Hernández LF^1,2, PM Bellés³, MA Bidegain^4,5, PD Postemsky⁴

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 198-208, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.198

Abstract Absence or underdevelopment of sunflower fruits come usually from failure in fertilization, stresses as well as physiological and morphological defects in the ovary. Thigmomorphogenesis has never been included as a possible cause. We have previously shown that a 2-3 day fertilization shift can occur between neighboring florets in the sunflower capitulum. It is proposed here that those ovaries with advanced fertilization can generate a significant radial and axial compressive stress on ovaries with delayed fertilization. This mechanical stimulus could be strong enough to trigger a thigmo response that affects further ovary development. In vivo tests… More >

Chel-Guerrero LD¹, R Gómez-Cansino², SL Gúzman-Gutierrez³, MG Campos-Lara⁴, E Saury-Duch¹, F Díaz de León Sánchez⁵, R Reyes-Chilpa⁶, JA Mendoza-Espinoza⁷

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 68-71, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.068

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate extracts from the peels of Annona squamosa L. (purple sugar apple), Annona reticulata L. (custard apple), Chrysophyllum cainito L. (green star apple), and Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq. (mamoncillo), as potential sources of anti-HIV-1 agents. Methanolic extracts from the peels of the aforementioned tropical fruits were obtained by maceration. Antiviral activity was evaluated through HIV-1 RT inhibition by extracts, using a non-radioactive immuno/colorimetric assay (Lenti RT Activity Assay, Cavidi Tech). Assay was performed according to the protocol provided by the manufacturer. Extracts from the peels of A. squamosa, A. reticulata, and C. cainito showed high More >

Nina Graupner^1,*, Koranat Narkpiban^2,5, Thiprada Poonsawat³, Porntip Tooptompong⁴, Jörg Müssig¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.8, pp. 693-711, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.06785

Abstract Toddy palm fruit have an apparent density below 0.8 g/cm³ and offer an interesting lightweight construction potential in polylactide (PLA) composites reinforced with 37 mass-% fibres. Single fibre bundles show similar mechanical properties compared with coir: tensile strength of 240 MPa, Young´s modulus of 3.8 GPa and an elongation at break of 31%. However, density and diameter (~ 50 μm) of fruit fibre bundles are significantly lower. The compression moulded composites have a density of 0.9 g/cm³ and achieved an unnotched Charpy impact strength of 12 kJ/m², a tensile strength of 25 MPa, Young’s modulus… More >

Gustavo P. Petrechen^1,4,*, Marcos Arduin³, José D. Ambrósio^1,2

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.7, pp. 683-692, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.04588

Abstract This article presents the overall morphological structure of the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) fruit pericarp, from macro to nano scale. The acquired knowledge would be used for the development of new applications, like using the materials as fillers for biocomposites, or as a hierarchical architecture model for biomimetics. This research was performed using stereo and light microscopy and conventional and force field emission scanning electron microscopy. The pericarp presents three layers: the exocarp, a dark gray, brittle and fragile outer layer; the mesocarp, a beige, dry, rigid, impermeable and fibrous intermediate layer; and the… More >

Stephany C. de Rezende^1,2, João A. Pinto^1,3, Isabel P. Fernandes^1,3, Fernanda V. Leimann^1,2* and Maria-Filomena Barreiro^1,3*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.7, pp. 715-723, 2018, DOI:10.32604/JRM.2018.00028

Abstract Pine-fruit shell (PFS) is a lignocellulosic residue derived from the fruit of Araucaria angustifolia, a coniferous tree native of South America, part of a whole vegetation of the Atlantic Forest, found in the South and Southwest of Brazil. In this work PFS will be characterized and used in the production of PFS-based polyols through oxypropylation. Three series were chosen (PFS/propylene oxide (PO) (w/v, g/mL) of 30/70, 20/80 and 10/90) with four catalyst levels (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, (w/w, PFS based)). Oxypropylation occurred at moderate conditions of temperature, pressure and time giving rise to liquid… More >

H.K. Mebatsion¹, P. Verboven¹, Q. T. Ho¹, F. Mendoza¹, B. E. Verlinden², T. A. Nguyen¹, B. M. Nicolaï^1,2

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.14, No.1, pp. 1-14, 2006, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2006.014.001

Abstract Modeling plant microstructure is of great interest to food engineers to study and explain material properties related to mass transfer and mechanical deformation. In this paper, a novel ellipse tessellation algorithm to generate a 2D geometrical model of apple tissue is presented. Ellipses were used to quantify the orientation and aspect ratio of cells on a microscopic image. The cell areas and centroids of each cell were also determined by means of a numerical procedure. These characteristic quantities were then described by means of probability density functions. The model tissue geometry was generated from the… More >

H.K. Mebatsion^1,2, P. Verboven¹, P. T. Jancsók¹, Q.T. Ho¹, B.E. Verlinden³, B.M. Nicolaï^1,3

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 137-150, 2008, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2008.029.137

Abstract Transport processes of gas and moisture are among the most important physiological processes in plant tissue. Microscale transport models based on Navier-Stokes equations provide insight into such processes at the microscopic scale. Due to microscopic complexity, numerical solutions based on the finite element or finite volume methods are mandatory. Therefore, a 3D geometric model of the tissue is essential. In this article, a novel algorithm for geometric reconstruction of 2D slices of synchrotron tomographic images is presented. The boundaries of 2D cells on individual slices were digitized to establish a set of boundary coordinates and… More >