Unconventional protein sources: apricot seed kernels.

PubMed

Gabrial, G N; El-Nahry, F I; Awadalla, M Z; Girgis, S M

1981-09-01

Hamawy apricot seed kernels (sweet), Amar apricot seed kernels (bitter) and treated Amar apricot kernels (bitterness removed) were evaluated biochemically. All kernels were found to be high in fat (42.2--50.91%), protein (23.74--25.70%) and fiber (15.08--18.02%). Phosphorus, calcium, and iron were determined in all experimental samples. The three different apricot seed kernels were used for extensive study including the qualitative determination of the amino acid constituents by acid hydrolysis, quantitative determination of some amino acids, and biological evaluation of the kernel proteins in order to use them as new protein sources. Weanling albino rats failed to grow on diets containing the Amar apricot seed kernels due to low food consumption because of its bitterness. There was no loss in weight in that case. The Protein Efficiency Ratio data and blood analysis results showed the Hamawy apricot seed kernels to be higher in biological value than treated apricot seed kernels. The Net Protein Ratio data which accounts for both weight, maintenance and growth showed the treated apricot seed kernels to be higher in biological value than both Hamawy and Amar kernels. The Net Protein Ratio for the last two kernels were nearly equal.

Study on preparation method of Zanthoxylum bungeanum seeds kernel oil with zero trans-fatty acids.

PubMed

Liu, Tong; Yao, Shi-Yong; Yin, Zhong-Yi; Zheng, Xu-Xu; Shen, Yu

2016-04-01

The seed of Zanthoxylum bungeanum (Z. bungeanum) is a by-product of pepper production and rich in unsaturated fatty acid, cellulose, and protein. The seed oil obtained from traditional producing process by squeezing or extracting would be bad quality and could not be used as edible oil. In this paper, a new preparation method of Z. bungeanum seed kernel oil (ZSKO) was developed by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of alkali saponification-cold squeezing, alkali saponification-solvent extraction, and alkali saponification-supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide (SFE-CO2). The results showed that the alkali saponification-cold squeezing could be the optimal preparation method of ZSKO, which contained the following steps: Z. bungeanum seed was pretreated by alkali saponification under the conditions of adding 10 %NaOH (w/w), solution temperature was 80 °C, and saponification reaction time was 45 min, and pretreated seed was separated by filtering, water washing, and overnight drying at 50 °C, then repeated squeezing was taken until no oil generated at 60 °C with 15 % moisture content, and ZSKO was attained finally using centrifuge. The produced ZSKO contained more than 90 % unsaturated fatty acids and no trans-fatty acids and be testified as a good edible oil with low-value level of acid and peroxide. It was demonstrated that the alkali saponification-cold squeezing process could be scaled up and applied to industrialized production of ZSKO.

21 CFR 176.350 - Tamarind seed kernel powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Tamarind seed kernel powder. 176.350 Section 176... Paperboard § 176.350 Tamarind seed kernel powder. Tamarind seed kernel powder may be safely used as a component of articles intended for use in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing, treating...

21 CFR 176.350 - Tamarind seed kernel powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Tamarind seed kernel powder. 176.350 Section 176... Substances for Use Only as Components of Paper and Paperboard § 176.350 Tamarind seed kernel powder. Tamarind seed kernel powder may be safely used as a component of articles intended for use in producing...

21 CFR 176.350 - Tamarind seed kernel powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Tamarind seed kernel powder. 176.350 Section 176... Substances for Use Only as Components of Paper and Paperboard § 176.350 Tamarind seed kernel powder. Tamarind seed kernel powder may be safely used as a component of articles intended for use in producing...

21 CFR 176.350 - Tamarind seed kernel powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Tamarind seed kernel powder. 176.350 Section 176... Substances for Use Only as Components of Paper and Paperboard § 176.350 Tamarind seed kernel powder. Tamarind seed kernel powder may be safely used as a component of articles intended for use in producing...

21 CFR 176.350 - Tamarind seed kernel powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Tamarind seed kernel powder. 176.350 Section 176... Substances for Use Only as Components of Paper and Paperboard § 176.350 Tamarind seed kernel powder. Tamarind seed kernel powder may be safely used as a component of articles intended for use in producing...

SOME ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF SHELLED AND KERNEL TEA (Camellia sinensis) SEEDS.

PubMed

Altuntas, Ebubekir; Yildiz, Merve

2017-01-01

Camellia sinensis is the source of tea leaves and it is an economic crop now grown around the World. Tea seed oil has been used for cooking in China and other Asian countries for more than a thousand years. Tea is the most widely consumed beverages after water in the world. It is mainly produced in Asia, central Africa, and exported throughout the World. Some engineering properties (size dimensions, sphericity, volume, bulk and true densities, friction coefficient, colour characteristics and mechanical behaviour as rupture force of shelled and kernel tea ( Camellia sinensis ) seeds were determined in this study. This research was carried out for shelled and kernel tea seeds. The shelled tea seeds used in this study were obtained from East-Black Sea Tea Cooperative Institution in Rize city of Turkey. Shelled and kernel tea seeds were characterized as large and small sizes. The average geometric mean diameter and seed mass of the shelled tea seeds were 15.8 mm, 10.7 mm (large size); 1.47 g, 0.49 g (small size); while the average geometric mean diameter and seed mass of the kernel tea seeds were 11.8 mm, 8 mm for large size; 0.97 g, 0.31 g for small size, respectively. The sphericity, surface area and volume values were found to be higher in a larger size than small size for the shelled and kernel tea samples. The shelled tea seed's colour intensity (Chroma) were found between 59.31 and 64.22 for large size, while the kernel tea seed's chroma values were found between 56.04 68.34 for large size, respectively. The rupture force values of kernel tea seeds were higher than shelled tea seeds for the large size along X axis; whereas, the rupture force values of along X axis were higher than Y axis for large size of shelled tea seeds. The static coefficients of friction of shelled and kernel tea seeds for the large and small sizes higher values for rubber than the other friction surfaces. Some engineering properties, such as geometric mean diameter, sphericity, volume, bulk and true densities, the coefficient of friction, L*, a*, b* colour characteristics and rupture force of shelled and kernel tea ( Camellia sinensis ) seeds will serve to design the equipment used in postharvest treatments.

The inhibitory potential of Thai mango seed kernel extract against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Jiamboonsri, Pimsumon; Pithayanukul, Pimolpan; Bavovada, Rapepol; Chomnawang, Mullika T

2011-07-25

Plant extracts are a valuable source of novel antibacterial compounds to combat pathogenic isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a global nosocomial infection. In this study, the alcoholic extract from Thai mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. 'Fahlun') seed kernel extract (MSKE) and its phenolic principles (gallic acid, methyl gallate and pentagalloylglucopyranose) demonstrated potent in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and 19 clinical MRSA isolates in studies of disc diffusion, broth microdilution and time-kill assays. Electron microscopy studies using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed impaired cell division and ultra-structural changes in bacterial cell morphology, including the thickening of cell walls, of microorganisms treated with MSKE; these damaging effects were increased with increasing concentrations of MSKE. MSKE and its phenolic principles enhanced and intensified the antibacterial activity of penicillin G against 19 clinical MRSA isolates by lowering the minimum inhibitory concentration by at least 5-fold. The major phenolic principle, pentagalloylglucopyranose, was demonstrated to be the major contributor to the antibacterial activity of MSKE. These results suggest that MSKE may potentially be useful as an alternative therapeutic agent or an adjunctive therapy along with penicillin G in the treatment of MRSA infections.

Phorbol esters seed content and distribution in Latin American provenances of Jatropha curcas L.: potential for biopesticide, food and feed.

PubMed

Bueso, Francisco; Sosa, Italo; Chun, Roldan; Pineda, Renan

2016-01-01

Jatropha curcas L. (Jatropha) is believed to have originated from Mexico and Central America. So far, characterization efforts have focused on Asia, Africa and Mexico. Non-toxic, low phorbol ester (PE) varieties have been found only in Mexico. Differences in PE content in seeds and its structural components, crude oil and cake from Jatropha provenances cultivated in Central and South America were evaluated. Seeds were dehulled, and kernels were separated into tegmen, cotyledons and embryo for PE quantitation by RP-HPLC. Crude oil and cake PE content was also measured. No phenotypic departures in seed size and structure were observed among Jatropha cultivated in Central and South America compared to provenances from Mexico, Asia and Africa. Cotyledons comprised 96.2-97.5 %, tegmen 1.6-2.4 % and embryo represented 0.9-1.4 % of dehulled kernel. Total PE content of all nine provenances categorized them as toxic. Significant differences in kernel PE content were observed among provenances from Mexico, Central and South America (P < 0.01), being Mexican the highest (7.6 mg/g) and Cabo Verde the lowest (2.57 mg/g). All accessions had >95 % of PEs concentrated in cotyledons, 0.5-3 % in the tegmen and 0.5-1 % in the embryo. Over 60 % of total PE in dehulled kernels accumulated in the crude oil, while 35-40 % remained in the cake after extraction. Low phenotypic variability in seed physical, structural traits and PE content was observed among provenances from Latin America. Very high-PE provenances with potential as biopesticide were found in Central America. No PE-free, edible Jatropha was found among provenances currently cultivated in Central America and Brazil that could be used for human consumption and feedstock. Furthermore, dehulled kernel structural parts as well as its crude oil and cake contained toxic PE levels.

Characteristics and composition of watermelon, pumpkin, and paprika seed oils and flours.

PubMed

El-Adawy, T A; Taha, K M

2001-03-01

The nutritional quality and functional properties of paprika seed flour and seed kernel flours of pumpkin and watermelon were studied, as were the characteristics and structure of their seed oils. Paprika seed and seed kernels of pumpkin and watermelon were rich in oil and protein. All flour samples contained considerable amounts of P, K, Mg, Mn, and Ca. Paprika seed flour was superior to watermelon and pumpkin seed kernel flours in content of lysine and total essential amino acids. Oil samples had high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic and oleic acids as the major acids. All oil samples fractionated into seven classes including triglycerides as a major lipid class. Data obtained for the oils' characteristics compare well with those of other edible oils. Antinutritional compounds such as stachyose, raffinose, verbascose, trypsin inhibitor, phytic acid, and tannins were detected in all flours. Pumpkin seed kernel flour had higher values of chemical score, essential amino acid index, and in vitro protein digestibility than the other flours examined. The first limiting amino acid was lysine for both watermelon and pumpkin seed kernel flours, but it was leucine in paprika seed flour. Protein solubility index, water and fat absorption capacities, emulsification properties, and foam stability were excellent in watermelon and pumpkin seed kernel flours and fairly good in paprika seed flour. Flour samples could be potentially added to food systems such as bakery products and ground meat formulations not only as a nutrient supplement but also as a functional agent in these formulations.

Genetic Analysis of Kernel Traits in Maize-Teosinte Introgression Populations.

PubMed

Liu, Zhengbin; Garcia, Arturo; McMullen, Michael D; Flint-Garcia, Sherry A

2016-08-09

Seed traits have been targeted by human selection during the domestication of crop species as a way to increase the caloric and nutritional content of food during the transition from hunter-gather to early farming societies. The primary seed trait under selection was likely seed size/weight as it is most directly related to overall grain yield. Additional seed traits involved in seed shape may have also contributed to larger grain. Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) kernel weight has increased more than 10-fold in the 9000 years since domestication from its wild ancestor, teosinte (Z. mays ssp. parviglumis). In order to study how size and shape affect kernel weight, we analyzed kernel morphometric traits in a set of 10 maize-teosinte introgression populations using digital imaging software. We identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) for kernel area and length with moderate allelic effects that colocalize with kernel weight QTL. Several genomic regions with strong effects during maize domestication were detected, and a genetic framework for kernel traits was characterized by complex pleiotropic interactions. Our results both confirm prior reports of kernel domestication loci and identify previously uncharacterized QTL with a range of allelic effects, enabling future research into the genetic basis of these traits. Copyright © 2016 Liu et al.

Genetic Analysis of Kernel Traits in Maize-Teosinte Introgression Populations

PubMed Central

Liu, Zhengbin; Garcia, Arturo; McMullen, Michael D.; Flint-Garcia, Sherry A.

2016-01-01

Seed traits have been targeted by human selection during the domestication of crop species as a way to increase the caloric and nutritional content of food during the transition from hunter-gather to early farming societies. The primary seed trait under selection was likely seed size/weight as it is most directly related to overall grain yield. Additional seed traits involved in seed shape may have also contributed to larger grain. Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) kernel weight has increased more than 10-fold in the 9000 years since domestication from its wild ancestor, teosinte (Z. mays ssp. parviglumis). In order to study how size and shape affect kernel weight, we analyzed kernel morphometric traits in a set of 10 maize-teosinte introgression populations using digital imaging software. We identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) for kernel area and length with moderate allelic effects that colocalize with kernel weight QTL. Several genomic regions with strong effects during maize domestication were detected, and a genetic framework for kernel traits was characterized by complex pleiotropic interactions. Our results both confirm prior reports of kernel domestication loci and identify previously uncharacterized QTL with a range of allelic effects, enabling future research into the genetic basis of these traits. PMID:27317774

Determination of amino acid contents of manketti seeds (Schinziophyton rautanenii) by pre-column derivatisation with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate and RP-HPLC.

PubMed

Gwatidzo, Luke; Botha, Ben M; McCrindle, Rob I

2013-12-01

Defatted kernel flour from manketti seed kernels (Schinziophyton rautanenii) is an underutilised natural product. The plant grows in the wild, on sandy soils little used for agriculture in Southern Africa. The kernels are rich in protein and have a great potential for improving nutrition. The protein content and amino acid profile of manketti seed kernel were studied, using a new analytical method, in order to evaluate the nutritional value. The crude protein content of the press cake and defatted kernel flour was 29.0% and 67.5%, respectively. Leucine and arginine were found to be the most abundant essential and non-essential amino acids, respectively. The seed kernel contained 4.77 g leucine and 12.34 g arginine/100 g of defatted seed kernel flour. Methionine and proline were the least abundant essential and non-essential amino acids to with 0.23 g methionine and 0.36 g proline/100 g of defatted seed kernel flour, respectively. Validation of the pre-column derivatisation procedure with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC) for the determination of amino acids was carried out. The analytical parameters were determined: linearity (0.0025-0.20 mM), accuracy of the derivatisation procedure: 86.7-109.8%, precision (method: 0.72-5.04%, instrumental: 0.14-1.88% and derivatisation: 0.15-2.94% and 0.41-4.32% for intraday and interday, respectively). Limits of detection and quantification were 6.80-157 mg/100 g and 22.7-523 mg/100 g kernel flour, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of Hyperspectral Imaging and Chemometric Calibrations for Variety Discrimination of Maize Seeds

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaolei; Liu, Fei; He, Yong; Li, Xiaoli

2012-01-01

Hyperspectral imaging in the visible and near infrared (VIS-NIR) region was used to develop a novel method for discriminating different varieties of commodity maize seeds. Firstly, hyperspectral images of 330 samples of six varieties of maize seeds were acquired using a hyperspectral imaging system in the 380–1,030 nm wavelength range. Secondly, principal component analysis (PCA) and kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) were used to explore the internal structure of the spectral data. Thirdly, three optimal wavelengths (523, 579 and 863 nm) were selected by implementing PCA directly on each image. Then four textural variables including contrast, homogeneity, energy and correlation were extracted from gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) of each monochromatic image based on the optimal wavelengths. Finally, several models for maize seeds identification were established by least squares-support vector machine (LS-SVM) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) using four different combinations of principal components (PCs), kernel principal components (KPCs) and textural features as input variables, respectively. The recognition accuracy achieved in the PCA-GLCM-LS-SVM model (98.89%) was the most satisfactory one. We conclude that hyperspectral imaging combined with texture analysis can be implemented for fast classification of different varieties of maize seeds. PMID:23235456

7 CFR 868.202 - Definition of other terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... appreciable amount of red bran. (k) Seeds. Whole or broken seeds of any plant other than rice. (l) Smutty... FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES United States Standards for Rough Rice Terms Defined § 868.202... stated below: (a) Broken kernels. Kernels of rice which are less than three-fourths of whole kernels. (b...

7 CFR 868.202 - Definition of other terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... appreciable amount of red bran. (k) Seeds. Whole or broken seeds of any plant other than rice. (l) Smutty... FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES United States Standards for Rough Rice Terms Defined § 868.202... stated below: (a) Broken kernels. Kernels of rice which are less than three-fourths of whole kernels. (b...

7 CFR 868.202 - Definition of other terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... appreciable amount of red bran. (k) Seeds. Whole or broken seeds of any plant other than rice. (l) Smutty... FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES United States Standards for Rough Rice Terms Defined § 868.202... stated below: (a) Broken kernels. Kernels of rice which are less than three-fourths of whole kernels. (b...

A Battle in a Kernel: Molecular Exploration of Antagonisms between Two Maize Endophytes, Fusarium verticillioides and Acremonium zeae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fusarium verticillioides (Fv) is a prevalent seed-borne maize endophyte capable of causing severe kernel rot and fumonisin mycotoxin contamination. Within maize kernels, Fv is primarily confined to the pedicel, while another seed-borne fungal endophyte, Acremonium zeae (Az), is observed in embryos. ...

The auxin-deficient defective kernel18 (dek18) mutation alters the expression of seed-specific biosynthethic genes in maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The dek18 mutant of maize has decreased auxin content in kernels. Molecular and functional characterization of this mutant line offers the possibility to better understand auxin biology in maize seed development. Seeds of the dek18 mutants are smaller compared to wild type seeds and the vegetative d...

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) proanthocyanidins inhibit in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis of protein.

PubMed

Arimboor, Ranjith; Arumughan, C

2011-08-01

Interactions of phenolics with other food constituents and digestive enzymes are likely to have interference with the digestion and bioavailability of food and phenolics. In this study the effect of sea buckthorn proanthocyanidins on in vitro digestion of protein was evaluated. Optimization of the extraction conditions showed that maximum recovery of sea buckthorn proanthocyanidins was obtained with acidified acetone; water mixture (60% to 70%, v/v). Crude proanthocyanidin extracts thus prepared were purified using sephadex gel column chromatography and their average degree of polymerization and the effects on enzymatic hydrolysis of bovine serum albumin as influenced by their protein precipitation capacities were studied. Average degree of polymerization of proanthocyanidins in berry pulp, kernel, seed coat, and leaves was 7.4, 5.6, 8.2, and 10.6, respectively. The EC50 values for the protein precipitation by the PA of berry pulp, kernel seed coat, and leaves were 44.2, 44.1, 65.8, and 39.8 μg, respectively. Relative enzymatic hydrolysis of the protein-proanthocyanidin complexes was 44.1% to 60.3% for pepsin and 57.5% to 67.7% for trypsin. Interactions of sea buckthorn proanthocyanidins with food proteins and digestive enzymes might alter the protein digestibility and phenolic bioavailabilty. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Effect of different processing methods on antioxidant activity of underutilized legumes, Entada scandens seed kernel and Canavalia gladiata seeds.

PubMed

Sasipriya, Gopalakrishnan; Siddhuraju, Perumal

2012-08-01

The present study is proposed to determine the antioxidant activity of raw and processed samples of underutilized legumes, Entada scandens seed kernel and Canavalia gladiata seeds. The indigenous processing methods like dry heating, autoclaving and soaking followed by autoclaving in different solutions (plain water, ash, sugar and sodium bicarbonate) were adopted to seed samples. All other processing methods than dry heat showed significant reduction in phenolics (2.9-63%), tannins (26-100%) and flavonoids (14-67%). However, in processed samples of E. scandens, the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and β-carotene bleaching inhibition activity were increased, whereas, 2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS·(+)), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), metal chelating and superoxide anion scavenging activity were similar to unprocessed ones. In contrary, except dry heating in C. gladiata, all other processing methods significantly (P<0.05) reduced the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH·) (20-35%), ABTS·(+) (22-75%), FRAP (34-74%), metal chelating (30-41%), superoxide anion radical scavenging (8-80%), hydroxyl radical scavenging (20-40%) and β-carotene bleaching inhibition activity (15-69%). In addition, the sample extracts of raw and dry heated samples protected DNA damage at 10 μg. All processing methods in E. scandens and dry heating in C. gladiata would be a suitable method for adopting in domestic or industrial processing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous estimation of phenolic acids in sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) using RP-HPLC with DAD.

PubMed

Arimboor, Ranjith; Kumar, K Sarin; Arumughan, C

2008-05-12

A RP-HPLC-DAD method was developed and validated for the simultaneous analysis of nine phenolic acids including gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, salicylic acid, p-coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, caffiec acid and ferulic acid in sea buckthorn (SB) (Hippophaë rhamnoides) berries and leaves. The method was validated in terms of linearity, LOD, precision, accuracy and recovery and found to be satisfactory. Phenolic acid derivatives in anatomical parts of SB berries and leaves were separated into free phenolic acids, phenolic acids bound as esters and phenolic acids bound as glycosides and profiled in HPLC. Berry pulp contained a total of 1068 mg/kg phenolic acids, of which 58.8% was derived from phenolic glycosides. Free phenolic acids and phenolic acid esters constituted 20.0% and 21.2%, respectively, of total phenolic acids in SB berry pulp. The total phenolic acid content in seed kernel (5741 mg/kg) was higher than that in berry pulp and seed coat (Table 2). Phenolic acids liberated from soluble esters constituted the major fraction of phenolic acids (57.3% of total phenolic acids) in seed kernel. 8.4% and 34.3% of total phenolic acids in seed kernel were, respectively contributed by free and phenolic acids liberated from glycosidic bonds. The total soluble phenolic acids content in seed coat (448 mg/kg) was lower than that in seed kernel and pulp (Table 2). Proportion of free phenolic acids in total phenolic acids in seed coat was higher than that in seed kernel and pulp. Phenolic acids bound as esters and glycosides, respectively contributed 49.1% and 20.3% of total phenolic acids in seed coat. The major fraction (approximately 70%) of phenolic acids in SB berries was found to be concentrated in the seeds. Gallic acid was the predominant phenolic acid both in free and bound forms in SB berry parts and leaves.

Exploiting graph kernels for high performance biomedical relation extraction.

PubMed

Panyam, Nagesh C; Verspoor, Karin; Cohn, Trevor; Ramamohanarao, Kotagiri

2018-01-30

Relation extraction from biomedical publications is an important task in the area of semantic mining of text. Kernel methods for supervised relation extraction are often preferred over manual feature engineering methods, when classifying highly ordered structures such as trees and graphs obtained from syntactic parsing of a sentence. Tree kernels such as the Subset Tree Kernel and Partial Tree Kernel have been shown to be effective for classifying constituency parse trees and basic dependency parse graphs of a sentence. Graph kernels such as the All Path Graph kernel (APG) and Approximate Subgraph Matching (ASM) kernel have been shown to be suitable for classifying general graphs with cycles, such as the enhanced dependency parse graph of a sentence. In this work, we present a high performance Chemical-Induced Disease (CID) relation extraction system. We present a comparative study of kernel methods for the CID task and also extend our study to the Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) extraction task, an important biomedical relation extraction task. We discuss novel modifications to the ASM kernel to boost its performance and a method to apply graph kernels for extracting relations expressed in multiple sentences. Our system for CID relation extraction attains an F-score of 60%, without using external knowledge sources or task specific heuristic or rules. In comparison, the state of the art Chemical-Disease Relation Extraction system achieves an F-score of 56% using an ensemble of multiple machine learning methods, which is then boosted to 61% with a rule based system employing task specific post processing rules. For the CID task, graph kernels outperform tree kernels substantially, and the best performance is obtained with APG kernel that attains an F-score of 60%, followed by the ASM kernel at 57%. The performance difference between the ASM and APG kernels for CID sentence level relation extraction is not significant. In our evaluation of ASM for the PPI task, ASM performed better than APG kernel for the BioInfer dataset, in the Area Under Curve (AUC) measure (74% vs 69%). However, for all the other PPI datasets, namely AIMed, HPRD50, IEPA and LLL, ASM is substantially outperformed by the APG kernel in F-score and AUC measures. We demonstrate a high performance Chemical Induced Disease relation extraction, without employing external knowledge sources or task specific heuristics. Our work shows that graph kernels are effective in extracting relations that are expressed in multiple sentences. We also show that the graph kernels, namely the ASM and APG kernels, substantially outperform the tree kernels. Among the graph kernels, we showed the ASM kernel as effective for biomedical relation extraction, with comparable performance to the APG kernel for datasets such as the CID-sentence level relation extraction and BioInfer in PPI. Overall, the APG kernel is shown to be significantly more accurate than the ASM kernel, achieving better performance on most datasets.

[Infrared spectroscopic study on the component and vigor analysis of Cistanche deserticola seeds].

PubMed

Xu, Rong; Sun, Su-Qin; Chen, Jun; Chen, Shi-Lin; Zhou, Feng

2009-01-01

Comparative study of the different parts of cistanche deserticola seeds and their changes after different processing were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra (FTIR). The results of the analysis showed that components in the cistanche deserticola seeds were abundant, which contained characteristic absorption peaks of protein, fat and carbohydrate. As well, pectin and aromatic compound can be also found in the seeds. However, the components were different in different parts of cistanche deserticola seeds. The characteristic absorption peak intensities of fat at 2,926, 1,746, 1,161 and 721 cm(-1) were the strongest in the seed kernels. However, the seed coats mainly consisted of carbohydrate and pectin, which were showed at 1,054 cm(-1). The contents of protein and carbohydrate were decreased distinctly in the moldy and dead seeds after processing. The characteristic absorption peak intensity ratio of protein to fat (I1,630/I1,745 ) was all higher than 1.05 in the live seeds. The characteristic absorption peak intensity ratio of amido link I of protein to fat (11,653/I1,745) in the dead seed kernels of the cistanche deserticola was decreased from 0.31 to 0. 23, which was 25.8% less than that in vital seed kernels. The results suggest that FTIR not only can be used in fast comprehensive analysis of seed components, but also can be used in the seed vigor analysis, seed longevity determination and seed quality evaluation.

Functional and molecular characterization of genes involved in antagonisms between two maize endophytes, Fusarium verticillioides and Sarocladium zeae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fusarium verticillioides (Fv) is a prevalent seed-borne maize endophyte capable of causing severe kernel rot and fumonisin mycotoxin contamination. Within maize kernels, Fv is primarily confined to the pedicel, while another seed-borne fungal endophyte, Sarocladium zeae (Sz), is observed in embryos....

The Conserved and Unique Genetic Architecture of Kernel Size and Weight in Maize and Rice1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Lan, Liu; Wang, Hongze; Xu, Yuancheng; Yang, Xiaohong; Li, Wenqiang; Tong, Hao; Xiao, Yingjie; Pan, Qingchun; Qiao, Feng; Raihan, Mohammad Sharif; Liu, Haijun; Yang, Ning; Wang, Xiaqing; Deng, Min; Jin, Minliang; Zhao, Lijun; Luo, Xin; Zhan, Wei; Liu, Nannan; Wang, Hong; Chen, Gengshen

2017-01-01

Maize (Zea mays) is a major staple crop. Maize kernel size and weight are important contributors to its yield. Here, we measured kernel length, kernel width, kernel thickness, hundred kernel weight, and kernel test weight in 10 recombinant inbred line populations and dissected their genetic architecture using three statistical models. In total, 729 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified, many of which were identified in all three models, including 22 major QTLs that each can explain more than 10% of phenotypic variation. To provide candidate genes for these QTLs, we identified 30 maize genes that are orthologs of 18 rice (Oryza sativa) genes reported to affect rice seed size or weight. Interestingly, 24 of these 30 genes are located in the identified QTLs or within 1 Mb of the significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We further confirmed the effects of five genes on maize kernel size/weight in an independent association mapping panel with 540 lines by candidate gene association analysis. Lastly, the function of ZmINCW1, a homolog of rice GRAIN INCOMPLETE FILLING1 that affects seed size and weight, was characterized in detail. ZmINCW1 is close to QTL peaks for kernel size/weight (less than 1 Mb) and contains significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms affecting kernel size/weight in the association panel. Overexpression of this gene can rescue the reduced weight of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) homozygous mutant line in the AtcwINV2 gene (Arabidopsis ortholog of ZmINCW1). These results indicate that the molecular mechanisms affecting seed development are conserved in maize, rice, and possibly Arabidopsis. PMID:28811335

The Conserved and Unique Genetic Architecture of Kernel Size and Weight in Maize and Rice.

PubMed

Liu, Jie; Huang, Juan; Guo, Huan; Lan, Liu; Wang, Hongze; Xu, Yuancheng; Yang, Xiaohong; Li, Wenqiang; Tong, Hao; Xiao, Yingjie; Pan, Qingchun; Qiao, Feng; Raihan, Mohammad Sharif; Liu, Haijun; Zhang, Xuehai; Yang, Ning; Wang, Xiaqing; Deng, Min; Jin, Minliang; Zhao, Lijun; Luo, Xin; Zhou, Yang; Li, Xiang; Zhan, Wei; Liu, Nannan; Wang, Hong; Chen, Gengshen; Li, Qing; Yan, Jianbing

2017-10-01

Maize ( Zea mays ) is a major staple crop. Maize kernel size and weight are important contributors to its yield. Here, we measured kernel length, kernel width, kernel thickness, hundred kernel weight, and kernel test weight in 10 recombinant inbred line populations and dissected their genetic architecture using three statistical models. In total, 729 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified, many of which were identified in all three models, including 22 major QTLs that each can explain more than 10% of phenotypic variation. To provide candidate genes for these QTLs, we identified 30 maize genes that are orthologs of 18 rice ( Oryza sativa ) genes reported to affect rice seed size or weight. Interestingly, 24 of these 30 genes are located in the identified QTLs or within 1 Mb of the significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We further confirmed the effects of five genes on maize kernel size/weight in an independent association mapping panel with 540 lines by candidate gene association analysis. Lastly, the function of ZmINCW1 , a homolog of rice GRAIN INCOMPLETE FILLING1 that affects seed size and weight, was characterized in detail. ZmINCW1 is close to QTL peaks for kernel size/weight (less than 1 Mb) and contains significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms affecting kernel size/weight in the association panel. Overexpression of this gene can rescue the reduced weight of the Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) homozygous mutant line in the AtcwINV2 gene (Arabidopsis ortholog of ZmINCW1 ). These results indicate that the molecular mechanisms affecting seed development are conserved in maize, rice, and possibly Arabidopsis. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Edible provenances of Jatropha curcas from Quintana Roo state of Mexico and effect of roasting on antinutrient and toxic factors in seeds.

PubMed

Makkar, H P; Becker, K; Schmook, B

1998-01-01

Seven seed samples of J. curcas, both in raw and roasted state, sold in some villages in Quintana Roo state, Mexico for human consumption were analyzed for physical characteristics, nutrients and antinutrients. The average seed weight varied from 0.53 to 0.74 g and kernel weight as proportion of raw seed weight was from 61 to 66%. The contents of crude protein, lipid and ash of kernels from raw seeds were 27-30%, 55-62% and 3.7-5.2% respectively. The levels of antinutrients in meal from the raw seeds were: trypsin inhibitor activity (14.6-28.7 mg trypsin inhibited/g), lectin (25.6-52.2 unit; one unit is the reverse of minimum amount of mg meal/ml assay which produced haemagglutination), saponins (1.9-2.3% as diosgenin equivalent) and phytate (8.4-10%). Phorbol esters in kernels from raw seeds were not detected in four samples and in other three samples it ranged from 0.01 to 0.02 mg/g as phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate equivalent. Roasting of seeds inactivated almost 100% of trypsin inhibitor activity. Although lectin activity reduced on roasting, it was still present in high amounts. Saponins, phytate and phorbol esters were not affected by roasting.

7 CFR 868.310 - Grades and grade requirements for the classes Long Grain Milled Rice, Medium Grain Milled Rice...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., heatdamaged, and paddy kernels (singly or combined) Total (number in 500 grams) Heatdamaged kernels and objectionable seeds (number in 500 grams) Red rice anddamaged kernels (singly or combined) (percent) Chalky...

7 CFR 868.310 - Grades and grade requirements for the classes Long Grain Milled Rice, Medium Grain Milled Rice...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., heatdamaged, and paddy kernels (singly or combined) Total (number in 500 grams) Heatdamaged kernels and objectionable seeds (number in 500 grams) Red rice anddamaged kernels (singly or combined) (percent) Chalky...

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of bitter and sweet apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) kernels.

PubMed

Yiğit, D; Yiğit, N; Mavi, A

2009-04-01

The present study describes the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of methanol and water extracts of sweet and bitter apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) kernels. The antioxidant properties of apricot kernels were evaluated by determining radical scavenging power, lipid peroxidation inhibition activity and total phenol content measured with a DPPH test, the thiocyanate method and the Folin method, respectively. In contrast to extracts of the bitter kernels, both the water and methanol extracts of sweet kernels have antioxidant potential. The highest percent inhibition of lipid peroxidation (69%) and total phenolic content (7.9 +/- 0.2 microg/mL) were detected in the methanol extract of sweet kernels (Hasanbey) and in the water extract of the same cultivar, respectively. The antimicrobial activities of the above extracts were also tested against human pathogenic microorganisms using a disc-diffusion method, and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of each active extract were determined. The most effective antibacterial activity was observed in the methanol and water extracts of bitter kernels and in the methanol extract of sweet kernels against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, the methanol extracts of the bitter kernels were very potent against the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (0.312 mg/mL MIC value). Significant anti-candida activity was also observed with the methanol extract of bitter apricot kernels against Candida albicans, consisting of a 14 mm in diameter of inhibition zone and a 0.625 mg/mL MIC value.

7 CFR 868.312 - Grade and grade requirements for the class Screenings Milled Rice. (See also § 868.315.)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Requirements, and Grade Designations Grade Maximum limits of— Paddy kernels and seeds Total(number in 500 grams) Objectionable seeds (number in 500 grams) Chalky kernels 1,3 (percent) Color requirements 1 Minimum... objectionable foreign odor; (e) has a badly damaged or extremely red appearance (f) contains more than 0.1...

7 CFR 868.312 - Grade and grade requirements for the class Screenings Milled Rice. (See also § 868.315.)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Requirements, and Grade Designations Grade Maximum limits of— Paddy kernels and seeds Total(number in 500 grams) Objectionable seeds (number in 500 grams) Chalky kernels 1 3 (percent) Color requirements 1 Minimum... objectionable foreign odor; (e) has a badly damaged or extremely red appearance (f) contains more than 0.1...

Solvent Extraction and GC-MS Analysis of Sesame Seeds for Determination of Bioactive Antioxidant Fatty Acid/Fatty Oil Components.

PubMed

Qadir, Abdul; Ali, Athar; Arif, Muhammad; Al-Rohaimi, Abdulmohsen H; Singh, Satya Prakash; Ahmad, Usama; Khalid, Mohd; Kumar, Arun

2018-06-01

The seed kernels of Sesamum indicum L. (family: Pedaliaceae) were extracted with ethanol and yield of components determined by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The free radical scavenging activities of ethanolic extract against1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were determined by UV spectrophotometer at 517 nm. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of numerous bioactive compounds including steroids, phenolic, terpenoids, fatty acids and different types of ester compounds. The ethanolic extract was purified and analyzed by GC MS.The prevailing compounds found in ethanolic extract were Carvacrol (0.04%),Sesamol (0.11%), 4-Allyl-2-methoxy-phenol(0.04%),Palmitic acid (1.08%), cis-9-Hexadecenal (85.40%), Lineoleoyl chloride (0.52%), Palmitic acid β-monoglyceride (0.40%), Dihydro-aplotaxene (0.61%), Oleoyl chloride (1.11%), (+)-Sesamin (4.73%), 1,3-Benzodioxole, 5-[4-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yloxy)tetrahydro-1 H,3 H-furo [3,4-c]furan-1-yl], [1 S-(1,3,4,6α.), (2.01%)], 6-Nitrocholest-5-en-3-yl acetate (0.22%), Ergost-5-en-3β-ol (2.35%) and 24-Propylidenecholesterol (0.16%). The presence ofsaturated and unsaturated fatty acids in ethanolicextract justifies the use of this plant to treat many ailments in folk and traditional medicine. Ethanolic extract have shown significant antioxidant activity(IC 50 120.38±2.8 µg/ml). The presence of phenolic (Sesamol), lignin (Sesamin) compounds and unsaturated fatty acids are reported as possible contributor for antioxidantactivity of seed extract. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Measurements of oleic acid among individual kernels harvested from test plots of purified runner and spanish high oleic seed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Normal oleic peanuts are often found within commercial lots of high oleic peanuts when sampling among individual kernels. Kernels not meeting high oleic threshold could be true contamination with normal oleic peanuts introduced via poor handling, or kernels not meeting threshold could be immature a...

7 CFR 868.310 - Grades and grade requirements for the classes Long Grain Milled Rice, Medium Grain Milled Rice...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., heat damaged, and paddy kernels (singly or combined) Total (number in 500 grams) Heat damaged kernels and objectionable seeds (number in 500 grams) Red rice and damaged kernels (singly or combined...

7 CFR 868.311 - Grades and grade requirements for the class Second Head Milled Rice. (See also § 868.315.)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... combined) Total (number in 500 grams) Heat-damaged kernels and objectionable seeds (number in 500 grams) Red rice and damaged kernels (singly or combined) (percent) Chalky kernels 1,3 (percent) Color...

Nutrition quality of extraction mannan residue from palm kernel cake on brolier chicken

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tafsin, M.; Hanafi, N. D.; Kejora, E.; Yusraini, E.

2018-02-01

This study aims to find out the nutrient residue of palm kernel cake from mannan extraction on broiler chicken by evaluating physical quality (specific gravity, bulk density and compacted bulk density), chemical quality (proximate analysis and Van Soest Test) and biological test (metabolizable energy). Treatment composed of T0 : palm kernel cake extracted aquadest (control), T1 : palm kernel cake extracted acetic acid (CH3COOH) 1%, T2 : palm kernel cake extracted aquadest + mannanase enzyme 100 u/l and T3 : palm kernel cake extracted acetic acid (CH3COOH) 1% + enzyme mannanase 100 u/l. The results showed that mannan extraction had significant effect (P<0.05) in improving the quality of physical and numerically increase the value of crude protein and decrease the value of NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber). Treatments had highly significant influence (P<0.01) on the metabolizable energy value of palm kernel cake residue in broiler chickens. It can be concluded that extraction with aquadest + enzyme mannanase 100 u/l yields the best nutrient quality of palm kernel cake residue for broiler chicken.

Removal of Malachite Green Dye by Mangifera indica Seed Kernel Powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Dilbagh; Sowmya, V.; Abinandan, S.; Shanthakumar, S.

2017-11-01

In this study, batch experiments were carried out to study the adsorption of Malachite green dye from aqueous solution by Mangifera indica (mango) seed kernel powder. The mango seed kernel powder was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Effect of various parameters including pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration and temperature on adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was observed and the optimized condition for maximum dye removal was identified. Maximum percentage removal of 96% was achieved with an adsorption capacity of 22.8 mg/g at pH 6 with an initial concentration of 100 mg/l. The equilibrium data were examined to fit the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Thermodynamic parameters for the adsorption process were also calculated.

7 CFR 868.210 - Grades and grade requirements for the classes of Rough Rice. (See also § 868.212.)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... and heat-damaged kernels Total (singly or combined) (Number in 500 grams) Heat-damaged kernels and objectionable seeds (singly or combined) (Number in 500 grams) Heat-damaged kernels (Number in 500 grams) Red...

7 CFR 868.210 - Grades and grade requirements for the classes of Rough Rice. (See also § 868.212.)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... and heat-damaged kernels Total (singly or combined) (Number in 500 grams) Heat-damaged kernels and objectionable seeds (singly or combined) (Number in 500 grams) Heat-damaged kernels (Number in 500 grams) Red...

7 CFR 868.210 - Grades and grade requirements for the classes of Rough Rice. (See also § 868.212.)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... and heat-damaged kernels Total (singly or combined) (Number in 500 grams) Heat-damaged kernels and objectionable seeds (singly or combined) (Number in 500 grams) Heat-damaged kernels (Number in 500 grams) Red...

Fast dose kernel interpolation using Fourier transform with application to permanent prostate brachytherapy dosimetry.

PubMed

Liu, Derek; Sloboda, Ron S

2014-05-01

Boyer and Mok proposed a fast calculation method employing the Fourier transform (FT), for which calculation time is independent of the number of seeds but seed placement is restricted to calculation grid points. Here an interpolation method is described enabling unrestricted seed placement while preserving the computational efficiency of the original method. The Iodine-125 seed dose kernel was sampled and selected values were modified to optimize interpolation accuracy for clinically relevant doses. For each seed, the kernel was shifted to the nearest grid point via convolution with a unit impulse, implemented in the Fourier domain. The remaining fractional shift was performed using a piecewise third-order Lagrange filter. Implementation of the interpolation method greatly improved FT-based dose calculation accuracy. The dose distribution was accurate to within 2% beyond 3 mm from each seed. Isodose contours were indistinguishable from explicit TG-43 calculation. Dose-volume metric errors were negligible. Computation time for the FT interpolation method was essentially the same as Boyer's method. A FT interpolation method for permanent prostate brachytherapy TG-43 dose calculation was developed which expands upon Boyer's original method and enables unrestricted seed placement. The proposed method substantially improves the clinically relevant dose accuracy with negligible additional computation cost, preserving the efficiency of the original method.

Production and characterization of cellulose reinforced starch (CRT) films.

PubMed

Sudharsan, K; Chandra Mohan, C; Azhagu Saravana Babu, P; Archana, G; Sabina, K; Sivarajan, M; Sukumar, M

2016-02-01

Starch from Tamarind seed is considered to be a nonedible and inexpensive component, with many industrial applications. Extraction and characterization of tamarind seed starch was carried out for the synthesis of biopolymer. Tamarind seeds were collected, cleaned and further roasted, decorticated, and pulverized to get starch powder. Total starch content present in each tamarind seed is estimated to be around 65-70%. About 84.68% purified starch can be recovered from the tamarind seed. Defatted Tamarind seed starch has an amylose content of 27.55 wt.% and 72.45 wt.% of amylopectin. Morphological (SEM) and X-ray diffraction were used to evaluate crystallinity. Likewise, TGA and DSC of starch have also been analyzed. Thermal properties of starch obtained from tamarind seeds showed good thermal stability when compared to other starch sources such as Mesquite seed and Mango kernel. This study proved that the tamarind seed starch can be used as a potential biopolymer material. Thermo-stable biofilms were produced through initial optimization studies. Predictive response surface quadratic models were constructed for prediction and optimization of biofilm mechanical properties. Correlation coefficient values were calculated to me more than 0.90 for mechanical responses which implies the fitness of constructed model with experimental data. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From seed to cooked pasta: influence of traditional and non-conventional transformation processes on total antioxidant capacity and phenolic acid content.

PubMed

Martini, Daniela; Ciccoritti, Roberto; Nicoletti, Isabella; Nocente, Francesca; Corradini, Danilo; D'Egidio, Maria Grazia; Taddei, Federica

2018-02-01

The aim of this work was to compare the traditional with a non-conventional (i.e. kernel micronisation) durum wheat milling process by monitoring the content of bound, conjugated and free phenolic acids (PAs) and the level of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) occurring in the durum wheat pasta production chain, from seed to cooked pasta. The traditional transformation processes negatively influenced TAC and PA content (40% and 89% decrease from seed to cooked pasta, respectively), mainly during the milling process (25% and 84% decrease of TAC and PA, respectively), which has been related to the removal of external layers of kernels. Conversely, the micronisation applied on durum wheat kernels allowed to obtain whole-wheat pasta that preserved the seed endowment of antioxidant compounds even in cooked pasta. These results indicate the micronisation as a valuable approach to produce pasta with improved nutritional value and potential health-promoting effects compared to the traditional pasta.

The isolation and identification of two compounds with predominant radical scavenging activity in hempseed (seed of Cannabis sativa L.).

PubMed

Chen, Tianpeng; He, Jinfeng; Zhang, Jianchun; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Hua; Hao, Jianxiong; Li, Lite

2012-09-15

Forty samples were extracted from defatted kernels and hulls of two varieties of hempseed (Bama and Yunma No. 1) using 10 different polar solvent systems. The radical scavenging capacity of the extracts was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-pikrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays and the total phenolic content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu's phenol reagent. The correlation analysis indicated that the antioxidants in hempseed belonged to phenolic and DPPH() assay was suitable for evaluating the radical scavenging activity. Two compounds, with predominant antiradical activity, were isolated in 60% ethanol extract of hempseed hull using macroporous resin absorption, LH-20 gel chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography methods, which were identified as N-trans-caffeoyltyramine and cannabisin B by high-resolution mass spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and ultraviolet data. The two compounds exhibited significant high DPPH() scavenging activity and protective effect against in vitro oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein compared with extracts from flaxseed, grape seed, and soybean. This suggests that hempseed hull extract is a potential source of natural antioxidants, which could be added to dietary supplements to help prevent oxidative stress. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical response of common millet (Panicum miliaceum) seeds under quasi-static compression: Experiments and modeling.

PubMed

Hasseldine, Benjamin P J; Gao, Chao; Collins, Joseph M; Jung, Hyun-Do; Jang, Tae-Sik; Song, Juha; Li, Yaning

2017-09-01

The common millet (Panicum miliaceum) seedcoat has a fascinating complex microstructure, with jigsaw puzzle-like epidermis cells articulated via wavy intercellular sutures to form a compact layer to protect the kernel inside. However, little research has been conducted on linking the microstructure details with the overall mechanical response of this interesting biological composite. To this end, an integrated experimental-numerical-analytical investigation was conducted to both characterize the microstructure and ascertain the microscale mechanical properties and to test the overall response of kernels and full seeds under macroscale quasi-static compression. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to examine the microstructure of the outer seedcoat and nanoindentation was performed to obtain the material properties of the seedcoat hard phase material. A multiscale computational strategy was applied to link the microstructure to the macroscale response of the seed. First, the effective anisotropic mechanical properties of the seedcoat were obtained from finite element (FE) simulations of a microscale representative volume element (RVE), which were further verified from sophisticated analytical models. Then, macroscale FE models of the individual kernel and full seed were developed. Good agreement between the compression experiments and FE simulations were obtained for both the kernel and the full seed. The results revealed the anisotropic property and the protective function of the seedcoat, and showed that the sutures of the seedcoat play an important role in transmitting and distributing loads in responding to external compression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life Cycle Assessment for the Production of Oil Palm Seeds

PubMed Central

Muhamad, Halimah; Ai, Tan Yew; Khairuddin, Nik Sasha Khatrina; Amiruddin, Mohd Din; May, Choo Yuen

2014-01-01

The oil palm seed production unit that generates germinated oil palm seeds is the first link in the palm oil supply chain, followed by the nursery to produce seedling, the plantation to produce fresh fruit bunches (FFB), the mill to produce crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel, the kernel crushers to produce crude palm kernel oil (CPKO), the refinery to produce refined palm oil (RPO) and finally the palm biodiesel plant to produce palm biodiesel. This assessment aims to investigate the life cycle assessment (LCA) of germinated oil palm seeds and the use of LCA to identify the stage/s in the production of germinated oil palm seeds that could contribute to the environmental load. The method for the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is modelled using SimaPro version 7, (System for Integrated environMental Assessment of PROducts), an internationally established tool used by LCA practitioners. This software contains European and US databases on a number of materials in addition to a variety of European- and US-developed impact assessment methodologies. LCA was successfully conducted for five seed production units and it was found that the environmental impact for the production of germinated oil palm was not significant. The characterised results of the LCIA for the production of 1000 germinated oil palm seeds showed that fossil fuel was the major impact category followed by respiratory inorganics and climate change. PMID:27073598

Life Cycle Assessment for the Production of Oil Palm Seeds.

PubMed

Muhamad, Halimah; Ai, Tan Yew; Khairuddin, Nik Sasha Khatrina; Amiruddin, Mohd Din; May, Choo Yuen

2014-12-01

The oil palm seed production unit that generates germinated oil palm seeds is the first link in the palm oil supply chain, followed by the nursery to produce seedling, the plantation to produce fresh fruit bunches (FFB), the mill to produce crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel, the kernel crushers to produce crude palm kernel oil (CPKO), the refinery to produce refined palm oil (RPO) and finally the palm biodiesel plant to produce palm biodiesel. This assessment aims to investigate the life cycle assessment (LCA) of germinated oil palm seeds and the use of LCA to identify the stage/s in the production of germinated oil palm seeds that could contribute to the environmental load. The method for the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is modelled using SimaPro version 7, (System for Integrated environMental Assessment of PROducts), an internationally established tool used by LCA practitioners. This software contains European and US databases on a number of materials in addition to a variety of European- and US-developed impact assessment methodologies. LCA was successfully conducted for five seed production units and it was found that the environmental impact for the production of germinated oil palm was not significant. The characterised results of the LCIA for the production of 1000 germinated oil palm seeds showed that fossil fuel was the major impact category followed by respiratory inorganics and climate change.

Fully-Automated High-Throughput NMR System for Screening of Haploid Kernels of Maize (Corn) by Measurement of Oil Content

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiaoping; Huang, Qingming; Chen, Shanshan; Yang, Peiqiang; Chen, Shaojiang; Song, Yiqiao

2016-01-01

One of the modern crop breeding techniques uses doubled haploid plants that contain an identical pair of chromosomes in order to accelerate the breeding process. Rapid haploid identification method is critical for large-scale selections of double haploids. The conventional methods based on the color of the endosperm and embryo seeds are slow, manual and prone to error. On the other hand, there exists a significant difference between diploid and haploid seeds generated by high oil inducer, which makes it possible to use oil content to identify the haploid. This paper describes a fully-automated high-throughput NMR screening system for maize haploid kernel identification. The system is comprised of a sampler unit to select a single kernel to feed for measurement of NMR and weight, and a kernel sorter to distribute the kernel according to the measurement result. Tests of the system show a consistent accuracy of 94% with an average screening time of 4 seconds per kernel. Field test result is described and the directions for future improvement are discussed. PMID:27454427

7 CFR 810.1802 - Definition of other terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... GRAIN United States Standards for Sunflower Seed Terms Defined § 810.1802 Definition of other terms. (a) Cultivated sunflower seed. Sunflower seed grown for oil content. The term seed in this and other definitions related to sunflower seed refers to both the kernel and hull which is a fruit or achene. (b) Damaged...

7 CFR 810.1802 - Definition of other terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... GRAIN United States Standards for Sunflower Seed Terms Defined § 810.1802 Definition of other terms. (a) Cultivated sunflower seed. Sunflower seed grown for oil content. The term seed in this and other definitions related to sunflower seed refers to both the kernel and hull which is a fruit or achene. (b) Damaged...

Distributed smoothed tree kernel for protein-protein interaction extraction from the biomedical literature

PubMed Central

Murugesan, Gurusamy; Abdulkadhar, Sabenabanu; Natarajan, Jeyakumar

2017-01-01

Automatic extraction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) pairs from biomedical literature is a widely examined task in biological information extraction. Currently, many kernel based approaches such as linear kernel, tree kernel, graph kernel and combination of multiple kernels has achieved promising results in PPI task. However, most of these kernel methods fail to capture the semantic relation information between two entities. In this paper, we present a special type of tree kernel for PPI extraction which exploits both syntactic (structural) and semantic vectors information known as Distributed Smoothed Tree kernel (DSTK). DSTK comprises of distributed trees with syntactic information along with distributional semantic vectors representing semantic information of the sentences or phrases. To generate robust machine learning model composition of feature based kernel and DSTK were combined using ensemble support vector machine (SVM). Five different corpora (AIMed, BioInfer, HPRD50, IEPA, and LLL) were used for evaluating the performance of our system. Experimental results show that our system achieves better f-score with five different corpora compared to other state-of-the-art systems. PMID:29099838

Distributed smoothed tree kernel for protein-protein interaction extraction from the biomedical literature.

PubMed

Murugesan, Gurusamy; Abdulkadhar, Sabenabanu; Natarajan, Jeyakumar

2017-01-01

Automatic extraction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) pairs from biomedical literature is a widely examined task in biological information extraction. Currently, many kernel based approaches such as linear kernel, tree kernel, graph kernel and combination of multiple kernels has achieved promising results in PPI task. However, most of these kernel methods fail to capture the semantic relation information between two entities. In this paper, we present a special type of tree kernel for PPI extraction which exploits both syntactic (structural) and semantic vectors information known as Distributed Smoothed Tree kernel (DSTK). DSTK comprises of distributed trees with syntactic information along with distributional semantic vectors representing semantic information of the sentences or phrases. To generate robust machine learning model composition of feature based kernel and DSTK were combined using ensemble support vector machine (SVM). Five different corpora (AIMed, BioInfer, HPRD50, IEPA, and LLL) were used for evaluating the performance of our system. Experimental results show that our system achieves better f-score with five different corpora compared to other state-of-the-art systems.

Measurements of Oleic Acid among Individual Kernels Harvested from Test Plots of Purified Runner and Spanish High Oleic Seed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Normal oleic peanuts are often found within commercial lots of high oleic peanuts when sampling among individual kernels. Kernels not meeting high oleic threshold could be true contamination with normal oleic peanuts introduced via poor handling, or they could be immature and not fully expressing th...

Measurements of Oleic Acid among Individual kernels Harvested from Test Plots of Purified Runner and Spanish High Oleic Seed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Normal oleic peanuts are often found within commercial lots of high oleic peanuts when sampling among individual kernels. Kernels not meeting high oleic threshold could be true contamination with normal oleic peanuts introduced via poor handling, or they could be immature and not fully expressing th...

Integrating semantic information into multiple kernels for protein-protein interaction extraction from biomedical literatures.

PubMed

Li, Lishuang; Zhang, Panpan; Zheng, Tianfu; Zhang, Hongying; Jiang, Zhenchao; Huang, Degen

2014-01-01

Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) extraction is an important task in the biomedical information extraction. Presently, many machine learning methods for PPI extraction have achieved promising results. However, the performance is still not satisfactory. One reason is that the semantic resources were basically ignored. In this paper, we propose a multiple-kernel learning-based approach to extract PPIs, combining the feature-based kernel, tree kernel and semantic kernel. Particularly, we extend the shortest path-enclosed tree kernel (SPT) by a dynamic extended strategy to retrieve the richer syntactic information. Our semantic kernel calculates the protein-protein pair similarity and the context similarity based on two semantic resources: WordNet and Medical Subject Heading (MeSH). We evaluate our method with Support Vector Machine (SVM) and achieve an F-score of 69.40% and an AUC of 92.00%, which show that our method outperforms most of the state-of-the-art systems by integrating semantic information.

Burrower bugs (Heteroptera: Cydnidae) in peanut: seasonal species abundance, tillage effects, grade reduction effects, insecticide efficacy, and management.

PubMed

Chapin, Jay W; Thomas, James S

2003-08-01

Pitfall traps placed in South Carolina peanut, Arachis hypogaea (L.), fields collected three species of burrower bugs (Cydnidae): Cyrtomenus ciliatus (Palisot de Beauvois), Sehirus cinctus cinctus (Palisot de Beauvois), and Pangaeus bilineatus (Say). Cyrtomenus ciliatus was rarely collected. Sehirus cinctus produced a nymphal cohort in peanut during May and June, probably because of abundant henbit seeds, Lamium amplexicaule L., in strip-till production systems. No S. cinctus were present during peanut pod formation. Pangaeus bilineatus was the most abundant species collected and the only species associated with peanut kernel feeding injury. Overwintering P. bilineatus adults were present in a conservation tillage peanut field before planting and two to three subsequent generations were observed. Few nymphs were collected until the R6 (full seed) growth stage. Tillage and choice of cover crop affected P. bilineatus populations. Peanuts strip-tilled into corn or wheat residue had greater P. bilineatus populations and kernel-feeding than conventional tillage or strip-tillage into rye residue. Fall tillage before planting a wheat cover crop also reduced burrower bug feeding on peanut. At-pegging (early July) granular chlorpyrifos treatments were most consistent in suppressing kernel feeding. Kernels fed on by P. bilineatus were on average 10% lighter than unfed on kernels. Pangaeus bilineatus feeding reduced peanut grade by reducing individual kernel weight, and increasing the percentage damaged kernels. Each 10% increase in kernels fed on by P. bilineatus was associated with a 1.7% decrease in total sound mature kernels, and kernel feeding levels above 30% increase the risk of damaged kernel grade penalties.

The Genetic Basis of Natural Variation in Kernel Size and Related Traits Using a Four-Way Cross Population in Maize.

PubMed

Chen, Jiafa; Zhang, Luyan; Liu, Songtao; Li, Zhimin; Huang, Rongrong; Li, Yongming; Cheng, Hongliang; Li, Xiantang; Zhou, Bo; Wu, Suowei; Chen, Wei; Wu, Jianyu; Ding, Junqiang

2016-01-01

Kernel size is an important component of grain yield in maize breeding programs. To extend the understanding on the genetic basis of kernel size traits (i.e., kernel length, kernel width and kernel thickness), we developed a set of four-way cross mapping population derived from four maize inbred lines with varied kernel sizes. In the present study, we investigated the genetic basis of natural variation in seed size and other components of maize yield (e.g., hundred kernel weight, number of rows per ear, number of kernels per row). In total, ten QTL affecting kernel size were identified, three of which (two for kernel length and one for kernel width) had stable expression in other components of maize yield. The possible genetic mechanism behind the trade-off of kernel size and yield components was discussed.

The Genetic Basis of Natural Variation in Kernel Size and Related Traits Using a Four-Way Cross Population in Maize

PubMed Central

Liu, Songtao; Li, Zhimin; Huang, Rongrong; Li, Yongming; Cheng, Hongliang; Li, Xiantang; Zhou, Bo; Wu, Suowei; Chen, Wei; Wu, Jianyu; Ding, Junqiang

2016-01-01

Kernel size is an important component of grain yield in maize breeding programs. To extend the understanding on the genetic basis of kernel size traits (i.e., kernel length, kernel width and kernel thickness), we developed a set of four-way cross mapping population derived from four maize inbred lines with varied kernel sizes. In the present study, we investigated the genetic basis of natural variation in seed size and other components of maize yield (e.g., hundred kernel weight, number of rows per ear, number of kernels per row). In total, ten QTL affecting kernel size were identified, three of which (two for kernel length and one for kernel width) had stable expression in other components of maize yield. The possible genetic mechanism behind the trade-off of kernel size and yield components was discussed. PMID:27070143

Short versus long term effects of cyanide on sugar metabolism and transport in dormant walnut kernels.

PubMed

Gerivani, Zahra; Vashaee, Elham; Sadeghipour, Hamid Reza; Aghdasi, Mahnaz; Shobbar, Zahra-Sadat; Azimmohseni, Majid

2016-11-01

Tree seed dormancy release by cold stratification accompanies with the embryo increased gluconeogenesis competence. Cyanide also breaks seed dormancy however, integrated information about its effects on carbon metabolism is lacking. Accordingly, the impacts of HCN on germination, lipid gluconeogenesis and sugar transport capacity of walnut (Juglans regia L.) kernels were investigated during 10-days period prior to radicle protrusion. HCN increased walnut kernel germination and within four days of kernel incubation, hastened the decline of starch, reducing and non-reducing sugars and led to greater activities of alkaline invertase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. From four days of kernel incubation onwards, starch and non-reducing sugars accumulated only in the HCN treated axes. Cyanide also increased the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glyoxysomal succinate oxidase and led to greater acid invertase activity during the aforementioned period. The expressions of both sucrose transporter (JrSUT1) and H + -ATPase (JrAHA1) genes especially in cotyledons and H + -ATPase activity in kernels were significantly enhanced by exposure to cyanide. Thus in short-term HCN led to prevalence of carbohydrate catabolic events such as oxidative pentose phosphate pathway and possibly glycolysis in dormant walnut kernels. Long-term effects however, are increased gluconeogenesis and enhanced sugar transport capacity of kernels as a prerequisite for germination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation for seed phytosterols in sunflower germplasm

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seeds and oils are rich sources of phytosterols, which are important compounds for human nutrition. There is limited information on variability for seed phytosterols in sunflower germplasm. The objective of the present research was to evaluate kernel phytosterol cont...

Mechanical behaviour of selected bulk oilseeds under compression loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizera, Č.; Herák, D.; Hrabě, P.; Aleš, Z.; Pavlů, J.

2017-09-01

Pressing of vegetable oils plays an important role in modern agriculture. This study was focused on the linear pressing of soybean seeds (Glycine max L.), Jatropha seeds (Jatropha curcas L.) and palm kernel (Elaeisguineensis). For pressing test the compressive device (ZDM, model 50, Germany) was used. The maximum pressing force of 100 kN with a compression speed of 1 mm s-1 was used to record the force-deformation characteristics. The pressing vessel with diameter 60 mm and initial height of seeds 80 mm were used. The specific energy per gram of oil of soybean, palm kernel and Jatropha was 158.92 ± 7.21, 128.78 ± 8.36 and 68.26 ± 5.94 J.goil-1, respectively. The oil content of soybean, palm kernel and Jatropha was 20.4 ± 1.23, 44.7 ± 2.27 and 34.2 ± 1.75 %, respectively. Water concentration, dynamic and kinematic viscosity of obtained oils was also determined.

Characterization of Microsatellite Loci in Smicronyx Sodidus, the Gray Sunflower Seed Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The gray sunflower seed weevil (GSSW) Smicronyx sordidus, native to North America, is one of the major seed pests of cultivated sunflowers in the Central and Northern Great Plains. The larvae of GSSW feed on the kernels of the sunflower seeds, and may cause severe damage to this economically importa...

7 CFR 319.59-1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... processing. Hay. Host crops cut and dried for feeding to livestock. Hay cut after reaching the dough stage may contain mature kernels of the host crop. Host crops. Plants or plant parts, including grain, seed..., and a seed. Seed. Wheat (Triticum aestivum), durum wheat (Triticum durum), and triticale (Triticum...

Comparative Lipidomics and Proteomics of Lipid Droplets in the Mesocarp and Seed Tissues of Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera)

PubMed Central

Zhi, Yao; Taylor, Matthew C.; Campbell, Peter M.; Warden, Andrew C.; Shrestha, Pushkar; El Tahchy, Anna; Rolland, Vivien; Vanhercke, Thomas; Petrie, James R.; White, Rosemary G.; Chen, Wenli; Singh, Surinder P.; Liu, Qing

2017-01-01

Lipid droplets (LDs) are composed of a monolayer of phospholipids (PLs), surrounding a core of non-polar lipids that consist mostly of triacylglycerols (TAGs) and to a lesser extent diacylglycerols. In this study, lipidome analysis illustrated striking differences in non-polar lipids and PL species between LDs derived from Triadica sebifera seed kernels and mesocarp. In mesocarp LDs, the most abundant species of TAG contained one C18:1 and two C16:0 and fatty acids, while TAGs containing three C18 fatty acids with higher level of unsaturation were dominant in the seed kernel LDs. This reflects the distinct differences in fatty acid composition of mesocarp (palmitate-rich) and seed-derived oil (α-linoleneate-rich) in T. sebifera. Major PLs in seed LDs were found to be rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, in contrast to those with relatively shorter carbon chain and lower level of unsaturation in mesocarp LDs. The LD proteome analysis in T. sebifera identified 207 proteins from mesocarp, and 54 proteins from seed kernel, which belong to various functional classes including lipid metabolism, transcription and translation, trafficking and transport, cytoskeleton, chaperones, and signal transduction. Oleosin and lipid droplets associated proteins (LDAP) were found to be the predominant proteins associated with LDs in seed and mesocarp tissues, respectively. We also show that LDs appear to be in close proximity to a number of organelles including the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and Golgi apparatus. This comparative study between seed and mesocarp LDs may shed some light on the structure of plant LDs and improve our understanding of their functionality and cellular metabolic networks in oleaginous plant tissues. PMID:28824675

Comparative Lipidomics and Proteomics of Lipid Droplets in the Mesocarp and Seed Tissues of Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera).

PubMed

Zhi, Yao; Taylor, Matthew C; Campbell, Peter M; Warden, Andrew C; Shrestha, Pushkar; El Tahchy, Anna; Rolland, Vivien; Vanhercke, Thomas; Petrie, James R; White, Rosemary G; Chen, Wenli; Singh, Surinder P; Liu, Qing

2017-01-01

Lipid droplets (LDs) are composed of a monolayer of phospholipids (PLs), surrounding a core of non-polar lipids that consist mostly of triacylglycerols (TAGs) and to a lesser extent diacylglycerols. In this study, lipidome analysis illustrated striking differences in non-polar lipids and PL species between LDs derived from Triadica sebifera seed kernels and mesocarp. In mesocarp LDs, the most abundant species of TAG contained one C18:1 and two C16:0 and fatty acids, while TAGs containing three C18 fatty acids with higher level of unsaturation were dominant in the seed kernel LDs. This reflects the distinct differences in fatty acid composition of mesocarp (palmitate-rich) and seed-derived oil (α-linoleneate-rich) in T. sebifera . Major PLs in seed LDs were found to be rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, in contrast to those with relatively shorter carbon chain and lower level of unsaturation in mesocarp LDs. The LD proteome analysis in T. sebifera identified 207 proteins from mesocarp, and 54 proteins from seed kernel, which belong to various functional classes including lipid metabolism, transcription and translation, trafficking and transport, cytoskeleton, chaperones, and signal transduction. Oleosin and lipid droplets associated proteins (LDAP) were found to be the predominant proteins associated with LDs in seed and mesocarp tissues, respectively. We also show that LDs appear to be in close proximity to a number of organelles including the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and Golgi apparatus. This comparative study between seed and mesocarp LDs may shed some light on the structure of plant LDs and improve our understanding of their functionality and cellular metabolic networks in oleaginous plant tissues.

Improving KPCA Online Extraction by Orthonormalization in the Feature Space.

PubMed

Souza Filho, Joao B O; Diniz, Paulo S R

2018-04-01

Recently, some online kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) techniques based on the generalized Hebbian algorithm (GHA) were proposed for use in large data sets, defining kernel components using concise dictionaries automatically extracted from data. This brief proposes two new online KPCA extraction algorithms, exploiting orthogonalized versions of the GHA rule. In both the cases, the orthogonalization of kernel components is achieved by the inclusion of some low complexity additional steps to the kernel Hebbian algorithm, thus not substantially affecting the computational cost of the algorithm. Results show improved convergence speed and accuracy of components extracted by the proposed methods, as compared with the state-of-the-art online KPCA extraction algorithms.

