Wall Disruption Research Articles

The Efficacy of Apple Cider Vinegar at Different pH Values as an Antimicrobial Agent: An In Vitro Study.

This study evaluates the antimicrobial activities of commercially available 5% apple cider vinegar (ACV) against Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, and Lactobacillus casei. Materials and methods: Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were conducted using the broth microdilution method. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) of 5.25% was used as a positive control, and comparisons were also made with acetic acid (AA) as the main ingredient in ACV. The three test bacteria treated with the most effective ACV dilution were visualized under a transmission electron microscope (TEM) for structural changes. Minimal inhibitory concentration was determined at 0.625% of the concentration of ACV against S. mutans and E. faecalis and 1.25% of the concentration of ACV against L. casei with two-fold serial dilutions. A concentration of 5 × 10-1% with 10-fold serial dilutions was found to be the MIC value for all three bacteria. No significant differences were found when compared with the positive control (NaOCl) (p = 0.182, p = 0.171, and p = 0.234), respectively, for two-fold serial dilutions and (p = 1.000, p = 0.658, and p = 0.110), respectively for 10-fold serial dilutions. MBC was observed to be 5% ACV for both E. faecalis and S. mutans. However, positive microbial growth was observed on the agar plate when cultured with L. casei. An independent sample t-test showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the antimicrobial activities between 5% ACV and 5% pure AA. TEM revealed cell wall and cytoplasmic membrane disruptions on all three bacteria at MIC value. Apple cider vinegar has antimicrobial activities against Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, and Lactobacillus casei at their respective MIC values. Apple cider vinegar can be an alternative antimicrobial dental pulp disinfectant to sodium hypochlorite. Apple cider vinegar can be used safely, especially in children's dental pulp therapy and deep caries management, when adequate tooth isolation is not readily achievable. Thus, adverse reactions commonly associated with other frequently used chemical disinfectants can be avoided.

Mechanistic insight into the synergistic antimicrobial potential of Fagonia indica Burm.f. extracts with cefixime

Fagonia indica Burm.f. is known for its anti-infective character and has been studied in the present work as a synergistic remedy against resistant bacterial strains. Initially, phytochemicals were quantified in n-Hexane (n-Hex), ethyl acetate (E.A), methanol (MeOH), and aqueous (Aq.) extracts by Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) and Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis. Later, after establishing an antibacterial resistance profile for extracts and antibiotics against gram-positive and gram-negative strains, synergism was evaluated in combination with cefixime through time-kill kinetics and bacterial protein estimation studies. Topographic images depicting synergism were obtained by scanning electron microscopy for Methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Resistant Escherichia coli (R.E. coli). Results showed the presence of maximum phenolic (28.4 ± 0.67 μg GAE/mg extract) and flavonoid (11 ± 0.42 μg QE/mg extract) contents in MeOH extract. RP-HPLC results also displayed maximum polyphenols in MeOH extract followed by E.A extract. Clinical strains were resistant to cefixime whereas these were moderately inhibited by all extracts (MIC 150–300 µg/ml) except Aq. extract. E.A and n-Hex extracts demonstrated maximum synergism (Fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) 0.31) against R.E. coli. The n-Hex extract displayed total synergism against R.P. a with a 4-fold reduction in cefixime dose. Time-kill kinetics showed maximum inhibition of gram-negative bacterial growth from 3 to 12 h when treated at FICI and 2FICI values with > 10-fold reduction of the extracts’ dose. All combinations demonstrate > 70 % protein content inhibition with bacterial cell wall disruption in SEM images. Fortunately, FICI concentrations have low hemolytic potential (<5%). Conclusively, F. indica extracts can mitigate antimicrobial resistance against cefixime and can be investigated in detail by in vivo and mechanistic studies.

