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The term pesticide refers to all chemical compounds predominantly used in agriculture for the control of the pathogens, weeds and pests. In order to intensify the agricultural production the use of pesticides has increased over the years in many developing countries. Since the monitoring of the presence of pesticides is rarely conducted and fairly difficult, the potential hazardous effects towards the human health, the biodiversity and the environment are hard to anticipate. The aim of the study is to provide a preliminary assessment of the situation by looking for the presence of pesticides in the water and sediment of the lake used for the irrigation. SPE and LC-MS/MS were used to purify and analyze the samples for the presence of 150 pesticides. The nicosulfuron was detected in the unusually high concentrations in water (97.80 µg/L) and the sediment (224 µg/kg).

The cereal grains, which represent the cultivated grasses fruits, supply almost half of the total caloric requirements for humans and provide more nourishment compared with any other class of the food. Out of many cereals used for food, maize, rice, and wheat are the most important food resources for humans, representing 94% of the total cereals consumption. According to the data of the Republic Institute of Statistics for the year 2018, the harvested areas of corn amount to 906,753 hectares. The production of about 7 million tons was achieved with an average yield of 7.7 t/ha according to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Serbia. Serbia is still among the ten largest exporters of wheat and corn in the world for the period of 2014/15–2017/18. More precisely, it ranks seventh in the export of corn. Utilization of maize products for food animal nutrition (1000 t) is 491,48, and for industrial processing (1000 t) 278,862 expressed as the total consumption (1000 t) is 769,910. Therefore, a total of 103 samples of maize products were analyzed for the presence of toxins, i.e., tropane alkaloids (TAs). The samples were collected from the retail stores in the Republic of Serbia in 2021 and analyzed for the presence of atropine and scopolamine (33 corn grits, 39 polenta, and 31 semolina samples). Therefore, the Recommendation 2015/976/EU on the monitoring of TAs in food was adopted by the EU Commission to obtain more occurrence data on TAs in food. The monitoring extent, however, is restricted because reliable analytical methods and appropriate sensitivity are limited. There was a limit of 1 g/kg for each atropine and scopolamine in cereals containing millet, sorghum, buckwheat, or their derivatives. All the samples were analyzed by the LC-MS/MS. The LOQ was set at 1.0 μg/kg. Out of the total 103 tested samples, 32 samples (31.1%) were contaminated with atropine and scopolamine in concentrations above the LOQ. The highest concentrations of the studied TAs were observed in a semolina sample-atropine: 58.80 μg/kg, scopolamine: 10.20 μg/kg. The obtained results indicate that the TAs concentrations are above the LOQ which can be considered potential human and animal health hazards.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the hydrolates obtained as the by-products of the Thymus vulgaris essential oil steam distillation process. The bioassays, which were undertaken in order to determine the effect on germination and initial growth of seedlings of some cultivated and weed species, were performed under controlled conditions with different concentrations of the hydrolates. Seeds of Glycine max, Helianthus annuus, Zea mays, Triticum aestivum, Daucus carota subsp. sativus, Allium cepa, Medicago sativa, and Trifolium repens, and six weed species—Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album, Portulaca oleracea, Echinochloa crus-galli, Sorghum halepense, and Solanum nigrum—were treated with 10, 20, 50, and 100% T. vulgaris hydrolate solution. The obtained results showed that the T. vulgaris hydrolate had the least negative effect on the germination of cultivated species, such as soybean, sunflower and maize, whereas clover and alfalfa were the most sensitive. By comparison, all the tested weed species expressed high susceptibility. It can be concluded that the T. vulgaris hydrolate has an herbicidal effect, in addition to its potential as a biopesticide in terms of integrated weed management.

Phytotoxic substances released by invasive plants have been reported to have anti-pathogen, anti-herbivore, and allelopathic activity. The aim of this study was to determine the allelopathic influence of the Ambrosia trifida L. on oxidative stress parameters (the lipid peroxidation process; reduced glutathione (GSH) content; and activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (PX)) and phenolic compounds (total phenolic and tannin content) in maize (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) crops to explore the effect of released allelochemicals through A. trifida root on crops. An analysis by HPLC confirmed the presence of protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, and syringic acid as major components in the A. trifida. Based on the obtained results for oxidative stress parameters, it can be concluded that the sunflower was the most sensitive species to A. trifida allelochemicals among the tested crops. The other two crops tested showed a different sensitivity to A. trifida. The soybean did not show sensitivity, while the maize showed sensitivity only 10 days after the sowing.

