Variety Of Products Research Articles

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances alter innate immune function: evidence and data gaps

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a large class of compounds used in a variety of processes and consumer products. Their unique chemical properties make them ubiquitous and persistent environmental contaminants while also making them economically viable and socially convenient. To date, several reviews have been published to synthesize information regarding the immunotoxic effects of PFASs on the adaptive immune system. However, these reviews often do not include data on the impact of these compounds on innate immunity. Here, current literature is reviewed to identify and incorporate data regarding the effects of PFASs on innate immunity in humans, experimental models, and wildlife. Known mechanisms by which PFASs modulate innate immune function are also reviewed, including disruption of cell signaling, metabolism, and tissue-level effects. For PFASs where innate immune data are available, results are equivocal, raising additional questions about common mechanisms or pathways of toxicity, but highlighting that the innate immune system within several species can be perturbed by exposure to PFASs. Recommendations are provided for future research to inform hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk management practices for PFASs to protect the immune systems of exposed organisms as well as environmental health.

Antibacterial and antiviral PA6-AgNPs microfibers for application as a filter element in facial respirators

Polymeric microfibers are very interesting materials that can be associated with other nanomaterials aiming to obtain specific properties and be used in a wide range of applications. In this study, we prepared different formulations of polyamide 6 (PA6) containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and produced microfibers by solution blow spinning technique for its use as a filter element in a face respirator. The obtained samples were then characterized by field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS), water contact angle (WCA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and respirability and antibacterial, antiviral and cytotoxicity assays. In general, the microfibers were well dispersed and the AgNPs were evenly distributed throughout the samples, reflecting a hydrophilic character and good thermal stability, with a maximum weight loss of 2.9 % attributed to the evaporation of water molecules. The sample produced with a concentration of 10 mmol/L of silver nitrate presented acceptable levels of resistance to respiration. Concerning the microbiological analyses, the results showed that samples evidenced antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, forming inhibition halos of up to 4 mm in disk diffusion assays and inhibiting bacterial growth in liquid medium assays, as well as antiviral effect against betacoronavirus MHV-3, promoting a reduction of up to 99.9 % of viral particles. Moreover, the samples presented cytotoxicity on the first and second days, whereas on the seventh day some of the extracts did not show cytotoxic activity, indicating that the cells adapted to the culture medium. Considering the data set and the simple process of obtaining the microfibers, it was possible to conclude that this material can be applied as a filter element in a face respirator as well as in a variety of products with antibacterial and antiviral purposes.

Dieldrin accumulation, distribution in plant parts and phytoextraction potential for several plant species and Cucurbita pepo varieties

Dieldrin, an organochlorine pesticide (OCP) widely used for crop protection in the second half of the 20th century till the 70's, is worldwide still present in arable soils. It can be transferred to crops, notably cucurbits, depending on plant species and cultivars. Finding strategies to decrease OCP bioavailability in soil is therefore a main concern. Phytomanagement strategies could provide (i) ready-to-use short term solution for maintaining the production of edible plant parts with dieldrin concentrations below the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) and (ii) long-term solution for dieldrin phytoextraction reducing progressively its bioavailability in the soil. This field study aimed at determining dieldrin accumulation capacities and allocation pattern in 17 non-Cucurbitaceae species and 10 Cucurbita pepo varieties, and assessing the dieldrin phytoextraction potential of these plant species when grown to maturity in a historically dieldrin-contaminated soil. Out of the non-Cucurbitaceae species, vetiver was the only one able to accumulate significant amounts of dieldrin, which mainly remained in its roots. All C. pepo varieties were able to uptake and translocate high dieldrin amounts into the shoots, leading to the highest phytoextraction potential. Despite the intraspecific variability in dieldrin concentration in zucchini plant parts, mainly in the reproductive organs, the phytoextraction capacity for shoots and fruits was high for all tested varieties (147 to 275 μg dieldrin plant−1, corresponding to 5.6 % of the n-heptane extractable soil dieldrin), even for the one with low fruit dieldrin concentration. Both food safety and phytoextraction could be achieved by selecting productive zucchini varieties displaying low dieldrin concentration in fruits and high one in shoots.

