Correlation analysis and modeling application from objective indicators to subjective evaluation of scented tea: A case study of rose tea.

Different scented teas provide various choices for consumers from appearance, aroma, flavor and others. Aiming to define advantages and market positions of different scented teas and promote optimization of market structure, characteristics for scented tea favored by consumers and outstanding attributes of different scented teas should be clarified. Rose tea was taken as study object. Sensory evaluation and consumer acceptance were investigated. GC-MS and HPLC fingerprints were established. Physicochemical characteristics were determined. RGB integration analysis was inventively proposed for correlation analysis. The volatile compounds with spicy, green or herbal odor as camphene, ß-phenethyl acetate, eugenol, and physicochemical parameters as antioxidant capacity, reducing sugar content, pH showed positive correlation with popular sensory properties. Six models for consumer preference by objective description were built through GA-SVR (accuracy = 1), and APP was developed. The research mode of scented tea has been successfully established to study multiple subjective characteristics with measurable objective parameters.

Insights into the flavor endowment of aroma-active compounds in cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) to stewed beef.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is one of the most commonly used spices in stewed beef to enrich and improve its aroma during the stewing process. Gas chromatography ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS), Q Exactive GC-Orbitrap-MS-O (QE-GC-MS/O), combined with sensory evaluation were employed to analyze the flavor endowment of aroma-active compounds in cloves to stewed beef. A total of 173 volatiles were identified in the clove powder (CP), stewed beef with clove (SBC), and stewed beef with salt (SBS), of which 21 volatiles were considered as aroma-active compounds. The concept of flavor endowment of aroma-active compounds in cloves was defined innovatively, and the endowment rate values (ERVs) of stewed beef were calculated. Nine aroma-active compounds in cloves were found to have a flavor endowment effect on stewed beef, while the terpenoids exhibited high ERVs. Despite the low ERV of eugenol, it still significantly impacted the aroma profile of SBC due to its high odor activity value (OAV) and flavor dilution (FD) factor. These volatiles offered mainly the clove, herbal, anise, and floral odor to stewed beef, which was also confirmed by sensory evaluation. These findings indicated that the terpenoids, phenolics and ethers in cloves had a significant influence on the overall aroma of stewed beef through the flavor endowment, which contributed to the precise use of cloves and improved the aroma of stewed beef.

Seasonal variations and sensory profiles of oolong tea: Insights from metabolic analysis of Tieguanyin cultivar.

The impact of seasonal variations on the quality of oolong tea products remains a subject of ongoing exploration. This study delves into the intricate relationships between seasonality, metabolites, and sensory characteristics in finished oolong tea products. Metabolomic data from 266 Tieguanyin oolong tea products harvested in both spring and autumn, along with corresponding sensory evaluations, were acquired. Using OPLS-DA and PLS-DA models with UPLC-QToF/MS data, our findings showed that seasonal effects were notably more pronounced in light-scented Tieguanyin products (lightly-roasted) compared to strong-scented products (moderately-roasted). Furthermore, over half of the identified key seasonal discriminant metabolites happened to be crucial for determining the sensory grade. The study marks the first-time recognition of triterpene saponins as critical factors in determining both the harvest season and the sensory grade of oolong tea. These insights deepen our understanding of the interplays between seasonal variations, metabolites, and sensory attributes in oolong tea products.

Contributions and future potential of animal models for geroscience research on sensory systems.

Sensory systems mediate our social interactions, food intake, livelihoods, and other essential daily functions. Age-related decline and disease in sensory systems pose a significant challenge to healthy aging. Research on sensory decline in humans is informative but can often be difficult, subject to sampling bias, and influenced by environmental variation. Study of animal models, including mice, rats, rabbits, pigs, cats, dogs, and non-human primates, plays a complementary role in biomedical research, offering advantages such as controlled conditions and shorter lifespans for longitudinal study. Various species offer different advantages and limitations but have provided key insights in geroscience research. Here we review research on age-related decline and disease in vision, hearing, olfaction, taste, and touch. For each sense, we provide an epidemiological overview of impairment in humans, describing the physiological processes and diseases for each sense. We then discuss contributions made by research on animal models and ideas for future research. We additionally highlight the need for integrative, multimodal research across the senses as well as across disciplines. Long-term studies spanning multiple generations, including on species with longer life spans, are also highly valuable. Overall, integrative studies of appropriate animal models have high translational potential for clinical applications, the development of novel diagnostics, therapies, and medical interventions and future research will continue to close gaps in these areas. Research on animal models to improve understanding of the biology of the aging senses and improve the healthspan and additional research on sensory systems hold special promise for new breakthroughs.

