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The use of ohmic heating (OH) to inactivate damaging elements in pomelo juice was evaluated. The work investigated the effect of frequencies (50–20 000 Hz) on pectin methylesterase (PME) and Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) in pomelo juice at 30 V cm−1 of electric field strength. The results show that frequency does not affect PME inactivation (P > 0.05) but affects bacterial reduction and has the most efficiency at 60 Hz, followed by 50 Hz, and in the frequency range at or higher than 500 Hz (P < 0.05). Additionally, the inactivation kinetics of PME and L. plantarum and the impact of nonthermal factors were given. The nonthermal element has contributed to the inactivation enhancement of L. plantarum and PME to reduce the necessary treatment temperature and time. The major spoilage bacteria and enzyme destruction in pomelo juice occurred faster under OH than under conventional heating (CH) suggesting that OH can be effectively used to pasteurise pomelo juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine babesiosis represents a serious threat to the cattle industry in the tropics and subtropics. Although several Babesia species infect cattle, only B. bovis, B. bigemina and B. divergens are known to cause clinical babesiosis. However, our recent study demonstrated that the newly discovered Babesia sp. Mymensingh might be a virulent species capable of causing clinical babesiosis in cattle. The objective of this study was to determine the host range and geographical distribution of Babesia sp. Mymensingh on a global scale. A total of 2,860 archived DNA samples from 2,263 cattle in Sri Lanka (n = 672), the Philippines (n = 408), Vietnam (n = 460), Uganda (n = 409), Brazil (n = 164) and Argentina (n = 150); 419 buffalo in Sri Lanka (n = 327) and Vietnam (n = 92); and 127 goats and 51 sheep in Vietnam were screened using a Babesia sp. Mymensingh‐specific PCR assay. Babesia sp. Mymensingh infection was detected in cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats. Cattle of all countries surveyed in this study except Brazil were found to be infected with Babesia sp. Mymensingh. The highest positive rates were recorded in cattle from the Philippines (11.3%) and Vietnam (9.6%), followed by Argentina (4.7%), Sri Lanka (1.5%) and Uganda (1.0%). Buffalo were found to be infected with this parasite in Sri Lanka (1.2%) and Vietnam (10.9%). Unexpectedly, Babesia sp. Mymensingh was also detected in sheep (2.0%) and goats (1.3%) from Vietnam. These findings were confirmed by PCR amplicon sequencing. In conclusion, our present findings indicate that Babesia sp. Mymensingh, which infects cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats, is endemic in Asia, Africa and South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Among dementia professionals in several European countries, it is believed that dementia is under-diagnosed and under-treated to a greater extent among ethnic minorities than in the native population. It is unknown whether this belief holds true. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of register-based dementia diagnoses in the largest ethnic minority groups in Denmark with the prevalence of register-based dementia diagnoses in the general Danish population. Methods By linking the Danish hospital registers with the Danish Civil Registration System, nationwide dementia cases for three main ethnic minorities were identified. Age- and gender-specific prevalence rates for dementia were calculated and compared to previously published data for the general population. Results The study population consisted of 68 219 persons aged 20 and older. A total of 174 dementia cases were identified. The mean age at diagnosis was 57.7 years (SD = 16.2). Compared to the general population, there was a higher prevalence of dementia among those younger than 60 years, and a markedly lower prevalence of dementia among those 60 years and older. Conclusions Dementia is under-diagnosed to a greater extent among ethnic minorities in the age group 60 years and older but is over-diagnosed in the age group younger than 60 years. Several factors may contribute to this pattern, including cultural differences in help-seeking behaviour, and problems in navigating the health-care system. Furthermore, cross-cultural assessment of dementia can be difficult because of language barriers and cultural differences. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic properties of Aln clusters are investigated using ab initio density functional calculations based on plane-wave and the all electron projector augmented-wave (PAW) method. We present stable structures of small-sized Aln (n = 2–17) clusters obtained from optimization with binding energy, magnetization, and compared our results with experiment data. The size dependence of binding energy and magnetization are clarified. For large clusters, we discuss the stability of cuboctahedral Aln clusters with up to 923 atoms based on the size dependent binding energy. The coefficients corresponding to surface and edge energies for cuboctahedral Aln clusters have been estimated. We have obtained the cohesive energy of the bulk system to be Ec = 3.418 eV, close to the experimental value (3.39 eV) through the fitting function of size dependent binding energy. We discuss the magnetization of cuboctahedral Aln clusters in relation to shell structure. When the size of the cluster is enlarged, the distribution of magnetization shows that the spin density is largest at the outmost shell. From Al309 to Al923 clusters, electron and spin density in the center and innermost shell behave similar to the bulk. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Five balance experiments on growing pigs were carried out to study the marginal efficiency of utilization of isoleucine, leucine, valine, histidine and phenylalanine + tyrosine and to estimate their requirements for maintenance. Purified diets based on casein and crystalline amino acids as the sole source of N contained graded levels of each amino acid, corresponding to protein accretion rates of 0, 33, 66, 99 and 132 g/day, respectively. All other essential amino acids were given in a 30% excess. N retention increased linearly (p < 0.01) as the dietary concentration of the limiting amino acid increased. Based on linear regression equations relating amino acid deposition in body protein to amino acid intake, marginal efficiencies of ileal digestible amino acid utilization were calculated to be isoleucine – 0.81, leucine – 0.81, valine – 0.82, histidine – 1.17 and phenylalanine + tyrosine – 0.67. Extrapolating the regression equations to zero N retention, the daily requirements of amino acids for N equilibrium were estimated to be (mg/kg0.75 ) isoleucine – 18, leucine – 33, valine – 23, histidine – 14 and phenylalanine + tyrosine – 43. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of N balance experiments using growing pigs was conducted to study the efficiency of utilization of lysine, threonine, sulphur amino acids and tryptophan and to estimate their maintenance requirements. Purified diets based on casein and crystalline amino acids as the sole source of N contained graded levels of each amino acid, corresponding to expected protein accretion rate of 0, 33, 66, 99 and 132 g/day, respectively. N retention increased linearly (p < 0.01) as the dietary concentration of the limiting amino acid increased. Based on linear regression equations relating amino acid deposition in body protein to amino acid intake, marginal efficiencies of ileal digestible amino acid utilization were calculated to be lysine 0.91, threonine 0.83, sulphur amino acids 0.85 and tryptophan 0.66. Extrapolating the regression equations to zero N retention, the daily requirements of amino acids for N equilibrium were estimated to be (mg/kg0.75 ) lysine 39, threonine 49, sulphur amino acids 46 and tryptophan 16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]