Eleostearic Acid Research Articles

Analysis of Plasma Metabolic Profile in Children with Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia

To explore the plasma metabolomic characteristics of children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT), and reveal the changes of metabolic pattern in children with TDT. 23 children with TDT who received regular blood transfusion in Ganzhou Women and Children's Health Care Hospital in 2021 were selected, and 11 healthy children who underwent physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group. The routine indexes between children with TDT and the control group were compared, and then the metabolic composition of plasma samples from children with TDT and the control group was detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. An OPLS-DA model was established to perform differential analysis on the detected metabolites, and the differential metabolic pathways between the two groups were analyzed based on the differential metabolites. The results of routine testing showed that the indexes of ferritin, bilirubin, total bile acid, glucose and triglycerides in children with TDT were significantly higher than those in healthy controls, while hemoglobin and total cholesterol were significantly lower (all P <0.05). However there was no significant difference in lactate dehydrogenase between the two groups (P >0.05). Compared with the control group, 190 differential metabolites (VIP>1) were identified in TDT children. Among them, 168 compounds such as arginine, proline and glycocholic acid were significantly increased, while the other 22 compounds such as myristic acid, eleostearic acid, palmitic acid and linoleic acid were significantly decreased. The metabolic pathway analysis showed that the metabolic impact of TDT on children mainly focused on the upregulation of amino acid metabolism and downregulation of lipid metabolism. The amino acid and lipid metabolism in children with TDT were significantly changed compared with the healthy control group. This finding is helpful to optimize the treatment choice for children with TDT, and provides a new idea for clinical treatment.

Rapid evaluation of UV and thermal aging of boiled tung oil by micro-UV/Py-GC/MS system

Boiled tung oil is the commonly used drying oil in Chinese cultural relics, and light radiation, temperature are the important factors leading to its aging. In order to investigate the photo and thermal aging behavior of boiled tung oil and determine the characteristic parameters to evaluate its aging degree, micro-UV/Py-GC/MS system has been applied in the present work to monitor the volatile aging products released by boiled tung oil film, to obtain high aging degree boiled tung oil film in short time and to investigate its composition change in different aging degree.Research results showed that volatile products released by boiled tung oil film during UV irradiation and 60 ℃ were mainly series of aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and hydrocarbons with small molecule. With increase of aging time, the type of volatile products remain unchanged, but their amount gradually decreases until cannot be detected. Pyrolytical products of unaged and aged boiled tung oil is the same, but with the increase of aging degree, relative content of glycerol, dicarboxylic acids and azelaic acid in boiled tung oil film gradually increased, while the relative content of oleic, linoleic and eleostearic acid, as well as the content ratio of mono-carboxylic acids to di-carboxylic acids gradually decreased.Changes of volatile and pyrolytical products during aging process were summarized to evaluate the aging degree of boiled tung oil used in cultural relics. Boiled tung oil used in two lacquerware samples collected from the same carved lacquer panel from Fuwang Ge in the Forbidden City, and two polychrome samples separately collected from the inner and outer eave of Yanxi Tang in the Forbidden City were investigated, the aging degree evaluation results of boiled tung oil in historical samples have further confirm the reliability of summarized parameters. Research results of the present work can provide scientific support for the conservation and restoration of related cultural relics, and also lay a foundation for the in-depth study of the photo and thermal aging mechanism of boiled tung oil.

Genome-wide identification and transcriptional profiling of the basic helix-loop-helix gene family in tung tree (Vernicia fordii).

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor gene family is one of the largest gene families and is extensively involved in plant growth, development, biotic and abiotic stress responses. Tung tree (Vernicia fordii) is an economically important woody oil plant that produces tung oil rich in eleostearic acid. However, the characteristics of the bHLH gene family in the tung tree genome are still unclear. Hence, VfbHLHs were first searched at a genome-wide level, and their expression levels in various tissues or under low temperature were investigated systematically. In this study, we identified 104 VfbHLHs in the tung tree genome, and these genes were classified into 18 subfamilies according to bHLH domains. Ninety-eight VfbHLHs were mapped to but not evenly distributed on 11 pseudochromosomes. The domain sequences among VfbHLHs were highly conserved, and their conserved residues were also identified. To explore their expression, we performed gene expression profiling using RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR. We identified five, 18 and 28 VfbHLH genes in female flowers, male flowers and seeds, respectively. Furthermore, we found that eight genes (VfbHLH29, VfbHLH31, VfbHLH47, VfbHLH51, VfbHLH57, VfbHLH59, VfbHLH70, VfbHLH72) were significant differential expressed in roots, leaves and petioles under low temperature stress. This study lays the foundation for future studies on bHLH gene cloning, transgenes, and biological mechanisms.

