€544. A Convenient Solid for Calibration of the Gouy MagneticSusceptibility Apparatus. By B. N. FIGGIS and R. S. NYHOLM. THE measurement of magnetic susceptibilities by the Gouy method is a relative one, the apparatus being calibrated in terms of a substance of known susceptibility, for which water, nickel chloride solution, and powdered cupric sulphate pentahydrate or ferrous ammonium sulphate hexahydrate have been used. The low suceptibility of water is often inconvenient if small tubes are being calibrated. Nickel chloride solution requires accurate analysis before use and ferrous ammonium sulphate is often of questionable purity. This substance and copper sulphate do not pack well and several different values for the susceptibilities of both solids have been reported.The required properties for a calibrant are: (1) Readily available pure;(2) an accurately known and moderate susceptibility (xg = ;(3) stability in moist air;(4) xg must vary in a known and simple way, at least at room temperature; (5) easily and reproducibly packable into the Gouy tube. The complex mercury tetrathiocyanatocobaltate HgCo(CNS), offers some advantages and its susceptibility has therefore been accurately determined. at 20' 1 being used as reference, the gram susceptibility of the complex is 16.44 (-&O.OS) x at 20".As reported elsewhere,l it obeys the Curie-Weiss law, xg cc (T + lO)-l where T is expressed

Because of their antioxidant properties, furan fatty acids (furan-FAs) are valuable minor compounds with a widespread occurrence in all living matter. Unfortunately, pure standards are not readily available, because they usually contribute only 1% to the lipid fraction. A known exception of this is the milky fluid of Hevea brasiliensis, commonly known as latex, in which the furan-FA 9-(3-methyl-5-pentylfuran-2-yl)-nonanoic acid (9M5) contributes about 90% to the triacylglycerides. In this study, we investigated the content of 9M5 in 30 different disposable latex gloves, which ranged from 0.7 to 8.2 mg/g of glove. The light degradability of 9M5 in latex gloves was investigated, and different amounts of 9M5 in disposable latex gloves were attributed to varying exposure time to light. Additionally, over 100 mg of the methyl or ethyl ester of 9M5 (purity of >98%) could be extracted from disposable latex gloves, employing cold extraction and silver ion chromatography. With this method, standards for the quantitation of furan-FAs are obtained easily and rapidly in all laboratories.

Furan fatty acids (FuFAs) are valuable minor compounds in our food with excellent antioxidant properties. Naturally occurring FuFAs are characterised by a central furan moiety with one or two methyl groups in β-/β'-position of the heterocycle (monomethyl-or M-FuFAs and dimethyl-or D-FuFAs). Comparably high concentrations of D-/M-FuFAs were reported in soybeans, but soy is often consumed as a processed product, such as full-fat soy flour and flakes, soy drink, tofu and texturised soy protein (TSP). Due to the chemical lability of D-/M-FuFAs, e.g. in the presence of light or oxygen, a degradation during the processing is possible. For this purpose, freshly harvested soybeans (n = 4) and differently processed soybean products (n = 22) were analysed on FuFAs. Three FuFAs, i.e. 11-(3,4-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2-yl)-undecanoic acid (11D5), 9-(3,4-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2-yl)-nonanoic acid (9D5), and 9-(3-methyl-5-pentylfuran-2-yl)-nonanoic acid (9M5), were identified and quantified in all fresh soybeans and most of the processed soy products (n = 20). A trend towards lower D-/M-FuFA contents in higher processed products was observable. Lower FuFA concentrations were usually accompanied with a decrease of the share of the less stable D-FuFAs (9D5, 11D5) in favour of the M-FuFA 9M5. Furthermore, one or two 3,4-nonmethylated furan fatty acids (N-FuFAs), i.e. 8-(5-hexylfuran-2-yl)-octanoic acid (8F6) and partly 7-(5-heptylfuran-2-yl)-heptanoic acid (7F7), were detected in all processed products, but not in the freshly harvested soybeans. Our results indicate that D-/M-/N-FuFAs may serve as suitable markers for both, careful manufacturing processes and adequate storage conditions of soy products.

Furan fatty acids (FuFAs) are valuable minor fatty acids, characterized by a central furan ring within the acyl chain. This furan moiety can be substituted with one (monomethyl, M-FuFAs) or two methyl groups (dimethyl, D-FuFAs). The carboxyalkyl chain is usually odd-numbered (7 to 13 carbon atoms) while the terminal alkyl residue is typically a propyl or a pentyl group [1]. FuFAs short terms such as 9M5 (Figure 1) and 11D5 are derived from (i) a number for the carbon number of the carboxyalkyl chain (here 9 or 11), (ii) a letter for the furan moiety (M or D) and (iii) a number of carbons of the alkyl residue (here: 5 for pentyl) [2].

An inhibitory effect on α-amylase and α-glucosidase is postulated for polyphenols. Thus, ingestion of those secondary plant metabolites might reduce postprandial blood glucose level (hyperglycemia), which is a major risk factor for diabetes mellitus type II. In addition to a previous study investigating structure−effect relationships of different phenolic structures, the effect of anthocyanins is studied in detail here, by applying an α-amylase activity assay, on the basis of the conversion of 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl-4-O-ß-galactopyranosyl maltoside (GalG2CNP) and detection of CNP release by UV/Vis spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). All anthocyanin-3-glucosides showed a mixed inhibition with a strong competitive proportion, Kic < 134 µM and Kiu < 270 µM; however, the impact of the B-ring substitution was not statistically significant. UV/Vis detection failed to examine the inhibitory effect of acylated cyanidins isolated from black carrot (Daucus carota ssp. Sativus var. Autrorubens Alef.). However, ITC measurements reveal a much stronger inhibitory effect compared to the cyanidin-3-glucoside. Our results support the hypothesis that anthocyanins are efficient α-amylase inhibitors and an additional acylation with a cinnamic acid boosts the observed effect. Therefore, an increased consumption of vegetables containing acylated anthocyanin derivatives might help to prevent hyperglycemia.