Underutilization Versus Nutritional-Nutraceutical Potential of the Amaranthus Food Plant: A Mini-Review

In the mountainous canton Grisons, much visited by tourists, the forest has always had an important role to play. New challenges are now presenting themselves. The article goes more closely into two themes on the Grisons forestry agenda dominating in the next few years: the increased use of timber and climate change. With the increased demand for logs and the new sawmill in Domat/Ems new opportunities are offered to the canton for more intensive use of the raw material, wood. This depends on a reduction in production costs and a positive attitude of the population towards the greater use of wood. A series of measures from the Grisons Forestry Department should be of help here. The risk of damage to infrastructure is particularly high in a mountainous canton. The cantonal government of the Grisons has commissioned the Forestry Department to define the situation concerning the possible consequences of global warming on natural hazards and to propose measures which may be taken. The setting up of extensive measurement and information systems, the elaboration of intervention maps, the estimation of the danger potential in exposed areas outside the building zone and the maintenance of existing protective constructions through the creation of a protective constructions register, all form part of the government programme for 2009 to 2012. In the Grisons, forest owners and visitors will have to become accustomed to the fact that their forests must again produce more wood and that, on account of global warming, protective forests will become even more important than they already are today.

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Stress Testing to Assess Recovery from Extreme Events

Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management ◽

10.1515/jhsem-2020-0012 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

M. John Plodinec

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

United States ◽

Financial Institutions ◽

Extreme Events ◽

Stress Testing ◽

The United States ◽

The Other ◽

New Approach ◽

Rapid Spread ◽

Potential Benefits

Abstract Over the last decade, communities have become increasingly aware of the risks they face. They are threatened by natural disasters, which may be exacerbated by climate change and the movement of land masses. Growing globalization has made a pandemic due to the rapid spread of highly infectious diseases ever more likely. Societal discord breeds its own threats, not the least of which is the spread of radical ideologies giving rise to terrorism. The accelerating rate of technological change has bred its own social and economic risks. This widening spectrum of risk poses a difficult question to every community – how resilient will the community be to the extreme events it faces. In this paper, we present a new approach to answering that question. It is based on the stress testing of financial institutions required by regulators in the United States and elsewhere. It generalizes stress testing by expanding the concept of “capital” beyond finance to include the other “capitals” (e.g., human, social) possessed by a community. Through use of this approach, communities can determine which investments of its capitals are most likely to improve its resilience. We provide an example of using the approach, and discuss its potential benefits.

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The Role of Fungi in the Cocoa Production Chain and the Challenge of Climate Change

Journal of Fungi ◽

10.3390/jof7030202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 202

Author(s):

Johannes Delgado-Ospina ◽

Junior Bernardo Molina-Hernández ◽

Clemencia Chaves-López ◽

Gianfranco Romanazzi ◽

Antonello Paparella

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Fungal Infections ◽

Close Association ◽

Pathogenic Fungi ◽

Fungal Species ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Plant Diseases ◽

Production Chain ◽

Cocoa Production

Background: The role of fungi in cocoa crops is mainly associated with plant diseases and contamination of harvest with unwanted metabolites such as mycotoxins that can reach the final consumer. However, in recent years there has been interest in discovering other existing interactions in the environment that may be beneficial, such as antagonism, commensalism, and the production of specific enzymes, among others. Scope and approach: This review summarizes the different fungi species involved in cocoa production and the cocoa supply chain. In particular, it examines the presence of fungal species during cultivation, harvest, fermentation, drying, and storage, emphasizing the factors that possibly influence their prevalence in the different stages of production and the health risks associated with the production of mycotoxins in the light of recent literature. Key findings and conclusion: Fungi associated with the cocoa production chain have many different roles. They have evolved in a varied range of ecosystems in close association with plants and various habitats, affecting nearly all the cocoa chain steps. Reports of the isolation of 60 genera of fungi were found, of which only 19 were involved in several stages. Although endophytic fungi can help control some diseases caused by pathogenic fungi, climate change, with increased rain and temperatures, together with intensified exchanges, can favour most of these fungal infections, and the presence of highly aggressive new fungal genotypes increasing the concern of mycotoxin production. For this reason, mitigation strategies need to be determined to prevent the spread of disease-causing fungi and preserve beneficial ones.

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Genetic and Pre- and Postharvest Factors Influencing the Content of Antioxidants in Cucurbit Crops

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10060894 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 894

Author(s):

Cecilia Martínez ◽

Juan Luis Valenzuela ◽

Manuel Jamilena

Keyword(s):

Abiotic Stresses ◽

Nutritional Value ◽

Antioxidant Properties ◽

Plant Diseases ◽

Human Diet ◽

Antioxidant Power ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Cultivated Species ◽

