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Background: Maple syrup, a minimally transformed sweetener rich in polyphenols, can exert a action and improve metabolic parameters in animal models. However, no randomized clinical trial has investigated this., Objectives: This study aims to determine whether replacing refined sugars with an equivalent quantity of maple syrup could decrease key cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with mild metabolic alterations., Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, controlled crossover trial with 42 overweight adults with mild cardiometabolic alterations, participants were instructed to substitute 5% of their total caloric intake from added sugars with either maple syrup or an artificially flavored sucrose syrup for 8 wk. The primary outcome included changes in glucose homeostasis, whereas secondary outcomes were changes in other cardiometabolic risk factors such as blood pressure, anthropometric indices, and blood lipid profiles. Exploratory outcomes involved analyzing changes in gut microbiota composition., Results: Replacing refined sugars with maple syrup over 8 wk decreased the glucose area under the curve when compared with substituting refined sugars with sucrose syrup, as determined during the oral glucose tolerance test, leading to a significant difference between the intervention arms (-50.59 ± 201.92 compared with 29.93 ± 154.90; P < 0.047). Substituting refined sugar with maple syrup also significantly decreased android fat mass (-7.83 ± 175.05 g compared with 67.61 ± 206.71 g; P = 0.02) and systolic blood pressure (-2.72 ± 8.73 mm Hg compared with 0.87 ± 8.99 mm Hg; P = 0.03). No changes in the blood lipid profile were observed. As an exploratory outcome, we further observed that substituting refined sugars with maple syrup promoted selective taxonomic changes in the gut microbiota such as a significant reduction in the abundance of Klebsiella species and decreased microbial functions associated with bacterial-induced cytokine response, when compared with substitution with sucrose syrup., Conclusions: Substituting refined sugars with maple syrup in individuals with mild metabolic alterations result in a significantly greater reduction of key cardiometabolic risk factors compared with substitution with sucrose syrup, in association with specific changes in gut microbiota. The role of the gut microbiota in these effects remains to be further explored. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04117802., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Flatheaded borers (FHB; Chrysobothris spp.), are woodboring-beetles that lay their eggs in the bark and cambium of deciduous trees in North America. Females often target stressed host-plants for oviposition. The reason why is unknown; however, stressed plants often suffer various induced phytochemical changes that may enhance larval infestation success depending on the stressor such as induced upregulation of defenses, reallocation of nutrients, and changes to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. To understand attraction of FHB to specific stress-induced changes, we analyzed phytochemical changes associated with stress treatments and attractiveness maple trees to FHB. Trees were stressed by: (1) chemical stress (pelargonic acid herbicide), (2) physical stress (physically removing leaves), and (3) physical stress (removing portions of bark near the root crown). After reflush of defoliated trees, bark tissues where FHB larvae feed were analyzed for nutritional changes (carbon and nitrogen), anti-nutritive changes (polyphenols and tannins) and emissions of foliar VOCs. At the end of the growing season, trees were assessed for FHB larval presence and oviposition attempts. There were more larvae and oviposition attempts on trees stressed by herbicide application. Compared to other treatments, herbicide-stressed trees had greater nitrogen and total polyphenol concentrations. Greater nitrogen may play a role in the fitness of feeding larvae, and the greater polyphenol concentration may stimulate female oviposition in the herbicide stressed trees. Females may be able to locate the herbicide-stressed trees by using volatile cues such as increases in limonene, α-farnesene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) and hexenyl acetate., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Maple syrup, a popular natural sweetener has a high content of sucrose, whose consumption is linked to different health issues such as obesity and diabetes. Hence, within this paper, the conversion of sucrose to prebiotics (fructo-oligosaccharides, FOS) was proposed as a promising approach to obtaining a healthier, value-added product. Enzymatic conversion was optimized with respect to key experimental factors, and thereafter derived immobilized preparation of fructosyltransferase (FTase) from Pectinex® Ultra SP-L (FTase-epoxy Purolite, 255 IU/g support) was successfully utilized to produce novel functional product in ten consecutive reaction cycles. The product, obtained under optimal conditions (60 °C, 7.65 IU/mL, 12 h), resulted in 56.0% FOS, 16.7% sucrose, and 27.3% monosaccharides of total carbohydrates, leading to a 1.6-fold reduction in caloric content. The obtained products` prebiotic potential toward the probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v was demonstrated. The changes in physico-chemical and sensorial characteristics were esteemed as negligible., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To construct the microemulsion delivery system (ME) loading ATSO and NA and study their physicochemical characteristics to enhance their stability and water solubility., Methods: By plotting ternary phase diagrams, the composition and proportions of the MEs were determined. The physicochemical characteristics and stability of MEs were evaluated by mean diameter, polydispersity index (PDI), pH, electrical conductivity, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), rheological behaviour measurement, and phase inversion temperature (PIT)., Results: The MEs was composed with EL-40 as a surfactant and specifically with the addition of ethanol as a cosurfactant in NA-loaded ME. The mean diameters of ATSO-loaded ME and NA-loaded ME were 39.65 ± 0.24 nm and 32.90 ± 2.65 nm, and PDI were 0.49 ± 0.01 and 0.28 ± 0.14, respectively. The TEM confirmed the spherical and smooth morphology of MEs. The rheological results indicated that MEs are dilatant fluids with the advantages of low viscosity, high fluidity, and tolerance to temperature fluctuations. The mean diameter and PDI of MEs showed no significant change after storage at 25 °C for 28 days and centrifugation., Conclusion: The prepared microemulsions could expand the application prospects of ATSO and NA products in cosmetics, medicine, foods and other fields.

This work developed Acer tegmentosum extract-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) loaded chitosan (CS)/alginic acid (AL) scaffolds (CS/AL-AgNPs) to enhance the healing of E. coli-infected wounds. The SEM-EDS and XRD results revealed the successful formation of the CS/AL-AgNPs. FTIR analysis evidenced that the anionic group of AL (-COO-) and cationic amine groups of CS (-NH 3 + ) were ionically crosslinked to form scaffold (CS/AL). The CS/AL-AgNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G-) bacterial pathogens, while being non-toxic to red blood cells (RBCs), the hen's egg chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM), and a non-cancerous cell line (NIH3T3). Treatment with CS/AL-AgNPs significantly accelerated the healing of E. coli-infected wounds by regulating the collagen deposition and blood parameters as evidenced by in vivo experiments. Overall, these findings suggest that CS/AL-AgNPs are promising for the treatment of infected wounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Food adulteration is a global concern, whether it takes place intentionally or incidentally. In Canada, maple syrup is susceptible to being adulterated with cheaper syrups such as corn, beet, cane syrups, and many more due to its high price and economic importance., Results: In this study, the use of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was investigated to detect maple syrups adulterated with 15 different sugar syrups at different concentration levels. The spectra were collected in the range of 4000-650 cm -1 in the absorbance unit. These spectra were used to build six libraries and three models. A method that is capable of performing a qualitative library search using a similarity search, which is based on the first derivative correlation search algorithm, was developed. This method was further evaluated and proved to be able to capture adulterated and reject non-adulterated maple syrups, belonging to the color grades golden and amber maple syrups, with an accuracy of 93.9% and 92.3%, respectively. However, for the maple syrup belonging to the dark color grade, this method demonstrated low specificity of 33.3%, and for this reason it was only able to adequately detect adulterated samples from the non-adulterated ones with an accuracy of 81.4%., Conclusion: This simple and rapid method has strong potential for implementation in different stages of the maple syrup supply chain for early adulteration detection, particularly for golden and amber samples. Further evaluation and improvements are required for the dark color grade. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Maple syrup is a sought-after commodity, and used as a condiment and a sweetener. Also, it is an active target of economically motivated adulteration (EMA), similar to other foods such as lemon juice and honey., Objective: This study is aimed to detect low cost sugar adulteration in maple syrup via an internal standard method using malic acid through solid-phase extraction (SPE) and LC with isotope ratio mass spectrometric detection (LC-IRMS)., Methods: In this work, an optimized SPE sample preparation procedure was used for the isolation of organic acids from maple syrup. Using LC-IRMS, malic acid was separated from other organic acids and the δ13C value of malic acid was determined. Eleven maple syrup samples, domestic or imported from Canada, were evaluated for 13C/12C ratios (δ13C values) using combustion module-cavity ring down spectrometry (CM-CRDS) and compared to the δ13C values obtained from well-established elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS) methods. The δ13C values of isolated malic acid analyzed by SPE-LC-IRMS were used as internal standards and compared to the δ13C values of bulk maple syrup; difference (δ13Csugars - δ13Cmalic acid) values greater than 3.6‰ are indicative of low-cost sugar adulteration., Results: Overall, the results obtained from SPE-LC-IRMS provided a faster, novel analysis approach for determining low-cost sugar adulteration in maple syrup for regulatory purposes. This method also provided lower detectable limits of adulteration versus current literature reports using bulk analysis and comparable detection limits to Tremblay and co-workers who utilized an internal standard method., Conclusion: SPE-LC-IRMS is a robust method that can be used for detecting adulteration in maple syrup samples for regulatory purposes., Highlights: SPE-LC-IRMS is a faster, novel analysis approach for determining C4 adulteration in maple syrup with lower detection limits., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 2023.)

