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Energy isan important in put for economic and industrial development and anindispensable production input for the continuation of the production process.In a very large part of economic and social life, electrical energy is widelyused because of its easy usage and other advantages. The aim of this study isto investigate the effect of the production of paper and paper products and thegross national product, which is an indicator of economic growth, on theconsumption of electricity by panel data analysis. For this purpose, a paneldata set was established for 20 OECD countries between 2006 and 2016 fromEurostat and Wordbank. Cross-sectional dependence, heteroskedasticity andautocorrelation assumptions were tested for the model and deviations from theassumptions were observed. Parameters were estimated using the Driscoll-Kraayestimators, which are resistant to these deviations. As a result of theanalysis, it was found that an increase of 1% in the production of paper andpaper products increased the electrical energy consumption by 0.22%, the increaseof 1% in the per capita gross domestic product increased approximately 0.62% inelectricity consumption., Enerji,ekonomik ve endüstriyel kalkınma için önemli ve üretim sürecinin devamı içinvazgeçilmez bir üretim girdisidir. Kolay kullanım ve diğer avantajlarısebebiyle ekonomik ve sosyal yaşamın oldukça geniş bir bölümünde yaygın olarakelektrik enerjisinden yararlanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, kağıt ve kağıtürünleri üretimi ve ekonomik büyümenin bir göstergesi olan gayri safi millihasılanın elektrik enerjisi tüketimi üzerindeki etkisini panel veri analizi ileincelemektir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda, Eurostat ve Wordbank’tan elde edilen2006-2016 yılları arasında 20 OECD ülkesi için panel veri seti oluşturulmuştur.Model için yatay kesit bağımlılığı, değişen varyans ve otokorelasyonvarsayımları sınanmış ve varsayımlardan sapma olduğu görülmüştür. Bu sapmalaradirençli Driscoll-Kraay tahmin edici kullanılarak parametreler tahminedilmiştir. Analiz sonucunda, kağıt ve kağıt ürünleri üretiminde meydana gelecek%1’lik bir artış elektrik enerjisi tüketimini %0.22 oranında, kişi başıgayri safi milli hasıladaki %1’lik bir artışın ise elektrik tüketimindeyaklaşık olarak %0.62 dolayında arttırdığı bulgusuna ulaşılmıştır.

The use of deinking paper sludge (DPS) as a fertilizer instead of sending it to landfill could play a role in reducing greenhouse gases and improving soil properties. The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the changes in the physical (permeability and structural stability), chemical (particularly soil pH), and biological (microbial metabolic quotient (qCO2), microbial biomass soil CO2 emissions) of a calcareous agricultural soil following two successive annual amendments with three treatments (0, 30, and 60 Mg DPS ha&minus, 1&mdash, control, DPS30, and DPS60, respectively), and (2) to determine whether the addition of N-fertilizer to these treatments (controlF, DPS30F, and DPS60F, respectively) causes changes to soil fertility. The DPS application increased soil organic matter (+0.80%: DPS60 vs. control, and +0.35%: controlF vs. DPS60F), available phosphorus (+23.14 mg kg&minus, 1: DPS60 vs. control, and +14.34 mg kg&minus, 1: DPS60F vs. controlF), potassium (+0.6 g kg&minus, 1: controlF vs. DPS30F), and calcium (+0.28 g kg&minus, 1: DPS60 vs. control). The 60 Mg DPS ha&minus, 1 rate improved permeability and structural stability, regardless of the presence or absence of N-fertilizer. On the other hand, the 60 Mg DPS ha&minus, 1 rate without N-fertilizer lead to a decrease in total mineralization rate and qCO2, thereby indicating a reduction in CO2 emissions. The rate of 60 Mg ha&minus, 1 DPS could be effectively used to enhance the permeability and stability (soil restoration) and mitigate CO2 emissions, whereas the 30 Mg ha&minus, 1 rate could be used as fertilizer to improve the fertility of calcareous soils.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of paper bagging of grape bunches on the morphological, mechanical, and chemical characteristics of berries of three table grapes varieties as an environmentally-friendly technique for protecting clusters from biotic and abiotic agents. Clusters of Italia, Autumn Royal, and Regal Seedless grape cultivars were bagged and compared to a not-bagged control. Air temperature inside and outside the bags was monitored. Bunch weight and length, number of berries per bunch, berry longitudinal and transversal diameter, berry mass, number of seeds per berry (normal in size and aborted), soluble solid content, titratable acidity, and skin color by CIEL*a*b* parameters were determined on four points of each berry. Berries were evaluated using texture analysis, and the main texture profile analysis parameters were compared. The air temperatures around not-bagged clusters were slightly higher than inside the bags. In all the cultivars under evaluation, bagged bunches were heavier compared with not-bagged ones. In Autumn Royal and Regal Seedless, these differences were mainly owing to the higher number of berries and higher berry weight of the bagged bunches. Regarding mechanical properties, in seedless varieties, the bagging treatment increased berry hardness (related to the berry firmness) and decreased berry cohesiveness and resilience, whereas an opposite behavior was found in cv. Italia. Berry skin break force was lower in the bagging treatment in all the analyzed varieties, indicating a softer and easier-to-chew berry skin. The findings demonstrate that the bagging technique affected the three variety parameters to different extents. The main differences were found in the seedless varieties in terms of berry size and bunch characteristics. For all varieties, bagged bunches achieved the quality level required by the market, confirming the suitability of this technique. However, the bag industry is proposing many different bag types (differing in material, shape, color, and closing system), therefore, further studies are needed to obtain more complete and exhaustive technical information.

Borax as a food additive chemical is very dangerous. Borax is prohibited from being used in food because it can cause various diseases such as cancer, kidney damage, and even death. This study aims to identify the borax content in the meatballs sold in Meulaboh City. The study design uses purposive sampling with a total of 20 meatball samples from each seller collected and continued by a qualitative test using turmeric paper and shallot extract. The study results show that all samples tested were free of borax. This can be seen from the absence of changes in turmeric paper and shallot extract. Therefore, it can be concluded that the meatballs sold in Meulaboh do not contain borax and are safe to consume.

Strawberry is a popular and nutritious fruit. However, its improper post-harvest handling leads to quality degradation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of active paper packaging placements methods on strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) quality during refrigerated storage. Strawberry quality was determined based on the physical (weight loss, hardness, color), chemical (pH, total titratable acid, total soluble solids and vitamin C content) and microbiological (total plate count) properties. The results of this study indicated that different placement methods of active paper packaging had no significant effect on the physical and chemical qualities; but it did affect the microbiological quality of the strawberries. At the end of the experiment (12 days), the microbial content of C (the bottom and walls), D (covering all surfaces) and E (cut into pieces) samples were significantly lower than the A (without active paper packaging) and B (the bottom) samples. The Total Plate Count (TPC) values of the control and B samples were higher than the maximum acceptable limit of 6 log10 colony-forming units (CFU) g-1, while the other samples remained below the limit. These results indicated that a larger surface area of active paper that had contact with the strawberries provided better protection against microbes. Due to their microbial properties, C, D and E treatments maintained the strawberry quality for up to 12 days, compared with 9 days for control and B treatments. Active paper packaging containing oleoresin from solid waste of pressed Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. can be applied to extend the shelf life of strawberries during refrigerated storage.

The paper deals with the evaluation of the mechanical properties of the crepe paper and chickpaper. The thickness of crepe paper was 300 m with the surface mass 150 g*m-2 and chickpaper paper thickness was 100 m with the surface mass 40 g*m-2. Crepe paper and chickpaper are usually used for chicken breeding. Longitudinal and transversal tensile properties were studied. The tensile behavior was monitored on the motorized test stand ANDILOG STENTOR 1000 (Andilog Technologies, Vitrolles, France).There were measured the tensile properties as modulus of elasticity, maximal elongation, maximal tensile force, tensile strengths, tensile index and strain at break of the longitudinal and transversal samples by testing paper strips. Mean values of the maximal elongation b of longitudinal chickpaper samples were three times smaller than maximal elongation of transversal samples. Mean values of maximal tensile force Ft, tensile strength b tensile indexw and maximal strain at break T of longitudinal chickpaper samples were two times smaller than maximal quantities of transversal samples. Mean values of the tensile modulus of elasticity of longitudinal and transversal chickpaper samples were almost equal. Chickpaper mechanical properties in tension were different in the longitudinal and transversal direction of the original paper surface. Mean values of the maximal elongation b and maximal strain at break T of longitudinal crepe paper samples were sixty times smaller than maximal elongation and maximal strain at break of transversal samples. Mean values of maximal tensile force Ft, tensile strength b andtensile indexw of longitudinal crepe paper samples were fourth times smaller than maximal quantities of transversal samples. Mean values of the tensile modulus of elasticity of longitudinal samples of crepe paper were thirty eight times smaller than values of transversal samples.

