Search

Animal skin patterns are increasingly explained using the Turing pattern model proposed by Alan Turing. The Turing model, a self-organizing model, can produce spotted or striped patterns. However, several animal patterns exist that do not correspond to these patterns. For example, the body patterns of the ornamental carp Nishiki goi produced in Japan vary randomly among individuals. Therefore, predicting the pattern of offspring is difficult based on the parent fish. Such a randomly formed pattern could be explained using a majority voting model. This model is a type of cellular automaton model that counts the surrounding states and transitions to high-number states. Nevertheless, the utility of these two models in explaining fish patterns remains unclear. Interestingly, the patterns generated by these two models can be detected among very closely related species. It is difficult to think that completely different epidermal formation mechanisms are used among species of the same family. Therefore, there may be a basic model that can produce both patterns. Herein, the Turing pattern and majority voting method are represented using cellular automata, and the possibility of integrating these two methods is examined. This integrated model is equivalent to both models when the parameters are adjusted. Although this integrated model is extremely simple, it can produce more varied patterns than either one of the individual models. However, further research is warranted to determine whether this model is consistent with the mechanisms involved in the formation of animal fish patterns from a biological perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal products such as raw salted cowhide are thought to have the potential to transmit the foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus from the infected zone. Indonesia imports raw salted cowhide from Malaysia, so it has the potential to transmit FMD to Indonesia which enters through Tanjung Priok Port. This study aimed to investigate the presence of the FMD virus in raw salted cowhide from Malaysia. The number of samples was collected from each container of raw salted cowhide imported through Tanjung Priok Port during August– December 2022. A total of 21 samples were obtained from 21 bulk containers containing raw salted cowhide. Real time q Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to investigate foot and mouth disease virus in samples. The RT-qPCR screening test on 21 samples reported that salted raw cowhide was free from the FMD virus. Continuous monitoring and surveillance protocols for salted rawhide imported from non-free countries need to be carried out at other points of entry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Almaty Technological University is the property of Almaty Technological University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study was conducted to optimize the pretreatment and extraction protocols for gelatin from goat skin. The physico-chemical properties of gelatin extracted from goat skin under different pretreatment conditions viz., scalding (65°C for 5 min), 0.1 M NaOH for 2 h, 0.25 M NaOH for 2h and extraction temperatures (60°C and 65°C) were studied. Pretreatment with 0.1 M NaOH and extraction at 65°C (6 h) recorded the highest yield (8.42±0.02%) as well as better gel clarity (53.03±0.18%) and instrumental colour values. The scanning electron microstructure of goat skin gelatin displayed a compact network of protein strands without any void spaces. The gel strength and viscosity of goat skin gelatin were 437.56 g bloom and 15.73 cP respectively. The SDS-PAGE fractionation of gelatin proteins showed the presence of distinct α, β and γ-chains. These findings suggest that goat skin has an immense potential to be employed for gelatin extraction and can be used as an alternative to gelatin from other sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note aims at analyzing the text of Charisius Grammatica 1.80 = GL i 80.5–10 = Barwick 101.1–7, and at offering new perspectives on the meaning of the quotation from C. Gracchus cum galeare ursici , with a particular focus on the adjective ursici. This paper will argue that a solution might be to amend the transmitted text to cum galeare ursi no and to understand its meaning as "with a bearskin cap," using Vegetius Epitoma rei militaris 2.16.2 as a parallel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the aim was to obtain keratin hydrolysate from wool waste from sheep breeders and use it in technologies for dyeing bovine hides. The keratin hydrolysate (KerNa), obtained by alkaline hydrolysis with sodium hydroxide, was physico-chemically analyzed, determining the protein substance in the amount of 80.65%, highlighting the bands specific to peptides and compounds with sulfur by FTIR spectroscopy and particle size by DLS technique, obtaining majority populations at 161 nm and 615 nm. Bovine hides were treated with keratin hydrolysate, in different stages of the dyeing process, and an increase in the dyeing resistance to wet and dry rubbing and the dyeing resistance to water drops was obtained, as well as the improvement of the specific color parameters. Leathers dyed with the use of the KerNa additive showed an increase in the friction resistance of the dyeing (grade 5/5) and brighter colors according to ISO Brightness. Treatments based on protein-rich keratin hydrolysate, applied in various stages of the dyeing process, interact with the leather’s collagen or tanning agents, giving the finished leathers improved properties of shade, shine and softness. The good