Unique Inventory Research Articles

Measuring Well-Being Influencers: Development and Validation of the WISH Inventory.

Improving healthcare professional well-being and reducing burnout requires improving work ecosystems and cultures. Current well-being metrics focus on distal outcomes within individuals (e.g., professional fulfillment or burnout). In this study, we developed and evaluated the performance of an inventory measuring perceptions of modifiable workplace dimensions-termed influencers-that shape healthcare professionals' well-being. A core team developed the Well-Being Influencers Survey for Healthcare (WISH), an inventory designed to measure these systemic, occupational well-being influencers (e.g., leadership support, psychological safety, working conditions). Following content validation and refinement, 223 healthcare professionals from an academic department of anesthesiology completed WISH alongside established well-being measures, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), PROMIS short forms for meaning, purpose, and life satisfaction, as well as standard items of affective commitment (AC, a measure of engagement) and a standard item assessing intention to leave (ITL). Factor analysis was used to assess WISH's internal structure, while correlation and regression analyses assessed its criterion-related validity using the above established measures. WISH showed expected relationships with established well-being measures, and outperformed established metrics in predicting AC and ITL after adjusting for those measures and/or covariates. Factor analysis indicated that most WISH variance reflects a single common factor, supporting the use of an instrument-level score. Unique variance at the influencer level highlights the added value of examining influencer scores. WISH fills a key gap in healthcare professional well-being improvement science by assessing causal factors of well-being and burnout, rather than the conditions themselves. Here, we established initial validity of this unique inventory and further reinforce the relevance of system-level and cultural factors in influencing healthcare professionals' well-being. WISH is well suited to assist healthcare professional well-being improvement efforts driven by system-improvement mindsets.

Measuring the Surface Tension of Atmospheric Particles and Relevant Mixtures to Better Understand Key Atmospheric Processes.

Aerosol and aqueous particles are ubiquitous in Earth's atmosphere and play key roles in geochemical processes such as natural chemical cycles, cloud and fog formation, air pollution, visibility, climate forcing, etc. The surface tension of atmospheric particles can affect their size distribution, condensational growth, evaporation, and exchange of chemicals with the atmosphere, which, in turn, are important in the above-mentioned geochemical processes. However, because measuring this quantity is challenging, its role in atmospheric processes was dismissed for decades. Over the last 15 years, this field of research has seen some tremendous developments and is rapidly evolving. This review presents the state-of-the-art of this subject focusing on the experimental approaches. It also presents a unique inventory of experimental adsorption isotherms for over 130 mixtures of organic compounds in water of relevance for model development and validation. Potential future areas of research seeking to better determine the surface tension of atmospheric particles, better constrain laboratory investigations, or better understand the role of surface tension in various atmospheric processes, are discussed. We hope that this review appeals not only to atmospheric scientists but also to researchers from other fields, who could help identify new approaches and solutions to the current challenges.

A genome and gene catalog of glacier microbiomes.

Glaciers represent a unique inventory of microbial genetic diversity and a record of evolution. The Tibetan Plateau contains the largest area of low-latitude glaciers and is particularly vulnerable to global warming. By sequencing 85 metagenomes and 883 cultured isolates from 21 Tibetan glaciers covering snow, ice and cryoconite habitats, we present a specialized glacier microbial genome and gene catalog to archive glacial genomic and functional diversity. This comprehensive Tibetan Glacier Genome and Gene (TG2G) catalog includes 883 genomes and 2,358 metagenome-assembled genomes, which represent 968 candidate species spanning 30 phyla. The catalog also contains over 25 million non-redundant protein-encoding genes, the utility of which is demonstrated by the exploration of secondary metabolite biosynthetic potentials, virulence factor identification and global glacier metagenome comparison. The TG2G catalog is a valuable resource that enables enhanced understanding of the structure and functions of Tibetan glacial microbiomes.

A Novel Neuro-Optimization Techniques for Inventory Models in Manufacturing Sectors

Inventory modeling or policies are the necessity of every business or a new oil for any industry. In other words, inventory control and management are needed by businessmen or entrepreneurs to make effective strategies, i.e., for making their business profitable. It becomes a lot and a lot of vital for enterprises within the real-life things like producing sector like industry, food trade, etc. Inventory issues common in producing, remanufacturing, and lots of helpful applications like pharmaceutical. An associate improvement model for internal control of circulation enterprises was established to minimize the typical total price in the unit time of the inventory system. As we have seen, lot of researchers have made several attempts in the previous decade for improving inventory control/inventory policies, but due to the dynamic nature of human beings, it is difficult to make perfect and unique inventory for all business sectors. So, in this study, we will use collected data (from several research works done by the researchers, questionnaires, interviews) and then will apply an artificial neural network (ANN) concept to provide an optimized solution. Finally, our model shows economical, correct results, which can be additionally helpful for the inventory researchers to seek out the acceptable technique for determining the economic order quantity systems or creating AN assumption for making new inventory policies. Hence, this study provides helpful algorithms, economical inventory models for producing sectors, and future analysis direction toward our planned work.

