Abstract Since the grape skin and seed contain different phenolic substances, the proportion of the skin and seed will affect the wine mouthfeel during the wine making process. During the wine ageing, the interaction between flavanols with anthocyanins is an important reaction and considered linked to astringency. Hence, a major question is whether changing the skin-seed ratio will affect the polymerization of phenolic substances in wine, thus affecting the astringency of wine. To answer this, astringency of wine was studied by changing the content of grape skins and seeds by SDS-PAGE, fluorescence quenching and sensory taste. Besides, acetaldehyde-mediated condensation reaction between different flavan-3-ols and malvidin-3-glucoside were studied in model solution. The result showed that grape skins and seeds contribute differently to astringency sensation, mainly because of the difference in the type and content of flavanols and anthocyanins contained in them. In addition, acetaldehyde-induced flavan-3-ols: anthocyanin mixture presents a strong effect toward the interaction with BSA when compared to other phenolic combinations. Furthermore, it was observed that the protein-binding ability of the polyphenols in red wine has a strong correlation with the wine astringency intensity.

Abstract Microglia are the resident immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS), which play important roles in the repair of neuroinflammatory injury. The present study investigated the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of vinpocetine induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in BV2 microglia. BV2 microglia were pretreated with vinpocetine, and then stimulated with LPS (100 ng/mL). The cytotoxicity of BV2 microglia was assessed by MTT assay. The expression levels of nitrite oxide were measured by Griess assay. Proinflammatory cytokines and mediators were determined by Western blot, ELISA, or quantitative real-time PCR. Vinpocetine significantly decreased the generation of nitric oxide-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase- (COX-) 2 in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, vinpocetine decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β. Furthermore, it was observed that phosphorylation levels of AMPK (Thr-172) decreased in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. Vinpocetine treatment increased AMPK phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. AMPK inhibition by siRNA blocked the anti-inflammatory effects of vinpocetine induced by LPS in BV2 microglia. The overall results demonstrate that vinpocetine has anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia via inducing phosphorylation of AMPK, suggesting that vinpocetine is a potential therapeutic agent in neuroinflammatory injury.

Polyphenols make a substantial contribution to the sensory properties of wine, and their evolution is affected by the acetaldehyde present during fermentation and ageing. In this work, five typical monomelic phenolic standards and three different polymeric flavanol fractions separated from wine were tested for polyphenol/protein binding by means of circular dichroism measurement and fluorescence spectrum assay in the presence or absence of acetaldehyde, and the formation of new oligomeric compounds linked by ethyl bridges was observed through HPLC-MS analyses. The results show that the protein-binding ability of these monomers was in the order of gallic acid > caffeic acid > quercetin > (+)-catechin > (-)-epicatechin, while acetaldehyde exerted a stronger effect on (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin monomers. Moreover, different wine fractions had different responses when reacted with proteins with the participation of acetaldehyde, while the polymeric proanthocyanidins produced the largest value (84.67%) of the salivary protein precipitation index and the strongest fluorescence-quenching effect.

Abstract Background: Among the hymenopteran insect venoms, those from social wasps and bees - such as honeybee, hornets and paper wasps - have been well documented. Their venoms are composed of a number of peptides and proteins and used for defending their nests and themselves from predators. In contrast, the venoms of solitary wasps and bees have not been the object of further research. In case of solitary bees, only major peptide components in a few venoms have been addressed. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the peptide component profile of the venom from the solitary bee Xylocopa appendiculata circumvolans by peptidomic analysis with using LC-MS. Methods: A reverse-phase HPLC connected to ESI-OrbiTrap MS was used for LC-MS. On-line mass fingerprinting was made from TIC, and data-dependent tandem mass spectrometry gave MSMS spectra. A major peptide component was isolated by reverse-phase HPLC by conventional way, and its sequence was determined by Edman degradation, which was finally corroborated by solid phase synthesis. Using the synthetic specimen, biological activities (antimicrobial activity, mast cell devaluation, hemolysis, leishmanicidal activity) and pore formation in artificial lipid bilayer were evaluated. Results: On-line mass fingerprinting revealed that the crude venom contained 124 components. MS/MS analysis gave 75 full sequences of the peptide components. Most of these are related to the major and novel peptide, xylopin. Its sequence, GFVALLKKLPLILKHLH-NH2, has characteristic features of linear cationic α-helical peptides; rich in hydrophobic and basic amino acids with no disulfide bond, and accordingly, it can be predicted to adopt an amphipathic α-helix secondary structure. In biological evaluation, xylopin exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and moderate mast cell degranulation and leishmanicidal activities, but showed virtually no hemolytic activity. Additionally, the peptide was able to incorporate pores in artificial lipid bilayers of azolectin, confirming the mechanism of the cytolytic activity by pore formation in biological membranes. Conclusions: LC-ESI-MS and MS/MS analysis of the crude venom extract from a solitary bee Xylocopa appendiculata circumvolans revealed that the component profile of this venom mostly consisted of small peptides. The major peptide components, xylopin and xylopinin, were purified and characterized in a conventional manner. Their chemical and biological characteristics, belonging to linear cationic α-helical peptides, are similar to the known solitary bee venom peptides, melectin and osmin. Pore formation in artificial lipid bilayers was demonstrated for the first time with a solitary bee peptide.

