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Unlocking the potential of faba bean blanching water: From waste to ingredient - Insights into composition, cholesterol-lowering property, and bakery application : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University
No full textThe rising demand for sustainable food systems has driven interest in upcycling byproducts from legume processing. This thesis examines the potential of faba bean blanching water (FBBW), a byproduct commonly wasted in faba bean processing, as a source of bioactive compounds and its use in food production. The aims were to investigate the nutritional and bioactive composition of FBBW, evaluate its cholesterol-lowering properties, and assess its efficacy as an ingredient in baked goods. The research involved a compositional analysis of FBBW, including the quantification of carbohydrates, proteins, peptides, amino acids, phytochemicals, and minerals. In vitro assays were performed to test the inhibitory effects of FBBW on HMG-CoA reductase, as well as its impact on cholesterol micellization. Finally, FBBW was incorporated into sponge cakes to evaluate its effects on texture, sensory attributes, and consumer acceptance.
The results indicated that bioactive compounds are abundant in FBBW dry matter, including peptides, saponins, and phenolic compounds, all of which contribute to its specific health-promoting attributes. Notably, the peptides in FBBW significantly inhibited HMG-CoA reductase, a key enzyme in cholesterol production, with the inhibitory activity at 64 – 70%. This enzyme inhibition is important for lowering cholesterol levels because it reduces the rate of cholesterol synthesis in the liver. Saponins, which were the predominant component of FBBW, also reduced cholesterol by decreasing cholesterol micellization, a mechanism required for cholesterol absorption in the gut, with the inhibition at 48 – 53%. Saponins significantly reduced cholesterol’s bioavailability, restricting its absorption and contributing to a decrease in overall cholesterol levels. This dual-action mechanism of FBBW shows that it has the potential to effectively manage cholesterol levels while also improving cardiovascular health.
Furthermore, FBBW was investigated for its potential as a functional element in food applications, particularly baking products like sponge cakes. When FBBW was added to sponge cake formulations, it improved physicochemical aspects, including texture and adhesiveness. Textural improvements were observed as enhanced softness and cohesion, resulting in a more pleasant mouthfeel. Textural study utilizing instrumental analysis supported these findings, demonstrating that cakes containing FBBW had better adhesiveness (P 0.05) and similar flavour and textural acceptance. Thus FBBW not only has potential for better health outcomes but also provides useful functional qualitites as a food ingredient. These findings highlight the adaptability of FBBW as a sustainable, functional ingredient that may promote health and reduces food waste
An empirical analysis of private SMEs' insolvency in Thailand using machine learning
No full textWe investigate the insolvency of private Thai SMEs in the manufacturing, trading, and service sectors from 2017 to 2021. We model insolvency as a function of industry-relative financial ratios, firm characteristics, and local economic conditions using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) logistic regression. The analysis shows the significant influence of financial ratios on the probability of insolvency for all sectors, particularly inventory turnover, accounts payable turnover, assets to equity, and debt to assets ratio. The service sector shows a unique positive effect of working capital to total assets on insolvency risk, implying that firms with high current assets or very low current liabilities are more prone to insolvency. Medium-sized firms, those registered as juristic ordinary partnerships, owned by foreigners, and located in less competitive areas are less likely to face insolvency
The impact of oil shocks on green, clean, and socially responsible markets
No full textThe study employs novel empirical approaches, namely wavelet quantile correlation (WQC) and cross-quantilogram analysis, to examine the interrelationship between green bonds (GB), clean energy (GCE), socially responsible stocks (ESG), and variants of oil shocks during the period spanning from June 28th, 2013 to June 1st, 2023. Empirical findings from the WQC highlight consistent diversification benefits of GB against oil shocks across various market conditions at both short and long timescales, while the hedge property is evident only in long timescales. GCE reveals safe haven and hedge property in response to oil shocks at short and long timescales, while diversifier property exists only for long timescales. ESG stocks show safe haven property during the turbulence period. Moreover, the hedge property of these stocks against oil shocks is noted over the medium- to long-term horizon. Results from the cross-quantilogram analysis reinforce the diversifier properties of GB and GCE, along with the safe haven characteristics of ESG across various timescales and market conditions. These findings offer valuable suggestions to investors interested in investing in sustainable stocks in the context of a volatile oil market
Evaluating landscape connectivity methods for wildlife corridors in the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area
No full textThe importance of safeguarding landscape connectivity to mitigate against biodiversity loss, climate change, habitat fragmentation and increasing human disturbance is globally recognized. Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) in particular hold much promise in providing ecological connectivity through the establishment of transboundary ecological networks of protected areas connected by ecological corridors. Connectivity modelling involves numerous decisions which impact connectivity outcomes and consequently the systematic conservation plan (SCP). However, there is insufficient research on how different decisions on parameterisation to code human modification (or barriers), choice of land cover datasets, extent and scale impact conservation planning outcomes. Given the technical and financial complexities associated with large scale connectivity planning, an inexpensive, first step is to evaluate the structural connectivity of the region by using a species-agnostic approach, allowing for the delineation of natural or ‘wild’ areas that could function as ecological corridors. Two commonly used resistance-based connectivity models, namely least-cost path (Linkage Mapper) and circuit theory (Julia implementation), are compared here, including their sensitivity to parameterisation, using a species-agnostic approach based on naturalness to model wildlife corridors between protected areas within the GLTFCA. The connectivity map outputs followed a similar pattern for both methods. The stability of corridor locations was the most sensitive to the range of resistance values at coarser spatial resolutions. Additionally, the outputs were influenced by linear barriers more than the human-modified landcover patch elements, with the choice of land cover dataset not having a large impact. This study reaffirms the complementary nature of connectivity methods and their different assumptions, highlights the importance of parameter selection, and incorporation of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis within connectivity modelling and systematic conservation planning frameworks
Viability, identity, and the 'browning' of New Zealand cricket
No full textAlthough a highly developed country, New Zealand is demographically the smallest of the leading cricket nations. It is also a country in which rugby union has dominated sporting consciousness for more than a century. Over the last decade and more the domestic and international cricket landscapes have also been shaped to some extent by the dominance of neighbouring Australia, and especially so with the popularity of the Big Bash 20/20 league and its parallel Women's Big Bash League competition. Both participation rates and the financial stability of the New Zealand game have been subject to periodic fluctuations. Having said that, since at least 2015 the New Zealand men's team has enjoyed one of its most consistently successful periods in the international arena. Having established this context, the chapter explores both specific strategies deployed by New Zealand Cricket Inc. and its provincial affiliates to enhance the player base and financial viability of the game and also considers broader demographic and cultural factors that have influenced these strategies. In particular, it examines both the growing presence of indigenous Maori and other Polynesian players and the impact of relatively recent migrant groups, and especially Indians, within New Zealand cricket at all levels. While the latter trend is by no means unique to New Zealand, it is undoubtedly having a substantial impact on a game that was long regarded as White, middle-class, and rather conservative
Land-based education and experiential learning
No full textThis article looks at the importance of land-based education and experiential learning to the future of New Zealand’s food and fibre sector. A successful career in the food and fibre industry requires critical analysis, problem solving skills and innovative thinking.
The practical insight into learning preferences and processes is helpful for training and upskilling in primary sector businesses
Fatty acid production and associated gene pathways are altered by increased salinity and dimethyl sulfoxide treatments during cryopreservation of Symbiodinium pilosum (Symbiodiniaceae)
No full textThe Symbiodinium genus is ancestral among other Symbiodiniaceae lineages with species that are both symbiotic and free living. Changes in marine ecosystems threaten their existence and crucial ecological roles. Cryopreservation offers an avenue for their long-term storage for future habitat restoration after coral bleaching. In our previous study we demonstrated that high salinity treatments of Symbiodiniaceae isolates led to changes in their fatty acid (FA) profiles and higher cell viabilities after cryopreservation. In this study, we investigated the role of increased salinity on FA production and the genes involved in FA biosynthesis and degradation pathways during the cryopreservation of Symbiodinium pilosum. Overall, there was a twofold increase in mass of FAs produced by S. pilosum after being cultured in medium with increased salinity (54 parts per thousand; ppt). Dimethyl sulfoxide (Me₂SO) led to a ninefold increase of FAs in standard salinity (SS) treatment, compared to a fivefold increase in increased salinity (IS) treatments. The mass of the FA classes returned to baseline during recovery. Transcriptomic analyses showed an acyl carrier protein gene was significantly upregulated after Me₂SO treatment in the SS cultures. Cytochrome P450 reductase genes were significantly down regulated after Me₂SO addition in SS treatment preventing FA degradation. These changes in the expression of FA biosynthesis and degradation genes contributed to more FAs in SS treated isolates. Understanding how increased salinity changes FA production and the roles of specific genes in regulating FA pathways will help improve current freezing protocols for Symbiodiniaceae and other marine microalgae
A review of systems biology of axon initial segment: Action potential initiation, propagation, and neurological diseases
No full textThe axon initial segment (AIS) region is crucial for action potential (AP) initiation due to its molecular organization especially voltage gated ion channels and Ankyrin-G (AnkG). AnkG act as recruiter and restrict almost all the proteins at AIS in order to maintain the AIS assembly. Voltage gated sodium channels (Nav channels) are enriched at AIS with high density and independently responsible for the AP initiation. Moreover, AIS also contains voltage gated potassium channels (Kv channels) for repolarization phase of AP, microtubules (MTs) responsible for the proper protein trafficking through molecular motors. AIS also acts as a cytoplasmic filter and diffusion barrier, responsible for the selective entry of the proteins into axon. Mutation of AIS related protein can cause various neurological dysfunction including Alzheimer’s disease. This review also reflects the role and importance of computational modelling in the understanding of action potential mechanisms mathematically
Examining self-described policy-relevant evidence base for policymaking: An evidence map of COVID-19 literature
Get PDFBackground Evidence-based policymaking is a paradigm aimed at increasing the use of evidence by actors involved in policymaking processes. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a heavy reliance on emerging evidence for policymaking during emergencies.