Isolation, characterization, and expression analyses of tryptophan

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The dek18 mutant of maize has decreased auxin content in kernels. Molecular and functional characterization of this mutant line offers the possibility to better understand auxin biology in maize seed development. Seeds of the dek18 mutants are smaller compared to wild type seeds and the vegetative d...

Carbon partitioning between oil and carbohydrates in developing oat (Avena sativa L.) seeds.

PubMed

Ekman, Asa; Hayden, Daniel M; Dehesh, Katayoon; Bülow, Leif; Stymne, Sten

2008-01-01

Cereals accumulate starch in the endosperm as their major energy reserve in the grain. In most cereals the embryo, scutellum, and aleurone layer are high in oil, but these tissues constitute a very small part of the total seed weight. However, in oat (Avena sativa L.) most of the oil in kernels is deposited in the same endosperm cells that accumulate starch. Thus oat endosperm is a desirable model system to study the metabolic switches responsible for carbon partitioning between oil and starch synthesis. A prerequisite for such investigations is the development of an experimental system for oat that allows for metabolic flux analysis using stable and radioactive isotope labelling. An in vitro liquid culture system, developed for detached oat panicles and optimized to mimic kernel composition during different developmental stages in planta, is presented here. This system was subsequently used in analyses of carbon partitioning between lipids and carbohydrates by the administration of 14C-labelled sucrose to two cultivars having different amounts of kernel oil. The data presented in this study clearly show that a higher amount of oil in the high-oil cultivar compared with the medium-oil cultivar was due to a higher proportion of carbon partitioning into oil during seed filling, predominantly at the earlier stages of kernel development.

Azadirachtin derivatives from seed kernels of Azadirachta excelsa.

PubMed

Kanokmedhakul, Somdej; Kanokmedhakul, Kwanjai; Prajuabsuk, Thirada; Panichajakul, Sanha; Panyamee, Piyanan; Prabpai, Samran; Kongsaeree, Palangpon

2005-07-01

Three new azadirachtin derivatives, named azadirachtins O-Q (1-3), along with the known azadirachtin B (4), azadirachtin L (5), azadirachtin M (6) 11alpha-azadirachtin H (7), 11beta-azadirachtin H (8), and azadirachtol (9) were isolated from seed kernels of Azadirachta excelsa. Their structures were established by spectroscopic techniques, and the structure of 3 was confirmed by X-ray analysis. Compounds 1-7 and 9 exhibited toxicity to the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) with an LD50 of 0.75-1.92 microg/g body weight, in 92 h.

Chemical and Nutritional Composition of Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Kernels: A Novel Nutrition Source

PubMed Central

Netzel, Michael E.; Tinggi, Ujang

2018-01-01

Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum) is a native Australian fruit. Industrial processing of T. ferdinandiana fruits into puree generates seeds as a by-product, which are generally discarded. The aim of our present study was to process the seed to separate the kernel and determine its nutritional composition. The proximate, mineral and fatty acid compositions were analysed in this study. Kernels are composed of 35% fat, while proteins account for 32% dry weight (DW). The energy content and fiber were 2065 kJ/100 g and 21.2% DW, respectively. Furthermore, the study showed that kernels were a very rich source of minerals and trace elements, such as potassium (6693 mg/kg), calcium (5385 mg/kg), iron (61 mg/kg) and zinc (60 mg/kg) DW, and had low levels of heavy metals. The fatty acid composition of the kernels consisted of omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid (50.2%), monounsaturated oleic acid (29.3%) and two saturated fatty acids namely palmitic acid (12.0%) and stearic acid (7.2%). The results indicate that T. ferdinandiana kernels have the potential to be utilized as a novel protein source for dietary purposes and non-conventional supply of linoleic, palmitic and oleic acids. PMID:29649154

Whole Grains: Hearty Options for a Healthy Diet

MedlinePlus

... called cereals, grains and whole grains are the seeds of grasses cultivated for food. Grains and whole ... from large kernels of popcorn to small quinoa seeds. Whole grains. These grains are either present in ...

Effects of shading on spike differentiation and grain yield formation of summer maize in the field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Haiyan; Camberato, James J.; Jin, Libin; Zhang, Jiwang

2015-09-01

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of shading on tassel and ear development and yield formation of three summer maize hybrids Zhenjie 2 (ZJ2), Denghai 605 (DH605), and Zhengdan 958 (ZD958). The ambient sunlight treatment was used as control (CK) and shading treatments (40 % of ambient sunlight) were applied at different growth stages from silking stage (R1) to physiological maturity stage (R6) (treatment S1), from the sixth extended leaf stage (V6) to R1 (treatment S2) and from seeding to R6 (treatment S3). Shading had no significant effect on the time from seeding to shoot emergence (VE); however, subsequent growth and development were delayed with shading beyond this point. The differentiation time of both tassel and ear delayed, and female spike (tassel) floret differentiation, sexual organ formation time, and anthesis-silking interval (ASI) were lengthened. After shading, the total number of floret, silk, and fertilization floret reduced significantly; the number of abortive seeds increased, and the total setting percentage among different treatments showed that CK>S2>S1>S3; and the total setting percentages in S1, S2, and S3 of ZD958 were 44, 72, and 15 % respectively. The total floret number of tassel primordium differentiation, fertility rate, and seed setting rate of florets in S3 treatment was the minimum; kernels per ear decreased seriously and single ear setting percentage was only 16 %; although floret degeneration number of S2 during ear differentiation stages increased and floret fertility rate reduced than that of CK, fertilization flower seed production increased and abortive seed decreased after canceling shading. Aborted kernel of S1 increased and kernel dry weight reduced, resulting in a significant decrease of kernel number per ear and kernel weight, and the grain abortive rate of 40-62 %. In conclusion, shading changed the growth and development process and caused infertility of tassel and ear; tassel branches decreased, reducing pollen vitality and silks differentiation cut down; and grain dry matter accumulation and setting percentage decreased, causing yield reduction. Grain yield and biomass reduced 66, 36, and 93 % compared to the control by shading treatments of S1, S2, and S3, respectively.

Dietary sandalwood seed oil modifies fatty acid composition of mouse adipose tissue, brain, and liver.

PubMed

Liu, Y; Longmore, R B

1997-09-01

Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) seed oil, which occurs to about 50% of the weight of the seed kernels, contains 30-35% of total fatty acids (FA) as ximenynic acid (XMYA). This study was designed to obtain basic information on changes in tissue FA composition and on the metabolic fate of XMYA in mice fed a sandalwood seed oil (SWSO)-enriched diet. Female mice were randomly divided into three groups, each receiving different semisynthetic diets containing 5.2% (w/w) fat (standard laboratory diet), 15% canola oil, or 15% SWSO for 8 wk. The effects of SWSO as a dietary fat on the FA composition of adipose tissue, brain, and liver lipids were determined by analyses of FA methyl ester derivatives of extracted total lipid. The FA compositions of the liver and adipose tissue were markedly altered by the dietary fats, and mice fed on a SWSO-enriched diet were found to contain XMYA but only in low concentration (0.3-3%) in these tissues; XMYA was not detected in brain. Oleic acid was suggested to be a principal XMYA biotransformation product. The results were interpreted to suggest that the metabolism of XMYA may involve both biohydrogenation and oxidation reactions.

Transmission blocking effects of neem (Azadirachta indica) seed kernel limonoids on Plasmodium berghei early sporogonic development.

PubMed

Tapanelli, Sofia; Chianese, Giuseppina; Lucantoni, Leonardo; Yerbanga, Rakiswendé Serge; Habluetzel, Annette; Taglialatela-Scafati, Orazio

2016-10-01

Azadirachta indica, known as neem tree and traditionally called "nature's drug store" makes part of several African pharmacopeias and is widely used for the preparation of homemade remedies and commercial preparations against various illnesses, including malaria. Employing a bio-guided fractionation approach, molecules obtained from A. indica ripe and green fruit kernels were tested for activity against early sporogonic stages of Plasmodium berghei, the parasite stages that develop in the mosquito mid gut after an infective blood meal. The limonoid deacetylnimbin (3) was identified as one the most active compounds of the extract, with a considerably higher activity compared to that of the close analogue nimbin (2). Pure deacetylnimbin (3) appeared to interfere with transmissible Plasmodium stages at a similar potency as azadirachtin A. Considering its higher thermal and chemical stability, deacetylnimbin could represent a suitable alternative to azadirachtin A for the preparation of transmission blocking antimalarials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Standard Errors of Equating Differences: Prior Developments, Extensions, and Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moses, Tim; Zhang, Wenmin

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article was to extend the use of standard errors for equated score differences (SEEDs) to traditional equating functions. The SEEDs are described in terms of their original proposal for kernel equating functions and extended so that SEEDs for traditional linear and traditional equipercentile equating functions can be computed.…

Genetic analysis of kernel traits in maize-teosinte introgression populations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Seed traits have been targeted by human selection during the domestication of crop species as a way to increase caloric and nutritional content of food during the transition from hunter-gather to early farming societies. The primary seed trait under selection was likely seed size/weight as it is mos...

Characterization and fine mapping of qkc7.03: a major locus for kernel cracking in maize.

PubMed

Yang, Mingtao; Chen, Lin; Wu, Xun; Gao, Xing; Li, Chunhui; Song, Yanchun; Zhang, Dengfeng; Shi, Yunsu; Li, Yu; Li, Yong-Xiang; Wang, Tianyu

2018-02-01

A major locus conferring kernel cracking in maize was characterized and fine mapped to an interval of 416.27 kb. Meanwhile, combining the results of transcriptomic analysis, the candidate gene was inferred. Seed development requires a proper structural and physiological balance between the maternal tissues and the internal structures of the seeds. In maize, kernel cracking is a disorder in this balance that seriously limits quality and yield and is characterized by a cracked pericarp at the kernel top and endosperm everting. This study elucidated the genetic basis and characterization of kernel cracking. Primarily, a near isogenic line (NIL) with a B73 background exhibited steady kernel cracking across environments. Therefore, deprived mapping populations were developed from this NIL and its recurrent parent B73. A major locus on chromosome 7, qkc7.03, was identified to be associated with the cracking performance. According to a progeny test of recombination events, qkc7.03 was fine mapped to a physical interval of 416.27 kb. In addition, obvious differences were observed in embryo development and starch granule arrangement within the endosperm between the NIL and its recurrent parent upon the occurrence of kernel cracking. Moreover, compared to its recurrent parent, the transcriptome of the NIL showed a significantly down-regulated expression of genes related to zeins, carbohydrate synthesis and MADS-domain transcription factors. The transcriptomic analysis revealed ten annotated genes within the target region of qkc7.03, and only GRMZM5G899476 was differently expressed between the NIL and its recurrent parent, indicating that this gene might be a candidate gene for kernel cracking. The results of this study facilitate the understanding of the potential mechanism underlying kernel cracking in maize.

Systemic Growth of F. graminearum in Wheat Plants and Related Accumulation of Deoxynivalenol

PubMed Central

Moretti, Antonio; Panzarini, Giuseppe; Somma, Stefania; Campagna, Claudio; Ravaglia, Stefano; Logrieco, Antonio F.; Solfrizzo, Michele

2014-01-01

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an important disease of wheat worldwide caused mainly by Fusarium graminearum (syn. Gibberella zeae). This fungus can be highly aggressive and can produce several mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON), a well known harmful metabolite for humans, animals, and plants. The fungus can survive overwinter on wheat residues and on the soil, and can usually attack the wheat plant at their point of flowering, being able to infect the heads and to contaminate the kernels at the maturity. Contaminated kernels can be sometimes used as seeds for the cultivation of the following year. Poor knowledge on the ability of the strains of F. graminearum occurring on wheat seeds to be transmitted to the plant and to contribute to the final DON contamination of kernels is available. Therefore, this study had the goals of evaluating: (a) the capability of F. graminearum causing FHB of wheat to be transmitted from the seeds or soil to the kernels at maturity and the progress of the fungus within the plant at different growth stages; (b) the levels of DON contamination in both plant tissues and kernels. The study has been carried out for two years in a climatic chamber. The F. gramineraum strain selected for the inoculation was followed within the plant by using Vegetative Compatibility technique, and quantified by Real-Time PCR. Chemical analyses of DON were carried out by using immunoaffinity cleanup and HPLC/UV/DAD. The study showed that F. graminearum originated from seeds or soil can grow systemically in the plant tissues, with the exception of kernels and heads. There seems to be a barrier that inhibits the colonization of the heads by the fungus. High levels of DON and F. graminearum were found in crowns, stems, and straw, whereas low levels of DON and no detectable levels of F. graminearum were found in both heads and kernels. Finally, in all parts of the plant (heads, crowns, and stems at milk and vitreous ripening stages, and straw at vitreous ripening), also the accumulation of significant quantities of DON-3-glucoside (DON-3G), a product of DON glycosylation, was detected, with decreasing levels in straw, crown, stems and kernels. The presence of DON and DON-3G in heads and kernels without the occurrence of F. graminearum may be explained by their water solubility that could facilitate their translocation from stem to heads and kernels. The presence of DON-3G at levels 23 times higher than DON in the heads at milk stage without the occurrence of F. graminearum may indicate that an active glycosylation of DON also occurs in the head tissues. Finally, the high levels of DON accumulated in straws are worrisome since they represent additional sources of mycotoxin for livestock. PMID:24727554

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

Guo, Feng; Jin, Tengchuan; Howard, Andrew

The crystallization of the brazil nut allergen Ber e 2 is reported. Peanut and tree-nut allergies have attracted considerable attention because of their frequency and their lifelong persistence. Brazil-nut (Bertholletia excelsa) allergies have been well documented and the 11S legumin-like seed storage protein Ber e 2 (excelsin) is one of the two known brazil-nut allergens. In this study, Ber e 2 was extracted from brazil-nut kernels and purified to high purity by crystalline precipitation and gel-filtration chromatography. Well diffracting single crystals were obtained using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. A molecular-replacement structural solution has been obtained. Refinement of the structure ismore » currently under way.« less

Isolation, characterization, and expression analyses of tryptophan aminotransferase genes in a maize dek18 mutant

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The dek18 mutant of maize has decreased auxin content in kernels. Molecular and functional characterization of this mutant line offers the possibility to better understand auxin biology in maize seed development. Seeds of the dek18 mutants are smaller compared to wild type seeds and the vegetative d...

Spectrofluorimetric determination of melatonin in kernels of four different Pistacia varieties after ultrasound-assisted solid-liquid extraction.

PubMed

Oladi, Elham; Mohamadi, Maryam; Shamspur, Tayebeh; Mostafavi, Ali

2014-11-11

Melatonin is normally consumed to regulate the body's biological cycle. However it also has therapeutic properties, such as anti-tumor, anti-aging and protects the immune system. There are some reports on the presence of melatonin in edible kernels such as walnuts, but the extraction of melatonin from pistachio kernels is reported here for the first time. For this, the methanolic extract of pistachio kernels was exposed to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis which confirmed the presence of melatonin. A fluorescence-based method was applied for the determination of melatonin in different extracts. When excited at λ=275 nm, the fluorescence emission intensity of melatonin was measured at λ=366 nm. Ultrasound-assisted solid-liquid extraction was used for the extraction of melatonin from pistachio kernels prior to fluorimetric determination. To achieve the highest extraction recovery, the main parameters affecting the extraction efficiency such as extracting solvent type and volume, temperature, sonication time and pH were evaluated. Under the optimized conditions, a linear dependence of fluorescence intensity on melatonin concentration was observed in the range of 0.0040-0.160 μg mL(-1), with a detection limit of 0.0036 μg mL(-1). This method was applied successfully for measuring and comparing the melatonin content in the kernels of four different varieties of Pistacia including Ahmad Aghaei, Akbari, Kalle Qouchi and Fandoghi. In addition, the results obtained were compared with those obtained using GC/MS. A good agreement was observed indicating the reliability of the proposed method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectrofluorimetric determination of melatonin in kernels of four different Pistacia varieties after ultrasound-assisted solid-liquid extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oladi, Elham; Mohamadi, Maryam; Shamspur, Tayebeh; Mostafavi, Ali

2014-11-01

Melatonin is normally consumed to regulate the body's biological cycle. However it also has therapeutic properties, such as anti-tumor, anti-aging and protects the immune system. There are some reports on the presence of melatonin in edible kernels such as walnuts, but the extraction of melatonin from pistachio kernels is reported here for the first time. For this, the methanolic extract of pistachio kernels was exposed to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis which confirmed the presence of melatonin. A fluorescence-based method was applied for the determination of melatonin in different extracts. When excited at λ = 275 nm, the fluorescence emission intensity of melatonin was measured at λ = 366 nm. Ultrasound-assisted solid-liquid extraction was used for the extraction of melatonin from pistachio kernels prior to fluorimetric determination. To achieve the highest extraction recovery, the main parameters affecting the extraction efficiency such as extracting solvent type and volume, temperature, sonication time and pH were evaluated. Under the optimized conditions, a linear dependence of fluorescence intensity on melatonin concentration was observed in the range of 0.0040-0.160 μg mL-1, with a detection limit of 0.0036 μg mL-1. This method was applied successfully for measuring and comparing the melatonin content in the kernels of four different varieties of Pistacia including Ahmad Aghaei, Akbari, Kalle Qouchi and Fandoghi. In addition, the results obtained were compared with those obtained using GC/MS. A good agreement was observed indicating the reliability of the proposed method.

Visual Method for Detecting Contaminant on Dried Nutmeg Using Fluorescence Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahlan, S. A.; Ahmad, U.; Subrata, I. D. M.

2018-05-01

Traditional practice of nutmeg sun-drying causes some fungi such as Aspergillus flavus to grow. One of the secondary metabolites of A. flavus named aflatoxin (AFs) is known to be carcinogenic, so the dried nutmeg kernel must be aflatoxin-free in the trading. Aflatoxin detection requires time and costly, make it difficult to conduct at the farmers level. This study aims to develop a simple and low-cost method to detect aflatoxin at the farmer level. Fresh nutmeg seeds were dried in two ways; sundried everyday (continuous), and sundried every two days (intermittent), both for around 18 days. The dried nutmeg seeds are then stored in a rice sack under normal conditions until the fungi grow, then they were opened and the images of kernels were captured using a CCD camera, with normal light and UV light sources. Visual observation on images captured in normal light source was able to detect the presence of fungi on dried kernels, by 28.0% for continuous and 26.2% for intermittent sun-drying. Visual observation on images captured in UV light source was able to detect the presence of aflatoxin on dried kernels, indicated by blue luminance on kernel, by 10.4% and 13.4% for continuous and intermittent sun-drying.

Interlaboratory study of DNA extraction from multiple ground samples, multiplex real-time PCR, and multiplex qualitative PCR for individual kernel detection system of genetically modified maize.

PubMed

Akiyama, Hiroshi; Sakata, Kozue; Makiyma, Daiki; Nakamura, Kosuke; Teshima, Reiko; Nakashima, Akie; Ogawa, Asako; Yamagishi, Toru; Futo, Satoshi; Oguchi, Taichi; Mano, Junichi; Kitta, Kazumi

2011-01-01

In many countries, the labeling of grains, feed, and foodstuff is mandatory if the genetically modified (GM) organism content exceeds a certain level of approved GM varieties. We previously developed an individual kernel detection system consisting of grinding individual kernels, DNA extraction from the individually ground kernels, GM detection using multiplex real-time PCR, and GM event detection using multiplex qualitative PCR to analyze the precise commingling level and varieties of GM maize in real sample grains. We performed the interlaboratory study of the DNA extraction with multiple ground samples, multiplex real-time PCR detection, and multiplex qualitative PCR detection to evaluate its applicability, practicality, and ruggedness for the individual kernel detection system of GM maize. DNA extraction with multiple ground samples, multiplex real-time PCR, and multiplex qualitative PCR were evaluated by five laboratories in Japan, and all results from these laboratories were consistent with the expected results in terms of the commingling level and event analysis. Thus, the DNA extraction with multiple ground samples, multiplex real-time PCR, and multiplex qualitative PCR for the individual kernel detection system is applicable and practicable in a laboratory to regulate the commingling level of GM maize grain for GM samples, including stacked GM maize.

Antiasthmatic activity of Moringa oleifera Lam: A clinical study

PubMed Central

Agrawal, Babita; Mehta, Anita

2008-01-01

The present study was carried out to investigate the efficacy and safety of seed kernels of Moringa oleifera in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Twenty patients of either sex with mild-to-moderate asthma were given finely powdered dried seed kernels in dose of 3 g for 3 weeks. The clinical efficacy with respect to symptoms and respiratory functions were assessed using a spirometer prior to and at the end of the treatment. Hematological parameters were not changed markedly by treatment with M. oleifera. However, the majority of patients showed a significant increase in hemoglobin (Hb) values and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was significantly reduced. Significant improvement was also observed in symptom score and severity of asthmatic attacks. Treatment with the drug for 3 weeks produced significant improvement in forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, and peak expiratory flow rate values by 32.97 ± 6.03%, 30.05 ± 8.12%, and 32.09 ± 11.75%, respectively, in asthmatic subjects. Improvement was also observed in % predicted values. None of the patients showed any adverse effects with M. oleifera. The results of the present study suggest the usefulness of M. oleifera seed kernel in patients of bronchial asthma. PMID:21264158

Effects of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) oil extraction on the cell wall composition of almond fruits.

PubMed

Femenia, A; García-Marín, M; Simal, S; Rosselló, C; Blasco, M

2001-12-01

Extraction of oil from almond fruits using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) was carried out at 50 degrees C and 330 bar on three sets of almonds: raw almond seeds, raw almond kernels, and toasted almond seeds. Three different oil extraction percentages were applied on each set ranging from approximately 15 to 16%, from approximately 27 to 33%, and from approximately 49 to 64%. Although no major changes were detected in the fatty acid composition between fresh and partially defatted samples, carbohydrate analysis of partially defatted materials revealed important changes in cell wall polysaccharides from almond tissues. Thus, at low extraction percentages (up to approximately 33%), pectic polysaccharides and hemicellulosic xyloglucans were the main type of polymers affected, suggesting the modification of the cell wall matrix, although without breakage of the walls. Then, as supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE) continues and higher extraction rates are achieved (up to approximately 64%), a major disruption of the cell wall occurred as indicated by the losses of all major types of cell wall polysaccharides, including cellulose. These results suggest that, under the conditions used for oil extraction using SC-CO(2), fatty acid chains are able to exit the cells through nonbroken walls; the modification of the pectin-hemicellulose network might have increased the porosity of the wall. However, as high pressure is being applied, there is a progressive breakage of the cell walls allowing the free transfer of the fatty acid chains from inside the cells. These findings might contribute to providing the basis for the optimization of SCFE procedures based on plant food sources.

40 CFR 180.666 - Fluxapyroxad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... corn, pop, grain; except corn, kernels plus cobs with husks removed; except wheat) 3.0 Grain, cereal..., meat byproducts 0.03 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, oil 0.03 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernels plus cobs with husks removed 0.15 Cotton, gin byproducts 0.01 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.01 Egg 0.002...

Oil and fatty acid contents in seed of Citrullus lanatus Schrad.

PubMed

Jarret, Robert L; Levy, Irvin J

2012-05-23

Intact seed of 475 genebank accessions of Citrullus ( C. lanatus var. lanatus and C. lanatus var. citroides) were analyzed for percent oil content using TD-NMR. Extracts from whole seed of 96 accessions of C. lanatus (30 var. citroides, 33 var. lanatus, and 33 egusi), C. colocynthis (n = 3), C. ecirrhosus (n = 1), C. rehmii (n = 1), and Benincasa fistulosa (n = 3) were also analyzed for their fatty acids content. Among the materials analyzed, seed oil content varied from 14.8 to 43.5%. Mean seed oil content in egusi types of C. lanatus was significantly higher (mean = 35.6%) than that of either var. lanatus (mean = 23.2%) or var. citroides (mean = 22.6%). Egusi types of C. lanatus had a significantly lower hull/kernel ratio when compared to other C. lanatus var. lanatus or C. lanatus var. citroides. The principal fatty acid in all C. lanatus materials examined was linoleic acid (43.6-73%). High levels of linoleic acid were also present in the materials of C. colocynthis (71%), C. ecirrhosus (62.7%), C. rehmii (75.8%), and B. fistulosa (73.2%), which were included for comparative purposes. Most all samples contained traces (<0.5%) of arachidonic acid. The data presented provide novel information on the range in oil content and variability in the concentrations of individual fatty acids present in a diverse array of C. lanatus, and its related species, germplasm.

Human-Mediated Dispersal of Seeds by the Airflow of Vehicles

PubMed Central

von der Lippe, Moritz; Bullock, James M.; Kowarik, Ingo; Knopp, Tatjana; Wichmann, Matthias

2013-01-01

Human-mediated dispersal is known as an important driver of long-distance dispersal for plants but underlying mechanisms have rarely been assessed. Road corridors function as routes of secondary dispersal for many plant species but the extent to which vehicles support this process remains unclear. In this paper we quantify dispersal distances and seed deposition of plant species moved over the ground by the slipstream of passing cars. We exposed marked seeds of four species on a section of road and drove a car along the road at a speed of 48 km/h. By tracking seeds we quantified movement parallel as well as lateral to the road, resulting dispersal kernels, and the effect of repeated vehicle passes. Median distances travelled by seeds along the road were about eight meters for species with wind dispersal morphologies and one meter for species without such adaptations. Airflow created by the car lifted seeds and resulted in longitudinal dispersal. Single seeds reached our maximum measuring distance of 45 m and for some species exceeded distances under primary dispersal. Mathematical models were fit to dispersal kernels. The incremental effect of passing vehicles on longitudinal dispersal decreased with increasing number of passes as seeds accumulated at road verges. We conclude that dispersal by vehicle airflow facilitates seed movement along roads and accumulation of seeds in roadside habitats. Dispersal by vehicle airflow can aid the spread of plant species and thus has wide implications for roadside ecology, invasion biology and nature conservation. PMID:23320077

Cepstrum based feature extraction method for fungus detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yorulmaz, Onur; Pearson, Tom C.; Çetin, A. Enis

2011-06-01

In this paper, a method for detection of popcorn kernels infected by a fungus is developed using image processing. The method is based on two dimensional (2D) mel and Mellin-cepstrum computation from popcorn kernel images. Cepstral features that were extracted from popcorn images are classified using Support Vector Machines (SVM). Experimental results show that high recognition rates of up to 93.93% can be achieved for both damaged and healthy popcorn kernels using 2D mel-cepstrum. The success rate for healthy popcorn kernels was found to be 97.41% and the recognition rate for damaged kernels was found to be 89.43%.

Utilization of wild apricot kernel press cake for extraction of protein isolate.

PubMed

Sharma, P C; Tilakratne, B M K S; Gupta, Anil

2010-12-01

The kernels of apricot (Prunus armeniaca) stones are utilized for extraction of oil. The press cake left after extraction of oil was evaluated for preparation of protein isolate for its use in food supplementation. The apricot kernels contained 45-50% oil, 23.6-26.2% protein, 4.2% ash, 5.42% crude fibre, 8.2% carbohydrates and 90 mg HCN/100 g kernels, while press cake obtained after oil extraction contained 34.5% crude protein, which can be utilized for preparation of protein isolates. The method standardized for extraction of protein isolate broadly consisted of boiling the press cake with water in 1:20 (w/v) ratio for 1 h, raising pH to 8 and stirring for a few min followed by filtration, coagulation at pH 4 prior to sieving and pressing of coagulant for overnight and drying followed by grinding which resulted in extraction of about 71.3% of the protein contained in the press cake. The protein isolate contained 68.8% protein, 6.4% crude fat, 0.8% ash, 2.2% crude fibre and 12.7% carbohydrates. Thus the apricot kernel press cake can be utilized for preparation of protein isolate to improve the nutritional status of many food formulations.

Effect of essential oils on the growth of Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisin contamination in corn.

PubMed

Fandohan, Pascal; Gbenou, Joachim D; Gnonlonfin, Benoit; Hell, Kerstin; Marasas, Walter F O; Wingfield, Michael J

2004-11-03

Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from local plants in Benin, western Africa, and oil from seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) were evaluated in vitro and in vivo for their efficacy against Fusarium verticillioides infection and fumonisin contamination. Fumonisin in corn was quantified using a fluorometer and the Vicam method. Oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum basilicum, and Ocimum gratissimum were the most effective in vitro, completely inhibiting the growth of F. verticillioides at lower concentrations over 21 days of incubation. These oils reduced the incidence of F. verticillioides in corn and totally inhibited fungal growth at concentrations of 8, 6.4, and 4.8 microL/g, respectively, over 21 days. At the concentration of 4.8 microL/g, these oils did not affect significantly fumonisin production. However, a marked reduction of fumonisin level was observed in corn stored in closed conditions. The oils adversely affected kernel germination at 4.8 microL/g and therefore cannot be recommended for controlling F. verticillioides on stored corn used as seeds, when used at this concentration. The oil of neem seeds showed no inhibitory effect but rather accelerated the growth of F. verticillioides.

Viability and Biological Properties of Barley Seeds Expose to Outside of International Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugimoto, Manabu; Ishii, Makoto; Mori, Izumi; Shagimardanova, Elena; Gusev, Oleg; Sychev, Vladimir; Levinskikh, Margarita; Novikova, Nataliya; Grigoriev, Anatoly

Plants play an important role in supplying nutrients and oxygen to human under material recycle system in space as well as on earth, therefore, seed storage in space should be necessary to self-supply foods when number of astronauts would stay and investigate for a long-term habitation of orbit and the bases of the Moon and Mars. In order to understand the effect of real space environment on the preservation of seeds, the seeds of malting barley, Haruna Nijo, were exposed to outside of the Pier docking station of International Space Station in the framework of the Biorisk-MSN program. After exposure to outside of International Space Station for 13 months, the seeds (SP) were transported to Earth, soaked in water, and germinated on the filter paper filled with water. The germination ratio of SP was 82%, while that of the ground control was 96%, showing that the barley seeds survived cosmic radiation, vacuum, and temperature excursion in space. The germinated seeds of SP and ground control were transplanted to the Wagner pots filled with soil and grown for 5 months in the greenhouse. The agronomic character, such as number of main stem leaf and ear, straw weight, culm length, ear length, thousand kernel weight, and percentage of ripening, were not different significantly between SP and ground control. The germination ratio of the harvested SP was 96% as same as that of the harvested ground control. Genomic DNA and protein were extracted from leaves of the barleys and analyzed by AFLP and 2-DE, respectively. The results demonstrated no significant difference in genetic polymorphism and protein production in these barleys. From our results, barley seeds could survive real space environment for the long-term habitation without phenotypic and genotypic damages.

Isolation and Structural Characterization of Antioxidant Peptides from Degreased Apricot Seed Kernels.

PubMed

Zhang, Haisheng; Xue, Jing; Zhao, Huanxia; Zhao, Xinshuai; Xue, Huanhuan; Sun, Yuhan; Xue, Wanrui

2018-05-03

Background : The composition and sequence of amino acids have a prominent influence on theantioxidant activities of peptides. Objective : A series of isolation and purification experiments was conducted to explore the amino acid sequence of antioxidant peptides, which led to its antioxidation causes. Methods : The degreased apricot seed kernels were hydrolyzed by compound proteases of alkaline protease and flavor protease (3:2, u/u) to prepare apricot seed kernel hydrolysates (ASKH). ASKH were separated into ASKH-A and ASKH-B by dialysis bag. ASKH-B (MW < 3.5 kDa) was further separated into fractions by Sephadex G-25 and G-15 gel-filtration chromatography. Reversed-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) was performed to separate fraction B4b into two antioxidant peptides (peptide B4b-4 and B4b-6). Results : The amino acid sequences were Val-Leu-Tyr-Ile-Trp and Ser-Val-Pro-Tyr-Glu, respectively. Conclusions : The results suggested that ASKH antioxidant peptides may have potential utility as healthy ingredients and as food preservatives due to their antioxidant activity. Highlights : Materials with regional characteristics were selected to explore, and hydrolysates were identified by RP-HPLC and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight-MS to obtain amino acid sequences.

7 CFR 868.302 - Definition of other terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... discolored or damaged by water, insects, heat, or any other means, and parboiled kernels in nonparboiled rice... red bran. (l) Seeds. Whole or broken seeds of any plant other than rice. (m) Types of rice. There are... FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES United States Standards for Milled Rice Terms Defined § 868.302...

7 CFR 868.302 - Definition of other terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... discolored or damaged by water, insects, heat, or any other means, and parboiled kernels in nonparboiled rice... red bran. (l) Seeds. Whole or broken seeds of any plant other than rice. (m) Types of rice. There are... FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES United States Standards for Milled Rice Terms Defined § 868.302...

7 CFR 868.302 - Definition of other terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... discolored or damaged by water, insects, heat, or any other means, and parboiled kernels in nonparboiled rice... red bran. (l) Seeds. Whole or broken seeds of any plant other than rice. (m) Types of rice. There are... FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES United States Standards for Milled Rice Terms Defined § 868.302...

Research on Standard Errors of Equating Differences. Research Report. ETS RR-10-25

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moses, Tim; Zhang, Wenmin

2010-01-01

In this paper, the "standard error of equating difference" (SEED) is described in terms of originally proposed kernel equating functions (von Davier, Holland, & Thayer, 2004) and extended to incorporate traditional linear and equipercentile functions. These derivations expand on prior developments of SEEDs and standard errors of equating and…

Diversity of plant oil seed-associated fungi isolated from seven oil-bearing seeds and their potential for the production of lipolytic enzymes.

PubMed

Venkatesagowda, Balaji; Ponugupaty, Ebenezer; Barbosa, Aneli M; Dekker, Robert F H

2012-01-01

Commercial oil-yielding seeds (castor, coconut, neem, peanut, pongamia, rubber and sesame) were collected from different places in the state of Tamil Nadu (India) from which 1279 endophytic fungi were isolated. The oil-bearing seeds exhibited rich fungal diversity. High Shannon-Index H' was observed with pongamia seeds (2.847) while a low Index occurred for coconut kernel-associated mycoflora (1.018). Maximum Colonization Frequency (%) was observed for Lasiodiplodia theobromae (176). Dominance Index (expressed in terms of the Simpson's Index D) was high (0.581) for coconut kernel-associated fungi, and low for pongamia seed-borne fungi. Species Richness (Chao) of the fungal isolates was high (47.09) in the case of neem seeds, and low (16.6) for peanut seeds. All 1279 fungal isolates were screened for lipolytic activity employing a zymogram method using Tween-20 in agar. Forty isolates showed strong lipolytic activity, and were morphologically identified as belonging to 19 taxa (Alternaria, Aspergillus, Chalaropsis, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Curvularia, Drechslera, Fusarium, Lasiodiplodia, Mucor, Penicillium, Pestalotiopsis, Phoma, Phomopsis, Phyllosticta, Rhizopus, Sclerotinia, Stachybotrys and Trichoderma). These isolates also exhibited amylolytic, proteolytic and cellulolytic activities. Five fungal isolates (Aspergillus niger, Chalaropsis thielavioides, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Phoma glomerata) exhibited highest lipase activities, and the best producer was Lasiodiplodia theobromae (108 U/mL), which was characterized by genomic sequence analysis of the ITS region of 18S rDNA.

40 CFR 180.418 - Cypermethrin and an isomer zeta-cypermethrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 Corn, sweet, stover 15.00 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.5..., oil 4.0 Corn, field, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed... Cilantro, leaves 10 Citrus, dried pulp 1.8 Citrus, oil 4.0 Corn, field, forage 0.20 Corn, field, grain 0.05...

40 CFR 180.418 - Cypermethrin and an isomer zeta-cypermethrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 Corn, sweet, stover 15.00 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.5..., oil 4.0 Corn, field, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed... Cilantro, leaves 10 Citrus, dried pulp 1.8 Citrus, oil 4.0 Corn, field, forage 0.20 Corn, field, grain 0.05...

Genome-wide Association Analysis of Kernel Weight in Hard Winter Wheat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Wheat kernel weight is an important and heritable component of wheat grain yield and a key predictor of flour extraction. Genome-wide association analysis was conducted to identify genomic regions associated with kernel weight and kernel weight environmental response in 8 trials of 299 hard winter ...

[Research on the methods for multi-class kernel CSP-based feature extraction].

PubMed

Wang, Jinjia; Zhang, Lingzhi; Hu, Bei

2012-04-01

To relax the presumption of strictly linear patterns in the common spatial patterns (CSP), we studied the kernel CSP (KCSP). A new multi-class KCSP (MKCSP) approach was proposed in this paper, which combines the kernel approach with multi-class CSP technique. In this approach, we used kernel spatial patterns for each class against all others, and extracted signal components specific to one condition from EEG data sets of multiple conditions. Then we performed classification using the Logistic linear classifier. Brain computer interface (BCI) competition III_3a was used in the experiment. Through the experiment, it can be proved that this approach could decompose the raw EEG singles into spatial patterns extracted from multi-class of single trial EEG, and could obtain good classification results.

Viscozyme L pretreatment on palm kernels improved the aroma of palm kernel oil after kernel roasting.

PubMed

Zhang, Wencan; Leong, Siew Mun; Zhao, Feifei; Zhao, Fangju; Yang, Tiankui; Liu, Shaoquan

2018-05-01

With an interest to enhance the aroma of palm kernel oil (PKO), Viscozyme L, an enzyme complex containing a wide range of carbohydrases, was applied to alter the carbohydrates in palm kernels (PK) to modulate the formation of volatiles upon kernel roasting. After Viscozyme treatment, the content of simple sugars and free amino acids in PK increased by 4.4-fold and 4.5-fold, respectively. After kernel roasting and oil extraction, significantly more 2,5-dimethylfuran, 2-[(methylthio)methyl]-furan, 1-(2-furanyl)-ethanone, 1-(2-furyl)-2-propanone, 5-methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde and 2-acetyl-5-methylfuran but less 2-furanmethanol and 2-furanmethanol acetate were found in treated PKO; the correlation between their formation and simple sugar profile was estimated by using partial least square regression (PLS1). Obvious differences in pyrroles and Strecker aldehydes were also found between the control and treated PKOs. Principal component analysis (PCA) clearly discriminated the treated PKOs from that of control PKOs on the basis of all volatile compounds. Such changes in volatiles translated into distinct sensory attributes, whereby treated PKO was more caramelic and burnt after aqueous extraction and more nutty, roasty, caramelic and smoky after solvent extraction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An ensemble method for extracting adverse drug events from social media.

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Zhao, Songzheng; Zhang, Xiaodi

2016-06-01

Because adverse drug events (ADEs) are a serious health problem and a leading cause of death, it is of vital importance to identify them correctly and in a timely manner. With the development of Web 2.0, social media has become a large data source for information on ADEs. The objective of this study is to develop a relation extraction system that uses natural language processing techniques to effectively distinguish between ADEs and non-ADEs in informal text on social media. We develop a feature-based approach that utilizes various lexical, syntactic, and semantic features. Information-gain-based feature selection is performed to address high-dimensional features. Then, we evaluate the effectiveness of four well-known kernel-based approaches (i.e., subset tree kernel, tree kernel, shortest dependency path kernel, and all-paths graph kernel) and several ensembles that are generated by adopting different combination methods (i.e., majority voting, weighted averaging, and stacked generalization). All of the approaches are tested using three data sets: two health-related discussion forums and one general social networking site (i.e., Twitter). When investigating the contribution of each feature subset, the feature-based approach attains the best area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) values, which are 78.6%, 72.2%, and 79.2% on the three data sets. When individual methods are used, we attain the best AUC values of 82.1%, 73.2%, and 77.0% using the subset tree kernel, shortest dependency path kernel, and feature-based approach on the three data sets, respectively. When using classifier ensembles, we achieve the best AUC values of 84.5%, 77.3%, and 84.5% on the three data sets, outperforming the baselines. Our experimental results indicate that ADE extraction from social media can benefit from feature selection. With respect to the effectiveness of different feature subsets, lexical features and semantic features can enhance the ADE extraction capability. Kernel-based approaches, which can stay away from the feature sparsity issue, are qualified to address the ADE extraction problem. Combining different individual classifiers using suitable combination methods can further enhance the ADE extraction effectiveness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Achillea millefolium L. extract mediated green synthesis of waste peach kernel shell supported silver nanoparticles: Application of the nanoparticles for catalytic reduction of a variety of dyes in water.

PubMed

Khodadadi, Bahar; Bordbar, Maryam; Nasrollahzadeh, Mahmoud

2017-05-01

In this paper, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are synthesized using Achillea millefolium L. extract as reducing and stabilizing agents and peach kernel shell as an environmentally benign support. FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Thermo gravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize peach kernel shell, Ag NPs, and Ag NPs/peach kernel shell. The catalytic activity of the Ag NPs/peach kernel shell was investigated for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), Methyl Orange (MO), and Methylene Blue (MB) at room temperature. Ag NPs/peach kernel shell was found to be a highly active catalyst. In addition, Ag NPs/peach kernel shell can be recovered and reused several times with no significant loss of its catalytic activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testing for Starch, Respiring Tissues, and Vascular Bundles: Inquiry-Based Seed and Stem Anatomy Labs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florine, Sara; Hammond, Paul; Pomart, Katrina; Balschweid, Mark

2002-01-01

Describes some inquiry-based labs in which students identify starch in popped popcorn, then determine whether starch is present in the kernels prior to them being cooked. Students distinguish monocot and dicot stems as well as determining whether boiling kills tissues in seeds that have been soaked in water. (DDR)

Effectiveness of an image-based sorter to select for kernel color within early segregating hard winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) populations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Effective mass selection tools are needed to enrich hard winter wheat breeding populations from red wheat × white wheat crosses while maintaining large population sizes in early breeding generations. Tools also are needed to select for white-seeded genotypes or to eliminate white-seeded genotypes wh...

Molecular Characterization of the Elaeis guineensis Medium-Chain Fatty Acid Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase DGAT1-1 by Heterologous Expression in Yarrowia lipolytica.

PubMed

Aymé, Laure; Jolivet, Pascale; Nicaud, Jean-Marc; Chardot, Thierry

2015-01-01

Diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT) are involved in the acylation of sn-1,2-diacylglycerol. Palm kernel oil, extracted from Elaeis guineensis (oil palm) seeds, has a high content of medium-chain fatty acids mainly lauric acid (C12:0). A putative E. guineensis diacylglycerol acyltransferase gene (EgDGAT1-1) is expressed at the onset of lauric acid accumulation in the seed endosperm suggesting that it is a determinant of medium-chain triacylglycerol storage. To test this hypothesis, we thoroughly characterized EgDGAT1-1 activity through functional complementation of a Yarrowia lipolytica mutant strain devoid of neutral lipids. EgDGAT1-1 expression is sufficient to restore triacylglycerol accumulation in neosynthesized lipid droplets. A comparative functional study with Arabidopsis thaliana DGAT1 highlighted contrasting substrate specificities when the recombinant yeast was cultured in lauric acid supplemented medium. The EgDGAT1-1 expressing strain preferentially accumulated medium-chain triacylglycerols whereas AtDGAT1 expression induced long-chain triacylglycerol storage in Y. lipolytica. EgDGAT1-1 localized to the endoplasmic reticulum where TAG biosynthesis takes place. Reestablishing neutral lipid accumulation in the Y. lipolytica mutant strain did not induce major reorganization of the yeast microsomal proteome. Overall, our findings demonstrate that EgDGAT1-1 is an endoplasmic reticulum DGAT with preference for medium-chain fatty acid substrates, in line with its physiological role in palm kernel. The characterized EgDGAT1-1 could be used to promote medium-chain triacylglycerol accumulation in microbial-produced oil for industrial chemicals and cosmetics.

Molecular Characterization of the Elaeis guineensis Medium-Chain Fatty Acid Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase DGAT1-1 by Heterologous Expression in Yarrowia lipolytica

PubMed Central

Aymé, Laure; Jolivet, Pascale; Nicaud, Jean-Marc; Chardot, Thierry

2015-01-01

Diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT) are involved in the acylation of sn-1,2-diacylglycerol. Palm kernel oil, extracted from Elaeis guineensis (oil palm) seeds, has a high content of medium-chain fatty acids mainly lauric acid (C12:0). A putative E. guineensis diacylglycerol acyltransferase gene (EgDGAT1-1) is expressed at the onset of lauric acid accumulation in the seed endosperm suggesting that it is a determinant of medium-chain triacylglycerol storage. To test this hypothesis, we thoroughly characterized EgDGAT1-1 activity through functional complementation of a Yarrowia lipolytica mutant strain devoid of neutral lipids. EgDGAT1-1 expression is sufficient to restore triacylglycerol accumulation in neosynthesized lipid droplets. A comparative functional study with Arabidopsis thaliana DGAT1 highlighted contrasting substrate specificities when the recombinant yeast was cultured in lauric acid supplemented medium. The EgDGAT1-1 expressing strain preferentially accumulated medium-chain triacylglycerols whereas AtDGAT1 expression induced long-chain triacylglycerol storage in Y. lipolytica. EgDGAT1-1 localized to the endoplasmic reticulum where TAG biosynthesis takes place. Reestablishing neutral lipid accumulation in the Y. lipolytica mutant strain did not induce major reorganization of the yeast microsomal proteome. Overall, our findings demonstrate that EgDGAT1-1 is an endoplasmic reticulum DGAT with preference for medium-chain fatty acid substrates, in line with its physiological role in palm kernel. The characterized EgDGAT1-1 could be used to promote medium-chain triacylglycerol accumulation in microbial-produced oil for industrial chemicals and cosmetics. PMID:26581109

Anti-inflammatory effect of Prunus armeniaca L. (Apricot) extracts ameliorates TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis in rats

PubMed Central

Minaiyan, M.; Ghannadi, A.; Asadi, M.; Etemad, M.; Mahzouni, P.

2014-01-01

Prunus armeniaca L. (Apricot) is a tree cultivated in different parts of the world. Apricot kernel as a good dietary supplement has shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other pharmacologic properties which suggest that it may be functional as an anticolitis agent. In this study we evaluated the effects of apricot kernel extract and oil on ulcerative colitis in rats. Rats were fasted for 36 h before the experiment. Colitis was induced by intra-rectal instillation of 50 mg/kg trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid in male Wistar rats. Treatments were started 6 h after colitis induction and continued every 24 h for 5 days. Apricot kernel extract (100, 200, 400 mg/kg p.o. and 100, 400 mg/kg i.p.) and apricot kernel extract/oil (100, 200, 400 mg/kg p.o.) were used as experimental treatments and prednisolone (4 mg/kg p.o. or i.p.) was used as reference drug. On the day 6, colon tissue was removed and macroscopic and pathologic parameters were evaluated. Ulcer index and total colitis index as representative of macroscopic and histologic parameters respectively showed ameliorating effects in experimental groups especially those treated by intraperitoneal administration route. Results also demonstrated that oil fraction was not able to potentiate the effects of extract. These data suggest that apricot kernel extracts (with or without oil) can be introduced for further mechanistic and clinical studies as a complementary medicine for inflammatory bowel disorders. PMID:25657793

Multiple kernels learning-based biological entity relationship extraction method.

PubMed

Dongliang, Xu; Jingchang, Pan; Bailing, Wang

2017-09-20

Automatic extracting protein entity interaction information from biomedical literature can help to build protein relation network and design new drugs. There are more than 20 million literature abstracts included in MEDLINE, which is the most authoritative textual database in the field of biomedicine, and follow an exponential growth over time. This frantic expansion of the biomedical literature can often be difficult to absorb or manually analyze. Thus efficient and automated search engines are necessary to efficiently explore the biomedical literature using text mining techniques. The P, R, and F value of tag graph method in Aimed corpus are 50.82, 69.76, and 58.61%, respectively. The P, R, and F value of tag graph kernel method in other four evaluation corpuses are 2-5% higher than that of all-paths graph kernel. And The P, R and F value of feature kernel and tag graph kernel fuse methods is 53.43, 71.62 and 61.30%, respectively. The P, R and F value of feature kernel and tag graph kernel fuse methods is 55.47, 70.29 and 60.37%, respectively. It indicated that the performance of the two kinds of kernel fusion methods is better than that of simple kernel. In comparison with the all-paths graph kernel method, the tag graph kernel method is superior in terms of overall performance. Experiments show that the performance of the multi-kernels method is better than that of the three separate single-kernel method and the dual-mutually fused kernel method used hereof in five corpus sets.

Implications of nonrandom seed abscission and global stilling for migration of wind-dispersed plant species.

PubMed

Thompson, Sally E; Katul, Gabriel G

2013-06-01

Migration of plant populations is a potential survival response to climate change that depends critically on seed dispersal. Biological and physical factors determine dispersal and migration of wind-dispersed species. Recent field and wind tunnel studies demonstrate biological adaptations that bias seed release toward conditions of higher wind velocity, promoting longer dispersal distances and faster migration. However, another suite of international studies also recently highlighted a global decrease in near-surface wind speeds, or 'global stilling'. This study assessed the implications of both factors on potential plant population migration rates, using a mechanistic modeling framework. Nonrandom abscission was investigated using models of three seed release mechanisms: (i) a simple drag model; (ii) a seed deflection model; and (iii) a 'wear and tear' model. The models generated a single functional relationship between the frequency of seed release and statistics of the near-surface wind environment, independent of the abscission mechanism. An Inertial-Particle, Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian Closure model (IP-CELC) was used to investigate abscission effects on seed dispersal kernels and plant population migration rates under contemporary and potential future wind conditions (based on reported global stilling trends). The results confirm that nonrandom seed abscission increased dispersal distances, particularly for light seeds. The increases were mitigated by two physical feedbacks: (i) although nonrandom abscission increased the initial acceleration of seeds from rest, the sensitivity of the seed dispersal to this initial condition declined as the wind speed increased; and (ii) while nonrandom abscission increased the mean dispersal length, it reduced the kurtosis of seasonal dispersal kernels, and thus the chance of long-distance dispersal. Wind stilling greatly reduced the modeled migration rates under biased seed release conditions. Thus, species that require high wind velocities for seed abscission could experience threshold-like reductions in dispersal and migration potential if near-surface wind speeds continue to decline. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effect of solvent on the extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of hazelnut kernel.

PubMed

Fanali, Chiara; Tripodo, Giusy; Russo, Marina; Della Posta, Susanna; Pasqualetti, Valentina; De Gara, Laura

2018-03-22

Hazelnut kernel phenolic compounds were recovered applying two different extraction approaches, namely ultrasound-assisted solid/liquid extraction (UA-SLE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE). Different solvents were tested evaluating total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids contents together to antioxidant activity. The optimum extraction conditions, in terms of the highest value of total phenolic compounds extracted together to other parameters like simplicity and cost were selected for method validation and individual phenolic compounds analysis. The UA-SLE protocol performed using 0.1 g of defatted sample and 15 mL of extraction solvent (1 mL methanol/1 mL water/8 mL methanol 0.1% formic acid/5 mL acetonitrile) was selected. The analysis of hazelnut kernel individual phenolic compounds was obtained by HPLC coupled with DAD and MS detections. Quantitative analysis was performed using a mixture of six phenolic compounds belonging to phenolic classes' representative of hazelnut. Then, the method was fully validated and the resulting RSD% values for retention time repeatability were below 1%. A good linearity was obtained giving R 2 no lower than 0.997.The accuracy of the extraction method was also assessed. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis of phenolic compounds in three different hazelnut kernel varieties observing a similar qualitative profile with differences in the quantity of detected compounds. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High-specificity quantification method for almond-by-products, based on differential proteomic analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Shiwei; Wang, Shifeng; Huang, Jingmin; Lai, Xintian; Du, Yegang; Liu, Xiaoqing; Li, Bifang; Feng, Ronghu; Yang, Guowu

2016-03-01

A highly specific competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) protocol has been developed to identify and classify almond products based on differential proteomic analysis. We applied two-dimensional electrophoresis to compare the differences between almond and apricot kernels to search for almond-specific proteins. The amino acid of apricot Pru-1 was sequenced and aligned to almond Pru-1. One peptide, RQGRQQGRQQQEEGR, which exists in almond but not in apricot, was used as hapten to prepare monoclonal antibody against almond Pru-1. An optimized ELISA method was established using this antibody. The assay did not exhibit cross-reactivity with the tested apricot kernels and other edible plant seeds. The limit of detection (LOD) was 2.5-100μg/g based on different food samples. The recoveries of fortified samples at levels of twofold and eightfold LOD ranged from 82% to 96%. The coefficients of variation were less than 13.0%. Using 7M urea as extracting solution, the heat-treated protein loss ratios were 2%, 5% and 15% under pasteurization (65°C for 30min), baking (150°C for 30min) and autoclaved sterilization (120°C for 15min), respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Green synthesis of Pd nanoparticles at Apricot kernel shell substrate using Salvia hydrangea extract: Catalytic activity for reduction of organic dyes.

PubMed

Khodadadi, Bahar; Bordbar, Maryam; Nasrollahzadeh, Mahmoud

2017-03-15

For the first time the extract of the plant of Salvia hydrangea was used to green synthesis of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) supported on Apricot kernel shell as an environmentally benign support. The Pd NPs/Apricot kernel shell as an effective catalyst was prepared through reduction of Pd 2+ ions using Salvia hydrangea extract as the reducing and capping agent and Pd NPs immobilization on Apricot kernel shell surface in the absence of any stabilizer or surfactant. According to FT-IR analysis, the hydroxyl groups of phenolics in Salvia hydrangea extract as bioreductant agents are directly responsible for the reduction of Pd 2+ ions and formation of Pd NPs. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and UV-Vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Elemental mapping, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and transmittance electron microscopy (TEM). The synthesized catalyst was used in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), Methyl Orange (MO), Methylene Blue (MB), Rhodamine B (RhB), and Congo Red (CR) at room temperature. The Pd NPs/Apricot kernel shell showed excellent catalytic activity in the reduction of these organic dyes. In addition, it was found that Pd NPs/Apricot kernel shell can be recovered and reused several times without significant loss of catalytic activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiple kernel learning in protein-protein interaction extraction from biomedical literature.

PubMed

Yang, Zhihao; Tang, Nan; Zhang, Xiao; Lin, Hongfei; Li, Yanpeng; Yang, Zhiwei

2011-03-01

Knowledge about protein-protein interactions (PPIs) unveils the molecular mechanisms of biological processes. The volume and content of published biomedical literature on protein interactions is expanding rapidly, making it increasingly difficult for interaction database administrators, responsible for content input and maintenance to detect and manually update protein interaction information. The objective of this work is to develop an effective approach to automatic extraction of PPI information from biomedical literature. We present a weighted multiple kernel learning-based approach for automatic PPI extraction from biomedical literature. The approach combines the following kernels: feature-based, tree, graph and part-of-speech (POS) path. In particular, we extend the shortest path-enclosed tree (SPT) and dependency path tree to capture richer contextual information. Our experimental results show that the combination of SPT and dependency path tree extensions contributes to the improvement of performance by almost 0.7 percentage units in F-score and 2 percentage units in area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC). Combining two or more appropriately weighed individual will further improve the performance. Both on the individual corpus and cross-corpus evaluation our combined kernel can achieve state-of-the-art performance with respect to comparable evaluations, with 64.41% F-score and 88.46% AUC on the AImed corpus. As different kernels calculate the similarity between two sentences from different aspects. Our combined kernel can reduce the risk of missing important features. More specifically, we use a weighted linear combination of individual kernels instead of assigning the same weight to each individual kernel, thus allowing the introduction of each kernel to incrementally contribute to the performance improvement. In addition, SPT and dependency path tree extensions can improve the performance by including richer context information. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A natural coagulant protein from Moringa oleifera: isolation, characterization, and potential use for water treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, Manisha; Neogi, Sudarsan

2017-10-01

In developing countries pond water is still widely used for drinking and household purposes, which develops higher turbidity during rainy seasons and requires a large amount of chemical coagulants, and this leads to high cost of treatment. To mitigate this, it is important to find an economical and natural coagulant to treat turbid water. The present study is focused on using a plant based component as a natural coagulant that is sustainable and environment-friendly. This work focuses on the extraction, isolation and purification of a natural coagulant from seed kernels of Moringa oleifera to enhance its turbidity removal efficiency. The determination of themolecular weight of the purified proteins was done using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The active coagulant proteins were isolated using 30-60% and 60-80% saturation of ammonium sulfate. It was observed that proteins with molecular weight less than 36 kDa have superior coagulation activity. Turbidity removal efficiency of these active coagulant proteins was compared with alum. The possibility of using Moringa oleifera seeds as a natural antimicrobial agent was also investigated.

Ranking support vector machine for multiple kernels output combination in protein-protein interaction extraction from biomedical literature.

PubMed

Yang, Zhihao; Lin, Yuan; Wu, Jiajin; Tang, Nan; Lin, Hongfei; Li, Yanpeng

2011-10-01

Knowledge about protein-protein interactions (PPIs) unveils the molecular mechanisms of biological processes. However, the volume and content of published biomedical literature on protein interactions is expanding rapidly, making it increasingly difficult for interaction database curators to detect and curate protein interaction information manually. We present a multiple kernel learning-based approach for automatic PPI extraction from biomedical literature. The approach combines the following kernels: feature-based, tree, and graph and combines their output with Ranking support vector machine (SVM). Experimental evaluations show that the features in individual kernels are complementary and the kernel combined with Ranking SVM achieves better performance than those of the individual kernels, equal weight combination and optimal weight combination. Our approach can achieve state-of-the-art performance with respect to the comparable evaluations, with 64.88% F-score and 88.02% AUC on the AImed corpus. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

All-paths graph kernel for protein-protein interaction extraction with evaluation of cross-corpus learning.

PubMed

Airola, Antti; Pyysalo, Sampo; Björne, Jari; Pahikkala, Tapio; Ginter, Filip; Salakoski, Tapio

2008-11-19

Automated extraction of protein-protein interactions (PPI) is an important and widely studied task in biomedical text mining. We propose a graph kernel based approach for this task. In contrast to earlier approaches to PPI extraction, the introduced all-paths graph kernel has the capability to make use of full, general dependency graphs representing the sentence structure. We evaluate the proposed method on five publicly available PPI corpora, providing the most comprehensive evaluation done for a machine learning based PPI-extraction system. We additionally perform a detailed evaluation of the effects of training and testing on different resources, providing insight into the challenges involved in applying a system beyond the data it was trained on. Our method is shown to achieve state-of-the-art performance with respect to comparable evaluations, with 56.4 F-score and 84.8 AUC on the AImed corpus. We show that the graph kernel approach performs on state-of-the-art level in PPI extraction, and note the possible extension to the task of extracting complex interactions. Cross-corpus results provide further insight into how the learning generalizes beyond individual corpora. Further, we identify several pitfalls that can make evaluations of PPI-extraction systems incomparable, or even invalid. These include incorrect cross-validation strategies and problems related to comparing F-score results achieved on different evaluation resources. Recommendations for avoiding these pitfalls are provided.

Effect of subchronic administration of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) ethanolic extract to hematological parameters in rat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachri, M. S.; Yuliani, S.; Sari, A. K.

2017-11-01

Nutmeg is dried kernel of broadly ovoid seed of Myristica fragrans Houtt. It has been mentioned in ethnomedical literature as aphrodisiac, stomachic, carminative, tonic, and nervous stimulant. In order to establish the safety of nutmeg, the effect of the repeated administration of nutmeg is needed. The study was aimed to determine the toxic effect of subchronic administration of nutmeg ethanolic extract to hematological parameters in rat. A total of 28 male adult Wistar rats divided into 4 groups. Group I as control was given by 0.5% CMC-suspension, group II, III, and IV were given by 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg bw, respectively, of nutmeg ethanolic extract. The treatments were administered daily for 31 days. On day 31 bloods were taken from orbital sinus. The hematological parameter consisted of the numbers of erythrocyte and leukocyte as well as hemoglobin and total protein levels were measured. The data were statistically analyzed by one way Anova followed by LSD test. All of observed hematological parameters in rats showed that there were no significant difference between the nutmeg ethanolic extract treated groups and control group. The result indicated that the subchronic administration of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg bw of nutmeg ethanolic extract did not cause the change of hematological parameters in rat.

Impact of daily consumption of iron fortified ready-to-eat cereal and pumpkin seed kernels (Cucurbita pepo) on serum iron in adult women.

PubMed

Naghii, Mohammad Reza; Mofid, Mahmood

2007-01-01

Iron deficiency, anemia, is the most prevalent nutritional problem in the world today. The objective of this study was to consider the effectiveness of consumption of iron fortified ready-to-eat cereal and pumpkin seed kernels as two sources of dietary iron on status of iron nutrition and response of hematological characteristics of women at reproductive ages. Eight healthy female, single or non pregnant subjects, aged 20-37 y consumed 30 g of iron fortified ready-to-eat cereal (providing 7.1 mg iron/day) plus 30 g of pumpkin seed kernels (providing 4.0 mg iron/day) for four weeks. Blood samples collected on the day 20 of menstrual cycles before and after consumption and indices of iron status such as reticulocyte count, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht), serum ferritin, iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin and transferrin saturation percent were determined. Better response for iron status was observed after consumption period. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the pre and post consumption phase for higher serum iron (60 +/- 22 vs. 85 +/- 23 ug/dl), higher transferrin saturation percent (16.8 +/- 8.0 vs. 25.6 +/- 9.0%), and lower TIBC (367 +/- 31 vs. 339 +/- 31 ug/dl). All individuals had higher serum iron after consumption. A significant positive correlation (r=0.981, p=0.000) between the differences in serum iron levels and differences in transferrin saturation percentages and a significant negative correlation (r=-0.916, p<0.001) between the differences in serum iron levels and differences in TIBC was found, as well. Fortified foods contribute to maintaining optimal nutritional status and minimizing the likelihood of iron insufficiencies and use of fortified ready-to-eat cereals is a common strategy. The results showed that adding another food source of iron such as pumpkin seed kernels improves the iron status. Additional and longer studies using these two food products are recommended to further determine the effect of iron fortification on iron nutrition and status among the target population, and mainly in young children, adolescents, women of reproductive ages and pregnant women.

Predicting spatial patterns of plant recruitment using animal-displacement kernels.

PubMed

Santamaría, Luis; Rodríguez-Pérez, Javier; Larrinaga, Asier R; Pias, Beatriz

2007-10-10

For plants dispersed by frugivores, spatial patterns of recruitment are primarily influenced by the spatial arrangement and characteristics of parent plants, the digestive characteristics, feeding behaviour and movement patterns of animal dispersers, and the structure of the habitat matrix. We used an individual-based, spatially-explicit framework to characterize seed dispersal and seedling fate in an endangered, insular plant-disperser system: the endemic shrub Daphne rodriguezii and its exclusive disperser, the endemic lizard Podarcis lilfordi. Plant recruitment kernels were chiefly determined by the disperser's patterns of space utilization (i.e. the lizard's displacement kernels), the position of the various plant individuals in relation to them, and habitat structure (vegetation cover vs. bare soil). In contrast to our expectations, seed gut-passage rate and its effects on germination, and lizard speed-of-movement, habitat choice and activity rhythm were of minor importance. Predicted plant recruitment kernels were strongly anisotropic and fine-grained, preventing their description using one-dimensional, frequency-distance curves. We found a general trade-off between recruitment probability and dispersal distance; however, optimal recruitment sites were not necessarily associated to sites of maximal adult-plant density. Conservation efforts aimed at enhancing the regeneration of endangered plant-disperser systems may gain in efficacy by manipulating the spatial distribution of dispersers (e.g. through the creation of refuges and feeding sites) to create areas favourable to plant recruitment.

Assessment of spatial discordance of primary and effective seed dispersal of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) by ecological and genetic methods.

PubMed

Millerón, M; López de Heredia, U; Lorenzo, Z; Alonso, J; Dounavi, A; Gil, L; Nanos, N

2013-03-01

Spatial discordance between primary and effective dispersal in plant populations indicates that postdispersal processes erase the seed rain signal in recruitment patterns. Five different models were used to test the spatial concordance of the primary and effective dispersal patterns in a European beech (Fagus sylvatica) population from central Spain. An ecological method was based on classical inverse modelling (SSS), using the number of seed/seedlings as input data. Genetic models were based on direct kernel fitting of mother-to-offspring distances estimated by a parentage analysis or were spatially explicit models based on the genotype frequencies of offspring (competing sources model and Moran-Clark's Model). A fully integrated mixed model was based on inverse modelling, but used the number of genotypes as input data (gene shadow model). The potential sources of error and limitations of each seed dispersal estimation method are discussed. The mean dispersal distances for seeds and saplings estimated with these five methods were higher than those obtained by previous estimations for European beech forests. All the methods show strong discordance between primary and effective dispersal kernel parameters, and for dispersal directionality. While seed rain was released mostly under the canopy, saplings were established far from mother trees. This discordant pattern may be the result of the action of secondary dispersal by animals or density-dependent effects; that is, the Janzen-Connell effect. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Local kernel nonparametric discriminant analysis for adaptive extraction of complex structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Quanbao; Wei, Fajie; Zhou, Shenghan

2017-05-01

The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is one of popular means for linear feature extraction. It usually performs well when the global data structure is consistent with the local data structure. Other frequently-used approaches of feature extraction usually require linear, independence, or large sample condition. However, in real world applications, these assumptions are not always satisfied or cannot be tested. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive method, local kernel nonparametric discriminant analysis (LKNDA), which integrates conventional discriminant analysis with nonparametric statistics. LKNDA is adept in identifying both complex nonlinear structures and the ad hoc rule. Six simulation cases demonstrate that LKNDA have both parametric and nonparametric algorithm advantages and higher classification accuracy. Quartic unilateral kernel function may provide better robustness of prediction than other functions. LKNDA gives an alternative solution for discriminant cases of complex nonlinear feature extraction or unknown feature extraction. At last, the application of LKNDA in the complex feature extraction of financial market activities is proposed.

Oil extraction from sheanut (Vitellaria paradoxa Gaertn C.F.) kernels assisted by microwaves.

