Hot Water Research Articles

Phytochemical Content, Antioxidant and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Gynostemma pentaphyllum and Gymnema inodorum Extracts

The prevention of hyperglycemia and diabetic complications is essential for diabetes management. Chronic hyperglycemia accelerates the glycation process, increasing advanced glycation end products (AGEs), triggering oxidative stress, and inflammation, thereby causing adverse diabetic complications. Anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant properties are described for Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP) and Gymnema inodorum (GI). With the hypothesis that combined therapy may exert better benefits compared to monotherapy, this study aimed to investigate the anti-diabetic and antioxidant activities of combined GP and GI formulas. Plants were extracted with hot water extraction and subjected to testing of anti-α-glucosidase and antioxidant activities, as well as total phenolic content. The extract formula of GP:GI (1:1, w/w) exhibited the highest total phenolic content, and ABTS radical scavenging activity, with values of 4.16 ± 0.21 mg GAE/g extract and 5.06 ± 0.46 mg TE/g extract, respectively. In addition, the combination of GP and GI extracts at ratios of (1:1, w/w) and (2:1, w/w) demonstrated inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase, reducing its activity by 30.40% and 34.04%, respectively. This property was found to be higher, compared to the activity of a single GP or GI treatment at the same concentration. Thus, results indicated that combining aqueous extracts from Gynostemma pentaphyllum and Gymnema inodorum has better antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties. This study supports the use of a combined GP:GI formula as a therapeutic remedy for controlling complications in individuals with hyperglycemia.

Insight into the mystery of Pheretima smells worse exposed to water: Identification, type, and volatility of stenchy odor

Pheretima is a popular healthy food, but Pheretima and related foods have specific stenchy odor, especially after decocting or warm soaking, the odor is intense, resulting in nausea and vomiting. This indicates that the release of stenchy odor components is intensified when Pheretima was exposed to hot water. It is urgent to study the composition and release pattern of the stenchy odor components of Pheretima. In this study, a series of samples with different odors were prepared by the combination of SFE-CO2 and warm soaking. The results showed that the fishy and smoky odor of Pheretima were heavier, attributed to the components such as dimethyl trisulfide, TMA, and guaiacol. When Pheretima was exposed to hot water, the fishy odor increased sharply. Dimethyl trisulfide and TMA were the key odor components, especially the exposure of TMA increased by 2∼3 times after warm soaking. The volatilization rate of n-hexanal, TMA, dimethyl trisulfide and other components was found to be highly volatile, and the volatilization rate at 75 °C was 2.5 times that at room temperature. This study proved for the first time that stenchy odor substances include two categories: water-soluble and liposoluble. And found that the water-soluble odor components accelerate their exposure and volatilization in warm water, which is the scientific principle of “Pheretima smells worse exposed to water”.

Germination characteristics of Angelica gigas and Angelica acutiloba as affected by cold stratification and hot water treatment before sowing

Germination characteristics of <i>Angelica gigas</i> and <i>Angelica acutiloba</i> as affected by cold stratification and hot water treatment before sowing

Has the energy poverty crisis fuelled a rise in hot water bottle burn injuries within the United Kingdom?

