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This study aimed to control lesser grain borer Rhizopertha dominica via using of Zingier officinale (ginger) and Helianthus annuus (sunflower) oils as protectant of Tritium spp. The inhibition rates were 38.00, 28.98, 22.67 and 4.60% respectively when the wheat treated by 0.5, 1, 1.5and 2% of sunflower oil while the inhibition rates were 35.50, 28.00, 7.25 and 3.25% respectively when the wheat treated by the same concentrations of Z. officinale oil. The damage assessments were decreased while increasing the concentration of the oils, the H. annuus oil is more protectant than Z . officinale oil in 2%. Approximately the two plant oils caused same damage percentage when the wheat treated by 1% during storage. To sum up, the results strengthen the possibility of using the plant oils for the management this insect. http://dx.doi.org/10.25130/tjps.23.2018.026

New perspectives arise in the therapeutic practice for cancer, with the objective to not only treat patients, but also improve their quality of life. Guarana, a plant from Brazilian Amazon presents...

Dodder is a parasitic weed that causes a lot of damage to citrus production in the south of Kerman province, Iran. Introducing cultivars which tolerant to this parasite can be considered a very effective step in controlling it. Therefore, to evaluate the tolerance of seven important citrus species to dodder, an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replicates in greenhouse conditions for two years (2016-2017). In this experiment, the reaction of orange, local, and Kara tangerine, grapefruit, Valencia orange, local orange, and lemon seedlings to dodder infestation was investigated. The infestation was done artificially by placing 10 dodder’s thallus on the seedlings of each of the mentioned species. After the successful establishment of the parasite (during 4 months), chlorophyll content, number of stems on citrus species shoots, number of capsules in infested seedlings, and seed weight on each seedling were measured and recorded. The results of this study revealed that different species of citrus showed very different reactions to the presence of dodder so that these species can be based on the success rate of its attachment to them into tolerant and sensitive species. According to the results, Valencia oranges and Bitter orange were tolerant to dodder, but lemon and tangerines (local and Kara) showed high sensitivity. A cross-sectional of plant tissues showed that concerning anatomic view, there was no difference in haustorium penetration between the different citrus species. As a result, it is recommended to use physiological, genetical, and biochemical analysis to distinguish the differences.

Liquid fermented fish (Nam pla ra) is a traditional local condiment and popular consumption in Thailand. According to previous research, tilapia frame could be used as a raw material for the production, but the amount of protein received is still below the standard. In addition, there is no information of additives in curing process on consumer preferences. In this research, response surface methodology was used to study the influence of extracted protein from soybean meal (5–15%) and salt (15–20%) contents on chemical characteristics of Nam pla ra after 4 months of fermentation. The amount of roasted rice and roasted rice bran addition in curing process on sensory preferences were also studied. The results showed the linear effect of extracted protein and salt contents on NaCl content (P

Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of bread as substrate for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) biosynthesis, establishing a valorization strategy for surplus bread, repurposing it within the food chain. Methods and Results Surplus bread was fermented by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to produce GABA. Pediococcus pentosaceus F01, Levilactobacillus brevis MRS4, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum H64 and C48 were selected among 33 LAB strains for the ability to synthesize GABA. Four fermentation experiments were set up using surplus bread as such, added of amylolytic and proteolytic enzymes, modifying the pH or mixed with wheat bran. Enzyme-treated slurries led to the release of glucose (up to 20 mg g−1) and free amino acid, whereas the addition of wheat bran (30% of bread weight) yielded the highest GABA content (circa 800 mg kg−1 of dry weight) and was the most suitable substrate for LAB growth. The selected slurry was ultimately used as an ingredient in bread making causing an increase in free amino acids. Conclusions Besides the high GABA concentration (148 mg kg−1 dough), the experimental bread developed in this study was characterized by good nutritional properties, highlighting the efficacy of tailored bioprocessing technologies as means to mitigate food wastage. Significance and Impact of Study Our results represent a proof of concept of effective strategies to repurpose food industry side streams.

BackgroundThe pandemic called “Coronavirus Disease 2019” (COVID-19), which first appeared in China, then spread to the whole world, has had negative consequences in many areas, especially in health. The long-term quarantine process caused by the pandemic and the experienced stress had a great impact on nutritional habits. AimIn this study, it was aimed to determine the change in anxiety levels and eating habits of young adults after the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsThe data were obtained through an online questionnaire between April and July 2020. In the questionnaire, the general and health information of the individuals, their nutritional habits, and anthropometric measurements (height and body weight) were questioned. In addition, the food frequency questionnaire form and Beck Anxiety Inventory were applied. ResultsA total of 823 (174 males and 649 females) participants were included in the study. The median ages of males and females were 27.0 (18.0) and 26.0 (8.0), respectively. According to the results of the food frequency questionnaire; it was found that among females, the consumption of egg, cheese, milk, yogurt, pickles, fruit, onion, garlic, lemon, salad, legumes, pastry, sweets, red meat, turmeric, and herbal tea were increased significantly in the post-pandemic period; and the consumption of milk, yogurt, garlic, and lemon significantly increased in males. It was also found that the anxiety levels of the females increased statistically significantly in the post-pandemic period. ConclusionIt was determined that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were statistically significant changes in the food intake patterns and anxiety levels of the participants. It is thought that the results obtained from this study may be a guide for further studies to determine the nutritional habits in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is a nitrogen (N)-demanding crop, so tissue N analysis should be related to soil N supply. We evaluated canola N uptake in relation to soil N pools in plots receiving 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N·ha−1 from urea at three sites in eastern Canada in 2012. Soil N pools varied significantly at the rosette, flowering, pod filling, and maturity stages, but responded less predictably to urea. Canola N uptake was inconsistently related to soil N pools and urea input. This confirms the importance of site-specific N fertilizer management when growing canola in eastern Canada.

In this paper, effects of pectin varying in overall charge (OCH) and local charge density (LCD) on the structure and thermal stability of Lysozyme (lys) are studied. The secondary and local tertiary structures of lys undergo at pH 5.1 a two-step change upon binding with increasing amounts of pectin, in which the peak of fluorescence first increases and shows a blue shift and the amount of helix conformation drops at a pectin/lys mass ratio (q) below or equal to that corresponding to maximal complexation qmax. With increasing amount of pectin, the native like state is recovered at q > qmax. The decrease in helix content depends mainly on the OCH of pectin. Analysis of the thermodenaturation behavior of lys reveals that affinity of pectin with denatured lys is higher than for the native state of lys. At the same OCH of pectin, unfolding of lys is more significant in case of a high LCD (blockwise distribution of charges) of the former. At q = qmax (first stage of binding) the key factors stabilizing lys within its complexes with pectin against thermo-aggregation are a high LCH of pectin and, to a lesser degree, a low OCH. At q > > qmax (second stage of binding), a high LCH of pectin is a key factor inhibiting thermo-aggregation of lys.

Winter squash (Cucurbita maxima cultivar Golden Delicious) produced in Oregon’s Willamette Valley for edible seed production has experienced significant yield losses because of a soilborne disease. The symptoms associated with this disease problem include root rot, crown rot, and vascular discoloration in the stems, leading to a severe late season wilt and plant collapse. Through field surveys, Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, F. culmorum-like fungi, Plectosphaerella cucumerina, and Setophoma terrestris were identified to be associated with diseased tissues, and each produced symptoms of root rot, crown rot, or stem discoloration in preliminary pathogenicity trials. In this study, 219 isolates of these species were characterized by molecular identity analyses using BLAST of the internal transcribed spacer and translation elongation factor 1 alpha genomic regions and by pathogenicity testing in outdoor, large-container trials. Molecular identity analyses confirmed the identity of isolates at 99 to 100% similarity to reference isolates in the database. In pathogenicity experiments, F. solani produced the most severe symptoms, followed by F. culmorum-like fungi, F. oxysporum, P. cucumerina, and S. terrestris. Some treatments of mixed-species inoculum produced symptom severity greater than what was expected from individual species. In particular, the mixture of F. culmorum-like fungi, F. oxysporum, and P. cucumerina and the mixture of F. culmorum-like fungi, F. solani, and S. terrestris had symptom ratings as high as that of F. solani by itself. Results indicate that this soilborne disease is caused primarily by Fusarium solani, but interactions between the complex of F. solani, F. culmorum-like fungi, F. oxysporum, and P. cucumerina can exacerbate disease severity.

Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Sacc. and Magnus) Lams- -Scrib is one of the most devastating seed-borne diseases of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). In the present study, we evaluated the antifungal activity of Bunium persicum essential oil (EO) and its main constituents on mycelial growth, sporulation and spore germination inhibition of C. lindemuthianum. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of EO and its main constituents on decreasing the activity of cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) produced by C. lindemuthianum, which are associated with disease progress. Also, the effects of seed treatment and foliar application of EO and its main constituent, cuminaldehyde, on anthracnose disease severity was investigated. The essential oil of B. persicum, was obtained by using a clevenger apparatus and its major constituents were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The EO was characterized by the presence of major compounds such as cuminaldehyde (37.7%), γ-terpinene (17.1%) and β-pinene (15.4%), which indicated antifungal effects against C. lindemuthianum. This pathogen did not grow in the presence of EO, cuminaldehyde and γ-terpinene, β-pinene at 1,500; 1,010 and 1,835 ppm concentrations, respectively. Also, sporulation and spore germination of C. lindemuthianum was completely inhibited by EO and cuminaldehyde. Synergistic effects of the main constituents showed that combing γ-terpinene with cuminaldehyde induced a synergistic activity against C. lindemuthianum and in combination with β-pinene caused an additive effect. Activities of pectinase, cellulase and xylanase, as main CWDEs, were decreased by EO and its main constituents at low concentration without affecting mycelial growth. Seed treatment and foliar application of peppermint EO and/or cuminaldehyde significantly reduced the development of bean anthracnose. We introduced B. persicum EO and constituents, cuminaldehyde and γ-terpinene, as possible control agents for bean anthracnose.

INTRODUCTION Due to the composition and biological properties of coconut oil, there is still considerable debate regarding potential benefits for the management of obesity, including the specific impact on body weight (BW) reduction. This systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials aims to assess the impact of coconut oil on BW reduction in comparison to other oils and fats. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION The databases, PubMed®, Web of Science®, EMBASE®, and SciVerse Scopus® were systematically searched. A combination of medical subject headings and words linked to coconut oil and obesity parameters were utilized. Any clinical trials comparing coconut oil to any other form of oil or fat, with more than one month feeding period among adults were considered. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS From the 540 potentially relevant papers, 9 were included. The period of coconut oil intake varied from four to twelve weeks, apart from one long-term trial wherecoconut oil was consumed for two years.When compared to other oils and fats, coconut oil substantially decreased BW (n=546), body mass index (BMI) (n=551), and percentage of fat mass (FM%) (n=491) by 0.75 kg (p=0.04), 0.28 kg/m2 (p=0.03), and 0.35% (p=0.008), respectively. Coconut oil consumption did not result in any significant alteration in waist circumference (WC)(n=385) (-0.61 cm; p=0.30), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (n=330) (-0.01; p=0.39) and FM (n=86) (-0.25 kg; p=0.29). CONCLUSIONS Results indicate a small statistically significant reduction in BW, BMI, and FM% in the coconut oil group. In contrast, consumption of coconut oil had no statistically significant effect on WC, WHR, or FM.

Stemphylium leaf blight (SLB) caused by Stemphylium vesicarium is the dominant foliar disease affecting large-scale onion production in New York. The disease is managed by fungicides, but control failures are prevalent and recently attributed to fungicide resistance. Little is known of the relative role of inoculum sources in initiation and spread of SLB epidemics. The spatial and spatiotemporal dynamics of SLB epidemics in six onion fields were evaluated along linear transects in 2017 and 2018. Average SLB incidence increased from 0 to 100% throughout the cropping seasons with an average final lesion length of 28.3 cm. Disease progress was typical of a polycyclic epidemic and the logistic model provided the best fit to 83.3% of the datasets. Spatial patterns were better described by the beta-binomial than binomial distribution in half of the datasets and random patterns were more frequently observed by the index of dispersion. Geostatistical analyses of spatial pattern also found a low frequency of datasets with aggregation. Spatiotemporal analysis of epidemics detected that the aggregation was influenced by disease incidence. However, diseased units were not associated with the previous time period according to the spatiotemporal association function of SADIE. Variable spatial patterns suggested mixed inoculum sources dependent upon location, and likely an external inoculum source at the sampling scale used in this study. Plate testing of 28 commercially available organic onion seedlots from 2017 and 2018 did not detect S. vesicarium. This finding suggests that although S. vesicarium has been reported as seed transmitted, this is unlikely to be a significant inoculum source in commercially available organic seed lots and even less so in fungicide-treated seed used to establish conventional fields. A small-plot replicated trial was also conducted in each of two years to quantify the effect of S. vesicarium-infested onion residue on SLB epidemics in a field isolated from other onion fields. SLB incidence was significantly reduced in plots without residue compared to those in which residue remained on the soil surface. Burial of infested residue also significantly reduced epidemic progress in one year. The effect of infested onion residue on SLB epidemics in the subsequent onion crop suggests rotation or residue management may have a substantial effect on epidemics. However, the presence of an inoculum source external to fields in onion production regions as indicated by a lack of spatial aggregation may reduce the efficacy of in-field management techniques.

Dracocephalum L. is a well-known aromatic and medicinal plant genus in the Mint family. Some species of the genus such as D. kotschyi (DK) are widely used in Iranian folk medicine as tonic and carminative, as well as for relieves of headache, stomachache, and liver ailments. The present study was aimed to: isolate and determine some bioactive flavonoids from DK, evaluate their content in some Iranian Dracocephalum species, and assess their inhibitory activity and molecular dynamics against Human mutT homolog 1 (MTH1) enzyme. Aerial flowering parts of eight Iranian native Dracocephalum species were collected from different regions of Iran. The flavonoids of DK were comprehensively isolated by column chromatography, and then characterized by NMR and MS techniques. For simultaneous determination of flavonoids in methanol extract of the Dracocephalum studied species, a reversed-phase HPLC-DAD method was developed. Luteolin, apigenin, xanthomicrol, calycopterin, ermanin and three newly isolated flavonoids including circilineol, 5-demethylsinenstin, cirsimaritin and 5,7,4´-trihydroxy 3,3´-dimethoxyflavone were characterized in DK. Simultaneous determination of nine flavonoids in eight Iranian Dracocephalum species exerted the highest amount of xanthomicrol (4430±1.8 µg/g DW) and 5-demethylsinensetin (766.2±0.4 µg/g DW) in D. polychaetum and D. aucheri, respectively. Our study showed, different species with similar morphology have different flavonoid profile. To have a molecular insight into their effectiveness in cancer inhibition, Gaussian 03, GROMACS 5.2, and Pymol software were exploited to optimize, simulate, and dock them against MTH1 enzyme, respectively. Molecular docking study revealed that xanthomicrol and 5-demethylsinenstin could tightly bind to MTH1 enzyme via different hydrogen bonds in the active site of the protein. Xanthomicrol and 5-demethylsinenstin, the two flavonoids with stronger bonds with MTH1 enzyme, could be considered as reliable pharmacologically active ingredients against the cancers involving MTH1 activity.

Crop infestation species have acquired resistance to herbicides, stimulating the search for new control methods. Plants secondary metabolites can hold more sustainable alternatives, as they can be used for development of natural herbicides. This study evaluated phytotoxic effects of aqueous extracts of Ilex paraguariensis leaves on Conyza bonariensis, an infesting species of Brazilian crops. Different concentrations of decoction and infusion extracts were tested in germination and growth bioassays. Adult plants were evaluated for leaf anatomy effects caused by the yerba mate extract. HPLC analysis was used to quantify the three major chemical constituents. The most effective aqueous extract (decoction 1.0%) decreased the percentage of seed germination, germination speed index, and percentage of germination-derived seedling formation, and increased the time for seedling formation. Shoot and root growth were not affected by this extract. In adult plants, the same extract damaged epidermis and palisade/lacunous parenchyma six hours after exposure. Caffeine was found as the major compound of this extract, followed by rutin and quercetin. Therefore, aqueous extract by decoction 1.0 % of I. paraguariensis leaves showed potential for control of C. bonariensis infestation and rather promising for the development of a natural herbicide.