Immunoregulatory role of hesperidin against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced bronchial asthma and depression in rats

Links between bronchial asthma and depression have recently become a great subject of interest. The present study was carried out to assess the protective role of hesperidin against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced bronchial asthma that is associated with depression in rats, for this purpose, four groups. Rats were sensitized with intraperitoneal administration of 200 μg OVA/10 mg aluminum hydroxide (Al (OH) 3 for 3 consecutive days then at day 11 followed by intranasal challenge with OVA (1.5 mg/kg) at days 19, 20, and 21. Rats were pretreated with hesperidin (100 & 200 mg/kg) 1h before OVA challenge. At the end of the study, behavioral tests, biochemical indices, and histopathological architectures of lung and brain tissues were evaluated. Our findings showed that hesperidin significantly ameliorated the reduction in motor activity, motor coordination, forced swimming, CD4, CD25 and foxp3, interleukin-10 (IL-10), dopamine, serotonin, and neurotrophin-3 (NT3) as well as alleviated the elevation in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), iL-5, and immunoglobulin E (IgE). In addition, hesperidin reduced cellular infiltration, alveolar sacs damage, the bronchioles wall disruption, and nuclei pyknosis in neuron cells. Finally, hesperidin may provide protection against OVA-induced asthma and depression. This impact could be mediated in part by its anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties.Graphical abstract

Comparison of platelet proteomic profiles between children and adults reveals origins of functional differences.

Platelets are blood cells responsible for the prevention of blood loss upon vessel wall disruption. It has been demonstrated that platelet functioning differs significantly between adult and pediatric donors. This study aimed to identify potential differences between the protein composition of platelets of pediatric, adolescent, and adult donors. Platelet functional testing was conducted with live cell flow cytometry. Using a straightforward approach to platelet washing based on the sequential platelets centrifugation-resuspension, we were able to obtain stable and robust proteomics results, which corresponded to previously published data. We have identified that pediatric donors' platelets have increased amounts of proteins, responsible for mitochondrial activity, proteasome activity, and vesicle transport. Flow cytometry analysis of platelet intracellular signaling and functional responses revealed that platelets of the pediatric donors have diminished granule secretion and increased quiescent platelet calcium concentration and decreased calcium mobilization in response to ADP. We could explain the observed changes in calcium responses by the increased mitochondria protein content, and the changes in granule secretion could be explained by the differences in vesicle transport protein content. Therefore, we can conclude that the age-dependence of platelet functional responses originates from the difference in platelet protein content. Platelets of infants are known to functionally differ from the platelet of adult donors, although the longevity and persistivity of these differences are debatable. Pediatric donor platelets have enhanced amounts of mitochondrial, proteasomal, and vesicle transport proteins. Platelets of the pediatric donors had increased cytosolic calcium in the resting state, what is explained by the increased numbers of mitochondrial proteins. Infants had decreased platelet granule release, which resolved upon adolescence. Thus, platelets of the infants should be assessed differently from adult platelets. Differences in platelet proteomic contents persisted in adolescent groups, yet, no significant differences in platelet function were observed.

Nitric Oxide-Induced Morphological Changes to Bacteria.

Antimicrobial resistance poses a serious threat to global health, necessitating research for alternative approaches to treating infections. Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenously produced molecule involved in multiple physiological processes, including the response to pathogens. Herein, we employed microscopy- and fluorescence-based techniques to investigate the effects of NO delivered from exogenous NO donors on the bacterial cell envelopes of pathogens, including resistant strains. Our goal was to assess the role of NO donor architecture (small molecules, oligosaccharides, dendrimers) on bacterial wall degradation to representative Gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium) upon treatment. Depending on the NO donor, bactericidal NO doses spanned 1.5-5.5 mM (total NO released). Transmission electron microscopy of bacteria following NO exposure indicated extensive membrane damage to Gram-negative bacteria with warping of the cellular shape and disruption of the cell wall. Among the small-molecule NO donors, those providing a more extended release (t1/2 = 120 min) resulted in greater damage to Gram-negative bacteria. In contrast, rapid NO release (t1/2 = 24 min) altered neither the morphology nor the roughness of these bacteria. For Gram-positive bacteria, NO treatments did not result in any drastic change to cellular shape or membrane integrity, despite permeation of the cell wall as measured by depolarization assays. The use of positively charged quaternary ammonium (QA)-modified NO-releasing dendrimer proved to be the only NO donor system capable of penetrating the thick peptidoglycan layer of Gram-positive bacteria.

