. Previous study indicated that BSK extract has antioxidative and multifunctional bioactivities, however, the role of BSK in the regulation of energy metabolism is still unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of glucose utilization on insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and adipogenesis-related protein expression in differentiated adipocytes with BSK treatment. Cytoxicity assay revealed that BSK did not adversely affect cell viability at levels up to 200 µg/mL. The potential for glucose utilization was increased by increased glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), GLUT4 and protein kinase B (AKT) protein expression in insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 cells in response to BSK treatment. Simultaneously, BSK inhibited lipid droplet accumulation in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. The inhibitory effect of adipogenesis was associated with downregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor g (PPARγ) level and upregulated Acrp30 protein expression. Our results suggest that BSK extract could improve glucose uptake by modulating GLUT1 and GLUT4 expression in a 3T3-L1 insulin-resistance cell model. In addition, BSK suppressed differentiation and lipid accumulation in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes, which may suggest its potential for food supplementation to prevent obesity and related metabolic abnormalities.

Black soybean seed coat extract ameliorates hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity via the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase in diabetic mice.

PubMed

Kurimoto, Yuta; Shibayama, Yuki; Inoue, Seiya; Soga, Minoru; Takikawa, Masahito; Ito, Chiaki; Nanba, Fumio; Yoshida, Tadashi; Yamashita, Yoko; Ashida, Hitoshi; Tsuda, Takanori

2013-06-12

Black soybean seed coat has abundant levels of polyphenols such as anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-glucoside; C3G) and procyanidins (PCs). This study found that dietary black soybean seed coat extract (BE) ameliorates hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity via the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in type 2 diabetic mice. Dietary BE significantly reduced blood glucose levels and enhanced insulin sensitivity. AMPK was activated in the skeletal muscle and liver of diabetic mice fed BE. This activation was accompanied by the up-regulation of glucose transporter 4 in skeletal muscle and the down-regulation of gluconeogenesis in the liver. These changes resulted in improved hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic mice. In vitro studies using L6 myotubes showed that C3G and PCs significantly induced AMPK activation and enhanced glucose uptake into the cells.

Black pepper and piperine reduce cholesterol uptake and enhance translocation of cholesterol transporter proteins.

PubMed

Duangjai, Acharaporn; Ingkaninan, Kornkanok; Praputbut, Sakonwun; Limpeanchob, Nanteetip

2013-04-01

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) lowers blood lipids in vivo and inhibits cholesterol uptake in vitro, and piperine may mediate these effects. To test this, the present study aimed to compare actions of black pepper extract and piperine on (1) cholesterol uptake and efflux in Caco-2 cells, (2) the membrane/cytosol distribution of cholesterol transport proteins in these cells, and (3) the physicochemical properties of cholesterol micelles. Piperine or black pepper extract (containing the same amount of piperine) dose-dependently reduced cholesterol uptake into Caco-2 cells in a similar manner. Both preparations reduced the membrane levels of NPC1L1 and SR-BI proteins but not their overall cellular expression. Micellar cholesterol solubility of lipid micelles was unaffected except by 1 mg/mL concentration of black pepper extract. These data suggest that piperine is the active compound in black pepper and reduces cholesterol uptake by internalizing the cholesterol transporter proteins.

Algebraically special resonances of the Kerr-black-hole-mirror bomb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hod, Shahar

2013-12-01

A corotating bosonic field interacting with a spinning Kerr black hole can extract rotational energy and angular momentum from the hole. This intriguing phenomenon is known as superradiant scattering. As pointed out by Press and Teukolsky, the black-hole-field system can be made unstable (explosive) by placing a reflecting mirror around the black hole, which prevents the extracted energy from escaping to infinity. This composed black-hole-mirror-field bomb has been studied extensively by many researchers. It is worth noting, however, that most former studies of the black-hole bomb phenomenon have focused on the specific case of confined scalar (spin-0) fields. In the present study we explore the physical properties of the higher-spin (electromagnetic and gravitational) black-hole bombs. It is shown that this composed system is amenable to an analytic treatment in the physically interesting regime of rapidly rotating black holes. In particular, we prove that the composed black-hole-mirror-field bomb is characterized by the unstable resonance frequency ω=mΩH+is·2πTBH (here s and m are, respectively, the spin parameter and the azimuthal harmonic index of the field, and ΩH and TBH are, respectively, the angular-velocity and the temperature of the rapidly spinning black hole). Our results provide evidence that the higher-spin (electromagnetic and gravitational) black-hole-mirror bombs are much more explosive than the extensively studied scalar black-hole-mirror bomb. In particular, it is shown here that the instability growth rates that characterize the higher-spin black-hole bombs are 2 orders of magnitude larger than the instability growth rate of the scalar black-hole bomb.

Total phenolics and antioxidant activities of fenugreek, green tea, black tea, grape seed, ginger, rosemary, gotu kola, and ginkgo extracts, vitamin E, and tert-butylhydroquinone.

PubMed

Rababah, Taha M; Hettiarachchy, Navam S; Horax, Ronny

2004-08-11

The total phenolics and antioxidant activities of fenugreek, green tea, black tea, grape seed, ginger, rosemary, gotu kola, and ginkgo extracts, vitamin E, and tert-butylhydroquinone, were determined. Grape seed and green tea were analyzed for their phenolic constituents using high-performance liquid chromatography. The total phenolics of the plant extracts, determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, ranged from 24.8 to 92.5 mg of chlorogenic acid equivalent/g dry material. The antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts determined by conjugated diene measurement of methyl linoleate were 3.4-86.3%. The antioxidant activity of the extracts using chicken fat by an oxidative stability instrument (4.6-10.2 h of induction time) followed a similar trend in antioxidant activity as determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Seven phenolics in grape seed and green tea extracts were identified that ranged from 15.38 to 1158.49 and 18.3 to 1087.02 mg/100 g of extract, respectively. Plant extracts such as green tea and grape seed extracts can be used to retard lipid oxidation in a variety of food products.

Non-linear collisional Penrose process: How much energy can a black hole release?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakao, Ken-ichi; Okawa, Hirotada; Maeda, Kei-ichi

2018-01-01

Energy extraction from a rotating or charged black hole is one of the fascinating issues in general relativity. The collisional Penrose process is one such extraction mechanism and has been reconsidered intensively since Bañados, Silk, and West pointed out the physical importance of very high energy collisions around a maximally rotating black hole. In order to get results analytically, the test particle approximation has been adopted so far. Successive works based on this approximation scheme have not yet revealed the upper bound on the efficiency of the energy extraction because of the lack of backreaction. In the Reissner-Nordström spacetime, by fully taking into account the self-gravity of the shells, we find that there is an upper bound on the extracted energy that is consistent with the area law of a black hole. We also show one particular scenario in which almost the maximum energy extraction is achieved even without the Bañados-Silk-West collision.

Black tea and D. candidum extracts play estrogenic activity via estrogen receptor α-dependent signaling pathway

PubMed Central

Wang, Yongsen; Sun, Jing; Zhang, Kun; Hu, Xin; Sun, Yuchu; Sheng, Jun; Fu, Xueqi

2018-01-01

In recent years, phytoestrogens have been shown as useful selective estrogen receptor modulators. The estrogen-like effects of black tea (BT) and D. candidum (DC), as well as the combination of the two herbs, have remained largely elusive. This study aims to investigate the phytoestrogenic effect of BT and DC extract, and the possible mechanism. The effects on T47D (ER+ cell line) proliferation were evaluated by using MTT assay. The S phase proportion of ER+ cells was determined by using flow cytometry. The estrogen antagonist ICI 182,780 was applied to block the ER function. The activation of ER-mediated PI3K/AKT and ERK signal pathways were observed by using western blot. Expression of ERα and PGR, as well as PS2 and Cyclin D1 were detected by using western blot and real-time quantitative PCR. Firstly, our results found that BT and DC extracts promoted cell proliferation in ER-positive cells, and this effect was ER-dependent. Besides, BT and DC extracts increased the S-phase cell number. Next, PI3K, AKT and ERK pathways below ER were activated by phytoestrogen treatment, and this activation was blocked by the ER antagonist. Moreover, prolonged BT and DC treatments increased the expression of ESR1 and PGR. Consistently, the mRNA levels of not only ESR1 and PGR but also estrogen-dependent effectors ps2 and cyclin D1, were increased by phytoestrogens and blocked by ICI 182,780. Taken Together, BT and DC extracts have phytoestrogenic effects, and this may provide new ideas and experimental basis for the development and application of phytoestrogens. PMID:29422998

Electromagnetic jets from stars and black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gralla, Samuel E.; Lupsasca, Alexandru; Rodriguez, Maria J.

2016-02-01

We present analytic force-free solutions modeling rotating stars and black holes immersed in the magnetic field of a thin disk that terminates at an inner radius. The solutions are exact in flat spacetime and approximate in Kerr spacetime. The compact object produces a conical jet whose properties carry information about its nature. For example, the jet from a star is surrounded by a current sheet, while that of a black hole is smooth. We compute an effective resistance in each case and compare to the canonical values used in circuit models of energy extraction. These solutions illustrate all of the basic features of the Blandford-Znajek process for energy extraction and jet formation in a clean setting.

Study on tea leaves extract as green corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdan, A. B.; Suryanto; Haider, F. I.

2018-01-01

Corrosion inhibitor from extraction of plant has been considered as the most preferable and most chosen technique to prevent corrosion of metal in acidic medium because of the environmental friendly factor. In this study, black tea leaves extraction was tested as corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 0.1M of hydrochloric acid (HCl) with the absence and presence of corrosion inhibitor. The efficiency and effectiveness of black tea as corrosion inhibitor was tested by using corrosion weight loss measurement experiment was carried out with varies parameters which with different concentration of black tea extract solution. The extraction of black tea solution was done by using aqueous solvent method. The FT-IR result shows that black tea extract containing compounds such as catechin, caffeine and tannins that act as anti-corrosive reagents and responsible to enhance the effectiveness of black tea extract as corrosion inhibitor by forming the hydrophobic thin film through absorption process. As a result of weight loss measurement, it shows that loss in weight of mild steel reduces as the concentration of inhibitor increases. The surface analysis was done on the mild steel samples by using SEM.

Black elderberry extract attenuates inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in diet-induced obese mice.

PubMed

Farrell, Nicholas J; Norris, Gregory H; Ryan, Julia; Porter, Caitlin M; Jiang, Christina; Blesso, Christopher N

2015-10-28

Dietary anthocyanins have been shown to reduce inflammation in animal models and may ameliorate obesity-related complications. Black elderberry is one of the richest sources of anthocyanins. We investigated the metabolic effects of anthocyanin-rich black elderberry extract (BEE) in a diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mouse model. Mice were fed either a low-fat diet (n 8), high-fat lard-based diet (HFD; n 16), HFD+0·25 % (w/w) BEE (0·25 %-BEE; n 16) or HFD+1·25 % BEE (1·25 %-BEE; n 16) for 16 weeks. The 0·25 % BEE (0·034 % anthocyanin, w/w) and 1·25 % BEE (0·17 % anthocyanin, w/w) diets corresponded to estimated anthocyanin doses of 20-40 mg and 100-200 mg per kg of body weight, respectively. After 16 weeks, both BEE groups had significantly lower liver weights, serum TAG, homoeostasis model assessment and serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 compared with HFD. The 0·25 %-BEE also had lower serum insulin and TNFα compared with HFD. Hepatic fatty acid synthase mRNA was lower in both BEE groups, whereas PPARγ2 mRNA and liver cholesterol were lower in 1·25 %-BEE, suggesting decreased hepatic lipid synthesis. Higher adipose PPARγ mRNA, transforming growth factor β mRNA and adipose tissue histology suggested a pro-fibrogenic phenotype that was less inflammatory in 1·25 %-BEE. Skeletal muscle mRNA expression of the myokine IL-6 was higher in 0·25 %-BEE relative to HFD. These results suggest that BEE may have improved some metabolic disturbances present in this mouse model of obesity by lowering serum TAG, inflammatory markers and insulin resistance.

A Column Experiment To Determine Black Shale Degradation And Colonization By Means of δ13C and 14C Analysis Of Phospholipid Fatty Acids And DNA Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifert, A.; Gleixner, G.

2008-12-01

We investigated the degradation of black shale organic matter by microbial communities. We inoculated two columns respectively, with the fungi Schizophyllum commune, the gram-positive bacterium Pseudomonas putida and the gram-negative bacteria Streptomyces griseus and Streptomyces chartreusis. These microorganisms are known to degrade a wide variety of organic macromolecules. Additionally, we had two sets of control columns. To one set the same nutrient solution was added as to the inoculated columns and to the other set only sterile deionised water was supplied. All columns contained 1.5 kg of freshly crushed not autoclaved black shale material with a particle size of 0.63-2 mm. The columns were incubated at 28° C and 60% humidity in the dark. The aim was to investigate, which microorganisms live on black shales and if these microorganisms are able to degrade ancient organic matter. We used compound specific stable isotope measurement techniques and compound specific 14C-dating methods. After 183 days PLFAs were extracted from the columns to investigate the microbial community, furthermore we extracted on one hand total-DNA of column material and on the other hand DNA from pure cultures isolates which grew on Kinks-agar B, Starch-casein-nitrate-agar (SCN) and on complete-yeast-medium-agar (CYM). According to the PLFA analysis bacteria dominated in the columns, whereas in pure cultures more fungi were isolated. A principal component analysis revealed differences between the columns in accordance with the inoculation, but it seems that the inoculated microorganisms were replaced by the natural population. For AMS measurements palmitic acid (C 16:0) was re-isolated from total-PLFA-extract with a preparative fraction collector (PFC). Preliminary results of the study revealed that microorganisms are able to degrade black shale material and that PLFA analysis are useful methods to be combined with analysis of stable isotope and 14C measurements to study microbial

Coalescence of functional gold and monodisperse silver nanoparticles mediated by black Panax ginseng Meyer root extract

PubMed Central

Wang, Dandan; Markus, Josua; Kim, Yeon-Ju; Wang, Chao; Jiménez Pérez, Zuly Elizabeth; Ahn, Sungeun; Aceituno, Verónica Castro; Mathiyalagan, Ramya; Yang, Deok Chun

2016-01-01

A rapid biological synthesis of multifunctional gold nanoparticle (AuNp) and monodisperse silver nanoparticle (AgNp) was achieved by an aqueous extract of black Panax ginseng Meyer root. The physicochemical transformation into black ginseng (BG) greatly enhanced the pharmacological activities of white ginseng and its minor ginsenoside content. The optimal temperature conditions and kinetics of bioreduction were investigated. Formation of BG-AuNps and BG-AgNps was verified by ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry at 548 and 412 nm, respectively. The biosynthesized BG-AgNps were spherical and monodisperse with narrow distribution, while BG-AuNps were icosahedral-shaped and moderately polydisperse. Synthesized nanoparticles exhibited long-term stability in buffers of pH 7.0–8.0 and biological media (5% bovine serum albumin) at an ambient temperature and at 37°C. BG-AgNps showed effective antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. BG-AuNps and BG-AgNps demonstrated increased scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radicals. In addition, BG-AuNps and BG-AgNps were nontoxic to HaCaT and MCF-7 cells; the latter showed no cytotoxicity at concentrations lower than 10 µg/mL. At higher concentrations, BG-AgNps exhibited apparent apoptotic activity in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line through reactive oxygen species generation and nuclear fragmentation. PMID:28008248

Gauge invariant spectral Cauchy characteristic extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handmer, Casey J.; Szilágyi, Béla; Winicour, Jeffrey

2015-12-01

We present gauge invariant spectral Cauchy characteristic extraction. We compare gravitational waveforms extracted from a head-on black hole merger simulated in two different gauges by two different codes. We show rapid convergence, demonstrating both gauge invariance of the extraction algorithm and consistency between the legacy Pitt null code and the much faster spectral Einstein code (SpEC).

Scalar-Tensor Black Holes Embedded in an Expanding Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tretyakova, Daria; Latosh, Boris

2018-02-01

In this review we focus our attention on scalar-tensor gravity models and their empirical verification in terms of black hole and wormhole physics. We focus on a black hole, embedded in an expanding universe, describing both cosmological and astrophysical scales. We show that in scalar-tensor gravity it is quite common that the local geometry is isolated from the cosmological expansion, so that it does not backreact on the black hole metric. We try to extract common features of scalar-tensor black holes in an expanding universe and point out the gaps that must be filled.

Undetected for a century: Palaearctic Agrilus ribesi Schaefer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) on currant in North America, with adult morphology, larval biology and DNA barcode.

PubMed

Jendek, Eduard; Grebennikov, Vasily V; Bocak, Ladislav

2015-10-28

We report the Eurasian species Agrilus ribesi Schaefer, 1946, for the first time from North America and propose that the damage to currants (Ribes spp.) in Ontario prior to 1940 and ascribed to A. cuprescens were caused by this species. We provide morphological diagnostic characters for A. ribesi and closely related A. cuprescens and we complement this information with DNA barcodes from four alien Agrilus species established in North America (i.e., A. ribesi Schaefer, A. cuprescens (Ménétriés), A. planipennis Fairmaire and A. sulcicollis Lacordaire) to enable DNA-based identification of these invasive species. Additionally, published information on A. ribesi is summarized and new data are provided on the host plants and biology of larva in North America. The distribution of A. ribesi is mapped, both in its native Palaearctic region and in Canada and the USA, together with the range of its potential host plants in North America. A. ribesi was recovered as a sister-species of A. cuprescens on the neighbor joining DNA barcoding tree and low genetic variability of North American populations may indicate a single introduction to North America for each of these species.

Protection by beverages, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flavonoids against genotoxicity of 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) in metabolically competent V79 cells.

PubMed

Edenharder, R; Sager, J W; Glatt, H; Muckel, E; Platt, K L

2002-11-26

Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts, genetically engineered for the expression of rat cytochrome P450 dependent monooxygenase 1A2 and rat sulfotransferase 1C1 (V79-rCYP1A2-rSULT1C1 cells), were utilized to check for possible protective effects of beverages of plant origin, fruits, vegetables, and spices against genotoxicity induced by 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) or 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Antigenotoxic activities of juices from spinach and red beets against AAF could be monitored with similar effectivity by the HPRT-mutagenicity test (IC(50)=0.64%; 2.57%) and alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay; IC(50)=0.12%; 0.89%) which detects DNA strand breaks and abasic sites. Applying the comet assay, genotoxicity of PhIP could, however, be demonstrated only in the presence of hydroxyurea and 1-[beta-D-arabinofuranosyl]cytosine, known inhibitors of DNA repair synthesis. As expected, AAF and PhIP were unable to induce any genotoxic effects in the parent V79 cells. Genotoxic activity of PhIP was strongly reduced in a dose-related manner by green tea and red wine, by blueberries, blackberries, red grapes, kiwi, watermelon, parsley, and spinach, while two brands of beer, coffee, black tea, rooibos tea, morellos, black-currants, plums, red beets, broccoli (raw and cooked), and chives were somewhat less active. One brand of beer was only moderately active while white wine, bananas, white grapes, and strawberries were inactive. Similarly, genotoxicity of AAF was strongly reduced by green, black, and rooibos tea, red wine, morellos, black-currants, kiwi, watermelon, and spinach while plums, red beets, and broccoli (raw) were less potent. Broccoli cooked exerted only moderate and white wine weak antigenotoxic activity. With respect to the possible mechanism(s) of inhibition of genotoxicity, benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol (BaP-7,8-OH) and N-OH-PhIP were applied as substrates for the CYP1A family and for rSULT 1C1, respectively. Morellos

Bioactivities of anastasia black (Russian sweet pepper).

PubMed

Shirataki, Yoshiaki; Kawase, Masami; Sakagami, Hiroshi; Nakashima, Hideki; Tani, Satoru; Tanaka, Toru; Sohara, Yoshitaka; Schelz, Zsuzsanna; Molnar, Joseph; Motohashi, Noboru

2005-01-01

Anastasia Black (Russian sweet pepper) of Capsicum annuum L. var. angulosum Mill. (Solanaceae) was successively extracted with hexane, acetone, methanol and 70% methanol, and the extracts were further separated into a total of twenty-three fractions by silica gel or octadecylsilane (ODS; C18) column chromatography. These extracts and fractions were investigated for their cytotoxicity, anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), urease inhibition and multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal activity. Some fractions of hexane and acetone extracts showed higher cytotoxic activity against three human oral tumor cell lines (squamous cell carcinoma HSC-2, HSC-3, submandibular gland carcinoma HSG) than against three normal human oral cells (gingival fibroblast HGF, pulp cell HPC, periodontal ligament fibroblast HPLF), suggesting a tumor-specific cytotoxic activity. No fractions displayed anti-HIV activity, but some hydrophobic fractions showed higher anti-H. pylori activity, urease inhibition activity and MDR reversal activity. The higher MDR activity of these fractions against MDR gene-transfected L5178 mouse lymphoma T cells may possibly be due to their higher content of carotene or polyphenol. These data suggest that Anastasia Black should be further investigated as a potent supplement for cancer chemotherapy.

surrkick: Black-hole kicks from numerical-relativity surrogate models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerosa, Davide; Hébert, François; Stein, Leo C.

2018-04-01

surrkick quickly and reliably extract recoils imparted to generic, precessing, black hole binaries. It uses a numerical-relativity surrogate model to obtain the gravitational waveform given a set of binary parameters, and from this waveform directly integrates the gravitational-wave linear momentum flux. This entirely bypasses the need of fitting formulae which are typically used to model black-hole recoils in astrophysical contexts.

Effect of butanolic fraction of yellow and black maca (Lepidium meyenii) on the sperm count of adult mice.

PubMed

Inoue, N; Farfan, C; Gonzales, G F

2016-10-01

Lepidium meyenii, known as maca, is a popular nutraceutical food which is grown over 4,000 m above sea level in the Peruvian central highlands. Maca contains alkaloids, but there are no studies on their biological effects. The butanol fraction obtained from methanol extract of maca hypocotyls contains alkaloids. The effects of butanol/aqueous fractions partitioned from methanol extract of yellow and black maca were examined. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity by 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl were used to evaluate maca fractions in vitro. Daily sperm production and sperm count in epididymis and vas deferens in mice were determined as biological effect of maca extracts in vivo. Yellow maca (21.7%±0.69) had better antioxidant capacity than black maca (18.2% ± 0.12; p < .01). Antioxidant activity was better in the methanolic fraction than in the aqueous fraction of yellow or black maca. TPC is higher in the aqueous fraction than in the methanolic extract of yellow or black maca. Black maca administration resulted in higher concentration of sperm count in epididymis and vas deferens compared to yellow maca. A higher biological effect was observed in methanolic extract and in aqueous extract than in the butanol fraction of maca. In conclusion, better biological effect was observed in the methanolic extract of maca than in its partitioned fractions. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) in tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients with climacteric complaints - a prospective observational study.

PubMed

Rostock, Matthias; Fischer, Julia; Mumm, Andreas; Stammwitz, Ute; Saller, Reinhard; Bartsch, Hans Helge

2011-10-01

The antihormonal therapy of breast cancer patients with the antiestrogen tamoxifen often induces or aggravates menopausal complaints. As estrogen substitution is contraindicated, herbal alternatives, e.g. extracts of black cohosh are often used. A prospective observational study was carried out in 50 breast cancer patients with tamoxifen treatment. All patients had had surgery, most of them had undergone radiation therapy (87%) and approximately 50% had received chemotherapy. Every patient was treated with an isopropanolic extract of black cohosh (1-4 tablets, 2.5 mg) for 6 months. Patients recorded their complaints before therapy and after 1, 3, and 6 months of therapy using the menopause rating scale (MRS II). The reduction of the total MRS II score under black cohosh treatment from 17.6 to 13.6 was statistically significant. Hot flashes, sweating, sleep problems, and anxiety improved, whereas urogenital and musculoskeletal complaints did not change. In all, 22 patients reported adverse events, none of which were linked with the study medication; 90% reported the tolerability of the black cohosh extract as very good or good. Black cohosh extract seems to be a reasonable treatment approach in tamoxifen treated breast cancer patients with predominantly psychovegetative symptoms.

Fortification of dark chocolate with spray dried black mulberry (Morus nigra) waste extract encapsulated in chitosan-coated liposomes and bioaccessability studies.

PubMed

Gültekin-Özgüven, Mine; Karadağ, Ayşe; Duman, Şeyma; Özkal, Burak; Özçelik, Beraat

2016-06-15

Fine-disperse anionic liposomes containing black mulberry (Morus nigra) extract (BME) were prepared by high pressure homogenization at 25,000 psi. Primary liposomes were coated with cationic chitosan (0.4, w/v%) using the layer-by-layer depositing method and mixed with maltodextrin (MD) (20, w/v%) prior to spray drying. After that, spray dried liposomal powders containing BME were added to chocolates with alkalization degrees (pH 4.5, 6, 7.5) at conching temperatures of 40 °C, 60 °C, and 80 °C. The results showed that, compared to spray dried extract, chitosan coated liposomal powders provided better protection of anthocyanin content in both increased temperature and pH. In addition, encapsulation in liposomes enhanced in vitro bioaccessability of anthocyanins. Chocolate was fortified with encapsulated anthocyanins maximum 76.8% depending on conching temperature and pH. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effective Subcritical Butane Extraction of Bifenthrin Residue in Black Tea.

PubMed

Zhang, Yating; Gu, Lingbiao; Wang, Fei; Kong, Lingjun; Qin, Guangyong

2017-03-30

As a natural and healthy beverage, tea is widely enjoyed; however, the pesticide residues in tea leaves affect the quality and food safety. To develop a highly selective and efficient method for the facile removal of pesticide residues, the subcritical butane extraction (SBE) technique was employed, and three variables involving temperature, time and extraction cycles were studied. The optimum SBE conditions were found to be as follows: extraction temperature 45 °C, extraction time 30 min, number of extraction cycles 1, and in such a condition that the extraction efficiency reached as high as 92%. Further, the catechins, theanine, caffeine and aroma components, which determine the quality of the tea, fluctuated after SBE treatment. Compared with the uncrushed leaves, pesticide residues can more easily be removed from crushed leaves, and the practical extraction efficiency was 97%. These results indicate that SBE is a useful method to efficiently remove the bifenthrin, and as appearance is not relevant in the production process, tea leaves should first be crushed and then extracted in order that residual pesticides are thoroughly removed.

The Effects of Different Extraction Methods on Antioxidant Properties, Chemical Composition, and Thermal Behavior of Black Seed (Nigella sativa L.) Oil.

PubMed

Mohammed, Nameer Khairullah; Abd Manap, Mohd Yazid; Tan, Chin Ping; Muhialdin, Belal J; Alhelli, Amaal M; Meor Hussin, Anis Shobirin

2016-01-01

The Nigella sativa L. popularly referred to as black seeds are widely used as a form of traditional nutrition and medicine. N. sativa seeds were used for the extraction of their oil by way of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and cold press (CP) to determine the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and thermal behavior. The GC-MS results showed the primary constituents in the Nigella sativa oil (NSO) were Caryophyllene (17.47%) followed by thymoquinone (TQ) (11.80%), 1,4-Cyclohexadiene (7.17%), longifolene (3.5%), and carvacrol (1.82%). The concentration of TQ was found to be 6.63 mg/mL for oil extracted using SFE and 1.56 mg/mL for oil extracted by CP method. The antioxidant activity measured by DPPH and the IC50 was 1.58 mg/mL and 2.30 mg/mL for SFE oil and cold pressed oil, respectively. The ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) activity for SFE oil and CP oil was 538.67 mmol/100 mL and 329.00 mmol/100 mL, respectively. The total phenolic content (TPC) of SFE oil was 160.51 mg/100 mL and 94.40 mg/100 mL for CP oil presented as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). This research showed that a high level of natural antioxidants could be derived from NSO extracted by SFE.

The Effects of Different Extraction Methods on Antioxidant Properties, Chemical Composition, and Thermal Behavior of Black Seed (Nigella sativa L.) Oil

PubMed Central

Mohammed, Nameer Khairullah; Abd Manap, Mohd Yazid; Muhialdin, Belal J.; Alhelli, Amaal M.

2016-01-01

The Nigella sativa L. popularly referred to as black seeds are widely used as a form of traditional nutrition and medicine. N. sativa seeds were used for the extraction of their oil by way of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and cold press (CP) to determine the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and thermal behavior. The GC-MS results showed the primary constituents in the Nigella sativa oil (NSO) were Caryophyllene (17.47%) followed by thymoquinone (TQ) (11.80%), 1,4-Cyclohexadiene (7.17%), longifolene (3.5%), and carvacrol (1.82%). The concentration of TQ was found to be 6.63 mg/mL for oil extracted using SFE and 1.56 mg/mL for oil extracted by CP method. The antioxidant activity measured by DPPH and the IC50 was 1.58 mg/mL and 2.30 mg/mL for SFE oil and cold pressed oil, respectively. The ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) activity for SFE oil and CP oil was 538.67 mmol/100 mL and 329.00 mmol/100 mL, respectively. The total phenolic content (TPC) of SFE oil was 160.51 mg/100 mL and 94.40 mg/100 mL for CP oil presented as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). This research showed that a high level of natural antioxidants could be derived from NSO extracted by SFE. PMID:27642353

Incorporation of bacterial extracellular polysaccharide by black fly larvae (Simuliidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Couch, C.A.; Meyer, J.L.; Hall, R.O.

1996-01-01

Black fly larvae (Simulium) assimilated, with high efficiency (80-90%), bacterial extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) extracted from laboratory cultures of a pseudomonad isolated from the Ogeechee River. Incorporation was traced using 13C-labelled EPS offered to larvae as a coating on a mixture of 1-??m latex beads and kaolin particles. These EPS-coated particles were used to simulate natural particles, both living and dead. Solubility, protein, and nitrogen content of the EPS suggested it was a slime rather than a capsular polysaccharide. Glycosyl composition of the EPS was glucose and galactose in ?? and ?? linkages, with pyruvate, succinate, and possibly malonate constituent groups. To evaluate the incorporation of C derived from protein associated with the EPS matrix, feeding experiments were conducted using EPS with and without proteins extracted. Black fly larvae incorporated 7.2 ??g EPS C larva-1 d-1 from EPS that did not have proteins extracted, and 19.5 ??g EPS C larva-1 d-1 from EPS with proteins extracted. Carbon in protein that is typically associated with EPS was not solely or selectively incorporated. EPS incorporation rates are similar to rates of cellular bacterial carbon incorporation previously estimated for Ogeechee River black fly larvae. If EPS is generally available as a food resource, the importance of bacteria in detrital food webs may be underestimated by studies that examine only the consumption of bacterial cells.

In vitro anti-cancer activities of Job’s tears (Coix lachryma-jobi Linn.) extracts on human colon adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Manosroi, Aranya; Sainakham, Mathukorn; Chankhampan, Charinya; Manosroi, Worapaka; Manosroi, Jiradej

2015-01-01

The whole seed (W), endosperm (E) and hull (H) of five cultivars of Job’s tears (Coix lachryma-jobi Linn. var. ma-yuen Stapf) including Thai Black Phayao, Thai Black Loei, Laos Black Loei, Laos White Loei and Laos Black Luang Phra Bang were processed before solvent extraction by non-cooking, roasting, boiling and steaming Each part of the Job’s tears was extracted by the cold and hot process by refluxing with methanol and hexane. The total of 330 extracts included 150 methanol extracts and 180 hexane extracts were investigated for anti-proliferative activity on human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29) by the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The extracts which gave high anti-proliferative activity were tested for apoptotic activity by acridine orange and ethidium bromide double staining and anti-oxidative activities including free radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition activities. The extract from the hull of Thai Black Loei roasted before extracting by hot methanol (M-HTBL-R2) showed the highest anti-proliferative activity on HT-29 with the IC50 values of 11.61 ± 0.95 μg/ml, while the extract from the non-cooked hull of Thai Black Loei by cold methanol extraction (M-HTBL-N1) gave the highest apoptosis (8.17 ± 1.18%) with no necrosis. In addition, M-HTBL-R2 and M-HTBL-N1 indicated free radical scavenging activity at the SC50 values of 0.48 ± 0.12 and 2.47 ± 1.15 mg/ml, respectively. This study has demonstrated the anti-colorectal cancer potential of the M-HTBL-R2 and M-HTBL-N1 extracts. PMID:26981007

In vitro investigation of the potential immunomodulatory and anti-cancer activities of black pepper (Piper nigrum) and cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum).

PubMed

Majdalawieh, Amin F; Carr, Ronald I

2010-04-01

Although the immunomodulatory effects of many herbs have been extensively studied, research related to possible immunomodulatory effects of various spices is relatively scarce. Here, the potential immunomodulatory effects of black pepper and cardamom are investigated. Our data show that black pepper and cardamom aqueous extracts significantly enhance splenocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent, synergistic fashion. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay experiments reveal that black pepper and cardamom significantly enhance and suppress, respectively, T helper (Th)1 cytokine release by splenocytes. Conversely, Th2 cytokine release by splenocytes is significantly suppressed and enhanced by black pepper and cardamom, respectively. Experimental evidence suggests that black pepper and cardamom extracts exert pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory roles, respectively. Consistently, nitric oxide production by macrophages is significantly augmented and reduced by black pepper and cardamom, respectively. Remarkably, it is evident that black pepper and cardamom extracts significantly enhance the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells, indicating their potential anti-cancer effects. Our findings strongly suggest that black pepper and cardamom exert immunomodulatory roles and antitumor activities, and hence they manifest themselves as natural agents that can promote the maintenance of a healthy immune system. We anticipate that black pepper and cardamom constituents can be used as potential therapeutic tools to regulate inflammatory responses and prevent/attenuate carcinogenesis.

Isolation and identification of phenolic antioxidants in black rice bran.

PubMed

Jun, Hyun-Il; Shin, Jae-Wook; Song, Geun-Seoup; Kim, Young-Soo

2015-02-01

Black rice bran contains phenolic compounds of a high antioxidant activity. In this study, the 40% acetone extract of black rice bran was sequentially fractionated to obtain 5 fractions. Out of the 5 fractions, ethyl acetate fraction was subfractionated using the Sephadex LH-20 chromatography. The antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds in the extracts was investigated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical assay, 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylenebenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation assay, reducing power. The subfraction 2 from ethyl acetate fraction had the highest total phenolic contents (TPC) (816.0 μg/mg) and the lowest EC50 values (47.8 μg/mL for DPPH radical assay, 112.8 μg/mL for ABTS radical cation assay, and 49.2 μg/mL for reducing power). These results were 3.1, 1.3, and 2.6 times lower than those of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), respectively. At a concentration of 100 μg/mL, the antioxidant activity and TPC of various extracts was closely correlated, with correlation coefficients (R(2) ) higher than 0.86. The major phenolic acid in subfraction 2 was identified as ferulic acid (178.3 μg/mg) by HPLC and LC-ESI/MS/MS analyses. Our finding identified ferulic acid as a major phenolic compound in black rice bran, and supports the potential use of black rice bran as a natural source of antioxidant. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Ethanol extracts of black pepper or turmeric down-regulated SIRT1 protein expression in Daudi culture cells.

