Caracterización de aceite de semilla de girasol extraído enzimáticamente así como de los residuos proteínicos

Sunflower seed oil was enzymatically extracted with six different enzymes: cellulase, hemicellulase, animal proteinase, acid proteinase, pectinase and pectinex under the following conditions: substrate concentration in phosphate buffer (0.5M, pH 5) 30%, enzyme concentration 2% (E/S), temperature 50°C and time 3 hours. The obtained oils were analyzed for physicochemical properties and fatty acid profiles. The protein residues were analyzed for amino acid compositions. The results showed that the enzymatic extraction with cellulase or hemicellulase could maintain good oil quality of the extracted oils as their levels of linoleic and oleic acids recorded similar values to those of the control oil extracted with organic solvents. Also the level of iodine value was in the same level of control. On the other hand, the use of proteases in the enzymatic extraction of sunflower seed oil caused some reductions in the levels of the unsaturated fatty acids as well as the iodine value. The pectinases showed a similar trend to that of the proteinase with the least recovery of linoleic acid among the different oils under study. Similarly, the use of cellulases did not change the amino acid composition of the protein residue as compared to the control, in the contrary to the extraction with the proteinases which caused reduction of some amino acids from the protein residues especially lysine, leucine, iso-leucine, alanine, arginine and aspartic. In that respect the use of pectinases behaved similar to cellulases.Aceite de semilla de girasol fue extraído enzimáticamente con seis enzimas diferentes: celulasa, hemicelulasa, proteinasa animal, proteinase acida, pectinasa y pectinex bajo las condiciones siguientes: concentración de sustrato en tampón fosfato (0,5M, pH 5) 30%, concentración enzimática 2% (E/S), temperatura 50°C y tiempo 3 horas. Los aceites obtenidos fueron analizados por sus propiedades fisicoquímicas y perfiles de ácidos grasos. Los residuos proteínicos fueron analizados por sus composiciones en aminoácidos. Los resultados mostraron que la extracción enzimática con celulasa o hemicelulasa podían proporcionar buena calidad en los aceites, ya que sus niveles de ácidos linoleico y oleico registraron valores similares a los del aceite control extraído con disolventes orgánicos. También el valor de índice de iodo fue similar al del control. Por otro lado, el uso de proteasas en la extracción enzimática de aceite de semilla de girasol causó algunas reducciones en los niveles de ácidos grasos insaturados, así como en el índice de iodo. Las pectinasas mostraron una tendencia similar a la de las proteinases con la menor obtención de ácido linoleico entre los diferentes aceites en estudio. Del mismo modo, el uso de celulasas no cambió la composición de aminoácidos del residuo proteínico comparado con el control, por el contrario la extracción con proteinasas causó una disminución de algunos aminoácidos, especialmente lisina, leucina, isoleucina, alanina, arginina y aspártico. A este respecto, el uso de pectinasa se portó de manera análoga al de celulasas

Optimizing conditions for enzymatic extraction of sunflower oil

Sunflower seed oil was extracted with an enzymatic processes using different hydrolytic enzymes: cellulase, hemicellulase, animal proteinase, acid proteinase, pectinase and pectinex, as compared to enzyme - free aqueous extraction. All the hydrolytic enzymes enhanced oil extraction from sunflower seeds. The most optimal conditions for oil extraction from sunflower seeds were: 2% enzyme concentration, 30% substrate concentration and 3 hrs period. Using Boganov and Buchkov equation showed that time must be prolonged to get higher yields. The maximum yield during 3 hrs extraction with enzymatic process ranged between 44,5%-57,1% of the soxhlet extractable oil. The potency of the investigated enzymes in extracting oil was in the following order: acid proteinase > cellulase > hemicellulase > animal proteinase > pectinex > pectinase when compared at the previous optimal conditions.Aceite de semilla de girasol fue extraído mediante un proceso enzimático usando diferentes enzimas hidrolíticos: celulasa, hemicelulasa, proteinasa animal, proteinasa acida, pectinasa y pectinex, comparando con la extracción acuosa libre de enzima. Todos los enzimas hidrolíticos incrementan la extracción de aceites de semilla de girasol. Las condiciones óptimas para la extracción de aceite a partir de semillas de girasol fueron: 2% de concentración de enzima, 30% de concentración de sustrato y un período de 3 horas. La ecuación de Boganov y Buchkov mostró que el tiempo debe ser prolongado para alcanzar altos rendimientos. El máximo rendimiento durante tres horas de extracción con proceso enzimático osciló entre el 44,5%-57,1% del aceite extraído con soxhlet. La potencia de los enzimas investigados en la extracción de aceite siguió el orden: proteinasa acida > celulasa > hemicelulasa > proteinasa animal > pectinex > pectinasa cuando fue previamente comparado con las condiciones óptimas

