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Polymers May 2024To enhance the ecological properties of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, the fabrication of PVC-based composites using biofillers with acceptable performance...
To enhance the ecological properties of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, the fabrication of PVC-based composites using biofillers with acceptable performance characteristics could be considered. In this work, plant-filled PVC-based composite materials were fabricated and their optical, structural, thermal, and mechanical properties, depending on the nature of the filler, were studied. Spruce flour, birch flour, and rice husk were used as fillers. Optical measurements showed the selected technological parameters, allowing films with a uniform distribution of dispersed plant filler in the polymer matrix to be obtained. Using the plant fillers in PVC films leads to a reduction in strength characteristics; for instance, the tensile strength changed from 18.0 MPa (for pure PVC film) to ~7 MPa (for composites with 20 wt.% of fillers), and to ~5-6.2 MPa (for composites with 40 wt.% of fillers). Thermal investigations showed that the samples with plant fillers could be used at low temperatures without changing their operating characteristics. Thus, plant-filled PVC-based composite materials have a wide operating temperature range, from-65 °C to 150 °C. TGA analysis has demonstrated that the rice husk affected the thermal stability of the composites by increasing their thermal decomposition resistance. The ability to absorb water was observed during the investigation of water absorption of the samples. And the highest degree of water absorption (up to 160 mg/g) was detected for the sample with 40 wt.% of rice husk. In general, plant-filled polymer composites based on PVC can be used on an equal basis with unfilled PVC plastic compounds for some applications such as in construction (for example, for design tasks).
PubMed: 38891497
DOI: 10.3390/polym16111551 -
Ethnobotanical Survey of Culturally Important Plants and Mushrooms in North-Western Part of Croatia.Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The Republic of Croatia is spread in geographical and climatic conditions that support a great diversity of habitats and associated plant taxa, many of which can be used...
The Republic of Croatia is spread in geographical and climatic conditions that support a great diversity of habitats and associated plant taxa, many of which can be used for food or medicine. However, urbanization, loss of natural habitats, as well as changes in people's dependence on the natural resources from the surrounding environment may lead to the loss of valuable knowledge about the use of plants and mushrooms. With the aim of studying and preserving this knowledge in the continental north-western part of Croatia, an ethnobotanical survey was undertaken at the two study areas-Valpovo and Đurđevac, which included a total of 17 settlements. A total of 103 informants, 65% female and 35% male, aged between 22 and 83 years, participated in an interview using pre-planned questionnaires. The informants reported 131 plants belonging to 55 families and 17 mushroom taxa. The largest number of plants belonged to the families of Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Apiaceae. In both areas, the informants cultivate and also gather wild plants, but these practices are better preserved in the area of Đurđevac where 109 taxa from 47 families were recorded. In addition to cultivated and gathered plants, informants from the Valpovo area also reported the use of purchased plants. Plants and mushrooms are mostly used as food (21 plant taxa and 17 mushrooms), but plants also serve as medicine (68 taxa), as both food and medicine (35 taxa), feed for cattle (11 taxa), repellent (four taxa), and/or space freshener (two taxa). The most frequently used wild plants are , x and while , and are the most often used mushrooms. The results indicate that the local people in the studied north-western part of Croatia still nurture the practice of cultivating and gathering plants and that herbal remedies are considerably important among the informants. The study should be further extended to broaden and preserve valuable ethnobotanical knowledge and encourage the protection of culturally important plants of the studied area.
PubMed: 38891374
DOI: 10.3390/plants13111566 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Sufficient soil moisture is required to ensure the successful transplantation of sweet potato seedlings. Thus, reasonable water management is essential for achieving...
Sufficient soil moisture is required to ensure the successful transplantation of sweet potato seedlings. Thus, reasonable water management is essential for achieving high quality and yield in sweet potato production. We conducted field experiments in northern China, planted on 18 May and harvested on 18 October 2021, at the Nancun Experimental Base of Qingdao Agricultural University. Three water management treatments were tested for sweet potato seedlings after transplanting: hole irrigation (W), optimized drip irrigation (W), and traditional drip irrigation (W). The variation characteristics of soil volumetric water content, soil temperature, and soil CO concentration in the root zone were monitored in situ for 0-50 days. The agronomy, root morphology, photosynthetic parameters, C accumulation, yield, and yield components of sweet potato were determined. The results showed that soil VWC was maintained at 22-25% and 27-32% in the hole irrigation and combined drip irrigation treatments, respectively, from 0 to 30 days after transplanting. However, there was no significant difference between the traditional (W) and optimized (W) drip irrigation systems. From 30 to 50 days after transplanting, the VWC decreased significantly in all treatments, with significant differences among all treatments. Soil CO concentrations were positively correlated with VWC from 0 to 30 days after transplanting but gradually increased from 30 to 50 days, with significant differences among treatments. Soil temperature varied with fluctuations in air temperature, with no significant differences among treatments. Sweet potato survival rates were significantly lower in the hole irrigation treatments than in the drip irrigation treatments, with no significant difference between W and W. The aboveground biomass, photosynthetic parameters, and leaf area index were significantly higher under drip irrigation than under hole irrigation, and values were higher in W than in W. However, the total root length, root volume, and C partitioning rate were higher in W than in W. These findings suggest that excessive drip irrigation can lead to an imbalance in sweet potato reservoir sources. Compared with W, the W and W treatments exhibited significant yield increases of 42.98% and 36.49%, respectively. The W treatment had the lowest sweet potato deformity rate.
