TRS-measurements as a nondestructive method assessing stage of maturity and ripening in plum (Prunus domestica L.)

n plum fruit with dark red or blue blush colour covering the whole fruit, the change in ground colour from green to yellow during maturation and ripening is masked. Hence, the maturity stage is difficult to judge. Time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy (TRS) has been used as a nondestructive method to assess changes in important internal quality factors in ‘Jubileum’ plums (Prunus domestica L.). Absorption coefficients (µa) and scattering coefficients (µs) were measured at both 670 and 758 nm during 5 days of storage. The changes in soluble solids content, titratable acidity and firmness were as expected. No change in soluble solids content was observed, while the plums became less acid and softer during storage. The TRS-measurements of plums indicated that TRS could give interesting information on internal quality factors in plums as the absorption at 670 nm was closely related to firmness, TA and TSS at the time of picking. Absorption at 758 nm was more closely related to the quality parameters after storage. The study did not indicate that scattering could be used in assessing maturity stage in plum

Optical Absorption and Scattering Phenomena in 'Jubileum' Plums in Relation to Their Colour Properties

Absorption and scattering of laser light pulse passing through the fruit determine among others, the optical properties of the product. Efforts have been made in the recent past to utilize innovative techniques such as time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy (TRS) to study the quality aspects of different fruit such as nectarines. These optical properties have been well related to firmness, sugars, acids and other quality attributes. TRS measurements were performed on ‘Jubileum’ plums at two different wavelengths: 670 nm and 758 nm. The fruit were harvested in Norway and brought to Italy under protected conditions. After sorting the fruit by size, TRS measurements were made and the fruit were randomized for different examinations of quality aspects. It was observed that the absorption coefficient (µa) increased for both wavelengths as ripening progressed towards the melting stage of the fruit. The µa values at 670 nm were higher than those at 758 nm. The higher rate in the µa was distinguishable from the third day onwards as the fruit ripened. Similarly, it was interesting to note that the internal colour measured after destructing the fruit related well with the TRS absorption coefficient (µa), i.e., a decrease in the CIE L* (towards darker region) and b* (towards blue) value along with an increase in a* (towards red) from third day of storag

Studies on classification models to discriminate ‘Braeburn’ apples affected by internal browning using the optical properties measured by time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy

This work aimed at studying the feasibility of time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy (TRS) to nondestructively detect internal browning (IB) in ‘Braeburn’ apples through the development of classification models based on absorption (ua) and scattering (us') properties of the pulp.This research was carried out in two seasons: in 2009, apples were measured by TRS at 670 nm and inthe 740–1040 nm spectral range on four equidistant points around the equator, whereas in 2010 appleswere measured by TRS at 670 nm and at 780 nm on eight equidistant points. The values of the absorption coefficients measured in the 670–940 nm range increased with IB devel-opment. On the contrary, us'780 was higher in healthy fruit than in IB ones. The ua780 also significantlyincreased with IB severity, showing high values when IB affected the pulp tissues compared to the coreones. Also ua670 changed with IB development, but it was not able to clearly discriminate healthy fruitfrom IB ones because its value was also affected by the chlorophyll content of the pulp. The absorption and scattering coefficients were used as explanatory variables in the linear discriminant analysis in order to classify each apple tissue as healthy or IB; then the models obtained were used forfruit classification. The best classification performance was obtained in 2010 using ua780 and us'780and considering the IB position within the fruit: 90% of healthy fruit and 71% of IB fruit were correctly classified. By using all the ua measured in the 670–1040 nm range plus the us'780, IB fruit classification was slightly better while healthy fruit classification was worse. The better result of 2010 was due tothe increased number of TRS measurement points that allowed better exploration of the fruit tissues. However, the asymmetric nature of this disorder makes detection difficult, especially when the disorderis localized in the inner part of the fruit (core) or when it occurs in spots. A different TRS set-up (position and distance of fibers, time resolution) should be studied in order to reach the deeper tissue within the fruit in order to improve browning detection

Insights into the Effect of Lithium Doping on the Deep Eutectic Solvent Choline Chloride: Urea

Choline-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are potential candidates to replace flammable organic solvent electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The effect of the addition of a lithium salt on the structure and dynamics of the material needs to be clarified before it enters the battery. Here, the archetypical DES choline chloride:urea at 1:2 mole fraction has been added with lithium chloride at two different concentrations and the effect of the additional cation has been evaluated with respect to the non-doped system via multinuclear NMR techniques. 1H and 7Li spin-lattice relaxation times and diffusion coefficients have been measured between 298 K and 373 K and revealed a decrease in both rotational and translational mobility of the species after LiCl doping at a given temperature. Temperature dependent 35Cl linewidths reflect the viscosity increase upon LiCl addition, yet keep track of the lithium complexation. Quantitative indicators such as correlation times and activation energies give indirect insights into the intermolecular interactions of the mixtures, while lithium single-jump distance and transference number shed light into the lithium transport, being then of help in the design of future DES electrolytes

Characterizing the tissue of apple air-dried and osmo-air-dried rings by X-CT and OCT and relationship with ring crispness and fruit maturity at harvest measured by TRS

