Effect of okra bast fillers on biodegradation properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) composites.

This paper focuses on the effect of okra bast fillers on biodegradation of poly(vinyl alcohol) composites. Fibers were obtained from okra plant stems via biological degumming and subjected to different chemical treatments such as scouring, alkalizing, maleic anhydride treatment, and vinyl acetate grafting. The fibers were ground and PVA-okra bast filler composites were produced at 20 wt% fiber load via the solution casting method.

The effect of a six-week plyometric training performed with different set configurations on explosive performance: cluster vs. traditional set configurations.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effects on jump, sprint and change of direction performance of a 6-week plyometric training performed using two different set configurations.

Methods: Twenty-five male soccer players (age 15.04±0.