Exploring Millet Grains: Nutritional Benefits, Processing Advancements, and Future Directions for Food Security and Health Improvement

Millet grains have gained recognition as nutritious, climate-resilient crops with the potential to contribute to food security and public health. This review explores the nutritional benefits, processing advancements, and future prospects of millet grains. Millets are rich sources of dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making them suitable for gluten-free diets and beneficial for managing chronic diseases. Recent advancements in processing technologies have led to the development of a variety of millet-based products that retain nutritional integrity while enhancing sensory attributes. These innovations offer convenient and nutritious alternatives to traditional grain-based foods. Looking ahead, millets hold promise for sustainable agriculture and improved human health, especially in regions facing food insecurity and malnutrition. Government support and consumer awareness are crucial for realizing the full potential of millet grains in addressing global challenges.

Product portfolio adjustments and the bullwhip effect: The impact of product introduction and retirement

Many manufacturers frequently tweak their product portfolios by introducing new products and retiring low performers. In this paper, we study how the demand shock caused by portfolio adjustments impacts the bullwhip effect (BWE) of existing products. With the help of two approximations, we provide a closed-form expression for the BWE as a function of the time (number of periods) remaining until the shock, which enables us to obtain novel insights. When products are retired, the market share of the remaining product varieties often increases. We prove that the product experiencing the most significant market share increase also encounters the highest BWE surge in the periods leading up to the portfolio change. On the other hand, the introduction of new products does not consistently lead to a higher BWE for existing products. The impact on the BWE depends on several parameters, particularly the uncertainty surrounding the market share of existing products after the portfolio change. When this uncertainty is low for an existing product, its BWE reduces when new varieties are introduced.

Comparison between Tableau and Power bi: A Case Study of COVID19

Things have come a long way since then, with ever-increasing amounts of data being accessible for modern businesses. As a result of such an influx of data, various organizations have produced software to help businesses make sense of the vast swathes of information. There are now many excellent BI tools on the market today. Tableau first launched in 2004, providing a drag-and-drop way for users to create interactive visuals and dashboards. In reality, Tableau has a variety of products that help businesses store, analyze, and visualize data. Microsoft Power BI arrived on the scene several years later, first launching to the public in 2011. Again, the focus was to create an easy-touse interface to enable non-programmers to organize and visualize data.. Business intelligence is a practice that pre-dates the digital age. The first usage of the term dates back to the 1860s, referring to an American. banker who gathered and analyzed data to gain actionable insights and get ahead of the competition. Things have come a long way since then, with ever-increasing amounts of data being accessible for modern businesses. As a result of such an influx of data, various organizations have produced software to help businesses make sense of the vast swathes of information. There are now many excellent power BI tools on the market today. Tableau first launched in 2004, providing a drag-and-drop way for users to create interactive visuals and dashboards. In reality, Tableau has a variety of products that help businesses store, analyze, and visualize data. Microsoft Power BI arrived on the scene several years later, first launching to the public in 2011. Again, the focus was to create an easy-touse interface to enable non-programmers to organize and visualize data. Like Tableau, Power BI .

Case Series: Hepatic and Splenic Titanium Dioxide Deposition in Association With Intravenous Drug Use.

Titanium dioxide is a versatile compound that is found in a variety of consumer products, medical hardware, and pharmaceuticals. Although oral and topical ingestion of this compound is common, intravenous introduction is much less common. We present three cases where significant titanium dioxide deposits were identified in liver and splenic tissue of three decedents, all of whom died of illicit drug overdose in the same geographic area and had fentanyl and its metabolites in blood on postmortem toxicologic testing. At autopsy, liver sections had a granular texture with fine white stippling grossly, and histologic examination of hepatic and splenic tissues showed scattered patches of black granular material with pink birefringence. Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy performed on these tissues revealed the presences of clusters of titanium dioxide. Immunohistochemical staining of both the liver and spleen with CD68 confirmed the titanium dioxide clusters were within macrophages. Intravenous titanium dioxide nanoparticle elimination studies in rats suggest a time sensitive period for this elimination, with a transient period of pigment deposition between 1-58 days following injection. If a time-dependent link between titanium dioxide pigment deposition within tissues and intravenous drug use can be shown, this could be a valuable tool for Pathologists.

