Effects of different extractions on growth and nutritional quality of hydroponic endivia

In this study, Hydroponic endivia with completely decomposed distiller’s grains, tea residue and extraction of commercial organic manure were applied to study its effects on growth and nutritional quality of endivia, as compared with modified Hoagland nutrient. The results showed that the root-shoot ratio of endivia under all treatment conditions was higher than that in CK group. Among them, treatment Ⅳ exhibited best improve efficiency; the treatment of Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅴ, Ⅵ were beneficial to reduce the nitrate content. The treatment Ⅰ significantly increased the content of VC and soluble sugar. The soluble protein content of treatment Ⅴ was the highest. Above all, the application of tea residue and commercial organic fertilizer extracts in the actual production of hydroponic lettuce needs further and deeper research

Effects of different extractions on growth and nutritional quality of hydroponic endivia

In this study, Hydroponic endivia with completely decomposed distiller’s grains, tea residue and extraction of commercial organic manure were applied to study its effects on growth and nutritional quality of endivia, as compared with modified Hoagland nutrient. The results showed that the root-shoot ratio of endivia under all treatment conditions was higher than that in CK group. Among them, treatment Ⅳ exhibited best improve efficiency; the treatment of Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅴ, Ⅵ were beneficial to reduce the nitrate content. The treatment Ⅰ significantly increased the content of VC and soluble sugar. The soluble protein content of treatment Ⅴ was the highest. Above all, the application of tea residue and commercial organic fertilizer extracts in the actual production of hydroponic lettuce needs further and deeper research.</jats:p

Effects of Dietary Lipid Levels on Growth Performance and Muscle Quality of Juvenile Procambarus clarkii

Procambarus clarkii Girard is an economically important cultured shrimp in China, and lipids are an important component of its raw feed materials. Studies have shown that adequate lipid content in feed can promote the health of aquatic animals, improve the utilization efficiency of feed protein, save protein, reduce feed costs, and reduce nitrogen emissions. Insufficient lipid content in feed leads to metabolic disorders in breeding animals, reduces the utilization rate of feed protein, and is accompanied by a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids. However, a high fat content inhibits feeding and growth and leads to excessive fat deposition in the fish body, which decreases disease resistance and is not conducive to feed processing and storage. At present, studies on the dietary lipid content of P. clarkii have mainly focused on growth performance, biochemical indices, and conventional nutritional components of muscle; however, studies on muscle quality, amino acid composition, and content have not yet been reported. This study investigated the growth performance, muscle texture indices, nutritional components, and food flavor of P. clarkii by determining the effect of dietary lipid content on the growth performance and muscle quality of juveniles. The aim of this study was to provide a reference for the development of compound feed for juvenile P. clarkii and to provide a theoretical and scientific basis for rationally evaluating the effects of fat on the muscle quality of the species.Five experimental diets with lipid levels of 2.86%, 5.11%, 7.67%, 10.19%, and 13.02% were prepared using fishmeal, soybean meal, and rapeseed meal as the main protein sources, and a mixture of fish oil and soybean oil in a ratio of 1:1 as the lipid source. A total of 600 juvenile P. clarkii with an initial body weight of (4.00±1.00) g was randomly divided into five groups (L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 groups) with three replicates per group and 40 shrimps per replicate. They were fed five groups of experimental diets at 6:00 and 19:30 each day and cultured for 60 days. The experiment was carried out in an aquaculture pond (square, 1.0 m × 1.0 m × 0.6 m) at the Guangxi University.The results showed that as the dietary lipid level increased, the specific growth rate (SGR) and survival rate (SR) of juvenile P. clarkii first increased and then decreased and were the highest when the dietary lipid level was 7.67%. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) at first decreased before increasing again and that of the L3 group was significantly lower than that of the other groups (P 0.05). With the increase in dietary lipid levels, the cooking loss (CL) and crude lipid, polyunsaturated fatty acids (∑PUFA), and total amino acid (∑TAA) contents of the muscle showed an increasing trend. The content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the L5 group was significantly higher than that in the other groups, and the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content in the L5 group was significantly higher than that in the L1 and L2 groups (P 0.05), whereas dietary lipid levels showed no significant difference in muscle saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents (P > 0.05). The contents of umami amino acids (∑FAA), alanine (Ala), and aspartate (Asp) in the L5 group were significantly lower than those in the L1 group (P < 0.05).Under the conditions of this study, within a suitable range of fat content, growth performance increased with increased fat content; however, the addition of excessive fat cannot promote growth. According to the broken-line regression analysis of the specific growth rate, the optimal dietary lipid level was 6.82%. When the dietary lipid level was higher than 10.19%, the deposition and efficiency of muscle fat, muscle fat content, and nutrient loss increased, and the muscle texture index and Asp and Ala contents significantly decreased. The nutritional value, taste, delicious degree, and flavor of the muscle of P. clarkii were significantly decreased. As it does not affect the muscle quality of the shrimp, the dietary lipid content should not exceed 10.19%.Based on the analysis of various factors, the optimal dietary lipid content is beneficial to the healthy growth of juvenile P. clarkii and improves nutritional value and muscle quality. It is suggested that the dietary lipid supplemental level of juvenile shrimp should be 6.82%~10.19%. This study provides a theoretical basis for the scientific optimization of feed preparation for P. clarkii juvenile

Influence of uniaxial cold stretching followed by uniaxial hot stretching conditions on crystal transformation and microstructure in extrusion cast and annealed polyvinylidene fluoride porous membranes

