Technological properties of maize tortillas produced by microwave nixtamalization with variable alkalinity

This research was conducted to determine the quality, physicochemical, textural, compositional, nutritional, viscoamylographic and sensory properties of maize tortillas produced with a Modified tortilla-making process (MTMP) of variable alkalinity (0.125, 0.25 and 0.5% Ca(OH)2 w/w) and compared to the commercial brand MASECA ®. In general, tortillas from MTMP showed higher pH, total color difference (ΔE), tensile strength/cutting force, protein, lipids, crude fibre, lysine, tryptophan, in vitro protein digestibility and lower Hunter L value, loss of weight during cooking and moisture content than MASECA® tortillas. No significant differences were found in the sensory analysis of 22 descriptors of tortillas made from MASECA® and MTMP with Ca(OH)2 concentrations of 0.125 and 0.25% (w/w). However, panelist identified principal effects on changes in four attributes (aroma, appearance, flavor, and after taste flavor) and seven descriptors in tortillas from MTMP prepared with the maximum lime concentration (0.5% w/w). Microwave nixtamalization produce tortillas with acceptable physicochemical, textural, quality, compositional/nutritional and pasting properties.Key words: Maize, modified nixtamalization, tortillas, technological properties

Celiotomía en una tortuga mora

En el presente trabajo se describe la técnica quirúrgica empleada para resolver una obstrucción de oviducto en una tortuga mora debido a una alteración ovulatoria.In this work it is described the surgical technique used to resolve an oviduct obstruction in a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca) caused by the retention of eggs

Combined therapies of antithrombotics and antioxidants delay in silico brain tumor progression

Glioblastoma multiforme, the most frequent type of primary brain tumor, is a rapidly evolving and spatially heterogeneous high-grade astrocytoma that presents areas of necrosis, hypercellularity and microvascular hyperplasia. The aberrant vasculature leads to hypoxic areas and results in an increase of the oxidative stress selecting for more invasive tumor cell phenotypes. In our study we assay in silico different therapeutic approaches which combine antithrombotics, antioxidants and standard radiotherapy. To do so, we have developed a biocomputational model of glioblastoma multiforme that incorporates the spatio-temporal interplay among two glioma cell phenotypes corresponding to oxygenated and hypoxic cells, a necrotic core and the local vasculature whose response evolves with tumor progression. Our numerical simulations predict that suitable combinations of antithrombotics and antioxidants may diminish, in a synergetic way, oxidative stress and the subsequent hypoxic response. This novel therapeutical strategy, with potentially low or no toxicity, might reduce tumor invasion and further sensitize glioblastoma multiforme to conventional radiotherapy or other cytotoxic agents, hopefully increasing median patient overall survival time.Comment: 8 figure

The utility of the MMPI-2-RF to predict the outcome of a smoking-cessation treatment

People with psychopathology experience high rates of smoking and have more trouble quitting. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Tellegen & Ben-Porath, 2008, 2009) is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of psychopathology. In this study, we examined the ability of the MMPI-2-RF to assess psychopathology and to predict smoking cessation outcomes in a sample of 281 smokers seeking psychological treatment to stop smoking at the end of treatment and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Results showed that T-scores < 65 on Disaffiliativeness (DSF) scale were associated with a higher likelihood of smoking at the end of treatment, and T-scores = 65 on Neurological Complaints (NUC) scale were associated with a higher likelihood of smoking at the 12-month follow-up, after controlling for the effect of age and initial levels of nicotine dependence. The results highlight the usefulness of the MMPI-2-RF in the field of smoking cessation treatment

Generación de piloto automático difuso para maniobras de embarcaciones

This paper introduces a method to generate autopilots for ship headings by using issues from the observation of control actions performed by human operators. The controller is designed based on fuzzy logic and uses triangular membership functions for the antecedent and consequent functions for Singleton type. For an automatic adjustment of the consequential, the recursive least squares method was used. This method is used to generate and validate the course driver of a 350-m tanker, at different load conditions.Este documento presenta un método para generar pilotos automáticos para rumbo de embarcación mediante el uso de asuntos provenientes de la observación de acciones de control realizadas por operadores humanos. El controlador está diseñado basado en lógica difusa (fuzzy logic) y utiliza funciones de pertenencia triangular para las funciones antecedentes y consecuentes para tipo Singleton. Para un ajuste automático de la consecuente, se utilizó el método de mínimos cuadrados recursivos. Este método es utilizado para generar y validar el conductor de curso de un buque cisterna de 350 m, en diferentes condiciones de carga

Pure hydrogen from biogas: Intensified methane dry reforming in a two-zone fluidized bed reactor using permselective membranes

Methane dry reforming of biogas can be a sustainable source of hydrogen but the development of this technology is hindered by limitations such as endothermicity and catalyst deactivation by coke. A two zone fluidized bed reactor coupling permselective Pd/Ag membranes counteracts them and allows to intensify the process obtaining a stable pure hydrogen production. Here we report the effect of operation variables (i.e., temperature, total bed height, nature and partial pressure of regenerative agent, relative height of the regeneration and reaction zones, and use of an activation period) on the yield to hydrogen and stability of the process. Hydrogen over-yields, compared with the conventional fluidized bed reactor, in the range of +200% to +100% were obtained for the entire interval of temperatures 475–575 °C whilst maintaining stable operation by continuous catalyst regeneration. Around 70% of it was pure hydrogen coming from the permeate side of the membranes. The proposed reactor configuration greatly increases both methane conversion and selectivity to hydrogen (expressed as H 2 /CO ratio), not only in relation to our own conventional reactor findings but also regarding other published results

