Sugar Mixtures Research Articles

Role of trisaccharides in larval secretion of Lycaeides argyrognomon butterfly on ant attendance

Several myrmecophilous insects participate in symbiotic relationships with ants that receive sugar-rich food rewards. For instance, certain aphid species secrete honeydew containing high concentration of melezitose, which acts as a potent feeding-stimulant and attractant for ants. Lycaenid butterfly larvae possess dorsal nectary glands that secrete sugar-rich droplets for tending ants. However, the roles of sugar components in ant foraging and larva-tending activities are unknown. Lycaeides (Plebejus) argyrognomon are larvae that are frequently and facultatively attended by various ant species, including Formica japonica, on the host plant Indigofera pseudotinctoria. The larval secretions of this insect contained small amounts of trisaccharides, melezitose and maltotriose, which were not detected in the host plant’s flower nectar, and larval secretions of two sympatric and myrmecophilous lycaenids, Zizeeria maha and Everes argiades. Melezitose and maltotriose, along with sucrose, were preferred by the worker ants. Of the four sugar mixture samples that mimicked I. pseudotinctoria floral nectar and the larval secretions of three lycaenids, respectively, the L. argyrognomon mimic was the most preferred by F. japonica ants. Moreover, the removal of trisaccharides from this mimic significantly reduced its stimulatory activity to ant feedings. These results indicated that the sugar composition of L. argyrognomon larval secretions is suited to the feeding preference of F. japonica ants, and that the trisaccharide components play a key role in increasing their preference. However, only half of the ants responded to the L. argyrognomon mimic even at the concentration corresponding to the maximum total sugar concentration in the collected larval secretions. The fact that the secretions of all L. argyrognomon larvae did not have sufficient sugar levels to stimulate ant feedings suggests that the production of sugar-rich secretions and trisaccharide components is metabolically costly for the larvae and that components other than sugars may be involved in ant attendance.

Two-stage process production of microbial lipid by co-fermentation of glucose and N-acetylglucosamine from food wastes with Cryptococcus curvatus

Microbial lipids were produced through a two-stage process with Cryptococcus curvatus by co-fermenting rice and shrimp shells hydrolysates. In the first stage, biomass production of glucose and N-acetylglucosamine was optimized by response surface methodology with the maximum biomass yield (17.60 g/L) under optimum conditions (43.2 g/L mixed sugar concentration, pH 5.8, 200 rpm, and 28 °C). In the second stage, according to a single-factor optimization setting (43.2 g/L sugar mixture solutions, pH 5.5, and shift time of 36 h), lipid titer of 10.08 g/L with content of 55.30 % was achieved. Scaling up to a 5-L bioreactor increased lipid content to 60.07 % with 0.233 g/g yield. When Cryptococcus curvatus was cultured in the blends of rice hydrolysates and shrimp shells hydrolysate, lipid content and yield were 52.25 % and 0.204 g/g. The fatty acid compositions of lipid were similar to those of typical vegetable oils.

Pemanfaatan Labu Kuning dan Rumput Laut dalam Pembuatan Dodol

Fruit dodol is a mixture of pumpkin paste, coconut milk, seaweed flour, brown sugar, and glutinous rice flour. Using pumpkin in the manufacture of Dodol, apart from having a high fibre content, can also provide a distinctive taste and aroma in food preparations. Adding seaweed improves the texture of the pumpkin Dodol, so it is chewier. The purpose of this study was to obtain the selected ratio between pumpkin paste and seaweed flour in making dodol according to the quality standard of fruit dodol based on SNI 4297:1996. The treatment in the study consisted of four treatments and four replications and used a Completely Randomized Design. The ratios in the pumpkin paste and seaweed flour, namely 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, and 40:60. The results showed that the LR2 (80% pumpkin paste : 20% seaweed flour) fruit dodol based on SNI NO. 01-4296-1996 met quality standards for fruit dodol with a moisture content of 16.46%, an ash content of 1.07%, a crude fiber content of 3.52%, and a total sugar content of 39.22%. The dodol on the LR2 descriptive sensory assessment of the dodol made by the panelists obtained a very brown color, had the aroma of pumpkin and seaweed, tasted of pumpkin and seaweed, had a chewy texture, and was overall liked by the panelists.

