High pressure-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis potentiates the production of quinoa protein hydrolysates with antioxidant and ACE-inhibitory activities

The impact of different pressure levels in the HHP-assisted hydrolysis by Alcalase of quinoa proteins on the catalytic efficiency, peptide release, phenolic compounds content, and biological activities was investigated. The protein profile (SDS-PAGE) showed a more extensive peptide breakdown for the HHP-assisted proteolysis at 300-400 MPa, which was confirmed by the higher extent of hydrolysis and peptide concentration. Quinoa protein hydrolysates (QPH) produced at 200 and 300 MPa exhibited higher total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities (methanol-acetone and aqueous extracts) when compared to the non-hydrolyzed (QPI) and non-pressurized hydrolyzed samples. Kaempferol dirhamnosyl-galactopyranoside was the prevalent phenolic compound in those samples, increasing total flavonoids by 1.8-fold over QPI. The QPH produced at 300 MPa inhibited ACE more effectively, exhibiting the greatest anti-hypertensive potential, along with the presence of several ACE-inhibitory peptides. The peptide sequences GSHWPFGGK, FSIAWPR, and PWLNFK presented the highest Peptide Ranker scores and were predicted to have ACE inhibitory, DPP-IV inhibitory, and antioxidant activities. Mild pressure levels were effective in producing QPH with enhanced functionality due to the effects of bioactive soluble phenolics and low molecular weight peptides.

Technology and the Situationist Challenge to Virtue Ethics

In this paper, I introduce a "promises and perils" framework for understanding the "soft" impacts of emerging technology, and argue for a eudaimonic conception of well-being. This eudaimonic conception of well-being, however, presupposes that we have something like stable character traits. I therefore defend this view from the "situationist challenge" and show that instead of viewing this challenge as a threat to well-being, we can incorporate it into how we think about living well with technology. Human beings are susceptible to situational influences and are often unaware of the ways that their social and technological environment influence not only their ability to do well, but even their ability to know whether they are doing well. Any theory that attempts to describe what it means for us to be doing well, then, needs to take these contextual features into account and bake them into a theory of human flourishing. By paying careful attention to these contextual factors, we can design systems that promote human flourishing.

Biological-based techniques for real-time water-quality studies: Assessment of non-invasive (swimming consistency and respiration) and toxicity (antioxidants) biomarkers of zebrafish

Swimming consistency and respiration of fish are recognized as the non-invasive stress biomarkers. Their alterations could directly indicate the presence of pollutants in the water ecosystem. Since these biomarkers are a routine process for fish, it is difficult to monitor their activity manually. For this reason, experts employ engineering technologies to create sensors that can monitor the regular activities of fish. Knowing the importance of these non-invasive stress biomarkers, we developed online biological behavior monitoring system-OBBMS and online biological respiratory response monitoring system-OBRRMS to monitor real-time swimming consistency and respiratory response of fish, respectively. We continuously monitored the swimming consistency and respiration (OCR, CER and RQ) of zebrafish (control and atrazine-treatments) for 7 days using our homemade real-time biological response monitoring systems. Furthermore, we analyzed oxidative stress indicators (SOD, CAT and POD) within the vital tissues (gills, brain and muscle) of zebrafish during stipulated sampling periods. The differences in the swimming consistency and respiratory rate of zebrafish between the control and atrazine treatments could be precisely differentiated on the real-time datasets of OBBMS and OBRRMS. The zebrafish exposed to atrazine toxin showed a concentration-dependent effect (hypoactivity). The OCR and CER were increased in the atrazine treated zebrafish. Both Treatment I and II received a negative response for RQ. Atrazine toxicity let to a rise in the levels of SOD, CAT and POD in the vital tissues of zebrafish. The continuous acquisition of fish signals is achieved which is one of the main merits of our OBBMS and OBRRMS. Additionally, no special data processing was done, the real-time data sets were directly used on statistical tools and the differences between the factors (groups, photoperiods, exposure periods and their interactions) were identified precisely. Hence, our OBBMS and OBRRMS could be a promising tool for biological response-based real-time water quality monitoring studies.

The LEAP Checklist for Laboratory Evaluation and Analytical Performance Characteristics Reporting of Clinical Measurement Procedures

Reporting a measurement procedure and its analytical performance following method evaluation in a peer-reviewed journal is an important means for clinical laboratory practitioners to share their findings. It also represents an important source of evidence base to help others make informed decisions about their practice. At present, there are significant variations in the information reported in laboratory medicine journal publications describing the analytical performance of measurement procedures. These variations also challenge authors, readers, reviewers, and editors in deciding the quality of a submitted manuscript. The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Method Evaluation Protocols (IFCC WG-MEP) developed a checklist and recommends its adoption to enable a consistent approach to reporting method evaluation and analytical performance characteristics of measurement procedures in laboratory medicine journals. It is envisioned that the Laboratory Evaluation and Analytical Performance Characteristics (LEAP) checklist will improve the standardisation of journal publications describing method evaluation and analytical performance characteristics, improving the quality of the evidence base that is relied upon by practitioners.

3D printing in pediatric surgery

Pediatric surgery presents a unique challenge, requiring a specialized approach due to the intricacies of compact anatomy and the presence of distinct congenital features in young patients. Surgeons are tasked with making decisions that not only address immediate concerns but also consider the evolving needs of children as they grow. The advent of three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a valuable tool to facilitate a personalized medical approach. This paper starts by outlining the basics of 3D modeling and printing. We then delve into the transformative role of 3D printing in pediatric surgery, elucidating its applications, benefits, and challenges. The paper concludes by envisioning the future prospects of 3D printing, foreseeing advancements in personalized treatment approaches, improved patient outcomes, and the continued evolution of this technology as an indispensable asset in the pediatric surgical arena.

Quantitative microbiological risk assessment for the occurrence of listeriosis in Brazil due to the consumption of milk processed by pasteurization or thermosonication

This study aimed to estimate the risk of listeriosis from the consumption of pasteurized milk in Brazil, comparing conventional treatment with the technology of thermosonication. The Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) model was developed, covering the entire milk production chain, from milking to the moment of consumption. In general, higher risks were observed in association with higher initial concentrations of the pathogen and the vulnerable population. The highest risk predicted (3.67 × 10-5) was related to the scenario considering the initial concentration range of L. monocytogenes between 4 and 6 log CFU/mL, with conventional treatment and considering the vulnerable population, resulting in one case of listeriosis every 27,248 servings. When considering thermosonication treatment, lower risks have been predicted. The scenario analysis indicated that the steps related to storage conditions in retail and at the consumer's home (post-processing steps) are the most influential in the associated risk, in all scenarios. The predictive parameters of inactivation related to the applied treatment also have a considerable influence on the risk. The results point to the influence of the stages of the dairy production chain and the thermosonication treatment applied in the food safety of milk, subsidizing information for industrial application and for regulatory agencies.

