Everyday Food Research Articles

Post-return emotions: everyday food practices of overseas returned students in Shanghai

ABSTRACT Taking post-return everyday food practices as the primary analytical lens, this paper interrogates how the emotions of transnational returnees are structured by shifting spatio-temporalities in the process of return. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Shanghai, the empirical discussion examines the experiences of overseas returned students in Shanghai through three cases. These respectively highlight how practices and emotions relate to the persistence of hometown tastes throughout migration, the embrace of host foods while studying overseas, and the adaptation to new dietary patterns after return. These cases of post-return exemplify the intricate connections between food, place, and emotions. There are two implications drawn from the empirical discussion. First, from the spatial perspective, the post-return emotions of transnational return migrants are intricately linked not only to the place to which they return and currently reside in but also to the places they previously experienced as emigrants. Second, the emotions of transnational return migrants should be comprehended under specific temporal frameworks, which, in this paper, refer to transitional life stages. By investigating the post-return place-related emotions indicated by everyday food practices, this research contributes a more intricate understanding of the emotional worlds of transnational returnees and sheds light on the emotionality of transnational return migration.

Perceived Discrimination Among Food Pantry Clients in Massachusetts.

Food insecurity is defined as inconsistent access to enough food to meet nutritional needs. Discrimination is associated with food insecurity and poor health, especially among racial and ethnic minoritized and sexual or gender minoritized groups. We examined the demographic associations of perceived everyday discrimination and food pantry discrimination in Massachusetts. From December 2021 through February 2022, The Greater Boston Food Bank conducted a cross-sectional, statewide survey of Massachusetts adults. Of the 3,085 respondents, 702 were food pantry clients for whom complete data on food security were available; we analyzed data from this subset of respondents. We used the validated 10-item Everyday Discrimination Scale to measure perceived everyday discrimination and a 10-item modified version of the Everyday Discrimination Scale to measure perceived discrimination at food pantries. Logistic regression adjusted for race and ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, having children in the household, annual household income, and household size assessed demographic associations of perceived everyday discrimination and discrimination at food pantries. Food pantry clients identifying as LGBTQ+ were more likely than those identifying as non-LGBTQ+ to report perceived everyday discrimination (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.44; 95% CI, 1.24-4.79). Clients identifying as Hispanic (AOR = 1.83, 95% CI, 1.13-2.96) were more likely than clients identifying as non-Hispanic White to report perceived discrimination at food pantries. To equitably reach and serve households with food insecurity, food banks and pantries need to understand experiences of discrimination and unconscious bias to develop programs, policies, and practices to address discrimination and create more inclusive interventions for food assistance.

Navigating household food insecurity and environmental sustainability on a low income: An exploration of Sheffield mothers.

In 2023, 25% of adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland experienced food insecurity. The concentration of food insecurity in both socioeconomically disadvantaged groups and households containing children raises concerns about its uneven nutritional and health impacts across different groups. In parallel with rising food insecurity over the past decade, concerns about the environmental consequences of human diets are intensifying, where urgent changes are needed to people's diets to avoid irreversible environmental damage. It is generally assumed that cost has a significant impact on people's ability to adopt more environmentally sustainable food practices. This UK Research Council-funded project seeks to gain insights into the ways in which low-income mothers (are able to) engage with environmentally sustainable food practices. RQ1 will examine the day-to-day food practices that mothers undertake for their families to offer insights into everyday food insecurity and the relevance of environmentally sustainable food practices. RQ2 will explore biographical experiences to highlight how mothers' life histories influence their familial food practices, including their current household food security and engagement with environmentally sustainable food practices. Finally, RQ3 will explore mothers' upcoming prospects of food insecurity and environmentally sustainable food practices. These research questions will be explored through a qualitative longitudinal, feminist study of 15 low-income mothers in Sheffield, UK, combining in-depth interviews with ethnographic elements. Gaining improved knowledge of mothers' food practices on a low income will be valuable to influence realistic, effective and meaningful philosophies, policies and practical action that prioritises equity, good nutrition and environmentally sustainable food practices.