SEM &amp; FTIR Analysis of Rice Husk to Assess the Impact of Physiochemical Pretreatment

The objective of this research is to obtain FTIR and SEM profile of native and pulverized rice husk in order to understand its feasibility for further enzymatic digestion. Pretreatment is one of the pivotal processes in utilizing lignocellulosic biomass for producing bioethanol. An ecofriendly system only allows mild pretreatment strategies for industrial bioethanol production. The steam explosion pretreatment process is reported to be efficient using rice husk for these procedures with the use of mild acids or bases. In the current work, pretreatment method like steam explosion pretreatment method was used with NaOH and HNO3 to degrade the complex structures and release the sugars entrapped within lignin. The pretreatment effect on the matrix of husk cell-wall and its constituents are characterized microscopically and spectroscopically by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy respectively, in order to comprehend the future possibility of its digestion by cellulase. The crystallinity index of native substrate is very high (0.94 cm-1), which reduced significantly to -0.277 and -0.34 cm-1 when pretreated with 2% HNO3 and 10% HNO3 respectively. The steam explosion pretreatment does not support the degradation of the cellulosic fibrillar arrangement, but causes intense re-localization of lignin. The descriptions of scanning electron microscopy were in agreement with the findings of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy; the ordered structure generally found in native rice husk was missing, suggesting that the structure of the 2% HNO3 treated rice husk was more amorphous. The fractional removal of hemicelluloses and total removal of wax is the outcome of this research work. Results revealed that steam explosion pretreatment increases the possibility of digestion by enhancing cellulose accessibility through lignin re-localization and a partial elimination of hemicelluloses rather than by cell wall disruption.

Enzyme-Assisted Extraction of Ulvan from the Green Macroalgae Ulva fenestrata.

Ulvan is a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from green macroalgae with unique structural and compositional properties. Due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and film-forming properties, as well as high stability, ulvan has shown promising potential as an ingredient of biopolymer films such as sustainable and readily biodegradable biomaterials that could replace petroleum-based plastics in diverse applications such as packaging. This work investigates the potential of Ulva fenestrata as a source of ulvan. Enzyme-assisted extraction with commercial cellulases (Viscozyme L and Cellulysin) and proteases (Neutrase 0.8L and Flavourzyme) was used for cell wall disruption, and the effect of the extraction time (3, 6, 17, and 20 h) on the ulvan yield and its main characteristics (molecular weight, functional groups, purity, and antioxidant capacity) were investigated. Furthermore, a combined process based on enzymatic and ultrasound extraction was performed. Results showed that higher extraction times led to higher ulvan yields, reaching a maximum of 14.1% dw with Cellulysin after 20 h. The combination of enzymatic and ultrasound-assisted extraction resulted in the highest ulvan extraction (17.9% dw). The relatively high protein content in U. fenestrata (19.8% dw) makes the residual biomass, after ulvan extraction, a potential protein source in food and feed applications.

The modification of buckwheat polyphenols by different pretreatments and complexation, and its application in oat flour model

In this study, we selected yeast fermentation, hydrothermal treatment, enzymolysis, ultrasonic treatment, and steam explosion to treat buckwheat bran, based on their known potential to enhance the extraction rate of polyphenol content. Enzymolysis was identified as the most efficient method, leading to a 1.9-fold rise in the extraction rate of polyphenol content from buckwheat and a 1.05-fold increase in ABTS values. To further improve the properties of buckwheat polyphenols, they were complexed with chitooligosaccharide (PP–COS) via hydrogen bonding between the polyphenols' aromatic protons and the hydroxyl group of COS. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties were further augmented in PP-COS, demonstrating excellent storage stability. The ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP values were 1.08-fold, 1.12-fold, and 1.04-fold higher than those of control polyphenols, respectively. Additionally, PP-COS was successfully applied to oat flour, further expanding its potential benefits. When compared to pure oat flour, oat flour supplemented with PP-COS exhibited lower pasting parameters, higher solubility and swelling power, lower peak temperature, lower crystallinity, and reduced in vitro digestibility. This study illustrates that various pretreatments exhibit differences in the way and degree of cell wall disruption. The careful selection of optimal pretreatments along with molecular complexation can significantly amplify the extraction efficiency and bioactive potential of grain polyphenols, as exemplified by those present in buckwheat.