results obtained in the applications of keratin hydrolysate in the leather industry show that the keratin extract can be the basis for obtaining new biomaterials with various applications. The utilization of wool waste from animal husbandry leads to a decrease in the amount of waste and the prevention of environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Context: In this article, we examine how Chinese demand for pelts—of sea otters and other marine mammals—fueled the eighteenth-century competitive expansion of European and later American merchants and explorers in the Pacific islands and along the Pacific coast of North America. Sea otter pelts were a commodity directly linked to the creation of a Pacific Ocean economy, and California’s colonization resulted from imperial dynamics to which this trade gave rise. Methodology: Using both primary and secondary sources, we examine how these merchants’ quest to supply the lucrative Chinese luxury market with furs—“soft gold”—brought them into contact with indigenous peoples whose livelihoods and commercial networks would also be recruited into this global market but on quite unequal terms and with devastating consequences. Originality: The growth of this Pacific trade throughout the eighteenth century fueled geopolitical rivalries that led to the colonization of California with a system of missions and military garrisons (presidios) and, eventually, to a new ecology as a result of plants and animals brought from New Spain before the Gold Rush and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Many, including Marx and Engels, have claimed that the Gold Rush contributed significantly to the dynamics of industrial capitalism; nevertheless, we argue that its conditions of possibility were laid out centuries earlier via the complex geopolitical and ecological connections through which this Pacific economy was articulated. Conclusions: During the eighteenth century, the Pacific’s products were extracted and commodified in circuits whose demand center was China. It is precisely the prior existence of these global markets—centered on silver and “soft gold,” or sea otter furs—that explains the presence of Europeans and Americans in California eager to prospect for the yellow metal in 1848. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambivalence sticks to Oryctolagus cuniculus like a second skin. Originally from Spain, this homebody animal gets lost 500 metres away from his burrow and is scared of water. Today, he is found living on every continent except for Antarctica. With him, nothing is ever simple. He can be domestic or farmed, a pet or a wild animal, a 'pest' or an 'umbrella species'. He is a champion of all categories and moves fluidly from one to the next. The concept of species has always been slippery and the concept of an invasive species even more so. Following the rabbit in his meanderings, we come across encounters between species that humans do not necessarily have control over anymore. We also come across seizures, resistances, submissions, and bifurcations. Is the rabbit only made of alliances and conflicts caught in taut relations? Oryctolagus cuniculus is a masterful teacher of lessons of crumpled history and broken geographies. Drawing from examples of his many adventures, we refer to the 'contaminated diversity' dear to Anna Tsing. This seems to be in the vein of the three concepts proposed by John Dewey: 'self-action', 'interaction', and 'transaction' (1949). The transaction rejects the postulate of intrinsic or pre-existing essences. It points to worlds that are always unresolved, provisional, and open to reinterpretation across time and space. If we consider being alive to be a transaction, it is also a way of understanding life that challenges our relationships to objects of knowledge and the ways we name them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thickness of skin from nine selected parts of the body of 22 (9 males:13 females) Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus) was measured and recorded. A 5cm x 5 cm skin samples from the dorsal & lateral neck, lateral facial, medial and lateral foreleg and hind leg, dorso-lateral part of the hindquarter skin (pelvis area) and dorsal back (above last thoracic vertebrae) was obtained and measured using a digital calliper at the precision of ±0.02 mm. The skin at the dorsal neck is the thickest (21.36 mm) followed by the lateral neck (11.13 mm) and lateral hindleg (10.80 mm), while the lateral facial skin (6.05 mm) is the thinnest followed by the medial hindleg (6.13 mm) and medial foreleg (6.85 mm). The comparison of skin thickness between females and males was statistically not significant. The information gathered from this study may be important for the management of tapir in captivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The keratin-degrading bacterium Actinomadura viridilutea DZ50 secretes a keratinase (KERDZ) with potential industrial interest. Here, the kerDZ gene was extracellularly expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)pLysS using pTrc99A vector. The recombinant enzyme (rKERDZ) was purified and biochemically characterized. Results showed that the native and recombinant keratinases have similar biochemical characteristics. The conventional dehairing with lime and sodium sulfide degrades the hair to the extent that it cannot be recovered. Thus, these chemical processes become a major contributor to wastewater problem and create a lot of environmental concern. The complete dehairing was achieved with 2000 U/mL rKERDZ for 10 h at 40 °C. In fact, keratinase