The Scientific World Journal最新文献

The global demand for premium-quality coffee is growing, as more consumers appreciate its distinct sensory attributes. Fermentation plays a key role in producing natural (dry-processed) coffees with distinct and appealing flavors and aromas. However, improper fermentation conditions can lead to defects that negatively impact the quality of the coffee. This research aimed to compare various fermentation methods for producing natural coffees and assess their impact on both sensory attributes and chemical composition. Five fermentation processes were evaluated: exposure to air for 24 and 48 h, fermentation in sealed containers with CO₂ for 24 and 60 h, and a control with no fermentation. The total sugar content was measured using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Fatty acids composition was analyzed using gas chromatography (GC), whereas chlorogenic acid content was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sensory evaluation followed the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) protocol. Results indicated that fermentation under modified atmosphere inhibited sucrose consumption, preserved chlorogenic acid levels, and reduced elaidic acid by less than 10%. Significant differences in sensory quality attributes were observed across treatments. Overall, the study concluded that fermenting coffee cherries under modified atmospheres is associated with the high sensory quality of natural coffee.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate whether high-intensity, short-duration light curing of bulk-fill resin-based composite (RBC) causes an increase in temperature of the material, compared to the standard light-curing protocol.

Methods: This review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement and registered in the Open Science Framework database (10.17605/OSF.IO/UNW7C). Electronic searches were carried out in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Virtual Health Library databases for articles published up to April 2025. In vitro studies comparing the increase in temperature during high-intensity light curing and the standard protocol for bulk-fill RBCs were considered eligible. Seven different parameters assessed the risk of bias, and the studies were subjected to two 2 meta-analyses (light curing of 3 and 10 s and 3 and 20 s), according to the increment thicknesses (1-4 mm in depth) of the bulk-fill RBCs. The quality of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE tool.

Results: The search identified 607 studies. After applying the eligibility criteria, six studies were included in the review, with one study classified as having a moderate risk of bias and five studies classified as high risk. Four studies were included in two different meta-analyses, which presented moderate heterogeneity (I ² = 56%, 88%, and 66%, respectively). The first meta-analysis (comparing 3 and 10 s light-curing protocols) showed statistical significance (p = 0.008), while the second meta-analysis (comparing 3 and 20 s) did not demonstrate statistical significance (p = 0.20). The certainty of the evidence was rated as very low.

Conclusion: The use of high-intensity, short-duration light-curing protocols is thermally applicable based on limited in vitro studies with very low certainty of evidence. However, in clinical situations involving deep cavities with reduced residual dentin thickness, the use of high-intensity curing should be avoided to minimize the risk of thermal damage.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2014/608372.].

Air pollution is a major environmental concern in urban areas, necessitating the identification of tree species capable of mitigating its effects. This study assessed the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) and Anticipated Performance Index (API) of four common urban tree species (Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth., Azadirachta indica A. Juss, Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss, and Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby) to evaluate their potential for air pollution control. Leaf extract pH was determined by homogenizing 5 g of leaf tissue in 10 mL deionized water and measuring with a calibrated digital pH meter. Relative leaf water content (RWC) was calculated using fresh, turgid, and dry weights of leaf samples. The ascorbic acid (AA), total chlorophyll (TC), and carotenoid contents were determined spectrophotometrically using 721 Vis spectrophotometer. API was determined by integrating APTI with morphological and socioeconomic traits. One-way ANOVA and correlation matrices were employed to analyze variations across roads and the relationships among parameters, respectively. The findings revealed significant variation in biochemical responses among the studied species. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified AA, RWC, and TC as consistent key drivers of variation across all roads, while leaf pH exhibited site-specific influence. The mean APTI values of the four tree species varied from 5.39 to 8.96. Based on the APTI, the tree species were classified as either tolerant (> 7.5), intermediate (6.5-7.5), or sensitive (APTI < 6.5). A. indica exhibited consistent RWC and chlorophyll levels, earning the highest API score (81.25%) and an "Excellent" performance rating, making it a potential candidate for urban greenbelt development. K. senegalensis can be used as sentinel species in urban greening because of its general sensitivity to the pollutants. A. lebbeck and S. siamea showed strong potential as bioindicators because of their physiological responses to pollution stress. This study introduced a new classification range for using roadside trees as bioindicators of vehicular pollution, particularly under conditions of low APTI.

