Bioactivity of brassica seed meals and its compounds as ecofriendly larvicides against mosquitoes.

Strategic, sustainable, and ecofriendly alternatives to chemical pesticides are needed to effectively control mosquitoes and reduce the incidence of their vectored diseases. We evaluated several Brassicaceae (mustard family) seed meals as sources of plant derived isothiocyanates produced from the enzymatic hydrolysis of biologically inactive glucosinolates for the control of Aedes aegypti (L., 1762).

Quantitative NIR determination of isoflavone and saponin content of ground soybeans.

Over 3200 discrete soybean samples were obtained from production locations around the United States during the years 2012-2016. Ground samples were scanned on near infrared spectrometers (NIRS) and analyzed by HPLC for total isoflavone and total saponin composition, as well as total carbohydrate composition. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis of preprocessed spectral data was used to develop optimized models to predict isoflavone content.

Physical and chemical properties of pyrolyzed biosolids for utilization in sand-based turfgrass rootzones.

Biosolids are several forms of treated sewage sludge that are intended for use as soil conditioners for horticultural, agricultural and industrial crops. The objectives of this research were to determine the chemical and physical properties of biosolids pyrolyzed at several different temperatures, and their effect on perennial ryegrass seed germination and growth. Biosolids were thermally treated in an oxygen-free (nitrogen atmosphere) retort oven at 300, 400, 500, 700 and 900 °C.

Physical, Rheological, Functional, and Film Properties of a Novel Emulsifier: Frost Grape Polysaccharide from Vitis riparia Michx.

A novel emulsifier, Frost grape polysaccharide (FGP), isolated from natural exudate of the species Vitis riparia Michx, was physically and rheologically characterized. The determination of the physical, structural, thermodynamic, emulsification, film, and rheological properties of FGP provide essential details for the commercial adoption of this novel plant polysaccharide. FGP is capable of producing exceptionally stable emulsions when compared with the industrially ubiquitous gum arabic (GA).

Reduced-molecular-weight derivatives of frost grape polysaccharide.

A new Type II arabinogalactan was recently described as an abundant gum exudate from stems of wild frost grape (Vitus riparia Michx.). The purpose of the current study is to more thoroughly characterize the physical properties of this frost grape polysaccharide (FGP), and develop methods to modify the molecular weight of FGP for potential new applications.

Detection of Corn Adulteration in Brazilian Coffee (Coffea arabica) by Tocopherol Profiling and Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy.

Coffee is a high-value commodity that is a target for adulteration, leading to loss of quality and causing significant loss to consumers. Therefore, there is significant interest in developing methods for detecting coffee adulteration and improving the sensitivity and accuracy of these methods. Corn and other lower value crops are potential adulterants, along with sticks and coffee husks.

Frost Grape Polysaccharide (FGP), an Emulsion-Forming Arabinogalactan Gum from the Stems of Native North American Grape Species Vitis riparia Michx.

A new arabinogalactan is described that is produced in large quantity from the cut stems of the North American grape species Vitis riparia (Frost grape). The sugar composition consists of l-arabinofuranose (l-Araf, 55.2%) and d-galactopyranose (d-Galp 30.

Antioxidant activity and sensory evaluation of a rosmarinic acid-enriched extract of Salvia officinalis.

An extract of Salvia officinalis (garden sage) was prepared using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2 ) extraction, followed by hot water extraction. The resulting extract was enriched in polyphenols, including rosmarinic acid (RA), which has shown promising health benefits in animals. The extract contained RA at a concentration of 28.

Cyclic lipopeptide profile of three Bacillus subtilis strains; antagonists of Fusarium head blight.

The objective of the study was to identify the lipopetides associated with three Bacillus subtilis strains. The strains are antagonists of Gibberella zeae, and have been shown to be effective in reducing Fusarium head blight in wheat. The lipopeptide profile of three B.

Evaluation of alkyl esters from Camelina sativa oil as biodiesel and as blend components in ultra low-sulfur diesel fuel.

Methyl and ethyl esters were prepared from camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] oil by homogenous base-catalyzed transesterification for evaluation as biodiesel fuels. Camelina oil contained high percentages of linolenic (32.

Spearmint plantlet culture system as a means to study secondary metabolism.