PubMed

Nde, Divine B; Boldor, Dorin; Astete, Carlos; Muley, Pranjali; Xu, Zhimin

2016-03-01

Shea butter, is highly solicited in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, chocolates and biodiesel formulations. Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) of butter from sheanut kernels was carried using the Doehlert's experimental design. Factors studied were microwave heating time, temperature and solvent/solute ratio while the responses were the quantity of oil extracted and the acid number. Second order models were established to describe the influence of experimental parameters on the responses studied. Under optimum MAE conditions of heating time 23 min, temperature 75 °C and solvent/solute ratio 4:1 more than 88 % of the oil with a free fatty acid (FFA) value less than 2, was extracted compared to the 10 h and solvent/solute ratio of 10:1 required for soxhlet extraction. Scanning electron microscopy was used to elucidate the effect of microwave heating on the kernels' microstructure. Substantial reduction in extraction time and volumes of solvent used and oil of suitable quality are the main benefits derived from the MAE process.

LAMP-PCR detection of ochratoxigenic Aspergillus species collected from peanut kernel.

PubMed

Al-Sheikh, H M

2015-01-30

Over the last decade, ochratoxin A (OTA) has been widely described and is ubiquitous in several agricultural products. Ochratoxins represent the second-most important mycotoxin group after aflatoxins. A total of 34 samples were surveyed from 3 locations, including Mecca, Madina, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during 2012. Fungal contamination frequency was determined for surface-sterilized peanut seeds, which were seeded onto malt extract agar media. Aspergillus niger (35%), Aspergillus ochraceus (30%), and Aspergillus carbonarius (25%) were the most frequently observed Aspergillius species, while Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus phoenicis isolates were only infrequently recovered and in small numbers (10%). OTA production was evaluated on yeast extract sucrose medium, which revealed that 57% of the isolates were A. niger and 60% of A. carbonarius isolates were OTA producers; 100% belonged to A. ochraceus. Only one isolate, morphologically identified as A. carbonarius, and 3 A. niger isolates unstably produced OTA. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based identification and detection assay was used to identify A. ochraceus isolates. Using the primer sets OCRA1/OCRA2, 400-base pair PCR fragments were produced only when genomic DNA from A. ochraceus isolates was used. Recently, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay using recombinase polymerase amplification chemistry was used for A. carbonarius and A. niger DNA identification. As a non-gel-based technique, the amplification product was directly visualized in the reaction tube after adding calcein for naked-eye examination.

33 CFR 157.03 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... tender vessel of not more than 750 gross tons when engaged only in the fishing industry. Tankship means a... specifically identified elsewhere in this part that is derived from plant seeds, nuts, kernels, or fruits. Wing...

33 CFR 157.03 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... tender vessel of not more than 750 gross tons when engaged only in the fishing industry. Tankship means a... specifically identified elsewhere in this part that is derived from plant seeds, nuts, kernels, or fruits. Wing...

Effect of roasting on phenolic content and antioxidant activities of whole cashew nuts, kernels, and testa.

PubMed

Chandrasekara, Neel; Shahidi, Fereidoon

2011-05-11

The effect of roasting on the content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of cashew nuts and testa was studied. Whole cashew nuts, subjected to low-temperature (LT) and high-temperature (HT) treatments, were used to determine the antioxidant activity of products. Antioxidant activities of cashew nut, kernel, and testa phenolics extracted increased as the roasting temperature increased. The highest activity, as determined by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity, Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity (TEAC), and reducing power, was achieved when nuts were roasted at 130 °C for 33 min. Furthermore, roasting increased the total phenolic content (TPC) in both the soluble and bound extracts from whole nut, kernel, and testa but decreased that of the proanthocyanidins (PC) except for the soluble extract of cashew kernels. In addition, cashew testa afforded a higher extract yield, TPC, and PC in both soluble and bound fractions compared to that in whole nuts and kernels. Phenolic acids, namely, syringic (the predominant one), gallic, and p-coumaric acids, were identified. Flavonoids, namely, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and epigallocatechin, were also identified, and their contents increased with increasing temperature. The results so obtained suggest that HT-short time (HTST) roasting effectively enhances the antioxidant activity of cashew nuts and testa.

The effect of grape seed extract on radiation-induced oxidative stress in the rat liver.

PubMed

Cetin, Aysun; Kaynar, Leylagül; Koçyiğit, Ismail; Hacioğlu, Sibel Kabukçu; Saraymen, Recep; Oztürk, Ahmet; Orhan, Okan; Sağdiç, Osman

2008-06-01

The tolerance of the liver is considerably low when an effective radiation (RTx) dose needs to be delivered in patients in whom either their liver or whole body area has to be irradiated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible protective effect of grape seed extract on liver toxicity induced by RTx in the rat liver. We used four groups, each consisting of 12 healthy male Wistar rats. RTx-grape seed extract group: rats were given grape seed extract (100 mg/kg) orally for seven days, following 8 Gy whole body irradiation, and grape seed extract was maintained for four days. RTx group: the same protocol was applied in this group; however, they received distilled water instead of grape seed extract. Grape seed extract group: only grape seed extract solution was administered for 11 consecutive days in the same fashion. only distilled water (orally) was administered in a similar manner. The level of malondialdehyde, an end product of lipid peroxidation, and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, two important endogenous antioxidants, were evaluated in tissue homogenates. Grape seed extract was seen to protect the cellular membrane from oxidative damage and consequently from protein and lipid oxidation. In the RTx group, malondialdehyde levels were extremely higher than those of the grape seed extract-RTx group (p<0.001). Grape seed extract administration moderately reserved the malondialdehyde levels. RTx therapy decreased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the liver homogenates (p<0.001), and these alterations were significantly reversed by grape seed extract treatment (p<0.001). There were no differences between the grape seed extract- RTx, grape seed extract and control groups with regard to antioxidant activity (p>0.05). The levels of antioxidant parameters on RTx-induced liver toxicity were restored to control values with grape seed extract therapy. Grape seed extract may be promising as a therapeutic option in RTx-induced oxidative stress in the rat liver.

Anthraquinones isolated from the browned Chinese chestnut kernels (Castanea mollissima blume)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. L.; Qi, J. H.; Qin, L.; Wang, F.; Pang, M. X.

2016-08-01

Anthraquinones (AQS) represent a group of secondary metallic products in plants. AQS are often naturally occurring in plants and microorganisms. In a previous study, we found that AQS were produced by enzymatic browning reaction in Chinese chestnut kernels. To find out whether non-enzymatic browning reaction in the kernels could produce AQS too, AQS were extracted from three groups of chestnut kernels: fresh kernels, non-enzymatic browned kernels, and browned kernels, and the contents of AQS were determined. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods were used to identify two compounds of AQS, rehein(1) and emodin(2). AQS were barely exists in the fresh kernels, while both browned kernel groups sample contained a high amount of AQS. Thus, we comfirmed that AQS could be produced during both enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning process. Rhein and emodin were the main components of AQS in the browned kernels.

Embryo and endosperm development in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) kernels subjected to drought stress.

PubMed

Fábián, Attila; Jäger, Katalin; Rakszegi, Mariann; Barnabás, Beáta

2011-04-01

The aim of the present work was to reveal the histological alterations triggered in developing wheat kernels by soil drought stress during early seed development resulting in yield losses at harvest. For this purpose, observations were made on the effect of drought stress, applied in a controlled environment from the 5th to the 9th day after pollination, on the kernel morphology, starch content and grain yield of the drought-sensitive Cappelle Desprez and drought-tolerant Plainsman V winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties. As a consequence of water withdrawal, there was a decrease in the size of the embryos and the number of A-type starch granules deposited in the endosperm, while the development of aleurone cells and the degradation of the cell layers surrounding the ovule were significantly accelerated in both genotypes. In addition, the number of B-type starch granules per cell was significantly reduced. Drought stress affected the rate of grain filling shortened the grain-filling and ripening period and severely reduced the yield. With respect to the recovery of vegetative tissues, seed set and yield, the drought-tolerant Plainsman V responded significantly better to drought stress than Cappelle Desprez. The reduction in the size of the mature embryos was significantly greater in the sensitive genotype. Compared to Plainsman V, the endosperm cells of Cappelle Desprez accumulated significantly fewer B-type starch granules. In stressed kernels of the tolerant genotype, the accumulation of protein bodies occurred significantly earlier than in the sensitive variety.

[Supercritical CO2 extraction and component analysis of Aesculus wilsonii seed oil].

PubMed

Chen, Guang-Yu; Shi, Zhao-Hua; Li, Hai-Chi; Ge, Fa-Huan; Zhan, Hua-Shu

2013-03-01

To research the optimal extraction process of supercritical CO2 extraction and analyze the component of the oil extracted from Aesculus wilsonii seed. Using the yield of Aesculus wilsonii seed oil as the index, optimized supercritical CO2 extraction parameter by orthogonal experiment methodology and analysed the compounds of Aesculus wilsonii seed oil by GC-MS. The optimal parameters of the supercritical CO2 extraction of the oil extracted from Aesculus wilsoniit seed were determined: the extraction pressure was 28 MPa and the temperature was 38 degrees C, the separation I pressure was 12 MPa and the temperature was 40 degrees C, the separation II pressure was 5 MPa and the temperature was 40 degrees C, the extraction time was 110 min. The average extraction rate of Aesculus wilsonii seed oil was 1.264%. 26 kinds of compounds were identified by GC-MS in Aesculus wilsonii seed oil extracted by supercritical CO2. The main components were fatty acids. Comparing with the petroleum ether extraction, the supercritical CO2 extraction has higher extraction rate, shorter extraction time, more clarity oil. The kinds of fatty acids with high amounts in Aesculus wilsonii seed oil is identical in general, the kinds of fatty acids with low amounts in Aesculus wilsonii seed oil have differences.

Detoxification of Jatropha curcas kernel cake by a novel Streptomyces fimicarius strain.

PubMed

Wang, Xing-Hong; Ou, Lingcheng; Fu, Liang-Liang; Zheng, Shui; Lou, Ji-Dong; Gomes-Laranjo, José; Li, Jiao; Zhang, Changhe

2013-09-15

A huge amount of kernel cake, which contains a variety of toxins including phorbol esters (tumor promoters), is projected to be generated yearly in the near future by the Jatropha biodiesel industry. We showed that the kernel cake strongly inhibited plant seed germination and root growth and was highly toxic to carp fingerlings, even though phorbol esters were undetectable by HPLC. Therefore it must be detoxified before disposal to the environment. A mathematic model was established to estimate the general toxicity of the kernel cake by determining the survival time of carp fingerling. A new strain (Streptomyces fimicarius YUCM 310038) capable of degrading the total toxicity by more than 97% in a 9-day solid state fermentation was screened out from 578 strains including 198 known strains and 380 strains isolated from air and soil. The kernel cake fermented by YUCM 310038 was nontoxic to plants and carp fingerlings and significantly promoted tobacco plant growth, indicating its potential to transform the toxic kernel cake to bio-safe animal feed or organic fertilizer to remove the environmental concern and to reduce the cost of the Jatropha biodiesel industry. Microbial strain profile essential for the kernel cake detoxification was discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant capacity and phenolics content of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) kernel as a function of genotype.

PubMed

Korekar, Girish; Stobdan, Tsering; Arora, Richa; Yadav, Ashish; Singh, Shashi Bala

2011-11-01

Fourteen apricot genotypes grown under similar cultural practices in Trans-Himalayan Ladakh region were studied to find out the influence of genotype on antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content (TPC) of apricot kernel. The kernels were found to be rich in TPC ranging from 92.2 to 162.1 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g. The free radical-scavenging activity in terms of inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) ranged from 43.8 to 123.4 mg/ml and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) from 154.1 to 243.6 FeSO(4).7H(2)O μg/ml. A variation of 1-1.7 fold in total phenolic content, 1-2.8 fold in IC(50) by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and 1-1.6 fold in ferric reducing antioxidant potential among the examined kernels underlines the important role played by genetic background for determining the phenolic content and antioxidant potential of apricot kernel. A positive significant correlation between TPC and FRAP (r=0.671) was found. No significant correlation was found between TPC and IC(50); FRAP and IC(50); TPC and physical properties of kernel. Principal component analysis demonstrated that genotypic effect is more pronounced towards TPC and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) content in apricot kernel while the contribution of seed and kernel physical properties are not highly significant.

Effect of different ripening stages on walnut kernel quality: antioxidant activities, lipid characterization and antibacterial properties.

PubMed

Amin, Furheen; Masoodi, F A; Baba, Waqas N; Khan, Asma Ashraf; Ganie, Bashir Ahmad

2017-11-01

Packing tissue between and around the kernel halves just turning brown (PTB) is a phenological indicator of kernel ripening at harvest in walnuts. The effect of three ripening stages (Pre-PTB, PTB and Post-PTB) on kernel quality characteristics, mineral composition, lipid characterization, sensory analysis, antioxidant and antibacterial activity were investigated in fresh kernels of indigenous numbered walnut selection of Kashmir valley "SKAU-02". Proximate composition, physical properties and sensory analysis of walnut kernels showed better results for Pre-PTB and PTB while higher mineral content was seen for kernels at Post-PTB stage in comparison to other stages of ripening. Kernels showed significantly higher levels of Omega-3 PUFA (C18:3 n3 ) and low n6/n3 ratio when harvested at Pre-PTB and PTB stages. The highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity was observed at the first stage of ripening and a steady decrease was observed at later stages. TBARS values increased as ripening advanced but did not show any significant difference in malonaldehyde formation during early ripening stages whereas it showed marked increase in walnut kernels at post-PTB stage. Walnut extracts inhibited growth of Gram-positive bacteria ( B. cereus, B. subtilis, and S. aureus ) with respective MICs of 1, 1 and 5 mg/mL and gram negative bacteria ( E. coli, P. and K. pneumonia ) with MIC of 100 mg/mL. Zone of inhibition obtained against all the bacterial strains from walnut kernel extracts increased with increase in the stage of ripening. It is concluded that Pre-PTB harvest stage with higher antioxidant activities, better fatty acid profile and consumer acceptability could be preferred harvesting stage for obtaining functionally superior walnut kernels.

Detection of maize kernels breakage rate based on K-means clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Liang; Wang, Zhuo; Gao, Lei; Bai, Xiaoping

2017-04-01

In order to optimize the recognition accuracy of maize kernels breakage detection and improve the detection efficiency of maize kernels breakage, this paper using computer vision technology and detecting of the maize kernels breakage based on K-means clustering algorithm. First, the collected RGB images are converted into Lab images, then the original images clarity evaluation are evaluated by the energy function of Sobel 8 gradient. Finally, the detection of maize kernels breakage using different pixel acquisition equipments and different shooting angles. In this paper, the broken maize kernels are identified by the color difference between integrity kernels and broken kernels. The original images clarity evaluation and different shooting angles are taken to verify that the clarity and shooting angles of the images have a direct influence on the feature extraction. The results show that K-means clustering algorithm can distinguish the broken maize kernels effectively.

Kernel machines for epilepsy diagnosis via EEG signal classification: a comparative study.

PubMed

Lima, Clodoaldo A M; Coelho, André L V

2011-10-01

We carry out a systematic assessment on a suite of kernel-based learning machines while coping with the task of epilepsy diagnosis through automatic electroencephalogram (EEG) signal classification. The kernel machines investigated include the standard support vector machine (SVM), the least squares SVM, the Lagrangian SVM, the smooth SVM, the proximal SVM, and the relevance vector machine. An extensive series of experiments was conducted on publicly available data, whose clinical EEG recordings were obtained from five normal subjects and five epileptic patients. The performance levels delivered by the different kernel machines are contrasted in terms of the criteria of predictive accuracy, sensitivity to the kernel function/parameter value, and sensitivity to the type of features extracted from the signal. For this purpose, 26 values for the kernel parameter (radius) of two well-known kernel functions (namely, Gaussian and exponential radial basis functions) were considered as well as 21 types of features extracted from the EEG signal, including statistical values derived from the discrete wavelet transform, Lyapunov exponents, and combinations thereof. We first quantitatively assess the impact of the choice of the wavelet basis on the quality of the features extracted. Four wavelet basis functions were considered in this study. Then, we provide the average accuracy (i.e., cross-validation error) values delivered by 252 kernel machine configurations; in particular, 40%/35% of the best-calibrated models of the standard and least squares SVMs reached 100% accuracy rate for the two kernel functions considered. Moreover, we show the sensitivity profiles exhibited by a large sample of the configurations whereby one can visually inspect their levels of sensitiveness to the type of feature and to the kernel function/parameter value. Overall, the results evidence that all kernel machines are competitive in terms of accuracy, with the standard and least squares SVMs prevailing more consistently. Moreover, the choice of the kernel function and parameter value as well as the choice of the feature extractor are critical decisions to be taken, albeit the choice of the wavelet family seems not to be so relevant. Also, the statistical values calculated over the Lyapunov exponents were good sources of signal representation, but not as informative as their wavelet counterparts. Finally, a typical sensitivity profile has emerged among all types of machines, involving some regions of stability separated by zones of sharp variation, with some kernel parameter values clearly associated with better accuracy rates (zones of optimality). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 180.475 - Difenoconazole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Canola, seed 0.01 Citrus, dried pulp 2.0 Citrus, oil 25 Corn, sweet, forage 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 Cotton, gin byproducts 0.05 Cotton, undelinted...

40 CFR 112.8 - Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan requirements for onshore facilities (excluding...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Marine Mammal Oils; and Vegetable Oils (Including Oils from Seeds, Nuts, Fruits, and Kernels) § 112.8... you make material repairs. You must determine, in accordance with industry standards, the appropriate...

[Ttextual research of Cannabis sativa varieties and medicinal part].

PubMed

Wei, Yingfang; Wang, Huadong; Guo, Shanshan; Yan, Jie; Long, Fei

2010-07-01

To determine the medicinal part and varieties of Cannabis Sativa through herbal textual research to Provide bibliographic reference for clinical application. Herbal textual research of C. Sativa from ancient herbal works and modern data analysis. Through the herbal textual research, the plant of the C. sativa, for Fructus Cannabis used now is identical with that described in ancient herbal literatures. People did not make a sharp distinction on medicinal part of C. sativa in the early stage literatures, female inflorescence and unripe fruit, fruit and kernel of seed were all used. Since Taohongjing realized the toxicity ofpericarp, all the herbal and prescription works indicate that the pericarp shall be removed before usage and only the kernel can be used. However, in modem literatures, both fruit and kernel can be used as medicinal part. The plants for Fructus Cannabis described in modern and ancient literatures are identical. The base of the original plant is the same either in ancient or modern. And the toxicity of the fruit is more than that of the kernel. The kernel is the exact medicinal part of C. Sativa.

Immunochemical characterization of alkaline-soluble polysaccharide, P-1, from the kernels of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.

PubMed

Dogasaki, C; Nishijima, M; Ohno, N; Yadomae, T; Miyazaki, T

1996-07-01

Polyclonal antibodies against P-1, a pectic polysaccharide fraction extracted with 0.5 M NaOH from the kernels of Prunus mume and consisted of arabino-galacturonan, and I-3, the partial acid (0.1 M trifluoroacetic acid) hydrolysate of P-1, were prepared in Japanese white rabbits. Competitive ELISA experiments strongly suggested that anti P-1 and anti I-3 antibodies were different but P-1 and I-3 cross-reacted with each other to recognize a partly similar epitope structure. The reactivities of polysaccharide fractions from the raw flesh of P. mume, and the kernels of apricot and peach extracted with either water or sodium hydroxide were examined using both antisera by the indirect competitive ELISA method. The polysaccharide fractions extracted with sodium hydroxide solutions had the reactivities but not those extracted with cold and hot water. These facts suggested that the similar structure of polysaccharides to P-1 was present in the flesh of P. mume and the kernels of apricot and peach. However, neither pectin of apple nor citrus had reactivity with each antiserum. P-1 would be different in chemical structure from a commercially available pectin, a water-soluble polysaccharide from apple and citrus.

7 CFR 868.312 - Grade and grade requirements for the class Screenings Milled Rice. (See also § 868.315.)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... grams) Objectionable seeds (number in 500 grams) Chalky kernels 1,3 (percent) Color requirements 1...) has any commercially objectionable foreign odor; (e) has a badly damaged or extremely red appearance...

Control of Fusarium verticillioides, cause of ear rot of maize, by Pseudomonas fluorescens.

PubMed

Nayaka, Siddaiah Chandra; Shankar, Arakere C Udaya; Reddy, Munagala S; Niranjana, Siddapura R; Prakash, Harishchandra S; Shetty, Hunthrike S; Mortensen, Carmen N

2009-07-01

Maize is one of the staple food crops grown in India. Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenberg is the most important fungal pathogen of maize, associated with diseases such as ear rot and kernel rot. Apart from the disease, it is capable of producing fumonisins, which have elicited considerable attention over the past decade owing to their association with animal disease syndromes. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate ecofriendly approaches by using a maize rhizosphere isolate of Pseudomonas fluorescens (Trev.) Mig. and its formulation to control ear rot disease and fumonisin accumulation, and also to study the capacity to promote growth and yield of maize. In vitro assays were conducted to test the efficacy of P. fluorescens as a seed treatment on seed germination, seedling vigour and also the incidence of F. verticillioides in different maize cultivars. The field trials included both seed treatment and foliar spray. For all the experiments, P. fluorescens was formulated using corn starch, wheat bran and talc powder. In each case there were three different treatments of P. fluorescens, a non-treated control and chemical control. Pure culture and the formulations, in comparison with the control, increased plant growth and vigour as measured by seed germination, seedling vigour, plant height, 1000 seed weight and yield. P. fluorescens pure culture used as seed treatment and as spray treatment enhanced the growth parameters and reduced the incidence of F. verticillioides and the level of fumonisins to a maximum extent compared with the other treatments. The study demonstrates the potential role of P. fluorescens and its formulations in ear rot disease management. The biocontrol potential of this isolate is more suited for fumonisin reduction in maize kernels intended for human and animal feed. (c) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation of Cytotoxic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Extracts and Lectins from Moringa oleifera Seeds

PubMed Central

Araújo, Larissa Cardoso Corrêa; Aguiar, Jaciana Santos; Napoleão, Thiago Henrique; Mota, Fernanda Virgínia Barreto; Barros, André Luiz Souza; Moura, Maiara Celine; Coriolano, Marília Cavalcanti; Coelho, Luana Cassandra Breitenbach Barroso; Silva, Teresinha Gonçalves; Paiva, Patrícia Maria Guedes

2013-01-01

Background The extract from Moringa oleifera seeds is used worldwide, especially in rural areas of developing countries, to treat drinking water. M. oleifera seeds contain the lectins cmol and WSMoL, which are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are able to reduce water turbidity because of their coagulant activity. Studies investigating the ability of natural products to damage normal cells are essential for the safe use of these substances. This study evaluated the cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties of the aqueous seed extract, the extract used by population to treat water (named diluted seed extract in this work), and the isolated lectins cmol and WSMoL. Methodology/Principal Findings The data showed that the aqueous seed extract and cmol were potentially cytotoxic to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, while WSMoL and diluted seed extract were not cytotoxic. The M. oleifera aqueous seed extract and the lectins cmol and WSMoL were weakly/moderately cytotoxic to the NCI-H292, HT-29 and HEp-2 cancer cell lines and were not hemolytic to murine erythrocytes. Evaluation of acute toxicity in mice revealed that the aqueous seed extract (2.000 mg/kg) did not cause systemic toxicity. The aqueous seed extract, cmol and WSMoL (6.25 µg/mL) and diluted seed extract at 50 µg/mL exhibited anti-inflammatory activity on lipopolyssaccharide-stimulated murine macrophages by regulating the production of nitric oxide, TNF-α and IL-1β. The aqueous seed extract reduced leukocyte migration in a mouse model of carrageenan-induced pleurisy; the myeloperoxidase activity and nitric oxide, TNF-α and IL-1β levels were similarly reduced. Histological analysis of the lungs showed that the extract reduced the number of leukocytes. Conclusion/Significance This study shows that the extract prepared according to folk use and WSMoL may be non-toxic to mammalian cells; however, the aqueous seed extract and cmol may be cytotoxic to immune cells which may explain the immunosuppressive potential of the extract. PMID:24349164

A novel approach for the efficient extraction of silybin from milk thistle fruits.

PubMed

Tan, Caihong; Xu, Xianrong; Shang, Yaqi; Fu, Xianli; Xia, Guohua; Yang, Huan

2014-10-01

Milk Thistle fruit is an important herb popularly consumed worldwide for a very long time. Silybin is the main bioactive constituent of the herb, and it has been approved by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medicine to treat liver diseases. Presently, using conventional technology, the meal of Milk Thistle fruit is used as the raw material to extract silybin. To investigate the necessity of detaching husk from kernel of the herb and also to propose a novel approach to enhance the extraction technology in pharmaceutical practices. The husk of Milk Thistle fruit was detached from the kernel of the herb using an automatic huller specially designed for this application. The husk and the meal of Milk Thistle fruit was subsequently refluxed, separately, with production rate of silybin as index for comparison of their extraction effect. The highest production rate was achieved under optimized condition. The husk was extracted 2 times (3 hrs each) using ethyl acetate, and the ratio of solvent to raw material was 8:1. The extract was allowed to be crystallized out. The separation of kernel from the husk of Milk Thistle fruit and using only the husk as raw material can largely enhance the extraction of silybin.

A mutational approach for the detection of genetic factors affecting seed size in maize.

PubMed

Sangiorgio, Stefano; Carabelli, Laura; Gabotti, Damiano; Manzotti, Priscilla Sofia; Persico, Martina; Consonni, Gabriella; Gavazzi, Giuseppe

2016-12-01

Genes influencing seed size. The designation emp (empty pericarp) refers to a group of defective kernel mutants that exhibit a drastic reduction in endosperm tissue production. They allow the isolation of genes controlling seed development and affecting seed size. Nine independently isolated emp mutants have been analyzed in this study and in all cases longitudinal sections of mature seeds revealed the absence of morphogenesis in the embryo proper, an observation that correlates with their failure to germinate. Complementation tests with the nine emp mutants, crossed inter se in all pairwise combinations, identified complementing and non-complementing pairs in the F 1 progenies. Data were then validated in the F 2 /F 3 generations. Mutant chromosomal location was also established. Overall our study has identified two novel emp genes and a novel allele at the previously identified emp4 gene. The introgression of single emp mutants in a different genetic background revealed the existence of a cryptic genetic variation (CGV) recognizable as a variable increase in the endosperm tissue. The unmasking of CGV by introducing single mutants in different genetic backgrounds is the result of the interaction of the emp mutants with a suppressor that has no obvious phenotype of its own and is present in the genetic background of the inbred lines into which the emp mutants were transferred. On the basis of these results, emp mutants could be used as tools for the detection of genetic factors that enhance the amount of endosperm tissue in the maize kernel and which could thus become valuable targets to exploit in future breeding programs.

40 CFR 180.414 - Cyromazine; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... Commodity Parts per million Cotton, undelinted seed 0.1 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.5 Corn, sweet, forage 0.5 Corn, sweet, stover 0.5 Radish, roots 0.5 Radish, tops 0.5 [65 FR 25860, May 4...

40 CFR 112.10 - Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan requirements for onshore oil drilling and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Requirements for Petroleum Oils and Non-Petroleum Oils, Except Animal Fats and Oils and Greases, and Fish and Marine Mammal Oils; and Vegetable Oils (Including Oils from Seeds, Nuts, Fruits, and Kernels) § 112.10...

40 CFR 112.10 - Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan requirements for onshore oil drilling and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Requirements for Petroleum Oils and Non-Petroleum Oils, Except Animal Fats and Oils and Greases, and Fish and Marine Mammal Oils; and Vegetable Oils (Including Oils from Seeds, Nuts, Fruits, and Kernels) § 112.10...

40 CFR 112.10 - Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan requirements for onshore oil drilling and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Requirements for Petroleum Oils and Non-Petroleum Oils, Except Animal Fats and Oils and Greases, and Fish and Marine Mammal Oils; and Vegetable Oils (Including Oils from Seeds, Nuts, Fruits, and Kernels) § 112.10...

Considering causal genes in the genetic dissection of kernel traits in common wheat.

PubMed

Mohler, Volker; Albrecht, Theresa; Castell, Adelheid; Diethelm, Manuela; Schweizer, Günther; Hartl, Lorenz

2016-11-01

Genetic factors controlling thousand-kernel weight (TKW) were characterized for their association with other seed traits, including kernel width, kernel length, ratio of kernel width to kernel length (KW/KL), kernel area, and spike number per m 2 (SN). For this purpose, a genetic map was established utilizing a doubled haploid population derived from a cross between German winter wheat cultivars Pamier and Format. Association studies in a diversity panel of elite cultivars supplemented genetic analysis of kernel traits. In both populations, genomic signatures of 13 candidate genes for TKW and kernel size were analyzed. Major quantitative trait loci (QTL) for TKW were identified on chromosomes 1B, 2A, 2D, and 4D, and their locations coincided with major QTL for kernel size traits, supporting the common belief that TKW is a function of other kernel traits. The QTL on chromosome 2A was associated with TKW candidate gene TaCwi-A1 and the QTL on chromosome 4D was associated with dwarfing gene Rht-D1. A minor QTL for TKW on chromosome 6B coincided with TaGW2-6B. The QTL for kernel dimensions that did not affect TKW were detected on eight chromosomes. A major QTL for KW/KL located at the distal tip of chromosome arm 5AS is being reported for the first time. TaSus1-7A and TaSAP-A1, closely linked to each other on chromosome 7A, could be related to a minor QTL for KW/KL. Genetic analysis of SN confirmed its negative correlation with TKW in this cross. In the diversity panel, TaSus1-7A was associated with TKW. Compared to the Pamier/Format bi-parental population where TaCwi-A1a was associated with higher TKW, the same allele reduced grain yield in the diversity panel, suggesting opposite effects of TaCwi-A1 on these two traits.

21 CFR 172.894 - Modified cottonseed products intended for human consumption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... kernels; or (2) Decorticated, ground cottonseed kernels, in a process that utilizes n-hexane as an extracting solvent in such a way that no more than 60 parts per million of n-hexane residues and less than 1...

Depth-time interpolation of feature trends extracted from mobile microelectrode data with kernel functions.

PubMed

Wong, Stephen; Hargreaves, Eric L; Baltuch, Gordon H; Jaggi, Jurg L; Danish, Shabbar F

2012-01-01

Microelectrode recording (MER) is necessary for precision localization of target structures such as the subthalamic nucleus during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. Attempts to automate this process have produced quantitative temporal trends (feature activity vs. time) extracted from mobile MER data. Our goal was to evaluate computational methods of generating spatial profiles (feature activity vs. depth) from temporal trends that would decouple automated MER localization from the clinical procedure and enhance functional localization in DBS surgery. We evaluated two methods of interpolation (standard vs. kernel) that generated spatial profiles from temporal trends. We compared interpolated spatial profiles to true spatial profiles that were calculated with depth windows, using correlation coefficient analysis. Excellent approximation of true spatial profiles is achieved by interpolation. Kernel-interpolated spatial profiles produced superior correlation coefficient values at optimal kernel widths (r = 0.932-0.940) compared to standard interpolation (r = 0.891). The choice of kernel function and kernel width resulted in trade-offs in smoothing and resolution. Interpolation of feature activity to create spatial profiles from temporal trends is accurate and can standardize and facilitate MER functional localization of subcortical structures. The methods are computationally efficient, enhancing localization without imposing additional constraints on the MER clinical procedure during DBS surgery. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Allelopathic effects of the aqueous extract of the leaf and seed of Leucaena leucocephala on three selected weed species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishak, Muhamad Safwan; Sahid, Ismail

2014-09-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the allelopathic effects of the aqueous extract of the leaf and seed of Leucaena leucocephala. The aqueous extracts were individually tested on three selected weed species, namely goatweed (Ageratum conyzoides), coat buttons (Tridax procumbens) and lilac tasselflower (Emilia sonchifolia). The allelopathic effects of the leaf and seed extracts on germination, shoot length, root length and fresh weight of each of the selected weed species were determined. Germination of goatweed, coat buttons and lilac tasselflower were inhibited by the aqueous extracts of both the leaf and seed of L. leucocephala and was concentration dependent. Different concentrations of the aqueous extracts showed various germination patterns on the selected weeds species. Seedling length and fresh weight of goatweed, coat buttons and lilac tasselflower were reduced in response to respective increasing concentrations of the seed extracts. Maximum inhibition by the aqueous seed extract was observed more on the root rather than the shoot growth. The aqueous seed extract at T3 concentration reduced root length of goatweed, coat buttons and lilac tasselflower by 95%, 86% and 91% (of the control) respectively. The aqueous seed extract showed greater inhibitory effects than that of the aqueous leaf extract.

Extracts of Phenolic Compounds from Seeds of Three Wild Grapevines—Comparison of Their Antioxidant Activities and the Content of Phenolic Compounds

PubMed Central

Weidner, Stanisław; Powałka, Anna; Karamać, Magdalena; Amarowicz, Ryszard

2012-01-01

Phenolic compounds were extracted from three wild grapevine species: Vitis californica, V. riparia and V. amurensis seeds using 80% methanol or 80% acetone. The total content of phenolic compounds was determined utilizing the Folin-Ciocalteu’s phenol reagent while the content of tannins was assayed with the vanillin and BSA precipitation methods. Additionally, the DPPH free radical scavenging activity and the reduction power of the extracts were measured. The RP-HPLC method was applied to identify the phenolic compounds in the extracts, such as phenolic acids and catechins. The seeds contained large amounts of tannins, catechins and gallic acid and observable quantities of p-coumaric acid. The total content of phenolic compounds and tannins was similar in the extracts from V. californica and V. riparia seeds. However, the total content of total phenolic compounds and tannins in the extracts from V. californica and V. riperia seeds were about two-fold higher than that in the extracts from V. amurensis seeds. Extracts from seeds of the American species (V. californica and V. riparia) contained similarly high concentrations of tannins, whereas extracts from seeds of V. amurensis had approximately half that amount of these compounds. The content of catechin and epicatechin was similar in all extracts. The highest DPPH• anti-radical scavenging activity was observed in the acetonic and methanolic extracts of V. californica and V. riparia seeds— while the acetonic extract from the V. californica seeds was the strongest reducing agent. PMID:22489161

Oviposition Deterrent Activities of Pachyrhizus erosus Seed Extract and Other Natural Products on Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

PubMed Central

Basukriadi, Adi; Wilkins, Richard M.

2014-01-01

Abstract An extract of a rotenone-containing plant yam bean, Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urban, seeds was tested against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) in a greenhouse to determine its potential as an oviposition deterrent and compared with coumarin and rutin, known as diamondback moth oviposition deterrent compounds, rotenone, and an extract of Peruvian cube root, at a concentration of 0.5% (w/v). Oviposition deterrent index (ODI) was used to determine effects of extracts or compounds in inhibiting oviposition of diamondback moth. Coumarin showed a stronger deterrent effect than the yam bean seed extract with a higher ODI value. On the contrary, rotenone, rutin, and the cube root extract, containing 6.7% (w/w) of rotenone, showed no significant deterrent effects having low or negative ODI values, suggesting that the deterrent effect of the yam bean seed extract is not due to rotenone content of the yam bean seeds. The extract of yam bean seed and coumarin partially deterred the moth from laying eggs on treated leaves in a concentration-dependent manner. The effective concentration for 50% deterrency of coumarin and the yam bean seed extract were 0.11 and 0.83% (w/v), respectively. However, the yam bean seed extract showed a residual deterrent effect on the moth even at 3 d after the treatment and is probably because of its low volatile nature. A long-term deterrency of the yam bean seed extract is an advantage over coumarins. Both the yam bean seed extract and coumarin deterred diamondback moth from laying eggs in total darkness, indicating their nonvisual deterrent effect. This made the extract an effective deterrence to diamondback moth in light and in darkness. To conclude, this study revealed the potential of the crude extract of the yam bean seed to prevent diamondback moth from ovipositing on its plant host. PMID:25525107

Oviposition deterrent activities of Pachyrhizus erosus seed extract and other natural products on Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).

PubMed

Basukriadi, Adi; Wilkins, Richard M

2014-01-01

An extract of a rotenone-containing plant yam bean, Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urban, seeds was tested against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) in a greenhouse to determine its potential as an oviposition deterrent and compared with coumarin and rutin, known as diamondback moth oviposition deterrent compounds, rotenone, and an extract of Peruvian cube root, at a concentration of 0.5% (w/v). Oviposition deterrent index (ODI) was used to determine effects of extracts or compounds in inhibiting oviposition of diamondback moth. Coumarin showed a stronger deterrent effect than the yam bean seed extract with a higher ODI value. On the contrary, rotenone, rutin, and the cube root extract, containing 6.7% (w/w) of rotenone, showed no significant deterrent effects having low or negative ODI values, suggesting that the deterrent effect of the yam bean seed extract is not due to rotenone content of the yam bean seeds. The extract of yam bean seed and coumarin partially deterred the moth from laying eggs on treated leaves in a concentration-dependent manner. The effective concentration for 50% deterrency of coumarin and the yam bean seed extract were 0.11 and 0.83% (w/v), respectively. However, the yam bean seed extract showed a residual deterrent effect on the moth even at 3 d after the treatment and is probably because of its low volatile nature. A long-term deterrency of the yam bean seed extract is an advantage over coumarins. Both the yam bean seed extract and coumarin deterred diamondback moth from laying eggs in total darkness, indicating their nonvisual deterrent effect. This made the extract an effective deterrence to diamondback moth in light and in darkness. To conclude, this study revealed the potential of the crude extract of the yam bean seed to prevent diamondback moth from ovipositing on its plant host. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

40 CFR 180.275 - Chlorothalonil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Apricot 0.5 Asparagus 0.1 Banana (NMT 0.05 ppm in edible pulp) 0.5 Bean, dry, seed 0.1 Bean, snap....5 Cherry, tart 0.5 Cocoa bean, dried bean 0.05 Coffee, bean, green 0.20 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob...

40 CFR 180.275 - Chlorothalonil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Apricot 0.5 Asparagus 0.1 Banana (NMT 0.05 ppm in edible pulp) 0.5 Bean, dry, seed 0.1 Bean, snap....5 Cherry, tart 0.5 Cocoa bean, dried bean 0.05 Coffee, bean, green 0.20 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob...

40 CFR 180.275 - Chlorothalonil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Apricot 0.5 Asparagus 0.1 Banana (NMT 0.05 ppm in edible pulp) 0.5 Bean, dry, seed 0.1 Bean, snap....5 Cherry, tart 0.5 Cocoa bean, dried bean 0.05 Coffee, bean, green 0.20 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob...

Cuphea tolerates clopyralid

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cuphea is a new crop of temperate regions that produces seed oil with medium-chain length fatty acids, which can substitute for imported coconut and palm kernels oils. Only four herbicides are known to be tolerated by cuphea to date. More herbicides, especially POST products, are needed for continue...

40 CFR 180.275 - Chlorothalonil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Apricot 0.5 Asparagus 0.1 Banana (NMT 0.05 ppm in edible pulp) 0.5 Bean, dry, seed 0.1 Bean, snap....5 Cherry, tart 0.5 Cocoa bean, dried bean 0.05 Coffee, bean, green 0.20 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob...

Seed-dispersal distributions by trumpeter hornbills in fragmented landscapes

PubMed Central

Lenz, Johanna; Fiedler, Wolfgang; Caprano, Tanja; Friedrichs, Wolfgang; Gaese, Bernhard H.; Wikelski, Martin; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin

2011-01-01

Frugivorous birds provide important ecosystem services by transporting seeds of fleshy fruited plants. It has been assumed that seed-dispersal kernels generated by these animals are generally leptokurtic, resulting in little dispersal among habitat fragments. However, little is known about the seed-dispersal distribution generated by large frugivorous birds in fragmented landscapes. We investigated movement and seed-dispersal patterns of trumpeter hornbills (Bycanistes bucinator) in a fragmented landscape in South Africa. Novel GPS loggers provide high-quality location data without bias against recording long-distance movements. We found a very weakly bimodal seed-dispersal distribution with potential dispersal distances up to 14.5 km. Within forest, the seed-dispersal distribution was unimodal with an expected dispersal distance of 86 m. In the fragmented agricultural landscape, the distribution was strongly bimodal with peaks at 18 and 512 m. Our results demonstrate that seed-dispersal distributions differed when birds moved in different habitat types. Seed-dispersal distances in fragmented landscapes show that transport among habitat patches is more frequent than previously assumed, allowing plants to disperse among habitat patches and to track the changing climatic conditions. PMID:21177686

In vitro lipolytic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of roasted pistachio kernel and skin constituents.

PubMed

Grace, Mary H; Esposito, Debora; Timmers, Michael A; Xiong, Jia; Yousef, Gad; Komarnytsky, Slavko; Lila, Mary Ann

2016-10-12

A comprehensive phytochemical analysis was conducted on pistachios to identify the differential contributions of skin and kernel phytochemicals to in vitro bioactivity. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of skin and kernel non-polar extracts (SNP and KNP, respectively) indicated that the major components are fatty acids (696.36 and 879.70 mg g -1 ), phytosterols (16.08 and 4.28 mg g -1 ), and γ-tocopherol (304.17 and 397.10 μg g -1 ). Analysis of the skin and kernel polar extracts (SP and KP, respectively) showed that skin accumulated higher levels of phenolic compounds, especially flavan-3-ols, compared to the kernel. An (epi)catechin hexoside was the major component in SP and KP (9.8 mg g -1 and 3.3 mg g -1 , respectively). Flavan-3-ols with different degrees of polymerization were detected in SP, but only the monomers were identified in the KP. Quercetin glycosides were the major flavonols present in both SP and KP. Bioassays with 3T3L1 mouse adipocytes demonstrated that all extracts decreased lipid accumulation, with SNP demonstrating the highest activity (17% inhibition). Bioassay guided fractionation of SNP indicated that the lipolytic activity was highest in the fraction consisting of linoleic acid (20%), linolenic acid (10%), and β-sitosterol (50%). Radical scavenging assays indicated that all pistachio extracts significantly inhibited ROS, while SP was the most inhibiting to NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Gene expression profiles associated with inflammation (IL6, iNOS, and COX2) were characterized in the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages after treatment with pistachio extracts. SP and KP were the most potent to inhibit the expression of COX2. The SNP had the strongest effect in decreasing non-mitochondrial oxidative burst associated with inflammatory response in macrophages.

Pure endmember extraction using robust kernel archetypoid analysis for hyperspectral imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Weiwei; Yang, Gang; Wu, Ke; Li, Weiyue; Zhang, Dianfa

2017-09-01

A robust kernel archetypoid analysis (RKADA) method is proposed to extract pure endmembers from hyperspectral imagery (HSI). The RKADA assumes that each pixel is a sparse linear mixture of all endmembers and each endmember corresponds to a real pixel in the image scene. First, it improves the re8gular archetypal analysis with a new binary sparse constraint, and the adoption of the kernel function constructs the principal convex hull in an infinite Hilbert space and enlarges the divergences between pairwise pixels. Second, the RKADA transfers the pure endmember extraction problem into an optimization problem by minimizing residual errors with the Huber loss function. The Huber loss function reduces the effects from big noises and outliers in the convergence procedure of RKADA and enhances the robustness of the optimization function. Third, the random kernel sinks for fast kernel matrix approximation and the two-stage algorithm for optimizing initial pure endmembers are utilized to improve its computational efficiency in realistic implementations of RKADA, respectively. The optimization equation of RKADA is solved by using the block coordinate descend scheme and the desired pure endmembers are finally obtained. Six state-of-the-art pure endmember extraction methods are employed to make comparisons with the RKADA on both synthetic and real Cuprite HSI datasets, including three geometrical algorithms vertex component analysis (VCA), alternative volume maximization (AVMAX) and orthogonal subspace projection (OSP), and three matrix factorization algorithms the preconditioning for successive projection algorithm (PreSPA), hierarchical clustering based on rank-two nonnegative matrix factorization (H2NMF) and self-dictionary multiple measurement vector (SDMMV). Experimental results show that the RKADA outperforms all the six methods in terms of spectral angle distance (SAD) and root-mean-square-error (RMSE). Moreover, the RKADA has short computational times in offline operations and shows significant improvement in identifying pure endmembers for ground objects with smaller spectrum differences. Therefore, the RKADA could be an alternative for pure endmember extraction from hyperspectral images.

Infrared-Assisted Extraction and HPLC-Analysis of Prunus armeniaca L. Pomace and Detoxified-Kernel and their Antidiabetic Effects.

PubMed

Raafat, Karim; El-Darra, Nada; Saleh, Fatima A; Rajha, Hiba N; Maroun, Richard G; Louka, Nicolas

2018-03-01

Prunus armeniaca L. (P. armeniaca) is one of the medicinal plants with a high safety-profile. The aim of this work was to make an infrared-assisted extraction (IR-AE) of P. armeniaca fruit (pomace) and kernel, and analyse them using reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) aided method. IR-AE is a novel-technique aimed at increasing the extraction-efficiency. The antidiabetic-potentials of the P. armeniaca pomace (AP) and the detoxified P. armeniaca kernel extract (DKAP) were monitored exploring their possible hypoglycemic-mechanisms. Acute (6 h), subchronic (8 days) and long-term (8 weeks) assessment of Diabetes mellitus (DM) using glucometers and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) methods were applied. Serum-insulin levels, the inhibitory effects on alpha-glucosidase, serum-catalase (CAT) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were also monitored. AP was shown to be rich in polyphenolics like trans-lutein (14.1%), trans-zeaxanthin (10.5%), trans-ß-cryptoxanthin (11.6%), 13, cis-ß-carotene (6.5%), trans 9, cis-ß-carotene (18.4%), and ß-carotene (21.5%). Prunus armeniaca kernel extract before detoxification (KAP) was found to be rich in amygdaline (16.1%), which caused a high mortality rate (50.1%), while after detoxification (amygdaline, 1.4%) a lower mortality rate (9.1%) was found. AP showed significant (p ≤ 0.05, n = 7/group) antidiabetic-activity more prominent than DKAP acutely, subchronically and on longer-terms. IR-AEs displayed more efficient acute and subchronic blood glucose level (BGL) reduction than a conventional extraction method, which might be attributed to IR-AE superiority in extraction of active ingredients. AP showed more-significant and dose-dependent increase in serum-insulin, CAT-levels and body-weights more prominent than those of DKAP. Alpha-glucosidase and LPO levels were inhibited with AP-groups more-significantly. In comparison to conventional-methods, IR-AE appeared to be an efficient and time-conserving novel extraction method. The antidiabetic-potentials of pomace and detoxified-kernels of P. armeniaca were probably mediated via the attenuation of glucose-provoked oxidative-stress, the inhibition of alpha-glucosidase and the marked insulin-secretagogue effect. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and solvent extraction of papaya seed oil: yield, fatty acid composition and triacylglycerol profile.

PubMed

Samaram, Shadi; Mirhosseini, Hamed; Tan, Chin Ping; Ghazali, Hasanah Mohd

2013-10-10

The main objective of the current work was to evaluate the suitability of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for the recovery of oil from papaya seed as compared to conventional extraction techniques (i.e., Soxhlet extraction (SXE) and solvent extraction (SE)). In the present study, the recovery yield, fatty acid composition and triacylglycerol profile of papaya seed oil obtained from different extraction methods and conditions were compared. Results indicated that both solvent extraction (SE, 12 h/25 °C) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) methods recovered relatively high yields (79.1% and 76.1% of total oil content, respectively). Analysis of fatty acid composition revealed that the predominant fatty acids in papaya seed oil were oleic (18:1, 70.5%-74.7%), palmitic (16:0, 14.9%-17.9%), stearic (18:0, 4.50%-5.25%), and linoleic acid (18:2, 3.63%-4.6%). Moreover, the most abundant triacylglycerols of papaya seed oil were triolein (OOO), palmitoyl diolein (POO) and stearoyl oleoyl linolein (SOL). In this study, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the triacylglycerol profile of papaya seed oil, but no significant differences were observed in the fatty acid composition of papaya seed oil extracted by different extraction methods (SXE, SE and UAE) and conditions.

Activated carbons from waste of oil-palm kernel shells, sawdust and tannery leather scraps and application to chromium(VI), phenol, and methylene blue dye adsorption.

PubMed

Montoya-Suarez, Sergio; Colpas-Castillo, Fredy; Meza-Fuentes, Edgardo; Rodríguez-Ruiz, Johana; Fernandez-Maestre, Roberto

2016-01-01

Phenol, chromium, and dyes are continuously dumped into water bodies; the adsorption of these contaminants on activated carbon is a low-cost alternative for water remediation. We synthesized activated carbons from industrial waste of palm oil seed husks (kernel shells), sawdust, and tannery leather scraps. These materials were heated for 24 h at 600, 700 or 800°C, activated at 900°C with CO2 and characterized by proximate analysis and measurement of specific surface area (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Langmuir), and microporosity (t-plot). Isotherms showed micropores and mesopores in activated carbons. Palm seed activated carbon showed the highest fixed carbon content (96%), and Langmuir specific surface areas up to 1,268 m2/g, higher than those from sawdust (581 m2/g) and leather scraps (400 m2/g). The carbons were applied to adsorption of Cr(VI), phenol, and methylene blue dye from aqueous solutions. Phenol adsorption on activated carbons was 78-82 mg/g; on palm seed activated carbons, Cr(VI) adsorption at pH 7 was 0.35-0.37 mg/g, and methylene blue adsorption was 40-110 mg/g, higher than those from sawdust and leather scraps. Activated carbons from palm seed are promising materials to remove contaminants from the environment and represent an alternative application for vegetal wastes instead of dumping into landfills.

Antimicrobial activities of pomelo (Citrus maxima) seed and pulp ethanolic extract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahlan, Muhamad; Damayanti, Vina; Tristantini, Dewi; Hermansyah, Heri; Wijanarko, Anondho; Olivia, Yuko

2018-02-01

Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) seed extract is generally used as naturopathic medications, supplements, antiseptic and disinfecting agents and also as preservatives in food and cosmetics products. In vitro studies have demonstrated that grapefruit seed extract has anti bacterial properties against a range of gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. Indonesian grapefruit, known as pomelo (C. maxima), has similar characteristics, contents and is under the same genus (Citrus) as grapefruit; however it has not been completely utilized as a preservative. In this work we analyze the antimicrobial activities of ethanolic extract of Indonesian pomelo (C. maxima) seeds and pulp compared to the grapefruit (C. paradisi) seeds and pulp ethanolic extract. Ethanolic extracts of pomelo and grapefruit seeds and pulp are investigated for activities against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The level of antimicrobial effects is established using agar diffusion method. Both of the ethanolic do not show any antimicrobial activities against C. albicans. The ethanolic extract of pomelo seeds and pulp used in this research give positive results with growth inhibition effect on B. subtilis, S. aureus and E. coli. The zones of inhibition ranges from 22 - 30 mm in diameter, which is higher to grapefruit seeds and pulp ethanolic extract (17 - 25 mm). Ethanolic extract of pomelo seeds and pulp has an antimicrobial effect, which makes it a natural preparation for use as an alternative preservative for food and cosmetic.

Extraction process of palm kernel cake as a source of mannan for feed additive on poultry diet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tafsin, M.; Hanafi, N. D.; Yusraini, E.

2017-05-01

Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) is a by-product of palm kernel oil extraction and found in large quantity in Indonesia. The inclusion of PKC on poultry diet are limited due to some nutritional problems such as anti-nutritional properties (mannan). On the other hand, mannan containing polysaccharides play in various biological functions particularly in enhancing the immune response and to control pathogen in poultry. The research objective to find out the extraction process of PKC and conducted at animal nutrition and Feed Science Laboratory, Agricultural Faculty, University of Sumatera Utara. Various extraction methode were used in this experiment, including fraction analysis used 7 number sieves, and followed by water and acetic acid extraction. The result indicated that PKC had different particle size according to sieve size and dominated by particle size 850 um. The analysis of sugar content indicated that each particle size had different characteristic on treatment by hot water extraction. The particle size 180—850 um had higher sugar content than coarse PKC (2000—3000 um). The total sugar content were recovered vary between 0.9—3,2% from PKC were extracted. Treatment grinding method followed by hot water extraction (100—120 °C, 1 h) increased total sugar content than previous treatments and reach 8% from PKC were extracted. Utilisation acetic acid decreased the total amount of total sugar from PKC were extracted. It is concluded that treatment by hot temperature (110—120 °C) for 1 h show highest yield to extract sugar from PKC.

Large-scale network dysfunction in Major Depressive Disorder: Meta-analysis of resting-state functional connectivity

PubMed Central

Kaiser, Roselinde H.; Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R.; Wager, Tor D.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been linked to imbalanced communication among large-scale brain networks, as reflected by abnormal resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). However, given variable methods and results across studies, identifying consistent patterns of network dysfunction in MDD has been elusive. OBJECTIVE To investigate network dysfunction in MDD through the first meta-analysis of rsFC studies. DATA SOURCES Seed-based voxel-wise rsFC studies comparing MDD with healthy individuals (published before June 30, 2014) were retrieved from electronic databases (PubMed, Web-of-Science, EMBASE), and authors contacted for additional data. STUDY SELECTION Twenty-seven datasets from 25 publications (556 MDD adults/teens; 518 controls) were included in the meta-analysis. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Coordinates of seed regions-of-interest and between-group effects were extracted. Seeds were categorized into “seed-networks” by their location within a priori functional networks. Multilevel kernel density analysis of between-group effects identified brain systems in which MDD was associated with hyperconnectivity (increased positive, or reduced negative, connectivity) or hypoconnectivity (increased negative, or reduced positive, connectivity) with each seed-network. RESULTS MDD was characterized by hypoconnectivity within the frontoparietal network (FN), a set of regions involved in cognitive control of attention and emotion regulation, and hypoconnectivity between frontoparietal systems and parietal regions of the dorsal attention network (DAN) involved in attending to the external environment. MDD was also associated with hyperconnectivity within the default network (DN), a network believed to support internally-oriented and self-referential thought, and hyperconnectivity between FN control systems and regions of DN. Finally, MDD groups exhibited hypoconnectivity between neural systems involved in processing emotion or salience and midline cortical regions that may mediate top-down regulation of such functions. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Reduced connectivity within frontoparietal control systems, and imbalanced connectivity between control systems and networks involved in internal- or external-attention, may reflect depressive biases towards internal thoughts at the cost of engaging with the external world. Meanwhile, altered connectivity between neural systems involved in cognitive control and those that support salience or emotion processing may relate to deficits regulating mood. These findings provide an empirical foundation for a neurocognitive model in which network dysfunction underlies core cognitive and affective abnormalities in depression. PMID:25785575

Utilization of spectral-spatial characteristics in shortwave infrared hyperspectral images to classify and identify fungi-contaminated peanuts.

PubMed

Qiao, Xiaojun; Jiang, Jinbao; Qi, Xiaotong; Guo, Haiqiang; Yuan, Deshuai

2017-04-01

It's well-known fungi-contaminated peanuts contain potent carcinogen. Efficiently identifying and separating the contaminated can help prevent aflatoxin entering in food chain. In this study, shortwave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral images for identifying the prepared contaminated kernels. Feature selection method of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and feature extraction method of nonparametric weighted feature extraction (NWFE) were used to concentrate spectral information into a subspace where contaminated and healthy peanuts can have favorable separability. Then, peanut pixels were classified using SVM. Moreover, image segmentation method of region growing was applied to segment the image as kernel-scale patches and meanwhile to number the kernels. The result shows that pixel-wise classification accuracies are 99.13% for breed A, 96.72% for B and 99.73% for C in learning images, and are 96.32%, 94.2% and 97.51% in validation images. Contaminated peanuts were correctly marked as aberrant kernels in both learning images and validation images. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lotus seed epicarp extract as potential antioxidant and anti-obesity additive in Chinese Cantonese Sausage.

PubMed

Qi, Suijian; Zhou, Delong

2013-02-01

The antioxidative activities of a lotus seed epicarp extract in different concentrations (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 μg.mL(-1)) in pork homogenates representative of Chinese Cantonese Sausage were evaluated using three methods: thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) values, peroxide values (POVs) and acid values (AVs). Also the cytotoxic and anti-obesity effects of the lotus seed epicarp extracts were evaluated using an in vitro 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cell model. Results showed that the lotus seed epicarp extracts were non-toxic and effective in inhibiting preadipocyte differentiation. Supplementation of pork homogenate with lotus seed epicarp extracts was effective in retarding lipid oxidation. Moreover, the antioxidative and preadipocyte differentiation inhibition effects of the lotus seed epicarp extracts were dose-dependent. Thus, the lotus seed epicarp extract might be a good candidate as an antioxidant and anti-obesity natural additive in Chinese Cantonese Sausage. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 112.13-112.15 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....13-112.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION Requirements for Animal Fats and Oils and Greases, and Fish and Marine Mammal Oils; and for Vegetable Oils, including Oils from Seeds, Nuts, Fruits, and Kernels. §§ 112.13-112.15 [Reserved] ...

40 CFR 112.13-112.15 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....13-112.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION Requirements for Animal Fats and Oils and Greases, and Fish and Marine Mammal Oils; and for Vegetable Oils, including Oils from Seeds, Nuts, Fruits, and Kernels. §§ 112.13-112.15 [Reserved] ...

Corn seeds as bioreactors for the production of phytase in the feed industry.

PubMed

Chen, Rumei; Zhang, Chunyi; Yao, Bin; Xue, Guangxing; Yang, Wenzhu; Zhou, Xiaojin; Zhang, Junmin; Sun, Cheng; Chen, Ping; Fan, Yunliu

2013-05-20

Corn seed is a major ingredient of animal feed worldwide. However, it contains phytate, a major phosphate storage form that is unavailable to monogastric animals like pigs and poultry. We report a transgenic corn with bioavailable phosphate, achieved by seed-specific overexpression of Aspergillus niger phytase, an enzyme catalyzing the release of phosphate from phytate. We obtained maximal phytase activity of 125 FTU/g kernels, 1000-fold above that of the wild type, with 1000 g of kernels containing up to 67 times the feed industry requirement. Enzymatic characterization of Zea mays recombinant phytase (ZmrPhy) showed it to be equivalent to yeast (Pichia pastoris) recombinant phytase (PprPhy), a commercially available phytase product. An animal feeding trial demonstrated that ZmrPhy had similar nutritional effects on broiler chickens to PprPhy in terms of reducing inorganic phosphorus addition to feed and phosphate excretion in animal manure. These results suggest that transgenic phytase corn can be used directly in the feed industry. Experiments were conducted to assess the food safety of the corn; the results demonstrated no difference versus regular corn. This is the first genetically modified corn officially issued with a biosafety certificate in China and has great potential in the animal feed industry. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pollen-Mediated Gene Flow in Maize: Implications for Isolation Requirements and Coexistence in Mexico, the Center of Origin of Maize.

PubMed

Baltazar, Baltazar M; Castro Espinoza, Luciano; Espinoza Banda, Armando; de la Fuente Martínez, Juan Manuel; Garzón Tiznado, José Antonio; González García, Juvencio; Gutiérrez, Marco Antonio; Guzmán Rodríguez, José Luis; Heredia Díaz, Oscar; Horak, Michael J; Madueño Martínez, Jesús Ignacio; Schapaugh, Adam W; Stojšin, Duška; Uribe Montes, Hugo Raúl; Zavala García, Francisco

2015-01-01

Mexico, the center of origin of maize (Zea mays L.), has taken actions to preserve the identity and diversity of maize landraces and wild relatives. Historically, spatial isolation has been used in seed production to maintain seed purity. Spatial isolation can also be a key component for a strategy to minimize pollen-mediated gene flow in Mexico between transgenic maize and sexually compatible plants of maize conventional hybrids, landraces, and wild relatives. The objective of this research was to generate field maize-to-maize outcrossing data to help guide coexistence discussions in Mexico. In this study, outcrossing rates were determined and modeled from eight locations in six northern states, which represent the most economically important areas for the cultivation of hybrid maize in Mexico. At each site, pollen source plots were planted with a yellow-kernel maize hybrid and surrounded by plots with a white-kernel conventional maize hybrid (pollen recipient) of the same maturity. Outcrossing rates were then quantified by assessing the number of yellow kernels harvested from white-kernel hybrid plots. The highest outcrossing values were observed near the pollen source (12.9% at 1 m distance). The outcrossing levels declined sharply to 4.6, 2.7, 1.4, 1.0, 0.9, 0.5, and 0.5% as the distance from the pollen source increased to 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 25 m, respectively. At distances beyond 20 m outcrossing values at all locations were below 1%. These trends are consistent with studies conducted in other world regions. The results suggest that coexistence measures that have been implemented in other geographies, such as spatial isolation, would be successful in Mexico to minimize transgenic maize pollen flow to conventional maize hybrids, landraces and wild relatives.

Pollen-Mediated Gene Flow in Maize: Implications for Isolation Requirements and Coexistence in Mexico, the Center of Origin of Maize

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez, Marco Antonio; Guzmán Rodríguez, José Luis; Horak, Michael J.; Madueño Martínez, Jesús Ignacio; Schapaugh, Adam W.; Stojšin, Duška; Uribe Montes, Hugo Raúl

2015-01-01

Mexico, the center of origin of maize (Zea mays L.), has taken actions to preserve the identity and diversity of maize landraces and wild relatives. Historically, spatial isolation has been used in seed production to maintain seed purity. Spatial isolation can also be a key component for a strategy to minimize pollen-mediated gene flow in Mexico between transgenic maize and sexually compatible plants of maize conventional hybrids, landraces, and wild relatives. The objective of this research was to generate field maize-to-maize outcrossing data to help guide coexistence discussions in Mexico. In this study, outcrossing rates were determined and modeled from eight locations in six northern states, which represent the most economically important areas for the cultivation of hybrid maize in Mexico. At each site, pollen source plots were planted with a yellow-kernel maize hybrid and surrounded by plots with a white-kernel conventional maize hybrid (pollen recipient) of the same maturity. Outcrossing rates were then quantified by assessing the number of yellow kernels harvested from white-kernel hybrid plots. The highest outcrossing values were observed near the pollen source (12.9% at 1 m distance). The outcrossing levels declined sharply to 4.6, 2.7, 1.4, 1.0, 0.9, 0.5, and 0.5% as the distance from the pollen source increased to 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 25 m, respectively. At distances beyond 20 m outcrossing values at all locations were below 1%. These trends are consistent with studies conducted in other world regions. The results suggest that coexistence measures that have been implemented in other geographies, such as spatial isolation, would be successful in Mexico to minimize transgenic maize pollen flow to conventional maize hybrids, landraces and wild relatives. PMID:26162097

Effects of lipid extraction on nutritive composition of winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), rubber seed (Hevea brasiliensis), and tropical almond (Terminalia catappa).

PubMed

Jayanegara, Anuraga; Harahap, Rakhmad P; Rozi, Richard F; Nahrowi

2018-04-01

This experiment aimed to evaluate the nutritive composition and in vitro rumen fermentability and digestibility of intact and lipid-extracted winged bean, rubber seed, and tropical almond. Soybean, winged bean, rubber seed, and tropical almond were subjected to lipid extraction and chemical composition determination. Lipid extraction was performed through solvent extraction by Soxhlet procedure. Non-extracted and extracted samples of these materials were evaluated for in vitro rumen fermentation and digestibility assay using rumen: Buffer mixture. Parameters measured were gas production kinetics, total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, ammonia, in vitro dry matter (IVDMD) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD). Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and Duncan's multiple range test. Soybean, winged bean, rubber seed, and tropical almond contained high amounts of ether extract, i.e., above 20% DM. Crude protein contents of soybean, winged bean, rubber seed, and tropical almond increased by 17.7, 4.7, 55.2, and 126.5% after lipid extraction, respectively. In vitro gas production of intact winged bean was the highest among other materials at various time point intervals (p<0.05), followed by soybean > rubber seed > tropical almond. Extraction of lipid increased in vitro gas production, total VFA concentration, IVDMD, and IVOMD of soybean, winged bean, rubber seed, and tropical almond (p<0.05). After lipid extraction, all feed materials had similar IVDMD and IVOMD values. Lipid extraction improved the nutritional quality of winged bean, rubber seed, and tropical almond.

Fumonisin B(1)-nonproducing strains of Fusarium verticillioides cause maize (Zea mays) ear infection and ear rot.

PubMed

Desjardins, A E; Plattner, R D

2000-11-01

Fumonisins are polyketide mycotoxins produced by Fusarium verticillioides (synonym F. moniliforme), a major pathogen of maize (Zea mays) worldwide. Most field strains produce high levels of fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) and low levels of the less-oxygenated homologues FB(2) and FB(3), but fumonisin B(1)-nonproducing field strains have been obtained by natural variation. To test the role of various fumonisins in pathogenesis on maize under field conditions, one strain producing FB(1), FB(2), and FB(3), one strain producing only FB(2), one strain producing only FB(3), and one fumonisin-nonproducing strain were applied to ears via the silk channel and on seeds at planting. Disease severity on the harvested ears was evaluated by visible symptoms and by weight percent symptomatic kernels. Fumonisin levels in kernels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The presence of the applied FB(1)-nonproducing strains in kernels was determined by analysis of recovered strains for fumonisin production and other traits. All three FB(1)-nonproducing strains were able to infect ears following either silk-channel application or seed application at planting and were as effective as the FB(1)-producing strain in causing ear rot following silk-channel application. These results indicate that production of FB(1), FB(2), or FB(3) is not required for F. verticillioides to cause maize ear infection and ear rot.

Modeling the spread and control of foot-and-mouth disease in Pennsylvania following its discovery and options for control

PubMed Central

Tildesley, Michael J.; Smith, Gary; Keeling, Matt J.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we simulate outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA – after the introduction of a state-wide movement ban – as they might unfold in the presence of mitigation strategies. We have adapted a model previously used to investigate FMD control policies in the UK to examine the potential for disease spread given an infection seeded in each county in Pennsylvania. The results are highly dependent upon the county of introduction and the spatial scale of transmission. Should the transmission kernel be identical to that for the UK, the epidemic impact is limited to fewer than 20 premises, regardless of the county of introduction. However, for wider kernels where infection can spread further, outbreaks seeded in or near the county with highest density of premises and animals result in large epidemics (>150 premises). Ring culling and vaccination reduce epidemic size, with the optimal radius of the rings being dependent upon the county of introduction. Should the kernel width exceed a given county-dependent threshold, ring culling is unable to control the epidemic. We find that a vaccinate-to-live policy is generally preferred to ring culling (in terms of reducing the overall number of premises culled), indicating that well-targeted control can dramatically reduce the risk of large scale outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease occurring in Pennsylvania. PMID:22169708

Phytotoxic activity and chemical composition of Cassia absus seeds and aerial parts.

