Quality Changes and Safety Evaluation of Ready-to-Eat Roasted Antarctic Krill(Euphausia superba)During Storage at Room Temperature(25℃)

The objective of this study was to determine the quality changes and shelf life of ready-to-eat roasted Antarctic krill,either untreated(CT)or treated with sodium diacetate(SD)or sodium diacetate and a deoxidizer(SDD),during storage at room temperature(25℃)by using sensory,physiochemical,and microbial assessment.Additionally,fluoride accumulation in this food product was used to evaluate its safety.Analysis showed that the addition of SD and SDD resulted in better sensory scores compared of that of CT samples(P<0.05).Accordingly,microorganism growth and total basic nitrogen(TVB-N)were maintained at a low level for the duration of storage with SD and SDD treatments.The total viable counts of SD and SDD reached(4.58±0.08)log(CFU g^(−1))and(4.20±0.11)log(CFUg^(−1)),respectively.The mold was found after 6 and 18 days for SD and SDD treatment,and the numbers reached 5.2×10^(6) and 8.5×10^(4) respectively at the end of shelf life.The TVB-N values from CT continuously increased during the whole storage.While TVB-N values from SD and SDD remained significantly less change(P<0.05)during the early 20 days of the storage,and the values reached(12.11±0.07)mg(100 g)^(−1) and(10.88±0.15)mg(100 g)^(−1) on day 33 and day 70,respectively.Importantly,SDD treatment effectively minimized the oxidation values and retained the color of ready-to-eat roasted Antarctic krill.Our results showed that the shelf life of ready-to-eat roasted Antarctic krill treated with SDD was extended by up to 52 days.Additionally,rats fed ready-to-eat roasted Antarctic krill showed accumulation of fluoride exclusively in the thighbone.The accumulation of fluoride residues in the thighbone showed concentration-dependent.The concentrations of fluoride residues in rats were(1760.03±38.21),(2371.52±42.15)mgkg^(−1) and(3615.44±30.53)mgkg^(−1),which were less than sodium fluoride feeding group(4621.01±28.67)mgkg^(−1).The results suggested that the SD and SDD treatments led to better quality and shelf life extension of ready-to-eat roasted Antarctic krill during storage at room temperature(25℃).Therefore,the ready-to-eat roasted Antarctic krill can be of great interest to the seafood industry.

Quality Assessment of Frozen Solenocera crassicornis Treated with Sodium Metabisulphite by Soaking or Spraying

The present work was carried out to evaluate the safety of shrimp(Solenocera crassicornis)treated with different concentrations of sodium metabisulfite(SMB)by soaking or spraying during frozen storage.Shrimps soaked in higher concentrations of SMB showed higher sensory scores,lower total color differences,and better anti-melanosis effects than shrimps in the control and other treatment groups throughout frozen storage(−18℃).Lower total volatile basic nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and higher salt soluble protein contents were detected in shrimp soaked with high doses of SMB compared with other samples.In addition,lower counts of total aerobic plates and psychrotrophic bacteria were observed in shrimp treated by soaking with higher doses of SMB than those in control shrimp and shrimp treated with other methods during frozen storage(−18℃).However,the SO2 content of 5%SMB-soaked samples exceeded the maximum allowable limit of 100mgkg−1.Overall,the use of 1.5%SMB soaking to treat shrimp results in good antioxidant and antimicrobial effects and,thus,may be suggested to preserve S.crassicornis under frozen conditions.The results of this study present important guidance on the use of SMB to maintain the quality of marine-trawling shrimp from manufacturing to consumption.

Changes in Physicochemical,Cooking and Sensory Characteristics of Rice Shifted from Low-temperature Storage

The physicochemical, cooking, and sensory characteristics of stored rice were measured in order to investigate the quality changes in it after low-temperature storage. The quality of the stored rice was compared to that of the rice stored at ambient temperature(20℃, 30%–70% RH) at a 25 d interval during 200 d of storage. The rice was stored in a temperature controller at 4℃ for 3 months and later under a simulated condition similar to that of the main rice consumption areas in China(35℃, 80% RH and 30℃, 70% RH). The results showed that the fatty acid value, b value, and moisture content of rice stored at 35℃, 80% RH and 30℃, 70% RH had increased significantly, whereas its L value had decreased as compared to the rice stored at ambient temperature. Higher temperature storage caused a greater water uptake, whereas the dry mass in the residual cooking water notably reduced under the storage at 35℃ as compared to that at 20℃. Hardness increased and adhesiveness reduced under the storage at 35℃ as compared to that at 20℃. The shelf life of the stored rice which was shifted from a low temperature to three storage conditions used in this study was 75 d, 100 d and 150 d, respectively, in the main rice consumption areas of China.

