A note on the effect of calcium alginate coating on quality of refrigerated strawberries.

peer-reviewedAn alginate-based edible coating was investigated for the preservation of the quality of strawberries during cold storage (5 °C). Strawberries were immersed, successively, in sodium alginate and calcium chloride solutions to generate a surface coating of calcium alginate. The quality of coated and non-coated strawberries was evaluated by weight loss, visible decay, titratable acidity, total soluble solids and reducing sugar concentration over a 14-day storage period. Results showed that coating with calcium alginate had no significant effects on weight loss or physicochemical parameters when compared to control fruit, but it did result in the postponement of visible decay during refrigerated storage

Relationship between biological egg characteristics and female brood fish in stellate sturgeon, Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771 (Pisces: Acipenseridae) in the Southeast Caspian Sea, Iran

Fecundity is one of the important indicators of reproduction biology in fishes especially in rearing and restocking management of endangered species such as sturgeon. The fecundity of stellate Sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771) was studied in 50 specimens captured by gill net (mesh size= 100 mm) and seine net in different fishing areas along the southeastern part of the Caspian Sea from October 2004 through June 2005.Some biological characteristics of eggs (including diameter, surface-to-volume ratio of egg) and of fish (including age, fork length, weight, fecundity and gonadosomatic indices) were determined, and the relationship between them was defined. The results obtained showed that eggs were in stage F5 of development, and mean fork length, weight, age, fecundity and gonadosomatic indices were 125.26±8.01 (cm), 10.3±1.97 (kg), 12±1.34 (years), 170730±43211.11 and 20.88±3.19 (%), respectively. Also, the average egg diameter and surface-to-volume ratio were 2.92±1.44 (mm) and 2.06±0.12 (mm-1), respectively. Positive correlation was detected between egg diameter and surface, and volume, while negative correlation was foun between egg diameter and surface-to-volume ratio. Weight, length and age have linear relationships with absolute fecundity and age was the best predicator of fecundity (r2= 0.848, F=27.962 and P value 0.003)

Effect of parasite infection with Posthodiplostomum cuticola (Nordmann, 1832) on fish growth rate in Zaringol Stream in Golestan Province

This study investigated the effect of parasite infection with Posthodiplostomum cuticola on fish growth rate in Zaringol Stream in Golestan Province. A total number of 447 fish specimens (173 Capoeta capoeta gracilis, 111 Alburnoides eichwaldii, 131 Paracobitis malapterura, 32 Neogobius fluviatilis) were captured by electrofishing during December 2009 to September 2010. Total number of parasite on fish body was counted by investigating internal organ and surface of skin and branch. Results showed that slope of regression curves and condition factor were significantly lower in infected C. c. gracilis. N. fluviatilis was the most abundant infected fish in Zarringol Stream. It seems that it's feeding dependence on benthos makes this fish more susceptible to infection by parasite

THE APPLICATION OF FRICTION STIR PROCESSING TO THE FABRICATION OF MAGNESIUM-BASED FOAMS

In the present paper, friction stir processing (FSP) is used to fabricate magnesium-based nanocomposite foams. The effects of the number of FSP passes, TiH2 to Al2O3 weight ratio, and foaming temperature; on the pore distribution and porosity are described. The results indicate that a minimum TiH2 to Al2O3 weight ratio is necessary to provide the best pore distribution and porosity. Closed-cell porous magnesium with a porosity of about 17.5% was successfully fabricated using 4-pass FSP at 800 rpm, by adding 5 mass% TiH2 and 3.5 mass% Al2O3; at a holding temperature of 858 K, and a holding time of 45 min.111Ysciescopu

Effects of aging and dual tasking on step adjustments to perturbations in visually cued walking

Making step adjustments is an essential component of walking. However, the ability to make step adjustments may be compromised when the walker's attentional capacity is limited. This study compared the effects of aging and dual tasking on step adjustments in response to stepping-target perturbations during visually cued treadmill walking. Fifteen older adults (69.4 ± 5.0 years; mean ± SD) and fifteen young adults (25.4 ± 3.0 years) walked at a speed of 3 km/h on a treadmill. Both groups performed visually cued step adjustments in response to unpredictable shifts of projected stepping targets in forward (FW), backward (BW) or sideward (SW) directions, at different levels of task difficulty [which increased as the available response distance (ARD) decreased], and with and without dual tasking (auditory Stroop task). In both groups, step adjustments were smaller than required. For FW and BW shifts, older adults undershot more under dual-task conditions. For these shifts, ARD affected the age groups differentially. For SW shifts, larger errors were found for older adults, dual tasking and the most difficult ARD. Stroop task performance did not differ between groups in all conditions. Older adults have more difficulty than young adults to make corrective step adjustments while walking, especially under dual-tasking conditions. Furthermore, they seemed to prioritize the cognitive task over the step adjustment task, a strategy that may pose aging populations at a greater fall risk. For comparable task difficulty, the older adults performed considerably worse than the young adults, indicating a decreased ability to adjust steps under time pressure

