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We describe the design and development of an injection seeded Nd:YVO4 laser for use in a differential fluorescence lidar for measuring atmospheric formaldehyde profiles. A high repetition rate Q-switched laser is modified to accept injection seed input to spectrally narrow and tune the output. The third harmonic output is used to excite formaldehyde (HCHO) fluorescence when tuned to a HCHO absorption line. Spectral confirmation is made with the use of a photoacoustic cell and grating spectrometer.

Ciglitizone, a class of thiazolidinediones, acts as a potent activator of the adipose differentiation program in established preadipose cell lines. Thiazolidinediones have also been investigated in diabetic patients and have been reported to act as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-[gamma] ligands. Intramuscular adipogenesis or marbling through transdifferentiation of satellite cells in cattle was successfully conducted earlier. In this report, the effects of ciglitizone on the differentiation pathway of porcine myogenic satellite cells was investigated. Semitendinosus muscle was aseptically taken from 10-d-old piglets under general anesthesia, and porcine satellite cells were obtained and grown to near confluence. Postconfluent cells (d 0) were further cultured in differentiation medium containing an adipogenic mixture plus ciglitizone (10 [micro]M) for 48 h. From d 2 onward, the cells were cultured only in the presence of ciglitizone until d 10. Controls were cultured in differentiation medium only. Exposure of porcine satellite cells to the adipogenic mixture plus ciglitizone generated lipid droplets on d 2, and subsequently, exposure of cells to ciglitizone alone helped in cytoplasmic lipid filling, providing them with the acquisition of adipocyte morphology. An increase (P < 0.05) in the fusion (structures containing 2 to 3 nuclei) of satellite cells was observed, and myosin heavy chain appeared with greater intensity (immunohistochemistry) in the control group from d 2 onward. Adipocytespecific transcriptional factors (i.e., CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-[alpha] and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-[gamma] were predominant during transdifferentiation and were observed with immuhistochemistry, Western blot (-47.2 and -60.4 kDa, respectively), and real-time PCR. Ciglitizone appeared to convert the differentiation pathway of satellite cells into that of adipoblasts. Key words: adipogenesis, ciglitizone, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-[alpha], myogenesis, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-[gamma]

In this study, we characterized the effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin [D.sub.3] (25-OH [D.sub.3]) and manipulated dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) on the performance, urine pH, serum constituents, carcass traits, tissue residual vitamin D and its metabolites, beef tenderness, and mRNA and protein concentrations of Ca-dependent proteinases in LM using 24 cull native Korean cows. The cows were divided into 3 groups of 8: control, 25-OH [D.sub.3] supplemented (25-OH [D.sub.3]), and manipulated DCAD plus 25-OH [D.sub.3] supplemented (DCAD+25-OH [D.sub.3]). Cows receiving 25-OH [D.sub.3] or DCAD+25-OH [D.sub.3] were dosed with 125 mg of 25-OH [D.sub.3] 6 d before slaughter. The manipulated DCAD (-10 mEq/ 100 g of DM) diet was fed from 20 to 6 d (14 d) before slaughter. The DCAD+25-OH Ds treatment decreased urine pH and increased serum Ca concentrations. Although the vitamin D concentrations in LM, liver, and kidney were not affected by 25-OH [D.sub.3] or DCAD+25-OH [D.sub.3], muscle tissue 25-OH Ds concentrations were increased by both regimens. Serum 25-OH [D.sub.3] concentrations were increased by 25-OH [D.sub.3] supplementation, and the increase was even greater for DCAD+25-OH [D.sub.3]. The same pattern was observed for serum 1,25-[(OH).sub.2] [D.sub.3]. However, the LM concentration of 1,25-[(OH).sub.2] [D.sub.3] was less for DCAD+25-OH [D.sub.3] than for control. Although Ca concentrations of LM increased numerically in response to 25-OH [D.sub.3] supplementation, no statistical differences in Warner-Bratzler shear force or sensory traits of LM were detected. The LM of cows receiving 25-OH Ds with or without manipulated DCAD had greater concentrations of [micro]-calpain and m-calpain mRNA, whereas the reverse was observed for calpastatin mRNA. Expression of [micro]-calpain protein was increased relative to control by DCAD+25-OH [D.sub.3]. The amount of 25-OH [D.sub.3] and manipulated DCAD administered to cull native Korean cows was insufficient to improve tenderness of beef by increasing muscle Ca concentration. However, DCAD+25-OH [D.sub.3] induced greater expressions of [micro]-calpain protein as well as mRNA. Key words: anion, beef, calcium, 25-hydroxyvitamin [D.sub.3], tenderness