PubMed

Zribi, I; Sbai, H; Ghezal, N; Richard, G; Trisman, D; Fauconnier, M L; Haouala, R

2017-12-01

The present study was conducted to assess the phytotoxic potential and the phytochemical composition of Cassia absus. Aqueous extracts caused significant reduction in root growth of Lactuca sativa. Seed extract was more effective than aerial part extract. Successive extractions of this plant were performed using solvents with increasing polarities. The methanolic seed extract exerted strong phytotoxic effect on seedling growth, followed by petroleum ether extract of the aerial part. The phytochemical investigation showed that among the organic extracts, methanol extracts of seeds and aerial parts contained the highest amounts of total phenolics and proanthocyanidins. Seeds were rich in linoleic acid followed by palmitic acids. Palmitic, stearic and arachidic acids were the major fatty acids in aerial parts. HPLC-DAD analysis of the methanolic extracts revealed the presence of luteolin in C. absus aerial parts.

Sunflower cake as a natural composite: composition and plastic properties.

PubMed

Geneau-Sbartaï, Céline; Leyris, Juliette; Silvestre, Françoise; Rigal, Luc

2008-12-10

Nowadays, the end-of-life of plastic products and the decrease of fossil energy are great environmental problems. Moreover, with the increase of food and nonfood transformations of renewable resources, the quantities of agro-industrial byproducts and wastes increase hugely. These facts allow the development of plastic substitutes made from agro-resources. Many researches show the feasibility of molding biopolymers extracted from plants like a common polymeric matrix. Other natural macromolecules are used like fillers into polyolefins, for example. However, limited works present results about the transformation of a natural blend of biopolymers into a plastic material. The aim of this study is the determination of the composition of sunflower cake (SFC) and also the characterization of its components. These were identified by chemical and biochemical analysis often used in agricultural or food chemistry. Most of the extraction and purification processes modify the macrostructure of several biopolymers (e.g., denaturation of proteins, cleavage or creation of weak bonds, etc.). So, the composition of different parts of the sunflower seed (husk, kernel, and also protein isolate) was determined, and the plasticlike properties of their components were studied with thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and a dynamic mechanical thermal analysis apparatus. Finally, this indirect way of characterization showed that SFC can be considered a natural composite. In SFC, several components like lignocellulosic fibers [40%/dry matter (DM)], which essentially come from the husk of sunflower seed, can act as fillers. However, other biopolymers like globulins ( approximately 30% of the 30% of sunflower seed proteins/DM of SFC) can be shaped as a thermoplastic-like material because this kind of protein has a temperature of glass transition and a temperature of denaturation that seems to be similar to a melting temperature. These proteins have also viscoelastic properties. Moreover, SFC has similar rheological properties and other physicochemical properties compatible with shaping or molding behaviors of plastic-processing machinery.

Comparison of ultrasound-assisted extraction with conventional extraction methods of oil and polyphenols from grape (Vitis vinifera L.) seeds.

PubMed

Da Porto, Carla; Porretto, Erica; Decorti, Deborha

2013-07-01

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (US) carried out at 20 KHz, 150 W for 30 min gave grape seed oil yield (14% w/w) similar to Soxhlet extraction (S) for 6 h. No significant differences for the major fatty acids was observed in oils extracted by S and US at 150 W. Instead, K232 and K268 of US- oils resulted lower than S-oil. From grape seeds differently defatted (S and US), polyphenols and their fractions were extracted by maceration for 12 h and by ultrasound-assisted extraction for 15 min. Sonication time was optimized after kinetics study on polyphenols extraction. Grape seed extracts obtained from seeds defatted by ultrasound (US) and then extracted by maceration resulted the highest in polyphenol concentration (105.20mg GAE/g flour) and antioxidant activity (109 Eq αToc/g flour). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Green Quantification Strategy Combined with Chemometric Analysis for Triglycerides in Seeds Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

PubMed

Hou, Jin-Jun; Guo, Ji-Ling; Cao, Chun-Mei; Yao, Shuai; Long, Hua-Li; Cai, Lu-Ying; Da, Juan; Wu, Wan-Ying; Guo, De-An

2018-04-01

Triglycerides are the primary constituents of some seed kernels used in traditional Chinese medicine. Quality control of seed kernels containing multiple components with an environmentally friendly method is indispensable for establishing their quality standards (called monographs) in pharmacopeia. Using coix seeds (Semen Coicis) as an example, a green quantification strategy was proposed by combining C 8 core-shell particles with single standard to determine multicomponent technologies to quantify seven triglycerides simultaneously. A core-shell column, namely, Halo C 8 (3.0 × 100 mm, 2.7 µm), was used. Methanol was used as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, enabling UV detection of the elutes. Seven triglycerides were well separated in 20 min, and simultaneously quantified using triolein as a single standard. The conversion factor for each standard was set as 1.0 on ELSD, while for the conversion factors at 203 nm, the values increased with the reduction of linoleate. The recovery values were all in the range of 97 - 107% (RSD < 3.0%). The RSD values of precision, including intraday and intermediate precision, were < 3.0% when the total content of triglycerides was calculated. The linearity reached r ≥ 0.9990, and the limit of quantitation reached 40 - 70 ng. Forty-nine batches of coix seeds from four different places of origins and eight batches of adulterants were evaluated and differentiated using principal component analysis. In addition, the validated method was used successfully to quantity seven triglycerides in Semen Persicae, Semen Armeniacae Amarum, and Semen Pruni. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Protein fold recognition using geometric kernel data fusion.

PubMed

Zakeri, Pooya; Jeuris, Ben; Vandebril, Raf; Moreau, Yves

2014-07-01

Various approaches based on features extracted from protein sequences and often machine learning methods have been used in the prediction of protein folds. Finding an efficient technique for integrating these different protein features has received increasing attention. In particular, kernel methods are an interesting class of techniques for integrating heterogeneous data. Various methods have been proposed to fuse multiple kernels. Most techniques for multiple kernel learning focus on learning a convex linear combination of base kernels. In addition to the limitation of linear combinations, working with such approaches could cause a loss of potentially useful information. We design several techniques to combine kernel matrices by taking more involved, geometry inspired means of these matrices instead of convex linear combinations. We consider various sequence-based protein features including information extracted directly from position-specific scoring matrices and local sequence alignment. We evaluate our methods for classification on the SCOP PDB-40D benchmark dataset for protein fold recognition. The best overall accuracy on the protein fold recognition test set obtained by our methods is ∼ 86.7%. This is an improvement over the results of the best existing approach. Moreover, our computational model has been developed by incorporating the functional domain composition of proteins through a hybridization model. It is observed that by using our proposed hybridization model, the protein fold recognition accuracy is further improved to 89.30%. Furthermore, we investigate the performance of our approach on the protein remote homology detection problem by fusing multiple string kernels. The MATLAB code used for our proposed geometric kernel fusion frameworks are publicly available at http://people.cs.kuleuven.be/∼raf.vandebril/homepage/software/geomean.php?menu=5/. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

Aflatoxin contamination of developing corn kernels.

PubMed

Amer, M A

2005-01-01

Preharvest of corn and its contamination with aflatoxin is a serious problem. Some environmental and cultural factors responsible for infection and subsequent aflatoxin production were investigated in this study. Stage of growth and location of kernels on corn ears were found to be one of the important factors in the process of kernel infection with A. flavus & A. parasiticus. The results showed positive correlation between the stage of growth and kernel infection. Treatment of corn with aflatoxin reduced germination, protein and total nitrogen contents. Total and reducing soluble sugar was increase in corn kernels as response to infection. Sucrose and protein content were reduced in case of both pathogens. Shoot system length, seeding fresh weigh and seedling dry weigh was also affected. Both pathogens induced reduction of starch content. Healthy corn seedlings treated with aflatoxin solution were badly affected. Their leaves became yellow then, turned brown with further incubation. Moreover, their total chlorophyll and protein contents showed pronounced decrease. On the other hand, total phenolic compounds were increased. Histopathological studies indicated that A. flavus & A. parasiticus could colonize corn silks and invade developing kernels. Germination of A. flavus spores was occurred and hyphae spread rapidly across the silk, producing extensive growth and lateral branching. Conidiophores and conidia had formed in and on the corn silk. Temperature and relative humidity greatly influenced the growth of A. flavus & A. parasiticus and aflatoxin production.

Integrated utilization of red radish seeds for the efficient production of seed oil and sulforaphene.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Zhou, Xing; Fu, Min

2016-02-01

Supercritical CO2 was used to obtain seed oil from red radish seeds. The influence of pressure, temperature, CO2 flow rate and time on extraction yield of oil were investigated in detail. The maximum extraction yield of oil was 92.07 ± 0.76% at the optimal extraction conditions. The physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of oil indicated that the seed oil can be used as a dietary oil. Meanwhile, the high purity sulforaphene (96.84 ± 0.17%) was separated by solvent extraction coupled with preparative high performance liquid chromatography from red radish seed meal. The initial pH, R, extraction temperature and extraction time for each cycle had a considerable influence both on the extraction yield and purity of sulforaphene of crude product. The extraction of oil was directly responsible for an increase of 18.32% in the yield of sulforaphene. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of volunteer rice infestation on rice yield and grain quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Volunteer rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a crop stand which emerges from shattered seeds of the previous crop. When present at sufficiently high levels, it can potentially affect the commercial market value of cultivated rice products, especially if it produces kernels with quality, uniformity, or size ...

Nitric oxide detoxification by Fusarium verticillioides flavohemoglobin and role in pathogenicity of maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fusarium verticillioides is a non-obligate plant pathogen of maize causing a number of specific diseases, including root rot, kernel rot, seed rot, stalk rot, and seedling blight. The saprophytic nature of this fungus, its production of the mycotoxin fumonisin, and complex relationship maize puts t...

Predicting seed dispersal using a Lagrangian Stochastic Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, C. I.; Chen, C. W.; Su, M. D.

2017-12-01

Migration and expansion of a plant species are determined by longdistance dispersion (LDD). A more sophisticated mechanical dispersion model is needed for mimicking LDD of wind-driven seeds. This study simulated seed dispersion trajectories in canopy turbulence by using the Lagrangian stochastic dispersion model under varying atmospheric stabilities in conjunction with the effects of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate intermittency. The effects of friction velocity, seed release height, and seed terminal velocity were also studied. The results showed that both the unstable atmosphere and the inclusion of the dissipation rate intermittency in the model could increase seeds' LDD. The number of seeds that escape the canopy volume by dissipation intermittency is increased under unstable atmospheric conditions. As a result, more seeds can be transported a further distance. When dissipation intermittency is included under astrong unstable atmosphere, the peak location of dispersal kernel tends to be closer to the source. Contrasting this, under both neutral and stable conditions when LDD of both are similar, the peak location will be further away from the source. However higher friction velocity, higher seed release height, and lower seed terminal velocity will all increase the LDD of seeds irregardless of atmospheric conditions. The change of LDD due to change in friction velocity, seed release height, or the seed terminal velocity, would be heightened under unstable conditions

Acute toxicity and genotoxic activity of avocado seed extract (Persea americana Mill., c.v. Hass).

PubMed

Padilla-Camberos, Eduardo; Martínez-Velázquez, Moisés; Flores-Fernández, José Miguel; Villanueva-Rodríguez, Socorro

2013-01-01

The use of vegetal extracts requires toxicological and genotoxic evaluations to establish and verify safety before being added to human cosmetic, pharmaceutical medicine, or alimentary products. Persea americana seeds have been used in traditional medicine as treatment for several diseases. In this work, the ethanolic seed extract of Persea americana was evaluated with respect to its genotoxic potential through micronucleus assay in rodents. The frequency of micronuclei in groups of animals treated with avocado seed extract showed no differences compared to the negative control (vehicle); therefore, it is considered that the avocado seed extract showed no genotoxic activity in the micronucleus test.

Acute Toxicity and Genotoxic Activity of Avocado Seed Extract (Persea americana Mill., c.v. Hass)

PubMed Central

Padilla-Camberos, Eduardo; Martínez-Velázquez, Moisés; Flores-Fernández, José Miguel; Villanueva-Rodríguez, Socorro

2013-01-01

The use of vegetal extracts requires toxicological and genotoxic evaluations to establish and verify safety before being added to human cosmetic, pharmaceutical medicine, or alimentary products. Persea americana seeds have been used in traditional medicine as treatment for several diseases. In this work, the ethanolic seed extract of Persea americana was evaluated with respect to its genotoxic potential through micronucleus assay in rodents. The frequency of micronuclei in groups of animals treated with avocado seed extract showed no differences compared to the negative control (vehicle); therefore, it is considered that the avocado seed extract showed no genotoxic activity in the micronucleus test. PMID:24298206

Extraction optimization of mucilage from Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Nazir, Sadaf; Wani, Idrees Ahmed; Masoodi, Farooq Ahmad

2017-05-01

Aqueous extraction of basil seed mucilage was optimized using response surface methodology. A Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) for modeling of three independent variables: temperature (40-91 °C); extraction time (1.6-3.3 h) and water/seed ratio (18:1-77:1) was used to study the response for yield. Experimental values for extraction yield ranged from 7.86 to 20.5 g/100 g. Extraction yield was significantly ( P  < 0.05) affected by all the variables. Temperature and water/seed ratio were found to have pronounced effect while the extraction time was found to have minor possible effects. Graphical optimization determined the optimal conditions for the extraction of mucilage. The optimal condition predicted an extraction yield of 20.49 g/100 g at 56.7 °C, 1.6 h, and a water/seed ratio of 66.84:1. Optimal conditions were determined to obtain highest extraction yield. Results indicated that water/seed ratio was the most significant parameter, followed by temperature and time.

Extraction optimization and nanoencapsulation of jujube pulp and seed for enhancing antioxidant activity.

PubMed

Han, Hye Jung; Lee, Ji-Soo; Park, Sun-Ah; Ahn, Jun-Bae; Lee, Hyeon Gyu

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to optimize extraction conditions for jujube pulp and seed in order to obtain maximum active ingredient yield and antioxidant activity, as well as to prepare chitosan nanoparticles loaded with jujube pulp and seed extracts for enhancing stability. The extraction conditions, i.e. temperature, time, and ethanol concentration, were optimized at the following respective values: 61.2 °C, 38 h, and 60.4% for pulp, and 58 °C, 34 h, and 59.2% for seed. The jujube nanoparticle size significantly increased with a higher chitosan/sodium tripolyphosphate ratio and extract concentration. Entrapment efficiency was greater than 80% regardless of preparation conditions. The stabilities of jujube pulp and seed extract in terms of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were effectively enhanced by nanoencapsulation. In conclusion, jujube pulp and seed extracts prepared using optimal conditions could be useful as a natural functional food ingredient with antioxidant activity, and nanoencapsulation can be used to improve the stability of jujube extract. Therefore, these results could be used to promote the utilization of not only jujube pulp but also seed, by product. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A multi-label learning based kernel automatic recommendation method for support vector machine.

PubMed

Zhang, Xueying; Song, Qinbao

2015-01-01

Choosing an appropriate kernel is very important and critical when classifying a new problem with Support Vector Machine. So far, more attention has been paid on constructing new kernels and choosing suitable parameter values for a specific kernel function, but less on kernel selection. Furthermore, most of current kernel selection methods focus on seeking a best kernel with the highest classification accuracy via cross-validation, they are time consuming and ignore the differences among the number of support vectors and the CPU time of SVM with different kernels. Considering the tradeoff between classification success ratio and CPU time, there may be multiple kernel functions performing equally well on the same classification problem. Aiming to automatically select those appropriate kernel functions for a given data set, we propose a multi-label learning based kernel recommendation method built on the data characteristics. For each data set, the meta-knowledge data base is first created by extracting the feature vector of data characteristics and identifying the corresponding applicable kernel set. Then the kernel recommendation model is constructed on the generated meta-knowledge data base with the multi-label classification method. Finally, the appropriate kernel functions are recommended to a new data set by the recommendation model according to the characteristics of the new data set. Extensive experiments over 132 UCI benchmark data sets, with five different types of data set characteristics, eleven typical kernels (Linear, Polynomial, Radial Basis Function, Sigmoidal function, Laplace, Multiquadric, Rational Quadratic, Spherical, Spline, Wave and Circular), and five multi-label classification methods demonstrate that, compared with the existing kernel selection methods and the most widely used RBF kernel function, SVM with the kernel function recommended by our proposed method achieved the highest classification performance.

A Multi-Label Learning Based Kernel Automatic Recommendation Method for Support Vector Machine

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xueying; Song, Qinbao

2015-01-01

Choosing an appropriate kernel is very important and critical when classifying a new problem with Support Vector Machine. So far, more attention has been paid on constructing new kernels and choosing suitable parameter values for a specific kernel function, but less on kernel selection. Furthermore, most of current kernel selection methods focus on seeking a best kernel with the highest classification accuracy via cross-validation, they are time consuming and ignore the differences among the number of support vectors and the CPU time of SVM with different kernels. Considering the tradeoff between classification success ratio and CPU time, there may be multiple kernel functions performing equally well on the same classification problem. Aiming to automatically select those appropriate kernel functions for a given data set, we propose a multi-label learning based kernel recommendation method built on the data characteristics. For each data set, the meta-knowledge data base is first created by extracting the feature vector of data characteristics and identifying the corresponding applicable kernel set. Then the kernel recommendation model is constructed on the generated meta-knowledge data base with the multi-label classification method. Finally, the appropriate kernel functions are recommended to a new data set by the recommendation model according to the characteristics of the new data set. Extensive experiments over 132 UCI benchmark data sets, with five different types of data set characteristics, eleven typical kernels (Linear, Polynomial, Radial Basis Function, Sigmoidal function, Laplace, Multiquadric, Rational Quadratic, Spherical, Spline, Wave and Circular), and five multi-label classification methods demonstrate that, compared with the existing kernel selection methods and the most widely used RBF kernel function, SVM with the kernel function recommended by our proposed method achieved the highest classification performance. PMID:25893896

Optimization for ultrasound-assisted extraction of polysaccharides with chemical composition and antioxidant activity from the Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch seeds.

PubMed

Zheng, Quan; Ren, Daoyuan; Yang, Nana; Yang, Xingbin

2016-10-01

Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch seeds polysaccharides have been reported to have a variety of important biological activities. However, effective extraction of Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch seeds polysaccharides is still an unsolved issue. In this study, the orthogonal rotatable central composite design was employed to optimize ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions of Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch seeds polysaccharides. Based on a single-factor analysis method, ultrasonic power, extraction time, solid-liquid ratio and extraction temperature were shown to significantly affect the yield of polysaccharides extracted from the A. sphaerocephala Krasch seeds. The optimal conditions for extraction of Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch seeds polysaccharides were determined as following: ultrasonic power 243W, extraction time 125min, solid-liquid ratio 64:1 and extraction temperature 64°C, where the experimental yield was 14.78%, which was well matched with the predicted value of 14.81%. Furthermore, ASKP was identified as a typical heteropolysaccharide with d-galacturonic acid (38.8%) d-galactose (20.2%) and d-xylose (15.5%) being the main constitutive monosaccharides. Moreover, Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch seeds polysaccharides exhibited high total reducing power and considerable scavenging activities on DPPH, hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel characterization method of impedance cardiography signals using time-frequency distributions.

PubMed

Escrivá Muñoz, Jesús; Pan, Y; Ge, S; Jensen, E W; Vallverdú, M

2018-03-16

The purpose of this document is to describe a methodology to select the most adequate time-frequency distribution (TFD) kernel for the characterization of impedance cardiography signals (ICG). The predominant ICG beat was extracted from a patient and was synthetized using time-frequency variant Fourier approximations. These synthetized signals were used to optimize several TFD kernels according to a performance maximization. The optimized kernels were tested for noise resistance on a clinical database. The resulting optimized TFD kernels are presented with their performance calculated using newly proposed methods. The procedure explained in this work showcases a new method to select an appropriate kernel for ICG signals and compares the performance of different time-frequency kernels found in the literature for the case of ICG signals. We conclude that, for ICG signals, the performance (P) of the spectrogram with either Hanning or Hamming windows (P = 0.780) and the extended modified beta distribution (P = 0.765) provided similar results, higher than the rest of analyzed kernels. Graphical abstract Flowchart for the optimization of time-frequency distribution kernels for impedance cardiography signals.

Detecting epileptic seizure with different feature extracting strategies using robust machine learning classification techniques by applying advance parameter optimization approach.

PubMed

Hussain, Lal

2018-06-01

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder produced due to abnormal excitability of neurons in the brain. The research reveals that brain activity is monitored through electroencephalogram (EEG) of patients suffered from seizure to detect the epileptic seizure. The performance of EEG detection based epilepsy require feature extracting strategies. In this research, we have extracted varying features extracting strategies based on time and frequency domain characteristics, nonlinear, wavelet based entropy and few statistical features. A deeper study was undertaken using novel machine learning classifiers by considering multiple factors. The support vector machine kernels are evaluated based on multiclass kernel and box constraint level. Likewise, for K-nearest neighbors (KNN), we computed the different distance metrics, Neighbor weights and Neighbors. Similarly, the decision trees we tuned the paramours based on maximum splits and split criteria and ensemble classifiers are evaluated based on different ensemble methods and learning rate. For training/testing tenfold Cross validation was employed and performance was evaluated in form of TPR, NPR, PPV, accuracy and AUC. In this research, a deeper analysis approach was performed using diverse features extracting strategies using robust machine learning classifiers with more advanced optimal options. Support Vector Machine linear kernel and KNN with City block distance metric give the overall highest accuracy of 99.5% which was higher than using the default parameters for these classifiers. Moreover, highest separation (AUC = 0.9991, 0.9990) were obtained at different kernel scales using SVM. Additionally, the K-nearest neighbors with inverse squared distance weight give higher performance at different Neighbors. Moreover, to distinguish the postictal heart rate oscillations from epileptic ictal subjects, and highest performance of 100% was obtained using different machine learning classifiers.

Utility of Milk Coagulant Enzyme of Moringa oleifera Seed in Cheese Production from Soy and Skim Milks

PubMed Central

Sánchez-Muñoz, María Alejandra; Valdez-Solana, Mónica Andrea; Avitia-Domínguez, Claudia; Ramírez-Baca, Patricia; Candelas-Cadillo, María Guadalupe; Aguilera-Ortíz, Miguel; Meza-Velázquez, Jorge Armando; Téllez-Valencia, Alfredo; Sierra-Campos, Erick

2017-01-01

In this study, the potential use of Moringa oleifera as a clotting agent of different types of milk (whole, skim, and soy milk) was investigated. M. oleifera seed extract showed high milk-clotting activity followed by flower extract. Specific clotting activity of seed extract was 200 times higher than that of flower extract. Seed extract is composed by four main protein bands (43.6, 32.2, 19.4, and 16.3 kDa). Caseinolytic activity assessed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and tyrosine quantification, showed a high extent of casein degradation using M. oleifera seed extract. Milk soy cheese was soft and creamy, while skim milk cheese was hard and crumbly. According to these results, it is concluded that seed extract of M. oleifera generates suitable milk clotting activity for cheesemaking. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report comparative data of M. oleifera milk clotting activity between different types of soy milk. PMID:28783066

Utility of Milk Coagulant Enzyme of Moringa oleifera Seed in Cheese Production from Soy and Skim Milks.

PubMed

Sánchez-Muñoz, María Alejandra; Valdez-Solana, Mónica Andrea; Avitia-Domínguez, Claudia; Ramírez-Baca, Patricia; Candelas-Cadillo, María Guadalupe; Aguilera-Ortíz, Miguel; Meza-Velázquez, Jorge Armando; Téllez-Valencia, Alfredo; Sierra-Campos, Erick

2017-08-05

In this study, the potential use of Moringa oleifera as a clotting agent of different types of milk (whole, skim, and soy milk) was investigated. M. oleifera seed extract showed high milk-clotting activity followed by flower extract. Specific clotting activity of seed extract was 200 times higher than that of flower extract. Seed extract is composed by four main protein bands (43.6, 32.2, 19.4, and 16.3 kDa). Caseinolytic activity assessed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and tyrosine quantification, showed a high extent of casein degradation using M. oleifera seed extract. Milk soy cheese was soft and creamy, while skim milk cheese was hard and crumbly. According to these results, it is concluded that seed extract of M. oleifera generates suitable milk clotting activity for cheesemaking. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report comparative data of M. oleifera milk clotting activity between different types of soy milk.

[Effect of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seed extracts on seed germination and seedling growth of different Codonopsis pilosula caltiver].

PubMed

Guo, Feng-Xia; Wu, Zhi-Jiang; Chen, Yuan; Xi, Zhuo-Xia; Zhang, Xiao-Hu; Yao, Li-Rong; Chen, Xiang

2012-11-01

To reveal the allelopathy effect of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds and provide information for the intercrop production. The A. membranaceus. var. mongholicus seeds were soaked in distilled water for different time (12, 24, 36, 48, 60 h) , and then the seed extracts were used to study their effects on the seed germination, seedling growth and development of two Codonopsis pilosula. The A. membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds contained some allelopathy compounds. Their soaked liquid had significantly influence on the seed germination and seedling growth of C. pilosula. The seed germination rate, germination power, germination index and vigor index of two C. pilosula calrivar were improved and then inhabited with soaking time elongation. The extract soaking for 24 h significantly improved the germination traits but the extract for 60 h appeared different degrees of inhibiting vigor. The seed extracts soaking ranging between 12 and 60 h all significantly improved the above plant growth of C. pilosula but significant inhibited their radicle growth in length. And with the soaking time elongation the facilitation effect weakened and the inhibiting effect enhanced, especially more significant in the C. pilosula caltivar (Baitiaodangshen). The A. membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds have allelopathic compounds and the endogenous inhibitor can be extracted when soaked for more than 24 h in water with intact seeds, resulting in improvement of seed germination rate. The C. pilosula could be intercropped in A. membranaceus var. mongholicus field, however, when intercroped it should notice that the intercrop proportion should vary with the caltivar.

New design of experiment combined with UV-Vis spectroscopy for extraction and estimation of polyphenols from Basil seeds, Red seeds, Sesame seeds and Ajwan seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabood, Fazal; Gilani, Syed Abdullah; Hussain, Javid; Alshidani, Sulaiman; Alghawi, Said; Albroumi, Mohammed; Alameri, Saif; Jabeen, Farah; Hussain, Zahid; Al-Harrasi, Ahmed; Al Abri, Zahra K. M.; Farooq, Saima; Naureen, Zakira; Hamaed, Ahmad; Rasul Jan, M.; Shah, Jasmin

2017-05-01

New experimental designs for the extraction of polyphenols from different seeds including Basil seed, Red seed, Sesame seeds and Ajwan seeds were investigated. Four variables the concentration and volume of methanol and NaOH solutions as well as the temperature and time of extraction were varied to see their effect on total phenol extraction. The temperature was varied in the range from 25 °C to 200 °C while the time in the range from 30 to 200 minutes. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the extraction parameters. The estimation of polyphenols was measured through phenols reduction UV-Vis spectroscopic method of phosphotungstic-phosphomolybdic acids (Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent). Calibration curve was made by using tannic acid as a polyphenols standard in the concentration range from 0.1 to 10 ppm. The regression line obtained shows the value of correlation coefficient i.e. R = 0.930 and Root mean square error of cross validation (RMSEC) value of 0.0654. The Basil seeds were found containing the highest amount of total phenols i.e. 785.76 mg/100 g. While the Sesame seeds having the least amount i.e. 33.08 mg/100 g. The Ajwan seeds and the Red seeds are containing the medium amounts i.e. 379 mg/100 g and 220.54 mg/100 g respectively.

Impact of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) extracts upon reserve mobilization and energy metabolism in germinating mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seeds.

PubMed

Kupidłowska, Ewa; Gniazdowska, Agnieszka; Stepień, Joanna; Corbineau, Francoise; Vinel, Dominique; Skoczowski, Andrzej; Janeczko, Anna; Bogatek, Renata

2006-12-01

One commonly observed effect of phytotoxic compounds is the inhibition or delay of germination of sensitive seeds. Mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seeds were incubated with aqueous extracts of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) leaves. Although sunflower phytotoxins did not influence seed viability, extracts completely inhibited seed germination. Inhibition of germination was associated with alterations in reserve mobilization and generation of energy in the catabolic phase of germination. Degradation of lipids was suppressed by sunflower foliar extracts resulting in insufficient carbohydrate supply. The lack of respiratory substrates and decrease in energy (ATP) generation resulted in suppression of the anabolic phase of seed germination and ultimately growth inhibition.

Influence of grape seed extract and zinc containing multivitamin-mineral nutritional food supplement on lipid profile in normal and diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats.

PubMed

Satyam, Shakta Mani; Bairy, Laxminarayana Kurady; Pirasanthan, Rajadurai

2014-12-01

Zincovit tablet is combination of grape seed extract and zinc containing multivitamin-mineral nutritional food supplement. To investigate the influence of single combined formulation of grape seed extract and zinc containing multivitamin-mineral nutritional food supplement tablets (Zincovit) on lipid profile in normal and diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Anti-hyperlipidemic activity of combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablets doses ranged from 40 to 160 mg/kg, p.o. was evaluated in normal and diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Hypercholesterolemic animals treated with combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablets (nutritional food supplement) at 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg exhibited drastic decrease in serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, VLDL-C and rise of HDL-C in comparison to hypercholesterolemic control group animals. The anti-hyperlipidemic effect of single combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablet was comparable with the standard drug atorvastatin treated animals and the variations were statistically non-significant. There was no significant impact of combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablets on lipid profile among normal animals in comparison with normal control group. The present study demonstrated that the single combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablet is the potential functional nutritional food supplements that could offer a novel therapeutic opportunity against diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in Wistar rats.

Evaluation and Comparison of the Antibacterial Activity against Streptococcus mutans of Grape Seed Extract at Different Concentrations with Chlorhexidine Gluconate: An in vitro Study.

PubMed

Swadas, Milan; Dave, Bhavna; Vyas, Soham M; Shah, Nupur

2016-01-01

Streptococcus mutans has been implicated as primary microorganisms which cause dental caries in humans. There has been an increased interest in the therapeutic properties of some medicinal plants and natural compounds which have demonstrated antibacterial activities. Grape is one of the plants of this group which contains tannin and polyphenolic compound. To evaluate and compare antibacterial activity of grape seed extract at different concentrations with chlorhexidine gluconate against S. mutans. Grape seeds were extracted with ethanol/water ratio of 70:30 volume/volume. The extracts were filtered through Whatman No. 1 filter paper until it becomes colorless. Streptococcus mutans strains were taken. To check the antimicrobial properties of grape seed extract at different concentration and chlorhexidine gluconate, they were added to S. mutans strain and incubated for 48 hours than colony-forming units/mL were checked. Grape seed extract at higher concentration were found to be more potent against S. mutans. Chlorhexidine gluconate was found to have most potent antibacterial action compared to all different concentrations of grape seed extract. Grape seed extract as a natural antimicrobial compound has inhibitory effect against S. mutans. Swadas M, Dave B, Vyas SM, Shah N. Evaluation and Comparison of the Antibacterial Activity against Streptococcus mutans of Grape Seed Extract at Different Concentrations with Chlorhexidine Gluconate: An in vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2016;9(3):181-185.

UHPLC/HRMS analysis of African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) seeds, seed extracts, and African mango based dietary supplements

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Dietary Supplements based on extract from Irvingia gabonensis (African Mango, or AM) seeds are one of the popular herbal weight loss dietary supplements in the US market. The extract from the AM seeds is believed to be a natural and healthy way to lose weight and improve overall health. However, the...

A Frequency-List of Sentence Structures: Distribution of Kernel Sentences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geens, Dirk

1974-01-01

A corpus of 10,000 sentences extracted from British theatrical texts was used to construct a frequency list of kernel sentence structures. Thirty-one charts illustrate the analyzed results. The procedures used and an interpretation of the frequencies are given. Such lists might aid foreign language teachers in course organization. Available from…

Grape Seed Extract Dose-Responsively Decreases Disease Severity in a Rat Model of Mucositis; Concomitantly Enhancing Chemotherapeutic Effectiveness in Colon Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Cheah, Ker Yeaw; Howarth, Gordon Stanley; Bastian, Susan Elaine Putnam

2014-01-01

Objective Mucositis is a serious disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that results from cancer chemotherapy. We investigated the effects of increasing grape seed extract doses on the severity of chemotherapy in a rat model and its coincident impact on chemotherapeutic effectiveness in colon cancer cells. Design Female Dark Agouti rats were gavaged with grape seed extract (400–1000 mg/kg) or water (day 3–11) and were injected intraperitoneally with 5-Fluorouracil (150 mg/kg) or saline (control) on day 9 to induce mucositis. Daily metabolic data were collected and rats were sacrificed on day 12. Intestinal tissues were collected for histological and myeloperoxidase analyses. Caco-2 cell viability was examined in response to grape seed extract in combination with 5-Fluorouracil by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) assay. Results Compared with 5-Fluorouracil controls, grape seed extract (400–1000 mg/kg) significantly decreased the histological damage score (P<0.05) in the jejunum. Grape seed extract (1000 mg/kg) increased jejunal crypt depth by 25% (P<0.05) in 5-Fluorouracil treated rats compared to 5-Fluorouracil controls, and attenuated the 5-Fluorouracil -induced reduction of mucosal thickness (25%, P<0.05). Grape seed extract (600 mg/kg) decreased myeloperoxidase activity by 55% (P<0.01) compared to 5-Fluorouracil controls. Grape seed extract was more effective at ameliorating 5-Fluorouracil induced intestinal injury, with effects most pronounced in the proximal jejunum. Grape seed extract (10–25 ug/mL) significantly enhanced the growth-inhibitory effects of 5-Fluorouracil by 26% (P<0.05) in Caco-2 cells and was more potent than 5-Fluorouracil at 50–100 µg/mL. Conclusion Grape seed extract may represent a new therapeutic option to decrease the symptoms of intestinal mucositis while concurrently impacting on the viability of colon cancer cells. PMID:24465501

7 CFR 301.89-12 - Cleaning, disinfection, and disposal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... indica must be cleaned and disinfected in accordance with § 301.89-13 prior to being used in the conditioning of seed that has tested negative for the spores of Tilletia indica or to being moved from a... move bunted-kernel-positive host crops, including trucks, railroad cars, and other containers, that...

Wide Variability in Seed Characteristics, Kernel Quality, and Zein Profiles Among Diverse Maize Inbreds, Landraces, and Teosinte

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

All crop species have been domesticated from their wild relatives, and geneticists are just now beginning to understand the genetic consequences of artificial (human) selection on agronomic traits that are relevant today. The major consequence is severe reduction in genetic diversity for genes unde...

40 CFR 112.10 - Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan requirements for onshore oil drilling and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Marine Mammal Oils; and Vegetable Oils (Including Oils from Seeds, Nuts, Fruits, and Kernels) § 112.10... Countermeasure Plan requirements for onshore oil drilling and workover facilities. 112.10 Section 112.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION...

40 CFR 112.10 - Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan requirements for onshore oil drilling and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Marine Mammal Oils; and Vegetable Oils (Including Oils from Seeds, Nuts, Fruits, and Kernels) § 112.10... Countermeasure Plan requirements for onshore oil drilling and workover facilities. 112.10 Section 112.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION...

Vorticity generation and jetting caused by a laser-induced optical breakdown

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jonathan; Buchta, David; Freund, Jonathan

2017-11-01

A focused laser can cause optical breakdown of a gas that absorbs energy and can seed ignition. The local hydrodynamics are complex. The breakdown is observed to produce vorticity that subsequently collects into a jetting flow towards the laser source. The strength and the very direction of the jet is observed to be sensitive to the plasma kernel geometry. We use detailed numerical simulations to examine the short-time (< 1 μ s) dynamics leading to this vorticity and jetting. The simulation employs a two-temperature model, free-electron generation by multi-photon ionization, absorption of laser energy by inverse Bremsstrahlung, and 11 charged and neutral species for air. We quantify the early-time contributions of different thermodynamic and gas-dynamic effects to the baroclinic torque. It is found that the breakdown produces compression waves within the plasma kernel, and that the mismatch in their strengths precipitates the involution of the plasma remnants and yields the net vorticity that ultimately develops into the jet. We also quantify the temperature distribution and local strain rates and demonstrate their importance in seeding ignition in non-homogeneous hydrogen/air mixtures.

Antifungal activities of ethanolic extract from Jatropha curcas seed cake.

PubMed

Saetae, Dolaporn; Suntornsuk, Worapot

2010-02-01

Phorbol ester extraction was carried out from Jatropha curcas seed cake, a by-product from the bio-diesel fuel industry. Four repeated extractions from 5 g J. curcas seed cake using 15 ml of 90% (v/v) ethanol and a shaking speed of 150 rev/min gave the highest yield of phosbol esters. The ethanolic extract of J. curcas seed cake showed antifungal activities against important phytofungal pathogens: Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium aphanidermatum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium semitectum, Colletotrichum capsici and Colletotrichum gloeosporiodes. The extract contained phorbol esters mainly responsible for antifungal activities. The extract could therefore be used as an antifungal agent for agricultural applications.

Aspects of the antimicrobial efficacy of grapefruit seed extract and its relation to preservative substances contained.

PubMed

von Woedtke, T; Schlüter, B; Pflegel, P; Lindequist, U; Jülich, W D

1999-06-01

The antimicrobial efficacy as well as the content of preservative agents of six commercially available grapefruit seed extracts were examined. Five of the six extracts showed a high growth inhibiting activity against the test germs Bacillus subtilis SBUG 14, Micrococcus flavus SBUG 16, Staphylococcus aureus SBUG 11, Serratia marcescens SBUG 9, Escherichia coli SBUG 17, Proteus mirabilis SBUG 47, and Candida maltosa SBUG 700. In all of the antimicrobial active grapefruit seed extracts, the preservative benzethonium chloride was detected by thin layer chromatography. Additionally, three extracts contained the preserving substances triclosan and methyl parabene. In only one of the grapefruit seed extracts tested no preservative agent was found. However, with this extract as well as with several self-made extracts from seed and juiceless pulp of grapefruits (Citrus paradisi) no antimicrobial activity could be detected (standard serial broth dilution assay, agar diffusion test). Thus, it is concluded that the potent as well as nearly universal antimicrobial activity being attributed to grapefruit seed extract is merely due to the synthetic preservative agents contained within. Natural products with antimicrobial activity do not appear to be present.

Allelopathic Activity of Extracts from Different Brazilian Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Cultivars on Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and Weed Plants

PubMed Central

Garcia, R.; Simas, N. K.

2017-01-01

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is the fourth most consumed oleaginous plant in the world, producing seeds with high contents of lipids, proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates. Biological activities of different extracts of this species have already been evaluated by many researchers, including antioxidant, antitumoral, and antibacterial. In this work, the allelopathic activity of extracts from different Brazilian peanut cultivars against lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and two weed plants (Commelina benghalensis and Ipomoea nil) was studied. Aerial parts, roots, seeds, and seed coats were used for the preparation of crude extracts. Seed extract partitioning was performed with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous residue. Germination and growth of hypocotyls and rootlets were evaluated after one and five days of incubation with plant extracts, respectively. Crude seed extract and its dichloromethanic partition displayed highest allelopathic activity. These results contribute for the study of new potential natural herbicides. PMID:28396881

Allelopathic Activity of Extracts from Different Brazilian Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Cultivars on Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and Weed Plants.

PubMed

Casimiro, G S; Mansur, E; Pacheco, G; Garcia, R; Leal, I C R; Simas, N K

2017-01-01

Peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) is the fourth most consumed oleaginous plant in the world, producing seeds with high contents of lipids, proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates. Biological activities of different extracts of this species have already been evaluated by many researchers, including antioxidant, antitumoral, and antibacterial. In this work, the allelopathic activity of extracts from different Brazilian peanut cultivars against lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and two weed plants ( Commelina benghalensis and Ipomoea nil ) was studied. Aerial parts, roots, seeds, and seed coats were used for the preparation of crude extracts. Seed extract partitioning was performed with n -hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n -butanol, and aqueous residue. Germination and growth of hypocotyls and rootlets were evaluated after one and five days of incubation with plant extracts, respectively. Crude seed extract and its dichloromethanic partition displayed highest allelopathic activity. These results contribute for the study of new potential natural herbicides.

Study of optimal extraction conditions for achieving high yield and antioxidant activity of tomato seed oil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato seeds resulting from tomato processing by-product have not been effectively utilized as value-added products. This study investigated the kinetics of oil extraction from tomato seeds and sought to optimize the oil extraction conditions. The oil was extracted by using hexane as solvent for 0 t...

Determination colchicine content in aquadest-extracted Gloriosa superba seed from Sukoharjo and Gunung Kidul

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmawati, S. I.; Susilowati, A.; Yunus, A.; Widyastuti, Y.

2018-03-01

Colchicine is a toxic alkaloid compound from the Colchicum autumnale plant. Colchicine can be used in agriculture as anti-mitosis in the procurement of plants with polyploid cells. Gloriosa superba is an herb contains colchicine as a mutagen (polyploid) potential in its parts, especially in the seeds. The aims of this research were to determine colchicine content from aquadest-extracted Gloriosa superba seed obtained from Sukoharjo and Gunung Kidul. Gloriosa superba seed samples were obtained naturally in January - April 2017. Samples were divided into immature seed samples from Mulur, Sukoharjo, Central Java and old seed samples from Krakal Beach, Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. Extraction seeds of Gloriosa superba using the maceration method with aquadest solvent (1: 1). Determination content of colchicine extract using TLC-Densitometry method. The results indicated that colchicine content of old seed Gloriosa superba samples 37,6 μg/μl (± 6,63) higher than colchicine content of immature seed Gloriosa superba samples 12,84 μg/μl (± 2,88)

Detection of ochratoxin A contamination in stored wheat using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senthilkumar, T.; Jayas, D. S.; White, N. D. G.; Fields, P. G.; Gräfenhan, T.

2017-03-01

Near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging system was used to detect five concentration levels of ochratoxin A (OTA) in contaminated wheat kernels. The wheat kernels artificially inoculated with two different OTA producing Penicillium verrucosum strains, two different non-toxigenic P. verrucosum strains, and sterile control wheat kernels were subjected to NIR hyperspectral imaging. The acquired three-dimensional data were reshaped into readable two-dimensional data. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to the two dimensional data to identify the key wavelengths which had greater significance in detecting OTA contamination in wheat. Statistical and histogram features extracted at the key wavelengths were used in the linear, quadratic and Mahalanobis statistical discriminant models to differentiate between sterile control, five concentration levels of OTA contamination in wheat kernels, and five infection levels of non-OTA producing P. verrucosum inoculated wheat kernels. The classification models differentiated sterile control samples from OTA contaminated wheat kernels and non-OTA producing P. verrucosum inoculated wheat kernels with a 100% accuracy. The classification models also differentiated between five concentration levels of OTA contaminated wheat kernels and between five infection levels of non-OTA producing P. verrucosum inoculated wheat kernels with a correct classification of more than 98%. The non-OTA producing P. verrucosum inoculated wheat kernels and OTA contaminated wheat kernels subjected to hyperspectral imaging provided different spectral patterns.

Moisture Sorption Isotherms and Properties of Sorbed Water of Neem ( Azadirichta indica A. Juss) Kernels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngono Mbarga, M. C.; Bup Nde, D.; Mohagir, A.; Kapseu, C.; Elambo Nkeng, G.

2017-01-01

A neem tree growing abundantly in India as well as in some regions of Asia and Africa gives fruits whose kernels have about 40-50% oil. This oil has high therapeutic and cosmetic qualities and is recently projected to be an important raw material for the production of biodiesel. Its seed is harvested at high moisture contents, which leads tohigh post-harvest losses. In the paper, the sorption isotherms are determined by the static gravimetric method at 40, 50, and 60°C to establish a database useful in defining drying and storage conditions of neem kernels. Five different equations are validated for modeling the sorption isotherms of neem kernels. The properties of sorbed water, such as the monolayer moisture content, surface area of adsorbent, number of adsorbed monolayers, and the percent of bound water are also defined. The critical moisture content necessary for the safe storage of dried neem kernels is shown to range from 5 to 10% dry basis, which can be obtained at a relative humidity less than 65%. The isosteric heats of sorption at 5% moisture content are 7.40 and 22.5 kJ/kg for the adsorption and desorption processes, respectively. This work is the first, to the best of our knowledge, to give the important parameters necessary for drying and storage of neem kernels, a potential raw material for the production of oil to be used in pharmaceutics, cosmetics, and biodiesel manufacturing.

Fatty acid composition and antioxidant activity of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) seed oil extracted by optimized supercritical carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Wang, Yuefei; Sun, Da; Chen, Hao; Qian, Lisheng; Xu, Ping

2011-01-01

Seeds are another product in addition to leaves (raw materials for teas) of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plant. The great increase of tea consumption in recent years raises the challenge of finding commercial applications for tea seeds. In the present study, supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) extraction edible oil from tea seed was carried out, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize processing parameters including time (20-90 min), temperature (35-45 °C) and pressure (50-90 MPa). The fatty acid composition and antioxidant activity of the extracted oil was also investigated. The highest yield of oil (29.2 ± 0.6%) was obtained under optimal SC-CO(2) extraction conditions (45 °C, 89.7 min and 32 MPa, respectively), which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that (25.3 ± 1.0%) given by Soxhlet extraction. Meanwhile, tea seed oil extracted by SC-CO(2) contained approximately 80% unsaturated fatty acids and showed a much stronger scavenging ability on the DPPH radical than that extracted by Soxhlet. SC-CO(2) is a promising alternative for efficient extraction of edible oil from tea seed. Moreover, tea seed oil extracted by SC-CO(2) is highly edible and has good antioxidant activity, and therefore may play a potential role as a health-promoting food resource in human diets.

Fatty Acid Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Seed Oil Extracted by Optimized Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuefei; Sun, Da; Chen, Hao; Qian, Lisheng; Xu, Ping

2011-01-01

Seeds are another product in addition to leaves (raw materials for teas) of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plant. The great increase of tea consumption in recent years raises the challenge of finding commercial applications for tea seeds. In the present study, supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction edible oil from tea seed was carried out, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize processing parameters including time (20–90 min), temperature (35–45 °C) and pressure (50–90 MPa). The fatty acid composition and antioxidant activity of the extracted oil was also investigated. The highest yield of oil (29.2 ± 0.6%) was obtained under optimal SC-CO2 extraction conditions (45 °C, 89.7 min and 32 MPa, respectively), which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that (25.3 ± 1.0%) given by Soxhlet extraction. Meanwhile, tea seed oil extracted by SC-CO2 contained approximately 80% unsaturated fatty acids and showed a much stronger scavenging ability on the DPPH radical than that extracted by Soxhlet. SC-CO2 is a promising alternative for efficient extraction of edible oil from tea seed. Moreover, tea seed oil extracted by SC-CO2 is highly edible and has good antioxidant activity, and therefore may play a potential role as a health-promoting food resource in human diets. PMID:22174626

New design of experiment combined with UV-Vis spectroscopy for extraction and estimation of polyphenols from Basil seeds, Red seeds, Sesame seeds and Ajwan seeds.

PubMed

Mabood, Fazal; Gilani, Syed Abdullah; Hussain, Javid; Alshidani, Sulaiman; Alghawi, Said; Albroumi, Mohammed; Alameri, Saif; Jabeen, Farah; Hussain, Zahid; Al-Harrasi, Ahmed; Al Abri, Zahra K M; Farooq, Saima; Naureen, Zakira; Hamaed, Ahmad; Rasul Jan, M; Shah, Jasmin

2017-05-05

New experimental designs for the extraction of polyphenols from different seeds including Basil seed, Red seed, Sesame seeds and Ajwan seeds were investigated. Four variables the concentration and volume of methanol and NaOH solutions as well as the temperature and time of extraction were varied to see their effect on total phenol extraction. The temperature was varied in the range from 25°C to 200°C while the time in the range from 30 to 200minutes. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the extraction parameters. The estimation of polyphenols was measured through phenols reduction UV-Vis spectroscopic method of phosphotungstic-phosphomolybdic acids (Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent). Calibration curve was made by using tannic acid as a polyphenols standard in the concentration range from 0.1 to 10ppm. The regression line obtained shows the value of correlation coefficient i.e. R=0.930 and Root mean square error of cross validation (RMSEC) value of 0.0654. The Basil seeds were found containing the highest amount of total phenols i.e. 785.76mg/100g. While the Sesame seeds having the least amount i.e. 33.08mg/100g. The Ajwan seeds and the Red seeds are containing the medium amounts i.e. 379mg/100g and 220.54mg/100g respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial variation in post-dispersal seed removal in an Atlantic forest: Effects of habitat, location and guilds of seed predators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christianini, Alexander V.; Galetti, Mauro

2007-11-01

Studies of post-dispersal seed removal in the Neotropics have rarely examined the magnitude of seed removal by different types of granivores. The relative impact of invertebrates, small rodents, and birds on seed removal was investigated in a 2,178 ha Atlantic forest fragment in southeastern Brazil. We used popcorn kernels ( Zea mays—Poaceae) to investigate seed removal in a series of selective exclosure treatments in a replicated, paired design experiment that included forest understory, gaps, and forest edge sites. We recorded the vegetation around the experimental seed stations in detail in order to evaluate the influence of microhabitat traits on seed removal. Vertebrate granivores (rodents and birds) were surveyed to determine whether granivore abundance was correlated with seed removal levels. Seed removal varied spatially and in unpredictable ways at the study site. Seed encounter and seed use varied with treatments, but not with habitat type. However, seed removal by invertebrates was negatively correlated with gap-related traits, which suggested an avoidance of large gaps by granivorous ants. The abundance of small mammals was remarkably low, but granivorous birds (tinamous and doves) were abundant at the study site. Birds were the main seed consumers in open treatments, but there was no correlation between local granivorous bird abundance and seed removal. These results emphasize the stochastic spatial pattern of seed removal, and, contrary to previous studies, highlight the importance of birds as seed predators in forest habitats.

Improvement of efficiency of oil extraction from wild apricot kernels by using enzymes.

PubMed

Bisht, Tejpal Singh; Sharma, Satish Kumar; Sati, Ramesh Chandra; Rao, Virendra Kumar; Yadav, Vijay Kumar; Dixit, Anil Kumar; Sharma, Ashok Kumar; Chopra, Chandra Shekhar

2015-03-01

An experiment was conducted to evaluate and standardize the protocol for enhancing recovery of oil and quality from cold pressed wild apricot kernels by using various enzymes. Wild apricot kernels were ground into powder in a grinder. Different lots of 3 kg powdered kernel were prepared and treated with different concentrations of enzyme solutions viz. Pectazyme (Pectinase), Mashzyme (Cellulase) and Pectazyme + Mashzyme. Kernel powder mixed with enzyme solutions were kept for 2 h at 50(±2) °C temperature for enzymatic treatment before its use for oil extraction through oil expeller. Results indicate that use of enzymes resulted in enhancement of oil recovery by 9.00-14.22 %. Maximum oil recovery was observed at 0.3-0.4 % enzyme concentration for both the enzymes individually, as well as in combination. All the three enzymatic treatments resulted in increasing oil yield. However, with 0.3 % (Pectazyme + Mashzyme) combination, maximum oil recovery of 47.33 % could be observed against were 33.11 % in control. The oil content left (wasted) in the cake and residue were reduced from 11.67 and 11.60 % to 7.31 and 2.72 % respectively, thus showing a high increase in efficiency of oil recovery from wild apricot kernels. Quality characteristics indicate that the oil quality was not adversely affected by enzymatic treatment. It was concluded treatment of powdered wild apricot kernels with 0.3 % (Pectazyme + Mashzyme) combination was highly effective in increasing oil recovery by 14.22 % without adversely affecting the quality and thus may be commercially used by the industry for reducing wastage of highly precious oil in the cake.

Allelopathic effects of weeds extracts against seed germination of some plants.

PubMed

Kadioglu, Izzet; Yanar, Yusuf; Asav, Unal

2005-04-01

This study investigated the allelopathic effects of various weeds extracts on seed germination of 11 crop species. Most of the weed extracts tested had inhibitory effects on seed germination of common bean, tomato, pepper, squash, onion, barley, wheat, and corn at different application rates as compared with the 10% acetone control. Chickpea seed germination was inhibited by extracts of Solanum nigrum L., Chenopodium album L., and Matricaria chamomilla L. (10%, 20% and 22.5%, respectively) at the end of 21 day incubation period. However, Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers., and Reseda lutea L. extracts stimulated chickpea seed germination at the rates of 95%, 94%, and 93%, respectively, compared to control. It was concluded that some of the weed extracts tested in this study could be used as inhibitor while others could be used as stimulator for the crops.

Viability of Cabralea canjerana extracts to control the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus

PubMed Central

Magrini, Flaviane Eva; Specht, Alexandre; Gaio, Juliano; Girelli, Cristiane Priscila; Migues, Ignacio; Heinzen, Horacio; Sartori, Valdirene Camatti; Cesio, Veronica

2014-01-01

Abstract Several representatives of Meliaceae contain biologically active compounds that are toxic to insects with few negative effects on the environment and humans. Our study evaluated the activity of ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts from the fruit and seeds of Cabralea canjerana (Vellozo) Mart (Sapindales: Meliaceae) on Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Limonoids and triterpenes were detected in fruit and seed extracts. Each extract was added to an artificial diet at three concentrations and tested after 24, 48, and 72 hr of extract application. Ethyl acetate extracts were the most active ones and showed the effect of both dose and time elapses after application on the insects. The highest toxic effect on A. fraterculus adults was from ethyl acetate extracts from fruit, followed by extracts from seeds. These extracts showed antifeedant activities. Extract solutions sprinkled on fruits of Carica papaya (L.) (Brassicales: Caricaceae) caused oviposition repellency and negatively affected the biological development of A. fraterculus . Ethyl acetate extracts highly hampered oviposition, but seed extracts showed lesser oviposition deterrence. The fruit and seed extracts diminished pupal viability. Particularly, the ethyl acetate fruit extract caused malformed adults. The sex ratio was also affected, resulting in female predominance for the fruit extract, while the seed extract showed a dose-dependent effect. Low doses caused male abundance, but at higher concentrations the effect was reversed. These encouraging results showed that the C. canjerana extracts have great potential as new tools to be used in integrated pest management programs to protect fruits against A. fraterculus . PMID:25373194

Antibacterial efficacy of Mangifera indica L. kernel and Ocimum sanctum L. leaves against Enterococcus faecalis dentinal biofilm

PubMed Central

Subbiya, Arunajatesan; Mahalakshmi, Krishnan; Pushpangadan, Sivan; Padmavathy, Kesavaram; Vivekanandan, Paramasivam; Sukumaran, Vridhachalam Ganapathy

2013-01-01

Introduction: The Enterococcus faecalis biofilm in the root canal makes it difficult to be eradicated by the conventional irrigants with no toxicity to the tissues. Hence, plant products with least side effects are explored for their use as irrigants in the root canal therapy. Aim: To evaluate and compare the antibacterial efficacy of Mangifera indica L. kernel (mango kernel) and Ocimum sanctum L. leaves (tulsi) extracts with conventional irrigants (5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and 2% chlorhexidine) against E. faecalis dentinal biofilm. Materials and Methods: Agar diffusion and broth microdilution assay was performed with the herbal extracts and conventional irrigants (2% chlorhexidine and 5% NaOCl) against E. faecalis planktonic cells. The assay was extended onto 3 week E. faecalis dentinal biofilm. Results: Significant reduction of colony forming units (CFU)/mL was observed for the herbal groups and the antibacterial activity of the herbal groups was at par with 5% NaOCl. Conclusions: The antibacterial activity of these herbal extracts is found to be comparable with that of conventional irrigants both on the biofilm and planktonic counterparts. PMID:24082577

Characterization of Jamaican Delonix regia and Cassia fistula Seed Extracts

PubMed Central

Reid, Raymond; Rattray, Vaughn; Williams, Ruth; Denny, Marcel

2016-01-01

Delonix regia and Cassia fistula seed extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant activity, total phenolics, ash, zinc and fatty acid content. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was utilized to assess the chemical functionalities present within the seeds. Antioxidant activity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays. Total phenolics were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. Lipid extracts were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Zinc concentration was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Extracts from the seeds of C. fistula had a higher antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging activity, and phenolic content than D. regia. FTIR revealed that the seeds are a rich source of protein with small quantities of fat. C. fistula extracts contained a higher percentage of total fat than D. regia. Palmitic acid was identified as the predominant saturated fatty acid in both extracts. Oleic acid and linoleic acid were identified in smaller quantities. Seed extracts may be considered for use in food and nutraceutical applications. PMID:27034834

Evaluation and Comparison of the Antibacterial Activity against Streptococcus mutans of Grape Seed Extract at Different Concentrations with Chlorhexidine Gluconate: An in vitro Study

PubMed Central

Dave, Bhavna; Vyas, Soham M; Shah, Nupur

2016-01-01

Introduction Streptococcus mutans has been implicated as primary microorganisms which cause dental caries in humans. There has been an increased interest in the therapeutic properties of some medicinal plants and natural compounds which have demonstrated antibacterial activities. Grape is one of the plants of this group which contains tannin and polyphenolic compound. Aim To evaluate and compare antibacterial activity of grape seed extract at different concentrations with chlorhexidine gluconate against S. mutans. Materials and methods Grape seeds were extracted with ethanol/water ratio of 70:30 volume/volume. The extracts were filtered through Whatman No. 1 filter paper until it becomes colorless. Streptococcus mutans strains were taken. To check the antimicrobial properties of grape seed extract at different concentration and chlorhexidine gluconate, they were added to S. mutans strain and incubated for 48 hours than colony-forming units/mL were checked. Results Grape seed extract at higher concentration were found to be more potent against S. mutans. Chlorhexidine gluconate was found to have most potent antibacterial action compared to all different concentrations of grape seed extract. Conclusion Grape seed extract as a natural antimicrobial compound has inhibitory effect against S. mutans. How to cite this article Swadas M, Dave B, Vyas SM, Shah N. Evaluation and Comparison of the Antibacterial Activity against Streptococcus mutans of Grape Seed Extract at Different Concentrations with Chlorhexidine Gluconate: An in vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2016;9(3):181-185. PMID:27843246

In-vitro investigation of anti-acne properties of Mangifera indica L. kernel extract and its mechanism of action against Propionibacterium acnes.

PubMed

Poomanee, Worrapan; Chaiyana, Wantida; Mueller, Monika; Viernstein, Helmut; Khunkitti, Watcharee; Leelapornpisid, Pimporn

2018-05-17

Propionibacterium acnes has been recognized as a main target for medical treatment of acne since this bacterium promotes acne inflammation by inducing upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines production, resulting in an accumulation of neutrophils and oxygen-free radicals produced by neutrophils within acne lesion. The aims of this study were to evaluate the biological activities of Mangifera indica kernel extracts grown in Northern Thailand (Kaew-Moragot cultivar), related to anti-acne properties including antimicrobial effect against acne-inducing bacteria together with the first elucidation of the mechanism of action against Propionibacterium acnes, anti-oxidation, and anti-inflammation. The kernels of M. indica, obtained from raw and ripe fruits, were macerated using various solvents. Agar diffusion and broth microdilution methods were performed to investigate the antibacterial activities of the extracts against P. acnes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The ethanolic fractions exhibited the strongest antimicrobial effect against P. acnes with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of 1.56 mg/mL and 12.50 mg/mL, respectively. Bactericidal effect against P. acnes of these extracts could be observed after 3 h of incubation from time-kill curve. The chromatograms of high-performance liquid chromatography showed that the extracts existed gallic acid with high total phenolic content. These extracts additionally showed strong free radical scavenging properties on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) as well as a notable inhibitory effect on linoleic acid peroxidation, which highly correlated to their antimicrobial effect, total phenolic, and gallic acid contents. The images, studied through using transmission electron microscopy, revealed that the extract certainly disrupted P. acnes cell membrane after exposure for 1 h as well as induced the consequent leakage of cytoplasmic materials. The inhibitory effects of the extracts on IL-8 secretion from LPS-inducing RAW 264.7 cells were also presented. In conclusion, the kernel extracts of raw M. indica fruit were effective against aerobic and anaerobic acne-inducing bacteria particularly P. acnes and exerted antioxidant along with anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, the extracts might be potential agents for inflammatory acne treatment. However, clinical study is needed for further investigation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A continued fraction resummation form of bath relaxation effect in the spin-boson model

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

Gong, Zhihao; Tang, Zhoufei; Wu, Jianlan, E-mail: jianlanwu@zju.edu.cn

2015-02-28

In the spin-boson model, a continued fraction form is proposed to systematically resum high-order quantum kinetic expansion (QKE) rate kernels, accounting for the bath relaxation effect beyond the second-order perturbation. In particular, the analytical expression of the sixth-order QKE rate kernel is derived for resummation. With higher-order correction terms systematically extracted from higher-order rate kernels, the resummed quantum kinetic expansion approach in the continued fraction form extends the Pade approximation and can fully recover the exact quantum dynamics as the expansion order increases.

Evaluation of free radical scavenging and antityrosinase activities of standardized longan fruit extract.

PubMed

Rangkadilok, Nuchanart; Sitthimonchai, Somkid; Worasuttayangkurn, Luksamee; Mahidol, Chulabhorn; Ruchirawat, Mathuros; Satayavivad, Jutamaad

2007-02-01

The protective effects of fruits and vegetables against chronic diseases have been attributed to the antioxidant properties of some secondary metabolites present in these foods. Plant polyphenols have been reported to exhibit bioactive properties, and in particular antioxidant activities. Longan seeds are found to contain high levels of some beneficial polyphenolic compounds such as corilagin, gallic acid and ellagic acid. The present study examined the free radical scavenging activity of longan seed extract by using three different assay methods. Longan extracts contained corilagin ranging from zero to 50.64 mg/g DW, gallic acid from 9.18 to 23.04 mg/g DW, and ellagic acid from 8.13 to 12.65 mg/g DW depending on the cultivars. Dried longan seed extracts of cultivar Edor contained high levels of gallic acid and ellagic acid and also exhibited the highest radical scavenging activities when comparing fresh seed and dried pulp extracts. For scavenging activity of DPPH and superoxide radicals, longan seed extract was found to be as effective as Japanese green tea extract while dried longan pulp and mulberry green tea extracts showed the least scavenging activities. In the ORAC assay, both fresh and dried longan seed also had higher activity than dried pulp and whole fruit. However, the results demonstrate that three polyphenolics may not be the major contributors of the high antioxidant activity of longan water extracts but this high activity may be due to other phenolic/flavonoid glycosides and ellagitannins present in longan fruit. In addition, longan seed also showed tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC(50) values of 2.9-3.2 mg/ml. Therefore, the preliminary observations suggest that longan seed extract could be another potential source of potent natural dietary antioxidants and also in an application as a new natural skin-whitening agent.

Prostate cancer detection using machine learning techniques by employing combination of features extracting strategies.

PubMed

Hussain, Lal; Ahmed, Adeel; Saeed, Sharjil; Rathore, Saima; Awan, Imtiaz Ahmed; Shah, Saeed Arif; Majid, Abdul; Idris, Adnan; Awan, Anees Ahmed

2018-02-06

Prostate is a second leading causes of cancer deaths among men. Early detection of cancer can effectively reduce the rate of mortality caused by Prostate cancer. Due to high and multiresolution of MRIs from prostate cancer require a proper diagnostic systems and tools. In the past researchers developed Computer aided diagnosis (CAD) systems that help the radiologist to detect the abnormalities. In this research paper, we have employed novel Machine learning techniques such as Bayesian approach, Support vector machine (SVM) kernels: polynomial, radial base function (RBF) and Gaussian and Decision Tree for detecting prostate cancer. Moreover, different features extracting strategies are proposed to improve the detection performance. The features extracting strategies are based on texture, morphological, scale invariant feature transform (SIFT), and elliptic Fourier descriptors (EFDs) features. The performance was evaluated based on single as well as combination of features using Machine Learning Classification techniques. The Cross validation (Jack-knife k-fold) was performed and performance was evaluated in term of receiver operating curve (ROC) and specificity, sensitivity, Positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), false positive rate (FPR). Based on single features extracting strategies, SVM Gaussian Kernel gives the highest accuracy of 98.34% with AUC of 0.999. While, using combination of features extracting strategies, SVM Gaussian kernel with texture + morphological, and EFDs + morphological features give the highest accuracy of 99.71% and AUC of 1.00.

Comparison of Enzymatic and Ultrasonic Extraction of Albumin from Defatted Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo)
Seed Powder

PubMed Central

Tu, Gia Loi; Bui, Thi Hoang Nga; Tran, Thi Thu Tra; Ton, Nu Minh Nguyet

2015-01-01

Summary In this study, ultrasound- and enzyme-assisted extractions of albumin (water-soluble protein group) from defatted pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) seed powder were compared. Both advanced extraction techniques strongly increased the albumin yield in comparison with conventional extraction. The extraction rate was two times faster in the ultrasonic extraction than in the enzymatic extraction. However, the maximum albumin yield was 16% higher when using enzymatic extraction. Functional properties of the pumpkin seed albumin concentrates obtained using the enzymatic, ultrasonic and conventional methods were then evaluated. Use of hydrolase for degradation of cell wall of the plant material did not change the functional properties of the albumin concentrate in comparison with the conventional extraction. The ultrasonic extraction enhanced water-holding, oil-holding and emulsifying capacities of the pumpkin seed albumin concentrate, but slightly reduced the foaming capacity, and emulsion and foam stability. PMID:27904383

Comparison of Enzymatic and Ultrasonic Extraction of Albumin from Defatted Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo)
Seed Powder.