Objective This study describes the focus and types of evidence in journal articles self-described as relevant to policymaking using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, identifying gaps in evidence and highlighting author stated perceived biases specifically in evidence-based policy making.
Design Evidence mapping.
Data sources We systematically searched SCOPUS, PubMed and LexisNexis for literature identifying policy-relevant evidence available on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eligibility criteria The study included only peer-reviewed literature identified as ‘article’, ‘book chapter’, ‘review’ covering the period from January 2020 to December 2022. Inclusion criteria required that articles have an abstract, authorship attribution and are written in English.
Data extraction and synthesis A minimum of two authors independently extracted and coded for every level and final outputs were compared for consistency.
Results A total of 213 articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in this study. Lead authorship affiliations were from 50 countries with 70% of the outputs from developed economies including USA (20.2%), UK (18.3%) and Australia (7.5%). The most common purpose of the articles was the presentation of research findings the authors considered of relevance to policy (60.1%), followed by work that examined the impact of policy (28.6%) or highlighted or supported a policy need (22.5%), while some papers had multiple stated purposes. The most common challenges in policymaking identified by the authors of the reviewed papers were process failures and poor evidence utilisation during policymaking.
Conclusions The evidence map identified the need for an interdisciplinary policy approach involving relevant stakeholders and driven by quality research as a progressive step towards prevention of future public health crises/pandemics
Biochemical characterisation and production kinetics of high molecular-weight (HMW) putative antibacterial proteins of insect pathogenic Brevibacillus laterosporus isolates
Get PDFBackground Bacterial genomes often encode structures similar to phage capsids (encapsulins) and phage tails which can be induced spontaneously or using genotoxic compounds such as mitomycin C. These high molecular-weight (HMW) putative antibacterial proteins (ABPs) are used against the competitive strains under natural environment. Previously, it was unknown whether these HMW putative ABPs originating from the insect pathogenic Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium Brevibacillus laterosporus (Bl) isolates (1821L, 1951) are spontaneously induced during the growth and pose a detrimental effect on their own survival. Furthermore, no prior work has been undertaken to determine their biochemical characteristics.
Results Using a soft agar overlay method with polyethylene glycol precipitation, a narrow spectrum of bioactivity was found from the precipitated lysate of Bl 1951. Electron micrographs of mitomycin C- induced filtrates showed structures similar to phage capsids and contractile tails. Bioactivity assays of cell free supernatants (CFS) extracted during the growth of Bl 1821L and Bl 1951 suggested spontaneous induction of these HMW putative ABPs with an autocidal activity. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of spontaneously induced putative ABPs showed appearance of ∼ 30 kDa and ∼ 48 kDa bands of varying intensity across all the time intervals during the bacterial growth except in the initial hours. Statistically, spontaneously induced HMW putative ABPs of Bl 1951 exhibited a significant decrease in the number of viable cells of its producer strain after 18 h of growth in liquid. In addition, a significant change in pH and prominent bioactivity of the CFS of this particular time period was noted. Biochemically, the filtered supernatant derived from either Bl 1821L or Bl 1951 maintained bioactivity over a wide range of pH and temperature.
Conclusion This study reports the spontaneous induction of HMW putative ABPs (bacteriocins) of Bl 1821L and Bl 1951 isolates during the course of growth with potential autocidal activity which is critically important during production as a potential biopesticide. A narrow spectrum of putative antibacterial activity of Bl 1951 precipitate was found. The stability of HMW putative ABPs of Bl 1821L and Bl 1951 over a wide range of pH and temperature can be useful in expanding the potential of this useful bacterium beyond the insecticidal value