Fruit-based vegan ice cream-type frozen dessert with aquafaba: effect of fruit types on quality parameters.

"Aquafaba", defined as legume cooking water, has a feature that can be used in various formulations as an egg and milk alternative in vegan products and improves functional properties such as foaming, emulsifying and gelling. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the usability of aquafaba in ice cream type frozen desserts containing different fruit purees (strawberry, nectarine and banana) by using its foaming capacity. Rheological properties, microstructure, overrun, melting characteristics, color measurement, dry matter, and sensory properties were investigated in different fruit-based frozen dessert samples. The brix value, density, protein content, foaming capacity (FC) and foaming stability (FS), flow behavior index, consistency coefficient, and overrun of aquafaba were determined as 7.1 ± 0°Bx, 1.022 ± 0.011 g/ml, 1.51 ± 0.41%, 85 ± 0% FC and 81 ± 0.23% FS, between 0.28 and 0.64, between 8.68 and 41.30 Pa·sn, between 116.75 and 395.93%, respectively. The dry matter content of the strawberry, nectarine, and banana-based dessert samples ranged between 17 and 48%, 20-49%, 25-50%, and the first dropping times were determined between 348 and 1538 s, 369-1689 s and 435-1985 s, respectively. As a result, cooking liquid leftover aquafaba can be used as a suitable raw material in the production of an alternative ice cream type frozen dessert for individuals with milk allergy, lactose intolerance or who prefer a vegan diet. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05885-y.

Posterolateral Paramass Approach to Lesions Located at the Anterior C1-2 Level: A Cadaver Study.

OBJECTIVE: A novel posteriolateral surgical approach is described that will provide safe access to intradural and extradural lesions located in the anterior part of the spinal cord (SC) at the C1-2 level and to the odontoid in single session. METHODS: A total of five cadavers and two dry C1 vertebrae were used in this study. The study involved obtaining computed tomography magnetic resonance imaging scans and magnetic resonance imaging of all cadaver groups before and after the procedures. Group 1: Control; Group 2: Unilateral C1 posterior arch was removed, the inferomedial part of C1 lateral mass was removed, and access the anterior and lateral aspects of the SC. Group 3: In addition, odontoid was removed, Group 4: In addition, unilateral C1- C2 screw was placed. Group 5: In addition, bilateral C1-C2 screw was placed. RESULTS: The median distance from the midpoint of C1 posterior tubercle to vertebral groove which was removed in groups is 21.4 ± 2.88 mm. The average width of C1 lateral mass was 13.4±2.4 mm. After the lateral mass was drilled, its width decreased to 10,2 mm.This area was sufficient to open a surgical corridor and reach the anterior of SC and odontoid. After the procedure, no instability was found in group 2 without instrumentation on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to access the anterior C1-C2 via a posterolateral paramass approach by drilling 20%-30% of the lateral mass, providing an open pathway for easy intervention in C1-C2 intradural lesions. It is also possible to perform odontoid resection using this approach.

Radiologic Examination of High Riding Vertebral Artery and Analysis of Secure Areas.

OBJECTIVE: To radiologically examine the pedicle, lamina, and vertebral artery foraminal anatomies at the C2 vertebra for pedicular and laminar screw instrumentation at the axis in a Turkish population. METHODS: From 2018 to 2019, we evaluated 100 patients who underwent cervical computed tomography (CT) for various reasons (excluding cervical pathologies) at Marmara University Hospital. The C2 pedicles were measured on CT images using measurement tools. In addition, axial computed tomography was performed at 0.1 mm intervals. Bilateral measurements were performed for each case. RESULTS: The median right and left pedicle axial diameters were 5.01 and 5.09 mm, respectively for the male patients and 4.31 and 4.38 mm for the female patients, showing a statistically significant difference between the sexes (P < 0.01). Of the patients, 15% had narrow pedicles. The pedicle sagittal diameters were smaller than 5 mm in 30% of the computed tomographic series. The internal height was <2 mm in 4% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest significant individual and sex-related differences. Vertebral artery groove anomalies are commonly observed. Before performing a posterior craniocervical instrumentation surgery, a computed tomography (CT) examination is beneficial because high-riding vertebral arteries must be kept in mind in determining the appropriate screw diameter and screw trajectory.

Determination of the process effect on cocoa butter crystallization by rheometer: Kinetic modeling by Gompertz equation.