Effect of Waste-Oil regenerant on diffusion and fusion behaviors of asphalt recycling using molecular dynamics simulation

In field asphalt hot recycling project, the diffusion and fusion of virgin and aged asphalt generates the weak interface under stress concentration. In this study, the representative components of waste cooking oil (WCO), waste vegetable oil (WVO) and waste engine oil (WEO) regenerant were simulated by molecular dynamics method. The influence of waste oil regenerant on the diffusion and fusion of virgin and aged bitumen was evaluated by calculating the diffusion rate, fusion amount, relative concentration in fusion area. The viscosity and solubility parameters were calculated to explore the driving mechanism of waste oil regenerant promoting fusion diffusion. The microstructure of asphalt was analyzed to determine the key components of waste oil to achieve regeneration effect. The results showed that the waste oil regenerant can promote the diffusion of virgin and aged bitumen by reducing the viscosity of aged bitumen. The promotion effect of WCO and WEO was better than WVO. When the content is higher than 6%, the promotion effect of WCO will be reduced. In terms of promoting fusion, the regeneration system containing WEO was the best. For chain molecules, the depolymerization effect of molecules (Oleic acid, Trilaurin, and Linoleic acid) with CIS structure was not as good as that of molecules (Palmitic acid, γ-Linolenic acid, N-Docosane, Eleostearic acid, and Stearic acid) with trans structure. Molecules with trans structure generally increased the binding distance between asphaltenes by 36%. The fat molecules in WCO will form new aggregates with asphaltene. Based on molecular dynamics models, the micro driving mechanism of waste-oil recycling agents on renewing the various properties of aged bitumen was demonstrated.

Assessment of storage stability and quality characteristics of thermo‐sonication assisted blended bitter gourd seed oil and sunflower oil

AbstractThe use of thermo‐sonication to intensify the various chemical process and to modify the techno‐functional characteristics of edible lipids is an emerging focus for research. On the other hand, the concept of “edible oil blending” is arisen as an economical way to improve the quality trait of oils and fats. In present study, the effect of blending ratio of Bitter gourd seeds oil (BSO) with sunflower oil (SO), thermo‐sonication (Low intensity thermo‐sonication (LIThS), high intensity thermo‐sonication (HIThS), and storage conditions (ambient: 40°C; accelerated: 60°C) on free fatty acids (FFA), p‐anisidine value, color, viscosity, fatty acids composition, functional groups, crystallization and melting behavior were evaluated. The kinetics of FFA formation was assessed based on a pseudo‐first‐order oxidation mechanism. Increase in FFA, p‐anisidine value, viscosity and decrease in color, fatty acids composition, changes in functional group were noticed in all the samples during storage. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study indicated the shift of crystallization and melting temperature to lower temperatures range and decrease in enthalpy. The LIThS has exhibited higher rate of oxidation or degradation than HIThS and PB. The rate of oxidation was much higher in accelerated storage than the ambient storage. The oil blends are mainly composed of linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, alpha eleostearic acid, and gamma‐linolenic acid. On the basis of present findings, it appears that, blending of Bitter gourd seeds oil with sunflower oil and thermo‐sonication brings characteristics changes in quality attributes with improved storage stability. Physical mixing is commonly practiced method for oil blending. It has some limitations like, phase separation and non‐uniform mixing. Thermo‐sonication is an efficient, quick, and environmentally friendly method, which is widely used in food processing unit operations due to its overwhelming advantages over conventional methods. Blending of edible oil is emerged as an economical way of modifying the techno‐functional characteristics of oils. Bitter gourd seeds oil is rich in alpha‐eleostearic acid, phytosterols, polyphenolic compounds, and tocopherols. The present study demonstrated that, blending of Bitter gourd seeds oil with Sunflower oil has modified the quality characteristics. High intensity thermo‐sonication‐assisted blending improves the storage stability of blended oil. The oil blends are mainly composed of linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, alpha eleostearic acid, and gamma‐linolenic acid. Hence, the blended oil can be used in various food preparations.