In this study, to evaluate the effect of isolates of different species of Trichoderma on some morphological traits of canola and to obtain suitable antagonist isolates for biological control of canola crown rot disease, the effect of 71 Trichoderma isolates on Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was investigated in the laboratory by volatile compound and non-volatile metabolite methods. In the volatile metabolite assay, the isolate ARCTr281 (T. harzianum) was more efficient than the other isolates with a 20% reduction in hyphae density and non-formation of S. sclerotiorum sclerotia. In the non-volatile metabolite assay, ARCTr272 (T. harzianum) with 73.7 and 62.22 at 25 and 15% concentrations and T. viride isolate ARCTr432 (20.37%) at 5% concentration were successful in inhibiting S. sclerotiorum mycelia growth. Six superior isolates were selected for greenhouse studies. Using two-stage Trichoderma isolates in the greenhouse, height, fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots, number of pods, pod length, pod diameter and number of seeds per pod in the presence of pathogen all increased. The results of principal component analysis showed that the first two components accounted for 86% of the total variation among the data. The results showed that for the first component, the traits of total grain weight, pod diameter, branch number, shoot dry weight and fresh weight of root were the most important traits in grouping the isolates. In the trait second component, plant height and number of seeds per pod were important traits. Mean comparisons were performed using an LSD test and showed significant differences between the fungi used in non-volatile metabolite and greenhouse studies. According to the results of this research, the fungal isolates of T. harzianum (ARCTr281, ARCTr272 and ARCTr418) were the most effective antagonists in improving plant traits and controlling canola rot disease in both the laboratory and the greenhouse.

International audience; Germination is a traditional process and a re-emerging trend in healthy foods, resulting a progressively increase in scientific research on their nutritional traits and phytochemical contents. This review examines the physiological and biochemical changes during the germination sensu stricto in pulses, taking into consideration the genotype, environmental conditions, hormone control, and the metabolic transition from seed to seedling. Germination sensu stricto is achieved as soon as elongation of the radicle, implies heterotrophy metabolism; further thermal processing is needed before consumption. In contrast, seedlings production requires a long period of imbibition and can provide a ready-to-eat food product. Furthermore, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and antinutritional compounds of pulses are described. Impacts of food processing, such as soaking, germination, and cooking, in nutritional and antinutritional values are also evaluated. The association of soaking, germination, and cooking increases the nutritional values of pulses by increasing protein/starch digestibility and vitamins content and by decreasing antinutritional compounds. The final plant-based product allows versatility in formulation to produce novel food products and/or ingredients with better nutritional content. This can encourage the scientific community, industry, and government to invest in research and development to increase germinated pulse-based food, to replace other products, or to develop new ones.

Herbal cosmetics are a valuable gift of nature and their demand is increasing in the world market. They have good activity with no side effects as compared to synthetic cosmetics. Herbal cosmetics are beauty products and because of natural ingredients, they possess desirable physiological activities. The present research work aimed to formulate and characterize cost-effective herbal nourishment cream containing Aloe vera gel and tomato powder. Four formulations i.e. F1, F2, F3, and F4 were prepared with varying concentrations of Aloe vera gel and tomato powder, while the composition of the cream base was kept the same. The oil phase of the cream base consisted of liquid paraffin (5.0 ml), stearic acid (4.8 g) and coconut oil (3.0 ml). The aqueous phase consisted of triethanolamine (1.5 ml), glycerin (5.0 ml), citric acid (0.4 g), methylparaben (0.1 g), water (q.s.) and key ingredients. The concentration of Aloe vera gel was 2.0 ml, 4.0 ml, 6.0 ml, 8.0 ml and the concentration of tomato powder was 0.2 g, 0.4 g, 0.6 g, 0.8 g in F1, F2, F3, and F4 respectively. The characterization of the formulated creams was carried out by standard methods, such as homogeneity test, smear type, irritancy test, pH test, spreadability test and acid value test. The stability test was carried out at different temperature conditions at 40 °C, below 5 °C and room temperature. All creams were homogeneous, non-irritant and easily removable. The pH of creams was in the range of 7.3–7.6 which is safe for human skin. Spreadability was in the range of 9–13. Acid values of the prepared creams were 5.6, 5.6, 6.4 and 7.2 respectively. Stability was examined by two parameters, homogeneity and pH change. The economical herbal creams prepared by using fewer chemicals are good for skin with moisturizing properties. The efficiency of creams can be improved by increasing the concentration of Aloe vera gel and tomato powder.

Abstract: The fruits (pitanga) of Eugenia uniflora L. (pitangueira) have pleasant sensory attributes, described as acid, sweet and exotic flavors, and high content of bioactive compounds with antioxidant effects. The botanical characteristics, nutritional, sensory and pharmaceutical properties of leaves and fruits of pitangueira have already been described in several publications, but the information available has never been systematized through a wide literature review such as that carried out in the present study.This study reveals that pitanga is a source of fibers, vitamins A and C, minerals, phenolic compounds and carotenoids. The phenolic compounds myricetin and quercetin, and the carotenoids lycopene, γ-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin are the fruit’s major compounds. Furthermore, in the essential oil of this fruit, compounds beneficial to health, such as oxygenated sesquiterpenes, were found. These compounds, in an in vitro study, were related to the reduction/reversal of damage caused by oxidative stress and inhibition of key enzymes linked to diabetes, dyslipidemia and Alzheimer's. Several studies reveal potential health benefits (antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-obesity, anti-proliferative and anti-neurodegenerative activities) resulting from bioactive compounds present in the leaf or fruit of the pitangueira. This review shows the promising use of this species for the prevention and control of different diseases and its potential for pharmaceutical and food purposes.

Objective Quality of life for patients with kidney failure is less than similar-aged, general population counterparts. A large part of the decrease in quality of life is from the change of diet and nutritional restrictions. One way to combat this decrease in quality of life is through oral nutrition supplements. Methods An ice-cream substitute product was developed for patients with kidney failure on peritoneal dialysis. The product consisted of an ice-cream–like base of rice milk, egg whites, evaporated coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla bean paste. Two flavors were then created: cinnamon and lemon. Both flavors were tested subjectively and objectively. Sensory taste testing was with peritoneal dialysis patients using a Likert scale ballot with a comment section. Texture analysis was completed using a CT3 Brookfield texture analyzer. The results from the sensory testing (taste, texture, overall acceptability) and the texture analysis were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests. Nutritional analysis for the product was calculated. Results The sensory test of taste, texture, and overall acceptability between the two flavors was not found to be statistically different between the cinnamon and lemon. Similarly, the objective results were also not statistically significant between the two flavors. Conclusion Based on the nutritional analysis, both the lemon and the cinnamon flavors were found to be "good" sources of protein when compared with the Food and Drug Administration's definition of a "good" source of protein. In addition, patients found the sensory aspects of both flavors to be slightly to moderately likable.

In this study, the physicochemical properties of linseed and linseed biofuel were studied and their effect on the flow properties of Nigerian waxy crude oil at different volume fractions was investigated. The Nigerian wax crude oil was characterized for its specific gravity, API gravity, wax content, pour point and cloud point. The properties of the linseed oil and linseed biodiesel investigated include: density, specific gravity, viscosity, pour point, cloud point and flash point. Upon esterification of the free fatty acid (FFA) contained in the linseed oil reduced from 3.5 to 0.75 and the viscosity of the seed oil reduces from 2169 to 362 mm2/s. The linseed oil and its biodiesel exhibited similar trend of reduced viscosity at higher shear rate, however, linseed biodiesel demonstrated the lowest viscosities, cloud points and pour points owing to reduced fatty contents. The effect of the linseed oil and its biodiesel on the pour point and cloud point of the waxy crude oil was determined; and the performance compared to that of xylene. A rapid drop in the pour point and cloud point was observed with the wax crude pre-heated with 0.1 v/v linseed oil, its biodiesel and xylene.

Aim This study aims to use fermentation waste of ethanol production (solid and liquid) for riboflavin and recycling of bacterial biomass as biofertilizers to enhance the growth of some oily crop plants. Methods and Results Out of 10 yeast isolates from fresh milk, Clavispora lusitaniae ASU 33 (MN583181) was able to ferment different concentrations of glucose (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) into ethanol with high efficiency at 10%. Among seven non-Lactobacillus bacterial isolates recovered from cheese samples, two bacterial isolates Bacillus subtlis-SR2 (MT002768) and Novosphingobium panipatense-SR3 (MT002778) were selected for their high riboflavin production. Different media (control medium, fermentation waste medium and a mixture of the fermentation waste medium and control medium [1:1]) were used for riboflavin production. These media were inoculated by a single or mixture of B. subtlis-SR2, N. panipatense-SR3. The addition of the waste medium of ethanol production to the control medium (1:1) had a stimulatory effect on riboflavin production whether inoculated with either a single strain or a mixture of B. subtlis-SR2 and N. panipatense-SR3. A mixture of fermentation waste and control media inoculated with N. panipatense produced a high riboflavin yield in comparison with other media. Inoculation of Zea mays and Ocimum basilicum plants with either the bacterial biomass waste of riboflavin production (B. subtlis or N. panipatense) or a mixture of B. subtlis and N. panipatense) shows a stimulatory effect on the plant growth in comparison with control (uninoculated plants). Conclusions These results demonstrate the possibility of minimizing the cost of riboflavin and biofertilizer manufacturing via interlinking ethanol and riboflavin with the biofertilizer production technology. Significance and Impact of Study This study outlines the methods of evaluating the strength of spent media by applying procedures developed in the vitamin production industries. Furthermore, bacterial biomass waste can act as an environmentally friendly alternative for agrochemicals.

