Variations in banana properties

Samples prepared from different bananas and from different parts of a banana may vary in their properties, which may cause variations in the final results in experiments. Therefore, assessment of variation in the samples’ properties is necessary, and it can be evaluated using statistical analysis. In this work, the variation in banana properties—colour, texture, moisture and sugar contents— within and between bananas were assessed statistically using a two-stage nested design test and the two-sample t-test. Results show that the variation of properties is significant for bananas with different degrees of ripeness. This finding suggests that samples can be prepared from different parts of the bananas provided that the bananas are at the same degrees of ripeness. It was also found that the location of sample in the drying chamber did not affect the measured properties of the drying bananas, significantly. The tests performed for banana texture using a laboratory apparatus produced results that were similar to those performed using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. This suggests that the use of highly-sophisticated instruments in the texture analysis of dried fruit in terms of the apparent modulus is not crucial

Operational Parameters Assessment of a Biomass-To-Fuel Gas Converter

This study presents the assessment on the existing mini-sized biomass-to-fuel gas (B2F) converter. Operational parameters, such as composition of after filtered residual liquid (AFRL), composition of raw combustible fuel gases produced using wood chips and coal as feedstock, and nearby incremental levels of carbon monoxide and suspended particulate during operation, are determined. Analysis results of the raw (unburnt) combustible fuel gases from low grade Balingian-Mukah coal and wood chips found that there were approximately 23-29% gasoline constituents; 15-30% diesel constituents; 1-16% CO2; 10-13% O2, CO, SO, NO and H2O; 46-71% combustible gases. It was observed that the phenol contained in the AFRL recorded approximately 5,310 mg/L. Moreover, by-products, such as 1.5% tars and 13% AFRL, were produced. The result shows that a B2F converter is suitable to harvest the combustible gases that can be used as fuel for internal combustion engines. However, the amount of organics indicated that the AFRL should not be discharged directly into watercourses without pre-treatment

A Novel Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton Cell-Derived Phytocomplex Regulates Keratinocytes Inflammatory Cascade and Barrier Function and Preserves Vaginal Mucosal Integrity In Vivo

: In the last years, the medicinal plant Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton has gained scientific interest because leaf extracts, due to the presence of rosmarinic acid and other polyphenols, have shown anti-allergic and skin protective potential in pre-clinical studies. Nevertheless, the lack of standardized extracts has limited clinical applications to date. In this work, for the first time, a standardized phytocomplex of P. frutescens, enriched in rosmarinic acid and total polyphenols, was produced through innovative in vitro cell culture biotechnology and tested. The activity of perilla was evaluated in an in vitro inflammatory model of human keratinocytes (HaCaT) by monitoring tight junctions, filaggrin, and loricrin protein levels, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and JNK MAPK signaling. In a practical health care application, the perilla biotechnological phytocomplex was tested in a multilayer model of vaginal mucosa, and then, in a preliminary clinical observation to explore its capacity to preserve vaginal mucosal integrity in women in peri-menopause. In keratinocytes cells, perilla phytocomplex demonstrated to exert a marked activity in epidermis barrier maintenance and anti-inflammatory effects, preserving tight junction expression and downregulating cytokines release through targeting JNK activation. Furthermore, perilla showed positive effects in retaining vaginal mucosal integrity in the reconstructed vaginal mucosa model and in vivo tests. Overall, our data suggest that the biotechnological P. frutescens phytocomplex could represent an innovative ingredient for dermatological applications

Influence of Alkali Treatment on the Surface Area of Aluminium Dross

Aluminium dross is an industrial waste from aluminium refining industry and classified as toxic substances. However, the disposal of dross as a waste is a burden to aluminium manufacturer industries due to its negative effects to the ecosystem, surface, and ground water. Therefore the purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) on the surface area and pore size of aluminium dross. There were 3 stages in the treatment activities, which were leaching, precipitation, and calcination process. The optimum result from this study was the surface area of aluminium dross increases from 10.1 m2/g up to 80.0 m2/g at 40°C, 1% NaOH, and 15-minute reaction time. Thus, aluminium dross has a potential to be converted into other useful material such as catalyst and absorbent. The benefit of this research is that the hazardous industrial waste can be turned into wealth to be used in other applications such as in catalytic activities and absorber in waste water treatment. Further investigation on the physicochemical of aluminium dross with different acid or alkali should be conducted to get deeper understanding on the aluminium dross as a catalyst-type material