Facile fabrication of natural superhydrophobic eleostearic acid-SiO2@cotton fabric for efficient separation of oil/water mixtures and emulsions

Oily wastewater generated by industrial production and marine oil spill accidents has caused great damage to the environment and human health. The development of superhydrophobic materials prepared from natural resources for oil/water separation is of great significance. In this work, a bio-based modified fabric for oil/water separation was prepared by coating SiO2 and eleostearic acid (EA) on cotton fabric. Due to the rough surface provided by SiO2 and the low-surface-energy EA, the eleostearic acid-SiO2@cotton fabric (EA-SiO2@CF) displayed durable superhydrophobicity even under various harsh environments. The acid-stable SiO2 particles and EA molecules endowed the modified cotton fabric with resistance to high concentrations of strong acid. EA-SiO2@CF also showed pH-responsive behavior, converting between superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic states by ammonia treatment and immersion in EA solution. The superhydrophobic EA-SiO2@CF was used to separate various immiscible oil/water mixtures and surfactant-stabilized (oil-in-water and water-in-oil) emulsions with high separation efficiencies of about 99.5%. This work provides an easy strategy to prepare an environmentally friendly superhydrophobic material which can be applied to the treatment of oily wastewater, anti-corrosion protection, and intelligent response.

Simultaneous Photocatalytic Esterification and Addition Reaction of Fatty Acids in Kemiri Sunan (Reutealis trisperma sp.) Oil over CuO/TiO2 Catalyst - A Novel Approach

A novel approach, namely photocatalytic esterification and addition reaction of unsaturated fatty acids using CuO/TiO2 catalyst has been investigated in kemiri sunan oil. The objectives of this study are to reduce the free fatty acid (FFA) content by using catalyst CuO/TiO2, characterization of the catalyst and the operation condition of reaction. The CuO/TiO2 catalyst was synthesized by the impregnation of TiO2 P25 powder with copper nitrate solution as a precursor and followed by calcination. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Transmission electron microscopes (TEM) result showed that copper oxide was highly dispersed on the TiO2 surface. The X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) result showed that Cu is in the state of CuO (Cu2+), while Ti is in Ti4+ ( TiO2). The bandgap energy of CuO/TiO2 was smaller than TiO2 P25. It was found that the reactions conducted in the presence of CuO/TiO2 in a photoreactor under UV irradiation can perform esterification and addition reaction of the FFA, simultaneously. The optimum reduction of the FFA was under condition of 4% loading CuO/TiO2, 4 hours reaction time, 30:1 (mole/mole) methanol to oil ratio, 5% (w/w) catalyst amount. The conversion of FFA was at around 59%. The Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) results showed that the addition reaction of -eleostearic acid simultaneously occured at 100% conversion. Although the photocatalyst selectivity in FFA reduction was relatively low, but double bond reduction of -eleostearic acid (C18:3) was very high. The reduction of multiple double bond is considered as positive poin to improve the oxidative stability of the product. The simultaneous esterification and addition reactions mechanism has been proposed. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

GCMS AND TLC ANALYSIS OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF SEED MOMORDICA CHARANTIA

To perform the TLC and GCMS analysis of ethanolic extract of seed Momordica charantia. The seeds ofMomardicacharantia was extracted with ethanol and tested for TLC and GCMS by standard procedure as per the guidelines of WHO.The phytochemical and TLC studies showed the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, phenols, steroids, terpenoids and proteins.The GCMS analysis of seed Momardicacharantiashowed five major compounds were found to be n-hexadeconic acid, 9,12-Octadecadinoic acid,Octadecanoic acid,Hexadecanoic acid-2-hydroxy-1-hydroxy methyl ethyl ester and Gamma-sitosterol.The Therapeutic activity may be due to the major compounds identified by GCMS and further have to be evaluated.Mostly cucurbitaceae plant possesses the highest nutritive value and also a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Fruits are composed of sufficient of water,protein and lipids respectively.In addition to this MC seeds can represent a good source of lipids, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and they are among the few foods containing conjugated linolenic acid, being as eleostearic acid. The essential oil, obtained from drought seeds, contains sesquiterpenes, phenylpropanoids and monoterpenes. Other bioactive compounds, such as tocopherols and polyphenols have been reported in general. The pericarp, the aril, the stem and the leaves of the plant are also a good source of phenolic compounds, which can be useful to protect from oxidative damage by acting directly on reactive oxygen species and to induce endogenous defense systems.

