Review of osmotic dehydration: Promising technologies for enhancing products' attributes, opportunities, and challenges for the food industries.

Osmotic dehydration (OD) is an efficient preservation technology in that water is removed by immersing the food in a solution with a higher concentration of solutes. The application of OD in food processing offers more benefits than conventional drying technologies. Notably, OD can effectively remove a significant amount of water without a phase change, which reduces the energy demand associated with latent heat and high temperatures. A specific feature of OD is its ability to introduce solutes from the hypertonic solution into the food matrix, thereby influencing the attributes of the final product. This review comprehensively discusses the fundamental principles governing OD, emphasizing the role of chemical potential differences as the driving force behind the molecular diffusion occurring between the food and the osmotic solution. The kinetics of OD are described using mathematical models and the Biot number. The critical factors essential for optimizing OD efficiency are discussed, including product characteristics, osmotic solution properties, and process conditions. In addition, several promising technologies are introduced to enhance OD performance, such as coating, skin treatments, freeze-thawing, ultrasound, high hydrostatic pressure, centrifugation, and pulsed electric field. Reusing osmotic solutions to produce innovative products offers an opportunity to reduce food wastes. This review explores the prospects of valorizing food wastes from various food industries when formulating osmotic solutions for enhancing the quality and nutritional value of osmotically dehydrated foods while mitigating environmental impacts.

Prison health priorities in Burkina Faso: a cross-sectional study in the two largest detention environments in Burkina Faso.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to study the factors associated with the occurrence of diseases and beriberi among prisoners incarcerated in the two largest Remand and Correctional Facilities (RCF). DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study carried out from April 20 to May 19, 2017, in the RCFs of Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. All prisoners who consulted and those referred to the health center by the health-care team were included in the study. Complaints and diagnosed diseases information were collected using the second version of the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2). The authors used a logistic regression model to perform univariate and multivariate analyses. FINDINGS: Of the 1,004 prisoners from the two RCFs included in the study (32.6%), 966 (96%) were male. The median age was 31.6 years. The distribution of diseases diagnosed using the ICPC-2 showed a predominance of gastrointestinal tract, skin and respiratory tract diseases among 206 (19.3%), 188 (17.6%) and 184 (17.2%) prisoners, respectively. A total of 302 prisoners (30.1%) had clinical beriberi, and 80 prisoners (8%) were underweight. Being incarcerated for more than nine months was independently associated with a high risk of digestive and respiratory diseases as well as beriberi. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: This study highlighted higher frequencies of digestive, skin and respiratory complaints and diseases in the two largest detention centers in Burkina Faso. These diseases are variously related to age, penal status and length of incarceration. In addition, underweight and thiamin vitamin deficiency responsible for beriberi are more frequent in adult prisoners, those not attending school, convicted prisoners and those with a length of stay in detention of more than nine months. These concrete results should help define a strategy and priority actions needed to reduce morbidity in prisons. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The actions should include the intervention of specialists in the field of common diseases in prisons, the improvement of individual hygiene conditions and environment, the improvement of the quality and quantity of the food ration, a strategy to reduce prison overcrowding. Other actions must be planned to allow specific groups such as women and minors to have access to health care that is adapted to them. Beyond the central concern of promoting the rights of prisoners and humanizing prisons, actions to improve the health of prisoners are part of an overall public health approach with its socio-economic and environmental implications. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There is a need for a strong commitment from the State to develop a prison health policy that prioritizes the prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases that are particularly prevalent in this context, without forgetting mental health and nutrition. This requires a collaboration of stakeholders based on better intersectorial communication, the implementation of a monitoring and evaluation system for the health of prisoners, an enhancement of the status of health-care providers working in prisons and an increase in the funding allocated to the health of prisoners with the mobilization of the necessary funds. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study uses a primary health care classification to assess the health of inmates in a prison in Africa. It contributes to the weak evidence around prison health surveillance and health profiling of prisoners in Africa.

A model of COVID-19 transmission to understand the effectiveness of the containment measures: application to data from France.

The main objective of this paper is to address the following question: are the containment measures imposed by most of the world governments effective and sufficient to stop the epidemic of COVID-19 beyond the lock-down period? In this paper, we propose a mathematical model which allows us to investigate and analyse this problem. We show by means of the reproductive number, ${\cal R}_0$ that the containment measures appear to have slowed the growth of the outbreak. Nevertheless, these measures remain only effective as long as a very large fraction of population, p, greater than the critical value $1-1/{\cal R}_0$ remains confined. Using French current data, we give some simulation experiments with five scenarios including: (i) the validation of model with p estimated to 93%, (ii) the study of the effectiveness of containment measures, (iii) the study of the effectiveness of the large-scale testing, (iv) the study of the social distancing and wearing masks measures and (v) the study taking into account the combination of the large-scale test of detection of infected individuals and the social distancing with linear progressive easing of restrictions. The latter scenario was shown to be effective at overcoming the outbreak if the transmission rate decreases to 75% and the number of tests of detection is multiplied by three. We also noticed that if the measures studied in our five scenarios are taken separately then the second wave might occur at least as far as the parameter values remain unchanged.

[Recurrence of macular edema complicating central retinal vein occlusion: Consider follow-up fluorescein angiography]. / Récidive de l'œdème maculaire compliquant l'occlusion veineuse centrale de la rétine : penser à refaire l'angiographie rétinienne à la fluorescéine.