Characterization of volatile compounds and sensory properties of spine grape (Vitis davidii Foex) brandies aged with different toasted wood chips.

Aging is an important process for improving wine and brandy quality. In this study, the chemical characterization and sensory properties of spine grape brandies were compared after aging with various species of wood chips, including French oak (FO), American oak (AO), Mongolian oak (MO), Japanese blue oak (JO), chestnut, catalpa, and cherry. The results showed that high color intensity and significant concentrations of tannins and polyphenols were observed in the brandies aged with FO, AO, and chestnut chips. The volatile compounds, such as ethyl decanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl octanoate, methyl salicylate, (Z)-2-hexenol, and furfural, contributed to the floral, fruity, and roasted/smoky attributes of the brandies aged with FO, AO, and chestnut chips. The 1-butanol, 1-propanol, phenylethanol, phenylethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, and linalool contributed to the fruity, honey, and floral attributes of the brandies aged with JO and cherry chips. These findings are extremely useful for the production of differentiated and high-quality spine grape brandies.

Non-targeted metabolomics reveals the characteristics of the unique bitterness substances in quinoa.

Bitterness is a key factor that affects the consumption of quinoa products, even if they are nutritious. In this study, a non-targeted metabolomics approach based on UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS was applied to comprehensively profile the characteristic metabolites of twenty-two quinoas. A total of twenty key metabolites were identified correlated with bitterness, among which, fifteen were triterpenoid saponins. In addition, these metabolites bind to the active site of the human bitter taste receptor and are the main compounds that produce the bitter taste of quinoa. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of the origin of quinoa bitterness and provide directions for optimizing its flavor to improve market acceptance.

Soluble sugar, organic acid and phenolic composition and flavor evaluation of plum fruits.

Plums (Prunus salicina and Prunus domestica) are prevalent in southwestern China, and have attracted interest owing to their delectable taste and exceptional nutritional properties. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the nutritional and flavor properties of plum to improve its nutritional utilization. Specifically, we determined the soluble sugars, organic acids, and phenolic components in 86 accessions using high-performance liquid chromatography. Notably, glucose, fructose, malic, and quinic acids were the predominant sweetness and acidity in plums, with sucrose contributing more to the sweetness of the flesh than the peel. Moreover, The peel contains 5.5 fold more phenolics than flesh, epicatechin, gallic acid, and proanthocyanidins C1 and B2 were the primary sources of astringency. Correlation and principal component analyses showed eight core factors for plum flavor rating, and a specific rating criterion was established. Conclusively, these findings provide information on the integrated flavor evaluation criteria and for enhancing optimal breeding of plums.

Exploring the oral processing mechanisms for saltiness enhancement with NaCl nanocrystals in oleogel systems based on black pepper oleoresin and sunflower seed oil.

Reducing salt content in processed foods while maintaining flavor is crucial for human health. This study investigates the sensory interaction between the pungency of black pepper oleoresin and saltiness within an oleogel matrix by incorporating NaCl nanocrystals into a black pepper oleoresin formulated with glyceryl monostearate and soy lecithin (G-L-P). Psychophysical results revealed that the salt content in the G-L-P and G-L systems (G-L-P without black pepper oleoresin) was reduced by up to 66.77 % and 37.08 % compared to the G system (G-L without soy lecithin), respectively. During oral processing, the G-L and G-L-P systems formed oil-in-water emulsions with smaller and more numerous oil droplets. Within 5 s, the Na+ concentration was lowest in the G system (2.2 g/L), while the G-L and G-L-P systems showed higher concentrations (3.1 g/L and 3.0 g/L, respectively). This research provides a theoretical basis for the food industry to develop low-salt products without compromising flavor.

How does a superior quality sign guarantee the quality of lamb meat? The Label Rouge case.

