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JDS Communications Nov 2023The objective of this research was to evaluate the suitability of whey permeate powder for ice cream. Three white mixes were formulated with equivalent total solids,...
The objective of this research was to evaluate the suitability of whey permeate powder for ice cream. Three white mixes were formulated with equivalent total solids, fat, and carbohydrates, but different concentrations of lactose and added sugar. Vanilla ice creams contained either reduced lactose (RL, 3.8% lactose and 17% added sugar), standard lactose (SL, 5.8%; 15%), or high lactose (HL, 7.8%; 13%). Trained panelists evaluated 8 body and texture, and 6 flavor characteristics through 10 mo of storage. All ice creams maintained low mean scores (<4.0/15.0 cm) for crumbly, lacks freshness, nonfat dry milk flavor, and whey, and moderate mean scores (5.0-8.3/15.0 cm) for gummy, melt rate, melt viscosity, sweet, and vanilla flavor for 10 mo. In mo 1 and 10, consumers in Iowa (n = 94, n = 55) and in mo 4 and 6, consumers in Kansas (n = 44; n = 56) rated the acceptability of the ice creams. Overall acceptability, flavor, and texture acceptability for products did not significantly differ until mo 10, when HL mean scores decreased lower than SL ice cream mean scores. The lower scores are attributed to crumbly and sandy texture defects, noted by trained panelists, only for HL ice cream stored 10 mo. The research demonstrates that whey permeate powder can be used to produce ice creams of acceptable quality for up to 10 mo.
PubMed: 38045891
DOI: 10.3168/jdsc.2023-0382 -
Biomaterials Advances Aug 2022Freeze-drying is a process of choice to texture hydrogel scaffolds with pores formed by an ice-templating mechanism. Using state-of-the-art microscopies (cryo-EBSD,...
Freeze-drying is a process of choice to texture hydrogel scaffolds with pores formed by an ice-templating mechanism. Using state-of-the-art microscopies (cryo-EBSD, μCT, CLSM), this work evidences and quantifies the effect of crosslinking and ice nucleation temperature on the porous structure of thin hydrogel scaffolds freeze-dried at a low cooling rate. We focused on a polysaccharide-based hydrogel and developed specific protocols to monitor or trigger ice nucleation for this study. At a fixed number of intermolecular crosslinks per primary molecule (p = 5), the mean pore size in the dry state decreases linearly from 240 to 170 μm, when ice nucleation temperature decreases from -6 °C to -18 °C. When ice nucleation temperature is fixed at -10 °C, the mean pore size decreases from 250 to 150 μm, as the crosslinking degree increases from p = 3 to p = 7. Scaffold infiltration ability was quantified with synthetic microspheres. The seeding efficiency was assessed with MC3T3-E1 individual cells and HepaRG™ spheroids. These data collapse into a single master curve that exhibits a sharp transition from 100 % to 0 %-efficiency as the entity diameter approaches the mean pore size in the dry state. Altogether, we can thus precisely tune the porosity of these 3D materials of interest for 3D cell culture and cGMP production for tissue engineering.
Topics: Freeze Drying; Hydrogels; Ice; Porosity; Tissue Engineering
PubMed: 35891598
DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.212973 -
Scientific Data Mar 2022Most COVID-19 vaccines require temperature control for transportation and storage. Two types of vaccine have been developed by manufacturers (Pfizer and Moderna). Both...
Most COVID-19 vaccines require temperature control for transportation and storage. Two types of vaccine have been developed by manufacturers (Pfizer and Moderna). Both vaccines are based on mRNA and lipid nanoparticles requiring low temperature storage. The Pfizer vaccine requires ultra-low temperature storage (-80 °C to -60 °C), while the Moderna vaccine requires -30 °C storage. However, the last stage of distribution is quite challenging, especially for rural or suburban areas, where local towns, pharmacy chains and hospitals may not have the infrastructure required to store the vaccine at the required temperature. In addition, there is limited data available to address ancillary challenges of the distribution framework for both transportation and storage stages, including safety concerns due to human exposure to large amounts of CO from dry-ice sublimation, issues due to the pressure increase caused by dry-ice sublimation, and the potential issue caused by non-uniform cryogenic temperatures. As such, there is a need for test dataset to assist the development of a quick, effective, secure, and safe solution to mitigate the challenges faced by vaccine distribution logistics.
