Flax

This experiment was conducted as part of a risk mitigation BIOTUBE Precursor hardware demonstration payload aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-101. The objectives were to provide a demonstration and test of the newly developed BIOTUBE water delivery subsystem, and to determine the optimal water volume and germination paper combination for the automated imbibition and germination of flax (Linum usitatissimum)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the antiulcer activity of Linum usitatissimum fixed oil against aspirin-, indomethacin-, ethanol-, reserpine-, serotonin- and stress-induced gastric ulceration in rats and histamine-induced gastric ulceration in guinea pigs. Attempts were also made to evaluate the in vitro anticholinergic and antihistaminic activity and in vivo antisecretary and antiulcer activity of oil following pylorus ligation in rats. L. usitatissimum fixed oil exhibited significant antiulcer activity against different ulcerogens in experimental animal models. The fixed oil significantly inhibited acetylcholine- and histamine-induced contraction of guinea pig and rat ileums, respectively, suggesting its anticholinergic and antihistaminic activity. The oil also exhibited significant inhibitory effect on gastric secretion/total acidity and aspirin-induced gastric ulceration in pylorus-ligated rats. The lipoxygenase inhibitory, histamine antagonistic and antisecretory (anticholinergic) effects of the oil could probably have contributed towards antiulcer activity. L. usitatissimum fixed oil may be considered to be a drug of natural origin which possesses significant antiulcer activity. The present observation is the first experimental data showing antiulcer activity of L. usitatissimum fixed oil.

Binnen het totale proces van de vlasvezelbereiding neemt het roten, het 'losweken' van de vlasvezel van de stengel, steeds een belangrijke plaats in - omdat hier de basis gelegd wordt van de uiteindelijke kwaliteit van het vlaslint. 'Roten' is een verrottingsproces d.m.v. bacterieën, waarbij de vlasvezel die aan de buitenkant van de stengel zit loskomt van de houtachtige binnenstengel.

Deze tekst is een voorbereidend en niet-gepubliceerd werkdocument, eind 2007 en begin 2008 samengesteld in het kader van de herprofilering en de erkenning door de Vlaamse Overheid van het toenmalige Kortrijkse ‘Vlasmuseum’- thans ‘Texture’.
Bedoeling was de vlasnijverheid van Kortrijk en de Leievallei in een ruimere historische en ruimtelijke context te plaatsen, en links te leggen naar de productie van andere textiele vezels.

De tekst verscheen onder dezelfde titel, maar sterk ingekort in het Vlaams-Nederlandse tijdschrift ‘Erfgoed van Industrie en Techniek’, dubbelnummer 2007/4 + 2008/1, zie :
http://www.vvia.be/publicaties/EIT/eit_0801.htm

Natural fibers are used to reinforce the materials. Many types of natural fibers are investigated for use in plastics, including flax, hemp, jute, sisal and banana. Hybrid fibers have the highest strength they are renewable resources and have marketing appeal. The waste product is used to prepare fiber reinforced polymer composites for useful process. Here the commonly 35% fiber and 65% polymer used to fabricate material in various ratios. Application of composite materials to structures has presented work focused the fabrication of polymer matrix composites by using natural fibers like flax, banana and sisal which are abundant nature in desired shape. With the help of various ASTM standards of patterns and calculating its material characteristics by conducting tests like flexural test, tensile test, impact test, and their results are measured on sections of the material and make use of hybrid natural fiber reinforced polymer composite material.

A digestibility, feed intake, and carcass evaluation experiment using 20 yearling intact male Sidama goats weighing 16.4 ± 0.63 kg (mean ± SD) was conducted in Ethiopia with the objectives to determine feed intake, digestibility, body weight (BW) gain, and carcass parameters. The treatments included feeding natural pasture hay (T1, control) and supplementation with cottonseed cake (284 g—T2), linseed cake (250 g—T3), and noug seed cake (296 g—T4) on dry matter (DM) basis to supply 85 g crude protein (CP) per head per day. Randomized complete block design for feed intake and BW parameters and complete randomized design for digestibility and carcass parameters were used. Hay DM intake was higher (P < 0.01) for T1 than for the other treatments. T3 promoted higher (P < 0.01) DM (29.3 g/kg W0.75/day) and CP (14.1 g/kg W0.75/day) intake than T4 (8.9 g/kg W0.75/day DM and 4.1 g/kg W0.75/day CP). T3 showed better (P < 0.05) organic matter and CP digestibility than T2. Goats in T3 had higher nitrogen intake (P < 0.01) and retention (P < 0.05) than those in T1. Goats in T2 and T3 showed higher (P < 0.05) daily BW gain and final BW than those in T4 and T1. Goats in T2 and T3 had higher (P < 0.05) slaughter weight, empty BW, hot carcass weight, rib-eye muscle area, and dressing percentage on slaughter weight basis than those in T1. The results showed that T2 and T3 had similar effect on CP intake, daily BW gain, and carcass parameters for growing Sidama goats fed natural pasture hay.

This article argues that a renewed analysis of textile manufacture can bring a fresh perspective to approach the cultural transformations occurring in Cyprus during the mid-third millennium BCE and to investigate their significance. I present the main interpretations on the transition from the Chalcolithic to the Bronze Age as indicated by current archaeological research and explain the value of textile tools as archaeological indicators. Following this, the available data for selected textile activities (fiber exploitation and thread-making) are analyzed and discussed. The final aim is to demonstrate how current narratives can be challenged when technology is not the only aspect considered, and productive purposes and raw materials are also included.

