White, beige and brown adipose tissue: structure, function, specific features and possibility formation and divergence in pigs

Introduction. Traditionally, mammalian adipose tissue is divided into white (white adipose tissue – WAT) and brown (brown adipose tissue – BAT). While the functions of WAT are well known as the triglyceride depot, the role of BAT in mammalian physiology has been under close investigation. The first description of the role of BAT in maintaining thermogenesis dates back to 1961. This article offers a review of structural and functional specificity of white, beige and brown adipose tissue. Results and discussion. The differences and descriptions of adipocytes and their impact on the maintenance of the main functions of the mammalian body are described in this manuscript. In particular, thermogenesis, stress response, obesity, type II diabetes. In addition to WAT and BAT, an intermediate form was also detected in the body – beige fat (BeAT or Brite). The opposite opinions regarding the presence of three types of adipose tissue in the human and animal bodies are presented. Studies on the identification of uncoupling proteins 1 and 3 and their role in the transformation of white fat into beige/brown are considered. Basically, the data on the factors of endogenous and exogenous nature on their formation are given on the example of the human body. Conclusion. With an abundance of publications on the keywords: “white, brown fat”, these studies, in the overwhelming majority, are devoted to the role of these fats in the formation of human thermogenesis, the assessment of the impact on obesity. Pigs have also been suggested to lack functional BAT, which is a major cause of neonatal death in the swine industry, therefore the focus on investigating role of different types of adipose tissue in pigs seems very promising in order to understand whether there is a compensating mechanism of thermogenesis.

Erosion potential of ultrasonic food processing

Introduction. Cavitation is the most significant factor that affects liquid food products during ultrasound treatment. Ultrasonic treatment intensifies diffusion, dissolution, and chemical interactions. However, no physical model has yet been developed to unambiguously define the interaction between ultrasonic cavities and structural particles of liquid food media. Physical models used to describe ultrasonic interactions in liquid food media are diverse and, sometimes, contradictory. The research objective was to study ultrasonic devices in order to improve their operating modes and increase reliability. Study objects and methods. The present research featured ultrasonic field generated in water by the cylindrical emitter, the intensity of flexural ultrasonic waves and their damping rate at various distances from the emitter. Results and discussion. The paper offers a review of available publications on the theory of acoustic cavitation in various media. The experimental studies featured the distribution of cavities in the ultrasound field of rod vibrating systems in water. The research revealed the erosion capacity of ultrasonic waves generated by the cylindrical emitter. The article also contains a theoretical analysis of the cavitation damage to aluminum foil in water and the erosive effect of cavitation on highly rigid materials of ultrasonic vibration systems. The obtained results were illustrated by semi-graphical dependences. Conclusion. The present research made it possible to assess the energy capabilities of cavities generated by ultrasonic field at different distances from the ultrasonic emitter. The size of the contact spot and the penetration depth can serve as a criterion for the erosion of the surface of the ultrasonic emitter.

Cooked sausage enriched with essential nutrients for the gastrointestinal diet

Introduction. People with gastrointestinal disorders should have a sparing diet with a balanced chemical and amino acid composition including all essential components. Based on formulations of meat products, we identified a number of essential nutritional components that could improve the diet for gastrointestinal pathologies. In this study, we aimed to develop a formulation for cooked sausage enriched with deficient essential nutrients. Study objects and methods. Our study object was cooked sausage. First, we analyzed the diet for people with gastrointestinal disorders. Then, we formulated a meat-based product (cooked sausage), determined its chemical and amino acid compositions, as well as vitamin and mineral contents, and assessed the balance of amino acids. Finally, we evaluated the biological value and safety of the formulated sausage on laboratory mice. Results and discussion. The chemical and amino acid compositions of a daily gastrointestinal diet in medical institutions revealed a deficiency of some water-soluble vitamins, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, and iron, as well as an imbalance of amino acids. To replenish the deficiency, we formulated a meat-based product composed of trimmed beef and pork, beef liver, egg mix, food gelatin, chitosan succinate, rice flour, and soy fortifier. The product was classified as a meat and cereal cooked sausage of grade B, in which most amino acids were used for anabolic purposes. Its daily portion of 100 g eliminated the deficiency of potassium and iron, almost completely replenished magnesium, calcium, and vitamin A, as well as reduced the deficiency of dietary fiber by 4.8 g. The cytological studies of the blood of laboratory animals, whose basic diet contained the formulated sausage, proved its high biological value and safety. Conclusion. We found that the formulated meat and cereal sausage can be included in the diet for patients with gastrointestinal diseases and used in medical institutions to eliminate the deficiency of essential nutrients.