Drying effect on the properties of traditionally processed sago starch

Local people in Sarawak, Malaysia produce sago starch, commonly referred as lemantak, using traditional method for authentic meals and delicacies. The quality of lemantak degrades with time due to its high moisture content limiting the potential for a wider market, and hence affecting the socio-economy of those whose livelihood depends on sago starch production. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the changes in the properties of traditionally processed dried Sarawak sago starch. In order to achieve this, sago starch was extracted using a well-established traditional process and was dried at 40°C to produce sago starch with moisture contents of 40%, 30%, 20% and 10% wet basis. The effect of moisture content on the physical properties was studied through colour analysis, microscopic analysis, and particle size distribution. Analysis on resistant starch content was also performed. Changes on the hydration and functional properties was monitored by measuring the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), swelling capacity (SC), and gelatinisation behaviour. Lastly, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was applied to observe the changes in amorphous and crystalline areas. The physical properties analysis showed changes in starch colour and granule surface; but the change on granule size varied. Dried starch with lower moisture content exhibited higher resistant starch, absorption index, and peak temperature, but lower solubility index, swelling capacity, peak viscosity, crystalline index, and amorphous index. It is suggested that moisture content affected the changes in traditionally processed sago starch properties which was influenced by few components namely polyphenol, lipid, amylose-lipid complex, and inter-molecular hydrogen bon

Drying effect on the properties of traditionally processed sago starch

Local people in Sarawak, Malaysia produce sago starch, commonly referred as lemantak, using traditional method for authentic meals and delicacies. The quality of lemantak degrades with time due to its high moisture content limiting the potential for a wider market, and hence affecting the socio-economy of those whose livelihood depends on sago starch production. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the changes in the properties of traditionally processed dried Sarawak sago starch. In order to achieve this, sago starch was extracted using a well-established traditional process and was dried at 40°C to produce sago starch with moisture contents of 40%, 30%, 20% and 10% wet basis. The effect of moisture content on the physical properties was studied through colour analysis, microscopic analysis, and particle size distribution. Analysis on resistant starch content was also performed. Changes on the hydration and functional properties was monitored by measuring the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), swelling capacity (SC), and gelatinisation behaviour. Lastly, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was applied to observe the changes in amorphous and crystalline areas. The physical properties analysis showed changes in starch colour and granule surface; but the change on granule size varied. Dried starch with lower moisture content exhibited higher resistant starch, absorption index, and peak temperature, but lower solubility index, swelling capacity, peak viscosity, crystalline index, and amorphous index. It is suggested that moisture content affected the changes in traditionally processed sago starch properties which was influenced by few components namely polyphenol, lipid, amylose-lipid complex, and inter-molecular hydrogen bon

Performance analysis of fabricated bio-filtration system for small-scaled greywater treatment: TSS and turbidity removals

River pollution, which is mainly due to excessive drainage of untreated domestic greywater, has becoming a serious concern in both poor and developing areas like Sarawak in the current years. Realizing the vital role of Sarawak rivers, the need to improve the level of pollution, demand for clean freshwater resources, as well as to save cost on household water supply, the greywater generated daily from every household needs to be pretreated for reuse, otherwise, discharged. This further demands for cost-effective pretreatment technology for domestic and residential use. This research, therefore, analyzes the efficiency of a low-cost biofiltration system which utilizes agricultural wastes, namely rice husk and coconut coir, as biofilter media to improve the quality of greywater effluent samples in terms of total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity removals. This paper presents the extended results obtained from the previous research work using the same fabricated pre-treatment system, which consists of six main units i.e. wastewater storage tank, water feed tank, pre-sedimentation tank, bio-filter, postsedimentation tank and treated water storage tank. The system is operated for six hours to complete several cycles of treatment. At every one-hour interval, both TSS and turbidity levels of the wastewater samples are recorded and the removal performances are evaluated and analyzed. Positive outcomes are attained from this research study such that the rice husk system is able to reduce the TSS and turbidity levels by 49.06% i.e. from 53.00 mg/L to 27.00 mg/L with an average rate of 4.33 mg/L.hr, as well as 57.79% i.e. from 41.70 FNU to about 17.60 FNU, at a rate of 4.02 FNU/hr respectively. Besides, the coconut coir bio-filtration system achieves TSS removal efficiency of 49.70% i.e. from 65.60 mg/L to 33.00 mg/L at mean rate of 5.43 mg/L.hr, and 63.10% turbidity removal i.e. from 48.40 FNU to 17.86 FNU, at 5.09 FNU/hr respectivel