Unmasking metabolic disruptors: The NEMESIS project's quest for Novel Biomarkers, Evidence on Adverse Effects, and Efficient Methodologies

Metabolism disrupting chemicals (MDCs) elicit negative effects on metabolically active organs such as the liver and the pancreas, altering normal metabolic processes. Chemicals that are known, or suspected MDCs include compounds found in everyday consumer products and food, making low-dose, continuous exposure inevitable for humans. Through the discovery of chemically induced metabolic disruption, a concern has surfaced whether and how MDCs impact human health and the development of metabolic diseases. This has accelerated research around the topic, and it has been found that exposure to MDCs is linked to increased incidence of metabolic diseases including obesity and liver steatosis. Effective regulatory action is hindered by the lack of accurate methods to identify MDCs. The NEMESIS project addresses this regulatory gap by investigating the mechanisms through which MDCs cause metabolic disruption. The project aims at identifying novel biomarkers of exposure and link exposure to disease outcomes. As chemical toxicity testing is rapidly moving towards new approach methodologies (NAMs), NEMESIS promotes non-animal methodologies by employing state-of-the-art in vitro methods, epidemiological data, systems biology approaches, and seeks to replace mammalian in vivo experiments with alternative models. By understanding mechanisms of MDC-induced metabolic health effects, and through the development of reliable effect biomarkers and testing strategies, the NEMESIS project aims to facilitate more effective regulatory measures to improve and protect the health and well-being of EU citizens. The project is particularly focused on maximizing its impact through effective dissemination and communication efforts, to ensure that the project’s message and results reach a broad audience and are tailored to different population groups. These actions will improve the risk assessment of MDCs and ensure that the EU citizens are informed and protected from the harmful effects of MDCs and can adapt their consumer patterns and behaviors to prevent exposure.

Evaluation of aspartame effects at environmental concentration on early development of zebrafish: Morphology and transcriptome1

The use of aspartame as an artificial sweetener is prevalent in a wide range of everyday food products, potentially leading to health complications such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, autism spectrum disorders, and neurodegeneration. Aspartame has also been detected in natural water bodies at a concentration of 0.49 μg/L, yet research on its ecotoxicological effects on aquatic life remains scarce. This study aimed to investigate the potential negative effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of aspartame on the development of various tissues and organs in zebrafish embryos. We used a zebrafish model to treat embryos with aspartame at environmental concentration and those higher than in the environment—up to 1000 times. We observed that after exposure to aspartame body length increased, pigmentation was delayed, and neutrophil production inhibited in zebrafish. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis revealed that early exposure of zebrafish embryos to aspartame affected the transcriptomics of various systems, primarily by downregulating genes related to immune cell production, eye and optic nerve development, nervous system development, and growth hormone-related transcription. Most of the genes associated with ferroptosis were upregulated. This study provides new insights into the ecotoxicological effects of aspartame on aquatic environments.

The Impact of Freeze-Dried Tenebrio molitor Larvae on the Quality, Safety Parameters, and Sensory Acceptability of Wheat Bread.

The research context involves analyzing the potential benefits derived from integrating insect protein into everyday food items. Utilizing methods consistent with established food science protocols, wheat bread was prepared with variations of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% Tenebrio molitor larvae powder, derived from larvae cultivated on brewery spent grain. A substrate selected for its superior nutritional content and a substrate with agar-agar gels were used. The tests included basic bread tests; sugar, acrylamide, amino, and fatty acid (FA) tests; and sensory acceptability. The results have shown that the acrylamide levels in bread with larvae remained below harmful thresholds, suggesting that using T. molitor can be a safe alternative protein source. The incorporation of powdered T. molitor larvae (p-TMLs) into bread was observed to increase certain sugar levels, such as glucose, particularly at higher larval concentrations. The addition of T. molitor significantly raised the protein and fat levels in bread. The inclusion of larvae enriched the bread with essential amino acids, enhancing the nutritional value of the bread significantly. The FA profile of the bread was altered by the inclusion of p-TMLs, increasing the levels of monounsaturated FAs. Despite the nutritional benefits, higher concentrations of larvae decreased the sensory acceptability of the bread. This suggests that there is a balance to be found between enhancing the nutritional content and maintaining consumer appeal. These findings highlight the potential for using p-TMLs as a sustainable, nutritious ingredient in bread making, although the sensory qualities at higher concentrations might limit consumer acceptance.

