Combination Of Software Research Articles

Comprehensive Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Effect of Pharmacotherapy, Lifestyle Modification, and Enhanced Adherence Counseling.

Introduction Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age in India, which often presents as menstrual irregularities, infertility, acanthosis nigricans, etc. Metabolic disturbances associated with PCOSpredispose patients to cardiovascular diseases, which may be avoided by effective management. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the role of lifestyle modification (LSM) and metformin in PCOS management. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study conducted among 130 PCOS patients who attended the outpatient department of the tertiary care hospital in central India from October 2019 to March 2020. The study describes the effect of a combined package of LSM (physical exercise and dietary changes) and metformin on anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical parameters at three and six months. Results Out of the total 130 women, 12 were lost to follow-up and were omitted from further analysis. At six months of the treatment package (LSM, metformin, and enhanced adherence counseling (EAC)), a significant decrease was seen in body mass index, blood sugar,follicle-stimulating hormone,luteinizing hormone, and insulin. Following the intervention, the menstruation cycle became regular in 91% of the women while volume, theca, and appearance of polycystic ovaries on ultrasound decreased in 86% of women. Insulin resistance (IR) and hyperinsulinemia are the major causes of pathophysiological changes associated with PCOS. Metformin along with LSM primarily acts by decreasing IR, while EAC ensures treatment compliance. Conclusion Metformin along with LSM in the form of calories restricted, high-protein diet, and physical activity reduce IR and hyperandrogenaemia, resulting in improved anthropometric, glycemic indices, hormonal profiles, and features of hyperandrogenaemia. The combined therapy is beneficial to 85-90%of women with PCOS.

Fertilizer Management of Gypsophila (Gypsophila Paniculata)

A field experiment was conducted at the research field of Horticulture Research Centre (HRC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) Gazipur under AEZ-28 during Rabi season of 2017-18 and 2018-19 to determine the suitable combination of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) for improving growth and cut flower bunch yield of gypsophila. There were 15 treatment combinations comprising four levels of nitrogen (0, 70, 100 and 130 kg ha-1), four levels of phosphorus (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg ha-1), four levels of potassium (0, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1) and four levels of sulphur (0, 10, 20 and 30 kg ha-1) along with a blanket dose of Zn3B1.5 kg ha-1 and cow dung 5 t ha-1. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The combination of N100P40K60S20 kg ha-1 produced significantly higher cut flower bunch yield. The said treatment produced the maximum mean cut flower bunch yield of 185010 nos. ha-1 which was 76.9% higher over control (N0P0K0S0). The maximum number of branches per plant (7.12 nos.) and maximum opened flower per plant (60.2 nos.) were recorded from the treatment combination of N100P40K60S20 kg ha-1. Cost and return analysis indicated maximum net return and highest benefit cost ratio (1.91) was estimated from the same treatment. The results suggest that combined application of 100-40-60-20 kg ha-1 of N-P-K-S including 3 kg Zn ha-1, 1.5 kg B ha-1 and 5 t ha-1 cowdung can improve the growth and cut flower bunch yield of gypsophila. From the regression analysis, the optimum treatment combination was calculated as N91.8P44.0K80.7S18.7 kg ha-1 for experimental area. Therefore, the optimum combination package N91.8P44.0K80.7S18.7 kg ha-1 along with the blanket dose of Zn3B1.5 kg ha-1 and 5 t cowdung ha-1 may be recommended for gypsophila cut flower cultivation in Gazipur area. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 46(1): 23-34, March 2021