PubMed

Tu, Gia Loi; Bui, Thi Hoang Nga; Tran, Thi Thu Tra; Ton, Nu Minh Nguyet; Man Le, Van Viet

2015-12-01

In this study, ultrasound- and enzyme-assisted extractions of albumin (water-soluble protein group) from defatted pumpkin ( Cucurbita pepo ) seed powder were compared. Both advanced extraction techniques strongly increased the albumin yield in comparison with conventional extraction. The extraction rate was two times faster in the ultrasonic extraction than in the enzymatic extraction. However, the maximum albumin yield was 16% higher when using enzymatic extraction. Functional properties of the pumpkin seed albumin concentrates obtained using the enzymatic, ultrasonic and conventional methods were then evaluated. Use of hydrolase for degradation of cell wall of the plant material did not change the functional properties of the albumin concentrate in comparison with the conventional extraction. The ultrasonic extraction enhanced water-holding, oil-holding and emulsifying capacities of the pumpkin seed albumin concentrate, but slightly reduced the foaming capacity, and emulsion and foam stability.

Alkaline extraction of phenolic compounds from intact sorghum kernels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An aqueous sodium hydroxide solution was employed to extract phenolic compounds from whole grain sorghum without decortication or grinding as determined by Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). The alkaline extract ORAC values were more stable over 32 days compared to neutralized and freeze dri...

Administration Dependent Antioxidant Effect of Carica papaya Seeds Water Extract

PubMed Central

Panzarini, Elisa; Dwikat, Majdi; Mariano, Stefania; Vergallo, Cristian; Dini, Luciana

2014-01-01

Carica papaya is widely used in folk medicine as herbal remedy to prevent, protect against, and cure several diseases. These curative properties are based on the presence in different parts of the plant of phytochemical nutrients with antioxidant effect. Seeds are the less exploited part; thus this study is aimed at assessing the antioxidant activities of the C. papaya seeds water extract against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidative stress in human skin Detroit 550 fibroblasts. C. papaya seeds water extract is not toxic and acts as a potent free radical scavenger, providing protection to Detroit 550 fibroblasts that underwent H2O2 oxidative stress. Data show that (i) the maximum protective effect is achieved by the simultaneous administration of the extract with 1 mM H2O2; (ii) the extract in presence of an oxidative stress does not increase catalase activity and prevents the release of cytochrome C and the inner mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψ m) loss; (iii) the extract is more efficient than vitamin C to hamper the oxidative damage; (iv) the purified subfractions of the seeds water extract exert the same antioxidant effect of whole extract. In conclusion, C. papaya seeds water extract is potentially useful for protection against oxidative stress. PMID:24795765

Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seed proteins: sequential extraction processing and fraction characterization.

PubMed

Rezig, Leila; Chibani, Farhat; Chouaibi, Moncef; Dalgalarrondo, Michèle; Hessini, Kamel; Guéguen, Jacques; Hamdi, Salem

2013-08-14

Seed proteins extracted from Tunisian pumpkin seeds ( Cucurbita maxima ) were investigated for their solubility properties and sequentially extracted according to the Osborne procedure. The solubility of pumpkin proteins from seed flour was greatly influenced by pH changes and ionic strength, with higher values in the alkaline pH regions. It also depends on the seed defatting solvent. Protein solubility was decreased by using chloroform/methanol (CM) for lipid extraction instead of pentane (P). On the basis of differential solubility fractionation and depending on the defatting method, the alkali extract (AE) was the major fraction (42.1 (P), 22.3% (CM)) compared to the salt extract (8.6 (P), 7.5% (CM)). In salt, alkali, and isopropanol extracts, all essential amino acids with the exceptions of threonine and lysine met the minimum requirements for preschool children (FAO/WHO/UNU). The denaturation temperatures were 96.6 and 93.4 °C for salt and alkali extracts, respectively. Pumpkin protein extracts with unique protein profiles and higher denaturation temperatures could impart novel characteristics when used as food ingredients.

The safety and efficacy of 3% Cannabis seeds extract cream for reduction of human cheek skin sebum and erythema content.

PubMed

Ali, Atif; Akhtar, Naveed

2015-07-01

Escalated sebum fabrication is seen with an unattractive look and adds to the growth of acne. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of 3% Cannabis seeds extract cream on human cheek skin sebum and erythema content. For this purpose, base plus 3% Cannabis seeds extract and base (control) were prepared for single blinded and comparative study. Healthy males were instructed to apply the base plus 3% Cannabis seeds extract and base twice a day to their cheeks for 12 weeks. Adverse events were observed to determine skin irritation. Measurements for sebum and erythema content were recorded at baseline, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th week in a control room with Sebumeter and Mexameter. Base plus 3% Cannabis seeds extract was found to be safe in volunteers. Measurements demonstrated that skin sebum and erythema content of base plus 3% Cannabis seeds extract treated side showed significant decrease (p<0.05) compared with base treated side. Base plus 3% Cannabis seeds extract showed safety. It was well tolerated for the reduction of skin sebum and erythema content. Its improved efficacy could be suggested for treatment of acne vulgaris, seborrhea, papules and pustules to get attractive facial appearance.

Complementary and comparative study on hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activity of various extracts of Eugenia jambolana seed, Momordica charantia fruits, Gymnema sylvestre, and Trigonella foenum graecum seeds in rats.

PubMed

Yadav, Mukesh; Lavania, Amita; Tomar, Radha; Prasad, G B K S; Jain, Shalini; Yadav, Hariom

2010-04-01

In present study, we investigated hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic potential of five extracts (water, ethanol, methanol, hexane, and chloroform) of four plants (i.e., seeds of Eugenia jambolana, fruits of Momordica charantia, leaves of Gymnema sylvestre, and seeds of Trigonella foenum graecum) alone and/or in combination with glimepiride in rats. Ethanol extract of E. jambolana, water extract of M. charantia, ethanol extract of G. sylvestre, and water extract of T. graecum exhibited highest hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activity (most active) in rats among all the extracts, while hexane extracts exhibited least activities. Most active extracts were further studied to dose-dependent (200, 100, and 50 mg/kg body weight (bw)) hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effects alone and in combination with glimepiride (20, 10, and 5 mg/kg bw). The combination of most active extracts (200 mg/kg bw) and lower dose of glimepiride (5 mg/kg bw) showed safer and potent hypoglycemic as well as antihyperglycemic activities without creating severe hypoglycemia in normal rats, while higher doses (200 mg/kg bw of most active extracts, and 10 and 20 mg/kg bw of glimepiride) were generated lethal hypoglycemia in normal rats. From this study, it may be concluded that the ethanol extract of E. jambolana seeds, water extract of M. charantia fruits, ethanol extract of G. sylvestre leaves, and water extract of T. graecum seeds have higher hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic potential and may use as complementary medicine to treat the diabetic population by significantly reducing dose of standard drugs.

a Comparison Study of Different Kernel Functions for Svm-Based Classification of Multi-Temporal Polarimetry SAR Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yekkehkhany, B.; Safari, A.; Homayouni, S.; Hasanlou, M.

2014-10-01

In this paper, a framework is developed based on Support Vector Machines (SVM) for crop classification using polarimetric features extracted from multi-temporal Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imageries. The multi-temporal integration of data not only improves the overall retrieval accuracy but also provides more reliable estimates with respect to single-date data. Several kernel functions are employed and compared in this study for mapping the input space to higher Hilbert dimension space. These kernel functions include linear, polynomials and Radial Based Function (RBF). The method is applied to several UAVSAR L-band SAR images acquired over an agricultural area near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. In this research, the temporal alpha features of H/A/α decomposition method are used in classification. The experimental tests show an SVM classifier with RBF kernel for three dates of data increases the Overall Accuracy (OA) to up to 3% in comparison to using linear kernel function, and up to 1% in comparison to a 3rd degree polynomial kernel function.

Effects of phytoestrogen extracts isolated from rye, green and yellow pea seeds on hormone production and proliferation of trophoblast tumor cells Jeg3.

PubMed

Matscheski, A; Richter, D-U; Hartmann, A-M; Effmert, U; Jeschke, U; Kupka, M S; Abarzua, S; Briese, V; Ruth, W; Kragl, U; Piechulla, B

2006-01-01

Phytoestrogens are a diverse group of non-steroidal plant compounds. Because they have chemical structures similar to estrogens they are able to bind on estrogen receptors in humans. In this study, we tested the effects of crude phytoestrogen extracts from rye (Secale cereale), green pea (Pisum sativum) and yellow pea seeds (Pisum sativum cv.) on cell proliferation and the production of progesterone in trophoblast tumor cells of the cell line Jeg3. Isoflavone extracts from green and yellow pea seeds and lignan extracts from rye seeds were obtained, using different extraction methods. Isolated extracts were incubated in different concentrations with trophoblast tumor cells. Untreated cells were used as controls. At designated times, aliquots were removed and tested for estradiol and progesterone production. In addition, we tested the effects of the phytoestrogen extracts on cell proliferation. Cell proliferation is significantly inhibited by potential phytoestrogens isolated from rye, green and yellow pea seeds in trophoblast tumor cells of the cell line Jeg3. We found a correlation between the effects of proliferation and production of estradiol in isoflavone extracts from green and yellow pea seeds in Jeg3 cells. In addition, higher concentrations of isoflavones isolated from green pea seeds and lignans from rye showed also a inhibition of progesterone production whereas higher concentrations of rye lignans elevated estradiol production in Jeg3 cells. A useful indicator test system for potential phytoestrogens could be established. Based on the obtained results it is proposed that green and yellow pea seeds contain measurable concentrations of isoflavones and rye seeds contain lignans which can be isolated and used for special human diet programs. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cytotoxic activity of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and oil against human cancer cell lines.

PubMed

Wong, Yu Hua; Tan, Wai Yan; Tan, Chin Ping; Long, Kamariah; Nyam, Kar Lin

2014-05-01

To examine the cytotoxic properties of both the kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and kenaf seed oil on human cervical cancer, human breast cancer, human colon cancer and human lung cancer cell lines. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of the kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and kenaf seed oil on human cancer cell lines was evaluated by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and sulforhodamine B assays. Cell morphological changes were observed by using an inverted light microscope. The kenaf seed extract (KSE) exhibited a lower IC50 than kenaf seed oil (KSO) in all of the cancer cell lines. Morphological alterations in the cell lines after KSE and KSO treatment were observed. KSE and KSO possessed effective cytotoxic activities against all the cell lines been selected. KSE and KSO could be potential sources of natural anti-cancer agents. Further investigations on using kenaf seeds for anti-proliferative properties are warranted.

Cytotoxic activity of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and oil against human cancer cell lines

PubMed Central

Wong, Yu Hua; Tan, Wai Yan; Tan, Chin Ping; Long, Kamariah; Nyam, Kar Lin

2014-01-01

Objective To examine the cytotoxic properties of both the kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and kenaf seed oil on human cervical cancer, human breast cancer, human colon cancer and human lung cancer cell lines. Methods The in vitro cytotoxic activity of the kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and kenaf seed oil on human cancer cell lines was evaluated by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and sulforhodamine B assays. Cell morphological changes were observed by using an inverted light microscope. Results The kenaf seed extract (KSE) exhibited a lower IC50 than kenaf seed oil (KSO) in all of the cancer cell lines. Morphological alterations in the cell lines after KSE and KSO treatment were observed. KSE and KSO possessed effective cytotoxic activities against all the cell lines been selected. Conclusions KSE and KSO could be potential sources of natural anti-cancer agents. Further investigations on using kenaf seeds for anti-proliferative properties are warranted. PMID:25183141

Preliminary studies on allelopatic effect of some woody plants on seed germination of rye-grass and tall fescue.

PubMed

Arouiee, H; Nazdar, T; Mousavi, A

2010-11-01

In order to investigation of allelopathic effects of some ornamental trees on seed germination of rye-grass (Lolium prenne) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae), this experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replicates at the laboratory of Horticultural Sciences Department of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, during 2008. In this research, we studied the effect of aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts of Afghanistan pine (Pinus eldarica), arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica), black locust (Robinia psedue acacia) and box elder (Acer negundo) leaves that prepared in 1:5 ratio on seed germination percent and rate for two grasses. The results showed that all extracts decreased statistically seed germination in compared to control treatment. The highest germination percentage and germination rate of tested grass detected in control treatment. Hydro-alcoholic extracts of all woody plants (15, 30%) were completely inhibited seed germination of rye-grass and tall fescue. Also aqueous extract of arizona cypress was completely inhibited seed germination of tall fescue and had more inhibitory activity than other aqueous extracts on rye-grass. Between aqueous extracts, the highest and lowest seed germination of rye-grass was found in Afghanistan pine and arizona cypress, respectively.

Modeling of extraction process of crude polysaccharides from Basil seeds (Ocimum basilicum l.) as affected by process variables.

PubMed

Salehi, Fakhreddin; Kashaninejad, Mahdi; Tadayyon, Ali; Arabameri, Fatemeh

2015-08-01

Basil seed (Ocimum basilicum L.) has practical amounts of gum with good functional properties. In this work, extraction of gum from Basil seed was studied. Effect of pH, temperature and water/seed ratio on the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters; entropy, enthalpy and free energy of extraction were investigated. The maximum gum yield was 17.95 % at 50 °C for pH=7 and water/seed ratio 30:1. In this study, the experimental data were fitted to a mathematical model of mass transfer and equations constants were obtained. The kinetic of Basil seed gum extraction was found to be a first order mass transfer model. Statistical results indicated that the model used in this study will be able to predict the gum extraction from Basil seed adequately. It also found that ΔH and ΔS were positive and ΔG was negative indicating that the extraction process was spontaneous, irreversible and endothermic. The ΔH, ΔS and ΔG values were 0.26-7.87 kJ/mol, 8.12-33.2 J/mol K and 1.62-4.42 kJ/mol, respectively.

Effect of Ethanolic Extract from Seeds or Pods of Xylopia Aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich (Annonaceae) on the Testicular Function of Adult Male Rats.

PubMed

Abarikwu, Sunny O; Ogunlaja, Aemere; Otuechere, Chiagoziem A; Gideon, OlatunBosun

2017-10-01

Xylopia aethiopica (Annonaceae) is used in some folk medicines and widely consumed as a spice in some parts of Nigeria. Its efficacy as an anti-androgenic substance has warranted the attention of African scholars. This study evaluated the enzymatic activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), sperm quality (motility, count, morphology), testosterone level and histo-pathological changes of the testis of rats chronically treated with ethanolic extract of the pods (without seeds), seeds, and fruits (pods + seeds) of Xylopia aethiopica. Male Wistar (224-246 g) rats were treated with the extract of the pods, seeds, and fruits of Xylopia aethiopica at the dose of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body wt. for 60 days. Serum biochemistry, sperm quality and histo-pathological examination of the testis were assessed for any treatment-related adverse effects. After treatment with Xylopia aethiopica, testosterone level was decreased dose-dependently in the animals treated with the seed extract compared to all other groups. The enzymatic activities of LDH and γ-GT were higher in rats treated with the seed and fruit extracts compared with those treated with the pods. The numbers of motile sperm, and counts were decreased while the numbers of sperm with morphological defects were higher in rats treated with the seed and fruit extracts compared to the control. Histopathological changes of the testis were also more severe in rats treated with the highest dose of the seed extract. We conclude that the compounds related to the anti-infertility effects of Xylopia aethiopica are present in the seeds.

Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects triggered by Grape Seed Extract (GSE) versus epigallocatechin and procyanidins on colon cancer cell lines.

PubMed

Dinicola, Simona; Cucina, Alessandra; Pasqualato, Alessia; D'Anselmi, Fabrizio; Proietti, Sara; Lisi, Elisabetta; Pasqua, Gabriella; Antonacci, Donato; Bizzarri, Mariano

2012-01-01

Grape seed extract has been proven to exert anticancer effects on different tumors. These effects are mainly ascribed to catechin and procyanidin content. Analytical studies demonstrated that grape seed extract composition is complex and it is likely other components could exert biological activities. Using cell count and flow cytometry assays, we evaluated the cytostatic and apoptotic effects produced by three different grape seed extracts from Italia, Palieri and Red Globe cultivars, on Caco2 and HCT-8 colon cancer cells. These effects were compared to those induced by epigallocatechin and procyanidins, alone or in association, on the same cell lines. All the extracts induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in Caco2 and HCT-8 cells, along the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. On both cell lines, growth inhibition induced by Italia and Palieri grape seed extracts was significantly higher than that it has been recorded with epigallocatechin, procyanidins and their association. In Caco2 cells, the extract from Red Globe cultivar was less effective in inducing growth inhibition than procyanidins alone and in association with epigallocatechin, whereas, in HCT-8 cells, only the association of epigallocatechin and procyanidins triggers a significant proliferation decrease. On both cell lines, apoptosis induced by Italia, Palieri and Red Globe grape seed extracts was considerably higher than has been recorded with epigallocatechin, procyanidins and their association. These data support the hypothesis by which other compounds, present in the grape seed extracts, are likely to enhance the anticancer effects.

Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects Triggered by Grape Seed Extract (GSE) versus Epigallocatechin and Procyanidins on Colon Cancer Cell Lines

PubMed Central

Dinicola, Simona; Cucina, Alessandra; Pasqualato, Alessia; D’Anselmi, Fabrizio; Proietti, Sara; Lisi, Elisabetta; Pasqua, Gabriella; Antonacci, Donato; Bizzarri, Mariano

2012-01-01

Grape seed extract has been proven to exert anticancer effects on different tumors. These effects are mainly ascribed to catechin and procyanidin content. Analytical studies demonstrated that grape seed extract composition is complex and it is likely other components could exert biological activities. Using cell count and flow cytometry assays, we evaluated the cytostatic and apoptotic effects produced by three different grape seed extracts from Italia, Palieri and Red Globe cultivars, on Caco2 and HCT-8 colon cancer cells. These effects were compared to those induced by epigallocatechin and procyanidins, alone or in association, on the same cell lines. All the extracts induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in Caco2 and HCT-8 cells, along the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. On both cell lines, growth inhibition induced by Italia and Palieri grape seed extracts was significantly higher than that it has been recorded with epigallocatechin, procyanidins and their association. In Caco2 cells, the extract from Red Globe cultivar was less effective in inducing growth inhibition than procyanidins alone and in association with epigallocatechin, whereas, in HCT-8 cells, only the association of epigallocatechin and procyanidins triggers a significant proliferation decrease. On both cell lines, apoptosis induced by Italia, Palieri and Red Globe grape seed extracts was considerably higher than has been recorded with epigallocatechin, procyanidins and their association. These data support the hypothesis by which other compounds, present in the grape seed extracts, are likely to enhance the anticancer effects. PMID:22312277

Optimized Kernel Entropy Components.

PubMed

Izquierdo-Verdiguier, Emma; Laparra, Valero; Jenssen, Robert; Gomez-Chova, Luis; Camps-Valls, Gustau

2017-06-01

This brief addresses two main issues of the standard kernel entropy component analysis (KECA) algorithm: the optimization of the kernel decomposition and the optimization of the Gaussian kernel parameter. KECA roughly reduces to a sorting of the importance of kernel eigenvectors by entropy instead of variance, as in the kernel principal components analysis. In this brief, we propose an extension of the KECA method, named optimized KECA (OKECA), that directly extracts the optimal features retaining most of the data entropy by means of compacting the information in very few features (often in just one or two). The proposed method produces features which have higher expressive power. In particular, it is based on the independent component analysis framework, and introduces an extra rotation to the eigen decomposition, which is optimized via gradient-ascent search. This maximum entropy preservation suggests that OKECA features are more efficient than KECA features for density estimation. In addition, a critical issue in both the methods is the selection of the kernel parameter, since it critically affects the resulting performance. Here, we analyze the most common kernel length-scale selection criteria. The results of both the methods are illustrated in different synthetic and real problems. Results show that OKECA returns projections with more expressive power than KECA, the most successful rule for estimating the kernel parameter is based on maximum likelihood, and OKECA is more robust to the selection of the length-scale parameter in kernel density estimation.

β-Sitosterol: supercritical carbon dioxide extraction from sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seeds.

PubMed

Sajfrtová, Marie; Licková, Ivana; Wimmerová, Martina; Sovová, Helena; Wimmer, Zdenek

2010-04-22

Supercritical fluid extraction represents an efficient and environmentally friendly technique for isolation of phytosterols from different plant sources. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seeds were extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide at pressures ranging from 15-60 MPa and temperatures of 40-80 degrees C. Oil and β-sitosterol yields were measured in the extraction course and compared with Soxhlet extraction with hexane. The average yield of β-sitosterol was 0.31 mg/g of seeds. The maximum concentration of β-sitosterol in the extract, 0.5% w/w, was achieved at 15 MPa, 40 degrees C, and a carbon dioxide consumption of 50 g/g of seeds. The extraction rate was maximal at 60 MPa and 40 degrees C. Both β-sitosterol yield and its concentration in the extract obtained with hexane were lower than with carbon dioxide.

40 CFR 180.169 - Carbaryl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 70 None Corn, field, forage 30 None Corn, field, grain 0.02 None Corn, field, stover 20 None Corn, pop, grain 0.02 None Corn, pop, stover 20 None Corn, sweet, forage 185 None Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 None Corn, sweet, stover 215 None Cotton, undelinted seed 5.0 10/31/09...

40 CFR 180.169 - Carbaryl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 70 None Corn, field, forage 30 None Corn, field, grain 0.02 None Corn, field, stover 20 None Corn, pop, grain 0.02 None Corn, pop, stover 20 None Corn, sweet, forage 185 None Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 None Corn, sweet, stover 215 None Cotton, undelinted seed 5.0 10/31/09...

40 CFR 180.169 - Carbaryl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 70 None Corn, field, forage 30 None Corn, field, grain 0.02 None Corn, field, stover 20 None Corn, pop, grain 0.02 None Corn, pop, stover 20 None Corn, sweet, forage 185 None Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 None Corn, sweet, stover 215 None Cotton, undelinted seed 5.0 10/31/09...

Impact of postharvest dehydration process of winegrapes on mechanical and acoustic properties of the seeds and their relationship with flavanol extraction during simulated maceration.

PubMed

Río Segade, Susana; Torchio, Fabrizio; Gerbi, Vincenzo; Quijada-Morín, Natalia; García-Estévez, Ignacio; Giacosa, Simone; Escribano-Bailón, M Teresa; Rolle, Luca

2016-05-15

This study represents the first time that the extraction of phenolic compounds from the seeds is assessed from instrumental texture properties for dehydrated grapes. Nebbiolo winegrapes were postharvest dehydrated at 20°C and 41% relative humidity. During the dehydration process, sampling was performed at 15%, 30%, 45% and 60% weight loss. The extractable fraction and extractability of phenolic compounds from the seeds were determined after simulated maceration. The evolution of mechanical and acoustic attributes of intact seeds was also determined during grape dehydration to evaluate how these changes affected the extraction of phenolic compounds. The extractable content and extractability of monomeric flavanols and proanthocyanidins, as well as the galloylation percentage of flavanols, might be predicted easily and quickly from the mechanical and acoustic properties of intact seeds. This would help in decision-making on the optimal dehydration level of winegrapes and the best management of winemaking of dehydrated grapes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alterations to metabolically active bacteria in the mucosa of the small intestine predict anti-obesity and anti-diabetic activities of grape seed extract in mice.

PubMed

Griffin, Laura E; Witrick, Katherine A; Klotz, Courtney; Dorenkott, Melanie R; Goodrich, Katheryn M; Fundaro, Gabrielle; McMillan, Ryan P; Hulver, Matthew W; Ponder, Monica A; Neilson, Andrew P

2017-10-18

Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that grapes and grape-derived products may reduce the risk for chronic disease. Grape seed extract specifically has been gaining interest due to its reported ability to prevent weight gain, moderate hyperglycemia, and reduce inflammation. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term effects of two doses of grape seed extract (10 and 100 mg kg -1 body wt per d in mice) on markers of metabolic syndrome in the context of a moderately high-fat diet. After 12 weeks, the lower dose of grape seed extract was more effective at inhibiting fat gain and improving glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Neither the high fat diet nor grape seed extract altered skeletal muscle substrate metabolism. Most interestingly, when examining the profile of metabolically active microbiota in the mucosa of the small intestine, cecum, and colonic tissue, grape seed extract seemed to have the most dramatic effect on small intestinal tissue, where the population of Firmicutes was lower compared to control groups. This effect was not observed in the cecal or colonic tissues, suggesting that the main alterations to gut microbiota due to flavan-3-ol supplementation occur in the small intestine, which has not been reported previously. These findings suggest that grape seed extract can prevent early changes in glucose tolerance and alter small intestinal gut microbiota, prior to the onset of skeletal muscle metabolic derangements, when grape seed extract is consumed at a low dose in the context of a moderately high fat diet.

Classification of corn kernels contaminated with aflatoxins using fluorescence and reflectance hyperspectral images analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Fengle; Yao, Haibo; Hruska, Zuzana; Kincaid, Russell; Brown, Robert; Bhatnagar, Deepak; Cleveland, Thomas

2015-05-01

Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain fungal species of the Aspergillus genus. Aflatoxin contamination remains a problem in agricultural products due to its toxic and carcinogenic properties. Conventional chemical methods for aflatoxin detection are time-consuming and destructive. This study employed fluorescence and reflectance visible near-infrared (VNIR) hyperspectral images to classify aflatoxin contaminated corn kernels rapidly and non-destructively. Corn ears were artificially inoculated in the field with toxigenic A. flavus spores at the early dough stage of kernel development. After harvest, a total of 300 kernels were collected from the inoculated ears. Fluorescence hyperspectral imagery with UV excitation and reflectance hyperspectral imagery with halogen illumination were acquired on both endosperm and germ sides of kernels. All kernels were then subjected to chemical analysis individually to determine aflatoxin concentrations. A region of interest (ROI) was created for each kernel to extract averaged spectra. Compared with healthy kernels, fluorescence spectral peaks for contaminated kernels shifted to longer wavelengths with lower intensity, and reflectance values for contaminated kernels were lower with a different spectral shape in 700-800 nm region. Principal component analysis was applied for data compression before classifying kernels into contaminated and healthy based on a 20 ppb threshold utilizing the K-nearest neighbors algorithm. The best overall accuracy achieved was 92.67% for germ side in the fluorescence data analysis. The germ side generally performed better than endosperm side. Fluorescence and reflectance image data achieved similar accuracy.

Dosimetric effects of seed anisotropy and interseed attenuation for {sup 103}Pd and {sup 125}I prostate implants

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

Chibani, Omar; Williamson, Jeffrey F.; Todor, Dorin

2005-08-15

A Monte Carlo study is carried out to quantify the effects of seed anisotropy and interseed attenuation for {sup 103}Pd and {sup 125}I prostate implants. Two idealized and two real prostate implants are considered. Full Monte Carlo simulation (FMCS) of implants (seeds are physically and simultaneously simulated) is compared with isotropic point-source dose-kernel superposition (PSKS) and line-source dose-kernel superposition (LSKS) methods. For clinical pre- and post-procedure implants, the dose to the different structures (prostate, rectum wall, and urethra) is calculated. The discretized volumes of these structures are reconstructed using transrectal ultrasound contours. Local dose differences (PSKS versus FMCS and LSKSmore » versus FMCS) are investigated. The dose contributions from primary versus scattered photons are calculated separately. For {sup 103}Pd, the average absolute total dose difference between FMCS and PSKS can be as high as 7.4% for the idealized model and 6.1% for the clinical preprocedure implant. Similarly, the total dose difference is lower for the case of {sup 125}I: 4.4% for the idealized model and 4.6% for a clinical post-procedure implant. Average absolute dose differences between LSKS and FMCS are less significant for both seed models: 3 to 3.6% for the idealized models and 2.9 to 3.2% for the clinical plans. Dose differences between PSKS and FMCS are due to the absence of both seed anisotropy and interseed attenuation modeling in the PSKS approach. LSKS accounts for seed anisotropy but not for the interseed effect, leading to systematically overestimated dose values in comparison with the more accurate FMCS method. For both idealized and clinical implants the dose from scattered photons represent less than 1/3 of the total dose. For all studied cases, LSKS prostate DVHs overestimate D{sub 90} by 2 to 5% because of the missing interseed attenuation effect. PSKS and LSKS predictions of V{sub 150} and V{sub 200} are overestimated by up to 9% in comparison with the FMCS results. Finally, effects of seed anisotropy and interseed attenuation must be viewed in the context of other significant sources of dose uncertainty, namely seed orientation, source misplacement, prostate morphological changes and tissue heterogeneity.« less

Phytochemicals from Mangifera pajang Kosterm and their biological activities.

PubMed

Ahmad, Sadikah; Sukari, Mohd Aspollah; Ismail, Nurussaadah; Ismail, Intan Safinar; Abdul, Ahmad Bustamam; Abu Bakar, Mohd Fadzelly; Kifli, Nurolaini; Ee, Gwendoline C L

2015-03-26

Mangifera pajang Kosterm is a plant species from the mango family (Anacardiaceae). The fruits are edible and have been reported to have high antioxidant content. However, the detailed phytochemical studies of the plant have not been reported previously. This study investigates the phytochemicals and biological activities of different parts of Mangifera pajang. The plant samples were extracted with solvents of different polarity to obtain the crude extracts. The isolated compounds were characterized using spectroscopic methods. The extracts and isolated compounds were subjected to cytotoxicity tests using human breast cancer (MCF-7), human cervical cancer (HeLa) and human colon cancer (HT-29) cells. The free radical scavenging activity test was conducted using the DPPH assay. Antimicrobial activity tests were carried out by using the disc diffusion method. Phytochemical investigation on the kernel, stem bark and leaves of Mangifera pajang led to the isolation of methyl gallate (1), mixture of benzaldehyde (2) and benzyl alcohol (3), mangiferonic acid (4), 3β-hydroxy-cycloart-24-ene-26-oic acid (5), 3β,23-dihydroxy-cycloart-24-ene-26-oic acid (6), lupeol(7) lupenone(8), β-sitosterol(9), stigmasterol(10), trans-sobrerol(11) and quercitrin (12). Crude ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from the kernel indicated strong cytotoxic activity towards MCF-7 and HeLa cells with IC50 values of less than 10 μg/mL, while petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of the stem bark showed strong to moderate activity against MCF-7, HeLa and HT-29 cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 5 to 30 μg/mL. As for the antimicrobial assays, only the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from the kernel displayed some inhibition against the microbes in the antibacterial assays. The kernel extracts showed highest free radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of less than 10 μg/mL, while the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of leaves displayed only weak activity in the DPPH assays. Phytochemical investigations on various parts of Mangifera pajang have identified terpenoids and a flavonol derivative as major constituents. Bioassay studies have indicated that the crude extracts and isolated compounds have potential as naturally-derived anticancer and antimicrobial agents, besides possess high free radical scavenging activity.

Reduced multiple empirical kernel learning machine.

PubMed

Wang, Zhe; Lu, MingZhe; Gao, Daqi

2015-02-01

Multiple kernel learning (MKL) is demonstrated to be flexible and effective in depicting heterogeneous data sources since MKL can introduce multiple kernels rather than a single fixed kernel into applications. However, MKL would get a high time and space complexity in contrast to single kernel learning, which is not expected in real-world applications. Meanwhile, it is known that the kernel mapping ways of MKL generally have two forms including implicit kernel mapping and empirical kernel mapping (EKM), where the latter is less attracted. In this paper, we focus on the MKL with the EKM, and propose a reduced multiple empirical kernel learning machine named RMEKLM for short. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first to reduce both time and space complexity of the MKL with EKM. Different from the existing MKL, the proposed RMEKLM adopts the Gauss Elimination technique to extract a set of feature vectors, which is validated that doing so does not lose much information of the original feature space. Then RMEKLM adopts the extracted feature vectors to span a reduced orthonormal subspace of the feature space, which is visualized in terms of the geometry structure. It can be demonstrated that the spanned subspace is isomorphic to the original feature space, which means that the dot product of two vectors in the original feature space is equal to that of the two corresponding vectors in the generated orthonormal subspace. More importantly, the proposed RMEKLM brings a simpler computation and meanwhile needs a less storage space, especially in the processing of testing. Finally, the experimental results show that RMEKLM owns a much efficient and effective performance in terms of both complexity and classification. The contributions of this paper can be given as follows: (1) by mapping the input space into an orthonormal subspace, the geometry of the generated subspace is visualized; (2) this paper first reduces both the time and space complexity of the EKM-based MKL; (3) this paper adopts the Gauss Elimination, one of the on-the-shelf techniques, to generate a basis of the original feature space, which is stable and efficient.

Movement of 14C-Labeled Assimilates into Kernels of Zea mays L

PubMed Central

Shannon, Jack C.; Dougherty, C. T.

1972-01-01

Invertases of the placento-chalazal and pedicel tissues are much more active than invertase from the pericarp of Zea mays L. kernels 12 to 40 days after pollination. Sucrose synthetase was not detected in the pedicel or placento-chalazal tissues. Sucrose content and percentage increased in the pedicel with advancing kernel age. Hexoses accounted for over half of the sugars extracted from the placento-chalazal tissues. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that sucrose translocated to the pedicel is hydrolyzed by acid invertase(s) prior to entry of sugar into the endosperm tissue. The placentochalazal tissue appears to be the primary site of sucrose inversion with the pedicel invertase contributing more or less to this process depending on kernel age. PMID:16657925

Extraction and Analysis of Tomato Seed Oil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato seeds represent a very large waste by-product from the processing of tomatoes into products such as tomato juice, sauce and paste. One potential use for these seeds is as a source of vegetable oil. This research investigated the oil content of tomato seeds using several extraction technique...

Transcriptional profiling by DDRT-PCR analysis reveals gene expression during seed development in Carya cathayensis Sarg.

PubMed

Huang, You-Jun; Zhou, Qin; Huang, Jian-Qin; Zeng, Yan-Ru; Wang, Zheng-Jia; Zhang, Qi-Xiang; Zhu, Yi-Hang; Shen, Chen; Zheng, Bing-Song

2015-06-01

Hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg.) seed has one of the highest oil content and is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which kernel is helpful to human health, particularly to human brain function. A better elucidation of lipid accumulation mechanism would help to improve hickory production and seed quality. DDRT-PCR analysis was used to examine gene expression in hickory at thirteen time points during seed development process. A total of 67 unique genes involved in seed development were obtained, and those expression patterns were further confirmed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and real time RT-PCR analysis. Of them, the genes with known functions were involved in signal transduction, amino acid metabolism, nuclear metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, protein metabolism, carbon metabolism, secondary metabolism, oxidation of fatty acids and stress response, suggesting that hickory underwent a complex metabolism process in seed development. Furthermore, 6 genes related to fatty acid synthesis were explored, and their functions in seed development process were further discussed. The data obtained here would provide the first clues for guiding further functional studies of fatty acid synthesis in hickory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Applications of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of palm oil and oil from natural sources.

PubMed

Akanda, Mohammed Jahurul Haque; Sarker, Mohammed Zaidul Islam; Ferdosh, Sahena; Manap, Mohd Yazid Abdul; Ab Rahman, Nik Norulaini Nik; Ab Kadir, Mohd Omar

2012-02-10

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), which has received much interest in its use and further development for industrial applications, is a method that offers some advantages over conventional methods, especially for the palm oil industry. SC-CO₂ refers to supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) that uses carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a solvent which is a nontoxic, inexpensive, nonflammable, and nonpolluting supercritical fluid solvent for the extraction of natural products. Almost 100% oil can be extracted and it is regarded as safe, with organic solvent-free extracts having superior organoleptic profiles. The palm oil industry is one of the major industries in Malaysia that provides a major contribution to the national income. Malaysia is the second largest palm oil and palm kernel oil producer in the World. This paper reviews advances in applications of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) extraction of oils from natural sources, in particular palm oil, minor constituents in palm oil, producing fractionated, refined, bleached, and deodorized palm oil, palm kernel oil and purified fatty acid fractions commendable for downstream uses as in toiletries and confectionaries.

β-Sitosterol: Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction from Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) Seeds

PubMed Central

Sajfrtová, Marie; Ličková, Ivana; Wimmerová, Martina; Sovová, Helena; Wimmer, Zdeněk

2010-01-01

Supercritical fluid extraction represents an efficient and environmentally friendly technique for isolation of phytosterols from different plant sources. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seeds were extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide at pressures ranging from 15–60 MPa and temperatures of 40–80 °C. Oil and β-sitosterol yields were measured in the extraction course and compared with Soxhlet extraction with hexane. The average yield of β-sitosterol was 0.31 mg/g of seeds. The maximum concentration of β-sitosterol in the extract, 0.5% w/w, was achieved at 15 MPa, 40 °C, and a carbon dioxide consumption of 50 g/g of seeds. The extraction rate was maximal at 60 MPa and 40 °C. Both β-sitosterol yield and its concentration in the extract obtained with hexane were lower than with carbon dioxide. PMID:20480045

Alexnet Feature Extraction and Multi-Kernel Learning for Objectoriented Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, L.; Li, H.; Hu, C.; Zhang, W.; Wang, S.

2018-04-01

In view of the fact that the deep convolutional neural network has stronger ability of feature learning and feature expression, an exploratory research is done on feature extraction and classification for high resolution remote sensing images. Taking the Google image with 0.3 meter spatial resolution in Ludian area of Yunnan Province as an example, the image segmentation object was taken as the basic unit, and the pre-trained AlexNet deep convolution neural network model was used for feature extraction. And the spectral features, AlexNet features and GLCM texture features are combined with multi-kernel learning and SVM classifier, finally the classification results were compared and analyzed. The results show that the deep convolution neural network can extract more accurate remote sensing image features, and significantly improve the overall accuracy of classification, and provide a reference value for earthquake disaster investigation and remote sensing disaster evaluation.

Batch process fault detection and identification based on discriminant global preserving kernel slow feature analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Hanyuan; Tian, Xuemin; Deng, Xiaogang; Cao, Yuping

2018-05-16

As an attractive nonlinear dynamic data analysis tool, global preserving kernel slow feature analysis (GKSFA) has achieved great success in extracting the high nonlinearity and inherently time-varying dynamics of batch process. However, GKSFA is an unsupervised feature extraction method and lacks the ability to utilize batch process class label information, which may not offer the most effective means for dealing with batch process monitoring. To overcome this problem, we propose a novel batch process monitoring method based on the modified GKSFA, referred to as discriminant global preserving kernel slow feature analysis (DGKSFA), by closely integrating discriminant analysis and GKSFA. The proposed DGKSFA method can extract discriminant feature of batch process as well as preserve global and local geometrical structure information of observed data. For the purpose of fault detection, a monitoring statistic is constructed based on the distance between the optimal kernel feature vectors of test data and normal data. To tackle the challenging issue of nonlinear fault variable identification, a new nonlinear contribution plot method is also developed to help identifying the fault variable after a fault is detected, which is derived from the idea of variable pseudo-sample trajectory projection in DGKSFA nonlinear biplot. Simulation results conducted on a numerical nonlinear dynamic system and the benchmark fed-batch penicillin fermentation process demonstrate that the proposed process monitoring and fault diagnosis approach can effectively detect fault and distinguish fault variables from normal variables. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wound-healing potential of an ethanol extract of Carica papaya (Caricaceae) seeds.

PubMed

Nayak, Bijoor Shivananda; Ramdeen, Ria; Adogwa, Andrew; Ramsubhag, Adash; Marshall, Julien Rhodney

2012-12-01

Carica papaya L. (Linn) (Caricaceae) is traditionally used to treat various skin disorders, including wounds. It is widely used in developing countries as an effective and readily available treatment for various wounds, particularly burns. This study evaluated the wound-healing and antimicrobial activity of C. papaya seed extract. Ethanol extract of C. papaya seed (50 mg/kg/day) was evaluated for its wound-healing activity in Sprague-Dawley rats using excision wound model. Animals were randomly divided into four groups of six each (group 1 served as control, group 2 treated with papaya seed extract, group 3 treated with a standard drug mupirocin and papaya seed extract (1:1 ratio) and group 4 treated with a mupirocin ointment. Rate of wound contraction and hydroxyproline content were determined to assess the wound-healing activity of the seed extract. The group 2 animals showed a significant decrease in wound area of 89% over 13 days when compared with groups 1 (82%), 3 (86%) and 4 (84%) respectively. The hydroxyproline content was significantly higher with the granulation tissue obtained from group 2 animals which were treated with C. papaya seed extract. Histological analysis of granulation tissue of the group 2 animals showed the deposition of well-organized collagen. The extract exhibited antimicrobial activity against Salmonella choleraesuis and Staphylococcus aureus. Our results suggest that C. papaya promotes significant wound healing in rats and further evaluation for this activity in humans is suggested. © 2012 The Authors. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc.

[Allelopathic interactions between invasive plant Solidago canadensis and native plant Phragmites australis].

PubMed

Li, Yu-Zhe; Fan, Jiang-Wen; Yin, Xin; Yang, En-Yi; Wei, Wei; Tian, Zhi-Hui; Da, Liang-Jun

2011-05-01

Taking the seeds of invasive plant Solidago canadensis and native plant Phragmites australis from their mono- and co-dominant communities as allelopathic acceptors, this paper analyzed the differences in the seed germination rate and sprout length after treated with five level (12.5, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensis and P. australis extracts, aimed to understand the allelopathic interactions between the two species. The 1000-grain weight and seed germination rate under distilled water treatment of the two species in co-dominated community were greater than those in mono-dominant community. Low level (12.5 and 25 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensi extracts slightly promoted the seed germination rates of S. canadensis in both mono- and co-dominant communities, but high level (50, 100, and 200 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensi extracts had strong inhibition effect, especially for the S. canadensis in co-dominated community. No significant patterns were observed about the effects of P. australis extract on S. canadensis seed germination. The sprout length of S. canadensis seeds in both mono- and co-dominant communities decreased with increasing level of S. canadensis extract, but decreased in a fluctuation way with increasing level of P. australis extract. After treated with the extracts of P. australis or S. canadensis, the seed germination rate of P. australis in mono-dominant community was significantly greater than that in co-dominant community (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between these two extracts.

Effects of Eriobotrya japonica seed extract on oxidative stress in rats with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

PubMed

Yoshioka, Saburo; Hamada, Atsuhide; Jobu, Kohei; Yokota, Junko; Onogawa, Masahide; Kyotani, Shojiro; Miyamura, Mitsuhiko; Saibara, Toshiji; Onishi, Saburo; Nishioka, Yutaka

2010-02-01

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is associated with the deposition of lipid droplets in the liver, and is characterised histologically by the infiltration of inflammatory cells, hepatocellular degeneration and liver fibrosis. Oxidative stress may play an important role in the onset and deterioration of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. We previously reported that an Eriobotrya japonica seed extract, extracted in 70% ethanol, exhibited antioxidant actions in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we examined the effect of this extract in a rat model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The seed extract was given in the drinking water to fats being fed a methionine-choline-deficient diet for 15 weeks. Increases in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly inhibited in rats fed the seed extract compared with the group on the diet alone. Formation of fatty droplets in the liver was also inhibited. Antioxidant enzyme activity in liver tissue was higher than in the diet-only group and lipid peroxidation was reduced compared with rats that also received the extract. Expression of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal was lower in the rats given the seed extract than in the diet-only group. In the former, liver tissue levels of transforming growth factor-beta and collagen were also decreased. Thus, the E. japonica seed extract inhibited fatty liver, inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting its usefulness in the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Antibacterial efficacy of the seed extracts of Melia azedarach against some hospital isolated human pathogenic bacterial strains

PubMed Central

Khan, Abdul Viqar; Ahmed, Qamar Uddin; Mir, M Ramzan; Shukla, Indu; Khan, Athar Ali

2011-01-01

Objective To investigate the antibacterial potential of the polar and non-polar extracts of the seeds of Melia azedarach (M. azedarach) L. (Meliaceae) against eighteen hospital isolated human pathogenic bacterial strains. Methods Petrol, benzene, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous extracts at five different concentrations (1, 2, 5, 10 and 15 mg/mL) were evaluated. Disk diffusion method was followed to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy. Results All extracts of the seeds demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against tested pathogens. Among all extracts, ethyl acetate extract revealed the highest inhibition comparatively. The present study also favored the traditional uses reported earlier. Conclusions Results of this study strongly confirm that the seed extracts of M. azedarach could be effective antibiotics, both in controlling gram-positive and gram-negative human pathogenic infections. PMID:23569812

Extractions of High Quality RNA from the Seeds of Jerusalem Artichoke and Other Plant Species with High Levels of Starch and Lipid.

PubMed

Mornkham, Tanupat; Wangsomnuk, Preeya Puangsomlee; Fu, Yong-Bi; Wangsomnuk, Pinich; Jogloy, Sanun; Patanothai, Aran

2013-04-29

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) is an important tuber crop. However, Jerusalem artichoke seeds contain high levels of starch and lipid, making the extraction of high-quality RNA extremely difficult and the gene expression analysis challenging. This study was aimed to improve existing methods for extracting total RNA from Jerusalem artichoke dry seeds and to assess the applicability of the improved method in other plant species. Five RNA extraction methods were evaluated on Jerusalem artichoke seeds and two were modified. One modified method with the significant improvement was applied to assay seeds of diverse Jerusalem artichoke accessions, sunflower, rice, maize, peanut and marigold. The effectiveness of the improved method to extract total RNA from seeds was assessed using qPCR analysis of four selected genes. The improved method of Ma and Yang (2011) yielded a maximum RNA solubility and removed most interfering substances. The improved protocol generated 29 to 41 µg RNA/30 mg fresh weight. An A260/A280 ratio of 1.79 to 2.22 showed their RNA purity. Extracted RNA was effective for downstream applications such as first-stranded cDNA synthesis, cDNA cloning and qPCR. The improved method was also effective to extract total RNA from seeds of sunflower, rice, maize and peanut that are rich in polyphenols, lipids and polysaccharides.

Insecticidal activity of the aqueous extracts of four under-utilized tropical plants as protectant of cowpea seeds from Callosobruchus maculatus infestation.

PubMed

Obembe, O M; Kayode, J

2013-02-15

The test plants species, namely Crotaria retusa, Hyptis suaveolens, Ricinus communis and Tithonia diversifolia were extracted with water. The extracts were evaluated on Callosobruchus maculatus for mortality, oviposition and adult emergence effects. The long-term protectant ability and viability were also investigated. The results showed that the aqueous extracts from T. diversifolia were most effective on C. maculatus, followed by extract from Ricinus communis. The least potent extracts were those extracted from Crotalaria retusa and Hyptis suaveolens. Also, the extracts considerably reduced oviposition by C. maculatus. Extracts from T. diversifolia and R. communis drastically reduced infestation and subsequence damage of the treated cowpea seeds for a period of three months. Most of the treated seeds germinated after 90 days storage period. The results from this study revealed that aqueous extracts from all the four plants species were effective in controlling cowpea bruchid, C. maculatus and could serve as an alternative to synthetic insecticides for protection of stored cowpea seeds against bruchids.

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.

Effect of aqueous extracts of alligator pear seed (Persea americana mill) on blood glucose and histopathology of pancreas in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

PubMed

Edem, Do; Ekanem, Is; Ebong, Pe

2009-07-01

Effects of aqueous extract of alligator pear seed on normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats were investigated in 6 groups of rats (5 rats per group). Test groups were made diabetic with intra-peritoneal injection of alloxan and treated with 300 mg and 600 mg/kg body weight of alligator pear seed extract. Two non-diabetic groups were also administered with 300 mg and 600 mg/kg body weight extract. The levels of blood glucose were examined in all 6 experimental groups. In diabetic rats, blood glucose levels were significantly reduced (p<0.05) by 73.26-78.24% on consumption of the extracts, with greater effect exhibited by the 600 mg/kg extract. In normal rats, blood glucose levels were significantly reduced (p<0.05) by 34.68-38.9% on consumption of the seed extract. Histological studies showed a degenerative effect on the pancreatic islet cells of diabetic rats. The result suggested restorative (protective) effect of the extract on pancreatic islet cells. Administration of aqueous extract of alligator pear seed may contribute significantly to the reduction of blood glucose levels and can be useful in the treatment of diabetes.

Characterization and quantitation of low and high molecular weight phenolic compounds in apple seeds.

PubMed

Fromm, Matthias; Bayha, Sandra; Carle, Reinhold; Kammerer, Dietmar R

2012-02-08

The phenolic constituents of seeds of 12 different apple cultivars were fractionated by sequential extraction with aqueous acetone (30:70, v/v) and ethyl acetate after hexane extraction of the lipids. Low molecular weight phenolic compounds were individually quantitated by RP-HPLC-DAD. The contents of extractable and nonextractable procyanidins were determined by applying RP-HPLC following thiolysis and n-butanol/HCl hydrolysis, respectively. As expected, the results revealed marked differences of the ethyl acetate extracts, aqueous acetone extracts, and insoluble residues with regard to contents and mean degrees of polymerization of procyanidins. Total phenolic contents in the defatted apple seed residues ranged between 18.4 and 99.8 mg/g. Phloridzin was the most abundant phenolic compound, representing 79-92% of monomeric polyphenols. Yields of phenolic compounds significantly differed among the cultivars under study, with seeds of cider apples generally being richer in phloridzin and catechins than seeds of dessert apple cultivars. This is the first study presenting comprehensive data on the contents of phenolic compounds in apple seeds comprising extractable and nonextractable procyanidins. Furthermore, the present work points out a strategy for the sustainable and complete exploitation of apple seeds as valuable agro-industrial byproducts, in particular as a rich source of phloridzin and antioxidant flavanols.

Modified kernel-based nonlinear feature extraction.

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

Ma, J.; Perkins, S. J.; Theiler, J. P.

2002-01-01

Feature Extraction (FE) techniques are widely used in many applications to pre-process data in order to reduce the complexity of subsequent processes. A group of Kernel-based nonlinear FE ( H E ) algorithms has attracted much attention due to their high performance. However, a serious limitation that is inherent in these algorithms -- the maximal number of features extracted by them is limited by the number of classes involved -- dramatically degrades their flexibility. Here we propose a modified version of those KFE algorithms (MKFE), This algorithm is developed from a special form of scatter-matrix, whose rank is not determinedmore » by the number of classes involved, and thus breaks the inherent limitation in those KFE algorithms. Experimental results suggest that MKFE algorithm is .especially useful when the training set is small.« less

PIPE: a protein–protein interaction passage extraction module for BioCreative challenge

PubMed Central

Chu, Chun-Han; Su, Yu-Chen; Chen, Chien Chin; Hsu, Wen-Lian

2016-01-01

Identifying the interactions between proteins mentioned in biomedical literatures is one of the frequently discussed topics of text mining in the life science field. In this article, we propose PIPE, an interaction pattern generation module used in the Collaborative Biocurator Assistant Task at BioCreative V (http://www.biocreative.org/) to capture frequent protein-protein interaction (PPI) patterns within text. We also present an interaction pattern tree (IPT) kernel method that integrates the PPI patterns with convolution tree kernel (CTK) to extract PPIs. Methods were evaluated on LLL, IEPA, HPRD50, AIMed and BioInfer corpora using cross-validation, cross-learning and cross-corpus evaluation. Empirical evaluations demonstrate that our method is effective and outperforms several well-known PPI extraction methods. Database URL: PMID:27524807

Aqueous extracts of avocado pear (Persea americana Mill.) leaves and seeds exhibit anti-cholinesterases and antioxidant activities in vitro.

PubMed

Oboh, Ganiyu; Odubanjo, Veronica O; Bello, Fatai; Ademosun, Ayokunle O; Oyeleye, Sunday I; Nwanna, Emem E; Ademiluyi, Adedayo O

2016-03-01

Avocado pear (Persea americana Mill.) leaves and seeds are used in traditional medicine for the treatment/management of Alzheimer disease (AD); however, information on the mechanism of actions is limited. This study sought to investigate the effect of P. americana leaf and seed aqueous extracts on some enzymes linked with AD (acetylcholinesterase [AChE] and butyrylcholinesterase [BChE] activities) and their antioxidant potentials in vitro. The inhibitory effects of extracts on AChE and BChE activities and antioxidant potentials (inhibition of Fe2+- and sodium nitroprusside-induced thiobarbiturate reactive species [TBARS] production in rat brain homogenates, radicals [1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, and nitric oxide] scavenging and iron [Fe] chelation abilities) were investigated. Phenolic content and phytochemical screening were carried out. Alkaloid profile was also determined using gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The extracts inhibited AChE and BChE activities and prooxidant-induced TBARS production in a dose-dependent manner, with the seed extract having the highest inhibitory effect and the leaf extract exhibiting higher phenolic content and radical scavenging abilities, but lower Fe chelation ability compared with that of the seed. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins, alkaloids, and terpenoids in both extracts, whereas the total alkaloid profile was higher in the seed extract than in the leaf extract, as revealed by GC-FID. The anti-cholinesterase and antioxidant activities of avocado leaf and seed could be linked to their phytoconstituents and might be the possible mechanisms underlying their use as a cheap and natural treatment/management of AD. However, these extracts should be further investigated in vivo.

Characterization of myrtle seed (Myrtus communis var. baetica) as a source of lipids, phenolics, and antioxidant activities.

PubMed

Wannes, Wissem Aidi; Marzouk, Brahim

2016-04-01

This study aimed to characterize the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the oil and the methanolic extract of Myrtus communis var. baetica seed. The oil yield of myrtle seed was 8.90%, with the amount of neutral lipid, especially triacylglycerol, being the highest, followed by phospholipids and glycolipids. Total lipids and all lipid classes were rich in linoleic acid. The content of total phenols, flavonoids, tannins, and proanthocyanidins of the methanolic extract and the oil from myrtle seed was determined using spectrophotometric methods. Antioxidant activities of the oil and the methanolic extract from myrtle seed were evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching, and reducing power and metal chelating activity assays. In all tests, the methanolic extract of myrtle seed showed better antioxidant activity than oil. This investigation could suggest the use of myrtle seed in food, industrial, and biomedical applications for its potential metabolites and antioxidant abilities. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Feature extraction based on semi-supervised kernel Marginal Fisher analysis and its application in bearing fault diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Li; Xuan, Jianping; Shi, Tielin

2013-12-01

Generally, the vibration signals of faulty machinery are non-stationary and nonlinear under complicated operating conditions. Therefore, it is a big challenge for machinery fault diagnosis to extract optimal features for improving classification accuracy. This paper proposes semi-supervised kernel Marginal Fisher analysis (SSKMFA) for feature extraction, which can discover the intrinsic manifold structure of dataset, and simultaneously consider the intra-class compactness and the inter-class separability. Based on SSKMFA, a novel approach to fault diagnosis is put forward and applied to fault recognition of rolling bearings. SSKMFA directly extracts the low-dimensional characteristics from the raw high-dimensional vibration signals, by exploiting the inherent manifold structure of both labeled and unlabeled samples. Subsequently, the optimal low-dimensional features are fed into the simplest K-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier to recognize different fault categories and severities of bearings. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach improves the fault recognition performance and outperforms the other four feature extraction methods.

Study of optimal extraction conditions for achieving high yield and antioxidant activity of tomato seed oil.

PubMed

Shao, Dongyan; Atungulu, Griffiths G; Pan, Zhongli; Yue, Tianli; Zhang, Ang; Li, Xuan

2012-08-01

Value of tomato seed has not been fully recognized. The objectives of this research were to establish suitable processing conditions for extracting oil from tomato seed by using solvent, determine the impact of processing conditions on yield and antioxidant activity of extracted oil, and elucidate kinetics of the oil extraction process. Four processing parameters, including time, temperature, solvent-to-solid ratio and particle size were studied. A second order model was established to describe the oil extraction process. Based on the results, increasing temperature, solvent-to-solid ratio, and extraction time increased oil yield. In contrast, larger particle size reduced the oil yield. The recommended oil extraction conditions were 8 min of extraction time at temperature of 25 °C, solvent-to-solids ratio of 5/1 (v/w) and particle size of 0.38 mm, which gave oil yield of 20.32% with recovery rate of 78.56%. The DPPH scavenging activity of extracted oil was not significantly affected by the extraction parameters. The inhibitory concentration (IC(50) ) of tomato seed oil was 8.67 mg/mL which was notably low compared to most vegetable oils. A 2nd order model successfully described the kinetics of tomato oil extraction process and parameters of extraction kinetics including initial extraction rate (h), equilibrium concentration of oil (C(s) ), and the extraction rate constant (k) could be precisely predicted with R(2) of at least 0.957. The study revealed that tomato seed which is typically treated as a low value byproduct of tomato processing has great potential in producing oil with high antioxidant capability. The impact of processing conditions including time, temperature, solvent-to-solid ratio and particle size on yield, and antioxidant activity of extracted tomato seed oil are reported. Optimal conditions and models which describe the extraction process are recommended. The information is vital for determining the extraction processing conditions for industrial production of high quality tomato seed oil. Journal of Food Science © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists® No claim to original US government works.

An extract from date seeds having a hypoglycemic effect. Is it safe to use?

PubMed

El Fouhil, Ahmed F; Ahmed, Aly M; Darwish, Hasem H; Atteya, Muhammad; Al-Roalle, Ali H

2011-08-01

To investigate the safety of date seed extract administration, and to compare between toxic effects of diabetes on rats treated with insulin versus rats treated with insulin-seed extract. This study was performed in the Anatomy Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from August to December 2010. One hundred rats were divided into 5 groups. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 was given daily ingestions of 10 ml of date seed extract. Animals of groups 3 and 4 were made diabetic by streptozotocin injection, and were given daily subcutaneous injections of 3 IU/day of insulin for 8 weeks. Group 4 received, in addition, daily ingestions of 10 ml of seed extract. Group 5 were made diabetic with streptozotocin and then given the seed extract only. At the end of experiment, rats were decapitated, and the sera were separated for estimation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine levels. Livers and kidneys were processed for light microscopic study. The mean values of all tested serum levels were significantly higher in Group 3 compared to Groups 1, 2 and 4 (with the exception of ALT in the case of Group 4). There was no significant change when comparing the mean values of Groups 1, 2, and 4. Livers and kidneys of rats in Groups 1, 2, and 4 showed normal histology, while those of Group 3 showed histopathological changes. Date seed extract administration is safe on the liver and kidney. In addition, insulin-date seed extract combination minimizes the toxic effects of diabetes on these organs.

Effect of ultrasonic treatment on the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of extract from defatted hemp, flax and canola seed cakes.

PubMed

Teh, Sue-Siang; Birch, Edward John

2014-01-01

The effectiveness of ultrasonic extraction of phenolics and flavonoids from defatted hemp, flax and canola seed cakes was compared to the conventional extraction method. Ultrasonic treatment at room temperature showed increased polyphenol extraction yield and antioxidant capacity by two-fold over the conventional extraction method. Different combinations of ultrasonic treatment parameters consisting of solvent volume (25, 50, 75 and 100 mL), extraction time (20, 30 and 40 min) and temperature (40, 50, 60 and 70 °C) were selected for polyphenol extractions from the seed cakes. The chosen parameters had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the polyphenol extraction yield and subsequent antioxidant capacity from the seed cakes. Application of heat during ultrasonic extraction yielded higher polyphenol content in extracts compared to the non-heated extraction. From an orthogonal design test, the best combination of parameters was 50 mL of solvent volume, 20 min of extraction time and 70 °C of ultrasonic temperature. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

UHPLC/HRMS Analysis of African Mango (Irvingia gabonensis) Seeds, Extract and Related Dietary Supplements

PubMed Central

Sun, Jianghao; Chen, Pei

2012-01-01

Dietary Supplements based on an extract from Irvingia gabonensis (African Mango, AM for abbreviation) seeds are one of the popular herbal weight loss dietary supplements in the US market. The extract is believed to be a natural and healthy way to lose weight and improve overall health. However, the chemical composition of African mango based-dietary supplements (AMDS) has never been reported. In this study, the chemical constituents of African mango seeds, African mango seeds extract (AMSE), and different kinds of commercially available African mango based dietary supplements (AMDS) have been investigated using an ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) method. Ellagic acid, mono, di, tri-O methyl-ellagic acids and their glycosides were found as major components in African Mango seeds. These compounds may be used for quality control of African Mango extract and related dietary supplements. PMID:22880691

Variation of metabolic profiles in developing maize kernels up- and down-regulated for the hda101 gene

PubMed Central

Castro, Cecilia; Motto, Mario; Rossi, Vincenzo; Manetti, Cesare

2008-01-01

To shed light on the specific contribution of HDA101 in modulating metabolic pathways in the maize seed, changes in the metabolic profiles of kernels obtained from hda101 mutant plants have been investigated by a metabonomic approach. Dynamic properties of chromatin folding can be mediated by enzymes that modify DNA and histones. The enzymes responsible for the steady-state of histone acetylation are histone acetyltransferase and histone deacetylase (HDA). Therefore, it is interesting to evaluate the effects of up- and down-regulation of a Rpd-3 type HDA on the development of maize seeds in terms of metabolic changes. This has been reached by analysing nuclear magnetic resonance spectra by different chemometrician approaches, such as Orthogonal Projection to Latent Structure-Discriminant Analysis, Parallel Factors Analysis, and Multi-way Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (N-PLS-DA). In particular, the latter approaches were chosen because they explicitly take time into account, organizing data into a set of slices that refer to different steps of the developing process. The results show the good discriminating capabilities of the N-PLS-DA approach, even if the number of samples ought be increased to obtain better predictive capabilities. However, using this approach, it was possible to show differences in the accumulation of metabolites during development and to highlight the changes occuring in the modified seeds. In particular, the results confirm the role of this gene in cell cycle control. PMID:18836140

L1-norm kernel discriminant analysis via Bayes error bound optimization for robust feature extraction.

PubMed

Zheng, Wenming; Lin, Zhouchen; Wang, Haixian

2014-04-01

A novel discriminant analysis criterion is derived in this paper under the theoretical framework of Bayes optimality. In contrast to the conventional Fisher's discriminant criterion, the major novelty of the proposed one is the use of L1 norm rather than L2 norm, which makes it less sensitive to the outliers. With the L1-norm discriminant criterion, we propose a new linear discriminant analysis (L1-LDA) method for linear feature extraction problem. To solve the L1-LDA optimization problem, we propose an efficient iterative algorithm, in which a novel surrogate convex function is introduced such that the optimization problem in each iteration is to simply solve a convex programming problem and a close-form solution is guaranteed to this problem. Moreover, we also generalize the L1-LDA method to deal with the nonlinear robust feature extraction problems via the use of kernel trick, and hereafter proposed the L1-norm kernel discriminant analysis (L1-KDA) method. Extensive experiments on simulated and real data sets are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method in comparing with the state-of-the-art methods.

Palm kernel cake extract exerts hepatoprotective activity in heat-induced oxidative stress in chicken hepatocytes.

PubMed

Oskoueian, Ehsan; Abdullah, Norhani; Idrus, Zulkifli; Ebrahimi, Mahdi; Goh, Yong Meng; Shakeri, Majid; Oskoueian, Armin

2014-10-02

Palm kernel cake (PKC), the most abundant by-product of oil palm industry is believed to contain bioactive compounds with hepatoprotective potential. These compounds may serve as hepatoprotective agents which could help the poultry industry to alleviate adverse effects of heat stress on liver function in chickens. This study was performed to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of PKC extract in heat-induced oxidative stress in chicken hepatocytes. The nature of the active metabolites and elucidation of the possible mechanism involved were also investigated. The PKC extract possessed free radical scavenging activity with values significantly (p < 0.05) lower than silymarin as the reference antioxidant. Heat-induced oxidative stress in chicken hepatocyte impaired the total protein, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activity significantly (p < 0.05). Treatment of heat-induced hepatocytes with PKC extract (125 μg/ml) and silymarin as positive control increased these values significantly (p < 0.05). The real time PCR and western blot analyses revealed the significant (p < 0.05) up-regulation of oxidative stress biomarkers including TNF-like, IFN-γ and IL-1β genes; NF-κB, COX-2, iNOS and Hsp70 proteins expression upon heat stress in chicken hepatocytes. The PKC extract and silymarin were able to alleviate the expression of all of these biomarkers in heat-induced chicken hepatocytes. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of PKC extract showed the presence of fatty acids, phenolic compounds, sugar derivatives and other organic compounds such as furfural which could be responsible for the observed hepatoprotective activity. Palm kernel cake extract could be a potential agent to protect hepatocytes function under heat induced oxidative stress.

Cannabis sativa (Hemp) Seeds, Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, and Potential Overdose.

PubMed

Yang, Yi; Lewis, Melissa M; Bello, Angelica M; Wasilewski, Ewa; Clarke, Hance A; Kotra, Lakshmi P

2017-01-01

Introduction: Cannabis sativa (hemp) seeds are popular for their high nutrient content, and strict regulations are in place to limit the amount of potentially harmful phytocannabinoids, especially Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9 -THC). In Canada, this limit is 10 μg of Δ 9 -THC per gram of hemp seeds (10 ppm), and other jurisdictions in the world follow similar guidelines. Materials and Methods: We investigated three different brands of consumer-grade hemp seeds using four different procedures to extract phytocannabinoids, and quantified total Δ 9 -THC and cannabidiol (CBD). Discussion: We discovered that Δ 9 -THC concentrations in these hemp seeds could be as high as 1250% of the legal limit, and the amount of phytocannabinoids depended on the extraction procedure employed, Soxhlet extraction being the most efficient across all three brands of seeds. Δ 9 -THC and CBD exhibited significant variations in their estimated concentrations even from the same brand, reflecting the inhomogeneous nature of seeds and variability due to the extraction method, but almost in all cases, Δ 9 -THC concentrations were higher than the legal limit. These quantities of total Δ 9 -THC may reach as high as 3.8 mg per gram of hemp seeds, if one were consuming a 30-g daily recommended amount of hemp seeds, and is a cause for concern for potential toxicity. It is not clear if these high quantities of Δ 9 -THC are due to contamination of the seeds, or any other reason. Conclusion: Careful consideration of the extraction method is very important for the measurement of cannabinoids in hemp seeds.

Cannabis sativa (Hemp) Seeds, Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, and Potential Overdose

PubMed Central

Yang, Yi; Lewis, Melissa M.; Bello, Angelica M.; Wasilewski, Ewa; Clarke, Hance A.; Kotra, Lakshmi P.