PubMed

Nishimura, Yuri; Kitagishi, Yasuko; Yoshida, Hitomi; Okumura, Naoko; Matsuda, Satoru

2011-01-01

SIRT1 is a mammalian candidate molecule involved in longevity and diverse metabolic processes. The present study aimed to determine the effects of certain herbs and spices on SIRT1 expression. Human cell lines Daudi, Jurkat, U937 and K562 were cultured in RPMI-1640. Herb and spice powders were prepared and the supernatants were collected. RT-PCR was used to quantify the expression level of the gene. Protein samples were then analyzed by Western blotting. Western blotting revealed the down-regulation of SIRT1 protein expression in Daudi cells treated with extracts of black pepper or turmeric. On the other hand, the effect on the SIRT1 gene expression examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was unaltered. In conclusion, component(s) of certain herbs and spices may induce the down-regulation of SIRT1 protein.

On the Preservation of Unitarity during Black Hole Evolution and Information Extraction from its Interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pappas, Nikolaos D.

2012-06-01

For more than 30 years the discovery that black holes radiate like black bodies of specific temperature has triggered a multitude of puzzling questions concerning their nature and the fate of information that goes down the black hole during its lifetime. The most tricky issue in what is known as information loss paradox is the apparent violation of unitarity during the formation/evaporation process of black holes. A new idea is proposed based on the combination of our knowledge on Hawking radiation as well as the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen phenomenon, that could resolve the paradox and spare physicists from the unpalatable idea that unitarity can ultimately be irreversibly violated even under special conditions.

Polyphenolic profile and biological activities of black carrot crude extract (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus var. atrorubens Alef.).

PubMed

Smeriglio, A; Denaro, M; Barreca, D; D'Angelo, V; Germanò, M P; Trombetta, D

2018-01-01

Black carrot (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus var. atrorubens Alef.) is a valuable source of carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins and contains also high amounts of anthocyanins giving the characteristic deep-purple color. These latter compounds are known as natural dyes used in the food and pharmaceutical industry that have recently attracted much attention for their healthful properties. The aim of this work was to investigate for the first time the polyphenolic profile and biological properties of a black carrot crude extract (BCCE) through an in-depth analysis of the main polyphenolic classes evaluating its antioxidant, cytoprotective and anti-angiogenic properties. Twenty five polyphenols were quantified by LC-DAD-FLD-MS/MS analysis (anthocyanins 78.06%, phenolic acids 17.89% and other flavonoids 4.06%) with polyglycosylated cyanidins as major components. In addition, BCCE showed a strong antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity particularly in the hydrogen transfer-based assays (ORAC and β-carotene bleaching) and a significant increase in the cell viability. Furthermore, BCCE exhibited a strong anti-angiogenic activity at the highest concentration assayed on the chick chorioallantoic membrane (50μg/egg). In conclusion, the obtained results demonstrated the antioxidant, cytoprotective and anti-angiogenic properties of BCCE, which highlight that the higher biological activity of BCCE is probably due to the synergic effects exerted by various polyphenolic classes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermal cooking changes the profile of phenolic compounds, but does not attenuate the anti-inflammatory activities of black rice.

PubMed

Bhawamai, Sassy; Lin, Shyh-Hsiang; Hou, Yuan-Yu; Chen, Yue-Hwa

2016-01-01

Evidence on biological activities of cooked black rice is limited. This study examined the effects of washing and cooking on the bioactive ingredients and biological activities of black rice. Cooked rice was prepared by washing 0-3 times followed by cooking in a rice cooker. The acidic methanol extracts of raw and cooked rice were used for the analyses. Raw black rice, both washed and unwashed, had higher contents of polyphenols, anthocyanins, and cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), but lower protocatechuic acid (PA), than did cooked samples. Similarly, raw rice extracts were higher in ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activities than extracts of cooked samples. Nonetheless, extracts of raw and cooked rice showed similar inhibitory potencies on nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 productions in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages, whereas equivalent amounts of C3G and PA did not possess such inhibitory effects. Thermal cooking decreased total anthocyanin and C3G contents and the FRAP antioxidative capacity, but did not affect anti-inflammatory activities of black rice. Neither C3G nor PA contributed to the anti-inflammatory activity of black rice.

The Potency of White Rice (Oryza sativa), Black Rice (Oryza sativa L. indica), and Red Rice (Oryza nivara) as Antioxidant and Tyrosinase Inhibitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batubara, I.; Maharni, M.; Sadiah, S.

2017-04-01

Rice is known to have many beneficial biological activities and is often used as “bedak dingin”, a face powder. The content of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and several types of antioxidants, such as ferulic acid, phytic acid, tocopherol, and oryzanols [1-2] are predicted to be potential as a tyrosinase inhibitor. The purpose of this study is to determine the potency of extracts from there types of rice, namely white, red, and black rice as an antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitor. The rice was extracted with three different solvents, n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. The results showed that the highest antioxidant activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl method was found in the methanol extract of black rice (IC50 290 μg/mL). Meanwhile, ethyl acetate extract of white rice has the highest antioxidant activity withphosphomolybdic acid method (41 mmol α-tocopherol equivalents/g sample). Thus, methanol extract of black rice and ethyl acetate extract of white rice are potential as an antioxidant. For tyrosinase inhibitor, n-hexane extract of red rice (IC50 3156 μg/mL) was the most active extract. The active component for radical scavenging is polar compound and for antioxidant by phosphomolybdate method is less polar compounds in black rice methanol extract based on TLC bioautogram. In conclusion, the black rice is the most potent in antioxidant while red rice is for tyrosinase inhibition.

Anti-inflammatory activity of green versus black tea aqueous extract in a rat model of human rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Ramadan, Gamal; El-Beih, Nadia M; Talaat, Roba M; Abd El-Ghffar, Eman A

2017-02-01

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in tea (Camellia sinensis) as a protective agent against inflammatory diseases. Here, we evaluated/compared the anti-inflammatory activity of two different doses (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg body weight) of green tea aqueous extract (GTE, rich in catechins) and black tea aqueous extract (BTE, rich in theaflavins and thearubigins) in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). Adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model received orally/daily distilled water as vehicle, indomethacin (1.0 mg/kg body weight; a non-steroidal/anti-inflammatory drug), or tea aqueous extracts (for 28 or 14 consecutive days starting from day 0 or 14 of arthritis induction, respectively). The present study showed that only the high dose of GTE (from day 0) significantly alleviated (P < 0.05-0.001) all complications shown in arthritic rats, including synovial joint inflammation, elevation in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood leukocytosis (due to lymphocytosis and neutrocytosis), and changes in weight/cellularity of lymphoid organs. The anti-arthritic activity of the high dose of GTE (from day 0) was comparable (P > 0.05) with that of indomethacin (12.9-53.8 vs. 9.5-48.4%, respectively) and mediated by significantly decreasing and down-regulating (P < 0.001) the systemic production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of chemokine receptor-5 in synovial tissues, respectively. Moreover, the anti-arthritic activity of tea aqueous extracts was in the following order: high dose of GTE > low dose of GTE ≥ high dose of BTE > low dose of BTE. The present study proved the anti-inflammatory activity of GTE over BTE and equal to that of indomethacin in AIA rat model. © 2015 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Decoding Mode-mixing in Black-hole Merger Ringdown

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Bernard J.; Baker, John G.

2013-01-01

Optimal extraction of information from gravitational-wave observations of binary black-hole coalescences requires detailed knowledge of the waveforms. Current approaches for representing waveform information are based on spin-weighted spherical harmonic decomposition. Higher-order harmonic modes carrying a few percent of the total power output near merger can supply information critical to determining intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the binary. One obstacle to constructing a full multi-mode template of merger waveforms is the apparently complicated behavior of some of these modes; instead of settling down to a simple quasinormal frequency with decaying amplitude, some |m| = modes show periodic bumps characteristic of mode-mixing. We analyze the strongest of these modes the anomalous (3, 2) harmonic mode measured in a set of binary black-hole merger waveform simulations, and show that to leading order, they are due to a mismatch between the spherical harmonic basis used for extraction in 3D numerical relativity simulations, and the spheroidal harmonics adapted to the perturbation theory of Kerr black holes. Other causes of mode-mixing arising from gauge ambiguities and physical properties of the quasinormal ringdown modes are also considered and found to be small for the waveforms studied here.

Relationship between oxidative stress and bone mass in obesity and effects of berry supplementation on bone remodeling in obese male mice: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Gil; Kim, Bohkyung; Soung, Do Yu; Vance, Terrence; Lee, Jong Suk; Lee, Ji-Young; Koo, Sung I; Kim, Dae-Ok; Drissi, Hicham; Chun, Ock K

2015-04-01

Berry consumption can prevent bone loss. However, the effects of different berries with distinct anthocyanin composition have not been thoroughly examined. The present study compared the effects of blueberry, blackberry, and black currant on bone health using a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. To investigate the effect of different berry supplements against a high-fat (HF) diet in vivo, 40 HF diet-induced obese (DIO) C57BL mice were assigned into four groups and fed a HF diet (35% w/w) with or without berry supplementation for 12 weeks (n=10). We measured adipose tissue mass (epididymal and retroperitoneal), plasma antioxidant, bone-related biomarkers, femur bone mineral density (BMD), and bone mineral content (proximal and distal). Adipose masses were negatively correlated with proximal BMD, but positively associated with plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentrations (P<.001). Berry supplementation did not change the plasma ferric reducing antioxidant power, SOD, and insulin-like growth factor-1. However, the black currant group exhibited greater plasma alkaline phosphatase compared with the control group (P<.05). BMD in the distal epiphysis was significantly different between the blueberry and blackberry group (P<.05). However, berry supplementation did not affect bone mass compared with control. The present study demonstrates a negative relationship between fat mass and bone mass. In addition, our findings suggest that the anthocyanin composition of berries will affect bone turnover, warranting further research to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Three-step HPLC-ESI-MS/MS procedure for screening and identifying non-target flavonoid derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rak, Gábor; Fodor, Péter; Abrankó, László

2010-02-01

A three-step HPLC-ESI-MS/MS procedure is designed for screening and identification of non-target flavonoid derivatives of selected flavonoid aglycones. In this method the five commonly appearing aglycones (apigenin, luteolin, myricetin, naringenin and quercetin) were selected. The method consists of three individual mass spectrometric experiments of which the first two were implemented within a single chromatographic acquisition. The third step was carried out during a replicate chromatographic run using the same RP-HPLC conditions. The first step, a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan of the aglycones was performed to define the number of derivatives relating to the selected aglycones. For this purpose the characteristic aglycone parts of the unknowns were used as specific tags of the molecules, which were generated as in-source fragments. Secondly, a full scan MS experiment is performed to identify the masses of the potential derivatives of the selected aglycones. Finally, the third step had the capability to confirm the supposed derivatives. The developed method was applied to a commercially available black currant juice to demonstrate its capability to detect and identify various flavonoid glycosides without any preliminary information about their presence in the sample. As a result 13 compounds were detected and identified in total. Namely, 3 different myricetin glycosides and the myricetin aglycone 2 luteolin glycosides plus the aglycone and 3 quercetin glycosides plus the aglycone could be identified from the tested black currant sample. In the case of apigenin and naringenin only the aglycones could be detected.

Investigation of Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Reactor/ Aerobic Moving Bed Bio Reactor (AFBR/MMBR) System for Treatment of Currant Wastewater

PubMed Central

JAFARI, Jalil; MESDAGHINIA, Alireza; NABIZADEH, Ramin; FARROKHI, Mehrdad; MAHVI, Amir Hossein

2013-01-01

Background: Anaerobic treatment methods are more suitable for the treatment of concentrated wastewater streams, offer lower operating costs, the production of usable biogas product. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of an Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Reactor (AFBR)-Aerobic Moving Bed Bio Reactor (MBBR) in series arrangement to treat Currant wastewater. Methods: The bed materials of AFBR were cylindrical particles made of PVC with a diameter of 2–2.3 mm, particle density of 1250 kg/m3. The volume of all bed materials was 1.7 liter which expanded to 2.46 liters in fluidized situation. In MBBR, support media was composed of 1.5 liters Bee-Cell 2000 having porosity of 87% and specific surface area of 650m2/m3. Results: When system operated at 35 ºC, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were achieved to 98% and 81.6% for organic loading rates (OLR) of 9.4 and 24.2 g COD/l.d, and hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 48 and 18 h, in average COD concentration feeding of 18.4 g/l, respectively. Conclusion: The contribution of AFBR in total COD removal efficiency at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 9.4 g COD/l.d was 95%, and gradually decreased to 76.5% in OLR of 24.2 g COD/l.d. Also with increasing in organic loading rate the contribution of aerobic reactor in removing COD gradually decreased. In this system, the anaerobic reactor played the most important role in the removal of COD, and the aerobic MBBR was actually needed to polish the anaerobic treated wastewater. PMID:26056640

Noni leaf and black tea enhance bone regeneration in estrogen-deficient rats.

PubMed

Shalan, Nor Aijratul Asikin Mohd; Mustapha, Noordin M; Mohamed, Suhaila

2017-01-01

Black tea and Nonileaf are among the dietary compounds that can benefit patients with bone resorption disorders. Their bone regeneration effects and their mechanisms were studied in estrogen-deficient rats. Noni leaves (three doses) and black tea water extracts were fed to ovariectomized rats for 4 mo, and their effects (analyzed via mechanical measurements, micro-computed tomography scan, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction mRNA) were compared with Remifemin (a commercial phytoestrogen product from black cohosh). The water extracts (dose-dependently for noni leaves) increased bone regeneration biomarker (runt-related transcription factor 2, bone morphogenetic protein 2, osteoprotegerin, estrogen receptor 1 [ESR1], collagen type I alpha 1A) expressions and reduced the inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, nuclear factor [NF]-κB, and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand) mRNA expressions/levels in the rats. The extracts also improved bone physical and mechanical properties. The extracts demonstrated bone regeneration through improving bone size and structure, bone mechanical properties (strength and flexibility), and bone mineralization and density. The catechin-rich extract favored bone regeneration and suppressed bone resorption. The mechanisms involved enhancing osteoblast generation and survival, inhibiting osteoclast growth and activities, suppressing inflammation, improving bone collagen synthesis and upregulating ESR1 expression to augment phytoestrogenic effects. Estrogen deficiency bone loss and all extracts studied (best effect from Morinda leaf at 300 mg/kg body weight) mitigated the loss, indicating benefits for the aged and menopausal women. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical and biological extraction of metals present in E waste: A hybrid technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pant, Deepak, E-mail: deepakpant1@rediffmail.com; Joshi, Deepika; Upreti, Manoj K.

2012-05-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hybrid methodology for E waste management. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Efficient extraction of metals. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Trace metal extraction is possible. - Abstract: Management of metal pollution associated with E-waste is widespread across the globe. Currently used techniques for the extraction of metals from E-waste by using either chemical or biological leaching have their own limitations. Chemical leaching is much rapid and efficient but has its own environmental consequences, even the future prospects of associated nanoremediation are also uncertain. Biological leaching on the other hand is comparatively a cost effective technique but at the same moment it is time consuming and themore » complete recovery of the metal, alone by biological leaching is not possible in most of the cases. The current review addresses the individual issues related to chemical and biological extraction techniques and proposes a hybrid-methodology which incorporates both, along with safer chemicals and compatible microbes for better and efficient extraction of metals from the E-waste.« less

Effect of sprout extract from Tuscan black cabbage on xenobiotic-metabolizing and antioxidant enzymes in rat liver.

PubMed

Melega, Simone; Canistro, Donatella; Pagnotta, Eleonora; Iori, Renato; Sapone, Andrea; Paolini, Moreno

2013-02-18

In recent years, health protection by natural products has received considerable attention, and a multitude of nutraceuticals have been characterized and their use promoted. Dietary consumption of Cruciferous vegetables, rich in glucosinolates (GLs), and their myrosinase-mediated hydrolysis products isothiocyanates (ITCs), were associated with reductions in cancer risk. In this study, the chemo-preventive potential of sprout extract of Tuscan black cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala subvar. Laciniata L.) (TBCSE), through modulation of the xenobiotic-metabolizing apparatus and antioxidant defenses, was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rat liver. TBCSE was administered either orally or intraperitoneally, at a dose of 15mg/kg b.w., daily for twenty-one consecutive days, in the absence or presence of exogenous myrosinase, β-thioglucoside glucohydrolase (MYR), to distinguish the effects of intact GLs and ITCs, in the context of the extract. A complex, mild modulation pattern of P450-related monooxygenases was observed, mainly regarding CYP content (up to 36% loss), NADPH cytochrome (P450) c-reductase (up to 26% loss), CYP1A1 (up to 23% loss), but no evident distinctions among the effects of the extracts containing GLs or ITCs, were noted. In contrast, significant inductions of phase-II enzymes (up to 107% for UDP-glucuronosyl-transferase, and up to 36% for glutathione S-transferase) were recorded only where the GLs to ITCs conversion had occurred. A boosting effect on catalase (up to 38%), NAD(P)H:quinone reductase (up to 70%), glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase (up to 10%) was also recorded, suggesting an indirect antioxidant capacity of the extracts. Overall, the general phase-I inhibition, together with the up-regulation of detoxifying phase-II and antioxidant enzymes, exerted by the TBCSE supplementation, seem to be in line with the classical chemopreventive theory, but whether the addition of exogenous MYR is relevant, still remains to be

Extracting Information about the Initial State from the Black Hole Radiation.

PubMed

Lochan, Kinjalk; Padmanabhan, T

2016-02-05

The crux of the black hole information paradox is related to the fact that the complete information about the initial state of a quantum field in a collapsing spacetime is not available to future asymptotic observers, belying the expectations from a unitary quantum theory. We study the imprints of the initial quantum state contained in a specific class of distortions of the black hole radiation and identify the classes of in states that can be partially or fully reconstructed from the information contained within. Even for the general in state, we can uncover some specific information. These results suggest that a classical collapse scenario ignores this richness of information in the resulting spectrum and a consistent quantum treatment of the entire collapse process might allow us to retrieve much more information from the spectrum of the final radiation.

Can the graviton have a large mass near black holes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jun; Zhou, Shuang-Yong

2018-04-01

The mass of the graviton, if nonzero, is usually considered to be very small, e.g., of the Hubble scale, from several observational constraints. In this paper, we propose a gravity model where the graviton mass is very small in the usual weak gravity environments, below all the current graviton mass bounds, but becomes much larger in the strong gravity regime such as a black hole's vicinity. For black holes in this model, significant deviations from general relativity emerge very close to the black hole horizon and alter the black hole quasinormal modes, which can be extracted from the ringdown wave form of black hole binary mergers. Also, the enhancement of the graviton mass near the horizon can result in echoes in the late-time ringdown, which can be verified in the upcoming gravitational wave observations of higher sensitivity.

The mass formula for an exotic BTZ black hole

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Baocheng, E-mail: zhangbc.zhang@yahoo.com

2016-04-15

An exotic Bañados–Teitelboim–Zanelli (BTZ) black hole has an angular momentum larger than its mass in three dimension (3D), which suggests the possibility that cosmic censorship could be violated if angular momentum is extracted by the Penrose process. In this paper, we propose a mass formula for the exotic BTZ black hole and show no violation of weak cosmic censorship in the gedanken process above by understanding properly its mass formula. Unlike the other black holes, the total energy of the exotic BTZ black hole is represented by the angular momentum instead of the mass, which supports a basic point ofmore » view that the same geometry should be determined by the same energy in 3D general relativity whose equation of motion can be given either by normal 3D Einstein gravity or by exotic 3D Einstein gravity. However, only the mass of the exotic black hole is related to the thermodynamics and other forms of energy are “dumb”, which is consistent with the earlier thermodynamic analysis about exotic black holes.« less

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa) behaves as a mixed competitive ligand and partial agonist at the human mu opiate receptor

PubMed Central

Rhyu, Mee-Ra; Lu, Jian; Webster, Donna E.; Fabricant, Daniel S.; Farnsworth, Norman R.; Wang, Z. Jim

2008-01-01

Black cohosh is a commonly used botanical dietary supplement for the treatment of climacteric complaints. Since the opiate system in the brain is intimately associated with mood, temperature and sex hormonal levels, we investigated the activity of black cohosh extracts at the human μ opiate receptor (hMOR) expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The 100% methanol-, 75% ethanol- and 40% 2-propanol- extracts of black cohosh effectively displaced the specific binding of [3H]DAMGO to hMOR. Further studies of the clinically used ethanol extract indicated that black cohosh acted as a mixed competitive ligand, displacing 77 ± 4% [3H]DAMGO to hMOR (Ki = 62.9 μg/ml). Using the [35S]GTPγS assay, the action of black cohosh was found to be consistent with an agonist, with an EC50 of 68.8 ± 7.7 μg/ml. These results demonstrate for the first time that black cohosh contains active principle(s) that activate hMOR, supporting its beneficial role in alleviating menopausal symptoms. PMID:17177511

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa) behaves as a mixed competitive ligand and partial agonist at the human mu opiate receptor.

PubMed

Rhyu, Mee-Ra; Lu, Jian; Webster, Donna E; Fabricant, Daniel S; Farnsworth, Norman R; Wang, Z Jim

2006-12-27

Black cohosh is a commonly used botanical dietary supplement for the treatment of climacteric complaints. Because the opiate system in the brain is intimately associated with mood, temperature, and sex hormonal levels, the activity of black cohosh extracts at the human mu opiate receptor (hMOR) expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells was investigated. The 100% methanol, 75% ethanol, and 40% 2-propanol extracts of black cohosh effectively displaced the specific binding of [3H]DAMGO to hMOR. Further studies of the clinically used ethanol extract indicated that black cohosh acted as a mixed competitive ligand, displacing 77 +/- 4% [3H]DAMGO to hMOR (Ki = 62.9 microg/mL). Using the [35S]GTPgammaS assay, the action of black cohosh was found to be consistent with an agonist, with an EC50 of 68.8 +/- 7.7 microg/mL. These results demonstrate for the first time that black cohosh contains active principle(s) that activate hMOR, supporting its beneficial role in alleviating menopausal symptoms.

Is anterior chamber lens implantation after intracapsular cataract extraction safe in rural black patients in Africa? A pilot study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Cook, C D; Evans, J R; Johnson, G J

1998-01-01

There are an estimated 16 million people blind from cataract world-wide. In many areas the routine operation is intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE). The role of modern anterior chamber (AC) intraocular lenses (IOLs) is being explored, and they have been shown to be safe and successful in Asia. Are they equally safe in rural black African populations? One hundred black patients aged 50 years and over who attended Edendale Hospital were enrolled in a pilot study of insertion of AC IOLs after ICCE. They were followed up for 6 months. With financial remuneration, the follow-up rate at 8 weeks increased from the usual 30% to 72%. At 6 months, 67% of eyes achieved a correlated visual acuity of 6/18 or better. Thirty per cent had persistent uveitis, 16% had peripheral anterior synechiae beyond the points of haptic contact, and 5% had an intraocular pressure greater than 21 mmHg. A randomised trial comparing ICCE with AC IOL and extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber IOL is probably not justified at this time in this population. However, there may be wide variations in the reaction of the eyes of different African ethnic groups to IOLs. In view of the successful use of AC IOLs in Asian eyes, further pilot studies of AC IOLs may be warranted in other parts of Africa where ICCE is the routine procedure.

Development of supercritical CO2 extraction of bioactive phytochemicals from black poplar (Populus nigra L.) buds followed by GC-MS and UHPLC-DAD-QqTOF-MS.

PubMed

Kuś, Piotr M; Okińczyc, Piotr; Jakovljević, Martina; Jokić, Stela; Jerković, Igor

2018-05-25

The supercritical CO 2 (SC-CO 2 ) extraction process of black poplar (Populus nigra L.) buds was optimized (pressure, temperature) based on the yields of major phytochemicals (volatiles and non-volatiles). The optimal settings were 30 MPa/60 °C. Major volatiles determined by GC-MS in the optimized SC-CO 2 extract (mg of benzyl salicylate equivalent (BSE) per 100 g of buds) were: pinostrobin chalcone (1574.2), β-eudesmol (640.8), α-eudesmol (581.9), 2-methyl-2-butenyl-p-coumarate (289.9), pentyl-p-coumarate (457.0), γ-eudesmol (294.4), and benzyl salicylate (289.2). Partial qualitative similarity was observed between SC-CO 2 extracts and corresponding hydrodistilled essential oil dominated by sesquiterpenes, but with lower yields. Major compounds (mg per 100 g of buds) identified by UHPLC-DAD-QqTOF-MS in the optimized SC-CO 2 extract were: pinostrobin (751.7), pinocembrin (485.6), 3-O-pinobanksin acetate and methyl-butenyl-p-coumarate (290.2; 144.9 of pinobanksin and p-coumaric acid equivalents, respectively). SC-CO 2 extraction was found useful for green, efficient and simultaneous extraction of both volatile/non-volatile, bioactive phytochemicals of poplar buds - precursors of poplar-type propolis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Consumer exposures to anthocyanins from colour additives, colouring foodstuffs and from natural occurrence in foods.

PubMed

Tennant, David R; Klingenberg, Andreas

2016-06-01

Anthocyanins are responsible for the red/blue colour of grapes, currants, and other fruits and vegetables. They may also be extracted for use as colour additives (E163) or concentrated for use as colouring foods. Consumer exposures have been assessed using data on natural occurrence, use levels and frequencies from food manufacturers and European food consumption data. Intakes from natural occurrence can be up to 4 mg kg bw(-1) day(-1) at the mean and up to 17 mg kg bw(-1) day(-1) for children who are high level consumers of red/black berries and small fruits. High-level intakes for children from food colour and colouring food applications lie in the range 0.3-6.3 mg kg bw(-1) day(-1) and for adults at 0.6-2.8 mg kg bw(-1) day(-1). Exposures from food colour use and colouring foods separately or combined are therefore lower than those from natural occurrence in foods.

Black English and Black Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shores, David L.

1974-01-01

Examines attitudes in the Black community towards the topic of Black English and specifically the controversy about the relationship of the speech of Blacks to that of Whites, the distinctive features in the speaking and writing of Black college students, and the attitudes of Black educators. Available from South Atlantic Modern Language…

Isolation of friedelin from black condensate of cork.

PubMed

Pires, Ricardo A; Aroso, Ivo; Silva, Susana P; Mano, João F; Reis, Rui L

2011-11-01

Black condensates (BC) are wastes of the insulation corkboard industry that contain several valuable chemicals, including friedelin, a terpene exhibiting biological activity. Herein, we report a straightforward procedure to extract friedelin from BC. Using this procedure, we were able to extract friedelin with yields between 0.4% and 2.9% and to further purify it obtaining purities from 77.0% to 99.3% (HPLC). The initial BC (2 batches), extracted raw product and purified friedelin were analyzed using FTIR. The extraction yields and purities were found to be directly related to the intensity of the carbonyl vibration at 1713 cm(-1) in the FTIR spectrum of the used BC batch. Therefore, these spectra can be used to screen and select BC batches suitable for friedelin extraction.

Extracting equation of state parameters from black hole-neutron star mergers: Aligned-spin black holes and a preliminary waveform model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lackey, Benjamin D.; Kyutoku, Koutarou; Shibata, Masaru; Brady, Patrick R.; Friedman, John L.

2014-02-01

Information about the neutron-star equation of state is encoded in the waveform of a black hole-neutron star system through tidal interactions and the possible tidal disruption of the neutron star. During the inspiral this information depends on the tidal deformability Λ of the neutron star, and we find that the best-measured parameter during the merger and ringdown is consistent with Λ as well. We performed 134 simulations where we systematically varied the equation of state as well as the mass ratio, neutron star mass, and aligned spin of the black hole. Using these simulations we develop an analytic representation of the full inspiral-merger-ringdown waveform calibrated to these numerical waveforms; we use this analytic waveform and a Fisher matrix analysis to estimate the accuracy to which Λ can be measured with gravitational-wave detectors. We find that although the inspiral tidal signal is small, coherently combining this signal with the merger-ringdown matter effect improves the measurability of Λ by a factor of ˜3 over using just the merger-ringdown matter effect alone. However, incorporating correlations between all the waveform parameters then decreases the measurability of Λ by a factor of ˜3. The uncertainty in Λ increases with the mass ratio, but decreases as the black hole spin increases. Overall, a single Advanced LIGO detector can only marginally measure Λ for mass ratios Q =2-5, black hole spins JBH/MBH2=-0.5-0.75, and neutron star masses MNS=1.2M⊙-1.45M⊙ at an optimally oriented distance of 100 Mpc. For the proposed Einstein Telescope, however, the uncertainty in Λ is an order of magnitude smaller.

Metabolism and prebiotics activity of anthocyanins from black rice (Oryza sativa L.) in vitro.

PubMed

Zhu, Yongsheng; Sun, Hanju; He, Shudong; Lou, Qiuyan; Yu, Min; Tang, Mingming; Tu, Lijun

2018-01-01

Anthocyanins are naturally active substances. In this study, anthocyanins from black rice were obtained by membrane filtration and column chromatography separation. Five anthocyanin monomers in black rice extract were identified by HPLC-MS/MS, and the major anthocyanin monomer (cyanidin-3-glucoside, C3G) was purified by preparative HPLC (Pre-HPLC). The proliferative effects of the anthocyanins on Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus were investigated by determining the media pH, bacterial populations and metabolic products. After anaerobic incubation at 37 °C for 48 h, not only the pH of the media containing C3G was lower than that of the extract of black rice anthocyanin (BRAE), but the numbers of both Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus were also significantly increased. Furthermore, hydroxyphenylpropionic, hydroxyphenylacetic, and hydroxybenzoic acids and other metabolites were detected by GC-MS in vitro. Our results revealed that the anthocyanins and anthocyanin monomers from black rice had prebiotic activity and they were metabolized into several small molecules by Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus.

Metabolism and prebiotics activity of anthocyanins from black rice (Oryza sativa L.) in vitro

PubMed Central

Zhu, Yongsheng; He, Shudong; Lou, Qiuyan; Yu, Min; Tang, Mingming; Tu, Lijun

2018-01-01

Anthocyanins are naturally active substances. In this study, anthocyanins from black rice were obtained by membrane filtration and column chromatography separation. Five anthocyanin monomers in black rice extract were identified by HPLC-MS/MS, and the major anthocyanin monomer (cyanidin-3-glucoside, C3G) was purified by preparative HPLC (Pre-HPLC). The proliferative effects of the anthocyanins on Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus were investigated by determining the media pH, bacterial populations and metabolic products. After anaerobic incubation at 37 °C for 48 h, not only the pH of the media containing C3G was lower than that of the extract of black rice anthocyanin (BRAE), but the numbers of both Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus were also significantly increased. Furthermore, hydroxyphenylpropionic, hydroxyphenylacetic, and hydroxybenzoic acids and other metabolites were detected by GC-MS in vitro. Our results revealed that the anthocyanins and anthocyanin monomers from black rice had prebiotic activity and they were metabolized into several small molecules by Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. PMID:29630662

Effect of hot-water extraction on alkaline pulping of bagasse.

PubMed

Lei, Yichao; Liu, Shijie; Li, Jiang; Sun, Runcang

2010-01-01

The effect of hot-water extraction on alkaline pulping was investigated. The properties of black liquor and pulp strength of bagasse were analyzed. The extraction was conducted at 160 degrees C for 30min where 13.2% of the mass was dissolved in the extraction liquor. Untreated bagasse and extracted bagasse were digested by soda and soda-AQ processes at 17% and 15.5% (with 0.1% AQ) alkali charge (NaOH). Cooking temperatures were 160 degrees C and 155 degrees C respectively. The pulp from extracted bagasse had a lower Kappa number and a higher viscosity compared to the pulp from the untreated bagasse. The black liquor from pulping extracted bagasse had a lower solid content, a lower viscosity and a lower silica content, but a higher heating value than that from pulping of untreated bagasse. Hot-water extraction resulted in a significant decrease in bleaching chemical consumption and the formation of chlorinated organics. Pulp strength properties such as the tensile index and the burst index were found to be lower, but the tear index, bulk, opacity and pulp freeness were found to be higher when hot-water extraction was applied. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of black pepper volatiles by solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography: A comparison of terpenes profiles with hydrodistillation.

PubMed

Jeleń, Henryk H; Gracka, Anna

2015-10-30

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) is widely used in food flavor compounds analysis in majority for profiling volatile compounds. Based on such profiles conclusions are often drawn concerning the percentage composition of volatile compounds in particular food, spices or raw materials. This paper focuses on the usefulness of SPME for the profiling of volatile compounds from spices using black pepper as an example. SPME profiles obtained in different analytical conditions were compared to the profile of pepper volatiles obtained using hydrodistillation in Clevenger apparatus. The profiles of both monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes of black pepper were highly dependent on sample weight (0.1 and 1g samples were tested), and extraction time (durations from 2 to 120min were tested), regardless of the SPME fiber used (PDMS and CAR/PDMS coatings were used). The characteristic phenomenon for extraction from dry ground pepper was the decrease of monoterpenes % share in volatiles with increasing extraction times, whereas at the same time the % contents of sesquiterpenes increased. Addition of water to ground pepper substantially changed extraction kinetics and mutual proportions of mono to sesquiterpenes compared to dry samples by minimizing changes in mono- to sesquiterpenes ratio in different extraction times. Obtained results indicate that SPME can be a fast extraction method for volatiles of black pepper. Short extraction times (2-10min) in conjunction with the fast GC analysis (2.1min) proposed here may offer fast alternative to hydrodistillation allowing black pepper terpenes characterization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Magnetic fields around black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garofalo, David A. G.

Active Galactic Nuclei are the most powerful long-lived objects in the universe. They are thought to harbor supermassive black holes that range from 1 million solar masses to 1000 times that value and possibly greater. Theory and observation are converging on a model for these objects that involves the conversion of gravitational potential energy of accreting gas to radiation as well as Poynting flux produced by the interaction of the rotating spacetime and the electromagnetic fields originating in the ionized accretion flow. The presence of black holes in astrophysics is taking center stage, with the output from AGN in various forms such as winds and jets influencing the formation and evolution of the host galaxy. This dissertation addresses some of the basic unanswered questions that plague our current understanding of how rotating black holes interact with their surrounding magnetized accretion disks to produce the enormous observed energy. Two magnetic configurations are examined. The first involves magnetic fields connecting the black hole with the inner accretion disk and the other involves large scale magnetic fields threading the disk and the hole. We study the effects of the former type by establishing the consequences that magnetic torques between the black hole and the inner accretion disk have on the energy dissipation profile. We attempt a plausible explanation to the observed "Deep Minimum" state in the Seyfert galaxy MCG-6- 30-15. For the latter type of magnetic geometry, we study the effects of the strength of the magnetic field threading the black hole within the context of the cherished Blandford & Znajek mechanism for black hole spin energy extraction. We begin by addressing the problem in the non-relativistic regime where we find that the black hole-threading magnetic field is stronger for greater disk thickness, larger magnetic Prandtl number, and for a larger accretion disk. We then study the problem in full relativity where we show that our

Binary Black Hole Mergers and Recoil Kicks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Centrella, Joan; Baker, J.; Choi, D.; Koppitz, M.; vanMeter, J.; Miller, C.