IR-based device to acquire real-time online heart ECG signals of fish (Cyprinus carpio) to evaluate the water quality

Water quality monitoring is a challenging task due to continuous pollution. The rapid development of engineering technologies has paved the way for the development of efficient and convenient computer-based online continuous water-quality assessment techniques. Techniques based on biological-responses are gaining attention, worldwide. Different biosensors have been developed in recent years to monitor real-time biological responses to evaluate water-quality. The survival and function of various organs of the organism depends on the cardiac system. Alterations in the cardiac system could signify the occurrence/initiation of stress in the organism. We developed a real-time online cardiac function assessment system-OCFAS to acquire fish ECG-signals. We obtained P-wave, R-wave, T-wave, PR-intervals, QT-intervals and QRS-complex continuously, which did not affect the normal activities of carp. We exposed Cyprinus carpio to different concentrations (National Environmental Quality Standards) of ammonia for 48 h. Our OCFAS has precisely acquired the required ECG-signals. A real-time dataset reveals sensitivity to ammonia in carp ECG-indexes. Compared with the control group the P-wave, R-wave and T-wave were weaker in ammonia-treated groups. In contrast, the PR-intervals, QT-intervals and QRS-complex were prolonged in the ammonia-treatment groups. The self-organizing map signifies that the PR-intervals, the QRS-complex and the QT-intervals are consistent with environmental stress. Linear regression analysis also quantitatively signifies that the PR interval has the highest R2 value and the lowest SSE-value, followed by the QRS complex and the QT interval. A concentration-related effect was observed in the ammonia treated groups. The integrated biomarker response (IBRv2) index was used to determine the overall stress of ammonia on carp heart ECG-indexes. IBRv2 also supports the real-time response of carp to ammonia stress. Ammonia levels in the aquaculture and water environment require special attention to avoid its adverse effects on the health of aquatic biota. Our study emphasizes the importance of online real-time fish ECG for water-quality assessment.

Can droplet size influence antibacterial activity in ultrasound-prepared essential oil nanoemulsions?

Essential oil nanoemulsion may have improved antibacterial properties over pure oil and can be used for food preservation. Ultrasonic cavitation is the most common mechanism for producing nanoemulsions, and the impact of processing parameters on droplet properties needs to be elucidated. A systematic literature search was performed in four databases (Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed), and 987 articles were found, 16 of which were eligible for the present study. A meta-analysis was performed to qualitatively assess which process parameters (power, sonication time, essential oil, and tween 80 concentration) can influence the final droplet size and polydispersity and how droplet size is associated with antibacterial activity. We observed that power, essential oil, and tween 80 concentrations added during processing are the critical variables for forming smaller droplets. Ratios of up to 3:1 (surfactant:oil) can produce droplets smaller than 180 nm with antibacterial properties superior to pure oil or isolated compounds. The improved properties of nanoemulsions are associated with the size and chemical composition of the droplet since the proportion of the hydrophobic core (EO) and the hydrophilic outer layer (Tween 80) directly influences the antibacterial mechanism of action.

Acceptance and use behaviour of emerging technology for middle-aged healthy lifestyle

BACKGROUND

Several studies focus on the use of emerging technologies to support and monitor health but are centred around the elderly group of people. Meanwhile, the average elderly popularly known as the middle-aged have not been put into consideration regarding the subject matter.

OBJECTIVE

This article focuses on the use behaviour and acceptance of emerging technologies that can assist in providing a middle-aged population with a healthy lifestyle.

METHODS

This study collected the primary data through an online questionnaire survey to empirically evaluate final 169 respondents. The analysis for this study was done utilising SmartPLS software via partial least squares structural equation modelling.

RESULTS

The results indicate that 9 out of 11 were tested as supported hypotheses. All supported hypotheses showed the strong relationship between acceptance and user behaviour with emerging technology.

CONCLUSION

The experience of acceptance and behaviour of using emerging technology in a healthy lifestyle was found as an important determinant of outcome in preparing the middle-aged for their elderly age by adapting emerging technology as early as possible.

Carbon dots from sour whey to develop a novel antimicrobial packaging for fiordilatte cheese

In this study, monodispersed and quasi-spherical C-Dots with an average size of 7.2 nm were successfully synthesized from sour whey solution by a hydrothermal method (200 °C for 9 h) for fiordilatte cheese packaging. C-Dots (2500 and 5000 mgL-1) were added to the cheese through an alginate-based coating or directly to the cheese brine. No significant changes in TM4 cell viability were observed at concentrations lower than 10,000 mgL-1. Microbiological and sensory properties of cheese coated and uncoated with C-Dots indicate a substantial preserving effect of the C-Dots. The uncoated control fiordilatte exhibited unacceptable levels of microbial proliferation within 3.5 days. Conversely, the coated cheese remained within acceptable limits, effectively doubling its shelf life compared to the control, primarily due to the coating protection rather than the addition of C-Dots. When compared to the control fiordilatte, the addition of C-Dots in the brine at 5000 mgL-1 resulted in an extension of over 10 days in cheese shelf life. Considering the significance of the sustainable approach in C-Dots synthesis and the exceptional use of C-Dots in the food industry, these findings hold great potential in terms of research and industrial applications.

