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Heat production by 14.0% moisture content (MC) canola seeds was determined at 30°C and 20°C under airtight and non-airtight storage conditions by using a transient method. The 14.0% MC canola seeds were placed inside copper balls (15 cm diameter with 1.5 mm wall thickness). The balls were located at the center of cubic plywood boxes (50 cm long in each inner dimension) which were filled with 8.0% MC canola seeds. The plywood boxes were insulated with Styrofoam (14.5 cm thickness). Thermocouples were installed inside and outside the boxes and balls at 27 locations. The heat production rate was calculated by using finite element, analytical, and Fourier law methods. The heat production rate calculated by the finite element method was the heat production rate of the 14.0% MC canola, while the analytical and Fourier law methods overestimated and underestimated the heat production rate, respectively. The mean heat production rates at 30°C non-airtight, 30°C airtight, and 20°C non-airtight conditions were 0.102 ±0.001, 0.084 ±0.003, and 0.036 ±0.001 W kg-1, respectively. Accumulated heat increased with increase of temperature and decrease of airtightness. The dry mass loss of canola seeds due to respiration of microflora was in accordance with heat production, moisture content increment under airtight condition, and microorganism infestation. The measured heat production ratios were higher than or equal to the theoretical value when only glucose was used as substrate for decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-rich fish oil fractionated from tuna head using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) were stored at 4°C and –18°C for 60 days to study the storage stability. The changes in fatty acids, iodine value (IV), peroxide value (PV), acid value (AV), and saponification value (SV) up to 30 days were found to be negligible, then started to decrease from 45 and the significant changes were observed at 60 days. At 4°C, the PV, AV, and SV were increased from 1.74 to 6.72 meq O2/kg oil, 1.36 to 5.56 mg KOH/g oil, and 182.73 to 190.74 mg KOH/g oil, respectively, while IV and PUFA were decreased from 185.43 to 175.35 g I/100 g oil and 43.07 to 33.94% at 60 days. It is concluded that SC-CO2extracted PUFA-rich fraction could be maintained in good quality for consumption at both temperature up to 60 days. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Exosomes are small membrane-bound vesicles secreted by most cell types. Exosomes contain various functional proteins, mRNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) that could be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. How we should store the samples before RNA isolation and whether those long term stored samples could be used for circulating RNA investigation because of RNase is unknown. The aim of the study was to determine the stability of circulating miRNA in exosomes and plasma. Exosomes were isolated from plasma samples by using ExoQuick Precipitation methods. RNA was extracted from exosomes and the corresponding plasma samples with a Qiagen miRNeasy Mini kit. The concentration of RNA was measured by a Qubit® RNA HS Assay Kit, and quantitative PCR was used for individual miRNA expression level detection. Results showed that exosomal miRNA showed extra stability under different storage conditions and no significant influence on plasma miRNA, except for short term storage at 4 °C. It is thus indicated that exosome miRNAs can be good biomarkers based on their stability under various storage conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We detected radical components in irradiated fresh frozen royal jelly and dried powder. [•] The splitting asymmetric ESR line with overall spectrum width 10mT at g =2.004 was observed. [•] The ESR intensity increased in proportion to the absorbed dose. [•] The ESR intensity was highly stable and was distinguishable from that un-irradiated. [•] The radiation-induced radical was derived from the poorly soluble constituent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is known as one of the earliest cultivated plants. This plant Is used in food, cosmetics, dying and pharmaceutical uses. Saffron stigma contains rare water-soluble carotenoids including the major one known as crocin. These compounds have a high economical value as a culinary spice and are used for their flavoring and coloring properties. They are subject of ongoing scientific research for their protenoids like effects on human health due to their high antioxidant characteristic. The study aimed to find the effects of cultivation condition and storage on crocin content of dried stigma in saffron. This study was carried out at the Forests and Rangelands Research Institute, Tehran. Samples were collected during November 2006 from two (Tehran and Alborz) provinces. They were dried in the shade. Dried stigma samples of saffron were kept for 20 months under three conditions: 1. under light (at the room temperature), 2. under darkness (at the room temperature) and 3. at 4°C in the refrigerator. Samples were analyzed during November 2008 by High- Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the crocin content from Alborz province in light, dark and refrigerated conditions were 290, 410 and 300 ppm, respectively. Similarly, the samples from Tehran province showed that their crocin content varied showing 300, 300 and 280 ppm crodn under light, dark and refrigerated conditions respectively. It is concluded that the dried saffron stigmas could be best preserved under dark conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tractors