Plant Fibers Research Articles

БИОУДОБРЕНИЯ ПРОТИВ ВИЛТА ХЛОПЧАТНИКА

The article provides information about the biofertilizer preparation "Fulfohumat "Ivan Ovsinsky"® and the results of its use against cotton wilt. When processing cotton with a preparation with a norm of 500 ml per hectare in the conditions of takyrovid soils of the southern regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Kashkadarya region), the incidence of cotton fusarium wilt decreases by 1.6 times, the efficiency is 83.9%, the number of dried plants decreases by 2.9 times, the weight of raw one box increases by 5.6%, the weight of 1000 seeds by 0.33% and fiber length by 1.5%. The yarn spinning coefficient has increased from a medium degree (130-140) to a high degree (140-149) or from a low degree (120-129) to a very high degree (150). The micronair of cotton fiber in treated plants has become softer — from 0.04 to 0.46 degrees. After treatment with the drug, the fibers in sick plants were lengthened by 0.016–0.018 inches, and in healthy plants the fiber length was shortened by 0.009 inches.

Peripheral Amino Acid Appearance Is Lower Following Plant Protein Fibre Products, Compared to Whey Protein and Fibre Ingestion, in Healthy Older Adults despite Optimised Amino Acid Profile.

Plant-based proteins are generally characterised by lower Indispensable Amino Acid (IAA) content, digestibility, and anabolic properties, compared to animal-based proteins. However, they are environmentally friendlier, and wider consumption is advocated. Older adults have higher dietary protein needs to prevent sarcopenia, a disease marked by an accelerated loss of muscle mass and function. Given the lower environmental footprint of plant-based proteins and the importance of optimising dietary protein quality among older adults, this paper aims to assess the net peripheral Amino Acid (AA) appearance after ingestion of three different plant protein and fibre (PPF) products, compared to whey protein with added fibre (WPF), in healthy older adults. In a randomised, single-blind, crossover design, nine healthy men and women aged ≥65 years consumed four test meals balanced in AA according to the FAO reference protein for humans, matched for leucine, to optimally stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older adults. A fasted blood sample was drawn at each visit before consuming the test meal, followed by postprandial arterialise blood sampling every 30 min for 3 h. The test meal was composed of a soup containing either WPF or PPF 1-3. The PPF blends comprised pea proteins with varying additional rice, pumpkin, soy, oat, and/or almond protein. PPF product ingestion resulted in a lower maximal increase of postprandial leucine concentration and the sum of branched-chain AA (BCAA) and IAA concentrations, compared to WPF, with no effect on their incremental area under the curve. Plasma methionine and cysteine, and to a lesser extent threonine, appearance were limited after consuming the PPF products, but not WPF. Despite equal leucine doses, the WPF induced greater postprandial insulin concentrations than the PPF products. In conclusion, the postprandial appearance of AA is highly dependent on the protein source in older adults, despite providing equivalent IAA levels and dietary fibre. Coupled with lower insulin concentrations, this could imply less anabolic potential. Further investigation is required to understand the applicability of plant-based proteins in healthy older adults.

Supercritical CO2 Assisted TiO2 Preparation to Improve the UV Resistance Properties of Cotton Fiber.

Cotton fiber is favored by people because of its good moisture absorption, heat preservation, soft feel, comfortable wearing and other excellent performance. In recent years, due to the destruction of the ozone layer, the intensity of ultraviolet radiation at ground level has increased. Cotton fiber will degrade under long time ultraviolet irradiation, which limits the outdoor application of cotton fiber. In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles were prepared on the surface of cotton fibers with the help of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) to improve the UV resistance of cotton fibers. The effects of SCCO2 treatment on the morphology, surface composition, thermal stability, photostability and mechanical properties of TiO2 were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, UV-VIS spectroscopy, and single fiber test. The results showed that TiO2 particles were generated on the fiber surface, which reduced the photo-degradation rate of cotton fiber. This is because TiO2 can absorb UV rays and reduce the absorption of UV rays by the cotton fiber itself. The synthesis process of SCCO2 is simple and environmentally friendly, which provides a promising technology for the synthesis of metal nitrogen dioxide on natural plant fibers.

