Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Sensorial Quality Attributes of a Fermented Milk Drink (Laban) Fortified with Date Syrup (Dibs) during Cold Storage

This study investigated the nutritional, microbial, and sensory quality attributes of a fermented milk (laban) drink flavored with date syrup (dibs) during cold storage at 4 °C for 7 days. Date syrup was added to laban in specific proportions (2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15% date syrup/total weight of flavored laban) and an appropriate percentage (12.5%, 74 °Bx) was selected based on the sensory preference of panelists. The results indicate that flavoring laban with date syrup affected the physicochemical, nutritional, microbial, and sensory quality attributes of the product in different ways. Incorporation of date syrup in fresh laban drink significantly increased the pH, ash, protein, total solids, sugars, and magnesium (p < 0.05). However, acidity, fat, casein, lactose, calcium, total microbial count, and total yeast and molds count were decreased (p < 0.05). During storage, acidity, ash, and microbial load were concomitantly increased, while fat, casein, total solids, and sugars showed a concurrent reduction as the storage period progressed. The panelists preferred the freshly prepared flavored laban drink compared with the stored one, which is not surprising. After 7 days of storage, flavored laban drink was more acceptable than a non-flavored one. The findings of this research will help in fortifying dairy products with dates to create highly nutritious drinks without the addition of artificial additives, refined sweeteners, and preservatives, which at the same time would be accepted by consumers.

The Learning Styles Neuromyth Is Still Thriving in Medical Education

Learning Styles theory promises improved academic performance based on the identification of a personal, sensory preference for informational processing. This promise is not supported by evidence, and is in contrast to our current understanding of the neuroscience of learning. Despite this lack of evidence, prior research shows that that belief in the Learning Styles “neuromyth” remains high amongst educators of all levels, around the world. This perspective article is a follow up on prior research aimed at understanding why belief in the neuromyth of Learning Styles remains so high. We evaluated current research papers from the field of health professions education, to characterize the perspective that an educator would be given, should they search for evidence on Learning Styles. As in earlier research on Higher Education, we found that the use of Learning Style frameworks persist in education research for the health professions; 91% of 112 recent research papers published on Learning Styles are based upon the premise that Learning Styles are a useful approach to education. This is in sharp contrast to the fundamental principle of evidence-based practice within these professions. Thus any educator who sought out the research evidence on Learning Styles would be given a consistent but inaccurate endorsement of the value of a teaching technique that is not evidence based, possibly then propagating the belief in Learning Styles. Here we offer perspectives from both research and student about this apparent mismatch between educational practice and clinical practice, along with recommendations and considerations for the future.

Extended frontal networks for visual and auditory working memory

Working memory (WM) supports the persistent representation of transient sensory information. Visual and auditory stimuli place different demands on WM and recruit different brain networks. Separate auditory- and visual-biased WM networks extend into the frontal lobes, but several challenges confront attempts to parcellate human frontal cortex, including fine-grained organization and between-subject variability. Here, we use differential intrinsic functional connectivity from two visual-biased and two auditory-biased frontal structures to identify additional candidate sensory-biased regions in frontal cortex. We then examine direct contrasts of task fMRI during visual vs. auditory 2-back WM to validate those candidate regions. Three visual-biased and five auditory-biased regions are robustly activated bilaterally in the frontal lobes of individual subjects (N=14, 7 women). These regions exhibit a sensory preference during passive exposure to task stimuli, and that preference is stronger during WM. Hierarchical clustering analysis of intrinsic connectivity among novel and previously identified bilateral sensory-biased regions confirms that they functionally segregate into visual and auditory networks, even though the networks are anatomically interdigitated. We also observe that the fronto-temporal auditory WM network is highly selective and exhibits strong functional connectivity to structures serving non-WM functions, while the fronto-parietal visual WM network hierarchically merges into the multiple-demand cognitive system.

Leveraging Controlled-Environment Agriculture to Increase Key Basil Terpenoid and Phenylpropanoid Concentrations: The Effects of Radiation Intensity and CO2 Concentration on Consumer Preference

