Search Results (20)

Background/Objectives: Herbal extracts from Betula alba (birch) are traditionally used for their purported diuretic effects, but scientific evidence supporting these claims remains limited. In this pilot study, we evaluated the short-term effects of a standardized B. alba leaf extract in healthy adult rats using an untargeted urinary metabolomics approach based on UPLC-QTOF. Methods: Two doses, 25 or 50 mg/kg, of a standardized B. alba extract were orally administered to rats. The extract contains hyperoside (0.53%), quercetin glucuronide (0.36%), myricetin glucoside (0.32%), and chlorogenic acid (0.28%) as its main constituents. After 3 days of treatment, the 24 h urine output was measured. Results: While no statistically significant changes were observed in the 24 h urine volume or the urinary Na⁺ and K⁺ excretion, multivariate metabolomic analysis revealed treatment-induced alterations in the urinary metabolic profile. Notably, the levels of two glucocorticoids, i.e., corticosterone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone, were increased in treated animals, suggesting that the extract may influence corticosteroid metabolism or excretion, potentially impacting antidiuretic hormone signaling. Elevated bile-related compounds, including bile acids and bilin, and glucuronidated metabolites were also observed, indicating changes in bile acid metabolism, hepatic detoxification, and possibly gut microbiota activity. Conclusions: Although this study did not confirm a diuretic effect of B. alba extract, the observed metabolic shifts suggest broader systemic bioactivities that warrant further investigation. Overall, the results indicate that the approach based on urinary metabolomics may be valuable in uncovering the mechanisms of action and evaluating the bioactivity of herbal extracts with purported diuretic properties. Full article

Water used in cleaning processes within the agri-food industry can be a vector for post-harvest contaminants, thus contributing to cross-contamination. The contamination risk is increased when water is not replaced between batches or when disinfection protocols are insufficient. Given the increasing focus in recent years on the potential of natural, non-invasive plant extracts to combat a variety of pathogens, including multidrug-resistant bacteria, environmental strains, and clinical isolates, this study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of selected water-ethanol plant extracts against six opportunistic pathogens isolated from wash water in the agri-food industry, along with chromatographic analyses of the selected extracts. Plant extracts were obtained from the fruits, leaves, shoots, roots, and bark of 13 species. Antibacterial activity was assessed using the well diffusion method. The results indicated that antimicrobial activity was exhibited by six extracts: Tilia cordata Mill., Camellia sinensis, Quercus robur L., Betula pendula Roth, Rubus idaeus L., and Salix alba L. The extracts showed strain-dependent antimicrobial activity, with C. sinensis and R. idaeus up to 4.0 mm and 8.0 mm inhibition zones, respectively. P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis were the most susceptible strains, demonstrating the largest inhibition zones. In contrast, P. vulgaris and K. oxytoca were more resistant. The efficacy of the most active extracts can be linked to the presence of phytochemicals identified via GC-MS, including epicatechin, shikimic acid, quinic acid, gallic acid, and caffeine. These metabolites are known to interfere with bacterial cell structures and metabolic pathways. These studies may serve as a preliminary step toward the development of non-invasive water treatment methods for wash water. Full article

Riparian forests in the valley area of the Irtysh River Basin are capable of providing a variety of ecosystem services such as water conservation and biodiversity maintenance. Their health condition is an important reflection of their ability to maintain the stability of ecosystem structure and perform ecosystem functions. In this study, a comprehensive survey was conducted to observe the typical distribution areas of riparian forests in the valley of six tributaries and one main stream of the Irtysh River Basin. Twelve indicators were chosen from the three categories of vigor (i.e., productivity), organization (i.e., species diversity and structure complexity), and resistance (i.e., harmful factors and disturbances) to form an evaluation system. Expert-based and statistical weighting were applied to calculate the health scores of riparian forests in the valley and prioritized the health grades of seven rivers. Several criteria were used to further classify the unhealthy level of each river individually. The results of this study can be used as a foundation for future conservation and orderly development of riparian forests in the valley area. The results show that (1) the Kuyertes River was classified as healthy, while the Haba and Berezek Rivers were classified as unhealthy. (2) Among the three evaluation categories, the organization consistently achieved higher scores compared to vigor and resistance. (3) Unhealthy conditions were consistently observed in the midstream sections of each river. (4) Forest types such as Salix alba L. forests, Populus euphratica Oliv. forests, and Betula pendula Roth forests were particularly prone to poor health outcomes. The health of the riparian forests was relatively unsatisfactory due to the conflicting water resource allocation. The protection and restoration of riparian forests in the valley area of the Haba and Berezek Rivers should be prioritized in the future, as well as the middle reaches of each tributary. Additionally, it is necessary to pay attention to three key indicators: stand volume per unit area, stand density, and diameter at breast high (dbh) class structure to improve the health condition of riparian forests. Full article

