Brown Sugar Solution Research Articles

Modulatory Effects of Isolated Lactobacillus paracasei from Malaysian Water Kefir Grains on the Intestinal Barrier and Gut Microbiota in Diabetic Mice.

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is one of the four major types of non-communicable diseases that have become a global health concern. Water kefir is a product of a brown sugar solution fermented with kefir grains which comprises around 30 microbial species in its grains. Water kefir possesses a wide range of health benefits, including anti-hyperlipidemic effects, and reduces hypertension and blood glucose levels in animal models. Reportedly, consuming water kefir containing probiotics may enhance the intestinal barrier and positively influence the composition of the intestinal microflora. The present study aimed to evaluate the regulatory effects of Lactobacillus paracasei isolated from Malaysian water kefir grains (MWKG) on the alterations of intestinal barrier and gut microbiota in diabetic mice via histopathological analysis of the distal colon and 16S rRNA gene sequencing on fecal microbiome. Results indicated that the administration of isolated Lactobacillus paracasei from MWKG to diabetic mice ameliorated the dominant probiotic phyla in the gut microbiota. Results showed that lower dose (LD) and high dose (HD) treatments of the isolated Lactobacillus paracasei could significantly reduce inflammatory cell infiltration in the distal colon of diabetic mice. The treatments revealed a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the gut, 0.27 ± 0.06% for LD and 0.34 ± 0.04% for HD, compared to untreated (UN) diabetic mice, 0.40 ± 0.02%. These results suggest that L. paracasei isolated from MWKG could serve as a potential dietary supplement against intestinal inflammation and modify gut microbiota composition in patients with T2DM.

PREFERENSI MUSUH ALAMI Coccinella sp TERHADAP SIRUP TUMBUHAN BERBUNGA

The need for rice as one of the main food sources increases along with the population of Indonesia. One of the obstacles to increasing rice productivity is pest attacks. In the rice fields, there are predatory insects which are important as pest control agents in rice plants. Coccinella sp is a type of predator that is often found in rice plantations. The urgency of this research is the need to conserve natural enemies such as managing flowering plants and providing additional food (supplements) to predators. This is because planting flowering plants in rice fields will hinder or disrupt farmers' roads and if flowering plants are not managed properly they will become nesting places for mice, so it would be better to formulate these flowering plants into artificial syrup. This study aimed to determine the preferences of insect predators for various forms of pellets and various types of flowers. The treatments in this study were kenikir and Zinnia (Zinnia elegans). In each experiment, all treatments were put into a petri dish and a predatory imago, Coccinella sp., was released in the middle. From testing the predator response of Coccinella sp. for Kenikir and Zinnia flower syrup which were rated the best by observing the average frequency of Coccinella sp. attending each treatment with the length of time used. The experiment was arranged using a completely randomized design (CRD) treated with ANNOVA. The results showed that the response of the natural enemy Coccinella sp. frequency of visits was most often to white Zinnia flower syrup which was sweetened with brown sugar solution and the longest was to yellow kenikir flower syrup which was added to honey solution.

Pengelolaan limbah rumah kemas sayur melalui produksi pupuk organik cair

Background: The growth of the agricultural sector in Cipanas District, Cianjur Regency, West Java has increased the production of organic waste from vegetable packaging houses. This study aims to explore the method of converting vegetable waste into Liquid Organic Fertilizer (POC) for waste management and sustainable agriculture. Methods: This descriptive study evaluated the process of converting vegetable waste into POC in Cipanas District. The process includes soaking rice grits, mixing ingredients (rice soaking water, brown sugar solution, coconut water, vegetable waste), anaerobic fermentation for three weeks with periodic stirring, and harvesting. Findings: The study resulted in a description of the process of making POC from vegetable waste. POC has the potential to improve soil fertility holistically (physically, chemically, biologically) and has been proven effective in increasing the productivity of various types of vegetables. Conclusion: Utilization of vegetable waste as POC offers a sustainable solution for waste management and environmentally friendly agriculture. Although there are challenges in quality standardization and infrastructure, its economic potential and long-term benefits make this approach worthy of consideration in future agricultural strategies. Novelty: This study highlights the potential use of vegetable waste from packaging houses in Cipanas for POC production, integrating the concept of circular economy in agricultural waste management and the development of sustainable agricultural practices.