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) have been considered promising to replace traditional volatile and toxic organic solvents for the extraction of biologically active substances from natural sources. This work applied an efficient and ethanol-exclusion strategy for extraction of phenolic compounds from poplar type propolis using five known NADESs (lactic acid:1,2-propanediol 1:1, lactic acid:fructose 5:1, choline chloride:1,2-propanediol 1:3, choline chloride:1,2-propanediol:water 1:1:1 and betaine:malic acid:water 1:1:6). The selected NADESs' extractability was evaluated by measuring the concentrations of total phenolics and total flavones and flavonols in the propolis extracts obtained, which qualitative chemical composition was further determined in detail by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. It demonstrated that the chemical profiles of NADES and 70% ethanolic propolis extracts are similar. To expand the knowledge about the role of the applied solvents in the poplar propolis extraction process, the in vitro antimicrobial, cytotoxic and genotoxic activity of both NADESs and liquid NADES extracts were evaluated. The results revealed that the use of the selected NADESs as an extraction media for phenolic compounds from poplar propolis not only delivered a good extraction yield in some cases, but generally led to the preservation of propolis extracts' biological activity and even to the enhancement of their antimicrobial effect in comparison with the hydroethanolic one. Besides, the tested NADESs except for lactic acid:fructose and betaine:malic acid:water exerted low to negligible toxicity against normal cells treated and apart from lactic acid:fructose the remaining solvents demonstrated concentration-dependent moderate to subtle genotoxicity. There is a probability that not the supramolecular structure of the NADESs, but their components, played a key role for the observed biological effects. The present study has demonstrated an alternative approach for extracting the biologically active complex from poplar type propolis using NADESs, which could be useful for further pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical applications.

We describe a case of endocarditis caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis bacteria, a known cause of rat-bite fever, in a 32-year-old woman with pet rats in Germany. The patient had a strong serologic response, with high IgM and IgG titers. Serologic analysis is a promising tool to identify S. moniliformis bacterial infection.

Recently, the search for sustainable and environmentally friendly agrochemicals from natural origin is steadily growing. Propolis, a resinous substance collected by honeybees, well known for its diverse biological activities, has attracted the attention of scientists and farmers with its agrochemical potential in the last years. This review article aims to delve into the fascinating world of propolis and its utilization in agriculture. Here, we provide a brief overview of propolis: its chemical composition and the bioactive substances responsible for its biological properties. The effectiveness of propolis in controlling common pests and diseases that affect crops, suppressing postharvest illnesses of fruits and vegetables, stimulating plant defenses and increasing stress resistance, is reviewed. Discussion of the challenges and future perspectives related to the integration of propolis in agriculture is also one of our objectives, including chemical variability, standardization and regulatory considerations. We also focused on the latest research trends and technological advances that promise to unlock the full potential of propolis as a sustainable agricultural tool.

A renewed understanding of eco-friendly principles is moving the industrial sector toward a shift in the utilization of less harmful solvents as a main strategy to improve manufacturing. Green analytical chemistry (GAC) has definitely paved the way for this transition by presenting green solvents to a larger audience. Among the most promising, surely DESs (deep eutectic solvents), NaDESs (natural deep eutectic solvents), HDESs (hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents), and HNaDESs (hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvents), with their unique features, manifest a wide-range of applications, including their use as a means for the extraction of small bioactive compounds. In examining recent advancements, in this review, we want to focus our attention on some of the most interesting and novel ‘solvent-free‘ extraction techniques, such as microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) in relation to the possibility of better exploiting DESs and NaDESs as plausible extracting solvents of the phenolic compounds (PCs) present in different matrices from olive oil components, such as virgin olive pomace, olive leaves and twigs, virgin and extra virgin olive oil (VOO and EVOO, respectively), and olive cake and olive mill wastewaters (OMWW). Therefore, the status of DESs and NaDESs is shown in terms of their nature, efficacy and selectivity in the extraction of bioactive phytochemicals such as secoiridoids, lignans, phenolic acids and alcohols. Related studies on experimental design and processes’ optimization of the most promising DESs/NaDESs are also reviewed. In this framework, an extensive list of relevant works found in the literature is described to consider DESs/NaDESs as a suitable alternative to petrochemicals in cosmetics, pharmaceutical, or food applications.