Microbiota-host crosstalk in the newborn and adult rumen at single-cell resolution

BackgroundThe rumen is the hallmark organ of ruminants, playing a vital role in their nutrition and providing products for humans. In newborn suckling ruminants milk bypasses the rumen, while in adults this first chamber of the forestomach has developed to become the principal site of microbial fermentation of plant fibers. With the advent of single-cell transcriptomics, it is now possible to study the underlying cell composition of rumen tissues and investigate how this relates the development of mutualistic symbiosis between the rumen and its epithelium-attached microbes.ResultsWe constructed a comprehensive cell landscape of the rumen epithelium, based on single-cell RNA sequencing of 49,689 high-quality single cells from newborn and adult rumen tissues. Our single-cell analysis identified six immune cell subtypes and seventeen non-immune cell subtypes of the rumen. On performing cross-species analysis of orthologous genes expressed in epithelial cells of cattle rumen and the human stomach and skin, we observed that the species difference overrides any cross-species cell-type similarity. Comparing adult with newborn cattle samples, we found fewer epithelial cell subtypes and more abundant immune cells, dominated by T helper type 17 cells in the rumen tissue of adult cattle. In newborns, there were more fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, an IGFBP3+ epithelial cell subtype not seen in adults, while dendritic cells were the most prevalent immune cell subtype. Metabolism-related functions and the oxidation-reduction process were significantly upregulated in adult rumen epithelial cells. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and absolute quantitative real-time PCR, we found that epithelial Desulfovibrio was significantly enriched in the adult cattle. Integrating the microbiome and metabolome analysis of rumen tissues revealed a high co-occurrence probability of Desulfovibrio with pyridoxal in the adult cattle compared with newborn ones while the scRNA-seq data indicated a stronger ability of pyroxidal binding in the adult rumen epithelial cell subtypes. These findings indicate that Desulfovibrio and pyridoxal likely play important roles in maintaining redox balance in the adult rumen.ConclusionsOur integrated multi-omics analysis provides novel insights into rumen development and function and may facilitate the future precision improvement of rumen function and milk/meat production in cattle.

Meso-micro-nanoscale experiments and simulations on the hierarchical interfaces of composites

<p indent="0mm">Plant fibers possess the advantages of green environmental protection and abundant sources. They exhibit specific mechanical properties comparable to man-made fibers and can become an important reinforcement of composites. Their unique hierarchical structures affect the load transfer mode of plant fiber reinforced composites (PFRCs). To serve the task of interfacial design of PFRCs, it is necessary to quantify their hierarchical interfacial properties. First, by applying the nanoindentation technology, the mechanical properties of the multi-layer interface of PFRCs, including the modulus, hardness, energy dissipation, and ability of crack initiation and propagation, were measured using the single-step and multi-step static nanoindentation methods. Subsequently, the fatigue characteristics of multiple interfaces in PFRCs under cyclic loading were evaluated via the nanoscale dynamic mechanical analysis. Finally, combined with the finite element simulation at the mesoscale, the multi-stage failure behavior of the hierarchical interfaces in the composites was presented by introducing multiple interface performance parameters obtained at the nanoscale. The results showed that the hierarchical structure of plant fibers was associated with the multi-stage failure behavior of PFRCs. The hierarchical interfacial failure caused by the crack initiation and propagation at the three types of interfaces occurred sequentially. The experimental results at the nanoscale provide support and basis for an in-depth analysis of the interfacial properties and failure mechanisms of composites on meso-microscale.

Research Note: Effects of fiber source on the physicochemical properties of lean poultry meat products

Plant fiber addition (citrus A and B, apple, pea, bamboo, and sugar cane) to lean turkey meat was evaluated and texture, yield, and microstructure were compared to a control. The best 2 were the sugar cane and apple peel fibers which reduced cooking loss, and increased hardness by 20% compared to the control. The bamboo fibers significantly improved hardness but not yield, while the citrus A and apple fibers reduced cooking loss but did not affect hardness. The differences in the effect of fiber type on texture appear to be related to their origin (e.g., sugar cane and bamboo originating from large plants requiring strong fibers, compared citrus and apple fruits), and fiber length determined by the fiber extraction procedure.

An Analysis of the Plant- and Animal-Based Hydrocolloids as Byproducts of the Food Industry.

Hydrocolloids are naturally occurring polysaccharides or proteins, which are used to gelatinize, modify texture, and thicken food products, and are also utilized in edible films and drug capsule production. Moreover, several hydrocolloids are known to have a positive impact on human health, including prebiotics rich in bioactive compounds. In this paper, plant-derived hydrocolloids from arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea), kuzu (Pueraria montana var lobata), Sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) leaves, sugarcane, acorn, and animal-derived gelatin have been reviewed. Hydrocolloid processing, utilization, physicochemical activities, composition, and health benefits have been described. The food industry generates waste such as plant parts, fibers, residue, scales, bones, fins, feathers, or skin, which are often discarded back into the environment, polluting it or into landfills, where they provide no use and generate transport and storage costs. Food industry waste frequently contains useful compounds, which can yield additional income if acquired, thus decreasing the environmental pollution. Despite conventional manufacturing, the aforementioned hydrocolloids can be recycled as byproducts, which not only minimizes waste, lowers transportation and storage expenses, and boosts revenue, but also enables the production of novel, functional, and healthy food additives for the food industry worldwide.