Cell wall disruption, membrane damage, and decrease in the expression of Yrp1 virulence factor in Yersinia ruckeri by propolis ethanol extract.

Instead of antibiotics, propolis is a promising alternative for treating bacterial diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of propolis ethanol extract (PEE) on Yersinia ruckeri (Y. ruckeri), a fish pathogen, by examining its impact on the cell wall, cytoplasmic membrane, and gene expression. The effect of propolis on the bacterial cell wall, membrane, and DNA using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was investigated. Its effect on the NAD+/NADH ratio, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, as well as the expression of a virulence factor (yrp1) was also determined. It was demonstrated that PEE has multiple antibacterial mechanisms against Y. ruckeri involving cell wall damage, membrane lysis, and a decrease in gene expression. The obtained results indicated that the mode of propolis action against Y. ruckeri is both structural and functional, while others showed propolis only could inactivate bacteria in a structural way.

Preclinical Investigation of Ab Interno Goniotomy Using Three Different Techniques.

To evaluate incisional or excisional tissue-level effects of ab interno goniotomy techniques on human trabecular meshwork (TM). The TM from human cadaveric corneal rim tissue was treated using three devices: (1) Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) GLIDE, (2) iAccess, and (3) SION. Two human corneal rims were used for each of the iAccess and SION devices and one with the KDB GLIDE, with 360 degrees of TM treated in each case. Sections were then prepared for analysis and comparison between devices. Tissue samples underwent standard histologic processing with H&E stain, followed by comparative analyses. Areas treated with the KDB GLIDE device resulted in nearly complete excision of TM overlying the canal of Schlemm without injury to surrounding tissues. The iAccess device can be used as a focal trephine to create holes or dragged for TM disruption. When used to create holes, iAccess punched through the full thickness of the TM and also disrupted the anterior scleral tissue. It caused some incisional openings through the TM but with significant leaflets remaining and minimal true "hole-punch" effect. When the device tip was dragged, iAccess incised the TM and left debris behind with little, if any, excision of tissue. SION led to both incision and excision of TM with incision predominating over excision. The various methods evaluated to perform ab interno goniotomy resulted in varying degrees of TM incision or excision. Only the KDB GLIDE device resulted in reliable excision of TM, while the other devices produced incision or minimal excision of tissue with residual leaflets and debris. Use of iAccess resulted in focal disruption of the anterior scleral wall. Because incisional approaches that leave longer residual leaflets may be more prone to fibrosis and closure compared to excisional treatments, clinical correlation will be necessary to better understand the significance of these findings with respect to relative effectiveness of intraocular pressure lowering in eyes with glaucoma.

Antibacterial mechanism of metabolites of Leuconostoc mesenteroides against Serratia liquefaciens

The antibacterial mechanism of metabolites of Leuconostoc mesenteroides SCB2557 (MLm SCB2557) against Serratia liquefaciens (S. liquefaciens) was investigated in this study by determining the growth curve, biofilm formation, cell integrity and cell morphology of S. liquefaciens, as well as the antibacterial components of MLm SCB2557. The results showed that MLm SCB2557 was able to effectively inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of S. liquefaciens. A remarkable increase in extracellular AKPase and fluorescence of propidium iodide (PI) in S. liquefaciens cells was found after MLm SCB2557 treatment, indicating disruption of cell wall and cell membrane integrity, respectively. The results of cell morphology by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed that S. liquefaciens cells were broken and distorted in shape after MLm SCB2557 treatments at higher concentrations. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the inhibitory components included lactic acid, bacteriocins and hydrogen peroxide. Overall, MLm SCB2557 was effective in inhibiting the growth of S. liquefaciens, which provided a theoretical basis for developing natural antimicrobial agents in the food industry.

Rapeseed Bee Pollen Alleviates Chronic Non-bacterial Prostatitis via Regulating Gut Microbiota.

