scholarly journals Recent Techniques in Nutrient Analysis for Food Composition Database

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (19) ◽  
pp. 4567
Author(s):  
Mohd Fairulnizal Md Noh ◽  
Rathi Devi-Nair Gunasegavan ◽  
Norhayati Mustafa Khalid ◽  
Vimala Balasubramaniam ◽  
Suraiami Mustar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Method Development ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Food Composition ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Health Food ◽  
Nutrient Analysis ◽  
Nutrition Labelling ◽  
Wide Range

Food composition database (FCD) provides the nutritional composition of foods. Reliable and up-to date FCD is important in many aspects of nutrition, dietetics, health, food science, biodiversity, plant breeding, food industry, trade and food regulation. FCD has been used extensively in nutrition labelling, nutritional analysis, research, regulation, national food and nutrition policy. The choice of method for the analysis of samples for FCD often depends on detection capability, along with ease of use, speed of analysis and low cost. Sample preparation is the most critical stage in analytical method development. Samples can be prepared using numerous techniques; however it should be applicable for a wide range of analytes and sample matrices. There are quite a number of significant improvements on sample preparation techniques in various food matrices for specific analytes highlighted in the literatures. Improvements on the technology used for the analysis of samples by specific instrumentation could provide an alternative to the analyst to choose for their laboratory requirement. This review provides the reader with an overview of recent techniques that can be used for sample preparation and instrumentation for food analysis which can provide wide options to the analysts in providing data to their FCD.

A comparative study of qualitative immunochemical screening assays for the combined measurement of T-2/HT-2 in cereals and cereal-based products

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Meneely ◽  
F. Ricci ◽  
S. Vesco ◽  
M. Abouzied ◽  
M. Sulyok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
The Other ◽  
Accuracy And Precision ◽  
Cost Implications ◽  
Electrochemical Array ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Preparation Techniques ◽  
Speed Of Analysis

Many different immunochemical platforms exist for the screening of naturally occurring contaminants in food from the low cost enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to the expensive instruments such as optical biosensors based on the phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate and compare a number of these platforms to assess their accuracy and precision when applied to naturally contaminated samples containing HT-2/T-2 mycotoxins. Other important factors considered were the speed of analysis, ease of use (sample preparation techniques and use of the equipment) and ultimately the cost implications. The three screening procedures compared included an SPR biosensor assay, a commercially available ELISA and an enzymelinked immunomagnetic electrochemical array (ELIME array). The qualitative data for all methods demonstrated very good overall agreements with each other, however on comparison with mass spectrometry confirmatory results, the ELISA and SPR assay performed slightly better than the ELIME array, exhibiting an overall agreement of 95.8% compared to 91.7%. Currently, SPR is more costly than the other two platforms and can only be used in the laboratory whereas in theory both the ELISA and ELIME array are portable and can be used in the field, but ultimately this is dependent on the sample preparation techniques employed. Sample preparative techniques varied for all methods evaluated, the ELISA was the most simple to perform followed by that of the SPR method. The ELIME array involved an additional clean-up step thereby increasing both the time and cost of analysis. Therefore in the current format, field use would not be an option for the ELIME array. In relation to speed of analysis, the ELISA outperformed the other methods.

scholarly journals Broad-scale Applications of the Raspberry Pi: A Review and Guide for Biologists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolle Wolter Jolles
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Community ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Plant Phenotyping ◽  
Raspberry Pi ◽  
Ecosystem Monitoring ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Macro Scale