NATIONAL CUISINE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF UKRAINIAN CULTURE

Food is one of the most necessary conditions for our existence. Since childhood, a person gets used to certain products, dishes from them, forms his own tastes, prepares his favorite dishes, which must contain properly balanced proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and the necessary vitamin complex. Ukrainian cuisine has a certain set of relevant ingredients that contribute to our healthy existence. And the transition to a different set of products requires a certain adjustment, getting used to, adjustment., the climate of the location. Each people, each nation has its own usual, daily food set, related to the history and culture of the population. The Ukrainian nation, which for centuries was under the oppression of various states, absorbed into its culture and food preferences elements of the life and existence of other peoples, which remained in the culinary tastes of certain territorial and local communities. National tastes were formed on the basis of regional, local dishes, which became part of the everyday life of Ukrainians and expressed the special skill of cooking in one or another territory of Ukraine. Many foreigners come to Ukraine every year for various purposes: tourist trips, study, work, temporary stay, and by learning the language of our region, they get to know its culture, lifestyle, and food. Working with foreign students, we introduce them to Ukrainian dishes and drinks, talk about everyday and national food holidays, conduct dialogues with them, comparing the common and distinctive features of national cuisines. Recipes of Ukrainian culinary dishes can be found in cookbooks published at different times, starting from the beginning of the 20th century. and to this day, both in Ukraine and abroad, and in our time republished by culinary enthusiasts. Acquaintance with such publications, a brief description of books with recipes for cooking national food is carried out in this publication. 93 editions were developed. Key words: Ukrainian language as a foreign language, linguistic and regional studies, publication of books on Ukrainian national cuisine, their authors, chronology and location of publications, special vocabulary by origin.

Children's descriptions of their involvement within everyday food practices

BackgroundThe way in which children interact with food has a profound impact on their health and wellbeing. However, most research, strategy and policy where food is the focus are derived from adult perspectives. There is limited understanding of children's perspectives of the nature of their everyday food practices, and their level of involvement and influence. This work garnered children's (8–12 years old) descriptions of, and involvement in, their everyday food practices. MethodsForty-two children from 28 families from across Brisbane (Australia) participated in qualitative creative draw-and-tell interviews and 20 of these children (from 15 families) also completed Photovoice data collection. Data were abductively analysed through a social practice theory lens. ResultsChildren reported engaging in food planning, acquisition, preparation, consumption and tidy-up practices, to varying degrees of ‘less involved’, ‘in partnership with adults or other children’ or ‘independently’. This was influenced largely by the willingness of adults to relinquish control and children's desire to participate, as well as other contextual factors. Children were more independent in consumption practices, as well as packing lunchboxes and preparing food spaces (as preparation practices). Partnerships were established more so within food acquisition and preparation practices, with less involvement described within planning and tidy-up practices. ConclusionsThe findings add new knowledge and depth and breadth to that already obtained from parents, teachers and adult researchers, highlighting the importance of privileging children's voices when investigating their food experiences. This work may be used to guide adults to invite and support children to be involved in food practices that they report being less involved in, as well as inform how best to work with and include children in future research and food and nutrition strategies and policies.