Our laboratory has established a comprehensive program to investigate the phytochemical composition and nutritional/medicinal properties of phenolic-enriched maple syrup extract (MSX). Previous studies support MSX's therapeutic potential in diverse disease models, primarily through its anti-inflammatory effects. We recently demonstrated MSX's ability to regulate inflammatory signaling pathways and modulate inflammatory markers and proteins in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced peritonitis mouse model. However, MSX's immunoregulatory properties remain unknown. Herein, we investigated MSX's immunoregulatory properties for the first time using an integrated approach, combining data-dependent acquisition (DDA) and data-independent acquisition (DIA) strategies in a proteomic analysis of spleen tissue collected from the aforementioned peritonitis mouse model. Additionally, we conducted immune cell activation assays using macrophages and T lymphocytes. The DIA analysis unveiled a distinctive expression pattern involving three proteins-Krt83, Thoc2, and Vps16-which were present in both the control and MSX-treated groups but absent in the LPS-induced model group. Furthermore, proteins Ppih and Dpp9 exhibited significant reductions in the MSX-treated group. Ingenuity pathway analysis indicated that MSX may modulate several critical signaling pathways, exerting a suppressive effect on immune responses in various cell types involved in both innate and adaptive immunity. Our in vitro cell assays supported findings from the proteomics, revealing that MSX significantly reduced the levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in LPS-stimulated human macrophage cells, as well as the levels of IL-2 in anti-CD3/anti-CD28-induced Jurkat T cells. Taken together, our investigations provide evidence that MSX exerts immune regulatory effects that impact both innate and adaptive immunity, which adds to the data supporting MSX's development as a functional food.

Four undescribed compounds (two 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol derivatives and two galloyl derivatives) and fourteen known compounds were isolated and structurally identified from leaves of Acer ginnala Maxim. (Amur maple). Structures and absolute configurations of the four undescribed compounds were determined using extensive analysis of NMR spectroscopic, HRESI-MS, modified Mosher ester method, and comparison with spectroscopic data of known compounds. Bioactivity evaluation revealed that the isolated 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol derivative, galloylated flavonol rhamnosides, and galloylated flavanols had inhibitory effects on both protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B, IC 50 values ranging of 3.46-12.65 μM) and α-glucosidase (IC 50 values ranging of 0.88-6.06 μM) in comparison with a positive control for PTP1B (ursolic acid, IC 50  = 5.10 μM) or α-glucosidase (acarbose, IC 50  = 141.62 μM). A combination of enzyme kinetic analysis and molecular docking provided additional evidence in favor of their inhibitory activities and mechanism. These data demonstrate that A. ginnala Maxim. together with its constituents are promising sources of potent candidates for developing novel anti-diabetic medications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Traditionally in Northern China, Acer truncatum leaves (ATL) have been used as herbal tea, now consumed worldwide. Few studies have reported ATL metabolites from different areas and their correlation with the environment. Thus, metabolomic analyses were conducted on ATL collected from twelve locations throughout four environmental zones in Northern China to understand the phytochemical differences with regards to environmental conditions. Sixty-four compounds, mostly flavonoids (FLAs) and gallic acid-containing natural products (GANPs), were characterized, including 34 previously unreported constituents from A. truncatum. Twenty-two markers were useful to differentiate ATL from the four environmental zones. Humidity, temperature, and sunshine duration are the predominant factors affecting FLAs and GANPs levels. Sunshine duration was positively correlated with eriodictyol (r = 0.994, p < 0.01), and humidity negatively with epicatechin gallate (r = -0.960, p < 0.05). These findings provide insights into ATL phytochemistry, aiding cultivation of A. truncatum tea with higher potential health benefits., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Chunlin Long reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Ronghui Gu reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Hypoglycin A (HGA), methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPrG), hypoglycin B (HGB), and γ-glutamyl-α-(methylenecyclopropyl) glycine (γ-glutamyl-MCPrG) are secondary plant metabolites occurring in sycamore maple ( Acer pseudoplatanus ) as well as several other Sapindaceae (e.g., Blighia sapida ). By interfering with energy metabolism, they may cause severe intoxication in humans and other species. However, to date, there is not enough data available concerning the intake, metabolism, or excretion of sycamore maple toxins in dairy cows. In May 2022, five cows were observed over four days, when they had first access to a pasture with two sycamore maples. Grazing of their seedlings that grew numerously in between the pasture plants was monitored by direct observation. Milk samples were drawn both from individual cows and from the bulk tank. Spontaneous urine samples were collected from all cows on day 3 after access to the pasture. Seedlings (100 g) were sampled on the pasture and analyzed, together with milk and urine samples, for sycamore toxins and their metabolites using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Cows ingested sycamore seedlings while grazing. Values of HGA in milk were below the limit of quantification. However, metabolites of HGA and MCPrG were detected in individual milk samples already at the end of the first day of grazing. Urine samples of all five cows showed higher concentrations of conjugated HGA and MCPrG metabolites than in milk. Observations suggest that dairy cows may have a low susceptibility toward sycamore maple toxins. However, whether this could be attributed to foregut fermenting species in general requires further elucidation.

Our group has previously reported on the phytochemical composition and biological activities of a phenolic-enriched maple syrup extract (MSX), which showed promising anti-inflammatory effects in several disease models including diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. However, the efficacious doses of MSX and its molecular targets involved in the anti-inflammatory effects are not fully elucidated. Herein, the efficacy of MSX in a peritonitis mouse model was evaluated in a dose-finding study and the underlying mechanisms were explored using data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics assay. MSX (at 15, 30 and 60 mg kg -1 ) alleviated lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis by reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the serum and major organs of the mice. Furthermore, DIA proteomics analyses identified a panel of proteins that were significantly altered (both up- and down-regulated) in the peritonitis group, which were counteracted by the MSX treatments. MSX treatment also modulated several inflammatory upstream regulators including interferon gamma and TNF. Ingenuity pathway analysis suggested that MSX may modulate several signaling pathways in the processes of initiation of cytokine storm, activation of liver regeneration, and suppression of hepatocyte apoptosis. Together, these proteomic and in vivo findings indicate that MSX could regulate inflammation signaling pathways and modulate inflammatory markers and proteins, providing critical insight to its therapeutic potential.