Altering the radiation intensity in controlled environments can influence volatile organic compound (VOC) biosynthetic pathways, including those of terpenoids and phenylpropanoids. In turn, the concentrations of these compounds can have a profound effect on flavor and sensory attributes. Because sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a popular culinary herb, our objectives were to (1) determine the extent radiation intensity and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration influence seedling terpenoid and phenylpropanoid concentrations; (2) determine if differences in phenylpropanoid and terpenoid concentrations influence consumer preference; and (3) characterize consumer preferences to better inform production and marketing strategies. “Nufar” sweet basil was grown with CO2 concentrations of 500 or 1,000 μmol ⋅ mol–1 under sole-source radiation intensities of 100, 200, 400, or 600 μmol ⋅ m–2 ⋅ s–1 with a 16 h photoperiod to create daily light integrals of 6, 12, 23, and 35 mol ⋅ m–2 ⋅ d–1. After 2 weeks, concentrations of the terpenoids 1,8 cineole and linalool and the phenylpropanoids eugenol and methyl chavicol were quantified, and consumer sensory panel evaluations were conducted to quantify preferences. Overall, increasing radiation intensity from 100 to 600 μmol ⋅ m–2 ⋅ s–1 increased 1,8 cineole, linalool, and eugenol concentrations 2. 4-, 8. 8-, and 3.3-fold, respectively, whereas CO2 concentration did not influence VOCs. Contrary to our hypothesis, increased VOC concentrations were not correlated with consumer preference. However, overall liking was correlated with aftertaste and flavor. The conclusion that consumer preference is dependent on flavor can be drawn. However, increasing VOC concentrations to increase flavor did not improve flavor preference. Many consumer sensory preference characteristics (favorable preference for aftertaste, bitterness/sweetness, color, flavor, overall liking, and texture) were correlated with basil grown under a radiation intensity of 200 μmol ⋅ m–2 ⋅ s–1. This led us to determine that consumers prefer to detect the characteristic basil flavor made up of 1,8 cineole, eugenol, and linalool, which was not as prevalent in basil grown under 100 μmol ⋅ m–2 ⋅ s–1, but too high in basil grown under 400 and 600 μmol ⋅ m–2 ⋅ s–1, which led to lower consumer preference.

Does Learning Style Make a Difference on Student’s Academic Performance? Learning Style Preferences of Medical Students from University Tunku Abdul Rahman

Background: Learning preference is the effective and efficient modality or manner in which a learner has a natural preference to perceive process, store and recall new information. Learning style is the composite of cognitive, affective and physiological characteristics that indicate how a learner perceives, interacts and responds to the learning environment. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the teaching and learning style preferences of medical students at UTAR by using VARK (Visual/Auditory/Reading/Kinesthetics) inventory questionnaires and to identify the different learning style preferences between gender and the academic year of medical education (pre-clinical year versus clinical year). Methodology: This was a university-based cross-sectional study involving 235 students from year 1 to year 5 in University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia from December 2017 to December 2018. Students, selected via universal sampling, were given the VARK inventory questionnaires determine their preferences of learning style. Data were further analysed using SPSS (version 22.0, IBM). Results: Of the 203 students (86.4%) who responded to the questionnaire, 62.1% of them were females while 80.3% of them were between 21-25 years of age. 86 students (42.4%) were from the preclinical phase while 117 (57.6%) were from the clinical phase. 70.4% of the students preferred studying alone to studying with a partner or group of friends (29.6%). Among them,157 medical students (77.3%) preferred multimodal learning style, with the most preferred mode trimodal which means combination of three sensory preference for example VAR or ARK, 35.67%, followed by quadrimodal which means combination of all four sensory preference for example VARK, 33.76% and bimodal which means combination of two sensory preference for example VA or AR, 30.57%. The remaining 46 students (22.7%) were unimodal learners (visual or auditory or reading or kinaesthetic) and 37% of them preferred kinesthetics which was learners prefer hands-on, practical experience. There was no significant difference in VARK modalities in terms of gender (p=0.39) and academic year (p=0.16). Conclusion: In conclusion, majority of UTAR medical students preferred multiple modalities with trimodal being the most prevalent mode. Among unimodal learners, kinesthetics were the most preferred mode. There was no significant difference in VARK modalities in terms of gender and academic year.

Sensory Preference and Professional Profile Affinity Definition of Endangered Native Breed Eggs Compared to Commercial Laying Lineages’ Eggs

This study aimed to compare Utrerana native hen eggs’ sensory properties to Leghorn Lohmann LSL-Classic lineage’s commercial and ecological eggs through free-choice profiling. Second, affine and non-affine profiles were defined using the information provided by professionally-instructed panelists on six sets (sensory attributes, diet habits, production context awareness, product consciousness, cuisine applicability and panelist attributes) using nonlinear canonical correlation analysis. Sixty-four instructed professional panelists rated 96 eggs on 39 variables comprising the above-mentioned sets. Observers reported a significantly higher appreciation (p > 0.05) towards yolk color, odor, flavor, texture, overall score, and whole and on plate broken egg visual value when Utrerana eggs were compared to the rest of categories. Professional Profile A (PPA), or egg non-affine profile, consumed less eggs and provided lower scores to sensory attributes than Professional Profile B (PPB), or affine profile. Additionally, PPB accounted for higher knowledge about the Utrerana breed and provided greater importance to a product’s ecological and autochthonous nature. PPA was generally characterized by women under 20 years old with no higher studies, while PPB comprised 21–40 years old men with secondary studies. In conclusion, defining professional profiles enables correctly approaching market needs to improve the profitability of Utrerana eggs, meeting professional demands and educating non-affine profiles.