Search Results (6,864)

The development of bioactive packaging materials represents a promising strategy for reducing postharvest quality losses in fresh produce. In this study, phenolic-rich poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) electrospun nanofiber mats incorporating Malva sylvestris L. (mallow) leaf extract at 5%, 10%, and 15% were developed and evaluated as active packaging materials for blueberry preservation. The resulting nanofibers were characterized in terms of morphology, phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties, followed by evaluation of their preservation performance during refrigerated blueberry storage. Scanning electron microscopy revealed smooth, bead-free nanofibers, with mean fiber diameter decreasing from 702 ± 76 nm for the PVA control to 353 ± 38 nm for nanofibers containing 15% extract. Total phenolic content increased significantly with extract loading, reaching 17.76 ± 0.29 mg GAE/g in the 15% formulation. A corresponding concentration-dependent enhancement in antioxidant activity was observed, with the 15% extract-loaded nanofibers exhibiting DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities of 82.9 ± 2.0% and 89.7 ± 2.3%, respectively. The same formulation showed the strongest antibacterial activity among the nanofiber mats, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 8 μg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and 16 μg/mL against Escherichia coli. When applied as an active packaging mat for blueberries stored under refrigerated conditions, the nanofiber treatment markedly delayed visible quality deterioration. After 14 days, nanofiber-packaged blueberries retained a visual-quality score of 4.2 ± 0.45, whereas the untreated control decreased to 1.6 ± 0.55 and was considered commercially unacceptable. Overall, the results demonstrate that incorporation of M. sylvestris L. extract into electrospun PVA nanofiber mats provides concentration-dependent phenolic, antioxidant, and antibacterial functionality and contributes to improved maintenance of blueberry visual quality during refrigerated storage. These findings support the potential of M. sylvestris-loaded electrospun nanofiber mats as active packaging materials for fresh-produce preservation. Full article

Despite the established clinical benefits of insoluble dietary fibers (IDF), a significant “fiber gap” persists because their inclusion often conflicts with consumer sensory expectations. While general research on dietary fibers is abundant, few studies have systematically isolated the specific impacts of individual components on food quality. To maintain scientific accuracy, we explicitly acknowledge that because the primary literature predominantly evaluates raw agro-industrial by-products (e.g., brans, pomaces, hulls) rather than isolated, chemically pure polymers, a direct, isolated causal relationship to cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignin alone is often confounded by other matrix components. Our framework thus represents a synthesis of the dominant, most plausible roles of these polymers based on converging indirect evidence, rather than causal claims tested on pure substrates. This review characterizes these components through the “Backbone–Matrix–Cement” model to understand their distinct roles in food sensory science. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed. The review synthesized data from 106 sources, with 80.2% (85/106) published in the last five years (2020–2026). Data extraction included fiber type, food matrix, and analytical methods, with results grouped thematically. Cellulose (the Backbone) is crystalline, providing mechanical strength and structural stability; it is naturally white and flavor-neutral, primarily influencing firmness and hardness. Hemicellulose (the Matrix) has a high capacity for hydration and acts as a gelling medium. It improves moisture retention and softness in products like bakery goods. Lignin (the Cement) is a rigid, hydrophobic aromatic polymer that is most detrimental to palatability. It consistently causes darkening, bitterness, and astringency. The “coarse granular sensation” or gritty mouthfeel emerged as the primary barrier to consumer acceptance, largely driven by lignin and large cellulose particles. To mitigate these drawbacks, the review identifies several technological interventions: mechanical micronization, biological modifications (such as sourdough fermentation and enzymatic treatments), and chemical modifications (including ozonation and carboxymethylation). For optimal acceptance, formulation levels should generally remain below 10% in bakery products, keeping average particle sizes below the 150–200 µm threshold. Successful development of high-fiber functional foods requires targeted processing strategies that address the specific sensory liabilities of each component while maintaining nutritional efficacy. Full article

