Periostin in Exhaled Breath Condensate and in Serum of Asthmatic Patients: Relationship to Upper and Lower Airway Disease

Aleksandra Wardzyńska,Joanna S. Makowska,Małgorzata Pawełczyk,Aleksandra Piechota-Polańczyk,Marcin Kurowski,Marek L. Kowalski 대한천식알레르기학회 2017 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.9 No.2

Purpose: Periostin is considered a biomarker for eosinophilic airway inflammation and have been associated with NSAID-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (NERD) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this study, we aimed to evaluate periostin in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and in serum of patients with various asthma phenotypes. Methods: The study included 40 asthmatic patients (22 with NERD) and 17 healthy controls. All the procedures (questionnaire, spirometry, FeNO, nasal swabs, EBC collecting, and blood sampling) were performed on the same day. Periostin concentrations were measured using an ELISA kit. Results: Periostin was detected in EBC from 37 of 40 asthmatics and in 16 from 17 of controls. The concentration of periostin in EBC did not differ between the study groups and was not associated with NERD or asthma severity. However, the EBC periostin was significantly higher in asthmatics with CRS as compared to those without (3.1 vs 2 ng/mL, P=0.046). Patients with positive bacterial culture from nasal swabs had higher EBC periostin concentrations than those without (3.2 vs 2.1 ng/mL; P=0.046). The mean serum periostin level was higher in asthmatics with a 1-year history of exacerbation than in those without (3.2 vs 2.3 ng/mL, P=0.045). Asthmatics with skin manifestation of NSAIDs hypersensitivity had higher serum periostin levels as compared to those without (3.5 vs 2.3 ng/mL; P=0.03). Conclusions: EBC periostin levels seem to reflect intensity of upper airway disease in asthmatics, while serum levels of periostin are associated with asthma activity (exacerbations or FeNO) or NERD subphenotypes.

Nixtamal techniques for different maize races prepared as tortillas and tostadas by women of Chiapas, Mexico

Palacios-Pola Gabriela,Perales Hugo,Estrada Lugo Erin I. J.,Figueroa-Cárdenas Juan de Dios 한국식품연구원 2022 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.9 No.-

Nixtamalization, which means cooking maize in alkaline water, is the central technique for the culinary use of maize in Mexico and Central America. Without this procedure, relying on maize as the basic starch staple is inadequate because of nutriment deficiencies. Mexico has more than 50 principal racial types of maize, and these differ in grain qualities that can require the adjustment of the nixtamalization process. Properties such as hardness and grain composition influence nixtamalization because they are related to the absorption of water that occurs during cooking and steeping. Some maize preparations, like tortillas and tostadas, can also require the adjustment of nixtamalization to obtain a high-quality foodstuff. We studied how women in three regions of the state of Chiapas, which differ in the prevalent maize race available, prepare their nixtamal and whether they make changes according to the type of food they prepare. Interviews of 30 women follow the measure of relevant variables when the women prepared nixtamal. We found that nixtamalization is adjusted for different grain hardnesses and for environmental conditions. Variations were found in the cooking time of the nixtamal, in the amount of time the nixtamal was steeped, and in a special process of double boiling of the nixtamal performed by some women for tostadas. Women that specialize in production for the market have developed variations preferred by consumers. As practiced by women in Chiapas, nixtamalization is a flexible technique that is adjusted for maize type and for food preparations.

DURST - Video & Music Concert

Saeyun Jung,Pola Hyunhwa Park,Camilo Colmenares,Changan Son,Igor Shin Moromisato 한국디자인학회 2022 한국디자인학회 국제초대전도록 Vol.2022 No.9

DURST - Video & Music Concert

Sae Yun Jung(정세윤),Pola Hyunhwa Park,Camilo Colmenares,Changan Son,Igor Shin Moromisato 한국디자인학회 2022 한국디자인학회 국제초대전도록 Vol.2022 No.11

Showrooming: the effect of gender

David J. Burns,Pola B. Gupta,Jennifer Hutchins 한국마케팅과학회 2019 마케팅과학연구 Vol.29 No.1

Showrooming, or shopping in bricks-and-mortar stores and receiving their services without payment, but purchasing from a lower-priced online retailer, can be detrimental to the survival of bricks-and-mortar stores. This study examines how the gender of young adult consumers with differing shopping orientations view showrooming. The results suggest that showrooming is not just a male or a female phenomenon among young adults. The findings suggest, however, that bricks-and-mortar retailers may possibly be better able to dissuade female consumers from engaging in some showrooming activity more easily than males. On the other hand, online retailers may find it easier to prompt male consumers into showrooming activity than females. Although shopping orientations have been shown to affect individuals’ propensities to engage in showrooming activity and the perceived ethicality of doing so, there appears to be no difference by gender. The results suggest that gender has relatively little effect in consumers’ showrooming activity.

Performance evaluation and optimization of nano boric acid powder weight percentage mixed with vegetable oil using the Taguchi approach

P. N. L. Pavani,R. Pola Rao,S. Srikiran 대한기계학회 2015 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.29 No.11

Turning, which is a widely employed method of metal removal process in manufacturing industries, generates many temperatures becauseof the increase in cutting forces. In view of the high temperatures developed in the process, tools deteriorate, and so good surfacequality is difficult to achieve. Lubrication becomes critical to minimize the forces and temperatures generated during the process. In thepresent work, boric acid powder is used as a solid lubricant, which is mixed with vegetable oils such as coconut oil and soybean oil inturning process. The results indicate that there is a considerable improvement in the machining performance with boric acid assistedMQL in machining compared with dry and wet machining. Taguchi method is a powerful problem solving technique for improving processperformance, yield, and productivity. Combining the speed, feed, and depth of cut is helpful. In the present study, the combinationusing Taguchi DOE was taken as factors, levels, and 32 experimental layouts are framed. The current study attempts to study the variationsin tool temperature; cutting forces and surface roughness of the machined component under various machining conditions to findthe optimum weight percentage of the solid lubricant used.

