Marination with aronia, grape and hawthorn vinegars affects the technological, textural, microstructural and sensory properties of spent chicken meat

1. The purpose of the present research was to detect the efficacies of various vinegars (aronia, grape and hawthorn) used as marination solutions on the physicochemical, technological, textural and sensory properties of spent chicken meat. The pH, colour parameters, cooking loss, marinade absorption, yield, texture (TPA and MORS), characteristics via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and sensory properties of marinated spent chicken samples were determined.2. Marination solutions used in the treatment groups were prepared with aronia, grape and hawthorn vinegars. The samples were agitated by hand to provide even dispersion of the solid ingredients in the marinades and were kept at 4°C for 24 h.3. The pH values of the samples were between 4.70 and 6.04. Marination with various marination solutions caused significant differences in terms of the a* and b* values of samples (P < 0.05). While marination with aronia vinegar decreased the b value of the samples, the use of grape and hawthorn vinegars in the marination solutions increased this value.4. Hardness and chewiness were the lowest in samples marinated with grape vinegar (P < 0.05) and were 135.14 and 48.79 N, respectively. As a result of marination with various vinegars, there was a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the MORSF and MORSE values.5. Marinade absorption values decreased by marination with various vinegars. The highest yield values were found in the samples marinated with hawthorn vinegar (P < 0.05). The SEM indicated that marination with aronia, grape and hawthorn vinegar caused larger gaps between muscle fibres compared to the control samples.6. Samples marinated with vinegars had higher texture scores compared with the control. Consequently, the marination with vinegars such as aronia, grape and hawthorn has the potential to improve the technical and textural properties of spent chicken meat.

Effect of capsule tension ring on short-term refractive stabilization and visual performance in trifocal intraocular lens implantation

PURPOSE

To provide refractive stability and increase visual performance with the use of a capsular tension ring in trifocal intraocular lens implantation.

METHODS

This prospective randomized study was conducted in the Yeniyüzyıl university ophthalmology department between February 2018 and September 2019. Eighty-six eyes of 43 patients with visual loss due to uncomplicated cataract in both eyes were randomly divided into two groups, A and B. The eyes in both groups underwent refractive lens exchange with implantation of the same design of trifocal IOL (plate haptic design). In group B, a capsular tension ring was inserted into the capsular bag before trifocal IOL implantation. Both groups were examined at 1day, 1week, 1month, and 3months postoperatively. At 3months after surgery, visual acuity, refractive errors and refractive prediction errors were analyzed and compared between groups A and B.

RESULTS

The postoperative values in group A were spherical equivalent (mean±SD), 0.07±0.79 diopters (D); refractive sphere (mean±SD), 0.43±0.84 diopters (D); uncorrected distance acuity, 0.20±0.04 (logMAR); best-corrected distance acuity, 0±0.02 (logMAR). Group B values were 0.14±0.5 diopters (D), 0.61±0.45 diopters (D), 0.25±0.20 (logMAR), 0.01±0.04 (logMAR), respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to the postoperative evaluation.

CONCLUSION

The use of CTR in the implantation of the trifocal intraocular lens had no statistically significant impact on refractive stability.

Evaluation of antibody response of sheep to foot-and-mouth disease vaccine prepared by using different MontanideTM oil adjuvants

Despite the widespread use of the conventional inactivated foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine, its immunogenicity is poor and the duration of its protection is short. In this study, humoral response to commercial ready-to-use Montanide^TM ISA 201 VG and Montanide^TM ISA 61 VG oil adjuvants and a common adjuvant Montanide^TM ISA 206 VG developed by Seppic Inc., were evaluated for FMD antigens in sheep and double oil emulsion (w/o/w) formulations of Montanide^TM ISA 201 and 206 and single oil emulsion (w/o) of Montanide^TM ISA 61 have been prepared by using current FMDV antigens (O/TUR/07, A/ASIA/G-VII, A/TUR/16 and ASIA/ TUR/15). The animals (n=48) were vaccinated subcutaneously with formulations and five sheep were maintained as an unvaccinated control group. Blood samples were taken at day 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 60, 90, 120 and 150. Virus neutralization and liquid phase blocking ELISA tests were used to compare antibody response to vaccines prepared by using different Montanide^TM mineral oils. The results showed that vaccines prepared by using Montanide^TM ISA 61 and 201 gave better antibody response to FMD antigens than Montanide^TM ISA 206 formulation, although results were not statistically significant for certain days of sampling. Moreover, the overall type O antibody response of Montanide^TM ISA 201 was found to be superior to Montanide^TM ISA 61.

