Discussion on the Treatment of Palmoplantar Keratosis by TCM Soaking and Washing

By combing the mechanism and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)soaking and washing and combining TCM syndrome differentiation with western medicine differentiation of diseases,guided by the view that"the principle of external treatment is that of internal treatment",this article discusses the differentiation and treatment ideas of palmoplantar keratosis by TCM soaking and washing,which will provide a reference for clinical treatment.

Biochemical changes in phenols,flavonoids,tannins,vitamin E,β-carotene and antioxidant activity during soaking of three white sorghum varieties

Objective:To investigate the changes in total phenols,flavonoids,tannins,vitamin E, β-carotene and antioxidant activity during soaking of three white sorghum varieties.Methods: The changes in total phenols,total ilavonoids,tannins,phenolic acids compounds,flavonoid components,vitamin E,P-carotene and antioxidant activity during soaking of sorghum grains were determined.Results:Total phenols,total flavonoids,tannins,vitamin E,P-carotene and antioxidant activity in raw sorghum were ranged from 109.21 to 116.70,45.91 to 54.69,1.39 to 21.79 mg/100 g,1.74 to 5.25,0.54 to 1.19 mg/kg and 21.72%to 27.69%and 25.29%to 31.97%,respectively. The above measured compounds were significantly decreased after soaking.p-Hydroxybenzoic acid,vanillic acid,syringic acid and cinnamic acid represent the major phenolic acids in Dorado variety.While ferulic acid,p-coumaric acid,gallic acid and caffeic acid represent the major phenolic acids in Shandaweel-6.On the other hand,protocatechuic acid represents the major phenolic acids in Giza-15.Regarding flavonoids components,Dorado was the highest variety in kampferol and naringenin while Shandaweel-6 was the highest variety in luteolin, apigenin,hypersoid,quercelin and christen.Finally,Giza-15 was the highest variety in catechin. Phenolic acids,flavonoid compounds and antioxidant activities were decreased after soaking. Conclusions:Sorghum varieties have moderate quantities from total phenols,total flavonoids, tannins,phenolic acids compounds,flavonoid components,vitamin E,P-carotene and antioxidant activity which decreased after soaking.

Mechanisms and capacity of high-pressure soaking after hydraulic fracturing in tight/shale oil reservoirs

Huff-n-puff by water has been conducted to enhance oil recovery after hydraulic fracturing in tight/shale oil reservoirs.However,the mechanisms and capacity are still unclear,which significantly limits the application of this technique.In order to figure out the mechanisms,the whole process of pressurizing,high-pressure soaking,and depressurizing was firstly discussed,and a mechanistic model was established.Subsequently,the simulation model was verified and employed to investigate the significances of high-pressure soaking,the contributions of different mechanisms,and the sensitivity analysis in different scenarios.The results show that high-pressure soaking plays an essential role in oil production by both imbibition and elasticity after hydraulic fracturing.The contribution of imbibition increases as the increase in bottom hole pressure(BHP),interfacial tension,and specific surface area,but slightly decreases as the oil viscosity increases.In addition,it first decreases and then slightly increases with the increase in matrix permeability.The optimal soaking time is linear with the increases of both oil viscosity and BHP and logarithmically declines with the increase in matrix permeability and specific surface area.Moreover,it shows a rising tendency as the interficial tension(IFT)increases.Overall,a general model was achieved to calculate the optimal soaking time.

Effects of soaking process on arsenic and other mineral elements in brown rice

One of the main food crops in the world,rice can accumulate high levels of arsenic from flooded paddy soils,which seriously threatens human health.Soaking,a common processing method for brown rice products,especially for brown rice noodles,was investigated in this study.Japonica rice(Dao Hua Xiang No.2)and Indica rice(Ye Xiang You No.3)were selected for studying the effects of soaking on arsenic concentrations,species,and distributions.Results revealed that soaking can efficiently remove arsenic in these two rice varieties,and the main part of removal is endosperm with the maximal rate of about 40%.Inorganic arsenic(I-As)(about 85%)is the main species of arsenic reduction.Meanwhile,the variations of four other elements(i.e.,Mg,Ca,Zn,and Fe)were analyzed.Collectively,the findings of this study indicate that soaking can efficiently remove arsenic in brown rice under controlled soaking conditions,which thereby reduces the arsenic intake for brown rice customers.

