Influence of the inlet air temperature on the microencapsulation of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed oil.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different inlet air temperatures on the physicochemical properties and oxidative stability of microencapsulated kenaf seed oil (MKSO). Kenaf seed oil was homogenised with the wall materials at a total solid content of 30% and was spray-dried at 160, 180 or 200°C inlet air temperature. The microstructure and morphology of the microencapsulated kenaf seed oil were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The physicochemical properties, such as moisture content, water activity and particle size, of MKSO produced at different inlet air temperatures showed a significant difference (p<0.05). MKSO produced with an inlet air temperature of 160°C exhibited the highest microencapsulation efficiency (MEE, 96.46%) compared to 180°C (78.42%) and the efficiency was lowest at 200°C (58.96%). Increasing the inlet air temperature also resulted in significantly increased (p<0.05) lipid oxidation of MKSO and decreased total intrinsic phenolic content upon accelerated storage. However, all MKSO had lower lipid oxidation and higher total phenolic content than bulk (unencapsulated) oil. This study indicates that increased inlet air temperature results in larger particle size, higher lipid oxidation and lower MEE. The process of microencapsulation could protect oil from the external environment that causes lipid oxidation. Practical applications: Kenaf seed oil contains PUFA and phytosterols, which are beneficial to human health. However, the PUFA in kenaf seed oil is susceptible to lipid oxidation, which degrades its nutritional value. Microencapsulation is used to protect the kenaf seed oil from being oxidised. By knowing the influence of the inlet air temperature on the physical properties and oxidative stability of the microencapsulated kenaf seed oil, the ideal inlet air temperature can be used to produce microencapsulated kenaf seed oil, which may be incorporated into food products to supplement the bioactive compounds that are beneficial to human health

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease: Seventeen Causative Genes

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common form of inherited motor and sensory neuropathy. Moreover, CMT is a genetically heterogeneous disorder of the peripheral nervous system, with many genes identified as CMT-causative. CMT has two usual classifications: type 1, the demyelinating form (CMT1); and type 2, the axonal form (CMT2). In addition, patients are classified as CMTX if they have an X-linked inheritance pattern and CMT4 if the inheritance pattern is autosomal recessive. A large amount of new information on the genetic causes of CMT has become available, and mutations causing it have been associated with more than 17 different genes and 25 chromosomal loci. Advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of CMT have revealed an enormous diversity in genetic mechanisms, despite a clinical entity that is relatively uniform in presentation. In addition, recent encouraging studies - shown in CMT1A animal models - concerning the therapeutic effects of certain chemicals have been published; these suggest potential therapies for the most common form of CMT, CMT1A. This review focuses on the inherited motor and sensory neuropathy subgroup for which there has been an explosion of new molecular genetic information over the past decade

Application of medical and analytical methods in Lyme borreliosis monitoring

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is one of the most common tick-borne diseases in the northern hemisphere. It is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi. In its early stages, pathological skin lesions, namely erythema chronicum migrans, appear. The lesions, usually localised at the site of the bite, may become visible from a few weeks up to 3 months after the infection. Predominant clinical symptoms of the disease also involve joint malfunctions and neurological or cardiac disorders. Lyme disease, in all its stages, may be successfully treated with antibiotics. The best results, however, are obtained in its early stages. In order to diagnose the disease, numerous medical or laboratory techniques have been developed. They are applied to confirm the presence of intact spirochaetes or spirochaete components such as DNA or proteins in tick vectors, reservoir hosts or patients. The methods used for the determination of LB biomarkers have also been reviewed. These biomarkers are formed during the lipid peroxidation process. The formation of peroxidation products generated by human organisms is directly associated with oxidative stress. Apart from aldehydes (malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal), many other unsaturated components such as isoprostenes and neuroprostane are obtained. The fast determination of these compounds in encephalic fluid, urine or plasma, especially in early stages of the disease, enables its treatment. Various analytical techniques which allow the determination of the aforementioned biomarkers have been reported. These include spectrophotometry as well as liquid and gas chromatography. The analytical procedure also requires the application of a derivatization step by the use of selected reagents

The Central Autonomic Network and Regulation of Bladder Function

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is involved in the regulation of physiologic and homeostatic parameters relating particularly to the visceral organs and the co-ordination of physiological responses to threat. Blood pressure and heart rate, respiration, pupillomotor reactivity, sexual function, gastrointestinal secretions and motility, and urine storage and micturition are all under a degree of ANS control. Furthermore, there is close integration between the ANS and other neural functions such as emotion and cognition, and thus brain regions that are known to be important for autonomic control are also implicated in emotional functions. In this review we explore the role of the central ANS in the control of the bladder, and the implications of this for bladder dysfunction in diseases of the ANS

Fear appeal in AIDS prevention messages targeted at adolescents.

Fear appeals have often been used in AIDS prevention messages. This study examined the influence of demographic, psychological and social factors on the acceptance of fear-related AIDS presentation messages among adolescents in Singapore.​Master of Mass Communicatio

CONDOMINIUMS IN SINGAPORE - A COMPARISON OF CAPITAL VALUE CHANGES AND PERFORMANCES

BACHELOR'SBACHELOR OF SCIENCE (REAL ESTATE