The objective of this study was to construct three-dimensional (3D) images of premolars to measure the length, surface area and volume of crown and root and to analyze the mathematical relation among crown-to-root ratios in terms of length, surface area and volume. Twenty-five premolars were scanned using micro-computed tomography (micro CT) in vitro to build 3D models. The long axis and enamelo-cemental junction of each tooth were determined with the help of Geomagic Studio software, and the length, surface and volume of crown and root were measured. The crown-to-root ratios in terms of length, surface and volume were calculated and the relationship among length, surface area and volume of crown and root as well their ratios were analyzed using SPSS software. The interrelationship among crown length (x), surface area (y) and volume (z) could be expressed as z= -808.2 0+ 124.80x +3.35y -5.59x2-0.14xy+3.47y 2*10-4 (R2 = 0.99) and that of root length (x1), surface area (y1) and volume (z1), as z1= -207.50 +13.87x1+1.75y1 + 5.03x12*10-2-8.05x 1y1 *10-2+ 2.58*10-3y12 (R2 = 0.93) . The correlation among crown-to-root ratio in length(x2), crown-to-root ratio in surface area (y2) and crown-to-root ratio in volume (z2) could be expressed in z2= -4.48*10-2 -1.25x2*10-2+1.20y2 + 3.29x22-5.05x2y2 + 2.00y22 (R2 = 0.96). The length, surface area and volume of crown and root of premolars share a close relationship, while, a definite mathematical relation could be observed amongst their ratios. Crown to root ratio in terms of length, surface and volume, may provide a novel multi-criterion method for evaluating tooth function.

El objetivo de este estudio fue construir imágenes tridimensionales (3D) de los dientes premolares para medir la longitud, superficie y volumen de la corona y raíz, junto con analizar la relación matemática entre las proporciones de la corona a la raíz en términos de longitud, superficie y volumen. Veinticinco premolares fueron escaneados mediante microtomografía computadorizada (microTC) in vitro para construir modelos en 3D. Con el software Geomagic se determinaron el eje y la unión amelo-cementaria de cada diente, y se midieron la longitud, superficie y volumen de la corona y la raíz de los dientes premolares. Con el programa SPSS se calcularon y analizaron las proporciones de la corona a la raíz en términos de longitud, superficie y volumen y la relación entre la longitud, superficie y volumen de la corona y de la raíz. La interrelación entre la longitud de la corona (x), superficie (y) y el volumen (z) puede ser expresado como z= -808,2 0+ 124,80x + 3,35y -5,59x2-0,14xy + 3.47y2*10-4 (R2= 0,99) y la de longitud de la raíz (x1), área de superficie (y1) y el volumen (z1), como z1= -207,50 + 13.87x1 + 1.75y1 + 5.03x12 * 10-2-8.05x1y1 * 10-2 + 2,58 * 10-3y12 (R2= 0,93). La correlación entre la relación de corona a raíz en longitud (x2), la relación corona a raíz en superficie (y2) y la relación corona a raíz en volumen (Z2) podría expresarse en z2 = -4,48 * 10-2 * 10-2 -1.25x2 + 1.20y2 3.29x22-5.05x2y2 + 2.00y22 (R2= 0,96). La longitud, superficie y volumen de la corona y la raíz de los dientes premolares comparten una estrecha relación, mientras que, una relación matemática definida se pudo observar entre sus proporciones. La relación entre la corona y raíz en términos de longitud, superficie y volumen, puede proporcionar un nuevo método multi-criterio para evaluar la función de los dientes.