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The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition of saffron's pollen.

A 30 kg sample of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) was collected at the end of November from a farm in a village in the suburb of Gonabad, in Khorasan Razavi, in Iran. Then the pollens were separated from the flowers and stored at −15°C in airtight containers until the analyze. The proximate composition of the pollen was determined by using standard methods of food analysis. The samples of ash were used for the subsequent determination of potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper and manganese by using atomic absorption.

Results showed the chemical composition as follows: moisture (12.50 percent), ash (9.5 percent), crude fiber (7.4 percent), crude fat (5.8 percent), crude protein (23.6 percent) and total carbohydrate (20 percent). Saffron's pollen is a good source of minerals such as potassium (57,460 ppm), magnesium (3,357.5 ppm), sodium (1,100 ppm), calcium (600 ppm), zinc (100.75 ppm), iron (194 ppm), copper (53.2 ppm) and manganese (48.5 ppm).

The composition and nutritional value of saffron's pollen had not been determined before.

Three layer‐additive manufacturing methods were evaluated to producing nickel‐titanium graded composition material. One potential application is fabrication of attachment clips that join thermal protection systems to launch vehicle structure. Thermal gradients during flight generate excessive bending and shear loads that limit the service lifetime of the Inconel clips currently used. It is envisioned that a graded composition component could be tailored to reduce the stress concentrations.

Deposits with nearly continuous composition grade were built from Ti‐6‐4 and Inconel 718 powder using laser direct metal deposition. Layered deposits were produced by flat wire welding from Ti‐6‐4 and Inconel 718 wire. Ultrasonic consolidation was used to produce layered deposits from pure nickel and commercially pure titanium foils. Microstructure, bond line morphology, chemical composition, and reaction phases were characterized.

All three manufacturing methods require further development before graded composition material can be reliably produced. Laser direct metal deposition samples exhibited coarse dendritic microstructures and significant elemental segregation. Chemistries varied from calculated targets by up to 20 percent and macroscopic cracking occurred for chemistries greater than 60 percent Inconel 718. Flat wire welded deposits exhibited good mixing between the wire layers, however brittle cracking occurred adjacent to a 5 μm thick reaction layer. Ultrasonically‐consolidated samples demonstrated metallurgical bonding between pure Ni and commercially pure (CP) Ti foils, with material reaction limited to a 1 μm layer.

Producing nickel‐titanium graded composition materials had not been attempted by the selected manufacturing methods. A refined experimental program is needed to resolve the remaining technical issues.

The purpose of this paper is to prove and qualify the influence of textured surface substrates morphology and chemical composition on the growth and propagation of transplanted corals. Use additive manufacturing and silicone moulds for converting three-dimensional samples into limestone mortar with white Portland cement substrates for coral growth.

Tiles samples were designed and printed with different geometries and textures inspired by nature marine environment. Commercial coral frag tiles were analysed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to identify the main chemical elements. Raw materials and coral species were selected. New base substrates were manufactured and deployed into a closed-circuit aquarium to monitor the coral weekly evolution process and analyse the results obtained.

Experimental results provided positive statistical parameters for future implementation tests, concluding that the intensity of textured surface, interfered favourably in the coralline algae biofilm growth. The chemical composition and design of the substrates were determinant factors for successful coral propagation. Recesses and cavities mimic the natural rocks aspect and promoted the presence and interaction of other species that favour the richness of the ecosystem.

Additive manufacturing provided an innovative method of production for ecology restoration areas, allowing rapid prototyping of substrates with high complexity morphologies, a critical and fundamental attribute to guarantee coral growth and Crustose Coralline Algae. The result of this study showed the feasibility of this approach using three-dimensional printing technologies.

Flours obtained from pulps and peels of unripe banana were evaluated regarding their chemical composition and glycemic responses in rats. Moreover, this study aims to propose a new assay to measure glycemic responses using animals.

Proximal composition, total dietary fiber and its insoluble and soluble fractions, mineral content and tannins were evaluated. Glycemic responses were measured using albino Wistar rats (seven animals/group).

Flours from pulp and peel of unripe banana presented high content of carbohydrates and minerals. Moreover, flour from peel was rich in insoluble fiber, whereas flour from pulp had adequate proportion of insoluble and soluble fractions. Consumption of banana flours from peel and pulp did not affect fasting blood glucose of normoglycemic rats. Flour from pulp, when consumed in concentrations of 10 and 15 per cent of the diet, significantly stimulated lower glycemic responses in the animals.