In the present study, 30 potential germplasm of oat (Avena sativa L.) were subjected to proximate, elemental, and HPLC analysis to provide a scientific basis to genetic diversity present among them. The extracts of the selected germplasms were also evaluated for their antioxidant potentials through DPPH and ABTS assays. Proximate analysis showed protein contents to be in the range 8.35 to 17.72% with the highest protein contents in the accession line 22365 (17.72±0.38%). The genotype-725 showed the highest carbohydrate, and dry matter (53.35±0.01 and 93.50±0.07% respectively) contents whereas, the germplasm-830 contained the highest fat (7.88±0.12%) contents while the highest moisture contents were there in germplasm-22348 (11.95±0.06%). The crude fiber contents (19.67±0.19%) were found high in germplasm-832. The mentioned contents were also correlated to each other where a negative (-0.431*) correlation was noted for crude protein and carbohydrate while ash content to crude protein has a positive (0.38*) correlation. A positive and a negative correlation were there in Crude fats/crude protein (0.30*) and crude fats/moisture contents (-0.39*) respectively. Principal component analysis showed an Eigenvalue of 0.76 with a total variation of 85.01% when applied to proximate components. Based on cluster analysis to proximate composition all the oat germplasms were divided into 5 sub-clusters, where accession numbers 769 and 817 were found to be the most diverse genotypes. The elemental analysis confirmed the presence of magnesium (2.89-7.62 mg/L), sodium (3.71-8.03 mg/L), manganese (0.93-3.71 mg/L), copper (0.35-3.36 mg/L), iron (2.15-6.82 mg/L), zinc (1.30-3.37 mg/L), chromium (0.37-3.34 mg/L), and potassium (50.70-59.60 mg/L) in the selected germplasms. Principal component analysis for elemental composition showed the total variation of 73.75% with the Eigenvalue of 0.97. Cluster analysis on an elemental basis divided all the oat germplasms into 7 sub-clusters where accession numbers 769 and 22350 were found to be the most diverse germplasm. Phytochemical analysis performed through HPLC resulted in the identification of nine possible compounds (malic acid, epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin, morin, ellagic acid, catechin hydrate, rutin, pyrogallol, and mandelic acid) in various germplasm of oat. A concentration-dependent antioxidant response was recorded when extracts were tested as an inhibitor of DPPH and ABTS free radicals. The results revealed that oat grains are a good source of nutrients, minerals, and phytochemicals that can be used as nutraceuticals and as food. The genetic differences revealed that this plant can be grown under varied environmental conditions.

Background: Anti-cancer effects of almond nuts or oil have been approved, but there are a few pieces of research that have evaluated, in detail, almond and other seeds' effects on cancer. Therefore, in the present project, the aim was to explore the regulatory effect of the bitter almond extract (Prunus amygdalus Batsch) on the apoptotic and anti-cancer potency of MCF-7 cells. Objectives: In the current experimental research, the Almond effect on MCF7 cells was evaluated by investigating the expression and the balance between Bcl-2, Bax genes to unmark the potential molecular mechanism. Methods: For 24 and 48h, the MCF7 cells were treated with the bitter almond extract (187.5-3000 μg/mL). MTT assay was used to assess the viability, and Real-time-PCR was applied to determine the expression of Bax and Bcl-2, facing β-actin. Results: Our results revealed a significant difference between different extract concentrations on the viability of MCF7 cell lines in 24 and 48 h; cell viability decreased time-dependently (P < 0.05). After 24 and 48h of extract facing MCF7 cells, the evaluated IC50 value was 3000 and 1500 μg/mL, respectively. Based on Real Time-PCR analysis, after 24 and 48 h, the mRNA levels of BCL-2 decreased by the extract, whereas Bax was in the MCF-7 cell line. Conclusion: From the results, it can be concluded that bitter almond extract has anti-cancer properties that may influence the apoptotic pathways by regulating relative gene expression.

The cladocera Moina macrocopa serves as a common live feed that is suitable for most freshwater fish species. Seven diets for the cladocera, viz. Chlorella sp., rice bran, soybean meal, chicken manure, swiftlet waste, canola oil, and artificial micro pellet were compared in this study. This study's objective was to analyse the effect of enriched M. macrocopa on the growth, survival, and dietary profiles of hybrid Nile tilapia fry. The feeding experiment lasted for over 60 days. The M. macrocopa enriched with rice bran has produced the highest weight gain (5.83 g), survival (86.67%), protein (24.88%), and lipid (6.85%) in Nile tilapia fry. While, fatty acid such as α-linolenic acid (ALA; 4.67%) was found to be the highest in fry fed with M. macrocopa enriched with soybean meal. Arachidonic acid (ARA; 3.69%) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 0.47%) were the highest in tilapia fry fed with M. macrocopa enriched with rice bran, while eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 6.33%) was the highest in tilapia fry fed with M. macrocopa enriched with Chlorella sp. In conclusion, the manipulation of nutrient such as protein, lipid and fatty acid Scompositions in M. macrocopa diet has successfully improved the nutrient compositions and production of Moina sp. culture that indirectly increased the growth and survival of hybrid tilapia fry.

The fruits of Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt have been used to treat several aliments in traditional medicine whereas Coccinia rehmannii Cogn. fruits are consumed as food due to their high starch content. Coccinia rehmannii are also known to contain vast amounts of indispensable bioactive compounds that are used in various cosmetics, foods, and medicines. Among these compounds are hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) which are usually conjugated/esterified to quinic acid (QA), tartaric acid, citric acid, shikimic acid and sugars and are collectively referred to as chlorogenic acids (CGAs). Over the years, metabolite profiling has been used in plant taxonomy and species classification. Herein, UPLC-qTOF-MS/MS semi-targeted approached was use to profile HCA conjugates from two closely related plant species i.e. C. grandis and C. rehmannii leaves in order to distinguish them from each other. Examination of their relative metabolite contents showed that the two closely related Coccinia species utilise contrasting means of HCA conjugations as means of metabolite diversification strategy. C. grandis was found to conjugate its HCA derivatives to a QA, whilst C. rehmannii conjugates its HCA derivatives to mainly flavonoid glycosides and to QA, even though present in low concentration in this plant. These results shows that plants from the same genus can utilise different chemical diversification means for storage of their metabolites and that processes such as conjugation and isomerization can be exploited as chemotaxonomic markers. Future studies can also be designed to look at the pharmacological potency of these plants as a function of their contrasting chemical differences.

Sonchus oleraceus (L.) L. (sow thistle) is an underutilised functional leafy vegetable with both high nutritional and pharmacological values. In the current study, high performance liquid chromatography ion trap time-of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-IT-Tof-MS)-based metabolomics in combination with principal component analysis (PCA) were used to provide an overall phytochemical composition of different tissues (leaf, stem and roots) of this underutilised plant. A total of 32 phytochemicals, comprising hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids and terpene classes were identified across the three different tissues of S. oleraceus. The study used the new approach of colour coded PCA models to info-graphically depict the metabolic profiles across different parts of the plant. The results of the current study indicate S. oleraceus as a potential source of metabolites with highly claimed nutraceutical properties. As such, the results herein can be used as a template reference for further biological studies aimed at the evaluation of nutraceutical properties of the S. oleraceus plant.