2006-01-01

Recent developments in numerical relativity have made it possible to follow reliably the coalescence of two black holes from near the innermost stable circular orbit to final ringdown. This opens up a wide variety of exciting astrophysical applications of these simulations. Chief among these is the net kick received when two unequal mass or spinning black holes merge. The magnitude of this kick has bearing on the production and growth of supermassive black holes during the epoch of structure formation, and on the retention of black holes in stellar clusters. Here we report the first accurate numerical calculation of this kick, for two nonspinning black holes in a 1.5:1 mass ratio, which is expected based on analytic considerations to give a significant fraction of the maximum possible recoil. We have performed multiple runs with different initial separations, orbital angular momenta, resolutions, extraction radii, and gauges. The full range of our kick speeds is 86-116 kilometers per second, and the most reliable runs give kicks between 86 and 97 kilometers per second. This is intermediate between the estimates from two recent post-Newtonian analyses and suggests that at redshifts z greater than 10, halos with masses less than 10(exp 9) M(sub SUN) will have difficulty retaining coalesced black holes after major mergers.

Structure of a shear-thickening polysaccharide extracted from the New Zealand black tree fern, Cyathea medullaris.

PubMed

Wee, May S M; Matia-Merino, Lara; Carnachan, Susan M; Sims, Ian M; Goh, Kelvin K T

2014-09-01

A shear-thickening water-soluble polysaccharide was purified from mucilage extracted from the fronds of the New Zealand black tree fern (Cyathea medullaris or 'mamaku' in Māori) and its structure characterised. Constituent sugar analysis by three complementary methods, combined with linkage analysis (of carboxyl reduced samples) and 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) revealed a glucuronomannan comprising a backbone of 4-linked methylesterified glucopyranosyl uronic acid and 2-linked mannopyranosyl residues, branched at O-3 of 45% and at both O-3 and O-4 of 53% of the mannopyranosyl residues with side chains likely comprising terminal xylopyranosyl, terminal galactopyranosyl, non-methylesterified terminal glucopyranosyl uronic acid and 3-linked glucopyranosyl uronic acid residues. The weight-average molecular weight of the purified polysaccharide was ∼1.9×10(6) Da as determined by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle laser light scattering (SEC-MALLS). The distinctive rheological properties of this polysaccharide are discussed in relation to its structure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An exact solution for a rotating black hole in modified gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filippini, Francesco; Tasinato, Gianmassimo

2018-01-01

Exact solutions describing rotating black holes can offer important tests for alternative theories of gravity, motivated by the dark energy and dark matter problems. We present an analytic rotating black hole solution for a class of vector-tensor theories of modified gravity, valid for arbitrary values of the rotation parameter. The new configuration is characterised by parametrically large deviations from the Kerr-Newman geometry, controlled by non-minimal couplings between vectors and gravity. It has an oblate horizon in Boyer-Lindquist coordinates, and it can rotate more rapidly and have a larger ergosphere than black holes in General Relativity (GR) with the same asymptotic properties. We analytically investigate the features of the innermost stable circular orbits for massive objects on the equatorial plane, and show that stable orbits lie further away from the black hole horizon with respect to rotating black holes in GR. We also comment on possible applications of our findings for the extraction of rotational energy from the black hole.

Variation in the Extraction Efficiency of Estradiol and Progesterone in Moist and Lyophilized Feces of the Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta pigra): Alternative Methods

PubMed Central

Torres-Pelayo, Vianey del R.; Rovirosa-Hernández, M. J.; García-Orduña, F.; Chavira-Ramírez, R. D.; Boeck, L.; Canales-Espinosa, D.; Rodríguez-Landa, J. F.

2011-01-01

Several fecal steroid extraction techniques have been developed to measure the ovary function in different species of mammals. However, regardless of the method of extraction and the sample type chosen, it has been observed that they can yield results with different percentages of recuperation. The objective of this study was to determine whether the type of substratum, solvent and extraction method used have any influence on the extraction efficiency in the feces of Alouatta pigra (black howler monkey). For this purpose we used two methods: agitation and ebullition. With each method, we utilized moist and lyophilized feces. The validation of radioimmunoassay method was accurate and precise for quantify estradiol and progesterone in lyophilized feces of A. pigra. To both of which ethanol and methanol, absolute and at 80%, were added, besides the hormones 125I-Estradiol and 125I-Progesterone. The extraction efficiency for 125I-Estradiol was from 87.72 ± 3.97 to 41.24 ± 2.67%, and for 125I-Progesterone from 71.15 ± 4.24 to 42.30 ± 1.19% when we used the agitation method. Whereas with the ebullition method, the extraction efficiency for 125I-Estradiol ranged from 86.89 ± 2.66 to 71.68 ± 3.02% and for 125I-Progesterone from 98.31 ± 1.26 to 85.40 ± 1.98%. Due to the differences found in these assays, which depend on the method used, the type of feces employed and the type of solvent added to them, we recommend the ebullition method and the lyophilized feces of A. pigra for extracting the hormones, since in moist feces there may exist variables which might interfere in the quantification of 125I-Estradiol and 125I-Progesterone. PMID:22194723

Superradiant Instability and Backreaction of Massive Vector Fields around Kerr Black Holes.

PubMed

East, William E; Pretorius, Frans

2017-07-28

We study the growth and saturation of the superradiant instability of a complex, massive vector (Proca) field as it extracts energy and angular momentum from a spinning black hole, using numerical solutions of the full Einstein-Proca equations. We concentrate on a rapidly spinning black hole (a=0.99) and the dominant m=1 azimuthal mode of the Proca field, with real and imaginary components of the field chosen to yield an axisymmetric stress-energy tensor and, hence, spacetime. We find that in excess of 9% of the black hole's mass can be transferred into the field. In all cases studied, the superradiant instability smoothly saturates when the black hole's horizon frequency decreases to match the frequency of the Proca cloud that spontaneously forms around the black hole.

Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Rice Bran Oils Produced from Colored Rice Using Different Extraction Methods.

PubMed

Mingyai, Sukanya; Kettawan, Aikkarach; Srikaeo, Khongsak; Singanusong, Riantong

2017-06-01

This study investigated the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of rice bran oil (RBO) produced from the bran of three rice varities; Khao Dawk Mali 105 (white rice), Red Jasmine rice (red rice) and Hom-nin rice (black rice) using three extraction methods including cold-press extraction (CPE), solvent extraction (SE) and supercritical CO 2 extraction (SC-CO 2 ). Yields, color, acid value (AV), free fatty acid (FFA), peroxide value (PV), iodine value (IV), total phenolic compound (TPC), γ-oryzanol, α-tocopherol and fatty acid profile were analyzed. It was found that the yields obtained from SE, SC-CO 2 and CPE extractions were 17.35-20.19%, 14.76-18.16% and 3.22-6.22%, respectively. The RBO from the bran of red and black rice samples exhibited high antioxidant activities. They also contained higher amount of γ-oryzanol and α-tocopherol than those of white rice sample. In terms of extraction methods, SC-CO 2 provided better qualities of RBO as evidenced by their physicochemical and antioxidant properties. This study found that RBO produced from the bran of black rice samples using SC-CO 2 extraction method showed the best physicochemical and antioxidant properties.

[Remote sensing monitoring and screening for urban black and odorous water body: A review.

PubMed

Shen, Qian; Zhu, Li; Cao, Hong Ye

2017-10-01

Continuous improvement of urban water environment and overall control of black and odorous water body are not merely national strategic needs with the action plan for prevention and treatment of water pollution, but also the hot issues attracting the attention of people. Most previous researches concentrated on the study of cause, evaluation and treatment measures of this phenomenon, and there are few researches on the monitoring using remote sensing, which is often a strain to meet the national needs of operational monitoring. This paper mainly summarized the urgent research problems, mainly including the identification and classification standard, research on the key technologies, and the frame of remote sensing screening systems for the urban black and odorous water body. The main key technologies were concluded too, including the high spatial resolution image preprocessing and extraction technique for black and odorous water body, the extraction of water information in city zones, the classification of the black and odorous water, and the identification and classification technique based on satellite-sky-ground remote sensing. This paper summarized the research progress and put forward research ideas of monitoring and screening urban black and odorous water body via high spatial resolution remote sensing technology, which would be beneficial to having an overall grasp of spatial distribution and improvement progress of black and odorous water body, and provide strong technical support for controlling urban black and odorous water body.

The Crisis in Black and Black.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchinson, Earl Ofari

These essays explore why the historic conflict between blacks and whites in the United States has become a crisis that divides many African Americans. The changing racial dynamic is not marked by conflicts. between the black middle class and the poor, black men and women, the black intellectual elite and rappers, black politicians and the urban…

The antioxidant and radical scavenging activities of black pepper (Piper nigrum) seeds.

PubMed

Gülçin, Ilhami

2005-11-01

Water and ethanol crude extracts from black pepper (Piper nigrum) were investigated for their antioxidant and radical scavenging activities in six different assay, namely, total antioxidant activity, reducing power, 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and metal chelating activities. Both water extract (WEBP) and ethanol extract (EEBP) of black pepper exhibited strong total antioxidant activity. The 75 microg/ml concentration of WEBP and EEBP showed 95.5% and 93.3% inhibition on peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion, respectively. On the other hand, at the same concentration, standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and alpha-tocopherol exhibited 92.1%, 95.0%, and 70.4% inhibition on peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion, respectively. Also, total phenolic content in both WEBP and EEBP were determined as gallic acid equivalents. The total phenolics content of water and ethanol extracts were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and 54.3 and 42.8 microg gallic acid equivalent of phenols was detected in 1 mg WEBP and EEBP.

Is black-hole ringdown a memory of its progenitor?

PubMed

Kamaretsos, Ioannis; Hannam, Mark; Sathyaprakash, B S

2012-10-05

We perform an extensive numerical study of coalescing black-hole binaries to understand the gravitational-wave spectrum of quasinormal modes excited in the merged black hole. Remarkably, we find that the masses and spins of the progenitor are clearly encoded in the mode spectrum of the ringdown signal. Some of the mode amplitudes carry the signature of the binary's mass ratio, while others depend critically on the spins. Simulations of precessing binaries suggest that our results carry over to generic systems. Using Bayesian inference, we demonstrate that it is possible to accurately measure the mass ratio and a proper combination of spins even when the binary is itself invisible to a detector. Using a mapping of the binary masses and spins to the final black-hole spin allows us to further extract the spin components of the progenitor. Our results could have tremendous implications for gravitational astronomy by facilitating novel tests of general relativity using merging black holes.

Can black hole superradiance be induced by galactic plasmas?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conlon, Joseph P.; Herdeiro, Carlos A. R.

2018-05-01

Highly spinning Kerr black holes with masses M = 1- 100M⊙ are subject to an efficient superradiant instability in the presence of bosons with masses μ ∼10-10-10-12eV. We observe that this matches the effective plasma-induced photon mass in diffuse galactic or intracluster environments (ωpl ∼10-10-10-12eV). This suggests that bare Kerr black holes within galactic or intracluster environments, possibly even including the ones produced in recently observed gravitational wave events, are unstable to formation of a photon cloud that may contain a significant fraction of the mass of the original black hole. At maximal efficiency, the instability timescale for a massive vector is milliseconds, potentially leading to a transient rate of energy extraction from a black hole in principle as large as ∼1055ergs-1. We discuss possible astrophysical effects this could give rise to, including a speculative connection to Fast Radio Bursts.

Stationary black holes with stringy hair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boos, Jens; Frolov, Valeri P.

2018-01-01

We discuss properties of black holes which are pierced by special configurations of cosmic strings. For static black holes, we consider radial strings in the limit when the number of strings grows to infinity while the tension of each single string tends to zero. In a properly taken limit, the stress-energy tensor of the string distribution is finite. We call such matter stringy matter. We present a solution of the Einstein equations for an electrically charged static black hole with the stringy matter, with and without a cosmological constant. This solution is a warped product of two metrics. One of them is a deformed 2-sphere, whose Gaussian curvature is determined by the energy density of the stringy matter. We discuss the embedding of a corresponding distorted sphere into a three-dimensional Euclidean space and formulate consistency conditions. We also found a relation between the square of the Weyl tensor invariant of the four-dimensional spacetime of the stringy black holes and the energy density of the stringy matter. In the second part of the paper, we discuss test stationary strings in the Kerr geometry and in its Kerr-NUT-(anti-)de Sitter generalizations. Explicit solutions for strings that are regular at the event horizon are obtained. Using these solutions, the stress-energy tensor of the stringy matter in these geometries is calculated. Extraction of the angular momentum from rotating black holes by such strings is also discussed.

Whitening Effect of Black Tea Water Extract on Brown Guinea Pig Skin

PubMed Central

Choi, So-Young

2011-01-01

To evaluate the whitening effect of black tea water extract (BT), BT was topically applied to artificially hyperpigmented spots on the back skins of brown guinea-pigs (weight: 450~500 g) induced by 1,500 mJ/ cm2 of ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation. The test compounds of 30 μl were applied twice a day, six days a week, for four weeks. The artificially hyperpigmented spots were divided into 5 groups: control (UVB + saline, C), vehicle control [UVB + propylene glycol: ethanol: water (5 : 3 : 2), VC], positive control (UVB + 2% hydroquinone, PC), experimental 1 (UVB + 1% BT), experimental 2 (UVB + 2% BT). After 4-week application, the spots were removed by biopsy punch under anesthetic condition and used as specimens for the histological examination. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of BT were 104 and 91 mg/g, respectively. The electron-donating ability of BT revealed a dose-dependent response, showing the excellent capacities of 86% at 800 μg/ml. The artificially hyperpigmented spots treated with the PC and BT were obviously lightened compared to the C and VC groups. At the fourth week, the melanin indices for the PC and BT groups were significantly lower (p < 0.00l) than those of the C and VC groups. In histological examination, PC and BT groups were significantly reduced in the melanin pigmentation, the proliferation of melanocytes and the synthesis of melanosomes compared to the C and VC groups. It is found that BT inhibits the proliferation of melanocytes and synthesis of melanosomes in vivo using brown guinea pigs, thereby showing a definite skin whitening effect. PMID:24278566

EPR investigations of gamma-irradiated ground black pepper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polovka, Martin; Brezová, Vlasta; Staško, Andrej; Mazúr, Milan; Suhaj, Milan; Šimko, Peter

2006-02-01

The γ-radiation treatment of ground black pepper samples resulted in the production of three paramagnetic species ( GI- GIII) which arise from a different origin and have different thermal behavior and stability. The axially symmetric spectra can be characterized by the spin Hamiltonian parameters: GI ( g⊥=2.0060, g∥=2.0032; A⊥=0.85 mT, A∥=0.70 mT) and GII ( g⊥=2.0060, g∥=2.0050; A⊥=0.50 mT, A∥=0.40 mT) assigned to carbohydrate radical structures. The parameters of EPR signal GIII ( g⊥=2.0029, g∥=2.0014; A⊥=3.00 mT, A∥=1.80 mT) possessed features characteristic of cellulose radical species. The activation energies, evaluated by Arrhenius analysis, are in order Ea( GI)< Ea( GIII)< Ea( GII). The EPR measurements performed 20 weeks after radiation process confirmed that a temperature increase from 298 to 353 K, caused a significant decrease of integral EPR signal intensity for γ-irradiated samples (˜40%), compared to the reference (non-irradiated) ground black pepper, where a decrease of ˜13% was found. The influence of γ-radiation treatment on the radical-scavenging activities of aqueous and ethanol extracts of black pepper were investigated by both an EPR spin trapping technique and DPPH assay. No changes were detected in either the water or ethanol extracts for a γ-irradiation dose of 10 kGy.

Various extraction and analytical techniques for isolation and identification of secondary metabolites from Nigella sativa seeds.

PubMed

Liu, X; Abd El-Aty, A M; Shim, J-H

2011-10-01

Nigella sativa L. (black cumin), commonly known as black seed, is a member of the Ranunculaceae family. This seed is used as a natural remedy in many Middle Eastern and Far Eastern countries. Extracts prepared from N. sativa have, for centuries, been used for medical purposes. Thus far, the organic compounds in N. sativa, including alkaloids, steroids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, fatty acids, etc. have been fairly well characterized. Herein, we summarize some new extraction techniques, including microwave assisted extraction (MAE) and supercritical extraction techniques (SFE), in addition to the classical method of hydrodistillation (HD), which have been employed for isolation and various analytical techniques used for the identification of secondary metabolites in black seed. We believe that some compounds contained in N. sativa remain to be identified, and that high-throughput screening could help to identify new compounds. A study addressing environmentally-friendly techniques that have minimal or no environmental effects is currently underway in our laboratory.

Accelerated, microwave-assisted, and conventional solvent extraction methods affect anthocyanin composition from colored grains.

PubMed

Abdel-Aal, El-Sayed M; Akhtar, Humayoun; Rabalski, Iwona; Bryan, Michael

2014-02-01

Anthocyanins are important dietary components with diverse positive functions in human health. This study investigates effects of accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) on anthocyanin composition and extraction efficiency from blue wheat, purple corn, and black rice in comparison with the commonly used solvent extraction (CSE). Factorial experimental design was employed to study effects of ASE and MAE variables, and anthocyanin extracts were analyzed by spectrophotometry, high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (DAD), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry chromatography. The extraction efficiency of ASE and MAE was comparable with CSE at the optimal conditions. The greatest extraction by ASE was achieved at 50 °C, 2500 psi, 10 min using 5 cycles, and 100% flush. For MAE, a combination of 70 °C, 300 W, and 10 min in MAE was the most effective in extracting anthocyanins from blue wheat and purple corn compared with 50 °C, 1200 W, and 20 min for black rice. The anthocyanin composition of grain extracts was influenced by the extraction method. The ASE extraction method seems to be more appropriate in extracting anthocyanins from the colored grains as being comparable with the CSE method based on changes in anthocyanin composition. The method caused lower structural changes in anthocaynins compared with the MAE method. Changes in blue wheat anthocyanins were lower in comparison with purple corn or black rice perhaps due to the absence of acylated anthocyanin compounds in blue wheat. The results show significant differences in anthocyanins among the 3 extraction methods, which indicate a need to standardize a method for valid comparisons among studies and for quality assurance purposes. © 2014 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Journal of Food Science © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists® Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Fruits and vegetables protect against the genotoxicity of heterocyclic aromatic amines activated by human xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes expressed in immortal mammalian cells.

PubMed

Platt, K L; Edenharder, R; Aderhold, S; Muckel, E; Glatt, H

2010-12-21

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) can be formed during the cooking of meat and fish at elevated temperatures and are associated with an increased risk for cancer. On the other hand, epidemiological findings suggest that foods rich in fruits and vegetables can protect against cancer. In the present study three teas, two wines, and the juices of 15 fruits and 11 vegetables were investigated for their protective effect against the genotoxic effects of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). To closely mimic the enzymatic activation of these HAAs in humans, genetically engineered V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts were employed that express human cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase (hCYP) 1A2 (responsible for the first step of enzymatic activation) and human N(O)-acetyltransferase (hNAT) 2*4 or human sulfotransferase (hSULT)1A1*1 (responsible for the second step of enzymatic activation): V79-hCYP1A2-hNAT2*4 for IQ activation and V79-hCYP1A2-hSULT1A1*1 for PhIP activation. HAA genotoxicity was determined by use of the comet assay. Black, green and rooibos tea moderately reduced the genotoxicity of IQ (IC(50)=0.8-0.9%), whereas red and white wine were less active. From the fruit juices, sweet cherry juice exhibited the highest inhibitory effect on IQ genotoxicity (IC(50)=0.17%), followed by juices from kiwi fruit, plum and blueberry (IC(50)=0.48-0.71%). The juices from watermelon, blackberry, strawberry, black currant, and Red delicious apple showed moderate suppression, whereas sour cherry, grapefruit, red currant, and pineapple juices were only weakly active. Granny Smith apple juice and orange juice proved inactive. Of the vegetable juices, strong inhibition of IQ genotoxicity was only seen with spinach and onion juices (IC(50)=0.42-0.54%). Broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, sweet pepper, tomato, chard, and red-cabbage juices suppressed IQ genotoxicity only moderately, whereas cucumber juice was

Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of green, black, and herbal teas of Camellia sinensis.

PubMed

Chan, Eric W C; Soh, Eu Ying; Tie, Pei Pei; Law, Yon Peng

2011-10-01

The role of non-polymeric phenolic (NP) and polymeric tannin (PT) constituents in the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of six brands of green, black, and herbal teas of Camellia sinensis were investigated. Total phenolic content (TPC) and ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity (AEAC) were assessed using the Folin-Ciocalteu and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays, respectively. Minimum inhibitory dose (MID) against Gram-positive Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus, and Gram-negative. Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was assessed using the disc-diffusion method. Teas were extracted with hot water successively three times for one hour each time. The extracts were fractionated using Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography to obtain the NP and PT constituents. Extraction yields ranged from 12 to 23%. Yields of NP fractions (70-81%) were much higher than those of PT fractions (1-11%), suggesting that the former are the major tea components. Ranking of antioxidant properties of extracts was green tea>black tea>herbal tea. For all six teas, antioxidant properties of PT fractions were significantly higher than extracts and NP fractions. Extracts and fractions of all six teas showed no activity against the three Gram-negative bacteria. Green teas inhibited all three Gram-positive bacteria with S. aureus being the least susceptible. Black and herbal teas inhibited the growth of M. luteus and B. cereus, but not S. aureus. The most potent were the PT fractions of Boh Cameron Highlands and Ho Yan Hor with MID of 0.01 and 0.03 mg/disc against M. luteus. Results suggested that NP constituents are major contributors to the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of teas of C. sinensis. Although PT constituents have stronger antioxidant and antibacterial properties, they constitute only a minor component of the teas.

A study on prevention of an electric discharge at an extraction electrode of an electron cyclotron resonance ion source for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Kishii, Y; Kawasaki, S; Kitagawa, A; Muramatsu, M; Uchida, T

2014-02-01

A compact ECR ion source has utilized for carbon radiotherapy. In order to increase beam intensity with higher electric field at the extraction electrode and be better ion supply stability for long periods, electric geometry and surface conditions of an extraction electrode have been studied. Focusing attention on black deposited substances on the extraction electrode, which were observed around the extraction electrode after long-term use, the relation between black deposited substances and the electrical insulation property is investigated. The black deposited substances were inspected for the thickness of deposit, surface roughness, structural arrangement examined using Raman spectroscopy, and characteristics of electric discharge in a test bench, which was set up to simulate the ECR ion source.

Geometrothermodynamics for black holes and de Sitter space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurihara, Yoshimasa

2018-02-01

A general method to extract thermodynamic quantities from solutions of the Einstein equation is developed. In 1994, Wald established that the entropy of a black hole could be identified as a Noether charge associated with a Killing vector of a global space-time (pseudo-Riemann) manifold. We reconstruct Wald's method using geometrical language, e.g., via differential forms defined on the local space-time (Minkowski) manifold. Concurrently, the abstract thermodynamics are also reconstructed using geometrical terminology, which is parallel to general relativity. The correspondence between the thermodynamics and general relativity can be seen clearly by comparing the two expressions. This comparison requires a modification of Wald's method. The new method is applied to Schwarzschild, Kerr, and Kerr-Newman black holes and de Sitter space. The results are consistent with previous results obtained using various independent methods. This strongly supports the validity of the area theorem for black holes.

Floating and sinking: the imprint of massive scalars around rotating black holes.

PubMed

Cardoso, Vitor; Chakrabarti, Sayan; Pani, Paolo; Berti, Emanuele; Gualtieri, Leonardo

2011-12-09

We study the coupling of massive scalar fields to matter in orbit around rotating black holes. It is generally expected that orbiting bodies will lose energy in gravitational waves, slowly inspiraling into the black hole. Instead, we show that the coupling of the field to matter leads to a surprising effect: because of superradiance, matter can hover into "floating orbits" for which the net gravitational energy loss at infinity is entirely provided by the black hole's rotational energy. Orbiting bodies remain floating until they extract sufficient angular momentum from the black hole, or until perturbations or nonlinear effects disrupt the orbit. For slowly rotating and nonrotating black holes floating orbits are unlikely to exist, but resonances at orbital frequencies corresponding to quasibound states of the scalar field can speed up the inspiral, so that the orbiting body sinks. These effects could be a smoking gun of deviations from general relativity.

The spinning Kerr-black-hole-mirror bomb: A lower bound on the radius of the reflecting mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hod, Shahar

2016-10-01

The intriguing superradiant amplification phenomenon allows an orbiting scalar field to extract rotational energy from a spinning Kerr black hole. Interestingly, the energy extraction rate can grow exponentially in time if the black-hole-field system is placed inside a reflecting mirror which prevents the field from radiating its energy to infinity. This composed Kerr-black-hole-scalar-field-mirror system, first designed by Press and Teukolsky, has attracted the attention of physicists over the last four decades. Previous numerical studies of this spinning black-hole bomb have revealed the interesting fact that the superradiant instability shuts down if the reflecting mirror is placed too close to the black-hole horizon. In the present study we use analytical techniques to explore the superradiant instability regime of this composed Kerr-black-hole-linearized-scalar-field-mirror system. In particular, it is proved that the lower bound rm/r+ >1/2 (√{ 1 +8M/r- } - 1) provides a necessary condition for the development of the exponentially growing superradiant instabilities in this composed physical system, where rm is the radius of the confining mirror and r± are the horizon radii of the spinning Kerr black hole. We further show that, in the linearized regime, this analytically derived lower bound on the radius of the confining mirror agrees with direct numerical computations of the superradiant instability spectrum which characterizes the spinning black-hole-mirror bomb.

Evaluation of the botanical origin of black cohosh products by genetic and chemical analyses.

PubMed

Masada-Atsumi, Sayaka; Kumeta, Yukie; Takahashi, Yutaka; Hakamatsuka, Takashi; Goda, Yukihiro

2014-01-01

Despite the increasing sales of black cohosh (the dried rhizome and root of Cimicifuga racemosa L.) in the world herbal market, these products have continuous adulteration issues. The botanical authenticity of the black cohosh products is the first important step for ensuring their quality, safety and efficacy. In this study, we genetically identified the botanical sources of 10 black cohosh products and 5 Cimicifuga Rhizome crude drugs of Japanese Pharmacopoeia grade, and analyzed the metabolic profiling of 25 black cohosh products using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Consequently, we found that C. dahurica and possibly C. foetida are misused as sources of the black cohosh products and in some cases, the extracts of black cohosh were adulterated with the plant materials of C. dahurica. We demonstrated that these three species can be distinguished by three marker compounds in a specific mass range. These results must be helpful in establishing regulations for the safe use of the black cohosh products.

Information retrieval from black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lochan, Kinjalk; Chakraborty, Sumanta; Padmanabhan, T.

2016-08-01

It is generally believed that, when matter collapses to form a black hole, the complete information about the initial state of the matter cannot be retrieved by future asymptotic observers, through local measurements. This is contrary to the expectation from a unitary evolution in quantum theory and leads to (a version of) the black hole information paradox. Classically, nothing else, apart from mass, charge, and angular momentum is expected to be revealed to such asymptotic observers after the formation of a black hole. Semiclassically, black holes evaporate after their formation through the Hawking radiation. The dominant part of the radiation is expected to be thermal and hence one cannot know anything about the initial data from the resultant radiation. However, there can be sources of distortions which make the radiation nonthermal. Although the distortions are not strong enough to make the evolution unitary, these distortions carry some part of information regarding the in-state. In this work, we show how one can decipher the information about the in-state of the field from these distortions. We show that the distortions of a particular kind—which we call nonvacuum distortions—can be used to fully reconstruct the initial data. The asymptotic observer can do this operationally by measuring certain well-defined observables of the quantum field at late times. We demonstrate that a general class of in-states encode all their information content in the correlation of late time out-going modes. Further, using a 1 +1 dimensional dilatonic black hole model to accommodate backreaction self-consistently, we show that observers can also infer and track the information content about the initial data, during the course of evaporation, unambiguously. Implications of such information extraction are discussed.

Sounding Black or White: priming identity and biracial speech

PubMed Central

Gaither, Sarah E.; Cohen-Goldberg, Ariel M.; Gidney, Calvin L.; Maddox, Keith B.

2015-01-01

Research has shown that priming one’s racial identity can alter a biracial individuals’ social behavior, but can such priming also influence their speech? Language is often used as a marker of one’s social group membership and studies have shown that social context can affect the style of language that a person chooses to use, but this work has yet to be extended to the biracial population. Audio clips were extracted from a previous study involving biracial Black/White participants who had either their Black or White racial identity primed. Condition-blind coders rated Black-primed biracial participants as sounding significantly more Black and White-primed biracial participants as sounding significantly more White, both when listening to whole (Study 1a) and thin-sliced (Study 1b) clips. Further linguistic analyses (Studies 2a–c) were inconclusive regarding the features that differed between the two groups. Future directions regarding the need to investigate the intersections between social identity priming and language behavior with a biracial lens are discussed. PMID:25941505

Biodiversity and Landscape Planning: Alternative Futures for the Region of Camp Pendleton, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-01-01

beetles, ants, wasps, flies, and caterpillars. Vegetable items include small fruits such as currants, grapes, elderberries, and mistletoe . [m Bluebirds...small fruits such as currants, grapes, elderberries, and mistletoe . Bluebirds maintain a territory used for mating, nesting, and feeding. Territories

Hybrid Black-Hole Binary Initial Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mundim, Bruno C.; Kelly, Bernard J.; Nakano, Hiroyuki; Zlochower, Yosef; Campanelli, Manuela

2010-01-01

"Traditional black-hole binary puncture initial data is conformally flat. This unphysical assumption is coupled with a lack of radiation signature from the binary's past life. As a result, waveforms extracted from evolutions of this data display an abrupt jump. In Kelly et al. [Class. Quantum Grav. 27:114005 (2010)], a new binary black-hole initial data with radiation contents derived in the post-Newtonian (PN) calculations was adapted to puncture evolutions in numerical relativity. This data satisfies the constraint equations to the 2.5PN order, and contains a transverse-traceless "wavy" metric contribution, violating the standard assumption of conformal flatness. Although the evolution contained less spurious radiation, there were undesired features; the unphysical horizon mass loss and the large initial orbital eccentricity. Introducing a hybrid approach to the initial data evaluation, we significantly reduce these undesired features."

Corrosion Mechanism of Low-Carbon Steel in Industrial Water and Adsorption Thermodynamics in the Presence of Some Plant Extracts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badiea, A. M.; Mohana, K. N.

2009-12-01

The effects of radish leaves and black cumin as plant extracts on the corrosion behavior of low-carbon steel in industrial water in the temperature range of 30 to 80 °C and velocity range of 1.44 to 2.02 m s-1 using potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and mass loss measurements have been investigated. The inhibition efficiency increased with increasing concentration of the plant extracts up to a critical value but it slightly decreased with increasing temperature. Inhibition efficiency values obtained from mass loss and potentiodynamic data were in reasonable agreement. Potentiodynamic polarization clearly indicated that radish leaves and black cumin extracts acted as anodic inhibitors. The adsorption behavior was found to obey the Flory-Huggins isotherm model. The associated activation parameters and thermodynamic data of adsorption were evaluated and discussed. The results show that radish leaves and black cumin could serve as effective inhibitors for low-carbon steel in industrial water media, with black cumin providing better protection than radish leaves.

Black-on-black homicide: Kansas City's response.

PubMed Central

Mitchell, M A; Daniels, S

1989-01-01

In many metropolitan areas, homicide continues to be the scourge of black Americans despite increasing awareness of the overrepresentation of blacks among victims and perpetrators. The risk of being a homicide victim among black males is so high that the Department of Health and Human Services has set a priority of reducing the risk to 60 per 100,000 by 1990. The recent escalation in the number of homicides in the United States associated with drugs makes attainment of that goal unlikely. In Kansas City, a black community grassroots organization, the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, commissioned a multidisciplinary task force to study black-on-black homicide in 1986. The report generated by this task force identified factors placing Kansas Citians at high risk of being homicide victims or perpetrators, including being black, male, unemployed, between the ages 17-29, a high school nongraduate, frequently involved in or around violence, and having prior arrests on weapons charges. One hundred recommendations were made, of which 12 were targeted for immediate implementation. These included increasing public awareness of the incidence of black-on-black homicide, involvement of black men in role model programs for young black males, training in anger control and alternatives to violence for those identified as being at high risk for homicide, and providing a role for ex-offenders in violence prevention. Working with community organizations has inherent strengths and weaknesses for public health workers. However, such a group can successfully impact the affected community in ways which would be difficult for traditional resources. PMID:2511593

Catechin Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Black Teas in Relation to Brewing Time.

PubMed

Koch, Wojciech; Kukula-Koch, Wirginia; Głowniak, Kazimierz

2017-11-01

Black tea infusions are one of the most popular beverages across the world. Their extract composition depends on several factors, brewing time being one of the most important determinants. The aim of the present study was to determine the catechin composition of different black tea infusions using a validated LC electrospray ionization time-of-flight MS method. Additionally, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of infusions were evaluated using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and stable radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). An optimized LC-MS method enabled the precise identification of the studied catechins [epicatechin (EC), EC gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)] and gallic acid (GA). The major catechin in all investigated teas was EGC (25.6 mg/100 cm3 after 4 min of brewing). EC was present at the lowest concentration in all extracts. TPC and antiradical scavenging activity were in a good agreement with catechins and GA content. In general, the longer the brewing time, the higher the concentration of catechin, TPC, and antioxidant activity values. However, it should be noted that after 2 min brewing, most phenolics had already been extracted, and extract composition did not significantly change at a prolonged extraction time.

Searching for the QCD Axion with Black Holes and Gravitational Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baryakhtar, Masha

2017-01-01

The LIGO detection of gravitational waves has opened a new window on the universe. I will discuss how the process of superradiance, combined with gravitational wave measurements, makes black holes into nature's laboratories to search for new light bosons. When a bosonic particle's Compton wavelength is comparable to the horizon size of a black hole, superradiance of these bosons into bound ``Bohr orbitals'' extracts energy and angular momentum from the black hole. The occupation number of the levels grows exponentially and the black hole spins down. For efficient superradiance of stellar black holes, the particle must be ultralight, with mass below 10-10 eV; one candidate for such an ultralight boson is the QCD axion with decay constant above the GUT scale. Measurements of BH spins in X-ray binaries and in mergers at Advanced LIGO can exclude or provide evidence for an ultralight axion. Axions transitioning between levels of the gravitational ``atom'' and annihilating to gravitons may produce thousands of monochromatic gravitational wave signals, turning LIGO into a particle detector.

Black rice (Oryza sativa L.) extracts induce osteoblast differentiation and protect against bone loss in ovariectomized rats.