Portable Disc Granulator Machine

This work presents the design of a portable disc granulator machine to produce granule shape fertilizer from a powdered mixture. The industry demands granular fertilizer made from chemical substances due to the benefits that can be obtained compared to fine powder fertilizer. It has a longer lifespan of up to 9 months and a slow rate of nitrogen absorption from fertilizer because of its granular form. Granular fertilizers are easy to store and do not settle out over time, or salt out in cold weather. Fertilizer plays the role of a plant food element and is crucial to maintaining the health of plants for their growth. The pharmaceutical method is frequently used by farmers to create fertilizer in the form of granules which are wet granulation and dry granulation process. Wet granulation was employed in this project since it involves the addition of liquids like molasses or water. The portable disc granulator machine is designed to turn fertilizer into granule shapes, which are subsequently used as the product's base material. However, the fertilizer must be produced a uniform ±5 mm diameter of granular shape for bio-organic fertilizer. Solidification has been made to improve the fertilizer’s granular shape to create a consistent ±5 mm diameter in the disc that rotates automatically with an angle of 48°. A disc granulator machine should first be filled with bio-organic fertilizer. Then, use brown sugar solution or cornstarch to form a granule shape. The disc will be rotating at a speed of 11 to 15 rpm. To assess the machine's ability to create granules with a diameter of about 5 mm, evaluation, and analysis were performed using a vernier caliper. The result demonstrated that the machine could produce ±5 mm with a tolerance of 1 mm and uniformity will be constant.

Isolation and Identification of Acetobacter tropicalis From Selected Malaysian Local Fruits for Potential BC Production

Acetobacter spp. that are commonly found on fruits, can perform oxidation processes, resulting in acetic acid production in vinegar. Besides that, Acetobacter spp. able to produce bacterial cellulose (BC), which is an essential by-product. This present study was carried out to isolate Acetobacter spp. from selected local fruits. Species verification of the bacterial isolates was performed using molecular and bioinformatic approaches. A total of six local fruits (starfruit, jackfruit, watermelon, pineapple, honeydew & banana) were subjected to seven days of fermentation in a brown sugar solution. Acetobacter spp. were isolated from the fermented medium using bromocresol green ethanol agar as the selective medium. Thirteen bacterial isolates were obtained and subjected to molecular works, including DNA extraction and PCR amplification using universal primers, targeting the 16S rRNA genes. PCR-amplified products were selected for single-pass sequencing. BLASTn analysis of the sequencing results showed three isolates (23.1%) belonging to Acetobacter tropicalis and one isolate (7.7%) representing Gluconobacter oxydans might have potential in BC production. However, the remaining nine isolates (69.2%) hit the Lactobacillus genus. Morphological observation using FESEM showed that the BC produced by all the positive bacterial isolates is similar to dried nata de coco and BC produced by Acetobacter xylinum. In addition, four similar regions of -OH stretch (3400 - 3300 cm-1), -CH stretch (2970 to 2800 cm-1), -OH bending (1620 cm-1), and -COC stretch (1100 to 1073 cm-1) are identified in the BC samples. In the future, the isolated Acetobacter and Gluconobacter strains could be further utilized for large-scale BC production in a suitable fermentation medium.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Utilization of Tofu Production Liquid Waste into Liquid Organic Fertilizer Using Experimental Methods