Results presented in this study disclose unripe banana flour as an interesting food source, which may be indicated for preventing some types of diseases, such as diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemia. Moreover, the glycemic index assay using animals promoted accurate answers, as the diets were standardized, unlike studies with humans, which do not control variations related to omission and distortion of information regarding food intake.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of remelting each layer on the homogeneity of nickel-titanium (NiTi) parts fabricated from elemental nickel and titanium powders using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). In addition, the influence of manufacturing parameters and different melting strategies, including multiple cycles of remelting, on printability and macro defects, such as pore and crack formation, have been investigated.

An LPBF process was used to manufacture NiTi alloy from elementally blended powders and was evaluated with the use of a remelting scanning strategy to improve the homogeneity of fabricated specimens. Furthermore, both single melt and up to two remeltings were used.

The results indicate that remelting can be beneficial for density improvement as well as chemical and phase composition homogenization. Backscattered electron mode in scanning electron microscope showed a reduction in the presence of unmixed Ni and Ti elemental powders in response to increasing the number of remelts. The microhardness values of NiTi parts for the different numbers of melts studied were similar and ranged from 487 to 495 HV. Nevertheless, it was observed that measurement error decreases as the number of remelts increases, suggesting an increase in chemical and phase composition homogeneity. However, X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the presence of multiple phases regardless of the number of melt runs.

For the first time, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, elementally blended NiTi powders were fabricated via LPBF using remelting scanning strategies.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of different drying methods on quality attributes of beetroot slices.

Three drying methods (sun, oven and freeze-drying) were applied to dry fresh slices of beetroot cultivar (Beta vulgaris). The chemical composition, minerals, nitrate, betalains, total phenolic, total flavonoid and color were measured for fresh and dried slices.

The chemical composition, minerals, nitrate, bioactive compounds and color were measured for fresh and dried slices. Regardless of the drying method, the results showed that the chemical composition, total energy, minerals and nitrate of the dried slices were significantly (p=0.05) increased compared to that of fresh slices. Sun and oven drying of the slices significantly (p=0.05) reduced total betalain and betacynin. However, betaxanthin was significantly (p=0.05) increased. Total phenolics content of fresh beetroot was significantly (p=0.05) increased after sun and oven drying but total flavonoids were decreased. The 2,2,-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) of fresh beetroot was increased significantly (p=0.05) after sun and oven drying. The measurement of the color of the powder showed that there is a decrease in lightness (L) depending on the drying method applied. A maximum reduction in lightness was observed in powder of sun-dried slices. The color of the powder obtained from freeze-dried slices was stable compared to other drying methods.

Beetroot is a rich source of nutrients but with short shelf life. Dried beetroot has more keeping quality than the fresh one.

The study uses beetroot as a rich source of nutrients as well as natural antioxidant source. Betalain compounds are preserved in beetroot and a high source of phenolics and flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of phenolic products of plant metabolism with high antioxidant properties to protect against diseases without side effects.

Pakistan is an agricultural country having the world's largest canal irrigation system. Indus basin that covers 70 percent of irrigated area for crop production is the major source of water in the country. Owing to rapid increase in population and uncertain environmental conditions, this water is not adequate to cope with the crop water requirement and needs additional means to provide extra water for agricultural purposes. The main source of irrigation is canal and ground water but the quality of ground water is so poor for the sustainability of agriculture system. To cope with the present demand, use of municipal sewage water that consists of domestic liquid waste, as well as industrial effluents, is becoming a common practice. The present study aims to reflect the hazardous effects of sewage water on the environment, with the main focus on heavy metals and chemical composition of soil and vegetables.

Industrial effluent was collected from one ghee mill, one flour mill, three textile industries and three hosieries located in Faisalabad, an industrial city of Pakistan highly affected with water pollution. All water samples were analyzed for pH, EC, SAR and RSC. Water analysis was also carried out for various nutrients and heavy metals (K⁺¹, P²⁺, Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Pb²⁺). Soil samples from various depths (0‐15, 15‐30, 30‐60, 60‐90 and 90‐120 cm) were taken to analyze for EC, pH, SAR, Na⁺¹, SO₄, K⁺¹, P²⁺, Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Pb²⁺ after irrigation with canal water and sewage water. Cadmium, lead and copper concentration was determined in various vegetables grown in areas irrigated with canal water and industrial effluents to determine their final concentration in the final product ultimately affecting the human health.

Although the sewage water is a source of many nutrients, it also includes a significant amount of heavy metals like Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ and pathogens. Extensive use of this effluent for irrigation purpose has resulted in an upsurge of such metals in soils and various crops, which ultimately resulted in clinical problems in human beings.