play an important role in agricultural mechanization. A repairable mechanical system (as agricultural tractor) is prone to deterioration or repeated failures. In this study, the owners of three hundred tractors, which include Massey Ferguson (MF285 model and MF399 model), John Deere (JD3140 model) and Universal (U650 model), were interviewed, from five regions of Khouzestan Province. A regression model was used to predict the tractors failure rate. The machine failure pattern was carefully studied and key factors affecting the failure rate were identified in these regions. The data obtained from farm records valid by using questionnaire was separated into two groups according to how those tractors were stored. Results showed that the majority of recorded failures were observed in the electrical system for all tractors. According to the results of the research, different storage policies significantly affected the failure rate for MF285, MF399 and JD3140 tractors (63%, 55.5% and 61.6% respectively), whereas inside storage of U650 tractors slightly decreased the failure rate (7.4%). Also, closed storage condition was found to reduce annual repair and maintenance costs by 33.6%, 33.6%, 29.6% and 2.56% in comparison with open air storage condition for the study tractors respectively. The observational estimate showed that all tractors were in the wear out period under outside storage conditions, against inside storage had a considerable effect on the failure rate of MF285, MF399 tractors and they were commonly in a randomized breakdown period within their useful life, JD3140 tractors were in the beginning of wear out period, but U650 tractors were in the wear out period for both storage conditions. Therefore, it can be said that by storing the tractors out of the weather conditions slowly exposed by failure and breakdowns, especially in warm climate and presented of dust haze phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of storage condition (room temperature and sunlight exposure) of eight carbonated beverages sold in Nigeria were assessed over a period of 15 weeks of storage time. Properties such as antimony (Sb) leaching, pH, acidity, specific gravity (S.G.) and total soluble solid content (TSSC) were analyzed using appropriate instrument and methodology at three weeks interval respectively. The concentration of Sb determined ranged from 0.001-0.011 mg/L and 0.001-0.0015 mg/L for room temperature and sunlight exposure. pH was between 2.82-4.81 and 2.82-4.82. TSSC were 0-14 O brix and 0-14.96 O brix. Acidity were 0.025-0.19 and 0.025-0.34. Specific gravity was 0.9921-1.052 and 0.9921-1.0577. The result shows that pH decreased with time as Sb, TSSC, acidity and S.G. increased with time thereby influencing significance (p<0.05). Difference in Sb amounts shows that sunlight exposure had more impacts compared to room temperature as storage time increased. TSSC values increased steadily leading to hydrolysis of sugar and other chemical ingredients, thus affecting the specific gravity. Acidity impacted by increased reactivity from carbon dioxide present, which reduces pH of the drink. Chemometric assessment such as contamination factor and pollution load index indicate low concentration and no pollution associated. Factor analysis conducted showed that all parameters and storage time were positively interrelated except for pH due to side reaction. Cumulative variance showed high variance (>50). Health risk assessment conducted for adults and children showed that Tolerable Dose Index and Hazard Index were below one, thus indicates no adverse health impact as the values were relatively higher in children compared to adults. Prolong consumption of carbonated drinks stored longer than expected can cause fatigue and headaches on a short-term basis, and weight loss and diabetes on a long run especially in children. Regular parental monitoring is advised to mitigate health impact for children.

There has been no standard method for sampling and analysis of siloxane in biogas. The appropriate sampling method must ensure that the composition of samples collected in siloxanes does not change during sampling and analysis. To this end, three sampling methods (two-tandem (section A and B)) impingers with acetone as absorbent (TTIA), coconut activated carbon adsorbent tubes (CACT), and silica gel adsorbent tubes (SGT)) were evaluated in this paper. Hexamethyldisiloxane (L2), hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) detected in section B were less than 7% of those in section A of the three methods. The gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for quantitative analysis of the siloxane in the samples. The results demonstrated that target compounds were completely adsorbed by the three methods. For D3, D4, and D5, recovery rates of CACT were 103%, 126%, and 120%, recovery rates of SGT were 114%, 112%, and 114%, and recovery rates of TTIA were 45%, 86%, and 92%, respectively. According to the one-way analysis of variance test, there was no significant difference between recovery rates of CACT and SGT, whereas they were higher than those of TTIA. The siloxane contents in dry synthesis gas collected by three methods were generally higher than those in wet synthesis gas. The contents of D3, D4, and D5 did not change significantly with storage temperatures except L2. However, the content of D3 stored at 25 °C was unstable over time, which reduced by 16% on average at 12 h. [Display omitted] • Due to the competitive adsorption of water, the content of siloxanes captured by CACT, SGT, and TTIA sampling methods decreased by 32%, 32%, and 19%. • The two-section