Condiciones de optimización para la extracción enzimática de aceite de girasol

Sunflower seed oil was extracted with an enzymatic processes using different hydrolytic enzymes: cellulase, hemicellulase, animal proteinase, acid proteinase, pectinase and pectinex, as compared to enzyme - free aqueous extraction. All the hydrolytic enzymes enhanced oil extraction from sunflower seeds. The most optimal conditions for oil extraction from sunflower seeds were: 2% enzyme concentration, 30% substrate concentration and 3 hrs period. Using Boganov and Buchkov equation showed that time must be prolonged to get higher yields. The maximum yield during 3 hrs extraction with enzymatic process ranged between 44,5%-57,1% of the soxhlet extractable oil. The potency of the investigated enzymes in extracting oil was in the following order: acid proteinase > cellulase > hemicellulase > animal proteinase > pectinex > pectinase when compared at the previous optimal conditions.Aceite de semilla de girasol fue extraído mediante un proceso enzimático usando diferentes enzimas hidrolíticos: celulasa, hemicelulasa, proteinasa animal, proteinasa acida, pectinasa y pectinex, comparando con la extracción acuosa libre de enzima. Todos los enzimas hidrolíticos incrementan la extracción de aceites de semilla de girasol. Las condiciones óptimas para la extracción de aceite a partir de semillas de girasol fueron: 2% de concentración de enzima, 30% de concentración de sustrato y un período de 3 horas. La ecuación de Boganov y Buchkov mostró que el tiempo debe ser prolongado para alcanzar altos rendimientos. El máximo rendimiento durante tres horas de extracción con proceso enzimático osciló entre el 44,5%-57,1% del aceite extraído con soxhlet. La potencia de los enzimas investigados en la extracción de aceite siguió el orden: proteinasa acida > celulasa > hemicelulasa > proteinasa animal > pectinex > pectinasa cuando fue previamente comparado con las condiciones óptimas

Enterprise 2.0: Research challenges and opportunities

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. Blending Web 2.0 technologies with enterprise information systems is setting up the stage for a new generation of information systems that will help enterprises open up new communication channels with their stakeholders. Contrary to traditional enterprises with top-down command flow and bottom-up feedback flow, the same flows in Enterprise 2.0 cross all levels and in all directions bringing people together in the development of creative and innovative ideas. The power of Web 2.0 technologies stems from their ability to capture real-world phenomena such as collaboration, competition, and partnership that can be converted into useful and structured information sources from which enterprises can draw information about markets’ trends, consumers’ habits, suppliers’ strategies, etc. This paper discusses the research efforts that our international research group has put into the topic of Enterprise 2.0 (aka Social Enterprise). In particular, our research group advocates that existing practices for managing enterprise information systems need to be re-visited in a way that permits to capture social relations that arise inside and outside the enterprise, to establish guidelines and techniques to assist IT practitioners integrate social relations into their design, development, and maintenance efforts of these information systems, and last but not least to identify and tackle challenges that prevent capturing social relations

