Search Results (118)

This study investigated the effect of KOH activation on biochar, with a focus on how porosity and potassium content influence microwave-assisted catalytic biodiesel production, using experimental design approaches. Activated biochar was synthesized from oat hull waste through KOH activation, followed by pyrolysis under controlled conditions. The biochar was characterized through chemical, morphological, and physical analyses, and its catalytic performance in converting used waste cooking oil (WCO) into biodiesel was evaluated using methanol as the acyl acceptor and microwave irradiation to optimize the reaction via experimental design. Results revealed that increasing the KOH/biomass ratio significantly enhanced the specific surface area (SSA) of the catalyst, achieving a maximum SSA of 637.28 m²/g under optimal pyrolysis conditions: 600 °C for 3 h with a KOH/biomass ratio of 2. A maximum fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield of 100% was achieved within 1 min of microwave-assisted reaction using an optimized catalyst dosage of 2.5%, a WCO/MeOH molar ratio of 1/12, and a reaction temperature of 150 °C, with the catalyst being successfully recycled across three cycles. An economic and energy evaluation estimated a catalyst production cost of USD 176.97/kg and a biodiesel production cost of USD 8.9/kg of FAMEs. This research provides a straightforward and cost-effective approach for biofuel production. Full article

The rapid growth and sustainable production of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) contribute positively to the circular economy. This study profiled the fatty acid composition of crude BSFL oil, followed by an evaluation of its physicochemical properties under domestic cooking temperatures (up to 180 °C, 30 min). Odour evaluation of the BSFL oil was also performed using 10 trained panellists for attributes such as fishy, nutty, oily, meaty/savoury, roasted, and pungent. The results indicated that BSFL oil contains palmitic (23.69%), oleic (30.90%), and linoleic (21.81%) acids in relatively similar proportions, representing a mix of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Heating caused BSFL oil to be darker and more viscous. The peroxide and free fatty acid values also increased significantly (p < 0.05) with rising temperatures, indicating limited oxidative stability and reduced suitability of BSFL oil for cooking purposes. The perceived intensity of odour attributes, particularly fishy and oily notes, increased concomitantly with higher cooking temperatures. Refining processes and antioxidants may assist in improving the thermal stability of BSFL oil for culinary applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Family assistance by adolescents (e.g., cooking, cleaning, listening to family members) is a common phenomenon. However, the impact of such assistance on adolescent development remains a topic of debate. Increasingly, the importance of adolescents’ own perceptions and interpretations is being emphasized in understanding how family assistance influences their development. Adolescents in marriage immigrant families may face unique psychosocial challenges as they support their immigrant parents. This study explores the family assistance experiences of adolescents in marriage immigrant families. Methods: Data were collected through one-on-one in-depth interviews with 10 adolescents aged 13–18 years from currently married marriage immigrant families, all of whom were born in Korea. The interviews were conducted between October and November 2022. The data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: The family assistance experiences were categorized into three main themes, namely, “Old enough to help—naturally, and rightly so”, “Foreign mother whom I naturally come to help”, and “Unavoidable family assistance, even under pressure”, and 10 subordinate themes. The adolescents provided support naturally, grounded in familial obligation and empathy toward their immigrant mothers. When the native Korean father shared the responsibilities, the assistance was not perceived as burdensome. However, diminished paternal involvement, traditional gender role expectations, and unmet emotional or academic needs led to more negative perceptions and psychological stress. Conclusions: Support systems are needed to ensure that adolescents do not assume sole responsibility for both the native father’s and the immigrant mother’s roles within marriage immigrant families. Full article

Maintaining quality of life through functional autonomy is crucial for supporting aging in place. While assistive technologies and architectural adaptations have received significant attention, there is limited knowledge on how older adults independently adapt domestic routines using everyday household products. Background/Objectives: This study aimed to explore how functionally independent older adults manage key domestic tasks and to identify user-driven adaptations that could inform inclusive product design. Methods: We conducted a qualitative field study involving non-participant observations and in-depth case studies with 20 older adults aged 65–85 living in urban Chile. Participants were observed while performing cooking, dishwashing, and waste disposal activities. Thematic analysis and axial coding, based on grounded theory principles, were applied to identify adaptation strategies and usability barriers. Results: Participants employed a range of adaptation strategies across tasks, including temporal redistribution of effort, spatial reorganization, informal tool use, and reliance on social support. These adaptations reflected creative and situated responses to physical and environmental constraints. Many strategies could be interpreted as emergent user solutions, offering practical insights for the inclusive and low-cost redesign of everyday objects. Conclusions: Older adults actively modify their interactions with domestic environments to preserve autonomy and functionality. Recognizing and incorporating these emergent user adaptations into product design processes can strengthen inclusive design practices, support aging in place, and inform public health strategies aimed at promoting independence among aging populations. Full article