Evolution of plasticized MnO–Al2O3–SiO2-based nonmetallic inclusion in 18wt%Cr-8wt% Ni stainless steel and its properties during soaking process

The properties of MnO–Al2O3–SiO2-based plasticized inclusion are likely to change during soaking process due to its low melting point. In this study, the evolution of the MnO–Al2O3–SiO2-based inclusion of 18 wt%Cr-8 wt%Ni stainless steel under isothermal soaking process at 1250°C for different times was investigated by laboratory-scale experiments and thermodynamic analysis. The results showed that the inclusion population density increased at the first stage and then decreased while their average size first decreased and then increased. In addition, almost no Cr2O3-concentrated regions existed within the inclusion before soaking, but more and more Cr2O3 precipitates were formed during soaking. Furthermore, the plasticity of the inclusion deteriorated due to a decrease in the amount of liquid phase and an increase in the high-melting-pointphase MnO–Cr2O3 spinel after the soaking process. In-situ observations by high-temperature confocal laser scanning microscopy(CLSM) confirmed that liquid phases were produced in the inclusions and the inclusions grew rather quickly during the soaking process. Both the experimental results and thermodynamic analysis conclude that there are three routes for inclusion evolution during the soaking process. In particular, Ostwald ripening plays an important role in the inclusion evolution, i.e., MnO–Al2O3–SiO2-based inclusions grow by absorbing the newly precipitated smaller-size MnO–Cr2O3 inclusions.

Soaking Induced Changes in Chemical Composition, Glycemic Index and Starch Characteristics of Basmati Rice

An attempt was made to determine the qualitative changes in basmati rice （Pusa Basmati 1121, PBl121） during soaking at 40 ℃ to 80 ℃. Soaking temperature had significant effect （a = 0.01） on chemical composition, glycemic index and starch characteristics of rice. Starch content, apparent amylose content, crude protein content and crude fat content in un-soaked rice were found to be 73.24%, 27.26%, 8.79% and 2.56%, respectively, but differences in these traits were observed after soaking. Amylose to amylopectin ratio （Am/Ap） decreased from 0.59 to 0.52 （soaked at 80 ℃）. Crude fibre and crude ash contents increased after soaking. The mineral composition （K, P, S, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn） in soaked rice was found to be 16.46% higher than un-soaked rice at the same degree of polishing. Glycemic index of un-soaked rice was found to be 58.41, but decreased to 54.31 after soaking at 80 ℃. Pasting properties, scanning electron microscope images, and X-ray diffractograms suggested partial gelatinization of starch in the temperature range of 60 ℃ to 80 ℃. Based on qualitative changes in rice （apparent amylose content, Am/Ap ratio and crystallinity rate）, it was concluded that intermediate soakincl temperatures （60 ℃ to 70 ℃） would be useful for soaking of PB1121.

The Effect of Soaking with Wooden Ash and Malting upon Some Nutritional Properties of Sorghum Flour Used for Impeke,a Traditional Burundian Malt-Based Sorghum Beverage

The objective of the present work was to determine the effect of wooden ash extract on anti-nutritional factors and to assess the effect of soaking with malting on nutritional properties of sorghum flour used for impeke. The addition of wooden ash extract during 24 h of soaking resulted in significant decrease in tannin by 50.2% and the decrease was observed to be progressive as malting time increases. 5 d of malting resulted in significant decrease in tannin by 69.3% and in phytic acid by 66.4% with slight decrease in ash, lipid, fiber, and starch. Malting showed an increased percentage of protein, essential amino acids, and then in vitro protein digestibility were markedly improved with increasing malting time. Sugars analysis proved a significant increase in maltose, glucose, fructose, and structural analysis of sorghum starch displayed porosity on granule＇s surface susceptible to the amylolysis.

Shallow Analysis on the First Spring Soaking Rain Weather and Its Precipitation Enhancement Potential Forecast in Jinzhou Area in 2010

[Objective] The research aimed to study the first spring soaking rain weather and its precipitation enhancement potential forecast in Jinzhou area in 2010. [Method] From the weather situation characteristics, main influence system, forecast service, artificial precipitation enhancement operation and so on, the first spring soaking rain weather process in Jinzhou area in 2010 was summarized comprehensively. [Result] The weather situation characteristics of soaking rain were that the high-altitude cold air was weak, and the low-level warm wet airflow was obvious. The main influence systems were the high-altitude trough, the high-altitude shear line and the ground Mongolian cyclone. The ground inverted trough system advanced northward and got through with the same phase of Mongolian cyclone, which provided the certain energy and water vapor for the precipitation in Jinzhou area. It was one of key reasons for generating the soaking rain. The numerical forecast product played the certain guidance role in the forecast service work. The situation field forecast was accurate, but the precipitation forecast deviation was big. Therefore, the forecast service couldn’t depend on the numerical forecast product simply and totally, and should combine with the actual monitoring data to analyze and apply comprehensively. [Conclusion] The research played the safeguarding role in carrying out the large-scale artificial precipitation enhancement operation successfully in the whole area of Jinzhou.