SGT was a suitable sampling method for VMS in biogas. • -15 °C was conducive to the stable storage of VMSs collected by silica gel adsorbent tubes for 60 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Changes in the composition of hemp seed oil were monitored. • An "oxidative wave" was observed without a subsequent degeneration of the oil. • The oil, stored for 3 months in a dark-light cycle, did not significantly oxidize. Several analytical parameters were evaluated to investigate changes in the composition of a cold-pressed hemp seed oil over a period of 3 months of storage. The environmental conditions applied for the conservation were 12 h of light and 12 of darkness at room temperature, to mime a grocery or supermarket shelf, and the oil was stored in amber glass bottles. The peroxide value was quite low on freshly produced oil (2.66 ± 0.29 mEqO 2 /kg of oil) and decreased after 3 months (1.35 ± 0.08 mEqO 2 /kg of oil), as confirmed by free radical concentration, while no other statistically significant (one-way ANOVA, Tukey's HSD test, p < 0.05) differences were observed (e.g. conjugated diene and triene systems, Oxidative Stability Index and free acidity). The fatty acid, cannabinoids and tocopherols composition did not statistically change; expect for δ-tocopherol, for which a decrease was observed. The overall results did not show a strong effect of photooxidation on the oil, despite its high degree of unsaturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of temperature and relative humidity (RH) on ochratoxin A (OTA) formation during liquorice root storage were investigated. For this purpose, a real storage procedure in which fresh root was dried in the open air was simulated. Four RH-temperature combinations corresponding to average climate conditions (RH-temperature) of each season in an important liquorice growing and processing region were simulated as follows: A, autumn (T = 15°C, RH = 49%); B, winter (T = 9°C, RH = 51%); C, spring (T = 22°C, RH = 35%); and D, summer (T = 29°C, RH = 27%). The crushed fresh roots were incubated for 60 days, and the OTA content of the roots was determined at 20-day intervals by using inverse ion mobility spectrometry. The results showed that the maximum levels of OTA occurred after 40 days and were 4.3 ± 1.1, 0.9 ± 0.2, 7.3 ± 0.0 and 24.2 ± 2.5 ngg−1in roots stored under simulated conditions A, B, C and D, respectively. After 40 days, the amount of OTA started to decline in all samples but at different rates. The results seem to indicate that temperature plays a more significant role than RH in producing OTA by moulds in liquorice root. It appears that 22°C could be considered as the critical temperature for OTA formation in liquorice root stored under experimental conditions. It could be concluded that liquorice-processing plants should obtain, dry and store fresh moist root when the temperature is below the critical point. Moreover, the roots stored in the open shade condition should not be covered by plastic films even when it is raining as this increases the root temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Moringa oleifera is one of the natural coagulants considered as an alternative to synthetic coagulants. Several studies were carried out on the usage and extraction of this natural coagulant. In this study, the coagulation activity of spray-dried salt-extracted M. oleifera seeds powder was investigated under different storage conditions, packaging forms and storage duration. The spray-dried salt-extracted M. oleifera seeds powder was stored at room temperature (29°C) and refrigerator temperature (3°C); under different packaging forms; closed container and vacuum packed stored for 6 weeks. Optimization of spray-dried salt-extracted M. oleifera shows that the optimal dosage is half of the nonspray-dried salt-extracted M. oleifera. The results of residual turbidity of different packaging and storage conditions of saltextracted M. oleifera show that there was no significant difference between them. The coagualtion activity decreased insiginficantly with the increase of storage duration during the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of common storage condition (i.e., temperature and period) on the phytochemical contents of Korean cabbage was investigated. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of fresh Korean cabbage extract were 308.48 μg gallic acid equivalent/g d.w. and 5.33 μg quercetin equivalent/g d.w., respectively. Seven glucosinolate peaks were detected in Korean cabbage representing progoitrin, glucoalyssin, gluconapin, glucobrassicanapin, glucobrassicin, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin, and neoglucobrassicin based on HPLC and LC-MS analysis. The concentration of total glucosinolates in fresh Korean cabbage was 13.55 μmol/g d.w. Our results suggest that the total glucosinolate content in Korean cabbage did not much change more over 7 days of storage at 4°C but a little bit decreased in stored at ambient temperature. The extractable β-carotene, lutein as well as tocopherol contents in Korean cabbage were decreased by increasing storage period at both temperatures of 4°C and ambient temperature. Longer storage period at ambient temperature may reduce the levels of health promoting compounds. Based on our results refrigeration at 4°C can help preserve the nutritive value of Korean cabbage by maintaining high levels of glucosinolates and other bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to perform freshness evaluation of spinach using a scale that reflects consumer perception of spinach freshness. Five different storage conditions