Kenaf fibre is one of the natural fibers that has received much attention of many researchers because of its good properties and flexible use. Kenaf fibre composites have been proposed as interior building materials. In this study, the recycling effect on the kenaf PVC wall panel is focused. The main objective of this study is to determine the mechanical properties of different types of kenaf PVC wall panels. The samples were formulated based on the first and third recycling process. The specimens were subjected to several types of tests, namely, tensile, izod impact, flexural and hardness based on ASTM D3039, ASTM D256, ASTM D7264 and ASTM D785, respectively. The results indicate that the mechanical properties of the third recycled kenaf PVC wall panel product is better than the virgin and first recycled specimen. This shows that the recycling process enhances the mechanical properties of the product. On the other hand, the hardness of the specimen decreases after first recycling due to the reheating effect.
The main focus of this study was to obtain the optimum alkaline treatment for banana fibre and the its effect on the mechanical and chemical properties of banana fibre, its surface topography, its heat resistivity, as well as its interfacial bonding with epoxy matrix. Banana fibre was treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) under various treatment conditions. The treated fibres were characterised using FTIR spectroscopy. The morphology of a single fibre observed under a Digital Image Analyser indicated slight reduction in fibre diameter with increasing NaOH concentration. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results showed the deteriorating effect of alkali, which can be seen from the removal of impurities and increment in surface roughness. The mechanical analysis indicates that 6% NaOH treatment with a two-hour immersion time gave the highest tensile strength. The adhesion between single fibre and epoxy resin was analysed through the micro-droplet test. It was found that 6% NaOH treatment with a two-hour immersion yielded the highest interfacial shear stress of 3.96 MPa. The TGA analysis implies that alkaline treatment improved the thermal and heat resistivity of the fibre.
Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) seeds have always being wasted as agricultural waste. Recent studies revealed that the seeds contain high fiber. The purpose of this study is to develop defatted kenaf seeds yellow noodles (DKSY) and assess the nutritional and physicohemical properties of the noodles. Defatted kenaf flour at 25% and 75% were used to make DKSY noodles and compared to wheat yellow noodles (Control). Fresh DKSY noodles were analyzed for their nutritional and physiochemical properties. The ash and fiber contents increased in order of Control > 25% DKSY > 75% DKSY noodles. While total phenolic contents (TPC) was found to be higher in 75% DKSY noodles (138.30 ± 1.63 mg GAE/100 g) than Control noodles. Colour (L, b) and hardness decreased in order of Control > 25% DKSY > 75% DKSY indicating that DKSY noodles developed less quality than Control noodles. However, cooking loss values were found to be in the same order while cooking values exist in the opposite order indicating that. DKSY noodles have better noodle cooking quality. In conclusion, nutritional properties and noodle cooking quality of yellow noodles increased with higher concentration of defatted kenaf flour but the physicochemical properties were compromised. More research needs to be done in order to develop a formulation that can increase all of the attributes studied.
We demonstrate a multiple-wavelength Brillouin comb laser with cooperative Rayleigh scattering that uses Raman amplification in dispersion-compensating fiber. The laser resonator is a linear cavity formed by reflector at each end of the dispersion-compensating fiber to improve the reflectivity of the Brillouin Stokes comb. Multiple Brillouin Stokes generation has been improved in terms of optical signal-to-noise ratio and power-level fluctuation between neighboring channels. Furthermore, the linewidth of the Brillouin Stokes is uniform within the laser output bandwidth.
Composite materials have increasingly become crucial in manufacturing engineering products and producing commodity
materials in the major industries including; automotive, aerospace, marine, construction, agriculture and health science.
However, several improvements regarding the strength, dimensional stability and the cost of production are required.