The Irtysh River, which stretches for 633 km, is the second longest river in Xinjiang. The valley forests within its basin are unique forest resources that exhibit crucial ecological functions and form an integral part of China’s “Three North” Shelterbelt Forest Project. However, previous studies mainly focused on individual tributaries or main streams, lacking comprehensive research on the overall river and valley forest resources and their ecological functions. To address this research gap based on comprehensive investigations, this study analyzed the dominant species composition, spatial distribution patterns, and influencing factors of valley forests across various branches of the Irtysh River basin plain. The results revealed the presence of 10 local tree species in the area, with Populus laurifolia, Populus alba, Salix alba, and Betula pendula as the dominant species. However, seedling regeneration was relatively weak. P. laurifolia, P. alba, and S. alba were widely distributed across tributaries and main streams, whereas B. pendula was primarily found in the tributaries. The four dominant species exhibited distinct clustering patterns. The concentration intensity of these dominant species in the main stream of the Irtysh River basin was significantly higher than those in other tributaries, with P. laurifolia showing a lower concentration intensity across the entire basin than the other dominant species. Negative density dependence was the primary biological factor influencing species aggregation intensity, with significant positive effects on P. alba and S. alba and significant negative effects on B. pendula. Among the abiotic factors, elevation had a significant positive effect on the aggregation intensities of P. alba, S. alba, and B. pendula, indicating that these species tend to aggregate more densely at higher elevations. Conversely, slope had a significant negative impact on the aggregation intensities of P. laurifolia, P. alba, and S. alba, suggesting that increasing slope steepness leads to a decrease in the clustering of these species. Similarly, the distance from the river channel had a significant negative effect on the aggregation intensities of S. alba and B. pendula, implying that as the distance from the river increases, the clustering patterns of these species become less pronounced. This study aimed to detail the current state of valley forest resources and their ecological functions, thereby laying a foundation for their effective protection. Full article

The aim of the present study was to obtain, characterize, and evaluate the antioxidant potential of some extracts obtained from the bark of Betula alba var. pendula Roth., the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra L., and the green herb of the Avena sativa. The results revealed that the lowest IC50 value, determined by all three methods, was obtained for Betulae extractum (BE) (73.6 µg/mL—DPPH method, 11.2 µg/mL—ABTS method, and 58.7 µg/mL—FRAP method), followed by Liquiritiae extractum (LE) (805.6 µg/mL, 92.1 µg/mL, and 722 µg/mL) and Avenae extractum (1.13 mg/mL—DPPH method, 99.7 µg/mL—ABTS method, and 135.1 µg/mL—FRAP method). These results correlate with total polyphenols content (expressed in g tannic acid/100 g dry extract), with BE having more polyphenols than LE and AE (47.96 ± 9.7083 for BE, compared with 9.31 ± 0.9913 for LE and 40.55 ± 6.3715 for AE). The total flavonoid content (expressed as g rutoside/100 g dry extract) is similar for BE and LE (3.75 ± 0.3140 and 3.44 ± 0.3037) and smaller for AE (1.95 ± 0.0526). Therefore, Betulae extractum has the strongest antioxidant action, with an IC50 value very close to the standard used as a reference (ascorbic acid—16.5 μg/mL solution). The FT-ICR-MS analysis confirmed the presence of the major compounds in all three extracts. The antioxidant properties of the studied extracts were further supported by molecular docking experiments that revealed the potential of the analyzed phytochemicals to act as both noncovalent and covalent activators of the Nrf2 signaling pathway, with promising benefits in treating various skin disorders. Full article