The present study reflects the composition of sewage water and heavy metal accumulation in soil, as well as crops. It further highlights the different potential hazards to humans due to these contaminants.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of H2 flow rate on improving the solder wettability of oxidized‐copper with liquid lead‐free solder (96.5Sn‐3Ag‐0.5Cu) by Ar‐H2 plasmas. The aim was to improve the solder wettability of oxidized copper from 0 per cent wetting of copper oxidized in air at 260^oC for 1 hour to 100 per cent wetting of oxidized‐copper modified by Ar‐H2 plasmas at certain H2 flow rates and to find correlations between the surface characteristics of copper and the solder wettability with liquid lead‐free solder.

To reduce the copper oxides on the surfaces of oxidized‐copper for improving solder wettability with liquid lead‐free solder, this study attempted to apply Ar‐H2 plasmas to ablate the copper oxides from the surfaces of oxidized‐copper by the physical bombardment of the Ar plasmas and to reduce the surfaces of oxidized‐copper by the chemical reaction of H2 plasmas with the surfaces of oxidized‐copper.

The solder wettability of oxidized‐copper was found to be highly dependent on the surface characteristics of the copper. The values of polar surface free energy and dispersive surface free energy on the surfaces of oxidized‐copper modified by Ar‐H2 plasmas were close to those values of solid lead‐free solder, which resulted in improved solder wettability with liquid lead‐free solder. Auger spectra indicated that the Ar‐H2 plasma modification was used to remove the copper oxides from the surfaces of oxidized‐copper.

The surface characterization of copper surfaces is typically determined by expensive surface analysis tool such as Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). This paper reports the results of a study of a promising technique called the sessile drop test method, for examining the surface free energies such as total surface free energy, polar surface free energy and dispersive surface free energy on the surfaces of copper to clarify how the solder wettability of oxidized‐copper with liquid lead‐free solder was enhanced by Ar‐H2 plasmas.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the chemical, physical and sensory composition of three new varieties of acerola (Rubra, Cabocla and CMF 017).

The samples of ripe acerola were collected from the Active Germoplasm Bank of Embrapa Cassava and Tropical Fruits – Cruz das Almas/Bahia, from the species Malpighia emarginata DC and analyzed by using standard methods.

The findings were that the Rubra variety stood out among the others in terms of flavour and purchasing intention, probably due to its pH 3.60, total acid (0.83 percent malic acid) and Vitamin C (911.97 g ascorbic acid/100 g) which gave the variety a less acidic flavour. As regards size, the average acceptability of this variety was 6.01, statistically different from Cabocla (8.08). Total anthocyanins were also found to be the highest, 76.7 mg/100 g and therefore the antioxidant activity of the peel was greater (85 percent) compared with the other varieties, though not differing statistically from the CMF 017 variety. According to these results, the Rubra variety is the one which should be of most interest to producers.

The new variety often fails to exceed nutritional and organoleptic characteristics of existing varieties in the market with established acceptance levels. The paper evaluates the chemical and sensorial composition of new varieties of acerola fruit, which could be launched on to the market. It was observed that one particular variety had better sensorial and nutritive quality.

This kind of data is important both for consumers who want to buy the best quality fruit and producers who want to plant more of the better quality variety so that they can gain greater added‐value in the commercialization of the fruit.

An investigation has been performed on the improved solder wettability of oxidized aluminum (Al) with lead-free solder (96.5Sn-3.5Ag) using Ar-H₂ plasmas. The lead-free solder wettability was raised from 62.2 per cent wetting for Al oxidized in air at 250 C for 4 h to 98.4 per cent wetting of oxidized Al modified by Ar-H₂ plasmas at a certain H₂ flow rate. This study aims to gain insight on the surface characteristics of Al affecting the solder wettability with a liquid lead-free solder.

Ar-H₂ plasmas at certain H₂ flow rates are intended to reduce Al oxides on the surfaces of oxidized Al substrates both by physical bombardments via Ar plasmas and chemical reductions with H₂ plasmas, while Al substrates are exposed in Ar-H₂ plasmas to improve the solder wettability with a liquid lead-free solder.

Surface characteristics of oxidized Al substrates have been identified to play key roles for enhanced lead-free solder wettability using Ar-H₂ plasmas. A decrease in polar surface free energy and an increase in dispersive surface free energy on the surfaces of oxidized Al substrates are exploited to advance the lead-free solder wettability. Decreased composition ratios of O to Al, detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for oxidized Al substrates, are crucial for improved lead-free solder wettability.

XPS is typically used to analyze the surface compositions of Al oxides. To provide a rapid and non-expansive method to identify the surfaces of Al substrates prior to soldering to assure lead-free solder wettability, this study proposes a measurable skill, a so-called sessile drop test method, to investigate surface free energies such as total, polar and dispersive surface free energy on the surfaces of Al substrates, to illuminate how the lead-free solder wettability of oxidized Al is improved by Ar-H₂ plasmas.