Abstract Extraction is a vital step in obtaining pure bioactive natural compounds for medical, scientific and commercial use. Recently, interest in extracting natural products for applications across the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries has grown rapidly, driving demand for newer, more efficient extraction methods. To develop our understanding of this field, BMC Chemistry has launched a new article Collection titled “Contemporary methods for the extraction and isolation of natural products”.

Abstract Objective The mango tree Mangifera indica is known as one of the botanical sources of propolis in Tropical regions. There are two different materials which bees can collect from a mango tree to produce propolis: the resin of the tree bark, and the latex found on the fruits. We performed the study of the chemical profile of mango resin in comparison with propolis in order to clarify its importance as propolis source. Results We compared the chemical profiles (by GC–MS analysis of ethanol extracts after silylation) of the resin and samples of propolis: of stingless bees (3 Vietnames, 2 Indonesian), and one of Apis mellifera from Thailand. In the resin and all propolis samples, 25 compounds were identified: fatty acids, cardanols (alk(en)yl phenols), cardols, anacardic acids, triterpene alcohols and ketones, cycloartane type triterpenic acids. All samples have the same qualitative composition but there are important quantitative differences. Considering literature data on mango latex, we conclude that bees of different species, make use of the two propolis sources offered by mango: bark resin and fruit latex, in different proportions. We also confirmed for the first time the presence of alk(en)yl phenols and anacardic acids in the tree bark resin of mango.

Burkitt's lymphoma is a highly aggressive type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, linked to the Epstein-Barr virus, which induces oxidative stress and DNA damage in the infected cells. We investigated the cytotoxicity and redox-modulating ability of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and n-butanol (n-BuOH) extracts from Geum urbanum L. roots and aerial parts on Burkitt's lymphoma cells (BLC), to elucidate their impact on oxidative stress and cell survival. BLC Raji was treated with EtOAc and n-BuOH extracts to analyze: cell viability; induction of apoptosis; hydroperoxides and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) by 2’,7’-dichlorodihydrofluorescein assay; superoxide by dihydroethidium assay; total antioxidant capacity by TAC assay. All extracts suppressed cell growth and induce apoptosis. n-BuOH extracts possessed higher cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic activity compared to EtOAc. The fractions decreased the hydroperoxides and RNS levels. There was no correlation between the DCF fluorescence in the treated cells and their viability (R = -0.3722; p > 0.05). Root extracts decreased the superoxide level, while the leaf extracts did not. There was a good correlation between the dihydroethidium fluorescence in the treated cells and their viability (R = 0.9843; p < 0.01). All extracts increased the TAC of BLC. G. urbanum extracts serve as redox-modulators and anti-inflammatory compounds, decreasing the intracellular level of “oncogenic” superoxide and cell proliferation.

The chemical composition of stingless bee honey and propolis depends on the plant sources they are derived from, and thus reflects the flora available in the vicinity of the hives, the preferences of the bee species, and the climate (altitude and temperature). To understand the relative influence of these factors, we studied the composition of honey and propolis of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona mexicana. Samples from 24 colonies were analyzed: 12 each from two S. mexicana meliponaries located in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico, approximately 8.5 km apart, Tuxtla Chico and Cacahoatán. The chemical composition of honey and propolis was studied using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. The antioxidant activity of propolis was also studied. Chemometric analyses were applied. The Tuxtla Chico honey samples contained higher concentrations of glucose and fructose, while the Cacahoatán samples displayed a rich composition of di- and trisaccharides. These differences can be attributed to the distinct nectar sources utilized by the bees at each location. Propolis compositions in the two locations also demonstrated qualitative differences, indicating a specific choice of resins by the bees. The observed substantial variations in the chemical composition of propolis and honey of S. mexicana from two locations relatively close to each other supports the assumption that bee species cannot be considered the most important factor in determining their chemistry.

