Elucidating Basis of Rice Discoloration and Developing Prevention Strategies

Economically, discolored rice kernels have less market value, which can seriously impact farm net profit. The reasons for rice discoloration during storage have not been studied extensively and many questions remain. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to improve understanding of the role and contributions of storage practices on rice quality degradation and discoloration. In this study, three rice cultivars including XL753 (hybrid), Roy J (pureline), and Titan were assessed for changes in quality and microbial kinetics. The rice samples at a high moisture content (MC) of 21% w.b. and a low MC of 16% were stored at three temperature levels, 20°C, 30°C, and 40°C. Samples were analyzed every four weeks for up to 16 weeks of storage. Because fungi may be responsible for rice discoloration, the samples were also treated with antifungals (Sodium chloride and Natamycin) to compare rice discoloration differences between non-treated samples and the antifungal treated samples during storage. Electron beam (EB) irradiation was also used to silence microbes in high MC rice before they were stored at the same storage temperatures for up to eight weeks as indicated above. The discoloration development in rice, the fungal growth, and fungal diversity, chemical changes, quality attributes, and their associations were investigated. Rice discoloration was highly dependent on storage MC, temperature, and duration, increasing significantly as MC, temperature, and duration increased. The highest rice discoloration occurred in all rice cultivars when stored at 21% MC and 40°C for 16 weeks. However, discoloration was also profoundly higher for Roy J than for other cultivars when stored at 21% MC and 30°C for 16 weeks. The discoloration was significantly lower for the sodium chloride treatment, while natamycin was not effective compared to control. Hybrid rice had significantly less discoloration compared to pureline and medium-grain. Fungal counts were similar across all cultivars. Fungal growth followed a decreasing trend with higher storage temperature as discoloration increased. An inverse relation between fungi and discoloration suggests that discoloration particularly at higher temperatures was not explained by microbe activities. Metagenomics analysis confirmed that the rice had been infected before storage by a diverse group of fungi whose fungal abundance was found to vary considerably with storage conditions. Alternaria, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Nigrospora, and Fusarium were the five most abundant fungal genera among all identified fungi on initial pre-stored rice samples. Each of these fungi can produce pigment and change the color in rice samples depending on storage temperature and rice cultivars. In some cases, these fungi decreased more during storage with sodium chloride treatment. Rice discoloration was significantly induced in rice treated with EB irradiation. The induced discoloration in EB irradiated and non-irradiated samples was explained by chemical changes particularly at high storage temperature that discouraged fungal growth. Rice discoloration is an issue that is developed by microbial and chemical reactions during storage. Microbial and chemical involvement could explain most of the discoloration in rice stored at low and high temperatures, respectively. The results of this study provide valuable information to growers, processors, and industries on conditions necessary to maintain rice quality

JDNN: Jacobi Deep Neural Network for Solving Telegraph Equation

In this article, a new deep learning architecture, named JDNN, has been proposed to approximate a numerical solution to Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). The JDNN is capable of solving high-dimensional equations. Here, Jacobi Deep Neural Network (JDNN) has demonstrated various types of telegraph equations. This model utilizes the orthogonal Jacobi polynomials as the activation function to increase the accuracy and stability of the method for solving partial differential equations. The finite difference time discretization technique is used to overcome the computational complexity of the given equation. The proposed scheme utilizes a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to accelerate the learning process by taking advantage of the neural network platforms. Comparing the existing methods, the numerical experiments show that the proposed approach can efficiently learn the dynamics of the physical problem

Impact of Selected Infrared Wavelengths on Inactivation of Microbes on Rough Rice