This study evaluates the potential of hard hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines, developed through marker-assisted selection (MAS), as an alternative to durum wheat for pasta production. Using hard hexaploid lines (SD lines) with targeted traits, such as increased gluten strength, protein content, and yellow coloration, the objective was to assess their performance relative to traditional durum wheat. Results indicate that some hard hexaploid lines demonstrate competitive properties compared to durum wheat genotypes, including protein content exceeding 11.5%, gluten index above 90%, and line SD 55 presented acceptable cooking performance with minimal cooking loss. Although some textural properties like hardness and chewiness were slightly lower than durum pasta, the line SD 34 exhibited characteristics most similar to durum wheat pasta. This study supports MAS-developed bread wheat as a feasible and cost-effective alternative for high-quality pasta production, particularly in regions where durum wheat is less accessible. Full article

The transesterification process for biodiesel production is constrained by high thermal input, prolonged residence time, and intensive mechanical agitation. This study investigates process intensification via hydrodynamic cavitation using a custom-built Shockwave Power Reactor (SPR), enabling continuous biodiesel synthesis from soybean and used cooking oils. A statistically designed experimental matrix was applied to evaluate the reactor’s transient–stable thermal regime and the influence of operational parameters: rotor speed (1700–3415 rpm), volumetric flow rate (60–105 mL/min), methanol-to-oil molar ratio (6:1 to 12:1), and alkali catalyst type (NaOH or KOH). For benchmarking, conventional alkaline transesterification was optimized. The FAME yields from the SPR system exceeded 96.5% and complied with EN14103 standards. Specific energy analysis showed that cavitation-enhanced transesterification reduced energy consumption and peak temperature compared to traditional methods. The SPR’s capacity to induce high shear and localized turbulence under controlled cavitation offers a promising pathway for low-energy, scalable biodiesel production. Full article

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is essential for global food security and sustains billions worldwide, emphasizing the need to improve production and quality. One key challenge in rice breeding is the inheritance and environmental sensitivity of amylose content, a starch component that influences the texture, water absorption, and firmness after cooking, which are crucial for market acceptance. While international markets prefer low-amylose varieties for their softness, intermediate- and high-amylose varieties are favored in Latin America for their firmness. The objective of this study was to develop a molecular quality assessment methodology that, combined with morphological and culinary evaluations, helps in the selection of rice varieties during the breeding process. First, ten Ecuadorian rice materials were evaluated for milling and culinary quality characteristics, revealing significant grain size, sterility, milling yield, cooking time, and texture variations. Amylose content (AC) is genetically regulated by the waxy gene and its allelic variants, affecting granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS) enzyme expression. Secondly, to classify rice varieties molecularly based on AC, the testing ten genotypes plus nine control varieties were analyzed using microsatellite (SSR) markers. The waxy molecular marker, combined with metaphor agarose gel electrophoresis (MAGE), proved effective for early-stage AC analysis, reducing variety selection costs and improving breeding efficiency. Additionally, a restriction enzyme protocol assay facilitated variety differentiation by selectively cleaving the waxy gene sequence at a specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) site, allowing for precise AC genetic classification. By integrating molecular techniques with traditional assessments, this study reveals that using marker-assisted selection in breeding programs, as well as supporting the identification and development of high-quality local rice varieties to meet market demands, improves production efficiency and optimizes the assessment of developing varieties under diverse environmental conditions. Full article

Polar compounds in repeatedly used frying oil pose significant health risks to consumers. This study aimed to develop an improved test kit for detecting polar compounds in used frying oils and to compare the distribution of polar compounds across different types of cooking oils. The modified test kit was evaluated using six types of oils, which were heated and tested against a standard method with 100 samples. The modified test kit demonstrated an accuracy of 92.00%, sensitivity of 88.09%, specificity of 94.82%, positive predictive value of 92.50%, and negative predictive value of 91.66%. The polar compound distribution was analyzed in six types of oils: palm oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and soybean oil. Coconut oil was found to be the least suitable for frying due to the rapid formation of polar compounds. In contrast, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and palm oil were more suitable for frying, with polar compound contamination occurring only after more than 80 h of use. These findings can assist food service operators in extending oil usage while ensuring consumer safety. Full article

