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Dry bean landraces could be cultivated under Low-Input (LI) farming conditions because of their yield stability and quality traits. The objective of this research was to evaluate and identify landraces with high yield and stable performance under LI environment and study the relationships among agronomical, physiochemical, and quality traits. Seven landraces of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were evaluated in field trials under certified organic management during three consecutive growing seasons (2008-2010) at two different areas located in northern Greece in a RCBD with four replicates. Site per year was considered as one environment. A ranking of landraces according to seed yield potential indicated a group of five high yielding landraces, while Genetic Coefficient of Variation (GCV) for seed yield (9.80%) and number of pods/plant (9.57%) indicated useful genetic variability within landraces, combined with high heritability values (H2= 0.71 and 0.95, respectively). GGE biplot analysis for yield performance and stability indicated that landrace Kastoria fell within the scope of an ideal genotype, followed by three other promising landraces. Significant positive correlation was detected between cooking time and Ash (0.94**). High GCV values for hydration increase (16.77%) and cooking time (15.65%) combined with their high heritability (H2= 0.98 and 0.89, respectively) are of great interest for further genetic advancement. These results indicate that dry bean landraces may provide the appropriate differentiation in several important traits when cultivated under LI conditions, so, effort should be directed to exploit this variability for the development of new varieties suitable for LI agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the impact of genotype, location, and type of cultivation (organic) on the nutrient and anti-nutrient components of seven large-seeded bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) populations. All genotypes were cultivated during 2014 and 2015 in randomized complete block (RCB) experimental designs in three areas of the Prespa region (Pili, Patoulidio, Agios Germanos) in Greece. Particularly, total protein (18.79-23.93%), fiber (7.77-12%), starch (40.14-55.26%), and fat (1.84-2.58%) contents were analyzed and showed significant differences. In order to assess mineral content, firstly, the total ash percentage (4.31% to 5.20%) and secondly, trace elements and heavy metals were determined. The concentrations of identified inorganic metals showed large variations. The total phenolic content of the samples varied from 0.18 to 0.29 mg/g gallic acid equivalent (GAE). A major limitation of increasing the use of grain legumes as feed is the presence of diverse compounds in their grain, commonly referred to as antinutritional factors, and these are mainly trypsin inhibitors. Trypsin inhibitor levels were evaluated, with results varying from 21.8 to 138.5 TIU/g. Pili 2014 and 2015 were differently associated regarding the year of cultivation. Pili 2015 location was also very closely associated with the Patoulidio region, whereas Agios Germanos and Pili 2014 were the most different in terms of nutritional and antinutritional content.

Drought affects common bean productivity, and the severity of its impact is expected to increase due to climate change. The use of versatile genotypes could contribute to securing future bean production. This study investigates the adaptability of 10 common bean genotypes of indeterminate growth type under water scarcity conditions by measuring agronomic and physiological parameters. The evaluation occurs under irrigation treatments applied at two different phenological stages (anthesis (WDA) and seed filling initiation (WDSF)). The recorded adaptabilities of the genotypes (G) showed that G10 produced the highest overall seed yield in the normal irrigation (NI) (197.22 g plant -1 ) and WDA (192.78 g plant -1 ), while the G6 had the highest yield at WDSF (196.71 g plant -1 ). For the genotype's average mean, chlorophyll content decreased by 10.5% under drought at WDSF. Net photosynthetic rate ( P n ), stomatal conductance ( g s ), and transpiration rate (E) were reduced at WDA by 53%, 80.8%, and 61.4% and at WDSF by 43.75%, 57.7%, and 36%, respectively, while relative water content (RWC) reduced by 16.48%, on average, for both stages. G10 and G6 showed adaptability when water scarcity occurred at an early (WDA) or later stage (WDSF), respectively, providing insights into using germplasm resources to cope with the drought effect.

In early development, when active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is in short supply, it would be beneficial to reduce the number of experiments by predicting a suitable L/S ratio before starting the product development. The aim of the study was to decrease development time and the amount of API needed for the process development of high drug load formulations for continuous twin-screw wet granulation (TSWG). Mixer torque rheometry was used as a pre-formulation tool to predict the suitable L/S ratios for granulation experiments. Three different values that were based on the MTR curves, were determined and assessed for their ability to predict the suitable L/S ratio for TSWG. Three APIs (allopurinol, paracetamol and metformin HCl) were used as model substances in high drug load formulations containing 60% drug substance. The MCC-mannitol ratio was varied to assess the optimal composition for the high-dose formulations. The API solubility affected the mixer torque rheometer (MTR) curves and the optimum L/S ratio for TSWG. The highly soluble metformin needed a much lower L/S ratio compared with allopurinol and paracetamol. A design space was determined for each API based on granule flowability and tablet tensile strength. The flowability of the granules and tensile strength of the tablets improved with an increasing L/S ratio. The MCC-mannitol filler ratio had a significant effect on tabletability for paracetamol and metformin, and these APIs having poor compaction properties needed higher MCC ratios to achieve the 2 MPa limit. The MCC-mannitol ratio had no effect on the granule flow properties. Instead, API properties had the largest influence on both granule flow properties and tensile strength. Based on this study, both the L/S ratio and MCC-mannitol ratio are crucial in controlling the critical quality attributes in high drug load formulations processed by TSWG. The optimum flow and tablet mechanical properties were achieved when using 75:25 MCC-mannitol ratio. Both start of the slope and 2/3 of the L/S ratio at the maximum torque in MTR provided a solid guideline to aim for in a TSWG experiment., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A concept of mixing energy, ME, has been developed and applied to blending of adhesive mixtures for inhalation in a high shear blender. Six different systems were investigated, four of which included a coating agent. For blends containing a coating agent, it is shown that the applied ME is key to the control of two important functional mechanisms: i) coating of the carrier by the coating agent, and ii) the dispersibility of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The mass of the carrier was identified to be the mass which is relevant to the forces acting during mixing. The dispersibility in terms of the fine particle fraction (FPF) can be expressed as the product of two exponentials which both are functions of ME. The first factor accounts for the initial increase in FPF, while the second accounts for the decrease observed at extensive mixing. For adhesive mixtures without a coating agent, a similar decrease in FPF is observed when high forces are applied during mixing. Mechanistic interpretation of the behavior is provided., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The focus was on the development of medicated foam for incorporation of two incompatible active agents for psoriasis treatment; i.e., lipophilic cholecalciferol, and hydrophilic salicylic acid. Emphasis was given to formulation of a propellant-free foam, with sufficient foaming properties, physical and chemical stability, and low irritancy potential to maintain relevance for later translation into clinical practice. Various excipients and concentrations were examined to achieve suitable foam stability parameters, viscoelasticity, and bubble-size, which relate to foamability and spreadability. The major positive impact on these properties was through a combination of surfactants, and by inclusion of a viscosity-modifying polymer. Incorporation of the incompatible drugs was then examined, noting the instability of cholecalciferol in an acidic environment, with the design aim to separate the drug distributions among the different foam phases. Cholecalciferol was stabilized in the emulsion-based foam, with at least a 30-fold lower degradation rate constant compared to its aqueous solution. The composition of the emulsion-based foam itself protected cholecalciferol from degradation, as well as the addition of the radical-scavenging antioxidant tocopheryl acetate to the oil phase. With the patient in mind, the irritancy potential was also examined, which was below the set limit that defines a non-irritant dermal product., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)