We demonstrate the application of synchrotron x-ray microtomography (microCT) to non-invasively examine the internal structure of a maple and birch sapling. We show that, through the use of standard image analysis techniques, embolised vessels can be extracted from reconstructed slices of the stem. By combining these thresholded images with connectivity analysis, we map out the embolisms within the sapling in three dimensions and evaluate the size distribution, showing that large embolisms over 0.005 mm 3 in volume compose the majority of the saplings' total embolised volume. Finally we evaluate the radial distribution of embolisms, showing that in maple fewer embolisms are present towards the cambium, while birch has a more uniform distribution., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Norway maple and sycamore, two Acer genus species, have an important ecological value and different sensitivity to stressing factors being currently aggravated by climate change. Seedling growth is postulated to be the main barrier for successful plant establishment under the climate change scenarios. Therefore, the differences in redox regulation during the seedling performance of Norway maple and sycamore were investigated. Seeds of the two Acer species exhibited an identical high germination capacity, whereas seedling emergence was higher in sycamores. PCA analyses revealed that there is more diversification in the leaf characteristics than roots. Norway maple displayed a higher chlorophyll content index (CCI) with a similar leaf mass whereas sycamore seedlings exhibited a higher normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), higher water content, higher root biomass and higher shoot height. Based on NDVI, sycamore seedlings appeared as very healthy plants, whereas Norway maple seedlings displayed a moderate healthy phenotype. Therefore, redox basis of seedling performance was investigated. The total pool of glutathione was four times higher in sycamore leaves than in Norway maple leaves and was reflected in highly reduced half-cell reduction potential of glutathione. Sycamore leaves contained more ascorbate because the content of its reduced form (AsA) was twice as high as in Norway maple. Therefore, the AsA/DHA ratio was balanced in sycamore leaves, reaching 1, and was halved in Norway maple leaves. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate content was twice as high in sycamore leaves than in Norway maples; however, its reduced form (NADPH) was predominant in Norway maple seedlings. Norway maple leaves exhibited the highest anabolic and catabolic redox charge. The higher reduction capacity and the activity of NADPH-dependent reductases in Norway maple leaves possibly resulted in higher CCI, whereas the larger root system contributed to higher NDVI in sycamore. The different methods of controlling redox parameters in Acer seedlings grown at controlled conditions provided here can be useful in understanding how tree species can cope with a changing environment in the future., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Investigation of phytochemicals and bioactive molecules is tremendously vital for the applications of new plant resources in chemistry, food, and medicine. In this study, the chemical profiling of sap of Acer mono (SAM), a Korean syrup known for its anti-osteoporosis effect, was performed using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS E analysis. A total of 23 compounds were identified based on the mass and fragmentation characteristics and most of the compounds have significant biomedical applications. The in vitro antioxidant assessment of SAM indicated excellent activity by scavenging DPPH and ABTS-free radicals and were found to be 23.35 mg mL -1 and 29.33 mg mL -1 , respectively, as IC 50 concentrations. As well, the in vitro proliferation effect of the SAM was assessed against mouse MC3T3-E1 cells, and the results showed that the SAM enhanced the proliferation of the cells, and 12.5 mg mL -1 and 25 mg mL -1 of SAM were selected for osteogenic differentiation. The morphological analysis clearly evidenced the SAM enhanced the osteogenic activity in MC3T3-E1 cells by the increased deposition of extracellular calcium and nodule formation. Moreover, the qRT-PCR analysis confirmed the increased expression of osteoblast marker gene expression including ALP, osteocalcin, osteopontin, collagen1α1, Runx2, and osterix in SAM-treated MC3T3-E1 cells. Together, these results suggest that SAM possesses osteogenic effects and can be used for bone regeneration and bone loss-associated diseases such as osteoporosis.

Maple syrup is a delicacy prepared by boiling the sap taken from numerous Acer species, primarily sugar maple trees. Compared to other natural sweeteners, maple syrup is believed to be preferable to refined sugar for its high concentration of phenolic compounds and mineral content. The presence of organic acids (malic acid), amino acids and relevant amounts of minerals, such as potassium, calcium, zinc and manganese, make maple syrup unique. Given the growing demand for naturally derived sweeteners over the past decade, this review paper deals with and discusses in detail the most important aspects of chemical maple syrup analyses, with a particular emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of the different analytical approaches. A successful utilization on the application of maple syrup in the food industry, will rely on a better understanding of its safety, quality control, nutritional profile, and health impacts, including its sustainability issues.

Hypoglycin A (HGA) and methylenecyclpropylglycine (MCPrG) are formed by some maple trees ( Acer species) and have been associated with incidences of atypical myopathy among horses in pastures. In this work, a simple and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method without derivatization was developed for the quantification of HGA and MCPrG in maple samples and validated according to EU guidelines. The LOQ presented here for HGA (16.4 µg/kg) is considerably lower than the lowest published LOQ (500 µg/kg). This method confirms that sycamore and box elder maple contain considerable amounts of HGA and MCPrG. In addition, the presence of the dipeptides hypoglycin B and γ-glutamyl-MCPrG in these two maple species is shown using high-resolution MS. This is the first report on the presence of these dipeptides in maple since 1973. The presence of HGB and γ-glutamyl-MCPrG could change the way we understand animal intoxication following the ingestion of maple.

Acer truncatum seed oil (ATSO) contains abundant unsaturated fatty acids, with significant quantities of nervonic acid (NA, > 5%), which was authenticated as a new food resource in China. For the sake of minimizing animal consumption and the importance of NA for human health, extraction of NA from plants has become a research hotspot. In the present study, three extraction factors were determined to significantly influence the saponification reaction based on single-factor experiments: NaOH dosage, reaction time, and reaction temperature. These three factors were used to further optimize the saponification process through the response surface methodology, and the highest yield of mixed fatty acids was 83.12%. Moreover, the activation energy (40.8228 kJ/mol), the pre-exponential factor [2.568 × 10 6 m 3 /(kmol·min)], and the kinetic equation [r A = kc A c B = 2.568 × 10 6 ·exp(- 4970 . 1 T ) $\frac{{{\rm{4970}}{\rm{.1}}}}{{\rm{T}}})$ c A c B ] of the ATSO saponification reaction were determined by combining the chemical reaction rate equation of the elementary reaction, the Arrhenius equation, and the NaOH concentration in the substrate. Finally, the mixed fatty acids of ATSO were crystallized by triple-stage low-temperature crystallization, and we achieved 25.05% purity for NA. This study provides a technological basis and strategy for specific fatty acid production from ASTO, as well as other vegetable oils important in the field of food and health supplement products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Nervonic acid (NA) is an essential component of neural cells and neural tissue, and it is vital for maintaining the normal work of nerve tissues in organisms and promotes neurodevelopment. NA has traditionally been mainly obtained from shark hunting, which is now restricted due to an international ban on shark fishing. The alternative way to produce NA cheaply and in large quantities is from plant sources. The techniques utilized in this study provide an effective method of NA separation from Acer truncatum seed oil for industrial production., (© 2022 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Acer truncatum Bunge is now widely cultivated throughout the world. Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a potential target in the treatment of both obesity and cancer. Only a few FAS inhibitors have been reported. In this study, the inhibitory effect of A. truncatum seed coat (ESA) on FAS and the inhibition mechanisms were investigated using a FAS activity assay and an enzyme kinetics study. The main chemicals of ESA were analyzed with UPLC-MS/MS. The effects of ESA on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation were investigated using Oil red O staining. We first identified seven main compounds (quinic acid, malic acid, gentisic acid, procyanidin dimer, procyanidin trimer, catechin, and quercetin) from 50% ethanol extracts of seed coats of A. truncatum (ESAs), which were then found to inhibit 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation at the concentration of 50 μg/mL. ESA obviously reduced the visible triglyceride droplets accumulation, and dramatically decreased the number of the adipocytes at a comparatively high concentration. It is suggested that the effects are due to the inhibition of FAS by ESA; FAS activity is inhibited by ESA at a half inhibition concentration (IC 50 ) of 0.57 μg/mL, which is lower than that of classically known FAS inhibitors. Meanwhile, ESA displayed different inhibition kinetics and reacting sites for FAS. These results provide new clues for the development of novel products for obesity treatment and a scientific basis for the full use of byproducts for future industrial production of vegetable oil.