Change in global weather pattern has become a major concern because of their direct impact on land use and land cover (LULC). This study, conducted in Kassala State, Sudan, examines how climatic variability influences these changes. Additionally, the study is intended to find out the possible intervention to reduce the impact of wind and sandstorms in the area. Primary data were collected through interview, focus group discussion, direct observation, and analysis of satellite images. Landsat TM 5 (2002) and Landsat 8 OLI (2023) images were used for LULC mapping. Meteorological data were obtained from local weather stations, while social data were gathered through stakeholder interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel while satellite images were processed using supervised classification and change detection techniques in ERDAS and ArcMap. The result showed fluctuations in rainfall (R ² = 0.04), an increase temperature (R ² = 0.01), and higher wind speeds (R ² = 0.02). Forest cover declined from 17.11% to 13.20%, while bare land and shrubland expanded. The study recommends agroforestry systems interventions including windbreak and shelterbelts using Acacia tortilis and Acacia raddiana to mitigate the effects of sandstorms and land degradation.

Babesia ovis is a tick-borne protozoan parasite that poses a significant threat to sheep production, particularly in endemic regions such as Türkiye. It is known to be transmitted by ixodid ticks through both transstadial and transovarial routes. This study was aimed at investigating the natural transovarial transmission potential of B. ovis in Rhipicephalus bursa and Rhipicephalus turanicus ticks under field conditions. A total of 751 adult ticks were collected from 84 small ruminants (41 sheep and 43 goats) in Elazığ Province, Türkiye. Following species identification, 85 fully engorged female R. bursa (n = 45) and R. turanicus (n = 40) were incubated under controlled conditions to allow oviposition. DNA was extracted from the female carcasses and their corresponding larval pools and analyzed using nested PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene of B. ovis. The results revealed that B. ovis DNA was detected in 19.04% (8/42) of R. bursa females and in 7.89% (3/38) of R. turanicus females. Importantly, all larval pools derived from B. ovis-positive R. bursa females also tested positive, indicating natural transovarial transmission. In contrast, none of the larval pools from R. turanicus tested positive, despite the presence of B. ovis in the female carcasses. These findings suggest that R. bursa may serve as a competent natural vector and reservoir for B. ovis, whereas R. turanicus seems to possess less ability for vertical transmission of the parasite.

Background: Trees and shrubs are a major component of the diet for livestock in Ethiopia, although they were not fully documented in many parts of the country. Thus, the study was undertaken to assess fodder trees and shrubs in the semiarid area of Metema District, northwestern Ethiopia.

Methods: Eight Kebeles were selected purposively based on livestock production and vegetation availability. Cochran's formula was used to select 385 informants composed of 40 purposively selected key informants and 345 systematically selected general informants. Data were collected through interviews, guided field walks, and focus group discussions. Then, they were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Jaccard's coefficient of similarity (JCS), preference ranking, paired comparison, and relative frequency of citation. Knowledge difference between informant types and age groups was analyzed using t-test and Pearson's correlation, respectively.

Results and discussion: Livestock production is the main source of livelihood for Metema District communities. Goats were the most reared animals per household (34), followed by cattle (26). To feed the livestock, 46 fodder trees and shrubs within 36 genera and 24 families were identified. Fabaceae was the most species-rich family (17.39%), followed by Combretaceae (13.04%). Key informants reported significantly more fodder species than general informants (p = 0.001). They also have higher information consistency on accessing fodders. A slightly positive correlation on the number of fodder species was also observed between age groups. Leaves were the dominant fodder plant parts. Pterocarpus lucens was the most cited, preferred, and valuable fodder species. Goats browsed 100% of the recorded fodder plants. Most fodder trees and shrubs (91.3%) were sourced from wild environments.

Conclusions: This study revealed that the indigenous communities of Metema District possess high knowledge of tree and shrub fodder plants. The plants are vital components of their livestock feeding systems to improve their livelihoods.