A monitoring survey was conducted in snake gourd agro ecosystem during the fruiting season at Gangnapur, West Bengal, India to generate extensive data on fruit fly diversity, population dynamics, infestation rates and evaluate the effect of trapping on fruit fly infestation rates vis-a-vis benefit cost ratio of snake gourd cultivation. Methyl Eugenol and Cue Lure traps were used to assess the fruit fly species diversity. The number of adult male flies trapped was used to calculate fruit fly per trap per day and assess the population dynamics. Bactrocera dorsalis, Zeugodacus cucurbitae and Zeugodacus tau were the predominant fruit fly species during the fruiting season. Maximum species diversity and evenness estimates were registered by Methyl Eugenol traps. Species richness estimates for Cue Lure and Methyl Eugenol traps during the entire experiment are analogous due to the trapping of two different types of fruit fly species. Zeugodacus cucurbitae is the most abundant species in the snake gourd ecosystem and dominated the community of fruit flies throughout the study. Fruit fly per trap per day values indicated that the Gangnapur area is at infestation level, for Zeugodacus cucurbitae and Bactrocera dorsalis, while, for Zeugodacus tau the area is at suppression level. The rate of infestation varied from 6.93 % to 44.09 %. Farmers with traps in their fields reported a benefit cost ratio of 0.73 to 4.63, while the no-trap group reported 0.34 to 1.56. This study at Gangnapur has proven the beneficial effect of trapping on the benefit cost ratio of snake gourd cultivation.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is one of the traditional crops with enormous nutritional and pharmaceutical potential as compared to the other tuber crops. It is evident from the available literature that different plant part of taro contains a combination of bioactive compounds such as tarin, polysaccharides (TPS1 and TPS2), alkaloids, polyphenols, and saponins. Anti-carcinogenic, anti-compulsive, anti-hyperglycemia, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, immunoprotective, and neuroprotective properties have been demonstrated for these bioactive compounds. Taro's unique characteristics, such as the presence of small-sized starch granules, resistant starch type, and hypoallergenic properties, have the potential to elevate its status from underutilized to wonder future crop. Poi is a traditionally processed product of taro that has medicinal properties. Other processed products of taro are taro flour, cookies, noodles, achu and it is also a major constituent of baby food products due to its easily digestible nature. The documentation of traditional uses of taro food products in rural communities, as well as the quantification of bioactive compounds, demonstrate taro's vast potential as functional food products and in drug development. Hence, screening diverse genotypes for bioactive compounds from different continents could aid breeding efforts directed at taro biofortification. Commercialization of taro usage should be considered as a dietary intervention strategy for addressing malnutrition and hidden hunger in poor communities worldwide. In this review, we have comprehensively highlighted the scope of taro as a future food crop with enormous nutritional and antioxidant potential, biotechnological advancements, and the scope for breeding biofortified taro.

The necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea is a major threat to grapevine cultivation worldwide. Here, a highly resistant Chinese wild grapevine, Vitis amurensis ‘Shuangyou’ (SY), and the susceptible V. vinifera ‘Red Globe’ (RG) were selected for study, and their pathogenic infection and biochemical responses to B. cinerea were evaluated. The results revealed more trichomes on and a thicker cuticle for leaves of SY than RG under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both SEM and TEM also showed that conidial germination, appressorium formation, and hyphal development of B. cinerea were delayed on the leaves of resistant SY. Fewer infected hyphae were also observed in leaves of resistant SY when compared with susceptible RG. The infected leaves of resistant SY harbored higher levels of cellulase and pectinase activity during the early infection stages of B. cinerea at 4 h postinoculation (hpi), and higher glucanase and chitinase activity were maintained in the inoculated leaves of SY from 4 through 18 hpi. Lignin was deposited in the infected leaves of susceptible RG but not in resistant SY. Taken together, these results provide insights into the ultrastructural characterizations and physical changes in resistant and susceptible grapevines.

Calea ternifolia Kunth (Asteraceae), the “dream herb”, is an important medicinal plant that grows from Mexico to Costa Rica. The plant is highly valued for rituals and for treating several illnesses including anorexia, upset stomach, diabetes, periodic fevers, diarrhea, bile problems, and skin diseases. This comprehensive literature survey on C. ternifolia was performed up to January 2021. Our review focuses on traditional uses, botanical aspects, chemical constituents, quality control tests, as well as pharmacological and toxicological studies. Data were recorded using online scientific databases including Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Taylor and Francis Imprints, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Science Direct, JSTOR, and SciFinder. The information was assembled from research articles, relevant books on herbal medicinal plants and the history of medicinal plants from Mexico, theses, reports, and web pages. The more significant botanical and ethnomedical aspects were recorded including the discovery of the oneirogenic use (enhancer of dreams) of C. ternifolia by the Chontal Indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Mexico. The plant contains sesquiterpenes and flavonoids as the major constituents. Some properties associated with the plant’s traditional uses have been demonstrated including spasmolytic, antidiabetic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive effects. The plant’s toxicity will be discussed in this paper. Solid pharmacological research provided evidence supporting the use of the dream herb for oneiromancy.

The strawberry (Fragalia ananassa) is commonly used in industry and is thus often frozen; however, drip loss tends to occur following freezing and factors that may reduce drip loss remain unclear. In this study, the role that cell structure, particularly pectin and the cell membrane, has on the drip loss that occurs in different strawberry cultivars was investigated. The relationship between the cell structure in fresh or frozen strawberries and drip loss in thawed strawberries were investigated in ten Japanese strawberry cultivars, with results showing different amounts of drip loss in the various strawberry cultivars. The amount of HCl soluble pectin fraction (HSP) in frozen strawberries was found to correlate with drip loss when thawed at 4 °C. Higher amounts of HSP in the alcohol insoluble solid (AIS) of frozen strawberries showed a higher water holding capacity (WHC). It is therefore suggested that the WHC of the pectin chains in frozen strawberries, which may be adjusted by the neutral sugars in pectin, has the potential of regulating drip leakage during thawing.

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is a common postharvest disease in strawberries, reducing shelf life considerably. We investigated the potential of the yeast-like biocontrol fungus Aureobasidium pullulans (AP-SLU6) vectored by bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) in the Flying Doctors® system to inhibit the pathogen and increase the shelf life of harvested strawberries (cultivar Sonata). Using bumblebees as vectors of various biocontrol agents is becoming increasingly popular, but any potentially negative effects on bee performance have been understudied. Our results show that, over the 4-week period of the trial, the performance and activity of the bees were not negatively affected by A. pullulans. The bees successfully picked up the powder formulation; then, they carried and deposited it on the flowers. The vectoring of the biocontrol agent significantly reduced gray mold development on the harvested fruits by 45% and increased shelf life by 100% in comparison with control treatments. This suggests that the biocontrol fungus applied during flowering successfully reduced Botrytis infection and thus, effectively protected the fruits from gray mold. In addition, the bee-vectored application of the biocontrol agent was found to be significantly more effective than spray application because the latter may temporarily increase humidity around the flower, thereby creating a suitable environment for the pathogen to thrive. In summary, our study demonstrates that A. pullulans vectored by bumblebees can decrease gray mold infection and improve the shelf life of strawberries without adversely affecting the bees, thus providing a basis for the sustainable and efficient control of gray mold on strawberry. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .

Nowadays phytotherapy is increasingly being implemented into medical practice, especially for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Acute respiratory viral infections are most common in childhood and in adults. Acute rhinitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, nasopharyngitis and acute laryngitis refer to diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The main reason for respiratory diseases in recurrent respiratory infection child is disorders of mucociliary and immune protection. The therapeutic value of medicinal plants is determined by their biologically active substances. The method of application of phytotherpy is an integral part of traditional medicine. Herbal medicine can be used at home and does not require special equipment. The main indications for the herbal medicine use in pediatrics are the initial stage of the disease as a primary method of treatment due to mild and low toxicity; as a supporting treatment for enhancing the protective forces of the child’s body during the disease deterioration. During the recovery period herbal medicine again occupies a leading position, especially in case of chronic diseases because it can be used for a long time and is well combined with synthetic drugs. The terms of appointment of herbs for children: prescription of medicinal plants for children must be individual according to indications, taking into account the child’s age; it is recommended to take into account the form and nature of the course of the main disease and comorbidities as well; at the initial stage of the treatment it is better to use some medicinal plants or species consisting of 2–3 plants and in the future a more complex composition; therapy with medicinal plants requires a long period to be used use, especially in chronic diseases; in the treatment of chronic diseases a good effect preventive courses of herbal medicine was revealed, which are appointed during seasonal exacerbations; in case of intolerance symptoms (nausea, vomiting, itching, altered defecation) after receiving medicinal plant its use should be discontinued; pediatricians should not recommend using herbs with potential toxic effects (for example, high concentrations or prolonged use of shoots of wild rosemary, tansy and other). The dosage is a very important question, which depends on the age of a child. The scheme proposed by N.P. Menshikova et al. is convenient for practice. The daily dose in terms of dry plant material is: for сhildren under 1 year old — 1/2 teaspoon, from 1 to 3 years — 1 teaspoon, 3 to 6 years — 1 dessert spoon, 6 to 10 years — 1 tablespoon, 10 and older — 1–2 tablespoons. In case of the appointment of herbal me­dicine pediatrician should take into account the characteristics of the therapeutic effects of medicinal plants, their dosing and possible side effects; it is necessary to monitor treatment to assess its efficacy and safety. In the treatment of respiratory diseases inhalation is effective, using inhalation devices. Aerosol inhalation for treatment of respiratory disease may have different effects: antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, a bronchodilator, and may promote the liquefaction of sputum evacuation, improve the function of the ciliated epithelium. For the purpose of inhalations medicinal plants containing essential oils are used: Calendula, Peppermint, Chamomile, Salvia, Eucalyptus, Thyme, birch, Plantain. The first inhalation lasts for 1–2 minu­tes and later 5–10 minutes. Also ready officinal herbal drugs can be used in pediatric practice: essential oils, teas, juices. A good effect of essential oil of Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Salvia and others, tincture of Calendula, Eucalyptus, Salvia, Peppermint. Relative contraindications are considered: a) allergic conditions in children, b) acute, life-threatening conditions and diseases, c) pregnancy — for medicinal plants causing changes in hormonal balance. In pediatric practice, taking into account the characteristics of acute respiratory viral infections the medicinal plants of several pharmacological groups mainly used are: plants with a tonic effect (plants containing vitamins and minerals — rose hips, black currant, sea buckthorn, citrus fruits), adaptogens and immune modulators should be used in pediatric practice with caution (Ginseng, Rhodiola Rosea, Aralia Manchurian), plants containing biogenic stimulators — the aloe latex, kalanchoe, plant with bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect (sage leaves drug, eucalyptus switchgrass), plants with anti-inflammatory effect, containing tannins — oak bark, Potentilla rhizome, rhizome of Polygonum snake, burnet, alder cones, etc; plants containing essential oils, azulene derivatives — Chamomile flowers; plants containing mucus — Farfara leaves, Plantain; Linden flowers; plants with antipyretic and diaphoretic action — plants containing vitamins (fruits of raspberry, black currant fruit, cranberry); plants containing salicylic acid derivatives — Viola tricolor, raspberry fruit; plants with protective, emollient, expectorant action containing mucus — Farfara leaves; Linden flowers, plantain leaves are large; containing alkaloids, with antitussive effect —codeine phosphate; glaucine hydrochloride grass of Thermopsis lancet; bronchodilators plants; plants with anti-allergic effect, containing flavonoids — herb of Viola tricolor, the roots of Licorice. The article presents the re­commendation of professor O.D. Barnaulov, a pediatric phytotherapist O.A. Daniluk on herbal medicine using in children, the rules of the certain medicinal plants use by Y.I. Korshikova, dosage regimen for herbal remedies for children, proposed by N.P. Menshikova, as well as practical advice on drafting phytospecies for the treatment and prophylaxis of acute respiratory viral infections and prescribing proposed by phytotherapist O.V. Kostareva.

Inhalations (inhalation of medicinal substances) are one of the effective ways to treat upper respiratory tract diseases and colds. Inhalation therapy is used to treat rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis and pneumonia, which can be complications of acute respiratory viral infections. The main rules of inhalation are as follows to conduct the procedure better after 1.5 hours after eating; clothes should not impede breathing; the procedure can be carried out only while sitting or standing; solution for the inhaler for treatment of bronchitis should be fresh; it is necessary to strictly keep the prescribed dosage; the time of the procedure should also be respected — usually it is from 1 to 4 minutes, sometimes for adults up to 10 minutes, for children the inhalation period is shorter — 1–2 minutes. Contraindications to inhalation are body temperature above 37.5 degrees; propensity to nasal blee­ding in a patient; propensity to increased arterial pressure, with cardiovascular failure; purulent inflammation of the tonsils; respiratory failure. The procedure should be stopped immediately in case of appearance of adverse symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, difficulty in breathing. Therefore, inhalations must be prescribed by a doctor after examination of a patient. During inhalations in rhinitis, you should try to inhale the vapor through the nose. For effective treatment of rhinitis, inhalations from conife­rous plants are very suitable: fir, pine, juniper, larch, from steamed dried chamomile flowers, mint, and blackberry leaves. Honey inhalations can be used for the treatment of acute and chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract (tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis and tracheitis). Medical herbal inhalation for children should be carried out from the age of two years. This must be done under the constant supervision of an adult. Leaves of coniferous trees: pine, fir, if or juniper, cedar are recommended for the treatment of children. Dried leaves of eucalyptus, lime, black currant, chamomile, mint and sage are also useful. During pregnancy, inhalations are one of the least risk ways to treat colds. It is necessary to keep precautions and correctly select herbs. For example, the use of medical herb farfara for inhalations is not recommended during pregnancy as well as the medical herbs that can cause allergies. In case of a cold, it is useful for pregnant women to use raspberry leaves, marigold flowers, flax flowers, as well as flowers and herb thyme for inhalations. Optimal herbs for inhalation during pregnancy will become chamomile, herb St. John's wort, thyme, althea and plantain if you need to cure a dry cough. In case of a moist cough, doctors recommend breat­hing a couple of herbs of yarrow decoction, rosemary or eucalyptus.

Recently, pectin has been used as an alternative for commercial prebiotic products to modulate gut microbiota. In this study, the standard diet (Chow group) and high fat diet containing 0% (HF group), 1%, 3%, 5%, 8% or 12% (m/m) apple pectin (HF-P group) were offered ad libitum for 8 weeks to 4-week C57BL/6J mice (n = 10/group). Results showed that body weight gain (R2 = –0.990), subcutaneous adipose accumulation (R2 = –0.930), serum triglyceride elevation (R2 = –0.879), acetate (R2 = 0.955) and propionate concentration reduction (R2 = 0.985) were suppressed by pectin from 1% to 12%, indicating dose response to pectin consumption. Moreover, abundance of obesity-related bacteria Coriobacteriaceae, and pectin-degradating bacteria, Faecalibaculum, Ruminococcus were significantly increased with pectin dosage increased, and the R2 were 0.936, 0.963 and 0.937, respectively. Besides, attenuations for colonic injury and liver steatosis were observed after adding 5% and 8% pectin, respectively. This study confirmed the dose-sensitive manner of pectin to alleviate HF-induced obesity by modulating gut microbiota and enhancing short-chain fatty acids production.

Abstract: The potato plant is an important food source produced all over the world and it provides a significant portion of daily energy intake in nourishment. In addition, a significant rate of vitamins, fibre, mineral matters, protein, and fat can be obtained by consuming potato. In this study, the production, consumption, and usage areas of potato, a crucial source of our diet, and the possibilities of using it as food additives with the nutritional properties of its peel have been investigated. Generally, potato is consumed after its peel is removed in the homes and industrial areas and many of these peels are disposed off as wastes. Studies show that potato peel has a high content of dietary fibre, protein, carbohydrate, mineral matters, vitamin, phenolic, and antioxidant. The use of potato peel as food additives have also been discussed in this study.

Precise oral dosing in rodents is usually achieved by intragastric gavage. If performed incorrectly due to technical difficulties, inexperience, or animal resistance, oral gavage may have animal welfare implications such as esophageal and gastric rupture and aspiration. The stress that is induced by this procedure can also lead to confounding results. In several animal models, drug vehicles must be sugar-free, deliver drugs in a specific formulation, and sometimes supply water. Gelatin has all of these properties. The current study aimed to evaluate the use of gelatin vehicles with different sensory features as an alternative to oral gavage. We investigated the time taken by 2 different inbred mouse strains, FVB/N and C57BL/6J, to ingest sugar-free gelatin pellets of varying flavors. Results showed that FVB/N mice took more time to eat the unflavored, strawberry and diet-flavored gelatin pellets than did C57BL/6J mice. Both strains showed low preference for lemon flavor, with the same ingestion times after the second day. This study showed that the C57BL/6J mice are more likely to eat gelatin than are FVB/N mice, and that the 2 strains of mice show a lower preference for lemon flavoring as compared with other flavors. This method of voluntarily oral administration offers an alternative to gavage for studies that use oral dosing studies.

Drought stress is one of the most important factors of physiological stress and the major constraint on crop productivity which limits plant growth and metabolism. The goal of this work was to study the differential response of groundnut genotypes to drought stress at the physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels during summer in the field. Thirty days old seedlings of six genotypes of groundnut viz. Kadiri 9, Narayani, Dharani, JL24, TPT-3, and Kadiri 6 were subjected to drought stress by withdrawing irrigation for 15 days. The results suggested a significant influence of drought stress on the physiological and biochemical levels in all the groundnut genotypes. A substantial decrease for physiological parameters viz. membrane stability index, chlorophyll stability index, and relative water content was observed under moderate and severe stress conditions compared to control across all genotypes. The high proline accumulating genotypes also exhibited lower lipid peroxidation under all stress periods. In Kadiri 9, Narayani, and Dharani genotypes, the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and glutathione reductase was significantly higher than JL24, TPT-3, and Kadiri 6 genotypes under all stress regimes. Among the genotypes tested, Kadiri 9, Narayani, and Dharani retained higher growth, yield, and seed quality characteristics showing tolerance for drought stress. qPCR analysis revealed stress-responsive existence of the selected genes, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), dehydration-responsive element binding-2A (DREB2A), and no apical meristem, ATAF1/2, cup-shaped cotyledon 2 (NAC4) with 30 fold increase in the level of expression in Kadiri 9 compared to Kadiri 6.

