Effect of Various Hot-Air Drying Processes on Clam Ruditapes philippinarum Lipids: Composition Changes and Oxidation Development.

Clam Ruditapes philippinarum was processed by hot-air drying and the changes of its lipids were evaluated by analyzing lipid classes, phospholipid classes, fatty acids, as well as oxidation parameters including peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) value, total oxidation value (TOTOX), and oxidation test (OXITEST). The hot-air drying process reduced the contents of triacylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine, indicating the hydrolysis of lipids. Meanwhile, the hot-air drying process significantly decreased the proportion of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and consequently increased the PUFA ratio of n-3/n-6.

Biological Activities of Camelina and Sophia Seeds Phenolics: Inhibition of LDL Oxidation, DNA Damage, and Pancreatic Lipase and α-Glucosidase Activities.

Unlabelled: The free, esterified and insoluble-bound phenolics of defatted meals of camelina and sophia seeds were extracted using an ultrasonic-assisted procedure and alkaline hydrolysis. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated using DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays as well as inhibition of bleaching of β-carotene in an oil-in-water system. Moreover, inhibition activity against pancreatic lipase, α-glucosidase, low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and DNA damage induced by peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals were examined for all seed extracts using in vitro systems.

Phenolics from Winemaking By-Products Better Decrease VLDL-Cholesterol and Triacylglycerol Levels than Those of Red Wine in Wistar Rats.

Winemaking by-products account for more than 30% of the grape production, but this inexpensive feedstock has not yet been fully exploited. Accordingly, we evaluated the potential biological activity of winemaking by-products produced with Syrah grapes in comparison with those of the wine produced using the same grape cultivar. Winemaking by-products showed higher contents of total anthocyanins, flavonols, stilbenes, and flavanols than red wine as evaluated by HPLC-DAD-FD (on a dry weight basis).

Health of the coral reefs at the US Navy Base, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba: a preliminary report based on isotopic records from gorgonians.

Specimens of the gorgonian Plexaura homomalla were sampled from several areas along the fringing reefs fronting the United States Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Sample coverage extended from apparently healthy reefs in oceanic waters to declining reefs located in the plume of the drainage from upper parts of Guantánamo Bay. Tentacle tips were excised, and trunk sections were cut and polished.

Identification and validation of differentially expressed transcripts in a hepatocyte model of cold-induced glycerol production in rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax).

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) avoid freezing by producing antifreeze protein (AFP) and accumulating glycerol. Glyceroneogenesis occurs in liver via a branch in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis and is activated by low temperature. Hepatocytes were isolated from the livers of fish acclimated to 8°C.

Glycerol loss to water exceeds glycerol catabolism via glycerol kinase in freeze-resistant rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax).

Rainbow smelt accumulate high amounts of glycerol in winter. In smelt, there is a predictable profile of plasma glycerol levels that starts to increase in November (<5 μmol/ml), peaks in mid-February (>200 μmol/ml), and thereafter decreases to reach the initial levels in the beginning of May. The aim of this study was to investigate the respective role of the two main mechanisms that might be involved in glycerol clearance from mid-February: 1) breakdown of glycerol to glycerol-3-phosphate through the action of the glycerol kinase (GK) and 2) direct loss toward the environment.

Creatine synthesis: hepatic metabolism of guanidinoacetate and creatine in the rat in vitro and in vivo.

Since creatinine excretion reflects a continuous loss of creatine and creatine phosphate, there is a need for creatine replacement, from the diet and/or by de novo synthesis. Creatine synthesis requires three amino acids, methionine, glycine, and arginine, and two enzymes, l-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT), which produces guanidinoacetate acid (GAA), and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT), which methylates GAA to produce creatine. In the rat, high activities of AGAT are found in the kidney, whereas high activities of GAMT occur in the liver.

Low temperature directly activates the initial glycerol antifreeze response in isolated rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) liver cells.

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) accumulate high levels of glycerol in winter that serve as an antifreeze. Liver glycogen is a source of glycerol during the early stages of glycerol accumulation, whereas dietary glucose and amino acids are essential to maintain rates of glycerol synthesis. We presently report rates of glycerol and glucose production by isolated hepatocytes.

Analysis of direct action fuzzy PID controller structures.

The majority of the research work on fuzzy PID controllers focuses on the conventional two-input PI or PD type controller proposed by Mamdani (1974). However, fuzzy PID controller design is still a complex task due to the involvement of a large number of parameters in defining the fuzzy rule base. This paper investigates different fuzzy PID controller structures, including the Mamdani-type controller.

Two-level tuning of fuzzy PID controllers.

Fuzzy PID tuning requires two stages of tuning; low level tuning followed by high level tuning. At the higher level, a nonlinear tuning is performed to determine the nonlinear characteristics of the fuzzy output. At the lower level, a linear tuning is performed to determine the linear characteristics of the fuzzy output for achieving overall performance of fuzzy control.

Creatine synthesis: production of guanidinoacetate by the rat and human kidney in vivo.

A fraction of the body's creatine and creatine phosphate spontaneously degrades to creatinine, which is excreted by the kidneys. In humans, this amounts to approximately 1-2 g/day and demands a comparable rate of de novo creatine synthesis. This is a two-step process in which l-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT) catalyzes the conversion of glycine and arginine to ornithine and guanidinoacetate (GAA); guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) then catalyzes the S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation of GAA to creatine.