Understanding the effects of chitosan, chia mucilage, levan based composite coatings on the shelf life of sweet cherry

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) fruits are prone to quality and quantity loss in shelf-life conditions and cold storage due to their short post-harvest life. Until now efforts have been made to extend the shelf life of the sweet cherry. However, an efficient and commercially scalable process remains elusive. To contribute to this challenge, here in this study, biobased composite coatings consisting of chitosan, mucilage, and levan, were applied on sweet cherry fruits and tested for postharvest parameters in both market and cold storage conditions. Results demonstrated that the shelf life of sweet cherries can be extended until the 30th day while retaining important post-harvest properties like decreased weight loss, fungal deterioration, increased stem removal force, total flavonoid, L-ascorbic acid, and oxalic acid. Given the cost-effectiveness of the polymers used, the findings of this study indicate the feasibility of extending the shelf-life of sweet cherries on a larger scale

Distal Superficial Temporal Artery to Proximal Posterior Cerebral Artery Bypass by Posterior Oblique Transzygomatic Subtemporal Approach

This article investigates the possibility for the distal superficial temporal artery (STA) to proximal posterior cerebral artery (PCA) direct bypass by subtemporal oblique posterior transzygomatic approach. Five adult cadaveric specimens were dissected. Cadeveric dissection protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. A preauricular vertical skin incision was made, the trunk of STA was identified, and bifurcation, frontal, and parietal branches of the STA were followed distally. Posterior zygomatic arch osteotomy and microcraniotomy were then performed, and the dura was opened. The temporal lobe was retracted, interpeduncular and ambient cisterns were opened, and the P2 segment of the PCA was exposed. Parietal branch of STA and P2 segment of the PCA was anastomosed. The average length of the transected STA from the bifurcation and the zygomatic arch were 47.3 ± 2.1 mm and 71.4 ± 2.3 mm, respectively. The mean calibers of the parietal and frontal branch of the STA at this distance were 1.6 ± 0.1 and 1.4 ± 0.2, respectively. The mean diameter of the P2 was 2.1 ± 0.2 mm. Because of the calibers of the parietal branch of the STA and proximal PCA are over 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm, respectively, this direct end-to-side bypass technique may be a reasonable alternative in suitable cases

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Al-4Cu-1.5Mg Alloy

In this work, the influence of different heat treatments (HT) processes on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cast Al-4Mg-1.5 Mg alloy was investigated. To investigate the effect of HT, firstly Al-4Cu-1.5Mg samples were homogenized (solution treatment) at 500 degrees C/2h, water quenched at room temperature (RT) and then immediately exposed to an artificial aging process at 200 degrees C for various aging times of 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 hours. Quantitative examinations after HT processes (solution treatment and aging) have shown that intermetallic phases (Al2Cu and Al2CuMg) were dissolved in the alpha-Al matrix phase and distributed along the grain boundary. Some mechanical properties (HV sigma, sigma(TYS), sigma(UTS), sigma(CYS), E and delta) of a sufficient number of alloy samples exposed to different heat treatments were examined in detail. The data obtained show that the conditions of solution treatment and aging in some conditions show superior mechanical properties than the sample in the form as-cast. The highest microhardness value (126 HV) was obtained for the alpha-Al matrix phase, which was subjected to solution treatment (only homogenization). After aging for 1h at 200 degrees C, the peak value of microhardness was achieved as 289.5 HV for intermetallic phases. The highest tensile strength (sigma(UTS)) was obtained as 328 MPa for the sample which aged for 8h at 200 degrees C after solution treatment for 2h at 500 degrees C

Transzygomatic-Subtemporal Approach for Middle Meningeal-to-P2 Segment of the Posterior Cerebral Artery Bypass: An Anatomical and Technical Study

We evaluated the use of a bypass between the middle meningeal artery (MMA) and P2 segment of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) as an alternative to an external carotid artery (ECA-to-PCA) anastomosis. Five adult cadaveric heads (10 sides) were used. After a temporal craniotomy and zygomatic arch osteotomy were performed, the dura of the floor of the middle cranial fossa was separated and elevated. The MMA was dissected away from the dura until the foramen spinosum was reached. Intradurally, the carotid and sylvian cisterns were opened. After the temporal lobe was retracted, the interpeduncular and ambient cisterns were opened and the P2 segment of the PCA was exposed. The MMA trunk was transsected just before the bifurcation of its anterior and posterior branches where it passes inside the dura and over the foramen spinosum. It was anastomosed end to side with the P2 segment of the PCA. The mean caliber of the MMA trunk before its bifurcation was 2.1 ± 0.25 mm, and the mean caliber of the P2 was 2.2 ± 0.2 mm. The mean length of the MMA used to perform the bypass was 32 ± 4.1 mm, and the mean length of the MMA trunk was 39.5 ± 4.4 mm. This bypass procedure is simpler to perform than an ECA-to-P2 revascularization using long grafts. The caliber and length of the MMA trunk are suitable to provide sufficient blood flow. Furthermore, the course of the bypass is straight