Air-dried apple rings were prepared from ‘Golden Delicious’ apples selected at harvest as less mature and more mature according to the absorption coefficient measured at 670 nm by time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy (TRS), stored in air for 5 months, and subjected to air-drying with (OSMO) and without (noOSMO) osmodehydration pre-treatment (60% sucrose syrup). Selected rings were submitted to microstructural analysis by X-ray computed tomography (X-CT), to subsurface structure analysis by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to texture and sound emission analysis by bending–snapping test. Higher crispness index, higher number of sound events and higher average sound pressure level (SPL) characterized the OSMO rings. Total porosity was related to SPLav 60, pore fragmentation index to fracturability and specific surface area to the work required to snap the ring. A differentiation of the drying treatments, as well as of the products according to the TRS maturity class at harvest was obtained analyzing by principal component analysis (PCA) microstructure parameters and texture and acoustic parameters. The differences in mechanical and acoustic characteristics between OSMO and noOSMO rings were due to the different subsurface structure as found with OCT analysis

Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the esophagus and stomach.

Esophageal neuroendocrine neoplasms (E-NENs) are much rarer than other gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms, the majority showing aggressive behavior with early dissemination and poor prognosis. Among E-NENs, exceptionally rare well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (E-NET) and more frequent esophageal poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (E-NEC) and mixed neuroendocrine-non neuroendocrine neoplasms (MiNEN) can be recognized. E-NECs usually exhibit a small cell morphology or mixed small and large cells. Esophageal MiNEN are composed of NEC component admixed with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Gastric (G) NENs encompass a wide spectrum of entities ranging from indolent G-NETs to highly aggressive G-NECs and MiNENs. Among G-NETs, ECL-cell NETs are the most common and, although composed of histamine-producing cells, are a heterogeneous group of neoplastic proliferations showing different clinical and prognostic features depending on the patient's clinico-pathological background including the morphology of the peri-tumoral mucosa, gastrin serum levels, presence or absence of antral G-cell hyperplasia, and presence or absence of MEN1 syndrome. In general, NET associated with hypergastrinemia show a better outcome than NET not associated with hypergastrinemia. G-NECs and MiNENs are aggressive neoplasms more frequently observed in males and associated with a dismal prognosis

Proarrhythmic proclivity of left-stellate ganglion stimulation in a canine model of drug-induced long-QT syndrome type 1

Background Left-stellate ganglion stimulation (LSGS) can modify regional dispersion of ventricular refractoriness, promote triggered activity, and reduce the threshold for ventricular fibrillation (VF). Sympathetic hyperactivity precipitates torsades de pointes (TdP) and VF in susceptible patients with long-QT syndrome type 1 (LQT1). We investigated the electromechanical effects of LSGS in a canine model of drug-induced LQT1, gaining novel arrhythmogenic insights. Methods In nine mongrel dogs, the left and right stellate ganglia were exposed for electrical stimulation. ECG, left- and right-ventricular endocardial monophasic action potentials (MAPs) and pressures (LVP, RVP) were recorded. The electromechanical window (EMW; Q to LVP at 90% relaxation minus QT interval) was calculated. LQT1 was mimicked by infusion of the KCNQ1/IKs blocker HMR1556. Results At baseline, LSGS and right-stellate ganglion stimulation (RSGS) caused similar heart-rate acceleration and QT shortening. Positive inotropic and lusitropic effects were more pronounced under LSGS than RSGS. IKs blockade prolonged QTc, triggered MAP-early afterdepolarizations (EADs) and rendered the EMW negative, but no ventricular tachyarrhythmias occurred. Superimposed LSGS exaggerated EMW negativity and evoked TdP in 5/9 dogs within 30 s. Preceding extrasystoles originated mostly from the outflow-tracts region. TdP deteriorated into therapy-refractory VF in 4/5 animals. RSGS did not provoke TdP/VF. Conclusions In this model of drug-induced LQT1, LSGS readily induced TdP and VF during repolarization prolongation and MAP-EAD generation, but only if EMW turned from positive to very negative. We postulate that altered mechano-electric coupling can exaggerate regional dispersion of refractoriness and facilitates ventricular ectopy

The endogenous cannabinoid system in the gut of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Activation of cannabinoid receptors (CBs) by endocannabinoids impacts on a number of gastrointestinal functions. Recent data indicate that CB1 agonists improve 2,4-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis in mice, thus suggesting a role for the endocannabinoid agonist anandamide (AEA) in protecting the gut against inflammation. We here examined the gut endocannabinoid system in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, and investigated the ex vivo and in vitro effects of the non-hydrolysable AEA analog methanandamide (MAEA) on the mucosal proinflammatory response. The content of AEA, but not of 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol and N-palmitoylethanolamine, was significantly lower in inflamed than uninflamed IBD mucosa, and this was paralleled by lower activity of the AEA-synthesizing enzyme N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D and higher activity of the AEA-degrading enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase. MAEA significantly downregulated interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion by both organ culture biopsies and lamina propria mononuclear cells. Although these results are promising, further studies are needed to determine the role of cannabinoid pathways in gut inflammation. © 2011 Society for Mucosal Immunology