COMPARING TRANS-FAT AND TRANS-FAT-FREE DOUGHNUT SHORTENINGS BASED ON SENSORY EVALUATION AND OIL DEGRADATION

This is an initiative study on the use of trans -fat-free products in the bakery industry. A standardized doughnut product was cooked in three doughnut shortenings, one containing trans fat and two that were trans fat-free. Six hundred forty-one panelists, students, faculty and staff of a large northeastern university rated each of the three doughnuts on a variety of categories, including texture, moisture content and overall liking. Results showed that there were no significant differences between doughnuts cooked in the three shortenings – this was true for all attributes tested.
The results from this study have many significant implications for the foodservice industry, as they work to cut down or eliminate the use of trans fats in their establishments because of the significant health risks they have been proven to cause.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

This study demonstrates the variances on texture, taste, appearance and overall liking characteristics of doughnuts fried in different doughnut shortenings. The nutritional breakdown of the doughnuts and the shortenings are also addressed. In the case of shortenings, the ideal type of fat is a mixture of canola, soybean and hydrogenated cottonseed. This shortening mixture, which is trans fat-free, produced the most preferred doughnut.     

In-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis of composite glycosylation profiles and other micro-heterogeneity on intact monoclonal antibodies by high-resolution native mass spectrometry using a modified Orbitrap

Here, we describe a fast, easy-to-use, and sensitive method to profile in-depth structural micro-heterogeneity, including intricate N-glycosylation profiles, of monoclonal antibodies at the native intact protein level by means of mass spectrometry using a recently introduced modified Orbitrap Exactive Plus mass spectrometer. We demonstrate the versatility of our method to probe structural micro-heterogeneity by describing the analysis of three types of molecules: (1) a non-covalently bound IgG4 hinge deleted full-antibody in equilibrium with its half-antibody, (2) IgG4 mutants exhibiting highly complex glycosylation profiles, and (3) antibody-drug conjugates. Using the modified instrument, we obtain baseline separation and accurate mass determination of all different proteoforms that may be induced, for example, by glycosylation, drug loading and partial peptide backbone-truncation. We show that our method can handle highly complex glycosylation profiles, identifying more than 20 different glycoforms per monoclonal antibody preparation and more than 30 proteoforms on a single highly purified antibody. In analyzing antibody-drug conjugates, our method also easily identifies and quantifies more than 15 structurally different proteoforms that may result from the collective differences in drug loading and glycosylation. The method presented here will aid in the comprehensive analytical and functional characterization of protein micro-heterogeneity, which is crucial for successful development and manufacturing of therapeutic antibodies     

THE JUST-ABOUT-RIGHT INTENSITY SCALE: FUNCTIONAL ANALYSES AND RELATION TO HEDONICS

This study assessed the meaning of just‐about‐right (JAR) categories when used with a 5‐point intensity scale. The panelists comprised both consumer and in‐house respondents. The JAR categories have various meanings as perceived by the respondents: “prefer product,”“very good,”“I like the product,”“like it very much,”“highly favorable,”“high acceptability,”“desirable like the product,”“best for the situation” and “correct.” Thus, the JAR meanings invoke preference and acceptability. This article presents two additional analyses to help the product tested. One method of analysis divides below‐JAR deviation from the above‐JAR deviation, with standard statistical procedures applied in each data set. The second method introduces the signal‐to‐noise ratio statistic for analyzing the relation of JAR to overall liking. Both analytic methods provide new ways to look at the JAR data, especially with respect to hedonics and product improvement.     

Human health risks of metals and metalloids in muscle tissue of Synodontis zambezensis Peters, 1852 from Flag Boshielo Dam,South Africa

Muscle tissue from 63 Synodontis zambezensis collected bimonthly in 2013 at Flag Boshielo Dam were analysed for metals and metalloids in a desktop human health risk assessment. The Hazard Quotient, based on a weekly meal of 67 g of fish muscle, exceeded the maximum acceptable level of one for lead, cobalt, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and selenium. The concentrations of these elements were higher in 2013 than those recorded in 2009 and 2012 in other fish species from Flag Boshielo Dam and these may pose a long-term health risk if consumed regularly by impoverished rural communities reliant on fish as a source of protein.     

Spatial and temporal patterns in the occurrence of peritrich ciliates as epibionts on calanoid copepods in the Chesapeake Bay, USA

We investigated temporal and spatial patterns of distribution in two peritrich ciliates (i.e. Zoothamnium intermedium and Epistylis sp.) living as epibionts on calanoid copepods (i.e. Acartia tonsa and Eurytemora affinis) in Chesapeake Bay. Net tow samples collected along the main axis of the Bay were analyzed to estimate the occurrence of epibionts on copepods and to explore relationships among infestation prevalence, host abundance, and environmental variables. Zoothamnium intermedium and Epistylis sp. colonized populations of A. tonsa during spring and summer months, while only Z. intermedium colonized E. affinis during spring. Occurrence of epibionts on copepods showed high interannual variation, marked seasonality, and geographic heterogeneity. Extensive statistical analyses rejected simple scenarios of interactions between epibiosis, environmental variables, and host density, suggesting a more complex dynamics for the system. Analyses of epibiont colonies and zooids per host area (i.e. the sum of width and length of the body including antennae and swimming legs calculated assuming a cylindrical shape) were also performed. Overall, epibiont infestation prevalence (i.e. colonies/host area) and load (i.e. zooids/host area) were higher on copepodites than on adults for both host species, suggesting a preferential attachment to juveniles, or a higher predation pressure on adult stages. Infestation density and loads of both epibiont species were higher on the cephalothorax and abdomen of A. tonsa and E. affinis in comparison to the antennae and swimming legs, suggesting that ciliates can more easily colonize less active parts of the host.     