Retail Category Management with Slotting Fees

Problem definition: Slotting fees are lump-sum payments retailers demand from manufacturers to include manufacturers’ products in their assortments. Although retailers regard slotting fees as part of doing business, some manufacturers claim that slotting fees limit their ability to compete on a level playing field with other manufacturers. Considering these conflicting views, we study the role of manufacturer competition in the emergence of slotting fees and how slotting fees affect retailers’ category management (i.e., assortment and pricing) decisions. Methodology/results: We consider a game-theoretic model with a single retailer and two competing manufacturers, each offering a single product. The retailer makes slotting fee, assortment, and pricing decisions in the presence of an operational cost term that increases in the assortment size. The manufacturers that can afford the slotting fee set the wholesale prices for their products. This study leads to three key findings. First, slotting fees can be suboptimal when their absence would trigger intense wholesale price competition. Second, depending on the retailer’s operational cost and the intensity of manufacturer competition, slotting fees create three distinct effects -category expansion, rent extraction, and competitive exclusion under which product variety (i.e., the retailer’s assortment size) increases, remains unchanged, and decreases, respectively. Third, slotting fees are most (least) beneficial for the retailer when they lead to a decrease (increase) in product variety. Managerial implications: This study not only illustrates that retailers can use slotting fees as a strategic tool to control the intensity of manufacturer competition but also reveals how slotting fees impact retailers’ assortment and pricing decisions, with implications for manufacturers and policy makers. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.0143 .

Evaluation of Alstroemeria varieties for cut flower production

Evaluation of Alstroemeria varieties for cut flower production

Proposed Marketing Strategy to Increase Sales of Selaras Outdoor

Selaras Outdoor is a family-based restaurant established in Ciamis in 2021. The F&B business sells affordable prices with a variety of Sundanese and western food products. The location of Selaras Outdoor focuses on nature as if enjoying a meal in a small private forest with the sound of nature from a flowing river. Knowing the increasing number of new restaurants/cafes with outdoor themes, Selaras Outdoor faces business problems that occur including sales revenue that continues to fall. The number of visitors who come is decreasing due to the habit of Ciamis and Tasikmalaya residents who will visit when a new restaurant or cafe location opens. Therefore, a strategy is needed to be able to increase revenue which starts from customer satisfaction. The findings from this research will be used to get the best marketing strategy to create a way to increase revenue. Therefore, a research study will be conducted to address the problems experienced by Selaras Outdoor. The business exploration of Selaras Outdoor will be developed based on external (PESTEL, Porter's Five Forces, customers, and competitors) and internal (VRIO, STP, and Service Marketing Mix) analysis. This research uses two types of data, namely primary and secondary data. Primary data will be collected through interviews and observations while secondary data is carried out to strengthen the theoretical basis of each variable studied as well as external and internal analysis in this study. By using triangulation of data collection on what has been obtained from customers who have visited Selaras Outdoor as well as the latest news sources regarding outdoor restaurants, the results show that customer satisfaction has a positive effect on Selaras Outdoor. Based on the external and internal analysis, the researcher conducted a SWOT analysis and identified the root of the problem. From there it developed into several strategies that were combined together to produce two strategies. The researcher recommended one best strategy with weaknesses that can be overcome to overcome the root causes.