assisted dehairing entirely degraded chicken feather (45 mg) and removed wool/hair from rabbit, sheep, goat, or bovine' hides (1.6 kg) while preserving the collagen structure. The enzymatic process is the eco-friendly option that reduces biological (BOD) (50%) and chemical (COD) oxygen demands (60%) in leather processing. Consequently, the enzymatic hair removal process could solve the problem of post-treatments encountering the traditional leather processing. The enzymatic (rKERDZ) dehaired leather was analyzed by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies, which revealed similar fiber orientation and compactness compared with control sample. Those properties support that the rKERDZ enzyme–mediated process is greener to some extent than the traditional one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contends that Stone Age art served a protective, magical purpose. Applied ornamental patterns to some extent were inspired by natural patterns taken from teeth, fur, shells and skins of particular animals, such as vipers, turtles and fawns, which were regarded as "magically" equipped. By wearing powerful animal body parts (like tooth pendants), or applying mimetic surface designs to amber amulets and "personal objects" like bone daggers and antler axes, the hunters tried to enact the supposed magical protection of such items for the persons using them. The Zig Zag ornaments of the Shigir Idol illustrate the importance of nonfigurative patterns in Mesolithic art, and this paper describes the abundance of zig zag patterns and snake symbolism on antler batons, clubs and bone daggers found at settlement sites and in burials belonging to the Maglemose, Kongemose and Ertebølle cultures of Southern Scandinavia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human beings have preferred the tent a lot in order to be protected from external factors as well as its easy installation and comfortable transportation. Early examples of tents made with mammoth bones, wood and animal skins were found in 44,000 BC. It is also known that tents with many different designs also serve multiple purposes. Among these purposes there are also military expedition. Designed according to the needs of armies, these tents also differ within themselves. The tents designed for the king, high-ranking and un-rank soldiers participating in the expedition differ from in terms of their features. In this study, information about the development of the tent was given before the Assyrian Kingdom period. The main theme of our position is the tents of the New Assyrian Kingdom used in military expedition. The tents examined by taking into account written texts and visual works of art; it is seen that they are handled under two headings as "Simple Tents" and "King Tents" with their skeletal structure, comfort, meeting daily needs and functional features. These tents were redrawn in the light of visual works of art and tried to be described. In the light of the above mentioned features, it is thought that tents were built within the framework of a specific plan to facilitate the daily lives of kings and soldiers and to minimize the negative effects of the season. In our study, tents from the New Assyrian Kingdom period will be discussed from a new perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tannins are secondary metabolites produced by guanacaste tree fruit that can form complexes with other macromolecules and increase the preservation of animal skins after the tanning process. This work focused on the extraction and quantification of vegetable tannins in guanacaste tree fruit (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) for its potential application as a tanning agent for European rabbit skin (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Extractions were performed using 70% aqueous ethanol, methanol and acetone solutions and then quantified by a modified Folin Ciocalteu method using tannic acid as the standard. Finally, the tanning capacity in rabbit skin was evaluated by the physical properties of the leather. It was found that the highest concentration of tannic acid equivalents (TAE) was obtained for extraction with 70% ethanol (1,42 g TAE / L) and 70% acetone (1,49 g TAE/L), respectively. These extracts were used to obtain the leathers according to standards for these products, passing only 3 out of 5 stability and resistance tests under official standards. These extracts are a potential substitute for chromium salts, allowing tanning processes with less environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2008, three anti-India mass uprisings occurred in Indian-administered Kashmir, resulting in a marked resurgence of the Kashmiri self-determination movement, known popularly as the Tehreek. In the resurgent Tehreek, stone-throwing – called kanni-jang in the local parlance, and stone pelting in the English language media – has emerged as a new and widely used act in the repertoire of Kashmiri resistance. The latest example of its use appeared after the Indian state's lockdown of Kashmir on 5 August 2019, when approximately 1193 stone-throwing protests were reported across Kashmir. For India, this protest tactic presents huge security challenges, yet for the Tehreek activists, stone pelting is an effective mode of protest that carries symbolic importance. In fact, the stone-throwing youth have become a signifier of the anti-India rebellion in post-2008 Kashmir. This article highlights the main factors that underlie the stone-throwing phenomenon in the Himalayan territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cumhuriyet