First paragraph: The cover of this open call issue of JAFSCD is a Google Earth shot of the Schrebergartens outside Mann­heim, Germany. Schrebergartens are named for Dr. Moritz Schreber, a Leipzig University professor who specialized in pediatric health. He is infamous for advocating that children strictly obey adults, but he also suggested that city children should have access to fresh air and green space. Schrebergartens are similar in some respects to the Russian dacha, often including “tiny houses,” raised beds, perennials—and lots of garden gnomes. Entire colonies of Schrebergartens have been established since WWII. . . .

The aim of this paper is to indicate the representation of the papers related to wine and wine (eno) tourism in the scientific journals in the field of tourism from the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) list, with the Impact Factor (IF) - Clarivate Analytics. Fifteen journals have been analyzed on the basis of the phrase presence related to wine and wine tourism in titles, keywords and abstracts. 91 papers have been singled out, with their review per journal, as well as summary of publication frequency per year. The significance of wine and wine tourism in the entire tourism is emphasized through the tendency of their increasing presence in the most relevant scientific journals in the field. This paper creates a foundation for the authors interested in detailed research of the papers published so far, and therefore further development of the scientific and research activities related to wine and wine tourism.

The objective of study was to determine some properties of tissue papers and identify the position in Turkey. Napkins, toilet papers and paper towels used in this study were supplied from 5 different companies. Physical and optical properties of these papers were investigated and compared them to each other. Grammage, moisture content, crepe, bulk, density, tensile strength, thickness, water retention value and water absorption time were determined as physical properties and brightness and whiteness values were measured as optical properties. According to obtained results, the best results in physical and optical properties of napkins, toilet papers and paper towels belong to C, E and A Company, respectively., Bu çalışmada, temizlik kağıtlarının Türkiye’deki durumunu belirlemek ve bazı özelliklerini araştırmak amaçlanmıştır. Bu kapsamda çalışmada kullanılan peçete kağıtları, tuvalet kağıtları ve kağıt havlular 5 farklı firmadan temin edilmiştir. Bu kağıtların optik ve fiziksel özellikleri araştırılmış ve birbirleriyle karşılaştırılmıştır. Gramaj, rutubet miktarı, krep, hacimlilik, yoğunluk, çekme direnci, kalınlık, su tutma değeri ve su emme hızları belirlenmiştir. Optik özelliklerden ise parlaklık ve beyazlık değerleri ölçülmüştür. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre peçete kağıtları, tuvalet kağıtları ve kağıt havlulara ait en iyi optik ve fiziksel özellikler sırasıyla C, E ve A firmalarına ait olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) seeds were germinated and grown for 35 days in an organic standard substrate contained in either plastic, peat, paper, or newspaper containers to determine whether the container material might affect growth. Days to emergence, days to first leaf, and developmental morphological traits and physiological characteristics were monitored. Differences in evaporation and pH of water in contact with the containers were measured in separate experiments. Evaporation was lowest from plastic and highest from peat containers, while pH was lowest with water in contact with peat containers. Plant growth was fastest and most robust in plastic containers as demonstrated by their shoot height, stem diameter, and root and shoot dry weights. Seedlings grown in newspaper containers presented exceedingly poor growth and showed signs of stress.

First paragraphs: On behalf of the JAFSCD staff and community, I would like to extend condolences to anyone in the JAFSCD community—our shareholders—who have lost family members or colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are with you. We also wish anyone who has contracted the virus our best wishes for a speedy and full recovery, and hope for a better future for those whose lives have been turned topsy-turvey by the pandemic. On May 26, 2020, the United States officially reported losing 100,000 individuals, many of whom were vulnerable to this plague—especially the poor, people of color, the elderly, and essential workers. This represents a moral and systemic fail­ure for the world’s richest country. As Americans are cobbling together an assortment of food provisioning strategies, what we are witnessing is a demonstration of just how fragile American food security is in a time of crisis. However, as you’ll see in this open call issue, COVID-19 is also highlighting our strengths and creativity, and what we can build on in a future food system that contributes to our overall health, well-being, and social resiliency. . . .

First paragraph: Earlier this winter, the Alaska cod fishery—once considered robust and resilient—was closed for the entire 2020 season. It has been a blow to coastal communities’ economies and ways of life, and to the food supply chain North America has depended on for much of its cod. The reality is that fisheries around the world are being dramatically affected by overconsumption, overfishing, and climate change. Consumers are flocking to nutritious sources of ocean-based proteins, from top-of-the-food-chain tuna to secondary and tertiary species and even bycatch. But what are the consequences of this trend? As with many aspects of the food system, we must find a balance between our personal health and well-being and the interests of the planet. Finding this homeostasis is the mission of a growing number of food systems researchers and practitioners, and this is a welcome addition to the good food movement. As depicted on our cover, the state of Rhode Island’s Seafood Marketing Collaborative may provide an example of a practical way forward in finding this balance. . . .

In this research, indexed articles of faculty members and researchers of the Iranian Fisheries Research Institute (IFRI) based on qualitative and quantitative scientometric indicators in Web of Science database were investigated. Scientometric and citation analysis methods have been used to conduct the research. Findings indicated that 498 authored and co-authored articles indexed in this database from the beginning to 2015. 198 articles (37.95%) published in the Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences. Totally, average citation per paper 6.39, average citation per paper excluding self-citation 5-71, immediacy index 0.147, mean of impact factor 0.804 and H-index were 26. Self-citation rate was about 11%. The most articles categorized in the field of Marine freshwater biology (364). In total, the costs of 40.57% of articles are provided by national and international organizations. Of this amount, 31.73% belong to domestic organizations and 8.84% belong to foreign organization. The researchers of the IFRI had the most international collaboration and co-authorship with their counterparts from Malaysia (64 articles), USA (27 articles) and South Korea (15 articles) respectively. Among the 20 most cited papers, only 6 authored by the researchers of IFRI as first/coressponding author. The great number of the faculty members and researchers of IFRI has been published in Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences. This leads to two outcomes is contradictory. On the one hand, led to the publication status and number of articles increased in terms of quantity grow; But, on the other hand, reduces the quality status of articles, including average citation per paper, the mean of immediacy index, and the mean of impact factor.

The Enhancing Food Security in the Northeast (EFSNE) project started in 2011 to explore the potential for regional food systems to improve food security in the Northeastern U.S. Building on the nationwide interest in local food systems, EFSNE researchers have been motivated by a desire to understand whether regional food systems, which have a larger geographic scope, might have some of the perceived sustainability benefits attributed to local food while providing food accessible to all consumers. To this end, an interdisciplinary team drawn from academic institu­tions, federal government research organizations, and nonprofits has spent seven years trying to understand food consumption, distribution, pro­cessing, and production in the Northeast. Through studying the actual supply chains in nine locations around the Northeast region and doing extensive modeling and analysis of secondary data on food systems, we have attempted to understand the extent to which the region can rely on its own food production and can meet the needs of low-income populations. This issue of JAFSCD presents an initial set of three papers that summarize key insights gathered so far. These papers explore (1) the food system as viewed through an eight-product market basket, (2) our experience engaging and informing stakeholders, and (3) consumers’ perceptions of regional food. Papers to be pub­lished in a later issue are likely to cover (4) our educational activities and their impact on students and trainees, (5) the distribution of products in the Northeast food system, and (6) the capacity of the region to produce food.