Summary of: Kordula Gostencnik,Textilproduktion in der Austria Romana. In: Karina Grömer, Römische Textilien in Noricum und Westpannonien im Kontext archäologischer Gewebefunde 2000 v.Chr. bis 500 n.Chr. in Österreich. Austria Antiqua 5, Graz 2014, 57-109.

The present study was undertaken to assess the activity/anti-inflammatory potential of Linum usitatissimum fixed oil against castor oil-induced diarrhoea, turpentine oil-induced joint oedema, formaldehyde and Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis in Wistar albino rats. The oil intraperitoneally, significantly inhibited the castor oil-induced diarrhoea and turpentine oil-induced exudative joint oedema in a dose-dependent manner. Significant inhibitory effect of L. usitatissimum fixed oil was observed in formaldehyde-induced proliferative global oedematous arthritis when given intraperitoneally, with significant checking of the serum glutamic oxaloacetic acid transaminase and serum glutamic pyruvic acid transaminase. Further, L. usitatissimum fixed oil showed a significant dose-dependent protective effect against CFA-induced arthritis as well. Secondary lesions produced by CFA due to a delayed hypersensitivity reaction were also reduced in a significant manner. Anti-inflammatory activity of L. usitatissimum fixed oil can be attributed to the presence of alpha linolenic acid (57.38%, an omega-3 fatty acid, 18:3, n-3) having dual inhibitory effect on arachidonate metabolism resulting in suppressed production of proinflammatory n-6 eicosanoids (PGE2, LTB4) and diminished vascular permeability. These observations suggest possible therapeutic potential of L. usitatissimum fixed oil in inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.

The effects of an enzyme-hydrolyzed arabinoxylan from wheat (AXOS) versus an intact arabinoxylan from flax (FLAX) added to a ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) on the postprandial appetitive, hormonal, and metabolic responses in overweight women (BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m2) were evaluated. Subsequent meal energy intake was also assessed. Two randomized, double-blind, crossover design studies were completed. For trial 1, the participants consumed the following RTEC breakfast, matched for total weight and varied in energy content: low-fiber (LF, 4 g); high-fiber (HF, 15 g) as either AXOS or FLAX. For trial 2, the participants consumed LF, HF-AXOS, and HF-FLAX RTECs but also consumed another LF breakfast that was isocaloric (LF-iso) to that of the HF breakfasts. Perceived appetite and blood samples (trial 2 only) were assessed before and after breakfast. An ad libitum lunch was offered 4 h post-breakfast. No differences in postprandial appetite responses were observed among any breakfasts in either t...

A unique finding of wild flax fibers from a series of Upper Paleolithic layers at Dzudzuana Cave, located in the foothills of the Caucasus, Georgia, indicates that prehistoric hunter-gatherers were making cords for hafting stone tools, weaving baskets, or sewing garments. ...

The investigation and characterisation of historical objects can be an exacting piece of work because of the small quantity of material that can be investigated and the degradation of the material and its value, which sometimes demands only non-destructive methods. In this study, as one such method, Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the cellulose fibres of painting canvases and linings. Historical samples of fabrics were taken from different paintings and their linings from different locations in Slovenia. Raman spectra were recorded on the fibres of these historical samples. Additionally, a database of the Raman spectra of modern cellulose fibres was created and compared with the literature data. Differences in the Raman spectra of different cellulose fibres were observed, and on this basis fibres of different types were discriminated. The recorded Raman spectra of historical samples were compared with the database spectra of modern cellulose fibres. Strong luminescence ef...

Two experiments were run concurrently to determine the effect of fresh forage consumption on the production and proportions of plasma and milk fat vaccenic acid (VA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and linolenic acid in diary cattle. In experiment 1, the cows consumed 50, 65, and 80% of their feed intake as pasture with the remainder of intake as a barley-based concentrate. The proportion of VA in milk fatty acids increased 12% when pasture intake increased from 50 to 65% of total dry matter intake and VA, CLA, and linolenic acid proportions increased 26, 18, and 27%, respectively, as pasture increased from 65 to 80% of dietary intake. In experiment 2, fresh forage was compared to conserved hay (cut from the same pasture the previous summer) to determine the effect on plasma and milk fat VA, CLA, and linolenic acid. Also, the effect of crushed solin seed (a flax cultivar that is high in linoleic acid) supplementation to the fresh forage diet was determined. Fresh forage compared to...

Human consumption of flaxseed is increasing due to its health benefit properties and extrusion processes can enhance its nutritional quality. Extruded flaxseed meal (EFM) obtained in a pilot plant was characterized and incorporated in flour mixes and cereal-based bars to demonstrate its nutritious usefulness. Amino acid content was not affected by extrusion and, despite lysine was the limitating amino acid, the chemical score (CS) was 83 %. Thiamin and riboflavin decreased slightly as consequence of extrusion, phytic acid did not change and trypsin inhibitor activity was undetectable. Proximate composition and nutritional quality determined by biological and chemical indexes were compared among EFM, flour mixes (FM) and cereal bars (CB). They presented high protein levels (26, 20 and 17 %, respectively), good biological value (BV) (80, 79 and 65, respectively), acceptable true protein digestibility (TD) (73, 79 and 78, respectively), and high dietary fiber (33, 20.5 and 18 %, respec...