PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

A quantum leap in carotenoid analysis: Speed and precision unlocked

A novel computational technique offers a faster, more accurate approach for measuring bioactive carotenoids, reducing error rates and analysis time

A quantum leap in carotenoid analysis: Speed and precision unlocked
2024-12-06
(Press-News.org)

Carotenoids, the pigments responsible for the vibrant hues of tomatoes, carrots, and some seafood, are well-regarded for their antioxidant effects and health benefits. A few examples of commercially significant carotenoids are lycopene, β-carotene, and astaxanthin. These compounds are frequently used in functional foods, skincare products, and dietary supplements. However, the bioactivity of these carotenoids depends heavily on their isomeric form, with Z-isomers typically showing higher biological activity but being more challenging to quantify. Traditional methods often require months of analysis and can produce error rates reaching up to 100 %.

 

In this view, a team of researchers with Dr. Yasushi Honda from HPC Systems Inc. and Dr. Masaki Honda from Meijo University have now introduced an innovative solution. “Our new technique leverages quantum chemical calculations, enabling us to analyze carotenoid isomers quickly and accurately, reducing the margin of error to just 2%,” explains Dr. Yasushi Honda. This study was published in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications on 19th October 2024.

 

Using density functional theory (DFT), the team successfully simulated the UV-visible spectra such as peak shifts and intensity changes of both all-E- (trans) and Z- (cis) isomers. The computational data closely matched experimental measurements, accurately reproducing key spectral features. Crucially, this approach enabled precise calculation of response factors for the Z-isomers, which are difficult to determine through conventional lab methods. This method, believed to be a world-first application of quantum chemistry for quantitative purposes, significantly boosts both the precision and speed of analysis. Traditional methods for analyzing (Z)-carotenoids could take months (because it is necessary to prepare a large amount of high-purity (Z)-carotenoids), but this new approach reduces the time to just a few ten minutes.

 

The findings highlighted the utility of quantum chemical calculations in obtaining precise Q-ratios, which describe the relative intensity of Z-peaks to main absorption peaks. These ratios are crucial for identifying isomers in complex mixtures. The study also identified that the sum of intensities of main peaks and Z-peaks almost remained consistent across isomers, providing a novel analytical marker for carotenoid characterization.

 

Also, parameters such as response factors essential for correcting HPLC detection sensitivity differences were predicted with exceptional precision. The average deviation between theoretical and experimental response factors was less than 2.5%. This breakthrough eliminates the reliance on experimentally derived response factors, which are often limited in scope and accuracy. At present, many product labels only include the content of the more stable all-E-isomers, potentially underestimating the accurate amount of bioactive compounds. The new method offers a path to more detailed and truthful labelling, benefiting both manufacturers and end-users.

 

While the results of the study are promising, the researchers acknowledge that their simulations were conducted in a vacuum environment, which might not entirely reflect conditions in real-world applications involving solvents. Future research will focus on refining the method to account for these environmental factors and expanding its use to a wider variety of compounds.

 

“This approach goes beyond carotenoids. We’re optimistic that it can be adapted to analyze other rare or unstable molecules, which could have significant implications on the industrial world in various fields, including food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals,” says Dr. Masaki Honda while highlighting the impact of the study.

 

The research team plans to explore further the use of quantum chemical calculations for various functional compounds, potentially opening new avenues for innovation, quality control, and research across multiple industries.

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
A quantum leap in carotenoid analysis: Speed and precision unlocked

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Kumamoto University researchers discover groundbreaking antidiabetic compound

Kumamoto University researchers discover groundbreaking antidiabetic compound
2024-12-06
Kumamoto University scientists have unveiled a novel compound, HPH-15, with dual effects of reducing blood glucose levels and combating fat accumulation, marking a significant leap in diabetes treatment innovation. Type 2 diabetes, a condition affecting millions worldwide, is often accompanied by complications like fatty liver and insulin resistance, which challenge current treatment methods. The research team, led by Visiting Associate Professor Hiroshi Tateishi and Professor Eiichi Araki, has identified HPH-15 as a promising alternative to existing medications like metformin. The study, published in Diabetologia, a top journal in the field of diabetes, demonstrates ...

Imaging technique allows rapid assessment of ovarian cancer subtypes and their response to treatment

Imaging technique allows rapid assessment of ovarian cancer subtypes and their response to treatment
2024-12-06
An MRI-based imaging technique developed at the University of Cambridge predicts the response of ovarian cancer tumours to treatment, and rapidly reveals how well treatment is working, in patient-derived cell models. The technique, called hyperpolarised carbon-13 imaging, can increase the detected signal in an MRI scanner by more than 10,000 times. Scientists have found that the technique can distinguish between two different subtypes of ovarian cancer, to reveal their sensitivities to treatment. They used it to look at patient-derived cell models that closely mimic the behaviour of human high grade serous ovarian cancer, ...

Genetic study of native hazelnut challenges misconceptions about how ancient Indigenous peoples used the land

2024-12-06
By decoding the DNA of the beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), a native plant that thrives in British Columbia, a team of multidisciplinary scientists is providing new insight into how ancestral Indigenous peoples stewarded plants across the province.  Led by Chelsey Geralda Armstrong, an assistant professor in Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Department of Indigenous Studies, the innovative study was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), a major scientific journal.  “The misconception that Indigenous ...

Greater patient education needed around antidepressants which may reduce genital sensitivity, SFU study finds

2024-12-06
The use of antidepressants is associated with sexual side effects including reduced genital sensitivity that persists after stopping the medication, a new Simon Fraser University study finds. The study, published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, indicates that 13 per cent of people who used antidepressants reported a reduction in genital sensitivity, compared to one per cent of users of other psychiatric medications.  “It’s gone under the radar for so long, largely due to stigma, shame and embarrassment,” says Yassie Pirani, an SFU alumnus and lead author on the study. ...

