Lipase-catalyzed acidolysis of palm olein and caprylic acid in a continuous bench-scale packed bed bioreactor

Enzymatic acidolysis of refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) palm olein with caprylic acid was carried out in a continuous packed bed bioreactor to produce structured lipid (SL) that can confer metabolic benefits when consumed. Lipozyme® IM 60 from Rhizomucor miehei, a 1,3-specific lipase, was used as the biocatalyst in this study. After 24 h of reaction, 30.5% of the total fatty acid content of the modified oil was found to be caprylic acid, indicating its incorporation into the palm olein. The triacylglycerols (TAGs) of palm olein after acidolysis were separated and were characterized by seven clusters of TAG species with equivalent carbon number (ECN), C28, C30, C32, C34, C36, C38 and C40. Caprylic–oleic–caprylic TAGs were predicted in cluster C32, which recorded the highest amount, with 35.3% of the total TAG. Fatty acid composition at the sn-2 position was determined, by pancreatic lipolysis, as C8:0, 9.2%; C12:0, 2.3%; C14:0, 1.8%; C16:0, 21.3%; C18:0, 4.7%; C18:1, 60.7%. Iodine value (IV), slip melting point (SMP) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analyses of SL were also performed. In IV analysis, SL recorded a drop of value from 60.4 to 48.2 while SMP was reduced from 13 to 4.2 °C, in comparison to RBD palm olein. DSC analysis of SL gave a melting profile with two low melting peaks of −15.97 and −11.78 °C and onset temperatures of −18.43 and −14.03 °C, respectively

Sonocrystallization of interesterified fats with 20 and 30% of stearic acid at the sn-2 position and their physical blends

Physical blends (PB) of high oleic sunflower oil and tristearin with 20 and 30% stearic acid and their interesterified (IE) products where 20 and 30% of the fatty acids are stearic acid at the sn-2 position crystallized without and with application of high intensity ultrasound (HIU). IE samples were crystallized at supercooling temperatures (ΔT) of 12, 9, 6, and 3 °C while PB were crystallized at ΔT = 12 °C. HIU induced crystallization in PB samples, but not in the IE ones. Induction in crystallization with HIU was also observed at ΔT = 6 and 3 °C for IE C18:0 20 and 30% and at ΔT = 9 °C only for the 30% samples. Smaller crystals were obtained in all sonicated samples. Melting profiles showed that HIU induced crystallization of low melting triacylglycerols (TAGs) and promoted co-crystallization of low and high melting TAGs. In general, HIU significantly changed the viscosity, G′, and G″ of the IE 20% samples except at ΔT = 12 °C. While G′ and G″ of IE 30% did not increase significantly, the viscosity increased significantly at ΔT = 9, 6, and 3 °C from 1526 ± 880 to 6818 ± 901 Pa.s at ΔT = 3 °C. The improved physical properties of the sonicated IE can make them good contenders for trans-fatty acids replacers

College Spread of COVID-19 in Ohio

Cumulative COVID-19 case counts by county in Ohio were gathered and combined with population data from the Census Bureau and student enrollment by county from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for colleges or universities that compete in NCAA sports. Monthly median percent increases, monthly average percent increases, and average cases per 100k of COVID cases between counties with colleges and counties without colleges were calculated. The Wilcoxon test was used to determine if the samples were similar, and the analysis found the differences were statistically significant. Metro and non-metro groupings were added to the average cases per 100k to further subdivide the data set. Analysis found no statistically significant differences

Species specific differences in use of ANP32 proteins by influenza A virus

Influenza A viruses (IAV) are subject to species barriers that prevent frequent zoonotic transmission and pandemics. One of these barriers is the poor activity of avian IAV polymerases in human cells. Differences between avian and mammalian ANP32 proteins underlie this host range barrier. Human ANP32A and ANP32B homologues both support function of human-adapted influenza polymerase but do not support efficient activity of avian IAV polymerase which requires avian ANP32A. We show here that the gene currently designated as avian ANP32B is evolutionarily distinct from mammalian ANP32B, and that chicken ANP32B does not support IAV polymerase activity even of human-adapted viruses. Consequently, IAV relies solely on chicken ANP32A to support its replication in chicken cells. Amino acids 129I and 130N, accounted for the inactivity of chicken ANP32B. Transfer of these residues to chicken ANP32A abolished support of IAV polymerase. Understanding ANP32 function will help develop antiviral strategies and aid the design of influenza virus resilient genome edited chickens

All electron and pseudopotential study of the spin polarization of the V (001) surface: LDA versus GGA

The spin-polarization at the V(001) surface has been studied by using different local (LSDA) and semilocal (GGA) approximations to the exchange-correlation potential of DFT within two ab initio methods: the all-electron TB-LMTO-ASA and the pseudopotential LCAO code SIESTA (Spanish Initiative for Electronic Simulations with Thousands of Atoms). A comparative analysis is performed first for the bulk and then for a N-layer V(001) film (7 < N < 15). The LSDA approximation leads to a non magnetic V(001) surface with both theoretical models in agreement (disagreement) with magneto-optical Kerr (electron-capture spectroscopy) experiments. The GGA within the pseudopotential method needs thicker slabs than the LSDA to yield zero moment at the central layer, giving a high surface magnetization (1.70 Bohr magnetons), in contrast with the non magnetic solution obtained by means of the all-electron code.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure. Latex gzipped tar fil