Plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA) have emerged as popular substitutes for cow milk, driven by health, environmental, and ethical considerations. However, their ability to replicate the sensory and physicochemical properties of dairy remains a critical challenge for industry. This review critically examines the extent to which almond, soy, and oat PBMA replicate key sensory attributes of ultra-high temperature (UHT) full cream cow milk, focusing on appearance, texture, and flavour. Furthermore, it explores the relationship between these sensory attributes and the physicochemical properties of PBMA to elucidate the underlying reasons for the observed differences. A comparative analysis of compositional differences reveals fundamental limitations linked to plant protein functionality, carbohydrate structure, fat composition, and mineral fortification, all of which contribute to disparities in creaminess, mouthfeel, colour, and flavour. Technological strategies such as particle size reduction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and flavour masking have improved specific attributes, yet no PBMA fully replicates the holistic sensory experience of dairy. Emerging approaches, including blended formulations, precision fermentation, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven optimisation, show promise in narrowing these gaps. Nonetheless, a complete replication of UHT cow milk remains elusive, highlighting the need for continued research and innovation to either approximate dairy properties more closely or enhance PBMA’s unique qualities to drive consumer acceptance.
Church Courts and the People in Seventeenth-Century England – Ecclesiastical Justice in Peril at Winchester, Worcester and Wells Andrew Thomson UCL Press, London, 2022, 268 pp (paperback £25), ISBN: 9781800083134 - Volume 25 Issue 3
Introduction: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), poses the worst global health crisis in modern times. Thrombotic complications such as VTE, pulmonary embolism, and risk of stroke affect more than 30% of critically ill COVID-19 patients. Unfortunately, the flow dynamics and endothelial dysfunction underlying this outcome remains poorly understood. We hereby developed liposome-nanoparticles exposing functional S-Spike (Lipo-S) to simulate the cell internalization route of SARS-CoV-2. We propose to elucidate thrombosis development in a microfluidic channel lined with HAECs exposed to Lipo-S alone, or in combination with chimeric-lentiviral vectors (ch-Lenti) expressing SARS-CoV2-ORF sequences to recapitulate SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: Non-PEG liposomes (100 nm) with chemically attached S-Spike proteins on their surface were developed in house. Furthermore, singular regions of SARS-CoV-2-ORFs were cloned and inserted in ch-Lenti. After exposure to Lipo-S and/or ch-Lenti vectors HAECs coverage and response will be elucidated by staining of VE-Cadherin and confocal imaging. To mimic the progression of thrombosis, whole human blood containing platelets stained with CD41-PE antibody and fluorescently labeled fibrin will be flowed with an arterial shear rate of 25 dyne/cm 2 through the microfluidic chip for 15 minutes. The chip will be fixed and imaged to characterize the clot. Results: Lipo-S showed stronger interaction for ACE2 protein compared to non-coated liposomes measured by ELISA. Our previous work showed feasibility of measuring platelet and fibrin by quantifying coverage and projecting maximum intensity of the image stack for each component. Conclusion: This novel platform will uncover mechanisms underlying COVID19 infection-mediated thrombosis, lending itself for testing therapeutics targeting selected targets with the advantage of capturing the cellular response on a rapid and small scale.
The Wireless Emergency Alerting (WEA) service is a standards-based transport and presentation channel used nationwide in the United States. The service can deliver short text warnings to wireless subscribers through a cell broadcast mechanism. For emergency situations in which a broadcast modality and a single, short text message are sufficient to convey information, the WEA service can be efficient and effective. However, the content to be delivered may necessitate more than a single, unchanging short message. In this research, we first examine the WEA service from the perspective of alert originators. We then use the insights gained to explore the efficacy of a range of potential extensions to the service. The extensions mainly address the importance of user context and the ability to create awareness through careful attention to the integrity of the vital information. We evaluated these extensions using a WEA emulation testbed in two public usability trials. We present an analysis of the broad range of improvements as a basis for further research into improving the service. We conclude that (1) precise geo-targeting augmented with location information and maps is an important aspect of capturing users' context, and (2) presenting information in a digested form can markedly improve the actionability and the accuracy of interpretation.
