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Nowadays, the stability of antioxidant and color characteristics of minimally processed avocado puree during the storage is still unknown. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding natural extracts on the antioxidant capacity, color and consumer acceptance of avocado purees. Avocado pulp (x1: 90–100%) was mixed with lemon (x2: 0–10%) and onion (x3: 0–5%) extracts following a constrained mixture design. Total phenolic compounds, reducing power, antioxidant capacity, color and consumer acceptance were measured at the beginning and after seven days of storage (4 °C). At the beginning of the storage, both reducing power and antioxidant capacity were affected by the proposed formulations, showing their maximum values (710 ± 9.0 mg AAE/100 g and 170.4 ± 8.6 Trolox/100 g, respectively) with the highest lemon extract level. Tested formulations did not exhibit a significant color difference among them (p > 0.05), showing values of L* = 70.1 ± 2.3, a* = − 21.7 ± 2.0 and b* = 52.1 ± 4.2. Reducing power was significantly affected after storage (p < 0.05). Moreover, a browning process was detected in all formulations, with a lesser effect on avocado puree formulated with 90, 5 and 5% and 90, 7.5 and 2.5% of x1, x2, and x3, respectively, showing a total color change between 18.1 and 23.5 with respect to their initial state. The formulation x1: 90% x2: 7.5%, and x3: 2.5% was the best accepted by the consumers at the beginning and end of the storage. The mixture design is an adequate tool for obtaining a natural avocado puree with high antioxidant properties and sensory acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of fruit by-products is increasing because they contain several bioactive compounds which can add value to food products. In this study, the effect of mango peel powder addition (0, 2, and 4%) on physical, structural, and antioxidant properties of starch edible films and their effectiveness as edible coatings on apple slices during storage (4 °C) were evaluated. The addition of mango peel powder increased the penetration resistance and a* and b* color parameters of edible films and reduced the numbers of holes in them. The higher antioxidant properties were obtained with the highest amount of mango peel added. For example, increases in 178.4 and 830.7% for total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (AC) were obtained, respectively. Suspensions (0, 2, and 4% of mango peel powder) applied as edible coating increased the firmness, browning index (BI), TPC, and AC of apple slices. In storage, the edible coating application did not inhibit the increase of BI and decrease of firmness of apple slices. However, the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity remained constant. Although further studies have to be conducted, mango peel powder may be used to improve the mechanical, physical, and antioxidant properties of edible films, and these could be used as an edible coating on apple slices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the associations between quantitative (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET) uptake metrics, optimal debulking (OD) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer undergoing secondary cytoreductive surgery.Methods: Fifty-five patients with recurrent ovarian cancer underwent FDG-PET/CT within 90 days prior to surgery. Standardized uptake values (SUVmax), metabolically active tumour volumes (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were measured on PET. Exact logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test were used to assess associations between imaging metrics, OD and PFS.Results: MTV (p = 0.0025) and TLG (p = 0.0043) were associated with OD; however, there was no significant association between SUVmax and debulking status (p = 0.83). Patients with an MTV above 7.52 mL and/or a TLG above 35.94 g had significantly shorter PFS (p = 0.0191 for MTV and p = 0.0069 for TLG). SUVmax was not significantly related to PFS (p = 0.10). PFS estimates at 3.5 years after surgery were 0.42 for patients with an MTV ≤ 7.52 mL and 0.19 for patients with an MTV > 7.52 mL; 0.46 for patients with a TLG ≤ 35.94 g and 0.15 for patients with a TLG > 35.94 g.Conclusion: FDG-PET metrics that reflect metabolic tumour burden are associated with optimal secondary cytoreductive surgery and progression-free survival in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.Key Points: • Both TLG and MTV were associated with optimal tumour debulking. • There was no significant association between SUVmax and tumour debulking status. • Patients with higher MTV and/or TLG had significantly shorter PFS. • SUVmax was not significantly related to PFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose the use of the Schlieren technique as a tool to analyse the flows in soap film tunnels. The technique enables to visualize perturbations of the film produced by the interposition of an object in the flow. The variations of intensity of the image are produced as a consequence of the deviations of the light beam traversing the deformed surfaces of the film. The quality of the Schlieren image is compared to images produced by the conventional interferometric technique. The analysis of Schlieren images of a cylinder wake flow indicates that this technique enables an easy visualization of vortex centers. Post-processing of series of two successive images of a grid turbulent flow with a dense motion estimator is used to derive the velocity fields. The results obtained with this self-seeded flow show good agreement with the statistical properties of the 2D turbulent flows reported on the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the studies performed with porphyrins involve these species functionalized with peripheral substituents lying on the same macrocyclic molecular plane. The main objective of this work deals with the successful preservation and optimization of