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.

Quality of Irrigated Water with Nanometer Pottery Tray Treatment and Its Effects on Seed Soaking

To study the impacts of nanometer pottery trays （NPTs） on different rice varieties, three rice varieties, Zhongzheyou 1, Jinzao 47 and Xiushui 09, were treated with four NPTs （NPT-A, NPT-B, NPT-C and NPT-D） with different energies, respectively. The results showed that when the same rice variety was treated with different NPTs or different rice varieties were treated with the same NPT, the impacts on seed germination rate, seedling growth, plant height, panicle length and weight, the number of filled grains, seed-setting rate and 1000-grain weight varied between different rice variety-NPT interaction groups. In general, high energy NPT-C and NPT-D treatments obviously enhanced the functions of most examined rice characters. For example, NPT-C and NPT-D treatments improved the germination rate of all the three rice varieties, and promoted the root growth of seedlings, and increased seedling fresh weight, single panicle weight, filled grain number per panicle, seed-setting rate and 1000-grain weight. On the contrary, low energy NPT-A treatment restrained the seed germination rate in Jinzao 47 and Zhongzheyou 1, and decreased the seedling fresh weight in Zhongzheyou 1. NPT-B treatment restrained the seedling growth in Jinzao 47 but increased the panicle length of Zhongzheyou 1. NPT-A and NPT-C treatments obviously decreased the 1000-grain weight in Xiushui 09. Therefore, when treating crop seeds or plants using nanomaterials or nanotechnologies, different types of crops/varieties should select the nanomaterials or nanotechnologies with suitable energies to reduce the negative effects.

Influence of Soaking Effects to the Shear Strength of the Colluviums on Mt. Da-Lum

Landslide of colluviums often occurs during or after heavy rainfall because the huge quantity of precipitation induces the upsurge of groundwater table as well as the reduction of effective stress of soil stratum and the factor of safety from slope stability analysis. Moreover, the longer duration of heavy rainfall maintain the higher groundwater table, the shear strength parameters may be decline due to the soil being soaked for longer period of time. The campus of Huafan University is mostly covered by colluviums that located on Mt. Da-Lum, Shih-Tin Hsiang, Taipei County, Taiwan, China. Slope stability is one of the major concerned issues, for this reason, a slope monitoring test site has been established around the campus. According to the data collected, the magnitude of slope movement influenced by rainfall can be observed. In this study, the colluviums samples are collected from the campus of Huafan University and direct shear tests are performed to obtain the shear strength parameters of the remolded soil samples that soaked in the water for various periods of time, i.e. 0, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days respectively. From these tests, the change of the shear strength and slope stability of colluviums with respect to the soaking time of soil has been further understood.

Drying Characteristics of Microwave-assisted Foam Drying of Corn Soaking Water

To improve the industrial utilization of corn soaking water, the yeast protein powder was produced by microwave-assisted foam drying. Firstly, preparation experiments were carded out, which included the foaming characteristic experiments of fermentation broth and that about the effects of carbon and nitrogen ratio on solid content in the fermentation broth. Secondly, the drying characteristics experiment of corn soaking water was studied, which selected the microwave power, material amount and thickness as the influencing factors for the single experiment. The results showed that the final moisture content （d.b.） and drying rate were significantly affected by those factors.

Effects of Acetylacetone Solution Soaking on Agrobacterium - transformed Maize Seed Buds

[Objectives]The effect of acetosyringone seed soaking on the transformation of maize seed buds was analyzed,so as to improve the genetic transformation efficiency of maize and to provide technical support for transgenic breeding of maize.[Methods]The seeds of the"Zheng 58"maize inbred line were used as experimental materials.When the seeds were germinated,AS was added to the water at concentrations of 70,140,210,and 280μmol/L,respectively,and the seeds germinated without the addition of AS served as the CK.The Agrobacterium-mediated method was used to transform bud growth points of maize seeds,and green fluorescent protein detection was performed on the young shoots transformed with EGFP(enhanced green fluorescent protein)gene.The effect of soaking seeds with acetosyringone solution on the transformation of maize bud growth points by Agrobacterium was studied according to the detection results.[Results]Soaking seeds in acetosyringone solutions for germination had the effect of inhibiting the germination of maize seeds and inhibiting sprout elongation,and the higher the concentration of acetosyringone,the stronger the inhibition.When the concentration of acetosyringone solution was 280μmol/L,the germination rate of seeds was only 36.2%of the CK,while soaking seeds with 70-140μmol/L acetosyringone solution for germination could not only ensure a higher germination rate of maize seeds,but also significantly increased the transformation efficiency of maize bud growth points.When the seeds were soaked with 70μmol/L acetosyringone solution for germination,the positive rate of transformed maize buds was the highest,reaching 32.1%.[Conclusions]When maize bud growth points were used as the receptor of Agrobacterium transformation,soaking seeds with 70-140μmol/L acetosyringone for germination basically did not affect the germination of seeds,and was beneficial to the activation of Agrobacterium,thereby promoting the transformation.