Owing to the social, environmental and health changes in Europe, meat quality is becoming a critical issue for the long-term future of livestock farming. Label Rouge (LR) is a quality label owned by the French government that identifies food products produced inside or outside the European Union. This label guarantees the superior quality of a product compared with a standard product. This superior quality is guaranteed throughout the production process by specifications negotiated between the Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) and operators in the sector. These specifications comprise two documents: first, common production conditions that apply to all specifications in a sector, and second, a book of specifications (BoSs). These two documents, which form the qualification mechanism, are divided into several parts: product name, product description, traceability, production method, labelling and the main control points. This study aims to understand how the LR defines lamb meat quality in the 11 existing BoSs using the seven dimensions of quality of animal-source foods (nutritional, sensory, commercial, technological, safety, convenience and image). We performed a computerised qualitative transversal analysis of the commitments associated with the production method and description of the product. This analysis was enriched by five semi-structured interviews with INAO members. We show that although LR is committed to all aspects of lamb meat quality, the sensory, image and carcass commercial quality attributes are predominant. However, the image attribute of quality is so ubiquitous that it required refinement to provide a better understanding of the construction of quality in terms of its environmental, ethical and cultural components.

BDNF sensitizes bone and joint afferent neurons at different stages of MIA-induced osteoarthritis.

There is emerging evidence that Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and one of its receptors TrkB, play important roles in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) pain. Whilst these studies clearly highlight the potential for targeting BDNF/TrkB signaling to treat OA pain, the mechanism for how BDNF/TrkB signaling contributes to OA pain remains unclear. In this study, we used an animal model of mono-iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA, in combination with electrophysiology, behavioral testing, Western blot analysis, and retrograde tracing and immunohistochemistry, to identify roles for BDNF/TrkB signaling in the pathogenesis of OA pain. We found that: 1) TrkB is expressed in myelinated medium diameter neurons that innervate the knee joint and bone in naïve animals; 2) peripheral application of BDNF increases the sensitivity of Aδ, but not C knee joint and bone afferent neurons, in response to mechanical stimulation, in naïve animals; 3) BDNF expression increases in synovial tissue in early MIA-induced OA, when pathology is confined to the joint, and in the subchondral bone in late MIA-induced OA, when there is additional damage to the surrounding bone; and 4) TrkB inhibition reverses MIA-induced changes in the sensitivity of Aδ but not C knee joint afferent neurons early in MIA-induced OA, and Aδ but not C bone afferent neurons late in MIA-induced OA. Our findings suggest that BDNF/TrkB signaling may have a role to play in the pathogenesis of OA pain, through effects on knee joint afferent neurons when there is inflammation confined to the joint, and bone afferent neurons late in disease when there is involvement of damage to subchondral bone. Targeted manipulation of BDNF/TrkB signaling may provide therapeutic benefit for the management of OA pain.

Reduction of cognitive fatigue and improved performance at a VR-based driving simulator using tRNS.

Cognitive fatigue (CF) increases accident risk reducing performance, especially during complex tasks such as driving. We evaluated whether transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) could mitigate CF and improve driving performance. In a double-blind study, thirty participants performed a virtual reality truck driving task during real (n = 15) or sham (n = 15) tRNS applied bilaterally on the "anti-fatigue network". They completed two 30-min driving sessions while their driving performances were constantly monitored; heart rate was also monitored to evaluate arousal (Root-Mean-Square of successive R-R difference). tRNS was applied only during the first driving session to evaluate both online and offline stimulation effects. The primary outcome was CF reduction and performance improvement in the second (non-stimulated) driving session. Real tRNS significantly improved driving performances in the second driving session and reduced perceived CF. These results might also lead to the use of tRNS in those neurological disorders characterized by fatigue.

The severity of distal sensory polyneuropathy increasing with HIV/AIDS stage.

Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is the most common neurological problem in HIV/AIDS Patients. It represents a complex symptom that occurs because of peripheral nerve damage related to advanced HIV disease and in association with the use of antiretroviral therapy. DSP is a frequent symptom in which the specific pathophysiology is not well understood. Recently, mitochondrial toxicity and antiretroviral toxic neuropathies have been more identified as a possible etiology of DSP. This study's objective was to determine factors associated with DSP severity in HIV/AIDS patients. This cross-sectional study was followed by 50 HIV/AIDS outpatients at some hospitals in Makassar, Indonesia who met the inclusion criteria. DSP is diagnosed using non-invasive screening tools subjective peripheral neuropathy screen (SPNS) which can determine the severity of DSP in advance. Some factors were analyzed by using Pearson's chi-square test and Spearman's correlation test. Forty-three participants (86%) had diagnosed DSP which is mostly moderate in severity (48%). Statistical analysis showed significant correlation between HIV/AIDS Stage and DSP severity (p=0.032) meanwhile CD4 count, antiretroviral, body mass index (BMI), and hemoglobin level have no significant correlation to DSP severity. In conclusion, HIV/AIDS stage and DSP severity correlate where the later the stage the more severe DSP.

