The utilization of bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia) juices as natural acid coagulants for tofu production.

The influences of coagulation conditions on the characteristics of tofu have been investigated by many studies, with limited perspectives on the utilization of organic acid coagulants. Hence, this research aimed to study the psychochemical and functional properties of tofu coagulated by bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia) juices. The highest tofu protein content was quantified for tofu prepared with 20% bilimbi and 5% lime juices, as much as 52.11 and 52.03% (DW), respectively. The corresponding yield was 73.46 and 69.17%. The hardness (155.98 g), gumminess (116.45 g), and chewiness (112.69 g) of treated tofu were found significantly higher than commercial tofu (p < 0.05). Total phenolic content of commercial tofu was about 370.09 µg GAE/g sample (DW). This value was significantly higher than that of treated tofu (p < 0.05). However, the antioxidant activity of the commercial tofu was lower than tofu coagulated with fruit juices. Based on SDS-PAGE analysis, protein band for 11S fraction of tofu coagulated by bilimbi and lime juices were thicker than that of commercial tofu. These small molecular weight peptides might contribute for higher antioxidant activities of tofu coagulated by bilimbi and lime juices. Conclusively, bilimbi and lime juices are potent natural acid coagulants for enhancing the physicochemical and functional properties of tofu.

Large depth-of-field tracking of colloidal spheres in holographic microscopy by modeling the objective lens.

Holographic microscopy has developed into a powerful tool for 3D particle tracking, yielding nanometer-scale precision at high frame rates. However, current particle tracking algorithms ignore the effect of the microscope objective on the formation of the recorded hologram. As a result, particle tracking in holographic microscopy is currently limited to particles well above the microscope focus. Here, we show that modeling the effect of an aberration-free lens allows tracking of particles above, near, and below the focal plane in holographic microscopy, doubling the depth of field. Finally, we use our model to determine the conditions under which ignoring the effect of the lens is justified and in what conditions it leads to systematic errors.

A salicylic acid-induced lectin-like protein plays a positive role in the effector-triggered immunity response of Arabidopsis thaliana to Pseudomonas syringae Avr-Rpm1.

Salicylic acid (SA) is one of the key hormones that orchestrate the pathogen-induced immune response in plants. This response is often characterized by the activation of a local hypersensitive reaction involving programmed cell death, which constrains proliferation of biotrophic pathogens. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of an SA-induced legume lectin-like protein 1 (SAI-LLP1), which is coded by a gene that belongs to the group of early SA-activated Arabidopsis genes. SAI-LLP1 expression is induced upon inoculation with avirulent strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato via an SA-dependent mechanism. Constitutive expression of SAI-LLP1 restrains proliferation of P. syringae pv. tomato Avr-Rpm1 and triggers more cell death in inoculated leaves. Cellular and biochemical evidence indicates that SAI-LLP1 is a glycoprotein located primarily at the apoplastic side of the plasma membrane. This work indicates that SAI-LLP1 is involved in resistance to P. syringae pv. tomato Avr-Rpm1 in Arabidopsis, as a component of the SA-mediated defense processes associated with the effector-triggered immunity response.

Effects of self-evaluation on the P300 event-related potential.

The effects of self evaluation on the P300 event-related potential (ERP) were explored with 56 participants (16 men, 40 women; M age = 23.4 yr., SD = 1.2) across three conditions. The conditions included (1) a standard ERP auditory oddball discrimination between a random target (15% occurrence) and standard stimuli (85% occurrence), (2) the oddball task followed by the additional cognitive task of maintaining a mental count of the target tones, and (3) the oddball task followed by the additional cognitive task of self-evaluating whether they felt surprised by the current occurrence of the target tone. The added cognitive requirements for Conditions 2 and 3 required the subjects to maintain a cognitive readiness for the secondary stimulus-related task during their sensory discrimination response for the standard oddball task. During the self-evaluation condition, the P300 amplitude was significantly larger across all recording locations than the regular oddball condition and the cognitive count condition.

Coping strategies predict disability in patients with primary fibromyalgia.

We administered the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) to 80 patients with fibromyalgia (FM) to determine the relationship between coping strategies and functional disability. A principal components factor analysis revealed two dimensions of patients' CSQ responses: Coping Attempts and Catastrophizing. Coping Attempts consists of five scales: Reinterpreting Pain, Ignoring Pain Sensations, Diverting Attention, Coping Self-Statements and Increasing Activity Level. Catastrophizing is comprised solely of the CSQ Catastrophizing scale. Both coping strategy dimensions were significantly related to patients' disability scores on the Sickness Impact Profile even after controlling for demographic and clinical variables as well as neuroticism. Coping Attempts was associated with higher levels of Physical (P < 0.05) and Total Disability (P < 0.01), and lower levels of Psychosocial Disability (P < 0.05). Catastrophizing was associated with higher levels of Total Disability (P < 0.01). These relationships suggest that investigators should attempt to identify Coping Attempts strategies that best reduce patients' psychological distress in the laboratory. It then may be possible to teach patients to use these strategies to reduce distress in their home and work environments.