Cellulose from abundant newspaper waste could be transformed into methane through anaerobic fermentation. This research was carried out to compare the gas production including methane between samples containing feces and waste paper mixture as inoculum and substrate, respectively and added with and without BS4 enzyme. The enzyme was produced in Indonesian Research Institute of Animal Produce (IRIAP) by growing Eupenicillium javanicum BS4 in coconut meals. There were three treatments, i.e., 30% manure (M30); 15 % manure + 15 % paper waste (MP 30); MP30 + 3 mL BS4 enzyme equal to 0.42 U/g dry matter (MPE30) The percentage of waste papers addition in feces was calculated on dry matter (DM) basis and every treatment had five replications. Total gas and methane productions were measured weekly, while dry matter losses were determined during 5 week fermentation. Interactions between treatments and incubation time were analyzed using completely randomized design each week. Kind of substrates influenced both total gas and methane productions during incubation time. Both waste papers and enzyme addition enhanced gas production. The highest total gas and methane productions for five weeks incubation were highly significantly observed (PKey Words: Methane, Fibrenolytic-Enzyme, Waste Papers, Cattle Manures

The effect of different paper mulches and two different biodegradable plastic mulches on the yield of field-grown cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) was examined. The studies were conducted during two climatically different growing seasons 2011 and 2012 in Southern Finland. All the mulches increased the yield as compared to bare ground. In 2011, cucumbers on all the mulches with a dark upper surface produced higher yields than those on kraft paper alone. In 2012, when the average temperatures were lower than in 2011, there were no differences in yield between different types of mulches. Soil temperatures of the experimental plots were monitored throughout the growing seasons. The mulches with a dark-colored upper surface increased the soil temperature more than the ones with a light-colored upper surface. The soil warming effect of the mulches was greater during early season and diminished when the plants grew larger and their leaves covered most of the mulch surface. There was no need for weed control except in uncovered plots. In conclusion, during both years dark-colored paper mulch was comparable to biodegradable film in yield production and could replace it as a mulch material in cucumber production.

With the advancing digital transformation in society as a whole and in agriculture in particular the use of digital animal monitoring in livestock farming is steadily increasing. Since the introduction of the first automatic systems in the 1980s many monitoring approaches have been developed. However, adoption and diffusion of the systems varies, and uptake is often slow. Of course, all new developments bear challenges, risks and opportunities. We herein summarise the expected future prospects and developments as perceived by stakeholders by using discussions in focus groups to collect the information. Therefore, a stakeholder workshop on the topic of animal monitoring and digital transformation in livestock farming was held in November 2017 in Kassel, Germany, with 30 invited participants from a range of stakeholder groups. We identified four key messages: 1. Health and welfare of livestock can be improved by optimised process control using objective real-time data without replacing human judgement; 2. disruptive processes can result in new farming models and markets; 3. different personalities and highly qualified workers might enter the agricultural businesses, and 4. small farms could profit from digital transformation. Our findings highlight the importance of providing possibilities and reducing barriers for agricultural development so that disruptive technologies and new people and ideas have a chance to grow sustainably. Policymakers need to develop suitable regulations for data security and protection to safeguard a fair workplace and market for the involved stakeholders.

The cancerous process is result of disturbed cell function. This is due to the accumulation of many genetic and epigenetic changes within the cell, expressed in the accumulation of chromosomal or molecular aberrations, which leads to genetic instability. It is difficult to assess the validity of individual aetiological factors, but it can be concluded that interaction of various risk factors has the largest contribution to the cancer development. Environmental, exogenous and endogenous factors as well as individual factors, including genetic predisposition contribute to the development of cancer. Epidemiological research on the development of malignant tumors has focused over the years on the determinants of environmental and genetic factors of cancer incidence and mortality rate. According to current state of knowledge, 80–90% of malignant tumors are caused by external environmental factors (carcinogens). Epidemiological studies have proved that the main factors responsible for the development of malignant neoplasia among humans are environmental factors arising from human behaviour. It has been confirmed that smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, diet, and reproductive behaviour are important for the development of malignant neoplasia in the human population. According to the World Health Organization, in 2020 we may expect about 10 million deaths, including 7–8 million in the developing countries, while this number in the developed countries will not change and will be 2–3 million. The aim this study was systematization of knowledge concerning the risk factors of malignant tumours and supplementing them with the latest research results.

Black polyethylene (PE) is the most common mulching material used in horticultural crops in the world but its use represents a very serious environmental problem. Biodegradable films and paper mulches are available alternatives but farmers are reluctant to adopt them because of their high market prices. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the economic profitability of eight biodegradable mulching materials available for open-air pepper production. The economic evaluation is based on a four-year trial located in a semi-arid region of Spain. Three scenarios of PE waste management are examined: (i) absence of residues management, (ii) landfill accumulation, and (iii) total recycling. The inclusion of the costs of waste management and recycling under the current Spanish legislation only reduced the final net margin by 0.2%. The results show that an increase in subsidy rates of up to 50.1% on the market price would allow all biodegradable films to be economic alternatives to PE. The study supports the mandatory measures for the farmers to assume the costs of waste management and recycling. Despite savings in field conditioning costs, high market prices of biodegradable materials and papers are not compensated by the current level of subsidies, hampering their adoption in the fields. Waste management Economic evaluation Biodegradable mulch Polyethylene Published

The aim of this paper is to determine the economic viability of the electronic warehouse receipt registry introduction, as a step toward electronic warehouse receipts. Both forms of warehouse receipt paper and electronic exist in practice, but paper warehouse receipts are more widespread. In this paper, the dematerialization process is analyzed in two steps. The first step is the dematerialization of warehouse receipt registry, with warehouse receipts still in paper form. The second step is the introduction of electronic warehouse receipts themselves. Dematerialization of warehouse receipts is more complex than that for financial securities, because of the individual characteristics of each warehouse receipt. As a consequence, electronic warehouse receipts are in place for only to a handful of commodities, namely cotton and a few grains. Nevertheless, the movement towards the electronic warehouse receipt, which began several decades ago with financial securities, is now taking hold in the agricultural sector. In this paper is analyzed Serbian electronic registry, since the Serbia is first country in EU with electronic warehouse receipts registry donated by FAO. Performed analysis shows the considerable impact of electronic warehouse receipts registry establishment on enhancing the security of the system of public warehouses, and on advancing the trade with warehouse receipt.

Six energycanes viz., SBIEC 14001, SBIEC 14002, SBIEC 14003, SBIEC 14004, SBIEC 14005 and SBIEC 14006 developed at ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute were evaluated along with a registered genetic stock SBIEC 11002 for biomass production under suboptimal management condition with limited irrigation and fertigation during 2013-14 and 2014-15 and under normal irrigation during 2015-16 (Plant crop) and 2016-17 (Ratoon crop). Among the six clones evaluated, SBIEC 14006, a selection from open pollinated fluff of Erianthus arundinaceus clone IK 76-75 was identified as promising clone based on high harvestable biomass and fibre content in cane. This clone recorded the highest mean harvestable biomass of 265.28 t/ha compared to the SBIEC 11002 (219.22) across four environments and showed 21.01 % improvement. The mean harvestable biomass yield under limited irrigation condition was 241.47 t/ha while under normal irrigation condition the yield was 289.08 t/ha. For fibre % cane also SBIEC 14006 recorded the highest value of 27.54 % compared to SBIEC 11002 (20.90 %). The clone recorded an average of 8.94 % juice brix and 4.72 % juice sucrose. It also recorded 2.18 cm cane diameter and 1.24 kg of single cane weight. Tall and non-lodging nature of canes makes the clone amenable for mechanical harvesting. This clone can be ratooned for at least 7-8 years hence no need for replanting every year. This promising clone is identified as an ideal energycane due to more biomass yield per unit area and requires low input, low production cost and low nutrient requirement which are the characteristics of energycanes.

First paragraph: One of the many benefits of an electronic journal is that it grants us the flexibility to publish additional outstanding papers in response to a special-topic call for papers. Such is the case with volume 1, issue 3. In this issue we offer open-call papers on food and agriculture–based community development, as well as a supplementary collection of papers related to the topic of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture that was started in the previous issue. These papers contribute substantially to the breadth of papers found in issue 2 and include the first papers published from Asia, Australia, and Africa.

