Although numerous citrus varieties have recently been developed to enhance their quality, information on their quality characteristics is limited. We assessed the quality characteristics of Yellowball, a novel citrus variety, by evaluating its appearance, storability, sensory properties, functionality, and metabolite profiles and comparing these characteristics with those of its parent varieties: Haruka and Kiyomi. The metabolite profiles between the citrus varieties differed significantly, resulting in distinct physicochemical and functional qualities. The storability of Yellowball was significantly increased compared with that of its parent varieties owing to its strong antifungal activity and unique peel morphology, including the stoma and albedo layers. While we did not investigate the volatile compounds, overall functional activities, and detailed characteristics of each metabolite, our data provide valuable insights into the relationship between citrus metabolites, peel morphology, physicochemical properties, and storability and demonstrate the potential of Yellowball as a promising variety in the citrus industry.

A sensory profile provides important information on the qualitative and quantitative properties of cheeses. Thus, tasters must be trained with reference standards that allow the calibration of the panel around shared sensory definitions. The ideal standard is simple to prepare, easily reproducible, discriminant and specific for the product evaluated. Therefore, commercial products and pure chemicals, which are currently implemented as reference standards, are not suitable. Furthermore, the lack of common practices in the dairy sectors has been widely highlighted. This study aimed to establish new and reproducible reference standards for the gustatory and olfactory descriptors of cheeses. Using casein, maize starch, powder skimmed milk and k-carrageenan, a tasteless and odourless product like a fresh cheese was produced. At this matrix, 20 odour and taste compounds have been added to obtain standards that have been evaluated by 60 tasters so as to define their recognisability and perceived intensity. These cheese standards are easy to reproduce, are stable and exhibited good recognisability. Overall, the reference standards proposed are suitable for the panel training and are a starting point for standardising practices and lexicon, thus enabling the comparability of sensory studies on cheese.

Traditionally Moringa is known as mystical miracle tree or the tree of life. Soup can be classified as an appetizer, warm food during cold and sick. Moringa oleifera pods have been procured from College of Agriculture, JNKVV, Jabalpur. The present investigation is planned with objectives to standardize best combination of for the development of instant soup mix, to evaluate various quality parameters, to evaluate the storage stability and cost estimation of product. Protein in instant soup is ranged from 9.76 to 11.89 percent in different formulations of instant soup mix. Formulation MPP4 (11.89) had significantly maximum protein content followed by MPP3, MPP2, MPP1 and Control with the minimum protein content. The original instant soup mix (control) exhibited highest carbohydrate content (61.52%) followed by MPP1, MPP3, MPP4, and MPP2 with lowest content. The evaluated scores of control for colour and appearance, taste, flavour, consistency, after taste and overall acceptability are 8.36, 8.50, 8.60, 8.90, 8.76 and 8.63 respectively

This study involved a comprehensive examination of sensory attributes in Bísaro dry-cured loins, including odor, androsterone, scatol, color, fat color, hardness, juiciness, chewiness, flavor intensity, and flavor persistence. Analysis of 40 samples revealed a wide variation in these attributes, ensuring a robust margin for multivariate calibration purposes. The respective near-infrared (NIR) spectra unveil distinct peaks associated with significant components such as protein, lipid, and water. Support Vector Regression (SVR) models were methodically calibrated for all sensory attributes, with optimal results using multiplicative scattering correction pre-treatment, MinMax normalization, and radial base kernel (non-linear SVR model). The predictive models exhibited acceptable results, characterized by R-squared values close to 1 (0.9616 - 0.9955) and low RMSE values (0.0400 – 0.1031). The prediction set's relative standard deviation (RSD) remained under 5%. Comparisons with prior research revealed significant improvements in prediction accuracy, particularly when considering attributes like pig aroma, hardness, fat color, and flavor intensity. This research underscores the potential of advanced analytical techniques to improve the precision of sensory evaluations in food quality assessment.

We describe a model of neurological disease based on dysfunctional brain oscillators. This is not a new model, but it is not one that is generally appreciated by clinicians. The value of this model lies in the predictions it makes and the utility it provides in translational applications, in particular for neuromodulation devices. We provide a perspective on the difference between neuromodulation devices that enforce an externally administered stimulus with devices that provide input to sensory receptors and thus stimulate endogenous sensory networks. Current forms of clinically applied neuromodulation are of the former type, including devices such as (implanted) deep brain stimulators (DBS) and various, noninvasive methods such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial current methods (tACS, tDCS). The challenge with these methods is that they are not sensitive to underlying neuronal dynamics and work by applying an empirically derived electrical current waveform to affect dynamical patterns. Neuromodulation of a sensory organ accesses the same pathways that natural environmental stimuli do and, importantly, the modulatory signal will be transformed as it travels through the brain, allowing the modulation input to be consistent with regional dynamics. We present specific examples of devices that rely on sensory neuromodulation and evaluate the translational potential of these approaches. We argue that sensory neuromodulation is well suited to probe and, ideally, repair dysfunctional brain oscillators, thus providing a novel therapeutic approach for neurological diseases.

Three dietary treatments were assayed in 350 milking Murciano-Granadina multiparous goats in full-lactation: a control diet and two experimental diets, one including flaked linseed (FL) and the other salmon oil (SO). Neither dietary treatment affected the daily milk yield, cheese yield or the physicochemical parameters of the milk and cheese. With regard to the fatty acid profile (FA), the milk and cheese from animals whose diet was supplemented with SO had a higher percentage of fatty acids than those obtained with the FL supplemented diet, except for C18:0, C18:1, C18:2 n-6, trans-9, trans-12 C18:2, cis-9, trans-11 C18:2, C18:3 and C19:0, which reached their highest levels in milk obtained with the diet supplemented with FL. The decrease in the percentage of C16:0 was greater in the milk derived from the FL diet than from the SO diet. The FL supplemented diet improved the nutritional value of milk due to a reduction in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and an increase in polyunsaturated acids (PUFA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The decrease in n-6/n-3 in observed milk was more pronounced with the FL diet. No differences in the sensory profile were found for the milk and cheese derived from the different dietary treatments. Keywords: goat, flaked linseed, salmon oil, fatty acid, sensory profile.

Waterford Blaa is one of only seven Irish Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) products and the only Irish PGI bread. Currently, there are few published data characterising these products. This study aimed to determine whether any compositional or sensory markers could be used to differentiate between the three authorised producers of Waterford Blaa. Compositional testing was completed using AOAC standard methods; colour of top crust, bottom crust and crumb were identified with the Minolta Hunter lab colorimeter and texture profile analysis (TPA) was completed with an 80% compression test using the Instron 5544 to establish hardness, gumminess, and springiness. The fatty acid and aroma profiles were established in triplicate testing for the three authorised Blaa products using gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection and headspace-solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively. As expected, results showed little variation in the overall composition of Waterford Blaa products. However, this study identified a unique fatty acid profile/volatile aroma profile for each Blaa. Specifically, the volatile profile showed potential differentiation between Blaa’s in terms of pentanal, furfural, 2-furanmethanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and 2-pentyl furan. In addition, levels of hexanal and ethyl acetate were significantly different (p<0.05) in the crumb section of all three Blaa’s. This unique fingerprint has the potential to be used to identify fraudulent products claiming to be Waterford Blaa.

The demand for sustainable cosmetics leads to the search for natural and biotechnology ingredients. The present study reports the development of multifunctional lip moisturizer containing levan (LEV) from Bacillus subtilis natto, sophorolipids (SOP) from Starmerella bombicola and Citrus paradisi (OCP) essential oil , using simplex-centroid experimental design. The formulations were evaluated physicochemically, pharmacotechnically and by DPPH assay. The optimized formulation was selected through Response Surface Method and the evaluation of its efficiency in lip hydration was carried out using bioimpedance method and sensory analysis. The formulations showed pH compatible with the lip region and remained stable after centrifuge test and thermal stress in preliminary stability. Spreadability varied between 415.3 and 1217.1 mm2, moisture retention was above 95%, and antioxidant capacity was around 50% for all formulations. The optimized formulation, containing 0.4% LEV and 0.8% SOF, helped to maintain the lip hydration already shown by the participants; 85% of them reported improvement in this aspect. The incorporation of these actives is innovative and helps in the development of future works, through the use of a new non-invasive and low-cost technique, not previously described in other studies, in association with relevant sensory analyzes in the field of cosmetology.

Background/Objectives: The World Federation of the Deafblind Global Report 2023 reports that many countries do not have a comprehensive identification, assessment, and referral system for persons with deafblindness, a combination of hearing and vision loss, across all age groups and geographic regions. The scan seeks to inform researchers, policymakers, and community-based organizations about the status of and gaps in sensory healthcare initiatives in Canada, with intent to raise awareness to enhance integration and coordination of eye and ear care services. Methods: We conducted an environmental scan of Canada’s healthcare system and current public health policies addressing vision and hearing care in Canada at federal and provincial levels. The scan was conducted using published literature searches from five scientific databases – Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed and CINAHL, in combination with the grey literature review of federal, provincial, and territorial government and non-profit organizations websites during April-October 2022. Out of 1257 articles screened, 82 studies included that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. 13 reports were included in the grey literature search. Results: Thematic findings indicate stigma and discrimination towards individuals with disabilities and marginalized groups, including hearing, vision, or dual sensory loss, persist. Barriers to vision and hearing healthcare access include inadequate policies, underinvestment in vision and/or hearing services, limited collaboration and coordinated services between hearing and vision services, discrepancies in insurance coverages, and lack of health system support. Conclusions: This scan demonstrates the persistent barriers to vision and/or hearing services present in Canada, stemming from inadequate policy and limited-service coordination. Future work to address gaps, evaluate public education, and develop integrated sensory health care initiatives to enhance coordinate eye and ear care services as recommended in WHO Report on Hearing and Vision is imperative.

Sensory descriptive analysis was used to evaluate the aged Feng-flavored baijiu. The results indicated that there are notable differences in the samples of different ages. The samples with shorter storage times and fresh distilled Baijiu present bran flavor, and fresh green flavor. with the increase of storage time, the fragrance of honey, sweetness, flowers, and aging gradually increases. The samples of Feng-flavored baijiu were dected by Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC–TOFMS) , in total, 496 sustances were identified in all samples, mainly containing 14 types of substances, such as esters, aldehydes etc., of which 42 substances were found in Feng-flavored baijiu for the first time. Chemometrics was used to analyze the key differential compounds. 143 differential compounds closely related to aging were preliminarily screened, and principal component analysis revealed that these samples were separated by year. 65 differential compounds were selected out by partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA). Furthermore, 43 key differential compounds were selected from the aged Feng-flavored baijiu combined with variable importance in projection and Pearson correlation coefficients. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to research the correlation of sensory properties and key differential compounds, and the results indicated that most compounds were closely related to the aged Baijiu . This study afford theoretical basis and reference for flavor research of Feng-flavored baijiu.

The global centenarian population is expected to reach 3 million by 2050, yet little is known about the health status of centenarians in Sub-Saharan Africa. A case study examined the health conditions and functionality of nine Ethiopian centenarians. In-depth interviews revealed that all nine were Orthodox-Christians and lived with extended family; eight were male. Aside from minor health complaints, centenarians in rural Ethiopia perceived that their sensory/cognitive functionality was normal until their late 90s. Despite a lack of medical care, the centenarians included 2 survivors, 4 delayers, and 3 escapers. Centenarians in rural Ethiopia were embedded in closely-knit, religious, multigenerational households and communities and aspired to live resiliently. Findings call for consideration of the unique health status of centenarians in Global South nations in their own cultural context.

Sensory processing is a crucial function of the nervous system that significantly affects a large portion of the population, particularly older individuals who may be dealing with different forms of dementia. The global population of people aged 65 or older has reached a substantial count of around 703 million, representing approximately 9% of the total global population. Within this demographic, an estimated 5-8% of those aged 60, highlighting the growing need to address sensory modulation challenges for healthy aging. Sensory diet, derived from sensory integration theory, provide a tailored approach to modulating sensory experiences and triggering neuroplastic changes in the brain. Recent neuroimaging studies have revealed intricate structural and functional alterations in the brain associated with the implementation of sensory diets. Furthermore, the integration of the Metaverse, augmented reality, and virtual reality has opened up personalized experiences, fostering cognitive stimulation and emotional well-being for individuals during aging. This article offers a comprehensive exploration of the effectiveness of sensory diets in enhancing attentional control, self-regulation, and alleviating sensory-related distress among the healthy aging and dementia population. By employing precise quantitative evaluations such as sensory processing scales and advanced neuroimaging methodologies, it presents solid evidence of the tangible impact of these interventions. Emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation and leveraging technological advancements, the article underscores the crucial need for customized sensory diets to optimize sensory processing and improve the overall well-being of older individuals contending with sensory modulation challenges and dementia.

The number of artificially ripened pineapples is outnumbered than the naturally ripened pineapples. However, there is a lack of understanding between artificially ripened and naturally ripened pineapples. Thus the inquiry was anticipated to explore the physicochemical changes and organoleptic acceptability of the naturally ripened and artificially ripened pineapples. Farmers used different chemicals such as calcium carbide, ethylene, besides growth hormones to reduce production loss. Here we evaluated the content of moisture, ash, protein, fat, crude fiber, reducing sugar, total sugar, titratable acidity, sucrose, and vitamin C in both naturally ripened and artificially ripened pineapples. Artificially ripened pineapples showed a significantly lower vitamin C than naturally ripened ones, but arsenic content was nil in both samples. In the case of color and appearance, there was no significant difference between the two samples, but in case of the other organoleptic properties, such as flavor, sweetness, sourness, the natural one was more acceptable. Thus naturally ripened pineapples are more beneficial to consumers than artificially ripened ones.

