Antioxidant activity, total phenolic, and aflatoxin contamination in tempeh made from assorted soybeans (Glycine max L Merill)

Tempeh is a fermented product made from soybeans or other types of legumes using Rhizopus oligosporus and Rhizopus oryzae moulds. Soybean contains phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds found in soybeans partially act as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are components that are able to inhibit the oxidation process. Soybean also contains aflatoxins. Tempeh made from fermented soybeans may indicate to contain aflatoxins. This study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with treatments of four soybean types, namely imported “Bola” brand soybean (A1), local Dena 1 type soybean (A2), local Devon 1 type soybean (A3), and local Anjasmara type soybean (A4). Each treatment was repeated three times. Analyses carried out include antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds and aflatoxin contamination. The results of antioxidant activity analysis show that the highest activity is found in Anjasmara tempeh at 38.62±0.22% and the lowest in Dena 1 tempeh at 29.83±0.12%. The results of the total phenolic analysis showed that the highest activity is found in Anjasmara tempeh at 16.26±0.29 mg GAE/g extract and the lowest in Dena 1 tempeh at 13.96±0.29 mg GAE/g extract. The results of aflatoxin analysis, using the LC-MS/MS method confirmed that tempeh raw materials (USA-imported, Dena 1, and Anjasmara) contain aflatoxin of B1, B2 and G1 types, while Devon 1 material was confirmed to contain B1 and B2 types. The lowest aflatoxin concentration is found in tempeh made from Devon 1 at 2.53 x 10-7 ppb of the B2 aflatoxin type.

Alpha-tocopherol improves sperm quality by regulate intracellular Ca2+ intensity (influx/efflux) of Simmental bull cattle sperm

Background

The effects of α-tocopherol on intracellular Ca²⁺ intensity in semen cryopreservation by regulate intracellular Ca²⁺ intensity have not been reported yet.

Objective

The research was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation α- tocopherol into egg yolk skim milk extender on sperm quality and intracellular Ca²⁺ intensity.

Methods

Semen samples were collected and supplemented with respectively 0mM (P0); 0.5mM (P1); 1mM (P2); 1.5mM (P3) and 2mM (P4) α-tocopherol in extender before cryopreservation processes. Post-thawing sperm was evaluated for motility, viability, and abnormality using Phase Contrast Microscope (200x) with eosin-nigrosine staining, and intracellular Ca²⁺ intensity of the best result dose was evaluated using Confocal Laser Scan Microscope (400x) with Fluo-3 Staining.

Results

The results showed there was a significant difference (P≤0.05) in sperm motility and viability between P0; P1 with P2; P3; P4. The Motility and viability between groups P0; P1 and P3; P4 showed no significant difference (P≥0.05), while P2 with P3; P4 showed significant difference (P≤0.05). There was a significant difference (P≤0.05) in sperm abnormality of P0; P1 with P2; P3; P4. The abnormality between P0; P1 and P2; P3 showed no significant difference (P≥0.05), while P2; P3 showed a significant difference with P4 (P≤0.05). The best result in sperm quality was supplementation with 1.5mM α-tocopherol. Ca²⁺ intracellular intensity: 142.76± 21.8 au (P0) and 176.06±61.43 au (P3).

Conclusions

It was concluded that 1.5mM α-tocopherol is the best dose to improve sperm quality by regulating intracellular Ca²⁺ intensity on Simmental bull cattle.

Neutralization antibody responses induced by Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine

Single doses of Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine of the Nakayama strain were given to members of the staffs of a hospital and 99 paired-sera were obtained. Neutralization antibody titers of the sera were determined against the Nakayama strain and E-50 strain, isolated from wild Culex tritaeniorhynchus using clone C6/36 of Singh's Aedes albopictus mosquito cell culture. Post-vaccination sera showed a significant neutralizing antibody response against both the Nakayama and E-50 strain. The geometrical mean neutralization titers of post-vaccination sera against the Nakayama and E-50 strains were in the same order, although the geometrical mean neutralization titer against the Nakayama strain was the higher in pre-vaccination sera. The antibody responses against the Nakayama strain and E-50 strain were somewhat different in detail: 7 individuals with a pre-vaccination neutralization titers of less than 10 showed antibody responses to the Nakayama strain, whereas 3 individuals of the same group did not show any detectable response to the E-50 strain.