with different air exposure levels and storage temperatures (4°C and 15°C) were selected from the preliminary test. Focus group interviews (FGIs) were conducted to develop a freshness scale by investigating consumer concepts and descriptions of freshness. A total of 338 consumers in Korea (n =149) and the US (n =189) participated in the sensory evaluation of spinach using the freshness scale developed from the FGI. In addition, physical measurements of spinach (weight and color) were performed and the correlation between the physical and sensory test results was analyzed. The freshness scale was developed by locating five descriptive terms on a 15 point category scale based on the FGI result: “Fresh as just purchased”, “Relatively fresh”, “Neither fresh nor wilted”, “Relatively wilted”, and “Too wilted to use”. The US scale used the best semantic translations to reflect the same freshness perception: “Very fresh”, “Fresh”, “Somewhat fresh”, “Not fresh, but acceptable”, and “Unacceptable”. The consumer group in both countries significantly distinguished the five samples from different conditions (p <0.05). However, Korean and the US consumers gave different ranges of scores. Weight loss increased as spinach samples were more exposed to air and the freshness score was negatively correlated to % weight loss (r =−0.97, −0.93, Korea and the US, respectively). Color measurement results were not consistent across different conditions in both countries. Therefore, % weight loss could be used as a physical measurement method appropriate for the evaluation of spinach freshness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Freezing of herring ( Clupea harengus) for human consumption is increasing in the Nordic herring industry, either onboard the fishing vessels or right after landing. The quality of frozen herring as a raw material does not only depend on the frozen storage conditions applied, but also on compositional features, something which in turn can vary with season and catching ground. To unravel the link between biological variations, basic muscle composition, and sensory properties of frozen herring, a unique herring raw material was caught by commercial fishing vessels at three locations: around Iceland, outside the Norwegian coast, and in Kattegat/Skagerrak. The samplings were done according to a specific scheme and conducted over several seasons and 2 years. The herring was converted into butterfly fillets, packed in cardboard boxes, frozen, and then stored at -20 °C or -80 °C for up to 18 mo. The sensory quality was characterized by objective sensory profiling. It was shown that two generalized sensory variables could be defined from a principal component analysis of the sensory data. Except for the expected pronounced effect from storage time, the most distinct variation followed the lipid content, which in turn varied with season. An unexpected conclusion was that catching location only had a minor affect on the changes in sensory quality of herring during frozen storage. Knowledge about how season and catching location affect herring during frozen storage will be useful for optimizing the utilization of herring for frozen storage for human consumption. Practical Application: The results of this study constitute important information for the herring processing industry when handling raw materials with different geographical and seasonal history. The reported information on a highly equal sensory quality of geographically diverse raw materials will give consumers and retailers valuable knowledge on the changes in eating quality to expect after long-term frozen storage under conditions similar to household freezers or refrigerated counters in supermarkets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study evaluated the potential of fluorescence as an indicator of pork quality by determining the effects of various conditions on fluorescence signatures (excitation at 420nm, emission at 550–750nm). Storage of porcine musculus longissimus dorsi in PE bags led to a clear increase in porphyrin fluorescence intensity after approx. 10d post mortem. Modified gas atmosphere (70% O2, 30% CO2) inhibited the fluorescence emission of zinc protoporphyrin and protoporphyrin IX due to quenching by oxygen. Bleaching processes caused similar effects by halogen light exposure during meat storage. However, already formed signals could not be manipulated by oxygen or halogen light. Storage under vacuum reduced the quenching effects and resulted in increased fluorescence intensities. Freezing and thawing of meat samples delayed and reduced the increase in fluorescence intensity. Only minor effects could be detected at long-term frozen storage for two months. Consequently porphyrin fluorescence analysis is a potential means to indicate changes of pork quality and remaining shelf life. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Traumatic injuries of the spine are mostly the consequence of rapid overload e.g. impact loading. In vitro investigations on this topic usually encompass biomechanical testing using frozen/thawed specimens and employ quasi-static loading conditions. It is generally accepted that a freezing/thawing cycle does not alter mechanical properties for slow loading rates. However, this has never been investigated for high impact velocities. In order to assess the effects of freezing/thawing and the influence of different impact velocities, we loaded 27 fresh and 15 frozen/thawed cadaveric rabbit spinal segments (intervertebral disc with one third of the adjacent vertebrae) with different impact energies and velocities using a custom-made, dropped-weight loading device. Endplate fractures were assessed by micro-CT scans. Specimen dimensions (disk, bone, and total height) and vertebrae bone density (BV/TV) were compared pre- and post-trauma. Energy absorption by spinal segments was quantified by measuring the initial ball rebound. We found that freezing/thawing increased endplate fracture frequency and decreased the energy absorption of the segments. Higher impact velocities increased the energy absorption, while higher impact energy increased both energy absorption and fracture frequency. Two conclusions are drawn: first, under impact loading, freezing alters permanently the biomechanical response, and second, for different impact velocities, different fracture initiation mechanisms apply. Therefore, quasi-static loading of frozen/thawed spinal segments is not a valid model for traumatic endplate injuries. However, caution should be exercised in extrapolating these findings to human vertebrae until tests on larger vertebrae are performed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Premise of the study: Little is known about the effect of environmental conditions on seed dormancy break at the community level or how it could be affected by climate change. This study tested the effects of storage conditions on germination of 489 species from high-elevation natural grasslands on the Tibet Plateau. • Methods: We stored seeds in dry cold, dry warm, and wet cold environments to test the effect of these conditions on germination. Germination responses were classified with the use of cluster analysis. The effect of phylogeny on germination response to storage conditions was determined. • Key results: Compared with results of wet cold conditions, storing seeds at dry warm or dry cold conditions decreased the mean community germination percentage by 17.93% and 16.07%, respectively. Storing seeds at dry warm vs. dry cold conditions decreased the community mean germination percentage by 4.61%. The germination response to moisture conditions during storage showed significant phylogenetic patterns, whereas the germination response to storage temperature did not. On the basis of the germinability of seeds of the same species stored under different conditions, germination may increase, decrease, or stay the same. • Conclusions: Within the high-elevation Tibetan grassland community, the different responses in dormancy breaking and germination behavior to the same storage conditions may have implications for understanding how this community might respond to climate change, in particular, some species may increase in the community, whereas others may decrease or remain the same. However, the potential for such change can be detected only by studying the responses of many species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Weedy rice (Oryza sativa L.), characterised by competitiveness, seed longevity, and dormancy is a troublesome weed to rice fields. Furthermore, its close botanical affinity to cultivated rice makes its control particularly difficult. However, winter flooding of rice fields can be an efficient technique to control weedy rice infestation by promoting weed seed decay, animal predation, or germination. The effects of winter flooding on weedy rice plant and seed densities were assessed via two methods: field study of plant densities and laboratory study of germination behaviour. In the field experiment, weedy rice plant density decreased following application of winter flooding. In fact, winter flooding resulted in more than a 95% reduction in the number of viable weedy rice seeds on the soil surface as compared to reductions in the range of 26–77% on fields left dry between rice crops. The laboratory study showed that weedy rice germinability was affected by storage duration, moisture condition, and thermal regimen. In general, seed germinability increased with storage duration. Both awnless and awned populations displayed poor germinability under low temperature seed storage, but displayed differences when moisture content varied. At −20°C, we observed, on average, 58% of seeds to be non-viable when stored for 248 days in water. At +5°C the awnless population showed higher germination percentages following shorter storage durations, particularly water stored seeds. At +25°C, the highest germination values were recorded in both populations after dry storage, whereas in water, total germination of the awnless population was inversely related to storage duration. Under typical field temperatures, in dry conditions germination behaviour was intermediate between that displayed at +5°C and +25°C, while storage in water resulted in a faster dormancy breaking in both populations. The results suggest that winter flooding can be a useful practice to mitigate weedy rice infestations as it promotes germination already in the autumn, before rigorous winter conditions, and favours the decay of non-germinated seeds under low temperature conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to compare whole blood and plasma in terms of the subsequent accuracy of blood lactate, glucose, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) measurement. Blood samples were drawn from 8 male Wistar-Kyoto rats. The rats were homologous, weighed 300-380 g, were housed in the same environment, and were provided with food and water under the same conditions. Blood draws occurred in all rats at same time. The blood specimens were divided into two samples, one to be stored as whole blood (WBS) and one to be stored as plasma (PS). All the blood sample analyses were performed by trained and experienced personnel to ensure that differences