High strength composites from low-value animal coproducts and industrial waste sulfur

Herein we report high strength composites prepared by reaction of sulfur, plant oils (either canola oil or sunflower oil) and brown grease.

Evaluation Efficacy and Persistence of Some Volatile Plant Oils on Immature Stages of Galleria mellonella (L.)

The Experiment was carried out to measure the effect of four natural plant oils (namely: Cinnamonium zeylanicum L., Syzygium aromatic L., Citrus aurantium amara, and Lavandula spica) on controlling the greater wax moth and their ability to persist. The methodology included collecting and rearing the greater wax moth under laboratory conditions to be able to isolate the target tested stages. The immature stages (eggs and larvae) of the experiment moth were exposed to fumes of tested oils (50 µl/500 ml) to calculate hatchability and mortality percentage. The results were clear that fumes of C. zeylanicum and S. aromatic were caused 100% unhatching eggs after zero time as the same recorded by comparable compound (paradix) and able to persist their effect at the closed and limited zone for 60 days. On another side, C. zeylanicum and S. aromat were affected on last larval instars and emerged adults. The accumulative effect was appeared in the case of treatment by C. zeylanicum which was caused sterility to emerged adults and reduced eggs deposition to zero. The data indicated that some natural product compounds could be used as an alternative way of control insect pests.

Efficacy of plant oils against grain discolouration of rice under in vitro condition

Grain discolouration is an important constraint in reducing productivity of rice. Curvularia lunata and Exserohilum rostratum are two important pathogens responsible for it. An in vitro study was undertaken to test the efficacy of different plant oils against these pathogens. It revealed from the experiment using poison food technique that all the plant oils recorded a significant inhibition over control. Among the different concentration (1, 2 and 3%) of plant oils such as Eucalyptus, Neem Pungam, Coconut and Mahua oil were tested. The result revealed that eucalyptus oil (3%) recorded the complete mycelial inhibition of C. lunata (100 %) and E. rostratum (78%) followed by pungam oil (58.8 % of C. lunata), (52% of E. rostratum) and least mycelial growth were recorded by coconut oil (3%). Our findings suggest that the plant oils may be valuable as potential antifungal properties against grain discolouration of rice.

Bioactivities of Lamiaceae, Myristicaceae, and Myrtaceae plant oils against Nilaparvata lugens Stâl. (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Essential oil (EO) plants have properties as botanical insecticides. Some of them come from the families of Lamiaceae, Myristicaceae, and Myrtaceae. A plant belonging to the Lamiaceae includes patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), while the Myristicaceae includes nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), and the Myrtaceae includes clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and cajuput (Melaleuca cajuput subsp. cajuputi). This research aimed to evaluate toxicity, feeding inhibition, and oviposition deterrent from four EO plants from the Lamiaceae, Myristicaceae, and Myrtaceae to brown rice planthopper Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), the main pest of rice. The results showed that cajuput and patchouli oil gave more potent toxicity to N. lugens with LC50 and LC95 were 0.016% and 4.87% for cajuput oil and 0.019% and 5.25% for patchouli oil. Cajuput oil at 0.002% deterred oviposition 51.74% and inhibited feeding on 0.016% as many as 71.52% with strong enough criteria to the fourth instar nymphs of N. lugens. Patchouli oil deterred oviposition from 0.002% as much as 61.15% and inhibited feeding on 0.019% as many as 68.73% with strong enough criteria. The highest oviposition deterrent was 83.2% on patchouli oil at the concentration of 0.188%, whereas the highest feeding inhibition was 82.78% on cajuput oil at the concentration of 0.169%.

Sublethal Effects of Essential Plant Oils on Biochemical and Ecological Parameters of the Predatory Mite Amblyseius Swirskii

The predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii is widely used natural enemy of phytophagous pests. Due to negative effects of conventional pesticides on non-target organism, the development of selective natural and eco-friendly pesticides such as essential plant oils are a useful pest control tool to use in synergy with biological control agents. Essential oils of Nepeta crispa, Satureja hortensis and Anethum graveolens showed promising results to control Tetranychus urticae. Hence an experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of these essential oils on biochemical and demographic parameters of A. swirskii. Significant reduction of carbohydrate, lipid and protein contents of oil-treated predatory mites was observed. However oils of S. hortensis and A. graveolens had no negative impact on lipid reserve. Glutathione-S-transferase activity of A. swirskii was influenced by A. graveolens. In addition, the enzyme activity of the α-esterases was elevated by all treatments. The essential oils showed no effect on β-esterases activity compared to the control treatment. None of the concentrations of the different tested oils affected the population growth parameters of A. swirskii. However, a significant reduction was observed in oviposition time and total fecundity of predatory mites. Our observations show that the tested essential plant oils need some caution when applied as alternatives to synthetic pesticides in combination with A. swirskii and may have critical implications for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. However, semi-field and field studies are required to evaluate the effects of these products on T. urticae and A. swirskii for developing IPM strategies.

