Phenolic Compounds Analysis of Root, Stalk, and Leaves of Nettle

Types of nettles (Urtica dioica) were collected from different regions to analyze phenolic compounds in this research. Nettles are specially grown in the coastal part. According to this kind of properties, nettle samples were collected from coastal part of (Mediterranean, Aegean, Black sea, and Marmara) Turkey. Phenolic profile, total phenol compounds, and antioxidant activities of nettle samples were analyzed. Nettles were separated to the part of root, stalk, and leaves. Then, these parts of nettle were analyzed to understand the difference of phenolic compounds and amount of them. Nettle (root, stalk and leaves) samples were analyzed by using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode-Array Detection (HPLC-DAD) to qualitative and quantitative determination of the phenolic compounds. Total phenolic components were measured by using Folin-Ciocalteu method. The antioxidant activity was measured by using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) which is generally used for herbal samples and based on single electron transfer (SET)

Dry particle high coating of biopowders: An energy approach

Symposium on Science and Technology of Powders and Sintered Materials (STPMF 2009), Montpellier, FRANCE, MAY 25-27, 2009International audienceThe general aim of this paper is to study the coating strength of different composite powders with an experimental approach based on mixing energy descriptors derived from linear velocity at the end of paddles. The chosen system is Cellets particles coated with Talc particles, with two size ratios: 7 and 22. The studied processes are Nara Hybridizer NHS-0, 1 litre Hosokawa Cyclomix, Turbula mixer and finally ``Basic Mixing''. The developed energy analysis leads to quantitative comparison of the equipment and helps to show the specific dry coating improvement in term of coating strength compared to the simple ordered mixing phenomenon. According to the chosen energy descriptors, in accordance with the litterature, the Hybridizer is the higher energy system and leads with the chosen operating conditions to the stronger coating. If we compare the other processes, the increase of mixing energy always leads to an increase of coating strength as soon as breakage is avoided. This can be possible by choosing the adapted operating parameters in each system

Modification of surface properties of biopowders by dry particle coating

L'enrobage des poudres est un procédé important dans le monde industriel. Ce procédé consiste en la modification des propriétés de surface et/ou des propriétés fonctionnelles de poudre qui ne possède pas ces propriétés initialement. La modification de la surface des particules peut être effectuée par enrobage en voi humide ou sèc. Cependant, l'enrobage humide devient de moins en moins souhaitable en raison de préoccupations environnementales due au reject de COV. Ainsi, l'enrobage à sec paraît être la technologie alternative adaptée pour éviter les inconvénients précédents tout en ayant des avantages tel qu'un faible temps de traitement, un faible coût énergétique ou encore d'être plus respectueux de l'environnement. L'enrobage à sec met en avant trois termes importants : le couple de poudre, le procédé et les propriétés d'usage des particules composites. L'objectif de cette étude est d'ameliorer connaissance fondamentale du procédé d'enrobage à sec pour mieux comprendre les interactions entre ces termes et aussi de classifier les critères qui affectent les propriétés d'usage des particules composées. Dans ce travail, deux différents couples modèls ont été traités avec différents équipements et les propriétés d'usage des particules ainsi obtenus ont été étudiées grâces à des techniques de caractérisation diverses. Dans la première partie de ce travail, nous avons d'une part, étudié le procédé et les conditions opératoires qui influencent le phénomène d'enrobage et d'autre part développé la technique AFM pour obtenir des informations sur la nature de l'enrobage effectué. La seconde partie quant à elle, traite de l'influence de la taille des particules hôtes et invitées sur les proprétés d’usage. ABSTRACT : Powder coating is an important process for many different industries. It focuses on modifying the surface properties and/or functionality of powders that the natural product does not offer. Surface modification of particles can be done by wet and dry coating methods. However, wet coating methods have become less desirable recently because of environmental concerns over the resulting waste streams and possible VOC emissions. Dry powder coating is an alternative technology avoiding the previous drawbacks, and with the advantages of having small processing time, of being environmentally friendly and with relatively low energy costs. Dry particle coating consists of three main terms: powder couple, process and the end-use properties of the composite particles. The objective of this study is the have a fundamental knowledge on dry particle coating to better understand the interactions between these terms and also classify the criteria that affect the end-use properties of the particles. In this work, two different model couples have been treated by different equipments and the end-use properties of the composite particles have been compared with each other by using several characterization techniques. In the first part of the study, we focus on the processes and their operating conditions influencing the coating phenomena and to the development of the AFM technique to derive coating coverage information. In the second part the influence of the size of the host and guest particles on the end-use properties are studie

