A domestic-like carrot cooking methodology for multiple research applications.

Domestic-oriented research focusing on food requires methodologies that closely mimic practices occurring in home kitchens while meeting scientific standards. Currently however, there is a lack of methodologies that can be implemented in both laboratory and home environments. This paper proposes a method that fulfills the scientific requirements of repeatability and reproducibility, while utilizing commonly available materials and processes found in the average household. The method is applied to the preparation, boiling, and seasoning of roots of Daucus carota L. ("carrots"), which can be employed in various scientific fields with only minor adjustments. Three scientific experiments utilizing this methodology are presented, namely sensory evaluation, ionic chromatography measurements, and NMR experiments. In the existing literature, numerous protocols have been used for carrot sample preparation, hindering direct comparisons between studies. In this paper we would like to highlight the ability of the methodology to enhance comparability, as well as its potential utilization in other research applications. The main principles underlying the proposed methodology can also be extrapolated to prepare samples of several other vegetables or cereals.•Comprehensive guidelines for standardizing the shapes, lengths, and widths of carrots are outlined, ensuring minimal variability while preserving the integrity of the raw material.•The cooking method for carrots is tailored to utilize commonly available household materials, while meeting scientific standards required for research purposes.•Seasoning practices involving readily available domestic materials, like commercial salt, are suggested.

Three-dimensional soft tissue changes in orthodontic extraction and non-extraction patients: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the soft tissue changes in orthodontic extraction and non-extraction patients on 3D stereophotogrammetric images. SETTING AND SAMPLE: 23 extraction (22.2 ± 9.2 years) and 23 non-extraction (20.3 ± 11.1 years) consecutive patients were enrolled at the Sections of Orthodontics at Aarhus University and at University of Naples Federico II. METHODS: All patients had a first 3D image taken after bonding of brackets on the upper incisors (T0), and a second 3D image (T1) after space closure in the extraction group or at insertion of the first SS or TMA rectangular wire in the non-extraction group. The 3D images were captured with 3dMDFace System and analysed with 3dMDVultus Software. After placing 19 landmarks, 15 measurements were obtained. Intragroup changes were analysed with paired t-test and intergroup changes with unpaired t-test (P < .05). RESULTS: Superimpositions of the 3D images at T0 and T1 visualized with colour-coded maps showed that soft tissue changes primarily happened in the perioral area in both groups. The Nasolabial angle increased significantly in the extraction group (3°± 4.1, P = .002), while it decreased in the non-extraction group (-1.5°± 5.5°, P = .002). There was a significant difference between the two groups (4.4°, P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: 3D comparison of the soft tissues in the extraction and non-extraction groups showed statistically significant, but clinically limited differences in the perioral area. The Nasolabial angle was significantly larger at T1 in the extraction group compared with the non-extraction group.

Development of a methodology to study typicity of PDO wines with professionals of the wine sector.

BACKGROUND: Today, many agricultural products claiming a link to their origin and typicity receive a warm welcome on the market. Nevertheless, the notion of typicity is blurred for consumers and needs to be objectified for communication purposes. This study aims at formalizing a methodology for studying typicity of terroirs, with PDO wines as an example, using a participatory approach with professionals of the wine sector from terroirs, using focus group and tasting. The vision of typicity of terroirs by professionals outside of these terroirs has been studied by a free word association task. RESULTS: This study allowed a clear distinguishing of the typicity of the studied terroirs. Professionals from terroirs identified the global conceptual typicity of their terroirs using various factors, mainly soil, geography and grape variety, whereas professionals outside terroirs expressed their visions of terroirs by reputation or sensory characteristics of wines. Tasting results showed a discrimination of wines based on their typicity and highlighted descriptors involved in sensory perceptual typicity for each studied terroir. CONCLUSIONS: Professionals from terroirs share a common vision of their typicity and identify more typicity factors than professionals outside terroirs. Sensory typicity has been highlighted for five of the six terroirs studied, according to the various descriptors. The study of two populations, from and outside terroirs, shows the gap between the typicities identified by professionals from terroirs and those perceived by professionals outside terroirs. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Psychometric properties of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire: factor structure, reliability, construct, and incremental validity in a French-speaking population.

In this research, we investigated the psychometrical properties of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue, Petrides & Furnham, 2003) in a French-speaking population. In summary, we found that (a) TEIQue scores were globally normally distributed and reliable; (b) the United Kingdom four-factor structure (well-being, self-control, emotionality, sociability) replicated in our data; (c) TEIQue scores were dependent on gender but relatively independent of age; (d) there was preliminary evidence of convergent/discriminant validity, with TEIQue scores being independent of nonverbal reasoning (Raven's [1976] matrices) but positively related to some personality dimensions (optimism, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness) as well as inversely related to others (alexithymia, neuroticism); (e) there was also preliminary evidence of criterion validity, with TEIQue scores predicting depression, anxiety, and social support as well as future state affectivity and emotional reactivity in neutral and stressful situations; (f) TEIQue scores were susceptible to socially desirable responding; however, (g) TEIQue scores had incremental validity to predict emotional reactivity over and above social desirability, alexithymia, and the Five-factor model of personality. Such results constitute encouraging preliminary findings in favor of the use of the TEIQue.