Modeling of Listeria innocua, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella Enteritidis inactivation in milk treated by gamma irradiation

Measuring microbial inactivation in food is useful for food technology as it allows for predicting the growth or death of microorganisms. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gamma irradiation on the lethality of microorganisms inoculated in milk, estimate the mathematical model of inactivation of each microorganism, and evaluate kinetic indices to determine the efficient dose in the treatment of milk. Raw milk samples were inoculated with cultures of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (ATCC 13076), Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739), and Listeria innocua (ATCC 3309), irradiated at doses of 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 kGy. The fitting of the models to the microbial inactivation data was performed using the GinaFIT software. The results demonstrated a significant effect of irradiation doses on the population of microorganisms, with the application of a dose of 3 kGy, a reduction of approximately 6 logarithmic cycles is observed for L. innocua and 5 for S. Enteritidis and E. coli. The model with the best fit was different for each microorganism studied: for L. innocua, the model was log-linear + shoulder; for S. Enteritidis and E. coli, the model that showed the best fit was the biphasic. The studied model fitted well (R2 ≥ 0.9; R2 adj. ≥ 0.9 and smallest RMSE values) for the inactivation kinetics. The lethality of the treatment, considering a reduction in the 4D value, was achieved with the predicted dose of doses of ±2.22, ±2.10, and ±1.77 kGy, for L. innocua, S. Enteritidis, and E. coli, respectively.

Emerging technology and management research in the container terminals: Trends and the COVID-19 pandemic impacts

Despite the significant fluctuations in global trend due to the rising trade friction and the COVID19 pandemic, the container terminals are continuously working in three technology areas including automation, electrification and digitalization. This study reviewed recent technology trends as well as relevant research topics related to the container terminals, and investigated how the trends and topics would facilitate the terminals to achieve their strategic objectives. We also studied the trends in the container terminal industry before and after the pandemic outbreak. Recent progress shows that generally the long-term plans remain unchanged while there are some changes in timeline and priorities. The findings suggest that despite the common interest in long-term plans, gaps are still identified between academia and industry interests. Future directions are discussed for these technology areas, particularly in the context of the post-pandemic world, where the limited resources should be invested to the most urgent areas.

Developing Data Sharing Models for Health Research with Real-World Data: A Scoping Review of Patient and Public Preferences

For researchers to realize the benefits of real-world data in healthcare requires broader access to patient data than is currently possible given siloed data systems. To facilitate evidence generation, infrastructure must support integrated data collection and sharing enabled by patient consent. Critical to the success of data sharing is to design secured data sharing platforms around patient preferences and expectations. The objective of this review was to characterize patient and public preferences for secured data sharing platforms and incentives to share real-world data for health research. We conducted a scoping review of the data sharing and health informatics literature capturing patient and public values for data sharing platforms and incentivization. We searched Embase and Medline (OVID) databases for primary data studies. Two reviewers participated in study selection and data abstraction. Findings were summarized according to preference frequency within each major theme. The final search produced 253 articles. After screening, 12 articles were included for data extraction. Two studies discussed preferences for data sharing platforms, 7 discussed incentives preferences, and 3 addressed both. We identified considerable variation of patient and public preferences according to preferred consent mechanisms and level of control, willingness to trade off risks and benefits, and the type of incentivization appropriate to offer for participation. This preference variation informs the conditions under which individuals may be willing to engage with secured data sharing platforms to support research. Our findings indicate that platforms will need to be flexible to meet the diverse preferences of users and facilitate uptake.

Tech Ethics Through Trust Auditing

The public's trust in the technology sector is waning and, in response, technology companies and state governments have started to champion "tech ethics". That is, they have pledged to design, develop, distribute, and employ new technologies in an ethical manner. In this paper, I observe that tech ethics is already subject to a widespread pathology in that technology companies, the primary executors of tech ethics, are incentivized to pursue it half-heartedly or even disingenuously. Next, I highlight two emerging strategies which might be used to combat this problem, but argue that both are subject to practical limitations. In response, I suggest an additional way of augmenting the practice of tech ethics. This is to employ "trust audits," a new form of public participation in the socio-technical environment. In the remainder of the paper, I offer a description of how trust audits work, what they might look like in practice, and how they can fit in alongside those other strategies for improving tech ethics.

Recent trends and technological development in plasma as an emerging and promising technology for food biosystems

The rising need for wholesome, fresh, safe and “minimally-processed” foods has led to pioneering research activities in the emerging non-thermal technology of food processing. Cold plasma is such an innovative and promising technology that offers several potential applications in the food industry. It uses the highly reactive, energetic and charged gas molecules and species to decontaminate the food and package surfaces and preserve the foods without causing thermal damage to the nutritional and quality attributes of food. Cold plasma technology showed promising results about the inactivation of pathogens in the food industry without affecting the food quality. It is highly effective for surface decontamination of fruits and vegetables, but extensive research is required before its commercial utilization. Recent patents are focused on the applications of cold plasma in food processing and preservation. However, further studies are strongly needed to scale up this technology for future commercialization and understand plasma physics for getting better results and expand the applications and benefits. This review summarizes the emerging trends of cold plasma along with its recent applications in the food industry to extend shelf life and improve the quality of food. It also gives an overview of plasma generation and principles including mechanism of action. Further, the patents based on cold plasma technology have also been highlighted comprehensively for the first time.

Smart Things are Getting Smarter: An Introduction to the Internet of Behavior

The Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed the way businesses and consumers collect and use data. By using disparate sets of data, companies and individuals alike can identify meaningful patterns of behavior. This new trend called "Internet of Behavior" (IoB) enables not only the evaluation of people's behavior, but also ways to modify or influence behavior. This column will provide a brief overview of IoB, how it is utilized, and how it may be useful for libraries.

Update on Clinical Management with Neurovascular Stents

Endovascular stenting has continued to evolve given the new trials. Several new stents have recently been developed to address specific purposes. In this focused review, we discuss the concepts of neurointerventional stents and address the clinical implications. Furthermore, each type of stent is discussed with supporting evidence for clinical utility. In the final component, we argue for continued development and utilization.

Global policymakers and catastrophic risk

There is a rapidly developing literature on risks that threaten the whole of humanity, or a large part of it. Discussion is increasingly turning to how such risks can be governed. This paper arises from a study of those involved the governance of risks from emerging technologies, examining the perceptions of global catastrophic risk within the relevant global policymaking community. Those who took part were either civil servants working for the UK government, U.S. Congress, the United Nations, and the European Commission, or cognate members of civil society groups and the private sector. Analysis of interviews identified four major themes: Scepticism; Realism; Influence; and Governance outside of Government. These themes provide evidence for the value of conceptualising the governance of global catastrophic risk as a unified challenge. Furthermore, they highlight the range of agents involved in governance of emerging technology and give reason to value reforms carried out sub-nationally.

