No abstract available

No abstract available

[en] Plant-derivative secondary metabolites have defensive properties against infecting agents that causes sickness. Moreover, they are helpful in impeding several noninfectious diseases. This investigation includes the preliminary analysis of bio-chemical compounds and callus formation by using leaves of Abutilon sepalum Hus. and Baq., (An endemic plant of Pakistan). The work on preliminary pharmacognostic evaluation, callus formation and regeneration of Abutilon sepalum Hus. and Baq., was not done earlier. The exploration of this plant for preliminary pharmacognostic evaluation, callus formation and regeneration is done first time in Pakistan. (author)

No abstract available

[en] Processes generating free radicals in food are reviewed. Structure and properties of free radicals are presented with particular emphasis paid to saccharides, oligo- and polysacchrides. Potential nutritional hazard from such radicals is discussed

[en] This paper is aiming to study experimentally the bubbling and drying characteristic of fructo oligosaccharides syrup in the belt drying process. A series of bubble images were acquired by a high-speed image acquisition system during the drying process. By analyzing the characteristics of bubble and drying, the drying process of fructo oligosaccharides was divided into three periods: boiling transfer, natural convection and conduction and diffusion period. The drying rate in different transfer stage was: boiling transfer > natural convection > heat conduction and diffusion. The results of the study are of reference value to belt drying. (Author)

[en] It is expected that motivation and basic technologies for the future R and D plans can be provided from the results of this study. This study has been done to develop fundamentals for radiation applications based on the existing radiation technology, and to establish technical basis for enhancing efficacy of radiation utilization by studying the simultaneous application of ionizing radiation with another factor. Application of radiation technology together with the existing technologies to enhance the physical, chemical, biological characteristics through structural changes of biomolecules will exert a favorable influence on the creation of de novo scientific and industrial values. A theoretical model for the combined action of ionizing radiation with another factor can make it possible to predict a prior the maximum value of synergistic interaction and the conditions for it. Furthermore, the results of this study give a clues for establishment of fundamental theories associated with positive efficacy of radiation applications

[en] Full text: Lectins are a structural heterogeneous group of proteins possessing at least one non-catalytic domain that binds reversibly to a specific mono or oligosaccharide. Diocleinae lectins exhibit glucose/mannose monosaccharide binding specificity and studies of their chemical and physicochemical properties revealed a high degree of identity in their amino acid sequences and three dimensional structures. This study investigated structural/functional relationships between lectins obtained from Dioclea violacea (DVL) and Dioclea rostrata (DRL). The purified lectin (DVL) was solubilized in 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.6 with 5 mM CaCl₂ and MnCl₂ buffer and incubated during one hour before the crystallization experiments with the ligand X-Man (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-α-D-mannose) at 3 mM. Crystals of DVL grew in condition 33 of Crystal Screen I (4M Sodium formate) and belong to the orthorhombic space group I222. The structure of DVL at 2.6 resolution was obtained by molecular replacement using the coordinates of DRL (PDB code 2ZBJ), after the last refinement the structure presented R factor of 0.23 and R free of 0.27. The crystal structures reveal differences between them and could be related to relaxant activity. The conformation of residues HIS51, HIS131 and GLU205 and others positioned at CRD lead to different lectin binding activities. In fact, the pocket in DVL is small and deep and promotes weak interaction with carbohydrates, while DRL pocket is large and shallow, allowing strong interaction between CRD and sugars. This can explain why DVL and DRL elicited different degrees of aorta relaxation showing maximal effects of 43 % and 96 %, respectively. (author)

[en] Quantitative and qualitative composition of the foliar phenolic compounds were investigated in 81 individual specimens of several white oak species (Quercus spp.). The trees were growing in twelve locations in Durango, Mexico. The phenol profiles were determined by HPLC-DAD and a Folin-Ciocateuprocedure. The results revealed that: (i) the foliar phenol profiles of all species analysed were complex and formed by 6 to 30 compounds, (ii) the flavonols mostly quercetin glycoside, isorhamnetin glycoside, kaempferol glycoside and phenolic acids were the main identified compounds, (iii) there was a high intra and inter-specific variability in the foliar phenol profiles both at the quantitative and qualitative levels, and (iv) the foliar phenol profiles indicated a slight species-specific tendency for phenols to be accumulated, although this was not clearly distinguished. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in the content and composition of the foliar flavonoids between species were observed due to the large environmental and soil conditions variability between localities. (author)

[en] Drying kinetics of Saccharina latissima (raw and blanched) at low temperatures (10.0, 25.0 and 38.0 °C) was studied. The effective moisture diffusivity coefficient varied due to temperature alterations in the range between 1.4 and 4.5 10-10 m2 /s for raw and 0.91 and 2.56 10-10 m2 /s for blanched seaweeds. Significant changes in structural properties and chemical composition resulted in a much longer drying time of blanched seaweeds, when compared with raw. Drying temperature of 38.0 °C resulted in more brown color, when compared with other samples. Sorption characteristics of dried raw seaweeds depended on salt content and showed high accumulation of moisture at relative humidity of air of 80.0 %. The blanched seaweeds showed linear accumulation of moisture within increasing of relative humidity of drying air from 20.0 to 80.0 %, but high level of hysteresis was determined between sorption and desorption isotherms. The shrinkage development within dewatering of blanched and raw samples was also studied. (Author)