MEMS co-vibration combined hydrophone

This paper proposes a MEMS co-vibration combined hydrophone (CCH) to position the weak acoustic source of small-volume UUV acoustic self-guided cabins. With an external diameter of 36 mm, it adopts the MEMS triaxial accelerometer to form the vector channel and the MEMS capacitive omnidirectional microphone to form the scalar channel. This paper first analyzes the acoustic receiving model of an elastic-free sphere in water, designs a MEMS co-vibration combined hydrophone packaging and then simulates its acoustic performance. The average density of the encapsulated CCH is 1.01 g/cm3. The vector channel bandwidth is 20 Hz−1,000 Hz, and the sensitivity is −173 dB @ 1 kHz (re 1 V/ μPa) with good cosine directivity. The scalar channel sensitivity is −171 dB @ 1 kHz (re 1 V/ μPa) with omnidirectional directivity. The error of the orientation test in the standing wave tube is less than 1 degree. The sound source-level test results are mostly consistent with the theoretical calculation based on the actual distance. The above results indicate that the hydrophone can be mounted to UUV to perform sound source detection, which can meet the need for precise positioning, and has a specific application value.

Tobacco endgame intervention impacts on health gains and Māori:non-Māori health inequity: a simulation study of the Aotearoa/New Zealand Tobacco Action Plan

BackgroundThe Aotearoa/New Zealand Government is aiming to end the tobacco epidemic and markedly reduce Māori:non-Māori health inequalities by legislating: (1) denicotinisation of retail tobacco, (2) 95% reduction in retail outlets...

Effectiveness of an integrated multilevel early child development intervention on caregiver knowledge and behavior: a quasi-experimental evaluation of the Malezi program in Tanzania

BackgroundThe quality of caregiving and the parent-child relationship is critical for early child development (ECD) and has been shown to be modifiable. This study evaluated an ECD project in Tanzania, assessing the effectiveness of radio messaging (RM) alone and a combined radio messaging/video job aids/ECD (RMV-ECD) intervention.MethodsThis two-arm pre-post evaluation study enrolled a cohort of caregivers of children 0–24 months in four districts of Tabora region, following them for 9 months. ECD radio messages were broadcast on popular stations at least 10 times/day reaching all study districts. In two districts, community health workers (CHW), trained in UNICEF’s Care for Child Development package, used ECD videos in home- and facility-based sessions with caregivers. We used McNemar’s testing (pre-post pairs) within intervention group to describe how the intervention was associated with change in five outcomes: ECD knowledge, early stimulation, father engagement, responsive care, and environment safety. Logistic regression was used to describe the relative benefits of the combined intervention package (RMV-ECD) compared to radio messaging (RM).ResultsIn the RMV-ECD arm, all outcomes at endline except environment safety significantly improved after the intervention with the largest change seen in ECD knowledge (35.8% increase, p < .0001) and the smallest in father engagement (6.7%, p = .015). In the RM arm, ECD knowledge (5.7%, p = .031) and environment safety (18.1%, p = <.0001) improved. High measures of parenting stress were associated with lower likelihood of having good ECD knowledge (AOR 0.50, 95%CI: 0.35, 0.71), father engagement (AOR 0.72, 95%CI: 0.52, 0.99) and responsive care (AOR 0.31, 95%CI: 0.18, 0.54).ConclusionsAn intervention that includes mass media, educational video content and CHWs who counsel caregivers in their homes and health facilities was associated with significant improvements in ECD parenting knowledge and behaviors but a relationship with responsive care could not be established. The less costly mass media-only intervention was associated with improved parenting knowledge and household environment safety. Parenting interventions targeting young children could be improved by incorporating more messaging and caregiver coaching in managing parental stress.Trial registrationNCT05244161 (17/02/2022); retrospectively registered with the US National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov.

More support for hydrogen export than its domestic application in Australia

Early research has suggested the societal acceptance of hydrogen to decarbonise our energy supply is relatively high. However, the specific aspects of hydrogen that citizens support remain unknown. To investigate public support for export and domestic applications of hydrogen, this study implemented an Australian nationally representative survey. Using a quasi-experimental design, information was provided to respondents as an intervention to test individual responses. The information included a short video, followed by images and text descriptions. The study found the combined information package increased societal support by 10% when compared to the baseline with the change in support for export applications being significantly higher compared to domestic applications. While encouraging the development of Australia’s export industry it was also found that respondents’ general support depends on their socio-economic characteristics and geographic location.

