Changes in host immunity following excision of a murine melanoma.

Changes in cell mediated and humoral immunity following the excision of a transplantable melanoma growing in the footpad of its syngeneic host, as measured by an in vitro cytotoxicity test, were assessed. Spleen cell cytotoxicity did not change significantly. Cells from the regional lymph nodes stimulated tumour growth before tumour excision. Three days following tumour excision this stimulatory effect was undetectable. Loss of serum factors capable of blocking the cytotoxicity of spleen cells occurred 24 h after tumour excision. Serum cytotoxicity increased after tumour excision to a maximum of the third day. Following tumour excision the rise in serum cytotoxicity and loss of regional lymph node tumour stimulation were concomitant with the loss of blocking activity

Role activity diagram-based discrete event simulation model for healthcare service delivery processes

In case of healthcare systems, discrete event simulations are useful techniques to identify problematic process issues. However, currently available simulation models often use a simplified flow chart as an input which represents patient flow obtained from on on-site observations and interviews complemented with historic patient data. This is insufficient in modelling important interactions between clinical staff, equipment and patients causing the resultant models to be incomplete and unrealistic. This in turn leads to oversimplified outputs from any simulations. This paper presents a systematic methodology for the development of discrete event simulation model from process mapping model based on the Role Activity Diagram (RAD) notations. RAD allows complex collaborative healthcare service delivery processes to be modelled as roles, interactions, actions, and decision questions. The workflow simulation modelling methodology based on RADs includes: (i) development of RAD model of the service delivery process; (ii) data model for RAD based service delivery process; (iii) developing DES model based on RAD; and, (iv) adding dynamic attributes and validating DES model. The methodology is demonstrated through a case study of magnetic resonance (MR) scanning process of radiology department in a large hospital

A psychophysical investigation of binary bitter-compound interactions

The aim of this study was to determine if taste interactions occur when bitter stimuli are mixed. Eight bitter stimuli were employed: denatonium benzoate (DB), quinine-HCl (QHCl), sucrose octaacetate (SOA), urea, L-tryptophan (L-trp), L-phenylalanine (L-phe), ranitidine-HCl, and Tetralone. The first experiment constructed individual psychophysical curves for each subject (n = 19) for each compound to account for individual differences in sensitivities when presenting bitter compounds in experiment 2. Correlation analysis revealed two groupings of bitter compounds at low intensity (1, L-trp, L-phe, and ranitidine; 2, SOA and QHCl), but the correlations within each group decreased as the perceived intensity increased. In experiment 2, intensity ratings and two-alternative forced-choice discrimination tasks showed that bitter compounds generally combine additively in mixture and do not show interactions with a few specific exceptions. The methods employed detected synergy among sweeteners, but could not detect synergy among these eight bitter compounds. In general, the perceived bitterness of these binary bitter-compound mixtures was an additive function of the total bitter-inducing stimuli in the mouth.<br /

Bitterness suppression with zinc sulfate and na-cyclamate: a model of combined peripheral and central neural approaches to flavor modification

Purpose Zinc sulfate is known to inhibit the bitterness of the antimalarial agent quinine [R. S. J. Keast. The effect of zinc on human taste perception. J. Food Sci. 68:1871&ndash;1877 (2003)]. In the present work, we investigated whether zinc sulfate would inhibit other bitter-tasting compounds and pharmaceuticals. The utility of zinc as a general bitterness inhibitor is compromised, however, by the fact that it is also a good sweetness inhibitor [R. S. J. Keast, T. Canty, and P. A. S. Breslin. Oral zinc sulfate solutions inhibit sweet taste perception. Chem. Senses 29:513&ndash;521 (2004)] and would interfere with the taste of complex formulations. Yet, zinc sulfate does not inhibit the sweetener Na-cyclamate. Thus, we determined whether a mixture of zinc sulfate and Na-cyclamate would be a particularly effective combination for bitterness inhibition (Zn) and masking (cyclamate). Method We used human taste psychophysical procedures with chemical solutions to assess bitterness blocking. Results Zinc sulfate significantly inhibited the bitterness of quinine&ndash;HCl, Tetralone, and denatonium benzoate (DB) (p &lt; 0.05), but had no significant effect on the bitterness of sucrose octa-acetate, pseudoephedrine (PSE), and dextromethorphan. A second experiment examined the influence of zinc sulfate on bittersweet mixtures. The bitter compounds were DB and PSE, and the sweeteners were sucrose (inhibited by 25 mM zinc sulfate) and Na-cyclamate (not inhibited by zinc sulfate). The combination of zinc sulfate and Na-cyclamate most effectively inhibited DB bitterness (86%) (p &lt; 0.0016), whereas the mixture\u27s inhibition of PSE bitterness was not different from that of Na-cyclamate alone. Conclusion A combination of Na-cyclamate and zinc sulfate was most effective at inhibiting bitterness. Thus, the combined use of peripheral oral and central cognitive bitterness reduction strategies should be particularly effective for improving the flavor profile of bitter-tasting foods and pharmaceutical formulations. <br /

Physical activity-equivalent label reduces consumption of discretionary snack foods