The field of biology has seen tremendous technological progress in recent years, fuelled by the exponential growth in processing power and high-level computing, and the rise of global information sharing. Low-cost single-board computers are predicted to be one of the key technological advancements to further revolutionise this field. So far, an overview of current uptake of these devices and a general guide to help researchers integrate them in their work has been missing. In this paper I focus on the most widely used single board computer, the Raspberry Pi. Reviewing its broad applications and uses across the biological domain shows that since its release in 2012 the Raspberry Pi has been increasingly taken up by biologists, both in the lab, the field, and in the classroom, and across a wide range of disciplines. A hugely diverse range of applications already exist that range from simple solutions to dedicated custom-build devices, including nest-box monitoring, wildlife camera trapping, high-throughput behavioural recordings, large-scale plant phenotyping, underwater video surveillance, closed-loop operant learning experiments, and autonomous ecosystem monitoring. Despite the breadth of its implementations, the depth of uptake of the Raspberry Pi by the scientific community is still limited. The broad capabilities of the Raspberry Pi, combined with its low cost, ease of use, and large user community make it a great research tool for almost any project. To help accelerate the uptake of Raspberry Pi’s by the scientific community, I provide detailed guidelines, recommendations, and considerations, and 30+ step-by-step guides on a dedicated accompanying website (raspberrypi-guide.github.io). I hope with this paper to generate more awareness about the Raspberry Pi and thereby fuel the democratisation of science and ultimately help advance our understanding of biology, from the micro- to the macro-scale.

Characterization of Bulk and Thin Film Fracture in Electronic Packaging

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Subramanian ◽  
Tsgereda Alazar ◽  
Kyle Yazzie ◽  
Bharat Penmecha ◽  
Pilin Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Fracture Toughness ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Electronic Packaging ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Thin Layers ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Good Agreement

As semiconductor packaging technologies continues to scale, it drives the use of existing and new materials in thin layer form factors. Additionally, packaging technologies continue to increase in complexity such as multi-chip packages, 3D packaging, embedded dies/passives, and system in package. This increasing packaging complexity implies that materials in thin layers are subject to non-trivial loading conditions, which may exceed the toughness of the material, leading to cracks. Furthermore, the continued focus on cost leads to a growing interest in novel, low-cost materials. It is important to ensure that the reliability of these low-cost materials is at par or better than currently used materials. This in turn, leads to significant efforts in the area of material characterization at the lab level to speed up the development process. The chosen test methods must not only provide accurate and consistent data, but they must also be applicable across a suitably wide range of materials to aid in the optimization process. Methods for testing and characterizing fracture induced failures in various material systems in electronic packaging are investigated in this paper. The learnings from the different tests methods are compared and discussed here. More specifically, different fracture characterization techniques on (a) freestanding ‘thin’ solder resist films, and (b) filled ‘bulk’ epoxy materials like underfills and epoxy mold compounds are investigated. For thin films, learnings from different test methods for measuring fracture toughness, namely, uniaxial tension (with and without an edge pre-crack) and membrane penetration tests, are discussed. The test methods are compared by characterizing several different thin films, to gauge how well each method could distinguish differences in material (and thickness). Reasonably good agreement was found between the various thin film toughness test methods; however, ease of sample preparation, fixture, and adaptability to environmental testing will be discussed. In the case of filled epoxy resin systems, the single-edge-notch bending (SENB) technique is utilized to obtain the fracture toughness of underfills and mold compounds with filler materials. Learnings on different methods of creating pre-cracks in SENB samples are also investigated and presented. Two methods are explored in this study, namely, razor blade and laser milling. Good agreement in fracture toughness values was obtained with the two precracking methods, along with considerations about ease of sample preparation and consistency of pre-crack dimensions also examined. Morphology of the pre-cracks obtained by these methods, and their effects on fracture toughness measurements, are also discussed.

Far Infrared-assisted Sample Extraction and Solvent Removal for Capillary Electrophoretic Determination of the Bioactive Constituents in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-66
Author(s):  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Luyan Zhang ◽  
Gang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Far Infrared ◽  
Bioactive Constituents ◽  
Solvent Removal ◽  
Sample Extraction ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Conventional Solvent Extraction ◽  
Capillary Electrophoretic

Background: Sample preparation is crucially important for the capillary electrophoretic measurement of the bioactive constituents in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium because conventional solvent extraction is time-consuming and the solvent peaks seriously interfere with the measured capillary electropherograms. Objective: The objective of the present study is to establish far infrared-assisted sample preparation approaches for the analysis of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium. Methods: Synephrine and hesperidin in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium were determined by capillary electrophoresis in combination with far infrared-assisted sample extraction and solvent removal. Results: The effects of detection potentials, irradiation times and the voltages applied to the infrared generator were investigated to acquire the optimal assay conditions. Synephrine and hesperidin could be well separated within 6 min at a separation voltage of 9 kV in an alkaline borate solution. Satisfactory linearity was observed over the concentration range of 0.001 to 1 mM with the detection limits of 0.43 and 0.52 μM for synephrine and hesperidin, respectively. The results exhibited that far infrared irradiations could enhance the efficiencies of sample extraction and solvent removal during the sample preparation of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium. The extraction time was significantly reduced to 6 min while the interference of the solvent peaks towards the electropherograms was eliminated. Conclusion: Far infrared-accelerated extraction and solvent removal were employed in the capillary electrophoretic determination of the bioactive constituents in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium with satisfactory results. The ease, simplicity, efficiency and low cost of the novel sample preparation approaches indicate they may find a wide range of applications.