A 4000-year debris flow record based on amphibious investigations of fan delta activity in Plansee (Austria, Eastern Alps)

Abstract. The frequency of debris flows is hypothesized to have increased in recent decades with enhanced rainstorm activity. Geological evidence to test the relationship between climate and debris flow activity for prehistoric times is scarce due to incomplete sediment records, complex stratigraphy, and insufficient age control, especially in Alpine environments. In lacustrine archives, the link between onshore debris flow processes and the sedimentary record in lakes is poorly investigated. We present an amphibious characterization of alluvial fan deltas and a continuous 4000-year debris flow record from Plansee (Tyrol, Austria), combining light detection and ranging (lidar) data, swath bathymetry, and sediment core analyses. The geomorphic investigation of two fan deltas in different developmental stages revealed an evolutionary pattern of backfilling and new channel formation onshore, together with active subaqueous progradation on a juvenile fan delta, major onshore sediment deposition, and only few, but larger, subaqueous deposits on a mature fan delta. Geomorphic evidence for stacked and braided debris flow lobes, subaquatic landslide deposits, and different types of turbidites in sediment cores facilitated a process-based event identification, i.e. distinguishing between debris-flow-induced or earthquake-induced turbidites throughout the 4000-year sedimentary record. We directly correlate subaqueous lobe-shaped deposits with high backscatter signals to terrestrial debris flow activity of the last century. Moreover, turbidite thickness distribution along a transect of four cores allows us to pinpoint numerous events as being related to debris flow activity on a juvenile fan delta. In the sediment core, debris-flow-induced turbidites feature a more gradual fining upward grain size trend and higher TOC (total organic carbon) and δ13C values compared to earthquake-induced turbidites. The 4000-year event record contains 138 debris-flow-induced turbidites separated into four phases of similar debris flow activity (df phases). df phase 1 (∼2120 to ∼2040 before the common era – BCE) reflects the second-highest observed event frequencies and is interpreted as being a postseismic landscape response. After a long period of long recurrence intervals without any outstanding increases in debris flow activity during df phase 2 (∼2040 BCE to ∼1520 common era – CE), there are slightly increased event frequencies in df phase 3 (∼1520 to ∼1920 CE). df phase 4 (∼1920 to 2018 CE) exhibits a drastic increase in debris flow activity, followed by the overall highest debris flow frequency of the whole record, which is about 7 times higher than during df phase 3. We show that the frequency increase in the debris-flow-induced turbidite record matches a previously postulated increase in debris flow events derived from aerial photography at Plansee in the last century. The triggering of debris flows is more controlled by short, intense precipitation than any other mass movement process, and we demonstrate that lacustrine debris flow records provide a unique inventory of hazard-relevant rainstorm frequencies over decades, centuries, and millennia. The presented increase in debris flow frequency since the start of the 20th century coincides with a twofold enhanced rainstorm activity in the Northern European Alps and, therefore, provides a novel technique for the systematic understanding of non-stationary debris flow frequencies in a changing climate.

Nežinomas 1641 m. Lietuvos Metrikos knygų sąrašas

The Unknown 1641 List of Books of the Lithuanian Metrica Abstract. A unique inventory of Lithuanian Metrica books compiled in September– October, 1641, which had thus far escaped the attention of Lithuanian Metrica researchers, was discovered in the Vilnius Chapter’s collections (F 43) at the Wroblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. It was compiled by the notary public Fr Laurynas Mocarskis (Wawrzyniec Mocarski). Due to objective shortcomings, Mocarski’s list cannot be considered a proper inventory of the Lithuanian Metrica books, but, lacking other material, it is nonetheless an important and useful auxiliary source helping us to understand the development of the entire complex of books of the Lithuanian Metrica and subtleties in the history of individual books. Keywords: Lithuanian Metrica, Vilnius Diocese, Laurynas Mocarskis, Vilnius Cathedral Chapter archive, Mamert Herburt.