Prediction of Microstructure for AISI316L Steel from Numerical Simulation of Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Maria Beatrice Abrami,Marialaura Tocci,Muhannad Ahmed Obeidi,Dermot Brabazon,Annalisa Pola 대한금속·재료학회 2022 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.28 No.11

Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) success in the industrial scenario strongly depends on the ability to manufacture componentswithout defects and with high building rates, but also on the ability to effectively control the microstructure to gain therequired properties in the final component. In this regard, the recently developed numerical simulation software of L-PBFtechnologies can represent an effective tool, since many of them provide solidification data (i.e. temperature gradient andcooling rate) useful for microstructure prediction. In this work, a numerical model was applied to simulate the processingof four single scan tracks of 316L stainless steel processed with different parameters. Temperature and cooling rate aroundthe melt pool were extracted from the numerical model and used to estimate the microstructure cellular arm spacing and themicrohardness. Experimental measurements were then compared with the estimated values revealing good agreement. Thegood agreement between experimental and estimated values shows the advantages of the proposed method for microstructureand microhardness prediction based on numerical modelling as a useful resource for process optimization according to therequired final microstructural features.

Formation of Cu1-xGex Nanoplatelets Using LPCVD of Ge2Me6 or Ge2Me6/Et4Pb Mixture

V. Drinek,T. Křenek,M. Klementov'a,R. Fajgar,M. Pola,J. Savkov'a,R. Medlin,F. Novotný 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2015 NANO Vol.10 No.4

Unlike synthesis of nanowires (1D nano-objects) the synthesis of nanoplatelets (2D nano-objects) has not been performed frequently. Herein, we report on the synthesis of Cu–Ge based on nanoplatelets with a high surface-to-volume ratio prepared by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) of Ge2Me6 and a mixture of Ge2Me6/PbEt4. Nanostructured deposits are composed of Cu1-xGex nanoplatelets, Ge nanowires and Ge nanoparticles. The nanoplatelets, which have the lateral size up to several tens of micrometers and thickness of 100–400 nm, belong to the cubic α phase of Cu91Ge9 alloy (Ge admixture in cubic Cu) and hexagonal ζ phase of Cu85Ge15 alloy. Nanowires composed of cubic Ge have a diameter of about 30 nm and length of several tens of micrometers. Lead does not enter any of these phases due to Pb–Cu and Pb–Ge immiscibility; therefore, it was observed as separate nanoparticles.

Effects of Bauhinia forficata Link Tea on Lipid Profile in Diabetic Patients

Pia Cordova Mariangel,Marcia Avello Lorca,Felipe Morales Leon,Pola Ferna´ndez Rocca,Lorenzo Villa Zapata,Edgar Pastene Navarrete 한국식품영양과학회 2019 Journal of medicinal food Vol.22 No.3

Twenty-five type 2 diabetic volunteer patients (mean age 62 years) were recruited in a quasi-experimental study without a control group to evaluate the effects of Bauhinia forficata Link tea on lipid profiles. Participants drank the tea of 0.4% B. forficata in 200 mL of water twice a day for 3 months. The clinical parameters evaluated were cholesterol and triglycerides (mg/dL), total cholesterol (mg/dL), weight (kg), postprandial glycemia (mg/dL), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). For the study period, statistically significant decreases in triglycerides and total cholesterol levels of 48 and 17 mg/dL, respectively, were observed. B. forficata tea as a complementary therapy in type 2 diabetic patients may help to reduce the levels of some lipid profile parameters. Further studies are suggested to evaluate the effect of the tea.

Comparing traditional and commercial nixtamalization of three maize landraces: impact on pozole quality and consumer acceptance

Vázquez-Carrillo María Gricelda,Hernández-Montes Arturo,Palacios-Rojas Natalia,García-Cruz Leticia,Rosales-Nolasco Aldo,Molina Aide,Palacios-Pola Gabriela 한국식품연구원 2024 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.11 No.11

One of the most typical dishes of traditional Mexican cuisine is pozole, made with nixtamalized maize. This dish has a special place as part of the identity of Mexican culture. However, it is time‑consuming to prepare. With an increasing demand for precooked maize for pozole and the limited information on its preparation process, this study aims to assess the impact of both traditional (TN) and commercial nixtamalization (CN) on the quality of processed maize and its reception by consumers, focusing on the three most popular maize landraces used in pozole recipes. This study was carried out with the Cacahuacintle (‘CAC’), Elotes Occidentales (‘EO’) and Ancho (‘AN’) landraces, which were nixtamalized using the traditional method (only lime) and the commercial method (lime + additives) and the grain was flowered. The quality of the flowered grain was determined, and a sensory analysis consisting of magnitude of difference tests, a descriptive analysis, affective test and evaluation of consumer preferences was carried out. The ‘CAC’ landrace, when processed traditionally, yielded the highest sensory and commercial quality. The ‘EO’ landrace demanded a longer flowering time, resulting in less volume but retaining the aleurone layer. This characteristic helped preserved a portion of the anthocyanins. Consistently, maize landraces subjected to traditional nixtamalization displayed higher ratings for attributes related to masa and nejayote aroma. The ‘CAC’ landrace subjected to CN faced challenges in acceptability due to odors of acetic acid and sulfuric acid. These findings underscore the importance and advantages the TN techniques. They also emphasize the need to preserve grain quality and meeting consumer preferences when exploring alternative maize processing methods for emerging markets.