Tofu Industry is a company that produces liquid waste that has the potential to pollute the environment and is one of the industries that produces organic waste. The presence of organic elements in tofu liquid waste causes researchers to use tofu liquid waste into liquid organic fertilizer that has added value. This liquid organic fertilizer can be an alternative at a low price compared to other liquid organic fertilizers on the market. This liquid organic fertilizer is manufactured mainly from tofu liquid waste with coconut water, brown sugar solution, and EM4 solution. The method of making liquid organic fertilizer is a random design complete with three treatments. Each sample composition is 1 liter of liquid waste, 2 liters of liquid waste, and 3 liters of liquid waste. The laboratory test results show that in liquid organic fertilizer, N, P, and K show that treatment A has the best results with N values of 0.42%, P 0.13%, and K 0.29%. The results of the techno-economic analysis are that the cost of goods produced is obtained at Rp. 5,178.75 / liter, the break-even point of 95.58 liters, and it takes 42 days to break even. The payback period only takes 0.9 years. For further research, the process of making liquid organic fertilizer should produce samples on a large scale to minimize the calculation of techno-economic analysis in the direct labor wage section.

Potensi Limbah Cair Tahu sebagai Pupuk Organik Cair di RT. 31 Kelurahan Lempake Kota Samarinda

Making tofu produces a large volume of waste, especially the liquid waste. This tofu liquid waste contains high protein which is easily decomposed quickly. If this liquid is discharged into the environment without prior treatment, it can cause a foul odor and an unpleasant atmosphere. Therefore, the purpose of this service activity is to process tofu liquid waste into organic fertilizer by fermentation. The fermentation process takes 15 days with the addition of EM4, brown sugar solution, and enough water. All ingredients are mixed and stirred evenly then put in a closed container. After about two weeks, the liquid organic fertilizer can be used for fertilizing plants by the community on Jalan Rejo Mulyo, RT. 31, Lempake Village, North Samarinda District. This activity involved 8 students of Mulawarman University Thematic Community Service Program. The form of activity carried out are directly visit the location to obtain data through interviews and observations, data processing, and making conclusion for devotion activities.

Pemanfaatan Limbah Kotoran Sapi Sebagai Bahan Utama Pembuatan Pupuk Organik untuk Mengurangi Penggunaan Pupuk Kimia di Desa Tebing Tinggi Pangkatan

The population of cattle in the village of cliffs of high rank has enormous potential. This capacity is very good if used in the manufacture of organic fertilizer because in general cow dung waste has not been processed and utilized properly by the people of the village of cliffs of high rank. Agricultural activities of the high-ranking cliff village community which continuously result in the use of chemical fertilizers continue to increase, thus the use of organic fertilizers is an alternative in reducing community dependence in using chemical fertilizers in agriculture. The objectives of this community service are, 1) to carry out socialization and training to the community, 2) to understand more about the manufacturing procedure, the tools used, the materials used, how to use them on plants, and the benefits of manure. cows as an environmentally friendly organic fertilizer. The results of this dedication show that the manufacture of organic fertilizer requires the addition of materials, namely sawdust, rice water, coconut water, and brown sugar solution with the aim of increasing the nutrients of organic fertilizer. The application of organic fertilizers on agricultural land can reduce the manufacture of chemical fertilizers, but can improve the nutrients in the soil. Abundant cow dung is a great result for fixing nutrients in soils that are already highly dependent on chemical fertilizers. Therefore, the manufacture of organic fertilizers needs to be continuously disseminated to the community, especially farmers in rural areas who lack information and technology. This is possible through activities, knowledge and training. This service program is carried out using two methods, namely: face-to-face socialization, the practice of making organic fertilizers.