The circulating fluidized bed bioreactor as a biological nutrient removal process for municipal wastewater treatment: Process modelling and costing analysis

Emerging technologies for wastewater treatment face an uphill battle to be adopted in practice because no large-scale costing data exists to prove their cost competitiveness. Similar technologies and their costing data offer some insight to the approximate cost, but more detailed estimates are required for a final decision on process selection. The circulating fluidized bed bioreactor (CFBBR) is one such technology, proven at the lab and pilot and scale, but is yet to be used on a large scale. In order to demonstrate the potential economic competitiveness of the CFBBR, a method of modifying the CapdetWorks costing software by first modeling the CFBBR in the GPS-X process simulation software was employed. The modelling was used to determine the necessary changes to a moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) process (media size, density, surface area, and bed fill fraction) in CapdetWorks to simulate the CFBBR and then generate costing estimates for both capital cost (CapEx) and operation and maintenance cost (OpEx). Benchmarking the cost estimates against simulations of conventional suspended and attached growth processes and external costing data from the US EPA was performed to both validate the costing method and analyze the CFBBR's economic competitiveness. The calculation of the net present value from the CapEx and OpEx showed that the CFBBR is predicted to have 10%-30% lower costs at low flows of 1.5 and 4.6 MGD and comparative costs to conventional processes at higher flows from 10 to 30 MGD. Furthermore, the smaller land footprint of the CFBBR-based plants and lower landfilled biosolids implies that the CFBBR's environmental footprint is superior to its competitors and offers advantages for both small-sized plants and large urban plants.

Tracking developments in artificial intelligence research: constructing and applying a new search strategy

Artificial intelligence, as an emerging and multidisciplinary domain of research and innovation, has attracted growing attention in recent years. Delineating the domain composition of artificial intelligence is central to profiling and tracking its development and trajectories. This paper puts forward a bibliometric definition for artificial intelligence which can be readily applied, including by researchers, managers, and policy analysts. Our approach starts with benchmark records of artificial intelligence captured by using a core keyword and specialized journal search. We then extract candidate terms from high frequency keywords of benchmark records, refine keywords and complement with the subject category “artificial intelligence”. We assess our search approach by comparing it with other three recent search strategies of artificial intelligence, using a common source of articles from the Web of Science. Using this source, we then profile patterns of growth and international diffusion of scientific research in artificial intelligence in recent years, identify top research sponsors in funding artificial intelligence and demonstrate how diverse disciplines contribute to the multidisciplinary development of artificial intelligence. We conclude with implications for search strategy development and suggestions of lines for further research.

Streaming mindfulness: Well-being and mindfulness among subscribers to a video streaming service

OBJECTIVE

Internet and smartphone technology have advanced the dissemination of mindfulness practices and philosophy. This study explored how individuals interact with Spectiv, a subscription-based video streaming service (VSS) that advertises content for meditation, and measured levels of mindfulness and well-being. We hypothesized that users engaging with Spectiv for longer sessions and on a regular basis would report higher levels of mindfulness and well-being.

METHOD

A 46-question online survey was developed and distributed to all active subscribers of Spectiv (N = 119). The survey included two validated scales: (1) The Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale, and (2) The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. A series of one-way ANOVAs were performed, along with a simple linear regression and descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Users reported relaxation as the most common activity. Levels of mindfulness and well-being were significantly higher for users whose session-duration lasted 2 hours (p = .01) and 3 hours (p = .03). Users engaging with the VSS daily had significant levels of both mindfulness (p < .001) and well-being (p < .001). There was no difference between subscription length and mindfulness and well-being. Mindfulness was found to be a significant positive predictor of well-being (p < .0001).

CONCLUSION

VSS could be valuable to facilitating mindfulness. Users engaging with a VSS for longer durations and more frequently may be more likely to experience benefits. Future research using controlled designs such as randomized control trials and feasibility studies should be conducted to determine if VSS can maintain or increase levels of mindfulness and well-being.

Connecting virtual reality and ecology: a new tool to run seamless immersive experiments in R

Virtual reality (VR) technology is an emerging tool that is supporting the connection between conservation research and public engagement with environmental issues. The use of VR in ecology consists of interviewing diverse groups of people while they are immersed within a virtual ecosystem to produce better information than more traditional surveys. However, at present, the relatively high level of expertise in specific programming languages and disjoint pathways required to run VR experiments hinder their wider application in ecology and other sciences. We present R2VR, a package for implementing and performing VR experiments in R with the aim of easing the learning curve for applied scientists including ecologists. The package provides functions for rendering VR scenes on web browsers with A-Frame that can be viewed by multiple users on smartphones, laptops, and VR headsets. It also provides instructions on how to retrieve answers from an online database in R. Three published ecological case studies are used to illustrate the R2VR workflow, and show how to run a VR experiments and collect the resulting datasets. By tapping into the popularity of R among ecologists, the R2VR package creates new opportunities to address the complex challenges associated with conservation, improve scientific knowledge, and promote new ways to share better understanding of environmental issues. The package could also be used in other fields outside of ecology.

Dielectric barrier atmospheric cold plasma applied to the modification of Ariá (Goeppertia allouia) starch: Effect of plasma generation voltage

The goal of this paper was to evaluate the influence of a range of plasma generation voltages on the physicochemical, structural, and technological properties of Aria (Goeppertia allouia) starch. Untreated (0 kV) and high voltages of cold plasma generation (7, 10, 14, and 20 kV) treated samples were evaluated according to their amylose content, pH, groups carbonyl/carboxyl, molecular size distribution, structure and technological properties (empirical viscosity, hydration properties, thermal analysis and gel strength). The applied voltage of 14 kV resulted in the greatest depolymerization of the starch chains, while 20 kV allowed the formation of oxidized complexes, promoting crosslinking of the starches chain. The cold plasma technique did not affect the levels of resistant starches, but increased the starch digestibility. The increased carbonyl and carboxyl groups also influenced the paste viscosity, improved hydration properties. This study suggests that the cold plasma technique can be useful in the controlled modification of starches, producing starches with different technological properties.

An Introduction to Telehealth and COVID-19 Innovations - A Primer for Librarians

Telehealth services have slowly yet steadily increased over the past few decades as new technologies emerge. However, social distancing mandates, state shutdowns, and an overburdened healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic forced a dramatic surge forward in telehealth use and policy. While many of these emergency measures are temporary, the successes, failures and lessons learned during this period will change the way telehealth is administered, moving forward. This column will review recent changes to telehealth and telemedicine services during the pandemic and their impact on healthcare systems.