One respiratory cycle as a minimum time unit for making behavioral decisions in the mammalian olfactory system.

Voluntary behaviors such as sniffing, moving, and eating require decision-making accompanied by intentional respiration. Based on the study of respiration-coherent activity of rodent olfactory networks, we infer that during the inhalation phase of respiration, olfactory cortical areas process environmental odor information and transmit it to the higher multisensory cognitive areas via feedforward pathways to comprehensively evaluate the surrounding situation. We also infer that during the exhalation phase, the higher multisensory areas generate cognitive-signals and transmit them not only to the behavioral output system but also back to the olfactory cortical areas. We presume that the cortical mechanism couples the intentional respiration with the voluntary behaviors. Thus, in one respiratory cycle, the mammalian brain may transmit and process sensory information to cognize and evaluate the multisensory image of the external world, leading to one behavioral decision and one emotional expression. In this perspective article, we propose that one respiratory cycle provides a minimum time unit for decision making during wakefulness.

Sensory integration of food and population density during the diapause exit decision involves insulin-like signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Decisions made over long time scales, such as life cycle decisions, require coordinated interplay between sensory perception and sustained gene expression. The Caenorhabditis elegans dauer (or diapause) exit developmental decision requires sensory integration of population density and food availability to induce an all-or-nothing organismal-wide response, but the mechanism by which this occurs remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate how the Amphid Single Cilium J (ASJ) chemosensory neurons, known to be critical for dauer exit, perform sensory integration at both the levels of gene expression and calcium activity. In response to favorable conditions, dauers rapidly produce and secrete the dauer exit-promoting insulin-like peptide INS-6. Expression of ins-6 in the ASJ neurons integrates population density and food level and can reflect decision commitment since dauers committed to exiting have higher ins-6 expression levels than those of noncommitted dauers. Calcium imaging in dauers reveals that the ASJ neurons are activated by food, and this activity is suppressed by pheromone, indicating that sensory integration also occurs at the level of calcium transients. We find that ins-6 expression in the ASJ neurons depends on neuronal activity in the ASJs, cGMP signaling, and the pheromone components ascr#8 and ascr#2. We propose a model in which decision commitment to exit the dauer state involves an autoregulatory feedback loop in the ASJ neurons that promotes high INS-6 production and secretion. These results collectively demonstrate how insulin-like peptide signaling helps animals compute long-term decisions by bridging sensory perception to decision execution.

Somatosensory profile in individuals with duchenne muscular dystrophy: A quantitative sensory testing (QST) study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to quantify somatosensory profiles in individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). METHODS: We included 28 participants with genetically confirmed DMD (aged 8-17 years), 14 with chronic pain (DMD-CP), and 14 without pain (DMD-NP), compared to 13 healthy controls (HC) matched for age and sex. Three quantitative sensory testing (QST) modalities were examined: pressure pain threshold (PPT), temporal summation of pain (TSP) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Characteristics related to chronic pain, fatigue, psychological distress, and health-related quality of life were assessed using questionnaires. RESULTS: Decreased PPTs were found in both DMD cohorts across body areas commonly affected by pain (rectus femoris, medial gastrocnemius, paraspinal muscles, upper trapezius), as well as in a less frequently affected remote area (thenar eminence), compared to HCs (p < 0.001). The DMD-CP group exhibited greater TSP compared to HCs (p = 0.025). There were no differences in CPM effects between DMD groups and HCs. No differences were detected in all QST measures between DMD-CP and DMD-NP. SIGNIFICANCE: This study is the first to explore the somatosensory profile in DMD. Preliminary evidence suggests that generalized hyperalgesia may be a common feature in DMD regardless of pain status. QST measures appear to not distinguish individuals with chronic pain from those without and thus are not recommended for assessing pain in DMD or guiding treatment.

Fish couple forecasting with feedback control to chase and capture moving prey.