IntroductionThere are an estimated 10 million hot water bottles (HWB) currently in use within the United Kingdom (UK), and HWB related burn injuries represent a significant resource burden to UK Burns Services. These injuries can be caused through a variety of mechanisms including scalds sustained when filling the bottle or scalds from leaking or rupture. The fuel poverty crisis started in February 2022 leading to an estimated six-fold increase in alternative sources of heating, in particular hot water bottles. In this study, we wish to understand the impact that this may have had upon burn injuries sustained by these products. MethodsAll hot water bottle (HWB)-related injuries sustained January 2014 - February 2023 were retrieved from the UK International Burn Injury Database (IBID). Data were collected on patient demographics, injury mechanism, anatomical location, and clinical outcomes. The data were collated and analysed; statistical analysis was performed using R StudioTM. Patient levelling costs were also incorporated to enable translation of these data into healthcare costs. ResultsA total of 5944 HWB-related burn injuries were recorded in the IBID database in England and Wales, from 2014 to 2023, with a mean of 594 (SD 146.2) burn injuries annually, costing an estimated £ 12.7 million. There were 423 burn injuries sustained from HWB in winter 2022 compared to 295 in winter 2021, representing a 43.4 % increase over one year, with a corresponding increase of 43.1 % in the number of patients managed in an outpatient setting. The largest increase in burn incidence between winter 2021 and winter 2022 was seen in children (0–16 years old) and older adults (greater than 65 years old) with a rise of 60.3 % (n = 41) and 68.5 % (n = 37) respectively. ConclusionOur epidemiological study on hot water bottle (HWB)-related burn injuries within the United Kingdom has shown that the dramatic rise in fuel prices, which sparked the fuel poverty crises, has coincided with a 43.4 % increase in HWB burns incidence on the health service in that year alone. This alarming rise in HWB-related injuries highlights the continued need for targeted public awareness campaigns to ensure a safe and proper use of these devices.

Experimental and numerical study on the flow and heat transfer of ring-ribbed tank in deep-sea manned submersible

The ring-ribbed tank is the key equipment of cooling system of deep-sea manned submersible. The heat transfer characteristics of the outer wall and the heat transfer and flow characteristics of the inner flow channel of the ring-ribbed tank for different inlet and outlet temperatures and flow rates were studied through a water tank test. The results indicate that Nusselt number for the inner flow channel correlates with Reynolds and Prandtl numbers, while for the outer wall, it correlates with Grashof and Prandtl numbers with an overall error within 5%. A numerical study using the Realizable k-ε turbulence model and Boussinesq approximation of the flow-solid conjugate heat transfer is conducted, which can accurately determine the heat exchange capacity and the import and export differential pressure with an average relative error of 1.98% for hot water temperature and 7.73% for shell wall temperature. Additional simulations for determining the heat transfer capacity and flow resistance characteristics of the ring-ribbed tank in open water results demonstrate that the differential pressure and its coefficient are basically consistent with model test results. The cooling system can achieve a heat transfer rate of up to 17 kW with an external seawater flow velocity of approximately 2 knots.

Efficient fabrication of cellulose polymer networks via alkaline swelling strategy for wood bonding

Existing issues with bio-based adhesives, such as complex preparation processes, high energy consumption, and production costs, still need to be addressed. In our study, APTES was grafted onto microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) to generate active aminated cellulose, and then reacted with the epoxide group in glycerol triglycidyl ether (GTE) through a swelling strategy under alkaline solvent, forming a network structure via covalent cross-linking. The adhesive exhibits superior bonding performance and water-resistant property in the bonding strength test of poplar plywood, with a dry shear strength of 2.40 MPa, a wet shear strength of 2.16 MPa after soaking in 63 °C hot water, and a wet shear strength of 1.79 MPa after soaking in boiling water. In terms of cost calculation, the theoretical production cost of AC-GTE adhesive is calculated to be 5303.7 RMB per ton, which is comparable to that of phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin and other petrochemical-based adhesives, and significantly lower than that of isocyanate-based adhesives. These research results can provide a practical example for producing high-efficiency, aldehyde-free, and low-cost bio-based adhesives.

호랑가시나무 잎 추출물의 항염 및 항산화 활성 비교 분석

In this study, the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative activities and content of chlorogenic acid were compared for the 50%, 80% ethanol (EtOH) and hot water extracts of Ilex cornuta leaves collected from Jeju. The yield of each extract was 14.8% (50% EtOH), 15.2% (80% EtOH) and 15.6% (hot water), it was similar to each other. In anti-inflammatory tests using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages, the 80% EtOH extract had superior effects in inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO) than 50% EtOH and hot water extracts. Upon the anti-oxidative experiments by DPPH radical, potent radical scavenging activity was observed in the 80% EtOH extract. In addition, the content of chlorogenic acid was determined by HPLC and the quantity was about 9.3 mg/g for the 80% EtOH extract, which was the highest among all of the extracts. Based on these results, it was suggested that the 80% EtOH extract of I. cornuta leaves could be potentially applicable as natural source for anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative ingredients in cosmetic formulations.

