Botanical drugs for bruises used in the Xiangxi region of China, a place rich in martial culture

Background:Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture,located in Hunan Province,China,is a culturally rich region with a diverse population.The locals have a deep martial arts history and possess a wealth of traditional knowledge for treating bruises.Methods:In order to investigate this topic,we conducted ethnobotanical studies by visiting local medicinal markets and conducting interviews.Results:We identified 43 botanical drugs used for treating bruises,categorized into four types:sprains,contusions,strains,and bone injuries.The local people typically prefer to mash these botanical drugs freshly or make medicinal wine for external use.Treatment often involves a combination of drugs to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis,with medications to dispel rheumatism,clear heat,and detoxify,tailored to the humid climate and high precipitation in mountainous areas.Based on the fidelity level values,the local plant resources with high acceptance,utilization,or potential value in the treatment of bruises included Sargentodoxa cuneata,Lycopodium japonicum,Dioscorea cirrhosa,Panax japonicus,Achyranthes bidentata,Lysimachia heterogenea and so on.Conclusion:Herbal medicine and related knowledge for treating bruises are diverse and rich in the Xiangxi region.However,the local traditional medicinal knowledge faces challenges regarding inheritance due to regional modernization.Therefore,it is crucial to protect and further study this knowledge in the future.

Enhanced detection algorithm for apple bruises using structured light imaging

Bruising reduces the edibility and marketability of fresh apples,inevitably causing economic losses for the apple industry.However,bruises lack obvious visual symptoms,which makes it challenging to detect them using imaging techniques with uniform or diffuse illumination.This study employed the structured light imaging(SLI)technique to detect apple bruises.First,the grayscale reflection images were captured under phase-shifted sinusoidal illumination at three different wavelengths(600,650,and 700 nm)and six different spatial frequencies(0.05,0.10,0.15,0.20,0.25,and 0.30 cycles mm−1).Next,the grayscale reflectance images were demodulated to produce direct component(DC)images representing uniform diffuse illumination and amplitude component(AC)images revealing bruises.Then,by quantifying the contrast between bruised regions and sound regions in all AC images,it was found that bruises exhibited the optimal contrast when subjected to sinusoidal illumination at a wavelength of 700 nm and a spatial frequency of 0.25 mm−1.In the AC image with optimal contrast,the developed h-domes segmentation algorithm to accurately segment the location and range of the bruised regions.Moreover,the algorithm successfully accomplished the task of segmenting central bruised regions while addressing the challenge of segmenting edge bruised regions complicated by vignetting.The average Intersection over Union(IoU)values for the three types of bruises were 0.9422,0.9231,and 0.9183,respectively.This result demonstrated that the combination of SLI and the h-domes segmentation algorithm was a viable approach for the effective detection of fresh apple bruises.

Harvest and Postharvest Factors Affecting Bruise Damage of Fresh Fruits

Fresh fruits are susceptible to bruising, a common type of mechanical damage during harvest and at all stages of postharvest handling. In quest of developing and adoption of strategies to reduce bruise damage, it is of utmost importance to understand major factors influencing bruise susceptibility of fresh produce at these stages. This review presents a critical discussion of factors affecting bruising during harvest and postharvest handling of fresh fruits. Excessive compression forces during harvesting by handpicking or machines, and a series of impacts during harvesting, transport and packhouse operations can cause severe bruise damage. The review has further revealed that bruising is dependent on a number of other factors such as produce maturity, ripening, harvest time(during the day or season) and time lapse after harvest. The susceptibility to bruising is partly dependent on how these factors alter the produce physiological and biochemical properties, and the environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and several other postharvest treatments. Hence, the successful applications of harvesting techniques by use of trained personnel and proper harvesting equipment are essential to reduce both the incidence and severity of bruising.Furthermore, the careful selection of postharvest handling temperature and other treatments can increase resistance of fresh produce to bruise damage.

Level of Bruising and DFD Carcasses from Bulls of Arsi, Boran and Harar Cattle Breeds in Ethiopia

The objective of the study was to determine the level of Bruising and Dark Firm Dry on Arsi, Boran and Harar cattle breeds in Ethiopia. A total of 39 beef bulls from three different breeds (14 Boran, 14 Harar, and 11 Arsi cattle breeds) were used in this study. Based on the present finding, from 39 slaughtered beef bulls 66.7% was bruised and 30.77% produced DFD meat. Harar breed had the highest (39.1%) overall level of bruising while Boran and Arsi had the lowest level. However, Harar breed had the lowest level of DFD (14.29%). Age groups 3 - 6 and 6 - 9 years had the highest level of a bruise (29.70% and 28.10%, respectively) compared to age groups 2 - 3 years. The mean number of bruises per carcass was 1.96 ± 0.25 while the bruise score per carcass was 3.58 ± 0.68. A linear bruise was the most observed (33.33%) shape of a bruise. It was concluded that the level of bruising and DFD was higher compared to some other abattoir studies in other countries which indicated the possible presence of poor handling practice of cattle from farm to abattoir gates. To minimize the incidence of DFD and bruising, it was recommended that proper handling of cattle during loading, transport, unloading, at lairriage and during slaughter need to be practiced.