Thought runs through the mind like blood runs through our body to keep us alive. Like the mind, the body does not stay inert and is in constant motion. Not a single cell in our body is left inert unless cell is under stress or dying. These scenarios are reflected upon when a person is sick, the person lies in bed with less movement; however, is active when the person is healthy. The topic of mechanical stimulation has emerged due to the increasing understanding of the physical stimulations we face each day. Further understanding of the mechanically-regulated mechanism can help us explore the pathological events in a disease. Here, we reviewed the role of sensory proteins in pathological events that are observed in cardiomyopathy, cancer, respiratory, renal, obesity, genetics, physical injury and bacterial infection. Taken together, sensory proteins are mechanically-activated which assist reception of external physical stimulation and convert into biochemical to trigger intracellular signaling cascade.

The study evaluated the functional and sensory properties of infant complementary foods formulated from millets, orange-flesh sweet potatoes, carrots, periwinkle and oyster. Experimental/cross-sectional design was used. Millet, orange-flesh sweet potato (OFSP), carrots, periwinkle and oyster were purchased, processed into flour using standard methods. The complementary food was formulated on protein basis for infants 6–12 months. The formulated foods were millet/OFSP flours (70:30), millet/OFSP/carrot/periwinkle (49:29:7:15), and millet/OFSP/carrot/oyster (65:20:5:10). Functional properties were carried out using standard methods. Sixty nursing mothers attending Orogbum Health Centre were systematically sampled for the sensory evaluation. ANOVA was used for the study. The result showed packed density (0.77 g/mL) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in food formulated from millets/OFSP than in millet/OFSP/carrot/oyster (0.68 g/mL). Loosed density was lowest (0.40 g/mL) in millet/OFSP/carrot/oyster. Carr index from ranged from 42.23 in millet/OFSP/carrot/oyster to 44.41 in millet/OFSP. Wettability was highest (45.03) in millet/OFSP/carrot/periwinkle compared to wettability value (26.53) for millet/OFSP. Solubility ranged from 18.36 to 46.62, with the highest (46.62) in millet/OFSP/carrot/periwinkle. The peak viscosity of the infant complementary food samples ranged from 64.53 rapid visco analyzer units (RVU) to 89.33 RVU. The infant complementary food formulated from millet/OFSP had significantly higher (p < 0.05) acceptability score (6.35).

The craft beers are outlined as a distinctively flavored, brewed and distributed regionally, using top-fermenting (ale) yeast, bottom-fermenting (lager) yeast or spontaneously fermentation. Craft beers are largely consumed and produced in Brazil and presents great level of polyphenols, which would affect the consumer’s preference. In this way, we analyzed the relation between polyphenols, bitterness and composition of main different styles of craft beers and the consumer´s preference. Six different styles were analyzed according its polyphenol content, bitterness, chemical composition, sensory profile and preference. For preference, a panel with 62 non-trained assessors was used. For sensory profile, the quantitative descriptive analysis was performed, using expert assessors (n = 8). The preferred style was Classic American Pilsner and the style less preferred was Standard American Lager. The craft beer more preferred showed a decreased bitterness (9.52), polyphenol content (0.61 mg EAG/mL), total solids (6.75 ºBrix) and turbidity (7.27 NTU). This beer exhibited reduced sensory notes of malty, fruity, smoked, hoppy and phenolic, but a higher perception of floral, sweet and yeast notes. The bitter attribute has a reduced perception. This study advances understanding the sensory profile and complexity of craft beers styles from Southern Brazilian.

Background: Objectives. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of direct current stimulation (DCS) applied at the transcranial, suboccipital and spinal level on experimental sensory modalities and pain outcome measures in healthy subjects. The hypothesis of this study was that systematic analysis of the efficacy of DCS on modulating evoked thermal and mechanical pain modalities and mechanisms such as endogenous pain modulation in healthy individuals would reveal sensitive outcome measures help develop this technique for the control of chronic pain. Materials and Methods. Database searches were conducted up to December 2019 for randomized controlled trials that performed sham-controlled DCS of experimental sensory modalities and pain outcomes following transcranial, suboccipital and spinal locations in healthy participants. Standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for sensory modalities, including random-effect metanalysis. Results: Thirty-one studies were included for analysis (647 participants). A significant decrease in pain intensity for active vs sham transcranial stimulation was identified for pain intensity (n=158; SMD=0.79; 95% CI=0.56 to 1.02), a significant increase in heat pain threshold (n=222; SMD=1.16; 95% CI=0.95 to 1.37), and a significant increase in cold pain threshold (n = 155; SMD = 0.77, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.01). No significant modulation of pressure pain threshold was identified with DCS and only a limited number of studies focused on experimental pain modulation following neuromodulation at the suboccipital or spinal level. Conclusions: These results show significant transcranial DCS neuromodulation of pain intensity and on thermal pain modalities. Future studies should focus on endogenous pain and sensory modality modulation with sham-controlled DCS applied at transcranial, suboccipital and spinal locations.

The intrinsic quality of meat is directly related to muscle and fat tissues. Factors such as the rate and extent of anaerobic glycolysis affect muscle pH, influencing the meat's color, water retention, and texture. Postmortem anomalies can result in deviations from this intrinsic quality. The ani-mals' diet plays a crucial role in meat quality. Specific nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals, affect meat's texture, flavor, and juiciness. Feeding rich in omega-3 fatty acids can im-prove the sensorial quality of meat. Meat processing and methods such as aging, marinating, and cooking affect texture, flavor, and juiciness, which can be evaluated by specific equipment or trained or untrained consumers. This comprehensive review investigates the relationship be-tween animal feeding practices and meat processing techniques and their combined impact on meat quality and sensory perception. By synthesizing recent research, we explore how various feeding protocols (including diet composition and feed additives) and processing methods shape meat products' nutritional value, texture, flavor profile, and overall consumer appeal. Under-standing this nexus is crucial for optimizing meat quality while ensuring sustainability and safety in the food supply chain.

Sensory integration is an essential function of human life, and its decline causes difficulties in the quality of life, especially in older adults. In this study, we proposed an arm-reaching task based on a virtual reality head-mounted display (VR-HMD) system to assess sensory integration in daily life, and examined whether reaching task performance was associated with age and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the brain regions of interest involved in sensory integration. We hypothesized that performance during a reaching task with multiple cognitive loadings would be affected by aging. The gap angle between the reaching hand and target positions was compared between older and middle-aged adults as a measure of sensory integration function. In addition, rsFC, which was significantly correlated with the gap angles of individual participants in the older adult group, was identified using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. The mean gap angle was significantly larger in the older adults than in the middle-aged group and was also significantly correlated with connections between the left primary motor area and the left inferior temporal gyrus, temporo-occipital part. Because the connectivity between the areas is known to be related to visuomotor integration, the results suggest the involvement of visuomotor integration in the decline of sensory integration function in old age and the validity of the gap angle during the proposed VR-HMD task as an index for the decline in function.

Recent studies suggest that the interaction of dietary constituents with taste and olfactory receptors and nociceptor expressed in the oral cavity, nasal cavity and gastrointestinal tract may regulate homeostasis through activation of the neuroendocrine system. Polyphenols, of which 8,000 have been identified to date, represent the greatest diversity of secondary metabolites in plants, most of which are bitter and some of them astringent. Epidemiological studies have shown that polyphenol intake contributes to maintaining and improving cardiovascular, cognitive and sensory health. However, because polyphenols have very low bioavailability, the mechanisms of their beneficial effects are unknown. In this review, we focus on the taste of polyphenols from the perspective of sensory nutrition, summarize the results of previous studies on their relationship with bioregulation, and discuss their future potential.

Background: This study aimed to develop a highly consumable collagen-containing bar that contributes to enriching the diets of elderly individuals in terms of energy and nutrients. Method: For this purpose, after the development of 5 different bar samples (C, P1, P2, D1, D2) containing different amounts of collagen, date puree, and pumpkin puree, they were evaluated in terms of sensory and nutritional properties. Results: The highest flavor score bars were those with high levels of pumpkin puree (P2) and date puree (D2). By applying the TOPSIS technique, which is used when there are multiple crite-ria among multiple samples, to the snack bar samples with different contents, the most liked sample was found to be the snack bar (D2) with a high level of date puree. One serving of the developed bars contains approximately 300-400 kcal of energy and 6.8-8.8 g of protein. Consid-ering age-related decreased appetite and chewing and swallowing problems in elderly individ-uals, regular consumption of nutrient-rich small meals or snacks with enhanced sensory charac-teristics will contribute to improving their nutritional and functional status.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by food selectivity in a significant portion of the population. The nature of this selectivity remains unclear, with hypotheses suggesting associations with sensory disorders or stereotypical and repetitive patterns of activity and interests. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and nature of food selectivity traits in individuals with ASD compared to the neurotypical population. The study involved 219 participants, with 115 diagnosed with autism and 92 without. 12 children undergoing diagnosis were excluded from the analyses. Findings revealed that food selectivity traits are more common in individuals with ASD, with differences in preferences mainly involving structure, color, taste, and serving method. Children with ASD had more food selectivity traits than those without, and certain food characteristics could alter intake as they grow. Selectivity occurred for both sensory and stereotypical reasons, but stereotypical features significantly differentiated neurotypical individuals from those with ASD.

The popularity of functional gummies has increased, which is evident from the growing line of functional gummies from almost every nutraceutical companies. Sensory evaluation serves the purpose of determining which brand of functional gummy would capture the largest market share. Texture profile analysis was used to determine the mechanical properties of functional gummies. The brands of functional gummies that came under the scope of this study were denoted as Brand A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy was utilised to detect organic material and functional groups in the functional gummies. Texture profile analysis gave valuable insights into the gummies’ mechanical properties which are cohesiveness, springiness, hardness, gumminess, and chewiness. Amongst the gummies that were studied, Brand F gummy has the highest value of cohesiveness of 0.92. Brand A gummy has a high springiness value of 1.0. Brand B gummy possesses the highest value of hardness, gumminess and chewiness of 12 532.2 g, 7617.6 N, and 6256.8 J, respectively. Qualitative sensory evaluation reveals that Brand G gummy has the best aesthetic qualities in terms of colour and appearance. Brand B gummy tastes the best while brand A gummy claims the top spot for gumminess and chewiness. Overall, the respondents in this study preferred brand A gummy over other brands.

The dorsal column nuclei complex (DCN-complex) includes the dorsal column nuclei (DCN, referring to the gracile and cuneate nuclei collectively), external cuneate, X, and Z nuclei, and the median accessory nucleus. The DCN are organised by both somatotopy and modality, and have a diverse range of afferent inputs and projection targets. The functional organisation and connectivity of the DCN implicate them in a variety of sensorimotor functions, beyond their commonly accepted role in processing and transmitting somatosensory information to the thalamus, yet this is largely underappreciated in the literature. To consolidate insights into their sensorimotor functions, this review examines the morphology, organisation, and connectivity of the DCN and their associated nuclei. First, we briefly discuss the receptors, afferent fibres, and pathways involved in conveying tactile and proprioceptive information to the DCN. Next, we review the modality and somatotopic arrangements of the remaining constituents of the DCN-complex. Finally, we examine and discuss the functional implications of the myriad of DCN-complex projection targets throughout the diencephalon, midbrain, and hindbrain, in addition to their modulatory inputs from the cortex. The organisation and connectivity of the DCN-complex suggest that these nuclei should be considered a complex integration and distribution hub for sensorimotor information.

We discuss some of the fundamental practical limitations of the Fluctuation-Enhanced Sensing of odors and gases. We address resolution, measurement speed, reproducibility, memory and other problems such as humidity. Various techniques and ideas are presented to overcome these problems. Circuit solutions are also discussed.

The consumer’s acceptability of hamburgers elaborated with the flank of culling cows in which the content of salt or fat had been partially replaced was studied. A mixture of potassium chloride, potassium ferrocyanide and sodium ferrocyanide was used as substitutes for the salt. Oat flakes or a mixture of chia and flax seeds were used as substitutes for the fat. The hamburgers were tasted by 34 consumers. Consumers did not detect significant differences between the control and the rest of the formulations. Neither the gender nor the age of the consumers influenced the sensory appraisal. However, many comments regarding texture failures were recorded. Therefore, the substitution of salt and / or fat in the composition of hamburgers made with the flank of cows is a viable alternative for the commercialization of these pieces of low commercial value as long as the texture of the same is adjusted to resemble it to the control.

Loss of function of the hippocampus or frontal cortex is associated with reduced performance on memory tasks in which subjects are incidentally exposed to cues at specific places in the environment and are subsequently asked to recollect the location at which the cue was experienced. Here, we examined the roles of the rodent hippocampus and frontal cortex in cue-directed attention during encoding of memory for the location of a single incidentally experienced cue. During a spatial sensory preconditioning task, rats explored an elevated platform while an auditory cue was incidentally presented at one corner. The opposite corner acted as an unpaired control location. The rats demonstrated recollection of location by avoiding the paired corner after the auditory cue was in turn paired with shock. Damage to either the dorsal hippocampus or the frontal cortex impaired this memory ability. However, we also found that hippocampal lesions enhanced attention directed towards the cue during the encoding phase while frontal cortical lesions reduced cue-directed attention. These results suggest that the deficit in spatial sensory preconditioning caused by frontal cortical damage may be mediated by inattention to the location of cues during the latent encoding phase, while deficits following hippocampal damage must be related to other mechanisms such as generation of neural plasticity.