In this study, composite of Kenaf, multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and polypropylene (PP) with maleic anhydridegrafted
polypropylene (MAPP) are examined. The results highlight that increasing MAPP loading, in turn, increases the
value of the mechanical properties. The composites are produced by blending kenaf/MWCNT/PP using a Sigma blade
mixer and injection moulding. Injection moulding is a significant operation used to produce plastic products. In the
study, Kenaf core fibre was mixed with MWCNT and polypropylene, in addition to MAPP. The MAPP is added by applying
different percentage (1, 2, 3 and 4 wt. %) during the blending process. The main objective of the study was to analyse the
effects of MAPP concentrations on the mechanical properties of the Kenaf/MWCNT/PP composite. The results of the study
established that MAPP 3 wt. % concentration with MWCNT 3 wt. % loading and Kenaf 30 wt. % filler provide optimum
results for the composites. There was approximately, a 21% enhance in tensile strength of Kenaf 30 wt. %/MWCNT, 3 wt.
%/MAPP, 3 wt. %/PP observed compared to the (without) MAPP composite. The composites with coupling agent stimulate
better filler dispersion between Kenaf, MWCNT and PP observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and fieldemission
scanning electron microscope (FESEM).
Oil palm mesocarp fiber was subjected to hydrothermal pretreatment under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. The pretreated slurries were separated by filtration, pretreated liquids and solids were characterized. An enzymatic digestibility study was performed for both pretreated slurries and solids to understand the effect of soluble inhibitors generated during the pretreatment process. The highest glucose yield obtained from pretreated slurries was 70.1%, and gradually decreased with higher pretreatment severities. The highest glucose yield obtained in pretreated solids was 100%, after pretreatment at 210°C for 20min. In order to study the inhibitory effects of compounds generated during pretreatment with cellulase, technical grade solutions that mimic the pretreated liquid were prepared and their effect on Acremonium cellulase activity was monitored using Avicel. Xylo-oligomers and tannic acid were identified as powerful inhibitors of Acremonium cellulase, and the lowest hydrolysis rate of Avicel of 0.18g/g-glucose released/L/h was obtained from tannic acid.
Chicken sausages included with three different quantities of banana (Musa balbisiana) peel powder. The technological properties (cooking yield, texture, water-holding capacity, color, rheology, and texture), composition, and sensory acceptability were assessed. In storage study, lipid oxidation of the best formulation from the sensory score was evaluated. The inclusion of banana peel powder (BPP) raises the nutritional value with regard to an increase in dietary fiber and a reduction in the sausage fat content. The addition of BPP also causes a significant increase in the cooking yield and water-holding capacity. Additionally, storage modulus values increase with the increase in the BPP's concentration. However, with BPP incorporation, a hard texture and darkening of the sausage were observed. Interestingly, our findings exhibit the compromise in microstructural of chicken sausage with high percentage of BPP manifested by the high storage modulus and hardness but with low resistance toward stress, short linear viscoelastic region. This aspect also caused a significant change in the sensory score. The TBA value in the sausage containing 2% BPP exhibited a delay in lipid oxidation up to 55%, prompting its antioxidant potential. Generally, the incorporation of BPP to chicken sausage changes its properties. BPP has been a potential candidate as a value-adding ingredient that may be used during meat preparation since it positively influences the nutritional value and specific technological properties of the food.
The use of fibers in cementitious composites yields numerous benefits due to their fiber-bridging capabilities in resisting cracks. Therefore, this study aimed to improve the shear-resisting capabilities of conventional concrete through the hybridization of multiple synthetic fibers, specifically on reinforced concrete structures in seismic-prone regions. For this study, 16 hybrid fiber-reinforced concretes (HyFRC) were developed from the different combinations of Ferro macro-synthetic fibers with the Ultra-Net, Super-Net, Econo-Net, and Nylo-Mono microfibers. These hybrids were tested under direct shear, resulting in improved shear strength of controlled specimens by Ferro-Ultra (32%), Ferro-Super (24%), Ferro-Econo (44%), and Ferro-Nylo (24%). Shear energy was further assessed to comprehend the effectiveness of the fiber interactions according to the mechanical properties, dosage, bonding power, manufactured material, and form of fibers. Conclusively, all fiber combinations used in this study produced positive synergistic effects under direct shear at large crack deformations.