PubMed

Jang, Woo-Seok; Seo, Cho-Rong; Jang, Hwan Hee; Song, No-Joon; Kim, Jong-Keun; Ahn, Jee-Yin; Han, Jaejoon; Seo, Woo Duck; Lee, Young Min; Park, Kye Won

2015-01-01

Osteoporosis, an age associated skeletal disease, exhibits increased adipogenesis at the expense of osteogenesis from common osteoporotic bone marrow cells. In this study, black rice (Oryza sativa L.) extracts (BRE) were identified as osteogenic inducers. BRE stimulated the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in both C3H10T1/2 and primary bone marrow cells. Similarly, BRE increased mRNA expression of ALP and osterix. Oral administration of BRE in OVX rats prevented decreases in bone density and strength. By contrast, BRE inhibited adipocyte differentiation of mesenchymal C3H10T1/2 cells and prevented increases in body weight and fat mass in high fat diet fed obese mice, further suggesting the dual effects of BRE on anti-adipogenesis and pro-osteogenesis. UPLC analysis identified cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and peonidin-3-O-glucoside as main anti-adipogenic effectors but not for pro-osteogenic induction. In mechanism studies, BRE selectively stimulated Wnt-driven luciferase activities. BRE treatment also induced Wnt-specific target genes such as Axin2, WISP2, and Cyclin D1. Taken together, these data suggest that BRE is a potentially useful ingredient to protect against age related osteoporosis and diet induced obesity.

The polyphenol-rich extracts from black chokeberry and grape seeds impair changes in the platelet adhesion and aggregation induced by a model of hyperhomocysteinemia.

PubMed

Malinowska, Joanna; Oleszek, Wieslaw; Stochmal, Anna; Olas, Beata

2013-04-01

The mechanism action of the polyphenol-rich extracts from berries of Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) and from grape seeds in the defence against homocysteine (Hcy) and its derivatives action in blood platelets is still unknown. In this study, the influence of the aronia extract and grape seeds extract (GSE) on the platelet adhesion to collagen and fibrinogen and the platelet aggregation during a model of hyperhomocysteinemia was investigated. The aim of our study in vitro was also to investigate superoxide anion radicals (O₂⁻•) production after incubation of platelets with Hcy, HTL and the aronia extract and GSE during a model of hyperhomocysteinemia (induced by reduced form of homocysteine at final dose of 100 μM) and the most reactive form of Hcy--its cyclic thioester, homocysteine thiolactone (HTL, 1 μM). Moreover, the additional aim of our study was also to establish and compare the influence of the aronia extract, GSE and resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxystilben), a phenolic compound, which has been supposed to be beneficial for the prevention of cardiovascular events, on selected steps of platelet activation. The effects of tested extracts on adhesion of blood platelets to collagen and fibrinogen were determined according to Tuszynski and Murphy. The platelet aggregation was determined by turbidimetry method using a Chrono-log Lumi-aggregometer. We have observed that HTL, like its precursor-Hcy stimulated the generation of O₂⁻• (measured by the superoxide dismutase-inhibitable reduction of cytochrome c) in platelets and caused an augmentation of the platelet adhesion and aggregation induced by the strong physiological agonist-thrombin. Our present results in vitro also demonstrated that the aronia extract and grape seeds extract reduced the toxicity action of Hcy and HTL on blood platelet adhesion to collagen and fibrinogen, the platelet aggregation and superoxide anion radicals production in platelets, suggesting its potential protective

Understanding the New Black Poetry: Black Speech and Black Music as Poetic References.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Stephen

Oral tradition, both rural and urban, forms an infrastructure for this anthology, which presents selections of black poetry with an emphasis on the poetry of the sixties. Based on the thesis that the new black poetry's main referents are black speech and black music, the anthology includes examples from the oral tradition of folk sermon,…

Piperine, a component of black pepper, decreases eugenol-induced cAMP and calcium levels in non-chemosensory 3T3-L1 cells.

PubMed

Yoon, Yeo Cho; Kim, Sung-Hee; Kim, Min Jung; Yang, Hye Jeong; Rhyu, Mee-Ra; Park, Jae-Ho

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of an ethanol extract of black pepper and its constituent, piperine, on odorant-induced signal transduction in non-chemosensory cells. An ethanol extract of black pepper decreased eugenol-induced cAMP and calcium levels in preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells with no toxicity. Phosphorylation of CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) was down-regulated by the black pepper extract. The concentration (133.8 mg/g) and retention time (5.5 min) of piperine in the ethanol extract were quantified using UPLC-MS/MS. Pretreatment with piperine decreased eugenol-induced cAMP and calcium levels in 3T3-L1 cells. Piperine also decreased the phosphorylation of CREB, which is up-regulated by eugenol. These results suggest that piperine inhibits the eugenol-induced signal transduction pathway through modulation of cAMP and calcium levels and phosphorylation of CREB in non-chemosensory cells.

The anti-aging and anti-oxidation effects of tea water extract in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Fei, Tianyi; Fei, Jian; Huang, Fang; Xie, Tianpei; Xu, Jifeng; Zhou, Yi; Yang, Ping

2017-10-15

Tea includes puer tea, black tea, green tea and many others. By using model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, the anti-aging and anti-oxidation effects of tea water extract were systemically examined in this study. We found that water extract of puer tea, black tea and green tea all increased the lifespan of worms, postponed Aβ-induced progressive paralysis in Alzheimer's disease transgenic worms, and improved the tolerance of worms to the oxidative stress induced by heavy metal Cr 6+ . Moreover, the anti-oxidation effects of tea water extract at low concentration were different among 4 kinds of brands of green tea. The underlying mechanisms were further explored using genetically manipulated-mutant worms. The anti-oxidative stress effects of green tea water extract depend on the dietary restriction and germline signaling pathways, but not the FOXO and mitochondrial respiratory chain signals. Therefore, tea water extract provides benefits of anti-aging, anti-AD and anti-oxidation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Black rice (Oryza sativa L.) extract modulates ultraviolet-induced expression of matrix metalloproteinases and procollagen in a skin cell model.

PubMed

Han, Mira; Bae, Jung-Soo; Ban, Jae-Jun; Shin, Hee Soon; Lee, Dong Hun; Chung, Jin Ho

2018-05-01

Exposure of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes extracellular matrix (ECM) collapse in the dermis, owing to an increase in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production in both the epidermis and dermis, and a decrease in type I collagen expression in the dermis. Recently, black rice (Oryza sativa L.) was reported to have a wide range of pharmacological effects in various settings. However, the effects of black rice extract (BRE) on UV‑irradiated skin cells have not yet been characterized. BRE treatment did not affect cell morphology and viability of HaCaT and human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). We demonstrated that BRE downregulated basal and UV‑induced MMP‑1 expression in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, BRE significantly increased type I procollagen expression, and decreased MMP‑1 and MMP‑3 expression in UV‑irradiated HDF. The underlying mechanisms of these results involve a decrease in p38 and c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase activity, and suppression of UV‑induced activation of activator protein‑1 (AP‑1). BRE reduced UV‑induced reactive oxygen species production in HaCaT cells in a dose‑dependent manner. Indeed, mass spectrometry revealed that BRE contained antioxidative flavonoid components such as cyanidin‑3‑O‑β‑D‑glycoside and taxifolin‑7‑O‑glucoside. These findings suggest that BRE attenuates UV‑induced ECM damage by modulating mitogen‑activated protein kinase and AP‑1 signaling, and could be used as an active ingredient for preventing photoaging of the skin.

Combined treatment with Dendrobium candidum and black tea extract promotes osteoprotective activity in ovariectomized estrogen deficient rats and osteoclast formation.

PubMed

Wang, Ming-Yue; Shen, Chang; An, Meng-Fei; Xie, Chuan-Qi; Wu, Xin; Zhu, Qiang-Qiang; Sun, Bin; Huang, Yan-Ping; Zhao, Yun-Li; Wang, Xuan-Jun; Sheng, Jun

2018-05-01

Dendrobium candidum (DC) and black tea, are traditional chinese drinks, which contain multiple active ingredients. However, whether or not the combination of these two ingredients can improve osteoporosis remains unknown. This study therefore aimed to examine the effects of the combination of DC and black tea extract (BTE) on osteoporosis. Ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis in vivo as well as receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro was selected. Results showed that OVX rats that were treated orally with a DC and BTE combination for 12 weeks maintained their calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) homeostasis and exhibited significantly enhanced estradiol (E 2 ) and OPG levels. This combination treatment also simultaneously reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and improved the organ coefficients of the uterus and femur as well as BMD and BMC in OVX rats. In addition, this DC and BTE combination suppressed osteoclast differentiation in the RANKL-stimulated osteoclastogenesis of RAW 264.7 cells and effectively inhibited the expression of osteoclast-associated genes and proteins. The results of this study further highlight the fact that a combination of DC and BTE improved ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats and suppressed RANKL-stimulated osteoclastogenesis in RAW 264.7 cells. This combination also significantly alleviated osteoporosis when compared to the alternative sole treatments above, due to synergistic effects among components. One partial mechanism of this combination might be the inhibition of osteoclast proliferation and the regulation of NFATC1/c-Fos expression. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant activity of black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) protein hydrolysates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this work was to study the effect of enzymatic hydrolysis of black bean protein concentrate using different enzymes. Bean proteins were extracted and hydrolyzed over a period of 120 min using the enzymes pepsin or alcalase. The protein hydrolysates’ molecular weight was assayed by e...

Medicinal plant extracts variously modulate susceptibility of Escherichia coli to different antibiotics.

PubMed

Samoilova, Zoya; Smirnova, Galina; Muzyka, Nadezda; Oktyabrsky, Oleg

2014-04-01

Antioxidant activity of green and black tea and extracts of medicinal plants and their ability to modulate antibiotic susceptibility in Escherichia coli were studied. Among a number of extracts tested the maximal capacity to scavenge DPPH radicals and chelate iron in chemical tests was found in green and black tea, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Vaccinium vitis-idaea. These extracts contained high level of polyphenols and in aerobic conditions exhibited prooxidant features, producing H2O2 and inducing expression of the katG gene encoding catalase HPI in E. coli cells. A good correlation between the polyphenol content and the ability of extracts to protect bacteria against peroxide stress was observed (r = 0.88). Polyphenol-rich extracts and iron chelators demonstrated the highest modulating effect on the antibiotic susceptibility by changing the time period before lysis started and by influencing the colony-forming ability of bacteria. The direction of the modulating effect was dependent on nature of antibiotic applied: under treatment with ciprofloxacin and ampicillin the extracts predominantly provided protective effects, while under treatment with kanamycin a bactericidal action was enhanced. Mechanism of modulating action of extracts on bacterial antibiotic susceptibility probably involves antioxidant, preferentially iron-chelating, or prooxidant properties of polyphenols. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Self-gravitating black hole scalar wigs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barranco, Juan; Bernal, Argelia; Degollado, Juan Carlos; Diez-Tejedor, Alberto; Megevand, Miguel; Núñez, Darío; Sarbach, Olivier

2017-07-01

It has long been known that no static, spherically symmetric, asymptotically flat Klein-Gordon scalar field configuration surrounding a nonrotating black hole can exist in general relativity. In a series of previous papers, we proved that, at the effective level, this no-hair theorem can be circumvented by relaxing the staticity assumption: for appropriate model parameters, there are quasibound scalar field configurations living on a fixed Schwarzschild background which, although not being strictly static, have a larger lifetime than the age of the universe. This situation arises when the mass of the scalar field distribution is much smaller than the black hole mass, and following the analogies with the hair in the literature we dubbed these long-lived field configurations wigs. Here we extend our previous work to include the gravitational backreaction produced by the scalar wigs. We derive new approximate solutions of the spherically symmetric Einstein-Klein-Gordon system which represent self-gravitating scalar wigs surrounding black holes. These configurations interpolate between boson star configurations and Schwarzschild black holes dressed with the long-lived scalar test field distributions discussed in previous papers. Nonlinear numerical evolutions of initial data sets extracted from our approximate solutions support the validity of our approach. Arbitrarily large lifetimes are still possible, although for the parameter space that we analyze in this paper they seem to decay faster than the quasibound states. Finally, we speculate about the possibility that these configurations could describe the innermost regions of dark matter halos.

Investigating Pigment Radicals in Black Rice Using HPLC and Multi-EPR.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Kouichi; Maeda, Hayato

2017-01-01

We investigated the location and distribution of paramagnetic species in black and white rice using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-band (9 GHz) EPR imaging (EPRI), and HPLC. EPR primarily detected two paramagnetic species in black rice, which were identified as a stable radical and Mn 2+ species, based on the g values and hyperfine components of the EPR signals. The signal from the stable radical appeared at g ≈ 2.00 and was relatively strong and stable. Subsequent noninvasive two-dimensional (2D) EPRI revealed that this stable radical was primarily located in the pigmented region of black rice, while very few radicals were observed in the rice interior. Pigments extracted from black rice were analyzed using HPLC; the major compound was found to be cyanidin-3-glucoside. EPR and HPLC results indicate that the stable radical was only found within the pigmented region of the rice, and that it could either be cyanidin-3-glucoside, or one of its oxidative decomposition products.

Can Blacks Be Racists? Black-on-Black Principal Abuse in an Urban School Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalifa, Muhammad

2015-01-01

This study examines Black student and parental perceptions of exclusionary practices of Black school principals. I ask why students and parents viewed two Black principals as contributing to abusive and exclusionary school environments that marginalized Black students. After a two-year ethnographic study, it was revealed that exclusionary…

Subspecific affinity of black bears in the White River National Wildlife Refuge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warrillow, J.; Culver, M.; Hallerman, E.; Vaughan, M.

2001-01-01

The black bear population of the White River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is adjacent to populations of black bear in Louisiana (Urusus americanus luteolus) which are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Wildlife management plans can pose restrictions on bear harvests and timber extraction; therefore the management plan for the White River NWR is sensitive to subspecific classification of its bear population. The objective of this study was to analyze genetic variation in the White River NWR and seven adjacent populations of black bears to assess the subspecific affinity of the White River NWR population. Here we report the variation at seven microsatellite DNA loci among eight black bear populations. The patterns of genetic variation gave strong support for distinguishing a southern group of black bears comprised of the White River, Arkansas; Tensas River, Louisiana; Upper Atchafalaya, Louisiana; Lower Atchafalaya, Louisiana; and Alabama/Mississippi populations. Phylogenetic analysis of individual variation suggested that historical black bear introductions into Arkansas and Louisiana affected gene pools of certain southern receiving populations, but did not significantly change interpopulation relatedness. Phylogenetic inferences at both the population and individual levels support the hypothesis that the White River NWR population of black bears belongs to the U. a. luteolus subspecies.

Subspecific affinity of black bears in the White River National Wildlife Refuge.

PubMed

Warrillow, J; Culver, M; Hallerman, E; Vaughan, M

2001-01-01

The black bear population of the White River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is adjacent to populations of black bear in Louisiana (Urusus americanus luteolus) which are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Wildlife management plans can pose restrictions on bear harvests and timber extraction; therefore the management plan for the White River NWR is sensitive to subspecific classification of its bear population. The objective of this study was to analyze genetic variation in the White River NWR and seven adjacent populations of black bears to assess the subspecific affinity of the White River NWR population. Here we report the variation at seven microsatellite DNA loci among eight black bear populations. The patterns of genetic variation gave strong support for distinguishing a southern group of black bears comprised of the White River, Arkansas; Tensas River, Louisiana; Upper Atchafalaya, Louisiana; Lower Atchafalaya, Louisiana; and Alabama/Mississippi populations. Phylogenetic analysis of individual variation suggested that historical black bear introductions into Arkansas and Louisiana affected gene pools of certain southern receiving populations, but did not significantly change interpopulation relatedness. Phylogenetic inferences at both the population and individual levels support the hypothesis that the White River NWR population of black bears belongs to the U. a. luteolus subspecies.

Bacteroides endodontalis and other black-pigmented Bacteroides species in odontogenic abscesses.

PubMed Central

van Winkelhoff, A J; Carlee, A W; de Graaff, J

1985-01-01

Twenty-eight odontogenic abscesses were examined for the presence of black-pigmented Bacteroides spp. Of the 28 samples, 26 were found to contain one or more species of black-pigmented Bacteroides. Abscesses were divided into three categories according to the tissue of origin: endodontal, periodontal, and pericoronal. Four abscesses which developed after extraction were also examined. It was found that Bacteroides endodontalis, a newly described species of asaccharolytic black-pigmented Bacteroides, was isolated almost exclusively from periapical abscesses of endodontal origin. B. intermedius proved to be the most frequently isolated species in all of the samples. B. gingivalis was present in all of the periodontal abscesses studied, as well as in two endodontal abscesses. B. melaninogenicus was recovered once from a pericoronal abscess. Precautions for the isolation of B. endodontalis are discussed. PMID:4030089

Toxic and essential mineral elements content of black tea leaves and their tea infusions consumed in Iran.

PubMed

Salahinejad, Maryam; Aflaki, Fereydoon

2010-04-01

The metal contents of eleven black tea samples, four cultivated in Iran and seven imported, and their tea infusions were determined. Twelve elements consisting toxic metals (Al, As, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Ni) and essential mineral elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ca, and Mg) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Al, Ca, Mg, and Mn ranged in black tea leaves at mg g(-1) levels, while Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn were at microg g(-1) levels. Analysis of variance showed no statistically significant differences among most elements determined in cultivated and imported black teas in Iran except for Ni and Cu. The extraction efficiency of each element into tea infusions was evaluated. The solubility of measured metals in infusion extracts varied widely and ranged from 0 to 59.3%. Among the studied elements, Cr, Pb, and Cd showed the lowest rates of solubility and Ni had the highest rates of solubility. The amount of toxic metals and essential mineral elements that one may take up through consumption of black tea infusion was estimated. The amount of realizing each element into tea infusions and acceptable daily intake, for safety consumption of black tea, was compared.

Nonlinear Evolution and Final Fate of Charged Anti-de Sitter Black Hole Superradiant Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosch, Pablo; Green, Stephen R.; Lehner, Luis

2016-04-01

We describe the full nonlinear development of the superradiant instability for a charged massless scalar field coupled to general relativity and electromagnetism, in the vicinity of a Reissner-Nordström-anti-de Sitter black hole. The presence of the negative cosmological constant provides a natural context for considering perfectly reflecting boundary conditions and studying the dynamics as the scalar field interacts repeatedly with the black hole. At early times, small superradiant perturbations grow as expected from linearized studies. Backreaction then causes the black hole to lose charge and mass until the perturbation becomes nonsuperradiant, with the final state described by a stable hairy black hole. For large gauge coupling, the instability extracts a large amount of charge per unit mass, resulting in greater entropy increase. We discuss the implications of the observed behavior for the general problem of superradiance in black hole spacetimes.

Nonlinear Evolution and Final Fate of Charged Anti-de Sitter Black Hole Superradiant Instability.

PubMed

Bosch, Pablo; Green, Stephen R; Lehner, Luis

2016-04-08

We describe the full nonlinear development of the superradiant instability for a charged massless scalar field coupled to general relativity and electromagnetism, in the vicinity of a Reissner-Nordström-anti-de Sitter black hole. The presence of the negative cosmological constant provides a natural context for considering perfectly reflecting boundary conditions and studying the dynamics as the scalar field interacts repeatedly with the black hole. At early times, small superradiant perturbations grow as expected from linearized studies. Backreaction then causes the black hole to lose charge and mass until the perturbation becomes nonsuperradiant, with the final state described by a stable hairy black hole. For large gauge coupling, the instability extracts a large amount of charge per unit mass, resulting in greater entropy increase. We discuss the implications of the observed behavior for the general problem of superradiance in black hole spacetimes.

Black Literature vs. Black Studies: Three Lynchings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Melvin G.

1977-01-01

Considers three works by black authors, all dealing with lynchings, that may be used in a black literature course to introduce students to the esthetic dimension of black literature, as well as to its cultural and racial significance. (GW)

Characterization and purification of anthocyanins from black peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) skin by combined column chromatography.

PubMed

Zhao, Zhenlei; Wu, Min; Zhan, Yali; Zhan, Kanghua; Chang, Xiulian; Yang, Hongshun; Li, Zhanming

2017-10-13

Black peanut skins as a byproduct from peanut industry contain abundant anthocyanins, evaluated as 8.61±0.27mg/g dry black peanut skins, are currently poorly exploited. In this work, four anthocyanins and three major flavonols were detected and identified by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS from the acidified water extract of black peanut skins of Arachis hypogaea L. After preliminary removal of flavonols by ethyl acetate (EtOAc), further purification of the anthocyanins was conducted using a combination of Amberlite XAD-7HP and ODS-AQ-HG column chromatography methods. Two most abundant monomeric anthocyanins cyanidin-3-O-sophoroside (5.77±0.42mg) and cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside (4.10±0.17mg) were eventually obtained from 2g dry black peanut skins, and their purities were determined by HPLC-PDA as 97.29% and 98.28% at the yields of 87.47% and 64.27% on the basis of their total amount in the crude extracts, respectively. These sequential treatments can be easily adapted to large-scale fractionation of pure anthocyanin monomers. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Chemical composition, plant secondary metabolites, and minerals of green and black teas and the effect of different tea-to-water ratios during their extraction on the composition of their spent leaves as potential additives for ruminants.

PubMed

Ramdani, Diky; Chaudhry, Abdul Shakoor; Seal, Chris J

2013-05-22

This study characterized the chemical composition of green and black teas as well as their spent tea leaves (STL) following boiling in water with different tea-to-water ratios. The green and black tea leaves had statistically similar (g/kg dry matter (DM), unless stated otherwise) DM (937 vs 942 g/kg sample), crude protein (240 vs 242), and ash (61.8 vs 61.4), but green tea had significantly higher (g/kg DM) total phenols (231 vs 151), total tannins (204 vs 133), condensed tannins (176 vs 101), and total saponins (276 vs 86.1) and lower neutral detergent fiber (254 vs 323) and acid detergent fiber (211 vs 309) than the black tea leaves. There was no significant difference between the green and black tea leaves for most mineral components except Mn, which was significantly higher in green tea leaves, and Na and Cu, which were significantly higher in black tea leaves. A higher tea-to-water ratio during extraction significantly reduced the loss of soluble compounds into water and hence yielded more nutrient-rich STL. On the basis of these analyses it appears that the green and black tea leaves alongside their STL have the potential for use as sources of protein, fiber, secondary metabolites, and minerals in ruminant diets. The presence of high levels of plant secondary metabolites in either tea leaves or their STL suggests that they may have potential for use as natural additives in ruminant diets.

"Black Like Me": Reframing Blackness for Decolonial Politics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dei, George J. Sefa

2018-01-01

From a particular vantage point, as an African-born scholar with a politics to affirm my Black subjectivity and Indigeneity in a diasporic context, my article engages a (re)theorization of Blackness for decolonial politics. Building on existing works of how Black scholars, themselves, have theorized Blackness, and recognizing the fluid,…

Recovery of black cohosh (Actaea racemosa L.) following experimental harvests

Treesearch

Christine J. Small; James L. Chamberrlain; Derrick S. Mathews

2011-01-01

Since European colonization and subsequent commercialization of Appalachian medicinal and edible plants, millions of kilograms of plant material have been extracted from our forests, with little effort to manage these species as natural resources. Roots and rhizomes of black cohosh, a native Appalachian forest herb, are extensively harvested for treatment of menopausal...

Black Hessians: American Blacks as German Soldiers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Elliott W.

1981-01-01

The German army in America during the Revolutionary War enlisted Blacks as musicians, laborers, and soldiers. Black soldiers contributed to the mercenaries' military activities, while the German units offered Blacks employment, clothing, food, and a type of escape from slavery. (Author/MJL)

Enrichment of antioxidants in black garlic juice using macroporous resins and their protective effects on oxidation-damaged human erythrocytes.

PubMed

Zou, Ying; Zhao, Mouming; Yang, Kun; Lin, Lianzhu; Wang, Yong

2017-08-15

The black garlic juice is popular for its nutritive value. Enrichment of antioxidants is needed to make black garlic extract an effective functional ingredient. Five macroporous resins were evaluated for their capacity in adsorbing antioxidants in black garlic juice. XAD-16 resin was chosen for further study due to its high adsorption and desorption ratios. Pseudo-second-order kinetics (q e =625μmol Trolox equiv/g dry resin, k 2 =0.0001463) and Freundlich isotherm models (ΔH=-10.1547kJ/mol) were suitable for describing the whole exothermic and physical adsorption processes of the antioxidants from black garlic juice on XAD-16 resin. The antioxidants and phenolics were mostly enriched in 40% ethanol fraction by XAD-16 resin column chromatography. The black garlic extract and its fractions could protect erythrocytes against AAPH-induced hemolysis in dose-dependent manners. The pretreatment of AAPH-damaged erythrocytes with 40% ethanol fractions (2.5mg/mL) significantly decreased the hemolysis ratios from 53.58% to 3.79%. The 40% ethanol fraction possessing strong intracellular antioxidant activity could be used as a functional food ingredient. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the Level of Boron Concentrations in Black Teas with Fruit Teas Available on the Polish Market

PubMed Central

Zioła-Frankowska, Anetta; Frankowski, Marcin; Novotny, Karel; Kanicky, Viktor

2014-01-01

The determination of boron by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been carried in water-soluble and acid soluble (total content) fractions of 36 samples of traditional black tea and fruit brew. The estimation of the impact of the type of tea on the concentration of boron in water-soluble and acid extracts and potential human health risk from the daily intake of boron was carried out in this study. The levels of boron differed significantly in black and fruit tea types. The mean total content of boron ranged from 8.31 to 18.40 mg/kg in black teas, from 12.85 to 15.13 mg/kg in black tea with fruit flavor, and from 12.09 to 22.77 mg/kg in fruit brews. The degree of extraction of boron in black tea ranged from 8% to 27% and for fruit tea from 17% to 69%. In addition, the values below 25% were of black teas with fruit flavors. The daily intake of B from tea infusions (three cups/day) is still within the average daily intake except for some of the fruit brews which exceed acceptable regulations of the daily intake of total boron by humans. Hence, it may not produce any health risks for human consumption, if other sources of metal contaminated food are not taken at the same time. PMID:25379551

Comparison of the level of boron concentrations in black teas with fruit teas available on the Polish market.

PubMed

Zioła-Frankowska, Anetta; Frankowski, Marcin; Novotny, Karel; Kanicky, Viktor

2014-01-01

The determination of boron by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been carried in water-soluble and acid soluble (total content) fractions of 36 samples of traditional black tea and fruit brew. The estimation of the impact of the type of tea on the concentration of boron in water-soluble and acid extracts and potential human health risk from the daily intake of boron was carried out in this study. The levels of boron differed significantly in black and fruit tea types. The mean total content of boron ranged from 8.31 to 18.40 mg/kg in black teas, from 12.85 to 15.13 mg/kg in black tea with fruit flavor, and from 12.09 to 22.77 mg/kg in fruit brews. The degree of extraction of boron in black tea ranged from 8% to 27% and for fruit tea from 17% to 69%. In addition, the values below 25% were of black teas with fruit flavors. The daily intake of B from tea infusions (three cups/day) is still within the average daily intake except for some of the fruit brews which exceed acceptable regulations of the daily intake of total boron by humans. Hence, it may not produce any health risks for human consumption, if other sources of metal contaminated food are not taken at the same time.

Black Hole Spectroscopy with Coherent Mode Stacking.

PubMed

Yang, Huan; Yagi, Kent; Blackman, Jonathan; Lehner, Luis; Paschalidis, Vasileios; Pretorius, Frans; Yunes, Nicolás

2017-04-21

The measurement of multiple ringdown modes in gravitational waves from binary black hole mergers will allow for testing the fundamental properties of black holes in general relativity and to constrain modified theories of gravity. To enhance the ability of Advanced LIGO/Virgo to perform such tasks, we propose a coherent mode stacking method to search for a chosen target mode within a collection of multiple merger events. We first rescale each signal so that the target mode in each of them has the same frequency and then sum the waveforms constructively. A crucial element to realize this coherent superposition is to make use of a priori information extracted from the inspiral-merger phase of each event. To illustrate the method, we perform a study with simulated events targeting the ℓ=m=3 ringdown mode of the remnant black holes. We show that this method can significantly boost the signal-to-noise ratio of the collective target mode compared to that of the single loudest event. Using current estimates of merger rates, we show that it is likely that advanced-era detectors can measure this collective ringdown mode with one year of coincident data gathered at design sensitivity.

Black bean coats: New source of anthocyanins stabilized by β-cyclodextrin copigmentation in a sport beverage.

PubMed

Aguilera, Yolanda; Mojica, Luis; Rebollo-Hernanz, Miguel; Berhow, Mark; de Mejía, Elvira González; Martín-Cabrejas, María A

2016-12-01

Anthocyanin-rich powders and aqueous extracts, with high antioxidant activities, were obtained from black bean seed coats and applied to colour a sport beverage. Idaho and Otomi bean coats were extracted in water-citric acid 2% (1/50, w/v), stirring for 4h at 40°C. Anthocyanins from Idaho and Otomi extracts (1.83mg and 1.02mg C3G/g, respectively) were applied to a commercially available sport beverage, with and without 2% β-cyclodextrin (βCD) under light and darkness conditions for 10days, and stored at 4°C and 25°C for 6weeks. At different light and storage conditions, anthocyanin degradation fitted a first-order reaction model. All bean coat anthocyanins combined with βCD showed extended half-life (up to 13months), higher D-values (up to 43months) and fewer differences in colourimetric properties (lightness, chroma and hue angle) under darkness and 4°C conditions. These black bean coat aqueous extracts and powders might represent natural alternatives to synthetic colorants, ecologically extracted, and with a high antioxidant potential. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virucidal agents in the eve of manorapid synergy®

PubMed Central

Galabov, Angel S.

2007-01-01

Virucidal agents are chemical substances that attack and inactivate viral particles outside the cell (virions). In general this is accomplished by damaging their protein shells (capsid) or the substance penetrates the core itself, where it destroys the genetic material. Damage to the virion structure is also possible. These agents are used not only for traditional surface disinfection or sterilization of blood, blood products, and other medicinal products as well as in antiviral chemotherapy. They have also been used in recent times for inactivation of viruses in foodstuffs, detergents or cosmetics. Below is given an overview of the data currently available on the performance of these substances when used for the latter applications (cleaning and cosmetics). These include: hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorites, cupric and ferric ions, per-acids ethanol, parachlorometaxylenol in a sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, glutaraldehyde, quaternary ammonium salts, chlorhexidine and chlorhexidine gluconate, curdline sulphate, glycerol, lipids, azodicarbonamide, cicloxolone sodium, dichlorisocyanuric acid (sodium salt), benzalkonium salts, disulfate benzamides and benzisothiazolones, congo red, ascorbic acid, nonoxynol-9, para-aminobenzoic acid, bis(monosuccinamide) derivative of p,p’-bis(2-aminoethyl) diphenlyi-C60) (fullerene). merocyanine, benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A, rose bengal, hypericin, hypocrellin A, anthraquinones extracted from plants, sulfonated anthraquinones and other anthraquinone derivatives gramicidine, gossypol, garlic (Allium sativum) extract and its components: ajoene, diallyl thiosulfinate (allicin), allyl methyl thioulfinate, methyl allyl thiosulfinate, extracts of ledium, motherworth, celandine, black currant, coaberry and bilberry, extract of Cordia salicifolia, steam distillate from Houttuynia cordata (Saururaceae) and its component, 5,6,7-trimethoxyflavone from Calicarpa japonica, isoscullarein (5,7,8,4’-tetrahydroxyflavone) from

Are LIGO's Black Holes Made from Smaller Black Holes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fishbach, Maya; Holz, Daniel; Farr, Ben; LIGO Collaboration

2017-01-01

We consider the hierarchical merger model for the formation of stellar mass black holes (such as the binary black holes observable by LIGO). In the hierarchical merger model, each black hole in a black hole binary is the result of a merger of two lesser black holes from a previous generation, and the previous generation's black holes may themselves be merger products of an even earlier generation. We apply the formulas of Hofmann, Barausse and Rezzolla (2016) to show that if black holes form in this hierarchical merger scenario, their spin magnitudes follow a certain probability distribution. We demonstrate how to compare this spin distribution to LIGO spin measurements in order to constrain the hierarchical merger scenario.

Validity of black hole complementarity in the BTZ black hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gim, Yongwan; Kim, Wontae

2018-01-01

Based on the gedanken experiment for black hole complementarity in the Schwarzschild black hole, we calculate the energy required to duplicate information in the BTZ black hole under the assumption of absorbing boundary condition and its dual solution of the black string, respectively, in order to justify the validity of the no-cloning theorem in quantum mechanics. For the BTZ black hole, the required energy for the duplication of information can be made fairly small, whereas for the black string it exceeds the total mass of the black string, although they are related to each other under the dual transformation. So, the duplication of information might be possible in the BTZ black hole in contrast to the case of the black string, so that the no-cloning theorem could be violated for the former case. To save the duplication of information for the BTZ black hole, we perform an improved gedanken experiment by using the local thermodynamic quantities near the horizon rather than those defined at infinity, and show that the no-cloning theorem could be made valid even in the BTZ black hole. We also discuss how this local treatment for the no-cloning theorem can be applied to the black string as well as the Schwarzschild black hole innocuously.

Comparison of alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase and lipase inhibition activity of the phenolic substances in two black legumes of different genera

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Antioxidant-rich plant foods can inhibit starch and lipid digestions that are relevant to diabetes management and also may be extracted and concentrated for use as natural food preservatives against lipid oxidation and enzymatic breakdown of starch. Two high-antioxidant black legumes black soybean...

Black Alcoholism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watts, Thomas D.; Wright, Roosevelt

1988-01-01

Examines some aspects of the problem of alcoholism among Blacks, asserting that Black alcoholism can best be considered in an ecological, environmental, sociocultural, and public health context. Notes need for further research on alcoholism among Blacks and for action to reduce the problem of Black alcoholism. (NB)

Black Music: Sound and Feeling for Black Liberation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClendon, William H.

1976-01-01

Focuses on contemporary black music and the assortment of persons who produce it noting that black music is one area where black people provide their definitions and make their own judgements. (Author/AM)

Black Tea High-Molecular-Weight Polyphenol-Rich Fraction Promotes Hypertrophy during Functional Overload in Mice.

PubMed

Aoki, Yuki; Ozawa, Tetsuo; Takemasa, Tohru; Numata, Osamu

2017-03-29

Mitochondria activation factor (MAF) is a high-molecular-weight polyphenol extracted from black tea that stimulates training-induced 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation and improves endurance capacity. Originally, MAF was purified from black tea using butanol and acetone, making it unsuitable for food preparation. Hence, we extracted a MAF-rich sample "E80" from black tea, using ethanol and water only. Here, we examined the effects of E80 on resistance training. Eight-week old C57BL/6 mice were fed with a normal diet or a diet containing 0.5% E80 for 4, 7 and 14 days under conditions of functional overload. It was found that E80 administration promoted overload-induced hypertrophy and induced phosphorylation of the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway proteins, such as Akt, P70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), and S6 in the plantaris muscle. Therefore, functional overload and E80 administration accelerated mTOR signaling and increased protein synthesis in the muscle, thereby inducing hypertrophy.

Isolation and amplification of genomic DNA from recalcitrant dried berries of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.)--a medicinal spice.