An undesirable sensory attribute (“floral taint”) has been recently detected in red wines in some winegrowing jurisdictions in North America (e.g. Ontario, British Columbia, Washington), caused by introduction of frost-killed leaves and petioles [materials-other-than-grapes (MOG)] during mechanical harvest and winemaking. It was hypothesized that terpenes, norisoprenoids, and higher alcohols would be the main responsible compounds. Objectives were to investigate causative volatile compounds for floral taint, and explore threshold concentrations for this problem. Commercial wines displaying varying intensities of floral taints were subjected to GC-MS and sensory analysis. Several odor-active compounds were higher in floral-tainted wines, including terpenes (geraniol, citronellol, cis- and trans-rose oxide), norisoprenoids (β-damascenone, β-ionone), five ethyl esters, and three alcohols. Thereafter, fermentations of Cabernet franc (CF) and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) (2016, 2017) were conducted. MOG treatments were (wt/wt): 0, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 5% petioles, and 0, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% leaf blades. Terpenes (linalool, geraniol, nerol, nerolidol, citronellol, citral, cis- and trans-rose oxides, eugenol, myrcene), norisoprenoids (α- and β-ionone), and others (e.g. hexanol, octanol, methyl and ethyl salicylate) increased linearly/quadratically with increasing MOG levels in both cultivars. Principal components analysis separated MOG treatments from the controls with 5% petioles and 2% leaves as extremes. Increasing MOG levels in CF wines increased floral aroma intensity, and were primarily associated with terpenes, higher alcohols, and salicylates. Increased leaf levels in CF were associated with higher vegetal and earthy attributes. Increased petioles in CS were not correlated with floral aromas, but increased leaves increased floral, vegetal and herbaceous attributes. Overall, petioles contributed more to floral taint than leaves through increased terpenes and salicylates (floral notes), while leaves contributed norisoprenoids and C6 alcohols (green notes).

Egg-laying is one of the key aspects of female reproductive behavior in insects. Egg-laying has been studied since the dawn of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. The female’s internal state, hormones, and external factors, such as nutrition, light, and social environment, affect egg-laying output. However, only recently, neurobiological features of egg-laying behavior have been studied in detail. Fruitless and doublesex, two key players in the sex determination pathway, have become focal points in identifying neurons of reproductive significance in both central and peripheral nervous systems. The reproductive tract and external terminalia house sensory neurons that carry the sensory information of egg maturation, mating and egg-laying. These se include the presence of male accessory gland products and mechanical stimuli. The abdominal neuromere houses neurons that receive information from the reproductive tract, including sex peptide abdominal ganglion neurons (SAGs), and send their information to the brain. In the brain, neuronal groups like aDNs and pC1clusters modulate egg-laying decision-making, and other neurons like oviINs and oviDNs are necessary for egg-laying itself. Lastly, motor neurons involved in egg-laying, which are mostly octopaminergic, reside in the abdominal neuromere and orchestrate the muscle movements required for laying the egg. Egg-laying neuronal control is important in various evolutionary processes like cryptic female choice, and using different Drosophila species can provide intriguing avenues for the future of the field.

Cognitive linguistics is founded on the assumption that language is a reflection of universal cognitive principles, implying that all cognitive processes share a common origin. This assumption is known as the 'Cognitive Commitment.' The present article examines the sensory schema hypothesis, which traces all forms of expression back to sensations. This theoretical framework integrates the physicality of the body with sensations that underlie human experiences and their linguistic and non-linguistic expressions. By challenging the traditional dichotomy between mind and body, it provides a more integrated understanding.

Brown-Séquard Syndrome (BSS) is a rare spinal cord injury characterized by asymmetrical motor and sensory dysfunction. Trauma to the spinal cord, particularly the hemi section, is the primary cause. Diagnosis involves a thorough medical history, physical examination, and imaging studies. Treatment focuses on stabilization, rehabilitation, and potential emerging therapies. This article provides a comprehensive overview of BSS, including its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

Chronic pain has increasingly become a significant health challenge, not just as a symptomatic manifestation but also as a pathological condition with profound socioeconomic implications. Despite the expansion of medical interventions, the prevalence of chronic pain remains remarkably persistent, prompting a turn towards non-pharmacological treatments, such as therapeutic education, exercise and cognitive-behavioral therapy. With the advent of cognitive neuroscience, pain is often presented as a primary output derived from the brain, aligning with Engel's Biopsychosocial Model which views disease not solely from a biological perspective but also considering psychological and social factors. This paradigm shift, brings forward potential misconceptions and over-simplifications. The current review delves into the intricacies of nociception and pain perception. It questions long-standing beliefs like the cerebral-centric view of pain, the forgotten role of the peripheral nervous system in pain chronification, misconceptions around central sensitization syndromes, the controversy about the existence of a dedicated pain neuromatrix, the consciousness of the pain experience and the possible oversight of factors beyond the nervous system. In re-evaluating these aspects, the review emphasizes the critical need for understanding the complexity of pain, urging the scientific and clinical community to move beyond reductionist perspectives and consider the multifaceted nature of this phenomenon.

Ready-to-eat fresh fruit have an increasing presence in international markets due to its convenience and health benefits. However, these produces are highly perishable and efficient technologies to increase their shelf life are needed. In the present research, different citrus fruit species and cultivars from organic farming were assayed to obtain enzymatically citrus segments. The best results in terms of segment quality were observed for ‘Hernandina’ clementine which was chosen to make a new ready-to-eat produce based on peeled citrus segments packaged in glass jars with slight syrup made on citrus juice and organic sugar cane. The most appreciated syrup was those containing 50-50 (v/v) of ‘Fino’ lemon juice and ‘Hernandina’ clementine based on the sensory scores given by the panellists. In addition, different pasteurization treatments were assayed to preserve the new produce safety and nutritional and sensory quality properties during storage at cold temperature. Results showed that pasteurization treatment at 50 °C for 45 min could be enough to avoid microbial contamination with mesophilic and psychrophilic aerobic bacteria or yeast and mould and to maintain sensory properties until five weeks of storage at 4 °C. In addition, only a 10 % reduction of vitamin C was observed from fresh segments or syrup until the end of storage period, showing that the new ready-to-eat produce would conserve high bioactive compound content and health benefits after pasteurization and prolonged cold storage.

(1) Background: The influence of the menstrual cycle on physical fitness in athletes is controversial in the scientific literature. There is a marked fluctuation of sex hormones at three key points of the menstrual cycle, where estrogen and progesterone vary significantly. Hormonal contraception induces hormonal levels different from the natural menstrual cycle, requiring specific study in relation to physical fitness. (2) Method: Women aged 18 to 40 years with regular natural menstrual cycles and women using hormonal contraception were recruited, creating two study groups. All participants needed to be athletes classified as level II-III according to the classification by McKay et al (2021), based on training volume/physical activity metrics, among other variables. To assess their physical fitness, Cardiorespiratory Fitness (measured by VO2max), high-speed strength, hand grip strength, and flexibility were evaluated. Blood samples were taken to determine the menstrual cycle phase through analysis of sex hormone levels. Additionally, urine tests for ovulation detection were performed for the natural menstrual cycle group. Neurosensory stimulation tests were incorporated to measure sensory threshold and pain threshold in each phase. Body composition in each phase and its relationship with the other variables were also taken into account. (3) Results: Athletes in the natural cycling group showed differences in VO2max (mL·kg-1·min-1) (phase I =41.75 vs phase II =43,85 and (p=0.004) and phase I vs phase III=43,25 mL·kg-1·min-1 (p =0.043)), as well as in body weight (phase I = 63.23 vs. phase III = 62.48 kg; p=0.006), first pain threshold (phase I = 1.34 vs. phase II = 1.69 (p=0.027) and phase III = 1.59 mA (p=0.011)), and sensitive threshold (phase I = 0.64 vs. phase II = 0.76 mA (p=0.017)). The pain threshold was found to be an important covariate in relation to VO2max, explaining 31.9% of the variance in phase I (p=0.006). These findings were not observed between the two phases of contraceptive cycling. (4) Conclusion: The natural menstrual cycle will cause significant changes in the physical fitness of athletes. The use of hormonal contraception is not innocuous. Women with natural cycles show a decrease in cardiorespiratory fitness in phases II and III, which is a factor to be considered in relation to training level and workload.

Background:Peripheral neuropathy (PN) can result in either partial or complete loss of distal sensation resulting in an increased fall risk. Walkasins^® uses a shoe insert to detect the magnitude and direction of sway and sends signals to a leg unit that provides sensory balance cues. The objective of this case report is to describe the long-term influence of the Walkasins^® lower limb sensory neuroprosthesis on balance and gait for an individual with diabetic PN.Case Description:A fifty-one-year-old male with a 3-year history of PN and a 10-year history of type II diabetes mellitus was fitted with Walkasins^® and utilized the shoe inserts 8-10 hours/day for more than 1 year. Although, vibration and tactile thresholds were severely impaired at his 1^st metatarsophalangeal joint and the lateral malleolus bilaterally he could perceive tactile stimuli from the Walkasins^® above the ankles.Outcomes:Following Walkasins^® use, his Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) scores improved from 33% to 80%. His mean Vestibular Activities of Daily Living (VADL) scores decreased from 3.54 to 1. His Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) scores increased from 13/30 to 28/30 and his miniBESTest scores improved from 15/28 to 26/28. Gait speed increased from 0.23 m/sec to 1.5 m/sec. The patient described a decrease in pain and cramping throughout his lower extremities and an increase in function.Discussion:Gait and balance improved with the use of the Walkasins^® and participation in the Neuro Wellness Program. This improvement suggests that the use of sensory substitution devices, such as the Walkasins^®, may replace sensory deficits related to gait and balance dysfunction experienced by patients with PN. Further research is needed to determine if other patients will have a similar response and what the necessary threshold of sensory function is to benefit from use of the Walkasins^®.

This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Cadmium absorption in Milk. Nowadays one of the most serious problems is heavy metals pollution. Applying microorgaisms as a novel biotechnology is so useful especially in foodstuffs. Among the biosorbents for heavy metals’ removal, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has got an increasing attention due to its popularity in food industry. In this regard, the effects of some important factors such as the initial metal concentration, biomass concentration and contact time on the biosorption capacity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were studied. The biosorption was analyzed by the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The maximum Cd bioremoval (70%) was at 80 μg/L of this metal concentration in milk samples containing 30×10⁸ CFU Saccharomyces cerevisiae at the end of storage time (the 4^th day). There were no significant differences in sensory and physicochemical properties of milk samples during storage (p < 0.05). The isotherm studies followed by two popular models; Langmuir and Freundlich and the results showed a better fit to the Langmuir isotherm. All together, the results of this project demonstrated that the approach of using this valuable yeast, could be applied for food and drinks’ detoxification and producing healthier foods.

Very hot (> 65 °C) beverages such as espresso were evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as probably carcinogenic to humans. For this reason, research into lowering beverage temperature without compromising its quality or taste is important. For espresso, one obvious possibility consists in lowering the brewing temperature. In two sensory trials using ISO 4120:2004 triangle test methodology, brewing temperatures of 80°C vs. 128°C and 80° vs. 93°C were compared. From the tested levels, espresso brewed at the lowest temperature had the highest acceptance. However, most tasters were unable to distinguish between 80°C and 93°C. The results of these pilot experiments proof the possibility to decrease the health hazard of very hot beverages by lower brewing temperatures.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluates “very hot (>65 °C) beverages” as probably carcinogenic to humans. However, there is a lack of research regarding what temperatures consumers actually perceive as “very hot” or as “too hot”. A methodology for organoleptical assessment of such threshold temperatures was developed. The participants were asked to mix a very hot coffee step by step into a cooler coffee. Because of that, the coffee to be tasted was incrementally getting hotter during the test. The participants took a sip at every addition, until they perceive the beverage as too hot for consumption. The protocol was evaluated using 87 participants. Interestingly, the average pain threshold of the test group (67 °C) and the preferred drinking temperature (63 °C) iterated around the IARC threshold for carcinogenicity. The developed methodology was found as fit for the purpose and may be applied in larger studies.

Tomato processing generates a by-product known as tomato pomace (TP), which contains chemically diverse valuable components such as lycopene, phenols, dietary fibre, proteins, and oil. The aim of this study was to characterize bioactive compounds in small-sized tomato pomace and to evaluate the effects of the addition of 10 and 20 % (w/w) of tomato pomace flour (TPF) to durum wheat dough for bread production. Bread containing different amounts of TPF was characterized for physical, chemical, nutritional and sensory characteristics. TPF is an important source of dietary fibre with a total content of approximately 52.3%, of which 5.3% soluble and 47% insoluble. It is also a potential source of natural antioxidants and contains remarkable residual levels of both total carotenoids and polyphenols. TPF addition reduced water loss during baking and significantly affected color parameters and acidity; furthermore, both fortified TPF breads could use the nutrition and health claims on label “High Fibre” according to Regulation (EC) (1924/2006). The sensory "overall" attribute showed similar values in the control and fortified bread samples, suggesting that the overall quality of the bread remained relatively constant, regardless of the percentage of added TPF.

This study aimed to compare the effects of adding fermented feed to daily feed on slaughter performance, meat quality, and flavor compounds of cage chickens. Control group (CK) of the Guangxi Partridge chicken received a standard base diet (CK), pellets added with 10% fermented banana peel (Pe-10), 20% fermented banana peel (Pe-20), 10% fermented banana pulp residue (Pu-10) and 20% fermented banana pulp residue (Pu-20). The slaughter performance, meat quality, and flavor compounds in the meat samples of the chicken in these groups were evaluated. The results showed that the chicken in Pe-10, Pe-20, Pu-10, and Pu-20 had pectoral muscle percentages, thigh muscle percentages, and total fatty acids content of chest meat higher than CK. The moisture content, meat color, carcass weight, total net weight, and abdominal fat percentages of the meat samples in these experimental groups were not remarkably different. The flavor compounds in the meat samples of the chicken fed with the two concentrations of fermented banana peel and banana residue were significantly different from those in the control group. When the amount of fermented banana peel added to the daily feed increased from 10% to 20%, the flavor compounds in the chicken samples changed significantly. In conclusion, different proportions of fermented banana peels and dregs in diets can improve slaughter performance and chicken quality and affect its flavors.