Synergistic Effect of Benincasa hispida Peel Extract and KI on the Corrosion Inhibition of Mild Steel in HCl

This study employed Benincasa hispida peel as a raw material for the preparation of Benincasa hispida peel extract (BHPE) via hot water extraction and freeze-drying processes. The synergistic effect of BHPE and KI on the corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 1 M HCl was investigated. The compositional analysis shows that BHPE consists mainly of a mixture of sugars, characterized by a high density of hydroxyl groups and unsaturated functional groups, characteristic of highly effective corrosion inhibitors. Electrochemical experiments and surface analysis show that the composite of BHPE and KI can effectively provide protection to mild steel. Moreover, the synergistic coefficient of BHPE and KI under various concentration conditions was greater than 1, and the highest corrosion inhibition efficiency was 94.4%. In addition, the corrosion inhibition mechanism of BHPE was thoroughly investigated using quantum chemistry (QC) and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS).

Continuous dark-fermentative H2 production using carbon components of lignocellulose hydrolysates: Insight into the difference between mixed and single substrates

Hydrogen produced from lignocellulosic biomass via dark fermentation is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. This study assessed fermentative H2 production from single sugars and sugar mixtures mimicking real lignocellulose hydrolysates during a continuous process. The highest hydrogen production rate (HPR) was obtained with pentose sugars, reaching 8.80 and 8.09 L/L-d for arabinose and xylose, respectively. Glucose showed the lowest HPR (6.19 L/L-d), while in the case of sugar mixtures (glucose, cellobiose, xylose, arabinose), HPR was approximately 7.3 L/L-d and was lower than expected from calculations. Thus, cofermentation reduced the H2 production potential. It was shown that pentose sugars are preferred for hydrogen production, but their utilization is limited by the presence of glucose, which is utilized preferentially in sugar mixtures. Xylose, arabinose and sugar mixtures showed similar H2 yields (approximately 0.29 mol H2/mol C), so the efficiency of substrate conversion into H2 was comparable for these substrates. The microbial community distribution showed that the Clostridium genus was dominant regardless of the substrate, with Clostridium beijerinckii and Clostridium guangxiense being the main bacterial species. Different substrates did not significantly affect the type of microorganisms present in the microbiome and changed only their relative abundance.

Passion-Oranges Syrup Production Gung Pinto Village Tanah Karo

Syrup is a beverage product resulting from the production of a mixture of water and sugar at a content of not less than 65%, whether or not ingredients are in the form of food with or without food additives, which have received permission to use according to the regulations of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency of the Republic of Indonesia. Fruit syrup is made from fresh fruit juice with sugar and the taste and aroma of the fruit. Fruits used in syrup production must have an attractive color, aroma and distinctive taste. Example the taste and aroma of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis S) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L). Sweet orange and passion fruit are used as a source of fruit syrup juice. Sweet oranges are widely grown in Indonesia, including North Sumatra, especially in Gung Pinto Village, Tanah Karo. During the main harvest, there is usually a decrease in the price of oranges so that farmers are reluctant to pick the fruit which has been the foundation of their lives. This problem triggers farmers to look for solutions so that their crops do not rot on the trees. Community Service is here to provide a solution by increasing the skills of the community to make Passion Fruit Syrup for the people in the village of Gung Pinto Tanah Karo. The service is carried out by training how to make Passion-Orange syrup by doing direct practice and evaluating the resulting product with a hedonic test. The results showed that the Passion-Orange syrup product showed very good color, taste, aroma and texture, and the public was very happy with the results of the Passion-Orange syrup product. The conclusion of the service shows that the syrup product produced is very good and the community is very happy with the results of the syrup product.