“THE EMTRALD SWELL IS SPLASHING SO GENTLY ON YOU...”: EVERYDAY LIFE OF RESORT RESIDENTS IN THE CRIMEA IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

The article examines various aspects of everyday life of holidaymakers in the Crimea in the initial period of the resort development on the peninsula. The sources are newspapers published in Sevastopol and other Crimean towns, guidebooks, memoirs of those who visited the Crimea in the period under study. The analysis shows a rather vivid picture of the life of resort residents and allows us to distinguish several layers of information: on the development of transport infrastructure and everyday travel details, accommodation options, accommodation and food prices, ways of spending leisure time. It is possible to trace a close connection between the evolution of living conditions of vacationers and the resort and recreational sphere as a whole and the economic and social development of the country. The creation of a network of railroads made the way to the Crimea cheaper and more convenient. In the early 20th century, recreation on the peninsula ceased to be elitist, and representatives of different social strata came here. The influx of resort guests caused the development of the entire tourist infrastructure: the number of hotels grew, the local population actively entered the market of relevant services, providing rented furnished rooms and sightseeing services. Guidebooks and memoirs show the role in the life of holidaymakers of such traditional entertainments as bathing in the sea and walks in the mountains, as well as the ways of their organization. Separate bathing of men and women was practiced both in bathing houses and on beaches. Group and individual excursions to historical sites were becoming more popular. The analysis of memoirs demonstrates that the level of service caused complaints from vacationers, who were not happy with the high level of prices at hotels, unkempt servants in restaurants, etc. However, the ever-increasing interest of the Russian society to the Crimea as a vacation destination contributed not only to the improvement of the quality of services, but also to the change of living conditions on the peninsula: villages and towns were transformed into comfortable settlements, which had all the attributes of civilization - electricity, post offices, pharmacies and hospitals.

The role of egg consumption in the first 1001 days of life: a narrative review

Background/Aims Eggs are a natural whole food providing an important array of nutrients that can be challenging to find in other everyday foods. Although evidence shows the benefits of egg consumption for mother and child, consumption rates remain low. The aim of this article was to review latest literature and guidance on egg consumption and examine barriers to consumption during the critical first 1001 days of life. Methods This narrative review included an electronic search of PubMed, Google Scholar and Clinical Trials.Gov. Human studies published in English between 2019 and 2024 were screened for eligibility. Results Overall, 14 key studies were included that were specific to egg intake/consumption during pregnancy, breastfeeding and/or infancy/early childhood. Six sets of relevant dietary guidelines were identified and reviewed. Conclusions Current egg consumption is low, despite previous concerns about food safety and allergy having been overturned in official advice. Including eggs in the diet is an easy and cost-effective way to improve diversity and digestibility of nutrients when dietary requirements are higher. Their consumption has the potential to bridge nutrient gaps, help prevent allergy, augment breast milk composition and contribute to child development and growth.

Study of Processing Conditions during Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Deer By-Product Tallow for Targeted Changes at the Molecular Level and Properties of Modified Fats.

In most cases, the unused by-products of venison, including deer tallow, are disposed of in rendering plants. Deer tallow contains essential fatty acids and can be used to prepare products for everyday food and advanced applications. This work aimed to process deer tallow into hydrolyzed products using microbial lipases. A Taguchi design with three process factors at three levels was used to optimize the processing: amount of water (8, 16, 24%), amount of enzyme (2, 4, 6%), and reaction time (2, 4, 6 h). The conversion of the tallow to hydrolyzed products was expressed by the degree of hydrolysis. The oxidative stability of the prepared products was determined by the peroxide value and the free fatty acids by the acid value; further, color change, textural properties (hardness, spreadability, stickiness, and adhesiveness), and changes at the molecular level were observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The degree of hydrolysis was 11.8-49.6%; the peroxide value ranged from 12.3 to 29.5 µval/g, and the color change of the samples expressed by the change in the total color difference (∆E*) was 1.9-13.5. The conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis strongly influenced the textural properties: hardness 25-50 N, spreadability 20-40 N/s, and stickiness < 0.06 N. FTIR showed that there are changes at the molecular level manifested by a decrease in ester bonds. Enzymatically hydrolyzed deer tallow is suitable for preparing cosmetics and pharmaceutical matrices.

The influence of religiosity on food choice among British Muslims: A qualitative study.