Reactor Physics Benchmark of the First Criticality in the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

The deployment of molten salt reactors requires validation of the computational tools used to support the licensing process. The Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE), built and operated in the 1960s, offers a unique inventory of experimental data for reactor physics benchmarks. The first benchmark based on the MSRE appeared in “The 2019 Edition of the IRPhEP [International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project] Handbook.” The benchmark refers to the first criticality experiment at zero power, stationary salt, and uniform temperature with 235U fuel. Simulations carried out for the developed benchmark model with the Monte Carlo code Serpent and ENDF/B-VII.1 cross-section library found that the calculated neutron multiplication is 1.02132 (±3 pcm) and that the combined bias of the model and experimental uncertainty is below 500 pcm. Such discrepancy between the experimental and calculated keff is not uncommon in benchmarks for graphite-moderated systems. The model created through this effort paves the way to additional benchmarks targeting reactor physics quantities of interest beyond multiplication factor.

Boy Hunter Burial from Staroe Kirgizovo Burial Ground of the Pyany Bor Culture

The paper presents the materials from burial No. 53 of the Staroe Kirgizovo burial ground of the Pyany Bor culture from the territory of the Ik and Belaya interfluve (excavations of 2016). The burial is approximately dated to the second half of the 1st century BC – the 1st century AD. It was a burial of a 7–8–year old child which contained a large and partly unique inventory, which was vary different from the average children's burials with scarce inventory of this cultural community. The buried was accompanied with various costume adornments made of bronze and bone, bladed and ranged weapons (a combat knife and a set of iron and bone arrowheads). Of particular interest is the accompanying complex of carved upper and lower jaws of small carnivorous animals. This set of finds is interpreted by the authors of the paper as hunting trophies of the buried boy.

Thermal or membrane processing for Infant Milk Formula: Effects on protein digestion and integrity of the intestinal barrier

Infant Milk Formula (IMF) is designed as a breastmilk substitute to satisfy the nutritional requirements during the first months of life. This study investigates the effects of two IMF processing technologies on cow milk protein digestion using an infant static in vitro gastrointestinal model. The degree of protein hydrolysis at the end of the gastric phase was 3.7-fold higher for IMF produced by high temperature (IMF-HT), compared to IMF produced by cascade membrane filtration (IMF-CMF), as assessed by free N-terminal group analysis. The processing type also influenced the panel of bioavailable peptides detected in basolateral compartments of Caco-2 monolayers exposed to gastrointestinal digested IMFs. In addition, IMF-CMF significantly increased tight junction protein, claudin 1, whilst IMF-HT significantly reduced tight junction integrity. In conclusion, producing IMF by CMF may preserve intestinal barrier integrity and can deliver its own unique inventory of bioavailable peptides with potential bioactivity.

Inventory constrained design of a timber funicular structure

This research investigates the development of a digital form finding model that combines the generation of funicular geometry with a material inventory constraint. The model provides a flexible design tool that facilitates exploration of structural form whilst simultaneously satisfying two rationalizing criteria. It maintains an equilibrated structure derived from funicular geometry; and optimises the assignment of a unique inventory of timber members having natural dimensional variation. The combined goal for the design outcome is to achieve material efficiency through both structurally rational form and minimization of material waste. The material chosen for the inventory is utility-grade sawn timber, being lightweight but with high levels of naturally occurring structural variability. Sawn timber boards that are rejected for structural applications due to frequent structural defects (knots, checks, splits etc.) represent up to 50% of the sawn product produced by Australian sawmills, and are destined for under-valued non-structural use, chipping or burning. Yet these boards can readily yield usable short length structural members, once defects are removed. In doing so, the process creates a unique inventory of random short members. These short members are well suited to articulated structures, which, by employing an inverted funicular geometry, only incur axial stresses and can employ simple (non-moment resisting) timber connections. This form finding tool and a first prototype pavilion are proofs of concept for viable structural application of what is otherwise a significant source of waste in the timber industry.

Genomic and functional insights into the adaptation and survival of Chryseobacterium sp. strain PMSZPI in uranium enriched environment.