Sorghum extract: Phytochemical, proximate, and GC-MS analyses

Introduction. Sorghum is available cereal seeds of African origin belonging to the Poaceae family. However, its metabolites and proximate composition have not studied well, which led to the under-utilization of this cereal. This research aimed to investigate the classes of phytochemical and proximate compositions of sorghum extract in order to assess its nutraceutical potential for food chemistry and dietary formulations. Study objects and methods. We studied the sorghum seed oil extract obtained with the help of a Soxhlet extractor. Sorghum was purchased in Ota, Nigeria. The bioactive compounds were identified by standard methods of phytochemical screening, the nutritional content was investigated with proximate analysis, and the secondary metabolites in the sorghum extract were determined using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Result and discussion. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of steroids, saponins, terpenoids, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, and quinones in the sorghum extract. The oil yield obtained was 11.00 ± 0.18%. The proximate analysis revealed 5.94% moisture content, 3.05% ash, 0.20% crude fiber, 11.00% fat, 5.54% protein, and 74.27% carbohydrates. The selected physicochemical parameters measured in the sorghum extract included cloud point (0.40°C), specific gravity at 25°C (0.81), and refractive index (1.46). The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, stigmasterol, 8-dodecen-1-ol, acetate, (Z)-, vitamin E, linoleic acid ethyl ester, and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, which accounted for about 85% in the sorghum composition. Other constituents, presented at lower amounts, included 12-heptadecyn-1-ol, 1H-Imidazole-5-ethanamine, 1-methyl-, and cyclononene. Conclusion. The findings of this study revealed high nutritive potential of sorghum, which make it a rich source of energy for humans and animals.

Gliadin proteins from wheat flour: the optimal determination conditions by ELISA

Introduction. The number of people with celiac disease is rapidly increasing. Gluten, is one of the most common food allergens, consists of two fractions: gliadins and glutenins. The research objective was to determine the optimal conditions for estimating gliadins by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Study objects and methods. The experiment involved wheat flour samples (0.10; 0.20, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 g) suspended in different solvents (ethanol, methanol, 1-propanol, and isopropanol) of different concentrations (40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% v/v). The samples were diluted with Tris buffer in ratios of 1:50, 1:100, 1:150, and 1:200. The gliadin test was performed using a Gliadin/Gluten Biotech commercial ELISA kit (Immunolab). Results and discussion. The optimal conditions for determining gliadin proteins that provided the highest gliadin concentration were: solvent – 70% v/v ethanol, extract:Tris buffer ratio – 1:50, and sample weight – 1.0 g. Conclusion. The obtained results can be of great importance to determine gliadin/gluten concentrations in food products by rapid analysis methods.

RNN- and CNN-based weed detection for crop improvement: An overview

Introduction. Deep learning is a modern technique for image processing and data analysis with promising results and great potential. Successfully applied in various fields, it has recently entered the field of agriculture to address such agricultural problems as disease identification, fruit/plant classification, fruit counting, pest identification, and weed detection. The latter was the subject of our work. Weeds are harmful plants that grow in crops, competing for things like sunlight and water and causing crop yield losses. Traditional data processing techniques have several limitations and consume a lot of time. Therefore, we aimed to take inventory of deep learning networks used in agriculture and conduct experiments to reveal the most efficient ones for weed control. Study objects and methods. We used new advanced algorithms based on deep learning to process data in real time with high precision and efficiency. These algorithms were trained on a dataset containing real images of weeds taken from Moroccan fields. Results and discussion. The analysis of deep learning methods and algorithms trained to detect weeds showed that the Convolutional Neural Network is the most widely used in agriculture and the most efficient in weed detection compared to others, such as the Recurrent Neural Network. Conclusion. Since the Convolutional Neural Network demonstrated excellent accuracy in weed detection, we adopted it in building a smart system for detecting weeds and spraying them in place.

Cytotoxic effect of Myrtus communis, Aristolochia longa, and Calycotome spinosa on human erythrocyte cells

Introduction. Myrtus communis, Aristolochia longa, and Calycotome spinosa are medicinal plants frequently used in Algeria. Some plants can cause a fragility of the erythrocyte membrane and lead to hemolysis. Therefore, we aimed to study the cytotoxicity of aqueous extracts from the aerial part of these species against red blood cells. Study objects and methods. The hemolytic effect was determined spectrophotometrically by incubating an erythrocyte solution with different concentrations of the aqueous extracts (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/mL) at 37°C during one hour. In addition, we performed phytochemical screening and measured the contents of polyphenols and flavonoids. Results and discussion. After one hour of incubation of human red blood cells with the aqueous extracts at different concentrations, the hemolysis percentage showed a significant leak of hemoglobin with A. longa (68.75 ± 6.11%; 200 mg/mL), the most toxic extract followed by C. spinosa (34.86 ± 5.06%; 200 mg/mL). In contrast, M. communis showed very low cytotoxicity (20.13 ± 3.11%; 200 mg/mL). Conclusion. These plants are sources of a wide range of bioactive compounds but their use in traditional medicine must be adapted to avoid any toxic effect.