Interactions between muscle shortening and proteolysis and their effects on Warner–Bratzler (WB) shear force were investigated in beef m. longissimus (LD) and m. semitendinosus (ST). Muscles were taken within 30 post-mortem from eight Hanwoo steers, divided into three portions, and incubated at 5, 15, or 36 °C for 24 h, during which time rigor mortis developed. ST at 36 °C had a significantly (P<0.05) lower pH at 3 h than LD incubated at the same temperature. However, pH values became similar after 3 h. Both muscles at 5 and 15 °C had almost similar pH during rigor development, with significantly (P<0.05) lower pH for ST. Sarcomere length and WB-shear force did not differ significantly between muscles incubated at the same temperature. For both muscles at 5, 15, and 36 °C, sarcomere length was 1.52, 1.76 and 1.44 μm, and WB shear force was 93.2, 55.9 and 45.1 N. The rates of μ-calpain autolysis and Troponin-T degradation were in the order of 36 °C > 15 °C⩾5 °C, with a tendency for ST to have a slightly faster rate than LD muscle. Thus, the effect of sarcomere length on shear force may depend on the extent of proteolysis and the potential of endogenous proteolysis may supersede toughness caused by short sarcomeres. The toughness of cold shortened meat may depend more on endogenous enzymatic tenderization than shortened sarcomere length per se. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pedunculagin is a widely abundant ellagitannin found in the plant kingdom, with a chemical structure featuring two hexahydroxydiphenoyl units linked to a glucose core. It has demonstrated various biological activities, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial effects. This review aims to summarize the bioactivities, chemistry, and health-promoting properties of pedunculagin and plant preparations containing it. It is the first comprehensive summary covering pedunculagin's chemistry, sources, metabolism, and other relevant research. The search databases were Google Scholar, EBSCO Discovery Service, REAXYS Database, SCILIT, SCOPUS, PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, Science Direct/ELSEVIER, WordCat, and Taylor and Francis Online. All the databases were methodically searched for data published from 1911 until 2024. Various biological effects were proven in vitro for pedunculagin; however, due to the limited availability of the isolated compound, they have not been so far directly confirmed on more advanced in vivo and clinical models. However, its bioactivity can be deduced from studies conducted for plant preparations containing this ellagitannin as a dominant constituent, consequently indicating beneficial health effects. Further studies are needed to determine the molecular mechanism of action following topical application as well as the contribution of gut microbiota postbiotic metabolites– urolithins–being formed following the oral ingestion of preparations containing pedunculagin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) was developed for identifying, in a timely manner, patients who may benefit from supportive and palliative care for better treatment review, care-plan discussion, and end-of-life care. Although the SPICT has been validated in different languages and for patients living in different settings, it has not been validated for patients receiving home-based medical care (HBMC), or in the context of using traditional Chinese characters. Objectives: The present study aimed to validate the Taiwanese version of the SPICT (SPICT-TW) and to measure its ability to predict six-month mortality in patients who received HBMC in Taiwan. Methods: Seven HBMC agents (five clinics and two hospitals) participated in this validation study. We recruited 129 patients aged ≥ 50 years who had been consistently receiving HBMC for >two months. Results: The results revealed that the SPICT-TW demonstrated similar reliability and validity compared to other language versions of the SPICT. It may be an appropriate tool for healthcare professionals to detect, in a timely manner, the needs for palliative care in older people who receive home healthcare. Furthermore, we found that a combination of four general indicators and one clinical indicator in the SPCIT-TW has the best prediction ability at predicting six-month mortality in these HBMC recipients. This multi-center study validated the SPICT-TW among HBMC recipients in Taiwan. Conclusions: The SPICT-TW demonstrated high reliability and validity through the Kuder–Richardson 20, an intraclass correlation coefficient, Cohen's kappa, and receiver operating characteristic analysis, supporting its potential as a practical tool for identifying older adults at risk of dying within six months who have not yet received palliative care but may benefit from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma-functionalized liquids (PFLs) are rich in chemical species, such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical and nitrogen oxides, commonly referred to as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Therefore, manifold applications are being investigated for their use in medicine, agriculture, and the environment. Depending on the goal, a suitable plasma source concept for the generation of PFLs has to be determined because the plasma generation setup determines the composition of reactive species. This study investigates three PFL-generating plasma sources—two spark discharges and a flow dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system—for their efficacy in eliminating microbial contaminants from tissue samples aiming to replace antibiotics in the rinsing process. The final goal is to use these tissues as a cell source for cell-based meat production in bioreactors and thereby completely avoid antibiotics. Initially, a physicochemical characterization was conducted to better understand the decontamination capabilities of PFLs and their potential impact on tissue viability. The results indicate that the flow DBD system demonstrated the highest antimicrobial efficacy due to its elevated reactive species output and the possibility of direct treatment of tissues while tissue integrity remained. Achieving a balance between effective large-scale decontamination and the biocompatibility of PFLs remains a critical challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilayer composite materials, consisting of layers of aluminum alloy and steel, are used in the manufacturing of large engineering structures, including in the shipbuilding and railcar industries. Due to the different properties of aluminum alloys and steels, it is difficult to achieve high-strength joints by conventional welding. Therefore, these joints are produced by explosive welding. In the present work, the structure of a multilayer material, AA1070-AlMg6-AA1070 (aluminum alloys)-VT1-0-08Cr18Ni10Ti (steel), was investigated after explosive welding and heat treatments were performed under different conditions. The microstructure of the AlMg6 layer at the AlMg6-AA1070 interface consists of shaped anisotropic grains extending along the weld interface. The AA1070 layer is enriched with magnesium due to its diffusive influx from AlMg6. In the AlMg6 and VT1-0 layers, adiabatic shear bands are found that start at the weld interface and propagate deep into the material. The optimal temperature for the heat treatment is 450–500 °C, as internal stresses are reduced at this temperature and the grain structure of the AlMg6 layer is not coarse. Tear strength testing revealed that the tear strength of the composite material after explosive welding was 130 ± 10 MPa, which exceeded the strength of the AA1070 alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of heterogeneous solid waste, such as municipal solid waste (MSW), construction and demolition waste (CDW), and industrial solid waste (ISW), has increased dramatically in recent decades, and its management is one of today's biggest concerns. Using waste as a resource to produce value-added materials such as char is one of the most promising strategies for successful and sustainable waste management. Virtually any type of waste, through various thermochemical technologies, including torrefaction, pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization, and gasification, can produce char with potential material and energy applications. Pyrolysis is the most widespread technology, and there are more studies on producing and applying waste-derived char using this technology. The properties of waste-derived char seem to be influenced by the conversion technology and conditions, as well as by the composition of the source waste. A literature search indicated that the properties of waste-derived char are highly variable with the composition of the raw material, with carbon content in the range 8–77%, a higher heating value of 2.5–28.4 MJ/kg and a specific surface area of 0.7–12 m2/g. Depending on the properties of char derived from waste, there are greater or minor difficulties in applying it, with ash content, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations being some of its limiting properties. Therefore, this review attempts to compile relevant knowledge on the production of waste-derived char, focusing on heterogeneous solid waste, applied technologies, and practical application routes in the real world to create a supply chain, marketing, and use of waste-derived char. Some challenges and prospects for waste-derived char are also highlighted in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study explored the effects of age, sex, and muscle type on post-mortem muscle acidification in Botucatu rabbits, addressing the gap between recommended meat quality assessment standards and industry practices. The World Rabbit Science Association (WRSA) suggests chilling carcasses for 24 h at 0–4 °C, while Brazilian practices often involve immediate freezing at temperatures below −18 °C. This study aimed to clarify how these practices affect muscle pH and rigor mortis development. Eighty Botucatu rabbits were categorized into young females and males, does, and bucks. Carcasses were chilled for 24 h at 4 °C. pH and temperature measurements were taken hourly for 24 h post-mortem in the Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Biceps femoris (BF) muscles. Rigor mortis was assessed manually alongside pH measurements. Botucatu does were heavier, with a less marked initial pH drop in the LL and delayed stabilization at 6 h post-mortem. Muscle acidification was more pronounced in the LL than in the BF. Rigor mortis set in at 5 h for young rabbits and bucks, and 6 h for does, resolving by 18 h. Thus, chilling rabbit carcasses for at least 18 h at 4 °C aligns WRSA guidelines with industry needs, ensuring effective rigor mortis and muscle-to-meat transformation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the characteristics of carcasses, monitor their pH evolution during the first 24 h post-mortem, and determine the time required for the establishment and resolution of rigor mortis in different categories of Botucatu rabbits. Live weight at slaughter, carcass weight, and yield were higher in 12-month-old animals compared to 3-month-old rabbits, regardless of sex. There was an effect of muscle type, age, and sex on the kinetics of muscle acidification, with the Biceps femoris showing a significantly higher pH than the Longissimus lumborum from 4 h post-mortem onward. The establishment of rigor mortis occurred at 5 h post-mortem in young rabbits and bucks and at 6 h post-mortem in does, along with pH stabilization, while the resolution of rigor occurred at 18 h post-mortem for all types of carcasses evaluated. In conclusion, Botucatu rabbit carcasses should be chilled continuously at 4 °C for a minimum of 18 h to ensure efficient rigor mortis progression and muscle-to-meat transformation throughout the carcass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]