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Electrospun Bio-based Nanofibers for Wound Healing Materials: Protein and Starch-Based Systems
No full textElectrospinning enables the fabrication of ultrafine polymer fibers offering high surface area, interconnected porosity, and tunable chemistry for advanced wound dressing materials. Driven by sustainability goals, plant-derived proteins (zein, soy protein, wheat gluten) and polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, chitosan) are emerging as renewable potential alternatives to replace some of petroleum-based materials. In addition to plant-derived protein-polysaccharide systems, this review also discusses animal-derived proteins (collagen, gelatin, and silk fibroin), as well as microbial polymers (such as bacterial cellulose), serving as fibrous materials for understanding the structure–function relationships and bioactivity of natural electrospun fibers in absorbents and wound healing materials. These materials highlight how different protein origin and molecular architecture influences electrospinnability, mechanical integrity, and biological performance. This introductory paper also focusing on the use of various types of proteins, including wheat gluten (gliadin/glutenin) and polysaccharides such as potato starch and chitosan use in formulations, processing, and performance of fibrous materials.Natural polymers present some challenges (e.g. large solubility, instability in water, batch variability) in order to be used in absorbent and wound dressings, although these challenges can be partly mitigated through selection of greener solvent systems (ethanol/acetic-acid aqueous), polymer blending (PVA/PEO/PCL/PHA), and post-processing (citric-acid or glutaraldehyde crosslinking, heat treatment). From the plant proteins, zein easily electrospins from ethanol-rich media and efficiently loads hydrophobic active components (e.g., curcumin). Soy protein isolate typically requires water-borne blends to achieve spinnability. Wheat gluten proteins benefit from the use of reducing agents (e.g., β-mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol), which disrupt disulfide bonds and improve chain mobility, thereby enhancing their electrospinnability. The gluten proteins can be electrospun from blended systems with ethanol–acetic acid solvents or with carrier polymers such as PEO or PVA to produce uniform and continuous fibers. The gluten proteins have been also electrospun with antimicrobial compounds (nisin, glycerol monolaurate) for active packaging and wound care.High-amylose starch improves fiber formation when electrospun into fibrous materials and enables controlled release, while CRISPR/Cas9 editing of starch branching enzymes offers a route to tailor amylose/amylopectin ratios for better electrospinnability and improve starch use in bio-based materials applications. Cellulose and chitosan are promising components which can improve the bio-based materials functional properties, though solvent choice and process optimization remain to be optimized and improved.Across systems, electrospun mats from the plant based polymers can be further explored in biobased materials to manage moisture balance, cell adhesion, and localized, sustained delivery of bioactives (including essential-oil components such as cinnamaldehyde), with potential to reduce infection and antibiotic use, though further work should be explored in the area of wound healing materials. Future priorities include the plant based protein materials and starch use for absorbents and wound healing in order to improve scalability, needleless/roll-to-roll processes with solvent recovery, robust structure–processing and processing optimization/adaptation for larger scale industrial production, as well as clinical trials (cytocompatibility, allergenicity etc.). By valorizing agricultural protein rich side streams and starch raw materials suitability for bio- 2 materials, an emphasis lays on finding new ways to improve the circular bioeconomy and advance development of novel bio-based materials for wound-care applications
Contested borders of fire and reindeer
No full textIn this paper we discuss wildfire from the perspective of mapping and boundary-making. How we understand loss induced by wildfire is closely related to landscape practices and perspectives. But not all practices and rights-bearers are recognized in wildfire management. Drawing on a major fire event in Sweden in 2018, we contrast the official reports of the forest fire with a narrative-based account from affected S & aacute;mi reindeer herding communities. Our study broadens the conception of how to map and understand the impacts of wildfire and contributes novel empirical findings on how reindeer herders perceive and navigate these emerging fire landscapes. We illustrate stark differences in how fire boundaries, both temporal and spatial, are understood and recognized depending on landscape perspective and practice. Our study calls for reconsidering Swedish wildfire and landscape management so that it can become more inclusive of multiple perspectives of human-landscape relations and values
Temperature mediated habitat selection in sympatric deer species with varying body size: thermal cover and forage availability as potential drivers
Get PDFKnowledge about habitat selection is crucial for ungulate management and conservation to handle competing land use. Thermal tolerance and access to food are two important drivers of habitat selection. Thus, moving into thermal shelter when temperatures increase may result in reduced energy intake e.g. mature forests providing thermal shelters through high canopy cover, but lower amounts of forage than more open habitats. Body size affects heat sensitivity, with larger animals being more sensitive. In this study, we investigated ambient temperature mediated habitat selection in three differently-sized, sympatric, deer species (moose, red deer and roe deer) during spring and summer in Sweden. We also assessed the trade-off between thermal shelter and forage availability. We used data from GPS-collared animals with a combination of land cover and airborne LIDAR data to quantify canopy cover as a proxy for thermal refuge and shrub cover as a proxy for forage availability. We found that temperature influenced habitat selection in all three deer species however with divergent patterns. During warmer daily temperatures, moose and red deer selected areas with more canopy cover for thermal shelter, however showing opposite patterns during warmer nights, suggesting patterns of thermoregulatory behaviour. Roe deer showed no influence of high temperatures on canopy cover selection however,, selected more strongly for areas with high canopy cover during colder temperatures i.e. showing contrasting patterns compared to moose and red deer, suggesting that canopy cover may be relatively less important for roe deer as temperature increase. All three species selected for shrub cover during warmer temperatures, which can provide both high forage availability and shade over bed sites for smaller deer species. Our findings indicate that canopy cover and shrub cover habitats appear to be important as temperatures increase, but their significance varies among species. Furthermore, our study highlights the complexity behind habitat selection in sympatric ungulate species, food intake and predation risk
Tactile stimulation by humans: Do pigs prefer scratching or stroking?