Theoretical Diagnostics of Second and Third-order Hyperpolarizabilities of Several Acid Derivatives

The density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level has been utilized to achieve the electric dipole moment $\left( \mu \right),$static dipole polarizability $\left( \alpha \right)$and first hyperpolarizability $\left( \beta \right)$values for ferulic acid (1) and chenodeoxycholic acid (2). The time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) technique as a powerful quantum chemical method has been implemented to reveal the dynamic $\alpha ,\,\beta $and third-order hyperpolarizabilities $\left( \gamma \right)$of the examined compounds. Our computational conclusions have been compared with the results of similar materials in the literature. The first and second frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) and their band gaps have also been investigated by means of DFT.

One-photon Absorption Characterizations, Dipole Polarizabilities and Second Hyperpolarizabilities of Chlorophyll a and Crocin

The dispersion-free dipole polarizability (α) computations for chlorophyll a (1) and crocin (2) have been achieved by density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP/ 6-31G(d) level. The measured one-photon absorption (OPA) wavelengths are quite consistence with the theoretically obtained values. Ab-initio quantum chemical calculations (time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF)) have been implemented to reveal the static second hyperpolarizabilities (γ) and dynamic dipole polarizabilities of the title molecules. The examined compounds display γ with non-zero values, introducing their third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) phenomena. The first and second frontier molecular orbitals of the investigated molecules have been also derived from DFT.

Polymer-Derived Silicon Oxycarbide Ceramics as Promising Next-Generation Sustainable Thermoelectrics

We demonstrate the potential of polymer-derived ceramics (PDC) as next-generation sustainable thermoelectrics. Thermoelectric behavior of polymer-derived silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) ceramics (containing hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as filler) was studied as a function of measurement temperature. SiOC, sintered at 1300 °C exhibited invariant low thermal conductivity (∼1.5 W/(m·K)) over 30-600 °C, coupled with a small increase in both Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity, with increase in measurement temperature (30-150 °C). SiOC ceramics containing 1 wt % h-BN showed the highest Seebeck coefficient (-33 μV/K) for any PDC thus far.

A micro-Raman study of exfoliated few-layered n-type Bi2 Te2.7Se0.3

Previously we showed that the thermoelectric (TE) performance of bulk n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 can be enhanced by subjecting it to a combined process of chemical or mechanical exfoliation (C/ME) followed by a rapid densification and restacking of the exfoliated layers via the spark-plasma-sintering technique (SPS). Here, we present a systematic micro-Raman study of two-dimensional flakes of n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 produced by the C/ME process, as a function of the flake thickness. We found Raman evidence for flakes with: (i) integer number of quintuples which exhibited a strong electron-phonon coupling, and (ii) non-integer number of quintuples, or sub-quintuples which exhibited the forbidden IR active mode due to symmetry lowering. Detailed atomic force microscopy was used to confirm the number of quintuples in all flakes examined in this study. The restacking and densification of these flakes by SPS promoted the formation of charged grain boundaries, which led to the enhanced TE properties via the energy filtering process.

Impact absorption properties of carbon fiber reinforced bucky sponges

We describe the super compressible and highly recoverable response of bucky sponges as they are struck by a heavy flat-punch striker. The bucky sponges studied here are structurally stable, self-assembled mixtures of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and carbon fibers (CFs). We engineered the microstructure of the sponges by controlling their porosity using different CF contents. Their mechanical properties and energy dissipation characteristics during impact loading are presented as a function of their composition. The inclusion of CFs improves the impact force damping by up to 50% and the specific damping capacity by up to 7% compared to bucky sponges without CFs. The sponges also exhibit significantly better stress mitigation characteristics compared to vertically aligned CNT foams of similar densities. We show that delamination occurs at the MWCNT-CF interfaces during unloading, and it arises from the heterogeneous fibrous microstructure of the bucky sponges.

Defect-Engineered Graphene for High-Energy- and High-Power-Density Supercapacitor Devices

Defects are often written off as performance limiters. Contrary to this notion, it is shown that controlling the defect configuration in graphene is critical to overcome a fundamental limitation posed by quantum capacitance and opens new channels for ion diffusion. Defect-engineered graphene flexible pouch capacitors with energy densities of 500% higher than the state-of-the-art supercapacitors are demonstrated.