Metal enriched areas represent important and dynamic microbiological ecosystems. In this study, the draft genome of a uranium (U) tolerant bacterium, Chryseobacterium sp. strain PMSZPI, isolated from the subsurface soil of Domiasiat uranium ore deposit in Northeast India, was analyzed. The strain revealed a genome size of 3.8Mb comprising of 3346 predicted protein-coding genes. The analysis indicated high abundance of genes associated with metal resistance and efflux, transporters, phosphatases, antibiotic resistance, polysaccharide synthesis, motility, protein secretion systems, oxidoreductases and DNA repair. Comparative genomics with other closely related Chryseobacterium strains led to the identification of unique inventory of genes which were of adaptive significance in PMSZPI. Consistent with the genome analysis, PMSZPI showed superior tolerance to uranium and other heavy metals. The metal exposed cells exhibited transcriptional induction of metal translocating PIB ATPases suggestive of their involvement in metal resistance. Efficient U binding (~90% of 100μM U) and U bioprecipitation (~93-94% of 1mM U at pH 5, 7 and 9) could be attributed as uranium tolerance strategies in PMSZPI. The strain demonstrated resistance to a large number of antibiotics which was in agreement with in silico prediction. Reduced gliding motility in the presence of cadmium and uranium, enhanced biofilm formation on uranium exposure and tolerance to 1.5kGy of 60Co gamma radiation were perceived as adaptive responses in PMSZPI. Overall, the positive correlation observed between uranium/metal tolerance abilities predicted using genome analysis and the functional characterization reinforced the multifaceted adaptation strategies employed by PMSZPI for its survival in the soil of uranium ore deposit comprising of high concentrations of uranium and other heavy metals.

Introducing a Unique Inventory Control Framework for Centralized VMI and JIT Production

Abstract The purpose of this research is to develop a new Information Fractal Structure (IFS) framework to facilitate communication and collaboration between centralized Vendor-Managed-Inventory (VMI) and Just-In-Time production to optimize inventory and logistics cost throughout the supply network. The proposed framework is conceptually developed, validated and implemented using mathematical and simulation modelling. Experimental factorial design and statistical techniques (MANOVA) are used to generate and analyze the results. The results demonstrated that the application of the proposed IFS provided a new effective collaboration protocol between centralized VMI and core manufacturer. Furthermore, the IFS led to an increase in both collaboration and integration and improve the process of sharing information across the network, which has proven to be a problematic area for industrialists.

The XXL Survey

Context. In the currently debated context of using clusters of galaxies as cosmological probes, the need for well-defined cluster samples is critical. Aims. The XXL Survey has been specifically designed to provide a well characterised sample of some 500 X-ray detected clusters suitable for cosmological studies. The main goal of present article is to make public and describe the properties of the cluster catalogue in its present state, as well as of associated catalogues of more specific objects such as super-clusters and fossil groups. Methods. Following from the publication of the hundred brightest XXL clusters, we now release a sample containing 365 clusters in total, down to a flux of a few 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2 in the [0.5–2] keV band and in a 1′ aperture. This release contains the complete subset of clusters for which the selection function is well determined plus all X-ray clusters which are, to date, spectroscopically confirmed. In this paper, we give the details of the follow-up observations and explain the procedure adopted to validate the cluster spectroscopic redshifts. Considering the whole XXL cluster sample, we have provided two types of selection, both complete in a particular sense: one based on flux-morphology criteria, and an alternative based on the [0.5–2] keV flux within 1 arcmin of the cluster centre. We have also provided X-ray temperature measurements for 80% of the clusters having a flux larger than 9 × 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2. Results. Our cluster sample extends from z ~ 0 to z ~ 1.2, with one cluster at z ~ 2. Clusters were identified through a mean number of six spectroscopically confirmed cluster members. The largest number of confirmed spectroscopic members in a cluster is 41. Our updated luminosity function and luminosity–temperature relation are compatible with our previous determinations based on the 100 brightest clusters, but show smaller uncertainties. We also present an enlarged list of super-clusters and a sample of 18 possible fossil groups. Conclusions. This intermediate publication is the last before the final release of the complete XXL cluster catalogue when the ongoing C2 cluster spectroscopic follow-up is complete. It provides a unique inventory of medium-mass clusters over a 50 deg2 area out to z ~ 1.