Ohmic heating as a method of obtaining paraprobiotics: Impacts on cell structure and viability by flow cytometry

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ohmic heating (OH) on probiotic inactivation, cell viability and morphology of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus LA 05 (LA), Lacticaseibacillus casei 01 (LC), and Bifidobacterium animalis Bb 12 (BA) to develop paraprobiotics. OH at different electric field magnitudes (4, 8, and 12 V/cm at 60 Hz) and conventional heat treatment (CONV) were performed to determine the most adequate condition for the obtainment of paraprobiotics. Analysis of culturability, flow cytometry (FC), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was carried out. The complete inactivation by CONV was achieved only in the following conditions: LA - 95 °C/5 min, LC and BA - 95 °C/7 min. The same temperature profile was used in OH treatments to study the OH electrical effects. The OH treatment (8 V/cm) caused lower damage to the cell membrane integrity compared to the CONV treatment (p < 0.05). The OH showed to be adequate technology for the efficient production of paraprobiotics.

Effect of ultrasound on proteolysis and the formation of volatile compounds in dry fermented sausages

Ultrasound (US) is an emerging technology capable of affecting enzymes and microorganisms, leading to the release of amino acids and the formation of volatile compounds. The effect of different exposure times (0, 3, 6, and 9 min) of US (25 kHz, 128 W) on the proteolysis and volatile compounds of dry fermented sausages during processing (day 0 and 28) and storage (day 1 and 120) was investigated. Lower alanine, glycine, valine, leucine, proline, methionine, and tyrosine levels were observed at the beginning of manufacture for the sample subjected to 9 min of US (p < 0.05) when compared to the control. During the storage period, the samples subjected to US exposure for 3 and 6 min exhibited higher free amino acid levels. A greater formation of hexanal, pentanal, and hexanol was observed in the US-treated samples when compared to the control (p < 0.05), as well as other derivatives from the oxidation reactions during the storage. The use of US (25 kHz and 128 W) in the manufacture of dry fermented sausages can affect the proteolysis and the formation of compounds derived from lipid oxidation during the storage.

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure processing on structure and functional properties of biodegradable film

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing (200–400 MPa/5 or 10 min) on functional properties of cellulose acetate (CA) films were investigated. As for mechanical properties, HHP caused a reduction in tensile strength (TS), Young's modulus (YM) and an increase in elongation at break (EB). The pressurized films were more luminous, yellowish, reddish and opaque. Less affinity for water was detected for pressurized films through analyses of contact angle and moisture absorption, in addition to reducing the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the occurrence of delamination for most films, except those treated with 200 MPa/10 min and 300 MPa/10 min. All films showed a predominance of amorphous structure in X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). That is alignment with the results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which presented values for glass transition temperature (Tg), water adsorption and melting temperature characteristic of materials with low crystallinity. Films treated with HHP had better mechanical resistance during the sealing at 250 °C. In overall the results confirmed the minimal influence of HHP on the functional properties of the CA film and contributed to the scientific and technological knowledge for its potential application in foods processed by HHP.

Why Do Firms Implement Responsible Innovation? The Case of Emerging Technologies in South Korea

With the rise of responsible innovation (RI) initiatives in firms that commercialize innovation in recent years, experts have argued that in order for RI to succeed, practical issues must be considered. Accordingly, this paper explores RI from the perspective of Korean emerging technology development firms. Although social benefits are expected from RI, which aims to reduce the side effects of innovations for society, the implementation of RI requires changing firms' existing rules and routines. Therefore, predicting benefits and costs from the firm's perspective can shed light on the likelihood that RI will succeed. In this study, through an expert survey, the relative weights of RI-related benefit criteria (technological level, economic performance, and public contribution) and cost criteria (anticipation, reflexivity, inclusion, and responsiveness) were analyzed. On this basis, trends in priorities for RI levels were evaluated from present and future perspectives. Unexpectedly, firms recognized that even if constraints such as RI impose greater costs, they will eventually bring greater benefits. This finding indicates that innovation induced by RI overcomes obstacles, offsets costs, and then finally increases firms' competitiveness, and that firms are willing to do good for society through RI. In the long term, a firm's ethical activities may eventually result in improved performance by its management. Therefore, it can be concluded that, even if RI is enforced in a compulsory manner, it is highly likely that it can be well established and promoted even in firms that consider profit first.

Simultaneous eco-toxicity assessment technique using an online monitoring system: effects of different environmental factors on swimming behavior of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Environmental factors, such as photoperiod and temperature were the main limiting factors for the survival of organisms in the nature environment. Changes in environmental factors are well predicted but determining their effects on organisms are challenging hot topic in the field of eco-toxicology. Thus, technology based eco-toxicity assessment was focused worldwide. In this research, the effects of different temperatures (15 °C, 22 °C, 30 °C, 32 °C, and 35 °C) and photoperiods (dark and light periods) on the continuous behavior responses of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were investigated using an online monitoring system (OMS). We designed a new fish chamber with sensors to measure the behavior responses of zebrafish under different conditions. Data obtained from the OMS could be assessed for factors such as difference in swimming behavior, circadian rhythm, and avoidance behavior using latest software (MATLAB). The observed behavior anomalies on zebrafish under different temperatures and continuous photoperiods were statically significant (p < 0.05). We conclude that the new designed fish chamber (behavior sensors) is good in sensing behavioral responses of zebrafish under different conditions. The fish behavior strength could be a potential biomarker to assess the effects of environmental factors. The present study would be a basic platform for assessing the effects of different stressors simultaneously on swimming behavior of zebrafish.

High-intensity ultrasound-assisted formation of cellulose nanofiber scaffold with low and high lignin content and their cytocompatibility with gingival fibroblast cells

Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) hydrogels with low lignin (8%) (LL-CNF) and high lignin (18%) (HL-CNF) content were produced at nominal powers of 240, 720 and 1200 W using high-intensity ultrasound technology (HIUS). Freeze-dried CNF hydrogels were evaluated as scaffolds for gingival fibroblast cells proliferation aiming biomedical applications. HIUS processing improved the dispersibility of the CNF and increased the water retention value by more than 5 times. The LL-CNF had a maximum fibrillation yield of 46 wt.%, whereas the HL-CNF had a maximum fibrillation yield of 40 wt.% at nominal power of ≥720 W. Regardless of the lignin content, the CNF hydrogels exhibited a typical elastic gel-like behavior with the highest elasticity of 263 Pa. After freeze-drying, the CNF aerogels had porosity ≥ 96.8%, and swelling capacity up to 42.1 g PBS/g aerogel. Moreover, the cell proliferation assay showed no differences in proliferation among the LL-CNF and HL-CNF scaffolds up to 11 days. Therefore, CNF scaffolds prepared with lignin content up to 18% present promising application in the biomedical field.

