The traditional herbal medicinal product Myrrhinil-Intest® is a fixed herbal combination, which is marketed in Germany since 1959 and applied in medical practice for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as functional diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. It contains myrrh, which is described as the oleo-gum resin from mainly Commiphora molmol Engler (Burseraceae), coffee charcoal, which are the milled roasted to blackening outer seed parts of green dried Coffea Arabica Linné (Rubiaceae) fruits and chamomile flowers - the flower heads of Matricaria recutita Linné (Asteraceae). The clinical effectiveness of Myrrhinil-Intest® for the treatment of various gastrointestinal disorders was demonstrated in several clinical studies and is described in various experience reports, however its pharmacological profile is not fully elucidated. Within the present study the spasmolytic and anti-inflammatory potential of the components myrrh, chamomile and coffee charcoal was investigated. Therefore pharmacological, histological and molecular biological methods were utilised. Spasmolytic activity was characterised using isometric tension measurement with rat isolated small intestinal preparations. Anti-inflammatory potential was assessed with different methods using isolated rat small intestinal preparations and immune cell lines. Inflammation was induced with TNBS and LPS respectively. Additionally, the influence of the herbal components on the gene expression profile of native human macrophages after LPS/IFNγ stimulation was determined by microarray gene expression analysis. Chamomile flower and myrrh exerted spasmolytic effects, whereby the more pronounced spasmolytic effects of myrrh were mediated via calcium channel blockade. Myrrh and chamomile flower exerted anti-inflammatory effects.

Šio darbo tiksas - nustatyti ochratoksino A kiekius žaliose ir skrudintose kavos pupelėse. Mėginiai tyrimams buvo paimti iš dviejų Lietuvos kavos skrudinimo įmonių. Kavos pupelių mėginiai buvo iš Amerikos, Afrikos ir Azijos. Žalių kavos pupelių užterštumas ochratoksinu A buvo 1,0 – 3,5 µg/kg, o po skrudinimo jis padidėjo 14,12 – 63,64%. Taip pat buvo identifikuojami ochratoksiną A gaminantys grybai ir skaičiuojami jų kolonijas sudarantys vienetai. Nustatyta, kad kavos pupelės buvo užterštos A. niger, A. ochraceus, A. parasiticus, A. sydowii ir A. flavus. / The experiments was done in LUHS VA in the Animal Welfare Reaserch Laboratory. The aim of this study were to determinate ochratoxin A amounts in green and roasted coffee beans. Samples were taken from two coffee roasters companies in Lithuania. Coffee samples were from America, Asia and Africa. The determination of OTA in green coffee samples was 1,0 – 3,5 µg/kg, but after roasting it increase to 14,12 – 63,64%. Also were identified OTA-producing species of fungi and their colony formed quantities. It was found that determination of fungi were 50% of A. niger colonies, other 50% were of A. ochraceus, A. parasiticus, A. sydowii and A. flavus.

Coffee consumption has consistently been associated with a reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), although the mechanism for this association remains unknown. Sub-clinical inflammation, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and lipoprotein abnormalities characterize and predict T2DM. Limited evidence suggests that coffee may have a beneficial role in these disorders but further investigation is warranted. Our aim therefore was to investigate the associations of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee with markers of inflammation, liver injury, and lipoproteins, in a non-diabetic cohort. No significant associations of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee with inflammatory markers or lipoproteins were identified. Caffeinated coffee consumption however was inversely associated with alanine aminotransferase (β= -0.09, p= 0.0107) and aspartate aminotransferase (β= -0.05, p= 0.0161) in multivariate analysis. Decaffeinated coffee was not associated with liver enzymes. These analyses suggest that caffeinated coffee’s beneficial impact on NAFLD may be a potential mechanism for its inverse association with T2DM.

Coffee consumption has consistently been associated with a reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), although the mechanism for this association remains unknown. Sub-clinical inflammation, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and lipoprotein abnormalities characterize and predict T2DM. Limited evidence suggests that coffee may have a beneficial role in these disorders but further investigation is warranted. Our aim therefore was to investigate the associations of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee with markers of inflammation, liver injury, and lipoproteins, in a non-diabetic cohort. No significant associations of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee with inflammatory markers or lipoproteins were identified. Caffeinated coffee consumption however was inversely associated with alanine aminotransferase (β= -0.09, p= 0.0107) and aspartate aminotransferase (β= -0.05, p= 0.0161) in multivariate analysis. Decaffeinated coffee was not associated with liver enzymes. These analyses suggest that caffeinated coffee’s beneficial impact on NAFLD may be a potential mechanism for its inverse association with T2DM.

Historical evidence has shown that increases in coffee prices, though generating a short term gain in export earnings for producers, also lead to increased plantings of the coffee crop. This in turn leads to overproduction and a subsequent drop in coffee prices. The establishment of the International Coffee Agreements was meant to stabilize this fluctuating behaviour in coffee prices. / The purpose of this paper is to present an overall analysis of coffee prices in order to predict the future course of prices under two circumstances. First, when the international coffee market is governed by the mandates of the International Coffee Agreements and secondly, when the market operates under free market conditions. The paper also attempts to draw parallels between the structure and mechanisms of the markets of coffee and tea. The first part of this paper provides a background study of the markets of coffee and tea including a discussion of the commodity cartels which have been signed to date in both markets. Part two provides a historical analysis of prices in both markets, followed by an econometric analysis of the demand for coffee in the largest consuming country in the world, the United States.