Use of a Model of a Blood-Induced Bruise for the Evaluation of Formulations on Bruising

Esthetic treatments can induce swelling and bruises. Thus, a treatment that would prevent or hasten the resolution of bruising should be very useful. Generally, the regression of bruising was conducted with patients or animals models. So we decided firstly to develop an ex vivo model in order to test antibruising properties of topical formulations and secondly to evaluate a curative effect of a cream (mixture of arnica extract and apigenin) in comparison with a positive control (vulnerary cream) and also to estimate the preventive interest of this cream. The results showed that the injection of 25 μl of blood into the dermis of skin fragments was sufficient to create a model of induced-bruise. The duration of 24 hours was chosen to compare the effects of actives on the decrease in the size of the bruise. Joint effects of a pretreatment and a treatment of a mixture of arnica extract and apigenin decreased significantly the area of bruising compared to the treatment group, the control group and the positive control group. Many topical products claim to improve bruising on their package label. Our model can demonstrate their efficacy and determinate the best topical antibruising formulation. The mechanism involved in anti-inflammatory activity of active compounds of topical formulations is often not fully understood. Our blood-induced model may bring some responses through the study of mediators of the inflammation.

Fractal image analysis and bruise damage evaluation of impact damage in guava

Impact bruise damage and quality of‘Gim Ju’guava were investigated for different drop heights and number of drops using fractal image analysis.For the impact test,a stainless-steel metal ball(250 g)was dropped on fruit from three drop heights(0,0.3,0.6 m)either once or five times.Fruit quality was evaluated for impact energy,bruise area(BA),bruise volume(BV),bruise susceptibility,bruise score and pulp color(L*,a*,b*and C values).The fractal dimension(FD)value using fractal image analysis was analyzed at the bruise region.Results showed that five drops(0.3 m)with a high impact energy(3678.75 J)and a single drop(0.6 m)with a low impact energy(1471.50 J)exhibited no significant in BA,BV,bruise score as well as all color values(L*,a*,b*and C).While the FD value of a single drop from 0.6 m had a higher FD value than that of five drops from 0.3 m.It is indicated that FD exhibited a better performance to classify impact bruising level of guava than BA,BV and color parameters.The FD value gradually decreased with increase of storage time and bruise severity.The correlation coefficient(r)values of FD(r=−0.794 and−0.745)between BA and BV were more significant than those L*(r=−0.660 and−0.615)and a*(r=0.579 and 0.473).The coefficient of determination(R^(2))of the polynomial equation in bruised fruit(R^(2)=0.85 to 0.99)was greater than the control(no bruise)(R^(2)=0.80).A higher R^(2)val(0.88 and 0.92)was exhibited at five drops.Interestingly,FD analysis showed greater potential than color measurement to assess bruise impact damage in guava.

Finite element analysis of the dynamic behavior of pear under impact loading

Pear fruit is susceptible to bruising from mechanical impact during field harvesting operations and at all stages of postharvest handling.The postharvest shelf life of bruised fruits were shorter,and they softened rapidly under cold storage compared with non-bruised samples.Developing strategies for reducing bruising during the supply chain requires an understanding of fruit dynamic behavior to different enforced loadings.Finite Element Method(FEM)is among the best techniques,in terms of accuracy and cost-efficiency,for studying the factors effective in impact-induced bruising.In this research,the drop test of pear sample was simulated using FEM.The simulation was conducted on a 3D solid model of the pear that was created by using non-contact optical scanning technology.This computer-based study aimed to assess the stress and strain distribution patterns within pear generated by collision of the fruit with a flat surface made of different materials.The contact force between two colliding surfaces is also investigated.The simulations were conducted at two different drop orientations and four different impact surfaces.Results showed that,in both drop orientations,the largest and smallest stresses,strains and contact forces were developed in collision with the steel and rubber surfaces,respectively.In general,these parameters were smaller when fruit collided with the surfaces along its horizontal axis than when collided along its vertical axis.Finally,analyses of stress and strain magnitudes showed that simulation stress and strain values were compatible with experiments data.

Predicting bruise susceptibility in apples using Vis/SWNIR technique combined with ensemble learning

Bruise susceptibility in fruits is an important indicator in evaluating risk factors for bruising caused by external factors.Prediction of the bruising susceptibility of fruit can provide useful information for proper postharvest handling and storage operations.In this study,visible and shortwave near-infrared(Vis/SWNIR)technique was used to develop nondestructive method for predicting the bruise susceptibility of apples.Vis/SWNIR spectra covering 400-1100 nm were collected for 300‘Golden Delicious’apples over a time period of three weeks after harvest.A pendulum-like device was used to simulate impact bruise at three impact energy levels of 1.11 J,0.66 J and 0.33 J.Bruise volumes were estimated from the digital images of the bruised apples by using the bruise thickness model.Three prediction models,i.e.partial least squares model(PLS),partial least squares model combined with successful projection algorithm(SPA-PLS),and selective ensemble learning based on feature selection(SELFS),for bruise susceptibility were developed for each impact energy level as well as for the pooled data.Compared with PLS and SPA-PLS model,SELFS gave the better prediction results for bruise susceptibility,with the correlation coefficient of R_(p)=0.800-0.886 for the prediction set,the root-mean-square error of 38.7-62.1 mm^(3)/J for the prediction set(RMSEP),and the residual predictive deviation(RPD)of 1.78-2.14 for three impact energy level.For three impact energy levels,the RMSEP and RPD value obtained by SELFS model improved by 14.8%-20.0%and 15.0%-24.5%compared to PLS model,and 11.4%-21.2%and 11.5%-27.1%compared to SPA-PLS model,respectively.The SELFS model achieved relatively lower prediction accuracies for the pooled data,with the R_(p) values of 0.731,RMSEP of 85.46 mm^(3)/J,and RPD of 1.46,which were also better than that of PLS model and SPA-PLS model.This research demonstrated that Vis/SWNIR technique combined with ensemble learning is promising technique for rapid assessment of bruise susceptibility of fruit,which would be useful for postharvest handling of fruit.