Background: Most plants encounter water stress at one or more different stages of their life cycle. The maintenance of genetic stability is the integral component of desiccation tolerance that defines the storage ability and long-term survival of seeds. Embryonic axes of desiccation-sensitive recalcitrant seeds of Acer pseudoplatnus L. were used to investigate the genotoxic effect of desiccation. Alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) methodology was optimized and used to provide unique insights into the onset and repair of DNA strand breaks and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG) formation during progressive steps of desiccation and rehydration., Results: The loss of DNA integrity and impairment of damage repair were significant predictors of the viability of embryonic axes. In contrast to the comet assay, automated electrophoresis failed to detect changes in DNA integrity resulting from desiccation. Notably, no significant correlation was observed between hydroxyl radical ( ٠ OH) production and 8-oxoG formation, although the former is regarded to play a major role in guanine oxidation., Conclusions: The high-throughput comet assay represents a sensitive tool for monitoring discrete changes in DNA integrity and assessing the viability status in plant germplasm processed for long-term storage., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of different adulteration agents (agave, maple, corn, rice and inverted sugar) on honey rheology. There was studied the influence of different percentages of adulteration agent on steady state and dynamic state rheology but also on rheology in the negative temperature domain. The authentic honey and adulterated ones behaved as a Newtonian fluid with a liquid-like behavior (G">>G'). Regarding the physicochemical parameters analyzed (moisture and sugar content), significant changes depending on the adulteration agent/degree used were observed. The viscoelastical parameters (η*-complex viscosity, G' -elastic modulus and G"-viscous modulus) and glass transition temperature (T g ) were predicted in function of the chemical composition (moisture content, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, raffinose, trehalose, turanose, melesitose, and F/G ratio) using the PLS-R (partial least square regression). All parameters analyzed had a high regression coefficient for calibration (> 0.810) and validation (> 0.790), except for the elastic modulus., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Practicability of advanced and innovative techniques facilitates the high yield of cellulose extraction within a short period. The research aimed at the extraction of naturally abundant cellulose from Acer platanoides by "Nitrogen protected microwave assisted extraction (NPMAE)". The NPMAE uses microwaves for heating the sample and helps in fast extraction of cellulose in the presence of nitrogen atmosphere. Cellulose extraction was intensified by bleaching treatment in closed multimode NPMAE system at 100 W and 120 °C for 15 min. Experiment's result found that Acer platanoides fiber contains 70% cellulose content and diffferent analysis were studied for all chemically pre-treated fibers and found variations in results after each chemical treatment. The SEM results of bleached fibers show the rough surface due to the removal of lignin and hemicellulose. XRD pattern and FTIR analysis are in the favor of cellulose extraction and results show the presence of type I cellulose with 65% crystallinity index whileTGA and dTGA results explain that cellulose of Acer platanoides bleached fibers (APBF) is more thermally stable below 370 °C than other pre-treated fibers., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hypoglycin A (HGA) and methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPrG) from seeds/seedlings of Sycamore maple (SM, Acer pseudoplatanus) causes atypical myopathy (AM) in horses. AM was not known to occur in wild ruminants until several fatalities in milus (Elaphurus davidianus) following the ingestion of HGA in SM seeds. However, a role for MCPrG has not previously been evaluated., Objectives: To test the hypothesis that MCPrG is also a major factor in AM in milus, three milus (M1, M2, M3) from the Zoo Dresden (aged 7-11 years, 2 females and 1 male, in good nutritional condition) that developed AM were studied., Methods: Serum, urine and methanol extracts from the liver, kidney, rumen digesta and faeces were analysed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for HGA, MCPrG and for conjugates of carnitine (C) and glycine (G): Methylenecyclopropylacetyl (MCPA)-G, MCPA-C, Methylenecyclopropylformyl (MCPF)-G, MCPF-C, butyryl-C and isobutyryl-C., Results: HGA in serum was high (M2 480 nmol/L; M3 460 nmol/L), but MCPrG was not. HGA and MCPrG were found in rumen and faeces extracts, and MCPrG was also identified in the liver. Metabolites of HGA and MCPrG were high in serum, urine and liver, but not in the rumen or faeces., Conclusions: This study shows that MCPrG is involved in the pathophysiology of AM in milus. The metabolism of MCPrG is considered to be faster because, after ingestion, the specific metabolites appear highly concentrated in the serum. The high toxin concentration in the liver suggests that a possible transfer into products for human consumption may pose a risk., (© 2020 The Authors Veterinary Medicine and Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Skin, the organ protecting the human body from external factors, maintains structural and tensile strength by containing many collagen fibrils, particularly type I procollagen. However, oxidative stress by ultraviolet (UV) exposure causes skin photoaging by activating collagen degradation and inhibiting collagen synthesis. Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala extract (AGE) is a herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects, but there is no report on the protective effect against skin photoaging. Therefore, we conducted research concentrating on the anti-photoaging effect of Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala (AG) in UVB (20 mJ/cm 2 )-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). Then, various concentrations (7.5, 15, 30 µg/mL) of AGE were treated in HDF for 24 h following UVB irradiation. After we performed AGE treatment, the matrix metalloproteinase1 (MMP1) expression was downregulated, and the type I procollagen level was recovered. Then, we investigated the mitogen-activated protein kinases/activator protein 1 (MAPK/AP-1) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway, which induce collagen breakdown by promoting the MMP1 level and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The results indicated that AGE downregulates the expression of the MAPK/AP-1 pathway, leading to MMP1 reduction. AGE inhibits nuclear translocation of NF-κB and inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (IκB) degradation. Therefore, it downregulates the expression of MMP1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 increased by UVB. Besides, the TGFβ/Smad pathway, which is mainly responsible for the collagen synthesis in the skin, was also analyzed. AGE decreases the expression of Smad7 and increases TGFβRII expression and Smad3 phosphorylation. This means that AGE stimulates the TGFβ/Smad pathway that plays a critical role in promoting collagen synthesis. Thus, this study suggests that AGE can be a functional material with anti-photoaging properties.