The antimetastatic and antiangiogenesis effects of kefir water on murine breast cancer cells

Background. Kefir is a unique cultured product that contains beneficial probiotics. Kefir culture from other parts of the world exhibits numerous beneficial qualities such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, and anticancer effects. Nevertheless, kefir cultures from different parts of the world exert different effects because of variation in culture conditions and media. Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women, and metastasis is the major cause of death associated with breast cancer. The antimetastatic and antiangiogenic effects of kefir water made from kefir grains cultured in Malaysia were studied in 4T1 breast cancer cells. Methods. 4T1 cancer cells were treated with kefir water in vitro to assess its antimigration and anti-invasion effects. BALB/c mice were injected with 4T1 cancer cells and treated orally with kefir water for 28 days. Results. Kefir water was cytotoxic toward 4T1 cells at IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) of 12.5 and 8.33 mg/mL for 48 and 72 hours, respectively. A significant reduction in tumor size and weight (0.9132 ± 0.219 g) and a substantial increase in helper T cells (5-fold) and cytotoxic T cells (7-fold) were observed in the kefir water–treated group. Proinflammatory and proangiogenic markers were significantly reduced in the kefir water–treated group. Conclusions. Kefir water inhibited tumor proliferation in vitro and in vivo mainly through cancer cell apoptosis, immunomodulation by stimulating T helper cells and cytotoxic T cells, and anti-inflammatory, antimetastatic, and antiangiogenesis effects. This study brought out the potential of the probiotic beverage kefir water in cancer treatment

Kefiran biopolymer: Evaluation of its physicochemical and biological properties

Kefiran, an exopolysaccharide produced by lactic acid bacteria, has received a great interest due to a variety of health claims. In this study, we aim to investigate the physicochemical and biological properties of Kefiran polysaccharide extracted from Portuguese kefir grains. The kefir growth rate was about 56% (w/w) at room temperature and the kefir pH after 24 h was about 4.6. The obtained yield of Kefiran polysaccharide extracted from the kefir grains was about 4.26% (w/w). The Kefiran structural features were showed in the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum. The bands observed in the infrared spectrum confirmed that the Kefiran had a β-configuration; and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis confirmed the structure and composition of Kefiran and revealed a C/O atomic ratio of 1.46. Moreover, Kefiran showed an average molecular weight (Mw) of 534 kDa and a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 357 kDa. Regarding the rheological data obtained, Kefiran showed an interesting adhesive performance accompanied by a pseudoplastic behavior, and the extrusion force of Kefiran was 1 N. Furthermore, Kefiran exhibited a higher resistance to hyaluronidase degradation than hyaluronic acid. Finally, Kefiran showed a lack of cytotoxic response through its ability to support metabolic activity and proliferation of L929 cells, and had no effect on these cells’ morphology. Our research suggested that Kefiran polymer has attractive and interesting properties for a wide range of biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.H.R., C.G., and F.R.M. were supported by grants with reference SFRH/BPD/100957/2014, SFRH/ BPD/94277/2013, and SFRH/BPD/117492/2016, respectively, of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) from Portugal. J.M.O. thanks the FCT for the funds provided under the program Investigador 2015 (IF/01285/2015).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Drop test: A new method to measure the particle adhesion force