A Case of Severe Friction Melanosis Improved by Intake of Food Containing Hot Water Extract of &lt;i&gt;Coix lacryma-jobi&lt;/i&gt; L. var. &lt;i&gt;ma-yuen&lt;/i&gt; Stapf with Husks

A Case of Severe Friction Melanosis Improved by Intake of Food Containing Hot Water Extract of &lt;i&gt;Coix lacryma-jobi&lt;/i&gt; L. var. &lt;i&gt;ma-yuen&lt;/i&gt; Stapf with Husks

Quantitative design criterion for mechanical interface functionalization regarding adhesion strength in chemically pre-treated polymer-metal hybrids using fractal dimension

ABSTRACT Polymer-metal hybrids (PMH) are common lightweight materials, whereas adhesion between metal and polymer is largely determined by the metallic surface design. Approaches in interface functionalization comprise both, mechanical and chemical surface modification. Therefore, surface modification on aluminum EN AW-6082 has been conducted prior to thermal joining to glass-fiber reinforced polyamide 6. Laser beam machining with a variation of structure density was carried out to produce defined groove structures. In addition, chemical surface modification by Boehmite hot water treatment as well as organo-silane couple agents were realized. Subsequently, the joint strength was assessed in lap shear tests. In order to quantitatively correlate the features of surface structure to the joint strength, regression analysis considering different chemical states were conducted. Hereby, the surface structure was represented on the one hand by the structure density and on the other hand by the calculated fractal dimension on cross-sectional images. The results revealed that using both, mechanical and chemical surface modification by laser machining as well as silanization, not only added together but moreover acted beneficial to each other. In addition, the fractal dimension proved to be a promising design criterion for linear correlation of joint strength independent of the chemical state.

Оценка эффективности завихрения воздуха при распылении водоугольных суспензий пневматической форсункой

Due to modern requirements for environmental protection, introduction of environmentally friendly power engineering technologies involves search and development of new energy sources. One of the ways to meet these requirements and maintain the same level of energy production by thermal power plants is to use multicomponent fuels. The most promising and affordable heavy fuel oil from the point of view of energy, ecology and economy are coal-water slurries (CWS). In this regard, the study of the properties and characteristics of such fuels is relevant. The coal-water slurries have been prepared in a rotary hydrodynamic cavitation generator. A pneumatic atomizer with external mixing is used to spray the coal-water slurries. Interferometric Particle Imaging method is used to determine the average size of fuel droplets after atomization. The authors have conducted experimental studies of the characteristics of atomization of coal-water slurries based on lignite and pyrogenetic liquid with a pneumatic atomizer with a tangential supply of a spraying agent. A three-stage method to prepare lignite-based slurries with pyrogenetic liquid has been tested. It has been established that when using this technique, the fluidity of coal-water fuel is maintained even with the introduction of 20 % by weight of pyrogenetic liquid into the composition of coal-water slurries when replacing both water and coal in equal proportions. The kinematic viscosity of coal-water suspensions increases when pyrogenetic liquid is added, despite a decrease in the concentration of the solid component. The change of suspension density is insignificant. The results of the study of atomization process have shown that the tangential air supply to the atomizer leads to an increase of the jet spraying angle by 6° compared with direct supply. At the same time, the average droplet size in the jet of a two-component CWS with direct air supply is 8 % smaller. The results of the study have made it possible to obtain completely new knowledge that can significantly advance domestic and world science and technology in the field of power engineering, namely the technology of coal-water fuels atomization. Experimental studies have determined the main patterns of influence of the CWS properties and the method of spraying agent supply on the formation of a gas-drop jet. Such patterns will provide conditions for the effective atomization of quite viscous CWS in the combustion chambers of energy boilers. The results obtained will enable designers and constructors to develop highly efficient designs of steam and hot water boilers and gasifiers fueled by CWS.