Improvement of protein bait produced from beer yeast waste for controlling Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in China

• Four preservatives had different inhibition effects to bacteria at varied doses. • The inhibition of all preservatives and antibiotics increased with dose increased. • Kanamycin at all doses was the most effective antibiotics in depressing mixed bacteria. • High-dose addition of guava essence can significantly improve the bait attractiveness. In the present study, preservatives and antibiotics were applied in a variety of doses to assess their effects on the beer waste-based protein bait, a product widely used to control populations of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae). Screening was performed using the inhibition zone method against the dominant bacteria in deteriorated protein bait. Additionally, the attractiveness of the bait was assessed after respectively adding different doses of methyl eugenol, brown sugar solution, ammonium acetate, and guava essence, as determined by bio-cage tests. The results showed that the four selected preservatives had different inhibition effects at different dose levels, and that the level of inhibition increased with dose: at the highest dose of 1:1 (v:v), sodium benzoate can significantly inhibit Staphylococcus spp., potassium sorbate can significantly inhibit Lactobacillus spp., sodium nitrite can significantly inhibit Escherichia spp. and ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate can significantly inhibit Staphylococcus spp. and Xanthomonas spp. Among three antibiotics, kanamycin was the most effective in suppressing a mix of all four bacteria for all tested doses. In terms of lure performance, the addition of four substances in various ratios into the protein bait were found to have varying effects on its attractiveness to B. dorsalis females and males. Specifically, the addition of a high-dose of guava essence could significantly enhance the attractiveness of the bait. Our findings will help to enhance the effectiveness of protein bait applications by prolonging the quality guarantee period and improving its attractiveness toward both female and male B. dorsalis .

Study of biofilms with kefir associated with soy germs (Glycine max (L.) Merril)

The aim of this study was to investigate biofilm formation with kefir grains in the presence of soy extract. Kefir grains and soy germs at different concentrations were grown in the culture medium comprising brown sugar solution (40 gl-1) for 20 days. Biofilms that formed in this period were then removed and the pH of the culture medium were measured. Isoflavones of the medium of culture were extracted and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The superficial properties of the selected biofilms were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The culture medium after 20 days was found to have 19.59±3.57 µgl-1 of glycitein and 23.86±2.21 µgl-1 of genistein. The best concentration of kefir grains in order to extract isoflavone was 40 gl-1, with yield levels at 11.67 µgl-1 of glycitein and 17.78 µgl-1 of genistein. The analysis by AFM and SEM confirmed the increased roughness of the biofilm, dependent of the concentration of the amount of kefir grains. It is suggested that the biofilms incorporated the isoflavones and has potential for therapeutic applications in several pathologies wherein it is necessary the antioxidative processes.

Study of the superficial distribution of microorganisms in kefir biofilms prepared with Cupuaçu juice

Recently, much research in the field of biomaterials has focused on finding better material to serve as a dressing or temporary skin replacement, often without success. Kefir and Cupuacu ( Theobroma grandiflorum Schum) have therapeutic potential for use in this field. In this study, a morphological and statistical analysis of the superficial distribution of bacteria and yeasts in kefir biofilms prepared with Cupuacu juice, obtained from the inoculation of kefir grains in brown sugar solution was performed. Six samples of different concentrations of the biofilms were obtained, which were analyzed in an Atomic Force Microscope to obtain topography images. Statistical analyses were performed on the surface parameters in order to determine the number and surface coverage of microorganisms in biofilms. The morphological analysis showed that the surfaces of the biofilms are composed of microorganisms similar to bacteria and yeasts. Statistical analysis showed that biofilms with a concentration of Cupuacu between 10 and 40 g.L -1 present a greater number and coverage of bacteria. All results show that the Cupuacu 10 g.L -1 biofilm presented the most appropriate, considering that it presented a higher number and coverage of bacteria, which is the antibacterial agent. In this perspective, the results indicate that there is an expectation of biofilms to result in a future application in the pharmaceutical industry.

Identification of Worm Eggs in Faeces of Egrets (Egretta sp.) in Surabaya

The aim of this research was to identify worm eggs species that infected Egrets in Surabaya. A total of 40 samples were taken and faecal examination was conducted in the Laboratory by means of native, sedimentation, and floating methods, In floating method saturated brown sugar solution was used as floating media because brown sugar solution was faster in floating worm eggs. Then further examination of the worm eggs species were matched by microscopic taxonomy and textbook comparison observation. Eggs of three classes of helmints, Trematode, Cestode, and Nematode were found in faeces of Egrets in Surabaya. Species of the Nematode eggs found were Ascaris sp., Ascaridia galli, , Capillaria sp., Toxocara cati. Species of Cestode class egg found were Raillietina sp, from Trematode class were Echinostoma revolutum.