The effectiveness of the combined treatment package based on acceptance and commitment and positive treatment and on the control of emotions and perseverance of female managers

Aim: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of the combined therapy package based on acceptance and commitment and positive therapy on emotional control and perseverance of female managers. Methods: The research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test type with a control group with a follow-up period of two months. The statistical population of the research included all female managers of Bahar Zeit, Barsa and Hamon Naizeh institutions and organizations in 2021. The selection of samples was available in the form of sampling method and the sample size in this section was also based on the type of research in two groups of 32 people. The research tools included Duckworth et al.'s persistence questionnaire (2007), and Williams et al.'s (1997) emotion control scale. The results of the qualitative part of the research led to the development of an 18-session combined therapy package based on acceptance and commitment and researcher-made positivity. Data analysis was done with SPSS version 16 software and analysis of variance test with repeated measurement between groups at a significance level of α=0.05. Results: The results of data analysis showed that the combined treatment method of acceptance and commitment and positivity on anger control scores (F=7.72, P=0.010), depressed mood control (F=20.37, P=0.001), anxiety control (F=4.31, P=0.040), perseverance and self-efficacy (F=3.96, P=0.040), and this effect is also in the follow-up stage compared to the pre-test. It was meaningful. Conclusion: Considering that the combined training of positive psychology and the psychology of acceptance and commitment increased the control of emotions (anger, anxiety, depression and positive emotions) and the perseverance of managers, it is suggested that organizations and companies, both in the private and public sectors, Use this training and treatment package intervention for their organizational growth and improvement.

Gas Absorbent Based Modified Atmosphere Packaging to Optimize Dragon Fruit Shelf Life

Dragon fruit is a promising export commodity for Indonesia. But its short shelf-life is a big challenge for an international shipping by sea. This study aims to prolong the dragon fruit shelf life by implementing gas absorbent based Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) in combination with cold storage. This technique decreases the fruit physiological processes by lowering O2 concentration (%) inside the MAP. The selected dragon fruit was packed with gas absorbent-based MAP with different O2 absorber capacities (30 cc; 60 cc; and 120 cc) and plastic types (biodegradable plastic and LDPE). Each treatment was also varied with the use of H2O absorbent and perforation. Then, the dragon fruit in MAP was stored at 5°C and 90% RH for 6 weeks as shipping simulation. After storage, the dragon fruit was transferred to 27°C room temperature without MAP. The results showed that the application of gas absorbent-based MAP, additional treatments, and low temperature were generally able to maintain the quality of dragon fruit up to 6 weeks in cold storage. However, dragon fruit developed signs of chilling injury, increased water loss, increased weight loss, decreased hardness, skin damage, fin withering, and mold growth after transfer at 27°C room temperature without MAP.

Designing and Developing a Combined Program based on the Theory of Mind Method and the Floortime Method and its Effectiveness on Social-Communication Skills and Stereotypical Behaviors of Children with Autism Disorder

Aim: The present research was conducted with the aim of designing and compiling a combined program based on the theory of mind method and the flortime method and its effectiveness on social-communication skills and stereotyped behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder. Method: The present research method is mixed (qualitative-quantitative) of sequential exploratory type. In the qualitative part with the approach of inductive content analysis, socio-statistics included all the valid scientific sources and articles indexed and related in the databases, and theoretical sampling and the saturation rule were used. In the quantitative part, the population of this research was all children aged 2 to 5 years with autism spectrum disorder who referred to Autism Center of Rafsanjan, who were willing to cooperate and participate in the meetings on behalf of themselves and their families. The sample included 5 children aged 2 to 5 years with autism spectrum disorder. These people were selected by purposeful sampling and investigated in a single-group study with a single-subject design. The research tool was Gilliam Gazer's (1994) questionnaire. Results: The results of the qualitative part of the research led to the development of a 12-session combined therapy package based on the theory of mind method and flortime method. The results of the quantitative part showed that the combined training method based on the theory of mind method and the flortime method had an effect on the social-communication skill components with an improvement percentage between 25 and 55%. The theory of mind method and the Flortime method have had an effect on the scores of stereotyped behaviors with a recovery percentage between 14 and 46%. Conclusion: The conceptual model of the combined program based on the theory of mind method and the flortime method was developed based on the dimension of communication skills, the dimension of motor speech skills, the dimension of interpersonal skills and social interaction, and the dimension of emotion recognition. The results showed that the teaching method of the combined program based on the theory of mind method and the flortime method had an effect on social-communication skills and stereotyped behaviors.