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Cannabis sativa (hemp) seeds are popular for their high nutrient content, and strict regulations are in place to limit the amount of potentially harmful phytocannabinoids, especially Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). In Canada, this limit is 10 μg of Δ9-THC per gram of hemp seeds (10 ppm), and other jurisdictions in the world follow similar guidelines. Materials and Methods: We investigated three different brands of consumer-grade hemp seeds using four different procedures to extract phytocannabinoids, and quantified total Δ9-THC and cannabidiol (CBD). Discussion: We discovered that Δ9-THC concentrations in these hemp seeds could be as high as 1250% of the legal limit, and the amount of phytocannabinoids depended on the extraction procedure employed, Soxhlet extraction being the most efficient across all three brands of seeds. Δ9-THC and CBD exhibited significant variations in their estimated concentrations even from the same brand, reflecting the inhomogeneous nature of seeds and variability due to the extraction method, but almost in all cases, Δ9-THC concentrations were higher than the legal limit. These quantities of total Δ9-THC may reach as high as 3.8 mg per gram of hemp seeds, if one were consuming a 30-g daily recommended amount of hemp seeds, and is a cause for concern for potential toxicity. It is not clear if these high quantities of Δ9-THC are due to contamination of the seeds, or any other reason. Conclusion: Careful consideration of the extraction method is very important for the measurement of cannabinoids in hemp seeds. PMID:29098190

Volterra series truncation and kernel estimation of nonlinear systems in the frequency domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, B.; Billings, S. A.

2017-02-01

The Volterra series model is a direct generalisation of the linear convolution integral and is capable of displaying the intrinsic features of a nonlinear system in a simple and easy to apply way. Nonlinear system analysis using Volterra series is normally based on the analysis of its frequency-domain kernels and a truncated description. But the estimation of Volterra kernels and the truncation of Volterra series are coupled with each other. In this paper, a novel complex-valued orthogonal least squares algorithm is developed. The new algorithm provides a powerful tool to determine which terms should be included in the Volterra series expansion and to estimate the kernels and thus solves the two problems all together. The estimated results are compared with those determined using the analytical expressions of the kernels to validate the method. To further evaluate the effectiveness of the method, the physical parameters of the system are also extracted from the measured kernels. Simulation studies demonstrates that the new approach not only can truncate the Volterra series expansion and estimate the kernels of a weakly nonlinear system, but also can indicate the applicability of the Volterra series analysis in a severely nonlinear system case.

40 CFR 180.658 - Penthiopyrad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 50 Buckwheat, grain 0.15 Canola 1.5 Corn, field, forage 40 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, field, refined oil 0.05 Corn, field, stover 15 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Cotton, seed 1.5 Cotton, gin byproducts 15 Fruit...

40 CFR 180.473 - Glufosinate ammonium; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 1.1 Canola, seed 0.40 Cattle, fat 0.40 Cattle, meat 0.15 Cattle, meat byproducts 6.0 Corn, field forage 4.0 Corn, field, grain 0.20 Corn, field, stover 6.0 Corn, sweet, forage 1.5 Corn, sweet, kernels plus cob with husks removed 0.30 Corn, sweet, stover 6.0 Cotton, gin byproducts 15 Cotton, undelinted...

40 CFR 180.658 - Penthiopyrad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 50 Buckwheat, grain 0.15 Canola 1.5 Corn, field, forage 40 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, field, refined oil 0.05 Corn, field, stover 15 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Cotton, seed 1.5 Cotton, gin byproducts 15 Fruit...

40 CFR 180.617 - Metconazole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... byproducts 0.04 Corn, field, forage 3.0 Corn, field, grain 0.02 Corn, field, stover 30 Corn, pop, grain 0.02 Corn, pop, stover 30 Corn, sweet, forage 3.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Corn... Soybean, hay 6.0 Soybean, hulls 0.08 Soybean, seed 0.05 Sugarcane, cane 0.06 Vegetable, tuberous and corn...

40 CFR 180.473 - Glufosinate ammonium; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 1.1 Canola, seed 0.40 Cattle, fat 0.40 Cattle, meat 0.15 Cattle, meat byproducts 6.0 Corn, field forage 4.0 Corn, field, grain 0.20 Corn, field, stover 6.0 Corn, sweet, forage 1.5 Corn, sweet, kernels plus cob with husks removed 0.30 Corn, sweet, stover 6.0 Cotton, gin byproducts 15 Cotton, undelinted...

40 CFR 180.658 - Penthiopyrad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 50 Buckwheat, grain 0.15 Canola 1.5 Corn, field, forage 40 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, field, refined oil 0.05 Corn, field, stover 15 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Cotton, seed 1.5 Cotton, gin byproducts 15 Fruit...

Genetic Mapping of a new family of Seed-Expressed Polyphenol Oxidase genes in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymatic activity is a major cause in time-dependent discoloration in wheat dough products. The PPO-A1 and PPO-D1 genes have been shown to contribute to wheat kernel PPO activity. However it has been shown that wheat contains multiple PPO genes. Recently a novel PPO gene...

Use of Embryos Extracted from Individual Cannabis sativa Seeds for Genetic Studies and Forensic Applications.

PubMed

Soler, Salvador; Borràs, Dionís; Vilanova, Santiago; Sifres, Alicia; Andújar, Isabel; Figàs, Maria R; Llosa, Ernesto R; Prohens, Jaime

2016-03-01

Legal limits on the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in Cannabis sativa plants have complicated genetic and forensic studies in this species. However, Cannabis seeds present very low THC levels. We developed a method for embryo extraction from seeds and an improved protocol for DNA extraction and tested this method in four hemp and six marijuana varieties. This embryo extraction method enabled the recovery of diploid embryos from individual seeds. An improved DNA extraction protocol (CTAB3) was used to obtain DNA from individual embryos at a concentration and quality similar to DNA extracted from leaves. DNA extracted from embryos was used for SSR molecular characterization in individuals from the 10 varieties. A unique molecular profile for each individual was obtained, and a clear differentiation between hemp and marijuana varieties was observed. The combined embryo extraction-DNA extraction methodology and the new highly polymorphic SSR markers facilitate genetic and forensic studies in Cannabis. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Allelopathic potential of leaf and seed of Mucuna bracteata DC. ex Kurz on Eleusine indica (L.) gaertn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halimshah, Syamimi; Ismail B., S.; Ahmad, Wan Juliana Wan

2015-09-01

A study was conducted to determine the allelopathic potential of leaf and seed of Mucuna bracteata on the growth of E. indica through aqueous extract and debris (incorporated into the soil) experiment. Three concentrations of leaf and seed aqueous extract (16.7, 33.3 and 66.7 g/L) and debris (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 g/500 g soil) of M. bracteata were used in the experiment. Complete randomized design (CRD) with three replications was applied in this experiment which was conducted twice. Results demonstrated that the leaf and seed extracts of M. bracteata exhibited higher suppression effect on the growth and germination of E. indica as the concentration increased. The leaf and seed extracts significantly reduced all measured parameters at all concentrations except for the shoot length and germination of E. indica by seed extract at 16.7 g/L which recorded insignificant reduction by 40.5% and 4% respectively. The leaf and seed debris significantly reduced the root length of E. indica at all treatments. Seed debris also showed significant reduction on the germination at all treatments and other seedling growth parameters (shoot length, fresh weight and dry weight) at 2.5 and 10.0 g/500 g soil. Meanwhile, the leaf debris demonstrated stimulation effect on the seedling growth parameters. As a whole, the leaf showed higher suppression effect in aqueous extract experiment while the seed recorded higher suppression effect in the debris experiment. Further studies need to be conducted to investigate the type of inhibition mechanism involved in both experiments.

Comparative analyses of seeds of wild fruits of Rubus and Sambucus species from Southern Italy: fatty acid composition of the oil, total phenolic content, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the methanolic extracts.

PubMed

Fazio, Alessia; Plastina, Pierluigi; Meijerink, Jocelijn; Witkamp, Renger F; Gabriele, Bartolo

2013-10-15

Fruit seeds are byproducts from fruit processing. Characterisation of the bioactive compounds present in seeds and evaluation of their potential biological properties is therefore of particular importance in view of a possible valorisation of seeds as a source of health beneficial components. In this work, we have analysed the seeds of Sambucus and Rubus species in order to identify their bioactive components and to determine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts. We first analysed their oil content, in order to assess the fatty acid profile and tocopherol content. Moreover, the methanolic extracts of the seeds were analysed for their total phenolic contents and antioxidant capacities. Polyphenols were identified by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. Furthermore, extracts were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on the production of LPS-induced inflammatory mediators (NO, CCL-20) in RAW 264.7 cells. Our findings show that the methanolic extracts from Rubus seeds have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and could therefore represent an attractive source of bioactive compounds for food, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of antioxidant ability of grape seeds extract to prevent oxidatively induced DNA damage by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Aybastıer, Önder; Dawbaa, Sam; Demir, Cevdet

2018-01-01

Phenolic compounds have been studied elaborately for their efficacy to improve health and to protect against a wide variety of diseases. Herein this study, different analysis methods were implemented to evaluate the antioxidant properties of catechin and cyanidin using their standard substances and as they found in the grape seeds extracts. Total phenol contents were 107.39±8.94mg GAE/g dw of grape seeds for grape seed extract (GSE) and 218.32±10.66mg GAE/g dw of grape seeds for acid-hydrolyzed grape seed extract (AcGSE). The extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD system and the results showed the presence of catechin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid and ellagic acid in the processed methanolic extract and cyanidin, gallic acid and ellagic acid in the processed acidified methanolic extract. The protective abilities of catechin and cyanidin were tested against the oxidation of DNA. The results showed that cyanidin has better protection of DNA against oxidation than catechin. GSE and AcGSE were revealed to inhibit the oxidatively induced DNA damage. GSE decreased about 57% of damage caused by the Fenton control sample. This study could show new aspects of the antioxidant profiles of cyanidin and catechin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antidiarrhoeal activity of seed extract of Albizzia lebbeck Benth.

PubMed

Besra, S E; Gomes, A; Chaudhury, L; Vedasiromoni, J R; Ganguly, D K

2002-09-01

The antidiarrhoeal activity of the seed extract of Albizzia lebbeck (Benth.) was investigated employing conventional rodent models of diarrhoea, i.e. castor oil-induced diarrhoea, upper gastrointestinal transit (u.g.t.) and fluid secretion. It was found that the aqueous methanol extract of Albizzia lebbeck seeds (2.5-5 mg/kg i.p.) possessed antidiarrhoeal activity which strengthens the earlier use of the seeds in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. The antidiarrhoeal dose of the extract was at least 10-30 times less than the LD(50) dose. The extract (2.5-5 mg/kg i.p.) potentiated the antidiarrhoeal activity of loperamide (1 mg/kg i.p.). Nalaxone (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) significantly inhibited the antidiarrhoeal activity of the extract as well as loperamide, thus indicating a role of the opioid system in the antidiarrhoeal activity of the extract. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In vivo and in vitro activities of the seed extract of Piper guineense Schum. and Thonn. against skin and gill monogenean parasites of gold fish (Carassius auratus auratus).

PubMed

Ekanem, A P; Wang, M; Simon, J E; Obiekezie, A I; Morah, F

2004-10-01

Methanol extracts of the seeds of Piper guineense (Piperaceae) were active against gold fish (Carassius auratus auratus L. Pisces Cyprinidae) monogenean parasites. The seed extract of P. guineense was administered at different concentrations (0.5-2.0 mg/L) under in vivo and in vitro conditions. There was a higher efficacy of the effects of the extracts against fish parasites under in vitro situations than under in vivo. Three major compounds (piperanine, N-isobutyl (E,E)-2,4 decadienamide and Deltaalpha,beta-dihydrowasanine) were identified from the seed extract of Piper guineense by LC-MS analysis. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Antioxidant effects of a grape seed extract in a rat model of diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Chis, Irina C; Ungureanu, Marius I; Marton, Adriana; Simedrea, Ramona; Muresan, Adriana; Postescu, Ion-Dan; Decea, Nicoleta

2009-07-01

In the present study we investigated the anti-hyperglycaemic and antioxidant effect of grape seed extract, a polyphenolic flavonoid, in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: Group I: non-diabetic control; Group II: diabetic control; Group III: diabetic rats treated with grape seed extract, administered via an intragastric tube (0.6 ml/rat), at a dose of 100 mg/kg for 20 consecutive days after the induction of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes was induced by an i.p. injection with streptozotocin for groups II and III. TheTBARS, carbonylated proteins, were measured in the plasma and in the supernatant of liver homogenisates, and superoxide dismutase and catalase were measured in the haemolysates of RBCs and supernatant of liver homogenisates. The results showed that oral administration of grape seed extract (100 mg/kg/day) reduced the levels of lipid peroxides and carbonylated proteins and improved the antioxidant activity in plasma and hepatic tissue in rats treated with grape seed natural extract as compared with the diabetic control rats. These results suggested that the grape seed extract enhanced the antioxidant defence against reactive oxygen species produced under hyperglycaemic conditions, hence protecting the liver cells.

Penile erection responses of Nigella sativa seed extract on isolated rat corpus cavernosum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aminyoto, M.; Ismail, S.

2018-04-01

Nigella sativa L. (NS) from Ranunculaceae family is known as black cumin in Indonesia. The seed has been used as an aphrodisiac in ethnobotanical studies and reported to have pharmacological activities such as antihypertensive through the relaxant effect of vascular smooth muscles but the direct effect to the blood vessels of the corpus cavernosum is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the response of NS seed extract on penile erection in vitro. NS seeds were macerated in ethanol solvent for three days in room temperature and repeated for two times. Penile erection responses was assessed using isolated rat corpus cavernosum in Krebs-Henseleit solution, temperature 37°C, pH 7.4, aerated with carbogen gas. After acclimation, corpus cavernosum was contracted with a phenylephrine solution. Ethanolic extract of NS seeds or control solution were given after reaching the plateu phase of the highest contraction. This study showed that the contraction response of the corpus cavernosum decreased after addition of NS extract and this action was increased with the addition of the extract concentration. This study concluded that NS seed ethanol extract affects the penile erection response directly through the relaxation of blood vessels in the corpus cavernosum.

Inhibitory effect of a novel combination of Salvia hispanica (chia) seed and Punica granatum (pomegranate) fruit extracts on melanin production.

PubMed

Diwakar, Ganesh; Rana, Jatinder; Saito, Lisa; Vredeveld, Doug; Zemaitis, Dorothy; Scholten, Jeffrey

2014-09-01

In recent years, dietary fatty acids have been extensively evaluated for nutritional as well as cosmetic benefits. Among the dietary fats, the omega-3 (ω3) and omega-6 (ω6) forms of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been found to exhibit many biological functions in the skin such as prevention of transepidermal water loss, maintenance of the stratum corneum epidermal barrier, and disruption of melanogenesis in epidermal melanocytes. In this study, we examined the effect of chia seed extract, high in ω3 (linolenic acid) and ω6 (linoleic acid) PUFAs, for its capacity to affect melanogenesis. Chia seed extract was shown to inhibit melanin biosynthesis in Melan-a cells; however, linoleic and α-linolenic acids alone did not effectively reduce melanin content. Further investigation demonstrated that chia seed extract in combination with pomegranate fruit extract had a synergistic effect on the inhibition of melanin biosynthesis with no corresponding effect on tyrosinase activity. Investigation of the possible mechanism of action revealed that chia seed extract downregulated expression of melanogenesis-related genes (Tyr, Tyrp1, and Mc1r), alone and in combination with pomegranate fruit extract, suggesting that the inhibition of melanin biosynthesis by a novel combination of chia seed and pomegranate fruit extracts is possibly due to the downregulation of gene expression of key melanogenic enzymes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving prediction of heterodimeric protein complexes using combination with pairwise kernel.

PubMed

Ruan, Peiying; Hayashida, Morihiro; Akutsu, Tatsuya; Vert, Jean-Philippe

2018-02-19

Since many proteins become functional only after they interact with their partner proteins and form protein complexes, it is essential to identify the sets of proteins that form complexes. Therefore, several computational methods have been proposed to predict complexes from the topology and structure of experimental protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. These methods work well to predict complexes involving at least three proteins, but generally fail at identifying complexes involving only two different proteins, called heterodimeric complexes or heterodimers. There is however an urgent need for efficient methods to predict heterodimers, since the majority of known protein complexes are precisely heterodimers. In this paper, we use three promising kernel functions, Min kernel and two pairwise kernels, which are Metric Learning Pairwise Kernel (MLPK) and Tensor Product Pairwise Kernel (TPPK). We also consider the normalization forms of Min kernel. Then, we combine Min kernel or its normalization form and one of the pairwise kernels by plugging. We applied kernels based on PPI, domain, phylogenetic profile, and subcellular localization properties to predicting heterodimers. Then, we evaluate our method by employing C-Support Vector Classification (C-SVC), carrying out 10-fold cross-validation, and calculating the average F-measures. The results suggest that the combination of normalized-Min-kernel and MLPK leads to the best F-measure and improved the performance of our previous work, which had been the best existing method so far. We propose new methods to predict heterodimers, using a machine learning-based approach. We train a support vector machine (SVM) to discriminate interacting vs non-interacting protein pairs, based on informations extracted from PPI, domain, phylogenetic profiles and subcellular localization. We evaluate in detail new kernel functions to encode these data, and report prediction performance that outperforms the state-of-the-art.

CW-SSIM kernel based random forest for image classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Guangzhe; Wang, Zhou; Wang, Jiheng

2010-07-01

Complex wavelet structural similarity (CW-SSIM) index has been proposed as a powerful image similarity metric that is robust to translation, scaling and rotation of images, but how to employ it in image classification applications has not been deeply investigated. In this paper, we incorporate CW-SSIM as a kernel function into a random forest learning algorithm. This leads to a novel image classification approach that does not require a feature extraction or dimension reduction stage at the front end. We use hand-written digit recognition as an example to demonstrate our algorithm. We compare the performance of the proposed approach with random forest learning based on other kernels, including the widely adopted Gaussian and the inner product kernels. Empirical evidences show that the proposed method is superior in its classification power. We also compared our proposed approach with the direct random forest method without kernel and the popular kernel-learning method support vector machine. Our test results based on both simulated and realworld data suggest that the proposed approach works superior to traditional methods without the feature selection procedure.

Hypoglycaemic and Tissue-Protective Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Persea Americana Seeds on Alloxan-Induced Albino Rats

PubMed Central

EZEJIOFOR, Anthonet Ndidi; OKORIE, Abednego; ORISAKWE, Orish Ebere

2013-01-01

Background: The tissue-protective potential of Persea americana necessitated a look into the histopathological effects of the plant extract on the pancreas, liver, and kidneys. This study was conceived and designed based on the gaps in the research that has been performed and what is known about the plant. The hypoglycaemic and tissue-protective effects of hot aqueous Persea americana (avocado pear) seed extracts on alloxan-induced albino rats were investigated. Methods: Persea americana seeds were extracted using hot water, and different concentrations of the extract were prepared. The effects of different concentrations (20, 30, 40 g/L) of the hot aqueous P. americana seed extract on alloxan-induced Wistar albino rats were compared with those of a reference drug, glibenclamide. The glucose level of the rats was measured daily, and the weight of the animal was monitored on a weekly basis for 21 days. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, and the histopathologies of the liver, kidneys, and pancreas were investigated. Phytochemical analysis of P. americana seed extracts indicated the presence of glycosides, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, flavonoids, and alkaloids. Results: The results showed that the extract possessed a significant hypoglycaemic (P < 0.05) effect and reversed the histopathological damage that occurred in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, comparable to the effects glibenclamide. The seeds of P. americana also had anti-diabetic and protective effects on some rat tissues such as the pancreas, kidneys, and liver. Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study provides a pharmacological basis for the folkloric use of the hot-water extract of P. americana seeds in the management of diabetes mellitus. PMID:24643349

Hypoglycaemic and tissue-protective effects of the aqueous extract of persea americana seeds on alloxan-induced albino rats.

PubMed

Ezejiofor, Anthonet Ndidi; Okorie, Abednego; Orisakwe, Orish Ebere

2013-10-01

The tissue-protective potential of Persea americana necessitated a look into the histopathological effects of the plant extract on the pancreas, liver, and kidneys. This study was conceived and designed based on the gaps in the research that has been performed and what is known about the plant. The hypoglycaemic and tissue-protective effects of hot aqueous Persea americana (avocado pear) seed extracts on alloxan-induced albino rats were investigated. Persea americana seeds were extracted using hot water, and different concentrations of the extract were prepared. The effects of different concentrations (20, 30, 40 g/L) of the hot aqueous P. americana seed extract on alloxan-induced Wistar albino rats were compared with those of a reference drug, glibenclamide. The glucose level of the rats was measured daily, and the weight of the animal was monitored on a weekly basis for 21 days. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, and the histopathologies of the liver, kidneys, and pancreas were investigated. Phytochemical analysis of P. americana seed extracts indicated the presence of glycosides, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The results showed that the extract possessed a significant hypoglycaemic (P < 0.05) effect and reversed the histopathological damage that occurred in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, comparable to the effects glibenclamide. The seeds of P. americana also had anti-diabetic and protective effects on some rat tissues such as the pancreas, kidneys, and liver. In conclusion, the present study provides a pharmacological basis for the folkloric use of the hot-water extract of P. americana seeds in the management of diabetes mellitus.

Anti-ulcerogenic activity of aqueous extract of Carica papaya seed on indomethacin-induced peptic ulcer in male albino rats.

PubMed

Oloyede, Hussein O B; Adaja, Matthew C; Ajiboye, Taofeek O; Salawu, Musa O

2015-03-01

Carica papaya is an important fruit with its seeds used in the treatment of ulcer in Nigeria. This study investigated the anti-ulcerogenic and antioxidant activities of aqueous extract of Carica papaya seed against indomethacin-induced peptic ulcer in male rats. Thirty male rats were separated into 6 groups (A-F) of five rats each. For 14 d before ulcer induction with indomethacin, groups received once daily oral doses of vehicle (distilled water), cimetidine 200 mg/kg body weight (BW), or aqueous extract of C. papaya seed at doses of 100, 150 or 200 mg/kg BW (groups A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively). Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, groups B, C, D, E and F were treated with 100 mg/kg BW of indomethacin to induce ulcer formation. Carica papaya seed extract significantly (P< 0.05) increased gastric pH and percentage of ulcer inhibition relative to indomethacin-induced ulcer rats. The extract significantly (P< 0.05) decreased gastric acidity, gastric acid output, gastric pepsin secretion, ulcer index and gastric secretion volume relative to group B. These results were similar to that achieved by pretreatment with cimetidine. Specific activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the extract-treated groups (D, E and F) were increased significantly over the group B (P< 0.05). Pretreatment with the seed extract protected rats from the indomethacin-mediated decrease in enzyme function experienced by the group B. Similarly, indomethacin-mediated decrease in reduced glutathione level and indomethacin-mediated increase in malondialdehyde were reversed by Carica papaya extract. In this study, pretreatment with aqueous extract of Carica papaya seed exhibited anti-ulcerogenic and antioxidant effects, which may be due to the enhanced antioxidant enzymes.

Effect of mechanical extraction parameters on the yield and quality of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seed oil.

PubMed

Sannino, M; Del Piano, L; Abet, Massimo; Baiano, S; Crimaldi, M; Modestia, F; Raimo, F; Ricciardiello, G; Faugno, S

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate how the combination of extraction parameters, such as extraction temperature seeds preheating and screw rotation speed, influenced the yield and chemical quality of tobacco seed oil (TSO). For its peculiar properties, TSO can be used for several purposes, as raw material in the manufacturing of soap, paints, resins, lubricants, biofuels and also as edible oil. TSO was obtained using a mechanical screw press and the quality of the oil was evaluated by monitoring the free fatty acids (FFA), the peroxide value (PV), the spectroscopic indices K 232 , K 270 and ΔK and the fatty acid composition. The maximum extraction yield, expressed as percent of oil mechanically extracted respect to the oil content in the seeds, determined by solvent extraction, was obtained with the combination of the highest extraction temperature, the slowest screw rotation speed and seeds preheating. Under these conditions yield was 80.28 ± 0.33% (w/w), 25% higher than the lowest yield obtained among investigated conditions. The extraction temperature and seed preheating showed a significant effect on FFA, on spectroscopic indices K 232 , K 270 and ΔK values. The average values of these parameters slightly increased rising the temperature and in presence of preheating, the screw rotation speed did not affect the chemical characteristic tested. In the extraction conditions investigated no significant changes in PV and fatty acids composition of oil were observed.

Rejuvenation of antioxidant system in central nervous system of aged rats by grape seed extract.

PubMed

Balu, Muthaiya; Sangeetha, Purushotham; Haripriya, Dayalan; Panneerselvam, Chinnakannu

2005-08-05

Oxidative stress is considered as a major risk factor that contributes to age-related increase in lipid peroxidation and declined antioxidants in the central nervous system during aging. Grape seed extract, one of the bioflavonoid, is widely used for its medicinal properties. In the present study, we evaluated the role of grape seed extract on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in discrete regions of the central nervous system of young and aged rats. Male albino rats of Wistar strain were divided into four groups: Group I-control young rats, Group II-young rats treated with grape seed extract (100 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days, Group III-aged control rats and Group IV-aged rats supplemented with grape seed extract (100 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days. Age-associated increase in lipid peroxidation was observed in the spinal cord, cerebral cortex, striatum and the hippocampus regions of aged rats (Group III). Activities of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and levels of non-enzymic antioxidants like reduced glutathione, Vitamin C and Vitamin E were found to be significantly decreased in all the brain regions studied in aged rats when compared to young rats. However, normalized lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defenses were reported in the grape seed extract-supplemented aged rats. These findings demonstrated that grape seed extract enhanced the antioxidant status and decreased the incidence of free radical-induced lipid peroxidation in the central nervous system of aged rats.

Effect of storage of shelled Moringa oleifera seeds from reaping time on turbidity removal.

PubMed

Golestanbagh, M; Ahamad, I S; Idris, A; Yunus, R

2011-09-01

Moringa oleifera is an indigenous plant to Malaysia whose seeds are used for water purification. Many studies on Moringa oleifera have shown that it is highly effective as a natural coagulant for turbidity removal. In this study, two different methods for extraction of Moringa's active ingredient were investigated. Results of sodium chloride (NaCl) and distilled water extraction of Moringa oleifera seeds showed that salt solution extraction was more efficient than distilled water in extracting Moringa's active coagulant ingredient. The optimum dosage of shelled Moringa oleifera seeds extracted by the NaCl solution was comparable with that of the conventional chemical coagulant alum. Moreover, the turbidity removal efficiency was investigated for shelled Moringa oleifera seeds before drying in the oven under different storage conditions (i.e. open and closed containers at room temperature, 27 °C) and durations (fresh, and storage for 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks from the time the seeds were picked from the trees). Our results indicate that there are no significant differences in coagulation efficiencies and, accordingly, turbidity removals between the examined storage conditions and periods.

Assessment of the Antioxidant Activity of Silybum marianum Seed Extract and Its Protective Effect against DNA Oxidation, Protein Damage and Lipid Peroxidation

PubMed Central

Serçe, Aynur; Toptancı, Bircan Çeken; Tanrıkut, Sevil Emen; Altaş, Sevcan; Kızıl, Göksel; Kızıl, Süleyman

2016-01-01

Summary Antioxidant properties of ethanol extract of Silybum marianum (milk thistle) seeds was investigated. We have also investigated the protein damage activated by oxidative Fenton reaction and its prevention by Silybum marianum seed extract. Antioxidant potential of Silybum marianum seed ethanol extract was measured using different in vitro methods, such as lipid peroxidation, 1,1–diphenyl–2–picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing power assays. The extract significantly decreased DNA damage caused by hydroxyl radicals. Protein damage induced by hydroxyl radicals was also efficiently inhibited, which was confirmed by the presence of protein damage markers, such as protein carbonyl formation and by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). The present study shows that milk thistle seeds have good DPPH free radical scavenging activity and can prevent lipid peroxidation. Therefore, Silybum marianum can be used as potentially rich source of antioxidants and food preservatives. The results suggest that the seeds may have potential beneficial health effects providing opportunities to develop value-added products. PMID:28115903

Assessment of the Antioxidant Activity of Silybum marianum Seed Extract and Its Protective Effect against DNA Oxidation, Protein Damage and Lipid Peroxidation.

PubMed

Serçe, Aynur; Toptancı, Bircan Çeken; Tanrıkut, Sevil Emen; Altaş, Sevcan; Kızıl, Göksel; Kızıl, Süleyman; Kızıl, Murat

2016-12-01

Antioxidant properties of ethanol extract of Silybum marianum (milk thistle) seeds was investigated. We have also investigated the protein damage activated by oxidative Fenton reaction and its prevention by Silybum marianum seed extract. Antioxidant potential of Silybum marianum seed ethanol extract was measured using different in vitro methods, such as lipid peroxidation, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing power assays. The extract significantly decreased DNA damage caused by hydroxyl radicals. Protein damage induced by hydroxyl radicals was also efficiently inhibited, which was confirmed by the presence of protein damage markers, such as protein carbonyl formation and by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The present study shows that milk thistle seeds have good DPPH free radical scavenging activity and can prevent lipid peroxidation. Therefore, Silybum marianum can be used as potentially rich source of antioxidants and food preservatives. The results suggest that the seeds may have potential beneficial health effects providing opportunities to develop value-added products.

A magical biological insecticide extracted from seeds of Millettia pachyarpa to kill cabbage aphids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Tianxing; Gong, Mingfu; Guan, Qinlan

2018-04-01

Millettia pachycarpa Benth is a perennial climbing shrub belonging to the genus Millettia, as it is widely used in traditional practices like agricultural pesticides, blood tonics, fish poison, and treatments for cancer and infertility. The crude extract of the seeds of M. pachycarpa had insecticidal activity on cabbage aphids. The conventional extract approach with three kinds of organic solvents: methanol, ethanol, and acetone was used for extracting of crude extract of seeds of M. pachycarpa. The leaf immersion method in a petri dish was used to measure contact activity on cabbage aphids. The field measurement method in a cabbage field was used to measure the control effect. The result indicated that the average mortality rate of cabbage aphids reached 91.3 percent under the action of crude extract of the seeds of M. pachycarpa, indicating that contacting activity against cabbage aphid was strong. After the crude extract was sprayed for 2 days, the proofread control effect of 1000 μg / mL ethanol crude extract against cabbage aphid was 85.0 percent. After 7 days of spraying, this number increased to 92.2 percent. The study concluded that crude extract of the seeds of M. pachyarpa extracted with methanol, ethanol, acetone had demonstrable contact activity against cabbage aphid and 1000 μg / mL ethanol crude extract had significant control effect against the larvae of cabbage aphid.

Automatic sleep staging using multi-dimensional feature extraction and multi-kernel fuzzy support vector machine.

PubMed

Zhang, Yanjun; Zhang, Xiangmin; Liu, Wenhui; Luo, Yuxi; Yu, Enjia; Zou, Keju; Liu, Xiaoliang

2014-01-01

This paper employed the clinical Polysomnographic (PSG) data, mainly including all-night Electroencephalogram (EEG), Electrooculogram (EOG) and Electromyogram (EMG) signals of subjects, and adopted the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) clinical staging manual as standards to realize automatic sleep staging. Authors extracted eighteen different features of EEG, EOG and EMG in time domains and frequency domains to construct the vectors according to the existing literatures as well as clinical experience. By adopting sleep samples self-learning, the linear combination of weights and parameters of multiple kernels of the fuzzy support vector machine (FSVM) were learned and the multi-kernel FSVM (MK-FSVM) was constructed. The overall agreement between the experts' scores and the results presented was 82.53%. Compared with previous results, the accuracy of N1 was improved to some extent while the accuracies of other stages were approximate, which well reflected the sleep structure. The staging algorithm proposed in this paper is transparent, and worth further investigation.

Supercritical fluid extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidants from grape (Vitis labrusca B.) seeds.

PubMed

Ghafoor, Kashif; Al-Juhaimi, Fahad Y; Choi, Yong Hee

2012-12-01

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) technique was applied and optimized for temperature, CO₂ pressure and ethanol (modifier) concentration using orthogonal array design and response surface methodology for the extract yield, total phenols and antioxidants from grape (Vitis labrusca B.) seeds. Effects of extraction temperature and pressure were found to be significant for all these response variables in SFE process. Optimum SFE conditions (44 ~ 46 °C temperature and 153 ~ 161 bar CO₂ pressure) along with ethanol (<7 %) as modifier, for the maximum predicted values of extract yield (12.09 %), total phenols (2.41 mg GAE/ml) and antioxidants (7.08 mg AAE/ml), were used to obtain extracts from grape seeds. The predicted values matched well with the experimental values (12.32 % extract yield, 2.45 mg GAE/ml total phenols and 7.08 mg AAE/ml antioxidants) obtained at optimum SFE conditions. The antiradical assay showed that SFE extracts of grape seeds can scavenge more than 85 % of 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The grape seeds extracts were also analyzed for hydroxybenzoic acids which included gallic acid (1.21 ~ 3.84 μg/ml), protocatechuic acid (3.57 ~ 11.78 μg/ml) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (206.72 ~ 688.18 μg/ml).

The Photostabilizing Effect of Grape Seed Extract on Three Common Sunscreen Absorbers.

PubMed

Martincigh, Bice S; Ollengo, Moses A

2016-11-01

The photostabilizing ability of grape seed extract on three common sunscreen absorbers, 2-ethylhexyl-p-methoxycinnamate (EHMC), benzophenone-3 (BP3) and tert-butylmethoxy dibenzoylmethane (BMDBM), was investigated. Samples were exposed to simulated solar radiation and monitored by spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. The chemical composition of the grape seed extract was determined by GC-MS and HPLC-MS, and the major secondary metabolites were found to be epicatechin and catechin. Exposure of the extract to UV radiation increased the UV absorption capacity of the extract. All sunscreens showed an improved photostability in the extract. The inherent photo-instability of BMDBM when exposed to UV radiation was almost eliminated in the presence of grape seed extract. A mixture of all three sunscreens in the extract showed very high photostability and a red shift covering the entire UVB and UVA regions, thereby improving the broad-spectrum protection. The incorporation of grape seed extract in sunscreen and other cosmetic formulations for topical application boosts photoprotection by stabilizing the UV filters and enhancing broad-spectrum coverage. This in turn helps in reducing the amounts of absorbers and other additives incorporated in a sunscreen product and consequently lowers the risk of an unprecedented buildup of photoproducts whose toxicities are currently unknown. © 2016 The American Society of Photobiology.

Protective effect of pumpkin seed extract on sperm characteristics, biochemical parameters and epididymal histology in adult male rats treated with cyclophosphamide.

PubMed

Aghaei, S; Nikzad, H; Taghizadeh, M; Tameh, A A; Taherian, A; Moravveji, A

2014-10-01

Cancer treatment with cyclophosphamide (CP) may result in reproductive toxicity as one of its side effects. The pumpkin seed is a rich natural source of antioxidant. We have assessed the possible protective efficacy of pumpkin seed extract on sperm characteristics, biochemical parameters and epididymal histology of CP-treated rats. Male adult Wistar rats were categorised into four groups. Group 1 served as control and received intraperitoneal (IP) injection of isotonic saline solution. Group 2 rats were treated with CP by IP injection in a single dose of 100 mg/kg body weight, only once. Group 3 and 4 received CP plus 300 and 600 mg/kg pumpkin seed extract respectively. Six weeks after treatment, sperm characteristics, biochemical parameters and histopathological changes were examined. Results showed that, sperm characteristics in CP-treated rats were significantly decreased. Biochemical analysis results showed that the co-administration of 300 mg pumpkin seed extract could increase the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level significantly. In CP-treated rats, histopathological changes such as vacuolisation, disorganisation and separation of epididymal epithelium were observed as well. Interestingly, pumpkin seed extract could improve the above-mentioned parameters remarkably in CP-treated rats. Our findings indicated that pumpkin seed extract might be used as protective agent against CP-induced reproductive toxicity. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Comparative study of the chemical composition and mineral element content of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Treculia africana seeds and seed oils.

PubMed

Ajayi, Ibironke Adetolu

2008-07-01

A comparative study of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Treculia africana seeds, both of Moraceae family, was carried out to establish their chemical compositions and evaluate their mineral element content in order to investigate the possibility of using them for human and or animal consumption and also to examine if there is a relationship between the properties of these seeds. A. heterophyllus and T. africana are rich in protein; their protein contents are higher than those from high protein animal sources such as beef and marine fishes. Both seeds have high carbohydrate content and could act as source of energy for animals if included in their diets. The oil contents of the seeds are 11.39% and 18.54% for A. heterophyllus and T. africana, respectively. The oils are consistently liquid at room temperature. The results of the physicochemical properties of the two seeds are comparable to those of conventional oil seeds such as groundnut and palm kernel oils and could be useful for nutritional and industrial purposes. The seeds were found to be good sources of mineral elements. The result revealed potassium to be the prevalent mineral elements which are 2470.00 ppm and 1680.00 ppm for A. heterophyllus and T. africana, respectively followed by sodium, magnesium and then calcium. They also contain reasonable quantity of iron, in particular A. heterophyllus 148.50 ppm.

An integrated approach for the reduction of aflatoxin contamination in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.).

PubMed

Sudha, S; Naik, M K; Ajithkumar, K

2013-02-01

An integrated approach for management of aflatoxin contamination in chilli was undertaken by evaluating the fungicides, bioagents and plant extracts against Aspergillus flavus under both in vitro and field condition. Maximum inhibition of radial growth (91.1%) was observed with 0.3% mancozeb followed by captan (85.2%). Carbendazim (73%) was effective and superior over other systemic fungicides. A complete inhibition (100%) of A. flavus was observed in neem seed kernel extract (NSKE), nimbicidin and pongamia oil at 5%. An indigenous Pseudomonas fluorescens bioagent isolate inhibited (74.9%) the growth of A. flavus over Trichoderma harzianum (70.4%). The superior performing fungicides, plant extracts and bioagents identified under in vitro were used for challenge inoculation on chilli fruits and so also for field evaluation. The captan treated fruits recorded the least infection of A. flavus (1.6%) followed by P. fluorescens (2.0%), NSKE (2.2%) and nimbicidin treated fruits (7.8%) as against control (38.3%). As regards to field evaluation, the least incidence was recorded in NSKE sprayed chilli plot (1.6%) and was on par with captan (2.2%), P. fluorescens (2.4%) and T. harzianum (2.6%) compared to control (7.4%). Hence, a pre-harvest spray of NSKE (5%) or mancozeb (0.3%) or P. fluorescens (1 × 10(8) cfu/ml) 10 days before harvest of chilli is recommended for field level management of aflatoxin.

Seed Polyphenolic Profile, Antioxidative Activity, and Fatty Acids Composition of Wild and Cultivated Carthamus Species.

PubMed

Karami, Soraya; Sabzalian, Mohammad R; Rahimmalek, Mehdi

2018-06-01

Total flavonoid content (TFC) and cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cyd-3-glu) of seed and seed coat extract of 16 genotypes from five species of Carthamus were studied, and their major polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of the seed coat extracts were determined using HPLC analysis and DPPH assay, respectively. Additionally, fatty acids composition of the seed oil was analyzed by GC. In general, TFC and Cyd-3-glu content of seed coat extracts were higher than those of seed extracts. A novel breeding line with black seed coat (named A82) depicted lower TFC (3.79 mg QUE/g DW) but higher Cyd-3-glu (24.64 mg/g DW) compared to the white and other seed-pigmented genotypes. DPPH radical scavenging activity showed a strong association with Cyd-3-glu content (r = 0.84), but no correlation with TFC (r = -0.32). HPLC analysis of seed coat extracts revealed that four compounds were dominant constituents including rutin (7.23 - 117.95 mg/100 g DW), apigenin (4.37 - 64.88 mg/100 g DW), quercetin (3.09 - 14.10 mg/100 g DW), and ferulic acid (4.49 - 30.41 mg/100 g DW). Interestingly, the genotype A82 with an appropriate polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids index (5.46%) and a moderate linoleic fatty acid content (64.70%) had higher nutritional and pharmaceutical value than all the other genotypes. © 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Colonization of citrus seed coats by 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus': implications for seed transmission of the bacterium.

PubMed

Hilf, Mark E

2011-10-01

Huanglongbing is an economically damaging disease of citrus associated with infection by 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus'. Transmission of the organism via infection of seeds has not been demonstrated but is a concern since some citrus varieties, particularly those used as rootstocks in commercial plantings are propagated from seed. We compared the incidence of detection of 'Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus' DNA in individual fruit peduncles, seed coats, seeds, and in germinated seedlings from 'Sanguenelli' sweet orange and 'Conners' grapefruit fruits sampled from infected trees. Using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) we detected pathogen DNA in nucleic acid extracts of 36 and 100% of peduncles from 'Sanguenelli' and from 'Conners' fruits, respectively. We also detected pathogen DNA in extracts of 37 and 98% of seed coats and in 1.6 and 4% of extracts from the corresponding seeds of 'Sanguenelli' and 'Conners', respectively. Small amounts of pathogen DNA were detected in 10% of 'Sanguenelli' seedlings grown in the greenhouse, but in none of 204 extracts from 'Conners' seedlings. Pathogen DNA was detected in 4.9% and in 89% of seed coats peeled from seeds of 'Sanguenelli' and 'Conners' which were germinated on agar, and in 5% of 'Sanguenelli' but in none of 164 'Conners' seedlings which grew from these seeds on agar. No pathogen DNA was detected in 'Ridge Pineapple' tissue at 3 months post-grafting onto 'Sanguenelli' seedlings, even when pathogen DNA had been detected initially in the 'Sanguenelli' seedling. Though the apparent colonization of 'Conners' seeds was more extensive and nearly uniform compared with 'Sanguenelli' seeds, no pathogen DNA was detected in 'Conners' seedlings grown from these seeds. For either variety, no association was established between the presence of pathogen DNA in fruit peduncles and seed coats and in seedlings.

Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Limonoids and Flavonoids in Seeds of Grapefruits, Other Citrus Species, and Dietary Supplements.

PubMed

Avula, Bharathi; Sagi, Satyanarayanaraju; Wang, Yan-Hong; Wang, Mei; Gafner, Stefan; Manthey, John A; Khan, Ikhlas A

2016-07-01

A selective UHPLC-DAD-QToF-MS method was developed to screen grapefruit seeds, and the seeds of other Citrus species for limonoid aglycones, acids, glucosides, and flavonoids. These classes of compounds were identified in positive and negative ion modes over a mass-to-charge range from 100-1500. Accurate mass values, elution times, and fragmentation patterns obtained by QToF-mass spectrometry were used to identify or tentatively characterize the compounds detected in the sample of this study. Limonin was the major limonoid in most of the seeds of Citrus species, followed by nomilin. This analytical method was successfully applied for the analysis of commercial extracts and dietary supplements claiming to contain grapefruit seed extract, or extracts made from the seed and other fruit parts such as the peel or pulp. Many commercial products contained large numbers of flavonoids, indicating the use of peel, pulp, or seed coat. This method also permitted detection of synthetic preservatives such as benzethonium chloride, methylparaben, and triclosan in commercial grapefruit seed extract products. Out of the 17 commercial products analyzed, two contained the synthetic antimicrobial agent benzethonium chloride. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Oil composition and characterisation of phenolic compounds of Opuntia ficus-indica seeds.

PubMed

Chougui, Nadia; Tamendjari, Abderezak; Hamidj, Wahiba; Hallal, Salima; Barras, Alexandre; Richard, Tristan; Larbat, Romain

2013-08-15

The seed composition of four varieties of Opuntia ficus-indica growing in Algeria was investigated. Seeds ground into a fine powder were first, subjected to oil extraction and fatty acids analysis. The phenolic compounds were then extracted from the defatted powder of seeds in order to be quantified and characterised by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS(n)) and to nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-NMR) approaches. In addition, an evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the phenolic extracts was investigated. Gas chromatography analysis of the seed oil showed high percentages of linoleic acid in the four varieties ranging from 58% to 63%. The phenolic profile of the Opuntia ficus-indica seeds displayed a high complexity, with more than 20 compounds detected at 330 nm after the LC separation. Among them, three isomers of feruloyl-sucrose were firmly identified and another was strongly supposed to be a sinapoyl-diglycoside. High correlations were found between phenolic content in the defatted seed extracts and their antioxidant activity. The data indicate that the defatted cactus seed wastes still contain various components that constitute a source for natural foods. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Statistics of primordial density perturbations from discrete seed masses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scherrer, Robert J.; Bertschinger, Edmund

1991-01-01

The statistics of density perturbations for general distributions of seed masses with arbitrary matter accretion is examined. Formal expressions for the power spectrum, the N-point correlation functions, and the density distribution function are derived. These results are applied to the case of uncorrelated seed masses, and power spectra are derived for accretion of both hot and cold dark matter plus baryons. The reduced moments (cumulants) of the density distribution are computed and used to obtain a series expansion for the density distribution function. Analytic results are obtained for the density distribution function in the case of a distribution of seed masses with a spherical top-hat accretion pattern. More generally, the formalism makes it possible to give a complete characterization of the statistical properties of any random field generated from a discrete linear superposition of kernels. In particular, the results can be applied to density fields derived by smoothing a discrete set of points with a window function.

Extraction and the Fatty Acid Profile of Rosa acicularis Seed Oil.

PubMed

Du, Huanan; Zhang, Xu; Zhang, Ruchun; Zhang, Lu; Yu, Dianyu; Jiang, Lianzhou

2017-12-01

Rosa acicularis seed oil was extracted from Rosa acicularis seeds by the ultrasonic-assisted aqueous enzymatic method using cellulase and protease. Based on a single experiment, Plackett-Burman design was applied to ultrasonic-assisted aqueous enzymatic extraction of wild rose seed oil. The effects of enzyme amount, hydrolysis temperature and initial pH on total extraction rate of wild rose seed oil was studied by using Box-Behnken optimize methodology. Chemical characteristics of a sample of Rosa acicularis seeds and Rosa acicularis seed oil were characterized in this work. The tocopherol content was 200.6±0.3 mg/100 g oil. The Rosa acicularis seed oil was rich in linoleic acid (56.5%) and oleic acid (34.2%). The saturated fatty acids included palmitic acid (4%) and stearic acid (2.9%). The major fatty acids in the sn-2 position of triacylglycerol in Rosa acicularis oil were linoleic acid (60.6%), oleic acid (33.6%) and linolenic acid (3.2%). According to the 1,3-random-2-random hypothesis, the dominant triacylglycerols were LLL (18%), LLnL (1%), LLP (2%), LOL (10%), LLSt (1.2%), PLP (0.2%), LLnP (0.1%), LLnO (0.6%) and LOP (1.1%). This work could be useful for developing applications for Rosa acicularis seed oil.

Indigenous knowledge of shea processing and quality perception of shea products in Benin.

PubMed

Honfo, Fernande G; Linnemann, Anita R; Akissoe, Noël H; Soumanou, Mohamed M; van Boekel, Martinus A J S

2012-01-01

A survey among 246 people belonging to 14 ethnic groups and living in 5 different parklands in Benin revealed different practices to process shea kernels (namely boiling followed sun drying and smoking) and extract shea butter. A relation between parklands, gathering period, and sun-drying conditions was established. Moisture content and appearance of kernels were the selection criteria for users of shea kernels; color was the main characteristic to buy butter. Constraints to be solved are long processing times, lack of milling equipment and high water requirements. Best practices for smoking, sun drying, and roasting operations need to be established for further improvement.

Comparative Evaluation of Pavement Crack Detection Using Kernel-Based Techniques in Asphalt Road Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miraliakbari, A.; Sok, S.; Ouma, Y. O.; Hahn, M.

2016-06-01

With the increasing demand for the digital survey and acquisition of road pavement conditions, there is also the parallel growing need for the development of automated techniques for the analysis and evaluation of the actual road conditions. This is due in part to the resulting large volumes of road pavement data captured through digital surveys, and also to the requirements for rapid data processing and evaluations. In this study, the Canon 5D Mark II RGB camera with a resolution of 21 megapixels is used for the road pavement condition mapping. Even though many imaging and mapping sensors are available, the development of automated pavement distress detection, recognition and extraction systems for pavement condition is still a challenge. In order to detect and extract pavement cracks, a comparative evaluation of kernel-based segmentation methods comprising line filtering (LF), local binary pattern (LBP) and high-pass filtering (HPF) is carried out. While the LF and LBP methods are based on the principle of rotation-invariance for pattern matching, the HPF applies the same principle for filtering, but with a rotational invariant matrix. With respect to the processing speeds, HPF is fastest due to the fact that it is based on a single kernel, as compared to LF and LBP which are based on several kernels. Experiments with 20 sample images which contain linear, block and alligator cracks are carried out. On an average a completeness of distress extraction with values of 81.2%, 76.2% and 81.1% have been found for LF, HPF and LBP respectively.

Lung dynamic MRI deblurring using low-rank decomposition and dictionary learning.

PubMed

Gou, Shuiping; Wang, Yueyue; Wu, Jiaolong; Lee, Percy; Sheng, Ke

2015-04-01

Lung dynamic MRI (dMRI) has emerged to be an appealing tool to quantify lung motion for both planning and treatment guidance purposes. However, this modality can result in blurry images due to intrinsically low signal-to-noise ratio in the lung and spatial/temporal interpolation. The image blurring could adversely affect the image processing that depends on the availability of fine landmarks. The purpose of this study is to reduce dMRI blurring using image postprocessing. To enhance the image quality and exploit the spatiotemporal continuity of dMRI sequences, a low-rank decomposition and dictionary learning (LDDL) method was employed to deblur lung dMRI and enhance the conspicuity of lung blood vessels. Fifty frames of continuous 2D coronal dMRI frames using a steady state free precession sequence were obtained from five subjects including two healthy volunteer and three lung cancer patients. In LDDL, the lung dMRI was decomposed into sparse and low-rank components. Dictionary learning was employed to estimate the blurring kernel based on the whole image, low-rank or sparse component of the first image in the lung MRI sequence. Deblurring was performed on the whole image sequences using deconvolution based on the estimated blur kernel. The deblurring results were quantified using an automated blood vessel extraction method based on the classification of Hessian matrix filtered images. Accuracy of automated extraction was calculated using manual segmentation of the blood vessels as the ground truth. In the pilot study, LDDL based on the blurring kernel estimated from the sparse component led to performance superior to the other ways of kernel estimation. LDDL consistently improved image contrast and fine feature conspicuity of the original MRI without introducing artifacts. The accuracy of automated blood vessel extraction was on average increased by 16% using manual segmentation as the ground truth. Image blurring in dMRI images can be effectively reduced using a low-rank decomposition and dictionary learning method using kernels estimated by the sparse component.

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds, antioxidants, and anthocyanins from grape (Vitis vinifera) seeds.

PubMed

Ghafoor, Kashif; Choi, Yong Hee; Jeon, Ju Yeong; Jo, In Hee

2009-06-10

Important functional components from Campbell Early grape seed were extracted by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) technology. The experiments were carried out according to a five level, three variable central composite rotatable design (CCRD). The best possible combinations of ethanol concentration, extraction temperature, and extraction time with the application of ultrasound were obtained for the maximum extraction of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities, and anthocyanins from grape seed by using response surface methodology (RSM). Process variables had significant effect on the extraction of functional components with extraction time being highly significant for the extraction of phenolics and antioxidants. The optimal conditions obtained by RSM for UAE from grape seed include 53.15% ethanol, 56.03 degrees C temperature, and 29.03 min time for the maximum total phenolic compounds (5.44 mg GAE/100 mL); 53.06% ethanol, 60.65 degrees C temperature, and 30.58 min time for the maximum antioxidant activity (12.31 mg/mL); and 52.35% ethanol, 55.13 degrees C temperature, and 29.49 min time for the maximum total anthocyanins (2.28 mg/mL). Under the above-mentioned conditions, the experimental total phenolics were 5.41 mg GAE/100 mL, antioxidant activity was 12.28 mg/mL, and total anthocyanins were 2.29 mg/mL of the grape seed extract, which is well matched with the predicted values.

Optimization of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Eucommia ulmoides Seed Oil and Quality Evaluation of the Oil.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhen-Shan; Liu, Yu-Lan; Che, Li-Ming

2018-03-01

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SC-CO 2 ) technology was used to extract oil from Eucommia ulmoides seed. The optimum conditions and significant parameters in SC-CO 2 were obtained using response surface methodology (RSM). The qualities of the extracted oil were evaluated by physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition, vitamin E composition. It was found that the optimum extraction parameters were at pressure of 37 MPa, temperature of 40°C, extraction time of 125 min and CO 2 flow rate of 2.6 SL/min. Pressure, temperature and time were identified as significant parameter effecting on extraction yield. The importance of evaluated parameters decreased in the order of pressure > extraction time > temperature > CO 2 flow rate. GC analysis indicated that E. ulmoides seed oil contained about 61% of linolenic acid and its fatty acid composition was similar with that of flaxseed oil and perilla oil. The content and composition of vitamin E was determined using HPLC. The E. ulmoides seed oil was rich in vitamin E (190.72 mg/100 g), the predominant vitamin E isomers were γ- tocopherol and δ- tocopherol, which accounted for 70.87% and 24.81% of the total vitamin E, respectively. The high yield and good physicochemical properties of extracted oil support the notion that SC-CO 2 technology is an effective technique for extracting oil from E. ulmoides seed.

Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of kernels and shells of Mexican pecan (Carya illinoinensis).

PubMed

de la Rosa, Laura A; Alvarez-Parrilla, Emilio; Shahidi, Fereidoon

2011-01-12

The phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of pecan kernels and shells cultivated in three regions of the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, were analyzed. High concentrations of total extractable phenolics, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins were found in kernels, and 5-20-fold higher concentrations were found in shells. Their concentrations were significantly affected by the growing region. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by ORAC, DPPH•, HO•, and ABTS•-- scavenging (TAC) methods. Antioxidant activity was strongly correlated with the concentrations of phenolic compounds. A strong correlation existed among the results obtained using these four methods. Five individual phenolic compounds were positively identified and quantified in kernels: ellagic, gallic, protocatechuic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids and catechin. Only ellagic and gallic acids could be identified in shells. Seven phenolic compounds were tentatively identified in kernels by means of MS and UV spectral comparison, namely, protocatechuic aldehyde, (epi)gallocatechin, one gallic acid-glucose conjugate, three ellagic acid derivatives, and valoneic acid dilactone.

Evaluation of extraction methods for the identification of proteins from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seed and flesh.

PubMed

Lee, Hooi Xian; Ahmad, Fisal; Saad, Bahruddin; Ismail, Mohd Nazri

2017-11-26

Date fruits are well known to be very nutritious. Nevertheless, the protein contents of the fruit, particularly the seed and flesh, are still understudied, largely due to their difficult physical characteristics. This study was conducted to compare three different protein extraction methods which were the trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-acetone (TCA-A), phenol (Phe), and TCA-acetone-phenol (TCA-A-Phe), and to perform proteomic analysis on date palm seed and flesh. Phe extraction method showed the highest protein yields for both seed (8.26 mg/g) and flesh (1.57 mg/g). Through sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Phe, and TCA-A-Phe extraction methods were shown to be efficient in removing interfering compounds and gave well-resolved bands over a wide range of molecular weights. Following liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, about 50-64% of extracted proteins were identified with known functions including those involved in glycolysis, Krebs cycle, defense, and storage. Phe protein extraction method was proven to be the optimal method for date flesh and seed.

Redox changes accompanying storage protein mobilization in moist chilled and warm incubated walnut kernels prior to germination.

PubMed

Shahmoradi, Zeynab; Tamaskani, Fatemeh; Sadeghipour, Hamid Reza; Abdolzadeh, Ahmad

2013-01-01

Alterations in the redox state of storage proteins and the associated proteolytic processes were investigated in moist-chilled and warm-incubated walnut (Juglans regia L.) kernels prior to germination. The kernel total protein labeling with a thiol-specific fluorochrome i.e. monobromobimane (mBBr) revealed more reduction of 29-32 kDa putative glutelins, while in the soluble proteins, both putative glutelins and 41, 55 and 58 kDa globulins contained reduced disulfide bonds during mobilization. Thus, the in vivo more reduced disulfide bonds of storage proteins corresponds to greater solubility. After the in vitro reduction of walnut kernel proteins pre-treated by N-ethyl maleimide (NEM) with dithioerythrethiol (DTT) and bacterial thioredoxin, the 58 kDa putative globulin and a 6 kDa putative albumin were identified as disulfide proteins. Thioredoxin stimulated the reduction of the H(2)O(2)-oxidized 6 kDa polypeptide, but not the 58 kDa polypeptide by DTT. The solubility of 6 kDa putative albumin, 58 and 19-24 kDa putative globulins and glutelins, respectively, were increased by DTT. The in vitro specific mobilization of the 58 kDa polypeptide that occurred at pH 5.0 by the kernel endogenous protease was sensitive to the serine-protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and stimulated by DTT. The specific degradation of the 58 kDa polypeptide might be achieved through thioredoxin-mediated activation of a serine protease and/or reductive unfolding of its 58 kDa polypeptide substrate. As redox changes in storage proteins occurred equally in both moist chilled and warm incubated walnut kernels, the regulatory functions of thioredoxins in promoting seed germination may be due to other germination related processes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Candidate Genes for Starch Content Regulation in Maize Kernels

PubMed Central

Liu, Na; Xue, Yadong; Guo, Zhanyong; Li, Weihua; Tang, Jihua

2016-01-01

Kernel starch content is an important trait in maize (Zea mays L.) as it accounts for 65–75% of the dry kernel weight and positively correlates with seed yield. A number of starch synthesis-related genes have been identified in maize in recent years. However, many loci underlying variation in starch content among maize inbred lines still remain to be identified. The current study is a genome-wide association study that used a set of 263 maize inbred lines. In this panel, the average kernel starch content was 66.99%, ranging from 60.60 to 71.58% over the three study years. These inbred lines were genotyped with the SNP50 BeadChip maize array, which is comprised of 56,110 evenly spaced, random SNPs. Population structure was controlled by a mixed linear model (MLM) as implemented in the software package TASSEL. After the statistical analyses, four SNPs were identified as significantly associated with starch content (P ≤ 0.0001), among which one each are located on chromosomes 1 and 5 and two are on chromosome 2. Furthermore, 77 candidate genes associated with starch synthesis were found within the 100-kb intervals containing these four QTLs, and four highly associated genes were within 20-kb intervals of the associated SNPs. Among the four genes, Glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase (APS1; Gene ID GRMZM2G163437) is known as an important regulator of kernel starch content. The identified SNPs, QTLs, and candidate genes may not only be readily used for germplasm improvement by marker-assisted selection in breeding, but can also elucidate the genetic basis of starch content. Further studies on these identified candidate genes may help determine the molecular mechanisms regulating kernel starch content in maize and other important cereal crops. PMID:27512395

Effects of muffin processing on fumonisins from 14C-labeled toxins produced in cultured corn kernels.

PubMed

Avantaggiato, Giuseppina; De La Campa, Regina; Miller, J David; Visconti, Angelo

2003-10-01

The persistence of fumonisins during cooking is known to be affected by several factors, including thermal degradation and the presence of various ingredients in corn-based food recipes that can react with the toxin. A method for the production of corn kernels containing 14C-fumonisins was developed. The corn kernels were colonized by Fusarium verticillioides MRC 826 and supplemented with 1,2-14C-sodium acetate. The specific activity of 14C-FB1 produced made the study of its fate in cornmeal muffins possible. The double-extraction acetonitrile-water-methanol/immunoaffinity column/o-phthaldialdehyde high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used to determine FB1 levels in cornmeal muffins. Reductions in FB1 levels in muffins spiked with 14C-labeled and unlabeled FB1 (43 and 48%, respectively) were similar, indicating that the extraction method was efficient and consistent with previous reports. However, with the labeled corn kernel material, recovery levels based on the 14C counts for the eluate from an immunoaffinity column were much higher (90%). This finding indicates that some fumonisin-related compounds other than FB1 that were present in the cornmeal were recognized by the antibodies but not by the HPLC method.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of cuphea seed oil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cuphea seed oil is being investigated as a potential domestic source of medium chain fatty acids for several industrial uses. Although the oil from cuphea seeds has been obtained using both solvent extraction and screw pressing, both methods suffer from several disadvantages. Petroleum ether extra...

Prioritizing individual genetic variants after kernel machine testing using variable selection.

PubMed

He, Qianchuan; Cai, Tianxi; Liu, Yang; Zhao, Ni; Harmon, Quaker E; Almli, Lynn M; Binder, Elisabeth B; Engel, Stephanie M; Ressler, Kerry J; Conneely, Karen N; Lin, Xihong; Wu, Michael C

2016-12-01

Kernel machine learning methods, such as the SNP-set kernel association test (SKAT), have been widely used to test associations between traits and genetic polymorphisms. In contrast to traditional single-SNP analysis methods, these methods are designed to examine the joint effect of a set of related SNPs (such as a group of SNPs within a gene or a pathway) and are able to identify sets of SNPs that are associated with the trait of interest. However, as with many multi-SNP testing approaches, kernel machine testing can draw conclusion only at the SNP-set level, and does not directly inform on which one(s) of the identified SNP set is actually driving the associations. A recently proposed procedure, KerNel Iterative Feature Extraction (KNIFE), provides a general framework for incorporating variable selection into kernel machine methods. In this article, we focus on quantitative traits and relatively common SNPs, and adapt the KNIFE procedure to genetic association studies and propose an approach to identify driver SNPs after the application of SKAT to gene set analysis. Our approach accommodates several kernels that are widely used in SNP analysis, such as the linear kernel and the Identity by State (IBS) kernel. The proposed approach provides practically useful utilities to prioritize SNPs, and fills the gap between SNP set analysis and biological functional studies. Both simulation studies and real data application are used to demonstrate the proposed approach. © 2016 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Grape seed and skin extract alleviates high-fat diet-induced renal lipotoxicity and prevents copper depletion in rat.

PubMed

Charradi, Kamel; Elkahoui, Salem; Karkouch, Ines; Limam, Ferid; Hamdaoui, Ghaith; Ben Hassine, Fethy; El May, Michèle Veronique; El May, Ahmed; Aouani, Ezzedine

2013-03-01

Obesity is a public health problem that contributes to morbidity and mortality from diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancers. The purpose of this investigation was to analyse the link between obesity-induced oxidative stress, renal steatosis, and kidney dysfunction, as well as the protective effect of grape seed and skin extract. Rats were fed a standard diet or a high-fat diet for 6 weeks and were either treated or not treated with grape seed and skin extract. Fat-induced oxidative stress was evaluated in the kidney with a special emphasis on transition metals. High-fat diet induced triglyceride deposition and disturbances in kidney function parameters, which are linked to an oxidative stress status and depletion of copper from the kidney. Grape seed and skin extract abrogated almost all fat-induced kidney disturbances. Grape seed and skin extract exerted potential protection against fat-induced kidney lipotoxicity and should find potential application in other kidney-related diseases.

Mosquito larvicidal activity of Rauvolfia serpentina L. seeds against Culex quinquefasciatus Say.

PubMed

Das, Dipanwita; Chandra, Goutam

2012-01-01

To establish the larvicidal activities, if any of solvent extracts of Rauvolfia serpentina (R. serpentina) L. seeds against Culex quinquefasciatus (Cx. quinquefasciatus) Say, 1823 as target species. Seeds of R. serpentina were extracted with five solvents graded according to the polarity [viz. petroleum ether, benzene, ethyl acetate, acetone and absolute alcohol] continuing one after another with the same seeds. Mortality rate with petroleum ether extract was significantly higher than other extracts. The mortality rates of late 3rd instar larvae were 50.33±5.51, 10.00±1.00, 0.00±0.00, 21.33±1.53 and 0.00±0.00 in 100 ppm concentration of petroleum ether, benzene, ethyl acetate, acetone and absolute alcohol respectively, after 24 h of exposure period. Results of this study show that petroleum ether extract of R. serpentina seed may be considered as a potent source of mosquito larvicidal agent. Copyright © 2012 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Antioxidative activities and phenolic compounds of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) seeds and amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus) grain extracts.

PubMed

Peiretti, Pier Giorgio; Meineri, Giorgia; Gai, Francesco; Longato, Erica; Amarowicz, Ryszard

2017-09-01

Phenolic compounds were extracted from pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) seed and amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus) grain into 80% (v/v) methanol. The extracts obtained were characterised by the contents of total phenolic compounds (TPC), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and antiradical activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH · ) radical. The content of individual phenolic compounds was determined by HPLC-DAD method. Pumpkin seeds showed the higher content of TPC than that from amaranth. The TEAC values of both extracts were similar each other. The lower value of FRAP was observed for pumpkin seed. Phenolic compound present in amaranth grain exhibited strongest antiradical properties against DPPH radical. Several peaks were present on the HPLC chromatograms of two extracts. The UV-DAD spectra confirmed the presence of vanillic acid derivatives in the amaranth grain. The three main phenolic compound present in pumpkin seed were characterised by UV-DAD spectra with maximum at 258, 266 and 278 nm.

A comparative antibacterial evaluation of raw and processed Guñjā (Abrus precatorius Linn.) seeds.

PubMed

Roy, Sudipta; Acharya, Rabinarayan; Mandal, Narayan C; Barman, Soma; Ghosh, Ranjan; Roy, Rajiv

2012-07-01

Seed of Guñjā (Abrus precatorius Linn.), a known poisonous drug, is used extensively in various ayurvedic formulations with great therapeutic significance. Ayurveda recommends the administration of Guñjā in diseases like Indralupta (alopecia), Śotha (edema), Kṛmi (helminthes), Kuṣṭha (skin diseases), Kaṇḍu (itching), Prameha (urinary disorders) etc., after being treated with specific Śodhana (purification) procedures. To assess the antimicrobial action of of raw and Śhodhita (Processed) Guñjā seeds. Guñjā seeds after being processed with Godugdha (cow's milk), Nimbu swarasa (Lemon juice), Kāñjī (Sour gruel) and water, as the media, were evaluated for its antibacterial effect against clinically important bacterial strains using agar well diffusion method. Aqueous extracts of raw seeds of Guñjā exert its antibacterial effect on both Gram positive, as well as Gram negative bacteria but none of the Śodhita Guñjā seeds showed any bactericidal effect on any bacterial strains. Chloroform extracts of all the Śodhita Guñjā seed extracts could inhibit bacterial growth but with variations. The study displayed that chloroform extracts of raw and śodhita samples for bacterial study were much sensitive than the aqueous extracts.