Tuning the electronic structure of graphene through nitrogen doping: experiment and theory

Tuning the electronic properties of graphene by doping atoms into its lattice makes it more applicable for electronic devices.

Influence of carbon nanomaterial defects on the formation of protein corona

In any physiological media, carbon nanomaterials (CNM) strongly interact with biomolecules leading to the formation of biocorona, which subsequently dictate the physiological response and the fate of CNMs. Defects in CNMs play an important role not only in material properties but also in the determination of how materials interact at the nano-bio interface. In this article, we probed the influence of defect-induced hydrophilicity on the biocorona formation using micro-Raman, photoluminescence, infrared spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that the interaction of proteins (albumin and fibrinogen) with CNMs is strongly influenced by charge-transfer between them, inducing protein unfolding which enhances conformational entropy and higher protein adsorption.

Modulation of the Electrostatic and Quantum Capacitances of Few Layered Graphenes through Plasma Processing

It is shown that charged defect generation, through argon ion-based plasma processing, in few layer graphene, could substantially enhance the electrical capacitance for electrochemical energy storage. Detailed consideration of the constituent space charge and quantum capacitances were used to delineate a new length scale, correlated to electrically active defects contributing to the capacitance, and was found to be smaller than a structural correlation length determined through Raman spectroscopy. The study offers insights into an industrially viable method (i.e., plasma processing) for modifying and enhancing the energy density of graphene-based electrochemical capacitors.

Anomalous impact and strain responses in helical carbon nanotube foams

We describe the quasistatic and dynamic response of helical carbon nanotube (HCNT) foams in compression.

Dopant-configuration controlled carrier scattering in graphene

Our detailed Raman, non-linear optical, and photoemission spectroscopic studies evince that the N-dopant configuration in graphene (blue-pyridinic, orange-graphitic, and red-pyrrolic) can be effectively tuned to mitigate electron-defect scattering.

Preferential scattering by interfacial charged defects for enhanced thermoelectric performance in few-layered n-type Bi2Te3

Over the past two decades several nano-structuring methods have helped improve the figure of merit (ZT) in the state-of-the art bulk thermoelectric materials. While these methods could enhance the thermoelectric performance of p-type Bi2Te3, it was frustrating to researchers that they proved ineffective for n-type Bi2Te3 due to the inevitable deterioration of its thermoelectric properties in the basal plane. Here, we describe a novel chemical-exfoliation spark-plasma-sintering (CE-SPS) nano-structuring process, which transforms the microstructure of n-type Bi2Te3 in an extraordinary manner without compromising its basal plane properties. The CE-SPS processing leads to preferential scattering of electrons at charged grain boundaries, and thereby increases the electrical conductivity despite the presence of numerous grain boundaries, and mitigates the bipolar effect via band occupancy optimization leading to an upshift (by ~ 100 K) and stabilization of the ZT peak over a broad temperature range of ~ 150 K.

Growth performance and quality properties of meat from broiler chickens reared under different monochromatic light sources

1. Quality properties of breast and drumstick muscles of female broiler chickens reared under different light sources were evaluated using a total of 480 female chicks (Ross 308). 2. After hatch, the chicks were randomly divided into three lighting treatment groups: control (daylight; mini incandescent lamps), G-B lighting group (green light monochromatic (MC) lamps for first 3 weeks switching to blue MC lamps for remaining 3 weeks), G-GB mixed lighting group (Green MC light for first 3 weeks, switching to Green MC light + Blue MC light mixture for remaining 3 weeks). 3. Feed consumption, body weight and total muscle weight values of the muscles from G-B and G-GB mix lighting groups were significantly higher than those of incandescent (control) lighting groups. 4. The breast and drumstick muscles from control lighting groups had a lower pH and water-holding capacity, but higher cooking loss values than those from G-B and G-GB mix lighting groups. The muscles from G-GB mix lighting groups exhibited the softer structure than those from other lighting groups. 5. We suggest that G-B or G-GB mix lighting during the rearing period of female broilers would improve body and muscle growth and then meat quality properties.

The WHO global alliance against chronic respiratory diseases in Turkey (GARD Turkey)

In order to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the 61st World Health Assembly has endorsed an NCD action plan (WHA resolution 61.14). A package for essential NCDs including chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) has also been developed. The Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) is a new but rapidly developing voluntary alliance that is assisting World Health Organization (WHO) in the task of addressing NCDs at country level. The GARD approach was initiated in 2006. GARD Turkey is the first comprehensive programme developed by a government with all stakeholders of the country. This paper provides a summary of indicators of the prevalence and severity of chronic respiratory diseases in Turkey and the formation of GARD Turkey.