Heat release rate (HRR) is the principal fire characteristic of materials. There are three known methods for the measurement of HRR (based on oxygen consumption, mass loss rate, and combustion products temperature rise). The method based on oxygen consumption is considered to be the reference. However, this method is expensive and for a large part of laboratories and universities unavailable. The simplest method is based on combustion products’ temperature rise. However, this method has a fundamental problem with the temperature dependence of the heat capacity of combustion products and the thermal inertia of the measurement system. This problem has been solved by training neural networks to predict molar heat capacity and the amount of substance (chemical amount) flow rate of combustion products in the cone calorimeter exhaust duct. Data were obtained for six different wood species: birch (Betula verrucosa Ehrh.), oak (Quercus robur L.) spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), poplar (Populus nigra × P. maximowiczii L.), and willow (Salix alba L.) woods at heat fluxes from 25 to 50 kW m⁻² have been used for neural network training. Data from three other wood species iroko (Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg), pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), and paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud.) woods have been used for testing of trained neural network. The average percentage ratio of the predicted to the true value of HRR (during the test) has been 103.8%. In addition to that, some key average fire characteristics of wood have been determined: critical heat flux 20.7 kW m⁻², effective heat of combustion 14.01 MJ kg⁻¹, and the average value of molar heat capacity of combustion products 0.045 kJ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹. Full article

In this study, the characterization of several bacterial diseases affecting silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), white poplar (Populus alba L.), and white willow (Salix alba L.) in Ukraine were described. The typical symptoms, features of pathogenesis, and characteristics of the causative agents of the most common bacterial diseases of these tree species were shown. The following types of bacterioses were noted to be especially dangerous, namely, bacterial wetwood, fire blight, bacterial canker, and tuberculosis. Bacterial necrosis of the bark was a less dangerous disease. At the same time, all of the listed types of bacterioses were registered within the forest areas of the investigated region. The study revealed that bacterial wetwood of birch and poplar was caused by Lelliottia nimipressuralis; the bacterial canker of poplar is Pseudomonas syringae (Pseudomonas syringae f. populi and Pseudomonas cerasi); the fire poplar blight is caused by Pseudomonas cerasi (P. syringae); the common ash tuberculosis is caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. savastanoi; and the bacterial wilt of the willow is caused by Brenneria salicis. The phenomenon of the introduction of microorganisms of different functional orientations as well as the formation of conditions for their activity in the rhizosphere of plants have been studied. In the future, it will provide the development of effective methods for the rapid identification of causative agents of bacterioses and plant protection measures based on multi-functional microbiological preparations based on highly effective strains of microorganisms. Full article

The Scandinavian region is home to a unique biome with endemic plant species. The aim of this study was to explore this natural diversity and identify plant extracts providing positive skin barrier effects. Six plant extracts were identified as starting material. Following biochemical screening, two candidates outperformed the rest: Betula alba (BA) and Empetrum nigrum (EN). Quantitative PCR analysis showed that BA and EN upregulated barrier genes, when used individually and in combination. Betula alba increased AQP3 and OCLN protein expression, something niacinamide was incapable of. Additionally, the skin barrier was strengthened, evidenced by inhibition of KLK5 and hyaluronidase and showed strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity through DPPH and COX2 inhibition, respectively. A first split-face clinical study was conducted using the combination of extracts versus placebo. There was a significantly better skin restructuring effect and corneocyte cohesion on the side treated with combined extracts. A second split-face clinical study assessed the combined extracts versus 3% niacinamide. Significant variations in skin hydration and TEWL were observed in favor of the extract treated side. In conclusion, we identified a natural alternative to niacinamide for improving skin barrier health, in Scandinavian plant extracts, which yield strong performance, but at a lower concentration. Full article

From an economic and ecological standpoint, it is crucial to investigate the biologically active compounds of mistletoe plants, which are currently discarded by pruning urban mistletoe-infested trees. In the present study, the content of phenolic compounds, triterpenic and organic acids, as well as the antioxidant activity of the extracts of various mistletoe organs (leaves, stems, and fruits) collected from the most infested tree species were investigated. The mistletoe samples collected from Betula pendula, Acer platanoides, Crataegus monogyna, and Sorbus aucuparia showed the highest content of phenolic acids and flavonoids as well as antioxidant activity, as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The leaves and stems of mistletoe from Tilia cordata were characterized by a high content of triterpenic acids (oleanolic, ursolic, and betulinic). The leaves and fruits of mistletoe plants from Populus nigra and Salix alba contained a high concentration of organic acids, particularly succinic and citric acids. Compared to stem and leaf extracts, the antioxidant activity of the mistletoe fruit extracts was 1.5–3 times higher. The obtained results indicate that mistletoe is a valuable raw material and can be used as a source of phenolic compounds and triterpenic and organic acids, as well as for producing extracts with antioxidant properties. Full article