Vitis vinifera Extract Ameliorate Hepatic and Renal Dysfunction Induced by Dexamethasone in Albino Rats

PubMed Central

Hasona, Nabil A.; Alrashidi, Ahmed A.; Aldugieman, Thamer Z.; Alshdokhi, Ali M.; Ahmed, Mohammed Q.

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the biochemical effects of grape seed extract against dexamethasone-induced hepatic and renal dysfunction in a female albino rat. Twenty-eight adult female rats were divided randomly into four equal groups: Group 1: animals were injected subcutaneously with saline and consider as normal control one. Group 2: animals were injected subcutaneously with dexamethasone in a dose of 0.1 mg/kg body weight. Group 3: animals were injected subcutaneously with 0.1 mg/kg body weight of dexamethasone, and then treated with a grape seed extract in a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight by oral gavage. Group 4: animals were injected subcutaneously with 0.1 mg/kg body weight of dexamethasone, and then treated with a grape seed extract in a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight by oral gavage. After 4 weeks, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, albumin, uric acid, creatinine, and glucose levels were assayed. Hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH), total protein content, and catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were also assayed. Dexamethasone administration caused elevation of serum levels of glucose, uric acid, creatinine, ALT, AST activities, and a decrease in other parameters such as hepatic glutathione, total protein levels, and catalase enzyme activity. Treatment with Vitis vinifera L. seed extract showed a significant increase in the body weight of rats in the group treated with Vitis vinifera L. seed extract orally compared with the dexamethasone control group. An increase in GSH and catalase activity in response to oral treatment with Vitis vinifera L. seed extract was observed after treatment. Grape seed extract positively affects glucocorticoid-induced hepatic and renal alteration in albino rats. PMID:29051443

40 CFR 180.301 - Carboxin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Cattle, fat 0.05 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.1 Cattle, meat 0.05 Corn, field, forage 0.2 Corn, field, grain 0.2 Corn, field, stover 0.2 Corn, pop, grain 0.2 Corn, pop, stover 0.2 Corn, sweet, forage 0.2 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.2 Corn, sweet, stover 0.2 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.2 Egg 0...

40 CFR 180.418 - Cypermethrin and an isomer zeta-cypermethrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 10 Citrus, dried pulp 1.8 Citrus, oil 4.0 Corn, field, forage 0.20 Corn, field, grain 0.05 Corn, field, stover 3.00 Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, stover 3.00 Corn, sweet, forage 15.00 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 Corn, sweet, stover 15.00 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.5 Crambe...

40 CFR 180.418 - Cypermethrin and an isomer zeta-cypermethrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 10 Citrus, dried pulp 1.8 Citrus, oil 4.0 Corn, field, forage 0.20 Corn, field, grain 0.05 Corn, field, stover 3.00 Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, stover 3.00 Corn, sweet, forage 15.00 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 Corn, sweet, stover 15.00 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.5 Crambe...

40 CFR 180.617 - Metconazole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... byproducts 0.04 Corn, field, forage 3.0 Corn, field, grain 0.02 Corn, field, stover 4.5 Corn, pop, grain 0.02 Corn, pop, stover 4.5 Corn, sweet, forage 3.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Corn... Soybean, hay 6.0 Soybean, hulls 0.08 Soybean, seed 0.05 Sugarcane, cane 0.06 Vegetable, tuberous and corn...

40 CFR 180.301 - Carboxin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Cattle, fat 0.05 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.1 Cattle, meat 0.05 Corn, field, forage 0.2 Corn, field, grain 0.2 Corn, field, stover 0.2 Corn, pop, grain 0.2 Corn, pop, stover 0.2 Corn, sweet, forage 0.2 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.2 Corn, sweet, stover 0.2 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.2 Egg 0...

40 CFR 180.533 - Esfenvalerate; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Cauliflower 0.5 Collards 3.0 Corn, field, forage 15.0 Corn, field, grain 0.02 Corn, field, stover 15.0 Corn, pop, grain 0.02 Corn, pop, stover 15.0 Corn, sweet, forage 15.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 Corn, sweet, stover 15.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.2 Cucumber 0.5 Egg 0.03 Eggplant 0...

40 CFR 180.533 - Esfenvalerate; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Cauliflower 0.5 Collards 3.0 Corn, field, forage 15.0 Corn, field, grain 0.02 Corn, field, stover 15.0 Corn, pop, grain 0.02 Corn, pop, stover 15.0 Corn, sweet, forage 15.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 Corn, sweet, stover 15.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.2 Cucumber 0.5 Egg 0.03 Eggplant 0...

40 CFR 180.533 - Esfenvalerate; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Cauliflower 0.5 Collards 3.0 Corn, field, forage 15.0 Corn, field, grain 0.02 Corn, field, stover 15.0 Corn, pop, grain 0.02 Corn, pop, stover 15.0 Corn, sweet, forage 15.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 Corn, sweet, stover 15.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.2 Cucumber 0.5 Egg 0.03 Eggplant 0...

40 CFR 180.361 - Pendimethalin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... greens, subgroup 5B 0.20 Carrot 0.5 Citrus, oil 0.5 Corn, field, forage 0.1 Corn, field, grain 0.1 Corn, field, stover 0.1 Corn, pop, grain 0.1 Corn, sweet, forage 0.1 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 Corn, sweet, stover 0.1 Cotton, gin byproducts 3.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.1 Crayfish 0.05...

40 CFR 180.361 - Pendimethalin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... greens, subgroup 5B 0.20 Carrot 0.5 Citrus, oil 0.5 Corn, field, forage 0.1 Corn, field, grain 0.1 Corn, field, stover 0.1 Corn, pop, grain 0.1 Corn, sweet, forage 0.1 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 Corn, sweet, stover 0.1 Cotton, gin byproducts 3.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.1 Crayfish 0.05...

40 CFR 180.301 - Carboxin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Cattle, fat 0.05 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.1 Cattle, meat 0.05 Corn, field, forage 0.2 Corn, field, grain 0.2 Corn, field, stover 0.2 Corn, pop, grain 0.2 Corn, pop, stover 0.2 Corn, sweet, forage 0.2 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.2 Corn, sweet, stover 0.2 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.2 Egg 0...

40 CFR 180.617 - Metconazole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... byproducts 0.04 Corn, field, forage 3.0 Corn, field, grain 0.02 Corn, field, stover 4.5 Corn, pop, grain 0.02 Corn, pop, stover 4.5 Corn, sweet, forage 3.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Corn... Soybean, hay 6.0 Soybean, hulls 0.08 Soybean, seed 0.05 Sugarcane, cane 0.06 Vegetable, tuberous and corn...

40 CFR 180.533 - Esfenvalerate; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Cauliflower 0.5 Collards 3.0 Corn, field, forage 15.0 Corn, field, grain 0.02 Corn, field, stover 15.0 Corn, pop, grain 0.02 Corn, pop, stover 15.0 Corn, sweet, forage 15.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.1 Corn, sweet, stover 15.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.2 Cucumber 0.5 Egg 0.03 Eggplant 0...

40 CFR 180.665 - Sedaxane; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., grain 0.01 Barley, hay 0.04 Barley, straw 0.01 Canola, seed 0.01 Corn, field, forage 0.01 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, field, stover 0.01 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, pop, stover 0.01 Corn, sweet, forage 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 Oat, forage 0.015...

40 CFR 180.301 - Carboxin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Cattle, fat 0.05 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.1 Cattle, meat 0.05 Corn, field, forage 0.2 Corn, field, grain 0.2 Corn, field, stover 0.2 Corn, pop, grain 0.2 Corn, pop, stover 0.2 Corn, sweet, forage 0.2 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.2 Corn, sweet, stover 0.2 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.2 Egg 0...

40 CFR 180.665 - Sedaxane; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., grain 0.01 Barley, hay 0.04 Barley, straw 0.01 Canola, seed 0.01 Corn, field, forage 0.01 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, field, stover 0.01 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, pop, stover 0.01 Corn, sweet, forage 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 Oat, forage 0.015...

40 CFR 180.242 - Thiabendazole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., dry, seed 0.1 None Beet, sugar, dried pulp 3.5 12/25/10 Beet, sugar, roots 0.25 12/25/10 Beet, sugar..., forage 0.01 None Corn, pop, grain 0.01 None Corn, pop, stover 0.01 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.01 None Corn, sweet, kernels plus cop with husks removed 0.01 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 None Fruit, citrus...

40 CFR 180.242 - Thiabendazole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., dry, seed 0.1 None Beet, sugar, dried pulp 3.5 12/25/10 Beet, sugar, roots 0.25 12/25/10 Beet, sugar..., forage 0.01 None Corn, pop, grain 0.01 None Corn, pop, stover 0.01 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.01 None Corn, sweet, kernels plus cop with husks removed 0.01 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 None Fruit, citrus...

40 CFR 180.242 - Thiabendazole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., dry, seed 0.1 None Beet, sugar, dried pulp 3.5 12/25/10 Beet, sugar, roots 0.25 12/25/10 Beet, sugar..., forage 0.01 None Corn, pop, grain 0.01 None Corn, pop, stover 0.01 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.01 None Corn, sweet, kernels plus cop with husks removed 0.01 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 None Fruit, citrus...

40 CFR 180.242 - Thiabendazole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., dry, seed 0.1 None Beet, sugar, dried pulp 3.5 12/25/10 Beet, sugar, roots 0.25 12/25/10 Beet, sugar..., forage 0.01 None Corn, pop, grain 0.01 None Corn, pop, stover 0.01 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.01 None Corn, sweet, kernels plus cop with husks removed 0.01 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.01 None Fruit, citrus...

40 CFR 180.515 - Carfentrazone-ethyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., green 0.10 Corn, field, forage 0.20 Corn, sweet, forage 0.20 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husk... Shellfish 0.30 Sorghum, forage 0.20 Sorghum, grain 0.25 Sorghum, sweet 0.10 Soursop 0.10 Soybean, seed 0.10 Spanish lime 0.10 Star apple 0.10 Starfruit 0.10 Stevia 0.10 Strawberry 0.10 Strawberrypear 0.10 Sugar...

Antioxidant activity of Citrus paradisi seeds glyceric extract.

PubMed

Giamperi, Laura; Fraternale, Daniele; Bucchini, Anahi; Ricci, Donata

2004-03-01

The antioxidant activity of Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) seeds glyceric extract dissolved in ethanol and in aqueous media was evaluated using three different methods: evaluation by DPPH assay, by 5-lipoxygenase assay and by luminol/xanthine/xanthine oxidase chemiluminescence assay. The total phenolic content was determined by the Prussian Blue method opportunely modified. The grapefruit seeds glyceric extract utilized as aqueous solutions demonstrated antioxidant properties better than those displayed by alcoholic solutions.

Joint and collaborative representation with local Volterra kernels convolution feature for face recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Guang; Li, Hengjian; Dong, Jiwen; Chen, Xi; Yang, Huiru

2018-04-01

In this paper, we proposed a joint and collaborative representation with Volterra kernel convolution feature (JCRVK) for face recognition. Firstly, the candidate face images are divided into sub-blocks in the equal size. The blocks are extracted feature using the two-dimensional Voltera kernels discriminant analysis, which can better capture the discrimination information from the different faces. Next, the proposed joint and collaborative representation is employed to optimize and classify the local Volterra kernels features (JCR-VK) individually. JCR-VK is very efficiently for its implementation only depending on matrix multiplication. Finally, recognition is completed by using the majority voting principle. Extensive experiments on the Extended Yale B and AR face databases are conducted, and the results show that the proposed approach can outperform other recently presented similar dictionary algorithms on recognition accuracy.

BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS IN NORMAL AND STONE FORMING RATS TREATED WITH THE RIPE KERNEL JUICE OF PLANTAIN (MUSA PARADISIACA)

PubMed Central

Devi, V. Kalpana; Baskar, R.; Varalakshmi, P.

1993-01-01

The effect of Musa paradisiaca stem kernel juice was investigated in experimental urolithiatic rats. Stone forming rats exhibited a significant elevation in the activities of two oxalate synthesizing enzymes - Glycollic acid oxidase and Lactate dehydrogenase. Deposition and excretion of stone forming constituents in kidney and urine were also increased in these rats. The enzyme activities and the level of crystalline components were lowered with the extract treatment. The extract also reduced the activities of urinary alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, r-glutamyl transferase, inorganic pyrophosphatase and β-glucuronidase in calculogenic rats. No appreciable changes were noticed with leucine amino peptidase activity in treated rats. PMID:22556626

Kenaf seed supercritical fluid extract reduces aberrant crypt foci formation in azoxymethane-induced rats.

PubMed

Ghafar, Siti Aisyah Abd; Yazan, Latifah Saiful; Tahir, Paridah Md; Ismail, Maznah

2012-03-01

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) a plant of the family Malvaceae, is a valuable fiber plant native to India and Africa. Kenaf seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid, phytosterol such as β-sitosterol, vitamin E and other antioxidants with chemopreventive properties. In the present study we examined the hypothesis that kenaf seed 'supercritical fluid extract' (SFE) extract could suppress the early colon carcinogenesis in vivo by virtue of its bioactive compounds. To accomplish this goal, 60 male rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups which were (1) negative control group [not induced with azoxymethane (AOM)]; (2) positive control group (induced with AOM but received no treatment); (3) group treated with 500 mg/kg kenaf seed SFE extract; (4) group treated with 1000 mg/kg kenaf seed SFE extract; (5) group treated with 1500 mg/kg kenaf seed SFE extract. At 7 weeks of age, all rats except the negative control group received 15 mg/kg of AOM injection subcutaneously once a week for 2 weeks. Rats were euthanized at 13 weeks of the experiment. Number of ACF (mean±SD) ranged from 84.4±4.43 to 179.5±12.78 in group 2, 3, 4, 5. ACF reductions compared with the untreated group were 45.3, 51.4 and 53.1% in rats fed with 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg body weight, respectively. There were no significant differences in weight gain among groups. Our finding indicates that kenaf seed SFE extract reduced AOM-induced ACF in Sprague-Dawley male rats. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

In Vivo Evaluation of Anti Diabetic, Hypolipidemic, Antioxidative Activities of Saudi Date Seed Extract on Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats.

PubMed

Hasan, Marghoob; Mohieldein, Abdelmarouf

2016-03-01

Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) is major fruit of gulf region. In folk medicine; dates have been traditionally use. The date seed is used as hypoglycaemic, expectorant, tonic, aphrodisiac, antidiarrheic and mouth hygiene. This study intended to evaluate the anti-diabetic, hypolipidaemic and antioxidative activities of date seed extract in diabetes-induced rats. Total of seven groups of rats, consisting of control rats and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats treated with aqueous seed extract in concentration of 100g/L in dosage of 10ml/day/rat. To evaluate the anti-diabetic property, glucose and weight was analysed weekly and at the end of eight week all rats were sacrificed. To evaluate the hypolipidaemic and antioxidative activities, serum cholesterol, triglyceride, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine were estimated. Liver enzymes and kidney function tests were performed. Moreover to verify the glycaemic effect; glycated haemoglobin and serum insulin was performed. Aqueous seed extract in concentration of 100 gm/L in dosage of 10ml/day/rat brings a significant reduction of blood glucose levels in diabetic rats in comparison of control rats. There were significant differences in the investigated clinical chemistry and oxidative stress parameters between control and diabetic rats with both seed extract of Ajwa and Sukkari dates. Present study verifies the antidiabetic property, of aqueous seed extracts of two different varieties of dates namely Ajwa and Sukkari of Kingdom of Saudi on streptozotocin induced Diabetic rats. Prolong treatments with the extract restores the function of liver and kidney and balance the oxidative stress condition in diabetic treated rats.

Effect of Passion Fruit Seed Extract Rich in Piceatannol on the Skin of Women: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trial.

PubMed

Maruki-Uchida, Hiroko; Morita, Minoru; Yonei, Yoshikazu; Sai, Masahiko

2018-01-01

Piceatannol has been reported to have a wide variety of effects on the skin, including promoting collagen production, inhibiting melanin synthesis, inducing the antioxidant glutathione, and eliminating reactive oxygen species. In this study, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was conducted to clinically evaluate the effects of piceatannol-rich passion fruit seed extract on the skin of healthy Japanese women (age, 35-54 y). Thirty-two women with dry skin received either passion fruit seed extract (5 mg piceatannol) or a placebo (dextrin) for 8 wk. Skin hydration and other parameters on the face were assessed at 0, 4, and 8 wk by using specialized equipment. Furthermore, questionnaire interviews were conducted regarding the physical condition of subjects at 0, 4, and 8 wk. The results showed that consumption of passion fruit seed extract led to significant increases in the moisture content of human skin after 4 and 8 wk compared with that before the trial. The amount of transepidermal water loss decreased over time, although the differences were not significant. Moreover, a stratified analysis of subjects with moisture values of ≤200 μS revealed increased moisture content in the passion fruit seed extract group as compared with the placebo group. Furthermore, the results of questionnaires showed significant reductions in "perspiration" and "fatigue" in the passion fruit seed extract group as compared with the placebo group. These results indicate that oral intake of passion fruit seed extract that is rich in piceatannol could improve the moisture of dry skin and reduce fatigue.

Quantity and quality of guinea pig (cavia porcellus) spermatozoa after administration of methanol extract of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and depot medroxy progesterone acetate (DMPA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilyas, Syafruddin; Hutahaean, Salomo; Nursal

2018-03-01

The discovery of male contraceptive drugs continues to be pursued, due to the few participation of men associated with the lack of contraceptive options for men. The combination of bitter melon seed methanol extract and DMPA are the options that currently apply to men. Therefore, the use of guinea pigs as experimental animals conducted research using experimental methods with complete randomized design (CRD). There are 4 control groups and 4 treatment groups. The first group, control group of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) for 0 week (K0), The second one, bitter melon seed extract of 50 mg/100g Body Weight/day for 0 week (P0), the third one, control group of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 4 weeks (K1), the fourth one, bitter melon seed extract of 50 mg/100g BW/day for 4 weeks + Depot medroxy Progesterone Acetate (P1), the fifth one, control group of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 8 weeks (K2), the sixth one, bitter melon seed extract of 50 mg/100g BW/day for 8 weeks + DMPA (P2), the seventh one, control group of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 12 weeks (K3), the eighth one, bitter melon seed extract of 50 mg/100g BW/day for 12 weeks + DMPA (P3). Methanol extract of bitter melon seed to decrease the quantity and quality of guinea pig spermatozoa decreased significantly, i.e. viability and normal morphology of spermatozoa (p<0.05).

Antioxidative and prooxidative effects in food lipids and synergism with α-tocopherol of açaí seed extracts and grape rachis extracts.

PubMed

Melo, Priscilla Siqueira; Arrivetti, Leandro de Oliveira Rodrigues; Alencar, Severino Matias de; Skibsted, Leif H

2016-12-15

Extracts of açaí seed and of grape rachis alone or in combination with α-tocopherol were evaluated as antioxidants in (i) bulk soybean oil, (ii) soybean oil liposomes and (iii) soybean-oil/water emulsions. The extracts made with 57% aqueous ethanol showed an antioxidant activity not dependent on concentration for grape rachis extracts and a concentration-dependent prooxidative activity for açaí seed extracts in bulk soybean oil. Both the extracts, however, protected liposome suspensions and oil/water emulsions against lipid oxidation. Synergism was demonstrated when extracts were combined with α-tocopherol, effects explained by the solubility of extract components in the water-phase and of α-tocopherol in the lipid-phase. Phenolic profiling of the extracts by U-HPLC-ESI-LTQ-MS was used to identify active antioxidants. Açaí seed and grape rachis extracts served as good sources of procyanidins and flavan-3-ols, imparted high antioxidant activity especially when combined with α-tocopherol and are suggested for protection of food oil/water emulsions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acacia catechu Ethanolic Seed Extract Triggers Apoptosis of SCC-25 Cells.

PubMed

Lakshmi, Thangavelu; Ezhilarasan, Devaraj; Nagaich, Upendra; Vijayaragavan, Rajagopal

2017-10-01

Acacia catechu Willd ( Fabaceae ), commonly known as catechu, cachou, and black cutch, has been studied for its hepatoprotective, antipyretic, antidiarrheal, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antinociceptive, antimicrobial, free radical scavenging, and antioxidant activities. We evaluated the cytotoxic activity of ethanol extract of A. catechu seed (ACS) against SCC-25 human oral squamous carcinoma cell line. Cytotoxic effect of ACS extract was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, using concentrations of 0.1-1000 μg/mL for 24 h. A. catechu ethanol seed extract was treated SCC-25 cells with 25 and 50 μg/mL. At the end of treatment period, apoptotic marker gene expressions such as caspase 8, 9, Bcl-2, Bax, and cytochrome c were evaluated by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Morphological changes of ACS treated SCC-25 cells was evaluated by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) dual staining. Nuclear morphology and DNA fragmentation was evaluated by propidium iodide (PI) staining. A. catechu ethanol seed extract treatment caused cytotoxicity in SCC-25 cells with an IC 50 value of 100 μg/mL. Apoptotic markers caspases 8 and 9, cytochrome c, Bax gene expressions were significantly increased upon ACS extract treatment indicate the apoptosis induction in SCC-25 cells. This treatment also caused significant downregulation of Bcl-2 gene expression. Staining with AO/EB and PI shows membrane blebbing, and nuclear membrane distortion further confirms the apoptosis induction by ACS treatment in SCC-25 cells. The ethanol seed extracts of A. catechu was found to be cytotoxic at lower concentrations and induced apoptosis in human oral squamous carcinoma SCC-25 cells. Acacia catechu ethanolic seed extract contains phytochemicals such as epicatechin, rutin, and quercetin Acacia catechu seed (ACS) extract significantly ( P < 0.001) inhibits the active proliferation of human oral squamous carcinoma (SCC-25) cellsACS extract treatment to SCC-25 cells significantly modulated the gene expressions pertaining to apoptosis and propidium iodide and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining also confirm the apoptosis inductionAntiproliferative and apoptosis inducing activities of ACS extract is correlated with phytochemical contents. Abbreviations used: ACS: Acacia catechu seed extract; MTT: 3 (4,5 dimethylthiazol 2 yl) 2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide; DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide; AO/EO: Acridine orange/ethidium bromide; LC MS: Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

Effect of date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seed extract on stability of olive oil.

PubMed

Özcan, Mehmet Musa; Al Juhaimi, Fahad

2015-02-01

In this study, the antioxidant effect of date (Phoenix dactylifera L., Arecaceae) seed extracts at different concentrations (0.5 %, 1.0 % and 1.5 %) on the oxidative stability of olive oil at 60 °C was determined. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) was used as positive control in the experiment. All extracts exhibited antioxidant activity compared to BHA up to 21 days. When antioxidant effect of extract concentrations were compared with BHA, the effect of 0.5 % extract concentration was more remarkable for olive oil up to 21 days. After 14 days of assay, all of seed extracts was effective at 60 °C in comparison with control. On the other hand, an important increase was observed in both the peroxide and free fatty acidity values during the experiment period. It concluded that date seed extract could be used as a oxidative inhibitor agent in oil and oil products.

Characterisation of Mediterranean grape pomace seed and skin extracts: polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity.

PubMed

Ky, Isabelle; Teissedre, Pierre-Louis

2015-01-29

Grape pomace seeds and skins from different Mediterranean varieties (Grenache [GRE], Syrah [SYR], Carignan [CAR], Mourvèdre [MOU] and Alicante [ALI]) were extracted using water and water/ethanol 70% in order to develop edible extracts (an aqueous extract [EAQ] and a 70% hydro-alcoholic extract [EA70]) for potential use in nutraceutical or cosmetic formulations. In this study, global content (total polyphenols, total anthocyanins and total tannins), flavan-3-ols and anthocyanins were assessed using HPLC-UV-Fluo-MSn. In addition, extract potential was evaluated by four different assays: Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential assay (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) or ABTS assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. As expected, seed pomace extracts contained higher amounts of polyphenols then skin pomace extracts. Indeed, seeds from Syrah contained a particularly important amount of total polyphenols and tannins in both type of extract (up to 215.84 ± 1.47 mg of gallic acid equivalent [GAE]/g dry weight (DW) and 455.42 ± 1.84 mg/g DW, respectively). These extracts also expressed the highest antioxidant potential with every test. For skins, the maximum total phenolic was found in Alicante EAQ (196.71 ± 0.37 mg GAE/g DW) and in Syrah EA70 (224.92 ± 0.18 mg GAE/g DW). Results obtained in this article constitute a useful tool for the pre-selection of grape pomace seed and skin extracts for nutraceutical purposes.

Large-Scale Network Dysfunction in Major Depressive Disorder: A Meta-analysis of Resting-State Functional Connectivity.

PubMed

Kaiser, Roselinde H; Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R; Wager, Tor D; Pizzagalli, Diego A

2015-06-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been linked to imbalanced communication among large-scale brain networks, as reflected by abnormal resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). However, given variable methods and results across studies, identifying consistent patterns of network dysfunction in MDD has been elusive. To investigate network dysfunction in MDD through a meta-analysis of rsFC studies. Seed-based voxelwise rsFC studies comparing individuals with MDD with healthy controls (published before June 30, 2014) were retrieved from electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE) and authors contacted for additional data. Twenty-seven seed-based voxel-wise rsFC data sets from 25 publications (556 individuals with MDD and 518 healthy controls) were included in the meta-analysis. Coordinates of seed regions of interest and between-group effects were extracted. Seeds were categorized into seed-networks by their location within a priori functional networks. Multilevel kernel density analysis of between-group effects identified brain systems in which MDD was associated with hyperconnectivity (increased positive or reduced negative connectivity) or hypoconnectivity (increased negative or reduced positive connectivity) with each seed-network. Major depressive disorder was characterized by hypoconnectivity within the frontoparietal network, a set of regions involved in cognitive control of attention and emotion regulation, and hypoconnectivity between frontoparietal systems and parietal regions of the dorsal attention network involved in attending to the external environment. Major depressive disorder was also associated with hyperconnectivity within the default network, a network believed to support internally oriented and self-referential thought, and hyperconnectivity between frontoparietal control systems and regions of the default network. Finally, the MDD groups exhibited hypoconnectivity between neural systems involved in processing emotion or salience and midline cortical regions that may mediate top-down regulation of such functions. Reduced connectivity within frontoparietal control systems and imbalanced connectivity between control systems and networks involved in internal or external attention may reflect depressive biases toward internal thoughts at the cost of engaging with the external world. Meanwhile, altered connectivity between neural systems involved in cognitive control and those that support salience or emotion processing may relate to deficits regulating mood. These findings provide an empirical foundation for a neurocognitive model in which network dysfunction underlies core cognitive and affective abnormalities in depression.

Identification of COX inhibitors in the hexane extract of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds.

PubMed

Sato, Itaru; Kofujita, Hisayoshi; Tsuda, Shuji

2007-07-01

Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seed extract inhibits the activity of cyclooxygenase (COX), but its active constituents have not been identified. In the present study, COX inhibitors were isolated from the hexane extract of this seed by means of 4 steps of liquid chromatography and were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. The COX inhibitors in the extract of Japanese horse chestnut seeds were identified as linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic acid. Their efficacies were in the following order: linolenic acid = linoleic acid > oleic acid. These active constituents are C18 unsaturated fatty acids; stearic acid, a C18 saturated fatty acid, had no activity. Linolenic acid and linoleic acid had high selectivity toward COX-2 (selectivity index = 10), whereas oleic acid had no selectivity. Considering the efficacy and yield of each fatty acid, linoleic acid may be the principal COX inhibitor in this seed.

Antioxidant White Grape Seed Phenolics: Pressurized Liquid Extracts from Different Varieties

PubMed Central

Garcia-Jares, Carmen; Vazquez, Alberto; Lamas, Juan P.; Pajaro, Marta; Alvarez-Casas, Marta; Lores, Marta

2015-01-01

Grape seeds represent a high percentage (20% to 26%) of the grape marc obtained as a byproduct from white winemaking and keep a vast proportion of grape polyphenols. In this study, seeds obtained from 11 monovarietal white grape marcs cultivated in Northwestern Spain have been analyzed in order to characterize their polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity. Seeds of native (Albariño, Caiño, Godello, Loureiro, Torrontés, and Treixadura) and non-native (Chardonnay, Gewurtzträminer, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, and Riesling) grape varieties have been considered. Low weight phenolics have been extracted by means of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and further analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The results showed that PLE extracts, whatever the grape variety of origin, contained large amounts of polyphenols and high antioxidant activity. Differences in the varietal polyphenolic profiles were found, so a selective exploitation of seeds might be possible. PMID:26783956

Hypoglycemic effect of Mucuna pruriens seed extract on normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

PubMed

Bhaskar, Anusha; Vidhya, V G; Ramya, M

2008-12-01

The hypoglycemic effect of the aqueous extract of the seeds of Mucuna pruriens was investigated in normal, glucose load conditions and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. In normal rats, the aqueous extract of the seeds of Mucuna pririens (100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) significantly (P<0.001) reduced the blood glucose levels after an oral glucose load from 127.5+/-3.2 to 75.6+/-4.8 mg% 2 h after oral administration of seed extract. It also significantly lowered the blood glucose in STZ diabetic rats from 240.5+/-7.2 to 90.6+/-5.6 mg% after 21 days of daily oral administration of the extract (P<0.001). Thus, this study shows that M. pruriens has an anti-hyperglycemic action and it could be a source of hypoglycemic compounds.

Transition of phenolics and cyanogenic glycosides from apricot and cherry fruit kernels into liqueur.

PubMed

Senica, Mateja; Stampar, Franci; Veberic, Robert; Mikulic-Petkovsek, Maja

2016-07-15

Popular liqueurs made from apricot/cherry pits were evaluated in terms of their phenolic composition and occurrence of cyanogenic glycosides (CGG). Analyses consisted of detailed phenolic and cyanogenic profiles of cherry and apricot seeds as well as beverages prepared from crushed kernels. Phenolic groups and cyanogenic glycosides were analyzed with the aid of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrophotometry (MS). Lower levels of cyanogenic glycosides and phenolics have been quantified in liqueurs compared to fruit kernels. During fruit pits steeping in the alcohol, the phenolics/cyanogenic glycosides ratio increased and at the end of beverage manufacturing process higher levels of total analyzed phenolics were detected compared to cyanogenic glycosides (apricot liqueur: 38.79 μg CGG per ml and 50.57 μg phenolics per ml; cherry liqueur 16.08 μg CGG per ml and 27.73 μg phenolics per ml). Although higher levels of phenolics are characteristic for liqueurs made from apricot and cherry pits these beverages nevertheless contain considerable amounts of cyanogenic glycosides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Improving the sludge conditioning potential of moringa seed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ademiluyi, Joel O.; Eze, Romanus M.

1990-01-01

In the search for a cheaper material to effectively condition sludge, oil-free moringa seed was prepared and tested. A Soxhlet apparatus was used to extract the oil from moringa seed ( Moringa oleifera). The oil-free seed (marc) has been found to have higher conditioning potential than the ordinary moringa seed. However, the traditional ferric chloride is still a better sludge conditioner than moringa seed marc. For the digested domestic sludge used, optimum conditioning dosages were found to be 0.6, 0.80, and 1.10% of the total solids for ferric chloride, marc of the moringa seed, and ordinary moringa seed, respectively. Since little or no operational material is lost in the extraction process, the moringa seed marc is a promising conditioner in place of the ordinary seed.

Long-term consistency in spatial patterns of primate seed dispersal.

PubMed

Heymann, Eckhard W; Culot, Laurence; Knogge, Christoph; Noriega Piña, Tony Enrique; Tirado Herrera, Emérita R; Klapproth, Matthias; Zinner, Dietmar

2017-03-01

Seed dispersal is a key ecological process in tropical forests, with effects on various levels ranging from plant reproductive success to the carbon storage potential of tropical rainforests. On a local and landscape scale, spatial patterns of seed dispersal create the template for the recruitment process and thus influence the population dynamics of plant species. The strength of this influence will depend on the long-term consistency of spatial patterns of seed dispersal. We examined the long-term consistency of spatial patterns of seed dispersal with spatially explicit data on seed dispersal by two neotropical primate species, Leontocebus nigrifrons and Saguinus mystax (Callitrichidae), collected during four independent studies between 1994 and 2013. Using distributions of dispersal probability over distances independent of plant species, cumulative dispersal distances, and kernel density estimates, we show that spatial patterns of seed dispersal are highly consistent over time. For a specific plant species, the legume Parkia panurensis , the convergence of cumulative distributions at a distance of 300 m, and the high probability of dispersal within 100 m from source trees coincide with the dimension of the spatial-genetic structure on the embryo/juvenile (300 m) and adult stage (100 m), respectively, of this plant species. Our results are the first demonstration of long-term consistency of spatial patterns of seed dispersal created by tropical frugivores. Such consistency may translate into idiosyncratic patterns of regeneration.

Correlation and classification of single kernel fluorescence hyperspectral data with aflatoxin concentration in corn kernels inoculated with Aspergillus flavus spores.

PubMed

Yao, H; Hruska, Z; Kincaid, R; Brown, R; Cleveland, T; Bhatnagar, D

2010-05-01

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between fluorescence emissions of corn kernels inoculated with Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin contamination levels within the kernels. Aflatoxin contamination in corn has been a long-standing problem plaguing the grain industry with potentially devastating consequences to corn growers. In this study, aflatoxin-contaminated corn kernels were produced through artificial inoculation of corn ears in the field with toxigenic A. flavus spores. The kernel fluorescence emission data were taken with a fluorescence hyperspectral imaging system when corn kernels were excited with ultraviolet light. Raw fluorescence image data were preprocessed and regions of interest in each image were created for all kernels. The regions of interest were used to extract spectral signatures and statistical information. The aflatoxin contamination level of single corn kernels was then chemically measured using affinity column chromatography. A fluorescence peak shift phenomenon was noted among different groups of kernels with different aflatoxin contamination levels. The fluorescence peak shift was found to move more toward the longer wavelength in the blue region for the highly contaminated kernels and toward the shorter wavelengths for the clean kernels. Highly contaminated kernels were also found to have a lower fluorescence peak magnitude compared with the less contaminated kernels. It was also noted that a general negative correlation exists between measured aflatoxin and the fluorescence image bands in the blue and green regions. The correlation coefficients of determination, r(2), was 0.72 for the multiple linear regression model. The multivariate analysis of variance found that the fluorescence means of four aflatoxin groups, <1, 1-20, 20-100, and >or=100 ng g(-1) (parts per billion), were significantly different from each other at the 0.01 level of alpha. Classification accuracy under a two-class schema ranged from 0.84 to 0.91 when a threshold of either 20 or 100 ng g(-1) was used. Overall, the results indicate that fluorescence hyperspectral imaging may be applicable in estimating aflatoxin content in individual corn kernels.

Antibacterial and allelopathic activity of methanolic extract from Iris pseudopumila rhizomes.

PubMed

Rigano, Daniela; Grassia, Armando; Formisano, Carmen; Basile, Adriana; Sorbo, Sergio; Senatore, Felice

2006-09-01

The methanolic extract of rhizomes of Iris pseudopumila was tested for its antibacterial and allelopathic activity. The extract was shown to have antibacterial effects. The allelopathic effect was tested against Raphanus sativus seed germination. The extract caused a decrease in the percentage of seed germination and root and epicotyl growth.

Polyphenol content and antioxidant properties of colored soybean seeds from central Europe.

PubMed

Malenčić, Djordje; Cvejić, Jelena; Miladinović, Jegor

2012-01-01

The antioxidant activity and contents of various polyphenol classes in the seeds of seven soybean varieties of different seed color and one yellow seed cultivar, representing a reference genotype, were evaluated. Total polyphenols and tannins were determined after extraction of plant material with 70% aqueous acetone, and total flavonoids were extracted with methanol and acetic acid, whereas anthocyanins were extracted with 20% aqueous ethanol. In addition, isoflavone content and composition were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Antioxidant activity of seed extracts was evaluated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity assay. A positive linear correlation between antioxidant activity and contents of total polyphenols and anthocyanins was established. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in the extracts of black and brown varieties, which also showed high levels of all polyphenol classes examined. Yellow seed had the highest total isoflavone content (3.62 mg/g of dry material). The highest concentration of total daidzein was determined in black seeds (>2.0 mg/g of dry material), and the highest total glycitein and genistein contents occurred in the yellow cultivar (0.53 and 1.49 mg/g of dry material, respectively). According to our results, varieties of black and brown seeds could be of special interest not only for their large content of total polyphenols, ranging from 4.94 to 6.22 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of dry material, but also for their high content of natural antioxidants such as anthocyanins.

Csf Based Non-Ground Points Extraction from LIDAR Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, A.; Zhang, W.; Shi, H.

2017-09-01

Region growing is a classical method of point cloud segmentation. Based on the idea of collecting the pixels with similar properties to form regions, region growing is widely used in many fields such as medicine, forestry and remote sensing. In this algorithm, there are two core problems. One is the selection of seed points, the other is the setting of the growth constraints, in which the selection of the seed points is the foundation. In this paper, we propose a CSF (Cloth Simulation Filtering) based method to extract the non-ground seed points effectively. The experiments have shown that this method can obtain a group of seed spots compared with the traditional methods. It is a new attempt to extract seed points

Optimization of the acceptance of prebiotic beverage made from cashew nut kernels and passion fruit juice.

PubMed

Rebouças, Marina Cabral; Rodrigues, Maria do Carmo Passos; Afonso, Marcos Rodrigues Amorim

2014-07-01

The aim of this research was to develop a prebiotic beverage from a hydrosoluble extract of broken cashew nut kernels and passion fruit juice using response surface methodology in order to optimize acceptance of its sensory attributes. A 2(2) central composite rotatable design was used, which produced 9 formulations, which were then evaluated using different concentrations of hydrosoluble cashew nut kernel, passion fruit juice, oligofructose, and 3% sugar. The use of response surface methodology to interpret the sensory data made it possible to obtain a formulation with satisfactory acceptance which met the criteria of bifidogenic action and use of hydrosoluble cashew nut kernels by using 14% oligofructose and 33% passion fruit juice. As a result of this study, it was possible to obtain a new functional prebiotic product, which combined the nutritional and functional properties of cashew nut kernels and oligofructose with the sensory properties of passion fruit juice in a beverage with satisfactory sensory acceptance. This new product emerges as a new alternative for the industrial processing of broken cashew nut kernels, which have very low market value, enabling this sector to increase its profits. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Kolkhoung (Pistacia khinjuk) Hull Oil and Kernel Oil as Antioxidative Vegetable Oils with High Oxidative Stability 
and Nutritional Value.

PubMed

Asnaashari, Maryam; Hashemi, Seyed Mohammad Bagher; Mehr, Hamed Mahdavian; Yousefabad, Seyed Hossein Asadi

2015-03-01

In this study, in order to introduce natural antioxidative vegetable oil in food industry, the kolkhoung hull oil and kernel oil were extracted. To evaluate their antioxidant efficiency, gas chromatography analysis of the composition of kolkhoung hull and kernel oil fatty acids and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of tocopherols were done. Also, the oxidative stability of the oil was considered based on the peroxide value and anisidine value during heating at 100, 110 and 120 °C. Gas chromatography analysis showed that oleic acid was the major fatty acid of both types of oil (hull and kernel) and based on a low content of saturated fatty acids, high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, and the ratio of ω-6 and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, they were nutritionally well--balanced. Moreover, both hull and kernel oil showed high oxidative stability during heating, which can be attributed to high content of tocotrienols. Based on the results, kolkhoung hull oil acted slightly better than its kernel oil. However, both of them can be added to oxidation-sensitive oils to improve their shelf life.

Extraction of methylxanthines from guaraná seeds, maté leaves, and cocoa beans using supercritical carbon dioxide and ethanol.

PubMed

Saldaña, Marleny D A; Zetzl, Carsten; Mohamed, Rahoma S; Brunner, G

2002-08-14

New experimental data on the extraction of caffeine from guaraná seeds and maté tea leaves, and theobromine from cocoa beans, with supercritical CO2 were obtained using a high-pressure extraction apparatus. The effect of the addition of ethanol to carbon dioxide on the extraction efficiency was also investigated. Caffeine extraction yields of 98% of the initial caffeine content in both wet ground guaraná seeds and maté tea leaves were obtained. Extractions of caffeine from guaraná seeds and maté tea leaves also exhibited a retrograde behavior for the two temperatures considered in this work. In the removal of theobromine from cocoa beans, a much smaller extraction yield was obtained with longer extraction periods and consequently larger solvent requirements. The results of this study confirm the higher selectivity of CO2 for caffeine in comparison with that for theobromine, and also the influence of other components in each particular natural product on the extraction of methylxanthines. The effect of the addition of ethanol to carbon dioxide on the extraction of methylxanthines was significant, particularly in the extraction of theobromine from cocoa beans. In general, the use of ethanol results in lower solvent and energy requirements and thereby improved extraction efficiency.

Thermal properties of tannin extracted from Anacardium occidentale L. using TGA and FT-IR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Viswanath, Vinod; Leo, Vincent Vineeth; Prabha, S Sabna; Prabhakumari, C; Potty, V P; Jisha, M S

2016-01-01

The chemical nature of the polyphenols of cashew kernel testa has been determined. Testa contains tannins, which present large molecular complexity and has an ancient use as tanning agents. The use of tannins extracted from cashew testa, considered in many places as a waste, grants an extra value to the cashew. In this work we have analysed through high performance liquid chromatography, infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermo gravimetric analysis the average molecular weight, main functional groups and thermal properties of tannins extracted from Anacardium occidentale L. The results of these analyses are compared with the commercial grade tannic acid. The FT-IR spectra showed bands characteristic of C = C, C-C and OH bonds. This important bioactive compound present in the cashew nut kernel testa was suggested as an interesting economical source of antioxidants for use in the food and nutraceutical industry.

Ovicidal and adulticidal potential of leaf and seed extract of Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. (Family: Fabaceae) against Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, and Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Govindarajan, Marimuthu; Rajeswary, Mohan

2015-05-01

Several diseases are associated to the mosquito-human interaction. Mosquitoes are the carriers of severe and well-known illnesses such as malaria, arboviral encephalitis, dengue fever, chikungunya fever, West Nile virus, and yellow fever. These diseases produce significant morbidity and mortality in humans and livestock around the world. In the present study, hexane, benzene, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of leaf and seed of Albizia lebbeck were assayed for their toxicity against three important vector mosquitoes, viz., Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, and Anopheles stephensi. The mean percent hatchability of the eggs was observed after 48 h post-treatment. The percent hatchability was inversely proportional to the concentration of extract and directly proportional to the eggs. All the five solvent extracts showed moderate ovicidal activity; however, the methanol extract showed the highest ovicidal activity. One hundred percent mortality was observed at 250, 200, and 150 ppm for leaf methanol extract and 375, 300, and 225 ppm for seed methanol extract of A. lebbeck against C. quinquefasciatus, Ae. aegypti, and An. stephensi, respectively. The adulticidal activity of plant leaf and seed extracts showed moderate toxic effect on the adult mosquitoes after 24 h of exposure period. However, the highest adulticidal activity was observed in the leaf methanol extract of A. lebbeck against An. stephensi where the LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values were 65.12 and 117.70 ppm, respectively. Compared to leaf extracts, seeds have low potency against three mosquito species. No mortality was recorded in the control. Our data suggest that the crude hexane, benzene, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol solvent extracts of A. lebbeck have the potential to be used as an eco-friendly approach for the control of the An. stephensi, Ae. aegypti, and C. quinquefasciatus. These results suggest that the leaf and seed extracts have the potential to be used as an ideal eco-friendly approach for the control of mosquitoes.

ZmDof3, a maize endosperm-specific Dof protein gene, regulates starch accumulation and aleurone development in maize endosperm.

PubMed

Qi, Xin; Li, Shixue; Zhu, Yaxi; Zhao, Qian; Zhu, Dengyun; Yu, Jingjuan

2017-01-01

To explore the function of Dof transcription factors during kernel development in maize, we first identified Dof genes in the maize genome. We found that ZmDof3 was exclusively expressed in the endosperm of maize kernel and had the features of a Dof transcription factor. Suppression of ZmDof3 resulted in a defective kernel phenotype with reduced starch content and a partially patchy aleurone layer. The expression levels of starch synthesis-related genes and aleurone differentiation-associated genes were down-regulated in ZmDof3 knockdown kernels, indicating that ZmDof3 plays an important role in maize endosperm development. The maize endosperm, occupying a large proportion of the kernel, plays an important role in seed development and germination. Current knowledge regarding the regulation of endosperm development is limited. Dof proteins, a family of plant-specific transcription factors, play critical roles in diverse biological processes. In this study, an endosperm-specific Dof protein gene, ZmDof3, was identified in maize through genome-wide screening. Suppression of ZmDof3 resulted in a defective kernel phenotype. The endosperm of ZmDof3 knockdown kernels was loosely packed with irregular starch granules observed by electronic microscope. Through genome-wide expression profiling, we found that down-regulated genes were enriched in GO terms related to carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, ZmDof3 could bind to the Dof core element in the promoter of starch biosynthesis genes Du1 and Su2 in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the aleurone at local position in mature ZmDof3 knockdown kernels varied from one to three layers, which consisted of smaller and irregular cells. Further analyses showed that knockdown of ZmDof3 reduced the expression of Nkd1, which is involved in aleurone cell differentiation, and that ZmDof3 could bind to the Dof core element in the Nkd1 promoter. Our study reveals that ZmDof3 functions in maize endosperm development as a positive regulator in the signaling system controlling starch accumulation and aleurone development.

Impact of azadirachtin, an insecticidal allelochemical from neem on soil microflora, enzyme and respiratory activities.

PubMed

Gopal, Murali; Gupta, Alka; Arunachalam, V; Magu, S P

2007-11-01

The effect of 10% azadirachtin granules (alcoholic extract of neem seed kernel mixed with China clay) was studied on the population of bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, Azotobacter and nitrifying bacteria; soil dehydrogenase, phosphatase and respiratory activities on 0, 15th, 30th, 60th and 90th days after application in sandy loam soil collected from the fields. It was observed that baring the Azotobacter sp., azadirachtin at all the doses exerted a suppressive effect on the rest of the microbial communities and enzyme activities in the initial 15 day period. The population of bacteria, actinomycetes besides phosphatase and respiratory activities recovered after 60th day and subsequently increased significantly. The fungi and nitrifiers were most sensitive groups as their numbers were reduced significantly throughout the studies. The two times and five times recommended dose of azadirachtin had very high biocidal effects on the soil microorganisms and its activities. However, analysis of the data by the Shannon Weaver index showed that azadirachtin reduces both the form and functional microbial diversity at all doses.

Optimisation of saponin extraction conditions with Camellia sinensis var. assamica seed and its application for a natural detergent.

PubMed

Gong, Wanying; Huang, Yewei; Ji, Aibing; Peng, Wenshu; Liu, Cong; Zeng, Yin; Yang, Ruijuan; Yan, Liang; Wang, Xuanjun; Sheng, Jun

2018-04-01

Camellia sinensis var. assamica seed cake (a by-product of tea-seed oil) is an abundant resource with poor utilisation. C. sinensis var. assamica seed saponin (CSS) is one kind of non-ionic surfactant. In this study, the CSS extraction conditions were optimised by response surface methodology (RSM) and then the CSS detergent was developed. Additionally, the safety and decontamination ability of the developed detergent were evaluated. The optimised extraction conditions were including the extracting temperature of 40.04 °C, extraction time of 4.97 h, ethanol concentration of 64.11% and liquid-solid ratio of 14.57:1 mL g -1 . The formula of the CSS detergent was as follows: 20% crude CSS, 0.3% oxidised tea polyphenols (OTPs), 0.2% nisin, 0.3% sodium dehydroacetate, 0.7% sodium alginate and 0.5% sodium polyacrylate. The LD 50 of the CSS detergent exceeds 14 g kg -1 in mice, indicating the detergent was non-toxic. Both of the emulsifying and the pesticide residues removal abilities of the CSS detergent were significantly stronger than the commercial detergent. A natural tea seed saponin detergent with good safety and decontamination ability was successfully developed. This can make better use of the tea seed cake, thereby creating added value in the tea seed oil industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Foam Properties and Detergent Abilities of the Saponins from Camellia oleifera

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Fen; Yang, Chao-Hsun; Chang, Ming-Shiang; Ciou, Yong-Ping; Huang, Yu-Chun

2010-01-01

The defatted seed meal of Camellia oleifera has been used as a natural detergent and its extract is commercially utilized as a foam-stabilizing and emulsifying agent. The goal of this study was to investigate the foam properties and detergent ability of the saponins from the defatted seed meal of C. oleifera. The crude saponin content in the defatted seed meal of C. oleifera was 8.34 and the total saponins content in the crude saponins extract was 39.5% (w/w). The foaming power of the 0.5 crude saponins extract solution from defatted seed meal of C. oleifera was 37.1 of 0.5 SLS solution and 51.3% to that of 0.5% Tween 80 solution. The R5 value of 86.0% represents good foam stability of the crude saponins extracted from the defatted seed meal of the plant. With the reduction of water surface tension from 72 mN/m to 50.0 mN/m, the 0.5% crude saponins extract solution has wetting ability. The sebum-removal experiment indicated that the crude saponins extract has moderate detergency. The detergent abilities of the saponins from C. oleifera and Sapindus mukorossi were also compared. PMID:21151446

Extraction optimization and identification of anthocyanins from Nitraria tangutorun Bobr. seed meal and establishment of a green analytical method of anthocyanins.

PubMed

Sang, Jun; Sang, Jie; Ma, Qun; Hou, Xiao-Fang; Li, Cui-Qin

2017-03-01

This study aimed to extract and identify anthocyanins from Nitraria tangutorun Bobr. seed meal and establish a green analytical method of anthocyanins. Ultrasound-assisted extraction of anthocyanins from N. tangutorun seed meal was optimized using response surface methodology. Extraction at 70°C for 32.73 min using 51.15% ethanol rendered an extract with 65.04mg/100g of anthocyanins and 947.39mg/100g of polyphenols. An in vitro antioxidant assay showed that the extract exhibited a potent DPPH radical-scavenging capacity. Eight anthocyanins in N. tangutorun seed meal were identified by HPLC-MS, and the main anthocyanin was cyanidin-3-O-(trans-p-coumaroyl)-diglucoside (18.17mg/100g). A green HPLC-DAD method was developed to analyse anthocyanins. A mixtures of ethanol and a 5% (v/v) formic acid aqueous solution at a 20:80 (v/v) ratio was used as the optimized mobile phase. The method was accurate, stable and reliable and could be used to investigate anthocyanins from N. tangutorun seed meal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antidiabetic Potentiality of the Aqueous-Methanolic Extract of Seed of Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq. in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Male Albino Rat: A Correlative and Evidence-Based Approach with Antioxidative and Antihyperlipidemic Activities.

PubMed

De, Debasis; Chatterjee, Kausik; Ali, Kazi Monjur; Bera, Tushar Kanti; Ghosh, Debidas

2011-01-01

Antidiabetic, antioxidative, and antihyperlipidemic activities of aqueous-methanolic (2 : 3) extract of Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq. (family Meliaceae) seed studied in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Feeding with seed extract (25 mg 0.25 mL distilled water(-1)100 gm b.w.(-1)rat(-1) day(-1)) for 21 days to diabetic rat lowered the blood glucose level as well as the glycogen level in liver. Moreover, activities of antioxidant enzymes like catalase, peroxidase, and levels of the products of free radicals like conjugated diene and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in liver, kidney, and skeletal muscles were corrected towards the control after this extract treatment in this model. Furthermore, the seed extract corrected the levels of serum urea, uric acid, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipoproteins towards the control level in this experimental diabetic model. The results indicated the potentiality of the extract of S. mahagoni seed for the correction of diabetes and its related complications like oxidative stress and hyperlipidemia. The extract may be a good candidate for developing a safety, tolerable, and promising neutraceutical treatment for the management of diabetes.

Grape seed extract and Zinc containing nutritional food supplement delays onset and progression of Streptozocin-induced diabetic cataract in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Satyam, Shakta Mani; Bairy, Laxminaryana Kurady; Pirasanthan, Rajadurai; Vaishnav, Rajdip Lalit

2015-05-01

Prevention of hyperglycemia and enhancement of antioxidant defense mechanisms remain major goals in the treatment of diabetic cataract. Earlier, we reported strong anti-hyperglycemic and in vitro antioxidant potential of the combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablets. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate effects of combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablets against streptozocin-induced diabetic cataract in Wistar rats. Adult Wistar rats were selected and diabetes was induced by streptozocin (35 mg/kg, i.p) and divided into four groups (group II-V). The normal control (group I) and streptozocin-induced diabetic cataract control rats received only vehicle. Groups III, IV and V animals received orally 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg of combined formulation of Zincovit tablets with grape seed extract respectively for a period of 150 days. The biochemical pathways involved in the pathogenesis of cataract such as oxidative stress, polyol pathway and alterations in adenosine triphosphate, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and blood glucose were investigated, to understand the possible mechanism of action of combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablets. Rats treated with combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablets delayed the progression of diabetic cataract as well as it showed significant alterations in oxidative stress markers along with blood glucose, aldose reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and adenosine triphosphate level in lens. Over all, the results suggest that single combined formulation of grape seed extract and Zincovit tablets may be of great value in delaying diabetic cataract of human subjects as nutritional food supplement.

Ameliorative effects of Moringa oleifera Lam seed extract on liver fibrosis in rats.

PubMed

Hamza, Alaaeldin A

2010-01-01

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringa) seed extract on liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was induced by the oral administration of 20% carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)), twice weekly and for 8 weeks. Simultaneously, M.oleifera Lam seed extract (1g/kg) was orally administered daily. The biochemical and histological results showed that Moringa reduced liver damage as well as symptoms of liver fibrosis. The administration of Moringa seed extract decreased the CCl(4)-induced elevation of serum aminotransferase activities and globulin level. The elevations of hepatic hydroxyproline content and myeloperoxidase activity were also reduced by Moringa treatment. Furthermore, the immunohistochemical study showed that Moringa markedly reduced the numbers of smooth muscle alpha-actin-positive cells and the accumulation of collagens I and III in liver. Moringa seed extract showed significant inhibitory effect on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical, as well as strong reducing antioxidant power. The activity of superoxide dismutase as well as the content of both malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl, which are oxidative stress markers, were reversed after treatment with Moringa. Finally, these results suggested that Moringa seed extract can act against CCl(4)-induced liver injury and fibrosis in rats by a mechanism related to its antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory effect and its ability to attenuate the hepatic stellate cells activation. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenolic constituents of shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) kernels.

PubMed

Maranz, Steven; Wiesman, Zeev; Garti, Nissim

2003-10-08

Analysis of the phenolic constituents of shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) kernels by LC-MS revealed eight catechin compounds-gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, gallocatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate-as well as quercetin and trans-cinnamic acid. The mean kernel content of the eight catechin compounds was 4000 ppm (0.4% of kernel dry weight), with a 2100-9500 ppm range. Comparison of the profiles of the six major catechins from 40 Vitellaria provenances from 10 African countries showed that the relative proportions of these compounds varied from region to region. Gallic acid was the major phenolic compound, comprising an average of 27% of the measured total phenols and exceeding 70% in some populations. Colorimetric analysis (101 samples) of total polyphenols extracted from shea butter into hexane gave an average of 97 ppm, with the values for different provenances varying between 62 and 135 ppm of total polyphenols.

In vitro biological activities and fatty acid profiles of Pistacia terebinthus fruits and Pistacia khinjuk seeds.

PubMed

Hacıbekiroğlu, Işil; Yılmaz, Pelin Köseoğlu; Haşimi, Nesrin; Kılınç, Ersin; Tolan, Veysel; Kolak, Ufuk

2015-01-01

This study reports in vitro anticholinesterase, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of the n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethanol and ethanol-water extracts prepared from Pistacia terebinthus L. fruits and Pistacia khinjuk Stocks seeds as well as their total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and fatty acid compositions. Ethanol and ethanol-water extracts of both species exhibited higher anticholinesterase activity than galanthamine. Among ABTS, DPPH and CUPRAC assays, the highest antioxidant capacity of the extracts was found in the last one. P. terebinthus ethanol extract being rich in flavonoid content showed the best cupric reducing effect. All extracts possessed no antimicrobial activity. The main fatty acid in P. terebinthus fruits (52.52%) and P. khinjuk seeds (59.44%) was found to be oleic acid. Our results indicate that P. terebinthus fruits and P. khinjuk seeds could be a good source of anticholinesterase compounds, and could be phytochemically investigated.

Comparison of extraction procedures on the immunocontraceptive activity of neem seed extracts.

PubMed

Garg, S; Talwar, G P; Upadhyay, S N

1994-10-01

Azadirachta indica (Neem) seed extracts are known to activate the local cell-mediated immune reactions after a single intrauterine administration, leading to a long term reversible block of fertility. In order to identify and characterize the active fraction responsible for this activity, neem seeds were extracted by both mechanical expression and solvent extraction using a range of polar to non-polar solvents which yielded 3 broad fractions. The mechanically expressed oil was fractionated using different approaches and studied for antifertility activity. The hexane extract and a corresponding column fraction showed potent and reproducible antifertility activity. Other fractions were less stable with regard to reproducibility of effects and composition. It is our conclusion that for subsequent fractionation to reach the last active fraction, the hexane extract is the most useful starting material.

ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECT ON BREAST CANCER (MCF7) OF MORINGA OLEIFERA SEED EXTRACTS.

PubMed

Adebayo, Ismail Abiola; Arsad, Hasni; Samian, Mohd Razip

2017-01-01

Moringa oleifera belongs to plant family, Moringaceae and popularly called "wonderful tree", for it is used traditionally to cure many diseases including cancer in Africa and Asia, however, there is limited knowledge on cytotoxic activity of Moringa oleifera seeds on MCF7 breast cancer cell. The present study evaluated antiproliferative effect on MCF7 of the seed. Seeds of Moringa oleifera were grinded to powder and its phytochemicals were extracted using water and 80% ethanol solvents, part of the ethanolic extract were sequentially partitioned to fractions with four solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, chloroform, and n-butanol). Antiproliferative effects on MCF7 of the samples were determined. Finally, potent samples that significantly inhibited MCF7 growth were tested on MCF 10A. Crude water extract, hexane and dichloromethane fractions of the seeds inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 with the following IC 50 values 280 μg/ml, 130 μg/ml and 26 μg/ml respectively, however, of the 3 samples, only hexane fraction had minimal cytotoxic effect on MCF 10A (IC 50 > 400μg/ml). Moringa oleifera seed has antiproliferative effect on MCF7.

40 CFR 180.438 - Lambda-cyhalothrin and an isomer gamma-cyhalothrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, stover 1.0 Corn, sweet, forage 6.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with..., seed 1.0 Cattle, fat 3.0 Cattle, meat 0.2 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.2 Corn, field, flour 0.15 Corn, field, forage 6.0 Corn, field, grain 0.05 Corn, field, stover 1.0 Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, grain...

40 CFR 180.438 - Lambda-cyhalothrin and an isomer gamma-cyhalothrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, stover 1.0 Corn, sweet, forage 6.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with..., seed 1.0 Cattle, fat 3.0 Cattle, meat 0.2 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.2 Corn, field, flour 0.15 Corn, field, forage 6.0 Corn, field, grain 0.05 Corn, field, stover 1.0 Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, grain...

40 CFR 180.438 - Lambda-cyhalothrin and an isomer gamma-cyhalothrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, stover 1.0 Corn, sweet, forage 6.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with..., seed 1.0 Cattle, fat 3.0 Cattle, meat 0.2 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.2 Corn, field, flour 0.15 Corn, field, forage 6.0 Corn, field, grain 0.05 Corn, field, stover 1.0 Corn, pop, grain 0.05 Corn, pop, grain...

An Experimental Study of Briquetting Process of Torrefied Rubber Seed Kernel and Palm Oil Shell.

PubMed

Hamid, M Fadzli; Idroas, M Yusof; Ishak, M Zulfikar; Zainal Alauddin, Z Alimuddin; Miskam, M Azman; Abdullah, M Khalil

2016-01-01

Torrefaction process of biomass material is essential in converting them into biofuel with improved calorific value and physical strength. However, the production of torrefied biomass is loose, powdery, and nonuniform. One method of upgrading this material to improve their handling and combustion properties is by densification into briquettes of higher density than the original bulk density of the material. The effects of critical parameters of briquetting process that includes the type of biomass material used for torrefaction and briquetting, densification temperature, and composition of binder for torrefied biomass are studied and characterized. Starch is used as a binder in the study. The results showed that the briquette of torrefied rubber seed kernel (RSK) is better than torrefied palm oil shell (POS) in both calorific value and compressive strength. The best quality of briquettes is yielded from torrefied RSK at the ambient temperature of briquetting process with the composition of 60% water and 5% binder. The maximum compressive load for the briquettes of torrefied RSK is 141 N and the calorific value is 16 MJ/kg. Based on the economic evaluation analysis, the return of investment (ROI) for the mass production of both RSK and POS briquettes is estimated in 2-year period and the annual profit after payback was approximately 107,428.6 USD.

Effect of dietary grape seed extract and Cistus ladanifer L. in combination with vegetable oil supplementation on lamb meat quality.

PubMed

Jerónimo, Eliana; Alfaia, Cristina M M; Alves, Susana P; Dentinho, Maria T P; Prates, José A M; Vasta, Valentina; Santos-Silva, José; Bessa, Rui J B

2012-12-01

Thirty-six Merino Branco lambs were assigned to six dietary treatments: control diet (C) consisting of 90% dehydrated lucerne and 10% wheat bran; C with 6% of oil blend (CO); C with 2.5% of grape seed extract (GS); GS with 6% of oil blend (GSO); C with 25% of Cistus ladanifer (CL), and CL with 6% of oil blend (CLO). Meat lipid and colour stability was then evaluated during 7 days of storage. The effect of inclusion of grape seed extract and C. ladanifer in diets on meat sensory properties was also evaluated. Meat antioxidant potential, determined after oxidation induction by a ferrous/hydrogen peroxide system, decreased with oil supplementation (P<0.001), but inclusion of grape seed extract and C. ladanifer in diets protected the meat against lipid oxidation (P=0.036). Meat colour was not affected by diets. Inclusion of grape seed extract and C. ladanifer in diets did not change the sensory properties of meat. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antifungal activity of Momordica charantia seed extracts toward the pathogenic fungus Fusarium solani L.

PubMed

Wang, Shuzhen; Zheng, Yongliang; Xiang, Fu; Li, Shiming; Yang, Guliang

2016-10-01

Momordica charantia L., a vegetable crop with high nutritional value, has been used as an antimutagenic, antihelminthic, anticancer, antifertility, and antidiabetic agent in traditional folk medicine. In this study, the antifungal activity of M. charantia seed extract toward Fusarium solani L. was evaluated. Results showed that M. charantia seed extract effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of F. solani, with a 50% inhibitory rate (IC 50 ) value of 108.934 μg/mL. Further analysis with optical microscopy and fluorescence microscopy revealed that the seed extract led to deformation of cells with irregular budding, loss of integrity of cell wall, as well as disruption of the fungal cell membrane. In addition, genomic DNA was also severely affected, as small DNA fragments shorter than 50 bp appeared on agarose gel. These findings implied that M. charantia seed extract containing α-momorcharin, a typical ribosome-inactivating protein, could be an effective agent in the control of fungal pathogens, and such natural products would represent a sustainable alternative to the use of synthetic fungicides. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Changes in Drosophila melanogaster Sleep-Wake Behavior Due to Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Seed and Hwang Jeong (Polygonatum sibiricum) Extracts

PubMed Central

Jo, Kyungae; Jeon, SangDuk; Ahn, Chang-Won; Han, Sung Hee; Suh, Hyung Joo

2017-01-01

We evaluated the sleep enhancement activity of the medicinal herbs valerian (Valeriana officinalis), jujube (Ziziphus jujube), lotus seed (Nelumbo nucifera), Gastrodia elata, Polygonatum sibiricum, and baekbokryung (Poria cocos), which can relieve insomnia in a Drosophila model. Locomotor activity was measured in the Drosophila model to evaluate the sleep activity of Korean medicinal herbs traditionally used as sleep aids. The group treated with lotus seed extract showed less nocturnal activity. Treatment with 10 or 20 mg/mL of P. sibiricum significantly reduced nocturnal activity compared to the control group (P<0.05). The activity and sleep bouts of fruit flies were significantly decreased by a high-dose treatment (10 mg/mL) of lotus or P. sibiricum extracts at night. Caffeine-treated Drosophila showed increased nocturnal activity and decreased total sleep time (P<0.05). Flies receiving the 10 mg-doses of lotus seed or P. sibiricum extract showed significantly different nocturnal locomotor activity and total sleep time compared to caffeine-treated Drosophila. Lotus seed and P. sibiricum extracts are attractive and valuable sleep-potentiating nutraceuticals. PMID:29333381

Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction of Raspberry Seed Oil and Evaluation of Its Physicochemical Properties, Fatty Acid Compositions and Antioxidant Activities

PubMed Central

Huang, Qun; Wang, Jinli; Lin, Qiyang; Liu, Mingxin; Lee, Won Young; Song, Hongbo

2016-01-01

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction was employed for highly efficient separation of aroma oil from raspberry seeds. A central composite design with two variables and five levels was employed and effects of process variables of sonication time and extraction temperature on oil recovery and quality were investigated. Optimal conditions predicted by response surface methodology were sonication time of 37 min and extraction temperature of 54°C. Specifically, ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) was able to provide a higher content of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids, whereas conventional Soxhlet extraction (SE) resulted in a higher amount of saturated fatty acids. Moreover, raspberry seed oil contained abundant amounts of edible linoleic acid and linolenic acid, which suggest raspberry seeds could be valuable edible sources of natural γ-linolenic acid products. In comparison with SE, UAE exerted higher free radical scavenging capacities. In addition, UAE significantly blocked H2O2-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. PMID:27120053

Proanthocyanidins from Vitis vinifera inhibit oxidative stress-induced vascular impairment in pulmonary arteries from diabetic rats.