Characteristics of meat emulsion systems as influenced by different levels of lemon albedo

The effect of the addition of lemon albedo on the functional properties of emulsions was studied by using a model system. Oil/water (O/W) model emulsion systems were prepared by the addition of two types of lemon albedo (raw and dehydrated) at five concentrations (0.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10%) to mechanically deboned chicken meat. The emulsion capacity, stability, viscosity and flow properties of the prepared model emulsions were analyzed. In addition, the colour parameters of cooked emulsion gel were determined. The addition of lemon albedo increased the emulsion capacity (EC) and the highest EC value was reached with 5% of albedo added. However, further increase in the albedo concentration caused an inverse trend in the EC values. A similar trend was observed in the emulsion stability (ES) values. Dehydrated albedo (DA) addition caused higher EC and ES values than did raw albedo (RA). DA increased the L(∗), a(∗) and b(∗) values of the cooked emulsion gels. Emulsion viscosity (EV) values were positively correlated with an increase in albedo concentration and the highest EV value was obtained from the emulsions with 10% albedo. Albedo addition did not change the flow properties of the emulsions and, in addition, increased the pseudoplasticity. As a consequence, the use of lemon albedo might be a potential dietary fiber source to enhance the functional and technological properties for frankfurter-type meat products.

Investigation and comparison of the effects of rehabilitation on balance and coordination problems in patients with posterior fossa and cerebellopontine angle tumours

BACKGROUND

This study was planned to investigate and compare the effects of acute rehabilitation programme on balance and coordination problems in patients with posterior fossa and cerebellopontine angle tumours.

METHODS

This study was carried out at Hacettepe University, School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, neurosurgical rehabilitation unit on 40 patients whose ages varied between 18-60 years. Subjects were subdivided into two groups. Group I consisted of 20 patients with posterior fossa tumour, while the group II was composed of 20 patients with cerebellopontine angle tumour. Patients were evaluated according to the localisation of the tumour, the number of the surgical operations, the level of the surgical excision of the tumour, percent of having shunt, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Balance problems were assessed according to Mokken's functional independence assessment scale in 5 selected positions and standing balance was also evaluated according to the method of Bohannon. The rehabilitation of the patients included balance and coordination training. The patients were re-evaluated before their discharge and the results of the two evaluations were compared.

RESULTS

A significant improvement was found in the second group when pre- and post-treatment evaluations were compared. There were more coordination problems in group 1 in the pretreatment period. Both groups showed significant improvement of coordination problems after the treatment. However, this improvement was more obvious in the second group (p<0.05). There was a negative significant correlation between the decrease of balance problems and the amount of the tumour excided (I Group r=-0.51, II Group r=-0.57).

CONCLUSIONS

It can be concluded that rehabilitation approaches are effective in balance and coordination problems observed in both tumour groups, but the responses to treatment are more obvious in the cerebellopontine angle tumours, which have better prognosis.

Prevalence of inguinal hernia in otherwise healthy males of 20 to 22 years of age

Twenty-seven thousand four hundred and eight adult males between 20 and 22 years of age who were otherwise healthy were examined to detect inguinal hernias. Eight hundred and eighty-five (3.2%) inguinal hernia cases were detected. These were 479 (54.1%) right inguinal hernias, 351 (39.7%) left inguinal hernias and 55 (6.2%) bilateral inguinal hernias. One hundred and eighty-five (20.9%) subjects reported first degree relatives and 147 (16.6%) subjects reported second degree relatives with inguinal hernias. It is concluded that these results may be a useful guide for future studies about the prevalence of inguinal hernias in the populations as a whole and suggest a familial predisposition.

Release of vasopressin, cortisol and beta-endorphin in tetraplegic subjects in response to head-up tilt

Plasma levels of beta-endorphin, vasopressin and cortisol during head-up tilt were measured in tetraplegic patients and in normal healthy subjects. In tetraplegic patients rapid tilt from the horizontal to 30 degrees or 60 degrees head-up induced orthostatic hypotension and increased plasma levels of cortisol, beta-endorphin and vasopressin. In control subjects head-up tilt failed to alter plasma levels of these hormones. These data show that the head-up position in tetraplegics causes various endocrine reactions.