Background: Poisoning with Acer pseudoplatanus L. in horses contradicts the hypothesis of coexistence between plants and vertebrate herbivores being mediated through antipastoral traits as toxins. However, incidental observations showed that horses evaded Acer seedlings with primary leaves. The objective of the present cross-discipline study was (i) to analyse whether developmental stages of A. pseudoplatanus L. differed as to phenolics hypothesised as antipastoral traits, and (ii) to observe systematically the selection behaviour of pastured horses towards A. pseudoplatanus seedlings., Methods: Phenolic profiles of five developmental stages from fruits to seedlings of progressing age up to adult leaves of A. pseudoplatanus and Acer campestre L. were characterised. Video recordings of grazing behaviour of 29 pastured horses towards seedlings of A. pseudoplatanus resulted into 117 sequences as additional field data., Results: The horses ingested 19.1 per cent of juvenile seedlings with cotyledons (1.65 mg total phenolics/g fresh weight (FW), 82 compounds, 0.02 mg total gallic acid/g FW) yet only 5.46 per cent of older seedlings with primary leaves (8.48 mg total phenolics/g FW, 120 compounds, 3.13 mg total gallic acid/g FW)., Conclusion: Horses distinguished between seedlings in distinct stages that could be chemically distinguished, too. Acer seedlings with primary leaves provide a strong, but not complete antipastoral effect that correlates with dramatic changes in phenolic compounds., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© British Veterinary Association 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Taste and appreciation of sports drinks can affect perceived exertion during exercise. Anecdotal evidence shows that maple products are regularly consumed by recreational and professional athletes but very few studies have reported on their effects during exercise. The purpose of the current study is to report the taste, appreciation and perceived exertion following the ingestion of maple-based sports drinks and other carbohydrate drinks during prolonged exercise., Methods: Recreationally and competitively active male subjects (n = 76, mass = 73.7 ± 10.3 kg, maximum oxygen consumption (VO 2 max) = 4.4 ± 0.5 L/min, maximal aerobic power (MAP) = 309 ± 42 W) ingested one of four carbohydrate solutions (all at 60 g CHO/L): concentrated maple sap (MW), diluted maple syrup (MS), glucose (G), a commercial sports drink (CSD), or a placebo (P; water sweetened with stevia) at every 30 min during 120 min of steady-state exercise (SSE) on a cycle ergometer at 66% MAP. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE, Borg CR-10) were recorded at each 30 min throughout SSE. A questionnaire was administered to assess sensory characteristics (sweetness, acidity, refreshing, and overall taste on a visual analogue scale, converted to decimals from 0 to 1) and appreciation (sweet, acid and overall on a 9-point hedonic scale) 30 min before (immediately after the first ingestion) and immediately after SSE., Results: Sweetness was perceived to be higher for MW than G and P (pre: 0.60 ± 0.19, 0.51 ± 0.17 and 0.50 ± 0.17 and post: 0.69 ± 0.19, 0.34 ± 0.18 and 0.48 ± 0.22; p < 0.05, respectively) and MS was rated higher than MW for the appreciation of the sweet taste (pre: 6.5 ± 1.5 vs. 4.6 ± 1.8 and post: 6.8 ± 1.8 and 4.1 ± 1.8; p < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, subjects that had ingested MW, reported a significantly lower RPE than those with P at 120 min (14.1 ± 2.2 vs. 16.0 ± 2.0, respectively)., Conclusions: A sports drink containing maple syrup is well appreciated during prolonged exercise and appears to be a viable alternatives to more common sources of carbohydrates., Trial Registration: NCT02880124 . Registered on 26 August 2016.

We investigated the effect of Acer tegmentosum Maxim (ATM) on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells and anti-obesity properties in obese rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Cellular lipid content in DMI (dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and insulin mixture)-treated cells increased, while ATM treatment caused a significant reduction in lipid accumulation in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. ATM (60 ug/mL) caused inhibition of adipogenesis via down-regulation of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β ( C/EBPβ ) (48%), C/EBPα (66%), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ ( PPARγ ) (64%) expressions in 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, ATM induced a decrease in the expressions of adipocyte-specific genes, such as adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein-2 ( aP2 ), fatty acid synthase ( FAS ), and lipoprotein lipase ( LPL ). Protein kinase B ( Akt ) and glycogen synthase kinase 3β ( GSK3β ) phosphorylation was also decreased by ATM treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We investigated the anti-obesity effects of ATM on HFD-induced obese rats. Rats fed with an HFD demonstrated elevations in body weight gain, while the administration of ATM reversed body weight (BW) gains and adipose tissue weights in rats fed an HFD. ATM supplementation caused a decrease in the circulating triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and led to inhibition of lipid accumulation in the adipose tissues in HFD-induced obese rats. Epididymal fat exhibited significantly larger adipocytes in the HFD group than it did in the ATM-treated group. These results demonstrate that ATM administration caused a reduction in adiposity via attenuation in adipose tissue mass and adipocyte size.

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine whether the administration of Acer palmatum thumb. leaf extract (KIOM-2015E) protects against the degeneration of rat retinal ganglion cells after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) induced by midbrain cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)., Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 90 min of MCAO, which produces transient ischemia in both the retina and brain due to the use of an intraluminal filament that blocks the ophthalmic and middle cerebral arteries. This was followed by reperfusion under anesthesia with isoflurane. The day after surgery, the eyes were treated three times (eye drop) or one time (oral administration) daily with KIOM-2015E for five days. Retinal histology was assessed in flat mounts and vertical sections to determine the effect of KIOM-2015E on I/R injury., Results: A significant loss of brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3A (Brn3a) and neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin (Tuj-1) fluorescence and a marked increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and glutamine synthetase (GS) expression were observed after five days in the PBS-treated MCAO group compared to the sham-operated control group. However, KIOM-2015E treatment reduced (1) MCAO-induced upregulation of GFAP and GS, (2) retinal ganglion cell loss, (3) nerve fiber degeneration, and (4) the number of TUNEL-positive cells. KIOM-2015E application also increased staining for parvalbumin (a marker of horizontal cell associated calcium-binding protein and amacrine cells) and recoverin (a marker of photoreceptor expression) in rats subjected to MCAO-induced retinal damage., Conclusions: Our findings indicated that KIOM-2015E treatment exerted protective effects against retinal damage following MCAO injury and that this extract may aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for retinal diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular disease., (Copyright © 2020 Molecular Vision.)

Authentic freshly distilled Tennessee whiskey is filtered through maple charcoal in a processing step known as the Lincoln County Process (LCP). Changes in odorants resulting from the LCP were characterized by a comparative aroma extract dilution analysis (cAEDA), quantitated by stable isotope dilution assays (SIDA), and odor activity values (OAVs) were calculated. Sensory evaluation showed a decrease in malty, rancid, fatty, and roasty aroma attributes of the distillate after LCP treatment. Forty-nine odorants were identified, nine of which have not been previously reported in the whiskey distillate literature. Thirty-one odorants were quantitated, all showing a decrease in concentration as a result of LCP treatment. Odorants, including (2 E ,4 E )-nona-2,4-dienal (fatty), 3-methylbutanoic acid (rancid), 2'-aminoacetophenone (foxy), and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (roasty), dropped below detection thresholds (OAV < 1) following LCP treatment. Concentrations of lipid-derived aldehydes, organic acids, and other odorants decreased between 13 and >99%. The present investigation lays the groundwork for future studies aimed at flavor optimization for Tennessee whiskey production.