Formation of harmful microbes and their associated mycotoxins on rough rice during storage presents negative socioeconomic impacts to producers and consumers. The objective for this study was to investigate the impact of treating rough rice with selected infrared (IR) wavelengths at different IR intensities and heating durations, followed by a tempering step for further inactivation of microbes (mold and bacteria) on the grain. Freshly-harvested long-grain, hybrid, rough rice (XL 745) with initial moisture content (IMC) of 18.4% wet basis (w.b.) was used. Two-hundred grams (200 g) samples of rice were treated at different IR wavelengths (λ), 3.2, 4.5, and 5.8 μm for 10, 20 and 30 seconds (s); at product-to-emitter gaps of 110, 275, and 440 mm. This was then followed by tempering the grain; putting samples in air-tight jars and holding at a constant temperature of 60 oC for 4 hours (h). Inoculated Petrifilm plates for mold and bacterial analyses were incubated at 25 oC for 120 h and 35 oC for 48 h respectively. Samples treated at wavelength 3.2 μm (product-to-emitter gap 110 mm) for 30 s showed the greatest reduction in mold and bacterial load; approximately 3.11 and 1.09 log reduction in the colony forming unit of mold and bacteria, respectively. Microbial analysis was performed on the rice prior to tempering, then all of the rice was tempered and microbial analysis was performed again to analyze the effectiveness of a tempering step. Tempering treatment further reduced the microbial load at each IR treatment condition. Molds showed more susceptibility to the IR decontamination than bacteria. This study provides useful information on the effectiveness of IR heating and tempering on microbial inactivation on rough rice

PHENOLIC CONTENTS, ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF FLOWER, LEAF AND STEM EXTRACTS OF FERULAGO ANGULATA (SCHLECHT) BOISS

Objective: Ferulago angulata known as Chavir is an Iranian endemic plant that has been used as the food preservative and natural flavor since long times. In the present study, antibacterial and antioxidant activities of aqueous and methanol extracts from flower, leaf and stem of F. angulata (Schlecht.) Boiss from Lorestan Province of Iran were evaluated. Total phenol, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents were also determined. Methods: Antibacterial activity was studied by disc diffusion method. Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was used to determine the antioxidant property. The total phenol, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents were measured by Folin Ciocalteu, AlCl3 and pH differential methods, respectively. Results: None of the sample extracts showed significant antibacterial activity against tested pathogens. All extracts had inhibitory activity on DPPH radicals with concentration-dependent manner. IC50 values ranged from 214±8.2 to 1606±94.4 µg/ml. The total phenol, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents were in the range of 59±0.017 to 483.5±0.098 mg of Gallic acid equivalents per g of dried extract, 0.5±0.004 to 539±0.29 mg of Quercetin equivalents per g of dried extract and 0.43±0.02 to 4.2±0.82 mg Cyanidin-3-glucoside, respectively. Conclusion: The Flower aqueous extract exhibited the maximum phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity but, the stem methanol extract was the weakest one

Functional and Performance Analysis of Network-on-Chips Using Actor-based Modeling and Formal Verification

Network on Chip (NoC) has emerged as a promising architecture paradigmfor todays many-core systems. As complexity grows in NoCs, functional verificationand performance prediction in the early stages of the design process are suggestedas ways to reduce the fabrication cost. Formal methods have gained moreattention as alternative ways for analyzing NoC designs. In this paper we propose amethod to model different characteristics of the system, and also verify various functionaland performance properties by generating the full state space of the model fordifferent scenarios. We present a formal model for two-dimensional mesh GloballyAsynchronous Locally Synchronous (GALS) NoCs with four-phase handshakecommunication protocol, using the actor-based modeling language Rebeca. Functionaland timing behaviors, routing algorithm and communication protocol are capturedin the model. Deadlock freedom, message arrival, and end-to-end packet latencyare checked. In order to analyze large NoCs we propose a scalable approachbased on compositional verification for estimating maximum end-to-end packet latency.The compositional approach is specific for the XY-routing algorithm. Resultsof verification are compared and matched to simulation results of HSPICE using32nm technology

Relationship between Quality of Sleep and Mental Health among Students Living in Dormitories