Integrated Catalytic Upgrading of Biomass-Derived Alcohols for Advanced Biofuel Production

Sustainable biofuel production is necessary to meet the daunting challenge of “fueling” growing economies with a significantly reduced carbon footprint. Although its higher oxygen content often hinders the direct conversion of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) into energy-dense biofuels, microbial biofuel production from LCB still has potential. The production of primary alcohols by acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation has been practiced for more than a century to attain near-theoretical maximum. However, ABE produced conventionally by native microorganisms is not equivalent to fossil fuel-based aviation fuels in terms of energy density, volatility, and cost-efficiency. Various strategies have been adapted for the microbial synthesis of advanced fuels from renewable feedstock with the advancements in genetic engineering. Yet, the presence of inhibitors and the inefficiency of microbes to utilize or transport the sugar mixtures from LCB often impede titer and yield. However, ABE mixtures can act as platform chemicals to synthesize high-value biofuels by biocatalytic or chemo-catalytic applications. Chemical catalysts, in particular, are used to produce higher alcohols ranging from 3-carbon to 20-carbon fuels from the ABE fermentation mixture. This article reviews the recent trends in the production of higher biofuels from ABE mixtures using biological and chemical catalysts. Focus is placed on genomic and metabolic engineering strategies implemented to upgrade microbes for higher biofuel production via the fermentation of renewable feedstocks. This paper also summarizes the advancements in the chemical conversion route of an ABE fermentation mixture into higher biofuels. Finally, the review provides insights into future research toward commercializing renewable and sustainable higher biofuels and chemicals.

Effects of adult-diet modifications on sexual maturation rate, body weight, and quantity of sperm transfer by male Mexican fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Mass-reared sterile Mexican fruit flies (Anastrepha ludens [Loew]) are released along the US-Mexico border to control fruit fly damage and spread. It is more cost effective for the mass rearing program if males mature at a younger age because they can be held for a shorter time at the facility before release. In this study, adult male Mexican fruit fly diets were tested to determine if the current diet used at the mass rearing facility promotes younger mating and optimal sperm transfer compared to other diet formulations. Hydrolyzed yeast presentation methods were examined: an agar-free dry mixture of yeast and sugar (Y+S), yeast embedded in the diet during the agar boiling process (current method used) and sifted dry on the ager gel surface. Methoprene, a juvenile hormone analog was also tested as a supplement to agar gel diets with and without yeast. A greater proportion of males fed Y+S mated 1 day earlier than males fed other diets. Male mating age and diet did not significantly affect the quantity of sperm transferred; however, a non-significantly higher percentage of males fed diets with embedded yeast transferred enough sperm to fill all 3 spermathecae. The results suggest that the current diet used is optimal for mass-rearing the flies and that yeast presentation method has a significant effect on A. ludens male mating age but not on the quantity of sperm transferred to females.

Correlation of lactulose-to-mannitol ratios in plasma and urine for intestinal permeability assessment in pigs.

The lactulose-to-mannitol ratio test is a test to assess the disorders associated with gut permeability. The test requires an oral administration of the mixture of lactulose and mannitol and urine collection. The urinary ratio of lactulose to mannitol is an indicator of intestinal permeability. Due to the complexity of urine collection in animal studies, plasma exposure ratios of lactulose to mannitol compared to their urinary concentration ratios were evaluated following an oral administration of the sugar mixture in pigs. 10 pigs were orally dosed with a solution of lactulose and mannitol mixture. Plasma samples were collected at predose, 10 and 30 minutes and 2, 4, and 6 hours postdosing, and cumulated urinary samples were collected at 6 hours for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The ratios of pharmacokinetic parameters of lactulose to mannitol and the plasma sugar ratios at a single time point or the mean values of several time points were compared to their urinary sugar ratios. The results revealed that the lactulose-to-mannitol ratios of AUC0-6h, AUCextrap, and Cmax were correlated to the urinary sugar ratios, and the plasma sugar ratios of a single time point at 2, 4, or 6 hours and the mean values of those time points were also appropriate to replace their urinary ratios in pigs. Following an oral administration of lactulose and mannitol mixture, blood collection, and assay can be an option for assessing intestinal permeability, especially in animal studies.