scholarly journals Emissions from 3D Printers as Occupational Environmental Pollutants

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 1018-1031
Author(s):  
Ilona Pavlovska ◽  
Žanna Martinsone ◽  
Aneka Kļaviņa ◽  
Lāsma Akūlova ◽  
Linda Paegle
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Ultrafine Particles ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Background Level ◽  
Medical Personnel ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
3D Printers ◽  
Mass Concentrations

Abstract While many people work remotely during the pandemic, three-dimensional (3D) printers are working to ensure the medical personnel and general public with the necessary specific materials. Ease of use, low cost, fast prototyping, and a wide range of materials are the advantages of 3D technology that can quickly adapt to specific needs in different application areas and result in increased popularity. The aim was to analyse the concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted in 3D printing zone where printers are located throughout the room around the perimeter and where orthopaedics and designers develop models during their full shift. The average ultrafine particles (UFP) concentration level fluctuates from 4×103 to 26×103 particles/cm3 that exceed the background level (<3×103 particles/cm3) during 8 h-shift. Microclimate was evaluated as unsatisfied regarding permissible values for air quality at workplaces: air temperature exceeds permissible upper level +25 °C, relative humidity was 21.5 % and air velocity ≤0.05 m/s. The highest particles’ number concentrations in the nano-scale range (<0.1 μm) and significantly higher mass concentrations in the coarse particle range (>2.5 μm) were detected. The median diameters of particle number (0.019, 0.014, 0.015 μm) and mass concentrations (4.394, 4.433, and 4.677 μm) were similar in all observed premises. Total VOC concentration was increased and specific substances such as toluene and formaldehyde (0.56±0.1 and 0.23±0.034 mg/m3) were found at high concentration in comparison with indoor air quality recommendations.

To Eliminate Curtain Effect of FIB TEM Samples by a Combination of Sample Dicing and Backside Milling

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Shing Luo ◽  
Hsiu Ting Lee
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Preparation Method ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Sample Preparation Method ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Dual Beam ◽  
Transmission Electron

Abstract Several methods are used to invert samples 180 deg in a dual beam focused ion beam (FIB) system for backside milling by a specific in-situ lift out system or stages. However, most of those methods occupied too much time on FIB systems or requires a specific in-situ lift out system. This paper provides a novel transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample preparation method to eliminate the curtain effect completely by a combination of backside milling and sample dicing with low cost and less FIB time. The procedures of the TEM pre-thinned sample preparation method using a combination of sample dicing and backside milling are described step by step. From the analysis results, the method has applied successfully to eliminate the curtain effect of dual beam FIB TEM samples for both random and site specific addresses.

From the history of the development of electronic dictionaries: foreign and domestic experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-12
Author(s):  
O. Y. Balalaieva ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Current Level ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Advanced Search ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Promising Area ◽  
History Of ◽  
Machine Readable ◽  
Everyday Communication ◽  
Educational Professional

The purpose of the article is to study the dynamics of electronic dictionaries development abroad and in Ukraine using methods of analysis of scientific sources, comparison, generalization and systematization. Electronic dictionaries have been found to be a relatively new phenomenon in the lexicographic market, evolving from machine-readable dictionaries, exact copies of paper editions to complex digital lexicographic systems with a powerful arsenal of functions over the decades. The stages of development of autonomous and online dictionaries are described. Electronic dictionaries due to the advanced search capabilities, speed, simplicity, ease of use, accessibility and compactness have gained popularity among a wide range of users. Today they are used in many spheres of human activity – scientific, educational, professional, everyday communication. However, the analysis of the current level of development of Ukrainian electronic resources indicates a shortage of electronic dictionaries both common and terminological vocabulary. The lack of electronic dictionaries is due to a number of objective problems, both practical and theoretical, that is why research in the field of domestic computer lexicography is a promising area of further research.