PubMed

Dhanya, K; Kizhakkayil, Jaleel; Syamkumar, S; Sasikumar, B

2007-10-01

Black pepper is an important medicinal spice traded internationally. The extraction of high quality genomic DNA for PCR amplification from dried black pepper is challenging because of the presence of the exceptionally large amount of oxidized polyphenolic compounds, polysaccharides and other secondary metabolites. Here we report a modified hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol by incorporating potassium acetate and a final PEG precipitation step to isolate PCR amplifiable genomic DNA from dried and powdered berries of black pepper. The protocol has trade implication as it will help in the PCR characterization of traded black peppers from different countries.

The Future of Black Hole Astrophysics in the LIGO-VIRGO-LPF Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blandford, Roger; Anantua, Richard

2017-05-01

There is a resurgence of interest in black holes sparked by the LIGO-VIRGO detection of stellar black hole mergers and recent astronomical investigations of jets and accretion disks which probe the spacetime geometry of black holes with masses ranging from a few times the mass of the sun to tens of billions of solar masses. Many of these black holes appear to be spinning rapidly. Some new approaches are described to studying how accreting black holes function as cosmic machines paying special attention to observations of AGN jets, especially with VLBI and γ-ray telescopes. It is assumed that these jets are powered by the electromagnetic extraction of the spin energy of their associated black holes, which are described by the Kerr metric, and that they become simpler and more electromagnetically dominated as the event horizon is approached. The major uncertainty in these models is in describing acceleration and transport of relativistic electrons and positrons and simple phenomenological prescriptions are proposed. The application of these ideas to M87 and 3C279 is outlined and the prospects for learning more, especially from the Event Horizon Telescope and the Cerenkov Telescope Array, are discussed. The main benefit of a better understanding of black hole astrophysics to the LISA mission should be a firmer understanding of the source demographics.

The Lived Experience of Black Nurse Faculty in Predominantly White Schools of Nursing.

PubMed

Whitfield-Harris, Lisa; Lockhart, Joan Such; Zoucha, Richard; Alexander, Rumay

2017-03-01

This study explored the experiences of Black nurse faculty employed in predominantly White schools of nursing. High attrition rates of this group were noted in previous literature. Understanding their experiences is important to increase nurse diversity. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used to explore the experiences of 15 Black nurse faculty using interviews. Four themes were extracted as the following: cultural norms of the workplace, coping with improper assets, life as a "Lone Ranger," and surviving the workplace environment. The study provided insight to understand the meaning that Black faculty members give to their experiences working in predominantly White schools of nursing. Findings exemplify the need to improve culturally competent work environments and mentoring programs. Results suggest that better communication and proper respect from students, colleagues, and administrators are necessary. The limited research on this topic illustrates that Black nurse faculty remain under investigated; research is necessary to determine effective change strategies.

The charged black-hole bomb: A lower bound on the charge-to-mass ratio of the explosive scalar field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hod, Shahar

2016-04-01

The well-known superradiant amplification mechanism allows a charged scalar field of proper mass μ and electric charge q to extract the Coulomb energy of a charged Reissner-Nordström black hole. The rate of energy extraction can grow exponentially in time if the system is placed inside a reflecting cavity which prevents the charged scalar field from escaping to infinity. This composed black-hole-charged-scalar-field-mirror system is known as the charged black-hole bomb. Previous numerical studies of this composed physical system have shown that, in the linearized regime, the inequality q / μ > 1 provides a necessary condition for the development of the superradiant instability. In the present paper we use analytical techniques to study the instability properties of the charged black-hole bomb in the regime of linearized scalar fields. In particular, we prove that the lower bound q/μ>√{rm /r- - 1/ rm /r+ - 1 } provides a necessary condition for the development of the superradiant instability in this composed physical system (here r± are the horizon radii of the charged Reissner-Nordström black hole and rm is the radius of the confining mirror). This analytically derived lower bound on the superradiant instability regime of the composed black-hole-charged-scalar-field-mirror system is shown to agree with direct numerical computations of the instability spectrum.

Black Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Angela Khristin

2013-01-01

The migration of blacks in North America through slavery became united. The population of blacks passed down a tradition of artist through art to native born citizens. The art tradition involved telling stories to each generation in black families. The black culture elevated by tradition created hope to determine their personal freedom to escape…

Multi-residue pesticide analysis (gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection)-Improvement of the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method for dried fruits and fat-rich cereals-Benefit and limit of a standardized apple purée calibration (screening).

PubMed

Rasche, Claudia; Fournes, Britta; Dirks, Uwe; Speer, Karl

2015-07-17

Some steps of the QuEChERS method for the analysis of pesticides with GC-MS/MS in cereals and dried fruits were improved or simplified. For the latter, a mixing vessel with stator-rotor-system proved to be advantageous. The extraction procedure of dried fruits is much easier and safer than the Ultra Turrax and results in excellent validation data at a concentration level of 0.01mg/kg (116 of 118 analytes with recoveries in the range of 70-120%, 117 of 118 analytes with RSD <20%). After qualifying problematic lipophilic pesticides in fat-rich cereals (fat content >7%), predominantly organochlorines showed recoveries of <70% in quantification when the standard QuEChERS method with water was used. A second extraction was carried out analogous to the QuEChERS method, however, without the addition of water. With this simple modification, the problematic lipophilic pesticides, which had been strongly affected by the fat content of the commodities, could be determined with recoveries above 70% even at a concentration level of 0.01mg/kg. Moreover, a GC-MS/MS screening method for 120 pesticides at a concentration level of 0.01mg/kg was established by employing analyte protectants (ethylglycerol, gulonolactone, and sorbitol). The use of only one standardized calibration, made of an apple purée extract in combination with analyte protectants, allowed for a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 120 pesticides in different matrix extracts (tomato, red pepper, sour cherries, dried apples, black currant powder, raisins, wheat flour, rolled oats, wheat germ). The analyte protectants leveled the differences in the matrix-induced protection effect of the analyzed extracts over a wide range. The majority of the pesticides were analyzed with good analytical results (recoveries in the range of 70-120% and RSD <20%). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel pyropheophorbide steryl esters in Black Sea sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Linda L.; Repeta, Daniel J.

1991-07-01

A series of non-polar chlorophyll degradation products (NPCs) with greater than 10 components has been isolated from Black Sea sediment and identified as pyropheophorbide steryl esters by visible and mass spectrometry. These compounds have been previously observed in seawater and sediment trap samples, and may be formed during grazing of phytoplankton by zooplanktonic herbivores. In Black Sea sediments, NPCs constitute 14% of the total phorbins determined spectroscopically at 660 nm, and 39% of the total chlorophyll degradation products measured by high pressure liquid chromatography. NPCs therefore constitute a significant sedimentary sink for chlorophyll. The distribution of sterols released by hydrolysis of NPCs most closely resembles sterols in suspended particulate matter collected from the euphotic zone and is quite different from the distribution of solvent-extractable sterols in sediments. Sterols extracted from sediments have high concentrations of 4-methylsterols and high stanol/stenol ratios. NPC-derived sterols have very low concentrations of 4-methylsterols and low stanol/stenol ratios. We suggest that these differences reflect an enhanced preservation of NPCs in sediments relative to free sterols and phorbins. As a result, the original production of sterols in the euphotic zone may be more closely approximated by the distribution of NPC-derived sterols than by the distribution of free sterols in sediments.

Black holes.

PubMed

Brügmann, B; Ghez, A M; Greiner, J

2001-09-11

Recent progress in black hole research is illustrated by three examples. We discuss the observational challenges that were met to show that a supermassive black hole exists at the center of our galaxy. Stellar-size black holes have been studied in x-ray binaries and microquasars. Finally, numerical simulations have become possible for the merger of black hole binaries.

On the Charter Question: Black Marxism and Black Nationalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stern, Mark; Hussain, Khuram

2015-01-01

This article brings two black intellectual traditions to bear on the question of charter schools: black Marxism and black nationalism. The authors examine the theoretical and rhetorical devices used to talk about charters schools by focusing on how notions of "black liberation" are deployed by the charter movement, and to what end. The…

"Be Real Black for Me": Imagining BlackCrit in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dumas, Michael J.; ross, kihana miraya

2016-01-01

The authors put forward a theorization of a Black Critical Theory, or what might be called BlackCrit, within, and in response to, Critical Race Theory, and then outline ways that BlackCrit in education helps us to more incisively analyze how the specificity of (anti)blackness matters in explaining how Black bodies become marginalized, disregarded,…

Effect of Black maca (Lepidium meyenii) on one spermatogenic cycle in rats.

PubMed

Gonzales, G F; Nieto, J; Rubio, J; Gasco, M

2006-10-01

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) grows exclusively between 4000 and 4500 m above sea level in the Peruvian central Andes. The hypocotyls of this plant are traditionally used in the Andean region for their supposed fertility-enhancing properties. The hypocotyls have different colours. Of these, Black maca has better effects on spermatogenesis. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that Black maca has early effects during a spermatogenic cycle (12 days) of male rats. For this, testicular spermatid, epididymal sperm and vas deferens sperm counts were measured after 1, 3, 5, 7 and 12 days of treatment with Black maca. Aqueous extract of Black maca was given orally by daily gavage at a dose of 2 g kg(-1). In a spermatogenic cycle, compared with day 1, daily sperm production (DSP) was lower at day 7 (control), whereas with Black maca, the difference was observed at day 12. Epididymal sperm count was higher in rats treated with Black maca at days 1, 3 and 7, but similar to controls at days 5 and 12; similarly sperm counts in vas deferens was higher in rats treated with Black maca in days 3, 5 and 7, but similar to controls at days 1 and 12. From this, it is suggested that first action of Black maca was at epididymal level increasing sperm count after 1 day of treatment, whereas an increase in sperm count was observed in vas deferens at day 3 of treatment. Finally, an increase in DSP was observed after 7 days of treatment with Black maca. Testicular testosterone was not affected after 7 days treatment with Black maca. In conclusion, Black maca affects sperm count as early as 1 day after beginning of treatment.

Black holes

PubMed Central

Brügmann, B.; Ghez, A. M.; Greiner, J.

2001-01-01

Recent progress in black hole research is illustrated by three examples. We discuss the observational challenges that were met to show that a supermassive black hole exists at the center of our galaxy. Stellar-size black holes have been studied in x-ray binaries and microquasars. Finally, numerical simulations have become possible for the merger of black hole binaries. PMID:11553801

Migration of nanoparticles from plastic packaging materials containing carbon black into foodstuffs

PubMed Central

Bott, Johannes; Störmer, Angela; Franz, Roland

2014-01-01

Carbon black was investigated to assess and quantify the possibility that nanoparticles might migrate out of plastic materials used in the food packaging industry. Two types of carbon black were incorporated in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polystyrene (PS) at 2.5% and 5.0% loading (w/w), and then subjected to migration studies. The samples were exposed to different food simulants according to European Union Plastics Regulation 10/2011, simulating long-term storage with aqueous and fatty foodstuffs. Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled to a multi-angle laser light-scattering (MALLS) detector was used to separate, characterise and quantify the potential release of nanoparticles. The AF4 method was successful in differentiating carbon black from other matrix components, such as extracted polymer chains, in the migration solution. At a detection limit of 12 µg kg−1, carbon black did not migrate from the packaging material into food simulants. The experimental findings are in agreement with theoretical considerations based on migration modelling. From both the experimental findings and theoretical considerations, it can be concluded that carbon black does not migrate into food once it is incorporated into a plastics food contact material. PMID:25105506

Migration of nanoparticles from plastic packaging materials containing carbon black into foodstuffs.

PubMed

Bott, Johannes; Störmer, Angela; Franz, Roland

2014-01-01

Carbon black was investigated to assess and quantify the possibility that nanoparticles might migrate out of plastic materials used in the food packaging industry. Two types of carbon black were incorporated in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polystyrene (PS) at 2.5% and 5.0% loading (w/w), and then subjected to migration studies. The samples were exposed to different food simulants according to European Union Plastics Regulation 10/2011, simulating long-term storage with aqueous and fatty foodstuffs. Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled to a multi-angle laser light-scattering (MALLS) detector was used to separate, characterise and quantify the potential release of nanoparticles. The AF4 method was successful in differentiating carbon black from other matrix components, such as extracted polymer chains, in the migration solution. At a detection limit of 12 µg kg⁻¹, carbon black did not migrate from the packaging material into food simulants. The experimental findings are in agreement with theoretical considerations based on migration modelling. From both the experimental findings and theoretical considerations, it can be concluded that carbon black does not migrate into food once it is incorporated into a plastics food contact material.

Distribution of ectomycorrhizal and pathogenic fungi in soil along a vegetational change from Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii) to black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia).

PubMed

Taniguchi, Takeshi; Kataoka, Ryota; Tamai, Shigenobu; Yamanaka, Norikazu; Futai, Kazuyoshi

2009-04-01

The nitrogen-fixing tree black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) seems to affect ectomycorrhizal (ECM) colonization and disease severity of Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii Parl.) seedlings. We examined the effect of black locust on the distribution of ECM and pathogenic fungi in soil. DNA was extracted from soil at depths of 0-5 and 5-10 cm, collected from the border between a Japanese black pine- and a black locust-dominated forest, and the distribution of these fungi was investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The effect of soil nutrition and pH on fungal distribution was also examined. Tomentella sp. 1 and Tomentella sp. 2 were not detected from some subplots in the Japanese black pine-dominated forest. Ectomycorrhizas formed by Tomentella spp. were dominant in black locust-dominated subplots and very little in the Japanese black pine-dominated forest. Therefore, the distribution may be influenced by the distribution of inoculum potential, although we could not detect significant relationships between the distribution of Tomentella spp. on pine seedlings and in soils. The other ECM fungi were detected in soils in subplots where the ECM fungi was not detected on pine seedlings, and there was no significant correlation between the distribution of the ECM fungi on pine seedlings and in soils. Therefore, inoculum potential seemed to not always influence the ECM community on roots. The distribution of Lactarius quieticolor and Tomentella sp. 2 in soil at a depth of 0-5 cm positively correlated with soil phosphate (soil P) and that of Tomentella sp. 2 also positively correlated with soil nitrogen (soil N). These results suggest the possibility that the distribution of inoculum potential of the ECM fungi was affected by soil N and soil P. Although the mortality of the pine seedlings was higher in the black locust-dominated area than in the Japanese black pine-dominated area, a pathogenic fungus of pine seedlings, Cylindrocladium pacificum, was

Experiments on Plume Spreading by Engineered Injection and Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mays, D. C.; Jones, M.; Tigera, R. G.; Neupauer, R.

2014-12-01

The notion that groundwater remediation is transport-limited emphasizes the coupling between physical (i.e., hydrodynamic), geochemical, and microbiological processes in the subsurface. Here we leverage this coupling to promote groundwater remediation using the approach of engineered injection and extraction. In this approach, inspired by the literature on chaotic advection, uncontaminated groundwater is injected and extracted through a manifold of wells surrounding the contaminated plume. The potential of this approach lies in its ability to actively manipulate the velocity field near the contaminated plume, generating plume spreading above and beyond that resulting from aquifer heterogeneity. Plume spreading, in turn, promotes mixing and reaction by chemical and biological processes. Simulations have predicted that engineered injection and extraction generates (1) chaotic advection whose characteristics depend on aquifer heterogeneity, and (2) faster rates and increased extent of groundwater remediation. This presentation focuses on a complimentary effort to experimentally demonstrate these predictions experimentally. In preparation for future work using refractive index matched (RIM) porous media, the experiments reported here use a Hele-Shaw apparatus containing silicone oil. Engineered injection and extraction is used to manipulate the geometry of an initially circular plume of black pigment, and photographs record the plume geometry after each step of injection of extraction. Image analysis, using complimentary Eulerian and Lagrangian approaches, reveals the thickness and variability of the dispersion zone surrounding the deformed plume of black pigment. The size, shape, and evolution of this dispersion zone provides insight into the interplay between engineered injection and extraction, which generates plume structure, and dispersion (here Taylor dispersion), which destroys plume structure. These experiments lay the groundwork for application of engineered

Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Properties of a Common Brand of Black Tea (Camellia sinensis) Marketed in Nigerian Environment.

PubMed

Olosunde, O Funmilayo; Abu-Saeed, Kamaldeen; Abu-Saeed, Muhammad Buhari

2012-01-01

This study is aimed at determining chemical constituents and antimicrobial activities of a common brand of black tea (Lipton®) in Nigeria. Standard methods were employed for testing carbohydrates, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids and terpenes in the tea. Antimicrobial activities of methanolic and aqueous extracts of the tea on four standard strains of organisms: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis were also determined by standard methods. RESULTs showed that the tea contains tannin and reducing sugar. Concentrations of 1%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% aqueous and methanolic extract of black tea were prepared and their zones of inhibition determined against the four test organisms using the cup plate method. This was compared with zones for standard disc Gentamicin (10 µg) and Erythromycin (15 µg). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was sensitive to 2% to 10% aqueous extracts and intermediate to 6%, 8% and 10% methanolic extracts. E. coli was intermediately sensitive to 6%, 8% and 10% aqueous extract and 2% to 10% methanolic extracts. B. subtilis was intermediately sensitive to 4%, 6% and 8% aqueous extract and 4% to 10% methanolic extract but sensitive to 10% aqueous extract. Staph.aureus was intermediately sensitive to 4% to 10% aqueous extracts and 2% to 10% methanolic extracts. B. subtilis had the lowest MIC values of both aqueous and methanolic extracts. In conclusion, this study has shown that Lipton® has antimicrobial properties on E.coli, Staph.aureus, B.subtilis and Ps.aeruginosa and contains tannin and reducing sugar.

Salicylic Acid Treatment Increases the Levels of Triterpene Glycosides in Black Cohosh (Actaea Racemosa) Rhizomes.

PubMed

De Capite, Annette; Lancaster, Tyler; Puthoff, David

2016-01-01

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) serves as the host plant for the Appalachian azure butterfly, Celastrina neglectamajor. Overharvesting of Black cohosh for the dietary supplement industry may result in its extirpation, and may also cause the elimination of the dependent butterfly. One way to increase or maintain the number of host plants in forested environments would be to reduce the number harvested, for example by increasing the levels of the desired metabolites in Black cohosh rhizomes. The secondary metabolites actein and deoxyactein are triterpene glycosides and are among the compounds associated with the putative activity of Black cohosh extracts. Acetein and deoxyacetein are used to standardize Black cohosh supplements. To gain an understanding of mechanisms that may control actein and deoxyactein accumulation, Black cohosh rhizomes were treated with exogenous salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, or ethylene, or were mechanically wounded. Salicylic acid treatment significantly increased the levels of actein and deoxyactein in the rhizome of Black cohosh, suggesting that the synthesis of triterpene glycosides is controlled in part by salicylic acid. Using salicylic acid or related chemicals to increase the levels of actein and deoxyactein in rhizomes may help supply the supplement industry and, simultaneously, help conserve Black cohosh and species dependent upon it.

Synergistic inhibition of Haemonchus contortus exsheathment by flavonoid monomers and condensed tannins

PubMed Central

Klongsiriwet, Chaweewan; Quijada, Jessica; Williams, Andrew R.; Mueller-Harvey, Irene; Williamson, Elizabeth M.; Hoste, Hervé

2015-01-01

This study investigated the separate and combined anthelmintic (AH) effects of different phenolic compounds, including condensed tannins and flavonoids, all of which are known to occur in willow leaves, a potentially valuable dry season feed. A range of contrasting model tannins, which span the whole range of willow tannins, were isolated from tilia flowers, goat willow leaves, black currant leaves and red currant leaves. All together, the tested compounds represented the major tannin types (procyanidins and prodelphinidins) and flavonoid types (flavonols, flavones and flavanones). The larval exsheathment inhibition assay (LEIA) was used to assess their in vitro effects on Haemonchus contortus third stage larvae. Arbutin, vanillic acid, and taxifolin proved to be ineffective whereas naringenin, quercetin and luteolin were highly effective at 250 μM concentrations. Procyanidin (PC) tannins tended to be less active than prodelphinidin tannins (PD). Experiments with combinations of tannins and quercetin or luteolin revealed for the first time the existence of synergistic AH effects between tannins and flavonoid monomers. They also provided evidence that synergistic effects appear to occur at slightly lower concentrations of PC than PD. This suggests that the AH activity of condensed tannins can be significantly enhanced by the addition of quercetin or luteolin. This information may prove useful for plant breeding or selection and for designing optimal feed mixtures. PMID:26199861

Celebration of Black Composers: Black Music at the Philharmonic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Current, Gloster B.

1978-01-01

The five-day celebration of black composers at the New York Philharmonic included a panel discussion of black music and three symphonic concerts featuring the premieres of new works by celebrated black composers. (Author/AM)

Protective potential of Black grapes against lead induced oxidative stress in rats.

PubMed

Lakshmi, B V S; Sudhakar, M; Aparna, M

2013-05-01

From time immemorial Vitis vinifera (Black grapes) have been used both for medicinal and nourishment purposes. The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of Black grapes against lead nitrate induced oxidative stress. Exposure to lead significantly increased malondialdehyde levels with a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, and the concentration of GSH in the liver and kidneys of rats. Significantly increased levels of AST, ALT, ALP, BUN and serum creatinine and decreased levels of total protein were observed. The administration of lead significantly decreased the body weight and organ weights at the end of the experimental period. Statistically significant decrease in hemoglobin, red blood cell and total leukocyte count was observed. Pretreatment of hydroalcoholic extract of Black grapes to lead exposed rats significantly ameliorated lead-induced oxidative stress in tissues and produced improvement in hematological parameters over lead-exposed rats, indicating the beneficial role of Black grapes to counteract the lead-induced oxidative stress. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bio-processing of solid wastes and secondary resources for metal extraction - A review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Jae-chun; Pandey, Banshi Dhar, E-mail: bd_pandey@yahoo.co.uk; CSIR - National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur 831007

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Review focuses on bio-extraction of metals from solid wastes of industries and consumer goods. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bio-processing of certain effluents/wastewaters with metals is also included in brief. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quantity/composition of wastes are assessed, and microbes used and leaching conditions included. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bio-recovery using bacteria, fungi and archaea is highlighted for resource recycling. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Process methodology/mechanism, R and D direction and scope of large scale use are briefly included. - Abstract: Metal containing wastes/byproducts of various industries, used consumer goods, and municipal waste are potential pollutants, if not treated properly. They may also be important secondary resources if processed inmore » eco-friendly manner for secured supply of contained metals/materials. Bio-extraction of metals from such resources with microbes such as bacteria, fungi and archaea is being increasingly explored to meet the twin objectives of resource recycling and pollution mitigation. This review focuses on the bio-processing of solid wastes/byproducts of metallurgical and manufacturing industries, chemical/petrochemical plants, electroplating and tanning units, besides sewage sludge and fly ash of municipal incinerators, electronic wastes (e-wastes/PCBs), used batteries, etc. An assessment has been made to quantify the wastes generated and its compositions, microbes used, metal leaching efficiency etc. Processing of certain effluents and wastewaters comprising of metals is also included in brief. Future directions of research are highlighted.« less

Determination of the distribution and speciation of selenium in an argillaceous sample using chemical extractions and post-extractions analyses: application to the hydrogeological experimental site of Poitiers.

PubMed

Bassil, Joseph; Naveau, Aude; Bueno, Maïté; Di Tullo, Pamela; Grasset, Laurent; Kazpard, Véronique; Razack, Moumtaz

2016-05-01

To better understand selenium's dynamics in environmental systems, the present study aims to investigate selenium speciation and distribution in black argillaceous sediments, partially fulfilling karstic cavities into the Hydrogeological Experimental Site of Poitiers. These sediments are suspected to be responsible for selenium concentrations exceeding the European Framework Directive's drinking water limit value (10 μg L(-1)) in some specific wells. A combination of a sequential extractions scheme and single parallel extractions was thus applied on a representative argillaceous sample. Impacts of the extractions on mineral dissolution and organic matter mobilization were followed by quantifying major cations and total organic carbon (TOC) in the aqueous extracts. The nature of the released organic matter was characterized using thermochemolysis coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). About 10 % of selenium from the black argillaceous studied matrix could be defined as 'easily mobilizable' when the majority (around 70 %) revealed associated with the aliphatic and alkaline-soluble organic matter's fraction (about 20 %). In these fractions, selenium speciation was moreover dominated by oxidized species including a mixture of Se(VI) (20-30 %) and Se(IV) (70-80 %) in the 'easily mobilizable' fraction, while only Se(IV) was detected in alkaline-soluble organic matter fraction.

Are LIGO's Black Holes Made From Smaller Black Holes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-05-01

The recent successes of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has raised hopes that several long-standing questions in black-hole physics will soon be answerable. Besides revealing how the black-hole binary pairs are built, could detections with LIGO also reveal how the black holes themselves form?Isolation or HierarchyThe first detection of gravitational waves, GW150914, was surprising for a number of reasons. One unexpected result was the mass of the two black holes that LIGO saw merging: they were a whopping 29 and 36 solar masses.On the left of this schematic, two first-generation (direct-collapse) black holes form a merging binary. The right illustrates a second-generation hierarchical merger: each black hole in the final merging binary was formed by the merger of two smaller black holes. [Adapted fromGerosa et al., a simultaneously published paper that also explores the problem of hierarchical mergers and reaches similar conclusions]How do black holes of this size form? One possibility is that they form in isolation from the collapse of a single massive star. In an alternative model, they are created through the hierarchical merger of smaller black holes, gradually building up to the size we observed.A team of scientists led by Maya Fishbach (University of Chicago) suggests that we may soon be able to tell whether or not black holes observed by LIGO formed hierarchically. Fishbach and collaborators argue that hierarchical formation leaves a distinctive signature on the spins of the final black holes and that as soon as we have enough merger detections from LIGO, we can use spin measurements to statistically determine if LIGO black holes were formed hierarchically.Spins from Major MergersWhen two black holes merge, both their original spins and the angular momentum of the pair contribute to the spin of the final black hole that results. Fishbach and collaborators calculate the expected distribution of these final spins assuming that

Mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of extracts of three spices and a medicinal plant in Thailand.

PubMed

Higashimoto, M; Purintrapiban, J; Kataoka, K; Kinouchi, T; Vinitketkumnuen, U; Akimoto, S; Matsumoto, H; Ohnishi, Y

1993-11-01

Three kinds of spices (caraway, coriander and black pepper seeds) and a medicinal plant called 'tong tak' in Thai (Baliospermum axillar, a species of the spurge family) were fractionated into hot water, methanol and hexane extracts. These extracts were not mutagenic for Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 by the Ames assay. However, when the extracts were treated with nitrite, samples of the water and methanol extracts were mutagenic for strain TA100 without metabolic activation. The mutagenicity of the nitrite-treated methanol and hot water extracts of black pepper was highest (8380 and 22,200 His+ per 0.1 g of spice powder, respectively), and that of the nitrite-treated hot water extracts of caraway and tong tak was moderate. The hot water extracts were examined for their antimutagenic activity against mutagenicity induced by various carcinogens by the Ames assay, using the preincubation technique. The tested samples (equivalent to 1-2 mg of spice powder) reduced the mutagenicity induced by 2.7 nmole (397 ng) of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine by more than 84%, and that induced by dimethylnitrosamine (1.48 mg) or ICR-170 (10 ng) by 30-60%. However, they did not inhibit the mutagenic activity of 1-nitropyrene, 3-nitrofluoranthene, AF-2, methyl methanesulfonate, N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, 2-aminoanthracene, 2-acetylaminofluorene, benzo[a]pyrene or IQ.

The transillumination technique as a method for the assessment of spermatogenesis using medicinal plants: the effect of extracts of black maca (Lepidium meyenii) and camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) on stages of the spermatogenic cycle in male rats.

PubMed

Gonzales, Gustavo F; Vasquez, Vanessa Bertha; Gasco, Manuel

2013-10-01

Transillumination technique for assessment of stages of spermatogenic cycle is a useful tool for toxicological studies. This study was designed to determine the effect of two medicinal plants on spermatogenesis in male rats using the transillumination technique. For this, the effect of the combination of a fruit with highest content of ascorbic acid (Myrciaria dubia, camu camu) and extract of black maca (Lepidium meyenii) on seminiferous tubule stages scored by transillumination on intact tubules in adult male rats was assessed. Animals were treated during seven days with vehicle, black maca, camu camu or a mixture of black maca + camu camu and assessed for daily sperm production (DSP), stages of spermatogenic cycle as well as antioxidant activity and levels of flavonoids and polyphenols. Black maca increased stages of spermiation (VII-VIII) and mitosis of germ cells (IX-XI), whereas camu camu increased stages of mitosis (IX-XI) and meiosis (XII). Mixture of maca + camu camu increased stages of spermiation, mitosis and meiosis. All treatments increased DSP (p<0.05) and epididymal sperm count (p<0.05). Total polyphenols, flavonoids levels and antioxidant activity were higher in camu camu (p<0.001) than in black maca. In conclusion, M. dubia (camu camu) has potential effects improving spermatogenesis and co-administered with maca increase stages of mitosis, meiosis and spermiation of the spermatogenic cycle as assessed by the transillumination technique. This technique is becoming increasingly a useful tool for assessment spermatogenesis.

Gene expression profiling reveals effects of Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) NUTT. (black cohosh) on the estrogen receptor positive human breast cancer cell line MCF-7

PubMed Central

Gaube, Friedemann; Wolfl, Stefan; Pusch, Larissa; Kroll, Torsten C; Hamburger, Matthias

2007-01-01

Background Extracts from the rhizome of Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh) are increasingly popular as herbal alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the alleviation of postmenopausal disorders. However, the molecular mode of action and the active principles are presently not clear. Previously published data have been largely contradictory. We, therefore, investigated the effects of a lipophilic black cohosh rhizome extract and cycloartane-type triterpenoids on the estrogen receptor positive human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Results Both extract and purified compounds clearly inhibited cellular proliferation. Gene expression profiling with the extract allowed us to identify 431 regulated genes with high significance. The extract induced expression pattern differed from those of 17β-estradiol or the estrogen receptor antagonist tamoxifen. We observed a significant enrichment of genes in an anti-proliferative and apoptosis-sensitizing manner, as well as an increase of mRNAs coding for gene products involved in several stress response pathways. These functional groups were highly overrepresented among all regulated genes. Also several transcripts coding for oxidoreductases were induced, as for example the cytochrome P450 family members 1A1 and 1B1. In addition, some transcripts associated with antitumor but also tumor-promoting activity were regulated. Real-Time RT-PCR analysis of 13 selected genes was conducted after treatment with purified compounds – the cycloartane-type triterpene glycoside actein and triterpene aglycons – showing similar expression levels compared to the extract. Conclusion No estrogenic but antiproliferative and proapoptotic gene expression was shown for black cohosh in MCF-7 cells at the transcriptional level. The effects may be results of the activation of different pathways. The cycloartane glycosides and – for the first time – their aglycons could be identified as an active principle in black cohosh. PMID:17880733

Grapefruit extract activity in the control of rose powdery mildew and black spot.

PubMed

Wojdyła, A T

2001-01-01

Efficacy of grapefruit extract (a.i. of Biosept 33 SL) in the control of Sphaerotheca pannosa var. rosae and Diplocarpon rosae on roses was investigated during 1998-1999. The extract was applied as plant spray in concentrations from 0.017 to 0.099%. First treatment of rose shrubs was done when visible disease symptoms occurred on leaves and spraying was repeated 3 (in plastic tunnel) or 10-times (in the field) at weekly intervals. In the second experiment roses with visible powdery mildew symptoms were sprayed once with grapefruit extract. Leaves were sampled one or 7 days after the extract application and germination of spores of S. pannosa var. rosae on potato dextrose agar was evaluated. In the next experiment roses grown under plastic tunnel were sprayed once with the tested preparation. After 24 hours leaves were collected and appearance of fungal hyphae and spores of S. pannosa var. rosae was studied in scanning electron microscope. In the control of S. pannosa var. rosae grapefruit extract at conc. 0.066% was as effective as triforine (standard) applied at 0.027%. Reduction of concentration resulted in the decreased efficacy of the tested preparation. Spores of S. pannosa var. rosae collected one day after grapefruit extract application germinated in about 5%. Analyses of spore vitality 6 days letter showed that only about 15% of conidia could germinated on PDA agar. In contrary, spores from untreated leaves germinated in about 95%. Scanning electrone microscope analysis of leaves taken from plants protected with grapefruit extract showed that most of hyphae were separated from leaf surface. Almost all hyphae and spores were degenerated. In the control of D. rosae the preparation in all tested concentrations gave satisfactory results but was less effective than triforine.

Head-on collisions of unequal mass black holes in D=5 dimensions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witek, Helvi; Cardoso, Vitor; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677

We study head-on collisions of unequal mass black hole binaries in D=5 spacetime dimensions, with mass ratios between 1:1 and 1:4. Information about gravitational radiation is extracted by using the Kodama-Ishibashi gauge-invariant formalism and details of the apparent horizon of the final black hole. We present waveforms, total integrated energy and momentum for this process. Our results show surprisingly good agreement, within 5% or less, with those extrapolated from linearized, point-particle calculations. Our results also show that consistency with the area theorem bound requires that the same process in a large number of spacetime dimensions must display new features.

Identification of novel aroma-active thiols in pan-roasted white sesame seeds.

PubMed

Tamura, Hitoshi; Fujita, Akira; Steinhaus, Martin; Takahisa, Eisuke; Watanabe, Hiroyuki; Schieberle, Peter

2010-06-23

Screening for aroma-active compounds in an aroma distillate obtained from freshly pan-roasted sesame seeds by aroma extract dilution analysis revealed 32 odorants in the FD factor range of 2-2048, 29 of which could be identified. The highest FD factors were found for the coffee-like smelling 2-furfurylthiol, the caramel-like smelling 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, the coffee-like smelling 2-thenylthiol (thiophen-2-yl-methylthiol), and the clove-like smelling 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol. In addition, 9 odor-active thiols with sulfurous, meaty, and/or catty, black-currant-like odors were identified for the first time in roasted sesame seeds. Among them, 2-methyl-1-propene-1-thiol, (Z)-3-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (E)-3-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (Z)-2-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (E)-2-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, and 4-mercapto-3-hexanone were previously unknown as food constituents. Their structures were confirmed by comparing their mass spectra and retention indices as well as their sensory properties with those of synthesized reference compounds. The relatively unstable 1-alkene-1-thiols represent a new class of food odorants and are suggested as the key contributors to the characteristic, but quickly vanishing, aroma of freshly ground roasted sesame seeds.

In vitro Serotonergic Activity of Black Cohosh and Identification of Nω-Methylserotonin as a Potential Active Constituent

PubMed Central

POWELL, SHARLA L.; GÖDECKE, TANJA; NIKOLIC, DEJAN; CHEN, SHAO-NONG; AHN, SOYOUN; DIETZ, BIRGIT; FARNSWORTH, NORMAN R.; VAN BREEMEN, RICHARD B.; LANKIN, DAVID; PAULI, GUIDO F.; BOLTON, JUDY L.

