Abstract Mechanochemical-assisted extraction (MCAE) method was applied to the extraction of polysaccharides from the bamboo leaves. The MCAE parameters were investigated via response surface methodology design experiments, the processing conditions were optimized as follows: milling time 30 min, liquid-solid ratio 2:1, extraction time 48 min. Under these conditions, the experimental value of (11.40 ± 0.12)% corresponded with the value predicted by the model and was higher than super fine-grinding extraction (SFGE) of (11.17 ± 0.15)% and heat reflux extraction (HRE) of (10.92 ± 0.17)%. The mechanism of mechanochemical-assisted extraction (MCAE) was discussed based on scanning electron microscope. Compared to HRE, the extraction time was significantly shortened, the water consumption and extraction temperature were also lowered. MCAE is a good choice for the efficient extraction of polysaccharides from bamboo leaves.

ABSTRACT - A 7 × 2 factorial experiment was designed to test the effects of calcium (Ca) to non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) ratio (1.14, 1.43, 1.71, 2.00, 2.29, 2.57, and 2.86) and different sources of vitamin D (1α-hydroxycholecalciferol (1α-OH-D3) and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3)) on growth performance and bone mineralization in 1- to 42-d-old broiler chickens. On the day of hatch, 700 female Ross 308 broilers were weighed and randomly assigned to 14 treatments with five stainless steel cages of 10 birds each. Dietary Ca levels were 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, and 10.0 g kg−1 and the NPP content was 3.5 g kg−1. The dose of 1α-OH-D3 or 25-OH-D3 was 5 µg kg−1. Diets were not supplemented with cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Results showed that the Ca to NPP ratio, vitamin D source, and their interaction affected body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed efficiency (FE), and carcass and breast yields, as well as tibia weight and length and ash weight in broiler chickens from 1 to 42 d of age. Broilers fed 1α-OH-D3 had higher BWG and FI as well as tibia breaking strength, weight, length, diameter, and ash weight than birds fed 25-OH-D3 at 42 d of age. The Ca to NPP ratio had a quadratic effect on BWG, FI, mortality, as well as tibia breaking strength, weight, length, ash weight, and ash and P contents in 42-d-old broilers. Broiler chickens at 42 d of age obtain optimal growth performance and bone mineralization at the Ca to NPP ratio of 2.32 when 1α-OH-D3 or 25-OH-D3 are used as the vitamin D source.

SAPO-34/ZSM-5 composite was synthesized with nano-sized ZSM-5 zeolite as seeds and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen sorption, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD); its catalytic performance in the conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons (MTH) was investigated. The results indicated that the as-synthesized SAPO-34/ZSM-5 composite takes the form of sphere-like particles with a diameter ranging from 2.3 to 4.8 µm, through the accumulation of tiny ZSM-5 and SAPO-34 crystals; a large quantity of mesopores was formed in the interspaces between the ZSM-5 and SAPO-34 crystals. Owing to its proper acidity and porosity, the SAPO-34/ZSM-5 composite exhibits higher stability in MTH and favors the formation of aromatics and alkanes, compared with the parent SAPO-34 and ZSM-5 zeolites and their mechanical mixture.

Background: Light can be absorbed by bacterial pigment and affects its growth. Prodigiosin is a red pigment found in various bacterial species. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of light on prodigiosin production, biomass formation, and membrane integrity of Serratia marcescens y2. Results: S. marcescens y2 grew better and produced more intracellular prodigiosin in darkness than in illumination. The pigment leakage ratio from cells was detected more in light than in darkness conditions. Ethidium bromide uptake assay could visually prove the prodigiosin-related loss of membrane integrity under illumination. A higher concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) was detected in light-treated culture than in darkness. Tests of different light treatments (red, yellow, blue and green) showed that the maximum extracellular pigment and the minimum biomass formation and intracellular pigment were obtained in green light. Conclusions: Prodigiosin could absorb light, and then initiate phototoxicity damage of the cytomembrane.

A herbal ingredient kurannone (7, 2', 4,-trihydroxy-8-lavandulyl-5-methoxy flavanone) was isolated from the roots of sophoraflavescens Ait by ultrasonic extraction, which is one of tradicional Chinese medicine (TCM) materials. A reliable high performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method was used for determination of kurarinone. C18 column (150x4.6 mm, 5 µm) and methanol-water mobile phase (70:30, by volume) were used in the chromatographic separation of active components from the herb. HPLC-ESI-MS (UV, 288 nm; m/z, 437.5 [M-H]-) was adopted for kurarinone identification. Kurarinone with purity of 95.5% was obtained by silica gel column foUowed by reverse-phase column chromatography. The thermal stability of kurarinone was investigated, which illustrates that kurarinone was stable below 25 °C in 48 h, but a degradation of 25.54% was observed at 80 °C for 2 h.