Optimization of Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction of Flavonoid Compounds and Antioxidants from Alfalfa Using Response Surface Method.

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) was used to extract flavonoid-enriched antioxidants from alfalfa aerial part. Response surface methodology (RSM), based on a four-factor, five-level central composite design (CCD), was employed to obtain the optimal extraction parameters, in which the flavonoid content was maximum and the antioxidant activity of the extracts was strongest. Radical scavenging capacity of the extracts, which represents the amounts of antioxidants in alfalfa, was determined by using 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonicacid) (ABTS) and 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) methods.

Myostatin knockout using zinc-finger nucleases promotes proliferation of ovine primary satellite cells in vitro.

Myostatin (MSTN) has previously been shown to negatively regulate the proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells. Satellite cells are quiescent muscle stem cells that promote muscle growth and repair. Because the mechanism of MSTN in the biology of satellite cells is not well understood, this study was conducted to generate MSTN mono-allelic knockout satellite cells using the zinc-finger nuclease mRNA (MSTN-KO ZFN mRNA) and also to investigate the effect of this disruption on the proliferation and differentiation of sheep primary satellite cells (PSCs).

Purification, characterisation and protective effects of polysaccharides from alfalfa on hepatocytes.

The objective of this study was to determine the preliminary characteristics and protective effects of alfalfa polysaccharides (APS) on hepatocytes in vitro. The crude APS was purified by DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-100 chromatography, resulting in the four purified fractions: APS-1, APS-2, APS-3 and APS-4. The results indicated that APS-3 had higher carbohydrate and uronic acid contents and that APS-4 had a more complicated monosaccharide composition compared to the other purified fractions.

Optimization of enzyme-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from alfalfa and its antioxidant activity.

In this present study, an efficient complex enzyme-assisted extraction technology was developed and optimized to extract polysaccharides from alfalfa using four factors at five levels central composite rotatable response surface design (CCRD). The experimental data was fitted to a second order polynomial equation with high coefficient of determination values (R(2)>0.95).

Influence of chestnut tannins on welfare, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipid oxidation in rabbits under high ambient temperature.

A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of chestnut tannins (CT) on welfare, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipid oxidation in rabbits under high ambient temperature. Rabbits in one group were raised at 20°C and fed with basal diet (N) and other three groups (33°C) were fed basal diet with 0 (C), 5 (CT5), and 10 g (CT10) of CT/kg of diet. Compared with the C group, rabbits in CT10 had higher pH(24) and lower cooking loss and thiobarbituric acid reacting substance values at 0, 30, and 60 min of forced oxidation.

Waste vinegar residue as substrate for phytase production.

Waste vinegar residue, the by-product of vinegar processing, was used as substrate for phytase production from Aspergillus ficuum NTG-23 in solid-state fermentation to investigate the potential for the efficient re-utilization or recycling of waste vinegar residue. Statistical designs were applied in the processing of phytase production. First, a Plackett-Burman (PB) design was used to evaluate eleven parameters: glucose, starch, wheat bran, (NH(4))(2)SO(4), NH(4)NO(3), tryptone, soybean meal, MgSO(4)·7H(2)O, CaCl(2)·7H(2)O, FeSO(4)·7H(2)O, incubation time.

Effects of dietary taurine on egg production, egg quality and cholesterol levels in Japanese quail.

Background: Taurine is a semi-essential amino acid and has many biological properties. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with taurine on egg production, egg quality, and cholesterol level in serum and egg yolk of quails. A total of 108 quails aged 6 weeks were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments.

Assessment of melamine contamination in crop, soil and water in China and risks of melamine accumulation in animal tissues and products.

The scandal of melamine-adulterated infant formula in China in September 2008 demanded the need to assess the extent of melamine contamination in the environment and food products and possible risks of consuming melamine-contaminated diets. In this work, our extensive work tested water, soil and crop samples from 21 provinces in China. Soils nearby and waste waters from melamine-manufacturing factories were examined, and the highest melamine concentrations in waste water and soil samples were 226.

Vinegar production residue as substrates for phytase production by Aspergillus ficuum.

Two kinds of vinegar production residues, sorghum vinegar residue (SVR) and corn vinegar residue (CVR), were used as a substrate for phytase production in solid-state fermentation (SSF) by Aspergillus ficuum. Various process parameters influencing phytase production were evaluated by single factor design experiments; further study involved CVR and its goodness-of-fit levels. An incubation time of 48 hours, initial moisture of 55% and an inoculum of 1.