Antioxidant and Chemopreventive Activity of Protein Hydrolysates from Raw and Germinated Flour of Legumes with Commercial Interest in Colorectal Cancer.

Legumes are a highly nutritious source of plant protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins. However, they also contain several bioactive compounds with significant potential benefits for human health. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antioxidant, antitumor and chemopreventive activity of functional extracts from legumes using raw and germinated flours of six legume species of commercial interest. The methodology carried out consisted on the development of protein hydrolysates, assessment of their antioxidant capacity and in vitro tests on T84, HCT15 and SW480 colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. Our results showed a high antitumor activity of protein hydrolysate from M. sativa. Likewise, when combined with 5-Fluorouracile (5-Fu), there was a synergistic effect using extract concentrations from 50 to 175 µg/mL and 5-Fu concentrations from 1.5 to 5 µM. Similarly, the induction effect on detoxifying enzymes by the extracts of M. sativa, germinated V. faba Baraca × LVzt1 and V. narbonensis, which produced a higher induction rate than the positive control sulforaphane (10 µM), should be highlighted. Therefore, incorporating these enzymes into the diet could provide nutritional effects, as well as play an effective role in cancer chemoprevention and therapy.

Valuing Ecosystem Services Provided by Pasture-Based Beef Farms in Alentejo, Portugal

This work aims to measure and value the ecosystem services of grasslands and croplands covered by pasture-based beef farms in Alentejo. It combines pixel-level data from the Portuguese Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem Services study and farm-level data from 40 farms. Five ecosystem services were considered: soil protection, carbon sequestration, support to extensive animal production, plant food production and fiber production. Two different approaches for service quantification were used: an “average class” method and a “buffer” approach. Double counting issues were avoided by applying a specific methodology developed for this study. The results obtained were similar for both approaches in the case of grasslands, with an average value between 146 and 176 €/ha/year. For croplands, the average service value oscillated between 40 and 166 €/ha/year. Soil protection was the most valuable service, with over 90% of the total value. Extrapolating these results for the entire region, the five ecosystem services were estimated to be worth between 173 M€ (class method) and 223 M€ (buffer approach). These results suggest that pasture-based beef farms in Alentejo help to provide a significant number of ecosystem services with positive environmental effects that are currently not remunerated by the market.

A Review on Enteric Coated Tablet

Some of the purpose of tablet coating are masking flavour, fragrance overlapping, Environmental protection, prevent drug from gastric acid .Enteric coated tablets are solid unit dosage forms which are designed to bypass the stomach and release the drug in small intestine and are meant for oral administration. The word “enteric” indicates small intestine; therefore enteric coatings prevent release of medication before it reaches the small intestine.Most enteric coating works by presenting a surface that is stable at the highly acidic pH found in stomach, but breaks down rapidly at a less acidic pH. For e.g. they will not dissolve in the acidic juices of the stomach (pH-3), but will in the alkaline (pH7-9) environment present in the small intestine. Materials used for enteric coatings include CAP, CAT, PVAP and HPMCP, fatty acids, waxes, shellac, plastics and plant fibres.

Turning waste plant fibers into advanced plant fiber reinforced polymer composites: A comprehensive review

Plant fibers are increasingly used in fabricating polymer composite components useful in the automotive, construction, and aerospace industries. This surge in the usage of plant fibers in different industries is owing to the improved understanding of the toxicity of synthetic fibers. It is essential to point out that “Humans need earth, not earth needs humans” therefore policymakers and researchers are working on replacing traditional materials with green materials. Plant fibers are green materials with many advantages over synthetic materials, such as easy processing, reduction of CO2 emissions, biodegradable, recyclable, good thermomechanical properties, and better compatibility with human health. Therefore, plant fibers are extensively used as a modifier for polymers. The drawbacks of plant fibers are the presence of OH groups in their basic structure and the presence of amorphous components. Both these drawbacks can be reduced by chemically treating the fibers. Further coupling agents can be used to increase the compatibility between the fiber and polymer. It is reported that incorporating fibers (non-continuous or continuous), and fiber mats as a reinforcement for polymers improve the mechanical, thermal resistance, thermal conductivity, and surface properties. Accelerated aging studies also reported favourable results for the use of plant fiber-based composites for long-term outdoor applications. However, plant fibers have lower strength and are hydrophilic compared to synthetic fibers, more research is required to overcome fully these drawbacks. This review examines and discusses the fundamentals of plant fiber, its processing, drawbacks, recent research trends, composites properties, prospects, and potential applications.