Combining Renewable Eleostearic Acid and Eugenol to Fabricate Sustainable Plasticizer and Its Effect of Plasticizing on PVC

The recent studies on sustainable plasticizer mainly focus on raw material source, synthesis method and plasticization, but the effect of chemical functional groups (epoxy group and ester group) of sustainable plasticizer on compatibility and thermal stability of plasticized polyvinyl chlorid (PVC) materials has been ignored. In this study, two kinds of sustainable plasticizers (eleostearic acid eugenol ester (EAEE) and epoxidized EAEE) were synthesized to plasticize PVC films using eleostearic acid and eugenol. Compared to EAEE, PVC plasticized with epoxidized EAEE showed more flexible and thermal stability. Due to forming more hydrogen bonds between PVC chains and epoxidized EAEE than that of PVC chains, the efficient plasticizing on PVC with epoxidized EAEE was more than EAEE. Because of the flexible alkane chains and polar group (ester groups and epoxy groups) in the structure of epoxidized EAEE, the intermolecular interaction force with PVC was stronger than EAEE, and there was homogeneous and smooth surface of plasticized PVC films.Graphical Abstract

Production of tung oil epoxy resin using low frequency high power ultrasound

Epoxy resins made from vegetable oils are an alternative to synthesize epoxy resins from renewable sources. Tung oil is rich in α -eleostearic fatty acid, which contains three double bonds producing epoxy resins with up to three epoxy groups per fatty acid. This work studied the production of tung oil epoxy resin using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent and acetic and formic acid as percarboxylic acid precursors, applying low frequency high power ultrasound. This study evaluated the effects of ultrasound power density, hydrogen peroxide concentration, acetic acid concentration, and formic acid concentration on the yield into epoxy resin, selectivity, and by-products formation. Application of ultrasound was carried out using a 19 kHz probe ultrasound (horn ultrasound) with a 1.3 cm diameter titanium probe, 500 W nominal power, 2940 W L−1 maximum effective power density applied to the reaction mixture. Ultrasound technology yielded up to 85% of epoxy resin in 3 h of reaction. The use of formic acid resulted in a slightly lower oil conversion than acetic acid but with a much higher selectivity towards epoxidized tung oil. However, using acetic acid resulted in the production of high-value by-products, such as 2-heptenal and 2,4-nonadienal. The ultrasound-assisted epoxidation showed to be particularly efficient when applied to oils containing conjugated double-bonds.

Synthesis and application of eleostearic acid based plasticizer

This study reports the synthesis of a kind of biomass-based plasticizer: epoxy eleostearic acid catechol ester (EEAE), originating from biomass resources eleostearic acid and catechol by way of esterification and epoxidation. Its effect on the plasticization, mechanical properties and migration resistance of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) film was investigated. The results showed that epoxy groups were covalently bonded on the branched chains of EEAE and the epoxy groups and ester groups of EEAE formed hydrogen bonds with the α-hydrogen of PVC, which had a better plasticizing effect on PVC than commercial diisobutyl phthalate. When the mass of EEAE increased from 0.2 to 0.8 g in PVC films, the glass transition temperature (T g) decreased from 86.7 to 54°C and the elongation at break of the PVC films increased from 124.24 ± 6.00 to 321.12 ± 6.13%, while the tensile strength decreased from 40.12 ± 1.23 MPa to 19.67 ± 2.33 MPa, which illustrated that EEAE had an efficient plasticizing effect on PVC. The plasticizer showed marginal resistance to volatilization and solvent extraction. The thermal stability and compatibility of PVC films plasticized with EEAE were also improved.

Research of biologically active compounds of catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides Walt.)