Background: Religiosity is known to have a socio-cultural influence on food choice. However, to date, research exploring the influence of Islam on food selection has almost exclusively focused on fasting during Ramadan and has not explored the influences of Islam on everyday food choices among Muslim people. Aim: This qualitative study explored the influence of Islamic religiosity on everyday food choices among Muslim people. Methods: Thirty-two adult participants residing in the United Kingdom (n = 16 faith leaders and n = 16 lay Muslim people) were recruited from three Sunni mosques, and data was collected using semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and a constant comparison method was applied to draw out similarities and differences between faith leaders and lay Muslim people. Results: The results revealed that Islamic religiosity had an influence over food choice with two main overarching themes 1) Demonstrating religious obedience through food choices and, 2) Spheres of influence on food choice; and five sub-themes 1a) Trusting in familiar food providers, 1b) Verification of halal authenticity, 1c) Seeking purity within food, 2a) The Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) as a role model for food choice and, 2b) Islamic jurisprudence. Conclusion: These findings provide important insights into the influence of Islam on food choice and could be used support the design of faith-informed dietary interventions among Muslim people. Further research is required to examine the role of faith-informed dietary intervention in the Muslim community.

Evaluation of a pilot food education program delivered for children in grade four attending a school located in a disadvantaged area in greater Melbourne

Primary school aged children (aged 4-12 years) in Australia consume approximately 40% of daily energy from energy-dense, nutrient poor foods and fewer than 5% meet the recommended guidelines for vegetables and fruit (ABS 2018). Poor eating habits in children can track into adulthood increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases later in life (Nicklaus 2013). Children spend a large amount of time at school where they are provided with social contexts which influence behaviour development (FAO, 2022) and thus are ideal settings for teaching children about food and nutrition (FAO, 2022; WHO 2017). This pilot study was designed in response to a call to action from a local primary school in southeast Melbourne facing disadvantage. Anecdotally, the school reported poor food literacy with many students bringing unhealthy lunches. The school asked us to design, pilot, and evaluate a student education program enabling healthier lunches among these children. The aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of a 4-week food and nutrition education program delivered to grade 4 students within a disadvantaged area targeting, children’s food-related knowledge, behaviours and self-efficacy (confidence) to pack a healthy lunch. The program delivered weekly 1-hour interactive sessions over four weeks (October-November 2022). Topics included healthy eating, designing healthy lunches and food safety and were delivered using interactive games, activities, quizzes and food tasting. Students completed an online survey measuring their knowledge, self-efficacy and behaviour (e.g. foods packed in their lunchbox) pre- and post- program. A comparative analysis of the pre- and post-survey responses was performed using McNemar Tests in SPSS version 29.0. Sixty students completed both the pre- and post-surveys. A significant increase (p&lt;0.001) in knowledge of recommended daily serves of fruit (pre 43%, post 80%) and vegetables (pre 17%, post 54%) was observed. There was also a significant (p&lt;0.001) increase in student’s ability to identify ‘sometimes food’. No changes were observed in identification of ‘everyday food’, sources of protein and sources of dairy food or safety knowledge. Children’s confidence to make healthy food swaps significantly increased from pre- to post- program (27%45%, p = 0.035). We observed significant increases in children’s food and nutrition related knowledge for some topics and confidence to make healthy food swaps following completion of the program. A program of longer duration may be beneficial to observe additional improvements in knowledge as well as behaviour change, including foods packed in school lunches.

Preliminary results of a multi-analytical study of ceramic technology in one of the earliest agropastoral villages of Northwestern Argentina (La Ciénega valley, ca. 200 BC- AD 900)

The adoption of productive economies and settled life around the world constituted a pivotal moment in human history, one that reconfigured people’s relationships with the environment, non-humans, and material culture, including the invention of ceramic technology. This paper presents a multi-analytical study of ceramic technology among early agricultural societies of Northwestern Argentina (ca. 200 BC-AD 900) obtained through a suite of chemical, physical, and mineralogical techniques. The results from pXRF, XRD, XRF, and SEM-EDS compositional analysis indicate homogeneity in the raw materials used. The results allowed us to observe textural and intended use performance differences among ware groups that expanded our knowledge about ceramic technology in early agricultural societies. We argue that textural and performance differences reflect distinct technologies choices used by ancient potters to enhance pots’ performance in everyday food activities. We propose that a combined multiscalar consideration from the naked-eye examination of sherds to the elemental characterization of ceramics allows moving beyond isolated considerations of chemical composition or mineralogical characteristics to a single, integrated view of crafting as fulfilling important roles in everyday household tasks.

