Extraction of Chitosan From Fish Scale for Food Preservation and Shelf-Life Enhancer

With the growing demand for chitosan in a variety of applications and the drawbacks associated with crustacean shell-based chitosan, there is a need to look for alternative sources of chitosan extraction and production. Chitosan was extracted from the scales of red snapper ( Lutjanus johnii ) in this study. It was discovered that the concentration of solvent (HCl and NaOH) and temperature at various stages of the extraction process influenced the yield of extracted fish scale chitosan. The characterization result revealed that the commercial crustacean-based chitosan and the extracted fish scale chitosan had similar Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, indicating that the two had similar functional groups. The degree of deacetylation (DDA) of the extracted fish scale chitosan was determined to be 76.9%, with the ash value, loss on drying, and solubility being 1.28%, 3.62%, and 88.8%, respectively. The extracted and commercialised chitosan were found to be similar in all characterization results. The potential of fish scale chitosan as a food preservative and shelf-life enhancer was then investigated in this study. Strawberries coated with chitosan were stored at various temperatures, and their physical appearance and moisture loss were recorded. When used in conjunction with traditional preservation techniques such as storage in a cool environment, fish scale chitosan was found to be capable of preventing up to 50% moisture loss in strawberries.

Roundtable on Preseason Heat Safety in Secondary School Athletics: Heat Acclimatization

Objective To provide best-practice recommendations for developing and implementing heat-acclimatization strategies in secondary school athletics. Data Sources An extensive literature review on topics related to heat acclimatization and heat acclimation was conducted by a group of content experts. Using the Delphi method, action-oriented recommendations were developed. Conclusions A period of heat acclimatization consisting of ≥14 consecutive days should be implemented at the start of fall preseason training or practices for all secondary school athletes to mitigate the risk of exertional heat illness. The heat-acclimatization guidelines should outline specific actions for secondary school athletics personnel to use, including the duration of training, the number of training sessions permitted per day, and adequate rest periods in a cool environment. Further, these guidelines should include sport-specific and athlete-specific recommendations, such as phasing in protective equipment and reintroducing heat acclimatization after periods of inactivity. Heat-acclimatization guidelines should be clearly detailed in the secondary school's policy and procedures manual and disseminated to all stakeholders. Heat-acclimatization guidelines, when used in conjunction with current best practices surrounding the prevention, management, and care of secondary school student-athletes with exertional heat stroke, will optimize their health and safety.

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus (potato ring rot).

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus has the propensity to exist asymptomatically as latent infections in potato (Solanum tuberosum); it is not known to naturally infect other plant species. Inadvertent dissemination of the bacterium to new places of production occurs with the movement of latently infected seed tubers used for planting. The bacterium also spreads from infected tubers through direct contact and by contamination of equipment used for potato production such as seed cutters, planters, harvesters, transport vehicles, storages, etc. C. michiganensis subp. sepedonicus survives for extended periods of many months to years in a dry and cool environment. Hence its persistence on farm equipment, in storages, and on transport vehicles is an important means by which the bacterium is maintained and spread within farm units and disseminated to other production units. It persists in the field in unharvested potato tubers (i.e. volunteers or ground keepers) and in infected potato plant debris.

Up-Regulation of Glycogen Synthesis and Degradation Enzyme Level Maintained Myocardial Glycogen in Huddling Brandt’s Voles Under Cool Environments

Small mammals exhibit limited glucose use and glycogen accumulation during hypothermia. Huddling is a highly evolved cooperative behavioral strategy in social mammals, allowing adaptation to environmental cooling. However, it is not clear whether this behavior affects the utilization of glycogen in cold environments. Here, we studied the effects of huddling on myocardial glycogen content in Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) under a mild cold environment (15°C). Results showed that (1) Compared to the control (22°C) group (CON), the number of glycogenosomes more than tripled in the cool separated group (CS) in both males and females; whereas the number of glycogenosomes increased in females but was maintained in males in the cool huddling group (CH). (2) Glycogen synthase (GS) activity in the CS group remained unchanged, whereas glycogen phosphorylase (GYPL) activity decreased, which mediated the accumulation of glycogen content of the CS group. (3) Both GS and GYPL activity increased which may contribute to the stability of glycogen content in CH group. (4) The expression levels of glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUT4 increased in the CS group, accompanied by an increase in glucose metabolism. These results indicate that the reduced glycogen degradation enzyme level and enhanced glucose transport may lead to an increase in myocardial glycogen content of the separated voles under cool environment; while the up-regulation of glycogen synthesis and degradation enzyme level maintained myocardial glycogen content in the huddling vole.