Ilahiyat Dergisi / Cumhuriyet Theology Journal is the property of Cumhuriyet Universitesi, Ilahiyat Fakultesi / Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Theology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of liming concentration on the mechanical characteristics of cowhide crackers and to analyze the results of learning science about food mechanical characteristics related to the food chemical composition in high school students. The cowhide crackers production is carried out through the process of washing, liming, deliming, cutting, seasoning, drying, and frying the cowhide. The mechanical characteristics of the cowhide crackers were tested through the hardness and puncture strength test. Also, teaching and learning are conducted using experimental demonstration methods to 18 students through three stages, namely given a pretest; given an instructional video, and given posttest. The results of the research from cowhide crackers production with various concentrations show that the best cowhide crackers are obtained at a liming concentration of 93 grams because of the better level of crispiness than others. The mechanical properties change due to lime reduce the water and protein content in cowhide. The learning result about effect of food chemical composition on mechanical composition on cowhide crackers showed that experimental demonstration is effective in improving student learning outcomes because the average posttest score after video presentation is higher than pretest score. Furthermore, this research is important to analyze and inform the effectiveness of the use of instructional media in the science teaching and learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trapping data have a long and rich history of use in monitoring furbearer populations in North America but understanding the influences of variation in trapper harvest is important. Many factors besides abundance can cause variation in trapper harvest, including socioeconomics, weather, and motivation. The relationships between these extrinsic factors and trapper harvest may change temporally, which may obscure the causal understanding of variation in trapper harvest. We tested for changes in the relationships between pelt price and trapper numbers, and pelt price and harvest per trapper for raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Illinois, USA, from 1976–2018 while controlling for other socioeconomic (gasoline price, unemployment) and weather (temp, snow depth) factors. The annual raccoon harvest showed no clear trend, whereas the number of raccoon trappers declined markedly from approximately 1976–1990 in conjunction with pelt prices, after which the number of trappers remained relatively stable and were not significantly affected by pelt price. In contrast, harvest per trapper increased markedly during the 1990s and showed a significant negative relationship with pelt price pre‐1990 but a positive relationship post‐1990. We propose that declines in pelt prices resulted in a loss of less experienced or economically incentivized trappers, whereas contemporary trappers may continue trapping primarily for non‐economic reasons. Our study highlights the potential for using non‐linear relationships between trapper harvest data and socioeconomic covariates to help understand the influences of temporal variation in trapper harvest data. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. We analyzed 43 years of raccoon trapper harvest data from Illinois, USA, and found non‐linear declines in the number of raccoon trappers and non‐linear increases in harvest per raccoon trapper. The relationships between these variables and pelt prices was not consistent over time and a weaker relationship between number of raccoon trappers and pelt prices after 1990 may suggest shifts in trapper motivations towards non‐economic motivations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the May issue of Experimental Dermatology 2018, we published a review article focusing on human 3D skin models in the context of microbiota research. The principal intention was to provide an overview of present and future concepts to use skin models in microbiota analyses. With the present viewpoint, we would like to draw the reader's attention again to the use of human skin models in microbiota research with the aim to highlight the benefits and necessity of human skin models to analyse the human skin‐microbiota interaction. This is accompanied by a critical view on mice models that often are not suitable to analyse the functional impact of the human skin microbiota. In addition, we present novel and future concepts highlighting the benefits of human 3D skin models in microbiota research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dermatologie Pro Praxi is the property of SOLEN sro and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A few types of cheeses ripened in an animal skin sack are produced around the world: Sir iz mišine (Croatia), Sir iz mijeha (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro), Tulum and Divle Cave (Turkey), Bouhezza (Algeria) and Darfiyeh (Lebanon). Pronounced and piquant taste, flavour and aroma of these cheeses originate from intensive lipolysis and proteolysis as a result of specific anaerobic conditions inside the skin sack, autochthonous microorganisms from raw milk and skin, as well as their manufacturing procedure. The specific and complex biochemical changes that occur during ripening of cheeses in animal skin sacks have become of great interest to researchers, and numerous studies have been conducted over the last decade. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to review the specificities of proteolytic and lipolytic changes that occur during ripening of cheese in the animal skin sack, which cause the characteristic volatile compounds profile. Moreover, the manufacturing procedures and physico-chemical properties of cheeses is shown due to their relationship with biochemical reactions during cheese ripening. As biochemical changes during ripening directly influence sensory attributes of cheese, which determine consumer preference, this review could provide practical data for cheesemakers to prevent negative consequences of overly intensive biochemical changes during cheese ripening, and so improve the quality of this kind of cheeses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Art History / Sanat Tarihi Dergisi is the property of Ege University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The wastewater pollution of tanneries is of high concern. The investigation of technologies to minimize the consumption of chemicals in the leather production process can reduce the environmental burden. We focus on the reduction of ammonium salts in the leather production process. Salt-free deliming of animal hides with compressed carbon dioxide as deliming agent is performed for the first time in a technical scale 20-L drum. As a result, CO2-deliming at 30 bar and 30 °C is two times faster than conventional deliming. In addition, the deliming efficiency is slightly improved. The initial calcium (Ca) content of the hides of 8 g/kg reaches the lowest value of 2 g/kg after a process time of 3 h. However, a process time of 60 min is sufficient to reach an elimination of 50 wt% of the initial lime. The resulting Ca-content of 4 g/kg after 60 min CO2-deliming at 30 bar is comparable with the Ca-content of conventional delimed hide. We clarify that the ampholytic character of the collagen itself enables a buffering of the pH-value at pH-7. The stable pH-value supports the selection of specific bating enzymes that decompose non-collagen proteins. No buffering salts contaminate the wastewater. The high-pressure CO2-deliming process has high potential to reduce wastewater emissions, save costs for chemicals, and process time in industrial beamhouse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some camouflaged animals hide colour signals and display them only transiently. These hidden colour signals are often conspicuous and are used as a secondary defence to warn or startle predators (deimatic displays) and/or to confuse them (flash displays). The hidden signals used in these displays frequently resemble typical aposematic signals, so it is possible that prey with hidden signals have evolved to employ colour patterns of a form that predators have previously learned to associate with unprofitability. Here, we tested this hypothesis by conducting two experiments that examined the effect of predator avoidance learning on the efficacy of deimatic and flash displays. We found that the survival benefits of both deimatic and flash displays were substantially higher against predators that had previously learned to associate the hidden colours with unprofitability than against naive predators. These findings help explain the phenological patterns we found in 1568 macro-lepidopteran species on three continents: species with hidden signals tend to occur later in the season than species without hidden signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some camouflaged animals hide colour signals and display them only transiently. These hidden colour signals are often conspicuous and are used as a secondary defence to warn or startle predators (deimatic displays) and/or to confuse them (flash displays). The hidden signals used in these displays frequently resemble typical aposematic signals, so it is possible that prey with hidden signals have evolved to employ colour patterns of a form that predators have previously learned to associate with unprofitability. Here, we tested this hypothesis by conducting two experiments that examined the effect of predator avoidance learning on the efficacy of deimatic and flash displays. We found that the survival benefits of both deimatic and flash displays were substantially higher against predators that had previously learned to associate the hidden colours with unprofitability than against naive predators. These findings help explain the phenological patterns we found in 1568 macro-lepidopteran species on three continents: species with hidden signals tend to occur later in the season than species without hidden signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strain is occurred due to deformation such as the change of facial expression and is expected as a new evaluation approach to know the condition of skins applied to cosmetics. In this study, a noncontact in‐site method by using digital image correlation for measuring the strain on the skin surface near the eyes where deformation always occurs by blinking is proposed. In this method, skin microrelief and irregularities are utilized for the measurement. Materials and Methods: Images on the skin surface below the eyes of the four female subjects are pictured during a blink using high‐speed cameras. The principal strains as well as the principal directions are obtained using digital image correlation. The reference updating algorism is used when the movement of the skin surface due to blink is large, and the eyelashes elimination algorism is used when the long eyelashes hide their skin surface in an image. The strain