Ethiopia is believed to have the largest livestock population in Africa. Livestock subsector makes the major contribution to the overall economy. The livestock sector accounts for 19% of the GDP and generates 16–19% of the foreign exchange earnings of the country. It constitutes around 35% of the agricultural GDP, or 45% if indirect contributions are taken into account. With the rapidly growing population, increasing urbanization, and rising incomes, the domestic demand for meat, milk, and eggs is expected to increase significantly in the foreseeable future. The livestock production system in Ethiopia is traditional and contributes to both subsistence and cash generation. Hide is the raw skin of mature animals of larger kinds, example cattle, horse, and also other large animals. Skin is the skin of fully grown animals of smaller kinds. Hide and skin in the subsector is constrained by various structural, production, information exchange, and quality problems, as well as financial constraints. The opportunities of hides and skins sector in Ethiopia are raw material availability due to the large livestock base in pastoral areas, ready market, there is a growing national and international market for hides. To improve the hide and skin sector situation in Ethiopia, training needs to be provided for producers and collectors, collection and marketing of hide and skin should be done immediately after slaughtering, and household, government, and national and international organizations need to work together.

SLIT ( sublingual immunotherapy ) induces allergen-specific immune tolerance by sublingual administration of a gradually increasing dose of an allergen. The mechanism of SLIT is comparable to those during SCIT (subcutaneous immunotherapy), with the exception of local oral dendritic cells, pre-programmed to elicit tolerance. In the SLIT dose, to achieve the same efficacy as in SCIT, it should be 50–100 times higher with better safety profile. The highest quality evidence supporting the efficacy of SLIT lasting 1 – 3 years has been provided by the large scale double-blind, placebo-controlled (DBPC) trials for grass pollen extracts, both in children and adults with allergic rhinitis. Current indications for SLIT are allergic rhinitis (and conjunctivitis) in both children and adults sensitized to pollen allergens (trees, grass, Parietaria ), house dust mites ( Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae ), cat fur, as well as mild to moderate controlled atopic asthma in children sensitized to house dust mites. There are positive findings for both asthma and new sensitization prevention. Severe adverse events, including anaphylaxis, are very rare, and no fatalities have been reported. Local adverse reactions develop in up to 70 – 80% of patients. Risk factors for SLIT adverse events have not been clearly identified. Risk factors of non-adherence to treatment might be dependent on the patient, disease treatment, physician-patient relationship, and variables in the health care system organization.

Declines of seed viability in storage and losses of stored commodities due to fungal spoilage and insect pests are promoted by high moisture content. However, measuring seed or grain moisture content in the field can be difficult, particularly in rural locations in developing countries. Because seed/commodity moisture content is uniquely related to equilibrium relative humidity at a given temperature, moisture content can be estimated by measuring the relative humidity of a sample enclosed in a sealed container. Relative humidity can be measured using electronic meters, or even more inexpensively using indicator paper that changes color in response to relative humidity. We describe this method and provide a spreadsheet to convert relative humidity to moisture content for many common seeds and commodities. This simple method can be used in the field for quickly estimating seed or commodity moisture content to determine whether further drying is needed or is suitable for storage, milling or other uses.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of different storage conditions on the physiological and sanitary quality and oil content of castor bean (Ricinus communis) seeds. Seeds of castor bean plants of the Guarani, and IAC-80 cultivars were stored in two environments (cold room, and room conditions), using three package types (multifoliate Kraft paper bag, and polyethylene bag, and polyethylene bag with vacuum at 1 atm). In addition, another storage condition was evaluated: cryopreservation (-196 °C) in foil paper bags. Seed quality was evaluated before storage and at 4, 8, and 12 months after storage by testing their 7-day and 14-day germination, emergence, health, water content, and oil content. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with 7×4 factorial arrangement consisting of seven storage conditions and four evaluation times. Cryopreservation is the ideal condition for maintaining the seed physiological quality of the Ricinus communis cultivars used throughout storage. The oil content of the R. communis seeds decreases, and the incidence of Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. fungi increases throughout storage, regardless of the storage conditions. Para investigar se diferentes condições de armazenamento interferem no potencial fisiológico, sanitário e no teor de óleo de sementes de mamona (Ricinus communis) foram utilizadas sementes de duas cultivares, Guarani e IAC-80, armazenadas em dois ambientes (câmara fria e armazém convencional) em duas embalagens (saco de papel Kraft multifoliado e saco plástico - com e sem acondicionamento a vácuo a 1 atm). Testou-se ainda outro tipo de acondicionamento, utilizando-se papel aluminizado para criopreservação das sementes (-196 °C). A qualidade das sementes foi avaliada antes do armazenamento e após 4, 8 e 12 meses por meio dos testes de geminação (contagem aos 7 e 14 dias), emergência, sanidade, teor de água e teor de óleo. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 7x4, sendo sete condições de armazenamento e quatro épocas. A criopreservação (-196 °C) é a condição ideal para manutenção do potencial fisiológico de sementes de Ricinus communis, cultivares IAC-80 e Guarani, ao longo do armazenamento. Independente das condições de armazenamento de sementes de R. communis, o teor de óleo decresce e a incidência dos fungos Aspergillus spp. e Fusarium spp. aumenta ao longo do armazenamento.

Aim of study: A common procedure when evaluating scientists is considering the journal’s quartile of impact factors (within a category), many times considering the quartile in the year of publication instead of the last available ranking. We tested whether the extra work involved in considering the quartiles of each particular year is justifiedArea of study: EuropeMaterial and methods: we retrieved information from all papers published in 2008-2012 by researchers of AGROTECNIO, a centre focused in a range of agri-food subjects. Then, we validated the results observed for AGROTECNIO against five other European independent research centres: Technical University of Madrid (UPM) and the Universities of Nottingham (UK), Copenhagen (Denmark), Helsinki (Finland), and Bologna (Italy).Main results: The relationship between the actual impact of the papers and the impact factor quartile of a journal within its category was not clear, although for evaluations based on recently published papers there might not be much better indicators. We found unnecessary to determine the rank of the journal for the year of publication as the outcome of the evaluation using the last available rank was virtually the same.Research highlights: We confirmed that the journal quality reflects only vaguely the quality of the papers, and reported for the first time evidences that using the journal rank from the particular year that papers were published represents an unnecessary effort and therefore evaluation should be done simply considering the last available rank.

Non-edible cellulose-containing biomass is a promising and abundant feedstock for simple sugar production. This study presents the results of different cellulose-containing materials (CCM) hydrolysis experiments with P. verruculosum enzyme complexes in laboratory conditions. Among the non-pretreated substrates, only a few had a relatively high convertibility—soy bean husks (31%) and sugar beat pulp (20%)—while wheat straw, oat husks, sunflower peals, and corn stalks had a low convertibility of 3% to 12%. This indicates that a major part of CCM needs pretreatment. Steam-exploded (with Ca(OH)2) soy bean and oat husks (76% and 58%), fine ball-milled aspen wood and nitric acid-pretreated aspen wood (62% and 78%), and steam-exploded (with sulfuric acid) corn stalks (55%) had a high convertibility. Woody biomass pretreated with pulp and paper mills also had a high convertibility (56–78%)—e.g., never dried kraft hardwood and softwood pulp (both bleached and unbleached). These results demonstrate that effective cellulose-containing material processing into simple sugars is possible. Simple sugars derived from CCM using P. verruculosum preparation are a promising feedstock for the microbiological production of biofuels (bioethanol and biobutanol), aminoacids, and organic acids (e.g., lactic acid for polylactic acid production).

Water availability and substrate type are essential factors in seed germination tests, influencing imbibition and seedling development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of two substrates and different water volumes on the germination and vigor of chia seeds. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 x 6 factorial scheme, which consisted of two substrates, paper towel (Germitest®) and blotting paper, soaked with six water volumes equivalent to 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 times their dry weight, in four replicates of 50 seeds each. Germination percentage, mean time of germination, shoot length, radicle length, shoot dry matter, radicle dry matter, total dry matter (seedling), and root/shoot ratio were evaluated. Based on our results, germination tests for seeds of chia should be conducted using blotting paper (on paper) as substrate, with a water volume of 2.5 to 4.0 times its dry weight. Chia seedlings grown on blotting paper showed greater growth and dry matter accumulation compared to those grown on paper towel. A disponibilidade de água e o tipo de substrato são requisitos essenciais para a condução do teste de germinação em sementes, por influenciarem na embebição e no desenvolvimento das plântulas. Objetivou-se avaliar a influência de dois substratos e diferentes volumes de água sob a germinação e vigor de sementes de chia. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2 x 6, sendo dois substratos substratos de papel toalha (Germitest®) e mata-borrão umedecidos com seis volumes de água equivalentes a 1,5; 2,0; 2,5; 3,0; 3,5 e 4,0 vezes o seu peso seco, em quatro repetições de 50 sementes. Avaliou-se a percentagem e o tempo médio de germinação, comprimento da parte aérea e da radícula, massa seca da parte aérea, radícula e total (plântula) e a relação raiz/parte aérea. O teste de germinação de sementes de chia deve ser conduzido no substrato mata-borrão (sobre papel) com quantidade de água entre 2,5 a 4,0 vezes o peso do papel seco. As plântulas de chia oriundas do papel mata-borrão obtiveram maior crescimento e acúmulo de matéria seca em relação às do papel toalha.