A novel process design for damage-free and highly accurate positional integration of an optical multi-axial force sensor into a hollow tube by means of rotary swaging is introduced. Numerical simulations reveal relevant process phenomena of thin disc joining inside a pre-toothed hollow tube and help to find an optimal process design. Experimental trials show a significant effect of axial material flow and the number of tools in a rotary swaging process. By taking these effects into account, a successful form- and force-fit joining of the sensor carrying discs into the tube can be achieved. A successful joining of an optical sensor for bending forces and torque measurement shows hysteresis-free sensory behavior and thus backlash-free joining of the sensor carrier discs. The paper finishes with presenting an approach for closed-loop position controlling during the joining process and numerically investigation of the process design.

Three-choice preferences for fermented sorghum teas (FST) were examined among 11 adult Ossabaw pigs. The objectives for experiments 1 and 2 (respectively) were to determine preference for: 1) one of three types of FST (white vs. sumac vs. roasted sumac), and 2) isocaloric control (+control; made isocaloric with sucrose), blended FST (3Tea; equal parts of white, sumac, and roasted-sumac), or a negative control (-control; distilled water; avoidance). Pigs were first conditioned to navigate a three-choice preference maze. For experiment 1, no clear preference behaviors for tea-type were observed. Pigs consumed nearly all the teas, but pigs consumed the least amount of tea in the first session. Pigs spent the most time with their heads in the bowl when 3Tea was offered, followed by +control, and the least time was -control.  Regardless of tea-type, adult pigs show a strong preference for FST, even over +control, which was sweetened water. Adult pigs likely prefer the complexity of flavors, rather than the sweetness alone.  Future projects that explore the health benefits of this sorghum formula will not be impeded by avoidance among adult pigs.

Previous studies have found that individuals with limited motor capabilities due to acquired neurological injury (e.g., spinal cord injury and stroke) can make accurate action possibility judgements for neurologically healthy individuals. Previous studies have shown that people with limited motor capabilities may rely on previous motor experience (i.e., pre-injury) when making action possibility judgments for others. In the present study, we examined whether having severely limited previous motor experience from birth, as a consequence of spinal muscle atrophy (SMA), alters the action possibility judgments made for neurologically healthy individuals. Participants with SMA and Neurologically Healthy (NH) sex- and age-matched controls performed a perceptual-motor judgment task using the Fitts’s law paradigm (see Fitts, 1954). Participants observed apparent motion videos of reciprocal aiming movements with varying indices of difficulty (ID, see: Manson et al., 2014). For each movement, participants predicted the shortest movement time (MT) at which a neurologically healthy young adult could perform the task while maintaining accuracy. Between-group comparisons revealed that participants with SMA predicted significantly longer MTs compared to controls. Regression analyses revealed that predicted MTs of both NH and SMA participants exhibited a Fitts’s law relationship (i.e., the predicted MTs significantly increased as movement difficulty increased). A supplementary analysis on the SMA group revealed no differences in predicted MTs between the participants with some and no motor function as assessed by the SMA health index. Overall, these results provide evidence that participants with SMA who have limited or no motor experience may make more conservative action possibility judgments for others. Critically, our finding that the pattern of action possibility judgements (e.g., the slopes of the regression lines) were not different between SMA and NH groups provides evidence that limited previous motor experience may not completely impair action possibility judgements.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of different types of olive cake (five treatments) in the diet of Bísaro pigs on the volatile compounds and sensory characteristics in the dry-cured loin and dry-cured “cachaço” (2 processed meat products). The treatments applied are based on the type of extraction and this may imply differences in their water and fat content. Eighty com-pounds were identified, and grouped into eight chemical classes: hydrocarbons, aldehydes, es-ters, alcohols, ketones, acids, furans, and other compounds. Aldehydes and alcohols were the ma-jor groups of compounds, representing 57.06-66.07 % and 68.67-75.61 % for the loin and “cacha-ço”, respectively. There were no significant differences between treatments for any of the volatile compounds identified. The major aldehydes were hexanal, heptanal, pentanal, and propanal. These compounds were significantly higher (p<0.001) in “cachaço”. This significant difference be-tween the two types of dry-cured products is directly related to the amount of total fat content. The major alcohols were 2.3-butanediol, 1-octen-3-ol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl, 1-hexanol, benzyl-alcohol and glycidol. Except for compounds 2,3-butanediol and benzyl-alcohol, the majority in this group are significantly different in terms of the type of dry-cured product. As for the sensory evaluation, for both dry-cured products, the trained tasters did not detect significant differences between the different treatments, which is in line with the results obtained for volatile compounds.

Introduction: Dementia is a cognitive decline with patients often exhibit behavioural and psychological symptoms, severely affecting the quality of life and placing a heavy burden on caregivers. Acupressure has reported benefits for dementia. This study aims to critically review the available evidence for its use as a non-pharmacological therapy. Methods: Systematic search of major research databases for human clinical trials using acupressure as an intervention for dementia patients was conducted. Results were synthesised for the effects of acupressure on various outcome measures of interest for dementia.Results: Twelve clinical trials (N=973), including eight randomised control studies, were included in this review. The study sample was predominantly institutionalised residents with moderate to severe dementia. Baihui (GV20), Shenmen (HT7), Fengchi (GB20), Neiguan (PC6), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Yingtang (EX-HN3) were the most used acupoints for intervention. Acupressure techniques employed in these clinical trials vary greatly with no standardised approach. This review finds inconsistent evidence in the effectiveness of acupressure in reducing agitation and behavioural disturbances. However, the treatment appears to improve their ease of care and reduce physical stress. Affixing acupressure devices on selected acupoints can also potentially improve psychiatric pain, anxiety, and depression. Long-term (6 months) treatment can potentially improve the cognitive function, activities of daily living, and quality of life of patients with mild to moderate dementia. The effect of acupressure on sleep disturbances remains unclear. Conclusion: More high-quality research on acupressure is needed to fill the gaps in knowledge and inform better care for dementia patients in the future.

Epidemiological studies indicate an increased risk of cancer from the consumption of very hot foods and beverages. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has already recommended threshold values for the maximum drinking temperature of very hot beverages. The contact time and the contact temperature are decisive for the risk of injury when hot media come into contact with human skin. However, measuring the contact temperature is not easily possible in practice. In the present study, a numerical simulation based on the solution of the heat conduction equation was initially used to investigate whether and for what period of time a constant contact temperature is to be expected under oral conditions. For small circular 3-cm food samples (e.g., cooked potatoes) with 2.5 mm thickness in contact with the tongue, the simulation results in a constant contact temperature of 10 s before cooling. With a thickness of 0.5 mm, the contact temperature is only maintained 1 s. Hot beverages, which spread as a thin film and thereby increase their surface area, can therefore be consumed at higher temperatures than solid foods. Furthermore, a simple test technique with a "measuring spoon" was developed. A hot sample is placed on the tongue. Orientating measurements were used to determine which contact temperature was considered to be just comfortable for any period > 10 s and for which period of less than 10 s it was still just bearable. The contact temperature, which was still perceived as tolerable for periods > 10 s, was 46.5 °C. The time spans for the higher contact temperature 48 °C were between 2 and 4 s and for 49 °C between 1 and 2 s. The course of the contact temperatures determined in the experiment over time allows to calculate the corresponding threshold values of consumption temperatures for various foods. Consumption temperatures of about 56 °C for potatoes and 60 °C for cheese are still perceived as tolerable. In view of the fact that the contact temperature is obviously the determining factor for the risk of injury from burns in the oral cavity in addition to the contact time, it makes sense to reference threshold values to the contact temperature rather than to the surface or consumption temperature of a food product, which is current customary practice. If this contact temperature is defined as a threshold value, the surface or consumption temperature for any other food can be calculated.

Different polysaccharides, namely xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum and κ-carrageenan were used as stabilizers, individually or in mixtures (50:50), in order to prepare nine (9) spreadable processed whey cheese (PWC) samples: X, G, L, C, X/G, X/L, C/X, C/G, and C/L. The pH and chemical composition of samples were constant. The impact of polysaccharides on the physical, textural, and sensory characteristics of PWC samples was examined, revealing significant differences (P&lt;0.05) in all assessed properties among the samples. PWC samples had an off-white color with a slight yellowish hue. All samples were stable emulsion gels, with free oil formation values ​​ranging between 4% (X/L) and 12% (C/G). Textural properties, as determined by texture profile analysis, highly correlated with physical and sensory attributes. The PWC samples X, G, L, X/G and C/X were less hard, while they were rated by panelists as having increased fattiness, stickiness, as well as texture and overall acceptability. Sample X was the softest and the most cohesive, adhesive, springy, stringy and gummy, in comparison to the other PWC samples. In contrast, brittleness and increased hardness were exhibited by the samples C, C/G, C/L and X/L, which were judged unsuitable for spreading by the panelists. In conclusion, the development of such cheeses aims not only at the production of tasty and nutritious products, but also at sustainability, as it utilizes whey, which is a by-product of cheese making.

Baijiu is popular with its long history and balanced flavor, and flavor type was the most widely used classification mode for Baijiu. However, the evolution relationship of Baijiu flavor types and the differential markers between flavor types are still unclear, which has greatly affected the development of Baijiu industry. In this study, a total of 319 trace components were identified by gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among them, 91 trace components with high odor active values or taste active values were recognized as flavor components. Then random forests were conducted to screen differential markers between derived and basic flavor types, and principal component analysis was carried out to evaluate their effectiveness in distinguishing the flavor types of Baijiu. Finally, 19 differential markers were screened and proved to effectively reveal the evolution Baijiu flavor types, and were further verified as key differential markers by addition test and correlation analysis.

To improve efficacy and safety of sunscreen emulsions, UV‐filter skin permeation could be kept as low as possible by reducing UV‐filter content or changing emulsion composition. In this work, different lipid phase ratio (12, 14 and 16% w/w) were assessed for their ability to affect the technological and sensory properties of O/W emulsions in which bemotrizinol (BMTZ), a broad spectrum sunscreen agent, was incorporated free or loaded into nanostructured lipid nanocarriers (NLC) to reduce its release from the vehicle and, hence, its skin permeation. The following technological properties were evaluated in vitro by suitable methodologies: spreadability, viscosity, pH, occlusion factor, BMTZ release, sun protection factor (SPF). Sensory attributes were assessed by trained panelists in three different phases: before/during pick‐up, rub‐in, after application. Raising the lipid phase ratio led to an increase of viscosity and to a corresponding drop of spreadability while the incorporation of BMTZ‐loaded NLC determined a decrease of occlusion factor and an increase of SPF. No BMTZ release was observed from all emulsions. Sensory attributes were mainly affected by lipid phase ratio. These results suggest that lipid phase ratio and BMTZ incorporation into NLC could contribute to determine technological and sensory properties of O/W emulsions.

Chrysanthemum tea, a typical health tea with the same origin as medicine and food, is famous for its unique health benefits and flavor. To clarify the influence of metabolites of different varieties of chrysanthemum tea on the formation of taste and quality differences, nontargeted metabolomics combined with electronic tongue analysis were used to characterize the correlation between metabolites profiles and taste characteristics of different quality chrysanthemum tea. Thirteen metabolites were identified as the key metabolites of the sensory quality difference between Huangju and Jinsi Huangju tea. Kaempferol, luteolin, genistein, and some quinic acid derivatives were correlated with the ‘astringent’ and taste attributes. In contrast, l-(-)-3 phenyllactic acid and L-malic acid were found to be the ‘bitterness’ and ‘umami’ in chrysanthemum tea. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the flavonoid and flavonol biosynthesis pathway had important effects on the sensory quality of chrysanthemum tea.

The house cricket (Acheta domesticus L.) is one of four edible insect species introduced to the EU market as a novel food and alternative protein source. Innovative products, such as cricket flour, are increasingly appearing on supermarket shelves and can offer an alternative to traditional cereals, while providing the body with many valuable nutrients of comparable quality to those found in meat and fish. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using cricket powder as a substitute for wheat flour in the production of bread. The physicochemical properties of cricket powder were evaluated in comparison to wheat flour, such as water and fat binding capacity, pH, water activity, colour, water content, protein, fat, fibre content and amino acid and fatty acid profile. As a result of the echnological studies, the composition of breads with 5%, 10% and 15% replacement of wheat flour by cricket flour was designed and their quality characteristics (physicochemical, sensory and microbiological) were evaluated. Cricket powder was character-ised by higher protein (63% vs. 13.5%) and fat (16.3% vs. 1.16%) content and a lower carbohydrate (9.8% vs. 66%) and fibre (7.8% vs. 9.5%) content as compared to wheat flour. The tested preparations had similar pH (6.9 and 6.8, respectively for cricket powder and flour), and fat-binding properties ( 0.14 vs. 0.27 g oil/g powder respectively for cricket powder and flour) but different water-binding properties and completely different color components. Despite the differences obtained in phys-icochemical properties for cricket powder and flour, most of the functional parameters obtained for bread with 5% cricket flour were not significantly different from the control sample. All breads had good microbiological quality after baking and during 7 days storage. The 10 and 15 per cent cricket flour treatments affected the darker colour of the breads and caused a significant increase in the hardness of the breads. In the overall sensory evaluation, the bread with 5% cricket flour did not differ significantly from the control bread, while the breads with higher levels of cricket flour had significantly lower overall scores compared to the control sample. In all cases, cricket flour in-creased the protein and fat content and decreased the carbohydrate content compared to the control sample. Considering nutritional properties such as high protein digestibility, breeding consid-erations, relatively low environmental impact and the possibility of intensive production in places where traditional agricultural production is not possible, insects seem to be the future of human nutrition.