Spearmint has one major monoterpene, (-)-carvone, that constitutes up to 90% of all the monoterpenes present. Likewise, the major phenylpropanoid-rosmarinic acid-in spearmint accounts for up to 70% of the phenylpropanoids produced from the plant. These two compounds are each produced by separate distinct biosynthetic pathways which provide an excellent opportunity to study the influence of a wide number of environmental and chemical conditions on secondary metabolism and plant growth.

Phytosterol and tocopherol components in extracts of corn distiller's dried grain.

As the ethanol industry continues to grow, it will become very important to develop value-added markets for its coproducts in order for the industry to remain profitable. Corn distiller's dried grain (DDG) is a major coproduct of ethanol fermentation from corn processed by dry-milling and is primarily sold as livestock feed. The objective of this research was to determine if valuable phytochemicals found in corn oil and corn fiber oil, such as phytosterols and their saturated equivalents, phytostanols, ferulate phytosterol esters (FPE), tocopherols, and tocotrienols, are retained in DDG.

Gamma-tocopherol as a marker of Brazilian coffee (Coffea arabica L.) adulteration by corn.

The adulteration of coffee with cereals, coffee twigs, etc. is apparently widespread in Brazil with corn being considered the most widely used. No adequate methods are available to detect such contamination in commercial coffee.

Dietary isothiocyanate iberin inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells.

In this study, we evaluated the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of the isothiocyanate iberin, a bioactive agent in Brassicaceae species, in human glioblastoma cells. The human glioblastoma cell cultures were treated with different concentrations of iberin and tested for growth inhibition, cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, and activation of caspases. Iberin inhibited growth of tumor cells in cell proliferation assays, enhanced cytotoxicity, and induced apoptosis by activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9.

Iberin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells.

Epidemiological studies have indicated that increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk for cancers. The major bioactive agent in these vegetables is a class of sulfur-containing glycosides called glucosinolates. Isothiocyanates, derivatives of glucosinolates, have been shown to possess anticancer properties in a variety of tumor cell lines.

Geographic variation in alkaloid production in Conium maculatum populations experiencing differential herbivory by Agonopterix alstroemeriana.

Conium maculatum, a Eurasian weed naturalized in North America, contains high concentrations of piperidine alkaloids that act as chemical defenses against herbivores. C. maculatum was largely free from herbivory in the United States, until approximately 30 yr ago, when it was reassociated via accidental introduction with a monophagous European herbivore, the oecophorid caterpillar Agonopterix alstroemeriana.

Influence of autoclaved fungal materials on spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) growth, morphogenesis, and secondary metabolism.

The influence of autoclaved fungal materials such as culture filtrate, freeze-dried mycelium (FDM), mycelium suspension, and spore suspension (SS) on the growth, morphogenesis, and carvone production of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) plants was studied. Fungal materials were either applied as a drench or spray on the plants.

Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) seed processing and potential utilization.

Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) is a leguminous plant that infests soybean fields in the southeastern United States. Its seeds contain a variety of toxic, highly colored compounds, mainly anthraquinones together with a small amount of fat. These compounds contaminate and lower the quality of soybean oil when inadequately cleaned soybean seed from this area is processed.

Biofumigant compounds released by field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) seedmeal.

Defatted field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) seedmeal was found to completely inhibit seedling germination/emergence when added to a sandy loam soil containing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and arugula [Eruca vesicaria (L.

Characterization of furanocoumarin metabolites in parsnip webworm, Depressaria pastinacella.

Although metabolites of furanocoumarins have been characterized in a wide range of organisms, to date they have been identified in only a single insect species, Papilio polyxenes. Depressaria pastinacella, the parsnip webworm, like P. polyxenes a specialist on Apiaceae, routinely consumes plant tissues higher in furanocoumarin content than does P.

Analysis and quantitative determination of group B saponins in processed soybean products.

Pure analytical standards for the major saponins present in processed soy products, the group B saponins (soyasaponins I, II, III and IV), were isolated in mg quantities by a combination of processing, precipitation/re-solubilisation, TLC and preparative HPLC. These standards were determined to be pure by LC-ESI/MS analysis and NMR. The standards were used to perfect a facile analytical HPLC method using spectrometric detection to determine the percent composition of the group B soyasaponins in various products from processing of soybean.