This studies are directed towards measuring the electrical conductivity of the (CuSe)1-xSex metal chalcogenide semi-conductor composites, with different stoichiometric compositions of Se (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8,1.0) in bulk form. The electrical conductivity measurement was carried out at room temperature, using the parallel plate technique. The (CuSe)1-xSex composites were prepared using solid state reaction, by varying the ratio of CuSe:Se, in the reaction mixture. The electrical conductivity of (CuSe)1-xSex was determined to be in the range of 1.17 x 10-8 to 1.02 x 10-1 S/cm. The finding indicated that the electrical conductivity value tended to decrease as the concentration of Se increased. The effect of the concentration of Se, on electrical conductivity of (CuSe)1-xSex composites, is discussed in this paper.
This study was carried out to determine the blood glucose response and glycaemic index (GI) values of four types of commercially available breads in Malaysia. Twelve healthy volunteers (six men, six women; body mass index, 21.9±1.6 kg/m(2); age, 22.9±1.7 years) participated in this study. The breads tested were multi-grains bread (M-Grains), wholemeal bread (WM), wholemeal bread with oatmeal (WM-Oat) and white bread (WB). The subjects were studied on seven different occasions (four tests for the tested breads and three repeated tests of the reference food) after an overnight fast. Capillary blood samples were taken immediately before (0 min) and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after consumption of the test foods. The blood glucose response was obtained by calculating the incremental area under the curve. The GI values were determined according to the standardized methodology. Our results showed that the M-Grains and WM-Oat could be categorized as intermediate GI while the WM and WB breads were high GI foods, respectively. The GI of M-Grains (56±6.2) and WM-Oat (67±6.9) were significantly lower than the reference food (glucose; GI = 100) (P < 0.05). No significant difference in GI value was seen between the reference food and the GI of WM (85±5.9) and WB (82±6.5) (P > 0.05). Among the tested breads, the GI values of M-Grains and WM-Oat were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of WM and WB. There was no relationship between the dietary fibre content of the bread with the incremental area under the curve (r = 0.15, P = 0.15) or their GI values (r = 0.17, P = 0.12), indicating that the GI value of the test breads were unaffected by the fibre content of the breads. The result of this study will provide useful nutritional information for dieticians and the public alike who may prefer low-GI over high-GI foods.
A digestibility study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing mulberry foliage and urea rice-bran as a source of fermentable energy and protein to 12 sheep fed diets based on urea-treated rice straw (TRS). The three dietary treatments were: T1, TRS with mulberry; T2, TRS with 50% mulberry replaced with rice bran and urea; and T3, TRS with rice bran and urea. The study was arranged in a completely randomized design with four replications for each treatment. The sheep were fed one of the three diets and the supplements were offered at 1.2% of the body weight (BW) and the TRS was provided ad libitum. There were no differences (p>0.05) among the three treatment groups with respect to dry matter (DM) intake (76.8±4.2 g/kg BW(0.75)) and DM, organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP) digestibility (55.3±1.22; 69.9±0.85; 46.3±1.65% respectively for DM, OM, and CP). The digestibility of fiber (neutral detergent fiber [NDF] and acid detergent fiber) was significantly lower (p<0.05) for T3 (46.2 and 46.6 respectively) compared to T1 (55.8 and 53.7 respectively) and T2 (54.1 and 52.8 respectively). Nitrogen (N) intake by sheep on diet T3 was significantly (p<0.05) higher than sheep fed diet T1. However, N balance did not differ among the three diets (3.0±0.32 g/d). In contrast, the rumen ammonia (NH3-N) concentrations in sheep fed T2 and T3 were significantly (p<0.05) higher than in sheep fed T1. The NH3-N concentrations for all three diets were above the critical value required for optimum rumen microbial growth and synthesis. Total volatile fatty acid concentrations were highest (p<0.05) in T1 (120.3 mM), whilst the molar proportion of propionic acid was highest in T3 (36.9%). However, the microbial N supply in sheep fed T1 and T3 was similar but was significantly (p<0.05) higher than for sheep fed T2. It was concluded that mulberry foliage is a potential supplement of fermentable energy and protein for sheep fed TRS based diet. The suggested level of supplementation is 1.2% of BW or 32% of the total diet since it resulted in similar effects on the intake of DM, OM, and NDF, digestibility of DM, OM, and CP, N utilization and microbial supply when compared to rice bran and urea supplementation.
Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Although various drugs for its treatment have been synthesized, the occurring side effects have generated the need for natural interventions for the treatment and prevention of hypertension. Dietary intervention such as the administration of prebiotics has been seen as a highly acceptable approach. Prebiotics are indigestible food ingredients that bypass digestion and reach the lower gut as substrates for indigenous microflora. Most of the prebiotics used as food adjuncts, such as inulin, fructooligosaccharides, dietary fiber and gums, are derived from plants. Experimental evidence from recent studies has suggested that prebiotics are capable of reducing and preventing hypertension. This paper will discuss some of the mechanisms involved, the evidence generated from both in-vitro experiments and in-vivo trials and some controversial findings that are raised.
BACKGROUND: Despite significant improvements in the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD), it is still a major cause of mortality and morbidity among the Iranian population. Epidemiological studies have documented that risk factors including smoking and the biochemical profile are responsible for the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Psychological factors have been discussed as potential risk factors for coronary heart disease. Among emotional factors, depression correlates with coronary heart disease, particularly myocardial infarction.
METHODS: This case-control study was conducted on 120 cases (69 males and 51 females) of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 120 controls, with a mean age of 62.48 ± 15.39 years. Cases and controls were matched by age, residence and sex.
RESULTS: The results revealed that severe depression was independently associated with the risk of AMI (P = 0.025, OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.1-5.8). The analysis of variables indicated that risk factors for developing depression were unmarried, low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), total dietary fiber (TDF) and carbohydrates. The levels of these dietary factors were lowest in severely depressed patients compared to those categorised as moderate or mild cases. Furthermore, severely depressed subjects were associated with higher levels of total cholesterol, high systolic blood pressure (SBP) and WHR. Age, income, a family history of coronary heart disease, education level, sex, employment and smoking were not associated with severe depression.
CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that severe depression symptoms are independent risk factors for AMI. Furthermore, severe depression was associated with an unhealthy diet and AMI risk factors.
Study site: Mostafa Hospital, Ilam Province, Iran
Fibre-rich manure derived from grass-fed cattle showed significantly higher intrinsic sorption efficiency on Cr(VI) solution as compared to corncob, sawdust and cogon grass. This observation could be attributed to the ligneous nature and rough surface morphology of the cattle manure. Four-factor, three-level, face-centred composite design (FCCD) suggested the process was greatly affected by initial pH of the solution, contact time and sorbent dosage (p50% adsorption efficiency. It is predicted that both physisorption and chemisorption are involved in the sorption process.
Lead (Pb) can pollute the environment and food through air, water and other means, resulting in human exposure to lead pollution, and there is no threshold level of lead toxicity, even small doses of lead will have a range of harmful effects in humans. This study demonstrates for the first time that dietary addition of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from Prunus persica dregs reduces lead bioaccumulation in mice, and eliminates lead through feces. Compared with lead-exposed mice, SDF supplementation effectively prevented lead-induced changes in colon tissue, and increased expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and occludin). We analyzed the effects of SDF on gut microbiota and metabolites by a combination of 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. The results showed that SDF altered lead-induced perturbations in the layout and structure of the gut microbiota, including increased Desulfovibrio and Alistipes abundance and decreased Bacteroidetes abundance. Meanwhile, we also provide evidence that SDF supplementation alters the levels of amino acids, bile acids, and lipids in the gut, and that these metabolites are closely associated with microbiota with good lead binding capacity. Therefore, we speculate that SDF has the potential to provide a protective effect against intestinal damage by promoting lead excretion.
Rice bran is bioactive-rich and has proven health benefits for humans. Moreover, its source, the brown rice has antioxidant, hypolipidemic and other functional properties that are increasingly making it a nutritional staple especially in Asian countries. This study investigated the antiplatelet aggregation mechanisms of crude hexane/methanolic rice bran extract, in which policosanol was the targeted bioactive. Platelets play a vital role in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, and their increased activities could potentially cause arterial thrombus formation or severe bleeding disorders. Thus, in this study, platelet aggregation and adhesion of platelets to major components of basal lamina were examined in vitro. In addition, cellular protein secretion was quantified as a measurement of platelet activation.