the fluorescence of a uncommonly used porphyrin species, i.e. tetrakis-( ortho-amino-phenyl)-porphyrin; a molecule with substituents localized not only at one but at both sides of its molecular plane. In cases like this, it must be stressed that fluorescence can only be partially preserved; nevertheless, intense fluorescence can still be reached by following a twofold functionalization strategy involving: (i) the bonding of substituted macrocycles to the pore walls of (ii) organo-modified silica monoliths synthesized by the sol-gel method. The analysis of both absorption and emission UV spectra evidenced a radiation energy transfer taking place between the porphyrin and the host silica matrix. Our results showed that the adequate displaying of the optical properties of macrocyclic species trapped in SiO xerogels depend on the polarity existing inside the pores, a property which can be tuned up through the adequate selection of organic groups used to modify the surface of the pore cavities. Additionally, the pore widths attained in the final xerogels can vary depending on the identity of the organic groups attached to the network. All these facts finally demonstrated that, even if using inefficient surface functionalization species, such as ortho-substituted tetraphenylporphyrins, it is still possible to modulate the pore shape, pore size, and physicochemical environment created around the trapped macrocycles. The most important aspect related to this research deals with the fact that the developed methodology offers a real possibility of controlling both the textural and morphological characteristics of a new kind of hybrid porous materials and to optimize the physicochemical properties of diverse active molecules trapped inside the pores of these materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bluff body flow control based on plasma actuators requires suitable strategies to attain the desired objectives. The strategy selection becomes more critical in situations where the free airstream velocity is much higher than the maximum velocity that can be produced by the flow control device. In this work, we report recent efforts to produce on a circular cylinder forces in direction transverse to the free flow. Free stream velocities considered in this work are as high as 45 m/s (( Re(O) 1 × 10), which result much higher values than the maximum velocities (about 5 m/s) usually induced by the kind of plasma actuator here considered (dielectric barrier type). Our strategy consisted on promoting asymmetries on boundary layer separation with a four electrode arrangement. In our experiments, we measured drag and lift forces and explored the effect of exciting the flow with steady and non-steady actuations. The device demonstrated authority to induce significant transverse forces and optimal frequencies resulted in all cases close to the vortex shedding frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technical challenges of performing laparoscopic renal surgery require fellowship training and are associated with a steep learning curve. For the established urologist in practice, fellowship training is not a reality. As a result of these obstacles, in the late 1990s, laparoscopic renal surgery was entering the domain of the general surgeons who had a large number of laparoscopic procedures at their disposal to develop laparoscopic skills. Handassisted laparoscopic renal surgery is a hybrid procedure combining the most salient features of open renal surgery and laparoscopic renal surgery. By allowing the surgeons to place their non-dominant hand into the abdominal cavity, palpation and spatial orientation became possible, lessening the learning curve for laparoscopic surgery. Moreover, hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery could be applied to a variety of renal surgeries, extirpative and reconstructive, with results similar to those already achieved by standard laparoscopy. Throughout the past 5 years, hand-assisted laparoscopy has allowed urologists to incorporate laparoscopic renal surgery into their practices to the benefit of their patients and of their specialty. This review article offers a historical review of the development of hand-assisted laparoscopy and describes the procedures commonly performed today using this technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare cancer that historically has been associated with poor outcome. Throughout the past decades, growing experience has allowed better understanding of the natural history and optimal management of this cancer. Advances in imaging and aggressive surgical therapy have raised the outlook for recently diagnosed patients. Further improvements in survival will require more effective systemic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adrenalectomy has become the standard of care for the management of hormonally active adrenal masses. Various surgical therapies have been proposed to excise completely or destroy these adrenal lesions, which may be benign or malignant. New minimally invasive, adrenal-sparing procedures have recently been introduced, among them laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy, cryosurgery, and radiofrequency ablation. These procedures focus on reducing patient morbidity and hastening postoperative recovery while preserving normal adrenal tissue. However, questions remain about the risks and benefits associated with routine application of minimally invasive therapies for adrenal-sparing surgery in terms of complete tumor extirpation. Clearly, more experience and longer follow-up is necessary to validate these procedures. Herein we describe the surgical techniques and early results of treatment with adrenal-sparing surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adrenalectomy is indicated for patients with large adrenal lesions or functional tumors. Cryoablation is currently used as a surgical alternative for the treatment of prostate, lung, brain, pharynx, and