Routine Monitoring of Instrument Stability in a Milk Testing Laboratory With ASCA: A Pilot Study

Mid-infrared spectroscopy has been developed as a reliable and rapid tool for routine analysis of fat, protein, lactose and other components in liquid milk. However, variations within and between FTIR instruments, even within the same milk testing laboratory, present a challenge to the accuracy of measurement of particularly minor components in the milk, such as individual fatty acids or proteins. In this study we have used Analysis of variance–Simultaneous Component Analysis (ASCA), to monitor the spectral variation between and within each of four different FOSS FTIR spectrometers over each week in an independent milk testing laboratory over 4 years, between August 2017 and March 2021 (223 weeks). On everyday of each week, spectra of the same pilot milk sample were recorded approximately every hour on each of the four instruments. Overall, variations between instruments had the largest effect on spectral variation over each week, making a significant contribution every week. Within each instrument, day-to-day variations over the week were also significant for all but two of the weeks measured, however it contributed less to the variance overall. At certain times other factors not explained by weekday variation or inter-instrument variation dominated the variance in the spectra. Examination of the scores and loadings of the weekly ASCA analysis allowed identification of changes in the spectral regions affected by drifts in each instrument over time. This was found to particularly affect some of the fatty acid predictions.

Studierea influenţei componenţilor minori asupra eficienţei feromonilor sexuali ai viermelui mărului

In this paper is reported the evaluation of biological efficacy of two minor components that was added to the basic sex pheromone component Cydia pomonella L., E8, E10-C12-OH. The use of minor component- C.M.-1 of increasing concentrations in binary mixture compositions with the basic sex phe-romone component of codling moth on pheromone-impregnated rubber septa in delta pheromone traps has shown an increased effectiveness by 56-62% in field trials on apple orchard. At the same time, the number of males caught in delta pheromone traps where were used minor component - C.M.-2 in binary mixture compositions increased by 29-35%. Auxiliary research is still needed.

The structure of the oropharyngeal genus Candida fungi community in HIVinfected patients

At the present time virtually no data are available about the structure of the genus Candida fungus able to target HIV-infected patients and serve as an etiological factor of candidiasis. The aforementioned shaped the aim of the study: to examine structure of the Candida genus community colonizing the oropharynx in HIV-infected patients with clinical manifestations of oropharyngeal candidiasis. There was conducted a microbiological study of the oropharynx in 31 HIV-infected patients (51.6% males and 48.4% females) with clinical manifestations of oropharyngeal candidiasis treated at Moscow Infectious Clinic No. 2 inpatient department in the years 2015–2017. We confirmed the diversity of the oropharyngeal Candida spp. community found in HIV-infected patients. Total 52 isolates of the genus Candida were isolated. C. albicans dominated in 57.7% cases, whereas C. glabrata prevailed (21.1%) among non-albicans species. Minor components were represented by C. tropicalis (11.5%) and C. krusei (9.6%). C. albicans and C. glabrata were sensitive to polyenes, whereas minor community components — to itroconazole and clotrimazole. The vast majority of fungal strains were resistant to fluconazole. The genus Candida community reveals a unique architecture so that any member may exist in the oropharyngeal biotope of HIV-infected patients as a monoculture or in association: homogeneous, consisting of a single species strains, or heterogeneous, formed by several species. Candida fungi in 18 patients (58.1%) were isolated as a monoculture, whereas in 13 (41.9%) subjects — in association consisting of 34 isolates (65.4% of total number), of which 16 (30.8%) and 18 (34.6%) were isolated from homogeneous and heterogeneous associations, respectively. There were identified 9 two-component associations (69.2%), and 4 (30.8%) consisting of three or more components. It turned out that pattern of the examined community was mainly determined by species composition that agrees with previous data. Most common associations were presented by C. krusei (100%) and C. albicans (73.3%). Upon that, most often C. albicans (72.7%) formed a homogeneous type of associations. Sensitivity of Candida fungi to antimycotic drugs also depended on the architecture of related community. C. albicans isolates in heterogeneous associations revealed a wide range of resistance acquired by contact with non-albicans species.

Non-destructive characterization of bronze objects from Ráksi and the Pusztasárkánytó depot find

Eight ornaments and a dagger were analyzed using completely non-destructive techniques to determine their alloy compositions and to draw conclusions about the production technology. Prompt-gamma activation analysis and time-of-flight neutron diffraction proved that the studied objects are tin-bronzes. Difference was observed in the amounts of ore-related minor components (arsenic, silver, nickel) of the objects belonging to the two distinct archaeological sites. Based on the diffraction analysis of the microstructure, the objects are casts that were exposed to different degrees of manufacturing to reach their final forms.

