Enhanced physicochemical properties, structure, and in vitro digestibility of olive oil-infused pigmented popcorn prepared via microwave processing.

The study investigates the composition and properties of unpopped and expanded popcorn, analyzing monosaccharides, protein, amylose, polyphenols, physical traits, crystallinity, and in vitro digestion. Unpopped grains had high glucose content (mainly from starch), which decreased by 20 % in expanded popcorn, especially in black and red A samples. Expanded grains showed higher protein levels (up to 15 %), particularly in red B and yellow samples.

Ancient genomes reveal a deep history of treponemal disease in the Americas.

Human treponemal infections are caused by a family of closely related Treponema pallidum that give rise to the diseases yaws, bejel, pinta and, most famously, syphilis. Debates on both a common origin for these pathogens and the history of syphilis itself has weighed evidence for the "Columbian hypothesis", which argues for an American origin, against that for the "pre-Columbian hypothesis", which argues for presence of the disease in Eurasia in the Medieval period and possibly earlier. While molecular data has provided a genetic basis for distinction of the typed subspecies, deep evolution of the complex has remained unresolved due to limitations in the conclusions that can be drawn from the sparse paleogenomic data currently available.

Alpha-Lipoic acid supplementation during in vitro culture of abattoir- and OPU-derived bovine oocytes improves embryonic quality.

The Ovum Pick-Up (OPU) technique offers a rapid path to genetic improvement. Embryonic genome activation (EGA) is crucial for successful embryonic development and occurs in two phases: minor EGA (MN) from 2-cell to 8-cell stages, and major EGA (MJ) from 8-cell to 16-cell stages. Supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) during MN using abattoir derived-oocytes has been shown to enhance in vitro embryo production.

Tailoring the structural and physicochemical properties of rice straw cellulose-based cryogels by cell-mediated polyhydroxyalkanoate deposition.

This study presents a novel biotechnological approach for creating water vapor-resistant cryogels with improved integrity. Rice straw cellulose was transformed into nanofibrils through TEMPO-mediated oxidation and high-pressure homogenization. The resulting cryogels remained firm even when immersed in aqueous media, whose pores were used by live cell to deposit polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) particles inside them.