Reaction Optimization for Greener Chemistry with a Comprehensive Spreadsheet Tool

Green chemistry places an emphasis on safer chemicals, waste reduction, and efficiency. Processes should be optimized with green chemistry at the forefront of decision making, embedded into research at the earliest stage. To assist in this endeavor, we present a spreadsheet that can be used to interpret reaction kinetics via Variable Time Normalization Analysis (VTNA), understand solvent effects with linear solvation energy relationships (LSER), and calculate solvent greenness. With this information, new reaction conditions can be explored in silico, calculating product conversions and green chemistry metrics prior to experiments. The application of this tool was validated with literature case studies. Reaction performance was predicted and then confirmed experimentally for examples of aza-Michael addition, Michael addition, and an amidation. The combined analytical package presented herein permits a thorough examination of chemical reactions, so that the variables that control reaction chemistry can be understood, optimized, and made greener for research and education purposes.

Qualitative Characteristics of Retort Packaging for Canned Meat

The article describes the requirements for packaging ‘retort package’ for canned products. The properties of retort packages from various manufacturers, both domestic and foreign, have been investigated. The results of testing the qualitative characteristics of retort packaging are presented. The data obtained indicate high barrier properties of combined packaging materials based on aluminum foil. It is shown that in terms of safety and quality, retort packaging meets the requirements of TR CU 005/2011, GOST 32736.

Combined Pulsed Electric Field with Antimicrobial Caps for Extending Shelf Life of Orange Juice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of combined pulsed electric fields (PEF) and antimicrobial packaging treatment in maintaining the quality and stability of orange juice stored at 10 °C. Orange juice was treated by PEF and stored in glass jars with antimicrobial caps coated with 10 µL of carvacrol essential oil (AP). Microbial reductions and physiochemical properties of juice samples were determined after treatments and during storage at 10 °C. Orange juice samples subjected to the combined treatment (PEF+AP) had the lowest yeast and mold populations after 14 day-storage at 10 °C. There were no significant differences in pH, acidity, color, total soluble solid contents, total phenol compounds, and Vitamin C among all samples after treatments. Storage studies showed that PEF, AP, and PEF+AP treatments maintained the quality and stability of orange juice stored at 10 °C for 5 weeks but lost Vitamin C. This study provides valuable information to juice processors for consideration and design of nonthermal pasteurization with antimicrobial packaging of juice products.

Privacy preserved incremental record linkage

Using an incremental approach to solve the record linkage problem is a relatively new research area. In incremental record linkage, every inserted record is compared with some existing clusters of records based on its blocking key value. Then, considering similarity, either the record will be put into an existing cluster, or a new cluster will be created for it. Although few papers have presented their solutions for incremental record linkage targeting the linkage quality or efficiency, privacy issue regarding the approach has not yet been discussed. Privacy is a major concern when record linkage is performed for sensitive data, e.g., health records, financial records, etc. In this regard, we have come up with a novel concept privacy-preserving incremental record linkage (PPiRL) which encapsulates privacy-preserving techniques with an incremental record linkage approach. In this chapter, we have proposed an end-to-end framework as our solution for PPiRL. For preserving privacy, we have used two types of privacy techniques namely phonetic encoding and generalization. We have used a recently developed phonetic algorithm “nameGist” to handle text-based features. For generalization, we have used the K-anonymization algorithm for numeric and categorical features. For handling incremental updates and internal linkage, we have used the Naive incremental clustering approach using Hierarchical Agglomerative clustering as the base clustering algorithm. We have performed various experiments to test the privacy and linkage quality of PPiRL. We have compared our work with the existing incremental record linkage framework and also with existing privacy-preserved record linkage techniques. It is apparent from our results that other than a small trade-off in linkage quality, our framework works better as a combined package of privacy and linkage solutions that any existing frameworks do not yet provide.

