The Function of Negotiation in Iranian EFL Students’ Vocabulary Acquisition

Negotiation is believed to play a key role in language learning in general and vocabulary learning in particular. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of types of instructions (negotiation, non-negotiation, or in isolation) on learning and recalling of new words by Iranian learners. Using a quasi-experimental research design, 39 EFL students of a secondary school were sampled and assigned into three experimental groups: the input plus negotiated group (IPN), the input without negotiated group (IWN), and the elaborative, un-instructed input group (EUI). The first group had the chance for negotiated interaction; the second one received the input without any negotiation with their instructor and the last group received elaborative input without any interaction with their teachers. The groups were rated on their degree of comprehension and the acquisition of vocabulary items. The results revealed that negotiation had a non-significant effect over non-negotiation tasks. However, the results indicated that negotiation was significantly effective against un-instruction task. Thus, in acquisition and retention of new vocabulary, IPN group was not significantly different than IWN group, but they outperformed those learners who used their own strategy to learn new words (EUI).

Nutritional and Bioactive Components of Pomegranate Waste Used in Food and Cosmetic Applications: A Review

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a fruit that is rich in bioactive compounds that has a biowaste (rind and seed) with the potential to be converted into value-added products in a wide variety of applications. Recent studies have demonstrated the potent antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of using pomegranate rind and seed as natural food additives, thus making researchers incorporate them into bioplastics and edible coatings for food packaging. Additionally, these components have shown great plasticizing effects on packaging materials while extending the shelf life of food through active packaging. Even within skin health applications, pomegranate seed oil and its bioactive compounds have been particularly effective in combating UV-induced stresses on animal skin and in-vitro models, where cells and microorganisms are separated from the whole organism. They have also aided in healing wounds and have shown major anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-bacterial properties. This review highlights all of the relevant and recent food and skin health applications found in the value-added conversion of pomegranate biowaste. The lack of research in particular areas and future outlook are also discussed.</jats:p

Food and cosmetic applications of the avocado seed: a review

Avocado seed waste has grown as the popularity of avocado products have increased. A review of the literature highlights many possible uses to convert this waste product to value-added materials.</jats:p

Nutritional and Bioactive Components of Pomegranate Waste Used in Food and Cosmetic Applications: A Review

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a fruit that is rich in bioactive compounds that has a biowaste (rind and seed) with the potential to be converted into value-added products in a wide variety of applications. Recent studies have demonstrated the potent antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of using pomegranate rind and seed as natural food additives, thus making researchers incorporate them into bioplastics and edible coatings for food packaging. Additionally, these components have shown great plasticizing effects on packaging materials while extending the shelf life of food through active packaging. Even within skin health applications, pomegranate seed oil and its bioactive compounds have been particularly effective in combating UV-induced stresses on animal skin and in-vitro models, where cells and microorganisms are separated from the whole organism. They have also aided in healing wounds and have shown major anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-bacterial properties. This review highlights all of the relevant and recent food and skin health applications found in the value-added conversion of pomegranate biowaste. The lack of research in particular areas and future outlook are also discussed

One-Step Oxidation of Orange Peel Waste to Carbon Feedstock for Bacterial Production of Polyhydroxybutyrate

Orange peels are an abundant food waste stream that can be converted into useful products, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Limonene, however, is a key barrier to building a successful biopolymer synthesis from orange peels as it inhibits microbial growth. We designed a one-pot oxidation system that releases the sugars from orange peels while eliminating limonene through superoxide (O2&bull; &minus;) generated from potassium superoxide (KO2). The optimum conditions were found to be treatment with 0.05 M KO2 for 1 h, where 55% of the sugars present in orange peels were released and recovered. The orange peel sugars were then used, directly, as a carbon source for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production by engineered Escherichia coli. Cell growth was improved in the presence of the orange peel liquor with 3 w/v% exhibiting 90&ndash;100% cell viability. The bacterial production of PHB using orange peel liquor led to 1.7&ndash;3.0 g/L cell dry weight and 136&ndash;393 mg (8&ndash;13 w/w%) ultra-high molecular weight PHB content (Mw of ~1900 kDa) during a 24 to 96 h fermentation period. The comprehensive thermal characterization of the isolated PHBs revealed polymeric properties similar to PHBs resulting from pure glucose or fructose. Our one-pot oxidation process for liberating sugars and eliminating inhibitory compounds is an efficient and easy method to release sugars from orange peels and eliminate limonene, or residual limonene post limonene extraction, and shows great promise for extracting sugars from other complex biomass materials