distributions in the local area below the right eye and the time histories of the strain near the eye under several skin conditions are evaluated for each subject. Results: The strain can be obtained for each subject under each condition and the different strain distributions and time histories under different condition are visualized. Conclusion: The individual behavior of the subject and the different condition of the skin can be captured by the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the origins of the traditions of mummers, which are closely related to pagan beliefs and rituals, the cult of the Sun, solar symbols, traditions of the Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, as well as the Roman Saturnalia and the Scandinavian Yule. The tasks and functions of mummer’s rituals are revealed, which are protective, symbolic-mythological, solar-symbolic, magical, imitative, instructive, and pedagogical, as well as an erotic character associated with "human fertility." Wearing a mask or disguise, dressing up in animal skins and in costumes of the opposite sex filled the human personality with new content, sacred meaning, and broadcast the concept of “not - I” or “I am different” to the world. The main rituals of the Slavs associated with dressing (Svyatki and Kolyada), which are a hybrid of pagan and Christian Orthodox traditions, have been determined and characterized. Vechernitsa is specific Ukrainian entertainment, an obligatory attribute of winter Svyatki. The main functions of Vechernitsa are entertainment, sexually developing, sacred, and protective. The Slavic phenomenon of foolishness is considered, which manifested itself as a sacral clowning, a voluntary renunciation of worldly life, and dressing up for the glory of God. The extremely negative attitude of the Orthodox Church to the rituals associated with dressing up and mummering, fortune telling, games, and other kinds of entertainment was determined. A number of prohibitive decrees emanating from the Orthodox clergy did not have the proper effect, since winter rites were becoming part of the culture of the Slavs. Ritual permeated the culture of the Cossacks of the Zaporizhzhia Sich, despite the fact that religion occupied an important place in their lives, enriching it with a high meaning. In the Middle Ages, masquerade penetrates into aristocratic circles and is gradually reborn into the salon-secular style and presupposes the complementarity of two cultural traditions - Western European and native Slavic. The court masquerade balls demonstrate a close connection with the archaic theater, the genre of the English court Masque, the French court ballet, and the Italian intermezzo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among hazardous chemicals that may endanger food safety. In Nigeria, hides and skins of animals are edible and used in dishes. So, this study investigated the levels of PAHs in singed and unsinged hides and skins of animals slaughtered at three districts abattoirs (Obosi, Uga, and Kwata) in Anambra State, Nigeria. Methods: Using gas chromatography, the levels of PAHs were determined in 120 samples of raw and singed cattle hides and goat skins. Data were analyzed using the SPSS Windows software package (version 20.0). Results: The total PAHs of raw and singed cattle hides were respectively 0.80 and 12.33 μg/kg for Obosi district, 0.56 and 6.96 μg/kg for Uga district, and 8.30 and 16.24 μg/kg for Kwata district. Furthermore, the total PAHs levels in raw and singed goat skins were respectively 2.75 and 9.00 μg/kg for Obosi district, 1.76 and 6.42 μg/kg for Uga district, and 1.30 and 5.19 μg/kg for Kwata district. The levels of some PAHs in singed hides and skins were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the unsinged samples. Conclusion: The materials used in singeing may increase the concentration of PAHs in singed hide and skin. Although, the known carcinogenic PAHs in the samples were below the maximum permissible level, it is probably of public health concern due to the associated health risk on cumulative exposure via the dietary consumption of such contaminated local meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camouflage helps animals to hide from predators and is therefore key to survival. Although widespread convergence of animal phenotypes to their natural environment is well‐established, there is a lack of knowledge about how species compromise camouflage accuracy across different background types in their habitat.Here we tested how background matching has responded to top–down selection by avian and mammalian predators using Sahara–Sahel desert rodents in North Africa.We show that the fur colouration of several species has become an accurate match to different types of desert habitats. This is supported by a correlation analysis of colour and pattern metrics, investigation of animal‐to‐background similarities at different spatial scales and is confirmed by modelling of two predator vision systems.The background match was closest across large (or global) spatial scales, suggesting a generalist camouflage tactic for many background types. Some species, may have a better match to the background over small (or focal) spatial scales, which could be the result of habitat choices or differential predation. Nevertheless, predicted discrimination distances of fur colouration were virtually indistinguishable for mammalian and low for avian vision model, which implies effective camouflage.Our study provides one of the best documented cases of multilevel camouflage accuracy in geographically widespread taxa. We