Potency of Brown Sugar as a Nectar Substitute for Trichoglossus haematodus in Captivity

Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) is nectarivorous bird that feed on nectar as a source of carbohydrate. In captivity, it is not practical to provide a continued diet of nectar from the flowers. Therefore, this study aimed to find other carbohydrate sources such as brown sugar as substitute nectar for T. haematodus. Twelve wild T. haematodus in four cages offered five types different brown sugar solution with different concentrations. Since brown sugar has low protein content, therefore the birds also offered commercial baby biscuit to meet the protein requirement. The results showed that the birds like to consume all types of brown sugar solution with sugar concentration up to 40% . However, the siwalan brown sugar solution was the most favored by the bird. over the other type of brown sugar solutions (aren, coconut, sugar cane and regular commercial “palm” brown sugar). Furthermore, the result showed that the birds prefer commercial baby biscuit was soaked in the brown sugar solution with concentration 20%. This study provides the information that the brown sugar solution based diet has potency as an alternative carbohydrate source to substitute nectar for T. haematodus in captivity which is more practical and can increase the survival rate in birds.

Control of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis vector, Phlebotomus papatasi, using attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSB).

IntroductionAttractive Toxic Sugar Baits (ATSB) is a new vector control method that meets Integrated Vector Management (IVM) goals. In an experimental design, this study aimed to determine effects of ATSB on control of Phlebotomus papatasi, as a main vector of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ZCL), in Qom Province, center of Iran.MethodsIn a cross-sectional design, boric acid was mixed with brown sugar solution and tested as toxic baits for P. papatasi. Two methods were utilized to use the baits: (a) spraying ATSB on vegetation, bushes, and shrubs; and (b) setting ATSB-treated barrier fences in front of colonies at 500 m distance from the houses in outskirts of villages. In order to examine the residual efficacy rate of ATSB-treated barrier fences, the bioassay test was used. Density of P. papatasi sandflies was measured using sticky and light traps biweekly. For data analysis, Mann-Whitney U Test and Kruskal-Wallis were used. Results ATSB-treated barrier fences led to 3 times reduction in P. papatasi population. Besides that, ATSB spraying on plants led to more than 5 times reduction in P. papatasi population.ConclusionsComparing the incidence of leishmaniasis in treated villages before and after the study showed that the incidence was statistically reduced. Therefore, ATSB is an effective method to control vectors and prevent leishmaniasis.

Laboratory evaluation of differential attraction of Culex pipiens pallens to fruit-based sugar baits

Mosquito adults usually need to obtain sugar from floral nectaries and damaged fruits/seed pods to replenish their energy reserves. The newly developed attractive toxic sugar baits have been successfully applied in controlling various mosquito species outdoors. However, the attraction of Culex pipiens pallens to different fruit-based sugar baits remains unknown. In the present study, we selected nine common fruit species, prepared the fruit-based sugar solutions, and investigated the attractiveness of different sugar baits to newly emerged Cx. pipiens pallens in the laboratory. The results showed that when tested against the 5% brown sugar solution, all the sugar baits were significantly attractive to both females and males. When tested together in the mesh-covered cage, there was a significant difference on the attractiveness between different fruit-based sugar baits. The most attractive fruit species included Broussonetia papyrifera, Cucumis melo, C. melo var. saccharinus, Amygdalus persica and Pyrus bretschneideri, and their seed pods could be potentially used as ingredients in ATSB for controlling mosquitoes outdoors.