The influence of low-intensity electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on the content of phenolic compounds (PC) in plants on different stages of ontogeny is discussed. A medicinal plant (Calendula officinalis L.) and agricultural crop Fagopyrum sagittatum G., diploid varieties and tetraploid varieties were chosen as objects of study. Microwave EMR in two frequency bands, 53.57-78.33 GHz (wide range mode) and 64.00-66.00 GHz (narrow range mode), has been selected to learn the physical effects on seeds, with a treatment exposure time of 20, 12, or 8 min. The experiments were conducted under laboratory and field conditions. Treated and control seeds were germinated by 100 pcs in a growth chamber on moistened filter paper at 22–24˚C in the dark and placed on the daylight from the third day. The level of PC in the seedlings was measured with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. It was found that in the EMR pretreated C. officinalis seedlings the level of PC is maximal on 14th day of germination. The wide mode treatment for 12 min results in a two-fold increase in the level of PC in juvenile shoots with respect to control. Different constitutional levels of phenolic compounds in the leaves of diploid and tetraploid varieties of F. sagittatum in the most critical phases of ontogeny were found. It is recommended to use EMR with a 12 min exposure time for C. officinalis. The narrow frequency mode with an exposure time of 20 min is preferable to use for most varieties of F. sagittatum., Theinfluence of low-intensity electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on the content ofphenolic compounds (PC) in plants on different stages of ontogeny is discussed.A medicinal plant (Calendula officinalis L.) and agricultural crop Fagopyrumsagittatum G., diploid varieties and tetraploid varieties were chosen as objects of study. MicrowaveEMR in two frequency bands, 53.57-78.33 GHz (wide range mode) and 64.00-66.00GHz (narrow range mode), has been selected to learn the physical effects onseeds, with a treatment exposure time of 20, 12, or 8 min. The experiments wereconducted under laboratory and field conditions. Treated and control seeds weregerminated by 100 pcs in a growth chamber on moistened filter paper at 22–24˚Cin the dark and placed on the daylight from the third day. The level of PC inthe seedlings was measured with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. It was found thatin the EMR pretreated C. officinalis seedlings the level of PC is maximal on14th day of germination. The wide mode treatment for 12 min results in atwo-fold increase in the level of PC in juvenile shoots with respect tocontrol. Different constitutional levels of phenolic compounds in the leaves ofdiploid and tetraploid varieties of F. sagittatum in the most critical phasesof ontogeny were found. It is recommended to use EMR with a 12 min exposuretime for C. officinalis. The narrow frequency mode with an exposure time of 20 minis preferable to use for most varieties of F. sagittatum.

Micrografting of lime were evaluated on four different citrus rootstocks; small-fruited sour orange, big-fruited sour orange, lime and lemon in four culture medium supporting systems including paper bridge, perlite and vermiculite supplemented with half MS and paper bridge supplemented with full MS each one with 60 or 75 g L-1 sucrose. Also, micrografted plantlets were evaluated in three beds including perlite, vermiculite, and perlite-vermiculite for acclimatization and growth. Statistical analysis of micrografting and acclimatization was done as factorial in a completely randomized design with 5 replications. According to independent treatments results, the most rate of successful micrografting of lime shoot tip was achieved on seedling rootstocks of lemon. Also, the best micrografting were observed at the highest concentration of sucrose at 75 gL-1media culture. In general, the most rate of successful micrografting of lime shoot tip was obtained on seedling rootstocks of lemon and big fruit sour orange in culture medium supporting systems of perlite and paper bridge with half MS containing 75 gL-1sucrose. After micrografting, the plantlets were transplanted from the in vitro to the culture medium. The highest survival rate and adaptation of micrografted lime based on the number of leaves and length of scion after 5 weeks was obtained with lemon and big-fruited sour orange rootstocks micrografted in paper bridge culture medium and transferred to the perlite- vermiculite bed.

The study was concerned with the kinetics of dehydration of jackfruit and mango pulp and their use for the development of mixed leather. Kinetics study showed that jackfruit pulp dried faster than mango pulp. The chemical composition of fresh jackfruit and mango pulp showed that moisture, ash, protein, fat, vitamin -C, acidity, pH and total soluble solids content were found 74.23%, 0.86%, 1.55%, 0.60%, 5.04 mg/100g, 0.224% (wb), 5.41 and 25.0% for jackfruit pulp, whereas for mango pulp, the contents are 80.1%, 0.45%, 1.2%, 0.70%, 24.2 mg/100 g, 0.48% (wb), 3.79 and 18.0% respectively. During mechanical drying, it was shown that drying rate decreased with the increase in thickness and for fresh jackfruit and mango pulp, values of index n were 0.38 and 0.20 at 60°C respectively, whereas for steam blanched jackfruit and mango pulp, value of index n were 0.38 and 0.29 at 60°C respectively and these were lower than 2 as predicted by the Ficks 2nd law of diffusion. The activation energy (Ea) was calculated as 3.12 Kcal/g.mole, 2.786 Kcal/g.mole, 2.90 Kcal/g.mole and 2.786 Kcal/g.mole for the fresh jackfruit, fresh mango, steam blanched jackfruit and steam blanched mango pulps respectively. The organoleptic taste test showed that sample 401 (Fruit pulp with sugar and KMS) secured highest score. [Fundam Appl Agric 2019; 4(4.000): 1089-1096]

The study aimed to minimize defective products to improve the production process quality of PT BI by identifying the most types of defects, calculating Defect per Million Opportunities (DPMO) value, suggesting the quality improvement of the Semi Refined Carrageenan (SRC) production process, and calculating Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) value. The methods used in this research were Six Sigma and the COPQ. The priority improvement based on the Pareto chart was moisture defects with the percentage of damage of 36.9%. The Sigma level of the production process of PT BI was 3.42 with a defect rate of 27,429 DPMO. The analysis on the cause and effect diagram showed that factors affected the occurrence of defective products were error in reading on moisture content, diverse raw material, the wrong method of mixing raw materials prior to production process, and the lack of inspectors of production process. The most influential-dominant factor was the obsolete machine which causes error in reading on moisture content. The company can take preventive and corrective actions to suppress defective products and improve product quality. Based on the calculation of the COPQ, the costs that must be incurred by the company due to defective products was IDR 1,007,690,694. Keywords: Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), quality control, seaweed, Six Sigma Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meminimalkan jumlah produk cacat sehingga meningkatkan kualitas proses produksi PT BI dengan mengidentifikasi jenis cacat terbanyak, menghitung nilai Defect per Million Opportunities (DPMO), menyarankan perbaikan kualitas proses produksi Semi Refined Carragenan (SRC) serta menghitung nilai Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ). Metode yang digunakan adalah Six Sigma dan COPQ. Perbaikan yang diprioritaskan berdasarkan diagram Pareto adalah cacat moisture dengan persentase 36,9%. Tingkat Sigma dari proses produksi PT BI adalah 3,42 dengan tingkat kecacatan 27,429 DPMO. Analisis diagram sebab akibat menunjukkan bahwa faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi terjadinya produk cacat adalah kesalahan pada pembacaan kadar air, keragaman bahan baku, metode pencampuran bahan baku yang salah sebelum proses produksi serta kurangnya pengawas proses produksi. Faktor dominan yang paling berpengaruh adalah mesin usang yang menyebabkan kesalahan pembacaan kadar air. Perusahaan dapat mengambil tindakan preventif dan korektif untuk menekan jumlah produk cacat dan meningkatkan kualitas produk. Berdasarkan perhitungan COPQ, biaya yang harus dikeluarkan perusahaan akibat produk cacat adalah sebesar Rp1.007.690.694. Kata kunci: Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ),, pengendalian kualitas, rumput laut, Six Sigma