Recent trends in utilization of citrus fruits in production of eco-enzyme

Eco-enzyme is a type of natural compound that can be extracted normally from citrus fruit peels or waste and various other sources. It is a complex solution produced by the fermentation fresh kitchen waste such as vegetable and fruit peels. It is a type of vinegar made by fermenting food waste with sugar to form alcohol. Eco-enzyme is fermented solution made from a mixture of sugar, fruit peels, and water mostly in a ratio of 1:3:10. This review, in particular, focuses on the citrus Eco-enzyme as citrus fruit extracts and citrus flavonoids have the potential to possess promising biological characteristics due to their phenolic profile and antioxidant properties. Numerous innovative techniques used to produce eco-enzymes using different raw materials have been discussed in detail. Such techniques are cost-effective, eco-friendly, and possess multipurpose applications. The production of eco-enzyme not only lessens the compilation of organic waste but also provides a substitute for synthetic chemicals that are harmful to both human health and the environment. However, the major applications, including cleaning floors, utensils, gardening, and other innovative techniques of recycling and reusing natural trash that will assist in reducing fruit waste, have been explored in the present review.

Increasing the Nutritional Value of FISH Feed with the Addition of Eco Enzyme

Feed is one of the determinants of the success of cultivation activities. The nutritional and protein content of commercial feed has been determined, however, the protein content in the feed can still be increased. Eco enzyme is the result of fermentation from a mixture of sugar, organic fruit or vegetable residue, and water by utilizing probiotic activity which produces enzymes from organic waste. The purpose of this study was to analyze the increase in the nutritional value of fish feed with the addition of eco enzyme. Analysis of feed samples was carried out at the Laboratory of Nutrition and Animal Feed Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Lambung Mangkurat University, South Kalimantan. The treatment given was the addition of eco enzyme at different doses with the treatment of feed A (20 mL/kg feed), B feed (40 mL/kg feed), and C feed (60 mL/kg feed). The organic ingredients used to make Eco Enzyme are fruit peels sourced from mini markets and salad traders in the area around Banjarbaru City. The results of the chemical feed analysis test (proximate) which include: water content, ash content, protein content, fat content and fiber content. ased on the results of the analysis of feed samples with the addition of 60 mL/kg of feed eco enzyme, the value of the protein content can increase by 117.4% from 15% protein content to 32.71%. It contains a fat content value of 3.33% which is close to the SNI requirements for fish feed quality and reduces 69.6% of the fiber content of feed from 10% to 3.04%.%.

Cinnamon Java Roll Modification as Alternative Sweet Snack for Diabetes Mellitus Patients

One of the healthy lifestyles that continues to grow is consuming healthy food. The consumption of sweet bread in Indonesia continues to increase, and as a result, the cases of people with diabetes mellitus in Indonesia have also experienced a significant increase, for it is not recommended for people with diabetes mellitus to consume excessive amounts of sweet bread. A cinnamon roll is a dough roll sheet consisting of the cinnamon and sugar mixture (raisins or other sweet fruit ingredients) which are sprinkled on top of a thin layer of butter. Cinnamon Java Roll is a modified product of cinnamon roll with cinnamon and palm sugar with lower sugar content due to the ingredients in it, where there is a modification of the ingredients by adding palm sugar which has a lower glycemic index, and the addition of sliced dates as an additional sweetener and almond nuts for nutritional enrichment. One slice of bread contains 137 Cal of energy, 2.59 grams of protein, 4.93 grams of fat, and 22.36 grams of carbohydrates with a sugar content of 8.37 grams/serving (1 slice) and 75.34 grams/recipe (9 slices).

Effects of reaction medium type and concentration on the physicochemical properties and flavors of soybean meal hydrolysate-based Maillard reaction products

Tailoring the Maillard reaction (MR) can improve the flavor of soybean meal hydrolysates (SMH). This study showed that the type and concentration of the reaction medium, including glycerol, sorbitol or polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) in water, greatly affected the MR (115 °C, 60 min) of SMH with a reducing sugar mixture (d-xylose/d-ribose, 2:1). These media accelerated the MR and enriched greatly the volatile compounds of the MR products (SMH-MRPs), even improving their sensory attributes (e.g. meaty flavor, umaminess and overall liking). Comparisons on MRPs’ pH values, amino acid nitrogen contents, browning intensities, amino acid profiles, peptide size distributions, volatile profiles and sensory attributes revealed that the influences of the reaction media on SMH-MRPs decreased in the order of PEG400-water > glycerol-water > sorbitol-water. An intermediate glycerol or sorbitol concentration made MRPs more desirable. The added medium, key aroma-active compounds, amino acids and sensory descriptors were correlated.

