Fresh Basil Infusion: Effect of Sous-Vide Heat Treatment on Their Volatile Composition Profile, Sensory Profile, and Color

Herbs, including basil, are used to enhance the flavor of food products around the world. Its potential is influenced by the quality of fresh herbs and processing practices, wherein conditions of heat treatment play an important role. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of sous-vide heat treatment on the volatile compounds profile, sensory quality, and color of basil infusions. The material used for research was aqueous basil infusion prepared conventionally at 100 °C, and using the sous-vide method (65, 75, and 85 °C). The composition of volatile compounds was identified by GC/MS analysis, the sensory profile was assessed using a group of trained panelists, while the color was instrumentally assessed in the CIE Lab system. No significant differences were found in the intensity of the taste and aroma of basil infusions at different temperatures. Seventy headspace volatile compounds were identified in the analyzed samples, ten of which exceeded 2% of relative area percentage. The most abundant compounds were eucalyptol (27.1%), trans-ocimene (11.0%), β-linalool (9.2%), and β-myrcene (6.7%). Most of the identified compounds belonged to the terpenes and alcohols groups. Our findings show that the conventional herbal infusion was more like a sous-vide infusion prepared at the lowest temperature SV65, while SV75 and SV85 were similar to each other but different from the conventional. However, a smaller number of volatile compounds in the samples heated at higher temperatures of sous-vide were identified. The sous-vide samples showed a higher content of alkanes. The sous-vide method (p ≤ 0.05) resulted in darker, less green, and less yellow basil leaves than fresh and traditionally steeped ones. Long heat treatment under vacuum at higher temperatures causes a pronounced change in the aroma composition.

Examining changes in personality following shamanic ceremonial use of ayahuasca

The present study examines the association between the ceremonial use of ayahuasca—a decoction combining the Banistereopsis caapi vine and N,N-Dimethyltryptamine-containing plants—and changes in personality traits as conceived by the Five-Factor model (FFM). We also examine the degree to which demographic characteristics, baseline personality, and acute post-ayahuasca experiences affect personality change. Participants recruited from three ayahuasca healing and spiritual centers in South and Central America (N = 256) completed self-report measures of personality at three timepoints (Baseline, Post, 3-month Follow-up). Informant-report measures of the FFM were also obtained (N = 110). Linear mixed models were used to examine changes in personality and the moderation of those changes by covariates. The most pronounced change was a reduction in Neuroticism dzself-reportT1–T2 = − 1.00; dzself-reportT1–T3 = − .85; dzinformant-reportT1–T3 = − .62), reflected in self- and informant-report data. Moderation of personality change by baseline personality, acute experiences, and purgative experiences was also observed.

Examining Changes in Personality Following Shamanic Ceremonial Use of Ayahuasca

The present study examines the association between the ceremonial use of ayahuasca – a decoction combining the Banistereopsis caapi vine and N,N Dimethyltryptamine-containing plants – and changes in personality traits as conceived by the Five-Factor model (FFM); as well as the degree to which demographic characteristics, baseline personality, and acute post-ayahuasca experiences affect personality change. Method: Participants recruited from three ayahuasca healing and spiritual centers in South and Central America (N=256) completed self-report measures of personality at three timepoints (Baseline, Post, 3-Month Follow-up). Informant-report measures of the FFM were also obtained (N=110). Results: Linear mixed models were used to examine changes in personality and the moderation of those changes by covariates. The most pronounced change was a reduction in Neuroticism dself-reportT1-T2=1.00; dself-reportT1-T3=.85; dinformant-reportT1-T3=.62), reflected in self- and informant-report data. Moderation of personality change by baseline personality, acute experiences, and purgative experiences was also observed.