Detecting impaired language processing in patients with mild cognitive impairment using around-the-ear cEEgrid electrodes

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the term used to identify those individuals with subjective and objective cognitive decline but with preserved activities of daily living and an absence of dementia. Although MCI can impact functioning in different cognitive domains, most notably episodic memory, relatively little is known about the comprehension of language in MCI. In this study, we used around-the-ear electrodes (cEEGrids) to identify impairments during language comprehension in patients with MCI. In a group of 23 patients with MCI and 23 age-matched controls, language comprehension was tested in a two-word phrase paradigm. We examined the oscillatory changes following word onset as a function of lexico-semantic single-word retrieval (e.g., swrfeq vs. swift) and multiword binding processes (e.g., horse preceded by swift vs. preceded by swrfeq). Electrophysiological signatures (as measured by the cEEGrids) were significantly different between patients with MCI and controls. In controls, lexical retrieval was associated with a rebound in the alpha/beta range, and binding was associated with a post-word alpha/beta suppression. In contrast, both the single-word retrieval and multiword binding signatures were absent in the MCI group. The signatures observed using cEEGrids in controls were comparable with those signatures obtained with a full-cap EEG setup. Importantly, our findings suggest that patients with MCI have impaired electrophysiological signatures for comprehending single words and multiword phrases. Moreover, cEEGrid setups provide a noninvasive and sensitive clinical tool for detecting early impairments in language comprehension in MCI

An Overview of Biodiesel Production via Calcium Oxide Based Catalysts: Current State and Perspective

Biodiesel is a clean, renewable, liquid fuel that can be used in existing diesel engines without modification as pure or blend. Transesterification (the primary process for biodiesel generation) via heterogeneous catalysis using low-cost waste feedstocks for catalyst synthesis improves the economics of biodiesel production. Heterogeneous catalysts are preferred for the industrial generation of biodiesel due to their robustness and low costs due to the easy separation and relatively higher reusability. Calcium oxides found in abundance in nature, e.g., in seashells and eggshells, are promising candidates for the synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts. However, process improvements are required to design productive calcium oxide-based catalysts at an industrial scale. The current work presents an overview of the biodiesel production advancements using calcium oxide-based catalysts (e.g., pure, supported, and mixed with metal oxides). The review discusses different factors involved in the synthesis of calcium oxide-based catalysts, and the effect of reaction parameters on the biodiesel yield of calcium oxide-based catalysis are studied. Further, the common reactor designs used for the heterogeneous catalysis using calcium oxide-based catalysts are explained. Moreover, the catalytic activity mechanism, challenges and prospects of the application of calcium oxide-based catalysts in biodiesel generation are discussed. The study of calcium oxide-based catalyst should continue to be evaluated for the potential of their application in the commercial sector as they remain the pivotal goal of these studies

The effect of aminoguanidine on sperm motility and mitochondrial membrane potential in varicocelized rats

Objective(s): Increased levels of nitric oxide (NO) in the testicular veins of people suffering from varicocele have already been reported. However, the role of NO-synthase (NOS) isozymes and their inhibitors have not been extensively studied. We aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of aminoguanidine (AG), on sperm motility, vitality, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in varicocelized rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty fore male Wister rats were divided into control, sham, varicocele, and treatment groups. Varicocele and treatment groups underwent partial ligation of left renal vein. Rats in the sham group underwent the same procedures as the varicocele group with the exception of vein ligation. 10 weeks after varicocele induction, sperm parameters were evaluated in all groups. The treatment group received 50 mg/kg AG injection daily for 10 weeks after which they were sacrificed prior to assessment of the parameters. Sperm viability and MMP were assessed by flow cytometry using propidium iodide (PI) and rhodamine 123 (Rh123), respectively. Results: The results of this study show a decrease in sperm viability, motility and MMP in the varicocele group compared with the other groups. After AG injection, we observed that all the parameters were significantly enhanced in the treatment group compared with the other groups. Rh123 staining revealed a positive relation between MMP and sperm motility, whereas PI staining showed a positive relation between sperm motility and viability. Conclusion: The findings of our study show that AG improves sperm motility and MMP, and thus, might be useful in the management of varicocele-related infertility. © 2016, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved