Influence of medium-chain triglycerides on expansion and rheological properties of extruded corn starch.

Enhancement of product properties of extruded starch based products can be achieved by incorporating health promoting oil into the matrix. In order to achieve a preferably high expansion with a homogeneous pore structure, the expansion mechanisms have to be understood. In our study, we applied a customized twin-screw extruder set up to feed medium-chain triglycerides after complete gelatinization of corn starch, minimizing its effect on the starch gelatinization.

Mutations in desmin's carboxy-terminal "tail" domain severely modify filament and network mechanics.

Inherited mutations in the gene coding for the intermediate filament protein desmin have been demonstrated to cause severe skeletal and cardiac myopathies. Unexpectedly, some of the mutated desmins, in particular those carrying single amino acid alterations in the non-alpha-helical carboxy-terminal domain ("tail"), have been demonstrated to form apparently normal filaments both in vitro and in transfected cells. Thus, it is not clear if filament properties are affected by these mutations at all.

Desmin and vimentin intermediate filament networks: their viscoelastic properties investigated by mechanical rheometry.

We have investigated the viscoelastic properties of the cytoplasmic intermediate filament (IF) proteins desmin and vimentin. Mechanical measurements were supported by time-dependent electron microscopy studies of the assembly process under similar conditions. Network formation starts within 2 min, but it takes more than 30 min until equilibrium mechanical network strength is reached.