Topics: COVID-19 Vaccines; Ice; Refrigeration; Temperature
PubMed: 35236859
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01167-y -
Insects Jul 2022Traps for capturing mosquitoes and other blood-feeding arthropods are often baited with carbon dioxide (CO) as an attractant. Dry ice is popularly used as a CO source...
Traps for capturing mosquitoes and other blood-feeding arthropods are often baited with carbon dioxide (CO) as an attractant. Dry ice is popularly used as a CO source due to its high efficiency and ease of use. However, dry ice can be difficult to obtain in many rural and remote areas. The objective of this study was to develop a simple and inexpensive method that could continuously generate CO overnight (about 10 h) while being used with CDC light traps for sampling adult mosquitoes. In principle, CO was produced from the reaction between hydrochloric acid (HCl) (12% /) and limestone powder (mainly composed of calcium carbonate, CaCO). In laboratory experiments, an average of 256 mL of CO was produced from 1 g of limestone. For continuous production of CO, an intravenous drip infusion set, as commonly used in hospitals, was modified for dripping the acid solution (1 L in a normal saline bag) onto limestone powder (800 g in a 1.5 L bottle) at a flow rate of 30 drops/min (about 1.6 mL/min). With this procedure, an average of 55 mL of CO per min was obtained (approximately equivalent to the CO exhaled by two chickens). The performance of this CO generating system incorporated with CDC light traps for sampling mosquitoes was evaluated in three rural villages of Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Three trap sets were used, i.e., Set I, light trap alone; Set II, light trap with dry ice (1 kg); and Set III, light trap with limestone and acid. In each village, mosquitoes were collected at three fixed sites, each with one of the three trap sets. They were rotated daily for three rounds (9 nights per village and 27 nights in total). A total of 1620 mosquitoes (97.7% being females) consisting of , , , , and were captured across three different sampling sets from all villages. The predominant species collected were ( = 760, 46.91%), ( = 504, 31.11%) and ( = 157, 9.69%). Light traps alone (Set I) collected very low numbers of mosquitoes ( = 12) and species (6 spp.), whereas light traps with dry ice (Set II) collected the highest numbers of mosquitoes ( = 1341) and species (14 spp.). Although the light trap with limestone and acid (Set III) collected fewer mosquitoes ( = 267) and species (9 spp.) than the trap set with dry ice (Set II), it collected all common vector species in the study areas as collected by Set II. The presence of an acid solution had no bias in the collection of mosquitoes with different physiological ages as determined by the parous rate. The present study demonstrated that this CO generating system is reliable, simple and inexpensive, and could be an alternative to dry ice. The system can be modified to increase the amount of CO generated for higher efficacy of mosquito collection. This CO production method can be applied to collect other blood-sucking arthropods as well.
PubMed: 35886813
DOI: 10.3390/insects13070637 -
Nature Communications Apr 2023Ice-rich Pleistocene-age permafrost is particularly vulnerable to rapid thaw, which may quickly expose a large pool of sedimentary organic matter (OM) to microbial...
Ice-rich Pleistocene-age permafrost is particularly vulnerable to rapid thaw, which may quickly expose a large pool of sedimentary organic matter (OM) to microbial degradation and lead to emissions of climate-sensitive greenhouse gases. Protective physico-chemical mechanisms may, however, restrict microbial accessibility and reduce OM decomposition; mechanisms that may be influenced by changing environmental conditions during sediment deposition. Here we study different OM fractions in Siberian permafrost deposited during colder and warmer periods of the past 55,000 years. Among known stabilization mechanisms, the occlusion of OM in aggregates is of minor importance, while 33-74% of the organic carbon is associated with small, <6.3 µm mineral particles. Preservation of carbon in mineral-associated OM is enhanced by reactive iron minerals particularly during cold and dry climate, reflected by low microbial CO production in incubation experiments. Warmer and wetter conditions reduce OM stabilization, shown by more decomposed mineral-associated OM and up to 30% higher CO production. This shows that considering the stability and bioavailability of Pleistocene-age permafrost carbon is important for predicting future climate-carbon feedback.