Germination and Early Seedling Growth of Moringa oleifera Lam with Different Seeds Soaking Time and Substrates at the Yongka Western Highlands Research Garden Park (YWHRGP) Nkwen-Bamenda, North-West Cameroon

Moringa oleifera is a multipurpose tree used to remedy problems related to food insecurity and soil fertility degradation. Proper husbandry of this crop is contingent on the use of seedlings of good quality. This study aimed at assessing the germination and early seedling growth with different soaking durations and substrates composition. The seeds were obtained from the Far North region of Cameroon. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Two factors were tested;soaking duration with 4 treatment levels of 0 day, 4 days, 8 days and 12 days and substrates with 8 treatment levels: 100% soil, 75% soil + 25% poultry manure (PM), 50% soil + 50% PM, 25% soil + 75% PM, 100% sand, 75% sand + 25% PM, 50% sand + 50% PM and 25% sand + 75% PM. Germinated seeds and growth parameters were collected after every 5 days. The results showed that soaking duration and substrate composition influence germination and initial development of M. oleifera (p ≤ 0.05). At 25 days after soaking (DAS), soaking durations of 0 day (68.7%) and 8 days (53.1%) showed the highest germination percentages while seeds soaked for 12 days occupied the least position with 37.5%. At the same time, 75% soil + 25% PM (68.7%), 100% sand (64.5%) and 100% soil (60.5%) with the unsoaked seeds showed the highest germination percentages. The least germination percentages were represented by 50% sand + 50% PM and 25% sand + 75% PM with 35.5% and 27%, respectively. Unsoaked seeds with the substrates of 50% soil + 50% PM are the best practice for M. oleifera seedling production in the nursery.

Hydrodynamic Modelling, Thermodynamic and Textural Variations during Common Beans Soaking

Hydrodynamic characteristics and its associated thermodynamic and textural variation of three common Malawian beans varieties (Boma, Sugar and Mandondo) during soaking were evaluated at four temperature regimes (25°C, 35°C, 45°C and 55°C). The equilibrium water uptake of 127% ± 5% was reached in 10, 6, and 4 hours respectively, for 25°C, 35°C and 45°C. Not much variation was observed between 45°C and 55°C except for sugar beans where equilibrium water uptake was reached within two hours of soaking at 55°C. Three models namely Peleg, two-parameter Mitscherlich model and viscoelastic model were used to evaluate the comparative predicting capabilities of the bean hydrodynamic characteristics. All models predicted the water absorption accurately (R2 > 0.903, RMSE activation kinetic parameters to be between 25 - 65 kJ/mol. Sugar beans were found to be the least hard. At room temperature, its hardness reduced by 58% within 2 hours of soaking. At higher temperature (55°C) hardness values were reduced to 12.5%, 11.1% and 15.0% within the first hour for Boma, Sugar and Mandondo beans, respectively.

Light Soaking Induced Increase in Conversion Efficiency in Solar Cells Based on In(OH)_xS_y/Pb(OH)_xS_y

Light soaking characterization on complete SnO2:F/TiO2/In(OH)xSy/Pb(OH)xSy/PEDOT:PSS/Au, eta solar cell structure as well as on devices which do not include one or both TiO2 and/or PEDOT:PSS layers has been conducted. Additionally, studies of SnO2:F/In(OH)xSy/Pb(OH)xSy/PEDOT:PSS/Au solar cell have been performed. The power conversion efficiency and the short circuit current density have been found to increase with light soaking duration by a factor of about 1.6 - 2.7 and 2.1 - 3, respectively. The increase in these two parameters has been attributed to the filling up of trap states and/or charge-discharge of deep levels found in In(OH)xSy. These effects take place at almost fill factor and open circuit voltage being unaffected by the light soaking effects.