Plants are a valuable source of biologically active molecules, mainly phenolic compounds. In the present study, the total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH^· and ABTS⁺ scavenging activity as well as ferric reducing ability (FRAP) of aqueous ethanolic (70%) extracts of Cistus incanus L. and Asarum europaeum L. herb, Geum urbanum L. rhizome, Angelica archangelica L. root, white mulberry (Morus alba L.), lemon balm (Melisa officinalis L.), red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) and Betula pendula Roth. leaves were determined. In addition, the phenolic profiles of the studied plant extracts and antibacterial activity have been investigated. The extracts from C. incanus and G. urbanum demonstrated the highest TPC and antioxidant capacity, while the extracts from A. archangelica and white mulberry were characterized by the lowest values. A remarkable correlation was also found between the TPC and antioxidant activity of the examined extracts. HPLC analysis showed that the studied extracts were sources of both phenolic acids and flavonoids. More flavonoids than phenolic acids were identified in the extracts of C. incanus, M. alba, R. idaeus and B. pendula compared to the other extracts tested. Not all extracts showed a significant impact on the growth of the tested bacterial strains. Escherichia coli was the most sensitive strain to lemon balm extract (MIC, 0.125 mg/mL), whereas the strains of Acinetobacter baumannii and Bordetella bronchiseptica were sensitive to the G. urbanum extract (MIC, 0.125 mg/mL). Among Gram-positive bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis was the most sensitive to G. urbanum extract. In turn, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were sensitive to the extracts from C. incanus herb (MIC, 0.125 mg/mL), red raspberry (MIC, 0.125 mg/mL) and lemon balm leaves (MIC. 0.25 mg/mL). Based on the obtained results, the applicability of the studied plant extracts as additives to food and cosmetic products may be considered in the future. Full article

This paper aims to present possible areas to plant different vegetation types near traffic jams to reduce air pollution in the capital of Croatia, the city of Zagreb. Based on main traffic road and random forest machine learning using WorldView-2 European cities data, potential areas are established. It is seen that, based on a 10 m buffer, there is a possible planting area of more than 220,000 square meters, and based on 15 m buffer, there is a possible planting area of more than 410,000 square meters. The proposed plants are Viburnum lucidum, Photinia x fraseri, Euonymus japonicus, Tilia cordata, Aesculus hippocastanum, Pinus sp., Taxus baccata, Populus alba, Quercus robur, Betula pendula, which are characteristic for urban areas in Croatia. The planting of proposed trees may result in an increase of 3–5% in the total trees in the city of Zagreb. Although similar research has been published, this paper presents novelty findings from combined machine learning methods for defining green urban areas. Additionally, this paper presents original results for this region. Full article

Woodlands are pivotal to carbon stocks, but the process of cycling C is slow and may be most effective in the biodiverse root zone. How the root zone impacts plants has been widely examined over the past few decades, but the role of the root zone in decomposition is understudied. Here, we examined how mycorrhizal association and macroinvertebrate activity influences wood decomposition across diverse tree species. Within the root zone of six predominantly arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) (Acer negundo, Acer saccharum, Prunus serotina, Juglans nigra, Sassafras albidum, and Liriodendron tulipfera) and seven predominantly ectomycorrhizal (EM) tree species (Carya glabra, Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Betula alleghaniensis, Picea rubens, Pinus virginiana, and Pinus strobus), woody litter was buried for 13 months. Macroinvertebrate access to woody substrate was either prevented or not using 0.22 mm mesh in a common garden site in central Pennsylvania. Decomposition was assessed as proportionate mass loss, as explained by root diameter, phylogenetic signal, mycorrhizal type, canopy tree trait, or macroinvertebrate exclusion. Macroinvertebrate exclusion significantly increased wood decomposition by 5.9%, while mycorrhizal type did not affect wood decomposition, nor did canopy traits (i.e., broad leaves versus pine needles). Interestingly, there was a phylogenetic signal for wood decomposition. Local indicators for phylogenetic associations (LIPA) determined high values of sensitivity value in Pinus and Picea genera, while Carya, Juglans, Betula, and Prunus yielded low values of sensitivity. Phylogenetic signals went undetected for tree root morphology. Despite this, roots greater than 0.35 mm significantly increased woody litter decomposition by 8%. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest trees with larger root diameters can accelerate C cycling, as can trees associated with certain phylogenetic clades. In addition, root zone macroinvertebrates can potentially limit woody C cycling, while mycorrhizal type does not play a significant role. Full article