Increased fluvial runoff terminated inorganic aragonite precipitation on the Northwest Shelf of Australia during the early Holocene

Inorganic precipitation of aragonite is a common process within tropical carbonate environments. Across the Northwest Shelf of Australia (NWS) such precipitates were abundant in the late Pleistocene, whereas present-day sedimentation is dominated by calcitic bioclasts. This study presents sedimentological and geochemical analyses of core data retrieved from the upper 13 meters of IODP Site U1461 that provide a high-resolution sedimentary record of the last ~15 thousand years. Sediments that formed from 15 to 10.1 ka BP are aragonitic and characterised by small needles (<5 µm) and ooids. XRF elemental proxy data indicate that these sediments developed under arid conditions in which high marine alkalinity favoured carbonate precipitation. A pronounced change of XRF-proxy values around 10.1 ka BP indicates a transition to a more humid climate and elevated fluvial runoff. This climatic change coincides with a shelf-wide cessation of inorganic aragonite production and a switch to carbonate sedimentation dominated by skeletal calcite. High ocean water alkalinity due to an arid climate and low fluvial runoff therefore seems to be a prerequisite for the formation of shallow water aragonite-rich sediments on the NWS. These conditions are not necessarily synchronous to interglacial periods, but are linked to the regional hydrological cycle.

Examination of the Expression of Immunity Genes and Bacterial Profiles in the Caecum of Growing Chickens Infected with Salmonella Enteritidis and Fed a Phytobiotic

This study was performed to investigate the differential expression of eight immunity genes and the bacterial profiles in the caecum of growing chickens challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) at 1 and 23 days post inoculation (dpi) in response to SE infection at 19 days of age and administration of the phytobiotic Intebio. Following infection, the genes CASP6 and IRF7 were upregulated by greater than twofold. Chicks fed Intebio showed at 1 dpi upregulation of AvBD10, IL6, IL8L2, CASP6 and IRF7. At 23 dpi, expression of AvBD11, IL6, IL8L2, CASP6 and IRF7 lowered in the experiment subgroups as compared with the control. Examination of the caecal contents at 1 dpi demonstrated a significant decrease in the microbial biodiversity in the infected subgroup fed normal diet. Bacterial content of Lactobacillus and Bacillus declined, while that of Enterobacteriaceae rose. In the infected subgroup fed Intebio, a pronounced change in composition of the microflora was not observed. In the early infection stages, the phytobiotic seemed to promote response to infection. Subsequently, an earlier suppression of the inflammatory reaction took place in chickens fed Intebio. Thus, use of Intebio as a drug with phytobiotic activity in chickens, including those infected with Salmonella, proved to be promising.

Religion, Division of Labor, and Conflict: Anti-Semitism in Germany over 600 Years

We study the role of economic incentives in shaping the coexistence of Jews, Catholics, and Protestants, using novel data from Germany for 1,000+ cities. The Catholic usury ban and higher literacy rates gave Jews a specific advantage in the moneylending sector. Following the Protestant Reformation (1517), the Jews lost these advantages in regions that became Protestant. We show (i) a change in the geography of anti-Semitism with persecutions of Jews and anti-Jewish publications becoming more common in Protestant areas relative to Catholic areas; (ii) a more pronounced change in cities where Jews had already established themselves as moneylenders. These findings are consistent with the interpretation that, following the Protestant Reformation, Jews living in Protestant regions were exposed to competition with the Christian majority, especially in moneylending, leading to an increase in anti-Semitism. (JEL D74, J15, N33, N43, N93)

