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Nowadays, as environmental awareness is key issue among researchers, scientific community is looking for natural materials as they are biodegradable, low cost, eco-friendly and also safe for health. Researchers and academicians have found many natural fibers and studied their properties for their sustainable applications in various possible sectors, and studies are also going on. So, in that context several natural fiber like jute, sisal, banana, pineapple, flax, hemp, kenaf, bamboo, cornstalk waste, coir, etc. have been successfully utilized as a reinforcing material in polymer composites by replacing man made synthetic fiber. Apart from traditional natural fibers, scientific community is also looking for locally available natural fibers across the globe in different geographical locations for successful reinforcement in polymer matrix. This will not only decrease burden on traditional fibers and but also at the same time it would be helpful to enrich the rural economy. Natural fiber based composites can be used in different areas such as auto motive industry, construction industry, sports industry and food industry. This study is related with extraction, characterization, surface treatment thermal analysis and activation energy of different uncommon natural fibers available at different geographical locations worldwide. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive knowledge on extraction techniques, treatment methodologies, and properties of these uncommon natural fibers so that these novel materials can be utilized efficiently as a reinforcing material in different polymer matrix. Discussions on traditional natural fibers like Bagasse, Wheat straw, Coir, Pineapple, Banana etc. have been compiled extensively in various review papers but compilation on these new uncommon natural fibers is rare. Thermal analysis along with activation energy evaluation is another aspect which has been given emphasis in discussion because this is also a very important examination to evaluate the thermal stability of these natural fibers.

The levels of production diseases (PD) and the cow replacement rate are high in dairy farming. They indicate excessive production demands on the cow and a poor state of animal welfare. This is the subject of increasing public debate. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of production diseases on the economic sustainability of dairy farms. The contributions of individual culled cows to the farm’s economic performance were calculated, based on milk recording and accounting data from 32 farms in Germany. Cows were identified as ‘profit cows’ when they reached their individual ‘break-even point’. Data from milk recordings (yield and indicators for PD) were used to cluster farms by means of a principal component and a cluster analysis. The analysis revealed five clusters of farms. The average proportion of profit cows was 57.5%, 55.6%, 44.1%, 29.4% and 19.5%. Clusters characterized by a high proportion of cows with metabolic problems and high culling and mortality rates had lower proportions of profit cows, somewhat irrespective of the average milk-yield per cow. Changing the perception of PD from considering it as collateral damage to a threat to the farms’ economic viability might foster change processes to reduce production diseases.

Cow milk is under increased scrutiny due to its environmental impact and ethical considerations concerning animal welfare. At the same time, a rising share of consumers is switching to plant-based milk substitutes (abbreviated “plant milk”). The objective of this study was (1) to analyze the product image of plant milk and cow milk and (2) to compare the motivational structure behind the consumption of both product categories. For this purpose, a quantitative survey with Austrian consumers was carried out to analyze the product image of plant milk in comparison to cow milk (n = 1001). The product image analysis revealed that the product image of cow milk is still much better than that of plant milk. Amongst others, cow milk is considered to be healthier, more natural, and better for bones. Product image valuation was dependent on the (non-)consumption of plant milk. Plant milk consumers evaluated plant milk significantly better; they considered plant milk to be much better digestible and allergy-free. The qualitative study using means-end-chain analysis, with two sub-samples of interviewees (plant milk consumers, n = 30, and cow milk consumers, n = 30), identified different motives for the consumption of cow milk and plant milk. Motives that were only reported from cow milk consumers are the origin of milk and the support of small-scale dairy production of farmers. Motives of plant milk consumers were much more diverse and included animal welfare and sustainability aspects.

Bioethanol from agricultural waste is an attractive way to turn waste into added value that will solve the problem of food competition and waste management. Napier grass is a highly productive and effective lignocellulosic biomass, which is an important substrate of the second-generation biofuels. In addition, several processes are required in the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic materials; thus, co-culture fermentation can shorten the production process. This experimental research utilizes Trichoderma reesei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae co-culture fermentation in the bioethanol production of Napier grass using simultaneous saccharification and fermentation technology. To improve ethanol yield, Napier grass was pretreated with 3% (w/w) sodium hydroxide. An orthogonal experimental design was employed to optimize the Napier grass content, mixed crude co-culture loading, and incubation time for maximum bioethanol production. The results showed that pretreatment increased cellulose contents from 52.85% to 82%. The optimal fermentation condition was 15 g Napier grass, 15 g mixed crude co-culture, and 7 days incubation time, which maximizes the bioethanol yield of 16.90 g/L. Furthermore, the fermentation was upscaled 20-fold, and experiments were performed with and without supplemented sugar using laboratory-scale optimal fermentation conditions. The novelty of this research lies in the use of a mixed crude co-culture of T. reesei and S. cerevisiae to produce bioethanol from Napier grass with the maximum bioethanol concentration of 25.02 and 33.24 g/L under unadded and added sugar conditions and to reduce operational step and capital costs.