Research and development of ground source heat pump system for Installation in facilities with hot water supply load

Research and development of ground source heat pump system for Installation in facilities with hot water supply load

Improvement Plan for Prevention of Safety Accidents in Old Facilities

Recently developed buildings are becoming larger, more complex, and higher-rise. After the announcement of the first new city in 1989, other first new cities were created in Bundang New Town in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, and Ilsan New Town in Goyang-si, where occupancy began in 1992. Subsequently, second new cities were built in 12 locations in 2003. In 2018, third new cities were announced, including the Wangsuk District in Namyangju-si, Gyosan District in Hanam-si, and Gyeyang District in Incheon. The continued announcement of new cities suggests the existence of old equipment in first and second new cities, necessitating the safety management of old facilities. Among major building facilities, cases of safety accidents have been reported due to aging, explosion of refrigerators, fires from aging water substation facilities, and power outages. In December 2018, an accident occurred in which one person was killed and 20 people were injured when a hot water pipe at the regional heating corporation near Baekseok Station in Ilsan ruptured because of aging. Thus, the aging of facilities is a major cause of safety accidents, and the scale of accidents is also increasing, making it urgent to establish improvement measures to counteract the occurrence of accidents in old facilities. To prevent safety accidents in old facilities, this study intends to contribute to safety accident prevention by presenting a replacement standard for the main facility through facility expert surveys and domestic and international useful prior research life management case studies.

Dynamic borate ester bond reinforced hydroxyethyl cellulose/corn starch crosslinked film for simple recycling and regeneration

Endowing biodegradable plastics with easy recyclability can reduce competition with food resources and further enhance their environmental friendliness. In this work, 4-carboxyphenylboronic acid was grafted onto the side chains of hydroxyethyl cellulose and compounded with inexpensive cornstarch. Upon the introduction of tannic acid, stable and reversible borate ester bond rapidly formed, yielding composite biodegradable plastic films with outstanding mechanical properties and facile recyclability. The formation of a dynamic cross-linked network mitigates the aggregation of gelatinized starch molecules, enhancing the flexibility and durability of the crosslinked film. Testing revealed that while maintaining high tensile strength, the elongation at break of the crosslinked film increased by 952.86 %. The static water contact angle was improved from 32.74° to 78.82°, with a change of <5° within 1 min, demonstrating enhanced water resistance. Excellent antioxidant and thermal stability were also characterized, the crosslinked film can be easily dissolved by heating in water at pH = 6.5 and reshaped in water at pH = 7.2. After five times of regeneration, the tensile strength loss was as low as 5.68 %. This eco-friendly and efficient recycling process is promising during green chemistry.

Improving the yield of levoglucosan platform chemical from the pyrolysis of date pits waste biomass through pre-treatments

Lignocellulosic biomass, as the primary carbon source, serves as the foundation for the entire biorefinery concept. In this regard, date pits constitute an important category of biomass waste in many parts of the world. Levoglucosan, also known as 1,6-anhydro-β-d-glucopyranose (LG), is a significant sugar derivative and a platform chemical produced as a primary product in the cellulose pyrolysis process. Aiming to further improve the yield of levoglucosan from pyrolysis of date pits, pre-treatment methods were carried out via washing crushed date pits with different concentrations of selected acids (sulfuric acid: 1 M/3 M, nitric acid:1 M/3 M), and with hot water. The chemical and elemental compositions of the five considered samples were thoroughly analyzed and characterized by a wide array of ultimate and proximate techniques such as Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF %), ASH content and organic Matter (%), and Mineral Nutrients Profile (ppm). By utilizing Py-GC/MS system, the product distribution from pyrolysis of raw and treated date pits was obtained at a range of temperatures between 300 and 500 °C. Compared to the raw date pits, pyrolysis of treated date pits pre-treated by 1 M H2SO4 acid exhibited a dramatic increase in the concentration of levoglucosan due to the profound removal of the various categories of minerals in date pits and an increase in the NDF %. A positive correlation prevails between the removal efficiency of alkali/alkaline earth metals (AAEMs) and the yield of LG. The former catalyzes ring-opening reaction that results in the destruction of sugar derivatives. On the other hand, pre-treatment with water also increases the yield of LG compared to raw date pits, but to a lesser extent. Outcomes demonstrated herein convey a practical method to enhance the production of commodity chemicals from waste biomass.