PURPOSE: The goal of our study is to highlight, through a series of 4 cases, the importance of retinal fluorescein angiography in monitoring the retinal periphery in retinal vein occlusions, particularly in cases of recurrent macular edema. OBSERVATIONS: This is a series of 4 patients aged between 50 and 90 years with ischemic central retinal vein occlusions in 2 cases and branch retinal venous occlusions in 2 cases. Fluorescein angiography was performed in two of our patients, and optical coherent tomography in all cases, showing cystoid macular edema with an average macular thickness of 439µm. All patients received a complete etiological assessment and intravitreal anti-VEGF injections with an initially favorable course in all cases. A recurrence with aggravation of the edema compared to the initial appearance was observed in all cases, with a delay varying between 9 and 16 months (mean 11.25 months). Fundus examination revealed an increased number of retinal hemorrhages in each case, with the appearance of cotton wool spots in one case, suggesting ischemic conversion. This was confirmed by performing fluorescein angiography, which revealed large areas of retinal ischemia. Retinal photocogulation of the ischemic areas was thus indicated, along with a second series of intravitreal injections. CONCLUSION: Macular edema is the principal cause of visual acuity decline in retinal vein occlusions; its prognosis is similar to that of retinal venous occlusions in general, hampered by the possibility of ischemic conversion. The diagnosis of retinal vein occlusion is clinical and does not require angiography. This remains, however, a useful exam to better analyze the retinal periphery as well as for the detection of various modalities during spontaneous progression.

A Model for Transfer of P-Glycoproteins in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line with Multiple Transfer Rules.

In this paper, we consider a direct protein transfer process between cells in co-culture. Assuming that cells continually encounter each other, and from some hypotheses on cell-to-cell rules of transfer, we derive discrete and continuous Boltzmann-like integro-differential equations. The novelty of this model is to take into account multiple transfer rules. This new transfer model is used to fit the experimental data of cell-to-cell protein transfer in breast cancer.

Anthropometric and physiological characteristics of Melanesian futsal players: a first approach to talent identification in Oceania.

This study assessed the anthropometric and physiological characteristics of elite Melanesian futsal players in order to determine the best performance predictors. Physiological parameters of performance were measured in 14 Melanesian (MEL-G, 24.4±4.4 yrs) and 8 Caucasian (NMEL-G, 22.9±4.9) elite futsal players, using tests of jump-and-reach (CMJ), agility (T-Test), repeated sprint ability (RSA), RSA with change-of-direction (RSA-COD), sprints with 5 m, 10 m, 15 m, and 30 m lap times, and aerobic fitness with the 30-15 intermittent fitness test (30-15 IFT). The anthropometric data revealed significantly lower height for MEL-G compared with NMEL-G: 1.73±0.05 and 1.80±0.08 m, respectively; P = 0.05. The CMJ was significantly higher for MEL-G than NMEL-G: 50.4±5.9 and 45.2±4.3 cm, respectively; P = 0.05. T-Test times were significantly lower for MEL-G than NMEL-G: 10.47±0.58 and 11.01±0.64 seconds, respectively; P = 0.05. MEL-G height was significantly related to CMJ (r = 0.706, P = 0.01), CMJpeakP (r = 0.709, P = 0.01) and T-Test (r = 0.589, P = 0.02). No significant between-group differences were observed for sprint tests or 30-15 IFT, including heart rate and estimated VO2max. Between groups, the percentage decrement (%Dec) in RSA-COD was significantly lower in MEL-G than NMEL-G (P = 0.05), although no significant difference was noted between RSA and RSA-COD. Within groups, no significant difference was observed between %Dec in RSA or RSA-COD; P = 0.697. This study presents specific anthropometric (significantly lower height) and physiological (significantly greater agility) reference values in Melanesians, which, taken together, might help coaches and physical fitness trainers to optimize elite futsal training and talent identification in Oceania.

Prevalence of Salmonella in flocks housed in enriched cages.

Salmonellosis is a foodborne disease of humans and animals caused by infection with Salmonella. The aim of this paper is to improve a deterministic model (DM) and an individual-based model (IBM) with reference to Salmonella propagation in flocks of laying hens taking into account variations in hens housed in the same cage and to compare both models. The spatio-temporal evolution, the basic reproduction number, R 0, and the speed of wave propagation were computed for both models. While in most cases the DM allows summary of all the features of the model in the formula for computation of R 0, slight differences between individuals or groups may be observed with the IBM that could not be expected from the DM, especially when initial environmental contamination is very low and some cages may get rid of bacteria. Both models suggest that the cage size plays a role on the risk and speed of propagation of the bacteria, which should be considered when designing new breeding systems.

A mathematical model for malaria involving differential susceptibility, exposedness and infectivity of human host.

The main purpose of this article is to formulate a deterministic mathematical model for the transmission of malaria that considers two host types in the human population. The first type is called "non-immune" comprising all humans who have never acquired immunity against malaria and the second type is called "semi-immune". Non-immune are divided into susceptible, exposed and infectious and semi-immune are divided into susceptible, exposed, infectious and immune. We obtain an explicit formula for the reproductive number, R(0) which is a function of the weight of the transmission semi-immune-mosquito-semi-immune, R(0a), and the weight of the transmission non-immune-mosquito-non-immune, R(0e). Then, we study the existence of endemic equilibria by using bifurcation analysis. We give a simple criterion when R(0) crosses one for forward and backward bifurcation. We explore the possibility of a control for malaria through a specific sub-group such as non-immune or semi-immune or mosquitoes.