in results were due to variation in form in which specimens were stored rather than to technique. The lactate concentration in the WBS group gradually increased over time, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.541, 95% confidence interval (CI; -0.197, 0.893), and was higher than that of the PS group, ICC = 0.897, 95% CI (0.733, 0.976). By contrast, glucose level gradually declined for the WBS group, ICC= -0.367, 95% CI (-2.563, 0.682). Whole blood storage increased measurement variation for lactate, glucose, LDH, and CPK. Plasma storage prolonged the stability of the biochemical components. This study demonstrates the importance of evaluating validity at each stage of developing and testing animal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate standardization of the preanalytical phase is of pivotal importance for achieving reliable results of coagulation tests. Because information on the suitable storage conditions for coagulation testing is controversial, we aimed at investigating the sample stability with regard to the temperature and time before centrifugation. The activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen and D-dimer were assayed in specimens collected from 26 consecutive patients on antivitamin K therapy on the ACL TOP analyzer. Three primary 3.6-ml siliconized evacuated tubes containing 0.109 mol/l buffered trisodium citrate were sequentially collected from each patient. These three tubes were mixed, pooled and divided into seven identical aliquots. The first aliquot was immediately centrifuged according to the standard protocol [1500 g for 15 min at room temperature (RT)] and analyzed. The other aliquots were left for 3, 6 and 24 h, respectively, at RT or 4 °C, and then centrifuged and analyzed. Test results were compared with those obtained on the reference specimen. Statistically significant prolongations were observed for aPTT in all the samples. Such differences exceeded the analytical quality specifications for desirable bias in the samples stored for 24 h. A significant reduction, yet comprised within the desirable bias, was observed for PT and fibrinogen in uncentrifuged specimens stored at RT for 3 and 6 h. No significant biases could be recorded in D-dimer. In conclusion, a 6-h storage of uncentrifuged specimens at either RT or 4 °C may still be suitable to achieve results of routine coagulation testing comprised within the analytical quality specifications for desirable bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tabebuia chrysotricha (Mart. ex A. DC.) Standl. is a tree species of high ecological, economical and landscape value. Its seeds present significant variation in quality during storage, which hampers the development of propagation techniques. The objective of this research was, through variations in seed water content and environment temperature, to study the physiological performance of Tabebuia chrysotricha seeds during storage. Fruits were hand-collected from mother plants and placed under shade for a short time to allow easy extraction by hand. Firstly, the initial moisture content of the whole seed lot was determined, and a portion of it was drawn so that to represent the control treatment, with the highest moisture level to be studied (21,1%). Following that, the remaining seeds were dried in a forced air dryer at 28 ± 2°C, for different periods, in order to obtain water contents of 15,9, 13,6, 11,9, and 8,5%. The portions, corresponding to the different moisture degrees were stored at temperatures of-12, 10 and 20°C. Initially and at 30 day intervals until 270 days of storage, seeds were evaluated in relation to water content, germination, emergence, speed of emergence, and length of aerial seedling parts. The highest and the lowest moisture contents studied (21,1 and 8,5%) were detrimental to the physiological quality of the seeds even at the extremely low storage temperature of-12°C. The preservation of Tabebuia chrysotricha seeds, with water content between 8,5% and 22,1%, is favored by the water content of 11,9% at the temperatures of 10 and -12°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A rapid ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method was developed for feasible separation and quantification of 26 amino acids in royal jelly. The analysis was performed on Acquity UPLC system with Acquity UPLC AccQ·Tag Ultra Column within 8min. The correlation coefficient values (r 2 >0.9978) indicated good correlations between the investigated compounds’ concentrations and their peak areas within the test ranges. The limits of quantitation and detection of 26 amino acids were 42.7–235.1ng/mL and 12.9–69.3ng/mL, respectively. The recoveries ranged from 90.1% to 100.9% and the overall relative standard deviations for intra- and inter-day were lower than 2.8%. The results showed that UPLC was a powerful tool for the analysis of amino acids in royal jelly. The method was also applied to quantitatively determine free amino acid (FAA) and total amino acid (TAA) profiles in RJ samples stored at different temperatures (−18°C, 4°C and 25°C) for different time intervals (1, 3, 6 and 10 months). Results showed that the average contents of FAA and TAA in fresh royal jelly were 9.21mg/g and 111.27mg/g, respectively; the major FAAs were Pro, Gln, Lys, Glu, and the most abundant TAAs were Asp, Glu, Lys and Leu. Although the concentration of most FAAs and TAAs showed no significant difference during storage, contents of total Met and free Gln decreased significantly and continuously, and might be a parameter to predict the quality of royal jelly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: (a) To evaluate the effects of storage duration, storage condition and type of fiber post on post fracture strength. (b) To morphologically evaluate the post structure before and after storage. Methods: Three types of fiber posts were divided in different groups (n =14) according to the storage duration (1, 6, 12 months), and storage condition (dry at 37°C; saline water at 37°C; mineral oil at 37°C and storage inside the roots of extracted human teeth immersed in saline water at 37°C). Specimens were loaded in a universal testing machine with a compressive load until fracture. A 3-way ANOVA and Tukey''s test (α =.05) were used to compare the effect of the experimental factors on the fracture strength. Two posts of each group were observed before and after the storage using a scanning electron microscope. Results: Storage conditions and post type, had a significant effect on post fracture strength (p <0.05). The interaction between these factors was significant (p <0.05). Water storage significantly decreased the fracture strength, regardless of the post type and the storage duration. Storage inside roots, in oil, and at dry conditions did not significantly affect post fracture strength. SEM micrographs revealed voids between fibers and resin matrix for posts stored in water. Posts stored under the other conditions showed a compact matrix without porosities. Significance: Fiber posts placed inside human root canals immersed in water are not affected by the detrimental effect of water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sediment treatment and sediment storage may alter sediment toxicity, and consequently biotic response. Purpose of our study was to combine these three aspects (treatment–toxicity–biotic response) in one integrated approach. We used Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS) concentrations as a proxy of the disturbance of the sediment. AVS and Simultaneously Extracted Metal (SEM) concentrations were compared to bioassay responses with the freshwater benthic macroinvertebrate Asellus aquaticus. Storage conditions and sediment treatment affected AVS but not SEM levels. AVS can be used as a proxy for sediment disturbance. The best way to pretreat the sediment for use in a bioassay in order to maintain initial AVS conditions was to sample the sediment with an Ekman grab, immediately store it in a jar without headspace, and freeze it as soon as possible. In a survey using seven different sediments, bioassay responses of A. aquaticus were correlated with SEM and AVS characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Vacuum cooling was used as a rapid cooling method for white mushrooms. In the current study, experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of different storage conditions on weight loss, the respiration rate, soluble solid content, membrane permeability and degree of mushrooms browning. To investigate the influence of storage conditions on the properties of mushrooms, mushrooms were stored in three different conditions: (1) cold room, (2) hypobaric room, and (3) modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Additionally, their cooling processes were also investigated. The results showed that the optimum storage condition was modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Also the results indicated that weight loss, respiration rate, soluble solid content, membrane permeability and degree of mushrooms browning had significant difference under different conditions during storage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruit were stored in air at 25°C, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, polyethylene bag of 0.01mm thickness) at 1 and 6°C, controlled atmospheres (CA) of 10% O2 +1% CO2 and, CA with 70% O2 treatment for 24h at first, then stored in CA with 10% O2 +1% CO2 at 1°C, to determine the effects of atmospheres and temperatures on quality attributes, physiological properties and storability during storage periods. The results indicated CA with 10% O2 +1% CO2 was more effective in reducing fruit decay, SSC/TA, pH, activities of endo-PG and exo-PG, inhibiting ethyl acetate accumulation in fruit, inducing ethanol accumulation in fruit at later storage period in comparison with MAP treatment. Loquat fruit could be stored in this CA condition at 1°C for more than 50d with normal flavour and low decay index of about 7%. Short term high-O2 treatment at the beginning of storage had little effect on fruit flavor, but stimulated ethanol accumulation in loquat fruit, and reduced activities of endo-PG and exo-PG. MAP treatment showed more effectiveness in reducing fruit decay, off-flavor and weight loss at 1°C than at 6°C. CA conditions were more effective for reducing the activities of PPO and oxidative stress compared to other treatments, which may be the reason why loquat fruit stored in CA conditions had lower decay index than that kept in other conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study evaluated the influence of curing method and storage condition on the microhardness of dual cure resin cements: Panavia F 2.0 (PF) and Nexus 2 (NX). The specimens were either light cured (LC) or chemically cured in darkness (CC). After 24 hours of storage in dry chamber (Dry) or distilled water (DW), the specimens were sectioned and polished. The microhardness of resin cement matrix was measured using a nanoindentation tester (ENT-1100). The data (n=6) were statistically analyzed with t test, two way ANOVA (p<0.05), and Tukey HSD test (α = .05). It was found that the factors of curing method and storage condition had significant effect an microhardness. For