The global coffee industry is in a state of crisis. Small-scale producers are those most seriously impacted by the crisis, facing the challenges of a precarious and changing market, despite limited resources. In Oaxaca, Mexico, a prominent response among indigenous small-scale farmers has been to join independent coffee producer unions. Within theses unions there is currently a move to encourage organic coffee cultivation among campesinos, so that these groups might niche market their coffee. This niche, or "conscience", market is shaped by the "organic coffee discourse" which emphasizes the themes of environmental protection, social justice and indigenity. By examining the relationship between organic coffee production (as an economic strategy for marginal producers) and its discourse (which mobilizes consumers in wealthy countries) we will see the impetus behind organic coffee production as it ranges from Oaxaca's indigenous farmers, their producer unions, and consumers.

Experiments were conducted in the greenhouse, field and growth chambers to evaluate effects of soil type, soil moisture regimes, and porosity on selected aspects of the dynamics of the Kona coffee root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne konaensis. First, the reproduction and damage potential of M. konaensis on resistant and susceptible rootstocks of coffee in four soils under two moisture regimes representative of areas where coffee is grown in Hawaii were assessed in greenhouse experiments. M. konaensis suppressed growth of coffee in all four soils. Nematode reproduction occurred readily in all soil types. Reproduction was lowest in the Hydric Dystrandept soil where the nematode holotype was found. In contrast, root galling was greatest in this soil. Greater galling occurred under constant moisture (33kPa) than under fluctuating moisture conditions in this soil. A field experiment in Kainaliu, Hawaii was conducted to determine the influence of irrigation, plant age, cultivar and nematode on coffee growth and yield. The population densities of the nematode in the soil varied according to plant age and irrigation treatment. Soil populations under irrigated conditions were greater during the months of May to July which normally follows the greatest annual precipitation and a period of active plant growth. Nematode reproduction was greater on coffee transplanted as 6-month-old seedlings than on coffee transplanted at 12- month ofage. Soil water tension varied by season and experimental treatment. Trees from 12-month-old transplants exhibited greater water tension fluctuation with greatest water tension occurring from January to April. Trees transplanted as 6-month-old seedlings into M. konaensis infested soil and irrigated yielded greater coffee fruit than the same aged trees treatment without irrigation. Crop loss and reduction of growth and yield were also more evident from 6-month-old seedlings without supplemental irrigation treatment. In contrast, yield from plots in treatments including irrigation, nematode and 12-month-old transplants yielded poorly. Overall highest yields were obtained from trees free of nematode and with supplemental irrigation. Yield reductions from nematode-infected plants ranged from 30-60% which is economically significant. Penetration, development and reproduction of M. Iwnaensis was determined on tomato as model plant at 0.77 and 0.65 porosity. The rate of root penetration and post-embryonic developmental rates occurred slightly faster the porosity treatment of 0.77 than in the more densely packed soil (porosity of 0.65). Development in the 0.65 porosity progressed slower than at 0.77. Even though the nematodes matured faster and began laying eggs sooner on plants growing at porosity of 0.77, much greater numbers of eggs were laid by 30 days after inoculation at the 0.65 porosity treatment than those at the 0.77 porosity. The finding from this research illustrates the primary role of the Kona coffee root-knot nematode in the Coffee Decline. The soil environment and host suitability are conducive factors for the coffee decline disease. Proper soil moisture management combined with sources of genetic resistance could minimize the damage enabling the coffee industry to remain profitable.

This thesis investigates the variability in management practices on coffee and banana farms in an attempt to identify practices that reduce the environmental impact of export crop production. Different banana production systems are studied to determine their level of environmental impact. Insect sampling and bird surveys are used to assess the level of ecological quality on banana farms and their surrounding environments. The first two studies are based on interview methods and focus more on the social aspects of the production system. Paper I identifies how farmers utilize labor and herbicides in weed control practices, and found that small-scale coffee farmers overuse herbicides when their relative use of herbicides to labor to control weed densities is compared to their large-scale counterparts and small-scale organic producers. Paper II attempts to identify variability in management practices for the production of export bananas, but instead finds that there is only one type of export banana production system. However, there are lessons to be learned from organic and banana-coffee intercropping systems of production. Papers III-V use the information gathered in the interview studies of Paper II to give context to the results from analysis of ecological indicators collected from banana farms. Paper III is a comparison of insect community composition on high-input, low-input and organic banana farms. Paper IV is an analysis of aquatic macroinvertebrate in surface water sites upstream and downstream of banana farm canal entry points. Finally, Paper V is a comparison of ecological effects of management practices between Rainforest Alliance certified farms and non-RainforestAlliancecertified farms. Results showed that low-input banana production is not as good as organic production with regards to ecological impact, but it can still make a difference when compared to high-input banana production. Rainforest Alliance certified farms, however, are not low-input systems and the changes that they make in production practices are not enough to influence the quality of the ecological system. These results are encouraging for low-input production systems, but show that standards for Rainforest Alliance certification need to be tougher in order to make an impact on ecological indicators. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted. Paper 3: Submitted. Paper 4: Submitted. Paper 5: Manuscript.

Hydrogen is considered one of the best alternatives to fossil-fuels for the transportation sector because hydrogen can be burnt cleanly and efficiently in a fuel cell to drive an electric motor. However, due to the low density of H2 at ambient conditions the conventional H2 storage technologies (cryogenic liquid and compressed gas) cannot achieve energy densities comparable to to gasoline and diesel. A second energy storage challenge onboard electric fuel cell vehicles is fuel cell power management at peak current loads, which requires an auxiliary power source like a battery or supercapacitor. The development of efficient onboard energy storage systems for H2 and auxiliary power is critical to realisation of a hydrogen economy. Mesoporous carbons were investigated as H2 storage materials in composites with magnesium hydride (MgH2),and as electrode materials for electrochemical double-later capacitors. The mesoporous carbons were prepared by two methods: (1) from porous silica and alumina templates, and (2) by chemical activation of a waste carbon source (waste coffee grounds). The experimental approach targeted reducing the cost of mesoporous carbon preparation by using a cheaper template, where the cost of alumina template was one-fifth the cost of the silica template (at the laboratory scale), or by using a waste material as a carbon source. The alumina template was found to be suitable to produce a mesoporous carbon with an average pore size of 4.8 nm. Chemical activation of coffee grounds with ZnCl2 produced activated carbons with BET surface areas up to 1280 m2/g. Mesopore volume increased with ZnCl2 impregnation ratio, with mesopore size distributions in the range 2 - 20 nm. The theoretical H2 capacity of MgH2 is 7.6 % but MgH2 application in fuel cell vehicles is limited by slow hydrogenation kinetics and high temperatures (> 573 K) for H2 release. Magnesium was impregnated on activated carbon fibres (ACF) and mesoporous carbon (prepared from silica and alumina templates) to improve H2 storage kinetics and thermodynamics by reducing the magnesium hydride particle size. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) studies showed that thermal decomposition of MgCl2 supported on ACF at 1173 K in N2 and H2 can produce a Mg-ACF composite. At 573 K and 2 MPa H2 pressure a Mg-ACF composite, containing 11.2 %wt Mg, showed improved H2 adsorption kinetics compared to bulk Mg powder, but the total capacity of the Mg-ACF composite was only 0.4 % wt H2. To achieve a target of 6 %wt for onboard H2 storage higher Mg loadings are required. Attempts to impregnate Mg in mesoporous carbon via the MgCl2 thermal decomposition process highlighted the difficulties of avoiding MgO formation, and show that MgH2 loaded carbon is unlikely to be a practical high density onboard H2 storage technology. Activated carbons from waste coffee grounds (CGCs) were used as electrode materials in electrochemical double-layer capacitors. The specific capacitance of CGCs was as high as 368 F/g in 1 mol/L H2SO4, with good capacitance retention at fast charge rates and stable cycling performance. The good electrochemical performance of CGCs is attributed to a porous structure featuring both micropores 0.5 - 1.0 nm wide, which are effective for double-layer formation, and small mesopores, which facilitate electrolyte transport at fast charge rates. The capacitance of CGCs is enhanced by pseudo-Faradaic reactions involving nitrogen and oxygen functional groups. At fast charge-discharge rates the CGCs had higher energy density and better stability than a commercial benchmark activated carbon (Maxsorb). The ZnCl2 activation process can be optimised to develop mesopores for improved capacitance at fast charge rates and capacitance in organic electrolytes. In 1 mol/L tetra ethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4) / acetonitrile the CGC with the most mesopores, which was prepared with a ZnCl2 to coffee ratio of 5:1, has the highest capacitance at high power density. CGCs with greater mesopore content retained higher specific capacitance at fast charge-discharge rates as the mesopores acts as channels or reservoirs for electrolyte transport. An improved model for evaluation of contributions to capacitance from micropore surfaces and mesopore surfaces is proposed. From this model the double-layer capacitance of mesopores surface area was found to be about 14 μF/cm2 and did not change considerably with increasing current load. The contribution of micropores to capacitance is dependent on the accessibility of ions to the micropores, and this accessibility is proportional to the mesopore surface area. An exponential function was found to describe the contribution of mesopores and micropore surfaces to capacitance. The effective double-layer capacitance of the micropore surface area drops at fast charge-discharge rates as a result of restricted ion transport, and this result highlights the importance of mesopores to retain energy density for high power supercapacitor applications.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Description based on contents viewed Feb. 15, 2008. Christopher White, committee chair; Timothy Renick, Louis Ruprecht, Jr., committee members. Title from file title page. Electronic text (43 p.) : digital, PDF file. Includes bibliographical references.