PubMed: 37055417
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37766-5 -
Environmental Science & Technology Jun 2021The Anthropocene has led to global-scale contamination of the biosphere through diffuse atmospheric dispersal of arsenic. This review considers the sources arsenic to... (Review)
Review
The Anthropocene has led to global-scale contamination of the biosphere through diffuse atmospheric dispersal of arsenic. This review considers the sources arsenic to soils and its subsequent fate, identifying key knowledge gaps. There is a particular focus on soil classification and stratigraphy, as this is central to the topic under consideration. For Europe and North America, peat core chrono-sequences record massive enhancement of arsenic depositional flux from the onset of the Industrial Revolution to the late 20th century, while modern mitigation efforts have led to a sharp decline in emissions. Recent arsenic wet and dry depositional flux measurements and modern ice core records suggest that it is South America and East Asia that are now primary global-scale polluters. Natural sources of arsenic to the atmosphere are primarily from volcanic emissions, aeolian soil dust entrainment, and microbial biomethylation. However, quantifying these natural inputs to the atmosphere, and subsequent redeposition to soils, is only starting to become better defined. The pedosphere acts as both a sink and source of deposited arsenic. Soil is highly heterogeneous in the natural arsenic already present, in the chemical and biological regulation of its mobility within soil horizons, and in interaction with climatic and geomorphological settings. Mineral soils tend to be an arsenic sink, while organic soils act as both a sink and a source. It is identified here that peatlands hold a considerable amount of Anthropocene released arsenic, and that this store can be potentially remobilized under climate change scenarios. Also, increased ambient temperature seems to cause enhanced arsine release from soils, and potentially also from the oceans, leading to enhanced rates of arsenic biogeochemical cycling through the atmosphere. With respect to agriculture, rice cultivation was identified as a particular concern in Southeast Asia due to the current high arsenic deposition rates to soil, the efficiency of arsenic assimilation by rice grain, and grain yield reduction through toxicity.
Topics: Arsenic; Europe; Asia, Eastern; North America; Soil; South America
PubMed: 34048658
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00460 -
Nature Jul 2020Efforts to improve sea level forecasting on a warming planet have focused on determining the temperature, sea level and extent of polar ice sheets during Earth's past...
Efforts to improve sea level forecasting on a warming planet have focused on determining the temperature, sea level and extent of polar ice sheets during Earth's past interglacial warm periods. About 400,000 years ago, during the interglacial period known as Marine Isotopic Stage 11 (MIS11), the global temperature was 1 to 2 degrees Celsius greater and sea level was 6 to 13 metres higher. Sea level estimates in excess of about 10 metres, however, have been discounted because these require a contribution from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, which has been argued to have remained stable for millions of years before and includes MIS11. Here we show how the evolution of U enrichment within the subglacial waters of East Antarctica recorded the ice sheet's response to MIS11 warming. Within the Wilkes Basin, subglacial chemical precipitates of opal and calcite record accumulation of U (the product of rock-water contact within an isolated subglacial reservoir) up to 20 times higher than that found in marine waters. The timescales of U enrichment place the inception of this reservoir at MIS11. Informed by the U cycling observed in the Laurentide Ice Sheet, where U accumulated during periods of ice stability and was flushed to global oceans in response to deglaciation, we interpret our East Antarctic dataset to represent ice loss within the Wilkes Basin at MIS11. The U accumulation within the Wilkes Basin is also observed in the McMurdo Dry Valleys brines, indicating that the brine originated beneath the adjacent East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The marine origin of brine salts and bacteria implies that MIS11 ice loss was coupled with marine flooding. Collectively, these data indicate that during one of the warmest Pleistocene interglacials, the ice sheet margin at the Wilkes Basin retreated to near the precipitate location, about 700 kilometres inland from the current position of the ice margin, which-assuming current ice volumes-would have contributed about 3 to 4 metres to global sea levels.