Japanese barberry seed predation by Rhagoletis meigenii fruit flies harboring Wolbachia endosymbionts

The phytophagous fruit fly Rhagoletis meigenii harbors the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis and, together with Japanese barberry, form a tri-partite symbiosis. R. meigenii is a seed predator of invasive Japanese barberry plants and is dependent on this insect-plant interaction for reproductive success. The endosymbiotic bacterium W. pipientis is a reproductive parasite known to alter the sex ratios of offspring and the fitness of infected host insects. We investigated Japanese barberry fruit for the degree of infestation by R. meigenii and characterized the Wolbachia strain infecting R. meigenii. Densities of R. meigenii in four naturalized stands of Japanese barberry revealed low numbers of fruit flies with high variability in the population densities observed among individual plants. Overall, R. meigenii infested roughly 10–20 % of the Japanese barberry fruits analyzed; fruit with two seeds (vs. one seed) were the most frequently infested. Approximately, 90 % of the R. meigenii tested positive for Wolbachia infection via PCR amplification of the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene. No bacterial strain diversity was observed when comparing multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) profiles within or among five R. meigenii populations in Maine, although the MLST profile obtained from R. meigenii differed from three co-occurring Rhagoletis. The Wolbachia endosymbiont of R. meigenii is a member of the Wolbachia supergroup A and the ST-13 cluster complex.     

On the Trail of Atmospheric Mutagens and Carcinogens: A Combined Chemical/Microbiological Approach

Major ecological problems of our polluted troposphere includeairborne toxic chemicals, acid rain and photochemical smog,all three of which are now recognized as being closely relatedchemical phenomena. We also recognize that inorder to developcost-effective strategies for their control, which protect publichealth and the environment, there must be close scientific interactionsbetween chemists and biological scientists. For example, ofrapidly emerging importance is the development of risk assessmentevaluations for specific aspects of each of these problem areas.In preparing such assessments, chemists must define the "exposure,"and biological scientists the "effects." In this paper, I discuss an example of how such close interactionsproved indispensible in our search for atmospheric mutagensand carcinogens. Thus, an integrated chemical/ microbiologicalprocedure for the isolation and identificationof particulatechemical mutagens in respirable diesel soot and ambient particlesis described. Emphasis is placed on our use of the short-term,Ames Salmonella typhimurium bacterial mutagenicity test as arapid, and relatively inexpensive, means of following the biologicalactivities of these environmental mutagens through the chemicalsteps of their separation, isolation and identification fromhighly complex environmental samples. Possible mechanisms offormation of these particulate mutagens are discussed. Theyinclude the reactions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons presenton the surfaces of combustion-generated particles with gaseousco-pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide plus nitric acid, andozone. In discussing this research on a societally "relevant" problem,we illustrate the importance of "Science as a Way of Knowing."We further suggest that this integrated approach to scientificproblem solving by chemical and biological scientists mightserve as an example of a discussion topic on human ecology forundergraduate courses in the natural sciences.     

Ribulose 1, 5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/ Oxygenase Activities in Leaves of Greenhouse Roses

An enzyme assay was developed to measure the initial and Mg²⁺–CO₂activated forms of Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase(Rubisco) in rose leaves. The assay was verified by co-extractionof the leaflets with partially purified spinach Rubisco andthrough correlation with net photosynthetic rates of individualleaflets (r²=0.7324). Changes in activities were measured asa function of depth of leaves in the canopy for two cultivarsof greenhouse hybrid tea roses. Initial Rubisco activity declinedwith increasing canopy depth for both cultivars. The activatedform of the enzyme, however, remained constant with canopy depthfor cv. Red Success; but increased with canopy depth, then declinedafter mid-canopy in the cv. Royalty. Rubisco activities werealso measured in the cv. Red Success grown in CO₂ enriched environments(100 mm³ dm^–3) at three humidity levels. The activitieswere not significantly affected by humidity treatment. However,there was a trend for plants grown at lower humidity to havehigher activated activities. Key words: Humidity, Rubisco, Rosa ? hybrida, Royalty, Red Success     

Malarial Parasites of the "Jesu Cristo" Lizard Basiliscus basiliscus (Iguanidae) in Panama

SYNOPSIS. The iguanid lizard Basiliscus basiliscus in Panama is parasitized by Plasmodium basilisci and P. achiotense sp. nov. P. basilisci in this host is characterized by schizonts containing 4–14 merozoites, with schizonts parasitizing proerythrocytes containing more merozoites than those in erythrocytes. Asexual parasites lack cytoplasmic projections, while mature gametocytes are round or oval with regular margins.
P. achiotense is characterized by the combination of prominently pigmented, large schizonts containing 36–56 merozoites and oval or round gametocytes which are about 1/3 larger than those of P. basilisci.
EE-schizonts of P. basilisci were observed commonly in thrombocytes and occasionally in lymphocytes, and appeared early in experimental infections induced by blood inoculation.