Residual muscles after amputation experience mechanical unloading, loss of distal tendon insertion, and reduced excursion, conditions known to cause muscle degeneration. However, the architecture of residual muscles following amputation remains largely unreported. In this pilot, exploratory study, five healthy, skeletally mature, male New Zealand white rabbits underwent unilateral hind-paw ankle disarticulation. The contralateral intact limb served as the within-subject control. Six hindlimb muscles that cross the intact biological ankle were harvested bilaterally at four weeks post-amputation, and muscle mass, length, fiber length, pennation angle, sarcomere length, optimal fiber length (OFL), and physiologic cross-sectional area (PCSA) were measured. All statistical comparisons were based on raw, paired differences in values between sides. Muscle mass and OFL were, on average, lower on the residual side for all muscles; raw differences between sides were significant for mass of LG (p = 0.029) and FDS (p = 0.026) and for OFL of LG (p = 0.026). Based on percent difference between sides, degeneration was most severe in the soleus, which had 63 ± 26% less mass and 51 ± 40% lower optimal fiber length in the residual limb than in the intact contralateral limb. Despite lower mass, average PCSA was generally preserved or increased (though differences were not statistically significant) across all muscles except FDS; this was possibly attributable to disproportionately greater reductions in optimal fiber length than in mass. These results have important potential implications for prosthesis function and, therefore, motivate additional research to identify influential factors and evaluate clinical strategies for preserving residual muscle architecture. Full article

Cementitious materials are the most widely used construction materials worldwide. Beyond their structural function, they are increasingly recognized as multifunctional materials capable of contributing to thermal energy management and improving the energy performance of buildings. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of cement-based materials for thermal energy storage (TES), covering the fundamental mechanisms of heat transfer, the thermophysical properties governing thermal performance, and the principal TES technologies applicable to cementitious composites. Particular attention is given to sensible heat storage in conventional cement-based materials and latent heat storage achieved through the incorporation of phase change materials (PCMs), including PCM classification, encapsulation techniques, incorporation methods, thermal performance, and current limitations. The review also examines recent advances in multifunctional cementitious composites incorporating lightweight and porous aggregates, recycled materials, nanomaterials, carbon-based additives, fibers, and other functional constituents that enable simultaneous enhancement of thermal energy storage, heat transfer, mechanical performance, durability, and sustainability. The interactions and trade-offs between thermal, mechanical, and durability-related properties are critically discussed to identify the most promising material design strategies for practical applications. Finally, the review highlights the major scientific and technological challenges and outlines future research directions toward intelligent, low-carbon, and energy-efficient multifunctional cementitious materials for next-generation buildings. Full article

Petroleum-based resins used in fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) offer high performance but carry a substantial environmental burden. This study investigates crystallized composites (CCs) as a resinless alternative capable of binding loose cotton reinforcement within a crystalline matrix while providing a distinct material expression. Because crystallization in construction research has largely been documented in relation to salt transport, corrosion, and crystal growth, the potential of crystal-based matrices as composite binders remains underexplored. An abductive, proof-of-concept methodology was used to screen matrix-reinforcement combinations and fabrication parameters. Six salt-based matrices and several reinforcement systems were evaluated, followed by a manual adaptation of coreless filament winding (CFW) principles to fabricate a full-scale stool demonstrator. The demonstrator was subjected to a single quasi-static seated-load demonstration with a seated person with a body mass of approximately 80 kg, without visible failure during the observation period. This observation demonstrates fabrication feasibility and short-term functional integrity, but it is not a substitute for standardized mechanical characterization. The alum-based system could also be dissolved in hot water and recrystallized, indicating recoverability of the alum phase through dissolution and subsequent recrystallization. The findings establish the feasibility and novelty of a resinless fiber-reinforced crystal composite concept while identifying mechanical characterization, moisture resistance, durability, process energy, and environmental assessment as necessary next research stages. Full article

This study aimed to develop a spray-dried tahini-based powder enriched with pea protein and coconut milk powder and to comprehensively characterize its plant bioactive composition, antioxidant potential, nutritional properties, and bioaccessibility following the standardized INFOGEST in vitro static gastrointestinal digestion protocol. A stable oil-in-water emulsion containing tahini (50%), pea protein (30%), and coconut milk powder (20%) was prepared by microfluidization and converted into powder by spray drying. The resulting powder exhibited considerable total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, together with distinct amino acid and fatty acid profiles. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion significantly altered the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity, while several key bioactive compounds showed measurable in vitro bioaccessibility in the intestinal fraction. The formulation also contained high levels of protein (52.69%), lipid (26.42%), and dietary fiber (8.28%) with low moisture (2.28%). Phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were the predominant minerals, whereas oleic and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids. Overall, the developed spray-dried tahini-based powder represents a nutritionally valuable plant-derived functional ingredient combining antioxidant potential with the bioaccessibility of essential nutrients. Full article

