Effect of constant and variable temperature drying processes on drying characteristics, quality, and volatile profile of rose petals in infrared-assisted spouted bed drying.

The edible rose (Rosa Crimson Glory) petals were dried using infrared-assisted spouted bed drying technology. The effects of different drying temperature conditions (30, 35, 40, 45, and 50°C, as well as stepped heating drying [SHD] and stepped cooling drying) on the drying characteristics, physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, and changes in volatile flavor compounds of the rose petals were investigated. The results showed that the drying time was shortened with increasing drying temperature. Both variable temperature drying processes gave the shortest drying times. Optimal color retention of rose petals was achieved at a constant temperature of 40°C and SHD. Increased drying temperature resulted in higher water-soluble polysaccharide content in the dried rose petals, whereas lower temperatures facilitated anthocyanin preservation. The variable temperature drying processes favored the retention of water-soluble polysaccharides in rose petals, but not anthocyanins. Regarding antioxidant capacity, the samples dried at 40°C and those subjected to the two variable temperature drying processes performed better. This study also analyzed the differences in volatile flavor compounds of rose petals dried under different drying conditions. It was found that the majority of volatile flavor compounds in the rose petals dried by SHD exhibited higher content levels than the other drying conditions. Therefore, considering a thorough evaluation of all relevant factors, it was clear that utilizing the SHD process was the most efficient method for obtaining the best quality rose petals overall.

The relationship between CTA performances and cardiac function indicators in myocardial bridge and mural coronary artery.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between computed tomography angiography (CTA) performances and cardiac function indicators in patients with myocardial bridge and mural coronary artery (MB-MCA). METHODS: The clinical data of 60 patients with MB-MCA receiving CTA in the First Hospital of Zhangjiakou from January 2021 to February 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into different groups based on CTA performances, including the degree of stenosis of the left anterior descending (LAD) MCA, whether there was atherosclerosis in the anterior segment of MB of LAD branch, the MB thickness, and the degree of stenosis of the LAD branch. The correlation between these TCA performances and cardiac function indicators including end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was analyzed. Besides, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive performance of cardiac function indicators for the severity of MB-MCA. RESULTS: ESV, EDV, SV, CO and LVEF were statistically different between the moderate stenosis group and mild stenosis group (all P < 0.05). EDV, SV, CO, and LVEF were statistically different between the atherosclerosis group and non-atherosclerosis group (all P < 0.05). SV, CO, LVEF in the deep group were lower than that in the superficial group (all P < 0.05). EDV, CO, LVEF were different between the LAD moderate stenosis group and LAD mild stenosis group (all P < 0.05). The AUC (areas under the curve) of combined detection of ESV, EDV, SV, CO, and LVEF in predicting the severity of MB-MCA was 0.907, which was higher than the single indicator predictive effect. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac function indicators, mainly CO and LVEF are correlated with the CTA performance of MB-MCA patients. The combination of cardiac function indicators has a good effect in predicting the severity of MB-MCA.

Diagnostic value of myocardial bridge-mural coronary artery vascular morphology based on CTA technique.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of coronary CT angiography (CTA) technique on the vascular morphology of the myocardial bridge-mural coronary artery (MB-MCA). METHODS: In this retrospective study, 180 patients with suspected MB-MCA attending Hebei Huaao Hospital from February 2019 to February 2020 were analyzed. The image quality, myocardial bridge distribution, type, length, and degree of stenosis of wall coronary vessels were compared between CTA and Coronary angiography (CAG). The area under the curve (AUC) was used to analyze the diagnostic efficiency of CTA. RESULTS: There was no difference in the excellent CTA image quality rate between the two methods (P > 0.05). The mean length of myocardial bridges measured by CTA was greater than that measured by CAG (P < 0.05), while the mean degree of stenosis measured by CTA was lower than that measured by CAG (P < 0.05). The Kappa value of CTA for determining MB-MCA stenosis versus CAG results was 0.831 (P < 0.05); The Kappa value of CTA for determining MB-MCA versus CAG results was 0.895 (P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the AUC was 92.41, sensitivity was 98.73%, and specificity was 92.47% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CTA showed good distribution and length of myocardial bridges, high accuracy for MB-MCA assessment and diagnosis, and good agreement with the gold standard CAG diagnosis.

Ant-mimicking thrips of the genus Compsothrips Reuter from China(Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae).

Species of Compsothrips are ant-mimics in body form and structure. In contrast to the predatory species of ant-mimicking Aeolothripidae, these species feed by ingesting fungal spores. Worldwide, there are 27 species listed in this genus, with three recorded here from China. Compsothrips tenebronus is here considered a new synonym of C. sinensis, and C. timur is newly recorded from China in Tibet. Furthermore, C. reticulates is redescribed, with details of the female given for the first time. An illustrated key is provided to the three species of Compsothrips from China.

Ultrastructure and morphology of the compound eyes of the predatory bug Montandoniola moraguesi (Insecta: Hemiptera: Anthocoridae).

The morphology and ultrastructure of the compound eye of the predatory bug, Montandoniola moraguesi (Puton, 1986) was investigated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Its compound eyes, which contain ∼195 ommatidia per eye, have the following characteristics: each ommatidium possesses a laminated corneal lens measuring ∼9 µm in diameter and ∼7 µm in thickness, a tetrapartite eucone crystalline cone, which is approximately 5.5 µm long, like a dumbbell with the distal end larger than the proximal end, eight clustered retinula cells ∼25.6 µm in length, two primary pigment cells and eight secondary primary pigment cells. The rhabdomeres of the eight retinula cells form a circular, tiered rhabdom of two elongated and six peripheral retinula cells. The rhabdomeres of cells R7 and R8 are distributed along the basolateral surface of the cone and form a centrally-fused rhabdom that spans nearly the full length of the ommatidium. The microvilli of the peripheral rhabdom (R1-R6) are radially arranged and form a bilobed, V-like shape in the central rhabdom. Based on the similarity of the compound eye of M. moraguesi to the eyes of other predatory insect species, the evolution and function of eyes in predators are briefly discussed.

Oolong tea and LR-White resin: a new method of plant sample preparation for transmission electron microscopy.

Simplifying sample processing, shortening the sample preparation time, and adjusting procedures to suitable for new health and safety regulations, these issues are the current challenges which electron microscopic examinations need to face. In order to resolve these problems, new plant tissue sample processing protocols for transmission electron microscopy should be developed. In the present study, we chose the LR-White resin-assisted processing protocol for the ultrastructural observation of different types of plant tissues. Moreover, we explored Oolong tea extract (OTE) as a substitute for UA in staining ultrathin sections of plant samples. The results revealed that there was no significant difference between the OTE double staining method and the traditional double staining method. Furthermore, in some organelles, such as mitochondria in root cells of tomatoes and chloroplast in leaf cells of watermelons, the OTE double staining method achieved little better results than the traditional double staining method. Therefore, OTE demonstrated good potentials in replacing UA as a counterstain on ultrathin sections. In addition, sample preparation time was significantly shortened and simplified using LR-White resin. This novel protocol reduced the time for preparing plant samples, and hazardous reagents in traditional method (acetone and UA) were also replaced by less toxic ones (ethanol and OTE).