Can mineral equilibrium modelling provide additional details on metamorphism of the Barberton garnet amphibolites?

The Stolzburg domain to the south of the Barberton Greenstone Belt preserves evidence for a 3.23 Ga subduction–collision tectonic event. Garnet amphibolite greenstone remnants have previously yielded conventional thermobarometric P-T estimates of 12 to 15 kbar at 600 to 650°C, 8 to 11 kbar at 650 to 700°C and 7.5 to 8.5 kbar at 560 to 640°C from, respectively, the Inyoni shear zone along the western margin of the Stolzburg domain, the central part of the domain and from the Tjakastad schist belt on the boundary with the main body of the Barberton Greenstone Belt. Pseudosection calculations constrain the stability conditions of the peak metamorphic assemblages at the three localities to be 10 kbar at 675 to 690°C, ~10 kbar at 700°C and ~7 and 10 kbar at 660°C respectively. Although it is possible that the peak metamorphic assemblages may be displaced to somewhat lower conditions if Mn is considered in the calculations, these estimates are generally in good agreement with existing estimates, and confirm that the Stolzburg domain exposes an intact mid- to lower-crustal section that was metamorphosed in a relatively cool environment at 3.23 Ga. Our results do not support previously documented higher-pressure conditions, and we contend that the mineral assemblages used to derive these estimates can equally reflect the conditions determined here. The presence of albite-epidote inclusion assemblages in garnet indicates that the likely prograde path involved a component of heating at depth, which is typical of subduction–collision environments and markedly different from the heating–burial paths expected for sinking greenstones in a vertical tectonic model.

Improved 2000-m Rowing Performance in a Cool Environment With an External Heating Garment

Purpose: Rowers can be in marshaling areas for up to 20 to 25 min before the start of a race, which likely negates any benefits of an active warm-up, especially in cold environments. It is unknown if using a heated jacket following a standardized rowing warm-up can improve 2000-m rowing performance. Methods: On 2 separate occasions, 10 trained male rowers completed a standardized rowing warm-up, followed by 25 min of passive rest before a 2000-m rowing time trial on a rowing ergometer. Throughout the passive rest, the participants wore either a standardized tracksuit top (CON) or an externally heated jacket (HEAT). The trials, presented in a randomized crossover fashion, were performed in a controlled environment (temperature 8°C, humidity 50%). Rowing time-trial performance, core body temperature, and mean skin temperature, along with perceptual variables, were measured. Results: During the 25-min period, core body temperature increased in HEAT and decreased in CON (Δ0.54°C [0.74°C] vs −0.93°C [1.14°C]; P = .02). Additionally, mean skin temperature (30.22°C [1.03°C] vs 28.86°C [1.07°C]) was higher in HEAT versus CON (P < .01). In line with the physiological data, the perceptual data confirmed that participants were more comfortable in HEAT versus CON, and subsequently, rowing performance was improved in HEAT compared with CON (433.1 [12.7] s vs 437.9 [14.4] s, P < .01). Conclusion: The data demonstrate that an upper-body external heating garment worn following a warm-up can improve rowing performance in a cool environment.

The role of temperature on the global spread of COVID-19 and urgent solutions

This study explored whether the global temperature had any role in the spread and vulnerability to COVID-19 and how that knowledge can be used to arrest the fast-spreading disease. It highlighted that for transmitting the virus, global temperature played an important role and a moderately cool environment was the most favourable state. The risk from the virus was reduced significantly for warm places and countries. Based on the temperature of March and April, various degrees of vulnerability were identified and countries were specified. The maximum reported case, as well as death, was noted when the temperature was in the range of around 275 °K (2 °C) to 290 °K (17 °C). Countries like the USA, UK, Italy and Spain belonged to this category. The vulnerability was moderate when the temperature was less than around 275 °K (2 °C), e.g. Russia, parts of Canada and a few Scandinavian countries. For temperature 300 °K (27 °C) and above, a significantly lesser degree of vulnerability was noted. Countries from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, South-East Asia, the African continent and Australia fell in that category. This work discussed that based on the variability of temperature, countries can switch from one vulnerability state to another. That influence of temperature on the virus and results of previous clinical trials with similar viruses provided a useful insight that regulating the level of temperature can offer remarkable results to arrest and stop the outbreak. Based on that knowledge, some urgent and simple solutions are proposed, which are practically without side effects and very cost-effective too.