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers have emerged as versatile materials in biomedical science due to the high surface-to-volume ratio enabled by nanofibrous morphologies, together with their biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, low toxicity, water solubility, and ease of chemical modification. Solution blow spinning (SBS) provides an alternative route for producing PVA-based nanofibers and is particularly relevant for PVA because the polymer is commonly processed from aqueous solutions. This review critically examines the fabrication of PVA nanofibers by SBS within the broader framework established for PVA hydrogels and electrospun PVA nanofibers, emphasizing how aqueous processing conditions govern fiber formation and morphology and how these features translate into mechanical performance and functional behavior tailored to biomedical applications. Applications in wound dressings, drug-delivery systems, tissue engineering scaffolds, and biosensors are discussed, highlighting the role of the fillers/additives in modulating biological responses and drug release behavior. Key challenges remain, including water sensitivity and PVA solubility, crosslinking approaches compatible with bioactive payloads, and limitations in mechanical robustness for certain load-bearing applications. Finally, future perspectives on scale-up and eco-friendly PVA nanofibers are outlined to support translation of SBS-derived PVA nanofibers toward clinical applications. Overall, this work positions SBS as a promising route to complement established nanofiber fabrication methods and support the sustainable integration of PVA nanofibers into next-generation biomedical solutions, while providing broader insights into the processing of aqueous polymer systems by SBS. Full article

Agricultural and agro-industrial byproducts from tropical crops represent abundant sources of structurally bound and freely extractable bioactive compounds. However, variability in feedstock composition, the incomplete characterization of microbial transformations, and limited translation beyond chemical antioxidant assays constrain their development as standardized ingredients. This review critically evaluates metabolomics-guided fermentation as a strategy for converting tropical agricultural byproducts into functional and circular products. It covers fruit-processing residues, coffee and cocoa byproducts, cereal bran, cassava-processing residues, coconut and oilseed materials, and selected medicinal-crop tissues. Solid-state, submerged, lactic-acid-bacterial, yeast, filamentous fungal, Bacillus-based, and mixed-culture fermentations are compared. Particular attention is given to cell-wall deconstruction, phenolic release, flavonoid deglycosylation, phenolic-acid conversion, carotenoid stability, peptide generation, fiber modification, organic-acid production, antinutrient reduction, and undesirable metabolite formation. Analytical strategies based on untargeted and targeted LC-MS, GC-MS, NMR, volatilomics, peptidomics, and multiomics integration are assessed, together with experimental design, quality control, annotation confidence, and statistical validation. A substrate–microorganism–process–metabolite–function framework and a six-level evidence-grading system are proposed to distinguish exploratory chemical findings from mechanistically validated and industrially translatable outcomes. Applications in functional foods, nutraceutical ingredients, natural preservatives, animal feed, active packaging, agricultural inputs, and cascade biorefineries are evaluated alongside microbial safety, mycotoxins, biogenic amines, contaminants, regulatory classification, life-cycle assessment, and techno-economic feasibility. The central conclusion is that fermentation can become a programmable platform for tropical byproduct valorization only when metabolite-resolved characterization, causal validation, process standardization, safety, and sustainability are developed as an integrated pipeline. Full article

Upland cotton (G. hirsutum L.) is one of the world’s most important commercial fiber crops. The Turkestan region of Kazakhstan is the world’s northernmost cotton-growing region. A four-year field experiment was conducted at the experimental station of the LLP “Agricultural experimental station of cotton and melon growing” from 2021 to 2024. A total of750 lines of G. hirsutum were studied based on phenological, morphological, and agronomic traits. A total of 8 hectares was dedicated to the experiment. The soil comprises light sierozems, which include low humus content, high carbonate content, and relatively low absorption capacity. The study was conducted under average temperatures of 22.9 °C and precipitation totals from 0.9 to 71 mm in 2021–2024. Results revealed significant differences among these years for all studied traits (p < 0.001). According to the average membership function values of 13 traits, the cluster heat map indicated a clear separation into groups, such as low-yielding and late-maturing accessions, and high-yielding and early-maturing accessions. Overall, 41 accessions out of 750 accessions were selected as early-maturing and high-yielding from the 2021–2024 period. This study is the first report on the development of a classification system based on more valuable phenological, morphological, and agronomic traits in the Kazakhstan Cotton Collection. The results demonstrate substantial genetic variability and highlight the potential for developing cotton cultivars adapted to stress-prone environments. Full article