Increased Corneal Toricity after Long-Term Orthokeratology Lens Wear

Purpose. To investigate the change in corneal toricity and associated refractive astigmatism after discontinuation of long-term orthokeratology (ortho-k) lens wear. Methods. This study investigated 136 subjects aged between 6 and 14 (9.1 ± 1.5) years old at the commencement of ortho-k treatment, who had been undergoing overnight ortho-k treatment for 24 to 72 (37.4 ± 11.9) months. Corneal refractive power and manifest refraction were measured and compared before ortho-k and 1 month after discontinuation of ortho-k lens wear. Changes in corneal curvature were analyzed. Corneal curvature data from a historical longitudinal study were used as control. Results. Compared to pre-ortho-k values, the corneal curvature became significantly flatter in the flatter meridian (−0.22 ± 0.27 D, P<0.001) and steeper in the steeper meridian (0.06 ± 0.34 D, P=0.032) after cessation of ortho-k lens wear, resulting in a significant increase in corneal toricity (0.28 ± 0.43 D, P<0.001), which is associated with an increase in refractive astigmatism (0.57 ± 0.57 D, r=0.465, P<0.001). The amount of residual corneal flattening in the flatter meridian is significantly affected by the length of ortho-k treatment (t=−2.965, P=0.004) and the baseline age of subject (t=−2.841, P=0.005), but not by the baseline spherical or cylindrical refractive error (both P>0.05). In the historical control group, there is no significant change in the corneal curvature over two years in children wearing spectacle lenses (both meridians, P>0.05). Change of corneal toricity was more significant in the ortho-k group than in the spectacle control group (P=0.001). Conclusions. Long-term ortho-k lens wear increases corneal toricity after discontinuation of the treatment, which is associated with an increase in refractive astigmatism. A more pronounced change in corneal toricity was found in subjects who were younger to start ortho-k and have been in a longer period of treatment. This trial is registered with http://www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR-TNRC-11001210).

The main factors affecting the character of housing construction in Iran

The article examines the main objective factors affecting the development of housing construction in Iran. In terms of population per unit area, Iran ranks 21st in the world. However, the density of the population varies by territory, this is because only 30% of the territory has a relatively sufficient amount of water to provide the population. The population is unevenly distributed. It is characteristic that in different regions of Iran the urban population is different in its specific weight. So, in the Tehran region is 27.2%, and in Chakharmakhal and Bakhtiari - 0.87% of the total population. Population growth stimulates the development of cities and will require an increase in the number of dwellings, as well as improving their quality. As you know, the climate of Iran has a pronounced change of seasons, and different geographical regions of Iran differ in their climatic conditions. Particular attention should be given to architectural and construction recommendations that affect the design of medium-height houses in seismically hazardous areas, especially in Central Iran. At present, the state policy of Iran in the field of housing construction is carried out in three directions - three types of construction: free housing, mixed construction, social housing.

Reconfiguration of van der Waals Gaps as the Key to Switching in GeTe/Sb2Te3 Superlattices

GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattices, also known as interfacial phase-change memory (iPCM), exhibit significantly faster switching and are characterized by much lower power consumption and longer data retention compared to devices based on alloyed materials. In early work, the superior performance of iPCM was linked to a crystal-crystal transition between the SET and RESET states. As the primary mechanism, a change in the stacking order of Ge and Te planes within a GeTe block was suggested. Subsequent STEM studies on epitaxial GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattices demonstrated that the GeTe blocks were not located between Sb2Te3 quintuple layers but, were incorporated inside the latter, providing a serious challenge to the early explanation. In this work, we demonstrate that changes associated with the reconstruction of the SbTe terminating layers nearest to van der Waals gap leads to a pronounced change in the density of states and can serve as an alternative explanation for a large property contrast between the SET and RESET states in GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattices.

Revolutions in Warfare

The term “revolution in warfare” refers to a pronounced change or discontinuity in warfare that radically alters the way a military operates and improves relative military effectiveness. Revolutions in warfare emerged as a subject of considerable debate in the 1990s in the wake of the United States’s resounding victory over Iraqi military forces in the Persian Gulf War. These debates highlight three different concepts: military revolution, military-technical revolution, and revolution in military affairs. During this period, the idea of an “information technology” revolution in military affairs became deeply embedded in American defense planning and evolved into a call for “transformation,” or more precisely transformational innovation. Two lines of critique have been leveled against the revolution in warfare concept and the revolutionaries themselves. The first, advanced by Stephen Biddle, claims that an RMA is not currently under way. Rather, what we are witnessing is the continuation of a century-long increase in the importance of skill in managing complexity. The second insists that the RMA as a policy direction is a risky path for the United States to pursue because it will undermine the country’s power and influence. There are also two schools of thought that explain the causes of revolutions in warfare: the “economic determinist” school and the “contingent innovation” school. A number of questions remain unanswered that need further consideration in research, such as whether the United States and its allies should continue to prepare for a “long war” against violent extremists, or whether transformation is dead.