First Break Forward Interval PLS (FB-FiPLS) Procedure as Potential Tool in Analysis of FTIR Data for Fast and Robust Quantitative Determination of Food Adulteration

Ternary mixtures of sugar solutions containing maple syrup were studied quantitatively using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) attenuated total reflectance (ATR) technique coupled with partial least squares regression (PLS) and selection of spectral variables. Two ternary mixtures were analyzed; first ternary mixture contained maple syrup, white sugar solution, and fully inverted sugar solution; second ternary mixture comprised maple syrup, white, and brown sugar solutions. In this paper, a procedure for selection of spectral variables with PLS, called first break forward interval PLS (FB-FiPLS), is tested on maple syrup adulteration. The method achieved almost exactly the same performance as synergy interval PLS (SiPLS) but with much shorter computational time. The upper limit of number of latent variables (LVs), which is the critical factor for both interval PLS methods, was determined using repeated double cross-validation on whole spectral region of calibration set for each analyzed component in each analyzed ternary mixture set. FB-FiPLS procedure for selection of spectral variables, using only root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) values for whole optimization of spectral variables, is fast and robust. After spectral variables and LVs for each particular model had been selected with minimum RMSECV of FB-FiPLS procedure, final results in terms of RMSECV and RMSEP for FB-FiPLS were in most cases statistically significantly better than PLS on whole spectral region and on selected spectral regions. Predictions of each component in analyzed ternary mixture set is promising (R 2(training set) > 0.98, R 2(test set) > 0.97), especially for fully inverted sugar solution (RMSEP = 0.142 % w/w).

Selection of lactic acid bacteria from Brazilian kefir grains for potential use as starter or probiotic cultures

Brazilian kefir is a homemade fermented beverage that is obtained by incubating milk or a brown sugar solution with kefir grains that contribute their different microbiological compositions. It is highly important to isolate and characterize microorganisms from Brazilian kefir grains to obtain starter cultures for the industrial production of a standardized commercial kefir. Thus, the present study aimed to isolate lactic acid bacteria from eight kefir grains that were propagated in milk or sugar solutions from five different locations in Brazil and to select Lactobacillus isolates based on desirable in vitro probiotic properties. One hundred eight isolates from both substrates were identified by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis and/or 16S rRNA gene sequencing and were determined to belong to the following 11 species from the genera: Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus (L.), and Oenococcus. Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus kefiri, and Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens were isolated only from milk grains, whereas Lactobacillus perolens, Lactobacillus parafarraginis, Lactobacillus diolivorans, and Oenococcus oeni were isolated exclusively from sugar water grains. When the microbial compositions of four kefir grains were evaluated with culture-independent analyses, L. kefiranofaciens was observed to predominant in milk grains, whereas Lactobacillus hilgardii was most abundant in sugar water kefir. Unfortunately, L. hilgardii was not isolated from any grain, although this bacteria was detected with a culture-independent methodology. Fifty-two isolated Lactobacilli were tested for gastric juice and bile salt tolerance, antagonism against pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and surface hydrophobicity. Three Lactobacillus strains (L. kefiranofaciens 8U, L. diolivorans 1Z, and Lactobacillus casei 17U) could be classified as potential probiotics. In conclusion, several lactic acid bacteria that could be used in combination with yeasts as starter cultures for both milk kefir and sugar water kefir were characterized, and the functional properties of several of the lactobacilli isolated from the kefir grains were suggestive of their possible use as probiotics in both kefir and other dairy products.

Comparison of the Brown Sugar, Hot Water, and Salt Methods for Detecting Western Cherry Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Larvae in Sweet Cherry