Increases in US life expectancy forecasted to stall by 2050, poorer health expected to cause nation’s global ranking to drop

2024-12-06
SEATTLE, Wash., Dec. 5, 2024 – The U.S. is failing to keep pace with dozens of countries around the world due to the steady decline of the nation’s health progress, according to a detailed analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., published in The Lancet. Researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) produced health estimates and forecasts (the most likely future) of life expectancy, mortality, and morbidity due to more than 350 diseases and injuries and 68 risks in the U.S. from 1990 to 2050. U.S. life expectancy improvements slow, global ranking drops  Life expectancy (LE) in the U.S. is forecasted to increase from ...

Gut microbiota: A consensus paper to regulate the "wild west" of diagnostic tests

2024-12-06
The gut microbiota might perhaps one day become a routine tool for the early diagnosis of many diseases and to guide treatment, but at present there is a lack of solid scientific evidence to support these claims. Yet, day by day, there are more and more offers of commercial kits for do-it-yourself testing, at the moment totally lacking in meaning and scientific solidity. To put a stop to this drift, an international panel of experts, coordinated by Dr Gianluca Ianiro, has drawn up ‘instructions for use’ for best practice in microbiota testing and recommendations for its indications, methods of analysis, presentation of results and potential clinical ...

Pacific curators restore Indigenous voices to colonial-era collections

Pacific curators restore Indigenous voices to colonial-era collections
2024-12-06
Fault Lines: Imagining Indigenous futures for colonial collections, at the University of Cambridge’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) from 6th December 2024 to 21st December 2025, examines interactions between Indigenous communities and colonial institutions in this vast and culturally diverse region. From the 18th century, Indigenous peoples across the Pacific have navigated a changing roster of imperial powers including Great Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The exhibition combines historic artefacts with newly commissioned artistic responses to examine the enduring legacies of cultural extraction and destruction during ...

What’s next for science: NRL to showcase advanced technology and research at AGU 2024

What’s next for science: NRL to showcase advanced technology and research at AGU 2024
2024-12-05
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) will feature advanced technologies and research ranging from Earth to space sciences during the 24th Annual American Geophysical Union (AGU) Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., Dec. 9-13. In addition to more than 70 NRL oral presentations and poster displays and an exhibit hall booth, attendees will have the opportunity to view the premier of the 5-minute CCOR-1 (Compact Coronagraph) film which details ...

Research alert: Changes in blood cell production over the lifetime could impact leukemia outcomes

2024-12-05
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and their colleagues have developed the first comprehensive map of the dramatic changes that take place in the blood system over the course of the human lifetime. The team quantified the gene expression of more than 58,000 individual hematopoietic (blood) stem cells at seven stages, from early fetal development to old age. They documented consistent changes in the types of blood cells that are produced in response to the functional demands of each life stage:  The ...

Controlling cancer cells’ gluttony for glutamine

Controlling cancer cells’ gluttony for glutamine
2024-12-05
Cancer cells are like booming cities without urban planners. They expand quickly, and in doing so, the resulting tumors consume more energy and other resources than they can acquire from nearby blood vessels. Rather than limiting their growth to more sustainable rates, cancer cells adapt by finding alternative ways to scavenge what they need. One scrounging strategy prevalent in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) involves cancer cells reshaping their cell surfaces to snatch extra nutrients from the jelly-like substance between cells or extracellular ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study offers new hope for relieving chronic pain in dialysis patients

How does the atmosphere affect ocean weather?

Robots get smarter to work in sewers

Speech Accessibility Project data leads to recognition improvements on Microsoft Azure

Tigers in the neighborhood: How India makes room for both tigers and people

Grove School’s Arthur Paul Pedersen publishes critical essay on scientific measurement literacy

Moffitt study finds key biomarker to predict KRASG12C inhibitor effectiveness in lung cancer

Improving blood transfusion monitoring in critical care patients: Insights from diffuse optics

Powerful legal and financial services enable kleptocracy, research shows

Carbon capture from constructed wetlands declines as they age

UCLA-led study establishes link between early side effects from prostate cancer radiation and long-term side effects

Life cycles of some insects adapt well to a changing climate. Others, not so much.

With generative AI, MIT chemists quickly calculate 3D genomic structures

The gut-brain connection in Alzheimer’s unveiled with X-rays

NIH-funded clinical trial will evaluate new dengue therapeutic

Sound is a primary issue in the lives of skateboarders, study shows

Watch what you eat: NFL game advertisements promote foods high in fat, sodium

Red Dress Collection Concert hosted by Sharon Stone kicks off American Heart Month

One of the largest studies on preterm birth finds a maternal biomarker test significantly reduces neonatal morbidities and improves neonatal outcomes

One of the largest studies of its kind finds early intervention with iron delivered intravenously during pregnancy is a safe and effective treatment for anemia

New Case Western Reserve University study identifies key protein’s role in psoriasis

First-ever ethics checklist for portable MRI brain researchers

Addressing 3D effects of clouds for significant improvements of climate models

Gut microbes may mediate the link between drinking sugary beverages and diabetes risk

Ribosomes team up in difficult situations, new technology shows

Mortality trends among adults ages 25-44 in the US

Discontinuation and reinitiation of dual-labeled GLP-1 receptor agonists among us adults with overweight or obesity

Ultraprocessed food consumption and obesity development in Canadian children

Experts publish framework for global adoption of digital health in medical education

Canadian preschoolers get nearly half of daily calories from ultra-processed foods: University of Toronto study

[Press-News.org] A quantum leap in carotenoid analysis: Speed and precision unlocked
A novel computational technique offers a faster, more accurate approach for measuring bioactive carotenoids, reducing error rates and analysis time