Abstract: Introduction: This study was carried out to investigate the sleep quality and its relationship with mental health among students living in dormitories. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 277 students residing in dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected through stratified random sampling procedure. A demographic questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used for data collection. Chi-square, Spearman and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The prevalence of sleep disturbance was 73.3% (68.1-78.5) in this sample and the prevalence of poor mental health was 34.4% (28.7-39. 9). The findings showed a significant relationship between quality of sleep and mental health (P<0.001). Conclusion: Our study displayed a significant relationship between quality of sleep and mental health. So interventionist programs are suggested to improve the sleep quality of students ant to prevent mental health disorders among students living in dormitories

A 62-year-old Man with Acute Dizziness, Nausea and Vomiting

The patient was a 62-year-old man presenting to the emergency department 6 hours after the onset of dizziness, nausea and vomiting. The patient complained of numbness of the right side of her body and reported swallowing problems. The initial examination showed the patient was alert and stable. The left side of her face was sweating while the right side was completely dry. The neurological examination revealed the patient was alert, and the right pupil was about 2 mm smaller than the left eye pupil, and both pupils responded to light. A paresis was observed in the right side of the face, tongue and uvula. Uvula was slightly deviated to the right. Other signs included hoarseness and swallowing impairment. The muscle strength of all four limbs was 5/5. Babinski reflex was downward on both sides. The patient could not sit by herself, and leaned to the right.&nbsp;The patient had a history of primary coronary intervention (PCI) and stent placement four years ago. She had smoked a pack of cigarettes for 40 years. She used nitrocontin, pearl, lisinopril, carvedilol and furosemide. Laboratory tests were normal. The first CT scan in the emergency department was normal. As a brain stem infarction was suspected, MRI was performed and revealed an infarct (Figure 1). The patient received neurology consultation and was discharged with stable vital signs and the daily order of aspirin and atorvastatin after five days. The patient was asked to have weekly follow-up visits

A 62-year-old Man with Acute Dizziness, Nausea and Vomiting

The patient was a 62-year-old man presenting to the emergency department 6 hours after the onset of dizziness, nausea and vomiting. The patient complained of numbness of the right side of her body and reported swallowing problems. The initial examination showed the patient was alert and stable. The left side of her face was sweating while the right side was completely dry. The neurological examination revealed the patient was alert, and the right pupil was about 2 mm smaller than the left eye pupil, and both pupils responded to light. A paresis was observed in the right side of the face, tongue and uvula. Uvula was slightly deviated to the right. Other signs included hoarseness and swallowing impairment. The muscle strength of all four limbs was 5/5. Babinski reflex was downward on both sides. The patient could not sit by herself, and leaned to the right.&nbsp;The patient had a history of primary coronary intervention (PCI) and stent placement four years ago. She had smoked a pack of cigarettes for 40 years. She used nitrocontin, pearl, lisinopril, carvedilol and furosemide. Laboratory tests were normal. The first CT scan in the emergency department was normal. As a brain stem infarction was suspected, MRI was performed and revealed an infarct (Figure 1). The patient received neurology consultation and was discharged with stable vital signs and the daily order of aspirin and atorvastatin after five days. The patient was asked to have weekly follow-up visits

Sleep Quality of Students living in Dormitories in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in 2011

Background & Objectives: Sleep quality is an important factor in student life and affects in their learning process. Sleep problems are related to increased health concerns, irritability, depression, fatigue, attention and concentration difficulties, along with poor academic performance. The aim of this paper is to conduct a survey based on a questionnaire that would characterize the quality of sleep in students living in dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the ..

Stability and Convergence of A Higher Order Rational Difference Equation

Abstract: In this paper the asymptotic stability of equilibria and periodic points of the following higher order rational difference equation is studied where the parameters , , are positive real numbers, and the initial conditions , … , are given arbitrary real numbers. The forbidden set of this equation is found and then, the order reduction method is used to facilitate the analysis of its asymptotic dynamics