Leaf color is affected primarily by the content and proportion of various pigments. Not only do photosynthetic pigments display various colors, they are also key to the physiological activities of plants. To precisely elucidate the mechanisms of chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis and their interactions in red maple, transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling were performed on green, red and yellow leaves from a selected red maple mutant. In the chlorophyll pathway, ArPOR1, ArCLH2, and ArCLH4 positively regulated chlorophyll a, and made it the dominant pigment in green leaves, whereas ArNOL8 and ArNOL14 negatively regulated chlorophyll synthesis. In the carotenoid pathway, under the positive regulation of ArLUT5-1 and ArLUT5-4, the synthesis of carotenoids changed from α-branch to β-branch during the gradual senescence of leaves. Through integrated data analysis, we obtained genes that directly coordinated between carotenoid and chlorophyll biosynthesis. Ultimately, the results of this paper will be a valuable resource for future research on gene-to-metabolite correlations in red maple, and provide basic information toward facilitating the improvement of color in foliage plants., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Maple syrup, made by boiling the sap of Acer saccharum, is an important agriculture commodity in eastern Canada and New England. Although the collection season is relatively short, a rich progression in the sensory qualities of maple syrup can occur throughout the season. A risk associated with maple syrup production at the end of a season is the development of off-flavors that result in syrup with little to no commercial value. Maple syrup producers in Canada and the USA call this 'buddy syrup'. In this study, sugar maple (Acer saccharum) sap was collected in sequential samples through the harvest season from stands across Ontario. Metabolomics analysis of the sap samples was performed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. This revealed an evolution of the chemical composition, mainly occurring 30 days prior to leaf emergence. The major chemical constituent of maple syrup, sucrose, decreased sharply in late season sap, driven by microbial activity. The alditol mannitol increased in late season sap to concentrations ≥2 mg/mL and is likely an indicator of the start of photosynthesis. Amino acids, notably methionine and asparagine were present in higher amounts in late season sap. Non-targeted analysis revealed a series of related compounds that contained quaternary ammonium moieties including choline, hercynine, trigonelline, glycine betaine and carnitine increased in late season sap. These classes of compounds could act as methyl donors during the heating/evaporation of sap into syrup, affecting taste. Based on descriptions of the nature of buddy syrup and an extensive literature on flavors in foods, the amino acids methionine and asparagine were found as likely precursors to the compounds responsible for buddy syrup., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Phytochemicals from functional foods are common ingredients in dietary supplements and cosmetic products for anti-skin aging effects due to their antioxidant activities. A proprietary red maple (Acer rubrum) leaf extract (Maplifa™) and its major phenolic compound, ginnalin A (GA), have been reported to show antioxidant, anti-melanogenesis, and anti-glycation effects but their protective effects against oxidative stress in human skin cells remain unknown. Herein, we investigated the cytoprotective effects of Maplifa™ and GA against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and methylglyoxal (MGO)-induced oxidative stress in human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). H2O2 and MGO (both at 400 μM) induced toxicity in HaCaT cells and reduced their viability to 59.2 and 61.6%, respectively. Treatment of Maplifa™ (50 μg mL-1) and GA (50 μM) increased the viability of H2O2- and MGO-treated cells by 22.0 and 15.5%, respectively. Maplifa™ and GA also showed cytoprotective effects by reducing H2O2-induced apoptosis in HaCaT cells by 8.0 and 7.2%, respectively. The anti-apoptotic effect of Maplifa™ was further supported by the decreased levels of apoptosis associated enzymes including caspases-3/7 and -8 in HaCaT cells by 49.5 and 19.0%, respectively. In addition, Maplifa™ (50 μg mL-1) and GA (50 μM) reduced H2O2- and MGO-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) by 84.1 and 56.8%, respectively. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis showed that Maplifa™ and GA reduced MGO-induced total cellular ROS production while increasing mitochondria-derived ROS production in HaCaT cells. The cytoprotective effects of Maplifa™ and GA in human keratinocytes support their potential utilization for cosmetic and/or dermatological applications.

Obesity increases risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). A high fat diet (HFD) can lead to amyloidosis and amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation, which are hallmarks of AD. In this study, protective effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of Acer okamotoanum (EAO) and isoquercitrin were evaluated on obesity and amyloidosis in the HFD- and Aβ-induced mouse model. To induce obesity and AD by HFD and Aβ, mice were provided with HFD for 10 weeks and were intracerebroventricularly injected with Aβ 25-35 . For four weeks, 100 and 10 mg/kg/day of EAO and isoquercitrin, respectively, were administered orally. Administration of EAO and isoquercitrin significantly decreased body weight in HFD and Aβ-injected mice. Additionally, EAO- and isoquercitrin-administered groups attenuated abnormal adipokines release via a decrease in leptin and an increase in adiponectin levels compared with the control group. Furthermore, HFD and Aβ-injected mice had damaged liver tissues, but EAO- and isoquercitrin-administered groups attenuated liver damage. Moreover, administration of EAO and isoquercitrin groups down-regulated amyloidosis-related proteins in the brain such as β-secretase, presenilin (PS)-1 and PS-2 compared with HFD and Aβ-injected mice. This study indicated that EAO and isoquercitrin attenuated HFD and Aβ-induced obesity and amyloidosis, suggesting that they could be effective in preventing and treating both obesity and AD.

Flavonoids, quercitrin, isoquercitrin (IQ), and afzelin, were isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of Acer okamotoanum . We investigated anti-obesity effects and mechanisms of three flavonoids from A. okamotoanum in the differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. The differentiated 3T3-L1 cells increased triglyceride (TG) contents, compared with non-differentiated normal group. However, treatments of three flavonoids from A. okamotoanum decreased TG contents without cytotoxicity. In addition, they showed significant down-regulation of several adipogenic transcription factors, such as γ-cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine/enhancer binding protein -α, -β, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, compared with non-treated control group. Furthermore, treatment of the flavonoids inhibited expressions of lipogenesis-related proteins including fatty acid synthase, adipocyte protein 2, and glucose transporter 4. Moreover, IQ-treated group showed significant up-regulation of lipolysis-related proteins such as adipose triglyceride lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase. In addition, flavonoids significantly activated 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) compared to control group. In particular, IQ showed higher inhibition of TG accumulation by regulation of pathways related with both adipogenesis and lipolysis, than other flavonoids. The present results indicated that three flavonoids of A. okamotoanum showed anti-obesity activity by regulation of adipocyte differentiation, lipolysis, and AMPK signaling, suggesting as an anti-obesity functional agents.

Explorative experiments were done to figure out differences in the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of not infested trees and trees infested by Anoplophora glabripennis (Asian longhorn beetle, ALB), a quarantine pest. Therefore, VOCs from some native insect species, Anoplophora glabripennis infested Acer, stressed Acer, healthy Acer, Populus and Salix were obtained by enrichment on adsorbents. Qualitative analysis was done by thermal desorption gas chromatography coupled with a mass selective detector (TD-GC/MS). Altogether 169 substances were identified. 11 substances occur from ALB infested or mechanically damaged trees i.e. stressed trees, but not from healthy trees. (+)-Cyclosativene, (+)-α-longipinene, copaene and caryophyllene are detectable only from ALB-infested Acer not from mechanically damaged or healthy Acer. However, these substances are also emitted by healthy Salix. 2,4-Dimethyl-1-heptene is among all tree samples exclusively present in the ambience of ALB-infested trees. It´s rarely detectable from native insect species' samples.

Acer okamotoanum is reported to have various antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory and beneficial immune system effects. The anti‑adipocyte differentiation effects and mechanisms of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of an A. okamotoanum extraction was investigated in 3T3‑L1 adipocyte cells. Treatment with differentiation inducers increased the level of triglycerides (TGs) in 3T3‑L1 adipocyte cells compared with an untreated control. However, the EtOAc fraction of A. okamotoanum significantly decreased TGs. Treatment with 1, 2.5 and 5 µg/ml showed weak activity, but TG production was inhibited at 10 µg/ml compared with the control. In addition, A. okamotoanum caused a significant downregulation of proteins related to adipogenesis, such as γ‑cytidine‑cytidine‑adenosine‑adenosine‑thymidine/enhancer binding protein‑α, ‑β and peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor‑γ, compared with the untreated control. Furthermore, A. okamotoanum significantly upregulated lipolysis related protein, hormone‑sensitive lipase and the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate‑activated protein kinase (AMPK). Therefore, these results indicate that A. okamotoanum suppressed adipogenesis and increased lipolysis and the activation of AMPK, suggesting a protective role in adipocyte differentiation.