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is a compound originating from oil mills during oil extraction processes. In the Mediterranean area, more than 30 million m3 of OMW are produced each year, which represents 95-97% of the world production. Such volumes of untreated OMW are usually directly disposed of into drainage systems, water bodies (such as streams, lagoons and ponds) or are sprinkled on soils, causing potentially severe environmental problems to soils and groundwater. Consequently, there is a serious waste management problem related to the olive oil industry, because these practices no longer being acceptable. In the case of on-land OMW disposal, the characterization and the identification of this contaminant in soils is a fundamental task especially with a view to maintaining the integrity and quality of agroecosystems. In recent years, soils have been extensively studied to detect contaminants by using various geophysical methods. Among such techniques, time domain reflectometry (TDR) has shown, in different contexts, evident sensitivity and resolution capability for the characterization of contaminated soil sites. In order to further exploit the potential of the TDR technique, in this study we conducted a series of laboratory-controlled tests to explore how OMW influences the dielectric response of contaminated soils. This investigation led to the development of an empirical dielectric model to estimate the presence of OMW in variably saturated-contaminated soils with different textures and pedological features. In particular, the soils selected belong to two typical pedological units in southern Italy which account for approximately 90% of the Italian olive plantations and one of the highest concentrations of the olive oil industry in Italy. In these districts, as well as in other European and Mediterranean countries, there is the controversial habit to spread OMW on soils.

The aim of the study was to characterize the pulp oil of bacuri Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng. (Arecaceae) according to official analytical methods. Total phenolic and carotenoids contents were evaluated by spectrophotometry, and tocopherols composition by high-performance liquid chromatography. The fatty acid profile was obtained through gas chromatography from samples transesterified with potassium hydroxide in methanol and n-hexane. According to the proximate composition, bacuri pulp contained 41.5 % carbohydrates and 39.2 % lipids. Regarding its physicochemical properties, the oil showed a free fatty acids content of 0.7 %, a peroxide value of 1.4 meq/kg, a refractive index of 1.463, an iodine number of 84.3 g I2/100 g, a saponification number of 193.5 mg KOH/g, an unsaponifiable matter of 0.5 %, and 48.7 h of oxidative stability. Total phenolic, carotenoids, and tocopherols contents recorded values of 2.4 mg GAE/g, 243.0 µg/g, and 86.8 mg/kg, respectively. The bacuri oil showed a fatty acid composition similar to olive oil and a high percentage of unsaturation, finding 67.3 % of monounsaturated acids, and 11.3 % of polyunsaturated acids. The main fatty acids were oleic (67.3 %), palmitic (13.3 %), and linoleic (10.5 %). Due to its physicochemical characteristics, bacuri oil has a great potential to be used in food preparations, such as salad oil or in margarine formulation. Resumen El objetivo del estudio fue caracterizar el aceite de pulpa de bacuri Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng. (Arecaceae) de acuerdo con métodos analíticos oficiales. Los contenidos totales de fenólicos y carotenoides se evaluaron mediante espectrofotometría y la composición de tocoferoles, mediante cromatografía líquida de alta resolución. El perfil de ácidos grasos se realizó por cromatografía de gases a partir de las muestras transesterificadas con hidróxido de potasio en metanol y n-hexano. Según la composición proximal, la pulpa de bacuri registró un 41,5 % de carbohidratos y un 39,2 % de lípidos. En cuanto a las propiedades fisicoquímicas, el aceite presentó un contenido de ácidos grasos libres de 0,7 %, valor de peróxido de 1,4 meq/kg, índice de refracción de 1,463, índice de yodo de 84,3 g I2/100 g, índice de saponificación de 193,5 mg KOH/g, materia insaponificable de 0,5 % y estabilidad oxidativa de 48,7 h. Los contenidos totales fenólicos, de carotenoides y de tocoferoles fueron de 2,4 mg EAG/g, 243,0 µg/g y 86,8 mg/kg, respectivamente. El aceite de bacuri mostró una composición de ácidos grasos similar a la del aceite de oliva y un alto porcentaje de insaturación, con un 67,3 % de ácidos monoinsaturados y un 11,3 % de poliinsaturados. Los principales ácidos grasos fueron el oleico (67,3 %), el palmítico (13,3 %) y el linoleico (10,5 %). Debido a sus características fisicoquímicas, el aceite de bacuri tiene un gran potencial para ser utilizado en preparaciones alimenticias como aceite de ensaladas o en formulación de margarinas.

In the present world, climate change is a mass talked issue. Because of climate change, humans and animals are under the risk of threatening. The scientist has pointed out that main reasons for climate change are waste. Waste is generated from household chores and industries, factories etc. that are affecting the balance of the environment in many ways. This waste may be of various types such as solid, liquid, gaseous etc. Therefore, the study was taken to assess the chemical components contain in wastewater in Dinajpur Sadar, Bangladesh. This study was aimed to evaluate the chemical compositions of the generated wastewater including comparison with the groundwater. The data concerning to the rice mill waste water in Dinajpur, Bangladesh was obtained from individual field visits by interviewing with owner and worker in the rice mills. The wastewater samples were collected randomly from different rice mills. A laboratory experiment was performed to determine the chemical constituents of the wastewater sample. The wastewater contained of pH(6.11-6.18), EC(181.47-185.23 µScm-1), Na(26.19-28.89 mgl-1), Ca(45.41-51.26 mgl-1), Mg(47.12-49.8 mgl-10), K(184.7-191.3 mgl-1), TDS(45.94-47.96 mgl-1), HT(306.7-332.33 mgl-1), S(11.05-13.25 mgl-1), Cl-(522.45-526.182 mgl-1), HCO3-(5.12-6.99 mgl-1), DO(0.46-0.53 mgl-1), P(17.01-21.54 mgl-1). The obtained concentration of Ca, EC, pH, Na and HCO3- were within the reported range of groundwater in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. The concentration of Cl-, K, P, Mg and hardness in the wastewater were above the concentration of reported groundwater in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. On the other hand, the concentration of TDS in the wastewater was less than the reported concentration of groundwater in Dinajpur, Bangladesh.

Bu çalışmada, biyoyakıt kaynağı olarak fındık üretiminden kaynaklanan atıkların kullanımı incelenmiştir. Atıklar, yatay bir rotaya sahip bir hidrolik briketleme makinesi kullanılarak briketlenmiştir. Katı silindirik briketler iki farklı sıkıştırma basıncı (P: 80 MPa ve 160 MPa), nem içeriği (M:%8 -%10 ve %13 -%15) ve parçacık boyutları (PS: 2-5 mm ve 7-10 mm) ile üretildi. Briketlerin fiziksel özellikleri (kütle yoğunluğu, mekanik dayanıklılık ve kırılma indeksleri, su emme kapasitesi, nem ve eşdeğer nem içeriği) ve bazı ısısal özellikleri (yanma sonrası gaz emisyon değerleri, kül içeriği ve ısıl değerler) ölçüldü. Çalışma sonucunda fındık zurufu tarımsal atığı için en uygun briketleme basıncı 160 MPa, nem içeriği %8 -%10 ve parçacık boyutu 2-5 mm aralığında bulunmuştur. Çalışma umut verici sonuçlar vermiştir ve tarımdaki atıl atık potansiyelinin yeşil enerji için kullanılabileceğini kanıtlanmıştır., Thisstudy examined the utilization of residues from the production of hazelnuts asa source of biofuel. The residues were briquetted using a hydraulic briquettingmachine with a horizontal course. Solid cylindrical briquettes were producedwith two different compression pressures (P: 80 MPa and 160 MPa), moisturecontents (M: 8%-10% and 13%-15%) and particle sizes (PS: 2-5 mm and 7-10 mm).Physical properties (bulk density, tumbler and shatter indexes, waterabsorption capacity, moisture and equivalent humidity contents) and thermalproperties (gas emission values after combustion, ash content and calorificvalues) of the briquettes were measured. The study found an optimum briquettingpressure of 160 MPa, optimum moisture content of 8%-10%, and optimum particlesize of 2-5 mm for hazelnut husk agricultural residues. The study gavepromising results and proved that the idle residue potential in agriculturecould be utilized for green energy.