Adoption of optimal dietary habits during adolescence is associated with better health outcomes later in life. However, the associations between a pattern of healthy dietary habits encapsulated in an index and sociodemographic and nutrient intake have not been examined among adolescents. This study aimed to develop a behavior-based diet index and examine its validity in relation to sociodemographic factors, nutrient intakes, and biomarkers in a representative sample of New Zealand (NZ) adolescents aged 15-18 y (n = 694). A 17-item Healthy Dietary Habits Score for Adolescents (HDHS-A) was developed based on dietary habits information from the 2008/2009 NZ Adult Nutrition Survey. Post hoc trend analyses were used to identify the associations between HDHS-A score and nutrient intakes estimated by single 24-h diet recalls and selected nutritional biomarkers. Being female, not of Maori or Pacific ethnicity, and living in the least-deprived socioeconomic quintile were associated with a higher HDHS-A score (all P < 0.001). HDHS-A tertile was associated positively with intake of protein, dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acid, and lactose and negatively with sucrose. Associations in the expected directions were also found with most micronutrients (P < 0.05), urinary sodium (P < 0.001), whole blood (P < 0.05), serum (P < 0.01), and RBC folate (P < 0.05) concentrations. This suggests that the HDHS-A is a valid indicator of diet quality among NZ adolescents.
Poly (vinyl chloride), which is commonly abbreviated as PVC, is widely used due to it being inexpensive, durable, and flexible. As a hard thermoplastic, PVC is used in the applications such as in building materials pipe and plumbing. The factors that should be considered in using PVC is safety and environmental issues. Mixing PVC with natural fibres is an interesting alternative. The main challenge in the research on natural fibre/polymer composites is the poor compatibility between the fibres and the matrix because this will affect their bonding strength. During the mixing with PVC, some natural fibres may acts as reinforcing materials while other natural fibres only act as filler, which contribute less to mechanical strength improvement. However, generally natural fibres also give positive outcome to the stiffness of the composites while decreasing the density.
The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sajorcaju,
PSC) addition to partially replace coconut milk powder on nutritional composition and
sensory values of Herbal Seasoning (HS). This study evaluates the nutritional composition,
dietary fibre and sensory acceptance of HS that processed using six different formulations
with different levels of PSC powder, namely 0% (A), 20% (B), 40% (C), 60% (D), 80% (E)
and 100% (F). The use of PSC powder substantially brought down the fat content of HS.
The fat content of PSC-based HS was ranged from 13.82±0.84% to 8.16±0.74%. The protein
content showed an increasing trend in line with increasing of PSC powder ranging from 7%
to 12%.Substitution of coconut milk powder with PSC powder resulted in significantly higher
(p0.05).The panels preferred HS formulated with PSC powder since its
enhance colour and viscosity attributes of the products. In brief, HS formulated with more than
40% PSC powder is recommended since it has significant nutrients and palatably accepted by
sensorial panellists.
Introduction: Scientific evidence indicates that higher dietary fibre consumption protects against various chronic diseases and leads to recovery enhancement. Young corn ear is very rich in total dietary fibre (TDF). The study objective was to evaluate the effects of young corn ear addition on the nutritional composition, textural properties and sensory attributes of conventional cake. Methods: Wheat flour used in the preparation of conventional cake was substituted with different percentages (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) of young corn ear powder (YCP). Moisture, total ash, fat, protein and TDF content of conventional cake samples were investigated. Textural properties including firmness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness were examined. The aroma, colour, chewiness, tenderness, flavour and overall acceptance of conventional cake were evaluated via sensory evaluation. Results: The conventional cake with addition of 15% YCP recorded the highest moisture content. There was no predictable trend observed in the ash and fat content following the incorporation of YCP. Addition of 15% of YCP increased the protein content significantly while TDF content of conventional cake increased proportionally (1.42%-2.88%) with the level of YCP added. The incorporation of YCP did not produce any trend on all the textural properties of conventional cake. Conventional cake with 10% of YCP was the most preferred manifested by the highest scores in chewiness, tenderness and flavour attributes. Conclusion: In conclusion, 10% of YCP could be recommended as the ideal formulation in order to produce a healthier conventional cake without jeopardising acceptability.