Design and testing of an electromechanical engine for a small solid-propellant rocket using non-metal materials

In this paper an engine prototype of 2 degrees of freedom from a work still in progress that helps a solid fuel rocket to stay vertical during motor operation is presented. One of the philosophies of this paper consists in using cheap and accessible materials, as well as avoiding the use of industrial machinery for its manufacture. This paper describes the procedure to generate solid fuel from a mixture of sugar and potassium nitrate. Subsequently, the design of the engine and tests conserning reusability with the prototype are presented. The design is based solely on obtaining the torques required to keep the prototype rocket moving in a vertical direction. The corresponding equations are written and after linearization, the transfer function is presented and the system is simulated using a PID control. The electromechanical system (ES) as well as the solid fuel motor were manufactured, and even though the ES is not coupled to the motor so the control actions are not evaluated, the performance of the rocket motor is measured using different design options and the propulsion times were evaluated. To measure the orientation and position the BMP280 and MPU6050 sensors were selected, and their stabilization time after turning them on was evaluated. It was found that the materials can be reused at least once for tests up to 23 grams of solid fuel, and that the selected electronic devices must have a stabilization time before ignition.

Novel Treatment Options for Corneal Edema

Introduction: The current treatment of corneal edema is limited to hyperosmotic saline mixtures. Usually the therapy consists of treatment with hypertonic 5% NaCl eye drops or 6% eye ointment. However, these only remain on the cornea for a short time because they are quickly removed by the tear film and blinking. This problem is partly addressed by adding hyaluronic acid to some pharmaceuticals. In this work, Sovermol as a carrier oil supplied with osmotically active substances, honey, icing sugar, Substance C188 and Prevor® substance X were investigated in an experimental setting as therapeutics for corneal edema. Material and Methods: In the Ex vivo Eye irritation Test (EVEIT), corneas can be examined under defined and stable biochemical conditions without blinking. Corneal edema can be simulated and examined using ultrasound pachymetry and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). Thus, we investigated the deswelling effect of the substances described above on 23 EVEIT corneas. Results: The mixtures, examined in this study, showed a significant reduction of corneal edema especially mixtures of Sovermol with Substance C188 were very promising as a new approach to treatment of corneal edema. As reference substance for corneal edema treatment ODM5® was used. Other mixtures, especially Honey and Prevor® substance X in DOL showed a sufficient reduction of corneal edema, while also damaging the corneal epithelium. While the mixture of DOL and powder sugar showed an increased corneal thickness and damaged Epithelium. Conclusion: The therapy of corneal edema with osmotically active substances as investigated here is a promising treatment for corneal edema. However, further pharmacological development is needed for application in patients.

Sugary solutions

Sugary solutions

Alleviation of Carbon Catabolite Repression through araR and xylR Inactivation in Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792.

Efficient bioconversion processes of lignocellulose-derived carbohydrates into chemicals have received increasing interest in the last decades since they represent a promising alternative to petro-based processes. Despite efforts to adapt microorganisms to the use of such substrates, one of their major limitations remains their inability to consume multiple sugars simultaneously. In particular, the solventogenic model organism Clostridium acetobutylicum struggles to efficiently use second generation (2G) substrates because of carbon catabolite repression mechanisms that prevent the assimilation of xylose and arabinose in the presence of glucose. In this study, we addressed this issue by inactivating genes encoding transcriptional repressors involved in such mechanisms in the C. acetobutylicum strain DSM 792. Our results showed that the deletion of the two putative copies of xylR (CA_C2613 and CA_C3673) had little or no effect on the ability of the strain to consume xylose. Unlikely, the deletion of araR (CA_C1340) led to a 2.5-fold growth rate increase on xylose. The deletion of both araR and xylR genes resulted in the coassimilation of arabinose together with glucose, while xylose consumption remained inefficient. Transcriptional analyses of the wild-type strain and mutants grown on glucose, arabinose, xylose, and combinations of them provided a crucial, global overview of regulations triggered by the products of both araR and xylR in C. acetobutylicum. As suggested by these data, overexpression of xylA and xylB led to further improvement of pentose assimilation. Those results represent a step forward in the development of genetically modified strains of C. acetobutylicum able to coassimilate lignocellulosic-derived sugars. IMPORTANCE C. acetobutylicum is a strong candidate to produce chemicals of interest such as C3 and C4 alcohols. Used for more than a century for its capacity to produce a mixture of acetone, butanol, and ethanol from first generation (1G) substrates, its natural ability to assimilate a wide variety of monoosides also predisposes it as an auspicious organism for the valorization of lignocellulose-derived sugar mixtures. To achieve this purpose, a better understanding of carbon catabolite repression mechanisms is essential. The work done here provides critical knowledge on how these mechanisms occur during growth on glucose, arabinose, and xylose mixtures, as well as strategies to tackle them.