Wheat/Gluten-Related Disorders and Gluten-Free Diet Misconceptions: A Review

In the last 10,000 years, wheat has become one of the most important cereals in the human diet and today, it is widely consumed in many processed food products. Mostly considered a source of energy, wheat also contains other essential nutrients, including fiber, proteins, and minor components, such as phytochemicals, vitamins, lipids, and minerals, that together promote a healthy diet. Apart from its nutritional properties, wheat has a set of proteins, the gluten, which confer key technical properties, but also trigger severe immune-mediated diseases, such as celiac disease. We are currently witnessing a rise in the number of people adhering to gluten-free diets unwarranted by any medical need. In this dynamic context, this review aims to critically discuss the nutritional components of wheat, highlighting both the health benefits and wheat/gluten-related disorders, in order to address common misconceptions associated with wheat consumption.

Oilseeds as Functional Foods: Content and Composition of Many Phytochemicals and Therapeutic Alternatives

Oilseeds composition has been studied extensively, but recently it has been thoroughly investigated considering especially the phytochemicals representing the minor components. This interest is connected with the activity of such compounds against cardiovascular diseases, lipid oxidation, protein cross-linking and DNA mutations and hemostasis function, which prevent the attack of biomolecules by free radicals. This chapter book could aim to give an overview of the different uses of several oilseeds as bioactive foods, focusing on their active constituents (phytosterols, polyphenols, tocopherols, tocotrienols, and carotenoids) and their content in oilseeds. We will also focus on the beneficial aspects of theses nutraceuticals in human health.

Physicochemical Characterization of Resistant Starch Type-III (RS3) Obtained by Autoclaving Malanga (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) Flour and Corn Starch

The feasibility of obtaining resistant starch type III (RS3) from malanga flour (Xanthosoma sagittifolium), as an unconventional source of starch, was evaluated using the hydrothermal treatment of autoclaving. The physicochemical characterization of RS3 made from malanga flour was carried out through the evaluation of the chemical composition, color attributes, and thermal properties. In addition, the contents of the total starch, available starch, resistant starch, and retrograded resistant starch were determined by in vitro enzymatic tests. A commercial corn starch sample was used to produce RS3 and utilized to compare all of the analyses. The results showed that native malanga flour behaved differently in most of the evaluations performed, compared to the commercial corn starch. These results could be explained by the presence of minor components that could interfere with the physicochemical and functional properties of the flour; however, the RS3 samples obtained from malanga flour and corn starch were similar in their thermal and morphological features, which may be related to their similarities in the content and molecular weight of amylose, in both of the samples. Furthermore, the yields for obtaining the autoclaved powders from corn starch and malanga flour were similar (≈89%), which showed that the malanga flour is an attractive raw material for obtaining RS3 with adequate yields, to be considered in the subsequent research.

Research of Original Sorts of Honey

The topicality. Honey, a natural saturated sugar solution, which consists of fructose and glucose in the amount of 65-80% of the total amount of sugars, and also contains important minor components – enzymes (diastase and invertase), organic acids (glycolic acid, acetic acid, etc.) , vitamins, phytoncides, phenolic compounds and minerals. Monofloral honeys, obtained mainly from the nectar of one plant species, are characterized by a conditionally stable composition and unique properties, which gives grounds to class them as functional products. Purpose and methods. The purpose of the work is to use melisopalinological, organoleptic and physicochemical analyses to determine reliable criteria for the authenticity of Ukrainian original sorts of honey. Results. The botanical origin of the investigated honeys has been confirmed by the study of the pollen spectrum of various honey samples by identifying the dominant pollen grains. In addition, all studied samples had their own profile of scent, tastes and consistency, a unique complex of which correlated with honey sorts. The varietal characteristics of the samples under study also influenced the physicochemical indicators, some values of which were outside the permissible limits in accordance with the national regulatory documentation. Conclusions and discussion. For original sorts of honey with varying degrees of monoflority, there is a need for further study of the physicochemical composition in connection with their possible varietal characteristics. The scientific novelty of the work lies in a pilot study of the organoleptic characteristics and physicochemical parameters of the original of honey from Ukraine, in particular pumpkin, blueberry, and echinacea. Practical use of the obtained results is possible for further authentication of coriander, goldenrod, pumpkin, blueberry, thyme, phacelia and Echinacea honey as original sorts for further study of their properties and introduction into functional nutrition.