Effect of Storage Temperature on the Quality of Glass Bottled Pasteurized Whole Milk

Shelf life of pasteurized milk is relatively short, mainly due to cold chain conditions. This study investigated the effects of different storage temperatures （8, 10 and 12 ℃） on acidity, microorganism index, physical and chemical indicators and sensory quality of pasteurized milk packaged in glass bottle to determine the main factor affecting the quality of pasteurized milk during shelf life under different tem- peratures. The results showed that within the first five days, the protein, fat, lactose and non-fat milk solids contents in the milk samples did not change under different storage temperatures; the acidity was almost unchanged at 8 and 10 ℃, and in- creased slightly at 12 ℃; the sensory quality of milk samples did not change at 8 and 10 ℃, and began to decline from the 4th d at 12 ℃; the aerobic plate count in the milk samples accorded with the requirement of national standard at 8 and 10℃, and exceeded the national standard on the 5th day at 12℃. No coliform bac- teria were detected in the milk samples within the storage time at 8 ℃. When the milk samples were stored at 10 ℃, the coliform group count exceeded the national standard on the 5th day. When the milk samples were stored at 12 ℃, coliform bacteria began to be found in the milk samples from the 2rd day, and the coliform group count exceeded the national standard from the 3rd day. It indicated that stor- age time had a great impact on the quality of glass bottled pasteurized milk. Low storage temperature and relatively short storage time were conducive to the reten- tion of high quality of pasteurized milk. Coliform group count was one of the impor- tant factors affecting the quality of glass bottled pasteurized milk during shelf life.

Changing trends and influencing factors of the quality of life of chemotherapy patients with breast cancer

Objective： To understand the changing trajectory of quality of life（QOL） during the treatment courses of breast cancer patients during chemotherapy and to investigate the factors in each treatment course that affect QOL.Methods： The M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale（HADS）, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast（FACT-B） scale were used to perform a survey on 174 breast cancer patients who received the TAC（docetaxel, Adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide） chemotherapy regimen before postoperative chemotherapy and 5-7 days after each chemotherapy course.Results： The QOL scores of the breast cancer patients were the lowest before the postoperative chemotherapy（81.2 ± 19.6） and the highest after the second chemotherapy course（94.5 ± 14.4）. After the fourth and fifth chemotherapy courses, the scores were much lower again, with values of 82.7 ± 13.9and 82.6 ± 13.1, respectively. The scores improved again after the sixth chemotherapy course（93.9 ± 18.7）. Furthermore, each treatment course had different related symptoms that affected the QOL of the patients.Conclusions： More attention should be paid to the changing trajectory of QOL of patients in all treatment courses and to the influence of treatment-related symptoms on the QOL of patients; moreover, interventions should be adopted by medical care personnel to increase QOL in cancer patients.

Effects of Nitrogen-controlled Atmosphere Storage on the Quality of Ordinary Late Japonica Rice

Nitrogen-controlled atmosphere has been internationally recognized as a green grain storage technology.This study used Jiangsu ordinary late japonica rice as the test material and investigated the effects of different nitrogen concentrations(88%,93%,and 98%)and different storage temperatures(10,20,and 30℃)on the rice quality indexes during nitrogen-controlled atmosphere storage.The results showed that the water content of rice in different nitrogen-controlled atmosphere groups fluctuated between 12.85%~13.15%at 20℃,which was significantly lower than that in the control group.High-concentration nitrogen-controlled atmosphere treatment(93%and 98%)effectively slowed down the fatty acid value,malondialdehyde(MDA)content,and electrical conductivity of rice,and also significantly inhibited the rapid increase in the final viscosity and water absorption of rice starch,while the changes in the peak viscosity and attenuation value of rice were not significantly different from those of the control group.Meanwhile,the impacts of controlled atmosphere storage with 98%nitrogen concentration on the water content,fatty acid value,MDA content,electrical conductivity,gelatinization characteristics,and water absorption of rice at 10,20,and 30℃were studied.It was found that all quality parameters,except the MDA content,changed most gently at 10℃.In conclusion,the combined treatment of nitrogen-controlled atmosphere storage(98%)and low temperature(10℃)can effectively delay the quality deterioration of ordinary late japonica rice.