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is increasingly employed for functional components subjected to sliding contact, for which friction and wear determine service life as decisively as static strength. Tribological characterization of fiber-reinforced polyamide 12 has been conducted predominantly under dry sliding, and the influence of the lubrication regime on the contrast between reinforcement types remains insufficiently established. The present study investigated carbon fiber (PA12-CF) and glass fiber (PA12-GF) reinforced polyamide 12, both processed by FFF, under dry sliding and under two protic ionic liquid lubricants, bis (2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium succinate (MSu) and bis (2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium citrate (MCi). Discs were tested against a 100Cr6 bearing steel counterface on an Anton Paar TRB3 tribometer at a fixed normal load of 20 N, with sliding speeds of 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 m/s for 60 min each. The coefficient of friction (COF) and the contact-point temperature were recorded throughout, the specific wear rate was obtained by contact profilometry, and worn surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. MCi held the mean COF at 0.023 for both composites, against a dry mean of 0.071 across the study, whereas MSu increased the mean to 0.25 and produced the highest wear rates, concurrent with an increase in viscosity during testing. Reinforcement type governed the morphology of the worn surface consistently, yet lubricant selection proved more consequential than material selection. Full article

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Jonathan), beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), and plum (Prunus domestica L.) pomaces are among the major by-products generated by the juice processing industry in Europe, particularly in producing countries such as Poland, Germany, Spain, and Romania. Conventionally discarded or utilized as animal feed or bioenergy pellet production, these matrices hold potential as high-value functional food ingredients. Supporting circular bioeconomy goals, this study evaluated the potential of industrial pomaces generated during continuous juice pressing as high-value functional food ingredients following their conversion into powders by air-drying and milling. The pomace powders were characterized for proximate composition, color, individual phenolics and carotenoids, and in vitro antioxidant capacities. Carrot pomace presented a high content of carotenoids (84.37 ± 0.08 µg/g dw) and ash (7.78 ± 0.41% dw), providing natural orange-yellow coloration and contributing to the mineral content. Beetroot pomace recorded the highest dietary fiber (17.20 ± 0.55% dw), as well as betalains, ideal as a natural red colorant and emulsion stabilizer. Plum pomace demonstrated the strongest overall antioxidant capacity, driven by tentatively identified 3-caffeoylquinic acid (712.36 ± 0.31 μg/g dw), flavonols, and anthocyanins (264.16 ± 0.5 μg/g dw). Apple pomace provided a carbohydrate-rich matrix (77.71 ± 0.65% dw) featuring positively identified chlorogenic acid (463.16 ± 0.35 μg/g dw) and tentatively identified dihydrochalcones. These findings support the targeted valorization of these pomaces as functional food ingredients within a circular bioeconomy framework. Full article

Background: Practical localized resistance tasks involving functionally divergent muscle groups may produce different systemic biochemical responses, although neither task isolates a single muscle. Methods: In this exploratory, nonrandomized, order-balanced within-participant crossover study, 102 young adults completed bilateral seated plantar flexion and unilateral elbow flexion, with 51 participants assigned by alternation to each condition sequence. The analysis-ready biochemical dataset contained complete observations for 102 participants. Blood was collected before and 2–3 min after each condition. We analyzed plasma glucose and lactate and serum total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, triglycerides, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, GGT, and cortisol. Linear mixed-effects models included exercise condition, sampling time, study period, assigned sequence, and their respective interactions with sampling time as fixed effects. Participant and participant-specific study visit were included as random intercepts where supported by the model. The exercise condition × time interaction remained the primary contrast, and Holm correction was applied across the ten predefined biochemical outcomes. Linear mixed-effects models included exercise condition, sampling time, study period, assigned sequence, and their respective interactions with sampling time as fixed effects. Participant and participant-specific study visit were included as random intercepts where supported by the model. The exercise condition × time interaction remained the primary contrast, and Holm correction was applied across the ten predefined biochemical outcomes. Results: After adjustment for period and sequence and Holm correction across the ten primary interaction tests, cortisol remained the only statistically significant exercise condition × time interaction (149.219 nmol·L⁻¹, 95% CI 62.338 to 236.099; unadjusted p = 0.000821; Holm-adjusted p = 0.008). Glucose showed a negative interaction estimate (−7.013 mg·dL⁻¹, 95% CI −12.238 to −1.788; unadjusted p = 0.009), but did not remain significant after Holm correction (adjusted p = 0.078). No period × time or sequence × time effect remained statistically significant after correction. Sensitivity analyses were not fully concordant with the primary model, supporting cautious interpretation of the cortisol finding. Conclusions: These findings describe immediate responses to two non-equivalent multi-muscle tasks and cannot be attributed to selective soleus or biceps-brachii activation, fiber-type composition, or muscle-specific substrate use. Full article