Domestic Sewage Effluent Increases Plant Growth, Yield, and Fiber Quality of Cotton Cv. BRS 335

ABSTRACT Semi-arid regions have low water availability, and water reuse in irrigation is an alternative to enable satisfactory agricultural yields in the Brazilian semi-arid region. To evaluate the effects of irrigation with sewage effluent and phosphate fertilization on upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. BRS 335), we irrigated the cotton plant only with well water (control) or irrigated it with a solution containing 50 and 100% effluent sewage, in soil with and without pre-planting phosphate fertilization. For plant growth analysis, we considered time as the third factor. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with six replicates, during two cotton cycles in the open field. Plant growth, yield, and fiber quality increased with the application of sewage effluent compared to the control. The control obtained cotton fiber yields of 740 and 741 kg ha−1 in the first and second cycles, using 50% sewage effluent outperformed 240 and 290% of the control and using 100% sewage effluent outperformed 235 and 300% of the control, respectively. Pre-planting phosphate fertilization failed in upland cotton cv. BRS 335. Irrigation using 100% sewage effluent promotes more significant plant growth, production, and quality of cotton fiber.

Plant Fibers and the Application of Polymer-Composite Materials Based on Them: A Review

Plant Fibers and the Application of Polymer-Composite Materials Based on Them: A Review

Mechanical characterization and environmental assessment of stabilized earth blocks

Soil is a local material which allows populations in warm regions to better cope with severe environmental conditions. The materials’ performance depends on the chemical and physical nature of the soil. The greatest problem with these materials remains their high sensitivity to shrinkage, and their vulnerability in terms of cracking due to drying. These pathologies may lead to a radical decrease in their mechanical performance. Several works have indicated that the consideration of plant fibers, as reinforcement in earth materials, made it possible to avoid cracking, and, thus, ensure the stability of structures. These results are not generalizable and depend on the involved materials. This work aims to investigate different scenarios for the stabilization of earth blocks. In this context, the use of cement with two types of natural fibers for the stabilization of Lebanese earth blocks has been studied. The mechanical properties of stabilized earth blocks have shown that the developed mix provides suitable results compared to the traditional masonry block. The environmental impacts of earth blocks have been compared using SimaPro software. The results of this study show that the stabilized earth blocks are gaining their place as a sustainable, affordable building material suitable for low-cost construction.

Centennial records of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon in Altay Mountains peatlands, Xinjiang, China

Black carbon (BC) is an important inert carbon component in the cycling process of surface carbon. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a kind of thick cyclic organic compounds with carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic effects. The incomplete burning process of biomass and carbolic fuel is the important source of their co-occurrence. This study collected a 60-cm peat core from the Jiadengyu (JDY), Altay Mountain. The core was dated using the 210Pb and 137Cs methods. The results showed BC, total organic carbon, and PAHs of the JDY peat core to be 1.14–72.6 mg g−1, 17.09–47.2%, and 260.58–1,610.77 ng·g−1, respectively. δ13CBC was between −31.5 and − 29.4‰ (mean of −30.56‰). The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated irregular or lumpy peat BC particles, retaining a plant fiber structure. δ13CBC, ratios of PAHs, and the SEM revealed that the BC to be the dominant source of biomass combustion in the peatland. BC showed an increasing trend between 1950 and 1980, after which it decreased. The discrepancy between the change in BC and δ13CBC from the national pattern of BC emission likely reflects the effect of local agricultural exploration, and thus an increase in crop burning.