The Influence of Weather and Climate Variability on Groundwater Quality in Zanzibar

Climate change and variability have been inducing a broad spectrum of impacts on the environment and natural resources including groundwater resources. The study aimed at assessing the influence of weather, climate variability, and changes on the quality of groundwater resources in Zanzibar. The study used the climate datasets including rainfall (RF), Maximum and Minimum Temperature (Tmax and Tmin), the records acquired from Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) Zanzibar office for 30 (1989-2019) and 10 (2010-2019) years periods. Also, the Zanzibar Water Authority (ZAWA) monthly records of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity (EC), and Ground Water Temperature (GWT) were used. Interpolation techniques were used for controlling outliers and missing datasets. Indeed, correlation, trend, and time series analyses were used to show the relationship between climate and water quality parameters. However, simple statistical analyses including mean, percentage changes, and contributions to the annual and seasonal mean were calculated. Moreover, t and paired t-tests were used to show the significant changes in the mean of the variables for two defined periods of 2011-2015 and 2016-2020 at p ≤ 0.05. Results revealed that seasonal variability of groundwater quality from March to May (MAM) has shown a significant change in trends ranging from 0.1 to 2.8 mm/L/yr, 0.1 to 2.8 μS/cm/yr, and 0.1 to 2.0℃/yr for TDS, EC, and GWT, respectively. The changes in climate parameters were 0.1 to 2.4 mm/yr, 0.2 to 1.3℃/yr and 0.1 to 2.5℃/yr in RF, Tmax, and Tmin, respectively. From October to December (OND) changes in groundwater parameters ranged from 0.2 to 2.5 mm/L/yr 0.1 to 2.9 μS/cm/yr, and 0.1 to 2.1℃/yr for TDS, EC, and GWT, whereas RF, Tmax, and Tmin changed from 0.3 to 1.8 mm/yr, 0.2 to 1.9℃/yr and 0.2 to 2.0℃/yr, respectively. Moreover, the study has shown strong correlations between climate and water quality parameters in MAM and OND. Besides, the paired correlation has shown significant changes in all parameters except the rainfall. Conclusively, the study has shown a strong influence of climate variability on the quality of groundwater in Zanzibar, and calls for more studies to extrapolate these results throughout Tanzania.

Relationship between the Three Laws of Dialectics of Nature and Agricultural Development

Based on the three laws of dialectics of nature-the law of unity of opposites, the law of mutual change of quality and the law of negation of negation, this paper analyzes the relationship between the three laws and agricultural development, and proposes making good use of the three laws to promote the better development of agriculture and realize agricultural modernization.

Sources of uncertainty in exploring rangeland phenology： A case study in an alpine meadow on the central Tibetan Plateau

Global climate change has been found to substantially influence the phenology of rangeland,especially on the Tibetan Plateau. However, there is considerable controversy about the trends and causes of rangeland phenology owing to different phenological exploration methods and lack of ground validation. Little is known about the uncertainty in the exploration accuracy of vegetation phenology.Therefore, in this study, we selected a typical alpine rangeland near Damxung national meteorological station as a case study on central Tibetan Plateau, and identified several important sources influencing phenology to better understand their effects on phenological exploration. We found man-made land use was not easily distinguished from natural rangelands, and therefore this may confound phenological response to climate change in the rangeland. Change trends of phenology explored by four methods were similar, but ratio threshold method(RTM) was more suitable for exploring vegetation phenology in terms of the beginning of growing season(BGS) and end of growing season(EGS). However, some adjustments are needed when RTM is used in extreme drought years. MODIS NDVI/EVI dataset was most suitable for exploring vegetation phenology of BGS and EGS. The discrimination capacities of vegetation phenology declined with decreasing resolution of remote sensing images from MODIS to GIMMS AVHRR datasets. Additionally, distinct trends of phenological change rates were indicated in different terrain conditions, with advance of growing season in high altitudes but delay of season in lower altitudes. Therefore, it was necessary to eliminate interference of complex terrain and man-made land use to ensure the representativeness of natural vegetation. Moreover, selecting the appropriate method to explore rangelands and fully considering the impact of topography are important to accurately analyze the effects of climate change on vegetation phenology.

Use of near-infrared spectroscopy and least-squares support vector machine to determine quality change of tomato juice

Near-infrared (NIR) transmittance spectroscopy combined with least-squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) was investigated to study the quality change of tomato juice during the storage. A total of 100 tomato juice samples were used. The spectrum of each tomato juice was collected twice: the first measurement was taken when the tomato juice was fresh and had not undergone any changes, and the second measurement was taken after a month. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine a potential capability of separating juice before and after the storage. The soluble solid content (SSC) and pH of the juice samples were determined. The results show that changes in certain compounds between tomato juice before and after the storage period were obvious. An excellent precision was achieved by LS-SVM model compared with discriminant partial least-squares (DPLS), soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), and discriminant analysis (DA) models, with 100% of a total accuracy. It can be found that NIR spectroscopy coupled with LS-SVM, DPLS, SIMCA, and DA can be used to control the quality change of tomato juice during the storage.

Effects of changing cognitive factors on the quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia

Objective To explore the effects of cognitive intervention on the quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia(FD).Methods From May 2013 to February2015,a total of 412 patients with FD were enrolled,cognition of the disease and the quality of life were assessed by disease cognitive simple questionnaire(B-IPQ)and Nepean dyspepsia index(NDI).The patients also re-