Measurement of the adhesive force is of great interest in a large number of applications, such as powder coating and processing of cohesive powders. Established measurement methods such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and the centrifugal method are costly and time consuming. For engineering applications there is a need to develop a quick test method. The drop test method has been designed and developed for this purpose. In this test method particles that are adhered to a substrate are mounted on and are subjected to a tensile force by impacting the stub against a stopper ring by dropping it from a set height. From the balance of the detachment force and adhesive force for a critical particles size, above which particles are detached and below which they remain on the substrate, the interfacial specific energy is calculated. A model of adhesion is required to estimate the adhesive force between the particles and the surface, and in this work we use the JKR theory. The detachment force is estimated by Newton's second law of motion, using an estimated particle mass, based on its size and density and calculated particle acceleration. A number of materials such as silanised glass beads, Avicel, α-lactose monohydrate and starch have been tested and the adhesive force and energy between the particle and the substrate surface have been quantified. Consistent values of the interface energy with a narrow error band are obtained, independent of the impact velocity. As the latter is varied, different particle sizes detach; nevertheless similar values of the interface energy are obtained, an indication that the technique is robust, as it is in fact based on microscopic observations of many particles. The trends of the results obtained with the drop test method are similar to those shown in studies by other researchers using established methods like the AFM and the centrifuge method

Does collaboration pay in agricultural supply chain? An empirical approach

This paper examines the effect of different types of collaboration on the level of Postharvest Food Losses (PHFL) and the proportion of low-quality peaches produced using a unique data-set of Greek peach producers. Quantile regression techniques are adopted to estimate the effects at different points of the conditional distribution of our variables of interest. The findings of this study suggest that high levels of collaboration between producers and cooperatives are associated with both low levels of PHFL and a low proportion of low-quality peaches. We also find that specific types of collaboration, such as ‘goal congruence’, can play a significant role in reducing PHFL and improving the quality of peach production at the extremes of the distribution. Important policy implications regarding collaborative practices and systems that can be implemented to reduce PHFL and boost a producer’s performance together with sustainability credentials are drawn from this study

Effects of kefir on coccidial oocysts excretion and performance of dairy goat kids following weaning

The aim of this study was to investigate effects of kefir, a traditional source of probiotic, on coccidial oocysts excretion and on the performance of dairy goat kids following weaning. Twin kids were randomly allocated to one of two groups at weaning. Kids of the first group received 20 ml of kefir daily for 6 weeks (KEF), while kids in the control group were given a placebo (CON). Individual faecal samples were regularly (n = 18 per kid) taken to quantify the number of coccidial oocysts per gram of faeces (OpG). There were no differences between the groups in terms of body weight development (P > 0.05) and feed consumption. Kids of both groups were not able to consume enough feed to meet their nutrient requirements during the first 3 weeks following weaning. KEF had a lower frequency of OpG positive samples than CON (P = 0.043). Kefir did not affect the maximum oocyst excretion and age of the kids at the highest oocyst excretion (P > 0.05). KEF shed numerically 35% lower coccidial oocysts than the controls, which corresponded to a statistical tendency (P = 0.074) in lowering Log-OpG in comparison to CON. While KEF had a lower frequency of OpG positive samples and tended to shed lower OPG by around one-third, the frequency of diarrhea, level of highest oocyst excretion, and performance of the kids remained unaffected. Therefore, it is concluded that overall effects of kefir do not have a significant impact on sub-clinical infection and performance in weaned kids under relatively high-hygienic farming conditions

Producers Responding to Environmental Turbulence in the Greek Agricultural Supply Chain:Does Buyer Type Matter?

There are many changes in the EU Agricultural Supply Chain (ASC). These changes cause environmental turbulence for supply chain entities operating in this sector. In the Greek ASC, there is a significant decline in its performance in particular at producers’ level. Based on the Contingency Theory this paper aims to identify the relevant environmental turbulence factors in Greek ASC context from the producers’ perspective and ascertain their impact on producers based on their choice of buyer type i.e. collaboration type. Twenty in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with Greek ASC producers. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interviews. The findings suggest the existence of six major environmental turbulence factors at producers’ level which are: regulatory, market, competitive, weather, economic and political turbulence factors. Producers selling their products to cooperatives were found to be significantly impacted by the different environmental turbulence factors. Future research directions as well as managerial and policy implications are identified