Get PDFScratching and stroking are tactile interactions used to improve the animal-human relationship and reduce stress in pigs. Both interactions resemble behaviours from the behavioural repertoire of pigs and have been applied in previous studies. To investigate the relative efficacy of these tactile interactions in eliciting positive emotions, we examined pigs' preferences for one of these interactions. Twelve recently inseminated gilts habituated to human contact were trained to discriminate between two handlers standing in two different locations in their home pen. One handler was providing stroking, the other one scratching. After 5 weeks of training, the pigs were tested for their preference. According to the preference index calculated based on the time the pigs spent being stroked and scratched, they did not significantly prefer one type of contact (p = 0.182, preference index median = 0.09, with -1 indicating an absolute preference for stroking and 1 an absolute preference for scratching). There was no significant difference between how often the pigs chose to approach the scratching or the stroking handler (p = 0.115, median scratching = 3.0, median stroking = 1.5), and neither did they approach one of them significantly earlier than the other (day 1: p = 0.126, median of difference between latency to approach scratching handler and latency to approach stroking handler = -55 s; day 2: p = 0.148, median of difference between latencies = -27 s). We did not find evidence for a general preference of one type of contact over the other. To improve the animal-human relationship, it might thus be most efficient to offer both types of tactile contact and adjust the contact depending on the pig's behaviour indicative of enjoyment
Consumer attitudes towards plant breeding combining ancient wheat with modern varieties.
Get PDFThis study aimed to explore the awareness and attitudes of Swedish consumers towards conventional plant breeding and the specific case of crossing conventional varieties with ancient varieties. The analysis was based on data obtained from a questionnaire-based survey (N = 999) conducted in Sweden in September 2023. The questionnaire covered demographics, the ranking of qualities that can be enhanced by plant breeding, attitudes and beliefs regarding the consumption of cereals developed by plant breeding, plant breeding neophobia (PBN), awareness of ancient cereals, and attitudes and beliefs towards consuming cereals resulting from crosses of ancient and modern varieties. The results indicated that plant breeding was primarily associated with qualities supporting cultivation and mitigating effects of climate change, rather than qualities directly related to food, eating and personal health. Nevertheless, (smaller) clusters of consumers also recognised sensory and health/ nutrition benefits. Plant breeding neophobia (PBN) did not differ with age, was higher among women, but decreased with higher educational level. The results illustrate that most respondents were aware of ancient cereals, with awareness increasing alongside higher age and education level. Attitudes and beliefs towards eating modern cereals (developed through plant breeding), as well as a crossing between modern and ancient cereals, were generally neutral to slightly positive. However, the crossing option was perceived to result in food products that were comfortable, health-promoting and safe to eat, compared to conventional varieties. Male gender and higher education were positive predictors of attitudes, whereas PBN negatively influenced attitudes towards eating food developed through plant breeding. A similar pattern was found regarding attitudes towards cereals resulting from crosses of modern and ancient varieties. The conclusions and identified values are expected to assist stakeholders and policymakers in effectively communicating the qualities of plant breeding and new varieties to the public
Can Conflict Be Planned Away? A Critical Assessment of Participatory Land Use Planning in Swedish Forest Governance
Get PDFA widespread governance response to land use conflict is to seek improved communication through the employment of dialogue-based instruments. In this paper, we interrogate the guiding presupposition that conflict can be planned away through a case study on the Reindeer Husbandry Plan (Renbruksplan), a tool used to address land use conflicts between industrial forestry and Indigenous Sámi reindeer herding. Drawing on critical policy analysis and environmental justice frameworks, we analyze the problematizations, silences, and effects emerging from the tool’s use in forestry planning and land use decisions. Our findings reveal that, operating in its current institutional and legal context, the tool offers limited improvements in procedural justice, exacerbates unequal distribution of burdens and benefits in terms of who gets to use forest resources, privileging a forestry-centered representation of the land use conflict. We therefore conclude that, in absence of institutional reform, the tool is likely to perpetuate conflicts and continue to reproduce the injustices embedded in Swedish forest and land use governance
Testing TAPE: Assessing Agroecological Performance of Biosuroeste and Exploring Applicability for Multi-Stakeholder Agricultural Systems