Catalpa bignonioides Walt. (catalpa) the family Bignoniaceae – a tree, which originates from North America. Catalpa bark contains resins and tannins. Monoterpene glycosides were found in the leaf. Catalpa seeds contain up to 30% of eleostearic acid. Decoctions are made of the bark of the tree. They serve as a gastric agent and have an anthelmintic effect. Decoction of the bark exhibits bronchodilator action, is used in the complex treatment of cancer. The leaves are used to treat skin diseases. The infusion of fruits has anti-herpetic and hypoglycemic properties.&#x0D; The aim of the work is to investigate biologically active compounds of the leaves of catalpa bignini.&#x0D; The object of the study was the leaves of common catalpa harvested in the summer of 2018 in Sevastopol. Chemical identification reactions and methods of chromatographic analysis were used to determine the major groups of biologically active substances of the leaves of the catalpa (chromatographic paper Filtrak FN No. 4, Munktell, Czech Republic). Chromatography was performed in pre-selected solvent systems: n-butanol‒acetic acid‒water (BAW) (4:1:2) ‒ I direction and 15% acetic acid ‒ II direction. Identification reactions were performed with aqueous and aqueous-alcoholic extracts of catalpa leaves.&#x0D; The qualitative composition of the phenolic compounds was investigated by paper chromatography. The content of the sum of phenolic compounds, hydroxycyclic acids and flavonoids was determined by the spectrophotometric method. Based on the held reactions and chromatographic analysis, by the characteristic fluorescence in the filtered UV light before and after treatment with chromogenic reagents and the values of Rf in the raw material the presence of the following groups of biologically active substances were determined: flavonoids, phenol glycosides, hydroxycoric acids. According to the chromatographic analysis, at least 9 substances of phenolic nature have been detected in the alcohol-aqueous extracts.&#x0D; For the first time, the presence of the following groups of biologically active substances: hydroxycoric acids, phenologic glycosides, flavonoids was determined in the leaves of catalpa. Quantitative content of natural compounds in the leaves of common catalpa: the sum of phenolic compounds (4,76 ± 0,04%), of hydroxycoric acids (3,42 ± 0,02%), of flavonoids (1,88 ± 0,02%). The results of the study will be used in the development of the draft quality control methods for medicinal plant raw materials.

Reutealis Trisperma Oil Esterification: Optimization and Kinetic Study

Reutealis trisperma, due to its high kernel-oil yield (±50%) and long productivity (±70 years), is considered to be a promising feedstock for biodiesel production. In addition, this plant, which can thrive on marginal lands, is classified as a non-edible oil since it contains a toxin known as eleostearic acid. The present study aimed to optimize the esterification step in biodiesel production from R.trisperma oil catalyzed using sulfonic ion exchange resin Lewatit K2640. The optimization step was performed using a response surface methodology through the incorporation of a central composite design. A kinetic study was performed as well, based on the assumption of a pseudo-homogeneous second-order model. Catalyst loading was found to have the most significant impact on acid value, followed by temperature and methanol-to-oil molar ratio. The optimal conditions for the esterification step were 92 °C temperature, 5.34% catalyst loading, and 5.82:1 methanol-to-oil molar ratio. The acid value and FFA conversion of R.trisperma oil under these conditions were 2.49 mg KOH/g and 91.75%, respectively. The kinetics study revealed that the constructed model could fit the experimental data well with relatively high reliability. The activation energy required for the esterification of R.trisperma oil was 33.2 kJ/mol.

Tung Tree (Vernicia fordii) Genome Provides A Resource for Understanding Genome Evolution and Improved Oil Production

Tung tree (Vernicia fordii) is an economically important woody oil plant that produces tung oil rich in eleostearic acid. Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-scale genome sequence of tung tree. The genome sequence was assembled by combining Illumina short reads, Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time long reads, and Hi-C sequencing data. The size of tung tree genome is 1.12 Gb, with 28,422 predicted genes and over 73% repeat sequences. The V. fordii underwent an ancient genome triplication event shared by core eudicots but no further whole-genome duplication in the subsequent ca. 34.55 million years of evolutionary history of the tung tree lineage. Insertion time analysis revealed that repeat-driven genome expansion might have arisen as a result of long-standing long terminal repeat retrotransposon bursts and lack of efficient DNA deletion mechanisms. The genome harbors 88 resistance genes encoding nucleotide-binding sites; 17 of these genes may be involved in early-infection stage of Fusarium wilt resistance. Further, 651 oil-related genes were identified, 88 of which are predicted to be directly involved in tung oil biosynthesis. Relatively few phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase genes, and synergistic effects between transcription factors and oil biosynthesis-related genes might contribute to the high oil content of tung seed. The tung tree genome constitutes a valuable resource for understanding genome evolution, as well as for molecular breeding and genetic improvements for oil production.