Forest biodiversity is a key element to support ecosystem functions. Measuring biodiversity is a necessary step to identify critical issues and to choose interventions to be applied in order to protect it. Remote sensing provides consistent quality and standardized data, which can be used to estimate different aspects of biodiversity. The Height Variation Hypothesis (HVH) represents an indirect method for estimating species diversity in forest ecosystems from the LiDAR data, and it assumes that the higher the variation in tree height (height heterogeneity, HH), calculated through the ’Canopy Height Model’ (CHM) metric, the more complex the overall structure of the forest and the higher the tree species diversity. To date, the HVH has been tested exclusively with CHM data, assessing the HH only with a single heterogeneity index (the Rao’s Q index) without making use of any moving windows (MW) approach. In this study, the HVH has been tested in an alpine coniferous forest situated in the municipality of San Genesio/Jenesien (eastern Italian Alps) at 1100 m, characterized by the presence of 11 different tree species (mainly Pinus sylvestris, Larix decidua, Picea abies followed by Betula alba and Corylus avellana). The HH has been estimated through different heterogeneity measures described in the new R rasterdiv package using, besides the CHM, also other LiDAR metrics (as the percentile or the standard deviation of the height distribution) at various spatial resolutions and MWs (ALS LiDAR data with mean point cloud density of 2.9 point/m${}^2$). For each combination of parameters, and for all the considered plots, linear regressions between the Shannon’s H′ (used as tree species diversity index based on field data) and the HH have been derived. The results showed that the Rao’s Q index (singularly and through a multidimensional approach) performed generally better than the other heterogeneity indices in the assessment of the HH. The CHM and the LiDAR metrics related to the upper quantile point cloud distribution at fine resolution (2.5 m, 5 m) have shown the most important results for the assessment of the HH. The size of the used MW did not influence the general outcomes but instead, it increased when compared to the results found in the literature, where the HVH was tested without MW approach. The outcomes of this study underline that the HVH, calculated with certain heterogeneity indices and LiDAR data, can be considered a useful tool for assessing tree species diversity in considered forest ecosystems. The general results highlight the strength and importance of LiDAR data in assessing the height heterogeneity and the related biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Full article

Adult feeding preferences of Hylobius abietis on Picea abies, Larix decidua, Pinus sylvestris, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Abies alba and Betula pendula were tested in outdoor conditions. The preferred food source was P. menziesii, and the mean bark area consumed per seedling was 440.8 ± 147.9 mm². The second most preferred host was P. abies. The coniferous species that suffered the least damage was A. alba (76.8 ± 62.56 mm² per seedling). B. pendula was the least preferred source of food, and it caused mortality of 60% of weevils that fed on it. Weevils exhibited large differences in fecundity when fed with different tree species in a laboratory experiment. The largest number of eggs was laid by females fed with P. abies. Mean egg numbers reached 26.4 ± 24.89 eggs per experiment for P. abies. Similar fecundity was observed in weevils fed with twigs of P. sylvestris. Oviposition was approximately six times lower in females fed with L. decidua and P. menziesii. The maximum number of eggs laid by a single female during a one-month experiment was 90. The results are discussed in relation to management of H. abietis. Full article

Propolis is a resinous mixture, made by the honeybees from substances collected from tree or other plant buds, plant exudates, or resins found in the stem, branches, or leaves of different plants. The geographical origin of propolis is given by plant sources from respective areas. Different studies have classified this bee product according to the vegetal material from the same areas. Poplar-type propolis has the widest spread in the world, in the temperate zones from Europe, Asia, or North America. The name is given by the main plant source from where the bees are collecting the resins, although other vegetal sources are present in the mentioned areas. Different Pinus spp., Prunus spp., Acacia spp. and also Betula pendula, Aesculus hippocastanum, and Salix alba are important sources of resins for “poplar-type” propolis. The aim of this review is to identify the vegetal material’s chemical composition and activities of plant resins and balms used by the bees to produce poplar-type propolis and to compare it with the final product from similar geographical regions. The relevance of this review is to find the similarities between the chemical composition and properties of plant sources and propolis. The latest determination methods of bioactive compounds from plants and propolis are also reviewed. Full article