PubMed: 38891369
DOI: 10.3390/plants13111561 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024In recent years, the trend toward plant-based beverages has continued to grow rapidly. This study aimed to assess the effects of sociodemographic characteristics and...
In recent years, the trend toward plant-based beverages has continued to grow rapidly. This study aimed to assess the effects of sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge about plant-based beverages, subjective norms, perceived price, environmental protection, animal welfare, availability, and trust on attitudes and buying behavior toward these products. This study was conducted online using a two-part questionnaire prepared by considering the literature. This study included 935 participants, and our findings confirmed that the variable of environmental protection affects the attitude toward these products (β= 0.095; = 0.007). Furthermore, gender, income level, lactose intolerance, and bloating due to cow's or sheep's milk influenced actual buying behavior ( < 0.05; < 0.001). These findings indicate that people's increased environmental protection awareness will positively influence attitudes towards plant-based beverages and that individuals who do not experience lactose intolerance and bloating due to cow's or goat's milk will have lower actual buying behavior. It was also determined that individuals with lower incomes bought more plant-based beverages. In conclusion, plant-based beverage marketers need to take into account individuals' sociodemographic characteristics and environmental protection awareness when planning their marketing strategies.
PubMed: 38890988
DOI: 10.3390/foods13111760 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The production of nutraceuticals is a growing trend, as many consumers consider them an important part of the modern active lifestyle. Others rely on the use of...
The production of nutraceuticals is a growing trend, as many consumers consider them an important part of the modern active lifestyle. Others rely on the use of nutraceuticals instead of prescribing pharmaceuticals to improve their health more naturally. One of the major concerns in the nutraceutical industry is the potential presence of contaminants. Even low concentrations of contaminant residues can be harmful, so analytical methods that are sensitive at ultratrace levels are needed. Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method combined with fast gas chromatography and mass spectrometry was developed for the inspection of pesticide residues in Carmelite drops. The most suitable recoveries are presented when the alcohol content is fixed at 20% in Carmelite drops. The method was validated; the linearity, limits of detection/quantification, the method accuracy and precision were obtained. The complex nutraceutical matrix causes significant complications in quantitative analysis; therefore, the main target of the work was placed on studying the effects of the matrix on the correct expression of the resulting concentration of contaminants in different types of samples. An in-depth study of matrix factors was carried out, and its relationship with the content of potential interferents from the medicinal products as well as other components added during the drops' production was discussed. Related medicinal plant-derived nutraceuticals were tested, the method was applied for real-life samples, and positive findings are herein reported.
PubMed: 38890973
DOI: 10.3390/foods13111745 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Officinal plants are a source of metabolites whose chemical composition depends on pedoclimatic conditions. In this study, the NMR-based approach was applied to...
Officinal plants are a source of metabolites whose chemical composition depends on pedoclimatic conditions. In this study, the NMR-based approach was applied to investigate the impacts of different altitudes and agronomical practices (Land, Mountain Spontaneous, and Organically Grown Ecotypes, namely LSE, MSE, and OE, respectively) on the metabolite profiles of Burdock root, Dandelion root and aerial part, and Lemon balm aerial part. Sugars, amino acids, organic acids, polyphenols, fatty acids, and other metabolites were identified and quantified in all samples. Some metabolites turned out to be tissue-specific markers. Arginine was found in roots, whereas myo-inositol, galactose, glyceroyldigalactose moiety, pheophytin, and chlorophyll were identified in aerial parts. Caftaric and chicoric acids, 3,5 di-caffeoylquinic acid, and chlorogenic and rosmarinic acids were detected in Dandelion, Burdock and Lemon balm, respectively. The metabolite amount changed significantly according to crop, tissue type, and ecotype. All ecotypes of Burdock had the highest contents of amino acids and the lowest contents of organic acids, whereas an opposite trend was observed in Lemon balm. Dandelion parts contained high levels of carbohydrates, except for the MSE aerial part, which showed the highest content of organic acids. The results provided insights into the chemistry of officinal plants, thus supporting nutraceutical-phytopharmaceutical research.
PubMed: 38890870
DOI: 10.3390/foods13111642 -
PloS One 2024Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are innovative eco-friendly technologies that advance a circular economy by enabling the conversion of both organic and inorganic substances...