conclude that background matching has become an effective and common adaptation against predatory threat in Sahara–Sahelian desert rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent seizures of red panda pelts suggest an increasing illegal trade. Our study documents the socio-cultural perspectives affecting red panda conservation in Nepal in an attempt to determine what might be driving this increased trade. To do this, we interviewed local people; reviewed published and unpublished works, websites, and newspapers; and consulted experts. The majority of people living in red panda habitat seem familiar with this species, but it rarely has any medicinal, cultural, or religious significance. Currently, what is driving the demand for pelts is a mystery and cannot be explained by inherent negative perceptions about the animal's value to society or positive perceptions about its economic value within Nepal. Nonetheless, we suggest that insufficient knowledge about red panda-related crime, miscommunication during awareness-building campaigns, investigators' influence indicating a demand for pelts with a high price, and poverty-induced, easy money-making motives could be possible drivers for increasing the supply of pelts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was initiated to contribute to the meager knowledge of the anatomy of the African palm squirrel. Skin of the trunk and paw pads was the subject of interest. Basic gross and histological techniques were employed. The dorsal fur was grey with golden brown free endings, while the ventral fur was greyish white. The fur covered the entire trunk, extended through the dorsal surface of the distal carpal joint to the dorsal surface of the digits. Five digital pads, three inter-digital pads and two metacarpal pads were observed on the forefoot. There was no observable digital pad on the hind foot; four inter-digital and two metacarpal pads were observed. Surface grooves were evident in the cornified layer of the trunk skin, but not in the paw pad skin. The mean thickness of the cornified layer of the epidermis of the palmar pad was 75.54±3.45 μm, while the entire epidermis was 102.32±4.23 μm thick. The non-cornified layer of the trunk skin was made of only three distinct layers, as the stratum lucidum was not evident. Conversely, the stratum lucidum was evident in the paw pad skin. Dermal papillae observed in the paw pad skin were more numerous and progressed deeper into the non-cornified epidermis than those observed in the trunk skin. There were more melanocytes in the dorsal than in the ventral trunk skin. The study concluded that the trunk and paw pad skin of the African palm squirrel enable its adaptation to arboreal habitat [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the conventional leather production process, basic chromium sulphate (BCS) penetrates fully inside the collagen matrix during tanning and forms oligo-nuclear complexes that stabilize the skin structure during basification. Accelerated chromium sulphate complexation by basifying the BCS before full penetration leads to surface tanning and low leather qualities. Therefore, long processing times of 16 h for tanning and basification are common in modern tanneries. We used sodium hydrogen carbonate to basify BCS before penetration. However, instead of conventional tanning we performed CO2 tanning at 30 bar. The influence of accelerated chromium sulphate complexation on the leather quality was investigated. To estimate the structures of the formed chromium complexes, we considered the pH trend of the tanning solution during basification depending on the amount of basifying agent. The distribution of chromium oxide (Cr2O3) and the shrinkage temperature (Ts) in three different layers of the cross section were analysed. The analytics allowed the assessment whether the tanning agent penetrates through the whole cross section or adheres to the surface during CO2 tanning. We show that CO2-intensified tanning allows accelerated chromium sulphate complexation and a reduction in the tanning time from 16 to 4 h. The Cr2O3 is equally distributed, and Ts above 100 °C meets the standards of high-quality wet blue. However, the pH value of the tanning solution must not rise above 4.5 during basification. Otherwise, the Ts decrease dramatically. The feasibility of the process is demonstrated in a 1700-L drum, with a batch size of about 500 kg. The CO2-intensified tanning process has high potential to save time and chemicals and reduce emissions in industrial applications and is commercially competitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-lamellar liposomes (MLLs), prepared by shearing a lamellar phase composed of lipids (phosphatidylcholine) and surfactant (Tween 80®), were designed to control their size, charge and elasticity, the key parameters known to influence liposomes penetration through skin. Their size was tuned by the water content of the sheared lamellar phase, and by the surfactant-to-lipid ratio as was their elasticity. Their charge was varied by the incorporation of DPPG and DOTAP to confer a high negative or positive zeta potential, respectively. Couples of MLLs differing solely in one physicochemical parameter, the others kept constant, were compared to discriminate the influence of the key parameters on their penetration through a synthetic membrane, Strat-M™. Using confocal Raman microscopy, the kinetics of MLLs penetration was established for 40 h using a Franz cell dispositive under non-occlusive conditions. From these comparisons, we showed that their transversal diffusion cannot be