The chemical investigation of Homotrigona apicalis propolis collected in Binh Dinh province, Vietnam, led to the isolation of nine compounds, including four sesquiterpenes: spathulenol (1), 1αH,5βH-aromandendrane-4β,10α-diol (2), 1β,6α-dihydroxy-4(15)-eudesmene (3), and 1βH,5βH-aromandendrane-4α,10β-diol (4); three triterpenes: acetyl oleanolic acid (5), 3α-hydroxytirucalla-8,24-dien-21-oic acid (6), and ursolic acid (7); and two xanthones: cochinchinone A (8) and α-mangostin (9). Sesquiterpens 1–4 and triterpene 6 were isolated for the first time from stingless bee propolis. Plants in the Cratoxylum and Aglaia genus were suggested as resin sources of the propolis sample. In the antibacterial activity evaluation, the EtOH extract only showed moderate activity on S. aureus, while the isolated compounds 7–9 showed good antibacterial activity, with IC50 values of 0.56 to 17.33 µg/mL. The EtOH extract displayed selective cytotoxicity against the A-549 cancer cell line, with IC50 values of 22.82 ± 0.86 µg/mL, and the xanthones 8 and 9 exhibited good activity against the KB, HepG-2, and A-549 cancer cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 7.55 ± 0.25 µg/mL to 29.27 ± 2.07 µg/mL. The cytotoxic effects of xanthones 8 and 9 were determined by the inhibition of the EGFR and HER2 pathways using a molecular docking study. Compounds 8 and 9 displayed strong binding affinity with EFGR and HER2, with values of −9.3 to −9.9 kcal/mol. Compounds 5, 8, and 9 showed potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, which were further confirmed by computational studies. The binding energies of compounds 5, 8, and 9 were lower than that of arcabose.

Geum urbanum L. is a medicinal plant used from ancient time against gastro-intestinal disorders, bleeding and inflammation of mucous membranes, gums (gingivitis), etc. In our previous works, we demonstrated the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of the EtOAc fraction from aerial parts to provoke acute and subacute toxicity by its internal daily administration (per os) in healthy H- albino male and female mice. We used three concentrations of treatment according to their biological activity potential of application − 20, 70 and 210 mg/kg. All animals were observed and recorded periodically for clinical signs, mortality and changes in their behavior (incl. hypo-activity, aggression, etc.). The body weight was measured at every 5 days up to the end of the experiment (a total 28 days). We studied the biochemical parameters (superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation and damaged proteins in blood plasma and brain) and complete hematological parameters, and the histopathological findings in mouse spleens and Payer’s patches. The investigated extract did not show any signs of significant acute and subacute toxicity at the highest applied test-concentration, and therefore, we encouraged its possible application as food additive for various infectious diseases.

Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. belongs to highly invasive weed species. In mid-1900s, the cultivation of this species as a forage crop led to its invasiveness (Peerzada et al., 2017). Yield losses it causes are up to 57-88% on very important agricultural and horticultural crops (Peerzada et al., 2017). It is highly tolerant to herbicides and rapid vegetative growth makes it difficult to control. Finding new methods that will help combat invasive species with less environmental impact is gaining importance. Allelopathy is very important for finding new compounds that can be used to combat invasive weeds (Arora et al., 2015). Allelochemicals are very important in relationship between plants and their environment (Cespedes et al., 2014). McPartland (1997) points to repellent and pesticidal properties of Cannabis sativa L. The aim of this study is to investigate allelopathic effect of C. sativa L. extract on lipid peroxidation activity in leaves of treated plants of S. halepense (L.) Pers. Extract obtained by the classical extraction process was applied at concentrations of 100%, 50%, 25% and 10%, while the control variant was not treated. Plants of S. halepense L. (Pers.) were in the initial stages of growth when extract was applied. Experiment was performed under field conditions. Plants respond to adverse environmental effects by changes in biochemical processes (Sunmonu & Van Staden, 2014). Sampling of treated plants was performed after 6h and 24h. Biochemical analyzes of fresh leaves of S. halepense (L.) Pers. lipid peroxidation activity was determined. C. sativa L. extract caused changes in the lipid peroxidation activity of S. halepense (L.) Pers. Increased activity was only in variant of application of the highest concentration of extract with a statistically significant difference in both sampling moments. Value of monitored activity in control variant was 73.18 nmol MDA / g SBM while in variant with 100% application of the extract it was 99.36 nmol MDA / g SBM after 6h. After 24 h, a value of 100% extract of 80.02 nmol MDA / g SBM was obtained, as opposed to control with a lipid peroxidation value of 68.27 nmol MDA / g SBM. Other variants of application did not show statistically significant differences with respect to control after 6 h from moment of treatment. Less pronounced differences in obtained values were observed in variants with 50%, 25% and 10% compared to control after 24 h. An increase in lipid peroxidation activity in variants using 100% C. sativa L. extract is a response to plant exposure to stress, thus proving an allelopathic effect on treated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) are a new alternative to toxic organic solvents. Their constituents are primary metabolites, non-toxic, biocompatible and sustainable. In this study four selected NADES were applied for the extraction of two medicinal plants: Sideritis scardica, and Plantago major as an alternative to water-alcohol mixtures, and the antimicrobial and genotoxic potential of the extracts were studied. The extraction efficiency was evaluated by measuring the extracted total phenolics, and total flavonoids. Best extraction results for total phenolics for the studied plants were obtained with choline chloride-glucose 5:2 plus 30% water; but surprisingly these extracts were inactive against all tested microorganisms. Extracts with citric acid-1,2-propanediol 1:4 and choline chloride-glycerol 1:2 showed good activity against S. pyogenes, E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. Low genotoxicity and cytotoxicity were observed for all four NADES and the extracts with antimicrobial activity. Our results confirm the potential of NADESs for extraction of bioactive constituents of medicinal plants and further suggest that NADES can improve the effects of bioactive extracts. Further studies are needed to clarify the influence of the studied NADES on the bioactivity of dissolved substances, and the possibility to use such extracts in the pharmaceutical and food industry.

The present study aimed to analyze and compare the chemical profile and antioxidant capacity of propolis from different bee species and different regions. The chemical profiles of propolis from six stingless bee species (Tetragonula iridipennis, T. laeviceps, Lepidotrigona terminata, L. ventralis, Lisotrigona carpenteri and Homotrigona apicalis) collected from a total of eight locations in Vietnam were investigated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). More than 70 compounds were identified, amongst which phenolic lipids (cardanols, resorcinols and anacardic acids), aromatic acids, triterpenes and xanthones. Taxonomic markers for Mangifera indica (phenolic lipids and cycloartane triterpenes) were detected in propolis from bees of the genera Tetragonula and Lepidotrigona, although in different amounts, whereas propolis from H. apicalis was characterized by triterpenes of the amyrine type, typical of dipterocarp trees. A clear discrimination between both groups was observed by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Propolis from Tetragonula and Lepidotrigona spp. and from Lisotrigona carpenteri, which is rich in xanthones, possesses higher radical scavenging and ferric-reducing capacity than that from H. apicalis. Propolis produced by all six stingless bee species in Vietnam was analyzed for the first time. In addition, this is the first report on L. carpenteri propolis.

The method known as the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), a theoretical and methodological concept of multi-criteria analysis, is increasingly used in solving various decision-making problems. AHP is an excellent support to both the individual and group decision-making process, however, the involvement of a greater number of decision makers complicates the process and requires a different approach to when an individual decides alone. The synthesis of individual decisions within a group can be done in various ways, but the problem is how to deal with different levels of consistency when there are a number of decision makers. Thus, this paper presents some of the methods for defining the individual weights of decision makers in group AHP decision making.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a hydrophobic constituent of poplar propolis of valuable biological activity, was immobilized in poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-b-PCL-b-PEO) copolymer micelles to improve its solubility in water. CAPE was loaded in the micelles by dialysis, achieving ca. 50% encapsulation efficiency. The drug loaded micelles were characterized with a mean diameter of 39 nm, narrow size distribution and slightly positive zeta-potential (approximately 2 mV). The in vitro release profile showed an improved dissolution behavior of micellar CAPE than pure CAPE. In vitro studies on human hepatoma HepG2 and neuronal SH-SY5Y cells demonstrated that the empty PEO-b-PCL-b-PEO micelles were not cytotoxic, whereas the drug loaded micelles exerted cytotoxic effects proportional to CAPE content. The protective activity of pure and micellar CAPE was investigated in a model of H2O2 induced oxidative damage in HepG2 and SH-SY5Y cells. In both cell types, micellar CAPE exhibited better protective activity against the oxidative damage than pure CAPE at very low concentrations (0.1 µg/mL), which is far from the cytotoxic concentration of CAPE-loaded micelles (71 µg/mL). Consequently, the developed micellar formulation has an improved activity against oxidative damage in hepatic and neuronal cells as comparing to pure CAPE.