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film samples were prepared by extrusion casting followed by annealing. Then, the samples were uniaxially cold stretched at room temperature, followed by uniaxial hot stretching. The total uniaxial stretching ratio of the samples after cold and hot stretching steps was kept constant at 100%. The influence of hot-stretching temperatures and cold and hot stretching ratios on the crystal transformation and pore structure was investigated using wide-angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the stretching-induced β-phase content did not depend on hot stretching temperature and cold and hot stretching ratios. Apparent connecting bridge structure between the separated lamellae was observed at 130℃ stretching temperature and 40% to 60% or 50% to 50% cold and hot stretching ratio. Compared with that induced by cold stretching alone, more connecting bridges were formed and higher β-phase concentration was created by cold stretching followed by hot stretching. During hot stretching, some imperfect chains from main lamellae were stretched and converted to part connecting bridges, and some other imperfect chains were transformed to the β-phase. But, the β-phase content during hot stretching was not related to the extent of connecting structure. </jats:p

Exploring the meaning of life among Chinese adolescents with nephrotic syndrome: determinants and psychological correlates

BackgroundAdolescents with Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) confront unique challenges that influence their Meaning of Life (MOL), a concept crucial for psychological resilience. The chronic nature of NS and its associated burdens necessitate a deeper exploration of MOL and its determinants within this demographic, previously underexamined in research. This study aims to investigate MOL among Chinese adolescents with NS, identifying key factors influencing their sense of meaning and examining the interrelations with Subjective Well-Being (SWB) and Psychological Security (PS).MethodsEmploying a cross-sectional survey design, we analyzed 150 adolescents with NS from Baise City, Guangxi, using the Purpose in Life (PIL) scale alongside PS and SWB scales. Sociodemographic and disease-related variables were assessed for their impact on MOL. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, and correlation analyses to explore predictors of MOL and its association with SWB and PS.ResultsA significant proportion (62.0%) of participants exhibited MOL scores below the threshold, indicating diminished life meaning. Critical factors impacting MOL included ‘left-behind’ status, family structure, educational disruptions, and NS duration. Strong correlations emerged between MOL, SWB (r = 0.70, p &lt; 0.01), and PS, highlighting the interdependence of these psychological dimensions. The study further revealed ‘Proactivity’ as a vital component of MOL, suggesting that despite their challenges, adolescents with NS maintain a keen engagement with life. Key aspects such as ‘Certainty in Control’, ‘Mood of Melancholy or Pleasure’, and ‘Vitality’ emerged as crucial for intervention.ConclusionThe findings underline the profound impact of NS on adolescents’ MOL, influenced by both sociodemographic and disease-specific factors. By identifying key areas for psychological intervention, this study contributes to the holistic care and treatment of adolescents with NS, advocating for integrated approaches that address their unique challenges and support systems

Determination of 18 amino acids in Tianlongquan seasoning glutinous rice wine by HPLC with pre-column derivatization

In order to meet the quality control requirements of accurately production of seasoning glutinous rice wine, a method for quantitative determination of 18 amino acids in Tianlongquan seasoning glutinous rice wine by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with pre-column derivatization was established basing on reverse phase column. By optimizing the elution gradient, the targeted chromatographic peaks of 18 amino acids in the wine were effectively separated, the optimal chromatographic conditions were determined, and then the quantitation method was developed followed by corresponding methodology investigation. The results showed that the optimized chromatographic conditions were as follows: phenyl isothiocyanate as derivative reagent, acetonitrile ∶ water (4∶1, V/V) as mobile phase A, 0.019 mol/L sodium acetate solution (pH=6.2) as mobile phase B, gradient elution, column temperature 28 ℃, flow rate 1 ml/min, detection wavelength 245 nm. In the linear range of the amino acid standard curves, the correlation coefficient (R2) ≥0.998 7, the average standard recovery was 92.38%-104.86%, the relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 4.45%, and the RSD of repeatability and precision tests was less than 5%. The method was simple, accurate and efficient, and could be used to quantitatively determine the contents of amino acids in Tianlongquan seasoning glutinous rice wine and related products

Regional monitoring of biomass burning using passive air sampling technique reveals the importance of MODIS unresolved fires

Field-based sampling can provide more accurate evaluation than MODIS in regional biomass burning (BB) emissions given the limitations of MODIS on unresolved fires. Polyurethane foam-based passive air samplers (PUF-PASs) are a promising tool for collecting atmospheric monosaccharides. Here, we deployed PUF-PASs to monitor monosaccharides and other BB-related biomarkers and presented a dataset of 31 atmospheric BB-related biomarkers in the Indo-China Peninsula (ICP) and Southwest China. The peak concentrations of monosaccharides in the ICP occurred before monsoon season. The highest concentrations were in the eastern Mekong plain, while the lowest were along the eastern coast. BB-related biomarkers displayed elevated concentrations after April, particularly in the monsoon season; however, fewer active fires were recorded by MODIS. This revealed the importance of MODIS unresolved fires (e.g., indoor biofuel combustion, small-scale BB incidents, and charcoal fires) to the regional atmosphere. The PAS derived levoglucosan concentrations indicated that, with the inclusion of MODIS unresolved fires, the estimated top-down emissions of PM (4194–4974 Gg/yr), OC (1234–1719 Gg/yr) and EC (52–384 Gg/yr) would be higher than previous bottom-up estimations in the ICP. Future studies on these MODIS unresolved fires and regional monitoring data of BB are vital for improving the modeling of regional BB emissions