4,055 research outputs found
What's in a compound? Review article on Lieber and Ć tekauer (eds) 2009. 'The Oxford Handbook of Compounding'
The Oxford Handbook of Compounding surveys a variety of theoretical and descriptive issues, presenting overviews of compounding in a number of frameworks and sketches of compounding in a number of languages. Much of the book deals with Germanic nounânoun compounding. I take up some of the theoretical questions raised surrounding such constructions, in particular, the notion of attributive modification in noun-headed compounds. I focus on two issues. The first is the semantic relation between the head noun and its nominal modifier. Several authors repeat the argument that there is a small(-ish) fixed number of general semantic relations in nounânoun compounds (âLees's solutionâ), but I argue that the correct way to look at such compounds is what I call âDowning's solutionâ, in which we assume that the relation is specified pragmatically, and hence could be any relation at all. The second issue is the way that adjectives modify nouns inside compounds. Although there are languages in which compounded adjectives modify just as they do in phrases (Chukchee, Arleplog Swedish), in general the adjective has a classifier role and not that of a compositional attributive modifier. Thus, even if an English (or German) adjectiveânoun compound looks compositional, it isn't
Microwave irradiation enhances the <i>in vitro </i>antifungal activity of citrus by-product aqueous extracts against <i>Alternaria alternata</i>
The effect of two lemon by-product aqueous extracts at different concentrations (14, 7, 3.5 and 1 mg mLâ1) was tested against the in vitro growth of Alternaria alternata. Prior to extraction, one batch of by-product was dehydrated by freeze-drying (untreated by-product), while the other batch was treated by microwave irradiation in conjunction with freeze-drying (microwave-treated by-product). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed for the identification of individual phenolic compounds with potent antifungal activities. Both lemon by-product aqueous extracts inhibited the mycelial growth and suppressed the spore germination of the fungus in a concentration-dependent manner. In general, the extracts obtained from the microwave-treated lemon by-product displayed enhanced antifungal activity than those obtained from the untreated one. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that both lemon by-product extracts affected the hyphal morphology of the fungus. The antifungal activity of the extracts was attributed to their phenolic acid and ascorbic acid contents
Evaluation of D-limonene and ÎČ-ocimene as attractants of Aphytis melinus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a parasitoid of Aonidiella aurantii (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on Citrus spp.
The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from herbivore-infested plants can be used as chemical signals by parasitoids during host location. In this research, we investigated the VOC chemical signals for the parasitoid Aphytis melinus to discriminate between Aonidiella aurantii (California red scale)-infested fruit and non-infested fruit on three different citrus species. First, we identified the chemical stimuli emanating from non-infested and A. aurantii-infested citrus fruits via solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses and identified 34 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The GC-MS analysis showed qualitative and quantitative differences between VOCs emitted from non-infested and infested citrus fruit. Two VOCs, d-limonene and ÎČ-ocimene, were significantly increased in all infested fruit, regardless of the fruit species. The response of the female adult A. melinus to olfactory cues associated with A. aurantii infested fruit was evaluated using a Y-tube olfactometer. In two-choice behavioural assays, A. melinus females preferred infested citrus cues over non-infested fruit. Females showed positive chemotaxis toward these VOCs in all tested combinations involving two dosages of synthetic compounds, d-limonene and ÎČ-ocimene, except for d-limonene at a dosage of 10 ÎŒL/mL. The application of these VOCs may help to enhance the effectiveness of bio-control programs and parasitoid mass-rearing techniques
In Vitro bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds from Citrus pomaces and orange pomace biscuits