PubMed: 32699394
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2484-5 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2023The ice plant is a species that is grown mainly in the dry regions of the American West and contains various minerals and ingredients beneficial for human health, such...
The ice plant is a species that is grown mainly in the dry regions of the American West and contains various minerals and ingredients beneficial for human health, such as inositol and beta-carotene. With the growing trend towards healthy foods, pasta consumption has also increased. Pasta is a convenient and low-glycemic-index food that is composed mainly of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, dietary fiber, and trace amounts of minerals. The optimal mixing ratio was evaluated to produce pasta of the highest quality in terms of blood sugar elevation and antioxidant efficacy. The components and minerals of the ice plant, including D-pinitol and inositol, were analyzed, and 20 essential amino acids were identified. In this study, we also investigated the quality and characteristics of ice plant paste and eggs, as well as the quality, antioxidant activity, and formulation of raw materials mixed with ice plant at different ratios. Optimal conditions were found to be 46.73 g of ice plant paste in 100 g of durum wheat flour, 20.23 g of egg, and 2 g of salt, providing a way to develop fresh pasta that enhances the health benefits of ice plant paste without excessive moisture and other ingredients.
PubMed: 37444220
DOI: 10.3390/foods12132482 -
Brazilian Journal of Biology = Revista... 2022Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a medicinal, ornamental and aromatic plant, however, its size can be an obstacle to its commercialization as a potted ornamental plant....
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a medicinal, ornamental and aromatic plant, however, its size can be an obstacle to its commercialization as a potted ornamental plant. Paclobutrazol (PBZ) is a substance that can retard plant growth by inhibiting the synthesis of gibberellins. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of paclobutrazol on growth regulation and gas exchange of basil (var. Cinnamon). The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with five treatments (PBZ doses: 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mg L-1), with eight replicates. Growth (plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf dry mass, stem dry mass, inflorescence dry mass, and total), growth rates (leaf mass ratio, stem mass ratio, inflorescence mass ratio, and robustness quotient), chlorophyll indices, gas exchange (gs, A, E, Ci, WUE, iWUE and iCE) were evaluated. Paclobutrazol reduced the growth of basil plants and increased the chlorophyll indices, A, gs, and WUE. Paclobutrazol can be used to regulate plant growth of basil plants var. Cinnamon, without altering its physiological and ornamental characteristics.
Topics: Chlorophyll; Ocimum basilicum; Plant Leaves; Triazoles
PubMed: 35857950
DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.262364 -
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde Sep 2022In the summer, an 11-year-old boy is bitten in his hand by a viper during survival camp. With extreme pain, swelling, vomiting and eventually loss of consciousness, he...
In the summer, an 11-year-old boy is bitten in his hand by a viper during survival camp. With extreme pain, swelling, vomiting and eventually loss of consciousness, he ends up in the emergency room. In the medium care, the arm swelling appears to be progressive. Antiserum delivered by express courier is finally given. Tourniquets, ice, incising and aspiration are obsolete. Gentle bandages with mild compression and a splint are an option. Immobilization is also important and haste depends on the symptoms (in 2 to 50% there is a 'dry bite'). Antiserum is given immediately in case of systemic effects such as coagulation disorder, dyspnoea, hypovolemic shock and renal insufficiency. In case of swelling, one should wait and see and determine the extent and progression of the swelling when antiserum is used. When administering the antiserum, a solid anticipation of anaphylaxis belongs.
Topics: Male; Animals; Humans; Child; Snake Bites; Ice; Pain; Edema; Reptiles
PubMed: 36300430
DOI: No ID Found