Rapeseed bee pollen has been recognized as a critical treatment for chronic non bacterial prostatitis (CNP) and it also can modulate gut microbiota and improve gut health. This study aimed to explore the anti prostatitis effects of rapeseed bee pollen with or without wall disruption, and investigate the connection between this treatment and gut microbiota. Our results reveal that rapeseed bee pollen can effectively alleviate chronic non bacteria prostatitis via selectively regulating gut microbiota, with higher doses and wall disrupted pollen showing greater efficacy. Treatment with a high dose of wall disrupted rapeseed bee pollen (WDH, 1.26 g/kg body weight) respectively reduced prostate wet weight and prostate index by approximately 32% and 36%, similar to the control group. Moreover, WDH treatment significantly reduced (p<0.05) the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β and TNF-α), as confirmed by immunofluorescence with laser scanning confocal microscope. Our results show that rapeseed bee pollen can inhibit pathogenic bacteria and enhance probiotics, particularly in the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes(F/B) ratio and the abundance of Prevotella (genus). This is the first study to investigate the alleviation of rapeseed bee pollen on CNP through gut microbiota. Our results seem to provide a better understanding of developing rapeseed bee pollen as a complementary medicine. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Dictamnine suppresses the development of pear ring rot induced by Botryosphaeria dothidea infection by disrupting the chitin biosynthesis

Ring rot induced by Botryosphaeria dothidea is a major cause of growth and postharvest losses in various fruits. There is an urgent need to develop green fungicides due to pesticide resistance and environmental pressure. Here, we demonstrated the efficacy of dictamnine (DIC, 4-methoxyfuro [2,3-β] quinoline, purity 98%), a compound isolated from the stems and leaves of Clausena lansium, in effectively suppressing pear ring rot by inhibiting the mycelial growth of B. dothidea. The median effective concentration of DIC was 15.48 μg/mL. Application of DIC to B. dothidea resulted in structural disruption of the cell wall and plasma membrane, leading to mycelial deformation, breakage, and cell death. Transcriptome analysis revealed significant inhibition of the synthetic pathways for fungal cell wall and membrane components by DIC. Particularly, the expression of chitin synthase, a key enzyme of chitin synthesis, was prominently down-regulated. Moreover, the chitin content in DIC-treated B. dothidea mycelia exhibited a substantial dose-dependent reduction. Based on these results, it is promising to develop DIC as an antifungal pesticide for controlling ring rot disease in pear fruits. Our study provides new insights into the underlying mechanism through which DIC inhibits the mycelial growth of B. dothidea.

Comparison of acid and alkaline pre-treatment on methane production from empty palm oil fruit bunches (OPEFB): Effect on characteristics, digester performance, and correlation of kinetic parameters

This paper focused on comparing the impact of two different chemical pretreatments on various characteristics of OPEFBs (i.e., physical, structural, and morphological properties), methane production, digestate characteristics, and kinetic modelling. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) test showed that alkaline-treated OPEFBs produced higher methane yields than acid-treated OPEFBs. Accordingly, the methane yields became far higher after NaOH pretreatment, showing 0.186–0.224 m3CH4/kg VSadded compared with 0.102 m3CH4/kg VSadded and 0.093–0.115 m3CH4/kg VSadded from untreated and acid-treated OPEFBs. The best treatment was alkaline pretreatment of P2N3, which gave the highest methane yield increase (by 1.2-fold). The Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) results of acid-treated OPEFBs indicated disruption of cell wall and loss of some minerals. However, alkaline-treated OPEFBs have more pores due to silica and other chemicals releases (i.e., lignin, hemicellulose, etc.). The kinetic study showed that all models (i.e., modified Gompertz, logistic, and transference) were in good agreement with the experimental data. Both experimental data and models confirmed P2N3 (i.e., NaOH concentrations of 3.8%) as the best results, indicated by the highest lignin reduction and methane production. This study showed an excellent opportunity to digest alkaline-treated OPEFBS, yet more in-depth investigations with sustainability and circular economy perspectives are needed.

Efficacy of a Novel Antibacterial Agent Exeporfinium Chloride, (XF-73), Against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Mouse Superficial Skin Infection Models.