During domestic grilling, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which include genotoxic and carcinogenic compounds, can be produced as a result of fat pyrolysis, leakage of cellular juices onto the heat source, and incomplete combustion of fuel. This study aimed to assess the formation of PAHs in pork neck cooked using two different grilling methods (traditional flat grill with beech charcoal and asado grill with beech wood flame) under controlled conditions, with cooking stopping at a core temperature of 72 °C. The impact of marinating and cooking speed (fast or slow) was also evaluated over three cooking sessions. After grilling, the meat samples underwent microwave-assisted extraction, purification through solid-phase extraction (SPE), and analysis using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with spectrofluorometric detection. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA (R software, version 4.3.0). None of the samples exceeded the legal limits for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and PAH4 (sum of chrysene, benzo[a]anthracene, BaP, and benzo[b]fluoranthene). However, the asado grill showed a significantly higher average PAH contamination (1.21 µg/kg of BaP and 3.92 µg/kg of PAH4) compared with the traditional grill (0.22 µg/kg of BaP and 1.71 µg/kg of PAH4). Marinating and cooking speed did not have a significant impact on PAH levels. Full article

Rice, a widely consumed grain, contains various forms of vitamin B₆, including pyridoxine (PN), pyridoxal (PL), and pyridoxamine (PM). However, limited information exists on their content and distribution in rice. This study analyzed the vitamin B₆ profile and retention of different rice varieties consumed in Korea, using sonication-assisted acid extraction and HPLC-FLD. Retention rates were calculated based on B₆ content before and after cooking. Five rice varieties were selected: Baromi2 (brown rice), Annammi, Chucheong (white rice), New breed white Baromi2, and New breed brown Baromi2. Vitamin B₆ content ranged from 142.92 μg/100 g (Baromi2) to 35.89 μg/100 g (Chucheong). After cooking, Annammi showed the highest retention (109.4%), with pyridoxamine retaining 116.4%. Baromi2 had the lowest retention (34.5%), with pyridoxal at 22.1%. The analytical method demonstrated excellent accuracy (recovery rate 100.0–103.4%), precision (RSDr < 3.0%, RSD_R < 6.7%), and linearity (R² > 0.9998). The detection limits and quantification limits for the vitamin B₆ vitamers ranged from 0.040 to 0.070 μg/100 g and 0.103 to 0.187 μg/100 g, respectively. The results showed significant variations in vitamin B₆ profiles and individual retention rates across rice varieties, highlighting the need for more comprehensive data on B₆ levels. Analyzing the pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxine provides a more complete understanding of the B₆ profile of rice, enhancing nutritional evaluations and precision nutrition. Full article

Rice false smut (RFS), an emerging disease caused by the fungus Ustilaginoidea virens (Cooke), reduces rice grain yield and quality in rice-planting regions worldwide. The identification of the genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with RFS resistance is vital to resistance breeding and the mitigation of RFS damage. In this study, RFS resistance QTLs were located in the resistant variety IR77298-14-1-2::IRGC117374-1. A total of 4 RFS resistance QTLs were detected on rice chromosomes 1, 3, 5, and 12 in the F₂ and F₄ mapping populations using 119 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers. Of these QTLs, qRFS3.01 and qRFS12.01-1 were repeatedly detected in both populations. Interestingly, QTL qRFS3.01 on chromosome 3 is a novel resistance locus that exhibited the largest phenotypic effect. These results suggest that SSR markers linked to qRFS3.01 are valuable for marker-assisted breeding for RFS resistance in rice. The prediction of putative candidate genes within qRFS3.01 revealed three resistance-related proteins containing an F-box domain, Myb-like DNA-binding domain, and kinase protein. In summary, our findings provide new QTLs/genes for resistance to RFS and will promote rice disease resistance through molecular-marker-assisted breeding. Full article

The coupling effects of electrical pulse, temperature, strain rate, and strain on the flow behavior and plasticity of 7075-T6 aluminum alloy were investigated and characterized. The isothermal tensile test and electrically assisted isothermal tensile test were performed at the same temperature, and the typical models were further embedded in ABAQUS for numerical simulation to illustrate the electroplastic effect. The results showed that electrical pulses reduced deformation resistance but greatly increased elongation. Compared with the traditional Johnson–Cook model, the proposed modified electroplasticity constitutive equations have a certain improvement in calibration accuracy for a highly nonlinear and thermoelectric coupling dynamic behavior. Moreover, combined with the electrically assisted three-point bending experiment, it was found that the springback angle decreases with the increase in current density. This is very close to the experimental result, further verifying the effectiveness of the thermoelectric coupling constitutive equation. Full article