Formulating a functional drink with antiosteoporosis effects

Introduction. Osteoporosis is one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system in modern clinical practice. Its prevention and treatment requires a diet with a sufficient intake of calcium, vitamins, and connective tissue proteins that regenerate cartilage and bone tissue. We aimed to formulate a functional product based on collagen fermentolysate to prevent osteoporosis and prove its effects in experiments on laboratory rats. Study objects and methods. Our study objects were collagen fermentolysate obtained from pork ears and legs (1:1) and the functional product based on it. The biological experiment was carried out on Wistar female rats exposed to osteoporosis through complete ovariectomy. Their femurs were analyzed for the contents of phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium, as well as cytometric and biochemical blood parameters. Results and discussion. The formulated functional product based on collagen fermentolysate contained 41% of the most easily assimilable peptide fractions with a low molecular weight of 10 to 20 kDa. Other components included pumpkin powder, dietary fiber, calcium, chondroprotectors, and vitamins E, C, and D3. Compared to the control, the experimental rats that received the functional product had increased contents of calcium and magnesium in the bone tissue (by 25.0 and 3.0%, respectively), a decreased content of phosphorus (by 7.0%), a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio restored to 2.4:1.0, and a higher concentration of osteocalcin in the blood serum (by 15%). Conclusion. The developed functional product based on collagen fermentolysate can be used as an additional source of connective tissue protein, calcium, vitamins C, E, and D3, dietary fiber, and chondroprotectors to prevent osteoporosis.

Choline intake effects on psychophysiological indicators of students in the pre-exam period

Introduction. Choline has a wide range of physiological functions. It has a neuroprotective effect on brain dysfunctions, while its deficiency has a negative effect on antenatal development of the nervous system. We aimed to study the impact of exogenous choline on the psychophysiological indicators in students. Study objects and methods. 87 students were surveyed by questionnaire to determine their background intake of dietary choline. One month before the exams, we measured their simple and complex visual-motor reaction times, functional mobility and balance of nervous processes, as well as indicators of their short-term memory, attention, health, activity, and mood. Then, we divided the students into a control and an experimental group, regardless of their choline intake. The experimental group took 700 mg choline supplements on a daily basis for one month, followed by a second psychophysiological examination. Results and discussion. Students with a low choline intake had lower functional mobility and balance of nervous processes, but better attention stability than students with a high choline intake. The second examination showed improved short-term memory, health, and activity indicators in the experimental group, compared to the control. The visual-motor reaction times also increased, but only in students with an initially low level of choline intake. Conclusion. Choline supplementation can be recommended to students under pre-exam stress to enhance the functional state of their central nervous system.

The microorganism-plant system for remediation of soil exposed to coal mining

Introduction. Coal mining causes a radical transformation of the soil cover. Research is required into modern methods and complementary technologies for monitoring technogenic landscapes and their remediation. Our study aimed to assess soil and rhizosphere microorganisms and their potential uses for the remediation of technogenic soils in Russian coal regions. Study objects and methods. We reviewed scientific articles published over the past five years, as well as those cited in Scopus and Web of Science. Results and discussion. Areas lying in the vicinity of coal mines and coal transportation lines are exposed to heavy metal contamination. We studied the application of soil remediation technologies that use sorbents from environmentally friendly natural materials as immobilizers of toxic elements and compounds. Mycorrhizal symbionts are used for soil decontamination, such as arbuscular mycorrhiza with characteristic morphological structures in root cortex cells and some mycotallia in the form of arbuscules or vesicles. Highly important are Gram-negative proteobacteria (Agrobacterium, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Burkholderia, Bradyrizobium, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Rizobium), Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus, Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus), and Grampositive actinomycetes (Rhodococcus, Streptomyces, Arhtrobacter). They produce phytohormones, vitamins, and bioactive substances, stimulating plant growth. Also, they reduce the phytopathogenicity of dangerous diseases and harmfulness of insects. Finally, they increase the soil’s tolerance to salinity, drought, and oxidative stress. Mycorrhizal chains enable the transport and exchange of various substances, including mineral forms of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic forms of C3 and C4 plants. Microorganisms contribute to the removal of toxic elements by absorbing, precipitating or accumulating them both inside the cells and in the extracellular space. Conclusion. Our review of scientific literature identified the sources of pollution of natural, agrogenic, and technogenic landscapes. We revealed the effects of toxic pollutants on the state and functioning of living systems: plants, animals, and microorganisms. Finally, we gave examples of modern methods used to remediate degraded landscapes and reclaim disturbed lands, including the latest technologies based on the integration of plants and microorganisms.