Kaaemccoy1934
Carbonyl sulfide (COS) has emerged as a multi-scale tracer for terrestrial photosynthesis. To infer ecosystem-scale photosynthesis from COS fluxes often requires knowledge of leaf relative uptake (LRU), the concentration-normalized ratio between leaf COS uptake and photosynthesis. However, current mechanistic understanding of LRU variability remains inadequate for deriving robust COS-based estimates of photosynthesis. We derive a set of closed-form equations to describe LRU responses to light, humidity and CO2 based on the Ball-Berry stomatal conductance model and the biochemical model of photosynthesis. This framework reproduces observed LRU responses decreasing LRU with increasing light or decreasing humidity; it also predicts that LRU increases with ambient CO2 . By fitting the LRU equations to flux measurements on a C3 reed (Typha latifolia), we obtain physiological parameters that control LRU variability, including an estimate of the Ball-Berry slope of 7.1 without using transpiration measurements. Sensitivity tests reveal that LRU is more sensitive to photosynthetic capacity than to the Ball-Berry slope, indicating stomatal response to photosynthesis. This study presents a simple framework for interpreting observed LRU variability and upscaling LRU. The stoma-regulated LRU response to CO2 suggests that COS may offer a unique window into long-term stomatal acclimation to elevated CO2 .Wooden breast (WB) is a recurrent myopathy in fast-growing birds, which alters the appearance, functionality, and the texture of the breast muscle. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the effect of a combined use of papain enzyme and ultrasound on the texture of WB chicken using response surface methodology and (ii) to assess the effect of marinating on the quality of WB chicken meat. Panobinostat cell line Full factorial experimental design method was used to obtain the ideal conditions to soften the WB meat. The independent variables were the concentration of papain (0.1%-0.3%) and the time in ultrasonic bath (10-30 min); shear force (SF) was the dependent variable. The optimum results were obtained at a concentration of 0.2% papain and 20 min on ultrasound. Papain enzyme had a great influence on the texture of WB meat, reducing its hardness. However, the effect of the ultrasound time on the SF response was not observed. The marinated WB meat showed similar SF values and texture profile than those from normal (N) meat, with reduction in the parameters of protein and lipid oxidation. The use of papain without ultrasound bath proved to be an efficient means for improving the tenderness of WB breasts. PRACTICAL APPLICATION This study shows the efficiency of the application of two technological procedures (enzymatic treatment and ultrasound) to improve the texture profile and technological properties of chicken breasts affected by the wooden breast myopathy. The economic loss caused by the world-wide occurrence of wooden breast is enormous, and the application of papain has been found to counteract the impaired properties of this abnormal chicken breasts. Since papain is already widely used in the food industry to tenderize meat, its application in improving the quality of WB meat is straightforward.The surface of carp is easily damaged during the descaling process, which jeopardizes the quality and safety of carp products. Damage recognition realized by manual detection is an important factor restricting the automation in the pretreatment. For the commonly used methods of mechanical and water-jet descaling, damage area recognition according to the hyperspectral data was proposed. Two discrimination models, including decision tree (DT) and self-organizing feature mapping (SOM), were established to recognize the damaged and normal descaling area with the average spectral value. The damage-discrimination model based on DT was determined to be the optimal one, which possessed the best model performance (accuracy = 96.7%, sensitivity = 96.7%, specificity = 96.7%, F1-score = 96.7%). Considering the efficiency and precision of damage-area recognition and visualization, the principal component analysis (PCA) combined with pixel values statistical analysis was used to reduce the dimension of hyperspectral imagesthe advantages of nondestructive and rapid, hyperspectral imaging system and the method can be widely expanded and applied to the quality detection of other freshwater fish pretreatment.Male and female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes survive by feeding on floral nectar for metabolic energy, but females require blood protein, obtained from biting a host, for egg development. Although males exclusively derive energy from nectar sugars, females must select the meal that best matches their present metabolic and reproductive needs. In females, blood and nectar promote independent feeding behaviors with distinct sensory appendages, meal sizes, digestive tract targets, and metabolic fates. Understanding how male and female mosquitoes recognize, locate, and metabolize nutrients is essential for characterizing the survival and reproductive capabilities of this mosquito. Here, we provide an introduction to blood versus nectar feeding and methods to quantify nectar and blood meal sizes in individual Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Precise quantification of meal size is crucial for ensuring consistency in assays that record events downstream of feeding behavior, including host attraction or fecundity.Both male and female mosquitoes consume sugar-rich nectar meals required for metabolic energy, but only females consume protein-rich blood meals, which are required for egg development. The size of each meal consumed has subsequent effects on behavior and reproduction; therefore, precise quantification is an important aspect of mosquito feeding behavior studies. This protocol describes a high-throughput, end-point assay to quantify meal volumes ingested by individual mosquitoes. The addition of a fluorescent dye to the meal allows for meal size quantification. Individual mosquitoes that have been fed this meal are homogenized in 96-well plates, and the fluorescence levels are measured with a plate reader. This protocol can also be adapted to determine if alteration of meal composition affects the ingested meal volume, if mosquito strain or genotype dictates consumption, or if meals are derived from multiple sources.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates based on metallic nanoparticles locked in some flexible materials have great potential for rapid detection of pesticide residues in foods, but these substrates are generally not reusable.