In light of recent news reporting the use of banned colorants in Lebanese-made pickled turnips exported to the European Union (EU) by the Rapid Alert System of Food and Feed (RASFF), The Lebanese Consumer Protection Association tested samples of pickled turnips being sold to the public and confirmed the use of rhodamine B. Many products were pulled off the market and were replaced with new products that were supposed to be free of any banned colorants. We selected 5 different brands of pickled turnips and tested them for pH, salinity, nitrites, and colorants. We tested the salinity using two methods: evaporation and titration. The concentration of nitrites was tested by absorbency method. The presence of colorants was determined using TLC and absorbency method. We determined that the newly released pickled turnips comply with the rules and regulations adopted by the Lebanese Standards Institution (LIBNOR) and the international standards according to the Codex Alimentarius.

O objetivo deste estudo foi produzir cervejas artesanais com adição das frutas tropicais atemoia e sapoti em sua composição. Para elaboração dos mostos cervejeiros as matérias primas utilizadas foram malte tipo Pilsen e levedura cervejeira tipo Lager. A polpa de atemoia foi adicionada no mosto cervejeiro na concentração de 8,5% (p/v) e a polpa de sapoti na concentração de 17% (p/v). O processo de fermentação alcoólica ocorreu a 15ºC por 15 dias e o processo de maturação das cervejas verdes ocorreu a 5ºC por 15 dias. Após engarrafamento e carbonatação na própria garrafa realizaram-se as análises físico-químicas das três cervejas produzidas: cerveja sem adição de frutas (cerveja Pilsen), cerveja com polpa de atemoia (cerveja de atemoia) e cerveja com polpa de sapoti (cerveja de sapoti). A adição das polpas de frutas aumentou o teor alcoólico das cervejas de atemoia (5,0ºGL) e de sapoti (5,0ºGL) em relação à cerveja sem frutas (4,6ºGL). Também foi observado um aumento do teor de compostos fenólicos totais das cervejas de atemoia (111,29 mg/100 mL) e de sapoti (77,61 mg/100 mL) em relação à cerveja sem frutas (64,00 mg/100 mL). Outro resultado observado foi o aumento da atividade antioxidante das cervejas de atemoia e sapoti em relação à cerveja sem frutas. A utilização das polpas de atemoia e sapoti mostraram-se tecnologicamente viáveis na produção das cervejas artesanais. As cervejas com frutas valorizam o uso de frutas tropicais e despertam a atenção dos consumidores de cervejas artesanais.

Since the availability of micronutrients in agricultural soil are strongly depended on changes in soil characteristics, microfertilizers are one of the most effective means of influencing crop productivity and product quality. The use of nanoparticles of metals compensates for the loss of microelements, increases the stress tolerance of plants, both of which improve the quality of the final product. The aim of the research was to study the characteristics of a colloidal solution of metal nanoparticles (Mn, Cu, Zn, Ag, Fe) using X-ray diffraction to estimate the prospects of using them in agrotechnology. The objectives of the study included optimizing the method for treating plants and determining effective concentrations of metal nanoparticles and their composition, combined with traditional fertilizers (NPK), for enhancing soybean productivity. The objects of the study were varieties of soybean recommended for the forest-steppe ecoregion of Ukraine: ultra-early and early maturing Annushka and Ustya, respectively. The results obtained indicate the feasibility of using of a colloidal solution of metal nanoparticles as fertilizer due to its properties (phase composition, size) in agricultural technologies for soybean, which improves the productivity of this crop.

Cyanides are deadly toxic substances commonly found in cassava root tuber. Higher content of cyanides causes bitter taste of the root tuber. Therefore, analysis of cyanide content has been used as one of criteria for bitterness in cassava. The substitute common method used for this purpose was organoleptic test that could lead to poisoning, or argentometry, which is complicated, time-consuming, and requires lots of reagents. Therefore, a fast, easy, and safe method is strongly demanded. In this work, a smart screening technology kit (SST-Kit) was developed using ninhydrin reagent. This simple, fast, and low-cost method can be applied in the field for the analysis of cyanide levels in cassava. This method was optimized to the concentration of sodium carbonate from 0.5 to 2.0% by measuring the red color intensity produced under various times of reading from 1 to 3 minutes and three sample preparation techniques. The optimum condition for SST-Kit to read the cyanides level was achieved under the condition of 0.5% of sodium carbonate with a time readout of 2 minutes, using grinding preparation technique followed by dilution. The SST-kit had been applied on cassava samples with the accuracy of more than 90%.

Background A new prototype of bio-conditioner useful in rehabilitation of degraded soils was performed. In order to obtain this aim two stages were established: production of biomass of Microbacterium sp. CSB3 and formulation of this inoculum in a sediment supplemented with low-rank coal (LRC). Materials and methods The effect of agitation and pH on microbial growth was determined. As response variables, the final production of biomass (Xf) and yield (Yx/s) were determined. Growth dynamics of CSB3 in a 2-L reactor was also evaluated through Xf, Yx/s and the determination of kinetic parameters (specific growth rate [μ] and duplication time [Dt]). The formulation of CSB3 was evaluated; mixtures of several LRC proportions with a sediment from a municipal aqueduct were made. During 90 days, the viability of CSB3 was monitored by counting CFU. Results The optimal pH and agitation for Xf and Yx/x were 7.5 and 232 rpm, respectively; the values of Xf, Yx/s, μ and Dt in 2-L reactor were: 1.5 gL−1, 0.28 g/g, 0.0208 h−1, 33.3 h, respectively. Regarding the formulation, the most suitable combination to conserve the viability of CSB3 was LRC 25%–sediment 75%; the heavy metals content of LRC allow to infer that the prototype of bio-conditioner does not represent a pollution risk for environment soil. Conclusions It was possible to optimize the growth of CSB3 under laboratory conditions. The viability of CSB3 could be maintained by a formulation in a sediment supplemented with lignite; this formulation constitutes a new prototype of soil bio-conditioner.

This study evaluated the effects of de-inking paper sludge (DPS) and sewage sludge (SS) application on soil properties, and durum wheat growth and yield. A pot experiment was performed on Calcaric cambisol (clCM) and Cromic Luvisol (coLV) soils. Three DPS rates (0, 30, and 60 Mg ha−1) were studied with and without nitrogen fertilizer (280 kg NH4NO3 ha−1). DPS was also mixed with SS at two rates (5 and 10 Mg ha−1) to highlight the benefits of organic nitrogen compared to mineral nitrogen. DPS improved total organic carbon and nitrogen, mineral nitrogen, and soils cation exchange capacity, the 30% rate provided the greatest improvement in both soils. DPS increased grain and root P, K, Ca, and Mg contents in both soils. It also increased wheat straw N, P, Mg, and Ca for the same soil compared to the control. Mixed DPS treatments with nitrogen fertilizer enhanced grain yield by up to 38% and increased root biomass in the studied soils. Thus, DPS is a potential source of organic matter and a liming agent for acid soils when appropriate supplemental fertilizer is provided.

The main problems of meat products thermal treatment have been considered and analysed in the paper. Analysis of the existing research papers suggests that the main attention is devoted to the influence of temperature value and time of processing on the physical, chemical, microbiological and organoleptic indicators of the product. The influence on the protein and fat components of raw meat has been described as well as the changes in the meat product structure under the influence of temperature have been pointed out. The important impact of thermal treatment on the changes in proteins at heating, including solubility and hydration of the proteins, has been examined. The paper analyses the microbiota screening before and after thermal treatment. Special attention was paid to the impact of temperature on microbiota as it is an important indicator of a meat product safety. Methods and purpose of thermal treatments as well as the advantages and drawbacks of each method were considered. Formation of tastiness properties of the product depending on the methods and thermal cycling was emphasized. Submitted is the analysis of the factors that influence the product mass losses under the impact of high temperature. The dependence conditions of a meat product quality on the thermal cycle were also analysed. Attention is paid to alternative methods of thermal heating as well as their influence on ready product quality and safety. Substantial contribution of Odesa National Academy of Food Technologies to solving problems of the conventional thermal treatment of meat products was shown, same as a possibility of bringing a product to cooking readiness without application of high temperature. The main content of the paper includes analysis of the methods and thermal treatment cycles existing in the world and proves importance of the temperature control and cooking time which influence safety, quality and yield of the product.

