Comparison of the chemical compositions and nutritive values of various pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae) species and parts

Pumpkins have considerable variation in nutrient contents depending on the cultivation environment, species, or part. In this study, the general chemical compositions and some bioactive components, such as tocopherols, carotenoids, and β-sitosterol, were analyzed in three major species of pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae pepo, C. moschata, and C. maxima) grown in Korea and also in three parts (peel, flesh, and seed) of each pumpkin species. C. maxima had significantly more carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber than C. pepo or C. moschata (P < 0.05). The moisture content as well as the amino acid and arginine contents in all parts of the pumpkin was highest in C. pepo. The major fatty acids in the seeds were palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids. C. pepo and C. moschata seeds had significantly more γ-tocopherol than C. maxima, whose seeds had the highest β-carotene content. C. pepo seeds had significantly more β-sitosterol than the others. Nutrient compositions differed considerably among the pumpkin species and parts. These results will be useful in updating the nutrient compositions of pumpkin in the Korean food composition database. Additional analyses of various pumpkins grown in different years and in different areas of Korea are needed

Studies of the incommensurate structures of B20 alloys

The B20 structure is capable of supporting a long-range antiferromagnetic static spin density wave, and for transition metal silicides and germanides it has previously been found that the Néel temperatures, high field magnetizations and magnetic propagation vectors q all suggest a dependence on an electron concentration parameter. This relationship has yet to be confirmed. The present measurements from mixed alloys in the series CrSi/FeSi, CrSi/MnSi, CrSi/CoSi. MnSi/CoSi and CrGe/FeGe have extended the electron concentration range previously covered and the results support the suggested dependence. The q values are practically independent of temperature and the CrGe/FeGe display high Néel temperatures comparable with that of FeGe.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TJJ-3YBBBJ7-7J/1/5368342b7bc371c18306e86633597ab

A comparison among fuzzy multi-criteria decision making, bivariate, multivariate and machine learning models in landslide susceptibility mapping

Landslides are dangerous events which threaten both human life and property. The study aims to analyze the landslide susceptibility (LS) in the Kysuca river basin, Slovakia. For this reason, previous landslide events were analyzed with 16 landslide conditioning factors. Landslide inventory was divided into training (70% of landslide locations) and validating dataset (30% of landslide locations). The heuristic approach of Fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (FDEMATEL)-Analytic Network Process (ANP) was applied first, followed by bivariate Frequency Ratio (FR), multivariate Logistic Regression (LR), Random Forest Classifier (RFC), Naive Bayes Classifier (NBC) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), respectively. The results showed that 52.2%, 36.5%, 40.7%, 50.6%, 43.6% and 40.3% of the total basin area had very high to high LS corresponding to FDEMATEL-ANP, FR, LR, RFC, NBC and XGBoost model, respectively. The analysis revealed that RFC was the most accurate model (overall accuracy of 98.3% and AUC of 97.0%). Besides, the heuristic approach of FDEMATEL-ANP model (overall accuracy of 93.8% and AUC of 92.4%) had better prediction capability than bivariate FR (overall accuracy of 86.9% and AUC of 86.1%), multivariate LR (overall accuracy of 90.5% and AUC of 91.2%), machine learning NBC (overall accuracy of 76.3% and AUC of 90.9%) and even deep learning XGBoost (overall accuracy of 92.3% and AUC of 87.1%) models. The study revealed that the FDEMATEL-ANP outweighed the NBC and XGBoost machine learning models, which suggests that heuristic methods should be tested out before directly applying machine learning models.Validerad;2021;Nivå 2;2021-07-16 (johcin);Funder: Slovak Research and Development Agency (no. AP VV-18-0185); KEGA agency (no. 015UKF-4/2019); Deanship of Scientific Research, King Khalid University (no. RGP 2/173/42)</p

Efeito da farinha de semente de abóbora (Cucurbita maxima, L.) sobre o metabolismo glicídico e lipídico em ratos The pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima, L.) seed flour effect on the rat glucose and lipid metabolism

OBJETIVO: O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar o efeito da farinha de semente de abóbora (Cucurbita maxima, L.) sobre o metabolismo glicídico e lipídico em ratos. MÉTODOS: Vinte ratos Wistar machos recém-desmamados, distribuídos em quatro grupos, receberam por 10 dias, rações controle e experimental com farinhas de semente de abóbora integral, peneirada ou residual substituindo 30% do valor total de amido e dextrina da dieta controle. As dietas foram isocalóricas. Foram determinados os macronutrientes e a fibra insolúvel nas farinhas. As dietas tiveram a composição química calculada a partir dos dados dos rótulos dos produtos, da tabela de composição de alimentos e da análise química das farinhas de semente de abóbora. O peso corporal e a ingestão dos animais foram tomados a cada 48 horas. O sangue, coletado por punção cardíaca, teve os níveis de triacilgliceróis, colesterol e glicose analisados por métodos enzimáticos. RESULTADOS: As farinhas de semente de abóbora foram boas fontes de proteínas, lipídeos e, especialmente, fibras alimentares. Os animais tiveram ganho ponderal e ingestão semelhante (p>0,05). Os níveis de glicose e triacilgliceróis foram reduzidos significantemente para os grupos que receberam dietas com farinhas de semente de abóbora integral e peneirada. CONCLUSÃO: Frente às suas propriedades química e funcional, concluiu-se que a farinha de semente de abóbora interferiu no metabolismo do rato diminuindo significantemente os níveis de glicose e triacilgliceróis séricos.<br>OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present research was to evaluate the pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima, L.) seed flour effect on the rat glucose and lipid metabolism. METHODS: Twenty recent weaned male Wistar rats, divided in four groups, received for 10 days control and experimental diets containing whole, sifted and residual pumpkin seed flour on the rate of 30% of the total starch and dextrin in the control diet. All diets were isocaloric. Macronutrients and insoluble fiber were determined in the flours. All diets had their chemical composition calculated based on data from product labels, of food composition table and of the chemical analysis of the pumpkin seed flours. The animals´ growth and ingestion had been evaluated in 48 hours intervals. Blood samples drawn by cardiac puncture had their triacilglycerides, cholesterol and glucose levels measured by enzymatic methods. RESULTS: The pumpkin seed flour are good protein, lipids and, specially, dietary fiber sources.The animals' growth and food ingestion were similar along all the experiment (p>0.05). Glucose and triacilglycerides were significantly decreased in the groups taking diets with whole- and sifted-pumpkin seed flour respectively. CONCLUSION: Taking into account their properties chemistry and functional, it can be concluded that the pumpkin seed flour interfered in the rat metabolism decreasing significantly the serum glucose and triacilglycerides levels