In recent years, green and healthy foods have attracted much attention. Plant-based foods have become a new trend to replace animal-derived foods. In this study, we used walnut and purple rice as the primary raw materials to produce yogurt. The process included boiling, mixing, grinding, inoculation, fermentation, and sterilization. We then analyzed the similarities and differences between the resulting walnut purple rice yogurt and unfermented walnut purple rice milk, as well as dairy-based yogurt, in terms of physical chemistry, flavor, and sensory characteristics. We also examined the similarities and differences between fermented walnut purple rice milk and conventional warm yogurt. The study results revealed that walnut purple rice yogurt exhibited greater viscosity than walnut purple rice milk and conventional dairy-based yogurt. Additionally, the former displayed enhanced stability and recovery ability. Notably, distinguishable differences were observed between the three types of yogurts in terms of the presence of unknown volatiles and the umami signal as indicated by electronic nose/tongue and GC-IMS analyses. The umami flavour of walnut purple rice yogurt surpasses that of traditional dairy-based yogurt, whilst its salty taste is lower than that of walnut purple rice milk. Despite possessing a weaker aroma than dairy-based yogurt, it is more potent than walnut purple rice milk. Additionally, its relative abundance of olefins, ketones, and alcohols enhances its unique flavour profile, surpassing both other options. Based on sensory analysis, it can be deduced that walnut purple rice yogurt has the highest overall acceptance rate.

The lack of adequate knowledge of the culinary and sensory properties of most indigenous and wild foods hampers their promotion in human diets and the market. In the present study, 80 Burkinabe volunteers evaluated the sensory appeal and attributes of three selected Senegalia seed species (Zamnè, pseudoZamnè or Kumatiya, and S. erythrocalyx) and their food formulas (traditionally cooked, harvested as green and fresh legumes, and fermented as tempeh) using the 9-point hedonic scale and check-all-that-apply questionnaire. They found that the traditionally cooked Zamnè, pseudoZamnè or Kumatiya, and derived tempeh had good sensory appeal (scoring between 5-7) and subtle alkaline and nutty tastes, which will facilitate their blending in cuisines. Yet, an appreciable number (32%) of the participants, as unaccustomed to tempeh, scored all the tempeh products very low (2.5-3.4), suggesting food neophobia. In contrast, the traditionally cooked seeds of Senegalia erythrocalyx and the green and fresh Zamnè evoked bitter and sour off-tastes, respectively, and were not much appreciated (scoring 4). The present study provides unprecedented insight into consumers’ non-sensory perceptions and the culinary and sensory properties of Senegalia seed foods – which will be essential for their valorization, branding, and marketing.

Environmental concerns, among other causes, are leading to meat replacement in the diet by healthy, nutritious and tasty foods. Alternative protein sources of plant origin can be an alternative to meat, but their low biological value proteins can be a problem. Novel foods, such as insect meals, can meet currently consumer demands. Therefore, this research has developed innovative prototypes of analogue burgers with animal and vegetable proteins. Concerned about health and allergies, a prototype incorporating soya to satisfy coeliacs was developed. An iterative and heuristic process was carried out to test the product development feasibility. The main raw materials used were insect flour (Tenebrio molitor), seitan and soya. In addition, oat and sodium alginate were used as binders. Shelf-life of the new product was evaluated by physicochemical (pH, aw, moisture, colour, acidity and peroxide index) and sensory analysis (quantitative analysis -QDA-). The production of the burger analogues was feasible. Product characterisation showed significant differences (p < 0.05) among samples for organoleptic properties, highlighting texture changes. Using a multivariate model, it was established “The best before date” at 7 days for all developed prototypes, conditioned by microbial growth. Finally, the spoilage model indicated an important contribution to bacterial growth with a notable modification in the pastiness and hardness of the burger analogues developed.

A single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. For research articles, abstracts should give a pertinent overview of the work. We strongly encourage authors to use the following style of structured abstracts, but without headings: (1) Background: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: briefly describe the main methods or treatments applied; (3) Results: summarize the article’s main findings; (4) Conclusions: indicate the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective representation of the article and it must not contain results that are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions. This study presents a comprehensive literature review on the convergence of affective computing, interactive installation art, multi-dimensional sensory stimulation, and artificial intelligence (AI) in measuring emotional responses. It addresses the problem of understanding emotional response and measurement in the context of interactive installation art under artificial intelligence (AI). The study aims to fill the existing research gaps by examining three key aspects: sensory stimulation, multi-dimensional interactions, and engagement, which have been identified as significant contributors to profound emotional responses in interactive installation art. The study proposed approach involves conducting a process analysis of emotional responses to interactive installation art, aiming to develop a conceptual framework that explores the variables influencing emotional responses. The study will formulate hypotheses that make specific predictions about the relationships between sensory stimulation, multi-dimensional interactions, engagement, and emotional responses. By employing the ASSURE model combined with experimental design, the research methodology ensures a systematic and comprehensive study implementation. The implications of this project lie in advancing the understanding of emotional experiences in interactive installation art under AI, providing insights into the underlying mechanisms that drive these experiences. The contributions of this research include bridging the identified research gaps, refining theoretical frameworks, and guiding the design of more impactful and emotionally resonant interactive artworks. Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to the broader field of human-computer interaction and enhance the development of immersive and emotionally engaging interactive installations.

Aldehydes are natural volatile aroma compounds generated by the Maillard reaction of sugars and amino acids in food and affect the flavor of food. They have been reported to exert taste-modifying effects, such as increases in taste intensity at concentrations below the odor detection threshold. The present study examined the taste-enhancing effects of short-chain aliphatic aldehydes, such as isovaleraldehyde (IVAH) and 2-methylbutyraldehyde, attempted to identify the taste receptors involved. The results obtained revealed that IVAH enhanced the taste intensity of taste solutions even under the condition of olfactory deprivation by a noseclip. Furthermore, IVAH activated the calcium-sensing receptor CaSR in vitro. Receptor assays on aldehyde analogues showed that C3-C6 aliphatic aldehydes and methional, a C4 sulfur aldehyde, activated CaSR. These aldehydes functioned as a positive allosteric modulator for CaSR. The relationship between the activation of CaSR and taste-modifying effects was investigated by a sensory evaluation. Taste-modifying effects were found to be dependent on the activation state of CaSR. Collectively, these results suggest that short-chain aliphatic aldehydes function as taste modulators that modify sensations by activating orally expressed CaSR. We propose that volatile aroma aldehydes may also partially contribute to the taste-modifying effect via the same molecular mechanism as kokumi substances.

A growing number of health conscious consumers are looking for animal protein alternatives with similar texture, appearance, and flavor. There has been a lot of interest in meat analogs as potential meat substitutes. However, research and development still needs to find any alternative non-meat materials. The objective of the current research was to develop fungi minced meat alternative (FMMA) from edible mushrooms. Pleurotus Sajor-caju (SC) was used as the starting material. SC mushroom was selected for starting materials based on high protein content (41.99%.) and sensory attributes. Chickpea flour was used to improve the textural properties by mixing with SC mushroom at a ratio of 0:50, 12.5:37.5, 25:25, 37.5:12.5, and 50:0 (w/w). Textural and sensory attributes suggest that SC mushroom to chickpea at a ratio of 37.5:12.5, shows higher acceptability of FMMA with the protein content up to 47%. Beetroot extract 0.2% (w/w), and 5% (w/w) canola oil showed the most acceptable color parameters and consumer acceptability. This research suggested that SC mushroom with 12.5% chickpea flour, 0.2% beetroot extract and 5% canola oil could be suitable ingredients for the mushroom-based FMMA.

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder that affects approximately 12% of the global population. While its exact causes are still being studied, researchers believe that nociceptors in the trigeminal ganglia play a key role in the pain signals of migraine. These nociceptors innervate the intracranial meninges and convey pain signals from the meninges to the thalamus. Targeting these nociceptors is considered promising due to their accessibility and distinct molecular profile, which includes the expression of several transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. These channels have been linked to various pain conditions, including migraine. This review discusses the role and mechanisms of nociceptors in migraine, the challenges of current antimigraine drugs, and the evidence for well-studied and emerging TRP channels, particularly TRPC4, as novel targets for migraine prevention and treatment.

Human motor planning combines such interesting aspects as modular organization in motor primitives and characteristics of stochastic optimality. Motor primitives aided in the description of motor skill learning. In this study, for the first time, an interpretation is proposed to explain how motor primitives are shaped in a stochastic optimality process.To this end, sensory information is assumed to be random variables at each moment. Theoretically, the results confirmed that the variability of a movement increased with passing time. As a result, motor planning should be performed in shorter durations to achieve an accurate movement. It means that a task should be divided into several subtasks at various stages of time. Moreover, theoretically, the results confirmed that motor planning is statistically optimal if the movement is planned in minimum jerk space, which is in accordance with what is reported in the literature. Comparing the proposed mathematical model with the results of experimental data in two different types of motor action (i.e., arm reaching movement and sit-to-stand transfer from a chair) confirmed that the proposed model can be considered a framework to investigate the effect of bottom-up information on human motor planning level. Further experiments need to investigate it more deeply.

Coffee pulp, obtained from wet coffee processing, is the major by-product accumulating in the coffee producing countries. One of the many approaches valorising this underestimated agricultural residue is the production of distillates. This research project deals with the production of spirits from coffee pulp using three different Coffea arabica varieties as a substrate. Coffee pulp was fermented for 72 hours with a selected yeast strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae L.), acid, pectin lyase, and water. Several parameters, such as temperature, pH, sugar concentration and alcoholic strength were measured to monitor the fermentation process. Subsequently, the alcoholic mashes were double distilled with stainless steel pot stills and a sensory evaluation of the products was conducted. Furthermore, the chemical composition of fermented mashes and produced distillates were evaluated. It showed that elevated methanol concentrations were present in mashes and products of all three varieties. The sensory evaluation found the major aroma descriptor for the coffee pulp spirits as being stone fruit. The fermentation and distillation experiments revealed that coffee pulp can be successfully used as a raw material for the production of fruit spirits. However, the spirit quality and its flavour characteristics can be improved with optimised process parameters and distillation equipment.

Localizing the source of a signal is often as important as deciphering the signal’s message. Localization mechanisms must cope with the challenges of representing the spatial information of weak, noisy signals. Comparing these strategies across modalities and model systems allows a broader understanding of the general principles shaping spatial processing. In this review we focus on the electrosensory system of knifefish and provide an overview of our current understanding of spatial processing in this system, in particular, localization of conspecific signals. We argue that many mechanisms observed in other sensory systems, such as the visual or auditory systems, have comparable implementations in the electrosensory system. Our review therefore describes a field of research with unique opportunities to provide new insights into the principles underlying spatial processing.

This literature review presents a comparative analysis of cranial morphology in Allosaurus, focusing on its implications for feeding mechanics. Allosaurus, a large theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period, exhibits distinct cranial features that are pivotal for understanding its predatory behaviors and ecological role. By examining fossilized skulls and employing advanced imaging techniques, this research identifies key morphological traits such as tooth structure, jaw articulation, and cranial robusticity. The analysis reveals that Allosaurus had a specialized cranial architecture that supported a powerful bite force and efficient processing of prey. Comparative metrics are applied to assess similarities and differences with other theropods, such as Tyrannosaurus rex, to elucidate variations in feeding strategies among theropods. The findings suggest that Allosaurus possessed adaptations that allowed it to exploit a diverse range of prey, indicating a versatile feeding strategy. These results enhance our understanding of theropod evolution and ecological interactions, providing insights into the functional significance of cranial morphology in dinosaurian predation. This review underscores the importance of cranial features in reconstructing the behavior and diet of extinct species and contributes to the broader field of vertebrate functional morphology.

Results: This case series study included 20 PD participants with STN-DBS, with a mean age of 61.2±10.1 years. There were no differences in equilibrium scores of SOT conditions between 60, 130, and 180 Hz frequencies (p&gt; 0.05), except the SOT6 score (p= 0.003), where 60 Hz showed better equilibrium performance in SOT6, indicating an advantage in postural control when visual and somatosensory cues are disturbed, and vestibular cues are not.

Globally, the demand for plant-based alternative food is increasing rapidly as these products are getting quite popular in vegan and vegetarians. However, it is still in the early stage and faces various technological challenges, but the imitation of sensory profile is the most challenging part as the products are meant to be an alternative of meat. The development of similar product to meat requires an accurate selection of ingredients and processing. An understanding about the sensory profile can help to construct the product and technologies that are consumer centric and sustainable. In this review, we focus on the comparative differences in the sensory profile of animal meat and plant-based meat alternative specially in the color, texture and flavor, along with the method used to resemble them. The paper also explains about the sensory evaluation and how it affects the consumer preference and acceptability. Additionally, a direction to further research for developing better plant-based alternative products has also been suggested.

This study assessed the impact of mineral fertilization on tuber yield and food quality of yam genotypes, specifically Dioscorea alata and Dioscorea rotundata. Four genotypes, each from D. alata and D. rotundata, were used in field experiments conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria, in the 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons. Experiments were conducted under low soil NPK fertility conditions with and without fertiliser treatments. A recommended NPK rate for the area (90, 50, and 75 Kg N, P, K ha-1) was applied to plots with fertiliser treatment. Tuber yield, functional and pasting properties of yam flour, and sensory attributes of pounded yams were collected. The results showed differential responses of the genotypes to tuber yield and food quality with fertiliser application. Fertiliser application has generally increased fresh tuber yield, but it has affected some genotypes' flour quality and textural attributes of the pounded yams. As regards genotypes Danacha and TDa0200012, fertiliser application has increased tuber yield without causing a decrease in tuber quality hence, suggesting Danacha and TDa0200012 as suitable genotypes for maximizing fertiliser productivity. However, in another genotype Ojuiyawo, fertiliser application effectively increased tuber yield but deteriorated tuber quality. Our results suggested that it is crucial to determine the impact of fertilisation on tuber yield and quality for each genotype and select the appropriate genotype to improve productivity through mineral fertilisation. The results of this study can be widely applied to enhance yam productivity in sub-Saharan Africa and useful for sustainable agriculture in yam-growing areas.