predicted by one sole parameter but depends on a combination of their physicochemical characteristics that were enlightened. Two types of liposomes designed for topic and systemic diffusion and tested on dog-excised skin exhibited the predicted behavior. Eventually, a mechanism supported by complementary TEM analysis is proposed to shed light on MLLs skin penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glycoconjugates, herein glyco-proteins, existing in animal skins are closely related to the effectiveness of unhairing and fiber opening-up. Glycosidases have been used in leather making processes to reduce pollutants and improve leather quality. But the selection of glycosidases is still blind because the related mechanisms are not well understood yet. Hence, the animal skin structures and glycoconjugates components, the advances in the methods and mechanisms of removing glycoconjugates related to unhairing and fiber opening-up in leather manufacture, the kinds, compositions, structures and functions of typical glycoconjugates in skin are summarized. Then the approaches to destroy them, possible glycosidases suitable for leather making and their acting sites are analyzed based on the recognition of glycoconjugates in skin and the specificities of glycosidases toward substrates. It is expected to provide useful information for the optimization of glycosidases and the development of new enzymes and the cleaner technologies of unhairing and opening up fiber bundles assisted by glycosidases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The employment of excised skin (human or animal) mounted in diffusion cells is frequently used for the characterization of biopharmaceutical properties of topical semisolids dosage forms. Reptile skin from snake appears to be a useful alternative to other animal and human skins in assessing the potential for transdermal drug delivery. The aim of the study was to compare human and snake skin from a histological point of view. Furthermore the absorption of caffeine, as a hydrophilic model substance, was compared on snake shed skins (two anatomical locations; ventral and dorsal), from three different species, Python regius, Epicrates maurus colombianus, Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli, and human skin. Snake skin shows histological similarity to human Stratum corneum in term of thickness and composition. Regarding the absorption, the cumulative amount of caffeine increased linearly with time through the dorsal and ventral shed skins of all 3 species. Except for Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli ventral skin, the caffeine permeation behavior obtained on all snake shed skins evaluated was in a similar range as on human skin. One main advantage of shed skin, is that snakes molt regularly and can provide many sheds, that can be obtained without sacrificing the animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food fraud remains an ever-existing issue, and especially in the context of the current COVID-19 crisis. Along with the recession that followed this pandemics, as well as lacking food supplies in some regions, criminal organizations around the world are trying to further expand their financial gains by means of various forms of food fraud, either counterfeiting, labeling or lack of adequate documentation. The present paper begins with a short theorization on food fraud and finishes with an analysis of the latest Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed report, in order to capture the essence of food fraud incidents that have occurred since May 2019 until present: the most frequent subject of incidents and degree of impact, their nature, along with the products mostly affected. Our results show that food fraud incidents consisted mostly of lacking documentation pertaining to each food product. While animal hides and certain poisonous substances have been detected only in certain cases, their importance is not be ignored in terms of public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Al-Frahids Arts is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is an interest within forensic science to understand the physical and mechanical properties of human skin and the natural and synthetic simulants used to represent it, particularly with reference to reconstruction studies that consider injury to humans, for example during sharp-weapon and ballistic impact assaults. This paper discusses literature in the broad area of (i) human skin, (ii) animal skin and products such as leather and (iii) synthetic polymeric skin simulants. The physical and mechanical properties of human skin appear to be reasonably well documented in the literature. Animal models discussed appear to be restricted primarily to pig and to a lesser extent goat, plus some data on different types of leather. All skin (human and animal) and derivatives such as leather (from various animal sources) are natural materials and therefore variable in their physical and mechanical properties. The variability of commonly used simulants for human skin such as various types of leather could impact on the confidence of any reconstruction study data obtained by using such simulants. While it is recognized that synthetic simulants (polymers such as silicone and polyurethane) do not have the structure of human skin, their physical and mechanical properties can be manipulated relatively easily to match those of skin and are typically of low variability, providing confidence in the repeatability and reproducibility of reconstruction studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]