Self-assembled nano-vesicles based on mPEG-NH2 modified carboxymethyl chitosan-graft-eleostearic acid conjugates for delivery of spinosad for Helicoverpa armigera

In this work, carboxymethyl chitosan-graft-eleostearic acid (CMCS-g-EA) was synthesized via the amide reaction between the amino groups of carboxymethyl chitosan and the carboxyl group of eleostearic acid, and then mPEG-NH2 was grafted to CMCS-g-EA to prepare amphiphilic polymers (mPEG-CMCS-g-EA). The chemical structures of the above conjugates were characterized by FT-IR and 1H NMR. Both CMCS-g-EA and mPEG-CMCS-g-EA based nano-vesicles were prepared by ultrasonic self-assembly method and they exhibited a low critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of 14.97 μg/mL, 16.82 μg/mL, respectively. The spinosad-loaded mPEG-CMCS-g-EA nano-vesicles (SSD@mPEG-CMCS-g-EA NVs) were spherical in shape with an average diameter of 502.8 nm and the zeta potential of −25.60 mV. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and drug loading content (LC) of SSD@mPEG-CMCS-g-EA nano-vesicles were 42.00%, 23.07%, respectively. In vitro release revealed that the SSD@mPEG-CMCS-g-EA nano-vesicles exhibited a sustained and pH-responsive drug release property, and could significantly enhance the photostability of spinosad. Furthermore, the toxicological tests demonstrated that the SSD@mPEG-CMCS-g-EA nano-vesicles could efficiently inhibit the growth and development of Helicoverpa armigera. These results indicated that the SSD@mPEG-CMCS-g-EA nano-vesicles were highly potential for the treatment of Helicoverpa armigera.

Conjugated Linolenic Acids: Implication in Cancer.

Conjugated fatty acids (CFAs) including both conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) and conjugated linolenic acids (CLNAs) have various health promoting effects. These beneficial effects are comprised by their antioxidant, antiatherogenecity, anticarcinogenic activities, etc. Several reports indicate that CLNAs such as eleostearic acid, punicic acid, jacaric acid, and calendic acid possess anticancer properties. These CLNAs are produced and accumulated in seeds of certain commonly available plants. This review discusses their role in chemoprevention of cancer. Using in vitro as well as in vivo models of cancer, bioactivities of these CLNAs have been explored in detail. CLNAs have been shown to have potent anticancer activity as compared to the CLAs. Although the molecular basis of these effects has been summarized here, more detailed studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms. Further clinical trials are obligatory for assessing the safety and efficacy of CLNAs as an anticancer agent.

One-pot synthesis of polyurethane-imides with tailored performance from castor and tung oil

Herein, castor and tung oil-based polyurethane-imides with tailored thermal and mechanical performance were developed by a one-pot method. First, tung oil (TO) was transformed into eleostearic acid diethanol amide (EADEA) by methyl-esterification and amidation. The resulting EADEA was then mixed with castor oil (CO), N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-maleimide (HEMI) and isophorone diisocyanate to prepare biobased polyurethane-imides. The formation of Diels-Alder (DA) adducts from EADEA and HEMI during the curing process was determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The effect of DA adducts contents on the thermal and mechanical properties of corresponding polymers was investigated. The results show that the introduction of TO-maleimide DA adducts significantly increases the glass transition temperature, tensile strength, Young’s modulus and gel content of the resulting polyurethanes. The highest tensile strength of the resulting polymers can reach 48.2 MPa. Besides, the thermal stability was also improved with the incorporation of imide groups. This technique reported here demonstrates several advantages, such as one-pot synthesis, high bio-renewable content, low cost and tunable performance, and it is promising to find application in coatings, adhesives and so on.

Tung Tree (Vernicia fordii, Hemsl.) Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals Co-Ordinate Up-Regulation of Fatty Acid β-Oxidation and Triacylglycerol Biosynthesis Pathways During Eleostearic Acid Accumulation in Seeds.