Mesalamine is the first-line choice of drug for ulcerative colitis management. However, due to the nontargeted delivery of mesalamine, it shows side effects. The possible impact of mesalamine can b...

Nickel is an essential element as the cofactor in the enzyme urease, and pecan (Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch) is known to suffer from commercially important nickel deficiency manifested in “mouse-ear” disease. Foliar application of nickel has been shown to increase foliar nickel concentrations and foliar urease activity and to cure the nickel deficiency syndrome. However, there is currently no detailed knowledge on the uptake pathways of nickel into pecan leaves and subsequent internal redistribution of nickel after foliar application. In this study, we cultivated pecan seedlings for a period of 6 months after germination (growing to 250–350 mm tall with mature compound leaves) under low nickel availability in hydroponics solutions. The solution was purified to < 0.001 mg L−1 of nickel, and plants displayed severe “mouse-ear” deficiency symptoms. Half of the plants were then treated with a foliar nickel spray (100 mg L−1 nickel), and leaves were analysed using instrumental micro-X-ray fluorescence (µXRF) analysis, and total leaf nickel concentrations and urease activities were determined. The results show that nickel is rapidly taken up in the leaf and distributed into the vascular bundles. Application of nickel leads to a major increase in urease activity as well as in leaf nickel concentrations, and young emerging growth no longer display deficiency symptoms. The uptake pathway of nickel following foliar application is via the main vein into the secondary veins towards other tissues.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for human beings and animals. Traditional plant Se enrichment technology suffers from selenium pollution. Herein, environmentally friendly Se-agarose (Se-Agar) hybrid hydrogels are prepared by simply mixing agar with different Se species including selenocarrageenan (SeCA), selenite and Se yeast under heating and stirring for 0.5 h without any other reagent. Such Se-Agar hybrid hydrogels with excellent biocompatibility were used as natural substrates for the cultivation of Se-enriched mung bean sprouts. Compared with Se yeast, SeCA and selenite show a better Se enrichment effect on mung bean sprouts. Furthermore, the growth indices including plant weight and plant height of mung bean sprouts were investigated with different concentrations and sources of Se. Notably, the Se-Agar hybrid hydrogels could be easily regenerated and reused for multiple cycles. The results indicated that Se-Agar hybrid hydrogels as recyclable natural substrates offer a simple, sustainable and affordable strategy for plant Se enrichment.

Biosafety practices, such as bioexclusion via sanitization, can prevent the spread of infectious soilborne threats such as the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae. Twenty-three chemical disinfectants were evaluated for efficacy against P. brassicae resting spores. Evans blue staining was used to directly measure the viability of P. brassicae resting spores after 20-min exposures to 10 concentrations of each of the 23 chemical disinfectants. Only nine disinfectants were capable of >95% inactivation, and only five were capable of inactivating >99% of resting spores. Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and Spray Nine were the most effective disinfectants for inactivation of clubroot resting spores. AES 2500, SaniDate, and ethanol also inactivated >99% of resting spores but only at very high concentrations. A time course experiment showed that 10- to 12-min contact time was sufficient for ≥95% resting spore inactivation with Spray Nine and sodium hypochlorite, but ≥30-min contact was required for other disinfectants evaluated. These results will assist in guiding management recommendations for sanitization aimed at bioexclusion and biocontainment of P. brassicae.

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a necrotrophic fungus causing devastating stem rot and associated yield losses of canola/rapeseed (Brassica napus) worldwide, including in Australia. Developing host resistance against Sclerotinia stem rot is critical if this disease in canola/rapeseed is to be successfully managed, as cultural or chemical control options provide only partial or sporadic control. Three B. napus breeding populations, C2, C5 and C6, including the parents, F1, F2, BC1P1, and BC2P2, were used in a field study with an objective of exploring the inheritance pattern of disease resistance (based on stem lesion length [SLL]) and the genetic relationships of disease with stem diameter (SD) or days to first flowering (DTF), and to compare these new adult plant stem resistances against S. sclerotiorum with those of seedling (cotyledon and leaf) resistances in earlier studies. Heritability (broad sense) of SLL was 0.57 and 0.73 for population C2 at 3 and 5 weeks postinoculation and 0.21 for population C5 at 5 weeks postinoculation. Additive genetic variance was evident within all 3 populations for DTF but not for SD. Narrow-sense heritability for DTF was 0.48 (C2), 0.42 (C5), and 0.32 (C6). SD, DTF, and SLL were all inherited independently, with no significant genetic covariance between traits in bivariate analysis. Genetic variance for SLL in populations C2 and C5 was entirely nonadditive, and there was significant nonadditive genetic covariance of SLL at 3 and 5 weeks postinoculation. Generation means analysis in population C2 supported the conclusion that complex epistatic interactions controlled SLL. Several C2 and C5 progeny showed high adult plant stem resistance, which may be critical in developing enhanced stem resistance in canola/rapeseed. Although population C6 showed no genetic variation for SLL resistance in this study, it showed significant nonadditive genetic variance at the cotyledon and leaf stages in earlier studies. We conclude that host resistance varies across different plant growth stages, and breeding must be targeted for resistance at each growth stage. In populations C2, C5, and C6, resistance to S. sclerotiorum in stem, leaf, and cotyledon was always controlled by nonadditive effects such as complex epistasis or dominance. Overall, our findings in relation to the quantitative inheritance of Sclerotinia stem rot resistance, together with the new high-level resistances identified, will enable breeders to select/develop genotypes with enhanced resistances to S. sclerotiorum.

In Colombia, a high amount of fruit waste is currently generated. These causes a negative environmental impact due to its high organic load. However, this type of waste has compounds in its structure that can be used in order to reduce the environmental impact and to obtain added value. The main of this study was to characterize bromatologically sixteen residues of fruit processing in Colombia, in order to propose a possible use in the food industry. The bromatological characterization of the waste was carried out by means of the quantification of dry matter (ASTM E1756-08), ash (ASTM E1755-01), proteins (Kjeldahl method), crude fats (AOAC Official Method), total dietary fiber (AOAC 993.21) and carbohydrates. It was found that grape and soursop seeds, lulo peel and tree tomato stem presents the highest total dietary fiber with content percentages above 50 %. Also, tree tomato, soursop, tangerine and orange seeds are an important source of protein and crude fats, with values highest than 12 and 27 %, respectively. It was also found that pineapple, mango, soursop and grape peel have a carbohydrate content greater than 50%. As a conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that fruit waste have a potential use in the food industry, due to their protein, crude fat, total dietary fiber and carbohydrates content. RESUMEN En Colombia, actualmente se genera una gran cantidad de residuos de frutas. Estos causan un impacto ambiental negativo debido a su alta carga orgánica. Sin embargo, este tipo de residuos presentan en su estructura compuestos que pueden ser aprovechados con el fin de disminuir el impacto ambiental y obtener un valor agregado. El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar bromatológicamente dieciséis residuos del procesamiento de frutas en Colombia, con el fin de proponer un posible uso en la industria alimentaria. La caracterización bromatológica de los residuos se realizó mediante la cuantificación de materia seca (ASTM E1756-08), cenizas (ASTM E1755-01), proteínas (método Kjeldahl), grasas brutas (Método Oficial AOAC), fibra dietética total (AOAC 993.21) y carbohidratos. Se encontró que las semillas de uva y guanábana, piel de lulo y vástago de tomate de árbol presentan el contenido de fibra dietética total más alto con porcentajes superiores al 50 %. Asimismo, las semillas de tomate de árbol, guanábana, mandarina y naranja son una fuente importante de proteínas y grasas crudas, con valores superiores al 12 y 27 %, respectivamente. También, se encontró que la piña, el mango, la guanábana y la cáscara de uva tienen un contenido de carbohidratos superior al 50%. En conclusión, los resultados de este estudio demuestran que los residuos de frutas tienen un uso potencial en la industria alimentaria, debido a su contenido de proteína, grasa cruda, fibra dietética total y carbohidratos.