In vitro MATURATION OF DROMEDARY SHE-CAMEL OOCYTES EXPOSED TO LASER IRRADIATION

The objective of this study was to study the effect of laser irradiation on maturation rate of dromedary she-camel oocytes.  Although in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique in she-camel has been established, but maturation rate of camel oocytes is still low comparing with other animal species. Several studies performed to improve in-vitro maturation rate using different types of media with different incubation times. In order to establish high sensitive and low cost maturation improvement technique, laser irradiation has been suggested in the present work. Cumulus oocytes complexes (COCʼs) were collected from ovaries by aspiration method and grade (A) oocytes were chosen and divided into five different groups, 62 oocytes served as control group,  an un-irradiated (group 1), 64 oocytes exposed to 2 minutes of laser irradiation (group 2), 57 oocytes exposed to 3 minutes of laser irradiation (group 3), 49 oocytes exposed to 4 minutes of laser irradiation (group 4) and 52 oocytes exposed to 5 minutes of laser irradiation (group 5) with a total output power of 3 mW for different exposure durations; 2, 3, 4 and 5 minutes.  Afterwards, oocytes were matured in TCM-199 medium at 38.5oC and 5% CO2 in humidified air for 42 h. Maturation rate was calculated based on expulsion of the first polar body and statistically analyzed by one way ANOVA test.   The obtained results showed that, the oocytes reached germinal vesicles (GV) which exposed to laser beam for 5 minutes at 488 nm wavelength represent significantly (P<0.05) the highest value (42.31%) compared to control (not irradiated, 16.13%). However, other groups of GV showed insignificant differences with the control group. The metaphase II (M II) in the control oocytes represents significantly (P<0.05) the highest value (75.81%) compared to 3-5 minutes exposed groups. The degenerated oocytes exposed to laser beam for 5 minutes at 488 nm wavelength represent significantly (P<0.05) the highest value (40.38%) compared to control (not irradiated, 8.06%). In conclusion‚ these results indicated that the exposure of laser irradiation for 2 minutes may improve in-vitro nuclear maturation of immature oocytes in dromedary she-camels as compared to other durations (3-5 minutes) at 488 nm wavelength (blue laser)

Advanced Technologies for Oral Controlled Release: Cyclodextrins for oral controlled release

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are used in oral pharmaceutical formulations, by means of inclusion complexes formation, with the following advantages for the drugs: (1) solubility, dissolution rate, stability and bioavailability enhancement; (2) to modify the drug release site and/or time profile; and (3) to reduce or prevent gastrointestinal side effects and unpleasant smell or taste, to prevent drug-drug or drug-additive interactions, or even to convert oil and liquid drugs into microcrystalline or amorphous powders. A more recent trend focuses on the use of CDs as nanocarriers, a strategy that aims to design versatile delivery systems that can encapsulate drugs with better physicochemical properties for oral delivery. Thus, the aim of this work was to review the applications of the CDs and their hydrophilic derivatives on the solubility enhancement of poorly water soluble drugs in order to increase their dissolution rate and get immediate release, as well as their ability to control (to prolong or to delay) the release of drugs from solid dosage forms, either as complexes with the hydrophilic (e.g. as osmotic pumps) and/ or hydrophobic CDs. New controlled delivery systems based on nanotechonology carriers (nanoparticles and conjugates) have also been reviewed

