Physicochemical properties of enzymatically produced palm-oil-based cocoa butter substitute (CBS) with cocoa butter mixture

Ternary‐blend of palm mid‐fraction/palm kernel oil/palm stearin shows comparable palmitic (P), oleic (O), and POP compositions to cocoa butter (CB) which is selected to produce cocoa butter substitute (CBS) using enzymatic interesterification. This study aims to investigate physicochemical properties of CBS and compatibility of CBS/CB. Fatty acid, triacylglycerol, melting profile, solid fat content (SFC), polymorphism, and crystal morphology are determined using GC, HPLC, DSC, pNMR, XRD, and PLM. Ternary‐blend and commercial stearic/oleic acids are mixed to produce blend (80% ternary‐blend/15% stearic/5% oleic) with three major fatty acids composition comparable to CB. Interesterified blend under optimized conditions of 4% lipase (w/w), incubation time of 6 h at 60 °C shows a melting endotherm at 33.5 °C, similar to CB. The composition of triacylglycerols (POSt and StOSt) of interesterified blend is significantly (P  < 0.05) increased compared to non‐interesterified blend. SFC and polymorphism of interesterified fat are different from CB at 24 °C. Subsequently, the CBS (interesterified blend) is added into CB at varying concentrations (w/w). A total of 5–20% of CBS/CB shows similar melting behavior and polymorphism to CB. A desirable monotectic effect is observed at 15–25 °C for these blends. Therefore, interesterified blend is potentially used as CBS to be added up to 20% with CB for chocolate production

Vagus nerve stimulation for medically refractory epilepsy: efficacy and cost-benefit analysis

Introduction. Vagus nerve stimulation is a novel treatment for patients with medically refractory epilepsy, who are not candidates for conventional epilepsy surgery, or who have had such surgery without optimal outcome. To date only studies with relatively short follow-up are available. In these studies efficacy increased with time and reached a maximum after a period of 6 to 12 months. Implantation of a vagus nerve stimulator requires an important financial investment but a cost-benefit analysis has not been published. Patients and Methods. Our own experience with VNS in Gent comprises 15 patients with mean age of 29 years (range: 17-44 years) and mean duration of epilepsy of 18 years (range: 4-32 years). All patients underwent a comprehensive presurgical evaluation and were found not to be suitable candidates for resective epilepsy surgery. Mean post-implantation follow-up is 24 months (range: 7-43 months). In patients with follow-up of at least one year, efficacy of treatment in terms of seizure control and seizure severity was assessed one year before and after the implantation of a vagus nerve stimulator. Epilepsy-related direct medical costs (ERDMC) before and after the implantation were also compared. Results. A mean reduction of seizure frequency from 14 seizures/month (range: 2-40/month) to 8 seizures/month (range: 0-30/month) was achieved (Wilcoxon signed rank test n = 14; p = 0.0016). Five patients showed a marked seizure reduction of greater than or equal to 50%; 6 became free of complex partial seizures, 3 of whom became entirely seizure free for more than 12 months; 2 patients had a worthwhile reduction of seizure frequency between 30-50%; in 2 patients seizure frequency reduction has remained practically unchanged. Seizure freedom or greater than or equal to 50% seizure reduction was achieved within the first 4 months after implantation in 6/11 patients. Before the implantation, the mean yearly epilepsy-related direct medical costs per patient were estimated to be 8830 US$(n = 13; range: 1879-31129 US$; sd = 7667); the average number of hospital admission days per year was 21 (range: 4-100; sd = 25.7). In the 12 months after implantation, ERDMC had decreased to 4215 US$(range: 615-11794 US$; sd = 3558) (Wilcoxon signed rank test n = 13; p = 0.018) and the average number of admission days to 8 (range: 0-35) (Wilcoxon signed rank test n = 13; p = 0.023). Conclusion. VNS is an effective treatment of refractory epilepsy and remains effective during long-term follow-up. Cost-benefit analysis suggests that the cost of VNS is saved within two years following implantation

Oligomeric composition of palm olein‐based polyols: the effect of nucleophiles

Increasing environmental concerns have led to significant breakthroughs in developing vegetable oil‐based polyols, including palm olein‐based polyols (POoPs). The effect of nucleophiles (water, monol, linear, and branched diols) on oligomeric compositions and properties of polyols derived from epoxidized palm olein (EPOo) is investigated. Conversions of EPOo to POoPs are confirmed by FTIR analysis, oxirane oxygen content, and hydroxyl number measurements. GPC calibrated against polyether polyols is used to determine the formation of oligomers of the polyols. Functionalities of POoPs prepared with linear diols are higher than the branched diol determined using GPC and VPO. Lower degree of oligomerization is observed in polyols prepared with water and methanol compared to polyols made with diols. POoPs prepared using water, methanol and 1,2‐propanediol (PG) produces 100% secondary hydroxyls polyols, while reaction with linear diols, polyols with mixture of primary and secondary hydroxyls in the range of 26–36% and 64–74%, respectively are produced. Viscosity and glass transition temperature of POoP PDO, prepared from 1,3‐propanediol (PDO) are higher than POoP PG, prepared from PG, 7789 mPa.s and −15.2 °C compared to 3649 mPa.s and −20.8 °C, respectively

Caught Between Nature and Culture: Tensions Between Biological and Social Approaches to the Human Body

The human body has always been a strong point of focus in archaeological research. It is not only the medium through which we live our lives, it is also part of the material traces of the past. Research surrounding the human body has developed in two opposite directions: it is either seen as a biological entity, its characteristics studied by bioarchaeologists, or it is seen as part of a social narrative, where aspects of identity are often studied by use of material culture. This dualism originates in the general split between the humanities and the natural sciences, that has marked western scholarship for ages. More recently, bioarchaeologists have tried to bridge this divide by including aspects of ‘social’ life in their studies of human remains. A key point is the plasticity of the human body, which is not only formed by biological developments, but by our relations with both the human and nonhuman world as well. However, the dualism remains. The aim of this presentation is to explore new paths and include the material world as well. The ultimate goal is to stop looking at the ‘material world’ and the ‘human body’ as different categories altogether and reach a more relational approach.status: publishe

Verborgen of simpelweg vergeten? Kinderen in de Minoïsche archeologie

Children play a prominent role in people’s daily lives, both in the present and in the past. And yet, for a long while, they have been almost absent from archaeological studies. The first part of this paper highlights some of the possible reasons for this lacuna. The second part focuses on children in archaeological studies of Bronze Age Crete. Children are strongly represented in iconographical studies, while they are still remarkably absent from funerary studies. A literature study, combined with data from a few recent projects, has shown that children are also present in the mortuary assemblage, sometimes even in great numbers. This shows that the under-representation of children in archaeological studies cannot be explained by poor preservation or visibility alone, but also by a lack of interest, defined by the modern perception of childhood as a time of play, without any relevance for society. By use of a couple of examples, based on more recent data, it is demonstrated that this field has a lot to offer, if only we are willing to look.status: publishe