PSV-9 The effect of warming and drying piglets at birth under cool or warm farrowing room temperatures on post-natal rectal temperatures

Piglets are born into a relatively cool environment, resulting in body heat loss, especially at low environmental temperatures. Drying and warming reduces this heat loss, but may be less effective at the higher temperatures experienced in farrowing houses in summer. This study compared the effect of warming and drying piglets at birth on post-natal rectal temperature under winter vs. summer conditions. The study was carried out at a commercial facility using a CRD with 96 sows/litters in a 2×3 factorial arrangement of treatments (applied at birth): 1) Piglet Management: Control (no treatment); Warmed (in a heated box for 30 min); Dried+Warmed (dried with desiccant and warmed); 2) Season: Winter (January-March; farrowing room temperature 21.0 ± 1.65°C); Summer (August-September; 25.3 ± 1.67°C). At birth, piglets were weighed; rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1440 min after birth. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS. Litter was the experimental unit; piglet was a subsample of litter. The model included Season, Piglet Management, and the interaction. There were treatment interactions (P &lt; 0.05) for rectal temperatures at all measurement times except at birth. For both Seasons, the Dried+Warmed treatment resulted in greater (P &lt; 0.05) temperatures than Warmed between 20 and 60 min; both treatments had greater (P &lt; 0.05) temperatures than the Control between 10 and 120 min. Rectal temperatures were lower (P &lt; 0.05) in Winter than Summer for the Control and Warmed treatments between 10 and 60 min. However, for the Dried+Warmed treatment, rectal temperatures were similar between Seasons at all times after 10 min. In conclusion, drying and warming piglets at birth was more effective for reducing rectal temperature decline than warming alone and this effect was greater in winter than summer. This research was funded by the National Pork Board.

Influence of Temperature on the Global Spread of COVID-19

This article investigated whether the atmospheric temperature had any role in the spread and vulnerability to COVID-19 worldwide and how that knowledge can be utilized to contain the fast-spreading disease. It highlighted that temperature was an important factor in transmitting the virus, and a moderately cool environment was the most favourable state for its susceptibility. In fact, the risk from the virus is reduced significantly in high temperature environment. Warm countries and places were likely to be less vulnerable. We identified various degrees of vulnerability based on temperature and specified countries for March and April. The maximum reported case, as well as death, was noted when the temperature was in the range of around 275&deg;K (2&deg;C) to 290&deg;K (17&deg;C). Countries like the USA, UK, Italy and Spain belonged to this category. The vulnerability was moderate when the temperature was less than around 275&deg;K (2&deg;C) and countries in that category were Russia, parts of Canada and few Scandinavian countries. For temperature 300&deg;K (27&deg;C) and above, a significantly lesser degree of vulnerability was noted. Countries from SAARC, South East Asia, the African continent and Australia fell in that category. In fact, when the temperature was more than 305&deg;K (32&deg;C), there was a unusually low number of reported cases and deaths. For warm countries, further analyses on the degree of vulnerability were conducted for the group of countries from SAARC and South East Asia and individual countries were compared. We also showed countries can switch from one vulnerability state to another based on the variability of temperature. We provided maps of temperature to identify countries of different vulnerability states in different months of the year. That influence of temperature on the virus and previous results of clinical trials with similar viruses gave us a useful insight that regulating the level of temperature can provide remarkable results to arrest and stop the outbreak. Based on that knowledge, some urgent solutions are proposed, which are practically without side effects and very cost-effective too.

Atmospheric Variables and Additional Urgent Solutions for Combating COVID-19

This article investigates whether the weather has any role in terms of spread and vulnerability of COVID-19 and how that knowledge can be used to arrest this fast spreading disease. It highlights that temperature and humidity both are important for transmitting the virus- temperature being the stronger factor. A dry, cool environment is the most favourable state for the spread of the virus. In fact, high temperature environment significantly reduces the risk from the virus. Warm places and countries are likely to be less vulnerable. Only regulating temperature level can provide drastic results to stop and arrest the outbreak. Some urgent solutions are proposed based on that knowledge. The novelty of such approach is- it can be applied overnight and implemented immediately across the globe. It is very cost effective and practically without side effects. No vast amount of funding is required to adopt these solutions. Apart from existing guidelines, these additional measures are likely to reduce the spread of the disease dramatically. Following the scientific discussion, such solutions may be thought of implementing worldwide, especially to vulnerable countries, as an emergency basis.