Production of low-density and high-strength paperboards by controlled micro-nano fibrillation of fibers

One of the critical challenges in the fber-based packaging industry is to produce low-density paperboards with high functionality and atractive cost structure. In this study, we examine how control of the hierarchical fber swelling can be used to enhance bonding and generate a low-density fber network with excellent strength properties. Here, the osmotic pressure inside the cell wall is increased by adding phosphate groups with a deep eutectic solvent (DES) functional drying method. Together with mechanical refning, this process causes the fbril aggregates to split and swell up massively. This efect was measured by a novel thermoporosimetry analysis method. The treated fbers have enhanced external fbrillation, fbrillar fnes and bonding potential. When mixed with relatively stif, unrefned fbers, a well-bonded sheet with lower density than a conventionally refned reference sheet was achieved. The results suggest that pulp fbers can be “nanoengineered” to enhance performance without the complications of producing and adding nanocellulose

Investigating the Effect of The Habitat and Type of Extracted Organ on The Phytochemical Compounds of Caper (Capparis Spinosa L.) As A Medicinal and Pasture Plant

IntroductionWith the increasing world's population, the need for food and medicine, and their continuous supply, are essential for mankind. Medicinal plants are one of the important factors for human life, as they can be used both as food and medicine. The ancients had a long history of using medicinal plants, and they used their many properties extensively. The scientific name for Caper plant is Capparis spinosa L. Due to its resistance to environmental stress and its ability to act as a protector against soil destruction, this valuable medicinal plant is suitable for growing in arid and desert areas. Commercial cultivation of this plant is very valuable because it is rich in bioactive compounds. This plant's compounds can be extremely useful and effective in protecting humans from various diseases or enhancing the treatment of diseases. This study aimed to examine the total phenol and flavonoid composition, antioxidant activity, and extraction efficacy of various parts of this plant in two desert locations in Yazd and Isfahan to select the best cultivation region from these two sites for expanding cultivation. To determine the most effective compounds and the optimal extraction method, various organs of the plant were examined separately in this research. The best extraction efficiency can be achieved by growing the plant in the region and harvesting the desired organ, and the extracted materials can be used to prevent and treat diseases. Material and Methods The caper plant was collected from desert sites in Yazd and Isfahan in different parts, which included leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruits, and roots. Plants were collected from four different locations on the site, and finally, the plants from four different locations were combined. After the botany expert's approval, extraction was done from different parts of the plant with hydroalcoholic solvent (80% ethanol) by the Soxhlet method. In this research, different experiments of total phenol, total flavonoid, antioxidant content, and extraction efficiency were performed using standard methods. Different dilutions of extract and standard material were made for all experiments. Folin Ciocalto's reagent was used to measure the total phenol, and it was reported according to the Gallic Acid standard per gram dry weight of the plant. Different tests like ABTS, DPPH, CUPRAC, and FRAP were employed to measure the plant's antioxidant content. The standard for milligrams of Trolox per gram of dried plant weight was used to calculate all of them. The number of flavonoids was measured based on the Aluminium Chloride colorimetry method and was expressed in the standard form of milligrams of Quercetin per gram of weight of the dried plant. To determine the extraction efficiency, the weight of the powder extract obtained from the extraction of different organs was calculated with a scale, and then the ratio of the weight of the powder extract of the weight of dried plant was reported as extraction method efficiency. For each of the experiments, 3 repetitions were performed. A two-way analysis of variance was utilized to examine the data's normality, and finally, IBM SPSS Statistics 26 software was utilized to analyse them. Results and DiscussionThe findings demonstrated that phenolic and flavonoid compounds were abundant in various parts of the caper plant from both locations. The leaves demonstrated a higher concentration of phenolic and flavonol compounds, with 48.611 mgGA/gDW and 19.842 mgQE/gDW, respectively. The antioxidant activity of roots was the highest among all parts of the plant. The Yazd site's caper plants were found to have a higher total phenolic and flavonoid content, with 35.572 mgGA/gDW and 14.14.164 mgQE/gDW, when compared to the other regions. The highest antioxidant activity was found in the fruit and root of the caper plant using the DPPH method. The ABTS method's measurement of antioxidant activity resulted in the same results and indicated that fruits had the highest activity. A positive correlation was observed between the amount of phenol and flavonoids. Furthermore, the Yazd site had a higher extraction efficiency than the Isfahan site, measuring 16.754%. The best region between two desert sites is also the best organ for extraction, as per the results of the current investigation. These results can be utilized to cultivate caper plants that contain more effective substances. These findings emphasize the status of the Caper plant as a rich source of secondary metabolites and show its potential as a potent healing agent with highly beneficial compounds, the site of Yazd is a suitable site for the cultivation of this plant. By cultivating this plant, in addition to helping to reduce desertification and prevent soil erosion, it is possible to have a source of secondary metabolites, especially phenol and flavonoid compounds, and use them in many medicinal applications