Objective: Periodontitis disease is a chronic inflammation, and the prevention or treatment of periodontal disease is important for improving oral health and averting systemic diseases.Acer tegmentosum Maxim (ATM) is a type of deciduous tree in Korea. ATM extracts have been traditionally used to treat various dieases. This study investigated the effects of ATM extract on mitigation of periodontitis in vitro and in vivo., Design: The current study investigated whether extracts ofAcer tegmentosum Maxim (ATM) attenuated periodontitis induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro and in vivo. We used a rat model of experimental periodontitis that received oral administration of 1 mg/kg P. gingivalis-derived LPS for 10 days. Periodontitis models was treated with two different dosages of ATM (30 or 100 mg/kg) during the same period of periodontal induction for histological analysis., Results: The results indicated that aqueous ATM extracts effectively ameliorated ligature-induced periodontitis through of the antibacterial, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities., Conclusion: These pre-clinical results suggest the need for further studies on the anti-periodontitis effect of ATM in humans. Thus, ATM could be used as a natural anti-periodontitis agent for the treatment of periodontitis., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Pit membranes between xylem vessels play a major role in angiosperm water transport. Yet, their three-dimensional (3D) structure as fibrous porous media remains unknown, largely due to technical challenges and sample preparation artefacts. Here, we applied a modelling approach based on thickness measurements of fresh and fully shrunken pit membranes of seven species. Pore constrictions were also investigated visually by perfusing fresh material with colloidal gold particles of known sizes. Based on a shrinkage model, fresh pit membranes showed tiny pore constrictions of ca. 20 nm, but a very high porosity (i.e. pore volume fraction) of on average 0.81. Perfusion experiments showed similar pore constrictions in fresh samples, well below 50 nm based on transmission electron microscopy. Drying caused a 50% shrinkage of pit membranes, resulting in much smaller pore constrictions. These findings suggest that pit membranes represent a mesoporous medium, with the pore space characterized by multiple constrictions. Constrictions are much smaller than previously assumed, but the pore volume is large and highly interconnected. Pores do not form highly tortuous, bent, or zigzagging pathways. These insights provide a novel view on pit membranes, which is essential to develop a mechanistic, 3D understanding of air-seeding through this porous medium., (© 2019 The Authors. Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Four new barringtogenol C-type triterpenoid saponins, namely acerplatanosides A - D (1: -4: ), along with 22 known compounds (5: -26: ), were isolated from the stem bark of Norway maple ( Acer platanoides ). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic analyses and chemical hydrolysis. This is the first report of triterpenoid saponins isolated from Norway maple. Compounds 1, 3: , and 4: showed cytotoxicity against 4 human cancer cell lines with IC 50 values ranging from 9.4 to 39.5 µM., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

In our ongoing research to discover natural products with neuroprotective effects, hyperoside (quercetin 3-O-galactoside) was isolated from Acer tegmentosum, which has been used in Korean traditional medicine to treat liver-related disorders. Here, we demonstrated that hyperoside protects cultured dopaminergic neurons from death via reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent mechanisms, although other relevant mechanisms of hyperoside activity remain largely uncharacterized. For the first time, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of hyperoside on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced neurotoxicity in neurons, and the possible underlying mechanisms. Hyperoside significantly ameliorated the loss of neuronal cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase release, excessive ROS accumulation and mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunction associated with 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity. Furthermore, hyperoside treatment activated the nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), an upstream molecule of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Hyperoside also induced the expression of HO-1, an antioxidant response gene. Remarkably, we found that the neuroprotective effects of hyperoside were weakened by an Nrf2 small interfering RNA, which blocked the ability of hyperoside to inhibit neuronal death, indicating the vital role of HO-1. Overall, we show that hyperoside, via the induction of Nrf2-dependent HO-1 activation, suppresses neuronal death caused by 6-OHDA-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, Nrf2-dependent HO-1 signaling activation represents a potential preventive and therapeutic target in Parkinson's disease management., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) are known as a risk factor of Alzheimer's disease. We previously identified isoquercitrin (IQ) as an active compound of Acer okamotoanum. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of the active ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction from A. okamotoanum and IQ on HFD and Aβ25-35-induced cognitive impairment mice. C57BL/6J mice were fed with HFD for 10 weeks and then Aβ25-35 was injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.). The EtOAc fraction of A. okamotoanum and IQ were administered orally for 4 weeks at 100 and 10 mg kg-1 day-1, respectively. Learning and memory functions were evaluated using behavioral tests including T-maze, object recognition and Morris water maze tests. The HFD and Aβ25-35 injection significantly impaired cognitive and memory function. However, administration of A. okamotoanum and IQ improved spatial cognitive ability and object recognition ability in T-maze and novel object recognition tests. In addition, A. okamotoanum and IQ-administered groups showed enhanced learning and memory function compared with HFD and Aβ25-35-induced cognitive impairment mice in the Morris water maze test. Furthermore, administration of A. okamotoanum and IQ attenuated oxidative stress in the brain via inhibition of reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide formation. Therefore, we suggest that A. okamotoanum and IQ improve HFD- and Aβ25-35-induced cognitive impairment by inhibition of oxidative stress, and A. okamotoanum and IQ might be potential candidates for prevention and treatment of obesity- and Aβ-induced cognitive impairment.

The incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing rapidly and is associated with changes in dietary habits. Although restrictions in the use of sweeteners may prevent the development of DM, this might reduce the quality of life of patients with DM. Therefore, there has been a great deal of research into alternative sweeteners. In the search for such sweeteners, we analyzed the carbohydrate content of maple syrup and identified a novel oligosaccharide composed of fructose and glucose, linked at the C-4 of glucose and the C-6 of fructose. This oligosaccharide inhibited the release of fructose from sucrose by invertase (IC 50 : 1.17 mmol/L) and the decomposition of maltose by α-(1-4) glucosidase (IC 50 : 1.72 mmol/L). In addition, when orally administered together with sucrose to rats with DM, the subsequent plasma glucose concentrations were significantly lower than if the rats had been administered sucrose alone, without having any effect on the insulin concentration. These findings suggest that this novel oligosaccharide might represent a useful alternative sweetener for inclusion in the diet of patients with DM and may also have therapeutic benefits.

Background: Several pasture management strategies have been proposed to avoid hypoglycin A (HGA) intoxication in horses, but their efficacy has never been investigated., Objectives: To evaluate the effect of mowing and herbicidal spraying on HGA content of sycamore seedlings and the presence of HGA in seeds and seedlings processed within haylage and silage., Study Design: Experimental study., Methods: Groups of seedlings were mowed (n = 6), sprayed with a dimethylamine-based (n = 2) or a picolinic acid-based herbicide (n = 1). Seedlings were collected before intervention, and at 48 h, 1 and 2 weeks after. Cut grass in the vicinity of mowed seedlings was collected pre-cutting and after 1 week. Seeds and seedling (n = 6) samples processed within haylage and silage were collected. HGA concentration in samples was measured using a validated LC-MS-based method., Results: There was no significant decline in HGA content in either mowed or sprayed seedlings; indeed, mowing induced a temporary significant rise in HGA content of seedlings. HGA concentration increased significantly (albeit to low levels) in grass cut with the seedlings by 1 week. HGA was still present in sycamore material after 6-8 months storage within either hay or silage., Main Limitations: Restricted number of herbicide compounds tested., Conclusions: Neither mowing nor herbicidal spraying reduces HGA concentration in sycamore seedlings up to 2 weeks after intervention. Cross contamination is possible between grass and sycamore seedlings when mowed together. Mowing followed by collection of sycamore seedlings seems the current best option to avoid HGA toxicity in horses grazing contaminated pasture. Pastures contaminated with sycamore material should not be used to produce processed hay or silage as both seedlings and seeds present in the bales still pose a risk of intoxication., (© 2019 EVJ Ltd.)