both PF and NX, LC presented higher microhardness than CC, while DW showed higher microhardness than Dry. In conclusion, dual cure resin cements could achieve high degree of cure when light-cured. In addition, the microhardness of the resin cements evaluated did not decrease when kept in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peach fruit (Amygdalus persica cv. Okubao) were inoculated with either antagonist Cryptococcus laurentii or pathogen Penicillium expansum and stored at 20 and 0 °C to investigate the effect of antagonist and pathogen on some pro- and anti-oxidant enzymes in non-infected flesh of fruit during storage. Both C. laurentii and P. expansum markedly induced activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in peach fruit at 20 °C, whereas only P. expansum had a significant effect on the inducing of malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the fruit. C. laurentii showed more efficiency in the promotion of PPO, POD and SOD activities of peach fruit than P. expansum. At 0 °C the inducing effect on the pro- and anti-oxidant enzymes by the yeast and pathogen was complex. The results indicated that both C. laurentii and P. expansum could induce anti-oxidant enzyme synthesis at 20 and 0 °C, but the rate of induction depended on storage temperature, inoculation time and treatment. PPO might play a key role in the defence system at both temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Prolyl endopeptidase (EC 3.4.21.26) (PEP) is present in nearly all investigated mammalian cells and biological fluids and might be involved in the degradation of physiologically important neuropeptides. To be able to investigate the variation of PEP in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in human disease, the factors influencing analysis of PEP in these body fluids must be determined. The purpose of the present work was to study the influence of storage conditions, anticoagulation additives, freezing and thawing and substrate solvent on determination of PEP in blood plasma/serum and CSF. It was found that the PEP activity was about 10% higher in plasma (with EDTA and heparinate for anticoagulation) than in serum. Storage at room temperature (20 degrees C) caused a rapid decline in enzyme activity, which was smaller but still considerable at 4 degrees C. Storage at -20 degrees C and -70 degrees C did not decrease the PEP activity. Freezing and thawing of plasma/serum samples showed that the first freeze-thawing cycle produced a 20% reduction in enzyme activity but little further decrease was observed during subsequent cycles of freeze-thawing. In conclusion, PEP activity should preferably be measured within one hour after sampling using EDTA- or heparinate plasma. For long-term storage, samples should be immediately frozen and stored at -20 degrees C or colder. The selection and amount of the organic solvent used to dissolve the fluorogenic substrate strongly influenced the sensitivity of the assay. By developing an optimal solvent system an increase in assay sensitivity of about 400% could be obtained, which for the first time allowed measurement of the PEP activity in CSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fresh pollen vitality, the effect of different storage conditions on the pollen vitality, and the difference of vitality among the species of seven species of Syringa were determined in Shenyang, China. The results indicated that the pollen vitality (81.5%) of Syringa villosa was the highest among the seven tested species, followed by S. microphylla and S. meyeri, and that of S. oblata var. affinis was the lowest. The low temperature was the best condition for storage of pollen of Syringa, and the most proper temperature for the storage was 0–2°C. The storability of S. microphylla was the best of all, and it could be stored over 60 days at the temperature of 0–2°C, next was S. villosa and S. meyeri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) has been recently proposed as a novel promising sanitizer and cleaner in the agricultural and food industries. However, several factors, including water hardness, were considered to strongly affect the physical properties and sanitization efficacy of SAEW. To study the effect of water hardness on the SAEW production, we evaluated the production properties and sanitization effect of SAEW, which was generated from water sources in 16 representatively geographical locations of South Korea. The results showed that the hardness of water sources from Kangwon-do, Jeollanam-do, and Daegu was 22-41 ppm; that from Busan, Gyeongnam-do, Gwangju Bukgu was 80-443 ppm, and that from seven other locations was 41-79 ppm. SAEW is produced from water hardness less than 50 ppm and greater than 80 ppm was beyond the accepted pH range (5.0-6.5). Notably, high-hardness water (>80 ppm) containing 5% HCl could be used to produce SAEW with accepted pH. The SAEW generated from low-hardness water with additions of 2% HCl and 2 M NaCl at 7 A showed accepted pH and higher germicidal effect. Furthermore, SAEW with the available chlorine concentration of 27-41 mg/L for 1 min was sufficient to completely inactivate non-spore-forming foodborne pathogens. Sanitization efficacy was not markedly affected by storage conditions for SAEW at 40 ppm. Our results demonstrated that the degree of water hardness is an important factor in the production of SAEW, which would provide a foundation for commercial application of SAEW., Competing Interests: H-YJ, NW, and MW were employed by Seoulin Bioscience Company. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yan, Jo, Chelliah, Jo, Woo, Wook and Oh.)