The number of incidences of antimicrobial resistance is rising continually, necessitating new and effective antibacterial drugs. The present study aimed to assess the in vitro and in vivo activity of XF-73 against antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolates and to investigate the potential mechanism of action of XF-73. The in vitro antibacterial activity of XF-73 and comparator antibacterial drugs, (mupirocin, fusidine, retapamulin, vancomycin, erythromycin, linezolid and daptomycin), against S. aureus (both antibiotic sensitive and resistant strains) was assessed using a broth microdilution method. Two different superficial Staphylococcal skin infection murine models were established to study the in vivo efficacy of XF-73 against antibiotic-resistant strains. The effect of XF-73 on the ultrastructure and cellular morphology of S. aureus was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The MICs (minimum inhibitory concentration) determined by the broth microdilution method for XF-73 demonstrated that the compound had a high potency against S. aureus isolates with varying susceptibility to the study drugs. Also, the antibacterial activity of XF-73 was superior or similar to most of the tested antibacterial drugs. We also found that the XF-73 dermal formulation significantly inhibited S. aureus survival in both the murine skin tape-stripping and suture superficial skin infection models, maintained a consistently high inhibitory capacity against the antibiotic-resistant strains tested and was significantly more effective than mupirocin ointment, a commonly used antibiotic for the treatment of skin infections. The morphological studies using TEM suggest that XF-73 had a rapid (2 minute) bacterial cell wall disruption activity, with longer incubation (10 minute) subsequently causing membrane damage. SEM analysis demonstrated that this cell wall and cell membrane disruption did not lead to disintegration of the plasma membrane, and did not cause bacterial cell lysis. Therefore, XF-73 may be an effective drug alternative to combat multi-drug-resistant skin infections in the clinical setting.

Intraoperative medial wall disruption in Dega pelvic osteotomy: Does it effect the radiographic outcome at medium-term?

To compare the radiographic outcomes of our patients who encountered medial wall disruption, with those who did not while undergoing Dega osteotomy. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 95 hips with developmental dysplasia of the hip who were treated with Dega pelvic osteotomy. Hips were divided into 2 groups according to medial wall disruption: group A included the hips with medial wall disruption, while group B included the hips without disruption. Preoperative, immediate postoperative, 12 weeks and last follow-up anteroposterior radiographs of the pelvis were reviewed for changes in the acetabular index (AI) between groups. There were 22 hips in group A and 73 hips in the group B. Preoperative (34.6 versus [vs] 37.2, p=0.231), postoperative (17.9 vs 18.4, p=0.682), 12th week (18 vs 18, p=0.504) and last follow-up (13.3 vs 15.1, p=0.097). The acetabular index measurements were comparable between the groups. Corrections achieved during surgery, and during the follow-up period were also comparable between the two groups, indicating no loss of radiographic correction caused by medial wall disruption. Ninety one percent of the patients in group A and 90% of group B achieved good or excellent results according to the Severin classification (p=0.944). Our study shows that disruption of the medial wall did not have a significant detrimental effect on radiographic correction when performing Dega osteotomy.

Gelling capacity of cell-disrupted Chlorella vulgaris and its texture effect in extruded meat substitutes

Microalgae attract increasing interest in enhancing the nutritional values of plant-based foods. However, alterations in the final product’s color (by green algae) and mushy texture can be induced. In this study, we incorporated yellow Chlorella vulgaris (Cv) in pea protein-based meat substitutes and aimed to minimize properties alteration by using wet and disrupted Cv biomass. The cell wall disruption, done by high-pressure homogenization (HPH) at 150 MPa and initial biomass temperature below 10 °C, significantly increased the gelation capacity. The effect was confirmed by (i) a 10x increase in the apparent viscosity of 14% (w/w) Cv suspensions, and (ii) a 2x increase in the storage modulus (G’) of 9:1 (w/w) pea protein isolate - Cv gels. Furthermore, the HPH-treated Cv was successfully incorporated (10% (w/w)) into pea protein-based meat substitutes produced with high-moisture extrusion cooking without altering their visual appearance, hardness, or anisotropy index. Finally, spray drying or fractionation steps of the HPH-treated Cv did not improve protein gels, or meat substitutes produced thereof. This study demonstrated that disrupted Cv is a promising nutritious and sustainable ingredient for meat substitutes.