Biological Activities and Importance of the Medicinal Plant, Commiphora gileadensis Collected from Makka Region, Saudi Arabia

Objective: This study aimed to discover safe antibacterial and antibiofilm agents from natural sources to control resistant bacteria. Methods: C. gileadensis leaves and stems were collected, identified, and extracted using different organic solvents, methanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hot water. The tested bacteria were multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Listeria monocytogenes, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Crystal violet method was used to detect biofilm formation while the phenol-sulphonic acid method to measure exopolysaccharide contents, which are an effective factor in biofilm formation. Results: No significant differences were noted in the biological activities between leave and stem. Ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts showed lower activities. Still, hot water extract showed the weakest activities.There is a synergistic effect between the Commiphora extract and some antibiotics, especially Amoxicillin, Polymixin B, and Tetracycline. The highest inhibition of biofilm was recorded against K. pneumonia which had the highest EPS content (0.29 ±0.04 μg/mg of cells), decreased after treatment with plant extract by 39%. Cytotoxicity studies using Artimia salina as a test organism were conducted for the methanolic extracts, which showed antitumor activity against two cell lines, MCF-7 (breast cancer) and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma). Commiphora extract showed antioxidant activity using two different protocols. Conclusion, the methanolic extract of Commiphora singly or in combination with antibiotics inhibit many pathogenic bacteria that form biofilm and recorded antitumor and antioxidant activities.

Organic-inorganic hybrid-modified polyester/cotton fabric: Strategy for enhanced flame retardancy, chemical stability and amphiphobicity

As surface treatments for the application of functional components to substrates have gained increasing attention, there is a growing interest in endowing fabrics with multiple functionalities in addition to flame retardancy. This study describes the successful formation of a fluorination treatment of Al2O3 cross-linked onto the surface of a self-assembled PEI/PA coating for polyester/cotton (PC) fabrics. This coating approach aims to improve the flame retardancy, amphiphobicity, chemical stability, and self-cleaning properties of PC fabrics. The treated fabrics demonstrated exceptional fire resistance, with a significant reduction of 55.4 % in the peak heat release rate (pHRR) during combustion. Correspondingly, there was a decrease of 53.8 % in the peak release rate of CO2, while the limiting oxygen index increased from 17.9 % to 30.4 %. Additionally, the contact angles of water, glycol, and peanut oil droplets before and after treatment increased from 20.4°, 65.1°, and 34.6° to 146.0°, 143.1°, and 97.9°, respectively. The coating exhibits durable self-cleaning performance in both ambient and hot water and remains stable across a pH range of 1–14. This research offers a viable pathway for achieving flame retardancy on fabrics while enhancing their multifunctionality.

In vitro and in vivo effects of pectin‐type polysaccharides isolated from crabapples (Malus prunifolia) on inflammatory colitis models

SummaryThe aim of this study was to investigate the anti‐inflammatory effects of polysaccharides extracted from crabapples (Malus prunifolia; MP) in vitro and in vivo. Crabapples were subjected to hot water extraction to obtain MP‐HW, which was further separated into low (MP‐L) and high molecular weight (MW) (crude polysaccharide; MP‐CP) fractions by ethanol precipitation. Based on MW distribution, general composition, component sugars, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, MP‐CP was identified as a pectin‐type polysaccharide rich in galacturonic acid with an MW of 106.2 kDa. MP‐CP inhibited the production and mRNA expression of proinflammatory factors in an IL‐1β‐treated intestinal epithelial cell model. In addition, MP‐CP significantly alleviated the body weight, disease activity index score, colon length, and spleen weight in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis. The MP‐CP‐treated group showed effective regulation of the expression of pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory factors and immunoglobulin A than the DSS‐treated group. Haematoxylin and eosin and Alcian blue staining revealed that MP‐CP alleviated inflammatory manifestations and mucin expression in the intestinal lumen. Collectively, pectin‐type polysaccharides isolated from crabapples may be used as a new functional food and pharmaceutical agent for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory colitis.

Extract of Bitter Melon &lt;i&gt;Citrullus colocynthis&lt;/i&gt; Leaves as a Promising Insecticide against the Grain Wheat Aphid &lt;i&gt;Schizaphis graminum&lt;/i&gt;

This study aimed to evaluate the biological effect of bitter melon Citrullus colocynthis leaf extracts on the mortality using hot water and organic solvent extracts (ethyl alcohol, hexane) effects on the nymph, winged, and nonwinged adults of the wheat grain aphid Schizaphis graminum were evaluated. Results indicated that the ethyl alcohol extract is more effective than the hexane and hot water extracts on mortality rates. The highest mortality rate of the nymphs was caused by the ethyl alcohol extracts (75.63, 59.20, and 53.49%) at a concentration of 0.7 g/ ℓ, respectively.

Dynamic analysis of an adiabatic compressed air energy storage system with temperature-regulated in air tanks

In this study, an innovative temperature regulation method is developed to augment the air storage capacity of adiabatic compressed air energy storage. Hot water, produced by recovering waste heat from the discharging process, is injected into these tanks to control the air temperature as needed. The transient-state calculation models have been established for each component, and validation is performed using experimental data obtained from published work. The utilization of proportion integration differentiation control technology enables precise regulation of the air outlet temperature of heat exchangers, achieving a control accuracy of 1K. The operational status of the components has been investigated, and a comparison is made between the performances of the modified and traditional adiabatic compressed air energy storage systems. The comparative analysis results show that the modified system can achieve a notable round trip efficiency of 71.71 %, which is comparable to that of conventional system (71.41 %). The effective air storage density of the modified system is 47.24 kg/m3, which presents a 15.08 % increase compared to traditional system (41.05 kg/m3). The influence of discharge pressure and pressure difference between threshold pressure and discharge pressure is also investigated. It is found that the modified adiabatic compressed air energy storage shows a consistently greater effective air storage density than traditional system, with a minimum increase exceeding 10.52 %.

Developing a Typology Based on Energy Practices and Environmental Attitudes

The European Union is increasingly directing efforts and resources toward promoting the adoption of energy saving measures among citizens, but the effectiveness of these efforts cannot be ensured if the heterogeneity of citizens is neglected. This paper assesses whether Greek citizens present heterogeneity in terms of their energy behavior and investigates whether they can be classified based on the practices they apply to reduce energy costs and their environmental attitudes. To that end, the study collected a representative citizen sample, and k-means cluster analysis was performed. Results indicated significant heterogeneity and four clusters were identified: ‘Extreme heat savers and pro-environmental food consumers’ saved on heating but neglected practices regarding lighting, hot water use, and transport; ‘Heat savers and environmentally unaware’ applied energy saving measures only to lower heating costs; ‘Environmentally aware energy savers’ were the most engaged segment in the application of energy saving measures driven by pro-environmental attitudes; and ‘Mindful resources and transport users’ did not apply any measures for heating despite having positive attitudes in terms of electricity, water and transport use. Therefore, it is necessary to train citizens on pro-environmental practices, and in doing so, the recorded heterogeneity can guide the design of differentiated and effective approaches.