Regulatory landscape of dietary supplements and herbal medicines from a global perspective

The number of Individuals that use dietary supplements and herbal medicine products are continuous to increase in many countries. The context of usage of a dietary supplement varies widely from country-to-country; in some countries supplement use is just limited to general health and well-being while others permit use for medicinal purposes. To date, there is little consensus from country to country on the scope, requirements, definition, or even the terminology in which dietary supplement and herbal medicines categories could be classified. Transparent science-based quality standards for the ingredients across these regulatory frameworks/definitions becomes even more important given the international supply chain. Meanwhile, there has been a rapid advancement in emerging technologies and data science applied to the field. This review was conceived at the Global Summit on Regulatory Sciences that took place in Beijing on September 2018 (GSRS2018) which is organized by Global Coalition for Regulatory Science Research (GCRSR) that consists of the global regulatory agencies from over ten countries including the European Union. This review summarizes a significant portion of discussions relating to a longitudinal comparison of the status for dietary supplements and herbal medicines among the different national jurisdictions and to the extent of how new tools and methodologies can improve the regulatory application.

Governance, technology and citizen behavior in pandemic: Lessons from COVID-19 in East Asia

Corona Virus (CODID-19) was first reported in Wuhan in December 2019, then spread in different parts of China, and gradually became a global pandemic in March 2020. While the death toll is still increasing, the epicenter of casualty has shifted from Asia to Europe, and that of the affected people has shifted to USA. This paper analyzes the responses in East Asian countries, in China, Japan and South Korea, and provides some commonalities and lessons. While countries have different governance mechanism, it was found that a few governance decisions in respective countries made a difference, along with strong community solidarity and community behavior. Extensive use of emerging technologies is made along with medical/health care treatment to make the response more effective and reduce the risk of the spread of the disease. Although the pandemic was a global one, its responses were local, depending on the local governance, socio-economic and cultural context.

Governance, technology and citizen behavior in pandemic: Lessons from COVID-19 in East Asia

Corona Virus (CODID-19) was first reported in Wuhan in December 2019, then spread in different parts of China, and gradually became a global pandemic in March 2020. While the death toll is still increasing, the epicenter of casualty has shifted from Asia to Europe, and that of the affected people has shifted to USA. This paper analyzes the responses in East Asian countries, in China, Japan and South Korea, and provides some commonalities and lessons. While countries have different governance mechanism, it was found that a few governance decisions in respective countries made a difference, along with strong community solidarity and community behavior. Extensive use of emerging technologies is made along with medical/health care treatment to make the response more effective and reduce the risk of the spread of the disease. Although the pandemic was a global one, its responses were local, depending on the local governance, socio-economic and cultural context.

Utilizing Advanced Technologies to Augment Pharmacovigilance Systems: Challenges and Opportunities

There are significant challenges and opportunities in deploying and utilizing advanced information technology (IT) within pharmacovigilance (PV) systems and across the pharmaceutical industry. Various aspects of PV will benefit from automation (e.g., by improving standardization or increasing data quality). Several themes are developed, highlighting the challenges faced, exploring solutions, and assessing the potential for further research. Automation of the workflow for processing of individual case safety reports (ICSRs) is adopted as a use case. This involves a logical progression through a series of steps that when linked together comprise the complete work process required for the effective management of ICSRs. We recognize that the rapid development of new technologies will invariably outpace the regulations applicable to PV systems. Nevertheless, we believe that such systems may be improved by intelligent automation. It is incumbent on the owners of these systems to explore opportunities presented by new technologies with regulators in order to evaluate the applicability, design, deployment, performance, validation and maintenance of advanced technologies to ensure that the PV system continues to be fit for purpose. Proposed approaches to the validation of automated PV systems are presented. A series of definitions and a critical appraisal of important considerations are provided in the form of use cases. We summarize progress made and opportunities for the development of automation of future systems. The overall goal of automation is to provide high quality safety data in the correct format, in context, more quickly, and with less manual effort. This will improve the evidence available for scientific assessment and helps to inform and expedite decisions about the minimization of risks associated with medicines.

Can You Hear Me Now? Social Listening as a Strategy for Understanding User Needs

Maintaining regular engagement with audiences through various forms of social media is becoming more important as library users and the general public increasingly rely on social media for news, updates, and feedback. While large corporations have been monitoring social media for more than a decade, libraries have recently begun to use social listening to stay abreast of trends and assess user needs as voiced directly by their communities. This column will explain what social listening is, explore concerns over its widespread application, consider examples of social media listening software currently available, and offer an overview of its application in library settings.

Emerging technologies for arsenic removal from drinking water in rural and peri-urban areas: Methods, experience from, and options for Latin America

Providing drinking water with safe arsenic levels in Latin American (LA) countries (a total of 22 countries) is a major current challenge. Arsenic's presence in water has been neglected for many decades since it was first reported ~100 years ago in Argentina. The major arsenic source in this region is geogenic. So far, arsenic has been reported in 15 LA countries. Arsenic concentrations in drinking water have been reported up to >200 fold (2000 μg/L) the WHO limit of 10 μg/L. About 14 million people in the arsenic affected LA countries depend on contaminated water characterized by >10 μg/L of arsenic. Low-cost, easy to use, efficient, and sustainable solutions are needed to supply arsenic safe water to the rural and peri-urban population in the affected areas. In the present study, >250 research articles published on various emerging technologies used for arsenic remediation in rural and peri-urban areas of LA countries are critically reviewed. Special attention has been given to arsenic adsorption methods. The manuscript focuses on providing insights into low cost emergent adsorbents with an implementation potential in Latin America. Natural, modified and synthetic adsorbents used for arsenic decontamination were reviewed and compared. Advantages and disadvantages of treatment methods are summarized. Adsorbent selection criteria are developed. Recommendations concerning emerging adsorbents for aqueous arsenic removal in LA countries have also been made.