Predator-prey interactions are fundamental to ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Yet, predicting the outcome of such interactions-whether predators intercept prey or fail to do so-remains a challenge. An emerging hypothesis holds that interception trajectories of diverse predator species can be described by simple feedback control laws that map sensory inputs to motor outputs. This form of feedback control is widely used in engineered systems but suffers from degraded performance in the presence of processing delays such as those found in biological brains. We tested whether delay-uncompensated feedback control could explain predator pursuit manoeuvres using a novel experimental system to present hunting fish with virtual targets that manoeuvred in ways that push the limits of this type of control. We found that predator behaviour cannot be explained by delay-uncompensated feedback control, but is instead consistent with a pursuit algorithm that combines short-term forecasting of self-motion and prey motion with feedback control. This model predicts both predator interception trajectories and whether predators capture or fail to capture prey on a trial-by-trial basis. Our results demonstrate how animals can combine short-term forecasting with feedback control to generate robust flexible behaviours in the face of significant processing delays.

Relationship between sensory processing skills and motor skills in 12-month-old infants.

INTRODUCTION: Identifying sensory processing problems of 12-month-old preterm and term children and defining their relationship with motor skills are essential for appropriate interventions and optimal sensory-motor development. This study aimed to determine sensory processing difficulties in 12-month-old babies and examine their relationship with motor skills. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 61 infants (28 preterm and 33 full-term, ages 12 months). The infants' sensory processing skills were evaluated using the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI), and their gross and fine motor skills were assessed with the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2). RESULTS: Sensory processing difficulties were more common in preterm babies. Multiple linear regression models indicated a significant positive association between PDMS-2 gross/fine motor scores and TFSI total scores, reactivity to tactile deep pressure, and ocular-motor control in the total sample. Furthermore, there was a relationship between gross motor and adaptive motor function, and fine motor scores were found to be associated with visual-tactile integration sensory scores. CONCLUSIONS: Preterm babies are more likely than their full-term peers to have sensory processing problems around the age of one, which can affect their motor skills. The results support the relationship between children's sensory and motor processing skills. Practitioners such as occupational and physical therapists should be alert to this relationship in infants with sensory processing and motor problems. Taking this relationship into consideration when planning intervention programs can be a guide for an effective intervention.

Antilisterial activity of olive-derived polyphenols: an experimental study on meat preparations.

Pork meat and processed pork products have been linked to multiple listeriosis outbreaks worldwide during the past few years. Specifically, it has been highlighted that minced pork meat is easily perishable and may increase the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, which could be harmful to the general public's health. This study aimed to investigate the potential application of olive oil mill wastewater polyphenolic and red beet extracts as natural antimicrobial agents for L. monocytogenes growth control in burgers. The minced pork meat was mixed with the extracts and experimentally inoculated with L. monocytogenes, then molded into vacuum-packaged and cold-stored (4±1°C) burgers kept under alternating exposure to fluorescent light. The L. monocytogenes enumeration was performed on burgers at 0, 2, 5, and 10 days of shelf life. In uninoculated burgers, physicochemical (pH, water activity, color) and sensory determination (descriptive sensory analysis) were also conducted. At the end of storage, the samples treated with olive-derived extract showed the lowest value of L. monocytogenes (approximately 1.3 Log CFU/g). The physicochemical and sensory traits of burgers have benefited from the addition of both olive-derived and red beet extracts. Results suggest that olive mill wastewater polyphenolic extracts could be added to minced pork meat products to act as a natural antimicrobial agent.

Effects of different low-temperature maceration times on the chemical and sensory characteristics of Syrah wine.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of three different cold maceration times on the color, volatiles, and sensory of Syrah wine. The results showed that the physicochemical parameters were not influenced by maceration time. Extending the maceration time significantly increased the color intensity and decreased the hue of the wines. The content of monomeric anthocyanins and monomeric phenols increased gradually with the prolongation of immersion time, however, there was no significant difference between 72 and 120 h. Malvidin-3-O-glucoside was the most abundant monomer in anthocyanins, accounting for 67 % of the total content. Moreover, the highest flavanol content (95.42 ± 0.66 mg/L) was found in 120-h sample. The aroma contents of wines macerated for 72 and 120 h were significantly higher than that of 24 h (p < 0.05). Sensory evaluations showed that extended maceration enhanced the color intensity and floral-fruity aromas of the Syrah wines, while increasing astringency.