Methods for Dichoptic Stimulus Presentation in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging - A Review

Dichoptic stimuli (different stimuli displayed to each eye) are increasingly being used in functional brain imaging experiments using visual stimulation. These studies include investigation into binocular rivalry, interocular information transfer, three-dimensional depth perception as well as impairments of the visual system like amblyopia and stereodeficiency. In this paper, we review various approaches of displaying dichoptic stimulus used in functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments. These include traditional approaches of using filters (red-green, red-blue, polarizing) with optical assemblies as well as newer approaches of using bi-screen goggles

Preliminary Characterization of the Probiotic Properties of a Bacterial Strain for Used in Monogastric Nutrition

This study aimed to evaluate some probiotic properties of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051a. The phenotypic profile, resistance to pH by simulated gastric juice (pH 2 and 3), bile salts by simulated intestinal fluid, survivability (%), heat and antibiotics tolerance were investigated. The strain is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria, arranged in short chains or in small irregular pairs with the ability to produce spores. Good viability at pH 2 and 3, with a survival of more than ≥80%, was found. In the presence of bile salts 0.3%, over 4 h, the strain exhibited a survival ≥85%. At 80°C, for 120 min., the strain showed good growth (9.04 log CFU/ml). Results were sensitive to most antibiotics, with a highly susceptible (between 16 – 25 mm) to erythromycin, clindamycin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, amikacin and kanamycin. The strain was found to be sensitive to vancomycin, gentamicin, and tetracycline. The present research demonstrated that Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051a can survive under gastrointestinal conditions, which involves them to future in vitro and in vivo probiotic studies

Monitoring of Bee Colonies’ Activity During the Major Gatherings in 2017

The assessment of the meteorological factors, in direct correlation with the nectar release and honey production, helps beekeepers with the organization of the technological activities within the apiary (determination of the pastoral schedule, supplementary feedings, reproduction of bee colonies, honey harvest, etc.). The study was carried out between 14th of April and 20th of July 2017, on 20 Apis mellifera carpatica bee colonies, maintained in multi-layer and Dadant beehives. The bee colonies were transported in field for rape, acacia and sunflower gathering and monitored with the help of the BeeWatch Professional device. The rape and acacia gatherings were negatively influenced by low temperatures and heavy rainfall, which impeded the capitalization of the melliferous potential. The bee colonies gathered only 5 kg rape honey and 3.9 kg acacia honey/bee colony/period. As regards the sunflower, the weather conditions were optimal for gathering, and the bee colonies gathered the supplies necessary for winter and also 5 kg honey extra. The honey production obtained by the bee colonies studied was not influenced by the beehive type; it was strongly influenced by the environmental factors, temperature and humidity

Preliminary Characterization of the Probiotic Properties of a Bacterial Strain for Used in Monogastric Nutrition

This study aimed to evaluate some probiotic properties of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051a. The phenotypic profile, resistance to pH by simulated gastric juice (pH 2 and 3), bile salts by simulated intestinal fluid, survivability (%), heat and antibiotics tolerance were investigated. The strain is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria, arranged in short chains or in small irregular pairs with the ability to produce spores. Good viability at pH 2 and 3, with a survival of more than ≥80%, was found. In the presence of bile salts 0.3%, over 4 h, the strain exhibited a survival ≥85%. At 80°C, for 120 min., the strain showed good growth (9.04 log CFU/ml). Results were sensitive to most antibiotics, with a highly susceptible (between 16 – 25 mm) to erythromycin, clindamycin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, amikacin and kanamycin. The strain was found to be sensitive to vancomycin, gentamicin, and tetracycline. The present research demonstrated that Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051a can survive under gastrointestinal conditions, which involves them to future in vitro and in vivo probiotic studies

INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES ON ROMANIAN CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISIONS FOR ORGANIC DRIED BERRIES

Data collected in recent years has shown an enormous growth in overall consumer health consciousness. Nowadays the food industry is facing a new profile of consumers, and these consumers are demanding healthier options. Packaging claims are considered to have an influence on consumer purchase decisions for food products. In our research we included 289 participants that answered to our questionnaire that have two parts. The first part of the questionnaire focuses on attributes like: price (7 Romanian leu - RON, 12 RON; 1 EUR = 4.59 RON, exchange rate on 30.08.2017), origin (Romania, European Union), drying method (microwave, sundried, air-dried), and nutritional claim (with or without nutritional claim) for a specific organic dried berries mix, to allow us to supply specific values for these factors to the research participants. The second part of the questionnaire focuses on evaluating a series of statements regarding consumers’ attitudes towards: organic food, naturalness, healthy food, and novel processing technologies. Data were processed by conjoint analysis. Conjoint analysis of responses from this 289 participants (representative sample for the Romanian urban population), with a margin of error of ±6% at a 95% confidence level) reveals that specific attributes affect consumer purchase decisions of organic dried berries mix (P ≤ 0.05). We found that consumers’ willingness to pay for microwave-dried berries is independent from values associated with price, origin and nutritional claim. This study offers demographic information on Romanian consumer’s attitude towards new technologies for organic berry-based products. Also, it is established that conjoint studies technique is a useful instrument in designing new products. Financial support for this project is provided by funding bodies within the CORE Organic Plus FP7-ERANET- 618107 Ensuring quality and safety of organic food along the processing chain and with cofounds from the European Commission UEFISCDI - ERA NET for Romanian Partner USAMVB - “Innovative and eco-sustainable processing and packaging for safe and high quality organic berry products with enhanced nutritional value” EcoBerries