The Inventory of A. F. Turchaninov’s Property of 1789 as Material for the Study of the Ural Nobility’s Cultural Traditions

The article continues a complex source analysis of a unique inventory of 1789, drawn up after the death of A. F. Turchaninov, the owner of Sysert mining district. The author discusses the structure and architecture of the Sysert Manor, as well as the surroundings thereof. Referring to the materials of the Inventory, the author reconstructs the interior and the furnishing of A. F. Turchaninov’s manor which allows her to conclude about the dual character of a Ural manor located on the site of works, which combined features of a rich European-like everyday life with elements of the old patriarchal traditions. Additionally, the author concludes that the owner of the manor was a transitional type of an industrial merchant transforming into a nobleman. Aiming to reach the level of the nobility, A. F. Turchaninov imitated their ways and attitudes to a great extent, spent money on luxurious things, and was fond of collecting things, following the fashion of the time. The Sysert Manor with its abundant collections and library was a rare phenomenon for the Russian province of the time. Generally speaking, the Inventory helps get a better understanding of the history of the nobility and the little-studied manor life of the Urals during the second half of the 18 th century.

Fine‐scale spatiotemporal dynamics of fungal fruiting: prevalence, amplitude, range and continuity

Despite the critical importance of fungi as symbionts with plants, resources for animals, and drivers of ecosystem function, the spatiotemporal distributions of fungi remain poorly understood. The belowground life cycle of fungi makes it difficult to assess spatial patterns and dynamic processes even with recent molecular techniques. Here we offer an explicit spatiotemporal Bayesian inference of the drivers behind spatial distributions from investigation of a Swiss inventory of fungal fruit bodies. The unique inventory includes three temperate forest sites in which a total of 73 952 fungal fruit bodies were recorded systematically in a spatially explicit design between 1992 and 2006.Our motivation is to understand how broad‐scale climate factors may influence spatiotemporal dynamics of fungal fruiting within forests, and if any such effects vary between two functional groups, ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and saprotrophic fungi. For both groups we asked: 1) how consistent are the locations of fruiting patches, the sizes of patches, the quantities of fruit bodies, and of prevalence (occupancy)? 2) Do the annual spatial characteristics of fungal fruiting change systematically over time? 3) Are spatial characteristics of fungal fruiting driven by climatic variation?We found high inter‐annual continuity in fruiting for both functional groups. The saprotrophic species were characterised by small patches with variable fruit body counts. In contrast, ECM species were present in larger, but more distinctly delimited patches. The spatial characteristics of the fungal community were only indirectly influenced by climate. However, climate variability influenced overall yields and prevalence, which again links to spatial structure of fruit bodies. Both yield and prevalence were correlated with the amplitudes of occurrence and of fruit body counts, but only prevalence influenced the spatial range. Summarizing, climatic variability affects forest‐stand fungal distributions via its influence on yield (amount) and prevalence (occupancy), whereas fungal life‐history strategies dictate fine‐scale spatial characteristics.

Clinical characteristics of the inhabitants of an internally displaced persons camp in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo after the arms dump blast on March 4, 2012.

On March 4, 2012, an arms dump exploded in a densely populated area in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. At least 250 people were killed, 2,500 wounded, and 13,800 left homeless, of which 5,000 were relocated to a newly constructed internally displaced person (IDP) camp. To describe the medical complaints of persons presenting to the IDP camp for medical evaluation. All patients seen and treated by the Belgian First Aid and Support Team (B-FAST) in the IDP camp on March 10 and 11, 2012 were included. A unique number, age, gender, and inventory of complaints were registered on standard World Health Organization (WHO) forms. Out of 245 presenting patients, 242 files were processed. One in two patients were minors (<18 years-old), the male/female ratio was 50/50 in minors and 28/72 in adults; median (range) age in minors was three years (0-17) and for adults was 32.5 years (18-68). Twenty percent of the children were determined to be malnourished. Signs and symptoms related to infectious diseases were present in 75% of minors and 53% of adults. Trauma was present in 12% of minors and 21% of adults. One week following the disaster event, after people had relocated to IDP camps, infectious diseases became the predominate reason for seeking medical evaluation. Less than one in five people presenting to the medical post had injuries directly related to the event. Demographic data showed that around 50% of people in the IDP camp presenting for medical care were children, of which one in five was malnourished.

Exposure to ambient black carbon derived from a unique inventory and high-resolution model

Black carbon (BC) is increasingly recognized as a significant air pollutant with harmful effects on human health, either in its own right or as a carrier of other chemicals. The adverse impact is of particular concern in those developing regions with high emissions and a growing population density. The results of recent studies indicate that BC emissions could be underestimated by a factor of 2-3 and this is particularly true for the hot-spot Asian region. Here we present a unique inventory at 10-km resolution based on a recently published global fuel consumption data product and updated emission factor measurements. The unique inventory is coupled to an Asia-nested (∼50 km) atmospheric model and used to calculate the global population exposure to BC with fully quantified uncertainty. Evaluating the modeled surface BC concentrations against observations reveals great improvement. The bias is reduced from -88% to -35% in Asia when the unique inventory and higher-resolution model replace a previous inventory combined with a coarse-resolution model. The bias can be further reduced to -12% by downscaling to 10 km using emission as a proxy. Our estimated global population-weighted BC exposure concentration constrained by observations is 2.14 μg⋅m(-3); 130% higher than that obtained using less detailed inventories and low-resolution models.