Color and physiochemical attributes of pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.) influenced by modified atmosphere packaging and postharvest treatment during storage.

The efficiency of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in combination with postharvest treatment on the shelf-life, physiochemical attributes, color, and nutrition of pointed gourd was studied after storing in refrigerated (low temperature, LT) and ambient (room temperature, RT) conditions. Fresh pointed gourd fruits were dipped in NaOCl solution (0.01% w/v) and potassium metabisulphite (KMS) (0.05% w/v), blanched (100°C for 4 min), and then packed in perforated and non-perforated polythene and polypropylene packets of each type and brown paper bags as MAP before storing at LT and RT. Physiochemical attributes, color, and nutrition were measured until the marketable level of acceptance (up to shelf-life) after storage and compared with the untreated and unpacked samples (control). The results showed profound differences among the treatment variables in all the studied dependent parameters regarding the LT and RT storage conditions. Among the treatments, perforated and non-perforated polyethylene (NPE) and polypropylene (NPP) packaging performed well to retain a considerable amount of ascorbic acid, β-carotene, and greenish color (lower L*, high h*) in pointed gourd treated with NaOCl (0.01%) and KMS (0.05%) after storing at LT and RT. Furthermore, the principal component analysis suggested that five major quality attributes (L*, C*, h*, shelf-life, and ascorbic acid) were influenced remarkably in terms of non-perforated polyethylene packaging in combination with KMS treatment both in LT and RT storage conditions. However, perforated polythene and polypropylene in combination with NaOCl responded well in RT but only for the shortest storage life. Thus, a non-perforated polythene package with KMS treatment would be the best solution for retaining market quality acceptance with green color up to the extended shelf-life of 23 and 10 days, respectively, in the refrigerator (LT) and in ambient (RT) storage conditions.

Effect of Stable Chlorine Dioxide and Vacuum-Packing Treatments on the Physicochemical and Volatile Flavor Properties of Pike Eel (Muraenesox cinereus) during Chilled Storage.

The effects of vacuum-packaging and stable chlorine dioxide treatments on the quality of pike-eel fillets were investigated during chilled storage for a period of up to 10 days. The results reveal that the sensory scores, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content, total viable count (TVC), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the myofibrillar protein (MP) content of pike-eel fillets with different packing treatments all decreased significantly over 10 days of storage. However, the vacuum-packaging and stable chlorine dioxide pretreatment showed positive effects on the protein stability of pike-eel samples. Compared with the simple packaging (SP) and vacuum packing (VP) treatments, the combination treatments (CP) significantly inhibited the rapid increases in the TVB-N content, TVC values, and MDA content. Moreover, the comparative stability in the MP and its carbonyl content were maintained. Furthermore, our volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis confirmed that the combined packaging treatments significantly hindered protein and lipid oxidation, inhibited the growth of spoilage bacteria, and maintained the volatile flavors of pike-eel samples during chilled storage.

Shelf-life extension of chilled and superchilled dark-cutting beef held under combined anoxic master packaging and high-oxygen packaging both enriched with carbon dioxide

The microbiological and quality attributes of dark-cutting (DC) beef were assessed during chilled and superchilled anoxic packaging storage (80% CO2 MP: 80% CO2/20% N2; 40% CO2 MP: 40% CO2/60% N2; VP: vacuum packaging) followed by a chilled high-oxygen packaging display period (HiOx-MAP: 60% O2/40% CO2). During storage, both MP steaks showed lower (P < 0.05) purge loss and pH than VP steaks, and superchilling significantly suppressed lipid oxidation. The following HiOx-MAP produced a bright red color in all steaks during display, and MP storage rendered displayed steaks higher (P < 0.05) redness values than VP storage. Both superchilled MP-HiOx systems exerted the best preservation for DC beef with lower bacterial counts and TVB-N values among the packaging types, in which the display-life was prolonged to 14 days after 21-days storage. Despite the levels of CO2 influenced microbiota dynamics during anoxic storage, Carnobacterium finally became the predominant bacteria under HiOx-MAP.