Testing of the STS-marker for the <i>Nud1</i> gene for the selection of naked barley hybrids

Background. Naked barley is a promising food crop. To enhance its production, active breeding is required to create productive varieties. The purpose of this study was to test the STS-marker for the Nud1 gene controlling the hulled phenotype, and use it for the production of naked barley hybrids. Materials and methods. Genotyping of 112 F2 hybrids obtained by crossing the naked black variety ‘Jet’ and the hulled white variety ‘Elf’ was carried out using wF2 and kR1, or tR2 primers in the regular PCR mode to amplify the recessive or dominant alleles of the Nud1 gene, respectively, and also in the multiplex PCR mode, which allows simultaneous amplification of both dominant and recessive alleles of the Nud1 gene. The genotyping data were compared with those on phenotypes of hybrids. Results and discussion. The possibility of using multiplex PCR with a set of primers wF2, kR1, and tR2 for identifying dominant and recessive alleles of the Nud1 gene in hybrid material has been demonstrated. However, while the observed number of hybrids homozygous for the recessive allele nud1 almost completely corresponded to their expected number, the clear predominance of homozygotes for the dominant allele Nud1 and the lack of heterozygotes compared to the expected number of hybrids of these groups indicates erroneous identification of some heterozygotes as dominant homozygotes, which must be taken into account during selection of hulled barleys by genotyping. Conclusions. The STS-marker amplified by primers wF2, kR1, and tR2, can be used to select recessive homozygotes nud1nud1 from hybrid populations, however, additional analysis is required for a more reliable identification of heterozygotes and homozygotes for the dominant allele of the Nud1 gene.

Innovation of Traditional Culinary Lemuru Fish with Yellow Spices Using Canning Technology at Fish Canning Teaching Factory Politeknik Negeri Jember

Canned fish is one of TEFA Fish Canning’s products that has potential in Indonesia, however consumption of canned fish in Indonesia is still relatively low than the other countries. One of the problems that often occurs with canned fish products from TEFA Fish Canning is the lack of product variations are limited only to tomato and chili sauce. One of the canned fish that has the potential to be developed is lemuru fish with yellow spices in cans by combining canning technology and a touch of typical Indonesian processing in yellow spices. The objectives of the research were (a) to see the formulation and nutritional value of yellow spiced lemuru fish products in canned packaging, (b) to assess the product’s sensory quality to determine market acceptance, and (c) to determine the best yellow spiced lemuru fish formulation using the Multiple Attribute method. This research was carried out using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 formulations of yellow spiced lemuru fish being tested including lemuru fish with pesmol seasoning, lemuru fish with rujak seasoning, lemuru woku fish, lemuru fish with rujak basil seasoning, and lemuru fish with pesmol basil. The parameters tested include physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics. Parameters for determining the best treatment include color (L*, a*, & b*), pH, salinity, hedonic test (aroma, color, taste, texture, & overall) and hedonic quality test (aroma, color, taste, texture, & whole). The test results show that canned yellow spiced lemuru fish with formulation 3, namely woku lemuru fish, is the sample with the best parameter attributes, namely with values L* = 50.88, a* = 29.03, b* = 54.23, pH = 6, 32, salinity = 1.09, hedonic color = 4.24, aroma = 3.92, taste = 3.68, texture = 3.84, and overall = 4.20. The final results will show yellow spiced lemuru fish as a new canned fish product at TEFA Fish Canning with a recommended shelf life that has been tested using Arrhenius Method. Based on the Arrhenius test, canned lemuru fish with yellow spices can be stored at 30°C for 224 days. The novelty brought about in this research is the formulation of yellow spiced lemuru fish products in cans which can be used as a new product for TEFA Fish Canning as a solution to the problem of minimal product variety.

Challenges in product variant costing – a case study

AbstractThis study explores challenges in decision-making for product design due to insufficient cost transparency because of product variety across the value chain. Utilizing a literature review and a case study on a company, it delves into issues such as value chain consideration, product family assessment, linking effects to specific product levels, and converting measured effects. Highlighting the critical need to address these challenges for decision-making. Future research should focus on a comprehensive costing framework, explore effect interdependencies, and expand the value chain analysis.