Este documento analiza la producción de biodiésel a partir de especies autóctonas de aceites de Jatropha curcas y Neem (Azadirachta indica), junto con el rendimiento del motor y las características de emisión de mezclas B10 a 1000 rpm. Los rendimientos de la producción de biodiésel fueron 90% y 68% en peso de Jatropha curcas y Neem (Azadirachta indica), respectivamente. Las tres mezclas preparadas de biodiésel fueron 10% Biodiésel de Neem (NB10), 10% de biodiésel de Jatropha (JB10) y 5% de Jatropha + 5% de Biodiésel de Neem (NJB10). La prueba de emisiones del motor mostró menos producción de monóxido de carbono con NB10 (94 2,15 ppm), seguida de JB10 (100 2,44 ppm) y NJB10 (121 3,65 ppm) en comparación con el diésel (135 2,18 ppm). Sin embargo, las emisiones de dióxido de carbono fueron más altas debido a las mejores características de combustión de las mezclas de biodiésel como NB10 (3,21%), JB10 (3,06%) y NJB10 (2,53%) comparado con el diésel (2,13%) por volumen. Las cantidades más bajas de emisiones de dióxido de azufre (SO2) se observaron con el combustible de biodiésel mezclado, en comparación con el diésel mineral. Las emisiones de dióxido de nitrógeno (NO2) fueron de 5 ppm de diésel a 73 C de temperatura de escape, mientras que se incrementó a 8 ppm mediante el uso de biodiésel mezclado con NB10 debido a las altas temperaturas de escape de 85;33 C. La potencia y la carga del motor producidos a partir de las muestras de biodiésel mezclado fueron ligeramente inferiores al diésel convencional en un 12% y un 7;7%, respectivamente. Los resultados experimentales mostraron que el rendimiento del motor y la emisión del biodiésel de Neem (NB10) era mejor en comparación con otras mezclas de biodiésel.//This paper presents the production of biodiesel from indigenous species of Jatropha curcas and Neem (Azadirachta indica) oils, then its engine performance and emission characteristics of B10 blends measured at 1000 rpm. Biodiesel production yields were found 90% and 68% by weight from Jatropha curcas and Neem (Azadirachta indica), respectively. Three prepared biodiesel blends were 10% Neem biodiesel (NB10), 10% Jatropha biodiesel (JB10) and 5% Jatropha + 5% Neem biodiesels (NJB10). The engine emission test showed less carbon monoxide production from NB10 (94 2.15 ppm), followed by JB10 (100 2.44ppm) and NJB10 (121 3.65ppm) as compared to diesel (135 2.18ppm). However, the carbon dioxide emissions were found higher due to the better combustion characteristics of biodiesel blends as NB10 (3.21%), JB10 (3.06%) and NJB10 (2.53%) than diesel (2.13%) by volume. The reduced amounts of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions were found with blended biodiesel fuel in comparison to mineral diesel. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions were 5 ppm from diesel at 73 C exhaust temperature, while it was increased by using blended biodiesel, to 8 ppm with NB10 due to higher exhaust temperatures 85;33 C. The measured engine power and torque produced from the blended biodiesel samples were slightly lower than the conventional diesel by 12% and 7.7%, respectively. The experimental results showed that an engine performance and emission characteristic of Neem biodiesel (NB10) was better as compared to other biodiesel blends.

One of the principles of the circular economy requires the effective recycling of organic waste, especially since its volume is increasing from year to year. Therefore, one of the best solutions to solve this problem is the composting of organic waste. This paper presents the results of a comparative study of 10 different composts in terms of their quality. The composts varied with regard to waste materials used for composting, the adopted composting method, and the degree of compost maturity. Both biological (seed germination rate and intensity of plant root growth) and chemical methods (contents of macro- and micronutrients, presence of heavy metals, as well as the quality and quantity of humus compounds) were applied to evaluate the fertilisers, providing comprehensive characteristics of individual composts. It was found that composts prepared on the basis of sewage sludge had the highest contents of macro- and micronutrients as well as heavy metals. In addition, these composts contained the greatest amounts of humic substances, although these were of low quality. These composts also strongly inhibited seed germination and plant root growth. The least desirable chemical composition was found for the composts based on yard trimmings and household wastes prepared in home composters. These composts contained good quality humus compounds and had a positive effect on seed germination and plant root growth.

With the aim of identifying new sources to produce cellulose nanofibers, olive tree pruning biomass (OTPB) was proposed for valorization as a sustainable source of cellulose. OTPB was subjected to a soda pulping process for cellulose purification and to facilitate the delamination of the fiber in the nanofibrillation process. Unbleached and bleached pulp were used to study the effect of lignin in the production of cellulose nanofibers through different pretreatments (mechanical and TEMPO-mediated oxidation). High-pressure homogenization was used as the nanofibrillation treatment. It was observed that for mechanical pretreatment, the presence of lignin in the fiber produces a greater fibrillation, resulting in a smaller width than that achieved with bleached fiber. In the case of TEMPO-mediated oxidation, the cellulose nanofiber characteristics show that the presence of lignin has an adverse effect on fiber oxidation, resulting in lower nanofibrillation. It was observed that the crystallinity of the nanofibers is lower than that of the original fiber, especially for unbleached nanofibers. The residual lignin content resulted in a greater thermal stability of the cellulose nanofibers, especially for those obtained by TEMPO-mediated oxidation. The characteristics of the cellulose nanofibers obtained in this work identify a gateway to many possibilities for reinforcement agents in paper suspension and polymeric matrices.

The lignocellulosic residue from the palm oil industry, oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB), represents a challenge to both producing industries and environment due to its disposal diffculties. Alternatively, OPEFB can be used for the production of valuable products if pretreatment methods, which overcome OPEFB recalcitrance and allow tailored valorization of all its carbohydrates and lignin, are developed. Specifically, high-value applications for lignin, to increase its contribution to the feasibility of lignocellulosic biorefineries, demand high-purity fractions. In this study, acid-catalyzed organosolv using ethanol as a solvent was used for the recovery of high-purity lignin and digestible cellulose. Factors including catalyst type and its concentration, temperature, retention time, and solid-to-liquid (S/L) ratio were found to influence lignin purity and recovery. At the best conditions (0.07% H2SO4, 210 °C, 90 min, and S/L ratio of 1:10), a lignin purity and recovery of 70.6 ± 4.9% and 64.94 ± 1.09%, respectively, were obtained in addition to the glucan-rich fraction. The glucan-rich fraction showed 94.06 ± 4.71% digestibility within 18 h at an enzyme loading of 30 filter paper units (FPU)/g glucan. Therefore, ethanol organosolv can be used for fractionating OPEFB into three high-quality fractions (glucan, lignin, and hemicellulosic compounds) for further tailored biorefining using low acid concentrations. Especially, the use of ethanol opens the possibility for integration of 1st and 2nd generation ethanol benefiting from the separation of high-purity lignin. © 2020 by the authors.

Root system architecture is a vital part of the plant that has been shown to vary between species and within species based on response to genotypic and/or environmental influences. The root traits of wheat seedlings are critical for their establishment in soil and evidently linked to plant height and seed yield. However, plant breeders have not efficiently developed the role of RSA in wheat selection due to the difficulty of studying root traits. We set up a root phenotyping platform to characterize RSA in 34 wheat accessions. The phenotyping pipeline consists of the germination paper-based moisture replacement system, image capture units, and root-image processing software. The 34 accessions from two different wheat ploidy levels (hexaploids and tetraploids), were characterized in ten replicates. A total of 19 root traits were quantified from the root architecture generated. This pipeline allowed for rapid screening of 340 wheat seedlings within 10 days. At least one line from each ploidy (6&times, and 4&times, ) showed significant differences (p &lt, 0.05) in measured traits, except for mean seminal count. Our result also showed a strong correlation (0.8) between total root length, maximum depth and convex hull area. This phenotyping pipeline has the advantage and capacity to increase screening potential at early stages of plant development, leading to the characterization of wheat seedling traits that can be further examined using QTL analysis in populations generated from the examined accessions.