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are innovative eco-friendly technologies that advance a circular economy by enabling the conversion of both organic and inorganic substances in wastewater to electricity. While conceptually promising, there are lingering questions regarding the performance and stability of MFCs in real industrial settings. To address this research gap, we investigated the influence of specific operational settings, regarding the hydraulic retention time (HRT) and organic loading rate (OLR) on the performance of MFCs used for treating sulfide-rich wastewater from a canned pineapple factory. Experiments were performed at varying hydraulic retention times (2 days and 4 days) during both low and high seasonal production. Through optimization, we achieved a current density generation of 47±15 mA/m2, a COD removal efficiency of 91±9%, and a sulfide removal efficiency of 86±10%. Microbiome analysis revealed improved MFC performance when there was a substantial presence of electrogenic bacteria, sulfide-oxidizing bacteria, and methanotrophs, alongside a reduced abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogens. In conclusion, we recommend the following operational guidelines for applying MFCs in industrial wastewater treatment: (i) Careful selection of the microbial inoculum, as this step significantly influences the composition of the MFC microbial community and its overall performance. (ii) Initiating MFC operation with an appropriate OLR is essential. This helps in establishing an effective and adaptable microbial community within the MFCs, which can be beneficial when facing variations in OLR due to seasonal production changes. (iii) Identifying and maintaining MFC-supporting microbes, including those identified in this study, should be a priority. Keeping these microbes as an integral part of the system's microbial composition throughout the operation enhances and stabilizes MFC performance.
Topics: Wastewater; Sulfides; Bioelectric Energy Sources; Bacteria; Industrial Waste; Water Purification; Microbiota; Waste Disposal, Fluid
PubMed: 38889113
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305673 -
Journal of Environmental Health Science... Jun 2024More than 20 genetically modified (GM) food crops including rice have been approved in many countries. GM rice and derived products have not yet been approved in India...
PURPOSE
More than 20 genetically modified (GM) food crops including rice have been approved in many countries. GM rice and derived products have not yet been approved in India so they are considered as unauthorized genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country. Therefore it is important to track whether the rice containing food items, available in the marketplace are GMO-free.
METHODS
A pilot study was conducted to check the GM status of 30 samples of packed rice grains and processed food products with rice as an ingredient, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting 35 S promoter (), nopaline synthase terminator (), phosphinothricin-N-acetyltransferase () and gene, which could cover screening for all the globally approved GM rice events.
RESULTS
Based on the results, none of the samples tested were found positive for , , and .
CONCLUSION
The unauthorized presence of GM rice ingredients was not detected in the samples tested. Such studies may further be conducted for the testing of GM ingredients derived from cereals other than rice in the food products imported from the country where GM events of respective cereal crop are approved, as a part of regulatory requirement.
PubMed: 38887773
DOI: 10.1007/s40201-024-00892-3 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024Although kratom use has been part of life for centuries in Southeast Asia, the availability and use of kratom in the United States (US) increased substantially since the... (Review)
Review
Although kratom use has been part of life for centuries in Southeast Asia, the availability and use of kratom in the United States (US) increased substantially since the early 2000s when there was little information on kratom pharmacology, use patterns, and effects, all critical to guiding regulation and policy. Here we provide a synthesis of research with several hundred English-language papers published in the past 5 years drawing from basic research, epidemiological and surveillance data, and recent clinical research. This review of available literature aims to provide an integrated update regarding our current understanding of kratom's benefits, risks, pharmacology, and epidemiology, which may inform United States-based kratom regulation. Recent surveillance indicates there are likely several million past-year kratom consumers, though estimates vary widely. Even without precise prevalence data, kratom use is no longer a niche, with millions of United States adults using it for myriad reasons. Despite its botanical origins in the coffee tree family and its polypharmacy, kratom is popularly characterized as an opioid with presumed opioid-system-based risks for addiction or overdose. Neuropharmacology, toxicology, and epidemiology studies show that kratom is more accurately characterized as a substance with diverse and complex pharmacology. Taken together the work reviewed here provides a foundation for future scientific studies, as well as a guide for ongoing efforts to regulate kratom. This work also informs much-needed federal oversight, including by the United States Food and Drug Administration. We conclude with recommendations for kratom regulation and research priorities needed to address current policy and knowledge gaps around this increasingly used botanical product.
PubMed: 38887550
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1403140 -
Horticulture Research Jun 2024Cupressaceae is a conifer family rich in plants of horticultural importance, including , , , and , yet genomic surveys are lacking for this family. , one of the many...
Cupressaceae is a conifer family rich in plants of horticultural importance, including , , , and , yet genomic surveys are lacking for this family. , one of the many rare conifers that are threatened by climate change and anthropogenic habitat fragmentation, plays an ever-increasing role in ecotourism in Tibet. To infer how past climate change has shaped the population evolution of this species, we generated a chromosome-scale genome (10.92 Gb) and compared the species' population history and genetic load with that of a widespread close relative, . Our demographic analyses, based on 83 re-sequenced individuals from multiple populations of the two species, revealed a sharp decline of population sizes during the first part of the Quaternary. However, populations of then started to recover, while populations continued to decrease until recently. The total genomic diversity of is smaller than that of , but contrary to expectations, has fewer highly and mildly deleterious mutations than , and simulations and statistical tests support purifying selection during prolonged inbreeding as the explanation. Our results highlight the evolutionary consequences of decreased population size on the genetic burden of a long-lived endangered conifer with large genome size and suggest that genetic purging deserves more attention in conservation management.
PubMed: 38883334
DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae108