Prevalence and Amounts of Common Ingredients Found in Energy Drinks and Shots

Background: Energy drinks are one of the most popular packaged beverage products consumed within the United States (US). Energy drinks are considered a functional beverage, a category that also includes sports drinks and nutraceutical beverages. Purpose: The focus of the current study was to examine the nutrition fact panels of the top selling commercially available energy drink and energy shot products within the US to characterize common ingredient profiles to help establish a standard definition and ingredient profile of energy drinks and energy shots for consumers, health care practitioners, and researchers. Methods: The top 75 commercially available energy drinks and shots were identified and compiled from multiple commercial retail websites as of September 2021. For the purpose of this study, an energy drink must have met the following criteria: (A) marketed as an energy drink; (B) purported to improve energy, focus, or alertness; (C) not sold as a dietary supplement (no supplement fact panels); (D) manufactured as a pre-packaged and ready-to-drink beverage; and (E) contains at least three of (1) caffeine, (2) B-vitamins, (3) sugar, (4) taurine, (5) creatine, (6) quercetin, (7) guarana, (8) ginseng, (9) coenzyme Q10, or (10) branched chain amino acids. Energy shots must have met similar criteria to be included: (A) marketed as an energy shot; (B) purported to improve energy, focus, or alertness; (C) sold as a dietary supplement; (D) manufactured as a pre-packaged beverage with a small volume (<3.5 mL); and (E) contains at least three of the ingredients stated above. Results: Twenty energy shots and fifty-five energy drinks were included in this analysis. The number of ingredients per product (mean ± SD) was 18.2 ± 5.7, with 15 products containing proprietary blends with undisclosed ingredient amounts. The relative prevalence and average amounts of the top ingredients were as follows: caffeine (100%; 174.4 ± 81.1 mg), vitamin B6 (72%; 366.9 ± 648.1 percent daily value (%DV)), vitamin B3 (67%; 121.44 ± 69.9% DV), vitamin B12 (67%; 5244.5 ± 10,474.6% DV), vitamin B5 (37.3%; 113.6 ± 76.6% DV), and taurine (37.3%; amounts undisclosed). Conclusions: Our findings suggest a high prevalence of caffeine and B-vitamins in these energy products, with many of the formulations containing well above the recommended daily value of B-vitamins.

New Insights on the Diurnal Mechanism of Calcification in the Stony Coral, Stylophora pistillata

Scleractinian corals are evolutionary-successful calcifying marine organisms, which utilize an endo-symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellate algae that supply energy products to their coral hosts. This energy further supports a higher calcification rate during the day in a process known as light enhanced calcification. Although this process has been studied for decades, the mechanisms behind it are still unknown. However, photosynthesis and respiration also cause daily fluctuations in oxygen and pH levels, resulting in the coral facing highly variable conditions. Here we correlated gene expression patterns with the physiological differences along the diel cycle to provide new insights on the daily dynamic processes, including circadian rhythm, calcification, symbiosis, cellular arrangement, metabolism, and energy budget. During daytime, when solar radiation levels are highest, we observed increased calcification rate combined with an extensive up-regulation of genes associated with reactive oxygen species, redox, metabolism, ion transporters, skeletal organic matrix, and mineral formation. During the night, we observed a vast shift toward up-regulation of genes associated with cilia movement, tissue development, cellular movement, antioxidants, protein synthesis, and skeletal organic matrix formation. Our results suggest that light enhanced calcification is related to several processes that occur across the diel cycle; during nighttime, tissue might elevate away from the skeleton, extending the calcifying space area to enable the formation of a new organic framework template. During daytime, the combination of synthesis of acid-rich proteins and a greater flux of ions to the sites of calcification facilitate the conditions for extensive mineral growth.

KANDUNGAN SIKLAMAT PADA MINUMAN ES CENDOL

Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener that is often added to drinks and food. In trade, cyclamate is known by the trade names assugrin, sucaryl, sucrose or sarimanis. The negative effects caused by sodium cyclamate are not immediate, it may have to wait two or thirty years later. The effects include increasing the potential for obesity, dental disorders, learning disorders, emotions, and mental health. testicular wasting and chromosomal damage. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence or absence of cyclamate content in cendol ice. The examination was carried out at the Amami Chemistry Laboratory, Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health, Medan, Department of Health Analyst using a qualitative test, namely the color test (deposition) with a total sample of 7 samples taken from cendol ice drink traders. Based on the qualitative test results obtained from 7 samples, 4 positive samples contained cyclamate. By knowing the presence of cyclamate content, it is hoped that producers will use food additives that do not have a negative effect on consumer health. Based on the Minister of Health Regulation No. 033/2012 artificial sweeteners are only intended for low-energy products or for people with diabetes mellitus and not for general let alone especially for children

Assessing the Effects of Logistics Performance on Energy Trade

Logistics has become one of the most important economic sectors. It significantly affects the transport infrastructure and many other sectors that are crucial for the country’s development. It is the factor that also influences trade efficiency. However, the question arises if logistics performance is significant for the trade of critical goods which are energy raw products. The aim of the paper is primarily to investigate the EU energy trade flows in general and to estimate the effect of logistics performance on the international trade of energy raw products. The energy raw products are grouped into solid, liquid, and gaseous products, and separate estimates are made for their export and import. The analysis also differentiates between the trade flows, that is export and import within the EU and trade flows between EU member states and third countries. The empirical model is based on the theory of gravity model extended to include the six subcomponents of the Logistics Performance Index (LPI). The results present that: (1) the standard gravity model variables, such as GDPs of reporter and partner countries and contiguity, are successful in explaining the trade flows of solid and liquid raw energy but in case of gas products, are insignificant; (2) the results indicate that all logistics’ performance subcomponents are highly significant and show positive effects on the export of liquid energy products, while for the solid and gas products, it seems to be insignificant when the energy commodities are more complex and costly to transport and store, and therefore, contiguity, i.e., when countries share a common border, positively affects energy trade.; (3) the EU imports most liquid energy products, but is generally very dependent on energy imports. EU policymakers should strive to either make more use of domestic resources or switch more to renewable energy sources

AWARENESS OF USING SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTS

Nhận thức của người tiêu dùng Việt Nam về các sản phẩm năng lượng mặt trời ngày càng có vai trò to lớn trong việc thúc đẩy tiêu dùng nguồn năng lượng sạch này tại Việt Nam. Nhận thức của người dân về môi trường và các vấn đề liên quan đến môi trường có liên hệ mật thiết đến hành vi tiêu dùng của họ, hướng hộ đến tiêu dùng sản phẩm sạch - năng lượng mặt trời. Theo nghiên cứu trước, Murphy và cộng sự (1978) đã chỉ ra rằng mối quan tâm của người tiêu dùng đến với môi trường dựa vào các đặc tính và lợi ích của nó với môi trường.

SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTS AND VIETNAM

Là thành viên của WTO, Việt Nam có điều kiện hội nhập sâu vào nền kinh tế thế giới, cải thiện môi trường kinh doanh, thu hút đầu tư nước ngoài, phát triển kinh tế và đẩy mạnh xuất khẩu. Theo Thomas McMillan, Trưởng bộ phận Tư vấn Năng lượng tại Savills, mỗi ngày chúng ta nhận đủ năng lượng từ mặt trời để cung cấp năng lượng cho hành tinh của chúng ta trong 27 năm.

POTENTIALITY OF SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTS

Việc đạt được mục tiêu giảm phát thải khí nhà kính toàn cầu như đã đặt ra trong Thỏa thuận Paris về biến đổi khí hậu sẽ phụ thuộc nhiều vào lộ trình phát triển của các nền kinh tế đang phát triển như Việt Nam. Năng lượng tái tạo là các dạng năng lượng thu được từ môi trường tự nhiên hoặc từ các nguồn có thể được bổ sung một cách tự nhiên, và trong số các năng lượng ta thấy được nguồn năng lượng mặt trời tiềm năng có thể phát triển xa hơn ở Việt Nam.

The current state and prospects for the development of Russian Federation green energy exports

Renewable energy is obtained from sustainable sources, which in particular include solar and wind energy, geothermal and hydroelectric energy, biomass, tidal energy. The Russian Federation has a significant potential for the development of “green” energy, is among the leaders in terms of export potential in this area. The article considers the export potential of fuel wood pellets. The European sales market, problems and prospects of entering it were studied as priority areas. The purpose of this study is to assess the export potential of the Russian Federation for “green” energy products, using the example of the group of HS 4401310000 Wood pellets. Within the framework of the study, the following tasks were solved: the importance of export relations in the framework of the development of “green” energy directions was studied, the market of wood pellets of the Russian Federation was studied and the export potential of the country for this group of goods was determined. As a result of the conducted research, the authors concluded that the development of the export of wood fuel pellets is of high importance for strengthening the country’s position in the market of foreign trade in renewable energy sources.

Synthesis, Biological Activity, and In silico Study of Bioesters Derived from Bixin by the CALB Enzyme

Biocatalysis is a branch of biotechnology that aims at the chemical transformation of a compound by using enzymes of known specificity. There are already several studies that use combinations of organic origin and enzymes as catalysts. The enzymatic sources are diverse and can be found in microorganisms, animals, vegetables, or commercial (enzymes isolated). The enzyme Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), of microbial origin, commercially available and with high catalytic activity, can perform esterification reactions, obtaining expressive results. These biocatalytic reactions can contribute to the development of energy products, such as biofuels and pharmaceuticals, such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In this context, the present project aims to esterify with the enzyme Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), a natural product known as bixin, a dye extracted from the pericarp of annatto seeds (Bixa orellana L.) to verify its biological properties and in silico evidence of its cholesteric activity.