Common themes and emerging trends for the use of technology to support mental health and psychosocial well-being in limited resource settings: A review of the literature

There are significant disparities in access to mental health care. With the burgeoning of technologies for health, digital tools have been leveraged within mental health and psychosocial support programming (eMental health). A review of the literature was conducted to understand and identify how eMental health has been used in resource-limited settings in general. PubMed, Ovid Medline and Web of Science were searched. Six-hundred and thirty full-text articles were identified and assessed for eligibility; of those, 67 articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The most common mental health use cases were for depression (n = 25) and general mental health and well-being (n = 21). Roughly one-third used a website or Internet-enabled intervention (n = 23) and nearly one-third used an SMS intervention (n = 22). Technology was applied to enhance service delivery (n = 32), behavior change communication (n = 26) and data collection (n = 8), and specifically dealt with adherence (n = 7), ecological momentary assessments (n = 7), well-being promotion (n = 5), education (n = 8), telemedicine (n = 28), machine learning (n = 5) and games (n = 2). Emerging trends identified wearables, predictive analytics, robots and virtual reality as promising areas. eMental health interventions that leverage low-tech tools can introduce, strengthen and expand mental health and psychosocial support services and can be a starting point for future, advanced tools.

High-intensity ultrasound: A novel technology for the development of probiotic and prebiotic dairy products

High-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) can be used as a mild-preservation technology in dairy products, due to its ability to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms and enzymes. In addition, it can result in physical and chemical alterations in the products and has impact on the probiotic viability and metabolic activity. This review provides an overview of the effects of HIUS on dairy products manufactured with probiotics and prebiotics. Furthermore, it presents perspectives of HIUS application on paraprobiotics and postbiotics products. HIUS has been proven to be a potential technology and its application to fermented dairy products can result in shorter processing time, increased probiotic viability, and products with low lactose content, higher oligosaccharides concentration, less undesirable taste (lower propionic and acetic acids content) and reduced ingredients (no need of prebiotic addition or β-galactosidase inclusion). In cheeses, HIUS can reduce the ripening time and accelerate proteolysis, resulting in products with better sensory, textural and nutritional (bioactive peptides) characteristics. Furthermore, it can change the prebiotic structure, facilitating the access for the probiotics. The impact of the HIUS is highly dependent on the process parameters (frequency, power, processing time, pulse mode and duration), type of probiotic culture and food composition. Therefore, HIUS process parameters must be precisely quantified and controlled. The HIUS can also be applied to the inactivation of probiotic cultures and development of paraprobiotic products or to the improvement in the production of soluble factors (postbiotics) with health effects. Further researches should be conducted to evaluate the efficiency of this methodology in the cases of paraprobiotic and postbiotic products.

Effect of high-intensity ultrasound on the nutritional profile and volatile compounds of a prebiotic soursop whey beverage

This study evaluated the nutritional profile and volatile compounds present in a novel prebiotic (inulin) soursop whey beverage, due to the effects of high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS). The prebiotic soursop whey beverage was produced and processed by non-thermal high-intensity ultrasound varying the power (0, 200, 400 and 600 W) and by high-temperature short time (72 °C for 15 s) thermal treatment. Total acidity, pH, ascorbic acid content, total phenolics compounds content, antioxidant activity, hypertensive activity, fatty acid profile, volatile organic compounds, macro and micro minerals, as well as the heavy metals in these products, were analyzed. Overall, the HIUS technology induced some positive changes in the nutritional profile of the soursop whey beverage including beneficial effects, e.g., increase of phenolic content, improvement of the antioxidant and anti-hypertensive activity and reduction of undesired minerals. Although some negative changes, such as degradation of the ascorbic acid, decrease of some minerals and production of certain volatile compounds were found, the beneficial effects were prominent, thus, opening new opportunities to develop healthy functional beverages.

Obtaining a novel mucilage from mutamba seeds exploring different high-intensity ultrasound process conditions

We evaluated the effect of ultrasonic power (200-600 W) and process time (1-7 min) on the recovery of a novel polysaccharide from mutamba (Guazuma ulmifolia Lam.) seeds applying high-intensity ultrasound. Ultrasound process conditions intensification gradually was removing the mucilage layer around the hydrated seeds. Then, the scanning electron micrographs showed that the mucilage was removed completely at the highest applied energy density (10,080 J/mL). Although the colour of mutamba seed mucilage (MSM) have been changed due to increase of energy density, it not affects its practical use because the MSM can be purified to remove impurities. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that the ultrasound process conditions intensification did not affect the primary structure of MSM according to ζ-potential, FTIR spectrum, and monosaccharide residues data. In conclusion, ultrasound process conditions intensification allows the full recovery of the MSM at a short process time (7 min) without altering its quality and the primary structure.

Ultrasound and meat quality: A review

High intensity ultrasound (HIU) offers an alternative to traditional methods of food preservation, and is regarded as a green and promising emerging technology. Ultrasound generates acoustic cavitation in a liquid medium, developing physical forces that are considered the main mechanism responsible for changes in exposed materials. In meat, ultrasound has been successfully used to improve processes such as mass transfer and marination, tenderization of meat and inactivation of microorganisms. It is also an alternative to traditional meat ageing methods for improving the quality properties of meat. Moreover, the combination of ultrasonic energy with a sanitizing agent can improve the effect of microbial reduction in foods. This review describes recent potential applications of ultrasound in meat systems, as well as physical and chemical effects of ultrasound treatment on the conservation and modification of processed meat foods. Finally, the ultrasound application parameters must be deep explored and established before the method can be scaled to industrial levels.

[New opportunity of management strategy of diagnosis and treatment of chronic wound: emerging technology]

Along with the development of society and the change of disease spectrum, chronic wound is gradually becoming the core of burn and plastic surgery field. Although there have been some progresses in the diagnosis and treatment technology, the management strategy of chronic wound is still in the traditional mode stage. The development of internet of things, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies is changing with each passing day, and they have rapidly penetrated into the health care field. To explore the application prospect of emerging technology in the diagnosis and treatment management of chronic wound and to plan its strategy and mode in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic wound can further promote development of discipline of burns.