The tung tree (Vernicia fordii) is one of only a few plant species that produces high oil-yielding seeds rich in α-eleostearic acid (α-ESA, 18:3Δ9cis, 11trans, 13trans), a conjugated trienoic fatty acid with valuable industrial and medical properties. Previous attempts have been made to engineer tung oil biosynthesis in transgenic oilseed crops, but these efforts have met with limited success. Here we present a high-quality genome assembly and developing seed transcriptomic data set for this species. Whole-genome shotgun sequencing generated 176 Gb of genome sequence data used to create a final assembled sequence 1,176,320 kb in size, with a scaffold N50 size of >474 kb, and containing approximately 47,000 protein-coding genes. Genomic and transcriptomic data revealed full-length candidate genes for most of the known and suspected reactions that are necessary for fatty acid desaturation/conjugation, acyl editing and triacylglycerol biosynthesis. Seed transcriptomic analyses also revealed features unique to tung tree, including unusual transcriptional profiles of fatty acid biosynthetic genes, and co-ordinated (and seemingly paradoxical) simultaneous up-regulation of both fatty acid β-oxidation and triacylglycerol biosynthesis in mid-development seeds. The precise temporal control of the expression patterns for these two pathways may account for α-ESA enrichment in tung seeds, while controlling the levels of potentially toxic by-products. Deeper understanding of these processes may open doors to the design of engineered oilseeds containing high levels of α-ESA.

Molecular, morphological and biochemical characterization of some Turkish bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) genotypes

Bitter melon or bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) of the Cucurbitaceae family is valuable plant for their nutritive and medicinal properties. In this study, molecular, morphological and some biochemical properties of 12 bitter gourd genotypes from different parts of Turkey were determined. Considerable morphological variation among the genotypes was observed for fruit properties such as fruit length (9.33 to 14.33 cm) and time for maturity (late June to late September). For molecular caharacterization fifteen ISSR primers were produced, on average, 113 bands in the accessions were examined and 59 (52%) of them were detected as to be polymorphic, which resulted in a Jaccard’s similarity range from 0.80 to 0.98. According to biocehmical analyses, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and eleostearic acids were detected as the major fatty acids in the studied bitter gourd seeds. Eleostearic acid had the highest proportion among the fatty acids (42.66-61.99%). The bitter gourd genotypes showed different fractions of vitamin E. G1 contained alpha, gamma and delta tocopherol, while G2, G18, G19 and G24 contained only gamma and delta tocopherols. Beta carotene was also present in all genotypes and the ratio was between 56.57 and 116.75 mg/kg. In addition, the genotypes were evaluated for their mineral composition and phosphorus was the major mineral for the genotypes and only sodium was not observed in all genotypes among the studied minerals. This study provided useful information for nutritional perspective of bitter melon and also breeding studies.

Chemical and biological evaluations of potent antiseptic cosmetic products obtained from Momordica charantia seed oil

The Principles of Green Chemistry was employed for the preparation of organic antiseptic soaps with improved skin sensitivity, reduced skin toxicity and improved biodegradability. Non-conventional and lesser known tropical seeds of Momordica charantia were used as the source of oil for the saponification processes. The fatty acid methyl esters of the oil were prepared via transesterification and subjected to GC–MS analysis to obtain the fatty acid composition of the oil and saponified products were subjected to various physicochemical and antimicrobial evaluations. The results indicated that stearic acid (18:0) and eleostearic acid (18:3) were the most abundant fatty acids making up 37.60% and 39.16%, respectively. Palmitic acid (16:0) 12.36%, oleic acid (18:1) 8.71%, linoleic acid (18:2) 0.67% and gamolenic acid (18:3) 1.50% were present in smaller amount in the oil. The oil is a viable source of polyunsaturated fatty acid which is required as essential fatty acids in the human body. The prepared soaps containing only natural additives (such as honey and shear butter) and components showed appreciable degree of hardness comparable to commercial Dudu Osun and the synthetic Lux soaps used as standards. This work demonstrates the probability of the preparation of green antiseptic soaps from the underutilized tropical seed of M. charantia. The seed oil and the allied products obviously have great potential for further advancement, development, research and applications in health and cosmetics sectors. The adopted approach could also assist maintaining a safe and healthy biotic and abiotic environment.