2013-01-01

Cimicifuga racemosa(L.) Nutt. (syn. Actaea racemosa L., black cohosh) is used to relieve menopausal hot flashes, although clinical studies have provided conflicting data, and the active constituent(s) and mechanism(s) of action remain unknown. Since serotonergic receptors and transporters are involved with thermoregulation, black cohosh and its phytoconstituents were evaluated for serotonergic activity using 5-HT7 receptor binding, cAMP induction, and serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) assays. Crude extracts displayed 5-HT7 receptor binding activity and induced cAMP production. Fractionation of the methanol extract lead to isolation of phenolic acids and identification of Nω-methylserotonin by LC/MS-MS. Cimicifuga triterpenoids and phenolic acids bound weakly to the 5-HT7 receptor with no cAMP or SSRI activity. In contrast, Nω-methylserotonin showed 5-HT7 receptor binding (IC50 23 pM), induced cAMP (EC50 22 nM), and blocked serotonin reuptake (IC50 490 nM). These data suggest Nω-methylserotonin may be responsible for the serotonergic activity of black cohosh. PMID:19049296

Novel pyropheophorbide steryl esters in Black Sea sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

King, L.L.; Repeta, D.J.

1991-07-01

A series of non-polar chlorophyll degradation products (NPCs) with greater than 10 components has been isolated from Black Sea sediment and identified as pyropheophorbide steryl esters by visible and mass spectrometry. These compounds have been previously observed in seawater and sediment trap samples, and may be formed during grazing of phytoplankton by zooplanktonic herbivores. In Black Sea sediments, NPCs constitute 14% of the total phorbins determined spectroscopically at 660 nm, and 39% of the total chlorophyll degradation products measured by high pressure liquid chromatography. NPCs therefore constitute a significant sedimentary sink for chlorophyll. The distribution of sterols released by hydrolysismore » of NPCs most closely resembles sterols in suspended particulate matter collected from the euphotic zone and is quite different from the distribution of solvent-extractable sterols in sediments. Sterols extracted from sediemtns have high concentrations of 4-methylsterols and high stanol/stenol ratios. BNPC-derived sterols have very low concentrations of 4-methylsterols and low stanol/stenol ratios. The authors suggest that these differences reflect an enhanced preservation of HPCs in sediments relative to free sterols and phorbins. As a result, the original production of sterols in the euphotic zone may be more closely approximated by the distribution of NPC-derived sterols than by the distribution of free sterols in sediments.« less

Black tattoos entail substantial uptake of genotoxicpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in human skin and regional lymph nodes.

PubMed

Lehner, Karin; Santarelli, Francesco; Vasold, Rudolf; Penning, Randolph; Sidoroff, Alexis; König, Burkhard; Landthaler, Michael; Bäumler, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide have tattoos, which predominantly contain black inks consisting of soot products like Carbon Black or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). We recently found up to 200 μg/g of PAH in commercial black inks. After skin tattooing, a substantial part of the ink and PAH should be transported to other anatomical sites like the regional lymph nodes. To allow a first estimation of health risk, we aimed to extract and quantify the amount of PAH in black tattooed skin and the regional lymph nodes of pre-existing tattoos. Firstly, we established an extraction method by using HPLC-DAD technology that enables the quantification of PAH concentrations in human tissue. After that, 16 specimens of human tattooed skin and corresponding regional lymph nodes were included in the study. All skin specimen and lymph nodes appeared deep black. The specimens were digested and tested for 20 different PAH at the same time.PAH were found in twelve of the 16 tattooed skin specimens and in eleven regional lymph nodes. The PAH concentration ranged from 0.1-0.6 μg/cm2 in the tattooed skin and 0.1-11.8 μg/g in the lymph nodes. Two major conclusions can be drawn from the present results. Firstly, PAH in black inks stay partially in skin or can be found in the regional lymph nodes. Secondly, the major part of tattooed PAH had disappeared from skin or might be found in other organs than skin and lymph nodes. Thus, beside inhalation and ingestion, tattooing has proven to be an additional, direct and effective route of PAH uptake into the human body.

Low-mass black holes as the remnants of primordial black hole formation.

PubMed

Greene, Jenny E

2012-01-01

Bridging the gap between the approximately ten solar mass 'stellar mass' black holes and the 'supermassive' black holes of millions to billions of solar masses are the elusive 'intermediate-mass' black holes. Their discovery is key to understanding whether supermassive black holes can grow from stellar-mass black holes or whether a more exotic process accelerated their growth soon after the Big Bang. Currently, tentative evidence suggests that the progenitors of supermassive black holes were formed as ∼10(4)-10(5) M(⊙) black holes via the direct collapse of gas. Ongoing searches for intermediate-mass black holes at galaxy centres will help shed light on this formation mechanism.

Identification of a characteristic antioxidant, anthrasesamone F, in black sesame seeds and its accumulation at different seed developmental stages.

PubMed

Furumoto, Toshio; Nishimoto, Kiyoshi

2016-01-01

Assay-guided fractionation of the methanol extract from black seeds of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) led to the isolation of an active compound that had a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. This antioxidant was confirmed to be anthrasesamone F, an anthraquinone derivative previously isolated from different black sesame seeds and biogenetically related to other anthrasesamones in sesame roots. The radical scavenging assay showed that anthrasesamone F had more potent activity than Trolox. The content of anthrasesamone F in different parts and at different developmental stages of black sesame seeds was investigated to clarify the accumulation pattern of this antioxidant in the black seeds. Anthrasesamone F was localized in the seed coat of black seeds and accumulated after the seed coat color changed to black. The content of anthrasesamone F increased gradually with seed maturation and drastically on air-drying, the final stage in sesame cultivation.

Antispasmodic effect of Piper nigrum fruit hot water extract on rat ileum.

PubMed

Naseri, Mohammad Kazem Gharib; Yahyavi, Hoda

2008-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of black pepper fruit hot water extract (BPE) on rat ileum contractility and the mechanism(s) of its action. The extract was prepared by adding black pepper powder to boiling distilled water followed by evaporated the solvent. Ileum was dissected from male adult rat (Wistar) and in Tyrode solution the tissue contractions were recorded by an isotonic transducer under 1 g tension. The cumulative concentrations of the BPE (0.0625-1 mg mL(-1)) reduced the ileum contractions induced by KCl (60 mM) or carbachol (10 microM) concentration dependently (p<0.001). In Ca2+-free Tyrode solution with high potassium (60 mM), BPE, (0.0625-1 mg mL(-1)) attenuated the contractions induced by cumulative concentrations of CaCl2 (0.225-2.7 mM) concentration dependently (ANOVA, p<0.05). The incubation of the tissue preparation (20 or 30 min) with L-NAME (100 microM), naloxone (1 microM) or propranolol (1 microM) did not reduce the extract antispasmodic effect on KCl-induced ileum contraction. The extract spasmolytic effect was attenuated neither by glibenclamide (10 microM) nor by tetraethylammonium (1 mM). Present results suggest that the spasmolytic effect of the extract on rat ileum was possibly mediated via Ca2+ influx.

Volatile flavor constituents in the pork broth of black-pig.

PubMed

Zhao, Jian; Wang, Meng; Xie, Jianchun; Zhao, Mengyao; Hou, Li; Liang, Jingjing; Wang, Shi; Cheng, Jie

2017-07-01

Pork of black-pig in China is well known for its quality and preferred by consumers. However, there is a lack of research on its flavors. By solvent assisted flavor evaporation combined with GC-MS, 104 volatile compounds in the stewed pork broth of black-pig were identified with the dominant amounts of fatty acids, alcohols, and esters. By aroma extract dilution analysis-GC-O method, 27 odor-active compounds were characterized, including 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 3-(methylthio)propanal, 2-furfurylthiol, γ-decalactone, nonanal, (E)-2-nonenal, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal that had high FD factors. Compared to the common white-pig, the aroma compounds in both pork broths were almost the same, but the aroma profile of potent odorants for the black-pig pork broth showed less fatty and more roasted notes, which were partially attributed to the higher monounsaturated fatty acids and lower polyunsaturated fatty acids in meat. With aid of authentic chemicals and selected reaction monitoring mode of GC-MS/MS, 19 aroma compounds were quantitated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonspinning black hole-neutron star mergers: A model for the amplitude of gravitational waveforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pannarale, Francesco; Berti, Emanuele; Kyutoku, Koutarou; Shibata, Masaru

2013-10-01

Black hole-neutron star binary mergers display a much richer phenomenology than black hole-black hole mergers, even in the relatively simple case—considered in this paper—in which both the black hole and the neutron star are nonspinning. When the neutron star is tidally disrupted, the gravitational wave emission is radically different from the black hole-black hole case and it can be broadly classified in two groups, depending on the spatial extent of the disrupted material. We present a phenomenological model for the gravitational waveform amplitude in the frequency domain that encompasses the three possible outcomes of the merger: no tidal disruption, “mild,” and “strong” tidal disruption. The model is calibrated to general relativistic numerical simulations using piecewise polytropic neutron star equations of state. It should prove useful to extract information on the nuclear equation of state from future gravitational-wave observations, and also to obtain more accurate estimates of black hole-neutron star merger event rates in second- and third-generation interferometric gravitational-wave detectors. We plan to extend and improve the model as longer and more accurate gravitational waveforms become available, and we will make it publicly available online as a Mathematica package. We also present in the Appendix analytical fits of the projected KAGRA noise spectral density, which should be useful in data analysis applications.

Polyphenol-rich black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) extract regulates the expression of genes critical for intestinal cholesterol flux in Caco-2 cells.

PubMed

Kim, Bohkyung; Park, Youngki; Wegner, Casey J; Bolling, Bradley W; Lee, Jiyoung

2013-09-01

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is a rich source of polyphenols. The hypolipidemic effects of polyphenol-rich black chokeberry extract (CBE) have been reported, but underlying mechanisms have not been well characterized. We investigated the effect of CBE on the expression of genes involved in intestinal lipid metabolism. Caco-2 cells were incubated with 50 or 100 μg/ml of CBE for 24 h for quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction analysis. Expression of genes for cholesterol synthesis (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and sterol regulatory element binding protein 2), apical cholesterol uptake (Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 and scavenger receptor class B Type 1) and basolateral cholesterol efflux [ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)] was significantly decreased by CBE compared with control. Western blot analysis confirmed that CBE inhibited expression of these proteins. In contrast, CBE markedly induced mRNA and/or protein levels of ABCG5 and ABCG8 that mediate apical cholesterol efflux to the intestinal lumen. Furthermore, CBE significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor, and cellular LDL uptake. Expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism and lipoprotein assembly, including sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, fatty acid synthase and acyl-CoA oxidase 1, was significantly decreased by CBE in a dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, CBE significantly increased sirtuin 1, 3 and 5 mRNA levels, while it decreased SIRT-2. Our data suggest that hypolipidemic effects of CBE may be attributed, at least in part, to increased apical efflux of LDL-derived cholesterol and to decreased chylomicron formation in the intestine; and specific isoforms of SIRT may play an important role in this process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New approaches in analyzing the pharmacological properties of herbal extracts.

PubMed

Hamburger, Matthias

2007-01-01

Herbal extracts are widely used and accepted in the population. The pharmacological characterization of such products meets some specific challenges, given the chemical complexity of the active ingredient. An overview is given on modern methods and approaches that can be used for that purpose. In particular, HPLC-based activity profiling is discussed as a means to identify pharmacologically active compounds in an extract, and expression profiling is described as a means for global assessment of effects exerted by multi-component mixtures such as extracts. These methods are illustrated with selected axamples from our labs, including woad (Isatis tinctoria), the traditional Chinese herb Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) and black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa).

Talking Black.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahams, Roger D.

This book contains essays which focus on the systems of communication that operate within and between various social segments of Afro-American communities in the United States. The essays are presented under the following headings: (1) "Getting Into It: Black Talk, Black Life and the Academic," (2) "'Talking My Talk': Black Talk Varieties and…

IMAGES OF BLACK AMERICANS

PubMed Central

Fiske, Susan T.; Bergsieker, Hilary B.; Russell, Ann Marie; Williams, Lyle

2013-01-01

Images of Black Americans are becoming remarkably diverse, enabling Barack Obama to defy simple-minded stereotypes and succeed. Understood through the Stereotype Content Model’s demonstrably fundamental trait dimensions of perceived warmth and competence, images of Black Americans show three relevant patterns. Stereotyping by omission allows non-Blacks to accentuate the positive, excluding any lingering negativity but implying it by its absence; specifically, describing Black Americans as gregarious and passionate suggests warmth but ignores competence and implies its lack. Obama’s credentials prevented him from being cast as incompetent, though the experience debate continued. His legendary calm and passionate charisma saved him on the warmth dimension. Social class subtypes for Black Americans differentiate dramatically between low-income Blacks and Black professionals, among both non-Black and Black samples. Obama clearly fit the moderately warm, highly competent Black-professional subtype. Finally, the campaign’s events (and nonevents) allowed voter habituation to overcome non-Blacks’ automatic emotional vigilance to Black Americans. PMID:24235974

Black Hole Boldly Goes Where No Black Hole Has Gone Before

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2007-01-01

Astronomers have found a black hole where few thought they could ever exist, inside a globular star cluster. The finding has broad implications for the dynamics of stars clusters and also for the existence of a still-speculative new class of black holes called 'intermediate-mass' black holes. The discovery is reported in the current issue of Nature. Tom Maccarone of the University of Southampton in England leads an international team on the finding, made primarily with the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton satellite. Globular clusters are dense bundles of thousands to millions of old stars, and many scientists have doubted that black holes could survive in such an exclusive environment. Computer simulations show that a newly formed black hole would first sink towards the centre of the cluster but quickly get gravitationally slingshot out entirely when interacting with the cluster's myriad stars. Credit: ESA/Hubble Artist's impression of globular star cluster The new finding provides the first convincing evidence that some black hole might not only survive but grow and flourish in globular clusters. What has astonished astronomers is how quickly the black hole was found. "We were preparing for a long, systematic search of thousands of globular clusters with the hope of finding just one black hole," said Maccarone. "But bingo, we found one as soon as we started the search. It was only the second globular cluster we looked at." The search continues to find more, Maccarone said, yet only one black hole was needed to resolve the decades-old discussion about black holes and globular clusters. Scientists say there are two main classes of black holes. Supermassive black holes containing the mass of millions to billions of suns are found in the core of most galaxies, including our own. A quasar is one kind of supermassive black hole. Stellar-size black holes contain the mass of about ten suns. These are created from the collapsed core of massive stars. Our galaxy likely

A green and black tea extract benefits urological health in men with lower urinary tract symptoms

PubMed Central

Efros, Mitchell; Kaminetsky, Jed; Herrlinger, Kelli; Chirouzes, Diana; Ceddia, Michael

2014-01-01

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of a green and black tea extract blend [AssuriTEA Men’s Health (AMH)] in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 46 men aged 30–70 with an American Urologic Association symptom score (AUAss) of at least 8 and up to 24 were randomized to 500 mg AMH, 1000 mg AMH, or placebo daily for 12 weeks. Measurements were taken at baseline (BL), week 6 and week 12 for AUAss, simple uroflowmetry, postvoid residual volume (PVR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Results: A total of 40 subjects completed the study. AUAss decreased 34.5% from BL to week 12 in the 1000 mg AMH group (p = 0.008). At week 12, CRP increased in the 500 mg AMH (p = 0.003) and placebo (p = 0.012) groups from their BL levels but not in the 1000 mg group. Average urine flow (Qmean) increased in the 500 mg (p = 0.033) and 1000 mg AMH (p = 0.002) groups versus placebo. PVR decreased in the 1000 mg AMH group (p = 0.034) from BL at week 6. Treatment group effects were observed for the physical functioning and sexual desire domains of the SF-36 and IIEF (p = 0.051 and p = 0.005 respectively). AMH was well tolerated. Conclusions: Oral administration of AMH improved LUTS and quality of life in as little as 6 weeks. PMID:24883106

The Black Lives Matter Movement and Historically Black Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gasman, Marybeth

2017-01-01

This article looks at the Black Lives Matter Movement and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) continue to play an important role in society. However, what the Black Lives Matter movement shows consistently is that predominantly White institutions need to change, to step up and embrace…

Green and black tea inhibit cytokine-induced IL-8 production and secretion in AGS gastric cancer cells via inhibition of NF-κB activity.

PubMed

Gutierrez-Orozco, Fabiola; Stephens, Brian R; Neilson, Andrew P; Green, Rodney; Ferruzzi, Mario G; Bomser, Joshua A

2010-10-01

Consumption of tea is associated with a reduced risk for several gastrointestinal cancers. Inflammatory processes, such as secretion of IL-8 from the gastric epithelium in response to chronic chemokine or antigen exposure, serve both as a chemoattractant for white blood cells and a prerequisite for gastric carcinogenesis. In this study, the gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS was used to investigate the effect of green tea extract, black tea extract, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the most abundant catechin in tea, on cytokine-induced inflammation. AGS cells were stimulated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) to initiate inflammation, followed by exposure to either tea extracts or EGCG. We found that both green and black tea extracts at concentrations of 20 and 2 µM total catechins, respectively, significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited IL-1β-induced IL-8 production and secretion to a similar extent. Treatment of AGS cells with EGCG (8 µM) produced similar reductions in IL-1β-induced IL-8 production and secretion. Inhibition of NF-κB activity was found to be responsible, in part, for these observed effects. Our findings demonstrate that both green and black tea extracts with distinctly different catechin profiles, are capable of disrupting the molecular link between inflammation and carcinogenesis via inhibition of NF-κB activity in AGS cells. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Graduating Black Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Edward Earl

2010-01-01

Background: The graduation numbers for Black males are dismal, chilling, and undeniably pathetic. The nation graduates only 47% of Black males who enter the 9th grade. The infusion of federal dollars and philanthropic support will not stop the trajectory of Black males who drop out of school. Black males face an upheaval educational battle;…

The Power of the Rap: The Black Idiom and the New Black Poetry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smitherman, Geneva

Black Arts Literature--of which the New Black Poetry is the most important manifestation--emerged during the past decade as the appropriate artistic counterthrust to Black Power. Rhetoric and shouting aside, this new thrust was, on a very basic level, simply a call to black folks to redefine Blackness and re-evaluate the Black Experience. For the…

Black Boundary Lines: Race, Class and Gender among Black Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morales, Erica Marie

2012-01-01

Intra-group differences among Black undergraduate students remain understudied. To gain a more nuanced understanding of Black student life, we must examine how other social locations, like gender and class, connect to the racialized experiences of Black students. This dissertation argues that for Black students, class and gender, along with race,…

Differential accumulation of polyphenolics in black bean genotypes grown in four environments.

PubMed

Marles, M A Susan; Balasubramanian, Parthiba; Bett, Kirstin E

2010-06-09

Environmental effects on polyphenolic composition of pigmented seed coat tissue were examined in four black bean genotypes, grown in four locations in Canada. Genotype was the most significant determinant in the phenotypic expression of flavonoid traits across four locations (p < 0.0001). The genotype x environment interaction was not significantly different for anthocyanin or extractable condensed tannin (syn. proanthocyanidin) but was significant for the bound anthocyanidin concentration (p < 0.05). One trace metabolite, (-)-epicatechin, was identified, but no flavonols were detected in the seed coats. Sequestration of anthocyanin in the seed coat was genotype-dependent and predominantly consisted of delphinidin with lesser amounts of petunidin and malvidin. Pigment sequestration in the two integument layers of the seed coat appeared to be mutually exclusive across all genotypes in terms of the pigment chemical character. Tissue-specific accumulation of extractable and bound anthocyanin in the outer integument was observed. The inner integument was devoid of anthocyanin, and the pigment consisted solely of condensed tannin inclusions. The occurrence of condensed tannin together with anthocyanin pigments, whether extractable or bound either by oxidation or by cross-linking, influenced the visual uniformity of seeds of bean cultivars. The co-occurrence of these compounds could have an effect on postharvest appearance during storage, on canning quality, and on the dietary effects of the putative functional food profile in the black bean market class.

Locating Black Mixed-Raced Males in the Black Supplementary School Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joseph-Salisbury, Remi; Andrews, Kehinde

2017-01-01

This article draws upon data from semi-structured interviews conducted with black mixed-race males in the UK and the US, to argue that a revival of the black supplementary school movement could play an important role in the education of black mixed-race males. The article contends that a strong identification with blackness, and a concomitant…

Aged black garlic extract inhibits HT29 colon cancer cell growth via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

PubMed Central

DONG, MENGHUA; YANG, GUIQING; LIU, HANCHEN; LIU, XIAOXU; LIN, SIXIANG; SUN, DONGNING; WANG, YISHAN

2014-01-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that aged black garlic extract (ABGE) may prove beneficial in preventing or inhibiting oncogenesis; however, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of ABGE on the proliferation and apoptosis of HT29 colon cancer cells. Our results demonstrated that ABGE inhibited HT29 cell growth via the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. We further investigated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signal transduction pathway and the molecular mechanisms underlying the ABGE-induced inhibition of HT29 cell proliferation. We observed that ABGE may regulate the function of the PI3K/Akt pathway through upregulating PTEN and downregulating Akt and p-Akt expression, as well as suppressing its downstream target, 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1, at the mRNA and protein levels. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathway is crucial for the development of colon cancer. ABGE inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis in HT29 cells through the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway, suggesting that ABGE may be effective in the prevention and treatment of colon cancer in humans. PMID:24649105

Black Tattoos Entail Substantial Uptake of Genotoxicpolycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) in Human Skin and Regional Lymph Nodes

PubMed Central

Lehner, Karin; Santarelli, Francesco; Vasold, Rudolf; Penning, Randolph; Sidoroff, Alexis; König, Burkhard; Landthaler, Michael; Bäumler, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide have tattoos, which predominantly contain black inks consisting of soot products like Carbon Black or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). We recently found up to 200 μg/g of PAH in commercial black inks. After skin tattooing, a substantial part of the ink and PAH should be transported to other anatomical sites like the regional lymph nodes. To allow a first estimation of health risk, we aimed to extract and quantify the amount of PAH in black tattooed skin and the regional lymph nodes of pre-existing tattoos. Firstly, we established an extraction method by using HPLC – DAD technology that enables the quantification of PAH concentrations in human tissue. After that, 16 specimens of human tattooed skin and corresponding regional lymph nodes were included in the study. All skin specimen and lymph nodes appeared deep black. The specimens were digested and tested for 20 different PAH at the same time.PAH were found in twelve of the 16 tattooed skin specimens and in eleven regional lymph nodes. The PAH concentration ranged from 0.1–0.6 μg/cm2 in the tattooed skin and 0.1–11.8 μg/g in the lymph nodes. Two major conclusions can be drawn from the present results. Firstly, PAH in black inks stay partially in skin or can be found in the regional lymph nodes. Secondly, the major part of tattooed PAH had disappeared from skin or might be found in other organs than skin and lymph nodes. Thus, beside inhalation and ingestion, tattooing has proven to be an additional, direct and effective route of PAH uptake into the human body. PMID:24670978

Performance evaluation of two black nickel and two black chrome solar collectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Losey, R.

1977-01-01

The test program was based on the evaluation of four unique solar collectors described below: (1) black nickel collector surface with a desiccant drying bed, (2) black nickel collector surface without a desiccant drying bed, (3) black chrome collector surface with a dessicant drying bed, and (4) black chrome collector surface without a desiccant drying bed. The test program included three distinct phases: Initial performance evaluation, natural environmental aging, and post-aging performance evaluation. Results of Phase III testing conclusively indicated a higher normalized efficiency for Black Chrome surfaces when compared to Black Nickel.

Differences Between Black Youth Who Support the Black Panthers and the NAACP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Daniel U.; And Others

1973-01-01

This study compares the attitudes of black youth who have a favorable orientation toward the Black Panthers with those of black youth who appear to be oriented toward the NAACP, using data collected in five black segregated high schools. (Author/JM)

On the accuracy and precision of numerical waveforms: effect of waveform extraction methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Tony; Fong, Heather; Kumar, Prayush; Pfeiffer, Harald P.; Boyle, Michael; Hemberger, Daniel A.; Kidder, Lawrence E.; Scheel, Mark A.; Szilagyi, Bela

2016-08-01

We present a new set of 95 numerical relativity simulations of non-precessing binary black holes (BBHs). The simulations sample comprehensively both black-hole spins up to spin magnitude of 0.9, and cover mass ratios 1-3. The simulations cover on average 24 inspiral orbits, plus merger and ringdown, with low initial orbital eccentricities e\\lt {10}-4. A subset of the simulations extends the coverage of non-spinning BBHs up to mass ratio q = 10. Gravitational waveforms at asymptotic infinity are computed with two independent techniques: extrapolation and Cauchy characteristic extraction. An error analysis based on noise-weighted inner products is performed. We find that numerical truncation error, error due to gravitational wave extraction, and errors due to the Fourier transformation of signals with finite length of the numerical waveforms are of similar magnitude, with gravitational wave extraction errors dominating at noise-weighted mismatches of ˜ 3× {10}-4. This set of waveforms will serve to validate and improve aligned-spin waveform models for gravitational wave science.

Black widow spider

MedlinePlus

... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002858.htm Black widow spider To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. The black widow spider (Latrodectus) has a shiny black body with a ...

Smoking Cessation among Blacks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stotts, R. Craig; And Others

1991-01-01

Lung cancer is a serious health problem among blacks, with a mortality rate of 119 per 100,000 black males, compared to 81 per 100,000 for white males. Smoking cessation efforts are most successful when tailored to the black community, using black community networks and broadcast media for black audiences. (SLD)

Observational Signatures of Mass-loading in Jets Launched by Rotating Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O’ Riordan, Michael; Pe’er, Asaf; McKinney, Jonathan C.

2018-01-01

It is widely believed that relativistic jets in X-ray binaries (XRBs) and active-galactic nuclei are powered by the rotational energy of black holes. This idea is supported by general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of accreting black holes, which demonstrate efficient energy extraction via the Blandford–Znajek mechanism. However, due to uncertainties in the physics of mass loading, and the failure of GRMHD numerical schemes in the highly magnetized funnel region, the matter content of the jet remains poorly constrained. We investigate the observational signatures of mass loading in the funnel by performing general-relativistic radiative transfer calculations on a range of 3D GRMHD simulations of accreting black holes. We find significant observational differences between cases in which the funnel is empty and cases where the funnel is filled with plasma, particularly in the optical and X-ray bands. In the context of Sgr A*, current spectral data constrains the jet filling only if the black hole is rapidly rotating with a ≳ 0.9. In this case, the limits on the infrared flux disfavor a strong contribution from material in the funnel. We comment on the implications of our models for interpreting future Event Horizon Telescope observations. We also scale our models to stellar-mass black holes, and discuss their applicability to the low-luminosity state in XRBs.

A Dancing Black Hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoemaker, Deirdre; Smith, Kenneth; Schnetter, Erik; Fiske, David; Laguna, Pablo; Pullin, Jorge

2002-04-01

Recently, stationary black holes have been successfully simulated for up to times of approximately 600-1000M, where M is the mass of the black hole. Considering that the expected burst of gravitational radiation from a binary black hole merger would last approximately 200-500M, black hole codes are approaching the point where simulations of mergers may be feasible. We will present two types of simulations of single black holes obtained with a code based on the Baumgarte-Shapiro-Shibata-Nakamura formulation of the Einstein evolution equations. One type of simulations addresses the stability properties of stationary black hole evolutions. The second type of simulations demonstrates the ability of our code to move a black hole through the computational domain. This is accomplished by shifting the stationary black hole solution to a coordinate system in which the location of the black hole is time dependent.

Inorganic Macro- and Micronutrients in "Superberries" Black Chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) and Related Teas.

PubMed

Juranović Cindrić, Iva; Zeiner, Michaela; Mihajlov-Konanov, Darija; Stingeder, Gerhard

2017-05-18

Black chokeberries ( Aronia melanocarpa ) are considered to be functional food containing high amounts of anthocyanins, phenols, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Whereas organic compounds are well studied, there is little research on the mineral composition of the chokeberries. Thus, the presented study is focused on the determination of Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr and Zn in black chokeberry fruits and infusions to study the metals' extractability. The nutrients Ca, K and Mg are present in the fruits (dried matter) at g/kg level, whereas the other elements are present from µg/kg up to mg/kg level. The extraction yields of the metals from the infusion range from 4 (Al, Mn) up to 44% (Na). The toxic elements present do not pose any health risk when berries or infusions are consumed. Concluding, Aronia berries, as well as infusions derived from them, are a good dietary source of essential metals in addition to the organic compounds also contained.

A Comparison of Birth Outcomes Among Black, Hispanic, and Black Hispanic Women

PubMed Central

BeLue, Rhonda; Hillemeier, Marianne M.

2015-01-01

Background While non-Hispanic Black populations tend to be disproportionately affected by adverse reproductive outcomes, Hispanic populations tend to demonstrate healthier birth outcomes, regardless of socioeconomic background. Little is known about birth outcomes for women who are both Black and Hispanic. We examined whether birth outcomes and risk factors for women who are both Black and Hispanic most closely resemble those of women who are only Black or Hispanic and also compared these outcomes to those for Whites. Methods Using the 2013 US natality files, we examined 2,970,315 singleton births to Black Hispanic, Hispanic, Black, and White mothers. We used logistic regression to calculate predicted probabilities of low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), or small for gestational age (SGA). Race-stratified regression analysis was used to identify the factors that significantly predicted risk for each outcome for each racial/ethnic group. Results Black mothers had the highest prevalence and predicted probabilities of experiencing all three outcomes. Black Hispanic mothers were less likely than Black mothers and more likely than Hispanic mothers to experience each of the adverse outcomes. We also found support for racial variation in risk and protective factors for mothers in the different groups. Factors like age and education inconsistently predicted risk of experiencing the birth outcomes for all groups. Overall, Black Hispanic mothers had birth outcomes and risk factor profiles like Hispanic mothers, although they had sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors like Black mothers. Conclusions Patterning of birth outcomes among Black Hispanic women suggest an intersection of risk and protective factors associated with their respective racial and ethnic identities. Additional information about sociodemographic context is needed to develop a more complete picture of how factors related to race and ethnic group membership influence Black Hispanic

Black raspberry extracts inhibit benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide-induced activator protein 1 activation and VEGF transcription by targeting the phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway.

PubMed

Huang, Chuanshu; Li, Jingxia; Song, Lun; Zhang, Dongyun; Tong, Qiangsong; Ding, Min; Bowman, Linda; Aziz, Robeena; Stoner, Gary D

2006-01-01

Previous studies have shown that freeze-dried black raspberry extract fractions inhibit benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P]-induced transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells and benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide [B(a)PDE]-induced activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity in mouse epidermal Cl 41 cells. The phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)/Akt pathway is critical for B(a)PDE-induced AP-1 activation in mouse epidermal Cl 41 cells. In the present study, we determined the potential involvement of PI-3K and its downstream kinases on the inhibition of AP-1 activation by black raspberry fractions, RO-FOO3, RO-FOO4, RO-ME, and RO-DM. In addition, we investigated the effects of these fractions on the expression of the AP-1 target genes, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Pretreatment of Cl 41 cells with fractions RO-F003 and RO-ME reduced activation of AP-1 and the expression of VEGF, but not iNOS. In contrast, fractions RO-F004 and RO-DM had no effect on AP-1 activation or the expression of either VEGF or iNOS. Consistent with inhibition of AP-1 activation, the RO-ME fraction markedly inhibited activation of PI-3K, Akt, and p70 S6 kinase (p70(S6k)). In addition, overexpression of the dominant negative PI-3K mutant delta p85 reduced the induction of VEGF by B(a)PDE. It is likely that the inhibitory effects of fractions RO-FOO3 and RO-ME on B(a)PDE-induced AP-1 activation and VEGF expression are mediated by inhibition of the PI-3K/Akt pathway. In view of the important roles of AP-1 and VEGF in tumor development, one mechanism for the chemopreventive activity of black raspberries may be inhibition of the PI-3K/Akt/AP-1/VEGF pathway.

Dietary Natural Products for Prevention and Treatment of Liver Cancer

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yue; Li, Ya; Zhou, Tong; Zheng, Jie; Li, Sha; Li, Hua-Bin

2016-01-01

Liver cancer is the most common malignancy of the digestive system with high death rate. Accumulating evidences suggests that many dietary natural products are potential sources for prevention and treatment of liver cancer, such as grapes, black currant, plum, pomegranate, cruciferous vegetables, French beans, tomatoes, asparagus, garlic, turmeric, ginger, soy, rice bran, and some edible macro-fungi. These dietary natural products and their active components could affect the development and progression of liver cancer in various ways, such as inhibiting tumor cell growth and metastasis, protecting against liver carcinogens, immunomodulating and enhancing effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. This review summarizes the potential prevention and treatment activities of dietary natural products and their major bioactive constituents on liver cancer, and discusses possible mechanisms of action. PMID:26978396

Molecular detection of black-pigmented bacteria in infections of endodontic origin.

PubMed

Siqueira, J F; Rôças, I N; Oliveira, J C; Santos, K R

2001-09-01

A 16S rDNA-directed polymerase chain reaction method was used to assess the occurrence of four black-pigmented anaerobic rods in root canal infections. Samples were obtained from 54 infected teeth. Ten cases were diagnosed as acute periradicular abscesses. DNA was extracted from the samples and analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction-based identification assay. The method allowed detection of black-pigmented bacteria anaerobes in 59.3% of the examined teeth. Twelve cases yielded more than one black-pigmented species. In general Porphyromonas endodontalis was found in 42.6%, Porphyromonas gingivalis in 27.8%, Prevotella nigrescens in 7.4%, and Prevotella intermedia in 5.6% of the cases. P. endodontalis was found in 70% of the pus samples, P. gingivalis in 40%, and P. intermedia in 10%. P. gingivalis was always found associated with P. endodontalis in abscessed teeth. P. nigrescens was not found in any pus sample. The high prevalence of P. endodontalis and P. gingivalis suggests that they can play an important role in the pathogenesis of periradicular diseases.

The Impatient Press: Placing Black Newspapers in the Ideologies of Black Progress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caspari, Genevieve G.

Unlike its white counterpart, the black press has historically exceeded its role of information source. Specialized black media were founded to decry racial conflict and gain civil rights. Only rarely, and secondarily, have black papers achieved commercial success. The purposes of black papers have changed with the society they serve. Ideologies…

Understanding the Invisibility of Black Nurse Leaders Using a Black Feminist Poststructuralist Framework.