Jazykový obraz sveta v ruských a slovenských metaforických hádankách o slnku a mesiaci

The main goal of this paper is a semantic and quantitative analysis of the linguistic picture of the world of Russian and Slovak metaphorical riddles about the sun and the moon. We analysed 200 riddles (138 Russian and 62 Slovak) from folk and author's anthologies. In total, our documentary material contained 374 metaphorical transmissions (of which 241 were Russian and 133 were Slovak). Based on the analysis of the texts of the riddles, we found that the mentioned celestial bodies are interpreted in a similar way by Slovak and Russian speakers. Their metaphorical coding in both languages is most often realized on the basis of personification, through which they are perceived as people or human activities or states are attributed to them. Since the Slovak and Russian languages belong to the same group of Slavic languages, the motifs of the moon and the sun appear in their riddles, which are completely identical. In addition to personification, metaphorical coding is often realised in them using the names of animals and their parts, objects from everyday life and food. In most cases, these metaphorical transfers are based on similarity of form and colour.

Barley and wheat beta-glucan content influenced by weather, fertilization, and genotype

IntroductionBeta-glucan is one of the most important dietary fibers in cereal grains, having a great impact on human health and food quality. Wheat and barley are strategic crops and their fibers contribute toward their nutraceutical impact. However, the health of the environment is also important to ensure sustainable crop production. Hence the European decision makers have agreed to move toward organic cropping and to reduce the use of mineral fertilizers. Environment and agricultural management have a vast impact on the content of β-glucan in cereal grains. To exploit the valuable properties of β-glucan, the knowledge of factors increasing the amount of this component is crucial. We hypothesized that annual weather conditions, nitrogen fertilization, and cropping system affect the β-glucan amount in wheat and barley.MethodsFor this purpose, spring barley and winter wheat flour samples from an 8-year-long period (2014-2021) were characterized. The experiment included conventional and organic cropping systems with different nitrogen rates between 0 and 150 kg ha−1. In addition, the variation of β-glucan content in different varieties was analyzed.Results and discussionThe results showed that the content of β-glucan in barley and wheat grains was affected mainly by weather conditions not by fertilization. The latter finding means that the regulation of crop nutrition is not going to impact dietary fiber content in our everyday food. Lower temperatures during tillering and higher 1,000 kernel weight and test weight showed a positive correlation with β-glucan content in barley grains, while precipitation during the grain filling period had a negative correlation. Our findings suggest that β-glucan can be obtained from low-input and organic systems as efficiently as from fertilized treatments. However, there is a need for adaptation strategies in industry, as β-glucan content can vary from year to year.

The logic of choice and the logic of care: conceptualising ethics within everyday food consumption practices

The choosing consumer has been a prominent figure within consumption research, alternatively celebrated as enabling the expression of lifestyles and tastes or criticised for overlooking consumers as embedded in interconnected mundane practices. While sociologically oriented consumption research has explored the multiplicity of consumer roles beyond ‘chooser’, the figure of the choosing consumer persists in many research streams and in our shared cultural imagination. This article joins previous research on the ethics of consumption that has explored tensions between choosing and relational consumers. It does so by introducing the logic of choice and the logic of care to consumption research. Developed by Annemarie Mol (2008), these logics can be seen as ideal types representing contrasting styles of navigating decision-making, ethics, and questions of the good life. The logic of care emphasises attentive doings that aim to improve conditions in specific situations, seeking moderation rather than control, whereas the logic of choice starts out from sovereign individuals making clear-cut decisions. Using examples from a research project on everyday meat consumption practices, we develop a conceptualisation of the central dimensions of these logics within food consumption. The logics of choice and care enact particular worlds and ways of being in them, bringing forth the ontological politics of consumption. Consequently, we advocate for cultivating care in the world of consumption currently dominated by choice, since it enacts a more merciful framing of ethical consumption, emphasising our shared responsibility for ‘as well as possible’ relations without tipping over into guilt.