In this study, the effects of temperature (22, 24, 26, 28, and 30°C) and strain (0.1%, 1%, and 5%) on cocoa butter (CB) crystallization were investigated by oscillatory test, and the four-parameter Gompertz model was used to interpret the effect of parameters on pre-crystallization, nucleation, and crystal growth stages of CB. Lag time and growth rate were calculated using the Gompertz model using time-dependent storage modulus (G') data. According to the results, CB crystallization at 26°C with a 1% strain value had the highest growth rate value, the shortest lag time, and the formation of ßv polymorph type. Followingly, polymorphic types of the CB crystals were determined based on the melting points of polymorphs via the temperature ramp step, and the results obtained were correlated with a polarized light microscope. In conclusion, using a rheometer in both the observation of the pre-crystallization process and the determination of polymorph types is very important for research and development studies in the chocolate industry for process and formulation optimization. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study demonstrates the feasibility of a novel approach for investigating crystallization and oscillatory shear of CB using a rheometer, both for observing crystallization kinetics and determining polymorph type, accompanied by the Gompertz equation to model the crystallization kinetics. According to the results, the effect of process parameters (temperature and shear) on the crystallization behavior of CB can be observed by rheometer, which can provide a detailed perspective for chocolate manufacturers and researchers in research and development studies.

Stem cell treatment reduces T cell apoptosis in COPD patients with chronic bronchitis but not with emphysema.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent and preventable condition. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is being explored to aid in the regeneration of lung cells and airway structure, aiming to restore lung function. AIM: To examine varied responses of MSCs when cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from different COPD phenotypes, patients were grouped into ACOS, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis categories. METHODS: PBMCs from these groups and controls were co-cultured with MSCs derived from dental follicles, revealing differing rates of apoptosis among COPD phenotypes compared to controls. RESULTS: While the chronic bronchitis group exhibited the least lymphocyte viability (p<0.01), introducing MSCs notably enhanced viability across all phenotypes except emphysema, with the chronic bronchitis group showing the most improvement (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Stem cell therapy might reduce peripheral lymphocyte apoptosis in COPD, with varying responses based on phenotype, necessitating further research to understand mechanisms and optimize tailored therapies for each COPD subtype.

Optimization of citrus fiber-enriched vegan cream cheese alternative and its influence on chemical, physical, and sensory properties.

Dairy product alternatives have increased in recent years as a result of medical prescriptions or personal preferences. The main purpose of the present study was to optimize vegan-based cream cheese formulation added with citrus fiber considering the textural and physicochemical properties of the samples. The physicochemical (pH value, water activity, and color), texture, microstructure, and sensory properties of manufactured vegan-based cream cheese were characterized and compared to those of a commercial one. Three optimized products were produced, according to the textural properties. The addition of citrus fiber did not affect the pH and water activity values of the cheese samples significantly. Although citrus fiber had an effect on the color values of the samples, a significant difference in the sensory scores was not recorded by the panelists. The sample having 1.21% citrus fiber (A) showed a hardness value similar to that of control sample and it received high sensory appreciation. The sample added with 1.41% citrus fiber (B) was scored high by the panelists, with no significant difference compared to commercial cream cheese, even though it showed high hardness. According to the results of the current research, vegan-based cream cheese can be produced as a promising food as a new alternative to milk and dairy products.

Evaluating therapeutic efficacy of extended shelf-life 90 Y glass microspheres in transarterial radioembolization for colorectal cancer: a quantitative FDG PET/CT analysis.

OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of sufficient evidence regarding the use of extended shelf-life (ExSL) Yttrium-90 ( 90 Y) glass radiomicrospheres in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of ExSL 90 Y glass radiomicrospheres with a personalized treatment approach by analyzing 18 F-FDG PET/CT quantitative parameters [metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG)] separately before and after the treatment. METHODS: A total of 93 radioembolization sessions involving 77 patients were included. Simplicit 90 Y software was utilized to perform multicompartmental voxel-based dosimetry. Adverse events were recorded using the CTCAE v5.0 criteria. The survival data were recorded in detail. RESULTS: The overall disease control rate was 84.9%, with a median overall survival (OS) of 12.7 months and median progression-free survival (PFS) of 8.3 months. A statistically significant increase in treatment response rate was observed when there was an increase in absorbed tumor dose for pre-treatment unit MTV ( P  = 0.005) and TLG ( P  = 0.004) values. We didn't observe any additional side effects/vital risks that could be considered clinically significant. CONCLUSION: Our study has provided evidence on the therapeutic effectiveness and safety in terms of dose-toxicity profile of ExSL 90 Y glass microspheres in a large cohort of mCRC patients. With a personalized treatment approach, the increase in radiation dose absorbed by the tumor has shown a significant contribution to treatment response rate, as indicated by quantitative measurements obtained through 18 F-FDG PET/CT.