PubMed

Jefferies, Keisha; Goldberg, Lisa; Aston, Megan; Murphy, Gail Tomblin

2018-05-12

This paper explores the invisibility and underrepresentation of Black nurses in formal and informal leadership roles using a Black feminist poststructuralist framework. The paper describes historical and contemporary challenges experienced by Black nurses throughout their nursing education and in practice. It also highlights how social and institutional discourses continue to marginalize and oppress Black nurses as leaders and render them invisible. Diversity amongst nursing leaders is essential to inform health care delivery, develop inclusive practices and provide culturally sensitive care. Despite this glaring need for diversity within nursing in Canada, there remains a significant underrepresentation of Black nurses in the workforce and as leaders. This is a discursive paper on Black nurses in nursing education and the workforce as well as their location as leaders in health care through a critical analysis using Black feminist poststructuralism. A review of the literature involved searching electronic databases CINAHL, NovaNet, PubMed and Google Scholar using keywords including: Black; African; Nurses; Leaders; Feminism; Poststructural. Articles were screened by titles and abstracts before accessing full-text for relevant articles. Black feminist poststructuralism uncovers how power, language, subjectivity and agency are constructed by the historically ingrained social and institutional discourses of everyday life for Black nurses. Experiences of discrimination and oppression were common throughout nursing education and practice for Black nurses, resulting in feelings of marginalization and isolation. The invisibility of Black nurse leaders is the result of generational oppression and discrimination manifested through discourses. Systemic, institutional and historical discourses perpetuate barriers for Black nurse leaders, resulting in their invisibility or absence in practice. This paper is designed to generate discussion related to the invisibility of Black

Black Elite: The New Market for Highly Educated Black Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Richard B.

This examination of the collapse in traditional discriminatory patterns in the market for highly qualified black Americans documents the World War II gain of college trained and related high level black workers, investigates the response of black college students and qualified personnel to the new market setting, and explores the factors that…

Black Mathematics Educators: Researching toward Racial Emancipation of Black Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridgeway, Monica L.; McGee, Ebony O.

2018-01-01

This article focuses on the scholarship of Black mathematics education researchers whose work focuses on Black students in P-20 mathematics spaces. We conducted a metasynthesis literature review of empirical studies by Black mathematics education researchers. The authors utilized critical theories of race and racism to aid in the synthesis of the…

Evaluation of various agro-wastes for traditional black soap production.

PubMed

Taiwo, O E; Osinowo, F A

2001-08-01

The agricultural wastes, cocoa-pod husks, palm-bunch waste, sorghum chaff and groundnut shells, which are normally thrown away have been used in the production of black soap. Unlike other soaps which are made from oils and chemicals, black soap is made from oils and agro-wastes ashes. Chemical analysis indicated that the liquid extract from the ashes of the different agro-wastes used contained various amounts of potassium and sodium compounds. The most common ingredient in the agro-wastes was potassium carbonate. The amount of potassium carbonate was 56.73 +/- 0.16% in cocoa-pod ash, 43.15 +/- 0.13% in palm-bunch ash, 16.65 +/- 0.05% in groundnut shell ash and 12.40 +/- 0.08% in sorghum chaff ash. Soaps made from the agro-wastes ashes had excellent solubility, consistency, cleansing and lathering abilities.

The Black Teacher Project: How Racial Affinity Professional Development Sustains Black Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosely, Micia

2018-01-01

The Black Teacher Project (BTP) is an organization that supports, develops and sustains Black teachers for schools in the United States. The organization is building a Black teaching force that reflects the diversity and excellence of Black people in the United States. In our pilot year, BTP offered racial affinity-based professional development…

Micronutrient mineral and folate content of Australian and imported dried fruit products.

PubMed

Bennett, Louise E; Singh, Davinder P; Clingeleffer, Peter R

2011-01-01

A selection of Australian and imported fresh and dried fruit products, including sultanas, Sunmuscats, Carina currants, Zante currants, apricots, and prunes, were analyzed for selected minerals (Ca, Mg, Na, S, B, Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Mo, and Se), folate and vitamin C, and the capacity of dried fruits for dietary provision of these micronutrients evaluated. Micro-nutrients were concentrated by a factor of 3-5 in dried fruits compared with their fresh fruit counterparts and were consequently present in nutritionally significant levels, in contrast to fresh fruit. Australian dried sultanas, Carina currant, Zante currant, apricots, and prunes contained Cu, Fe, K, and Mn at levels of >20% of daily Required Dietary Intake (RDI, taken as the average for adult men and women as nominated by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council) and Sunmuscats contained Cu, Fe, and K at >20% of RDI. All dried fruits studied contained boron in the range of 1.5 to 5.4 mg per 100 g; however, the RDI for boron has not been defined by the NHMRC at the present time. All sultanas and currants studied contained folate at levels of 10-20% of RDI per 100 g. Experimental drying methods significantly affected folate levels with higher folate content in non-ground versus ground-based drying methods. Of the micro-nutrients supplying >20% of RDI, folate represents a particular nutrient for which the mean daily intake of adult Australians is typically inadequate. This study shows that dried fruit consumption, in contrast with fresh fruit, can provide significant proportions of daily requirements of several micronutrients, particularly folate.

Black Interpretation, Black American Literature, and Grey Audiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Earl M.

1981-01-01

Defines and illustrates language techniques used by Black authors writing to and for Blacks in the 1960s and 1970s. Suggests how language and theme barriers of such literature might be overcome in a contemporary integrated oral interpretation classroom. (PD)

Colour and stability assessment of blue ferric anthocyanin chelates in liquid pectin-stabilised model systems.

PubMed

Buchweitz, M; Brauch, J; Carle, R; Kammerer, D R

2013-06-01

The formation of blue coloured ferric anthocyanin chelates and their colour stability during storage and thermal treatment were monitored in a pH range relevant to food (3.6-5.0). Liquid model systems were composed of different types of Citrus pectins, juices (J) and the respective phenolic extracts (E) from elderberry (EB), black currant (BC), red cabbage (RC) and purple carrot (PC) in the presence of ferric ions. For EB, BC and PC, pure blue colours devoid of a violet tint were exclusively observed for the phenolic extracts and at pH values ≥ 4.5 in model systems containing high methoxylated and amidated pectins, respectively. Colour and its stability strongly depended on the amount of ferric ions and the plant source; however, colour decay could generally be described as a pseudo-first-order kinetics. Despite optimal colour hues for RC-E and RC-J, storage and heat stabilities were poor. Highest colour intensities and best stabilities were observed for model systems containing PC-E at a molar anthocyanin:ferric ion ratio of 1:2. Ascorbic and lactic acids interfered with ferric ions, thus significantly affecting blue colour evolution and stability. Colour loss strongly depended on heat exposure with activation energies ranging between 60.5 and 78.4 kJ/mol. The comprehensive evaluation of the interrelationship of pigment source, pH conditions and pectin type on chelate formation and stability demonstrated that ferric anthocyanin chelates are promising natural blue food colourants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Empowering Rhetoric: Black Students Writing Black Panthers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pough, Gwendolyn D.

2002-01-01

Examines Black student responses to Black Panther Party documents and how those documents moved the students toward change. Maintains that by allowing the classroom to function as a public space which students can discuss the issues that matter to them, teachers can help to foster and encourage student activism and ultimately their empowerment.…

Chemical characterization of heteropolysaccharides from green and black teas (Camellia sinensis) and their anti-ulcer effect.

PubMed

Scoparo, Camila T; Souza, Lauro M; Dartora, Nessana; Sassaki, Guilherme L; Santana-Filho, Arquimedes P; Werner, Maria Fernanda P; Borato, Débora G; Baggio, Cristiane H; Iacomini, Marcello

2016-05-01

In order to obtain polysaccharides from green and black teas (Camellia sinensis), commercial leaves were submitted to infusion and then to alkaline extraction. The extracts were fractionated by freeze-thawing process, giving insoluble and soluble fractions. Complex arabinogalactan protein from the soluble fractions of both teas (GTPS and BTPS) were determined by methylation analysis and (1)H/(13)C-HSQC spectroscopy, showing a main chain of (1→3)-β-Galp, substituted at O-6 by (1→6)-linked β-Galp with side chains of α-Araf and terminal units of α-Araf, α-Fucp and α-Rhap. A highly branched heteroxylan from the insoluble fractions (GTPI and BTPI) showed in methylation analysis and (1)H/(13)C-HSQC spectroscopy the main chain of (1→4)-β-Xylp, substituted in O-3 by α-Araf, β-Galp and α-Glcp units. Evaluating their gastroprotective activity, the fractions containing the soluble heteropolysaccharides from green (GTPS) and black teas (BTPS) reduced the gastric lesions induced by ethanol. Furthermore, the fraction of insoluble heteropolysaccharides of green (GTPI) and black (BTPI) teas also protected the gastric mucosa. In addition, the maintenance of gastric mucus and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels was involved in the polysaccharides gastroprotection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anomalous Temperature Dependence in Metal-Black Phosphorus Contact.

PubMed

Li, Xuefei; Grassi, Roberto; Li, Sichao; Li, Tiaoyang; Xiong, Xiong; Low, Tony; Wu, Yanqing

2018-01-10

Metal-semiconductor contact has been the performance limiting problem for electronic devices and also dictates the scaling potential for future generation devices based on novel channel materials. Two-dimensional semiconductors beyond graphene, particularly few layer black phosphorus, have attracted much attention due to their exceptional electronic properties such as anisotropy and high mobility. However, due to its ultrathin body nature, few layer black phosphorus-metal contact behaves differently than conventional Schottky barrier (SB) junctions, and the mechanisms of its carrier transport across such a barrier remain elusive. In this work, we examine the transport characteristic of metal-black phosphorus contact under varying temperature. We elucidated the origin of apparent negative SB heights extracted from classical thermionic emission model and also the phenomenon of metal-insulator transition observed in the current-temperature transistor characteristic. In essence, we found that the SB height can be modulated by the back-gate voltage, which beyond a certain critical point becomes so low that the injected carrier can no longer be described by the conventional thermionic emission theory. The transition from transport dominated by a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for the high energy tail states, to that of a Fermi distribution by low energy Fermi sea electrons, is the physical origin of the observed metal-insulator transition. We identified two distinctive tunneling limited transport regimes in the contact: vertical and longitudinal tunneling.

In the Absence of Ideology: Blacks in Colonial America and the Modern Black Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Rhett S.

1988-01-01

The experiences of Whites and Blacks in the American Colonial period were strikingly different. Blacks were committed to Whites' Enlightenment ideology, which did not reflect Black experience. Blacks in the Colonial era were unable to create political structures capable of making sense of the Black experience. (BJV)

Differences Between Black Youth who Support the Black Panthers and the NAACP.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Daniel U.; And Others

The purpose of this study is to compare the attitudes of black youth who have a favorable orientation toward the Black Panthers with those of black youth who appear to be oriented toward the N.A.A.C.P. Information involving orientations toward organizations concerned with the lives of black Americans was collected as part of a larger study on the…

UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopter (UH-60M Black Hawk)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) RCS: DD-A&T(Q&A)823-341 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopter (UH-60M Black Hawk) As of FY 2017 President’s Budget Defense...Acquisition Management Information Retrieval (DAMIR) March 21, 2016 18:25:45 UNCLASSIFIED UH-60M Black Hawk December 2015 SAR March 21, 2016 18...Operational Requirements Document OSD - Office of the Secretary of Defense O&S - Operating and Support PAUC - Program Acquisition Unit Cost UH-60M Black Hawk

Inorganic Macro- and Micronutrients in “Superberries” Black Chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) and Related Teas

PubMed Central

Juranović Cindrić, Iva; Zeiner, Michaela; Mihajlov-Konanov, Darija; Stingeder, Gerhard

2017-01-01

Black chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) are considered to be functional food containing high amounts of anthocyanins, phenols, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Whereas organic compounds are well studied, there is little research on the mineral composition of the chokeberries. Thus, the presented study is focused on the determination of Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr and Zn in black chokeberry fruits and infusions to study the metals’ extractability. The nutrients Ca, K and Mg are present in the fruits (dried matter) at g/kg level, whereas the other elements are present from µg/kg up to mg/kg level. The extraction yields of the metals from the infusion range from 4 (Al, Mn) up to 44% (Na). The toxic elements present do not pose any health risk when berries or infusions are consumed. Concluding, Aronia berries, as well as infusions derived from them, are a good dietary source of essential metals in addition to the organic compounds also contained. PMID:28524107

Wandering Supermassive Black Holes in Milky-Way-mass Halos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tremmel, Michael; Governato, Fabio; Volonteri, Marta; Pontzen, Andrew; Quinn, Thomas R.

2018-04-01

We present a self-consistent prediction from a large-scale cosmological simulation for the population of “wandering” supermassive black holes (SMBHs) of mass greater than 106 M ⊙ on long-lived, kpc-scale orbits within Milky Way (MW)-mass galaxies. We extract a sample of MW-mass halos from the ROMULUS25 cosmological simulation, which is uniquely able to capture the orbital evolution of SMBHs during and following galaxy mergers. We predict that such halos, regardless of recent merger history or morphology, host an average of 5.1 ± 3.3 SMBHs, including their central black hole, within 10 kpc from the galactic center and an average of 12.2 ± 8.4 SMBHs total within their virial radius, not counting those in satellite halos. Wandering SMBHs exist within their host galaxies for several Gyr, often accreted by their host halo in the early Universe. We find, with >4σ significance, that wandering SMBHs are preferentially found outside of galactic disks.

Cryo-Etched Black Silicon for Use as Optical Black

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yee, Karl Y.; White, Victor E.; Mouroulis, Pantazis; Eastwood, Michael L.

2011-01-01

Stray light reflected from the surface of imaging spectrometer components in particular, the spectrometer slit degrade the image quality. A technique has been developed for rapid, uniform, and cost-effective black silicon formation based on inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching at cryogenic temperatures. Recent measurements show less than 1-percent total reflectance from 350 2,500 nm of doped black silicon formed in this way, making it an excellent option for texturing of component surfaces for reduction of stray light. Oxygen combines with SF6 + Si etch byproducts to form a passivation layer atop the Si when the etch is performed at cryogenic temperatures. Excess flow of oxygen results in micromasking and the formation of black silicon. The process is repeatable and reliable, and provides control over etch depth and sidewall profile. Density of the needles can be controlled to some extent. Regions to be textured can be patterned lithographically. Adhesion is not an issue as the nanotips are part of the underlying substrate. This is in contrast to surface growth/deposition techniques such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The black Si surface is compatible with wet processing, including processing with solvents, the textured surface is completely inorganic, and it does not outgas. In radiometry applications, optical absorbers are often constructed using gold black or CNTs. This black silicon technology is an improvement for these types of applications.

Evaluation of solvent effect on the extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacities from the berries: application of principal component analysis.

PubMed

Boeing, Joana Schuelter; Barizão, Erica Oliveira; E Silva, Beatriz Costa; Montanher, Paula Fernandes; de Cinque Almeida, Vitor; Visentainer, Jesuí Vergilio

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the effect of the solvent on the extraction of antioxidant compounds from black mulberry (Morus nigra), blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius) and strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). Different extracts of each berry were evaluated from the determination of total phenolic content, anthocyanin content and antioxidant capacity, and data were applied to the principal component analysis (PCA) to gain an overview of the effect of the solvent in extraction method. For all the berries analyzed, acetone/water (70/30, v/v) solvent mixture was more efficient solvent in the extracting of phenolic compounds, and methanol/water/acetic acid (70/29.5/0.5, v/v/v) showed the best values for anthocyanin content. Mixtures of ethanol/water (50/50, v/v), acetone water/acetic acid (70/29.5/0.5, v/v/v) and acetone/water (50/50, v/v) presented the highest antioxidant capacities for black mulberries, blackberries and strawberries, respectively. Antioxidants extractions are extremely affected by the solvent combination used. In addition, the obtained extracts with the organic solvent-water mixtures were distinguished from the extracts obtained with pure organic solvents, through the PCA analysis.

Black hole thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlip, S.

2014-10-01

The discovery in the early 1970s that black holes radiate as black bodies has radically affected our understanding of general relativity, and offered us some early hints about the nature of quantum gravity. In this paper, will review the discovery of black hole thermodynamics and summarize the many independent ways of obtaining the thermodynamic and (perhaps) statistical mechanical properties of black holes. I will then describe some of the remaining puzzles, including the nature of the quantum microstates, the problem of universality, and the information loss paradox.

Black Entrepreneurship in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Shelley; Pryde, Paul

The economic condition of black Americans is discussed, proceeding from the assumption that black economic progress does not depend on a renewed struggle for unobtained civil rights, but rather on the creative response of black Americans to economic opportunity and problems. In the long run, black economic development must rely on the…

Cytoprotective Mechanisms Mediated by Polyphenols from Chilean Native Berries against Free Radical-Induced Damage on AGS Cells

PubMed Central

Theoduloz, Cristina; López-Alarcón, Camilo; Dorta, Eva

2017-01-01

The prevalence of cytoprotective mechanisms induced by polyphenols such as activation of intracellular antioxidant responses (ICM) and direct free radical scavenging was investigated in native Chilean species of strawberries, raspberries, and currants. Human gastric epithelial cells were co- and preincubated with polyphenolic-enriched extracts (PEEs) from Chilean raspberries (Rubus geoides), strawberries (Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. chiloensis), and currants (Ribes magellanicum) and challenged with peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals. Cellular protection was determined in terms of cell viability, glyoxalase I and glutathione s-transferases activities, and carboxymethyl lysine (CML) and malondialdehyde levels. Our results indicate that cytoprotection induced by ICM was the prevalent mechanism for Rubus geoides and F. chiloensis. This agreed with increased levels of glyoxalase I and glutathione S-transferase activities in cells preincubated with PEEs. ORAC index indicated that F. chiloensis was the most efficient peroxyl radical scavenger. Moreover, ICM mediated by F. chiloensis was effective in protecting cells from CML accumulation in contrast to the protective effects induced by free radical scavenging. Our results indicate that although both polyphenol-mediated mechanisms can exert protective effects, ICM was the most prevalent in AGS cells. These results suggest a potential use of these native berries as functional food. PMID:28553436

Is It because I'm Black? A Black Female Research Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maylor, Uvanney

2009-01-01

This article examines what it means to be a Black female researcher in contemporary Britain. Drawing on Black feminist theory and critical race theory (CRT), this article seeks to highlight some of the experiences and challenges that Black female researchers face when undertaking research, particularly research that has diversity, equality or…

Exact microstate counting for dyonic black holes in AdS4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benini, Francesco; Hristov, Kiril; Zaffaroni, Alberto

2017-08-01

We present a counting of microstates of a class of dyonic BPS black holes in AdS4 which precisely reproduces their Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. The counting is performed in the dual boundary description, that provides a non-perturbative definition of quantum gravity, in terms of a twisted and mass-deformed ABJM theory. We evaluate its twisted index and propose an extremization principle to extract the entropy, which reproduces the attractor mechanism in gauged supergravity.

Counseling Strategies with Black Boys and Black Men: Implications for Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Frederick D.; Terry, Linda M.; Twiggs, Rashida

2009-01-01

The article discusses behavioral and sociodemographic conditions of Black males in the U.S. and presents counseling strategies, prevention programs and efforts, and recommendations for practice and policy as means of helping Black boys and Black men to minimize and transcend the challenges within U.S. culture and within themselves. In addition,…

In vitro metabolic interactions between black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) and tamoxifen via inhibition of cytochromes P450 2D6 and 3A4

PubMed Central

Li, Jinghu; Gödecke, Tanja; Chen, Shao-Nong; Imai, Ayano; Lankin, David; Farnsworth, Norman R.; Pauli, Guido F.; van Breemen, Richard B.; Nikolić, Dejan

2012-01-01

Women who experience hot flashes as a side effect of tamoxifen therapy often try botanical remedies such as black cohosh to alleviate these symptoms. Since pharmacological activity of tamoxifen is dependent on the metabolic conversion into active metabolites by the action of cytochromes P450 2D6 and 3A4, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether black cohosh extracts can inhibit formation of active tamoxifen metabolites and possibly reduce its clinical efficacy.At 50 µg/ml, a 75% ethanolic extract of black cohosh inhibited formation of 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen by 66.3%, N-desmethyl tamoxifen by 74.6% and α-hydroxy tamoxifen by 80.3%. In addition, using midazolam and dextromethorphan as probe substrates, this extract inhibited CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 with IC50 values of 16.5 and 50.1 µg/ml, respectively.Eight triterpene glycosides were identified as competitive CYP3A4 inhibitors with IC50 values ranging from 2.3–5.1 µM, while the alkaloids protopine and allocryptopine were identified as competitive CYP2D6 inhibitors with Ki values of 78 and 122 nM, respectively.The results of this study suggests that co-administration of black cohosh with tamoxifen might interfere with the clinical efficacy of this drug. However, additional clinical studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these in vitro results. PMID:21827327

Physics Beyond the Standard Model: Exotic Leptons and Black Holes at Future Colliders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Christopher M.

2005-02-01

The Standard Model of particle physics has been remarkably successful in describing present experimental results. However, it is assumed to be only a low-energy effective theory which will break down at higher energy scales, theoretically motivated to be around 1 TeV. There are a variety of proposed models of new physics beyond the Standard Model, most notably supersymmetric and extra dimension models. New charged and neutral heavy leptons are a feature of a number of theories of new physics, including the `intermediate scale' class of supersymmetric models. Using a time-of-flight technique to detect the charged leptons at the Large Hadron Collider, the discovery range (in the particular scenario studied in the first part of this thesis) is found to extend up to masses of 950 GeV. Extra dimension models, particularly those with large extra dimensions, allow the possible experimental production of black holes. The remainder of the thesis describes some theoretical results and computational tools necessary to model the production and decay of these miniature black holes at future particle colliders. The grey-body factors which describe the Hawking radiation emitted by higher-dimensional black holes are calculated numerically for the first time and then incorporated in a Monte Carlo black hole event generator; this can be used to model black hole production and decay at next-generation colliders. It is hoped that this generator will allow more detailed examination of black hole signatures and help to devise a method for extracting the number of extra dimensions present in nature.

Synthesis and characterization of nano-encapsulated black pepper oleoresin using hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin for antioxidant and antimicrobial applications.

PubMed

Teixeira, Bruna N; Ozdemir, Necla; Hill, Laura E; Gomes, Carmen L

2013-12-01

Previous studies have reported antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of black pepper oleoresin which is associated to its phenolic compounds and piperine. The ability of cyclodextrins to form an inclusion complex with a guest molecule could improve black pepper oleoresin application, bioavailability, and stability in foods. Hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) inclusion complex with black pepper olereosin were synthesized using the kneading method and characterized for its physico-chemical properties and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Inclusion complex size was 103.9 ± 7.6 nm and indicated to be a polydisperse system. The entrapment efficiency was 78.3 ± 3.6%, which suggests that other constituents in black pepper oleoresin have higher affinities for HPBCD than piperine (major compound in black pepper oleoresin). Thermograms showed the disappearance of oxidation peaks of black pepper oleoresin, proving complex formation with HPBCD. Phase solubility results indicated 1:1 stoichiometric inclusion complex formation and an increase of black pepper oleoresin aqueous solubility with HPBCD concentration. Nano-encapsulation with HPBCD did not affect (P > 0.05) total phenolic content; however, it enhanced (P < 0.05) black pepper oleoresin antioxidant activity. Black pepper oleoresin and its inclusion complex were analyzed for their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli K12 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2. Both free and encapsulated black pepper oleoresin effectively inhibited bacterial growth within the concentration range tested. Black pepper oleoresin encapsulated in HPBCD was able to inhibit Salmonella at lower (P < 0.05) concentrations than its corresponding free extract. Therefore, black pepper oleoresin-HPBCD nanocapsules could have important applications in the food industry as antimicrobial and antioxidant system. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Searching for Black Holes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garica, M.

2001-01-01

In 1995 we proposed to carry out ground-based observations in order to securely identify stellar mass black holes in our galaxy. This type 4 proposal under NASA's UV, Visible, and Gravitational Astrophysics program compliments NASA's space-based research by following up black hole candidates found and studied with space-based observatories, in order to determine if they are indeed black holes. While our primary goal is to securely identify black holes by measuring their masses, a secondary goal is identifying unique visible-range signatures for black holes.

Uniformly accelerated black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Letelier, Patricio S.; Oliveira, Samuel R.

2001-09-01

The static and stationary C metric are examined in a generic framework and their interpretations studied in some detail, especially those with two event horizons, one for the black hole and another for the acceleration. We find that (i) the spacetime of an accelerated static black hole is plagued by either conical singularities or a lack of smoothness and compactness of the black hole horizon, (ii) by using standard black hole thermodynamics we show that accelerated black holes have a higher Hawking temperature than Unruh temperature of the accelerated frame, and (iii) the usual upper bound on the product of the mass and acceleration parameters (<1/27) is just a coordinate artifact. The main results are extended to accelerated rotating black holes with no significant changes.

Anyon black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aghaei Abchouyeh, Maryam; Mirza, Behrouz; Karimi Takrami, Moein; Younesizadeh, Younes

2018-05-01

We propose a correspondence between an Anyon Van der Waals fluid and a (2 + 1) dimensional AdS black hole. Anyons are particles with intermediate statistics that interpolates between a Fermi-Dirac statistics and a Bose-Einstein one. A parameter α (0 < α < 1) characterizes this intermediate statistics of Anyons. The equation of state for the Anyon Van der Waals fluid shows that it has a quasi Fermi-Dirac statistics for α >αc, but a quasi Bose-Einstein statistics for α <αc. By defining a general form of the metric for the (2 + 1) dimensional AdS black hole and considering the temperature of the black hole to be equal with that of the Anyon Van der Waals fluid, we construct the exact form of the metric for a (2 + 1) dimensional AdS black hole. The thermodynamic properties of this black hole is consistent with those of the Anyon Van der Waals fluid. For α <αc, the solution exhibits a quasi Bose-Einstein statistics. For α >αc and a range of values of the cosmological constant, there is, however, no event horizon so there is no black hole solution. Thus, for these values of cosmological constants, the AdS Anyon Van der Waals black holes have only quasi Bose-Einstein statistics.

Identification of Communal Oviposition Pheromones from the Black Fly Simulium vittatum

PubMed Central

McGaha, Tommy W.; Young, Ryan M.; Burkett-Cadena, Nathan D.; Iburg, Joseph P.; Beau, Jeremy M.; Hassan, Sayed; Katholi, Charles R.; Cupp, Eddie W.; Baker, Bill J.; Unnasch, Thomas R.; Noblet, Raymond

2015-01-01

The suite of pheromones that promote communal oviposition by Simulium vittatum, a North American black fly species, was identified and characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, electrophysiological, and behavioral bioassays. Behavioral assays demonstrated that communal oviposition was induced by egg-derived compounds that were active at short range and whose effect was enhanced through direct contact. Three compounds (cis-9-tetradecen-1-ol, 1-pentadecene, and 1-tridecene) were identified in a non-polar solvent extract of freshly deposited S. vittatum eggs that were capable of inducing the oviposition response. Electroantennography demonstrated that two of these three compounds (1-pentadecene and 1-tridecene) actively stimulated antennal neurons. Identification of the oviposition pheromones of this family may be helpful in developing control measures for nuisance black flies and for medically-important species such as Simulium damnosum sensu lato. PMID:25786206

Complicated Contradictions Amid Black Feminism and Millennial Black Women Teachers Creating Curriculum for Black Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nyachae, Tiffany M.

2016-01-01

Millennial Black women teachers wrestle with two simultaneous burdens: disrupting the racist and sexist status quo of schooling through curriculum, and employing tactics to survive school politics among their majority White women colleagues. This article describes how the "Sisters of Promise" (SOP) curriculum aligned with Black feminism…

Functional Characterization of Epitheaflagallin 3-O-Gallate Generated in Laccase-Treated Green Tea Extracts in the Presence of Gallic Acid.

PubMed

Itoh, Nobuya; Kurokawa, Junji; Isogai, Yasuhiro; Ogasawara, Masaru; Matsunaga, Takayuki; Okubo, Tsutomu; Katsube, Yuji

2017-12-06

Epitheaflagallin (ETFG) and epitheaflagallin 3-O-gallate (ETFGg) are minor polyphenols in black tea extract that are enzymatically synthesized from epigallocatechin (EGC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), respectively, in green tea extract via laccase oxidation in the presence of gallic acid. The constituents of laccase-treated green tea extract in the presence of gallic acid are thus quite different from those of nonlaccase-treated green tea extract: EGC and EGCg are present in lower concentrations, and ETFG and ETFGg are present in higher concentrations. Additionally, laccase-treated green tea extract contains further polymerized catechin derivatives, comparable with naturally fermented teas such as oolong tea and black tea. We found that ETFGg and laccase-treated green tea extracts exhibit versatile physiological functions in vivo and in vitro, including antioxidative activity, pancreatic lipase inhibition, Streptococcus sorbinus glycosyltransferase inhibition, and an inhibiting effect on the activity of matrix metalloprotease-1 and -3 and their synthesis by human gingival fibroblasts. We confirmed that these inhibitory effects of ETFGg in vitro match well with the results obtained by docking simulations of the compounds with their target enzymes or noncatalytic protein. Thus, ETFGg and laccase-treated green tea extracts containing ETFGg are promising functional food materials with potential antiobesity and antiperiodontal disease activities.

Electron spin resonance identification of irradiated fruits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raffi, Jacques J.; Agnel, Jean-Pierre L.

The electron spin resonance spectrum of achenes, pips, stalks and stones from irradiated fruits (strawberry, raspberry, red currant, bilberry, apple, pear, fig, french prune, kiwi, water-melon and cherry) always displays, just after γ-treatment, a weak triplet ( aH≈30 G) due to a cellulose radical; its left line (lower field) can be used as an identification test of irradiation, at least for strawberries, rapsberries, red currants or bilberries irradiated in order to improve their storage time.

The Meaning of Black Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Donald

1976-01-01

The author states that black music is an expression of the black experience. Counseling engages the experience of the person(s) counseled but ignores an important expressive outlet blacks have used in their struggle for survival. If counselors are to understand black people, they must listen to and understand black music. (Author)

Health disparity in black women: lack of pharmaceutical advertising in black vs. white-oriented magazines.

PubMed

Omonuwa, S C

2001-01-01

Racial disparities in health care between black women and white women may be attributed in part to socioeconomic status and lack of insurance, but also may be due to lack of the dissemination of health information in black communities via black popular magazines. Comparison of the number and type of pharmaceutical advertisements between black-oriented magazines and white-oriented magazines. Descriptive study. Morehouse School of Medicine. Recording of the type and number of over-the-counter and prescription drug advertisements. Five black-oriented magazines (Black Woman, Black Elegance, Essence, Ebony, and Upscale) and 5 white-oriented magazines (Family Circle, Working Mother, Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, Women's Day) were evaluated for 3 months from June-August, 2000. White-oriented magazines had four to eight times more pharmaceutical ads than black-oriented magazines. Types of medications advertised in the white-oriented magazines and not the black-oriented magazines were, for example, cholinesterase inhibitors, calcium supplements, COX II-inhibitors, intranasal steroids, anorexiants, proton pump inhibitors, and smoking deterrent agents. Conversely, medications advertised in the black-oriented magazines and not the white-oriented magazines were antiviral agents and oral contraceptives. Pharmaceutical companies gave several reasons for the disparity, including the explanation that their particular company was advertising about HIV in the black community. A barrier to equitable health care for black women may be a low prioritization for health prevention and health management. This low prioritization or disinterest may be a reflection of the black magazine that she is reading due to the lack of pharmaceutical advertisements in black-oriented magazines. The result of this disinterest of black females may be seen in the increased morbidity and mortality for selected diseases.

What Black Educators are Saying.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Nathan, Jr., Ed.

Contents of this book are comprised of five groups of articles: Part I. The Black Educator: "Education for black humanism; a way of approaching it," Preston Wilcox; "The new black dimension in our society," Olivia Pearl Stokes; "The black teacher and black Power," Leslie Campbell; and, "The difference," Leslie Campbell. Part II. The White…

Individual identification of Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) using DNA from fecal pellets

Treesearch

Todd J. Brinkman; David K. Person; Michael K. Schwartz; Kristine L. Pilgrim; Kevin E. Colson; Kris J. Hundertmark

2010-01-01

We tested a protocol for extracting DNA from fecal pellets from Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) and evaluated genotyping performance of previously developed microsatellite markers as well as a suite of new markers designed specifically for this study. We screened 30 microsatellites, and identified 7 (23%) loci including 4 new markers, that fit...

Analysis by HPLC and LC/MS of pungent piperamides in commercial black, white, green, and red whole and ground peppercorns.

PubMed

Friedman, Mendel; Levin, Carol E; Lee, Seung-Un; Lee, Jin-Shik; Ohnisi-Kameyama, Mayumi; Kozukue, Nobuyuki

2008-05-14

Pepper plants accumulate pungent bioactive alkaloids called piperamides. To facilitate studies in this area, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry methods were developed and used to measure the following piperamides in 10 commercial whole (peppercorns) and in 10 ground, black, white, green, and red peppers: piperanine, piperdardine, piperine, piperlonguminine, and piperettine. Structural identification of individual compounds in extracts was performed by associating the HPLC peak of each compound with the corresponding mass spectrum. The piperanine content of the peppers (in mg/g piperine equivalents) ranged from 0.3 for the ground white pepper to 1.4 in black peppercorns. The corresponding range for piperdardine was from 0.0 for seven samples to 1.8 in black peppercorns; for four isomeric piperines, from 0.7 for red to 129 in green peppercorns; for piperlonguminine, from 0.0 in red peppercorns to 1.0 in black peppercorns; and for piperyline, from 0.9 in ground black pepper to 5.9 for red peppercorn. Four well-separated stereoisomeric forms of piperettine with the same molecular weight were present in 19 peppers. The sums of the piperamides ranged from 6.6 for red to 153 for green peppercorns. In contrast to large differences in absolute concentrations among the peppers, the ratios of piperines to total piperamide were quite narrow, ranging from 0.76 for black to 0.90 for white peppercorns, with an average value of 0.84 +/- 0.04 ( n = 19). Thus, on average, the total piperamide content of the peppers consists of 84% piperines and 16% other piperamides. These results demonstrate the utility of the described extraction and analytical methods used to determine the wide-ranging individual and total piperamide contents of widely consumed peppers.

Pyrolytic carbon coated black silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Ali; Stenberg, Petri; Karvonen, Lasse; Ali, Rizwan; Honkanen, Seppo; Lipsanen, Harri; Peyghambarian, N.; Kuittinen, Markku; Svirko, Yuri; Kaplas, Tommi

2016-05-01

Carbon is the most well-known black material in the history of man. Throughout the centuries, carbon has been used as a black material for paintings, camouflage, and optics. Although, the techniques to make other black surfaces have evolved and become more sophisticated with time, carbon still remains one of the best black materials. Another well-known black surface is black silicon, reflecting less than 0.5% of incident light in visible spectral range but becomes a highly reflecting surface in wavelengths above 1000 nm. On the other hand, carbon absorbs at those and longer wavelengths. Thus, it is possible to combine black silicon with carbon to create an artificial material with very low reflectivity over a wide spectral range. Here we report our results on coating conformally black silicon substrate with amorphous pyrolytic carbon. We present a superior black surface with reflectance of light less than 0.5% in the spectral range of 350 nm to 2000 nm.