Assessment and Comparison of Early Developmental Toxicity of Six Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances with Human Embryonic Stem Cell Models.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are extensively utilized in varieties of products and tend to accumulate in the human body including umbilical cord blood and embryos/fetuses. In this study, we conducted an assessment and comparison of the potential early developmental toxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), undecafluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), heptafluorobutyric acid, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonate, and perfluorobutyric acid at noncytotoxic concentrations relevant to human exposure using models based on human embryonic stem cells in both three-dimensional embryoid body (EB) and monolayer differentiation configurations. All six compounds influenced the determination of cell fate by disrupting the expression of associated markers in both models and, in some instances, even led to alterations in the formation of cystic EBs. The expression of cilia-related gene IFT122 was significantly inhibited. Additionally, PFOS and PFOA inhibited ciliogenesis, while PFOA specifically reduced the cilia length. Transcriptome analysis revealed that PFOS altered 1054 genes and disrupted crucial signaling pathways such as WNT and TGF-β, which play integral roles in cilia transduction and are critical for early embryonic development. These results provide precise and comprehensive insights into the potential adverse health effects of these six PFAS compounds directly concerning early human embryonic development.

Editorial for the Special Issue on Multidisciplinary Composites

The remarkable blend of features that advanced composites can provide, such as high stiffness, good strength-to-weight ratio, good corrosion resistance, design freedom, and product variety, has expanded their applicability [...]

An Efficient Cross-Domain Recommendation System Based on Clustering Approach and User-Score

Growing consumers and online commercial products have put a great challenge on Recommender systems. Abundant browsing and online shopping across the world have provided immense opportunities to E-commercial giants to effectively learn the behaviour and attract users. However, due to the variety of available products and distinct consumers, crucial issues of data sparsity and cold start problems have been introduced. Single-domain recommendation systems are unable to handle such issues and research has been concentrated on developing more sophisticated cross-domain recommendation systems. Concerning other systems, non-overlapping domains form the most difficult part to solve using the cross-domain approach. This article focuses on partially overlapping domains and suggests a simple and efficient approach based on mapping users' interests by clustering books and movies. The cluster information from the auxiliary domain is transferred to the target domain using the user score and mapped properly to recommend books. The user and item scores in both domains are computed using the transfer frequency-inverse document frequency approach. The proposed recommender system offers low computational complexity and requires less time.

Value‐Added Processing of Food Legumes Using Extrusion Technology: A Review

ABSTRACTExtrusion processing of legumes has gained increased commercial significance in recent years. Food legumes or pulses are a rich source of protein, total dietary fiber, starch, minerals, selected vitamins, and other bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity. The relatively higher protein and lower carbohydrate contents than cereal grains make legumes a healthy choice for developing new food products. While legumes are a staple in many developing countries, their consumption remains to be very low in most of the developed countries. Developing legume‐based ready‐to‐use ingredients and ready‐to‐eat products can potentially increase legume consumption, especially in developed countries. In addition to traditional legume processing methods, extrusion cooking offers a cost‐effective option to manufacture legume‐based products and ingredients. In recent years, increased concerns by consumers about environmental sustainability and food security have resulted in promoting plant‐based proteins as meat substitutes and meat analogs, which are primarily produced by extrusion or wet/dry extraction. In this regard, extrusion is more sustainable and environment‐friendly processing technology due to its process efficiency and minimal effluents. Legumes processed by extrusion cooking have wide applications in a variety of food products, for example, flour mixes and doughs, snack items, baked foods, meat alternatives, meat extenders, gluten‐free products, and nutraceuticals. Furthermore, extrusion process improves the digestibility and functional properties, and lowers or eliminates the antinutrients found in most legumes. This comprehensive review article discusses extrusion processing technology/systems, legumes extrusion, and nutritional quality, functional properties, food safety, and consumer acceptance of extruded legume products.