Estimating mode choice of motorized two-wheeler commuters under the influence of combined travel demand management measures: An ICLV modeling approach

Several studies have reported the need for combining multiple Travel Demand Management (TDM) measures for minimizing the use of private vehicles. However, a detailed empirical analysis is needed to substantiate the theory and understand the factors influencing the resultant mode choice behavior. This paper presents a stated choice experiment study to examine the mode choice behavior under the influence of a combined TDM package of Congestion Pricing (CP) and Public Bike Sharing (PBS). The case study area is the old city of Ahmedabad, which is in the western state of Gujarat, India.A stated choice experiment was conducted, wherein a total of 1,719 data points randomly collected from 573 motorized two-wheeler commuters were used to simultaneously estimate an Integrated Choice and Latent Variable (ICLV) model for work trips in the study area. In addition to the observable variables associated with an individual's socioeconomic and trip characteristics, the model also includes the psychological theory of Value-Attitude-Behavior (VAB) in the choice modeling framework. The results show that there exists a statistically significant influence of values of benevolence and stimulation as well as attitudes towards the flexibility of mode, environment, and health in explaining individual preferences. Furthermore, the modeling results also suggest that the combined TDM measures are likely to significantly influence mode choice decisions as opposed to standalone TDM measures.

Awareness, willingness and barriers to HIV Self-testing (HIVST) among Men who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru: A web-based cross-sectional study.

HIV self-testing (HIVST) is an essential tool within the combined HIV prevention package and has been available in Latin America since 2015. However, HIVST use among key populations remains low. This study describes awareness, willingness, and barriers to HIVST among MSM in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru. A cross-sectional web-based survey was advertised in two geosocial networking apps (Grindr and Hornet) and Facebook in 2018. We included cisgender men ≥18 years old who self-reported HIV-negative status. We used multivariable Poisson regression models to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) to assess the factors associated with willingness to use HIVST for each country. A total of 18,916 completed the survey, 59% from Brazil, 30% from Mexico, and 11% from Peru. Overall, 20% of MSM had never tested for HIV. Awareness and willingness to use HIVST were higher in Brazil than in Peru and Mexico (p < .001). Across the countries, the patterns of association of willingness with HIVST barriers were similar. Most participants think post-test counseling is essential and that dealing with a positive result would be difficult (aPR 1.13 to 1.37, range of aPRs across the three countries). Having the knowledge to deal with a positive HIVST resulted in increased willingness to use HIVST (aPR range: 1.11 to 1.22), while a lack of trust in HIVST compared to HIV testing in clinics was inversely associated (aPR range: 0.80 to 0.90). In general, willingness to use HIVST was associated with higher income (aPR range: 1.49 to 1.97), higher education (aPR range: 1.13 to 1.42), and willingness to use PrEP (aPR range: 1.19 to 1.72). Efforts to increase HIVST knowledge and resolve perceived barriers are warranted, especially among MSM with lower income and education from Brazil, Mexico, and Peru. Personalized virtual counseling could be crucial among this population. In addition, those willing to use HIVST are also willing to use PrEP. It indicates that HIVST delivery could be incorporated into PrEP programs within the Brazilian Public Health System and eventually in Mexico and Peru.