PubMed

Pinna, Christian; Morazzoni, Paolo; Sala, Angelo

2017-02-15

Vitis vinifera L. (grape seed extract) is a natural source of proanthocyanidins with antioxidant and free radical-scavenging activities. Grape seed extract supplementation may prevent vascular endothelium impairment associated with diabetes mellitus in rat pulmonary artery. We evaluated endothelial function of rat pulmonary artery ex-vivo at the intermediate stage (4 weeks) of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus. We also evaluated the protective effect of grape seed extract administered daily, beginning the day after diabetes induction, or 15 days after diabetes induction, until the day of sacrifice. In addition, we compared the effect of grape seed extract supplementation with that of vitamin C. Rats were made diabetic with streptozotocin (STZ, 65mg/kg i.v.). Thirty days later rats were sacrificed and pulmonary vessels reactivity and endothelial function compared to that of age-matched healthy animals. Concentration-response curves to ACh, NE, sodium nitroprusside (NO donor), but not to histamine and iloprost (prostacyclin analog), were significantly altered 4 weeks after STZ-injection. Antioxidant supplementation (3mg/kg/day) with either vitamin C or grape seed extract, starting the day after diabetes induction, significantly improved vasodilation to ACh and SNP. Norepinephrine-induced contractions were preserved by grape seed extract, but not vitamin C supplementation. Conversely, vitamin C but not grape seed extract showed beneficial effects contrasting the loss of body weight in diabetic animals. Abnormal vascular function was not reversed when antioxidant supplementations were postponed 15 days after the induction of diabetes. This study provides scientific support for the therapeutic potential of an antioxidant therapy in endothelial impairment associated with diabetes. A daily supplementation of grape seed proanthocyanidins and/or vitamin C given at the earlier stage of disease may have a complementary role in the pharmacological therapy of diabetes and pulmonary vascular dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Effective flocculation of fine mineral suspensions using Moringa oleifera seeds

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

Pickett, T.M.

1995-12-31

The purpose of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using Moringa oleifera seeds, or the active components of the seeds, in the clarification of waters containing suspended mineral fines. In comparative testing using a hematite suspension, the flocculating activity of Moringa oleifera seeds was better than alum. Twenty milligrams of seed powder was sufficient to clarify the hematite to near zero turbidity, while the same amount of alum had a minimal effect on turbidity. Extracts were prepared from the seeds in an attempt to separate the proteins. A crude protein extract was enriched by lowering the pH tomore » 6.0. Only 0.08 mg/L of the enriched extract was required to flocculate a minusil suspension. Environmentally friendly protein flocculants could theoretically be produced and enhanced with recombinant DNA techniques as an alternative to chemical flocculants currently used in water treatment.« less

Pumpkin Seed Oil Extracted From Cucurbita maxima Improves Urinary Disorder in Human Overactive Bladder

PubMed Central

Nishimura, Mie; Ohkawara, Tatsuya; Sato, Hiroji; Takeda, Hiroshi; Nishihira, Jun

2014-01-01

The pumpkin seed oil obtained from Cucurbita pepo has been shown to be useful for the treatment of nocturia in patients with urinal disorders in several western countries. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the pumpkin seed oil from Cucurbita maxima on urinary dysfunction in human overactive bladder (OAB). Forty-five subjects were enrolled in this study. An extract of pumpkin seed oil from C. maxima (10 g of oil/day) was orally administrated for 12 weeks. After 6 and 12 weeks, urinary function was evaluated using Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS). Pumpkin seed oil from C. maxima significantly reduced the degree of OABSS in the subjects. The results from our study suggest that pumpkin seed oil extracts from C. maxima as well as from C. pepo are effective for urinary disorders such as OAB in humans. PMID:24872936

Pumpkin Seed Oil Extracted From Cucurbita maxima Improves Urinary Disorder in Human Overactive Bladder.

PubMed

Nishimura, Mie; Ohkawara, Tatsuya; Sato, Hiroji; Takeda, Hiroshi; Nishihira, Jun

2014-01-01

The pumpkin seed oil obtained from Cucurbita pepo has been shown to be useful for the treatment of nocturia in patients with urinal disorders in several western countries. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the pumpkin seed oil from Cucurbita maxima on urinary dysfunction in human overactive bladder (OAB). Forty-five subjects were enrolled in this study. An extract of pumpkin seed oil from C. maxima (10 g of oil/day) was orally administrated for 12 weeks. After 6 and 12 weeks, urinary function was evaluated using Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS). Pumpkin seed oil from C. maxima significantly reduced the degree of OABSS in the subjects. The results from our study suggest that pumpkin seed oil extracts from C. maxima as well as from C. pepo are effective for urinary disorders such as OAB in humans.

Fast microwave-assisted extraction of rotenone for its quantification in seeds of yam bean (Pachyrhizus sp.).

PubMed

Lautié, Emmanuelle; Rasse, Catherine; Rozet, Eric; Mourgues, Claire; Vanhelleputte, Jean-Paul; Quetin-Leclercq, Joëlle

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to find if fast microwave-assisted extraction could be an alternative to the conventional Soxhlet extraction for the quantification of rotenone in yam bean seeds by SPE and HPLC-UV. For this purpose, an experimental design was used to determine the optimal conditions of the microwave extraction. Then the values of the quantification on three accessions from two different species of yam bean seeds were compared using the two different kinds of extraction. A microwave extraction of 11 min at 55°C using methanol/dichloromethane (50:50) allowed rotenone extraction either equivalently or more efficiently than the 8-h-Soxhlet extraction method and was less sensitive to moisture content. The selectivity, precision, trueness, accuracy, and limit of quantification of the method with microwave extraction were also demonstrated. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Germinated and Ungerminated Seeds Extract from Two Lupinus Species: Biological Compounds Characterization and In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations

PubMed Central

Andor, Bogdan; Alexa, Ersilia; Hogea, Elena; Coricovac, Dorina; Pătrașcu, Jenel Marian; Mioc, Marius; Cristina, Romeo Teodor; Soica, Codruta; Dehelean, Cristina

2016-01-01

In recent years, nutraceuticals attracted a great amount of attention in the biomedical research due to their significant contribution as natural agents for prevention of various health issues. Ethanolic extracts from the ungerminated and germinated seeds of Lupinus albus L. and Lupinus angustifolius L. were analyzed for the content in isoflavones (genistein) and cinnamic acid derivatives. Additionally, the extracts were evaluated for antimicrobial, antiproliferative, and anti-inflammatory properties, using in vitro and in vivo tests. Germination proved to be a method of choice in increasing the amount of genistein and cinnamic acid derivatives in both Lupinus albus L. and Lupinus angustifolius L. seeds. Biological evaluation of all vegetal extracts revealed a weak therapeutic potential for both ungerminated and germinated seeds. PMID:28090213

Sterculia guttata seeds extractives--an effective mosquito larvicide.

PubMed

Katade, Sushama R; Pawar, Pushpa V; Wakharkar, Radhika D; Deshpande, Nirmala R

2006-08-01

The larvicidal activity of ethanol, chloroform and hexane soxhlet extracts obtained from S. guttata seeds was investigated against the IVth instar larvae of Dengue fever vector, Aedes aegypti and filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus. All extracts including fractions of ethanol extract exhibited 100% larval kill within 24 hr exposure period at 500 ppm concentration. Fraction A1 of ethanol was found to be most promising; its LC50 was 21.552 and 35.520 ppm against C. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti respectively. Naturally occurring S. guttata seed derived fractions merit further study as potential mosquito larval control agents or lead compounds.

Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Hibiscus cannabinus L. seed extracts after sequential solvent extraction.

PubMed

Yusri, Noordin Mohd; Chan, Kim Wei; Iqbal, Shahid; Ismail, Maznah

2012-10-25

A sequential solvent extraction scheme was employed for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seeds. Yield of extracts varied widely among the solvents and was the highest for hexane extract (16.6% based on dry weight basis), while water extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content (18.78 mg GAE/g extract), total flavonoid content (2.49 mg RE/g extract), and antioxidant activities (p < 0.05). DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging, β-carotene bleaching, metal chelating activity, ferric thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assays were employed to comprehensively assess the antioxidant potential of different solvent extracts prepared sequentially. Besides water, methanolic extract also exhibited high retardation towards the formation of hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the total antioxidant activity tests (p < 0.05). As conclusion, water and methanol extracts of kenaf seed may potentially serve as new sources of antioxidants for food and nutraceutical applications.

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed oil.

PubMed

Tian, Yuting; Xu, Zhenbo; Zheng, Baodong; Martin Lo, Y

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) was evaluated using a variety of solvents. Petroleum ether was the most effective for oil extraction, followed by n-hexane, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, acetone, and isopropanol. Several variables, such as ultrasonic power, extraction temperature, extraction time, and the ratio of solvent volume and seed weight (S/S ratio) were studied for optimization using response surface methodology (RSM). The highest oil yield, 25.11% (w/w), was obtained using petroleum ether under optimal conditions for ultrasonic power, extraction temperature, extraction time, and S/S ratio at 140 W, 40 °C, 36 min, and 10 ml/g, respectively. The PSO yield extracted by UAE was significantly higher than by using Soxhlet extraction (SE; 20.50%) and supercriti cal fluid extraction (SFE; 15.72%). The fatty acid compositions were significantly different among the PSO extracted by Soxhlet extraction, SFE, and UAE, with punicic acid (>65%) being the most dominant using UAE. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Selective enrichment in bioactive compound from Kniphofia uvaria by super/subcritical fluid extraction and centrifugal partition chromatography.

PubMed

Duval, Johanna; Destandau, Emilie; Pecher, Virginie; Poujol, Marion; Tranchant, Jean-François; Lesellier, Eric

2016-05-20

Nowadays, a large portion of synthetic products (active cosmetic and therapeutic ingredients) have their origin in natural products. Kniphofia uvaria is a plant from Africa which has proved in the past by in-vivo tests an antioxidant activity due to compounds present in roots. Recently, we have observed anthraquinones in K. uvaria seeds extracts. These derivatives are natural colorants which could have interesting bioactive potential. The aim of this study was to obtain an extract enriched in anthraquinones from K. uvaria seeds which mainly contains glycerides. First, the separation of the seed compounds was studied by using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) in the goal to provide a rapid quantification method of these bioactive compounds. A screening of numerous polar stationary phases was achieved for selecting the most suited phase to the separation of the four anthraquinones founded in the seeds. A gradient elution was optimized for improving the separation of the bioactive compounds from the numerous other families of major compounds of the extracts (fatty acids, di- and triglycerides). Besides, a non-selective and green Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) with pure CO2 was applied to seeds followed by a Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC). The CPC system was optimized by using the Arizona phase system, to enrich the extract in anthraquinones. Two systems were selected to isolate the bioactive compounds from the oily extract with varied purity target. The effect of the injection mode for these very viscous samples was also studied. Finally, in order to directly apply a selective process of extraction to the seeds, the super/subcritical fluid extraction was optimized to increase the anthraquinone yield in the final extract, by studying varied modifier compositions and nature, as well as different temperatures and backpressures. Conditions suited to favour an enrichment factor bases on the ratio of anthraquinone and trilycerides extracted are described. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Robust Pedestrian Classification Based on Hierarchical Kernel Sparse Representation.

PubMed

Sun, Rui; Zhang, Guanghai; Yan, Xiaoxing; Gao, Jun

2016-08-16

Vision-based pedestrian detection has become an active topic in computer vision and autonomous vehicles. It aims at detecting pedestrians appearing ahead of the vehicle using a camera so that autonomous vehicles can assess the danger and take action. Due to varied illumination and appearance, complex background and occlusion pedestrian detection in outdoor environments is a difficult problem. In this paper, we propose a novel hierarchical feature extraction and weighted kernel sparse representation model for pedestrian classification. Initially, hierarchical feature extraction based on a CENTRIST descriptor is used to capture discriminative structures. A max pooling operation is used to enhance the invariance of varying appearance. Then, a kernel sparse representation model is proposed to fully exploit the discrimination information embedded in the hierarchical local features, and a Gaussian weight function as the measure to effectively handle the occlusion in pedestrian images. Extensive experiments are conducted on benchmark databases, including INRIA, Daimler, an artificially generated dataset and a real occluded dataset, demonstrating the more robust performance of the proposed method compared to state-of-the-art pedestrian classification methods.

Robust Pedestrian Classification Based on Hierarchical Kernel Sparse Representation

PubMed Central

Sun, Rui; Zhang, Guanghai; Yan, Xiaoxing; Gao, Jun

2016-01-01

Vision-based pedestrian detection has become an active topic in computer vision and autonomous vehicles. It aims at detecting pedestrians appearing ahead of the vehicle using a camera so that autonomous vehicles can assess the danger and take action. Due to varied illumination and appearance, complex background and occlusion pedestrian detection in outdoor environments is a difficult problem. In this paper, we propose a novel hierarchical feature extraction and weighted kernel sparse representation model for pedestrian classification. Initially, hierarchical feature extraction based on a CENTRIST descriptor is used to capture discriminative structures. A max pooling operation is used to enhance the invariance of varying appearance. Then, a kernel sparse representation model is proposed to fully exploit the discrimination information embedded in the hierarchical local features, and a Gaussian weight function as the measure to effectively handle the occlusion in pedestrian images. Extensive experiments are conducted on benchmark databases, including INRIA, Daimler, an artificially generated dataset and a real occluded dataset, demonstrating the more robust performance of the proposed method compared to state-of-the-art pedestrian classification methods. PMID:27537888

Modulation of gene expression as a new skin anti-aging strategy.

PubMed

Talbourdet, Sylvie; Sadick, Neil S; Lazou, Kristell; Bonnet-Duquennoy, Mathilde; Kurfurst, Robin; Neveu, Michele; Heusèle, Catherine; André, Patrice; Schnebert, Sylvianne; Draelos, Zoe D; Perrier, Eric

2007-06-01

[corrected] The signs of aging may originate from natural processes or from exposure to the sun, wind, or other environmental factors. To evaluate the anti-aging effects of potential agents researchers must first identify and be able to quantify epidermal markers that change with aging. This paper summarizes the results of studies conducted to evaluate the transcriptional effects of an Aframomum angustifolium seed extract and Malva Sylvestris extract, and the antiaging efficacy of a skin care product containing the Aframomum angustifolium seed extract. The transcriptional effect of an Aframomum angustifolium seed extract on normal human keratinocytes (NHKs) and normal human fibroblasts (NHF) was evaluated in vitro with the use of a low-density DNA array technology. The Malva Sylvestris extract was studied with a commercial DNA macroarray and by a real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The in vitro anti-aging activities of the Malva sylvestris extract were compared with those of all-trans retinoic acid (RA), a well-established topical therapy for photodamage and wrinkles. The genes studied were known to be modified by RA. The anti-aging efficacy of a facial skin care product containing Aframomum angustifolium seed extract was evaluated in a single-center study using image processing analysis and in a 2-center study by evaluation of the photographs by the investigator, independent evaluators, and subjects. In general, the Aframomum angustifolium seed extract strongly modified the gene expression profiles of NHKs and weakly modified the gene expression profiles of NHFs. After incubation with Aframomum angustifolium seed extract, the expressions of 3 antioxidant genes (metallothionein 1, metallothionein 2, and thioredoxin) were increased in NHKs, while expressions of 1 antioxidant gene (glutathione peroxidase) was increased in NHFs. Concerning the Malva sylvestris extract, a cDNA macro-array technology experiment with the reconstructed human epidermis model showed that some genes modulated by treatment with the Malva sylvestris extract are also regulated by RA treatment indicating a similar activity at the mRNA level. In the single-center study, a facial skin care product containing the Aframomum angustifolium seed extract significantly improved the homogeneity of the skin. The areas of the detected objects (skin imperfections) decreased significantly on each studied area of the face and the variance decreased significantly over the entire face. In the 2-center study, 28% percent of the subjects reported a greater than 50% overall global improvement in their skin by the end of the study compared to 11% of the subjects after 4 weeks of treatment. Seventy-six percent of subjects said they would purchase the cream. The authors developed a low-density DNA chip method that permitted the study of the transcriptional effect of Malva Sylvestris extract and of Aframomum angustrifolium seed extract. The gene expression profiles obtained demonstrate the anti-aging properties of these compounds. An in vivo single-center study, performed and analyzed with an assay based on image processing analysis, demonstrated the antiwrinkle activity of a formulation containing the Aframomum angustifolium seed extract. The data obtained in the 2-center study suggests that the cosmeceutical containing Aframomum angustifolium seed extract produces a global rejuvenation effect in terms of redness, pigmentation, and fine lines similar to that noted utilizing an intense pulse light source.

Grape seed and tea extracts and catechin 3-gallates are potent inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity.

PubMed

Yilmazer-Musa, Meltem; Griffith, Anneke M; Michels, Alexander J; Schneider, Erik; Frei, Balz

2012-09-12

This study evaluated the inhibitory effects of plant-based extracts (grape seed, green tea, and white tea) and their constituent flavan-3-ol monomers (catechins) on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, two key glucosidases required for starch digestion in humans. To evaluate the relative potency of extracts and catechins, their concentrations required for 50 and 90% inhibition of enzyme activity were determined and compared to the widely used pharmacological glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose. Maximum enzyme inhibition was used to assess relative inhibitory efficacy. Results showed that grape seed extract strongly inhibited both α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, with equal and much higher potency, respectively, than acarbose. Whereas tea extracts and catechin 3-gallates were less effective inhibitors of α-amylase, they were potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase. Nongallated catechins were ineffective. The data show that plant extracts containing catechin 3-gallates, in particular epigallocatechin gallate, are potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase activity and suggest that procyanidins in grape seed extract strongly inhibit α-amylase activity.

Seed oil extraction from red prickly pear using hexane and supercritical CO2 : assessment of phenolic compound composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

PubMed

Koubaa, Mohamed; Mhemdi, Houcine; Barba, Francisco J; Angelotti, Armel; Bouaziz, Fatma; Chaabouni, Semia Ellouz; Vorobiev, Eugène

2017-01-01

Investigating Opuntia species for their seed oil content is of much importance owing to their potential use for food and in cosmetic applications. These oils have an important content in unsaturated fatty acids as well as antioxidant compounds (e.g. polyphenols, vitamin E), which have been associated with the prevention of some chronic diseases. Moreover, Opuntia stricta oils possess important antimicrobial activities. For instance, the main focus of this study was to compare the effectiveness of conventional (hexane extraction) and novel (supercritical (SC)-CO 2 ) extraction methods for the recovery of oil and phenolic compounds from O. stricta seeds. The oil yield of both extracts was then compared and the polyphenol content and composition of both extracts were determined by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Additionally, antioxidant (DPPH assay) and antimicrobial activities (disc diffusion method) of O. stricta seed oils were determined. The oil yield (based on Soxhlet's method) of O. stricta seeds was determined using SC-CO 2 (49.9 ± 2.2%), and hexane (49.0 ± 1.5%). Although obtaining similar oil extraction yields using the two methods, the extracted oil using SC-CO 2 was more enriched in polyphenols (172.2 ± 11.9 µg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) g -1 oil) than that extracted using hexane (76.0 ± 6.9 µg GAE g -1 of oil). Polyphenol profiles showed that the SC-CO 2 process led to the yield of more compounds (45) than that using hexane extraction (11). Moreover, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of SC-CO 2 extract showed a high percentage of inhibition. SC-CO 2 extraction of O. stricta seed oil led to extraction of oil with a similar yield to that with hexane extraction, but with higher polyphenol content. The extract containing polyphenols exhibited high antioxidant and antibacterial properties, demonstrating their great potential as feedstock for high-oil quality. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Kernel-Based Relevance Analysis with Enhanced Interpretability for Detection of Brain Activity Patterns

PubMed Central

Alvarez-Meza, Andres M.; Orozco-Gutierrez, Alvaro; Castellanos-Dominguez, German

2017-01-01

We introduce Enhanced Kernel-based Relevance Analysis (EKRA) that aims to support the automatic identification of brain activity patterns using electroencephalographic recordings. EKRA is a data-driven strategy that incorporates two kernel functions to take advantage of the available joint information, associating neural responses to a given stimulus condition. Regarding this, a Centered Kernel Alignment functional is adjusted to learning the linear projection that best discriminates the input feature set, optimizing the required free parameters automatically. Our approach is carried out in two scenarios: (i) feature selection by computing a relevance vector from extracted neural features to facilitating the physiological interpretation of a given brain activity task, and (ii) enhanced feature selection to perform an additional transformation of relevant features aiming to improve the overall identification accuracy. Accordingly, we provide an alternative feature relevance analysis strategy that allows improving the system performance while favoring the data interpretability. For the validation purpose, EKRA is tested in two well-known tasks of brain activity: motor imagery discrimination and epileptic seizure detection. The obtained results show that the EKRA approach estimates a relevant representation space extracted from the provided supervised information, emphasizing the salient input features. As a result, our proposal outperforms the state-of-the-art methods regarding brain activity discrimination accuracy with the benefit of enhanced physiological interpretation about the task at hand. PMID:29056897

Time-frequency Features for Impedance Cardiography Signals During Anesthesia Using Different Distribution Kernels.

PubMed

Muñoz, Jesús Escrivá; Gambús, Pedro; Jensen, Erik W; Vallverdú, Montserrat

2018-01-01

This works investigates the time-frequency content of impedance cardiography signals during a propofol-remifentanil anesthesia. In the last years, impedance cardiography (ICG) is a technique which has gained much attention. However, ICG signals need further investigation. Time-Frequency Distributions (TFDs) with 5 different kernels are used in order to analyze impedance cardiography signals (ICG) before the start of the anesthesia and after the loss of consciousness. In total, ICG signals from one hundred and thirty-one consecutive patients undergoing major surgery under general anesthesia were analyzed. Several features were extracted from the calculated TFDs in order to characterize the time-frequency content of the ICG signals. Differences between those features before and after the loss of consciousness were studied. The Extended Modified Beta Distribution (EMBD) was the kernel for which most features shows statistically significant changes between before and after the loss of consciousness. Among all analyzed features, those based on entropy showed a sensibility, specificity and area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic above 60%. The anesthetic state of the patient is reflected on linear and non-linear features extracted from the TFDs of the ICG signals. Especially, the EMBD is a suitable kernel for the analysis of ICG signals and offers a great range of features which change according to the patient's anesthesia state in a statistically significant way. Schattauer GmbH.

Rapid Identification and Quantification of Natural Antioxidants in the Seeds of Rhubarb from Different Habitats in China Using Accelerated Solvent Extraction and HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn-DPPH Assay.

PubMed

Tan, Liang; Geng, Dan-dan; Hu, Feng-zu; Dong, Qi

2016-01-01

In this study, the 10 accessions of rhubarb seeds from different habitats in China were investigated. Lipids were removed using petroleum ether, and the effective components were then separated using accelerated solvent extraction with 80% aqueous methanol. An off-line 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging method was used as the marker to evaluate the total antioxidant capability of extracts. On-line high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detectors-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n)) and HPLC-DAD-DPPH assays were developed for rapid identification and quantification of individual free-radical scavengers in extracts of rhubarb seeds. Ten free-radical scavengers from methanolic extracts of the rhubarb seeds were screened, five of which were identified and quantitatively analyzed: epicatechin, myricetin, hyperoside, quercitrin and quercetin. All were identified in rhubarb seeds for the first time and can be regarded as the major potent antioxidants in rhubarb seeds due to representing most of the total free-radical scavenging activity. Preliminary analysis of structures was performed for another five antioxidants. Based on our validation results, the developed method can be used for rapid separation, convenient identification and quantification of the multiple antioxidative constituents in rhubarb seeds, featuring good quantification parameters, accuracy and precision. The results are important to clarify the material basis and therapeutic mechanism of rhubarb seeds. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Polyphenol Content and Antioxidant Properties of Colored Soybean Seeds from Central Europe

PubMed Central

Cvejić, Jelena; Miladinović, Jegor

2012-01-01

Abstract The antioxidant activity and contents of various polyphenol classes in the seeds of seven soybean varieties of different seed color and one yellow seed cultivar, representing a reference genotype, were evaluated. Total polyphenols and tannins were determined after extraction of plant material with 70% aqueous acetone, and total flavonoids were extracted with methanol and acetic acid, whereas anthocyanins were extracted with 20% aqueous ethanol. In addition, isoflavone content and composition were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Antioxidant activity of seed extracts was evaluated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity assay. A positive linear correlation between antioxidant activity and contents of total polyphenols and anthocyanins was established. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in the extracts of black and brown varieties, which also showed high levels of all polyphenol classes examined. Yellow seed had the highest total isoflavone content (3.62 mg/g of dry material). The highest concentration of total daidzein was determined in black seeds (>2.0 mg/g of dry material), and the highest total glycitein and genistein contents occurred in the yellow cultivar (0.53 and 1.49 mg/g of dry material, respectively). According to our results, varieties of black and brown seeds could be of special interest not only for their large content of total polyphenols, ranging from 4.94 to 6.22 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of dry material, but also for their high content of natural antioxidants such as anthocyanins. PMID:21861721

Phenolic content and antioxidant properties of seeds from different grape cultivars grown in Iran.

PubMed

Mirbagheri, Vasigheh Sadat; Alizadeh, Ebrahim; Yousef Elahi, Mostafa; Esmaeilzadeh Bahabadi, Sedigheh

2018-02-01

This study investigated the antioxidant activity and phenolic composition of seed extracts from three grape cultivars grown in Iran. Folin Ciocalteu method was used for the determination of the total phenolic contents and GC-MS was used for the analysis of phenolic compositions. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. The highest and the lowest total phenolic contents of seed extract were found in the black and green grape, respectively. The content of individual phenols such as Frulic acid, Gentistic acid, Syringic acid, (+) Catechin, Chlorogenic acid and (-)- Epicatchin gallate was cultivars dependent. The antioxidant activity of the seed extracts ranged from 34.03% (Green) to 53.63% (Black). Generally, the Black grape seed extract with the total phenolic content (3 ± 0.01 mg tannic acid/g DM), DPPH (53.63 ± 0.34%), IC 50 and AEAC (7.41 and 16.92 mg/mL) showed the highest level of total antioxidant capacity.

Green coffee seed residue: A sustainable source of antioxidant compounds.

PubMed

Castro, A C C M; Oda, F B; Almeida-Cincotto, M G J; Davanço, M G; Chiari-Andréo, B G; Cicarelli, R M B; Peccinini, R G; Zocolo, G J; Ribeiro, P R V; Corrêa, M A; Isaac, V L B; Santos, A G

2018-04-25

Oil extraction from green coffee seeds generates residual mass that is discarded by agribusiness and has not been previously studied. Bioactive secondary metabolites in coffee include antioxidant phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acids. Coffee seeds also contain caffeine, a pharmaceutically important methylxanthine. Here, we report the chemical profile, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity of hydroethanolic extracts of green Coffea arabica L. seed residue. The extracts of the green seeds and the residue have similar chemical profiles, containing the phenolic compounds chlorogenic acid and caffeine. Five monoacyl and three diacyl esters of trans-cinnamic acids and quinic acid were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-quadruple time of flight mass spectrometry. The residue extract showed antioxidant potential in DPPH, ABTS, and pyranine assays and low cytotoxicity. Thus, coffee oil residue has great potential for use as a raw material in dietary supplements, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, or as a source of bioactive compounds. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of the type and level of hydration of alcoholic solvents on the simultaneous extraction of oil and chlorogenic acids from sunflower seed press cake.

PubMed

Scharlack, Nayara K; Aracava, Keila K; Rodrigues, Christianne Ec

2017-10-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the replacement of hexane by alcoholic solvents in oil extraction from sunflower seed press cake. The use of ethanol and isopropanol has important advantages, including low toxicity and good operational safety. Thus, in the present study, solid-liquid extractions were performed in a single stage from 60 to 90 °C and in consecutive extractions in three stages at 90 °C. Solvent hydration negatively affected the extraction of oil but favored the extraction of chlorogenic acids (CAs), especially when ethanol was used. Regarding oxidative stability, the oils extracted using ethanol presented long induction times, which could be related to the high levels of not only CAs and tocopherols, but also phospholipids. Alcoholic solvents can be used for extraction to produce sunflower seed oil containing minor compounds that give it greater oxidative stability. In addition, the results obtained using hydrous ethanol showed that this solvent can yield defatted sunflower seed meal with a low content of CAs, enabling future use of the protein fraction. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of selected varieties of thai mango seed extract.

PubMed

Khammuang, Saranyu; Sarnthima, Rakrudee

2011-01-01

This study reports the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of four fresh mango seed extracts from Thai varieties. Total phenol contents determined by the Folin-ciocalteu method revealed the highest values to be in MKE, Chok-a-nan variety (399.8 mgGAE/g extract) and MSE of Nam-dok-mai variety (377.2 mgGAE/g extract). Both extracts showed potent ABTS˙+ radical and DPPH˙ radical scavenging activities with the lower half inhibition concentration (IC50) values than those of the reference compounds; vitamin C, trolox and BHA, respectively. Their antioxidant property of MSE and MKE is strongly correlated with the total phenol contents (r=0.98 and 0.98, respectively). When combined the MSE and MKE of the Fah-lun variety showed the strongest antioxidant activity. All mango seed extracts showed interesting antibacterial activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria as determined by disc diffusion method. The most sensitive pathogenic strain inhibited by all extracts (especially Kaew variety) was Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. This work suggests potential applications for practical uses of mango seed extracts from Thai varieties, as sources of antioxidant and antibacterial agents.

ZEAXANTHIN EPOXIDASE Activity Potentiates Carotenoid Degradation in Maturing Seed1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Magallanes-Lundback, Maria; Lipka, Alexander E.; Angelovici, Ruthie; DellaPenna, Dean

2016-01-01

Elucidation of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway has enabled altering the composition and content of carotenoids in various plants, but to achieve desired nutritional impacts, the genetic components regulating carotenoid homeostasis in seed, the plant organ consumed in greatest abundance, must be elucidated. We used a combination of linkage mapping, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and pathway-level analysis to identify nine loci that impact the natural variation of seed carotenoids in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). ZEAXANTHIN EPOXIDASE (ZEP) was the major contributor to carotenoid composition, with mutants lacking ZEP activity showing a remarkable 6-fold increase in total seed carotenoids relative to the wild type. Natural variation in ZEP gene expression during seed development was identified as the underlying mechanism for fine-tuning carotenoid composition, stability, and ultimately content in Arabidopsis seed. We previously showed that two CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE DIOXYGENASE enzymes, CCD1 and CCD4, are the primary mediators of seed carotenoid degradation, and here we demonstrate that ZEP acts as an upstream control point of carotenoid homeostasis, with ZEP-mediated epoxidation targeting carotenoids for degradation by CCD enzymes. Finally, four of the nine loci/enzymatic activities identified as underlying natural variation in Arabidopsis seed carotenoids also were identified in a recent GWAS of maize (Zea mays) kernel carotenoid variation. This first comparison of the natural variation in seed carotenoids in monocots and dicots suggests a surprising overlap in the genetic architecture of these traits between the two lineages and provides a list of likely candidates to target for selecting seed carotenoid variation in other species. PMID:27208224

Therapeutic effect of Arctium lappa in Schistosoma haematobium associated kidney disturbance: biochemical and molecular effects.

PubMed

Koriem, Khaled M M; Idris, Zulzamri H; Haron, Hasniza F; Omar, Nurulhuda A; Lazain, Halita S

2016-12-01

Schistosoma haematobium ( S. haematobium ) infection has been found to be strongly associated with bladder cancer, which necessitates for discover of a natural new therapeutic agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Arctium lappa seed extract in S. haematobium associated kidney disturbance. Forty male albino mice were used and divided into four equal groups; group 1 control includes non-infected healthy mice, groups 2, 3 and 4 subcutaneous infected with S. haematobium cercariae. Groups 3 co-treated daily with oral dose of A. lappa seed extract (300 mg/kg, bwt) for 15 days in the same time of S. haematobium infection. Groups 4 post-treated daily for 15 days with oral dose of A. lappa seed extract (300 mg/kg, bwt) after 15 days of S. haematobium infection. The results obtained revealed that S. haematobium significantly decreased kidney weight and serum sodium, potassium and chloride, but increased urinary volume, urinary excretion of sodium, potassium and chloride, serum urea, creatinine and uric acid. Schistosoma haematobium also significantly decreased kidney superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione levels while increased kidney lipid peroxidation level. Co- and post-treatment with A. lappa seed extract restore all the above parameters to approach the normal values. These results were supported with histopathological examinations. In conclusion, A. lappa seed extract has therapeutic effect in kidney disturbance caused by S. haematobium where co-treatment of A. lappa seed extract was more effective than post-treatment of the extract.

A study on trypsin, Aspergillus flavus and Bacillus sp. protease inhibitory activity in Cassia tora (L.) syn Senna tora (L.) Roxb. seed extract.

PubMed

Tripathi, Vinayak R; Kumar, Shailendra; Garg, Satyendra K

2011-07-12

Proteases play an important role in virulence of many human, plant and insect pathogens. The proteinaceous protease inhibitors of plant origin have been reported widely from many plant species. The inhibitors may potentially be used for multiple therapeutic applications in viral, bacterial, fungal diseases and physiological disorders. In traditional Indian medicine system, Cassia tora (Senna tora) is reportedly effective in treatment of skin and gastrointestinal disorders. The present study explores the protease inhibitory activity of the above plant seeds against trypsin, Aspergillus flavus and Bacillus sp. proteases. The crushed seeds of Cassia tora were washed thoroughly with acetone and hexane for depigmentation and defatting. The proteins were fractionated by ammonium sulphate (0-30, 30-60, 60-90%) followed by dialysis and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The inhibitory potential of crude seed extract and most active dialyzed fraction against trypsin and proteases was established by spot test using unprocessed x-ray film and casein digestion methods, respectively. Electrophoretic analysis of most active fraction (30-60%) and SEC elutes were carried employing Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Gelatin SDS-PAGE. Inhibition of fungal spore germination was studied in the presence of dialyzed active inhibitor fraction. Standard deviation (SD) and ANOVA were employed as statistical tools. The crude seeds' extract displayed strong antitryptic, bacterial and fungal protease inhibitory activity on x-ray film. The seed protein fraction 30-60% was found most active for trypsin inhibition in caseinolytic assay (P < 0.001). The inhibition of caseinolytic activity of the proteases increased with increasing ratio of seed extract. The residual activity of trypsin, Aspergillus flavus and Bacillus sp. proteases remained only 4, 7 and 3.1%, respectively when proteases were incubated with 3 mg ml-1 seed protein extract for 60 min. The inhibitory activity was evident in gelatin SDS-PAGE where a major band (~17-19 kD) of protease inhibitor (PI) was detected in dialyzed and SEC elute. The conidial germination of Aspergillus flavus was moderately inhibited (30%) by the dialyzed seed extract. Cassia tora seed extract has strong protease inhibitory activity against trypsin, Aspergillus flavus and Bacillus sp. proteases. The inhibitor in Cassia tora may attenuate microbial proteases and also might be used as phytoprotecting agent. © 2011 Tripathi et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Sensitivity of salad greens (Lactuca sativa L. and Eruca sativa Mill.) exposed to crude extracts of toxic and non-toxic cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Bittencourt-Oliveira, M C; Hereman, T C; Macedo-Silva, I; Cordeiro-Araújo, M K; Sasaki, F F C; Dias, C T S

2015-05-01

We evaluated the effect of crude extracts of the microcystin-producing (MC+) cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa on seed germination and initial development of lettuce and arugula, at concentrations between 0.5 μg.L(-1) and 100 μg.L(-1) of MC-LR equivalent, and compared it to crude extracts of the same species without the toxin (MC-). Crude extracts of the cyanobacteria with MC (+) and without MC (-) caused different effects on seed germination and initial development of the salad green seedlings, lettuce being more sensitive to both extracts when compared to arugula. Crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC+) caused more evident effects on seed germination and initial development of both species of salad greens than MC-. Concentrations of 75 μg.L(-1) and 100 μg.L(-1) of MC-LR equivalent induced a greater occurrence of abnormal seedlings in lettuce, due to necrosis of the radicle and shortening of this organ in normal seedlings, as well as the reduction in total chlorophyll content and increase in the activity of the antioxidant enzyme peroxidase (POD). The MC- extract caused no harmful effects to seed germination and initial development of seedlings of arugula. However, in lettuce, it caused elevation of POD enzyme activity, decrease in seed germination at concentrations of 75 μg.L(-1) (MC-75) and 100 μg.L(-1) (MC-100), and shortening of the radicle length, suggesting that other compounds present in the cyanobacteria extracts contributed to this result. Crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC-) may contain other compounds, besides the cyanotoxins, capable of causing inhibitory or stimulatory effects on seed germination and initial development of salad green seedlings. Arugula was more sensitive to the crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC+) and (MC-) and to other possible compounds produced by the cyanobacteria.

Influence of Chemical Extraction on Rheological Behavior, Viscoelastic Properties and Functional Characteristics of Natural Heteropolysaccharide/Protein Polymer from Durio zibethinus Seed

PubMed Central

Amid, Bahareh Tabatabaee; Mirhosseini, Hamed

2012-01-01

In recent years, the demand for a natural plant-based polymer with potential functions from plant sources has increased considerably. The main objective of the current study was to study the effect of chemical extraction conditions on the rheological and functional properties of the heteropolysaccharide/protein biopolymer from durian (Durio zibethinus) seed. The efficiency of different extraction conditions was determined by assessing the extraction yield, protein content, solubility, rheological properties and viscoelastic behavior of the natural polymer from durian seed. The present study revealed that the soaking process had a more significant (p < 0.05) effect than the decolorizing process on the rheological and functional properties of the natural polymer. The considerable changes in the rheological and functional properties of the natural polymer could be due to the significant (p < 0.05) effect of the chemical extraction variables on the protein fraction present in the molecular structure of the natural polymer from durian seed. The natural polymer from durian seed had a more elastic (or gel like) behavior compared to the viscous (liquid like) behavior at low frequency. The present study revealed that the natural heteropolysaccharide/protein polymer from durian seed had a relatively low solubility ranging from 9.1% to 36.0%. This might be due to the presence of impurities, insoluble matter and large particles present in the chemical structure of the natural polymer from durian seed. PMID:23203099

SU-E-T-378: Evaluation of An Analytical Model for the Inter-Seed Attenuation Effect in 103-Pd Multi-Seed Implant Brachytherapy

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

Safigholi, H; Soliman, A; Song, W

Purpose: Brachytherapy treatment planning systems based on TG-43 protocol calculate the dose in water and neglects the heterogeneity effect of seeds in multi-seed implant brachytherapy. In this research, the accuracy of a novel analytical model that we propose for the inter-seed attenuation effect (ISA) for 103-Pd seed model is evaluated. Methods: In the analytical model, dose perturbation due to the ISA effect for each seed in an LDR multi-seed implant for 103-Pd is calculated by assuming that the seed of interest is active and the other surrounding seeds are inactive. The cumulative dosimetric effect of all seeds is then summedmore » using the superposition principle. The model is based on pre Monte Carlo (MC) simulated 3D kernels of the dose perturbations caused by the ISA effect. The cumulative ISA effect due to multiple surrounding seeds is obtained by a simple multiplication of the individual ISA effect by each seed, the effect of which is determined by the distance from the seed of interest. This novel algorithm is then compared with full MC water-based simulations (FMCW). Results: The results show that the dose perturbation model we propose is in excellent agreement with the FMCW values for a case with three seeds separated by 1 cm. The average difference of the model and the FMCW simulations was less than 8%±2%. Conclusion: Using the proposed novel analytical ISA effect model, one could expedite the corrections due to the ISA dose perturbation effects during permanent seed 103-Pd brachytherapy planning with minimal increase in time since the model is based on multiplications and superposition. This model can be applied, in principle, to any other brachytherapy seeds. Further work is necessary to validate this model on a more complicated geometry as well.« less

Inactivation disinfection property of Moringa Oleifera seed extract: optimization and kinetic studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idris, M. A.; Jami, M. S.; Hammed, A. M.

2017-05-01

This paper presents the statistical optimization study of disinfection inactivation parameters of defatted Moringa oleifera seed extract on Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial cells. Three level factorial design was used to estimate the optimum range and the kinetics of the inactivation process was also carried. The inactivation process involved comparing different disinfection models of Chicks-Watson, Collins-Selleck and Homs models. The results from analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the statistical optimization process revealed that only contact time was significant. The optimum disinfection range of the seed extract was 125 mg/L, 30 minutes and 120rpm agitation. At the optimum dose, the inactivation kinetics followed the Collin-Selleck model with coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.6320. This study is the first of its kind in determining the inactivation kinetics of pseudomonas aeruginosa using the defatted seed extract.

Antibacterial and phytochemical screening of Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare and Trachyspermum ammi

PubMed Central

Kaur, Gurinder J; Arora, Daljit S

2009-01-01

Background Anethum graveolens Linn., Foeniculum vulgare Mill. and Trachyspermum ammi L. are widely used traditional medicinal plants to treat various ailments. To provide a scientific basis to traditional uses of these plants, their aqueous and organic seed extracts, as well as isolated phytoconstituents were evaluated for their antibacterial potential. Methods Antibacterial activity of aqueous and organic seed extracts was assessed using agar diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration and viable cell count studies; and their antibacterial effect was compared with some standard antibiotics. The presence of major phytoconstituents was detected qualitatively and quantitatively. The isolated phytoconstituents were subjected to disc diffusion assay to ascertain their antibacterial effect. Results Hot water and acetone seed extracts showed considerably good antibacterial activity against all the bacteria except Klebsiella pneumoniae and one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Minimum inhibitory concentration for aqueous and acetone seed extracts ranged from 20–80 mg/ml and 5–15 mg/ml respectively. Viable cell count studies revealed the bactericidal nature of the seed extracts. Statistical analysis proved the better/equal efficacy of some of these seed extracts as compared to standard antibiotics. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of 2.80 – 4.23% alkaloids, 8.58 – 15.06% flavonoids, 19.71 – 27.77% tannins, 0.55–0.70% saponins and cardiac glycosides. Conclusion Antibacterial efficacy shown by these plants provides a scientific basis and thus, validates their traditional uses as homemade remedies. Isolation and purification of different phytochemicals may further yield significant antibacterial agents. PMID:19656417

Emotion Recognition from Single-Trial EEG Based on Kernel Fisher's Emotion Pattern and Imbalanced Quasiconformal Kernel Support Vector Machine

PubMed Central

Liu, Yi-Hung; Wu, Chien-Te; Cheng, Wei-Teng; Hsiao, Yu-Tsung; Chen, Po-Ming; Teng, Jyh-Tong

2014-01-01

Electroencephalogram-based emotion recognition (EEG-ER) has received increasing attention in the fields of health care, affective computing, and brain-computer interface (BCI). However, satisfactory ER performance within a bi-dimensional and non-discrete emotional space using single-trial EEG data remains a challenging task. To address this issue, we propose a three-layer scheme for single-trial EEG-ER. In the first layer, a set of spectral powers of different EEG frequency bands are extracted from multi-channel single-trial EEG signals. In the second layer, the kernel Fisher's discriminant analysis method is applied to further extract features with better discrimination ability from the EEG spectral powers. The feature vector produced by layer 2 is called a kernel Fisher's emotion pattern (KFEP), and is sent into layer 3 for further classification where the proposed imbalanced quasiconformal kernel support vector machine (IQK-SVM) serves as the emotion classifier. The outputs of the three layer EEG-ER system include labels of emotional valence and arousal. Furthermore, to collect effective training and testing datasets for the current EEG-ER system, we also use an emotion-induction paradigm in which a set of pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) are employed as emotion induction stimuli. The performance of the proposed three-layer solution is compared with that of other EEG spectral power-based features and emotion classifiers. Results on 10 healthy participants indicate that the proposed KFEP feature performs better than other spectral power features, and IQK-SVM outperforms traditional SVM in terms of the EEG-ER accuracy. Our findings also show that the proposed EEG-ER scheme achieves the highest classification accuracies of valence (82.68%) and arousal (84.79%) among all testing methods. PMID:25061837

Emotion recognition from single-trial EEG based on kernel Fisher's emotion pattern and imbalanced quasiconformal kernel support vector machine.

PubMed

Liu, Yi-Hung; Wu, Chien-Te; Cheng, Wei-Teng; Hsiao, Yu-Tsung; Chen, Po-Ming; Teng, Jyh-Tong

2014-07-24

Electroencephalogram-based emotion recognition (EEG-ER) has received increasing attention in the fields of health care, affective computing, and brain-computer interface (BCI). However, satisfactory ER performance within a bi-dimensional and non-discrete emotional space using single-trial EEG data remains a challenging task. To address this issue, we propose a three-layer scheme for single-trial EEG-ER. In the first layer, a set of spectral powers of different EEG frequency bands are extracted from multi-channel single-trial EEG signals. In the second layer, the kernel Fisher's discriminant analysis method is applied to further extract features with better discrimination ability from the EEG spectral powers. The feature vector produced by layer 2 is called a kernel Fisher's emotion pattern (KFEP), and is sent into layer 3 for further classification where the proposed imbalanced quasiconformal kernel support vector machine (IQK-SVM) serves as the emotion classifier. The outputs of the three layer EEG-ER system include labels of emotional valence and arousal. Furthermore, to collect effective training and testing datasets for the current EEG-ER system, we also use an emotion-induction paradigm in which a set of pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) are employed as emotion induction stimuli. The performance of the proposed three-layer solution is compared with that of other EEG spectral power-based features and emotion classifiers. Results on 10 healthy participants indicate that the proposed KFEP feature performs better than other spectral power features, and IQK-SVM outperforms traditional SVM in terms of the EEG-ER accuracy. Our findings also show that the proposed EEG-ER scheme achieves the highest classification accuracies of valence (82.68%) and arousal (84.79%) among all testing methods.

Isolation and characterization of hydrophobic compounds from carbohydrate matrix of Pistacia atlantica.

PubMed

Samavati, Vahid; Adeli, Mostafa

2014-01-30

The present work is focused on the optimization of hydrophobic compounds extraction process from the carbohydrate matrix of Iranian Pistacia atlantica seed at laboratory level using ultrasonic-assisted extraction. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize oil seed extraction yield. Independent variables were extraction temperature (30, 45, 60, 75 and 90°C), extraction time (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 min) and power of ultrasonic (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 W). A second order polynomial equation was used to express the oil extraction yield as a function of independent variables. The responses and variables were fitted well to each other by multiple regressions. The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: extraction temperature of 75°C, extraction time of 25 min, and power of ultrasonic of 80 W. A comparison between seed oil composition extracted by ultrasonic waves under the optimum operating conditions determined by RSM for oil yield and by organic solvent was reported. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficiency of seed production in southern pine seed orchards

Treesearch

David L. Bramlett

1977-01-01

Seed production in southern pine seed orchards can be evaluated by estimating the efficiency of four separate stages of cone, seed, and seedling development. Calculated values are: cone efficiency (CE), the ratio of mature cones to the initial flower crop; seed efficiency (SE), the ratio of filled seeds per cone to the seed potential; extraction efficiency (EE), the...

Novel images extraction model using improved delay vector variance feature extraction and multi-kernel neural network for EEG detection and prediction.

PubMed

Ge, Jing; Zhang, Guoping

2015-01-01

Advanced intelligent methodologies could help detect and predict diseases from the EEG signals in cases the manual analysis is inefficient available, for instance, the epileptic seizures detection and prediction. This is because the diversity and the evolution of the epileptic seizures make it very difficult in detecting and identifying the undergoing disease. Fortunately, the determinism and nonlinearity in a time series could characterize the state changes. Literature review indicates that the Delay Vector Variance (DVV) could examine the nonlinearity to gain insight into the EEG signals but very limited work has been done to address the quantitative DVV approach. Hence, the outcomes of the quantitative DVV should be evaluated to detect the epileptic seizures. To develop a new epileptic seizure detection method based on quantitative DVV. This new epileptic seizure detection method employed an improved delay vector variance (IDVV) to extract the nonlinearity value as a distinct feature. Then a multi-kernel functions strategy was proposed in the extreme learning machine (ELM) network to provide precise disease detection and prediction. The nonlinearity is more sensitive than the energy and entropy. 87.5% overall accuracy of recognition and 75.0% overall accuracy of forecasting were achieved. The proposed IDVV and multi-kernel ELM based method was feasible and effective for epileptic EEG detection. Hence, the newly proposed method has importance for practical applications.

Image preprocessing study on KPCA-based face recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xuan; Li, Dehua

2015-12-01

Face recognition as an important biometric identification method, with its friendly, natural, convenient advantages, has obtained more and more attention. This paper intends to research a face recognition system including face detection, feature extraction and face recognition, mainly through researching on related theory and the key technology of various preprocessing methods in face detection process, using KPCA method, focuses on the different recognition results in different preprocessing methods. In this paper, we choose YCbCr color space for skin segmentation and choose integral projection for face location. We use erosion and dilation of the opening and closing operation and illumination compensation method to preprocess face images, and then use the face recognition method based on kernel principal component analysis method for analysis and research, and the experiments were carried out using the typical face database. The algorithms experiment on MATLAB platform. Experimental results show that integration of the kernel method based on PCA algorithm under certain conditions make the extracted features represent the original image information better for using nonlinear feature extraction method, which can obtain higher recognition rate. In the image preprocessing stage, we found that images under various operations may appear different results, so as to obtain different recognition rate in recognition stage. At the same time, in the process of the kernel principal component analysis, the value of the power of the polynomial function can affect the recognition result.

Artisanal Extraction and Traditional Knowledge Associated with Medicinal Use of Crabwood Oil (Carapa guianensis Aublet.) in a Peri-Urban Várzea Environment in the Amazon Estuary.

PubMed

Nardi, Mariane; Lira-Guedes, Ana Cláudia; Albuquerque Cunha, Helenilza Ferreira; Guedes, Marcelino Carneiro; Mustin, Karen; Gomes, Suellen Cristina Pantoja

2016-01-01

Várzea forests of the Amazon estuary contain species of importance to riverine communities. For example, the oil extracted from the seeds of crabwood trees is traditionally used to combat various illnesses and as such artisanal extraction processes have been maintained. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the process involved in artisanal extraction of crabwood oil in the Fazendinha Protected Area, in the state of Amapá; (2) characterise the processes of knowledge transfer associated with the extraction and use of crabwood oil within a peri-urban riverine community; and (3) discern medicinal uses of the oil. The data were obtained using semistructured interviews with 13 community members involved in crabwood oil extraction and via direct observation. The process of oil extraction is divided into four stages: seed collection; cooking and resting of the seeds; shelling of the seeds and dough preparation; and oil collection. Oil extraction is carried out within the home for personal use, with surplus marketed within the community. More than 90% of the members of the community involved in extraction of crabwood oil highlighted the use of the oil to combat inflammation of the throat. Knowledge transfer occurs via oral transmission and through direct observation.

Artisanal Extraction and Traditional Knowledge Associated with Medicinal Use of Crabwood Oil (Carapa guianensis Aublet.) in a Peri-Urban Várzea Environment in the Amazon Estuary

PubMed Central

Lira-Guedes, Ana Cláudia; Albuquerque Cunha, Helenilza Ferreira; Guedes, Marcelino Carneiro; Mustin, Karen; Gomes, Suellen Cristina Pantoja

2016-01-01

Várzea forests of the Amazon estuary contain species of importance to riverine communities. For example, the oil extracted from the seeds of crabwood trees is traditionally used to combat various illnesses and as such artisanal extraction processes have been maintained. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the process involved in artisanal extraction of crabwood oil in the Fazendinha Protected Area, in the state of Amapá; (2) characterise the processes of knowledge transfer associated with the extraction and use of crabwood oil within a peri-urban riverine community; and (3) discern medicinal uses of the oil. The data were obtained using semistructured interviews with 13 community members involved in crabwood oil extraction and via direct observation. The process of oil extraction is divided into four stages: seed collection; cooking and resting of the seeds; shelling of the seeds and dough preparation; and oil collection. Oil extraction is carried out within the home for personal use, with surplus marketed within the community. More than 90% of the members of the community involved in extraction of crabwood oil highlighted the use of the oil to combat inflammation of the throat. Knowledge transfer occurs via oral transmission and through direct observation. PMID:27478479

40 CFR 180.450 - Beta-(4-Chlorophenoxy)-alpha-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-ethanol; tolerances for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... None Corn, field, forage 0.05 None Corn, field, grain 0.05 None Corn, field, stover 0.05 None Corn, pop, grain 0.05 None Corn, pop, stover 0.05 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.05 None Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.05 None Cotton, undelinted seed 0.02 None Oat...

40 CFR 180.450 - Beta-(4-Chlorophenoxy)-alpha-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-ethanol; tolerances for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... None Corn, field, forage 0.05 None Corn, field, grain 0.05 None Corn, field, stover 0.05 None Corn, pop, grain 0.05 None Corn, pop, stover 0.05 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.05 None Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.05 None Cotton, undelinted seed 0.02 None Oat...

40 CFR 180.450 - Beta-(4-Chlorophenoxy)-alpha-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-ethanol; tolerances for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... None Corn, field, forage 0.05 None Corn, field, grain 0.05 None Corn, field, stover 0.05 None Corn, pop, grain 0.05 None Corn, pop, stover 0.05 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.05 None Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.05 None Cotton, undelinted seed 0.02 None Oat...

40 CFR 180.450 - Beta-(4-Chlorophenoxy)-alpha-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-ethanol; tolerances for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... None Corn, field, forage 0.05 None Corn, field, grain 0.05 None Corn, field, stover 0.05 None Corn, pop, grain 0.05 None Corn, pop, stover 0.05 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.05 None Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.05 None Cotton, undelinted seed 0.02 None Oat...

40 CFR 180.450 - Beta-(4-Chlorophenoxy)-alpha-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-ethanol; tolerances for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... None Corn, field, forage 0.05 None Corn, field, grain 0.05 None Corn, field, stover 0.05 None Corn, pop, grain 0.05 None Corn, pop, stover 0.05 None Corn, sweet, forage 0.05 None Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.05 None Corn, sweet, stover 0.05 None Cotton, undelinted seed 0.02 None Oat...

Richardson-Lucy deblurring for the star scene under a thinning motion path

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Laili; Shao, Xiaopeng; Wang, Lin; Wang, Haixin; Huang, Yining

2015-05-01

This paper puts emphasis on how to model and correct image blur that arises from a camera's ego motion while observing a distant star scene. Concerning the significance of accurate estimation of point spread function (PSF), a new method is employed to obtain blur kernel by thinning star motion path. In particular, how the blurred star image can be corrected to reconstruct the clear scene with a thinning motion blur model which describes the camera's path is presented. This thinning motion path to build blur kernel model is more effective at modeling the spatially motion blur introduced by camera's ego motion than conventional blind estimation of kernel-based PSF parameterization. To gain the reconstructed image, firstly, an improved thinning algorithm is used to obtain the star point trajectory, so as to extract the blur kernel of the motion-blurred star image. Then how motion blur model can be incorporated into the Richardson-Lucy (RL) deblurring algorithm, which reveals its overall effectiveness, is detailed. In addition, compared with the conventional estimated blur kernel, experimental results show that the proposed method of using thinning algorithm to get the motion blur kernel is of less complexity, higher efficiency and better accuracy, which contributes to better restoration of the motion-blurred star images.

The protective effects of piceatannol from passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) seeds in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes.

PubMed

Maruki-Uchida, Hiroko; Kurita, Ikuko; Sugiyama, Kenkichi; Sai, Masahiko; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Ito, Tatsuhiko

2013-01-01

The use of naturally occurring botanicals with substantial antioxidant activity to prevent photoageing is receiving increasing attention. We have previously identified piceatannol and scirpusin B, which is a dimer of piceatannol, as strong antioxidants that are present in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) seeds. In the present study, the effects of passion fruit seed extract, piceatannol, and scirpusin B on human keratinocytes were investigated. The passion fruit seed extract and piceatannol upregulated the glutathione (GSH) levels in keratinocytes in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that piceatannol is an active component of the passion fruit seed extract in keratinocytes. The pretreatment with piceatannol also suppressed the UVB-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the keratinocytes. In addition, the transfer of the medium from the UVB-irradiated keratinocytes to non-irradiated fibroblasts enhanced matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 activity, and this MMP-1 induction was reduced when the keratinocytes were pretreated with piceatannol. These results suggest that piceatannol attenuates the UVB-induced activity of MMP-1 along with a reduction of ROS generation in keratinocytes. Thus, piceatannol and passion fruit seed extract containing high amounts of piceatannol are potential anti-photoageing cosmetic ingredients.

ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECT ON BREAST CANCER (MCF7) OF MORINGA OLEIFERA SEED EXTRACTS

PubMed Central

Adebayo, Ismail Abiola; Arsad, Hasni; Samian, Mohd Razip

2017-01-01

Background: Moringa oleifera belongs to plant family, Moringaceae and popularly called “wonderful tree”, for it is used traditionally to cure many diseases including cancer in Africa and Asia, however, there is limited knowledge on cytotoxic activity of Moringa oleifera seeds on MCF7 breast cancer cell. The present study evaluated antiproliferative effect on MCF7 of the seed. Materials and Methods: Seeds of Moringa oleifera were grinded to powder and its phytochemicals were extracted using water and 80% ethanol solvents, part of the ethanolic extract were sequentially partitioned to fractions with four solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, chloroform, and n-butanol). Antiproliferative effects on MCF7 of the samples were determined. Finally, potent samples that significantly inhibited MCF7 growth were tested on MCF 10A. Results: Crude water extract, hexane and dichloromethane fractions of the seeds inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 with the following IC50 values 280 μg/ml, 130 μg/ml and 26 μg/ml respectively, however, of the 3 samples, only hexane fraction had minimal cytotoxic effect on MCF 10A (IC50 > 400μg/ml). Conclusion: Moringa oleifera seed has antiproliferative effect on MCF7. PMID:28573245

Protective effect of combined pumpkin seed and ginger extracts on sperm characteristics, biochemical parameters and epididymal histology in adult male rats treated with cyclophosphamide.

PubMed

Aghaie, Somaieh; Nikzad, Hossein; Mahabadi, Javad Amini; Taghizadeh, Mohsen; Azami-Tameh, Abolfazl; Taherian, Aliakbar; Sajjadian, Seyyed Mohammad Sajjad; Kamani, Mehran

2016-09-01

Reproductive toxicity is one of the side effects of cyclophosphamide (CP) in cancer treatment. Pumpkin seeds and Zingiber officinale are natural sources of antioxidants. We investigated the possible protective effect of combined pumpkin seed and Zingiber officinale extracts on sperm characteristics, epididymal histology and biochemical parameters of CP-treated rats. Male adult Wistar rats were divided randomly into six groups. Group 1, as a control, received an isotonic saline solution injection intraperitoneally (IP). Group 2 were injected IP with a single dose of CP (100 mg/kg) once. Groups 3 and 4 received CP plus 300 and 600 mg/kg combined pumpkin seed and Zingiber officinale extract (50:50). Groups 5 and 6 received only 300 and 600 mg/kg combined pumpkin seed and Zingiber officinale extract. Six weeks after treatment, sperm characteristics, histopathological changes and biochemical parameters were assessed. In CP-treated rats, motile spermatozoa were decreased, and abnormal or dead spermatozoa increased significantly (P < 0.001) but administration of the mixed extract improved sperm parameters. Epididymal epithelium and fibromascular thickness were also improved in extract-treated rats compared to control or CP groups. Biochemical analysis showed that the administration of combined extracts could increase the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level significantly in groups 3, 4, 5 and 6. Interestingly, the mixed extract could decrease most of the side effects of CP such as vacuolization and separation of epididymal tissue. Our findings indicated that the combined extracts might be used as a protective agent against CP-induced reproductive toxicity.

Importance of protein rich components in the emulsifying properties of corn fiber gum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Purified corn fiber gum (CFG-F) isolated from "fine" (kernel endosperm-derived) corn fiber that contained about 2% residual protein was extracted with 70% aqueous ethanol. The aqueous ethanol extract (AEE), which contained 19.5% of the total CFG, contained a high percentage of the proteinaceous ma...

3D local feature BKD to extract road information from mobile laser scanning point clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Bisheng; Liu, Yuan; Dong, Zhen; Liang, Fuxun; Li, Bijun; Peng, Xiangyang

2017-08-01

Extracting road information from point clouds obtained through mobile laser scanning (MLS) is essential for autonomous vehicle navigation, and has hence garnered a growing amount of research interest in recent years. However, the performance of such systems is seriously affected due to varying point density and noise. This paper proposes a novel three-dimensional (3D) local feature called the binary kernel descriptor (BKD) to extract road information from MLS point clouds. The BKD consists of Gaussian kernel density estimation and binarization components to encode the shape and intensity information of the 3D point clouds that are fed to a random forest classifier to extract curbs and markings on the road. These are then used to derive road information, such as the number of lanes, the lane width, and intersections. In experiments, the precision and recall of the proposed feature for the detection of curbs and road markings on an urban dataset and a highway dataset were as high as 90%, thus showing that the BKD is accurate and robust against varying point density and noise.

Feature Extraction of Electronic Nose Signals Using QPSO-Based Multiple KFDA Signal Processing

PubMed Central

Wen, Tailai; Huang, Daoyu; Lu, Kun; Deng, Changjian; Zeng, Tanyue; Yu, Song; He, Zhiyi

2018-01-01

The aim of this research was to enhance the classification accuracy of an electronic nose (E-nose) in different detecting applications. During the learning process of the E-nose to predict the types of different odors, the prediction accuracy was not quite satisfying because the raw features extracted from sensors’ responses were regarded as the input of a classifier without any feature extraction processing. Therefore, in order to obtain more useful information and improve the E-nose’s classification accuracy, in this paper, a Weighted Kernels Fisher Discriminant Analysis (WKFDA) combined with Quantum-behaved Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO), i.e., QWKFDA, was presented to reprocess the original feature matrix. In addition, we have also compared the proposed method with quite a few previously existing ones including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Locality Preserving Projections (LPP), Fisher Discriminant Analysis (FDA) and Kernels Fisher Discriminant Analysis (KFDA). Experimental results proved that QWKFDA is an effective feature extraction method for E-nose in predicting the types of wound infection and inflammable gases, which shared much higher classification accuracy than those of the contrast methods. PMID:29382146

Feature Extraction of Electronic Nose Signals Using QPSO-Based Multiple KFDA Signal Processing.

PubMed

Wen, Tailai; Yan, Jia; Huang, Daoyu; Lu, Kun; Deng, Changjian; Zeng, Tanyue; Yu, Song; He, Zhiyi

2018-01-29

The aim of this research was to enhance the classification accuracy of an electronic nose (E-nose) in different detecting applications. During the learning process of the E-nose to predict the types of different odors, the prediction accuracy was not quite satisfying because the raw features extracted from sensors' responses were regarded as the input of a classifier without any feature extraction processing. Therefore, in order to obtain more useful information and improve the E-nose's classification accuracy, in this paper, a Weighted Kernels Fisher Discriminant Analysis (WKFDA) combined with Quantum-behaved Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO), i.e., QWKFDA, was presented to reprocess the original feature matrix. In addition, we have also compared the proposed method with quite a few previously existing ones including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Locality Preserving Projections (LPP), Fisher Discriminant Analysis (FDA) and Kernels Fisher Discriminant Analysis (KFDA). Experimental results proved that QWKFDA is an effective feature extraction method for E-nose in predicting the types of wound infection and inflammable gases, which shared much higher classification accuracy than those of the contrast methods.

Effects of polyphenols from grape seeds on renal lithiasis.

PubMed

Grases, Felix; Prieto, Rafel M; Fernandez-Cabot, Rafel A; Costa-Bauzá, Antonia; Tur, Fernando; Torres, Jose Juan

2015-01-01

Nephrolithiasis is a complex disease that results from a combination of factors related to both urine composition and kidney morphoanatomy. Development of calcium oxalate monohydrate papillary calculi is linked to initial subepithelial calcification of renal papilla. Progressive tissue calcification depends on preexisting injury and involves reactive oxygen species. Many plant extracts that protect against oxidative stress manifest antilithiasic activity. Our study focused on determining the effects of polyphenols on a lithiasis rat model. Rats were pretreated with polyphenols and grape seed extracts, followed by posterior induction of hyperoxalosis via treatment with ethylene glycol plus NH4Cl. The concentrations of calcium and other elements in kidney were determined, along with histological examination of kidney and 24 h urine analysis. Significant differences were observed in the renal calcium content between the control plus ethylene glycol-treated group and the epicatechin plus ethylene glycol-treated, red grape seed extract plus ethylene glycol-treated, and white grape seed extract plus ethylene glycol-treated groups, with reductions of about 50%. The antioxidant activity of polyphenols extracted from red and white grape seeds may be critical in the prevention of calcium oxalate monohydrate papillary calculus formation, particularly if calculi are induced by lesions caused by cytotoxic compounds with oxidative capacity.

Antioxidant effects of açaí seed ( Euterpe oleracea ) in anorexia-cachexia syndrome induced by Walker-256 tumor.

PubMed

Nascimento, Vitor Hugo Nunes do; Lima, Carla Dos Santos; Paixão, Jorge Tadeu Campos; Freitas, Jofre Jacob da Silva; Kietzer, Katia Simone

2016-09-01

To assess antioxidant effects of açaí seed extract on anorexia-cachexia induced by Walker-256 tumor. A population of 20 lab rats were distributed into four groups (n=5): Control Group (CG), which only received tumor inoculation. Experimental Group-100 (EG-100), with animals submitted to tumor inoculation and treated with seed extract in a 100 mg / ml concentration through gavage. Experimental Group-200 (EG-200), with animals submitted to tumor inoculation and treated with seed extract in a 200 mg / ml concentration. Placebo Group (GP), which received tumor inoculation and ethanol-water solution. We analyzed proteolysis, lipid peroxidation, tumor diameter and weight. Lipid peroxidation was representative only in the cerebral cortex, where there was more oxidative stress in rats treated with the extract (p = 0.0276). For proteolysis, there was less muscle damage in untreated rats (p = 0.0312). Only tumor diameter in treated rats was significantly lower (p = 0.0200) compared to untreated ones. The açaí seed extract showed no beneficial effect on the general framework of the cachectic syndrome in lab rats. However, some anticarcinogenic effects were observed in the tumor diameter and weight.