Fan studies scholar Louisa Ellen Stein discusses her journey into felt scholarship and whole self scholarship in fan studies. Her fannish interests and personal identities are varied and affect her scholarship in different ways. Choosing how and when to reveal and interrogate them is difficult but important work.

Mapping the fine line we walk as fan studies scholars engaging with fannish knowledge production.

In this paper I investigate the methodological challenges posed by the intersection of two factors commonly found in some types of fan studies research: studying a community one is already a member of and that community existing in a digital setting. I propose an approach shaped by traditional ethnography, digital ethnography, and autoethnography that is theoretically grounded, takes into account both practical and theoretical issues, and seeks to leverage the strengths of the digital environment and the ethnographer's knowledge of the community they are researching. I pay particular attention to the role and positionality of the ethnographer in this environment, as well as the process of field site construction, which I conceptualize as a journey. To illustrate this follow-the-trope approach in action, I present a case study based on my research on sexual consent in fan fiction.

Editorial for guest-edited issue, "Fan Studies Methodologies," Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 33 (June 15, 2020).

The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of propolis from a semi-arid region of Morocco were investigated. Fifteen compounds, including triterpenoids (1, 2, 7–12), macrocyclic diterpenes of ingol type (3–6) and aromatic derivatives (13–15), were isolated by various chromatographic methods. Their structures were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic and chiroptical methods. Compounds 1 and 3 are new natural compounds, and 2, 4–6, and 9–11 are newly isolated from propolis. Moreover, the full nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) assignments of three of the known compounds (2, 4 and 5) were reported for the first time. Most of the compounds tested, especially the diterpenes 3, 4, and 6, exhibited very good activity against different strains of bacteria and fungi. Compound 3 showed the strongest activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the range of 4–64 µg/mL. The combination of isolated triterpenoids and ingol diterpenes was found to be characteristic for Euphorbia spp., and Euphorbia officinarum subsp. echinus could be suggested as a probable and new plant source of propolis.

Propolis is known to possess antioxidant activity. However, there is no information on this activity in emulsions O/W. The protective effect of propolis on the oxidation and rheological properties of emulsions O/W containing wheat germ and almond oils was evaluated. Emulsions O/W were prepared with different concentration of propolis extract, almond oil and wheat germ oil. All emulsions physically stable without phase separation were stored at 37 °C for 9 weeks. Chemical composition of propolis was established by Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Rheological characterization of different emulsions was performed evaluating consistency index and flow behavior index. The oxidation was monitored by measuring the lipid hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) methods. Flavonoids, phenolic acid esters, and aromatic acids were the main groups of compounds found in propolis. The results showed that popolis was good antioxidant in the concentration of 0.02 and 0.04% when lipid phase was constituted by almond oil. The rheological behavior is typical of a non-Newtonian fluid, being almond oil more adequate for having a higher stable O/W emulsion. Keywords: Emulsion, Flavonoids, Phenolic acid esters, Almond oil, Wheat germ oil, Natural antioxidant

This paper is based on the main difference between conceptual and theoretical frameworks as well as literature review of comparative studies of two multi-criteria decision making methods: Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Conjoint analysis. The AHP method represents a formal framework for solving complex multiatributive decision making problems, as well as a systemic procedure for ranking multiple alternatives and/or for selecting the best from a set of available ones. Conjoint analysis is an experimental approach used for measuring individual’s preferences regarding the attributes of a product or a service. It is based on a simple premise that individuals evaluate alternatives, with these alternatives being composed of a combination of attributes whose part-worth utilities are estimated by researchers. Bearing in mind the quality of desired results, it must be dependent on the problems and aspects of research: knowledge of the methods, complexity (number of attributes and their levels), order effects, level of consistency, chooses the appropriate method.