Why do the eyes remain comparatively large whereas the cornea is reduced in most troglobiont mysids? Are there any important organ size-dependent functions served by non-visual eye rudiments? This issue was approached by measuring eye structures in five troglobiont species of Mysida and two Stygiomysida compared with 14 troglophile and 49 trogloxene Mysida species. The Organ of Bellonci (OB) was found in all Mysida and as first records also in Stygiomysida. The length of OBs increased with individual body length and eye length in four examined species: from postnauplioid larvae to adult stage in a troglophile and a trogloxene mysid species examined; and from juveniles to adults in a troglobiont mysid and a troglobiont stygiomysid. At the interspecific level, eye length was on average 26% shorter at a given body length while the OB was 40% longer at a given body length and 54% longer at a given eye length, respectively, in adult troglobionts compared with trogloxene mysids. The OB is clearly proliferating while the cornea is reduced in troglobionts. This points to sensory functions (possibly together with other functions). The sensory pore organ was found in all 15 Mysida species whose eyes were mounted on slides, and a first record of this organ was also found in Stygiomysida.

The positive impact of nature on human health has been explored by researchers. Although studies have indicated that olfaction and odors have an impact on both memory and health, re-search on the odor perception in relation to perceived health is scarce. A recent study found that the naturenatural scent from stem cuttings and potted plants of a specific rose-scented geranium Pelargonium graveolens, ‘Dr. Westerlund,’Westerlund’ had positive effects on stress-related mental disorders. reduction. Essential oils from many Pelargonium species, in particular ‘Dr. Westerlund’, are known to have phytochemical properties and pharmacological activities. No study has, so far, explored and identified the chemical com-pounds and the sensory perception of these compounds in stem cuttings and the potted ´Dr. Westerlund´ plantplants. Such knowledge would be an important contribution forto an increased understanding of the effects of plants’ chemical odor properties on human well-being and link this to the expressed perceived scents. Resulting sensory profiles of P.This study aimed to identify the sensory profile and suggest responsible chemical compounds of Pelargonium graveolens ´Dr. Westerlund´ as a potted plant and as stem cuttings were reported, as well as´. The sensory and chemical analysis results revealed sensory profiles of Pelargonium graveolens ´Dr. Westerlund´s, and suggestions for the chemical compounds that are attributed to the sensory profiles. Further studies are recommended to investigate the odor experience of scented pelargonium species in relation to various levels ofcorrelation between volatile com-pounds and possible stress hormones. reduction in humans.

The different vegetable oils used in canned fish as filling medium have a preserving effect and contribute to the palatability of the product. In this study, the colour of European eels and the filling medium (sunflower oil, olive oil or spicy olive oil) was measured at different steps of the canning process. The sensorial characteristics of canned eels packed in the different oils were also evaluated. Colour scores (CieLab values) were higher in canned eels packed in sunflower and spicy olive oil than in canned eels packed in olive oil. The changes in colour parameters depended on the type of oil, the stage of the process and the storage time. Colour changes in canned eels packed in olive oil were highest during the sterilization process. Spicy olive oil was the filling medium in which the colour change was greatest, probably due to the migration of some of the spice components into the oil. Organoleptic properties were directly related to the type of oil used as the filling medium. The canned eels packed in sunflower oil were those awarded the highest scores in consumer tests, although the preferences varied depending on the age and gender of the consumers.

Tics can be associated with neurological disorders and are thought to be the result of dysfunctional basal ganglia pathways. In Tourette Syndrome (TS), excess dopamine in the striatum is thought to excite the thalamo-cortical circuits, producing tics. When external stressors activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, more dopamine is produced, furthering the excitation of tic-producing pathways. Emotional processing structures in the limbic are also activated during tics, providing further evidence of a possible emotional component in motor ticking behaviors. The purpose of the review is to better understand the relationship between emotional states and ticking behavior. We found support for the notion that premonitory-sensory phenomena (PSP), sensory stimulation, and other environmental stressors that impact the HPA-axis can influence tics through dopaminergic neurotransmission. Dopamine plays a vital role in cognition and motor control, and is an important neurotransmitter in the pathophysiology of other disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which tend to be comorbid with ticking disorders and are thought to use similar pathways. It is concluded that there is an emotional component to ticking behaviors. Emotions primarily involving anxiety, tension, stress, and frustration have been associated with exacerbated tics, with PSP contributing to these feelings.

While the link between Sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) and internalizing symptoms has been well-established, a link to externalizing problems is still to be explored. This study aimed to further examine the relation between SPS and behavioral problems by testing the potential mediating roles of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) and decision-making styles. Pathway analyses were conducted on data from 268 community sample participants (Mage= 25.81, SD=2.41, 61.2% females). Results indicated gender differences in the pathway level outcomes of SPS, as well as potential partial mediators in men and women. SPS both directly and via the mediating effects of well-being factor (TEI) and avoidant decision-making influenced depression, regardless of gender. Direct effects on aggression were, however, obtained only in the male sample. Indirect effects of SPS on aggression were found in spontaneous decision-making for men, and in self-control and sociability factors of TEI for women. Directions for future research were discussed. sensory-processing sensitivity, depression, aggression, emotional intelligence, decision-making style, gender differences

Research shows that stress, a common problem in dense cities, can be relieved in the natural environment. As great significance has been attached to the urban environment and public health in the society, this paper aims to study the relation and interaction between the perceived sensory dimension of urban park green space, attention restoration and state empathy. Therefore, we conducted an on-site questionnaire survey in four typical parks in Chengdu in terms of age, sex, daily stress, frequency of access in parks and other basic information of the respondents. The main part consists of perceived dimension, state empathy and attention restoration. The software SPSS24.0 is applied to the test of the validity and reliability of the PSD Scale, and then the important correlation between the perceived sensory dimensions in the parks and visitors' attention restoration is analyzed through multiple linear regression. Finally, the moderation effect of state empathy is tested by PROCESS. The findings show that (1) only seven dimensions in the PSD Scale are effective; (2) Serene and Refuge in the perceived sensory dimensions have significant effect on the restorative components of attention. (3) Except the dimensions of Rich in Species and Refuge, empathy enhanced the moderation effect in the interaction between the other five dimensions the Perceived Restorative Scale(PRS), especially in the interaction between the dimension Social and PRS. However, this study needs to be further explored to provide scientific basis and design strategy guidance for the research on the restoration potential of urban park green space in high-density urban areas.

With proper processing and utilization, biofortified cassava may contribute to the nutritional status of the consumers, thus, the need for this study. High-quality cassava flour from white- (TME 419) and biofortified (TMS 01/1368) cassava varieties were produced at a commercial processing factory, after which the flour is composite with wheat flour to produce bread. The nutritional composition, physical properties and sensory quality of the composite bread were analyzed using standard methods. Results showed that composite bread from 20% biofortified cassava flour (20-YCF) had a higher value of total β-carotene (0.74 μg/g), moisture (37.83%) and ash (2.29%) contents. The fat (3.72%) and protein (12.83%) contents were higher in 20% white cassava flour (20-WCF) composite bread. The 20-YCF composite bread had the highest loaf volume (3286.2 cm3), elasticity (6.32), chewiness (40.51 N) and gumminess (6.41), 20-WCF composite bread had higher specific volume (3.59 cm3/g) and hardness (176.50 N). The 100% wheat bread had higher cohesiveness (0.10) and loaf weight (932.35 g). A significant negative correlation (r = - 0.98, p≤0.05) exist between bread hardness and protein content. The composite bread compared favourably with the 100% wheat bread in terms of weight and aroma, but, the 100% wheat bread was more acceptable.

Two major sample configurations are adopted in all the instruments for fabric hand measurement, flat sample as in KES and FAST types machines, and wrinkled sample as in PhabrOmeter. This paper compares the two sample types to examine which one if any offers a better coverage and reflection of the fabric sensory attributes. Fabrics have unique behaviors of drape, wrinkle and tactile sense which are entirely due to the simultaneous occurrence of both in-plane membrane deformation and out-of-plane bending deformation in multiple curvature. Such singular deformation mode cannot be detected by any machines using flat sample, whereas during a PhabrOmeter test, the fabric sample genuinely produces drape, wrinkle in addition to other related deformations. This paper then introduced the theoretical research pertaining to the measurement. Then a split sample experiment is conducted to demonstrate the importance of the internal connections in fabric during drape and wrinkle processes. As such fabric interconnection will be barely disclosed during tests using flat samples, another important advantage of PhabrOmeter is hence clearly shown.

Imperceptible vibratory noise stimulation has shown to be an effective means of improving stability for both whole body postural control and simple motor control tasks. While the physiological mechanism affording this improvement is uncertain, it is suspected that sensory noise stimulation may elicit a stochastic resonance-like effect within the somatosensory system. A stochastic resonance effect describes the phenomenon in which noise added to a non-linear system improves signal detection rather than degrading it. One hallmark of stochastic resonance is the existence of an optimal noise level which elicits the best system performance. There is disagreement in the literature regarding the presence of an optimal stimulation level for motor stability in humans. The goals of this study were to: 1) determine optimal stimulation level as a function of an individual’s sub-sensory threshold level, and 2) to determine whether performance of a force stability task was significantly better when subjects received stimulation at this identified optimal level compared to other sub-sensory threshold stimulation levels. Eighteen (18) participants completed an isometric finger flexion task with visual feedback while receiving noise stimulation scaled to varying percentages of their individual sub-sensory threshold level. Performance for this force stabilization task was quantified as the root-mean-square (RMS) error between the target force and the actual generated force values. Despite controlling all other signal properties and varying only amplitude, optimal noise stimulation values still varied widely across participants (10-100% sub-sensory threshold level). Statistical modeling revealed a significant improvement in task performance with optimal noise stimulation compared to other sub-sensory stimulation levels (p ≤ 0.019) with estimated marginal mean differences in force errors ranging from 0.13 to 0.23 N. Moderate significant Spearman correlations (r_s = 0.49 and r_s = 0.56, respectively) were found between finger flexion maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and sub-sensory threshold level and MVC and optimal stimulation level. A strong, significant Spearman correlation (r_s = 0.65) was observed between sub-sensory threshold level and optimal stimulation level. Although these correlations do not provide a means to predict optimal stimulation level as a function of these other measures, optimal stimulation level appears to increase with sub-sensory threshold and MVC.

This study evaluated the impact of the level of supplementation of Moringa oleifera leaves on the nutritional (proximate, mineral and vitamin content) as well as on the antioxidant capacities of smoothies made from a blend of pineapple, banana and apple. The beverage (smoothies) were supplemented with Moringa oleifera leaves at 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5% levels and evaluated for proximate, antioxidant (ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryhydrazy, DPPH), mineral, vitamin, physicochemical and quality acceptability. The results showed that the moisture content of the beverage ranged between 49.24 – 78.62%, total ash: 1.01 – 9.71, crude fiber: 5.14 – 9.39%, crude fat: 0.72 – 1.86%, crude protein: 5.47 – 19.37% and carbohydrate: 3.65 – 16.99%. Calcium (12.03 -15.53) and potassium (17.22 -25.38) were the predominant mineral elements when compared to magnesium (1.51 – 3.05) mg/L. The vitamin contents ranged between 2.5 – 10.8 and 0.15 – 0.93 mg/L for vitamin C and E, respectively. Total phenolic contents ranged between 4.68 – 6.18 mg/ml while the total flavonoid contents ranged between 0.01 – 0.14 mg/ml. The radical scavenging abilities (DPPH) of the samples ranged between 16.05 – 88.77% while the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) ranged between 0.38 – 7.36 mg/ml. The brix values showed high sugar contents (15 – 18%) while the pH results showed that the sample was almost neutral at a range between 6.3 and 6.5. The overall quality (sensory) acceptability of the different quality parameters evaluated indicated that the control sample was more preferred. While supplementation with Moringa oleifera leaves significantly affected the sensory parameters, its addition nevertheless offers a potential avenue to obtain additional nutrients besides its improved antioxidative properties.

The aging ability of dry white wines has been increasingly recognised. The present work aimed to understand which sensory factors drive their quality evaluation by experienced tasters. Individuals assessed several aesthetic, synthetic, and analytic flavour attributes, using dark tasting glasses. Wines originated from the grape varieties Alvarinho, Arinto, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Bianco with a wide range of ages. Basic physical-chemical analysis, browning (Abs 420 nm), elemental composition and a partial volatile fraction were also determined. The overall quality scores were a function of complexity and balance and were negatively influenced by the perception of faultiness. The different ages could be associated with a continuous sensory space characterised by a decreasing perception of freshness and an increase in the mellowed flavours. All wines shared an austere in-mouth perception elicited by their acidity, saltiness, bitterness, smoothness and dryness. Nevertheless, quality scores were similar from the youngest to the oldest-tasted wines (17 years old). The exception was a Sauvignon Blanc wine from a recent vintage that was judged as faulty due to the perception of earthiness. Overall, the tasted wines displayed an unexpected aging ability as demonstrated by the difference between the predicted and real wine ages. To improve the recognition of old wines, the metaphor “mellowed by age” is proposed to describe flavours resulting from beneficial aging instead of “oxidised by age”.