liver tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine if cryosurgery could be delivered to small areas in the adrenal gland in a controllable and reproducible manner such that tissue could heal in a nonpathologic way. A total of 14 female mongrel dogs underwent acute ( n = 8) or chronic (4 weeks, n = 6) cryoablation using the Cryounit. In the acute study using an open transabdominal approach a 2-mm cryoprobe was placed interstitially into the adrenal tissue, whereas 0.032-inch thermocouples were cannulated into the ipsilateral adrenal artery and vein. Adrenal parenchymal temperature changes were measured using 0.032-inch thermocouples placed at 0.4- and 0.8-cm intervals from the cryoprobe. In the chronic study, cryoablation was achieved by transperitoneal laparoscopic access using a standard laparoscopic technique. Interstitial cryoprobe temperatures decreased from 33.1 ± 1.9 °C to −148 ± 1.2 °C following 15 min of freezing in the acute study. Cryoablation of adrenal tissue achieved temperatures of −41.8 ± 5.7 °C and −21.8 ± 1 °C at distances of 0.4 and 0.8 cm from the cryoprobe, respectively. There was no significant change in adrenazl artery or vein temperatures during cryoablation. Histologically there is a clear demarcation between viable and nonviable tissue characterized by areas of multifocal hemorrhage and pyknosis. After 4 weeks of healing a well-defined line of necrotic and viable tissue is visible. Cryoablation of the adrenal can be delivered in an effective, controllable, and reproducible manner. This controllable energy form may provide a new treatment modality for tissue destruction where adrenal gland preservation is necessary and can be performed by the laparoscopic approach. Understanding the effect of adrenal cryoablation may allow us to treat selected patients with small tumors where organ preservation is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several laparoscopic approaches to the adrenal gland have been described. The lateral transperitoneal approach has several distinct advantages when contrasted with other techniques for laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA). We present our technique and results obtained in 50 consecutive transperitoneal LAs. We review 50 consecutive laparoscopic adrenalectomies (28 female, 19 male) performed from 1993 to 1998. S.J. Shichman or R.E. Sosa was either the primary surgeon or the first assistant for all cases. The lateral transperitoneal approach described below was used in all cases. Indications for adrenalectomy included Cushing's syndrome (13), aldosteronoma (15), pheochromocytoma (7), nonfunctioning adenoma (11), hyperplasia (2), and 1 case each of Carney's syndrome and metastasis to the adrenal gland. We performed 5 bilateral, 22 left, and 18 right laparoscopic adrenalectomies. The average time needed for bilateral adrenalectomy was 503 min (range 298–690 min); for left adrenalectomy, 227 min (range 121–337 min); and for right LA, 210 min (range 135–355 min). We demonstrated a yearly trend in lower operative times. The largest adrenal gland removed measured 13.8 × 6.7 × 3.5 cm. Intraoperative blood loss was low. Only one patient received a blood transfusion. Conversion to open adrenalectomy was not required. Postoperative analgesic requirements were low. The average length of stay was 3.8 days for bilateral LA and 3 days for unilateral LA. Complications occurred in 5 patients (2 wound infections, 2 hematomas, and 1 pleural effusion). There was no mortality. Lateral transperitoneal adrenalectomy is a safe and efficient technique for the removal of functional and nonfunctional adrenal masses. This technique is associated with low morbidity, a minimal postoperative analgesic requirement, and a short hospital stay and, in our opinion, is more versatile than the retroperitoneal approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Sodium chloride thin films were synthesized by pulsed laser ablation from monocrystalline and sintered targets. The structure of the films is characterized by X-ray diffraction and their surface quality is characterized by scanning electron microscopy. From thermoluminescence spectra, two different types of defects are identified as cation vacancies and chlorine interstitials. This thermoluminescence in the UV-visible has been observed by heating the samples up to 600 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impulsivity has traditionally been thought to involve various behavioral traits that can be measured using different laboratory protocols. Whereas some authors regard different measures of impulsivity as reflecting fundamentally distinct and unrelated behavioral tendencies (fragmentation approach), others regard those different indexes as analogue forms of the same behavioral tendency, only superficially different (unification approach). Unifying accounts range from mere intuitions to more sophisticated theoretical systems. Some of the more complete attempts at unifying are intriguing but have validity weaknesses. We propose a new unifying attempt based on theoretical points posed by other authors and supplemented by theory and research on associative learning. We then apply these assumptions to characterize the paradigms used to study impulsivity in laboratory settings and evaluate their scope as an attempt at unification. We argue that our approach possesses a good balance of parsimony and empirical and theoretical grounding, as well as a more encompassing scope, and is more suitable for experimental testing than previous theoretical frameworks. In addition, the proposed approach is capable of generating a new definition of impulsivity and outlines a hypothesis of how self-control can be developed. Finally, we examine the fragmentation approach from a different perspective, emphasizing the importance of finding similarities among seemingly different phenomena., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Association for Behavior Analysis International 2018.)