The present investigation aimed to provide novel information on the chemical composition and in vitro bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds from raw citrus pomaces (mandarin varieties Clemenule and Ortanique and orange varieties Navel and Valencia). The effects of the baking process on their bioaccessibility was also assessed. Samples of pomaces and biscuits containing them as an ingredient were digested, mimicking the human enzymatic oral gastrointestinal digestion process, and the composition of the digests were analyzed. UHPLC-MS/MS results of the citrus pomaces flavonoid composition showed nobiletin, hesperidin/neohesperidin, tangeretin, heptamethoxyflavone, tetramethylscutellarein, and naringin/narirutin. The analysis of the digests indicated the bioaccessibility of compounds possessing antioxidant [6.6â11.0 mg GAE/g digest, 65.5â97.1 ”mol Trolox Equivalents (TE)/g digest, and 135.5â214.8 ”mol TE/g digest for total phenol content (TPC), ABTS, and ORAC-FL methods, respectively; significant reduction (p < 0.05) in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) formation under tert-butyl hydroperoxide (1 mM)-induced conditions in IEC-6 and CCD-18Co cells when pre-treated with concentrations 5â25 ”g/mL of the digests], anti-inflammatory [significant reduction (p < 0.05) in nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages], and antidiabetic (IC50 3.97â11.42 mg/mL and 58.04â105.68 mg/mL for α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition capacities) properties in the citrus pomaces under study. In addition, orange pomace biscuits with the nutrition claims âno-added sugarsâ and âsource of fiberâ, as well as those with good sensory quality (6.9â6.7, scale 1â9) and potential health promoting properties, were obtained. In conclusion, the results supported the feasibility of citrus pomace as a natural sustainable source of health-promoting compounds such as flavonoids. Unfractionated orange pomace may be employed as a functional food ingredient for reducing the risk of pathophysiological processes linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, and carbohydrate metabolism, such as diabetes, among other
Biological responses and control of California red scale Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)
In many citrus areas around the world and within citrus-producing regions of Australia, the California red scale (CRS), Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), is considered the most important pests of citrus. The main biological control agents of Ao. aurantii in this zone are the parasitoid Aphytis melinus DeBach (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). In order to improve the biological control of Ao. aurantii several biotic and abiotic factors were studied, that may affect the efficiency of A. melinus in the laboratory and the field.
More concretely, reproductive potential and age-specific fecundity schedules of Ao. aurantii were studied in the laboratory at constant temperatures (20, 23 and 27°C), while the biological parameters of its parasitoid A. melinus were conducted at 27°C. Results revealed that the net reproduction rate (Ro) was considerably higher for Ao. aurantii than A. melinus, which reached 28.14 at 27°C, indicating its high reproductive capacity. Moreover, the net reproduction rate obtained for A. melinus indicates a low substitution potential for each female having Ao. aurantii as a host under laboratory conditions. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm) of A. melinus (0.188 â/â/day) was significantly greater than that of Ao. aurantii (0.080) at 27°C.
Plants produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in response to herbivore attack, and these VOCs can be exploited by parasitoids of the herbivore as host location cues. The VOCs from non-infested and Ao. aurantii-infested citrus fruit were investigated using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The data showed that more than 52 different compounds were identified, and different emissions associated attributed to herbivore activity were found for all fruit species (lemon, orange, mandarin and Tahitian lime). However, a single compound was exclusively produced by infested lemon fruit, while two compounds were significantly increased, and two compounds were only present in non-infested lemon. Five compounds were significantly increased in infested mandarins. For orange, five compounds were increased, and five compounds were exclusively presented in infested fruit. For lime fruit, eighteen of these compounds were increased, one was decreased, whereas five compounds were produced exclusively from infested lime fruit. Two putative herbivores-induced plant volatiles, d-limonene and ÎČ-ocimene, were significantly increased by Ao. aurantii infestation in all infested fruit, regardless of the citrus species.
Subsequently, the preferences of female parasitoid on infested or healthy fruit in olfactometer bioassays were evaluated. Then in order to understand the magnitude of volatile attractiveness, the innate attractiveness of VOCs to A. melinus females in varying densities were tested in the laboratory. The results of the olfactometer assays that tested the behaviour of A. melinus to the different compounds emitted from infested and non-infested citrus fruit showed no such preference when compared between non-infested and infested oranges, mandarins and lime fruit; whilst, there were significant preferences for lemon fruit infested with Ao. aurantii over non-infested ones. For assessment, the attraction of synthetic Herbivore induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), four different concentrations (5,10, 15 and 20 ÎŒl/ml) of d-l-limonene and ÎČ-ocimene were investigated. However, mated A. melinus females preferred the reward-associated VOC more than hexane control in the case of d-limonene at the tested dosages of 15 and 20 ÎŒl/ml, ÎČ-ocimene at tested dosages of 10, 15 and 20 ÎŒl/ml.