Textile coatings are widely used in the textile industry; however, the increasing demand for advanced functionalities such as electrical conductivity and thermal regulation poses significant challenges. At the same time, sectors such as the aerospace and energy industries face growing sustainability concerns due to the limited recyclability of carbon fiber-based products. In this study, recycled carbon fiber (rCF) recovered from industrial waste is incorporated as a functional filler in polyurethane-based textile coatings at loadings ranging from 1 to 5 wt%. The resulting coatings are evaluated in terms of their electrical resistance, Joule heating performance, and rubbing fastness. SEM analysis reveals that low rCF contents lead to fiber alignment along the coating direction, limiting conductive network formation, whereas higher loadings promote more random fiber distributions and interconnected pathways. Electrical measurements confirm the presence of a percolation threshold, with a pronounced decrease in electrical resistance at higher rCF contents. Joule heating experiments demonstrate that coatings with higher rCF contents achieve the best performance, with temperature increases of up to 25 °C at 5 V. Although the coatings generally show good rubbing fastness, mechanical wear significantly reduces their heating efficiency at higher filler loadings. Recycled carbon fibers prove to be effective functional additives for enabling electrical and thermal conductivity, highlighting the potential of this waste as an additive in textile coatings. Full article

The physicochemical properties of buccal films are vital for evaluating their suitability for mucosal applications. By focusing on these properties, researchers can enhance the mechanical functionality and mucoadhesion of the films. This study aimed to overcome the mechanical limitations of neat gellan gum and to produce biocomposite films with enhanced physicochemical properties and mucoadhesive properties for potential use in buccal drug delivery. Biocomposite films composed of gellan gum (GG) and pineapple stem fiber (PSF), with glycerine as a plasticizer, were prepared using the solvent casting method to develop a formulation suitable for this application. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, pH and thickness measurements, tensile test, folding endurance, swelling index, scanning electron microscope (SEM), mucoadhesion test and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were conducted to determine the optimal PSF content in the GG-based biocomposite film formulation. The results indicated that the optimal formulation, GG/3PSF, was achieved with the incorporation of 3 wt% PSF relative to the GG mass. Specifically, the GG/3PSF biocomposite film exhibited a tensile strength of 17.10 ± 0.4 MPa (a 50% increase compared to neat GG), an elongation at break of 46.0 ± 2.5%, a tensile toughness of 41 ± 2.0 MPa, and an ex vivo mucoadhesive residence time of at 7.76 ± 0.51 h for GG/3PSF (compared to 3.90 ± 0.24 h for neat GG). Additionally, it maintained a moderate and optimal swelling index of 115.31 ± 2.3% after 60 min of hydration, which prevents structural instability associated with excessive swelling (such as 161.81 ± 4.7% observed in GG/7PSF), while possessing acceptable thickness (0.09 ± 0.005 mm) and neutral pH (7.0 ± 0.05). The developed buccal film is environmentally friendly due to the utilization of pineapple stem fiber, an agricultural by-product that can reduce material costs compared with synthetic fillers and shows considerable potential as a biocomposite film for buccal drug delivery applications. Full article

Carbon-based materials exhibit diverse structural responses to irradiation owing to their distinct dimensionality, degree of graphitization, surface chemistry, and pore architecture. Although irradiation has traditionally been regarded as a source of structural damage, increasing evidence demonstrates that controlled irradiation can be deliberately utilized to tailor defects, surfaces, interfaces, and pore structures, thereby enabling desirable functional properties. This review summarizes recent progress in the irradiation-induced structural evolution and functional applications of four representative carbon-based materials, including graphene-based materials, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers, and activated carbon/biochar. Particular attention is given to the characteristic irradiation responses of different carbon architectures. In graphene, irradiation predominantly induces vacancies, reconstructed defects, and surface functionalization, providing active sites for environmental remediation. Carbon nanotubes additionally undergo inter-tube cross-linking and welding, enabling enhanced mechanical performance and tunable electronic properties. For carbon fibers, irradiation mainly regulates surface chemistry and fiber matrix interactions, facilitating interface engineering in high-performance composites. In activated carbon and biochar, irradiation modifies pore accessibility, structural disorder, and surface functional groups, thereby influencing adsorption and electrochemical performance. These distinct responses demonstrate that irradiation can evolve from a conventional damage process into a controllable materials-engineering strategy when appropriate irradiation conditions are employed. Finally, current challenges associated with optimal irradiation conditions, quantitative defect identification, and irradiation structure–property relationships are discussed. Based on these distinct responses, we propose an architecture-dependent irradiation–structure–function (A-ISF) framework that links the initial carbon architecture and irradiation conditions to dominant energy-deposition mechanisms, structural evolution pathways, property modulation, and ultimately functional applications. Within this framework, irradiation engineering is interpreted as a competition between beneficial structural modification and excessive radiation damage, giving rise to an application-dependent optimal irradiation window. Full article