ObjectiveThe present research aimed to investigate the impact of the physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) front-of-pack label on consumption, prospective consumption and liking of familiar and unfamiliar discretionary snack foods.DesignIn a within-subject randomised design, participants tasted and rated liking (9-point hedonic scale) and prospective consumption (9-point category scale) of four different snack foods with four different labels (i.e. blank, fake, PACE, PACE doubled) and four control snack foods. The twenty snack foods were presented during two 45 min sessions (i.e. ten snack foods per session) which were separated by one week. The amount participants sampled of each snack food was measured.SettingThe study was conducted in the Centre for Advanced Sensory Sciences laboratory at Deakin University, Australia.SubjectsThe participants were 153 university students (126 females, twenty-seven males, mean age 24&middot;3 (sd 4&middot;9) years) currently enrolled in an undergraduate nutrition degree at Deakin University.ResultsWhen the PACE label was present on familiar snack foods, participants sampled 9&middot;9 % (22&middot;8 (sem 1&middot;4) v. 25&middot;3 (sem 1&middot;5) g, P=0&middot;03) less than when such label was not present. This was in line with a decreased prospective snack food consumption of 9&middot;1 % (3&middot;0 (sem 0&middot;2) v. 3&middot;3 (sem 0&middot;2) servings, P=0&middot;03). Such pattern was not seen in unfamiliar snacks.ConclusionsThe PACE label appears to be a promising way to decrease familiar discretionary snack food consumption in young, health-minded participants.<br /

Ring-Pattern Dynamics in Smectic-C* and Smectic-C_A* Freely Suspended Liquid Crystal Films

Ring patterns of concentric 2pi-solitons in molecular orientation, form in freely suspended chiral smectic-C films in response to an in-plane rotating electric field. We present measurements of the zero-field relaxation of ring patterns and of the driven dynamics of ring formation under conditions of synchronous winding, and a simple model which enables their quantitative description in low polarization DOBAMBC. In smectic C_A* TFMHPOBC we observe an odd-even layer number effect, with odd number layer films exhibiting order of magnitude slower relaxation rates than even layer films. We show that this rate difference is due to much larger spontaneous polarization in odd number layer films.Comment: 4 RevTeX pgs, 4 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

The effect of zinc on human taste perception

Zinc salts are added as a nutritional or functional ingredient in food and oral care products. The 1st experiment in this study investigated the taste and somatosensory effect of zinc salts (chloride, iodide, sulfate, bromide, acetate). The zinc salts had very little taste (bitter, salty, savory, sour, sweet), and the taste that was present was easily washed away with water rinses. The major oral quality of zinc was astringency, and the astringency lingered beyond expectoration. The 2nd experiment combined zinc salts with prototypical stimuli eliciting basic tastes. Zinc was a potent inhibitor of sweetness and bitterness (&gt;70% reduction in taste) but did not affect salt, savory, or sour taste.<br /

Micronutrient supplement use and diet quality in university students

Many national and international public health organisations recommend achieving nutrient adequacy through consumption of a wide variety of nutritious foods. Despite this, dietary supplement sales continue to increase. Understanding the characteristics of micronutrient supplement users and the relationship with diet quality can help develop effective public health interventions to reduce unnecessary consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements. Participants (n = 1306) were a convenience sample of students studying first year food and nutrition. Data was collected via a Food and Diet Questionnaire (FDQ) and a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Supplement users were defined as participants who indicated consuming any listed supplement as frequently as once a month or more. Diet quality was assessed using a Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) score. Prevalence of supplement use was high in this study population with 56% of participants reporting supplement use; the most popular supplements consumed were multivitamins (28%) and vitamin C (28%). A higher DGI score was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of supplement use (mean: 105 &plusmn; 18 vs. 109 &plusmn; 17, p = 0.001). Micronutrient supplement use was associated with a higher DGI score, suggesting that supplements are more likely to be used by those who are less likely to require them

ESTUDIOS SOBRE LA SUSTENTABILIDAD EN SISTEMAS DE PRODUCCIÓN DE LECHE EN PEQUEÑA ESCALA

Los sistemas de producción de leche en pequeña escala juegan un rol relevante en el desarrollo del sector rural, son una herramienta para aliviar la pobreza y permitir a las familias campesinas acceder a una mejor calidad de vida, mediante la generación de autoempleos y remuneración diaria, tanto al interior de las UPL como a la gente que es contratada por estos sistemas tanto de forma temporal como permanente, lo que permite generar arraigo a las zonas rurales. Las políticas públicas a nivel internacional demandan sistemas de producción sustentables, que sean capaces de brindar una adecuada calidad de vida en las zonas donde se encuentran, permitiendo conservar el medioambiente, siendo socialmente justos y económicamente eficientes. En México existe la ley de desarrollo rural sustentable que le da el énfasis de política pública para que los sistemas de producción se encaminen a cumplir lineamientos de desarrollo sustentable. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el impacto de la implementación de innovaciones en el nivel de sostenibilidad de los sistemas de producción de leche en pequeña escala durante un ciclo anual de producción, se realizó en dos partes, la primera parte estuvo enfocada al efecto sobre los costos de alimentación por la implementación del pastoreo continuo intensivo, y la segunda al efecto de la implementación de innovaciones (pastoreo continuo intensivo y ensilado de maíz) sobre el nivel de sustentabilidad de los sistemas de producción de leche en pequeña escala. El análisis económico para identificar el efecto de la implementación de las innovaciones fue realizado mediante la metodología de presupuestos parciales, y la evaluación de las sustentabilidad se realizó a partir del método IDEA (Indicateurs de Durabilité des Exploitations Agricoles - Indicadores de Sustentabilidad de Explotaciones Agropecuarias) con adecuaciones conforme a la zona de estudio. El estudio se realizó en 24 UPL en el municipio de Aculco en el Estado de México, se recolecto información de las UPL mensualmente durante el año 2015 mediante encuestas semiestructuradas.Evaluación de la Sostenibilidad de los Sistemas de Producción de Leche en Pequeña Escala”, Clave 129449 CB-200