ABORDAGENS TERAPÊUTICAS NO TRATAMENTO DE TUNGÍASE: UMA REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

Introdução: A tungíase é uma doença infecciosa causada por uma pulga ectoparasita da ordem Siphonatera, gênero Tunga e pela espécie penetrans, podendo atingir humanos e animais, sendo endêmica na América Latina, África, Índia, Caribe e tendo seu período de proliferação durante estação quente e seca. Essa patologia constitui um problema de saúde pública visto que ocorre com frequência em países em desenvolvimento, especialmente naqueles em que populações marginalizadas não tem acesso a condições de saneamento básico e saúde. Objetivos: realizar uma revisão de literatura acerca das abordagens terapêuticas utilizadas no tratamento de tungíase. Metodologia: foi realizado uma busca, em outubro de 2020, utilizando-se base de dados como PubMed, Cochrany Library e Lilacs, sintaxe com os seguintes descritores: tungiasis, tunga, drug therapy, treatment, plant oils, therapeutic use. Foram identificados 63 artigos, selecionados artigos independentes do idioma, limite temporal entre 2009 a 2019, encontrados na íntegra e que retratassem tratamento em humanos, como critérios de exclusão, estudos com animais, e metodologia incompleta. Desse modo, foram eleitos 13 artigos. Resultados: em um estudo no nordeste brasileiro, fatores ambientais influenciam na disseminação da tungíase somado à precariedade da população, favorecendo surtos da doença. Em uma comunidade do Quênia, foi realizado um ensaio clínico randomizado com óleo de coco e permanganato de potássio, o tratamento com os óleos foi mais eficaz, pois reduziu o nível de inflamação, dor e coceira. Somado a isso, um estudo mais recente, evidencia, através de ensaio clínico randomizado, que o uso de sapatos tem efeito protetor e o uso de óleos é preventivo na infestação. Conclusão: a utilização de óleos no tratamento da prevenção da tungíase mostrou-se eficaz, além de ser uma forma acessível a população, além de não oferecer riscos com a retirada manual da pulga.

Application of Vegetal Oils in Developing Bioactive Paper-Based Materials for Food Packaging

A major disadvantage of conventional food packaging materials is the difficulty in disposal and recycling, due to their high stability to environmental and thermal stress. The trend now is to develop new eco-friendly food packaging that can substitute fossil fuel derived materials. Cellulose, the main constituent of paper-based food packages, is a favorable starting material for such purpose. In this study we present a new method to obtain bioactive paper based materials suitable for food packaging applications. By combining eco-friendly activation processes (cold plasma or gamma irradiation) and bioactive plant oils (clove essential oil and rosehip seeds vegetal oil) for modification of kraft paper, new materials with antioxidant and antibacterial activity were obtained. The oil-loaded bioactive paper based materials presented increased hydrophobicity (from 97° in the case of kraft paper to 115° for oil-loaded sample) and decreased water adsorption (a one-quarter decrease). Due to differential interactions with the functional groups of plant oils, the modified kraft paper presents different antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Essential clove oil imprinted higher antioxidant activity (owing to the high content in eugenol and eugenol acetate phenolic compounds and were more efficient in reducing the bacterial growth on fresh beef meat and especially on fresh curd cheese. The cold pressed rosehip seeds oil acted as aslightly better antibacterial agent against Listeria monocytogenes (+), Salmonella enteritidis (-) and Escherichia coli (-) bacterial strains. Thus, the newly developed bioactive paper could be used as effective packaging material that can help preserving food quality for longer time.

Potential utilization of emulsion gels and multiple emulsions as delivery systems to produce healthier meat products

In recent years the increase in consumers’ demands for healthy food have accelerated the studies searching for innovative approaches in meat product formulations. Developing a healthier lipid profile and reducing fat are the most important goals in the meat industry. One of the main problems of animal fat replacement with plant oils is maintaining the technological and sensory properties of the products. Pre-emulsions provide a great opportunity to carry the healthier plant oils to meat systems for increasing mono and polyunsaturated fatty acid content, since adding liquid plant oils directly to product formulation can have technological and sensory problems. Using emulsion gels and multiple emulsions prepared with polyunsaturated oils could be a good option to achieve healthier meat products. This review addresses the emulsion gel and multiple emulsion properties and their use in meat products as fat replacers.