Oil extracted from tiger nut is a good, edible source owing to its richness in unsaturated fatty acids. This study investigated the effects of the refining processes on the flavor components of crude tiger nut oil by GC-MS and focused on the thermal stability of the refined oil under high-temperature conditions. Three different refining processes were evaluated: citric acid-assisted hydration degumming, alkali deacidification and bleaching. In the present study, the neutralization refining resulted in 11.67% losses. The refined oil had higher brightness and transparency. Moreover, 109 volatiles were identified, mainly including aldehydes, alcohols, pyrazines and furans, the characteristic flavor compounds of which present a fatty, fresh and nutty flavor. Hence, the refining processes have a significant effect on the flavor components of tiger nut oil, and the accumulated information can be helpful in increasing the tiger nut oil quality to meet the market value. The results of the thermal properties indicated the significant degradation of oleic acid and linoleic acid with prolonged heating, leading to increases in the acid value by 17 times and the peroxide value by 31 times after prolonged heating at 210 °C for 10 h compared with those without heating. When the refined tiger nut oil was heated at 210 °C for 4 h, the carbonyl value (62.6 meq/kg) exceeded the recommended value, and after heating for 8 h, the total polar compound percentages (50%, the instrument limit value) also exceeded the national standard. In order to extend the cooking heating time, it is necessary to appropriately decrease the heating temperature. This study provides a scientific reference for the frying of tiger nut oil in food and the high-temperature treatment of food containing tiger nut oil. Full article

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas, and faulty gas appliances or solid fuel burning with incomplete combustion are possible CO sources in households. Evaluating household CO exposure models and measurement studies is key to understanding where CO exposures may result in adverse health outcomes. This assists the assessment of the burden of disease in high- and middle-income countries and informs public health interventions in higher-risk environments. We conducted a literature review to identify themes that characterise CO exposure in household dwellings. A keyword-structured search using literature databases was conducted to find studies published in the period of 1 January 2010–5 June 2024. We focused on studies from high- and middle-income countries, excluding animal and biomass studies, and narratively synthesised themes. We identified 5294 papers in the literature search and included 22 papers from thirteen countries in the review. Most measured CO levels were below the WHO or country guidance levels, with sporadic peaks of measured CO linked to fuel-burning activities. To understand CO exposure in households, we identified sixteen themes grouped into five main categories: dwelling characteristics, source characteristics, temporal variation, environmental characteristics, and socioeconomic status of occupants. Seasonal variation (temporal variation), size of room and ventilation (dwelling characteristics), and cooking and outdoor CO levels (source characteristics) had the most evidence. These themes characterising CO exposure in household dwellings are important to aid the development of indoor exposure models and for understanding where CO exposures result in adverse health outcomes. These themes should be validated by household CO monitoring studies, which will enable the identification of higher-risk household dwellings and inform public health actions. Full article

Generating accurate and contextually rich captions for images and videos is essential for various applications, from assistive technology to content recommendation. However, challenges such as maintaining temporal coherence in videos, reducing noise in large-scale datasets, and enabling real-time captioning remain significant. We introduce MIRA-CAP (Memory-Integrated Retrieval-Augmented Captioning), a novel framework designed to address these issues through three core innovations: a cross-modal memory bank, adaptive dataset pruning, and a streaming decoder. The cross-modal memory bank retrieves relevant context from prior frames, enhancing temporal consistency and narrative flow. The adaptive pruning mechanism filters noisy data, which improves alignment and generalization. The streaming decoder allows for real-time captioning by generating captions incrementally, without requiring access to the full video sequence. Evaluated across standard datasets like MS COCO, YouCook2, ActivityNet, and Flickr30k, MIRA-CAP achieves state-of-the-art results, with high scores on CIDEr, SPICE, and Polos metrics, underscoring its alignment with human judgment and its effectiveness in handling complex visual and temporal structures. This work demonstrates that MIRA-CAP offers a robust, scalable solution for both static and dynamic captioning tasks, advancing the capabilities of vision–language models in real-world applications. Full article