Recent Trends in the Development of Green Microextraction Techniques for the Determination of Hazardous Organic Compounds in Wine

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 788-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasa P. Kalogiouri ◽  
Victoria F. Samanidou
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Solid Phase Extraction ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Method Development ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction ◽  
Phase Extraction ◽  
Microextraction Techniques ◽  
Hazardous Organic Compounds

Background:The sample preparation is the most crucial step in the analytical method development. Taking this into account, it is easily understood why the domain of sample preparation prior to detection is rapidly developing. Following the modern trends towards the automation, miniaturization, simplification and minimization of organic solvents and sample volumes, green microextraction techniques witness rapid growth in the field of food quality and safety. In a globalized market, it is essential to face the consumers need and develop analytical methods that guarantee the quality of food products and beverages. The strive for the accurate determination of organic hazards in a famous and appreciated alcoholic beverage like wine has necessitated the development of microextraction techniques.Objective:The objective of this review is to summarize all the recent microextraction methodologies, including solid phase extraction (SPE), solid phase microextraction (SPME), liquid-phase microextraction (LPME), dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME), stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD), single-drop microextraction (SDME) and dispersive solid phase extraction (DSPE) that were developed for the determination of hazardous organic compounds (pesticides, mycotoxins, colorants, biogenic amines, off-flavors) in wine. The analytical performance of the techniques is evaluated and their advantages and limitations are discussed.Conclusion:An extensive investigation of these techniques remains vital through the development of novel strategies and the implication of new materials that could upgrade the selectivity for the extraction of target analytes.

scholarly journals Information and information resources in COVID-19: Awareness, control, and prevention

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110165
Author(s):  
Mohammadhiwa Abdekhoda ◽  
Fatemeh Ranjbaran ◽  
Asghar Sattari
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Strategic Approach ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Data Collection Instrument ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
And Gender ◽  
And Control

This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the role of information and information resources in the awareness, control, and prevention of COVID-19. This study was a descriptive-analytical survey in which 450 participants were selected for the study. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data through SPSS. The findings show that a wide range of mass media has become well known as information resources for COVID-19. Other findings indicate a significant statistical difference in the rate of using information resources during COVID-19 based on age and gender; however, this difference is not significant regarding the reliability of information resources with regard to age and gender. Health information has an undisputable role in the prevention and control of pandemic diseases such as COVID-19. Providing accurate, reliable, and evidence-based information in a timely manner for the use of resources and information channels related to COVID-19 can be a fast and low-cost strategic approach in confronting this disease.

scholarly journals Advanced mycelium materials as potential self-growing biomedical scaffolds

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Elena Antinori ◽  
Marco Contardi ◽  
Giulia Suarato ◽  
Andrea Armirotti ◽  
Rosalia Bertorelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Dermal Fibroblasts ◽  
Engineering Systems ◽  
Edible Fungi ◽  
Avant Garde ◽  
Fibrous Network ◽  
Body Tissues ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractMycelia, the vegetative part of fungi, are emerging as the avant-garde generation of natural, sustainable, and biodegradable materials for a wide range of applications. They are constituted of a self-growing and interconnected fibrous network of elongated cells, and their chemical and physical properties can be adjusted depending on the conditions of growth and the substrate they are fed upon. So far, only extracts and derivatives from mycelia have been evaluated and tested for biomedical applications. In this study, the entire fibrous structures of mycelia of the edible fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Ganoderma lucidum are presented as self-growing bio-composites that mimic the extracellular matrix of human body tissues, ideal as tissue engineering bio-scaffolds. To this purpose, the two mycelial strains are inactivated by autoclaving after growth, and their morphology, cell wall chemical composition, and hydrodynamical and mechanical features are studied. Finally, their biocompatibility and direct interaction with primary human dermal fibroblasts are investigated. The findings demonstrate the potentiality of mycelia as all-natural and low-cost bio-scaffolds, alternative to the tissue engineering systems currently in place.

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