Brown sugar and hot water methods have been developed to detect larvae of tephritid fruit flies post-harvest in fruit in order to maintain quarantine security. It would be useful to determine if modifications of these methods can yield better results and if less expensive alternatives exist. This study reports detection rates of Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Diptera: Tephritidae) larvae separated from crushed sweet cherries (Prunus avium [L.] L.) by brown sugar flotation versus hot water and sodium chloride (salt) flotation methods. Cherries were crushed and shredded by a standard cherry crusher and submerged either in brown sugar solution, hot water, or salt solution. In sugar and salt solutions, extracted larvae floated, whereas in hot water they sank; and in all 3 visual inspections for larvae were made. The brown sugar flotation method detected more total larvae than the hot water method when using a clear dish or black pan after cherries were shredded through a 2-mm gap in a cherry crusher, resulting in 95, 85, and 85% detections, respectively. Brown sugar and salt flotation methods resulted in similar detection rates of 85–99% after cherries were shredded through either a 2- or 5-mm gap, even though the 2-mm gap resulted in greater shredding. In brown sugar, hot water, and salt solutions, 26–88% of first instars (when there were at least 8 individuals) were detected versus 77–100% of second and third instars. Results demonstrate that salt and brown sugar solutions are equally efficacious for detecting larvae of R. indifferens separated from crushed cherries. Salt solution is advantageous over brown sugar solution because it is less expensive. Should salt solution be used for detecting larval spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii [Matsumura]) in cherries, current results show that it would not compromise detection of R. indifferens.

Preparation of a bagasse‐based anion exchange fiber for sugar decolorization

AbstractSugar bagasse was converted into an anion‐exchanger through grafting acrylamide using (NH4)2Fe(SO4)2/H2O2 as initiator in an aqueous system, followed by reacting with ethylenediamine and hydrochloric acid. The effects of the grafting conditions such as monomer concentration, temperature, reaction time on the degree of grafting were investigated. The ion exchange capacity of the sugar bagasse base anion‐exchange fiber (SB‐IEF) was up to 3.70 mmol/g. Application of the SB‐IEF in sugar decolorization was evaluated. Compared with commercial strong basic anion exchange resin (AIER) and strong basic anion exchange fiber (AIEF), SB‐IEF showed the highest static decolorization capacity for sugar colorants (decolorization degree 71.40%), followed by AIEF (decolorization degree 68.74%) and AIER (decolorization degree 31.40%) at the same operating conditions. The dynamic decolorization results indicated that SB‐IEF showed larger processing volume than AIER and AIEF. SB‐IEF with higher grafting degree would have a higher decolorization degree. When 200 mL 2% brown granulated sugar solution was treated with 1 g SB‐IEF (grafting degree 82%), 80% decolorization degree could be achieved. The research results may provide a recyclable route for the comprehensive utilization of by‐products of sucrose industry. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

Availability of Sugar Solutions for Colony Development and Progeny-Queen Production of the European Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris

Bumblebees are widely used to pollinate various crops, especially tomato, in greenhouses and fields. Here, we investigated whether different sugar solutions have any effects on the oviposition and colony development of Bombus terrestris queens. The types of sugar solution used were a white sugar solution, brown sugar solution, dark brown sugar solution, and prepared sugar solution; all solution contained with a 40% sugar concentration and 0.3% sorbic acid. Among these sugar solutions, B. terrestris queens reared on the white sugar solution exhibited the best results; the rates of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny-queen production were <TEX>$75.0{\pm}11.0$</TEX>, <TEX>$33.0{\pm}9.6$</TEX> and <TEX>$21.7{\pm}7.3$</TEX>, respectively, which corresponded to 1.1-33.0-fold increases over the results of other sugar solutions. Queens reared on the prepared sugar solution did not found any colonies. The death rate within one month was lowest for the queens reared on the white sugar solution at <TEX>$26.1{\pm}10.9%$</TEX>, which was 1.2-2.0-fold lower than the rate for the other sugar solutions. Furthermore, the numbers of progeny produced by queens reared on the white sugar solution, <TEX>$131.4{\pm}38.8$</TEX> workers and <TEX>$51.0{\pm}40.6$</TEX> queens, were also higher, corresponding to 1.1-1.2-fold increases compared to queens raised on the other sugar solutions. Therefore, the white sugar solution was the favorable sugar solution for the egg-laying and colony developmental characteristics of B. terrestris queens.