Organic fertilizer effect on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivated in nutrient film technology

The survey was carried out in the Research Centre for the study of food products quality “HORTINVEST” between 2014-2015 using the Nutrient Film Technology (NFT) for the cultivation of lettuce. Three lettuce cultivars were used: Markies, Lollo bionda and Lollo rosa, together with three types of fertilizers: two organic fertilizers and a chemical one. Biometrical measurements on lettuce growth were conducted; also at the end of the cultivation cycle biochemical measurements were performed in order to assess plant quality. Also correlations between various biometrical parameters and influencing vegetal factors were settled. The results led towards gains in the plant growth rate, in the development of the leaf number and eventually in the production growth. For all lettuce varieties under research the total plant mass was higher due to organic fertilizers in comparison with plants under chemical fertilizer treatment. The plants organically fertilized proved to be superior as to the biochemical quality. Research was carried out in order to assess the quantitative and qualitative feedback of lettuce cultivated in Nutrient Film Technology (NFT) to various organic fertilizers which might replace chemical fertilizers

Different patterns of white matter degeneration using multiple diffusion indices and volumetric data in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer patients

Alzheimeŕs disease (AD) represents the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder that causes cognitive decline in old age. In its early stages, AD is associated with microstructural abnormalities in white matter (WM). In the current study, multiple indices of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and brain volumetric measurements were employed to comprehensively investigate the landscape of AD pathology. The sample comprised 58 individuals including cognitively normal subjects (controls), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD patients. Relative to controls, both MCI and AD subjects showed widespread changes of anisotropic fraction (FA) in the corpus callosum, cingulate and uncinate fasciculus. Mean diffusivity and radial changes were also observed in AD patients in comparison with controls. After controlling for the gray matter atrophy the number of regions of significantly lower FA in AD patients relative to controls was decreased; nonetheless, unique areas of microstructural damage remained, e.g., the corpus callosum and uncinate fasciculus. Despite sample size limitations, the current results suggest that a combination of secondary and primary degeneration occurrs in MCI and AD, although the secondary degeneration appears to have a more critical role during the stages of disease involving dementia

Neural correlates of executive attention in adults born very preterm

Very preterm birth is associated with an increased prevalence of attention problems and may especially impair executive attention, i.e., top-down control of attentional selection in situations where distracting information interferes with the processing of task-relevant stimuli. While there are initial findings linking structural brain alterations in preterm-born individuals with attention problems, the functional basis of these problems are not well understood. The present study used an fMRI adaptation of the Attentional Network Test to examine the neural correlates of executive attention in a large sample of N = 86 adults born very preterm and/or with very low birth weight (VP/VLBW), and N = 100 term-born controls. Executive attention was measured by comparing task behavior and brain activations associated with the processing of incongruent vs. congruent arrow flanker stimuli. Consistent with subtle impairments of executive attention, the VP/VLBW group showed lower accuracy and a tendency for increased response times during the processing of incongruent stimuli. Both groups showed similar activation patters, especially within expected fronto-cingulo-parietal areas, but no significant between-group differences. Our results argue for a maintained attention-relevant network organization in high-functioning preterm born adults in spite of subtle deficits in executive attention. Gestational age and neonatal treatment variables showed associations with task behavior, and brain activation in the dorsal ACC and lateral occipital areas, suggesting that the degree of prematurity (and related neonatal complications) has subtle modulatory influences on executive attention processing

White matter alterations of the corticospinal tract in adults born very preterm and/or with very low birth weight

White matter (WM) injury, either visible on conventional magnetic resonance images (MRI) or measurable by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), is frequent in preterm born individuals and often affects the corticospinal tract (CST). The relation between visible and invisible white mater alterations in the reconstructed CST of preterm subjects has so far been studied in infants, children and up to adolescence. Therefore, we probabilistically tracked the CST in 53 term-born and 56 very preterm and/or low birth weight (VP/VLBW, < 32 weeks of gestation and/or birth weight < 1,500 g) adults (mean age 26 years) and compared their DTI parameters (axial, radial, mean diffusivity—AD, RD, MD, fractional anisotropy—FA) in the whole CST and slice-wise along the CST. Additionally, we used the automatic, tract-based-spatial-statistics (TBSS) as an alternative to tractography. We compared control and VP/VLBW and subgroups with and without CST WM lesions visible on conventional MRI. Compared to controls, VP/VLBW subjects had significantly higher diffusivity (AD, RD, MD) in the whole CST, slice-wise along the CST, and in multiple regions along the TBSS skeleton. VP/VLBW subjects also had significantly lower (TBSS) and higher (tractography) FA in regions along the CST, but no different mean FA in the tracked CST as a whole. Diffusion changes were weaker, but remained significant for both, tractography and TBSS, when excluding subjects with visible CST lesions. Chronic CST injury persists in VP/VLBW adults even in the absence of visible WM lesions, indicating long-term structural WM changes induced by premature birth