Background Phomopsis stem-end rot caused by Diaporthe citri, causes significant commercial postharvest losses of pummelo fruit during storage. Carvacrol (CVR) is a known generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and has the ability to prolong the preservation of harvested fruits. In the present study, the inhibitory effects of CVR treatment at the appropriate concentration on Phomopsis stem-end rot development of harvested pummelo fruit inoculated with D. citri were evaluated by the amounts of cell wall components, the activities and gene expressions of related enzymes involved in cell wall modification and lignin biosynthesis. Results Results indicated that CVR completely inhibited D. citri growth in vitro at 200 mg L-1 and significantly controlled Phomopsis stem-end rot development in harvested pummelo. The CVR treatment delayed peel softening and browning, and retarded electrolyte leakage, O2 •- production, and malondialdehyde content. The CVR-treated fruit maintained higher amounts of cell wall materials (CWM), protopectin, hemicelluloses, and cellulose, but exhibited lower water-soluble pectin (WSP) amount. Moreover, in D. citri-inoculated fruit, CVR treatment suppressed the activities and gene expressions of cell wall disassembling-enzymes, including pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase, cellulase, and β-galactosidase, while the development of cell wall degradation was reduced. Meanwhile, the CVR treatment enhanced the lignin biosynthesis by increasing the activities and up-regulating the gene expressions of phenylalanine ammonialyase, cinnamic alcohol dehydrogenase, and peroxidase accompanied with elevated level of lignin in pummelo fruit. Conclusion The disease resistance to D. citri in pummelo fruit elicited by CVR treatment is related to delaying cell wall degradation and enhancing lignin biosynthesis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Microbial spoilage of olive fruits is among the most frequent reasons for two types of off-flavors in olive oils, assigned as musty and fusty/muddy sediment. To characterize both off-flavors on a molecular level by means of the sensomics approach, the key aroma compounds in a premium extra virgin olive oil (PreOO1) eliciting the typical sensory properties were compared to those identified in two off-flavor olive oils obtained from the International Olive Council (IOC). A comparative aroma extract dilution analysis (cAEDA) followed by identification experiments revealed 53 odorants in the musty reference olive oil (MusOO1) and 48 odorants in the fusty/muddy sediment one (FusOO1). Odorants, differing in flavor dilution (FD) factors or showing a high FD factor in at least one of the olive oils, were quantitated by stable isotope dilution analysis (SIDA), followed by the calculation of odor activity values (OAVs; ratio of concentration of an odorant to the respective odor threshold in odorless refined sunflower oil). Aroma recombination and omission experiments revealed 13 key aroma compounds in MusOO1 and 12 in FusOO1. To demonstrate the importance of volatile phenols, 10 phenolic smelling odorants were quantitated in further 13 extra virgin olive oils, in 3 musty and in 13 fusty/muddy sediment defective olive oils, and in 8 olive oils with other off-flavors. Both sensory defects could successfully be discriminated from extra virgin olive oils by applying either a principal component analysis or a hierarchical cluster analysis. Considering possible reaction pathways and all results obtained including Pearson coefficients between the odorant concentrations and the intensities of the defects, specifically 2-methoxyphenol and 4-ethylphenol were proposed as marker compounds for the quality assignment of both types of off-flavors induced by microbial spoilage among the identified key aroma compounds.

BACKGROUND Starch digestibility in foods strongly depends on the structure, other ingredients and processing conditions used. This study aimed to investigate the effect of psyllium fiber on gelatinization, crystallinity and in vitro digestibility of starches having different crystalline structures (A, B and C). Wheat, potato and tapioca starches with and without added psyllium fiber were heated at 90 °C for 10 min at three different solid:water (w:v) ratios (1:1, 1:2 and 1:5). The added fiber content was 50% (dry base) in the solid fraction for the fiber-added samples. RESULTS Wheat, potato and tapioca starches showed different structural, morphological and starch digestibility properties. The effect of cooking and fiber addition on starch digestion differed for the starch types, mainly wheat starch. Psyllium addition during cooking decreased the rapidly digestible starch (RDS) fractions while increasing the slowly digestible starch (SDS) and remaining/resistant starch (RS) fractions. The effect of psyllium fiber addition was not limited to restricting the swelling and gelatinization of starch granules during heating. Psyllium fiber effectively restricted the mobility of digestive enzymes during digestion. CONCLUSION Understanding the relationship between psyllium and starch digestibility for different types of starch could assist in designing food formulations with lower starch digestibility. These in vitro data, however, should be confirmed by in vivo studies. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Rice starch has been used in various agri-food products due to its hypoallergenic properties. However, rice starch has poor solubility, lower resistant starch content with reduced retrogradation and poor functional properties. Hence, its industrial applications are rather limited. The lack of comprehensive information and a holistic understanding of the interaction between rice starch and endo/exogenous constituents to improve physico-chemical properties is a prerequisite in designing industrial products with enhanced functional attributes. In this comprehensive review, we highlight the potentials of physically mixing of biopolymers in upgrading the functional characteristics of rice starch as a raw material for industrial applications. Specifically, this review tackles rice starch modifications by adding natural/synthetic polymers and plasticizers, leading to functional blends or composites in developing sustainable packaging materials, pharma- and nutraceutical products. Moreover, a brief discussion on rice starch chemical and genetic modifications to alter starch quality for the deployment of rice starch industrial application is also highlighted.

Drawbacks associated with the use of chemical fungicides to control plant pathogenic fungi such as Botrytis cinerea stimulate the need for alternatives. Therefore, the present study was carried out to determine the antifungal potentials of Moringa oleifera extracts against B. cinerea. Phytochemical analysis using qualitative chemical tests revealed the presence of huge amount of crucial phytochemicals compounds like phenolic compounds, alkaloids and saponins in the M. oleifera leaf extract. Antifungal bioassay of the crude extracts indicated better mycelial growth inhibition by methanol leaf extract (99%). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 5 mg/ml with 100% spore germination inhibition and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was 10 mg/ml with 98.10% mycelial growth inhibition using broth micro dilution and poisoned food techniques. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis led to the identification of 67 volatile chemical compounds in the leaf extract with 6-decenoic acid (Z)- (19.87%) was the predominant compound. Further chemical elucidation of the crude extracts performed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed the presence of non-volatile chemical compounds, mostly flavones, flavonoids and phenolic acids (i.e. quercetin and kaempferol). Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed positive effect of M. oleifera leaf extract on the treated conidia and mycelium of B. cinerea. Findings revealed that irreversible surface and ultra-structural changes with severe detrimental effects on conidia and mycelium morphology compared to control treatment. Overall findings suggested that M. oleifera leaf extract is a promising candidate for biological control of fungal pathogens, thus limiting overdependence on chemical fungicides. Resumo As desvantagens associadas ao uso de fungicidas químicos para controlar fungos fitopatogênicos, como Botrytis cinerea, estimulam a necessidade de alternativas. Portanto, o presente estudo foi realizado para determinar o potencial antifúngico de extratos de Moringa oleifera contra B. cinerea. A análise fitoquímica usando testes químicos qualitativos revelou a presença de uma grande quantidade de compostos fitoquímicos cruciais, como compostos fenólicos, alcaloides e saponinas no extrato da folha de M. oleifera. O bioensaio antifúngico dos extratos brutos indicou melhor inibição do crescimento micelial pelo extrato de folhas de metanol (99%). A concentração inibitória mínima (MIC) foi de 5 mg/mL com 100% de inibição da germinação de esporos e a concentração fungicida mínima (MFC) foi de 10 mg/mL com 98,10% de inibição do crescimento micelial usando microdiluição em caldo e técnicas de alimentos envenenados. A análise por cromatografia gasosa-espectrometria de massa (GC-MS) levou à identificação de 67 compostos químicos voláteis no extrato da folha, sendo o ácido 6-decenoico (Z) (19,87%) o composto predominante. Elucidação química adicional dos extratos brutos realizada por cromatografia líquida com espectrometria de massa em tandem (LC-MS/MS) mostrou a presença de compostos químicos não voláteis, principalmente flavonas, flavonoides e ácidos fenólicos (ou seja, quercetina e kaempferol). As análises de microscopia eletrônica de varredura e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão mostraram efeito positivo do extrato de folhas de M. oleifera sobre os conídios e micélios tratados de B. cinerea. Os resultados revelaram a superfície irreversível e alterações ultraestruturais com graves efeitos prejudiciais sobre os conídios e a morfologia micelial, em comparação com o tratamento de controle. Os resultados gerais sugeriram que o extrato da folha de M. oleifera é um candidato promissor para o controle biológico de patógenos fúngicos, limitando assim a dependência excessiva de fungicidas químicos.