Properties of flame-retardant leaf fiber cement-based composites at high temperatures

Flame retardant modification of leaf fibers was carried out to solve the technical problem of poor fire resistance of plant fibers and improve the utilization rate of urban fallen leaves in building materials. The modification scheme adopts three flame retardants, i.e., ammonium polyphosphate (APP), magnesium hydroxide (MH), and aluminum hydroxide (ATH), and two covering layers, i.e., pure acrylic polymer lotion and water glass (Na2O · nSiO2) solution. The modified leaf fiber's combustion behavior and pyrolysis properties were tested and analyzed. The physical and mechanical characteristics, as well as the thermal insulation qualities, of leaf fiber cement-based composites (LFCC) were studied at high temperatures. The findings revealed that the three flame retardants had an effect on the chemical structure of leaf fibers. In comparison to leaf fibers without flame-retardant modification, flame-retardant-modified leaf fibers have a much greater thermal stability. and its LOI is greater than 27.0%, which is a fire-retardant material. Except for the sample with water glass as the modified cover layer, at high temperatures, the composite flame-retardant fiber LFCC's mass-loss rate is lower compared with fibers without flame-retardant modification or fibers modified with only one kind of flame-retardant. In the composite flame-retardant modified fiber LFCC, the samples with better strength at high temperature are those with ATH replacing 30% and 50% MH. The thermal conductivity of LFCC is negatively correlated with the range of temperature change.

Study and conservation of a heritage artifact composed of plant fibers and embroidered with colored wool thread

Study and conservation of a heritage artifact composed of plant fibers and embroidered with colored wool thread

Igbo-Ukwu Textiles: AMS Dating and Fiber Analysis

Thurstan Shaw’s excavations at Igbo-Ukwu revealed many artifacts and technologies that remain astonishing, unique, and incompletely understood, both within Africa and more broadly, even after 50 years. Among these are the textiles recovered primarily from Igbo Isaiah, where fragments were preserved by contact with the bronze artifacts gathered in what has been interpreted as a shrine. In the 1960s, an analysis of 20 textile samples was unable to identify the plant fibers used to weave the fabric. In this article, we report the results of new fiber identifications based on the SEM study of two Igbo-Ukwu fabric samples curated by the British Museum. The combination of bast fibers from one or more species of the fig tree (Ficus genus) and leaf fibers from Raphia sp. provides evidence of a complex indigenous weaving technology that has largely disappeared from Africa. An AMS date on one of the samples provides an important new element to our understanding of the culture and chronology of Igbo-Ukwu. A final section positions the Igbo-Ukwu cloth within the known history of textiles in Africa, emphasizing sub-Saharan West Africa over the past two millennia.

Extraction and Characterization of Fiber from the Stem of Cyperus Papyrus Plant

ABSTRACT Owing to environmental concerns caused by the use of synthetic fibers, there is an urgent need to find new eco-friendly fibers. In addition, conventional cellulosic fibers are becoming costly due to an increase in production cost, therefore, sustainable alternative sources of eco-friendly fibers need to be explored. This study investigates the extraction and characterization of fibers from the Cyperus papyrus plant and evaluates its potential as textile fibers. Cyperus papyrus plant fibers were extracted using water retting and alkaline extraction methods and their mechanical, physical, thermal, and chemical properties were studied. The fiber’s chemical composition was established and alkaline extracted fibers contained 61.82% cellulose, 11.82% hemicellulose, 23.6% lignin, 3.86% ash, and 2.75% extractive while the water-retted fibers contained 57.98% cellulose, 13.45% hemicellulose, 25.42% lignin, 6.07% ash, and 3.15% extractive. The fineness of the extracted fibers was 8.38 and 7.31 Tex for water-retted and for alkaline extracted fibers, respectively. The average tensile strength of the extracted fibers ranged from 26.25 to 31.05cN/Tex. The average elongation of the fibers was between 2.02% and 2.79% while its thermal degradation temperature was as high as 150ºC. Compared with conventional fibers, the extracted fibers have the potential of replacing them based on the properties studied.

Soluble dietary fiber and cellulose from Saccharina japonica by-product ameliorate Loperamide-induced constipation via modulating enteric neurotransmitters, short-chain fatty acids and gut microbiota

The effects of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and cellulose (IDF) from Saccharina japonica by-product and their differences in improving constipation were further clarified in the present study. We demonstrated that SDF was mainly made up of d-mannuronic acid and d-mannose while IDF consisted of d-glucose , which is different from other reported dietary fibers of terrestrial plants. In this research, both SDF and IDF improved fecal-related indicators, gastrointestinal transit rate and histological morphology in Lop-induced mice. Moreover, they could increase the level of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GSH-Px), restore the expression of enteric neurotransmitters, and maintain the function of ZO-1, JAM-1 as well as Occludin. Interestingly, SDF and IDF had a significant up-regulated effect on the proportion of Muribaculacea, Prevotellaceaen and Lachnospiraceae, which are critical to preserving intestinal immune homeostasis. Besides, they promoted the biosynthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The overall index showed that SDF is more effective for constipation due to its better water retention capacity. Thus, they can be used as a safe dietary supplement for the treatment of chronic or occasional constipation in humans.