Twin-roll forming, a novel method for producing high-consistency microfibrillated cellulosic films

Funding Information: Open Access funding provided by Aalto University. This work was supported by Jane and Aatos Erkko foundation (3269-7422e).Micro-nano fibrillated cellulose (MNFC) films have the potential for applications in, e.g., packaging and printed electronics. However, the production paradigm for these types of products has still not been established. This study uses twin-rollers to form films from high consistency (15% w/w) micro fibrillated cellulose furnishes. MFC furnishes were produced at 20% wt dry matter content with enzymatic hydrolysis and PFI refining. We used the twin-roller method to spread the material over a supporting substrate by repeatedly passing between two parallel rollers with decreasing nip. Rheological behavior and physical properties of furnishes were analyzed. We found that only some furnishes with relatively short fiber lengths were formable. Refining improved the formation of the sheets. Roll-formed sheets showed comparable strength and formation to conventional wet-laid hand sheets.Peer reviewe

The Effects of Enriched Environment on Substantia nigra Tissue in Parkinson’s Disease Rats with Prenatal Stress

Introduction: Prenatal stress causes brain alteration and long-term effects on its structure and function. Parkinson's is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and one of the factors driving Parkinson's is the prenatal stress. The use of enrichment environments is a good way to prevent this disease. This survey has been done due to studying the measurement of environmental enrichment effectiveness on Substantia nigra tissue in rats who are suffering from Parkinson's disease and have prenatal stress.   Materials & Methods: A Laboratory research method was used .We divided 48 Wistar male rats who had been affected by prenatal stress and enriched environment, to 8 groups with 6 members; with stress (Control, sham, Parkinson, Parkinson + enrichment) and without stress (Control, sham, Parkinson, Parkinson + enrichment). After eight weeks, we anaesthetized all the rats by the use of Ketamine and Xylasein and then injected 6mg of 6OHDA within %0/9 salt solotion of Ascorbic Acid in to the brains of the rats by Stereotaxic Surgery, and after 3 weeks the signs of Parkinson's disease became confirm by Apomorphin Test. Then we emit brains of the rats from their skulls, and after tissue process, cutting and painting, we calculated the numbers neurons by use of microscope and then the data were analyzed by One-Way ANOVA and Tukey's Post Test.   Findings: The findings showed that environmental enrichment did not completely prevent the destruction of Substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons, but the number of Substantia nigra  neurons in the environmental enrichment group was significantly higher than that of the Parkinsonian group of degeneration with neurotoxin.(P≤0.001) Environmental enrichment also prevented the destructive effect of perinatal stress on the reduction of the number of Substantia nigra neurons and behavioral tests.(P <0.001)   Discussion & Conclusion: The results show the beneficial effects of enrichment in the protection of the number of more Substantia nigra neurons and suggests that enriched environmental conditions can be used as a beneficial factor in reducing the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease Reducing the effect of prenatal stress is effective

Cyclic Pressing as a Viable Approach for Dewatering and Controlling Shrinkage of Micro-Nanofabricated Cellulose Films

Cellulose films, predominantly consisting of micro-nanocelluloses, are a new type of product with interesting properties for functional packaging applications. However, the potentially scalable production methodology has not yet been elucidated. Poor dewatering and high web shrinkage are issues that need solutions beyond what is available in conventional paper production. This research investigates a cyclic pressing method that shows potential in cellulose film consolidation. Cyclic pressing allows the MNFC films to be dewatered to about 90% solids while yielding a smooth, flat product. The results show no inherent physical limits for mechanical dewatering these high swelling webs, even at very high solids. Cyclic pressing allows controlled restraint during consolidation, which could be adjusted in an industrial setup to produce even films with desirable product characteristics

The effect of climate on water content, dormancy and dehydrins expression pattern in pistachio seeds