Enzymatic Treatment of Enhanced Musa Peel Flour as Potential Low Digestible Starch

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Enhanced musa peel flour has a great potential as a low digestible starch that is beneficial for diabetic patients. Low digestible starch prevents the rapid increase of blood-glucose level which is crucial to protect from internal organ from damage. However, the black colour of the flour which is due to the phenolic compound oxidation in the cell wall has affected the sensory evaluation of consumers. In this work, instead of using conventional chemical treatment, enzymatic treatment is utilized to reduce the dark colour of the flour. Cell wall disruption by degradation of hemicellulose component by xylanase was hypothesized to accelerate the removal of the dark pigment. Colour reduction was optimized by varying xylanase concentration and incubation duration. Next, starch digestibility analysis was conducted using amylase enzyme to determine the starch digestibility fractions in the treated flour. As a result, instead of obtaining significant colour reduction of the flour, it is observed that there is a significant increment of resistant starch content (14%) in the treated enhanced musa peel flour. Meanwhile, reduction of 86.44% of rapidly digested starch content in the treated flour was also obtained. As a conclusion, the disruption of the cell wall by xylanase lead to the increase of the resistant starch content in the enhanced musa peel flour.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

UV-visible light spectra of Clitoria ternatea L. flower extract during aqueous extraction and storage

Spectrophotometry is a widespread method to observe anthocyanin content, colour quality, and chemical change of an anthocyanin-source extract. The spectrogram may vary due to the extraction method, and may also change over time. The present work studied the spectrophotometric varieties of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea L.) extract using the cell wall disruption method (mortar-pestle: MP; freezing-thawing: FT; 6 min steam blanching: SB; and 6 min hot water blanching: WB) and aqueous extraction temperature (30, 45, and 60°C) for 210 min. The absorbance was monitored every 30 min. The UV-vis light absorbance shift of the extract during storage at 30°C (E30) and 50°C (E50) was also evaluated. Both SB and WB resulted in extracts with a similar spectrogram and effectively suppressed the brown colour development (browning index: 0.27 ± 0.02 and 0.3 ± 0.01, respectively). The cell wall disruption method did not affect the total anthocyanin. Therefore, the blanching process before extraction was appropriate. The most effective extraction parameter yielding the highest anthocyanin and phenolic substances were 60°C for 30 min. The E50 and E30 performed differently during storage. They showed different colour degradation patterns. For the bathochromic shift, the absorbance increased at 265 nm (phenolic substances), and that at 310 nm (acyl groups) occurred in E50. These three unique characteristics might indicate the event of intermolecular co-pigmentation between or among anthocyanin molecules that led to higher anthocyanin stability at 50°C (t0.5 24.78 days) than at 30°C (t0.5 14.28 days).

Preparation and properties of antibacterial polymer microspheres and their films having renewable cardanol moiety

Polymer microspheres having bio-based cardanol moiety were prepared via suspension polymerization of 2-hydroxy-3-cardanylpropyl methacrylate (CM). The incorporation of the cardanol moiety into polymer microspheres could impart the bactericidal properties and the microspheres were found to have a cross-linked structure formed during the suspension polymerization by the reactions between the double bonds in the cardanol moieties. The cross-linked structure is very useful to prepared physically stable polymer films using the polymer microsphere. The polymer microsphere itself prepared by CM and the polymer film prepared by casting the polymer microsphere suspension were found to have very high antibacterial activity against E.coli; the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) value of the polymer microsphere against E.coli was 0.403 mg mL−1 and the antibacterial activity of the polymeric film prepared by casting the polymer microsphere suspension against E.coli was larger than 99.9%. Copolymer microspheres prepared by the suspension copolymerization of CM with styrene(ST) and the polymer films prepared from the copolymer microspheres also showed high antibacterial activity. For example, the MIC value of the copolymer microsphere prepared using 80 to 20 mol ratios of ST to CM was 0.519 mg mL−1 and the antibacterial activity of the polymer films of the copolymer microsphere is 99.9%. The bactericidal properties of the polymer films were found to be caused by the disruption of cell wall by contact-killing without any leaching of antibacterial moieties. Furthermore, all the polymeric films from microsphere of the polymer and copolymers showed sufficient biocompatibility, regardless of their monomer compositions.