Get PDFAs global awareness of the roles and complexities of agriculture for sustainability challenges increases, emerging agricultural production-systems aim to model regenerative responses. These production-systems take on a wide diversity of organisational structures, including collaborative, participatory environments that bring together diverse stakeholders to co-create and test agroecological practices. This study explores the applicability of the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE), developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in assessing the agroecological transition of Biosuroeste, a multi-stakeholder Agropark located in the tropical Andes of Colombia. Biosuroeste integrates agroecology with the aim of fostering regenerative rural- and agricultural development. Results demonstrate that Biosuroeste scores highly in agroecological transition according to TAPE indicators. However, challenges in applying TAPE to non-household farming structures are highlighted, and suggested alterations brought forth. TAPE is concluded to enable communication and comparison of progress of the diverse initiatives of Biosuroeste on both an organisational and global scale. The study further concludes that while TAPE is valuable for agricultural sustainability assessment, its relevance is enhanced by its capacity to be tailored and adapted to specific purpose and localities, identifying potential trade-offs for stabilization of data for global comparison. TAPE developers are further encouraged to prioritize operational flexibility in future development of the tool, as an increasing diversity of agricultural initiatives look to TAPE for potential operative support
Animal welfare: part of the solution, not part of the problem in the move toward achieving sustainable development in animal agriculture
Get PDFImproving eel pass efficiency: The role of crest shape and water flow in facilitating upstream juvenile eel migration
Get PDFRiver connectivity is crucial for the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) to complete its complex life cycle, which is vital for upstream recruitment to the declining population of this critically endangered catadromous fish. Eel passes, or ladders, are frequently installed on riverine structures, such as dams and weirs, to mitigate barrier effects and restore connectivity for upstream migrating eel. Efforts to optimise the effectiveness of passes have previously focused on the ascent section, quantifying the effects of climbing substrate, longitudinal slope, lateral slope and flow rate. However, conditions at the pass crest also impact the rapidity and success of upstream movements. Using controlled experiments and custom-built eel passes with contrasting crest shapes (curved vs. sloped) and flow directions (ascending vs. descending), we quantified the effect of crest conditions on the attempt success, passage efficiency and speed of ascending juvenile eel. Only three of the four treatments (sloped ascending, curved descending and curved ascending) demonstrated passage efficiencies significantly greater than 50%. Transit speed at the crest was significantly quicker (similar to 3.5 min) in passes with a curved crest shape and ascending flow compared to the control. Our findings indicate that simple modifications to the shape of the pass crest and the configuration of flow delivery can help minimise delay and enhance passage efficiency. This, in turn, will increase upstream migration success and contribute to conservation and management goals, such as the EU Eel Regulation and The Eels (England and Wales) Regulations 2009
A contingent valuation of smallholder farmers' willingness to pay for improved irrigation water supply in Egypt
Get PDFThis study employs a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation experiment to investigate the willingness to pay (WTP) of 313 Egyptian smallholder farmers in the Nile Delta region for improved irrigation services. The results from probit and bivariate probit models reveal an inverse relationship between water price and WTP, underscoring the importance of carefully considering farmers' affordability thresholds in water pricing strategies. The probability of smallholder farmers' agreeing to pay for an improved irrigation scheme is positively associated with agricultural income, farm size, distance to the irrigation canal, trust in water institutions and attitudes towards investing in an improved water supply. Conversely, the probability of WTP is negatively associated with farming experience, perceptions and psychological distance. Overall, the empirical findings underscore the need for integrated and holistic approaches that account for the influence of various factors on farmers' decision-making processes and thus design effective water-resource management strategies.Highlights Farmers are willing to pay around 7% of their average annual income per feddan for improved access to irrigation water. An inverse relationship exists between water price and WTP, highlighting the importance of careful consideration of farmers' affordability thresholds in water pricing strategies. Farmers' WTP depends on a suite of socioeconomic, technological, biophysical, institutional and psycho-behavioural factors. WTP is positively associated with agricultural income, farm size, distance to the irrigation canal, trust in water institutions and attitude towards investing in an improved water supply. WTP is negatively associated with farming experience, perceptions and psychological distance