Benchmarking the Humidity-Dependent Mechanical Response of (Nano)fibrillated Cellulose and Dissolved Polysaccharides as Sustainable Sand Amendments.

Soil quality is one of the main limiting factor in the development of the food sector in arid areas, mainly due to its poor mechanics and lack of water retention. Soil's organic carbon is nearly absent in arid soils, though it is important for water and nutrient transport, to soil mechanics, to prevent erosion, and as a long-term carbon sink. In this study, we evaluate the potential benefits that are brought to inert sand by the incorporation of a range of, mainly, cellulosic networks in their polymeric or structured (fiber) forms, analogously to those found in healthy soils. We explore the impact of a wide range of nonfood polysaccharide-based amendments, including pulp fibers, nanocellulose, cellulose derivatives, and other readily available polysaccharide structures derived from arthropods (chitosan) or fruit peels (pectin) residues. A practical methodology is presented to form sand-polymer composites, which are evaluated for their soil mechanics as a function of humidity and the dynamics of their response to water. The mechanics are correlated to the network of polymers formed within the pores of the sandy soil, as observed by electron microscopy. The response to water is correlated to both the features of the network and the individual polysaccharides' physicochemical features. We expect this work to provide a rapid and reproducible methodology to benchmark sustainable organic amendments for arid soils.

Lignin nanoparticles as co-stabilizers and modifiers of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions and foams.

Nanocellulose is very hydrophilic, preventing interactions with the oil phase in Pickering emulsions. This limitation is herein addressed by incorporating lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) as co-stabilizers of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions. LNP addition decreases the oil droplet size and slows creaming at pH 5 and 8 and with increasing LNP content. Emulsification at pH 3 and LNP cationization lead to droplet flocculation and rapid creaming. LNP application for emulsification, prior or simultaneously with nanocellulose, favors stability given the improved interactions with the oil phase. The Pickering emulsions can be freeze-dried, enabling the recovery of a solid macroporous foam that can act as adsorbent for pharmaceutical pollutants. Overall, the properties of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions and foams can be tailored by LNP addition. This strategy offers a unique, green approach to stabilize biphasic systems using bio-based nanomaterials without tedious and costly modification procedures. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10570-023-05399-y.

Potential of Wood Hemicelluloses and Their Derivates as Food Ingredients.

A holistic utilization of all lignocellulosic wood biomass, instead of the current approach of using only the cellulose fraction, is crucial for the efficient, ecological, and economical use of the forest resources. Use of wood constituents in the food and feed sector is a potential way of promoting the global economy. However, industrially established food products utilizing such components are still scarce, with the exception of cellulose derivatives. Hemicelluloses that include xylans and mannans are major constituents of wood. The wood hemicelluloses are structurally similar to hemicelluloses from crops, which are included in our diet, for example, as a part of dietary fibers. Hence, structurally similar wood hemicelluloses have the potential for similar uses. We review the current status and future potential of wood hemicelluloses as food ingredients. We include an inventory of the extraction routes of wood hemicelluloses, their physicochemical properties, and some of their gastrointestinal characteristics, and we also consider the regulatory route that research findings need to follow to be approved for food solutions, as well as the current status of the wood hemicellulose applications on that route.

Computed Tomographic Assessment of Renal Volume and Its Associative Factors Among Adults.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of normal renal volume is a vital parameter for clinical assessment of renal diseases because renal size is altered by various medical conditions. Variations in renal dimension in different populations and it's relation to individual's body parameters are evident. Different studies have recommended the need for measurement of renal dimension for specific population. This study assesses normal range of renal volume in the study population and measures their correlation with individual's body parameters. METHODS: This descriptive study was done in 261 adults. After renal length measurement on reformatted coronal images, renal width and renal thickness on axil images, renal volume was calculated by ellipsoidal formula. Descriptive statistics and parametric tests were used to evaluate the association between renal volume and different parameters. RESULTS: This study showed a significant difference in mean renal volume between male (right and left mean renal volume 120.52 ± 26.84 cm3 and 121.00 ± 27.23 cm3 respectively) and female (right and left mean renal volume 110.11 ± 21.79 cm3 and 111.15 ± 22.34 cm3 respectively) on each side. Similarly, a significant positive correlation was found between renal volume and body height, body weight and BMI of participant for both kidneys however a significant negative correlation was observed between renal volume and age 40 years and above for both kidneys.   Conclusions: This study provides morphometric data regarding normal kidneys and concludes that male renal volume is more than female and renal volume is correlated to individual's body parameters.