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of carbohydrate (CHO) drinks (6% per volume) sweetened with maple (syrup or sap) to a commercial sports drink, glucose, and a control solution (water) on cognitive flexibility during high-intensity intermittent exercise., Methods: Eighty-five active men completed six 3-min bouts at 95% of their maximal aerobic power on a stationary bike, with 3 min of passive rest between efforts. Subjects were randomly allocated to an ingestion condition. Following each exercise bout, subjects ingested 166 mL of the experimental solution, drinking a total of 1 L of the same solution throughout the experimentation. Cognitive flexibility was measured using reaction time and accuracy on the Stroop task. The cognitive task was performed a total of 10 times, including 15 and 30 min post-exercise. Glycemia and cerebral oxygenation were also measured at each time point. Statistical analyses were performed using a two-way ANOVA (Condition × Time) with repeated measures., Results: The ingestion of maple products and the commercial sports drink led to a lesser increase in glycemia than glucose ingestion. CHO ingestion, when compared to water, induced a slight reduction in reaction times on the cognitive task, especially in the switching trials. CHO ingestion had no impact on cerebral oxygenation., Conclusions: This study shows that CHO ingestion, regardless of its type, tends to improve cognitive performance throughout exercise, especially during difficult cognitive tasks.

The complex structure of plant cell walls resists chemical or biological degradation, challenging the breakdown of lignocellulosic biomass into renewable chemical precursors that could form the basis of future production of green chemicals and transportation fuels. Here, experimental and computational results reveal that the effect of the tetrahydrofuran (THF)-water cosolvents on the structure of lignin and on its interactions with cellulose in the cell wall drives multiple synergistic mechanisms leading to the efficient breakdown and fractionation of biomass into valuable chemical precursors. Molecular simulations show that THF-water is an excellent "theta" solvent, such that lignin dissociates from itself and from cellulose and expands to form a random coil. The expansion of the lignin molecules exposes interunit linkages, rendering them more susceptible to depolymerization by acid-catalyzed cleavage of aryl-ether bonds. Nanoscale infrared sensors confirm cosolvent-mediated molecular rearrangement of lignin in the cell wall of micrometer-thick hardwood slices and track the disappearance of lignin. At bulk scale, adding dilute acid to the cosolvent mixture liberates the majority of the hemicellulose and lignin from biomass, allowing unfettered access of cellulolytic enzymes to the remaining cellulose-rich material, allowing them to sustain high rates of hydrolysis to glucose without enzyme deactivation. Through this multiscale analysis, synergistic mechanisms for biomass deconstruction are identified, portending a paradigm shift toward first-principles design and evaluation of other cosolvent methods to realize low cost fuels and bioproducts.

Recent studies about hot-water extracts from sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.) bark and buds demonstrated that they contain high amounts of phenolic structures that may be used as antioxidant food additives. However, the detailed chemical composition of these maple-derived extracts has yet to be determined. By performing high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-HRMS)-based dereplication, we were able to spike and classify almost 100 metabolites in each hot-water extract. The sugar maple bark hot-water extract is rich in simple phenolic compounds and phenylpropanoid derivatives, while bud extract contains predominantly flavonoids, benzoic acids, and their complex derivatives (condensed and hydrolyzable tannins). Among those chemical structures, we tentatively identified 69 phenolic compounds potentially reported for the first time in the genus Acer . Considering the growing commercial demand in natural products, the phenolic fingerprints of sugar maple bark and bud hot-water extracts will help in promoting these two maple-derived products as new sources of bioactive compounds in the food, nutraceutical, and cosmetic industries.

The potential of K 2 FeO 4 as a pretreatment agent of a lignocellulosic material was examined on leaves of Acer platanodides as the sole substrate for biogas production by anaerobic digestion carried out through modelling laboratory-scaled semi-continuous reactors differing in loading rates and substrate (pretreated and untreated leaves). The quality of bioagas produced by K 2 FeO 4 -pretreated leaves was significantly better in terms of higher methane content and lower content of H 2 S. K 2 FeO 4 had no crucial influence on growth inhibition of biogas-producing bacteria, which were analysed by comprehensive culture-independent methods utilising high-throughput sequencing of specific genes [bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA, formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase gene (fhs), methyl-coenzyme M reductase α subunit gene (mcrA) and fungal internal transcribed spacers (ITS)]. The higher amount of CH 4 in biogas utilising pretreated leaves as substrate could be caused by a shift to acetoclastic methanogenesis pathway, which was indicated by the higher amount of homoacetogenic bacteria and acetotrophic methanogens detected in those reactors.

Buddy maple syrup is characterized by an unpleasant cabbage-like flavor occurring generally toward the end of the sap harvest season. Occurrence of buddy off-flavor leads to a decrease in syrup value and economic loss for the industry. It is therefore relevant to characterize the off-flavor in order to apply corrective treatments. HS-SPME combined with GC/MS was applied to analyze volatile aroma compounds in buddy maple syrup samples. Two novel volatile sulfur compounds were found in maple syrup: dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and dimethyl trisulfide. A 3-alternative forced choice in ascending concentration of different buddy syrups diluted in good quality syrup was conducted in triplicate to assess buddy syrup concentration thresholds leading to detection and recognition of the off-flavor by 16 panelists while monitoring volatile aroma compounds in diluted samples. Results showed that DMDS was associated with the flavor defect. The recognition threshold concentration of buddy syrup varies depending on the syrup sample and the off-flavor can be detected in syrups containing very low DMDS content. Application of a continuous heat treatment on buddy syrups for 2 hr at 104.5 °C led to a removal of the buddy off-flavor as well as a significant reduction in DMDS content. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The results of this study provide a better understanding of the buddy off-flavor in maple syrup and the heat treatment applied allowed us to eliminate this defect and obtain a syrup with a better sensory quality., (© 2019 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease that causes bone weakness and fragility. Consuming bone-beneficial nutrients through diet can prevent and treat osteoporosis. Acer palmatum (Japanese maple) leaves are used to make tea, but there have been few reports of their health benefits, especially regarding bone homeostasis. In this study, we evaluated the effects of A. palmatum hot water extract (APE) on osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis in cultured cells. APE suppressed the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated osteoclasts in RANKL induced RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, APE facilitated Alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition during osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed to investigate the effective components of APE, and four flavonoids orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, and isovitexin were identified with the LC-MS analysis. Treatment with fractionated APE suppressed osteoclastogenesis and facilitated osteoblastogenesis in cultured cells. These findings suggest that APE contains antiosteoporotic compounds; thus, APE might have health promoting effects that help prevent osteoporosis by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and facilitating osteoblastogenesis.

The seasonal senescence of leaves in the phenological cycle coincides with the change of their strength properties which determine resistance to environmental conditions and the efficiency of the photosynthesis process. That affects the development, growth and condition of the plant. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to observe and compare the results of strength tests performed on the leaves of two species of trees popular in Poland - lime and maple. As well as chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic pigments content in the context of the changes occurring during the entire leaf life cycle. Obtained results showed that the strength properties of the tested leaves reached the minimum values in spring and the maximum in the summer similarly to the leaf greenness index. Whereas the fluorescence increased which the seasonal senescence in opposition to the photosynthesis efficiency of the leaves. Collected data revealed that strength parameters and photosynthetic pigment content were significantly higher for maple leaves than for lime leaves. Studies showed differences between physiological and mechanical properties of the leaves of two trees species, even if they grew under the same environmental conditions. It is concluded from the results that phenotype and physical parameters of leaves are related to seasonal senescence.