The environmental conditions which the parent plant has undergone during seed development can affect many properties of the seeds such as degree of dormancy, weight and the amount of their compounds. In this study, mature pistachio seeds of Ahmadaghaei cultivar, collected from the two cities of Rafsanjan and Shahrbabak located in Kerman Province (Iran), were compared. It was found that the seeds collected from Shahrbabak being a cooler and wetter region had a longer dormancy, although the water content of the two seed series were similar. Dehydrin proteins generally play a role in protecting plant cells against dehydration stress. Dehydrin contents of the cotyledons and embryonic axes of the two seed series were compared by western blot method using an antibody against the conserved K segment in dehydrin proteins. It was found that the cotyledons had five dehydrin versions with molecular weights of 23, 25, 32, 39 and 48 kDa, the expression of which not being influenced by environmental factors. It was found that the embryonic axes had seven other versions of dehydrin with weights of 17, 19, 20, 28, 67, 77 and 98 kDa in addition to those five versions. This shows higher protection of embryonic axes compared with the cotyledons. The 25 and 28 kDa versions had higher expression levels in embryonic axes of Shahrbabak seeds, while the 39 kDa version had a higher expression level in embryonic axes of Rafsanjan seeds

Fast dewatering of high nanocellulose content papers with in-situ generated cationic micro-nano bubbles

Funding Information: This research was funded by Jane and Aatos Erkko foundation. This work made use of Aalto University Bioeconomy Facilities. The SEM imaging was conducted at Aalto University Nanomicroscopy Centre (Aalto-NMC). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.Herein, an innovative method to improve the dewatering of micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose (MNFC) containing furnishes is proposed. This method is based on fiber flotation in which cationic bubbles are injected into the furnish to separate fibers from liquid medium and accumulate them on the surface of the furnish. These cationic bubbles are generated by pressurizing a solution of Hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride in deionized water in a dissolved air flotation (DAF) tank. The drainage properties of the furnishes with MNFC content from 0% to 25% were studied. With the help of the cationic bubbles, drainage rate of 0% and 15% MNFC furnish increased from 183 ml/s to 210 ml/s and 38 ml/s to 113 ml/s, respectively. The final couch solids content of these furnishes also increased from 16 wt% to 23 wt% and from 21 wt% to 24 wt%, respectively. Cationic bubbles flocculate MNFC fibers and increase retention. Sheets characteristics including morphology, permeability, mass distribution and surface profilometry were investigated. Cationic bubbles help structure fiber elements and improve the sheet formation.Peer reviewe

Characterization and quantification of the cross-linking of linear low density polyethylene with silane grafting by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy

The way of making cross-linkable polyethylene through silane grafting has gained much attention in recent years because of its various advantages such as easy processing, low cost and capital investment and favorable properties in the processed materials. This work deals with silane grafting and moisture crosslinking of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). The grafting reaction was performed in an internal mixer using di-cumyl peroxide (DCP) as initiator and vinyl-trimethoxy silane (VTMOS) as grafting agent. Characterization and quantification of the grafting was performed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The cross-linking was done by subsequent immersion of grafted samples in hot water. The effect of silane and peroxide concentration was more considerable than time. The order of degradation temperature was: cross-linked LLDPE then grafted LLDPE and at last LLDPE

Evaluating Musculoskeletal Disorders and Their Ergonomic Risk Factors among Office Workers of a Large Public Hospital in Iran

Aims: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are injuries in the musculoskeletal system which is also named as “repetitive stress injury” or “overuse injury”. Inattention to the principles of ergonomics at work is associated with different MSDs. This study evaluated MSDs and their ergonomic risk factors among office workers in a large public hospital in Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019. Participants were 111 office workers of Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, Iran. Data were collected using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire and the Rapid Office Strain Assessment. The SPSS software (v. 20) and the STATA software were used for data analysis, using t-test and linear regression. Results: Most participants were female (55.9%) and had experienced MSDs during the past week (76%). Subject analysis revealed significant differences in vertebral column's MSDs versus limbs and right-sided limbs versus left ones (P < 0.001). The most common MSDs among participants were in the neck (67.6%), lower back (59.5%), and upper back (55%). MSDs among females were significantly more than males (P < 0.05). MSDs in the lower back among overweight and obese participants were significantly more than others (P < 0.05). Respecting the chair-related ergonomic risk factors for MSDs, 24% of participants were at high risk and 75% of them were at moderate risk. Conclusion: Office workers were at moderate risk for MSDs. Providing education about the principles of ergonomics can reduce their MSDs