Evaluation of Breast Mass by Mammography and Ultrasonography with Histopathological Correlation.

BACKGROUND: Mammography, ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging are the available modalities for the evaluation of breast masses. Advances and ongoing improvements in imaging technologies have improved the sensitivity of breast cancer detection and diagnosis, but each modality is most beneficial when utilized according to individual traits such as age, risk factors, and breast density. However, pathological diagnosis is most crucial for the treatment of breast masses. METHODS: A cross-sectional study were conducted from January 2017 to April 2018. There were total of 50 patients with clinically diagnosed palpable breast lumps who attended Gynaecological OPD/surgical OPD/medicine OPD in the study period. The patients above 30 years were evaluated by mammography and ultrasound in Department of Radiology, National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bir Hospital. The patients were then send for FNAC/biopsy and histopathology examination. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 16. Specificity and sensitivity of MG and USG individually and in combination to determine the nature of breast lump in relation to histopathological findings were calculated. RESULTS: Ultrasound had 88.90% sensitivity and 68.80% specificity whereas mammogram had 94.40% and 87.50% sensitivity and specificity respectively. When combined, both sensitivity of diagnosing malignant lesions increases up to 94.4% and specificity decreases up to 31.2%. Most of the variables of ultrasound and mammography (except density of the lesion) had significance in predicting nature of the lesion (p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Combined Mammography and Ultrasound had higher sensitivity than sensitivity rate observed for either single modality. A combined Mammography and Ultrasound approach to detect breast diseases was significantly more helpful in accurate evaluation of breast pathologies.

Colloidal features of softwood galactoglucomannans-rich extract.

Development of a sustainable bioeconomy requires valorization of renewable resources, such as wood hemicelluloses. The intra- and inter-molecular association of hemicelluloses within themselves or with other wood components can result in complex macromolecular features. These features exhibit functionality as hydrocolloids, however macromolecular characterization of these heterogeneous materials are challenging using conventional techniques such as size-exclusion chromatography. We studied galactoglucomannans (GGM) -rich softwood extracts at two grades of purity-as crude extract and after ethanol-precipitation. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) was optimized and utilized to fractionate size classes in GGM extracts, and subsequent characterization was performed with light scattering and microscopy techniques. Both GGM extracts contained polysaccharides of around 10,000 g/mol molar mass, and colloidal assemblies and/or particles in sub-micron size range. The optimized AF4 method facilitates the characterization of complex biomass-derived carbohydrates without pre-fractionation, and provides valuable understanding of their unique macromolecular features for their future application in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Effects of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Fava Bean Protein Isolate by Alcalase on the Physical and Oxidative Stability of Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

Fava bean protein isolate (FBPI) was hydrolyzed by Alcalase with different degrees of hydrolysis (DHs), and the role of hydrolysates in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion stability was investigated. Four emulsions, DH0, DH4, DH9, and DH15, were prepared by 1% (w/v) FBPI hydrolysates with different DHs (0% as the control and 4, 9, and 15%) and 5% (w/v) purified rapeseed oil. The emulsions were monitored for physical and oxidative stability at 37 °C for 7 days. DH4 and DH0 exhibited better physical stability than DH9 and DH15, indicated by droplet size, morphology, and Turbiscan stability index. More importantly, FBPI hydrolysates with DH of 4% most effectively inhibited lipid oxidation (i.e., formation of conjugated dienes and hexanal) while maintaining protein oxidative stability compared to the native and extensively hydrolyzed FBPI. Higher DHs (9 and 15%) induced unduly decreased surface hydrophobicity and increased surface load, which might negatively affect the emulsifying activity. FBPI hydrolysates with DH of 4% had suitable molecular weight for better interfacial layer stability, increased surface net charge for more repulsive electrostatic force, and increased hydrophobicity for better adsorption at the interface and, therefore, may serve as potential natural emulsifiers to maintain both physical and oxidative stability of O/W emulsions.