Pyrolytic carbon coated black silicon

PubMed Central

Shah, Ali; Stenberg, Petri; Karvonen, Lasse; Ali, Rizwan; Honkanen, Seppo; Lipsanen, Harri; Peyghambarian, N.; Kuittinen, Markku; Svirko, Yuri; Kaplas, Tommi

2016-01-01

Carbon is the most well-known black material in the history of man. Throughout the centuries, carbon has been used as a black material for paintings, camouflage, and optics. Although, the techniques to make other black surfaces have evolved and become more sophisticated with time, carbon still remains one of the best black materials. Another well-known black surface is black silicon, reflecting less than 0.5% of incident light in visible spectral range but becomes a highly reflecting surface in wavelengths above 1000 nm. On the other hand, carbon absorbs at those and longer wavelengths. Thus, it is possible to combine black silicon with carbon to create an artificial material with very low reflectivity over a wide spectral range. Here we report our results on coating conformally black silicon substrate with amorphous pyrolytic carbon. We present a superior black surface with reflectance of light less than 0.5% in the spectral range of 350 nm to 2000 nm. PMID:27174890

Framing black boys: parent, teacher, and student narratives of the academic lives of black boys.

PubMed

Rowley, Stephanie J; Ross, Latisha; Lozada, Fantasy T; Williams, Amber; Gale, Adrian; Kurtz-Costes, Beth

2014-01-01

The discourse on Black boys tends to suggest that Black boys are in complete peril. We begin with evidence that Black boys are excelling in certain contexts (i.e., in certain states, in certain schools, and in certain courses). We then discuss the ways in which the narratives used by parents, teachers, and Black boys themselves may serve to further reinforce views that Black boys are beyond hope. Research on Black parents suggests that they tend to view their sons as vulnerable and have lower expectations for sons than for daughters. Studies of teachers show that they tend to view Black boys as unteachable, as social problems, and as scary. Research on Black boys shows that they are sometimes complicit in supporting these narratives by engaging in negative or ste reotypical behavior. We also include recent research that includes counter-narratives of Black boys. We end with suggestions for future research.

Health disparity in black women: lack of pharmaceutical advertising in black vs. white-oriented magazines.

PubMed Central

Omonuwa, S. C.

2001-01-01

CONTEXT: Racial disparities in health care between black women and white women may be attributed in part to socioeconomic status and lack of insurance, but also may be due to lack of the dissemination of health information in black communities via black popular magazines. OBJECTIVE: Comparison of the number and type of pharmaceutical advertisements between black-oriented magazines and white-oriented magazines. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Morehouse School of Medicine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Recording of the type and number of over-the-counter and prescription drug advertisements. RESULTS: Five black-oriented magazines (Black Woman, Black Elegance, Essence, Ebony, and Upscale) and 5 white-oriented magazines (Family Circle, Working Mother, Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, Women's Day) were evaluated for 3 months from June-August, 2000. White-oriented magazines had four to eight times more pharmaceutical ads than black-oriented magazines. Types of medications advertised in the white-oriented magazines and not the black-oriented magazines were, for example, cholinesterase inhibitors, calcium supplements, COX II-inhibitors, intranasal steroids, anorexiants, proton pump inhibitors, and smoking deterrent agents. Conversely, medications advertised in the black-oriented magazines and not the white-oriented magazines were antiviral agents and oral contraceptives. Pharmaceutical companies gave several reasons for the disparity, including the explanation that their particular company was advertising about HIV in the black community. CONCLUSIONS: A barrier to equitable health care for black women may be a low prioritization for health prevention and health management. This low prioritization or disinterest may be a reflection of the black magazine that she is reading due to the lack of pharmaceutical advertisements in black-oriented magazines. The result of this disinterest of black females may be seen in the increased morbidity and mortality for selected

EPR imaging and HPLC characterization of the pigment-based organic free radical in black soybean seeds.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Kouichi; Maeda, Hayato

2017-02-01

We investigated the location and distribution of paramagnetic species in dry black, brown, and yellow (normal) soybean seeds using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-band (9 GHz) EPR imaging (EPRI), and HPLC. EPR primarily detected two paramagnetic species in black soybean. These two different radical species were assigned as stable organic radical and Mn 2+  species based on the g values and hyperfine structures. The signal from the stable radical was noted at g ≈ 2.00 and was relatively strong and stable. Subsequent noninvasive two-dimensional (2D) EPRI of the radical present in black soybean revealed that the stable radical was primarily located in the pigmented region of the soybean coat, with very few radicals observed in the soybean cotyledon (interior). Pigments extracted from black soybean were analyzed using HPLC. The major compound was found to be cyanidin-3-glucoside. Multi-EPR and HPLC results indicate that the stable radical was only found within the pigmented region of the soybean coat, and it could be cyanidin-3-glucoside or an oxidative decomposition product.

The Black Family as Educator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Joan

The black family is the primary socializing agent of the black child and, thus, the primary educator. The culture of blacks in America, in which the child is steeped, is unique, complex and rich-the result of a convergence and fusion of African, American, and European influences. In its education of the black child, the black family must deal,…

Skyrmion black hole hair: Conservation of baryon number by black holes and observable manifestations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvali, Gia; Gußmann, Alexander

2016-12-01

We show that the existence of black holes with classical skyrmion hair invalidates standard proofs that global charges, such as the baryon number, cannot be conserved by a black hole. By carefully analyzing the standard arguments based on a Gedankenexperiment in which a black hole is seemingly-unable to return the baryon number that it swallowed, we identify inconsistencies in this reasoning, which does not take into the account neither the existence of skyrmion black holes nor the baryon/skyrmion correspondence. We then perform a refined Gedankenexperiment by incorporating the new knowledge and show that no contradiction with conservation of baryon number takes place at any stage of black hole evolution. Our analysis also indicates no conflict between semi-classical black holes and the existence of baryonic gauge interaction arbitrarily-weaker than gravity. Next, we study classical cross sections of a minimally-coupled massless probe scalar field scattered by a skyrmion black hole. We investigate how the skyrmion hair manifests itself by comparing this cross section with the analogous cross section caused by a Schwarzschild black hole which has the same ADM mass as the skyrmion black hole. Here we find an order-one difference in the positions of the characteristic peaks in the cross sections. The peaks are shifted to smaller scattering angles when the skyrmion hair is present. This comes from the fact that the skyrmion hair changes the near horizon geometry of the black hole when compared to a Schwarzschild black hole with same ADM mass. We keep the study of this second aspect general so that the qualitative results which we obtain can also be applied to black holes with classical hair of different kind.

Black holes and beyond

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mathur, Samir D., E-mail: mathur.16@osu.edu

The black hole information paradox forces us into a strange situation: we must find a way to break the semiclassical approximation in a domain where no quantum gravity effects would normally be expected. Traditional quantizations of gravity do not exhibit any such breakdown, and this forces us into a difficult corner: either we must give up quantum mechanics or we must accept the existence of troublesome 'remnants'. In string theory, however, the fundamental quanta are extended objects, and it turns out that the bound states of such objects acquire a size that grows with the number of quanta in themore » bound state. The interior of the black hole gets completely altered to a 'fuzzball' structure, and information is able to escape in radiation from the hole. The semiclassical approximation can break at macroscopic scales due to the large entropy of the hole: the measure in the path integral competes with the classical action, instead of giving a subleading correction. Putting this picture of black hole microstates together with ideas about entangled states leads to a natural set of conjectures on many long-standing questions in gravity: the significance of Rindler and de Sitter entropies, the notion of black hole complementarity, and the fate of an observer falling into a black hole. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The information paradox is a serious problem. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer To solve it we need to find 'hair' on black holes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In string theory we find 'hair' by the fuzzball construction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fuzzballs help to resolve many other issues in gravity.« less

Uneven Stories: Successful Black Collegians at a Black and a White Campus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fries-Britt, Sharon L.; Turner, Bridget

2002-01-01

Extensive interviews with academically successful Black students attending a traditionally White and a historically Black institution produced two themes. The first concerns differences in support and campus involvement, and the second reveals how the energy of Black students is either cultivated by their connections with peers and faculty or…

The specter of the black fag: parody, blackness, and hetero/homosexual B(r)others.

PubMed

Johnson, E Patrick

2003-01-01

This essay investigates the ways in which three African American heterosexual males-Eddie Murphy, Damon Wayans, and David Alan Grier-appropriate signifiers of gayness to parody, stereotype, and repudiate black gay men. These performances are also attempts to circumscribe the boundaries of blackness, ultimately suggesting that "authentic" blackness is lodged within hegemonic black masculinity. Contrary to this desired effect, the essay demonstrates how these performers, in the act of repudiation, ironically and unwittingly queer heteronormative black masculinity, securing further the dialectic between heterosexuality and homosexuality. Finally, the essay argues that these performances manifest the black heterosexual male's melancholia, his refusal to grieve the loss of his sexual B(r)other.

Natural radionuclide and plutonium content in Black Sea bottom sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strezov, A.; Stoilova, T.; Yordanova, I.

1996-01-01

The content of uranium, thorium, radium, lead, polonium, and plutonium in bottom sediments and algae from two locations at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast have been determined. Some parent:progeny ratios for evaluation of the geochemical behavior of the nuclides have been estimated as well. The extractable and total uranium and thorium are determined by two separate radiochemical procedures to differentiate the more soluble chemical forms of the elements and to estimate the potential hazard for the biosphere and for humans. No distinct seasonal variation as well as no significant change in total and extractable uranium (also for {sup 226}Ra) contentmore » is observed. The same is valid for extractable thorium while the total thorium content in the first two seasons is slightly higher. Our data show that {sup 210}Po content is accumulated more in the sediments than {sup 210}Pb, and the evaluated disequilibria suggest that the two radionuclides belong to more recent sediment layers deposited in the slime samples compared to the silt ones for the different seasons. The obtained values for plutonium are in the lower limits of the data cited in literature, which is quite clear as there are no plutonium discharge facilities at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The obtained values for the activity ratio {sup 238}Pu: {sup 239+240}Pu are higher for Bjala sediments compared to those of Kaliakra. The ratio values are out of the variation range for the global contamination with weapon tests fallout plutonium which is probably due to Chernobyl accident contribution. The dependence of natural radionuclide content on the sediment type as well as the variation of nuclide accumulation for two types of algae in two sampling locations for five consecutive seasons is evaluated. No serious contamination with natural radionuclides in the algae is observed. 38 refs., 6 figs., 7 tabs.« less

Deforming regular black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neves, J. C. S.

2017-06-01

In this work, we have deformed regular black holes which possess a general mass term described by a function which generalizes the Bardeen and Hayward mass functions. By using linear constraints in the energy-momentum tensor to generate metrics, the solutions presented in this work are either regular or singular. That is, within this approach, it is possible to generate regular or singular black holes from regular or singular black holes. Moreover, contrary to the Bardeen and Hayward regular solutions, the deformed regular black holes may violate the weak energy condition despite the presence of the spherical symmetry. Some comments on accretion of deformed black holes in cosmological scenarios are made.

Selection bias in dynamically measured supermassive black hole samples: its consequences and the quest for the most fundamental relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shankar, Francesco; Bernardi, Mariangela; Sheth, Ravi K.; Ferrarese, Laura; Graham, Alister W.; Savorgnan, Giulia; Allevato, Viola; Marconi, Alessandro; Läsker, Ronald; Lapi, Andrea

2016-08-01

We compare the set of local galaxies having dynamically measured black holes with a large, unbiased sample of galaxies extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We confirm earlier work showing that the majority of black hole hosts have significantly higher velocity dispersions σ than local galaxies of similar stellar mass. We use Monte Carlo simulations to illustrate the effect on black hole scaling relations if this bias arises from the requirement that the black hole sphere of influence must be resolved to measure black hole masses with spatially resolved kinematics. We find that this selection effect artificially increases the normalization of the Mbh-σ relation by a factor of at least ˜3; the bias for the Mbh-Mstar relation is even larger. Our Monte Carlo simulations and analysis of the residuals from scaling relations both indicate that σ is more fundamental than Mstar or effective radius. In particular, the Mbh-Mstar relation is mostly a consequence of the Mbh-σ and σ-Mstar relations, and is heavily biased by up to a factor of 50 at small masses. This helps resolve the discrepancy between dynamically based black hole-galaxy scaling relations versus those of active galaxies. Our simulations also disfavour broad distributions of black hole masses at fixed σ. Correcting for this bias suggests that the calibration factor used to estimate black hole masses in active galaxies should be reduced to values of fvir ˜ 1. Black hole mass densities should also be proportionally smaller, perhaps implying significantly higher radiative efficiencies/black hole spins. Reducing black hole masses also reduces the gravitational wave signal expected from black hole mergers.

Fear of a Black femme: The existential conundrum of embodying a Black femme identity while being a professor of Black, queer, and feminist studies.

PubMed

Story, Kaila Adia

2017-10-02

Although a Black femme identity has been defined and embodied by many as an identity with Black feminist roots and revolutionary potentials, Black femmes are still rendered hypervisible and invisible through racist and heteronormative politics. Similarly, embodying a Black femme identity as a professor in academia often engenders these same pretenses of hypervisibility and invisibility. This essay explores what this existential conundrum has been for me as both a Black femme and professor of Black queer and feminist studies, while illuminating the mix of forces within academia that have attempted to stifle my chosen sexual identity and gendered performance.

Black Views of American Women: The View From Black Newspapers, 1865-1900.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beatty, Bess

Although black journalists from 1865 to 1900 were more sensitive to stereotyping and discrimination than their white counterparts, the black papers approached women idealistically, rather than through the realistic situation in which black women existed or through their own awareness of the fact of oppression. The images and proscriptions of women…

"No Cosby Show": Single Black Mother Homes and How Black Men Build Romantic Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Maia Niguel

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explored the lives of 11 Black men to better understand how Black men who were raised in single Black mother homes build romantic relationships with Black women. One focus group and a series of individual in-person interviews were conducted with the participants who ranged between 23 and 43 years of age. Participants were…

Laboratory Evaluations of Durability of Southern Pine Pressure Treated With Extractives From Durable Wood Species

Treesearch

Grant T. Kirker; Amy Blodgett; Patricia Lebow

2015-01-01

Extracts from sawdust of four naturally durable wood species [Alaskan yellow cedar, AYC, Cupressus nootkanansis D. Don 1824; eastern red cedar, ERC, Juniperus virginiana L.; honey mesquite, HM, Prosopis glandulosa Torr.; and black locust, BL, Robinia pseudoacacia L.] were used to treat...

The Nearest Black Holes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, Michael R.; Oliversen, Ronald J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The goal of this program is to study black holes, both in our Galaxy and in nearby galaxies. We aim to study both "stellar mass" x-ray binaries containing black holes (both in our Galaxy and in nearby galaxies), and super-massive black holes in nearby galaxies.

The Nearest Black Hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliversen, Ronald (Technical Monitor); Garcia, Michael

2005-01-01

The goal of this program is to study black holes, both in our Galaxy and in nearby galaxies. We aim to study both 'stellar mass' x-ray binaries containing black holes (both in our Galaxy and in nearby galaxies), and super-massive black holes in nearby galaxies.

Intermediate-Mass Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, M. Coleman; Colbert, E. J. M.

2004-01-01

The mathematical simplicity of black holes, combined with their links to some of the most energetic events in the universe, means that black holes are key objects for fundamental physics and astrophysics. Until recently, it was generally believed that black holes in nature appear in two broad mass ranges: stellar-mass (M~3 20 M⊙), which are produced by the core collapse of massive stars, and supermassive (M~106 1010 M⊙), which are found in the centers of galaxies and are produced by a still uncertain combination of processes. In the last few years, however, evidence has accumulated for an intermediate-mass class of black holes, with M~102 104 M⊙. If such objects exist they have important implications for the dynamics of stellar clusters, the formation of supermassive black holes, and the production and detection of gravitational waves. We review the evidence for intermediate-mass black holes and discuss future observational and theoretical work that will help clarify numerous outstanding questions about these objects.

Intermediate-Mass Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coleman Miller, M.; Colbert, E. J. M.

The mathematical simplicity of black holes, combined with their links to some of the most energetic events in the universe, means that black holes are key objects for fundamental physics and astrophysics. Until recently, it was generally believed that black holes in nature appear in two broad mass ranges: stellar-mass (M~3-20 M⊙), which are produced by the core collapse of massive stars, and supermassive (M~106-1010 M⊙), which are found in the centers of galaxies and are produced by a still uncertain combination of processes. In the last few years, however, evidence has accumulated for an intermediate-mass class of black holes, with M~102-104 M⊙. If such objects exist they have important implications for the dynamics of stellar clusters, the formation of supermassive black holes, and the production and detection of gravitational waves. We review the evidence for intermediate-mass black holes and discuss future observational and theoretical work that will help clarify numerous outstanding questions about these objects.

Black Managers in White Corporations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, John P.

The study examines the major determinants of the career patterns of black managers in white businesses and the effects of corporations on their black managers' identities and relationships to the black community. Analyzed were occupational mobility theories; white and black managers' career patterns, goals, and related factors; company employment…

Black Hole in 3-D

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-11-30

This three-dimensional illustration shows how the rotating space around a black hole twists up the magnetic field in the plasma falling toward the black hole. The black sphere at the center of the figure is the black hole itself. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04207

Entomocidal activity of microwave energy & some aqueous plant extracts against Tribolium castaneum Herbst & Trogoderma granarium Everts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agha, W. N. A.; Amin, A. H.; Khidr, S. K.; Ismail, A. Y.

2017-09-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the efficacy of microwave radiation and aqueous plant extracts against red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum & khapra beetle Trogoderma granarium. The larvae stage with dried fruits (black raisin, red raisin, fig and apricot) were subjected to microwave radiation at different power levels (280,560 and 840) watt for three exposure times (10, 30 and 50) seconds. Mortalities increased with an increase of concentration or exposure time or both. Thus, highest mortality 90% was achieved at 840 watt power output and exposure time 50 second for both aforementioned species. Likewise, eucalyptus Eucalyptus camaldulensis, mint Mentha canadensis and myrtle Myrtus communis were studied for their toxicity effect on mortality of larval stage at three dosages (12500, 25000 and 50000) ppm for different exposure times (1, 2, 3 and 7) days. The larvae of khapra beetle were more resistant to the insecticidal activity of plant extracts in comparison with red flour beetle larvae. The LC50 values were varied in accordance to plant extracts types and concentrations within the four interval times of exposure. The LC50 values for both khapra & red flour beetles were (47234.07 & 5760.90) ppm respectively on black raisin after 7 days exposure to eucalyptus aqueous extract.

Walking through the statistical black boxes of plant breeding.

PubMed

Xavier, Alencar; Muir, William M; Craig, Bruce; Rainey, Katy Martin

2016-10-01

The main statistical procedures in plant breeding are based on Gaussian process and can be computed through mixed linear models. Intelligent decision making relies on our ability to extract useful information from data to help us achieve our goals more efficiently. Many plant breeders and geneticists perform statistical analyses without understanding the underlying assumptions of the methods or their strengths and pitfalls. In other words, they treat these statistical methods (software and programs) like black boxes. Black boxes represent complex pieces of machinery with contents that are not fully understood by the user. The user sees the inputs and outputs without knowing how the outputs are generated. By providing a general background on statistical methodologies, this review aims (1) to introduce basic concepts of machine learning and its applications to plant breeding; (2) to link classical selection theory to current statistical approaches; (3) to show how to solve mixed models and extend their application to pedigree-based and genomic-based prediction; and (4) to clarify how the algorithms of genome-wide association studies work, including their assumptions and limitations.

The Effect of Black Peers on Black Test Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armor, David J.; Duck, Stephanie

2007-01-01

Recent studies have used increasingly complex methodologies to estimate the effect of peer characteristics--race, poverty, and ability--on student achievement. A paper by Hanushek, Kain, and Rivkin using Texas state testing data has received particularly wide attention because it found a large negative effect of school percent black on black math…

Black nightshade poisoning

MedlinePlus

... when someone eats pieces of the black nightshade plant. This article is for information only. DO NOT ... Poisons are found in the black nightshade plant, especially in the unripened fruit and leaves.

Understanding the Black Aesthetic Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Marvin V.

1988-01-01

Discussing the importance of the Black aesthetic experience, Curtis examines Black cultural heritage and participatory style, the spiritual, and the creation and recreation of Black music. Advocating multicultural music education in teacher training, he suggests that Black music be studied for its value and contribution to society. Lists five ways…

Effects of baking on cyanidin-3-glucoside content and antioxidant properties of black and yellow soybean crackers.

PubMed

Slavin, Margaret; Lu, Yingjian; Kaplan, Nicholas; Yu, Liangli Lucy

2013-11-15

Black soybean is a potential functional food ingredient with high anthocyanin content, but the ability to maintain anthocyanin content under dry heat processing has not been reported. This study investigated the effects of soybean seed coat colour and baking time-temperature combinations on the extractable antioxidant properties of a soy cracker food model. Crackers prepared with black soybeans had significantly higher TPC, total isoflavones, and peroxyl, hydroxyl, and ABTS(+) radical scavenging abilities than their yellow counterparts, at all time-temperature combinations. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) was detected only in black soybean crackers, and all baking treatments significantly decreased C3G. The greatest losses occurred at the low temperature×long time and high temperature×short time, the smallest loss with moderate temperature×short/medium time. The high temperature treatment altered phenolic acid and isoflavone profiles; however, total isoflavones were unaffected. Overall results suggest that moderate baking temperature at minimal time may best preserve anthocyanin and other phenolics in baked black soybean crackers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selection bias in dynamically-measured super-massive black hole samples: its consequences and the quest for the most fundamental relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shankar, Francesco; Bernardi, M.; Sheth, R. K.; Weinberg, D. H.; Miralda-Escudé, J.; Ferrarese, L.; Graham, A.; Sesana, A.; Lapi, A.; Marconi, A.; Allevato, V.; Savorgnan, G.; Laesker, R.

2016-08-01

We compare the set of local galaxies having dynamically measured black holes with a large, unbiased sample of galaxies extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We confirm earlier work showing that the majority of black hole hosts have significantly higher velocity dispersions sigma than local galaxies of similar stellar mass. We use Monte-Carlo simulations to illustrate the effect on black hole scaling relations if this bias arises from the requirement that the black hole sphere of influence must be resolved to measure black hole masses with spatially resolved kinematics. We find that this selection effect artificially increases the normalization of the Mbh-sigma relation by a factor of at least ~3; the bias for the Mbh-Mstar relation is even larger. Our Monte Carlo simulations and analysis of the residuals from scaling relations both indicate that sigma is more fundamental than Mstar or effective radius. In particular, the Mbh-Mstar relation is mostly a consequence of the Mbh-sigma and sigma-Mstar relations, and is heavily biased by up to a factor of 50 at small masses. This helps resolve the discrepancy between dynamically-based black hole-galaxy scaling relations versus those of active galaxies. Our simulations also disfavour broad distributions of black hole masses at fixed sigma. Correcting for this bias suggests that the calibration factor used to estimate black hole masses in active galaxies should be reduced to values of fvir~1. Black hole mass densities should also be proportionally smaller, perhaps implying significantly higher radiative efficiencies/black hole spins. Reducing black hole masses also reduces the gravitational wave signal expected from black hole mergers.

BlackMax: A black-hole event generator with rotation, recoil, split branes, and brane tension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, De-Chang; Starkman, Glenn; Stojkovic, Dejan; Issever, Cigdem; Rizvi, Eram; Tseng, Jeff

2008-04-01

We present a comprehensive black-hole event generator, BlackMax, which simulates the experimental signatures of microscopic and Planckian black-hole production and evolution at the LHC in the context of brane world models with low-scale quantum gravity. The generator is based on phenomenologically realistic models free of serious problems that plague low-scale gravity, thus offering more realistic predictions for hadron-hadron colliders. The generator includes all of the black-hole gray-body factors known to date and incorporates the effects of black-hole rotation, splitting between the fermions, nonzero brane tension, and black-hole recoil due to Hawking radiation (although not all simultaneously). The generator can be interfaced with Herwig and Pythia. The main code can be downloaded from http://www-pnp.physics.ox.ac.uk/~issever/BlackMax/blackmax.html.

Inhibition of pancreatic lipase and amylase by extracts of different spices and plants.

PubMed

Sellami, Mohamed; Louati, Hanen; Kamoun, Jannet; Kchaou, Ali; Damak, Mohamed; Gargouri, Youssef

2017-05-01

The aim of this study is to search new anti-obesity and anti-diabetic agents from plant and spices crude extracts as alternative to synthetic drugs. The inhibitory effect of 72 extracts was evaluated, in vitro, on lipase and amylase activities. Aqueous extracts of cinnamon and black tea exhibited an appreciable inhibitory effect on pancreatic amylase with IC 50 values of 18 and 87 μg, respectively. Aqueous extracts of cinnamon and mint showed strong inhibitory effects against pancreatic lipase with IC 50 of 45 and 62 μg, respectively. The presence of bile salts and colipase or an excess of interface failed to restore the lipase activity. Therefore, the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, by extracts of spices and plants, belongs to an irreversible inhibition. Crude extract of cinnamon showed the strongest anti-lipase and anti-amylase activities which offer a prospective therapeutic approach for the management of diabetes and obesity.

Tuberculosis in Blacks

MedlinePlus

... 995 non-Hispanic blacks in the United States, accounting for nearly 21% of all people reported with ... to identify the socio-cultural, racial, and health system barriers specifically for blacks with or at risk ...

When Charged Black Holes Merge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-08-01

Most theoretical models assume that black holes arent charged. But a new study shows that mergers of charged black holes could explain a variety of astrophysical phenomena, from fast radio bursts to gamma-ray bursts.No HairThe black hole no hair theorem states that all black holes can be described by just three things: their mass, their spin, and their charge. Masses and spins have been observed and measured, but weve never measured the charge of a black hole and its widely believed that real black holes dont actually have any charge.That said, weve also never shown that black holes dont have charge, or set any upper limits on the charge that they might have. So lets suppose, for a moment, that its possible for a black hole to be charged. How might that affect what we know about the merger of two black holes? A recent theoretical study by Bing Zhang (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) examines this question.Intensity profile of a fast radio burst, a sudden burst of radio emission that lasts only a few milliseconds. [Swinburne Astronomy Productions]Driving TransientsZhangs work envisions a pair of black holes in a binary system. He argues that if just one of the black holes carries charge possibly retained by a rotating magnetosphere then it may be possible for the system to produce an electromagnetic signal that could accompany gravitational waves, such as a fast radio burst or a gamma-ray burst!In Zhangs model, the inspiral of the two black holes generates a global magnetic dipole thats perpendicular to the plane of the binarys orbit. The magnetic flux increases rapidly as the separation between the black holes decreases, generating an increasingly powerful magnetic wind. This wind, in turn, can give rise to a fast radio burst or a gamma-ray burst, depending on the value of the black holes charge.Artists illustration of a short gamma-ray burst, thought to be caused by the merger of two compact objects. [ESO/A. Roquette]Zhang calculates lower limits on the charge

Black Male Mental Health and the Black Church: Advancing a Collaborative Partnership and Research Agenda.

PubMed

Robinson, Michael A; Jones-Eversley, Sharon; Moore, Sharon E; Ravenell, Joseph; Adedoyin, A Christson

2018-06-01

This article explores the role the Black Church could play in facilitating spiritually sensitive, culturally relevant and gender-specific services to address the mental health and well-being of Black males. The help-seeking behaviors of Black men are examined as the authors offer two theories: the body, mind, spirit, environment, social, transcendent, and health, illness, men, and masculinities that may assist the Black Church in functioning as an effective support networks for healthy Black male mental health. Next, the authors discuss implications for practice, research, and education, and lastly, eight recommendations for Black Church leadership, social workers, and mental health professionals are also discussed.

Evidence for black holes.

PubMed

Begelman, Mitchell C

2003-06-20

Black holes are common objects in the universe. Each galaxy contains large numbers-perhaps millions-of stellar-mass black holes, each the remnant of a massive star. In addition, nearly every galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its center, with a mass ranging from millions to billions of solar masses. This review discusses the demographics of black holes, the ways in which they interact with their environment, factors that may regulate their formation and growth, and progress toward determining whether these objects really warp spacetime as predicted by the general theory of relativity.

Black Hole Simulation

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-11-30

This graphic shows the computer simulation of a black hole from start to finish. Plasma is falling slowly toward the black hole in a (at the upper left). The plasma has a magnetic field, shown by the white lines. It picks up speed as it falls toward the hole in b (at the upper right), c (lower left) and d (lower right). However, the rotating black hole twists up space itself (and the magnetic field lines) and ejects electromagnetic power along the north and south poles above the black hole. The red and white color shows the immense electromagnetic power output, which eventually will pick up particles and form squirting jets. This simulation was conducted using supercomputers at Japan's National Institute for Fusion Science. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04206

New Directions for Black Women?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuigan, Dorothy, Ed.

1978-01-01

This collection of papers deals with various aspects of the black female experience in America. "The Black Woman in Transition" discusses the effects of sexism and racism on black women with particular reference to employment and education; it is noted that black women, in comparison with other groups in society, suffer a proportionately higher…

Black-spot poison ivy.

PubMed

Schram, Sarah E; Willey, Andrea; Lee, Peter K; Bohjanen, Kimberly A; Warshaw, Erin M

2008-01-01

In black-spot poison ivy dermatitis, a black lacquerlike substance forms on the skin when poison ivy resin is exposed to air. Although the Toxicodendron group of plants is estimated to be the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis in the United States, black-spot poison ivy dermatitis is relatively rare.

The ISES: A non-intrusive medium for in-space experiments in on-board information extraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murray, Nicholas D.; Katzberg, Stephen J.; Nealy, Mike

1990-01-01

The Information Science Experiment System (ISES) represents a new approach in applying advanced systems technology and techniques to on-board information extraction in the space environment. Basically, what is proposed is a 'black box' attached to the spacecraft data bus or local area network. To the spacecraft the 'black box' appears to be just another payload requiring power, heat rejection, interfaces, adding weight, and requiring time on the data management and communication system. In reality, the 'black box' is a programmable computational resource which eavesdrops on the data network, taking and producing selectable, real-time science data back on the network. This paper will present a brief overview of the ISES Concept and will discuss issues related to applying the ISES to the polar platform and Space Station Freedom. Critical to the operation of ISES is the viability of a payload-like interface to the spacecraft data bus or local area network. Study results that address this question will be reviewed vis-a-vis the solar platform and the core space station. Also, initial results of processing science and other requirements for onboard, real-time information extraction will be presented with particular emphasis on the polar platform. Opportunities for a broader range of applications on the core space station will also be discussed.

Black Graduate Education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Robert T., Ed.; Hilton, Adriel A., Ed.; Fountaine, Tiffany Patrice, Ed.

2012-01-01

This book provides context about the experiences of Black graduate and professional students attending HBCUs. Indeed, such research is important, particularly since HBCUs play a significant role in the number of Blacks who receive doctorates and professional degrees (i.e. M.D., D.D.S., J.D. etc.), especially in science and engineering. In fact,…

Safety and Efficacy of Black Cohosh and Red Clover for the Management of Vasomotor Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Geller, Stacie E.; Shulman, Lee P.; van Breemen, Richard B.; Banuvar, Suzanne; Zhou, Ying; Epstein, Geena; Hedayat, Samad; Nikolic, Dejan; Krause, Elizabeth C.; Piersen, Colleen E.; Bolton, Judy L.; Pauli, Guido F.; Farnsworth, Norman R.

2009-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of black cohosh and red clover compared with placebo for the relief of menopausal vasomotor symptoms. Design This study was a randomized, four-arm, double-blind clinical trial of standardized black cohosh, red clover, placebo and 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens plus 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (CEE/MPA; n = 89). Primary outcome measures were reduction in vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) by black cohosh and red clover compared with placebo; secondary outcomes included safety evaluation, reduction of somatic symptoms, relief of sexual dysfunction, and overall improvement in quality of life. Results Reductions in number of vasomotor symptoms after 12-month intervention were as follows: black cohosh (34%), red clover (57%), placebo (63%), and CEE/MPA (94%), with only CEE/MPA differing significantly from placebo. Black cohosh and red clover did not significantly reduce the frequency of vasomotor symptoms as compared with placebo. Secondary measures indicated that both botanicals were safe as administered. In general, there were no improvements in other menopausal symptoms. Conclusions Compared with placebo, black cohosh and red clover did not reduce the number of vasomotor symptoms. Safety monitoring indicated that chemically and biologically standardized extracts of black cohosh and red clover were safe during daily administration for 12 months. PMID:19609225

The Thermodynamics of Black Holes.

PubMed

Wald, Robert M

2001-01-01

We review the present status of black hole thermodynamics. Our review includes discussion of classical black hole thermodynamics, Hawking radiation from black holes, the generalized second law, and the issue of entropy bounds. A brief survey also is given of approaches to the calculation of black hole entropy. We conclude with a discussion of some unresolved open issues.

Guide to the Black Novel.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lederer, Richard

1969-01-01

The nature of black literature raises questions about a black aesthetic and the universality of black expression. Central in the writings of Richard Wright and Ralph Ellison are the black man's confusion of identity, stemming from his invisibility in a white America, and the crimes of ignorance and blindness perpetrated on him by whites and by…

BlackMax: A black-hole event generator with rotation, recoil, split branes, and brane tension

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dai Dechang; Starkman, Glenn; Stojkovic, Dejan

2008-04-01

We present a comprehensive black-hole event generator, BlackMax, which simulates the experimental signatures of microscopic and Planckian black-hole production and evolution at the LHC in the context of brane world models with low-scale quantum gravity. The generator is based on phenomenologically realistic models free of serious problems that plague low-scale gravity, thus offering more realistic predictions for hadron-hadron colliders. The generator includes all of the black-hole gray-body factors known to date and incorporates the effects of black-hole rotation, splitting between the fermions, nonzero brane tension, and black-hole recoil due to Hawking radiation (although not all simultaneously). The generator can bemore » interfaced with Herwig and Pythia. The main code can be downloaded from http://www-pnp.physics.ox.ac.uk/{approx}issever/BlackMax/blackmax.html.« less

Reconceptualizing successful aging among black women and the relevance of the strong black woman archetype.

PubMed

Baker, Tamara A; Buchanan, NiCole T; Mingo, Chivon A; Roker, Rosalyn; Brown, Candace S

2015-02-01

Although there are multiple pathways to successful aging, little is known of what it means to age successfully among black women. There is a growing body of literature suggesting that black women experience a number of social challenges (sexism and racism) that may present as barriers to aging successfully. Applying aspects of the Strong Black Women ideal, into theoretical concepts of successful aging, may be particularly relevant in understanding which factors impair or promote the ability of black women to age successfully. The Strong Black Women archetype is a culturally salient ideal prescribing that black women render a guise of self-reliance, selflessness, and psychological, emotional, and physical strength. Although this ideal has received considerable attention in the behavioral sciences, it has been largely absent within the gerontology field. Nevertheless, understanding the dynamics of this cultural ideal may enhance our knowledge while developing an appreciation of the black woman's ability to age successfully. Rather than summarize the social, physical, and mental health literature focusing on health outcomes of black women, this conceptual review examines the Strong Black Women archetype and its application to the lived experiences of black women and contributions to current theories of successful aging. Focusing on successful aging exclusively among black women enhances our understanding of this group by considering their identity as women of color while recognizing factors that dictate their ability to age successfully. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Complicating Blackness in Teacher Education: Race, Intersectionality, and the Lives of Black Teachers