Using stable isotopes in hummingbird breath to estimate reliance on supplemental feeders.

Understanding the ecological consequences of supplemental feeding to both hummingbirds and the plants they pollinate is complicated by logistical challenges associated with assessing relative dietary resource use with commonly applied observational methods. Here, we describe the results of research conducted to assess the relative use of feeder and flower nectar by Broad-tailed (Selasphorus platycercus) and Rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) using two distinct methodological variations to measure the δ13C values of exhaled CO2. Because of the relatively quick time in which both species switch from exogenous to endogenous resources to fuel metabolism, our experiment allowed us to assess resource use at two timescales. Our results suggest variability in the relative contributions of the two dietary sources within and among species and timescales, with most birds employing a mixture of feeder and flower sugars as fuel sources. This diversity in relative resource use may mitigate potential negative effects of supplemental feeding on hummingbirds and their plant symbionts.

Development of a polyallylamine hydrochloride hydrogel imprinted with xylose for the purification of xylose from sugar mixture

A novel molecularly imprinted hydrogel (X-MIP) was developed with poly (allylamine hydrochloride) as monomer and epichlorohydrin as crosslinker. After optimising preparation conditions including reaction temperature, the amount of NaOH and template xylose, the X-MIP was characterised through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and swelling ratio. Xylose and glucose were employed to evaluate the adsorption capacity and selectivity of the X-MIP. Its adsorption to xylose followed pseudo-second-order rate kinetics and the adsorption process was multilayer adsorption based on the matched Freundlich isotherm model. Its adsorption capacity to xylose was up to 398.68 mg g−1. The similar adsorption abilities in five successive runs and the good desorption rate (98.9%) verified its reusability. The selectivity for xylose and glucose could reach 4.70, and their separation factors in simulated xylitol production feedstocks were 591.05 (xylose:glucose, 99:1) and 15.42 (xylose:glucose, 3:1), respectively. Results indicated the prepared X-MIP has good potential in industrial xylose purification.

The Attractive Ability Of Types Of Attractants Against Aedes sp. Mosquito Eggs Using Ovitrap

An attractant is a substance that attracts insects (mosquitoes) either chemically or visually. To prevent the spread of dengue, various methods have been employed, one of which is using ovitraps containing attractants. This study aimed to determine the number of Aedes sp. mosquito eggs based on different attractants. The research was experimental with a one-shot case study design, comparing various attractants and their effectiveness in attracting Aedes sp. mosquito eggs. The findings showed that the type of attractant significantly affected the presence of mosquito eggs, with a p-value of 0.000 (<0.05), allowing further analysis using a post hoc test. The post hoc test revealed significant differences between no attractant and shrimp paste water immersion, no attractant and shrimp head immersion, and no attractant and a brown sugar and yeast mixture. Significant differences were also found between shrimp paste soaked water and brown sugar and yeast mixtures and between shrimp head attractants and brown sugar and yeast mixtures. Shrimp head immersion attractant had a p-value of 0.199 (>0.05), indicating no significant difference compared to other attractants. Among the various attractants tested, shrimp paste soaking water and shrimp head soaking water were the most effective. It is recommended that communities use ovitraps with shrimp paste soaking solution to reduce the Aedes sp. mosquito population around homes, as these materials are relatively easy to obtain and ovitraps can be made using repurposed plastic cups.