The Genomic Signature of Crop-Wild Introgression in Maize

The evolutionary significance of hybridization and subsequent introgression has long been appreciated, but evaluation of the genome-wide effects of these phenomena has only recently become possible. Crop-wild study systems represent ideal opportunities to examine evolution through hybridization. For example, maize and the conspecific wild teosinte Zea mays ssp. mexicana, (hereafter, mexicana) are known to hybridize in the fields of highland Mexico. Despite widespread evidence of gene flow, maize and mexicana maintain distinct morphologies and have done so in sympatry for thousands of years. Neither the genomic extent nor the evolutionary importance of introgression between these taxa is understood. In this study we assessed patterns of genome-wide introgression based on 39,029 single nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped in 189 individuals from nine sympatric maize-mexicana populations and reference allopatric populations. While portions of the maize and mexicana genomes were particularly resistant to introgression (notably near known cross-incompatibility and domestication loci), we detected widespread evidence for introgression in both directions of gene flow. Through further characterization of these regions and preliminary growth chamber experiments, we found evidence suggestive of the incorporation of adaptive mexicana alleles into maize during its expansion to the highlands of central Mexico. In contrast, very little evidence was found for adaptive introgression from maize to mexicana. The methods we have applied here can be replicated widely, and such analyses have the potential to greatly informing our understanding of evolution through introgressive hybridization. Crop species, due to their exceptional genomic resources and frequent histories of spread into sympatry with relatives, should be particularly influential in these studies

Foetal loss after chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis in twin pregnancies: A multicentre retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine foetal losses for DCDA and MCDA twins following transabdominal CVS or amniocentesis performed <22+0  weeks. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study conducted in the UK and Belgium 01/01/00-01/06/20. Cases with unknown chorionicity, monochorionic complications or complex procedures were excluded. Uncomplicated DCDA and MCDA twins without invasive procedures were identified as controls. We reported foetal losses <24+0  weeks and losses of genetically and structurally normal foetuses. RESULTS: Outcomes were compared for DCDA foetuses; 258 after CVS with 3406 controls, 406 after amniocentesis with 3390 controls plus MCDA foetuses, 98 after CVS with 1124 controls, and 160 after amniocentesis with 1122 controls. There were more losses <24+0  weeks with both procedures in DCDA (CVS RR 5.54 95% CI 3.38-9.08, amniocentesis RR 2.36 95% CI 1.22-4.56) and MCDA twins (CVS RR 5.14 95% CI 2.51-10.54, amniocentesis RR 7.01 95% CI 3.86-12.74). Losses of normal foetuses were comparable to controls (DCDA CVS RR 0.39 95% CI 0.05-2.83, DCDA amniocentesis RR 1.16 95% CI 0.42-3.22, MCDA CVS RR 2.3 95% CI 0.71-7.56, and MCDA amniocentesis RR 1.93 95% CI 0.59-6.38). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates increased foetal losses for DCDA and MCDA twins following CVS and amniocentesis with uncertain risk to normal foetuses

Antimalarial Activity of Potential Inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum Lactate Dehydrogenase Enzyme Selected by Docking Studies

The Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase enzyme (PfLDH) has been considered as a potential molecular target for antimalarials due to this parasite's dependence on glycolysis for energy production. Because the LDH enzymes found in P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale (pLDH) all exhibit ∼90% identity to PfLDH, it would be desirable to have new anti-pLDH drugs, particularly ones that are effective against P. falciparum, the most virulent species of human malaria. Our present work used docking studies to select potential inhibitors of pLDH, which were then tested for antimalarial activity against P. falciparum in vitro and P. berghei malaria in mice. A virtual screening in DrugBank for analogs of NADH (an essential cofactor to pLDH) and computational studies were undertaken, and the potential binding of the selected compounds to the PfLDH active site was analyzed using Molegro Virtual Docker software. Fifty compounds were selected based on their similarity to NADH. The compounds with the best binding energies (itraconazole, atorvastatin and posaconazole) were tested against P. falciparum chloroquine-resistant blood parasites. All three compounds proved to be active in two immunoenzymatic assays performed in parallel using monoclonals specific to PfLDH or a histidine rich protein (HRP2). The IC50 values for each drug in both tests were similar, were lowest for posaconazole (<5 µM) and were 40- and 100-fold less active than chloroquine. The compounds reduced P. berghei parasitemia in treated mice, in comparison to untreated controls; itraconazole was the least active compound. The results of these activity trials confirmed that molecular docking studies are an important strategy for discovering new antimalarial drugs. This approach is more practical and less expensive than discovering novel compounds that require studies on human toxicology, since these compounds are already commercially available and thus approved for human use