Smoking cessation and depressive symptoms at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up

Background The relationship between tobacco and depressive symptoms has been examined. However, there is little information on the evolution of these symptoms when an individual quits. The aim of this study was to analyze the evolution of depressive symptoms over time (pre-, post-treatment, 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up) in relation to smoking status 12 months after having received a psychological treatment for smoking cessation. Method The sample was made up of 242 adults who received cognitive-behavioral treatment for smoking cessation (64.4% women; mean age=41.71 years). The BDI-II was used to assess depressive symptomatology. Participants were classified into three groups according to smoking status at 12-months follow-up (abstainers, relapsers, and smokers). Results There were no significant differences in depressive symptoms among the three groups at pretreatment. At the end of treatment, abstainers and relapsers presented less depressive symptomatology than smokers. At follow-up, abstainers continued to present less depressive symptomatology than smokers, whereas in relapsers, symptoms began to increase as the relapses occurred. Regarding the evolution of depressive symptomatology, the abstainer and relapser groups showed a significant reduction at the end of treatment. Only in the group of abstainers did the decrease continue during 12 months follow-up. Limitations The decrease of the initial sample size from 562 to 242 participants. Variables such as self-esteem and self-efficacy were not assessed. Conclusions Smoking cessation is associated with a decrease in depressive symptomatology, that is maintained over time. In contrast, relapse is associated with an increase of such symptoms. These findings signify the potential importance of addressing depressive symptomatology in smoking cessation treatment

Phase calibration of spatial light modulators by means of Fresnel images

Reliable application of spatial light modulators (SLMs) as programmable diffractive optical elements requires a thorough calibration. In this paper, we propose a method for calibrating SLMs based on the evaluation of Fresnel images. Fresnel images generated by a binary phase diffraction grating consist of binary irradiance distributions whose visibility depends on the phase modulation. By displaying on our device a diffraction grating with a binary phase step along one direction and a linearly increasing phase along the orthogonal direction, we perform a complete phase calibration. In this way, the phase modulation for every pixel and for every value of the entrance signal can be determined experimentally. Additionally, data acquisition can be significantly simplified with this schem

Hazardous Alcohol Drinking as Predictor of Smoking Relapse (3-, 6-, and 12-Months Follow-Up) by Gender

Diverse studies have found a relation between alcohol consumption and smoking relapse. Few studies have analyzed the relation of smoking relapse with pretreatment alcohol consumption and gender differences. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of alcohol consumption in smoking relapse over 12 months (3-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up) and to determine possible gender differences. The sample included 374 smokers who quit smoking by participating in a psychological smoking cessation treatment. We assessed hazardous pretreatment alcohol drinking (AUDIT), cigarette consumption (FTND; number of cigarettes) and sociodemographic variables. Higher scores on hazardous pretreatment alcohol drinking predict smoking relapse at 3-, 6-, and 12-months after smoking cessation. In males, higher scores on hazardous pretreatment alcohol drinking predict relapse at 6 and at 12 months. In females, higher scores on hazardous pretreatment alcohol drinking predict tobacco relapse at 3 months. Hazardous pretreatment alcohol drinking predicts relapse at all intervals after smoking cessation (3-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up). However, the influence of hazardous pretreatment alcohol drinking on smoking relapse differs as a function of gender, as it is a short-term predictor in women (3 months) and a long-term predictor in men (6 and 12 months)

Gender differences in personality patterns and smoking status after a smoking cessation treatment

Background: The lack of conclusive results and the scarce use of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) in the study of the relationship between smoking and personality are the reasons that motivated the study reported here. The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of personality patterns, assessed with the MCMI-III, and of nicotine dependence on treatment outcomes at the end of the treatment and at 12 months follow-up in men and women smokers receiving cognitive-behavioral treatment for smoking cessation. Methods: The sample was made up of 288 smokers who received cognitive-behavioral treatment for smoking cessation. Personality patterns were assessed with the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III). Abstinence at the end of the treatment and at 12-month follow-up was validated with the test for carbon monoxide in expired air. Results: The results showed significant differences by personality patterns that predict nicotine dependence (Narcissistic and Antisocial in men and Schizoid in women). At the end of the treatment it is more likely that quit smoking males with a Compulsive pattern and less likely in those scoring high in Depressive, Antisocial, Sadistic, Negativistic, Masochistic, Schizotypal and Borderline. In women, it is less likely that quit smoking those with the Schizoid pattern. At 12 months follow-up it is more likely that continue abstinent those males with a high score in the Compulsive pattern. Furthermore, nicotine dependence was an important variable for predicting outcome at the end of the treatment and smoking status at 12 months follow-up in both men and women. Conclusions: We found substantial differences by gender in some personality patterns in a sample of smokers who received cognitive-behavioral treatment for smoking cessation. We should consider the existence of different personality patterns in men and women who seek treatment for smoking cessation