Microplastic occurrence and phthalate ester levels in neuston samples and skin biopsies of filter-feeding megafauna from La Paz Bay (Mexico)

The impacts of microplastics on filter feeders megafauna have recently received increased attention. These or-ganisms are potentially exposed to plastic ingestion and the release of added/sorbed contaminants during feeding activities. An assessment of microplastic abundance and the chemical impact of Phthalates esters (PAEs) were performed in neustonic samples and skin biopsies of Balaenoptera physalus and Rhincodon typus inhabiting the Gulf of California (Mexico). Sixty-eight percent of the net tows contained plastics with a maximum of 0.24 items/ m3 mainly composed of polyethylene fragments. PAE levels were detected both in environmental and skin biopsy samples, with the highest values in the fin whale specimens (5291 ng/g d.w). Plasticizer fingerprint showed a similar distribution pattern between neustonic samples and filter-feeding species, with DEHP and MBP having the highest concentrations. The detection of PAE levels confirmed their potential role as plastic tracers and give preliminary information about the toxicological status of these species feeding in La Paz Bay

Quality of Reporting on the Vegetative State in Italian Newspapers. The Case of Eluana Englaro

Background: Media coverage of the vegetative state (VS) includes refutations of the VS diagnosis and describes behaviors inconsistent with VS. We used a quality score to assess the reporting in articles describing the medical characteristics of VS in Italian newspapers. Methodology/Principal Findings: Our search covered a 7-month period from July 1, 2008, to February 28, 2009, using the online searchable databases of four major Italian newspapers: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, La Stampa, and Avvenire. Medical reporting was judged as complete if three core VS characteristics were described: patient unawareness of self and the environment, preserved wakefulness (eyes open), and spontaneous respiration (artificial ventilator not needed). We retrieved 2,099 articles, and 967 were dedicated to VS. Of these, 853 (88.2%) were non-medical and mainly focused on describing the political, legal, and ethical aspects of VS. Of the 114 (11.8%) medical articles, 53 (5.5%) discussed other medical problems such as death by dehydration, artificial nutrition, neuroimaging, brain death, or uterine hemorrhage, and 61 (6.3%) described VS. Of these 61, only 18 (1.9%) reported all three CORE characteristics and were judged complete. We found no differences among the four investigated newspapers (Fisher’s exact = 0.798), and incomplete articles were equally distributed between journalistic pieces and expert opinions (x 2 = 1.8854, P = 0.170). Incorrect descriptions of VS were significantly more common among incomplete articles (13 of 43 vs. 1 of 18; Fisher’s exact P = 0.047)

Study of the effects of Lemna minor extracts on human immune cell populations

OBJECTIVE: Lemna minor is a plant with a huge repertoire of secondary metabolites. The literature indicates that extracts of Lemna minor have antioxidant, antiradical, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. The objective of the present study was to find a suitable technique to extract active compounds from this plant and verify whether these extracts have immunomodulatory activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We grew L. minor on a standard medium with Gamborg B5 and vitamins. We extracted compounds from the plant by maceration and decoction. The phytochemical profile of the extracts was characterized by chromatography, spectrophotometry, and spectroscopy. The extracts were tested on cultures of mononuclear cells from four human subjects. These cells were pulsed with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester, grown in triplicate in standard culture medium without (control) and with increasing concentrations of Lemna extracts. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate cell death and proliferation of the total mononuclear cell population and of CD4+, CD8+, B cell and monocyte populations. RESULTS: The Lemna extracts were not cytotoxic and did not cause cell necrosis or apoptosis in immune cells. At low concentrations, they induced very limited proliferation of CD4+ cells within 48 hours. At high concentrations, they induced proliferation of CD8+ cells and B lymphocytes within 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Unfortunately, we failed to confirm any immunomodulatory activity of Lemna extracts. Growth and death rates of human immune cells were not significantly affected by adding Lemna extracts to the culture medium