Vacuum packaging improved inactivation efficacy of moderate dry heat for decontamination of Salmonella on almond kernels

The goal of this study was to develop dry heat processing conditions that could achieve a >5-log reduction of Salmonella with minimal negative impact on almond quality. The effects of almond's water activity (aw) levels and packaging methods on Salmonella inactivation by dry heat were determined. Almonds were dip-inoculated in a four-strain Salmonella cocktail and conditioned to aw of 0.43, 0.33, 0.23, and 0.20. The inoculated almonds were then placed in vacuum-sealed mylar bags (vacuum packaging), ambient-sealed glass tubes (non-vacuum packaging), and petri dishes without covers (no packaging). The packaged and un-packaged almonds were treated by dry heat with 13 % relative humidity at 73 °C. Vacuum packaging in general achieved slightly better (in some cases significantly better (p < 0.05)) or similar inactivation effect on Salmonella than non-vacuum packaging. Both vacuum and non-vacuum packaging methods achieved much greater Salmonella inactivation than the no packaging method. For example, a 4-h treatment at 73 °C reduced Salmonella on almonds with aw of 0.43 by 5.1-, 4.4-, and 1.3-log for mylar bag, tube, and petri dish, respectively. Higher aw levels resulted in better inactivation of Salmonella. To achieve a >4-log reduction of Salmonella on almonds packaged in mylar bags, 3-, 6-, 8-, and 8-h of heat treatment were needed for almonds with aw values of 0.43, 0.33, 0.23 and 0.20, respectively. Vacuum packaging in combination with a 4-h heat treatment of almonds with initial aw of 0.43 or 8-h heat treatment of almonds with initial aw of 0.33 could achieved a ≥5-log reduction of Salmonella. Those two combinations resulted in very little weight loss (≤0.05 %), insignificant color change (∆E ≤ 1.26), and unnoticeable change in visual appearance of almonds, demonstrating that they could be potentially used for raw almond pasteurization.

Qualitative and Quantitative Performance of Magnetic Resonance Image Compilation (MAGiC) Method: An Exploratory Analysis for Head and Neck Imaging.

Simple SummaryMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a widely used noninvasive imaging modality in the head and neck (HN) region to detect tumors. The new synthetic MRI method termed MAGnetic resonance imaging Compilation (MAGiC) uses a multi-dynamic multi-echo (MDME) sequence to generate quantitative T1 and T2 maps and multi-contrast qualitative images within a clinically feasible time. The testing of the synthetic MRI method was initially performed in the brain and subsequently extended to extracranial regions, including the prostate, breast, cervix, and rectum. The present exploratory study aims to investigate the performance of this new, rapid, synthetic MRI method for diagnostic image quality assessment and measurement of relaxometry metric values in HN tumors and normal-appearing masseter muscle. Initial results from 14 patients support the feasibility of generating synthetic T1w and T2w images from quantitative relaxometry mapping in the HN region.The present exploratory study investigates the performance of a new, rapid, synthetic MRI method for diagnostic image quality assessment and measurement of relaxometry metric values in head and neck (HN) tumors and normal-appearing masseter muscle. The multi-dynamic multi-echo (MDME) sequence was used for data acquisition, followed by synthetic image reconstruction on a 3T MRI scanner for 14 patients (3 untreated and 11 treated). The MDME enables absolute quantification of physical tissue properties, including T1 and T2, with a shorter scan time than the current state-of-the-art methods used for relaxation measurements. The vendor termed the combined package MAGnetic resonance imaging Compilation (MAGiC). In total, 48 regions of interest (ROIs) were analyzed, drawn on normal-appearing masseter muscle and tumors in the HN region. Mean T1 and T2 values obtained from normal-appearing muscle were 880 ± 52 ms and 46 ± 3 ms, respectively. Mean T1 and T2 values obtained from tumors were 1930 ± 422 ms and 77 ± 13 ms, respectively, for the untreated group, 1745 ± 410 ms and 107 ± 61 ms, for the treated group. A total of 1552 images from both synthetic MRI and conventional clinical imaging were assessed by the radiologists to provide the rating for T1w and T2w image contrasts. The synthetically generated qualitative T2w images were acceptable and comparable to conventional diagnostic images (93% acceptability rating for both). The acceptability ratings for MAGiC-generated T1w, and conventional images were 64% and 100%, respectively. The benefit of MAGiC in HN imaging is twofold, providing relaxometry maps in a clinically feasible time and the ability to generate a different combination of contrast images in a single acquisition.