Bio-sourced Hydroxyapatite is better bioactive than its synthetic grade: A comparative assessment of Ti and Zn doped Hydroxyapatite derived from Bio and synthetic sources

To meet everyday food requirements with an ever-increasing population in the world, a huge amount of Eggshell waste is given rise everywhere from household kitchens to various food processing units. Eggshell contains a large amount of calcium compound. In this study, two different kinds of Hydroxyapatite (HAp), one from different laboratory reagents and the other one from eggshell have been synthesized. 3% Titanium and Zinc doped variants have also been made for both kinds of Hydroxyapatite. The prepared powder samples were calcined at 800°C and pellets were formed by applying pressure. A comparative analysis of these two different sourced products has been made by analyzing physical properties (Density, apparent porosity, hardness), a functional group study (FTIR). The elemental configuration of all materials was confirmed by the EDAX study. XRD analysis revealed the lattice parameters of the pure product has been suffered a little bit with the doping agents. SEM images showed a significant amount of porosity and nodular grains of HAp. Cytotoxic analysis and MTT assay established the non-toxic nature of all compounds, In vitro SBF study showed apatite layer formation above the pellet surfaces of different grades and Ti-doped samples gained the maximum amount of apatite.

Ordinary Urban Heritage of Rattanakosin: Ordinary restaurants and everyday foods of the historic center of Bangkok

This paper discussed the selection criteria for Ordinary Urban Heritage (OUH) in Rattanakosin, the historic center of Bangkok through the case of ordinary restaurants and everyday foods. The OUH stands for an alternative approach to heritage understanding and conservation, derived from the notion of ordinary heritage, vernacular heritage, and urban heritage emphasizing the heritages of the everydayness of ordinary people. The OUHs have co-existed and inherited through the evolution of the city but are overlooked by the official conservation process. Ordinary restaurants and everyday foods were selected by 5 criteria, 1) appeared for more than 50 years; 2) created, developed, and used by ordinary people; 3) found as the clusters; 4) able to be adapted to the urban context; 5) exist until the present day.The methodology applied to the analysis of the historical documents and Bangkok maps from 1887 to 1974, and the selection criteria developed from past research in another old commercial district of Bangkok were also reinvestigated with observational surveys. Ordinary restaurants and everyday foods are the outcomes representing the heritage of everyday life of ordinary people that are ubiquitously related to commercial activities.

Bisphenol A Effects on Neurons’ Neurochemical Character in the Urinary Bladder Intramural Ganglia of Domestic Pigs

Bisphenol A (BPA), a substance globally used to produce plastics, is part of many everyday items, including bottles, food containers, electronic elements, and others. It may penetrate the environment and living organisms, negatively affecting, among others, the nervous, immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems. Knowledge of the impact of BPA on the urinary bladder is extremely scarce. This study investigated the influence of two doses of BPA (0.05 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)/day and 0.5 mg/kg b.w./day) given orally for 28 days on the neurons situated in the ganglia located in the urinary bladder trigone using the typical double immunofluorescence method. In the study, an increase in the percentage of neurons containing substance P (SP), galanin (GAL), a neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS—used as the marker of nitrergic neurons), and/or cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide was noted after BPA administration. The severity of these changes depended on the dose of BPA and the type of neuronal factors studied. The most visible changes were noted in the cases of SP- and/or GAL-positive neurons after administering a higher dose of BPA. The results have shown that oral exposure to BPA, lasting even for a short time, affects the intramural neurons in the urinary bladder wall, and changes in the neurochemical characterisation of these neurons may be the first signs of BPA-induced pathological processes in this organ.