Grape pomace (GP) is a winemaking residue that can be used as a functional ingredient due to its phenolic content, among others. The influence of GP, grape pomace extract (GPE) and encapsulated grape pomace extract (BGPE) on the phenolic compounds content, physical, textural and sensory properties of the functional biscuit (FB) was studied. In the production of FB, 10-30 % of the wheat flour in the standard biscuit was replaced by GP or by adding GPE and BGPE in amounts equivalent to the phenolic content of GP. The highest content of phenolic compounds was found when 30 % of GP was used. The antioxidant activity (AA) correlated well with the phenolic compound content (R > 0.87). The antiproliferative activity of biscuit extracts against cancer cell lines is in the following order: SW620 > Caco-2 > Hep G2, but the positive correlation with phenols and AA was not found. Textural properties of biscuits with GPE and BGPE addition were worse compared to GP and standard biscuits, i.e. they were harder. Biscuits with BGPE addition received the highest overall sensory score. The results indicate that biscuits enriched with phenolics from grape pomace could be a promising functional food with good sensory properties.

This study examined the efficacy of essential oil (EO) obtained from the Australian native plants, lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) (LM) to inhibit Penicillium digitatum by in vitro agar diffusion and vapor assay, and in inoculated oranges. Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry analysis revealed the main constituent of LM EO as citral. Pure citral was also included in the experiment for com-parison. LM EO at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 µL disc-1 in the in vitro tests significantly inhibited fungal growth compared to the non-treated control. Moreover, LM EO at 4 and 5 µL disc-1 in both the assays completely inhibited fungal growth similar to its main component of citral. Inoculated oranges dipped in 1000 μL L-1 LM EO solutions for 5, 10, 15 and 30 sec showed significantly lower fungal wounds compared to control. While higher dipping times generated slight rind injury, a 5 and 10 sec dip did not cause any injury to the fruit rind. The quality assessments and sensory evaluations also revealed that the addition of LM EO did not adversely affect the quality and taste of the oranges. These findings suggest LM EO as an alternative to synthetic fungicides to inhibit wastage in citrus during storage.

This research presents a comparative analysis of the yield and nutritional quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivated in an aeroponic system with two distinct nutrient solutions: (i) commercial hydroponic fertilizers and (ii) aquaponic water without added fertilizers. Both systems were maintained under the same controlled conditions, enabling the comparison of growth parameters, leaf area, antioxidant activity, mineral content, and sensory characteristics of the lettuce. The hydroponic system demonstrated superior performance concerning the fresh weight of lettuce head and root, leaf count, and leaf area. In contrast, the aquaponic system produced a higher dry weight of lettuce heads and a more extensive root-to-shoot ratio. Concerning nutrient concentration, the hydroponic nutrient solution composition exhibited elevated levels of NO3–, P, NH4+, and K in contrast to the aquaponic nutrient solution, which had a more significant S, Cl–, Na, and Mg content. Regarding the nutritional value, lettuce from the hydroponic system exhibited significantly higher levels of K, S, P, Zn, Fe, Mn, and vitamin B2. In contrast, lettuce from the aquaponic system exceeded with higher content of Ca, Na, Mg, Al, B, and Si. Remarkably, the lettuce cultivated in the aquaponic system demonstrated significantly enhanced total flavonoid and phenol content, and antioxidant capacity compared to its hydroponically grown counterpart.

Although the beneficial health effects of prebiotics have been demonstrated in numerous research papers, its incorporation into daily food remains unfamiliar to consumers. This work evaluates the resistant maltodextrin (RMD) addition in the sensory attributes of pasteurized orange juice, together with the physico-chemical properties and the aromatic profile. RMD addition moderately improved almost all sensory attributes evaluated by panellists. It also proportionally increased °Brix together with density and decreased acidity. Colour changes were registered with higher RMD concentrations. Orange pulp presence affected the volume particle size distribution analysis while RMD addition did not exercised any effect. The aroma volatile compounds were also analysed. Pulp-added samples marked higher alcohol and aldehydes quantity, whereas pulp-free samples registered higher terpenes and terpenoids values. Ketones and acids were also quantified. RMD had a moderate impact on volatile compounds quantifications, playing the orange pulp presence a much more decisive role. A correlation analysis was also performed to relate instrumental and sensorial determinations for all samples. This work proves that the addition of RMD to orange juice is technologically feasible while also achieving a good response at the sensory level.

Sensory evaluation has been widely applied in assessing the quality of many consumer products that directly serve human needs such as food, beverages, clothing, etc. This paper first examined the inherent deficiencies in this approach, due mainly to the essentially subjective nature of human sensory preference. It then argued that instinctively designating certain materials attributes as sensory perceptions is unnecessary; considering every scientific concept is in essence the processed results of our sensory organs/brains, i.e., all quantities were initially human perceptions. Scientific advances have inevitably generated gradual transformation of such human perceptions as warmth and heaviness into objective parameters measurable in physical quantities like temperature and kilograms. Then using existing successful examples, it demonstrated firmly how the sensory attributes can be assessed by more reliable instrumental methods, and envisioned the key steps to turning a perception into scientifically measurable parameter(s).

Solving environmental odor issues can be confounded by many analytical, technological, and socioeconomic factors. Considerable know-how and technologies can fail to properly identify odorants responsible for the downwind nuisance odor and mitigate it for the affected citizenry. We propose enabling solutions to environmental odor issues by utilizing troubleshooting techniques developed for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. We showed that the downwind odorant impact-priority ranking process can be definable and relatively simple. The initial challenge is the prioritization of environmental odor character from the perspective of the impacted citizenry downwind. In this research, we aim at summarizing three natural models of the rolling unmasking effect (RUE) and discuss them more systematically in the context of the proposed downwind environmental odor prioritization approach. Regardless of the size and reach of an odor source, a simplification of odor character and composition typically develops with downwind dilution. The extreme odor simplification-upon-dilution was demonstrated for two plant varieties, prairie verbena and Virginia pepperweed. Their downwind odor frontal boundaries were dominated by single, character-defining odorants; p-cresol-dominated ‘barnyard’ odor, and benzyl mercaptan-dominated ‘burnt match’ odor, respectively. The P.T. porcupine downwind odor frontal boundary was dominated by two potent, character-defining odorants: (1) ‘onion’/‘body odor’ odorant #1 and (2) ‘onion’/‘grilled’ odorant #2. In contrast with their downwind boundary simplicities, each odor source presented considerable compositional complexity and composite character difference near the source. The proposed RUE approach’s ultimate significance is the illustration of naturally occurring phenomena that explain why some environmental odors and their sources can be challenging to identify and mitigate using the analytical only approach (focused on compound identities and concentrations). These approaches rarely move beyond comprehensive lists of compounds being emitted by the source.

Restoration experience is a positive response against the ever-increasing problem of stress. It is recovery of attentional capacity, clearing random thoughts and feelings of relaxation and calmness. Although there is a body of research on investigating the impact of open green space characteristics on psycho- logical restoration through attention restoration theory and supportive environment theory, there is little knowledge on how the interaction among these characteristics could promote restorative outcomes. To address this problem, using Perceived Sensory Dimension (PSD) for open green space qualities and Perceived Restorativeness (PR) as the property of restorative environment, this study assessed the extent to which the PSD and PR impact on restoration experience. Using 444 screened surveys, a Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was developed and the validity and reliability of it, was demonstrated. Extensive analysis of the results showed how environmental qualities can promote restoration experience using a sample of university students. These results provide information for landscape architecture and planning researchers to promote the development of open spaces as a resource of psychological restoration and stress relief.

Sparkling wines elaborated by means Ancestral method, also called Pét-Nats, are nowadays gaining an increasing share of the market. However, the scientific information about these wines is very scarce. For that reason, the aim of this research was to compare the physicochemical composition and sensory attributes of a representative sampling of commercial sparkling wines elaborated by Ancestral and Traditional methods. Ancestral sparkling wines were more heterogenous than Traditional sparkling wines because some of them showed lower internal pressure, higher turbidity, higher colour intensity and less foamability. These differences would be probably because the ancestral elaboration protocol is not so well defined as in the case of Traditional sparkling wines. However, Ancestral method has the advantage of being able to work with riper grapes and with lower doses of sulphur dioxide.

The aim of this study was to develop a ready-to-eat vegetable-herb mixes with high nutritional and sensory values, as well as good storability. In this regard the suitability of fresh herbs (peppermint, oregano, green basil, red basil, and parsley) was tested for use in mixes with fresh-cut iceberg lettuce. Lettuce-herb mixtures were stored for 6 days at 5°C. The reason for the decrease in the appearance of the salads was the browning of the cut surface of the lettuce, as well as discoloration on the cut herbs. Comparing the storage ability of cut herbs, red basil and parsley retained the best appearance for 6 d at 5 °C. A small addition of herbs to fresh-cut iceberg lettuce caused a significant increase in contents of pro-health ingredients in the mixes. There were large discrepancies in the sensory quality of the mixes, but the highest quality and consumer acceptance were found for salads with parsley (5% and 10%) and red basil (5%). After harvest, the fresh herbs were more contaminated by molds than the iceberg lettuce. Bacterial, yeast and mold contamination increased during storage, but the rate of mold growth was much lower in the mixes with parsley compared to lettuce alone.

This study developed Makgeolli (Korean traditional alcoholic beverage) by adding raw 20% Codium fragile (Cf), a green seaweed, to a mixed base consisting of rice and oats (1:1 ratio) (COM) and analyzed its quality characteristics and antioxidant activity. The rice based Makgeolli supplemented with raw 20% Cf was designated as control (CRM). The physicochemical (pH, acidity), microbiological (yeast, lactic acid bacteria), antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS), and sensory properties (7-henodonic scale) of CRM and COM were investigated during 7 days of fermentation. The pH/acidity levels of CRM and COM reached 3.66/0.68 and 3.69/0.95 after 7 days of fermentation, respectively. Compared to CRM, COM had lower alcohol and sugar contents (P < 0.05) (CRM: 14.5%/9.8 Brix, COM: 11.2%/7.4 Brix). However, COM contained more yeast and lactic acid bacteria (P < 0.05) (CRM: 1.30/4.28 log, COM: 6.04/6.09 log) compared to CRM. The antioxidant activity of DPPH/ABTS (P < 0.05) in COM was approximately 1.5 times that of CRM (CRM: 40.00/51.57%, COM: 56.76/70.91%). In addition, COM had an excellent sensory preference score (P < 0.05) due to its overall fresh flavor and savory taste (CRM: 4.93, COM: 6.06). Therefore, COM was shown to be Makgeolli with enhanced antioxidant function, with yeast and lactic acid bacteria, and improved flavor, suggesting the possibility of commercializing this Makgeolli.

Stroke is a major leading cause of chronic disability, often affecting patients’ motor and sensory functions. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is the most commonly used method of functional neuroimaging and allows the non-invasive study of brain activity. The time-dependent coactivation of different brain regions at rest is described as resting-state activation. As a non-invasive task-independent functional neuroimaging approach, resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) may provide therapeutically useful information on both the focal vascular lesion and the connectivity-based reorganization and subsequent functional recovery in stroke patients. Considering the role of prompt and accurate prognosis in stroke survivors along with the potential of rs-fMRI in identifying patterns of neuroplasticity in different post-stroke phases, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest literature regarding the role of rs-fMRI in stroke prognosis in terms of motor and sensory outcome. Our comprehensive review suggests that with the advancement of MRI acquisition and data analysis methods, rs-fMRI emerges as a promising tool to study the motor and sensory outcome in stroke patients and evaluate the effect of different interventions.

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) technology enables a differentiation between oxyhemoglobin (HbO) and deoxyhemoglobin (HbR) in the sensory and motor cerebral gyri, resulting in greater sensitivity for cerebral activation compared to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Here, we introduce a novel approach where functional regions of interest (ROIs) are created based on the specific signal behavior observed in DOT measurements, in contrast to the conventional use of structural-ROIs obtained from anatomical information. The generation of cerebral activation maps involves using the general linear model (GLM) to compare the outcomes obtained from both the functional and structural ROI approaches. DOT-derived maps are then compared with maps derived from fMRI datasets considered the gold standard for assessing functional brain activity. The results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of employing functional ROIs to improve the spatial location of functional activations in the sensory and motor cerebral gyri by leveraging the neural synchronization data provided by DOT. Furthermore, this methodology simplifies data processing in animal models, where anatomical differences compared to the human head can pose challenges. By incorporating functional ROIs prior to GLM application, this study offers enhancements to DOT analysis techniques and broadens its applicability in both human and animal models.

Cold brew coffee is a new trend in coffee industry. This paper presents pilot studies into several aspect of this beverage. Using an online survey, the current practices of cold brew coffee preparation were investigated identifying a rather large variability with a preference for extraction of medium roasted Arabica coffee using 50-100 g/l at 8°C for about 1 day. Sensory testing using ranking and triangle tests showed that cold brew may be preferred over iced coffee (cooled down hot extracted coffee). Extraction experiments at different conditions combined with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis showed that the usual extraction time may be longer than necessary as most compounds are extracted within only a few hours, while increasing turbulence (e.g. using ultrasonication) and temperature may additional increase the speed of extraction. NMR analysis also revealed a possible chemical differentiation between cold brew and hot brew using multivariate data analysis. Decreased extraction time and reduced storage times could be beneficial for cold brew product quality as microbiological analysis of commercial samples detected samples with spoilage organisms and contamination with Bacillus cereus.