Endophytic fungi have emerged as promising reservoirs of pharmacologically potent metabolites, garnering increasing scientific interest over the past three decades. Their ability to enhance host resilience against diverse biotic and abiotic stresses further underscores their biotechnological value. This study explores the hypothesis that endophytes from mangrove ecosystems, specifically the bark of Xylocarpus mekongensis, thrive under extreme conditions such as high salinity, humidity, temperature, and variable soil composition and may therefore produce unique bioactive compounds. The endophytic fungi were initially cultured in potato dextrose broth (PDB). The crude fungal extract was then obtained by solvent extraction, where the broth was first extracted with n-hexane to remove nonpolar compounds, followed by extraction with ethyl acetate, which yielded the crude extract containing secondary metabolites. This procedure led to the successful isolation of three distinct culturable fungal endophytes, designated as X2, X4, and X7, and assessed for antimicrobial, antioxidant, and α-glucosidase inhibitory properties through solvent fractionation. Among the isolates, X4 exhibited the most compelling pharmacological profile. Crude extracts of X4 demonstrated notable antioxidant activity in DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀: 94.179 μg/mL), supported by high total phenolic content (TPC: 66.542 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (TFC: 173.770 mg QE/g), and total tannin content (TTC: 42.717 mg GAE/g), although still less potent than standard ascorbic acid (IC₅₀: 15.987 μg/mL). All crude and fractionated extracts exhibited measurable antibacterial activity, with X4 crude extract showing the strongest inhibition zones against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis (21 mm). No antifungal effects were observed. Minimum inhibitory concentrations ranged from 31.5 to 250 μg/mL. Additionally, the X4 isolate and its fractions displayed significant α-glucosidase inhibition, with the crude extract showing the lowest IC₅₀ (0.416 mg/mL), outperforming its ethyl acetate (0.824 mg/mL) and dichloromethane (1.032 mg/mL) fractions. These findings affirm that X. mekongensis bark harbors potent endophytic fungi capable of producing bioactive metabolites with strong therapeutic potential.

This review is aimed at assessing the constraints of access to agricultural information in African countries. To conduct this, secondary data from articles were used. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select Ethiopia, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, and Uganda as the sample countries for the review. The collected data was combined and interpreted for a general conclusion and recommendation. The review highlights that in Africa, agricultural information was accessed from radio, television, mobile phones, computer and internet, face-to-face contact with extension workers, fellow farmers, input suppliers, town criers, agricultural research centers, and printed materials such as posters, magazines, newspapers, school/college notes and books, manuals, billboards, and bulletins. However, farmers face several challenges to access the information, such as illiteracy; limited information sharing among farmers; religious beliefs; lack of cooperative membership; unavailability or inappropriateness of information sources; the absence of aids to present the information; the failure to use local language; complex information; high costs of both information and inputs; inadequate or unqualified extension workers; a lack of farmer training, workshops, and seminars; insufficient reading materials; low extension-farmer linkages; poor public relations by extension workers; the long distance of training centers from farmers' homes; lack of rural electrification; and the absence of rural networks. There should be an expansion of information and communication technology for transferring agricultural information to the farmers in African countries.

This study was conducted with the objective of investigating the impact of adopting cluster farming on wheat productivity and the welfare of smallholder households in the North Shewa zone of the Amhara region in Ethiopia. The study used primary data collected from 394 households sampled using a multistage sampling technique. The data was collected using structured questionnaires and key informant interviews. In order to investigate the impact of adopting cluster farming on households' wheat productivity measured by their production per hectare and welfare indicated by their food consumption expenditure, the study has used an endogenous switching regression (ESR) model. The result of the analysis indicates that factors such as the household head's age, education level, perception of cluster farming, household size, farming experience, farm size allocated to wheat production, participation in farmers' unions, access to irrigation and information about cluster farming, soil quality, training, and proximity to resources have a significant influence on farm households' decision to adopt cluster farming. The results confirm that the adoption of cluster farming significantly increases wheat yields and directly enhances household per capita food consumption expenditure compared to nonadopters. Furthermore, the findings suggest that nonadopters could have achieved higher wheat productivity and improved food consumption levels had they adopted the practice. Based on these results, the study recommends that the government and relevant stakeholders collaborate with rural farming households to promote cluster farming in the study area, thereby improving smallholder farmers' wheat productivity and overall welfare.