In the perspective of return to nature, using scientific and technical progress for improved living standards, people began to search for solutions to alleviate environmental pollution. Researchers intend to make clean, affordable products that are gentle yet effective. Chitosan derived from the exoskeleton of crustaceans, cuticles of insects, cell walls of fungi, and some algae are renowned for many decades to exhibit biotic properties, especially anti-microbial characteristics. Here we review each ingredient for sourcing organic chitosan, with clean raw materials that can make pure, rich, and powerful products working naturally. Our study elaborates advances and utilisation of chitosan for industrial control-release fertilisers by physical, chemical, and multifaceted formulations such as water-retaining super absorbent, polyacrylic acid, and resins. Plant growth-promoting properties of chitosan as a growth regulator, pest/disease resistance, signalling regulation, effect on nuclear deformation, and apoptosis. Chitosan can improve the plant defence mechanism by stimulating photochemistry and enzymes related to photosynthesis. Furthermore, electrophysiological modification induced by chitosan can practically enable it to be utilised as a herbicide. Chitosan has an excellent role in improving soil fertility and plant growth as well as plant growth promoters. It is concluded, chitosan can play a key role in modern agriculture production and could be a valuable source promoting agricultural ecosystem sustainability. Future suggestions will be based on current achievements and also notable gaps. In addition, chitosan has a huge contribution to reducing fertilisers pollution, managing agricultural pests and pathogens in modern-day agriculture.

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Introduction: The prevalence of pediatric obesity remains high all over the world. Various exercise interventions have been applied to decrease the visceral fat in young individuals with obesity. But the evidence remains controversial on the effect of the exercise on visceral fat. Moreover, it is unclear which type of the exercise is the most effective for young individuals with overweight or obesity to reduce visceral fat.Objective: The objective of this review and meta-analysis is to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of different exercise interventions on visceral fat in young individuals with overweight or obesity.Methods: Four databases consisting of PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library were searched prior to May 2022. Fifteen studies with a total of 30 data points involving 1,134 participants were included in this meta-analysis. And the interventions were limited to 4 exercise types [i.e., aerobic exercise (AE), resistance exercise (RE), aerobic exercise combined with resistance exercise (CE), and high-intensity interval training (HIIT)].Data Synthesis: The results showed that AE (Standardized Mean Difference = −0.32; 95% CI = −0.50 to −0.13; p = 0.0007; I2 = 37%) and HIIT (SMD = −0.59; 95% CI = −0.87 to −0.31; p < 0.0001; I2 = 0%) had a significant reduction effect on visceral fat. And the effect of HIIT seemed better than AE. However, RE (SMD = −0.58; 95% CI = −1.34 to 0.17; p = 0.13; I2 = 76%) and CE (SMD = −0.21; 95% CI = −0.81 to 0.38; p = 0.48; I2 = 63%) had a non-significant effect on visceral fat decline. Additionally, compared with the control group, exercise interventions had a significant effect on reducing visceral fat in adolescents (SMD = −0.54; 95% CI = −0.82 to −0.26; p = 0.0001; I2 = 64%) and young adults (SMD = −0.42; 95% CI = −0.69 to −0.15; p = 0.003; I2 = 0%) rather than children (SMD = −0.15; 95% CI = −0.32 to 0.02; p = 0.08; I2 = 0%). And the gender-based subgroup analysis indicated that the effectiveness of the exercise on the reduction of visceral fat was more significant in males (SMD = −1.27; 95% CI = −1.67 to −0.87; p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) than that in females (SMD = −0.31; 95% CI = −0.48 to −0.14; p = 0.0004; I2 = 0%).Conclusion: This review and meta-analysis demonstrates that exercise interventions are efficient to decrease visceral fat in adolescents (12–18 years old) and young adults (18–24 years old). Among different exercise types, AE and HIIT are helpful for young individuals with overweight or obesity to reduce visceral fat and HIIT appears to be the most effective exercise intervention. In addition, the effect of exercise interventions on the consumption of visceral fat is more significant in males than that in females.Systematic Review Registration: [http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO], identifier [CRD42022310878].

The study aimed to evaluate the potential of ginger essential oil in urea loading efficacy to prepare the controlled release chitosan microspheres. The ginger oil was extracted by applying the Clevenger apparatus for hydro-distillation, and the chemical composition was characterized by using FT-IR. The chitosan microspheres and urea loaded were formulated through modified emulsification and followed cross-linking procedure. Response surface test was used to evaluate various factors and levels related to preparation of microspheres. The nitrogen content, yield were observed in the present study. Furthermore, SEM and FT-IR were applied to characterize the microspheres. The results showed that the yield of the ginger oil was 6.0% and citral was observed as the most enriched compound, 89.05% in oil. Response surface analysis showed that the optimum preparation conditions were as follows: 2.094% of Span-80, 2.302% of acetic acid, and the crosslinking agent ratio of formaldehyde to glutaraldehyde was 1:8.148. Under these conditions, the theoretical value of nitrogen content of urea-loaded chitosan microspheres was 4.683%. The FT-IR results proved the authenticity of ginger oil, chitosan microspheres, and urea-loaded microspheres. The morphology of the microspheres was better in lower oil concentrations. The release test showed urea diffused uniformly in the microspheres after 48 hours. It is concluded that controlled release fertilizers can be formulated using ginger oil.

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