In this paper, I explore arranged marriage slash fanfiction stories as a space where marriage as an institution is challenged and alternative discourses around sexual consent in unequal intimate relationships are generated.Fanfiction is amateur fiction based on existing media. Within fanfiction, the arranged marriage trope bears significant resemblance to the marriage of convenience romance novel trope. I argue that by focusing on relationships which involve disparities of social standing, arranged marriage fanfiction stories explore marriage as an institution which reproduces and amplifies inequalities. As a result, they cast marriage consummation – and sex within marriage generally – as an at least potentially coercive practice. Arranged marriage fanfiction stories retain some key elements of the romance genre, notably the Happily Ever After ending and the sex scene (often the marriage consummation) which doubles as the emotional climax. However, they make key changes to how the relationship between the main characters develops, particularly how the emotion work necessary to make the relationship work is divided between the partners. It is these changes which allow arranged marriage fanfiction stories to challenge dominant discourses of sexual consent within marriage and propose an alternative view of how consent within unequal relationships can be made meaningful.

This paper presents the Fuzzy Delphi approach to defining a cycle for assessing the performance of military drivers. This approach is based on the Delphi decision-making process under uncertainty. These uncertainties are described by linguistic terms modeled with triangular fuzzy numbers. The approach is modeled to take into the account the importance - weight of each decision-maker and the homogeneity of their individual fuzzy preferences. The vertex method calculates the distance between the aggregated Fuzzy estimation and the triangular fuzzy numbers in which the linguistic terms which experts had chosen are modeled. Defuzzification of the fuzzy preference of the experts was carried out by a Graded Mean Integration Representation.

This study evaluated the in vitro antineoplastic and antiviral potential and in vivo toxicity of twelve extracts with different polarity obtained from the herbaceous perennial plant Geum urbanum L. (Rosaceae). In vitro cytotoxicity was determined by ISO 10993-5/2009 on bladder cancer, (T-24 and BC-3C), liver carcinoma (HEP-G2) and normal embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cell lines. The antineoplastic activity was elucidated through assays of cell clonogenicity, apoptosis induction, nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NFκB p65) activation and total glutathione levels. Neutral red uptake study was applied for antiviral activity. The most promising G. urbanum extract was analyzed by UHPLC–HRMS. The acute in vivo toxicity analysis was carried out following OEDC 423. The ethyl acetate extract of aerial parts (EtOAc-AP) exhibited the strongest antineoplastic activity on bladder cancer cell lines (IC50 = 21.33–25.28 µg/mL) by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting NFκB p65 and cell clonogenicity. EtOAc and n-butanol extracts showed moderate antiviral activity against human adenovirus type 5 and human simplex virus type I. Seventy four secondary metabolites (gallic and ellagic acid derivatives, phenolic acids, flavonoids, etc.) were identified in EtOAc-AP by UHPLC–HRMS. This extract induced no signs of acute toxicity in liver and kidney specimens of H-albino mice in doses up to 210 mg/kg. In conclusion, our study contributes substantially to the detailed pharmacological characterization of G. urbanum, thus helping the development of health-promoting phytopreparations.

Micropropagation of rare Veronica caucasica M. Bieb. was achieved by successful in vitro cultivation of mono-nodal segments on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L–1 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and then transferring the regenerated plants on hormone free basal MS medium for root development. In vitro multiplicated plants were successively acclimated in a growth chamber and a greenhouse with 92% survival. The number of plastid pigments and the total phenolics content in in vitro cultivated and ex vitro adapted plants were unchanged, and no accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by staining with 3-3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA). Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) fingerprinting allowed for the identification of the major alterations in metabolome of V. caucasica plants during the process of ex situ conservation. Iridoid glucosides such as verproside, aucubin and catalpol were characteristic for in vitro cultivated plants, while in ex vitro acclimated plants phenolic acid–protocatechuic acid and caffeic acid appeared dominant. The successful initiation of in vitro and ex vitro cultures is an alternative biotechnological approach for the preservation of V. caucasica and would allow for further studies of the biosynthetic potential of the species and the selection of lines with a high content of pharmaceutically valuable molecules and nutraceuticals.