Background and Aims: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) accounts for 70% of liver-related deaths in Europe, with no effective approved therapies. Although mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the earliest manifestations of alcohol-induced injury, restoring mitochondrial activity remains a problematic strategy due to oxidative stress. Here, we identify methylation-controlled J protein (MCJ) as a mediator for ALD progression and hypothesize that targeting MCJ may help in recovering mitochondrial fitness without collateral oxidative damage. Approach and Results: C57BL/6 mice [wild-type (Wt)] Mcj knockout and Mcj liver-specific silencing (MCJ-LSS) underwent the NIAAA dietary protocol (Lieber-DeCarli diet containing 5% (vol/vol) ethanol for 10 days, plus a single binge ethanol feeding at day 11). To evaluate the impact of a restored mitochondrial activity in ALD, the liver, gut, and pancreas were characterized, focusing on lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis, intestinal permeability, and microbiota composition. MCJ, a protein acting as an endogenous negative regulator of mitochondrial respiration, is downregulated in the early stages of ALD and increases with the severity of the disease. Whole-body deficiency of MCJ is detrimental during ALD because it exacerbates the systemic effects of alcohol abuse through altered intestinal permeability, increased endotoxemia, and dysregulation of pancreatic function, which overall worsens liver injury. On the other hand, liver-specific Mcj silencing prevents main ALD hallmarks, that is, mitochondrial dysfunction, steatosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, as it restores the NAD+/NADH ratio and SIRT1 function, hence preventing de novo lipogenesis and improving lipid oxidation. Conclusions: Improving mitochondrial respiration by liver-specific Mcj silencing might become a novel therapeutic approach for treating ALD.

Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of certain kinds of natural hazard events in alpine areas. This interdisciplinary study addresses the hypothetical possibility of relocating the residents of three alpine areas in Austria: the Sölk valleys, the Johnsbach valley, and the St. Lorenzen/Schwarzenbach valleys. Our particular focus is on these residents’ expectations about such relocations. We find that (1) many residents expect that in the next decades the state will provide them with a level of natural hazards protection, aid, and relief that allows them to continue to live in these valleys; (2) this expectation receives some legal protection but only when it is associated with fundamental rights; and (3) the expectation is morally significant, i.e., it ought to be considered in assessing the moral rightness or justness of relocation policies. These results suggest legal changes and likely extend to many other (Austrian) alpine areas as well. Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung W 1256-G15 Version of record

La primera biorrefinación con lignina del álamo nórdico para producir fibras de celulosa podría desplazar la producción de algodón en tierras agrícolas Al cruzar Populus trichocarpa 3 P. trichocarpa de una población distante, se obtuvieron álamos híbridos que pueden crecer rápidamente en tierras marginales en climas del norte. Estos híbridos pueden transformarse mediante fraccionamiento catalítico reductor para producir una fibra textil deslignificada que puede ser un sustituto del algodón, así como un biocombustible alimentado con lignina en el rango de gasolina-aviación-diesel. La sostenibilidad de esta cadena de valor fue evaluada por LCA y mostró beneficios sustanciales en términos de uso de agua en comparación con la producción de algodón. Le bioraffinage en lignine du peuplier nordique pour produire des fibres de cellulose pourrait déplacer la production de coton sur les terres agricoles En croisant Populus trichocarpa 3 P. trichocarpa d'une population éloignée, des peupliers hybrides ont été obtenus qui peuvent croître rapidement sur des terres marginales dans les climats nordiques. Ces hybrides peuvent être transformés par fractionnement catalytique réducteur pour donner une fibre textile délignifiée qui peut remplacer le coton ainsi qu'un biocarburant ligninérisé dans la gamme essence-aviation-diesel. La durabilité de cette chaîne de valeur a été évaluée par LCA et a montré des avantages substantiels en termes d'utilisation de l'eau par rapport à la production de coton. Lignin-first biorefining of Nordic poplar to produce cellulose fibers could displace cotton production on agricultural lands By crossing Populus trichocarpa 3 P. trichocarpa from a distant population, hybrid poplar trees were obtained that can grow rapidly on marginal lands in northern climates.These hybrids can be transformed by reductive catalytic fractionation to yield a delignified textile fiber that can be a substitute for cotton as well as a ligninderived biofuel in the gasoline-aviation-diesel range.The sustainability of this value chain was evaluated by LCA and showed substantial benefits in terms of water use compared with cotton production. يمكن للتكرير الحيوي الأول لليجنين للحور الشمالي لإنتاج ألياف السليلوز أن يحل محل إنتاج القطن في الأراضي الزراعية من خلال عبور Populus trichocarpa 3 P. trichocarpa من مجموعة سكانية بعيدة، تم الحصول على أشجار الحور الهجينة التي يمكن أن تنمو بسرعة على الأراضي الهامشية في المناخات الشمالية. يمكن تحويل هذه الهجينة عن طريق التجزئة التحفيزية المختزلة لإنتاج ألياف نسيج منزوعة الكرامة يمكن أن تكون بديلاً عن القطن بالإضافة إلى وقود حيوي خفيف في نطاق البنزين والطيران والديزل. تم تقييم استدامة سلسلة القيمة هذه من قبل LCA وأظهرت فوائد كبيرة من حيث استخدام المياه مقارنة بإنتاج القطن.