A bendable and reusable sponge based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and Au nanospheres was synthesized and employed as SERS substrate to analyze thiram on the surfaces of apples and grapes (20-1000 ng cm
) and in their juices (0.5-5.0mg L
) with minimum sample pretreatments. The lowest detectible concentrations for thiram in fruit juices and on fruit skins were 0.5mg L
and 20 ng cm
, respectively. The Au-PDMS substrate had acceptable intra-reproducibility for SERS analysis of thiram in fruit juices and on fruit skins, resulting in 3.6-16.9% relative standard deviation (RSD) for the SERS signal of the primary peak of thiram. Moreover, the Au-PDMS substrate exhibited distinguished reusability and stability, which could provide a reproducible SERS signal of thiram in apple juice even after the substrate being reused ten times (RSDs for the three major characteristic peaks of thiram were 2.7-10.5% during the ten reused cycles).
This flexible and reusable Au-PDMS SERS substrate for thiram detection could be readily extended to the analysis of other trace chemicals in a broad range of foods, providing a new possibility for SERS application. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
This flexible and reusable Au-PDMS SERS substrate for thiram detection could be readily extended to the analysis of other trace chemicals in a broad range of foods, providing a new possibility for SERS application. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
A new scoring system [albumin-bilirubin-platelet (ALBI-PLT) score] was reported for identifying cirrhotic patients without high-risk varices (HRV), and patients with ALBI grade 1 (≤-2.60) and a platelet count over 150×10
/l were shown to have a low risk of having HRV. The present study modified the cut-off values of the variables in the ALBI-PLT score.
Among a total of 338 patients with chronic liver diseases, possible cut-off values of the ALBI score and the platelet count were determined by analyzing the first-half group (training cohort N=169) with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) method. The utility of the determined values was evaluated in the second-half group (validation cohort N=169) and total cohort (N=338). In addition, the utility of the modified cut-off values was evaluated in patients with compensated cirrhosis (cirrhotic cohort N=87).
Possible cut-off values of the ALBI score and platelet count were found to be -2.36 and 114×10
/l, respectively. In the training cohort, these cut-off values provided a higher ratio of avoiding esophagogastroduodenoscopy than the original ALBI-PLT score (53.3% vs. 25.4%, p<0.01). Consistent results were observed in the validation cohort (28.4% vs. 15.4%, p<0.01), total cohort (40.8% vs. 20.4%, p<0.01), and cirrhotic cohort (32.2% vs. 11.5%, p<0.01). However, the missing ratio of patients with the HRV was not significantly increased in any cohort studied.
Modification of the ALBI-PLT score may be useful for predicting patients without HRV.
Modification of the ALBI-PLT score may be useful for predicting patients without HRV.
Head and neck cancer is a major malignancy worldwide. The treatment strategy for head and neck cancer usually involves radiotherapy. The main side effect of radiotherapy is radiation dermatitis. Thus, determining the most effective topical regimen for the prevention of radiation dermatitis in head and neck cancer patients is a critical issue.
PRISMA-NMA guidelines were used in this network meta-analysis. We included only randomized control trials. A random effects model was used. Heterogeneity was evaluated by I
and Cochran's Q tests.
We included a total of 1,304 patients in the network meta-analysis. Among them, olive oil was the only effective regimen when compared with usual care (OR=0.18, 95%CI=0.03-0.95). The I
value was 56%. The test of heterogeneity yielded a p-value of 0.10.
Olive oil was the most effective regimen for the prevention of radiation dermatitis.
Olive oil was the most effective regimen for the prevention of radiation dermatitis.
Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) has a significant morbidity and mortality, despite representing a non-dominant hemorrhagic stroke. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the emergency department (ED) point-of-care (POC) biomarkers on early mortality in sICH patients.
Demographic data, medical history and admission clinical parameters from adult patients with imaging-based sICH diagnosis were collected retrospectively, upon their ED presentation over a period of 18 months. ED-based POC analyzers were used for blood biomarkers [complete blood count, C reactive protein (CRP), glycemia, hepatic and renal function, D-dimer and cardiac troponin I]. Derived inflammatory indexes were calculated. Mortality endpoints were collected (on day 7 and at discharge).
Of the 219 included patients, mortality rates reached 30.14% on day 7 and 46.12% at discharge. In the univariate analysis, day 7 mortality was significantly associated with history of diabetes, atrial fibrillation, ongoing anticoagulant treatment, the need of endotracheal intubation and ED cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the presence of intraventricular hemorrhage and mass effect on the initial CT scan.