International application of global forest product model and the reference to China

PurposeThis article summarizes the international scientific research output of global forest product models, infers future research trends and provides reference for quantitative analysis and mathematical modeling of Chinese forest product problems, with the aim of contributing to promoting domestic production of Chinese forest products and strengthening international trade competitiveness of forest products.Design/methodology/approachIn 1999, Joseph Buongiorno, a scholar at the University of Wisconsin in the United States of America, proposed the global forest products model (GFPM), which was first applied to research in the global forestry sector. GFPM is a recursive dynamic model based on five assumptions: macroeconomics, local equilibrium, dynamic equilibrium, forest product conversion flow and trade inertia. Using a certain year from 1992 to present as the base period, it simulates and predicts changes in prices, production and import and export trade indicators of 14 forest products in 180 countries (regions) through computer programs. Its advantages lie in covering a wide range of countries and a wide variety of forest products. The data mainly include forest resource data, forest product trade data, and other economic data required by the model, sourced from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Bank, respectively.FindingsCompared to international quantitative and modeling research in the field of forest product production and trade, China's related research is not comprehensive and in-depth, and there is not much quantitative and mathematical modeling research, resulting in a significant gap. This article summarizes the international scientific research output of global forest product models, infers future research trends, and provides reference for quantitative analysis and mathematical modeling of Chinese forest product problems, with the aim of contributing to promoting domestic production of Chinese forest products and strengthening international trade competitiveness of forest products.Originality/valueOn the basis of summarizing and analyzing the international scientific research output of GFPM, sorting out the current research status and progress at home and abroad, this article discusses potential research expansion directions in 10 aspects, including the types, yield and quality of domestic forest product production, international trade of forest products, and external impacts on the forestry system, in order to provide new ideas for global forest product model research in China.

Monitoring and Genotyping of Wild Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris) in Slovenia.

Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (sylvestris) is the only native wild grapevine in Eurasia (Europe and western Asia) and is the existing ancestor of the grapevine varieties (for wine and table grape production) belonging to the subsp. sativa. In Slovenia, the prevailing opinion has been that there are no Slovenian sylvestris habitats. This study describes sylvestris in Slovenia for the first time and aims to present an overview of the locations of the wild grapevine in the country. In this project, a sample set of 89 accessions were examined using 24 SSR and 2 SSR markers plus APT3 markers to determine flower sex. The accessions were found in forests on the left bank of the Sava River in Slovenia, on the border between alluvial soils and limestone and dolomite soils, five different sites, some of which are described for the first time. The proportion of female to male accessions differed between sites. At two sites, female plants dominated; at others, the ratio was balanced. The plants' genetic diversity and structure were compared with autochthonous and unique varieties of subsp. sativa from old vineyards in Slovenia and with rootstocks escaped from nature from abandoned vineyards. Sylvestris was clearly distinguishable from vinifera and the rootstocks. Based on genetic analyses, it was confirmed that Slovenian sylvestris is closest to the Balkan and German sylvestris groups. Meanwhile, a safety duplication of the wild grapevine accessions has been established at the University Centre of Viticulture and Enology Meranovo, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Maribor.

Composite Nanomaterials Based on Polymethylmethacrylate Doped with Carbon Nanotubes and Nanoparticles: A Review.

Composite polymer materials have high strength and lightness, which makes them attractive for use in a variety of structures and products. The present article contains an overview of modern works devoted to the production of composite materials based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with improved characteristics. The possibility of obtaining such materials can be a key area for creating more efficient and durable products in various industries. Various methods were considered to improve the characteristics of PMMA by doping the polymer matrix with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphite, nanohydroxyapatite particles, micro-zirconia nanoparticles, titanium dioxide, etc. The possibilities of using the obtained composite materials in various industries such as aviation, automotive, construction, medical and others are discussed. This article also presents the results of our own research on the mechanisms of interaction of PMMA with single-layer CNTs, leading to the creation of a composite polymer system "PMMA+CNT", achieved using the modern quantum chemical method DFT. This article presents a review of the recent research on the effect of CNTs on the mechanical and electrically conductive properties of nanocomposite materials. The outcomes of this study can be important for the development of science and technology in various fields, from fundamental chemistry to applied scientific research.