Effects of Calcium Nitrate Levels and Soaking Durations on Cocopeat Nutrient Content

Cocopeat, a by-product of the coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), is an important soilless media that contains high potassium (K), sodium (Na), and electrical conductivity (EC) depending on its source. Methods for extracting these elements and thus lowering EC are yet to be standardized. This study was therefore carried out to investigate two extraction methods of these elements in cocopeat. A greenhouse pot experiment was carried out at the Climate and Water Smart Agriculture Centre of Egerton University, Kenya. It was laid out in a 5 × 4 factorial completely randomized design. Five soaking durations (12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours) and four calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2) levels (0, 60, 100, and 150 g) were used. The experiment was done in two folds: the leachate and treated cocopeat examination for their chemical properties. The General Linear Model procedures were used for Analysis of Variance at (P ≤ 0.05). The results showed that the addition of Ca(NO3)2 100 g extracted significantly more K and Na in the leachate than Ca(NO3)2 0.0 g and 60 g. The EC levels in the leachate increased with the application levels of Ca(NO3)2 while the pH levels were reducing. In the treated cocopeat, Ca(NO3)2 100 g and soaking duration 36 hours significantly reduced K and Na and sufficiently supplemented Ca and N. Irrespective of Ca(NO3)2 and soaking durations, after the cocopeat is washed, the EC and pH values fall within their suitable ranges. There was a strong negative correlation between Ca and Na, Ca and K, and between Na and EC. Also, strong positive correlation between Ca and N and Ca and EC. Effective supplementation of Ca and N, and optimal reduction of K and Na by 78.44% and 92%, respectively can be achieved with 100 g of Ca(NO3)2 1.5 kg-1 of cocopeat in 15 liters of water with a soaking duration of 36 hours.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Different Traditional Soaking Processes on the in Vitro Digestibility of Taro(Colocasia esculenta L.SCHOTT)Flour

A traditional process used by farmers in Chad consists in soaking slices of taro (Colocasia esculenta L. SCHOTT) in tamarind infusion, or in corn solution or in water over a 24-hour period to reduce the acridity of taro and facilitate cooking. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of traditional soaking on the in vitro digestibility of taro flour using or not using an α-amylase enzyme. The digestion without the enzyme has shown that the soaking processes improve the digestibility of taro flour (from 39.30% for the control sample to 75.11% (after tamarind infusion) and 78.67% (treatment with water) after 24 hours of soaking). Soaking over a 6-hour period and preferentially in tamarind infusion or in corn solution obtains highly digestible flour (around 95% of digestibility rate after 3 hours of enzymatic digestion).

Analysis of the First Soaking Rain Process in Lanzhou City in 2011

[Objective]The research aimed to analyze the first soaking rain process in Lanzhou in 2011.[Method]By diagnostic analyses on weather scale,meso-scale system and physical quantity when the first soaking rain weather happened in Lanzhou City in 2011,formation reason and physical quantity characteristics of the soaking rain weather were discussed.[Result]Combination of the plateau low vortex and westerly cold trough was influence system of the first soaking rain.There was a southwest-southeast airflow from Sichuan Basin to Hexi in front of the trough at 700 hPa.It was commonly referred to as ＂ inverted-buckle wind＂,and provided sufficient water vapour for occurrence and maintaining of the precipitation.Convergence at the low layer and divergence at the high layer were favourable for vertical motion.Analyses on physical quantity and meso-scale system also proved important role of the ＂ inverted-buckle wind＂ at the low layer.[Conclusion]The research provided reference for real-time forecast business of the long drought turning rain in spring.

Effects of bactericide-protease interactions on the protease-assisted soaking performance

Protease-assisted soaking has received increasing attention in recent years.However,few reports have elaborated on the effect of bactericides,which are used to protect raw hides from microbial damage in the soaking process,on the performance of protease-assisted soaking.Here we investigate the effects of three bactericides,namely,2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one(MIT),sodium propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate(SPHB)and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide(CTAB),on the catalytic activity of protease.MIT and SPHB have little effect on the proteolytic activity,whilst CTAB has a negative effect.Fluorescence spectroscopy,synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy,molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used to analyse the bactericide-protease interaction.The data reveal that MIT and SPHB are bound to the non-catalytic sites of protease,whilst CTAB affects the catalytic triad of protease.Furthermore,the protease and bactericides were used alone,simultaneously and sequentially in the soaking process,and their soaking performances were evaluated.The evaluation shows that the use of protease increases the microorganisms in the soaking float,and MIT exhibits the best bactericidal effect.The simultaneous use of protease and MIT effectively inhibits bacteria and scarcely affects the removal of unstructured proteins from hides and the attack on epidermis by protease.These findings contribute to a better understanding of the scientific use of protease with other auxiliaries in soaking.