Abstract Many Geum species are known to be rich in biologically active compounds and therefore could be a source of new natural products with pharmacological potential. The medicinal plant Geum urbanum L. is widespread in Bulgaria and has been used in folk medicine. In the present study, the methanol extracts of the roots and aerial parts of G. urbanum and their fractions (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol) were investigated for antibacterial and radical scavenging activity. The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions inhibited the growth of Gram-positive pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria from the genus Staphylococcus (MIC EtOAc: 0.078 mg/ml aerial and 0.156 mg/ml roots; MIC n-BuOH: 0.156 mg/ml aerial and 1.25 mg/ml roots) and the species Bacillus cereus stronger than the other extracts and fractions tested (MIC EtOAc: 0.078 mg/ml aerial and 0.156 mg/ml roots; MIC n-BuOH: 0.156 mg/ml aerial and 0.078 mg/ml roots), and showed corresponding radical scavenging activity (EtOAc: EC50 1.5 µg/ml aerial, 0.8 µg/ml roots; n-BuOH: 4.5 µg/ml aerial; 3.7 µg/ml roots). Additionally, their total phenolic content was quantified (% of dry EtOAc fractions of roots 61%, of arial parts 32%; of dry n-BuOH fractions of roots 16%, of arial parts 13%). Seven compounds were isolated and identified spectroscopically from the ethyl acetate extract. Two acetylated ellagic acid rhamnosides were found for the first time in the genus Geum and three others, tormentic acid, niga-ichigoside F1, and 3,3′-di-O-methylellagic acid-4-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, were newly detected for the species G. urbanum. Our results reveal that G. urbanum L. is a perspective medicinal plant and deserves further, more detailed studies.

Propolis produced by the stingless bee Lisotrigona cacciae was studied for the first time. Using different chromatographic procedures, a total of eighteen constituents (phenols and triterpenes) were isolated, among which flavane 1, homoisoflavanes 2-4, and xanthones 5 and 6 were new for propolis. Propolis extract was also characterized by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and other fifteen constituents were identified. The xanthone α-mangostin (8) demonstrated significant activity against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC and MBC 0.31 μg/ml, followed by 7,4'-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-8-methylflavane (1) with MIC 78 μg/ml and MBC 156 μg/ml. 10,11- Dihydroxydracaenone C (4), a component bearing ortho-hydroxyl groups, was the only compound displaying radical scavenging ability. Triple botanical origin of the sample was defined, consisting of Dracaena cochinchinensis, Cratoxylum cochinchinense and Mangifera indica. D. cochinchinensis is a new resin source of propolis.

Recently, the honey and propolis of stingless bees have been attracting growing attention because of their health-promoting properties. However, studies on these products of African Meliponini are still very scarce. In this preliminary study, we analyzed the chemical composition of honey, two cerumen, and two resin deposits (propolis) samples of Meliponula ferruginea from Tanzania. The honey of M. ferruginea was profiled by NMR and indicated different long-term stability from Apis mellifera European (Bulgarian) honey. It differed significantly in sugar and organic acids content and had a very high amount of the disaccharide trehalulose, known for its bioactivities. We suggested trehalulose to be a potential marker for African stingless bee honey analogously to the recent proposal for Meliponini honey from Asia, South America, and Australia and demonstrated its easy discrimination by 13C NMR. Propolis and cerumen were studied by GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectometry). The samples contained mainly terpenoids (di-and triterpenes) but demonstrated qualitative and quantitative differences. This fact was an indication that possibly M. ferruginea has no strict preferences for resins used to construct and protect their nests. The antimicrobial and anti-quorum sensing properties of the two materials were also tested. These first results demonstrated that the honey, cerumen, and propolis of African stingless bees were rich in biologically active substances and deserved further research.