Analysis of landslide dams induced by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

Landslide dams caused by earthquakes are extremely hazardous disruptions of the flow of water and sediment in mountain rivers, capable of delivering large outburst floods that may devastate downstream areas. We analyzed a unique inventory of 828 landslide dams triggered by the Mw 7.9 2008 Wenchuan tectonic earthquake, China, constituting ∼1.4% of the >60,000 coseismic slope failures mapped and attributed to this event. While 501 landslides blocked the rivers completely, the remainder caused only partial damming or channel diversion. The spatial distribution of landslide dams follows the same trend of that of the total landslide distribution, with landslide dams being most abundant in the steep watersheds of the hanging wall of the Yingxiu-Beichuan Thrust Fault, and in the northeastern part of the strike-slip fault near Qingchuan. Besides the co-seismic landslide density, the river width also played a key role in determining the landslide dam formation. Narrow rivers are more prone to be dammed than the wide rivers. The correlation between river width and landslide dam volume follows a linear relation, which can be used to roughly estimate the dam formation possibility. However, the applicability of this correlation needs to be validated in other regions. The decay (failure) rate of dams, defined here as the percentage of the number and area of landslide dams that have failed over time, shows that ∼25% of dams accounting for ∼30% of total landslide dam area failed one week after the earthquake. These percentages increased to ∼60% within 1month, and to >90% within 1year. The geomorphometric parameters were analyzed, revealing power-law relations between landslide area and dam width, landslide source area and dam area, as well as lake area and lake volume. The inventory presented in this study will enrich the worldwide earthquake-induced landslide dam database and will also contribute to a better understanding of the post-earthquake dam decay.

Dietary Supplement Use Within a Multiethnic Population as Measured by a Unique Inventory Method

Use of dietary supplements is widespread, yet intakes from supplements are difficult to quantify. The Supplement Reporting study utilized a unique inventory method to quantify dietary supplement use across 1 year in a sample of 397 supplement users. Interviewers visited participants' homes in 2005-2006 to record supplement purchases and the number of pills in each supplement bottle every 3 months. Total use for the year was calculated from these inventories. Participants in this observational study were older adults (average age 68 years) from the Multiethnic Cohort in Hawaii and Los Angeles, CA, with approximately equal representation of men and women and six ethnic groups (white, Japanese American, Hawaiian, African American, Latinos born in the United States, and Latinos born elsewhere). The most commonly used supplement type was one-a-day multivitamins/minerals, which were taken at least once during the year by 83% of men and 73% of women. Other common supplements were vitamin C, fish oil, vitamin E, and bone or joint supplements. Participants used a median of seven (women) and five and a half (men) different supplements during the year. There were few differences in supplement use across ethnic groups for men, but use tended to be highest for white and Japanese-American women. Use of nonvitamin/nonmineral supplements was common among these older adults, sometimes at high doses. When assessing intakes, supplement use should be correctly quantified because users tend to take many different supplements and nutrient intakes from supplements can be substantial. The inventory method may help improve the measurement of supplement use.

Will Isomalto-Oligosaccharides, a Well-Established Functional Food in Asia, Break through the European and American Market? The Status of Knowledge on these Prebiotics

This critical review article presents the current state of knowledge on isomalto-oligosaccharides, some well known functional oligosaccharides in Asia, to evaluate their potential as emergent prebiotics in the American and European functional food market. It includes first a unique inventory of the different families of compounds which have been considered as IMOs and their specific structure. A description has been given of the different production methods including the involved enzymes and their specific activities, the substrates, and the types of IMOs produced. Considering the structural complexity of IMO products, specific characterization methods are described, as well as purification methods which enable the body to get rid of digestible oligosaccharides. Finally, an extensive review of their techno-functional and nutritional properties enables placing IMOs inside the growing prebiotic market. This review is of particular interest considering that IMO commercialization in America and Europe is a topical subject due to the recent submission by Bioneutra Inc. (Canada) of a novel food file to the UK Food Standards Agency, as well as several patents for IMO production.