Effects of high-intensity ultrasound process parameters on the phenolic compounds recovery from araticum peel

In this work, we investigated the effects of the nominal ultrasonic power (160-640 W) and process time (0.5-5.0 min) on the phenolic compounds recovery and antioxidant activity from araticum peel. The individual and synergistic effects of the process variables on the phenolic recovery were estimated using a full factorial experimental design. Operating at high nominal ultrasonic powers was possible to obtain high phenolic yields and antioxidant activities at short process times (≤5 min). The HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analysis revealed that the araticum peel sample possessed 142 phytochemicals, 123 of which had not been reported in the literature for this raw material yet. The most abundant phenolic compounds recovered were epicatechin, rutin, chlorogenic acid, catechin and ferulic acid. Thus, high-intensity ultrasound technology proved to be a simple, efficient, fast and low environmental impact method for obtaining phenolic compounds from araticum peel. In addition, araticum peel showed to be a promising source bioactive natural phenolics for further applications in the food, nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

A Review of Two-Factor Authentication: Suggested Security Effort Moves to Mandatory

Two-factor authentication has been available to technology consumers for a long time, and a few years ago businesses and institutions began implementing optional two-factor authentication to improve digital security. Now more universities and hospitals are moving from optional to mandatory two-factor authentication, and employees used to two-factor authentication for their personal digital life must adjust to using two-factor authentication in their work flow. This column will review some of the ongoing and emergent aspects of two-factor authentication to enhance security in an ever-changing digital landscape.

Emerging technologies for the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass to overcome its intrinsic recalcitrant nature prior to the production of valuable chemicals has been studied for nearly 200 years. Research has targeted eco-friendly, economical and time-effective solutions, together with a simplified large-scale operational approach. Commonly used pretreatment methods, such as chemical, physico-chemical and biological techniques are still insufficient to meet optimal industrial production requirements in a sustainable way. Recently, advances in applied chemistry approaches conducted under extreme and non-classical conditions has led to possible commercial solutions in the marketplace (e.g. High hydrostatic pressure, High pressure homogenizer, Microwave, Ultrasound technologies). These new industrial technologies are promising candidates as sustainable green pretreatment solutions for lignocellulosic biomass utilization in a large scale biorefinery. This article reviews the application of selected emerging technologies such as ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, pulsed electrical field, ultrasound and high pressure as promising technologies in the valorization of lignocellulosic biomass.

High pressure processing effect on different Listeria spp. in a commercial starter-free fresh cheese

In this study, both microbial inactivation and growth of Listeria spp. inoculated in commercial free-starter fresh cheese was evaluated after high-pressure processing (HPP). HPP conditions (300, 400, 500 and 600 MPa at 6 °C for 5 min) and inoculum level (3-4 or 6-7 log CFU/g of cheese), as well as differences among strains inoculated (Listeria innocua, L. monocytogenes CECT 4031 and L. monocytogenes Scott A) were investigated. Inactivation and generation of sublethal injury were determined after HPP using ALOA (Agar Listeria according to Ottaviani and Agosti) and TAL (Thin Agar Layer) plating methods, respectively. Listeria inactivation increased with the pressure applied, presenting some statistical differences between the employed strains, inoculum level and sublethal injury. The highest lethality values were obtained at 600 MPa for the three strains tested, although the 500 MPa treatment presented high lethality for L. innocua and L. monocytogenes CECT 4031. After treatment, L. innocua and L. monocytogenes CECT 4031 counts in fresh cheese increased gradually during cold storage. By contrast, counts in cheeses inoculated with L. monocytogenes Scott A did not change significantly (p ≥ 0.05), being this strain the most pressure resistant and with the slowest growth rate. The manuscript present information supporting that, strains with high-level resistance should be employed during inactivation studies, instead of surrogate microorganisms. Application of HPP treatments of 500 MPa and especially 600 MPa on fresh cheeses would be effective to eliminate the most resistant microorganism to a level that should not present a public health risk under normal conditions of distribution and storage.

Physicochemical changes and microbial inactivation after high-intensity ultrasound processing of prebiotic whey beverage applying different ultrasonic power levels

In this work, we investigated the effects of the ultrasonic power (0, 200, 400 and 600 W) on non-thermal processing of an inulin-enriched whey beverage. We studied the effects of high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) on microbial inactivation (aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria (AMHB), total and thermotolerant coliforms and yeasts and molds), zeta potential, microstructure (optical microscopy, particle size distribution), rheology, kinetic stability and color. The non-thermal processing applying 600 W of ultrasonic power was comparable to high-temperature short-time (HTST) treatment (75 °C for 15 s) concerning the inactivation of AMHB and yeasts and molds (2 vs 2 log and 0.2 vs 0.4 log, respectively), although HIUS has reached a lower output temperature (53 ± 3 °C). The HIUS was better than HTST to improve beverage kinetic stability, avoiding phase separation, which was mainly attributed to the decrease of particles size, denaturation of whey proteins and gelation of polysaccharides (inulin and gellan gum). Thus, non-thermal processing by HIUS seems to be an interesting technology for prebiotic dairy beverages production.

Effects of ultrasound energy density on the non-thermal pasteurization of chocolate milk beverage

This study presents the emerging high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) processing as a non-thermal alternative to high-temperature short-time pasteurization (HTST). Chocolate milk beverage (CMB) was subjected to different ultrasound energy densities (0.3-3.0 kJ/cm³), as compared to HTST pasteurization (72 °C/15 s) aimed to verify the effect of the HIUS processing on the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of the beverage. The application of HIUS at an energy density of 3.0 kJ/cm³ was able to reduce 3.56 ± 0.02 logarithmic cycles in the total aerobic counts. In addition, the ultrasound energy density affected the physical properties of the beverage as the size distribution of fat globule and rheological behavior, as well as the chemical properties such as antioxidant activity, ACE inhibitory activity, fatty acid profile, and volatile profile. In general, the different energetic densities used as a non-thermal method of pasteurization of CMB were more effective when compared to the conventional pasteurization by HTST, since they improved the microbiological and physicochemical quality, besides preserving the bioactive compounds and the nutritional quality of the product.

Mind over Matter: Using Technology to Improve Wellness

Wellness-the balance of mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health for the overall health benefit of the individual-is a growing concern, particularly for professionals in the medical field. Although wellness is usually viewed in opposition to technology, more digital devices and mobile applications are emerging to support wellness for health consumers. This wellness technology seeks to improve the overall health of the user through increasing calm and decreasing stress. This column will explain what wellness technology is, concerns over its widespread application, examples of wellness devices on the market currently, and an overview of where it is being applied in libraries.