Background: Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that storage of cooked rice at 4 °C for 24 h and reheating to 65 °C significantly reduced starch digestibility and postprandial glycaemic responses. Moreover, the effect was greater for parboiled rice compared to other rice varieties commonly consumed in New Zealand. This study aimed to evaluate consumer preferences of related sensory attributes and consumer acceptability of several rice varieties freshly cooked or reheated. Method: Sixty-four consumers volunteered and recorded on Visual Analoge Scales their preference and acceptability of freshly prepared or cold-stored and reheated medium grain white, medium grain brown and parboiled rice. Results: All six rice samples were accepted by participants (average 54%). Reheated parboiled rice and reheated medium grain brown rice were both accepted by participants as a preferred staple meal compared to other rice samples. Among all rice samples, the sweetness and the flavour of freshly cooked warm medium-grain white rice were less preferred (scored 42.1% and 45.0% respectively) compared with other samples (P = 0.05). Participants who prepared and consumed brown rice at home regularly (more than 10 times per month), preferred the reheated brown rice (73.8% (67.4, 80.2)) and reheated parboiled rice (74.3% (67.9, 80.7)) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: It is suggested that reheated parboiled rice, with the lowest starch digestibility and glycaemic impact (both in vitro glucose release and in vivo glucose response) could be accepted as a healthier alternative for the daily staple meal.

This study aimed to develop fermented cashew nut cheese alternative supplemented with Chondrus crispus and Porphyra sp. for enhancing their nutritional and sensory characteristics, as well as familiarizing consumers with seaweeds consumption. The impact of seaweeds supplementation was evaluated through analysis of some physicochemical, microbiological and organoleptic properties of the developed food products. The total lipids content decreased with the supplementation with seaweeds. Crude protein content also slightly decreased, while elemental analysis showed that mineral and trace elements (Ca, K, Mg, Na, Fe, I, Se, and Zn) content increased when C. crispus was added to the paste. The analyses of color and textural (TPA) attributes showed that theese were significantly influenced by adding seaweeds to the cashew paste. Generally, the microbiological results comply with the different European guidelines for assessing the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat foods placed on the market, except for aerobic mesophilic bacteria and marine agar counts. Flash Profile analysis al-lowed to distinguish samples attributes, showing an increased flavor complexity of plant-based cheese alterna-tives supplemented with seaweeds. Overall, the study indicates that seaweed enrichment mainly influenced the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of plant-based cheese alternatives.

The rising interest in functional foods has increased the use of probiotics and prebiotics in fermented dairy products to enhance gut health. This study focuses on developing a symbiotic fermented milk product using Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum activated with hawthorn extract as a prebiotic. Three versions of the product were tested: a control, and two variants with B. bifidum activated with 10-5 g/cm³ and 10-10 g/cm³ hawthorn extract, respectively. Key characteristics such as microbiological safety, sensory properties, amino acid profile, vitamin and mineral content, antioxidant capacity, and nutritional values were evaluated. Results showed that products enriched with hawthorn extract had favorable sensory properties and sustained high levels of lactic acid bacteria while being free of pathogens. Product 1 demonstrated significant increases in L. acidophilus (24.1%) and B. bifidum (14.7%) after 7 days compared to the control. Both enriched products exhibited slower titratable acidity increases and higher viscosities over 14 days, indicating better preservation and texture stability. Product 1 was notably enriched with essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, alongside enhanced antioxidant properties due to increased flavonoid content. The technology developed ensures probiotic viability at 109 - 1010 CFU/cm³ after 14 days, making it viable for dairy production.

Natural and sustainable plant-based antioxidants and antimicrobials are highly desirable for improving food quality and safety. The present investigation assessed the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of active components from Alkanna tinctoria (herb) roots, also known as Ratanjot root. Two methods were used to extract active components: microwave-assisted hot water (MAHW) and ethanol and air-dried. MAHW extract yielded 6.29% while the ethanol yielded 18.27%, suggesting superior Ratanjot root extract powder (RRP) solubility in ethanol over water. The ethanol extract showed significantly higher antioxidant activity than the MAHW extract. Gas chromatography and mass-spec analysis revealed three major phenolic compounds: Butanoic acid, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-; Arnebin 7, and Diisooctylpthalate. The color attributes (L*, a*, b*, hab, C*ab) for the ethanolic and MAHW extracts revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) in all the above parameters for both types of extracts, except for yellowness (b*) and chroma (C*ab) values. The ethanol extract exhibited antimicrobial activity against 14 bacterial species, with a signifi-cantly higher inhibitory effect against Gram-positive bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) than the Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Escherichia coli). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were both 25 mg/ml for the Gram-negative bacteria, while the MIC and MBC concentrations varied for Gram-positive bacteria (0.049 - 0.098 mg/ml and 0.098 - 0.195 mg/ml) and the antimicrobial effect was bactericidal. The antimicrobial activities of RRP extract remained stable under broad temperature (37-100°C) and pH (2-6) conditions, as well as during refrigerated storage for 30 days. Application of RRP at 1% (10 mg/g) and 2.5% (25 mg/g) levels in a cooked chicken meatball model system prevented lipid oxidation and improved sensory attributes and retarded microbial growth during refrigerated (4°C) storage for 20 days. Furthermore, the RRP extract was non-toxic when tested with sheep erythrocytes and did not inhibit the growth of probiotics, Lacticaseibacillus casei, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. In conclusion, the study suggests that RRP possesses excellent antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, thus making it suitable for food preservation.

Hundreds of thousands of people living along the Yatsushiro Sea coast have been exposed to methylmercury from the contaminated water of the Chisso factory in Minamata. Methylmercury causes neurological deficits in the cerebrum and cerebellum, with symptoms of ataxia, dysarthria, and visual field constriction in severe cases, but the most common symptom of a milder disorder is somatosensory disturbance due to parietal lobe damage. We investigated the characteristics of the somatosensory disturbances in detail by studying subjective complaints, neurological findings, and quantitative sensory tests in 197 residents (63.2 ± 10.7 years old) from contaminated areas exposed to methylmercury from seafood and 130 residents (63.7 ± 9.3 years old) from control areas. The most commonly affected sensory modalities were superficial peripheral touch and pain in the extremities, followed by two-point discrimination and deep senses, and in the most severe cases, full-body sensory dysfunction and impairment of all sensory submodalities. Although the severity of the sensory submodalities correlated with each other, there was almost no correlation between the severity of these submodalities and indices of peripheral nerve conduction studies, suggesting that the primary cause of the sensory deficits was damage to the central nervous system. The health effects of chronic methylmercury toxicosis can be elucidated by a detailed examination of sensory deficits.

Cerebrospinal fluid contacting neurons (CSF-cNs) are a specific type of neurons located around the ventricles in the brain and the central canal in the spinal cord and have been demonstrated to be intrinsic sensory neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). One of the important channels responsible for the sensory function is polycystic kidney disease 2-like 1 (PKD2L1) channel. Most of the studies concerning the distribution and function of the PKD2L1-expressing CSF-cNs in the spinal cord have previously been performed in non-mammalian vertebrates. In the present study immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the distribution of PKD2L1-immunoreactive (IR) CSF-cNs in the spinal cords of 4 mammalian species: mouse, rat, cat, and macaque monkey. Here, we found that PKD2L1-expressing CSF-cNs were present at all levels of the spinal cord in these animal species. Although the distribution pattern was similar across these species, differences existed. Mice and rats presented a clear PKD2L1-IR cell body labeling, whereas in cats and macaques the PKD2L1-IR cell bodies were more weakly labeled. Ectopic PKD2L1-IR neurons away from the ependymal layer were observed in all the animal species although the abundance and the detailed locations varied. The apical dendritic protrusions towards the lumen of the central canal were clearly seen in all the animal species, but the sizes of protrusion bulbs were different among the species. PKD2L1-IR cell bodies/dendrites were co-expressed with doublecortin, MAP2 (microtubule-associated protein 2) and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, but not with NeuN (neuronal nuclear protein), indicating their immature property and ability to synthesis monoamine transmitters. In addition, in-situ hybridization performed in rats revealed PKD2L1 mRNA expression in the cells around the central canal. Our results indicate that the intrinsic sensory neurons are conserved across non-mammalian and mammalian vertebrates, and that this may play an essential role in the regulation of motor and sensory functions as well as in the maintenance of homeostasis in the CNS.

The study of pain requires a balance between subjective methods that rely on self-reports and complementary objective biometrics that ascertain physical signals associated with subjective accounts. There are at present no objective scales that enable the personalized assessment of pain, as most work involving electrophysiology rely on summary statistics from a priori theoretical population assumptions. Along these lines, recent work has provided evidence of differences in pain sensations between participants with Sensory Over Responsivity (SOR) and controls. While these analyses are useful to understand pain across groups, there remains a need to quantify individual differences more precisely in a personalized manner. Here we offer new methods to characterize pain using the moment-by-moment standardized fluctuations in EEG brain activity centrally reflecting the person’s experiencing temperature-based stimulation at the periphery. This type of gross data is often disregarded as noise, yet here we show its utility to characterize the lingering sensation of discomfort raising to the level of pain, individually, for each participant. We show fundamental differences between the SOR group in relation to controls and provide an objective account of pain congruent with the subjective self-reported data. This offers the potential to build a standardized scale useful to profile pain levels in a personalized manner across the general population.

Background: The Stability Index estimation algorithm was derived and applied to develop and implement a balance ability diagnosis system that can be used at daily life. Methods: The system integrated an approach based on sensory function interaction, called the clinical test of sensory interaction with balance (CTSIB). The piezo-resistive force mat was fabricated, and a Stability Index prediction algorithm was developed and applied using the center of pressure (CoP) variables. The Stability Index prediction algorithm derived a CoP variable for 103 elderly people by Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) to predict the Stability Index of the Balance System (Biodex SD). And, the accuracy was confirmed through the correlation between the real and predicted value. Results: As a result of testing with the test-set, the linear regression model confirmed that the r value ranged between 0.943 to 0.983. To confirm the similarity between the WBB and flexible force mat, each measured CoP value was input and calculated into the developed regression model, and the result of the correlation coefficient validation ​​confirmed an r value of 0.96. Conclusion: The system developed in this study will be applicable to the daily life of the home in the form of a floor mat.

As a result of the growing demand for foods with reduced animal protein content, many new alternative diets are now emerging. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown that the Western population is unprepared for drastic changes and is disinclined to accept foods based on alternative proteins. However, hybrid products might become a good transitional offer. This study used a desirability-based mixture design to model hybrid spreadable cheese analogues (SCAs). The design combined the dairy protein (MPC), Tenebrio molitor (IF) and faba bean (FBP) flours. Nine SCAs with different MPC/FBP/IF ratios were formulated, representing 0, 50 and 100% MPC replacement (7.1% of the formula). Incorporating the IF negatively impacted the desirable texture properties. The FBP flour improved the texture (achieving increased firmness and stickiness and decreased spreadability), but only when combined with MPC. Changing the MPC/FBP/IF ratio affected the colour of SCAs. Sensory analysis showed that hybrid SCAs (≤ 50% MPC) had a more characteristic cheesy flavour than the commercial plant-based reference, and sample C2 had a texture profile similar to the dairy reference. Samples containing IF showed a better flavour profile than the products without IF. The SCAs had higher protein and lower saturated fat, starch and sugar con-tent than commercial analogues.This study demonstrates that the inclusion of alternative proteins can be effective as a strategy to reduce dairy protein content in hybrid product formulations.

The advancements in the study of the human sense of touch are fueling the field of haptics. This is paving the way for augmenting the sensory perception during objects palpation in tele-surgery, and reproducing the information through tactile feedback. Here, we present a novel tele-palpation apparatus that enables the user to detect nodules with various distinct stiffness buried in an ad-hoc polymeric phantom. The contact force measured by the platform was encoded using a neuromorphic model and reproduced on the index fingertip of a remote user through a haptic glove embedding a piezoelectric disk. We assessed the effectiveness of this feedback in allowing nodule identification under two experimental conditions of real-time telepresence: In Line of Sight (ILS), where the platform was placed in the visible range of a user; and the more demanding Not In Line of Sight (NILS), with the platform being 50 km apart. We found that the entailed percentage of identification was higher for stiffer inclusions with respect to the softer ones (average of 74% within the duration of the task), in both telepresence conditions evaluated. These promising results call for further exploration of tactile augmentation technology for telepresence in medical interventions.

Background: The lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LACN) is the terminal sensory branch of musculocutaneous nerve and is rarely entrapped or injured. This study describes the electrodiagnostic (EDX) findings and etiologies of LACN neuropathy. Methods: This is a review of 49 patients with pain and/or paresthesia of the forearm who underwent EDX studies. The diagnosis of LACN neuropathy was based on clinical and sensory conduction abnormalities. Results: The most common etiology of LACN neuropathy was iatrogenic injury in 30 (61.2%) patients, primarily due to biceps tendon repair at the elbow (11 [36.7%]) and phlebotomy (5 [16.7%]. Fifteen (30.6%) patients sustained a non-iatrogenic injury at the proximal forearm/elbow, consisting of 6 (60%) laceration injuries and 5 (33.3%) stretch injuries. Four (8.2%) patients comprised the “other” etiology category, including 2 mass lesions causing LACN compression. Pain, paresthesia, and/or numbness in the LACN distribution were reported in 33 (67.3%), 27 (55.1%), and 23 (46.9%) patients, respectively. Hypoesthesia was detected in 45 (91.8%) patients, and dysesthesia in 7 (14.3%). The sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs) of the LACN on the symptomatic side were absent in 44 (89.8%) patients. Of the 5 patients whose SNAPs of the LACN were detected, all had a decreased amplitude and 2 had increased sensory latency. Conclusion: The most common etiology for LACN neuropathy in this series was iatrogenic injury; repair of biceps tendon at the elbow was the most frequent provoking cause. Protection of the LACN during surgical procedures at the elbow and forearm is vital to prevent iatrogenic injury.