Plant Families ◽

Valuable Compounds

Cucurbitaceae is one of the most economically important plant families, and includes some worldwide cultivated species like cucumber, melons, and squashes, and some regionally cultivated and feral species that contribute to the human diet. For centuries, cucurbits have been appreciated because of their nutritional value and, in traditional medicine, because of their ability to alleviate certain ailments. Several studies have demonstrated the remarkable contents of valuable compounds in cucurbits, including antioxidants such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids, but also tannins and terpenoids, which are abundant. This antioxidant power is beneficial for human health, but also in facing plant diseases and abiotic stresses. This review brings together data on the antioxidant properties of cucurbit species, addressing the genetic and pre- and postharvest factors that regulate the antioxidant content in different plant organs. Environmental conditions, management, storage, and pre- and postharvest treatments influencing the biosynthesis and activity of antioxidants, together with the biodiversity of this family, are determinant in improving the antioxidant potential of this group of species. Plant breeding, as well as the development of innovative biotechnological approaches, is also leading to new possibilities for exploiting cucurbits as functional products.

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Physical Exercise and Yoga: as an alternative approach towards COVID-19 management

Current Traditional Medicine ◽

10.2174/2215083807666210322152352 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 07 ◽

Author(s):

Saurabh Kumar ◽

Sakshi Sudha ◽

Madhu Chopra ◽

Famida Khan ◽

Kanupriya Sharma

Keyword(s):

Physical Exercise ◽

Literature Search ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

World Population ◽

Cd8 Cells ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Novel Coronavirus

Background: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), a highly contagious ssRNA +Ve sense virus that emerged in late 2019, has created a global panic. With no effective therapy available, the virus has significantly affected the world population causing millions of death. Therefore, it is the utmost need to look towards all the possible strategies to benefit the community. Objectives: In view of the current global pandemic, we tried to discuss the potential benefits of two cost-effective alternative approaches, i.e., physical exercise and yoga. Method: The editorial is based on a literature search available on PubMed, Google Scholar, and WHO portal. Search terminologies include “yoga”, “physical exercise”, “COVID-19”, “viral infections”, and a combination of these words. Results: A literature search defines yoga and physical exercise efficacy in different viral diseases, including HIV, influenza, and HSV. It ameliorates the quality of life (QoL) by improving both the physical and mental wellbeing of an individual. This is mainly done by promoting the better functioning of the immune system (increases CD4+ and CD8+ cells and reduces pro-inflammatory response). Conclusions: Regular involvement of these activities in day-to-day life may limit latent virus reactivations and reduce infection chances.

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Impact of Climate Change on Plant Diseases and IPM Strategies

Plant Diseases - Current Threats and Management Trends ◽

10.5772/intechopen.87055 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sahar Abdou Zayan

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Plant Diseases ◽

Impact Of Climate Change

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Impact of Climate Change on Crop & Predict the Disease

International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology ◽

10.22214/ijraset.2021.35617 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (VI) ◽

pp. 3063-3070

Author(s):

Shraddha S. Garud

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Climate Changes ◽

Plant Diseases ◽

Life Stages ◽

Social Changes ◽

Temporal And Spatial Distribution ◽

Climate Influences ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

The Individual

The prime need of this world is that the simplest agriculture which decides the event of each country because the survival of the individual is completely obsessed with farming and its best production. Climate changes are in response to changes within the hydrosphere, biosphere, and other atmospheric and interacting factors. Human activities driven by demographic, economic, technological, and social changes have a big impact on activity. The climate influences the incidence further as the temporal and spatial distribution of plant diseases. the foremost factors that control the growth and development of diseases are temperature, light, and water. Climate affects all life stages of the pathogen and host and poses a challenge to many pathosystems. The environmental change, especially when combined with the pathogen and host introductions, may cause unprecedented effects.

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Tourism and Climate Change Mitigation, a Focus on Behavioral Change in Air Travel

Volume 5 - 2020, Issue 9 - September - International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology ◽

10.38124/ijisrt20jul331 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (7) ◽

pp. 1469-1476

Author(s):

Komukama Grace

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Behavioral Change ◽

Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽

Climate Change Mitigation ◽

Behavioral Changes ◽

Aviation Industry ◽

Technological Advancement ◽

The Earth ◽

Online Databases ◽

Change Mitigation

It is undisputable that tourism has grown since the last decades and is the main source of foreign exchange for most developing countries. This growth is partially attributable to technological advancements in the aviation industry which has eased transportation from one region to another. However tourism contribution to carbon dioxide emissions through air transport is alarming with the sector contributing 40% of the overall carbon print and therefore if immediate remedies are not undertaken the earth system may go in a state where it may never recover. The aim of the paper therefore is to point out how behavioral change is the immediate solution for reduction in climate change emissions especially those originating from the aviation industry, since reliance on the technological advancement is mythical. Content analysis was used to conduct the study by using the crucial keywords in three online databases and 17,966 results were analyzed. Findings indicate that behavioral change is the immediate remedy for climate change mitigation. This is coupled with the fact that most air customers are living in denial and yet governments and the aviation industry lack commitment to controlling climate change. Therefore, if any tangible reduction is to be achieved in climate change emanating from aviation industry, there is need for realistic measures from both the governments and the aviation sector in order to encourage individual behavioral changes.

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