Finally, this study evaluated the dispersal ability of released A. melinus adults and their effect on the parasitism percentage, using d-limonene and ÎČ-ocimene with yellow sticky traps and scoring percentage parasitism on infested fruit. Under field conditions, the natural enemiesâ effectiveness in controlling pests is largely correlated with their capability to spread towards infested crops. In this study, d-limonene and ÎČ-ocimene were examined for their attractiveness to California red scale parasitoid A. melinus in the field after augmentative releases. Field experiments demonstrated that lures baited with isolates of d-limonene and\or ÎČ-ocimene, which significantly attracted some species of natural enemies but had no significant impact on others. The number of A. melinus captured during the whole trial was greater in the traps treated with volatiles than the control. Finally, the overall parasitism rates were not increased by synthetic HIPV lures, but there was evidence that lures may increase parasitism of California red scale when there is a decrease in the amount of volatile organic compounds due to lack of healthy and infested fruit. In conclusion, HIPVs can potentially play important roles in attracting and exploiting natural enemies to reduce pest infestations
High Efficiency and New Potential of RSLDE: A Green Technique for the Extraction of Bioactive Molecules from Not Completely Exhausted Plant Biomass and Organic Industrial Processing Waste
A product is characterized by low environmental impact if, during the whole process
(from extraction of raw materials from solid natural matter to disposal), its negative contribution to
environment modification is significantly reduced or eliminated. According to circular economy, it is
important to take into consideration other aspects, such as the possibility to improve the efficiency
of extraction process by modifying the principle on which it is based and allowing the recovery of
not completely exhausted waste, obtaining other active ingredients, and favoring the recycling of
normally eliminated materials. The purpose of this work was to propose more efficient and greener
alternatives to conventional solidâliquid extraction processes. Major features are the rapidity of the
process, extraction at room temperature and high yields. Rapid SolidâLiquid Dynamic Extraction
(RSLDE) represents an innovative solidâliquid extraction technology that allows the solid matrices
containing extractable substances in an organic or inorganic solvent and their mixtures to be exhausted
in shorter time than current techniques. The principle at the basis of this novel process consists of the
generation of a negative pressure gradient between the inside and the outside of the solid matrix,
which induces the extraction of compounds not chemically linked to the solid matter, being insoluble
in the extractant liquid. Therefore, this work focuses on how RSLDE can potentially bring several
improvements in the field of solidâliquid extraction, especially for industrial applications
Utilization of Some Fruits and Vegetables By-Products to Produce High Dietary Fiber Jam
The present study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds and ?-carotene of carrot peels, apple pomace, banana peels and mandarin peels and their quality in preparing jam. Mandarin and banana peels characterized by its higher crude fiber (12.16 and 5.25%) and vitamin C (68 and 16.6 mg/100g) compared to carrot peels (3.91%) and apple pomace (3.65%). Banana peels contained higher amount of magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron compared to other peels samples. Therefore, jam of banana peels characterized by its higher content in magnesium (758 mg/100g), potassium (779 mg/100g), calcium (191 mg/100g) and iron (59.15 mg/100g). Jam of apple pomace characterized by its higher phosphorus contents (220 mg/100g) followed by jam of banana peels (138 mg/100g), mandarin peels (128 mg/100g) and carrot peels (53 mg/100g). Jam of carrot peels characterized by its higher phenolics content as gallic acid equivalent (87.4 mg/100g) followed by jams of apple pomace (82.5 mg/100g), banana peels (42.7 mg/100g) and mandarin peels (34.6 mg/100g). The same trend was observed in total flavonoids as catechen equivalent (mg CAT/100g) in jams of carrot peels, apple pomace, banana peels and mandarin peels, where they were 35.9, 30.1, 23.5 and 21.7, respectively. Furthermore, jam of carrot peels had higher antioxidant activity, where its DPPH radical, had lower DPPH based IC50 (1.8 ?g/ml) while jam of apple pomace, banana peels and mandarin peels had higher DPPH based IC50 reached to 2.04, 2.21 and 3.34 ”g/ml, respectively. The same trend was observed for the ?-carotene radical in tested jam samples. Hunter color parameter showed that jam of mandarin peels had highest lightness (L* = 39.8), followed by jam of carrot peels (29.46), apple pomace (18.27) and banana peels (15.19). Therefore, jam of banana peels was darker than other tested peels samples. Sensory evaluation showed that jam of apple pomace characterized by its higher taste and odor, followed by jam of mandarin peels, banana peels and carrot peels. Color of tested jam of carrot, banana or mandarin peels was darker than apple pomace jam. Also, jam of apple pomace gave higher scores in appearance and overall acceptability. Keywords: Jam â Peels â antioxidant activity â Total phenolicsâ Total Flavonoid
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